From Darkness, Love Came Through

Part 1: Dreams To Wake From

Gaster was used to the Void's emptiness, the lack of sight and sound within. He'd accepted his fate long ago after he'd fallen into the C.O.R.E. The only way the scientist would see his family now, was through his dreams. Speaking of which, the skeleton yawned and curled up on his side, his unstable form settling some as he laid down to rest.

———

"Doctor..." Came a welcomed, familiar voice.

Gaster turned, his old skeletal body back once more, dressed in his old lab coat, and faced the king. Asgore was sitting in his royal purple robes, buttercup flowers around him as he graced his royal scientist with a smile that made his soul flutter. The scientist always had a strange reaction like this when the king smiled at him.

"Sire..." Gaster shifted on his feet.

"Come sit." Asgore patted the spot beside him in the flowers, and a bit hesitantly, Gaster sat beside him, fidgeting only slightly.

"It is...nice to see you again, My King." Gaster knew he was dreaming, but seeing the face of his old friend brought him comfort, reminding him of simpler times, when he'd been with his sons, and worked under the kindest monster he'd ever known.

"It's always a pleasure to see you, old friend." Asgore chuckled, looking around at the flowers, "It's nice when we don't always have to see each other for work."

"Y-Yes-" Gaster nodded, confused by why his soul seemed to beat strangely within his ribcage.

"Though..." Asgore turned to the smaller monster, head tilted as curiosity took hold of his eyes, "I feel you wish to tell me something."

"Huh-" The scientist felt his whole face flush purple from his magic, and he quickly turned to hide it.

Asgore chuckled softly, and Gaster's soul beat faster, "You don't need to hide from me, Gaster." A gentle paw titled the skeleton's face to the king, and the flustered skeleton could see that Asgore was smiling fondly at him, which only made him blush more purple.

"Asgore," Saying the king's name felt strangely...right in this situation, "I-"

Gaster felt as if an icy hand had grabbed the back of his neck and started pulling, and Asgore's warm hand was suddenly gone. Gaster gripped the king's arm in fear as he felt himself being roused from sleep, pulling him away from this moment...this incredible moment. He didn't want that, he wanted to stay, he didn't want to go back to the darkness and the loneliness.

Asgore, now wearing a sad expression, brought both hands up to the sides of Gaster's skull, "You must go."

———

"Gaster! Gaster, it's alright! Breathe!"

The scientist thrashed as he woke, the brightness of the lights quickly becoming overbearing for his eyes made sensitive by years of darkness, and sound making his skull throb from the lifetime of silence. Gaster thought the Void had thrusts him into another nightmare to torture him, and hadn't even felt the gentle, yet firm grip on his shoulders.

When he was finally calm enough to properly register what was going on around him, Gaster's eyes saw the face of the monster standing over him, and he bursted into tears. The goat held him close, letting him cry into his shoulder as sobs racked his slight frame. Asgore was so relieved to see Gaster awake, he cried a bit himself.

"It's alright my friend...you're home."