A Grand old Valen-Time

Asgore has the perfect Valentine's day planned
-----------------------------------------------

	Valentine’s day, a lover’s favorite holiday. A time to spend a ridiculous amount of time and money for your significant other in order to keep the relationship afloat for just a bit longer. Once Asgore heard about it, his heart nearly leapt from his chest. He’s been meaning to do something nice for Toriel, but couldn’t think of a time for it to work. Now was the time. He set up the perfect date, a nice picnic at the park. The seasons were changing, the spring like weather came like a blessing. Sunny days and good weather were on their way. Asgore was giddy with excitement.

	Toriel came home from another day at work. It was Friday, so Frisk was out and about with friends and Toriel had some time to relax between then and Monday. She sighed as the door clicked shut, placing her bag on the hook next to the frame and walking to the kitchen.

	“Gorey?” she called out. She was used to being greeted by him right at the door, usually with a kiss, but he was absent from his usual routine. She looked around the living room, wondering if he was reading in his chair, looking out the window for him in the garden. She noticed something on the kitchen counter, her search veering off course. She walked toward the offending object, upon closer inspection turned out to be a single red rose, cleanly dethorned. She smelled the flower, the light scent making her smile. A small note was attached the stem. She picked up the paper, a soft smell of lavender wafting off the page. Placing the rose into a small vase, she read the note aloud.

	“Dear, Tori. I love you and wanted to have a great time with you today,” She squinted at the next words, “Happy... Val- Vale? Vale-in-times Day? Love Asg-” Before she was able to finish the note, strong arms picked her up from behind, lifting her off of her feet. She squeaked in surprise, Asgore’s burly laugh making her giggle in response. She playfully kicked her legs as he spun in a small circle, hugging her close to his chest. Their laughs filled the house, big smiles on their faces. Asgore stopped the spinning, turning Toriel in his arms. His deep brown eyes stared into her dark rubies, both filled with love.

	He gave her a small kiss, “Happy Valentine’s day, honey.” She smiled happily at her husband, slightly dizzy from the twirl. He kissed her again, passionate and deep, putting her down and pulling her in even closer. Toriel was slightly shocked by her husband’s sudden and impulsive acts, but she didn’t mind. Though one thing did nag at her.

	The kiss broke, a goofy look on Asgore’s face. She smiled back, but her face was slightly confused, “What is a Valen-tine?”

	Asgore chuckled, “It is a human holiday, apparently it’s completely focused on love and loved ones. So I had the perfect day planned for ours!” His face was full of excitement and his movements were giddy. “Let’s go while the day is young!”

	He grabbed her by the arm, pulling her to the door, laughing all the way. Toriel was too surprised to do anything but follow.  He plucked a basket from the bench near the exit, along with the keys to the house. The park was a short walk away, Asgore moving quickly to the entrance, Toriel trying her best to keep up. He moved with firm determination, knowing exactly where he planned for the date to happen. The spot was in view, he looked behind him to see how his wife was doing.

	She wasn’t looking too good, trying to run in a dress and uncomfortable shoes was never a fun thing to do. He stopped quickly, sweeping her up off of her feet. Even with the added weight of his queen, he still made with great haste, the spot getting closer and closer. He already had it set up, a nice quilt on the ground a few more roses for good measure.

	The two reached the blanketed ground, the sun still high in the sky. The grass was getting greener every day, the frost long been melted away. The trees had young leaves, some even had buds. Spring had come early this year. A few flowers popped to greet the sky, their beautiful petals wafting sweet smells into the air, it was a near perfect day. The air itself wasn’t hot, but the soft rays of the sun warmed the ground and the humans and monsters enjoying the day in the park.

	Many couples had the same idea, choosing to picnic at the local park, some even roller skating and singing. Small quilts were scattered around the grass, humans and monsters alike coupled together and spending the day with their dates.

	Luckily for the old monarchs, Asgore had chose a spot that no one really knew about. It was rather secluded, but still beautiful. It sat at the foot of a small hill, several trees nearby. It was Asgore’s favorite spot to go to when he would take walks, the calm quiet and the sound of nature always something he looked forward to. Since no one ever really went there, he knew they could do what they wanted.

	He set her down on the sheet, making sure that she was comfortable before taking a seat himself, digging through the basket to grab the small meal he had prepared. He had studied for the small date, learning that humans considered the language of ‘francois’ to be the ‘Language of Love.’ He also learned that sweets were considered a major staple, along with their date’s favorite food. So he thought of what Toriel loved: chocolate, butterscotch, cinnamon and snails.

	Butterscotch candies, chocolate covered raspberries, little cinnamon bunnies from that lovely shopkeeper. Each made his mouth water, sweets being one of his main weaknesses. But the main dish that he was most proud of was a savory snail pie that he had cooked himself. He was far from a good cook, his hands too clumsy and his indecisiveness having ruined many a dish. But baking he could at least do at a mediocre level, and he put every ounce of effort that he could into making the pie as perfect as possible. He wasn’t the biggest fan of snails, but he would be for Tori.

