Before Nickname was old enough for school, an average day for her usually went as follows.

Frisk would get up first, letting Asriel and Nicky sleep in. She'd make her own breakfast, answer her emails, then leave for either errands as ambassador or to the school to help Toriel. She would never leave without giving each of them a kiss, but they'd always go back to sleep after; Frisk's day began early.

The next one up was always Nicky, as Asriel slept heavy. Over the years, she'd come to know her father well, and knew tried-and-true methods to wake him, some Frisk had taught to her, some she learnt herself. She used one of Frisk's favourites this morning.

Asriel awoke with a sneeze, which was greeted with giggles from the source of that sneeze. "Guh," he muttered, rubbing his nose, blinking slowly, he was able to focus on his daughter. He grinned at her, immediately awake. "Howdy, Nicky!"

"Howdy, Papi!" she replied, wiping her finger on his arm - something that he made a face but still laughed at anyway - especially when she giggled at his expression. He sat up and stretched, then asked, "What's on the menu today?"

"Hm," Nicky paused, thinking about it. "Omelette!" she cried happily. "Can we have omelette?"

"Of course!" He ruffled her bangs that hung perfectly between her tiny horns, and she cheered, running from the room in a flurry of cheers. Asriel laughed, pulled on his robe, and followed at a regular pace. When he got to the kitchen, she had already pulled out the rice, eggs and milk for him, using the stepstool to place them carefully on the counter. "Thank you," he said, and she grinned, holding up a pan for him. He took it, and she ran from the room - a common kind of exit for her.

As Asriel cooked, Nicky sat on the couch and searched for something to watch on TV. She was always put in charge of the TV during meals, but Asriel or Frisk always had final say, just in case. "No news," he reminded her, and she nodded. She found a channel that they both liked, one devoted to old cartoons. When Asriel had two plates ready, Nicky had already pulled the table close, watching intently until Asriel was close enough to notice. To moment she did, she sat up and held out her hands for her plate. He handed it to her with a grin and sat down beside her, before doing the same.

"Can we go out today, Papi?" asked Nicky during a commercial break.

"Sure. Where do you want to go?"

Nicky thought about it. "Can we visit Auntie Alphys today? And play with Basket?"

Asriel paused. "I'll have to ask, but eat first, okay?"

She nodded with a grin. She loved visiting Alphys and Basket, though Asriel wasn't sure why. Basket was barely crawling, and Alphys, while fun, was still a bit awkward around kids - she always had been, even teaching. He hoped Nicky would tell him one day, because he didn't quite get it. Granted, he adored Alphys and was friends with her by now, but even she confused him sometimes: she was smart, but also had a weird penchant for things that seemed insulting to that intelligence. But then, just because he didn't get it didn't mean that Nicky didn't.

"Howdy," he texted Alphys. "Can we stop by today?"

"Sure!" she instantly replied back. "We were going to have a park picnic and would love for you two to join us! ^_^"

"Want to go to the park and have a picnic with Auntie Alphys and Basket?" Asriel asked Nicky. She lit up and clapped her hands once, nodding excitedly, which made him laugh. He confirmed it with Alphys and fixed a time and a park, then agreed to meet at Alphys and Undyne's house first. Once he was done, he got up and said, "I'm going to shower, okay?" When she nodded again, he hurried back to the bathroom. He didn't usually shower during the day, instead opting for night, but whenever they went out, he made sure to. He was a bit of a clean freak, and always wanted to give a good impression.

He rushed it, but by the time he was done and back in the living room, he found Nicky exactly where she was, still watching TV and laughing at what she saw. For a moment, he watched her with a smile; so much of Frisk was there, but he could also see a lot that was just her. Her laugh was a good example: it tended to be a half-giggle, half-shriek, and was purely her own.

"What would you like to wear today?" he asked as he walked back into the room.

Nicky turned off the TV and ran over to him, grinning mischievously. "Pyjamas!" she replied with a giggle.

He sighed; she always said that when she knew they were going out somewhere. "How about I pick?"

Nicky's smile vanished at once. "No!" she protested, horrified. "The green pants and the purple shirt with the sheeps on them!"

Asriel sighed again. "That shirt's dirty, remember? How about the blue one with puppies?"

