Omoni's Alphyne 100

by Omoni

Summary:

A collection of drabbles, ficlets, and fics about Alphys and Undyne's relationship during and after the events of the True Pacifist run of the game. There will be spoilers, smut, fluff, and sappy romance within!

Using the prompts found on Livejournal (http://100-prompts.livejournal.com/692.html), I plan to go through at least one full table before I'm done!

Chapter 1: First Kiss

For Alphys, the beach was a wonderful place. She never lost her love for it over the years spent on the surface, and always made any excuse to go. It was, after all, the place where Undyne kissed her for the first time.

That first time they went together was the first time they'd ever set foot on a surface beach. Undyne was especially excited, since she'd always loved the idea of beaches ever since she learnt they existed. However, once they got there, they realised that they truly had no idea what a beach really was - or how incredible one could be.

The water made Alphys a little nervous - there was so much of it and it stretched very, very far - but she loved the sand. Undyne loved both the water and the sand, and pretty much everything else she saw - even the Nice Cream Guy (well, maybe she was just fond of the Nice Cream Guy...). That first time they spent almost twenty minutes just staring at the expanse of blue and beige before them.

"This is amazing," Undyne breathed out, her eye wide and her smile wider.

Alphys's toes were digging into the sand, creating a lovely sensual experience that had her entertaining the idea of finding a pocket of sand and sunbathing within it. From the corner of her eye, she watched Undyne, adoring her smile and how happily mystified she looked.

Suddenly, Undyne shoved her bag at Alphys and ran for the water with her trademark shout, startling - and exciting - both Greater and Lesser Dogs into watching and wagging their tails. Undyne leapt into the water with a huge splash, where she disappeared beneath the waves. Alphys clutched her bag to her chest a trace nervously, eyeing the water closely for Undyne's return.

When she was about to go in after her, Undyne popped up some distance away, laughing so loud and so happily that her eye was a crescent. "Alphys!" she called. "Come on in! It's so nice!"

Alphys shook her head, eyeing instead the ledge to the main stretch closely. It was very sandy and directly in the sunlight, which made it very appealing to her. She waved to Undyne, pointed at it, and smiled. Undyne pouted in such a way that had Alphys blushing, and she hoped Undyne couldn't see it. (She could, and found it sweet.) Hastily, she went to the ledge and hopped onto it, carefully placing both her bag and Undyne's close by.

The stones were warm and soothing beneath her, and she sighed and got comfortable, closing her eyes. There was a slight breeze, and the scent and feel of cool water on that breeze was a nice counter-balance to the heat of the sandy stones. She listened to Undyne splashing in the water, sometimes laughing just for the hell of it, enjoying the feel of it too much not to act silly in it. It was a nice sound.

The surface, Alphys decided with a smile, was an amazing place. It was as if it was made for the two of them, this beach - the water for Undyne, and the sun and sand for Alphys. She blushed at the thought, and her eyes opened, her smile flickering. Her gaze fell on Undyne again, and she watched her swim easily like, well, a fish, looking so thrilled that Alphys smiled wider just from seeing it.

After a while, Undyne vanished under the surface again, but this time Alphys was calm about it. Instead of panicking, she grabbed her phone and opened one of the game apps, thinking it would be a perfect addition to a wonderful scenario: a good venue and a good game. She got so into it - as well as slightly sun-baked and thus drowsy from it - that she hadn't realised Undyne had got out of the water until she was sitting on the ledge with her. She wanted to look up, but she was caught up in this one boss she'd been desperate to beat, and was already so close to beating, when...

...Undyne kissed her on the cheek.

Her eyes shot up from the phone, went blind, and her whole body went hot. She keeled over to the side, instantly dazed, and she heard Undyne laugh - normal at first, then almost maniacal - at her reaction. (And of course Alphys lost that battle as well, but it was worth it.)

When she could, Alphys looked up at Undyne, whose laughter was so gleeful that it was contagious; the situation was rather funny, after all, even to Alphys. She, now in an odd, almost playful mood, decided to stay where she was, holding onto her phone loosely. She closed her eyes, her heart racing and a silly smile on her face, feeling the sun's heat - and the heat brought on by Undyne's kiss - and loving it.

Soon she felt a pair of cool, damp hands grab one of hers and pull her back up so she was sitting again. Alphys gripped onto one of them tight, and when she finally looked at Undyne, she refused to let go.

Undyne grinned at her. "A kiss on the cheek KOs the great doctor," she said, leaning down so close Alphys couldn't - didn't want to - look away. "I wonder what a real kiss would do?"

"W-we should test it," Alphys blurted out, her blush deepening again. "F-for science?" She smiled.

Undyne raised an eyebrow, her expression delighted. Without another word, Undyne grabbed Alphys's face between her hands and kissed her again, this time on the lips. Alphys closed her eyes and returned it, her hands going to Undyne's and gripping tight. Undyne laughed softly and pulled away, just a little, to say, "That's more like it, Alphy."

Alphys smiled up at her, the nickname sounding so sweet to her that her eyes threatened to tear up. To cover it up, Alphys squeezed Undyne's hands and said, "T-try again. F-for a proper test sample."

Undyne's eye sparked, and she did, deeper this time, and Alphys's heart soared, feeling warmer than the sun, calmer than the waters - and deeply in love.

Chapter 2: Final

"This is it."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!"

Alphys hesitated. "Because we have to think of it as our only place, the only one we'll ever get."

Undyne waved her arms. "Yeah! And this is it!" she repeated, gesturing to the empty space around them. They both stood in the living room of a two-bedroom, single-storey house on the surface, one with a small basement and a big backyard, as well as a wonderful porch in the front. It was relatively decently-priced - even for monsters - though both knew that maybe another place would be cheaper. Despite that, both knew, the moment they walked in, that this was their home.

Alphys knew, but wanted to make sure. It was a bad habit of hers, to always ask more than once - okay, thrice - if something was okay, in order to seek reassurance that it was. This, however, she felt she needed to be extra-sure.

"We could build you a library nook in the second bedroom, or a sciencey room for whatever," Undyne went on with a grin, still waving her arms. "I can make the basement my work-out room - or vice-versa, even! Whatever works, Alphy!" Her arms dropped, but the smile did not. "This is definitely it."

Alphys grabbed on of Undyne's hands between her own tight, smiling, and Undyne was unable to look away. She loved how the simple gesture seemed to light up Alphys's face into something adorable - which she did adore.

"M-me too," Alphys agreed shyly. "Th-the backyard can be a garden," she added. "For flowers, vegetables, and tea!"

Undyne laughed. "Asgore will love that!" she agreed.

But Alphys wasn't done. "We could invite everyone over, f-for dinner, and we could watch movies together or play games or just talk," she went on, excitement making her speech fast. "And we could have Frisk over to stay if possible, and Papyrus, of course. We should probably look into getting a fold-out couch or futon or something for guests to sleep on. I know a great builder who knows how to make things like that, he made my box-bed that I had in the Lab, it was really good, and..." She caught Undyne's look - listening avidly and beaming from what she heard - and she blushed, trailing off.

"That settles it," Undyne agreed. "This is our home."

Alphys nodded, squeezing Undyne's hand tight. "Y-yes. Home," she agreed. "For us."

Undyne's smile softened. "Yeah, exactly!" she said. "Just for us." She flashed another grin, then said, "I'll go tell the agent," before rushing off to do so.

Alphys stood in the middle of the room, seeing so much potential in so small a space. She didn't know it, but she, too, was beaming, a hand to her cheek and her smile wide - but also a little silly.

Home, she thought. Our home. Undyne and I.

There was no where else she'd rather be.

Chapter 3: Numb

Undyne's grip on Alphys's wrist was tight, as was the grip of her other hand on her hip. Alphys leaned down and kissed her, and she returned it breathlessly, a small sound escaping her as she did. Her eye closed, and Alphys kept her hand moving, following Undyne's tugs and pulls of her wrist as she did.

Soon, Undyne tilted her head back, breaking the kiss to gasp out Alphys's name, her eye squeezed tightly shut and her hands gripping hard. Alphys shut her eyes, loving the sound of her name like that, especially in situations like this.

When she calmed, Undyne sighed deeply, her hands dropping. Then she muttered, "...shit."

Alphys sighed, looking down at her; Undyne was wearing a silly grin, her eye still closed, clearly contented despite what she just said.

"Again?" asked Alphys.

"Yep. I told you! Every time!" Undyne's grin widened. "You never believe me."

"Every time?"

Undyne opened her eye, raising her hands slowly and shaking them out. Alphys stared, noting how limp they looked. "I can kinda feel my fingers, but not really. I can't move them yet, that's for sure."

Alphys took one of her hands between her own and nuzzled it gently, and Undyne smiled wider, her eye softening. "Can you feel this?" Alphys wondered.

"A little," Undyne admitted.

"Every time, though?" Alphys asked again, her eyes sharp, as if trying to tell if Undyne was playing a trick on her.

"Yes!" Undyne insisted, reaching up and grabbing onto Alphys's face, her grip clumsy and light. "Every time you make me come, my hands go numb!"

Alphys finally laughed, and Undyne pulled away and growled with a blush, hiding under the covers.

Chapter 4: Broken Wings

"Alphy?"

Alphys curled further into a ball beneath the blankets, shutting her eyes. She hated how hurt Undyne sounded, but, try as she might - and she did try - she couldn't get up. She just couldn't get out of bed. So she said nothing.

She felt Undyne sit down next to her, and she shut her eyes, feeling hot shame fill her. She knew this would happen eventually in front of Undyne, but she'd hoped it would be much later, if it had to be at all. Instead, it was a mere few weeks after they'd moved into the home they now shared, and already she felt smothered by that horrible, all-encompassing feeling.

Undyne leaned close and placed a hand on Alphys's forehead, as though feeling for a fever. Alphys felt a lump form in her throat, the gesture so gentle, so caring, that it almost hurt. Undyne's fingers gently brushed over her head, and she felt tears come to her eyes.

"Alphy, what's wrong?" asked Undyne softly. She lay down next to her, her arms now going around Alphys tight, blankets and all. "Are you getting sick?"

"Yes," Alphys blurted out. "N-no. I... I-I'm fine." She winced, hating that her default setting when trapped by a question was to lie. "D-don't worry," she added. At least that was honest.

"Hmph," Undyne answered. "I'm gonna worry. Especially when you won't get up for the day. You haven't even had breakfast and it's almost noon, Alphy."

"Don't need it," muttered Alphys darkly. "Could stand to lose the weight."

"Alphy!" Undyne sat up and leaned over her again, trying to get a better look at her, but Alphys hid under the blankets, instead. "Alphy, come on!"

"N-no," Alphys said, her voice now choked as well as muffled. "I'm trash. I'm..." She bit her lip to keep from lying again, her hands clutching the blankets to her holding tight.

Undyne curled up against her, and she sniffled, unable to smother it. "Okay," said Undyne softly, holding Alphys as close to her as possible. "You're not, first of all. Second of all, you still need to eat, regardless of how you feel about your weight. Please come on out, sweetie."

Alphys shook her head, wishing she could be more eloquent about how she felt, but she never was in these kinds of moods. How could she explain it, so that Undyne could understand? That it wasn't Undyne's fault, but something to do with Alphys's brain, and that, sometimes, her brain seemed to almost short-out with unexplained self-loathing and sadness?

She tried to say that, but only got out, "Not your fault. I swear."

Undyne bit her lip, unsure despite herself. It didn't seem to be her fault, true, but she still felt as if she'd either missed something or perhaps caused this by accident. "Can you talk me through it?" she wondered carefully. "Can you try to word your thoughts as they come to you, or something?"

Alphys hated that Undyne still sounded so sad, so she tried to explain again. "S-sometimes, I get... sad. Angry at m-myself. I-I can't m-move when it happens. Because, what's the point?" Her voice broke, then became quiet. "I'm n-nobody, so who cares if I get up at all? I-I don't even care..."

Undyne was silent for a moment, before she murmured, "I care. You're someone to me, Alphy. Probably..." Her voice went close to a whisper. "Probably for longer than you even know it..."

Alphys opened her eyes at that, confused. She carefully dug her way out from the blankets, but only up to her neck. "Wh-what do you mean?" she asked.

Undyne blushed suddenly, looking to the side. "I mean..." She smiled a little shyly, then looked back at her. "Come on, Alphy. You're smart. I've had my eye on you for a long, long time."

Alphys looked away this time. "You're just saying that to cheer me up," she said, rather unfairly.

"No, nerd, I'm not," Undyne replied, rolling her eye. "I have. Did. Heh." Her blush deepened. "Shut up, okay?"

At that, Alphys poked her head back out. "W-wait," she said slowly, bemused, now. "You're serious?"

Undyne scratched her cheek, her blush deepening. "Forget I said it, okay? Let's focus on you!"

"N-no!" Alphys brought her hands out from under the blankets and pushed them down further, to look at Undyne closer. Her heart, oddly, seemed to feel a little better already. "You said it! Were you lying?"

"I never lie to you!" Undyne answered hotly. When Alphys raised her eyebrows at her, she sighed. "Fine. Since I first met you, okay? Shut up."

Now Alphys was the one who blushed. "Wh-what? When we met?"

"Yeah." Undyne grabbed part of a blanket and tried to hide her face beneath it. "Shut up, okay? You were... you are... so smart, and cute, and fun to be with... so shut up about it!" She pulled the blanket over her head.

Alphys stared, her heart racing. "Undyne?"

"Merph."

"M-me too. With you." It was the truth, after all. When Alphys met Undyne that day, a distant crush became a very near-and-dear love. But she'd thought it'd been one-sided for the longest time. She never dreamt that it would be reciprocated at all. But for the same amount of time?

Undyne peered up from under the blanket, still red. "Yeah?" she said, a small smile on her face. "For real?"

Alphys nodded, reaching up and placing her hand on Undyne's warm cheek. Deep down, that sadness and hatred still prevailed, but when she met Undyne's gaze, she saw the smile that came with it, and especially when she felt a hand touch hers, it almost seemed just a little bit smaller.

Suddenly, she realised she was actually rather hungry. "Undyne?" she said.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Undyne grinned, her face lighting up at once. "I love you, Alphy. That's my damned point!"

Alphys felt a small smile tug at her lips. "I-I got it," she said honestly.

"Good!" Undyne grabbed Alphys's face between her hands and shook her a little, bringing a laugh, surprising them both. Undyne looked delighted just from hearing that small sound. "Can you... do you think you're ready to eat something? Honestly?"

Alphys nodded slowly. Undyne slid out of bed and helped her get free of the blankets, then pulled her into a hug. Alphys, surprised, hugged back, closing her eyes and loving the feel of it.

"Whatever it is, even if you don't know, it's okay," Undyne said gently, rubbing Alphys's back slowly. "I'm here. I'll always be here."

Alphys clung onto her, a fresh wave of tears suddenly crashing into her. She whispered, "Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?" Undyne demanded. "It's why I'm here!"

Alphys sniffled in reply. They both knew there was more to it than that.

"C'mon," Undyne said, her tone softer. "Let's get you something to eat."

"Okay," Alphys agreed, a little tearfully.

"And," Undyne added, "if you ever say or imply you're fat again, I'll be pissed off." The hard tone spoke louder than the actual words did.

Alphys smiled a little bit more at that. "Sorry," she said honestly.

"The only one you should say that to," Undyne replied, leading her out to the kitchen, "is yourself, my love."

Chapter 5: Melody

Undyne was playing the piano. This wasn't unusual, as she always did, at least once a day. 'Attacking the ivories' was one of her favourite things in the world. She was self-taught, and very good in spite of it, mostly learning by ear than by theory or lesson. She found it easier to learn that way.

Alphys sat nearby, reading, but also listening. She loved listening to Undyne play, even when she made mistakes and bashed the keyboard into discontent chords. If the piece was quick, Alphys's foot would move in time to it. It slow and calm, Alphys would lean back and feel almost sleepy as she listened.

Today's session was so far a mix of both, giving an interesting soundtrack to the book Alphys was reading. Undyne practised an hour a day - at least - and Alphys loved to spend time with her as she did, loving this side of Undyne, one she rarely shared with anyone. Papyrus was one. Alphys was another. (Asgore was the only other.)

Undyne eyed Alphys closely as she played. She could see all of Alphys's reactions to whatever she played quite easily, and it was obvious that Alphys enjoyed what she heard - and listened to whatever Undyne played. With a grin, she shifted from one song to another, so abruptly it caught Alphys's attention, and she looked up from her book.

Then she felt all of the blood rush to her face, the book falling into her lap, as Undyne played. She looked at Undyne, who was still grinning at her as she played, and she stared back, speechless and spellbound.

Undyne was playing the piano arrangement of the theme of Mew Mew Kissy Cutie.

Her heart racing, Alphys got to her feet and rushed to Undyne's side, colliding into her with a hug so hard that Undyne's fingers fumbled into nonsense notes and she laughed, but Alphys didn't care. She was already kissing Undyne's laughs away, pulling her close enough to feel that her heart was racing, now, too.

"So," Undyne murmured between kisses, as Alphys tugged on her hands to get her to her feet - which she did. "You like?"

"Bed," Alphys blurted out as her answer, her face burning and her kisses still firm. "Now."

Undyne laughed again, only this time it was a chuckle, and she scooped Alphys up into her arms. Alphys clung onto her, now kissing down along her jawline to her neck, and Undyne stumbled a bit - but still managed to, just barely, get both of them into the bedroom.

"You didn't even let me finish," Undyne said breathlessly.

"Later," Alphys replied, kissing her lips again deeply, and Undyne laughed once more, the sound both soft - and happy.

Chapter 6: Rules

"I'm sorry, but what did you say?" Undyne's tone was soft, but anyone who knew her also knew that this wasn't exactly a good thing, especially considering the context.

The clerk behind the desk seemed to sense it, for he looked a little nervous, now. "At this time," he repeated carefully, "there are no licenses being issued for monsters."

"Why?" Undyne asked, her voice still quiet.

"Right now, we're still trying to get other things for monsters, first."

"Like?"

"Undyne." Alphys tugged on her hand gently, trying to pull her away. "It's fine. Let's just go home, okay?"

"No," Undyne growled. "Like what?" she asked the clerk, who was looking at Alphys in an almost helpless manner.

"Like, uh, housing permits, land ownership, health care, you know, things like that..."

Undyne was silent in response to that, letting her glare be her primary response. Alphys again tugged on the hand she held, noticing that it now shook. "Undyne--,"

"It's not okay, you know," Undyne snapped suddenly. "What you're doing, what the city is doing. I get it, sort of. But all I'm asking for is just one license - just one. It's not that hard. Just go and get one for us."

"I--,"

"Undyne, he can't," Alphys interjected finally. "He can't because he doesn't make the rules. He only upholds them."

"Well, it's not right!" Undyne burst out, slapping her other hand down on the counter. "It's not! It's just one damned piece of paper!"

The clerk paled, again shooting Alphys a please-help look. Alphys tugged yet again on Undyne's hand. "Undyne," she said, "let's just go."

"This isn't over," Undyne promised the clerk, glaring at him a final time. But she did let Alphys pull her away, though the glare didn't fade.

Once outside, Undyne growled, summoned a spear, and threw it down into the ground, with a crash and a shout. Alphys touched her arm, and Undyne drooped, her hand going over her eyes, her teeth bared.

"I hate them," she snarled. "I hate them all." But here, her voice broke, and Alphys reached for her. Undyne fell into her arms, burying her face into Alphys's shoulder, shaking.

"It'll be okay," Alphys said, only half-lying., trying to keep her voice calm.

"I just want one thing, just one license, Alphy," was the broken reply.

"And you'll get it," Alphys replied firmly. "Someday."

"But clearly, not anytime soon."

"No," agreed Alphys softly. "It looks that way."

"I loathe them."

"You don't, not all of them. Not even most. And Frisk is working on it. You like and trust Frisk, right?"

"Of course I do, nerd. What a question."

"Well, then." Alphys rubbed Undyne's back slowly, and felt her relax, just a little. "Trust in Frisk and it'll work out."

Undyne clung onto her tighter, and Alphys could feel her shaking. "I just want to marry you, Alphy," she whispered, sounding so helpless it hurt.

"And I promise, you will," Alphys replied. "When we can. Now let's go home, o-okay?"

Undyne nodded against her shoulder before letting her go, and together, arm-in-arm, they walked home.

Down for now - but certainly not out.

Chapter 7: Chocolate

"What the hell is that?"

Alphys was holding up a square of chocolate. "It's a chocolate bar," she said simply.

Undyne stared at it suspiciously. "That doesn't look edible," she answered.

"It is. You know chocolate!" Alphys waved it as she spoke. "We've seen it a million times in human media! It's better than it looks!"

"It looks like--,"

Alphys shoved the square into her mouth before she could finish. She automatically started chewing, and as she did, her eyebrows went up and she blushed, shifting a little, her eye going to Alphys, who was smiling. She swallowed, her blush oddly deepening.

"It does taste better than it looks," Undyne said slowly, eyeing Alphys closely. "What's in it?" Alphys held up the wrapper and began to read it, but Undyne shook her head. "No, I mean, what else? What did they add?"

"Besides preservatives, nothing."

Undyne looked suspicious, as well as... something else. "You sure? It's just that that's making me feel this way?"

Alphys suddenly had an inkling as to what the blush was about, and suddenly felt mischievous. "Try more and see," she advised with a grin.

Undyne did, and her blush went scarlet, staring at Alphys with a gleam in her eye that Alphys knew quite well, indeed.

"Bed," Undyne growled. "And bring that, too." She pointed to the chocolate.

Chapter 8: Nostalgia

Waterfall was an important place for both of them. Both were born elsewhere, but both had found themselves drawn to the place for one reason or another, which in turn made the entire place special. It was, after all, where they'd spent most of their time together, before the barrier broke. Therefore, it was natural to want to return once and a while, which they did - often together.

While Undyne visited the Blook farm, Alphys wandered through the dump. Since the barrier broke, the trash piles had gotten smaller (but still accumulated), and it was very strange to see, especially for someone who grew up watching them grow.

She stopped at the tiles in front of the abyss, standing on them with her hands in front of her. She crouched down, digging her claws in and peering at the expanse of the waters before her; she was always entranced by the amount and the power of it all.

Alphys and the abyss shared a history, in a way. She certainly saw the abyss as something focal to her life, at least in the background, anyway. While in school, she'd studied the waters of the abyss for her doctorate, coming up with two new theories for its existence and how it in turn affected the lives of the monsters in each scenario. She was proud of that, and the memories were a mix of anxiety and pride.

Less proud and more anxious was the memory of the time she came here for more than just gazing. She felt a bite of shame when she remembered, but she also smiled, just a bit. It was where she finally met Undyne face-to-face, after all.

"Hey."

Alphys looked up, surprised to see Undyne walking towards her with a small smile; she hadn't even heard her footsteps in the water, she had been so caught up in her reverie. She stood up from her crouch and smiled in return, especially when Undyne joined her on the tiles and hugged her.

"Napstablook says 'hi...'" She imitated the voice so well that Alphys laughed. "Whatcha up to, Alphy?"

"Just thinking," Alphys admitted. Undyne kept her arm around her shoulders and Alphys kept hers around Undyne's waist. Together, they looked down at the abyss in silence, both thinking. Undyne remembered, too.

"Alphy," she said softly, after a moment. "I'm so glad I met you."

Alphys blushed. "I-I'm glad, too, that I m-met you," she agreed, leaning her head on Undyne's shoulder, as Undyne held her closer.

They watched the water for a moment, before Undyne said, "Wanna check out Snowdin while we're here?"

"Y-yes," Alphys nodded with a smile "I'd love to."

Chapter 9: Heartbeat

Undyne had excellent hearing, thanks to her fan-like ears. Therefore, she usually ended up hearing what most people could not.

Case-in-point: Alphys. Specifically, her heartbeat. Alphys first spent their friendship lying about her work to Undyne, but her body never betrayed her on it. However, as they grew closer, Alphys lied less and less, but when she did, her heart would always call her out, even though she never knew it. Undyne could hear her heartrate change depending on the lie, and thus could never be fooled.

Alphys's heart, however, betrayed her in more than just lying.

The first time it happened was when they were still just starting to hang out. Every time Undyne was close to Alphys, her heart would race. For the longest time, Undyne assumed that she just had a fast heartrate, and therefore didn't make much of it.

However, as time progressed - and their relationship along with it - Undyne came to understand the true meaning behind it.

Anytime Undyne looked at her with a smile, Alphys's heart sped up. It also happened whenever she touched her, hugged her, and especially kissed her. When they made love, it sped up so fast Undyne worried a little, but she was always fine after - if a bit tired.

Undyne, in short, made Alphys's heart race, and Undyne could hear it each time.

Once, both still catching their breath after a rather frenzied bout of lovemaking, Undyne said, with a smile, "Your heart is going crazy, Alphy."

Alphys opened her eyes slowly, her hand going to her chest. She blushed, feeling it to be true. "Gah," she murmured. "It does that. I-I'm sorry. You can...?" Her eyes fell on Undyne's ears, and her blush deepened. "You can hear it."

Undyne grinned up at her. "Every time," she admitted.

Alphys stared at her. "R-really?"

"Yep."

Alphys hid under the blankets, her whole body going hot with embarrassment. She realised, with that thought, how often Undyne must have heard her heart speed up - and why.

Undyne, with a laugh, buried herself beside Alphys, bringing a delighted giggle from her. Undyne kissed her, and again she heard Alphys's heart speed up - and found it would always speak louder than words.

Chapter 10: Stronger

At first, Alphys was meant only to help Undyne, and never to participate. Undyne had asked, during a workout, if Alphys could help her out. When Alphys agreed, she was given cushioned gloves to wear, and she held them up for Undyne to attack. A few times, Alphys flinched and backed up a little, and Undyne, because of it, almost tripped and fell to the floor.

"Alphy, I need those to be still!" she protested.

Alphys lowered her hands and nodded. "S-sorry. It's... habit."

Undyne blinked, a thought coming to her suddenly at that. "Hold your hands up in front of your body, Alphy. Most people don't aim for the face."

Alphys blinked this time, then raised her hands again. "O-okay."

"When I kick at you next, try to push my leg away, okay?" When Alphys nodded, looking bemused, Undyne dipped down, then kicked out at her. Alphys yelped and winced, one hand going towards Undyne's leg, the other covering her face again. Undyne let her leg drop, raising an eyebrow. Though she had flinched and did cover her head, Alphys still tried to deflect her leg, anyway.

"S-sorry," Alphys repeated now, lowering her arms again. "M-maybe I shouldn't try to h-help."

"No, no," said Undyne instantly, reaching forward and gently taking hold of Alphys's wrists. "Keep them up, like this." She adjusted Alphys's hands in a way that would guard both part of her chest and her stomach. Something seemed to clear in Alphys's eyes, then, and they focussed on Undyne, glinting a bit. "Okay, ready?" When she nodded, Undyne grinned. "Here we go."

This time, she threw her fist, and Alphys squeaked and threw her arm out to try and deflect the punch with her glove. It worked, and Undyne let her fist be pushed away. Blinking, Alphys stared at her, then at her own arm. The bemused look was back. She hadn't flinched that time.

"Oh," she said, looking up at Undyne in surprise. "M-maybe I d-don't suck at this."

"Nope," Undyne agreed, getting into another stance, her smile wide. "Again, Alphy."

With a small smile, Alphys re-positioned her hands, and again she managed to knock Undyne's punch away. This went on for a while, to the point that it soon became a regular activity. Alphys eventually stopped wearing the gloves, and soon was even sparring back.

And each time, Alphys grinned - and Undyne's heart soared.

Chapter 11: Confusion

"Alphy..."

Alphys didn't look away from the screen. "Hm?"

Undyne stood behind her, her arms around Alphys's neck loosely, pressing close to be cheek-to-cheek. "You busy?" she wondered, her voice soft, smiling.

Alphys paused, then focused on the screen for a moment, her claws flying over the keyboard. "Huh?" she then added, realising that Undyne had said something to her.

Undyne paused, too, her smile flickering. She took a slow breath, before she asked again, "Are you busy?" And again, she pressed her cheek against Alphys's, only this time she coupled it with a kiss.

"Augh, no!" Alphys snapped, putting a hand to her microphone and snapping out, "Reverse, reverse!" She then sighed in exasperation, her hands pushing her glasses onto her forehead to rub her eyes. "Sorry, Undyne. What?"

Undyne was standing a foot behind her now, startled back by Alphys's outburst, her arms crossed over her chest and her face now a scowl. Alphys, however, didn't see it, as suddenly her attention was caught again, and she snarled, "I said reverse! You chose to ignore me!" And again, she was glued to the screen, her claws going back to the keyboard and flying over it faster than Undyne could follow.

With a sigh, Undyne turned and walked away, going to the bedroom briefly to change into work-out clothes. Once done, she stomped her way to the basement, slamming the door behind her.

Alphys heard it and blinked. "What's that about?" she wondered. She was about to get up to investigate when someone suddenly greeted her, and she sat back down and returned it with a smile, utterly oblivious to what had just happened - and what she just missed out on.

Chapter 12: Bitter

"That's how you'd describe it?"

Undyne went scarlet, her fingers dropping from her mouth. "It's the first word that comes to mind, okay?"

Alphys was blushing now, eyeing the pile of blankets beside her almost longingly.

"It's not bad!" Undyne insisted, sitting up and moving to sit closer beside Alphys, who curled up into a shy ball and hid her face under her tail. Undyne groaned. "No, no tail-hiding!" she growled, tugging on it.

Alphys didn't move it. "How," she demanded, "am I supposed to feel, when someone I love tells me I taste bitter?"

"Alphy, it's not a bad thing!" Undyne insisted, still tugging on her tail. "I'm pretty sure it's normal, and again, not bad!"

"You're not bitter," grumbled Alphys.

"Oh, I find that hard to believe, nerd," Undyne snorted. "If anyone would be, it's me."

Alphys peered out from beneath her tail. "No, it's more like..." She paused, unsure of how to word it. "The closest I can think of is 'umami'."

Undyne stared at her. "What the fuck is that, and why?"

Alphys laughed a little at that, finding Undyne's incredulous tone and words rather funny, and Undyne grinned, loving it when she made Alphys laugh, regardless of the context. "It's hard to explain," Alphys said, turning around to face Undyne, her tail finally lowered. "But that's how I'd describe you."

Undyne thought for a moment, then burst out, "You love coffee, right?" When Alphys nodded, Undyne grinned. "Coffee is bitter! And you still love it!"

"I also add tons of milk and sugar to it," Alphys sighed, her tone flat, and Undyne groaned, lying back onto the bed while tugging at her hair, exasperated. Alphys stayed where she was, then added, a trace shyly, "Please warn me if you want to add sugar."

Undyne snorted, unable to help it, and Alphys grinned, this time the one thrilled to make the other laugh. Soon, a hand made its way back to Alphys's knee, and she looked over to see Undyne already staring at her, blushing again.

"It's really not a bad bitter," she said softly. "I like it. It's wonderful."

Alphys placed a hand on hers, her grin turning a trace devious. "Prove it."

With a grin of her own, Undyne did - to beyond a doubt.

Chapter 13: Afterlife

"Alphy, I can't sleep."

Alphys stirred awake, the reason for her deep sleep now waking her up from it. "Mm," she murmured, reaching for Undyne with her eyes still closed. Undyne curled up into her arms, resting her head on Alphys's chest and hugging her close.

"Talk," ordered Alphys sleepily.

"Alphy... what do you think...?" Undyne trailed off, hesitating.

"Lots of things, but nothing to keep you awake about," Alphys answered.

Undyne smiled at that. Sleepy Alphys was more sarcastic than normal. "Sorry. I mean... what do you think happens when we die?"

"Mm." Alphys sighed deeply, her hand absently stroking Undyne's loose hair. "We turn to dust. You know that."

"I know, but... what about our souls?"

Alphys's eyes opened slowly at that. "They vanish and leave the dust behind. Unless you're a boss monster. Then it lingers for a few moments before disappearing." Her eyes closed again as she gave Undyne a sleepy kiss on her forehead.

Undyne blinked, then reached up and placed a hand on Alphys's cheek. "Wait," she said. "Neither of us are boss monsters."

"Mm," Alphys agreed, her voice thick. "No, we aren't, though I thought for the longest time that you were."

Undyne smiled a little. "I wish," she admitted. "So, the souls vanish?"

"Theoretically," Alphys agreed, her eyes open again. "Since we don't see it unless the monster dying is a Boss Monster. For the rest of us, we have nothing to look at."

"Where do you think they go?"

When Alphys didn't answer, Undyne looked up, thinking she's fallen back to sleep again. Instead, Alphys looked thoughtful, chewing on her bottom lip as she considered. "D-don't laugh," she then said, "b-but I think... I think souls cycle back, find a way to live again, somehow." She paused. "Together."

Undyne moved closer to her, not finding a reason to laugh at all. She felt her face redden. "Did we talk about this before?"

"No. Why?"

"Because that's what I think, too!" she answered. Alphys looked at her in surprised, and she stared back. "You sure?"

"Yes," said Alphys. "I-I know I've never said it aloud before, because it's unscientific."

"Who cares about science?" Undyne snorted. When Alphys raised her hand, she laughed. "You know what I mean!" she insisted.

"I think so," Alphys nodded. "I also... like the idea that souls that were close in life remain close together, o-or they w-wait for each other..." She trailed off this time, blushing and looking away. Undyne rubbed Alphys's cheek gently, feeling the blush, now, too. "It's silly, I know," she concluded. "It's just fancy."

"Well, it makes sense to me," Undyne declared. "And I know my soul would wait for yours, Alphy."

Alphys turned to her, her eyes wavering. "M-me too," she agreed, reaching up and placing her hand over Undyne's.

"Alphy," Undyne murmured, moving even closer, and Alphys closed her eyes, smiling. "How... how sleepy are you?"

In reply, Alphys reached for her, and they kissed - together in this lifetime, at least.

Chapter 14: Daybreak

Alphys had left the blinds open again, and as a result, the early morning sun woke Undyne up with a growl.

"Alphy!" she grumbled. "Close the blinds!"

"N-no," was the sleepy response. "I don't want to. You do it."

Undyne raised her head and realised that Alphys was only half-awake. "Please?" she added, trying to smile.

"Merph," was Alphys's reply. She slid from the bed heavily, grumbling, and Undyne found herself watching her. Alphys always wore pyjamas - while Undyne never did - and was wearing only a light summer nightgown. She dragged herself to the window and fumbled with the blinds. Then, she stood frozen, staring out the window with her claws still tangled in the blinds' cords. "Oh," she breathed out.

"What?" Undyne shifted to look at her closer, noticing the sleep had vanished from Alphys in mere moments - unusual, for someone who was not a morning person.

"Come see," Alphys answered.

Undyne did, standing behind Alphys and yawning, before she leaned over, slid her arms around Alphys's waist, and rested her chin on her shoulder as she looked.

And she froze, too, stunned.

The sunrise was in full swing, its myriad colours like spilt paint on a thirsty canvas. She'd never seen anything like it, save only once - when she watched the sunset on that perfect day.

"Alphy?" When Alphys looked up, Undyne smiled. "Let's... keep them open from now on." Alphys nodded with a smile, leaning back against her, and together, they watched the dawn.

Chapter 15: Audience

For Undyne, no one else was there except Alphys. Alphys, who stood in the front with her hands clasped in front of her chest and her eyes wide, a silly, beaming smile on her face. No one else mattered, so Undyne played only for her.

It had been both Mettaton and Shyren who goaded her into this, mostly the latter than the former. Mettaton had set up a special monsters-only concert Underground, inviting many of them to share the stage (when he chose to share it, that is.). Mettaton had approached her confidently and had assumed she'd say yes. When she did not, Mettaton had slunked away - only to be replaced by Shyren.

Undyne and Shyren went way back, so whenever Shyren asked for anything (rare enough in itself), Undyne found it hard to refuse. This time was no exception.

Which was why, now, she stood on the stage in Hotland, with Mettaton and Shyren (and Burgerpants, of all people) and her piano, playing some of the silliest songs she'd ever heard, but her co-musicians belted it out as if it kept them alive. That was, truthfully, nice to see, so Undyne played along, blushing the whole time, until her eye finally fell on Alphys, and she found herself calming down just from the sight of her.

Alphys knew how personal playing the piano was for Undyne, and was so proud of her. It showed, especially in her smile, and Undyne's blush deepened, but now for a completely different reason.

Eventually, Undyne decided that Alphys was the only one in the room, and thus she was serenading only her. A grin formed on her face as she played, and Alphys's eyes sparked upon seeing it. She didn't look away, not even once, and her playing never suffered for it. Instead, it became relaxed, more melodic and natural, which in turn aided Shyren and Mettaton to be, as well.

When it was over, Undyne was backstage, still blushing. She'd caught sight of Asgore and wasn't ready to face him yet. However, when a hand touched hers, she turned with a grin and immediately hugged the owner of that hand - Alphys.

"Y-you were... beautiful," she blurted out, her own face going red at that. Undyne closed her eye, the words touching her deeply, so much sweeter than any other praise from anyone else.

"So were you," Undyne replied with a happy grin.

Chapter 16: Endless Sorrow

It had started as a good night. Alphys, Undyne, Papyrus and Mettaton had decided to go out for a night on the surface, dinner and a movie, and some gaming once it was all done. The dinner was wonderful, the movie was an adrenaline rush of a live-action cartoon, and the evening was nice and cool despite the summer's heat.

But on their way back to Alphys and Undyne's, that's when disaster struck. A group of humans - six to their four - cut them off. From there, Alphys had gone between the two groups, sensing hostility and hoping to calm it with a smile and gentle words.

They swarmed Alphys, faster than any of them could react, and had her down to the ground in seconds. Undyne's vision became tinged with red, and with a shout and a spear, she lunged forward. Both Papyrus and Mettaton tried to stop her, but it was too late for that: They had hurt Alphys, and now they were the ones going to get hurt. Or so she'd hoped. She just barely broke the circle and swung her spear at them when they suddenly scattered, clearly afraid of both her and her magic.

The moment they were gone, Undyne knelt beside Alphys, who was curled up in a tight ball, her tail around her and her eyes shut tight. She didn't move, not even when Undyne touched her shoulder and shook her. "Alphy?" she cried. "Alphys! Hey!" Alphys was still.

Papyrus grabbed his phone and dialled a number, speaking quickly to whoever was on the other line. Mettaton knelt down beside Undyne and also tried to shake her awake - to the same result. "Alphys...?" he murmured, his eyes wide with worry.

"TORIEL IS ON HER WAY," Papyrus said. "UNDYNE, HELP IS COMING."

Undyne didn't look up. Instead, she pulled Alphys into her arms gently. She was out cold and pale. Panicked, Undyne put her fingers to her neck and felt a heartbeat. It was fast, but it mattered.

"Her glasses are broken," Undyne said suddenly, her hand now on Alphys's cheek. Mettaton looked at her closely, seeing the tears she didn't know she shed and recognising that she was in shock. "We need to fix them," she concluded, proving him right.

"We will," Mettaton said carefully, moving his hand to Undyne's shoulder. "We need to wait for Toriel, okay, Undyne? She'll know what to do."

She nodded slowly, biting down on her lip so hard it hurt. It seemed to take forever, but Toriel eventually drove up, ushering them all in. "Let's go, quickly, now!" she called, and they obeyed, Undyne holding Alphys close the entire time.

Once they got home, Toriel took the lead immediately and ushered them into the house. "Bring her in here, dear," she told Undyne gently. Undyne walked in with Alphys still in her arms, shaking and pale. Behind her, Papyrus and Mettaton hung back, both looking shaken as well. Toriel led Undyne to the couch in the living room with a firm hand on Undyne's shoulder. "Lie her here, please. I'll see if I can do anything, but I can't promise you anything. She may have to go to the hospital."

Undyne nodded, gently lying Alphys down on their couch. Alphys didn't even react, not even when Undyne knelt down beside her and took one of her hands between her own.

Toriel sat down beside Undyne, giving her a calm, gentle look, before holding her hands up, taking a breath, and summoning her healing magic. The light purple glow shimmered and moved around Alphys, as though checking for injuries itself, before disappearing beneath Alphys's skin.

Undyne stared at her, looking for any sign, kissing her hand every so often, her face still wet but still she didn't notice it - or care. She laced her fingers together with Alphys's, and soon, to her relief, she felt those fingers twitch, then grip tight. Undyne looked up and saw Alphys finally stirring. Toriel pulled her hands away and sighed, leaning back, and Alphys opened her eyes slowly - before wincing, her free hand going to her eye - now swelling up from a hit - with a small, confused sound.

Undyne darted closer, almost tripping over Toriel as she did. "Alphy!" she cried, her voice breaking, and Alphys blinked at her slowly, trying to focus. "Alphy, are you okay?"

Alphys's grip on Undyne's hand tightened. "U-Undyne," she whispered. "You... you're o-okay?" Her eyes widened, and she tried to sit up. "M-Mettaton and Papyrus--?"

They stepped forward, Mettaton kneeling down and placing a hand on her forehead, and her panic eased. "You're okay..." she breathed out, lying back down, her hand to her chest and her eyes closing in relief. Toriel moved Mettaton's hand and replaced it with her own, checking for a fever but finding none. This was when Alphys finally noticed her, and she blushed, again trying to get up - only to be stopped by both Toriel and Undyne.

"Stay lying down, doctor," Toriel advised gently. "You've had quite a spill, and I can't heal physical injuries."

Alphys gingerly touched her swollen eye, wincing from it again. "Wh-what's happened?" she asked, bewildered.

"I'll get you some water," Toriel said suddenly, getting to her feet. "Boys, will you come help me?" She shot a meaningful glance at Mettaton and Papyrus, who reluctantly followed her into the kitchen, to give Alphys and Undyne some privacy.

Undyne hadn't noticed either way. She was already sitting down on the couch, pulling Alphys into her arms as though for dear life, her eye shut and her face buried into Alphys's shoulder. Alphys clung to her close, asking again if Undyne was okay - to which she both nodded, then shook her head. Concerned, Alphys tried to examine her for injuries, which only made her cry more - which only worried Alphys more.

"Your glasses are broken," Undyne murmured, and Alphys nodded, one hand stroking Undyne's hair slowly. "We need to fix them."

"I-I have spares," Alphys said softly. "It's okay."

Undyne shook her head. "No, Alphy, it's not okay. None of this is okay."

Alphys was silent at that, unsure of what to say to it. Undyne was right; it wasn't okay. The open hostility, the needless violence... none of it was okay. But with time, perhaps, it would be, and that was what Alphys meant.

"I'm okay," Alphys then added, her hands now on Undyne's cheeks. Undyne looked at her, her eye dark and full, both with tears and fury, still trembling. Alphys tried to brush some of the tears away, but more would take their place. "Undyne," she insisted. "I'm alright."

"It's not alright," Undyne answered, her voice choked up. "I hate them all so much." She pulled Alphys closer to her, returning her face to Alphys's shoulder. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"My eye hurts," Alphys admitted. "And so does my chest, b-but yes," Alphys agreed, trying again to touch her swollen eye - only to wince and lower her hand.

"I want to kill them all," Undyne growled.

"No, you don't," Alphys corrected gently, and Undyne sighed; she was right.

"They hurt you, Alphy," she said, her voice softer now. "They... they could have..."

"They didn't," Alphys broke in, going back to stroke Undyne's hair again. "Because of you, I'm still here."

Undyne buried her face into Alphys's neck and sobbed, once. Alphys held her closer and closed her eyes. It was hard, realising that the dream you'd had for so long could easily become a nightmare.

Alphys recovered, physically, thanks to a visit to the doctor and proper attention to her injuries, but mentally she was now skittish to go out a night, especially alone. If she went out, it was always with Undyne, and she never let go of Undyne's hand, no matter what. If they saw a group of humans, they both moved closer to each other, as though bracing for an attack at any moment. This instinct would never leave either of them, though luckily, they never had to use them, as it never happened again.

But still, those scars would remain.

Notes:

Sorry for the sad. I wrote this when I was very sick and yet I didn't want to rewrite another story. I think this one is important, though I have written a similar story before. This kind of thing happens every day, to people who have done nothing but simply exist in the world. It's bullshit. And this is the one way I can protest it. So, uh, yeah, again, sorry.

Chapter 17: Fireworks

"What are they even celebrating?!" Undyne snarled, glaring out the window.

Alphys looked it up. "The birthday of a queen. The second Elizabeth."

Undyne continued her glower at the window. There was a series of crashes and bangs, cheers and clapping, followed by flashing lights, that came from their human neighbours. "They still have monarchies here?"

"Well," Alphys replied, "so do we."

"We're monsters; we have our quirks," Undyne answered. Another loud explosion followed her words, and both jumped in surprise. "That sounds crazy," Undyne concluded darkly, though Alphys noticed a certain glint in her eye that said the opposite.

"Well," Alphys said with a smile. "A neighbour invited us to watch it we wanted to, so if you're curious..."

Undyne had already stood up and was putting her boots on with that same glint in her eye.

Alphys smiled and followed her, and together they went to the neighbour in question: a human named Anne, and her husband Andy.

"Dr Alphys!" Anne greeted with a smile. "And Captain Undyne!"

"Just Undyne," she corrected with a blush, smiling a little.

Anne blushed. "Sorry. Uh. I'm glad you decided to join us! I imagine fireworks weren't very big Underground?"

"Try non-existent," Undyne agreed with a grin. "This shit's really weird to us, but..." Her smile turned a little shy. "I'm really curious."

Andy was already setting up a long tube with a longer wick attacked to a dowel of wood into a bucket of sand. Alphys eyed it closely, her hands held in front of her, as though itching to grab it and take it apart. It was only when Andy lit it and stepped back that she did the same.

Then, the fireworks. Gushes of red, yellow, green, blue, even purple, all stretched up into the sky like small comets, flashing out into nothing with short bangs almost as suddenly as they appeared. Alphys jumped, scooting over to Undyne's side and grabbing onto her arm, and Undyne laughed, pulling her up and into her arms in a heartbeat - where she clung to her but still smiled brightly.

"Amazing," Alphys murmured, unable to look away. "And beautiful."

Undyne stared into her eyes, seeing the lights reflecting off of them in such a way that she felt it in her heart. "Agreed," she murmured, kissing her cheek. "Wanna do this next year?"

Alphys nodded, then grinned. "Definitely."

Chapter 18: Wishing

Alphys found Undyne in the backyard, standing in the middle of it, staring up at the sky. When she closed the door behind her, Undyne looked over, and her face lit right up. Alphys blushed, but returned the look with a shy smile, walking over to her side. Undyne grabbed her into a hug, then kept her arm around her shoulders and held her close.

For a moment, they stood in silence, listening to the party in their house while staring up at the cloudy night sky.

Then, Alphys murmured, "Are you okay?"

Undyne grinned, holding her tighter. "Oh, hell, yeah," she replied. "I'm definitely okay, Alphy."

Alphys leaned her head on Undyne's shoulder and closed her eyes, sighing deeply. Undyne kissed her forehead. For another moment, they were quiet. Then, Alphys said, "Why are you out here alone?"

"Looking for shooting stars," Undyne admitted.

"Really?" Alphys blinked. "Why? You need to make a wish?"

Undyne laughed. "Nope! To give any and all of them the pearl!" She turned to Alphys. "Why would I need a wish? I got exactly what I've ever wished for today."

Alphys blushed deeper in both delight and shyness, her arm going around Undyne's waist. "O-oh," she murmured. "You d-did?"

Undyne nodded. "Yep," she agreed.

"You only had that one wish?"

"For a very, very long time."

Alphys reached up with her other hand and placed it on Undyne's cheek. Undyne looked down at her with that same grin, and Alphys smiled back, rubbing her cheek lightly. Undyne reached up and touched her hand with her own, closing her eye and sighing deeply.

"Undyne?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

Undyne leaned down, slid her arms around Alphys, and pulled her close. She stared right into her eyes and said, "I love you too, my dear wife."

Alphys's blush went scarlet, though it was with delight and not embarrassment, and her smile went wider, though her eyes filled with tears - happy tears. Alphys clung to her, reaching up to kiss her, and Undyne happily complied.

Chapter 19: Birthday

Undyne woke Alphys with a kiss to her neck, one of her biggest weaknesses. She awoke slowly, breathing in deeply and shifting back towards her, and Undyne held her close as she continued to kiss along her neck. Alphys made a small, contented noise and smiled, and Undyne grinned, one hand slowly trailing down her side, and she shivered.

Undyne shifted closer, her other hand going around Alphys's chest and gently touching one breast through her nightgown. Alphys inhaled sharply and leaned her head back, her eyes still closed. She whispered, her voice a little strained, "Undyne..." And Undyne took that for what it was: encouragement.

She reached down and tugged at the nightgown, bunching it up before pulling it over Alphys's head and dropping it to the floor. Alphys turned to her, and they kissed, deeply, arms and legs going around each other and clinging close. Undyne trailed one hand down Alphys's side, over one breast - lingering over a hardened nipple, which had Alphys gasping against her lips - then over her hip. With a spark in her eye, Undyne's hand slipped between her legs, and Alphys clung to her, pulling from the kiss to bury her head into Undyne's shoulder with a small cry.

Undyne's fingers met already hot and wet flesh, and she licked her lips, unable to help the flash of arousal from hitting her. It only grew when Alphys shifted against her touch and murmured her name against her shoulder, her claws going to her back and digging in. Undyne's fingers lingered a little, and Alphys moved closer, trying to encourage her, and again it worked. With another kiss to Alphys's neck, Undyne moved two fingers deep, and Alphys clung to her even tighter, making a small sound. She reached down and grabbed Undyne's wrist, urging her to not only go deeper, but faster. With a grin, Undyne complied.

Alphys kept her face buried in Undyne's shoulder, and she could feel Alphys's face go hot with each move, her other hand still at her back, claws digging in. She tried to muffle her cries, but failed each time, too lost in the feel of it all.

Soon, she didn't care. She moved her face away, arching against Undyne's deft fingers, her eyes squeezed shut and her teeth clenched. Undyne moved to kiss her neck again - then bite gently - and Alphys squirmed with a hoarse cry in response.

Then, Alphys gasped out, and Undyne kissed her lips again. Alphys reached up and grabbed her face between her hands, whimpering as she returned the kiss, her body shaking by now. "Undyne," she murmured against her lips, and Undyne shifted her fingers to hit deep - and focus on one spot specifically. Alphys's eyes opened in shock, and again she said Undyne's name, only now as a loud cry, a desperate plea. Then she closed her eyes, clinging to Undyne, saying her name over and over as she came, unable to help it.

Undyne held her close through it, and Alphys soon calmed, going limp in her arms, gasping for breath with her eyes still shut tight. Undyne cupped her face between her hands this time, and Alphys leaned forward and kissed her again, hard, before lying back, still trying to catch her breath.

Undyne smiled, and was still smiling when Alphys managed to open her eyes again. "Undyne..." she whispered. "Th-that was... so good."

"I'm glad," she replied, pulling her close. Alphys curled up in her arms, tired again already, but feeling so wonderful that it felt nice, almost like a content half-doze.

Then, Undyne said, "Happy birthday, Alphy."

Alphys laughed softly. "Good morning to you too," she replied.

"Good start to the day?" Undyne wondered, a trace mischievous.

Alphys sighed deeply, and Undyne laughed. "The best," Alphys agreed.

Chapter 20: Tomorrow

"Mm... Alphy... Wait, hold on..."

"D-do I... do I have to...?"

Undyne closed her eye and bit down on her lip, shifting closer to Alphys and holding her tight, despite her words. "We... we still..." Alphys kissed her, and she returned it for a moment, unable to help it. Alphys pushed closer, her arms and legs going around Undyne tight, and she grabbed hold, pulling Alphys on top and holding her close.

"We... we don't..." Alphys breathed out between kisses. "N-not yet..." Her whole body felt hot to the touch, and Undyne couldn't help herself - she kissed her deeper, licking her lips apart, and Alphys moaned softly, her claws digging into Undyne's shoulders.

"But... we... ah... we have to..." Undyne grabbed one of Alphys's wrists, about to move it away, but instead pulling it down and between her legs. Alphys opened her eyes, and Undyne opened hers, seeing the desire reflected in their depths and finding herself unable to look away. With a growl, Undyne pulled Alphys's hand right up, and Alphys's eyes closed, her fingers reaching up and stroking warm, damp flesh, and Undyne breathed out in relief, moving against her touch.

"It's... okay..." Alphys said breathlessly between kisses, her other hand still on Undyne's shoulder. "We can... still do it... tomorrow..."

"You said that... yesterday, Alphy..." Undyne answered, her eye closing tight.

"Tomorrow..."

"But..."

That's when Alphys grabbed Undyne's hand and dragged it up towards her, and Undyne moaned softly, her fingers going between Alphys's legs and reaching deep. Alphys leaned her head against her shoulder, gasping out, "Tomorrow... Undyne... Undyne...!"

"Okay..." Undyne agreed. "Tomorrow, Alphy... oh, yes... tomorrow..."

By then, she'd already forgotten what it was they needed to do, anyway.

Chapter 21: Oppression

"No."

Both Alphys and Undyne froze in shock, stopped by a large, thick hand, owned by a larger, thicker human. Alphys grabbed onto Undyne's hand, who held it tight.

"No?" Undyne echoed, her eye narrowing.

"No. No monsters."

A flash of anger hit both of them, and they both held each other's hands tighter from it. They stood at the front foyer of a restaurant, having just walked in and asked for a table. The host had paused, then waved over this large human, who had simply greeted them with that one word.

Alphys looked over the clientele of the place, noticing that, in fact, there were only humans in the restaurant. She went red, her hold on Undyne's hand tightening. "Undyne," she murmured.

"What do you mean, no monsters?" Undyne demanded, her voice low with her anger. "No monsters, tonight? No monsters, unless?"

"No monsters allowed," the human elaborated shortly. "We only serve humans."

"Why?"

"Undyne," Alphys repeated, tugging on her hand. "It's okay."

"It's not," Undyne growled, still glaring at the wall-like human. "The barrier is broken. We've been on the surface for almost a year, now. Why would you not allow monsters?"

The human didn't answer - they just crossed their arms over their chest.

"You know that you're wrong, right?" Undyne snapped, her voice rising with her anger. "We have every right to be here."

"We have the right to have our own rules," replied the human.

Alphys suddenly lost her temper. "Actually, you're w-wrong," she said shortly. "You're n-not allowed to do this."

"If you don't leave by yourselves, I'll help you," was the answer.

Undyne grinned, her fingers twitching. "Oh, do try, you--,"

"No!" Alphys broke in, pulling Undyne back a little. She glowered at the human. "It's not worth it. Let's j-just go."

Undyne raised her hand and gave them a rude gesture, then turned and stormed out, Alphys close behind her. Once outside, Undyne punched the door so hard she dented it.

Alphys pulled her hand close and kissed the knuckles of it gently, and Undyne sighed angrily.

"Let's go home, order delivery, and forget this happened," Alphys advised. With her head down, Undyne agreed.

Chapter 22: Agony

It started while they shared a pizza and watched a favourite anime. Undyne suddenly made a face, pushing hers away after only eating one slice. Surprised, Alphys looked at her and found she was pale, and sweating a bit.

"My gut is killing me," Undyne growled. "I think I ate something bad."

Alphys put a hand to her cheek, finding it warm, despite how pale she looked. "Do you need something else to eat?"

Undyne looked even angrier. "I'm not hungry." She got up, and, with a hand to her side and an unsteady step, muttered, "Gonna go lie down."

"Okay..." Alphys said, watching her go, noticing that she kept a hand to the wall in order to keep herself balanced. She hesitated, unsure, but then got to her feet and followed her, a sudden though coming to her that she did not like.

