Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Life hadn’t always been kind to you. It wasn’t bad per say. Your parents were together and alive, your sibling had gotten married three years ago and was expecting, and you had a job that paid the bills. But even so, you had bad days. Lonely days, days where a customer was an ass, or days where you ate something bad or caught someone’s something.

You were the type that took things as they came.

Okay… maybe you bottled up the bad things so you didn’t need to worry about them more often than you should. And every now and then, the bottle burst. But you usually handled things unusually well!

You went to the gym twice a week, cooked meals when you had the time and did takeout the rest, and when the paycheck came in, you occasionally spoiled yourself with a nice thing.

It helped.

Your mom had always said to ‘keep busy’ after all.

Of course, ‘keeping busy’ didn’t do much for the loneliness when you worked at a flower shop during Valentine’s Day.

You sighed as another lovesick fool came and went with their bouquet of two dozen roses.

“When are you going to find someone?” your family always asked.

It wasn’t like you weren’t looking, but Mr. Right wasn’t around right now.

The shop closed up and the dreaded day was just beyond another sunrise.

You hurried back home, a small house on the corner with peeling white paint, a decent plot of land, and an untamed garden in the back.

You lived in a small town, about an hour drive from Ebott City, called ‘Little Wood’. It was quaint and the rent was reasonable. You had heard about the place at the florist shop.

Some poor soul was buying flowers for a grave offering. Their grandparents had passed away a year ago and left them the house, but they had moved in with their spouse and had no idea what to do with the old thing. It wasn’t going to sell for much, but there just wasn’t renters in the area either.

One thing led to another, and you agreed to rent a room of the house since it was a much better deal than your piss-stained apartment. Good news was, it was much better than your crappy old apartment, AND you were currently the only one renting, so it was like having a whole damn house to yourself. Bad news was that your landlord was still struggling to find tenants from their place in the city, which left you to upkeep the house alone.

Not really your job, but you couldn’t complain.

And with Valentines day on the dawn, you’d never expected to wake up the following morning to terror and fear rather than love and obnoxious.

Your morning bagel fell out of your hand as you watched the news.

At the crack of dawn, Monsters, yes, literal Monsters, emerged from Mt. Ebott looking like they’d been through hell. Battered, bloodied, and with dead eyes.

No one had even known about these guys. Sure, people and things that went to the mountain were known to disappear, and there were some really old legends, but there were old legends everywhere. And the terrain was considered dangerous with many gaping and unexpected caverns, so only foolish people and daredevils went there.

The government was quick to lock down the situation after a group of adventurous hikers had reported their near-death experience.

Apparently, these guys hadn’t eaten in forever, because they tried to make lunch of the climbers. Fortunately, they had all packed lunch, and the Monsters were sentient enough to decide ham sandwiches were better than sweat and bug spray.

The people of the country were divided. …Roughly.

Some people –the assholes as you labeled them– hated anything new and different and had no sympathy for the literally starving people who had done their best to keep themselves and their families alive. They wanted the Monsters to be gunned down on sight.

Most felt at least some pity for the Monsters. There weren’t many left, and the ones that were cooperated quite meekly for man-eaters. They knew what they had done, and weren’t proud of it, but at the same time, they weren’t going to apologize for surviving. Of course, feeling sympathy didn’t mean they wanted to interact or be near the Monsters, but at least they pushed for better conditions.

The government seemed to be made up of the first group, which sparked the N.M.F.U. movement. It stood for ‘no more fuck ups’ and was basically the younger generation berating old farts for being racist again. That changed the swing of things real quick.

The overzealous rioters probably helped.

Monsters hadn’t technically committed cannibalism, and the situation was dire enough for them that most ruled it a ‘situational misfortune’.

Not to mention, most times Humans fell led to a steep decline in Monster population before they started setting traps on the way to the villages. Apparently, Monsters were very fragile against ‘intent’, so they set traps around their towns and hoped nothing got passed them.  

And since their place as an intelligent species was undeniable, they were placed in a ‘rehabilitation and introduction to modern society’ plan.

It took a total of six months with Monsters living in closely monitored camps before they were allowed to start integration to society. …By which they meant dumping all Monsters in the small, almost ignored town of Little Wood. A perfect place to get the ball rolling and the segregation started.

Little wood was a great place for Monsters to become self-sufficient and contained. Easy to keep an eye on with only one road leading to the city and the Mountain behind it. An out of the way town with rich soil and now, mostly empty houses and shops.

People moved out; Monsters moved in. You stayed put along with a very small handful of ‘lived here my whole life and will die here’ or ‘Monsters are cool’ folk. You couldn’t blame the ones that left. It was generally a ‘sympathy but safety concerns’ mindset that had them packing, which you could understand.

You sympathized with the Monsters, you really did, but that didn’t stop you from at least considering moving back to your crappy piss-apartment when the landlord dropped the news on you. You had two new roommates starting Monday, and they were Monsters.

But here you were, Monday morning, getting ready to give two skeleton men a house tour.

You’d been given the chance to move out, but you’d decided to stay. Anyone remaining in the town had to sign government official wavers, but you figured ‘to hell with it’ and stayed anyways.  So, along with the news of your new roommates came a packet to look through.

In it was information about the Monsters that would stay with you.

They were surprisingly, Skeletons. A smaller one and a Really tall one. Brothers apparently. And if the pictures were anything to go by, these two had it very rough underground.

The packet had said they were kind of the leaders of their village and had been some of the ones that… dealt with the traps… and eventually rioted against the queen that somehow resulted in their freedom.

Their old, old queen was getting her own house and being very, very closely monitored for the first year of freedom. She had a few mental issues to work out aside the starvation crisis.

Fun stuff.

Your boss had given you the day off to prepare for the new housemates, and you knew just what to do with it. They say the best way to get someone to open up and be friends is by feeding them. So, all morning you were in the kitchen.

Nothing in the packet mention dietary restrictions, so you went all out.

They were supposed to arrive in time for lunch, so on this sunny summer day, the best thing to sever was hotdogs and burgers. In addition to that, sweets were called for, so chocolate chip cookies and fudgy brownies were thrown in the oven. You had ice-cream in the freezer and sides of chips and lemonade. A feast that would hopefully welcome your new friends properly.

You’d put as much effort as you were willing into cleaning up the house, but you figured they probably wouldn’t mind the lack of perfection too much. And now, you were flopped on the couch, twiddling your thumbs as you waited for their arrival.

The doorbell chimed at exactly noon. But even with all the pamphlet reading you’d done; you were still shocked by the two Monsters that appeared on the doorstep.

“GREETINGS HUMAN HOUSEMATE!!! MY BROTHER AND I CAN’T WAIT TO BECOME GOOD FRIENDS WITH YOU!!!!”

The words ‘horrifying’ and ‘terrifying’ came to mind, but you knew when to bite your tongue and put on a smile. How that smile looked though… well let’s hope it wasn’t screaming ‘I want to run’.

“Hi… Hi guys! Welcome to the house! Come on in.” you side stepped to hold open the door and they entered.

One of them men who came to drop them off walked up to you and handed you something that looked like a flashlight keychain.

“What’s…?”

“A panic switch. Something similar to a life alert. They’re mandatory for all those in direct contact with Monsters. Just think of it as for your own safety.” He explained.

“Uh-huh. Okay, thanks.”

He nodded and you closed the door to turn back to your new roommates.

…

Tall.

Papyrus was it?

He caught your attention first.

You had a standard eight foot ceiling, and this guy was curling in on himself to fit.

His teeth were crooked and stained, eyes sunken in and hollow looking, and his clothes were ripped and seemed too tight in places.

Yep, classic nightmare fuel.

You could… You could handle this.

The other was smaller and quiet.

He was almost ghost like, unnoticeable unless you knew what you were looking for. Was that purposeful? Or was he naturally hard to lose track of? Either way, it wasn’t exactly comforting.

He had a giant. Freaking. Hole. In his head and below it was an uncomfortably large, red eye. The other eye was dark, it almost seemed dead, like there should be something there that wasn’t.

His mouth was in a tight grin, and he seemed to be watching you carefully, judging you.

You cleared your throat, hoping your voice would cooperate with you, “Hi again. I’m Y/n and I’ll be your housemate.”

“YES!!! WE ARE VERY EXCITED THAT YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE WITH US DESPITE ALL ODDS!!”

Papyrus was apparently the loud and honest type, but his eagerness helped put you at ease. Honestly, the fact that they were still wearing what looked to be the same rags they emerged with was starting to bother you.

Had the government really not even given basic supplies to these guys?

At least they had payroll.

You mentally huffed at the people in charge of Monster integration and put on your customer service smile.

“Well, I hope you’re ready to eat, because I had all morning to whip up some lunch.”

Chapter Text

These two could EAT.

That was your second impression.

You’d figured they might have unpredictable appetites after the whole starvation thing, but you barely prepared enough food, and you’d made enough for six people. And you only had one plate.

At least they were enjoying everything.

After lunch came the house tour.

You took them around and they both selected a room. They didn’t really… have things to put in them, but the rooms at least had furniture and basic supplies were in each bathroom.

Papyrus was particularly interested in the yard outside. Apparently, they weren’t allowed to go outside the town and into the main cities unless they applied and received permission for a military escort, so he was hoping to start an easy, at home hobby that would provide a good source of fresh and healthy produce as a byproduct.

You, of course, encouraged this idea as the garden was very dead right now and the yard was very big. Your flower shop was also kind of a garden shop, so you told him you could get him discounts on seeds and bulbs when the season came and other garden supplies in the mean times.

…To be honest, Papyrus was already growing on you.

He was cheerful, earnest, and loved to help out. You’d barely known him for a few hours, and you could already tell that he was a natural sweetheart. An honest to goodness, bona-fide good person, and those were so hard to come by these days.

Of course, you weren’t beyond your anxieties quite yet…

Even if Papyrus was the absolute nicest person you’ve ever met, he was still very big, and very strong. He almost broke your rib when he gave you a hug earlier.

Which was another thing. He had very little in the concept of personal space. You hadn’t expected to be scooped up and swung around like a doll because you promised him a discount on plant seeds.

It was… mildly terrifying. Knowing he could break your neck, probably on accident, but still.

And then there was his brother, Sans.

After the brief house tour, he flopped down on the couch and took a nap. But as you talked with Papyrus and worked out his garden plans and where he could go shopping in town, you nearly jumped out of your skin when you caught Sans’s bright red eye watching you like a predator.

You hadn’t even noticed, completely unaware that you could even be in danger.

…Not that you thought he would attack you…

Okay, you weren’t trying to be speciesist, but he was glaring holes into your soul. Not even bothering to look away when you turned to face him. Not returning your awkward wave as you tried to get a response from him.

Papyrus scolded his brother for being rude and assured you that you hadn’t done anything wrong, his brother was just like that sometimes.

You decided to take his word for it and try not to let it bother you. But damn! You really wish he’d stop.

The day passed faster than you thought, and soon it was time for you to head to bed.

It was… Well, you went through your evening routine like normal, said goodnight to your new roommates and to knock if they needed something, and then…!

You stared at the doorknob hard.

To lock, or not to lock?

You generally didn’t lock your bedroom door at night. The front and back doors were locked, so there wasn’t exactly a need to. But if you started locking your door now, it would be like admitting you were afraid of them. If you didn’t… Well, you couldn’t guarantee your sleep quality tonight.

But they didn’t know whether or not you locked your door regularly. And if you did lock it, they wouldn’t know unless they tried the handle. And if they tried the handle, then it was probably for the best you had locked it. You had told them to knock after all, not to come in.

But, if they really wanted to get in and hurt you, you had a feeling Papyrus could rip the door right off its hinges. And Sans… You didn’t know how he would, but you figured nothing would stop him if he wanted in.

You pursed your lips and glared at the door handle.

This was getting you nowhere.

You never locked your door before, no reason to lock it now.

These Monsters had no reason to attack you, you just needed some more time to get used to them.

You made up your mind and walked over to the bed, pulled back the covers, and snuggled in for the night.

…

You jolted awake as the floorboard right next to your bed creaked.

You didn’t have time to scream as a skeletal hand clamped over your mouth. He leaned in and your vision was pulled into his big, red eye.

“don’t scream.” He said so softly it was almost unheard, even in the total silence of the house.

You nodded your head slowly, eyes trained on his. He waited a moment, decided you were telling the truth, and slowly pulled his hand away, placing it on the other side of your hip.

That’s when you realized he was kneeling over your legs, hands on either side of you.

You felt faint. Your mind reeling from the startling wake up and now from fear.

You couldn’t even force you mouth to cooperate.

Sans didn’t seem to mind as he gave you your next instructions.

“listen closely. when i ask something, shake your head yes, or no. after this is over, ‘m going to leave, you are going to go back to sleep, and in the morning, you won’t even hint this happened to paps or anybody else. got it?”

You nodded. Your brain barely managed to grasp that there would be a morning to keep quiet in, so you were willing to agree now and live. Better than to refuse and die.

“good.”

He shifted slightly, moving so that he was sitting back on his heels and a little less in your personal space.

…It was still hard to breath, but it helped.

“first question.” He started, “why’d you decide to stay here, especially when you knew who’d be moving in? do you pity us?”

You shook your head.

“you think we’re jus’ gonna be great friends?”

That wasn’t really it either, but it wasn’t wrong. So, you shook your head but also waved your hand in a so-so motion.

Sans stared for a moment, “…you didn’t stay to become friends, but you want to be.”

It was more of a statement, but you nodded in agreement.

Sans’s stare turned sharper, more like glare he’d worn the rest of the day.

“did you want to stay because the house?”

You nodded yes but gave another so-so. True but not entirely accurate.

You sighed. This little game was loosening you up, but it was also getting kind of annoying.

You opened your mouth, ready to just tell him your answer instead, but he was quick to slap his hand back over it before you could speak.

“i said don’t scream.” He growled.

You huffed and mumbled into his bones, “Wasn’t going to”, but it came out closer to, “Wuffum gommta"!

Sans quirked a brow. If you didn’t know any better, you would say he looked mildly amused.

But it didn’t last long.

He shook it off and returned to glaring.

“speak quietly.”

You huffed again and nodded.

He slowly removed his hand.

“I’m here because it’s far better than any city apartment that I’d be able to afford. And I’d like to believe that if you guys were able to choose sandwiches over eyeballs when you were starving, you’ll be reasonable enough not to kill me!” you hissed, crossing your arms in frustration.

Sans glared harder, so this time you glared back.

“fine. why are you being so nice to papyrus?” he asked.

You scrunched your face, your voice becoming incredulous, “Because he’s a nice person?”

There was an unspoken ‘duh’ in your voice. Why wouldn’t you be nice to Papyrus when he’s only been kind back?

Sans huffed but he seemed satisfied with your answer.

You expected him to ask more, but apparently he was done.

“remember, not a word to anyone tomorrow.” He warned.

And then, he was just gone.

Poof! Vanished.

You almost wondered if you’d imagined the whole thing, but the lingering smell of ketchup said otherwise.

You didn’t question it.

The rest of the night you slipped in and out of sleep, afraid what would happen if he decided to come back.

Chapter Text

Sans didn’t trust you. Not for a second.

He didn’t trust any Humans, but especially not the ones that acted nice.

Frisk had acted nice and look where that got them.

He was pretty sure they had made a different choice long ago. One that had gotten them a better ending… not that he could say for sure. All he had was some numbers and lines. And he hadn’t looked at those since he’d destroyed the CORE. Too much effort for something so pointless. Knowing the numbers didn’t change anything. If it did, then they wouldn’t have lived how they did.

Of course, it was going to be better now. Now that they’d finally cracked out of that hellhole.

He had expected it to get worse after they did. He wouldn’t put it above Humans to just slaughter them on sight.

But Paps was right.

Thing did get better.

Some Humans took pity on them and petitioned to actually keep them alive. Who’da thunk?

Even better, the Human leaders decided to ‘help them integrate’ by ‘giving them their own space’ and ‘time to adjust’, which basically meant emptying an old, outta the way town and letting them do what they wanted as long as they didn’t leave.

Honestly, it was better than he could have asked for.

Course, not all the Humans wanted to clear out. And it got even better when Paps chose a house with a Human already living in it.

He knew why Paps had picked the house. It was a real cute little thing that felt vaguely familiar. Perfect for that garden he’d been talking about, well taken care of, and fully furnished already.

But the Human living there didn’t want to move out, which mean the owner would only rent it, not sell it to them.

Papyrus, ever the optimist, was certain the Human would be great. They could even be friends!

But Sans wasn’t having it.

He’d made up his mind. Whatever it took, he’d make this Human want to move out.

Course, he wasn’t about to start another one sided war with the Humans, so he had to play the long game here. Being just aggressive and aggravating enough to make them chose to leave. Another slightly familiar concept, but not one he cared to linger on.

As soon as they were welcomed into the house, the game began.

You didn’t say anything at breakfast, calmly eating your morning bagel as you listened to Papyrus.

He wanted a favor, “A FAVOR THAT I WILL MOST CERTAINLY PAY YOU BACK FOR, BOTH IN MONEY, AND IN FAVORS!! NYEH!”

He had written up a decently sized list of things he wanted to get from the city for the house. After all, not all the shops here had the supplies he needed, and this would be beneficial to you as well since you also lived in the house! And he promised he’d reimburse you for the cost, and–!

You agreed to pick up the groceries and items he’d written down, but for now, you had to get to work.

Papyrus was satisfied that he talked you into agreeing and gave you his best smile. A very crooked smile, but a great one non the less, especially considering the state his teeth were in.

You gave him a lopsided smile back and tried not to think about why they looked like that.

Grabbing your keys and his list, you paused to announce your departure for the first time in forever.

“I’m heading to work! See you guys later!”

And as you pulled out of the driveway, and down to the gate, you finally felt that ever watching eye leave your back.

You sighed in relief and shook out your shoulders.

You think… maybe you’ll buy a peace offering in addition to Papyrus’s stuff.

Your boss and manager were the other two in shop today… They probably wanted to hear how everything went.

“What were they like?”

Yep. You guessed it.

You turned to your boss, an older lady with quirky fashion taste and a mind full of childlike wonder. It was reflected in her shop, with most of the merchandise in the garden section being whimsical and having a surplus of gnomes. She insisted you call her ‘granny’, and she honestly might as well be.

The manager, who was clearly listening in despite appearing to mind his own business, was named Seth. He was tall, fit, had a tattoo sleeve, and a nicely grown beard, typical motorcyclist. Unless you included that he talked to plants like they were babies and had the cutest little niece in all existence.

“Well, you already know there’s two of them. Brothers. And Skeleton Monsters.” You started, “Um, Papyrus is really tall and stupid strong, kind of intimidating, but he’s actually really nice! Seriously, super polite and friendly. He’s planning on fixing up the garden, which is great since I haven’t gotten around to it.”

You proceeded to talk about Papyrus and his plans for the yard, noting that you promised to pick somethings up on the way home. And as you expected, granny had no qualms about giving him a big ol’ discount on all the garden supplies.

Seth was the one to ask about Sans, the subject you’d been avoiding.

“Sounds like a great guy. What about his brother?” he asked casually, clearly not meaning to invade with the question.

You hid your discomfort behind a smile, “He’s alright too. Keeps to himself mostly, so I haven’t spoken to him as much.”

Seth nodded, “Ah, I assumed that would be the more typical reaction. Well, at least they sound pretty cool.”

You nodded in agreement, “Yep I’m going to–”

You were cut off by the phone ringing.

Everyone got back to work. There was a wedding order needing to be delivered, a fresh shipping of late summer blooms to unpack, the greenhouse needed to be attended, and the fridges needed to be temperature checked.

You finished up the day with some bouquet arrangements since the stock was needing a refresher.

It was about four o’clock when your shift ended, and your boss sent you off with two new garden gnomes, one for each brother. You already had your own, but this time you got to pick the brothers yard companions.

For Papyrus, you selected a little guy who was meekly holding a flowerpot that read ‘welcome’. And after some intense thought, you found the absolute perfect one for Sans! …Or at least, you hope he’ll find it funny.

You swung into the supermarket and picked up the gardening soil and clay potters, very specific white paint, and you went to the home improvement store for some wood. Thankfully, everything fit in your car, and soon you were on the way home.

You got back a little before six, and Papyrus was waiting for you.

“HUMAN Y/N! I’M GLAD YOU’VE DECIDED TO RETURN! I HOPE YOU REMEMBERED TO PICK UP EVERYTHING ON THE LIST?” He asked enthusiastically.

“I got them!” you said, “Actually, if you could help unload…”

Papyrus beamed, “OF COURSE! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS ALWAYS WILLING TO LEND A HAND! OR TWO, SINCE I HAVE TWO… I’M ALWAYS WILLING TO LEND BOTH HANDS!”

You laughed as you opened the trunk for him, “Have you guys eaten dinner yet?”

“AH, NO.” Papyrus fiddled, even as he picked all the wood up in one arm and all the soil in the other, “I KNOW YOU SAID WE COULD HAVE ANYTHING IN THE HOUSE… BUT I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT WE MIGHT EAT SOMETHING YOU HADN’T WANTED US TO, OR THAT WE’D EAT IT ALL AND YOU’D HAVE NOTHING LEFT FOR YOURSELF!”

Your eyes widened, “Did you at least have lunch?”

Papyrus, the sweetheart that he is, shook his head again, “BUT DON’T WORRY! I’VE GONE HUNGRY FOR A MUCH LONGER PERIOD OF TIME! THIS FEELS LIKE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!”

You rubbed your temples. This was… your fault somehow. You should have been more specific or made lunch for them or something. Of course you couldn’t count on the Monsters who knew they were at the mercy of Humanity to ‘get comfortable’ because you told them too.

“What about Sans? Has he eaten?” you asked.

Papyrus looked guilty.

“I-I’M SORRY HUMAN Y/N! I TRIED TO STOP HIM, BUT HE ATE THE WHOLE BAG OF CHIPS IN YOUR PANTRY. I REALLY… I CAN PAY FOR THEM IF YOU WANT?”

“No!” you held up your hands to calm him down, “No need for that! He had the right idea. You seriously can eat anything I have in the house. If you eat it all just give me a call and I’ll get takeout on the way home. That is, uh…Do you guys have phones?”

“YES! WE DO. BUT THEY ARE VERY OLD ONES. MONSTER PHONES, THAT WE USED IN THE UNDERGROUND. I DON’T THINK WE EVEN HAVE SERVICE ANYMORE!”

“Ah.” You thought for a second, “Well, I think there was a landline that I moved to the garage when I moved in. We can set that up later. Do you have a place to put the wood and dirt for now?”

“YES, THE LITTLE SHED IN THE GARDEN WILL WORK. THOUGH, IT COULD USE SOME REPAIRS.” Papyrus answered, already heading over to the backyard.

You watched him leave, wondering aloud to yourself, “…We had a shed?”

Chapter Text

Papyrus loved his gnome buddy. He promised to find him the most excellent place in the garden once everything was planted.

You were nervous about giving Sans his gnome, but you presented it anyways.

Sans stared blankly for a moment, the little ceramic buddy staring back.

“…………snrk!”

His eye crinkled slightly as he picked up the gnome.

Papyrus looked over, “WHAT DOES YOUR GARDEN BUDDY LOOK LIKE, SANS?”

Sans tried to contain his snickers as he turned the little guy to face his brother.

The gnome’s face was sour, a sharp glare in his eyes and a stern frown on his mouth. His arms were crossed and he stood next to a sign that read, ‘Go Away! I’m garden this land’.

“NYEHH!!!” Papyrus’s eyes boggled out as he spied the sign, “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOUR FIRST GIFT TO MY BROTHER IS A PUN! HOW DO YOU KNOW HE LIKED THOSE?! I HAVEN’T HEARD HIM SAY ONE IN YEARS!”

“He does…?” you said curiously, “Huh. Lucky guess.”

Sans seemed to realize something as the two of you talked, and his snickers died down, mouth returning to a tight grimace.

“…WELL? AREN’T YOU GOING TO SAY THANK YOU BROTHER?” Papyrus urged.

Sans placed the gnome back down, shoving his hands in his pockets and turning away, “nah. didn’t ask for it, don’t care. you can place it wherever you want bro.”

Papyrus rung his hands, looking nervously between you.

“I’M SORRY HUMAN. I KNOW HE LIKES YOUR GIFT HE JUST… HASN’T BEEN HIMSELF FOR A WHILE.”

You waved his concern away, “Hey, it’s cool” you think you hear Sans scoff from where he sat on the couch, “He’s probably grumpy cause he’s hungry. Speaking of, lets get some food on the stove. You need to eat something. Any chance you like spaghetti?”

Papyrus flinched and you paused your task of taking out the big pot.

“AH, YES, WELL… I USED TO LIKE IT A LOT, BUT UM… I’LL EAT ANYTHING YOU WANT TO MAKE, BUT I’VE EATEN A LITTLE TOO MUCH… SPAGHETTI UNDERGROUND. SOMETHING DIFFERENT WOULD BE NICE. BUT MAKE WHATEVER YOU SEE FIT!” he finished with a smile.

You slowly put the pot on the stove, “…I’ll make chicken noddle soup then…”

“WONDERFUL! DO YOU MIND IF I OBSERVE HOW THAT’S DONE?”

You agreed and Papyrus hovered over your shoulder as you cut up the chicken breasts and seasoned the broth. Papyrus offered to boil the noodles for you, and they turned out perfectly.

Dinner was eaten and soon another day came to an end.

That night you laid in bed with another thing on your mind: Papyrus.

He was trying very hard not to upset you in any way whatsoever, to a fault. I mean, not eating the whole day because you might get mad? And Sans seemed endlessly warry of you. You hadn’t given him a reason to be, but you figured it must be a Human thing rather than a you thing. You wanted to be a friend to the both of them, help them feel comfortable here. This was their house too, and you already gave them free reign in the kitchen and yet... It was…

You sighed and rolled onto your back. You were met with a big red eye, but in a blink, it was gone.

You rubbed your hands over your face tiredly.

It would be nice if you could feel safe and comfortable in your own house too.

You really didn’t… want to be skittish and afraid of them, but you had to be honest with yourself before you could confront the problem.

You think, tomorrow you should work on that peace offering.

Morning came and you greeted Papyrus and Sans at the breakfast table.

Sans was… on the couch again, and you were starting to wonder if he was even using his bedroom.

“HUMAN Y/N! I WAS HOPING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE PLANS I HAD FOR THE GARDEN! THE HOUSE OWNER SAID TO REFER TO YOU IF I WANTED TO RENOVATE ANYTHING.”

“Ah. Sure. I’ll look over your plans.” You said.

Yet another job that wasn’t yours, but the rent was cheap so…

Papyrus spread out his sketches on various parts of the yard and house.

“MOST OF THE THINGS I WANT TO PLANT WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR, SO FOR NOW, I WAS HOPING TO SET UP A COOP! YOU SEE, I WENT TO VISIT OUR FRIEND ICE WOLF THE OTHER DAY, AND THE LAND HE PURCHASED CAME WITH THESE LITTLE CREATURES CALLED GOATS! APPARENTLY, SEVERAL OF HIS NEIGHBORS ALSO HAVE FARM ANIMALS IN THEIR CARE NOW, ENCOURAGED BY YOUR GOVERNMENT, AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME TOO. CHICKENS TO BE PRECISE!” He pointed to the sketch he made on his note pad, “THE COOP WILL GO RIGHT HERE, NEXT TO THE SHED. IS THAT ALRIGHT?”

You blinked at him, “Yeah, it’s totally okay! Do you know how to care for them? And where to get them?”

“YES! I LOOKED IT UP ON YOUR LAPTOP YESTERDAY.”

Another thing you’d given them permission to use since they had to stick it out at home all day.

“Great! Need me to pick up anything else on the way home today?” you asked.

“YES! THANK YOU FOR ASKING. I’LL WRITE IT DOWN REAL QICK.”

Papyrus pulled a page from his notepad and scribbled down some various things to pick up.

You finished up breakfast and packed your bag, snagging Papyrus’s list on the way out.

“I’ll probably be back early today and we can set up the phone. Until then, you can eat anything you want. For real. Don’t hesitate.” You waited till he nodded in understanding before grabbing your keys and going out to the garage, “…Okay, I’m heading out!”

You asked for a half day today, so you managed to get off right at one.

You bought a pita wrap at the shop next door and headed out to the home improvement store again. Papyrus needed roof tiles, chicken wire, wall insulation, and a few other things. Baskets for roosting and straw… You were glad the store employees were there to help you load everything, especially the bricks and cement, and that Papyrus would be there to unload.

You also swung by a hobby shop to pick up your little ‘surprise’ for the brothers. You hadn’t been able to find the right things in the department store, so you’d have to make it yourself.

When you arrived back, you were shocked to see the garage was already full of chickens.

“What the…?” you parked your car in the driveway as Papyrus bolted from the garage and scooped up the runaway chickens.

“AH! HELLO HUMAN Y/N! I HOPE YOU DON’T MIND IF I KEEP THE CHICKENS IN THE GARAGE TILL I CONSTRUCT THEIR NEW HOME. NYEH!! COME BACK HERE CHICKEN!!!”

You made a quick dash and captured the runaway bird before it managed to dart under your car.

“I don’t mind but… Where did all these chickens even come from…?” you asked, trying to wrangle the bird under your arm as it flapped like mad.

Papyrus took the chicken from you with a crooked grin, “THE SHELTER! APPARENTLY, THEY’VE HAD A SURPLUS OF CHICKEN RELATED PROBLEMS RECENTLY!”

You watched as he opened the side door on the garage and dumped the chicken back in, the car port already shut.

“Huh. I didn’t know animal shelters took in farm animals.”

“I’LL START ON THEIR COOP RIGHT AWAY IF YOU NEED THE GARAGE CLEAR.” He offered.

You shook your head, “That’s okay. You can use it for now. I don’t mind parking outside. It’s not rainy or icy right now, so it’s not a big deal.”

You looked around, realizing that the burning sensation of being watched was noticeably absent, “Is Sans inside?”

“NO. HE’S AT HIS FRIEND GRILLBY’S HOUSE!”

“Oh. Good for him.”

You felt embarrassed. You don’t know why you assumed your new roommates would just sit at home all day. Well, Papyrus had said he’d been to his friend ‘Ice Wolf’s’ house yesterday, so maybe you had only assumed Sans would sit at home all day. He seemed like a homebody.

…Or maybe you were being speciesist again.

You didn’t want to be rude, but it was hard not to make assumptions.

You shook your head, deciding there was only one way to fix this. You had to learn about Monsters and their culture! Which meant you had to ask, while also avoiding all the bad topics that were insensitive to ask.

“So, Papyrus, do you mind telling me some things about Monsters? I don’t really know much about you guys.” You started.

Papyrus dropped off the box of bricks by the shed, and you placed the bolt of chicken wire down next to it.

“OF COURSE, HUMAN! WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW?”

You thought for a second, “Well, maybe, do you have any childhood stories you’d like to share?”

You figured it was (hopefully) a safe topic, but Papyrus just blinked at you.

“I DON’T REALLY REMEMBER MOST OF MY CHILDHOOD, SORRY.” he seemed just as confused as you, so you pursed your lips and tried again.

“Well then, is there anything you’d like to share?”

Papyrus thought for a moment, “WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT THE TIME SANS BECAME FAMOUS IN THE UNDERGROUND?”

You smiled, not sure what to expect, “Sure. Sounds like a fun story.”

It was a fun story. Apparently, there was once a Monster robot(?) that was an underground celebrity. He owned a hotel, restaurant, and was on every TV channel! …because he owned those too.

Sans got a job working for him doing stand-up comedy in the hotel restaurant. He became popular enough that his nights had the restaurant bought out.

And another time, Sans had made a bet with Undyne that he could stack hotdogs up to the cavern ceiling without them toppling over. He won the bet.

Another, another time, Sans found an old bike in the dump, and he fixed it up and added and engine. He got pulled over for riding it over the conveyor belts in Hotland to see if it could go even faster.

You were laughing pretty hard as Papyrus spilled the story about the time Sans pranked a whole bar with whoopie cushions when he was drunk, inevitability pranking himself the following day.

You almost couldn’t believe the Sans in Papyrus’s stories was the same one living with you. If he hadn’t found the gnome so funny, you probably wouldn’t have.

You didn’t even notice that you’d started helping Papyrus in constructing the chicken coop till he paused his stories to ask where the big stapler was.

You figured you didn’t mind helping out right now, pushing your surprise gift project off till tomorrow.

“What about you? Did you do anything crazy?” you asked, “You seem like them more responsible one so…?”

Papyrus puffed out his chest as he stapled the chicken wire to the inner walls.

“OF COURSE! THE GREAT PAPYRUS ALWAYS IS VERY RESPONSIBLE AND HARD WORKING!” he bragged, “WHY, I WORKED VERY HARD EVERY DAY TO JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD AND PERFECT MY FRIENDSHIP SPAGHETTI. ALL THINGS THAT EVENTUALLY PAYED OFF! …JUST… NOT AS GREAT AS I HAD HOPED THEY’D BE…”

You furrowed your brow, afraid that you’d just stepped into ‘bad territory’.

You were about to assure him that he didn’t have to tell you anything he didn’t want to, but he was already continuing.

“BUT I’VE ALWAYS ENJOYED COOKING AND MAKING THINGS WITH OTHERS! LIKE PUZZLES, OR LIKE WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW. WHAT DO YOU THINK Y/N? ARE YOU HAVING FUN RIGHT NOW?” he asked hopefully.

You smiled, not even having to think about it, “Yeah. I am having fun! Thanks Papyrus.”

Papyrus beamed and you asked him about other things he’d built before.

You didn’t even notice when Sans’s ever watchful eye returned.

Chapter Text

The chicken coop was mostly constructed.

Papyrus had planned out a real cute home for his new pets. The hut was insulated since it got cold in the winter, and the free roam area was protected by chicken wire and tall enough for him to go in and feed them. The actual hut was a mix of wood and brick, painted white to match the shed and the main house. Inside there was baskets hung off the walls that he filled with straw, and a lantern shaped lamp was fixed by the door.

You were really impressed.

Not only had he built this whole thing with surprising speed and precision, but he also knew how to wire for electricity.

“Wow! This looks great Papyrus!” you stood back and looked over it with him, “I’m super impressed you could do all this!”

Papyrus patted your back, almost throwing you off balance, but you caught yourself in time.

“DON’T SELL YOURSELF SHORT HUMAN! YOU HELPED ME COMPLETE IT MUCH FASTER THAN I THOUGHT I WOULD! IN FACT, THE SUN IS ONLY JUST STARTING TO SET. I STILL HAVE TIME TO PLANT THE BEATS AND CARROTS THAT SANS GOT FOR ME!” he started to the garden shed.

You thought about joining him, but you were pretty thirsty from working in the sun all afternoon.

“I think I’ll go clean up and start on dinner!” you called to him.

Papyrus poked his head from the shed, “GOOD IDEA HUMAN Y/N! THAT WAY WE CAN BE TWICE AS EFFICIENT!”

You waved and headed into the house.

You went in and had a nice, long drink of water to rehydrate. Then, you washed your hands and opened the fridge. …Looks like they took you up on free range of the kitchen.

You headed out to the garage where you kept the canned food, being careful not to let the chickens enter the house as you came in. You found a few cans of tuna, spam, cream of chicken, and green beans. You decided to go with the spam and make some fried rice.

So, heading back inside with your prize, you cracked open the can and plopped out the meat jelly. Gross, but! Nothing a little kitchen magic couldn’t fix!  You cubed the spam, diced an onion, defrosted some peas and carrots from the freezer and pulled out the old rice in your fridge. A little oil and garlic to cook the veggies and meat, a little soy sauce and hot sauce to flavor the rice, and voilà! Fried rice!

You gave it a taste test. Pretty good. Too bad you were out of eggs. That would have put it over the top. Though, with Papyrus’s new feathered friends, you egg problems would soon be gone! If he was cool with that, of course.

You turned off the stove and spun around, planning to go let Papyrus know you’d finished dinner.

You jumped and nearly burned yourself on the still hot stove. Sans was standing directly behind you, hands in his pockets, but a familiar air of menacing was around him.

“H-Hiii Sans-! I didn’t see you there!” you stuttered, trying your best to regain your composer, “…Er, did you need something?”

He just… kept staring.

If his goal was to freak you out, it was working.

“Well, dinner’s ready. You can serve yourself; I was just going to let Papyrus know.” you said as you squished around him.

He watched you run away, still just grinning and staring.

You shook off the creeps and went out the back door.

Papyrus shucked of his gloves, they needed a good washing, so he decided to remove them for now, and you both headed in.

…Turns out, Sans served everyone. The dirty pot was left empty on the stove, two Huge plates of fried rice sat next to each other. One for Sans, and one for Papyrus… nothing for you.

“DID YOU ALREADY EAT HUMAN Y/N?” Papyrus asked.

You stared at Sans, trying to figure out what he was doing, “…No… Not yet…”

“OH.” Papyrus looked at his plate and at Sans’s already half eaten one, “WELL, YOU CAN SHARE WITH ME. I’M SURE THIS WAS JUST A MISTAKE AND HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SABOTAGE OF ANY KIND.”

Papyrus glared pointedly as Sans, who ignored it in favor of eating.

“Thanks Papyrus.” You sighed and got a small plate, “I feel bad taking from your portion though.”

Sans said nothing as Papyrus loaded as much fried rice as your little plate could take.

“NONSENSE! YOU MADE THE FOOD, AND YOU DO THE SHOPPING! IT IS ONLY FAIR THAT YOU CAN PARTAKE IN THE MEAL.”

You watched as Papyrus piled the sticky rice, loudly going on about how important you are as a member of this house, and how he is very hopeful that your relationship develops into a close friendship!

“Um… Papyrus?”

He stopped for a moment looking to you expectantly, “YES HUMAN Y/N?”

You pursed your lips, trying not to laugh as you explained the problem.

“You’re out of rice.”

Papyrus looked down at his own plate, now almost completely empty.

“NYEH!!! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN???”

You took the plate and spoon from his hand, “Here, let me.”

You scrapped the majority of the rice back onto his plate.

“BUT HUMAN! IS THAT REALLY ENOUGH FOR YOU?” Papyrus asked worriedly.

“Here,” you held out your hand, “There’s this saying that a Human’s stomach is the size of their fist.” You stretched your hand out as wide as possible, “And this is the farthest it can stretch to.”

Papyrus watched in interest as you hovered your outstretched hand over the plate, “See? This is just the right amount for me.”

“WOWIE! I DID NOT KNOW HUMANS COULD MEASURE THE PERFECT SERVING SO EFFECTIVELY!”

You laughed and sat down, “Yep Humans have some interestingly useful portions. Like your foot is supposed to be the same size as your forearm, and your neck is about half the size of your waist.” you listed a few, “Though, sometimes people try to trick you. They’ll say things like you can’t say the letter P with your tongue out. And then of course you try it. And you look pretty silly saying P with your tongue hanging out.”

Papyrus really seemed to be interested in weird Human stuff and urged you to continue.

So, you shared things like the difficulty of touching your tongue to your nose or elbow, and how it looked when you cross your eyes, and how you can use your armpit to make a loud fart noise.

Sans was also watching in mild interest, his iris blowing up to fill the socket as you demonstrated the ‘arm-fart’.

Genius.

He could pretend as much as he wanted, but he found Humans fascinating in ways that Monsters could never be. And if you were going to be here for a while, he might as well let his curiosity find solace.

It wasn’t that he’d abandoned his goal. No. He still very much wanted you to leave.

But you were gone the majority of the day, so he couldn’t prank you directly. And he’d tried leaving messes for you to find, but Paps was quick to clean them up before you could see them. You hadn’t been scared away by his first night visit, nor did you seemed particularly bothered by his constant staring.

It was like water off a Woshua's back.

But he was in luck.

Tomorrow, you had the day off. You planned to be at home all day, and he wasn’t about to let this chance to torment you go to waste.

You woke up early the next morning, feeling determined to get this gift finished.

You listened as you got ready, trying to tell if anyone else was up yet. You didn’t hear anyone, but as you snuck out to the kitchen to get breakfast…!

Your door caught on a string and a bucket of cold water dumped over you.

You gasped, the water spilling over the wood floors into your room and down the hall. You stood there for a second, dripping wet, before you let out your breath and sagged.

You couldn’t see Papyrus doing this, and according to the stories, this had Sans written all over in. You shook your head in mild amusement. Not the way you thought you’d start your morning, but at least it was your day off.

You snag a towel from the hall closet and dry yourself off, using it on the floor after your were dry enough yourself.

You undid the bucket trap and headed to the kitchen in a dry set of clothes.

In the kitchen, you glanced out the back window to see Papyrus was awake already, and was herding the chickens into the new hen house with a trail of corn.

You laughed, covering your mouth in amusement as he squat-walked backward, sprinkling feed as he went.

“something funny?”

The menacing voice was chillier than the water dumped on you this morning.

You turned and gave him an unsteady smile.

“Good morning, Sans. Want to check it out for yourself?”

Sans quirked a brow, seeming bothered by your… Unbotheredness after his morning shenanigans. But, he shoved passed you to peer out the window.

His face quickly fell into a more relaxed state as he laid eyes on Papyrus. His eyes became lidded, and a dopey grin set on his teeth.

“heh. what’s he even doing? if he picks ‘em up it would go faster.”

You smiled with him, “Maybe, but it sure brings a smile to my face. He’s being so gentle with them! Man, he’s such a cool guy.”

Sans stiffened, his brow lowering. He grumbled something under his breath and skulked away.

You watched him go with a frown.

“What’s with that?”

Chapter Text

You buckled down and got to work on your project.

You pulled out the shiny new sewing machine your mom had gifted you. Someone had gotten it for her, but she liked her old one, no matter how ancient hers was. So, it was yours now.

She’d taught you, but sewing wasn’t super your thing. Kinda tedious.

But!

Sans and Papyrus needed some fresh clothes. They hadn’t changed outfits once since you’ve known them. And as much as you wouldn’t want to impose in case those were their favorite clothes, they probably are the same pieces as from the underground. They had questionable stains, were torn up, and …well, Sans kinda smelled. Papyrus smelled faintly of soap, so you figured he was cleaning up often, but Sans smelled like dirt and death. Not very pleasant.

You cracked your knuckles and sat down on the floor. A pile of folded cloth sat beside you.

You wanted to attempt remaking their current outfits first, and then make a few extra things for Papyrus. You were able to find things at the department stores in Sans’s relative size. He seemed to prefer oversized stuff, so you got them a little bigger, but Papyrus was way too tall! Even XXXL would be on the short side. So, you could make him some basic T shirts and pants. As long as it wasn’t too complex.

You started with the easiest things. Papyrus’s red gloves and scarf.

You honestly had no idea how you were going to make the rest of his quote on quote ‘battle body’, but you could try.

You had checked his gloves for size while they were air drying yesterday, and you had a good guess for the fabric since he wasn’t shy about touching you.

