"Hey."

The child looked up, surprised and frightened. Tears were frozen to his skeletal cheeks.

The soft melody of the music box continued on as Geno frowned. "Are you lost?"
The child's eye-sockets widened and he quickly got up to flee. Geno held up his hands. "Wait- Hey- I'm not going to hurt you."

The child stared at him quietly. They quietly gave Geno a strange look. "Who are you?"

Geno blinked. "Oh uh," he mustered up a friendly smile, his breathe visible from the freezing cold. "The name is Geno." The little boy stared with much more intensity now. Geno found his gaze uncomfortable. "Hey kid, where is your parents? It's a little too late and cold for someone like you to be wandering around alone."

The boy shifted nervously. "My parents..." His voice got quieter. "They... my parents are at home right now."

Geno blinked. "Did you run away?"

The little skeleton shook his head quickly. "I just- I-" He glanced a look at the deceased cat on the bench, snow-flakes collecting on its fur. "I went looking for my cat and..." 

Geno spotted the cat and winced. "Oh..."

The kid looked down at his shoes in the snow and shuffled them. "I have to be getting home soon."

Geno slowly nodded. "Want me to help you home?"

The little kid looked to Geno strangely before looking to his music box. Quietly, he walked over to it and held it in his hands, the music beginning to fade. "I live far away."

Geno frowned. He hoped he wasn't coming off creepy or anything that he was still pushing the kid into letting him come, but it just wasn't safe for someone like him. "I know a few short cuts."

The kid looked to Geno and slowly shook his head. "I appreciate the offer but I need to be going."

The older slowly nodded. "Alright then. Be safe."

And they went their separate ways, Geno looking over his shoulder worriedly.

~~~

Geno walked through the front door, stamping his shoes onto the mat before walking in. A wall of warmth hit him head on. 

"Geno, you're back." Toriel smiled, giving Frisk a warm mug of hot chocolate. 

Geno adjusted his scarf. "There was a kid outside." 
Everyone looked up from what they were doing. 
"He was alone."

"Did he lose his parents?" Toriel asked, now concerned. 

"I don't know. I asked him if he was lost and he said he wasn't."

"well, that's weird." Sans mumbled, looking back at a chess board.  He scanned the pieces before moving his rook, leaving Frisk at check. Geno noticed that most of Frisk's pawns were already gone. Geez, go easy on the kid.

Geno hung up his jacket and walked over to the living room, sitting down on the couch. "...I feel like I've seen him from somewhere." Geno abruptly said aloud. Papyrus looked over from his conversation with Undyne for a second before turning back, continuing on his alfredo-disaster story.

"Maybe it was your imagination." Frisk offered, turning to the chess board and making their move. Sans soon swiftly moved his knight and had Frisk cornered, leaving them at checkmate. Frisk frowned and sighed sadly. "That was the sixth loss..."

"stay determined and you might beat me one day." Sans grinned, sliding the pieces off the board and setting another game up.

Geno rested his head in one hand, his arm propped up on his leg as he watched another chess game unfold before him. His mind drifted to that kid.

Why had he looked so familiar? 

A white cloak...

A red scarf...

White...

Red...

He looked down at his own and blinked.

The kid looked just like him.  That can't be a coincidence.

So who was he?

A kid that looks just like him...

He blinked.  

Could it be...?