	And of course, what’s a good date without wine? Asgore nearly forgot, before catching the conveniently placed aisle as he was about to leave for check out. He skimmed through, unsure of Toriel’s preference. Did she like white or red? Should he splurge for champagne? Though, as he looked from bottle to bottle, vintage to vintage, something odd caught his eye. The bottle was like the others, same shape, same color, it seemed like a normal red, but something about it was… familiar. There was a crest that rested above the name, one he wouldn’t dare try to pronounce, that was very, very peculiar. Then it clicked. It was the same vineyard that he and Tori loved to enjoy centuries ago, before they were cast underground. It was her absolute favorite when it came to wine, and even though he rarely drank, he loved it too. It was perfect. Expensive, but perfect.

	He set up a small spread of the treats, opening the bottle with a satisfying pop of the cork. The wine sat as he prepared the glasses, the drink breathing as he did. He kept the pie a secret, wanting to save the best for last. The small candies and sweets were gorgeous, almost too pretty to eat. Almost.

	Toriel was impressed. “You thought of everything, huh, Gorey?” She smiled, picking up a candy, popping it in her mouth. She always enjoyed the sweet taste of butterscotch.

	“I could not do anything less than perfect for you, Tori.” He said, pulling her in close. She giggled, blushing slightly at his compliment. He had a way with words she could never explain. He spoke simply, sometimes he was a bit too air headed, but he always means what he says. He would make an awful politician.

	Asgore handed her her glass, pouring an ample amount of the wine before filling his own. She swirled the drink, letting the subtle smell waft into her nose. They had a silent toast, their glasses clinking against each, the glasses ringing faintly. She hummed and took a sip, her face curling into a smile. He remembered her favorite brand.

	The two didn’t talk much, for there wasn’t much to say. They just enjoyed the day, watching the clouds lazily roll by, the birds chirping in the nearby trees. It was a nice solitude that they could enjoy, while still being out and about.

	Asgore leaned over to the basket, revealing the grand finale of the meal: The Pie. Toriel grew excited just at the smell, her mouth watering and eyes widening. On her plate sat a hefty piece of the snail pastry, which she dug into with glee. Asgore really outdid himself, the pie was fantastic. Despite being a rather large slice, Toriel demolished the serving. Asgore looked over at his thin piece he had cut for himself, which he had barely dug into. He smiled, “Was it really that good?”

	She licked her lips, nodding enthusiastically as she cut off another piece. Those few baking lessons she gave him were definitely paying off. Several bites later, along with a few more sips of wine, the pie was gone, all that was left were some scattered crumbs and a tin. Toriel leaned against Asgore, the food leaving her with a smile. He reached over and cleaned up the plates and trash they had left, stacking them neatly in the basket. He looked back over to Toriel, who was staring dreamily back at him. She moved her head forward, taking him into a kiss. He happily followed suit, kissing her back, pulling her in with his arms. Something strange happened, a cold splash hit his nose, making his eyes flutter open. There was another, he broke the kiss. Grey clouds had rolled in, bringing with them rain. Before long, a small shower had started, sprinkling the Dreemurrs. Asgore stood dumbfounded, there wasn’t supposed to be rain today. He looked back at Toriel, who was just as shocked as he was.

	‘What horrid luck,’ he thought to himself, wondering what to do now. He and Toriel were starting to get drenched, water already soaking into their clothing. His hair began to flatten down against his head, his usual part nearly covering his eyes, water dripping from his proud horns. He had an idea.

	He picked up Toriel, spinning her around in his arms suddenly. He was laughing and she was surprised. He took her into another kiss, this one short and sweet, before smiling at her. She caught on, entwining her fingers with his. They stepped together, Asgore and Toriel moving as one. They found rhythm in the small pitter patter of rain, counting in each other's heads. They did nothing too fancy, just simply stepping and rocking together.

	The rain had no effect on their spirits, they were all smiles as their chests were pressed together. The world seemed to melt away as they moved, the feeling of the rain disappearing and the cold not penetrating their fur. Asgore looked lovingly at his wife, who looked back. He found himself lost in her eyes, staring into the deep pools of red.

	Toriel took the lead, speeding up the pace a bit, Asgore nearly stumbling to catch up. He spun her around, the graceful movement well rehearsed between the two. The semi-waltz falling easily into place, their footfalls have been practiced centuries ago, and the muscle memory never truly went away.

	They danced like no one was watching, though primarily that was because no one was in fact watching. It felt like barely any time had gone by, but the clouds cleared and the rain stopped, and the sun was sinking deep into the sky. A beautiful orange filled the sky, the yellow orb of the sun falling slowly down from the horizon. Their movements stopped and they gazed at the amazing display, purple clouds and a blazingly orange sky.

	“Now, if that isn’t a perfect way to end today,” said Asgore, looking at Toriel, “I don’t know what is.” He smiled goofily, rubbing his nose against hers. He flopped back down on the drenched blanket, pulling her down with him. She relaxed, lying down and resting her head in his lap. Despite being soaking wet and her fur being completely matted, she was completely content, the day slowly ending.

	“Happy Valentine’s day, Tori,” he said.

	“Happy Valentine’s day, Fluffybuns,” she said, snuggling up against him further.

	Together, they watched the clouds sail away and the sun disappear, the day coming to a fantastic ending.