Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Cross is a skeleton of habits. Everybody who knows him will tell you that. He likes to stick to his routine and usual choices. He always wakes up at the same time, ingraved in him when he enrolled in the royal guard. He then follows some solo training for an hour before breakfast.

After that he's on post until lunch. While he does have a frequent spot, that's only if he's not commissioned as their Majesties' guard. He loves both, either taking in the time to think freely or meeting with friends he doesn't have the rank to talk to often.

At the canteen, he meets with all of his friends in the guard, at the same table they've been eating at since the early days of their training. Some dared to try and claim this place. No one does now and the calm meals are appreciated. As calm as eating surrounded by hungry soldiers can be.

The afternoon is often dedicated to his rounds in town or for specials missions. He doesn't like the ones who push him out of the city and will always try to finish them as soon as possible.

Which only made his superiors give him more of those until he was out of the capital every day for a month. He had to nearly make a scene (alright, he had made a scene, because that's what you call throwing a punch at your superior) for this situation to calm down.

He'll try to be on time for dinner and have some quality time with his brother if they hadn't met during the day. Usually meaning going for a few friendly spars, which Undyne always crashes (he swears that this woman had some sixth sense about it).

Outside of his carefuly crafted routine, only few things counted. His brother, his friends, his kingdom and that's about all. So naturally, he didn't keep anything that wouldn't be part of his habits or linked to what he cared about.

That would just provide a distraction and he learnt to quickly to set them aside as constant focus on one's objective was vital for a guard.

So as said before, Cross is a skeleton of habits and lives only for the ones who are part of it. Everything in his life is either from his friends, used everyday or thrown out.

All but one thing.

One thing that he hasn't touched in a year.

One thing that he never really mentionned to anyone.

One thing that still gathers dust in one of his desk's drawers.

One thing that he can't let go even if he tried to. Multiple times.

It started when he went to sleep, one night as a teen. He lived his adventure as kids do in their dreams. He had fun with dozens of people in the city cheering and helping him. Just good old exploration in a fantasy town really.

Before he knew it, he was about to wake up and everything became more and more blurry. Colors, buildings, faces, voices... when a warm light, brighter than anything blinded him and-

"...Cross ?"

Sans woke up at the voice. Someone just talked to him. Which was... strange. He only lived with Paps and that lazybone always woke up after him. Even stranger was that it was earlier than his usual wake up time. He still got up to check on his brother, going through the house hearing only his careless steps on the wooden floor.

"Paps... Are you up...?" He whispered in front of his brother's room but nothing answered him on the other side of the door.

To be sure that it wasn't a prank, he peeked inside. Thanks to the light of their house's decoration and the curtains not being drawn (how could Paps even sleep this long in the mornings like that), he could make up his brother, sleeping there, not at all woken up enough to be able to talk minutes ago.

Weird.

He went back to his bed, trying to be quiet this time around, knowing that his brother was sleeping. It was just his mind playing tricks afterall. It might have felt so real only because of his half-awake/half-asleep mind.

But why would someone call for him without using his name ? And why could he still remember the dream ?

In the following days he met his new best friends, Chara and Frisk. Maybe that's why he had that weird dream, because he would meet them. He did meet them after a long day playing in the city and they did call him Cross at first. An old friend who really looked like him they said.

The two of them didn't want to go play with his brother and friends when he proposed. Maybe they were shy... Or maybe they just needed to be more friend. He went to visit to play with them often after that as they just arrived and knew nobody.

And then, another dream happened. He was in the same village it seemed, helping the people there by solving mysteries or fighting fruits away. A simple yet very similar dream to the other one that he remembered. Everybody flocked to him with quests and cheers. But none compared to the voice he heard last time.

It was a really good dream to wake up to but when he did, there was no blinding light nor call. Only the warmth was here like last time. As the days went on, he could still recall the events of the dream like the first one.

From then on, it never stopped. There was no telling to when the dreams would happen. They could be days or weeks apart. Still the same city, the same people and the same activities. Same warmth when he woke up too.

It's also the only type of dream he can remember that well. He asked his brother if that meant something and the only answer he got was a half-convinced "maybe". When he asked Alphys she told him that a dream journal could help to understand dreams.

He didn't ask Undyne because she wouldn't be interested as you couldn't punch this problem and he didn't feel like asking Chara or Frisk. They had become much closer but it would feel weird right ? "Did you call for me thinking I was your friend in a dream before we even met ?" Yeah no. Not happening.

So he started writing about them, listing everything he remembered. People, places, tasks, puzzles... He seemed to be a bit taller, older too. Everything could be a clue. After a while, he noticed that these dreams always happened before an event.

Whether it's a good exploration with his friends, a difficult test in school or an out of proportion prank happening, a dream was there few days before. Maybe the voice was here only when something big would change, like the day he met Frisk and Chara.

It had been long to become friends with them but they were warming up a lot these past months. He got them to meet with Paps, Undyne and Alphys and they've been playing together whenever they could. They were still very closed off to other kids but they didn't want to play with Sans and his friends anyway so it was fine. They fit in as if they had in fact been friends with the group for a long time.

Talking about old friends, Frisk and Chara let the nickname slip one day and now everyone was calling Sans like that old friend of theirs. Weird how his dream also predicted this.

But still, Cross wanted to know who he was named after now. They did try to get some detail about him but all they know is that he always wanted to help and that he was dead now. There wasn't anymore questions after that.

They all went to school together and Sans really had a ton of fun there with all his friends. Alphys would often compete with Frisk for the best mark while Sans and Chara loved competing during PE, Chara always had some game he would play with Sans during the lessons (some of them were really boring), they would meet up with Undyne and Paps at lunch and be one of the loudest tables ever.

Undyne would sometimes need to be calmed down to avoid food fights or just regular fights for the record. It had happened and no one wanted to do the collective detention again.

He continued to have his premonitory dreams. No one called him anymore but he was still having fun so it meant more fun going on ? That's what happened until now so that seemed to be right.

Until one night.

Something happened. It had been months since the first one at this point but he'd had enough dreams to know, to feel that difference.

It started like any other time. Cross arrived at the village and was greeted by everyone, he gave them names at some point but they didn't seem to remember one dream after another.

So he started going around to help and see what his mind found this time around to undertain itself, when he caught something in the corner of his eye. However, when he turned his head there, it was nowhere to be found.

Which was weird, because for as long as he got the dreams, everything that moved inside them was constently attracted to him, like a moth to a flame.

It wasn't entirely true. Nothing tried to avoid or hide from him unless it was linked to a puzzle. Maybe he unlocked this one without noticing but a puzzle is always a good dream !

So he let go of any other task he had taken and ran after... after whatever it was that he was trying to catch.

The races were fun here. He was faster than when he was awake and more agile too. He jumped higher and on the walls ! If only he could do that all the time, he was sure he'd win against Chara at each of their challenges.

Well, if his dream really gave clues to his future, then he'd be like that when he'd grow up. How would he grow up to be like this ? Maybe he'd have his answer by capturing whatever he was chasing after !

Well, if only he could. It's the first time a puzzle has given him such a headache. Wherever he passed, he only caught the traces left behind but not his target directly. At least with these, he knew he was chasing after someone and not just something.

Just when he thought that he caught up, there was that familiar feeling of drowsiness. Everything blurred around him and he was gently pulled out of his dream. And when he was about to wake up, he heard it again.

"Don't look for me."

He opened his eyes.

His room was the same as when he went to sleep, nothing moved, nothing was out of ordinary.

His muscles didn't hurt even if it felt like he had been running all around that village. His breath was calm and measured, like he didn't just chase someone for hours on. His heartbeat was calm and steady, like he didn't just have the most exiting dream in a long time. Everything felt too peaceful for what happened that night, in that dream.

Something would happen soon, something that would impact him. Something linked to Chara and Frisk. That's how his dreams worked.

He just heard that same voice as when he met them after all.

Chapter Text

"We'll become royal guards." 

That's what Frisk and Chara announced the very morning after that dream. There really seemed to be a link between these brothers and his dreams, that's for certain. 

"How are you guys gonna do that exactly ? The guard isn't really open to kids. Believe me, I tried !" Undyne added teasingly, though ready to listen, which was awfully rare in the mornings. 