Nicky thought about it, then nodded. "Okay." She was old enough to dress herself, but still needed him to brush her hair - though she still sometimes had trouble with socks, like today. When he asked, she admitted that she couldn't decide what pair to wear, so she chose one of each, and he let it go.

Alphys and Undyne's wasn't too far from New Solace - the name of the younger Dreemurrs' second, larger apartment - so they decided to walk. Asriel was usually wary walking in public, but whenever he went out with Nicky, she seemed to act as a jerk-repellent: anyone who would likely pick a fight with him saw Nicky and became nice instead. She had that effect on people, as there was something about the way she smiled or waved to them that seemed to instantly disarm them. He could relate, as she had the same effect on him at times, if he were to be honest.

By the time they got there, Nicky was in a wonderful mood, swinging her and Asriel's hands as they walked quite enthusiastically. When they arrived at the front door, she ran forward and knocked on the door with a shout of "Howdy!"

Alphys opened it with a grin, Basket already slung over her chest in a kind of carrying pocket. "Hello!" she replied. Nicky looked up and waved to Basket, who was already staring at her. "Hi, Bass!" Nicky said to her, and in reply Basket tried to grab her hand with a happy sound.

"Hey," Asriel said to Alphys, who was throwing a bag over her shoulder.

She nodded to him. "Hi! How are things?" She carefully ushered Nicky out of the doorway in order to close and lock the door, then reached up and gave Asriel a pat on his shoulder, which earned her a grin. When Basket was born, Alphys decided to be the one who stayed at home with her. As a result, she found herself in Asriel and Nicky's company during the day often. Asriel had been shy at first, as had been Alphys, considering their past, but Nicky's company helped with that in no time, and soon they found themselves friends.

They talked as they walked, Nicky occasionally running ahead, then swinging back to them in order to make Basket shriek in delight and surprise. "Things are good," Asriel admitted, and Alphys nodded. "Things have been much easier these past few years, you know? Easier for Frisk, which also means she comes home earlier, which is always wonderful for Nicky, too..."

Alphys smiled. "She's definitely a daddy's girl, though."

Asriel blushed and shrugged, though inwardly the idea delighted him. "Well, whatever," he answered. "It's still good for her."

"When Mami comes home," added Nicky, obviously eavesdropping, "we always get extra hugs. Mami's hugs are the best! Right, Papi?"

"Yes," Asriel sighed. "Also, thanks."

"Yours are second-best, Papi!" she concluded.

Alphys laughed. "It sounds like things really are good," she said. "You've definitely earned it, too."

"I'll say," he agreed darkly. "I'm not saying it's perfect dandelion-dandy. I mean, Frisk still comes home angry or upset sometimes, and we still get rude mail and even more rude confrontations wherever we go. But mostly, if you shove all of that aside, things are good." He turned to Alphys, noticing that Basket kept trying to pull her glasses off. "How are things with you?"

Alphys's smile widened, and she blushed, putting a hand to her cheek and leaning down to kiss Basket's forehead gently. 'Wonderful," she admitted softly. "Just wonderful."

Asriel grinned at that. "Oh? Even when getting puked on?"

"Papi!" Nicky made a face. "That only happened once!"

"That you remember," Asriel corrected with a smirk, and she rolled her eyes.

Alphys was grinning, too. "Yes," she agreed. "All of it, even getting puked on. Though if you had asked me even five years ago if things would be this way, I would have laughed myself sick."

Asriel nodded. "I can relate to that." he admitted, watching his daughter wheel back and surprise Basket again.

Alphys did bring lunch, so once they got to the park, she set down a blanket and started putting out the food she brought, while Nicky threw herself at a swing and jumped on. Asriel was holding Basket as Alphys got the picnic set up. He liked Basket; she was very attentive, her eyes always wide and sharp, her hands always reaching out to touch and learn. For example: today she was focussed on his ears, carefully tugging on them and checking his reactions.

"Auntie Alphys!" Nicky called, and Alphys looked up. "Come push me!"

"I'll finish," Asriel offered, and Alphys smiled, going over to Nicky. Asriel gently place Basket on the blanket, where she immediately sat and looked around her, her eyes wide and her hands out and ready to grab. He sat down next to her and finished pulled out the food and the dishes, and Basket tried to grab all of the items he held. When she failed, she made a face and a displeased sound, and he laughed.