So, you chopped the scarf out first, hemmed all its edges, and moved to the gloves. You had measured it in accordance to your own hand, so you placed you finger down and counted it out.

“One finger, two fingers.” You smiled as you marked it out.

Two whole fingers longer than your own hand! His hand was like two of your hands stacked on top of each other!

The gloves were a tad trickier, requiring a little ‘by hand’ needlework on the fingers. And you had to grab a pencil to flip it right side out. But it went smoother than you’d expected.

You also made a few shirts and two really long pants with a drawstring waist band.

Next you went to Sans’s hoodie.

You think you found a good color match for the blue and gray, and you found a similar chunky zipper. Your pretty sure his hoody string was a legitimate shoelace, so you got one of those too.

You were using a similar pattern since it had looser sleeves and a secondary toned hood and cuffs.

So, you snipped, snipped, snipped! And pinned, and stitched, and unstitched… but in the end, you had a hoodie. You hoped the fabric was close enough texture wise. But it looked good if you said so yourself. Which you did!

You placed the hoodie with the plain white shirt and black shorts you’d bought. To finish it off, the softest, pink slippers you could find. Sans’s outfit… Complete!

Back to Papyrus’s.

You had a few pairs of tights, since that seemed to be what covered his bones. His bottoms seemed to be a speedo? So, you tried to replicate it with a plain blue one that you painted a yellow stripe on.

The top was waaaaay harder. You honestly had no idea where to start, referring to several cosplay youtube videos in your confusion.

They didn’t help much.

Everything they made seemed to be fragile and not clothy. But Papyrus’s armor was just that, armor. So it was firm.

You sighed, wondering if you’d have to go to a store… maybe rugby armor…? With a cloth covering…

You were roused from your musings by a knock on your door.

“Ah! Just a second!”

You dashed to pick up the pieces you’d finished and shove them under your bed.

You came up to the door, and with one last check, you answered the door.

“AH! HELLO HUMAN Y/N!” Papyrus looked relieved to see you, “I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE ALRIGHT. YOU HAVEN’T COME OUT OF YOUR ROOM SINCE BREAKFAST, AND YOU DIDN’T EAT LUNCH! I DON’T MEAN TO BOTHER YOU, SANS DOES SOMETHING SIMILAR ON HIS DAYS OFF, BUT YOU SHOULD REALLY EAT SOMETHING. THREE MEALS A DAY IS IMPORTANT TO STAYING HEALTHY!”

You dug your phone from your pocket and checked the time. Three o’clock.

Wow, it was later than you’d thought. And you were hungry, now that he’d mentioned it.

“Thanks Papyrus. I didn’t even notice how late it had gotten.” You repocketed you phone and moved to exit your room.

Papyrus followed you to the kitchen, “YOU DON’T SEEM LIKE YOU WERE SLEEPING. THAT’S WHAT SANS USUALLY DOES ON HIS DAYS OFF.”

You smiled, “Oh, I was just working on a project. An old hobby. I’ll show you when I’m done.”

“AH! A HOBBY! THAT IS AN EXCELLENT THING TO WORK ON DURING A BREAK!”

You looked around the kitchen. It was even emptier than yesterday. You checked the garage and found your canned foods exhausted too.

“Right. I’m going to head into town for groceries. We’ll need some to make dinner. I’ll eat while I’m out.” you decided, mostly thinking out loud.

“OH! CAN I ACCOMPANY YOU?” Papyrus asked.

You looked over at him, “Sure. It’s in town anyways. Though… you might not fit in my car…”

Papyrus straightened up as much as he could in the house, “NO WORRIES! WE CAN TAKE THE EXPRESSWAY!”

“We have an expressway? I don’t remember that.” you rose a brow in question.

Papyrus ‘Nyehehed’ mischievously, “DO YOU TRUST ME…?”

You blinked.

Such a simple question, but…

On one hand, Papyrus was a literal man-eating monster, but on the other, he was the absolute nicest person you ever met, who fed chickens in a duck walk, shared his food despite what he’d gone through, and worried over the little things.

Could you say you trusted Papyrus…?

ABSOLUTELY.

“Okay. Let’s use the expressway.” You shrugged.

Papyrus ‘Nyehehed’ again in pleased excitement, and you let out an amused laugh of your own.

Expressway, lets go~!

…

Turns out, the expressway was just Papyrus himself.

He had you climb onto his back and then he just took off.

You don’t know how fast you were going, but the fifteen-minute drive was a ten-minute run for Papyrus. It was both amazing and terrifying. But your fist stop was lunch, which Papyrus insisted on treating you.

“WE ATE ALL THE FOOD AT HOME, SO LET ME PAY!”

You accepted and you both settled into the little Japanese restaurant.

You ordered tonkatsu and Papyrus curiously asked for your opinion on the menu. You did you best to explain the sushi ‘Maki’ rolls verses ‘nigiri’ fish on rice. In the end he chose a lunchbox since it had a little of everything.

Papyrus LOVED Rice.

“IT’S LIKE NOODLES, BUT SHORT, AND COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!”

He was mildly disappointed when you told him it wouldn’t be easy to grow in his garden. It needed a wet field after all. And while your soil was rich with volcanic ash and nutrients, it was greatly lacking the water part of a rice patty.

But lunch was finished quickly, and soon you took a much more, regular paced walk to the grocery store across the block. You were planning to hit up a bulk store next time you went into Ebott City, so for now you picked up some bread and dinner ingredients. You added some more breakfast bagels and a few extra munchies as well.

Papyrus found dinosaur egg oatmeal in the breakfast aisle and threw the whole stock in the cart.

You asked if there was anything Sans would like and Papyrus rolled his eyes, sighing loudly… by actually saying ‘SIGH’ aloud. He simply guided you to the condiment aisle and dumped every available ketchup bottle in the cart. You scrunched up your nose in repulsion.

You had seen the excessive ketchup on his hotdog, but you had brushed it off as a mistake that he hadn’t wanted to waste. …Guess it was on purpose after all.

Papyrus wanted to pay for the groceries too. Something you hadn’t realized till he was already forking the bill to the cashier. He was sneakier than you’d expected.

He also carried all the groceries on top of piggybacking you.

And he wasn’t even tired when you reached home!

He helped you put away the groceries and dug out the fashion forward, zigzagged straw hat he’d found at the store and headed to the backyard to paint the shed.

You watched him go in amazement.

Papyrus deserved to receive his gift today. So, you hopped in your car and drove to the nearest sports store for that body armor.

You may have only known Papyrus for four days, but you already knew that his smile was worth the trouble.

Chapter Text

You finished drawing on the little symbol for his chest piece and sat back to look at your work.

Not bad at all!

You checked the time again. Oof. Already six thirty.

You popped put of the room and down to the kitchen to start on dinner, but Papyrus was already there.

“OH, HI THERE HUMAN Y/N! I FIGURED YOU WERE DEEPLY ABSORBED IN YOUR HOBBY, SO I TOOK THE LIBERTY OF STARTING DINNER FOR YOU! I HOPE THAT’S OKAY? I FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS YOU LEFT ON THE COUNTER.” He smiled hopefully.

You had pulled out the recipe earlier when you been putting away the groceries. It was meatloaf tonight.

You smiled back, “Course it is. Thanks Papyrus!”

Papyrus beamed at your words.

“WHEW! I’M GLAD YOU ARE OKAY WITH IT! I’VE BEEN WANTING TO HELP YOU WITH MEALS FOR A WHILE NOW. IT IS MY SPECIALTY AFTER ALL! AND I WANT TO HELP OUT MY NEW HOUSEMATE WHEN THEY ARE BUSY.” He explained as the oven beeped, “AH! IT MUST BE DONE NOW.”

He pulled open the oven and grabbed out the loaf.

Your oven mitts were comically small on him, but he didn’t seem to mind and stuck the meat thermometer in to test the internal temperature.

“ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE DEGREES. PERFECT! SANS!!!!!! GET UP! WE ARE EATING NOW!”

You had to cover your ears at the sudden raise in volume. …An unnecessary raise since Sans was on the couch again, groggily sitting up with a yawn.

“stars. bro, ‘m right here. no need to break all the windows.”

Papyrus tilted his head, “NONE OF THE WINDOWS ARE BROKEN THOUGH?”

You giggled and explained to Papyrus, “It’s an expression. Sometimes when singers hit a really high and consistent frequency, they can shatter glass with just their voice.”

“WOWIE! I DIDN’T REALIZE HUMANS COULD DO THAT! IT’S LIKE A SECRET ATTACK!” Papyrus exclaimed.

“Well, you have to train to do something like that. I probably couldn’t.”

Papyrus seemed a little disappointed, but Sans was soon shoving between you.

“what’s for dinner?”

Papyrus stabbed the knife into the pan, slicing into the meat with enthusiasm, “MEATLOAF! IT’S LIKE BREAD MADE OF MEAT!”

Sans grunted and grabbed a plate. You hurried to slice up the actual bread and pull some butter and jam from the fridge.

“Ah, you guys want ketchup with it?” you asked.

Sans looked up and saw you open the pantry to grab a fresh bottle out of the new stash Paps bought.

“I SUGGEST YOU GRAB A SECONDARY BOTTLE FOR EVERYONE ELSE.” Papyrus urged.

You quirked a brow but followed his advice and snagged a second.

You joined them at the table and set out the two bottles.

Sans immediately snatched one of the bottles and popped the lid. He raised the bottle up to his mouth, never breaking eye contact as he squirted the condiment past his teeth. You shuddered and he grinned wider, draining the bottle in one go.

“That is disgusting!” you gagged.

Papyrus nodded in agreement, “THE ONLY REASON I LET HIM DO IT IS BECAUSE IT’S THE ONLT TIME HE EATS VEGETABLES!”

“heh,” Sans winked as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve, “you know me paps, i jus’ love drinking red.”

He had that murdery look in his eye as he spoke, and you became extra interested in poking your food.

“YES, WELL, IT IS STILL A NASTY CHOICE OF DRINK.” Papyrus crossed his arms in defiance.

You felt you lips twitch into a grin as something donned on you, “You know… Tomatoes are technically a fruit, not a vegetable.”

As predicted Papyrus was appalled by this news.

“NYEH!! SANS! DID YOU KNOW THIS!? HAVE YOU BEEN SNEAKILY EVADING HEALTHY HABITS BEHIND MY BACK THIS WHOLE TIME!!!???!” Papyrus turned on his brother.

Sans was frozen, sweat gathering on his head as his smile tightened.

You snickered and decided to have mercy on the skeleton.

“Well, fruits can be healthy too. And tomatoes have very few sugars, so they are still good for you.” you smiled.

Papyrus placed a gloved hand to his chin, considering this, “HMM… I SUPPOSE THOSE ARE VALID POINTS. VERY WELL, SANS. YOUR KETCHEP HABITS MAY CONTINUE.”

Sans sagged in relief but quickly shot a glare at you.

You simply smirked, “Isn’t that great Sans? Thinking of a life without ketchup… it seemed to suck the life out of you.”

Sans glared harder, fighting his instinct to pun back as he scarfed down his food and left his dirty plate on the table. He stood and kicked his chair back into place.

“going to grillbz…” he muttered, and then he just… vanished.

You stared, jaw dropped at the empty air before you, “Did- Did he just–?!”

“LEAVE HIS DIRT DISHES AGAIN? YES. I’M AFRIAD SO.” Papyrus sighed, “DON’T WORRY HUMAN. I WILL WASH THEM FOR HIM.”

You blinked, trying to process the complete brush over of the amazing thing Sans just did. You wonder if he can take others with him? How far could he travel? How fast is it? Is that how he’s been getting around?? He probably wasn’t running places like Papyrus was.

“Right… Well, I’m going to start cleaning up.” you stood and brought your dishes to the sink, snagging Sans’s on the way, “I had a gift to give both of you, but I guess I can just give them both to you and you can get Sans’s to him whenever he comes back.”

“A GIFT? FOR ME!?”

You nodded and Papyrus’s eyes literally sparkled.

“WOWIE! I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT IT IS!”

You both washed the dishes a little faster than normal, and you sat Papyrus down on the couch to get your gift.

“Now, I tried my best, but it might need a few adjustments…” you held the big cardboard box in your arms that you stuffed the clothes in, “But hopefully you like it.”

Papyrus excitedly took the box off your hands and tore away the flaps like a child on Christmas.

He paused as the gift came into view. His eye sockets grew in wonder as he pulled out the armor piece. He didn’t say anything for a while, and you started to get nervous. Then, suddenly, he squealed.

“WOWIE! DID YOU MAKE THIS Y/N?!”

He pulled off his gloves to try on the new pair.

You nodded, “Hopefully they’re similar enough. I had a hard time with guessing fabrics and sizes.”

“THEY’RE PERFECT!” Papyrus assured you, “IT’S LIKE WHEN SANS FIRST MADE IT WAY BACK WHEN!”

“Sans made them?” you asked curiously.

“WELL, IT WAS A JOINT EFFORT… BUT YES! HE ACTUALLY HELPED ME A LOT WITH THIS SUIT!”

Huh, Sans can sew. What do you know?

“I threw in a few casual pieces too. Just incase you wanted something looser to wear around the house or while you’re gardening.” You explained, “Sans’s should be at the bottom of the box. Most of his I bought, but the hoodie is another one I made.”

Papyrus squinted at you, “IS THIS THE ‘HOBBY’ YOU WORKED ON ALL DAY BY ANY CHANCE?”

You grinned and held up your hands, “I told you I’d show you when I was done.”

Papyrus stood up and wrapped you into a hug. It was very gentle compared to the other times he’d hugged you, and you almost swore you heard him sniffle. But, when he pulled back, he was the picture of happiness.

“I… I’VE BEEN VERY HAPPY TO BE YOUR HOUSEMATE Y/N! YOU’VE BEEN VERY WELCOMING SINCE WE MET, EVEN KNOWING WHAT WE DID, WHAT I’VE DONE, YOU ARE STILL BEING GOOD TO US! THAT’S WHY… I WANT TO ASK YOU A IMPORTANT QUESTION…” he took a deep breath, “WILL… YOU BE MY FRIEND…?”

…

You blinked, “Aren’t we already friends?”

Papyrus gasped, slapping his hands to his face, eyes growing and filling with sparkles.

“REALLY?!”

“Of course! I totally want to be your friend!”

Papyrus dance around in place and squealed.

“I CAN’T WAIT TO TELL SANS I HAVE A FRIEND ALREADY!!!” Papyrus paused, “OH, DOES THAT MEAN YOU’RE ALREADY FRIENDS WITH SANS TOO?”

You pursed you lips, “Oh. Well. I’d like to be? But I’m not sure he shares the sentiment. I don’t know. You know him better than I do. What do you think?”

Papyrus put a hand to his chin, “HMM… HE HAS BEEN RATHER AGGRESSIVE LATELY… BUT HE USED TO BE THE FRIENDLIEST MONSTER IN THE WHOLE UNDERGROUND! SO…”

He looked down at the box and pulled out all his new clothes.

“I THINK IT WOULD BE BEST IF YOU GAVE THESE TO SANS PERSONALLY! IT WILL SHOW HIM HOW MUCH FRIEND POTENTIAL YOU HAVE. AND MAYBE, THAT WILL HELP HIM SOFTEN UP TO YOU!”

You took the box back a little hesitantly. But, if Papyrus said so…

“Wow, Sans had you beat in friendliness? I can’t image anyone being friendlier than you!” you accepted the box.

“NYEHEH! IT IS TRUE THAT I AM VERY COOL, AND GREAT, AND GOOD AT ALL THINGS. ESPECIALLY FRIENDSHIP THINGS! BUT SANS WAS ALWAYS THE BEST AT MAKING OTHERS FEEL HOPEFUL AND ACCEPTED. LIKE THEY HAD A PLACE TO BELONG AND SOMEONE WHO CARED FOR THEM! SOMETIMES I WISH HE COULD GO BACK TO BEING LIKE THAT… BUT NO MATTER HOW MY BROTHER IS, HE IS STILL MY BROTHER AND I LOVE HIM. SO, IF HE’S HAVING A HARD TIME OPENING UP AND BEING FRIENDLY, I’LL STEP IN AND HELP HIM!”

You smiled fondly at Papyrus, “Sounds like he’s in good hands.”

Papyrus puffed out his chest proudly, “OF COURSE! ONLY THE COOLEST, GOODEST HANDS!”

Neither of you noticed the shadow in the hall.

Sans sighed and slumped down.

Paps was getting attached. And if you made his bro happy, his plan to make you leave would fall through.

He grumbled.

For Papyrus, he could work around you.

He wouldn’t like you, but he could tolerate you being there.

But he swore, one wrong move, one slip up, one little reason to think you’d hurt Papyrus, and he wouldn’t have to worry about you any more…

Chapter Text

You tried to wait for Sans to return so you could pass off your gift, but you eventually decided it was better to head to bed. You had work tomorrow, couldn’t stay up too late!

You could always give it to him at breakfast…

…Oop!

You missed your first alarm and had to rush through your morning.

You called Seth and to let him know you’d be a little late today. He laughed and taunted you for missing your alarm, so you quickly hung up to ‘stop wasting time and get moving’.

You scarfed down your bagel and threw on the first clothes you grabbed.

“Okay, bye gotta go!!!” you called as you scrambled out the door.

You only sped a little during your commute, but you got there thirty minutes late anyways.

“Hey Seth!” you huffed as you swiped your apron and gloves, “We need to move the new plants into the green house, right?”

Seth leaned on the counter, an amused smile on his face, “You got it. Don’t rush yourself now!”

“Har Har.” You sarcastically laughed, “I’m sorry okay! It was a busy day yesterday! And today I have errands and the gym. I’m getting tired again just thinking about it.”

Seth laughed at you as you fled to the green house.

…

Time passed quickly, one of the reasons you liked your job. You were surrounded by plants, doing hands on work, and you could listen to music while you worked. The shop smelled of damp dirt and different sweet flora. You sighed as you finished your task and turned off your music.

Better check the front and make sure you finished all the tasks today.

You rounded the corner and immediately halted.

A slender guy was leaning on the counter and chatting with Seth. Seth was casually leaned on the back counter and responding. The slender guy checked his phone and grabbed his vase of flowers, sliding a note across the counter before heading off.

You came up as he exited the shop, “Who was that? A friend?”

Seth laughed, “Nah. I have no idea who that was. He gave me his number though.”

You rose your brow and let out a low whistle, “Gonna call?”

“Nah, I’m straight and not looking to mix it up, so I’ll pass.” He shook his head, “Seemed like a nice guy though, he was buying flowers for his mom’s birthday.”

“Aww, that’s really great. You don’t see that too often these days.”

Seth passed you today’s checklist over the counter, “So, what had you so busy yesterday?”

“Ah… well, Papyrus adopted a bunch of chickens and built them a hen house, but that was the day before. Yesterday I was trying to finish up a sewing project before the day ended. I wanted to give the brothers a gift. They need new clothes, but Papyrus is so tall, I couldn’t find anything at the stores for him. So, I decided to whip out the sewing machine and put it to use.” You explained, checking off all the tasks you’d finished.

You handed the clipboard back to him, “Want me to do the fridge check? It’s still early.”

Seth glanced up at the clock, “…Nah, you can go ahead and leave. You said you had to run errands, right? Might as well get those done. You need to save some energy for the gym.”

You smirked, “What? But swimsuit season is almost over! So much work for nothing.”

“Hey!” Seth flexed his tattooed arm, “You telling me this is nothing? Because if that’s true, I’m canceling my membership.”

You laughed, hanging up you apron and snagging your stuff from the cabinet, “You’re right, that’s a lot of money spend on nothing! Heading out now!”

You left and drove down to the gym first, you’d head to the store afterward, so for now you could get a little workout.

So, you burned some calories on the elliptical and did some arm workouts with the pulley weights. You stretched some and did a few jumping jacks before deciding to wrap up. You took a shower and headed out to the bulk store.

By the time you were done with your shopping, you wanted nothing more that to fall on the couch and take a nap.

You reached home and threw most of what you bought in the freezer, then, heading inside, you dragged yourself to the couch and fell onto it.

Luckily, Sans wasn’t there.

…Which reminded you, you still need to give him his gift.

You groaned and rubbed you eyes with your palms.

“AH! WELCOME BACK Y/N! YOU LOOK TERRIBLE, DID SOMETHING HAPPEN?”

You laughed at his bluntness and pulled your hands away.

He was wearing a set of the shirts and sweatpants you’d made him. His straw hat hung around his neck, and he was holding his old gloves in on hand. He had a little dirt on his knees and gloves, so he must have come in from the garden.

He was always keeping himself busy, even when the opportunity was limited. That was one of the things that made him so cool.

“Just tired… I went to the gym today, so I’m a little beat.” You sighed.

“WHAT?! WHO BEAT YOU HUMAN? DO YOU NEED ME TO INTERVENE?” Papyrus exclaimed.

You waved your hand, “Oh, no, no. Not like that. It’s just an expression. It means I’m tired.”
“OH.” Papyrus tilted his head, “THIS ‘GYM’ TIRED YOU OUT? WHY? WHAT DO YOU DO THERE?”

You smiled, “Well, it’s a place to get exercise. They have machines that help you build certain muscles that are usually harder to target.”

Papyrus gasped, his interest piqued, “CAN I GO THE ‘GYM’??! I JUST LOVE WORKING OUT MY BONES! IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT TO KEEP UP THESE GLORIOUS BICEPS!”

You snickered at his boney flexes, but your smile also fell some, “I’m sorry Papyrus. The gym is outside of town…”

Papyrus deflated, “OH. THAT TOO BAD. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO WORKOUT WITH YOU. THOUGH, I WOULDN’T LET THE GYM MACHINES BEAT ME! NYEHEH!!”

“Pft–! Like I said, they don’t actually beat you! It’s just a saying. …Though, I guess it came from the idea that you lost to exhaustion…?” you pondered.

“WELL, I WOULDN’T LOSE TO THAT EITHER!” Papyrus said triumphantly.

You could feel your exhaustion melting away just by being around Papyrus.

You sunk back into the couch and closed you eyes for a moment, “…Man, you’re so cool Papyrus. I already feel so much better.”

Papyrus froze, sputtering as a royal navy glow crept onto his cheek bones.

“AHEM! YES! O-OF COURSE! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS ALWAYS A WELCOMING PRESENCE! T-THAT IS, YOU ARE COMPLETELY NORMAL FOR FEELING THAT WAY, AND I AM NOT FEELING FLUSTERED OVER YOUR WORDS AT ALL!”

You breathed out a laugh and cracked open an eye, “Aw, are you getting embarrassed over little ol’ me–”

You cut yourself off as you caught sight of him.

Oh… Oh. Oh!!!

You felt yourself heating up as you realized he was actually getting shy over what you said.

You… Hadn’t even thought of Monster Human relationships. Hell, you only met them a few days ago anyways!

…But… Papyrus was great boyfriend material. Kind, caring, thoughtful, fun, ease to talk with, and very cool. If you did ever decide to date a Monster, Papyrus would be at the top of your list for sure.

…

But you were getting ahead of yourself.

So, you pushed the thought away and cleared your throat.

“B-by the way, is Sans home? I haven’t seen him. I still need to give him his gift.”

Papyrus thought for a moment, “WELL… HE WAS HERE WHEN I WENT OUT TO PULL WEEDS, BUT HE MIGHT HAVE GONE OUT WHEN I WASN’T WATCHING. DO YOU WANT ME TO TRY CALLING FOR HIM?”

You thought back to last time he’d shouted for Sans and politely declined.

“No, that’s okay.” you stood up, “I should start on dinner anyways. Remember the Japanese place we went to?” Papyrus nodded, “Well, I thought we could make Japanese curry for dinner! I got a box at the store today, and it goes with rice.”

“OOH! CAN I HELP YOU COOK?” he asked eagerly, “I’D LOVE TO LEARN THE SECRET TECHNIQUE FOR COOKING RICE!”

You smiled as he followed you to the kitchen, “Of course you can! How else will I activate the secret ingredient of friendship?”

Papyrus gasped, “I KNEW IT! FRIENDSHIP DOES ADD FLAVOR!!”

And with that, you got to cooking. Adding all the friendship the dish could hold.

It was the best curry you’d ever had.

Chapter Text

Sans stood up, attempting to leave his dirty dishes at the table again, but Pap was faster.

“OH NO! I FORGOT TO FEED THE CHICKENS TODAY!! SANS! YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF HELPING THE HUMAN Y/N CLEAN UP AFTER DINNER. DON’T LET ME CATCH YOU SKIPPING OUT ON IT!!! NYEHEHEHEH!” and with that, he flew out the back door.

Sans let out a long, tired sigh and ran a hand over his face.

He glanced at you, and you offered him a hopeful smile.

He ignored it, snatching up his dish and heading to the sink, “let’s get this over with.”

He all but dropped his dishes in the sink and started running the water, soaping up the sponge, and quickly scrubbing his plate.

You stood up and walked over to share the sink with him, but he’d rather wash all the dishes himself than involve himself in conversation with you. So, he yoinked the plate right out of your hands and washed those too.

“Oh, thank you.”

He didn’t respond, and was quick to dump the empty meatloaf pan and bread knife in the sink when you reached for them.

You shuffled awkwardly, and Sans shooed you away in his mind.

He wasn’t keen on playing buddies right now.

…

Eventually, you got the clue and walked away.

Sans sighed and let his shoulders relax some, rolling them out as he moved to rinsing the dishes.

He’d noticed Pap’s new clothes, and he could guess where they came from.

…He could appreciate you being nice to his brother, abetted begrudgingly, but Papyrus deserved it. After all this time, being stuck in that hell hole, simply trying his best as Undick’s personal ‘royal guard captain’, …and how Sans had all but forced him to kill Humans and eat them…

Sans wanted his bro to be happy.

He’d… almost forgotten that during their time underground.

After all, what was the point? They were all about to die anyways. Die, and nothing they were doing would matter in the end. No one would have ever known they were down there, why they done what they did, why he did what he did. No one would care. No one could care.

…

No one but Frisk.

Damn if he didn’t get angry just thinking about it.

Frisk could have gotten them out. He–  …He saw the readings.

But out of all the timelines, Frisk left them on this one.

He hated them.

He hates Humans.

He didn’t have it in him to care before, but now, the only feeling burning strong enough in his soul to actually matter? Hatred.

It blurred his ability to remember himself.

…

And… he didn’t want to move on from it.

He turned the water off, shaking out his shoulders again.

He’d finished the dishes a while ago now, but he had let himself be pulled into darker thoughts again.

Sans looked out the back window to see Papyrus sitting in the chicken pen and petting one of the chickens while laughing like a bad MTT movie villain. Sans snorted and quirked a brow.

He turned to dry his hands on the dish towel, chuckling under his breath as he did so.

“Hey Sans–”

He jumped straight out of his ‘skin’ and quickly rose his hand, causing a sharp and jagged bone to rise from the floor beside you.

You shrieked and fell back onto your butt despite the bone being several inches off. The box you were holding flew out of your arms and spilled out over his feet.

But Sans’s eye was still trained on you.

You’d… You’d snuck up on him.

How?! Why!?? If he was even a second later in noticing…

He tried to calm his racing soul and regain control of the situation.

He let the bone dissipate, the large form draining more magic than he’d like for it to.

“what do you want now?” he growled, shoving his trembling hand back in his pocket.

You shivered from your place on the floor, then, swallowed thickly before pointing to the spilled box at his feet.

“T-The–” you cleared your throat, “They’re yours…”

Sans slowly glanced down.

His eyes immediately caught sight of a familiar blue.

He furrowed his brow and, taking a quick peek at you, squatted down to the floor.

He lifted the upside-down box to reveal the blue hoodie underneath.

His sockets widened and he blinked in surprise. He picked it up and held it out before him.

Yes. This was his hoodie. His favorite one that he’d continued to wear despite the blood stains and many tears. But there it was, in pristine condition.

He’d… figured you’d have gotten him clothes too, but this was…

He looked back to the pile and saw a fluffy pair of pink slippers, an oversized white shirt, silky black shorts, and saggy white socks. There were some other casual pieces as well, but the highlight was the items in his hands.

The clothes that felt like him.

…

He scrunched up his nose bridge, wanting so badly to shove the box and clothes back at you. Growl that he didn’t need your pity. Stomp off and shut everything out again… but…

…

Shit.

Why were you trying so hard to be nice to monsters like them?

He was trying to HATE you. But you kept doing things that made him soften up. …Made him feel like he wasn’t a lost cause.

He gripped the hoodie in his phalanges, warring with himself internally.

…

If he rejected your gift, Paps would probably be disappointed in him…

He sighed in resignment and put everything back in the box, picking it up as he stood.

You were still on the floor, though a little less panicked looking. You did tense a little as his eye wandered back to you.

Funny.

You could act like normal after he threatens you in the middle of the night, but you were acting like a scared little rabbit now.

Maybe it was the magic?

…You’d probably bounce back by tomorrow. It didn’t really matter anyways.

Sans gripped the box and sighed again.

“…listen. i didn’t mean to send that attack at you, so… heh heh, throw me a bone and don’t let it bother you too much.” He glanced back at the box, knowing he should thank you, “…thanks.”

There. Good enough.

…You slowly nodded your head, “…No problem…”

Sans studied you for a moment. …You… didn’t seem like you’d report him for this, so he should be good to go. He didn’t really feel like trying to threaten you about keeping quiet anyways.

So, he stepped around you to place the box in his room.

…and maybe to try on his new clothes…

You hear his bedroom door shut and slowly picked yourself up.

Your butt hurt. And your heart was pounding in your chest.

Sans had accepted your gift… he’d… also attacked you.

It… It was a mistake.

He’d said so, and he’d seemed startled, so you believed him…

But your throat still felt tight, your skin prickled, and your eyes were getting misty.

You took a few deep breaths.

You… You had to get out of here. You needed to get out.

You rushed to your keys and quickly hopped in the car, pulling out of the garage and down into the town. The claustrophobic feeling in your chest easing up as you got further from the house.

As your head cleared, you calmed enough to realize you didn’t have a destination in mind. You hadn’t even said that you were going out.

…

You… you were going to come back.

But right now, you needed some space.

…A drink. You needed a drink.

Making up your mind, you set your course for the town bar.

Chapter Text

You parked in front of the building and came into the bar.

You didn’t come here often, didn’t want to make a bad habit, but you were familiar enough to immediately notice the differences.

You paused. It was… wow.

The TV’s weren’t playing sports, instead it was playing some film about a robot Monster in love with a Human. The bar was filled with new patrons, the Human ones almost nonexistent, mostly dog and some other Monsters filled the space. At the bar, the usual bartender, a large, dark man named Bertram, was replaced with a slim, well suited fire man. Literally a man made of fire. A Monster.

You quickly recovered from your stupor.

Of course. Of course, it would be like this.

Most of the Humans has left town, you just… hadn’t thought about it because you’ve been so busy.

You shrug it off and walk over to the bar, taking a seat on one of the stools. The flaming bartender looks up from the glass he was wiping.

“. . .”

He says nothing, so you just place an order, “I’ll take anything with a shot of vodka in it.”

The fire Monter nods, moving across the counter space to get your drink. A few moments later, he slides a stocky glass over, a lemon round is fitted perfectly on the rim, some mint leaves topped the glass. Spiked lemon aid. Huh. Sure, why not?

You took a sip. The drink was fresh and zesty, with just enough of a warm buzz from the vodka to give it a fun kick.

You hummed in pleasant surprise. It hit the spot perfectly.

You nodded your thanks to the bartender and his flames crackled softly.

You sighed, letting yourself relax as you looked back on what happened.

You… Hadn’t been carrying around the panic alarm you’d been given.

Papyrus was just such a sweetheart; your guard had been lowered easily. You had already been hoping to get along with your new roommates, you really didn’t want to move back to the city… And even when you woke up that one time with Sans in your room, he’d made threats, but it mostly seemed like he was worried for Papyrus. That was a noble enough cause for you to brush the intrusion aside and try to get past it.

From Papyrus’s stories, Sans sounded like a genuine guy. The kind that you couldn’t help but like. But today… you felt truly doubtful for the first time. Papyrus’s stories had all been from before… whatever happened had happen.

You didn’t like to judge others, but people could change. You’d seen it for yourself. You’d lost quite a few friends from change alone. They’d ‘grow up’ or their interests shifted, just a part of life. But you never changed much.

Maybe you were being ‘true to yourself’, maybe you just preferred to take things slower than others, or maybe you found the consistency comfy. It didn’t really matter.

What mattered was that Sans seemed to really dislike you. And you couldn’t tell whether all your attempts at softening him up were helping or hurting the situation. …After what happened in the kitchen, you’re starting to think it’s the latter…

…

You sigh and take another drink of your lemonade.

This really wasn’t getting you anywhere…

You looked up at the flaming bartender. Might as well get to know the town’s new residents.

“Hi, sorry I didn’t greet you properly when I came in. Kinda had a lot on my mind… but I’m Y/n. I like what you’ve done with this old place.” You offered a friendly smile, hoping to make up for you first impression… or lack of one…

The fire Monster stared at you, flickering quietly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . You start feeling awkward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . He nods politely.

You wonder if he didn’t want to talk with you specifically, or if this was a misunderstanding and he just didn’t talk at all.

“heya grillbz– er–!”

You jumped as the familiar hoodie-clad skeleton appeared in the space beside you and started climbing up onto the stool.

You both stared at each other for a second before looking away to the counter.

“…jus’ the regular…” Sans directed at ‘Grillbz’.

The bartender nodded again and pulled out a bottle of ketchup.

. . . . Silence filled the air again. . . . .

A howl broke out at one of the other tables. You peeked over your shoulder to see a big dog Monster hopping up on a table with a bone in his mouth. Another one whizzed through the air and the dogs all barked and howled in excitement.

Amidst the commotion, you caught a hiss of Sans’s deep voice.

“like i said, ‘m not going to…”

Another howl erupted from the dogs as the second bone was caught. You spun back in your seat to face the counter again.

…

Sans was back to being quiet.

…

Grillbz was quiet, wiping his glass.

…

…

…

This was so awkward…!

You went out of the house to get away from the suffocating situation, but here you were, forced back in it.

You gulped down the rest of your drink, planning to leave now that Sans was here.

“Order up!” a Monster called from the kitchen.

A steaming basket of fries, dripping lightly of oil and glistening golden and crispy, sat on to order station.

You felt the drool collect in your mouth. You slid back into you seat from how you started to stand up.

Screw Sans. Fries were calling your name.

“Can I get another of these and a basket of fries?” you asked, jiggling your empty glass.

The fiery bartender nodded and shuffled to the order counter, slapping up a ticket. A Monster came up and grabbed their fries as Grillbz moved to make your drink.

Your mind was occupied with thoughts of crispy fries as you watched the bartender mix your drink.

He passed you your drink, and you sipped it as you waited for the fries. The buzz was starting to kick in now that you’d finished the first glass.

Sans was glowering at you, but he said nothing over your choice to stay.

You felt his gaze and glanced at him.

“…Hey…” you said.

You were just tipsy enough to decide you’d rather talk with Sans, who probably hated you, than sit in silence the rest of the evening.

Sans grunted and took a swig of his ketchup.

You let your gaze drift down… taking in his appearance.

He was… cleaner looking….

“You’re wearing it.” you commented.

Sans sighed, “look, kid, this doesn’t mean ‘m about to be your pal.” He grunted, “if i got your gift and never wore it, paps would be up my coccyx. …it was overdue for a fresh set anyways… but it doesn’t mean anything.”

You pouted, looking back towards the kitchen, “Yeah. I figured.”

. . . You lapsed back into silence. . .

“…Is this where you always go during the day?” you ask.

Sans sighed, his face and shoulders drooping in annoyance.

“Look. I’m not going to moving out anytime soon, so… We might as well try and act civil.” You continued to pout, “Is there something I can do to… I don’t know, ease the tension between us?”

Sans glanced at you.

You… reminded him of Frisk in some ways … that’s one of the reasons he didn’t like you.

He tapped his fingers on the countertop in a repeating motion.

What was your game…? Why were you trying so hard to get his guard down…?

…

If you were like Frisk, there was only one way to find out your motive.

Play your game.

Sans shrugged, letting his scowl fall into a more comfortable grin, casual, but still sharp.

“well, you’ve got a ways to go still, but how about we start back at the beginning?” he held his hand out, “sans. sans the skeleton.”

He waited in anticipation as you reached out to take his hand without concern.

“Nice to (re)meet you Sans I’m– Urgh!?” you pulled your hand back at the wet and goopy texture.

Sans snickered, bringing his hand up to his mouth to eat off the ketchup.

“what? something wrong?” he sucked the ketchup off, daring you with his eyes to waste precious food right in front of him.

You were grimacing at your hand, glancing between him and it.

You squeezed your eyes shut and licked the glob of ketchup from your hand, gagging at the intense flavor.

Sans chuckled.

Oh, he’d play your game alright.

But he wasn’t going to be a pawn, he’d be the opponent.

Chapter Text

“Hands off!!!” you scolded as Sans tried to swipe a fries from you.

He chuckled, it was still dark, but at least he was laughing, “what? don’t feel like sharing your food anymore? what happened to free range of the kitchen?”

“That was the kitchen!” you swatted his hand again, “This is This. I’ve fallen in love and don’t plan on sharing!!”

The fries were seriously that good. You’d fight for them.

…Or maybe three glasses of spiked lemonade was a tad much at the moment…

Nah. These fries deserved to be savored and appreciated for what they were worth, not drowned in ketchup.

You stuck your hand out and pushed on Sans’s forehead, forcing him away.

“hey…!”

A quiet chuckling sounded from behind the bar. The fire Monster, you now knew as ‘Grillby’ was laughing at the display.

“something funny…?” Sans asked bitterly.

Grillby waved his hand dismissively, but his flames were still brighter than when you’d first come in.

Sans studied him for a moment before huffing and resting his head on his hand, elbow propped on the counter.

You grinned triumphantly and went back to happily munching on your fries.

Sans had seemed to loosen up. And that was… A huge weight off your shoulders.

Honestly, it was pretty hard playing nice when someone so clearly despised you. Especially when you live together.

He still might not be the fun and carefree guy from Papyrus’s stories, but this was still so much better.

You smiled to yourself, giving yourself a mental pat on the back for sticking it out.

“See? All you needed was a little more patience and understanding, and you’d be a-okay.” you thought, blissfully unaware of Sans’s continuous malice towards you.

“Did you and Papyrus come here often? In the underground that is?” you asked.

He seemed close with Grillby, and Papyrus had mentioned him before, so you were wondering.

“i did. paps hates this place. too much grease and general ‘unhealthiness’.” Sans sighed, a fond chuckle accompanied his words.

You perk up a bit, “Oh? He ate the burgers and chips and stuff I made though…”

“……yeah. it’s kinda different now. eat what you can when you can. there wasn’t a lot of room to be picky.” Sans let out a small huff from his nose hole, his grin becoming strained again.

Oof. Minefield. Time to change subject.

“He’s pretty excited about his new chickens though. Have you ever kept pets before? He seems good at handling animals.” Hopefully this was safe enough.

Sans chuckled, easing your worries, “there wasn’t many animals underground. i knew someone who had a bunny… but yeah. paps and i had a pet before.”

“Yeah?” you asked in interest, “What did you have?”

Sans’s expression was pure sarcastic smugness.

“a rock.”

You did a doubletake.

“Sorry?!” you asked, “A rock??”

Sans seemed pleased with your reaction.

“yep. fed ‘m sprinkles.”

“Oh. Well uh, that’s a very… Good starter pet…?” you said, trying to picture Papyrus caring for the rock.

Sans chuckled again, “it was supposed to be mine. paps thought it would be good motivation for me to ‘walk’ it every morning. never happened.”

That got you to laugh.

“Okay. I love Papyrus, but how are you supposed to walk a rock.” You giggled.

Sans’s red eye grew slightly as he grinned at you, “you can’t blame ‘m, ‘s hardly the rock’s faults!”

“What are you……… Is that a pun?” you asked, catching the intonation.

Sans chuckled under his breath, “of quartz it is. who'd ya take me for? i always lava a good pun. never take ‘m for granite.”

You are starting to realize that this is Sans’s true nature. The one of Papyrus’s stories.

The Legendary Prank Master.

You laughed aloud at your brain helpfully supplied a surplus of Sans related stories, complements to his brother.

Sans quirked a brow at you, “wow, this is probably the best audience i’ve had since i worked at the mtt resort. was it my igneous jokes? do you just dig my rock puns? at least i haven’t hit rock bottom yet. though, maybe you wouldn’t be laughing so hard if you were stone cold sober.”

You were gasping for breath, “Oh my gosh stoooop!” you managed through the giggles, “You’re– You’re not even funny!”

“heh, you’re laughing pretty hard for not finding me funny. besides, aren’t we starting on a clean slate?” he leaned lazily, hand on chin, as he grinned at you.

All you could think about was the time he apparently got stuck in the garbage dump while trying to dig out a old bike because he wanted to get the horn off it. It simply made you start laughing all over again.

It was…. Fun?

You calmed down as you realized how you’d shifted back into a comfortable state around the skeleton.

You tilted your head a bit. Huh. That was weird. You didn’t feel that drunk yet, but you’d loosened up around him so easily.

You sighed and leaned on the counter too.

“Man, my sides hurt now. I can’t believe I laughed so hard over something so dumb.” You said, but a small smile was still playing at your lips.

Sans shrugged, “not a fan of rib ticklers? that’s too bad. i heard laughing extends your lifespan by double.”

He seemed a little lost in thought as he spoke, almost melancholy.

You couldn’t help but wonder what his story really was. How he came to be like this, and why he seemed so much darker than Papyrus. As if he was always expecting an imminent doom and was simply waiting for it to drop.

You figured there would be some… mental struggles to work through after everything they’d gone through, but Sans was like a… Well, an enigma. A total mystery. A nut just waiting to be cracked.

And you really wanted to see what was going on inside his head.   …Metaphorically.

A tap on the counter broke your thoughts, and you looked up to see Grillby tapping the counter lightly.

“whelp. grillbz says ‘s closing time.” Sans hopped off the stool and waved, “see ya at the house i guess.”

And with that, he was gone.

You quickly paid and wished the fire elemental a good night, but you stopped as a low voice called out to you.

“……………………Take care of Sans.”

You looked back up at the bartender with a curious expression.

“…Okay. I’ll do that.” you finally said.

Grillby nodded and then waved, signaling that it was time for you to go.

You got out to your car and pondered the request.

You glanced up and noticed the convenience store at the end of the block. You needed to make sure you were sober enough to drive home anyways, even on these empty country roads, you wanted to be a safe driver. So, you walked the short distance to buy a cheap coffee and an eggroll.

You sat just outside the store as you thought and munched.

It seemed Sans was on your mind a lot these days. The mysterious and grumpy skeleton that you simply wanted to get along with.

