Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It's been two years and a half since the monsters arrived at the surface, hundred of days trying to fit in with the humanity above the Underground. With the help of a child named Frisk, the monsters were able to slowly blend in and had a civil talk with the government. It wasn't an easy goal to achieve, though getting support from certain groups certainly helped with these creatures to have basic rights given to them. But just like common laws, there were restrictions imposed to the monster-kind in exchange of their freedom. They were not allowed to use magic against humans, whether it is for attack or defense. The people on the surface are still wary of their abilities, and using their powers would force authorities to put magic restraining cuffs on them and put them behind cells.

Frisk's monster friends were all momentarily living by a small village of wooden houses set up near Mt. Ebott during their first months at the surface. But as time goes by, each one managed to get their own jobs despite the early discriminations until they all manage to afford their own apartments and houses. Asgore had set up a plant shop as a career while still checking on the monster race status from time to time. Toriel made a living as a preschool teacher and have Frisk live under her care. Alphys gained a job as a scientist on a private lab company. Undyne and Papyrus both applied to the police force. Metatton set up his own show and eventually attained popularity with his performer nature.

Sans on the other hand is still working the same odd jobs he could find anywhere that would be enough to pay off the bills. It eventually forced him to ask Alphys and Undyne a favor to have Papyrus live with them temporarily since they actually accomplished to afford a middle class house in a suburban area. His apartment is small and compact, only fitting for a single person to live in. Besides, the whole building and area is unsafe in general because it is where most of the low class reside in due to its lower rent cost. So it wasn't surprising for him anymore to hear unpleasant news and noises from the other rooms such as people dying in overdose, domestic violence, loud and gross sexual moans and any other troublesome issues that he doesn't want Papyrus to put up with. Fortunately for him, he is not the only monster who lives in this flat. In fact, there are quite many of them. Mostly the ones who are broke and still struggling in coping up with the society.

Papyrus was persistent at first for Sans to come with him, but the older brother insists that he doesn't want to be a burden to the couple and there's only so much he could ask from them. Frisk made a promise that they will never reset again after freeing the monsters, but Sans would be lying if he says that he fully trust that pledge to the extent. Frisk is still a kid and eventually they might realize something that could change their mind for all they know.

The danger of the place where Sans lives at is one of the reasons he attracted people like you, his stalker.

It all started out one day when Sans is working his midnight shift in a twenty-four-seven convenience store. It was raining hard that night and rarely any customer was coming by. He was the only one assigned that time due to the news forecast of an incoming typhoon. Since he couldn't afford to laze around his apartment room anymore without doing a thing, he decided to slack off during his workhours instead. He merely sits at the stool behind his cashier counter, right knuckle pressed against his unusually soft cheeks with his elbow resting on the countertop. The sound of raindrops hitting the glass windows and the old music being played in the background were starting to wrap around his senses, urging his eye sockets to slowly droop on its own.

But the sound of bell chiming in as you pushed the main entrance glass door stirred him awake from his seat. Sans opened one eye to watch your hooded figure without moving an inch from his position, just waiting for you to pick up something quick and pay for it over the cashier.

You hadn't noticed his presence at first since your mind is roving to that particular tablet that helps you calm down. A bruise mark was left on the side of your lips as you just escaped a near death experience from a local thug that you accidentally stumbled upon. It wasn't your intention to walk in a dark lane and witness drug dealings between strangers. Even though you've tried backing away silently without making a sound, one of them eventually noticed the uninvited guest. Your frail and unexercised body wasn't enough to get you out of that situation immediately, making it easier for one of the big bruisers to catch up on you. He managed to land a hard strike across your face and onto your stomach, sending spurts of blood that oozed from your mouth to stain the concrete floor underneath you.

You were lucky enough when one of the two passing local cops illuminated a flashlight on your way, inciting for the thugs to let you go and fled their way out of the scene. The broader police took out a handgun and attempted to follow the escapists while the smaller one kneeled down next to you and tried to help you on your feet. He tried asking you questions whether you're involved with those people, but the hyperventilation clenching on your chest is preventing you from speaking properly. He offered to bring you in to the police station for further questions but panic came first upon hearing those words. It led you to believe that they will eventually get suspicious of you and those thugs could easily use you as a scapegoat just for getting yourself accidentally involved in the circumstances.

You agreed to go with the cop first to make him believe that you'll actually come to the station with him. He helped you through the sidewalk and plans to bring you inside the police car, but you were just momentarily tagging along. Right before you could hop in, you sunk on your feet while grasping on your stomach to get his attention. He put a hand over your shoulder, asking you if you were okay and offering to call an ambulance. Once you saw an opening, you took that opportunity to kick him hard on the groin that forces him to fall down on his knees while grunting in pain. You used up all of your remaining energy to sprint on across the road, the passing by vehicles helping you to find better hiding spots while you're on the run.

That is how you winded up in this convenience store. Never mind the bruises and the blood stains on your sweater hoodie, your body is aching for that calming pill to soothe your nerves. You dashed your way through the alleyway of partitioned racks until you found the medicine section. With trembling hands, you grabbed the familiar bottle, ripped off its seal and twisted off its cap to put two pills in your palm. You chugged on the hard tablet, its bitter powder melting in your tongue as you swallowed the solid object eagerly. Once it started to get past your throat and take a quick effect, you leaned your back against the glass refrigerator behind you, sighing in relief.

Sans remained seated on his chair, watching your reflection through the rounded glass placed in the corner of the ceiling near his work area. He watched you tear off the container and gobbled on the medicine with observant eyes. He knew what you did, but stayed inactive in his position. His actions were always saved to the last straw even before arriving at the surface and it hasn't changed since then. He'll only act upon against you if you leave without paying for it.

A few minutes later, you eventually showed yourself as you walked out of the medicine sector. Each steps of yours were heavy, practically dragging your frail body towards the cashier. Your eyes remained glued on the floor, some trickles of blood still seeping down your chin onto your clothes. It didn't take long for Sans to notice the wound on your face and the crimson stain on your skin. He slowly leaned away from the tabletop and his sockets widening a bit at your state, waiting for you to reach the counter before speaking.

You sluggishly handed him the white bottle without making eye contact, in which he took with his bare hands as he proceeded to scan it and started pushing on the cash register machine buttons.

"that would be forty-five dollars." He pronounced as he began to pack the container in a plastic and pulls out a receipt.

His strangely attractive baritone voice prompted you to lift your head up slowly, your weary gaze trailing up from his blue hoodie up to his skull. In front of you is a skeleton monster with a rounded head, broad toothy grin, and black sockets with little eye lights staring back at you. The sudden eye contact caught you off guard, making your mouth dry up a little and your heart skipping a beat. It isn't a normal occurrence for you to come in face to face with a monster, especially that you spend most of your time inside your own apartment room where the lights couldn't reach. You've only heard the news about them, but never bothered to look them up as you were busy with your own affairs.

Sans examined your reaction, and he could already tell that you're someone who's struggling with socialization ethics. In his best guess, you're probably having panic attacks from fairly common situations when he took a quick reading at your medicinal brand name. There's a small part of him that pities your current shape, especially how you ended up in here like a kicked puppy in the middle of a storm. He didn't want to meddle with your personal matters, but he guessed that cracking up a little joke might help.

"you know, i was wondering why i bruise easily too..." He initiated, handing you out your bagged capsule bottle. You hesitantly took it with shaking hands, but remained standing in your spot while you dazedly listen to him.

"and then it hit me."

The punchline took you a minute to register, your glistening eyes boring into him. Sans just stared awkwardly in a far corner to avoid your gaze, scratching the side of his temples with a single bead of sweat drop in his forehead.

"that was bad, wasn't it?" He stiffly mused, checking your expression with his socket white dots interchangeably darting from the countertop and back to you.

To his surprise, a timid smile crept up on the corner of your lips. You immediately covered your still bleeding lips with the sleeves of your sweatshirt while you chuckled at the silly joke to prevent the remaining trickling blood from gushing out. Sans remarked your actions, then he tore off several sheets of tissue from the paper roll sitting beside a candy box and offered it to you.

You stopped yourself from giggling when you noticed the white material being handed to you. Still with trembling hands, you took it sheepishly with your gaze lowering down as you stretched out your arm. You brought it close to your lips, damping it lightly on the blood stricken part while you inspect the cordial cashier in front of you.

"pal, you better get cleaned up now before i start telling blood puns that aren't in vein." Sans bantered with a wink, unfailingly making you snicker again.

"T-Thanks." You stammered, your gape landing on the small nameplate pinned on his white shirt underneath his jacket. "...Sans."

"heh, guess that helped a little huh..." He commented, getting back on his laid back position where he rests his face against his palm.

His ways might be unconventional and considered improper if it wasn't you he's speaking with. But that's the part that had you rapidly swooning over this fellow that you don't even know. His seemingly permanent simper and mushy cheeks despite being a skeleton is bubbling up dopamine cells within your brain like a fuzzy smoke. You couldn't help but stare at the slightly exposed clavicle in his loose shirt, taking in as much as tiny details you could get with sharp eyes. Who cares if he's a total different specie, the human race is cruel and filthy anyway.

"well, is that all or are you planning on bulk eyeing?" 

You were startled by his voice when you hadn't realized that you were staring for longer than you intended to be. You blinked your eyes a few times and shook your head, muttering incoherent words of excuses so you wouldn't appear anymore suspicious than you already are. But the look on his face indicates that he's already growing skeptical of your odd behavior.

"S-Sorry. I-I'm g-going now. B-Bye." You garbled in a low voice as raced your way out of the main door into the pouring rain outside without giving a second glance back at Sans.

Sans scratched the back of his skull as he watched you leave with creased browbones, unable to define whether you actually appreciated the joke or you were just pretending that you do. There were so many possibilities he could decipher from the way you act and for that matter, he is not sure anymore. He didn't even know your whole story on why you came here in the middle of night with a fresh wound in your lips. It was all just assumption anyways. He's just showing basic courtesy since he'd been warned before already when the manager caught him sleeping once during work hours.

You might have left the convenience store, but your eyes stayed on an unaware monster cashier through the glass panels. You sheltered yourself under a shop roof across the dim street with hands in your pockets, still holding on to the tablet bottle and tissue paper that he gave you in spite of its crimson soaked color shape now. You stopped feeling the pain on your previously hit stomach and your face, the cold wetness of your sweatshirt enveloping your body and the freezing rainfall as your senses focused on something else. It was convenient that a truck is parked right in front of you and the area is dusky. Your barrier was enough to cover most of your figure hidden in the dark.

You stayed there patiently for long hours. The first thing that caught your attention is how his blue sneakers adorably hangs and dangles by the stool since his feet couldn't reach the floor when he sit on it. For some reason, there isn't a proper uniform standard in this store since his hoodie top is merely accompanied by a black, basketball shorts with white strips on either side of it. You watched every single move that he makes and taking in each detail as if you were making a long list of his habits inside your brain. You don't even need a notepad to jot down how he would occasionally fall asleep then wake up immediately as though he's fighting it off, how he often likes to keep his one socket open while the other one is closed when he talks to certain customers, how he'd lean back against his stool with both of his hands placed behind his skull, how he'd sneak in bubblegum when he's bored, how his grin that you thought is permanent would falter sometimes...

Eventually your stomach rumbled from hunger. You looked sideways, trying to find a food place that could fill the pit on your guts. But nothing else is lit up other than that convenience store you've been watching intently like a movie cinema. Your body aches to move, fingers shaking and mouth dry from the thought of going back in that place. Of course each fiber of your being is yearning to be anywhere near that monster. But you're not entirely stupid to move in impulse, you're not going in there with your wound that still hasn't been properly cleaned up and your drenched hoodie still clinging on your body as it would give away the indication that you haven't left this place since. You couldn't take your eyes off him, you wanted him so badly that it makes you think he's probably a soulmate fated to be found in this unfortunate night of events. You know for yourself that he told a joke for a reason, he might not be the ideal savior but he definitely caught your breath and pulled your strings. With every customer entering that store, it was you that he spoke with in such way. Was it something about you that intrigued his attention? Maybe he's the only one who understands you, the beauty of your wounds brought you to him. He might wink occasionally towards other people who goes inside that store but he never spoke as long as he did with you, you know that for a fact because you counted every second he spent interacting with others through trembling fingers.

A homeless kid with rugged clothes and peeling shoes suddenly passed by. Your hands were quick to grab on that dirty hem of his shirt, tugging him backwards to get his attention. You need this one to do a little favor for you.

"Hey. Buy me a loaf of bread and water from that store and I'm going to give you eight bucks in return." You offered coldly. The kid turned to face you, still baffled by your sudden actions. You pulled out your proposed dollars to give in return, showing him proof that you're not lying.

"I'll do it for ten dollars." He tried negotiating with a boastful tone of voice.

"Take it or leave it." You simply responded, not in the mood to bargain for anything. If this rascal is going to be demanding, you'd rather stay here foodless than having to deal with something so annoying. The kid raised a brow at your answer, reconsidering your your offer with his arms crossed over his chest. It took him a few seconds before finally agreeing to oblige.

"Fine." He sighed in defeat.

You handed him the bills that were enough to buy a bread and bottle of water, in which he took with his greasy hands and sprinting off to cross the puddled road reflecting the night street glints. You kept a cautious eye at him, making sure that he wouldn't run off with the small amount of money you entrusted with him.

The kid pushed the heavy door open, stepping inside and stopping in the middle to observe the place. You could tell that he was tempted to steal from the way he moved around. Instead of going straight to the alley of basic food necessities, he was circling around the shelves as if studying their placements. After a while, the kid disappeared from your sight when he strode around the back out from your field of vision. The usually uncaring and laid back Sans got off his seat around the same time, as if he himself had already perceived what the little imp is up to. He followed where the kid has gone, while you merely waited out on the same spot with keen gape.

Shortly after, the skeleton monster came back out with the kid behind him who seemed to have lost his wits. He meekly stepped towards the proper payment location with a water bottle and loaf of bread in his arms. Sans went back behind the counter and sat back down on his stool, fidgeting with the cashier register while the rascal put the required bills to pay it off. 

Everything went normal surprisingly, since you were almost convinced that the kid wouldn't comply to the deal. Right after he received the receipt of payment, he dashed out of the store and went back straight to you. The expression on his face changed, which is rather strange. You would've expected him to come out screaming of fear that a monster had threatened to tear his limbs apart seeing as you assumed Sans to scare him off, instead he looks guilty. He handed you the food with drooped eyes, head hanging low and bended back.

"Thanks." You replied, giving him the promised money in return. He simply took it silently without making eye contact, turning around and walking away in an instant as soon as he grabbed the bills. You simply shrugged it off and sat by the pavement, ripping the bread wrapping apart and taking a large bite which was soon followed by continues noisy munches. It seems that Sans doesn't even need to use his magic in disciplining a kid, he had his own way of making them truly reflect with their actions. It only added to his mystery, and you being mystified by his whole being.

Seven in the morning arrived, the drizzle of the weakened rain still drumming against surfaces and car roofs. The sky is shrouded by gloom, loaded clouds that conceals the city from any radiance of the sunlight beams. The bad weather made it seem like that only a few hours have passed because of the bare difference in the firmament hues. It took you long enough to finally realize that it's past dawn already when you noticed Sans getting off his stool. Another employee came by and you saw them conversed a little before the monster was replaced by a human cashier behind the counter. You rose up to your feet and walked stealthily from your waiting point, then crossed the road in a casual manner as you hid behind a tree from a distance. People are starting to appear anyway and you're one of the least noticeable few.

You just stood there with your hands still on your pocket, periodically glancing at the convenience store door while you waited for Sans. After a few more minutes, you finally saw the small skeleton open the main door as he fiddled with the handle of his cyan umbrella. Once it was fully open, he swung it above his head and began ambling down the sidewalk through the shower rain. You waited for him to keep a certain distance away from you before you started following down his path onto the pavements.

It was quite challenging keeping an eye on him. You managed to camouflage yourself into the busy street and unfolded canopies of people in motion, though sometimes it would take more effort into catching up with his phase due to his height. If Sans were aware of your presence, he could easily escape his way out since most of the things he passed by were towering over his figure. With every turn of lane he would make, you would peek through wall corners to keep up the gap between the two of you. Every once in a while that his head would turn, you made sure that you'll stand idly on the roadside as if you were waiting for a cab.

It took approximately less than twenty minutes of trailing until he finally stopped in front of an old, brick apartment complex. You shielded your appearance by cloaking yourself behind another tree, not taking your eyes off the clueless skeleton. After closing his umbrella and wiping the sole of his shoes off a plastic rug, he eventually made his way onto the front steps, opened the door and went inside the building as he completely disappeared from your sight. You soon advanced on your foot to halt before the main entrance, memorizing the property name and number in your head. You tilted your head to your right side where a stoplight is placed along with the street name, also learning by heart the whole address of where Sans is currently living.

You went back on your own darkened, apartment room as you plopped down on your bed and stared up woozily at the splintered ceiling above your head. Sans's words played on your head like a broken record, strings of his deep voice casing your auditory perception and your head brushing off the unpleasant encounter you had with the foul humans last night. If there's a simple way to describe it, it was love at first sight. Your mind lingers at the memory of his face, his built, his clothes, his habits, his small movements, every single particular there is. 

He is about less than thirty minutes away from where you're living. You are now more than convinced that this is the work of destiny, that explains why you are so drawn to him. It is probably one of the reasons why you never bonded with any of your fellow humans before. It wasn't the police man who saved you, it was Sans. If you haven't met him in that convenience store, you'd go back to the same pattern of hurting yourself for the nth time.

You rose up on your feet and went to the bathroom, brought out the medicine and tissue from the hoodie pockets before taking it off and tossing it on a nearby basket. You opened up your cupboard mirror to place the container inside and shutting it close to meet with your bruised face's reflection. You brought the stained tissue to your face in a whim, but stopped halfway to stare down at it. Your heart flutters at the recollection of Sans's skeletal hands clutching around this same material when he offered it to you, imagining that you're making an indirect contact with his metacarpals through your palms.

Little did he know that a simple pun joke would eventually risk his life in the hands of an obsessive misanthrope with certain issues.

Chapter Text

It's been five days since the first time you met Sans, the man who swept you over. Five days of observing the twenty-four hour convenience store he'd been working at. Five days of following him from the start of his job up until on his way back home. Five days of observing the same pattern in his daily routine. Five days of learning new behaviors, habitual body languages, face expressions and reactions.