And she was not the only one. The rest of the group gathered around to hear about this new plan the two devils prepared. After a few sly glances, as one does before revealing a genius plan, Chara started.

"So, as you all know, our lovely prince Asriel is about our age. However, he never went to public school due to the fact that he's the only heir to the throne."

"History, sciences, politics, magic, litterature, combat..." Frisk continued, they often do this, "He learnt everything through tutors and he's well above the level of normal students. He's now at the age of looking for his close guard and confidents."

"So, where does one go to perfect their education and find friends ? They go to school obviously. So if we manage to enroll this year and the next where he'll go..."

"We'll have a chance to at the very least be spotted and recruited by his Majesty or the guards posted left and right. Pretty simple, right ?"

They looked at the rest of the group, all proud of their master plan. And now, as they did with every prank preparation, it was the time for questions. And there were a lot. 

"How do we manage to get their attention ?"

"How do we even get transferred there ?"

"Can we all even move there ?"

"How do you even know what the school will be ?" 

This time, it was Frisk who started answering. "We all have enough potential to shine compared to those who will be sent only through lineage."

"Of course you all can try with us ! This is going to be fairly simple since they have programs to include non noble children. They even house and feed us." Chara was all smiles while announcing that. The warm one that left you with shivers. 

"For the rest," he looked at Frisk and some sort of message passed between them, "that's a secret."

Cross and the others were silent. Working at the palace was prestigious but difficult to find at their level but they would need to leave everything. They would need to thin-

"Alright punks, where do I sign ?"

Some sighed, others chuckled. Reflexion time just wasn't a concept for some. Well, this was one of Undyne's oldest dreams so who could blame her for taking this chance.

"How much time do we have to make that decision ?" It was Alphys who asked. She didn't often participate in their games but maybe the prospects of staying with Undyne all day having a foot in the royal palace did seem interesting enough for her.

"Until tomorrow evening, we will meet after school."

That's the start to how Frisk and Chara got all of them into the most prestigious academy in the kingdom, which will lead to a brilliant career at the palace for all of them. But that's not where they are yet.

Everybody accepted. So the training started right then and there. 

They did have some work to do in order to get accepted in the best school in the capital. Undyne and Papyrus were priorities since they would enroll this year but they both handled the magical and physical part well. 

The knowledge part would be a bit more delicate. They weren't failing by any means, just- mediocre wouldn't cut it. Cross seeing Paps’ nose deep in books all day long made him happy that he was already on a 'passing level' for this test.

He and Alphys would have to focus on the opposite a bit more and, fortunately, they had more time. He was already sore all around after their practice, he wouldn't have survived an intensive one. 

No one saw where or when Chara and Frisk worked. Undyne and Paps called them on it one day, asking if they'd be doing alright after training all of us. This resulted in one expeditive match, a knife at Paps' throat and Undyne subdued with her own spears in less than a minute.

Cross had had a dream a few days before so he had been waiting for something. They were still present, appearing before one of them made a huge progress during their training. He only got normal ones though.

That someone had not reappeared yet.

Or more precisely, Cross hadn't directly seen them yet. There were still clues that a person was around but he never even got close to catch or even run after them like he had been the last time. 

He did try to recreate the conditions which started this chase in the first place, but nothing came out of it. Plus, if the voice was linked to them, then he was still missing the link between the event of chase night and of the first night.

On the other side, after helping around, he would experiment a lot on what he could do in these dreams. His training gave him a lot of ideas like how he was now able to teleport through the city easily (it was still difficult to do when he was awake but he was getting there).

After a few months, it was time for Undyne and Papyrus' exam. And as expected, they aced it. They got some actual competition for the magic and physical test, which was surprising, and they both managed decent grades for the rest. 

Cross could have said he had been as anxious for the results as the others if he hadn't had a dream before the results came in. He tended to rely on them a bit too much, yes. However he would argue that just the warmth he felt at the end of each of them could comfort anyone in any situation.

They all celebrated for days, taking a break from the training, eating way more junk food than possible and just making the most of each other before the two were sent far away. 

Undyne and Alphys might have made some progress before the departure (the long hours of revising for the exam together might have got something to do with it - also why Papyrus found himself doing so alone at home). 

Which was confirmed when they kissed right before they left. Cross did snicker when Frisk discreetly pointed towards their brothers who were exchanging some cash behind them. 

That day had come way too fast for everyone and although they all tried to smile, both the travels to the academy and back home were quiet. Too quiet for them.

When Cross arrived home, he was just tired. He still had to find what he would eat for dinner, clean everything and train if he had the time after that too... All by himself. It didn't feel that big, he'd usually do everything in the house anyway...

Tonight... Not tonight. He got out of his coat and went for his room. Tomorrow he'd be ready for that, he'd start another day and he'll be able to function as usual. He slumped on his bed and already his eyes started to close.

For the first time, he wished he could choose his dreams. He really needed to feel that warmth when he would wake up. And maybe... maybe he could find that person he'd been looking for. To hear the voice again.

Well, he might want to start wishing more. He arrived at the village like each of these dreams, however this time, he teleported to the highest point and did nothing. It was one of the rare places here where no villagers would come. He found this one, and others, during his numerous explorations.

It's been over a year and a half since he started helping around here every other night and just like he didn't feel like doing anything awake, he wanted a break in his dream too. He just watched over the houses and the street that he now knew by heart, the villagers continuing with their tasks...

It was so relaxing that he almost missed the hooded figure who kept appearing and disappearing all around the place. Even if they were surrounded by people, they could still easily fray a path for themselves quickly, still looking all around. 

Cross couldn't believe his eyes. A person who behaved very differently from the others and who could move faster than anyone here ? That sure rang a bell. All he had needed to do to get a glimpse was to hide ? The person supposed to flee at his sight was looking for him ?

And doing it meticulously well at that. Every place that person was looking through was one he usually went to because he found his favorite quests there. Plus they didn't seem to come back at a place after checking, like they were really looking to find him and not just bump up the chance of meeting. 

Like what a real person would do, and not just an odd mechanic for a puzzle.

Only one way to be sure.

He waited until they were looking through more deserted places and then he teleported right behind him. Or at least he tried to. This hooded mystery was so fast they were already out of arm range and now the villagers were going to soon be aware of him. 

No more discretion then. He ran towards his target, shouting to try to distract them, which surprisingly worked, confusing them enough to give him the time to catch up. Their chase started again but this time, Cross was closing on much faster. 

He finally reached them a few minutes later, grabbing an arm and turning them around, now face to face with the one who had taunted him for months. They were both catching their breath, standing still and silent with only the hussle of the villagers far from them.

Cross was looking at... himself ? Beside the different clothes, the skeleton under the hood did look like him but for his eyes. They were golden. Eyes which were looking at him, waiting for... something ? Maybe Cross needed to do something more than catch him to finish the quest ?

"What should I do ? What do you need me for ?" He asked, finally detaching himself from the mysterious eyes and looking for clues on the skeleton. 

"What ?" Cross looked up again. He couldn't help it. It was the voice. They were linked. "I don't- There's no- I..."

They were looking at each other again, both confused. A tension was quickly building up between them and the golden eyed skeleton took a step back, clearly trying to flee. But Cross held on.

"I'm not letting you go. If catching you was not the quest then tell me what it is." It must have been special for him to instinctively want to continue it after all this time. 

"Cross, I'm not- I don't have a quest." He was struggling more, trying to get his arm back. Tears were forming in the corner of his eyes as his distress seemed to increase. "I have nothing to give to you. Let me go-" 

"NO !" Cross was desperate. He needed an answer after all this time, he couldn't go months without seeing him again without anything to hold on. "You have to have something ! That's how it works for everyone here !"

"I don't because I'm real !" The skeleton stopped pulling from Cross and pushed himself towards him. He was able to put both hands on Cross' head and the world blurred around him. He was waking up.

There was the blinding light.

There was the warmth he had been wanting for.

However he only heard soft sobs.

He opened his eyes and sat on his bed. The house was silent and empty. He stayed there, time passing.

And through his heartbeat and the lasting sobs, the last cry still echoed in head.