Enemies were a lot of work. Emotionally draining, and holding grudges took a lot of effort. It was probably why you couldn’t get him off your mind. He was being pretty difficult after all.

But just as it seemed that the burden was gone and he’d finally agreed to try and get along, more cryptic words were bestowed upon you, leaving him to take up your mind space again.

You decided to mentally correct your first impression of him.

He was far from a presence that was easy to lose track of.

No, he was more like a phantom. Always haunting your thoughts. Always waiting for you to notice him. Always catching the attention of your very soul.

Chapter Text

You woke up the next morning to your alarm and rolled out of bed.

It was earlier than you normally woke up for work, but because you went out drinking the previous night, you needed to shower this morning instead.

You gathered your clothes and items and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.

Hot water streamed over you pleasantly, washing away the grime and discomfort of last night. You were pretty happy with how the night had gone. You’d given Sans your gift, kind of made a truce, a fresh start? Something like that. And you also got some really good food at the bar! Sure, you almost died, but what was that in the grand scheme of the night?

You laughed at the silliness of that thought as you dried yourself and got ready.

With the shower this morning, it really did feel like today was a fresh start.

You went out to the kitchen to get your regular bagel, but Papyrus was already there making something.

“Hey Papyrus, whatcha making? Smells good.” you peeked around his shoulder.

“CREPES!” Papyrus beamed, slowly peeling the next one off the pan to flip it, “I FOUND THE RECIPE IN YOUR BOX. I HOPE YOU DON’T MIND, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING SPECIAL!” he leaned closer and half whispered, “Did You See?! Sans Is Wearing His New Clothes!! And He Seemed Almost Cheerful This Morning!”

He was smiling at you like it was the best day of his life.

You smiled back, feeling a warmth inside you, “Yeah. I did. We talk a little last night and are going to try getting along.”

Papyrus squealed and slapped his hands to his face, eyes sparkling, “REALLY!!? OH, I KNEW IT!! I KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD IDEA!!”

He picked you up and spun you around.

You laughed, noticing how much gentler he already was compared to when you’d first met.

It had hardly been a week and you were already feeling very attached to this little ‘family’.

Papyrus soon set you down and patted your head, “THIS IS EXCELLENT! EXACTLY THE KIND OF THING THAT NEEDS CELEBRATING. JUST GIVE ME ANOTHER MOMENT AND THE CREPES WILL BE FINISHED.”

“Speaking of…” you looked at the pan, “I think one of them just burned.”

Papyrus gasped and turned to look at the sad, mostly black crepe.

“NYOHOHOHOO…!” he lifted it from the pan before it could burn anymore, “HOW UNFORTUNATE. MY CULINARY PERFECTION HAS BEEN OVERTURNED… BUT FEAR NOT! I SHALL EAT THIS ONE!”

He set it on a separate plate and moved to pour the next one.

“I’LL PAY CLOSER ATTENTION THIS TIME. GO AHEAD AND START EATING HUMAN Y/N. HERE. THE TOPPINGS ARE ON THE TABLE.”

He handed you the plate of finished crepes and shooed you to the table to eat.

The crepes were really good. You filled it with thin banana slices, strawberries, cream, and chocolate. Absolutely scrumptious!

Papyrus joined you after the last couple crepes were finished, and he’d dragged Sans off the couch. The said sleepy skele was… still sleeping. Just sitting up in his chair now. But Papyrus was happy that he was at least participating and set some crepes aside for him.

Eventually, you had to head out for work.

“See you later!” you called as you left to the garage.

Papyrus waved in turn, “SEE YOU!”

And with that, you were on your way.

You actually managed to be there a little early and quickly greeted your boss.

“Hey granny. What’s poppin?” you grinned, already sensing her cheerful mood.

Granny lifted her head to smile at you, “We’ve got a new hire coming in today! Seth referred her, so I’m just so excited to have you meet!” She lifted a little gnome up, “I’m thinking this will be her new buddy, but I want a second opinion once you have a chance to get to know her.”

You looked at the gnome. A cute, dopy guy with flowers everywhere.

“Oh, cool. What her name?” you asked.

“Carla. She’s a real dear.” Granny looked back at the gnome, “I’ll be manning the front desk if you could just show her the ropes today.”

You nodded and pulled out the clipboard of tasks, “Whatever you need granny.”

Carla was only working part-time, but she had the early shift, so you didn’t need to wait too long to meet her.

She was a short woman, with a head of dark, full hair and warm, chocolaty skin. She wore a full length skirt in cottage-core design and she listened attentively to everything you taught her.

Yep. Granny was right. The gnome was going to be perfect match.

“Any questions here?” You asked, pausing a moment in case she did.

She shook her head with a smile, “No. I think I’ve got it.”

“Alright, lets move to the greenhouse then. Come on, its over here.”

You led her to the greenhouse and showed her where the hose and spicket were, as well as the watering chart for each section of the greenhouse.

“So, you’re a part-time worker, right?” you asked as you let her water the ‘damp soil’ plants.

“Oh yeah,” she replied, “I’m going to the university here, but city life is a little more than I budgeted out, so Seth helped hook me up with a job.”

You smiled, “He’s pretty cool like that. So, what are you studying?”

You knew she was probably asked this question by every other person she’d met, but hey, you didn’t know yet, so you had to ask first.

She actually perked up at the question, “Oh! I’m an architect design major! But I’m also minoring in interior design.”

You raised your brow, “Wow, that’s neat. Not what I was expecting but… Pretty cool.”

“Yeah,” she laughed at your reaction, “Everyone always thinks I’m going to say something less technical. But honestly, I just really hate how everything it built these days. They’re all just cement blocks, and warehouses for stores, and the houses are all so copy and paste. Urgh, where’s the culture?!”

You laughed. You hadn’t really thought about it all too much, but seeing her passion on the subject was pretty interesting.

“I suppose you’re right. Modern design tends to be pretty blocky and minimalistic. I don’t think about it too much since I live in and older house and town though. Everything is a little more rural and cozy.” you commented.

Her eyes lit up as she helped you put the hose away so you could move to the fridges, “Ooh! Where’s that!”

“Little Wood.” You replied automatically, “It’s about an hour out from here.”

“Oh my gosh…” she stared with wide eyes, “You live in Little Wood!? Like, where the Monster reservation is!?? That’s so cool! Have you met any Monsters? Are they nice? Scary? What is it like?”

You were surprised a bit by her sudden interest in your life.

“Oh uh, yeah. I actually house with two. They’re pretty nice.” You fumbled.

“Sorry, sorry. That was a little aggressive.” She said backing off, “I just, think they sound so interesting. But everyone is so obnoxious about how dangerous they could be and all that. Like, they just survived hell, let them live a little now! Goodness!”

She huffed and you gave her a lopsided grin in amusement.

“Wow, that’s pretty cool of you. Lots of people can only pity without sympathizing. Ah, this fridge is a little cold, so the knob to adjust is right here. Each fridge has its own temperature and they’re marked by these colored stickers at the bottom, and the list of temperatures is taped to the wall over there.” You quickly instructed as you worked.

“Got it.” She quickly looked at the sticker and matched it to the temperature on the chart, “No, but really. I think that they should have a little more freedom.” She pouted, turning back to the conversation, “That’s actually how I met Seth. We were both part of the N.M.F.U. group. We’ve been friends ever since.”

“Seriously? Huh, I didn’t realize he was officially part of the movement.” You mused.

She laughed a little, “Yep. It’s a great bonding experience to be in jail together.”

That caught your attention, “No way! How’d that happen?”

She proceeded to tell you about how their group was making a peaceful protest outside the state building when one protester got a little zealous and began spray painting on the walkways. Police were called, everyone was gathered up and dumped in a holding cell.

They couldn’t mark everyone for the incident, but they tried pretty hard to get Seth in trouble since he looked like the type.

Of course, it didn’t work since Carla had been filming the protest and he happened to be in her video the whole time.

“Damn. That’s why I was called in that one time. Seth almost never misses work, so I thought it was strange. But it was because he spent the night in jail?” you snickered.

“So then,” she asked curiously, “Is it weird living with the military blocking off the town? Do you have to get like, security checked every time you come and go?”

You shook your head, “Nothing like that. I think Monsters have to apply and be approved if they want to go somewhere, but the residents can come and go as they please. We got a card when we agreed to stay in the town. I don’t know about visitors though… I always go to my parents’ house when the time comes, so I didn’t really look into it.”

She hummed, “I bet they make it pretty hard for Monsters to get approved.”

“Well, one of my housemates went an town or two over to get some chickens, so… hmm, I should ask him about that. It seemed like he got approval pretty easily. At least, I think he did?”

Carla perked up, “Chickens?”

You told her about the hen house he built, trying to describe the design aspects as she asked about them.

“Sounds fun.” She sighed, “Living a peaceful countryside lifestyle… Urgh, the commute would be too long for me though.”

“You two having fun?” Granny asked, coming up behind you both with a smile.

“Yep. Carla’s been telling me some fun stories about Seth.” You faked a mischievous grin.

Granny laughed heartily, “Good, good! I hope I’ll get to hear some of those stories too. It’s Carla’s first day, so I’m closing up for lunch. Come on, my treat!”

You grinned as Carla profusely thanked granny in shock.

You seriously had the best job, the best boss, and the best coworkers.

“What do you kids want?” granny asked as you all hung up you aprons and headed out to eat.

“Carla’s choice.” You smiled at the newbie.

She was still a little flustered over her new boss’s abundant kindness as she searched for a place on her phone.

Yep.

The flowery little gnome would suit her perfectly.

Chapter Text

“No, I think the first one was better.”

“ALRIGHT! I’LL USE THAT ONE THEN.”

You were currently approving Papyrus’s renovation plans as per his request. At the moment, he was working on the back deck, giving it a fresh layer of stain, garden boxes in the kitchen windows, and some fixtures to hang plant baskets from.

“why don’t you ask your new buddy?” Sans asked from his spot at the garden table, “didn’t ya say she did house design of somethin’?”

Papyrus looked up from the two plant hooks, “GREAT IDEA SANS! Y/N, WOULD YOU SEE IF HUMAN CARLA IS WILLING TO SHARE HER OPINION?”

“Uh, sure. Let me snap a picture. Hold them in place… perfect! …Okay, I sent it.” you quickly tucked your phone away.

“howz the varnish paps? dry yet?”

Papyrus glanced back at the deck itself, “AH! EXCELLENT REMINDER SANS! IT’S TIME FOR THE NEXT COAT!”

You came over, “Has it already been twenty four hours?”

“yep.” Sans popped his P, “don’t believe me? i feel so wounded.”

You rolled your eyes and snorted a laugh, “Oh yes. I heard the pain in your sarcasm.”

Sans smirked back, “good to know you speak it fluently. sarcasm happens to be my first language.”

You snickered and he chuckled along. You phone pinged and you checked it.

Carla: Def go with opt 1

You smiled and quickly texted back.

Y/N: I thought so too!

Y/N: Thanks for letting me know

Carla: Np!

Carla: Glad I could help!

Carla: How’s it coming along?

You looked up at the deck as you and Papyrus added the next coat of varnish. It was glossy and way less worn than before. Not to mention, the windows were cleaned and the gold flowers he was planting in the window boxes were pretty cheery. It really added a new life to the house, and he had barely begun.

Y/N: It’s going great

Y/N: Papyrus is the one in the picture I just sent

Y/N: He’s pretty set on fixing up the house

Y/N: And he’s great at building

Carla: The guy who built the hen house right?

Y/N: Yep.

Y/N that’s the one

Carla: He’s pretty tall!

Y/N: Told you so

The conversation came to a close and you tucked your phone away so you could better focus on the task at hand.

“Carla agreed the first one looks better.” You told Papyrus, “She’s also really impressed with the garden boxes you built.”

Papyrus perked up, lifting his head from the step to smile at you, “AH! GOOD TO KNOW! I HOPE YOU THANKED HER IN MY STEAD.”

“Yep. No worries there.” You nodded.

“EXCELLENT!” he turned his attention back to the step, “I TAKE IT SHE’S SETTLED INTO THE JOB WELL?”

“She’s grown accustomed to it.” you agreed, “and she’s pretty easy to work with.”

Sans snorted and both Papyrus and you looked up.

“grown accustomed?” he asked, “sorry, didn’t mean to soil the mood. just couldn’t help picking up on that slip. i just had to point it out after i s’potted it. you don’t gnome’ily make ‘m, so it really dug the point home. planted it right in my heart.”

Papyrus huffed, “YOU DON’T HAVE A HEART SANS.”

This time it was your turn to laugh.

“Ouch. I get it, but harsh much?” you said through the giggles.

Papyrus was confused for a moment, but Sans got it immediately. He gwaffed and burst into laughter.

It finally clicked for the taller skeleton and he cried out in indignation, “WELL IT’S TRUE!!!”

You and Sans laughed harder, you were practically dying from lack of oxygen by this point.

“NYEHH!! THIS IS TERRIBLE!! WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THE TWO OF YOU GETTING ALONG WOULD SPELL FOR MY DEMISE!?” he mock pouted, painting the deck faster than before as a distraction.

Sans rested his head back on the table as he settled down, “you’re… *heh heh* you’re smiling though bro.”

Papyrus hmphed, “I AM. AND SO ARE YOU! SO, I CAN HARDLY BE MAD ABOUT IT.”

Sans seemed to pause as he considered this. You, on the other hand, gathered yourself again and wiped the tears from your eyes.

“Stars, you’re such a sweet brother Papyrus.” You genuinely complemented him.

Papyrus blushed, his cheek bones slowly faintly, “NY-NYEHEH! OF COURSE! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS EXCELLENT AT ALL THINGS, INCLUDING BEING AS SWEET AS A DELICIOUS SUGARY CONFECTION!”

You laughed, “No kidding. I bet you got all the chicks in your home town.”

Papyrus furrowed his brow, “ACTUALLY, THERE WERE NO CHICKENS TO ADOPT BACK IN SNOWDIN. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HAVING CHICKS.”

“No that’s, uh… Never mind.” You waved off the comment.

“they’re saying you were popular.” Sans provides.

Papyrus glowed brighter, “NYEH!! YOU–! YOU REALLY THINK SO!!?”

“Uhhh… Yeah?” you blinked, not sure where this was going.

“GASP! SANS! DID YOU HEAR THAT?!! THE HUMAN Y/N HAS RECOGNIZED MY RUGGED INTELLECT AND DATE POWER!! WOWIE!”

“yep. heard it bro.” Sans said, sinking farther down in his chair, eyes drooping tiredly, “you’re a total catch. all the kisses and praise and stuff…”

And with that he was out. Fast asleep at the table, skull against the metal surface as he snored away.

“Did he just pass out?”

Papyrus turned to see, “URGH. I TOLD HIM TO GO TO BED EARLIER LAST NIGHT.” He huffed, setting his paintbrush aside and marching over to the table.

“HONESTLY, I DON’T KNOW WHY HE’S BEEN STAYING UP SO LATE. HE USED TO SLEEP WHENEVER HE GOT THE CHANCE, BUT THESE DAYS HE HARDLY EVER SHUTS HIS SOCKETS.”

You quirked a brow as Papyrus tucked Sans under his arm to bring him inside, “What’s he doing that’s keeping him up?”

“HE’S BEEN WRITING I THINK…? I SAW HIM BUYING A BUNCH OF JOURNALS A FEW WEEKS AGO. THE DAY AFTER YOU GIFTED HIM ALL THOSE NEW CLOTHES!” HE SAID, “I’M NOT SURE WHAT THOUGH. I NEVER ASKED.”

You hummed, wondering what it could be as you went back to varnishing the deck.

“Take care of Sans.”

You still couldn’t forget the words of the flaming bartender.

Sans really was a mystery.

You could never tell what he was thinking, but it seemed like he had something on his mind a lot. And sometimes he’d still be a little aggressive and cold, whereas other times he was the funny, easy to get along with guy from Papyrus’s stories.

You finished adding the stain and moved to the table Sans had been at.

You refreshed yourself with a drink and soon enough Papyrus was back. So, you went to help him line up the plant hooks and get the deck done by evening.

Sans woke with a start.

His breath was harsh as he gulped down air and looked around.

He was… in his room… on the surface… Right.

He flopped back down and rubbed his sockets.

This was hellish.

Playing this game, pretending everything was a-okay when he was dead, heh, tired.

He reached out and grabbed the journal he was working through. He flipped it open and started running over the calculations again. It was a long road, but he needed to get all the data back if he was going to be your opponent.

…Probably was pretty dumb of him to burn it all back when the incident happened.

His hand came up to the hole in his head as he forced the memory back down.

He doesn’t think the game ever continued outside the barrier, but you were too perfect. He had to check the numbers and make sure. …Which meant he had to rebuild the machine. What a pain.

He sighed and took his hand away, going back to scribbling down formulas from memory.

“So this is called tofu.” You explained, dumping the white block onto the cutting board, “It’s made from soybeans and is really nutritious, but a lot of people don’t like it because its kinda bland and the texture is a little weird.”

“I SEE.”

You started patting the tofu block dry with a paper towel so you could chop it into cubes, “But if you dry it off and fry each side, it makes the surface almost crispy. And because it’s so bland, it absorbs flavors really well.”

You finished prepping the block and frying all the sides of the tofu. So, you started instructing Papyrus on the sauce.

“Add some siracha, yep. That’s a good amount. It’s just for the spiciness. Okay, now add the tomato paste. About a tablespoon. Two if we want it stronger.” You watched as he stirred the paste in with the garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, and honey.

“THIS RECIPE DOESN’T SEEM VERY ACCURATE!” Papyrus said nervously.

You shrugged, “It’s what my sister wrote down. She’s a tofu master. A real delicious healthy food guru.”

“WELL… IF YOU SAY SO.” he added the sauce to the tofu, along with a little water, and you put the lid on to simmer.

You took a deep breath as the little rice cooker clicked to warm.

“Mmm~ fresh cooked rice smell~” you sighed, “The tofu won’t take much longer, so why don’t you go grab Sans for dinner?”

Papyrus saluted, “ON IT!”

In ten minutes, dinner was on the table, and you were all enjoying it.

“AND I’M KEEPING THE TOFU CONTAINERS AS STARTING PLANTERS! THEY’RE THE PERFECT SIZE FOR THE WINDOWSILL, AND IT IS A GREAT WAY TO RECYCLE THEM.” Papyrus explained to Sans as he told him about his new experience with the soy curd.

You nodded, “Speaking of recycling for planters, you can use milk cartons too. Some people cut them and use them as starting planters, and some people grow sprouts in them as is. I can pull up a video for you, but crops aren’t my strong suit.”

Papyrus gasped, “OH! THAT’S A VERY GOOD IDEA Y/N! I’LL HAVE TO START SAVING THE MILK CARTONS TOO.”

“got ta milk ‘m for all they’re worth.” Sans grinned.

“NYEH! THAT WAS DISTASTEFUL SANS,” Papyrus shook his finger disapprovingly, “NOW EAT YOUR SWEET AND SPICY TOFU AND APPRECIATE MY MASTERY OF THE DISH.”

Sans obeyed and turned back to his meal. You barely caught his remark.

“it was a dairy bad joke.”

You snorted and quickly covered it with a cough.

Sans grinned at you from across the table as you choked down your laugh.

“somethin’ funny?” he asked, shit eating grin still plastered to his face.

“You wish,” you shot back, quickly regaining your composure, “I was just caught off guard.”

Papyrus looked between the two of you, “URGH, IS HE SOMEHOW PRANKING YOU RIGHT BEFORE ME AND YET WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE?! I HATE IT WHEN HE DOES THAT!”

“sorry bro,” Sans shrugged, going back to stirring his meal casually, “jus’ can’t resist playin’ the game.”

For some reason, you had the feeling he was meant more than his words let on, but you let it slide as the conversation moved on.

Really, he was such a mystery.

Chapter Text

“She what?”

You stood up, a huge grin on your face as Seth recounted his tale.

“She chucked dove headfirst into the pond after it.” he chuckled, “She’s a good swimmer, but man, it gave me a scare.”

You laughed. That was the single best story he’d told you about his niece since the time she bit into a lemon as a baby.

“I can’t believe she got in fight with a duck over chips! Your niece is a fierce little kid.” you snickered.

Seth rolled his eyes, “Just wait till she starts school this fall. She acts sweet, but if she gets mad, she doesn’t pull her punches.”

“Oh, I can imagine.” You said back.

The bell rang as the store door opened.

“Welcome!” both of you called as the gentleman entered the shop.

“Hi, how can I help you today?” Seth asked as he was closer to the door.

“Ah, yes. Well,” the man fidgeted slightly, “I’m proposing tomorrow, and I need a nice bouquet, but my partner is really into flower language, so I was hoping for some help picking something meaningful…”

“Well, if you head over to the counter, my coworker Y/n over there can walk you through some options for the arrangement, and the set up a time for it to be ready by.” He gestured to you, and you smiled.

The man nodded and headed over to the counter. You reached down and pulled out the catalogue.

You flipped open the book to the section with flowers holding romantic meaning, “Well sir, we can do things a few ways. Would you like to browse freely, I could make some suggestions, we could pick out a color scheme, or we can try to send a message with the flowers directly. This whole section is flowers with romantic flower languages, so whichever way you want to go we can work with.”

The man looked at the catalogue, seeming nervous, “R-right. Maybe uh, s-she likes yellow.”

“Alrighty, since summers ending, how about sunflowers? Dwarf sunflowers mean adoration, and if we mix in some white flowers to break it up…” you flipped to a sample picture, “like this. White daisies, baby’s breath, and white camellia with some greenery mixed in. The camellias say, ‘you’re adorable’, the daisies are, ‘loyal love’, and the baby’s breath is, ‘everlasting love’. Does that sound good to you?”

The man looked over the picture, “Uhhh, yeah. That looks nice.”

“Alight, then I’ll need you to fill out this form confirming the order and the price…” you pulled out the form, filling in the sections about the cost, and the details of the bouquet. “And then the earliest you can pick up your order is in four hours, so right around five this evening. We’ll give you some tips to keep them fresh if you do pick it up today, or you can wait till tomorrow when we open at eight.” You passed him the form and paused, “Do you have any questions or concerns?”

“So… I can come pick it up tomorrow around ten?” he asked, signing away at the bottom of the request form.

“That’s ten in the morning?”

He nodded.

“That is perfect. Well then Mr,” you glanced at his order form, “Mickenly, I’ll be sure to have that all prepared for you. Now I’m just going to ring you up and you’re set to go.”

You punched in the cost for the order and he swiped his card before heading out.

“I think you scared him.” Seth snorted a laugh.

“He looked so nervous.” You laughed, “Hopefully his proposal goes over well.”

The bell chimed again.

“Welcome!” you both called.

“Hey guys!”

“Oh, hey Cari.” Seth stood up, pulling off his gloves as he did.

Carla looked around, “Granny here?”

“No, she’s gone all this week. Her grandkids are coming over.” You replied, “What’s up?”

Carla held up the shopping bag full of tupperwares, “My mom visited my dorm and dropped off a bunch of food. I thought I’d bring some over to share cause I definitely can’t eat all this. You like tamales?”

You both perked up, “Ooh~! For real?”

Seth came up and gave her a hug as he took the bag, “Damn Cari, you’re an angel. Give your mama my thanks.”

“You got it.” she smiled and patted his shoulder as they both moved to the counter.

You looked between them and quirked a brow. You hadn’t seen them interact much since you and Carla weren’t usually on the same day’s unless there was a big order or some shift overlap, but if you didn’t know any better, they had some chemistry going on.

You tucked the thought into your back pocket for later as Seth popped open the container and the shop filled with the smell of deliciousness.

You picked up the corn ear wrapped goodness and dug in, “Mmm, Seth’s right. You’re the best.”

Lunch break started early that day.

. ▷. ▷.▷.

You tilted your head as you looked at the trellis tunnel Papyrus was burying the feet of.

“You’re going to grow tomatoes and cucumbers up it? That’s… interesting.”

“I SAW IT ON THE SAME VIEWTUBE CHANNEL YOU SHOWED ME THE OTHER DAY! IT MAKES IT VERY EASY TO MONITOR AND HARVEST THE PRODUCE AS IT GROWS!” Papyrus stood it gave the structure a gentle shake test, “PLUS, THE AESTHETIC IS A VERY NICE TOUCH TO THE GARDEN.”

Well, you couldn’t argue with that.

“BY THE WAY, I WAS SPEAKING WITH SOME OF THE OTHER MONSTERS, AND THEY WERE PLANNING TO HOST A CELEBRATION OF SORTS AT THE PARK BY THE MAIN STREET!”

You smiled, “That’s cool! What are you guys celebrating?”

“IT’S BEEN A MONTH SINCE MONSTERS MOVED INTO THIS TOWN AND STARTED BUILDING OUR OWN LIVES AGAIN!” Papyrus grinned, “AND SINCE IT IS SUCH A MOMENTOUS OCCASION, I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD COME AS MY PLUS ONE!”

“Your plus one? I mean… I guess so. I wasn’t planning on doing anything tonight.” You said.

It was your day off after all.

“GREAT! I HAVE SEVERAL FRIENDS WHO WOULD LOVE TO MEET YOU!”

You smiled, “Anything particular I should wear? Something special or…?”

Papyrus beamed, “SURE! I CAN WEAR MY SPECIAL CLOTHES TOO. WE CAN MAKE IT A DATE!”

You almost choked, “A date?!!”

Did you hear that right?

“OF COURSE! A FRIEND DATE! WHERE WE WEAR NICE CLOTHES, COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER, AND YOU ACT AS MY PLUS ONE FOR THE PARTY! NYEHEH!” Papyrus didn’t seem to be bothered by the idea at all.

So, you pulled yourself together, and let the ball roll.

“Yeah, okay. Let’s call it a date then.”

“GREAT! I’LL PICK YOU UP AT FOUR SHARP. SO, PREPARE YOURSELF UNTIL THEN!” and with that he returned to the trellis, planning to paint the wood before the day ended.

You, on the other hand, ran your hand through your hair as a grease test.

Oof. Yep. Definitely should wash up before this date.

So, you headed inside and to your room to plan your outfit. You wanted to look nice, since Papyrus was also planning to dress up. He’d borrowed your sewing machine and had made some pieces since, so you had no idea what he might wear, but you could put in the effort too.

You skimmed your closet and picked out a nice shirt and some shorts to match. The party was outside, at a park, in the hottest part of summer, so you figured you wouldn’t have to look too formal. This was a good enough outfit to look fresh and fashionable while still keeping cool.

After that you jumped in the shower and washed up.

Soon enough, you were all set to go. But you still had some time, so you plopped down on the couch and let your phone charge a bit.

Your mind drifted, and you started to wonder if Sans would also be attending this party, or if he would ditch and stay home.

…You could honestly see either one.

But if he stayed, he might need you to make him some food. You’d never seen him cook. He might not be very good at it.

It was nagging away at your mind, so you moved your butt off the couch to just go and ask him.

You knocked on his door, “Hey Sans? You there?”

“…who’s there?”

You blinked, “Uh… It’s me. Your roommate.”

“it’s me, your roommate who?”

You finally recognized the pattern and laughed. You walked right into that one.

“Sorry Sans. I have no idea how to turn that into a punchline.” You admitted.

…

After a moment, the door finally opened.

Sans had a smug grin on his face, “i'll say. that joke was terrible. you’re really not room-made for this.”

“Har Har. Aren’t you just the life of the party.” You rolled your eyes and shook your head, “Which is actually what I wanted to ask you about. Are you coming to this big party thing tonight? Or did you need me to make you something before we left? Paps asked me to be his plus one.”

Sans gave you a once over, “huh, i was wonderin’ why you’re all dressed up.”

Wow. If he thought this was impressive, then you’ve really been lazy in the effort department.

“but yeah. ‘m going tonight. paps would never let it go if i didn’t. figured i'd save myself the trouble.” He shrugged.

“Ah, alright. Thanks. Guess we’ll head there together?”

He shrugged again, “if not ‘ll jus’ shortcut.”

“That teleport thingy you do?” you asked curiously.

“yep.”

. . . .

Okay, this was getting awkward.

“Well, guess I’ll see in a bit either way?” you said, taking a step back to end the conversation.

Sans nodded and you turned away, hearing his door shut and only then noticing how he’d been blocking you from looking in his room.

…Not that it was your business. So, you shrugged it off and headed back to the living room.

You were just his roommate, not his girlfriend.

Chapter Text

You, Papyrus, and Sans managed to make it to the park without incident, and soon you were staring at the sight in total awe.

“Wow! This is so cool!”

You looked at all the little stalls the Monsters set up. Lights had been strung between all the trees and the new citizens wandered through the different stands, picking up snacks as they went.

“NYHEH! OF COURSE! FEEL FREE TO HELP YOURSELF TO ANYTHING!” he placed his own basket of muffins down on one of the stall tables and then offered you his arm, “SHALL WE EXPLORE THE FESTIVITIES?”

You nodded and took his arm; a quick glance around made you realize that Sans had already disappeared into the crowd.

Papyrus didn’t seem to mind as he led you deeper into the park, “I CAN’T WAIT FOR YOU TO MEET SOME OF MY FRIENDS FROM THE UNDERGROUND! AH! THERE IS ICE WOLF. YOU CAN MEET HIM FIRST.”

He called out to his friend and your eyes widened at the size of the guy. He stood taller than Papyrus, abet only by a few inches, and was the perfect representation of a werewolf; solid muscle and fur, with a thin snout and grizzly teeth.

Ice Wolf turned to you both and smiled, revealing the sharp rows of teeth that boasted of his danger in a fight.

“Papyrus. Ice Wolf is glad to see you.” he said in a deep growly voice.

Papyrus pushed you in front of him, “LIKEWISE! THIS IS HUMAN Y/N, SANS AND MY HOUSEMATE! Y/N, THIS IS ICE WOLF. WE WERE PART OF HER MAJESTY, UNDYNE’S, ROYAL GUARD TOGETHER… ER, THINGS HAVE BECOME MUCH LESS MURDERY SINCE THEN HOWEVER. NOW WE ARE JUST NORMAL FRIENDS!”

“Oh, that’s um, good. Nice to meet you Ice Wolf.” You said, a confused but a friendly smile on your face, “What part of town do you live in?”

Ice Wolf nodded, still grinning, “Ice Wolf lives in little house alone. Buckleberry street. There are no berries growing there right now, so Ice Wolf planted some to fix the problem.”

You smiled back, “Good plan. What kind of berries did you plant?”

Ice Wolf talked about the huckleberry bushes he bought, and Papyrus joined in, asking about the goats he was keeping.

Soon enough, another Monster noticed the conversation and joined in, bragging about her rabbit farm… Which was only a little strange since she happened to be a rabbit Monster herself.

“My little bunbun has made so many new friends on the surface!” she gushed.

It was through her that you met the rest of the rabbit family. There wasn’t as many of them as there once was, but they were all rebounding pretty well since reaching the surface. A family trait apparently. Their souls let out ‘happy magic’ as a type of green magic. It made them incredibly pleasant to be around, even if the magic was much dimmer than it once was.

From there you met some of the dogs you’d seen at Grillby’s before.

“THIS HERE IS DOGGO, AND THERE IS DOGARESSA! HELLO DOGERESSA! ARE YOU ENJOYING THE FESTIVAL?” Papyrus shouted over the crowd.

The said Monster turned at his call and smiled.

“Hey there Papyrus! I was wondering when I’d see you. Sans was just here a second ago. …Oh? Who is this?” she looked at you curiously, squinting as you both approached, “Isn’t this the Human Sans was getting friendly with at Grillby’s?”

Papyrus beamed, “YES! THIS IS OUR HOUSEMATE, Y/N. THEY ARE GOOD FRIENDS WITH SANS AND MYSELF NOW!”

Dogeressa perked up, “Well isn’t that a pleasant surprise. I thought he was looking more lively again! Nice to meet you, I’m Dogeressa.”

She held out her paw for you to shake and you took it with a smile.

“Nice to meet you.” you replied.

“SHE ALSO LIVED IN SNOWDIN WITH US. A SENTRY BACK IN THE DAY. YOU TWO SHOULD TALK SOME! I HAVE A FEELING YOU’LL ALSO BE GOOD FRIENDS! I’LL COME BACK WITH SOME FOOD AND DRINKS.” Papyrus rushed off back to the stalls, leaving you with the pretty dog lady.

Dogeressa chuckled, “That’s such a Papyrus thing to do… So then, Y/n, you actually live with Sans and Papyrus? Not just nearby?”

You nodded, “Yep. We’re all technically renting rooms from this one house. Papyrus has been doing some renovations though.”

“…And Sans…? Is he… doing okay…?” she asked tentatively.

“Oh, well,” you figured he was doing a little better than when you first met, but you don’t know what he was like before it all, “He seems to have lightened up a bit. At least, Papyrus thinks so.”

Dogeressa nodded thoughtfully, “Good, good. That’s… good news.”

“what’s good?”

You both jumped, like you’d been caught saying things you shouldn’t have.

“Sans! You scared me! Stars, why do you always do that??” you had a hand over your chest like it would escape unless you kept it trapped.

Sans squinted at you both slightly, “huh, funny. didn’t even hafta shortcut. you two weren’t gossiping now, were you?”

You opened your mouth to talk, but you were quickly cut off by your date and savior.

“AH! SANS, I SEE YOU’VE REJOINED OUR GROUP!”

Papyrus came up and handed you want smelled like sweet tea, and you quickly took a sip.

“DID YOU HAVE FUN GETTING TO KNOW DOGERESSA?” he asked hopefully.

You nodded, “Yeah, we were talking about the renovations you’ve been doing.”

Okay. It wasn’t a complete lie. But Sans seemed to notice and was staring holes into your head.

“Now that the deck is done and the garden is coming along, weren’t you going to restore the fireplace so we could use it this winter?” you tried to start the conversation up again to avoid the harsh look he was giving you.

“AH, YES. IT’S COMPLETELY FILTHY AND THE CHIMY HAS BEEN COVERED, BUT I THINK WITH A LITTLE BIT OF CLEANING IT WILL BE GOOD FOR USE AGAIN! WOULDN’T IT JUST BE COZY? A CRACKLING FIRE AS IT SNOWS OUTSIDE?”

Dogeressa smiled, “Yes. I suppose that would be nice and homey. The perfect thing to enjoy with someone else…”

She sighed and you couldn’t help but wonder if she’d lost someone during the famine.

But soon your attention was drawn away again by a plate being placed into your hands.

“TRY THIS CAKE Y/N! IT LACKS THE TRADITIONAL SPIDER DUST, BUT IT IS STILL INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS! NYEHEH, HUMAN RECIPES ARE SO INTERESTING SINCE THEY BECOME SO FLUFFY AND SWEET WITHOUT SPIDER DUST IN THEM! AND LADY TORIEL WAS TELLING ME ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS ADD WATER!” he smiled as he mused over the wonders of box mix cake.

Your eyes widened, but someone else voiced your thoughts before you could.

“tori’s here…?”

You glanced at Sans, noting the use of a nickname for literal Monster royalty, former or not.

“BUT OF COURSE! SHE WAS LAST OVER BY THE FOOD STALLS, THOUGH, THE GUARDS ARE AROUND HER STILL…”

Papyrus didn’t have time to finish as Sans disappeared into the crowd.

You watched him shove past people as he made his way in the indicated direction.

“Is Sans… Close with the former queen?” you asked.

Papyrus wrinkled his brow, “UNDYNE? NO. NOT AT ALL.”

You shook your head, “No, no. Toriel.”

This time Dogeressa answered, “Well, we know he was on good terms with her before the riots began… Then Undyne took over and, well, it’s not really my story to tell.”

You nodded understandingly.

“Well, thanks for talking with me anyways.” you smiled genuinely, “I don’t want to hold you too long, but hopefully I’ll see you around?”

Dogeressa nodded with a smile, “Indeed! I’m usually at Grillby’s these days, so say hi if you drop in.”

You said goodbye as she rejoined the other dog Monsters.

You finished your drink and thought about what she’d said…

If you wanted to know, it would be best to ask Sans.

…But you didn’t want to bring it up if it might be a painful thing to recall. So, you decided to push the thought away and focus on your ‘date’.

There was music playing from speakers somewhere. It seemed like a boppy tune, but you didn’t recognize it at all. You wondered if it was Monster produced music?

“Do you want to try dancing?” you asked, turning to face Papyrus.

Papyrus’s eyes sparkled at the suggestion, “OH! THAT’S A GOOD IDEA!”

You and Papyrus found a clear space over by the speakers and he bowed like a true gentleman, offering you his hand.

You snickered and played along, curtsying, and taking his hand.

The dance he pulled you into hardly matched the music. While the song suited more of a swing step, he was happily waltzing you around while humming to the beat.

You laughed and followed his steps, fully enjoying yourself as others noticed the fun and started joining in.

Papyrus was surprisingly good at dancing, especially considering the crazy size difference between you two, and the fact that the dance hardly matched the song, but he skillfully would lead you into spins and fancy poses and steps.

You were having so much fun, that you didn’t even notice the approach of four guards and a very special guest.

It wasn’t until Papyrus looked up as he dipped you and smiled, “AH! LADY TORIEL! GOOD TO SEE YOU!”

Your head tilted as you looked at the group, the dip leaving them all at an upside-down angle.

The tall and white furred goat Monster smiled and waved at you.

“Why greetings child!”

Chapter Text

Papyrus set you up-right and you turned to face the former queen of Monsters.

“Ah, greetings…Miss…?” you stumbled over your greeting, not sure what you should call her.

Toriel laughed a little, “Oh dear, no need to be so formal. Just Toriel is fine.”

The four guards stood just behind her, stern and intimidating. You’d heard this woman was a little more than off her rocker, hence the guards, but so far, she seemed polite and well-mannered enough.

“OH, IS SANS NOT WITH YOU? I THOUGHT HE’D GONE TO FIND YOU.” Papyrus looked around, squinting into the crowd, but unable to see his brother anywhere nearby.

“Sans…?” Toriel furrowed her brow, her smile falling slightly, “…No, I’m afraid I haven’t seen him.”

You tilted your head. Huh, that was interesting…

“OH. WELL, I’M SURE YOU’LL SEE AT SOME POINT.” Papyrus brushed over the topic with ease, “MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS IS OUR HOUSEMATE Y/N! Y/N, THIS IS LADY TORIEL!”

Toriel laughed into her paw, “Thank you for the introduction!” She refocused her attention on you, “So my child, how do you enjoy living here?”

“Oh, it’s been nice. Everyone I’ve met has been very kind.”

Technically, you’d been living here much longer than they had, so you should be the one asking that question, but the Monsters had really made this place their own. So it was valid that she was asking instead.

“Well, that’s just wonderful!” she smiled, clapping her paws together, “I hope you decide to stay for a long time.”

You gave her a crooked smile, but something about the way she said that had given you a weird feeling.

“CARE TO ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES WITH US LADY TORIEL?” Papyrus offered.

Toriel smiled, eyes still on you, “Why yes Papyrus! That sounds lovely!”

So, you brushed off the crawly feeling and went around with the two of the… and the four guards.

In accordance with the celebration, many Monsters had set up traditionally crafted puzzles to solve. Papyrus had made several to add into the fun, so he insisted you try them out.

There were levers, and buttons, and tiles. Color matching games and shooters. Even a never-melting snowball mini golf area!

It was loads of fun!

You really enjoyed playing through the puzzles. Some were even made to be completed as teams, so you got to play with Papyrus as well!

Toriel mostly watched, smiling every time you looked up at her.

She’d been watching you like a hawk all night…

But she seemed to be friendly, and as with your housemates, she was probably just a little anxious about new people, particularly since you were a human.

You just smiled back and got on with the fun.

But the sun had long since set, and you had work tomorrow, so like all good things, it was time to call an end for tonight.

You checked your phone and noticed the time.

“Wow, quarter to midnight already? Sorry Papyrus, but if I plan on waking up for work tomorrow, I’m going to need to skedaddle now.” you said turning to him.

“NYEH! I CAN’T BELIEVE I DIDN’T REALIZE HOW LATE ITS GOTTEN! I’M SORRY HUMAN Y/N, I WILL BRING YOU BACK NOW. I’M SURE SANS IS ALREADY SLEEPING AT HOME ANYWAYS…” Papyrus turned to the former queen, “WE MUST BID YOU FAREWELL LADY TORIEL! I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE NEXT EVENT, WHENEVER THAT MAY BE.”

Toriel’s smile fell, “You… You’re leaving…?”

You had come up beside Papyrus, planning on wishing her a goodnight as well.

“Yeah. I got to go home so I can wake up tomorrow–”

You were cut off as Toriel harshly grabbed your shoulders.

You winced slightly as her claws dug into your skin threw your shirt.

“You can’t leave! THIS IS YOUR HOME NOW!!” She was starting to sound hysterical.

Monsters stopped what they were doing as Toriel’s voice rose, and they turned to see what was going on.

“Uh…” you looked to Papyrus concerned.

The guards however moved faster.

They pulled out what looked like aggressive dog leads and hooked them to her wrists and back of her neck. Her dress peeves and neckline had covered them before, but you saw as they literally dragged her off you, that she had been wearing cuffs to hook the leads to.

“NO NO NO!! YOU MUST STAY WITH ME MY CHILD!! YOU MUSTN’T GO!!” she shrieked as the guards yanked her back.

You took a step back and Papyrus quickly stood between you.

The guards pulled her to an empty area and three of them secured her from trying to run back to you. The fourth guard handed her what looked like some sort of doll.

The queen immediately grabbed the doll, clinging to it like a lifeline, and sobbed desperately, muttering pleas and incoherent words.

Everyone in the park watched silently for a moment, various faces of discomfort on each one of them.

Papyrus waited a little longer before he turned back to you.

And in the quietest voice you’d ever heard him use, he simply said, “Let’s Go Home.”

…………

The next morning you felt like crap.

It wasn’t easy to see someone have such a intense mental breakdown right before you. And it certainly didn’t help that Sans had been sitting on the couch, both eyes blank when you and Papyrus had gotten home. …and was still there two hours later when you woke up while having a nightmare and went to get some water.

You… somehow felt responsible for all this, even if that was a silly thought.

You technically hadn’t done anything wrong, and yet, because Toriel’s reaction had been to you, it felt personal. Like you should have been more careful, or done something differently.

And Sans… Well, Sans had been like a zombie ever since he’d disappeared from the party. Barely eating, barely talking, barely doing much of anything. And his sockets had been dark the whole time.

Even Papyrus was less chipper than usual.

He insisted Sans would be fine in a few days. That he was ‘lapsing’, and it happen occasionally, and it would go away. But Papyrus hadn’t been speaking loudly, his skeletal smile didn’t reach his eyes, and he was cleaning almost excessively.

You would wake up, go to work, come home, and each day, the slight ‘offness’ would dampen your mood.

Something had to be done, but you weren’t sure how to fix it.

