Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

April

“Table 4 is demanding a full refund.”

You look up from your crepe, glaring at the speaker. Your lunch had just started, damnit. Lane shrugs apologetically. “They say that they asked for no bananas and we gave them bananas and they’re allergic.”

“Bananas?” You ask.

“Yup.”

“Oh.” Narrowing your eyes, you think about the frustration of the morning shipment. “How rude have they been?”

“Very.” Well, alright then. You sigh, pushing yourself off the milk crate seat you’ve been using. Quickly, you pack up your lunch, place it in the employee fridge - I'll be back for you – and head into the front area. It’s busy, as it always is at this time, and a few regulars wave at you as you walk by. You give them a small sincere smile in return before schooling your expression for table 4. It’s a middle-aged couple. Tourists, you assume. Typical.

“What is the problem here guys?” You give your best customer-service smile. You know, the fake-as-hell one. The man turns to face you with an angry look.

“Your server gave me bananas! I’m allergic! I can’t have bananas!” His hands move wildly as he speaks. “Is she stupid or something?” He turns to stare down the poor girl behind you. Lane seems to shrink under the man's anger.

 “Sir, please do not speak to my staff this way. It will get you nowhere.” A deep breath. “Now, first of all, as it says on our menu and on the walls throughout this establishment, we cannot guarantee all of our food will be one hundred percent allergen-free, although we do try our best.” The man grumbles to himself. “Secondly, I highly doubt your – “ You pause to look at Lane's handwritten notes for the table. “- eggs benedict contains any bananas, hmm, especially since you swapped out your side of fruit for home fries. However, there is always the possibility that the kitchen staff made an honest mistake.”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you!” He grouches. The woman -his poor wife?- looks up at you for the first time. She looks highly uncomfortable.

“Lastly sir, what you are saying happened is impossible.” Your smile grows larger. “As we’ve been out of bananas the entire day. The morning shipment of them was not in the right state to use.” The old man stutters incomprehensibly, face slowly turning red. Anger? Embarrassment at being called out? You simply smile. The woman raises her hands to cover her eyes, also turning red. “So, now that we’ve cleared up this little misunderstanding. I can assure you that your food is safe to eat! I will return you to Lane now who will finish up your experience. Have a wonderful day!” You turn to leave, patting Lane on the shoulder as you walk past her and into the backroom.

You reach the backroom quickly, stomach urging you to finish your crepe as soon as possible but pause before opening the door. A few voices echo from within. You let out a breath of air in frustration. Ooof course, it’s not empty anymore. So much for some alone time on your break. Normally, you’d be happy to chat with whoever was in the room, but after the day you’ve had…you just need some space. For a moment you stand there and weigh your options. Do you really want to go in and talk to people? The answer is a definite no. Turning to your right, you take the small hallway towards the grungy door at the end. With a small push, it opens, and you are outside.

It smells faintly of garbage, although the garbage people must have come recently enough as you see none poking out of the dumpster. It’s good enough for you. You look down at your phone. 15 minutes left of your lunch. It’s not enough time to go anywhere, but maybe you can at least get some peace and quiet out here. You walk a few feet from the door and lean against the wall, looking up. The sky has been overcast for a few days now, although the clouds look darker than normal today. Maybe it’ll storm. You frown, looking down at your phone.

One New Message

[Debbie]: movie night tn?

You smile slightly. The girl always seemed to know when you were having a bad day. You type out a quick response.

[You]: Sure. 6pm, my place?

The sound of movement followed by a muffled gasp hits your ears. Huh? You push off the wall and look around. But there’s nobody here. Maybe a raccoon? No, that sounded more human-like than an animal. You briefly consider going back inside, but curiosity forces you to stay. You feel a little like the stereotypical stupid girl in a horror movie as you go to investigate the noise. It sounded like it came from around the dumpsters. You walk towards them, feeling hyperaware of your surroundings. Giving the dumpsters a wide berth, you begin to circle the area.

It isn’t until you look at the back of the dumpsters -in the small place between the back of the wall and the building- that you see anything at all. There’s a shadow in there. Something that isn’t meant to be. You squint your eyes, trying to figure out what exactly it is.

A blink and it’s gone.

A scuffling sound behind you, and you twirl around quickly to catch the back of a person (???). It’s running at an almost unnatural speed away from you. “W-wait!” You call out, but the figure turns around the corner and disappears. Silence falls upon the back again, broken only by the occasional sounds of birds. You stare at the corner for a few moments longer. What was…?

You turn back to the dumpster, walking a bit closer and focusing on the area behind it. It’s dark, but you can make out a lot of cardboard. A few layers are pressed up against the wall, the dumpster, and the floor. It also forms a sort of ceiling a few feet above. In the small enclave, you think you can see a blanket. Oh. It hits you instantly, this is somebody’s home. Your eyes widen, and you look back at the corner where the figure disappeared.

Your phone vibrates in your pocket, an alarm warning you of the last five minutes before your lunch is over. Normally you’d take the time to get yourself back in the customer-service mindset. However, you pause in returning. Your mind is moving quickly, trying to comprehend the severity of the situation you just witnessed. On the one hand, people would tell you to call the police. Having a homeless person living in the back of your diner just spells disaster. But…from the looks of the relatively established ‘house’, they’ve been here a few days at least, and nobody knew. Decision made, you quickly return to the diner and walk towards the kitchen.

“Heisenberg!” You call out as you open the door, peaking your face in. The bald chef turns towards you quickly. “I need a kitchen sink ASAP!” He looks at you a minute longer -eyes narrowing suspiciously- before he nods and turns to the other chefs beside him. He’s always so mysterious. The guy just showed up one day with his niece, asking for a job. You’re sure anyone with Heisenberg’s skill in cooking can find a better job than here…but he seems happy. You smile and step out of the doorway, hearing a ping from your phone.

 [Debbie]: sounds good! I’ll bring snacks.

You don’t respond, sliding your phone back into your pocket before heading over to the take-out containers. You grab a few of the biggest ones you have and place them in the hand-off area. While you wait, you glance around the dining room. It looks like the brunch rush is dying down a bit in the front, to the relief of the two servers on duty. Lane seems to be taking the moment of freedom to clear the tables. This place really needs a busboy.

As much as you like Heisenburg, you’ll never understand why Luke decided to hire another chef instead of a server or busboy. It’s not like the diner needed a new chef. At least he’d arrived with a niece, who soon became the resident dishwasher. You hum to yourself. The angry couple from before is gone at least. You idly wonder if they are tech-savvy enough to write a bad review. Ah well. This place survives just well on regulars anyways.

Your name is called out from the kitchen. There’s quite a bit of food considering the lack of preparation time. They’d thrown together all the slightly overcooked home-fries that couldn’t be served, the broken eggs, the slightly burnt toast, overcooked bacon, and all the other mistakes into 3 containers. Hm, more mistakes than usual. You give Heisenburg a suspicious look, but he just waves you off. With a small smile, you grab the food and head back outside.

It doesn’t seem like the person has come back from wherever they ran off to. You slide the containers behind the dumpster into the cardboard ‘house’ and head back inside for the rest of your shift.

The end of your shift couldn’t come soon enough. Your feet hurt from all the running around you’ve had to do over the last ten hours. And you’re not even done yet! Well, at least now you can sit? You plop heavily down into the small office chair, leaving the door open just in case anyone needs anything. A deep breath, and you begin. After maybe ten minutes of secretarial work, you hear a ping from your pocket. Grabbing your phone, you open it to see a new message from the boss.

[Luke]: I sent the new schedule to your email.

You open your email on the ancient-looking computer and begin to print out the new schedule for the employees.

[You]: can’t talk right now. diner is burning down.

[Luke]: wait

[Luke]: what

Your phone begins to ring. You ignore it, grinning. It goes to voicemail. It rings again. You don’t pick up.

[You]: ;)

[Luke]: Are you trying to kill me?!

[You]: Back at ya. Next time come back when you say you will. Or give me a raise.

[Luke]: You sound upset. Make some coffee.

Rolling your eyes, you slide your phone back into your pocket. Your work is done, and by now the schedule is done printing. You log off the computer and stand up, heading towards the printer. Grabbing the schedule, you post it up with the others. After shrugging on your coat you head out, waving at the staff as you go.

Outside is still grey and muggy, but no rain yet. You shuffle over to your old clunky car and slide in. It takes a minute to turn on, various lights you’ve been casually ignoring lighting up as you do. You continue to ignore them, deciding instead to turn up the radio as loud as possible and pull out of the parking lot.

It's only when the diner is well in the distance that you even remember your earlier encounter.

Chapter Text

April

You arrive home a good hour before Debbie is meant to show up. Just enough time, really. Rushing up the three flights of stairs, you let yourself in quickly and kick off your shoes. Taking a quick look around the apartment, you can't help but groan.

It's an absolute mess, the casualty of a busy life. You knew that, yet still somehow thought maybe it would just be...better when you got home. Ugh. Looking around, you notice clothing thrown over the edge of the couch, take-put containers littered on the coffee table and half empty mugs of caffeinated substances laying about on every available surface. It's not usually this bad, but you've really let it go since picking up the extra hours at the diner. With a small sigh, you begin picking things up. After about twenty minutes of solid tidying, the living-area looks acceptable. Not great, but it'll do. It's only Debbie, she's seen worse. 

You jump into the shower to clean off the dirt and grime from the day, taking an extra few minutes to stand under the warm spray and loosen your aching muscles. As you relax, your mind begins to wander to what happened behind the diner. You tilt your head up towards the spray and let out a long breath. I hope they got the food. Realistically, if they didn't return within a few hours, rats or bugs or other animals would have gotten to it first. You hope that's not the case. You'd feel quite guilty if you somehow made the house even less habitable. Then again...they'd chosen a dumpster of all things to live behind, maybe that sort of stuff didn't bother them. Or maybe they just didn't have any other options. You can understand that, being in a place you cant stand because it's your only option. 

Mulling it over, you turn off the shower and step out of the tab, wrapping a towel around your head for your hair. You walk naked into your bedroom; no need to feel shy in your own apartment. Once there, you pick out an old t-shirt, some leggings and fuzzy socks for the night. The height of fashion, for sure. 

It's as you're sliding on your last sock when you hear the door open. It closes softly. You can't help it, your heart-rate picks up just slightly until you hear her call out. "Just putting food on the coffee table!" The high-pitched voice echoes lightly along the walls of your apartment, along with a few shuffling sounds. You take in a deep breath and shake off the feeling from before. Its stupid, this is a safe town. Nothing happens here. You yell out a quick affirmative and go out to meet her. 

“Hello gorgeous!” Debbie turns to meet you as you walk in, curls flying around her head and a big smile on her face. She opens her arms wide. You can't help but smile back, falling easily into her hug. Damn if she doesn't give great hugs. 

“It’s been too long.” You mumble into her shoulder. It really has. She's been as swamped at work as you have, and your weekly hangouts have been happening less and less. It's nobodies fault, just the problem of two busy lives trying to coincide. 

“Right?!” Debbie responds. “Well, I'm here. You ready for a night of junk food and spooky movies?” You let out a chuckle and nod, pulling out of the hug. The two of you split: you go to turn off the lights as she pulls her laptop out of her bag. By now you're practically a well-oiled machine. As you get closer to the table, you whistle appreciatively. She's brought an impressive spread of snacks with her, from cut-up fruit dipped in chocolate to a few Easter decorated cupcakes, to chips and gummy worms. She wiggles her eyebrows in return and you laugh.

Sitting down on the couch, she opens her laptop. The movie is already up and loaded, ready to be watched. She pulls out her HDMI cord and hands it over. You plug it into your tv as she plugs it in on her end. "So, what's it about?" You ask. 

“It’s supposed to be about some women exploring caves? Dunno really, but some girl at work recommended it. She said it freaked her out.” Debbie pauses, giving you a look. “That cool?” You shrug, open to anything really.

You were not open to anything, as it turns out. The movie itself was not scary in the traditional sense, but extremely claustrophobic. You spent most of the movie watching through your fingers, having to look away when two women got stuck and were unable to continue through the tunnels. It was bad enough before the creatures were introduced. Then, well, it was also scary in the normal sense. By the end scene, you were curled into yourself in the corner of the couch, a blanket pulled up to your eyes. The end credits run and you both sit in silence for a moment.

“What do you think?!” Debbie turns to you with a big smile. Of course, she loved it, the freak. You pull the blanket down from your eyes and reach for some candy.

“Well, tell your coworker she was right. It freaked me out for sure.” You try to play it off, shoving some gummy worms into your mouth to avoid explaining anymore. Debbie gives you a knowing look but doesn’t push any further. Instead, she puts on the second move: an original copy of Devil Dead. You relax a bit as the movie begins. You’ve seen this one before, nothing new. Though, you promise yourself to pick something other than horror movies when it's your turn to choose. 

After the first death scene, your friend turns to you. “So, hows life?” She asks, big innocent eyes betrayed by the odd tone in her voice. You narrow your eyes suspiciously, taking another bite of your cupcake.  What exactly does she mean by that? You both sit in silence as you chew slowly. Then she sighs. “Girl, it's an honest question. I haven’t seen you in weeks!”

You swallow. Okay, fair enough. “Well, Luke left for some big conference in New York." You roll your eyes. "Honestly, I have no idea what that guy gets up to. What type of conference does the owner of a Diner go to in New York? But well, I'm technically in charge while he's gone, so I've been pulling more hours recently. At least its good for money?" 

Debbie brings her legs up to her chest. "You got a raise at least, right? That's a lot of extra work!"

“That’s exactly what I said!” You laugh. “Nah, I’m pretty sure I get paid almost as much as him anyways.” Honestly, you don't mind as much as you put on. Luke is a great boss and works just as much as any of his employees. Plus, he's put up with a lot of your shit throughout the years. Stuff even Debbie doesn't know the full story about. You'd help him no matter what. "Well, enough of my boring life, what's up with you?" The mood shifts a bit as Debbie begins to talk about her life. She's always had the more exciting one. You listen like you would to a movie, feeling that strange...excitement of hearing some crazy story. Something unique in your otherwise normal, mundane life. Her stories used to be quite a bit wilder, but even though she's given up on crazy one-night stands with tourists (you can't believe people come to vacation in this town), she is still full of drama. It’s a bit surprising really. How much drama can even happen at an engineering factory? 

The movie ends but neither of you really notice, too distracted by your easy back and forth conversation. Debbie finishes explaining how the new girl at the factory is very much her type. You roll your eyes but give her an affectionate smile.