"Papi!" Nicky shouted as she swung up. Alphys shot him a smirk when she could, and Asriel waved. "I'm flying!" she concluded, and he nodded. He watched them for a bit, Basket on his lap, until Nicky decided she was done and said, "Food, please!"

Alphys grabbed the swing and stopped her, and the moment she could, Nicky flung herself from the swing and towards the blanket. She landed close enough to shift the blanket, grinning proudly, and Basket screamed her approval. Alphys came over and scooped Basket up into her arms, earning her another shriek and the baby equivalent of a hug, which was closer to a headbutt than anything else. Nicky collapsed onto the blanket beside Asriel, and Alphys sat back down on his other side, Basket on her lap.

"I brought cookies, grapes, and sandwiches for us," said Alphys, as she looked around with a blush, before looking back to him when she saw no one else around. "U-uh, Asriel, d-do you mind if I...?"

Asriel blinked, not getting it at first, before it clicked and he smiled. "You don't need to ask," he laughed. "Go ahead and feed your daughter!" He, like Asgore, found breastfeeding completely normal, and only found her shyness sweet and unnecessary. She nodded, looking grateful before doing just that.

Nicky was already into the grapes with a happy smile. Asriel helped himself to some of the cookies, and Alphys laughed. "I brought us sandwiches!" she reminded him, but he just shrugged and munched on the cookies.

"Auntie, does that hurt?" Nicky wondered, pointing to Basket.

"No, not always," Alphys replied. "It's only when she forgets she has teeth that it hurts."

"She bites?" Nicky asked with wide eyes.

"Not on purpose, but sometimes."

Asriel found the sandwiches and held one out to Alphys, who shook her head and instead reached for the other one, which he got out for her.

"Why can't she eat grapes?" asked Nicky, her mouth full of them. "She has teeth, right? You said that."

Alphys nodded. "But not enough for grapes, yet. When she's a year old, then she can start having them."

Nicky peered at Basket, who was far to focussed on her own meal to noticed. "When will that be?"

Alphys looked down at her daughter with a fond smile. "Sooner than I realised," she admitted, sounding a little sad. "A few months."

Asriel was quiet. He could understand her bittersweet reaction to that. The older Nicky got, the more he felt the same way. Even though seeing her grow up was a great pleasure, he would and did miss the days when she was a baby, or even a few years younger. When she started school in the fall, he knew he would feel that even deeper.

"Wow," said Nicky, placing a hand on Basket's head for a moment with affection. "She's getting older!"

"So are you," Alphys observed.

"Me?" Nicky echoed. "Never! I want to stay six forever!"

When Basket was done, Alphys pulled her close and patted her back. Asriel shot Alphys a smirk, and Alphys grinned. "I'm sure you do," she agreed, "but even you will grow up."

"Never!" Nicky shouted with a grin. Asriel ruffled her hair, and she giggled, loving it when he did that.

When Basket burped and looked sleepy, Alphys held her close with one hand and ate with the other. "Did Undyne tell you?" she asked Asriel.

"Nope," he sad with confidence; ever since he stopped working at the school, he and Undyne didn't talk as much.

"The kids miss you," Alphys said with a wide smile.

Asriel stared at her, bemused. "What?"

Alphys laughed. "I'm serious! They miss you! Several of them asked her where you were, and if she had anything to do with it."

Asriel was the one who laughed this time. "And what did she say?"

"Oh, the usual: if she did, she'd never admit it." They both laughed at that.

Nicky suddenly stood up, walked over to Asriel, and sat down heavily in his lap, holding a fistful of grapes. "Papi," she said, "can we go over to Auntie's and watch movies?"

Asriel looked over at Alphys. "I dunno. Can we?"

"Of course! What would you like to watch?" Alphys asked Nicky.

Nicky thought about it. "I dunno." she concluded with a blush. "But can I still come over?"

"Of course, if it's okay with your papi." When Asriel rolled his eyes, Alphys laughed. "Apparently it is."

"Fanks," Nicky said around a mouthful of grapes.