You sighed and blankly watered the plants in the greenhouse, staring into the abyss as you did so, completely lost in thought.

“You look like you’ve seen better days.” Granny said, snapping you from your thoughts.

She placed a box of new planters on the ground with a groan and straightened up.

“Oh, let me help you with that!” you quickly said, rushing over to help unload the last of the boxes from her truck and shelf them all.

Granny switched to watering the last of the greenhouse, and as you arranged all the planters and pots on the shelf, she asked you, “So, third bad day in a row, huh?”

You sighed and nodded.

“It’s been something.” You agreed.

“Well, tell me about it!” she urged you.

You huffed a laugh but stared telling granny what happened at the party.

Granny listened carefully, waiting till you were done before she spoke up.

“Well, those poor people have been through an awful lot! And from what you’ve told me before, it sounds like the government is putting more focus on military watch and less on actual care.” she scowled, crossing her arms, "Why, didn’t help get them a fresh set of clothes, medical help, or some fucking therapy! Useless.”

You snickered. Granny could get surprisingly passionate about taking proper care of people.

“Give them a chance to breath, see the world, take a vacation.” She continued, “Ah! I got it. You rarely go on vacation anyways, so signed up or whatever you need to do and get those boys out of there! Be the first to take a step! But don’t step, leap for it!! Take them to the beach or the mall or an amusement park! Something exciting!”

“Oh but-” you started to say.

Granny cut you off, “You need cash? Here, let me give you some spending money. Buy them ice cream, on me.”

You didn’t get to protest as granny shoved a wad of cash into your hands and instructed you to take lots of pictures and show them a good time.

When you pitched the idea at dinner, Papyrus was jumping out of his seat in excitement. Even Sans’s red eye flickered back! A sight you never knew you could miss.

By the time you headed out to work the next morning, Papyrus had filled out the very lengthy request form with precision, and you turned it in at the gate office on your way out of town.

If all went well, you would be needing to request some time off pretty soon.

Chapter Text

See, the thing about getting your two Monster roommates out of the town for two days, turned out to be easier than you had expected!

…But getting clearance for where you wanted to take them… well, that was a tad more difficult, but not impossible.

So, the request was approved, and followed by a military escort, you managed to squeeze both Sans and Papyrus in your car and off you all went.

The task of getting them in your car was a great puzzle in itself, one Papyrus was thrilled to be in charge of. He ended up placing Sans in the seat behind you, and taking out the passenger seat completely, he was able to get space for his legs, and could hunch-sit somewhat comfortably next to his brother.

He could have ridden with the escort, but he insisted the three of you should ride together, and who were you to deny him?

So, for four hours you all listened to music, you chatted with Papyrus, Sans slept, and occasionally he’d make a joke when you least expected it.

When you finally made it to your first stop, you were already pretty exhausted from waking up early and the long drive, so you were tempted to just flop down in the motel room and pass out, but once again, who could deny the excitement of these two?

And they were both excited.

Papyrus very clearly so, his loud voice had returned, his eyes sparkling, movements big, if you didn’t realize he was excited then you must be blind and deaf.

Sans’s was a little trickier to spot. He acted roughly the same, keeping to himself, sleeping a lot, staring off into the distance… But if you paid attention, you could see his smile reached all the way to his eyes, he made more jokes, casual ones, just for fun, and some of the tension left his shoulders.

It was nice, seeing them so chipper after what felt like so long.

It didn’t even ruin their mood when you all left the motel and guards immediately came from the remain motel rooms and loaded up into their cars to flank you.

Eight whole guards.

Four for every Monster.

It felt excessive to you, but it wasn’t about to ruin the fun you planned.

The doors of your car were practically thrown open the second you reached the beach.

Papyrus ran out, arms above his head in pure joy as he shouted for Sans to ‘LOOK!’. Sans was slower by not far behind.

You started unloading the trunk of beach supplies, and was pleasantly surprised when a few of the military escorts came over to help you.

The beach you’d chosen was a small, cove beach that was incredibly beautiful, but less popular during this time of year. It was already October after all. A little late season for beaches, but still a good experience.

You laid out the beach blanket and staked the shade tent up. You had a small cooler full of ice cream and sandwiches and water bottles. And you soon shed your outer clothes so you could rub in your sunscreen. Papyrus and Sans didn’t even bother with beach clothes, though you’d offered to get them some, instead they both wore t-shirts and shorts.

Clothes that were effectively drenched now, and it hadn’t even been ten minutes!

You came to the water’s edge, and it lapped at your feet. You jumped back and yelped.

“Shit-! That’s cold!”

You’d figured the water would be freezing since the sand was cool, but you still hadn’t been prepared for it.

“How can you stand it?” You asked, looking up as they approached.

“cold goes right through us.” Sans immediately replied with a lazy wink.

Papyrus lifted his chin proudly, “INDEED IT DOES! PLUS, A MONSTER’S TEMPURATURE IS CONSTANTLY REGULATED BY THEIR MAGIC! WE CAN’T GET HOT EITHER, THOUGH I ASSURE YOU I AM STILL BOTH VERY COOL, AND VERY HOT! NYEHEH!”

You laughed at both of their comments, glad that they seemed so relaxed.

“Do you need to worry about the water getting in your sockets at all, or uh, your hole?” You asked, both concerned and curious for the answer.

Sans shrugged, “nah. magic keeps it out so long as we’re expecting it. otherwise, our skulls would be full’a dust all time.”

“THAT SOUNDS VERY ITCHY AND UNCOMFORTABLE!” Papyrus piped in, “SO I’M GLAD IT DOESN’T HAPPEN.”

“ya gonna join us in the water kid?” Sans asked, glancing at your safety distance.

You gave him a crooked smile, “Yeah, probably not this time. It would take about two minutes before my lips turned blue from the cold.”

Unfortunately, your body did not have magic temperature regulation, so this was going to be a ‘look for seashells and take pictures kinda beach day. Which was still a good one in your book!

Speaking of…

“Why don’t you two pose and I’ll take a picture of you?” you asked, stepping back even more to retrieve your phone.

“BUT YOU SHOILD BE IN THE PHOTO TOO! HERE. YOU CAN GET ON MY BACK, AND ONE OF OUR GUARD FRIENDS CAN SNAP THE SHOT. EXCUSE ME!”

You didn’t get a chance to protest, not that you would of, before Papyrus was at the tent negotiating getting your photo taken.

“Oh, well, that’s thoughtful…” you said softly, watching as Papyrus chatted with the guards, calling them by name and acting like they were already close friends.

“that’s jus’ how he is. hard not to like him, huh?” Sans asked, also watching the scene play out.

You smiled warmly as Papyrus started coming back over, a guard with their phone out in tow.

“Yeah. It really is.”

Sans furrowed his brow bone and looked over at you.

The way you said that bothered him. And the look in your eyes right now also bothered him.

It wasn’t malicious, quite the opposite really, but that really grated his bones the wrong way.

He fancied himself pretty good at reading people, and he could tell there was a deep fondness in your eyes as you watched his brother. There was a faint flush on your cheeks when he picked you up princess style for the picture. You weren’t shy about placing your hands on his chest to secure yourself.

Sans felt his grin fall some.

You… genuinely liked Papyrus, didn’t you?

A crush at least. Hopefully Probably not more than that.

That…

…

Sans didn’t like it.

He wasn’t about to entrust Papyrus to some Human. Especially not one as strangely perfect as you.

No more anomalies.

Not again.

Sans set his grin as he heard the guard call out for the photo.

“Cheese.”

As you expected, you mostly stayed on the beach with the guards while the brothers had fun in the water.

You did take a lot of photos, sending them on the work group chat when you could. And you did have the chance to sit down a shift through the sand a bit to try and find some shells.

Papyrus noticed and asked to join you, in which you readily agreed, but what surprised you is that Sans wanted to join to.

“figured i could shell out some jokes while we searched.”

“Just don’t be a beach with them or I’ll conch you on the head.” You joked back, happy he was reaching out first for once.

You even found a tide pool with a starfish and a sea slug in it.

Sans seemed rather fond of the blubby creature, while Papyrus was much more intrigued by the starfish.

“Did you know that if you cut off a starfish’s arm it can grow it back?” you noted as he picked it up.

Papyrus hummed thoughtfully, “THAT IS QUITE IMPRESSIVE! HOWEVER, ALSO VERY PAINFUL SOUNDING. SO, I WOULD NOT WANT TO DO THAT.”

“Yeah. I’d never want to try it for fun.” You agree, “But it must come in handy out there in the wild to regenerate like that. They can come back from even a single limb. Pretty neat little guys.” You looked at Sans who was still examining the sea slug thoughtfully, “I don’t know much about sea snails, except that they sometimes eat them in France.”

He waved you off and returned the floppy creature to the pool, “don’t worry about it. i jus’ liked the way it felt anyways.”

You kind of wanted to touch it now, but it could be poisonous for all you knew, so you kept your hands to yourself.

“…mind taking a picture for me…?” He asked tentatively.

You blinked in surprise, “Oh! Yeah, sure!”

As pulled up the camera function to capture a few pictures of both the slug and Papyrus with his starfish, Papyrus seemed to remember something and smiled brightly.

“GOOD THINKING SANS! I’M SURE LADY TORIEL WOULD BE THRILLED TO SEE SUCH A LARGE, WATER RESIDING SNAIL SUCH AS THIS! IT COULD REALLY CHEER HER BACK UP AFTER LAST TIME.”

Sans’s grin became tight, and you wordlessly took the pictures you wanted.

Not exactly the memory you wanted dug up on this vacation. It was the reason you all needed one in the first place. But you couldn’t help but offer him a small smile for his earnestness. It was one of his best qualities, even in times like this.

“Well, you guys want lunch now?” you stood up and dusted the sand off your knees.

“good idea…” Sans said, also moving to head back to the tent.

Papyrus placed the starfish back in the tide pool, “BYE LITTLE FRIEND!”

You all headed back to the shade tent and blanket for a late lunch.

Two of the guards ‘snuck away’ to grab some lunch for everyone on duty, and you kind of wished you’d brought BBQ, but the sandwiches were good, minus the one Sans snuck actual sand into for a prank. …You couldn’t bare to toss it and finished the gritty snack regardless.

While your lunch settled, you showed Papyrus some of the pictures you’d taken, and Sans laid out to sunbathe, but soon enough you pulled out your secret weapon: A huge inflatable beach ball.

“Who wants to play?!” you called out to the guards.

They decided as long as half of them were on duty, the rest could take a ‘legally required break’. Sans was the one to convince them. He could be very persuasive.

So, they took turns playing matches with you and the brothers.

It was pretty fun to knock the ball around with them! It was three against four, but with Papyrus’s extra long reach, and Sans’s surprisingly fast movements, the game was well balanced.

“comin’ your way kid.” Sans called as the ball soared through the air towards you.

“Got it!”

You jumped to smack the ball, but an ocean breeze swept through and sent the ball at Papyrus instead.

“Paps! It’s coming to youuuuoop-!” you started to shout, but the distraction messed with your landing, and soon you were left tumbling towards that darn shifty sand.

Thankfully, your closest partner had really good reflexes, and you felt his two skeletal hands catch under your arms and jerk you to a stop before you could hit the ground.

You smiled and glance back at the shorter brother, “Thanks Sans! Nice catch!”

You righted yourself as Sans seemed to get lost in thought, a confused and contemplative look in his eye as he stared at his hands.

“You good…?” you asked as you noticed his expression.

Sans’s eye slowly trailed back to yours, where it lingered for a bit, before he looked away with a shrug and wiped his hands on his shorts.

“you’re sweaty.”

You grimaced and looked away in embarrassment, “Sorry, faulty Human design.”

“PAY ATTENTION TO THE GAME YOU TWO!! FLIRTING IS ONLY AN ACCEPTABLE TACTIC WHEN IT’S USED ON THE OPPOSING TEAM!!” Papyrus called as he darted between all three of your positions, effectively carrying your whole team himself.

You quickly jumped back into the game to distract yourself from the embarrassment.

By the fifth round, you were glad the water was so cold. You were hot and sweaty, and it was the warmest time of day, so the cold ocean water felt nice on your skin as you splashed in the waves with Papyrus. Sans was so exhausted from the game that he simply passed out on the blanket for a nap.

It wasn’t too much longer before you’d used up all your energy and needed to rest a bit.

You’d planned to stay for sunset, so you still had a couple hours to kill, so you worked on making sandcastles with Papyrus. It was a little tricky since you hadn’t brought any buckets or sand toys, but with your general knowledge on sand structures and Papyrus’s dexterity, you made a decent mound style castle.

Then Papyrus taught you how to make a simple puzzle that he’d usually constructed with snow, however, it also worked well in the sand.

You showed Papyrus the way those tiny sand creatures appeared with the tide and buried themselves back quickly when the water receded. And you taught him how to play hang man in the sand.

You’d been taking turns as the executor, and currently it was Papyrus’s turn. You were struggling a bit with the word he had up, and your man had already lost a head, body, and two of his arms.

_ _TTATO_

You furrowed your brow as you tried to think of words or letters to try.

“P?” you asked.

Papyrus added a leg to your poor little man at the gallows and you cringed.

“NICE TRY, BUT THAT’S NOT ONE OF THE LETTERS, NYHEH!” He grinned proudly.

“N?” you tried again.

Papyrus added a letter.

_ _ TTATON

You were so confused. What was this word????

“Can I get a hint?” you asked hopefully.

Papyrus considered this, “I DON’T SEE WHY NOT. I USUALLY GIVE OUT THREE FRISBEES DURING MY PUZZLES ANYWAYS!”

“freebies paps. freebies.”

You both looked up in surprise at Sans’s voice. He was still groggy looking as he woke up, but he stumbled over and sat down heavily next to the two of you.

He took a glance at the word and snorted.

“good luck.” he offered you, sounding like he didn’t expect you to guess the word.

You did only have one chance left, but the way he just laughed at you made you feel the burn of hurt pride.

“Can I use all three freebies?” you asked.

Papyrus nodded, “YOU CAN ASK THREE YES OR NO QUESTIONS. HOW ABOUT THAT?”

You thought for a bit.

“Is this a noun?” you asked.

“CORRECT!” he nodded in response.

You thought again. A person, place, or thing…

“A person…? Like a name?” You asked.

Papyrus seemed impressed, “CORRECT AGAIN! WOWIE!”

Yoh looked back at the word.

A name, probably of a Monster. That was kind of unfair, but you really wanted to win now.

“…Are there any more consonants in this word?” you asked.

“YES! ONE MORE.”

That was technically a double hint he gave you, but you appreciated it.

You figured the first letter must be a vowel in this case, so you started trying sounds in your head.

Ittaton…? Uttaton? Ettaton?

You hummed thoughtfully.

“E?” you asked.

Papyrus added the letter, much to your relief.

_ETTATON

You looked at the letters you’d already used off to the side. Not P, S, R, C, or D.

What was a common letter? Or would it be an uncommon letter to start a Monster’s name? A Monster’s name…

Monster…

M…

“M…?” you guessed weakly.

Sans’s eye shrunk and his sockets expanded in surprise and Papyrus whooped for you as he added the final letter.

“WOWIE! YOU REALLY ARE GREAT AT PUZZLES! I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU GOT IT!” He cheered in excitement.

The word METTATON sat proudly in the sand.

“huh.” Is all Sans said, but he eyed you a little skeptically.

You didn’t care. You were grinning ear to ear in satisfaction of your achievement.

“Yes!!” you jumped up and cheered.

You’d won the round! And just in time too! The sun was starting to set, casting an array of beautiful colors over the sky.

“Hey, let’s get another picture together with the sunset!” you suggested.

So, you got several pictures, some with just them, a few with the three of you, and a couple chaotic ones of the whole group, guards and all.

Then you and the brothers settled on the blanket to watch a little longer before you went back to the motel.

As you sat there, your mind wandered a little to the incident at the party.

Lady Toriel had seemed so normal and at ease up until you said you had to go. You didn’t even see it coming.

It reminded you that these people had really been through hell, even if they seemed pretty calm most of the time. Each one of them had seen and experienced truly terrible things. They all had triggers hiding under the surface that could throw them back to those dark times. Even these two.

You glanced at the brothers who were watching the sky in cheerful awe.

You turned your attention back to the sky as well. It went without saying that you’d do anything for them at this point. You cared about them after all.

Granny was right. The rest of the world may be content with shoving them aside to forget about, but you were going to help them however you could.

They deserved to be happy. And you darn well were going to make sure that happened.

Little Wood house

Chapter Text

Day two of your vacation started at early a.m.

You drove thirty minutes from the beach front motel to a amusement park, and woke up with plenty of spare time in order to beat the crowds.

The staff of the park had been informed in advance, and welcomed you with warm hospitality… As did the reporters…

But luckily! They weren’t allowed to film inside the park, and the military guard kept them from engaging your group rather effectively.

Which was great, because you just want the brothers to be able to enjoy the rides in peace.

Of course, you had every intention to enjoy yourself as well!

“Let’s take a picture with the park mascot!” you suggested, picking up your pace as you veered off the main path to the huge clock tower in the central plaza.

In front of it was a statue of a piggy in a straw hat and rain boots and holding an umbrella. A sign beside the statue read: Peachy Goo, the Peachy Park mascot. There are seven Peachy Goos in the park, find them all!

Papyrus stood beside the statue, and you went behind it. Sans ducked and crouched to fit under the three-foot-tall statues umbrella. Your picture was taken, and you all shuffled to the side to look at the park map.

“LET’S START IN THE MAIN PARK AND MOVE TO THE WATER PARK PORTION AFTERWARDS. THAT WAY YOU CAN ALL COOL OFF DURING THE HOTTEST PART OF THE DAY!” Papyrus suggested.

You smiled at him, “Great idea! I didn’t even think about that. I’m surprised you did since you said weather doesn’t really affect you.”

“I HAVE TO BE EVEN MORE CAREFUL BECAUSE OF THAT!” Papyrus explained, a proud look on his face at your recognition, “YOU HUMANS HAVE NEEDS I WOULDN’T EVEN THINK OF, SO I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THOSE NEEDS TO MAKE SURE I’D BE ABLE TO HELP IF IT WAS EVER NEEDED!”

Sans seemed to see something on the map that interested him and started walking, so you all followed.

“Where did you learn about Human stuff?” you asked as you walked.

Papyrus placed a hand to his chin thoughtfully, “I READ ABOUT IT ONCE… I STUDIED VERY HARD… HMM… I CAN’T REMEMBER WHEN THOUGH!”

You figured books must have ended up underground at some point. In that ‘Waterfall’ place he’d mentioned before.

Papyrus and you came to a stop behind Sans as he reached the location.

You looked up and gulped.

Guess you would be starting with a bang.

He had brought you to the drop tower. A four-hundred-foot plummet to the ground after an agonizing slow ascent filled with anticipation. Joy.

“THIS LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR GETTING A PROPER ARIAL VIEW OF THE PARK. GOOD THINKING SANS!” Papyrus didn’t seem perturbed at all.

You gulped.

The grass around the ride smelt of vomit, and the waiting lanes had convenient canopies over them.

“the line starts over there.” Sans gestured with a nod, “it’s pretty short right now.”

You wondered if it was the time of day, or the imposing ride itself.

Three of the guards came with you to stand in line, the other five stayed at ground level and you cursed the lucky bastards in your head.

All too soon you were loading onto the tower’s seats and being strapped in.

You tapped your leg against the floor platform anxiously as the ride started with a lurch.

Papyrus was still chatting away enthusiastically, probably becoming best friends with his seat buddy, completely ignorant to your white-knuckled grip on the safety bar.

Sans was your seat buddy, sitting to your right. He noticed, but he said nothing. He simply watched.

The ride moved up, and you tried to distract yourself by taking in the view.

There was the water portion of the park, the food court, the parking lot, the-

“WOW WE ARE REALLY HIGH UP!’’ Papyrus exclaimed happily.

You automatically looked down. Big mistake.

Suddenly, your feet felt like they needed something under them, your palms were sweating like crazy, and you smacked your head on the head rest as you threw it back to avert your gaze.

How long had you been going up? Seconds?! Minutes?! Were you getting close to the drop?!! Was it soon???!?

You heard a click, and your stomach left you.

You grit your teeth so hard you swear you heard a crack. There was screaming from the others on the ride. Papyrus was laughing loudly, arms in the air as the wind rushed past, but you weren’t paying attention as you gripped the safety bar for dear life. Sans chuckled softly, his grin growing slightly as an idea formed in his head…

Your legs wobbled as you got off the ride.

“That was terrible.” you mumbled the same time Papyrus exclaimed, “THAT WAS AMAZING!”

Sans listened as his brother rambled about the ride.

“DO YOU REMEMBER HOW WE’D PRACTICE BLUE MAGIC BY SEEING HOW HIGH WE COULD LIFT EACH OTHER SANS? AND THEN WE’D HAVE TO CATCH EACH OTHER BEFORE WE HIT THE GROUND! IT WAS JUST LIKE THAT EXCEPT LESS MAGICY!” He went on as you shuffled over to a bench and sat down.

“You did that kind of thing for fun…?” you gawked.

Huh, you wondered what else Monsters did for fun in the underground.

So, you asked, “What other kinds of games did you guys play?”

“OH! ALL SORTS OF FUN THINGS! SNOW MONSTER BUILDING, RACING EACH OTHER ACROSS THE UNDERGROUND, SANS HAD AN ADVANTAGE WITH HIS SHORTCUTS…”

Your eyes widened in surprise, “Really? You knew he was cheating and let him?”

“ ‘s not cheatin’. ‘s usin’ what i have to my advantage.” Sans snidely commented.

“TRUE!” Papyrus cheerfully grinned, “BUT REGARDLESS, I ALWAYS FOUND IT QUITE THE FUN CHALLENGE!”

“let’s jus’ hit the next ride.”

Sans didn’t wait for a reply as he started off to the next ride of his choice.

You couldn’t help but notice he seemed infinitely more grumpy today compared to yesterday’s beach trip. Maybe it was the people blatantly snapping photos of your friends.

You shot another group a glare as their phone cameras stayed locked on your little group.

The soldiers were doing what they could to block them, but technically nothing could be done at this scale, and you doubted many of the onlookers were intimated enough to stop.

And the wall of guards could hardly body-block the ten-foot, boisterous skeleton that was unbothered in all accounts.

‘’So,” you started, shaking away the glum thoughts, “Where are you leading us next?”

Sans glanced at you and then nodded to the right side of the path.

There was a roller-coaster. A pitch-black drop ride, complete with a photo tunnel, the perfect thing to capture your feelings on this ride.

But! The saying goes: Don’t knock it till you try it.

You noticed Sans was picking rides without very long lines. Whether it was purposeful, or simply because he enjoyed a bit of terror, you could only guess.

Papyrus had to sit alone, barely even able to squish his lanky legs into the car as it was. He chose the front of course.

The guards all paired up, and you were surprised to see all of them choosing to partake in this ride. Perhaps it was because the photo tunnel…?

You got paired with Sans isn’t the cart behind Papyrus.

Your current concern was the drop hill and whether it would cause you to spill your guts, but as the ride started trekking up the hill, you were left unaware of what your concern should have been.

“Aaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!” you shrieked as the coaster dropped the hill and immediately threw you all into a curve.

The momentum led you to full body slam into Sans, even with your death grip on the safety bar.

He grunted and you tried to pry yourself from him, but the ride had you going down a wide loop that kept pulling you in.

…Of course it eventually switched directions and had both of you tossed like rag dolls into the other side of the cart.

Your side banged into the metal door, and you cringed. Then Sans swung into your side, insuring the bruise that was likely forming on your side.

Papyrus was having an absolute blast in front of both of you, whooping and hollering as the ride took you into a corkscrew style loop.

Papyrus turned to scream something at you, and you peeked your eyes open.

“WHAT!?” You shouted back.

“I SAID: THE TUNNEL IS COMING UP-!”

*WHACK!*

Your eyes widened as Papyrus’s head vanished and darkness surrounded you.

I took your brain a second to register what you just saw, but as the weight landed in your lap, accompanied by an “OW…”, you couldn’t hold back.

You screamed.

The weight was removed from your lap and your mind snapped back into commission.

“Oh my gosh Papyrus!” you started groping around the cart, “Please tell me you’re still in the cart!?”

“What happened!?” the guards started calling behind you.

Before you could explain that Papyrus just LOST HIS HEAD, his familiar voice came from beside you.

“WORRY NOT HUMANS! MY BROTHER HAS MY HEAD SERCURELY IN HIS ARMS! I’LL REPLACE IT ONCE THE RIDE ENDS.”

You were tearing up, so afraid that he was dying, or that you lost his head because you had been too scrambled to catch it from flying out of the ride.

Honestly, your brain was still trying to catch up with the terror.

The ride exited the tunnel and slowed to a stop into the boarding port.

The coaster operator screamed as they caught sight of Papyrus’s headless form. The soldiers all gasped and tried to jump out of their carts, but the safety bars were still locked down.

Sans was tightly clutching his brother’s head, and you felt a chill when you saw his eyes had returned to their dead, empty state.

“EXCUSE ME, BUT DO YOU MIND RAISING THIS BAR NOW? I’D LIKE TO PLACE MY HEAD BACK ON SO EVERYONE CAN CALM DOWN.” Papyrus’s voice called out.

The operator jolted and practically smashed the release button.

The bars lifted and Papyrus’s body stood up. Everyone gaped in both awe, horror, and relative discomfort as he left the car, turned to his brother, and pried his head from Sans’s hold.

Papyrus placed his skull back on with an uncomfortably loud popping sound of his cervical vertebrae reattaching.

“THERE! ALL BETTER! NO NEED TO BE SO ALARMED!” as he spoke, he lifted the still unresponsive Sans from your car and tucked him to hang limply under his arm, “SHALL WE DISEMBARK? I’D LIKE TO PURCHASE A COPY OF THE TUNNEL PHOTO!”

Chapter Text

No matter how hilarious the photo was, no one felt like laughing at it. Even as Papyrus made sure to purchase a copy of the absurdly priced picture for every member of the group, claiming, “I’M SURE YOU’LL ALL LOOK BACK AND SEE HOW HUMERUS THIS IS ONE DAY!”.

No one caught the pun, but you made sure to thank Papyrus for trying to cheer everyone up, assuring him that you all just needed some time.

Sans… he’d gone back to how he was after the party.

It was unsettling.

Those empty sockets… his unresponsive and yet very compliant actions.

He was like a doll.

Sit here, eat this, hold that. No matter what Papyrus asked of him, Sans would follow with out even a twitch of his too-far stretched grin.

You were all at the food plaza now, and while everyone ate, Papyrus showed you all the hidden Peachy Goos he’d found so far, circling them on the little park map he’d picked up.

“I HAVE A VERY GOOD FEELING THAT IF YOU FIND ALL THE PEACHY GOOS, YOU’LL WIN THE PUZZLE!” he said.

You gave a little lopsided grin, “Maybe, but it might not be that complex of a game. Just don’t get your hopes up too high. Humans aren’t known for their hidden puzzles like Monsters are.”

“AH, I AM AWARE OF THAT,” Papyrus tutted his finger, “BUT I HAVE A GOOD FEELING ABOUT THIS ONE! NYEHEH! IN FACT, I BELIEVE I ALREADY KNOW THE SOLUTION TO THE PUZZLE! I’D HATE TO SPOIL IT FOR MYSELF, BUT I’LL LET YOU KNOW IF I WAS CORRECT. WINK WONK!”

You laughed softly at his exaggerated winks, glad that he managed not to lose his head… er, metaphorically…

You glanced over at Sans again. He was still just… blankly holding the hotdog Papyrus had stuffed in his hand.

Papyrus noticed this too and rolled his eyes, “TAKE ANOTHER BITE BROTHER. THE FOOD WILL RUN AWAY FROM YOU AT THIS RATE!”

A tiny pinprick of Sans’s eye came back at that.

He immediately snapped his jaws down on the hotdog, tearing into it and consuming it in a blink of an eye.

The soldiers all jumped up, seeming ready to take action and restrain him at any moment.

But as soon as the hotdog was gone, he went back to that blank state.

Papyrus beamed and pat his brother on the back, “PERFECT! NOW WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT LOCATION!!”

He picked Sans up again, tucking him under his arm like a limp sack of potatoes, “LET’S GO! THE DAY IS WASTING AWAY!”

If Sans led the group with mystery and the goal to torment you, Papyrus lead the group like he was on a tight schedule. He took you on so many rides in such a short amount of time that you felt like you were seeing stars.

You got a short break when you moved to the water park portion, since everyone needed to take some time to change, but even then, Papyrus strictly informed you that you should take no longer than five minutes in the changing room if you were to optimize your time.

Since Sans and Papyrus just wore their normal clothes, they already went out and were waiting for you. Well, Papyrus was waiting, Sans was standing with Papyrus looking blankly into the distance.

But Papyrus was quick to shuffle all of you to a table so you could drop off your stuff and get it the pool already.

“WHO KNOWS WHEN YOU’LL START FEELING HOT AN THEN FAINT FROM HEAT STROKE! AND SANS NEEDS TO COOL OFF ALREADY.” He proclaimed, “SO LET’S HUSTLE.”

“Actually, I haven’t put on my sunscreen yet. You can go ahead though.” You tell him.

Papyrus thought about that for about two seconds, and then decided he could settle with that.

“ALRIGHT. TAKE CARE OF SANS. I’LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER I BUY MORE WATERS FOR EVERYONE.”

He untucked Sans from under his arm and set him in the chair beside you.

Sans didn’t say anything, or move, or… do anything really… So you figured you could could an eye on him while you rubbed in your sun block.

You kept glancing over at him despite the relative ease of the task. You were honestly pretty worried about him. And sure, four of the guards were still with you both, but those blank eyes really unnerved you. It was like he was going to fade away at any second, or like he wasn’t really present in his own head.

“Hey, uh Sans,” You started talking, not sure if it would help, but not really having other ideas at the moment, “...It’s pretty hot out today huh?”

Okay, that was a lame start.

“...You know… on day’s like this, I used to run outside without my shoes, splash around in some water, if I was lucky I could munch on a popsicle… I bet Papyrus would like doing that. I haven’t done it in a while, but I feel like he’d draw me in and I’d be playing like a kid again in no time. Heh…”

You wiped the excess sunscreen from your hands and onto your towel.

“He really has a talent for that, huh? Drawing you in, helping brighten your day, give you a little hope and dopamine right when you need it. He’s pretty cool.”

“...yeah. he is.”

You looked over at him quickly. His eye was back and he was sagged back into the chair.

He looked exhausted.

You beamed, “Yeah! He’s the greatest!”

Sans’s smile loosened a bit and closed his eyes.

“tell paps that ‘m taking a nap. ‘m bone tired…” he mumbled, his words trailing off into ‘Z’s.

“You got it.” You smiled, relieved that he wasn’t ‘lapsing’ anymore.

Guess Papyrus was right. He was back to normal before you knew it.

“AAHH!! IS SANS NAPPING NOW!?!” Papyrus cried out as he came back, arms loaded with about three water bottles per a person.

You gaped at him, “Aren’t those really expensive?” you asked.

“WE GOT A MILITARY DISCOUNT! IT WAS A VERY GENEROUS THING TO DO!” He smiled, dropping them all on the table.

You went ahead and picked one up, cracking it open and taking a drink. The water was nice a cool, like it had just come out of the ice box, and it definitely felt refreshing.

“Thanks Papyrus.” You smiled at him, making sure to let him know that you appreciated the gesture.

The soldiers were also glad to have some fresh, chilled water, and joined your thanks for the icy cold beverage.

Of course, once you’d had your healthy dose of hydration, Paps was back to business.

“I PICKED UP A MAP OF THE POOL WHILE WE WERE AT THE CONCESSION STAND AND DECIDED ON THE MOST EFFICIENT PATH.” he announced, slamming the map on the table amid the water bottles, “FIRST WE START IN THE WAVE POOL AND CHALLENGE OUR WATER SURVIVAL SKILLS TO MAKE SURE WE’LL SURVIVE THE OTHER RIDES. THIS MUST TAKE NO LONGER THAN TEN MINUTES!! WE WILL HAVE TWO ALLOTTED MINUTES TO REACH ‘RAPID SPLASH MOUNTAIN’. FROM THERE WE HAVE ANOTHER TWO MINUTES TO REACH ‘THE RAINDROP’ AND AFTER THAT WILL BE ‘CAR WASH’. IF ALL GOES WELL, WE CAN REPEAT AT LEAST ONE OF THESE ACTIVITIES OR SPLIT UP TO TRY THE SINGLE SLIDES BEFORE THE PARK CLOSES. AND DON’T WORRY! I ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR LINE TRAFFIC!”

He rolled up his map proudly.

“ONLY ONE THING LEFT TO DO!” he said, moving closer to Sans.

You really expected him to get scooped under Papyrus’s arm and hauled around again, but instead Papyrus shouted directly in his face, “WAKE UP YOU LAZY BONES!!! WE HAVE SLIDES TO TEST OURSELVES ON!!!”

Sans slowly blinked open his eyes.

“...’sup bro.” He waved sleepily, “any chance i can keep using my free ride ticket?”

“NO!”

Papyrus’s response was instant, but not aggravated. Rather, he seemed to be in a better mood now that Sans was back to ‘normal’.

Sans shrugged, seemingly unbothered by his brother’s response.

He pulled himself up from his chair and gave a quick glance to you, “you comin’?”

You jumped out of your own seat, “Right! Does a quick picture fit into your schedule Papyrus?”

“OF COURSE IT CAN!” he beamed.

Everyone smiled as you fit them into the screen and snapped the picture.

When you looked back on it later, you’d always find yourself in a better mood.

Now those, were some genuine smiles.

Chapter Text

“Why don’t those two have eyes?”

Seth coughed as he covered his laugh. You smiled, sharing the sentiment.

“They’re Skeleton Monsters.” you explained to his niece, “They’re made of magic so they don’t need eyes to see.”

You were sharing the picture form your trip with Seth and his niece Lola who’d come to work with him today.

Lola furrowed her brow, “I thought monsters live under the bed and in closets…”

“Well, now they live on farms too.” Seth snickered, ruffling her hair.

She made a noise of disinterest and swiped to the next picture.

It was the one from the roller-coaster that almost wrecked the trip.

“Why do you have his head?” She asked innocently.

Seth looked up at you, his face carrying the same question, along with amusement.

You gave a crooked smile, still not entirely over the scenario, but Papyrus was right about the picture being pretty funny to look at… Minus Sans’s dead sockets…

“Well,” you started, “There was a bit of an accident that had us all acting like headless chickens for a bit. Thankfully, Papyrus took hold of the situation and stepped up to be the head of our little party.”

Seth snorted a laugh, “What’s with the dad jokes?” He asked.

“Sans likes them. I’m practicing in case he uh, lapses again. Figured it might be something I could try to help him work through it.” You explained, flipping to the next photo.

“Don’t stretch yourself too thin.” He siad, ruffling your hair too.

You huffed a soft laugh and batted his hand away, “I don’t plan to.”

“Why does he have a hole in his head?”

Lola’s next question interrupted any further discussion about the topic, and Seth helped you out by telling a fun tale about a hypothetical battle Sans had probably gotten it from.

By the time your shift ended and you were on the drive back to Little Wood, you were ready to take a nap. Too much excitement in the last three day you’d guess.

Lola was adorable as always, but you hadn’t expected Seth’s impromptu baby sitting. Kids and their curiosity plus lack of filter was not a good mix with tales of Monster trauma events.

You pulled into the garage and walked into the house, announcing your arrival home…

The house was dark…

You furrowed your brow and went in further, setting down your stuff on the kitchen counter as you passed.

You flicked on the lights as you walked deeper into the house.

“Sans? Papyrus?”

You peered out the kitchen window, but didn’t see either of them in the back, and they would of hear the obnoxiously loud garage door when you returned.

You checked the couch… Sans wasn’t napping there like a dead man.

You knocked on Papyrus’s room door.

….But there was no response.

You moved to Sans’s door and knocked…

...No response.

You pursed your lips. That was weird… Maybe they’d both gone out?

You turned to head upstairs to your own room, but a few beeps sounded from beyond Sans’s door.

“Sans?” You called again, turning back to his door.

Your hand hovered over the handle.

Would it be invasive to just peek in? What if he had… Some sort of Monster health problem and needed help? He fainted or something? Or… Maybe he was just really deep asleep? But the beeps sounded ominously again, and you found yourself turning the handle and cracking the door slightly.

You poked your head into the dimly lit room.

The blinds were shut, barely letting sunlight in. The bed was bare and there didn’t seem to be much decoration or personalization going on. Even the clothes you’d given him still sat in the box at the foot of his bed.

No, what caught your attention was the giant, looming machine taking up a good chunk of floor space.

The machine beeped again and you saw a line slowly moving across the dimly glowing screen, accompanied by a long string of numbers scrolling up the side.

The line and numbers seemed to update with every beep the machine made, adding another small chunk to the data.

You stared blankly at the screen for a little longer… Then your eyes slowly drifted down to the fifty or so journals littering the ground around the device.

….Something told you, those journals had the answers to the growing questions in your mind…

. . . . . . . . . . .

You closed the door.

You later found a note taped to your room door written in Papyrus’s uppercase hand.

• DEAR Y/N,

SANS AND I ARE GOING OUT TO GRILLBY’S TO GIVE OUR COOL FRIENDS THE SOUVENIRS WE GOT ON OUR VACATION. WE WILL LIKELY EAT DINNER THERE. SANS SAID YOU’VE GONE THERE BEFORE, SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SWING BY AND JOIN THE PARTY! NYEHEH!

THIS IS YOUR FORMAL INVITATION!

SIGNED – THE GREAT PAPYRUS

Well, that answered the question of where they’d gone.

You decided you would go ahead over and join them, eat some fries, maybe see Dogaressa again?

Hopefully it would go better than the last Monster get-together you attended.

You hopped in your car and drove down to the bar.

The warm light spilled out of the front window, and you could see the familiar patrons gathered inside. Dog Monsters were gathered around Papyrus as he chattered loudly, the sound reaching you from outside the establishment.

You smiled and pulled open the door, the laughter and words spilling out onto the street and you headed in.

“Hey Papyrus, Dogaressa, er, Doggo, GDog, Ldog.” You turned to the back and gave a wave to the two at the bar, “Grillby, Sans, heya.”

You proceeded to greet everyone at the bar, for fear of leaving someone out.

Most of them greeted you back enthusiastically. Sans and Grillby gave brief nods in your general direction.

“Hey there Y/n, Papyrus said you might be coming around.” Dogaressa said as you approached the table.

You smiled, “Good food, good company, and a couple drinks? I’m not about to pass up the chance.”

She snickered and raised her glass, “You could say that again!”

“What are you all looking at?” You asked, peering at the paper Papyrus had spread onto the table.

It didn’t take you long to recognize the theme park map.

“Are you pointing out which rides we went on?” You asked.

“YES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I’M SHOWING THEM HOW I SOLVED THE PARK PUZZLE!” Papyrus beamed.

Ah, the park puzzle he’d gone on about with the Peachy Goo mascots. You had forgotten about it.

“SEE? ONCE I FOUND EVERY PEACHY GOO IN THE PARK, YOU CONNECT THE MARKS ON THE MAP AND…!”

He pulled out a copy of the map that he’d done this to.

The dots all connected to make a big Peachy Goo face around the center plaza of the park.

“Wow! No way! It actually made something?” You raised your eyebrows in surprise while the rest of the table congratulated him for solving the puzzle.

“YES! AND I GOT A PRIZE FOR SOLVING IT!”

He procured a plush Peachy Good phone strap and proceeded to pass it around the table.

The little piggy in rain boots and umbrella smiled up at you brightly.

“That’s pretty neat!” you smiled back, passing it along.

Papyrus’s chest swelled with pride and he gave a little ‘NYEHEH HEH!’

Your stomach growled and you stood up, “I’ll be back. I’m gonna go ahead and order some food.”

Everyone nodded in acknowledgment, so you headed over to the counter to place your order and say hello to Sans and Grillby.

“Heya Grillby. How have you been?” You asked, sliding up to the counter.

“… ……. ……….” He nodded at you.

You gave a little smile, taking that as a ‘good’, “Any chance I could get some fries and a burger?”

Grillby nodded again and placed up a ticket.

You glanced over at Sans, the machine and his journals still fresh in your mind.

“So, what did you do today Sans? Unless, you and Papyrus have been here the whole day?” You asked, leaning against the counter from your stool while you waited.

Sans shrugged, taking a gulp form his ketchup bottle, “we’re the first monsters to venture out of the town. everyone’s got a lot to ask.”

That was true…

“Leaving the talking to Papyrus?” You teased softly.

“yep.” Sans replied, popping his P.

His gaze had drifted down to the counter, seeming contemplative, but eventually he allowed his stare to settle on you.

His brow furrowed as his big, red eye scanned your face.

“Do I have some dirt on my cheek?” You asked as his scrutinizing look started to unsettle you.

Sans siliently studied you a moment longer before saying, “...i’ll be back.” and vanishing away.

You looked back at Grillby, “Did I say something wrong?”

Grillby bobbed his shoulders in a light shrug. It seemed even Sans’s closest friends could hardly tell where his train of thought goes.

“Order up!” The Monster from the kitchen called.

You attention was quickly pulled from pondering Sans and to the practically sparkling burger and fries Grillby moved closer to you.

“Looks amazing, thank you!” You said, snagging one of the fries and burning your mouth on its delicious crispy goldenness.

“Ow! Hot! Hot!” you breathed out the excess steam, trying to cool the food in your mouth.

“quit hitting on the bartender kid, you’re embarrassing yourself.”

You jumped as Sans popped back into existence beside you.

“The fire- No! I mean the fries! The fries are hot…!” You sputtered, looking between Sans and the softly chuckling bartender.

“suuuurree ya did kid. don’t need to hide it. we all know grillbz is smoking.” Sans grinned.

Grillby’s flames flickered brighter, like he might be laughing at this exchange.

You looked between them and started scooping up your food, planning to retreat to Papyrus’s table again, “Anyways! Thanks for the food, good talk, see you next time!”

“running before you get grilled further?” He snickered as you escaped.

Before you could respond, Papyrus’s voice rang out across the bar, “SANS, STOP HARASSING GRILLBY AND OUR HOUSEMATE!!”

Laughter filled the bar, and you found yourself smiling despite the tease.

These two were definitely the life of the party. You don’t think you could imagine life without them anymore.

Chapter Text

“Watch out!”

You watched in horror as the skeleton fell to the ground and bones flew in all directions.

The head rolled to a stop as your foot, and you reached down, picking it up.

“THANK YOU Y/N!” Papyrus took the head from you and started gathering the rest of the bones from the driveway as well.

You sighed and moved to help collect them.

October had just begun, and Papyrus was raring to participate in this very cool ‘Monster themed holiday’.

And you’d been worried they’d find the tradition offensive…

“How many more skeletons are you planning on hanging up anyways?” You asked, looking at the near by boxes of skeletal décor still in the grass.

