Walking toward the tree was probably the most dominant walk I've ever done. Shoving my hands into the big pocket of my red hoodie, I strode to the tree. Below the tree was Flowey with an impatient look. I had my answer, and I wasn't afraid to tell the flower.

I was going to say no.

Stopping a few feet in front of the short golden flower, I stood silently with a stone cold face. Flowey smiled, saying, "before we talk, I want to meet you where we last saw one another."

With a slight grunt of annoyance thinking about how far it was, I grugingly agreed and  watched Flowey disappear into the ground. With that, I started walking.

------Midnight------

"So, are you ready?"

A short moment passed as I stared at the flower once again. I picked up a good sized stick on my way to the grassy space just before the room with the golden flowers. I brushed away some leaves and gave nothing away with my facial expression, crouching down and getting ready to write my answer. Just to make the flower wait, I hovered the stick above the soft dirt for a second. I then wrote in the ground, watching the flower's face twist into a look of surprise.

"'I'm not going to go?' What kind of answer is that?! You wanted to see the other side of the doors right? Why not go with me and see it?"

I wrote again with a determined look, 'I don't want to leave Toriel. Not after everything she had done for me.'

Flowey read silently as I scribbled quickly.

'You tried to lead me to my death. I won't allow you to ruin what I have found. Toriel is a person I won't leave behind for some stupid curiosities. Even if I do get bored here, I'll always be happy here. This place is so much better than where I was.'

I wrote a bit harder this time, 'I don't want to go home or die, so no.'

Flowey didn't say a word, then looked up at me. The expression made me reel back. The flower laughed.

"Alright then, human. You've made your choice. You're going to regret it. Do you know why?"

I waited for the flower to continue, just feeling the dark and intense air around the flower. My hand started to shake, not getting a good feeling. Then the flower smiled innocently, the tense air suddenly  gone.

"Well, you'll find out later. I'd like to see how well you fair by tomorrow. I think that's a wonderful idea, don't you?"

My face went 'what' as I watched Flowey drop back into the ground with a sinister laugh.

....the room was then filled with eerie silence. I stood and brushed off my pants, dropped the stick, and started going back to Toriel's house, left in confusion from the flower's words.

After walking about halfway there, my eyes were drooping. I wanted to sleep so bad.

Hey...that leaf pile looks comfortable...

Without a second thought, I dragged myself over to the pile and plopped down, leaves jumping up in the air upon my bodies landing then drifting back down. I closed my eyes and instantly fell asleep.

-------4 am------

I snapped awake, sweat dripping from my forehead as I sat up as fast as I could...then regretted it once my back started aching right after the action. I groaned, rubbing my sore head.

I better go tell Torie-...wait...this isn't my bed...did I not make it back last night?

Instantly my brain clicked and I was fully awake.

Oh...how long have I been sleeping...? I guess I better go back...I hope she isn't mad.

With a sigh, I picked myself up and continued my trip to the house.
-------

The silence in the warm house was broken slightly by the creak of the front door. I was home, and I couldn't feel anything but dread. The flower was a small and mysterious, and nothing but bad vibes rolled off the sunny little plant. I'd have to watch out for him.

I kicked my shoes off and I trudged down the hall tiredly only to see Toriel exiting from my room in a frantic manner. Once Toriel saw me, I closed my eye tight and braced myself for angry words. She gave a gasp like she melted in relief and ran to me, wrapping me in a tight hug.

"Reid! Oh my goodness I was so worried!" Toriel gasped.

After a moment of shock, I hugged back in confusion. What...? She was worried? Not mad?

She finally released me and gave me a relieved but stern look, saying, "I looked everywhere for you and you were not in the house! Where did you go? You almost gave me a heart attack, Reid!"

I was in shock, staring at the female goat in front of me. Only Mom...worried when I was out late...but not as much as this. Silently, I watched Toriel's face look stern then warp into worry.

"Oh, I am sorry my child...did I upset you with my raised voice?" She gently asked reaching for my left cheek. She wiped away something from my face. I wondered what it was until I touched the trail it left.

I was crying. Shaking my head in assurance, I signed, 'No, Tori, it's just...only Mom worried like this and...it just...'