Five days of self-control in keeping a distance between you and him, for the sake of forming a future functional bond. To get into his life, make him see that you're the one who truly cares about him, that you're the one who watches over his back. For now, your knowledge regarding his personal life is still few to nothing. But you know that he ended up living in this dangerous neighborhood for a reason, was he abandoned like you? Or was it something of a personal choice because of an internal dilemma? Whatever that is, you're willing to do anything in finding out his reasons.

It wasn't easy living this way, guarding your man and studying him from a long distance but you've found a good reason to live. How is it even possible to fall for someone in a short time? You've never felt so connected with fellow humans before, your soul reaches out to him even if it means having to seek him at the ends of the earth. That blood stained tissue paper had been preserved like a gem in a jar, you wanted to keep what little fiber he has on your possession. But it wasn't enough. 

Sixth day of following Sans, it is Sunday and he is not there at his usual workplace. First thing in the midnight that you did was to check out the convenience store, only to find out that he has no shift in the seventh day of the week. You've waited for his usual time and he was not there. Since you've got no other source where he usually goes to, you winded up arriving at his apartment block. 

You circled around the area, casually walking by and checking every lit window there is. It would be easy to spot him due to the uniqueness in his build, even with just a shadow casted against a curtain. To the left side of this complex's aisle is the row and columns of mostly unguarded apertures, tenants nonchalantly exposing themselves whether they were naked, fucking, drinking or smoking. In this side of the city where the low lives are aggregating, it wasn't surprising anymore. You paced around, hands inside your denim jacket pockets, sneakers rippling in small pools formulated by the rain, eyes scanning keenly with each opening and mind filled with the thoughts of the skeleton monster. No success, however. You've already checked every open window there is, and the ones shut were the only mysteries left in this tiny hunt of yours.

You pursed on your lips, resting your back against the wall while still periodically glancing back up at the bricked flat and hoping for a miracle. You managed to be patient at the convenience store, watching there for hours to no end, this is next to nothing. It would be actually rewarding if you get to view Sans's regular life, you'll get to know a part of him you haven't observed yet. Night watch is difficult, but safer to conceal yourself in the darkness and stay hidden from most people's field of view. It is hazardous though, especially that one night when you accidentally stumbled upon drug dealings between strangers. But you're prepared now, and you've never thought that you'll actually buy yourself a pepper spray to defend yourself from possible similar incidences. You almost never leave your room, but now you're willing to go out of your way for the person you wanted to be with.

Something in your peripheral vision suddenly caught your attention. You jerked your head on your right side and saw a small figure in blue hoodie walking past the corridor with that similar grin. Your heart jumped at the mere sight of him, so close and yet so far. But you were glad that he didn't notice. The sixth day of your trailing starts today.

You just found out that Sans happens to hang out at a certain bar, Grillby's, which is more than thirty minutes away from your streets. You've never heard of this place before, but blending in with the people inside seemed easy since the small population inside is intermixed between monsters and humans. You peeked through the large glass door in front and saw a literal fire monster wiping glasses behind a counter bar. Sans had set himself in one of the stools, leaning against the island bar and speaking with the man who seems to be the owner. A side of you was assuming that this is the perfect opportunity to finally approach Sans once again, it is totally unsuspicious because it's basically a hangout place anyway and this doesn't look like some kind of secret place that only a few people know about. You smiled to yourself, just imagining walking up to that monster and striking a nice conversation with him. What would be the first topic you'll get to speak with him? Would he ask you about your wound? Would you ask him what he likes to order? Nevertheless, it doesn't really matter. Just the full-toned tune of his voice is sufficient to make your day, to get your heart racing against your ribcage, to put your head in the clouds.

But something had stopped you from daydreaming and halfway of walking towards the entrance door, your reflection. Through thin lights of the hazel shaded pub interiors, you saw yourself with that same pitiful face and a scar imprinted on the side of your lips. Your strands of hair had been stayed uncombed and the white color of your inner shirt had made the accumulated air dust more prominent on its fabric. You're not in your best state right now and you don't want to show up yourself out of nowhere looking like someone who had totally forgotten about personal hygiene after spending hours of following someone. 

You took a deep breath, stepped back on where your previous position were and leaned close on to the window just to watch Sans over a distance again. You couldn't see what he was eating since his back is turned away from the window, but you noticed the fire monster bringing over a plate of burger, handing him a ketchup bottle and can of beer. How does he even consume these things? You want to see him from the inside out, learn everything there is about him.

Minutes later, you noticed humans and monsters alike gathering around him. Sans was talking, forming hand gestures simultaneously with that same smile across his face. He was speaking about something, not to one person, but to everyone. That moment you knew, he's a crowd magnet and people pleaser. Anyone can be smoothly charmed by his wit and mellow attitude. They were conversing with him and slamming tables while roaring in laughter along with his remarks, you could even hear the faint sound of the interior noises. You couldn't help but feel pathetic, standing alone in the dark while observing like a kid alone in Christmas night.

You began to wonder if one of these people cares about him like you do. Just how far is their relationship with Sans? Was anyone capable of going through the same length that you did just to make sure he'd go home safe from work? But then, who are you to ask these things? You haven't spoken with him face to face between these days. Despite following him dedicatedly for many hours a day, he's still a mystery. You need to see him up close, read behind those eye lights, feel the beat of his heart, open him like a book and read between the lines... You need to know more about him.

You looked at yourself in the mirror, a dull individual staring back at you with tired eyes. You left the Grillby's the other night without saying a word to Sans, without showing yourself. You could have blended in with the crowd, but you want to show the best version of you. The only question is, you don't even know if you have that kind of version in you. But if it's about him, you're willing to change and adapt. 

The wound in your lips haven't healed completely yet. Good, he'll remember you from that one evening. If it wasn't for that blood oozing on the side of your lips and your battered body, you doubt that he'll strike up that conversation with you. Maybe he appreciates the darker side of things as well, open to many interpretations and dusky areas of subject matters. He didn't flinch when he saw you, he didn't give you a disgusting stare and he didn't press on the topic. It went facilely, made you feel like a normal person who can speak with anyone despite of your differences.

You combed your hair, put on a powder to cover your eye bags from the previous nights of tailing, and put on a hoodie sweater... No, that wouldn't work. You'll have to show a bit more of yourself. Even if Sans doesn't mind how you'd look like, you'll still put on an effort to make a better impression. It's not supposed to be a one way connection. So you removed it. The hem slides past up your stomach and a violet speck is visibly obvious in your skin. Damn those thugs. They should be thankful that somehow, you're still giving your regards to them into meeting that monster who made you laugh that evening. You decided to take a rest yesterday Monday to ease the pain of your wounded side, but it definitely needs something more than lying down all day. It is still present in that area of your body and it hurts to bend freely. Your determination was the reason you made it in five days without complaining for the hurting bruise and pain relievers have become your comforter.

You grunted as you threw your hoodie back on your mattress and pulled out a button up, short sleeved black shirt from your dresser. Not too fancy, not too basic. There wasn't a better option anyway. You proceeded to slip on jeans and put on sneakers before giving yourself one last gape at your reflection. It's Tuesday, five-thirty in the morning and around seven, Sans would be off his shift for this day. Not too many people were going in that convenience store he worked at between those hours, it would be pretty much the more suitable time you'll get for the both of you. 

You stood there watching outside on the street with umbrella unfolded above your head. The continuous pour of rain against the concrete surface splashes on your jeans and shoes, but you never paid mind. Because all you could think about right now is, why isn't he here? It's not a skeleton monster sitting behind the counter, it's a human that you have no interest interacting with. You didn't come here prepared for nothing, so you've got to find out the reason why.

You walked down to his street at where he lived, finding yourself in the alley where you had obscured yourself away. There's a lot of hiding spots in here and not a single headlight is present in this particular area. The crying somber skies can be useful during these times, not a single ray of sun light can be seen striking throughout the avenues. You stood under an overhead roof structure, eyes peering throughout the windows in hopes of detecting Sans. But still, he is nowhere to be found. There have been multiple curtains that remained closed since and one of them must be him. For someone who could be an effortless center of attention, he seems to be the reticent type.

Minutes passed by and still nothing. The third option of where he could be is back at Grillby's. At least you had the courage to show yourself up now. You wouldn't be able to prove your worth to him if you're not willing to do everything that you can.

You took a step out of the shade, revealing yourself as you came out of the shadows to unfurl your umbrella above your head. The rain only pours harder and it's dribbling sounds are getting louder, almost deafening to the ears if you're conversing with someone. Ambling down the alley, you haven't even realized that incoming footsteps from the right path is headed your way. Just so happens that you accelerated your speed, you found yourself bumping into someone.

Someone smaller within your chest height with a hood over their head, blue seam, basketball shorts, sneakers...

He looked up at you with that same genial grin, black sockets with little eye lights and a raised brow bone upon seeing your face.

"you seem familiar." He turned to look at you with hands slid inside his pockets, unbothered of the droplets drenching his clothes. "haven't seen you 'round here before. what're you doing back there?"

Does he really not remember you from before? It kind of stings in the chest, but you couldn't blame him. He probably knows a lot of people in his life after viewing his little social circle back at Grillby's. If there's a stranger he would recall by first sight, you're probably the last one on the list. You began to wonder if this is a good thing, since you could hint that suspicion in his eyes. 

"hold on..." Sans stepped closer, but you remained glued in your position. His sockets turned mellow, like he was letting you out of interrogation. "you're the one who wound up at the store i work at."

"Right... Yes, how could I forget..." You nipped on your lower lip, gaze falling on your feet. "Sans." You stared back up with a smile. So he remembers...

"didn't know we were neighbors." He added.

"Oh, we're not." You corrected him. There it is again, those probing statements.

"that's strange. only the people who live in this shitty flat are the ones who can tolerate the smell of that alley." He chuckled, but you're uneasy.

Somehow, you couldn't think straight. It is more anxiety inducing to face him like this without a barrier between the two of you. You could sense it in him, he's not easy to fool with. He might not be throwing questions at you, but the way he worded things makes it sort of evident that he's already questioning your presence in here. 

"I... I have nowhere else to go." You responded with a low voice, eyes averting his inquisitive peer. In some way, that is true and it's safer to give an ambiguous answer than to lie. He's the sole reason you're going out of your way to walk down the busy streets, enduring the rainy season you're not so fond of.

"nowhere else to go?" Sans snickered, shaking his head. "so you just end up in this garbage dump?"

"Yeah, it's kind of embarrassing to say but... You remember the other night? This?" You pointed at the dark purple blemish on the side of your lips. "It still gets on my head sometimes."

His smile faltered a little and you don't even need any more of words to say for him to understand you. Your eyes locked for a moment, he's not staring at you with pity like how anyone would typically react. You're not even an open page, but he has another way of reading you. And you're the same for him.

"huh..." He simply responded. You saw him lift his left hand a little from his pocket while he stares down to his side, as if he was about to scratch the back of his head. But he didn't, he put it back inside and just stood there. It's like he want these things to make it less awkward. "well, uh, how are you holding up? how is your bruise?"

"It's healing now." You replied and took the courage to step closer to him, bringing the share of your umbrella above his head. "Hoodie doesn't prevent you from getting colds, you know."

Sans seemed caught off guard by your sudden gesture. He stared up at you with little widened eyes, before closing it and chortling to himself with a shrug. Something about that quick flinch makes you guess if he's not used of being apprehended like this. Now that you think about it, you haven't seen anyone back at the pub to speak with him outside of his jokes. How could someone be so loved in the crowd, yet still remain reserved at the same time?

"yeah, i suppose you're the one who knows it by heart after running out of the store that night."

You could feel your heart elevating in your chest, he remembers those details. You smiled to yourself with your head hang low. This whole conversation feels like a romantic movie to you. The vibe, the atmosphere, the sharing of umbrellas and little laughs. You could stay here all day, just having silly small talks with Sans. The rain wouldn't even bother you anymore nor the danger that could happen anytime in this unpleasant side of the city.

"look, it's great to see you again. but i have somewhere to attend to." Sans broke off the short silence that fell between the two of you.

Where? Can't you just stay here a bit longer? No. That would be too persistent. You want to take it slow, build that friendship with him. You need a foundation. He needs to know that he can trust you.

"Oh, I see. You better stay immune in that hoodie then." You quipped at him.

"heh... i don't really trust umbrellas, ya know." Sans winked at you. And what does he mean by that? You blinked, a little nervous with that remark. Did he somehow see through your actions? But he can trust you, it's just that you have your own secrets he'd rather not know about. It's not like you've done anything bad at all. You haven't hurt nor killed anyone. You did your best to remain straight faced, refusing to swallow the dryness in your throat as you waited for him to say another word.

"they're a little shady." He added.

You breathed again and snickered, feeling relieved of that last sentence. But you were wondering, where was his cyan umbrella? Why is he walking down the street with a hood only to shield himself from the rain? Where is he going anyway? By any means, did he happen to notice you beforehand and intentionally forgot it so the both of you could share the same thing?

"you haven't really told me your name yet. kinda unfair that you know mine, don't ya think?"

And now he wants your name. You felt your face getting flushed from the sudden question. Was he suddenly interested in you? If you were just some stranger, he wouldn't bother asking anything about you. You don't really like introducing yourself to others, but you became inclined to do so because of him. And so you told him your name, quick to slip off your mouth as if you were ashamed to reveal anything about you. 

But Sans repeated it, like he was making sure he's pronouncing it right. It had never been so copacetic to hear it rolling from anyone's tongue before, until it was him who's articulating those letters and syllables. That deep-toned voice of Sans uttering your name makes your heart race faster, it deafens the noise of precipitation and vehicles surrounding the both of you and resonates with your soul. You want to hear him say it again, call out for you and listen to it like a broken record on repeat. You want to hear him say it in different places, different situations, different scenarios... You imagined him gasping for your moniker while he's underneath you, panting for air, his hands clutching on your skin and head thrown back onto the mattress with half-open eyes.

"oh, there's my cab." Sans turned around when a yellow taxi pulled up by the side road, stirring you back to reality. He gave you one last stare, a grin wider this time. "see ya around, kid."

"Bye, Sans." You responded.

You watched him walked out under your canopy, strolling towards the car and opening the door. You don't want him to leave yet, you wanted to stay here with him. That last response must have mean something, right? You probably don't need to hide anymore. He is willing to interact with you again, otherwise he wouldn't have said the things he mentioned just now. This is not goodbye and hopefully you'll be less than in the shadows from now on. This is the start of that phase in your relationship with him wherein you wouldn't fear of being seen anymore. You are filled with hope.

Your chest eases a bit with that thought, and for now you're ready to let him out of your bubble. But before he hopped in, he turned his head back to you.

"grillby's is a good place if you have nowhere else to go, by the way." He suggested and without waiting for your answer, he stepped inside the cab.

There's your welcome ticket at his hangout spot. No need for you to watch through the windows anymore. You had it easy this time. It wouldn't be so bad to be assimilated by his crowd of pub companions first. You get to know the people he talk to, you get to know a part of him. Even if he is no longer present in front of you, you still smiled at yourself with that thought.

You decided to get your own taxi as well, extending out your hand onto the roads. Fortunately, there wasn't much of standers and onlookers waiting for paid service. Seconds later, you saw headlights aiming your way. It parked near you and you rushed on your feet to shut your umbrella, immediately getting inside as you closed the door. You pulled out your wallet and a decent amount of dollars.

"Follow that cab and I'll pay you extra." You pointed at the taxi that Sans is in, handing out half of the payment to the driver. He gave you a skeptical stare through the front mirror before taking the bills without saying another word. 

Sans is still within your field of view and you found yourself arriving at the bus station. You couldn't remember the last time you went here anymore. The number of humans and monsters were almost at equal amount in here. It doesn't shock you but still a bit unusual to witness. Chasing him is getting more difficult this time because of the people increasing as the morning hours pass by. 

Something had stopped you from your tracks when you noticed Sans speaking with a fellow monster, a skeleton alike but a lot taller than him. You easily found the nearest corner you could hide and quickly pulled out your phone, pretending that you were reading something but ears perked up at the conversation. You didn't get a good view of his current companion, but you could see through a slight reflection from a glass across you how this larger skeleton had lifted Sans up from the floor to pull him in a tight hug. Relative? Friend? The smaller monster seemed taken aback by the sudden gesture, but he wasn't fighting against it. It took both of them solid five seconds before Sans was finally put down on the floor.

"paps, what are you doing here? i told you i could come by myself." Sans asked with confusion.

"CAN'T YOUR BROTHER PICK YOU UP AT YOUR PLACE NOW? IT'S BEEN WEEKS SINCE YOUR LAST VISIT." His voice bellowed, loud enough that you'll hear it even if you were a bit further than your current position. So brother, it is. Makes sense why Sans wasn't recoiling from his touch.

"don't you have some work to do today?"

"I TOOK A DAY OFF SO I CAN SPEND TIME WITH YOU AND THE OTHERS. WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT YOUR SITUATION HERE."

We? Does he mean their family? So he wasn't abandoned after all.

"bro, i assure you.... there's no need to worry about me. i'm just fine here slacking and all about." 

"SANS!" You heard him said a loud voice, catching some passerby's attention but none of them cared anyway. He let out a sigh before speaking again, with a lower tone this time. "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST ACCEPT DR. ALPHYS'S JOB OFFER FROM THE LAB SHE'S WORKING AT?"

There was a long pause. You watched Sans put his gloved hands inside his pockets, his head turning to his side and his right shoes scratching slightly on the floor like he is looking for the right answer to that question on the ground beneath him. He's thinking about something and he's afraid to admit it to his brother. The taller skeleton stares at him with worried eyes while waiting for his response.

"heh, guess i just don't have the chemistry for it." Sans joked, shrugging his shoulders with hands raised up on his sides.

"SANS!!!" He exclaimed again, but Sans was merely sneering at his reactions. He is trying to avoid these query, but why? What is he hiding? And lab? It hadn't occurred to you that he was probably a former scientist or something, but why is he wasting his life in this part of the city? Is he running away from a more substantial matter? He had a family, or friends somewhere else. But he chose to stay here, the rotting portion of this state.

Seconds later, a service alert echoed throughout the station, indicating that a certain bus is about to leave.

"WELL, WE BETTER GET GOING. DOESN'T MEAN THAT I'M DONE TALKING TO YOU." His brother scolded, picking up Sans like a sack of potatoes in his arms. Sans didn't try to squirm away, as if it was a habitual thing that just happens to him.

You saw them getting on to the bus, and you took note of its destination. It would be risky to get in that same vehicle with them unprepared. You weren't carrying anything with you other than your umbrella and wallet and you don't even have the proper attire to mask your identity. But at least you know when to go next time that you lost path of him.

He might have left your sight, but fortunately you have a branch of clients in this putrid town, including in the apartment flat he's living at.