Each skeleton had been dressed in a little tuxedo, complete with a red or blue bow tie.

He’d wanted one of those giant twelve foot skeletons, but it wouldn’t have arrived in time for Halloween, so he ordered it for next year and compromised with hundreds of dapper dudes instead.

“AFTER I SET UP ALL THESE ONES, I’LL BE SETTING UP THESE BONES IN A DISPLAY OF CLASSIC SKELETON ATTACK PATTERNS!” Papyrus told you.

You smiled, “Need any help?”

Papyrus nodded, “HELP IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED. IN FACT…!”

He handed you a large black piece of cloth.

“I’VE BEEN MEANING TO HANG THIS ONE BACK UP. I WASN’T SURE YOU’D LIE IT UP UP ALL YEAR ROUND LIKE SANS AND I HAD BEFORE, BUT IT DEFINITELY FITS THIS OCCASION! NYEHEH…!”

You unfolded the fabric and held it up as best you could.

It was an authentic pirate flag, with a skull and cross bones woven into the design.

“Whoa…”

Your eyes were widen in awe of this ragged cloth in your hands.

“I HAVE A MATCHING ONE IN MY ROOM!” Papyrus told you, “FEEL FREE TO VISIT IT ANY TIME!”

“Really? That’s pretty cool.” You grinned, “I’ll come see it sometime! Where do you want me to hang this one?”

“THE FLAG POLE!”

Papyrus pointed to the side of the front yard, just past the driveway. Your eyes followed, landing on the metal pole that you’d always ignored and forgotten about.

“Oh. Right.” You headed over to the pole, realizing you had no idea how to use a flag pole.

Rather than bruise your ego by asking for help with your… help. You did a quick web search for a tutorial.

Luckily, the halyard, or the rope thingy on the pole was still in place. So, you followed the tutorial, attaching one end to the top of the flag, and the other bit of rope to the bottom. Once you were certain it was secure enough that a strong wind wouldn’t blow it away, you hoisted the flag to the top of the pole, and wrapped the excess rope around the cleat, or the little handle thingy.

You stepped back and looked up at your work proudly.

“GREAT JOB!” you heard Papyrus call across the yard, “I WAS ALMOST CERTAIN YOU WOULD NEED TO ASK FOR HELP, BUT YOU DID IT! ALL ON YOUR OWN TOO! WOWIE!”

You laughed, “Oh you of little faith.” you waved your finger at him scoldingly, “Never underestimate my internet search skills…!”

He let out an exaggerated gasp.

“AND HERE I THOUGHT FLAG FLYING WAS YOUR SECRET HIDDEN SKILL! BUT IT WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A CHEAP TRICK THIS WHOLE TIME? I’VE BEEN THOROUGHLY JAPED BY YOUR CRAFTY SCHEME!!”

You responded with your best impression of an evil laugh, “Mwahahahaha! Fear my power!”

“NEVER!” He shouted in defiance.

You pulled your phone back out, getting into this silly little game, “Once I google the secrets, I will begin my world domination, and nothing with stop me…!”

“NOT IF I CAN HELP IT!” Papyrus stood proudly.

*Ding!

A funny feeling filled your chest.

“What the-”

Your eyes widened as a little glowy heart burst from your chest and hovered in front of you.

“DON’T MOVE!” Papyrus warned, a big grin on his face.

Blue, semi transparent bones sprung from the ground and headed towards you.

You squeaked.

You trusted Papyrus wasn’t planning to hurt you… But the sight of the attack still activated your fight or flight response, and you darted back away from them.

Only, you didn’t get far before you hit what seemed to be an invisible wall of darkness.

You felt a panic rise in your chest as the approaching bones and squeezed your eyes shut…

But nothing happened…

You slowly opened your eyes again to see Papyrus looking at you worriedly, no bones in sight… minus the plastic ones.

“ARE YOU ALRIGHT Y/N?” he asked, “I-I’M SORRY. I DIDN’T MEAN TO SCARE YOU. LET’S END THIS NOW.”

*Papyrus is SPARING you.

You looked at the words in front of you, and the glowing option boxes in disbelief.

You hesitantly stuck your hand out and tried touching the MERCY box.

The darkness dissipated, and you were left in the yard as before.

“What was that…?” You asked looking up at Papyrus in confusion.

Papyrus fidgeted, as if wondering whether it was alright to approach you, “THAT WAS A ‘FIGHT’. MONSTERS USED TO USE THEM A LOT, BOTH FOR FUN OR TO SETTLE DISPUTES. THOSE BLUE BONES ARE A SPECIAL KIND OF ATTACK. AS LONG AS YOU DON’T MOVE WHEN THEY TOUCH YOU, THEY GO START THROUGH WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE! AND, I AM VERY GOOD AT USING MAGIC. I WASN’T GOING TO LET YOU GET HURT AT ALL. I… I JUST GOT A LITTLE CARRIED AWAY… IT’S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I’VE GOTTEN TO ‘FIGHT’ SOMEONE… I’M TRULY SORRY FOR SCARING YOU Y/N!”

Your heart was still beating out of your chest, but seeing Papyrus’s complete sincerity helped you clear the clouds of fear from your head a bit.

“O...okay…” You tried to calm down more and act reasonably, “Maybe… it will help if you explain it more… yeah… We’ll um, take a break, have some juice, and you can tell me about these ‘FIGHTS’…?”

Papyrus was so obviously relieved, nodding quickly, “OF COURSE! I’LL EXPLAIN IT REALLY WELL SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THERE’S NOTHING TO FEAR! AND THEN WE CAN GO BACK TO HOW THINGS ALWAYS ARE, AND PRETEND THIS NEVER HAPPENED AGAIN IF YOU WISH!”

Soon, you were seated at the back porch, a chilled cup of juice in hand, and pursed lips as you listened to Papyrus.

Apparently, that little heart was your soul. Your literal being.

Terrifying, but moving on.

Monsters used to activate these ‘FIGHTS’ as a way of communication, friendship, and challenge with each other. The idea was to use your magic as a form of expression, an art. It was rarely used in traditional Monster culture to take a life, as that would give you EXP, which is bad.

“What’s EXP?” you asked, knowing that in video game terms it meant ‘experience points’.

“EXECUTION POINTS.” Papyrus said grimly, “IT’S CONSIDERED BAD IN MONSTER CULTURE SINCE IT CHANGES YOUR SOUL, DOWN TO IT’S VERY CORE.”

You felt a chill and gulped, nodding for him to continue.

After the things that happen in the Underground… The consumption of Humans, many Monsters began to lose touch with their magic. The EXP and LV they gained making them out of touch with their souls, their magic dimming, their physical matter slowly increasing. The piles of dust became bigger, the life in it ceasing like it would for the lower level Monsters. The magic and soul energy fading away almost instantly.

No longer was there a point to sprinkling a Monsters dust on their favorite object to live on in.

. . .

Papyrus seemed to be struggling a bit at this point.

You felt a little bad, like you were forcing him to remember these bad things.

“You can stop if-”

“NO NO.” He insisted, “I PROMISED YOU I’D EXPLAIN, AND IT IS ONLY FAIR AFTER I FORCED YOU INTO A FIGHT WITHOUT EXPLANATION.” He gave a crooked smiled, “I CAN MANAGE THIS MUCH.”

He took a breath.

“WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY IS, BATTLES SUCH AS THESE IS A HIGHLY RESPECTED AND HEALTHY WAY FOR MONSTERS TO COMMUNICATE. BUT WITH SO MANY OF US LOSING TOUCH WITH OUR MAGIC, FIGHTS ARE ALL BUT AN EXTINCT PRACTICE. SO WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY AROSE TO ENGAGE IN ONE, I JUST COULDN’T HELP MYSELF!” He said, “I DIDN’T THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH IT MIGHT STARTLE YOU. I’M SORRY.”

You raised your hands in assurance, “Hey, Papyrus. It’s okay. I get it now.”

“NO. IT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT OKAY.” he said firmly, “AS THE SENIOR IN FIGHT ETIQUETTE, THIS WAS MOST CERTAINLY SOMETHING I SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED AS A CULTURAL DIFFERENCE.” He pat your shoulder, “YOU DON’T HAVE TO PRETEND THAT THIS IS ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR. I WILL DO BETTER FROM NOW ON. THAT’S A PROMISE.”

You really didn’t feel mad, maybe still a bit wound up, but that depressing conversation really sobered you up.

“Really Papyrus, I don’t mind anymore-”

“Y/N.”

You stopped as Papyrus gave you a deeply troubled look.

“Y-yeah…?”

He took a breath, “DO YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ALWAYS DO THIS?”

You blinked, “Do what?”

“YOU ALWAYS ACT LIKE EVERYTHING IS OKAY, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE DEFINITELY NOT OKAY. LIKE JUST NOW, OR WITH LADY TORIEL, OR WHEN MY BROTHER BROKE INTO YOUR ROOM AND THREATENED YOU.” He listed off examples.

You gawked at the last one, “You… You knew about that!?”

“NYEH! I KNEW IT!” He puffed his chest proudly.

You shut your mouth.

How did he guess that???

“THE POINT IS,” Papyrus said, bringing the conversation back around, “YOU SHOULD EXPRESS WHEN YOU FEEL AFRAID OR STRESSED! IT’S THE HEALTHY THING TO DO.”

You glanced away, “I just don’t want to cause trouble for anyone. It’s not like telling people how I’m feeling will make those feelings go away anyways. So, why bother, right?”

“YOU BOTHER BECAUSE, IF SOMEONE CARES ABOUT YOU, THE WAY YOU CARE ABOUT THEM, ENOUGH THAT YOU DON’T WANT THEM FEELING TROUBLED, THEY TOO WON’T WANT YOU TO FEEL THAT WAY!” he smiled, “NOW, LET’S TRY IT! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, DEEPLY APOLOGIZE FOR SCARING YOU EARLIER.”

He said it just as sincerely as the first time.

You took a breath, fighting down the urge to gloss over the problem.

“Thank you for your apology Papyrus,” You start, “It um… did scare me quite a bit, but I accept your apology. Because, I really want to keep being your friend.”

You offer him a smile and he beamed back.

“THANK YOU Y/N! I’LL DO BETTER FROM NOW ON, BECAUSE I TOO WISH TO KEEP HAVING SUCH A COOL FRIEND LIKE YOU!”

Chapter Text

Music blared somewhere from above you and purple LED lights lined the bottom of the walls.

You didn’t do this kind of thing often, but Carla had invited you to have a night out together, and you figured it had been a while since you’d donned a nice outfit and went out on the town, so you took her up on the offer.

“Let’s hit the bar first!” She had to talk pretty loud, even with how close you were, just to be heard over the crowd.

You nodded in agreement and followed her to the bar.

She had left behind her usual cottage-core get up for highlighter green eye shadow and lipstick, and a little black dress with bold skull and rose embroidery up the side.

You almost hadn’t recognized her, but she looked super bad-ass.

When you reached the bar, Carla pulled out her wallet, but you quickly intercepted her.

“Nope! Drinks are on me.” You insisted with a grin, “You keep your money for classes Ms. College student! Now what do you want?”

She gave you a quirked smile back, clearly already planning how she can pay me back later.

“I’ll take shirley temple, two shots.” she said, turning her attention back to the bartender.

You also directed you attention to him, “And I’ll take a black tie.”

He nodded and started on your drinks.

“You two on a night out, or a date?” He asked, making a bit of conversation as he worked.

“Night out.” Carla clarified, looking him over rather brazenly, “ Got to show the goods off every now and then.”

You gaped at her, holding back a flustered laugh.

She simply picked up both drinks, threw the bartender a wink and walked off to one of the standing tables, leaving you to follow behind.

“Carla…!” You started laughing, unable to hold back as you reached the table, “Oh my stars! I didn’t realize you were such a go getter!”

She tossed her hair, “Honey, I look good tonight, and I’m hoping to pick up a treat to take back with me tonight. I’ll stay here till three a.m. if it means waiting for that snack is the one in question.~”

You laughed harder, not expecting this new side of her at all.

“Want me to help hook you up?” She asked, quirking a brow, “What’s your preference? I bet we can get you some before the night ends.”

You immediately waved your hand, rejecting her offer, “I’m good.” You smiled, “I’m not really in the mood for that tonight. Maybe just some dancing.”

The word ‘ skeleton ’ did briefly cross your mind at her question, but you brushed it off and continued.

“Not to mention, they wouldn’t be able to take me home, considering where I live. And I’m not about to go to their place, so I’ll play it safe and pass tonight.”

Carla considered this, “...Hotel?”

You snickered and assured her that wouldn’t be necessary this evening.

“If you think this bartender’s hot, you ought to see the one working my local counter. He’s smoking .” You suppressed a grin at your word play, Carla’s interest instantly peaked.

S he leaned forward, “Like, how smoking?”

“He’s literally on fire.” You broke, grinning widely as you spoke, waiting for her to get it.

“…” Carla went quiet, the cogs in her brain turning as she pieced it together…

“I’m okay with that.” She grinned back equally wide.

Y ou laughed harder. Once again, she surprised you.

“Actually,” She said, taking a sip of her drink and peering over the edge at you, “You seem pretty close with your housemates. Have you considered giving it a go with either of them? Physically or otherwise.”

You shook your head immediately, “No! Oh my stars, no!”

You felt the heat rise to your cheeks as the thought aggressively shoved itself into your head.

You didn’t know how that would work, if it would work, if he’d want to make it work…!

…?

He?

Your mild confusion at your own thoughts was interrupted as Carla spoke again.

“How are things going anyways? I haven’t asked recently, so catch me up.”

You shook whatever that was away and turned your attention to her new, safer question.

“Papyrus is really excited to try out Halloween. I’ve gone from two skeletal roommates to about fifty in a day.” You smiled.

Carla snorted a laugh, “ Sounds like a blast.”

She sighed a took another sip of her drink, and you mimicked the gesture.

“I’d love to get out there and meet them. See the town for myself…”

You nodded and sighed in response, “I’m sure several Monsters would be excited to meet some new people. I’m not really sure what the procedures are for that though…”

You both lapsed into silence again, taking another drink…

“...Well. We won’t catch anybody standing around like this.” Carla says decisively setting down her empty glass, “Let’s get dancing!”

Your mouth quirked back into a smile and you took the last of your liquid courage, before following her lead and stepping into the sea of bodies moving to the beat of the music.

The night was still young, and there was plenty of time left for Carla to wink, nudge, and waggle her brows at you whenever a decent looking person glanced your way.

The wee hours of the morning did eventually come, and you’d sobered enough towards the end of the night to drive to a hotel… Not accompanied by anyone, j ust unwilling to take the hour drive back to Little Wood without a bit of sleep first.

You woke up around one p.m., getting yourself about nine hours of sleep, yet you still felt tired. So, you hopped in the shower to freshen and wake up your groggy brain.

It did help quite a bit, and as you got dressed once again, you wondered how the rest of Carla’s night went. She did end up heading off with the bartender after all.

If it went as she’d been hoping, you probably wouldn’t heard from her for at least a few more hours.

Speaking of heading off…

You grabbed all your stuff and dropped your room key at the desk.

After your decent sleep, the hour drive back home wasn’t terribly unbearable.

You parked the car in the garage and headed inside…

“Y/N!!!”

Papyrus’s loud voice after such a quiet morning startled you, causing you to drop your keys and jump.

You looked at him with wide eyes, confused as to what the tone of his voice meant.

“Uh, hi Papyrus…?” You replied, uncertainty clear in your voice.

He sat at the kitchen table, arms and legs crossed and a ‘stern’ look on his face.

Sans sat up from where he’d probably been laying on the couch, and leaned over the back of it, watching the scene play out with his usual analytical expression.

“YOU WERE OUT FOR A VERY LONG TIME.” Papyrus started steadily.

You picked up your keys and put them back properly, feeling the need to do something to distract yourself from his scrutinizing stare.

“Uh, yeah. Carla and I had a great time. I stayed at a hotel since we didn’t leave till the bar closed. I didn’t think I’d make the drive.” You said carefully.

Papyrus narrowed his eyes slightly, “YOU DIDN’T PICK UP YOUR PHONE WHEN I CALLED YOU.”

You blinked.

You hadn’t?

…

He called you?

You took a moment to check your phone.

There was a total of six missed calls. One of which would have been while you were still at the bar, four while you’d been snoozing at the hotel, and the last well you’d been in the shower.

You bit your lip and looked up at him apologetically, “My bad… I didn’t notice at all. Did you want me to pick something up? Or was there a question you needed to ask?”

You felt bad that you hadn’t responded at all when they could have seriously needed something.

But Papyrus quickly cut off your rambles, “NO! I WAS WORRIED!”

“Worried?” You repeated dumbly.

“OF COURSE!” He said, his face dropping the strict look and donning a concerned one, “YOU DIDN’T TELL US YOU’D BE OUT ALL NIGHT, AND YOU WEREN’T PICKING UP YOUR CALLS, AND IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN…!” his voice dropped in volume as he glanced down at his hands and his grip tightened, “We Wouldn’t Even Be Able To Come Help You…”

You sighed softly, now understanding were he was coming from.

“Papyrus, I’m sorry I worried you, but I’m an adult. I know how to play it safe out there. And I promise I’ll take care of myself so you don’t have to worry.” You started, “I can’t promise I’ll be able to pick up all my calls, but I hardly head out to begin with, and I’ll make sure to check for messages before I head back home.”

You tried to sound reassuring. Papyrus had proved to be a bit of a worry-wort early on, but you did need space to have a night to yourself every now and then.

Granted… He had a valid concern, which is why you didn’t want to discredit him.

“ I didn’t mean to worry you, but I promise, I’m okay.”

Papyrus stood up, still seriously doubled over due to the ceiling height, but not minding at all as he hugged you tightly, tears in his sockets.

You hugged him back, patting him comfortingly…

Sans glanced away from where he was watching on the couch and then vanished… seeming to shortcut himself away before you could meet his eyes and see what was held in them.

You really hoped tomorrow would be more calm…

Everything had been too raw recently…

...

You could use some softer vegetables...

Chapter Text

“Y/N!! LOOK! LOOK!”

You turned your head to Papyrus’s call as he gently flung open the back door.

In his hands was a beautifully grown Pumpkin, the first real produce he’s harvested from the garden.

“Oh wow! Is that from the garden?” you asked, coming over to take a closer look.

“THAT’S CORRECT!” he beamed proudly as he presented it to you, “THERE’S FIVE READY IN TOTAL AND SEVERAL OTHER VARIETIES OF SQUASHES. NOW WE CAN MAKE PUMPKIN DISHES AND THE JACK OF LANTERNS YOU SPOKE OF!”

Ah, Jack o’ lanterns.

You smiled, “Yep! We can make pie and biscuits and toast the seeds too.”

Papyrus grinned, his eyes growing surprisingly big and sparkly.

“ WOWIE! WHAT A VERSATILE CUCURBITACEAE PLANT!”
“Sorry, a what-a-what?” You blinked at him in confusion.

Papyrus placed the pumpkin on the counter, “A CUCURBITACEAE! OR CUCURBITS. ALSO KNOWN AS THE GOURD FAMILY! HOME TO GOURDS, SQUASHES AND PUMPKINS!”

“ How do you know that?” you asked in surprise, “Have you been reading up on plant families since you started the garden? I’m not very familiar with vegetable families…”

“OH NO, MONSTERS ALL STUDIED PLANTS IN THE UNDERGROUND. LIKE THE TYPHACAEA PLANT FAMILY! COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE WATER SAUSAGE. IT WAS SOMETHING THE FORMER QUEEN REALLY ENCOURAGED IN THE SCHOOLS BACK WHEN SHE CO-RULED WITH KING ASGORE!” He explained.

Y ou hummed thoughtfully. It seemed like a unique thing to encourage learning.

“ THE CARROTS AND ONIONS ARE STARTING TO POKE OUT OF THE GROUND TOO. SO I THINK THEY’LL BE READY BY THE END OF THE WEEK.”

You were honestly surprised how well all the plants were growing, considering Papyrus got a late start due to the time of his moving in and having to actually prepare the garden soil and weed the plot.

“Need help bringing it all in?” You offered getting up from the Kitchen table and placing your breakfast dishes in the sink.

“THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED, YES!”

You followed him outside and helped cut off the ready pumpkins and squashes. He had an alarming abundance of zucchinis, one which had been hiding deep in the prickly plant stems and was the length of you fingertips to your elbow.

You lifted it up and moved it to the little zucchini pile you were making when…!

“Ahh fuck!”

You jumped, pulling your hand back sharply as the largest spider you’ve ever seen crawled up the curve of the veggie towards your hand.

The zucchini fell to the ground with a thud, the spider leaping off it and into the grass just in time to avoid the fall.

It spun and waved its little arms angrily at you, and you found yourself lowering your defensive, about to dart stance.

Maybe this wasn’t an ordinary spider…?

“Uh, sorry little guy. You surprised me…” You feel the need to apologize, so you do.

Papyrus crosses the garden to check out what the commotion was about.

“ IS SOMETHING WRONG Y/N—OH! HELLO LITTLE FRIEND. ARE YOU HERE TO PICK UP THE THINGS MISS MUFFET REQUESTED?”

The spider pulled a note, seemingly out of nowhere, and handed it to him.

Papyrus took the note and read it over.

“ALRIGHT. GIVE ME JUST ONE MOMENT TO GATHER THOSE UP. Y/N.” He called your name and you looked up at him.

“Y-yeah?”

Hopefully the spider Monster wasn’t too angry over you tossing it earlier…

Papyrus smiled and pat your shoulder, “YOU TWO SHOULD GET ACQUAINTED! MISS MUFFET HASN’T REALLY LEFT HER HOUSE IN YEARS. I’M SURE IF YOU REACHED OUT, SHE’D APPRECIATE IT!”

“Oh, yeah. Sure.” You sighed in rel ief, “So… Nice to meet you Muffet?”

“ AH, THAT’S NOT MUFFET. JUST ONE OF HER SPIDERS. IF YOU GET ALONG IT WILL SURELY PASS ALONG THE MESSAGE OF FRIENDSHIP THOUGH!” Papyrus said as he darted off towards the hen house.

You looked back at the spider…

“Um, hi little guy then. ...How are you?”

...This was weird…

The spider waved its little legs at you and scurried side to side.

You hoped that meant something good.

“I’m Y/n, Sans and Papyrus’s roommate.” You introduced yourself and cautiously held out a finger, reminding yourself this was a sentient being and wouldn’t randomly skitter onto you… Probably.

The spider Monster delicately tapped your finger and bobbed in greeting.

“ ALRIGHT! HERE’S THE EGGS. I PACKAGED THEM EXTRA CAREFULLY IN CASE THEY GET A BIT JOSTLED ON YOUR JOURNEY!” Papyrus came back with an old egg carton wrapped tightly in a scrap of fabric.

The little spider guy gently took them and scurried away into the brush, the egg carton disappearing from sight as it left.

Papyrus waved good bye as it left eventually turning back to you with a proud smile.

“I WONDER IF MISS MUFFET IS GETTING BACK INTO BAKING! THAT WOULD BE GREAT FOR HER.”

You hummed thoughtfully, “Did she bake a lot before?”

“YES! SHE MADE THE MOST DELICIOUSLY EXPENSIVE PASTRIES! BUT SHE STOPPED AFTER THE FAMINE TOOK ITS TOLL ON HER FAMILY.” He nodded solemnly, “WHEN THE DUST STARTED TO OUT NUMBER HER KIN… IT WAS RATHER HARD ON HER. I DO HOPE YOU MANAGE TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH HER.”

You both stared off in the direction the spider went for a moment…

“WELL. THESE CUCURBITS WON’T HARVEST THEMSELVES!” Papyrus loudly proclaimed and started heading back to the plants, “HEY! MAYBE WE CAN GIVE HER SOME OF THOSE PUMPKIN PASTRIES YOU SPOKE OF! I’M SURE THAT WOULD PERK HER UP A BIT!”

Papyrus’s ability to go from a sober mood to peppy again never ceased to amaze you. But you shrugged it off and got back to the zucchini plant, “Or maybe some zucchini bread. We have waaaaay too many of these things.”

Papyrus looked back up at your growing pile of the green vegetables and laughed.

“THAT SIMPLY MEANS THERE’S ENOUGH TO SHARE! EXCELLENT WORK ZUCCHINI PLANT!” He pat one of the leaves delicately as he praised it, and you grinned at the sight.

You went ahead and pat the leaf closest to you as well, “Good job.”

“Oki Doki, we start by washing the zucchini.” You instructed, pulling the vanilla extract stained paper from your recipe box, “We need to shred two cups, so maybe about two of these smaller zucchinis.”

Papyrus rinsed the vegetable, “LEAVE THE SKINS?”

“Uh… looks like it.” You nodded, eyes scanning the recipe.

Papyrus seemed pleased by this and started shredding the zucchini with the cheese grater.

Meanwhile, you read out the instructions for him as you followed the next few steps.

Beat three eggs, courtesy of the chickens… mix a cup of oil, some vanilla, and… dang. Two full cups of sugar it is.

“THIS SOUNDS MORE LIKE A CAKE THAN A BREAD.” He noted as he added the zucchini shreds to your mixture.

You laughed, “It tastes more like a cake too.”

“WELL, WHY IS IT CALLED A BREAD THEN?” Papyrus questioned in confusion.

“To… make you feel less guilty when you eat it…?” You shrugged showing you were unsure, “Anyways, now we shift in the dries.”

Papyrus got the shifter and added in the three cups of flour, teaspoon of baking soda, and half teaspoon of baking power, one pinch of salt, and cinnamon to taste.

You went ahead and added an extra spoonful of cinnamon since you liked the flavor.

After you filled two, greased glass pans half-way, until the batter was gone, you set them in the oven at 350 °F and got ready to wait an hour.

About thirty minutes in, Sans wandered into the kitchen, sniffing the air.

“what’s cookin’?” He asked, plopping down at the table you and Papyrus were playing uno at.

“ ZUCCHINI BREAD! WHICH I DISCOVERED IS CAKE DISGUISED AS BREAD. NYEHEH! PLUS TWO Y/N!”

He set down a plus two card and you grinned, “Not so fast buddy…”

You set another plus two on top, passing it back to him doubled.

“NYEHEHEH…!” He laughed evilly and put a plus four on top, making your new total a draw eight.

“Arghhh! It’s too powerful…!” You groaned in pain as you drew the eight.

You’d been hoping to pass it back again, but you only had another plus two card, so suffering it was…

Sans watched in mild amusement, “what kind of game is this…?”

“It’s called Uno. You start with seven cards in your hand and have to place either the same color or number as the flipped card in the center till your hand runs out. If you don’t have the right card, you have to draw one. But I’m teaching Papyrus the speed runner’s game. You can place down multiples of twos, like this.” You grinned as you placed down a third of your deck in one go, all the cards being twos or different colors.

“NYEH!?” Papyrus frustratedly drew another card…

You placed down another yellow and kept explaining, “And you can stack the draw two and four cards. You can put a draw four over draw twos, but not the other way around.”

“YOU CAN ALSO STACK FOURS! NYEH! TAKE THIS!” Papyrus smacked three fours down, the top most being red.

You laughed wickedly, “Foolish! You just gave me the game!!”

You tossed down a red turn skip card, placing the game in your hands for another round, then placed down a double draw two, one red and one blue, emptying your hand without ever giving him the chance to call uno.

“Mwahahahahahahahaha!!!” You cackled at the look of shock on his face.

“NYOOOOOO!!!!” Papyrus fell dramatically to the table, “HOW COULD I BE DEFEATED BY SUCH A GENIUS STRATEGY!!? WHY DIDN’T I SEE IT COMING!!??!”

He scooped up the cards and started shuffling them again, “I CALL FOR A REMATCH!!”

You grinned, “Bring it on!”

Sans looked between you both and chuckled softly, “what the hay, deal me in too paps.”

Papyrus wasted no time handing out the cards as you made sure Sans understood the basic rules and the extra speed run rules.

Then the game was on…

…

By the time the zucchini bread was done, you’d managed to play another six matches.

You only won one more, Papyrus claiming two victories, and Sans the ultimate victor with three cleverly won matches.

It was a great time. Great enough that you dug out another dusty card game to play as you all feasted on your cake bread, and even great enough to throw out the suggestion of having a game night once a week. A well received suggestion.

N ow if only you could figure out what to do with all that zucchini...

Chapter Text

Oh right. You also had five Pumpkins to deal with.

After your little bread/cake snack, Papyrus managed to rope Sans into doing jack-o-lantern carving with you guys.

Splunk!

“First, you cut a hole in the top. Make sure you angle it so that it doesn’t fall back in later.”

You started chopping the hole with the serrated knife.

“Then..” You lifted your lid and started scooping out the guts with your s po o n , “Scrape out the guts and put them int o this bowl to use later.”

SPLAT!

You dropped the scoop of filling into the bowl and continued to scrape the guts out.

Papyrus and Sans followed suit.

Papyrus skillfully and carefully cut the hole in the top, getting the shape as precise and angled properly as possible.

Sans on the other hand… Didn’t even bother with a knife, digging his sharp phalanges into the firm pumpkin flesh and ripping it off with a slight twist.

He stuck his hand into the pumpkin and started scooping out t he filling lazily , the stringy guts clinging to the notches in his bones.

“THAT’S DISGUSTING SANS. YOU SHOULD USE THE SPOON!”

Sans shrugged at his brother’s disapproval, “if it works, why bother complicat’n the process.”

“ IT’S NOT COMPLEX. ITS DIGNIFIED.” Papyrus waved his spoon at his brother and started scraping his own pumpkin clean.

Y ou personally didn’t see the appeal in shoving your hand into the stringy muck if you didn’t need to, but you also weren’t about to stop Sans. So, instead you just moved to the next step.

“Once the pumpkin is nice and cleaned out, you can design the face. You can draw it out first, or you can go straight to cutting.” You pulled up so pictures on your laptop as reference, “You can shave both sides to create a transparent effect, or make pin holes. There’s a lot of fun designs you can try.”

You started to carve out a face, making rough cuts and sawing away pieces.

Each of you became focused on your own little project…

“FINISHED!” Papyrus proclaimed.

Both you and Sans looked up, you from your pumpkin carving, and Sans from his… nap.

Papyrus spun the pumpkin to face you.

It was a carving of… A flower.

“ya didn’t make yourself…?” Sans asked slowly, brow bone furrowing a little.

Papyrus smiled, “NOT THIS TIME, NO. I DID CONSIDER IT, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING IN MEMORY OF THE MONSTERS THAT DIDN’T GET TO THE SURFACE WITH US TO TRY CARVING THEIR OWN PUMPKINS.”

You felt your chest swell in the warmth that is Papyrus.

“That’s wonderful Papyrus! It looks beautiful. I’m sure everyone would be happy to know you’re thinking of them.” You smiled encouragingly.

Sans seemed to slump a little bit, looking back down at his own pumpkin…

You took a little side glance at his, but couldn’t see well from your angle, only making out a sloppy S in marker.

Sans went to wipe the marker off with his sleeve, pausing as he glance down at the clean and unblemished fabric of the hoodie you’d made him.

“…”

He grabbed the towel on the table instead and wiped off the marker, picking up the knife and starting to carve a little something this time.

You looked down at your own Pumpkin again , and decided you were pretty much done.

“Well, this is mine.” You showed them your work, spinning it around.

Papyrus gave you a thumbs up, “IT LOOKS VERY CHARMING Y/N!”

You laughed a little at his choice of words, “Charming huh?”

“YES.” Papyrus nodded, “A VERY DAPPER FELLOW. I’M SURE HE’D LOOK GREAT IN A LITTLE TOP HAT. IN FACT!!”

He stood up, dashing to the garage while claiming he was certain he had an extra one from the skeleton troop in the yard.

You sat in silence a moment, the sound of Sans sawing away at pumpkin filling the quiet kitchen…

“What did you decide to carve?” You eventually ask, trying to take another peek.

Sans paused his carving and looked up at you with that red eye… It wasn’t as piercing of a stare as normal.

“... p aps.” He said, getting back to carving and focusing on it again.

You got up from your seat and asked, “Can I take a look?”

Sans shrugged with a short nod, so you went around the table and peeked over his shoulder.

The carving wasn’t half bad, capturing the shape of his skull with smooth, shaving of the knife, leaving his defined brow bone and eyes to pop .

What was interesting was how he carved Papyrus to look.

Gone were the crooked teeth and shrunken sockets, the smile cheery but with a hint of a suave smolder. He looked… Brighter. Younger maybe.

“Wow. It looks great!” You smiled as Sans nicked away a little more to make the little nose hole.

“ ‘s gotta live up to my bro’s high standards and all…”

Y ou watched as he carved the pumpkin with surprising care compared to his earlier treatment of it.

It was turning out really good, and you even offered some ideas on how he could carve it so that the light shined through properly later.

When it was finished, you felt like you’d have to take a picture of the jack-o-lanterns lined up together. They all turned out surprisingly nice.

“Papyrus will love it.” You assured Sans.

“speaking of… where is paps…?”

You both tore your gaze away from the pumpkin, immediately spotting him peering around the garage door while making soft ‘nyeheheh’s.

You flinched in surprise and took a step back, hand falling away from where you were resting it on the back of Sans’s chair.

“Shi- Papyrus! How long have you been there?” You asked, hand over your heart to calm it.

Papyrus came in all the way, “LONG ENOUGH TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE FINALLY WARMED UP TO EACH OTHER, QUITE NICELY TOO .”

You glanced at Sans…

“Yeah. We’re on good terms now… Right?” You did a double check, but you were mostly sure by now.

... Mostly .

“yep. real pals. even did the ol’ pranked handshake.” Sans slouched back into his seat again with a lazy grin.

“ THE NICE KIND OR THE SPIKY KIND?” Papyrus asked skeptically.

S ans shrugged, “the tasty kind.”

“ That’s debatable.” You cringed at the memory of his ketchup handshake.

“WELL, AS LONG AS IT WASN’T THE PAINFUL KIND!” Papyrus proclaimed, sticking the little top hat he’d grabbed over the stem of your pumpkin, “THERE. I TOLD YOU IT WOULD LOOK GREAT! SANS, DID YOU FINISH YOURS YET—”

His words cut off as his eyes fell on the carving.

“O h M y S tars.. .”

His eyes widened and sparkled and he picked up the pumpkin carefully.

“Sans… Did You Do This For Me…?” He said in a hushed voice.

Sans slumped lower in the chair, tucking his face further into his hoodie, “yep.”

“… … ...YOU SHOULD HAVE MADE THIS LINE THINNER! MY JAW IS MUCH SHARPER THAN THAT!”

He set the pumpkin down and turned away, wiping his sockets on his sleeve with a sniffle.

You felt the smile grow on your lips once more.

“Well come on! Let’s put these babies on the porch and get a picture of them!” You laughed hefting up you own and getting the ball rolling once again.

Soon, you had three jack-o-lanterns on the front porch and a new photo to add to the collection.

Chapter Text

Now was the fun stuff.

Separating the seeds for toasting, the guts for eating, and freezing the extra because stars , that’s a lot of pumpkin.

You started the messy task, moving all the seeds onto a tray for toasting while you baked the pumpkin up.

“Okay,” you said as you riffled through the orange stringy muck, “I’m thinking we can make pumpkin pie and pumpkin biscuits tomorrow, making the puree today and maybe some pumpkin casserole for dinner…”

Y ou figured you’ d need some good way s to get through some of the pumpkin that wouldn’t involve pureeing it. Which was good since it already getting later in the day.

“ OH, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD PLAN! I’D HATE FOR ANY OF MORE OF THE PUMPKIN TO GO TO WASTE. WE’RE ALREADY SACRIFICING A LOT OF THE GOOD MEAT FOR OUR JACK OF LANTERNS.” Papyrus lamented the waste of food, but at the same time, he was very happy with the results.

Sans lazily sprinkled some cinnamon and sugar on the last little tray of seed s and slid it to the side with the cayenne pepper tray.

“Now we can toss these babies in the oven and let them cook for a bit.” You said, moving to the sink to wash your hands.

Papyrus did just that, and soon you were shifting through your recipes so you could get started on dinner.

You found the casserole recipe and skimmed it, making sure you had all the necessary ingredients.

The recipe thankfully would also help with your zucchini abundance, so you figured it was the perfect dish for tonight.

So you scavenged the kitchen till you found an ancient looking, rectangular casserole pan. There was an absurd amount dust caked on it, and you made a mental note to deep clean the kitchen over the weekend…

BUT!

For now you put in a lot of dish soap, elbow grease, and some boiling water to get it clean enough for use.

In the meantime, Papyrus helped cut up the zucchini and Sans even helped make the crumble topping.

Once you got it covered in far more cheese than a human should consume, you pulled out the pumpkin seeds and switched them out for the casserole.

Then you went ahead and blended up the rest of the pumpkin into a nice puree for later.

The smell of broiled cheese filled the air in almost no time at all, and you pulled plates from the cabinet.

The dish was pulled from the heat, the crumble topping a nice golden color on top of the gooey mozzarella.

You put the dish on the table, knowing it wouldn’t need to be transferred to the fridge later.

“WOWIE! THAT WAS SURPRISINGLY FAST AND EASY TO MAKE! AND IT LOOKS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!” Papyrus said, taking his spot at the table.

You smiled, scooping out your portion first as customary, “It went fast since we worked together.”

The brothers split the rest of it, cleaning the dish and then their plates.

You all sat around the table, pleasantly full and warm, not yet ready to get up and clear the dishes…

…

“WHY DON’T WE BRING THE OTHER LOAF OF ZUCCHINI BREAD OVER TO MUFFET’S PLACE WHILE IT’S STILL NICE AND FRESH?” Papyrus suddenly proclaimed.

Sans cocked a brow bone, “muffet’s?” he questioned, the idea probably out of the blue for him.

You nodded in agreement and explained, “I had the pleasure of meeting one of her little friends today. Papyrus said she’d probably enjoy some company and thought we could share some of the harvest goods. ...Do you wanna come with?”

You hadn’t seen Sans do much socializing aside from his trips to the bar, but then again, he seemed to be loosening up a bit these days and might want a breath of fresh air too.

Sans shrugged, a gesture you hsd started associating with ‘why not’.

For some reason, you felt relieved Sans would be there too. Maybe you just were glad more people you were already comfortable with would be joining the party.

Who knows.

Either way, you carefully removed the loaf from the pan and wrapped it in a nice towel and brown paper bag combo, making a presentable yet simple gift.

“What part of town is she in?” you asked as you pulled on your shoes.

Your mind considered your transportation options… Car, walking… maybe the express way, heh.

“SHE’S GOT A NICE LITTLE CABIN AT THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN. I BELIEVE ITS TECHNICALLY OUT OF THE PREVIOUS TOWN LIMITS, BUT THINGS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT NOW. ITS STILL INSIDE THE PERIMETER, SO IT STILL COUNTS!” Papyrus announced, dubbing her home a part of the Monster community.

You nodded, that would probably be a good twenty minute trip or so, “Want to take my car? I haven’t fixed the seats back in place, so there’s still space.”

Not that those seats would probably ever be restored to their previous positioning…

“THAT WOULD BE MOST EXCELLENT AND VERY APPRECIATED.”

So you all piled up, with the loaf tucked carefully in the back seat with Sans.

You were going to log the address into your maps, but Papyrus assured you it was unnecessary as he’d already memorized the towns full lay out and give you the most efficient instructions.

So, here you were.

Outside the surprisingly cute looking cabin’s pink door with a loaf of veggie cake in your hands.

Papyrus took initiative and knocked on the door sharply.

…

There was the sound of many scuffling legs…

…

The door opened and there stood a lavender skinned lady, looking surprised, and in her black lace nightgown and shawl.

You immediately wondered if it was a bad idea to come over so late, especially remembering that you were unannounced guests, and that you, in particular, were a stranger to the lady in question.

But once again, Papyrus didn’t let something like awkwardness stand in the way of friendship.

“GOOD EVENING MUFFET! I APOLOGIZE FOR THE ABRUPT VISIT, BUT WE CAME BARING GIFTS OF FRESH CAKE/BREAD!”

He gave you a not so subtle push forward and three sets of eyes focused on you.

“H-Hi…!” you stuttered, not expecting the sudden spotlight, “I’m Y/n, Sans and Papyrus’s housemate.”

You didn’t know what else to add onto that, so you held out the bag with the zucchini bread, drawing her three visible eyes to it.

“Here’s that zucchini bread Papyrus was talking about. He thought you’d enjoy it and we have plenty to share, so… here we are!” You offered a friendly (you hoped it looked friendly) smile and waited for her to take the bag.

…

No one moved…

…

Actually, your arms were getting kind of tired…

…

Muffet slowly reached out and took the bag…

…

She looked at it…

Then looked at your group…

…

You gave her another patient smile.

…

BANG!!!

The door abruptly slammed in your faces.

Your eyes widened, your mouth falling open in a gawk.

“THAT WENT PRETTY WELL!” Papyrus said with a satisfied nod, spinning to head back to your car.

Sans casually followed after his brother in an unbothered saunter without question, leaving you to wonder what you were missing.

You slowly turned to rejoin them when you felt a tiny tap on your leg.

You glanced down and saw a fluffy black spider like before.

When it was sure it had your attention, it gave you a little wave, before scuttling back into the house through a crack in the window.

You felt a little smile creep on your lips and you huffed a short laugh.

Well, you guess it did go pretty well.

Papyrus said so after all.

You quickly returned to your car, certain that this wasn’t a wasted trip like you’d first thought.

Chapter Text

You woke up slowly, the ringing of your morning alarm bringing you out of a dream…

Ah, that’s right. You have work today…

You groaned and dragged yourself out of bed.

You felt more tired than normal, probably because it was cold outside and you’d stayed up late last night working on writing out invites for Papyrus’s Halloween Party…

Your feet heavily carried you to the bathroom, and you tiredly brushed your teeth and got ready. You grabbed your bag and wallet and headed downstairs for a quick breakfast before work.

Papyrus was already up, as usual, and was making some sort of breakfast casserole with potatoes, bacon, and eggs. Ever since you introduced him to casserole style cooking, Papyrus has gotten really into trying new recipes.

“THERE’S ONLY SIX MORE MINUTES ON THE OVEN Y/N. DO YOU HAVE TIME TO WAIT?”

You checked the time, “Mn… I’ll be a bit late then, but I can wait.” you decide.

Today the shop opened later anyways, since the morning times were reserved for cleaning and stocking. You’re pretty sure Granny and Seth wouldn’t mind if you were a little behind schedule.

“I’M TEMPTED TO TURN UP THE TEMPERATURE TO MAKE IT GO FASTER, BUT THAT ALWAYS PROVES THE WRONG CHOICE.” Papyrus informs you, “SO, UNTIL THE PROPER TIME COMES, HELP YOURSELF TO THESE APPLE SLICES! LADY TORIEL SENT THEM OVER. SHE HAS SEVERAL APPLE TREES ON HER RESIDENCE AND HAD THEM DISTRIBUTED OUT TO EVERYONE.”

