* Your head hurt. Your body hurt. Your heart hurt.
* But, you're awake.
*That's an improvement at least.
- - - - - - - -
[ CHARA - LV 1
  BEDROOM  ]
(It's never been your save file, has it?)

Instead of seeing a dreary bunk bed view or Mt. Ebbot in any way, shape, or form, Frisk was greeted with their room when they awoke. Stickers, drawings, cherished photos and posters littered their wall. The remaining cold from their dreams was melted under the heat of their heavy quilt and the strange, tiring hotness in their limbs. How low was their HP..?

Sweating, Frisk pulled the cocoon of  blankets off themselves and stumbled out of bed, pressure rushing to their eyes. They summoned their SAVE file - only 9/20 HP. Frisk frowned, noticing the stuffiness from standing up too quick hadn't quite dissipated and realized they had a cold. They sniffled again, slipped on their Sans Cosplay (robes, slippers, etc., so elegantly named by Undyne in a fit of disgust after they dressed up as Sans for Halloween) and let the SAVE file fade out - after a quick save, just to be sure. Their health didn't fully restore, it hasn't done that since they both left.

...More than anything, they were just happy that hadn't died overnight and hadn't been sent back to their last save.

Frisk turned a to the door, a crack underneath letting the sounds and smells from downstairs drift in. They'd almost forgotten - they had a family! Frisk rushed down the stairs, sweaty hands clasped to the railings as to be honest they felt like they would fall over any moment.

Despite everything, they ran to their mothers arms. They grinned, and Toriel attempted to match - however, they instantly noticed the bright flush to Frisk's face and how their "lazy" clothes were drenched with sweat. Toriel skipped the goodmornings and went to feel Frisk's forehead, eyebrows creased in focus.

"You look ill... You're very warm, as well. Are you alright?" Their stern look melted into concern, and Frisk felt a tad bad for worrying their mother over such a small thing.

"I think I have a cold,"  Frisk signed, still recovering from rushing down the stairs. "I'll be okay." They smiled, though their vision teetered.

"You're practically falling over, let me help you." Not accepting "no" as an answer, Frisk was scooped up into Toriel's arms, prompting a small fit of laughter and a large smile. Frisk was tucked in beneath layers they kicked off and piled on as their temperature swayed; was fed and starved as Toriel's memory of the saying changed (though they technically had both,) and etcetera.

The uncomfortable dull pain of being sick were there, yet being so coddled and loved did make it much better. It was so much better than being sick at their old - nevermind.

They fell asleep to Toriel reading softly. They couldn't really hear what she was saying.
They could barely see her, honestly.

Then, they awoke hours later, battling their stubborn headache just to peek out the window and see what time of day it was.
...Sunset.
The bright, warm colors nearly made them forget they could barely move.

Frisk readjusted their body, shifted the countless blankets, the cool washcloth on their head... and began to think. Shooting a look at their arm, almost immovable from the heat and pain, they put denial behind them.

This wasn't a cold. Colds don't drop your HP this much.

Yes, the "symptoms" were there, but they were so exaggerated it didn't seem logical to just say it was worse than usual.
They were sick, and the lingering injuries from the attack only made it worse.

They'd done enough.
They'd scared everyone enough.
Their very presence had driven everyone to paranoia, fussing and panicking over some simple scraped knees.

Okay, maybe they'd been knocked unconscious and had coughed up some blood, but they'd managed to recover almost half their HP overnight!
...Of course, underground, 9 HP often meant death --

They forcibly shut their eyes and held their breath to stop their suddenly erratic breathing.
It didn't work, it just made them tired. Or, more tired than usual. Saving had really taken an emotional toll on them.

They didn't like saving. It was a nice reliable way to make sure nothing could stay bad, a quick load was always possible, but in all honesty it just made Frisk more miserable. It just reminded them of what they lost.

They missed their best friend.
They missed Chara.

They were practically their other half - a constant, snarky presence, always welcomed.
They were somehow exactly the opposite and the same, and...
They'd been so close.
Frisk was the only being in this universe who knew the things Chara had told them.

They remembered things from Chara's life.
They'd remembered the warm feeling of having their injuries practically melt off them, and the strange feeling of - arms? - holding them up as their vision darkened and blurred.
They were posing when it happened, right? Chara sounded so confused. They'd rolled their eyes, but they were still laughing.
And there they were, dead and nearly dead, laughing at their pitiful situation.
It was nice, still. They were happy, underground.

Happier than I am here?

Frisk's hollow, quiet laugh dulled and transformed into a shallow sob.
They'd missed them, so much.

They could tell something was wrong with Chara. Those dull, throbbing feelings were painstakingly familiar.
Frisk didn't say anything, but could sense that Chara was grateful.
That feeling...
It doesn't go away.
It's forever a part of who you are.
It was nice to have someone to quietly sympathize.

They truly were partners, and they'd follow eachother forever.
Every timeline, every ending, everywhere...

Until, of course, Toby wouldn't let them.

They weren't breathing, they realized, and shot up, scattering blankets, desperately sucking in air.
Everything hurt.

Their head hurt.
Their body hurt.
Their heart hurt.
At least, Frisk thought bitterly; their lungs burning from the lack of oxygen, I'm awake.

That's an improvement.

--
IM NOT DEAD --
Here it is, the long awaited chapter(?)
The chapter was mainly Frisk's thoughts from a narrators POV, however that works.
Anyway, did I mention I LOVE FRISK AND CHARAS RELATIONSHIP

they're ghost pals
in every timeline, they're the other half of one another. it's pretty much a constant

I don't know just I love my children so much

IMPORTANT:
do you guys want long, infrequent chapters or short frequent chapters?

**sticks legy out real far and awaits your response**

thanks for reading!! I'll draw some fanart for this to entertain you all maybe??