"So you finally showed yourself." A guy that goes by the name Bob quipped, munching on his junk food with a shit-eating grin on his face. "Well, you look quite different from what I imagined."

Just how stupid this guy can get? Of course with a robot voice changer through a speaker, no one is able to make out how a person looks like. He grinned at you like he's some kind of intelligent mastermind just because you did the work for him in giving access on his ex's phone activities and for giving him instructions on how to set up spy cams in room spots that are lot less likely to be noticed. Anticipated behavior for a lonely, unwanted man that must have been intentionally cheated on because of his immaturity and lack of ability to cook for himself.

He's not the first one and there's definitely worse customers out there, but you can't stand more than a minute of listening to him talk. Not to mention that this is the first time you had the courage to show your face in one of them. If it weren't for him...

"I need Sans's keys." You nonchalantly said with a straight face, making your disinterest clear of making small talks.

"Woah there, anon. That's violation of rules and laws." He crossed his legs with an annoying sneer.

"So is stalking your ex and jerking off to your tenants through spy cams." You snapped at him, downright repulsed by his mere presence.

"Take it easy... We've been doing this for months, don't you think we should at least get to know each other better?" He leaned towards the coffee table between the two of you, grabbing his bottle of beer and chugging down a gulp. Small trickles of the said drink drips past his chin and his flannel shirt.

"I'm not here to make friends. Give me what I ask." You took a deep breath, trying to calm yourself down.

"You got to chill, mate. I've been your loyal client for almost a year, I basically feed you. And you, showing up your face in here?" He laughed mockingly, shaking his head at you. "Not a good decision."

"You know that I could easily leak the illegal shit that you do in here and if I do, I know a way out to save my ass while you rot in prison you fucking creep. You know what I'm capable of." You threatened at him, your patience wearing thin with his continuous stalling.

The remark seemed to put him off a little, his moronic smile fading from his bearded lips and his eyes blinking nervously. He carefully set down the bottle on the side table next to him, his movements going stiff and the arrogant overtone disappearing along with his composure.

"Okay, okay. Let me just get it real quick." He quavered, slowly getting up from his couch and walking towards a board of hanging spare keys. He stood there for a moment, his eyes scanning the number labels while frequently staring back at you. It's like he's guarding his back, as though you had a knife ready at hand to stab him with if he makes the wrong move.

While it's true that Bob had been paying you to do illegal things for months, he's not your only regular client. But it's safer to make him believe that and assume that he's your only source of income. Showing your real face to him is dicey enough and you'd rather have him know nothing any more of additional information about you. He seems dumb anyway, putting on a talkative unbearable front so he'd conceal his lack of brains. 

"Alright, here it is." He finally said, tossing you the key in which you easily caught with both hands. "Why Sans anyway? He owes you something or what? Or are you one of those monster fucker freaks?"

"None of your business." You simply responded before getting up from your seat and headed towards the exit.

"And to think that you have the guts to call me the creep." He retorted under his breath, but loud enough for you to hear. You merely ignored his comment as you swung the door open and shut it close tight behind you. You have no time to deal with morons like him.

You read the embedded number on the key head, two-zero-five. Then you stared at the door in front of you, same number readings. This is it, the room of Sans. People who lived in here doesn't seem to care even if you're a fresh face in this flat, none of them was batting an eye at your direction. It isn't really unlikely anymore due to the amount of strangers who often go in here unannounced. Bob isn't really strict about the rules and regulations, one of the reasons why this whole place is untaken care of including its inhabitants. Even the hallways reek of foul smell and judging from the dirt stains accumulated in certain areas, it would be really quite hard to guess when's the last time this underwent some proper cleaning.

You held the key in your hand and pointed it at the keyhole, inserting it quickly and turning over until you heard a click. This Bob guy better not be lying to you. You grabbed the knob and pushed the door open, letting yourself inside as if you own that place. Once you're fully inside the unlit space, you flipped the switch beside the entrance and locked the door behind you.

You were enveloped with the suppressed warmth air of the fastened living room, letting yourself bathe in the ambience of Sans's former presence before he left this messy place. It just looks like any regular apartment room, having the necessary furniture only. Curtains were all shut closed as expected. But you wouldn't need to bear with that foul side lane anymore, only to see nothing as you have a better idea in your mind today.

The first things that caught your eye were the scattered socks all over the floor, along with crumpled papers and other trash. The black couch in the living room has scratches on its sides, though you haven't seen a hint of cat anywhere in here. It must have been the previous owner. You strode to the main table and saw a pile of unfolded papers and different colored pens dispersed all around. You picked the nearest sheet of paper and observed it. Bunch of formulas, numbers and variables are scribbled down in a barely comprehensible manner. It seems that he's indeed a former scientist since the rest were all looking similar. Sans is clever mess, but scattered-brain at the same time. You couldn't trace the path of where these things are leading to, they weren't even properly organized. They were just there, strewn all over like he's trying to go through every possibility there is before arriving at a conclusion.

He doesn't bother about tidying up this place because he's engrossed with something else. What is he even trying to find out that he'd rather keep a secret by himself? Is this one of the reasons that he doesn't live with a relative or a friend?

You checked on your left side and saw a small area of lavatory and kitchen. Litters of processed food wrappings and empty plastic bottles are cluttered on the counter tops and the little trashcan near the bathroom door is overflowing. There's the languid sound of water dripping from the faucet as well that seemed to have been left unfixed permanently.

On your left side you saw the door less room, presenting an unfolded bed with sheets bundled up in a creasy ball atop of it and an uncovered pillow. You walked towards the bedroom with anticipation, the untidiness of the place not bothering you in a bit. On the bed's right side is a side table with a picture frame on it. You picked it up and observed the people present in the image. The only ones you could recognize is Sans and his brother. Behind them are two larger monsters resembling a goat. The other ones in front is a fish and reptilian-like monster. In the middle is the only human present, a kid with short hair wearing a striped shirt. It made you even more curious, why was he running away from them? He seemed happy with his friends. Is something lacking? You put it back down and continued on your search.

You walked over to the closet and swung it open. There hangs a couple of white shirt, extra basketball shorts and more socks. Right beside the dresser is a basket of used clothes, contrary to the clean ones inside the cabinet. You kneeled down beside it, your chest thumping as your hand immediately reached for the used jersey short with eager eyes. You clutched its material between your fingers, bringing it over your face and sniffing the leftover smell that Sans had left on it. You let your face bury in it, dipping your nose against its fibers while you think back on its owner. The scent reminds you of the air conditioner's evaporated ventilation from the convenience store, a hint of whiskey fragrance from the pub and the stale greeting air of this whole apartment flat.

You mind wandered back and resumed the daydream earlier back at the alley when you last spoke with Sans, a picture of him begging for your touch while he writhes below you. You felt a heat on your lower region while keeping a tight hold of his bottom clothing. You felt hands, bony fingers caressing on your shoulders and down to your arm. The only sounds that you could make were soft moans as you remained stationary in your position, letting the brush of firm tips prickle on your skin. It travelled on up your neck, to your collar and down to your chest. You tilted your head to the side, giving access to your neck and felt teeth nipping on the sensitive part. Then the left hand reaches down your stomach, unbuttoning your pants and made its way inside your underwear. Your breath hitches at the sudden intrusion to your sex, your back arching at his exploring metacarpals and phalanges. You could already feel it building inside you and you're close, oh so close. You stared straight into Sans's eye lights, letting him know that he's the only one present in your mind right now. Your toes curled, sweat thickening on your skin and eyes lolling at the back of your head when—

You were distracted from your reverie when you heard a default ringtone blaring from your pocket. You immediately sat up on the floor, dropping his shorts startlingly, pulling your hand out of your pants to take out your phone and check on whoever disturbed your trance of fantasies. The screen lit up on your face, showing a notification from one of your clients.

"Shit..." You cursed to yourself when you've realized that you missed a scheduled task for today.

But that could wait because your job here is not yet finished.

Chapter Text

Days had never been so satisfactory, profound and pivotal until you've met him. There have been two priorities you've been putting a lot of time into, working and watching over the unaware monster through the spy cams you've planted in different corners of his room. The former living that you had was merely all about survival, bleak and pointless. Now you've made plans ahead for the money you were earning from your job, with the aim of affording a property and house where you and Sans could live a peaceful life away from the revolting crowd where you experienced the ugliest truths of this world.

Daily watch of Sans's confined sentience inside the rotting apartment flat that he lives in, you figured out one thing or another. He needs saving just like you do. The scattered papers of equations you've witnessed during your first visit were being doubled and left strewed in every space available inside his room, as if he's trying to collect these sheets that could eventually start a paper factory. He would also bring himself a bottle of alcoholic beverages most of the times, drowning his brain in distilled spirits while working on mathematical and scientific calculations. During the first few minutes of this session, he would remind you of an intelligent but unappreciated professor in a university that were ahead of his colleague who would occasionally do things out of the norm for the sake of sharing knowledge with his students. His wits and cleverness plays a huge part in this perception.

By the last few hours after a few bottles, he would turn into this mess of a man who seemed to have failed everyone around him and lost his family because of a mistake that he did once. His steady writing and the fluent flow of his ideas being jotted down on a blank surface would turn erratic and demented that the pen ink being scrawled would appear to be barely understandable. After these mad hours of working up all of his energy into figuring something out, all of these sheets would be crinkled and tossed aside then he'll go to sleep without a regret for wasting all of his hard work in one night.

If Sans weren't working with the papers, he would read through foxing stained pages of old science related books that fill up a small shelf inside his bedroom. His eye lights would dart from side to side, grasping on heavy concepts as though he would dwell upon these topics so he could use them for later study. On few occasions he'd find himself lost in the subject that he'd forget about his failed attempt at cooking, ending up burning the rarely non-preserved food he'd make for himself. Sometimes he'd spend hours reading on his bed until he falls asleep with the book resting on his skull until he wakes up for the next day.

But other than this miserable side of Sans's that exhibits a hint of similar dismal history like you had, you also glimpsed a certain fondness in him when it comes to the people he care about. Despite living separately from his family and friends, he had made sure to put it on his schedule to give one of them a call for at least once in a day. There were some names you remembered him mentioning; Papyrus, Toriel, Alphys, Undyne and Frisk. Often times, it was Papyrus he was speaking with which gave you the assumption that his brother is his only immediate family among these other people. You could see how much he values Papyrus's feelings, refusing to mention anything about his weird obsessions of playing with numbers and drinking heavily during late evenings. He'll make it sound like he's living a normal, stale life of working in a convenience store and gets to have enjoyable weekends by going at Grillby's and socializing with monsters and humans alike.

You're the only one who knew that these were all just a concealment of his internal melancholy.

There were also a few evenings that you would see him drawing his curtains back and sitting by the windowsill, looking through the window up in the night sky where the moon casts its illumination in his dainty form. At once, the obscured despondency behind his broad grin would regress. Your desire for affinity connection had you doing the same thing while you keep your laptop with you, making it immersive and feel almost real that you were sitting right next to him. For the first time in a while, you removed the thick covers of fabric cloaking your windows that had been shut tight ever since you started doing business for other people. For Sans, you're willing to go out of your comfort zone and to make a change in your habits just to understand what it's like to be in his state. Staring out into the panels, you've never once appreciated the twinkling stars until you realized how it was soothing for him. And then you started to feel the same about the black veiled heavens, as though the constellations were ribbons lining through the luminous spheroid of plasmas binding your souls together.

Nothing is purer than sighting an unfeigned fraction of a vulnerable monster finding comfort in the moonlight. 

You also began researching about the people in his life, first is his brother. Papyrus is quite easy to find through the internet as he'd made quite a fame on the social media, occasionally posting about his daily life and pictures of himself believing that his followers were all waiting for an update. His fascination in making pasta and puzzles were all evident from the images and text posts that he makes. You also learned that he's working for the police station in their town and he's being supervised by Undyne, a tough fish-like anthropomorphic monster who is a police sergeant. She had made a good reputation on her job, earning herself a golden badge which gives you the impression that she had been trained properly even before arriving at the surface. Then you learned about her girlfriend, Alphys, a reptilian monster working in a secret lab. She'd never posted an image of herself on the internet before, rather a huge amount of anime related discursive that could compete with the amount of Papyrus's frequent internet reports of his everyday routine.

You discovered that Papyrus have been temporarily living with them while he saves up money to afford his own house in the same suburbs. Sans had been occasionally lending him a small amount of what he could give, helping his brother in achieving his dream. However, every time that the two monsters would bring up the topic through call, Sans doesn't seem to be that much enthusiastic regarding this whole plan. He seemed supportive of Papyrus's decision, but it looks like he couldn't bring himself into the picture.

Then there's Toriel, one of the leading monsters along with former king Asgore, who lead the monster-kind into the surface with the help of a human child ambassador named Frisk. Although none of them were that active on social media unlike the former three monsters, searching about their current statuses weren't that hard given that they were often mentioned in various articles that has something to do with the freedom of their species. Toriel began teaching in preschool while Asgore had started a flower and plants business. Toriel had been living in the same town where Papyrus, Alphys and Undyne resides. Plausibly, they're still trying to keep a close contact with one another despite having their own affairs ever since the barrier had been broken.

Frisk on the other hand, is a fourteen year old teenager who currently lives with Toriel. You haven't had the proper time yet to research more about this kid as it was a bit challenging since they refuse to tell anything personal about their past life. They were protected by the monsters and apparently it was a fair deal that the government would leave this kid alone, but that doesn't mean that private sectors weren't conducting their own investigations without the monsters' knowledge. Upon reading through forums and some text communication channels, it seemed that these same sectors had been breaking some rules and agreements formed with the other kind. But that's none of your business and it wasn't what you were going for.

The only thing that mattered in this part of research is about that human named Frisk.

Sans would only get the chance to speak with them in scarce times whenever Toriel would insist him to. The goat monster was the only bridge and push for Sans to talk with Frisk for some reason, and when they do, something about him would change. His smile that he often wears even when he's all alone by himself would dissipate, the large sockets of his eyes would droop a bit and his overall demeanor would wane into a sentiment. This gives you another idea that moving away from the people he cared about has something to do with their claimed ambassador. This provides you more of a reasonable objective to take him away with you someday, to save him from the pain he's dealing with and have him run away with you then escape for the stars.

In this instance, you knew that you should start showing Sans how much he's important to you without masking yourself behind a laptop screen. It's time that you learn more about him from his own personal perspective and you knew that it wouldn't be easy for him to lend an open door for you. Even if you don't want to think of him like another encryption to be cracked, you knew that careful steps are what's necessary to form a connection with him.

You've made sure that you often go at the convenience store he's been working at, making yourself present within the circle of people he could converse with. You wanted to be something more than a regular customer, you wanted to be his lover but you're also aware that you have to cross through the friendship boundaries first. Early in the mornings you'll walk through the glass doors with the best appearance you could pull off, refusing to wear that same hoodie that had been stained by blood before. 

The usual stuff that you would buy was a cup of coffee and a hotdog bun, just the right amount of food to fill in your stomach. Sans would strike a casual conversation from time to time, telling you jokes and some silly stories in which you'll respond with the same flow of discussions.

Of course, Sans being the skeptical person that he is, began questioning your regular visits despite putting a large time gap of showing yourself to him since that time he saw you idling at the garbage dump. Lying to him can be a double edged sword, since you've witnessed how he managed to easily make the street kid guilty for his wrongdoing that other night. If he is that good for making someone atone for their misdeed, then there's a huge probability that he could also sense when someone is lying to his face.

On account of this speculations, you began telling him a little portion of yourself. You've had it outlined in your mind to start speaking about the mundane things before delving in to the deeper aspects of your whole being. By that time, Sans would start seeing you as something more and maybe he'll begin to understand your motives.

"since when you've become interested in hanging out inside a convenience store?" Sans asked, leaning close on the countertop with his mandible resting on top of his metacarpal bones.

"To tell you the truth... The reason was you." You sipped a little on your coffee, the hot liquid burning the tip of your tongue before your immediate response of putting it back down.

"me?" Sans raised a browbone, refusing to take his eyes off you. You could feel that he's already studying your expression and perhaps laying out different possibilities of what you were about to articulate.

"It's just that, I feel comfortable around you ever since that night. I just have this huge issue of making friends and connecting with people. But you made me feel at ease. I knew you saw me guzzling on pills without even paying for it and you probably think that I'm crazy, but you didn't give me a different kind of look as if I'm someone who should be avoided at all cost." You answered truthfully, making it elaborate that he had somewhat uplifted your spirits.

"well, i wouldn't call you crazy. every one has their own issues anyway." Sans shrugged. "though it was kinda unexpected you'd find comfort from a random stranger, much less a monster just because i cracked a stupid pun."

"I wouldn't call it stupid. Maybe for you it was just another random encounter, but personally I appreciate it a lot. I am being genuine about every word that I'm saying right now. Look into my eyes and tell me that I'm lying." This time, you coasted your eyes to meet his eye lights boring into your form. "Even if you didn't mean to make it seem like you were saving me, it made me feel safe for a while."

For a moment, you saw how his pupils had shrunken a bit from your choice of words. A hint of blue blush emitted from his bone cheeks and his position loosened a little of its stance. He might have come up with a thousand possible answers you're probably going to give him, but hearing first handedly is something he didn't prepare for. He averted his eyes for a while, bringing an index finger on the side of his face and scratching on his temples.

"i've always wanted a bicycle but you shouldn't really put me in a pedestal here." Sans chuckled, trying to hide his bashful wordless response from your claims.

"I didn't mean to make it sound like that." You brushed a hair behind your ear, tilting your head slightly without taking your gape off the modest skeleton.

His minor reactions from your speech were everything and if only you had brought a camera with you, you'd capture every single gesture and little movements that he makes. You weren't even trying to flirt with him, you were just being real with your words and you realized that this is authentically better to have him speechless and embarrassed. Maybe because he could also feel it in you, that you were just expressing how much you feel for the longest time. There's no need for flirty or flowery words, you've became poetic and passionate subsequent to that rainy night.

"Am I talking too much?" You asked shyly, chewing on your lower lip with your fingers fumbling at the sides of the warm paper cup.

"nah, it's cool... i'm all ears, even if i don't have any... obviously." Sans shrugged, switching his gaze back at you. You let out a soft chuckle. 

You noticed how his dubiety have moderated, the typical rigid beam in his face easing and his posture relaxing to some extent. You wanted to inquire him this time, but you thought that it would put him off especially just how secretive he is even from his own family. It is not yet your turn to hold the question forms, but you don't want to reach a dead end here. There's still a lot of crossroads to encounter, decisions and choices to come face with and you wouldn't let anything get in your way for all the efforts and aims you've been longing for.

