Month of Drabbles Day 5: She’s Playing Piano
Summary: Gerson walks in on Asgore’s piano lesson with Undyne.
Warnings: Mentions of death.
“You just have to make this chord in the middle of pressing this key.”
“No fair! How come I can’t just press them together?”
“That’s not how it’s written on the music.”
Undyne huffed and pressed a G note on the piano. After waiting a second, she clumsily formed a G-minor chord with her other hand. Asgore clapped and pointed to the next bar on the sheet of music. Undyne, giddy with delight at her mastery of piano, bounced on the king’s lap and followed her gaze accordingly.
“This bar has three quarter notes and two eighth notes,” Asgore said, “Do you remember how that rhythm sounds?” Undyne nodded and played the correct rhythm. Asgore smiled in approval and pointed to the next bar of the song.
They were interrupted by a light knock on the already open door. Standing there was a familiar old turtle.
“Gerson!” Undyne squealed and hopped off of Asgore’s lap and towards the old warrior. Gerson cackled and messed up Undyne’s hair, telling the child that she grew at least a head taller since the last time he saw her. Undyne slapped him playfully, saying that he just saw her this morning.
“I’m going to be a hero like Gerson when I grow up,” Undyne proclaimed. Asgore was about to say that of course she will when the child added, “I’m going to kill a human and take their soul like Gerson did and save the entire Underground!”
For a moment, Asgore’s gaze connected with Gerson’s. In his old war comrade’s eyes was the same distain he wore every time the subject of humans was brought up.
“I hadn’t expected you to visit me today,” Asgore said, “Undyne and I will be finished soon. Why don’t you wait in my living room? There’s tea on the stove if you’d like.”
Ten minutes later, Undyne bolted through the streets of New Home to the elevator that would take her back to the entrance of Hotland. Asgore sat across from Gerson at his dining table. His friend was sitting in Toriel’s old seat, but Asgore decided not to bring that up.
“You haven’t visited in a long time,” Asgore said, sipping at his tea. Part of him hoped that these visits will become a regular occurrence again. “You should come more often.”
“I didn’t come here just to have tea and chat,” Gerson said coolly. He set down his teacup. “Old Gaster died yesterday.”
Asgore almost dropped his cup. “W-what?”
“You heard me,” Gerson sighed, “He fell. No-don’t look at me like that, Azzy. He didn’t have depression or anything. He literally fell into the Core.”
“Are you even listening, Asgore? He fell into the Core. There’s no dust left to collect.”
If Asgore had received this news a hundred or so years ago, he was sure he would have collapsed on the ground and sobbed. He’d lost so many friends in the war, but Wingdin Gaster had been his friend since the beginning. He knew that skeleton almost as well as he knew Toriel.
Now Asgore just felt numb. Of course another of his closest friends would leave him. Why wouldn’t they? Did he have to sit and watch Gerson die or leave as well? Was the price of immortality to watch the ones who used to be your friends waste away into dust?
Asgore buried his face in his hands. “We’ll need a new royal scientist,” he muttered.
Gerson slammed his hand on the table. “Is that what you care about? You don’t have anyone to do freaky experiments for you anymore? Angel’s sakes, Asgore, Wingdin is dead! Do you really just not care anymore, after Toriel and…” He stopped.
An awkward silence settled over the table. After a while, Gerson broke the silence.
“I’m quitting the royal guard,” he said.
Asgore tensed. “What? Why?”
“I’ve had more than enough fighting for a lifetime,” Gerson said, “I’m thinking of opening a little shop where I live and settling down with the mushrooms.”
“Is this because of Wingdin?” Asgore asked, “Please, Gerson. You can’t leave. You’re the best guard-“
Gerson smiled sadly. “Are you afraid of me leaving you too, Asgore?” he said, “Don’t worry, ya old goat. I’m not going anywhere. It’s just the two of us now, isn’t it? After Toriel and Wingdin and-“ He paused. “I’m just tired, ya know? No more fighting for me.”
Gerson fell silent again. Asgore didn’t know what to say.
“She’s her granddaughter, you know,” Asgore offered, “You know. Undyne?”
Gerson threw his head back and laughed. “No, really? The only fish monster in the underground is related to the only fish monster that survived the war? I’ve been looking after that kid longer than you have, Azzy. She literally lives a fifteen minute walk away from my place.” The turtle scoffed. “Is that why you’ve been spending so much time with the kid? Because of her dead grandma?”
Asgore threw his hands up in defense. “No! I would do the same for any child who wanted to! It’s just…Undyne is a good kid. She’s passionate and creative and she’s not afraid to talk back at me even if I’m her king. She’s brave and smart and energetic and-”
Gerson slowly stood from his chair and put on his hat. “I should probably get going,” he said, “I guess I’m still the captain of the royal guard until you find a replacement, and I should make sure those sentries aren’t slacking off.” Asgore didn’t know what the guards would be slacking off from-there was rarely anything for the guards to do these days aside from some petty crime. He let it slide, though. Conversations with Gerson nowadays have become so awkward.
“Goodbye, Gerson,” Asgore said, “You should come back to visit sometime.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Gerson chuckled. Before he headed out the door, he paused and looked back at Asgore.
“She’s not Chara, Asgore,” Gerson said quietly, “I want you to remember that.”
“She’s not her grandmother, either,” Asgore replied, “There’s no use in dwelling on the dead. That’s something we both need to remember.”
