Sans stares blankly at the ceiling for a moment when he hears the door slam shut, blinking himself out of his daze. He sits up, bracing his hands behind him, and rubs at his forehead - well he'd somehow pissed them off again. Great. At least they stormed off instead of punishing him - their torture is always terrible but the whiplash he gets when they abruptly switch from being affectionate fucks with his head.

His fingers run along the back of the muzzle, testingly poking at the straps and getting a feel for the locks. The way the buckles and ties twist around each other makes no sense to him and he eventually drops his hands, giving an exhausted sigh. Sans hadn't been going to remove it, of course - there were zero was that that can go well for him. But it's so painfully tight...he was hoping to loosen it a bit, but apparently that isn't going to happen.

'ugh, permanent migraine...this kid thinks up the worst tortures, i swear…' He leans back against the couch, staying rest on the floor and rubbing at his forehead, wincing. Back when he still worked at the lab, he'd get headaches fairly often from overworking himself. Sans snorts, giving a weak chuckle through the bit in his teeth and shaking his head. Hilarious how things had changed. Now he has a headache because he'd been lazy about protecting the Underground.

Not exactly a clean, straight line between cause and effect, of course.

Sans glances up at what he can see of his room, eye twitching in thought. He suddenly realizes that Chara has never even mentioned the secret lab in his room. Considering the brat's fanatical desire to get their dirty mitts on any personal possession of his, he's surprised that they haven't forced him to let them in there so they could break everything (or try to).

Does Chara not know about it…?

Sans thinks back as far as he is able, shutting his eyes and trying to recall...did he ever give Frisk the key to his lab? He remembers telling them the first one, at least - when they'd RESET after killing Asgore the first time. Apparently they'd been too eager to reach their happy ending to take time to load a SAVE and tell him the password again.

….and then the RESET..the one after having been living for three years on the surface.

God...waking up back in his room in the Underground...Papyrus couldn't console him. Nothing could. Sans kept muttering to himself that it was just a nightmare, that he'd wake up back in New New Home at any moment.

But he didn't.

He remembers thinking that something drastic must have happened to cause the kid to rip everything away like that. Someone had died, maybe...maybe even the kid had gotten killed while he wasn't looking. But greeting them on their way into Snowdin...they didn't look like someone who had experienced any sort of emotional trauma. There was no guilt. Just childish laughter and excitement.

They reached the end again.

They RESET again.

And again and again and again…

Sans takes in a shaky breath, squeezing his eyes shut tightly and letting out a harsh breath through his nose. 'great timing. definitely a good time to think over an emotionally devastating event.'

What conclusion had he even been trying to reach?

...oh. Right. His lab.

No. No he hadn't given them the key. He didn't know at what point Chara had taken over Frisk, but he doesn't have to think back to try and remember if he ever trusted a sociopathic kid coated in dust.

So he has one last safe place.

Sans resists the urge to go there now. He'll keep away from it until he can think of a good use for it that won't get it found out, or result in Chara resetting.

They're pretty insistent about him always being within their reach. Not literally , thank God. No, Chara's possessive behavior hasn't reached that point. But if he goes anywhere that they can't immediately find him, he's fucked.

"Howdy!"

Sans leaps to his feet at the sound of that voice, spinning on his heels to face it with wide eyes. The grinning face of Flowey greets his eyes, and he immediately notes the open window behind him. Why hadn't he locked that?! Double-checking the locks should have been the first thing he did the moment Chara left him alone-

He jumps back when Flowey makes a move to grab him, dodging the first vine but Flowey manages to grip him around the ankle and hoist him into the air, dangling him above the floor. "That's no way to greet an old pal, Sans! Did you forget your manners?"

Sans doesn't respond (obviously), just struggles to lean up and scratch at the coil holding him. Of course horizontal sit-ups are impossible enough for him, and adding in a vertical and upside-down factor just makes it even worse. Flowey just watches him in amusement for a few minutes, letting him try to grab his vine repeatedly until he goes slack, huffing and puffing and red in the face.

"You done, trash bag?"

Sans glares at him, managing to cross his arms sulkily.