"You've probably guessed by now that I don't have any friends." You let out a heavy sigh, still testing the waters between you and the skeleton monster across you. "Would you mind me rambling for a bit? You don't have to say anything."

"uh, sure i guess... i'll entertain you for a while." Sans drummed his fingertips one after another in contact with his cheek.

You took another sip of your coffee, which had somewhat cooled this time. But the blistered tip of your tongue is still apparent and it's going to take a while before it heals again. You licked at your lower lip, nipping on the chaps and folding it together with your eyes roaming downwards on the table. 

"I..."

Before you could even finish two words, you heard the main door behind you swinging open and a couple of bellowing voices disturbing the tranquility of the convenience store. You immediately pulled yourself away from the countertop, carrying your paper cup with you and ambling somewhere to the nearest shelf where you're still able to witness his presence.

You don't want him thinking that you're being another bother in his job, even if he doesn't really seem that much dedicated with it knowing that there's no better occupation to find in this city. This is not the first time it happened that your conversation with him had been interrupted with a random arrival of some customers, hence it became a practice that you'd stand by a corner when it's time for him to get back on work and just come back during his free time once again. You were just fortunate that he's working during night shift, wherein most people were on their homes counting sheep on their dreams while you were using these best hours to gradually gain significance in Sans's life.

Those familiar noises on the other hand, indicated trouble. They were the same group of stupid teenagers who think that being rebellious and unnecessarily rude makes them one of the cool kids. It's their third time showing themselves in this place and those two events were really distasteful.

The first encounter, Sans had advised you to stay out of trouble and let him deal with these kids. At first, you have no idea what he's talking about until you witnessed how they've caused problems inside the store. The four of them were taking out products out of its proper places, switching those away from its designated shelves until it was all too hard to distinguish where it was all formerly arranged. Sans merely stayed in his chair and didn't even bother to speak a word, but you could read the repressed irritation in his eyes when he was watching them through the reflection mirror. You couldn't blame him, monsters were not allowed to use magic unless permitted to do so and it's unforeseeable what they're capable of if ever the two of you decides to deal with them.

By the end of that first annoyance that they've caused, you and Sans had merely waited for them to feel satisfied until they left. You offered to help him rearrange the items back on its stacks, in which he didn't hesitate to accept.

The second incident however, had gotten worse. They went for the fridge beverages this time, altering its previously organized placement until the both of you heard some shattering noises in that alley. By the time that Sans and you had rushed on your feet to check on the mishap, the group were already hauling out of the place while some of them had managed to steal canned beers. You ended up helping Sans again in cleaning up the mess they left and even if he's displaying that same grin, you could tell how stressed he was since it was his responsibility to manage this store during late hours. The place couldn't even afford to have a bodyguard, and for that you truly felt sorry for Sans in having to put up with these airheads.

Without thinking twice, you paid for all the broken and stolen drinks for his sake. Of course, Sans was refusing this at first but with a little more convincing, he didn't really have a choice. You knew about his financial struggles but since you're earning enough money from your work, you didn't scruple in providing him monetary assistance. He told you that he'll pay you back someday but you persisted that he should just forget it and consider it a payback for the part of Sans apprehending your unneeded attendance during his worktime.

As for the moment, you weren't sure what they were planning at this point. You directed your focus on them, periodically checking up on Sans who is currently observing these rascals. He never spoke a word with them before and hopefully they never do. They can break all the store they want, just leave Sans out of their misbehavior and capers.

Their target for tonight were the vendo machines and ice cream sliding freezers. The two of them were picking out packed ice creams, opening its lids heedlessly while the other one was pushing random buttons on the vendo and letting its liquefied contents to flow freely without a cup underneath its dispenser. They were laughing on themselves as if doing all these crap would provide them joy of having responsible and caring parents. It’s obvious how they've been mishandled, discharged into society just to grow up as one of those pests that accumulates and takes up space in the ghastliest parts of the country. You couldn't bear to stay in the same room with these people, but for Sans you're willing to hold onto your patience. 

However, the thing that you were dreading for have happened. One of them, a girl who looks like a seventeen year old, approached the checkout area with three bagged hotdog buns in her hands. She laid them out carelessly onto the countertop and slammed her palms against the surface.

"How much for this, bonehead?" She asked in a raspy voice, the strain on her vocal chords denoting her ostensible smoking habits.

"six dollars." Sans replied nonchalantly, though the smile across his cheeks had never left his face.

Surprisingly, she took her wallet and began fumbling on its contents. You thought that she's finally going to change for the better and maybe she'd realized how much of a trash person that she is. But instead of paying for its right price, she grabbed a few coins that doesn't even seem to sum up a total of one dollar. She grabbed it clumsily with full hand, raising her closed fist into the air and opening up her palms until the rounded pieces of metal clashed severally into the surface with clinking sound. A few of it rolled past the slab edges, ending up toppling onto the floor.

"kid, i think i made myself clear that it's six dollars." Sans asserted, shoving his hands inside his hoodie pockets and leaning away from the counter.

"Yeah, I know. I'm not deaf. Too bad, that's all I have right now." She smirked delinquently, seemingly proud of what she'd done with no discretion for the consequences she might face.

"heh... your actions would cost you someday. maybe not tonight, but next time." Sans replied darkly, his eye lights going void from his sockets. He remained sitting in that position, still staring up into the callous teenager while the beam remained painted in his face. For a moment, you considered the possibility of him finally using his magic against these people to teach them a lesson.

The girl was slightly taken aback by the sudden change in his appearance, her former smug look slightly diminishing into discomfort and fright. Despite that, she still stood on her ground and forced to put on a brave and tough display while Sans waited like a statue from her further response.

"You fucking monster freaks! I hope they purge you all someday! None of you deserve to live alongside with humans!" She yelled on the top of her lungs, catching the attention of her group who had all momentarily halted from what they were doing.

All of a sudden, she turned and dashed towards the vendo machine. Before one of friends could hold her back, she angrily grabbed a paper cup with trembling hands, dispensing a fair amount of soda in it before walking back up to the cashier area and splashing all of its contents towards Sans face.

You suddenly felt a flaming rage building up inside your chest, your free hand clenching tightly into fist at your side while your breathings became a little heavier than before. You wanted to intrude so badly, do the same thing to the teenage girl though with a burning hot coffee instead. But like how Sans had worded it before, they're just kids who have no guidance and it's a waste of time to deal with them. You thought that intervening to the scene would merely worsen the situation and things might escalate, resulting for a possibility of you committing something bad to the point that Sans's impression of you would change.

The currently drenched skeleton monster flinched but never bothered to move away nor say a thing, he only let out a sigh with eyes closed as though he was just waiting for them to leave. 

"Let's get out of here." The impudent girl yelled out on her companions, throwing the paper cup on Sans's head before grabbing the buns she took and turning away from the counter area to storm out of the main door. The other three went quiet, staring at one another with confusion before grabbing their stolen goods and running after the girl without saying a word.

As soon as the teenagers have left the store for good, you rushed towards Sans and went past the personnel area behind the counter without hesitation. You set down your cup on the table surface, pulling a long roll of tissue and tearing it off to wipe his skull.

"Are you alright?" You asked in concern, drying his ivory head with the clean sheet.

"it's fine... it's just soda." Sans declared, withdrawing weakly from your hands with an unchanging expression. The vanished eye lights returned in his sockets as he opened his eyes.

You granted his gesture and reclined back slightly, allowing him to have the space he needed. Sans unzipped his soaked blue hoodie, pulling it off his shoulders and laying it on the countertop which leaves him with a plain white shirt only. He grabbed himself a couple of paper sheets to sop up his face and some of the wet stained spots in his shirt. He seemed even more delicate without his standard jacket, exposing his whole forearm and half of his upper arm bones.

"Are you going to let them terrorize you all the time?" You questioned at him, trying to fight the urge of being too attentive at the minimal baring of his bones. You wanted to touch them and feel its weight, graze your fingers against its solid shape.

"if you're concerned about paying for the items stolen this time, i told you that you don't really have to do this." Sans replied, tossing a couple of crumpled tissue papers onto the nearby trashcan before getting off his stool.

"Please let me. I just—"

"look, i really appreciate the effort but why are you doing this exactly?" Sans cut you off, his pupils darting back up at your form. Your focus was brought back on his face after he said those words with a bit intensity on them. It sounds like he's beginning to take out his frustrations on you without being aware of it.

"I... I think this is what friends should do for each other." You replied lowly, running out of words to express yourself without telling him exactly how deep your purpose burrows in your heart.

Sans stared up at you for a long second, as if he's searching for more answers throughout your face. But you weren't exactly lying, you were just holding yourself back from suddenly confessing out of nowhere because it's not yet the right time. You want him to have the same understanding first as there's the possibility that abrupt disclosure would intimidate him.

"O-Okay... I'll stop if it makes you uncomfortable." You suddenly blurted out, fearing that this conversation would push him away from you before he could even consider a platonic relationship.

"well..." Sans stared down at his feet, rubbing the tip of his slipper on the floor and scratching the back of his skull. "i could use a company, but i'd prefer it when there isn't money involved. i'm a skeleton, not an escort."

A small smile crept up in your lips, feeling relieved that you've finally won his approval at some point. The fury igniting within you had been doused with abundance glee. You weren't sure if he was offended in some way because of that last sentence, but he also made it clear that he could use a company.

"But what would your boss say about the stolen items?" You asked indifferently, holding yourself back from displaying how much this means to you. You don't want him getting the wrong idea, even if there wasn't really anything wrong with how you're feeling right now.

"let me deal with him. it's not really fair they get mad at lazy people... we basically don't do anything at all." Sans jeered, lightening the atmosphere between the two of you.

"Okay. I wouldn't insist anymore if that's what you want." You let out a chuckle and adhered on his request.

"cool." He replied, gazing back up at you with gentleness in his eyes.

Even if there wasn't much exchange of words after that conversation, you could tell that he's connecting with you in some way. You were afraid that you were being too pushy, but you wouldn't conform to that thought as long as he's not hinting you to leave him alone. If Sans had been uncomfortable from the start, you wouldn't get his attention in the first place. It must have been the loneliness he'd been drowning into this whole time, and speaking with you must have been therapeutic in some way without Sans having the need to tell his own problems on others. This is a sad, chaotic city after all where love is almost non-existent. It almost feels like you and him against the unforgiving world.

"uh... can we save your rambles for later after we clean up?" Sans asked out of a sudden, which brings you back to the topic before the teenagers came barging in.

"Of course. I almost forgot about it anyway." You chuckled at him, making sure that he wouldn't perceive this encounter being solely centered on your own stories. In fact, you're still a bit reluctant of telling things about yourself. But if this is what it takes for the stars to align your souls together, then you just need to tread carefully.

"i'd still like to hear about it though." Sans meekly pronounced, averting his eyes from you with a faint blush in his cheeks. You felt your own face heating up at his statement, a warm ambience burning your anxious estimations of how events could easily turn from one way to another.

"Let's hope that you can bear with me. I could be really talkative, even if I don't look like one." You jokingly warned him.

"heh, that's why i'm wondering if we could take it at grillby's. i'm a better listener after a few bottles." Sans snickered.

Your heart felt like it's going to leap out of your chest. You knew that it was only supposed to be a friendly proposal, but it almost felt like a date. Before you could find yourself stammering over words, you decided to ask him about the essential matters first.

"How about your shift?" You asked him, realizing that he couldn't just haul out of this since place whenever he pleases because he needed the money to pay for bills and to send money to Papyrus.

"eh, pretty sure i'll get tired later morning but asking someone for a few round of drinks after my shift is definitely worth a shot." Sans winked, emphasizing that he's indicating for it to happen after his work hours before walking past you and headed towards the janitorial closet located right beside the washroom door.

It was embarrassing on how you immediately assumed that he's willing to ditch his shift just to listen at your banters. You stayed muted for a while, chewing on your lip as you were too ashamed to respond on that statement. But Sans had cut off the silence before things get awkward.

"and it's my treat before my debt goes even higher." Sans added, opening the closet door to grab a bucket before turning towards the washroom entrance.

You were relieved that he hasn't paid that much attention on that presumption. This is one of the things you've grown fond of Sans, his ability to reduce the tension from a conversation while also being capable of putting pressure in his words depends on the situation.

You've actually been restless for days during your watch hours and extensive research about his family. But you wouldn't let this moment slip, it's almost like a one-time opportunity. Both of you were on the same page anyway, screwed up sleeping schedule and aberrant fixations towards certain things. 

"You don't owe me anything. I'll stop paying for the property damage if you stop thinking that it's a debt." You declared at him with more confidence now.

You watched the short skeleton go inside the washroom with the door left open, hearing the turning of faucet and a pale being filled with water. From here, you could catch a glimpse of his exposed left arm and elbow bones through the door frame which brings you back to the miniscule mania you've engrossed yourself with earlier.

"alright. guess that only makes cents." Sans punned, his voice echoing out from the ceramic tiled room. 

"I'll help you." You yelled out on him, walking towards the cleaning tools storage and grabbing yourself a couple of cleaning rugs. You've already done this before and it almost feel natural now to assist him with the task that was only designated to be his part. By all means, you never mind as long as you breathe the same air with Sans within the bounds of the same room.

There's only one thing stuck in your mind right now, the scheduled friendly date at Grillby's. He's willing to sacrifice sleep just to hang out with you, and you haven't even told a portion of your narrative yet.

Is he beginning to notice the conjunction of your kindred souls fated for one another?

Chapter Text

Staying around within a crowded place of people is one of your weakest suits. But here you are at Grillby's, Sans's preferred place to hang out according to him. The pub is cozy and amiable because no one is causing trouble nor giving you a bad stare. They're just here for laughs, drinks, jokes and friends. And you're here because he invited you. Even with the tepidity of the ambience, the monster next to you is still the loadstone for your eyesight. 

But compared the other night, only two humans were currently present in here including you. It gives you the notion that this pub is more alive during the night and Sans doesn't have the same spotlight he had that time, which is advantageous because this is supposed to be a solitary time between the two of you. He invited you here and the stars are being compliant to your destiny.

You're sitting on a stool with the treat of your choice in front of you by the table. A simple burger sprinkled with sesame seeds on the top rests on your plate, next to it a can of beer with sopping droplets on its container due to condensation.

Sans had bought himself the same thing and before you get lost in those sockets once again, his voice had stirred you back awake to your surroundings.

"so, this place is pretty cool huh?" Sans chuckled before grabbing on his burger and taking a large bite out of it.

"Yeah. It's my first time coming in here. Definitely a lot better being accompanied by someone." You replied with a small smile, observing him munch on his food with enthusiasm. The curious gears inside your head were consistently running when it is Sans you're studying. Like, where does the food go after he ate?

Then your stare moved back on the stain of his hoodie. Sans wasn't a bit bothered by the speck, still pulling the same equanimity of his character, one of his defining traits that pulled you to him.

"well, what are you waiting for? dig yourself in." Sans reminded you after finishing more than half of his burger with continuous and few bites. It's obvious that he'd been hungry for a long time now. 

You merely nodded before grabbing your own food and taking a bite of your own burger. Your extended fixation to the skeleton monster next to you had made your own starvation obliviate from your wits. Not until you chunked on the first bite of the newly cooked burger, which was soon followed by uninterrupted gobbles. For a short minute, both of you didn't exchange words with one another as you let yourselves indulge in the sleepless morning breakfast served before your seats. It was the only point that you had momentarily let your mind emancipate from the shackles of Sans's ceaseless lodge inside your head.

Sans had finished his meal first, then grabbed his can and took a sip from it. You consumed yours fully shortly after and imitated his action after doing so. You pulled the lid off your own drink and guzzled down the beer until only half of its content was left. Right after putting it back down, you noticed Sans eyeing you with languid sockets. His right cheek is rested against his balled fist with his elbow situated against the counter and his free hand clinging to his own beverage.

"i think you owe me a story, pal." He uttered with a slackened tone of voice. It is evident that he's starting to get sleepy and every minute by now, it's expected that he'll eventually fail to realize that he had dozed off mid conversation.

"We can save that for another time. You look tired." You replied before taking another sip from your drink.

"heh, can't remember the last time i had a bedtime story." Sans chuckled, shifting a little from his position so he's facing you frontwards.

"It's not really interesting. I wasn't even sure why I told you that." You knew for yourself that you're still uncertain about this move, but if he insists then you'll go along with the phase.

"c'mon kid... i'd like to hear some kind of story where..." Sans sups from his can again. "sip happens."

You snickered at his silly antics in keeping this discourse alive despite his drained state. It was supposed to feel flattering but why is he doing this anyway? It seems like there's more to it than what he's putting upfront.

"Since you're persistent, I'll tell you something about that night when we first met." You cleared your throat, as if bracing yourself that you're about to provide him a theatrical kind of narration.

He merely nodded, gesturing for you to continue.

"It's really kind of funny and unfortunate that you have to see me that way, because what happened to me wasn't even personal. I just stumbled onto something I wasn't supposed to see." You tapped your fingers on the aluminum material enclosed within your fist, altering your gaze between the beer and to Sans.

"I came across drug dealers in a dark alley. I was physically assaulted even if I tried running away. Then the police came but I ran. It'll be easy to put the blame on me if I got myself involved."

Sans seemed to rouse a bit from his drowsy aplomb, raising a browbone at your direction with a faltered grin on his face.

"well, that sounds like a problem. running from the cops..." His gape casted on his side in such a way that he's recollecting a certain memory.

"I got scared. You had any similar experiences?" You quizzed at him.

"uh, sort of... guess that's a common occurrence in this city huh..." He let out a casual snicker that lacks of humor.

"Yep... Mind to tell me about it?" You inquired with a hope that he'll return the same gradual responsiveness you're showing him.

"i accidentally used my magic once without permission... heh, i am forgetful. and then i just escaped my way out. they're more heated towards monsters compared to your kind." He responded with the droopiness making another appearance around his eyes.

Now that he mentioned it, you have no idea how his magic works yet. You've never seen him doing anything unusual that a human isn't capable of, even inside his own place aside from his magic formed certain organs that appeared to have been natural from the start.

"I'm sorry you have to deal with that. I don't get the discrimination. I mean, agreements were made right?"

"apparently it wasn't enough. can't do much about it though, some humans are just downright monstrous than we'll ever be." His eye lights hasn't met you yet since then, as though his mind is still stuck through reminiscence.

