Because of school, it's a few days before you get a chance to see Gaster again, and you try to use this time to your advantage. As February turns into March, you run the words over and over again through your head, trying to figure out how to breach the subject when speaking to the tall Royal Scientist.

Eventually, you recall what Sans told you so long ago- "if ya really wanna know something like this again... just drop the whole cloak-n-dagger sleuthing thing, alright? just come ask."

So, like the detective that you are, you decide that the best way to question Gaster is to be blunt.

That weekend, you head over to the lab. You've gotten used to the fact that Gaster still works on the weekends ("I love doing science," he's told you before on the subject, "it's hardly work in the common sense to me. Why shouldn't I do something I enjoy in my free time?"), and he also leaves the lab open to anyone else who might want to join him in his weekend pursuit of knowledge. So it's no surprise that, though much diminished compared to usual, the lab still has a full shift of employees.

Unfortunately, though you spend quite a bit of time searching, it appears that Matt is not one of this weekend workforce.

Then you decide that's not actually that unfortunate, because he's probably with Elise, and you're happy for them.

Eventually, you find Gaster. He's in one of the labs dealing with CORE stuff, leaning over a table. You can't help but be reminded of how furious he was when Undyne shook the table. In part because it's a similar situation, but also...

Well.

That was kind of the cause of the entire reason why you're here.

You hesitate by the door, fidgeting, nervous. Your hands are damp. Sweaty. You rub them on the sides of your pants, hoping to dry them off a bit.

"Frisk."

You jump at the sound of Gaster's voice. It's... shockingly normal. Somehow, you had built it up in your head that, after that whole event, he would be using that freaky menacing voice that makes your skin crawl and your Soul skip a beat.

But no. He's speaking perfectly normally, like, well, nothing was wrong.

And, well, you suppose nothing is wrong- you've spoken to Undyne, and she's sporting quite a few dark bruises, but she seemed to be in good humor and largely unhurt, and Gaster is perfectly fine and recovered and not insane, and yeah, everything is fine, you have no reason to be here, absolutely none, so why don't you just turn around and walk away before you go make another mess like-

"Frisk?" Gaster has turned around, and he's looking at you with a mildly curious expression.

You hesitate. Your mouth opens. Then it closes. Then it opens again. "Uh- I- er-..."

He just sighs and rolls his eyes, turning back to the table. "Well, once you manage to get your head on straight enough to speak like a civilized, intelligent person, let me know. I'll be here working."

And just like that, like everything is fine, he continues working on whatever CORE thing he's working on.

Everything is fine.

Except it's not, and you can't pretend that it is, because now he's acknowledged you, acknowledged that something is eating you away inside, and if you leave—

You don't even know anymore. You don't know what Gaster would do. At all. You thought you had him figured out, thought you knew him, but you don't. You don't know if you can trust him. You don't know this monster at all, this monster who would kill as a mercy, who fights with insane ferocity, who can pretend that nothing ever happened-

This monster who so completely hides his potential for Lv.

Who could lose it at any minute, slaughter you all, who's practically invincible-

"Um, Gaster-..." You suddenly realize you've spoken, and that your feet have carried you quite near.

"Hmm?" He doesn't look up.

Well. Now he's acknowledged you twice. You've got to go on. "So, uh-... the other day, after you went— ... Er, beat Undyne, you said you were 'practically invincible.'"

"I am." He still hasn't looked up from his work.

"Practically invincible?"

"Yes."

"So-..." you hesitate. "... So, you're not entirely invincible?"

He finally looks at you, a sidelong look, but doesn't answer. Then his attention turns back to the thing on the table. You decide to take that as a yes.

There's another long moment of hesitation. You wring your hands nervously. "So..." you begin quietly, "theoretically, someone could... hurt you?"

More silence.

"How-... how could that happen?"

For a minute, Gaster doesn't respond. Then, he straightens up and takes a deep breath, setting down the tools in his hands. Then he turns to you and kneels down at eye level in front of you.

He meets your gaze. You see his brow is furrowed, a dark scowl on his face.

For a seemingly infinite moment, he just looks at you, and you nearly wither under his gaze.

"You almost had me convinced of your... sincerity," he says slowly, so quiet it's barely audible, his voice but a powerful rumble, "that you are a good person. But that, anomaly, is a question rather counterintuitive to your goals, and not one I think I want you knowing the answer to."

And before you can say a word, you suddenly find yourself sitting on the sidewalk outside the lab, your heart pounding wildly in your chest.

Taking slow, deep breaths, you stand up.

That-...

That didn't go as well as you had hoped. You-...

You'd better go explain yourself to Ga—

But the doors are locked. The lab doors are locked.

Gaster just teleported you out of the lab and—

Oh, Annoying Dog, this is so much worse than anything Sans ever did in That-One-Time-

You whirl around, expecting to see Gaster standing behind you with a bone in his hands, poised to attack, to kill, kill you-

Panic nearly overriding your system, you scramble to your feet, and reach for your inventory, for something to defend yourself, for your fauchard, but it isn't there, it isn't there! You had it in your inventory when you went to the lab, and now, now you don't-

Gaster took it. Gaster took it!

Oh-

Annoying Dog!

You run. You don't look back.

You just run.

§

A/N

Hmm. Maybe the reason I was having such a hard time writing is because there wasn't enough exciting plot going on. Well, this should fix that!

Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it! Comments and votes are my Favorite Things, and every notification I get makes my day!