No One is Happy with This (Undertale)

37 ~ Held Accountable

Papyrus literally makes everything better.

With him awake and moving around, interacting with you and Dr. Gaster, Dr. Gaster is a lot friendlier to you. That's not to say Dr. Gaster is friendly, he's just not quite so irritable towards you.

And it really is clear just how much he loves his sons. He's constantly at Papyrus's side, always ready to do whatever he can for Papyrus. You can see, in a way, where Papyrus gets his aggressive kindness from.

You spend the day in the lab, and, come evening, fall asleep again while Dr. Gaster and Papyrus are talking about some puzzle of some sort.  

Come morning, it's time to head back home. Dr. Gaster is carrying Sans, as the drugs haven't worn off yet and Sans is still unconscious. Dr. Gaster cradled the smaller skeleton in his arms like a child, with Sans' head resting on his shoulder.

"Alright," he says to Papyrus, "lead the way."

It's not long before you find yourself getting out of Papyrus's car, at your house. You called Toriel on the way home and explained the situation to her- but only the whole Dr. Gaster being Sans and Papyrus's dad, and him moving into the basement. You leave out the bit about Dr. Gaster attacking you, because you figure that's done and gone and taken care of, and there's no point in worrying Toriel about it.

As you step out of the car, your foot lands in a powdery white snowdrift.

Oh! Right! You've spent almost two days in the lab, so that makes today...

Christmas Eve!!

You look up at Gaster's back as you follow him towards the door, and decide that this is already the best Christmas you've ever had.

Once inside, Dr. Gaster greets Toriel with a handshake (with one of his summonable hands, as he's still carrying Sans) then slips away to the basement to get Sans settled into bed, to sleep off the rest of the drugs.

Then he returns upstairs. For a while, there's a bit of pleasant conversation. Then Dr. Gaster addresses Toriel. "I do realize that I am a guest in your house and you are already providing me and my sons with shelter, and as is such, I wish to be as little of a burden on you. But I still must ask, what in this house can I eat?" A smile twitches at his mouth. "Because I have not had a meal in aeons, and a bit of food would be very much appreciated."

Before Toriel can respond, Papyrus jumps in. "I know! I can make some spaghetti for you!"

Dr. Gaster grins at Papyrus. "That sounds great."

It takes no more than that to send Papyrus hurrying into the kitchen.

Toriel and Dr. Gaster, meanwhile, sit at the table and start to talk like the adults that they are.

"So, er, Dr. Gaster, was it?" Toriel begins.

Dr. Gaster nods a little. "Please, just call me Gaster."

Toriel smiles. "Alright. So, then, Gaster, you were the Royal Scientist?"

Gaster nods. "I was."

Toriel laughs a little. "How funny is it to think that I probably knew you, but I do not remember you at all!"

Gaster lets out a small chuckle. "Yes. Actually, Toriel, you were one of my closest friends. You and Asgore. How is Asgore, by the way? I haven't seen him yet."

A flicker of frustration crossed Toriel's face.

Gaster just laughs. "You are still mad at him, then."

You wince a little internally, knowing what's coming. Toriel tried to protect the humans, and Gaster hated humans.

"I am." Toriel says, confirming your suspicions. "What he did was inexc--"