Chapter Text

It was a quiet evening at the skelebros' house. There was always some activity around the house, either it was Papyrus watching TV, Cross drawing, one of them nagging the other or just them playing around.

Not this time.

Chara and Frisk had told all of them their plan to secure a job in the palace. It was... quite the plan for sure and as always, they had gathered information from who knows where which, as always, would likely turn out to be the truth.

It was a brilliant future waiting for them if they chose to follow the twins. Maybe the best they could hope for with their status. Orphans never get the best options after all.

Except they would need to leave everything they've known to give it a try. Sure, none of them would have a grand life but they had been lucky enough to have a place here.

They had been given house and clothes, food and education. Everyone in the village took a turn at helping these kids who came one after the other, all abandoned through the years. They could find things to do right or left and live without trouble. It could be enough.

Cross was now preparing dinner and for once, Paps helped by setting the table. By the time the meal was on the table, hours had gone by in silence since they arrived at home.

"Do you know what you'll do ?" Paps asked as he passed his plate to his brother.

"I think I'll go with them." Cross filled it and passed it back, now doing the same for himself. "Being a royal guard seems fun and cool. And I like to help people. It's like a dream for me." He smiled at his own joke. "And you ?"

"Royal guard seems like way too much work for me but... maybe there's something else a bit less demanding there. If Alphys joins us, I don't think that 'royal guard' is going to be her goal. She has another big fish to catch..."

Snickering, Cross sent a playful kick to his brother's leg. "This one was horrible... but you're right, Alphys wouldn't like it and I can't see you stay at the same place all day without taking a nap."

Paps grew a grin. "Yeah, actually maybe I shouldn't sleep on this opportunity, it really sounds like a dream job." They both laughed at that and finished their plates.

Cross gathered everything into the pot while Paps stood to get his post-meal glass milk. "Can you get me one too please" Sans asked while he carried what needed to be washed to the sink.

Once it was placed in there, he got the faucet running on the pile and looked for a sponge. By that time, Paps would already be on the couch, zapping to today's emission of that star robot. Frisk and him always talked about it at lunch the next day.

"If you stay in the fridge, you 'cold' be missing Metaton's show. Hurry up and turn the TV-"

"Sans."

He froze for a second, turned the faucet off and looked at his brother. Papyrus had closed the fridge and was bringing back their drink, looking down with a thoughtful expression. 

"Papyrus...?" Sans tried as his brother arrived beside him and placed one of the milk on the counter. It's been a while since he had used this name. He only did that when he wanted to be serious.

"I know you might not have thought about it, but if we both go to this academy," he looked up, concerned, "we'll have to live apart for one year."

For a lot of people, this would look like some irrational big brother's overprotective worry. Sans was the one to do all around the house, if one of them should worry about the other being able to live through this, it should be Sans.

But what most people don't know is that until a few years ago, Sans couldn't let go of his brother. If he couldn't find his brother, he would cry excessively, which could also easily turned into panic. Some deeply rooted fear of him disappearing completely and the whole world with it.

He became better at managing it through the years Right now, it translated to an unnaturaly still Sans, look empty and unfocused. 

Papyrus put a hand on his shoulder and it seemed to bring his brother back, who reflexively grabbed on the hand while looking up. However his breathing started to get out of control, faster and shorter.

"Sans, it's alright, I'm here." Papyrus brought his other hand to his brother's cheek and stroke it with his thumb. Sans leaned in it while closing his eyes, trying to calm and rationalize himself. "I'm fine, you're fine."

Papyrus leaned down and their foreheads touched. A tear rolled down, caught by the hand who was still there. "We're fine." Sans let out with a shaky breath.

"Are you sure you'll be able to live one year alone ?" They both still had their eyes closed, skull to skull, standing a bit longer in the middle of the kitchen. 

"I should be the one to ask you that... How will you do without me picking up after you and cooking for you ?"

"I'll be sure to come back to see you often. Plus Undyne proposed to give me cooking lessons when we'll have the time."

"Sounds fishy."

They both had a weak laugh at that and slowly let go of each other. Paps nudged Cross and pointed towards the couch. "Wanna watch together ?"

"I... There's still the dishes to do, and the trash to get out, and-"

"Not tonight. Tomorrow, you can throw yourself into that again. It won't go anywhere, it can wait. Promise."

"But-"

"No but." Paps took the milk and walked to the couch. "Come on, I'm sure your milk isn't too hot on waiting for you."

Cross smiled defeatedly and joined his brother as they arrived in the middle of an episode of 'The Cool Flics' TV Show of a Killer Robot~', just in time for the murder's discovery.

At the end of the episode, Cross was already soundly asleep on Paps' shoulder and the latter was starting his own battle to stay awake to see the second episode. Battle that quickly became evident he wouldn't win. 

So he brought the empty cups to the sink, took his brother upstairs and laid him gently in his bed. When he went to his own, there were two things on his mind. 

The reassurance that Sans would be able to live this one year here and this question which still hanged strong in his head since forever.

What could have happened to cause such a trauma to his brother ?

Chapter Text

Cross spent his day in a daze. He was lucky classes didn't start until a few days later, he wouldn't have been able to follow any in this state. After he wrote about this new dream in his journal, he had to get himself to do something or he'd stay sitting, thinking all day. And he had other things to do !

He couldn't distract himself hanging around with Alphys and the twins because they all agreed to stay at home and chill. So right now, he's mechanically cleaning every spot in the house except for Paps' room.

There's so much you can do when someone you've been looking for in your dream tells you that they're real. Not only that, but they act so too. And they seem to know you but you don't. And they're looking for you everywhere but they try to run away when you meet.

How did any of this make any sense ?!

Well, it didn't in Cross' mind and he's determined to find out exactly what's going on here. After a whole day of cleaning, there was nothing left to busy himself with (he did keep a regular cleaning schedule so there wasn't much to do in the first place). 

So he went back to his room, took his dream journal up and read. It wasn't the first time that happened, whether it was to come back to his favorite quests (it's been a while since he saw -that one cat guy) or when he had tried to trigger the whole chase 'quest'.

The first ones were extremely detailed, with the different demands he answered, who he took it from and where, how it went... At that time he didn't know how long or even if this would last so recording everything was important.

The recent entries were composed of a simple list of names and a global area of where he trained. Sometimes you could find the note of the clues he found for the chase or more precise locations; it was when he found the ones where he could be alone. 

For every dream there were two dates: obviously the one of the dreams and the one of the event it was linked to. He tried to make some sense out of it but he found nothing really notable with it. So many dates. So many nights he passed there...

Was this place real too ? If that skeleton was real and if he woke him up, did that mean that the rest of the dream, this village existed somewhere ? The villagers sure don't seem to be...

However the skeleton did mistake him for someone he knew. Someone with the same nickname he was later given and who likely disappeared or even died.

Someone like Chara and Frisk's mysterious old friend, who coincidentally checked all of these cases. No one knew where they came from too...

Cross closed his dream journal. He had to prepare how to approach this. The twins had never disclosed anything beside the name and the AMA status of their friend in over a year, even when faced with someone looking so identical they couldn't stop using their name.

Which means they intentionally avoided saying anything about them because they didn't want the group to know, not because it hurt them too much to think about their friend. What a headache.

So he thought, over and over again during these few days before he would see them, about how he was supposed to find what he wanted. 

And if that didn't work, he'd have to go with plan B.

It felt off to go to school alone. Years and years of walking on the same road and finding it so foreign now... And this weirdness would be his new normal. It's fine, he'll get used to it. He was already doing great dealing with things in the house.

Cross thought about calling his brother the past few days but quickly dismissed it. He had assured Paps that things would be alright and he didn't want to prove himself wrong. And they would have a chat tonight so he could wait. Just a bit longer.

He saw the entrance and shook his head mentally. He had other things he should focus on and he needed to get his plan right. Passing through it, he could see his three friends sitting on a bench in the far corner of the playground. 

It hadn't been that long but to see them on their usual spot got him smiling while he walked there. He called and waved at them even if he'd already been spotted. 

"Finally here !" Chara called out when he was nearly there and Frisk gave him a punch in the ribs. One not that harmless judging from his reaction. "Frisk, why- ?"