This one bears the impression that it came from a personal experience. You wanted to ask him what was the worse circumstances he had gone through other than fleeing away from authorities, but it would sound like being too intrusive for now judging his current demeanor. Something about him had veered. Those white pupils gaping stuck in the same blank space conveys something heavier. Is this an invitation to dig deeper within his cavern of mystery? Perhaps he wants you to discover him yourself. What if this is a test to see if you're deserving of his nature?

"so, what do you do for a living?" Sans changed the topic, his focus peering back at you which strikes like he'd just read your mind and directly prevented you from asking more than what you've heard. 

"Just a normal one. Living in an apartment, working on a job, nothing particularly interesting."

But it is not normal to involve yourself within a circle of illegal business and people, using your knowledge for unlawful and risky situations just for a quick buck. Hopefully that his drowsiness would take away his astute observation. It would be challenging to keep things vague about yourself if he asked further when it is easier to assume that you're not being entirely licit with the mere fact that you live in one of the trashiest places and had once ran from the cops.

"for someone who's employed, you sure do spend a lot of time at my place." Sans winked, refusing to take his eyes off you as he guzzled more on his beer until it was emptied to the base before putting it back down with a thud.

You let yourself breathe regularly, maintaining an eye contact and putting your elbow on the table this time to mimic his position. For someone who lacks sleep and strained with piling papers of incomprehensive formulas left in his table, Sans sure do have a sharp perception of things. Sometimes it felt like walking through eggshells, especially that you have a dim room full of secrets you couldn't just dump all together in front of him. Though he's not being blatant about it, he's still suspicious of your frequent visits even after being invited and treated in one of his favorite places.

"I didn't say that I'm employed. Just working on a job." You corrected him. But Sans hasn't abated from his stance if not only growing more skeptical of you.

"what job, exactly?" He interrogated, his eyes focusing back on its wakened state. 

"Freelance developer." You responded truthfully. It is easier to stay indistinct because you could just leave out the part that you've been part of underground websites and illegal online trading.

"oh. mind if you show some of what you've worked on the next time?"

What is he trying to achieve here? You weren't sure if he's been playing some kind of mind games with you, or if he's just genuinely curious of your occupation. Where would he even get the idea of you doing prohibited things? Did he somehow caught the spy cam you've put on different corners of his apartment? But that seems unlikely.

You were still able to watch him walk around freely, doing things incautiously that only people by themselves are confident to do when they're alone. You've once watched him form a magic length and masturbate while showering just to get off a heat, in which you've pleasured yourself for countless times already. If he had an assumption that you've been watching him this whole time, it is improbable of him to stay exposed and uncaring.

"Sure." You responded without hesitancy. "But I have all my stuff inside my apartment room so not sure how's that gonna work."

"no problem. i assume you live somewhere nearby. what if i return the stakes this time by visiting your place?" Sans winked at you once again with his left socket opened. "only if you invite me though. no pressure."

Why would he say something so hasty? You couldn't let yourself be seen like that. You're not yet ready to show your worst state and it might scare him off. Besides, you didn't take Sans for someone who's willing to go to a home owned by someone he'd just met recently. He's smarter than that, unless whatever's keeping him up all night is starting to muddle his brain.

But you trust on the stars and fate, maybe this is the only way that two of you were able to get together soon.

"Alright. The schedule's up to you since I'm not getting a lot of clients lately." 

"then it's set." Sans grinned, the cynicism still present within his eye lights.

You gulped on your own beer this time, finishing it all up in a quick sip until it was empty. Right after you put it back down on the table and before any of you could say another word, someone uninvited barged in.

A monster appeared behind Sans, swiftly coiling a right arm over his shoulder and enveloping it around to the other one. Putting all of her weight on Sans's back, she stoop forwards which carried the skeleton along with the toppling position of her body. Sans didn't have enough time to compose himself since she just appeared out of nowhere.

"Sansy! You're early today!" She exclaimed with an ebullient tone of voice.

You observed her form. A yellow bunny with uneven ears, one standing upright and the other drooping forwards. Her tight, pink shirt asserting her hourglass figure and jean shorts with rips on its ends screams an evocative nature of her character. The way that she held on Sans without respect for boundaries shows that they've been close for a long time now, and possibly she have some kind of enticement towards him.

This is discomforting.

"heya..." Sans greeted with a lazy wave beside him, gently pulling himself away from the bunny monster and straightening his hoodie to readjust his position on the stool. "i owe a treat to my new buddy here."

Sans told the monster your name, gesturing to your direction with a grin across his face.

"Hi." You greeted with a folded lips smile, her sore reddened eyes glancing on you through flushed cheeks. That's when you realized that she's drunk which probably adds to her boldness in stepping over the borders when it comes to physical touch. But it is not an excuse for her improper behavior.

"this is bun." Sans introduced his friend to you.

When she heard her own name, a foolish grin crept up her lips and leaned forwards to stare at you. She batted her thick eyelashes while giving you a suggestive gawk as if she was trying to tempt you in some way. 

Though you couldn't feel anything else right now but repulsion.

When she'd realized that your eyes were glued on her face rather than her chest she's been trying to emphasize, she reclined back and began speaking.

"Nice to meet you! You're the second human that Sans brought at Grillby's, next to Frisk." She cheered, though all you could return is a fake simper that would fit to the standards of meeting someone new.

"Same here Bun, nice to meet you. But I didn't know about that. Sans never told me about Frisk before." You chuckled, but internally you were wishing that she'd just leave both of you alone already. She's not your person of interest in this pub. You're here for Sans and she just had to break apart that precious time you're having with him.

However, what she told you was quite intriguing. You wanted to press on the subject more, ask Sans if what she said was true. But before you could say another word, the bunny preceded you.

"Oh c'mon now Sansy, why would you forget to mention Frisk with your new friend? Aren't ya a bit rude to our ambassador?" Buns brought her face closer to his skull, poking Sans's unusually soft cheeks with her index finger.

Sans didn't seem to mind these gestures, as if he'd grown used to it before. Her suggestive motions were making you anxious and vexed. How dare she put her filthy hands all over him? You don't even care if they've been having this kind of bond a long time ago. Sans doesn't deserved to be handled like that. 

"buns, it's eight in the morning and you're drunk. why don't you take a break?" Sans ignored her question through exhausted sockets.

"Why don't you take a break? Let's get both of you a shot of whiskey." Bun offered, finally releasing her arms from him and walking over to the space between you and Sans, calling to the counter this time with her palms rested against the surface. "Grillby! Over here!" 

Shortly after, the same literal fire monster wearing glasses and a suit uniform who served you a minute ago came up to the counter. Even with Grillby's faceless features, it is apparent that he's staring at Bun without saying a thing. He merely stood there, waiting for her word.

"One bottle of whiskey for me, Sans and his new human friend right here." Buns ordered with a blaring voice through hammered state.

Grillby nodded, turning away to face the shelves of liquors and glasses behind him. He proceeded to take out a bottle of Bun's request and grabbed on three shot glasses to wipe them separately.

"hey, i just had my brewski. in fact i was about to go home."  Sans tried telling Buns but she was dogged into getting both of you drunk along with her.

"It's my treat! Let's call this a celebration. Just one glass, c'mon." 

Sans, please don't let her ruin our time.

"fine, fine... you always say that." Sans chuckled, finally giving up on her stubborn offer.

Talk about someone being a leech...

Just when you thought that Sans had completely forgotten about your presence, he stared at you with knitted brows as though he's the one being embarrassed by Bun's sudden intervention. But it was her who's supposed to feel that way, not Sans.

"uh... is this fine?" Sans asked you with hesitancy. Despite his incertitude query earlier, there's still a consideration left on him for you. Bun might have came in to the scene but she's not going to steal away his whole attention. You can feel that Sans is still scrutinizing your angle, like a headlight and table in the midst of darkness between the two of you.

"Yeah. Totally. One drink wouldn't hurt." You responded reassuringly, still playing that conventional role of warming to other people.

"Who said it'll be one drink?" Bun intercepted once again.

"you don't have to—"

"It's fine. I can handle it." You chuckled.

But the more that you listen to her voice, the more for your urge to take Sans's hands and have him run away with you is augmenting within your visceral. You wouldn't mind a couple of drinks but Bun doesn't have to stay in the picture. However, she's Sans's friend and if getting along with her means having the skeleton become a little more trustful of you, you're inclined to put on a mask.

A minute later, Grillby returned on your counters. He set down the bottle on the countertop and the newly wiped shot glasses beside it. He uncapped the whiskey and poured a small amount for each one, remaining quiet as usual.

"Thanks Grillby! We'll handle it from here." Bun said after Grillby was done tending the bar, in which he merely nodded before walking over to a pair of customer sitting by the other end of the bar table.

"So... Human, where'd you meet Sansy?" She asked, jerking her head to your direction as she sipped from her shot glass.

"At his work. I was a customer." You responded without touching your own glass.

"Mhmm... Well how did the two of you became close? Since when?"

"I became a regular customer. He uh..."

You tried to come up with a reason how the relationship between the two of you have formed. Fortunately, Bun doesn't seem that much interested as she grabbed the whole bottle this time and poured at least one-third of its content down her throat. Sans didn't seem to mind, just sitting behind her but you could feel his eyes lingering on you. Even though you're currently conversing with someone else, his silent inspection to your choice of words is still present.

"Well, Sans showed basic courtesy and we just became..." You trailed off for a while, the memory flashing back inside your head. How are you going to describe it anyway? That you were bleeding when you met him? That he cracked some joke and next thing you knew was following him all the way home without his knowledge?

"A thing... Friends, I mean. Sans is very friendly." You continued weakly, keeping an attentive watch on the skeleton from the other seat through your peripheral vision.

Bun put back down the bottle on the table, sloppily wiping the remnant trickles of alcohol from the side of her lips with her bare arm. She raised an eyebrow before turning back on Sans.

"Sansy, you're making me jealous." Bun walked over to the side of Sans with the bottle of whiskey in her left hand. She repeated the same position she had upon greeting him, having her right arm over his shoulders and pushing herself against him. Sans is seemingly becoming uncomfortable now, keeping the same grin but through furrowed browbones and a single bead of sweat drop in his frontal bone.

"Come on, drink with me. Remember that time when you had like, three bottles in one night?" She brought her face next to him, rubbing her cheeks against his zygomatic with blitzed eyes. You have a notion of where this is going and it's rousing some unpleasant feelings inside your chest.

"buns, it'll be impolite of you to leave nothing for our guest here." Sans tried to divert the attention back at you, but the inebriation of the bunny monster is beginning to take over the once peaceful atmosphere.

"You're just avoiding me. They haven't even touched their glass yet." Bun gazed back at you, but her physical closeness against Sans hasn't shriveled. "Say, human, is it alright if we finish this bottle on our own? You could just request me... or Sansy, if you want another one!"

"It's alright. I don't drink that much, to be honest." You did your best to keep your voice neutral, gradually calming yourself down in your seat. "But I'll toast on your... celebration." You grabbed your shot glass, raising it upwards in the air and guzzled the small amount of whiskey down your throat.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Bun's voice is becoming louder, catching some of the customers' attention but she wasn't a bit bothered at all. "Sansy, please, please, please? Drink with me."

Sans sighed with his sockets closed, taking the bottle away from her hand without saying a word and quaffed the remaining whiskey until it was emptied. You merely sat there, watching, pulse hammering like a trigger getting ready to shoot. Sans is obviously just keeping up with her phase but what he needed right now is a good sleep. It must have been exhausting being him, having to deal with pretentious people while being considerate with their actions.

"Holy crap, you actually drank it all! Guess we need another one!" Buns hollered into a fit of drunken laughter, her body stumbling forwards to Sans like he's about to fall off the stool soon. Now you're starting to remember why you don't like pubs in general, full of rowdy people with no respect for personal space. You couldn't even imagine what it's like in here during the night.

"can't afford to get wasted, i haven't slept in like... fifteen hours." Sans is beginning to seem tipsy, his skull moderately limping to the side and his sockets becoming droopier.

"Please let's just hang out a little longer!" Bun kept on insisting him, slovenly wrapping her arms around his small frame and rubbing herself against him.

Patience...

"sorry buns, i think i'm at my limit. i'll just..." Sans rubbed his forehead a little, a tinge of blue blush painting his cheek bones. "alcohol you later." He quipped, though the weakened grin across his face hasn't uplifted since.

Bun snorted and giggled at his pun, her grip of his upper body only becoming more rigid and persuading. You began to lose perception of your surroundings as your concentration resides on the two monsters in front of you.

"Sansy, you're really funny. That's why I like you. I thought I'd find hotter guys in the surface." Bun leaned closer, the foolish simper on her face faltering and her gaze getting salacious while she stares straight on his face.

Sans had lost apprehension of Bun's motives, his sockets slowly closing in and his form declining to one direction. Bun's other hand began to tug on the hem of his hoodie, tiptoeing an index and middle finger up to his shirt's collar. Her hand stopped there, and crawled around his vertebrae, to his clavicle and soon found its way inside his shirt through the hole of his collar.

Sans's was riled from his woozy shape, sockets widening from her unsolicited touches in which he reclined back instinctively. He grabbed her arm and pulled it out of his shirt which hindered her from going any further.

"woah pal... you're really drunk. think i'm gonna go home." Sans replied with a perspiring and flushed face.

"Oh, I thought we were a thing when we kissed." 

Your infuriation thrived into higher altitudes, your breathing becoming slower with each second passing by. The remaining tang of whiskey in your buds tasted bitterer than ever along with a waving heat of jealousy encapsulating your composure.

"i told you, that wasn't me. it was a skeleton halloween prop you've smooched." Sans corrected her, still struggling to pull himself away from her with his torpid arms.

"But I remembered it was your face!" Bun fussed further, her vulgar hands traversing perilously down to the waistband of his shorts.

Before Sans could realize what was happening, you decided that it is enough. It was as if your body is choosing to move on its own after you involuntarily got off your seat and yanked her arm away from his body. It wasn't your intention to make it hostile but due to her dozy senses of poorly maintaining her balance, she staggered backwards on her foot before regaining her stance once again that prevented her from completely tripping down the floor.

"Sorry, I think Sans made it pretty clear that he's not interested." You managed to keep a calm tone of your voice while trying to bury your boiling aggravation through your nerves.

Bun seemed surprised at your sudden action, her expression turning into a scowl. Sans on the other hand is unaware of what is happening with the enhancing intoxication jumbling his discernment. A second after he got free from her cling on his body, his head fell forwards to the bar table before him with his sockets closing by themselves.

"I'm just trying to keep things civil here. I'm sorry." You immediately apologized before things could get out of hand.

"Oh please. You appear out of nowhere and now you're putting your nose in someone else's business." Bun bellowed through bloodshot eyes. Her voice caught more of the people's attention now. This is not what you wanted. She has an upper advantage in this place and it'll be easy to put the blame on you since this is a monster's property anyway.

Fortunately enough, Grillby was fast to walk out of the counter bar and darted towards Bun. He grabbed both of her shoulders and tried to calm her down but she was being stubborn.

"Sansy, the hell is wrong with this human friend of yours? Something about them is suspicious." 

Bun was yelling out and thrashing around simultaneously, trying to break away from Grillby's grasp but the fire monster is patient in dealing with her. He dragged her wasted form to a table of fellow bunny monsters, spoke with them inaudibly in which all of them nodded before taking Bun on their own arms.

You turned your attention back at Sans who is now fast asleep on the countertop, ignoring the rest of the commotion behind you. You have no time for noisy people like her. You ambled next to Sans, gently nudging his shoulder to wake him up.

"No! I'm not yet... drunk enough!" Buns exclaimed one last time before her voice died down as she was carried out of the pub, in which you still disregarded as Sans have all of your full attention now.

"hmm...? w-what?" Sans slurred with his socket opening ajar.

"Let's get you home." You cooed next to his ear canal while you gently rub on his back.

"y-yeah." Sans simply responded and nodded.

You assisted him to jump off his stool with your left hand under his arm and the other on his back as a support. He felt light and fragile in your hands like an ethereal figure filled with chasmal secrets behind those eyes. It makes you want to protect him and isolate him from the rest of revolting individuals like Bun. You needed to be his savior.

"Sans, where are your keys?" You asked at the intoxicated skeleton next to you with his left arm enclosed behind your back.

"p-phocket..." Sans garbled through sottish temperament.

With his permission, you used your free hand to roam around his hoodie pockets. You dipped your hand inside until your fingertips met contact with a cold, metallic material. You pulled it out and inserted it to the locket then turned the knob and pushed the door open wide enough to let the two of you enter inside.

You carried Sans inside by his shoulder, leading him through tottering movements while keeping a firm support and pushed the door close behind you by your foot. Sans being shorter than you made it easier to guide him straight to the sofa and let him plop down on top of the cushions. He's in the state of between slumber and wake, still uttering incoherent words that you could no longer understand.

You sat next to him, studying his dormant face with yearning. It's comparable staring into your own jail with Sans keeping you entrapped by his configuration. He seemed so exquisite this way and every time you gaze at his face, you briefly forget the disfigurement of the world around you.

"Sans?" You tried shaking him a little to check his consciousness, but he didn't make any sound at all. You've done it three more times but Sans is already in a deep sleep state.

Your rationale is telling you that it's time to leave now but the more that you study his slumbering figure, the more you're being drawn to him. The ribbons connecting your souls is pulling you forwards, gesticulating you that this is what the stars would've wanted. They brought you here for a purpose and maybe Bun's sudden interruption was intentional for a greater cause.

You delicately cupped his face, trailing both of your palms and fingertips upwards to his ivory blue flushed cheeks. You've found yourself lost in the softness of this particular part in his body with your thumb repeatedly grazing on it. It is fetching and peculiar at the same time, as though you were touching a glass that's supposed to be handled with care. Out of all the monsters you've encountered by going out lately, none of them would've stand out over this miniscule skeleton before your eyes. You slowly brought your face close to his skull, the strong smell of whiskey lingering within your nostrils. But you paid no mind. You'll never mind.

You closed your eyes and nimbly pressed your lips against his solid teeth. You slightly shivered at the draftiness of his bone, the heat being emitted by you intermixing with his that creates a lukewarm balance between your differing body temperatures. You wanted to go through stepping stones with scrupulous forethought. But the fire burning within your loins bolstered by the amount of alcohol you've consumed is making your body attracted to his magnetic physique. Your mind is being cluttered by your amorous thoughts and desire, and suddenly you've lost all control.

You pulled away from him and using your right thumb, you slightly parted his teeth by pulling down his jaw bone ajar. A blue tongue peeked from the inside of his mouth. You've only witnessed this cosmic part of him through the hidden cams, but seeing it in front of you is arousing different emotions from your chest. Your heart began pounding rapidly as if it wants to break free through your ribcage. Sans remained unconscious and unresponsive by your touches, but it didn't stop you from going further.