Flowey laughs, leafy tendons reaching out and wrapping around each individual rib as the hem of the skeleton's shirt falls, exposing his chest. Sans keeps up his glare, but he's shaking in spite of himself. Flowey giggles, "Ooh, what a scary snarling puppy!" He mocks, taking hold of both sides of his collar and giving it a tug, "You should remember your place, trash bag. You're not exactly in any position to be difficult." Flowey turns his head upside down, giving a wide, hollow grin, "Are you?"

Sans gives a huff, but turns his eyes away. Chara will be back soon, and then this stupid weed can finally die…

Flowey strokes the side of Sans's face, admiring his new accessory with a wicked smirk, "Chara was right. This is a good look for you. The less anyone has to see of your stupid, smiley face, the better." The flower suddenly scowls at him, tightening their grip on his ankle.

He's seen Sans's smug grin too many times, and been killed too much by this stupid comedian to consider it a bygone. He pulls the vine tighter until Sans gives a muted grunt of pain and squeezes his eyes shut.

Just before the pressure can fracture the bone, however, Flowey's face abruptly twists into a malicious smile, leaning in closer. "Tell me a joke, Sans!"

Sans narrows his eyes, squinting at the flower in confusion and befuddlement. A joke ? Really? How the fuck is he supposed to-

Flowey unclips the smaller hooks on the front muzzle that free his mouth.

"excuse me?" Sans asks, his voice a bit hoarse.

"You heard me, Sans. Tell me a joke!"

Sans squints at him, "kinda puttin' me on the spot he-" The vines on his ankle tighten, threatening to fracture the bone, "gah! alright alright..!" Okay...he can still tell jokes. Right?

Flowey smirks, tilting his head and waiting patiently.

"uh...why...why do flowers care so much about each other..wait, that's not how- gaah! shit!-" The patient expression on his tormentor's face has quickly worn off, " ..l-let's just go with that phrasing…"

Flowey rolls his eyes up, giving a dramatic 'hmmmm' as he pretends to think, "Golly, Sans, I don't know! Why?"

"cause they always photosympathize ..h-heh."

Flowey shakes his head, sighing and squeezing Sans's ankle until it fractures. "Sorry, I've already heard that one." Flowey says over his yelps, "Try again!"

Sans is sweating, trying to fight past the pain, "t-tough crowd.." He wheezes.

"Don't keep me waiting, puppy! Give me another one!"

"don't call me that." Sans grumbles, immediately choking as Flowey pulls tight on his collar again, "gah!-"

"I'll call you whatever I want, trash bag. And it's not even like it isn't true! That's exactly what you are!" Flowey grins, "So say it."

Sans stays silent, only glaring.

"Or should I make you bark for me too?"

"...i'mapuppy." Sans mumbles.

"Loudeerrrrr~"

"i'm a puppy! happy?"

"Golly, Sans, no need to be so rude about it. Chara really needs to do a better job teaching you your manners. Oh, but they aren't here. I guess little ol' me will have to do!" Flowey winks, tightening their hold around his neck. "Tell me a joke, comedian!"

Sans mostly wants to flip him off, but he shifts his jaw and complies, "why couldn't the gardener plant any flowers." He practically growls.

"I dunno! Why?"

"he hadn't botany . hahah. let me go."

"Not with that attitude, puppy. I think you should beg for it!"

"fuck you."

Flowey only smiles brighter, "Hey Sans, remember last time we talked?"

Sans shifts his eyes away, glare weakening slightly.

Flowey recites him in a perfect imitation, "p-please, F-Flowey, p-please d-don't h-hurt m-me a-anymore...i-i'm t-too….t-too w-weak a-and...a-and p-pathetic to h-handle i-it j-just...p-please…" Flowey laughs, as Sans winces. "Guess I'll just have to encourage you again!"

"stop it." Sans says weakly. "this isn't the same. i know you can't hurt me as bad as last time. you don't want Chara knowing you're watchin' us, do yah?" He gives a failing grin, winking, "sorry, pal, but you're plumb outta luck."

The smile that Flowey gives in return fills his gut with dread, "Who said anything about hurting you, trash bag?"

"..what, you just gonna keep makin' me tell jokes? that's not exactly difficult for me to put up with."

"Nooo…" A vine reaches in from behind his spine. Sans gives a jolt as he feels tendrils wrap around his SOUL, "Even better!"

