V is for...
V is for...
Writing out potential policies that would enable monsters to have more writes is a lot to handle. After being given the job to head the development of monster rights and law, I was determined not to let my new employers down.
Now the size of a watermelon, it was hard to move. Sans was constantly calling from work to tell me to take a break, but I refused. Looking briefly at the clock, I realized it was getting close to the time he normally called.
Bringing my phone closer to me on principal, I waited two more minutes. However, when the time went from eleven fifty-five to twelve, my phone remained silent.
“Huh?” I mumbled in confusion. Was the big goober asleep at work? He wouldn’t do that. Not with the knowledge that doing so would mean getting in trouble with his superiors and possibly losing his job. With the twins’ delivery only a few months away, he couldn’t afford to do that.
I pondered what this could mean. He was never late. Had something happened at work? Was he in trouble? He had tried to explain the process of what he worked on at work on occasion, but it went over my head. What if he was in trouble? What is–
A low chuckle brought me out of my stupor and I whipped around to give my husband a bewildered look.
“expectin’ a phone call, er somethin’?”
“I…”
“whoever you’re waitin’ fer better not be tryin’ ta take ya away from me. i dun’ share.” He smirked darkly.
“O-okay,” I forced out finally as my shock cleared. “Okay, okay! Why are you here?”
“well, i tried ta tell ya las’ week that startin’ t’day, i’m off fer paternity leave. but, i guess ya weren’t listenin’ when i told ya. i get that yer focus was elsewhere, but c’mon…” He chuckled. “i knew it’d be funny ta watch ya fer a bit ta see what’d happen. i could tell when i explained i’d be off over dinner that ya weren’t listenin’. pap saw it, too. the mhm’s and yeah’s were obvious and yer eyes were glazed over. i told ‘im not ta worry. i’d handle it.”
He picked me up, hissing in my ear, his devious smirk parting to lick my cheek.
“No!” I moaned. “I have work!”
“nuh uh! i told tori whatchu were doin’ and ya have mail downstairs, so ya better go look.”
I groaned as he carried me down the walkway. Putting me down, he handed me a letter. Opening it, I began to read to myself.
“nuh uh, read it out loud.”
I glowered at the skeleton, pouting as he gazed at me in his half lying down position on the kitchen table, elbow on wood, fisted hand to his cheek, other arm flat on the table and overlapping the arm his cheeky grin was leaning on.
I harrumphed. “Fine!
“To Mrs. Raven Aster–”
“i’m never gonna get tired of that, babe. still gives me shivers enough ta make my bones rattle.”
“Quiet or I won’t read!”
He sighed. “m’kay, continue. sorry.”
“Due to concerning report from your husband, Sans Aster, we are demanding you take maternity leave as soon as you receive this letter. Any progress you have made should be sent to the email indicated below and will be handled by your assistant until after your pregnancy has ended and Dr. Aster deems you are fit to work.
“In addition, Dr. Aster has been given full permission by Dr. Alphys and Dr. Rosswell to keep you away from anything work and stress-related for the time of the term stated above lasts. Unwillingness to do so will result in further action to be taken and the possibility of your children’s removal from your care once they are born.”
I halted at that, fear taking ahold of me. There was more, but I couldn’t speak.
Sans felt my distress and removed the paper from my tightening grip.
“i told ‘er that was stupid ta write. she…ugh, wow! bad move tori! uh, anyway, the rest just says to relax and enjoy yerself.”
I sobbed, instantly drawing a curse from Sans. Throwing the paper behind him, he immediately cradled me within his arms.
“shit, i told ‘er yer emotions were whack! calm down, babe, there not gonna take ‘em away. i promise. they said it so that you’d listen. hey, hey, it won’t happen. c’mon!”
“WHY WOULD SHE EVEN SAY THAT?! Y-YOU CAN’T JUST – AAAAAAAAAHAAAHHHHHH!” I sobbed, the tears flooding as my husband cradled me close, rocking me back and forth.
“shoulda explained ta her that was dumb! i proofread it and…ugh! i told ‘er, but she told me it was necessary. fuck that, fillin’ someone with fear isn’t worth it ta keep ‘em safe! i’ll call ‘er an’ tell her that was wrong and she needs ta apologize. c’mon upstairs, okay?”
I clung to him as he lifted me up, grabbing something else with his magic, and transported me back upstairs to bed.
Leaning over the bed and laying me down gently, he placed the object – a plate with a cover – beside me.
“eat when yer ready. i won’t force ya.” He kissed my forehead. “i’mma go call her. that wasn’t okay, and i knew it.” He touched my face, stroking me cheek with his thumb. “let me fix this.”
I nodded, hiccupping. As he stood back up to his full height and walked out, I buried myself under the covers.