Undyne was already lying down, the room dark, and she was curled up and on her left side. Her hand was still at her right side, and her eye was shut, clearly sweating badly. Alphys knelt to her side and placed a hand to her forehead, and Undyne opened her eye - revealing that it was dark with pain.

"I'm... fine, nerd," she grumbled through gritted teeth. "Just... probably indigestion."

"Lie on your back, please," Alphys answered shortly, getting to her feet. Bemused, Undyne did, and very carefully, Alphys touched the right side of her abdomen. Undyne yelped and curled up again, tears coming to her eye, and she didn't move, staying in a defensive ball.

"What the hell was that for?!" she snarled, though her voice was strained.

"Can you walk, Undyne?" Alphys answered, her phone already out.

Undyne opened her mouth to agree, but then shut it. A sheen of fear suddenly covered her eye, and she shook her head slowly. Alphys grabbed her hand, tight, and called Toriel - the closest person with a car.

"Can you take us to the hospital?" she asked, her voice still sharp. She paused. "Undyne." Another pause, then a look away. "Yes, it's urgent." Alphys's hand shook, and Undyne held it tighter, biting down on her lip to keep quiet. "Thank you," Alphys concluded.

When she hung up, Alphys turned to Undyne and sat down beside her carefully, reaching down to stroke her hair away from her damp forehead, all in silence.

"Alphy," Undyne murmured, her voice wavering.

"You're going to be fine," Alphys replied, her eyes kind. "But you need the hospital, Undyne. I-I can't help you this time."

Undyne winced as another wave of pain crashed into her, and Alphys leaned down and held her as close to her as she dared. "What...?" Undyne whispered, her eye shut.

"I'm not positive," Alphys admitted, "but it looks like acute appendicitis."

Undyne's eye opened, now obviously afraid. "That... that means..."

"Surgery, I know," Alphys agreed. "I know you're scared of that, b-but if we don't get it out, it c-could... implode, and..." Alphys looked away again for a moment. "Th-that won't happen, okay?"

Undyne nodded, her eye shut tight, her grip on Alphys's hand tighter, and shaky. "I... get it," she agreed.

"It's routine," Alphys went on, her words fast, not, turning back to Undyne. "They do it every day, and on so many people who aren't as strong as you - even humans! - and they get through it just fine! I remember once having to watch one during school, really, it's n-not so bad, and the recovery time isn't so bad, and you get to eat lots of soft foods, and... and..." She trailed off.

Undyne opened her eye again. She had found comfort in Alphys's voice, and looked up at her in hopes of hearing more. Instead, Alphys stroked her hair in silence, sometimes leaning down to kiss her forehead, which proved almost as comforting.

They soon heard a car door slam, and Toriel let herself in, walking right to the bedroom with a focused expression on her face. With a nod to Alphys, she sat down in her place - Alphys had gotten up to move the moment she walked in - and held her hands over Undyne. When she pulled them back, she nodded, and Alphys bit her lip.

"Okay," said Alphys, her eyes wavering but her face calm. "We n-need to get you to the hospital n-now. It's... gonna hurt, okay?"

Undyne nodded. Carefully, Toriel and Alphys got her to her feet, and she staggered, her hand going to her right side, her breaths ragged. Alphys slipped her arm around her wife's waist, and Toriel took Undyne's arm over her shoulders, and together, slowly, they made their way to the car outside.

Alphys sat in the back with Undyne, who was lying down, mostly in her lap. By then, she was in so much pain that she couldn't talk too well, but her hand grasped Alphys's tight, refusing to let go - something Alphys was more than happy to oblige in.

After a long wait in the ER, and after Undyne was assessed, seen, and finally given an IV of fluids and pain medicine, she was finally taken into the OR for her appendectomy.

Undyne was terrified, and it showed. Alphys stayed at her side as long as could, but even though they were married, even she couldn't stay with her forever. Before she was taken away, they hugged, and Undyne cried a little, shaking.

"You'll be fine," Alphys whispered. "I'll be waiting for you. You'll see me again before you know it."

"Love you," Undyne murmured, her voice thick.

"I love you," Alphys agreed.

And that's when they took her away, and left Alphys behind to wait.

Luckily, she wasn't alone. Toriel remained with her, and soon, Papyrus showed up, to her surprise (Toriel had texted him the moment she could). He walked up to Alphys and hugged her, further surprising her, until he said, "SHE'LL BE OKAY, DOCTOR. SHE'S STRONG."

Only then did Alphys realise that she was the one shaking, and that her eyes threatened her with tears. She hugged onto Papyrus, hoping some of his strength would rub off on her, as she fought to keep her tears at bay. It worked, and when she let go, she was calmer.

She knew, this time, that she needed to be the strong one.

Together, they watched the screen in front of them, the one that had Undyne's name and progress on it. When Toriel suddenly came back with coffee for her, Alphys realised she hadn't even seen her leave. With shaking hands, she took the cup and sipped it, knowing she needed it but was barely able to taste it. Her eyes remained on that screen.

Finally, the surgeon came out, and waved to Alphys, who got to her feet so fast she spilt some of her coffee.

"She's asking for you," was how she was greeted, with a smile. "Demanding, actually."

Alphys swallowed a sudden rush of tears at that, and she nodded. "Can I see her?"

"It's why I'm here."

Alphys followed the surgeon into the post-op recovery room, where Undyne was. Already, she could hear her wife say, in a slurred voice, "My wife. Just... please?"

Alphys broke into a run and was at her side in moments, pulling her close and into a gentle hug. Undyne weakly hugged back, whispering, "Finally," before her voice broke and she sniffled. Alphys pulled back only to look closely at Undyne, to make sure she was actually okay. Undyne stared back, her eye glazed and her face pale, but the relief on her face was obvious.

"Hi," Alphys said softly, kissing her forehead gently.

"Hi, nerd," Undyne replied with a small smile, her hand clumsily reaching up to touch Alphys's cheek. Alphys held it in place, again having to swallow her tears as she returned the smile.

"I told you that you'd be okay," said Alphys.

Undyne nodded, her eye closing for longer than a blink. She looked as if she needed a nap.

The surgeon chose this time to remind them that Undyne needed to be moved to a room, and Undyne grabbed Alphys's hand tight, her eye opening and her face turning stubborn. Seeing this, the surgeon sighed and added that of course Alphys could come, too.

On the way, Toriel and Papyrus joined them. Undyne lit up at seeing Papyrus, who may have been crying but was now dry-eyed and smiling. She grabbed his gloved hand into hers, and he held it tight. Nothing needed to be said, but Undyne murmured, "I'm fine, dweeb."

"THEN YOU WON'T MIND COMPANY IN YOUR FINENESS," he replied cheerfully, and she smiled.

By the time they'd wheeled her into her room (shared by two others), she was already half-asleep. The nurses checked her vitals, topped up her medications, and then left them alone.

Toriel said, very gently, "I'm glad you're safe, child."

Undyne nodded. "Glad you... kept Alphy company."

Alphys smiled a little at Toriel, who smile back at that. Alphys sat down beside Undyne on the small cot, and Undyne immediately curled up against her, as if they were at home and not in a hospital. Soon, it was obvious that Undyne was asleep, and heavily. Alphys held her close, stroking her hair and resting her cheek against the top of her head.

"Papyrus," Toriel said softly, "Shall we get something to eat?"

He looked ready to protest, but something in Toriel's eyes stopped him, and he nodded, giving Undyne's hand a final squeeze before following her out.

Once alone, Alphys held Undyne closer, unable to help it, now. She cried, finally, but softly, getting out the fear and helplessness that she'd smothered for hours on end. Luckily, Undyne slept through it, which helped her feel better about it, but still, she cried all the same.

There is nothing more terrifying than being forced to face your own helplessness, especially in the face of those who need you. Alphys held Undyne close, shaking, barely able to admit this to herself.

Undyne recovered fine, though she was an absolute nightmare to the staff, demanding far more than usual, including arguing for Alphys to stay overnight, which never happened but that they allowed to calm her down. She stayed two days, then went home, happy to leave it behind.

All that would remain would be scars, both physical and emotional. Alphys never forgot how Undyne had depended on her, and vowed that she would always, no matter what, be at Undyne's side, regardless of the consequences.

Chapter 23: Return

Alphys never thought she'd have to come back here, but here she was. She flicked the switches for the lights, and they slowly came to life, surprising her. It was exactly as she'd left it, shortly after the barrier broke and she no longer hid. Though dirty and almost damp-smelling, the True Lab was still its eerie, sterile self, and she felt that usual haunted feeling creep up on her, even though she knew that it was truly empty.

Well, save herself. And one other.

Undyne stood beside her, her hands on her hips, looking both surprised and a bit nauseated. Clearly, she sensed the same eerieness that Alphys always felt. It was oddly comforting, despite the circumstances.

"I like your other lab better," Undyne said shortly.

"M-me too," Alphys agreed. It certainly held better memories, that was for certain.

They walked together, Undyne reaching out and grabbing Alphys's hand. At first, Alphys figured that she did it to comfort her, but when she looked up, she saw that Undyne's jaw was set, and realised it was for them both.

It meant a lot to Alphys that Undyne volunteered to come with her. She'd mentioned that she needed to make a trip to Hotland, in order to grab some of her case studies for her next class, when Undyne insisted that she come along. When Alphys added that those studies were in the True Lab, Undyne's eye narrowed but held firm. So now, together, they walked through the cold halls, sometimes greeted by the beep of a monitor turning on. Alphys didn't even glance at them, but Undyne sometimes did, which worried her a little. But Undyne said nothing.

They reached her main office, and Alphys had to let go of Undyne's hand in order to dig up the studies, though she did reluctantly. Undyne stayed in the doorway, her arms now crossed over her chest, looking a contemplative kind of frustrated.

"Alphy," she said, her voice calm but short.

"Hm?" Alphys answered, half-distracted by the stacks of papers she sorted through.

"I can't believe you did this alone."

Alphys paused, lowering her head a little, before she answered. "Well, a-after what I d-did, it's fitting, d-dont you think?"

"No," Undyne snapped. "I don't, and neither should you. No one should have to deal with this kind of thing alone."

"I-I wasn't always alone," Alphys insisted, though she kept her face away, unable to look at Undyne. "I h-had the amalgamates. A-and Asgore s-sometimes called..." She trailed off. Even she knew how lacking her answer was.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump - and Undyne jump as well - but she didn't pull away. Alphys didn't turn around, though.

"I wish you had told me, Alphy," Undyne murmured, her tone so gentle that Alphys felt a lump in her throat. "I wish you could have trusted me."

Alphys stopped her sorting. "I-I wanted to, Undyne. I even tried, m-more than once, but... I was so ashamed..."

Undyne slid her arms around Alphys's waist, resting her chin on her shoulder. "I understand," she admitted. "I just wish you had told me. I could have helped you, or something."

Alphys shook her head. "B-but you did, even without knowing. You were my friend, even though I lied to you over and over..."

Undyne hugged her tight, and Alphys shut her eyes, swallowing another lump of tears. "I know you did," Undyne said gently.

"I hated it," Alphys blurted out, her voice thick. She clenched her fists so hard they shook. "Lying to you was the worst. It hurt so much. I-I never want to lie to you, ever."

"So, don't," Undyne replied easily, so easily that Alphys laughed a little. By now, she was crying, and she had to use her sleeves to keep the tears from falling on her work.

"That easy, huh?" Alphys muttered.

"Yep," Undyne agreed, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Now, let's get out of here, if you're ready. I hate it here."

Alphys gathered up the papers and put them in a folder, then tucked it under her arm. Undyne let her go, but Alphys turned and hugged her. "Thank you," she said, "for coming with me. This was... very difficult."

"Anytime," Undyne replied. "But let's not make it a regular thing, okay?"

Alphys had no argument against that.

Chapter 24: Protection

"This is stupid."

Undyne glared. "Did you just call one of my plans stupid?"

Perhaps a year ago, Alphys would be intimidated. Instead, she simply sighed, nodding. "Yes. I can't do this. I don't have the brain for it."

"Like hell you don't," Undyne snapped. "You're smart, and you're brave. You can do this. And you need to. I can't always be beside you, and it would make me feel better if you learned how."

"But, Undyne..." Alphys tried, but Undyne covered her mouth with her hand, her glare going deadly. Alphys sighed, tempted to bite, but just managing not to. It would only make things worse, anyway.

"You're a monster, Alphy, just like me. You can do this, okay?" Undyne stared into her eyes so intently that Alphys couldn't look away. She saw so much there, so much that Alphys herself didn't accept but Undyne believed so deeply that it showed in her eye. So, despite herself, Alphys nodded, and Undyne took her hand away and stepped back.

Wordlessly, Undyne summoned up one of her spears and held it. She made it look so easy that it made Alphys nervous again. Closing her eyes, she concentrated, hard, trying to call on every store of magic she had. Every time she'd done it so far, nothing happened, save maybe a few sparks and brief spots of heat on her palms. She expected no differently this time, but she tried anyway. Alphys was always one who tried, regardless of the situation.

When again she failed, she felt a flash of frustration hit her, and she dropped her hands with a heavy sigh. Undyne, she knew, was still waiting, so she didn't open her eyes. Instead, she said, "It'll never work. I'm not strong like you, Undyne. I-I can't. I'm sorry."

"Oh?" Undyne said, her voice so soft that Alphys looked up in surprise. Undyne's face was calm, but her grip on her spear was tight. "So you're a weakling, then? You're an easy target?"

Alphys blushed, her hands clenching at her sides. "N-no," she answered. "I-I just can't do battle magic.

"You mean you won't."

"No, I can't!" Alphys insisted. "Y-you've been watching me try and fail for more than half an hour! You know I can't!"

Undyne's mouth was a small, tight line - never a good sign. She said nothing, however, so Alphys, desperate to fill the silence, went on. "I-I know you're r-right, and I need to learn how to do this, but m-maybe there's a better way to do it, a way I c-can learn. Th-this isn't working."

Something seemed to click in Undyne's eye then. "You're right," she agreed.

Relieved, Alphys relaxed a little. "O-okay," she said. "So we sh-should think of another... Undyne?"

Undyne was walking towards her rather quickly, and Alphys backed up, nervous. "Undyne," she repeated, holding her hands up. "I-I - gah!"

Undyne leapt at her and swung her spear down towards her. She threw her hands up higher, and a flash accompanied it, bursting from her palms and rushing forward, forming a single, long, bright orange staff. The two weapons met in a sheen of sparks, and Alphys winced and held tight, averting her face from the sight. Undyne then jumped back, and the staff flickered, then vanished.

Alphys looked up, then dropped to the floor, her legs giving out in shock. Her hand was at her chest, and she was panting, shaking. "Undyne, what the hell?!" she cried, her voice cracking.

Undyne grinned finally, tossing her spear over her shoulder and letting it vanish. "Told you so," she replied cheerfully, grinning so wide her eye vanished into a crescent. When, with a cheer, she dropped down in front of Alphys and hugged her tight.

Alphys jerked away. "You attacked me!"

Undyne nodded, still grinning. "And you stopped me. Not working, my ass, Alphy. I knew you had a warrior in you."

Alphys just sat there as she was hugged again. "B-but... you attacked me!" she repeated, still both bemused and angry by what just happened.

"And you stopped me!" Undyne repeated, giving her a little wiggle of glee.

"I stopped you," Alphys repeated slowly. She looked at her hands and blinked, flexing them. "I... I stopped you?!"

"Yep!" Undyne held her by the shoulders and grinned at her. "Cool, huh?"

Alphys nodded slowly, her eyes wide.

"Again?"

She repeated the gesture, and together, they managed to get her to defend herself each time, to her surprise - but not Undyne's.

Chapter 25: Boxes

"Alphy... you have a lot of... stuff."

Alphys blushed, unable to refute that. She had finally cleaned out her old lab and had brought everything over to their house; now the house was full of rows of boxes, standing like cardboard sentries. It was true, after all. When it came down to it, most of the boxes were full of papers; reports, and... other things she'd written... that she just couldn't stand throwing away.

"I-I know. I'm sorry," she agreed. "I do plan on sorting through them again, and throwing m-more away, but..." She shrugged. "I couldn't, when I first packed them."

Undyne knelt down beside her, before one of her many boxes. "Oh!" Her face suddenly became very happy. "Your figure collection!"

"Yeah," Alphys nodded. "I was thinking of selling them--,"

"No way, Alphy!" Undyne protested. "We should display them all over the house! It took you - and me! - years to collect all of these!"

Speechless, Alphys watched as Undyne picked up the box and began to do just that, flitting all over the house and placing the figures in places she chose but that Alphys found she liked, too.

Suddenly, she wondered: who was the bigger packrat?

With a fond smile, Alphys watched Undyne decorate their house, hoping that it meant they were on the same packrat-page.

They were.

Chapter 26: Hope

"Alphy?"

"Mm..."

"You asleep?"

"Mm... no..."

"Good. Can I ask you something?"

"Anything, Undyne."

"So far, is it everything you'd ever hoped for?"

"Mm... is what?"

"You and me. Us. Together."

"...silly question."

"No! An honest one! Answer me!"

"Undyne."

"Yeah, Alphy?"

"It's better than I'd ever hoped for. So much better."

"...heh. Nerd."

Chapter 27: Preparation

"Okay. Ready?"

"Yep. Shoot."

"Cat ears."

Undyne counted out four pairs. "Check."

Alphys nodded. "Cameras, not including phones."

Undyne rummaged a bit, then held up two. "Check."

"Three costumes each."

This took longer. One pair of costumes was from Revolutionary Girl Utena (Undyne as Utena, Alphys as Anthy), the second from Sailor Moon (Undyne as Jupiter, Alphys as Mercury), and the last from Ouran High School Host Club (Undyne as Haruhi, Alphys as Renge). "Check, check, and check." Undyne replied, with a slight blush.

Alphys grinned, noticing the blush. "Civvies, two sets each."

"Check."

"Travel kits."

A pause. "Alphy, there are four here," Undyne reported, sounding confused.

Alphys blushed this time, hiding behind the list. "You never know."

Undyne smiled. "Check, then."

"Spare cash, both currencies?"

"Check and check."

"Pocket games?"

"Hell, yes. I'm gonna kick your ass in Smash Brothers, as usual."

Alphys made a face at that. "We'll see," she answered. She lowered the list. "That's the most important stuff down." She smiled. "Ready?"

Undyne grinned wider. "I've been waiting for this for years!"

"Then let's go to Anime North!"

Slinging each of their packs on their shoulders, hand-in-hand, they headed out to their first - but never last - anime convention.

Notes:

Sorry for the late update x_x. I was in the hospital for most of the morning. I'm fine! :3

Chapter 28: Beautiful

Alphys loved to trace the scars along Undyne's body. They varied, ranging from dark, fresh blue slashes to faded light blue spots. There was rarely a place that lacked one, and soon, with time. Alphys found them all.

Once, after they had made love, and Undyne was already half-asleep, Alphys, wide-awake, began to trace each scar with the tips of her claws, feather-light, unable to help herself. Undyne stirred, then murmured, "Whatcha doing, Alphy?"

Alphys smiled, her claw tips trailing slowly over scaled, slightly ticklish skin. "Reading history," she replied.

"My scars are history?"

"Mmhm. Yours. They tell your story, love."

Undyne's eye opened, and she looked a trace shy. "I've... always been embarrassed by them."

Alphys looked up, surprised. "Why?"

"Because they're ugly, Alphy," was her reply, Undyne's voice sounding bitter. "They remind me of my mistakes, of things I could have done better."

Alphys sniffed, leaning down and kissing one right above her navel. "Ridiculous," she answered. "They show how many times you've been hit, yes, b-but Undyne... you still got back up."

Undyne stared at her, speechless.

Alphys smiled at her fondly. "I think they're lovely."

"You need new glasses, nerd."

"No," Alphys corrected easily, reaching up and placing a hand on Undyne's cheek. "But maybe you need a pair."

"Alphy..."

"No, Undyne, I'm serious," insisted Alphys. "You're beautiful, Undyne."

Undyne stared at her, her cheeks red. Alphys stroked her cheek gently, smiling. "Nobody's called me that before," she admitted softly.

"Well, get used to it," Alphys replied. "Because you are. You're gorgeous, Undyne."

"Alphy, come here."

She did, and Undyne kissed her, then had her on her back in moments. Between kisses, she murmured, "I love you so much, Alphy." Alphys clung to her, returning the sentiment with actions instead of words.

Chapter 29: Lies

Sometimes, despite her best efforts, Alphys still lied. It was never on purpose, and never about others; rather, it usually ended up being about herself - or more specifically, her emotional status.

"I'm fine," she'd say, when she obviously wasn't.

"It's nothing," she'd insist, when it was clearly something.

"It's not a big deal," she'd protest, when everything pointed to the opposite.

It drove Undyne crazy. She knew it wasn't Alphys's fault, that to lie was her default when it came to personal matters. Years of lying - especially to Undyne - had made Alphys wary of sharing anything emotional about herself, especially if she, herself, didn't want to get into it.

Alphys never wanted to burden Undyne with her problems, despite knowing, deep down, that lying was far worse than honesty. She hated doing that to Undyne, hated it even more now that they were married. She knew she could trust Undyne with her problems, but something held her back, and instead, she kept them to herself.

Once, Undyne finally lost her temper. It was one lie too many, and Undyne was sick of it. So when, in response to her question of, "Why are you so quiet?", Alphys murmured, "Nothing, just stupid thoughts," Undyne slammed her fist onto the dining room table and glared at her. The gesture startled Alphys into dropping her fork, her eyes going wide in shock, but Undyne's temper was fried, and she kept glaring.

"Bullshit!" she snarled, baring her teeth. "Alphys, stop lying to me!"

Alphys went pale, and immediately began to backtrack - or at least try to. "I-I just m-mean, when it comes d-down to it, th-they're stupid--,"

"No!" Undyne interrupted, her eye blazing. "Stop! Stop lying! Tell me the truth, Alphys!"

Alphys stared at her. How could she even begin to explain? "Th-the date today," she stammered, her voice tiny. She was still staring at Undyne, unable to look away. "It-it's bad."

Undyne blinked. "What are you talking about?" she demanded, still angry and unable to calm her voice.

"T-today was when..." Alphys looked down, her face falling at once. "T-today w-was when... th-the amal-amalgamates f-formed..."

Undyne froze, her stomach falling, especially when Alphys began to cry, softly, her head lowering so that her face was averted. When Undyne said nothing, Alphys went on. "Th-they just... c-collapsed... a-and lost their f-forms, and the sounds..." She began to shake, those cries of dismay still fresh in her mind, years later. "Th-they looked a-at me like I b-betrayed them, because I-I had, and... and..." Her voice broke, and she covered her face, sobbing, now, the memories destroying the last of her walls.

Undyne got up and went to her side, leaning down and hugging her. Alphys didn't move, didn't even lean against her; she just sat there and wept, hard, her whole body trembling from the memory of that day. Her words were gone, stolen by the pain of her grief and her regret.

Carefully, Undyne leaned down closer and kissed her forehead, regret of her own filling her, so much that her eye filled with tears. Alphys hunched over, covering her face, crying so hard that she sometimes choked on her tears.

"Th-they trusted m-me," Alphys sobbed out. "They tr-trusted me and I-I destroyed them!"

"No, Alphy, no..." Undyne said carefully, rubbing Alphys's back slowly.

"Yes!" Alphys protested, her voice high with tears. "I ruined lives, families, everyone!" She lowered her head further. "I'm horrible, Undyne! I'm n-nothing but a fraud! I d-dont deserve to be happy, to be alive!"

"Alphy..." Undyne pulled her closer, and finally, finally, Alphys stood up and clung to her, her claws digging in hard, breaking down and practically wailing out her grief, her words gone. "Alphy, my love," Undyne murmured, holding her close. "It's okay. It's okay."

"N-no," Alphys protested brokenly. "I hate myself... I hate myself..."

"It's alright, Alphy."

"I d-deserve to be hated. I deserve t-to die!"

"No," Undyne snapped, holding her tighter. "No, you don't. You made a mistake, and you've made amends. No one hates you..." Undyne paused, closing her eye. "No one except you."

"I do," Alphys agreed. "I hate myself so much. I loathe myself."

"You shouldn't," Undyne whispered, her voice wavering. "You made a mistake and no one hates you." She paused, listening to Alphys take in a choked breath. "Alphy, I'm sorry for hurting you."

"You didn't!" Alphys raised her head, her face tear-streaked and miserable. "You should hate me, Undyne! How can you even stand me?! How?!"

Undyne kissed her lightly, once, and Alphys sobbed again, wincing, looking away and lowering her head. "Because I love you, my wife," Undyne said softly.

"Don't," Alphys pleaded, still not looking at her. "D-don't love me. I-I'm unlovable, unlikable, and undeserving. I-I'm garbage..."

Undyne pulled her closer, so that she could bury her face into Undyne's shoulder - which she did, instinctively. "You're not, my love," said Undyne.

"Undyne..." Alphys sobbed, her voice breaking. "I sh-should have n-never told you..."

"I'm glad you did," Undyne answered honestly. "I'm so glad you did." It was the truth. Alphys's grief was messy, loud, and almost scary in its intensity, but Undyne didn't care; all she cared about was that Alphys was finally opening up and letting all of this out, instead of letting it fester inside. To Undyne, the agony of her grief merely confirmed that. This had obviously been withheld for a very, very long time.

"No..." Alphys protested. "No, no, no."

"Shh..." Undyne kissed her forehead again gently. "It's okay, Alphy. It's okay. Those families... you don't know, do you?"

Alphys shrugged, still sobbing, her claws digging into Undyne's back.

"When they returned to their families, Alphy, the monsters related to those amalgamates realised they were now related, too. You united people, made new families."

Alphys's sobs froze for a moment in her shock. She hadn't known. When she let the amalgamates go home, she then hid away from those families, terrified of their hatred and fury. Even when they sent her letters, she threw them away, too scared to read them. She'd never imagined anything other than hate because, if the positions had been reversed, she'd hate her, too.

"It's true, my love," Undyne continued. "Remember, most of those families were part of my Guard. So I know. They told me, sweetie."

Alphys stayed silent, but her sobs quieted slightly. Undyne leaned down and rested her cheek on the top of her head, still slowly rubbing her back.

"You made a mistake, a big one. But it turned into something good despite it, my love," Undyne concluded.

Alphys whispered, "Th-they don't h-hate me?"

"No, Alphy. And neither should you."

Alphys sobbed again, but it sounded different; it was a relieved cry, one that was both sad and glad, in a minute way.

After a moment, Undyne said, very carefully, "Why would you lie about that?"

Alphys clung to her."Sh-shame," she admitted. "A-and I didn't want to... burden you."

"What burdens me is the weight of being lied to," Undyne said. "I'd rather you sob on my shoulder than be calm, if it means your honesty."

"Wh-why?"

"Because I love you, nerd."

Alphys raised her head to look at her, and she looked back, smiling a little, hoping to reassure her. Alphys's lips trembled, and she sobbed again, burying her face back into Undyne's shoulder.

"I... I..." she said, her voice muffled and small. "I'll do my best to n-never lie to you again, Undyne. I'm so sorry!"

"Don't be sorry," Undyne replied gently. "Just be honest."

"I will, Undyne. I will."

"Thank you, Alphy. That's all I want. Just share with me. I promise, I'm strong enough to share the weight."

"Undyne..." Alphys sobbed out. "I... I love you... I love you..." She kept saying it, And Undyne held her close, returning her love each time.

Chapter 30: Underneath

"Undyne?"

Undyne blinked her eye open slowly. She'd been dozing on the couch with Alphys, as they watched a movie, and she was sleepy after their big supper that had come along with it. "Yep?" she replied.

"Sorry," Alphys blushed, realising what had happened. Undyne was leaning against her tiredly, her head on her chest, and she felt bad for waking her. "Go back to sleep."

"No, you've got me curious, now," Undyne answered, raising her head to look at her. "What's up?"

"Er, well." Alphys scratched her cheek a little. "D-do you ever sometimes feel like... you left part of yourself Underground?"

Undyne stared at her, surprised. She was quiet, trying to word her thoughts, they went by so quickly.

Alphys, however, misunderstood, and looked away, smiling awkwardly. "S-sorry, nevermind! Stupid question, I know."

"Alphy, stop that," Undyne said immediately. "Yes," she answered, reaching up to pull Alphys's face back, so that she could look at her. "I do."

Alphys blushed. "R-really? You're not just saying that?"

"When have I ever?"

Alphys smiled shyly. "S-sorry. It's just..." She paused, chewing on her lip. "Sometimes I feel like I've left a big part of me there."

"Which part?" Undyne wondered, sitting up and resting her head on her shoulder, which made her smile warmly.

"Th-the worst parts," she admitted. "The c-coward. Th-the person who h-hurt people. The person who... couldn't be brave..."

Undyne slipped her arms around Alphys's waist, cuddling her close. "Oh, Alphy," she murmured. "You're not a coward, and never were."

"Y-yes, I was," Alphys corrected, looking away again. "Cowards don't answer letters. Cowards lie to their friends."

"You had your reasons," Undyne insisted. "And those friends understand, now."

Alphys was silent for a moment. Then she asked, "What about you?"

Undyne smiled. "I left the would-be killer Underground."

"Undyne!" Alphys protested. "You were never a killer!"

"That's why I said 'would-be'," she replied. "I would have killed Frisk if I'd had the chance, Alphy. I truly meant to, too. If Frisk hadn't made it to Hotland, I'd of killed them. And again, if they had fought me seriously in my house. I was serious about it."

Alphys leaned down and rested her head on Undyne's, closing her eyes. "But you didn't."

"Because Frisk is damned smart," Undyne insisted with a wry smile.

"And because you're not a killer," Alphys replied.

"And you're not a coward, Alphy."

Alphys closed her eyes, and Undyne snuggled closer, closing hers."So we left the worst of ourselves down there, didn't we?"

"I guess so," Undyne agreed. "I know I'm much better now after losing to Frisk."

"I know I'm better, too, I think, for being honest," Alphys added. "I don't regret being discovered by Frisk, either."

"They brought us together, too," Undyne said softly.

"They did, didn't they?" Alphys smiled, curling closer to Undyne.

"Yep." Undyne's voice was a little sleepy, now, so Alphys kissed her forehead and began to stroke her hair. Undyne sighed deeply and relaxed, her breathing deep and contented. Alphys turned the volume down and held her close. When she eventually began to snore softly, Alphys smiled and felt so happy, she felt her eyes fill with tears.

She was glad she left all of that Underground.

Chapter 31: Hide

When it came to being naked, Alphys preferred not to be. Granted, during lovemaking, it was easy to forget her flaws, her own hatred of her body, when Undyne made her feel so sexy and beautiful. She had no idea how Undyne managed it, but she did.

It was usually after lovemaking, however, that her shame came back, and though she tried to make it seem casual, it still was what it was: hiding her body from both Undyne, and herself.

Once, when Undyne was lying down next to her with her eye closed, breathless, Alphys grabbed a blanket and wrapped herself in it before curling up beside her. She always felt better in a blanket, and was finally able to relax once she was covered.

Undyne, however, muttered, "Take that off."

Alphys curled into it more, hiding her face in Undyne's shoulder, going bright red. "Pl-please, Undyne," she murmured. "D-dont make this into something."

"Take that off, then, Alphys."

She winced. Whenever Undyne used her full name instead of her nickname, she was either being very serious or was very angry. In this, it was clear she was angry.

"I... I really don't w-want to," she admitted quietly.

Undyne opened her eye and looked at her, her face obviously displeased. "Why?" she demanded. "And give me a good reason, Alphys."

"I... I'm..." Her voice went small. "I'm ugly." Her throat hurt just saying it.

Undyne's eye narrowed into a glare, and Alphys winced again. "A good reason, I said," she snapped in response.

"Undyne, come on," Alphys answered, her voice low and despondent. "You... you know I'm fat. And sweaty... and..." Tears stung her eyes, and she shut them, burying her face into her blanket. "I... I'm short... my breasts are weird and too big... I'm... I'm..." Her voice was a whisper, now. "Hideous."

Undyne bit her lip, shutting her eye again for a moment. The pain in Alphys's voice was so raw that it hurt her, too. But then, something in her just felt... angry. She was angry that Alphys felt this way, angry that she had been taught to see herself that way.

So she grabbed the blanket and yanked it off, throwing it to the floor. Alphys immediately curled up, her tail hiding as much as she could. It was then that Undyne realised she was crying, and again, that hurt Undyne, too.

Undyne wrapped her arms around Alphys and pulled her close. Alphys froze for a moment, then unraveled slowly and curled up against Undyne, instead. She sniffled. Her face in Undyne's shoulder.

"Alphy, do you remember what you told me once, about my scars?"

Alphys nodded slowly, her arms wrapped around her legs, still a ball but at least beside Undyne.

Undyne very carefully pulled Alphys's arms away from her legs, pushed her legs down, then gently pushed her onto her back, leaning over her. Alphys looked up, still crying softly, but her eyes softened when they fell on Undyne's face.

Undyne kissed her lips, then leaned down and kissed her neck. She slid her lips down slowly to Alphys's chest, between her breasts, and kissed her right above her heart, before kissing each breast. Alphys winced but didn't pull away, so Undyne continued, kissing each part that Alphys claimed to hate, from her round belly to her ample hips, then lower, to her generous thighs and slight knobbly knees.

When she raised her head, Alphys had covered her face, weeping harder, now. Undyne moved gently on top of her, pulled her hands away, and kissed her wet cheeks, before finally kissing her lips again. Alphys's hands went to her face, pulling her close, and between kisses, she whimpered a bit, her eyes still shut tight, as if doing so would make her flaws vanish.

Undyne held her face between her hands, now, still lying atop her. Alphys lowered her hands and opened her eyes finally, her lips trembling, and Undyne smiled at her.

"Alphy," she said gently, brushing the tears away. "You are beautiful."

She shook her head, but Undyne stopped her, holding her face in place. "Yes, my dear wife, you are. You're so soft, so warm, so wonderful to touch and hug. Your body is so lovely. Plus, it's sensitive, which is always fun for me." Her eye danced, and something in Alphys's eyes lit up. "Your shape is just perfect, so generous to hold, yet to me, there's never enough, because I can't get enough of you, ever." Undyne pressed her forehead to Alphys's. "You're perfect to me, Alphy. I wish you could see what I see, and never feel the need to hide, again."

"Undyne..." Alphys murmured, her arms going around Undyne's neck, one hand going to her hair.

"I'm not bullshitting you to spare your feelings," Undyne insisted, and Alphys smiled. It was tiny, but to Undyne, it was perfect. "I truly think you're beautiful, love, and... and..." She felt her face suddenly go hot, unable to help it. "You're irresistible to me."

Alphys stared at her, her own blush appearing at that. The, carefully, Alphys slipped her legs around Undyne's waist, and Undyne closed her eye, inhaling sharply, a stab of desire welling up in her, despite the fact that they had already made love.

"Undyne..." Alphys whispered, and the look on her face was so open, so tender with love, that Undyne kissed her deeply, her arms going around her and pulling her even closer.

"Alphy..." she murmured between kisses. "My beautiful wife... I'm so lucky..."

Alphys clung to her, still crying softly, but the tears were different, now - touched, and happy.

They made love through the night after that, barely able to help it. It was a major breakthrough for Alphys, who, after that, rarely reached for a blanket when naked. Instead, she kept bare, and Undyne's heart soared, thrilled that Alphys finally - happily - understood.

Chapter 32: Diary

It should come as no surprise that Alphys kept a diary. She had since she was a a child, and her lonely childhood sought pen and paper as a substitute for her lack of friends. Upon those judgeless papers she poured her heart out, and she kept every single one she'd ever filled, even if they were very childish or embarrassing. She just didn't have the heart to throw them away, even as a married adult. In fact, she still kept the habit going throughout her marriage, and she kept it a closely-guarded secret from her wife, and planned to until she was dust. If anyone found them after that, well, she wouldn't be there to care.

Or so she'd always thought.

Undyne caught her writing in her latest journal one afternoon. She'd been downstairs working out, and Alphys was so absorbed by what she'd been writing that she hadn't even realised Undyne was back upstairs until she leaned over her and said, "Whatcha writing, Alphy?"

"Gah!" she cried, so startled her pen slipped and the journal flew from her hands. Hurriedly she grabbed it before Undyne could - and Undyne did try - and held it closed to her chest, looking guilty. "U-U-Undyne!" she spluttered out. "I-I-I was just... uh..."

Undyne raised an eyebrow. "Fanfiction, again?" she wondered dryly, smiling. Though she teased Alphys for writing it, she actually enjoyed what she wrote, and was one of her biggest fans.

"Er, uh... yes!' Alphys nodded, smiling helplessly. "Yes! Fanfiction!"

Undyne instantly knew she was lying, and the smile went deadly. "Liar."

Alphys's face fell, and she lowered her head over the closed book, still clutched tightly to her chest. "It's... it's..." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "A diary."

Undyne lit up immediately, surprising her. "Really? Can I... can I read it?" she wondered, sitting beside Alphys and holding out her hands.

Alphys looked mortified. "N-no! No, you can't!"

Undyne blinked. "Why not? We have no secrets between each other." She paused. "Do we?"

Alphys went scarlet. "I-I-I talk about... you... about us... it's silly stuff, stupid stuff!" She hid her face behind it, now. "It's dumb, really dumb, Undyne!"

Undyne frowned. "Why would you say that? It's nothing bad about us, is it?"

"N-no!" Alphys lowered the book and grabbed Undyne's hand. "N-never! It's just... really silly and stupid!"

"You keep saying that," Undyne observed, squeezing her hand. "Can't you just show me an excerpt?"

"You-you'll think I'm crazy and stupid," Alphys answered flatly.

"No, I won't," Undyne answered. "But, Alphy, if you really aren't comfortable, I'm not gonna push you. I was just curious is all."

Alphys hesitated. She trusted Undyne, and knew that she would never insult or hurt her purposefully. But what if Undyne thought her strange or creepy for what she wrote?

Wordlessly, Alphys flipped to the entry that she wrote the night of their wedding, handed it to Undyne, then curled up into a shy ball, hiding her face beneath her tail. If Undyne found it creepy, then she knew she was probably going to get divorced for it. But she still wanted to see her reaction anyway.

The entry was as follows:

"We got married today. I can't believe it. I always thought I'd die alone, destined to become amalgamate food. But then she just came into my life and made me want MORE, so much more. She looked so beautiful, I could barely breathe! I almost passed out. Oh god, what if I had? Some bride I'd be!

Why did she even want to marry me? She's so amazing, so strong and beautiful. What the hell is she doing with trash like me? In everything I've ever written of us together, nothing is as sweet as this. Undyne is my wife. I'm Undyne's wife. This is CRAZY. Is SHE crazy?! I hope she never becomes sane if that's the case.

I love her so much it hurts. It hurts so much, but in a good way. I'll never be able to show her how much she means to me, but now, at least, I have years to try.

Unless she divorces me, of course."

Undyne lowered the diary and closed it, placing it on the table. She turned to Alphys, who finally looked up at that, and Alphys froze, her heart in her throat.

Undyne was crying.

Alphys sat up quickly and placed her hands on Undyne's wet cheeks, her heart aching. "Undyne, I'm so sorry, please, d-dont cry, I'm so--!"

Undyne grabbed her and kissed her. Shocked, Alphys stared into her wet eye, and Undyne kissed deeper, pulling Alphys into her lap and wrapping her arms around her, pressing her close. She closed her eye, occasionally taking shaky breaths between kisses, but she didn't stop, and Alphys couldn't help herself, and returned those deep kisses as best as she could.

"Undyne," she murmured when she could. "What--?"

"Shh," Undyne answered tearfully, her hands now underneath her shirt, unhooking her bra quickly, before breaking the kiss to pull both Alphys's shirt and bra off in one go. She then did the same for herself, before returning to kissing, still weeping softly.

"B-but--," Alphys tried again.

"Shh, Alphy," Undyne whispered, leaning down and kissing her neck closely, and Alphys shut her eyes, tilting her head back with a sharp inhalation of breath. Undyne's hands went to Alphys's pants, tugging them down, before her hand went beneath them, touching her close, and Alphys gasped and stumbled back. Undyne followed her, pulling her pants off and pushing her hand between hot flesh, reaching deep. Alphys grabbed her shoulders tight, eyes shut, lost at once to Undyne's touch, and Undyne pinned her to the couch and kissed her lips again. Alphys moaned against her kiss, moving with the rhythm of Undyne's fingers, and Undyne kept her hand moving, holding Alphys tight.

When she was close, Alphys arched back and gasped, and Undyne held her and pushed her fingers deep, kissing her neck before biting gently. It was exactly what Alphys needed, and she came, a squirming mess beneath Undyne, who held her close as she keened out her name breathlessly.

Undyne held her as she calmed, her eye closed and her face buried in Alphys's shoulder. Alphys lay senseless for a moment, her whole body warm and feeling wonderful, and when Undyne pulled her hand away slowly, Alphys didn't move. She lay there, riding on that cloud of pleasure, one hand stroking Undyne's hair slowly, barely aware that she did so.

After a moment's silence between them, Undyne whispered, "Alphy, I wish we could get married all over again."

That brought Alphys back to the present, to why she was currently naked beneath her wife. "Wh-why?" she whispered.

"Because I love you so much," she whispered into Alphys's shoulder, her arms now around her waist. "I love you so much, Alphy."

"B-but... what...?" Alphys swallowed hard, her mind still hazy.

"You say you can't believe I married you, but, Alphy..." Undyne held her closer. "I can't believe you married me."

"Why?" Alphys demanded, looking at her. Her eye was closed, her face both happy and sad, tears still falling down her cheeks.

"Because... I never thought anyone could love me at all, let alone the way you love me."

Alphys didn't say anything. Instead, she reached up and pushed Undyne off of her. Undyne looked shocked, until Alphys was on top of her, reaching down to pull her shorts off. They kissed again, and when Alphys pinned Undyne beneath her this time, there were no tears - only happiness, followed by cries of bliss.

Chapter 33: Unforeseen

Once, in the middle of the night, Undyne awoke to the sound of Alphys breathing harshly. She jolted awake and turned to her, placing her hand on Alphys's shoulder. It was hot to the touch. She shook Alphys gently and called her name, but Alphys only opened her eyes halfway, and they were glassy and faded.

"Just a few more minutes," she rasped out, closing her eyes. "I'm... so tired..."

Undyne's hand went to her forehead, finding it burning hot and sweaty. A flash of rare fear filled her body, and her hand went to Alphys's throat, feeling on both sides. Luckily, there was no swelling, but unluckily, it was clear that Alphys was sick.

Undyne grabbed her phone with shaking hands. She'd never had to help Alphys this way before, and barely knew how to take care of herself when she was sick. Alphys was the doctor, the nurturer, but there was no way she could ask Alphys for help. So she called Toriel.

The moment Toriel sleepily picked up, Undyne blurted out, "Alphy's sick, she has a fever, I need your help!"

There was a pause, before Toriel said, sounding more awake, "Take a few breaths, Undyne."

She did, her hand reaching over and grabbing one of Alphys's hot, clammy ones in her own. Alphys didn't even stir. Undyne took those deep breaths carefully, then said, shakily, "Help me," in a tiny voice.

"I will, dear," Toriel said kindly. "You need to break the fever. Do you need to write this down?" Undyne grabbed a pen and tablet and told her to go on. Very gently and slowly, Toriel went through the steps to break a fever, and Undyne wrote them down quickly, then read them back. When she was reassured that she could call back if she needed to, Undyne thanked Toriel and hung up.

She leaned over Alphys again and touched her forehead, keeping her palm there for a moment. Alphys's expression eased, but only slightly. With a deep breath, Undyne got out of bed with the list and got to work.

Undyne stayed up all night with Alphys. She kept Alphys's forehead, cheeks, and neck as cool as possible, gave her water, and kept her feet covered. Her eyes never left Alphys, alert for any change, either better or worse.

For hours, Alphys was lost to the fever, sometimes muttering in her sleep, sometimes having nightmares, or sometimes thrashing out without warning. Undyne, ready for each occurrence, talked back gently, calmed her fears, and held her still until the thrashing ceased. She felt panic at times, but Toriel's list was detailed and warned of all she saw, so she was able to remain somewhat calm throughout it all.

As dawn broke, so did, finally, Alphys's fever. Something changed - eased - in her face, and seemed to get comfortable again. Her sweating eased, and when Undyne took her temperature, it was lower. When she saw those numbers on the tiny screen, she leaned back and shut her eye, then lowered her head, tears overwhelming her. She was so relieved, and her other hand grabbed one of Alphys's tight - feeling it now cooler and dryer.

They'd gotten through it.

When the morning had begun in earnest, Alphys woke up slowly. Undyne had been resting beside her, facing her, in a half doze but alert once Alphys was awake. She took one of Alphys's hands into hers, as Alphys opened her eyes slowly, their colour finally clear and normal. Their eyes met, and Undyne smiled at her, her eye stinging.

"Hi," she said softly, pulling Alphys's hand to her lips and kissing it gently.

Alphys blinked slowly, then murmured, her voice hoarse. "What h-happened?"

"You had a fever," Undyne answered softly.

"Had... a fever?" Alphys echoed, looking confused. Then she looked trouble. "O-oh n-no, Undyne, I'm sorry...."

Undyne nuzzled her hand. "Don't be. Toriel told me what to do. It broke at dawn."

Alphys stared at her, then grabbed her into a weak hug. Undyne held her close, rubbing her back. "Thank you, Undyne," she whispered. "Thank you..."

"You're my wife, nerd," Undyne replied. "I'm gonna take care of you."

But as she said it, she wondered, could she have done this for anyone else? She never through of herself as the nurturing type, and had worried that the same defect would apply even to Alphys. Now that she knew better, she was actually surprised by her lack of hesitation in doing so. She was certain that if it had been anyone else, she would have asked Toriel to bail her out, not give advice. Even Papyrus, she knew, she'd likely wuss out on. But for Alphys, she'd just jumped right in, like Alphys usually did for her.

It surprised Undyne, to say the least.

Alphys moved close and cuddled next to her, and Undyne kept her close. She gave her wife a kiss on her now-cool forehead, no longer afraid that she'd be a coward in this way like she'd always feared.

Undyne closed her eye and held Alphys against her, vowing to always be at her side, no matter what.

Chapter 34: Conditional

"There has to be something, Undyne."

"Lay off it."

"No, really! Th-there's always something!"

"If you don't lay off, I'm gonna tackle you."

A pause. "That... that sounds okay, albeit distracting..."

Undyne sighed and leaned back on the couch, throwing an arm over her face and groaning. Alphys sat beside her, hands twisted nervously before her, looking even more nervous than her hands conveyed.

"Will you give it a rest, Alphy?" Undyne groaned.

"N-no. I n-need to know, so I won't do it."

Undyne lowered her arm and looked at her. "So that's why," she said, her eye narrowing. "You're afraid of chasing me off."

Alphys looked down at her hands. "Y-yes."

"Alphy..." Undyne leaned over and rested her head on her wife's lap. Alphys automatically began stroking her hair, and Undyne smiled. "You couldn't chase me away if you tried."

"Undyne, nothing's unconditional," Alphys murmured, her expression sad. "Not even a marriage."

"Our vows said otherwise, Alphy, and I never break my vows."

"B-but... Undyne..."

Undyne looked up at her, meeting her eyes with her own. "Do you plan to cheat on me, Alphy?"

Alphys shrank back, as though slapped. "No! Never! Never, Undyne, how can you--?"

Undyne reached up and silenced her, a finger to her lips. "Exactly, love, she replied, smiling. "That's my only condition. Don't cheat on me and break my heart. Most all, Alphy... just be yourself, not who you think I want you to be."

Alphys's eyes filled with tears, and Undyne pulled her hand away and let it drop. Alphys covered her face, embarrassed that she was crying, and Undyne sat up and hugged her tight.

"I-I would n-never," Alphys murmured, clutching the front of Undyne's shirt.

Undyne nodded. "I know, sweetie," she replied, gently kissing her forehead. "Which is why I trust you, and why I won't be chased away." Alphys curled closer, holding her tight, and Undyne smiled, keeping her as close as possible.

Chapter 35: Gone

Once, Alphys got the scare of her life. She came home late, having had to stay at the school late for a staff meeting in her department. Since Undyne's department wasn't involved, Alphys expected to come home to Undyne already home, either at the couch or in the basement working out.

Instead, she came home to silence.

Terror filled her, her mind automatically going to the worst scenario - made even worse by the fact that Undyne's coat, boots, and bag were nowhere to be found.

Undyne had finally left her.

Alphys stood in the doorway, frozen in place, trembling, her mind desperately going over what she had done to make Undyne leave her. She started to cry; she could think of nothing, absolutely nothing, that she could have done.

When the door opened behind her, she jumped back and dropped her bag. Undyne stood in the doorway, holding take-out. "Hey, Alphy! I knew you had to work late, so I--ack!"

Alphys clung onto her tight, burying her wet face into Undyne's shoulder and not letting go. Undyne stumbled, almost dropping the food. "Alphy?" she said, confused. "Are... you okay?"

"Y-yes," she murmured. It was true. "Y-you're here. I-I-I'm okay."

"Of course I'm here, nerd!" Undyne smiled. "Where else would I be?" She gave Alphys a hug, then added, "Come on, I'm starving!"

Alphys didn't let go for a moment, calming herself, before finally letting go. Making sure Undyne didn't see her tears, she asked, "What did you get?"

Undyne grinned proudly. "Noodles. The best!"

Alphys smiled in return, her heart warm again. "I agree," she said, meaning so much more.

Chapter 36: Clear Skies

It began as a beautiful, perfect day for a picnic. The day was warm, the humidity low, and the sky was full of puffy white clouds, showing only hints of grey. Undyne and Alphys were thrilled, and were halfway to their destination when, suddenly, they sky began to slowly cloud over, that hint of grey getting darker.

"Er," Alphys said softly. "I'm sure it'll just blow over..."

Undyne nodded, squeezing her hand.

However, it became clear that, the closer they got to the park, the darker the skies became. By the time they'd made it, it was already starting to rain.

"Dammit," Alphys muttered, holding the food hamper to her chest. "Let's just go back."

"Hold on, Alphy," Undyne said. She was grinning, and Alphys knew why: she loved the rain. However, that wasn't the only reason why she grinned.

From her bag she pulled out an umbrella. It was big enough for Alphys and the spread of food, and she opened it and handed it over with a proud grin. Alphys took it, staring at Undyne. "How did you know?"

"I didn't," Undyne replied with a grin. "I brought it for shade."

Alphys laughed, unable to help it. Together, they set up the picnic beneath the umbrella, and as Undyne enjoyed the downpour, Alphys enjoyed the shelter.

It was as close to perfect as it could have possibly been. And far more memorable.

Chapter 37: Heartache

Undyne felt as if the depth of her love for Alphys was almost painful. She had never imagined loving anyone so deeply, so desperately, and so passionately, the way she loved Alphys. Every single day, she woke up to that reality, and every single night she was lulled to sleep by that sweet ache in her breast.

There was so much about Alphys that she adored, so much that she loved, that there were times it took her breath away - sometimes literally: the way Alphys always reached for her hand as they walked together; the way her eyes softened and her smile widened when their eyes met; the way she was so passionately defensive of Undyne no matter what... so many things that Undyne could never truly name or keep track of, because she kept finding more and more.

Once, though, she ended up crying from it, at quite possibly the worst time to do so: right after they'd been intimate together.

She and Alphys were in bed together, and Alphys was holding her by the hips, licking deep along her centre. Undyne's eye was shut, one hand on one of Alphys's at her hip, the other on the top of Alphys's head, and she was absolutely lost to the feel of her wife's tongue along her clit, as well as deep within. She lost count of how many times she said Alphys's name, or begged her to keep going, as well as how often she squirmed and bit down on her lip to keep from shouting. Alphys kept her close, knowing exactly what she loved, her tail thumping happily the entire time.

When Undyne came, she choked out Alphys's name, arching her back, her nails digging into the back of Alphys's hand. Alphys held her close, her tongue still moving, but slower, easing her through it and making it last. Undyne was truly lost in that moment, panting, and she lay back, limp and spent. She felt Alphys kiss her, right at her centre, before she sat up, and that's when it happened: Undyne started to cry.

Alphys scrambled up quickly, noticing right away, and Undyne tried to stop, covering her face in order to hold the tears in, but Alphys had already seen them and was at her side at once, gently pulling her hands away. Undyne looked up at her and saw her concern, and she suddenly started to sob, reaching for Alphys and burying her face into her chest, her arms around her waist.

"Undyne, love," Alphys murmured, holding her close and stroking her hair, leaning over and resting her cheek against Undyne's forehead gently. "Wh-what's wrong? Did I... was it... bad?"

"N-no, you nerd!" Undyne blurted out, her voice broken. She was a mess by now, unable to reign in her tears. Her heart felt too full, her body still humming with pleasure, and it overwhelmed her. "It... it was perfect!"

Alphys smiled wryly. "D-dont be silly," she said. "Th-that usually doesn't m-make someone cry." Her smile vanished, and she held Undyne closer. "Why are you so sad?"

Undyne buried her face closer, unable to speak, now. She choked on the words she tried to say, then gave up and just wept. Alphys held her, still stroking her hair, keeping quiet, her eyes closed. That hurt, too, the way Alphys was always so patient with her, never hesitating to just sit and listen, to wait for her to speak, instead of pestering her for answers.

It seemed like she cried forever, but the tears did eventually calm. Her eye was swollen and her face a mess, but Alphys didn't let go or move away. Instead, she kept holding her, and Undyne bit her lip, afraid she was about to start all over again.

"Are... are you sad, Undyne?" Alphys asked her gently, when she could.

"Sorta," Undyne admitted, her voice small and thick.

"Why, love?"

Undyne kept her eye closed, her nails digging into Alphys's back, as if afraid that if she didn't her wife would suddenly vanish. Alphys gently nuzzled her forehead, and she had to bite her lip again, the gesture so tender that it, too, hurt.

"I... Alphy, I..." She swallowed, then tried again. "I... love you, so much, Alphy... that sometimes it hurts me, like I can't imagine anything better... and then it gets better, and..." She swallowed again, hard. "It hurts again."

Alphys was silent, her eyes wide. She pulled Undyne up and gently brushed the tears away with one hand, the other on her shoulder. Undyne kept her arms around her, staring into her eyes, seeing not what she expected to see at all: understanding.

And just like that, they both started to cry, feeling exactly the same thing. They hugged again, Alphys holding Undyne to her chest once more, both sobbing against each other, barely able to believe the fact that the feeling was not only understood, but mutual.

"Never leave me," Undyne pleaded. "Please, Alphy..."

"I'm yours til dust, Undyne," Alphys whispered. "I promise."

Chapter 38: Wired

"This is amazing! Isn't it amazing? Holy shit, this amazing! Why aren't you saying it's amazing, Alphy?!"

Alphys stared at Undyne, watching her pace back and forth in front of her, as Alphys sat calmly. Both were holding cups of double-shot lattes, and while Alphys felt warmly normal, Undyne was quite the opposite. She was waving her hands as she spoke, and her grin was huge, her eye bright. She kept sipping between sentences, and Alphys watched as she got more and more hyper.

"Yes, it's amazing," Alphys agreed, but Undyne spoke over her.

"This is coffee? I love coffee. Why do I drink tea? Fuck tea! I'm never drinking tea again!" Undyne was saying, her voice loud. "Is it ex-presso or es-presso? The first one makes more sense because you talk way more when you drink it. I'm glad they have soy milk. I hate cow's milk! Fuck cow's milk!"

"Uhm," Alphys broke in when she could. "D-did you... add alcohol, by any chance?"