You inched yourself closer once again and let yourself gratify in this rare moment. You swirled your tongue inside his mouth, exploring the caverns of his sublingual fossa and mylohyoid line. He tasted like whiskey and it only adds to the heightening dipsomania of yours from his presence. Your tongue slithered on his immobile buds, savoring his magic formed part that prickles every fiber of your being. With inflamed desire, you pushed your body against him firmly until you could feel his ribs through the thin fabric of his shirt.

Even if you wanted to take things slow, staying with him alone in his apartment was tempting. You're completely sober but holding him like this is causing an elating appetence down your regions. Your hands gripped on his shoulders and pushed his senseless shape down the couch with you hovering on top of him without letting go of his mouth. His body is becoming warmer the more that you leave fiery trails of little brushes against his bones and soon you were distracted by an illumination coming from within his upper body.

You slowly opened your eyes and pulled away from him, a thread of slaver bridging your tongue and his mouth molding and disappearing shortly after. Sans is still in his slumber but something behind his shirt is glowing radiantly. You tugged lightly at the hem of his garment and slowly pulled it upwards to his skeletal chest. Your eyes casted from his spinal cord, to his sternum and finally to his luminescence soul pulsating behind his ribs. You knew about this before due to your daily monitoring of his activities inside this room. Nevertheless, you found yourself getting lost in its elegant and feeble structure.

This right here is his soul, the very essence of his life. You could feel it calling out for you, pulling you closer through invisible strings woven by cluster of kismets. It felt like being hypnotized by your own devotion to him and without consideration for the aftermath, your index finger reached out through a gap between his costal cartilages as though it was moving on its own.

You poked slightly on its side with curiosity and felt an electrifying chill running through your nerves. The hairs on your arms and nape stood up from the fervency of its feedback. Right after a few seconds however before you could satiate yourself from his quaint vessel of viability, Sans squirmed with the slightest contact of your fingertips. His sockets opened in an instant with pinprick eye lights and a sweltering skull. 

You reflexively pulled away from him in a speed of light and scrambled backwards at the other end of the couch with trembling hands, his soul's electric warmth leaving a stung tactility in the portion of your skin. You swallowed a gulp with alarms going off in your daylights as you'd repeatedly began to berate yourself for letting your lascivious passion cloud up your brain. You weren't sure if you were caught, but you stayed silent with an amplifying anxiety obscuring your head, merely waiting for him to speak up.

Running away right now would only arise more questions.

Sans turned his skull on your direction with the expression on his face unreadable and vague whether if it's still from the amount of alcohol he'd consumed or if it is because he found out what you were trying to do.

Chapter Text

"y-you... what are you doing?" Sans asked with a befuddled expression on his face, widened eyes and cold sweat drops numbing his skull. He brought his left hand over his chest where his soul is located, his phalanges gripping tightly on the fabric of his shirt. His shoulders were heaving up with his sockets going uneven as it slowly droops back down.

"I'm not doing anything." You fibbed with the same composure he'd known from you. You remained frozen in your position with your heart pounding in your eardrums. Fortunately enough, Sans is intoxicated which dulls his keen senses.

"i... i felt you touch my soul." He huffed through ragged breathings.

"Sans, you must be imagining things. You're drunk." You told him impassively and slowly approached him with care as though you're taming a scared kitten.

"no, no, no... y-you c-can't fool me." He blabbered, shaking his head repeatedly. He's using the residual energy he had left in him to scurry backwards but the kick of alcohol is only turning his movements inept. His left hand would occasionally slip on the edge of the couch and his slippers would dishevel the covers.

You stopped midway in your motions, merely observing the vulnerable and helpless skeleton in trying to get away from you even if you weren't doing anything for now. With this inebriated state of his, it's pretty obvious that you haven't fully gain his trust yet. You merely fell victim to the temptation in a spur of moment and you didn't know that monsters' soul were that sensitive.

"Alright. I'll go ahead if that's what you want." You forfeited, letting out a sigh. It wasn't your intention to scare him off and if leaving meant a peace of mind for him, then you'll grant him the favor. You got off the sofa, ready to embark on your way out until you heard him muttered something.

"w-wait..." Sans called out in a barely audible tone of voice, but the silence filled apartment room made it easy for you to understand him.

You turned back to stare at the wasted skeleton lying down sloppily on the couch. His sockets seemed to be struggling in keeping them open with creased browbones. The hand clasped over his shirt wasn't ceasing with his ribcage still pumping lightly on his closed fist. His eye lights were staring blankly in the ceiling while trying to find the right words to say, as if he's reading a paper filled with word scripts above his head. There was a minute of pause and all you could hear was the sounds of his uneven breathing. You've noticed through the sheer thin fabric of his shirt that his soul is gradually dimming with each deep inhale that he takes. It appears like he's medicating himself a bit to calm down his body before attempting to speak again.

"t-then why did i felt something in my chest earlier? care t-to explain that, bud?" Sans sounds unaware of his words anymore. He's a total mess and at your best guess, he wouldn't remember this conversation the next day. Bun might have been a very close friend of his to oblige with her obstinate request of chugging down the whiskey whole.

"I-I didn't notice, my hand must have slipped. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." If ever, for some reason he recalled this discourse, it might as well be a better decision to remain unyielding in your stand.

"are you leaving now?" Sans's eyes have fully sealed in but the grip on his shirt shows that he's still remaining conscious. He put his left arm over his foramen and letting his body ease off a bit.

"Do you want me to stay?"

The atmosphere was hard to determine after another stillness had lulled between the two of you. Any minute by now, Sans would likely fall asleep without him realizing but for some reason, he's still mustering up the effort to respond. He probably has a lot of things to say with his mouth seemingly moving a little, murmuring incomprehensible words to himself. His body is still in an irregular breathing phase and it's hard to tell if he wanted to throw up, lash out, cry or something in between of the three.

A part of you was hoping that he'll ask you to stay, even though that wouldn't seem to be the case based on his recent responses. You wanted him to open up on you and comfort him of whatever's been bothering his mind.

"no. just go."

You were expecting that answer but you felt your heart break a little with this refusal. Sans doesn't seem to notice that you actually meddled with a very sensitive part of him but in the end, he preferred to have you leave him alone. You don't want to scare him further more than what you already did just now and despite the fact that your body wanted you to stay, you'll compel with his demand.

"Okay." You replied before completely turning away and headed for the door.

Once you were standing right above his doormat, you gazed at him for one last time. It's not like he already trusted you in the first place and it'll be lethal to feed your delusions. No matter how much days or months you'll expose yourself to him, he will always have those walls around him guarding his presence. For now, it's still unclear why. Then your eyes wandered throughout the scattered papers on his floor that contains specific formulas and equations you're not familiar of. These might answer your question but for now, you'll leave him alone.

Countless days have passed since you've spoke with Sans. After what happened, you've thought of not showing up yourself for a bit might help ease the tension. Giving him space is probably what he would have wanted and you don't want to appear very demanding of his attention to the point that you'll become a nuisance to him. Even though the lack of communication is killing you, he haven't totally left your line of perspective through the screen of your laptop. He was going through days the usual as before, nothing really notable have been happening. In fact, there was one time when he cleaned up some portions of crumpled paper that scattered around his floors. Though it didn't take long for his main room to be filled with new sheets again after another consecutive nights of staying up late.

You also began to learn information about Bun. She was quite easy to find in the internet with her profile exposed in different dating apps and updating her social media often. You were curious and was wondering if she'll hinder the potential relationship you might have for Sans, it's not wrong to be wary of such threats in your surroundings.

There was one time you followed her at Grillby's by watching her updates on one of her social accounts. Concealing yourself with a mere hood during the night in a bustling city hasn't been hard for you. You watched her from a distance through the front glass window of the pub as a part of your investigation. She's been with a human you've never seen before in at least one of her posts but they were constantly laughing and flirting with one another through bottles of alcohol. She had that same outfit the last time you've seen her, a flushed cheeks that provides confirmation of her intoxication and bunny ears drooping over her face with her exaggerated movements. The next few minutes, their hands were already roaming on one another's bodies in a gawky way. You thought that you should have been satisfied with what you found out already, but your overgrowing inquisitiveness had you remaining stranded with this little inquest.

When they got out of Grillby's, none of them seemed to notice your distant existence in the scene. They were still giggling and ogling one another until they saw an approaching cab headed their way. You overheard them tell their destination before hopping gauchely inside the car. You already had a hunch of where they're going but you followed them anyway. You fetched a taxi of your own and told the same location you've overheard from them.

A sick curiosity is prolonged over your head if she's actually willing to do it with a total stranger while still having an infatuation on Sans. Some of her online posts were obviously hinting that she still had feelings for him that he couldn't reciprocate, even if there wasn't a specific name mentioned. You never cared whether she's doing this as a coping mechanism for her heartbreak because this will only prove it further that she doesn't deserve him like you do.

Upon arrival at the barely lit motel with a blinking signage on its first two letters, you observed Bun and the human got off the cab with their arms around one another. They were laughing mindlessly, stumbling their way to the front desk to get a key. Promptly you got off the taxi as well and hid to a nearest tree you could find that's obscured with darkness and free from headlights illuminations. Bun is holding the key with her while the human was giving her kisses on their way to the motel room they've picked. They haven't reached the door yet and they were almost closely getting on it already. This screams nothing but a one night stand for you. Maybe if you weren't in the scene from the last day you've personally saw Sans, this scrubber of a monster would probably drag him all the way here despite his declination.

You stayed there for a couple more minutes, viewing them arrive at the room and not bothering to close the curtains in the window. They were already stripping one another off with their clothes and at that point, you decided that you had enough of estimating her lifestyle.

Bun's unrequited love for Sans had you wondering if they had somehow, fell to the point of having a drunken one night stand. Researching about her life had shown that they've been friends even before arriving at the surface. The thoughts of many possibilities is killing you and multiple possible scenarios playing in your head, leaving a sour taste in your mouth. But all you needed is patience and besides, those were all just mere assumptions that doesn't have a solid evidence.

You plopped down to your bed on your back, peering to the laptop screen beside you. Sans is currently engrossed on his habit of barely sleeping once again to scribble unfathomable things on his papers. The only difference for now is that he isn't being accompanied by booze. He's been like this from the previous nights and you were beginning to worry about his mental stability.

Your lack of presence wasn't affecting him a bit and you had no other source of communication for him. You were never sure if he remembered what happened that morning. As long as he wasn't entirely pushing you out of his life, you're alright with it.

You wanted to see him and feel him again like you did before. You were craving for that electric spark burning through your skin. You're now standing outside of his workplace, leaning against a wall and waiting for his shift to be over. It's better this way anyway than remaining hidden in the darkness.

After a few more minutes of imagining the probable conversation scenarios inside your head, you heard the door swung open from your side. Sans immediately caught your eye the moment he stepped out the door. You leaned away from your position and strode towards him before he took notice of you.

"Uh... Hi." You awkwardly greeted. Now that you've got a closer look of his face, something about him seemed different today. Being up close like this, you realized that his feeds in your laptop weren't enough to highlight some striking changes in his appearance. 

He stared up at you with large bags under his sunken sockets without bothering to put on a smile that have always been his indelible attribute. There was a small stain spot on his hoodie that he didn't bother to clean up whether if it was due to his laziness or something that he's been going through.

"haven't seen you around here in days." He deadpanned and shrugged.

"Yeah." You stared down at your feet, rubbing the sole of your shoes on the ground underneath you. He doesn't seem mad or surprised at all, just plain tired and you're beginning to wonder if this is the worst time to approach him right now.

You were about to bring up what happened the last time you've seen him but Sans had already spoke ahead of you.

"i'm toadly sorry for what happened with bun the other day. i hope you frog-ive me." Sans chuckled dryly, but it's definite that he's not up to humor right now. "i already spoke with her."

"What did you say? I hope that we'll get along the next time we met." No, you never wanted to see her again. In fact, you wish that it would be the last time you'll converse with her.

"eh, you know the usual stuff how it's unnecessary for her to act that way. it's not that important. just wanted to let you know."

Hopefully that'll teach Bun the lesson that no way she'll persuade Sans like how she's easily getting those men she'd met online.

"Do you remember what happened after that, when I brought you home?" You quipped, trying to speculate if he's still accusing you of touching his soul.

Sans's sockets narrowed at you. He shoved his hands inside his pockets and ambled forwards. Bringing up the topic seemed to agitate him a little and frankly it's making you uneasy.

"tibia honest, all i know is that you brought me back to my apartment. after that, everything was blank." He dully replied, though there's a trace of blue tinging his cheeks. "did something happen after that?"

"What do you mean?" You asked, blinking twice and attempting to act dumb even though you already had an idea what he was pertaining to.

"you know what i mean, buddy." He responded with a wink.

Is this his way of flirting with you? You were doubtful how to respond with that. What if he was just testing you to see if you're telling the truth because he actually knew what happened? What if you say yes? The questions were overwhelming to think about and so just said the first thing that came up in your head before he becomes suspicious of your silence.

"We kind of... Kissed, I think." You bit down on your lower lip, bracing yourself for a violent reaction.

"who made the first move?" 

You felt like you're being interrogated once again. The way that he didn't flinch at your claims indicates that he was sort of expecting that answer.

"Uh..." You rubbed at your nape with a timid smile forming in your lips. Both of us? No. He knew that you haven't drank that much during that time. Since you've already started this havoc of a discourse, the safest thing to say is... "You."

"and then?" Sans wasn't faltering from his stance. It sounds like he was waiting for a specific feedback. Something heavy is weighing in your chest with each lie that's coming out of your mouth. You wanted him to trust you by being honest but he's putting you in a difficult position.

"That's all... You told me right after that you wanted to be left alone."

"huh..." Sans muttered languidly. He stared out in the far distance for a while, though it's obvious that he isn't viewing the road ahead of him for the cars. "care to demonstrate that again while we're sober?"

Your heart jumped and briefly you contemplated if you heard him right or if it's just one of those daydreams you've been experiencing. You knew that something about him today is in constrict of his usual comportment. He was being extremely cautious and skeptical of you, and now he's asking you of the last thing you're expecting him to say.

"W-What do you mean?" You asked perplexedly.

"come take my hand." He offered, lending out his left hand for you that's currently covered in mitten gloves. You haven't remarked it until now.

Sans's choices is making you equivocal. He's being really unbelievable right now, but who are you to deny his proposition? You've been dreaming of this moment and this would probably be the last time he'll ask you of something so... Passionate? You stopped yourself from asking further questions in your head and nodded before taking his hand.

His mittens were warm and soft in contrast with his skeletal hands. There's something new about feeling his phalanges through the fabrics, just barely making contact with your skin. You would've cherished this moment if only he wasn't rushing on his feet, dragging you along with him to the pavements without knowing your destination. The skies corresponded with this occurrence because they were clear and blue like an ocean. It's pleasant to think that the weather is dancing through your melody, providing you the advantage to relish on this short moment.

You passed by a couple more blocks until he hauled you into a narrow corner. Before you could ask what he was doing, everything had faded into black. Within a blink of a second, both of you were in a total different place. He took you in a dark alley dimmed by huge apartment buildings. You're all too well familiar with these kind of areas, but you didn't know specifically where he had took you.

Your hand slipped off from Sans with your head jerking side by side in disarray, trying to comprehend what just happened. Did time just passed? You had so many questions but there was only one thing you managed to ask.

"S-Sans, where are we?" You turned to gape back at Sans who's currently facing the opposite side.

"it's the nearest place i could take my shortcut. so, are we going to do it or not?" He spun around to face you, glancing up through half-lidded sockets. A small smile formed across his mouth and he seemed pretty bent on what he was asking you to do.

"I-Isn't this too fast?" You chuckled nervously.

"pal, are you sure you wanted to miss this opportunity? 'cause it's gonna be hella awkward once we walked out of here if nothing happened."

You wanted to take the bite because it was fucking tempting. Kissing him while he was drunk is one thing, but with Sans giving you his consent was like hundred light years away from your celestial sphere on the wane. He's lighting up the flames once again and the sparks you haven't experienced in days is flickering through your lucidity like little fireworks in a midnight sky.

"Are you sure about that? Y-You s-seem really tired." Because he really is. He's saying things he wouldn't normally speak of.

"why would i waste my time dragging you all the way here if i wasn't certain?" He took a step closer with a raised browbone. "would you like me to take the initiative?"

You were staring down at him due to your height differences, but it's evident that Sans is taking control of the situation that's making you feel inferior. But you didn't mind. Whether if this is a dream or not, you're going to quench the longing that's been preying on your psyche.

"O-Okay." You merely responded.

What he did next came as a surprise. Sans had pulled you down by the collar of your shirt to bring your faces together closer, hauling you with your eyes meeting one another. But it wasn't near enough to have your lips meet his as though he was teasing you. You were just a few millimeters away from his face and both of you could feel each other's hot breaths blowing in your faces.

"this is as far as i could go. you have a choice to walk away, or—"

You were eager to take him and you didn't get to let him finish what he was about to say. You've brought your two hands on either side of his skull and crashed your lips against him in a compelling manner. You felt him tense up against your abrupt actions and he went stiff for a short while. You held your breath as if you're diving underwater, just letting yourself absorb the situation with eyes closed. But you're not going to stop here.

You pushed Sans against the chain link fence behind him and rolled your body against his frame without letting go of his mouth. He was prompted to open up his mouth a little, granting you access in which you immediately took the opportunity to insert your tongue inside. You swiveled your buds around his like it was your first time tasting him, letting yourself drown into the sensations with reasoning and prudence departing your mind. He wasn't moving nor responding to your touches however, but you were persistent. You grabbed fervently on his hoodie to pull him closer. The surroundings became nothing but a bleak nothingness and all you could hear for now is the heart pounding on your eardrums, yearning breathings and his muffled noises. 

Sans wasn't able to keep up with your phase and even with a bit of a movement, he's struggling to give it his all. You felt him tap repeatedly on your right arm in a surrender and you took this as a sign to pull away from him. His unruffled attitude was quickly replaced with a panting mess of a skeleton. A bright blue hue had become more prominent across his zygomatic and his uneven half-open sockets were gazing hazily at you. He began sweltering all over his foramen and the left sleeve of his hoodie had slipped off a bit from his shoulder.

"was it... also rough like this?" Sans asked through huffs, still regaining his oxygen.

"Kind of." You chewed on your lower lip. "Well, does that satisfy what you were asking me to do?"