“I know, I know.” Debbie puts her hands up. “I said I was done with romance for a while but…this one works here. She must be planning to stick around. Maybe.” She sighs, tapping her leg. “So, there's no-one new in your life?”

You open your mouth to say 'no', but pause. Is it worth it to mention the guy from the diner? In the end, you give in. "Well, there was this one guy...a customer at the diner. He asked for my number." 

"Was he cute?" She asks.

You can't deny it. "Yeah. Very."

Debbie leans forward, eyes wide. “Soooo, why are you not jumping him then?” You lean back into the arm of the couch, arms crossing your chest. "C'mon girl, it's been forever since you went on a date. Why are you holding back?"

“I don’t know. He was nice for sure but…” You wave your hands uselessly. “He had one of those, uh, MRC hats.” Her mouth forms an ‘oh’ and she nods. “I just… can't get behind that, you know?”

MRC, the Monster Relations Committee, the company that manufactures and distributes monster collars to the police and other institutions. At least that’s how they started, you’ve heard rumors they have their own police force and soldiers now. The MRC had arrived almost suspiciously quick after the ‘Emergence’ of monsters from Mt Ebott years ago. As world governments panicked at the creatures and their new world -magic is real? what? - that accompanied them, the monsters had been quarantined on the mountain. From what you know, the entire world froze in that moment. Governments quarreled, armies were called, the whole shebang. There didn’t seem to be a solution until the MRC arrived. The collars came quickly after that. The collars that completely block a monster’s magic, leaving them ‘vulnerable’ to suggestion.

You’d always wondered why the monsters hadn’t fought back.

Only five years later, human protests for monster rights have faded into nothing. There are no more stories on the news of humans rebelling against the system, and its not like monsters can do anything to fight back. It seems like the world has completely given in. If there is any resentment at all, it’s quiet and personal. In the bigger cities, it’s common to see monsters following their ‘owners’ around and obeying every command. Sometimes they work at different establishments -typically at jobs that humans don’t want to do. You haven’t seen a monster in person. Your town is too small for something like that.

“I get it.” Debbie’s words pull you from your thoughts. The two of you stare at each other, for once lost for words. As the silence goes long, you feel the urge to quickly change the subject. 

“Oh, hey.” You sit up. “I think there might be a homeless person behind the diner.” That snaps her out of her own thoughts, and she looks at you quizzically.

“What?”

“Yea.” You continue, reaching over to pick up a chocolate-covered strawberry. “I was out back during lunch and found a cardboard house behind the dumpster.” You take a bite. Delicious. “I left some food out for them when I left.”

“Geez, be careful, okay?” She pauses, as if considering her words carefully. “That’s really good of you, but don’t set up a precedent. It’s like a stray cat, won’t leave you alone if you feed them. I don’t want you to get hurt.

“Wow, Deb.” You raise an eyebrow at her, honestly surprised at her response. “It's only been one time. Also, don’t refer to people as stray animals.” 

“Oh, you know what I meant." Debbie rolls her eyes. "I'm just looking out for you. I mean, we all hear the stories of things that happen in the city. I don't...I don't want anything like that to happen to you." Well...shit. The two of you share a long look. "Alright then. Next movie." 

Debbie is still asleep on the couch as you head out of the house at four in the morning. You tiptoe through the house as you leave, closing and locking the door carefully. Finally allowing the loud yawn to leave you, you make your way to your car. Sliding in, you send a quick text before heading off for your shift. 

[You]: I’m glad you came over, I missed you.

You don't get a response until much later in the day, not that you expected anything other. The shift itself is mercifully less busy than yesterday. You're not actually needed in the front for more than a few minutes at a time, so you take the opportunity to do some real secretarial work in the back office. In theory, it should be a relaxing day, but one look at the pile of documents shoved without care in the desk drawers almost makes you cry. How does he even know where anything is??? It ends up taking you almost double the amount of time to do the work. You text him, letting him know of your troubles.

[You]: You should learn what organization is.

You're able to send Jess on a half break as the breakfast rush dies down, taking over his tables briefly. The server takes off his apron and slides into a booth beside a girl you vaguely recognize, putting a hand around her shoulder. You can't help but smile at them. Ah, love. What a beautiful thing. To bad it evades you like sand through your fingers. Your mind goes back to the MRC guy from earlier. It's tempting to just...forget your values and go after it. Thoughts such as 'maybe he's a good one, somehow' or 'maybe its not even his hat' filter through your mind. In the end, you know you can't do it. Either way, if he's wearing the hat then you definitely have very different values in life. You think even a one-night stand would leave you with only regret.

Shaking your head, you turn away from the lovebirds in the corner and check the rest of the front. A few of your favourite regulars are in, so you head over to them. It’s a nice half-hour, really. You chat with some nice old ladies and get to say hi to Debbie as she drops in for a quick coffee before her shift. When Jess returns -a little late, but you allow it as you watch him fawn over his girl- you take your lunch. You let him know to call for you if you’re needed and head out of the front. Setting a break alarm, you take a quick stop in the kitchen.

Sticking your head through the door, you ask the chef if he's able to prepare you a chicken sandwich. He gives you a big smile and a thumbs up. A man of few words, truly. You thank him again for coming in last-minute on his day off. Heisenberg has called out sick today, along with -weirdly- his niece. So along with being the only chef, he's pulling double duty as a dishwasher. You remind him that you'll jump in to help at any point, but he doesn't seem to mind. At least its a slow day. 

Oh. Wait. Your mind drifts back to the events from yesterday, and you ask if he can double the order. The chef agrees without a problem. The sandwiches don't take too long to make it to you. You pack one up in a takeaway container and head down the hall. After a quick pit-stop to put your sandwich on your desk, you walk outside. As the cold spring air hits you, you pause. Hm. Maybe you were a bit impulsive in all of this, walking into a situation without any sort of plan. How are you going to approach this?

It's entirely possible that you frightened them off completely yesterday, to the point that they moved to a new location. You can imagine someone who is living here instead of a bigger city -where under the table money is easier to find- is not exactly looking to be found. If that’s the case, and they're gone forever, you don’t exactly want to be leaving a sandwich outside to attract bugs or worse. But, maybe they are actually here. Debbie’s warnings echo in your mind. You don’t want to frighten whoever they are into any sort of action, violent or not. But how to…ah.

You whistle loudly -that little song from Snow Grey- and let your footsteps be as loud as possible as you slowly walk towards the dumpster. It's plenty of time for anyone to run or hide. You listen carefully, possibly hearing a shuffle from behind the dumpster. Pause. When nothing else happens, you continue.

"Hello?" You say loudly, clearly. "If anyone is here, I really don't mean any harm. So please don’t hurt me!” Please don’t hurt me? What the hell?  You actually feel your cheeks warm a bit at your words. Shit, I'm really that dumb girl in a horror movie. You hold your breath, taking the last few steps to see behind the dumpster.

There’s nothing there. You let out your breath in relief, closing your eyes for only a brief second. You were so worked up for nothing. With a self-deprecating laugh, you squint a bit to see if there are any signs that the person has returned. The take-out containers from yesterday are still there, and open. It doesn’t look like bugs or rats have gotten to it. It looks like it’s actually been eaten. You cant help the small grin that grows on your face. They've been back!

Happy that your efforts are not going to waste, you slide the take-away container with the chicken sandwich and fries into the area. With a small hum, you straighten up and rub at your hands, brushing away imaginary dirt off them. You turn away, headed for the diner with a small skip in your step.

“Thank you.” You freeze mid-step. Oh shit. That came from behind you. Turning slowly, your eyes search for the owner of the voice. There’s no immediate source, and you begin to think you’ve gone mad. Then, you spot a shadow, barely visible beside the dumpster.

Your mouth opens. Shuts. Opens again. Shuts. You really want to say something casual like ‘you’re welcome’ or ‘no problem’ or something like that. You REALLY do. But when something does finally come out of your mouth, it’s nothing like that at all.

“A-are you a….cat?” That thin outline- the pointed ears, the long tail- loved by so many online and offline is unmistakable. But it’s taller than a cat, standing on two legs. A long moment of silence passes, where neither of you move or speak.

Ping.

Your phone. The shadowy outline flinches back harshly at the sound. It bolts, running in the shadows around the corner of the diner and disappearing. The area falls back into silence. For a long few minutes, you just stand there in shock. Did that really just happen? Almost robotically, you turn and walk back into the diner, heading straight for the back office. Closing the door behind you, you lean against it. 

What. Was. That.

You stare down at your hands as if they somehow have the answer. Your frozen mind comes undone in the familiar -safe- room. Was that a cat? How is that even possible? Cat’s can’t stand on two legs! Pause.Actually, I think I’ve seen a video about cats that can do that!  You shake your head. Not the point! Cat’s can’t talk!  Pushing off from the door, you walk a few steps forward to the desk. As you pace back and forth, your tired mind attempts to come up with a reasonable explanation. Maybe you were hallucinating. Maybe you're just so tired that your brain is playing cruel tricks. But...it felt so real. Suddenly it clicks.

“Oh.” You stop in front of the chair, eyes wide. Taking the opportunity, you plop down into the office chair, momentum enough to send it back a foot. You don’t even really notice, eyes staring blankly ahead. A monster, then? You lean your head back, covering your eyes with your arms. A monster? In this small town?

Your phone begins to vibrate, your five-minute warning for the end of your break. Ugh. Not enough time. Is there even enough time to process what you just saw? You look at your forgotten sandwich sitting on the desk, no longer hungry but knowing you should eat something. It's wasteful to let it go cold. Sliding the chair forward, you open the container and start in. Your mind is blank, the quantity of thoughts silenced to a hazy nothingness. You finish most of your sandwich when you remember that you have a new message. 

[Luke]: There’s lots of things that should happen in life. When you have expectations, you get disappointment.

It takes you a full minute of staring to realize he’s referencing your past message. You groan, feeling the want to smash your phone. But you can’t, a new phone would cost way too much. Still, you place it a down on the desk harshly and take another angry bite of your sandwich. Your phone vibrates in your pocket: lunch is up. You sigh, packing up the rest of your sandwich, and head to the break room to place it in the employee fridge before heading out to the dining room.

Jess seems to have everything under control for the lunch rush. Probably a good thing, as you're not entirely sure you should be trusted to work around food at the exact second. You grab the broom and pass time by sweeping the floor and washing a few tables. Easy work, and slowly you start to feel more like yourself. Your mind moves slowly from that haze into reality, and you use the familiar setting and activities to keep yourself busy. As you go, you can't help but notice a new customer: a man in black sitting at the back-corner table. You recognize that uniform. It's the MRC. Two in one week? That’s odd. The two of you lock eyes, and you give an awkward smile before continuing your duties. Why is the MRC so far away from Ebott?

You hum a little tune to yourself, pondering your question as you wipe down another table. The MRC doesn't really leave Ebbot, and if they do its to another large city. They have no reason to be here. Then you freeze, eyes widening. Oh. The cat! You glance back at the man in the corner. He’s been joined by another man in black. You can’t tell from this far, but you’d reckon he’s another MRC officer. Not anybody from the town, anyways. 

Despite having no - or well, little to no- experience with monsters, you know the law. The law that had been beaten into the brain of every citizen. Uncollared monsters are always considered 'armed and dangerous' due to their magic, no matter who they are or what they are doing. Civilians who see uncollared monsters are to report to the nearest MRC representative or call the MRC collection number immediately. Those who don't comply face long jail sentences. Monsters who are seen get hunted down quickly by officers just like these two, and you'd bet some monsters don't even make it to get collared. You've seen the MeTube videos, the 'arrest' or 'capture' of a monster is often brutal. 

Thinking back to the cat monster behind the dumpster, you can't imagine it as 'armed and dangerous'. Not at all. It seemed more scared than anything. You recall the quiet and shaky voice calling out to you, thanking you for the food. Come to think of it, how risky had that been? It didn't need to thank you. You certainly wouldn't have noticed it it hadn't. It came out of safety to thank you. Shit. You stare at the MRC reps for a few moments longer, something weighing in your chest. Well shit. I don’t really have a choice now, do I?

You gather up the garbage picked up by the broom and head towards the back. After putting away the cleaning equipment, you pop into the office to grab some pens and paper. It’ll have to do. You head out the back door quickly, keeping your steps loud as you walk around the dumpster. It’s empty. The cat monster hadn’t been back, and the take-out container is unopened. You take a moment to scribble on the piece of paper and place it under the container.

“Good luck.” You whisper into the air, before you head back inside.

Chapter Text

April

You don’t see the cat monster the next day, or the day after that, or the day after that. At first, you wondered if it had simply moved on. But the food you leave out every day- just in case- keeps disappearing, and so you keep up this odd routine you found yourself in. Still, questions keep you up at night. Why hasn't it left? It must have seen my warning, right? You can't help but worry a bit, especially as the MRC reps don't seem keen on leaving anytime soon. But in the end, you have to just try to shrug it off. It's not like you're it's protector. It isn't your responsibility. If the monster gets caught, that's out of your hands. Still, you can't deny your curiosity.

It's over a week later, as you're pushing the backdoor open with your side -careful not to drop the container of breakfast crepes in your hand- that something finally changes. You first notice something...odd when you almost run directly into Jessie Bluman - Heisenberg's niece, the new dishwasher who strangely insists on being called by her last name. She's rushing inside, her alarmed face turning pale as she see's you. That's weird. She lets out a very loud 'out of my way' and rushes down the hall. Kinda rude, but the girl has never acted this way before so you let it pass. After this, you'll check in on her. 

The metal door closes with a large bang behind you. You breathe in the spring air. It's nice, crisp in the way only nature in spring can be. Sure, there may be a dumpster nearby, but the diner isn't far away from the nearby forest. You give yourself a minute, checking to ensure that you're the only one around. With loud steps, you walk towards the dumpster. Humming, you bend down to place the container in it's usual spot. You slide it in and begin to stand, eyes skimming past the little cardboard house. You freeze.  

Ah. Shit. Shit shit shit

Those are definitely eyes staring back at you through a dark shadow. Green, slitted eyes. Shit shit shit shit shit. Your mind is an unhelpful loop of profanities, and your body is frozen stiff.

A low, dangerous growl begins to grow from the shadow, shaking you out of your loop. You startle harshly, stumbling backwards onto your ass. Your legs pull in closer as your arms go out in front of you. Palms up, a -hopefully universal- sign of no danger. "Sorry! I m-mean no harm!" You blurt out, stuttering. "Just food. No harm!" After that you go quiet, eyes locked on those in the dark. A few seconds later, the growling starts to decrease in volume -but continues, nevertheless. The creature's green eyes shift quickly down from you to the takeaway container, pausing merely for a millisecond before flying back up to you. 