“Lady Toriel?” you repeat.

Last time you saw her she had been… well, not in a good state.

You wondered if she was getting the help she needed. You highly doubted it, since you hadn’t seen or heard any of the Monsters receiving help.

You were sure Carla and the other NMFU members would throw a fit if they knew how the Monsters’ were being placed on the back burner now that the news of them had died down…

You munched on the apple slices as you thought. Their sweet, crisp juice spreading over your tongue as your teeth sank into them.

The oven chirped and Papyrus pulled out his dish.

“Smells good.” You compliment him, smiling as you recalled how anxious he was to touch anything in the kitchen when he’d first moved in. But now, he’d whip up dishes for everyone and could always tell you which drawer the utensil you needed was in with ease.

You quickly grabbed yourself a plate and served yourself up.

The potatoes were pretty crispy on top, creating a nice crunch. The eggs and cheese blended together in ooey-gooey omelet perfection. And the bacon added a meaty and salty component that just tied everything together.

“Definitely add this one to the recipe box.” You nodded, giving him a thumbs up as you scarfed it down and quickly did your dishes.

“HAVE A GOOD DAY AT WORK Y/N!” Papyrus called as you hurried out the door.

You waved as you snagged your keys and headed out, “Thanks Papyrus! You have a good day too!”

You got into work and dropped your stuff down under the counter with a sigh.

You managed not to be late despite waiting for Papyrus’s delicious breakfast, but it was close.

“Look who’s on time today.”

A hand came over your head, mussing up your hair with a laugh.

“Seth!” You groaned, swatting his hand away in a playful way, “I swear if you ever grow your hair out again, I will have my revenge for all these tangles.”

“Too bad.” he grinned back with a shrug, “Dreads are a style I’ve wanted to try anyways, so you’d just be helping me out!”

“Oof,” you shake your head in disbelief as you tie on your apron, “You’ve done head banger and biker, now you’re going for Jack Sparrow too? I can’t see it.”

Seth chuckled, passing you the daily checklist, “But I look so good in guy-liner!”

“Oh my stars!” you gwaffed, “Are you just saying that? Or have you actually tried before?”

Seth just grinned and gave you a wink.

Guess it would remain a mystery…

You shook your head and quickly got to work. Plants needing to be watered, deep cleaning needed to get started, and the distributor would be delivering the next batch of flora and fauna today.

Another busy day.

…

Lunch break finally hit and you quickly ran over to the sandwich shop across the way.

You got the usual combo and sat down with Seth to enjoy the short break.

“Got any plans for Halloween?” You asked, biting into your sandwich and looking at him expectantly.

Seth shrugged, “I might have to take Lola trick-or-treating, but I think her mamma is off that day. So not really.”

“Cool.” You reached into your bag and found the invite, “Think you’d want to come to my housemate’s party?”

Seth took the invitation with an amused face.

The black and orange envelope was sealed off with non other than a big, foam, glittery, skull sticker. And that wasn’t even the best part.

He ripped it open and pulled out the matching card inside. There was a bunch of formally dressed Skeletons, sitting at a dining table on the front. The script read ‘You have been cordially invited to dine with the dead’ in scrolling sliver letters.

Seth held back a chuckle as you watched him take it all in, but he couldn’t hold back the laugh that came from the RSVP… Which was a bunch of entry request forms that you had signed to vouch for the incoming guest.

“Please RSVP by the end of this week or our military bouncers won’t let you in.” You grinned.

Seth raised a brow as he scanned both the invite and the RSVP forms.

“Dress code: costume, Date and time: October 31, 6pm or 18:00:00.” He looked back up at you, “Will I get kicked out if I get there a few seconds late?”

You looked him straight in the eye, “...Yes.”

He chuckled and shook his head as he looked back at the invitation…

“And for costume?” He asked.

You shrugged, “Honestly, Papyrus is probably going all out, but we’ll be lucky if his brother hangs a cardboard sign around his neck, so how much effort you’re in the mood for is up to you.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to disappoint.” He says, eyes gleaming slightly, “I think I’ve got just the thing.”

You grinned, “Alright. I’ll look forward to the big reveal then.”

“I’m guessing Carla and Granny are getting these too?” He asked, double checking the facts before he goes talking about it.

You nodded, “I’m going to give Granny hers tomorrow when she comes in, and I’m going to drop by Carla’s place on the way home.”

Seth nodded and you swore you saw his eyes soften juuuuust a bit when you said Carla was invited, but maybe you were reaching. After all, Carla had that bartender guy recently… You should probably ask her how that went…

In the meantime, you finished up your lunch with Seth and both headed back to the shop to finish cleaning up and restocking the plants.

...

Work finished a little on the later side today, so you didn’t get time to chat with Carla besides anything other than the Halloween party, but you managed to get home with out driving off the road in your sleepy state.

Still, you were more than ready to kick off your shoes and plop down on the couch… or the floor if the couch was being occupied by its usual resident.

But hey! Would you look at that? The couch gremlin is gone.

You flopped onto the cushions, intending to take a short, ten minute nap before you got yourself moving and productive again…

…

…

…

…

…

.

You slowly opened your eyes… the house was quiet… it was dark outside…

You groaned and sat up, rubbing your eyes sleepily and trying to bump the dizzy fog keeping you tired…

What time was it…?

You lazily groped the floor for your phone…

…

One forty in the morning…

You must have been more tired than you thought…

You pulled yourself off the couch, ready to stumble upstairs to your room and sleep the rest of the night in a real bed so you didn’t have aches in the morning…

You shivered as the blanket on you slipped to floor…

Papyrus must have put it on you…

You picked it up and wrapped it around yourself…

You’d have to thank him in the morning...

Chapter Text

“EVERYTHING MUST BE PERFECT!!!” Papyrus frantically passed you three more packs of hot dogs to bring to Sans before darting back into the kitchen to check and see if the ‘slime’ jello had cooled yet.

You groggily walked out to the back porch where Sans was also half asleep as he grilled the ‘dogs. By muscle memory apparently.

You dropped them on the table next to the grill and started ripping open the packages one by one with a yawn…

…

It was five in the morning.

Most of the food and decorations had been finished yesterday, but Papyrus was a ball of nerves ever since you confirmed that your three co-workers would make the party, calling for all hands on deck to finish before the guest arrived.

Sans reached out, taking another handful of the rubbery looking meat and dropping it on the grill, both eyes still closed.

You grabbed the plate with the finished ‘dogs and headed back inside. The rest of the mini sausages had to be pulled from the oven, all toasted and dressed like little mummies.

Hot dog fingers were more popular during such parties, but Papyrus took one look at them and promptly shut the computer.

Probably for the best…

You’re pretty sure the brother with an affinity for hot dogs would have several major problems with them if he’d seen…

You subconsciously tucked your hands in your pockets at the thought.

Yes. Mummies were much cuter anyway.

Before you reached the back door, Papyrus came barreling past, practically jumping through the bug screen and sprinting across the yard to the crown jewel of the party…

A whole roast pig.

You don’t know where he got the idea that a roast pig was essential for Halloween, seemed more like a luau thing, but he was certainly excited about it.

“Y/N!! THE GREEN JELLO IS ON THE STOVE STILL! WATCH IT FOR ME!”

“Aye aye captain.” you yawned, heading inside to pull the mummies from the oven and give the bubbling pot of green a stir.

You carefully began moving the cooling mummies onto a plate of crushed cracker sand, pausing halfway through to stir the jello mix again.

Papyrus came charging back into the house, “AH, GOOD. THE JELLO ISN’T ON FIRE. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I’M GOING TO PULL THE TABLES FROM THE GARAGE!”

And then he was gone again.

You finished placing your mummy sausages and took the jello off the stove, pouring it into a glass pan and sticking it in the fridge for later.

You Moved the mummies off to the side and picked up your next project: Pumpkin dumplings.

Each one needed to be filled, closed, tied with the string, and placed in the steamer basket.

You wondered if Papyrus would notice if you shut your eyes for a minute or two…

…

“hey.”

Your eyes snapped open and you jolted at the deep, gravely, and rather grumpy sounding voice.

Sans’s single red eye regarded you with blatant annoyance.

“if i don’t get to sleep, neither do you. keep work’n.” He frowned, setting down his plate of ‘dogs and plopping into the seat beside yours to start tying up these pumpkin buns.

You sighed and resigned yourself to staying awake.

“...How are you feeling about this whole party?” You asked after a moment.

Sans’s eye rolled up to give you an unamused ‘really?’ look.

You figured it was about that level.

Having to wake up early for a bunch of monsters and unknown humans invading his personal space? Having to prep all day to entertain people all night?

Didn’t seem like his idea of a good time.

“...Are you at least excited to try some of this food?” You asked, wiggling an orange dough ball at him.

He made a soft grunt and went back to tying up his dumpling.

You took that as a yes.

And so, on you worked, till the whole table was full of delicious Halloween themed food.

You even had a cauldron of green punch with chunks of jello and slices of apple in it.

Dry ice on the table made for fun and mysterious décor, pumpkin and bat lanterns strung all throughout the trees in the back created spooky lighting as the sun started to set behind them, and you were now slipping into your costume up in your room.

You’d decided to pull out an old costume that you still fit from high school.

It had needed a bit of fixing up, and you added some things to make it better, but over all, a solid fix up that you’re glad you picked up from your parents house earlier in the week.

You meandered out of your room and back downstairs to reconvene with the boys before the guests arrived.

Obviously, you noticed Papyrus first. Being huge, and a uncontainably spectacular energy made him stand out… as did his absolutely stunning Jack Skellington costume.
“When did you watch The Nightmare Before Christmas?” you asked, as you strode over and out onto the back porch with him.

“AS SOON AS OCTOBER STARTED!” he proclaimed proudly, “I WATCHED ALL THE PG CLASSICS IN PREPARATION FOR SPOOPY SEASON! I WAS THOROUGHLY CONFUSED WHETHER IT WAS HALLOWEEN FILM OR A CHRISTMAS ONE HOWEVER…”

You laughed. He used the spoopy meme and everything.

Guess he was really getting around using the computer.

It always amazed you how quickly Papyrus could see a problematic situation and shut it down instantly. And you know he’d been advising other Monsters in the town of ‘safe’ media and culture they could try.

He really was a great role model.

“I don’t think many humans know which category it fits into either.” You agreed, “You really suit the costume though. You look just like him!”

Papyrus’s cheek bones dusted with a soft glow, “NYEH HEH HEH…! THANK YOU Y/N. YOUR COSTUME LOOKS GOOD TOO! CAN I ASK WHO YOU ARE?”

You looked down at yourself shyly, “Oh, thanks. I’m Mikey. From Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Its an old costume a did for a group thing once.”

You showed him a picture on your phone.

“The shell is actually a backpack with a kind pillow we made sewn on.” You explain.
“STYLISH AND FUNCTIONAL!” Papyrus nodded, “IT’S GOOD YOU’RE GETTING MORE THAN ONE USE OUT OF IT!”

You smiled, “Yeah. I guess it is nice. I didn’t think I’d get to wear it again, but its still in really good condition.”

You both perked up as someone came walking around the side of the house, following the path of beckoning skeletons.

“LOOKS LIKE SOME OF THE GUESTS ARE ARRIVING!” Papyrus straightened up excitedly.

You peered at the newcomer, wondering who’d be the first to show up…

“GRILLBY! WOWIE, AND ICE WOLF TOO!”

The two Monsters came around the side of the house. Ice Wolf was dressed as what you can only assume is a mummy, since it looked like someone haphazardly tossed toilet paper and bandages all over his massive furry self.

Grillby was in what appeared to be a Sherlock Holmes, detective coat and hat.

“Welcome!” You greeted with a grin.

You weren’t sure if many of the Monster would’ve come in costume, but it seemed like it was going to be a classic Halloween costume party in the end.

“I love your guys’ costumes.” You said as they came to join you and Papyrus.
“YES! THEY LOOK VERY FESTIVE AND HALLOWEEN-Y! THANK YOU FOR COMING, AND HELP YOURSELF TO ANYTHING!” Papyrus chipped in, acting as a perfect host.

Ice Wolf nodded, licking his teeth as he looked down his snout at you, “Ice Wolf is glad to be here.”

“…” Grillby didn’t say anything, but held up a case of beer.

“Ah, I can bring that to the drink table for you.” you offered.

He nodded and passed it over.

You took it and headed to the back porch where the drink tables were set up.

You cracked open the case and went into the kitchen to add the cardboard scrap to the recycle pile.

A figure moved in your peripheral vision and you jumped in surprise.

“Oh! Sans! You scared me.” You laugh slightly as you turn to face him.

Your eyes fell on his costume, and you hummed, slightly impressed.

“Nice costume.”

He was in a long, dark, grim reaper style robe and holding a mini scythe. He looked the part for sure.

“ ‘s just some extra stuff from Paps skeleton crew outside…” he shrugged, flipping the hood up to cover his skull.

The shadow it cast over his face made his eye’s glow more noticeable, and you’re pretty sure that when the sun finished setting, he’d really be living up to the spoopy season name.

“Oh, here. Stay still for a second…” You say, stepping closer and reaching up.

Sans’s eye shrunk slightly, “wah…?”

You stepped around behind him, hands going to the base of the hood, “You got a tag still…” You say, holding the plastic fixer and the cloth, “Mind if I just snap it?”

“uhh… yeah… that’s fine…”

You could tell he was on edge, so you made quick work of snapping the plastic, quickly sliding down his hood to fish the other side out of the fabric.

You stepped back and threw away the trash, and Sans relaxed again with a soft sigh.

“You should come on out.” You urged as you went to the back door, “Grillby and some of the other Monsters are already arriving.”

Sans nodded, lifting the hood back in place, “be there in a sec.”

You nodded and proceeded out ahead of him, hoping you didn’t over step his boundaries just now.

You didn’t get to dwell on it long, because Papyrus was grabbing your attention as soon as you were back in the yard.

“Y/N! YOUR HUMAN FRIENDS ARE HERE!!”

“Coming!” You shouted, jogging back to the garden entrance, “Hey~! Welcome in you guys!”

All three of them had arrived together, probably met at the military gate during check in.

Carla was dressed in a dazzling ball gown you could only assume was her quinceanera dress, but with the little crown and all, her theme was definitely royalty.

Granny had on a Barbie pink, glittery, tassel covered cow girl outfit that you could only guess was something she owned in her prime.

But Seth’s costume took the cake.

He was, as promised, Jack Sparrow. Decked out in fake dreads, heavy guy liner, and an authentic corked bottle of rum.

You laughed at their little trooped coming in as the already gathered Monsters looked on curiously.

“Wow, you guys went all out!” You snickered.

Carla put her hands on her hips in a sassy gesture, “Course we did. Who do you take us for? Gotta make a good first impression, and can’t be disappointing our wonderful hosts. And seeing the effort you guys put into the yard, I’m definitely glad I went the extra mile.”

“Actually,” You smiled, “Most of the decorating was done by this guy.” You turned and waved Papyrus over, “Get on over here Papyrus!”

Papyrus seemed nervous to approach, but when you called him over, he straightened himself out and marched over in all his marvelous tall and slender glory.

“GREETINGS HUMAN CARLA, SETH, AND GRANNY! WE’RE SO GLAD YOU WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE FIRST EVER MONSTER CELEBRATED HALLOWS EVE PARTY! SPLENDID COSTUMES BY THE WAY.” He said, and if you didn’t notice him anxiously twiddling his fingers behind his back, you’d of never guessed he was nervous.

Carla was the first and most enthusiastic to greet him, “Oh my stars! I love your costume! Jack Skellington is like, my favorite halloween christmas character!”

Papyrus’s cheek bones flushed with magic and his chest puffed up as he was filled with complements.

“WHY THANK YOU. YOUR COSTUME IS VERY EXQUISITE AS WELL. MAY I ASK IF YOU’RE A PARTICULAR CHARACTER?”

Carla smiled and shook her head, “Nah, just a princess. Seth over here on the other hand…”

You laughed as she dragged Seth into the conversation with ease, kicking off the party and breaking the awkward distance between the two attending parties. Some of the more curious and friendly Monsters also quickly jumping into the conversation as the tense uncertainty faded.

Papyrus, the ever devoted scheduler, got everything moving with a cake walk game. The winner getting to bring home an actual, massive cake. Thankfully, none of the Human party goers won the game, as the cake would have been difficult to transport and probably would have gone bad before they even finished the first tier.

The next order of party business was dinner. The hog was finally ready, and most of the appetizers were gone, so it was time to gorge on even MORE food, and get a couple generous cuts of ham.

And you guys hadn’t even reached dessert!

“Man, Monsters really know how to party.” Seth chuckled as he sat beside you after getting a plate loading with pork, “So, I still haven’t met your other roommate. Where’s he at?”

You furrowed your brow, looking up and glancing around the yard.

You hadn’t even noticed that the other skeleton hadn’t made an appearance since the guests arrived.

“Huh… I don’t know… Everything’s been so busy, I didn’t even notice till you mentioned it…”

You got an inkling feeling that you should go find him, but, was it really your place to?

Not even Papyrus had made a move yet… and you weren’t sure if it was on purpose, or if he was just so busy being a good host for basically the entire town’s population.

“I wonder if I should go look for him…” You said, absentmindedly, already setting your plate aside…

Seth looked at you, “...You… Heh. Nevermind.”

“Huh? What?” You quirked your brow at him, confused on what that was supposed to mean.

Seth shook his head, “Ahh, nothing nothing. Just go find him. I’ll watch your plate.”

You gave him a confused look, but went ahead and did just that, “Mkay… I’ll be back.”

Seth waved you off as you headed into the house, mind focused back on the task at hand.

Sans.

Chapter Text

“Sans…?”

You walked through the house, wondering if he was hiding out in his room again.

You stopped outside his door, listening carefully after a few short knocks.

“You in there?”

There was that soft hums and beeps of that machine, but nothing else…

You knocked again…

...No response.

So you quietly opened the door and took a peek inside…

…

The machine was once again ominously looming there, but Sans was no where in sight.

Once again you felt your curiosity peak, but you thought better of it and stepped back, closing the door behind you…

“what are you doing?”

You jumped, heart rate shooting up for a moment as Sans’s deep voice hit you right behind your ear.

It felt like getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar, even if you weren’t doing anything, it somehow felt like you were being found out red handed and guilty.

“Sans…” You turned around, backing up against his door to create a little more space between the two of you, “I was just, that is, I was looking for you and…”

His socket were dark, clearly indicating how he felt about you snooping around his room.

“I thought you’d be in your room, so I took a peek when you didn’t respond to knocking, just in case you’d fallen asleep. I swear I didn’t touch anything or even go in.” You scrambled for the right words, but everything felt like an excuse.

“g e t o u t .”

You didn’t have to be told twice.

You swerved around him, darting back out of the house and to the back porch, shutting the screen door behind you.

Your heart was racing, your stomach churning, head screaming at you to keep running…

But, Sans wasn’t going to hurt you… Right…?

“Hey…”

You flinched at the voice and looked up.

Seth was looking at you with worried eyes, hands up like he wanted to hold your shoulders but was afraid to touch you just yet.

“Everything okay…? Was Sans in there?” His brow lowed, “Did he do something to you?”

“No!” You denied quickly, “No… no… he didn’t… I just…”

You were once again at a loss for words…

Sans hadn’t done anything to you, rather, you had been invading his personal space. You couldn’t blame him for being mad… Besides, you don’t want to get him in trouble, or reported, or however they handle Monsters that are deemed a danger to Humans. He’d just scared you a bit… that’s all…

But… at the same time… why did you have to walk around glass with him in your own home…? It wasn’t fair that every little thing you did around him was wrong. If he treats even your kindness as an offense, how are you supposed to know when you actually screw up??

Seth watched for a moment as you felt a million emotions and thoughts race to be the most important in your brain, scrambling you and leaving you in mute confusion. Then he simply sighed and pulled you into a hug.

“Hey there, you can talk to me if you ever need to, okay? Whether you don’t feel safe, or are confused, whatever it is. You can talk with me. I’ll help you figure things out.” He said, voice and comforting hold calming down your boggled mind.

You let out a breath, closing your eyes and slowly accepting his hug back…

“...Thanks Seth…”

.

.

.

Sans opened his room door and went in… He scanned the room for signs of tampering, but nothing was out of place. The machine was still running and locked with a three step verification, the notebooks where still sprawled in the same seemingly messy pattern over the floor, and even his growing sock pile was just as disgusting as usual.

He sighed, sinking down on his bed and running a hand down his face…

“hah… what am i doing…”

.

.

.

“Hey Y/n! Get over here!”

You looked up from your hug with Seth to see Granny waving for your attention.

“Is that… a limbo game?” Seth asked, mild amusement in his voice as he turned to look at the scene.

You nodded, “Yeah. For some reason Papyrus thought luau and Halloween go together. Not complaining, it’s a great combo.”

The Monster you knew as Mouth and another fella you couldn’t remember the name of was setting up the limbo pole, which was wrapped in some sort of cloth.

“HIT IT GRILLBY!” Papyrus all but screamed in excitement.

You quirked a brow in intrigue, both curious and terrified of what crazy plan the tall skeleton had next. At least it was always a quick distraction from… well, it doesn’t matter. You’re putting Sans and his cranky mood swings out of your head for now!

Grillby tilted back a glass of booze…

Oh… Oh no.

He sprayed it from his mouth, his flames following the mist and lighting up the limbo pole in a burst as everyone cheered.

“Wow. Quiet guy’s got some party in him.” Seth whistled, both of you watching in wide eyed shock.

“I’m glad I brought my roller skates!” Granny laughed, wheeled boots now on her feet as she lined up as the first to go under the death bend game.

You sucked in a horrified breath and Seth let out a befuddled laugh.

“Watch the rodeo queen slay this game!” She hollered, Monsters whooping and whispering in an excited buzz as she pushed off down the driveway, propelling herself faster and faster to the flaming, waist high bar.

You were practically holding your breath, “We have water just in case…. Right? Be careful Granny!!”

But your concerns were drowned out by the cheers of Monsters as she rolled onward, curling back in on herself last minute with surprising grace and nimbleness, making it under the pole with ease.

Everyone erupted in cheers as she waved and blew kisses to her adoring fans, and you finally released your breath.

Seth was laughing, shaking his head as he reached out and pat you forward, “Come on, let’s go see if we can top that.”

You shook you head and scoffed a laugh, “Fat chance.” You said, but followed him regardless, throwing one last glance at the house before leaving it behind you.

The party was coming to a close, guest helping clean up or saying goodbye as the first rays of sunlight started peeking across the sky.

You were exhausted, even Papyrus looked liked he was missing his usual four hours of ‘recharging’. ( BECAUSE SLEEPING IS FOR LAZY BONES! )

But, you do have fuzzy memories of saying goodbye to the guests and stumbling up the stairs, passing by death on your way, before flopping down on your bed and blacking out.

When you woke up again, the clock was already reading late afternoon, and peeking through your curtains revealed an orange and gold colored sky.

You debated going back to bed, but figured you should get cleaned up and eat something. You were feeling kinda dehydrated too, which was why you woke up in the first place.

You stripped off your TMNT costume and threw on whatever happened to be on top of your clean laundry pile. Then you staggered out of your room and towards the stairs.

Your whole body ached like a bitch, and your head was pounding like crazy. What you deserve for not getting proper sleep and laying down with bad sleeping posture and a backpack on…

You somehow made it to the kitchen and got yourself a big glass of water. You gulped it down, so thirsty, throat like sandpaper… but as relieving as it was, it also sat in your stomach in an unsettling way.

“Urgh…” You groaned and dragged yourself to the couch.

Sinking onto it, you closed your eyes, resting the back of your wrist on your forehead…

You’re so tired… but so uncomfortable.

…

You must have drifted off for a bit again, but you’re stirred from slumber as the smell of reheated ham hit your nose and makes your stomach lurch.

The smell comes closer and you wish you had the energy to cover your nose, but you’re too exhausted.

The quiet shuffled of steps stop directly in front of you, followed by a gravelly, “hey…”

“Not now Sans…” You grumbled, curling tighter in on yourself, not wanting to get in another fight with the stubborn bloke.

“... why are you-”

You huffed in frustration, sitting up despite your pounding headache, “I don’t know what or why I did whatever offended you this time . But I said not now , so you can take it and shove it up your bony butt!” You snapped, “Look, I don’t know why you hate me some much, but I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry that I’m trying my best to be nice to you and your brother and that I’m intruding on your lives! So let me just hand over the couch so you can have your peace again, and you can just leave me alone-!!”

You push yourself off the couch, head swimming in protest as you’re overwhelmed with dizziness. You groan, holding both your head and your stomach…

your body lurched and you doubled over, throat burning as it fills with bile that you quickly couch out, eyes getting blurry with tears.

You blink hard and the drops fall from your eyes, falling onto the floor between your hands as you stare at the blotch of vomit on the rug.

“h-hey… are you okay kid…?”

You look up at him, panting, head still spinning.

His eye shrunk into a small prick, his usually sharp frown pulled into a tight grimace, making him look sick himself… he reached out to you, bony hand trembling slightly…

You opened your mouth to reply, but another lurch sent your body reeling as you threw up again.

...

Chapter Text

Sans didn’t know what to do with a sick human.

Sure, he’d seen sick humans in this timeline, but usually he didn’t care, letting them keel over and die. And he’d probably dealt with sick humans in other timelines, but he didn’t remember that all so well.

The smell was terrible, bile and acid mixed with soured, half digested, body temperature food.

Sans watched as you dry heaved over your own vomit, orange-ish saliva dripping from your mouth as you wiped it on the back of your hand….

“stars kid…” Sans took a step back.

He wished Paps was here, but he’d gone out to bring some of the leftover ham to other Monsters in town.

That made this Sans’s problem.

...Okay, he could ignore you, but that just… didn’t settle right in his soul. Especially watching you sit there, teary eyed and covered in your own throw up.

He took a few more steps back, setting his plate on the coffee table.

You gagged again, a little more of that orange bile forcing its way from you mouth.

“...stay put…” Sans sighed begrudgingly, “i’ll get you a towel…”

.

.

.

You’re head hurts badly, but you can mostly respond as Sans comes back with a few dam towels and tells you to clean up your hands and mouth…

You try to stand back up, but immediately careen to the side as your aching head and weak limbs protest.

A bony hand steadies you and you shake your head in response when he asks if you can make it up the stairs…

Sans sighs, and all of the sudden your legs are off the ground, your gravity shifting as your legs are scooped up. Your arms flail and latch onto then closest thing, wrapping around Sans’s shoulders and neck.

Sans grunts, his teeth pulling into a tight line and leaning his head away from yours, but he doesn’t put you down, instead bringing you up the stairs and to your room.

“open the door.”

Since his hand were full of, well, you... you had to let go of his jacket and open the door.

Sans kicked it open the rest of the way and carried you in, setting you down on your bed and messily tossing your blanket back on you…

“stay put. ‘ll be back in a sec…”

He started to walk off, and you watched him with tired eyes…

He was actually being… nice.

“...Thanks Sans…” you mumble, not sure if he heard as you closed your eyes, willing the head ache to dull…

…

When you woke back up, there was a bottle of water next to your bed and some Tylenol.

You manage to push yourself into a sitting position and pick up the bottle. There’s a note attached to it…

paps is still out of the house. if you need something call me.

-sans

You pull the note off, sticking it next to your phone and opening up the bottle…

After taking the medicine you took another nap, only waking up when you heard someone enter the room…

You hazily blinked your eyes open, seeing a familiar silhouette moving through your room.

They picked up your now empty water bottle and then rested a bony hand on your forehead, checking your temperature…

It was a strangely familiar feeling…

“Sans…” you croak softly.

He takes a heavy breath, “yeah kid?”

“…” it was on the tip of your tongue… something you were supposed to say or ask…

what was it…?

“...Tell Papyrus…” right, wasn’t he really nervous about something the other day…?

You closed your eyes, “...That I can’t wait to see his art gallery when I get better… and I’m sorry I missed the opening day…”

“art gallery…? what are you talking about…?”

…

But you had already drifted back to sleep.

...

The next time you woke up, your head was more clear.

You groggily reached for your phone and checked the time…

It was 5am the next day and you had a work shift… Better call in sick for that…

You left a text on the group chat and left a message on the business phone before getting another drink of water and finally unbury yourself from the giant pile of blankets so you could use the restroom.

As you washed your hands, you took the liberty to also rinse your face and gargle.

You looked like a mess, and your mouth tasted like a dirty sock met battery acid. Needless to say, you didn’t feel cute right now.

You headed back to your bed, grimacing at how sweaty the sheets were. Honestly, you smelled pretty bad too…

You wanted to take a shower, refresh a bit and then head down to the kitchen for some tea and maybe toast if you could handle it… So, you pulled off your practically drenched sleep wear and dropped them in the laundry basket, heading back towards the attached bathroom for a shower….

You exit your closet to see Sans standing in your room, stopped in the process of approaching the closet…

You both stare at each other a moment…

Him, standing there, slightly soggy wash cloth in his metacarpals, eye shrunk to a pinprick.

You, standing there, buck naked, looking like a wreck and smelling worse.

...

Your brain reboots first and you slam the closet door shut.

Shoot! Of course Sans isn’t going to be knocking on your door when he comes to check on you! You’ve been incoherent for over twenty four hours! Now you’ve flashed him with your whole damn body, and not even in a sexy way! You aren’t looking your best, you’re not even mediocre! You’re a stinky, greasy, and sickly looking creature of grotesqueness hiding in the closet!!!

You let out a sound akin to a dying animal as you curl in on yourself to the floor…

“...sorry…” You hear Sans’s deep voice stiffly cough out through the door, “i’ll uh, fill up your water. bye.”

A second later you hear your room door quickly shut. Even then it takes a few long seconds before you have the courage to peek out and then emerge, this time in a bathrobe of shame, so that you can head to the shower and free yourself from the extra dinginess you’d accumulated…

…

…

You strip your bed after the shower and head downstairs, noting the water bottle left outside your door this time.

You honestly feel terrible. Sans is probably traumatized. You’re traumatized, and you’ve been naked in front of people before. Heck, it had been a long time, but this was… Well it was just different!!

You head down the stairs, dirty sheets rolled in a bundle in your arms…

Sans isn’t in the kitchen as you pass it to reach the laundry room, and you didn’t hear him in his own room, but he was usually really quiet, and you weren’t going to repeat the Halloween scenario and check.

Probably best if you didn’t run into him until you had time to process the mortification fully anyways…

You go to the kitchen next, opting for a glass of cold apple cider, still in the fridge from the party, and that piece of toast you’d started feeling really hungry for.

After setting it to toast, you take a seat at the table, resting your head in your arms on top of it, foot tapping anxiously against the floor…

You were unfortunately still dwelling on the shame of the previous encounter.

If it had been Papyrus that walked in, well that would be one thing. Embarrassing sure, but he’d probably breeze over the awkwardness easily, and you wouldn’t bee feeling so… Ashamed about how much of a mess you’d looked.

But Sans…?

I mean, come on. The guys already doesn’t like you much. And now you’re yelling at him, throwing up on his feet, making him take care of you, and forcing him to see your disgusting human body in all its unhygienic, unkempt state.

You groan again.

Why universe? Why?

The back door swings open with a squeak and you flinch.

“AH, Y/N! I SEE YOU’RE DOING A LITTLE BETTER NOW. ARE YOU WELL ENOUGH FOR A FRESHLY GATHERED EGG?”

You lifted your head, the relief rolling through your previously tensed muscles.

“Hi Papyrus…” You smile slightly, “How are the chickens this morning?”

Papyrus set down his egg basket, grabbing a plate for your toast as it popped out.

“STAY THERE! I GOT IT!” He insisted, “SANS HAS BEEN TAKING GOOD CARE OF YOU I’M SURE, BUT WE DON’T NEED TO EXTEND THE BONDING TIME LONGER THAN NECESSARY. HEALTH FIRST!”

He even buttered it before sliding it over to you.

“THE HENS WERE QUITE LIVELY THIS MORNING. THEY’VE BEEN GREATLY ENJOYING THE SMASHED PUMPKIN I GAVE THEM.”

“Smashed pumpkin?” You asked as you picked up the toast and took a bite.

This conversation seemed a good distraction from your thoughts…

“A TRAGEDY REALLY.” Papyrus sighed, “I WAS DELIVERING LEFTOVERS TO THE NEIGHBORS YESTERDAY, AND FOUND IT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ON THE WAY THROUGH TOWN. SEVERAL SMASHED PUMPKINS.”

You furrowed your brow…

That didn’t sound good…

“LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO SCOOP THE REMAINS UP AND BRING IT HOME! I WAS GOING TO ADD IT TO THE COMPOSTING BOX BY THE SHED, BUT THE CHICKENS ALL RUN UP TO THE WIRE SO EAGERLY, HOW COULD I DENY THEM?”

You tucked the thought aside for now, focusing back on the story, “I didn’t realize they’d eat pumpkin.”

“APPARENTLY IT’S A GREAT WAY TO EXERCISE THEIR BRAINS IF YOU GIVE THEM A CHALLENGING FOOD TO PLUCK APART!”

Papyrus chatted with you till you finished your toast before insisting on making you rest some more.

“My sheets are still washing.” You said as he tried to usher you back up the stairs.

“HM… THAT IS A MINUTE PROBLEM… VERY WELL, TAKE A PAGE FROM SANS’S BOOK AND SLEEP ON THE COUCH FOR NOW.” he said decisively, spinning you and pushing you in the opposite direction now, back towards the living room.

You sighed, letting him guide you. You were feeling the exhaustion creep back in. Your immunity was still working hard and needing the extra boost rest gave you…

You settled on the couch with a cup of tea Papyrus made you and lazily turned on the tv, deciding to veg out for a bit until you felt sleepy…

...As your eyes drift shut again, you can vaguely get a feeling of deja vu as you fall back into the same dream you’d had earlier…

Maybe the Sans in your dream will find the story of your embarrassing encounter funny… and if you laugh about it with him… it would seem so bad anymore…

…

Yep… There’s that grin you love to see...

Chapter Text

. . .

It was a slow day at the shop.

No orders, no walk ins, and all the regular chores had already been done…

You sat on a stool behind the counter, scrolling through your phone in sheer boredom. If you could, you’d find something useful to do, like sweep and mop the floors, arrange some grab and go bouquets, maybe wipe down the glass windows and doors… But you already cleaned everything top to bottom, and the bouquet stand was full.

The front bell chimed and you practically leapt off the stool in excitement. Finally, something to do.

“heya.”

The familiar deep voice reached your ears before the skeleton himself did.

“Oh, hey Sans.” you say, settling back down a bit. Friendly visits were also a welcome pass time. “What’s cookin’?

Sans chuckles, his sockets curving into little crescent moons, “you know. The usual.” he sidles up, leaning on the other side of the counter, “on my legally required lunch break.”

“Well, I’m afraid you won’t be finding much lunch here.” You huff a laugh, “Still just me and the plants.”

Sans shrugs, “that’s ok. i'm more in the mood for a snack anyways.”

He threw you a wink and your stomach did that little flip flop it had started doing recently.

A feeling you had decidedly been ignoring.

“Please don’t eat the plants Sans.” you deadpan at him jokingly.

You weren’t really sure when Sans’s jokes had started shifting towards pick up lines. He always said them so naturally too, making you even less sure if he meant them, or was even aware that he was making them.

“Besides, aren’t you the one working at a sandwich shop? Shouldn’t you be bringing me lunch or something?” You follow up by pointing out.

“sounds like a lot of work.” Sans sighs a little dramatically, “but i suppose i could do that if you ask nicely.”

You bow in praise to him, “Oh great skeleton, lord of the sandwiches, please bestow on your humble servant a sausage and egg biscuit and a side of chips.”

Sans snickered, “sorry. breakfast ended an hour ago.” he says cheekily.

You roll your eyes, “Some all powerful lord of the sandwiches you are—”

You stopped short as a delicious scent hit your nose.

Sans grinned a little wider, eye lights sparkling as he slid the paper takeout bag across the counter.

You raise your brows in surprise and take a peek inside.

“hope you’re ok with a sausage and egg grilled cheese panini instead.”

You pulled the paper wrapped sandwich out, mouth salivating.

“...Is this… like, a brunch sandwich…?” you ask, admiring the concoction he cooked up.

“yep. a sans special.” he grins, “oh, and before i forget…” He dropped a bag of chips on the counter too.

“I take back my earlier slight. You are undeniably the lord of the sandwiches.” you say, unwrapping the delicious meal and biting into it without hesitation.

Sans seemed pleased by your admittance of his power and reached into the bag, pulling out one of his own…

“anything crazy happening lately?” he asked as you guys enjoyed your meal.

You shook your head, “It’s been dead here. You?”

“eh.” Sans shrugged, “the usual. some guy who wants everything, some lady who wants me to hold everything, some pal that gives me free reign over what they get, and the one who complains that they got an extra half of an olive, throwing off their bite ratio.”

You laugh, “Stars, I’m glad I don’t work fast food anymore.”

“it’s not all bad.” Sans says, “i get to be lord of the sandwiches after all.”

“Should I get you a badge that say it?” you tease.

Sans’s eye lights sparkle excitedly, “yes.”

Of course he’d actually want that.

“Well, I’ll try my hand at it. Don’t be disappointed if it’s kind of ugly though.”

His grin softens, “you know i'd love it anyways. just gives it some character.”

You swallowed your bite, nervously glancing at the bag of chips…

“I know…”

You felt like you should say something else, but the words were caught in your throat…

“Hey… You know…”

. . .

“Y/N…”

You jolt awake.

“SORRY, I DIDN’T WANT TO WAKE YOU UP, BUT DO YOU FEEL UP TO EATING SOME DINNER? I MADE SOUP. IT’S SUPPOSED TO HELP HUMANS RECOVER FASTER.” Papyrus says, helping you sit up as you rub the sleep from your eyes…

“Mm… yeah… dinner sounds good…” You say with a yawn.

“OH GOOD. SANS SAID TO TAKE YOUR TEMPERATURE AGAIN TOO.”

“Right…”

You take the scanner from Papyrus and run it along your forehead groggily…

Hm, looks like your fever finally broke.

You yawn again, standing up and stretching. You were actually really hungry now…

“Smells great Paps… Can’t wait to try some.”

Chapter Text

You’d been out of it the last three days with your fever and all, but now…!!!

… You were still out of it a week later.

You sighed as you watered the plants at the shop, absentmindedly drenching the pots of peace lilies as you stared off into space.

You’d been having these really bad bouts of deja vu since you got sick. Something you contributed to still being drowsy and lacking energy due to your body recovering, but that seemed like a stretch considering the things plaguing your mind.

You’d been having dreams of some kind of alternate reality where all the Monsters were safe and happy. Papyrus looked like how Sans had carved him on his Halloween pumpkin, and Toriel was… stable. Dogaressa was canoodling with her husband happily, Grillby had a classy joint in the city corner that was a real hole in the wall star… That robot guy Mettaton was even up and kicking. Literally.

You and Sans were even…

You shook yourself from the thought and turned off the hose.

That was clearly just fever dreams, which never made sense. After all, Sans barely tolerated your presence. And if you were to date a Monster, wouldn’t Papyrus be the more logical option? He was strong, capable, you guys had a lot to talk about, and he seemed to like you well enough. You’d even been his date to the Monster freedom party.

How does one romance a Skeleton anyways? They don’t have lips to kiss, or, hypothetically, the kit to make babies. Not that you asked how that worked for them. They had to reproduce somehow, right? Maybe they just… took off a bone and it became a new skeleton. Like propagating cacti. They could use a rib like the bible story or something, pop it off and bam.

…

That was actually a pretty funny thought. And would mean they could asexually reproduce.

In that case, would the bone grow back? Or would they just be missing a bone forever? Could each Skeleton only make one offspring? And if that was the case, wouldn’t Sans or Papyrus be able to make their own mini-skele at this point? You didn’t think either of them were missing bone… Except Sans’s head, but that looked like a painful accident thing, not a birthing thing.

You sighed again as you drained the extra water from all the pots you just watered.

This was none of your business anyways. So you gathered yourself together, and started actually being productive today. Granny said you could take it easy, but you weren’t about to waste your precious time chilling on your butt when you were getting paid.

You roll up your sleeves and lift all the peace lilies but on the shelf, moving to water the calathea next.

…

You got home hours later after having worked the day away, and you were surprised to be met with a quiet house.

Only the porch light was on, and there was no sign of either of the brothers being home.

You find a note stuck to the fridge in Papyrus’s classic papyrus handwriting…

:

“Y/N, WELCOME HOME! I WOULD LOVE TO BE THERE TO GREET YOU AS USUAL, BUT TODAY IS THE MONSTER HEALTH CHECK DAY REQUIRED BY THE HUMAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS! THIS USUALLY TAKES A WHILE, BUT WE WILL PROBABLY GO TO GRILLBY’S AFTERWARDS AS PER SANS. FEEL FREE TO JOIN US THERE! OR DON’T. EITHER ONE IS FINE. I KNOW YOU ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM YOUR FEVER, SO DON’T STRAIN YOURSELF! —PAPYRUS”

:

You huffed a laugh as you read over the note.

You didn’t mind going to Grillby’s for dinner tonight… even if you were still embarrassed over the flashing thing… But you couldn’t avoid Sans forever. So, you pulled your jacket and shoes back on and went back out to the garage, checking over your pockets to make sure you had your essentials when…

A little black fluff ball scurried through the opening door, waving a fancy looking letter with its tiny front legs.

“Oh! Hello there.” You say, recognizing the black spider Monster.

You crouch down and accept the letter, finding that it is indeed addressed to you and not one of the brothers.

:

You have been invited to the parlor.

:

You flipped the card around, but that’s all that was written.

The spider waved its legs at you, seemingly urging you to accept.

…

Guess you could avoid feeling awkward next to Sans for next time. Besides, Papyrus said you’d probably get along with Muffet and that she needed a friend.

Mind made up, you offered your hand to the spider Monster, “Want to hitch a ride with me?”

The little guy scurried up onto your hand, dancing happily at your decision.

You buckled into your car, the remote cabin pulled up on your gps…

…

*Knock knock*

You rapped your knuckle against the door, the little spider nestled safely in your other hand. A moment later, it slowly opened a crack.

Dark eyes peeked out at you through the opening and you gave a friendly little wave, trying to seem nonthreatening.

The door finally opening the rest of the way and the little spider monster pointed for you to head in. Muffet herself had said nothing, hiding behind the opened door instead.

You stepped instead, “Um, thanks for inviting me over.” You said politely.

Muffet shut the door behind you, and you wondered if your should have told Papyrus where you were heading before you went into a strangers house.

Without a word, Muffet headed further into the cabin towards the kitchen space.