"i guess the question now is, was that all that happened?" Sans asked like, he was asking for more?

"Um... Yeah." It's becoming hard to read through his motives and you're still in a bliss of the moment. You couldn't help but fancy the idea that he had probably missed your presence after all. Why else would he let you kiss him in a semipublic place?

"care to take it further while no one's around?" 

And your assumptions were right.

"I don't think—"

"i'm asking you to."

"Are you sure about that?" You cupped his face with your right hand while he remained stationary in his position. He merely nodded, lowering his head and giving you an inviting stare.

"Why?"

"no reason."

Of course that was a lie. There's something behind this strange antics of him and it is getting more confusing the more that you proceed. But you wanted this more than anything that's been happening in your life right now. For now, you're going to let yourself think that your choices wouldn't matter in the end.

You brought down your ravenous lips on him once again, craving for the drug that's been instantly getting you high the second you delve yourself in it. Sans had always been your medication right from the beginning and the aftermaths would either make you feel better or worse. Sans had fell back bunglingly with the mere support of the fence. He started to correspond on your approach, twirling his tongue along with yours but in a slower phase compared to yours. Even if he was the first one to ask for an advancement, you were the one who lead the circumstances at the last bits. 

Your right hand began to explore around the upper body of his shirt, caressing his costal cartilages through his clothe. Sans had been trapped in a position he permitted to happen, no way of escaping from your bristly movements on his frail body. Your other hand then traversed down on his shorts. Your index and middle fingers fondled around his waistband, trailing the tips encircling his hipbones. He was weakly attempting to match your subjugation but it was a total struggle for him.

You were about to slip your hands inside his shorts until Sans had pulled himself away from you. He was gasping for air the same way he did earlier. Perhaps all of this was too much for him, but you couldn't also hold yourself back. You just love him too much, sometimes you're forgetting that there's still boundaries built up between the two of you.

"What is it?" You asked him, reclining back a little without taking your hand off his body.

"i just needed to breathe." Sans puffs out warm breaths and his sockets were lowering as he speaks.

You could feel your own urge tickling on your guts by just watching him with this countenance, especially that you're the one who put him in this disposition and not that stupid Bun. You've already sworn your loyalty to him from the very start and no way will you let something or someone else get in the way. You'll do everything to have that life you wanted with him.

"Tell me when you want to continue." 

He panted a little more in short breaths and a few seconds of him taking in the air he'd lost.

"now."

Instantaneously after enunciating his acquiescence, you pushed him again to the fence this time in an even more forceful manner. The rattles of the wires resounded into the empty alleyway followed by a small squeal from Sans. You snaked your right arm around his nape and tugged him closer until your mouths have found one another the third time around. You kissed him in a way that you did earlier, exploring the insides of his mouth accompanied by your harvested desire to take all of him. You were literally taking his breath away but unlike earlier, Sans wasn't trying to stop you anymore. Both of you were unconcerned to the fact that all of these are happening in a public place and anytime by now, someone could catch you doing public indecency. But none of you cared anymore. If only he knew how many times you've imagined this exact scenario in your head.

Your other hand drifted down on his shorts where it had been. You had enough of giving yourself limited admission to his form when he had already fully given himself up to you. Your hand slipped inside his shorts while you were also preoccupied in giving him a tongue deep kiss, your fingers brushing gracelessly over his pelvic bone parts. You weren't paying attention to the areas that your digits would meet as long as you could feel his delicate parts skimming on your fingertips. Hearing Sans's stifled moans against your coarse kisses is a music to your ears.

When it was time for you to regain your breath for now, you pulled away from him with a slaver linking between your mouths. Both of you were staring at one another in a dazed expression but your hands were still working on its own. You moved your finger down a little more on his pelvis and rubbed on his coccyx with your thumb and index finger. After watching him countless times through the hidden cams, you're already fully aware of his magic formed length that would take shape through stimulations. You were just imitating what he had been doing sometimes in the shower, playing with his lower regions until a manhood would appear.

"s-shit..." Sans cursed under his breath through half-lidded sockets.

You didn't stop until a translucent blue phallus molded into a shape that poked out of his slightly pulled down waistband. Sans averted his eyes in a seemingly embarrassed expression written all over his face. It would have gotten you worried already if he's beginning to regret this. However, you're still holding on to the essence that as long as he wasn't telling you to leave, then you'll continue setting in your motion.

"can i say something for a bit?" He said in a lower tone of voice, refusing to meet your eye.

"Go ahead."

"i... i won't make promises after this. crap, i don't even know what i'm doing." Sans rested his right palm over his foramen. "if y-you wanted something more than this, y-you can l-leave now before you get the wrong idea."

That stings a lot more than you thought because you quickly heeded what he meant. And here you are, expecting that something more is finally growing in your relationship with him. Then again, you couldn't really blame him since you merely appeared in his life out of nowhere. He couldn't even return the same feelings for Bun, much less to a person like you.

This would've normally halt anyone, but not you. You're going to make him love you no matter what he says and make him see that you can take him in an entirely new universe along with you. Maybe not just now, but someday. The stars and fate would never deceive you after everything you've been through.

"I understand." 

Your right hand then traced down on his length and enclosed your fingers around it, rubbing on it slowly at first. Sans let out a quivered moan, his hands gripping on the chain links behind him. You observed his sockets wilting into the pleasure and his mouth hanging agape. The skeleton monster looked so bewitching in this state, shivering with his shallow breathing under the strokes of your flaring touches. With each second that you pump his erection, the speed of your hands accelerates with delight. His arms and legs were shaking from the carnality blurring his sense of reality. His skull is sweltering from the sensation with scorching huffs of breath escaping his mouth. You wanted to kiss him and taste him right now, but what would that even mean if this is nothing but a leisure for him? As much as you wanted to enjoy this moment, Sans's declaration had weighed down on your chest.

You were judging Bun for having her one night stands and doing it with multiple strangers she'd just met without having feelings for them, and yet here you are... Pondering his words while you were ceaselessly bucking your hand on his manhood. The thought alone is giving you an unpalatable harsh taste in your buds. While Sans was groaning and weakly jolting his hips against your enclosed fingers, your mind is buzzing with sullen thoughts. Even if your eyes were glued on the monster's dazed expression before you, you couldn't concentrate with the puncture of a possibly to be damaged relationship with Sans. You're never resorting to that measure.

Sans is coinciding with your uninterrupted motions with a salivation trickling on the side of his ajar mouth. Your arms were working relentlessly, giving him the labor out of your genuine feelings. Yet he's there, getting off from the hand of a person he doesn't love at all. He wasn't even trying to look at you and who knows what he's currently seeing inside his head with your rapid pumps on his length. Precum began to dribble down on his shaft and he's still somewhere else. He wasn't even mumbling your name at all. Perhaps he just needed this for his own satisfaction, not because he finds you special.

"f-fuck, i'm close." Sans muttered through unsteady panting. His proclamation have enthused you back to the present moment and in a short while, your worries have been submerged by your wantonness to witness him climax.

Right after he said those words, Sans had spurted trails of his cum into your hands. His white seed coated your hand with some of its portion dripping on the ground. His shallow breathings immediately came down to a feeble state as he slumped down on the floor, trying to catch his breath and regain his oxygen through closed sockets. As much as you wanted to fill in your own starvation for his touch, it's just impossible to completely push the thoughts aside of Sans not wanting for any of this to have a substance at all.

You kneeled down next to him and put your hand on his back while he adjusts his short back up to his hipbone. He seemed more exhausted now than earlier and you're still not assured why he would ask such a spontaneous request from you out of nowhere.

"You've got to rest now, Sans." You cooed to him, massaging him up to his nape and to the back of his skull.

"i'm sorry. i shouldn't have—"

You shushed him by planting an index finger against his mouth and stared at him straight to his eye lights through askew sockets.

"You don't have to apologize. I'm not going to expect anything after this but if you needed me again, feel free to call my number."

Sans nodded idly, taking out his phone to note down your number with the similar expression on his face.

Even if you badly wanted to know why he would demand this kind of act, he doesn't really seem to be in the right mind to open up on you. If this is what he wanted to happen, then you'll gladly let him use you as long as it doesn't have to be Bun or any other person. If this is the kind of remedy he needed to maintain his sanity, then you'll volunteer with the core of your soul. But only a few words persisted to linger in your perspective following these course of circumstances.

I'm going to make you love me, Sans, no matter what it takes.

Chapter Text

The next day hasn't been much different from what happened last time, except for a change of environment which is the back alley of Grillby's deprived of street lights while everyone was having fun inside the rowdy pub. It is the birthday of a frequent customer whom is a fellow monster and Sans invited you to celebrate with them. Crowds tend to make you nervous but until recently, you've learned how to camouflage well with strangers and the rest of his friends... Except for Bun. Throughout the night of the event, you could feel her envious eyes following you as though she was waiting for you to make a mistake. You didn't want to cause another scene so instead of matching her daggers shooting into your direction, you did your best to ignore it and focus your attention to Sans. She was surprisingly quiet even after getting a couple of drinks, yet it's obvious how she'd intentionally walk on your path and nudge your shoulder with hers as if you're standing on her way. Because of this, you asked the skeleton a favor to speak with him where it's quiet.

That's how you ended up outside of Grillby's, barely noticeable from strangers and the faint noise of loud music and people cheering resounding in the vicinity. Sans was already a little intoxicated from the patent blue flush in his face and his lazy sockets seemingly about to close in with each second that passed by. The reasonable thing would've been to carry him back home like usual. However, how could you resist the temptation after the fresh memory flashing in the back of your head? He slurred barely incomprehensible words to you with his back resting against the wall, and you couldn't read his emotions at that moment. The thing is, you saw a single tear rolled down his cheek before switching between trying to yell and laughing at the same time.

It must be it. He let you touch him, pleasure him and kiss him because he wanted to forget about something. It's probable that he's slowly opening himself up to you but given that he's not someone who'd easily tell others of his personal issues in an instant, he decided to resort in this type of comfort. Of course you clearly remember how he made it clear that there would be nothing more than this, but how can he be certain of that? Maybe this is the bridge that's meant to connect both of you. This is not the fairytale category of rainbows and butterflies. However, it is about finding yourselves to the lowest point of your lives and healing those scars through conceivable means, even if that involves physical delectation without emotional attachment in it.

He'll grow to it soon enough. You know that.

You didn't know what was running in your wits when you seized his hoodie and pull him in for a kiss. You felt him tense up a bit from what you did, yet it didn't stop you from going further and instead progressed to worm your hand down to his lower body and slipped it inside his shorts where his ecto would form. It must've been the few drinks that you had to give you this sort of tenacity and you were a lot more persuading than the previous day it occurred. There was no time for him to resist because your free hand was grasping both of his wrists above his head, and it'll only take you a few seconds to give him a breather before delving in once again. The next thing you knew was that you're already rubbing his erection shaped by your stimulation at his pelvis and he didn't have much of a strength to move at all but to let out muffled groans against your mouth.

You retreated for a short while, ceaselessly stroking his blue manhood with your famished stare observing his heated face sweating and closed eyes with furrowed brow bones.

"hng... w-why... are you d-doing thish?" He whispered under his steaming huffs in drunken words, seemingly confused of your actions. "i didn't ask you to t-touch me."

"Because I l-love..." The mention of such word you've been lacking of for years felt grueling to utter at this moment. No, it's not yet the right time. What if this confession could immediately break off the ties you're having with him right now? You can't let that happen, especially now that you've considered this a credible foundation for the two of you.

The movements of your hand stopped on their own after you were caught up in your words, and at that point you're just gazing at his hammered eye lights trying to come up with a better way to express your thoughts or an excuse to dodge his question.

"Sans, I—"

At that very second, Sans's body jerked to his side with head drooping forwards that made you lose grip of his arms and compels you to withdraw away when he started vomiting on the concrete ground of everything he'd consumed that evening. You were stirred back awake to reality and each phrase you're devising in your mind at that very minute had been washed off rapidly. You rushed to him and rubbed concernedly on his back, pulling his pants back up and assisting him to keep his balance from completely toppling over to the ground.

"I-I'll call a taxi." You told him, but another voice had interrupted you.

"No, he's coming with us." Bun appeared out of the shadows with crossed arm, making your heart jump at her arrival.

"How long were you there?" You asked, keeping your grasp firm to Sans's clothes. Have she heard the conversation between you and Sans?

"Just arrived here." She shrugged. She's a lot more composed today compared to the last time you've met her.

"Who's us?" You doubtingly questioned, temporarily resting yourself and the hammered skeleton monster to the wall behind you.

"His real friends. He's supposed to visit his brother today. Oh and before you start telling me to back off, you can ask Grillby yourself if I'm telling the truth or not."

"What do you mean by—"

"Bun, did you find Sans?" Grillby came out of the backdoor with his usual unfazed demeanor, making it apparent that he's the only person in here who haven't sipped a pinch of liquor.

As soon as Grillby spotted you holding Sans, he didn't wait for the bunny's answer and approached you in a same way he'll talk to a customer.

"Human, I'm afraid I'll have to interrupt. I was personally asked to drive him out of the city tonight." He said with his arms extending out to carry the skeleton monster.

"Right, of course. Please take good care of him." You merely responded, attentively helping Sans to be rested within his arms without tripping on his foot.

Sans seemed clueless about what's happening that he kept on muttering unintelligible sentences that only himself could understand. His eyes would sometimes fight against his dizzy state like he's trying to make out what's currently happening around him only for them to close again when doziness would take over. When Sans had been completely separated from your clutch, you watched Grillby assist him by the shoulder as the blue hooded figure staggers on his feet back inside the pub.

"He didn't tell me that he's going out tonight." You said, hoping that Buns would stop giving you the suspicious eye and view this situation from the wrong side of perspective.

"Why would he?" She responded without batting an eye on you, making her way back inside the bar and didn't wait a response from you.

You had a dream that night after you went home, and the next days after. The expression of his face, the sound of his voice, the warmth of his hands and the tepidness of his breath against your skin... They were clearer than the glass of liquor sitting in front of your table. The ice melted through the water, making a single clink noise you haven't been aware of as your mind drifts somewhere else. You never hang out to any place typically filled with people, but you're back at Grillby's and it had been your go to when you wanted to unwind or wait for the skeleton monster's call. That's the thing, however. It's been almost a week and Sans haven't reached out to you ever since that night. He immediately came back to the city after one day of spending that time with his family, however he'd been absent at his work and monitoring him through the cameras placed all over his room haven't given you enough clue about the thing that seems to occupy his mind. Most of the time he was just in bed, typing away on his phone and staying at that exact spot for the next few hours. The odd thing is that he wasn't making any calls to anyone and the only plausible explanation is he's texting with those monsters outside of the city. You can't tell if this is a good or bad thing for him since he haven't touched the books piling his bedroom to strain himself on writing down calculations you couldn't understand, but he's also neglecting his duties at the same time such as going to work or even bothering to eat a proper meal.

You were conflicted whether is it better to just leave him be or make a call first.

After that ambiguous drunken evening, there's been an intruding question in your head if he's starting to regret everything. While he made it clear that there's no sentiments for letting you touch him, he did listed down your number in his contacts the first time it happened. You would've expected at least a bit of communication, but after that it was absolute silence. You've been stressing yourself overthinking his view on you as a person now, wondering if you've done something visibly wrong to be used like that and becomes temporarily forgotten.

You stared at the ablaze monster in front of you, whom is gaping straight ahead to the tables’ area like a bodyguard on duty. A light, lulling music plays from his jukebox that conforms to the current atmosphere of his bar, a tranquil evening of barely audible conversations you can overhear from different table sets and faint sounds of utensils chiming together. It's strange how this place could be loud and lively the last time you went here, and the next day suddenly transforming into a dining place for people who just wanted to stay around and eat in peace.

"Excuse me, Grillby... May I ask something?" You politely spoke out since this is the first time you'll get to ask him something outside of customer to employee discourse.

He simply nodded and stood before you over from the bar, adjusting his glasses a bit and waited for you to speak with hands behind his back. He appears way too formal for a bar that could switch into a boisterous zone of wasted interspecies mingling together.

"I-I haven't seen Sans lately. Do you have any idea what's up with him?" You bluffed naively as if you weren't monitoring him every day in his apartment room through hidden cameras.

"To be completely honest, I have no answer for that question. I haven't spoken with him for a while. You might as well ask Sans yourself." He replied, though you couldn't see any feature of his face move at all while he talks.

"I just don't want him to think that I'm being too clingy. I'm just worried as a friend." You grabbed the glass across of you and brought it up to your lips, sipping on the light alcohol to soothe your mind for a bit.

"Reaching out to Sans can be quite hard at times, but I think he'll understand your concerns."

"I hope so." You shrugged, putting the shot glass back down to the counter surface.

"Is there anything else?"

"No, thank you... Just trying to see if you know anything about Sans lately." You gave him a small smile of assurance.

"Alright. Excuse me for a bit, I need to tend the bar." Grillby then pardoned himself and left you on your own at your seat.

You pulled out your phone out of your pocket, pondering if this is the right time to call Sans. You clicked on your contact list and stared at his number info for a few seconds, formulating a proper wording in your head of what to tell him that wouldn't be too appalling. Even though he had friends and a crowd pleaser to his fellow monsters, you know that there's an underlying trust issue behind that grin. It seemed like Grillby is telling the truth and he's not saying it to protect him or whatsoever. Based on your observations and his relationship with the people around him, he's that kind of distant friend that keeps too many secrets for himself. The thing is, he knew these people for years and yet he's still aloof in a way that he wouldn't really open up anything to anyone at all. That just puts you in a more difficult position because who are you compared to his fellow species? You were just someone that happens to come across him in an unfortunate evening, and promptly falling into a vortex of fixation for a skeleton who works at a convenience store.

Especially after that night the last time you met him... Why would he?

"if i were you, i wouldn't do that." A baritone voice mumbled behind you, making you jump a little from your seat and quickly spun around to see someone in a blue jacket winking at you with a smile.

"S-Sans? Since when did you get here?" You stammered, not expecting to see him here tonight.

"just now." He chuckled, walking over next to you and lifting himself up to sit on a stool. "calling me isn't going to do anything even if i'm not really here right now."

"Why is that?" You asked, assaying to keep yourself limpid but genuinely speculating if any of those last words have a deeper meaning.

"skeletons don't have mobile with them. they had no body to talk to." Sans joked, as if you've just seen one another yesterday.

"I've been worried about you." You told him, refusing to facade a laugh at his pun this time.

"come on pal, can't really last a day without seeing your skelebuddy here?" Sans chuckled, resting an elbow to the bar table and treating this situation like if it's just another day of seeing you here.