“I’m sorry for disturbing you!” You say, heart pounding hard in your chest. As the moment goes long, you can't help but feel slightly reassured. It hasn’t immediately attacked you. Maybe it won’t. Slowly, you push yourself up into a kneeling position -pausing every time the growling gets even slightly louder. You take every care to not get any closer, sliding a bit backwards as you do. I just need to get inside. Is this the same monster as before? Why is it growling like this? It hasn't done this before. Something's different.

“Are you okay?” The words that come out from your mouth surprise you more than anyone. Your eyes widen and your breath hitches. Oh. My. God. Do I have a freaking death wish?! Why did I say that?! You stare into the dark area, scared about what your hubris may have done to you. Those green eyes narrow and for a moment you're sure you're a goner. But then, you start to notice that the growling is actually getting quieter, slower until eventually there is only silence. You stare at it, unsure. Is this...a response? You glance at the back door of the diner in your peripheral, seriously considering your options. You could run, but could you make it? If the monster decided to attack, you'd be in lots of trouble. You're not a fighter. You don't stand a chance. Would it even attack? It ran away last time. You can't help but think of that small 'thank you' and the frantic escape. Ah. Shit. 

“I’m going to grab my phone, okay? It’s in my pocket.” Slowly, you reach down. The green eyes widen quickly. “I just want to use the light to see you. If that’s not alright, please let me know. I’ll stop.” You wait for a few seconds, but it remains quiet. Your hand finds your phone and brings it out, fingers shakily turning on the flashlight. Slowly you raise the light towards the crevice.

You focus the light on the ground, careful not to blind the monster in the dark. Ah. There it is. It's definitely cat-like in appearance, with light brown fur and expressive green eyes. Those eyes stare at you, fear evident. It's crouched in a protective position, holding one arm to it's stomach. Oh. You frown. "Is your arm hurt?" You wait, but there's no response. Not a single movement. It just stares back. "Please, I just want to help. I don't know much about monsters, but I'll do whatever I can. Just tell me how I can help." Still no response. "Ohkayy then. I can also just leave if that's what you want." Nothing. Just quiet breathing. 

You bite your lip. It’s not like you can force it to let you help. If it doesn't want help, there's nothing you can do. You give a small, defeated smile and lower the flashlight, beginning to stand up to leave. You take one step backwards -getting closer probably isn’t the best idea right now- when a small sound reaches your ears. Small and low. You pause, looking down at the opening of the cardboard house. It’s a familiar sound. You’ve heard it before in Debbie’s dog when she goes to leave her house. It’s a whine. You suck in a breath. Okay then.

Slowly you crouch back down, bringing the flashlight back up. Those eyes are wide and staring straight back at you, glassy with what could be pain. A wave of sympathy hits you as you look at it. The monster glances down at its arm, moving the left one enough that you can see the other. You immediately wince, swearing under your breath. It’s swollen and discoloured. Is it broken? Fractured? Sprained? You have no idea, but you do know the monster must be in a lot of pain right now. 

You stand back up, tensing as the whining gets louder. "H-hey, it's okay." You try to reassure. "I'm not leaving, I'll be right back. I have an idea. Promise." No sound. You turn and rush to the door, dashing into the diner. Heisenberg gives you an odd look as you run by, into the office and grab the first aid kit. You open it. Empty. Goddammnit Luke! Panic starts to set in as your mind tries to figure out something -anything- that could work for what you need. It’s a kitchen, you should have something, right? You end up grabbing the best things you can think of: a spatula, clean rags, rope, and a pack of ice. You hope it will work. It’s not like you know what monsters need to heal themselves.

You return as quickly as you can, checking the back area quickly before making some loud noises to alert the monster. “I’m back!” You crouch down again beside the opening, turning on your flashlight. A part of you wonders if it'll be gone, if it took the opportunity to leave for good. You wouldn't blame it. But no, it's still there, staring back at you as you show the it your supplies. "I'm not a nurse or anything, I cant tell if it's broken. But I think you're supposed to keep it straight." You hold out the spatula. "I couldn't find much, but I hope this does the trick. I also grabbed some ice to put on it." The monster stares back at you, unblinking. "Um, uh, like I said I'm not a nurse. I don't know much about medicine other than common first aid, but, uh, hopefully this helps?" You place the supplies on the ground and nudge it forward. "If you can think of anything else, I'll try to get it for you."

For a moment, you both just stare at the supplies in silence. Awkward, tense silence. Uh, what is it doing? You bite your lip, looking up at the monster then back at the supplies. Is it not going to do something?! The silence grows more awkward as you mentally urge something to happen. You feel ridiculously out of your element. Should you leave? Does it want you to leave before it takes it? 

“I can’t.” The small voice shocks you enough that you don’t register the words for a moment. The monster shuffles slightly in place, fidgeting under your stare.

“Oh-OH!” You raise a hand to your eyes, flush forming on your cheeks. I'm so dumb. Obviously it can’t do stuff like this with only one working arm. Shit. “Oh god, I’m so sorry. I can, uh, do you…want…any help?” Your question, while sincere, seems less and less plausible the more you speak. There’s no way it’ll trust you to help. You wouldn’t in its situation. 

Those green eyes stare back at you in silence. Okay, right, yea. You just need to leave it alone. You begin to back away, pausing only when those eyes move. They slide down your body towards your chest, pausing there. Your immediate reaction is to flinch away, but it can’t be looking at your…no way. Your thoughts change quickly as you feel a slight tugging feeling in your chest. The hell is happening? Are you having some sort of panic attack? Now?! But the feeling stops as soon as it starts. 

The monster lets out a deep breath, sound loud in the small area. “Yea, alright.” It says, voice deep.  You take in a sharp breath of air as the monster starts to shuffle towards you. Immediately you back up to accommodate it.

You are still crouching as it emerges from the area. The being that uncurls itself is much taller than you thought, at least a foot taller than you if you had to guess. It’s -he’s?- thin, to the point where you can easily see the bones of his body through his matted fur. You don’t know anything about monster anatomy, but you’d still bet your savings that it was from starvation rather than natural. He attempts to crouch beside you but ends up tilted more into the wall than anything. His eyes are half-lidded -likely from pain-, but they are sharp don’t leave you for a moment. It’s obvious to you that he is still on guard.

You swallow nervously, the reality of the situation begins to sink in. There is a monster in front of you. An uncollared monster. He has magic, a weapon so fierce you couldn't imagine. Armed and dangerous at all times. He could use that magic to kill you in an instant, right? Although, maybe he's not strong enough to use magic right now. You look over his beaten form, pushing away those thoughts. If he was going to hurt you, he would have done it already. Probably. You slowly reach towards the equipment for the splint. Oh god, I can’t believe I’m doing this.

Once you have the equipment ready -as ready as possible anyways- you take a small breath to compose yourself and give him a comforting smile. “I’m going to be as gentle as possible, but I don’t have experience in this. It’ll probably hurt a bit. I’m sorry.” You just hope he doesn't lash out when it does hurt. Your words give him the opportunity to opt-out. He doesn’t take it, just gives you a nod. Okay, then you're doing this. But nothing happens. You stare at him. Umm....“Uhh, I’m going to need your arm to do this….” You prompt. His body tenses for a moment, eyes leveling you with a serious expression.

One stressful moment later, his eyes leave you in favour of scanning the area. Whatever he sees- or doesn’t see- is enough for his shoulders to relax lightly, and his injured arm begins to slowly move from its position. A whine crawls up from inside the monster’s body as the injured limb is forced to move.

When it is finally close enough to touch, you reach out slowly. The monster still flinches away, which causes the whine to become higher-pitched and louder for a moment as it jerks the arm. You shush him lightly, very aware that if anybody were to come by for any reason, you’d both be in deadly trouble. As your arm lightly grabs yours -the fur feels really weird in your hand-, you make sure to inform him of what is about to happen. No surprises here. No way.

“I’m going to make a splint.” You explain. “It’s meant to hold the bone in place and help overall. It’s not…the best equipment, but hopefully it’ll help just as well.” Or well…even slightly. “I can see if I can get some better stuff for you after my shift.

You wrap the clean rags around his arm lightly, allowing for some padding. Then you hold up the spatula to the outside of his arm. “Can you hold this here please?” He does, and you make quick work of wrapping the rope around it. When you’re almost done, you look up. “Is this too tight?” He shakes his head silently, eyes focused on his arm. You tie the ends together and let go, leaning away. The monster stares at the finished job for a moment, before slowly moving his arm back towards its own body.

“Well, that should help a little bit with healing.” You reach for the ice packet, holding it out for him to take. “I also have this; it should help with the swelling and hopefully numb the area a bit for you.” He accepts it from your hand, eyes trained on you. “I’m sorry that there isn’t much more I can do. It’s just with…well…your situation.” You look away, shame swirling around in your chest. He says nothing, and so you push yourself up to your feet. Giving him one last look, you nod and make your way back towards the diner door.

 “Thanks, little buddy.”

Oh. He’s gone when you turn around, probably back into the enclave behind the dumpster. You watch for a moment -biting your lip- before turning to head back inside.

You feel something begin to crawl up your back.

You’d like to say that the rest of your shift was productive as hell, that you were able to catch up on all the secretarial work that Luke had dumped on you. But no, you spent the last five hours of your shift alternating between being a regular waitress and sitting in the back office with your head in your hands. Heisenberg had actually come in to ask if you were okay at one point. You just waved him off. He left, but he didn’t look happy about it. You have a feeling he'll be asking you questions sometime soon. What do you even say?

Now at the end of your shift, you sit in the office staring up at the ceiling. Your right foot lazily pushes you in a small circle. It's not like you're even having productive thoughts. No, your mind is stuck in a loop, repeating the events of earlier over and over, analyzing every move you made, every thing you saw. Ugh. What’s wrong with me? You sigh. I can’t keep doing this. I have actual things to do. I can worry about this later. With a small groan, you finally push yourself out of the comfy chair and grab your coat. Maybe if you got out, the thoughts would stop. Maybe your head would stop going thinking the same ridiculous ideas over and over again. It’s simply not possible here.

After saying a quick goodbye to Lane -and purposely avoiding Heisenberg and Bluman- you head out. Unlocking your car, you slide into the driver's seat and palm the keys in your hand. You pause. No. I can’t help him. You bring the keys up to the ignition. I can’t. There’s nothing I can do. The keys slide into the ignition. I can’t. I can’t. Your hands fall from the keys. You let out a loud, frustrated scream and slam your head down on the steering wheel. The horn blasts loud in the parking lot, probably scaring a few people. You flinch.

“Damnit.” You mumble to yourself, eyes closed. Screw everything that made me this way. 

The car door actually doesn’t stick for once -of course- and you slide out easily. Opening the back door, you grab the spare blanket you always keep in case your car broke down somewhere. It’s happened before, and help can be a bit tough on the back roads here. You bury your face in the blanket briefly, taking a deep and shaky breath. It's calming, as much as possible. Then you turn and head back towards the diner. 

Nobody is around to notice you head around the side of the building, but it’s not like anyone would really care if they had. It's not you that would rouse any suspicion here. You let your footsteps get louder and louder as you get close, rounding the corner to the back. Your eyes scan the area. It's clear. Perfect. 

“Hey, it’s me!” You call out, making your way towards the dumpster.

“Huh?!” Well, that's definitely not the monster's voice. You scream, jumping backwards. From around the other side of the dumpster comes the new dishwasher, Bluman. She’s holding a bag of garbage and staring at you weirdly. “Whoa Boss, didn’t mean to scare you. What’re you doing back here?”

“Not your boss.” You mumble automatically. You’d been fighting her on that since Luke left. “I, uh, just thought I left something back here, sorry. Didn’t know you were here.” Bluman looks at you for a moment and shrugs, throwing the garbage back into the dumpster. Your wide eyes focus on the movement. Shit. Is the monster still there? Did she see him?

“Need help lookin’ for it?”

“Nah.” You wave a hand in the air, going for casual. You’re not sure you succeeded, going by the look on her face. “I bet Heisenburg needs you back in there though.” Bluman rolls her eyes at the mention of her uncle; however, it does get her moving. With a shrug, she heads towards the door. She gives one last long look at the dumpster before disappearing inside. You wait until the door closes fully behind her before letting out a long breath. Holy shit! You stare at the concrete floor for a minute, still mentally recovering from that scare.

“Oh, it’s you.” You look over towards the source of the voice. A furry head pokes out from behind the dumpster, a body following suite. He sticks close to the dumpster and the wall. Immediately you are hit by relief. He’s okay. His arm is the same as you left it, but you don't expect anything else. You give a smile and walk a few steps closer, glad to see that despite a bit of flinching he doesn't immediately run away or hide. Maybe, just maybe, you're idea isn't completely ridiculous. 

“Yup, it’s me!” There’s a small silence between you two, him waiting to hear what you have to say. “Uh, listen…” You pause, suddenly unsure of what exactly to say. Oh god. I should have rehearsed this or something. This is already so awkward.  “I want to help you out more, really. Just to get you back on your feet at least. Or maybe till your arm is a bit better. I don’t know, anything really. I just, uh, want to help.” Oh my god. I'm rambling. Stop it. Please. You fiddle with your fingers in front of you. “Anyways, uh, I was wondering if you want to, you know…oh god this seems so stupid now. Do you want to come home with me?” You hold out a hand towards him.

He frowns slightly, staring at your hand. The moment lasts far too long before you admit defeat and begin to lower it. “Or not, you know, that’s cool too-“

“Go where?” Green eyes narrow. 

You perk up slightly at his interest. “To my place!” Immediately he flinches back, a small growl starting within. What happened…? You blink at him for a moment, retracing your words in your head. Oh. Oh no. Your eyes widen, an uncomfortable flush rising again. “No! No no no. I’m not inviting you back with me like THAT.” How did you mess this up so badly? “Just a place to sleep. I have a couch. It’s pretty comfortable if you ask me. Not that I’ve slept on it that often but I have a friend who…” You trail off. Not important.

The growling stops, but another long silence stretches out between you. “Why?”

“Ah, well it might be nice to get away from the dumpster for a while- NOT that I’m saying your home is bad. I just, uh, yea, and your arm is injured so-“

“Slow down.” He holds up the uninjured paw. You stop your rambling. “I meant, why are you helping me?”

