[He doesn't find it until way later. He'd decided to just take the day for himself and essentially sleep the day away. Treat himself or whatever. It's evening when he finally steps out, thinking maybe he'll go quietly get a drink at the bar or something. And there it is.]
[Well, shit. Someone remembered.]
[He casts a wary glance up and down the hall in case this is leading up to some horrendously awkward surprise party or something, but there doesn't seem to be anyone or anything leaping out at him. Just an unassuming gift left at his door. All the same, he scoops it up and ducks back into his room before anything else can happen.]
[It is indeed pretty obvious who it's from. Alphys, Mettaton, Toriel and maybe Asgore are the only other people he can think of who might have remembered or cared, and all of them would have probably tried to go all out. And Chara wouldn't. He hasn't even seen them in months. So there's only really one person it could be.]
[It's damn thoughtful. Or maybe they just forced themselves to do it, because it's the "right thing to do" or whatever. Maybe their heart was pounding as they approached his door, terrified that he might notice and try to talk to them. He thinks he's been doing good at leaving them alone, letting them choose. And this...one way or another, was a choice they made on their own.]
[So that's something, at least.]
[He gives the bow to 4, who quickly becomes obsessed with the shiny thing, and opens the gift. And...]
[He's read a lot of Sagan's work, but not this one.]
[And he doesn't think he ever specifically mentioned that to Frisk. Doesn't think he ever even said the name Carl Sagan to them. Which means they simply...noticed. They noticed.]
[He feels a flicker of something he hasn't felt in months: hope.]
7/13, reaction
[Well, shit. Someone remembered.]
[He casts a wary glance up and down the hall in case this is leading up to some horrendously awkward surprise party or something, but there doesn't seem to be anyone or anything leaping out at him. Just an unassuming gift left at his door. All the same, he scoops it up and ducks back into his room before anything else can happen.]
[It is indeed pretty obvious who it's from. Alphys, Mettaton, Toriel and maybe Asgore are the only other people he can think of who might have remembered or cared, and all of them would have probably tried to go all out. And Chara wouldn't. He hasn't even seen them in months. So there's only really one person it could be.]
[It's damn thoughtful. Or maybe they just forced themselves to do it, because it's the "right thing to do" or whatever. Maybe their heart was pounding as they approached his door, terrified that he might notice and try to talk to them. He thinks he's been doing good at leaving them alone, letting them choose. And this...one way or another, was a choice they made on their own.]
[So that's something, at least.]
[He gives the bow to 4, who quickly becomes obsessed with the shiny thing, and opens the gift. And...]
[He's read a lot of Sagan's work, but not this one.]
[And he doesn't think he ever specifically mentioned that to Frisk. Doesn't think he ever even said the name Carl Sagan to them. Which means they simply...noticed. They noticed.]
[He feels a flicker of something he hasn't felt in months: hope.]