My hands faltered, thinking of how my human mom had...passed. Breath hitching, I swallowed a broken sob and continued signing, 'It just reminded me of her. I'm sorry, Toriel.'

The goat mom gave me a look of sadness.

"Oh...no, it is okay, my child," Toriel smiled, then looked confused, "Though in all things serious, why were you outside this early?"

My mind switched back to Flowey and I quickly came up with soemthing believable to hide what I actually did,

'I was taking a morning walk. Fresh air helps a person's health so I thought it would help me.'

Toriel made a small noise in understanding, excusing why I was outside in a heartbeat. I swallowed. Lying to her didn't feel good at all.

"Well, just let me know next time so this does not happen again, alright?"

She trusts me.

"Alright, now that you are home and everything is settled, let us have some breakfast shall we?" Toriel clapped her hands and I smiled, wiping the rest of the tears away and following her to the kitchen.

Toriel cooked some bacon while I handled the pancakes, having some experience cooking with Mom. We ate at the dining room table, making awful puns about bacon. They were so awful they burned.

I was finished with my plate before Toriel, and I leaned back in satisfaction. Looking over at Toriel, she looked lost in thought. I made a small noise to get her attention, and she snapped her head to me in surprise.

"Oh! Sorry, I must have spaced out. What is it?"

I signed, 'what we're you thinking about?'

Toriel looked conflicted, then said slowly, "well, I was thinking about why you never told me about your family...and I was wondering what happened to make you not want to go home..."

My stomach dropped like a stone and my face became the color of a white sheet. I knew this was coming but, this was unexpected.

I signed with an attempted smile and sweat brimming on my temple, 'can we not talk about this..?'

"Reid my child...I know it must be hard for you, but I know it has been bothering you. At night, I would hear you cry about your mother."

My hands gripped my hoodie, my hair shadowing my eyes.

"In all honestly, I wanted to know what happened. If it will help, please...talk to me."

I looked at Toriel, a broken look in my eye. I was at war with myself, but I finally decided it's not worth hiding anymore. Toriel was right...if I keep going on like this, I'll fall apart.

I shakily signed, 'she was...killed...just before I came down here...and I saw...I saw it happen...'

Toriel gave a horrified look, a hand over her mouth. I continued with robotic motions, not really caring what came out. At the window behind her, I could see Flowey watching me. I didn't care at this point. He said he couldn't speak in hands, so I was safe sharing this personal information.

'She was killed by my father, and he chased me when he saw me, screaming insults all the way up the mountian until...'

I faltered with tears forming at my eye, but pulled myself together and signed slowly, '...until he caught me just above the hole that lead down to the golden flowers.'

Toriel seemed in shock, eyes wide, taking in every word I signed out. Without stopping the flow of tears, I touched the bandage on my eye, then continued with shaky hands.

'He caught me and dug my eye out with the same kitchen knife that killed my mother.'

Remembering the pain, I pushed it away and heaved a quivering breath, 'I was then kicked down here...and I met you.'

Toriel looked like she was about to cry, the sympathy just rolling off of her in waves.
With a sense of finality, I signed, 'I am so, so grateful to have been taken care of by you, mom.'

I dropped my hands, and Toriel got up and walked around the table. She fell to her knees and hugged me. Shaking slightly, I hugged back. I heard her wisper.

"I am so so sorry my child...oh my goodness, I am so sorry for that to have happened...it will be alright now, I promise. You are not going to go through that ever again."

With that quiet assurance that she knew and it was going to be okay, I gave in to tears as well.

We had a moment together, just hugging and crying, until we released each other form the confortable grasp and Toriel offered to read a book to me. I quickly accepted, then we proceeded to clean up the sticky delicious breakfast.

After we talked, it was like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. I felt a whole lot better after sharing with Toriel what had happened that night. Talking to her really did help.

We sat down and pulled out the book about 101 uses for bananas. For some reason, it was quite interesting. For example, using the inside of the banana peel, a person could shine their shoes with it.

I glanced over at the window again, seeing Flowey has gone off again to wherever he goes when he's not here. Sighing quietly to myself,  I turned my attention back to Toriel and the story.