BUTTERCUPS

ASGORE and CHARA

"Can flowers even have chocolate?"

“I am sorry. I am not sure what face you would rather I make.”

They wince, at that. Perhaps that was a little too honest. Chara’s gaze drops down to their feet. Their mismatched socks. Their shoes, aglets frayed beyond repair.

“My father loved flowers, even though we could really only grow ones that thrived in the dark and the damp. He would read up on whatever scraps he could find. The swearing. . .”

Chara’s chest goes tight.

Chara is no chosen child, but they are equally small and uncertain. Staring at them now, Aurelius quietly exhales before dropping into a crouch.

"It's all right."

"I only wanted to know the truth—even if it paints a picture less than perfect. That's the language I understand best."

What others called blunt, he preferred to see as direct instead.

"Admittedly, I can't abide swears. But I believe we can work out a compromise, you and I. As for your face—" He pauses to take it in.

Chara can’t help the laughter thar spills from them. Their hands move to muffle the noise, shoulders tightening.

and yet

despite that.

“I understand.

Please accept my deepest regrets for the slip up. It will not happen again, I can promise you that.”

— the smile persists.

Aside from one expletive.

Still, they're quick to make amends—though the smile comes off a touch insincere.

"I don't see what's so amusing," Aurelius suppresses a grimace. "Are you making a promise, or a joke at someone else's expense?"

"...perhaps you're getting too tired."

Common sense tells him not to be so picky with a child. Possibly Chara thrived better in the presence of their beloved flowers, and not here in a sterile clinical space. In fact, when would they ever come to a place like this? You couldn't grow plants here at all.

“I am sorry. I am not sure what face you would rather I make.”

They wince, at that. Perhaps that was a little too honest. Chara’s gaze drops down to their feet. Their mismatched socks. Their shoes, aglets frayed beyond repair.

“My father loved flowers, even though we could really only grow ones that thrived in the dark and the damp. He would read up on whatever scraps he could find. The swearing. . .”

Chara’s chest goes tight.

From the sound of their voice, though, Chara sounds a little doubtful. They twist at their sleeve again, frowning to themself, before they straighten up and plaster thar smile back on their face, moving to pluck up another bottle.

"Don't curse."

The rebuke comes out sharply—an instinctive reaction coupled with a wince. Aurelius pinches his forehead before peering at Chara with squinted eyes.

"Apologies."

and yet

despite that.

“I understand.

Please accept my deepest regrets for the slip up. It will not happen again, I can promise you that.”

— the smile persists.

" Chara? "

Legato spotted the child curled up in the corner of the prison cell. Even though the door was open, they hadn't emerged yet. Assuming that they didn't want to get tied up in the mess of people fleeing from their cages, Legato loomed at the entrance for a moment.

“this is stupid.”

They pick at their shoelace. The aglet had torn off at some point, so the end of the lace is frayed.

I'm slowly forgetting your face.. — The glitch effect was so fun to make ngl