WARNING: This chapter contains implications of serious issues such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. If you feel any of these topics could be potentially upsetting to you, please exercise reader discretion as you see fit. ♡ If you like this chapter, be sure to leave a heart or comment so I know you want to see more! Hit the flag for background music :D It takes a few seconds to start in this chapter Previous chapter: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/579839090/ ♡ For a few hours, all I felt was pain. Horrible, devastating pain. But now I don’t feel anything at all. It’s like I’ve gone completely numb from the shock. So much happened last night… I can’t even remember all of it clearly. I’ve just woken up in my childhood bedroom, at my parents’ house. Playbills from Les Miserables, Wicked, Hamilton, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie Get Your Gun, Carousel, and tons of other musicals still line the walls, their edges now frayed. Next to them are two posters- one based on my favorite movie as a teenager, Avengers: Endgame, and the other a piece of exclusive Markiplier merchandise from nearly 10 years ago. When I step out of the room, a blanket wrapped around my whole body, my mother hears me and rushes forward, asking me how I’m feeling and how well I slept. I give her short, hollow answers. Steph soon follows, a plate of pancakes in their hands, which they offer to me. I simply say that I’m not hungry, and then that I’m going back to bed. “Back to bed?” Mama asks worriedly, her brow creasing. “But Betsey, it’s nearly 1:00 in the afternoon… Are you sure that’s a good idea?” I nod bleakly. “I just want to stay in bed.” Steph pipes up and says, “Could you at least come say hi to our guest first?” “...Guest?” I ask, blinking. My mother wraps an arm around my shoulders, guiding me to the living room. There, on the couch, waits Mettaton, an unusually apprehensive look on his face. I stare at him for a moment, vaguely stunned, before I finally say, “What are you doing here…?” He glances at my parents nervously, then clears his throat. “I just… I need to talk to you.” Mama and Steph exchange a look, then walk towards the door. “We’re just going… for a walk,” Steph says, trying and failing to be smooth. “We’ll be right back.” My mom nods quickly, following Steph out the door and whispering, “Good save, hun.” The door shuts behind them, leaving an awkward silence between me and Mettaton.
^^^ READ INSTRUCTIONS SECTION FIRST ^^ He hesitates, then says, “Here, come take a seat… I just have some things I need to clear up.” Normally I would feel nervous at a statement like that, but now I simply do as he says obediently, numbly, and then give him a blank look. “What did you want to say?” Mettaton falters, unsure of what to say. “I guess, uh… A lot has happened in the past day. I should have been more careful, and now you’re suffering for it. I can’t begin to understand how you must be feeling right now. There’s a lot we need to talk about…” “About last night,” I agree under my breath. “Yeah. That was…” “You kissed me.” My face goes red-hot, and I snap, “No, YOU kissed ME!!” He smiles a little. “Well, you definitely kissed me back.” I try to come up with a retort, but it catches in my throat, and he seems to understand. “Sorry, sorry. Not a good time to tease you… Look.” He sighs, running his fingers through his hair in thought. “It’s pretty obvious by now that what we have is… well, not simply platonic, to say the least. Up until we were caught last night… Everything just felt so right. I mean, obviously not when you were crying,” he adds hastily, blushing. “But holding you, dancing with you… It was what I’d wanted for ages. What I still want... more than anything. There's nothing I wouldn't give for every day, every moment, to be just like that...” I stare at him owlishly, disbelieving. “What… what are you trying to say?” His face grows even redder. and he looks away, his words faltering on his lips. “T-that’s the thing. I can’t say it. Because I know now that being with you… It just puts you in danger. The signs kept appearing, but instead of actively doing anything, I just tried to avoid it like a coward. I should have been able to recognize from the beginning that you aren’t safe with me.” It feels like a part of my soul just died. I try to come up with a response, but nothing comes out. The numbness that’s been eating me up is suddenly shattered. Mettaton continues softly. “I’m sorry. The last thing I want is to hurt you, Elizabeth. But if this keeps going on… I don’t even want to think of what might happen to you.” He stares at me for a moment, longing and melancholy clearly shining in his eyes. Finally, he reluctantly breaks his lingering gaze and takes my hand, rubbing my knuckles lightly with his warm thumb. "I'm sorry," he repeats. "This is it. Thank you for everything, darling." He leans forward, gently kisses my forehead, and then stands up, heading for the door. The spot on my forehead seems to send a sensation of sudden awareness through me, as Mettaton hesitates at the door. But after sparing me a final, devastated look over his shoulder, he's gone. In my life, I've suffered an incredible amount. Trauma from my childhood still haunts me, influencing me nearly every day. I nearly died in a fire that cost me both my leg and my home. I've cried, broken down, and been struck with so many blows. But this. This heartbreak. THIS is, by far, the worst pain I have ever felt. ♡ You know Mettaton's devastated if he calls Eliza "Elizabeth" Music: "Clair de Lune" by Claude Debussy Art and writing by me All Undertale content and characters belong to Toby Fox. Before I go any further, I just wanted to thank you all for devoting your time and care to my little fanfiction. It means the world to me that you enjoy my content, and so I'm heartbroken to announce that The World Falls Away has officially come to an end. I cannot thank you for all the endless support you've given me throughout all this time. Good night. SIKE SHAWTY YOU AIN'T GETTING RID Of ME THAT EASY #undertale #fanfiction #fanfic #writing #theworldfallsaway #mettaton #eliza #elizaton
