#human why

[herdingdognerd]

I had such a good hike with Sophie today. We only passed two dogs, and she was so good both times. The first time she sat so nicely off the trail to allow another dog to pass with no issue, and the second time I had her muzzled at the trailhead and heeled off to the side. She clearly had a good time and when she’s happen, I’m happy.

[kitfoxart]

Pretzel lets me work on his own terms.

[beforehefell]

Gaster had been in the chamber for some time, sitting at his desk reviewing his notes and such while the human hovered beside him in a cross-legged position reading a book on the desk. As he stared at his work though, he could feel her gaze on him instead. After the amount of time they had spent together, he was acutely aware of her. He turned to her, their eyes met. She smiled.

Recently, she smiled very often .

“Do you need the page turned?” She was a fast reader. Gaster was starting to contemplate creating a device that would turn the pages for her.

“No. I wanted to ask you something.” She signed.

“Oh, what would that be?” It seemed as if she was asking him more questions recently than he asked of her. Somehow, over time, their relationship had changed from that of researcher and subject, to that of teacher and student. He was always instructing her, be it in magic, science, or some other topic she held interest in.

“What is bothering you?”

“Bothering me? What makes you think something is bothering me?” He asked with a chuckle.

“Well… it’s your tapping.”

“My… tapping?” Had he read her hands right? “What tapping?”

She pointed at his left hand, which held a pen, “Your pen tapping. It’s… different. Irate, like something is on your mind and you cannot focus on your work.”

He blinked, breaking down what she had just said… “You… you can read how I am feeling from the way I tap my pen…?”

Her cheeks flushed, “I guess… it’s just… you tap your pen in different ways. Sometimes it’s calm, steady, like when you ask me questions. Other times it has a slight beat to it, like when you are focused on what you are working on… It… it varies but it’s also repetitive enough that…” she stopped trying to explain, clearly flustered.

Gaster had not been aware he had such an obvious tic. He knew he tapped his pen often but had not been aware it was a way to read him. Looking at her, he studied her face. Grasping the fact she was learning to read him. She was becoming such a common thing in his life, part of his routine he had never considered the fact that he was also part of her life.

Her whole life actually.

For him, their interactions ended when he left the chamber. He spent time with many others, living a full life.

For her on the other hand, he was all she had. When he left, all she could do is wait for him to return when he left… was it really so surprising that she was able to read him by the taps of a pen?

It was… unnerving. Gaster could not remember anyone ever knowing him that well.

He stared at the pen in his hand. Thinking on what she had said, that he seemed bothered and wasn’t focusing. It was true. He had not been able to focus on his work, despite trying. His thoughts kept drifting to Alphys’ request. He had been trying to think of a way to bring it up.

“Sorry.” She signed and returned to the book.

“No, don’t be.” She looked back at him, “You are… you are right. Something is bothering me.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

He gave a weak laugh at the irony of her question, “Yes, actually.” He sighed, “It’s about our agreement.”

She studied him, processing his words. “Our… agreement... oh.”

She understood, somewhat. Gaster started going over what he would say, how could he convince her to be okay with being a test subject again? Not that she had ever stopped being one, but still... How could this go over well?

Her hands moved. He had missed it. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” he asked, somewhat embarrassed by how unfocused he was.

“I said, you want to start your testing again… don’t you?”

He was taken aback by how direct she was, “Uh.” He cleared his throat, “Yes. I know that-“

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

She smiled. A gentle, understanding smile. “Okay, you can start your tests back up. I don’t mind.”

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[somethingmoderatelyclever]

Human. Stahp

[thingsonmydragon]

stare into the void and the void stares back