Oh. You take a moment to actually rally your thoughts. “Listen, I’m not-I’m not a perfect person. Not even close. I probably ignore a lot of injustice in the world. But you’ve been really nice. And well, I don’t want to just leave you here, when I have a warm house and food to spare.”

“And that’s it?”

You narrow your eyes a bit in confusion, nodding. What does he mean? His eyes stare into yours, and it really makes you wonder about all that soul stuff you’ve heard about. Is he looking at mine? Can he read my mind?

Suddenly he stands up, breaking you from your thoughts. You can’t help but look up at him in shock. Yup, at least a foot taller than me. He gives you a small smile.

“Okay, little buddy. I’ll go with you.”

Chapter Text

April

Gravel crunches loudly beneath your tires as you slowly pull into your parking spot. You let the car remain on, staring into the distance. What am I doing?! You ask yourself again, heart pounding loudly in your chest and breath a bit too harsh to be normal. The monster in your backseat - and what a sentence- doesn't make a sound. To be fair, he probably is unaware that you're at the destination. You take the moment to try and calm yourself, hands clenching and unclenching at the steering wheel. There’s still time to change my mind, right? Technically, sure, you could turn around and drive him back, wipe your hands free of him. You let out a long breath. Yea, you’d never do that.

"We're here." Your voice is quieter than normal but mercifully steady. The monster remains silent, but you can hear some shuffling behind you. “Feel free to take a look, but when we leave please keep the blanket on.” It would look suspicious for sure, but it’s not like you have that many options. Neighbours are nosy in nature, and already you are taking a huge risk of gaining their curiosity. 

The monster makes a noise of affirmation behind you, and you finally turn off the engine. With the rumbling off, you can feel the harsh pounding of your hear even more. You take in a deep breath, opening the door and stepping out. Your apartment looms in front of you, a place you never thought you'd feel so...scared. Okay, here we go. After scanning the area around you for any movement, you open the back door. The monster waits for the door to open fully before stepping out. A quick nod and you both rush towards the apartment. 

You unlock the lobby door quickly, for once very aware of the ‘this area is monitored by cameras’ signs, and usher the monster inside. A small bit of relief and hope hits you as you both make it into the building without crossing anyone outside. For once luck seems to be on your side and you don’t see anyone the entire way up to your apartment. It’s not a big building, but it’s uncommon to not run into anyone.

Stopping in front of your apartment, you fumble with your keys for one terrifying moment before successfully unlocking the door. The monster follows you inside quickly and you slam the door harshly behind you. Your fingers quickly lock the door, and it's...done. You're both inside. Holy shit. You rest your forehead on the door, giving yourself a moment to steady your beating heart and harsh breath. Once a bit calmer, you turn towards your companion. You blink slowly. Huh.

It starts small, but you're powerless to stop the almost hysterical giggles that pull from your chest. Your hand flies to your mouth, covering it in a futile attempt. The tall monster has the cream coloured blanket flopped over his head, eyes peeking through the small holes in the knitted fabric. It’s not long enough for him, and you can see his shoes easily at the bottom.

“What?” He asks, head tilting.

Your giggles escalate to full-on laughter, and you bend over a bit to clutch at your stomach. “You-you look like a r-really bad ghost costume!” He tilts his head to the side, staring at you. A moment later he shrugs, turning to look around the apartment. As you fight yourself to stop laughing, he reaches up and pulls at the fabric. It falls to the ground around his feet. You realize he is focused on the medium-sized mirror you have near the entranceway.

“I guess I did kind of look like him.” He mumbles, just barely loud enough for you to hear.  The monster reaches a paw up towards his face, rubbing a bit at his cheek.

“Huh?” You finally are able to get your hysterical laughter under control. Curiosity helps you get your mind off the image.  You reach up to wipe at your eyes. “Are you saying you know someone that looks like a ghost?” A monster, maybe? Or…? “Are they a ghost? Are ghosts real?” Honestly, you’d believe just about anything at this point.

The monster looks back at you, eyes wide. “Uh, never mind that.” He takes a few more steps into your apartment, looking around. “You got a nice place, little buddy.”

Well, he definitely doesn’t want to continue that conversation. You decide to let it go, making a small hum of agreement before stepping up beside him. You try to ignore how he flinches a bit away from you, but your heart still twinges a bit. “It’s not the best place for a long shot.” You mutter. “But it’s mine, and that’s all I really care about.” It’s a bit uncomfortable to say all this to a guy that had been living behind a dumpster, so you choose to change the conversation.

You turn to him. “So, uh, what’s your name?”

The monster takes a minute to answer, his sharp eyes taking in the apartment a bit more before landing on you. “Call me BP.”

“BP?” You question, raising a hand to your chin. “That’s…that’s not your real name, is it?” It sounds a bit off to you, more like a nickname. Or alias. But then again, it’s not like you know monster naming rituals. The monster doesn’t respond but looks away pointedly. Ah, there’s your answer. “It’s okay. I’ll call you whatever you want, uh, within reason.”

“Anyways, so BP…make yourself at home okay? The washroom is the door on the right down the hall and my room is the one on the left.” Not that he’d be spending any time there. “I’ll grab an extra pillow and blanket for you and…uh…” Your voice fades away as you look at him. He definitely isn’t paying complete attention to you. His eyes scan the area, taking in every little detail. His uninjured paw clenches against his side and his ears twitch every few seconds.

The small smile growing on his face warms your heart.

Crack.

“Whoa, you’re good at this.” You watch, entranced, as BP cracks open two more eggs perfectly with just one paw. “I’m seriously impressed, I don’t think I can do one egg perfectly with both of my hands.”

He seems to stand a little straighter at your praise. “I’ve had a lot of practice.” He glances at you out of the corner of his eye, mouth opening as if he wants to say something. The monster seems to change his mind, closing his mouth and turning back to the bowl. He starts to whisk the ingredients together with gusto. Uh. Too much gusto. With only one hand, the bowl is unstable. The liquid begins to fly everywhere. You reach forward quickly to grab it, holding the bowl still for him. BP doesn’t pause.

Now that you’re a bit closer, you can smell your body soap on him. It surprised you when he almost immediately asked to use the shower after arrival. He is a cat. He showers? Wait…is that speciesist? You frown in thought and decide not to ask. You’d given him a pair of your comfiest sweatpants and a sweater for when he came out.  He’s a bit too skinny and a bit too tall for the clothing, but he doesn’t say a word. BP looks a lot better either way. His fur looks super soft now that it’s not matted, and the colour is really nice too.

After a few minutes, the one-handed whisking is done. He places the whisk carefully in the sink and licks a bit of the mixture off of his paw. You watch for a moment, before grabbing the bowl to pour the mixture into the pre-heated pie shell. He backs away to allow you to place the pan in the oven.

“Aaand done!” You say triumphantly as you close the oven door, clapping your mitted hands together. “In about fifty minutes we’ll have the best damn quiche around.” You turn to BP, smiling. The monster’s eyes are wide, ears straight up and forward. He looks happy, if not still unsure about everything. You both stare at each other until the silence begins to grow awkward.

“Now what?” BP’s tail swishes against the ground. He looks a bit uncomfortable under your gaze. You raise a hand to your chin, thinking.

A shrug. “Dunno, what do you want to do?” You can feel your grin get slightly more hysterical and less sincere as the two of you stand there. Okay, perhaps you have been pushing your nerves and fear aside by pretending this is a normal, very human sleepover with a very human guest. Perhaps. But it’s already been a day, and you have to take comfort from somewhere or else you’d break. You already feel like you’re hanging onto a thread of sanity, unknowing exactly what will happen if you let go.

BP looks around the area again before his eyes fall on the TV in the other room. He says nothing, but his ears twitch a bit. “Toons it is! I don’t have cable though, so I’ll look through Notflix to see what there is.”

You plop down on your couch and pull up your laptop, opening the streaming software. When you don’t hear any movement from the other occupant, you pat the couch beside you. “Sit down if you want, I don’t bite.” A deep mumble you don’t quite understand, and then you feel the couch dip a bit. He sits on the opposite end. “Alright, so I’m just gonna say some names and if anything sounds remotely interesting, let me know.” No response. You glance up briefly. He’s just looking at you. Huh, you’ll take that as a yes then. “Okay. Breaking Good, The Running Dead, Gilmour Gals, Lakedale, Silver Girls, Mettaton the Musical, Strangest Things-“

“Wait, what?!” You look back up to your companion. BP is sitting straight up, eyes wide as he looks at you. “M-Mettaton?”

“Yeah, the robot superstar.” You tilt your head to the side. “You like him?” Wow, that’s something you didn’t expect. You almost had skipped the name out of respect when even listing the shows.

The monster curls up a bit into the cream blanket. “I guess.” Well, that’s something at least. You’ll go with it. Setting up your laptop to the TV is easy enough (bless Debbie for leaving her HDMI), so only a moment later you hit play.

The opening screen is the robot laying back, rose petals flowing down onto his body. Ugh. But BP snorts, covering his mouth with the good paw. You look over at him, but his attention is all for the screen. With a small smile, you curl up back into the couch.

You’re bored within the first ten minutes of the movie, so your eyes begin to shift towards BP. It’s not surprising, really. You’ve seen Mettaton’s movies before, although you never really go the hype. His rise to stardom was quick and lasting. That face is on products that make it even to this small town. The tragic backstory mixed with his energetic appeal makes a good Hollywood success story, you guess.

However, BP is a monster. He’s an intelligent being that isn't human. A being made of magic, of something you dreamed about as a kid. It amazes you, really. Your child-self would be unable to look away. You’ve had remarkable restraint already, but here, in the dark where nobody can see you, you let yourself look.

“A girl is staring at me, I wonder if the kit actually worked…” He mutters, suddenly looking at you out of the corner of his eyes. Oh, you’ve been caught. Shit. Well, cats can see pretty good in the dark, right? “Just how rectangular do I look to you?” You freeze, baffled by his words. Your mouth opens slightly, but you have no idea what to say to that. His eyes stay focused on you. Then he snorts, paw going back to his mouth. The snort becomes a short-lasting chuckle.

You have absolutely no idea what just happened but are happy anyways.

That night you stand in the bathroom brushing your teeth. You spit out the last of your toothpaste and head across the hall to your bedroom. Pausing mid-step, you turn a curious eye towards the living room. It’s dark and quiet now, and with the couch facing away from you, it’s like there’s nobody else here. You shake your head softly and continue into your room. It’s purely by muscle memory that you make it into your bed without hitting anything. After flipping your pillow to the cold side, you bury your face in it.

WHAT a day. You groan softly. It’s not like you woke up expecting this to happen. You woke up a law-abiding nobody, and here you are…technically harboring a fugitive. Apprehension builds in you at your thoughts. Maybe if BP wasn’t so vague and mysterious all the time, you could feel a bit comforted.  With a sigh, you flip onto your back and contemplate the day.

2 HOURS EARLIER

“So…” You place your now-empty plate down on the coffee table and turn to your companion. “I hate to ask but…why did you stay so close to the diner after the MRC showed up?” The question has been nagging at you for days now. Surely any uncollared monster would know to stay far away from them.

BP simply shrugs. “Not my problem.”

“What?” You meet his gaze, those green eyes half-lidded. “Not your problem? But-but they’re after you!”

“Nah.” He yawns into his paw. “Not me. They’d have caught me already if I was who they were looking for.” You frown, not liking that idea. What does he mean? If they aren’t looking for BP, then who?

You open your mouth to ask when the volume suddenly raises on the TV. With a small glare at the monster holding the remote for his rudeness, you accept defeat. The volume decreases as you sit back, looking at the screen. It’s -surprise- another Mettaton movie. After the first one ended, you gave BP control over your Notflix account. But you hadn’t expected him to only pick the robot’s movies. He seems almost entranced by the dude. It’s weird and brings up more questions that you doubt you’d get the answer to. You push your thoughts to the back of your mind and try to catch up with the -admittedly awful- plot.

2 HOURS LATER

Pulling yourself from the memory, you let out a long breath of frustration. BP didn’t seem too concerned about the MRC officers littering about, but you are. For him -of course- but also for you. If you get caught, you face more than just a fine. The idea sends a shiver down your spine.  I need to stop this train of thought or I’ll never get to sleep.

You grab at your phone for a distraction.

5 New Messages. Whoops. Four from Debbie, one from Luke.

[Debbie]: so this new girl is not cute.

[Debbie] apparently she's a MRC recruiting scout.

[Debbie]: hello?

[Debbie]:  ????

You're immediately more awake. Quickly, you type out a response.

[You]: Sorry, busy day at work. Is that why the MRC is in town?

You switch to the new message from Luke while waiting.

[Luke]: I might be a bit longer here. People are being…unreasonable >(

[You]:  At least you’re warning me this time, lol. Good luck!

Debbie’s conversation pings.

[Debbie]: idk, doubt it. she’s been here a few weeks already. she’s tried to recruit half of the engineering staff. got a few bites already

You frown.

[You]: Including you?

[Debbie] she started on me today.

You lay back down, staring at the ceiling. Well, your life has certainly gotten a lot more complicated recently. Your mind drifts to the monster sleeping on your couch. A large part of you wants to tell Debbie. It’s too weird to hide anything from her, especially something this big. She’d probably have an idea or two, her big scientific mind able to come up with plans your smaller one can’t. You could do it, right now. Just pick up the phone and call her. But something is holding you back.

Well, now that she’s surrounded by the MRC, it’s probably a bad idea anyway. You try to rationalize the weird gut feeling you have to leave her out of it. Wait a minute! Your eyes snap open and you reach for your phone.

[You]: Can you get close to her? Find out what they’re doing here?

[Debbie]: what? why?

Well, now is time to bullshit like a queen.

[You]: I want to know! They’re in the diner all the time, talking all ‘hushed’. Its so mysterious, like: what are they up to?

You stare at your phone in the dark, waiting for a response. Please believe me. Don't ask any questions.

[Debbie]: girl you’re weird. this is unhealthy.  no.

[You]: Please? As a favour for me? Your best friend?

[Debbie]: …

[Debbie]: no

Your heart sinks.

[Debbie]: not as a favour. as an exchange

[You]: What? What do you want?

[Debbie]: you'll have to wait and see ;)

[You]: So you’ll do it?

[Debbie]: ya i'll be your spy

Yes! You can’t help but fist-pump the air in victory. It doesn’t look like she suspects anything. You let the conversation continue for a minute on other, more mundane topics before saying goodnight and closing your phone.

Okay, you have something. Could have gone worse.

Chapter Text

May

[Luke]: Why am I the one here? I'm the boss, I should not have been here since ass-crack of dawn.

