Twice a Month I Fall in Love (26/???)
You don't remember getting in bed, but that's where you woke up, wrapped around Zack loosely and groggy as hell. Trying to get up elicited a groan of discontent from your brother, so you resigned yourself to ten more minutes, snuggling back in and petting his curls.
You wish, not for the first time, that you could just move you both out here and never have to leave. But the reality is you only have a handful of days left here and then you'll be back home, where Mom could still threaten your day-to-day life. There was no telling what awaited you when you got back, if Mom had found out you had taken Zack out of the state she might go ballistic on you.
A knock on the door drew your attention, rousing you from a worry-filled almost-sleep as Black creaked the door open.
"Are You Awake, Dear?" He asked, almost a whisper as he eyed Zack sleeping soundly in your arms. With some difficulty you managed to get the preteen to roll over and snuggle a pillow.
With a yawn you shuffled out of bed, stopping in front of Black and letting him fuss over your messy bedhead and straighten your pajamas. When he deemed you fit to present where the rest of the house could see you, he offered his arm and you meandered down the hallway together.
"I REGRET THAT YOUR VISIT HAS TO BE SO BRIEF," Black sighed, patting your hand where you held his arm. "I'M SURE YOU KNOW THAT WE WOULD TAKE YOU BOTH IN A HEARTBEAT IF WE COULD."
"It's okay, Sans, I can't, can't expect you...you can't do anything about it," you reassured him.
"WELL," he chuckled, stopping at the kitchen table. "I DID THINK THAT AT FIRST MYSELF. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS I MAY HAVE BEEN MISTAKEN."
"sup, kiddo," Sans said, waving slightly from his spot at the table. Papyrus was there, too, and he greeted you enthusiastically by name as you sat down, confused but curious. "i'm aware that you know a little more 'bout our situation in this house than i'd like, namely the separate universes. that being the case, an' you an' your brother bein' good people as i've seen these last few days, i'd say it's in our best interest to see you both taken care of."
You looked at Black, whose smug grin gave you nothing but more questions.
"Taken...taken care of how?" You asked softly, twisting your nightshirt nervously in your fingers.
Sans blinked, and then chuckled lightheartedly. "relax, kid, m'not a mob boss."
"YOUR FATHER WORKS IN HUMAN RESOURCES, YES?" Papyrus asked, and you nodded slowly. "AND YOU ARE GOING TO SCHOOL FOR THE SAME?"
"S...sort of. Social work, with kids," you corrected.
"WELL, THOSE ARE RESOURCES WE COULD USE AT THE EMBASSY HERE IN EBOTT! WE WENT AHEAD AND SECURED TWO JOB OFFERS, ONE FOR YOU AND ONE FOR YOUR FATHER. IF IT'S QUITE ALRIGHT, WE'VE BEGUN THE PAPERWORK TO TRANSFER ZACK TO THE MONSTER/HUMAN INTEGRATED SCHOOL IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD." He passed some papers over to you. "THESE JOBS ARE, OF COURSE, GOVERNMENT WORK, AND AS SUCH YOU AND YOUR FATHER WILL BOTH BE PROVIDED HOUSING OR FUNDS FOR HOUSING BY THE EMBASSY."
You shuffled through the papers, brow furrowed, and Black bounced on his heels, awaiting the inevitable confusion so he could break the good news. He had been working tirelessly to obtain these papers, from lobbying with the queen herself to hire both a veteran and a fresh-from-school HR specialist, to better help facilitate integration between monsters and humans. Even better that your aim is to work with children, as that easily won the queen's favor and she wanted to place you in the integrated school as a counselor.
"I don't understand," you said, exasperated, holding the papers up in confusion.
"WE'RE ASKING YOU TO STAY, LOVE," Black said softly, unable to keep the genuine excitement from his voice. "IN EBOTT, WITH US. FOR GOOD. A FRESH START FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY."
Oh, there it was, the genuine disbelief, the realization, and ah, the happy tears, he was quick to sit beside you, pulling you in for a hug that you readily returned, squeezing him tightly.
"DID YOU REALLY THINK I COULD JUST LET YOU GO?" Black chuckled, patting your back gently. "YOU'RE FAMILY TO ME."
"You...you too!" You squeaked, and ah, he's so soft for you. It's so much worse since he met you in person--at least in his brother's body you look tough, but as yourself you are a marshmallow inside a marshmallow, and he would be a liar if he said he didn't want to protect you with every drop of venomous Intent he could muster if necessary.
A muffled yawn alerted him to his brother's entrance.
"what's with the cry-fest so early in the mornin'?" Mutt asked, running one hand over his skull and looking over the crowded table with one curious socket, the other shut against the bright light of the kitchen.
You hopped up quickly, your nightshirt practically whipping Black in the face, but he only rolled his eyelights in amusement as you bounced on your toes, gripping Mutt's shirt. He hummed and pulled you closer, all attention focused on you.
"I get to...I get to stay! They found me a job! And Dad, too, and a school for, a school for Zack!" You explained excitedly, before throwing yourself into his sleepy embrace.
Black knew it would be at least an hour before Mutt was awake enough to actually process that information, but for now it seemed you were both happy to be embracing in the kitchen, Mutt muttering sleepy congratulations for a feat he didn't quite understand yet.
Yes. It was all coming together, and Black couldn't be happier.