You hovered awkwardly in the entry way, setting the little spider monster down on the floor to run free.

Muffet stopped at the counter, looking at you expectantly.

You took a breath and followed her over. When you got to the counter, she silently placed a large glass bowl in front of you. You waited expectantly for her to say something, but she just moved further down the counter and started pouring grain into a mill box.

You felt a tap on your hand and looked down to see your little spider friend holding a note card. Taking a closer look, you could see it was a step by step recipe for sourdough scrawled out in slightly messy cursive.

“Oh. Sourdough bread huh? I’ve never tried to make that before.”

You didn’t know whether you were talking to Muffet, her spider, or yourself, but non the less, it was said.

Muffet came back up beside you, looking somewhere between uncomfortable and shy, so you gave her a friendly smile again to ease her nerves. She quietly passed you the freshly milled flour and hurried off to the sink to get water.

You glanced back at the recipe, following it as you put the glass bowl on the scale next to it, adding the flour, water, and starter and giving it a good mix as Muffet moved about the kitchen with practiced ease, prepping all the ingredients and necessities.

It was actually a pretty simple process. Stretch, rest, stretch, rest, so on and so forth.

Once Muffet seemed pleased with the texture of the dough, she divided it in half and quietly showed you how to shape the loaves. You hadn’t spoken much, but you were having a pretty good time regardless. And even if she was a bit shy about it, it seemed she was enjoying your company as well.

It was already getting pretty late by the time the loaves were loaded into the bannetons for the final rest. You checked the recipe again and it said to proof overnight.

You watched Muffet place them in her fridge before starting to clean up. You figured you’d probably be heading out soon, but you could at least help tidy up before you did.

“Thank you again for inviting me over.” You said, breaking the silence, “It was pretty fun, and I learned something new.”

You could already imagine how much Papyrus would love learning to make sourdough.

“I’d love to have you over next time.” You say, smiling again. You weren’t sure what you’d do together, but surely you could think of something, “Maybe we could have some tea and do some floral arranging.” You muse, wondering what skill you could trade off in return.

Muffet seemed frozen at your sweet words.

When she snapped out of it, a dark violet blush bloomed across her cheeks. She sputtered for a moment before quickly pushing you out of the kitchen and towards the door.

Before you knew it, you were back on the door step, coat thrown in your face and a jar shoved in your hands.

The door slammed shut as you stood there, gaping and still processing how suddenly you were kicked out.

You pulled the coat off you head, turning to head back to your car. After you’d gotten in and started the engine, you finally looked down at the jar in your hand…

…

“WOWIE! SHE MUST REALLY LIKE YOU TO HAVE GIVEN YOU THIS!” Papyrus was practically fangirling as you told him about your little adventure in the spider den.

You knew he’d be excited about the jar of starter, but this was next level.

“You sure? She kind of kicked me out at the end there…”

Papyrus nodded decisively, “POSITIVE. SEE THIS HERE?”

He gestured to the starter and you nodded.

“THIS HAS SPIDER DUST IN IT!”

“Spider dust?!” You asked in alarm.

“YES! SPIDER DUST!” He said excitedly, “IT’S TRADITION FOR SPIDERS TO ADD THEIR DUST TO BAKED GOODS AFTER THEY PASS. IN FACT, IT ONCE WAS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE SINCE IT TAKES YOUR CONFECTIONS TO THE NEXT LEVEL! AFTER EVERYTHING WENT DOWN HILL THOUGH, I HAVEN’T SEEN SUCH A DELICACY IN AGES!”

“Huh…” You were still a little off put by the dust thing, but Papyrus said it was something done before the famine, so… surely it was fine, “I hope you’re right then. I plan to invite her over on my next day off.”

Papyrus’s eyes practically sparkled, “THAT’S SO WONDERFUL! I’M GLAD YOU SEEM TO BE CLICKING AS WELL AS I THOUGHT YOU WOULD!”

You still had your doubts on if she liked you, but when you awoke the next morning to a little black spider monster delivering a freshly baked loaf of sourdough, those concerns were quelled.

And Papyrus was right.

It was next level.

...

“Hey Y/n, great timing.” Seth looked up as you came into the shop today.

For once, you were actually early.

“Yeah, yeah. I know, I’m early.” You started, but stopped as you noticed someone behind the counter with him.

Granny smiled and waved you over, “Y/n, come meet my son, Kenneth. He’s going to be subbing my role while I’m in Europe.”

You had known Granny was going on a trip to Europe over the end of the year, but you hadn’t expected her to bring in the tall, blonde hottie in front of you.

“Hi…” You cleared your throat, pulling your frazzled self together, “I’m uh, I’m Yn.”

You stuck out your hand and he took it, giving it a firm shake, “Nice to meet you.” He said with a charming smile.

“It was Kenneth?” You ask to confirm, breath still caught in your throat.

“Please,” He chuckled softly, letting go of your hand, “Just call me Ken.”

Chapter Text

“WHAT HAS YOU IN SUCH A GOOD MOOD Y/N?” Papyrus asked as you arrived home from work.

You caught yourself in a dazed, dreamy state at you shrugged off your coat, “Oh, nothing much.”

That was a lie.

You had a great day at work actually.

Of course, you caught Seth and Granny up on your visit with Muffet, sharing some of the loaf you’d made with her… And Ken was really impressed.

“So you’re the one who lives in Little Wood.” His voice was so… It was just the right balance between deep and soft. He had this gentle way of talking that occasionally brought out this slight rumble like an early morning rasp.

...Not that you’d been paying that much attention.

Not to mention, you didn’t have to train him in anything. Apparently, he used to help Granny in the shop when he was in school, so he was easy to work with, and his arrangements were excellently composed. His color theory was perfect, variation balanced, technique rivaling your own.

And he was actually super helpful too. Like when you were trying to shelve all the new pottery. He simply came up and started doing it for you, casually asking if you could trade tasks, claiming the piece needed a more refined touch. He may have claimed creators block, but you had a feeling that he was just being considerate about the heavy lifting.

And after work, he went with you and Seth to the gym. And Holy fucking cow, this guy was ogle worthy. Not that you were staring, but he had the build of a classic super hero or something. You never realized watching someone hit a set of lateral raises could be so enticing. Not to mention, between the three of you, conversation flowed so smoothly, you never had to worry about awkward silence.

So yeah.

Maybe you were in a pretty good mood tonight.

“Granny’s son came to work in the shop today.” You explain to Papyrus, “He’ll be helping out till she gets back from her vacation.”

“A FRIEND OF YOURS?” Papyrus asked.

“Well, it’s my first time meeting him, but he seems nice.” You say, automatically taking a seat at the table where Papyrus was setting a plate of food he’d saved for you.

Papyrus quirked his head, “AH, WELL… YOU SEEM TO ALREADY HOLD HIM IN HIGH REGARD. I’D LOVE TO MEET HIM SOME TIME!”

“Maybe I’ll invite him over as we grow closer.” You mused.

You did have a whole month of working with him. A lot could happen in a month.

But for now you would focus on inviting Muffet over. You already decided what options you could provide for the flower arrangements and asked Seth to add them to the pick up from the wholesaler tomorrow morning.

Now you had to decide what to make as a snack and make sure you had everything for it.

Muffet seemed to like baked goods… So maybe something cozy for the winter season. Like cinnamon rolls, or pie, maybe brownies…?

You flipped through your recipe book absently…

To be honest, you were still distracted by thoughts of a certain somebody…

You’d exchanged numbers, for work purposes of course, but would it be to forward if you texted him a casual greeting? Or was that just friendly?

Urgh… Why was this so much more mentally taxing compared to normal?

You bounced your knee in agitation as you checked your phone, staring at Ken’s contact in mild frustration.

...Whatever! He’d been the one to ask for your number, so you should put your best foot forward and message him!

You opened a new chat and typed out something quick and simple.

“Y/n: Hey! It’s Y/n=)—”, No that’s too much with the smiley…

“Y/n: Hey! It’s Y/n”

“Y/n: Let me know if you ever need anything and I’d be happy to help!”

There! Sent! Done!

You tossed your phone back down on the table, face down.

...*Ding!

You quickly snatched it up again.

“Ken: Hey Y/n!”

“Ken: Thanks for all the help today”

“Ken: It looks like my mom’s built a great team, I look forward to working with you all”

You sighed in relief. See? Nothing to freak out about. You’re just doing your job as a nice, friendly, welcoming coworker.

Your phone chimed again and you checked it.

“Ken: Would it be too forward of me to ask you to dinner Friday?”

Holy Fuck!!!

You read the message again, heart beating out of your chest.

Your thumbs trembling in anticipation as you replied…

“Y/n: Actually, I already have plans that day, but I wouldn’t say it’s too forward”

You were practically holding your breath. How would he react to that…?

I mean, you were an adult with their own life and priorities. You’d already planned to invite Muffet over that day. You weren’t just going to drop your plans for a guy you just met… Even if part of you was kind of tempted…

“Ken: Oh, no worries”

“Ken: How’s tomorrow after work then?”

You could feel your heart cheering in delight.

Not only was he actually a decent enough guy to not throw a fit over getting his way, but he was even suggesting another day meaning you weren’t losing the opportunity!

“Y/n: I could make that work=)”

“Ken: Great, How’s hibachi sound?”

“Y/n: All good here”

“Y/n: Text me the address and I’ll meet you there”

He shared the restaurant with you and you bit back a smile.

Honestly, not a bad pick for a first dinner with someone. It had sushi and grill, making the eating options open depending on your tastes. It was nice a public, nothing too intimate for a first date. You got a little show at the beginning to help you relax, and then when the chef left and things quieted down, you would have a nice opportunity to talk.

So now the plan for tonight would be: Get groceries, write an invitation, pick an outfit that’s good enough for work and a date, and get to bed on time so you aren’t late to work tomorrow.

Easy.

You decided on brownies in the end, since you didn’t know when you’d be getting back from your date. All you really needed to pick up was coco powder, so you ran to the small town supply store to pick some up before they closed for the night. It was one of the last places run by a Human resident, and older man named Greg, but one of the Monsters you recognized worked there now.

“Ice Wolf?”

He was comically large as he shuffled down the aisles with a box of salsa jars. The far too small store apron hanging around his neck completing the rather… interesting image.

Monsters weren’t required to work since they were government pension, so you were surprised to see him there.

“You work here now?” You asked curiously.

Ice Wolf nodded, “Ice Wolf move boxes for neighbor. Easy job. Ice Wolf likes. Greg says it’s a big help.”

You considered this. Greg was pretty old, and his other employees pretty much all moved out. You hadn’t considered how that would effect his ability to operate as a business, but he ran the only general store in town, so it was pretty necessary to keep open.

“That’s really sweet of you.” You smiled at him, “I’m sure Greg really appreciates it.”

Ice Wolf gave a toothy grin, “Ice Wolf likes neighbor Greg.”

You nodded your head, not sure what to say to that.

“Ice Wolf will keep moving boxes now. Goodbye Human Y/n.” He turns, presumably off to go get more stock from the back.

“Have a good night.” You call after him.

Ice Wolf nodded, and you turned to go check out and head home yourself.

…

“That’s probably the finest man I’ve ever seen.” Carla hummed as you both stood behind one end of the counter and watched Ken tell a guest about ficus tree care.

“We’re getting dinner tonight.”

You couldn’t help but share, especially knowing that Carla would be all over that tea.

She raised her brows and looked at you with wide eyes, “Oh really? I thought you weren’t looking?”

“I… wasn’t…” You say slowly.

Carla looked back at the man, “I don’t blame you. I’d say yes if he asked me to dinner too. And I usually don’t go for the good boy kind.”

You tore your eyes from Ken and focused back on writing out the email to a guest inquiring over possible wedding arrangements for January, “He’s been extremely chivalrous so far. If he weren’t Granny’s son then I’d think he was a secret Jack-ass, but…”

“Yeah, there’s no way she raised a kid like that.” Carla agreed, “Nah, he gives me ‘Man of the Lord’ vibes.”

“Meaning?” You glanced over again.

“Oh, you know what I mean.” She gave you that saucy look, “He’s in it for the long run.”

You hummed, “The long run, hm…?”

You hadn’t thought about marriage for a while. Wasn’t really on your priority list when you’ve had such a chaotic year.

Living with the Skeleton brothers really turned your world upside-down. Not in a bad way, but it had taken up most of your thoughts and attention these days. You’d actually kind of forgotten about feeling lonely after they dropped into your life.

...Actually… If you did marry Ken, wouldn’t you have to move to his place…?

You definitely wouldn’t subject Papyrus and Sans to your marriage life… But… It felt wrong to move out for some reason.

And Sa—no. Those were just some crazy fever induced dreams.

And besides, it was just a date.

One date.

Maybe it wouldn’t even come to anything.

…

Chapter Text

You were seated at a grill for eight, but the dinner rush had yet to start, so by the time it was heated enough there was only one other person at your table. You both placed your orders, and Ken also got an appetizer of sushi and edamame for you to share.

The chef put on a great performance, throwing eggs in the air, making an onion volcano, he even played the Naruto theme on the recorder while you were waiting for everything to cook.

You couldn’t help but think of how excited Papyrus would be to come to a place like this. You could already imagine that he’d immediately start practicing some of those tricks at home. And Sans would have loved all the food puns that the chef—wait… Why did that sound so familiar…?

“Enjoying your food?”

Ken’s voice broke through your thoughts.

The chef was packing up, everything quieting down a bit, but honestly, you didn’t even realize you’d started eating already.

“It’s good.” You say automatically, “How’s yours?”

He nodded in agreement, “Not bad. It’s been a while since I’ve been here, so I’m glad it still holds up to expectations. So, tell me a bit about yourself. How’d you end up in Little Wood?”

“Well, actually…”

You recounted the story of how you ended up in the small town, but more importantly, how you ended up with such unique housemates. The tales just kept spilling out of you… The Monsters you’ve met, the trip out to the beach, the parties and work you and Papyrus were making on the old house… As you talked about it all, you really remembered how much you appreciated getting this special experience with all of them.

“Of course, Sans really likes to keep to himself, but I think I’m starting to grow on him… I hope.” You finished up, realizing you’d pretty much been the only one to talk all through dinner.

You laughed awkwardly as you tried to apologize for getting carried away, but Ken brushed off your concerns.

“Hey, don’t worry about me. I like a passionate person who’s got stories to tell.” He smiled and you, not having let his attention wander even a second.

You could tell he meant it too, which gave you a fluttering feeling in your stomach.

“Well,” you cleared your throat, bringing the conversation towards him now, “What do you usually do for work?”

“Oh, well, I’m a photographer.” He said, leaning back in his seat, “I usually travel around and take pictures of people and places.”

“Wow, you must have been all around the world then?”

“Maybe not everywhere, but I do have a pretty full passport. I even got residency in a couple places to act as my international home bases.” He seemed a little flustered, running his fingers through his hair as he spoke.

He hoped he didn’t sound like he was bragging…

“I’ve always had a knack for learning language and loved traveling, so I thought about being a pilot when I first started college, but my Mom said it was a waste of my artistic talent. And well, I picked up my Dad’s old camera and started doing gigs to make money. Birthdays, weddings, portraits, nothing major… but I guess it stuck.” He chuckled softly.

You smiled, “That’s amazing. I’d love to see some of your works. Though, I don’t think I’ve ever met Granny’s husband. Are you close?”

“Ah, well,” He nodded, “That’s probably because he passed away a long time ago.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I had no idea…” You quickly back tracked.

Ken brushed off the tense air gently, “No, don’t worry about it. Like I said, it was a long time ago now. I was in high school when it happen. But he was a great person. He was much more technically minded than me and Mom, but he was very supportive of whatever live I chose to lead… After he realized I’d never be a forensic scientist that is.”

He laughed softly and you found yourself smiling along with him again.

“Can I get you two anything else tonight?” The waitress came to your corner of the table to ask.

Ken looked at you to see if you’d like anything more. When you shook your head, he looked back to the waitress, “Just the check please.”

“Oh, I can cover myself.” You started to say, remembering a little too late as the waitress was already hurrying away.

“No need. I asked you to join me, and I picked the place, I’ll handle it.” He assured you.

Your stomach fluttered again. He picked up the tab so smoothly, all you could do was thank him.

“How about dessert then? It’ll be my treat this time.” You offer, not ready for the night to end yet anyways.

“Alright.” He agreed as he tucked his card in the check and handed it back to the waitress, “What do you have in mind?”

You went through the places you knew around this part of the city, “Ice cream okay?”

He nodded, signing the receipt that was brought back, “Sure, want to drive there together?”

It was a little far to walk, so you agreed. And with that you both left, but not before you noticed his generous tip to the staff.

…

You reached the corner shop and ordered your ice cream. It was starting to get pretty cold outside, but you sat at the park outside. You pointed out the apartments you used to live in, and you both talked a while longer. You told him about how great the stars were out in Little Wood, and in turn he showed you some of the pictures he’d taken.

You actually recognized some of his works from sm platforms, and they were really beautiful. From vast landscapes, to grazing animals, and perfectly captured snow crystals, he’d been all over.

“These are beautiful.” You said, admiring his photography, “Did you get your love of traveling from Granny- er, Mrs. Hathorn. Your mom.”

He nodded, “Well, it’s actually more from my dad. He was a commercial pilot.” He says, “The artsy stuff comes from her though.”

“Is there anywhere you’ve been that you’d love to go again?” You asked.

“Well,” He hummed, leaning back to look up at the dark sky thoughtfully, “There’s plenty of places I’ve been that I plan to visit again. But what really excites me is something new. A change of pace, a new film, a neat little cafe… Those things keep me inspired.”

You nod in understanding.

Floristry, like photography, was an art that could fluctuate in quality based on the artist’s mood. Was definitely easier work when you were feeling refreshed and inspired.

“...Do you think you could get me a ticket into Little Wood?” He asks after a moment.

Your eyes widen slightly, brow raising, “Well, sure. I don’t mind. Approval takes about a week though.” You say, recounting how the process went for the Halloween party, “...You didn’t ask me to dinner just to get an in, did you?”

You couldn’t help but ask.

Technically, he never said this was a date, but you’d been considering it one this whole time. If it wasn’t mutual, you wanted to correct that mindset real fast.

Ken laughed, and stars he had a nice laugh…

“No, no.” He quickly waves off your concerns, “I mean, it was a thought, but definitely not the reason.”

He looked back at you, a slightly quirked smile on his lips, “I asked you to dinner as a date.”

You looked away slightly bashfully, feeling your heart beat erratically at that blunt admission.

He leaned over, resting his elbows on his knees as he tilt his head, trying to see your face again, “Is that okay?”

You nervously brushed your hair back, “Yeah. It is.”

When you finally managed to calm your butterflies at bit and meet his eyes again, you found yourself reeling.

He was just smiling, watching you with a mix of fond amusement and thoughtfulness.

If you weren’t blushing before, you were now.

“What?” you laugh awkwardly, trying not to let your fluster show.

Ken just shook his head lightly, huffing a small laugh, “You have no idea how great you are, do you?”

“I am…?” You asked, breath caught in your throat.

His eyes met yours again, holding your stare in a way that made you feel frozen in the moment...

“...Yeah. You’re really something special… And I hope you’ll keep letting me in to see it.”

...Oh…

Oh wow…

You’re leaning in before you know it…

It’s been ages since you felt like this…

His warm hand comes to cup your jaw, tilting your head just a bit…

Your breath mingles with each other’s as your eyes fall closed, lips brushing in delicious anticipation…

.

.

.

Sans stared down at the food he got. For some reason, he didn’t have the appetite for it.

“...where’s y/n?” He asked as he pushed around his dinner, scraping it into little organized piles.

Papyrus eyed Sans with wry eyes, “ON A DATE. THEY’LL BE HOME LATE.”

Sans almost dropped his fork, expression morphing, “a date?”

They couldn’t go on a date.

What if- What about- That was-

His skull couldn’t even manage to form a coherent thought on the matter.

So instead he shoved away from the table, taking his plate to the fridge.

Papyrus watched as his brother stormed off to his room, brow bone quirked…

…

Sans shut his door and waded through the mess of journals and equipment that littered his floor, making his way to the machine.

His metacarpals flew across the keys, punching in the password…

…

Still nothing.

No variations or blips in the timeline. The dot moving across the graph in a smooth, steady line…

Sans smacked his skull down on the keyboard, not sure if he was feeling relieved or frustrated to see it like this once again…

All he knew was that his soul felt very unsettled tonight… And that it was your fault.

Chapter Text

“He’s perfect.” You gushed, trying not to exaggerate as you talked over the date with Carla on the phone, but it didn’t feel like an exaggeration.

Carla laughed as you prattled on about the date on the drive home, “Darling, you are down bad!”

You rolled your eyes as you pulled into the garage and headed inside, “Whatever. I got a date with a ten out of ten, and he lived up to the expectation. Of course I’m freaking out just a bit.”

After all, you hadn’t gone on a good date since… uh… well it’s been a while.

“Sorry, am I gushing too much?”

“Not at all.” Carla assured you, “I’m all for tea on relationships.”

“SO AM I!” Papyrus adds his own input as you enter, finding him at the dining table, “I ASSUME IT WAS AN EXCELLENT DATE THEN?”

Oh boy… And now, you were gushing all over again…

…

“WOWIE! THAT’S GREAT Y/N!” Papyrus congratulated you on your successful date, “THOUGH, I MUST CONFESS, I DID NOT EXPECT YOU TO FALL BACKWARDS OVER THIS HUMAN MAN SO QUICKLY. AFTER ALL, THIS IS YOUR FIRST DATE, NO?”

You laugh awkwardly at being called out, “I guess I am jumping in pretty quick.”

“Besides, there’s nothing wrong with having a little fun.” Carla piped in.

“AH, YES… I SUPPOSE. I HAD SEVERAL ROMANTIC JAUNTS IN MY YOUTH AS WELL, NYEHEH.” Papyrus proudly informed you, “BUT I AM VERY CURIOUS TO MEET THIS HUMAN KEN.”

“Well, maybe I’ll have to invite him over then…” But first you had to be a good host for Muffet, “Well, thanks for letting me blab for so long. I’ve better hang up and let you get some rest.”

“Girl, I’ve stayed up later for dumber things.” Carla brushed off your concerns.

You laughed, “Still… Thank for the chat, I’ll see you at work.”

The call ended and you sighed, energy from the date still buzzing under your skin despite the hour.

“I’m surprised you’re still up.” You said, turning to Papyrus.

“YES, WELL, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU MADE IT HOME ALRIGHT.” he admitted.

You gave him a small smile, “Thanks Papyrus.”

You may not have needed it as a mature adult, but it was still nice to know someone cared enough to do that.

“I THINK SANS WAS WORRIED TOO. HE DIDN’T EVEN EAT DINNER.”

“What?” Now that surprised you, “Maybe he just wasn’t feeling well?”

“PERHAPS, BUT HE DID ASK ABOUT YOU SPECIFICALLY!” Papyrus informed you, “HONESTLY, I’M QUITE PLEASED. IT SEEMED YOU FINALLY MANAGED TO GET INTO HIS METAPHORICAL HEART!”

Personally, you had your doubts about that… But it was definitely interesting…

“Huh… Well, you should head to bed now too.” You shook your head, bringing your attention back to the moment at hand, “I didn’t mean to keep you up. I know you usually turn in earlier than this.”

Papyrus stood, “YES, I THINK I WILL. DON’T STAY UP MUCH LONGER YOURSELF! GOOD SLEEP IS IMPORTANT FOR HUMAN FUNCTIONS!”

Papyrus headed to bed, but you stayed up a little longer, sipping some tea as you thought about what this chapter of your life might hold for you...

.

.

.

It was early Friday morning and you’d already received confirmation that Muffet would be coming over. Papyrus was helping you prepare some snacks for the event, and Sans was… Taking up table space with his sleepy skull.

Honestly, you weren’t sure how this would go, since the last times you’d seen Muffet she was… Standoffish. But it seemed like she, like many Monsters, just needed some time to come out of her shell.

And what better way than a flower arranging tea party?

You hoped you got a good selection of flowers… you’d never really taught anyone how to arrange. It was more of an art form anyways. Everything was up to the florist. Of course, you had your tastes, but Muffet might be different. Maybe she’d lean heavily into just greens, maybe she’d like the round and structured traditionalist look. There was no wrong answer.

You sorted the flowers in your water buckets into types as the smell of cookies filled the air.

“SANS! MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. IF YOU’RE GOING TO KEEP SLEEPING, DO IT IN YOUR ROOM.” Papyrus scolded as he set out the tea ware.

Sans ignored him, ‘snoring’ louder with an exaggerated Z sound, though, you’re pretty sure you felt that old prickle of his eye glaring at you when no one was looking…

Obviously, you ignored it since you had better things to do than figure out why he was mad at you this time.

…

You finished setting everything up just as a soft knock sounded on the front door.

“Muffet! Good to see you. come in.” You smiled.

The spider lady stood there a moment before hesitantly entering, followed by a few of her little spider friends.

“I love your dress.” You complimented her as you showed her to the kitchen.

She looked down at her clothes. It was a cute patchwork dress that seemed to be made of mostly purples and pinks, with a black waist tie and peter pan collar, and lace capping all ends.

“Did you make it yourself?” You ask as she remains silent.

She gives a shy nod.

“NYHEH! Y/N ENJOYS SEWING TOO! PERHAPS WE SHOULD ALL HAVE A SEWING PARTY NEXT TIME!” Papyrus returns to the kitchen, after having dragged Sans to the living room couch so he’d be out our way.

Muffet gave him a small nod.

“Here, come have a seat at the table. I figured we can start with some tea and snacks and then do some arranging.” You gestured to the table, glad that Papyrus could help you fill any awkward silence this time.

You all took a seat at the table, and Muffet’s spiders crawled up to the space in front of the empty seat. Papyrus poured the tea, and you all took a few brownies for your plates.

Muffet was quiet almost the whole time, but Papyrus and you chatted about the sour dough starter she gave you, and he would tell stories about how the garden was going or his latest culinary escapades. She would occasionally nod to show she was still listening, and the spiders shared one of the fudgey chocolate confections between them.

Eventually, snack time was over and you cleared the table, bringing the flowers and accessories over. You explained several ways to shape the bouquet, either on the table, or in your hand if you had a nice wide hold like Papyrus. You also gave a few tips about the difference between focus flowers, filler flowers, greens, and line ones.

You all set to work on your pieces, the chatter of even Papyrus dying down as you all locked in.

You finished first, already having experience under your belt, and look around to see how everyone else is doing.

Papyrus is going for a front showing bouquet, using lots of bright colors and line plants to create a bold bouquet. He made his focus flowers massive, burnt orange, football chrysanthemums and used wheat and willow for character. Definitely maximal style.

Muffet on the other hand was working on a full view one. She had red sunflower for her focus flowers, and deep purple alstroemeria between. Her bouquet was more clustered, with long leaf eucalyptus and lots of lily grass, giving it almost a gathered wild flower look.

“Those look great guys.” You smiled.

You made a few suggestions on practical things, like keeping the stems neat, or helping Papyrus wrap his with the paper, but you didn’t want to seem micromanaging, so you kept it to technical advice.

They both seemed fairly pleased with them anyways, and that what mattered.

“ ‘m going to grillby’s.”

You all jolted, knocked out of your little world as Sans slammed the fridge.

You looked at the clock. It was already well past noon. You didn’t realize how much time flew by.

“WE SHOULD ALL GO!” Papyrus suggested, “I BET THERE’S SOME MONSTERS THAT WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU AGAIN MUFFET!”

Her lavender skin seemed to pale a bit and she shook her head.

“You should come with us.” You agree.

Muffet seemed hesitant, but her spiders were quick to encourage her, waving their little arms and pointing towards you and Papyrus. She sighed softly, but gave a reluctant nod. All her spiders jumped around happily.

“DON’T WORRY! IT’LL BE FUN!” Papyrus assures her.

…

You all arrived at Grillby’s. Sans, who’d blipped away while you’d been convincing Muffet, was already at his spot at the counter and shoving a burger down. The rest of you settled at one of the corner booths.

Muffet seemed entirely out of her element, almost pained looking as she took in the establishment.

The familiar warmth of Grillby’s fire surrounded your booth as he came to take your orders.

Muffet ducked her head lower, as if trying to hide behind your frame.

“Hey Grillby-” You greet, looking up from the menu at him, but stopping short at the strange sight before you.

Grillby’s flames were flickering blue, like the hottest part of a fire as he stared at Muffet.

“Uhhhhh…”

“I’LL HAVE MY USUAL.” Papyrus cut in, “AND Y/N, YOU SAID THE BURGER AND FRIES, YES?”

You nod, still caught off guard.

Grillby scribbled it all down and hurried away.

“What the… Wait…! Muffet hasn’t ordered yet!” You realized.

Papyrus waved you off, “GRILLBY WILL TAKE CARE OF IT.”

You look at the girl beside you, who is… blushing…? Her cheeks are a deep violet, and you can see the glow, even with her head ducked.

“What’s going on?” You ask.

Papyrus grinned, “NYEHEHEH. OH, JUST STAR-CROSSED LO-”

Muffet was on top of the table in an instant, shaking her head with her hands over his mouth.

“-lovers.” Papyrus whispers in the smallest voice you’ve ever heard him use.

Muffet looked like she was somewhere between crawling under the table to die, and leaving before the bartender came back.

“NYEHEH! I DID SAY SOME MONSTERS WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEE HER, DIDN’T I?”

“Some is different from one.” You point out, already wondering what the story was between the two, “Is that why he was, uh, blue?”

Muffet hid her face in her hands.

Now this was certainly a surprise.

When Grillby eventually came back with your orders, he had a small, fancy bowl of strawberry ice cream and a couple beignets dusted in a suspiciously sparkly powdered sugar.

Muffet’s blush deepened as she saw it, and Grillby quickly retreated back to the kitchen…

Okay.

You’d definitely have Papyrus spill the tea on that later.

Chapter Text

After your late lunch, you bid goodbye to Muffet, who looked drained after everything. Despite that, you think she had a good time.

You headed home with Papyrus and cleaned up the remaining flowers from the party, making a few vases with the extra flowers to place around the house.

Papyrus had headed straight back out, after you’d assured him you could clean up yourself easily, asking if you needed anything from the store.

“I don’t think so…” You mused, checking over the fridge real quick, “What are you getting?”

“BULBS!” He said excitedly, grabbing a couple canvas bags for the groceries, “SINCE IT’S NOVEMBER NOW, THE SEASON FOR PLANTING THEM IS ALMOST OVER AND THEY’VE GONE ON SALE!”

“Oh, true.” You hum, “If there’s any types they don’t have and you want, let me know and I’ll see if our shop carries them.”

He nodded, “GREAT! THE MORE THE BETTER! NYHEH!”

He headed out, and you finished up with the arrangements, gathering the unused scraps and bringing them out to the chickens.

You shivered as you stepped out, your breath coming out in a small puff. It really was getting to that season. Dark by 4pm, hitting freezing in the early mornings… You were honestly surprised it hadn’t snowed yet, being close to the Mountains and all.

You toss the leaves and stems into the chicken coop, watching as a few curious ones poked around in the for a bit, and giving the closest one a little pet, before heading back into the warmth of your house.

As you shut the back door, you were met with the melody of your phone ringing.

You plucked it off the counter and looked at the caller ID.

Your heart skipped a beat and you quickly answered it.

“Hey Ken. What’s up?” You ask, brushing your hair back to look nicer, even if he wasn’t able to see you.

“Hey Y/n.” Stars his voice was even nice over the phone, “I heard there was going to be a lighting festival in Ebott City tomorrow evening, and I was wondering if you had plans.”

You shook your head, “Nothing other than what’s on the work calendar.”

“Great. Would you want to check it out with me afterwards? As a date of course.” He laughs softly, making sure to clarify this time.

“Sure. I’d love to go on another date with you.” You say, cheeks warming slightly as you confirmed.

You could hear his smile in his voice as he replied, “Looking forward to it then. By the way, how did those plans today go?”

“Oh, yeah. It was fun.” You started to tell him about your tea party, not noticing the shadow that hovered in the hall…

Sans listened a bit longer before quietly going back to his room.

Another date? With the same guy?

The corners of his grin twitched into a deeper frown.

Of course, the machine was still showing absolutely zero fluctuation in timeline data. He’d already quadruple checked the calibration… So why did he still feel like something was so wrong…?

Sans rubbed his sockets tiredly, “damn it…”

He sat down heavily on the bed, his weight making the mattress sink down slightly.

Maybe he’d just take a nap for a bit and this headache would clear up…

.

..

...

Sans padded through the snow… The air around him smelt irony and stale.

Another Human come and gone… He was growing weary of all this… of the smell, the sights, the throbbing in his skull… The death, the dust, the Hunger…

And if that Damned Undyne came here demanding tribute rations again…

He didn’t know if he’d manage to stay sane this time…

If only that fuck’n fish had a brain behind that eye patch, maybe the core would be fixed…

Or if she’d just listened to Tori, maybe they’d be in less of a mess.

Or if he’d just…......nah. He’d rather skewer out the fish’s other eye before he laid down and let her and Alphys dust him for the ‘good of everyone’.

His soul growled in hunger, making his bones ache and his skull throb harder.

He came to a stop at the edge of the woods, where the door to the ruins stood…

...Well, well. Would you look at that? Fresh foot prints.

He looked down the path…

Didn’t look like they followed the main road, instead choosing to veer off into the surrounding trees.

They’d probably stumble into a trap soon enough. The woods were full of ‘em.

His soul growled again and he grit his teeth…

...Better have Paps pick it up this time. Otherwise he might do something stupid…

Sans turned, heading back to Snowdin.

“hey pap, there’s a human wander’n around in the woods. give it an hour or so and then why don’t cha go see if your new trap got ‘em?”

Sans sauntered into the house, only to freeze dead in his tracks…

“I’M SORRY SANS… BUT I-”

“A Human, huh?” Undyne’s sharp yellow teeth turned up into a sneer, “And I thought I’d only be collecting rations today.”

Sans raised his hand, jagged bones immediately piecing through the floor at Undyne. She quickly swung her spear, breaking them before they could pierce her.

“SANS, WAIT-!!”

Sans didn’t wait, immediately sending more attacks.

If Undyne got a Human soul, it would all be over.

The attacks against each other persisted, the brother’s house falling to pieces as Sans fought to KILL her this time. Her Royal Guards came out of the other houses to support her, but the villagers of Snowdin had had enough.

Screw the queen. Screw the rule of this world.

If it was eat or be eaten, then They’d be the ones to eat.

“BROTHER-” Papyrus seemed to be at a loss in the mess as Dust began to grow thick in the air.

“shit…”

Sans grit his teeth as Undyne grabbed Papyrus by the scarf and held a spear to his throat, halting Sans’s movements.

“That’s right Sans.” she grinned, “Stand down like a good subject and tell the villagers to stop, or I’ll lop his skull clean off!”

“UNDYNE PLEASE CALM DOWN…! SANS WASN’T TALKING ABOUT A HUMAN! THAT’S JUST OUR CODE WORD FOR—“

“Arggghhh!!! SHUT UP PAPYRUS!!!” She shouted, smashing his skull into the ground, “I’M SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR GOODY TWO SHOES SHTICK!! THIS IS ALL HIS FAULT TO BEGIN WITH! AND TODAY, I SWEAR I’M GONNA FUCKING KILL HIM!!!”

Sans felt the fury burn in his veins and he raised his hand, but Undyne was ready, shooting a barrage of spears that he had to dodge.

Sans grit his teeth as he moved out of the way, the attack forcing him to shift his focus to evading. His eye remained locked on her hold on Papyrus’s skull…

He had to do something…!

Suddenly, a bone rose from the ground, ramming into Undyne and throwing her up, making her lose her grip on her hostage.

“Papyrus!!!??”

Sans saw his opportunity, reaching out and catching her soul with his blue magic mid air.

“What…!?!?!”

He didn’t give her a chance to processes, slamming her into the ground.

Ground. Air. Ground. Air.

His vision was red around the edges, breathe heavy and uneven.

He kept up his attack, the memory of what happens when he stops before it’s over still burned into his soul…

“SANS…”

Sans swung his hand wildly, magic pulsing.

“SANS… STOP… IT’S OVER…”

No. It wasn’t over. It was never over. They always came back.

“SANS…”

Again, and again, and again, and—

“SANS!”

Papyrus caught his wrist.

Sans froze… Sockets dark…

“...It’s Over Sans… There’s Just Dust Now…”

Sans’s breath was shuddered, his bones rattling softly as he let Papyrus pull him into a hug, his magic dissipating…

The remaining villagers watched from a distance…

Undyne… Was gone.

…

It wasn’t long after the rebellion that they’d realized the Barrier was broken.

Sans almost laughed at the irony of it.

The Barrier was designed to keep Monsters in with magic. And that was the funny part. All these years, the Barrier was using their magic as a battery, keeping itself charged and active…

But with the Humans coming through… the famine… many strong Monsters dying… the Core being destroyed… and the Snowdin residence physically shifting from beings of Soul and Magic to Organic one due to their diet… The Barrier just… Stopped working.

Just like that.

All this time of being trapped, of killing Humans and each other, just for it to turn off on its own.

All because there was so few of them left… there might as well have been none.

…

Sans was tired…

Monsters were tired…

Even if the Humans killed them on site, all they wanted to do was spend their last moments under the warmth of the sun…

…

..

.

Sans woke up slowly…

His sockets were wet, phalanges clawed into his mess of sheets…

...His skull did not feel any better…

Chapter Text

You drove down the winding road to the city for your morning commute. The trees were all in full Fall mode. Bright orange, yellows, and reds decorating your path. A crisp wind blew through the branches, sending a rain of golden leaves down over your car like hundreds of flowers for a couple miles. The sky was a cheery blue, and the red maples stood against it in the prettiest contrast. Your stereo cycled through your favorite playlist and you sang along to several of the songs.

Everything seemed so beautiful today.

Maybe because you were in a good mood.

You pulled up in the back parking and turned off your car, shivering as you stepped out into the Autumn air. It was really getting cold.

“Hey Y/n.” Seth came out the back door, propping it open, “Right on time. Ken and I were about to load up the van and then we’re heading out to the wedding venue to set up.”

“Got it. Need me to help you load?” You ask.

Seth waved you off, “Nah, go ahead and get a head start on the daily chores. We’ll probably be out through lunch, but Carla should be here in an hour.”

You nod, turning to head in through the door, stopping short before you crashed into Ken who was carrying a bucket of flowers through the opening.

“Oop! Morning!” You greet, dodging last second.

Ken chuckled, setting the bucket in the trunk as Seth opened it up, “Morning. You’re here early.”

“Yeah, I had a lot of energy this morning, so it was easier to get moving.” You smile back.

Ken grinned at you, letting out a soft laugh before mussing his bangs and looking away bashfully.

Damn… He was so cute.

You noticed Seth look between you two and cock a brow. You pursed your lips to hide your own grin as you turned to head into the shop ahead of them.

…

“You’re going out again tonight?” Carla quirked a brow, “Girl, you move fast.”

“It’s just to the lights festival down town. Nothing crazy.” You brushed off, still feeling the high of your excitement.

“Mhm…” Carla hummed skeptically.

You grinned, knowing she was right, “Whatever. What’s new with you?”

Carla finished sweeping up the stems from the bouquets you’d arranged for pick up later.

“Thanksgiving break is coming up, so I was going to go home for the weekend.” She hangs up the broom and pan.

“How far away are your folks?” You asked.

Carla shrugged, “Not like, crazy far. I chose a school in State to save some money.”

You nodded, “Too bad it’s not close enough to commute from home. Housing costs are the brunt of independent expenses.”

“Yeah, but I like the freedom it gives me.” She said, sighing dramatically, “With a super Catholic, Hispanic mom, and a Black, police chief dad, you can image about how much freedom I, their only child, got at home.”

“Not much.” You concluded.

Carla nodded, “Yep. It’s all good though. We’re pretty close. I got in a big fight with both of them about collage, but it all worked out.”

You shook your head, amazed, “Sounds like a trip. I couldn’t imagine arguing like that with my parents.”

Carla gave you a look, “Y/n, I mean this in the best possible way, but you’ve got to live a little more.”

“What does that mean?” You ask, a little confused.

She waved her hands, trying to explain, “You’re like, super easy to get along with and all. But you don’t have to be so… Agreeable? Passive? I don’t know how to describe it. Just, I want to see you get angry and take chances more often! You’re always so chill!”

You hum, “I don’t really like starting drama though…”

“It’s not Drama if it’s worth speaking up for.” She insisted.

“But I don’t really tend to have a strong opinion.”

She sighed, “That’s what I’m talking about! I mean, you do you. But for real.” She looked around, as if making sure no one was eves-dropping, “Listen, I know something went down between Papyrus’s brother and you at the Halloween party.”

Your eyes widened slightly, “How did you…?”

“I had gone inside to use the bathroom.”

Ah. Yeah, that checks out. The bathroom was right across the hall from Sans’s room.

Guess you hadn’t noticed someone was in there.

“If someone talked to me like that, I’d be throwing hands.” She huffed.

You grimaced, “It wasn’t that bad… I’d been snooping, and he didn’t really do anything to me.”

“Yeah, well something tells me that isn’t the first time he’s treated you like that. You need to go off a him! It’s your damn house!”

“Technically,” You interjected, “We’re all renting the space.”

She rolled her eyes, “You know what I mean. You lived there first. He doesn’t have to be an ass to you.”

“It’s not… the bad.” You chewed your lip, “Besides, I did go off on him. I yelled at him and then got sick on his feet, so I think we’re even.”

Carla raised a brow, “You what?”

Oh boy…

“Remember how I was sick right after Halloween?”

She nodded.

“Well… I had a headache, and was feeling like shit… so I got kind of mad and vented on him, but uh… Then I got sick. And threw up. On his feet.” You sighed, reliving the event in your head.

“Okay. That’s actually pretty good revenge.”

“It gets worse.” You lament.

Carla raised both eyebrows this time, sensing some tea, “Worse?”

You died again just remembering it, “I flashed him.”

“What!?!”

You groaned, recounting the incident of the day of treachery.

“Why am I just hearing about this now?” She asked, flabbergasted and catching her breath from laughing at your expense.

You buried your head in your arms with a groan, “Because it was a horrible moment.”

She patted your back in consolation, “Well… I guess I can give him a pass for actually taking care of you while you were sick… But he still didn’t have to get all rude over something so small.”

“He likes his space.” You sigh, “I should have known it would trigger him.”

“...I know he’s gone through hell, but so have all the other Monsters. Just look at Papyrus! The guy is literal sunshine.”

“I don’t know… It gets to me sometimes, but I also…”

Bright white eye lights and a goofy smile popped into your mind, the lingering memory of a dream you’d almost forgotten flickering to life.

“…”

“...You okay…?”

“Huh?” You snapped out of your reverie, “Yeah. Sorry. Just remembered something and it kinda hit like a dejavu moment.”