You roll your eyes. What a drama queen. The boss is currently down at the local butchers, negotiating prices. This is normally something that one of the chefs will do, but Heisenberg refused -something about having lost something important and needing to look for it- and the other has to man the diner. As you're about to respond, your phone pings with a new message.

[Bluman] hey boss. srry i lost something. need to look for it. i might be a bit late.

Huh? Thats...odd. Maybe she's helping her uncle?  Must be something really important. You send a quick text back to let her know that it's alright, and to let you know when she thinks she'll be able to come in, before returning to your text chain with Luke.

[You]: You JUST got back from vacation. No complaining.

[Luke]: That was 2 weeks ago. And you don’t understand. Those people are crazy! They took me to FIVE musicals while I was there. FIVE.

[You]: Next time send me to this 'business meeting'. That sounds awesome!

You try to discretely slide your phone back into your pocket -a failed attempt going by the judging look of the old man in the nearby booth- and turn your attention back to mundane work. It's a slow day, thankfully since you'll apparently be quite understaffed. Right now you're stationed behind the 'bar'. Checking the time, you know you'll soon be cornered by a group of regular old ladies on their 'weekly bookclub outing'. It's cute, though you never actually see them with a book. The MRC reps have returned, still talking in hushed voices in the corner booth. You glance at them wearily. If BP is right and they are not looking for him, what exactly are they doing here? You hum quietly in though and wipe at the counter with your rag.

A crashing sound comes from the kitchen. You wince, muttering 'Opa' under your breath. Another plate down. At least for once, it's not Heisenburg. The chef has been quite off his game recently. His food still tastes great, but he's been dropping things every day. It's strange, he's usually a very careful guy. Honestly, he's lucky Luke wont take it out of his paycheck at this point. Bluman also seems on edge, snapping at people and slamming doors. You've heard a few arguments between her and her uncle as you walk by the kitchen. And now they've both called in. The situation has got you a bit worried.

Lane returns from her break, leaving you to go on yours. You slide off your half-apron and head back into the office. Just in time, as you hear the doorbell jingle as the bookclub old ladies come in. You grab your lunch -a  simple salad brought from home- from the mini-fridge, you sit at the desk. While Luke was gone your kitchen suffered greatly, a side effect of you never really being home and always eating at the diner. It was fine, but you missed 'regular' food quite a bit. The day after BP moved in, you went out to grab groceries for the both of you. You had also grabbed some clothes for the monster on your way back. Luckily they fit him well enough, if not a little baggy. Food, water, check.

Taking a few bites of your salad, you think of the monster. Now that the ‘splint’ is off -he heals quick apparently- you can tell that he's getting bored in your apartment. It's only been a few weeks and he's already exhausted most of the popular Notflix options. Kinda impressive. When you brought it up last night he just stated that he feels restless, that he's used to always doing 'something'.  There's...not much you can think to do to help him there. Would he get use out a laser pointer? The thought is hilarious, but potentially offensive.

Your phone rings. You grab it from your pocket and look at the caller id: Debbie. Weird. She likes to text. You pick it up and mumble a greeting.

“I’m coming over tonight.” A statement.

"What?" Your breath hitches. "Uh, no. Sorry." 

“Listen.” Her voice is insistent. “I’m coming over.”

The serious tone of her voice gives you pause. “Why?” You ask.

"I have something." She responds. "Got it from the MRC recruiter."

“You stole something?!” You whisper, looking around the room. Of course, you're alone. “Debbie that is not subtle.”

“No no no, she told me to take it home. Technically it’s ‘for educational use'. I need to bring it back on Monday though.”

“What is it?"

“Nah girl. You gotta be in person for it.” She replies. Ugh. You let out a long breath. “7pm, your place.”

"Okay." You give in, rubbing your forehead. This is a recipe for disaster, but you think she'll just show up anyways if you refuse. "It can't be for long though. I'm opening tomorrow and want to get to bed early." All lies, but she doesn't know that. Debbie agrees easily and you hang up.

For a moment you just stare at the nearby wall. Take a deep breath, one, two... Okay, this is not the ideal situation, but you can figure something out, right? Looking back at your phone, you find the number for the closer. 7pm is pushing it, you need to leave early. To do what? You're not sure yet.

Unfortunately, Jess isn't able to come in early. So at 6pm you practically bolt out the door and into your car.

You unlock the door and burst into the apartment, eyes finding the monster sitting on the couch eating scrambled eggs. BP startles at your intense entrance, almost dropping his plate. He stares at you as you get closer. 

"Uh, what's up little buddy?" His head tilts to the side as he speaks.

“I need you out.” You say. He instantly stiffens, looking at you with slowly widening eyes. As you watch, his ears flatten against his head, tail swishing against the floor. You frown, unable to understand why he looks so upset. Rewind. You replay the words in your head, quickly realizing your mistake. "Wait, no, that's not what I meant." You groan, rubbing your temple with one palm. "I have someone coming over last minute for something important, but she obviously can't see you here."

BP blinks slowly. He looks down at your chest for a moment, before his ears start to rise. "Yeah, okay. Where's a good place to hid around here?"

You pause. Right. This isn't as easy as him just walking outside. Think… “Shit, I don’t know. We’re running out of time though.” You tap your foot against the ground, stress starting to permeate your bones. "Okay okay. If you can't go outside...can you just hide in my room?" That feels a bit odd, but shit, you're running out of time here. You look at him for approval. He seems a bit hesitant, but nods. Alright then.

Grabbing the laptop, he follows behind you. He slows down, distance growing between you as you get closer to your bedroom door. You open the door and step in, making a wide 'here you go' motion with your other arm. BP hesitates in the doorway, looking around. It's flags in your mind that he seems a lot more worried about going into your bedroom than he did getting into your car. But something seems to satisfy him, as he takes in a breath and steps inside. He heads straight towards your desk, putting the laptop down. 

"Sorry about the mess." You mumble, rushing over to clear a bit more of the desk for him. "I didn't really...expect anyone in here." The monster just waves you off.

The front door creaks open. Shit. You're out of time. "One minute!" You call out. Rushing out of your bedroom, you close the door a bit too harsh behind you. You give yourself a moment to calm down before slowly walking towards the front of your apartment.

Debbie is already sitting on the couch, as comfortable in your space as only a close friend can be. She's clutching a black backpack to her stomach, hands tapping nervously on the outside. You walk over and sit down expectantly. For a moment, she says nothing. Then, "Was I interrupting your breakfast?" A weak joke, as she looks at BP's leftovers. 

"Uh, yea. Trying a new thing out." You mumble back. It's a lame answer, but Debbie doesn't really seem like she's paying attention. Her eyes are focused at the corner of your livingroom, stuck in her own mind. So, you sit in silence.

The longer the silence grows, the more your nerves start to wreck havoc on you. You have to dig your fingers into your pants to stop yourself from looking back at your bedroom door. Eventually you've had enough. "So...what's this about?" You prompt. Her eyes snap to you. Oh. That look in her eyes...she is definitely not happy with something. Debbie sighs loudly, slowly unzipping her backpack. Reaching in she pulls our something round and...

Oh. You stare. Oh shit.

Thats a collar. You can feel the sins of your whole damn species crawl up your back. 

Your mouth is dry, mind somehow going a million miles at once and also completely empty. "I dont'-"

"It’s not real.” She interrupts in a whisper, throwing the device onto the coffee table. It hits with a weirdly hollow sound. "Just for 'educational purposes. Looks damn real though. I almost freaked out seeing it. She had a real one with her too, showed us the insides." She shivers. "This one's empty, other than the wiring for the lights and release button. They passed it around and everyone tried it on. It was a 'great ol' time'." Her voice gets dark. "Like it's a toy or something." You say nothing, stuck staring at the collar. This is the first time you've seen something like this in person. 

"Seeing it in person...it finally feels real, right?" She continues, voice wavering. You finally are able to snap your eyes away from the collar and to her. She has a hand at her own throat, touching it gently. The other one is on her lap, clenching and unclenching angrily. "Like, I know how it is out there, I'm not dumb. But that stuff never really reached us over here, right? We didn't have monsters, there was no resistance, we were all in our little bubble of naivety." Her voice starts to shake. "Do you remember watching it? All of it? The protests that became riots, the anger, the fear. We watched it like a movie. It wasn't 'real' to us, they weren't real to us. It's sick."

Her voice had risen slightly in her rant, and she paused. A few deep breaths. When she continues, her voice has returned to a mere whisper. "It also...it makes me think, it wasn't that long ago that humans were the 'slaves'. If technology was this advanced then, would we have humans in them? Would I be in one?" Debbie's eyes are glassy, tears about to overflow. There's nothing you can say. “This so wrong, oh my god this is so wrong. I don’t-“ You open your arms wide and she falls into them, tears pouring down her face. You don't have any words for this, anything to make it better. You've been coming to your own sort of conclusions about the same issue. So you both sit there in the embrace, even after her tears have started to dry up.

Slowly she starts to pull out of your arms. "Sorry." She mumbles, rubbing at her eyes. "I promised I would be quick, and here I am. You said you needed to sleep. Luke might be back but he's still working you like before, it's unfair." Guilt hits you hard for lying to her, but you say nothing. "I just...I didn't know what to do. I couldn't bring that thing into my house. I still don't know if I can." She lets out a long, shaky breath. "Can...can you keep it?"

You blink a few times. "Uh, what?" No. Absolutely not.

"Please." Debbie pleads, holding your hand. "I can't have it near me. I won't sleep. Please please please. It's just for the weekend and I can bring it back Monday."

"I-"

"Please." 

Fuck. "Alright."

Debbie gives you a relieved smile. "Thank you. Seriously." She leans forward for another hug. "I'm so sorry for the waterworks." At that, her reason to visit is over. You chat more casually as you follow her to your front door. "I'll walk you out." She tries to wave you off, but you're a bit worried about her in this state.

The two of you walk down to the parking lot in silence. She gives you one last hug, slides into her old BMW and pulls out. A quick wave and she's gone. You watch her car until you can no longer see it and turn to walk back into the building. The shock that had been fogging your mind since she first brought out the collar has begun to slowly fade. Holy shit. you can't believe ther is anything even close to a real collar siting in your apartment. 

Wait. It's sitting in your apartment. The apartment that currently only has a monster in it. BP.

Swearing loudly, you race back up the stairs and down the hall. Throwing your door open, you rush inside. Your feet stop suddenly, sliding slightly on the floor. The door slowly closes behind you. Oh shit. BP is behind the couch, staring wide eyed at the collar on the coffee table. He is a picture of terror: body tense, ears completely flat, tail puffed up behind him. His head snaps to you, face pulled into a mixture of emotions you can't even begin to decipher. Though, that's not completely right. There is one emotion you can tell instantly. Betrayal.

“It's not what-“

“Not what it looks like?!” BP finishes your sentence harshly. “I don't know what the fuck else it could be!”

“It’s not even real!” You try to explain, waving your arms. He scoffs. “Please listen-“

“Oh, fuck no.” He hisses. “Was this your plan all along?” Oh god, that anger is terrifying. You feel yourself flinch away, heat pooling behind your eyes. Your brain claws for anything to say, anything to stop the situation, but comes up short. "Get me to trust you, then betray me? You're sick. Disgusting. Worse than the fucking MRC!" His voice gets louder the more he speaks. Your heart feels like it'll explode, legs shaking.

A green glow starts to emit from his paws. It takes you a moment to actually understand: magic. It's your first time seeing magic in person, but you don't have the capability to enjoy it. You know it's dangerous. That glow combined with his face pulled up in pure disgust and anger is too much. You try to prepare for something, anything, but you don't know how. Eyes wet with unshed tears, you can only stare at that green glow in fear. What did the MRC say about monsters?

Armed and dangerous at all times.

BP lunches towards you. You let out a scream, hands flying up to protect yourself. This is the end. You step back, tripping on your unsteady legs to fall on your ass. He rushes by you, a flash of red and brown. 

“Fuck. You." The door slams behind him. 

Silence. 

Sitting on the floor, heaving and shaking, you look at the place BP had been. You hiccup, and that's all it takes for the tears to start. 

You want to call in sick, really, but your sick sense of loyalty to Luke and the want to get away from the apartment is too strong. Feeling hungover, you peel yourself out of bed and into the shower. Too hot. You don't care. You stay longer under the spray, letting it turn your skin red. 

The morning routine is done sloppily. You just can't bring yourself to actually care. Last night you cried yourself to sleep in confusion and regret, but now you just feel numb. You walk through the apartment, buttoning up a blouse. It's quiet and dark. It's how it used to be, but now just feels wrong. You refuse to look at the couch.

The collar itself is gone. The second you were able to, you'd thrown it immediately into the dumpster outside -sorry Deb. You had a feeling that the mere presence of the fake device would keep you awake all night. As it is, it still haunted your dreams. After throwing it out, you couldn't help but search anywhere nearby your friend (?) could have gone. It was useless. The residential area has minimal hiding spots, unless you include the neighbours hedges. Despite everything, you worry about him.

The car ride to work is silent. A small part of you is angry at him: angry that he didn't listen, angry that he so quickly doubted you. Another small part of you is angry at yourself that you're angry at him. But the largest part feels nothing but guilt: for even agreeing to keep the damn thing, for letting him see it, and for something even deeper that you can't acknowledge.

Work itself is normal, thankfully. You try to stay in the back office as much as you can. The staff are noticeably concerned. Someone must have reached out to Luke, as he messages you multiple times despite it being his day off. Lane checks in on you every hour. Even Heisenberg and Bluman stop their fighting to try and talk to you. You wave everybody off, but can admit that you're probably not in the right emotional state to get a lot of work done. Eventually you swallow your pride and text Luke, asking him to work the next few days for you. The man, as usual, seems unable to let you suffer and agrees. 

[Luke]: It’s all good, feel better :)

Wow, an emoji? He must be really worried. You send a quick 'thanks' back and attempt to get some work done. By the end of your shift, you know you've missed an entire section of important calls, but you can't pull up enough emotion to care. After all, your entire worldview is being shaken. A few phone calls can wait. You say goodbye to your coworkers and head out. The ride home is just as silent as the morning one. You immediately shed your clothing, leaving it on the floor -cause screw it- and hide under the covers in your bed. For now, you just want to not think.

