(The sad thing is that even if he had stayed at home, Derry would have done its damage on Eddie just as bad. Just in a completely different way. This kid is predetermined to suffer.

The only difference is that unlike at Derry, this place seemed to have no shortage of actual quality adults. Adults who maybe wanted to help. Like, actually to help.)

Yeah? What are some of your friends like? Are they monsters like you? (Eddie uses the word 'monster' like a physical object. He holds it in his mouth curiously, realizing maybe for the first time that words did not have to have concrete meaning. That a monster could be simultaneously good and bad.

That was information he wasn't sure what to do with. For now, it's tucked away.)

We're friends?

(There's a small hopefulness that melts its way into Eddie's voice. He does not make friends often. He stares at the bottom of the fries and tips the box back to eat them.

Half of them.

The other half he holds out to Sans and grins a bit sheepishly.)

I'm stuffed from the others. (A lie, sure, but Eddie wanted to give his new friend (a new friend, mom) the rest of the good pieces.

But the serious question thing? That has Eddie lowering the box a little and he feels a prickle of discomfort under his skin.)

Um. Yes. (His gut instinct is to ask if he's in trouble but he doesn't. He waits for Sans to ask him instead.)