Basket was asleep in her sling by the time they got back. As Alphys went to put her to bed, Nicky leaned on Asriel, looking sleepy, herself. "Would you like to have a nap?" he asked. She shook her head, which meant only one outcome: she'd fall asleep watching TV.

That was exactly what happened. She chose a random movie (Spirited Away) and was asleep a third in, lying heavily on Asriel's lap as she did. Alphys and Asriel watched the movie quietly, not saying much. Both were shy, and they knew that silence didn't necessarily mean awkwardness. It was a comfortable silence between friends.

Asriel never imagined that he'd be friends with the person who made his death a nightmare. But then, he'd never imagined being free of that death by that same person. It was hard to hate someone like Alphys after what she had done to secure his second chance at life, but he also figured that in other circumstances, they'd still be friends, somehow. They didn't have much in common, but that didn't really matter. What they did have in common was enough.

When the movie ended, Alphys turned to Asriel and whispered, "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"I'd love to, but I should head home soon. I want to make dinner for Frisk," he admitted.

Alphys smiled. "That's so sweet!"

He blushed. "It's not. It's just dinner. I do it all the time."

"And I bet each time, Frisk loves it."

She was right, and he felt his blush deepen, in turn bringing another laugh from her. Frisk really did seem to love it every time, even if what he made was simple fare. She always grinned and 'kissed the chef', as she put it, and always praised whatever he made. She worked so hard, and yet she still cared enough to make him feel cared about. He truly though it was the very least he could do, considering.

"Well, I don't want Frisk to starve," Alphys said with a smile. "Thank you for hanging out with us today."

Asriel got to his feet with Nicky in his arms. "Anytime. Thanks for lunch."

Alphys stood up, walked them to the door, then hugged both him and Nicky. He returned it, again marvelling at how natural it felt. Alphys was a true friend, indeed.

Nicky slept the entire way back, waking only when they got in the elevator. Then she mumbled "Oh," and fell back asleep, forcing him to stifle his laughter. Once back at New Solace, he tucked her into bed and decided to watch a bit of TV before he started cooking. Warily, he put on the politics channel.

As usual, the hot topic was his wife. Frisk's picture - one of her looking annoyed - was in the background as two people - a news anchor and what he was told was a political expert - discussed Frisk. The longer they spoke, however, the more Asriel questioned their expertise. Irritated, he shut the TV off and decided to prepare dinner early.

Nicky awoke a hour or so later, long after he finished and had tried watching the TV again (only to get mad and play video games instead). She shuffled in, rubbing her eyes, and when she focussed on Asriel, she said, "Juice?"

Asriel, unable to help it, scooped her up into his arms and held her as he got her a cup of juice. She rested on him, not quite awake yet, still rubbing her eyes. When she had her juice, she seemed to revive with each sip. She was so much like Frisk when she woke up, and for Asriel, it was endearing. When she finished, she was completely awake, and she handed him the empty cup and slid out of his arms and onto her feet.

"Can we play a game?" she asked with a smile.

"Sure," Asriel agreed, taking the empty cup and putting it in the sink. "What kind of game?"

Nicky paused, thinking. "Puzzle," she decided, which of course pleased Asriel. He loved making puzzles for her to solve, as each time she proved how clever she was. When she was still tiny, she would always eye her parents closely any time a puzzle was introduced. She was a true monster.

"Okay," he agreed. "Go into the other room while I make it, okay?" With a giggle and a clap of her hands, she ran off, hiding under one of the blankets on the couch.

Asriel grinned, then thought for a moment, trying to decide on a good puzzle for her. When he finally had one, he got it ready and called Nicky back. "Ready?" he asked, and she was already looking around him, her eyes sharp. "Go!"

She knelt down to the floor at once, her hands reaching for the carefully ripped apart piece of paper. With her tongue out, she slowly fit them together, forming the words, "THE PLACE YOU'D FIND CLEAN WHERE ONLY THE DIRTY PLAY." She slowly said the words aloud, sounding them out as she did, before she giggled and ran from the room. Asriel followed her, and she got it right in one try: the bathroom shower. On the counter was another note, this time not ripped up, that said: "THE PLACE YOU CHANGE IN BUT REMAIN THE SAME."

