An unexpected family reunion (Closed)

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Who: Toriel and Asriel
Where: Room 12 on the second floor
When: 6/13
Rating: PG-13 depending on where conversations go
Summary: Asriel's moved into Chara and Frisk's room. Toriel visits. Awkward meetings ensure.
The Story:

Asriel had moved into Frisk and Chara's room.

It's not like he had any belongings to move in, so it wasn't so much "moving in" as it was that Frisk and Chara had opened their door to him and let him stay. As grateful as he was that he didn't have to go hunt for his own room, the atmosphere was still tense. Talking things out while they were snowed in helped but... Asriel knew he had a long way to go to repair all the damage he'd done.

The damage he didn't know he caused, that he wasn't sure if he could fix.

He's alone in the room right now, and he debates between shutting himself in or trying to go out and explore some more. There's still more monsters here he hasn't run into, maybe if he tried long enough he could keep it that way-

There's a knock at the door. Someone here for Frisk or Chara, since no one would know he's here. Should he answer it?

Hesitantly, he gets off the bed and moves towards the door, opening it slowly. It'd probably be fine. He puts on his best polite face.

"Hello? If you're looking for Frisk or Chara, they stepped out for a little bit but they should be back soon-"

And his face trails off the door opens wide enough for him to see white fur, long ears, and horns. His voice freezes in his throat.

Comments

[didntknowbest]

Toriel has stopped by to bring Chara and Frisk food, and make sure they're eating well tons of times by now. She has a tray, with a few pieces of chicken and peas on it for them. It's nothing new.

"Ah, hello the-" This, though. This is new, and it makes her breath catch in her throat- her eyes widening, and just... staring, silently down at him.

He's talking to her, and it's really his voice. He's just... there. Just standing right there, in Frisk and Chara's room. He's here again, and he's actually here. Right here, in front of her, for her to see.

"I- I am sorry, I did not- ha ha, apparently I should have brought food for three, huh?" That- that's probably not the first thing she should say, upon seeing her her child again but- but what does she say? What's she supposed to say? Her head is spinning and she feels a little dizzy, and the tray nearly slips from her grasp before she tightens her grip again.

"May I- May I come in?" She thinks she needs to sit down for a second.

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He's frozen in place - at least he is until it looks like she's about to faint. In his panic, he reaches up to try and help somehow, but she steadies herself before he can.

It wasn't like last time, where he was terrified and trying to crawl away from his dad. Where he was afraid he'd turn into a flower right there in front of him, and he'd have to see his pain unfold all over again. But seeing her right there in front of him still feels like a dream, and he's caught up by the rush of emotions that follow. The urge to just run into her arms, knowing he doesn't deserve to, and the urge to just run and keep running until she never finds him again.

His hands are trembling.

"H-howdy, mom." Like Toriel, this isn't probably how he should be greeting her. But if he says anything more right now, he's going to bust into tears.

"You..." his voice breaks, he blinks a few times, "you can come in."

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He's actually inviting her in, and it takes just a moment for her to process that. How stark of a departure this is from when he was here before.

"You... you are certain? I would not mean to impose. I would completely understand if you would like some time to yourself." That was what happened before, after all- she gave him his space, waited until he said he was ready- and then he vanished before she ever actually saw him.

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He nods, his jaw clenched tight.

"N-no, it's okay." It wasn't really. He knew she was here, but he doesn't deserve to see her. The tears are little more visible, despite his efforts to hide them. He moves out of the doorway for her.

"You're not... imposing."

Selfish. He's so selfish for wanting her here.

[didntknowbest]

She nods, and steps inside. Tries not to hesitate too much- she's supposed to be happy, after all.

...She is happy, isn't she? She's been reunited with her son- she should be jumping for joy, but- instead she's nervous, anxious, feels like she's stepping on eggshells. Like he might disappear again at any moment, or she might scare him off by just, showing up at his door unannounced like this.

Toriel sets the tray down on the floor, right in the middle of the room where Chara and Frisk- and Asriel now, can see it. Then she leans back, sits down on one of the beds, head spinning a bit. The whole thing still feels like... like it's not quite real.

"So... did you just arrive here, my child? Do you require any help getting set up?"

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Asriel stays where he is, letting her get used to the idea of him being here. He wasn't going to turn into a flower, he could hug her if he really wanted to...

He's afraid to approach her. It's... it's too good to be true, that she's here and he can be here with her.

"Just a couple of weeks ago. Chara and Frisk have been helping me get set up here."

[didntknowbest]

"Oh."

Oh.

He's been here... a couple weeks. Days, and days, that her son has been here. And nobody told her.

Nobody told her last time, either. Just left her completely out of the loop about her own son.

Maybe there's a good reason for that. Maybe they've all decided it'd be best if she didn't know.

...She's been too quiet, now. Staring at the wall with a blank, dead expression on her face. Say something.

