so uh, I did a silly little thing kinda inspired by some of our conversations about GBAU Soriel, lol~ I hope you like it and have a super awesome day!! ^w^

***

As Toriel opened the door, she could not help but smile at the familiar sound of soft snoring that greeted her. Usually, Sans took up less than half the space on her sofa, but his current, partially changed form was a little more bulky, sprawled out over the cushions with his pointed skull resting on one end and his tail draped over the opposite arm. Toriel’s desire not to disturb him briefly battled with the more powerful urge to snuggle up and rest herself, but the latter won out and she crept as quietly as she could across to the sofa, attempting to manoeuvre herself into what little space Sans had left for her without jostling him. 

“Sans,” she whispered as her thigh bumped against the tip of his snout, not wishing to startle his heightened senses in this form when he stirred, “it is okay, it is just me.”

“Hmm?” he mumbled, voice deeper and rougher than usual as he blinked sleepily up at her with hazy eye lights. “Oh, hey – sorry, lemme just…”

“No, please, do not get up,” Toriel instructed before he could move – she knew well how exhausted he was after a change, and Sans seemed happy to comply, relaxing against her as she slid a hand under his elongated jaw and lifted it gently to rest on her lap, rearranging them into a more comfortable position. “I hope you do not mind if I join you for a little while.”

“Mm – no, ‘course not, Torrrrrrrriiii –“ The sound Sans made when she stroked her paw soothingly over his skull, scratching lightly behind the pointed crests, was like no other she had heard before: a low, satisfied hum that she felt rattle right through his bones, the reaction as instantaneous as it was unexpected.

“Oh my, what was that?” Toriel could not help but exclaim, equally surprised, amused and delighted – it was all she could do not to squeal as she felt her muzzle curling up into a wide grin. “Sans, did you just…purr?”

“Uhhh.” This new development seemed to have startled him a little more awake, sockets shifting up to meet her gaze as a tell-tale hint of blue bloomed across his cheekbones and he let out an awkward chuckle. “No? C’mon, Tori, I know the new model takes a little getting used to but I’m not actually a cat.”

“Oh, of course not, dear,” Toriel replied, her smile turning just a shade more devious as she trailed her claws over the back of his skull and between the ridges until she hit upon what was evidently a sweet spot, which drew increasingly louder purrs as well as a few little kicks of Sans’ left leg as he arched up instinctively into her hand. “You are far more adorable than any feline could ever hope to be.”

She gave him no opportunity to protest, continuing her caresses as she felt him melting under her touch into a happy puddle, sockets flickering closed once again in bliss. Eventually, his purrs quieted to a steady, softer but no less contented hum, pleasantly soothing vibrations that seemed to reverberate through to Toriel’s own soul, warming her to her core. There had been a time, not so long ago, when Sans could barely stand to be around her at all until the transformation had completely worn off and he was, as he put it “normal” again. It pained her that he felt he had to hide himself away, as if it made any difference to Toriel what he looked like. Though there was still much they both had yet to understand about how and why he changed, she loved the monster underneath, the soul that shone through whether Sans was a short, stout skeleton, an enormous, formidable beast, or anything in between – nothing would change that. While she knew it may take a little longer for him to accept himself, it still meant the world that he was letting her get close again, that he trusted her with this.

  “Sorry ‘bout this, by the way,” Sans mumbled, almost as if he could sense her thoughts. “Guess it’s taking a little longer this time, but I’ll be back to normal soon.”

“Sans,” she answered, gently but firmly enough that he raised his head from her lap, sockets opening to meet her eyes, “do not apologise. You should never be ashamed of what you are – and not only because what you are is adorable,” she could not resist adding with a playful wink. “I would not care if you stayed like this forever, or any other size or shape for that matter. All that matters to me is that you are happy – and that we are together.”

Sans did not respond for a moment, but the love and gratitude that flickered across his features was unmistakable in any form, sockets creasing at the corners as his jaw seemed to widen even further, flashing his sharp teeth in a grin that eliminated all doubts – not that she had ever had any – that he was still Sans, her Sans. “Thanks, Tori. Y’know, I’m pretty sure I could be happy staying like this forever.”

And, as he snuggled back into her lap with another happy rumble as she petted him once more before feeling her own eyes start to grow heavy, Toriel was quite certain that she could be happy like this, too. 

Response: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA???????