You spend the whole next day in bed, falling in and out of naps. In your awake periods, you think. You think of everything, overanalyzing every moment with the cat monster over the past month. By the time you feel yourself dozing off for the night, you feel like you've had a few important realizations. The most shameful of all is that you definitely treated BP as a sort of pet. You cared for him -fed him, put a roof over him, offered enrichment- but you never actually considered him a 'person'. You can recall the multiple times over the past month where he'd express a want to go somewhere, and you'd talk him down out of 'concern'. It's not like he could leave without you, not without being caught in an unknown area. You don't know if he'd even be able to make his way back to the diner. You grit your teeth as you recall other instances of 'overriding' his decisions. But, that wasn't my call. I don't have a right to do that. BP, as an intelligent being, can make those decisions for himself. You fall asleep with the feeling of self-disgust and guilt.

The next day, you manage to force yourself out of bed in the evening to heat up a frozen pizza. Your stomach growls angrily as you move. You refuse to look at the couch, walking into the kitchen and throwing the pizza into the oven. Once done, you grab your cutlery and head back into your bedroom. Grabbing your laptop from the desk, you set yourself back up in your bed. Will you get crumbs? Probably. Do you care right now? No. 

Along with your realization that BP was ('surprise') a sentient being capable of his own decision-making, you really started to consider the true severity of the situation you've been in. You got yourself involved with something way over your pay grade without knowing a thing about it. So, retroactively, you begin to do your research. You start by looking at article after article on the Emergence and the events that occurred after. It's all pretty much the same, none of the immediate sources cover the topic in any sort of detail, but it feels a little better to know the basics.

You write what you can in an empty Word document: The monsters emerged from Mt. Ebott on September 15th, 201X led by their monarchs and a child. The child, unnamed, claimed to be the Ambassador of Monsters and was quickly taken for psychiatric testing. The monsters were quarantined on Mt. Ebott while important leaders converged and discussed. This situation remained stagnant for almost a year. During this year, it was discovered that the King was responsible for the deaths of 6 children who had fallen into the mountain. He was detained and sentenced for his crimes. The Queen succumbed to injuries she obtained leaving the mountain short after. The monsters, without a leader, descended into anarchy. They fought with each other, and many died. Then the MRC came forward with their collars. They were intended to 'help' the monsters according to the articles. The monsters were given the collars in order to control their magic to live peacefully.

You have so many questions, every sentence obviously leaves out important information; however, your biggest question remains the same throughout. Why had he trusted me?  And he really had. You realize the gravity of that now. A month ago, BP got in your car knowing that you could take him anywhere. Not just then, but every day that he lived with you he was demonstrating an unbelievable amount of trust. You could have returned with an army of MRC reps and he'd be unable to fight back. Fiddling with the edge of the duvet, you think about it more. 

It's a few days later that you spot something on the other side of the couch. Returning to the kitchen from the bathroom, you happen to see it in your peripheral. It's an internal struggle on whether you want to look further or leave it. In the end you go look. Oh. Ew. It's the scrambled eggs. You're embarrassed to admit that the sight of the eggs brings a ping of loss in your heart for BP. Grumbling to yourself, you grab some paper towel and soap to begin to clean it up. It's disgusting, but you make it through. You throw the dirty paper towel out, realizing that the garbage is full. You sigh, and start to tie it at the top. You slide on your shoes and a light jacket, wishing it had a hood. You don't want to see any one right now. You enter the hallway.

"Hello hello!" Of course the old man would be there. Why wouldn't he? "It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" You give a small smile and nod as a response, quickly walking down the hallway. When you reach the staircase you slow down, almost dragging your feet outside and to the dumpster. It's a bit of a struggle, but you manage to get it inside. As the bag clatters down to the bottom, you take a step back and look up. Huh. It is a nice day. You turn to head back inside.

“You look awful.”

Your eyes open fully as you turn wildly. For a moment, you wonder if you're dreaming. But no, it's him. He's there, in the same red hoodie -hood up, covering his face in shadows and ears in fabric- and dark jeans he had on when he left. They're dirtier, he's dirtier than before. The only new thing he has is a cheap plastic bag held in one hand. The two of you stare at each other for a long moment. "Not looking too great yourself." How you even managed words at this point is beyond you. You fidget with the edge of your jacket, looking away. The tense atmosphere hurts after so long of companionship. The cat monster sighs, placing his free hand in his pocket.

“Where were you?” Immediately you regret asking. As if he'd want to tell you anything, as if you even have the right to ask him anything anymore. BP shrugs, looking pointedly at the dumpster. "Oh." The silence between you is more awkward then ever. "Do you want-uh, I mean- I can bring you some food?"  Have we really come full circle this past month?  It's a sobering thought.

"Sure." BP responds. "A warm place to eat and sleep would be nice too." Your head snaps up to look at him fully again. Is he...? But...why?

It feels impossible after the last few days, but your eyes immediately start watering again. "It wasn't real. I swear." You plead, watching his face blur as your tears start to overflow down your cheeks. 

"I know." He says. Before you can voice your question, he reaches into the plastic bag and pulls out something you never wanted to see again. The collar. You flinch back at the sight of it. But it's different, no longer in it 'o' shape. It's open. Did he...grab it from the dumpster when I threw it out?

"Oh." Is all you can say, voice shaky. The sound of a car pulling into the parking lot breaks the silence, reminds both of you that you're in public. "So...inside then?" You propose, voice weak. You still expect him to decline, so his nod surprises you. Pushing the collar back into the bag, he follows you through the back entrance to the building. You stop him before entering your hallway, checking for the old neighbour. It's clear. Neither of you speak until the apartment door is closed behind you. You stare at it for a moment, nervous to turn around. 

"Can we talk?" BP asks. You nod, taking a deep breath and fully turning around. The monster looks over your apartment, taking in your clothes scattered on the floor and cups everywhere. He doesn't say anything. Moving over to the couch, you sit down. Your hand moves to pat the couch beside you, but freeze in the familiar motion, suddenly unsure of how it will be received. He plops down on the other end of the couch anyways, and your heart feels a bit warmer. 

"I overreacted. I know." He says, holding up a paw when you try to interject. "Coming out of your...bedroom to find that thing felt like...like I was wrong to be so comfortable here the entire time. I started questioning everything I thought, questioning my own judgement. It made me angry, and that happened." He pauses, looking at you. "Why do you look like you're about to fall down any moment anyways?" Fall down? 

“Yea, I didn’t do much the past few days.” You begin, fiddling with the edge of your shirt. ”I felt horrible, not only for the fight but for...everything else.” He looks a bit lost. “I didn’t really take you seriously, did I? I acted like this whole situation with the MRC was a game. I'm so sorry." Your words are slow, you're truly contemplating them before you speak." It was only seeing the collar that anything started to click with me. My friend, she's being approached by an MRC recruiter. She doesn't wan't anything do do with them, or the collar, and asked me to hold onto it so she didn't have to look at it. I didn’t think about the severity of saying yes, or of your situation.”

BP lets out a small laugh. "Damn, little buddy, that's deeper than I thought." You can't help but smile at the familiar nickname. He reaches into his plastic bag and pulls out...a pack of cigarettes and a lighter? He smokes? At your confused look he smirks. “You humans throw out too much.” He lights the cigarette, taking a deep swig and sighs happily. I guess real talk is over now.

“Theres a new episode of Strangest Things out if you want to watch?” You offer.

He looks you over, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, in a bit. I'm going to finish this cigarette, take a shower, change clothes, and then sure. You should uh...probably do the same." Well, ouch, but true. He takes another hit of his smoke and sighs. 

You get up and jump into the shower first. It's a quick wash, you don't want to make him wait. Getting out of the shower, you wrap yourself in a towel and open the door. He pats your shoulder as you walk by him, on his way to do....something. 

An overwhelming feeling of relief hits you. You want to protect this, protect him. 

Chapter Text

May

You return to work the next day -not strictly on schedule- to catch up on secretarial duties. Luke seems relieved to have you back, and lets you take over while he goes to talk to customers. There’s a surprising amount of work to be done. It almost seems as though Luke has done nothing in your absence. With a sigh, you sit down and make a list. You need to call the cash handling company (way overdue), order new inventory (been out of strawberries for two days now), and talk to the city about some bills.

Cracking your knuckles, you get to it. Everything goes smoothly except for the cash handling. The armoured transport vehicle cannot get to the diner today due to scheduling conflicts. It’s fine, although a little annoying that they only have one for three neighbouring towns (as small as they are). Luke offers to take the money to the bank himself, as he always does, but you shrug him off.

The rest of the week goes by wonderfully. During the day, you act as a regular waitress- no longer a manager, thank god- of the diner, and spend your nights with BP at home. You’ve been working on how you treat BP a lot lately, trying to figure out ways to allow more movement around the town. He must feel stuck, unable to really leave the apartment, but he doesn’t complain. The two of you spend the nights watching movies and relaxing. His restlessness seems to have calmed down.

You’ve also started to take an interest in the two regular MRC representatives, if only to gain information. Now that you truly realize BP’s situation, you’re going to do what you can to help him. The two reps are not helpful, however, and the only information you have are their names: Mac (the older one) and James (the cute one). James has stopped flirting with you, seeming more interested in whatever they have going on. Overall, things seem to be going smoothly. Until Tuesday.

The distinct sound of your alarm wake you up instantly. You groan, turning over and reaching a hand out to grab your phone. Fiddling for only a moment, you manage to turn it off and plop your head back in your pillow. 4am. Yay. The diner opens at 5:30 so you still have an hour to get ready. Forcing yourself up, you shed your sleep-ware and grab a towel. Mindful of your returning roommate, you wrap it around yourself before heading to the bathroom.

You turn the handle to the bathroom and throw your weight on the door to open in. Oh, it's locked. A muffled sound comes from within, and you lean against the adjacent wall to wait. It's only a moment later that you hear the sound of the door unlocking and BP walks out. He's only dressed in sweatpants- his normal sleep attire- but is holding his jeans and sweater. Is he just changing into sleep clothes now?

"Sorry, little buddy." He brings a hand to his mouth to cover a yawn and walks past you towards the living room. You shrug, and head inside. Quickly you tie up your hair, not wanting to deal with everything that involves washing it when you only did yesterday. The shower wakes you up a bit more, like usual. Only a few minutes later, you step out of the spray and dry yourself off before heading back into the bedroom.

After quickly throwing on some makeup and making your hair look presentable, you slide on your uniform and head out. The lights are off and BP is passed out on the couch. Ever since he returned he’s been sleeping in later. You walk into the kitchen and make yourself an instant coffee, standing there in a morning fog while drinking. You leave at 4:40 am. The day is normal. You talk to the MRC reps with no results. Luke has taken the evening off for a date, which you tease him about as much as you can. He takes it well and just seems happy. At 4:30, Lane comes in and you retire to the office for a break.

5:03 pm. BANG.

The sound echoes through your head. You sit up, breath catching in your throat. A woman screams in the diner, followed by a harsh shout. Silence. You are frozen in your seat, eyes wide and heart in your throat. You can't think. Your brain is frozen too. There's a conversation going on, although you cannot hear the words. Then footsteps. Oh god. They're getting louder. Time seems slow, too slow for the distance, but you still cannot move. You are still sitting there, staring at the door when they walk in. 

Two people in hoodies walk into the room. You immediately clock their appearance or lack thereof. With hoods covering their head and faces covered in white material and sunglasses, you would never know who they are. You could never tell anyone anything about them. Shit.

The two of them stand in the doorway, looking at you for a moment. It's like they are as surprised to see you as you are to see them. The larger one in the red hoodie mumbles something you don't hear, getting an elbow in the ribs by the one in the blue. 

"Up!" The one in the blue hoodie demands. Their voice is loud. You cringe. 

"Now sweetheart!” Red hoodie speaks up in a deep voice. When you don't comply immediately, he pulls a hand out of his pocket. Oh fuck. That's a knife. It breaks your frozen state and you stand up, stumbling slightly as your shaky legs refuse to work. The one in the blue hood laughs, leaning over to say something you don't hear to the blue hoodie. You suck in a breath as you finally notice the pistol in their hands. Was that a gunshot earlier? 

"Ah fuck, you're cute." Red hoodie takes a step forward. You grasp the desk beside you. "Maybe we should take you too?" Another terrifying laugh. "Oh, the things I could do to you." He all but purrs.

You feel like you're going to throw up. Still, you stay silent. You don't know what to do. You don't know how to survive this. 

Blue hoodie speaks up. "Alright. You are not going to scream. You are going to do what we say, and your pretty face will stay that way.” They pause, and you nod your assent quickly. “Now open that fuckin' safe.” Almost expecting the request, you immediately lurch towards it. 

Pain. Sharp and confusing, it erupts in your cheek. You hit the ground on your side, a hand immediately clutching at your face. It'll bruise tomorrow if you're alive to experience it anyways. You squint your eyes open at the attacher. Blue-hood stands above you, pistol raised. Oh. They hit you with the gun. You shudder. 

“Move slowly or next time I’ll fuckin' shoot ya.” You nod slowly, and he steps back. You sniffle, pulling yourself up on all four with shaky hands. Slowly, so slowly, you crawl towards the safe. Once there, you mercifully type the code correctly on the first try. You let out a breath of relief when it starts beeping to open. 

“What the fuck is that?!” The deep voice demands. You startle harshly.

“It's opening.” You rush to reassure him, tears forming in your eyes. ”See those numbers? T-that countdown? It takes a minute to open.” You don't dare to move from your position on the floor as the countdown continues. Your eyes shift quickly between the robbers, the weapons, and the safe. Finally, the last beep goes off. You hear the telltale sound of the safe unlocking. 

“Open it." You flinch as blue-hood speaks, nodding and reaching your shaking arm towards the safe. The safe opens without sticking. You close your eyes, knowing what they will see. It's full of money. Money that hasn't been sent to the bank in almost a week due to you. The two people behind you make sounds of happy surprise. You back away, curling up out of the way of the cheering men. The cash handling company was set to come tomorrow. It's too late. 

“Now stay there cutie and we’ll leave. Nobody gets hurt.” Deep voice states. You nod, continuing to make yourself as small and unthreatening as possible. Your wide eyes follow the weapons in their hands as they collect the money in large bags. You startle harshly as a gloved hand reaches towards you. It holds 50 dollar bill.

It is placed in front of you. ”For all your help cutie.” Red-hood says in a laughing voice before leaving, the other following closely behind. The door closes behind them with a definite click, but you don't move. You sit there under the desk, afraid to move even an inch, for what feels like hours. Your mind is empty, focused on nothing. 

A dark shadow covers you. You scream. Hands grab your arms and you struggle. 