Sans gives a panicked gasp, yelping as Flowey abruptly switches his hold to Sans's wrists, holding them above his head and letting his toes just barely graze the floor. "no no no no i'm sorry you were right i'm weak and pathetic don't do this -"

In half a second Flowey has the muzzle shut again, "Gee, puppy, let me have a little fun before giving up so fast! I know that's what you do best and all, but really …" Flowey holds his face right in front of Sans, staring into his terrified eyes, "You had your chance, trash bag. Now this goes on until I think you've had enough!"

Sans is left to dangle freely from his wrists, trying to kick out at the flower but only managing to squirm uselessly. No no no no no no no-!

Flowey's hold on Sans's SOUL tightens and he jolts, but he doesn't feel the pain he expected. Feelings of warmth, of safety, of calm and blissful happiness are sent through him and he goes limp, closing his eyes and letting out a breath. Everything is alright, finally, it's a-

Abruptly the hold is taken away and Sans is shoved back under the waves of panic and hysterics as Flowey changes his intentions, like his head is being forced under water. "nnngh! hff hff hhff…!" His bones shake as he slowly opens his eyes, vision hazy. He winces at the proximity of Flowey's grinning face.

"Golly, Chara was right. You make the best noises!" The flower laughs, hoisting Sans up a bit higher to jostle him back to reality, "What's the matter, puppy? Hasn't your brother touched your SOUL before? He's family, after all. And you've got so many dark days. Doesn't that bring back happy memories? Don't you remember being soothed out of your little depression fits by Papyrus?"

Sans is wheezing, trying to breathe through his sobbing. This needs to stop it needs to stop right now -

He feels the tendrils wrap around his SOUL again and he screams , thrashing away as best he can from Flowey's grip, tears pouring down his face as he yelps out muffled pleas. Anything else. Anything else -

Flowey giggles at the skeleton - he really is a fun toy. He looks at the SOUL and pushes a thorn into it, letting his hatred towards Sans be the driving force behind his intentions. Sans chokes, shrinking back as fear makes his vision tunnel.

'i'm gonna die i'm gonna die he hates me he's gonna fucking kill me i-'

The thorn withdraws and Sans's SOUL is given a gentle squeeze. His eyes half close as he gives a happy sigh, chuckling, 'heh...this is the best day of my life...everything is...it's fine. dunno why i'm so scared of it it's not that b-'

The pressure tightens, and he feels something sharp scrape down the middle of his SOUL. He gives a violent sob, shutting his eyes and crying, 'they're all dead it's my fault my friends are all dead because of me, my brother...Papyrus, i'm never gonna see him again...i was too selfish, too scared to help them...i wanna go home...i wanna just take a nap and have Paps carry me to work i wanna sell my hot dogs again i miss the stars i miss my brother i miss everyone it's all my fault-'

Flowey drops Sans to the ground, shoving the monster's SOUL back into his chest and giggling as Sans cries out, trying to piece his emotionally scrambled mind back together with no success. He stays cowering on the floor, looking around and hyperventilating through a mix of tears and hysterical laughter.

"I'll be back, Sansy." Flowey says, sensing Chara's footsteps growing close. "But you shouldn't have given me so much trouble. I'm going to have to make sure you remember not to do it again." He takes the DVD showing Papyrus's death from the player and breaks it into pieces, "There! Chara won't be happy about that, I bet. Oh, and Sans…" He takes the skeleton's chin, forcing his head up, "Fight me again, and I'll tell Chara everything I know about SOUL torture…" Flowey withdraws, giggling, "I wonder what they would do with it!" Giving one final wink, the Flower shrinks back out the window, shutting the pane behind him.

Sans rushes up the stairs to his room, tearing through his dressers in search of clothing as he takes in strangled gasps of air through the muzzle. There's no rationality to his actions. All he knows is that his SOUL feels more exposed and in danger than it ever should, and he has to protect it. He clumsily and frantically pulls on two more t-shirts and an orange and black hoodie, crossing his arms over his chest as he stumbles back and presses himself up in the far corner of the room.

He shuts his eyes and curls up tightly, refusing to open them again for fear of seeing that flower's face.