No One is Happy with This (Undertale)

69 ~ Sharkbite

Just as Gaster predicted, when you see Papyrus the next day, he's already feeling better. Gaster isn't letting him leave the house, but he's up and about and only just a little sniffly. You spend the day at the skeletons' house, you, Sans, and Papyrus playing video games while Gaster sits at his desk, working on some pet project or other. When you bring this up, and ask why he's not working on your new staff, he tells you it's because he gave up on the staff because you were being too much of an impatient, whiny little child who bothered him so often that he couldn't get any work on it done anyway.

You can't tell if he's being serious, or just joking because you asked about it, and when you try to ask about that, he just tells you to stop bothering him.

Not long after, Thanksgiving comes around, and soon after, Christmas. You realize it's been an entire year since Gaster was saved from the Void.

After dinner on Christmas Day, Undyne opens up the spear-sharpening kit that Alphys got her, and proceeds to sharpen her spear.

Gaster makes some remark about Undyne not needing to do that, because the spear's sharpness remains unaffected by any physical wear or use.

"What would you know about Magical spear care?" Undyne laughs.

Gaster just snorts. "I made a thousand Magical weapons, among which were your father's glaive and your mother's spear. That, in your hands, is my very own craftsmanship, inherited from your parents."

Undyne looks at Gaster. Then she looks at her spear. Then she looks back at Gaster. "You... knew my parents?"

"I knew them well. Your father was one of my closest friends."

You think that shouldn't surprise you, because Gaster was the Royal Scientist, so of course he knew people, but it still does surprise you.

Undyne's next question surprises you even more. "Do you... know what happened to them?"

"Hm?"

Undyne speaks slowly, her voice quieter than usual. "When... when I was very little, they both just... disappeared... in Hotland... I was told they tripped and fell into the lava, but I know that's not right, because my parents never would have just tripped!"

Gaster doesn't immediately respond. When you look at him, he's wearing a peculiar expression, and you realize it's because he's doing his best to stifle some other expression, brought on by an unwanted emotion.

He looks like he has been unexpectedly bitten in the back by remorse. "I-... yes. I was-... I was there."

For a long time, everyone is silent. Then, Undyne asks, "What happened to them...?"

Gaster doesn't meet her gaze. "... It..." He almost whispers. "... It was my fault... I-... it was the beginning of the DT project, and... I had started experimenting on living monsters... he-... he volunteered... and-..." He takes a deep breath, and slowly forges on. If his expression is anything to go on, this is a rather painful recounting for him, especially considering Gaster is even more adept at disguising his emotions than Sans is. "They hadn't even been at my lab for the next experiments, it was just a visit. As they were leaving-... your father's body finally gave out to the strain the determination was putting on him, and... he started to-... your mother tried to carry him back to my lab, but he was too heavy, too clumsy, and-... and they-..." Gaster doesn't finish, instead taking another breath, and finally looking at Undyne. "I'm sorry, Undyne," he murmurs, "it was my fault."

Undyne just blinks. Without a word, she gets up, and walks out of the living room, and down the hall. Alphys follows her.

Sans and Papyrus are quick to come to Gaster's side, consoling him and telling him it wasn't his fault. He counters that it was, but there's nothing he can do about it now. He seems sad and regretful, but you think he's come to terms with it.