“Stop! You’re okay! You’re safe!” A male voice. Your head snaps up, eyes focusing. Heisenberg. You immediately stop struggling and stare at him. His grip loosens and you collapse in his arms. You see Bluman behind him, in the doorway, looking terrified. Heisenberg rocks back and forth lightly, making shushing sounds. Shushing? Why was he- Oh. You feel the tears suddenly. You’re crying-no, sobbing into his shirt.

The next bits of your memory are hazy at best. You don't remember how you got to the curb outside or why there is a blanket covering you. What you do notice is the time: 5:15. It's only been 12 minutes. How is that possible? You stare at the time on Heisenberg's watch, unsure as to how you even got it. 

The police are here, the sky alight with red and blue. They had spoken to you earlier, and you recounted the events the best you can until Heisenberg came and took you away. You look at the bald cook now. He has your phone, speaking with someone on the other side. Is it Luke? Oh god. Luke. The money.

Debbie shows up after that, running out of her car and dragging you into her arms. She looks frazzled and is still wearing her work uniform, including the lab coat. You almost laugh at that. Almost. She must have left work in the middle of it.

The police ‘OK’ you to leave, and the next thing you realize you’re in your bed. Debbie is beside you, being your big spoon.

You stare at the wall for hours- is it hours?- before you fall asleep.

The next morning you wake up beside Debbie. It takes only a minute of blissful unawareness before everything hits you again. Panic hits you, fresh in your chest. Deep breaths, one, two. You're safe now, okay. You stare at Debbie's face, using it as an anchor to calm yourself. Eventually, you are able to carefully manoeuvre out from under her arm and head towards the bathroom. You need a shower. The door behind you closes quietly. Slowly you take off your clothes and leave them in a pile on the floor. You go to the shower and open the curtain.

Green eyes stare at you. You scream.

“Whoa whoa whoa whoa Little Buddy it's me!” You raise a hand to your mouth, cutting off the sound. It’s just BP. You mentally breathe a sigh of relief. Just BP’s…back? The answer comes to you just as you ask yourself why he’s turned around. You’re naked. With a high-pitched sound, you grab your towel and wrap it around you.

“Are you okay?!” Debbie’s frantic voice comes through, she knocks on the door.

“Yea!” You ensure. “Just saw myself in the mirror.” An obvious joke, good. She laughs quietly and you hear her walk away. For a moment, you and BP stare at each other.

“Why are you in the tub?” That just has to be an important question right now.

“How was I supposed to know you were bringing someone home last night?!” He insists, arms flailing. “You’re lucky I was already in the bathroom. I just jumped in here.” The image that comes to mind, mixed with the thought that he still hasn’t left the bathtub makes you giggle. The giggle turns into a full-on laugh, which gains a hysterical edge before turning into sobs. You crouch down.

“Whoa, Little Buddy what’s wrong?” BP is at your side with ears drawn back. You lean into him, pushing your face into his sweater. His arms cautiously come around you. The dam has been broken, and you sob into his shoulder. He seems bewildered but pats your back as you cry. “Your cheek…” He mutters, a paw carefully ghosting your face. Heh, called it. Must be bruised. Eventually, you calm down just enough to tell him what happened. His arms get tighter around you and his breathing gets harsh, but he says nothing.

“I better do something now.” You lean back, rubbing at your eyes. “Or she’ll honestly break down the door.” Your attempt at a smile doesn’t seem to fool him. “Sorry you have to be here. I’ll sneak you food in a bit.” He lets you go as you move to stand. He sits on the counter as you slide into the shower, closing the curtain. You carefully reach out with one arm to hang up the towel, then turn on the shower. Making it quick for BP’s sake, you skip shaving your legs and washing your hair; however, you have to pause a few times to catch your breath. You turn off the shower, wrap yourself in the towel, open the curtain and step out. BP is looking away. You take the moment to look in the mirror fully. Wow, you look like shit. Theres a huge bruise showing on your right cheek and your eyes are red-rimmed and puffy. With a sigh, you turn away from the mirror. “I’ll bring you some food.” You promise on your way out. He gives you a thumbs up, finally looking at you.

It turns out to be exceedingly difficult to get Debbie to leave you alone. Most of you appreciates that she is such a good friend, but you need her to leave as soon as possible. She makes you some of her Deb's special pancakes (peanut butter pancakes topped with jam) that you drown in syrup before eating. You manage to sneak some off to BP while she’s busy, and he seems happy. On the way back you notice his ripped plastic bag beside the couch and push it under with your foot. Eventually, she is forced to leave for a basic need, the toilet. When she begins to go towards yours, you panic and tell her its broken. That they were fixing it today. She gives you a weird look but shrugs and admits that she does need to be at work anyways. The MRC recruiter was having a huge meeting for all the mechanical engineering staff today. You hug her goodbye and promise to call her if you need her.

The door closes. “You’re free!” You yell out loudly, plopping down on the sofa and fiddling with you phone. It seems like the police want to talk to you again. Luke left several voice messages explaining how ‘it wasn’t your fault’ and ‘everything will be okay’. The loser.

It takes a moment for BP to come out. The laptop is open in front of him as he walks and sits down. Curious, you lean over. It’s the diner. “It’s on the news.” He mutters. It made sense. A robbery in a town as small as this would probably be the headline for a while. BP looks very tense as he silently reads the article. He continues to read until you ask him to stop, that you just need to not think of it right now or you’ll break. Not the healthiest coping mechanism, you know. He closes the page and opens Notflix.

Luke picks you up later that day. You wave off his attempts to comfort you, but smile nonetheless. You ask him about the musicals he saw, and he goes off. Apparently, the people he were with are rich, very rich, and thought it was a ‘disaster of heavenly proportions’ that he hadn’t seen Lion Queen on broadway. His words were full of sarcasm, but he seemed happy enough with the experience.

You arrive at the police station to see Bluman’s ridiculous red car out front, beside Lane’s car. It made sense to call the staff who had been there in together, although you wonder how much Luke is losing by closing the restaurant. Is it a crime scene now? You shudder at the thought. The two of you walk in and see Heisenberg sitting beside Lane. You sit beside Lane and Luke goes up to the desk to talk to the police officer. Apparently Heisenburg is waiting for Bluman to give his statement, since the family rides together. Bluman comes out, looking annoyed at the police man following her. She gives him the middle finger when his back is turned before walking up to her uncle.

“Oh, hey boss!” She gives you a wink. You go to say that you’re not her boss but she continues. “Alright, lets hit it.” Heisenberg gets up and they leave. Lane is called in next, so you’re alone for a few minutes. It’s almost unreal, being at the station. It’s small, maybe three rooms at best. It’s not as if the town has situations like this normally. The officers are actually shared between the neighbouring three towns, although there is always officers present at each location.

“Okay, I gave my statement yesterday. Although they don’t really need mine, I wasn’t there. I’m sorry. ” Luke sits down beside you. You shake your head and say for the tenth time that morning that he doesn’t need to apologize. The two of you sit in silence- Luke fiddling with his phone and you staring into the distance- until Lane comes out. She thanks the officer and waves at you before leaving.

The actual statement process was clinical, but draining. You are asked to remember as many details as possible, although when you do it makes your eyes burn. You explain how Blue-hood was shorter with a deeper voice and held a knife, while Red-hood was taller with a higher voice and had the pistol. But you don’t have much more information. They hand you a flier for a trauma psychologist that you can speak with over the phone. You crumple it up in your pocket.

In the end, you leave feeling useless. Luke drives you to the diner to pick up your car. There is no police tape around the diner or anything like that, but it's exceedingly weird to see it empty with lights off during the day. One police car is there, but the officers must be inside.

You wave to Luke as you pull away, headed home. As the diner fades into the distance, the burn behind your eyes grows. This is the first time you’ve been alone since it happened, and now you’re letting it hit you completely. You have to pull over somewhere down the line in order to cry. And you cry for a long time. Ugly tears, accentuated with hiccups and shaky breath. Luckily you had some tissue in the glove department. Drying your cheeks, you decide to postpone going home to grab a pizza. Vegetarian, how BP seems to like it. You also stop at the liquor store around the corner. Vodka, how you like it. You must have some type of juice at home.

Your old neighbour greets you as you walk into the apartment building. You give him a small greeting back but do not stay to chat. Walking into your apartment, you don’t immediately see BP. You put the pizza and vodka on the kitchen counter and call out his name. For a moment you hear nothing, before a small sound. Curious, you walk towards it. Its coming form the hallway. Is he in the bathroom? You don’t want to disturb him but a quick look shows the door is wide open. Taking that as an invitation, you walk in.

BP is standing in the middle of the bathroom with his hood up. His tail is puffed up.

“BP?”

“Don’t panic.” He whispers. He slowly turns to look at you.

There is a collar around his throat.

“What. The. Fuck?!”

Chapter Text

May

No. Absolutely not!

You stare at BP, eyes wide with horror. Luckily, the monster had led you towards the couch before his explanation. A good idea in hindsight, there's no way your shaky legs would be supporting you enough right now.

“It’s a win-win situation for both of us.” He explains. Despite his confident words, his paw hasn’t left left his neck. He fiddles with the release mechanism, proving to himself that he can actually escape. 

"I want to say no." You admit, looking away and crossing your arms. “I really do. Because this is stupid. A stupid idea that can get both of us in more trouble than we could imagine.” A long breath. “But I can’t, can I? I promised to treat you like an equal.” And thats the crux of it, isn't it? BP isn't your pet. He's a sentient adult. You don't get to decide what he does and doesn't do. You look back at him. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?” He nods, keeping eye contact with you. Fuck. “Okay then. Tomorrow I’ll bring you in.”

You send a quick message to Luke. He doesn't respond right away, but you're not concerned. You know Luke, he won't say no. Well...he won't say no tonight. Tomorrow, when you walk in to the diner with BP, you really don't know how he'll react. Ugh. You're really not looking forward to that. "If we're really doing this." You mutter, standing up from the couch. "I'm really going to need that alcohol tonight." 

BP mumbles in agreement as you walk into the kitchen. You open the fridge, frowning at the lack of everything in there. The monster eats a lot more food than you anticipated. Not that you mind, really, not when he looks so much more healthy than when you first met him. Still, you'll have to figure out some way to manage a bit better in the future. 

You end up making two mixed drinks with pop and vodka. They both have more vodka than is strictly necessary, but BP just accepts it happily. His eyes widen slightly at the first sip, but he doesn't falter. The pizza is the perfect accompaniment for the drink. Neither of you bother with plates or utensils. It's just not that kind of night. You grab a slice of pizza and alternate bites with drinks. Once one slice is gone, you grab your laptop and find some random comedy to watch. Something light, something for the background.

Neither of you laugh much at the movie, and half way through you begin to talk instead. You avoid the elephant in the room, and as the alcohol starts to hit you both go a little silly. By the time the credits role, you are half-way through a dramatic reading of some hilarious internet posts. An hour later, BP is passed out beside you on the couch.

You look at BP, his sleeping face illuminated by the laptop screen. Without him as a distraction, your thoughts become to hard to ignore. You place a blanket around him and head to your bedroom.

It takes hours of staring at your ceiling for exhaustion to finally take you.

The next morning BP is awake before you. He's already dressed and sitting on the couch with your laptop when you blearily walk out of your bedroom. Ugh. Your head hurts- a mix of a hangover, lack of sleep and anxiety- so your first stop is the medicine cabinet in the bathroom for a esprin. You dry swallow it and start to get ready. 

Time seems to go by too quickly- as it does when you're trying to avoid something-, and soon enough you're sitting beside BP with two cups of coffee. He takes one from you with a thanks. From the smell on him, you'd guess he's already gone through a few cigarettes.

“I need to ask one more time.” You take a sip of needed caffeine. “Are you sure about this?”

“No.” He sighs, eyes not straying from the laptop. What?! Really?  “But, well, monsters can't really be sure of anything anymore." He looks at you, locking eyes. “I’m doing this.” You take in the pure determination in his expression and nod. Alright then.

The two of you sit in silence after that, sipping your coffee and contemplating the day ahead. Eventually you have to move, getting up and putting on your outerwear. BP borrows a scarf from you, but otherwise has enough to keep himself warm. The weather will turn warm shortly, but it's not quite there yet. The cat monster slides his hood up over his ears as you leave the apartment, pulling the scarf over the bottom half of his face. Neither action is strictly necessary today. You both stay quiet as you lead the way downstairs.

The few people outside don't pay you any attention, so you are able to smoothly get into the car. BP sits in the passenger seat, feeling more comfortable with his 'disguise' on. Out of habit, you blast the radio. The monster flinches briefly, but waves away your apology. When you go to turn it down, he shakes his head. Music seems to be the right decision, as it allows you both the time to mentally prepare without the social pressure of filling a silence. 

The drive goes too quickly, and soon you're parking the car in the almost empty lot. The car turns off, and you both sit in silence. There's a feeling in the air that threatens to choke you. You take in a deep breath and glance over at BP. He looks similarly stressed as he pulls down his hood. A part of you wants to ask again, to ensure this is what he wants to do, but you recall the look in his face earlier and decide to say nothing. The monster unravels the scarf around his neck, revealing the collar underneath. You can't help but wrinkle your nose at the sight.

BP's paw fiddles once more with the release mechanism. "Let's go." 

The door chimes pleasantly as you walk in. You pocket the diner keys and look around. The lights are off. It's colder, and a bit creepier in it's emptiness. You are suddenly hit by the thought that soon you will be working here again. You will be taking orders, smiling and talking to regulars and doing paperwork in the office. It'll be as if nothing had even happened. A shiver goes down your spine.

"There's someone in the kitchen." BP says, voice pulling you from your thoughts. You trust him, having learned early on that his hearing is much better than your own. With a nod, you start towards the back, the cat monster at your heels. You push open the kitchen doors, breathing in a heavenly smell. Luke is standing at the stovetop, back towards you and handling two pans. He stiffens as the door opens, aware of no longer being alone.

"Hey!" He calls out, adjusting a dial on the stove before turning around with a big smile. "So, you're the one that has our-"

He stops mid-sentence, eyes widening as they take in BP. You watch in anxiety as Luke's gaze finally settles on the collar around the monsters neck. The boss' smile falls off his face. “The fuck is going on here?!”

“Such a shame.”

The two men walk inside the crowded bar-McLarens. It looks pretty typical for a bar. Nothing extravagant, but being the only bar in the god-forsaken town, it’s busy. Theres an extremely loud group of five sitting at a booth close to the bar. The two men sit as far away from them as possible.

“Yea.” James replies. “I like the diner better.”