This one took her longer to figure out, but when she did, she laughed and ran off again, this time to her bedroom closet, where she found a plate of cookies. Asriel caught up with her holding a glass of milk, and together they sat and ate the cookies in her closet, Nicky giggling in delight between mouthfuls.

"Good one?" he wondered, and she nodded happily. "I'll remember that," he promised.

They were watching TV when Frisk came home. Nicky shot up and ran to her, grabbing onto her legs and holding tight. "Mami!" she cried, and Frisk knelt down and hugged her back. "Hello, Nicky!" she replied. "How was your day?"

Nicky said, rather quickly: "We got up and watched TV and ate, then we went with Auntie Alphys and Basket to the park with a picnic, then we watched a movie, then came home, and Papi made me a puzzle, and it was a good one! After my nap, I mean. Sorry, I forgot! Then we watched TV until just now!"

Asriel was in the hallway, grinning, and Frisk looked over Nicky's head to grin back at him. "Sounds like a wonderful day," she decided, giving Nicky a loud kiss on the nose, which made her scream and then laugh, before she ran away and back to the couch.

Frisk stood up, and Asriel hugged her immediately. She looked tired, but her eyes were happy; they always shone when she came home. She leaned against him heavily, murmuring, "Everything good?"

"Just spiffy," he agreed softly.

She shut her eyes in relief. She was always worried something would happen if she wasn't there to watch over them, and thus always asked this when she came home. It wasn't personal, he knew: she'd just seen too much not to have some degree of caution and worry.

She went to sit with Nicky as he got dinner ready, occasionally looking up at them when he could. Nicky sat on Frisk's lap, chatting with her, and Frisk listened, her face an open display of love for her child. Asriel felt love of his own for both of them deep within his chest, and he smiled, unable to restrain it.

Over dinner, Frisk went over some of her day, leaving out anything she knew Nicky wouldn't understand. She wanted Nicky to know what her job was, and whenever Nicky interrupted with questions, she always patiently answered. As a result, Nicky usually remembered much of Frisk's daily goings-on, and could often make connections like someone older would. She was very clever, and it showed.

She could be so much, Asriel thought fondly. She could be anything she wants.

Frisk caught his gaze and smiled at him warmly, clearly thinking something similar. He smiled back, his heart racing. He loved her smile, and it always touched him deeply. As Nicky chatted about Basket - one of her favourite topics - her parents exchanged a glance that spoke more than words could, of deep love and deeper affection, of preserved hope and shared experience. Above all, it spoke of happiness, something Asriel was, at one point, so sure he not only would never have, but could never deserve. And yet here he was, the happiest he could ever remember being.

And he felt so lucky.

That night, after Nicky went to bed, Frisk and Asriel sat on the couch cuddled together and playing a co-op video game. Frisk was laughing, but Asriel kept growling at her - which probably didn't help stop her laughs.

"Infinidagger!" she said for the hundredth time, crashing her soaring knight into his - and sending them both off the ledge.

"No!" Asriel grumbled. "Stop that!"

She laughed. "Never!" she said, crashing into him again.

Evenings were often spent this way, regardless of mood. They went through a lot of video games, and Frisk spent her time either trying to make him laugh or drive him crazy - or both. He always ended up cleaning up her messes and mistakes, but deep down, he was amused by it. Seeing the mischievous side of Frisk was always fun.

"If you do that again, you'll regret it," he warned, grinning what he hoped was a sly grin. Frisk turned to him, her eyes sparking, but looking completely unfazed. In fact, the moment the level reloaded, she looked right at him and launched them both off of the cliff, grinning the entire time.

He glared at her, but his smile ruined it. He tossed the controller aside, did the same to hers, and pounced, giving her a deep kiss, his arms around her and pulling her close. She giggled and kissed back, leaning back and hooking her legs around him and pulling him close - clearly she'd predicted this and played her cards just to lose - or win, really.

When they were about to turn in for the night, Frisk already curled up and with her eyes closed, Asriel curled close to her and pulled her against him, her back to his chest. She sighed deeply, relaxing in his arms, and he did the same, unable to help it.

He whispered, "I love you, Frisk."

"I love you, Asriel," she replied.

And they went to sleep, only to start again tomorrow.

The End