I heard his voice soon after. For some time, it escalated into near-shouting before it softened up. Before the end, there was more shouting before it ended abruptly.
“damn woman, doesn’t listen. just cus she loves playin’ the role of ‘mom’, she thinks she’s always right. ugh!”
Sitting beside me, he rubbed my arm and back through the covers.
“she’s comin’ over, but if ya don’t want her here, i’ll turn’er away. she didn’t listen when i told her ta back off, but if ya tell me now ta get ridda her, i will.”
I sniffed and squeaked a ‘yes’.
“m’kay, i’ll keep her out. i’m so sorry.”
“N…not yer fault!”
“kinda is. i shoulda tried to change her mind. i promise ya they won’t take our twins away. i swear on my soul.”
Minutes later, Sans left, locking the door behind him. I heard voices, and the atmosphere escalated quickly.
“tori! back off! i told her specifically that if she didn’ want ya here, i would stop ya!”
“Sans, as the Queen, you have an obligation to follow orders!”
“you renounced yer title! ya got no authority! an’ even if ya did, in our house, ya follow our rules!”
They were getting closer.
“l e a v e h e r a l o n e”
“Get your hands off me!” They were directly outside. No!
The door handle jiggled.
“Unlock the door, Sans!” The skeleton growled. The next moment, Tori shrieked.
“Unhand me this instant!”
“learn ta back off an’ i will!”
“Put me down and open the door!”
“no.”
There was a flash of light and a grunt.
“damnit, ya selfish bitch!”
The sound of a slap. I felt a burning sensation on my cheek through the link. Without understanding, my entirety raged. I was out of bed in front of a broken door in seconds. In the next, Toriel was screaming above me, ensnared in a cloak of dark blue and yellow.
“Don’t touch my Sans!”
Suddenly, she was gone and I fell forward, only being saved from the floor by the love of my life. Everything went black!
I woke up to the soft sound of Sans’ breathing. I looked over at him, turning so that I was still in his hold but also facing him. My movement woke him up, and he pulled me carefully closer.
“oh, thank the stars yer okay!”
“What?” And then it came back.
“What happened? She…I don’t. There was blue and yellow. Was that you?”
“no, i think…combining everything together, from the magical pregnancy, to our Soul bond, to being around magic daily, and your emotions escalating…ya did magic. whether it’s a copy of mine or yer own is unknown. and it might be temporary. not sure.”
“So, what happened?”
“spacial magic and teleportation, which are both mine. but there was also a barrier and the yellow was a beam that rendered her motionless before teleportin’ her away. never seen that b’fore. you were surrounded by a purple aura the whole time. i touched ya and was instantly healed. it was crazy.”
“Wow…wait, am I in trouble?”
“nah, i explained ta asgore what happened. after reviewing what i said and talkin’ with tori, he came ta the conclusion that tori’s actions were wrong.”
“Oh…”
“i, uh, have somethin’ fer ya. been plannin’ it since last week, but with all the crazy goin’ on, i had ta ask fer help from pap and the scale gals. are ya feelin’ up to it?”
“Yeah, okay…”
Getting dressed, Sans and I teleported to a field. The grass was so green despite it being February and the wind felt amazing. Taking my hand, Sans guided me to a stream.
“gotta follow the water.”
At the end of the flow was a cozy yet decently-sized cottage beside an enormous lake. Leading to the lake were waterfalls and on one side was a rock wall.
“i bought this lake and the surrounding areas after ya agreed ta marry me. the paperwork and renovations i had requested and paid fer weren’t ready in time fer the honeymoon, so i had ta ask tori and asgore ta use the island. this lake eventually leads ta the ocean. best part is that none of the other monsters know this place exists or that i bought it fer us – not even pap. i bought it from someone and have it under the name ‘crow’. it’s not super obvious, so y’know, i’m hopeful.”
“Why did you do all this? Why are you bringing me here today?”
He smiled lovingly. “ta prove that even if they threaten ya about takin’ our kids, i’ll make sure they don’ find us easily. an’ even if they do, i’ll fight ta keep my family safe. tori…is a little messed up. she lost too many children, and that hurt her. but she has a good heart.”
I nodded. “I’m not mad anymore. It just hurt. I just need time to get over that. I accept going on maternity leave. I need to, considering my back is killing me.”
He hummed, pulling me back into his arms bridal style. “in that case, allow me to carry ya the remainder of the way, my princess.”
I snorted. “Alright, Prince Charming!”
He chuckled, teleporting the rest of the way and opening the door with his magic. Stepping inside, I gasped.
“ta answer yer other question, see sign directly ahead of you.” He snorted.
Before me was a blue cloth embroidered with bone designs. In bright yellow, were hearts and the reason he had brought me here that day.
“Happy Valentine’s Day!”