Undyne turned to her, shocked. "Fuck alcohol! It burns the worst way and gets me angry and pissy! Why would I add that shit to this awesomeness?!" She took a big gulp and laughed. "This is the best! My heart is racing! I wanna punch something!"

"Er," Alphys tried again, but Undyne wasn't finished.

"I want this every morning, Alphy! Do they sell machines that make this? I'm not paying ten dollars every morning! Or maybe I will, because this is amazing!" And this was when she actually hugged the cup, grinning happily.

"Why don't you sit down, love?" Alphys asked carefully.

"Nope, nope, nope!" Undyne gulped the rest of her drink down in one go, then handed the cup to Alphys and clapped. "I'm gonna go kick the shit out of my equipment!"

And she was gone, running down to the basement with a shout of triumph. Soon, Alphys heard Undyne doing just that, laughing each time there was a thud.

"Okay..." Alphys said slowly, setting the empty cup down. "Decaf, next time. Definitely."

Chapter 39: Insanity

Alphys often felt as if she were going crazy from how much desire she felt for Undyne. She'd always been a little high-strung when alone, and usually had no problems dealing with it herself. But ever since she and Undyne got together, she felt as if nothing - least of all herself - would ever satisfy her like Undyne did.

And Undyne definitely did. Though both were awkward at the start, they eventually got to know each other so well, it was almost second-nature. Undyne knew exactly how to turn her on, how to bring her close, and especially how to bring her to her limits immensely. Sometimes Alphys felt as if Undyne knew more about her body than she did. It certainly seemed that way.

Alphys truly felt as if she were addicted to Undyne. In the most inopportune of times, she felt herself desperate for Undyne to merely kiss her, though of course even that became too little at times. Even during the most ridiculous times, like dishes, or video games, or even eating, Alphys felt as if her mind and body were going crazy with desire.

"Alphy," Undyne gasped out once, having had the game controller removed from her hands, tossed aside, and been straddled by her wife, who was holding her face and kissing her so deeply, she clung back tight, her whole body feeling almost as hot as Alphys felt. "You're just... all over me lately..."

Alphys jerked back, suddenly ashamed. She froze, her face falling, feeling panicked. "Am-am I... am I too p-pushy? I'm s-so sorry, I-I-I--,"

Undyne pulled her back and kissed her again, pulling Alphys against her body again so closely, she moaned softly. "Nerd," Undyne whispered against her lips, licking them open slowly, and Alphys jerked against her, claws digging into her shoulders. "I love it. Never, ever stop."

Alphys closed her eyes and made a sound at that, reaching down and tugging at Undyne's clothes desperately, now, feeling both relieved and even more aroused. Undyne grinned and of course complied, soon doing the same for Alphys. Again, Alphys was lost to her, letting both her mind and body rule. Undyne truly loved Alphys this way, as she abandoned any hesitation in her need. She had no idea, but Undyne felt the same as Alphys, and she felt truly focused and sane in her wife's arms.

"Undyne," Alphys pleaded, and Undyne reached down, surprised when she found how slick Alphys already was. Alphys shifted against her hand, then reached down and pulled it away, instead pushing close and straddling one of Undyne's legs, and Undyne shifted against her, feeling the same, wonderful friction against herself. Alphys held her tight, grinding against her, the sounds coming from her so relieved that Undyne shut her eye tight, biting down on Alphys's shoulder and moving with her, her own pleasure building.

Alphys leaned down and licked on of Undyne's breasts, right at the nipple, and Undyne's eye snapped open, her hands clutching at her back tight, arching back. Alphys moaned again softly, her thighs wrapped around Undyne's leg tight, Undyne's also against hers, and they were soon moving together in a frenzy, desperate. Undyne reached down, grabbed Alphys's face in her hands and kissed her hard, crying out against her lips, already close. Alphys clung to her and moved faster, and Undyne hit her peak, so hard she arched back again, jerking in Alphys's arms. She, in reply, pushed up against her hard, hitting hers shortly after, crying out Undyne's name, unable to help it, the feeling so incredible she stumbled, and Undyne had to grab hold of her before she tumbled to the floor.

"Oh, god, Alphy," Undyne gasped out, Alphys going limp against her chest, now, both gasping for breath. "Alphy, holy shit."

Alphys clung to her, kissing her neck softly in response, and she shivered. "Alphy..." she breathed out. Alphys stopped, resting her hot face into Undyne's shoulder, her arms around her still gripping tight. "Ah, Alphy..." Undyne whispered again, unable to say anything else for a moment.

"Was..." Alphys swallowed hard between gasps. "Too... much?" She nuzzled closer, and Undyne held her close, leaning back against the couch. She shook her head emphatically, and Alphys laughed a little. "So... it was... good?" she wondered.

"Holy shit, Alphy," Undyne answered, her voice slurred. It was all she could say for the moment, but luckily Alphys understood.

If Alphys was crazy, at least she wasn't alone, and married to perhaps the one person as crazy as she.

Chapter 40: Foolish

There were no points trying to hide it: Alphys made Undyne feel like a complete dweeb. There were times in which she found herself doing the silliest things just to see Alphys happy, the very things she'd snorted at or mocked others doing before she'd ever met Alphys. From the start, Undyne felt this way around her, and could never control it.

Once, they were walking together, and Alphys was holding onto Undyne's arm as they walked, like she usually did, when Undyne's eye caught the sight of some wildflowers. She immediately bent down and grabbed them, handing them to Alphys, who went scarlet and held them to her face. When her eyes closed and she smiled brightly, Undyne felt her heart jump and her grin widen.

"Th-Thank you," Alphys murmured, smiling at her. "They're wonderful."

Undyne shook her head. "Nah. You're wonderful. They're just flowers."

Alphys blushed deeper in her delight, grabbing onto Undyne's arm again, keeping the flowers close, and they resumed their walk home, both with lighter steps.

Alphys kept those flowers on her nightstand until they wilted, and then she placed them gently in the garden. Her care of them touched Undyne deeply, and made her want to do even more.

Another time, she got up before Alphys and went out to get her her favourite coffee and treat. When she did, she requested - demanded - that the cookie was perfect and the freshest one, and that the coffee was fresh and piping hot. The shop was already used to Undyne by now, so they complied with smiles, knowing that she was brisk and short because both were for her wife and not her.

When she returned, Alphys was still asleep, and Undyne carefully placed the both on her nightstand. The smell woke her up immediately, and before she even touched them, she leapt up and hugged Undyne tight.

"Y-you're so sweet! " Alphys blurted out happily, and Undyne blushed.

"Shut up and eat, nerd," she replied, and Alphys laughed.

Soon, Undyne became almost obsessed with pleasing Alphys in these small, silly ways. The way Alphys always smiled and hugged her, her gratitude, it was wonderful. She loved making Alphys happy. She always wanted to make her happy.

However, once, she made Alphys cry. She immediately thought she'd gone too far, but luckily, Alphys was quick to correct her.

Alphys had been working late - very late - at the school, grading exams that were important for the students. She'd worked through dinner, and when Undyne asked her via text if she'd eaten, she'd replied that she would once finished. That, to Undyne, was unacceptable, especially since it was getting dark. So she went out, grabbed all of their favourite foods from Grillby's, and went to the school.

"Hey," she called, knocking on Alphys's office door. Alphys started, looking up in mid-scribble, and Undyne grinned, holding up the bag of food. "Hungry?"

Alphys stared at her, shocked to see her. Undyne let herself in and set the food up on an empty table, lest she disturb what she knew was Alphys's controlled chaos on her desk. "I brought the best, and it's still hot. Wanna have dinner, have a break for a bit?"

She looked over and saw that Alphys was crying silently, though she nodded. Undyne went to her side immediately. "What's wrong? Did I mess up? Alphy, I'm sorry, I just thought--,"

Alphys reached up and touched her cheek, silencing her. She smiled, and it was the kind that always touched Undyne's heart. "N-no, you... you're a-amazing, Undyne," she blurted out.

"It's just dinner," Undyne replied, though she blushed.

Alphys leapt to her feet and hugged her tight, sniffling. Undyne held her, rubbing her back. "N-not just dinner," Alphys murmured. "I-I... Undyne..." She hugged tighter, and Undyne closed her eye, smiling.

"It's really not a big deal," Undyne replied. 'I just don't want you to starve."

Alphys nodded, and Undyne pulled away and grinned at her. "So, you hungry?" she asked.

"Starving," Alphys admitted with a teasing smile, and Undyne laughed. They sat down and ate together, Undyne's heart racing with delight, still feeling silly but not caring as much. Clearly, the silliness was something good, something Alphys saw as something more, and really, that's all that Undyne wanted.

So if she was a fool, at least she was Alphys's fool. That, to her, was worth it.

Chapter 41: Words

When Alphys had a bad cold, she ended up waking up one morning without her voice. She went to bed already feeling horrible, but when she woke up voiceless to boot, well, it was frustrating, to say the least. Alphys was shy, but with the right encouragement loved to talk endlessly. Especially with Undyne.

Undyne found it amusing, in a way. She woke up that same morning to indignant squeaking, and found Alphys sitting up, furious, trying to talk and only managing those sounds. When Undyne laughed, Alphys glared at her, grabbed her phone, and typed out what she wanted to say.

"This isn't funny! I have a huge lecture this week! I need to be able to talk! And you haven't dealt with this before, so I need to help you!"

"Oh, shush," Undyne answered, grabbing the phone and putting it out of Alphys's reach. Alphys's eyes blazed and she tried to get up and grab it back, but she was weakened by the cold, and all Undyne had to do was shove her lightly and she was back in bed.

Undyne smiled at her as she quietly fumed, her arms crossed over her chest, her tail twitching crossly. "Relax, Alphy," she said, touching Alphys's hot cheek. "Let me spoil you instead of you fussing about me. I've taken care of you before."

Alphys again tried to speak, only to fail. She tried to pantomime it, but Undyne rolled her eye: she already knew. "I know it's not the same thing!" she answered sharply. "You were easier to deal with when you had a fever." She grinned.

Alphys glowered at her with a red face and a pout, and Undyne snorted and gave her a kiss on her nose. Alphys wrinkled it and sniffed, still grumpy, and Undyne laughed again, adding, "I'll be back with breakfast. Rest!"

Alphys sighed, but nodded.

When Undyne came back, Alphys was sleeping hard, her phone still out of reach (that surprised Undyne; she was sure Alphys would steal it back). She had hoped for this, so she put the food in the hot fridge and went back, sitting beside Alphys carefully.

As she slept, Undyne checked Alphys over, making sure she was okay. Her temperature was a little up, but not enough to be a worry. She wasn't sweating too bad, but her throat felt a tiny bit swollen, so she made sure to keep a sharp eye on that. When she was sure Alphys was sleeping comfortably, Undyne curled up beside her and read.

A few hours later, Alphys stirred awake, and Undyne turned to her. Alphys tried, but only squeaks came out instead of words, and she was furious. Undyne sighed.

"It hasn't even been a day, nerd," Undyne chided her. "What did you expect?" Alphys frowned; the answer was obvious. "Yes, well, you have to wait more than a few hours," Undyne added.

Alphys sat up slowly, taking a big gulp of water, before she coughed a bit. Undyne rubbed her back, and she sighed gratefully. "Are you hungry?" Undyne asked her. "I got you soup."

Alphys nodded, and Undyne grinned and leapt up from the bed. Alphys tried to say something again, but Undyne didn't even have to look at her. "No, you're eating it in bed, so stay there!"

Alphys blinked in surprise, her mouth still open a little. That was exactly what she had wanted to argue. She leaned back on her pillows, feeling some of her frustration fade.

Undyne came back with the soup and a cup of ice cubes, still grinning. "I brought these for after," she explained, holding up the cup. Alphys nodded, taking the soup and the spoon offered, as Undyne kept the cup on the nightstand. "Do you need help? Are you shaky?"

Alphys frowned, testing her hands. When she was sure they were steady enough, she shook her head, and Undyne nodded. "Okay. Eat that, as much as you can, or else."

Alphys blinked at her, her face red again, but this time for a different reason. Undyne leaned down and kissed her cheek. "It's just soup," she said, and Alphys blushed deeper; Undyne had gotten it right again. To hide it, she began to eat, flustered.

When done, Undyne swapped the empty container for the ice, and Alphys took one gratefully, staring at Undyne with an expression she knew quite well. It was confirmed when Alphys reached up and touched Undyne's cheek, her eyes wavering.

Undyne smiled at her kindly. "You're welcome, nerd," she replied, and Alphys finally smiled.

Undyne ended up anticipating Alphys's needs through the entire day, only messing up twice on minor things. Alphys was stunned by the end of the day, and so grateful it almost hurt more than her throat.

And Undyne was cheerful the entire time, only sharp when Alphys was stubborn about something. For the rest of the day, Alphys couldn't believe it. But then, perhaps she should have; they'd been together for quite some time, now.

Before bed, Undyne gave her back her phone with a grin. "Here. You didn't even ask for it. Go nuts."

Alphys blinked, took it, and set it aside, surprising Undyne. Instead, Alphys curled up at her side and kissed her cheek, closing her eyes. Undyne laughed and pulled her close, and Alphys smiled again, making her even happier.

"You must be really sick, if you're choosing me over shitposting," Undyne teased, and Alphys laughed silently, nuzzling her face into Undyne's shoulder, tickling her and making her squirm and shout out a laugh. "Alphy!" she cried. "Gah!"

Alphys cuddled closer, closing her eyes and sighing deeply, her hold on Undyne tight. "Gonna sleep?" Undyne wondered. When she nodded, Undyne turned off the lights and hugged her close. "Sleep, then."

Within moments, she did, and Undyne smiled. She checked Alphys over again, especially her throat, but there was no change, so she got comfortable and followed her in sleep.

When they woke next, Alphys still couldn't speak, but oddly, this time, she didn't mind. If anything, it was fascinating; she'd had no idea how astute Undyne was with body language. She wondered if Undyne even knew.

But she was so grateful. And she made sure Undyne knew it - voice or not.

Chapter 42: Study

Alphys loved to watch Undyne read. She could never, ever hide her emotions, so whatever she felt was always obvious.

What she didn't know was that this applied to her even when - especially when - she read, which made watching her all the more enjoyable. She reacted to whatever she read like she would in real life, albeit much quieter. It was like this when she read novels, but it was the most obvious when she read manga.

If it angered her, Undyne would glower at the pages, sometimes grumbling remarks or simply growling. If it shocked or scared her, she'd actually jump or made a noise in her surprise. She would laugh, loudly, or cry rather dramatically depending on which end of happiness she found herself on.

It was like watching a play at times, a play explaining what emotions looked like. Alphys often just sat and watched her read, and Undyne would never notice, too absorbed in what she read to even see beyond the page before her.

Alphys adored her for it.

Once, when Undyne burst into tears and closed a book (manga this time) shut rather sharply, Alphys went to her side and held her close. Undyne, still caught up in the pages, curled up and sobbed into her shoulder, saying in a choked voice: "They're so fucking stupid, Alphy! Why don't they just get together?!"

Alphys had to very quickly hide her face, as she was dangerously close to laughing, and she knew it would only make Undyne mad.

"If they don't get together by the next issue, I'll fucking scream!" Undyne sobbed. "They need each other! They're so good together!"

Alphys smiled warmly, now. She gave Undyne a kiss on her head. "You're so sweet," she murmured.

"No, I'm not! They're so stupid!"

Alphys nodded. "You are. Y-you're very sweet."

"Tell me they do, Alphy!" Undyne pleaded, desperately, now. Alphys had already read the entire series. "Please?"

"I-I'm not going to spoil you!" Alphys protested.

"They don't, do they? That's why you won't tell me!"

Alphys snorted before she could cover it up, and Undyne raised her head, looking furious, now. "What's so funny?" she snarled, her face red and tear-streaked.

"S-sorry," Alphys said, though she had to swallow more laughter. Undyne could tell, and she glared. "I'm sorry! You... you're just so c-cute, Undyne!"

Undyne's glare deepened, but her face also went redder. Alphys couldn't help it, then: she burst into laughter, hugging Undyne to her tighter in her delight. Undyne grumbled, but she smiled, just a tiny bit.

"Shut up," she demanded as her answer.

Alphys just snuggled closer, unable to help it. Finally, Undyne laughed, and Alphys joined in. Until Undyne said, "Well? Are you gonna tell me or not?!" Then Alphys was alone in her laughter again.

Maybe it was better to participate than to just observe.

Chapter 43: Punctual

"Ugh," Undyne growled, lying on the bed in exasperation. "Will you hurry up, Alphy?"

"W-wait," was the reply. "I-I need to m-make sure this looks okay."

"It does. Let's go!"

"You haven't even seen it!" Alphys snapped back, and Undyne growled again in reply. Alphys came out of the bathroom wearing only her pants and her bra, holding up two different tops. "Which one is n-nicer, do you think?"

"That one," Undyne answered tiredly, her eye closed.

"You-you could have at least pretended to point at one," Alphys said, her tone sharp.

"Alphy, we're gonna be late!" Undyne complained, rubbing her eye angrily. "Just pick one and let's go! We'll lose the reservation!"

Alphys stormed back to the bathroom, and Undyne sighed. When she came back, she muttered, "Okay, ready," and Undyne jumped to her feet - and stared. The top Alphys had chosen was perfect for her shape, hugging curves in the right places and displaying others just as nicely. Undyne went scarlet, unable to look away, and Alphys blinked at her, still irritated.

"Well?" she said. "Are we going?"

Undyne grabbed her and pulled her onto the bed in reply, kissing her deeply. Alphys pulled away to protest, "We'll be late!" But Undyne shrugged with a sly grin, and Alphys then decided she didn't care, either.

They missed the reservation, but had far more fun in spite of - or perhaps because of - it.

Chapter 44: Piggybank

Undyne eyed the wooden box closely. It sat on Alphys's nightstand, and she still had no idea what it was for; she kept forgetting to ask. She wasn't the type to rummage through stuff without a good reason, so when Alphys walked in that evening, she blurted out, "What the hell is this box?"

"O-oh," Alphys replied shyly, walking over and giving it a pat. "Rainy day fund. Mostly change from here and Underground. Y-you know, j-just in case we need it."

Undyne picked it up, then blinked in surprise. "Alphy, how long have you had this?"

"Uh... since we moved in?" Alphys replied, unsure, herself.

"It's heavy, even for me!" Undyne gave it a shake, and it jangled almost festively. "Have you opened this lately?"

"Nope," Alphys said, with a proud smile.

"Because... I think it's full."

Alphys blinked, then took hold of it, stumbling when the full weight was given to her. "Oof." She set it back down on the nightstand and opened it. It was full, indeed, of coins from both places, and they both stared. It looked like a lot.

"Maybe you should spend some, nerd," Undyne grinned. "We could see a movie."

Alphys paused thoughtfully. "I should probably bring it to the bank, to save it."

Undyne groaned. "No! Boring! Movie!" She pointed to the pile of coins. "There's so much in there! You can spare a movie!" Alphys eyed her closely, and she grinned. "Plus," she added. "Tomorrow is a rainy day - so they're saying. Isn't this just for that?"

"You just want to see a movie, and I already know which one," Alphys answered, giving her a sharp look.

Undyne's grin widened, and she scratched at the back of her head. "Yeah, well, I'm still right!"

Alphys smiled, unable to help it. "Fine. But the rest we should save."

Undyne rolled her eyes. "Fine. But I want dinner, too. You're loaded. Spoil me, dammit!"

Alphys laughed and grabbed her in a hug, nuzzling her cheek and making her laugh in reply. "Absolutely," she agreed.

Chapter 45: Shooting Star

Alphys stood in the backyard this time, her hands clasped in front of her, her eyes on the sky above. It was a little cloudy, but the stars were still in view, and when Undyne joined her, she didn't look away.

"Alphy," Undyne said softly, standing beside her and nudging her with her shoulder. "Whatcha looking for?"

"Sh-shooting stars," Alphys replied. Even in the dim light, Undyne could see her blush. "D-don't laugh."

Undyne was smiling, but she wasn't going to laugh. She put an arm around her wife's shoulders and held her close, and Alphys leaned into her.

"What do you want to wish for?" Undyne wondered.

Alphys went quiet. Behind them, in their house, they could hear Mettaton singing into the karaoke machine, and Frisk was booing his choice of songs. There was laughter, and Mettaton snarled into the mic at Frisk, spoiling the song and bringing more laughter.

"I..." Alphys murmured, her face burning. "I never w-want this to end."

"The party?" Undyne wondered. "I sure do."

"N-no, us," Alphys corrected. "I never want us to end. You and me."

Undyne wrapped her arms around Alphys, giving her cheek a kiss and resting her head atop Alphys's. Alphys reached up and placed her hands on her arm, still searching, but she was smiling, now. Undyne was now looking up as well.

"Alphy," she said after a moment. Alphys nodded, and she added, "We won't."

"D-doesn't hurt to wish," Alphys replied softly.

"Alphy." Undyne leaned down and pressed her cheek against Alphys's warm one. Alphys closed her eyes, smiling wider. "You and me, Alphy, are stuck together. Nothing's keeping me from you, ever."

Alphys nuzzled Undyne's cheek this time, her eyes still closed. "S-same with me, with you," she agreed softly, her grip on Undyne's arm tightening.

Undyne hugged her tighter, and Alphys leaned into it, keeping her eyes closed, completely absorbed in Undyne's embrace. They both were so focused on each other that they missed their shooting star. But it didn't matter. Their wish was already reality.

Chapter 46: Explore

It was Undyne's idea, though later Alphys wished that it had been hers. At the start, Undyne's explanation, when asked why, was a trace evasive - for good reason.

"Because," she said, rather sharply. She was packing a backpack full of things that Alphys had seen before but had never needed to use or care about - until now: bug repellent, oil lanterns, tarps, granola bars, and so on. "We haven't yet experienced the wilderness of the surface!"

Alphys smiled, thinking she had it figured out. "You just miss Snowdin, don't you? We can just visit Snowdin, if you want, instead of this."

"I want you to start packing with that list I gave you, Alphy," Undyne answered, though she blushed a little. Alphys figured from that that she was right, but she wasn't.

Late afternoon on that Saturday, Undyne demanded that Papyrus would drive them to the campsite, but would absolutely not join in on the trip. This surprised both Papyrus and Alphys, as it wasn't like Undyne to include her best friend in only part of her plans.

When asked, she went red and crossed her arms over her chest. "What?!" she snapped. "I have reasons! Shut up and go!"

They did, and Papyrus offered as much advice as he could on the way, though Undyne was caustic about it, insisting that she was the one who had taught him all that he said. Once they reached the site, Undyne practically leapt out of the car, and Alphys, bemused, followed.

The moment Papyrus was in the car and they had all of their things, Undyne grabbed Alphys's hand and said, "C'mon, let's go!" Alphys waved to the car as she was dragged into the wilderness by her wife.

They walked along one of the worn trails, hand-in-hand, on their way to the main clearing. It was a nice day, with only a few clouds and a warm breeze. With each step deeper into the green, Undyne's mood seemed to improve, and Alphys found it rather cute, if she were honest. She wasn't big on things like this, opting for nature shows instead of nature walks, but with Undyne, it was actually rather fun.

Undyne paced herself in order for Alphys to keep up with her, which was nice, and as they walked, they chatted about what they saw: the different trees, the myriad colours, the occasional wildlife, and bugs - lots of bugs. Despite it all, Alphys found herself amazed by all she saw, and found herself regretting that they hadn't done it sooner.

They finally made it to the clearing close to dusk, and after a few attempts herself, Alphys begged Undyne to pitch the tent, which she did with such an ease that made Alphys blush; she'd gotten tangled in the stays. It was warm enough that they didn't need a fire, yet, so once they'd unpacked and prepped the inside of the tent, Undyne grabbed a few blankets and set them up on the ground. She sat down and pulled Alphys to her, wrapping the blanket around both of them.

"This," Alphys said gently, as they watched the sun begin its descent, "is really nice."

Undyne grinned. "I told you!"

Alphys nodded, and she rested her head on Undyne's shoulder, both going quiet as the sun vanished and the sky darkened above them. As the stars blinked into view, Alphys was almost sleepy, feeling so warm and comfortable in Undyne's arms. Undyne glanced at her, then grinned again, pulling her closer. Alphys looked up at her and smiled.

"So," Undyne said softly. "I have a confession to make."

"Oh?" Alphys leaned closer. "You can tell me anything, you know."

"I know," she agreed. "So I'll just say it. There's a different reason that I wanted to do this with you."

"Other than getting me outside for once?" Alphys teased with a smirk. By then, she had an inkling, but wanted to be sure, just in case.

Undyne leaned closer. "Yep. I wanted you outside, but... not just for fresh air." She blushed, her grin getting wider. "But because..."

Alphys moved closer, smiling. "You wanted me outside?" she wondered softly.

Undyne laughed, nodding. "Yep." She pulled Alphys onto her lap, and Alphys moved to straddle her, reaching for her and kissing her. Undyne returned it, sliding her arms around Alphys's waist and holding her tight.

"Under the stars," Undyne murmured against Alphys's lips. "Ever since I met you, Alphy... I wanted this..."

Alphys pulled back to take off her shirt and bra, and Undyne grinned and did the same. When they kissed again, they also both sighed, the cool air touching their bare skin, the warmth of their bodies keeping it at bay.

Alphys smiled, and Undyne leaned down and kissed her neck. "U-Undyne," she replied, her eyes closing. "We were still Under-- ah..." She trailed off; Undyne had started nibbling at the curve of her neck. "Underground," she managed. "Wh-when we met..."

"Mm," was the reply, one of her hands reaching up to cup one of Alphys's breasts gently. "I still dreamt of it."

Alphys grabbed onto her shoulders, holding tight now, as Undyne's actions made her lean back without much thought or control. Undyne kept one arm around her to keep her in place.

"I wanted you... b-beneath the crystals..." Alphys admitted softly.

Undyne paused, smiling in pleasant surprise. "Really? You did?"

"Y-yes," Alphys agreed. "B-but not just th-there."

Undyne slid her lips down to her collarbone, then between her breasts. "Go on," she said, her arm around Alphys tightening.

Alphys breathed in sharply, her claws digging into Undyne's shoulders. "Th-the bridge-seed room," Alphys blurted out, leaning back again. Undyne leaned down and licked her other breast, and she gasped. "A-and... y-your house... th-the Lab... Undyne...!" She cried out her name, gritting her teeth.

Undyne pulled away and looked up at her with a grin. "I had no idea," she admitted.

Alphys nodded slowly, her hands reaching for her and grabbing her face into them, pulling her close to kiss her deeply. Undyne pulled her close, then lay her down on the blanket, not breaking the kiss. Alphys kept her legs around her waist until Undyne reached down and undid her pants. Then Alphys pulled away to pull them off, before reaching to do the same for Undyne - who happily helped with another grin.

Undyne kissed Alphys again, sliding one hand down slowly from her breast. When her fingers landed between Alphys's legs, Alphys closed her eyes and breathed in sharply, and Undyne grinned wider. Alphys's hands reached up and grabbed onto her shoulders again, and Undyne slipped her fingers between already wet folds, stroking gently. "Where else?" she whispered against Alphys's lips.

"U-Undyne..." Alphys murmured, her claws digging into her shoulders a little. "Pl-please..." When Undyne kept her hand still with a mischievous grin, she added, "Ev-everywhere... I w-wanted you... everywhere..."

Undyne blushed, unable to help it and glad that Alphys's eyes were closed. She truly hadn't had any idea of the depths of Alphys's feelings, barely able to come to terms with her own. Gently, she brushed her fingertips over Alphys's clit, and was rewarded with a relieved sigh.

Alphys opened her eyes slowly, wanting to look at Undyne. She was blushing, but still grinning, and in the dim lighting from the night sky, with the stars as her background, she looked almost otherworldly, but no less beautiful. She stared, unable to help herself. "You-yours is better," she murmured, brushing one hand over Undyne's cheek. "You... you're gorgeous..."

Undyne leaned down and kissed her, finally reaching deep, and Alphys moaned softly against her lips, again grabbing onto her shoulders. Undyne shifted her fingers and moved them slowly, and again Alphys made a soft noise against her kiss.

Undyne pulled from it to instead kiss her neck again, and Alphys arched her back, one hand grabbing onto Undyne's forearm tight, gasping out her name again. In reply, she whispered, "Alphy." When she nodded, she added, "Come for me, Alphy." Alphys dug her claws into her arm, gritting her teeth and moving with her fingers.

When she was close, she opened her eyes halfway, looking up at Undyne, who was looking at her, watching her with an eager grin. She placed her hand back on Undyne's cheek. "Undyne," she whispered, her voice thick. Undyne pulled her closer and reached deeper in reply. Alphys tried to keep her eyes open, but it didn't work, and she clung onto Undyne hard as she came, crying out. Undyne slowed her hand, then kissed her cheek, holding her close as she went limp, breathless.

Undyne curled up next to her, lying back down on the blanket with her, still smiling. "That," she said, "was worth the wait, I think."

Alphys didn't reply. Instead, she turned to her and kissed her. Undyne returned it, and Alphys leaned on her, pushing her down onto her back. Undyne pulled her close, and Alphys moved her hand down her wife's body, trailing her clawtips down from her face to one breast, where they lingered. Undyne's eye closed and she sighed deeply.

When Alphys brought her fingers between Undyne's legs and and reached deep, Undyne opened her eye and looked at Alphys, keeping her hands on her cheeks. Alphys smiled, and she couldn't help but smile in return.

Alphys was right; the backdrop of stars was gorgeous, and made Alphys even more so for her.

Soon, as Alphys leaned down and licked one breast, Undyne couldn't keep her eye open, and she grabbed onto Alphys's hips tight. Alphys moved her fingers faster, and she groaned out, already so close. Alphys moved up to kiss her again, and she returned it, her cries muffled as she hit her peak, her nails digging into Alphys's hips hard. Alphys held her close as she tried to catch her breath, her touches shifting to gentle, light caresses.

Undyne concluded that it was better than she had ever imagined - and that was saying something.

When Undyne was calm, Alphys grabbed the blanket and pulled it over them, the chill night air catching the sweat on their bodies and chilling them a little. They cuddled close, and Undyne opened her eye, grinning. Alphys grinned back.

"So, camping," Undyne said, her eye dancing. "Good?" Alphys laughed, the reply she wanted, and in that alone, she knew that this would be the first of many forays into the wild.

Chapter 47: Negative

Alphys was definitely a pessimist. Undyne knew this, had known it when they were just friends, but that didn't make it easier to deal with, sometimes - especially when the target of Alphys's pessimism was Alphys, herself.

Undyne looked up from the computer on her lap as she heard Alphys suddenly yell incoherently, as well as what sounded like fists slamming onto her desk. Blinking, Undyne got up and went to the office, where Alphys sat, surrounded by stacks of papers, both on the floor and her desk, and with her head in her hands. She was growling, her eyes shut and her teeth clenched together.

"Alphy?" Undyne said gently from the doorway. Alphys jumped a little, but didn't look up. "What's wrong?"

"I-I'm a miserable teacher," she blurted out. "I-I can never do anything right! I sh-should just quit!"

Undyne frowned, going to her side and kneeling down beside her. "Why would you say that?"

Alphys opened her eyes, but glared at the stacks in front of her. "I try t-to plan lessons, and they always end up too stupid. O-or too confusing, if they're not too stupid. I can't g-get it to balance out."

Undyne touched her shoulder gently, and she sighed. "Alphy, your lessons are fine. Your students like you!"

"They-they're just amused by me," she corrected darkly. "I'm amusing b-because I'm garbage at my job."

"What's garbage is your assumption," Undyne answered. Alphys looked over at her, her expression dejected. "I have no idea where you get these ideas, but stop it. You're wrong, and your lessons are fine."

"I..." Alphys lowered her arms and buried her face into them. "I k-keep thinking they're only there to m-mock me."

Undyne slowly rubbed her back. "Of course they're not. They're there to learn from you, because you're a good teacher, Alphy."

"I care so much about what I teach," Alphys murmured. "I want them to care, too."

Undyne smiled. "I think the fact that they stick around is good evidence that they do."

Alphys raised her head slowly. "Really?" she wondered, looking a little sad. "You r-really think so?"

Undyne nodded. "I know so. I get students who yammer on about you and your lessons rather fondly."

Alphys blushed. "You're lying."

Undyne scowled at her. "I'm not! Granted, they're nerds like you, and some of what they say is white noise to me, but they really seem to love it. And remember: your class isn't mandatory. I'm pretty sure they know what they're getting into, and want to get into it, too."

Alphys's eyes lit up a little at that, and she smiled faintly. "I... I had no idea," she admitted.

"Well," Undyne said with a smile. "Now you have no excuse to forget!"

Alphys turned to her and hugged her tight.

But it wasn't the only time this happened - and not nearly as benign, in some cases.

One morning, Alphys didn't get out of bed, and Undyne, upon seeing the look on her face, knew what it meant and called both of them in sick that day. (Toriel was always understanding when it came to sick days of this degree, and never protested.)

Undyne curled up beside the clump of blankets that held her wife. "Talk to me," she murmured.

Alphys hesitated, then said, in a tearful voice, "I hate myself right now." It was so painfully honest that Undyne bit her lip and moved closer, trying to hug her through the blankets.

"Why?" Undyne wondered.

Alphys sniffled. "Because I'm a fraud."

Undyne closed her eye. "No, you're not."

"I-I am, Undyne. I teach about biology and magic, and-and the ethics that come with both, but I n-never upheld them when I was Royal Scientist... who am I to t-tell others to?" Her voice choked up, and she sniffled again.

"Because you know exactly why you need those ethics," Undyne said after a moment of thought. "You know personally what happens if you forget them, and have every right to teach others to learn from your mistakes."

Alphys was silent for a long time. Then, she whispered, "You-you're right, Undyne."

She smiled. "I know," she teased, and she heard a small, sniffly laugh. "Come on out, Alphy," she said gently. Alphys poked her head out, and Undyne touched her cheek and smiled. "Hello."

Alphys stared at her, her eyes still teary but also lit a little from the small smile she wore. "Hi," she replied, one hand reaching up to take hold of Undyne's. From there, though she was still down in mood and wanted to stay in bed, Alphys felt a little better.

Undyne wasn't the most patient person, but oddly, though if from anyone else she'd be infuriated, Alphys's repeated pessimism didn't frustrate her as much. Rather, she saw these moments as challenges for her, ones that Alphys offered so that she could find her reasons why life was so much better than she thought. She didn't mind because she understood why Alphys was the way she was, and didn't blame her for it. But she would always strive to correct these thoughts, because Alphys always listened to her, and took all that she said to heart - which made it worth it.

Alphys admitted as much once, when she'd cried herself ragged over one of her many nightmares of the True Lab. She was curled up with Undyne in their bed, in the middle of the night, and Undyne was holding her so tenderly that she blurted it out: "You make me so happy, Undyne."

Undyne glanced at her, placing a hand to her cheek and brushing the tears away, smiling. "You make me happy," she replied.

"N-no, I m-mean..." Alphys cleared her throat. "When I'm so sad and feel so trapped and despondent, you always show me a way out. You always remind me of good things. I'm... grateful."

Undyne pulled her closer, resting her cheek on top of Alphys head. "I'm glad. I want you to see the good, always, because even at the worst of times, there's always something there that you can hold onto."

Alphys hugged her tighter, taking it literally as well as metaphorically. "You-you're so patient. I don't know how you can be."

"It's easy, Alphy," she replied. "Because I love you, you big nerd."

Alphys finally laughed, and Undyne was happy; it was all she'd wanted, that one laugh.

Notes:

Sorry for the delay in updating x_x. I had a really bad flare-up and was barely writing anything. I assure you, the updates will be more regular now! Sorry!!

Chapter 48: Concentrate

For the fourth time, Undyne cut through Alphys's defence and knocked her down onto her back. She lay there, her staff vanishing, and shut her eyes, trying to catch her breath. They sparred at least once a week, now - especially as Alphys's ease with summoning her staffs grew - and Alphys always landed on her ass, regardless of how hard she tried. On the one hand, she appreciated that Undyne didn't go easy on her or let her win. On the other, she wondered if it was possible to break your own ass - or tail - from falling on it so much.

"Ow," she muttered.

Undyne knelt down beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "C'mon, Alphy," she said gently. "Get back up. I know you can do it."

"Do what?" she wondered, her voice bitter. "Leave a dent in the floor?"

Undyne rolled her eye. "No, nerd. I know you can get back up."

"Yes," Alphys agreed, "but I always fall back down again."

Undyne shook her by the shoulder. "Okay," she agreed, "but it takes longer and longer each time, so c'mon."

Alphys sighed, opening her eyes, and Undyne smiled at her. It was a smile that spoke of believing in her, and Alphys gazed at her for a moment, allowing that look to get through her wall of doubt and light a fire for another go. She nodded, and Undyne helped her back to her feet.

Undyne always gave her the first move, so she pulled another staff forth and held it between her hands, staring into Undyne's eye for a moment, before she lunged forward, swinging it towards her without pause. Undyne parried it with a spear, but Alphys gritted her teeth and pushed forward, using all of her weight to try and get Undyne to let go. Undyne's eye sparked, and she leaned forward, meeting her attempt with frustrating ease.

For a moment, it seemed that they were at a stalemate, both refusing to back down. Alphys was sweating, her arms shaking, until an idea came to her, and she jumped back, using the momentum from Undyne's spear to gain distance from her. Undyne followed, but Alphys expected that and shifted to one side, her tail lashing out and aiming for Undyne's legs. Her eye flared in surprise, moving to deflect it, but she was too slow and was hit solidly at the back of her knee. With a surprised grunt, she stumbled, and Alphys lunged forward again with her staff.

Undyne tried to jump backward, but was too clumsy, her knee still smarting, so she instead tried to again parry with her spear, her eye wide. Alphys's staff hit her spear, and when she pushed on it again, Undyne actually staggered, unable to hold her balance as well as before. Alphys didn't let up, her heart racing and her blood humming, and for a moment Undyne gaped at her as she tried to push her back.

Alphys then swung her tail forward again, catching the back of Undyne's other knee, and with a surprised look, both of her legs gave out, and she landed - hard - onto the floor and on her rear, her spear vanishing.

The moment it happened, Alphys blinked, then instantly felt terrible. She knelt down beside Undyne, her staff dissolving as she reached for her hand, but Undyne surprised her: she started laughing, so hard she fell over onto her side, holding her middle and gasping between peals of it. Alphys stared at her, feeling both terrible and now confused.

"U-Undyne?" she tried, but Undyne was laughing too hard to reply, tears running down her face. Alphys frowned, before she suddenly felt a smile creep up on her; Undyne had that kind of laugh.

"Holy shit, Alphy!" she blurted out at last between laughs. "Holy shit!"

Alphys scratched at her cheek, blushing a little. "Er," she said in reply. "Uh, so, not... n-not bad?"

Undyne sat up, grabbed her, and pulled her to the floor. Alphys squeaked, the sound muffled when Undyne kissed her deeply, holding onto her tight. For a moment, Alphys was lost, forgetting everything else, until Undyne murmured, "You floored me. No one but Asgore has done that!"

"It-it was j-just... luck..." Alphys said softly, her hands gripping onto Undyne's shoulders tight.

"No, Alphy," Undyne answered, pulling her on top of her, and Alphys closed her eyes. "It was all you. I'm so fucking proud of you!"

Alphys opened her eyes and blushed, speechless. It was just as well, as Undyne kissed her again, laughing a little, and she couldn't focus on anything else, anyway.

Chapter 49: Fight

Undyne and Alphys had a unique way to settle their arguments: playing Smash Brothers. Whoever got two out of three was the winner of both the round and the argument, and it was a very effective way to avoid the hurt that could come with regular fighting.

"Stop picking Robin!" Undyne snarled, once. "You keep Nosferatu-ing me!"

Alphys smirked. "Th-that's the idea!" she replied. "And you always pick Lucina, so really, don't even!"

"Argh!" Undyne responded, using Lucina's built-up B-attack and sending Robin into the horizon. "Hah! I win, despite your stupid-ass Nosferatu!"

Alphys tossed her controller - as usual - and growled in reply. "Fine. Fine. Dishes are mine, though it's your turn." She got to her feet and stormed into the kitchen, loudly clanging around the dishes as she began the chore. Undyne covered her mouth to keep from laughing too loudly, as sometimes she found Alphys's crankiness almost adorable.

Another time, they were arguing for quite a bit before they went to the game to resolve it.

"You-you're the one with the m-most laundry," Alphys was saying sharply, pointing at the overflowing hamper. "You-you use up so many towels!"

"Excuse me for sweating!" Undyne answered, blushing a little.

"It-it's not that!" Alphys protested. "I-I just mean--,"

Undyne turned around and stormed to the living room. Alphys stared for a moment, before she heard the familiar theme music, and Undyne snarled, "Fight me! Now!" With her jaw set, Alphys followed, sitting down beside her and grabbing the other controller.

"Two out of three, no Fire Emblem," Undyne added, and Alphys rolled her eyes. She chose Duck Hunt Dog, and Undyne chose Sheik, and Alphys actually ended up winning.

"Fuck!" Undyne sighed, and Alphys giggled a little. "Fine, I'll do the stupid bullshit laundry." And she did, grumbling a little but still doing a good job.

Neither remembered exactly how this began, but they both agreed that it was the best way to resolve their issues. Neither liked being mad at each other, finding only hurt feelings as a result. But this way, both the act of playing the game as well as getting their frustration out digitally was, for them, the only way to argue.

Chapter 50: Passion

Notes:

Halfway through ;3!

When it came to it, both Alphys and Undyne were passionate - just about different things, and often of things that the other didn't completely understand. Undyne was passionate about being fit and being strong - the strongest. Alphys was passionate about working things out and understanding what most saw as impossible to understand. Both loved challenges, but on opposite sides of the coin.

However, they both agreed on two things: they loved the passion that the other held for whatever they loved, and they were, most of all, passionate about each other.

Undyne always listened whenever Alphys went on a rant about her latest invention or anime-obsession, actually listening and being supportive. She found Alphys's excitement - and rage - endearing and adorable, and even had something to add to it sometimes, if she either understood it or had seen the anime in question.

Alphys helped Undyne whenever she needed someone to spar with, especially now that she, herself, was probably the most fit she'd ever been in entire life (though a penchant for rich and junky food would always keep her round). She would always be ready for Undyne's punch or kick, always listen as she went over what she hoped to achieve, and even scuffled with her if she was up to it.

There was also a middle ground they both walked together between their two opposing hobbies and likes, and it was their passion they held for each other, one that made them stronger, together. Ever since they met, neither could think of anyone else they'd rather be with, and both had their own ways of dealing with it. But as they grew closer, they discovered that, instead of it cooling down, it merely increased - especially intimately.

When making love, both felt as if they were truly able to translate that all-encompassing passion into action that could be understood - and enjoyed - beyond just words.

Alphys loved showing Undyne her love physically. In the years that she'd nursed her adoration of Undyne, in all that she'd imagined that would possibly happen between them, the reality was so much better. From the feel of Undyne's scaled, scarred and muscled skin beneath her hands and lips, to the way her eye squeezed shut whenever she climaxed, all of it, everything, was beyond her wildest fantasies.

For Undyne, she'd always been affectionate physically - Papyrus was a good example of this - but Alphys brought forth a gentleness that she never knew she had. She always touched Alphys softly - well, to start, usually - and loved how Alphys always seemed to melt into every touch she gave. But she also loved how Alphys could be strong, could be tough, and could demand more than gentleness, which always surprised and delighted her.

No matter how many times they made love, for both of them, it only made that passion blaze hotter. Once, it became clear to them why.

"Alphy..." Undyne whispered, her hand on top of her head shaking, as Alphys held her by the hips and licked deep within her centre. She squeezed her hip in reply, and Undyne finished with, "You're so... good..." She gritted her teeth, her other hand on the bed, fingers digging in hard. "I'm... so close..." she gasped out. Alphys shifted closer, holding onto her tighter and moving her tongue as deep as she could, occasionally moving it back to flick over her clit before diving deep again. Undyne arched her back, her hands shaking harder, and Alphys closed her eyes, her heart racing, her own arousal lancing deeper with each sound Undyne made.

"Please, Alphy..." Undyne murmured, completely lost, now, gasping with each breath. "Please, Alphy... please... please, Alphy...!" She cried out as she finally came, the pleasure immense. Alphys held her close, easing her through it, loving the way her scent and taste changed slightly as she did. Undyne's hands clenched, then loosened, and she lay back, gasping. Alphys moved away slowly, sliding up to lie down at her side, and Undyne immediately curled up against her, clinging onto her tight. Alphys held her close and stroked her sweaty hair from her face, kissing her gently.

For a moment, Alphys thought Undyne was falling asleep, and she held her close, smiling. That was until she suddenly felt Undyne's hand trail up and cup around her breast, her thumb gently brushing over her still-hard nipple. Alphys closed her eyes, and Undyne opened hers, grinning. Alphys's claws hesitated a little in her hair, clearly distracted. Undyne took advantage of that and moved her hand down and between Alphys's legs, her long, deft fingers reaching between hot, slick folds. Alphys inhaled sharply and ended up lying on her back with little control, and Undyne followed, leaning down and kissing her, her other hand on her face. Alphys slid her arms around her and pulled her close, moaning softly, especially when those fingers reached deep within and began to move.

"U-Undyne..." Alphys whispered against her lips, her claws digging into her back. Undyne kissed down along her jawline to her neck, then bit down. Alphys gasped and clung tighter, encouraging Undyne to move her hand faster. Alphys moved against and along with each thrust of Undyne's fingers, her face going red the closer she got. "Undyne...!" she groaned out, her voice thick, and Undyne kissed her again. Alphys latched onto her tight, her breath catching and her eyes squeezing closed tight, and she came, hard, her cries muffled by Undyne's kiss. Undyne held her close and slowed her hand, kissing down her neck again, but gently this time, as Alphys gasped for breath, her heart racing.

Then, Alphys hugged onto Undyne and pulled her so close that there was no space between them, burying her face into Undyne's neck. Undyne closed her eye and held her, resting her forehead on Alphys's shoulder, their legs entwined, Alphys's tail curled around one of Undyne's legs.

They remained that way for quite some time, their hearts slowing and their bodies cooling. The silence was a comfortable one, brought from deep within their souls. Both were awake, feeling oddly alert and aware of each other, and in a way they both loved.

"Undyne," Alphys then whispered, so softly that it was as if she was afraid to break the silence.

"Yeah, Alphy?" she replied, just as quietly.

"You... you make me feel..." Alphys hesitated, her face going hot, before she blurted it out. "You-you m-make me f-feel so... whole."

Undyne curled closer, smiling brightly. "Oh, Alphy," she replied. "I was never whole until you. I always thought I was, but then you... you filled a void I never thought was there, but never want there again."

Alphys sniffled a little, her hold tightening. "Y-you make me feel so... so alive," she admitted tearfully. Undyne sat up and brushed her tears away gently, and their eyes met, unable to look away. "Y-you... Undyne, you make me feel so... worthwhile."

"You are, Alphy," Undyne replied, smiling at her. "And you make me feel stronger, so much stronger... the strongest, even."

Alphys cupped Undyne's face into her hands, her lips trembling. Undyne kissed her, and she returned it. They both felt, deep within, their passion for each other grow even more.

"I can never get enough of you," concluded Undyne.

"It-it's okay," Alphys said gently. "I'm never going anywhere, so you don't have to."

Chapter 51: Threat

Perhaps a year ago, what happened would have ended terribly. It certainly had once, resulting in injuries and fear. But this time, things - circumstances - were incredibly different.

For starters, Alphys and Undyne were alone, and both were quite cheerful. It was one those mild nights that were slightly cool but still remained warm enough to eschew jackets, and the dimming evening sky was so clear, they both occasionally just stopped and looked up at it together, holding hands. They were on their way home from a lovely dinner out, and were looking forward to a nice night in after.

Undyne was teasing Alphys a little, and Alphys was blushing and hiding her face in Undyne's arm with a silly smile, when suddenly Undyne stiffened, grabbed Alphys, and shoved her behind her. Alphys stumbled, then grabbed onto Undyne's arm, peering around, confused by this sudden mood-reversal.

Ahead of them, clearly making their way towards them, was a group of four, rather loud, overbearing humans. Undyne cursed under her breath, keeping herself in front of Alphys, but Alphys kept trying to get in front of her, her jaw set.

"Alphy," Undyne said sharply, her voice low. "Don't."

"You, d-don't," Alphys answered, surprising Undyne. She finally managed to slip from Undyne's grasp, and before Undyne could grab her back, she was standing between her and the humans - just like that night, before, when she got hurt. Undyne's heart leapt into her throat in fear, a spear flashing to life and held out, but Alphys snapped out again, "Don't!" and she froze. The look in her wife's eyes... it was almost... determined?

"Well," said one of the humans, once they were close enough. They grinned, clearly inebriated, and they leaned close to Alphys, who stood calmly, her head held high and her gaze unwavering. "Lookie here. Monsters!"

"We don't want trouble," Alphys said carefully.

"Your girlfriend back there with the spear says otherwise," was their snarky reply.

"W-we've had trouble in the p-past," Alphys admitted. "B-but we don't want any tonight. Please, j-just leave us alone."

The lead human stepped closer as their friends shared a similar smirk. "And why would we do that?"

Undyne started forward, her teeth bared, but Alphys threw her arm out and stopped her abruptly. "B-because I'm asking you to," Alphys concluded.

"You're in no place to make demands, monster," replied the human, and, with a slightly off-kilter swing of their arm, they moved to punch Alphys. Undyne snarled, about to lunge forward, but Alphys beat her to it. She grabbed the human's fist in her hand, her claws digging in. Both Undyne and the human froze in shock, but Alphys glared, pushing the human back by their fist. They stumbled a bit but remained on their feet.

"W-we don't want any t-trouble," Alphys repeated, though now her eyes blazed. Undyne stared at her, spellbound by this change in her. "You-you're drunk. Pl-please just go."

The main human exchanged glances with their friends, then smirked. "I'm pretty sure a drunk human can beat a monster," they snorted.

"You wanna bet?!" Undyne snarled, her grip on her spear tightening. Alphys again held her arm out and stopped her.

"Undyne," she murmured. "Trust me."

Undyne looked at her closely, then, with a shaky nod, and she stayed behind her. She kept her spear out, though, just in case.

Alphys turned back to the humans. "We're going to walk away now. Please do the same." She took Undyne's free hand into hers tight and started to turn away to do just that. That's when the lead human darted forward, their fist raised and aimed towards Alphys's head.

She sensed it first, turned back, and grabbed it again, the momentum forcing her back a bit, but she dug her heels in, gritted her teeth and remained standing. The human swung their other fist, and she ducked; Undyne held up her forearm and deflected it easily, with enough force that the human was the one stumbling.

Alphys shoved them back once more and let go of their hand, shaking, now, with adrenaline and anger. She turned to them slowly, her blood humming like it did when she and Undyne sparred together, and she dropped Undyne's hand with that thought.

Silently, the human came forward again, and Alphys suddenly smiled. She held out a hand, and a staff flashed to life within it, so easily that Undyne grinned. The human stopped, and Alphys pointed the tip at them, her eyes narrowed. They and their friends hesitated, especially when Undyne joined her at her side, her spear held in a similar way.

"Last chance," Alphys said calmly, the staff's light glinting off of her glasses. "Or else you'll force us to defend ourselves."

The human glowered, but one of their friends grabbed them and pulled them back, shaking their head. With a glower, they turned away, and together, they walked back the way they came, calling out epithets as they did.

The moment the humans turned a corner and were gone, Undyne's spear vanished and she grabbed Alphys into a tight hug, causing Alphys's staff to vanish as well, as Alphys let out a shaky laugh. Undyne kissed her all over her face, and she laughed again, this time along with Undyne.

"Alphy," Undyne breathed out, sounding awed. "You're amazing."

"Er, well," Alphys replied shyly, "I have a really good teacher."

Undyne held her close, and Alphys realised with shock that she was trembling. "You almost scared me," she admitted, and Alphys held her tight, closing her eyes. "But now I feel as if..." Undyne nuzzled closer. "As if I'm the one being protected."

Alphys bit her lip. "Th-that's what I want to d-do," she admitted shyly. "Protect you, like you always protect me."

"Oh, Alphy," Undyne whispered, holding her so close that Alphys could feel her heart racing. "I have no idea what I'd do without you."

"I-I'm not going anywhere, so you don't have to find out," she replied with a crooked smile, and Undyne laughed shakily, giving her a kiss, before taking her hand.

"Let's go home," Undyne concluded, and Alphys nodded.

Notes:

Sorry this one's late. Under the weather today. Mergh. X_x

Chapter 52: Empire

One afternoon, Toriel and Asgore were over for lunch with Alphys and Undyne, while Frisk stayed home to work on their latest proposal as Ambassador (with sans and Papyrus as company, which made it questionable as to whether or not any actual work got done). It was Alphys, oddly, who brought it up.

"Do you miss it?" she wondered between sips of soda. She was looking at Asgore, and it was a complete non-sequitur, so when he blinked in confusion, she blushed and elaborated, "Being King. Do you miss it?"

Toriel glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, and Undyne glanced at him with curiosity.

Asgore smiled. "Absolutely not," he said easily. "I'm quite happy being Groundskeeper with Toriel." He glanced at her, and she smiled back.

"A kingdom of plants," she added with a small laugh, and he nodded in agreement.

Alphys blushed and looked down, and Undyne eyed her closely. The subject changed from that when she didn't follow up, but Undyne didn't forget.

Later, when they were in bed, Alphys reading and Undyne gaming, Undyne paused her game and turned to her wife. "What was that all about at lunch?" she asked.

Alphys blushed yet again, trying to hide behind her ereader, but she of course failed. "I was j-just curious," she muttered.

"That's not all of it," Undyne replied, and Alphys sighed, closing her ereader and leaning back with her eyes shut, still red. "You had a reason. Why did you ask Asgore that? It was kinda personal, you know."

"I-I..." She kept her eyes shut. "Th-the surface is so different. We're all d-different, now. In a way, we've all been d-demoted from what we were, Asgore the most. I've just... always wanted to know how he felt about it."

"Do you miss it?" Undyne wondered. "Do you miss being Royal Scientist instead of a teacher?"

"N-not all of it," Alphys admitted. "B-but it was... our own kingdom. N-now we're just... like everyone else."

Undyne set her console aside and leaned against Alphys, who finally opened her eyes and looked at her. Undyne was grinning. "We're not at all. We're monsters. We're way better."

Alphys reached up and touched Undyne's cheek gently. "D-don't you miss being Captain?"

"Yeah, of course," she agreed. "But the kids I teach are almost better sometimes. Dumber, but more fun." She grinned.

"D-do you ever feel like... we-we're second-class? Inferior to humans?" Alphys finally said, getting to the heart of the matter at last.

Undyne's smile faded. "Yeah," she repeated. "Definitely. And it sucks. But, would I go back? Fuck, no." She leaned closer to Alphys. "The life I have now, that I have here, is so much better than anything I ever dreamt of Underground."

Alphys rested her head on Undyne's shoulder. "I agree. I-I feel that way, too. B-but I s-sometimes wonder, wasn't it simpler there?"

"Sure, in a black-and-white kind of way," Undyne admitted. "Now, it's so rich in colour, and I can't get enough." She paused. "Even if it mean we have to work twice as hard to prove our worth for what humans get just for being human."

"D-do you think someday, we'll all be equal?" Alphys asked softly.

"Frisk is working on it," Undyne replied. "They'll make it happen." She pulled Alphys to her, wrapping her arms around her tight, and Alphys closed her eyes and curled up with her. "Until then, we just have to keep fighting the way we are."