"Don't be a jerk, we were almost late because of you." His frown switched into a smile as turned to Cross. "How were the past days ? Did you get to watch the new episode of Mettaton ?"

Alphys was nose deep in her book - one about magic history this time - seemingly not caring about their antics. She'd still perk up if something got her attention but that didn't happen that often. Good. Let's try the first approach.

"Actually yeah, I did. His cooking shows are always fun. Pretty cool that the guest was a gargoyle, they try to give more and more screen time to uncommon species." Cross answered, trying his best to stay calm.

"I know right ! I've never seen one on TV before ! And she cooked perfectly while dodging all of the attacks !" Frisk was getting excited, so far so good.

"I'm sure I could cook better than her with my training and my skills ! I should participate in one someday." 

"Come on Cross, you say that nearly every time." Chara groaned while rolling his eyes. "And yes, skeletons are rare but we're not adults yet, you couldn't participate even if they asked you."

Frisk quickly took his side this time. "Yeah, I don't think the show will run long enough... If they really want to, maybe they'd just find another one."

"Well, I think I'd be the best pick for a skeleton. Where would you find another one exactly like me ?" Cross slipped in and he was sure there was a challenging smile on his face. That would make Chara react every time.

"Finding a skeleton as annoying as you Cross ? Impossible." Bingo. But Frisk had caught on and was about to interrupt them, he better finish quickly.

"You two did, didn't you ?"

Chara made a surprised face which turned quickly into a frown. That was where Cross wanted to get him. Either he admitted defeat or Cross would get more information about their old friend.

The sudden silence got Alphys to look up, finding a very smug Cross, Frisk trying to wordlessly get his brother's attention who had never looked more frustrated. When he finally opened his mouth, the bell rang.

"Time to see if we'll be in the same class again." Alphys said, calmly picking her bag and strolling toward the main hall, completely ignoring the previous tension. 

Frisk was quick to follow and after Chara let out a very frustrated groan. "Fine ! But I'm sure I can get first at the hall !" And he left right after that. 

Cross picked on fast enough for this to end with him nearly catching up. At least now he had a good reason for the frown on his face. He had been SO close to an answer and now he lost the surprise effect ! 

And the results were there. 

During the following week, he tried to bring the subject more or less subtly but the twins would see it coming from miles away and shut him down. When they started training again, they would barely talk to each other.

That's where they were now, Frisk and Chara sparring in their corner, not even looking at Alphys and Cross' fights to give them pointers. Which they still both needed. 

"Cross. You need to talk to them." Alphys declared after yet another clumsy try at an attack spell. "They've been clamming up because of your tactless questions and you need to apologize."

Cross side-eyed her and when she wouldn't look away, he tsked and sat down. "I know but I need to know more about this friend of theirs. There's just... something I need to confirm and-"

"Has this any link to this conversation we had about a year and a half ago ? When I recommended you to have a dream journal ?"

He nearly lost his head with the speed at which he turned back to her. "What- This is just... No ?!" He watched for any sign that would clear his confusion because- now Alphys was in on this too ??

"You talk about weird dreams, a few days later you bring these two out of nowhere and they have a nickname for you from an old friend who could be your twin who we can never meet and that they won't talk about ? And now after a few days of resting you have to know about them ? Doesn't take a genius to make that link."

"Impressive, as always." Cross sighed and looked at the twins. "Did you... tell them ?"

"About your dreams ? No, even if they did ask me if I knew anything. Everyone has secrets." Alphys turned to watch the other spar as well. They were going at each others throat with bare hands and they were talented. 

"They almost certainly have the answers you're looking for... I know they have some for me too and one day we'll all stop dancing around each other."

"'Everyone has secrets', huh." Cross smiled. "Thanks Alphys." 

He stood up, dusted himself and walked to them followed by Alphys. He waited for the end of the fight to apologize to both of them, promising that he wouldn't ask about that again.

They all fell back into some more joint training after that and the twin stopped pushing Cross away. He didn't get what he wanted but he had kept his friends so that was fine.

Time for plan B.

And really, plan B was fairly simple. To try and have as many special dreams as possible. As there were no tests in at least the next two months, he'd have to get them to show up for other things. 

What were the events he could force ? The progression during his training. So he threw himself entirely into getting better, into getting results. Because the flashier the results he could achieve, the higher the chance to get a dream. 

It worked. It worked so well he got from a dream every two weeks maybe to once or twice a week in a month. Cross was an excellent tracker but his prey was an experienced one.

He woke up and either did work around the house, took out his frustration or wrote what happened in his journal before going to school and then train for hours. It was always night when he went back and he still studied or tried to find a new strategy for his dreams.

Relentlessly, he chased that golden-eyed skeleton throughout the whole city and relentlessly, he would send him out of the dream when he came too close, leaving only blurred words behind.

"Leave me alone !" He mastered a new spell.

"Stop chasing me !" Alphys mastered another.

"This is for your own good." He got an idea for an attack of his own.

"Hey ! I can't use gaster blasters, this isn't fair !" He was able to make it work. He played dumb when Frisk and Chara asked about the name.

"Just let me watch over you !" He augmented his bone attack's range.

"I won't tell you anything." He made a touch on Frisk.

"I can't tell you anything." This time, Chara.

"You're pushing yourself too much for this." He's developing his own swords.

"Please, stop. You're hurting yourself." He got a new technique.

"If I knew it would turn out like that, I wish you could forget me again." One of the fights was too intense and if Chara hadn't deviated at the last moment, there would have been more than just a cut on Cross’ cheek.

This seemed to be the break point for his friends. In the end he hadn't slowed down when the tests arrived. It was just becoming too hard on himself and only him could manage to see it. 

"No more training for you until Papyrus arrives. You need to rest." Frisk told him after he patched up his wound. Cross did try to protest but not only did Frisk stay firm, Chara and Alphys backed him up. 

Maybe they were right. When was the last time he woke up without hurting ? He would get a dream from Paps' visit here so maybe he could calm down.

Everything would be fine.

Chapter Text

Timeline **, entry number 0:

This is it, the last timeline I can observe. After that battle, they decided to cut our world from the others so that I wouldn't be able to interfere again. Only X had seemed a bit bitter but he quickly accepted.

I can not overwrite nor actively participate anymore in this room, what a beautiful present from my friend. 

No one remembers anything. Only the experiments can communicate with me. I'll just try to stabilize our universe the best I can now. 

Timeline **, entry number 1:

The subjects won't start their story, maybe because they can't believe that I can't 👎👈💧❄️☀️🏳️✡️ it again. They barely believe in me. That... would be normal. However as they create the bonds between the eight other anchors of this world, their interaction with them is necessary to stabilize it.

Timeline **, entry number 2:

The subjects still resist and won't interact with the eight other main 👉🖐️👆†☀️👈💧📬 The anomalies start to be concerning, especially with one of them. X needs to be 💧👈☠️❄️ their way or other methods will have to be implemented.

Timeline **, entry number 3:

They finally decided to move. It took longer than what the canvas needed but now X shows 💧🖐️👆☠️💧 of stabilization. At that age he was already 👍☹️🏳️💧👈 to other figures so things will fall in place.

Timeline **, entry number 📑📫

It's too slow. It's been months and they only interacted with three other figures. The ✌️☠️🏳️💣✌️☹️🖐️👈💧 seem stagnant at least and the universe is stable. I should try to 💣👈👈❄️ with them again to share my concerns. I don't want to 👎🖐️💧✌️🚩🚩👈✌️☀️ because of their stubborness.

Timeline **, entry number 5: 

We've had our meeting. ❄️👇🖐️☠️👆💧 were said. The humans are still reluctant but I made my point too. The number of anomalies are starting to go down 👉✌️💧❄️👈☀️ now. 

Timeline **, entry ☠️†💣👌👈☀️ 6:

They seem to have a great story. It... looks a lot like what I wanted. And I'm not there. 🖐️...

There are 💧❄️🖐️☹️☹️ some remaining anomalies but considering their late intervention, some residue is 👌🏳️†☠️👎 to stay.

Timeline **, entry number 7: 

The children are about to reach ✌️👎†☹️❄️👇🏳️🏳️👎. They've deepened their bonds with their friends and family and ❄️👇🖐️☠️👆💧 are almost calm, finally.