Carla pursed her lips slightly, but she didn’t get to prod as the front bell rang and you both turned to greet the customer.

…

Seth and Ken made it back sometime in the mid afternoon, letting you take a late lunch and ending Carla’s shift. You remembered to skim the bulb section of your shop and filled up two bags with ones you thought Papyrus would like. He had brought back onion and garlic starters from the store last time, but you figured he’d enjoy some flowers for the front of the house.

But before you knew it, it was closing time.

“Leaving together?” Seth noted as you all head back to the car lot.

You’d set your bags in the passenger seat of your own car, but Ken had been waiting patiently for you by his.

“We’re going to go check out the lights event downtown.” Ken said, leaning against the his hood as he waited for you, “Familiar?”

Seth nodded, “I’ve gone a few times with my niece Lola.”

“Nice.” Ken nodded, “Think it will live up to our expectations?”

“It’s a decent set up.” Seth nodded, “Supposed to get pretty cold tonight though, so be careful on your way home, Y/n.”

“We won’t be out that late.” You wave off his concern, “But thanks for the heads up.”

Seth nodded, climbing into his car, “Well, have a nice night you two.”

He drove off and you turned to Ken, who opened the passenger door for you, “Ready to go?”

You thanked him and got in the car. And after a short drive, you made it to the area they’d set up the lights. The whole downtown strip into the Ebott Park was lit up in Christmas lights. There were huge wire sculptures decorated with colored lights to make giant 3 dimensional images of snowmen or Santa and his reindeer.

You and Ken walked about, enjoying the displays and buying snacks from the stalls. Ken brought along one of his cameras, mostly taking pictures of the displays and you, but when you asked, he let you borrow it and take a few shots as well.

“If you adjust the lens here and here…” His fingers brushed yours as he turned the lens with you.

You hummed as you watched the image shift in the viewfinder, “Oh, I see… How does that work?”

“I made sure to bring a lens that would be able to capture the lighting. So while this one changes the focus… This one…” He rotated it again, “Changes the amount of light that it lets in.”

His chest was warm, the heat hitting your back even though he kept an inch or two back. His touch against your hand was almost searing hot, making your heart race… Or maybe it’s just because it was so cold outside.

You take the picture, lowering the camera and looking back at him, “Thanks for letting me try.”

“No problem.” He held your gaze and you started to grow more flustered.

You broke eye contact first, looking up at the sky. You knew there were too many lights in the city to make out any stars, but even the moon was hidden behind think clouds.

“Oh! It’s snowing!” You notice in surprise.

Ken looked up too, “You’re right.”

Singular flakes were beginning to float down, slowly growing steadier.

“I wonder if it will stick.” You muse.

Ken took your hand, bringing your attention back to him, “Let me get you back to your car. I don’t want to make you drive back on slick roads.”

You flushed slightly, squeezing his hand back, “Okay, yeah. We pretty much saw everything anyways.”

Ken pulled your hand into his coat pocket with his as you walked, “Did you enjoy it?”

“For sure.” You leaned into his arm, just a little bit, “Thanks for inviting me.”

He laughed softly, “Thank you for agreeing to come. I was worried I’d moved too fast last time.”

You resisted the urge to smile at the memory of the kiss at the end of your last date.

“I usually wait till its official before jumping in like that.” He admitted.

Your smile dropped a bit. You hope you didn’t somehow pressure him into it with your enthusiasm.

He looked back over at you, giving your hand a reassuring squeeze, before letting it go and opening the passenger car door, “I’ll try to be patient till you let me try it again.”

Oh boy.

Even when you got home over an hour later, you heart still hadn’t calmed down.

Sans strolled down the street, a paper bag from the shop in his phalanges. He hopes you liked what he cooked up this time. He knew olives weren’t your favorite, so he’d made his weekly challenge to sneak them into your sandwich every Friday without you noticing. Today, he put a bunch of super diced olives into a pseudo tartar sauce he’d mixed up out of the mayo and pickle juice. Slathered that on a toasty french loaf and slap in some chicken tenders, fried pickles and onions, and voila! A delicious heart attack waiting to happen.

The bell of the door jangled as he pushed it open and stepped in. He paused as your laugh rang through the shop, dying down to a giggle as you noticed him come in.

“Oh! Sans!” You waved him over.

His eye lights drifted to the man beside you… Tall, blond, perfect.

“…” Sans made his way over, “what’s up? who’s your new pal?”

“This is Ken, Granny’s son.” You introduced.

Ken stuck his hand out, “Nice to meet you.”

“Ken, this is Sans.”

Sans reached out to take Ken’s hand, “heya. always good to meet a new pal.”

*ppppppppppppplllllllltttttthhhhhh

Ken startled slightly, but quickly recovered with a laugh, “Looks like we’ve got a prankster on our hands.”

You giggled, that cute little giggle that made Sans’s eye lights go fuzzy, only, it wasn’t directed at him or his silly little whoopie cushion. No, your eyes were locked on Mr. Perfect.

“We were about to go get lunch Sans. Did you want to join us?” You offered.

His phalanges twitched around the rim of the paper bag, “eat’n out huh? nah, paps ‘ll dust me if i spoil my dinner. he’s making some fancy-smanshy russian noodle thing tonight.”

“Ooh, send over any leftovers.” You say, grabbing your stuff to go.

Sans nodded, stepping aside as you rounded the counter, “sure thing.”

“It was nice to meet you Sans.” Ken smiles at him, “I’ll be in town for a while. It would be great to see you again.”

“mkay.”

Sans stepped out with you both, watching you lock up and walk away with Blondie, each step seeming to pull you further away in other ways too.

…

His socket cracked open, the red glow of his eye eerily lighting up the dim room.

His soul ached painfully in his chest.

He stared at the ceiling, feeling dazed.

He could hear you from the kitchen down the hall, chattering away with Papyrus about your date.

Even the smell of breakfast didn’t incline him to drag his bones out of bed… But your cheerful voice saying the words, “Ken” and “Next weekend” in one sentence had him stumbling over to his timeline tracker like his life depended on it.

The line moved across the screen as always. Ever constant.

He was going to lose you again.

Chapter Text

It had started around the time you’d gotten sick.

Dreams.

Timeline dreams.

Sans rarely had those after his skull got smashed in.

Sometimes it would be a dream, sometimes an overwhelming sense of dejavu, and occasionally, usually right after a loop, there’d be that momentary confusion of forgetting what you’d been doing seconds ago. Like walking into the kitchen, but forgetting why, cause your mind is still trying to catch up with your body being tossed back in time.

The first two didn’t necessarily mean anomaly activity. After all, even with god like abilities, the experiences of those timelines, the energy and magic exchanged, the bonds you made… They didn’t just poof into thin air. There’d always be an imprint. Just fainter. Like a scar that you can’t remember how you got.

And according to the machine, there still weren’t any changes is the current timeline. No tampering. No anomalies…

No, the problem wasn’t that there was tampering, It was that there wasn’t. And worst of all, the dreams. The Dreams…

It was like they were haunting him. Non-memories of your smile, your laughs, your touch… Tender, soft, brushing against his bones, treating him like something precious…

If you weren’t an anomaly, playing with their world, then that would mean he willingly…

That the two of you…

And not just one time…

Sans thumbed to the next blank page in his journal. He’d been keeping track of any timeline memories since he’d met you, writing them down in case it revealed something…

He slowed down the pace of his page flipping… the last two pages caught on the rough texture of his phalange… He eyed them in ire.

Seriously? Only two blank pages left? Out of three hundred?

His soul ached uncomfortably in his ribs as he scribbled down the contents of his dream.

This was so stupid. There was no way that dream was bothering him this much… There’s no way that they’d… in that many timelines… No. He refused to believe that this wasn’t some sort of timeline game. That you weren’t playing with him… except… a small voice in the back of his skull wouldn’t stop reminding him that he knew the truth already.

...Was he an idiot?

Sans sighed and shut the journal, the final pages filled with scribbled words and a rough sketch of your love struck expression.

Just in time for Papyrus to come banging on his door, demanding that Sans answer before he barges in to make sure he isn’t dust. Sans tossed the notebook in the pile with all the others and shortcut into the kitchen.

“already at the table paps.” He called, slouching down in his chair.

Papyrus peered back around the corner into the kitchen, “AH! PERFECT. NOW YOU CAN ENJOY SOME OF THE FRENCH TOAST SANDWICHES I WHIPPED UP!”

“...what?”

Sans looked down at his plate. On it was two thick slices of french toast with loads of whipped cream, strawberries, and bananas between them.

“It’s seriously good Papyrus.” You complimented, already digging into it as Paps came back over.

“THANK YOU Y/N.”

Sans picked it up and took a bite. It was sweet, fluffy, and the strawberries added just a bit of tartness.

“it’s good.” he agreed.

“OF COURSE! IT WAS MADE BY YOURS TRULY! AND IT HAS PROTEIN FROM THE EGGS AND CREAM, AND POTASSIUM FROM THE BANANAS, MAKING IT SECRETLY HEALTHY! NYEHEH!” Papyrus grinned proudly at the dish’s hidden healthiness.

Sans kept eating, his eye drifting up to his brother.

Back in the underground, his socket had slowly grown sunken, his teeth crooked and chipped. But nowadays, he was looking a lot more like his old self. Chipper and less tired, bones filling out again.

It wouldn’t happen overnight, but eventually, Monsters would slowly regain more of their magic back. And eventually, life would return to how it was before…

He supposed it was a good thing. That magic would eventually start circulating again, and that being creatures of magic, as it replenished, so would they. But for some reason it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

The truth?

The truth was that he knew this had nothing to do with you. None of this timeline shit, or any of the problems that got them to this point. You were just a nice normal person, trying their best to be kind, and he was nothing but an ass.

He gave up on a happy end a long time ago. So long that, despite having it right in front of him, he was still waiting for the shoe to drop. How could he settle down in this moment, no matter how good it was, when he’d spent so long just waiting for that moment when he could finally close his sockets and rest? How could he believe that you were genuine? That any of this was…...Right…?

But in all honesty, being so angry and on guard all the time was exhausting. He missed being able to see a genuine person just trying their best and finding it in himself to relax. To hope and root for them. He wanted to just let it all go and—

“—ANS! SANS!”

Sans snapped out of his daze, “huh? what were you saying?”

“Y/N IS HAVING THEIR HUMAN FRIEND OVER ON SATURDAY AND WE’RE GOING TO HAVE PIZZA AND A MOVIE, SO MAKE SURE YOU ACTUALLY POP OUT AND SAY HI THIS TIME.”

Great.

“sure thing paps…” Sans grumbled, slouching lower in his seat and getting back to his breakfast.

He’d rather do anything in the world than meet your ‘human friend’ Ken, but Papyrus had really chewed him out after the Halloween party. He hadn’t meant to miss out on… the whole thing… But after he blew up on you about the room… He’d felt guilty.

You had look so… hurt. So scared… Ready to bolt at any second...afraid of him.

And he meant to apologize about it. Really. He didn’t want things to get awkward between you considering how observant Papyrus is.

...Okay, and he just was feeling all crummy afterwards too.

But by the time he’d talked himself into actually doing something about it, everyone was already gone and the party was over. Then you got all sick the next morning and he just… never got around to it.

Paps only scolded him for being grumpy and antisocial or whatever else he was saying, so Sans figures that meant you hadn’t told anyone about the incident. As usual…

Honestly, it kinda freaked him out. As convenient as it was that you never told on him, why the hell were you staying quiet with a literal murder skeleton threatening you around every corner?

Unless… Your soul was also…

Sans stopped that train of thought before it could go further.

Didn’t matter. He wasn’t curious. Nope. Not even a little.

He glanced over at you as you finished and brought your plate to the sink.

...Seriously. He should just apologize already so he doesn’t have to keep feeling all shitty.

It seems the number of wrongs he should apologize for was just stacking up.

Which is why, today he was gonna make sure he stopped avoiding it.

You were looking forward to your nice, relaxing Sunday. No work, no plans, just chilling. Maybe you’d help Papyrus plant all those bulbs you brought back… It was a little late now to plant now, but it might be okay still…? The snow from the night before hadn’t gotten very thick, so at the very least, it would be good to get them in before it got too high and the ground froze. It was supposed to start again later tonight, so it would be better to get it done early.

You went up to your room and changed into something warm. You went back downstairs. Sans was still at the table and looked up as you came in.

“heya…” he said softly, studying you with his eye, “paps is already out gettin’ a head start…”

You were a bit surprised that he called out to you for once. He seemed nervous for some reason, his gaze not nearly as piercing as normal.

“Oh, thanks.” You say, pulling on your shoes to go out and join him.

“...hey, uh…”

You paused, hand on the door handle, “Did you need something?”

You tensed a little. Usually when Sans talked with you alone it was because he was mad at you. So reasonably, you were a bit on edge.

“...’m sorry.” He mumbled, shrinking into himself and slouching lower in his chair.

You blinked, “What?”

He sighed, reaching up and scratching at the rim of his empty socket a moment, “...i’m sorry. about snapping at’cha last time… and… jus’ for being an ass in general…”

You blinked at him in surprise.

“look, pal.” He grimaced slightly at your expression of total shock, “ima level with ya for a sec…”

You nodded, letting your hand come off the door handle and moving closer to the table subconsciously.

“i know your not a bad person… heck, ‘ve know it since the very beginning.” He set his hand back down on the table, tapping his phalanges as he talked, “ ‘n we agreed to start over and be friends and all that… but i've been doing a pretty bad job at it. so i… ‘m sorry.”

You felt yourself relax a bit.

Wow. Honestly, you never thought you’d ever hear something like that from Sans. And it felt surprisingly good.

You felt your smile grow, “Well, thank you. I appreciate that. I’d also like to offer an apology about the other day. Just to get us back on even ground.”

Sans quirked a brow bone. Shouldn’t you be more upset with him?

But you didn’t seem to be faking your cheerful attitude or your willingness to forgive him.

“I’ll try to be more respectful of your privacy from now on. I understand you’ve been through a lot, so I won’t hold it against you, especially since you’re willing to apologize like that.” You say happily, “Let’s work on it together, okay? I definitely still believe we can be good friends once we’ve worked out all this boundary stuff.”

“uh… yeah. okay.” Sans agreed, no longer tapping anxiously or curling in on himself, his shoulders almost sagging in shock of your response.

You headed back over to the door, “I’m heading out to help Papyrus. You should join us!”

You smiled at him one last time on your way out, feeling almost light with how glad you were about Sans’s genuine apology.

He was left at the table, staring almost dumbly after you.

He felt the itch to check the machine, to make sure that line was still stable…

But instead, he stood up, shoving his hands in his pockets and went out after you.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to get some dirt between his bones for once.

Chapter Text

Living with Monsters had changed you, but not necessarily in a bad way. Maybe Papyrus was rubbing off on you, or maybe meeting Muffet was the catalyst, regardless, you spent most of your morning capturing a spider to release instead of squashing it. It left you scrambling to make sure that you were ready and the house was presentable. Maybe you were fussing too much, but how could you not! Ken was coming over.

“How’s the pizza coming Papyus?” You ask, swinging into the kitchen for a moment to put the broom away.

“PERFECTLY! THE DOUGH IS JUST RIGHT!” He said proudly, “DO YOU WANT TO HELP WITH THE TOPPINGS?”

“Sure.” You quickly washed your hands and came to the counter to help.

“ARE YOU CERTAIN HE’LL BE ALRIGHT WITH THE SPIDER DUST?” Papyrus asked, “IT’S CERTAINLY A TRADITIONAL MONSTER FOOD, BUT THIS WILL BE COMPLETELY NEW FOR HIM.”

You nodded, “He seems pretty adventurous. I think it will be okay.”

“I HOPE HE ENJOYS IT. IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I’VE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE SOMETHING LIKE THIS! BACK WHEN THINGS WERE STILL GOOD, SANS AND I WOULD— WAIT. WHERE IS SANS?”

You look around, almost expecting him to pop up from the couch at his name, “I haven’t seen him all morning.”

“OHH… IF HE SKIPS OUT ON SOCIALIZING AGAIN, I SWEAR… DO YOU MIND FINISHING THIS Y/N? I’M GOING TO MAKE SURE HE’S UP BEFORE THE GUEST ARRIVES…”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

Papyrus hurried off to get his brother as you finished off the toppings and slid the stone into the oven…

Moments later, the doorbell rang.

From the moment Ken walked through the front door, Sans hated him. He hadn’t done anything wrong, but Sans could feel his bones prickle the second he laid his eye on him. He was so…

“IT’S SO LOVELY TO MEET ANOTHER OF Y/N’S HUMAN FRIENDS!” Papyrus enthusiastically shook his hand, “I’M THEIR HOUSEMATE, PAPYRUS.”

Ken shook his hand back, “Pleasure is all mine. You can call me Ken.” his attention shifted, “And you must be Sans?”

Sans resisted the urge to role his eye, “yep.”

He did not extend his hand. Papyrus gave him the side eye, but if anyone else noticed they didn’t comment.

“WELL, MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME. THE PIZZA SHOULD BE OUT SHORTLY.” Papyrus stepped aside, ushering everyone over towards the couch, “SHALL WE START THE MOVIE, OR WAIT FOR THE FOOD TO COME OUT FIRST?”

“If you don’t mind, I’d love to get to know you a bit before we jump into the evening.” Ken suggested.

“OF COURSE! WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?” Papyrus seemed excited for some conversation.

“Well, I’ve always been fascinated by different cultures.” Ken says, just as engaged, “I was just curious to know about your own.”

Sans scoffed from his corner of the couch.

“Ken’s a famous photographer.” You say, smiling at him like he’s the only person in the room, “He’s traveled all over the world.”

Ken laughs, rubbing the back of his neck, “I don’t know about famous… But I do travel a lot. Feel free to ask me anything in return.”

“WOWIE! IT’S WONDERFUL TO MEET A FRIEND WHO’S SO INFORMED ABOUT THE WORLD! I’D LOVE TO SEE YOUR PICTURES. Y/N TOLD ME THEY ARE VERY GOOD!”

Sans zoned out of the conversation as the other three chattered on about places he didn’t know and Monster puzzle culture. At the very least, no one was trying to involve him in the conversation. He didn’t know if he would have been able to keep the clear distaste out of his voice for long. Though, admittedly, he wasn’t trying very hard.

It was just like in his dreams… Mr. perfect coming in out of nowhere, just when things were starting to get comfy. And you, of course, were completely enamored. Every time you giggled at something ‘Ken’ said, it made something in his soul twist terribly. He didn’t know what irked him more, the fact that you were doing it, or that it bothered him so much.

The oven timer dinged and Papyrus hurried to get the pizza’s out of the oven.

You got up and went with him, “How’d it turn out?”

“AMAZING! LOOK HOW FLUFFY AND CRISPY THE CRUST GOT!” Papyrus took the pizza cutter from you and started slicing them up.

“Smells good.” Ken said, looking over from his spot on the couch.

“IT’S A NEW RECIPE!” Papyrus informs him, “WE MADE A SOUR DOUGH CRUST WITH SOME STARTER A FRIEND GAVE US!”

“You might find it interesting.” You say, starting to explain the spider dust to him, “It has spider dust mixed in, which is traditional for spider Monsters and in many Monster baked goods.”

“Spider dust…?” He questioned curiously, “As is crushed up dried spiders?”

“NO. THE MONSTER KIND.”

“Huh… Interesting. Well, I look forward to trying it.” He seemed curious, but not put off.

“I’ll pull out the table.” You said, heading to the garage to get out the folding table.

Ken quickly got up, “Let me help.”

Soon enough, you all were settled back on the couch, ready to watch the movie.

Sans didn’t know if the line up was purposeful, but after setting the tables up and loading everyone’s plates, he found himself on one end, right beside you, who was beside Kenny boy, with Papyrus on the end.

It was a bit of a squeeze with four people on one couch, and he was highly considering moving to the recliner just so that you weren’t all pressed against him like that. But then he wouldn’t have a table, or be able to see the TV, so Paps would say he wasn’t ‘participating’ and talk his ear off again.

So as usual, he did what he always did, slouching down in his seat and pretending like everything was fine and not making him want to retreat to the solitude of his room.

At least you two weren’t holding hands or anything.

Sans distracted himself by stuffing down pizza and making sarcastic comments on the movie. By the time it had ended, Sans couldn’t even tell you what they’d watched.

Ken checked the time as the movie ended, “Well, I should probably get going soon, but let me help you clean up the dishes first.”

He stood up and offered his hand to you.

“It’s too bad you couldn’t have come earlier. We could have shown you around town some.” You say, taking his offered hand, “You would have loved it.”

Sans let his gaze linger on the way neither of you let go right away. He wasn’t nearly as good at keeping his expression in check as he once was, and Ken seemed to notice, gently slipping his hand out to gather the plates.

“I’m sure I would. Maybe next time?”

The question was open, not exactly imposing, but still made Sans want to kick his ass out to the cold and tell him he ain’t welcome back.

Papyrus had other ideas…

“BUT OF COURSE! IN FACT, WHY DON’T YOU SPEND THE NIGHT AND WE CAN SHOW YOU TOMORROW MORNING!”

Sans whipped his head around so fast he thought his skull would fly off, shooting his brother a look of alarm and betrayal.

Papyrus seemed a little guilty at least, hands starting to fidget as he babbled, “I MEAN, THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS QUITE BAD NOW… I’D HATE TO SEND YOU HOME IN SUCH POOR CONDITIONS. IT WOULD BE MUCH SAFER IF YOU STAYED IN THE GUEST ROOM AND DRIVE HOME IN THE MORNING AFTER THE ICE IS CLEARED SOME…”

“That’s a good idea!” You said, oblivious to the irritated looks Sans was shooting at everyone.

“Well…” Ken was less ignorant to the glaring skeleton in the corner, daring him to agree.

You looked out the window, “Plus it’s snowing again. Pretty heavily too. The guest room is a bit messy right now, but I’d really feel better knowing you weren’t out in this.”

Sure enough, like the sky itself was his enemy, a flurry of thick snow flakes were catching the window light as they came down, promising icy roads and deep snow banks.

“If you don’t mind…” Ken relented.

You seemed elated, beaming as you all worked on cleaning up the kitchen.

Sans slinked back to his room, the universe against him this time.

Chapter Text

“It’s a bit of a mess, but make yourself at home. There’s a bathroom right out in the hall.” You say, showing Ken the spare room.

Currently, you guys had just been using it for extra storage, so the taken down Halloween decorations and other knickknacks left from the elderly couple who’d once owned the place were all in stacked boxes against the far wall. You’d pretty much forgotten it was actually a bed room, but you were glad Papyrus had suggested it.

The room above the garage was actually pretty nice. It was slightly bigger than the rooms Sans and Papyrus had claimed, but it was on the second floor and a little more isolated than the other rooms. Convenient for guests, and the brother’s had wanted to bunk closer to each other anyways.

“No worries, thanks for letting me use it.” Ken smiled.

You returned it, “It’s no problem. Let me know if you need another blanket or anything.”

“Will do.” Ken nodded.

You hovered in the door for a moment…

“I hope you had a good time tonight.” You say, no quite wanting to say goodnight yet.

Ken seemed to notice your hesitation to leave and gently rested a hand on your shoulder, “I did. It’s always a pleasure to see you. Thank you for inviting me over.”

The he leaned in and placed a chaste kiss to your head.

“Good night Y/n. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Your heart thumped wildly, cheeks warm as you nodded, mumbling out a small ‘yeah, you too’ before wandering off to your own room.

…

The next morning, you found that Ken was an early riser, already up and helping Papyrus collect eggs from the hen house and feed them all. The flower shop was only open for half the hours on Sundays, so it gave him the time to have a leisurely breakfast with you and a brief tour of the town.

As you’d expected, Ken was fascinated by the changes Monsters had slowly been making to the town, and got along with everyone you’d run into on the way. Despite having traveled around the globe, Monster culture was entirely new. Of course you had to take him to the park on main street. The puzzles from the ‘Move In’ party were still set up in commemoration of traditional culture, so obviously he had to try them. Your personal favorite was the tile maze Papyrus had brought. He’d told you the original design was a collaboration with an old friend and had actual traps instead of simply being colored to the instructions, but it was still fun this way. Ken seemed to like it too. He was especially good at the snowball golf, which someone had recently added.

But, eventually he had to leave. It was too bad you didn’t have the same day off.

“Will Granny be back for Thanksgiving?” You asked him as you walked to his car together.

He shook his head, “No, not till the first week of December. That’s when her birthday is though, so the family kind of gets together then and celebrates instead.”

“You could always have Thanksgiving with us.” You offered, “If it goes anything like Halloween, there will plenty to go around.”

Ken smiled, “Thank you. I might take you up on that.”

You didn’t want to say goodbye yet, but alas, it was time. Ken gave you a hug, promising to text you so you’d know if he made it back safely.

When you got back to your own home, your head was still full of thoughts of him.

You’d almost known him a month now. Was that long enough to consider dating him…? Honestly, it had been so long since you’d been in a relationship, you weren’t sure. But if he asked you…

You sighed wistfully, gazing out the back window as you rinsed your lunch dishes.

…

..

.

“Who was that?”

It was a usual Monday at the shop. You and Seth were on staff, and you had just finished the morning chores. What you’d first thought was a customer chatting with Seth at the front, had subverted your assumption as they leaned across the counter and shared a brief kiss.

Seth gave you a slightly lopsided grin, “Julia.”

“Julia.” You repeated, quirking a brow, “How long have you been together?”

Were you really so wrapped up in your own crush that you’d missed this? Honestly, you could have sworn he and Carla had a thing… But then again, Carla was bit of a wild card, and Seth rarely talked about his personal life aside from his niece.

Seth laughed at the clear query on your face, “Admittedly, not that long. We’re in the same church group, so we’d met a few times over the last year, but we never really talked until recently. Went on a few dates and decided to make it official. I’m actually spending Thanksgiving with her folks.”

“Isn’t that kind of fast?” You asked, thinking of your own situation.

Seth hummed, eyeing you for a moment, “Well, maybe for some. But everyone’s different, you know? Besides, in my case, I’m coming up on forty soon enough, so I’m ready to take things more seriously.”

“You’re thirty six. It’s still a few more years.” You huffed a small laugh.

“Soon enough.” He reiterated with a shrug, “Besides, I’m smitten. I already know, she’s going to be the one.”

You nodded thoughtfully. You wanted to ask how he was so sure, but you figured the answer was out of your grasp currently.

“Well, give me a heads up when you set the date so I can get you a wedding gift.”

He chuckled and ruffled your hair, “What? Just a heads up? Stupid, of course I’m going to invite you when the time comes.”

You batted his hand away playfully, but inside you felt happy. Seth was something like an older brother to you by now. You were glad he seemed to feel the same.

Still, as the day went on, you played with the idea of him being married. Admittedly, you didn’t really have friends outside of work, and now of course the Monsters that had dropped into your life, so even though you were getting to that age where people usually started getting hitched, you hadn’t been to a wedding since your older sister’s. And besides, you had yet to officially meet Julia. It made you wonder what kind of person she was. It was easy to imagine Seth as a dad since he was always taking care of his niece Lola, but not as easy to picture him being all lovey dovey. You knew he’d be a really good husband though. He was thoughtful, observant, considerate, dependable… Ken would probably make a good husband too.

You blushed, shaking the thought out of your head as you drove back home.

Stars, all this talk about marriage was getting to your head. You weren’t even dating yet.

...But that could change…

If he asked you, you already knew what your answer would be....Does that mean you should ask him?

And there was a whole new can of worms and what ifs. What if he said no? What if he said yes? What if this was too soon? What if—

The thought wasn’t even fully formed, but the image of Sans filled your head, making a small pang in your chest.

Why? Was it because you were still scared he’d suddenly snap again? You hated that you felt that way… You didn’t want to be afraid of him. It made your heart feel heavy just thinking about it. You didn’t like holding grudges or being a hateful person in general, so despite the on/off he kept throwing at you, you were determined not to let a wall build between the two of you. Maybe it would help him too… to see that he could let people back in, despite what he’s been through.

You pulled into the garage with a sigh, turning off your engine and just sitting in the car for a moment to collect yourself.

Maybe you needed to spend some time on yourself for a bit. Unwind and not think about all this relationship mumbo jumbo.

...Didn’t you still have that bath bomb from last Christmas hiding in your bathroom somewhere…?

“Y/N!!! BIG NEWS! BIG NEWS!”

“Stars Papyrus…” Your hand was still on your chest from the minor heart attack he’d given you.

You’d barely opened the door and Papyrus had practically jumped on you.

“APOLOGIZES Y/N, I’M JUST SO EXCITED! I’VE SIMPLY BEEN WAITING ALL DAY TO TELL YOU!”

“Tell me what?” You asked, unloading your winter gear as you came in the rest of the way.

Papyrus’s eyes were practically sparkling, “AT GRILLBY’S TODAY, YOU’LL NEVER GUESS WHAT I SAW…” He said conspiratorially.

You sat down at the table, “At Grillby’s?”

He nodded eagerly, “YES! MUFFET WAS THERE!”

Since your little tea party, Muffet had certainly been opening up quite a bit more, but you didn’t see why this was so exciting… unless...

“Did something happen?” You asked.

“YES!!” Papyrus practical screamed, “IT’S OFFICIAL!!!”

“Muffet and Grillby?” You clarified.

“YES…!” He squealed, “DON’T ASK HOW I FOUND OUT... It was a minor, slightly accidental invasion of privacy… BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY’VE COME OUT AS PROPER MATES! ISN’T THAT EXCITING!?”

“Wow.” Tis the season it seems, “Yeah. That’s great! It’s been a long time coming for them, huh?”

Papyrus was happy to give you all the details as you ate dinner, and in turn, you shared the latest gossip on Seth.

By the time it was time to turn in to bed, your head was full of a myriad of thoughts. Spinning and circling… turning over the news of all these relationships springing up around you.

...Maybe it was time for you to take that step too.

…

..

.

That week had been flying by, and Thanksgiving came before you knew it.

This time, the whole town was gathering at the park to have a feast. Your group was bringing some sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and roasted carrots. You had to cut Papyrus off, reminding him that he didn’t have to bring the whole feast. Everyone was contributing! Grillby was roasting the turkeys, Dogeressa and her family were going to bring cider and drinks, Ice Wolf was coming with the store owner, Greg, and bringing ice-cream, the bunny family had baked some gorgeously glossy dinner rolls… And of course, with Grillby around, Muffet was there! She’d brought several sweet potato pies, made with the ones Papyrus sent over. There were actually several other humans residents there. It was nice to see that everyone was getting along.

Speaking of…

You checked your phone again. Ken was supposed to be coming. You thought he’d be here by now…

You fidgeted with your phone, debating if you should reach out…

Whatever! It’s not like it would hurt.

You were about to hit call, but your phone started ringing, Ken’s caller ID showing on the screen. You quickly picked up and walked a few paces down the street to a quieter corner…

“Hey Ken!” You chirped, “Are you almost here?”

You immediately picked up on how exhausted he sounded, “Hey Y/n. Actually, I’m calling to let you know I can’t make it.”

“Oh no! Did something happen?” You asked, brow crinkling in concern.

“Well… I’m having a bit of a flooding problem. The pipes blew.” He sighed, “I’m sorry I won’t be able to make it.”

“Oh shit. How bad is it?”

“Well, I managed to cut the water. But with it being a holiday, get it cleaned and fixed is a bit more trouble.”

You could hear water sloshing in the background, “That um, sounds like a lot of water.”

Ken let out a humorless chuckle, “Yeah. It must have burst while I out. There’s probably a couple inches in the kitchen.”

“Oh no…”

Your mind filtered through different things you could say in this situation. What would be helpful?

Finally, all the others faded away… leaving only one, loud and clear and spilling from your mouth before you could think it over.

“Do you need a place to stay?”

Chapter Text

“Are you sure this is alright?” Ken asked for the thousandth time.

You and Papyrus had moved some of the boxes from the spare room out to the garage to make his stay more comfortable. It was only going to be a few days, but you could at least be proper hosts during that time.

“Oh don’t worry so much.” You reassured him, “Besides, the plumber said it would take a while to fix the pipe because where it broke, right?”

Ken nodded, but still seemed ready to leave and find a cheap motel at a moments notice. Maybe it had to do with the fact that Sans’ eerie staring had found a new target to intimidate. You couldn’t blame Ken for being on edge. You certainly remembered how that had felt, and this was your own home! Meanwhile, Ken was simply a guest and probably felt like he was intruding.

Papyrus had tried urging Sans to lighten up a bit, promising it would only be until the water problem had been solved, but it seemed unlikely that the glaring would stop anytime soon.

You’d known Papyrus wouldn’t have an issue with the extended visit, but you’d agreed to kind of go behind Sans’ back on this one....He would have been out voted anyways…

“Thank you again for this. If there’s anything I can do to help out while I’m here, just let me know.” He said, setting down his stuff.

He’d be there through the holiday weekend, which was a nice three days you guys wouldn’t have to worry about the shop. It was unclear whether he’d be heading out on Monday or Tuesday since it was dependent on the insurance and plumbing companies, but It should be dealt with by the time he picked up Granny from the airport Tuesday evening. It was good that Ken was around to handle the fiasco. You couldn’t imagine what a horror it would have been to come back to a flooded house. Hopefully the water damage wasn’t too bad.

“Likewise. If there’s anything you need while you’re here, let one of us know.” You insisted with a smile, “I’m going to go help Papyrus finish up dinner, but make yourself at home.”

You left him to settle in and headed down to find Papyrus in the kitchen.

“Hey.” You greet as you join him at the counter, pulling out the cutting board to start chopping the vegetables Papyrus was washing, “How’d it go…?”

“WELL…” He gave you a strained smile, “HE’S NOT AS MAD AS HE COULD BE?”

You sighed, “Figures.”

You wouldn’t be surprised if he spent the whole weekend at Grillby’s, just to avoid Ken. But to your surprise, it was the exact opposite.

Sans joined everyone for dinner, even interjecting some jokes into the dinner conversation. He stayed out in the living room as you all socialized. He was even the first one up and at the breakfast the following morning.

It was… kind of weird, seeing him so present.

But it eventually clicked for you. He was hanging around so much because he wanted to keep a close eye on Ken, kind of like what he’d done when you’d first met.

You felt a little bad. While this was technically your home too, and you had every right to have guests over, there was still some guilt over bringing someone into his safe space without an okay first. Still, maybe this would help him come out of his shell a bit more. Some good, healthy, social interaction with a genuinely nice human like Ken.

Considering this was your idea, you figured you owed it to him to come over and make sure he was hanging in there.

You sat beside him on the back porch, shivering as the cold from the seat seeped through your pants.

“Heya. How it going?” You ask.

He spared you a glance as you joined him in watching Papyrus introduce all the chickens to Ken. Ken in turn took some nice photos of Papyrus and his little hoard of feathered friends.

Sans shuffled, sinking further into his coat, “oh, you know. same old, same old.”

“You’re not too mad that I invited Ken to stay, are you?” You couldn’t help but ask.

“...nah.” he sighed, “i get by now that you can’t help but be all nice and hospitable and crap. you’ve already driven that point home. heh.”

You roll your eyes playfully at the pun, “Har har, very funny.”

He chuckled to himself, and you smiled, giving him a small shove with your shoulder. He returned to gesture, and you huffed a laugh, settling back into the bench.

“...He’s really not a bad guy.” You said after a moment, “You can relax a little you know.”

Sans sighed again, heavier this time as he begrudgingly admitted, “yeah. i know. trust me, i know.”

You quirked his brow at his words, wondering what that tone meant, but he moved on before you could ask.

“it jus’ makes me feel better… watching.”

“Yeah. I remember when I was the subject of all that watching.” You say, teasing, but in good nature, “It’s pretty intense.”

Sans shrugged, “ ‘s hard to trust people who seem so perfect.”

Now that caught you off guard.

You let out an awkward little laugh, “Oh please. I’m not even close to perfect…”

Sans glanced back over at you, “don’t sell yourself short kid.”

“...Thanks.” You say softly, not sure what else to do.

Was that how he saw you? Perfect?

Sure, it made sense that he saw Ken that way… Ken was pretty close to perfection. You had yet to find something to ruin that record. But you? You were awkward, and kind of scattered, and always overstepping his boundaries, and… well, just being a mess in general.

“I’m going to head in and make some hot chocolate for everyone.” You say, excusing yourself now that you were feeling all weird and kinda fluttery, probably out of embarrassment.

“mkay.” Sans hummed, “guess ‘ll let em know.”

You hadn’t notice how close you’d shifted to Sans until you stood up and the heat from his side against your own was lost. But you tried not to think too much of it as you headed back in. He didn’t seem to mind anyways…

…

You set the last of your boxes into the back of the moving truck, giving the old house one last look. Your chest felt oddly heavy, but you refused to be glum about it. It wasn’t right for you to stay. They had truly made the house their home… meanwhile, for you, it was just a place to live… at least, that’s how it was when you’d first moved in…

“we’re gonna miss ya kid.”

You startled as Sans spoke up from behind you, but you quickly relaxed, turning around with a small laugh, “You’ll still see me at the shop.”

Sans shrugged, “sure. not the same though. there’s nothing quite like watching you scramble faster than pap’s eggs in the morning.”

You snickered, “Spare me. I’m sure you’ll get on just fine without my life giving you your daily dose of comic relief.”

Sans chuckled with you, but you noticed it lacked his usual lightness.

“...you know… you can come and visit whenever, right?” He added after a moment.

You met his eyes. His brow bone was lowered slightly, as if he was concerned this would be the last time he’d get to see you.

“I’ll come back Sans.” You reassured him, reaching out and giving his arm a squeeze, “...Promise.”

He studied you a moment, gaze flicking between your eyes till he seemed to find whatever he’d been searching for…

“heh… kay, ‘ll hold ya to it then.”

…

When you woke up, there was a heavy kind of melancholy in your chest.

You could remember bits and pieces of the dream, but honestly, you’d rather forget this one.

It’s not like you hadn’t considered moving out and letting the brothers officially take ownership of this place. After all, Papyrus had put far more work into it than you ever had, and you were the only thing really standing between them renting and the landlady properly selling them the property…

But moving out…? Why did that make you feel so… sad?

You sighed wistfully, lost in thought as you left your room.

“Good morning Y/n. Sleep well?”

You brightened, waking yourself up a bit as you met Ken coming down the hall.

“Morning! Well enough. You?” You replied, waiting for him so you could head down for breakfast together.

Ken nodded, “Same here. Its definitely more comfortable than a cheap rental.”

“Any plans today?” You ask as you make you way to the first floor.

Ken followed after you, “I actually need to drop by the house to get some information for the insurance company. Thankfully, my mom keeps it all filed pretty neatly, so it should be easy enough to find. I thought I’d drop by the shop and help Seth with the weekend watering and have some lunch out as well, so I don’t waste the drive.”

You nodded in understanding, “Need me to come along and help at the shop?”

But he was quick to wave you off, “Oh no, you don’t need to do that. That part won’t take that long with the two of us, and I wouldn’t want to make you wait around while I’m running all the other errands.”

Part of you wanted to insist that it wouldn’t be any trouble, but then again, you also didn’t want to seem pushy.

“Okay. Well, let me know if you change your mind before then. I’m always happy to help.”

He thanked you, but in the end, he left you to enjoy the holiday weekend. A minor bummer, since you actually wanted to spend some time with him and had nothing to do today besides the matter…

...Maybe you could go visit some of the other friends you’d made in town.

Deciding that wasn’t a bad idea, you made plans to go visit Dogeressa, who was happy to hear from you and invited you over for lunch.

It was your first time over, so you made sure to bring a little something with you. All the dog family lived in the same neighborhood, the cozy little cul-de-sac right across from the bunny one. As such, Dogeressa invited over Bunny and a few others to join in.

It was pretty fun, getting together and chatting over lunch and coffee. It gave you a good opportunity to become acquainted with a few more of the town’s residents as well! Of course, the big gossip was over everyone’s favorite bartender and little miss Muffet, several of them chipping in with tales from when they’d alledgedly met, the rumor being that they’d once lived together! Scandalous!?

“Speaking of living together…” The rabbit Monster known as Bunny rested her arms on the table, leaning closer in, “Y/n, I hear you’re living with Papyrus and Sansy.”

You nodded and took a sip of your drink, “Yeah. We’re all renting together.”

“What do you think of them?” She immediately asked.

“Well Papyrus is probably the nicest person I’ve ever met,” You start, “And Sans is actually really great once you get on his good side. He’s pretty funny and surprisingly caring-”

Bunny waves her hand, brushing away your answer, “No, no. I meant in a more… well…”

Her cousin rolled her eyes, playfully interrupting, “She wants to know if you’re attracted to them at all.”

“Oh.” You suddenly felt like everyone else had paused their conversations, waiting for you to answer, “Well… I can’t say it isn’t something I’ve thought before…” You admitted earning conspiratorial ‘oohh’s from the group, “But!” You quickly interject, “I don’t think either of them see me that way. Besides, I have someone else I’m interested in right now…”

Dogeressa quipped up, “Oh! I heard from Papyrus that one of your Human friends is staying over right now. Is that the one?”

You blushed, “Uh, yeah.”

Everyone started chattering at once, discussing the possible romance that could be brewing with three ‘hunks’ all under the same roof.

You were lowkey dying of embarrassment, but figured you’d let them have their fun.

“If you’ve considered it, then I guess Monster Human relationships aren’t really a hang up for ya, huh?” Bunny addressed you directly again.

“Not really, no.” You agreed, humoring her curiosity, “I mean, Monsters are clearly just as sentient and advanced as Humans, so I don’t see why genuine love couldn’t blossom between them.”

Everyone hummed in agreement, starting to share their own thoughts about the matter.

...Not that there were many Humans left in town, and most of them being older, so pickings were slim. But if there were any hot human guys in town, She’d have no problem hitting on one, Bunny informed everyone.

...

Eventually, the get together came to a close, and you thanked Dogeressa for the invitation, agreeing it should happen again sometime soon.

You got in your car and pulled out your phone to make a quick note. You wanted to make a reminder to get together with Muffet again before you forgot.

As you jotted down your note, your mind wandered back to the topics from earlier.

You remembered that once upon a time, you’d thought that if you did decide to date a Monster, Papyrus seemed like a good option. He was definitely Boyfriend material after all. But in all honesty, you couldn’t see yourself together with him in that way. Your relationship was far more on the platonic side.

On the other hand… You never thought Sans you you would be more than friends. Heck, you’re surprised you’d even made it to that level….But then… You keep having all these dreams lately. Blurry imagines and vague feelings of dejavu where you’re undeniably more than friends with him. Sure you kept brushing them off. Dreams were weird after all….So why did they keep lingering in your brain, surging to the forefront every time you had a moment alone?

You liked Ken...right?

You sighed, deciding to head somewhere else before going home.

Maybe you just needed some space to think...