Alphys nodded, and Undyne kissed the top of her head softly. Already, she felt so much better, despite the lingering doubt. With Undyne holding her so close, she felt as if that day of equality was going to happen any day, now.

Things were easier Underground in many ways, but the challenge of the surface made the rewards so much better.

Chapter 53: Falter

On the first anniversary of their marriage, Alphys woke up that morning terrified. Her eyes just shot open and she clutched the blanket tightly to her, shaking. She'd gone to bed just fine, excited for the next day, only to wake up practically paralysed with fear. She looked up at the window and saw that day was barely starting, but she couldn't get back to sleep and couldn't move. She curled up into a tight ball and tried to calm herself down.

It was easy to understand why Alphys was scared, if you were of a similar mindset. Even after a year of marriage, with its ups and downs, Alphys still felt a deep, visceral fear of losing Undyne at any time, for any reason - usually a reason that she always expected to be her fault. Therefore, now that the day was here, she was scared that it was too good to be true, and that this was the day she'd ruin everything.

She didn't know how long she lay there stewing, but she was startled out of it when she suddenly felt Undyne's arms slide around her waist from behind, surprising her, and she froze. Undyne curled around her, leaning close and kissing her gently on the curve of her neck, and Alphys closed her eyes, moving back against her by instinct alone.

"Hi, Alphy," Undyne whispered. "Why're you up so early?"

Alphys grabbed Undyne's hands tight, unable to mask her shaking. "I-I'm just up," she said, her voice wavering a little.

Undyne nuzzled her neck a little, lacing their fingers together. "Mm," she replied. "I am, too," she admitted. Then she paused. "Alphy, you're shaking!" She raised her head, and Alphys tried to hide her face, to little success. "Alphy, love, what's wrong?"

"I-I-I'm..." Alphys mumbled, squeezing Undyne's hands. "I'm..."

Undyne rested her chin on her shoulder. "You're scared, aren't you?"

Alphys closed her eyes. "You-you know me so well," she admitted, nodding.

Undyne pulled her closer and gently rolled her onto her back, leaning over her and smiling gently. Alphys gazed up at her, unable to look away, reaching up with a shaking hand to touch her cheek.

"Alphy," Undyne said, holding her hand in place with her own. "You're my wife, and have been for a whole year, now. Of course I know you. Tell me what's wrong."

Alphys hesitated, then just blurted out: "I'm sc-scared that... I'm... That this..." But then she lost her nerve, too ashamed to finish it, and she blushed.

"That's it's too good to be true?" Undyne wondered softly. Alphys bit her lip and nodded, her eyes burning with tears, and Undyne leaned closer, cupping Alphys's face between her hands, still smiling. "It's very good, and also very true, but never too much," she said. Alphys slid her arms around her, her tears falling free, and Undyne pulled her closer and kissed her, deeply, before she whispered, "Let me show you, my dear wife," between kisses, and Alphys closed her eyes as Undyne pressed closer.

That morning, as the rest of the world slowly awoke, Undyne and Alphys made love, a kind that was slow and gentle, but so rich and intense that they both had never felt closer to the other before. By the time it was morning in earnest, they lay curled up together, breathless and shaky, but so happy that they both were a little teary, now. Undyne was gently stroking Alphys's cheek, as Alphys ran her claws through Undyne's hair, the blankets long since kicked to the floor. Alphys felt so warm and so loved that she cried, but quietly, and Undyne gently brushed the tears away, understanding completely why she wept.

"One year down," she whispered, and Alphys glanced at her. She was grinning at her, her eye bright. "Dozens and dozens more to go," she concluded, her eye sparking.

Alphys grabbed onto her and held her tight, and Undyne laughed, holding onto her just as tight. "Undyne," Alphys sobbed, "I love you so much..."

"I love you, too, nerd," Undyne agreed, kissing her. "And I will until I'm dust. Just watch me."

Alphys curled up closer and nodded, her heart - finally - feeling calm.

Chapter 54: Compliment

Alphys did not handle being complimented well, regardless of the source - even if that source was Undyne. Years of fake compliments made at her expense had permanently burnt out any kind of receptivity to any compliment, no matter how genuine.

It was one of the biggest frustrations of Undyne's life. She loved Alphys so much, and wished she had met her so much sooner - as children, even. As children, she could have kicked the shit out of everyone who even looked at Alphys funny, which in turn would have spared her years and years of grief.

But of course she couldn't go back in time to fix things, so instead she focussed on what she could do, which was compliment Alphys enough to finally get it through that wall that the abuse built.

When she woke up first, Undyne always woke Alphys up with a kiss, and the greeting of, "Hi, cutie."

"Mm," Alphys would usually mumble. "When do you say hello to me?"

"I am, nerd," Undyne would answer back with another kiss, and if it was a good day, Alphys would smile and blush. If it was a bad day, Alphys would frown and look away, then get out of bed without a word.

Once dressed, Alphys would eye herself critically in the mirror, and Undyne would hug her and say, "Lovely, as usual."

"It doesn't look weird? Or too messy or frumpy?" Alphys would answer, her eyes narrowed. Or she'd find something wrong that wasn't there and get changed. On bad days, she'd just mutter, "It matches. It doesn't matter," and look away from the mirror as though defeated.

Undyne hated the bad days, though as time progressed, they stretched further apart. By the time they'd been married a year, it had been almost a month before she truly had a bad day. But when it did come, Undyne's determination made it end up as one of the better days.

"Hey," Undyne greeted her wife that morning. Alphys turned to her, her eyes dark, and Undyne touched her cheek lightly. "Morning, cutie."

Alphys lowered her eyes, biting down hard on her lip. She moved away jerkily and got up, refusing to look at Undyne, her posture low. Undyne sat up, but Alphys disappeared into the bathroom before she could say another word. That was a bad sign; if she was feeling bad enough to run away like that, then it did not bode well for the rest of the day. Usually, this would either frustrate or depress Undyne, but instead, today, she felt challenged. She would make Alphys smile, laugh, and feel good - or else, in her opinion, she wasn't good enough to call herself Alphys's wife.

The moment Alphys was out of the shower, Undyne hugged her, regardless of the fact that she wore only a towel. Alphys froze, her eyes narrowed, before they closed, and she rested her forehead on Undyne's shoulder, her hands holding the towel. Undyne kissed the top of her head gently, and she leaned closer, one hand reaching out and pressing over Undyne's chest.

"Hi," whispered Alphys.

"Hello," replied Undyne, squeezing her. She pulled away and gave Alphys another kiss on her nose, and she wrinkled it a little, a small spark in her eye. '"It's sunny today."

Alphys nodded. Undyne smiled at her, giving her shoulders a squeeze, before she slipped past and went to have her own shower. Alphys watched her go, biting down on her lip hard.

On their way to school, with coffees and bagels in hand, Undyne chatted about her plans for the day, making sure to include as many ridiculous chores for Papyrus as she could think of. Alphys listened, her eyes never leaving Undyne's, and although that small spark remained, the smile had yet to show up.

Well, it's only morning, Undyne thought. I've got the whole day.

They went their separate ways with a hug and a kiss, and Undyne allowed herself to get distracted by her students, eager to teach them common sense as well as getting fit. Once lunch hit, she was almost as excited as her students, and she darted to the science wing, waiting outside Alphys's classroom as her students filed out. Once they had, she slipped in and found Alphys with her back to the seats, hunched over her desk. Undyne's smile faded, and she went over and placed her hand on Alphys's back. She jumped and looked up at her, then relaxed, reaching up and touching Undyne's cheek.

"Hungry?" Undyne wondered, rubbing her back, and Alphys nodded. She looked so tired and defeated, Undyne wondered how her classes had gone, and if she'd been given a hard time by her students. Though rare, it did happen. With her arm around her wife's drooping shoulders, Undyne took her out to lunch.

Alphys was quiet, which was unusual for lunch; she usually loved to chat about her students and the lessons she taught them. The lack was saddening, and Undyne gazed at her downcast face in concern.

"Alphy," she said gently. "Tell me what's wrong?"

Alphys didn't look up. She pushed her food around a bit, then mumbled, "I feel... m-meaningless today."

Undyne leaned closer, touching her hand. "Why?"

"B-because... anyone can d-do my job," she answered, still staring at her food. "Anyone can. I-I'm easily replaced."

"Bullshit," Undyne replied easily. Alphys looked up, and Undyne kept her gaze. "No one can replace you, Alphy. You're the only one who's worked with DT, the only one who's experimented with human souls. We need you!"

"I-I w-wrote it all down," Alphys admitted. "In case... in case I were g-gone, the information w-would still b-be there."

"But with no one good enough to teach it!" Undyne shot back, squeezing her hand. "And you're a great teacher!" Alphys lowered her gaze again, looking sceptical. "You are, Alphy! And your class is optional, remember? No one has to take it, but so many do!"

Alphys started to shake her head, but stopped. She looked up again slowly, and Undyne stared back with a wide smile. Alphys searched her face carefully, her eyes getting more and more bright the longer she did. Then, she stood up and reached over the table to kiss Undyne, her hands on her face. Undyne laughed a little, but returned it happily.

It was a start, one that seemed to buoy Alphys up a little from the depths of her dark mood. The moment she sat back down, she began to describe her morning, slowly to start, but eventually building up to the passion that Undyne was used to - and adored. She listened to every word, smiling the whole time, and by the time they were due back, Alphys was finally smiling. It was small, but it was real.

Undyne wanted her to laugh, now, and laugh hard. So she spent her afternoon classes half-thinking of ways to do so. She was so distracted that she ended up getting a volley ball thrown at her head, but that didn't happen again - she made sure of that.

By the time the day was done, Undyne had figured it out and was overjoyed by the idea, so excited that she ran all the way to Alphys's classroom, startling her wife into almost dropping her bag.

"Let's go out for dinner!" Undyne said as a greeting. "You pick, my treat!"

Alphys stared at her for a moment, before she blushed and said, very softly, "W-well, I've been kind of... wanting sushi..."

Undyne grabbed one of her hands and pulled. "Done! Let's go!" she replied, grinning, and Alphys smiled in return, allowing herself to be dragged away.

The dinner was almost perfect. They ordered so much food and shared so much of it between them, including Undyne teasingly feeding Alphys some, which finally made her laugh, softly, but again, it was real. Undyne's heart soared, loving that sound, loving how Alphys lit right up and gazed at her with unmatched love.

By the time they were done, it was dusk, and they walked hand-in-hand home. Alphys held Undyne's hand tight, her face much happier than it had been that morning. Undyne couldn't help but keep looking over at her every so often, so happy to see the change in her. With each glance, she felt a different kind of jittery feeling in her heart, and she held Alphys's hand tight, the heat flooding to her cheeks with no control.

Once they got home, Alphys turned to Undyne and kept holding her hand. "Undyne," she said softly, and Undyne smiled. "Th-thank you. I feel so much better, and... I know it's hard when I'm like that."

Undyne leaned down and put her arms around Alphys's neck, smiling wider. "Thank you for feeling better..." She grinned. "Cutie."

Alphys blushed, looking down, but she was smiling. She moved closer and hugged Undyne around her waist, and Undyne held her tighter.

"Alphy," she murmured. "I love you."

Alphys looked up at her and smiled brighter, her eyes wavering. "I love you, Undyne."

Undyne kissed her deeply then, holding her as close as possible. Alphys practically melted into her arms, returning it and closing her eyes. From there, Undyne tried to make it to their bedroom, but she'd underestimated her own desire in addition to Alphys's, and they only made it to the couch. For what seemed like so long and yet not long enough, they made love, the kind that was both lust and love, the kind that satisfies a visceral craving but that also soothes the soul and heart.

By the time they were both spent, both were smiling, despite their breathlessness. Alphys lay on her back on the couch, Undyne curled up on top of her with her head on her chest, soothed by the sound of Alphys's heart. Alphys stroked her hair, her eyes closed, her other arm around Undyne's shoulders.

"Alphy," murmured Undyne. "You're wonderful." Alphys opened her eyes and looked down at her, and saw that she was looking up at her. "And you're a good teacher. And you're so damned adorable." Alphys blushed, smiling shyly, and Undyne touched her hot cheek. "And fuck anyone else who says otherwise," she concluded.

Alphys laughed, just what she wanted. Then, to her delight, Alphys added, "N-no, thank you. I'd rather..." She blushed deeper. "J-just you."

Undyne laughed so hard it hurt, her head resting on Alphys's chest as she did, and Alphys joined in, holding her tight.

Chapter 55: Glass

Undyne never thought of herself as a gentle person. Far from it, actually. She always strove to be the strongest, the brashest, and the bravest. That usually entailed very little gentleness, especially when she became Captain of the Royal Guard. In fact, the job seemed to call for anything but gentleness.

She certainly wasn't gentle with the people she loved. Her affection tended towards tackling, headlocks, punching, and yelling - even with Asgore at times. She felt that it not only conveyed her affection, but also made it clear that she was still strong and tough.

Then she met Alphys at the abyss. She found the Royal Scientist standing on the water tiles, her hands clasped in front of her, and her expression was... Undyne had seen nothing like it before. She went to Alphys quickly, not liking it and fearing the worst. When Alphys looked at her, she was clearly intimidated, and suddenly, Undyne wanted to be gentle. There was something about the way Alphys looked at her in that way, still wearing that expression that scared her, that begged Undyne to be gentle.

It was the best decision she had ever made, because that was the day Alphys became her friend, and she learned that, with Alphys, gentleness was what Undyne assumed she needed the most. She'd thought this for so long that she began to view Alphys as if she were made of the finest glass, and needed to always be handled with utmost care.

However, as she grew closer and closer to Alphys, she saw that beneath that sensitive exterior lay one of inner strength, of silent strength, that Alphys didn't reveal easily or right away, and one that Undyne didn't even know could exist. She was layered with secrets in order to be able to cope with what she had to face as Royal Scientist, and those layers were as hard as flint. They had to be, if she wanted to keep going on with her life, with what she had to face daily. Undyne didn't get to see those layers until much, much later.

Her first glance of it - and the most important one - was shortly after the barrier broke. She went to Alphys's lab to help her pack up some things that Alphys wanted to bring up to the surface - mostly reports on the research she wanted to share with the humans - and Undyne had reached for a pile of papers to look through.

"N-no!" Alphys cried, lunging for it and grabbing it from her hands, her eyes wide with panic. Undyne stared at her, her hands still up. "N-not those."

"Why not?" Undyne wondered.

Alphys's eyes hardened, surprising Undyne and showing her that first layer. "Th-those are... m-my notes from my DT research. Th-they're not... a good idea right n-now, to share with the humans."

"But, why not? You said you weren't going to lie anymore," Undyne pointed out.

Alphys raised her head, her eyes still hard. "And I'm n-not going to. But this... this is too soon. This, I n-need to fix, first. I need to pr-prepare them for it. And I need to prepare myself for h-how they take wh-what I've done, and be ready to f-face it - and not run away from it."

Undyne stared at her, suddenly spellbound, her heart racing. She'd never seen this kind of strength in her friend before, and she suddenly realised - with a spark of shame - that she'd always assumed that Alphys was weak and always needed protecting. She realised then that she was so wrong, and that Alphys was just a different type of strong, one that, perhaps, took a kind of strength that was more powerful than physical strength.

And she decided, right then and there, to never underestimate Alphys again, something that would reward her more times than she could ever count.

Chapter 56: Honour

As a former Captain of the Royal Guard, Undyne took honour very, very seriously. Even though she was now a teacher, she still took it to heart. Everything she said and did, she wanted to reflect proudly on the school and those she cared about.

Most of all, she wanted to honour Alphys. She wanted to show her that, yes, she could be brave and strong, but that she could also be soft and kind. She wanted Alphys to be proud of her, and to never be ashamed of her. Why she thought Alphys would be ashamed of her, she didn't really know, but she still felt it.

What she didn't know until later was that this was what Alphys wanted to do for her. She wanted to improve herself, to prove herself, to make Undyne proud and pleased and to never give her reason to regret marrying her.

This was a common pattern that developed between them with time, both striving for the same goal secretly for the other. But honour was a serious thing, one they both truly wanted to uphold to the fullest, and as a result, they potentially went overboard at times.

"Alphy!" Undyne said cheerfully, her hands behind her back. It was the lunch break, and they had met at Alphys's classroom in order to spend it together. Alphys turned to her and smiled, and Undyne shoved a box into her hands. "Open it!"

Alphys, bemused and blushing, did, then started, her heart racing. It was a necklace, a silver pendant of peridot. She looked up at Undyne, speechless, and Undyne grinned.

"It's because it's like us mashed together into one colour, yellow and blue!" she explained happily. Alphys stared at her, her eyes filling and her smile bright, and Undyne grabbed the necklace from the box and darted behind her, slipping it on and clasping it behind her neck. Alphys touched the pendant gently, sniffling, and Undyne hugged her from behind.

"I-I don't understand," Alphys admitted. "What's the occasion?"

Undyne closed her eye and kissed her cheek. "I just felt like it. You work so hard, and you deserve something nice. Plus, uh..." She grinned, reached under her own shirt, and pulled out an identical pendant. "Heh," she concluded, blushing.

Alphys turned and clung to her, crying, so touched that she was unable to do anything else. From that day on, she never took it off.

Another time, when Undyne had to work late to help with one of the school's sports teams (Alphys could never get which one it was right, so she stopped trying), she decided to actually make her dinner - with help from Toriel over the phone, of course. With a few bad starts, she managed to make a decent pasta meal, and when Undyne came home, it was she who teared up this time, shocked.

"Alphy!" she cried. "Holy shit!" She grabbed onto her and pulled her into a tight hug, which made her squeak. "I can't believe you did this! We both suck at cooking, but this looks wonderful!"

"I-I knew you'd be tired," Alphys said softly, "and I wanted to make you something comforting and nice. Plus, it may taste like crap, so don't thank me yet."

"Oh, shut up," Undyne replied affectionately, and Alphys laughed. They sat down together and ate, pleased to find it was actually quite good. Undyne stared at Alphys the whole time, beaming, and Alphys found it made her rather shy, but also pleased that it worked out so well.

After school on another day, on a Friday, Undyne snuck up behind Alphys and blindfolded her, surprising her into yelping. "Chill out, it's me!" Undyne laughed, tying it securely behind her head.

"I-I know!" Alphys admitted. "You still scared me! Why are you--?"

"No questions!" Undyne ordered. She pulled Alphys to her and led her away, and they went to the taxi waiting for them outside the school. That was surprising; they both hated cars, and hated taxis the most for how expensive they were. What was so important to Undyne that they were not only in a taxi, but that Alphys needed to be blindfolded?

For what seemed like an hour, the taxi finally stopped, and Undyne paid and pulled her wife from the car carefully. "Ready?" she asked Alphys, whose hands were clenched in front of her nervously. She nodded, and the blindfold was removed.

"Ah!" Alphys cried in delight, clapping once. They were downtown in the major city, and she knew exactly where they were, now. "The province's Science Centre!" She turned to her wife. "Undyne!" she cried gleefully.

Undyne grinned proudly. "Yep! I finally scored some tickets! Let's go be loser nerds!"

Alphys beamed at her, grabbing her hand excitedly, and together they disappeared into the building, only emerging when it was already dark and the place needed to close. Even Undyne enjoyed it, learning a lot of new things and rather liking it. Alphys had darted around so excitedly that Undyne was entranced, which was an added bonus.

Later, on another day, Alphys sat Undyne down while at home and held her hand, her other hand behind her back. Undyne was already smiling, since it was obvious that Alphys was hiding a present, especially from the way she blushed.

"Close your eye," Alphys said, and Undyne did. Alphys shoved a box into her lap, and Undyne opened her eye and took it. It was as big as her forearm. Curious, Undyne opened it and found a short sword within it, its hilt a cobalt blue and simple, but the material shone bright; the scabbard was the same polished, gleaming colour. Shocked, Undyne picked it up and pulled the sword from its scabbard, finding the blade already sharpened and practically gleaming.

"Holy fuck," Undyne breathed out, already in love with it. Alphys beamed at her, her hands clasped in front of her. "Where did you find this gorgeous thing?"

"I, uhm, m-made it," Alphys admitted softly. "J-just for you."

Undyne stared at her, now, lowering the sword. "You made this?! For what?" she wondered, sounding almost breathless.

"Uhm," Alphys repeated, blushing deeper, now, looking down. "B-because... because... I love you, and love m-making you happy." She smiled. "And you love stabby things."

Before she could even look up, Undyne had her face in her hands and was kissing her, so hard she stumbled forward, grabbing hold of Undyne's forearms for balance. Pulling one hand away, Undyne gently placed the sword on the console table, then grabbed hold of Alphys, pulling her into her arms and lifting her up from the couch. Alphys clung to her and kissed her back, and Undyne practically ran her to the bedroom. Alphys found herself on their bed in moments, her wife pinning her down and deepening the kiss, her hands frantically reaching to remove Alphys's clothes.

"Undyne," Alphys murmured when she could. "I-I didn't give you that... for th-this..."

"I know that, nerd," Undyne agreed, pulling her own shirt off, before she did the same for Alphys. "But, dammit, I can't help it, Alphy." She grabbed Alphys's pants and pulled them off, then followed suit, pressing her body against Alphys's and resuming her kisses. Alphys clung to her, their legs tangling together, and soon, it didn't matter why they were there - only that they were, and together.

After, both gasping for breath and lying side-by-side with their eyes closed and covered in sweat, both feeling so happy and thrilled that it didn't matter, Alphys reached out and grabbed Undyne's hand into hers.

"Undyne," she whispered. Undyne leaned over and pressed her head against Alphys's, nodding. "I... I want to make you happy... forever."

Undyne rolled over and curled up against her, reaching up and touching the pendant Alphys now always wore - just like she did, herself. "Alphy," she replied, her eye closed and her smile wide. "I am always happy with you."

Alphys turned over and curled around her wife, and their limbs entwined together again, gently at first, both still tired. However, as they calmed, and their eyes met again, Alphys touched Undyne's cheek, and Undyne brushed her hand lightly over one of Alphys's breasts, her eye sparking.

"Again?" she wondered, loving it when Alphys closed her eyes and licked her lips. In response, Alphys pulled Undyne on top of her, kissing her. "Again," she agreed in a whisper, against her lips.

That, in itself, was a different kind of honour that they showed each other, one more precious than anything they could surprise each other with. It came with trust, with love, and most of all, respect. When they made love, it was as if all they tried to convey in other ways were pale in comparison, and the longer time went on, and the longer they stayed together, the deeper and stronger that type of honour became.

And they both were stronger from it.

Chapter 57: Work

When they were still Underground, neither Alphys nor Undyne could ever imagine doing anything other than the jobs they already had.

Though challenging at times, Undyne loved being Captain of the Royal Guard. She loved the hard work, the constant conflicts - even the perplexing mixture of frustration and idiocy that could be Papyrus and sans. She loved training Guards, loved getting to know them and watch them grow and become stronger, and loved how loyal they were to her as a result, because she made them stronger and always believed in them. She never imagined any other job she'd ever want to do.

Alphys's feelings varied. At the start, being Royal Scientist was incredibly rewarding, rich with discovery and experimentation. She could finally use the talents she had, and to their fullest capacity. When things went bad, and the amalgamates formed, the job became a source of fear and sorrow, almost destroying her. Soon, though, she got to know them, and began to find her job interesting again, even if she now had to lie about it.

Therefore, when both found themselves without a job once the barrier broke, both felt rather lost. Luckily, they also became distracted by their growing affection for each other, and were able to spend their now-free time on that growing love, but that lost feeling never really faded for either of them.

So when when Toriel opened the school for monsters and offered them both teaching positions, both were rather sceptical at first. They told Toriel they would think about it, and spent an evening together discussing it over dinner.

"Teaching, huh?" Undyne said, her chin in her hand. Her other hand pushed her food around on her plate. "Why would Toriel think of us when she thinks of teachers?"

Alphys blinked at her, then smiled. "I-I know why she thought of you," she admitted. Undyne tilted her head at her in confusion, so she elaborated. "You love to teach, Undyne. You even taught Frisk how to fight you, during a fight meant to be to the death!" When Undyne blushed, Alphys grinned. "Plus, you love kids. Admit it!"

"Kids are stupid," Undyne replied. "But they're okay. It would be kinda cool to make a bunch of them stronger. And she did say I'd teach gym and martial arts."

"See?" Alphys said. "That's why!" She paused, then frowned. "I have no such qualities," she admitted. "Why would she want me to teach biology and media?"

Undyne stared at her in surprise. "Are you for real, Alphy?" she said, further bemusing her. When she nodded, Undyne frowned at her. "Because you're good at both!"

"B-but... I can barely talk to a group of friends at once!" Alphys protested. "Why would she think I could talk to a group of kids?"

"Because when you get going, nothing stops you," Undyne replied easily with a smile. "When you talk about something you know and love, you are amazing. Everyone wants to listen when you get that way - and you never make it boring."

Alphys blushed and smiled shyly, looking down at her food. "Th-that's not true."

"Yes, it is, and you know it, nerd," Undyne laughed. Alphys giggled a little, and Undyne reached forward and poked her nose, making her laugh harder.

"So, should we say yes, then, do you think?" Alphys wondered. "To be blunt, we don't really have any other jobs offered to us right now."

"True," Undyne agreed. "But even if we did, I think I'd still say yes." She smiled her wide smile. "It actually sounds like fun!"

"It... It would be n-nice to-to work with you, as well as share my knowledge, too..." Alphys admitted, her voice soft with shyness.

"Definitely an added bonus," Undyne agreed, pleasing Alphys.

"Th-then... we're teachers?" Alphys wondered.

"We're teachers," Undyne agreed happily.

It was one of the best decisions they ever made. Their jobs came with challenges, but the rewards were immense, and they never regretted it.

Chapter 58: Jealous

There were times in which Undyne found herself jealous of Mettaton. She knew why, and knew it was ridiculous, but she still felt it flare up at the worst times possible. It wasn't that she disliked Mettaton; in fact, over time, she'd come to like him and be friends with him. It was just over one factor that she got jealous, and it came clear specifically one day.

"This is amazing!" Alphys cried, her hands clasped in front of her. Before her, spread out on the console table, were blueprints. They clearly made sense to both Alphys and Mettaton, but to Undyne, they looked confusing and nonsensical. But she didn't want to look stupid, so she didn't ask or say a word about it. Instead, she stood behind them, her arms crossed, her mouth pressed into a small line.

"If we can pull it off, it'll be amazing," Mettaton corrected.

Alphys beamed at him, and Undyne shifted a little, frowning. "We can pull it off," Alphys said cheerfully. "We can definitely pull it off!" She grinned at the blueprints again. "Oh, we can do this!"

Undyne looked away, then went to the kitchen, feeling her jealousy flare up and frustrate her. She pulled out her cellphone. "They're doing it again," she texted.

"OH, DEAR. SHALL I GRACE YOU WITH MY PRESENCE, MY FRIEND?"

"Yes, please." Undyne sighed. Papyrus was the only one who made her feel less idiotic around Alphys and Mettaton. He always knew how to cheer her up and include her in everything he did, no matter what it was. She couldn't help it; she felt not only jealous, but left-out, as well.

She went back to the living room and said, trying to sound casual, "Hey. Papyrus is coming over. That cool?"

Alphys looked up and nodded. "Of course!" She smiled at Undyne, which made her feel a little guilty, though she didn't know why. Mettaton looked up as well, raising an eyebrow, first towards Undyne, then at Alphys, before he shrugged. Clearly, it didn't bother him.

They were still exulting over the blueprints when Papyrus arrived. Undyne opened the door, greeted Papyrus, who was hugged, and then pulled into a headlock within seconds, which pleased them both greatly. Some things changed, yes - but most things didn't have to, and Papyrus and Undyne's friendship was one of the latter.

"Hi, Papyrus!" Alphys looked up again and waved to him briefly, before her eyes went back to the blueprints. Mettaton waved as well with a grin, but kept oddly quiet - usually he loved to tease Papyrus as his greeting.

"HELLO, DOCTOR. HELLO, METTATON," he replied happily from his headlock. "HARD AT WORK?"

"Hopefully soon!" was Alphys's reply. Papyrus looked up at Undyne, who looked conflicted, now, before she let him go and looked away, looking angry.

"C'mon, dweeb," Undyne said to Papyrus, trying to sound upbeat. "Let's see who can kick the bag the hardest!"

As they walked, Papyrus was saying, "WE BOTH KNOW IT'S YOU, SO WHY ARE WE EVEN GOING TO TRY?"

"Shut up! Because you shouldn't slack off, and because I said so! That's why!"

Once they'd disappeared downstairs into the basement, Mettaton looked at his friend and said, "Alphys."

"Yes!" she replied, still smiling at the blueprints.

"Do tell me you're not that oblivious, darling," he answered, his eyebrow raised yet again, his chin in his hand.

She looked up and blushed. "Oh, god, what am I missing? Is it something obvious?" She hunched over the blueprints, now looking for whatever it was she was missing.

Mettaton gaped at her for a moment, then said, incredulously, "My dear, your wife is obviously upset by something!"

"Huh?" Alphys looked up in shock, staring at Mettaton in confusion. "What do you mean? She and Papyrus looked really happy! They always hang out together when we do, anyway, so what makes you think so?"

"And why do you think that is, Alphys?"

Alphys stared at him. "B-because he's her best friend?"

Mettaton rolled his eyes. "Alphys, oh my god," he sighed.

"What? What?!" Alphys spluttered, grabbing onto Mettaton's hand. "What am I missing?!"

Downstairs, Undyne was already kicking the daylights out of the boxing bag, her eye blazing and her teeth bared. Papyrus sat on the exercise bike and watched her for a moment, then said, "WELL, SHALL WE TALK ABOUT IT?"

Undyne closed her eye for a moment, then snarled out, "I'm a jealous asshole, okay?" She punched the bag twice, then kicked it. "I hate it when they do that! It makes me feel stupid and not good enough for Alphy!"

"YOU KNOW THAT TO BE UNTRUE!" Papyrus answered, almost sharply. She stopped and looked at him, her hands holding the bag still. "OF COURSE YOU'RE GOOD ENOUGH FOR ALPHYS!"

Undyne glared at him, but not because she was angry at him; he was just in the way of her glare. "I'm stupid," she repeated. To her increased anger, she felt a lump in her throat, and she looked away. Papyrus, however, knew his friend very well, so when she began pummeling the bag again, he stayed quiet, and she went on. "I've always been too stupid for her, haven't I?" she wondered, her voice less a snarl and more doubtful. "Why else did she lie to me about anime and manga, and all of that, before? Why else wouldn't she share stuff like that with me, now?" She gritted her teeth. "Because I'm too fucking stupid!"

She landed a punch so hard on that final word that the poor bag finally quivered and dropped to the floor in its defeat. She stared at it, unaware that she was crying.

"I TOLD YOU THAT YOU'D WIN," Papyrus said gently. She turned to him, saw his gentle smile, and found one of her own upon her tear-streaked face. He was such a good friend, and she was so grateful to have him always at her side.

Mettaton, as well, was also a good friend to Alphys. He squeezed the hand that held his and said, very gently, "You are sometimes very stupid, my darling Alphys, and I mean that with all of my love."

Alphys went scarlet, her hands going sweaty in her nervousness. "Wh-what did I d-do?!" she stammered.

"You didn't - and tend not to - include your wife in things like this, Alphys," Mettaton said plainly.

"You m-mean, the blueprints?" She blinked in her confusion. "B-but she... she'd probably find them boring, just stupid nerd crap. I don't want to bother her with it," she admitted, looking down at her hands. "Plus, she and Papyrus always do stuff that she likes better, and have so much fun together, like sparring or practical jokes or something, th-that she doesn't need me, because I'm no good at that..." She trailed off, looking miserable, now.

"You're..." Mettaton stared at her. "You sound almost jealous of Papyrus!"

Alphys lowered her head, her expression falling further. "S-sometimes," she admitted, her voice tiny. "Th-they've known each other f-for so long, and they get along s-so well, and they have so much fun that th-they don't need m-me around, because all I'd do is m-make it less fun..." She looked mortified, now, and Mettaton realised that, until he'd mentioned it, she hadn't even known it, herself. "Shit," she squeaked in conclusion, covering her face with her hands.

"Alphys," Mettaton said gently, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Undyne is jealous of me."

"Oh, d-don't," she answered angrily, her voice choked. "D-don't joke around r-right now."

Mettaton sighed, then took hold of both of her shoulders and shook her. She blinked, her hands dropping in surprise, revealing a face marred with tears. "Wh-what?!" she cried in surprise.

"You dimwit!" he answered. "Your wife is downstairs right now with Papyrus because she's jealous of the fact that we're doing something you didn't invite her into!"

Alphys blinked at him. "What?" she repeated, sounding bewildered, now.

"HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF JUST ASKING HER?" Papyrus wondered, as Undyne put the bag back up and smoothed it out carefully. She hesitated, and he waited patiently.

"No," she mumbled. "I'm too afraid she'll just blow me off."

"HAS SHE EVER DONE THAT BEFORE?"

"Only when..." She sighed again. "Only when she was still hiding the True Lab from me."

Papyrus leaned back on the handlebars of the bike, looking smug. She glared at him, but only because he was right, and it pissed her off. "Shut up!" she snarled.

There was a knock on the door, and, bemused, both Undyne and Papyrus looked up the staircase and at it. Then, the door opened, and Mettaton's voice called down, "Undyne, lovely, may we switch places for a moment?"

Exchanging a look with Papyrus, who shrugged, Undyne walked up the stairs and met Mettaton at the door, quickly drying her face on the way and hoping it looked like sweat. "What's up?" she asked him, noticing how fake his grin looked and not liking it.

"Just... come sit with Alphys for a little bit, while Papyrus and I try to get fit," he replied, waving his hand at her. She glowered, hating it when he wasn't direct with her, but she walked past him anyway, and he walked down the basement in return, and Papyrus greeted him.

Alphys was seated on the couch, still, the blueprints still out on display, but she wasn't looking at them. Instead, she was looking at Undyne the moment she came up, and she looked very upset. Undyne sat down beside her, and Alphys grabbed her hands immediately, holding onto them tight.

"I-I'm sorry," she blurted out, before Undyne could even say a word. "I'm so sorry!" To Undyne's dismay, Alphys teared up, and she bit her lip. "I-I'm so stupid, Undyne. I-I should have just asked you i-if you wanted to j-join in..."

Undyne stared at her, her heart aching, but Alphys wasn't done.

"I just th-thought you'd be bored!" she admitted, though the excuse sounded like a poor one the moment she said it. "Because it is boring, really, it is, compared to all of the amazing things you and Papyrus do!" She let go of Undyne's hands and turned to the table, smoothing out the blueprints. Undyne followed her gaze, and Alphys continued, her voice wavering but in lecture mode, now. "Y-you see, it's for a new kind of fridge," she admitted. Undyne blinked, then moved closer to her and looked at the blueprints closer, following to wherever Alphys pointed as she spoke. "Like how I made the hot fridge, you know? But with the capacity to change from hot to cold, and back again, without spoiling any of the food!" She moved her claws over the design as she spoke, and something clicked in Undyne's eye. She leaned closer, starting to understand them, as Alphys went on. "If we can make this work, so that there can be a way to make it a dual-use fridge, we'd be making so many people happy!"

Undyne was grinning, now, and she grabbed one of Alphys's hands. "You can and will do this," she said happily. "You got the hot fridge to work, so I know you can do this, too!"

Alphys looked up at her. "Want to... want to help us, Undyne?" she asked shyly.

Undyne beamed at her. "Hell, yeah, I do!"

"Undyne," Alphys said softly, looking down. "I'm sorry. I never meant to exclude you all of this time. I j-just thought you'd be bored, and have better things to do with Papyrus..."

"I find stuff to do with Papyrus because I'm jealous that I can't spend time with you," Undyne admitted, embarrassed, now. Alphys looked up at her in surprise, and she scratched her cheek. "I know, it's so stupid..."

"No," Alphys corrected. "It's not stupid. I understand. I shouldn't assume you'd be bored."

"And I should just include myself in your plans anyway," Undyne grinned, teasing a little, and Alphys smiled at her. "Now, shall we bring the boys back up before they hurt themselves like morons?"

Alphys hesitated, then shook her head. "Wait," she said softly. She instead leaned closer and pulled Undyne into a tight hug, surprising her. "Undyne, I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"I'm sorry, too," Undyne admitted. "And thank you, so much, for including me. I can't wait to see how this works out."

"I'm still sorry," Alphys repeated, closing her eyes and hugging her tighter.

"No, you nerd," Undyne teased, her eye closing. "I'm sorry!" Alphys took a breath to protest, but Undyne added, "If you say it again, I'll throw you!"

"O-okay," Alphys murmured. "As long as you catch me." This delighted Undyne, who gave her kisses all over her face in reply, making her laugh, and as a result, they both felt so much better.

(Papyrus and Mettaton, it should be noted, spent that time taking turns on the equipment, finding it either too easy or too stupid, and ended up arm-wrestling until they were called back up.)

Notes:

I'm so sorry for the delay! I wasn't happy with this chapter (still kinda not) and had to rewrite it a few times (which may end up happening again anyway). Updates should be more regular from now on!

Chapter 59: Strings

Undyne learned early in life that everything came with strings attached, that there was always some kind of catch, and that nothing ever came without work or a price. It was true for everything she ever came across, and had come to accept it as the way of the world. Something never came from nothing.

She always thought love would be an exception. Perhaps she was a slight romantic at heart (though she'd deny it forever if asked), but she assumed that love was free: given freely, taken freely, all of that. She'd watched many people fall in love around her, and it always seemed to be the case.

She was wrong: love comes with strings attached, and quite a few. She only understood what those strings were - and what they meant - almost two years after she fell in love with Alphys. In fact, love was a complex tapestry of strings, one that tangled around all that fell into it.

One night, Alphys was in one of her moods, and Undyne suddenly found herself pinned against the kitchen counter and clung to in the middle of doing dishes - and clung to hard - by Alphys's soapy hands, and was in seconds in the midst of such a deep, desperate kiss that she had to cling back onto Alphys, afraid her knees would give out. When Alphys got this way (she called it "horn-insanity") she was not only irresistible to Undyne, but also rather hypnotising as well; Alphys rarely took charge, so when she did, she was incredibly alluring. If Undyne ever said no, Alphys would back off in a second, but Undyne never did - because she had yet to ever want to.

Alphys's hands trailed down from Undyne's shoulders to her breasts, cupping them gently through her shirt, her thumbs going over hard nipples gently. Undyne grabbed onto her shoulders and held on, a small sound escaping her against her wife's lips. Alphys licked those lips apart and their tongues met, and Undyne's knees started to go weak, heat lancing hard within her.

"Alphy," she whispered when she could, when Alphys leaned down to kiss along her jawline, then down to her neck, one of her hands slipping down and rubbing between Undyne's legs, through her pants, and Undyne forgot what she was going to say. She leaned back and pulled off her shirt, dropping it to the kitchen floor, then grabbed back onto Alphys's shoulders, and Alphys was back the second she was able, now leaning down to lick one breast. Now Undyne's knees gave out, and she stumbled. Alphys grabbed her and slipped an arm around her waist to keep her on her feet, holding her close, and Undyne leaned against her.

Alphys then slid her hand beneath Undyne's pants, her claws gently reaching close and touching already hot and wet flesh. Undyne leaned back, her nails digging into Alphys's shoulders, gritting her teeth. "Alphy," she gasped out, and in reply, Alphys licked across her chest to her other breast, her claws parting those folds and stroking slowly. "Alphy," she tried again, her voice strained and her eye shut tight. "Bedroom... bedroom!"

Alphys paused, then nodded, slowly pulling away, something Undyne rather regretted, especially when she stumbled, her legs still weak. Undyne kissed her, and they stumbled towards the bedroom, leaving clothes behind them as they did, so that the moment they fell on the bed, they were both naked and desperate for each other.

"Undyne," Alphys whispered, moving atop her gently, her hands moving over Undyne's body slowly, and Undyne's eye closed again, so aroused that even that simple touch set her ablaze. When she nodded, Alphys leaned close and whispered, "I want you so much, Undyne..." In reply, Undyne pulled her close, no space remaining between their bodies, and they both made a small, shared noise at that to differing degrees, their legs tangling together, wrapping their arms around each other tight and resuming their deep kiss.

They moved together, slowly at first, that wonderful friction they felt against each other so intoxicating that they wanted it to last, both already so wet and slick that they moved with ease, adding to the pleasure that they gave each other. But soon, Alphys's desire got the better of her, and she pulled Undyne closer and began to grind against her faster, burying her face into Undyne's shoulder, crying out. Undyne gasped, arching back to meet her pace, her eye shutting tight and her nails digging into Alphys's back.

"Undyne," Alphys moaned, her claws scrabbling at Undyne's hips, and Undyne could only make wordless nonsense in reply, already so close, herself. "I... I... Undyne...!" Alphys clung to her tight as she came, gasping, her body going hot against Undyne's. Undyne reached up and grabbed her face into her hands, kissing her hard, as she felt her own orgasm crash into her not long after - something that didn't happen too often, which made it all the more sweet. Undyne groaned against Alphys's lips, and Alphys held her close, still feeling aftershocks of her own.

Alphys then collapsed on Undyne, panting and burying her face into her shoulder again, and Undyne held her close, breathless, herself. They were both shaking; though quick, it was no less intense, and their hearts raced against each other, their eyes closed, both overwhelmed with the feel of each other.

When she could, Undyne whispered, "You're... amazing, Alphy..." She was smiling, her eye still closed, her hands still at her wife's back, though her grip was light.

Alphys nuzzled closer, wrapping her tail around one of Undyne's legs tight. "I love you," she answered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Undyne, I love you..."

"Believe me," Undyne answered with a soft chuckle, rubbing her back slowly. "I love you, too, Alphy..." Alphys curled around her tighter, and Undyne kissed her forehead gently.

"Th-thank you," Alphys murmured, her voice sounding choked. Undyne reached up and touched her cheek, moving her face towards her own in order to look at her. Alphys's eyes glowed with love, but they were full of tears as well. The moment their eyes met, Alphys smiled and touched Undyne's hand with her own, her eyes closing.

"Alphy," she said softly. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," Alphys replied, resting her wet cheek back on Undyne's shoulder, still holding her hand to her cheek. "I'm just... g-grateful."

Undyne blinked. "Grateful? Why?" She was genuinely confused by that.

"Be-because you... you l-love me, and accept m-my love, and..." Alphys sniffled, and she hid her face into Undyne's shoulder again, her tears taking over. Undyne gathered her closer, finally understanding - and feeling that tapestry of strings fall over them like a misshapen blanket.

"Oh, Alphy," Undyne whispered. "Of course I do. You make it so easy."

"N-no." Alphys shook her head. "I kn-know I'm hard to love... I'm... I-I'm..."

Undyne pulled her away from her shoulder and kissed her, silencing her. When she pulled away, Alphys stared at her, looking so grateful that Undyne's eye teared up, though she was smiling. "You're amazing, Alphy," she repeated.

Alphys's eyes wavered, and she smiled back shakily, biting her lip to keep herself from protesting further. She leaned down and pressed her forehead to Undyne's, and they both closed their eyes, smiling in the same way. Then, Alphys kissed Undyne again, gently, but Undyne suddenly pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, unable to help herself, now. Alphys practically melted into her embrace, and in moments was on her back with Undyne atop her, this time. The kiss deepened further, and again they made love, slower this time, but no less intense and wonderful.

There were strings attached to love, expectations that needed to be met on both sides. But the reason why it never seemed that way was because both people involved were happy to meet those expectations. That was the key.

There was truly nothing without strings, but some bunches were wonderful to be tangled into. Love was one of the best ones.

Chapter 60: Semantics

One of the most surprising things about Undyne was just how much value she put into words - especially her own. One would expect Alphys to be the one to get hung up on words, being the more analytical of the two, but, in fact, it was Undyne.

Once, they ended up being sick at the same time, but Undyne was the one who insisted on taking care of Alphys, especially.

"Undyne," Alphys said, her voice soft but rough from her sore throat. "Come sit down with me, please."

"No," she answered, her voice just as hoarse, a word, she supplemented with a cough. Alphys was curled up on the couch, mostly covered in blankets, but Undyne was hunched over the stove, making them both soup. She had a blanket flung over her shoulders but she still shivered. "Soup. We need soup."

Alphys paused to both cough and then blow her nose, before she said, "Undyne, w-we could just have it de-delivered."

Undyne turned and glared at her. "You're my wife!" she snarled. "I promised to take care of you in health and sickness, dammit!"

"Love," Alphys sighed. "It's not literal. Come on, leave it and we'll call it in."

"Alphy," Undyne answered, "you'll eat my soup and fucking like it."

Alphys stared at her for a moment, wondering if she was joking. When it was clear that she wasn't, Alphys curled back up into her blankets and nodded, saying softly, "Okay."

Undyne finished the soup, poured it into cups, and brought them back into the living room with her. She held one out to Alphys, who took it, before she sat down beside her. "Drink," she ordered, though her tone was soft, and she reached out and gave Alphys's warm cheek a gentle touch. "Trust me?"

"I do," Alphys replied with a smile, leaning into her hand. She took a few sips, finding the soup to be very soothing, indeed, and Undyne made sure she did before she began to sip her own, satisfied. She withdrew her hand and turned the TV back on, and Alphys leaned closer to her and rested her head on Undyne's shoulder.

Another time, Undyne had promised to take Alphys out to dinner and a movie, but ended up having to stay late at the school, which had Alphys going home alone and ordering take-out for them both. Alphys didn't mind; she felt bad that Undyne had to stay late more than the plans being cancelled.

The moment Undyne came home, however, she called out, "Okay, I'm home, let's go!"

Alphys blinked, hesitating in confusion, so Undyne walked over and said, "Come on, Alphy! Movie and food!" Her eyes then fell on the take-out, and she frowned. "You ordered in? Why?"

"Er." Alphys blushed. "Y-you were working late. I figured you'd be to tired, so I ordered us supper."

Undyne frowned even more. "Alphy, I promised! Of course we're still gonna go!"

"O-okay," Alphys said, getting up to clear away the food, still blushing. "I-I'm sorry. B-but, are you sure?" She looked up. "If you're too tired--,"

"Then I'll sleep on the bus!" Undyne cut in, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm a woman of my word, dammit!"

Alphys paused, then moved closer and hugged Undyne close, her hands still holding the cartons of take-out. "S-sorry," she said softly, and Undyne blinked, hugging her in return. "You are. You always are." She looked up at her and smiled. "Let's go."

They went, and it turned out, they had a wonderful time - though Undyne did fall asleep on the bus on the way back.

The one time that made Alphys speak up was the one that surprised her the most, because it was something she, herself, hadn't even remembered.

It was the weekend, and Alphys was reading. Undyne suddenly came into the room grinning, and Alphys looked up, blinking. The moment their eyes met, Undyne held out a box to her. "Here!" Alphys took it, bemused, and opened it as Undyne watched her with a grin. It was a wall clock made into the shape of a cat. Alphys blinked in pleasant surprise, memory suddenly flooding back, and she went scarlet.

Two weeks prior, they had been walking home from work and they had stopped at a new take-out place to try out the food, and on the wall of the place was a clock almost identical to the one she now held. It had Alphys smitten, and she couldn't stop staring at it.

"We're getting one if I can find it," Undyne had declared with a sly grin, and Alphys laughed, hugging her tight.

"Undyne!" Alphys said now, looking up at her with a surprised expression. "You remembered!"

Undyne sat down beside her, and Alphys immediately hugged her, making her laugh. "Of course I did, you nerd!" she replied. "I meant what I said, Alphy!"

Alphys blinked at her, pulling away. "Undyne," she said, "you don't always have to follow through on whatever you say."

"Yes, I do," Undyne replied. "Why else would I say it? I hate lying, and I'd never lie to you!"

"It wouldn't be lying!" Alphys protested. "It would just mean you either forgot or didn't do it, is all."

"I'm a woman of my word," Undyne answered. "why say anything at all if I'm not gonna follow through?"

"You don't have to, though," Alphys insisted. "I would never hold it against you."

"I would!" Undyne crossed her arms over her chest. "Alphy, if I say something, I mean it. I'm not one for making bullshit promises!"

Alphys paused, then reached up and touched Undyne's cheek with a light hand. "You're not, I know," she agreed. "It's pretty simple to you, huh? No words behind words."

"Damn right," Undyne agreed, grinning again and uncrossing her arms.

"I'll make sure you never make promises you can't keep," Alphys said with a smile.

"No!" Undyne grabbed Alphys's face into her hands, and she squeaked. "Make all of the promises! I love keeping them!"

Alphys laughed. "Okay," she replied with a spark in her eyes. "Can you promise to kiss me anytime you want to?"

In reply, Undyne pulled her close and kissed her.

Chapter 61: Innocence

Alphys stared at Undyne, her eyes wide but her mouth pressed into a small line. Undyne went scarlet, looking away. "Shut up!" she snarled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"B-but..." Alphys finally managed to say, her own cheeks heating up. "Y-you... you st-started it! A-and you seemed to know exactly wh-what to do!"

Undyne lowered her head, still refusing to look at her. "Yeah, well, I dunno! I read a lot, okay? Shut up!"

"U-Undyne..." Alphys said, unable to suppress a small smile.

"Merph," was Undyne's reply.

"M-me, too," Alphys admitted, her voice soft. Undyne raised her head and looked at her in surprise. Alphys nodded, her smile widening. "Ob-obviously," she added.

"You're lying," Undyne sniffed, but she looked unsure. "You're older than me. There's no damned way."

"That last line is what I wanted to say," Alphys replied easily.

"But, Alphy!" Undyne turned back to her, looking exasperated, now. She hadn't brought this up earlier because of her own assumptions, ones that she didn't want to confirm, but found herself asking about, anyway. She never expected this. "You... You're awesome, Alphy!" Alphys blushed shyly, but Undyne wasn't done. "You're so much fun, and you're so cute!"

"Er," Alphys murmured, looking at her hands, now. "N-no. Not to anyone else b-but you."

"Bullshit," Undyne growled, but she could tell that Alphys wasn't lying. Rather, she said it because she couldn't believe that she was the only one who felt that way. To her, Alphys was absolutely the best; she was funny, silly, passionate, patient, and adorable. She always thought that she was so lucky that Alphys had been single, let alone interested in her in return.

"N-no," Alphys said. "I-I had n-never even dated, really. At all." Her voice was flat.

Undyne stared at her, finally believing her - her expression was far too real, too vulnerable, to be exaggeration or anything but genuine. "But..." she spluttered out. "You... you're..."

"Nope," Alphys repeated softly. "No one has ever really been interested in me. Wh-when I met you, I-I dreamt we would be... but, I never expected it. Ever. I was content to be your friend, even if my heart wasn't."

Undyne grabbed her into a hug, one so tight that Alphys lost her breath for a moment. She hated how sad Alphys looked, and found herself angry at a universe that had Alphys upset. "Alphy, I had no idea," she admitted.

Alphys nodded into her shoulder. "You..." She hesitated. "You were so beautiful, so completely out of my league, th-that I just found myself lucky we were friends at all..."

"Of course we were!" Undyne said. "I was so happy! No one ever saw me past my armour, except Papyrus, and even then - hell, even now - he still sometimes can't. Plus, no one really seemed... good enough, really. Until you."

Alphys looked up at her, smiling a little. She was still blushing, especially now. Undyne grinned at her, her hands rubbing her back gently. "M-me," Alphys echoed. "Me?"

"You," Undyne agreed. "Ever since I met you, it's always been you. It's only been you."

"Undyne..." Alphys snuggled closer, her heart aching.

"So you believe me?" Undyne wondered. When Alphys nodded, she added, "Why would I lie about that, anyway?"

"T-to make a lonely loser happy?" Alphys muttered.

"No, you nerd," Undyne growled. "Because it's true, okay? I..." She sighed. "...was a virgin with you. Don't make me say that shit again!"

Alphys smiled, closing her eyes. "M-me, too."

"For once, I'm actually glad everyone else is too stupid to see how amazing you are," Undyne admitted. "I... kinda would be a little jealous of someone else if they had gotten to you first..."

"B-but you thought I wasn't before, and we're still together," Alphys pointed out, looking up at her again.

"Because I don't really care, not exactly. I just... didn't want to know who else, if at all. Except today, for some reason, I just wanted to know." Undyne looked away, blushing again. "I love you too much to look into your past and judge you based on it." She paused. "But I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't flattered and honoured. I'm flattered as hell!"

"You're flattered?!" Alphys snorted. "You?! Undyne..." She laughed, unable to help herself.

"What?" Undyne demanded, pulling away to glare at Alphys, who was now giggling uncontrollably. "What?!"

Alphys didn't elaborate. Instead, she grabbed Undyne back and kissed her, pulling her as close as possible, still giggling a little against her lips. Undyne decided that there were more important things, and she returned it - with interest.

Chapter 62: Dispose

"Alphy, what the hell is this?!"

Alphys stared at what Undyne was holding in horror. "Wh-wh-where... h-how... where?!" she stammered in shock.

"Answer me!" Undyne snapped, a hand on her hip, now.

"U-Undyne..." Alphys swallowed. "Wh-where did you find th-that?"

"Recycling!" she answered. "Why aren't you answering me?"

"Could..." Alphys got to her feet, her eyes still on what Undyne held. "C-could I just h-have that back? J-just for a second...?" She darted forward, just managing to miss it; Undyne had anticipated that and now held it above her head, out of reach.

"No!" she answered. Her face was red. Alphys reached up desperately, but she was too short. "What the hell, Alphy?!"

"L-look, Undyne..." Alphys blurted out, still trying to grab it as she rambled. "It-it was a long time ago, and-and I was v-very lonely, and - augh! - and we-we were still just friends, and-and - please, Undyne? - I was under a lot of stress with the research and needed s-some way to comfort myself, and-and-and I know it's stupid - give! - and weird and gross, so please, please, please give it back!"

Undyne was blinking at her, looking surprised. She had listened to every word, keeping her hand held up high. The moment Alphys had run out of words, she looked up and opened the notebook she held with both of her arms still held up, now reading. Alphys jumped a few times with a few distressed yelps, but missed each time. The longer Undyne read, the redder she got.

"Oh, my god," Undyne said finally, closing the book. She lowered her arms, and Alphys grabbed the notebook hurriedly, then covered her face with her hands, mortified. "Alphy..."

"I know, I know!" Alphys cried, not looking up and wishing she could disappear. "It's gross, I'm gross, I'm so sorry!"

"Nerd," Undyne said, her voice calm. "Will you calm down?"

Alphys felt a hand touch the top of her head, and she hunched over, still deeply embarrassed. "It's okay," she said weakly. "You can divorce me, now. I understand."

"Alphy, I grabbed it out of recycling because I thought it was one of your diaries," Undyne finally admitted. Alphys froze, but she wasn't done. "I had no clue that it was fanfic at all, let alone about me. I thought you'd tossed it by mistake!"

"Shit," Alphys whispered, embarrassment now turning to deep shame. "Please kill me, Undyne."

"Nope," Undyne replied. "Why the hell did you throw it out?"

Alphys's hands dropped from her face in shock. "Undyne, wh-what?!"

"Why the hell would you throw that out?" she repeated, her arms crossed.

"Be-because... it's... horrible?" Alphys offered. "It's weird? It's crazy? We're married? It's stupid? I'm stupid? It's--,"

"Shut up, please," Undyne cut in, an eyebrow raised. Alphys did, too ashamed to say more. "Alphy, holy shit." Undyne rolled her eye and then smiled. "I don't even care."

Alphys gaped at her.

"I don't!" Undyne insisted. "Seriously! Lemme ask you something: when you wrote it, did it make you happy?"

"E-er..." Alphys nodded. "Yeah."