The ☹️✌️💧❄️ anomalies detected are surrounding only one person, 💧✌️☠️💧   📫   👍☀️🏳️💧💧 now. I'll have to get them to look into that for me.

Timeline **, entry number 🖱️💻

The ✌️☠️🏳️💣✌️☹️🖐️👈💧 suddenly peaked and 👎🖐️💧✌️🚩🚩👈✌️☀️👈👎 before anything could be done. 

Timeline ✉️✉️, entry number 9:

It's been a ✡️👈✌️☀️📬 Nothing happened. Frisk ✌️☠️👎 Chara don't really ✝️🖐️💧🖐️❄️ anymore since there is ☠️🏳️❄️👇🖐️☠️👆 to report. 

Their lives seem to be 👆🏳️🖐️☠️👆  👆☀️👈✌️❄️📬 I'm still prisonner of this 👍✌️☀️😐 room. I 💣🖐️💧💧 the anomalies.

❄️🖐️💣👈☹️🖐️☠️👈 **, 👈☠️❄️☀️✡️ number 📂📁💻

 👍☀️🏳️💧💧   👍✌️💣👈 to me ! 🖐️ knew ❄️👇👈✡️   👍🏳️†☹️👎☠️🕯️❄️ do 🖐️❄️ without 💣👈📬

It's 👌✌️👍😐📬

🖐️❄️🕯️💧 still 👍👈☠️❄️👈☀️👈👎 around 👍☀️🏳️💧💧📬 

It's 👉☀️🏳️💣 🏳️†❄️💧🖐️👎👈📬

❄️👇🖐️💧  ☹️✌️💧❄️ experiment 🖐️💧 👆🏳️🖐️☠️👆 to be ✝️👈☀️✡️📪   ✝️👈☀️✡️ interesting...

What 👎🏳️ ✡️🏳️†  two ❄️👇🖐️☠️😐✍️

Chapter Text

"I won't be able to come back for the next week."

The chopping of the knife stopped, with now only the sizzling of the steak in the pan making any sort of sound in the kitchen. Nothing from either side of the phone. Just stunned or apprehensive silence.

"What ?"

It was their usual call of the week, one of the rare moments they could trick themselves into thinking that they were both in the same room, talking about their week.

"They gave us a mandatory course. We need to stay." 

It had seemed strange to Cross that Paps insisted on having this one. They would have seen each other in two days anyway. Just two days after the end of school. Like they did the previous time.

"Since when... did you know ?"

There shouldn't have been any problem.

"That there'd be this course ? Few weeks now. I tried-"

"'Weeks' ?! Why- ?" The fire grew in intensity by reflex.

"I tried to get out of it !" You could hear the frustration. "Undyne too. They just won't let us go."

"You said you'd be BACK ! Just... ditch this, I don't know !" The fire under the pan kept heating up.

"I. Can't !" A faint chair scraping.

A fist on the counter. "You PROMISED !" The clutter of what had gone flying.

"I don't like ANY of this EITHER !" He was shouting through the phone. "I'd rather be HOME TOO ! I don't even really LIKE ANY OF THE COURSES HERE !"

Cross through his arms up. "WHY did you go then ? Why- why did you even get- ?"

"BECAUSE I THOUGH ONE YEAR APART WOULD BE BETTER THAN THREE !"

Silence, again. Well, there's still the sizzling not so far, with a heavy buzz, that made the air feel electric.

"Sans- " Cross just cut the call and left the phone on the counter. 

It rang back with the distinctive tune of "Cooking with a killer robot". He needed to get out of sight of this phone. He nearly ran to the sofa.

First he needed to calm down. To think clearly about all this. Which could happen if his brother didn't keep on calling. 

Cross wanted to pick up the phone, have his brother tell him that it was just all a bad joke like any other. That no, this was just made on the spot. That yes, of course he would come back. 

He hugged himself tighter. He really, really wanted that. Yet the way Papyrus said it... There was no mistake that this wasn't happening. And it was- it was fine.

He couldn't see his brother for another few months.

It was fine.

His brother was strong, he would come back.

It was fine.

After nine times the ringing stopped.

It was fine.

Absolutely no need to worry.

It was fine. 

Fine. 

Fine, fine fine fine fine. 

HE. WAS. FINE.

There was a message ping. And another. And they kept coming. Cross looked up towards it. He contemplated standing up, grabbing it and throwing it on the ground. Hard. 

Repeatedly.

He had promised he'd be fine. That he could hold on between breaks if Paps came back during them. They had still called frequently these past few weeks, even more the first ones. It helped.

But Paps hadn't told him anything about that. A class isn't planned last second. He had waited until less than a week to break the news to him. Why...?

After yet another message, he finally made his way towards the phone, left buzzing beside today's preparation for dinner. He cleaned up everything while eating bits here and there of what was already done. 

The steak was burnt on one side and still raw on the other. Fire magic was... easily influenced by his mood. He'd need to work on it. He sighed. This seemed so much, nearly too much to do right now...

He had trouble finding a place for everything in the fridge, he had done the groceries today and he had even bought the ingredients to surprise Paps with his favorite dish when he would have arrived... What a waste.

He briefly looked at his constantly beeping phone - just messages begging to call back - and cut the notifications. He couldn't just turn it off, his brother would think it was more than just Cross giving him the silent treatment.

Well, it was more than that. Paps just didn't need to know.

He went to his room, tossing his phone on the couch on the way. He could wake up in time without it anyways. He went upstairs, dragging his feet on each step while wanting nothing more than to lay on his bed. 

It took longer compared to usual... maybe ? That was what it felt like at least. A small eternity with his mind shrouded by feelings and 'what ifs' until he sat down on his bed.

There, Cross faced his desk and, almost instinctively, focused on that one drawer. Another question threw everything off. If Paps wasn't there, that there was no school and that he was on training's bench for now, how will he get these recomforting dreams ?

Which just snowballed into others. Had Alphys known about it ? Undyne would have told her, or did she wait until the last moment like Papyrus ? 

What about the twins, had they known ? He knew a week of rest was short with how far he pushed himself. They said until Paps would come back, does that mean he'd have to wait months ?! 

Stop.

He took a deep breath as he let himself fall back into the covers. They wouldn't do that. They were his friends and even if they knew and did things like this, they must have had a reason. They wouldn't hurt him like that.

Still. Right now, the balance he had created these past months had disappeared in one night. The pressure he put on himself to get dreams ? Gone. The dreams and its mystery who soothed and distracted him from his brother's absence ? Same. The rest from it all with his brother around ? Well...

Hopefully something will happen in the next few days. He hadn't had any dream since he stopped pushing himself past his limits. He was used now to multiple chases a week, it felt... empty.

With nothing to keep his mind off of Paps' absence, he had to face it again. He barely held on with the mystery the skeleton gave him but now ? One week had been hard enough, he couldn't go more than that without something, anything to do.

The fuzz in his head was slowly dying down. Cross is sure that it will all come back in the morning but hopefully he'd wake up ready to deal with all of this, a comforting warmth settled deep in his bones.

It only hit him now, when he could guess the form of the village through the haze. This night looked a lot like that one, months ago, when he caught the skeleton (he really needed to at least get his name - he should since he's real) for the first time.

Except he's been chasing this mystery for a long time now. He had tried a lot of tactics some of which, he would admit, were a bit underhanded, yes. Cross quickly stopped them since they seemed to be the ones he'd slip away from the easiest. 

He took some time to see it, but the runaway had experience. A lot of it at that. He could sniff the traps Cross set even better than Cross himself. He couldn't count the number of times he was fooled to fall in them. It would get a faint smile on his target's face. At least someone had been happy when he had crashed in a food stand.

He was also a fighter it would seem. A skilled one at that. Even after all his practice matches with the twins, it had been embarrassingly long until this mystery had to use more than his bare hands to defeat him. Cross was now pretty much convinced that he was stronger than the twins.

Which raised a lot of questions for both parties. What have they all been through ? They all seemed more or less his age so how did they become such competent fighters ? They were or seemed the same age as him. Just... how ?

Questions upon questions kept piling up the longer this went on. And neither side let any answer pass through. Frustrating as it was, Cross being the bonehead that he was, he refused to give this up. He kept his eye on the twins to grasp any information. He continued his efforts to corner this real dream skeleton.