He's acting too clearheaded that you're beginning to worry if he'd rather completely rid of that sole satisfaction you could provide for him. You were tempted to ask him if that was the first and last, and exchanging numbers would be for nothing. What if he remembers how you attempted to repeat the former incident by kissing him and fondling his private parts without waiting for his consent?

Or perhaps, he's just choosing to keep things private and he doesn't want any one in here to hear a thing about it. With that assumption, it only makes sense given that it shouldn't even be happening between the two of you.

So you stuck with that presumption and went along with Sans acting normal.

"Can you really blame me? I haven't seen you in days." You responded lowly, circling the tip of your forefinger around the glass mouth while waiting for his reason.

"hmm... that's odd. it hasn't been a week yet... well, almost... and you're already moping around with my temporary absence." Sans swiveled his chair to you, facing you directly and resting his cheek against his rested arm to the counter. "or maybe what you actually meant is... you missed what happened between us."

This made you turn your head to his side and saw him smiling casually, giving him a puzzled gape while trying to wrap your head around his conduct. Does that mean that he really liked it regardless? That he's open to continue that sort of deed or was he just fucking around with your head?

"human, why do you look surprised? it's obvious that you've been wanting more with that behavior of yours." Sans added in a serious tone of voice. You could feel his eye lights engrossed through your confused enunciation like he's trying to catch you red-handed with something you shouldn't do.

"What behavior, exactly?" You did your best to make your voice nonchalant as much as possible.

"should i really elaborate? i mean... since when did you start getting worried about me?"

"Sans, I'm your friend." You reasoned out. What is he trying to get out of this talk?

"okay, but it's my first time seeing you genuinely express what's in your mind."

You have no idea where this conversation is going but it sounds like he's putting you in a predicament position again. Sans can be really intimidating at times and when he does this sort of silently-reading-you stuff, it's like playing head games of trying to guess who's being real and fake in here.

"What does that mean?" You scoffed humorlessly.

"nothing to overthink about. simply put, it's only natural for you to feel that thing." Sans motioned his arms up to catch Grillby's attention without taking his eyes off you. "Grillb's..."

The fire monster then spun around and even though he has no facial features displayed in his face, you could sense that he was a quite bit surprised to spot the skeleton here. Although he merely approached the table without querying this man's absence and stood before the two of you in his common stance.

"i'll have the usual, burger and ketchup. put it in my tab for now, will ya?" Sans demanded, motioning his hands and keeping those pupils glued on you.

If it weren't for the things he said, you would've appreciate his attention more.

"Got it."

Once Grillby was out of the space to hear your discussion, you spoke up to continue this stiff exchange of words.

"What thing, Sans?" You asked calmly.

"missing the benefits."

Benefits? What is he trying to achieve here? You observed his appearance and it doesn't seem like he's getting any better. In fact, the dark lines under his eyes have doubled that somehow makes his sockets appear larger if viewed from a farther distance. The mere difference is that he's able to pull up a more unperturbed mood today, pretend that everything was normally going as it was.

A minute later, Grillby came out of the kitchen with tray in his hands. He drew near the table where Sans is sitting and placed down the order before going back to wiping glasses and serving other customers.

"what's with the face, buddy?" Sans asked when he took notice of your silence, chomping down on his burger right after as if he haven't eaten for a long period of time.

"It was a one-time thing... No, two time thing and after that we haven't spoken since then. I'm just curious why you are referring to it as benefits. Unless..." You bit down on your lower lip, trying to find the right words to describe it without sounding too egoistic. "You wanted more?" Your voice came out lower.

Sans didn't say a thing, his stare remaining focused on his meal that he kept on munching on. But you're pretty sure that he understood you and you could see the unagitated comportment in the upfront faltering into seriousness.

It was speechlessness after that, a discomforting lack of words that stalled between the two of you while he was busy finishing his burger. The noise of your surroundings including the background music, different voices of people and sounds of small objects were fading away from your senses. You were supposed to feel relieved that he's here right now, approaching you to himself but of course there's something more than that you just couldn't put into words. For the first time in a while, you're wanting to leave this conversation behind. Was it because of your question? Was that a wrong move to make? The squelch noise of his continuous bites were starting to sound overbearing, and you're sitting like a ghost who's being purposely ignored.

No matter how much hungry he is, he could at least acknowledge that you're talking to him and finish what he started. He's the one who made the choice of being next to you.

"Sans, I don't understand. Why are you—"

"maybe." He simply responded in a shallow volume that if your environment was a bit louder, you would've missed it.

The pounding of your heart in a normal rate have increased to a higher degree and your mouth agape from his outright response. It is imprecise, but doesn't leave out the fact that he's hinting to do it again. The expression of a heated Sans flashed back in your head at that instant and the feeling of his girth enclosed within your palms. You pictured him shaking in midst of your physical stimulations, moaning out for your name and begging for more that he would momentarily forget everyone around him and there's no one left to be asked for but you. Maybe then, he'll realize how much of a necessity it is to be accompanied by you. You were bound for each other, perhaps soulmates even. If sex is meant to be the starting point of building this relationship, then what's the reason to stop now?

So he wasn't angry about the second time... Or perhaps he couldn't remember anything from that night.

It might be safer not to mention that at all.

At the back of your head, you wanted more answers for this attitude of him. There's an underlying question of why he'd impulsively throw himself on you back then. He could've picked someone else he knew for a longer time, why does it have to be you? It's all you ever wanted, to be wanted by Sans. But overthinking had been your long parasitic friend ever since, you can't just rest your head in a final conclusion especially when things are vague as it is for now.

"I... Don't know what to say." You admitted, shaking your head and turning your gaze back at the half drunken glass.

"my place isn't that nice but uh... if you don't mind..."

Shit, is he serious? The first minute he was interrogating the hell out of you, and now he's hinting to invite you over. He didn't even provide you a minute to ask how did his visit to his brother went. He didn't specifically say what he's intending to do with you, but you knew where this is heading. Sans is confusing you the more that he speaks and despite that, you couldn't decline this appeal.

"I don't really mind." You replied, turning your stare back on him and swallowing a gulp from your drying throat.

"guess that's it then."

Your hands were hurriedly searching for the knob, fingers tapping lightly as it crawls through the door frame while keeping your mouth busy against Sans. Your tongue slipped inside past his teeth, tasting his ecto buds with your slaver intermixing with one another. Both of you were in rapid, desirous movements of rolling against one another like animals in heat that couldn't let go of the other just for a second to even bother of properly opening the door. Eyes of people walking past the hallway were never a hindrance given how naturally trashy this place is and you couldn't really care less. You'd press him against the wall sometimes, free hand crawling down his shorts but he'd stop you before you get there and plea to suck in air that he'd lost.

Allowing him the momentary freedom with a snicker escaping your lips, you'd took the time to open the door for real. As soon as it swung open, both of you were quick to throw yourselves in each other's arms and return in giving an enthusiastic deepened kiss before hurling yourselves inside the room and finally locking the door behind you while your grip on his jacket tightens.

It would've been the perfect scenario, just like the ones you're seeing in movies. Romantic, even. The butterflies you'll feel in your stomach, the carelessness for anyone's attention, the daring passion being displayed in public... It's a form of love that is free.

Your head sometimes steers off the tracks of rational thinking when it's about him, to a point that you'll completely forget about the real Sans who's currently sitting across of you from the couch. The gap between the two of you could be filled with three more people as you were laying at the arm rest's edges, your hands resting atop of your lap and occasionally taking a peek over to the silent monster whose eyes were already drifting into sleep.

"Sans?" You spoke out, which somehow roused him back to the present.

"yeah?" He nonchalantly responded, still staring straight ahead of him.

"Why'd you invite me here? It's been... Ten minutes of complete silence, I think." More like ten minutes of working in your imagination to suppress the awkwardness taking in the atmosphere.

"were you expecting something else?" Sans glanced at your direction, the lazy grin never leaving his face.

"What else is there to expect, anyway?" You retorted calmly.

"a company." He replied.

You raised your eyebrows in perplexity, cracks of lines taking shape across your forehead with your fingers anxiously tapping on your side. Is this a punishment for wanting more than what he could give you? It was supposed to be a genuine affection and you're starting to hate a little of yourself for feeling that pinch of disappointment that none of this means Sans giving a part of him on you. It's not just about carnal desires, you were bound to meet each other during your lowest and together you can lift your own sorrows to soar above the restricting skies.

Were you taking things too far? It should be a stepping stone.

"I'm sorry." You mumbled embarrassingly.

"for what?"

"I was just confused. You were just probably having a hard time that day."

"more like a hard on." Sans quipped, breaking the solidified ice filling in the gap between you and him.

You couldn't hold back the chortle that escaped your lips, a silly smile spreading across your cheeks and temporarily making you forget the arduous position you've put yourself into. You jerked your head on his side, expecting him to laugh along with you but the detached grin in his countenance remained the same. Your chuckles slowly died down, adding weight to the apprehension drilling into your sense of thinking.

What the hell were you supposed to say?

"Sans, is something wrong?" You asked him, though you had a notion that he'll just remain obscure as before.

"you know, telling me what you're really thinking right now is going to make this a lot easier." He said impassively, those speculative eye lights scanning through your essence again.

You had been in this situation before so you should be used with it now. It's not the first time that you felt his suspicions slowly dragging you out of your shell, playing with your responses and articulating every single movement that you'll make. This is just how he is. It reminds you of the time when you gave a money to a homeless kid in buying you a loaf of bread during your watch hours of Sans, and how he came out of that store with a completely dissimilar bearing.

"What do you want me to tell you?" You queried, still attempting to have his point straightly across.

"you heard what i said."

You were getting impatient and it seems like he's not going to back down until you get to have this conversation flowing by yourself. You were normally casual most of the time, able to adapt with your environment around strangers and to this one specific person that caught your eye. You wanted to leave and if only your heart wasn't reaching out for him, you would've dashed out of this place and erase his existence from your memories. But the mind shuts down at crucial times and the tremendous emotions you've harbored for this man in a short time is befogging your reasons and the better decisions to make.

You don't even care anymore if you're about to dig your own grave.

"Okay... Fine. I'm worried about you, Sans. That day you came up to me and out of thin air you're suddenly throwing yourself at me. You even let me kiss you, touch you, and in a freaking public place. We exchanged numbers, and you won't even contact me. As much as I'm tempted to call you, I don't want you to think that I'm being too clingy. And now you invite me in your place, but you won't even say a thing that wouldn't confuse me." You explained truthfully to him, since you're practically trapped in here with no way out. You've made your choice to stay, you bear with the consequences.

"that's probably the longest string of words you've told me throughout all of our conversations." Sans fully turned his face at you, slipping off his slippers and letting them drop on the floor to put up his legs on the couch with mere socks remaining in his feet. "'kinda nice to let it all out, don't you think?"

"Well, it feels like you're grilling me. You have an uneasy way of staring at people." You declared. His collected disposition isn't making this any better.

"heh... it feels eerie to be observed like that, huh? well, being watchful can be amusing at times." Sans closed his eyes for a moment and leaned his face against an open palm with his arm rested on the backrest. "i'm pretty sure that you, out of all people, is much more adept in this matter?"

"Sure, yeah. It's a habit of mine to read others as well." You nodded at his statement, though his last words came out weird for you and you haven't really deliberated your last answer properly.

"what do you make of it? how much can you find out about that person by just observing them?"

"Their behavior... The way they talk, move, respond to situations..."

"okay... can you scoot here a 'lil closer? 'cause i'm too lazy to move right now. just wanna ask you something." Sans shrugged.

"How much closer?"

"as much as you want, before i change my mind." He insisted.

"Uhh... Alright."

You complied with his request and stood up from where you sit. You walked up towards the skeleton who still haven't bothered to open up his eyes and sat next to him, closing in the distance between the two of you. You couldn't tell if this is a good idea but being near like this to him, alone in his apartment room is inducing some inappropriate thoughts from you. You could even cup his face here right now, have your mouth collide against him and glide your hands down to his shorts just like how you did it last time. Sans returning the same favor haven't really crossed your mind because this is about him, as long as you get to feel him against you.

He told you that you can move as much as you want, why would you miss this opportunity? So you bent over from your seat, leaned in close to his face until your lips was just a millimeter away from him. You were tempted to have your tongue enter the caverns of his mouth and taste him again. Every time you're enticed to have your wits sway in this direction, you're beginning to disregard the proper conduct of your surroundings and the conventional way to behave in such situation.

"how about this, then? can you tell what i'm feeling right now?" The moment that Sans have said those words, he opened up his eyes once again... With the exception of his eye lights.

They were hallowed black sockets without a glint of his pupils. Wide open, abyss darkness gazes back at you like a blackhole extracting your soul out of your body. Dread began to worm its way up in your spine, leaving prickled thorns of your conscience telling you that you've been cornered in a landmine that one wrong move could cause a destruction. You were paralyzed at your seat, you can't even tremble nor sweat with your parching throat at the real image of this monster sitting in front of you. The lack of emotions in that blank stare terrifies you in words you couldn't articulate.

"I... Is this normal?" That was all you managed to say, gradually losing your imperturbability in the next second that Sans showed an unusual side of himself.

"it is. you haven't answered my question yet." He appealed, not moving an inch as he sits there like an uncanny inanimate statue.

You stayed quiet for a moment before muttering your first thought in his question.

"Dead." You croaked, the last pat from the tip of your tongue on your palate coming out weak through your dulled tone of vocal.

"it creeps you out, no? to see that nothing is there."

"I-It does." You stuttered.

"how does it feel to be watched through, let's say, a cam lens of something you couldn't see?"

You felt your heart dropped at that instant, the weight of your sins hauling you down into the black seas of his empty sockets like a gravitational pull where attempting to run would do no good. You swallowed a thick slaver forming at the base of your tongue, the tip of your fingers twitching forebodingly and a surge of hot temperature enfolding throughout your glands. The room abruptly turned warm in an unpleasant kind of way as though you were being boiled alive inside an oven, and suddenly you couldn't feel the rest of your body.

"C-Cam lens?" You mumbled in a shaky voice, your cheeks scalding of anxiety. You've lost all control and none of these were methodical. You could hear the feeble sound of a ticking clock somewhere getting louder, but where is that clock? It sounds like it was just there for a reason, getting louder to further remind you about the time slowing down and your inability to peel your eyes off these voided optics.

"why do you look scared? it's just a metaphor." Sans blinked again, and this time his usual dotted pupils returned normal to where it had been. "you look chilled to the bone. anyway, you don't need to answer that. just a random thought."

No, it certainly wasn't just a random thought. Have you made a mistake? You made sure that the spy cams are well hidden, and why would he let it persist even if he knew about it from the start? You didn't see a change in his behavior nor him being cautious of his surroundings, except the times where he's wasting his hours on his phone. Was it Bob? But why would he do that? Would he benefit something from it? Besides, you knew about his dirty secrets too and he knew that it'll be a wrong move to suddenly turn against you one day.

"Sans, I—"

You were cut off your words when he abruptly pulled you by the collar of your shirt, bringing your face closer to him that you could feel each other's breath steaming out of your mouths. Your eyes widened at this unanticipated action and the next thing you knew was his mouth crashing against yours. He took the contingency when you've gasped and slipped his ecto inside, repeating the same motions you did before as if he'd learned your ways and imitated your course of actions.

Before you know it, you were already spiraling down into the madness of craving you've been repressing for the whole day and found yourself returning the same motions. You kissed him back, your hands quickly finding its way to the shoulder sleeve of his hoodie and skidded it off the time you've got a hold of it. The questions immediately left your head and by now you couldn't even tell who's fooling who.

No... No, I couldn't let you get away from that.

You've briefly pulled away from him without letting go of his shirt and gazed at him with full bafflement.

"Sans, what the hell are you doing to me?" You panted through raggedy breaths, setting your hunger aside.

"what's with the questions now, isn't this what you wanted?"

"At least elaborate the reason why you're doing all of this."

"nothing you should know about... remember how i made it clear that there's nothing more than this schtick? and you agreed with that." Sans responded in a deeper tone of voice.

So that's it then... What he's saying is true. There wasn't any special link right from the start, so why would it happen now? He was right and you couldn't really argue with that. At his best knowledge, you were just staying around to accompany him when no one else is there.

"besides, it takes time and honesty to feel connected with someone." He added, putting an emphasis to the word that added a heavy load in your chest.

It feels like running in an endless circle with different pathways of each step you'll take. Nothing you say was enough to shield the things you've done, everything you'll go through for the love of your life. He needs to understand that all of this was for him and no one else mattered at this point.

But who are you to speak right now? Even if you blur the conversation by kissing him again or helping him get off because of whatever struggles he's packing to himself, his suspicions would remain buzzing in your head and he'll always slap you in the face with his infinite doubts. You can see it in his eyes, those distrustful pupils digging into your soul as if you've committed the worst crime in the world.

Maybe I should leave...

No...

You can still make this work.

Maybe you won't be needing those cameras once you've won his approval. He's the one who brought you here, and you're willing to take the chance of fixing your errors. You can be a better person after everything's been secured in place and together you can mend your faults and wounds.

"I like... what we have." You said faintly, forcing yourself to pull him in again and feign that none of this hurts.

Instead of Sans going back to the previous buzz, he remained still and you thought that you saw his left hand slowly ascending to his side with a gleam of color appearing in his left socket.

"Sans, what are you—"

But that was immediately interrupted when a booming voice from outside his apartment room have snapped off the pressure hanging in the air, followed by a couple of constant knocks.

"SANS? ARE YOU THERE? IT'S ME!" A familiar voice called.

"p-paps?" Sans swiveled his head towards the door, blinking away the colored flash of his eye light before it returned in its ordinary appearance with his arm falling to his side.

Chapter Text

Hello...

I want to start off by apologizing deeply that I can't continue this work anymore. I know that there are some of you who were excited for new chapter releases and still hoping for updates. However, I've long moved on from the Undertale fandom, and it was my fault for attempting to write fics that I have no assurance of finishing. Nevertheless, reading your lovely comments will always make my day because it lets me know that even though my writing still needs a lot of improvement, there will always be people who will appreciate it enough to leave encouraging words.

Even though I don't really consider myself as part of the Undertale fandom anymore, I will always cherish the time I've spent with the community. It helped me make friends and allowed me to express ideas by coming up with concepts and stuff through writing.

If you want to know further details and reasons why, feel free to check my pinned Twitter post.

I still write fics but for other fandoms now, in case you'd get confused that I still post with this account. I've decided I'll stick with oneshots and short ones from now on to avoid similar situations.

With that being said, thank you for taking the time to read this and farewell.