"Then I do. Not. Care," Undyne repeated, grinning now. "I care if you're throwing it out for stupid reasons! You should always keep things that make you happy." She pointed to the notebook. "That made you happy. You should keep it, Alphy."

"Undyne..." Alphys said, her eyes wide, barely believing what she was hearing. "You... you're not grossed out?"

"Nope," Undyne agreed. "Though, uh." She went pink. "I, uh, doubt I can live up to your expectations, heh."

Alphys tossed the notebook aside and reached up, pulling Undyne to her to kiss her, which surprised Undyne. When she pulled away, Alphys said, "I was throwing it away because you've... you've..." She blushed, smiling up at her. "You've exceeded them. I-I don't need it anymore. I haven't needed it in..." She paused. "Two years, five months, and three weeks."

Undyne stared at her this time, bright red, now, her arms still around Alphys. "Alphy," she said softly, and Alphys nodded. Undyne then pulled her close and kissed her, deeper this time, and Alphys had to cling to her to stay on her feet. It soon didn't matter; Undyne picked her up and took her to their bedroom.

Alphys, in the end, kept the notebook. But she added the following line on the very last page of it:

"Life truly is the greatest fanfic of all time."

Chapter 63: Blaze

Almost every time it happened, Alphys was always surprised, as it seemed to come out of nowhere. She knew why she got that way; not so much when it came to Undyne. For Undyne, however, it was pretty simple: she loved Alphys, adored her to the very marrow of her bones, and found her absolutely adorable - and attractive. She couldn't help it if it occurred to her at random times.

One time that truly puzzled Alphys was one that she never could figure out on her own. All had she been doing was playing - okay, trying to play - a string of music from one of her favourite video games on Undyne's piano, while Undyne was working out. She had been so focused, getting so close to the right notes, that she didn't eve know that Undyne had come upstairs until she found herself suddenly engulfed in a tight hug and an intense kiss. Her claws fumbled into nonsense notes, but Undyne simply deepened the kiss, so much that Alphys had to grab onto her to stay sitting up, though she returned it, unable to resist.

Undyne grabbed hold of her. "C'mon," she said between kisses, her voice breathless. "Bedroom." Her eye was bright, and she was grinning.

"Y-yes," Alphys agreed. "B-but... wh-what--?"

"Less talk, more kiss," Undyne replied, before doing just that. By the time they'd made it to the bedroom, Alphys decided she didn't care why, anymore.

Another time, Alphys was so confused that she was speechless at first. All she had been doing prior was just sitting there, reading beside Undyne as she played a game, when suddenly she found the book plucked from her hands and Undyne leaning towards her, kissing her. Alphys stared at her, surprised to the point of being frozen, so Undyne pulled away and said, "Alphy, I want you."

"U-uh, I see that, b-but..." Alphys blinked at her. "Wh-what--?"

Undyne kissed her again in reply. Alphys clung to her, sudden desire sparking in her, and Undyne laughed softly against her lips. That time, they didn't even make it beyond the couch.

The weirdest time had her speaking up about it (though of course it was after). They were, of all places, at sans and Papyrus's surface home, a small house in the area of the city that was as close to the surface Grillby's as possible (short of living there). They spent a rather fun day playing games as well as watching a few shows, but ended up having to stay the night, as by the time Papyrus was tired enough to actually sleep, it was too late to catch a bus home.

They were set up in the den on the pull-out couch, both wearing oversized T-shirts as pyjamas (from sans), and Alphys was already drifting off when Undyne's arms went around her, pulling her closer. Automatically, she snuggled closer - only to be snapped awake when she felt Undyne's hand reach up from her waist to her chest, her palm brushing over one breast carefully.

"Undyne?" she whispered, opening her eyes and looking up at her, trying to see her better in the dark, and without glasses.

"Hi," Undyne whispered back, leaning down and kissing the curve of Alphys's neck. Alphys closed her eyes, moving closer, which in turn had Undyne reaching beneath her shirt to touch her breasts directly.

Alphys inhaled sharply, barely managing to whisper, "Undyne, hold on, we-we're at--,"

"I know," Undyne replied. "So we'll be really quiet. I promise."

"I can't promise!" Alphys squeaked out.

Undyne sat up and pulled Alphys's shirt off in reply, leaning back down to lick down Alphys's neck to one breast. Alphys closed her eyes again, starting to forget why she was protesting. "Undyne..." she murmured, grabbing onto Undyne's shoulder's tight. She felt one of Undyne's hands slip down and grab onto her underwear, tugging them down, and Alphys kicked them off, reaching under Undyne's shirt in reply, brushing her clawtips over one breast slowly. Undyne sighed, which sent another stab of desire into her.

Undyne pressed right up against Alphys, who clung to her tight, grabbing her face and pulling her close to kiss her. Undyne deepened the kiss, reaching down and slipping her hand between Alphys's legs, her fingers trailing over sensitive folds slowly. Alphys inhaled sharply, clinging tighter, and Undyne pressed closer, licking Alphys's lips apart as her fingers reached deep. Alphys moaned against her lips, her eyes closing tight, feeling her whole body go hot just from one touch.

"Shh," Undyne whispered deviously, crooking her fingers up and beginning to move them, slow and deep. Alphys was instantly lost to her, her body automatically moving to match the pace. She slipped her arms around Undyne, her claws digging in. Undyne pulled from the kiss to lean down and lick one of her breasts, and suddenly Alphys didn't care where she was, anymore.

Alphys didn't realise she was making noise until Undyne's other hand reached up and covered her mouth, hissing out, "Alphy, shush!" Alphys nodded, one of her own hands covering Undyne's to keep it in place, no longer trusting herself to be quiet, especially the closer she got. Undyne could tell, so she increased the pace of her fingers and hit deep. Alphys squirmed beneath her, her cries barely muffled by now. Undyne grinned, looking up to watch her as best as she could in the dim light, though Alphys didn't know, as her eyes were shut tight. Her claws dug into Undyne's back and the back of her hand, and she arched back, groaning out as she came, unable to control it, though she did try. She just hoped that sans and Papyrus were heavy sleepers.

Once she was calm, Undyne pulled her hand away from her mouth, though Alphys kept hold of it. Undyne grinned at her, still, moving closer to lie down beside her. Alphys clung to her immediately, burying her face into her shoulder. "Undyne," she whispered. Undyne kissed the top of her head in reply.

When she could finally think clearly again, Alphys looked up at Undyne, now able to see a dim shadow-version of her. She could tell that Undyne was grinning, however.

"Undyne," she repeated. "I n-need to ask you something."

"Anything," Undyne replied.

"Wh-where did that come from? A-and..." Alphys hesitated. "B-before, a few days ago on the couch, and again at the piano... I d-don't get it. Wh-why did you suddenly w-want me those times?"

"Uh." Undyne sounded shy all of a sudden. "Uhm." She cleared her throat. "The piano... heh. You... you're so cute when you're trying so hard to learn something new. I... couldn't resist." She paused. "The couch, uh, was because you... you're really cute when you read, just so focused and absorbed... heh." She trailed off.

Alphys stared at her.

"Uh, and now..." Undyne hid her face in Alphys's shoulder. "I've, uh, been wanting you all day. You're so sweet and funny with Papyrus, and you don't take any of sans's bullshit, and I just... didn't want to wait until tomorrow, so... yeah." She paused again, then concluded, softly, "You're so fucking adorable, literally. You're like catnip to me."

Alphys was blushing so hard she actually could feel it.

"Shut up," Undyne grumbled.

Alphys instead leaned down and kissed her, deeply. Undyne blinked, especially when Alphys pulled closer and tugged at her shirt. "Can you be quiet enough?" Alphys wondered against her lips.

Undyne laughed. "Way more than you," she teased.

"We'll see," Alphys replied, pulling the shirt off, then Undyne's underwear, before slipping down between her legs.

She was quiet enough - but only because she buried her face into two of the pillows and covered her mouth with one of her hands. It was a little bit like cheating, but as Alphys couldn't exactly reach up to help, she decided it was fine. By then, neither really cared, anyway.

After that, Alphys never questioned Undyne again. She didn't have to; she now understood.

Chapter 64: Neglect

It was like a sea of dogs.

Okay, maybe less a sea and more a pond, but Alphys was no less surprised by how much space was taken up by them. She sat on the chair, currently being used as a chair by Greater Dog, who seemed to find her lap superior to any kind of poff. (It was actually kind of flattering.)

Undyne was sandwiched on the couch and looking thrilled by it. On one side sat Dogamy and Dogressa, and on the other was Doggo and Lesser Dog. On the floor at their feet was Endogeny, who looked rather pleased - if a little damp. Occasionally, Endogeny would raise its head and thump its tail in Alphys's direction, and she would lean down and pat its head like she used to do in the Lab.

This had been Undyne's idea. She realised, suddenly one evening, that she hadn't seen her fellow canine guards in far too long, and she shouted, startling Alphys so much that she tossed her book to the floor, "Alphy! We need to have a party for the Dogs!"

"Er?" Alphys had said helpfully.

"It's been too damned long! I can't let not being their captain take my time away from my former co-workers!" Undyne had declared. "I've been an asshole! This weekend, dammit!"

And so it was. It had been Alphys's idea to also invite Endogeny, and she was glad she had. Endogeny had been her favourite of the amalgamates, and seeing it again was actually a joy - on both sides. She hadn't anticipated Greater Dog's affection, but she wondered if she owed Endogeny for that; they were related, after all.

"Undyne! Undyne!" Dogamy was saying, one arm around his wife, the other held up and gesturing as he spoke. "Will you and Dr Alphys be at the Nose-Nuzzling Competition this year?"

Undyne blushed, but Dogressa added, "Oh, do. We could use healthy competition. We've practically been stealing it for years, now!"

Doggo was watching Dogamy's gesticulating paw closely during this, and Lesser Dog was watching Doggo.

"Uh," Undyne said now, scratching at her cheek. "I didn't know they still did that."

"They're finally restarting a surface version this year!" Dogressa said happily.

"Uh, and I'd love to go but, uh..." Undyne rolled her eye. "I'm missing the key requirement, you dorks!"

"Pfft!" Dogamy answered with a smile. "Semantics, Captain!"

"Truly, Undyne, you and Dr Alphys would be so welcome!" Dogressa agreed happily.

Alphys, who was scratching Greater Dog's ears, met Undyne's gaze and smiled, blushing a little. She actually rather liked the idea.

"Also," Dogamy sighed, "we heard a rumour that the former champs were coming back this year."

Alphys nodded. She knew it was true, as did Undyne. They'd both heard that already from the former champs, themselves, after all.

"Ridiculous that someone else has that trophy, now," Toriel had sniffed. "We'll simply have to win it back, won't we, Gorey?" Asgore went pink, his smile so wide it made everyone laugh - even Toriel.

"So any added competition against them would also be good," Dogressa added with a sombre nod.

"We'll see, okay?" Undyne finally said, bright red, now. Alphys smiled at her, and she coughed. "New topic, please! Doggo!" She turned to him, and his eyes immediately were on her. "How are things?"

"Undyne, captain," he said. "Everything moves here! There is no rest!" He suddenly lit right up, his tail wagging so hard he kept smacking Lesser Dog. "I love it here! I haven't had to smoke in months!" Undyne laughed happily, giving him a hug, and he looked both happy and overstimulated.

The visit was incredibly fun, and in the end, Alphys found herself rather smitten by them all, especially Greater Dog and of course Endogeny. So when Undyne declared that this would be a monthly event, Alphys found herself almost excited by the idea. When she hugged Endogeny goodbye, she got the equivalent of licked, which was a light spray of ecto-drool.

When they were alone again, Undyne grinned. "That was awesome," she said. Alphys returned the grin, nodding in agreement. "I should have done that way sooner."

Alphys hugged her in reply, before adding, "A-and... the C-competition?" she wondered shyly, looking up at her with that same grin.

Undyne blushed, looking away and scratching her cheek again. "I'll think about it," she mumbled. "I worry it'll be too nauseating, surrounded by such idiotic grossness." She paused, then suddenly grinned rather deviously. "If we go, we'll have to out-gross them. That's my condition."

Alphys laughed in delight, hugging her tighter, and Undyne laughed a little in return. Put in that way, they had to go now.

But for now - Dog Day every month. That, at least, was now a permanent fixture, and a happy one, too.

Chapter 65: Quake

Before the barrier broke, and before Undyne met Alphys, Undyne was absolutely certain that her life was made, set in its way, and was how it would be until she was dust. She was quite content in her ways, and could see herself happy for life as Captain of the Royal Guard for King Asgore. And she knew that once Asgore managed to shatter the barrier, she'd be at his side and ready to fight, just for him.

Papyrus and sans had thrown a curve at her when they arrived in Snowdin, especially when they expressed interest in being part of her Guard (well, less sans than Papyrus, but sans insisted once Papyrus was accepted into training, so she of course accepted him), but even then, she was still rather content that her life was set.

Before she met Alphys, Undyne had heard the rumours about her: she was a recluse, working hard for Asgore as Royal Scientist, while also being rather vocal and involved on UnderNet. Undyne had read some of her anime reviews (as well as maybe a couple of her fanfics), but beyond that, she didn't really have much of an opinion about her, either way. Just that she was, to Asgore, doing a good job, and was everything he could ask for in a Royal Scientist.

So when she was doing her routine rounds in Waterfall, on her way towards the Blook farm to visit Napstablook, and her eyes fell on a lone figure standing on the water tiles in front of the abyss, it took her several moments to connect a name to the person.

But before she did, she found herself frozen in mid-step, her eye held locked on that figure. All she could see was her profile, but she couldn't look away. She suddenly felt strangely giddy, as if the ground beneath her had moved, and now her legs were jelly.

That is, until Alphys closed her eyes and took a step off the tiles. Undyne suddenly snapped out of it, dread lancing like ice in her gut. It was then that a name finally jumped into her head, and she stumbled forward, close to desperation, calling out, "Hey! Dr Alphys!"

Alphys jumped backwards, her eyes going wide, staggering back onto the tiles as Undyne trudged through the water towards her. Now that she was facing Undyne, again she felt that odd giddiness fill her, confusing her. She stopped beside Alphys and grinned at her. Alphys stared up at her, her hands clenched in front of her and shaking, through she clearly was trying to hide that.

"C-Captain U-Undyne," Alphys stammered, her voice soft. She went red the moment their eyes met. "I-I was just... I w-was j-just..." Her eyes flicked back to the abyss, before returning to Undyne. She began to sweat, still shaking.

"Checking out the abyss, huh?" Undyne supplied. At the time, she didn't make the connection that she would end up making later - she was too overwhelmed by how she felt - so she genuinely thought that that was why Alphys was there.

"Y-yes," Alphys agreed, lowering her eyes.

Undyne grinned, though she wasn't quite sure why. "You're really smart, so I'd love to know: where do you think it goes?"

Alphys looked back up at her in surprise. "Wh-what do I th-think?" she echoed, sounding shocked. as if she'd been asked a rather personal question.

"Yeah!" Undyne agreed. "It's gotta go somewhere, right?"

Alphys stared at her, then swallowed. "I... I think..."

She hesitated, then suddenly launched into a long explanation.

Undyne was at first surprised, then found herself instantly enthralled; Alphys had a way of lecturing that was less lecture and more like conversation, however one-sided it may be. Alphys clearly cared about what she was saying, and it showed in every word that she said. Undyne not only listened, but actually absorbed what Alphys actually said.

When Alphys suddenly trailed off with a wavering, "Er," Undyne smiled at her. She realised, quite suddenly, that the Blook farm could wait a little longer. Napstablook would understand.

The moment that thought fully formed, Undyne suddenly found herself even more confused. She had another thought right after it that, she later understood, changed her entire life forever.

She's really interesting... and really cute. I want to know more about her.

And suddenly her contented bubble that she'd had around her popped. She discovered, quite abruptly, that perhaps there was more to life after all, and that it went far beyond just being Captain.

"Hey," she said, and Alphys nodded shyly. "Wanna grab some food in Snowdin with me? At Grillby's? Have you been there, before?"

"Er." Alphys blushed. "N-no, I haven't. B-but, yes! I m-mean, uh, y-yes, I'd l-love to go to Snowdin. W-with you." And she smiled. It was small, but real.

Undyne blinked at her, her heart suddenly speeding up at the sight of that smile. She coughed, looking away, aware that her own face was heating up. To cover it up, she grinned and said, "Awesome, let's go!"

They did - the very first time that Undyne slacked off for purely personal reasons, and yet it was a decision that she never, ever regretted, for as long as she lived.

Chapter 66: Guess

In the middle of a particularly difficult boss battle, Undyne suddenly found herself blind. "Aaah!" she yelped, hurriedly pausing the game in hopes that she did so in time, before she got killed. Then, she reached up and tried to prise away the source of the blindness - only to find her wife's hand firmly in place.

"Alphy!" she growled, squirming and trying to get out of her grip. "Move, dammit! You're ruining my steeze!"

Alphys kept her hand firmly in place, instead. "N-no," she replied. "I have a surprise for you."

Undyne froze, suddenly interested. "Do you?" she said, unable to suppress a smile.

"Y-yes. But you have to guess what it is, o-or you don't get it."

Undyne tossed the controller aside. "Okay!" She loved games like this. "Is it edible?"

There was a pause. "Uh," Alphys said, suddenly sounding shy. "Kinda...?"

Undyne thought for a moment. "Can I wear it?"

Another pause. "E-er, no. Not really."

"Is it jewellery?"

"No. Also, that counts as something you can wear," Alphys replied, sounding more confident, now.

Undyne was confused. "Okay, uh... is it...?" She chewed on her lip. "Is it a new game?"

"Nope." Alphys giggled. "You can give up at any time, you know."

"No way!" Undyne answered sharply. "Uh, can we both enjoy it?"

"Yes," Alphys replied, giggling again shyly.

"Is it food?"

"No."

Undyne was starting to get frustrated, to be honest. She had no idea. "Alphy, what the hell is it?"

"D-do you give up--?"

"No!" Undyne snarled. She hated giving up. "Can I at least get a hint?"

Alphys paused, clearly thinking about it. "Uh," she said, the shyness back. She hesitated. "Er. It's, uh, mostly on me?"

Undyne frowned. What the hell did that mean? "Is it a trip or something?"

"Nope."

"Fuck!"

"Er," Alphys muttered shyly. "Close."

Undyne blinked in surprise, something Alphys felt against her palm. "How the hell is that close?" she demanded. Then, quite suddenly, her brain finally connected the dots. "Oh... my... god..." She grabbed Alphys's hand, tugging eagerly, and this time Alphys let her. Undyne turned around on the couch and looked at her wife - and went completely hot all over.

Alphys stood looking away, a hand to her bright red cheek, the other held up in front of her chest. She stood shyly, fussing with what she wore - which instantly had Undyne spellbound. She was wearing lingerie, a black push-up bra with an attached sheer curtain sweeping out just to her thighs, her underwear high-cut and also black. They were both lace, leaving very little to the imagination.

"Fuck," Undyne repeated hoarsely, her mouth going dry with sudden desire.

"It-it's stupid," Alphys replied. "It's very st-stupid, r-right? I-I just thought--merph!"

Undyne had leapt over the couch and pounced on her, pinning her to the closest wall and kissing her, hard. Alphys clung to her, kissing back breathlessly, especially when Undyne reached down and pulled her legs around her waist, holding her tight and pressing her against the wall.

"S-so," Alphys whispered between kisses, helping Undyne get undressed. "G-good?"

Undyne's reply was another deep kiss - the only answer she really needed.

Notes:

Anyone who gets where "steeze" is from is automatically amazing and deserves pancakes.

Chapter 67: Quarrel

Once, playing Smash Brothers wasn't enough to resolve a fight, as it was of a more personal nature and less about chores. They began with it anyway, but found that after, it wasn't enough.

"I win!" Undyne shouted, as Alphys threw the controller across the room. "That settles it, Alphy."

Alphys leaned back, crossed her arms, and glowered at her, her tail twitching angrily. "N-no," she snarled.

Undyne dropped her controller and stared at her in disbelief. "Alphy, what the hell! We had a deal! Whoever wins, wins!"

"I-I can't," Alphys answered, glaring at her own discarded controller. "I can't agree this time."

Undyne stared at her, her face going red with anger. Alphys noticed, then got to her feet and stormed away, going to the washroom and slamming the door, hard. Undyne stared at the empty space that had once held her wife, then sat back, crossing her arms and lowering her head, biting down on her lip.

Alphys sat on the edge of the toilet, covering her face with her hands, shaking, her glasses on the counter beside her. She hated fighting with Undyne, but this was something she just couldn't do. She wished Undyne could understand.

Undyne didn't, and it was frustrating for both of them. To her, it was very simple. But Alphys's reaction...

Am I in the wrong, after all? Things had gone so well with the Dogs...

Slowly, Undyne got to her feet and went to the washroom. She hesitated, then knocked on the door gently.

Alphys looked up, her face tear-streaked.

"Alphy, can we talk?"

Alphys hesitated, then said, "Y-yeah. Come in."

Undyne did, her stomach clenching when she saw Alphys's tears. Alphys looked up at her, then looked back down, brushing her tears away with a shaking hand, the other going to the pendant around her neck, a habit she had when she was upset. Undyne walked over and knelt down in front of her. Alphys bit her lip, her eyes filling again, especially when their eyes met.

"U-Undyne..." she murmured, but Undyne shook her head.

"Alphy," she said gently. "You're still ashamed, aren't you?"

Alphys's face crumpled, and she lowered her head and nodded, covering her face again. Undyne placed a hand on her knee gently. "I c-can't, Undyne," she sobbed. "I-I just c-can't!"

"But, Alphy, the amalgamates don't hate you. They miss you, and want to see you again!" Undyne insisted gently.

"I-I destroyed them..."

"Alphy, love, you know that's not true. You took care of them, supported them and kept them safe. And then you brought them home." Undyne rubbed Alphys's knee slowly.

"Pl-please Undyne... I'm n-not r-ready..."

Undyne reached up and pulled her down towards her, hugging her tight. Alphys grabbed onto her and sobbed into her shoulder, and Undyne held her close, rubbing her back. "Okay," she murmured. "Okay, Alphy. Not yet. But do think about it, okay?"

"Y-yes. Okay," Alphys agreed, nodding slowly. And she meant it, too. She wanted to see them again, but she was just too afraid of the judgement of their families, no matter what Undyne said that proved contrary to that.

That day would come - just not yet.

Chapter 68: Blood

Alphys was curled up on one side of the couch, her tail wrapped around her legs, which were tucked up against her. She was pale, barely reacting to what she was watching, and once and a while she would grab the giant glass of water beside her and take a generous gulp of it. One hand was curled around her pendant, and she looked like she wanted to sleep - or punch something.

Undyne slowly trudged into the living room, holding two more giant glasses of water, wearing a similar expression. Both wore loose, comfortable clothes but looked anything but comfortable. Very carefully, Undyne sat down on the other corner of the couch, curling up into a similar ball, handing Alphys one of the glasses, who took it and put it aside with a grateful nod, before pausing the TV and looking over at her.

Very gently, Undyne touched her feet with Alphys's, who pushed hers closer in reply. Softly, Alphys asked, "When?"

"An hour ago," Undyne mumbled, glaring at the TV, resting her cheek on one hand, her other hand tangling in her already-messy hair. "Already really heavy, too."

Alphys sighed, reaching over and touching Undyne's leg gently in hopes of comforting her. Undyne was indeed comforted, and she closed her eye and leaned back. "No matter how many times this happens," she grumbled, "I always forget, and never get used to it." Her wife nodded in agreement, leaning over onto her other side in order to rest on Undyne's legs, curling her tail around her own legs again. Undyne reached down and stroked her head gently, and this time Alphys was the one comforted.

"It didn't take too long for us, either, though I'm surprised it didn't happen when we were still just friends," Alphys said weakly. "I actually wonder if it has something to do with the surface, and us living on it. I don't think this kind of thing happened too often Underground. If it did, I certainly never heard of it, and I'm a doctor of biology."

Undyne grunted in reply, so Alphys went on, finding that it was oddly soothing to lecture, despite the subject. Undyne actually felt the same way.

"We're supposed to be made mostly of magic," Alphys sighed. "Less organic and more magic, anyway. Yet with the barrier broken and us living here, I've noticed that, more and more, our biological sides become more and more prominent. Is that how it happened for humans, which is why they no longer have magic at all? Was it like this before the barrier even went up?"

"Mm. Toriel might know," Undyne said softly.

Alphys considered this. "She might, but I don't think she'd want to really talk about it. After all, hers ended when... when..." She bit her lip, and Undyne's hand became more gentle in response. "I don't want to hurt her just to answer a question like this, you know? Doesn't seem worth it."

"Yeah," Undyne agreed. "But, I have to be blunt, Alphy. This fucking sucks. No wonder humans are so angry all the time."

Alphys hugged onto her legs tight, nuzzling her knees and nodding in agreement. "But at least we have each other. We can comfort each other, you know?"

"Since when are you the optimist, dear wife?" Undyne teased, finally smiling.

"Hormones." Alphys giggled a little, which actually made Undyne laugh, delighting her even more. She snuggled closer, and Undyne pulled her close, giving the top of her head a kiss.

"Let's just watch stupid TV and pretend this isn't happening to us, shall we?" Undyne replied with a grin, and Alphys nodded, pulling a blanket over them and handing her the remote. Undyne turned the TV back on, and they allowed the ridiculous bubblegum anime she chose distract them from how they felt. Despite it all, it actually worked.

Chapter 69: Effort

For the first time in a while, Alphys had to work late at the school. She was especially frustrated, as she had wanted to spend as much time with Undyne that evening as possible. Her agitation would rise up in many different ways, from her hand going to the pendant around her neck, to the frustrated scribbling she'd make over mistakes in her myriad notes. She was trying to rush herself, but only succeeded in making her later - yet another frustration.

When she was finally finished, it was dusk - almost completely dark - and she was so angry, she felt tears well up in her eyes. She texted Undyne: "Done, finally. Want me to pick up dinner? ETA 20 minutes, 40 with food."

There was a pause. Then, "No, just come home, hon."

Alphys was a little confused by that, but then realised that Undyne must have grabbed take-out and had already eaten. With a frustrated sigh, she brushed her tears away and left the office, glad to finally leave it behind her.

When she got home, night had begun in earnest, and Alphys felt horrible. She hesitated at the front door, wondering if Undyne would be as angry as she was, herself. With a sigh, she went inside. She was greeted by darkness, something she had expected. She kicked her shoes off, tossed her bag aside, and walked into the living room.

And froze, her eyes going wide.

The entire room was lit by candles, all forming a slightly-lopsided heart. In the middle of it was a blanket, two dishes full of food - and Undyne, who stood up the moment Alphys walked in. She smiled brightly, and Alphys saw she wore a simple set of satin lingerie with a matching robe that was loosely tied up over it, all the same cerulean colour - even her eyepatch.

Alphys was absolutely speechless.

"Hey," Undyne said softly, waving her hand shyly.

"Y-you..." Alphys stammered, her eyes filling, her hands going to her mouth. "You re-remembered...?"

Undyne laughed. "Of course I did, nerd!" she replied happily. "How could I ever forget that day? I'll never forget it, ever, no matter how many years pass. And it's only been two!"

"B-but, last year..." Alphys was crying by now, her voice choked.

"You made it seem like no big deal, but I know you, Alphy. It's a big deal." Undyne's eye shone, her tears sparkling in the candlelight, despite her grin. "Because it's a big deal for me, too."

Alphys stumbled forward and over to her, treading carefully to avoid any candles or dishes, before she grabbed Undyne into the tightest hug she could possibly muster. She reached up and pulled Undyne's face down to hers, kissing her with that same fervour and grabbing onto her tight. Undyne laughed softly against her lips, returning it, pulling her into her arms and off her feet. Without any other hesitation, they went right to the bedroom, to celebrate two years of intimacy together - and to start the third year in the best way they could.

Notes:

Please forgive the delay ;_;. I'm in the midst of moving into my new home with my fiancé, and it's kicking my sickly ass. I promise once it's all done, updates will be more regular. I really appreciate the patience!

Chapter 70: Now

Alphys had a problem with time; she had problems staying in the present. Undyne never had this problem; if anything, she tended to focus only on the present, either forgetting what was done or what needed to be done, especially if she deemed it unimportant.

They had clashed over this often as friends, and still ended up doing so after they were married. Both suspected they would never agree on it, but that didn't stop the occasional tiff in regards to it.

However, there was one instance in which both brought them both quite a bit of pain, but that in the end gave an immense pay-off - a good lesson for them both.

Undyne awoke in the middle of the night to the sounds of Alphys having a nightmare. She didn't make much movement, but she whimpered, and it always woke Undyne up, as the level of pain she heard in Alphys's voice could never be ignored.

Undyne pulled Alphys into her arms and gently shook her to wake her up, calling her name softly, and gradually Alphys did wake up - and then immediately cling onto her, her claws digging into her back, bursting into raw sobs. Always, it was about the True Lab. No other bad dream drove Alphys to such a deep degree of pain. Undyne held her close and comforted her as she shook and sobbed. Usually, after some time, she would calm down enough to fall back asleep, but this night was different.

Once she had calmed down enough, Alphys whispered, "I-I'm sorry," into Undyne's shoulder, and her voice wavered. "I-I can't h-help it."

"It's okay," Undyne replied honestly, giving her a kiss on her forehead to emphasise this. She paused, then added, "But, Alphy... you need to try and let it go."

Alphys was quiet for a moment, before she said, "Undyne, d-don't you think I've t-tried? For years? S-sometimes more than once a day?"

"Of course," Undyne agreed carefully, still keeping her close. "Of course I know." She paused again. "But, Alphy, if you keep looking in the past--,'

"I-I'm not!" Alphys protested, pulling away from Undyne and sitting up, brushing her tears away in frustration. "Do you think I want to dream about that?"

Undyne sat up. "No, Alphy, of course not! Give me some credit!"

"G-give me some credit, then!" Alphys shot back angrily. "I-I don't want to dwell on that! I don't want to remember that! But I c-can't control my dreams, Undyne!"

"I know--," Undyne tried, but Alphys wasn't done.

"You don't know!" Alphys insisted. "If y-you did, you wouldn't say that! You-you'd understand!"

"Alphy, come on!" Undyne said, reaching out and touching her hand. Alphys flinched, but didn't pull it away. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I do understand... sorta. I just... don't like it when you're hurting, is all."

"I-I know," Alphys murmured. "I d-don't like it, either." She sighed, then leaned over and landed against Undyne's side. Undyne smiled a little and pulled her close, wrapping her arms around her. "But I can't control it, Undyne."

Undyne kissed her forehead again and nodded, then lay back down with Alphys still in her arms. Alphys sighed again, a content sigh this time, moving closer, and Undyne squeezed her a little. "Stay in my arms tonight, okay? Or at least until you fall asleep." Alphys nodded and curled closer, closing her eyes. Once Undyne was sure she was asleep again, she was able to fall back asleep, too, though her mind was rather busy as she tried.

There were no more nightmares that night, but that didn't stop Undyne from thinking. She had an idea, one she hoped would stop the nightmares for good.

In the morning, Alphys woke her up with a tight hug, leaning close and whispering into her ear, "I'm sorry about last night." Undyne opened her eye and smiled faintly, her answer a kiss to her lips. Alphys looked grateful and relieved, and this made Undyne even more determined to go through with her plan.

About a week later, when they met up after school, Undyne said, "Guess what?"

Alphys smiled at her; those words always meant a surprise. "I'll never guess, so just tell me!"

"Feel like going Underground tonight, to Snowdin?" Undyne wondered, taking her hand.

Alphys blinked a little in slight confusion, but she shrugged and smiled, still. "Sure. We haven't been there in a while; it'll be nice to catch up with everyone who stayed there."

"Great!" Undyne kissed her cheek, and together, they went. Once they were cleared to go through and were finally back there, they stopped at the original Grillby's - only sometimes run by Grillby, as he usually stayed at the surface location, now - and had supper. The food was nice, but they both admitted it wasn't the same without Grillby.

Once done, Undyne said, "So, I have a big surprise for you, one that we have to go to the Inn to check out. You up for it?"

Alphys smiled at her; she'd been right. "Of course," she agreed. She had absolutely no idea what it was, but knowing Undyne, it was something wonderful.

Once they made it to the Inn, however, Alphys felt like she'd been ambushed instead of surprised. She actually felt like she was going to faint, and had to lean against Undyne to stay standing, the blood going right to her feet. Undyne worriedly held her up, wondering now if this was such a good idea, after all, but it was too late to go back.

Waiting for them both in the main area of the Inn were the Snowdrakes, Endogeny, Doggo, Greater and Lesser Dogs, and Lemon Bread, Aaron, and Shyren. (Reaper Bird and its family had wanted to come, but as its relatives were more comfortable in the Ruins, they did not - that would have happen on another day.) Every single one of them lit up when they saw Alphys, and Endogeny immediately got up and lumbered over to her, trying to pet her.

"Un-Undyne," she murmured, her eyes wide, her hand automatically reaching out to pet Endogeny. She was shaking. "I-I t-told you... I-I wasn't... I-I'm n-not ready..."

Undyne kept her steady, noticing the fear clouding her eyes. "Alphy, I know you said that, but... I think you need this, sweetie."

Alphys took a few deep breaths, her eyes closing, though her hand still automatically petted Endogeny.

"Dr Alphys," said Aaron with a wink, "it's wonderful to see you again!" Shyren, from behind him, nodded, and Lemon Bread smiled brightly. "We've missed you very much."

"E-er," she answered, her eyes opening again. "B-but..." Endogeny lay down on her feet, startling her, and she blinked down at it in surprise. Endogeny was the only amalgamate that she had had contact with outside of the True Lab, so its affection wasn't as surprising - though she still felt amazed, anyway.

"I was jus' tellin' everyone," Snowdrake's father - Snowmallard - said, blinking at her with a wry grin. "I was jus' sayin' how nice it is that we can all stick together, y'know, Doc?"

"Stick together! Hah!" Snowdrake laughed, and his father beamed at him. Snowdrake's mother - Snowhen - made a gentle laughing sound, as well.

Alphys blinked at them, feeling herself slowly relax from that small laugh, her eyes now on Snowhen. There was no judgement there, no anger or hurt; just a mother enjoying a silly joke. Undyne squeezed her shoulders gently.

Lemon Bread gave Snowmallard a long-suffering look. "We could do with less of that, though," she admitted, her melodic voice oddly soothing to everyone. Shyren, from behind her shoulder, nodded a little, and Aaron merely winked.

"Doctor!" Doggo said, his tail wagging so fast it was a blur. "Did you notice? Everyone moves, especially the ones like Endogeny! This is great!" Greater Dog uttered a low bark in agreement, and Lesser Dog raised its head and thumped its tail on the floor happily, its neck rising up a little.

"I... had missed the cold," Snowhen said softly, her voice wavering a little but strong. "It's so nice... to be home... Thank you..."

"Why didn't you come to see us sooner?" Lemon Bread wondered. She was clearly, due to her added parts, much bolder than her sister.

Alphys went scarlet, her hands now tangled in front of her. "I-I... I wasn't... I thought you'd n-never want to s-see me again..." They stared at her, even Endogeny, in shocked silence. She lowered her head, her glasses fogging up. "I-I... ruined you..." she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Doc," Snowmallard said finally. "Yeesh. What a downer that is. Ya didn't ruin no one." Snowhen nodded slowly, and Snowdrake stared at Alphys as if she'd just declared she hated snow.

"I like having a sister!" Aaron admitted happily, giving Lemon Bread a wink. She smiled awkwardly, giving Shyren a slightly-nervous look, but then she shrugged and nodded, especially when Shyren smiled. "I've learned quite a bit." And he winked. (Alphys decided she didn't want to know what he learned. Ever.)

"And if I haven't told you already, it's amazing having so many more family members to watch and keep track of," Doggo added. "I haven't had a biscuit in years!"

Undyne grinned at him, rubbing Alphys's shoulders slowly, and she felt Alphys relax even more. She raised her head slowly and looked at everyone closely, especially the amalgamates. When she saw no anger or hurt there, again she felt confused, but relieved.

"S-so..." she said softly, her hands still in front of her and knotted. "You... d-don't hate me...?"

"Dude, Doctor," Snowdrake broke in, looking irritated. "You tried everything you could; we know that. Plus, hello? I have my mom back. We all thought she was dead and stuff. That, I think we can agree, is pretty cool." He grinned, and Snowhen chuckled and nudged his shoulder lightly.

"Agreed," Lemon Bread nodded. "I don't want to know where I'd be without your experiments. It took a while to get used to... all of this..." She waved her hand over her body. "But the alternative? No, thanks."

Greater Dog barked low again, and Lesser Dog raised its head even higher to lick Alphys's hand. Endogeny leaned heavily against her legs, and Undyne had to hold her up again before she fell over from the weight of the gesture - however affectionate it was.

Alphys lowered her head again, this time into her hands, her shoulders shaking. "I... I'm still so sorry," she sobbed out. "I really am..."

"But..." Doggo stared at her closely, and not just because she was shaking. "You... saved them? So, why are you sorry?"

Undyne leaned close to Alphys and said, very softly, "Exactly, my love. What I've been saying all along."

Alphys looked up at her, searching her face closely, and she smiled brightly, reaching up to brush her tears away. "But..."

"I have a suggestion, Doctor," Aaron broke in, winking at her and flexing a little bit. "How about we go outside and enjoy the snow?"

"Why do ya need to go out, the best of the snow is right here!" Snowmallard quipped, gesturing to his family - who laughed quite happily at hearing this. Alphys laughed as well, sniffling a little.

Doggo was staring at Aaron intently. "Will you throw snowballs? Lots of them?" Endogeny and the Dogs raised their heads and also looked at Aaron, tails wagging hopefully.

"We can see who can throw them better," Lemon Bread smirked, flexing her own muscles at Aaron.

Undyne laughed. "Please! I'll kick all of your asses!" She let go of Alphys and opened the door of the Inn, gesturing out. "Let's go!"

The Dogs and Endogeny bounded out immediately, Doggo following with a happy shout. The Snowdrakes fluttered out, exchanging "snowballs" puns that are best left unsaid, while Shyren hid behind Lemon Bread as she and Aaron tried to out-wink each other on their way out.

Alphys watched them all go out, her eyes wide and her face bright. She wasn't shaking anymore, and she could breathe normally again. Undyne went back to her side and said, very carefully, "Alphy... I'm sorry I did this without asking you, but..."

Before she finished, Alphys grabbed her and hugged her tight, burying her face into her shoulder. "Thank you," she answered tearfully. "Thank you, Undyne. Thank you."

Undyne held her close, closing her eye and kissing her forehead gently. Alphys clung to her tight, trying to regain her composure, and Undyne held her until she did. Then, she said, "Ready for a snowball fight?"

Alphys looked up at her and grinned. "I never thought I'd say this, but yes!" And she laughed, the sound music to Undyne's ears.

Undyne grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door, and together, they joined the ridiculousness that was the already-begun snowball fight. It was the strangest way to spend a day, but it was actually really a lot of fun.

And though it didn't cure Alphys of those nightmares, they certainly happened far less. Additionally, Alphys, when she found herself almost frozen with regret, simply remembered the smiles she saw that day, and the laughs and bad jokes, and was able to get through it and be comforted. She thanked Undyne, so many times that Undyne eventually told her that if she did again, she'd puke everywhere - which made them both laugh - but she understood.

When it came to Alphys, Undyne always understood.

Notes:

Please please please forgive the long delay ;_;! I was consumed by another Undertale project that is now finished, and I fully intend to now focus on my collections (this one especially). I'm kinda sad I'm almost done this one, so if anyone thinks I have the mettle for another 100, let me know and I'll try again with another chart! I probably will never get enough of these gay nerds - I haven't been this enthralled by a couple since Mai/Zuko (A:TLA), and even then I'm pretty sure I've surpassed that! So, uhm, yeah. Unless you want me all to stop because I'm fucken annoying and you're sick of seeing me on the Alphyne updates page... eheh... OKAY BYE

Chapter 71: Solve

Sometimes Undyne felt like, even after three years together, Alphys was a riddle. She thought she had her figured out, but then she'd go and prove her wrong, sometimes in small ways, and sometimes in bigger.

From where she was in the living room, Undyne heard Alphys screech angrily and loudly - never a good sign. Undyne got up and went to the office, finding her wife sitting at her desk with her head in her hands, papers raining from the ceiling like bizarre snow. Undyne waited until they were done before she carefully moved into the room from the doorway.

"Hi, Alphy," she said quietly. "What's wrong?"

Growling, Alphys pointed to the screen in front of her. Undyne walked over and peered at it, blinking. "Oh! They're making a third Mew Mew?"

Alphys lowered her hand to the desk with a resigned thud, growling low in her throat. She looked up and glowered at the screen, her eyes blazing. "Yes!" she snarled. "They are!"

Undyne tilted her head a little. "Uh, but, that's good, isn't it?"

"No!" Alphys screeched, and Undyne winced. "It would be good if it meant that they were doing it either as a redo of the second one, or even as a continuation of the first one, or hell, even a stand-alone!" Alphys threw her hands into the air. "But, no! No! They're making it a continuation of the stupid bullshit-ass second one! Not only does it make the second one canon forever, but it's also going to be the suckiest one as a result!" She slammed her fists onto the desk, startling Undyne into jumping a bit. "Why?! Why must they ruin something awesome?! Why do they hate their fans?! Why, why, why?!" And her head slammed onto the desk again.

Undyne stared at her, absolutely unsure of what to do or say. she wanted to be supportive, but she also wasn't exactly sure of what that would entail. "Uh," she said again. "Sweetie--,"

"I'm making a petition, Undyne!" Alphys answered, sitting back up and leaning close to the screen, her claws flying over her keyboard. "Sign it, please."

"Sure?" Undyne squeaked, and Alphys nodded and began to create the petition - apparently to beg that the makers of the show stop working on that third installment unless they followed her very detailed instructions.

"Thank you," Alphys said distractedly. Undyne opened her mouth, then closed it; the look on Alphys's face was one she recognised, and knew from it that there was no use arguing. Carefully, she tiptoed out of the office, noting that Alphys could actually be rather scary sometimes.

There was another time when they were watching a new anime together, and Undyne found herself absolutely enthralled by it. Alphys had chosen it and had been enthusiastic about watching it, but when they were done the first episode, Alphys had her arms crossed, her tail was twitching, and she looked furious. Undyne stared at her, immediately confused.

"Alphy, you don't like it?" she asked, blinking at her.

"I hate it," Alphys grumbled. "I-I hate it! And I hate that I hate it!" She leaned back and glowered at the now-paused screen.

"But, why?" Undyne asked. "You were so happy about it, and I really like it! And, you and I usually agree on anime, so... I don't get it!"

Alphys sniffed. "I want to like it!" she admitted. "But it's so... not good at all. It's not what I expected at all!" She held a hand up and waved it angrily. "They said the main character was one person, but it's not! They lied! I expected it to be about that character, not this one!"

"Well, so? Can't you enjoy it, anyway?" Undyne scratched her cheek. "It's still really good!"

"I tried!" Alphys insisted. "But I can't! I just keep getting angry!"

Undyne sighed, and Alphys grumbled again and got up, storming to the office. "I'm gonna work," she muttered as she left. "Enjoy."

Undyne sighed again, admittedly finding it difficult to enjoy after that.

Probably the most glaring example was when Alphys started crying after finishing a book - one she had called her favourite many times.

"Why are you crying, Alphy? Isn't that one of your favourite books?" Undyne wondered. "Is it a happy cry?"

"N-no," Alphys admitted tearfully, holding the book to her chest. "It's an agonising ending, even worse because it's historically accurate."

Undyne gaped at her for a moment, as Alphys continued to cry. "That's a favourite book, one that ends bad?! How can that be a favourite?!"

Alphys shrugged. "It's a really good story!"

"But it ends bad!" Undyne reminded her.

"So?" Alphys grabbed a tissue and blew her nose. "It's really well-written and interesting. Just because it ends bad doesn't make it bad. And besides, it's history - you can't change it! It would be dishonest to change it just for the sake of a happy ending!"

"Alphy, I love you, but you are really, really weird, and it's very, very confusing," Undyne admitted. Alphys blushed and looked away, ending up looking rather cute as a result - which meant that Undyne had to hug her. She did, and Alphys hugged back tightly with a shy smile.

Undyne realised then that she probably would end up spending most of her life trying to understand Alphys's weirdness, but she was certainly up for the challenge - that was for certain.

Chapter 72: Rest

It had been a very, very long day, indeed. It had been a scorching spring day, unusually hot and humid, and both Alphys and Undyne were hot and tired from that already. Added to it was the excitement of the students over such a bright, early-spring day, making them hyper and bursting with energy, and in turn, Alphys and Undyne were exhausted.

By the time the school day was over, they were practically dragging themselves home. Undyne fumbled with the keys a few times before she snarled and threw them at the door. Alphys scooped them up with a sigh and used them, opening the door and gently nudging Undyne into the AC-filled house. Undyne tripped in, practically jumped out of her boots, dropped her bag, and fell to the floor, face-down, with a sound of relief. Alphys sighed again, shut the door, and shrugged her bag off, before carefully stepping over Undyne and dropping onto the couch, also face-down.

For a moment, they both just stayed where they were, two puddles unable to move. Then, Alphys murmured, her voice muffled, "Order in?"

"Yesh," Undyne replied, also muffled. "Pizza?"

"'Kay." Alphys reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone, and raised her head only long enough to punch in the order. Then she dropped her head back down, the phone dropping from her hand and onto the floor. "Done."

"Yay," Undyne concluded weakly, holding up a thumb before letting it drop again.

"Merph," Alphys added, taking her glasses off and holding them loosely in one hand, the other dangling over the side of the couch.

Undyne looked up for a moment, then got up and walked over slowly, slouching. She leaned down and poked one of Alphys's legs, and Alphys shifted to her side and curled up. Undyne dropped beside her, then leaned over and rested her head on Alphys's hip, curling up as well and closing her eye. Alphys shifted a little, a hand going down and tangling in Undyne's sweaty hair, and as one, they both sighed deeply.

"Kids are stupid," Undyne muttered, wrapping an arm around Alphys's legs. She kept her eye closed "I wanna either melt or murder the sun."

"Still cooler than Hotland," Alphys offered.

"At least Hotland lacked humidity!" was the cranky response. "Or 'Humidex' or whatever the fuck it's called!"

"Yeah," Alphys agreed sleepily, her fingers still going through Undyne's hair slowly. Undyne snuggled closer, finding the gesture so soothing. It was distracting as well, and it helped her feel better, sooner. It had the same effect on Alphys, as whenever she stroked Undyne's hair, she always felt better, no matter the situation.

"Don't sleep," Undyne murmured softly. "Someone needs to answer the door. Plus we need that food, and we can't sleep-eat."

"No?" Alphys wondered, her voice thick, her hand already slowing down.

"Nooo," Undyne agreed, poking Alphys's knees. "Alphy, don't fall asleep. Stay awake."

"Heat... makes me so sleepy..." was her reply. "Can't help it..."

"Alphy..." Undyne sighed, continuing to poke her insistently.

"Pizza comes in an hour," Alphys mumbled. "Lemme nap..."

Undyne curled closer, shaking her a little, but Alphys whined a bit and just folded into a tighter ball. Undyne sighed again, then closed her eye again and relaxed, hugging her wife's legs and nuzzling a little as she got comfortable.

Within minutes, both were out and asleep, their breathing almost identical. At any other time, it was probably impossible to sleep that way at all, let alone on their small couch, but not only did they sleep, but they slept well. It was really nice - and exactly what they needed after a day like that.

(The pizza's arrival did wake them up, so suddenly that Undyne was halfway to the door with a spear before Alphys managed to stop her.)

Chapter 73: Soon (Not Soon Enough)

Undyne's mind was, at times, very unhelpful. It loved to remind her that there were way too many hours in a work day, too many that she had to spend between herself and her wife. It was annoying, stupid, and frustrating.

Especially when she was in this kind of mood.

This mood had struck her at lunch, when she and Alphys had their usual meal together. Alphys had gone on a tangent about her latest lesson, and Undyne had listened quite happily, loving every moment of it - less about the topic, but more Alphys, herself. Undyne loved it when Alphys went on tangents like these, because she seemed to become the most animated; her eyes shone, her expressions were so candid, and she always, always, talked with her hands.

Undyne loved it, and loved Alphys very dearly during these moments. Therefore, by the end of lunch, Undyne was suddenly overcome by the urge for Alphys - all of Alphys. But there was no time, now. So she had to wait, not just until the end of the day, but until they got home.

It. Was. Frustrating.

By the time the last bell rang, Undyne was so relieved that she cheered so loud she startled her students into running off faster. She laughed and tore off after them, going towards the science classroom. She decided, right then, that going home was not soon enough for her. She couldn't wait that long - not even close.

She darted into the room and shut the door behind  her with a wide, wild grin on her face. Alphys jumped from where she stood at her desk, a hand to her chest. "Undyne!" she squeaked out in her surprise. "Is everything okay?"

Undyne locked the door, made sure there was no way to see inside the room, and darted over to Alphys in reply. Alphys stared at her with huge, surprised eyes. "H-hi?" she managed.

"Hi," Undyne replied, her hands reaching up and holding Alphys's face gently, pressing herself as close to Alphys as she could - so close that Alphys had to lean back against her desk for balance. Alphys went red, her eyes getting a glint to them, and Undyne felt her mouth go dry from that, alone. "Alphy," she murmured, "I want you."

Alphys swallowed hard, her breathing getting quick. She pressed closer to Undyne in reply, her arms going around Undyne's waist tight. "Yes," she agreed breathlessly. She leaned close and kissed Undyne, who made a small sound in response and kissed deeper, her hands slipping down from her face to her chest. This time, Alphys was the one who made a sound, her claws digging into Undyne's back a little.

Undyne's hands trailed down slowly, and Alphys shivered, pressing closer to her. Undyne grabbed her by the waist and sat her down on her desk, then pressed up against her again, this time between her legs. Alphys wrapped them around Undyne's waist and licked Undyne's lips apart. In response, Undyne reached between them and rubbed her fingers between Alphys's legs. Alphys closed her eyes and inhaled sharply, her hold on Undyne tightening.

"Please, Undyne," she whispered against Undyne's lips. Undyne pulled back and grabbed Alphys's pants, pulling them down and off, then trailed her fingers beneath Alphys's underwear, a jolt hitting her when she found how wet Alphys already was. "Alphy..." she murmured. She grabbed onto the underwear and tugged them off. Alphys pulled her closer and rested her forehead on Undyne's shoulder, her breaths quick.

Undyne grinned at her, then pulled away and knelt down in front of Alphys, who grabbed her shoulders tight. Undyne pulled her legs apart a little and leaned in between, licking Alphys there eagerly. Alphys gasped, her hands gripping tight, shifting a little against Undyne's tongue. Undyne purred a little, both from the reaction and the taste, and she moved closer, prising Alphys's folds apart with her tongue and flicking it deeper. Alphys leaned back and made a small, eager sound, her legs tightening around Undyne's shoulders a bit.

Undyne slid her tongue up and swirled it around Alphys's clit slowly, feeling Alphys tremble and dig her claws into her shoulders. Hoarsely, she whispered, "Undyne..." Undyne smiled a little and moved her tongue over her clit closely, and Alphys cried out, her knees starting to shake, now. Undyne loved that, feeling her own desire growing from every sound Alphys made. She slid her tongue deep into Alphys's centre again, and one of Alphys's hands went into Undyne's hair, her body moving along with the pace of Undyne's tongue.

"Undyne...!" Alphys then cried, jerking against her. Undyne grabbed hold of her and held her close, licking deeper and quicker. Alphys's hand in her hair clenched, and she arched back, crying out as she came, the sounds wonderful to Undyne. She held her wife close as she rode through it, slowing her tongue before pulling away slowly. She grinned up at Alphys, whose eyes were only half-open as she gasped for breath. Undyne stood up slowly, and Alphys grabbed her, pulling her close and kissing her hard.

"Undyne," she whispered, her hands reaching down and tugging on her pants, surprising her. "I want you, Undyne."

This was no problem for Undyne, who was still aroused and eager. She yanked off both her pants and underwear, while Alphys shoved everything off of her desk to make room for them both. She lay back onto it, Undyne following, and their bodies entwined and met, both of them making a shared, relieved noise from it. Undyne adjusted herself on the desk, making sure they were both balanced and relatively comfortable, before she began to grind against Alphys. Alphys shut her eyes and clung to her, still sensitive, leaning her head onto the desk and moving with her. Undyne pressed closer and kissed her, something she returned with desperation, now.

Quickly, Undyne found herself close, and she moved faster, holding Alphys to her as though her life depended on it. "Alphy," she growled out, burying her face into Alphys's shoulder. Alphys pulled her closer in response, gasping out, her eyes squeezed shut. "Come for me," Alphys responded breathlessly, and the words hit Undyne deep. She buried her face deeper into the crook of Alphys's neck and came hard, her voice strangled as she cried out from it. Alphys held onto her tight, leaning down and kissing her ear gently, the only place she could reach.

Spent, now, Undyne collapsed atop Alphys, holding her close. Both were gasping for breath, barely able to think of anything save how they felt. Then Undyne raised her head and kissed Alphys gently, reaching up and cupping her face between them. She then pulled away, smiling, and Alphys smiled in return, her face red but her eyes glowing.

"Thank you," Undyne murmured.

Alphys laughed softly, reaching up to brush the hair from Undyne's face. "That was nice," she admitted. "Surprising, but nice."

Undyne blushed. "I couldn't wait. Sorry."

"Don't be," Alphys giggled. Undyne smiled shyly, giving Alphys another kiss, before carefully pushing herself to her feet and getting dressed, her legs shaky. Alphys hesitated for a moment before she could do the same, also wobbly. Then, she hugged Undyne tight, who hugged back tighter.

"So..." Alphys then said, her tone teasing. "Home, now?"

Undyne laughed.

Chapter 74: Listen

Alphys was, once one broke down her shy barriers, a chatterbox. Once she got started, it was very hard to get her to stop, unless you either embarrassed her or ignored her.

One of the things that Alphys loved so much about Undyne was the fact that she did neither of these things. Undyne never shut her out, shut her up, or shut her ears. If Alphys started a tangent, regardless of the topic, Undyne would listen to her with her entire being, no matter what.

Oh, others listened, perhaps, for maybe the first five or ten minutes. But then their eyes would kind of glaze over and their responses would become vague and barely more than two syllables. Even Frisk had moments like these, and Frisk liked Alphys very much.

But Undyne's eye never glazed over, and her replies were only two syllables or less if the situation warranted it. Otherwise, she'd reply in full sentences, adding to Alphys's words, questioning them, even offering her own opinions, too - sometimes becoming as chatty as Alphys, herself.

From their first day face-to-face, Undyne treated her this way. Alphys always assumed that once Undyne got used to her, and got to know her better - especially after they got married - that interest would wane. But it never did.

Once, after a particularly long burst of exchanged words, Alphys asked why.

Undyne seemed rather taken aback by the question. She stared right into Alphys's eyes and said, rather flatly. "What the hell are you talking about, nerd?"

It was before bed, and Undyne had been reading on the couch when Alphys sat down beside her and started talking. Undyne had immediately set the book aside and sat up, her full attention now on Alphys, remaining that way the entire time, as usual. Once she ran out of words, she asked, and got this reply.

This time Alphys was the one taken aback by Undyne's question. "Uh," she stammered, blushing. "I m-mean, you always listen to me. A-always, no matter what, n-no matter what stupid things I say."

Undyne narrowed her eye and frowned. "Nothing you say is stupid, Alphy," she said sharply. "Everything you say is important, even if it's about visiting the toilet or whatever."