But today was too much like that one, months ago. Today too, he just wanted to sit down, too tired to imagine new tricks or to fight. Could he even really match his target right now ? He'd have other occasions anyways.

So he teleported to his favorite safe spot, like that night. He sat, hugging his knees and looked at the village below. His mind was... delightfully blank, compared to the chaos it was earlier. It felt like so long ago that he wasn't actively preoccupied with something.

It felt nice. The calm. 

He should also do some quests again someday. They were fun. Here he already was this guard he wanted to become awake. If only he could stay longer...

Cross barely caught the golden clothes fluttering on his right. "You shouldn't get stuck in this place. I know you'd regret not going back to your brother." There was some twinge to it, a melancholic 'I would know' lost to the winds.

He was standing a few feet from where Cross was, his head looking down. Yet he wasn't looking at anything really, his eyes lost in another time and memory. Which Cross wouldn't know. He had kept still, like one would do to observe a wild animal who finally dared to come close. This is the closest they've been without fighting since, well, since their first talk.

"No trying to catch me today ?" He teased gently. Cross still didn't react in any way. He knew a confrontation would only lead to him waking up faster, without which he could do without it right now, thank you.

Without any move from Cross, there were no other attempts to keep any semblance of conversation. They didn't talk much usually either so it wasn't like they could share anything now. 

Staying this close was already odd, they shouldn't let it become weird. Because despite the fact that one had been desperately trying to reach the other, it was easy to dwell on the moment.

"What happened with your brother ?" Now this got Cross to snap his head up to look at the person beside him. Hands in front of him, he looked at Cross, his golden eyes so terribly soft on him.

"I... How ?" He couldn't stop it. He never even alluded to the fact that he had a brother. Or that things were bad for him. Today could have just been him giving up. 

"I just know." The answer just annoyed Cross and it might have been evident again, as the other took a sheepish look. "One thing would be that you always look at something with longing when you think about him."

"You know me." It wasn't a question anymore at this point, yet, the silence he was met with gave him more answers than anything before. 

"Well, will you tell me ?"

"Will you ?"

They never broke eye contact. There wasn't even any tension settling between them. Cross just found that the golden eyes gave away much more than what was said and... there was also this- feeling, somewhere in them, the conviction that everything would be fine. What the other skeleton saw in him however...

"If you tell me what's happening on your side, it might help, but if I tell you anything, I don't know if I could protect you from the problems it could bring."

"Couldn't you even tell me your name ?" The guilty and sad eyes in front of him didn't give any hopes about it.

Another dead end. Just his name was too much ? He couldn't even share that ? He wasn't told anything again. Even just a name. He turned his head back on his knees. Why did it have to be so complicated ? Why did it have to be to protect him ? 

He wasn't a kid anymore. He was able to hold his own against those stronger than him. He could understand things, he could have skipped a year if he had wanted to. He could protect himself. He could stay alone fine now. He didn't cry when his brother wasn't here anymore, he found a way to live with that. And now he was- he was... he was doing fine. On his own. Alone. In his empty house. For more months. 

Yeah he was...

He was capable of holding it. He was fi-

"Cross ?" He was close, kneeling beside Cross. And his arms were stretched out, his hands were about to reach him. It meant waking up. 

"NO !" He jerked back. The other skeleton was stunned. Not now. He- he couldn't wake up now. He was a mess. He didn't want to be a mess. He couldn't be a mess. He should be fine. He said- he promised...

"Cross." The voice was impossibly softer now. He hadn't retracted his arms. They were there, waiting. "Why are you... afraid ?"

He let out a sob. "I can't- I don't want to wake up now." He whimpered. And did he sob ? Was he crying ? "Not like this." He shouldn't cry, he was-

"YOU'RE NOT !" The outcry startled Cross. "You're not fine. Just- please. Stop." His arms were still outstretched, inviting. Cross could guess a golden tear or two through his own. 

The skeleton calmed himself with a deep breath. He continued with a gentle but steady voice. "I just want to hug you. I won't send you back. Just let me help you this time."

Cross leaned back towards the open arms cautiously. He whined "You won't ?"

"Not if you don't try anything to catch me." Cross had now let one of his hands on one of the still hanging arms.

"Promise ?" Cross was now leaning a few inches from the embrace.

"I do." And with that, he closed his arms. His hands squeezed Cross against his ribcage. Cross just let it happen. This, the crying too. He hadn't really stopped since it started but he didn't try to block it anymore.

He stayed quiet. The far hussle could nearly cover his own sobs. He didn't shout or even let one word out, he didn't try. He just... cried silently, in the arms of a familiar stranger for what felt like hours.

By the time he calmed down, they were lying down. He didn't notice when they changed positions. Nor had he noticed when the hands on his back started to make soothing circles. Nor when his hands began to cling so tightly the golden tunic.

He felt a bit puffy from the crying, his mouth was heavy. His whole body felt heavy. Heavy and exhausted, but warm and fuzzy too. This hug had the same warmth that the one comforting him at the end of his dreams. It made him feel... better.

He squirmed himself out, enough to look at the other's face. Who was looking at him with matching puffed eye sockets. He reached his cheek with his now freed hand. He let his thumb strike it softly, the skeleton closed his eyes and shuddered.

It was already a habit now. To gather even more questions each time they interacted. With each word and each half truth that was told. With each action done and even more with the repressed ones.

Cross sat up, the other followed. They looked at each other, again. Small smiles on their faces. "Ready to go back ?"

"Yeah, I think." Both of their voices were croaked. "You... you'll come back, right ? This won't- I didn't-"

"Cross." Their foreheads were brought together and clacked, eyes closed. He almost whined. How unfair it was to have his name so dearly said when he couldn't even at least try to reciprocate. "You don't have the power to make me disappear forever."

The hands were on his skull, like they had dozens of times before. For the first time he could appreciate the satin touch of the gloves. "You are, however, the light who guides me, and this place, back to you." 

His head was fuzzy now, and it wouldn't be long until he opened his eyes in his bed. He was blinded by the light as always, he continued to feel the warmth that didn't leave him for a second. 

In retrospect, it had been this night.

He was finally in his bed, fully woken up. Same as the previous times, the signs of exhaustion had been left behind. No puffy eyes socket or sore throat. 

This night he had made up his mind.

He got out to his desk to pick his journal. There was so much to say, so much he didn't want to ever forget. His hand opened the book to a new page and the pen hovered over it. He stayed there for a while. He wanted each and every detail put down. 

He wouldn't use him as a diversion.

When he finally left, only the date had been written. The rest of the page stayed as it had been and it wouldn't change later on. What happened simply couldn't be put down.

This wouldn't be just a game anymore.

He went down, took his phone which was quiet now. He had received so many notifications from his brother. He would pop a quick text to say that he would need more time maybe. 

He would uncover everything about his golden mystery.

Lost in all of this were a few from Undyne - which Paps must have begged to send - but some from the twins telling him they meet up soon and one from Alphys. Which, like, never ever happened.

'Could I spend the night at yours sometimes ?' and yeah, she must have received the news yesterday too. They'd have to find a new thing to binge then. It's been a while since they got some time to chill. And they both needed it.

He would find the truth and answer all of his questions. But one would soon overshadow the rest.

Who had they been to each other ?

Chapter Text

At least this morning didn't feel that bad. Light slipping through the blinds, outside noise mostly muffled and silent enough to not really be noticed. Mornings where the world starts to look like it makes sense. These don't happen often, not everyone gets the time to appreciate them. Cross did and there he was, still on the couch phone in hand. He took a deep breath.

He just set himself to find what happened between him, Frisk, Chara (yeah, he wouldn't forget that they totally did have something to do with this... somehow) and a mysterious dream skeleton when none of them wanted to say anything because it seemed that whatever happened had just been that bad. And obviously, Cross was the only one among them with a serious case of amnesia.

Piece of cake right?

Well, this will obviously take a lot of time so maybe it was time to get the rest out of the way. Easier said than done. Talk with Alphys, hang out with her, Chara and Frisk, see if he could thank Undyne for looking after his brother and-

And actually talk to his brother. They had had fights before, that was not the problem. It was just the first one with no contact between them. At least they would see each other when they were both living here, and now they wouldn't until easily another two months.