"Okay."

Keep going. Don't be weird, don't make him feel bad.

"I am glad that they have been able to help you adjust."

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With her response, Asriel can already tell he's said the wrong thing. And it's painful, that he can't tell her the truth - that even right now, he's still not ready to face her.

Not after what he's done to her, and knowing that someday he won't be able to stay with her anymore.

"They've been doing a good job."

An awkward pause as Asriel pushes himself to say something else.

"How long have you been here, mom?"

[didntknowbest]

"Hm? Ah, uh. Well, a little over a year, now." She perks up, ever so slightly, thankful for some kind of change in topic.

"Things here have not always been ideal, but... they are not bad. I have Chara here with me, and I also have started dating again! Both things that never would have happened, if I had not been brought here!"

There!! She's feeling better already. Just, focus on positive things for a bit, right? "And now, you are here as well, my child."

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She's been here for over a year. Living her life, spending time with Chara and presumably Frisk too, even dating. It's weird, to feel a little conflicted over something like this. This was going to happen if he stayed back in the Ruins, right? Everyone was going to move on with their lives on the Surface.

That's the fate he was going to gladly accept. Letting everyone finally move on with their lives.

So why does he feel so weird about it? It's not like Wonderland was all that different from the Surface.

"Um... I'm really glad, mom. Just from what everyone's been telling me, it sounds like this place isn't so bad."

They're still stuck here, he guesses. And in a way, it was kind of like the Underground. But a nicer version of it.

He's not sure if that's a good thing or not.

[didntknowbest]

"Ha. Especially..." -considering the alternative, she'd much rather be here and actually be alive. Is what she was going to say, with a morose smile and laugh, but she almost immediately decides against it. Not only is that not something that's funny, but. Does Asriel even know about it? Does he know anything about the timeline that she came from?

There's no reason to tell him. It'd just upset him. She's here now, and she's okay, and she's going to change the subject.

"Nevermind. Anyway, yes. Between events, and even some of the events themselves, things are not so bad! And when things are not as good... I promise, that I will do my best to ensure that no harm comes to you, Asriel."

She hesitates a moment. Asriel had never displayed an aversion to physical touch, like Chara, so when she'd hug him it was never a very big deal. But... apparently dying can do a lot to a child. Had changed him from warm and outgoing, to trying to hide away, all 3 times that he had been here now.

So she moves slow- holds her arms out, and makes her intentions very obvious, gives him the same chance she gives Chara to move away or say that they don't want it right now before she embraces them.

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Events. She means like when this whole place turned into a ski resort and then snowed really bad? It was weird and unexpected, but apparently that's just a thing that happens here.

What a weird place. He wonders if he'll ever get used to it.

She promises to try and protect him, and much to his surprise, extends her arms out to hold him. He looks uncertain at first - not because he doesn't want it, he wants it more than anything - but because this was wrong. She's giving her love and affection to a child that murdered her more than once.

But Asriel knows he's selfish. And when this all goes away, and he has to say goodbye to her again, it's going to hurt more than anything else, but...

He hesitantly reaches forward, letting her embrace him in a hug.

"I... missed you, mom."

[didntknowbest]

It's... painful, to see him react like that. She knew it was a possibility, which is why she'd given him the chance to say that he didn't want it, but... having him actually do it, be so unsure of whether he wants a hug from his own mother hurts.

She doesn't hold him very tight, or for very long. Doesn't want to force it on him. "I have missed you as well, Asriel."

And she did- she absolutely did, but now that he's here, she isn't happy about it. Her mind's just filling up with doubts, negativity, blaming herself for his hesitance and how uncomfortable he seems, even though she should be happy- and she's blaming herself for that, too, for not even reacting the way she should.

But she just can't shake the feeling, that he doesn't want her here. Both times he was here before, she never saw him. He said he wasn't ready, and then he was gone. And now, he still doesn't seem ready, but she's just barged in on him with no warning, forced herself into his life when he doesn't seem to want her here. When nobody seems to want her in his life. Nobody told her last time she was here. Nobody told her this time, either. Probably because of this, because everyone knew he didn't want to see her, everyone knew she'd just be weird about it. Everyone knew children always want to leave her.

She should do something, other than just sitting here silently. But she doesn't know what.

...Leave, probably.

"Anyway. I am glad to see that you are adjusting well here." Toriel tries to make her voice sound cheerful and casual. "But I should probably be going." She doesn't think she's succeeding. "You are welcome to enjoy some of the food I left. Just be sure to share some with Chara and Frisk as well."

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The embrace ends a little abruptly. He can tell it's awkward. Of course it would be, she's probably having a hard time with him just suddenly being alive all of a sudden.

He bites his lower lip, knowing full well that all he's probably done here is hurt her.

And then she's saying she should leave.

"Wait, I uh-" it comes out before he can stop himself, "you... um... can you... stay a little longer?"