Alphys went scarlet at that, but Undyne went on, ignoring it.

"I love it when you talk to me, Alphy." Undyne took one of Alphys's hands and held it palm up on one of hers, trailing the fingers of her other hand over Alphys's palm slowly as she spoke. "I love listening to you, and talking to you, and I love that you're comfortable enough to talk to me so openly." She smiled warmly, and Alphys's heart sped up (something Undyne heard and smiled wider from). "I know you're shy, and I know you didn't have many friends growing up. So I..." Undyne looked down at their hands; she was unknowingly tracing a figure-eight on Alphys's palm. "I'm honoured that you trust me. Of course I listen."

Alphys couldn't help it, now; she was in tears. She couldn't speak, so she grabbed Undyne's hand and kissed it, then held it to her cheek, closing her eyes.

Undyne looked up and saw her wife in tears, and her heart ached. She pulled Alphys to her, and Alphys clung onto her, crying softly into her shoulder as Undyne rubbed her back.

It was clear, now, that nothing beyond that, ironically enough, needed to be said.

Chapter 75: Haze

The very first time Undyne and Alphys made love was mere days after moving into their new home together.

Both, by that point, were affectionate and physical, but also rather shy and awkward, and prior to it had gone as far as everything but actual sex.

After they moved in, Alphys shyly brought it up, just a few days before it happened.

"Uhm," she murmured, as they lay down on their bed that they'd just finished making together.

They were cuddling, both tired from spending the day unpacking as much as they could and moving things around, and now that they were like this, Alphys could suddenly think of nothing else - especially since Undyne was spooning her very nicely.

Oh, they'd slept together, many times, but they hadn't slept together yet - hence Alphys's nervousness.

"Mm?" Undyne said sleepily, her eye closed.

"Undyne," Alphys whispered, tangling her hands into Undyne's. "I... I... I-I want..."

She went scarlet, her whole body flashing hot as she stared at the wall, her stomach in both knots and butterflies.

"I w-would like to... uh..."

She curled up into a ball, which got Undyne's attention and woke her up completely.

Alphys's voice lowered even more. "T-to m-make love w-with you... s-soon..."

Undyne felt a wave of giddiness crash through her, though she, too, went bright red. She grinned, pulling Alphys closer.

"Oh, hell yeah, Alphy," she agreed breathlessly, her heart pounding.

She'd been wanting to for a long time, but didn't say a word for two reasons: she wanted Alphys to be ready, too; she was way too shy to bring it up first.

"R-really?" Alphys squeaked out, her hands clutching Undyne's to her chest tight. "You, too?"

"More than anything!" Undyne agreed happily. "Just... uh... not right now." She made a face. "I'm beat, and all gross from moving shit around."

Alphys laughed nervously. "O-oh! I-I didn't mean right away! I m-meant when y-you're ready... when we're b-both ready..."

"That sounds like a good plan to me," Undyne replied. "But for now, let's nap. We did a lot today, and I think we've earned it."

Alphys was grinning, now, too, her heart racing. "Y-yes," she agreed.

They cuddled closer, getting more comfortable, before they soon did just that.

---

 

A few days later, they were finally fully moved in (though no where near unpacked, but it was the thought that counts) and were elated.

Alphys stood in the living room, her hands clasped in front of her, just standing there and beaming, her smile so wide that her eyes shone. In all of her dreams, her wishes, and her fantasies, nothing was better than this. She felt so lucky and so happy that she felt what she remembered being drunk felt like.

Undyne was staring at her, not the room, smiling as well, but her heart was racing, and she suddenly felt hot all over, as if she'd just run through Hotland in her armour - but nowhere as unpleasant.

Her hands suddenly started shaking, and she realised: This is it. This is the moment.

She wanted - needed - Alphys, and now. She wanted to make this day even better than it already was - the best, if she could.

Alphys, oblivious, turned to her and practically glowed. "Undyne," she said, her voice breathless. "I've n-never been so happy. It's because of you. Th-thank you, so much."

Undyne swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry.

Silently, she closed the distance between them and took Alphys's face between her hands, kissing her so deeply that Alphys practically melted against her, holding onto her and returning it with fervour. Undyne pulled her closer, her hands slipping down slowly, trailing her fingers over Alphys's arms and then up her sides beneath her shirt, and Alphys pressed nearer and shivered, her tongue slipping out to meet Undyne's. Undyne felt a stab of heat and made a soft sound, her hand slipping up and cupping around Alphys's breasts gently.

"Oh," Alphys murmured against Undyne's lips, clinging onto her so hard that her claws dug into her back.

The small, single word had Undyne shivering herself, now; Alphys's voice was thick with desire.

"U-Undyne... Undyne..." she gasped out, especially when Undyne's thumbs trailed over already hard nipples.

Undyne trailed her lips down to Alphys's neck, licking gently before grazing her teeth over the sensitive skin, and Alphys gasped, clinging onto her even tighter, her breaths now short and fast.

"Alphy," Undyne whispered, her hands reaching towards Alphys's back, reaching to unhook her bra. "Alphy, please... please... Oh, god...!"

That was a response to Alphys pulling back and taking her shirt off, then shrugging her bra off, before reaching for Undyne's shirt to do the same for her.

"Alphy, please," she said again, against Alphys's neck, shuddering.

Alphys was blazing, her whole body hot and filled with need, her hands shaking and her knees weak. She pulled Undyne's shirt and bra off over her head before pressing back against her, burying her hot face into Undyne's neck, this time, biting her.

"Undyne," she whispered back, her voice wavering. "Undyne, I... I-I... y-you... pl-please...?"

In those words, they both knew.

They looked at each other for a moment, panting and red, clinging to each other and unwilling to let go, both shaking.

"I want you," they both said at the same time, almost perfectly in sync.

Then they laughed a little, before kissing again, hard, Undyne moving backwards and pulling Alphys with her. As they did, they both left their clothes behind them, so that once they reached their bed, they were both already naked.

Alphys lay down first, before Undyne crawled on top of her, her hands reaching down and trailing over Alphys, her body already so familiar it was like coming home.

Alphys pulled her down close so that there was no space between them, again, and they kissed, still shaking, both so nervous, yet so eager, that they knew there was no stopping, now - they didn't want to.

"Okay," Undyne whispered, sitting up a little.

Alphys gazed up at her, her face red but her eyes glowing, smiling at her. "Shift a little with me, okay?"

Alphys nodded, her hands going to Undyne's shoulders. Undyne pulled Alphys's legs apart gently, moving one hand up and the other down, before she shakily moved closer and did the same, only with her legs the other way around, so their legs entwined. Alphys was breathing quickly, and Undyne could hear her heart racing, but despite that Alphys looked fine - excited, but fine.

Both had read much in terms of the mechanics of sex, both straight and gay, though lately, for both, and for obvious reasons, it was more the latter than the former as they grew closer. Though at this time neither knew that the other was more virgin than fresh olive oil, they were still aware that this would likely not be perfect - but neither cared, really.

They were together, and that was perfect enough.

"Undyne," Alphys murmured, reaching up and holding Undyne's face in her hands gently. "Undyne, I-I love you."

"I love you, Alphy," Undyne replied with a smile. "Are... are you ready?"

When Alphys started nodding before she even finished asking, Undyne laughed. "Okay..."

Undyne leaned down and pressed close, flesh-to-flesh, both so warm and slick that the mere contact had them both inhaling sharply.

"Oh, Alphy..." Undyne whispered, her eye shutting.

Alphys pulled her down, her eyes shutting as well, and Undyne complied, pressing closer, slowly shifting her hips and sliding herself over Alphys, one hand grabbing onto Alphys's leg, the other, her shoulder. Alphys buried her face into Undyne's shoulder, a jolt of pleasure hitting her as Undyne moved in just the right way. She made a small sound, one that Undyne adored and wanted to hear more of, so she pushed her hips against Alphys's again, gasping when she felt a pang of her own hit her.

"H-holy shit," Undyne blurted out in shock, unable to stop moving, now.

It was incredible, like nothing she'd ever felt before, but a feeling she was instantly addicted to. She leaned down on her elbows and kissed Alphys hard, crying out against her lips, as she kept moving her body with and against her beloved's.

Alphys could barely breathe. She, too, was shocked by how intense it felt, her arms going around Undyne and her claws digging into her back, her tail curling around one of Undyne's legs tight. She shifted her hips against Undyne's each time she moved, a little clumsily at first, but slowly finding the right rhythm together. When that happened, her body began growing hotter and hotter the longer they made love.

"A-Alphy," Undyne suddenly growled out between her teeth, her eye closed tight and her teeth bared. "Alphy, I..."

She gasped, burying her face into Alphys's chest and pushing up against her harder. "Alphy... Alphy, I c-can't... I can't hold back... I need to...!"

Alphys nodded, holding her tighter, gasping in reply but unable to form any words.

"Alphy, I'm... Alphy, I'm... Alphy...!" Undyne keened out, clinging onto Alphys tight, stiffening above her and feeling her orgasm crash into her, so hard that she lost her breath and felt herself almost faint from it.

Her hands went numb, and she stumbled atop Alphys, gasping for breath. Alphys held her close as she rode through it, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head gently.

"G-good?" Alphys whispered shyly when she could.

Undyne nodded, her eye closed, listening to Alphys's racing heart. She purred out a long groan, swallowing hard and catching her breath.

When she did, her eye snapped open. "Oh, shit! Alphy!" she cried, raising her head. "You haven't, yet!"

Alphys smiled. "It-it's okay," she said, meaning it. "J-just rest--,"

"No!" Undyne growled. "Get on top of me. Now."

Alphys giggled a little, then grabbed hold of Undyne and rolled her over so that they didn't break apart. Alphys then sat up quickly, holding herself up and off of Undyne on her hands.

"I-I'm not too heavy, a-am I?" she asked worriedly.

Undyne growled again and, with clumsy hands, pulled her down and kissed her hard. Alphys returned it, her whole body flooding with need and desire.

Carefully, Alphys shifted herself against Undyne, who immediately made a small sound against her lips, still very sensitive. Alphys shut her eyes, feeling another jolt hit her, and she stopped overthinking - and let instinct take over.

She moved awkwardly at first, worried she would be too heavy for Undyne to handle. When Undyne pulled from their kiss to bite down on her neck, Alphys gasped, her whole body reacting only to that, her mind suddenly forgetting why she was worried. She began to grind faster, pressing herself fully against Undyne, her body finding its pace on its own that suited them both perfectly.

"Ah...!" Alphys cried out, the sensations almost too much, but in such a sweet way that she craved more, needed more...

Undyne held onto her tight, moving to the other side of her neck and biting again, and Alphys practically collapsed on her from that, latching onto her and burying her face into Undyne's shoulder, one hand tangling in Undyne's hair, the other desperately grabbing for one of Undyne's. Their fingers laced together, and soon Alphys could only think of Undyne, all of her, of her body and her beauty and her entire being.

"U-Undyne," she pleaded suddenly, heat and pleasure building within her with every move. "Undyne... I love you... I-I love you... I... ah...! I love you...! Undyne...!"

Her voice caught and she arched against Undyne, unable to make a sound as she was overcome, her whole body flashing hot and consumed by that pleasure. She knew she cried out, and had tried to say Undyne's name, but was too stunned to pay much attention, shuddering with intense release.

Undyne pulled her close as she calmed down, gasping for breath and curling against her, still holding Undyne's hand tight. She was still shaking, her other hand still tangled in Undyne's hair. Undyne held her, still shaking, herself. Both had their eyes closed, smiling and not wanting to pull away - not even for a second.

It was quite a bit of time before Alphys could speak, and she whispered, her voice weak, "Undyne... I love you so much..."

To Undyne's surprise, Alphys's voice was tearful, and she opened her eye and looked at her, a stab of worry striking her: Alphys was crying softly, though she was still smiling faintly.

"Alphy, my love, what's wrong? Are you okay?" she asked gently, reaching up to brush the tears away. She felt herself choking up a little, and she didn't fight it. She knew why her tears were choking her, and knew they weren't sad.

But what of Alphys's?

Alphys cuddled closer, her tail once more twining around one of Undyne's legs tight. "Oh... Undyne..." she murmured. "I... I'm not okay... I feel wonderful! I-I'm so... s-so happy..."

She broke down, burying her face into Undyne's neck. "You... y-you've m-made me so... so happy... I l-love you so much, Undyne. I love you s-so much..."

Undyne held her tight, rubbing her back slowly and relaxing a little, though now her own tears fell free, and at greater speed, now.

"Alphy," she replied, her voice cracking a little. "You... you're perfect for me, do you know that?"

Alphys shook her head slowly. "N-no. You could... do better."

"Nope," Undyne corrected, kissing the top of Alphys's head softly. "No one is better for me than you. I knew that before we did this, and I know it even better, now that we have."

A small sob escaped Alphys at that, now too choked up to speak. She raised her head and kissed Undyne a little damply, and Undyne held her and returned it, her heart soaring - right beside Alphys's.

It was their first time, but it wasn't their last. Not for many, many years to come. And both knew it would only get better the longer they stayed together.

And it did.

Notes:

Aaaah! I can't believe I only have 25 prompts left ;_;!!

Also: HAPPY BISEXUAL AWARENESS DAY ^_^!

(And Happy Mabon, if you are pagan like I am :3)

Chapter 76: Excite(ment)

For the fourth time, just as Alphys was about to drift off - again - Undyne woke her up by giggling under her breath. Alphys sighed, grabbed her pillow, and smacked Undyne's head with it, which only worsened the laughter, the exact opposite of Alphys's intention.

"Undyyyyne..." she whined, pillow-smacking her again. "We have to work tomorrow!"

Undyne grabbed the pillow and turned to her, grinning brightly, her eye wide. "I know!" she agreed. "That doesn't stop me from being excited for tomorrow!"

Alphys grabbed her pillow back and buried her face into it, hoping to muffle Undyne's voice. No such luck. Undyne simply crashed into her and hugged onto her, burying her face into the top of the pillow, which made her growl - and Undyne laugh yet again.

"Alphyyyy!" Undyne chirped, yanking the pillow off of her head and tossing it aside, and Alphys sighed, deciding to give up. She looked up at Undyne and raised her eyebrows, so Undyne added, "It's tomorrow!"

"I'm aware, Undyne," she sighed, and Undyne buried her face into Alphys's chest, right between her breasts, laughing again. Alphys smiled despite herself at that, reaching up and stroking Undyne's hair gently, and Undyne buried her face even closer, her hands reaching up to cup Alphys's breasts in order to do so. "You're going to suffocate!" Alphys warned with a laugh.

Undyne raised her head at that, her face red and her eye gleaming. "Hah! You laughed! I win!"

"You win what?" Alphys answered, deciding to mess up Undyne's loose hair in retaliation, which had Undyne making a face.

"Come on, Alphy!" Undyne pouted, her hands moving to her face and squishing her cheeks. "Be more excited!"

"Yay," Alphys replied wryly, finding it difficult to talk now. "Shleep, nowsh?"

Undyne answered by lying down right on top of her, her pout increasing. She shook Alphys's face a little, and Alphys growled again - though this time it was to cover up a laugh. "Alphy!" she said. "Don't you think it's a big deal?" She moved her hands away to Alphys's shoulders so she could talk properly.

Alphys wrapped her arms around Undyne and held her close, sighing again. "Yes, of course," she agreed. "It's a huge deal." Undyne lit up and grinned, wiggling a little in her arms, and she smiled. "If only you knew how to make it less obvious that you have something planned."

Undyne went scarlet, but still laughed happily, wiggling again. "It blows that we have to work, though," she admitted. "But at least it's a Friday!"

Alphys growled for real, surprising Undyne. "What?" she wondered.

"Undyne, I..." Alphys rolled her eyes. "I... I booked it off."

Undyne froze, staring at her in surprise. "You what?!"

"Yeah," Alphys muttered. "It... was supposed to be my surprise for you!" She glowered at her wife, who was grinning again. "I-I was going to, uh..." She blushed. "Play a little joke on you. B-but you ruined it! Because you don't know how to sleep!"

"I knew you were excited!" Undyne exclaimed, clinging onto her again. "You nerd! You can't lie to me, ever!"

"W-well..." Alphys blushed harder. "Er. Not for long, no."

"So tomorrow, then, the beach?" Undyne said, her eye bright. "All day, this time?"

Alphys nodded. "All day," she agreed, grinning. "Isn't that better than just going at night?"

"We're staying til night!" Undyne answered sharply, suddenly moving closer to Alphys, her grin devious. "Because we're staying up tonight, and sleeping in tomorrow, so we'll have to make up for time lost."

"Uh, but, Undyne?" Alphys jolted suddenly, feeling Undyne's hand suddenly slip under her nightgown and reach between her legs. She pulled Undyne closer, her eyes closing, and Undyne laughed.

"We started our relationship there," Undyne said gently, nuzzling Alphys's cheek with her own. "What better way to celebrate than into the night, too?"

Alphys breathed out shakily, smiling. "Ah," she replied. "Th-that's why you're so excited..." She shifted against Undyne's hand, her own hand reaching up between Undyne's legs.

"Hell, yeah," Undyne agreed. "But this night? Let's stay in and stay up late."

"Yes," Alphys agreed breathlessly. "Sounds perfect."

---

They woke up the next day in the afternoon, both having dropped off together at some point after 3AM. They woke up still tangled together and naked - but comfortable. Or rather, Undyne woke up first, and she bounced on Alphys and woke her up rather abruptly.

"Gah!" Alphys cried, her whole body flooding with adrenaline before she woke up fully and realised it was just Undyne. "Undyne, holy shit!" she blurted out, and Undyne burst into uncontrollable laughter at that.

"Three years!" Undyne replied when she could, wiggling as she hugged onto Alphys tight, bringing a laugh from Alphys. "Three years, Alphy!"

"Y-yes," Alphys giggled, hugging back, unable to resist her. Her heart suddenly started racing at the thought, the sudden implication hitting her, hard. "O-oh," she whispered, her face going hot. She stared up at Undyne, who as staring back at her with a huge grin. "Undyne," she murmured, reaching up with shaky hands and touching her face gently.

Undyne's smile softened, her eye wavering. "Yeah, Alphy?"

"It's been three years," Alphys murmured, feeling her eyes burn a bit. "We-we've been together f-for three years."

"Yeah," Undyne agreed softly, leaning close and pressing her forehead to Alphys's, and Alphys closed her eyes, biting her lip. "Isn't it fucking awesome?"

Alphys nodded, unable to keep the tears from her eyes.

Undyne noticed. "Oh, Alphy..." She leaned down and hugged her again, but this time tenderly, kissing her gently. Alphys sniffled and clung to her, murmuring an apology, but Undyne shook her head and kept kissing her. "It's okay." she whispered between each kiss. "It's okay, Alphy. I understand."

Alphys pulled her closer at that, deepening the kiss, and for a few moments longer, they remained in bed, still not quite ready to get up just yet.

Once they were ready - and after a long shower together - it was late afternoon when they were finally on the bus to the beach. Alphys was leaning on Undyne, holding her hand tight, her head on Undyne's shoulder. Undyne was grinning, unable to smother it; she still had plans for the evening, after all - plans she knew Alphys didn't know yet.

It was an overcast day, so the beach wasn't as busy as it had been on previous visits. Though Alphys was a little sad about the lack of sunlight, the heat was still high enough to keep the stones and sand nice and warm. Besides them and the Nice Cream Guy (and a human hot dog vendor a distance away), they only caught occasional glimpses of Onion-san and no one else.

Undyne was elated and hoped it stayed that way. Alphys was, too, but mostly because she felt shy and awkward every time she wore her swimsuit in public.

Undyne immediately flung herself into the water with her usual shout, which made Alphys laugh. She walked at a more leisurely pace, actually deciding to swim for a change; she usually kept herself a wallflower, but today she felt adventurous. She toed the water and found it pleasantly cool, and with a shiver, she walked in a bit before swimming the rest of the way in.

Undyne popped up right in front of her, scaring her into jumping back and flailing a bit with a cry. Undyne grinned deviously, threw her arms around her, and gave her a very wet kiss, which calmed her down and made her laugh.

For most of the afternoon and through the evening, they spent time both in the water and on the shore, enjoying either some Nice Cream or (actual) hot dogs from the human vendor. As the evening darkened to night, the two sat on the wall in each other's arms, staring at the waters and the cloudy sky, the occasional star blinking through the clouds. They waved an absent farewell to the Nice Cream Guy, then relaxed, finding themselves suddenly alone, the beach now for them, alone.

"Finally," Undyne said suddenly, startling Alphys. She looked up at her, confused, and Undyne grinned at her, that grin, and Alphys swallowed, hard. "Alphy, come with me." Undyne slipped off the wall and grabbed her bag, then started towards the shore. Alphys, bemused but with her heart pounding, grabbed her own bag and followed.

"Undyne?" she murmured, watching her wife pull a blanket from her bag and spread it onto the sand, securing it with a stone at each corner, just in case the wind picked up. She then looked over her shoulder at Alphys and grinned at her, sending a jolt into Alphys - one that flashed to heat when Undyne started to take her swimsuit off, right there on the blanket.

"Undyne!" Alphys yelped. "We're in public!"

"Relax, nerd," Undyne replied, dropping her top to the blanket casually and stretching her back a little, grinning at Alphys. "No one will see, and if they do, I'll feed them some spears. C'mere!"

Alphys walked over, holding her bag to her chest, her heart racing both from nervousness and desire. When she got to the blanket, she dropped her bag - just as Undyne kicked off the rest of her suit.

Alphys stared at her, unable to look away. Undyne looked stunning standing in front of the waters as they gently waved behind her, the occasional break in the cloudy sky bringing more stars to that background. Alphys stood frozen, amazed that Undyne was even there, let alone as her wife and smiling at her in such a way that set her blood blazing.

"Alphy," Undyne said gently, feeling tenderness in her heart from the look on Alphys's face. She held out her hand, and Alphys immediately reached out for it, walking to her to take it. She did, and Undyne pulled her close, kissing her deeply. Alphys relaxed against her, just as she'd hoped, and when Undyne reached up to start slipping Alphys's suit off, she didn't protest. Instead, she made it easier, shrugging off the straps and then stepping out of it, though she was blushing the entire time. She clung to Undyne for a moment nervously, who laughed gently and picked her up, surprising her. With a shout, Undyne ran into the water and crashed into it.

Alphys spluttered and had to keep clinging to Undyne in order to not go under, though she still inhaled quite a bit of water. She was still coughing when Undyne surfaced, still holding her tight and grinning. "Gah," Alphys said. "Some water went up my nose!"

"Sorry." Undyne blushed, but then pulled her right against herself, so their bodies had no space - or water - between them. Alphys suddenly found herself rather curious about this. She'd never been naked in a body of water before, and certainly never with anyone else. She found the experience incredibly sensual, and she slid her arms around Undyne's neck in order to stay afloat. Undyne grinned, her eye sparking, and Alphys looked up at her, blinking.

"Er," Alphys said shyly. "H-have you done this before?"

Undyne nodded with a devious grin. "Yeah! In Waterfall!" She laughed. "But, uh..." She blushed. "Never with anyone else, though. Just alone. Heh." She slipped her arms around Alphys's waist, her feet still reaching the bottom, though Alphys's did not.

"It feels... really nice," Alphys admitted. "I-I've never felt anything like it. It's..." She went red, looking up at Undyne, again. "Really nice." She smiled. "Undyne... thank you. This is... a lovely surprise."

Undyne nuzzled her cheek in reply, and she closed her eyes. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me, Alphy," she whispered. "Even better than being Captain."

"Undyne..." Alphys giggled a little, thinking that Undyne was overdoing it to flatter her. She was wrong.

"I'm dead serious," Undyne said, still in that soft voice. "It feels like... three years is nowhere near enough time with you. And yet it also feels like every day I've spent with you is so fucking awesome it's like you've always been there."

Alphys stayed quiet, but she wrapped her tail around one of Undyne's legs and buried her face into her neck, listening still but also feeling shy, her heart racing.

"Alphy, I love you so much," Undyne continued, her eye still closed, resting her cheek against Alphys's head, now. "I want us to keep going for three years, for thirty years, hell, for three hundred years - whatever it takes - as long as we're always together."

Alphys sniffled, unable to swallow it, and Undyne kissed her head gently. Alphys then raised her head and kissed her in return, this time on the lips. In no time the kiss went deeper, and soon they found themselves stumbling back onto the shore and on the blanket, barely making it before they stumbled together upon it. By then, Alphys didn't care if anyone saw; nothing would keep her apart from her wife, now.

After, when they were both spent and floating from it, Undyne leaned over and said, her smile devious, again, "Swimming, again?" And Alphys laughed, clinging onto her tightly. Together, they went back in, this time talking about everything and anything, or simply listening to the sounds of the water hitting the shore or just moving around them, enjoying the feel of it on their skin - and the feel of each other, too.

Soon, they both grew tired, and reluctantly returned to head back home. But, in a way, the water was within them, now, too, in a way they'd never forget.

It was truly something that had been worth getting excited about - that was for sure.

Chapter 77: Verbal

It was another nightmare, and it was a bad one, one so bad that it ended up scaring them both in its intensity.

However, one thing was for certain: no matter how bad it got, neither would abandon the other, ever.

It started quietly, so quiet that they both slept through it at first.

Images raced through a tired mind, calling back to a past thought to be years-forgotten, after almost four years since the barrier broke. But she could somehow feel it, see it, that pain, that helplessness - that nothing she could do would free her from that danger, and that no amount of strength could save her.

But not just her.

That was the worst part.

She could see the others there, too: Asgore, Papyrus, sans, even Toriel...

And then, the last face that suddenly had her screaming, desperately, trying to reach for her, trying to get to her, to save her, she had to save her, if she couldn't save herself, then at least her...

Then, suddenly, she heard her name. She heard, over her own screams, her name being called by the voice of the one she was trying so hard to save.

It was impossible.

She was dying, wasn't she?

She shouldn't be able to hear her name being spoke by that voice...

Not anymore...

"Wake up!"

Wake up?

And then, with that, Undyne jolted awake, still screaming Alphys's name, still thrashing and trying to get free of those terrible vines to reach her.

Until, suddenly, she felt someone's arms wrap around her - holding me, arms and not vines - and she clung to them, hard, her screams shrinking to cries, her wet face burying into that familiar, comforting shoulder even harder. She couldn't speak, but only sob, clutching Alphys to her and whimpering out her pain, shaking so hard her teeth rattled.

"Shh," she heard Alphys whisper. She felt her gently stroke her sweat-soaked hair from her face, her other arm around her back and holding her close.

Undyne closed her eye tight and pressed her ear to Alphys's chest, allowing the sound of her startled heartbeat to penetrate through that horrifying fog of a nightmare.

"I have you," Alphys whispered, kissing her forehead so softly that Undyne barely felt it. "We're safe, Undyne."

She kept her voice soft, though it wavered, both from her initial shock of waking to Undyne's terror, as well as the empathetic, sympathetic pain.

Slowly, she rocked Undyne, who still whimpered and shuddered against her, clinging onto Alphys so hard it actually hurt a little.

For a long time, neither said a word.

Undyne was unable to, and Alphys was focused on calming her down while keeping herself calm, too.

Undyne soon felt those terrible images - memories? - fading like a fever-dream, though she still trembled and held Alphys tight.

Once and a while, Alphys would lean down and kiss her gently, either on her forehead or her cheek or the top of her head. She never once let go, and Undyne found herself able to calm down faster from that, alone.

Soon, when even her whimpers calmed to shaky breaths, Alphys pulled Undyne close and lay back down with her still in her arms. Undyne melted into her embrace, curling up against her and refusing to let go.

Alphys only hesitated once to pull a blanket over them both, before she again relaxed, holding Undyne to her and still stroking her hair tenderly and slowly.

Eventually, even Undyne's shaking stopped, and with even more time, she managed to drift back to sleep, feeling safe at last - and assured that her wife was safe, too.

One hand, before she was fully asleep, reached up and curled around the pendant that hung around Alphys's neck, her other hand around her own.

Alphys, in return, curled her own hand around Undyne's, and at that, she felt protected, now, too.

In the morning, they woke up tangled together and not as comfortably, but the moment their eyes met, Undyne crashed into Alphys and hugged her so hard Alphys wheezed for breath and laughed a little, before managing to hug back.

No word was exchanged about what Undyne had seen that night. Nothing needed to be said, not even a thank you; they both already knew, and thus it never needed to be said.

Being there was more than enough. And it was what kept them strong, together.

Chapter 78: Fragment

Notes:

So, here's a slight trigger-warning for past self-harm, discussion of self-harm, and also a slight begging of forgiveness for this chapter, as I wrote it when I was... down.

When Alphys was alone and feeling this way, it was dangerous. She knew it, deep in her soul, and tried to make sure to never be alone when this mood struck her. But it had come out of nowhere, it seemed, and Undyne had gone out with Papyrus to see a movie that she'd had no interest in, and now, she was alone...

Now, she was in the corner of the kitchen, curled up in a ball against the cabinets, shaking from head to tail, biting the claws on one hand, the other hand at her head and clutching hard. The pain both actions caused was good, in a way, as it was distracting enough so that she wouldn't want to cause more pain.

But she also knew that if she didn't find some way to either distract herself or defuse the situation, soon, she would move beyond just claw-biting.

For as long as she could remember, Alphys had had moods like this, moments in which she'd simply seem to implode emotionally and mentally, and with it lose all reasoning and common sense. Before she hit her teens, claw-biting had been enough.

After, though, well... it got worse, to say the least.

Far worse.

And it was part of why she went into biology in the first place: to see if she could understand her mind in the process.

She hadn't had an attack this bad in many, many years. The last one had, of course, happened before the barrier broke, and had driven her not only to hurt herself, but then to abyss - the worst and farthest that she'd ever gone.

She remembered coming back, and Endogeny curling around her as she cleaned her wounds; they tried to lick them clean for her, so that she'd heal faster that way, and they made her cry from their concern for her.

She scarred well, thanks to her tough skin, and thus any scars she made were hardly noticeable at all. In fact, they were practically invisible unless you were in a certain light or you knew where to look.

It took her a long time to tell Undyne, and it was when they were still friends.

Granted, at the time, they were both a bit tipsy from having tried alcoholic milkshakes for the first time, but it was an evening of confessions, and interesting ones, too.

After Undyne had admitted that she loved Asgore like a father, even though she started out wanting to kick his ass across the Underground, Alphys suddenly realised she wanted to tell her one of her darkest secrets, one she'd never told anyone.

She, by then, had told so many lies to Undyne. She was so tired of doing so, that in a flurry of sudden vulnerability and need to be honest, she set her drink down, pulled one of her sleeves up, and tilted her arm in the light.

Undyne had peered at it, then her, in confusion, not seeing anything, until Alphys took one of her hands and held it over one of the thicker scars.

In silence, Undyne's eye had flared, her other hand going to her mouth.

Alphys then said, her voice thick, "I-I h-h-hate myself. S-so I-I pun-punish my-myself."

It was the only way she could think of explaining it, and even though it sounded lacking, it was truly the best she could come up with.

Unfortunately, that was also the very first time she had to see Undyne cry, because the moment she understood, her eye filled, and she grabbed Alphys's hand so hard their hands both shook.

"Never do thish again," Undyne had snarled through her tears, her voice choked with both them and alcohol, now. "Whenever you feel thish way, come get me. I'm your friend. I'm alwaysh gonna be your friend. Come get me. Alwaysh."

And Alphys had promised, always, to do so.

A promise she'd kept.

Alphys found those words echoing in her mind, now, as she slowly rocked herself, her eyes now closed, both hands holding her head and her tail wrapped around her legs tight.

The problem was that she didn't even know why she was feeling this way.

She'd been fine, had even had the whole evening planned and set up just for herself. She was going to watch a few movies and shows that she liked but Undyne didn't, and was going to eat the worst but most delicious foods she could think of as a result.

But then, something suddenly cracked within her, and she found herself instead standing in the kitchen, staring at the knife rack, her fingers itching to grab one and just... and just...

Alphys whimpered, burying her face into her knees, the urge even now still strong. She had promised Undyne to always tell her the moment she felt even slightly this way, and since then always had, first as friends, then lovers, and then finally wives.

But those attacks had been nowhere near as bad as this one, and the worst part was that she was alone, all alone...

What set me off? Why do I feel this way, now?

If I can figure that out, maybe I can make it stop, make it go away, and calm down...?

She had come into the kitchen initially to make some of the gooey popcorn that she loved as well as to grab a soda. She'd grabbed the box of popcorn sachets and pulled one out, then moved to put it in the microwave.

And then... what?

Something.

Then her eyes went to the knife rack. And she fell to the floor.

She went over it again.

And again.

Over five times she tried to find that missing piece, and it was only on the sixth time that she got it: the date.

Her eyes had fallen on the calendar in the kitchen, and suddenly the date seemed to flare in her mind and short out the logic circuits. She made the connection to that date with a low, pained cry, her claws digging into her scalp and her eyes squeezing shut, her mind flooding with images of the past.

Despite everything, despite all she'd worked for and learnt since then, it still had the power to hurt her so badly...

She then realised that she'd never been alone on this date before, not even before the barrier broke, and that was the true reason why she so badly wanted pain, why she needed pain: because no one was there to distract her, or remind her that things weren't as bad as they seemed, and that she wasn't a demon or a destroyer of lives, or a meaningless waste of a soul...

Suddenly, as startling as a gunshot, the front door slammed open, scaring her so badly that she jumped and slammed back against the cabinets.

Then she heard, in a panicked, sharp tone, "Alphy?"

Undyne then came running into the house, first in the living room, then into the kitchen.

"Alphy!" she repeated, her expression going from panicked to relieved.

She still wore her boots and coat, and she ran over and knelt to Alphys, who was already getting up to cling to her before she even realised it, tears already running down her cheeks. Undyne grabbed her and pulled her close, holding her and whispering comforting words, assuring her that she wasn't alone anymore, that she was safe, and that everything was okay...

Alphys, in reply, just sobbed, hard, unable to do anything else. She was so relieved, so grateful, and felt so lucky. She held onto Undyne so hard that they both shook from it, and Undyne rocked her right there on the kitchen floor, kissing her so many times that they both lost count.

"I'm so sorry," Undyne then whispered, her voice choked. "I'm so sorry, Alphy. Please, sweetie..."

She carefully took hold of one of Alphys's arms, then the other, before resuming her embrace.

"Oh, thank you, Alphy, thank you... I'm so sorry, please... I'm sorry..."

Alphys shook her head, trying to speak, but Undyne went on.

"I didn't remember until I saw the date on the ticket stub," she admitted between kisses, her eye shut and tears running down her face. "When I did, I came back as soon as I could. I would have never left, Alphy. Please, forgive me."

"Un-Undyne," Alphys managed finally. "I-I'd forgotten, too. S-somehow. B-but I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm f-fine."

Undyne nodded, then shushed her and kissed her again, holding her as close as possible and with firm, unyielding hands.

There was a silence, then, one that was spent at first just weeping, then calming down from that.

When Undyne noticed that Alphys's sobs had quieted, she looked down and studied her closely. Alphys remained clinging to her tight, her eyes closed and her teeth clenched, but she wasn't shaking anymore.

Gently, Undyne took a firmer hold of her and picked her up, something that Alphys didn't protest but actually seemed to melt into. They left the kitchen, Undyne pausing briefly to kick off her boots and toss her coat off, then they went to their bedroom, where they lay down together, Undyne curling her body around Alphys's as best as she could.

Then, very gently, Undyne repeated, "Thank you, Alphy."

Alphys opened her eyes slowly, the eyelids swollen. She was confused; wasn't that supposed to be what she should say to Undyne? "I d-don't... I can't... Why?"

"You didn't," Undyne answered, her voice wavering and soft. "You could have, had every reason and means to, but still didn't. That took courage, Alphy, and I'm thanking you because you were strong, and didn't do it."

She paused, taking a shaky breath. "Despite me not being there for you, like I should have been."

"Undyne." Alphys took hold of her wife's face gently and gazed at her. "D-do you know why I initially f-forgot?"

When Undyne shook her head, she went on.

"Be-because of you. Because y-you made sure I finally could see the-the Amalgamates as they are, n-now: happy and with their families, instead of the way they are in my memories. N-now that I know, and accept, that they're okay, it t-took me longer to remember."

She managed a small smile, one that brought a small light to Undyne's eye. "Y-you almost made me forget completely!"

"Alphy..." Undyne closed her eye and leaned down, pressing her forehead to hers. "I'm so glad to hear that. I was so... so scared. I felt so... awful."

"N-no, don't," Alphys insisted, rubbing her cheeks. "I'm okay. You c-came here right on time. I don't kn-know how you always do that, but I'm happy you do."

Undyne, instead of answering, pulled her close and kissed her, deeply. Alphys returned it, her heart both aching and healing, and she pulled Undyne toward her so their was no space between them and held her close.

"Alphy," Undyne suddenly whispered, pressing closer and holding onto her even tighter. "Can I... comfort you...?"

Alphys paused, heat rushing to her cheeks at the thought, but she hesitated.

"Y-you don't need to do it physically, you know," she admitted gently, carefully reaching up and tucking a loose strand of Undyne's hair behind her ear.

"I know..." Undyne agreed, her face so open and sad that Alphys stopped breathing for a moment. "But... it would be a comfort... to me, too."

Alphys stared at her, then smiled faintly, her eyes wavering with sudden understanding, before she nodded.

Again, they kissed, and this time, they didn't break apart.

Chapter 79: Inert

"Hey, it's me. Yep. Sorry, we need a day. Is that okay?"

Alphys heard Undyne's voice and curled up tighter, but also felt oddly comforted, too. She always did whenever she heard Undyne's voice, regardless of context.

"Wait, what? That's today? Fuck!"

Alphys blinked her eyes opened and listened, a sinking feeling coming to her gut, even worse than the one already there.

"There's no way I can move it, at all? The province is that set that it has to be today? But, Toriel--," Undyne suddenly reached out and grabbed Alphys's shoulder tight, both startling her and comforting her. Alphys already knew, and felt bad, but at the same time, in her mood, had expected it. She always expected the worse at moments like these.

"Fuck! Okay. Fine, fucking province regulations. But the moment it's done, I'm out. I have to get home. Okay? Thanks, good." She hung up and sighed, dropping the phone angrily.

"S'okay," Alphys lied softly. "I'll be okay."

Undyne reached up and brushed the angry tears from her eye. She didn't want to leave, not with Alphys like this, in one of her dark days. She'd never had to, before, and was both angry and afraid. She knew Alphys had grown in many ways, and would probably be fine, but she still felt that helpless frustration, anyway.

"Eat something, okay?" Undyne growled, reaching down and hugging onto Alphys tight. "Eat anything, just make it food. I'll leave snacks in here so you don't have to get up. But eat, do you got it? Promise me, Alphy."

"Okay, I promise," Alphys murmured, not sure if she could - but she would still try.

"The stupid practical midterms are today, and I forgot that they're mandatory for the provincial standardised testing bullshit," Undyne explained angrily. "But it should only be a few hours, tops, and the moment I'm done, I'll be here with you, okay?"

"Okay," Alphys agreed, reaching up and placing her hand over Undyne's.

"I'm so sorry." Undyne hugged her tighter, kissing her cheek gently at the same time. "I'll make it up to you, okay? Just eat, and be safe, and I'll be home before you know it."

"D-don't be sorry," Alphys insisted honestly. She squeezed Undyne's hand. "It's okay."

Undyne hugged her again, then got up, grabbed popcorn, chips, and multigrain bars, as well as a couple of bottles of soda, and left them at Alphys's nighstand. Alphys looked up at her and tried to smile, but Undyne's expression didn't change from its strained worry. She knelt down and touched Alphys's cheek gently, and Alphys closed her eyes for a moment.

"I'll be home real soon," she promised. When Alphys nodded again, Undyne kissed her again, then left.

Alphys stared at the nightstand for a moment, her heart aching. She pulled her blankets closer to her, partially covering her face. It had been years since she'd been alone like this, but the thought of Undyne coming back did truly comfort her. Added to that, she also found that although she didn't have any desire to leave the bed, she did feel hungry - that in itself was a new development.

At the thought, Alphys pushed the blankets back and sat up slowly, grabbing the bag of popcorn and a soda, as well as her phone, before retreating back under her nest, choosing a multi-houred compilation of her favourite Let's Play show to watch.

It was how Undyne found her hours later. She came back as soon as she could, and only two hours or so had passed. She went to their bedroom and found her wife not only surrounded by evidence of actually having had something to eat, but she was also sleeping, as well. Undyne was so relieved that she paused at the doorway, a hand to her chest and her eye closed for a moment. Then, very quietly, she crept over and crawled into the bed, curling up behind Alphys gently and holding her through the blankets. Alphys stirred a little, but only to shift back against her before dropping back to sleep again. In her relief, Undyne soon joined her.

When Alphys woke up, it was just over an hour later, and it was because the video she'd been watching - sort of - finally ended. She jolted awake to the sudden silence, especially surprised to find Undyne with her as well, who also instantly woke up when she did.

"Alphy," Undyne said, reaching for her and pulling her close again. "You okay? I'm here."

Strangely, the thing was that Alphys did feel okay. She'd never felt this okay so soon when she had days like this. She realised, with that, just how much had changed over the years - and how much she'd grown, which surprised her. The thought suddenly made her so happy, so giddy, that she yanked the blankets back, turned around, and threw herself at Undyne, hugging onto her hard.

"Gah!" Undyne cried, before she laughed and hugged her back just as tight. "Good to see you too!" She was also surprised, but found her surprise was little compared to her relief.

"Yes," Alphys agreed, burying her face into Undyne's neck and bringing more laughs from her. "I'm glad you-you're home."

"Me, too," Undyne admitted. "Though it looks like you ate. And you slept. I'm proud of you, Alphy."

Alphys nodded a little shyly, her face burning, and she hugged onto Undyne tighter. She found that she was proud of herself, too, and that meant something.

"Want some real food, now?" Undyne wondered, and Alphys nodded emphatically, which had Undyne laughing again in delight.

Chapter 80: Classic

One time, during one of their many sleepovers at Alphys and Undyne's house, Frisk declared, as a greeting, "You two have barely changed!" And they grinned, so wide and so bright that it had the two speechless for a moment in their shared surprise.

"What the hell, punk?" Undyne managed to splutter out, grabbing Frisk into her version of a hug, which was a loose but affectionate headlock, one that had the human laughing in delight. "I've changed! A ton!"

Frisk just laughed again at her in reply, and Undyne dropped them to the floor with a scowl. Frisk's laughs were cut off with an "oof!" but Alphys was already at their side to help them back up.

"Are you hungry, Frisk?" Alphys wondered. "We were waiting for you before we ordered anything for supper. Also, we have a lot of new shows for you to watch with us!"

Frisk hugged her in reply, delighting her. "That sounds like fun," they said honestly, pulling away with a grin. "Can we order Chinese?"

"Don't change the subject, brat! Alphy, don't let them change the subject!" Undyne growled, following them into the living room and to Alphys's laptop, so that they could place their order. Undyne remained standing as the two went through the menu and picked their favourites. Undyne then snapped out hers, adding a growl to emphasise her displeasure.

"Love," Alphys said finally, once the order was placed and Frisk was now going through the shows and movies list. "Why are you so pissed off?"

"We have too changed, Frisk!" Undyne insisted as her reply. They looked up at her and blinked, as if surprised that this was still a topic. "We have!"

"Undyne," said Frisk, smiling, "sorry, but not really."

"Explain!" Undyne demanded.

"Well," Frisk began, leaning back against the couch as they scanned through the list and picked the ones they wanted. "Undyne, you're still a passionate and strong grump." Undyne glowered at that. "And Alphys, you're still shy and eager to please." Frisk grinned. "And together, you two are so in love it's as gross as it was at the start!"

Alphys was oddly pleased by this and blushed, smiling a little. Undyne sat down beside Frisk in a huff and glared at them - and Frisk kept grinning, nonplussed. Four years of friendship had taught them much about Undyne's moods.

"But," Frisk then added. "I will admit, there are little changes, true."

Alphys tilted her head to the side at this, curious; she didn't feel different. Undyne, however, nodded. "Exactly, yes! Go on, then!"

Frisk smirked. "Well, Alphys, you're a lot braver." Alphys went scarlet, opening her mouth to protest, but Frisk spoke over her. "And more open and honest, too. I really like that." Now Alphys was speechless, hiding behind her hands in her shyness.

"And you, Undyne," Frisk added, turning to her. "You're more patient, and you also show more restraint, and are more trusting, especially with new people. I really like that, too." Undyne blushed, too, her mouth a small, oddly pleased line. "I like to think that you're now finally who you always were all along, but are now actually able to be that way, finally."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Alphys murmured from behind her hands, only showing her eyes between her fingers.

"Well, now that the barrier is gone and you two are together, you're finally who you're meant to be," Frisk replied easily, their eyes shining. "Nothing's holding either of you back, now. So you can be who you were all along, with no holds barring you - especially together. So, okay, I guess you've kinda changed," they added, shrugging a little. "But you've also stayed the same. Does that make any sense, now?"

In reply, Frisk was hugged by both Undyne and Alphys at the same time, bringing instant laughter from them - and also proving their assessment true.

Chapter 81: Animal

As the years went on, and the humans of the city began to grow used to their new monster neighbours, it was rare that racism made itself known amongst the two groups. Certainly, it was a surprise, really, just how accepting the humans were - in their city, anyway; beyond was trickier - which was why, when problems did arise, it was all the more shocking. Even moreso when it came from children.

Alphys was on duty during recess when a scuffle broke out between a group of human and monster children. Alphys made her way to break it up when she heard one of the humans snarl, "You're all just a bunch of stupid mutant animals, anyway! We all know it!"

Several humans seemed to agree, though most looked just as shocked and hurt as their monster friends. Alphys stormed over and said, sharply, "Wh-what was that you just said?!"

The human who said it went bright red, but they were still angry, so unwisely, they said, "It's true! Even you, miss! You're all animals!"

Alphys held her hands behind her back so that they wouldn't be able to see them shake and spark in her anger. "You. Come with me. Right. Now."

The human hesitated, then lowered their head and did so. Alphys led them to Toriel's office in silence, though that silence was broken when Alphys knocked on Toriel's door. "Why am I in trouble?" the human asked.

"The fact that you don't know is the reason, itself," Alphys snapped.

Toriel bade them to come in, and they did. Toriel was surprised to see Alphys there, especially with a belligerent-looking human child in tow. Tersely, Alphys said, "Tell the Headmistress what you said."

They looked embarrassed, now, but still spoke. "The-the truth. Everyone knows that monsters are animals." Toriel's eyebrows went up in surprise, her hands folding together in front of her. "Compared to humans, especially."

"And who told you this?" Toriel asked calmly; Alphys admired that.

"My parents," the human admitted.

"Indeed?" Toriel said. "I think I should meet them." She looked at Alphys. "Thank you, Dr Alphys. I'll take it from here."

Alphys was relieved; she was losing hold of her temper by then and needed to calm down. She nodded and left, then found herself going right to the gym. Undyne was spending the recess setting up the gym for her next class when Alphys came in. She froze in surprise.

"Hey, Alphy," she said, bemused. Alphys said nothing, but walked right up to her and hugged onto her tight. She was shaking, and Undyne pulled her closer. "What happened?"

In a small voice, Alphys told her. Undyne growled low in her throat, leaning down and kissing Alphys's forehead gently. "What a little shit," she concluded.

"Y-you know, Undyne?" Alphys said, her voice still soft, her hold on her wife still tight. "It-it really hurt me, hearing that. And I-I don't even really know why."

"Because it's people like that who banished us in the first place," Undyne said. "They saw us as less-than, as lower, and therefore useless and meant to be buried and forgotten. And to hear a brat say it is even worse, because their parents are clearly feeding them that shit when they should know better."

Alphys closed her eyes, burying her face into Undyne's shoulder for a moment. "I know it's only been four years, but... it still shocks me."

"I think we got really lucky with Frisk," Undyne admitted gently.

Alphys hesitated, then said, "I should probably go back and make sure the others are okay."

Undyne nodded. "Good idea." She pulled away and touched Alphys's face gently. "See you later?" When Alphys nodded, Undyne kissed her again, and she left.

Alphys found the other children looking frustrated and hurt, the two groups a little separated, now. She walked over and said, very gently, "Are all of you alright?" She got many nods, though clearly the monster children were still rather hurt.

Alphys noticed and added, "Listen. That kid said something really mean and very untrue. But also remember this: they were told that by their parents. You listen to your parents, right?" More nods. "Well, that's what they were doing, too. Hopefully with time, they'll grow up, and be a better person and less..." She hesitated, then sighed. "Dumb."

When they giggled, she felt a bit better, and could tell they did, too. "All of you just be you, and don't listen to that kind of talk. Technically, we're either all of us animals, or none of us. Right?" She smiled, and was pleased to get smiles in return, coupled with nods.

It was then that the bell rang, and she waved them off, feeling relieved that she was able to smooth that over at least a little.

Later, when they got home, Toriel called Alphys. "The child's parents have been spoken to," she said. "But it's clear that they're bigots. Why the hell they chose my school is beyond my understanding, but I advised them either to teach their child tolerance or pick another school. They were unhappy, but I truly do not care, and hope they pick the latter."

Alphys hesitated. "I don't," she admitted. She appreciated Toriel's candour, but she also had her own. "I hope that kid stays, and learns to be better than their parents."

Toriel was silent for a moment before she replied. "Thank you, Alphys. I let my anger cloud my common sense. You're right; I, too, hope that they stay."

As it turned out, that was exactly what happened. The student remained and was clearly embarrassed and sorry, and even apologised to Alphys and the other students on their own. Later that same day, they sought out Frisk for advice, who was delighted to not only talk to them, but to educate them, as well.

Not all things were hopeless, after all. It was a nice surprise.

Chapter 82: Jagged

Once, Undyne admitted that she was shy about her teeth. Alphys, on one hand, understood her in a way, as she, too, had a prominent overbite that was rather obvious. On the other hand, she didn't get Undyne's shyness, as she personally thought the look suited Undyne rather well.

"How do you mean?" Undyne wondered in bemusement when Alphys told her. They were curled up in bed, not too long after making love, and Undyne was holding Alphys close to her. Alphys had sat up a bit to lightly trail her clawtips over Undyne's face, loving to do so, and her touch lingered over Undyne's teeth, a faint blush coming to her cheeks as she did. She then blurted out her confession, which brought on Undyne's confusion as a result.

"Uh-uhm," Alphys murmured, her eyes and clawtips still on Undyne's teeth, her face growing warmer. "Well, th-they give you a fierce look. You l-look very tough and v-very powerful and strong and..." Her voice trailed off and her blush deepened.

"Alphy." Undyne stared at her in surprise. "You're... you're getting turned on. I can tell. Your heart is racing!"

"Er!" Alphys buried her face in Undyne's shoulder in reply, her hand going to her own face to cover it. "A-a little bit, y-yes."

Undyne snorted out a laugh. "Alphy!" she cried. "Are you fucking with me right now?! How can you be turned on by my teeth, of all things?!"

Alphys curled up against her, feeling hot all over in both shyness and now increasing desire. "Be-because," she murmured. "Y-you know how to use them." She tried to curl even closer. "I-I really like them, s-so I get sad when you s-say you d-don't."

Undyne was blushing, now, too. Alphys wrapped her tail around one of her legs tight, and she grinned, able to tell from that alone that Alphys was being sincere, despite being embarrassed. "Alphy, come out?" she asked softly, leaning down and rubbing Alphys's back.

Alphys raised her head, still bright red. "S-sorry," she said softly. "Am-am I gross?"

Undyne pulled her close and kissed her in reply, deeply, and Alphys clung to her, her breath catching in surprise. Then, slowly, Undyne caught Alphys's lower lip between her teeth and pulled gently before breaking the kiss. Alphys clung to her tighter, her eyes glazing over with desire.

"Damn, Alphy," Undyne whispered, pulling Alphys on top of her, something Alphys happily followed through with, her heart racing. "You keep surprising me, just when I think I have you all figured out..." Alphys pressed closer to her in reply, her breaths quick, now. "I mean, I had an inkling, but--,"

Alphys then kissed her, cutting her off, before Undyne suddenly found her bottom lip caught between Alphys's teeth and pulled gently. Undyne's eye flared in surprise, feeling her own body respond with a flash of arousal that shocked her.

Alphys pulled away, smiling at her deviously, and suddenly Undyne understood completely. "More," she demanded. "Now," she rasped it out, and again they kissed, hard, unable to stop, now.

By the time they were spent again, they were both covered in patterns of bite marks, hard enough to show, but gentle enough to never break skin. They lay side-by-side, panting and still dazed, both grinning with their eyes closed.

"S-see?" Alphys whispered tiredly between breaths. "N-no reason to be shy... you're v-very... sexy..."

Undyne laughed, turning over and throwing herself at Alphys and holding onto her tight, surprising Alphys into laughing and grabbing onto her, pulling her close.

From then on, whenever Undyne felt embarrassed or self-conscious about her teeth, she'd only have to think of that evening to reassure herself. And when that didn't work, Alphys was always happy to remind her.

Chapter 83: Strange

"Alphy, let's get drunk."

Alphys stared at Undyne in surprise. The last time they'd had alcohol, they'd stopped once they'd both gotten tipsy - especially since Alphys had made Undyne cry by accident. Since then, they hadn't bothered with it that much, but then, the day they'd just had wasn't exactly typical.

The school had just received news of some provincial budget cuts, which not only upset the teachers, but the students, as well. The entire day had been filled with one depressing announcement after another, of the things they'd be losing as a result of the cuts. By the end of the day, everyone was depressed.

So perhaps Undyne's suggestion wasn't all that unusual, really, considering.

Alphys wasn't too fond of alcohol. The few times she'd indulged in enough of it to feel its effects, she had found herself incredibly depressed and moody. Undyne, however, was the opposite: she got hyper from the stuff. So with that in mind, as well as a hope to be distracted from the miseries of work, she agreed.

She made the milkshakes while Undyne went out to get the drink of choice, and she was done by the time Undyne came back. She came into the kitchen and held up an oddly pretty bottle of the stuff with a grin. It was the same stuff as before: rum.

Alphys decided to be modest with her dose, but Undyne wasn't deterred by her restraint, and added quite a bit to her milkshake, resulting in something weirdly syrupy rather than milky. They brought their drinks to the living room, threw on a brainless anime that would make them laugh, and drank.

Pretty soon, they both started to feel it - Undyne, especially. And Alphys discovered, with that, that when Undyne was actually drunk, she was an entire force of her own, and incredibly bizarre to go along with it.

After her first shake, Undyne was oddly relaxed, almost limp in her seat. She was grinning, her cheeks bright red, and her legs were crossed, one foot constantly bouncing. Alphys was done her first, as well, and while she felt that her own face was just as red and she felt a little dizzy, she didn't feel depressed, which was good.

"Heheh," Undyne suddenly said, setting her cup down on the floor and leaning forward, her elbows on her thigh and her foot still bouncing. "I love anime. It's so pretty." She hiccuped a little.

Alphys smiled at her. "It truly is," she agreed. "'Specially the-the ones by CLAMP. The-the older ones, espe-especially."

"I love the eyes," Undyne said, reaching up and tracing around her own eye with one fingertip. "So big and expressive. I wish I had eyes like that."

"You do!" Alphys insisted. "You-your eye is very express-expressive! And pretty!"

Undyne grinned at her, then leaned down, picked up both cups, and slowly got to her feet, wobbling a little. "Refill?" she wondered, already on her way to the kitchen. Alphys was about to protest, but Undyne was already pouring, and she sighed, deciding not to bother. She decided she'd just sip at her drink from then on.