Or maybe it would be more? Paps got a class this time but maybe next time there will be something too? Something worse. And what of the time after that? Always this feeling that something- something he couldn't stop, would take his brother away, and pretty much everything at the same time.

It was overthinking and rationally he knew that there wasn't anything like that happening. Yet, here he was again, mind wandering on impossible scenarios. Paps, his friends, reality felt so far away and he tried to hold onto it but everything just faded away like a bad dream-

A pair of golden eyelights flashed in his mind. He was in his living room again, on the couch, clutching onto his phone a bit too hard. He let out a harsh breath. He knew what a real dream felt like. This fear wasn't like it- like him.

Time to work.

First he answered Alphys and then the twins, to make plans. Sleepover tonight and they'd all meet up tomorrow. Cross still didn't know what they'd all do but he wasn't going to worry about it now, that was too tiring.

Instead he sent Alphys on a hunt for a to-watch list (or more likely reduce the one she had to a realistic amount - it HAD been a while since they did this so it had most likely piled up). He would prepare the living room and take care of the food, since he had a bit too much just for himself.

Cross shot a quick text to Undyne so she could tell his brother that he was fine. Fine as in 'I didn't go crazy and I'm still in the house but I'm still mad at you' fine. She asked in return for him to look after Alphys. Must have been hard on their side too.

Alphys arrived early, mumbling something like "not having anything better to do on her own" and she set up the first thing on the list while Cross finished things in the kitchen. Some obscure new magical girl show they could trash on.

Except it was good?! They had so many other things planned but they watched the first half of the season and sent themselves on a hunt for content. They formed theories - after two hours of trying to estimate explosions' radius, both magic and physic based, they barely got the basics of Mew Mew's power - found some scarce fanart and ended up trying to learn the transformation sequence.

It was only once they had tucked themselves away, both on air mattresses disposed in front of the TV, lights out later than it should have been, that they talked about it. Or, well, they whispered about it. It felt easier to do this way.

The long distance had been difficult for both of them. Alphys hadn't shown any big signs of this but then again, she had never been that expressive, one of the biggest exception being when she kissed Undyne in what had felt like a grand romantic movie moment.

Neither straight up bawled but you could hear the cracking in their voice or some untimely pause when they each talked about it. There was frustration too. Anger, resentment. Alphys hadn't yet talked to Undyne on her side either.

There definitely was a lot to talk about but right now both could feel sleep call in, keeping their eyes open becoming increasingly difficult. After a pause a bit longer, when Cross was about to wish Alphys a good night, she took a deep inspiration and...

"If... if you ever get answers about what you're looking for, your dreams.... and that you think it could help me find what I'm looking for... you'd tell me, right?" She whispered, even lower than earlier, eyes nearly closed.

"You'd have to tell me what you want answers for first..." Cross tried to look for her eyes in the dark. He wouldn't see her, of course. It just felt like the right thing to do now.

She hesitated for a bit and he let her take all the time she needed, he didn't really want to talk about his dreams either. They were just for him in a way and maybe-

"The truth about this world." It was let out in a sigh, maybe of resignation that she had to say it or of relief that she wasn't the only one on it now.

"Just that." And she could hear the smile in his voice because honestly, it was such an absurd idea that just one person would look for this seriously, that he would have laughed had he been more awake. "You'd do the same right?"

"Promise?"

"Pinky promise." He whispered back, his eyelights being faded for some time now. They both used their last strengths against sleep to put their hands between the mattresses, pinky fingers crossed. "The one who...yawn... breaks it has to eat snail ice cream... for the rest of their lives..."

She snorted lightly. "That doesn't seem that bad..." Her eyes were finally closed and a small smile returned from earlier.
"Should find s'mthin' less n'ice' then..." He smiled with her, ready to let himself sink fully in the sleep that had been teasing them for some time now. "G'night Mew Mew."

"You too Sans."

The morning after that was even better than yesterday's. They had eaten better, they had slept better, they felt better. As they prepared to go out, they talked again about yesterday's anime and how they had to plan another night like that soon, when the next part would be out at the latest.

They also mentioned that Paps and Undyne had asked them to look out for the other. They'd have to call back soon...
It could wait a bit more, right?

As it turned out the twins had invited them to just chill together. They all left behind their usual training ground and went through what used to be the places all six of them would hang out at during their free time.

First the forest where they either played tag or went around their old bases. They were mostly from a time where they were only four friends in their group. Some had been destroyed with time but others seemed well-kept and were still up. Seemed like a new generation took over.

Only their latest base was still standing unoccupied. Well, it was their best-hidden one. They did some repairs here and there, a leak on the roof, straighten the door a bit, so that it could still stand until the next time, whenever that would be.

Then they got some cinnabuns by the river bank, talked about school and town gossip, Frisk happily gave a recap of what happened in the episode that Cross had missed. They laughed and argued over silly things, it was a carefree day like they had had dozens before...

When it started to get too cold, they decided to call it a day and went back to their homes. It's the same path they took a few months ago, it's as silent as it had been then. This time it's comforting.

When it was time to split up, they planned to meet again tomorrow but not what they would do yet. Something they could decide then. For now, it was time to rest... or nearly time to rest. Cross didn't want to but he knew that the longer he waited, the more difficult it would be.

So he sat on the couch, unlocked his phone and started to write a text to Papyrus. First he read over what had been sent to him and there was a lot. Nothing more than pleas to call back to know if he was fine, or just excuses. It had slowed down a whole lot when he had texted Undyne yesterday morning.

He felt bad that his brother might have stayed up all night out of worry, that was the thing he had tried to avoid until now but he really was in a bad shape that night for his defense. However, if things were reversed, he wouldn't want his bro to make him wait too long after a fight, so he started to write.

Only to soon realize that he didn't really know what to write. Every time he tried an approach, it ended in a rant and him showing his anger. That was not what he wanted to do now so he deleted the attempt and did another. Deleted this one too and went at it again. In the end he just sent a "hey" and waited for the answer. This would work out better.

A minute passed.... Two.... Five.... He was about to put his phone down when it finally rang with this familiar jingle of Friday's evenings. He took a deep breath and answered. Long, tense silence. Not even a hello. Cross hadn't even noticed he was holding his knees against his chest again.

They talked. Cross wasn't actually sure how long they did, but long enough that it was time to eat after that. They were calmer, both of them. They apologised and Papyrus got to explain how things went without interruptions. Honestly, Cross could have done the same, so somewhere he understood, now that he got time to cool off.

After the heavy talk, they went on something lighter. Cross' day and the memories which came back, Pap's expectations for the next week and the whine about teachers. New school gossip and discoveries of a new place to hang out.

The conversation was slowly dying down and there was silence again. A comfortable one this time. One that was broken by 'I don't like it when we fight.', a following 'Me neither.'. A small 'I miss you.', another one in response. A smaller, barely caught 'Love you bro.' and a 'Love you too.'.

And they hung up.

Cross sure was in better shape than two days ago. No more what-ifs or imaginary problems, for now at least. There was still a lot neither of them mentioned and it was likely that they wouldn't until much later, if at all... It would do for the time being.

He had a big sigh before hopping off to the kitchen. He served himself with some of the leftovers from yesterday and let himself look back on today's events. It had been a long time since they just took the time to enjoy a day, why were they all so keen on working so hard anyway?

For Paps and Undyne there had been little time and lots to do but for the others? They had one more year and were already pretty advanced. So much so that even if they barely did anything until the end of the year they would be able to shine enough to be selected.

Plus all they did was focusing on fight trainings - Cross legitimately thought that Chara might die if a day passed without him making knifes almost like-

Like ...? Like... someone ...? He... didn't know anyone else who was able to do this...

Anyways. He still wanted to serve as a royal guard at the capital and, sure, being strong was part of it but it couldn't be the only thing he'd need to protect and help others, right?

Plus, there shouldn't be a threat so big that knights and guards need to start to practice this much in their younger years. The kingdom had been at peace ever since King Asgore and Queen Toriel started their reign and no one would be foolish enough to dare to change that.

