[Asriel understands what Mettaton is implying, and the smile wanes from his face. Asriel missed Toriel and Papyrus a lot, but he was lucky enough to still have Chara, Frisk, and Mettaton here.
Mettaton wasn't so lucky.]
You'll always have me, Mettaton. I'll bite and kick anyone who tries sending me back.
[It's not a guarantee, Asriel knows. And it's not enough. Mettaton needs more than one silly, sad little goat monster.
[Mettaton looks slightly less upset. Keyword being looks, because despite what Asriel says, he can't stop the inevitable. If Mettaton is the last one standing, he's not sure he'll be able to handle it. Hell, Lucio leaving was such a blow...what if Frisk left? What if Bucky left?
...What if Asriel left?
God, his SOUL sinks with the weight of that possibility, and his jaw sets. He won't try to convince himself it won't happen. He does enough lying to himself. But it does hurt to think about.]
Mm...did you, ah. That is, are you hungry?
[It's all he can think of to say. God, what a fool he is, being so unnecessarily upset.]
[Asriel goes a little quite, his bravado from earlier quickly fading. Honestly, if it was the other way around and Asriel was the only one left? He doesn't think he could handle it. In a moment of loneliness and despair, he tried to shatter his own disk because it was all too much.
This place wasn't worth it if Asriel didn't have his family here, peaceful or not.]
... Sorry.
[The apology comes automatically. It usually did, these days. Often followed by a small twinge of fear buried in the back of his mind.]
No, it's...it's not you, Asriel, it's me. I'm...being childish.
[Mettaton knows he asked whether Asriel was hungry, but all he could focus on was the fact that he was being stupid and making his friend feel the need to apologize.]
Selfish, aren't I? Acting as if the world revolves around me and how sad I am. How pitiful.
[He knows that it was an unreasonable request, and yet Asriel still saw fit to appease Mettaton. It's very comforting, as is the proximity. Because Asriel's right, Mettaton wants to be close. He always wants to be close, because you never know when you might lose what you came to cherish.
He wants to make sure he regrets things as little as possible, even though in the end...he knows his heart will break if Asriel leaves, and he'd probably have a hard time ever trusting anyone quite that much again.]
Family...I like that.
[He misses his family, but...being a part of Asriel's is nice.]
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Mettaton wasn't so lucky.]
You'll always have me, Mettaton. I'll bite and kick anyone who tries sending me back.
[It's not a guarantee, Asriel knows. And it's not enough. Mettaton needs more than one silly, sad little goat monster.
But he doesn't know how to help.]
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[Mettaton looks slightly less upset. Keyword being looks, because despite what Asriel says, he can't stop the inevitable. If Mettaton is the last one standing, he's not sure he'll be able to handle it. Hell, Lucio leaving was such a blow...what if Frisk left? What if Bucky left?
...What if Asriel left?
God, his SOUL sinks with the weight of that possibility, and his jaw sets. He won't try to convince himself it won't happen. He does enough lying to himself. But it does hurt to think about.]
Mm...did you, ah. That is, are you hungry?
[It's all he can think of to say. God, what a fool he is, being so unnecessarily upset.]
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This place wasn't worth it if Asriel didn't have his family here, peaceful or not.]
... Sorry.
[The apology comes automatically. It usually did, these days. Often followed by a small twinge of fear buried in the back of his mind.]
I'm pretty hungry, now that you mention it.
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[Mettaton knows he asked whether Asriel was hungry, but all he could focus on was the fact that he was being stupid and making his friend feel the need to apologize.]
Selfish, aren't I? Acting as if the world revolves around me and how sad I am. How pitiful.
[Why was it always like this...?]
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I don't think being sad makes you selfish...
...
Is there anything I can do?
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Should the young boss monster do so, he'll be led to the living room, where Mettaton stoops down, then sits on the floor. He doesn't look at Asriel.]
Promise me that you will not leave.
[He knows Asriel may yet break that promise. Not on purpose, of course, but how could he ever hold the boy to it?
He doesn't care though. He wants to pretend he has some power over this.]
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I promise I won't leave. No matter what happens, I'm going to stay right here with you.
No matter what, you're still my family.
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He wants to make sure he regrets things as little as possible, even though in the end...he knows his heart will break if Asriel leaves, and he'd probably have a hard time ever trusting anyone quite that much again.]
Family...I like that.
[He misses his family, but...being a part of Asriel's is nice.]