By the time Undyne was halfway done her second drink, her eye was glassy and her face was the brightest red that it could ever be. She was leaning on Alphys, her head on her shoulder and one hand on one of her knees, the other still holding her drink. Alphys had only had a few gulps of hers, and thus was only feeling a bit more dizzy and yet oddly alert. This was also a good thing, as now Undyne practically demanded all of her attention.

"Alphyyyy..." she said slowly, grinning at Alphys from her place on her shoulder. "Guessh what?"

Alphys glanced at her, raising her eyebrows. "Wh-what?"

"Youuuu..." Undyne reached up and poked Alphys's cheek before letting her hand drop back to Alphys's knee. "Are my wife!" she concluded happily.

"Yes," Alphys agreed with a smile. "And you-you're mine!"

"Heheh," Undyne giggled, before taking another generous gulp of her drink. She then leaned against Alphys again and closed her eye. "It'sh awesome. You're my wife. We got married."

"We did," Alphys replied, reaching over and taking hold of Undyne's cup before she dropped it, setting it down on the floor beside her own.

"Alphy," Undyne murmured, her arms going around one of Alphys's arms and hugging onto it tight. She opened her eye and looked at her, grinning. "D-d'you know?"

"Know wh-what?" Alphys wondered, resting her head on Undyne's, her other hand taking one of hers.

"Wh-when I couldn't shleep, before we got together, I'd think of you, and then be able to. Of you. Of ush. Together and shtuff."

Alphys's eyes went wide in her surprise; she hadn't known, and had thought only she had ever done that. "You d-did?"

"Mmhm!" Undyne nodded sincerely, despite her expression. "I liked to think about ush before shleeping. Heheh, but not alwaysh in a dirty way!" Alphys rolled her eyes at that, giving Undyne's head a light tap, though she did blush. "Moshtly us married. I liked that the mosht. Like-like your fanficsh!"

"Er," Alphys replied, feeling hot from embarrassment at that, now. "Let's n-not talk about th-that, okay?"

"But I wash the shame!" Undyne insisted, tugging on Alphys's arm. "I never wrote it down ish all!" She stared at Alphys, now, so intently that Alphys couldn't look away. Despite how drunk she was, there was obvious sincerity there that held Alphys's full attention. "Alphy," Undyne added, searching Alphys's gaze intently. "I've loved you for a very, very long time."

Alphys stared at her this time, her eyes suddenly blurring with tears, both from the alcohol and the candour in Undyne's words. "U-Undyne," she whispered, reaching up and touching Undyne's warm cheek gently. Undyne closed her eye and leaned into her touch immediately, holding it to her face with one of her own hands.

"Alphy," Undyne said again, her eye still closed. "I love you sho much."

"I love you so much," Alphys replied, stroking her cheek gently. "You-you're the b-best thing in m-my life, in m-my wh-whole stupid life, except you-you're not stupid. Just m-my life." She couldn't help it, now; the tears fell, and her voice wavered.

Undyne opened her eye and looked up at her, her expression falling to one of worry, and suddenly their positions were reversed, so that Undyne was holding Alphys close. The moment her forehead touched Undyne's shoulder, Alphys's control over her tears vanished, and she clung onto her and cried.

"No, no, no," Undyne whispered, holding her close and kissing her forehead more than once. "Why? Why are you crying, lovey?"

"You-you're too good for me!" Alphys blurted out, her voice breaking. Clearly, she'd had too much, and now was feeling it.

"Noooo, shut the hell up, Alphy," Undyne whispered, her voice very gentle and soothing despite the words. "Jusht shut the hell up about that, right now, Alphy. We're perfect for each other, you got it?"

Alphys nodded, trying to calm down and finding herself succeeding with Undyne's help. "O-okay," she agreed.

"Exactly." Undyne smiled down at her. "Better than okay. Good. Shee, you're so shmart!"

Alphys choked out a small laugh. "Undyne, you-you're a d-dork," she replied. "And-and drunk."

"Yahuh," Undyne agreed, nodding. "But that doeshn't mean I'm wrong."

Alphys sat up to hug her, something Undyne fell into quite literally with a silly grin, curling up and burying her face right into Alphys's chest, between her breasts, which made Alphys laugh again.

"Mm," Undyne murmured, her voice muffled. "I love theshe. Sho much. Mm..." She nuzzled a bit more, bringing a squeak from Alphys, especially when Undyne reached up to cup them together closer.

"Undyne, you-you'll suf-suffocate!" Alphys pushed her away gently. Undyne grinned up at her and then laughed, still cupping her breasts. "Let-let go, please." Undyne then pouted but did, before she leaned down and rested on Alphys's lap, wrapping her arms around her knees tight, sighing in contentment and closing her eye with a grin. Alphys smiled and started to immediately stroke her hair, her other hand resting on Undyne's back.

"Alphy, you shmell sho nice," Undyne murmured happily, sounding as if she were steeped in bliss.

"Th-thanks?" Alphys answered shyly, blushing.

"Mm..." Undyne relaxed even more, seeming to almost melt in Alphys's lap. She sighed again deeply, and Alphys leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead, before she sat up and resumed stroking her hair.

Soon, however, to Alphys's surprise, Undyne actually fell asleep. What surprised Alphys was the speed, not the sleep, as well as the degree of it, as it seemed that she was out for the night. It had taken less than a half-hour, which was a new record for Undyne. Alphys honestly felt a mix of relief as well as tenderness, and she leaned down and rested her cheek on top of Undyne's head with a smile.

Undyne was odd when she was drunk, but she was also incredibly honest and forward, too. It was certainly an experience, to say the least.

Later, when Undyne woke up - and in turn woke Alphys, too, who had fallen asleep an hour later - she slowly sat up and rubbed her forehead, then wiped the drool from her chin. Alphys woke up slower, her vision blurry, still. Undyne was still slightly drunk, so she went to the kitchen, grabbed two water bottles, and came back, handing Alphys one before drinking half of her own. Once she was done, she sat back down and curled back up against Alphys, all in curious silence.

Alphys pulled her close and leaned back to take a gulp of water, before she shut her eyes again. Undyne took another gulp of her own, before she rested her head on Alphys's chest, her other arm going around Alphys's waist.

"Alphy," she then murmured.

"Mm?" Alphys opened one eye and looked at her.

"You... you are the best in the whole world... and I love you."

"S-same, b-but with you," Alphys agreed with a smile. "N-now, go b-back to sleep."

"Mm..." Undyne nodded, nuzzling her chest and relaxing again.

Within the next hour, they were asleep again.

Chapter 84: Message

One day, while Alphys was in the shower, Undyne silently snuck in, hovered in front of the mirror for a moment, then ran back out, having to smother her giggles as she did.

Alphys, none the wiser, soon got out and grabbed her towel, wrapping it around herself before going to the sink - and thus the mirror - herself. She looked up - and jolted, her face going red but also breaking into a grin. She was barely dried off when she threw her towel off and ran back into the bedroom.

Undyne was waiting for her, lying on the bed and on her side, with her head propped up on one hand, not a stitch of clothing on her save her eyepatch. Alphys flung herself not only onto the bed, but onto Undyne, and between giddy giggles, they kissed, before lying down on the bed and doing more than just kissing.

What started it all was the simple note that Undyne had scrawled onto the mirror using the steam, which read:

"HAPPY FUCKEN BIRTHDAY, NERD. <3"

Chapter 85: Ashes

"Alphy, I need to talk to you, and it's serious."

Alphys nodded, setting down her book and patting the space beside her on the couch. Undyne immediately sat down, took her hand, and said, "It's about what I want... after I die."

"No," Alphys snapped out, yanking her hand back and surprising them both with the force of her actions. She felt a wave of fury as well as visceral terror fill her regardless, and she added, "No, no, no!" Her voice broke, and she looked away.

"Alphy," Undyne repeated gently, reaching up and touching her paled cheek gently, trying to get her to turn back. Alphys flinched, but this time didn't move away, though she did lower her eyes and bite down on her lip. "Alphy, come on. We're married. We need to talk about this."

Alphys inhaled sharply, her breaths shaky, and she felt her eyes fill with tears. She knew it, knew Undyne was right, and she loathed it all the same. She clenched her hands over her knees to keep from sobbing, and she nodded, still turned away.

"Okay," Undyne continued, her voice soft, still stroking Alphys's now-wet cheek. "I want you to take my dust and keep it, Alphy."

Alphys paused, then looked up at her, confused. "Wh-what? Keep it?"

"Yeah," Undyne agreed, smiling a little. "I want you to keep all of it - don't sprinkle any of it, not even a grain - until you go. Then, make sure it says in your will that our dust gets all mixed up together, and then they - whoever's left, Frisk or whoever - can throw them wherever, as long as they're mixed up. No matter what, I want to be with you, okay? Can you do that for me, sweetie?"

"C-can you?" Alphys blurted, crying in earnest, now, her voice choked. "I... I want that. I-if I go first, can you do that? For me?"

"Yes," Undyne agreed at once. "Absolutely, Alphy."

"O-okay, then. M-me, too. I will. B-but... but, Undyne..." Alphys covered her face with her hands and hunched over. "Pl-please... please... d-don't go be-before me, if you can, please?" Her voice was tiny and thin with her tears. Undyne pulled her into her arms, holding her close. Alphys clung to her tight, so hard she winced a little, but she didn't say anything. "Pl-please, Undyne... please. I c-can't... I can't imagine living with-without you..."

"Alphy, it's the same for me, sweetie," Undyne said honestly, trying to keep her voice gentle, though inside she hurt deeply, too. She had no idea that Alphys was so afraid, of not her own death, but Undyne's.

"You-you're so strong... you... Undyne, please..." Alphys was shaking, now, her words almost incoherent by now, her tears almost violent.

"Shh, Alphy... calm down, please..." Undyne kissed her gently, rubbing her back slowly. "It's okay, it's alright. I'm talking about ages from now, when we're both old biddies and wishing for death." She tried to smile at Alphys, but it didn't work. "Oh, Alphy..."

Alphys shook her head. "Please, try... promise me... I'm j-just asking you to promise to t-try..."

"I promise, Alphy," Undyne agreed gently. "Besides, you're older than me, so there you go."

Alphys nodded this time, but her tears didn't stop. "Please, c-can we n-not talk about this any-anymore, please, Undyne?"

"Of course, sweetie," Undyne said softly, kissing her head again and holding her close as she wept. "It's okay. I love you so much, Alphy. I have no intention of dying anytime soon, okay?"

"Okay..." Alphys whispered, before she dissolved into her tears, unable to hold back, now. How could she explain it? How could she explain that the terror she had felt when Frisk was running around in the Underground, and Undyne's life was in danger? They didn't know that Frisk was a pacifist, yet; all they knew was that humans killed monsters, and that Undyne was risking her life by just facing the human down. How could she explain the terror she had been paralysed with, unable to do anything but watch the woman she loved risk everything, including her life? And that to talk about the loss of that life broke Alphys's heart, no matter the context?

The thing was, what she didn't know was that Undyne understood. She felt that way whenever Alphys fell into one of her dark moods - especially once when she had to run home, heart in her throat with terror that she might find Alphys already... already...

So Undyne held her close, unable to stop her own tears from falling, now.

Chapter 86: Leave

"Undyne?"

She jolted awake, reaching for Alphys right away, even before her eye opened. "What's up, Alphy?" she asked groggily, pulling her close as she woke herself up.

She then felt that Alphys was shaking, which surprised the remaining sleep out of her.

"Undyne," Alphys whispered, moving close to her. "I-I'm sorry. I j-just... I'm... I n-need..."

"Anything," Undyne replied, kissing her forehead, her eye opening and looking at Alphys in the dim light. Her wife was pale, and her eyes were dark. "Whatever you need, you have it. Just ask."

"You... you m-made me pro-promise to tell you wh-when I... when I want to r-run away..." she whispered. "I w-want to... I-I w-want to..."

Undyne sat up, still holding her tight, and turned the light on. They winced, but adjusted quickly enough, though Alphys buried her face into Undyne's shoulder, trying to hide and now feeling ashamed. Undyne held her, one arm around her firmly, the other hand stroking along the ridges of her head slowly.

"Why do you want to run away, Alphy?" she asked gently. "And don't be afraid to be honest, okay? You can tell me anything, no matter what."

Alphys nodded, clinging onto her tighter, her face still hidden. In a small voice, she said, "I woke up fr-from a bad dream, one that... m-made all of my insecurities come to light, and all I could feel - all-all I could see - was all of wh-what's wrong with me. Wh-when I woke up, it... it didn't go away." Her voice broke. "It only got worse. A-and so I was going to run away, be-because I didn't want you to see me - see them - and then h-hate me..." She then sobbed, barely making a sound, which oddly worried Undyne more than a loud sob would.

"Alphy," she murmured, closing her eye and resting her cheek on the top of her wife's shaking head. "Thank you, first of all." Alphys shook her head. "Yes, thank you, because you woke me up instead of running away. That's important." She paused. "Now, though, I need you to listen to me, so you'll never forget, okay?"

Alphys raised her head, her face a mess but her eyes focused. Undyne kissed her nose lightly with a smile, cupping a hand to her cheek. "Alphy, I love you. I love you so much that there is very little I can think of that would ever make me even think of hating you. The very idea of it... it makes no sense to me, that's how weird it is to me. And least of all, would I ever hate you for your feelings, Alphy."

"I'm gross," Alphys whispered, her eyes filling again. "I'm awful. I'm ugly and useless and worthless."

"Ow," Undyne answered, her expression falling. She wasn't exaggerating, either; those words really did hurt her. "Alphy, god. I don't know where you get these thoughts, but I want to murder the source." She bit her lip, pressing her forehead to Alphys's, and Alphys shut her eyes, a small sob escaping her. At that moment, she started to pull away, but Undyne grabbed her and held her tight, stopping her. "No," she growled. "Stay with me."

"B-but, Undyne," she argued weakly. "I j-just hurt you... I just hurt you..." Her voice broke again.

Undyne nodded. "Yeah, but it's because you're in so much pain, yourself. And you keep thinking those horrible thoughts, those fucking lies that you grew up hearing from assholes who were the actual words they called you!"

Alphys lowered her head, her face falling. "I'm..."

"You, Alphy, are not gross. You're lovely. You're not awful. You're awesome. You're cute and pretty, useful and precious." Undyne's voice was so strong, so confident and certain, that Alphys looked up at her. Undyne looked right back, nodding. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, because even if you're not perfect, you're perfect for me.. I will never, ever, ever leave you. Not without a huge fight." She smiled faintly, especially when she saw faint glimmer of light in Alphys's eyes.

"Undyne," Alphys whispered, reaching up and touching her face with shaking hands. "I wish... I wish I had a better word than 'love' to describe how I feel about you right now, but all I can think of is profanity, so, I'm sorry, but... I fucking love you so damned much right now, Undyne..." She then clung onto her tight, burying her face back into her shoulder and bursting into tears, so hard that they shook them both. Undyne held her close, unable to keep her own tears back now, though she did smile faintly.

"Pl-please don't leave me, o-okay?" Alphys then choked out. "Please?"

"Never, my love," Undyne agreed easily, holding her so close that she could feel her heart racing. "Never."

At that, Alphys suddenly pulled away from her shoulder and kissed her, hard, taking her breath away. But she returned it, suddenly feeling that same and sudden urgency as Alphys, and without so much as a pause, she pulled Alphys's nightgown off over her head, then tugged her underwear down. Alphys moved away only to kick them off, before she yanked the sheets down.

Undyne pulled her back, still sitting up. Alphys pushed close, grabbing hold of her, and they tangled their legs together, both gasping the moment their flesh touched close. Undyne then slouched a little and shifted, bringing them even closer together, something that had Alphys moaning softly from, her claws digging into her shoulders and her eyes shutting tight. Undyne pulled her as close as possible, so that there was no space between them, and they kissed again, just as Alphys began to grind against Undyne, her moves desperate and quick.

"Alphy," Undyne gasped out, "don't you dare stop..."

Alphys buried her face into Undyne's neck and bit gently, unable to help sniffling a little despite her tears having stopped. Undyne leaned back, a jolt hitting her from the bite, which in turn rubbed against Alphys in a way she needed very much. "Undyne..." she managed to growl out, holding onto Undyne so hard that she was surprised by her strength. "I'm..." Her voice caught, and she moaned again, her head tilting back and her claws digging in again as she came. Undyne held her close, moving with her to make it last, and she whispered Undyne's name gratefully in reply.

Then, Undyne took hold of her and lay her on her back, not breaking their intimate contact, before she pinned Alphys beneath her and started to move against her, leaning down and resting on her elbows to stay as close as possible. Alphys wrapped her arms around her, gritting her teeth but meeting each shift of her hips, each slide of her flesh against her own. Undyne then kissed her, hard, and suddenly increased the pace, her own moan muffled against Alphys's lips as she got closer and closer.

"Please," Alphys murmured softly. "Please, Undyne, come for me..." She reached up and stroked the hair away from Undyne's face gently, gazing up at her, and Undyne stared back at her, her eye hazing over, then closing tight, before she buried her face into her chest and arched against her, her cry sharp and desperate as she finally came. This time, Alphys make sure she felt it for as long as possible, and Undyne clung to her, moaning softly, in reply.

She then relaxed atop Alphys, gasping for breath, Alphys in the same state. Both were caught in that curtain of lingering pleasure, and for a moment, they lay limp together, the very act of catching their breaths taking their full concentration.

Then, without control, Alphys started to weep again. She tried to pull away, embarrassed, but Undyne kept her pinned in place almost effortlessly, and Alphys then buried her face into her wife's shoulder, instead, clinging onto her. "I'm s-sorry," she sobbed out. "I-I'm just s-so... I'm j-just so... I-I love you, Undyne..." Her voice choked, then, and she just cried.

Undyne stayed close, kissing the tears away and whispering comforting but truthful words, so patient and caring that Alphys honestly felt as if she were falling in love with her all over again in that single moment. Undyne just kept kissing her, kept caressing her and reassuring her, and soon, she found herself finally able to calm down, at last.

When her tears were quiet, Alphys pulled away to look up at Undyne, her eyelids swollen but still working well enough to see her. Undyne smiled at her gently, stroking her cheek lightly and drying the remaining tears with a bit of blanket. She was shaking, but Undyne held her steady.

"Undyne," she managed to say, and Undyne nodded. "I love you so much."

She smiled. "I love you, Alphy. Very, very much." She carefully pulled away, lying back, before pulling on Alphys gently so that she followed. She did, curling up in Undyne's open arms, her eyes already closed. Undyne reached up and shut the light off, pulled a blanket over them, and held her wife close, one hand resuming her gentle touches along her head. It took some time, but soon Alphys stopped shaking, then began to relax, before finally falling asleep - a heavy, exhausted sleep.

It took longer for Undyne to follow. She was tired, but her mind was not. She gazed at Alphys closely as she slept, her heart aching. She loved Alphys so much, and wished that there was some way that she could find a method to show her that exact degree of love, so that she'd never be afraid of losing her ever again.

But Undyne couldn't do that. So instead, she decided to keep doing everything she could to ensure that Alphys knew to the best of her ability how much she was loved. And if it took the rest of their lives, well, she was up for the challenge.

On that note, Undyne finally relaxed, holding her wife to her as sleep claimed her, as well - and just as deeply.

---

In the morning, Undyne woke up to a gentle kiss to her forehead. She opened her eye, startling Alphys, who was already awake - and dressed. She blushed, as if caught doing something bad, and for a small moment, Undyne felt a twinge of worry hit her; was she about to run away?

"Undyne," she said. "G-go back to sleep?"

"Why?" she shot back, sitting up slowly.

Alphys went bright red, now. "I... I wanted to... sur-surprise you with... breakfast," she muttered, a hand to her cheek. "T-to thank you. For last night."

Undyne lit up and grinned, reaching up and grabbing Alphys into a happy hug. Alphys stumbled and laughed a little, hugging back. Then Undyne pulled away and said, "I'd love some breakfast, Alphy!"

Alphys was the one who lit up this time, and she nodded eagerly. "Okay, good! I-I'll be right back, then, okay?" When Undyne nodded, Alphys gave her another kiss and left.

Undyne smiled. This, she knew, was a good sign, and her heart felt so much lighter.

When Alphys came back, they ate breakfast in bed and just talked, both about silly things, as well as serious things. Though Alphys looked sad at times, she still tried to be optimistic, and there was still that warm light in her eyes that hadn't gone away - but instead had increased.

From that, Undyne knew she'd be okay - and in turn, so would she, herself.

Chapter 87: Sit

One of Undyne's favourite things to do was something very silly, but also something she could never resist doing: whenever Alphys sat in the reading chair, she loved to sit in her lap, regardless of the situation. Even if Alphys was preoccupied, she still loved to do it - sometimes even more because of that.

The first few times, she did it carefully, so that she didn't startle Alphys too much. She would walk over, turn around, and just sit down right in her lap. Alphys ended up always startled, anyway.

"Ah!" she'd yelp, raising her hands immediately to make room for her. "Undyne! Hi?"

Undyne grinned at her, leaning close to her and resting her head on her shoulder, her arms going around her neck. "Hi, Alphy! Keep reading!"

"But... uh, you're...?" Alphys hesitated; she did rather like having Undyne on her lap. She wasn't too heavy, and the way she cuddled against her was actually very comforting.

"Mm," Undyne agreed, closing her eye and snuggling close. Alphys blushed a little, then decided to do as Undyne advised, and slipped her arms around Undyne's waist, holding her book up and resuming her reading. Undyne was delighted, and she snuggled close and relaxed. Soon, Alphys relaxed, too, finding herself rather enjoying Undyne's company - though her heart still beat rather quickly.

After a few times that way, Undyne tried another method: ambush leaping. Each time, Alphys yelped and threw her book, then pouted, and each time, Undyne ended up collapsing on her with laughter.

"Undyne!" she cried once, a hand over her chest. "Why?!"

"It's fun!" Undyne replied, reaching up and giving her a kiss on her cheek. "And your reactions are adorable!"

"If you keep doing it this way," Alphys warned suddenly, though one hand gently touched Undyne's cheek, "you're going to regret it."

"Hm..." Undyne grinned. "Regret, how? In bed, maybe?"

"Nope," Alphys answered, which was a bit of a disappointment. "That would count as a reward."

"True," Undyne agreed with a laugh. She hugged onto Alphys tight, nuzzling her cheek with her own, and Alphys sighed, her eyes closing. "See? You're so cute, Alphy!" Undyne concluded cheerfully.

Soon, though, after quite a few more times, Alphys came through with her warning. And while Undyne did regret it, she also got the message.

Undyne had been rather ensnared by a game, just in the midst of an intense boss fight. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Alphys jumped on her lap. The controller went flying with a shout, and Alphys replied with a grin and a hug.

"Ack! Alphy!" Undyne cried, one arm around Alphys, the other reaching down for the controller. By the time she got it, it was too late: her character was smushed into a game over.

"Fuck," she concluded flatly. She sighed and sat back with Alphys in her arms, Alphys still grinning up at her rather slyly. Undyne glanced at her, raising an eyebrow, something that had Alphys laughing, though she also hugged her tightly.

"Yep," Undyne replied. "I regret it."

Alphys nodded. "I have to say, it's not that I mind completely; those first few times were wonderful! Just... don't scare me! I like it better when you were gentle and we cuddled."

"Aw," Undyne sighed. "But scaring you is more fun and cute!"

"For you," Alphys added.

Undyne sighed again. "Yeah. Okay, you got me."

"But..." Alphys then said, her voice shy. "I-I do like it, when you sit with me, s-so keep d-doing that? Just... don't scare me is all."

Undyne grinned, and kissed her. "Deal," she agreed.

Chapter 88: Elusive

Notes:

A jump back in time! Also, I dedicate this chapter to Embersparkfire93, who gave me the idea. Thank you!

They kept running! The moment her spell wore off and the human's soul turned back to red, they took off towards Hotland. Undyne was faster than them, so she always caught up to them, but the moment that heart faded from green to red again, they shot off.

Undyne had not been prepared for the fight to go like this. She expected the human to, well, fight! She expected the human to live up to the standards that all humans had placed on themselves, through their media and their past actions. Humans were killers, plain and simple, even of each other! They were violent, hateful, and cruel. She expected to feel the brunt of that and still keep fighting, no matter what, until one of them fell.

She did not expect to be playing tag with the human while perpetually 'it'. And she definitely hadn't prepared for the increasing heat she was feeling as they ran on deeper into Hotland.

As the human passed the corner and onto the bridge, Undyne caught sight of... sans? She ran up to him, already short of breath, and slammed her fist on his booth, but no - he was sleeping. He was sleeping!

And now the damned human was far ahead of her and on their way into Hotland, proper, towards the--

No, no! Undyne felt a jolt of fear hit her harder than the heat. They can't go to the Lab! They can't touch Alphys! She tried to increase her pace, but suddenly found that her body was too sluggish, too overwhelmed by the heat that Hotland promised.

But she couldn't stop, now! Not until she stopped that human from getting to the Lab - to Alphys!

Except her body wasn't obeying her as well, anymore. She hadn't even made it across the bridge, where the human stood - they just stood there, were they taunting her?! - when suddenly her vision started to fade, and her body started to fail.

"Armour... so... hot..." she gasped out. "But I can't... give up...!"

Hey body, however, had its own ideas, and before she could even try to get across to the water cooler, her legs gave out and she collapsed on her front.

No... no! Get up! You need to get up! They're going to hurt Alphys! Her mind screamed at her, but she couldn't move. She couldn't even open her eye. There was no question: she was dead. The human was going to kill her, now, and then everyone else along with her...

Alphys... I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to lead them to you... I wish I had... I wish I had... Alphy...

Suddenly, she felt something wonderful: fresh, cold water poured upon her head. Her skin practically inhaled it, and with it, not only did her mind clear, but she felt a rush of adrenaline along with it, and she got to her feet as fast as she could, her eye on the human right away.

The human now stood in front of her, looking up at her now, holding an empty paper cup. They looked... concerned?

Undyne stared at them, again, for at least the tenth time, wondering if someone was playing a cruel joke on her - especially when the human looked relieved when their eyes met.

And suddenly, she realised there was no malevolence in that gaze. There was no cruelty, no hatred... not even annoyance. Just concern and relief. Undyne felt her innate alarms go silent, and she felt... confused. Very confused. So confused that her first thought was not to kill the human, or push ahead and run to the Lab, but to just... leave.

She blinked, turned, and did just that: she left. She wasn't even surprised that sans was now gone, or that the human didn't follow her.

But she did send a text to Alphys.

"The human is in Hotland, Alphys. But they're weird. Get Mettaton on this, too. Don't be alone. Be wary."

She didn't check for a reply until she got home. By that time, all she wanted to do was attack her piano, unaware that the human had stayed standing there and had called Papyrus right away, to plan that visit with Undyne.

All her thoughts could focus on was one thing, and one thing alone: she still had a chance.

Chapter 89: Painstaking

For the third time, Alphys heard Undyne snarl and toss what she knew was a hairbrush across the bathroom. "Fuck it! Alphy! I'm shaving my head!"

Alphys paused. "Well, certainly, you can if you want to, but what's the reason?"

Undyne stormed out of the bathroom, her hair a knotted cloud around her enraged face, and Alphys blinked up at her from their bed. "I can't braid," she snarled. "My fingers keep tangling up and then the elastics keep breaking and snapping, which hurts, and ngaaah!" She grabbed her hair and tugged on it.

Alphys smiled and said, "Grab the brush and an elastic and I'll do it for you."

Slightly sulky, now, Undyne did as asked, standing in front of her for a moment until Alphys patted a space on the bed beside her. Undyne sat down and handed her the elastic and brush, then turned around, slumping. Alphys leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the back of her head, which made them both laugh softly.

"Wow, Undyne," Alphys then sighed, her claws going through the tangles as carefully as possible. "You certainly tried... hard, didn't you?"

"Ha, ha," Undyne answered flatly, wincing a little as Alphys started to drag the brush through the staticky mess. And it was quite the mess, as at one point the brush got struck in the knots for a moment, and Alphys had to try very, very hard not to laugh when that happened, especially when Undyne's response was to try and break it.

"Calm down and be patient," Alphys advised gently, as she brought Undyne back to sit down so that she could gently extract the brush from her hair.

"Oh, yeah, that's easy for me," Undyne snorted, but she found herself calming down as Alphys's hands gently went through some of the tangles. She always found herself calmed whenever Alphys touched her hair, so this actually wasn't as bad as she had feared.

Alphys had always loved Undyne's hair, even from afar. It always fascinated her and enchanted her, and once she was able to actually touch it, there was little that would get her to stop. Even untangling knots was a pleasure, one she couldn't help but smile at.

That smile only grew when Undyne finally relaxed, and the knots and tangles finally smoothed out into a slightly-staticky wave of red. Undyne found her eye closing as Alphys ran her claws through it, gently separating her hair into three long parts. She had by now slipped the elastic on her wrist for ease, so now she skillfully and easily began to plait the hair together.

"Mm," Undyne murmured softly, definitely enjoying this, now. "Alphy, how'd you get so good at this?"

"Bratty and Catty," Alphys replied with a laugh. "I loved their hair, and was jealous of them, so they let me play with it if I helped them with their homework. Then, later, with Mettaton's new body - and his new hair - I got more practise." She blushed. "I like hair," she admitted. "I don't mind at all."

Undyne smiled, her eye still closed, enjoying the feel of her wife's gentle care of her hair. When Alphys tied the elastic at the end and patted her back, Undyne reached back and took hold of it, impressed. It was smooth and neat, and quite lovely to look at. She turned around and grinned at Alphys, overjoyed. Alphys beamed at her, happy that she was happy, and that she could help.

"Alphy, thank you!" she exclaimed, lunging forward and pouncing on her wife with a tight hug, tackling her to the bed as a result. Alphys laughed and hugged back. "Can you always do this for me?"

Alphys nodded with a warm smile. "Always. It would be my pleasure, love."

Chapter 90: Unfold

Notes:

Okay, so this chapter is very long, and very, very, VERY depressing until the end. I've been building to this moment (if you look back you'll see it quite blatantly), but it will still come as a shock, so this is both a warning AND a recommendation: if you cannot/do not want to read the stated triggers below, SKIP THIS CHAPTER (the next will be pure fluffy fluff). Trust me, this wasn't easy to write, so I imagine it will be hard to read.

The trigger warnings are:
--SUICIDE ATTEMPT
--Post-suicide-attempt discussion and repercussions
--Depression
--Psychological coming-to-terms with depression
--Sad sex

Okay? So do skip over and I won't be mad. But if you choose to read, please don't flame me x___x. Love youuuu!

Undyne didn't find out from Alphys, herself, like she would have expected - or preferred. Instead, she found out from sans, in the worst way possible, and at the worst possible time: during class.

She was in the middle of an afternoon aerobics lesson, having an absolute blast with the brats in her care, when suddenly sans ran into the gym. He actually ran, something that she'd never seen him do before. Stunned, she froze in place, as did her students, also amazed by the sight. He ran right up to her and grabbed her hand, further shaking her.

"undyne," he said, his voice sharp and his eyes dim. "they found out. alphys's research - the media found out before she could reveal it."

Undyne felt white-hot fear fill her, her eye going blind for a moment. "How bad?"

"very bad," he admitted. "frisk is trying, but it's no use: it's everywhere, undyne, everywhere."

Her breathing became erratic all at once, fear seizing her gut. "sans," she murmured, "can you--?"

"go," he nodded, letting go of her hand, and she ran, from the gym, down the hallways and past faces she knew and cared about and taught, but she didn't stop, not once, not until she got to the science lab. She found it locked, and several of Alphys's students were waiting there and looking confused.

"Where's Dr Alphys?" Undyne demanded, trying to keep her voice calm, but failing horribly. Her heart beat like a frantically-caged animal.

"She never showed up for afternoon class," one student admitted.

Undyne turned around and started running again, only now, it was towards home, her heart aching, fear flooding through her blood like shards of glass.

---

"Alphy!" she called, the door slamming open. "Alphy?!" When she got no answer, she started to shake, racing around the house - their home, the place they started fresh and new and together - and started in the kitchen. Alphys wasn't there, but neither were any of the knives missing, so that was a good sign - wasn't it?

"Alphy?" she called again, a small kernel of hope forming in her breast.

Then she walked into their bedroom and saw, on the bed, Alphys's labcoat folded neatly on it, and on it a small piece of paper. Undyne went to it, her hands suddenly shaking so hard that the paper shook, too. In familiar, beloved chickenscratch, the words sometimes blotted out with tears, were the following words:

"I'm so sorry. I've ruined everything. I left it too long. Now you have to suffer, too - unless I finally go away. So I'm going, Undyne. I'm too weak. I'm too stupid and worthless. I'm so sorry. I'm so desperately sorry. Please, forgive me, someday, please, please, PLEASE.

I love you. I loved no other.
Your Alphy."

"Alphys!" Undyne shouted, dropping the note and rushing to the bathroom, now, her voice breaking, her whole body flooded in fear and dread, her thoughts just one word, repeated over and over: NO.

That was where she found Alphys, still alive - but barely, by then. She was on her back, her eyes rolled up and showing only white, a thick thread of bile and drool running down her cheek, her body shaking and seizing at random intervals. Beside her was an empty pill bottle, just a hand's reach away from her jerking fingers. She was breathing, but choking on it, and already the whites of her eyes were greying.

Undyne grabbed her phone and called the emergency line, kneeling down beside Alphys and pulling her head carefully into her lap to keep it elevated and sideways, sobbing without even knowing it. "M-my wife," she got out when they answered, "she-she OD'ed, she's... she's..." She sobbed out, barely hearing the confirmation before she dropped the phone and hunched over Alphys, listening to her choking and gasping, feeling her body trying to reject what she took - and Undyne suddenly wished that she'd taken it, too.

---

 Alphys survived, but was unconscious for two days. They'd had to pump her stomach and keep her alive the whole time, lest she turn to dust - not an easy feat for that kind of procedure. She'd taken an entire bottle of aspirin, all of it - and her organs had been shutting down when Undyne found her.

It was touch-and-go those two days, the doctor being very blunt with Undyne about it when they told her that it was very possible that her wife could still die, despite their work. If Undyne had been alone, she would have killed them. Luckily, Asgore had been there, and had grabbed her just as she screamed, pulling her away before she could. Even then, they'd eventually ended up sedating her, and Asgore - with Toriel and Frisk - watched over her as she fitfully slept.

---

In those two days, they kept Alphys secluded, in order to monitor her for signs of organ and brain damage. It was, for Undyne, excruciating, a kind of torture that made her feel dead inside. When she could, and they were alone, she asked Frisk, her voice monotone: "How bad is it?"

Frisk was pale, their eyes wide and dark with stress and fear. "Kinda bad," they admitted weakly. "The kindest people already forgive her, saying that you were all desperate, which is the truth. The worst... want her pulled off of life-support."

Undyne's fists clenched. "Okay," she said. "Thank you for your honesty, Frisk."

"I'm so sorry," Frisk answered, their face falling. "I-I was the one who advised Alphys to wait, at least five years, before telling anyone. I don't even know how they found out, Undyne! Truly!"

"C'mere," Undyne answered, pulling Frisk into her arms and holding them close as they cried. Carefully, she stroked Frisk's hair. "It's not your fault, kid. None of this is. I'm sure your parents have already told you that, but believe it. It's not."

"But, Undyne--,"

"Shut up," she replied gently. "Are you deaf, human? I said it's not your fault. Do I need to clean your ears out with a spear?"

Frisk choked out a small laugh - what she wanted - and shook their head.

"It happened," Undyne concluded. "Now, we need to show everyone what it means, what's happened since, and what we're still doing to fix it."

"B-but, Alphys is..."

"She'll wake up," Undyne said firmly. "She'll wake up, and make it all right."

---

Alphys did wake up, but it was a painstakingly slow wait for Undyne. When the doctor finally confirmed that Alphys had suffered no brain damage - but did suffer liver, kidney, and stomach damage - Undyne was allowed to spend time with her and wait it out, to make sure she was there when Alphys woke up - if she woke up. The doctor kept stressing the word "if" so many times that Undyne had ended up yelling at them to leave her alone with her wife, or else they'd see "if" they'd survive a deluge of spears - something they threatened to sedate her for before they left.

Undyne kept vigil over Alphys for an entire day, holding her cold hand between her own the whole time, the only one allowed to visit yet, as she was Alphys's only family. As a result, she would have forgotten to eat, had Papyrus not regularly texted her to remind her. So she ate, but at Alphys's side.

When night fell, a kind nurse gave Undyne a pillow and a blanket, and with both she curled up in her chair, though she didn't let go of Alphys's hand, nor did she think she'd likely get any sleep at all. She remained comfortable, though, and kept watch.

However, she dropped off not long after she got comfortable, only realising it when she realised she had just woken up. She blinked slowly, her eyelid heavy, as if she could sleep for longer, but she shook it off and turned back to Alphys, her vision a bit blurry with fatigue but her grip on that hand tight.

When she got a squeeze back, she stopped breathing for a moment. She scrambled up, disentangling herself from the blanket and leaning forward, her eye now open and her vision clear. Alphys's eyes were still closed, and she still lay limp, but she swallowed - hard - and then shifted a little, her hold on Undyne's hand tightening again.

Undyne had no words; she just reacted. She sat down on the edge of the cot and grabbed Alphys into a tight, trembling hug. When she could finally breathe, she sobbed, hard, closing her eye and burying her face into Alphys's neck. Suddenly, in that breath, she realised that she had not expected Alphys to wake up at all, and now that she had, it was like a dream, a good one.

She felt Alphys reach up with her non-IVed hand and touch her back, so gently, and Undyne held her closer, gritting her teeth, relishing in that weak, feather-light touch.

Then, she heard, in a hoarse whisper, "S... suh... ree..."

"No," Undyne sobbed out, kissing Alphys's cheek, then her forehead, then her nose, and finally her other cheek, before burying her face back into her neck. "No, sweetie, no."

Alphys's hand grabbed at the back of Undyne's shirt, and to Undyne's increasing sadness, Alphys began to cry. She whispered, "N-not... dead...? Wh... why...?"

"Because, sweetie," Undyne murmured. "I... I need you, here. I need you here." She gritted her teeth, but the sob she tried to smother exploded out, and loudly at that, full of the agony of the past few days. "Why, Alphy?! Why?! I can - and will - stay at your side, hold you up when you are down, and never, ever, ever let you go! Why?!"

Alphys cried harder, trembling, now, too. "Ha... had to sp-spare you... sp-spare them atten... attention... th-they don't n-need... j-just because I-I'm... cowardly..." She sniffled. "L-love them... love you... wanted to s-spare you... all..."

"Alphy, no," Undyne cried, one hand now stroking her forehead slowly. "No, no, no,... Alphy, god, no..."

Neither could talk, now, both trembling and sobbing, lost in their shared - but opposing - types of grief. But Alphys didn't let go of the back of Undyne's shirt during the whole time, nor did she retreat to the back of her mind and say or do nothing, either. For Undyne, those were signs of hope, signs she clung onto.

When Alphys fell back asleep, exhausted by tears. Undyne held her close for a long time, still weeping. Then, when she could, she pulled away, and went to tell the doctor.

Once she had been examined and her fluids adjusted - something she slept through - Alphys was left alone and upgraded to stable, and Undyne was advised to go home for a while to catch up on some sleep. She declined this advice and instead curled back up in the chair with the blanket and pillow, deciding to sleep along with Alphys. She knew she'd need strength for what was to come next for both of them - and she was right.

---

Undyne woke up the next morning to her phone vibrating. She grabbed it, and found a video link from sans. She opened it, keeping the volume low once she saw that Alphys was still asleep.

To her surprise, it was a video of Frisk - and the amalgamates. All of them, and their families with them. With her hand over her mouth, Undyne watched in awe as Frisk explained, very calmly, that while every step was being made to try and reverse their conditions, the fact was that the amalgamates were actually happy - and living relatively normal lives. Frisk went on to explain that Alphys had been desperate, but had also saved the amalgamates' lives in her failures, and that she spent every moment she had to atone for - and correct - those failures.

By the end, when Frisk was explaining why they - humans and monsters - should still trust Alphys with their children's education, Undyne was in tears. She loved Frisk, so much, and realised she'd do anything for the punk, anything, so long as they were happy and healthy. She was so proud of them, and so grateful for them.

Her choked tears woke Alphys, unfortunately. "What... happened?" she whispered, startling Undyne. She got up and hugged Alphys again tight in reply, confusing her, before Undyne sat down beside her, put an arm around her, and held her phone up, restarting the video. Alphys watched in silence, her eyes narrowed at first, before slowly going wide and filling with tears, her hand grabbing for Undyne's. Her grip was weak, but it didn't matter; Undyne held it tight.

When the video ended, Alphys leaned into Undyne and sobbed into her shoulder. "It's okay," she told her gently. "It's gonna be okay, Alphy."

And to her surprise, Alphys nodded as she clung to her tight.

---

The organ damage, they were told, was going to take a while to repair, but luckily it wouldn't be permanent if Alphys took care of herself. She would need medication, a diet change, and regular check-ups as she healed. Undyne was fine with that.

Alphys was also told that she needed a mandatory psychological evaluation and observation while she was hospitalised. Undyne was not fine with that.

They were told it was legal standard whenever there was a suicide attempt - which it obviously was, and Alphys admitted it, as well - but Undyne didn't like it, especially when Alphys paled and looked as though trapped by the news.

But Undyne knew she had to be optimistic. "It'll be okay," she said softly, hoping it was true. "Just be honest, and they'll probably help you."

As she said that, she actually started to wonder if this was perhaps a good thing, after all. Maybe this was the kind of help that Alphys needed - help from professionals, instead of relying solely on herself and often Undyne - to finally get over this as best as she could, once and for all.

And she felt that way even more once Alphys came back from her first session. She was oddly pale but also calm, and for a moment Undyne wondered with dread if she had been sedated. She was about to ask when Alphys met her gaze and said, very softly. "You were right all along." Undyne sat down on the cot and took her hand as she elaborated, and Undyne could finally see a little light returning to her eyes. "I've been trapped in the past. I'm... I'm so sorry, Undyne... I'm sorry I n-never believed you..." She started to cry, and Undyne held her close, the only answer she needed to provide.

---

Over the next couple of days in the hospital, Alphys improved, both physically and mentally, to Undyne's relief and joy. Daily, they kept track of the news together, and found that public opinion was softening towards Alphys the more Frisk and the amalgamates spoke up and showed themselves to be fine, despite it all. Added to the therapy she kept going to, as well as Undyne's constant company, and it could almost be said that maybe Alphys was... calmer than before.

After a few more days - over a week by then - Alphys was cleared to go home, as long as she came in for weekly evaluations - both mental and physical. When they finally made it home - Papyrus giving them a ride and several gentle and uplifting comments for them both - Undyne immediately led Alphys to their bedroom so that she could rest - and so that Undyne could take care of her. And Alphys did just that, and was asleep in mere minutes once she was curled up in a ball under the blankets.

(While they were in the hospital, sans had come by and cleaned the bathroom, as well as hung Alphys's lab coat up and tucked the note away. He knew that Undyne wouldn't be able to, so he did it for her - for both of them, really.)

Undyne remained with Alphys for a while, holding her close as she slept. Her eye was open and focused on the window, listening to Alphys breathe deeply. It was overwhelming, just lying there and thinking. Now that they were finally home, all she could think about was what happened, how close it had come, and how deeply Alphys had been hurting in order to do such a thing. Over the years, Alphys had struggled deeply with her past, coming to terms with her mistakes, yet every time Undyne had thought they'd made progress, Alphys broke again, and worse than before, even. This was, by far, the worst - and scariest.

But then, this was also the first time they'd had professional help, too. And Alphys genuinely seemed to be improved by it, as well. It also helped that Frisk was working so hard with the public. That was incredibly important, not just the work they did, but also knowing that Frisk remained on their side, and they would always have their support.

On that thought, Undyne grabbed her phone and slid out of bed, going to the basement to make a call. "Frisk? I have an idea."

---

Alphys woke up, for a moment, forgetting everything that had happened. She woke up in her bed, only adding to this feeling, and wondered if it had all been a nightmare. She pushed the blankets down - and saw the bandage on the front of her hand, where the IVs had been, and everything came back to her, forcing her back under the blankets, shaking.

She was ashamed - deeply ashamed. That horrible day, when she saw on her daily news feed that her secrets were out, she ran away. She ran to the pharmacy, grabbed the pills, and went home. She wrote her goodbye, closed herself up in the bathroom, and sat down on the floor, grabbing the pills and downing them as fast as she could, crying so hard she trembled.

She didn't know how long it took, but soon, she felt a cold sweat shiver over her, her vision blurring and darkening around the edges, going almost half-deaf. She soon felt herself drop onto her back on the floor, without any control or thought about doing so, and she felt scared. Suddenly, at that moment, all she wanted was Undyne, desperately, to hold her hand as she died. Then, she felt pain so bad, she remembered making a noise, some kind of horrible noise she was glad she no longer remembered, and then felt almost as if she were trying to throw up, before it all went dark, her thoughts still on her wife.

She now started to cry, her shame feeling sickening and paralysing. She had gone straight to suicide instead of being brave and actually facing her crimes, like she always strove to do. She'd spent years - years - working on how she'd bring forth the subject, and when she was finally faced with it, she just threw that all away and reached instead for death.

Her thoughts broke their hold over her when she suddenly heard Undyne come in, then felt her lie down beside her and pull her close, holding onto her tight.

Alphys couldn't stop her tears, but she whispered, "Undyne. I... I fucked up... a lot."

Undyne was silent for a moment. Then, very gently, in a tiny voice, she said, "Yeah. You did."

"I-I want to fix it," she admitted.

"I know," Undyne said. "And I have a plan for that, too."

"What do you mean? I'll... I'll do anything," she blurted out honestly.

"Well, Frisk and I have an idea."

---

 Alphys was terrified. She held her notes, the ones she'd written dozens of times to their current state, in trembling hands. Anyone who looked at her - and so many people were - could see how sick she'd been, and how scared she was, now. She was sweating, her mouth was dry, and she felt light-headed, but she didn't run away.

Instead, in front of those dozens of people, and millions of others watching online that she couldn't see, she started to speak. She started poorly, her voice small and stuttering, reading her notes with her papers close to her face, stumbling over words because her hands shook so hard. But when she received no jeers or insults, she went on.

She gave a brief history of the Underground's science experiences and experimentation, from her predecessor's work to her own, before moving it to her appointment as Asgore's scientist - and what that job entailed. She went into further detail about her work with human souls and monster souls, and the monsters who were her test subjects.

When she got to that part, her voice wavered without control, and she paused, feeling tears well up in her eyes. She struggled to, but couldn't, contain them, so she went on, anyway, pitching her voice louder as though to try and speak over her pain.

She explained carefully what she did, and why she did it, and what happened to those monsters as a result. She explained how she'd spent years hiding them - that was true, and she would no longer lie about it - but at the same time while desperately trying to find a cure, too. She had thought if she could cure them first, then come out with her crimes, it would be better. But she had yet to find a cure, so that day never came.

She confessed that she knew she was a coward and a liar. She told them that she was truly sorry. And she vowed that she would never, ever, stop looking for a cure, either until she found it - or until she was dust.

She then tried to say that she was still sorry, but she broke down on the words, the papers dropped from her hands, and she covered her face and sobbed. The press conference had to be ended there.

---

 Toriel gave Alphys some time off, both for her health as well as to give parents time to figure out if they could trust Alphys again. She spent these days alone while Undyne continued to work, both taking care of herself as well as working twice as hard on her research. She avoided the internet the entire time, save her personal email; she was too afraid of what would be said about her, and she wasn't yet strong enough to take it.

She was barely strong enough to look Undyne in the eye. She felt shame every time their eyes met. The terror she'd put Undyne through, the sorrow and pain, was unforgivable, and often, once Undyne was asleep, Alphys would sneak out of bed and sleep on the couch, too ashamed to even share a bed with her. When Undyne asked, she always lied and said she was up early to start her work early.

Alphys thought she had Undyne fooled, but she did not. Undyne was merely humouring her, hoping she'd get past this guilt and shame, soon, and come back to her. She knew what Alphys was feeling, but what she didn't understand was that Undyne had forgiven her, already. She'd forgiven her once she admitted that she'd fucked up, and now just wanted to keep going forward.

So after two weeks, it was too much. Undyne couldn't take it anymore.

"Alphy," she said suddenly, her voice sharp and clear in the dark of the night, her hand firm on her wife's wrist. Alphys froze, dread lancing in her gut like ice, and she didn't move, her eyes wide in shock.

"I-I'm just going to the bathroom," Alphys lied, tugging on her hand and trying to free it. "G-go back to sleep."

"Liar."

There. Undyne had finally said it, and Alphys dropped back down onto the bed, hunching over and trembling.

"Please, Alphy," she added. "Stop it."

"I-I... I'm j-just..."

Just what? Running away from reality? From the fact that I almost broke Undyne's heart, over my own cowardice? That I don't feel as if I deserve to breathe the same air as Undyne, let alone share a bed with her?

"I know," Undyne answered, getting up and moving to sit down behind her, embracing her close and resting her cheek on her shaking shoulder. The thing was, it was true: Undyne did know. She knew Alphys so well by now, and definitely knew this - all of this. "I know, and I still want you here. Please, Alphy?"

"Why?" Alphys whispered, her eyes squeezing closed, her hands clenching into tight fists in her lap. "How can you touch me? How can you even look at me?"

"Because I love you," Undyne said.

"Even after all of the... the shit I put you through?!" Alphys's voice broke.

"Yes," Undyne agreed, her voice soft.

"Why?!" She snarled it, as if angry at her, but really, she was angry at herself.

Undyne knew this, too, which was why she pulled Alphys closer and into her lap. Alphys leaned into her, covering her face with her hands and breaking down.

"Because, Alphy," she said gently. "I love you."

"Undyne," Alphys sobbed out, turning around and hugging onto her tight, her claws clutching hard. Undyne pulled her even closer, rocking her gently, not once loosening her hold. Alphys cried herself to sleep in Undyne's arms, and without breaking the embrace, Undyne lay back down and held her through the night, so she'd awaken the same way.

Because.

---

 With a few more days, it seemed that the public was ready to forgive Alphys, and Toriel called and asked if she was ready to come back to work. She decided to take another week off before she came back, and Toriel was fine with that. "Truly, my dear, you have been missed, and greatly," she said, and Alphys felt oddly comforted.

After that night with Undyne, Alphys stayed in bed with her, but was still too ashamed to do much else. They both knew it, and felt it like an ache, but Alphys was too afraid to even try, afraid that all Undyne would be able to see was her cowardice. It wasn't that way at all, however: Undyne desperately needed Alphys, especially after what had happened. But she didn't make a move, either, too afraid to scare Alphys away again.

Until, one night, the weekend before Alphys was set to go back to work, Undyne couldn't take it anymore. Before Alphys could slip her nightgown over her head, Undyne got up and stood behind her, placing just one hand on her, and right between her shoulderblades. Alphys froze, her shoulders going up and her head down, but her arms also lowered, too. Carefully, Undyne slipped closer, pressing her own naked body against Alphys's close, wrapping her arms around her and resting her forehead on the top of her head. Alphys leaned back a little, and to Undyne's surprise - and delight - she felt her tail lightly hook around one of her legs.

"Alphy," Undyne whispered, kissing her head gently. Alphys nodded, her eyes closer and her hands visibly shaking, still holding her nightgown. "I... I'd love to... Can we please, if you're up to it... can we make love?"

"I don't deserve it," Alphys immediately answered. "I d-don't deserve... you."

"Yes, you do. Because I deserve you." Undyne replied, smiling faintly.

"You deserve better."

"Bullshit," Undyne said easily. "You're the best for me. And don't I deserve the best, Alphy?"

Alphys lowered her head, then turned around, dropped her nightgown, and grabbed Undyne's face, pulling it down to her, kissing her so hard she was stunned for a moment - but only for a moment. Yearning hit her so hard she made a sound, one that Alphys reacted to by licking her lips apart and pushing her backwards. They fell onto their bed in a heap, hands trailing and warming chilled flesh, legs tangling and tightening - holding - so close.

Undyne pinned Alphys beneath her, trailing her lips down her neck, along her collarbone, then down to her breasts, her lips lingering over her nipples a little, before her tongue replaced them, and she felt Alphys relax beneath her, her hands tangling into her hair and her breaths quick. Undyne then moved lower, parting Alphys's legs and moving her lips close to her centre. Alphys inhaled sharply and arched back, one hand now grabbing onto the bed, the other still in her hair.

Undyne leaned in closer and licked along her slit slowly, prising those lips apart with her tongue, occasionally circling the tip of her tongue back up to her clit to linger there - until she dove her tongue back deep into her warm centre. She held Alphys's thighs, but Alphys still trembled, her cries getting louder the longer Undyne went on.

She didn't stop, not until she felt Alphys go hot, could taste her coming, and heard her name being pleaded out between sharp gasps. Only then did Undyne pull away, moving up to kiss Alphys again - but she still wasn't done. Neither, she could tell, was Alphys, who clung onto her and trembled, pulling her close again.

Undyne shifted closer, moving their legs and meshing them together, and once they were finally touching, flesh-to-flesh, she paused, her forehead pressed to Alphys's, who was suddenly motionless, too. Their eyes met, so much flashing between them; words could never properly convey how they both felt, especially for each other. So, they conveyed it the only way to could - with action.

Undyne moved even closer, holding Alphys to her tight, and began to move. Alphys held onto her hard, her face now buried into Undyne's shoulder, joining her rhythm and keeping it slow, so they felt it for as long as they could.

Despite that, Alphys felt herself getting close again, and she whispered, "A-are you close, Undyne?" When she nodded, gritting her teeth, Alphys added, "I want us to... I want us to..." Her words trailed off, choked, especially when Undyne whimpered and nodded again, moving to kiss her as passionately as she could - and Alphys tried to return it the same way.

It was then, moments apart, that they both came, crying out against each other's kiss, clinging together in a staggering, desperate tangle, not wanting for a second to let go, even as it crested and began to fade, and they soon lay limp together, panting and almost delirious.

Alphys then began to cry softly, and Undyne kissed her again gently, reaching up to brush those tears away. More came, but that was okay; Undyne wasn't going anywhere, though she, too, began to cry. Alphys held onto her as though for dear life, and she realised that, in many ways, that was it, exactly: by finally being together again, after almost being apart forever, Alphys was reminded as to why that life was so dear, so precious, and worth facing the dark parts for.

There was no question that they'd get through this. They both were made of stronger stuff already, but together, they were almost unstoppable. But it was only then, at that moment, still reeling from shared pleasure and remnants of shared pain, that they both knew it to be true.

And when Alphys returned to work the following Monday, she wouldn't run away - no matter what.

Chapter 91: Wrap

It was cold, and neither of them liked it. At all.

Both Alphys and Undyne considered themselves the type that could take quite a bit of cold weather - preferred it, even. Alphys only lived in Hotland because that was where the Labs were; before she got that job, she lived closer on the border to New Home, where it was much cooler.

Every single year, the cold took them by surprise, every single year, since coming to the surface. They always forgot just how cold it could get, and realised that the weather in Snowdin was like summer compared to the cold of the surface.

That night, after school, the days were already starting to get their shortest, and the cold practically left bite marks on their exposed skin. Both staggered home in that wind, huddled together in a failed attempt to stay warm. It took Undyne four tries to get her keys in the door, and when they finally made it in, they both shouted in joy.

"Get the blankets," Undyne snarled at Alphys, tossing her boots off and trudging to the kitchen. "I'll make the tea." Alphys was already on her way, still huddled in her coat as she went, Undyne's tone expressing the urgency she already felt.