Cross took his plate to the sink and washed it, lost in thoughts. Maybe this need came from whatever happened to Frisk and Chara... and eventually him and that dream skeleton. Well, not that he could confirm that it was all linked but...

Since neither side let anything through with a direct approach, he'd just have to wait. With time, they might feel like talking about it or mess up once or twice. He could be patient.

He put neatly everything he washed on the rack, took his phone and answered his bro's goodnight text while heading upstairs to get some well-deserved shut-eye time. This day would be even better once he saw a certain village and the skeleton it was served with.

.
.
.
He slept and woke up normally.

Which... was fine! Yeah, right! It's only when he pushed himself or something big happened every day that he got his dreams so frequently. Of course there wouldn't be as much now.

The day passed, the four of them chilled again on the morning and went back to an easy practice that afternoon. 'Always take it slow after a break, however long it was.' said Frisk like parroted from someone else's life lesson.

Normal night again. He tried to insist on taking more time to practice but he soon let that idea go. Even he liked the breather they made time for so the others easily talled him out of it.

Well, more time to plan how to befriend someone you spent months hunting down then. Which would be so easy for him, look at all these friends he had. More than you could count on one hand (if you included his brother). Walk in the park.

Maybe that old date book Papyrus got him as a joke could help with friends too?

Nothing that night either. Or the next one. Or the one after that.

Not that there was nothing happening. He was able to summon one more gasterblaster simultaneously. Chara and Frisk showed a fight like they hadn't before. Alphys finally found the solution for her magical armor problem. They even got the date for the rest of the first season of Mew Mew Kissy Cutie!

And still nothing. He did try to push himself a bit but at the first signs of it, he was placed again on the side like a kid. Which he completely understood and took very well absolutely not sulking and pouting the rest of the day.

After a week, it was becoming worrying. There should have been something by now. In the beginning it was even more spaced out and he didn't even mind much, but now... now he had someone to actually meet there.

His worry was becoming visible. He could use the brother excuse for now and even if there was some truth to it, he wouldn't be able to keep it for long. He got more calls from Paps out of it, so that was good.

It's not until after the break was over that he finally saw the familiar village.

Cross had been barely sleeping last night, waiting for a dream that didn't seem to come. His friends lost count of the number of times he fell asleep in class that day and got scolded for it.

He had to promise them he would go catch some sleep as soon as he went home to still be able to hang with them a little longer after school. The couch didn't really give him any other option anyway. That's how, lured by comfy cushions, he fell into a deep, sweet sleep.

He ran to the city as soon as his eyes opened. It felt like so long since he had been there and even longer since he actually roamed the streets and looked at its people. Surely Cross could get his soon-to-be friend to join him.

It would be difficult to get to that point - no one with common sense would just accept being buddies with someone right after months of fighting and chasing around. However, the jabs and comments that had been thrown at Cross had never been there to really hurt him. Not intentionally at least– his pride still hasn't recovered from the full-on laugh he received after his fall on the food stand.

That and... he was convinced that someone who hated him wouldn't have been so gentle and caring with him. You wouldn't comfort someone like that if you really hated them, right?

Only one way to confirm that, but it seemed that the one he's looking for was still hiding for now. Which didn't seem like it would stop any time soon.

Even with what happened last time, he'd still have to go through hunting to get him out of his hiding place? After teleporting left and right for way longer than he would like to admit, there was only one trick he could think of to get the skeleton to show up.

So here he was, on top of this dream village he had come to learn everything of, sitting with his arms crossed in frustration, looking for every hiding spot he could think of. He really thought things would be different but it seemed like habits were hard to shake off.

He spotted the yellow cape and should have gone after it right away. That's how it worked. He sighed and stayed there. Would he really have to go back to this if he wanted to meet with him? Did this have to be the only way they could interact normaly?

Some part of him screamed that it was his fault. That maybe he deserved that for not even trying to sit down and listen. Ah, spotted again... Maybe after seeing him so miserable his runaway wouldn't want to even approach him again. Maybe-

"So we're not playing today either?" Cross turned his head towards the voice and without any surprise, there were two soft golden eyes curiously looking at him. He came back.

Relief flooded him and he could instantly feel his hand unclutching his arms. He... had been holding them a bit too tight. It took until the other tilted his head with a small smile and let out a "Well?" for Cross to find his voice again.

"I- I guess so. I don't think I can win against you and," he looked around at the roof tiles, as if he had written there what he was supposed to say before looking up with a resigned smile, "you wouldn't give me an answer to what I want to know anyway, would you?"

How are you so good at fighting and running? Where are we? Why are you the only real person here? Why were you hiding from me?

Why do you care? What do you know about me?

What should I know about you?

The smile in front of him turned apologetic and Cross watched as the skeleton came to sit down next to him. They continued to fix each other but it suddenly almost felt uncomfortable, intrusive, as if the golden eyes weren't looking at him but in him.

Until now Cross had felt like he could have held this gaze for hours, now he just wanted to hide from it. Somewhere in his mind popped the thought that he was grateful he had been the cat and not the mouse during the chases. These eyes felt like they could find you and everything you hid from the world deep into your soul.

And then it stopped. It only lasted seconds, painfully long seconds, but this crawling feeling was gone in a blink now that they were both sitting, just a little bit more than an arm-length away from each other.

"You do seem better than last time... Why didn't you come then?" The skeleton beside him seemed totally unfazed. Was this just Cross' imagination? But he could swear-

Cross shook his head internally, he wouldn't get distracted like this. He took a heavy sigh, closing his eyes to will these thoughts away. "It's a bit pointless now isn't it?"

"Not really since you do feel better after that. It's kinda like a game we play to cheer you up."

Cross frowned. There was no denying he used this - him - to distract himself from his loneliness regarding his brother, however...

"It didn't always seem like you were having fun, were you?" Had he looked to his side, he would have seen the flinch that rattled the skeleton beside him. "If we're not both having fun, it's not playing it's just-"

"It's fine..." And really no, it was not in Cross' opinion. He'd seen how the runaway had reacted when he first caught him, he felt the stress get higher when he got close to catch him again and– "I'd do that for a friend."

A beat of silence.

Cross, both out of shock and disbelief, stared at the warm eyes and smile directed towards him.

A second beat.

Thousands of following questions flooding his mind. When did they meet- Why couldn't he remember him- Why did they meet now- What happened- How-

"I... I was- I was your friend...?"

His voice had come out way weaker and more strained than intended. It just seemed... ready to break, too fragile. He could be thinking about how he should stay calm, in control of this conversation, just to get more info. It was the first time anyone had really acknowledged that something had happened, maybe that was the slip he'd been waiting for and maybe he should push for more. He really should.

Instead he focused on how the golden eyes grew fonder and how he could nearly see golden freckles with his smile widening.

"Yes, of course you are."

Are.

"I- " There must have been thousands of changes in Cross' expression during this second. Surprise. Incomprehension. Doubt. Relief. Confusion. Hesitation. Hope. "... really?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't you be?"

Well.

Maybe because it was only their second real discussion in months because until now Cross had been relentlessly trying to catch him, tracking him every time he got a glimpse of him? Maybe because Cross couldn't remember meeting him and becoming friends with him in the first place.

He straight up couldn't remember anything about the skeleton sitting in front of him except the few times they'd seen each other in his dreams when it seemed more and more obvious that he should. He-

"I don't even know your name."

"Hm... That's true." That made him pause for a moment. While he was thinking like that, the warm smile had disappeared to let a little scrunch placed itself between his eyes.

"I can't tell you my real name, since the other inhabitants of the dreamscape could hear that, and it would be best not to cross their path. However," his expression softened again and he turned back to Cross, "we can decide on a nickname, like-"

"Sunshine?" This time Cross saw the flinch. Maybe it was a weird nickname? "Or... not?"

"No, it's fine..." And this time it seemed to be the truth. "It's just been a while since I've heard this one."

That was... something. Maybe. As he noticed that he couldn't focus, Cross realized that he was waking up. He tried to fight it but he lost when he felt a warm hand on his forehead.

"Wait... next time..." He felt so sluggish, he couldn't see much more than a blur anymore. "...come sooner?"

He was in his bed, with just a whisper carried over.

"Sure."