They met again in the living room, Alphys holding all of the blankets she could carry while Undyne held a tray of tea and cookies - and the TV remote. Undyne set the tray down and sat down, and Alphys sat down beside her and immediately started covering them both in the blankets she held, layer by layer.

As soon as they were fully buried, Undyne reached forward - the only one would could under all of that weight - and grabbed the tray, settling it between them. Alphys grabbed her mug of tea and sipped from it gratefully, while Undyne turned the TV on before grabbing hers, huddling into the pile again.

"Ah," Alphys murmured, buried so deep that Undyne could only see above her eyes, which were closed in pleasure. "That's better."

"Mm," Undyne replied, leaning over and snuggling closer to her, one hand still holding the tray. Alphys made a happy sound again, smiling and leaning into Undyne's lean. "Now it's better."

Alphys laughed and kissed her, and Undyne grinned at her, loving to make her laugh. That alone made her heart feel warmer, better than blankets and tea.

But the blankets and tea definitely helped.

Chapter 92: Friend

Very early on, when they were just starting to get to know each other, Alphys was honestly confused. After that first meeting, she never expected Undyne to bother with her again, save perhaps a passing hello - if she were lucky.

So when she got a text message from a number she entered "Out Of Your League" into her phone, she almost fainted. It read: "Hey, you're a nerd, right? What's the exact speed of puke?"

Alphys stared at the phone, less for the content of the text but for the text being on her phone, at all. Carefully, she typed in, "I'm a scientist, yes. And it depends on the type of vomit."

"Sweet. Okay. I'm not talking regular flu-puke, but explosive, geyser-like food-poisoning chunks. Do you think someone could use that to push switches?"

Alphys blinked slowly. "May I ask what this is for, perhaps?"

"Papyrus doesn't think a puzzle with multi-puke-activated switches is a good idea, or even physically possible. But I think it's awesome, because whoever wants to get past will have to REALLY WANT TO GET PAST, you know?!"

Alphys suddenly felt odd. Quickly, she changed the name of the number from "Out of Your League" to "Possible Impossible Friend". "So your trap would need to somehow make the person going through sick, first, in a specific way?"

"Oh shit, I didn't even think of that. I just assumed they'd be sick, you know? Duh, of course they need to GET sick. What would YOU use? Magic or food?"

This was probably the weirdest conversation that she'd ever had in her entire life, but it was oddly wonderful. It certainly was hilarious at times, that was sure: Undyne clearly had no filter for either her tongue or her colourful descriptions, but Alphys didn't mind at all.

She tried to keep it going as long as possible, but soon, Undyne was satisfied, and she stopped texting. Alphys was disappointed, but she decided she should have probably expected that.

So when, a few days later, she got another text message, she was shocked. "Hey, nerd! I need to learn more about humans if I'm gonna help Asgore break the barrier. Do you have anything that could help me?"

Alphys panicked a little; she had quite a bit of things that could teach Undyne about humans, and she didn't know where to begin, really. "I have lots of things, both to watch and to read."

"Oh, like history books and documentaries and shit? I need stuff like that, know your enemy, all that shit. So you can help me?"

This was when she got caught in her first lie with Undyne, but what was done was done. "Yes! I can help you. I can show you anything you want to borrow. I have it all here at the Lab."

She paused, about to offer to have it sent in some way, when Undyne replied, "Holy shit! Can I come over? If it's all in one place that makes it so much easier!"

Alphys started nodding, even as she texted, a huge smile on her face. "Yes, feel free to come by anytime. Just give me a text first! :)"

"I'm texting you now, nerd. Get that shit ready! I'll be there soon!"

Alphys squeaked, her blood suddenly dropping down to her feet. "You want to come by right now? Okay, do you need something to eat, or drink?"

"Whatever you have is cool. Quit texting me, you're slowing me down! See ya soon!"

"Shit!" Alphys yelped, dropping her phone and hurriedly jumping off of her bed, shoving everything and anything she deemed embarrassing onto it before activating it into a closed cube. Then, still in a whirlwind of panic and sweat, she raced down the stairs and did the same for her pseudo-office, tossing anything she deemed not Undyne-worthy into the oven. (She never used it. It was already storing several files, and was always unplugged.) Then, she went back upstairs and did another quick once-over, before running back down and doing the same again. Finally, she was out of breath, and she sat down at her desk and tried to catch it, her heart racing.

She was dreaming, she had to be dreaming, this was some kind of ramen-induced fever-dream...

Then came the sound of what could be called knocking, except they were more akin to punches on the door than actual conventional knocks. Alphys jumped out of her chair and was on her feet in seconds, shaking a little, before she inhaled sharply and went to the door, opening it.

Undyne darted in, gasping, her helmet under her arm. "Water," she demanded as her greeting.

Alphys jumped to her fridge and grabbed a bottle of it, handing it over wordlessly. Undyne took it, ripped the cap off with her teeth, and poured half of it directly onto her head, before drinking the rest in only a few gulps.

"Gah," Undyne concluded, soaked but looking much better, now. "Hotland sucks!" Then she grinned. "But I still won! Thanks, nerd. Now, let's start!"

It was, Alphys concluded much later, when she could, probably the best start to a friendship that she could have ever dreamt of. And the best part was, after that day, she upgraded Undyne's name to "Friend" - a status that changed only when her feet touched the surface.

Chapter 93: Swift

As part of her recovery regime, Alphys tried to get fit to help herself heal faster. She tried to use Undyne's equipment at first, but even with her help ended up getting flustered and overwhelmed.

"What about jogging?" Undyne wondered, gently holding Alphys in her lap as she sulked over her failure. "You can come with me every morning before work, and we can do it together!" She grinned.

Alphys blinked, then sighed. "Undyne, I can't jog, even if I hadn't done what I did. I'll never keep up!"

"I'll make sure not to leave you behind," Undyne promised. "We can start with power-walking. C'mon, it'll be fun!"

Alphys smiled at her, unable to refuse her when she smiled like that. "Alright. I'll do my best."

They truly both meant well, but it failed miserably. Even walking, Undyne was always faster than Alphys, and often left her behind without even realising it until Alphys had to call out to her to wait. Undyne felt terrible, but Alphys oddly didn't want to give up. She didn't know why, yet, but she didn't want to just quit.

So every morning, for a solid two weeks, she got up early with Undyne and went walking with her, sometimes even trying to start to jog - though it didn't last.

No matter how hard they both tried, Undyne always outran Alphys, and one morning, it finally pissed Alphys off enough to action. The moment Undyne went past her, she gritted her teeth and started to run - not jog, but actually run - after her. She felt a stitch in her side and some pain in her stomach, but she ignored both and pushed herself in order to catch up.

When she finally did, Undyne had noticed and started to slow down, and as a result, Alphys ran past her a few paces before she could stop herself. Once she did, though, she veered onto the grass and sat down, panting and holding a hand to her side, looking furious.

Undyne walked over to her and sat beside her. "I'm sorry," she said, leaning over and placing a hand on her wife's sweaty shoulder.

"I... am, too," Alphys growled out, her glasses fogging up. "I can't... even run. I... I suck at this!" She covered her face with her hands and groaned out in frustration.

"It's okay," Undyne said softly. "We can find something else, okay?"

"No, Undyne, it has to be this!" Alphys snapped, her voice muffled by her hands.

"Why?" Undyne blinked at her, bemused, now.

"Be-because... because I-I need to keep up with you!" Alphys blurted out. "I n-need to keep up with you! If I don't, then I lose, and th-then what?! What's the point?!"

"Lose what, Alphy?"

"Lose everything!" Her voice broke, and she curled up a little. "If I can't even do something as simple as jog to help myself, then why am I-I... why sh-should I...?" She gritted her teeth, one hand clenching into a fist and punching the ground beside her. "I w-want to prove th-that I want to live!"

Undyne stared at her, her eye wide. "Alphy--,"

"Because I do, Undyne!" Alphys interrupted, her voice breaking, again. "I want to keep up with you! I don't... I don't want to..." Undyne leaned closer and hugged her, and she fell silent, her shoulders shaking, now.

"Okay," Undyne said gently. "I get it. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry," Alphys murmured. "I didn't... I meant..." She sighed, lowering her hands from her face, still crying but looking angry. "I just..." She met Undyne's gaze, her eyes blazing. "Pl-please, don't give up on me?"

Undyne kissed her. "I promise, I never will."

"I-I..."

"I know."

Alphys bit her lip, her expression falling to one of sadness, now. She closed her eyes and hugged onto Undyne, and for a moment, they sat in the grass, the early morning air chilly but still nice. They listened, and could hear birds waking up and greeting the day. The sounds soothed Alphys, calming her down, and soon she raised her head, one hand reaching up to brush her tears away.

Undyne kissed her again, and she smiled a little. "C'mon," she said, nuzzling Alphys's cheek with her own. "Let's just walk home, together. We don't need to run or jog or power-walk or whatever. Sound good?"

Alphys nodded. "Sounds perfect."

In the end, that was the last time Alphys tried to run with Undyne. Instead, after some research together, she found one indoor exercise that suited her better - yoga, which especially surprised her, considering her body type.

She fell a lot, and sometimes forgot which pose was which, but that didn't matter. Because the best part was that Undyne decided to learn it, too, and she messed up almost as often as Alphys did. It eventually ended up that it was better suited for Alphys, as she eventually grew to really love it, while Undyne hated it and soon only did it to keep her company, but that was okay.

Alphys grew stronger, and was healing nicely. She didn't become an athlete, and sometimes she chose to sleep in instead of getting up early, but she didn't give up, on yoga - or on anything else.

Which was becoming more and more important, because soon, that dedication would end up changing everything.

Chapter 94: Seasons

Notes:

So, for this collection, there are five "Writer's Choice" slots that make up prompts 95-99 (I've already named the last prompt). I've decided to open these prompts up for you readers to choose. So, the first five people who comment with a prompt will be able to see that prompt written. Please, only ask for one, to make it as fair as possible. If it ends up as a prompt that I cannot do, I will give the person who asked another try.

So don't be shy! Ask, please! :3

EDIT: All slots are filled! Thank you! :3

Winter was in full swing, now, and in a way, they both loved and loathed it. There was something wonderful about the way the cold could feel early in the morning, so brisk and refreshing that it would wake them both up just by breathing it in. The way the sun sometimes shone on the snowbanks and icicles always sent them both into delighted bouts of fancy, especially. And there was always great joy in playing in the snow, like they used to do in Snowdin.

But what they also never counted on was just how cold it could, how sharp and cutting the winds could be, and how it chapped their skin, normally used to warmer weather, even in Snowdin. Or when the snow got so thick and so slushy, covering thick patches of ice, that it caused car accidents, or sent them both on their asses on the sidewalk. They never had to deal with snow-blindness or prepare against frostbite Underground - ever.

Undyne was thinking about this as she stared out the window, watching as a blizzard screamed its way through their city, covering the place in thick, white snow, making it seem as if everything was suddenly made of nothing but paper - or iceing sugar. It was a weekday, but school was cancelled, so she and Alphys were both home for the day, preparing for the cold.

Well, Alphys was. She was paranoid that they would possibly run out of food before the storm ended and was cleared, or that they'd run out of power and freeze. She was checking and double-checking everything, including spending at least a half-hour digging out every single blanket and pillow they owned and throwing them into the living room should there be a blackout. She even got out her gas-powered hotplate and several cans of gas - something Undyne hadn't even known she owned until she set it up.

Suddenly, a hand touched Undyne's shoulder, and she jumped, startled out of her reverie, to find the subject of that reverie holding a mug of hot chocolate with a smile. "Here. For your watching."

Undyne grinned up at her, taking the mug and kissing her hand, before setting her legs down and patting the space beside her. Alphys smiled and sat down, and Undyne pulled her into an embrace, sipping the drink slowly.

"I'll never get used to this craziness, Alphy," she admitted after a while. "The other seasons are pretty much par for the course and are easy to put up with or ignore. But this? This one always shocks me. I don't think I'll ever stop being shocked by it."

Alphys nodded, leaning her head against her wife's shoulder. "I like fall the best," she said. "I love the colours and the leaves, the way the air smells like campfires, and how it can be cold but in a nice way. Fall's the best."

Undyne snorted. "I prefer spring," she replied. "It's the same, but in reverse, because everything is being born again, and the days are getting warmer, not colder."

Alphys smiled. "I know," she agreed.

"Summer would be the best if it didn't get so fucking hot!" Undyne grumbled. "I love the summer; the sun, the water, the fact that you can wear less clothing... but then the heat comes along and ruins it!"

"Agreed."

Undyne sipped a little, and for a moment they sat quietly, watching the world outside become blanketed in the fleece of winter.

"We're lucky," Alphys said suddenly. "We have this nice home to stay in when things get tough. It keeps us warm and cool whenever we need it to. Not everyone has that luxury."

Undyne peered at her, surprised by this. Alphys looked upset. "That's true," she agreed carefully. "What's wrong?"

"I just... humans anger me sometimes," she admitted. "I know they try to help each other as best as they can, but they won't know until spring who was buried in this and left to die. It frustrates me, because I can't do anything about it anymore than I already am, and yet it's still not enough. There will always be people stuck outside. And I hate it."

Undyne pulled her closer, giving her a kiss on her forehead. "It's okay," she said gently. "Just do what you can. You can't save everyone."

Alphys glared out the window, her eyes glinting. She said nothing for a while, and Undyne was the same, though she kept watching Alphys instead of the storm.

Alphys watched, but all she could see were those she couldn't save. And she was sick of it.

Something had to change. The weather may be predictable, but lives weren't. You had to change those, yourself. If you couldn't change your own, you could at least try to change other people's, for their sake.

As Undyne held Alphys to her and sipped her drink, Alphys's mind was elsewhere - back Underground, her thoughts churning over and over again - desperate to find a way to make that change happen.

And the snow continued to fall.

Chapter 95: Fury

Notes:

Thank you, Glavenus, for this prompt!

"I can't take it anymore. Gimme that laptop."

Alphys, bemused, grabbed the laptop from the console table and handed it over to Undyne, who flung her phone down and grabbed it, her eye blazing and her teeth bared, practically shaking with clearly-restrained anger. She opened it, set it on her lap, and hunched over it, typing furiously, sometimes making a noise to punctuate whatever she typed.

"Uh," Alphys broke in after a moment, staring at her. "Should I ask you what's going on?"

"Fucking... fucking... argh!" Undyne answered, not even looking up at her.

Alphys moved closer to her and leaned over so that she could see the screen, too. The moment her eyes connected to her brain and she understood what she was reading, she went scarlet and felt a sinking in her stomach. "Oh," she squeaked out, biting her lip.

"Fuck them," Undyne snarled, still typing furiously, and mostly in caps.

It was a message board on a social media website, full of posts about Alphys and her research, and the various opinions that came from all of it, on all sides - most of them negative. sans had sent Undyne the link (though later she wondered why; what had he expected would happen, other than what did?!), and she had spent several moments reading various threads, getting angrier and angrier, until finally she just snapped and had to respond. To read the myriad hateful comments about her wife, after what had happened because of it coming to light in the first place, was the last straw for her. She could no longer keep silent.

"Undyne," Alphys murmured, reading over what she was typing with a bit of worry. "I don't... I-I don't think this is worth it. M-maybe you should just... ignore them?"

"No," Undyne answered shortly. "I've kept my mouth shut for too long, already. Nobody fucking understands what you went through. All they see is what they want to see, and not the actual truth."

Alphys hesitated; that was true, after all. She had eyed some of what was being said, and it was pretty much all bile and no actual fact. But at the same time, Alphys had been open with everything ever since, allowing full access to everything she had done. If they were still making comments like that even after having all of the facts, was there anything that either of them could say that would make a difference?

By the time she came to that thought, Undyne had already posted her wall of text. She leaned back, glaring at the screen but smiling thinly, crossing her arms over her chest. "There. That should shut them up. No one fucks with my wife."

"Undyne," said her wife, "you used your real name...?"

"Of course I did," she agreed. "They need to know who they've pissed off with their bullshit."

Alphys was about to say something, but Undyne's phone started to chime with email notifications, and Undyne's grin widened. She closed the laptop and shoved it back, then grabbed her phone and leaned back again, reading the emails with that same smile. "Ah," she sighed, "the sweet sound of the ultimate 'fuck you'."

Alphys leaned close again, and Undyne tilted her phone so that she could read along with her. With each response to Undyne's post, there were several people who were apologetic. However, the longer the post stayed up, the more answers she got, and many of them were just as negative as the rest. Alphys sighed and looked away; she knew that it probably wouldn't make a difference, but it was nice that Undyne tried.

"These fucking assholes," Undyne snarled. "Why don't they actually pay attention to what's actually in front of them, instead of whatever they actually just want to get mad about?!"

"Undyne," Alphys said softly, placing a hand on her shaking arm gently. "Put the phone down and just forget about it, okay?"

"No," she answered. "They don't get it. They have no idea how hard it was for you, how much you had to give up just to do it all, and how much it hurt you, too!"

"If-if they don't get it by now, they never will," Alphys murmured, rubbing her arm slowly.

"But, Alphy!" Undyne lowered her phone and looked at her. "They have no idea! None at all!" Her voice broke suddenly, and she looked away, gritting her teeth.

"Oh," Alphys said softly. She moved close again, reaching for the phone. Undyne put up a bit of a fight for a moment, but eventually relinquished it, and she set it aside. Then, she slipped her arms around her and pulled her close. Undyne shut her eye and grabbed onto her tight, burying her face into her shoulder and taking a shaky breath. "Undyne... it's okay."

"No," Undyne answered, her voice choked with tears, now. "No, it's not. It's not okay. None of what they're saying about you is true at all, none of it! They can't get away with it, Alphy!" Her fingers dug into Alphys's back.

"Undyne," Alphys murmured, resting her cheek atop her head. "I'm okay."

"No thanks to them!" she answered. "They don't care about anything at all! I doubt they even care about the amalgamates, they just want to hate, they just want to be fucking assholes!"

"Sweetie," Alphys whispered, closing her eyes. She reached up and started stroking her hair slowly. Undyne moved closer and sobbed, once and very quietly, but it still brought tears to Alphys's eyes, too. "Undyne, it's okay. I'm okay."

"I hate them so much," Undyne answered, though now her voice was soft, too. "I hate them! Every single time I see them hating on you, all I can see is... all I can see is..." She clung onto Alphys tighter.

Alphys bit her lip, understanding completely. She closed her eyes, unable to speak, which was just as well, as now Undyne was in furious tears, crying so hard it shook them both. Alphys held her close, her own tears falling, now. She managed to get out, "I-I'm sorry," before her tears choked the rest of her words off.

Undyne shook her head, but couldn't speak, either. For a long time, they sat together, listening to each other cry, as well as the occasional alert sound from Undyne's phone. Though it had been several months by then, the pain was still raw, and probably would be for quite some time. This was merely one of those moments in which it was too much to ignore, anymore. They tried to ignore it, tried to continue without letting it seep into their thoughts, but sometimes, it was too much. They both held it back for too long, until way too late, and it ended up flooding out at moments like these.

Soon, Undyne calmed down, though she didn't let go of Alphys, nor did Alphys let go of her. She still stroked Undyne's hair slowly, though her tears were calm, now, too. She leaned down and kissed her forehead softly, something that had Undyne snuggling closer and biting her lip from, her eye still shut tight.

After a moment, Undyne said, "I'm not sorry I posted that, Alphy."

Alphys nodded. "I figured," she admitted.

"I'm not deleting it."

"I wasn't going to ask you to."

Undyne nodded. "Okay." She raised her head and opened her eye, looking up at her, and she smiled faintly. "They need to see that. They need to understand."

"I know," Alphys agreed. "But..." She paused, biting her lip, her eyes on the laptop. "M-maybe I should s-say something, too."

Undyne blinked, then pulled away and grabbed the laptop, placing it right on Alphys's lap. She smiled and opened it, the smile fading a little when she caught glimpse of the replies. She took a deep breath, then released it in a huge gust, before cracking her knuckles and starting to type.

As she did, Undyne watched her, ignoring her phone in favour of this. Alphys started with a wary, sad expression on her face, but the longer she typed, the more her face began to change. She wore an expression of anger, her eyes blazing, before it slowly changed again into something else, something beyond anger and sadness. It took a while to put a name to it, but when Undyne did, her eye widened and she felt herself smiling, feeling so proud of her all at once.

Determined.

"There," Alphys said after a while, leaning back and sighing again. "Right from the horse's mouth. N-now they have no reason to claim they d-don't understand."

Undyne grabbed the laptop and shoved it aside, before she shot forward and tackled Alphys onto her back. She yelped in surprise, but Undyne merely kissed her all over her face, practically beaming at her. "Un-Undyne!" she cried when she could, squirming a little and laughing, just a little, which made Undyne even happier.

"Alphy," she said, between kisses, "I love you, I love you, so much, I fucking love you so fucking much!"

"Er, but, all I did was--,"

"You stuck up for yourself!" Undyne interrupted, still kissing her, pinning her to the couch. Alphys had to cling to her in order not to fall off, though she was starting to giggle, now, from the amount of kisses she was getting. "I'm so proud of you! I love you so much, Alphy!"

"Undyne! I'm going to drown if you keep this up!" Alphys laughed.

With a laugh of her own, Undyne leaned close and kissed her lips, reaching up and holding her face between her hands. Alphys still had the giggles, but she returned it quite happily, sliding her arms around Undyne's neck. With a purr, Undyne shifted closer, and suddenly Alphys found her giggles gone, replaced with something else altogether.

And for a while, there was nothing else in the world but them.

Chapter 96: Snore

Notes:

Thank you, Embersfire93, for this prompt!

For the sixth night in a row, Undyne found Alphys asleep at her desk, so tired that she was snoring - loudly. Undyne found out that she was in the office, still, once she heard that sound coming from it, and with a sigh, had risen to her feet and gone there, only to pause in the doorway.

The floor was almost covered in papers, which were in turn covered in writing, both letters, numbers, and diagrams. More were strewn across the desk, Alphys currently using a pile as a makeshift pillow, accompanied by various petri dishes and vials, all lit by the computer monitor, still on but in screen-saver mode (which consisted of photos of Undyne, or Alphys and Undyne together).

Ever since Alphys had become well enough to work again, she was at it almost non-stop, especially now that they were buried in the last throes of winter. Something seemed to ignite in Alphys, something desperate and consuming, that kept her glued to that desk almost all the time, now. Whenever there was a spare moment, instead of surfing online or watching a favourite show, Alphys was at that desk, hunching over those dishes, or pouring out liquid from those vials, or frantically scribbling diagram after diagram, her jaw clenched and her eyes blazing.

But then, almost as suddenly as she was lit, she would flicker out, and fall asleep in the middle of whatever she was doing - and hard, too. Alphys wasn't the kind of sleeper Undyne was; she slept light and seemed to always be alert, her mental alarms always on hair-trigger. Undyne supposed that now, with her working so hard, those alarms were disabled until she could finally get the sleep she needed - something she truly hadn't had in months.

On that thought, Undyne sighed a little and walked in, gingerly avoiding as much of the papers at her feet as she could. Gently, she leaned down and placed her hand on Alphys's shoulder, shaking her a bit. Alphys stirred, her snores stopping abruptly, her eyes fluttering open, though they remained unfocused for quite some time. She raised her head, blinking, before she looked up at Undyne. She stared at her, as though wondering where she suddenly came from. Then her eyes finally focused, and she blushed.

"Again?" she asked, her voice weak.

Undyne nodded, rubbing her shoulder now. "Again."

Alphys sighed, reaching up and adjusting her glasses back onto her nose properly, shutting her eyes for a moment. "I-I'm sorry, Undyne," she said, her voice still soft. "I d-don't m-mean to..."

"I know," Undyne admitted.

"I j-just think I finally have something, something th-that could be crucial to getting cl-closer to a cure, that I end up s-so consumed by it, I d-don't even remem-remember getting tired." Alphys sighed, slouching in her chair, her eyes fixed on the monitor before her but not really seeing it. "I'm s-so close, Undyne. Closer than I've e-ever been."

Undyne knelt down and took her hand, and she turned to her, still looking guilty. "How close?"

Alphys held up one of the dishes. "Partial separation before expiration," she explained, pointing out the intricate, delicate threads that were contained under the plastic of the petri dish.

Undyne's eye widened. "Holy shit," she breathed out, her hold on Alphys's arm tightening.

Alphys nodded, but she still looked despondent. "I-I'd be happier with the partial separation if there wasn't the expiration part," she sighed.

Undyne rested her chin on the arm of Alphys's chair. "True," she agreed. "But it's something, at least. And it's a major something, too."

Alphys repeated the gesture, staring at the dish for a moment, before she set it down and turned to Undyne, offering a weak smile. "I-I should probably get to bed, huh?"

Undyne reached up and touched her pale cheek gently. "Yes," she said. "You really should. No more sleeping at the desk, if you can help it. It's not good for you."

Alphys rubbed her chest a little, feeling the truth of that in the sudden heartburn and reflux that came with sitting up. It was a permanent side-effect of her overdose, but all things considered, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. She nodded a third time, slowly pushing back from the desk, and Undyne stood up and helped her to her feet, keeping hold of her hand. Alphys looked up at her and smiled, this time a real smile, and she grinned back.

They walked to their bedroom, Alphys taking a moment to both get into her pyjamas as well as take her medication, before they both got into bed.

Alphys curled up into the soft bed, sighing deeply, and she said, "Y-you know, you have a point. Th-this is much better than the desk."

Undyne laughed and turned around, shifting close so that they could cuddle together, something Alphys happily did.

Within minutes, she was asleep again, and soon, she was snoring again, only softer, this time. Undyne smiled a little sadly, closing her eye and holding her close. Snoring was annoying; there was no debating that, and Alphys's especially could be incredibly loud and dream-invasive.

But Undyne would rather live with interrupted dreams than not hear that snore ever again. A hundred times over.

It was that thought, and that thought alone, that got her to sleep amidst the noise. Now, it was oddly comforting, hearing it.

It would be years later until she realised that that was when she started falling asleep to it, soon acclimating herself to it so much that she would have trouble sleeping without it - and thus Alphys, herself.

Chapter 97: Fear

Notes:

Thank you, Michaela, for this prompt!

It was bad. It was really, really bad.

Alphys sat frozen on the couch, her eyes glued to the screen before her, eyes wide and teeth clenched, unable to move, let alone speak. She sat in petrified silence, watching and listening to what was before her.

Though it had been a couple of months since the research had come out, it was now that various politicians - now back from their months-long vacations - had something to say about it. She and Undyne had had to endure a lot of this kind of thing the past week, but this one, by far, was the very worst.

Human politicians were relentless when it came to the vitriol they spouted to the public. As long as it wasn't about them or anyone they liked, human politicians had absolutely no boundaries or filters when it came to whatever they said about anything or anyone else.

Which was why she watched now, as the premier of the province stood in front of several cameras, and called Alphys an "immoral and soulless person, caring only about the bottom line and not about who she harmed along the way, so long as she reached that line." She was called a murderer, as she had ended several monsters' lives, in many ways, with what she had done. And though it was "accidental, so she says, the fact is that she was allowed to continue her crimes, as well as hide them, all while pretending to be a good person."

It hurt her. It really did. She sat on that couch, hugging her legs to her chest, her chin on her knees, her eyes already brimming with tears. It hurt especially, because she had called herself those very things many times already. Therefore, to hear someone else say them - and someone else who held a lot of power and sway over her life and the lives of her friends - was even worse.

She wanted to change the channel. She wanted to run away, to hide in the bed and not get up. She wanted to at least shut her eyes. But she couldn't. She just sat there, listening to the premier call her things she'd called herself, and weep.

Undyne burst in just then, holding a huge bag of take-out but a panicked expression. "Alphy!" She stopped only to set the food down on the floor and kick her boots off, before rushing into the room. All she could see were her wife's tears, and her gut clenched, recognising that look and feeling that all-familiar brush of terror hit her. She had heard the news on the radio at the restaurant, and the moment she could, had grabbed the food and raced back home, terrified.

She sat down on the couch and pulled Alphys to her quickly, barely hearing what was on the TV and focusing only on her - or rather, on her arms. Alphys didn't fight her, but she finally managed to shut her eyes, burying her face into Undyne's still-cold, coat-clad shoulder.

For a moment, Undyne was consumed with relief; Alphys was fine, at least physically. Undyne pulled her close, just as Alphys clung onto her, bursting into tears. She held her tight, rubbing her back slowly, her eye now on the screen, listening to what was being said; it made her feel sick.

Angrily, Undyne grabbed the remote and changed the channel to the weather, before closing her eye and rocking Alphys slowly.

For a long time, Alphys couldn't stop crying. It hurt deeply, knowing that, despite her hard work as well as Frisk's, someone as high up as the premier hated her, and therefore encouraged others to hate her, too. It also hurt that Undyne had recognised her despair for what it was, but had assumed the worst right away. She wondered if she would ever be able to fix that. She wondered if she would ever be able to make it up to Undyne at all.

What she didn't know was that she didn't need to; Undyne was conditioned that way, yes, but it wasn't something that could be corrected so easily. She would always be worried, always have that kernel of fear within her, even decades later. It was less the fear of what was, but rather what could have been, and what it had almost been, had she not made it home in time. Nothing Alphys could do would be able to change that.

When she could, Alphys managed to get out, "I-I'm so-sorry, Undyne."

"No," Undyne snapped before she could even finish. "You don't need to say that, Alphy. That asshole needs to say it to you. Fuck the premier."

"No, thank you," Alphys murmured, hoping to make Undyne smile. "Not after that."

And Undyne did smile, albeit weakly. Hearing that, she was able to finally feel better and accept that Alphys was okay - and would be okay. She leaned down and kissed her forehead softly, one hand gently brushing along the ridges of her head slowly.

"Are you hungry, sweetie?" she asked Alphys, who was now looking up at her. She nodded a little, moving to pull away, but Undyne grabbed her close again for a moment, hugging her tight, and she returned it, her eyes closing again. Then, she let go, and got up to grab the food.

After that, they watched nothing but anime for the rest of the night, and though Alphys looked better and even laughed a little, there was still a faint dimness in her eyes, one that made it clear that she was still hurting. Undyne did everything she could for her, but in the end, Alphys only felt better once she was in her office again, hard at work.

Something had to change. But Undyne couldn't think of what - or how. And that, in itself, made her afraid, because it also made her feel helpless.

Chapter 98: Immortal

Notes:

Thank you, The_Fox333, for the prompt!

She was crying. Again.

Alphys couldn't help it. There was so much that was at stake, here, so much that she'd been working so hard to fix, and yet every single time she thought that she'd made progress, it crumbled to dust - literally.

She had been nudging the strands of skin tissue taken from one of the amalgamates - Reaper Bird - with very fine tweezers, trying to gently nudge the fibres apart while keeping them alive, despite separating. She had managed to get them three-quarters of the way, until, as soon as she'd managed to get them separate fully, they withered and died. Clearly, whatever kept the amalgamates alive was the combination of their parts, and if you managed to prise them apart, the whole being died.

It was not a good result, to say the least. It did not bode well for the future of the amalgamates, or for a cure. So she hunched over the dust and cried, frustrated beyond anything else.

This was not the legacy she wanted to leave behind her. She didn't want the world to remember her as a mad scientist, as someone who messed around with life and mutilated innocents. She wanted, at the very least, to be remembered as someone who messed up, but who meant well, and who fixed her mistakes in the end. She desperately wanted that. But the harder she worked, the more it seemed that she would only leave behind sorrow and pain.

Angrily, still crying, Alphys shoved the tweezers and the dish aside, grabbing her notes and marking down a negative. She had used a kind of solution from an adult monster (herself), to see if it could encourage the separate strands to latch onto it instead of each other. And they had - until the end. Which meant another failure - which meant she was back to the beginning, again.

"Alphy."

She jumped, not even realising that Undyne had walked in, but here she was, already right beside her. She stared at her wife in surprise. "Undyne? What are you doing up?"

"I came to ask you the same thing," Undyne replied with a small smile, peering over her shoulder at her notes. "Uh, Alphy, why does that say 'fuck my life' over and over again?"

Alphys blushed, looking down at her notes; sure enough, she'd written that instead of actually writing down the results. Whoops. "Uh," she sighed. "I'm apparently more stressed out than I thought."

Undyne placed her hands on Alphys's shoulders and started to knead them gently, causing her to instantly melt and shut her eyes, sighing again, but this time in content. Undyne's deft, agile fingers were always a weakness for her, and massage was no exception. Already she could feel herself calming down a little, just from that simple touch. It was nice.

"Sweetie," Undyne said after a moment. "Why are you still up?"

Alphys lowered her head, her eyes still closed, and Undyne's fingers moved up her neck. "Mm... I was working on the cure. You know that."

"This late, though? Why?"

"I couldn't sleep," Alphys admitted. "So I decided to use that time productively." She opened her eyes and looked up at Undyne. "I was so close," she admitted. "So close, Undyne. I really though that another monster's DNA would be the catalyst to make it work. It wasn't, and now I have no idea how to proceed. And I have to proceed, Undyne." She looked away, glaring at her notes. "I have to keep going until I get it right."

Undyne rested her chin atop Alphys's head lightly. "Why?" she wondered.

"Because it's the least that I owe," she answered. "And... I'm a scientist, Undyne. I don't want people to remember me as someone insane or demented."

Undyne suddenly understood. "But, Alphy," she said, her voice soft. "Why do you care about what others think? You'll be dust by then, anyway."

Alphys winced. "I know," she agreed. "But... I've worked so hard. I don't want it to be for nothing."

Undyne nodded. "I see what you mean. I'd hate for people to think I'm nothing but a crazy, bloodthirsty, overly-loud human-killer."

"Exactly."

They were quiet for a moment, Alphys focusing on the feel of Undyne's hands on her neck and shoulders, her eyes closing again. Undyne's eye was also closed, thinking hard but also feeling tired.

"Come back to bed, sweetie," Undyne said finally. "You can worry about this later."

"I don't know if I can sleep," Alphys admitted. "Not with this on my mind."

Undyne smiled, her fingers trailing down slowly from Alphys's shoulders to the front of her chest, trailing her fingertips slowly over the curve of one breast through her pyjama top. "I can tire you out," she murmured.

"Tempting," Alphys admitted, her breath catching a little, especially when those fingers traced her hardening nipple slowly. "Very tempting."

Undyne leaned down, closing her eye and brushing her lips slowly along Alphys's jawline, and she shivered. "Undyne..."

"Yup?"

Alphys opened her eyes and looked up at her. "Yes."

Undyne grinned and grabbed hold of her, pulling her to her feet and making her squeak - especially when Undyne pulled her into her arms, next. "Undyne!" she cried with a laugh, grabbing hold of her in order to keep herself there. Undyne merely laughed and carried her back to their bedroom.

It was wonderful, and not only took her mind off of her failures, but also wore her out in a kind of delicious way, one that made being tired feel almost like a luxury. Undyne had that effect on her, usually without even knowing it.

Yet even as Undyne held her close and started to drift off, Alphys was still partially awake, her eyes half-open in the dark. Her thoughts had come back, full-force, and though she tried to throttle them, they only lingered.

What will my legacy be? Will I leave behind great creativity that brings joy, like Mettaton's body? Or will I only be remembered for my failures, what I couldn't do?

"Alphy."

She jumped and looked up guiltily. Undyne looked down at her with a tired expression on her face, but the hand she placed on her cheek was gentle. Alphys nodded.

"Don't think about what you're gonna leave behind. Instead, think about what you're gonna keep doing now. The only thing worse than lingering in the past is dwelling on a future that you'll never even see. Either way, life will pass you by."

Alphys stared at her, her mouth slightly open but with no sound coming out. She had no idea how Undyne always did that, but she was especially glad at this moment that she did.

Undyne smiled. "Fucking nerd," she concluded, kissing her nose and pulling her closer, before lying back and closing her eye again.

This time, Alphys was able to keep her eyes closed at last.

Chapter 99: Choose

Notes:

Thank you, Zivicio, for this prompt!

Alphys's hands shook, her eyes narrowed and centred on what was within them. She held her breath, her moves precise and slow, her vision a little blurry around the edges, but she didn't even hesitate or pause to rub them clear. She very slowly edged the syringe's needle as close to those filmy fibres as possible, then very carefully depressed the plunger. A minuscule thread, almost invisible to the naked eye, seeped out from it, slowly slithering its way towards the fibres before they soaked it up, its red colour almost glowing. Alphys's heart raced, her breath still held, not moving as she waited...

For a moment - the longest one she had on record - it worked. The fibres not only separated completely, but stayed alive and in one piece, now each tinged slightly red. However, as she watched, the red slowly began to fade, and the moment the healed fibres were no longer tinted, they crumbled into dust.

Alphys exhaled, shutting her eyes, the sound akin to a sob. She slammed the dish and the syringe down onto the desk, cracking the edges of both but not even caring. She hunched over the desk, wanting so badly to cry, but found that no tears were forthcoming.

She was so tired.

She hadn't gotten decent sleep in weeks, now - or was it months? - because of this. She couldn't sleep. Every single time she thought of a new idea, it would burn beneath her feet and keep her on them until she'd managed to try it out and finally get it done. That could take weeks alone. This particular project had taken almost two months.

And in only a few minutes, it had broken down into nothing. In moments, she was back to the beginning.

Again.

Alphys wanted to break something. She wanted to scream. She wanted to fall down and scratch at her arms. She wanted to cry and cry until she passed out from it.

She didn't. She just stood there, her eyes wide, her teeth clenched together, her whole body shaking. She could hear herself breathing shakily, but she didn't care. She didn't even focus on anything. She just stood there.

Alphys didn't know how long she stood there, but soon, she felt arms circle around her waist and pull her backwards gently. She froze, but her hands finally dropped to her sides, and her eyes closed.

"Alphy," said Undyne gently, her voice so soft and so full of emotion that it almost hurt her to hear it. She nodded. "We need to talk, Alphy."

"O-okay," she rasped out, nodding again. Undyne let go of her, and she sagged a little but turned around, taking one of Undyne's hands and allowing her to lead her out of the office. Undyne brought her into their bedroom and sat her down on her side of the bed, before sitting down beside her, still holding her hand, only now it was between both of her own.

"Alphy," Undyne repeated, her voice solemn. She looked right into Alphys's eyes, her gaze unwavering. "It's time you made a decision."

Alphys stared at her, wondering if she was misunderstanding because she was still in shock from her failure. "Wh-what do you m-mean?"

Undyne reached up with one hand and softly curved it around Alphys's pale cheek. "My love, it's been six months. You've been working non-stop, at the risk of your health, safety, and mental stability."

Alphys opened her mouth to protest, but Undyne covered it.

"No," she said sternly, narrowing her eye. "I know you promised to do everything you could to find a cure, until either you found it or you died. But Alphy, my god, you're only one monster. You need to decide: is it worth your health? Because that's what you're losing, Alphy. You're sacrificing your health for this."

Alphys's eyes narrowed this time, their colour blazing. Undyne dropped her hand, and she burst out, "S-so what?! So what if my health gets a little sh-shaky?! Look-look at the amalgamates! What about their health?!"

"I have looked at them," Undyne answered sharply. "And they're happy - and worried about you. A lot. They're scared for you, Alphy." She paused, biting her lip for a moment. "And so am I."

"Undyne," Alphys said, "thank you, I understand, and yeah, I'm tired, but this is more than just me, this is more than just about me! This about them!"

"They want you to stop, Alphy."

She froze, a chill seizing her gut so hard she was breathless for a moment. She stared at Undyne in disbelief, her mouth open but no words coming out.

Undyne's hand moved back to her cheek, her touch gentle. She nodded. "They do. They want you to stop. They all agreed that they would rather have you as their friend and supporter than lose you in your search for their cure."

"I..." Alphys whispered, her throat suddenly hurting. "I... I'm not g-going anywhere..."

"Alphy, have you even looked at yourself lately?" Undyne demanded, her voice getting an edge to it. "You look..." She winced, looking away, her hand dropping again. She didn't finish her sentence, but the expression on her face was eloquent enough.

Alphys tried to speak, but her throat hurt too much.

"I'm scared, Alphy," Undyne then said, her voice small, her hand covering her eyes. "You're scaring me. I keep thinking it'll get better, that you'll get better, but every day, you keep getting worse. I understand your need to help people, especially those you've wronged, but..." Her voice broke, and she hunched over a little, still hiding her face. "What's it matter if it kills you? Who will you help, then?!"

"I-I'm n-not..." Alphys managed to get out, but even to her, the words were feeble and sounded like a lie. The fact of the matter was that Undyne was right, and she didn't want to admit it. Because to do so would be giving up.

And she promised she wouldn't give up until she succeeded, or died.

With a sudden jolt to her stomach, she understood exactly what she was doing.

"Fuck," she added, covering her face with her hands. She shook her head, starting to tremble, feeling tears suddenly rush forward, after days and days of swallowing them like she swallowed her stomach medicine, only it was a million times more bitter. "No, no, no, no."

Undyne moved closer and pulled Alphys to her, but Alphys was frozen, unable to even return the embrace. Undyne held her close, anyway, slowly rubbing her back, biting back her own tears as best as she could.

"You need to make a decision," she repeated, now, her voice wavering a little, but with the same amount of sincerity. "Are you willing to accept defeat? Or are you gonna let it kill you? Because you're letting it kill you right now, Alphy."

"No," Alphys whispered. "No, no, no..."

"Yes, you are," Undyne answered. "And yes, you do. Listen, the amalgamates are happy. They're gonna be okay. They've come to accept their new lives. And they want you to move on, too."

Alphys dug her claws into her scalp, and Undyne pulled her hands away quickly, holding them in her own, so that her claws dug into her hands, instead. Alphys's eyes were open and wide, her face crumpled and streaked with tears and pain.

She didn't want to decide. She didn't want to give up.

But she didn't want to die. She truly didn't want to die. Not anymore.

"Alphy," Undyne murmured. "Come on, love. It's time to move on."

Alphys closed her eyes, leaned close, and grabbed onto her, a sound of pure dismay coming from her, from deep within, from her heart and her very soul. She buried her face into Undyne's shoulder and practically screamed out her pain, her frustration and her despair, her yearning for a change, for the ability to fix everything, for a way to erase her sins from the entire world for good. It was horrible to hear, horrible to make, but she couldn't control it. She couldn't swallow it or pretend it wasn't there or shove it down for later. It was right in front of her, demanding to be felt, and she felt it all. And it hurt.

Undyne held her tight, holding her steady, not once flinching or letting go. She started to cry again, too, but she didn't loosen her hold on Alphys. Instead, she pulled her closer, held her firmly, and refused to let go, even when Alphys tried to pull away at one point, desperate to run away, to hide in her shame and sorrow. Undyne wouldn't let her, which was wise, and soon Alphys gave up and just collapsed in her arms, her sobs ugly and violent but something she needed to get out of her.

It was the hardest decision she ever had to make. It was one full of shame, of frustration, of wounded pride and despondence. It was one she would forever feel pain from.

But she still made that choice. She chose to keep living, to keep going, and to finally stop looking back. With time, she would be able to recover, to not feel so raw and empty when she thought of what she had to give up. But for a long time, that sorrow would be all she felt.

Yet even in our darkest moments, our eyes will still adjust, even at the smallest pinpoint of light. In that thick fog of blindness, only then do we finally see what's right in front of us.

And only then can we finally grab that light, and pull it towards us, at last.

Notes:

Trust me. :3

Chapter 100: DETERMINATION

Notes:

Before any of you ask, the famous author is Louisa May Alcott :P

This chapter has FANART! I'm crying ;__;. It's by the wonderful Khalliys! Please check it out!!

https://khalliys.tumblr.com/post/153123176920/this-is-a-little-gift-for-omoni-whos-easily-the

Eventually, the backlash died down. It took several more months, especially when it came out that Alphys had had to give up her research after coming up empty for the sake of her own health. It took another year before things seemed to finally smooth over and achieve a bearable equilibrium, for both Alphys and Undyne.

The year anniversary of her suicide attempt was a day that was hard to face for them both, as well. Alphys was so ashamed that she couldn't get out of bed, especially since it was only a year later, and she'd already had to give up what she'd promised. Undyne understood; she woke up rather shakily, herself, and didn't move from the bed very much, either, content to stay at Alphys's side. It comforted them both.

But soon, once they got through that, it seemed like they could finally get through anything. Alphys would never forget the day after, when they both woke up and looked at each other, how they both smiled, clearly thinking the same thing.

They kept living. They kept strong. And they kept moving forward.

---

About a few months later after that anniversary, Alphys was teaching her afternoon class, and she was enjoying it. She truly loved to teach, and it was almost soothing to be able to share all of her hard work with impressionable younger people. She honestly looked forward to what they would do with that knowledge, what they would create thanks to what she taught them.

In the middle of a practical lesson, she was going over one of the most basic lessons, one she'd gone over so many times by then that she had it memorised. It was about the organic make up of monsters versus the organic make up of humans, and how monsters retained magic within their bodies, while humans gradually lost it, due to locking monsters - and thus magic - within the barrier.

She was about to launch into the possibility that monsters would some day lose their magic, too, thanks to the recent integration, when suddenly she froze, her eyes wide but unseeing. Her breath caught so quickly she had to grab the edge of her desk, and for a moment, she just stood there, shaking and pale, her eyes unfocused.

Needless to say, it scared her students. "Uh," one said, the only one able to snap out of the trance she cast over them. "Doctor, are you okay?"

"Yes," she said immediately, her voice so soft it was closer to a whisper. One hand went up and touched her cheek, her fingers shaking. "Oh, my god..."

"You... don't look okay?" another student asked.

"I-I'm f-fine," she answered. Yet she didn't move, nor did she add anything. She just stood there as though caught in headlights.

"Uh," said the first student again, "the lesson, Doctor?"

"Class dismissed," she answered, surprising them. Granted, by then, there were only fifteen minutes left in the class, but it was still weird, especially for Alphys, who more often than not talked right up to the bell - and sometimes after.

In shared confusion, the students gradually got to their feet and shuffled out. Alphys covered her mouth, now, her mind working so fast she was struggling to keep up. But she managed, unable to move, even when the bell finally rang. She barely heard it.

Therefore, when Undyne walked in grinning, and she didn't move, Undyne was worried. She went right to her side and took hold of her shoulders. "Alphy?" she said, her voice sharp.

Alphys jumped from the sound of her voice, but not from her physical contact. Slowly, her eyes moved to Undyne, and she finally focused. "Undyne," she murmured.

"Are you alright?" Undyne demanded. "You look terrible!"

"Undyne," she repeated. Then, her eyes glinted, and she broke into a smile. "Undyne, my god, it's been right in front of me all this time, and I've been ignoring it. I've been ignoring it all along, despite the fact that I know better, that I've done it before, and yet here I am, depending only on one kind of method, one kind of field. What an idiot I've been!" She reached up and put both hands to her head, shaking it slowly. "What kind of scientist am I? How stupid am I, really? It's been there, all along, and yet if we hadn't been freed, I know I wouldn't of been able to see it!"

"Alphy," Undyne broke in, once Alphys ran out of breath. "You're scaring me. What the hell are you talking about?"

"Magic," she answered, her eyes shining, her smile so wide it hurt. "It's magic I'm missing. And not just magic, but magic and science. I've only been using one."

Undyne paused, her hands twitching on Alphys's shoulders. Her eye went wide. "Alphy," she said slowly. "Are you... talking about what I think you're talking about?"

"I need to get home," Alphys blurted, pulling away and grabbing her bag, shoving her notes into it messily. "I need to get home now."

Undyne grabbed her hand and nodded. "Let's go."

---

It took four days, and that was with Alphys practically glued to her office, leaving it only to use the bathroom or shower (if she remembered). Undyne brought her food and drinks, but otherwise left her alone. As a famous author once said, "Genius burned." And Alphys was definitely on fire.

In the middle of the night on the last day, Undyne woke up to Alphys shrieking. She scrambled to her feet and rushed to the office before she was even fully awake, finding her wife holding up two petri dishes into the air, twirling around in circles and both laughing and sobbing. It took Undyne a few seconds to understand what she was seeing, but once she did, she felt a rush of joy fill her, and she ran into the room and picked Alphys up and into her arms, joining in on both twirling - and the crying laughter.

---

At first, Alphys wanted to keep it quiet.

"Before anyone else knows," she said softly, "I want to tell the amalgamates. I want them to not only have the choice, but to also have time to adjust either way, before everyone jumps on us."

Undyne nodded. It was the morning after that joyful night, and they were both sitting on the couch together sipping strong coffee. They had stayed up most of the night, testing and re-testing samples from every amalgamate, and the results were the same for every single one: complete separation without expiration or decay, both long and short term. Alphys's eyes were still red from crying so much, her voice still a little choked, but she couldn't stop smiling.

"I want them to be able to adjust before anyone else has a chance to judge them or crowd them," Alphys continued between sips. "And I want to do it today."

Undyne grinned, reaching out and grabbing her free hand, holding it tight. "Whatever you need me to do, Alphy, I'll do it."

Alphys looked at her, her eyes so full of emotion. "Undyne," she whispered. "Thank you so much. F-for everything. All of it, everything you've done, just..." Her lips quivered a little, her smile fading. "I... I-I..." she trailed off, her words choked with a sudden influx of tears. "U-Undyne..." Her claws dug into Undyne's hand a little.

She understood, even though Alphys couldn't finish. She put her coffee aside, did the same with Alphys's, and pulled her close. Alphys melted into her embrace, burying her face into her shoulder and closing her eyes.

"I love you, Undyne," she whispered, her voice muffled. "I love you so much."

Undyne kissed her forehead softly. "And I love you, nerd," she replied. "Buckets and buckets, and oceans and oceans, and miles and miles."

Alphys laughed. It was all Undyne ever needed, really: that soft, nasally laugh.

---

"Uh," Lemon Bread said, her face shocked. "You're serious?"

Alphys nodded. So far, every amalgamate had not only said yes to the cure, but wanted it right away. Alphys had spent the entire day Underground, making the rounds throughout with Undyne and visiting every amalgamate and their families. She not only stayed to administer the cure, but to watch the results, feeling a special elation whenever it took effect, and she was faced with the monsters she had experimented on once again - only now, they weren't comatose, but alive, and thriving. She had especially cried with Snowhen, who was so happy to be alone and in her own body that she started crying, and as a result, so did her husband and children.

Lemon Bread hesitated, looking... regretful, almost. She glanced at the syringe Alphys held, then at Undyne, before she met Alphys's glance again. "Well, thank you, but... no thanks."

Alphys stared at her. So did Undyne. Beside her, Aaron and Shyren exchanged similar expressions.

"You... you d-don't want it?" Alphys stammered. When it came to reactions, she had never anticipated this response.

"Crazy, right?" Lemon Bread admitted, smiling. "But it's true. I'm actually really happy this way. I don't want it."

"B-but..." Alphys blinked.

"I really meant it when I said I was happy this way," Lemon Bread continued. "Learning to live this way, to accept what I've become in order to keep living... I don't want to change that. So, yeah. Sorry, Doc, but no thanks."

Alphys swallowed, then nodded. "O-okay," she said, smiling a little. "Th-that's fine." And it was. "B-but if you ever change your mind, you kn-know where to find me."

"Exactly," Lemon Bread agreed cheerfully, before turning to Undyne. "So, wanna arm-wrestle, now, Captain?"

It wasn't expected - but it was still amazing all the same.

---

 Once the news finally spilled out into the media, it was all everyone could talk about. The first one to pounce on Alphys about it was Frisk, who sent her a text message.

"aLPHYS DID YOU RELLY IS THS A JOKE WTH?!!1"

"Oh dear," Alphys sighed. Undyne looked over at her briefly before her eye went back to the TV, where it was currently glued to a game. They were purposely avoiding the news for this very reason, both worried about how the reception would be. "I broke Frisk."

"I think they were broken from the fall," Undyne joked.

Alphys called Frisk, who answered the phone in a shout. Alphys winced and held the phone away while Frisk shouted, "Are you kidding me?!"

"Holy shit," Undyne snorted.

"Hello, Frisk," Alphys replied, her voice wavering with barely-contained laughter. "How are you?"

"Why didn't you tell me?! I wanted to see! Why? Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because they have the right to privacy?" Alphys admitted, though truthfully she did feel a little guilty. "It affects them first, Frisk. I'm sorry."

"No, you're right, don't be sorry, but Alphys! Alphys, you did it! Alphys, you did it!"

Alphys opened her mouth, then closed it. She was speechless for a moment. Hearing Frisk say it seemed to cut her deeply, as if she was just realising it herself. "Yeah," she murmured. "I... did."

---

 From there, it seemed to snowball. There were quite a few people who came forward and apologised to her for their cruel words. Alphys was grateful, but Undyne was not.

"Oh, of course they say that, now," she snarled, tossing a handful of popcorn at the TV. "When everything is nice and tidy, only now do they forgive you, when only days earlier they were throwing you under the bus over and over again, the fuckers."

Alphys frowned at the popcorn on the floor, unable to argue with her. It was true, and it was actually aggravating, but ultimately, she was just relieved that people were happy, again. "It's okay," she replied softly.

And it was.

---

 Undyne had never been so happy. There had been moments that certainly came close; becoming Captain was one. Marrying Alphys was another. But this, seeing Alphys so happy, and so relieved, were the happiest days of her life.

Because she finally was able to see Alphys unburdened at last. And it was beautiful. She was beautiful.

Alphys laughed a lot more, and was far more cheerful. She was more forthcoming and open, and there was almost a special kind of glitter in her eyes that held Undyne speechless. It was as if Alphys was not only happier, but finally able to be herself.

And Undyne loved her even more, something she was certain wasn't even possible.

Whenever Alphys looked at her, and those eyes softened and lit up at the mere sight of her, Undyne felt like the luckiest person in the entire world - surface and Underground combined.

The funny thing was that Alphys, when Undyne's eye met hers and shone with unrestrained affection, she felt exactly the same thing.

---

There was one more thing Alphys had to do, though. In between work, countless interviews, and trying to keep up with her email from it all, Alphys used up one spare moment to travel back down to the Underground, and to the True Lab.

There were still three amalgamates who refused to leave the Lab. They were strange, and had barely communicated with her when she had lived there. If she were honest, she had no idea where they had even come from, and they scared her a little. But she went anyway.

She searched the entire Lab but didn't find them, so either they were gone, or were avoiding her on purpose.

"Okay," she called into the darkness. From her bag, she pulled out three full syringes. "If you're still here, Memory Heads, I-I have the cure. If you-if you want it, it'll be right here." She placed them carefully on the counter of the mirror-room, then left the Lab.

The next time she could, which was almost a month later, she went back to check, and found that they were gone.

Notes:

I cannot believe I finished this. I just can't. I'm staring at the stats for this and I can't believe there's a checkmark. All I can think of is, "There's no way I could have done this all alone." Because it's so fucken true. If I was writing in a vacuum, I'd probably still be at chapter 20 or something (*coughMaiko100cough*). But the wonderful thing was not only was I not, but I actually made FRIENDS. People actually liked this enough to want to get to know me, better. That's just... indescribable for me. (Fuck, I'm crying.)

Without all of you, this would never have been done. I can't claim I did it all on my own, because that's a fucken lie. WE wrote all of this! There's just no other way to put it! Seriously! Without your support, contribution, help, and kindness, this would never happened, ever. When I started this, I had no idea, NO IDEA, how well it would go. I was just fluffing, wanting to test my mettle and see how far I got. I NEVER thought it would ever be finished. I'm just... fffasfsdsdsADFfgfsdgsf.

Thank you. THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU SO FUCKEN MUCH. Honestly I can't say that enough. I fucken adore all of you, and am so grateful you spent time not only reading, but supporting me and cheering me on. Just... thank you so much.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of Undertale Writing Challenges