“I bet you did.” Mac smirks.

James rolls his eyes. “I meant the atmosphere.”

“You meant that waitress.”

They sit down at a table far away from the noisy group. A waiter comes over to take their order. They wait until he leaves. “Last meal, James, are you sure you want to make it a salad?”

James rolls his eyes. “I’ll just be happy to get back to Ebott. This place is too small.” They sit in silence for a few moments. Mac’s phone pings, and he looks down.

“Finally. We’re leaving tomorrow at three in the morning. The recruits have been picked.”

“Yea? They any good?”

“Rebecca says they have room for improvement, but better than the last batch.” Mac laughs, seemingly remembering something that James doesn't.

The waiter appears with their beers. James waits until the waiter is far away before continuing. “What are we going to do about him?”

“Hm?” Mac looks up from his beer. “The skeleton? He’s moved on. The diner trail went cold a month ago."

“It's weird though, isn’t it Mac, how he just seems to disappear completely from any location we find him at?”

Mac shrugs. "They’re sending the special group out to the surrounding towns.” Mac takes another sip of his beer. “It isn’t our problem anymore.” James frowns, but gives in and starts on his beer.

Neither of them notice the shadow of a creature in the corner, staring directly at them and sipping straight from a ketchup bottle.

BP sits beside you in the booth, too close. You say nothing. He immediately begins to fiddle with the cutlery. Luke had elected to stay in the kitchen to finish the food. Probably mostly to collect himself. You guessed. You start to tap a nervous beat onto the table and can feel the monsters tail brush against your leg as it swings. Neither of you speak.

Some of the lights have been turned on, but somehow that just makes the emptiness of the diner even worse. This entire situation feels unreal, like your watching a movie. Like this isn't your real life.

Finally, Luke returns. He's holding three plates of a full english breakfast and a pot of coffee. You desperately look at his face to gauge his reaction, but he gives nothing away. He places everything down carefully on the table before sliding into the bench across from you. Nobody grabs for anything, frozen in their place. Luke glances between you and BP.

"Hi." Eventually he breaks the silence. "I'm Luke, and you are?"

"You can call me BP." Is the response. The table falls back into awkward silence.

“Why is-“ Luke starts. Pausing. “How-“ Pause. “What’s happening here?” He gestures at BP, a look in his eyes you cant determine. 

“It’s just like what I said in the text, I have someone willing to work for less.” You explain. “BP here wants to work. I know we’re low on funds, but there is no ‘minimum’ for monster pay. He can work for whatever you’re willing to-“

“Stop.” He demands, cutting you off. You almost flinch back at his tone. It's dark, angry in a way that Luke has never been at you before. His demeanor softens slightly as he looks at the monster. "BP, can you go into the kitchen please?" BP gives you a worried look, before nodding and sliding out of the booth. It's silent at the table until you hear the kitchen door swing close.

Immediately, the mood drops. “What the fuck are you playing at?!” Luke leans across the table, hands slamming down on the wood. Coffee splashes over one of the cups. 

“I-I don’t-“ The words fall out of your mouth without thought, your brain frozen in shock. 

“If you weren’t…you, I’d have kicked you out right now.” He continues, voice low and slightly shaky. "But I’ve known you for FIVE years and I’ve never got an inkling that you’re the type to own a fucking slave.” As scary as his your friend is being, the fact that Luke seems to be vehemently against slaves makes you feel relief. If you had made an error in judgement and brought BP to an unsafe place, you'd never forgive yourself.

“It’s not what you think!” You exclaim, putting your hands up in a placating manner. Luke raises an eyebrow, making a disbelieving sound.

“Honestly, I don’t give a rats ass what you have to tell me.” He points to the office door with his thumb. “It’s him I want to talk to.” He doesn’t say any more, and a tense silence falls between you. What is he-oh oh is he waiting for my permission? The idea makes you feel sick.

“W-well of course.” You try to smile. You fail. At your words, he gets up and marches towards the back. You hear a knock, a soft voice, then silence. 

Now you're alone with your racing thoughts. Dangerous. You lean back against the booth, sighing loudly. What a shitstorm this has turned out to be. Closing your eyes, you breathe and attempt to calm your brain. Shit. Luke looked terrifying. You've never seen him like that, and never thought he'd be like that towards you. And you get it, you understand the anger in his eyes, but that doesn't stop the feelings swirling in your stomach. Raising your hands, you start to rub at your temples. Well, it's all up to BP now. If things go wrong, if he doesn't explain things well enough, there would be major consequences. There's a million ways this could go wrong. 

Eventually you lean forward and start picking at your food. You're not hungry, but breakfast is at least some sort of distraction, and caffeine is always welcome at this hour. You sit in silence for a moment, when your phone pings. 

[Debbie]: I need to talk to you.

You frown. That sounds ominous.

[You]: Okay, wanna call tn?

Putting your phone on the table, you go back to picking at your food. You only manage a bite or two, nerves growing quickly in your stomach. What is taking them so long?! You take a deep breath in. Everything will be fine. Repeating this mantra helps, a little.

Finally, you hear movement. You sit up, immediately abandoning your food to turn and look. Luke rounds the corner first, face still unreadable. BP follows behind, eyes locking with yours the moment he could. He gives you a small smile. You feel a tentative feeling of relief start in your chest. Did it go okay?! They both slide back into the booth. You wait in stressful silence as Luke grabs his coffee, taking a huge sip.

He swallows, placing the cup down on the table before looking at you. "BP told me everything." A smile breaks out on his face. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? It's so cool!”

Your first reaction is to be happy that Luke no longer seems pissed at you. Then you clock his words. What? BP hits your leg with his hand, prompting you to speak. “Uh, yea. Sorry.” What the fuck did BP tell him? Still, you continue. “I was pretty shaken up by all of it and well…monster sentiments are not that high.”

Luke looks offended for a moment, as If he was hurt you’d think he would be racist. After a moment, his expression calms into a more inquisitive look.  “So, I understand that BP wants to work.” He looks at BP, who nods. “This is a small town, you know. I have no idea how the public will react.” BP shrugs in reply. “If you’re certain, she’s been getting on my ass about a busboy for months now. I can’t pay you much, honestly, barely a students wage most likely.” You know thats more than most monsters receive.

BP looks straight at Luke. “That's fine.”

“What’s your availability and previous experience?”

“Well my availability is essentially whenever she's working. I can't exactly get here without her.” He says. You frown at that thought. Then again, it would look better if the ‘owner’ was here. “And for experience…I worked in fast food and a restaurant for the equivalent of about three human years in the underground. I can't exactly get you a reference though.”

Luke takes a bite of his scrambled egg, chewing slowly in thought. He swallows.

“Well then. Welcome to the team!" He holds up his cup of coffee. Relief floods your senses and you look at BP. He has the same emotion on his face. “C’mon guys, don’t leave me hanging!” You chuckle and raise your cup, BP following suit. You clink the ceramic together and take a sip.

Surreal.

“You’re…leaving town?”

“I’m sorry.” Debbie replies. You hear some ruffling through the phone. “Tomorrow. At three in the morning. It won't be for forever. One year in Ebott and I'll be back!” 

“Tomorrow?! But...I won’t get to see you then.” You say, voice betraying how upset you are at the thought. “I don't get it. Why?”

“After seeing that collar.” She begins after a few moments of silence. “I realized I can’t just do nothing anymore. Humans have slaves again, and I can’t stand by and let it happen.” You know that feeling. “If I can do something, anything, it’ll be from Ebott. I’ve been given the chance to go to the MRC headquarters! I can’t turn this down. I’m going to find something to tear them down from the inside.”

Shit. Despite your sadness, you can't help but feel awe for your friend. "You are amazing, you know that right?"

“No.” She says simply, voice determined. “I’m only doing what’s right.”

“Well, I'm going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.” She says. "But it's not like you wont hear from me for a month. We'll still talk!" 

"Yeah..." You respond. It's not the same though.

The rest of your phone conversation is a little more sappy than necessary, but hey, you are 'losing' your best friend for a year. It's definitely called for. By the time you hang up, you're feeling a weird mix of resignation, sadness and pride. Debbie is going to do amazing things, you know it. With a deep breath, you walk back into the living room. BP is on the couch watching an episode of Game of Swords. You plop down beside him and steal a handful of his popcorn. Looking at the screen, you see John Slush making out with some redhead chick.

"What did I miss?" You ask, leaning back into the couch and shoving the popcorn into your mouth. 

BP raises an eyebrow at your very ladylike display, before he gives you a quick rundown of events. The two of you fall into silence afterwards as you watch the episode. About half-way through, as a slow scene drags on, BP gets up. He leaves the episode on as he walks into the kitchen. You hear him rummaging around. A few moments later he returns with two glasses, handing you one. You take a sip, immediately snorting. Vodka soda. Perfect. "Thanks."

"Figured it was a celebration sort of night." He explains, sitting back down. 

"Yeah." You respond, taking another sip. There's more you want to say, more you want to thank him for. Thank you for caring about me. Thank you for giving me a second chance. Thank you for the amount of trust you're putting in me to even attempt this whole thing. But you stay silent, unsure as to how to bring it all up. The day has been a lot, and your brain is exhausted already.

So you lapse into silence and drink. As this episode ends and another starts, you start to fade into your thoughts. You think about the events of the day, and further back into the discussion that started it all.

24 Hours Earlier

"You want to...work...at the diner." Despite the words coming out of your mouth, they make no sense.

"Yea." He nods.

"But...why?!" You throw your hands up, more confused than ever.

"It's not free to house me, I'm not an idiot." BP sighs. "Listen little buddy, I just want to help out."

"If this is about getting out of the apartment. I'll find some way to make that happen!" You insist. "I'm sure I can find some less populated places-"

"Oh my stars, no. I've already been leaving the apartment." He interrupts, pausing only at your shocked expression. "Uh, I wasn't really hiding it from you. I just can't go out during the day?" Is...is that why he's been up so late? How did you not notice?!

"Oh." Is your only response to that. "Well...that aside then, if your plan involves that, then there must be another way." You try to reason, looking pointedly at the collar still around his neck.

"I'm not...happy that I have to wear one of these again. At all." BP admits, paw still resting on the collar. Wait, again?! He's worn one before? You open your mouth to again state that he doesn't have to do this, but the monster just continues. " But it's fake. I know it, you know it. You couldn't order me to do shit if you wanted to. It can't harm me at all." Well...that's true. Still though...

"And let's face it, if I want to work I need an owner." He looks at you. A chill runs down your back at his words, at how easily he says them.  "Look, it works out for both of us. I can stop something like what happened before from happening again. The collar will let me use my magic to protect my 'owner'. You'll be safe, there will be extra money and less boredom for me." He gives you a small smile. "It's a win-win situation for both of us."

Now

And, well, you certainly feel like you've won. Somehow, things seem to have worked out completely. It's almost suspicious, really. But, tomorrow is BP's first shift and the grand re-opening of the diner. There's still plenty of opportunities for things to go downhill quickly.

Anxiety and stress threaten to overshadow your mind. Shit. Clutching your cup a bit tighter, you take a large sip of alcohol. No. You're not going to let these negative thoughts get the best over you this time. You really need the sleep. You cant afford to go into tomorrow with brain fog. 

Over the next few minutes you essentially chug the rest of the drink, allowing the alcohol to fuzz your mind and dull your thoughts. You focus only on the show, until the episode ends and you drag yourself to your bed.

Fortunately, sleep overtakes you quickly. Unfortunately, you dream of guns and horror. 

As it turns out, BP is an absolute natural. He handles himself in the diner setting with the ease of someone used to customer service. The customers are -obviously- shocked at first to see him. Some are kinda rude, some are kinda interested, but overall nobody crosses any real boundaries. You find yourself feeling a little proud of your small town. The shift goes by quickly and soon you're on your way home. A surprisingly normal day.

Quickly the cat monster becomes almost a staple at the restaurant. Lane and Jess take to him quickly, glaring down any customer who even tries anything with him. But BP is also able to hold his own, and doesn't take shit from them either. Soon enough, the customers that were against the monster just stopped showing up. Normally this would be an issue for business, but just BPs presence seems to bring even more customers than normal. People come from neighbouring towns to gawk at the monster. 

In the end, its Heisenburg and Bluman who have the weirdest reactions to the monster. As BP first walked in on the first day, both of the relatives went completely pale. You didn't have many interactions with them that day as you were assisting Luke with paperwork more than anything, but the next day they were incredibly hostile. Bluman glared at you any time she could and Heisenburg straight up ignored your order tickets, causing customers to get angry at you. It became very apparent you'd need to talk to them, but you didn't get a chance in the busy morning rush.

You did, however, get a chance to vent about it with BP as you both washed tables. The cat monster seemed surprised at your words, before looking a bit annoyed. He finished his table quickly and went straight back into the kitchen. You still have no idea what exactly happened back there, but afterwards Heisenberg starts taking your orders and Bluman’s stare becomes more curious than angry. Neither apologizes, but things go back to normal.

Normal. How the hell are things 'normal?

You feel on a razors edge, constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. Things shouldn't be this easy, right? It feels like something bad is right around the corner, and you have no idea how to prepare for it. Both Luke and Lane have commented on just how jumpy you've been. You have noticed it yourself as well: you jump whenever the door bell chimes, you're a bit snappy at customers and feeling agitated a lot quicker at small mistakes. 

It's been two weeks now. If something was going to happen, it surely would have already. Right? Of course, that's when the customer comes.

"Monster! Hey, you!" A snapping sound. You pause in speaking to your customers, looking over to the sound. There's a man snapping his fingers in BP's face. To his credit, the monster just leans back, using the broom as leverage. "I dripped coffee on my table. Clean it.” You squint to see the mans face. He isn't a regular, nor someone you've seen around town before. He's dressed fancily, in a suit and tie. Why? 

As you watch, BP shrugs. Probably  He leans forward to clean the drip of coffee from the table. The man smirks. “I also got some on my shoe. Clean it.”

The monster frowns. "Uh, no?" He takes a step back. “Not part of my job description.” The man's face pinches up at those words. You straighten up, a knowing feeling settling in your stomach like a led balloon.

“If I say to clean my shoes, you have to do it mongrel!” The man points angrily at the collar. Oh hell no. You put your notepad down on the table, slide the cutlery into your apron pocket and march over.

“Actually,” BP puts a paw on his collar. “This means I only have to take direction from one person. And that person isn't you.”

The man opens his mouth to reply. With what, you'll never know. You step in front of BP, forcing yourself into the situation. "Leave. Now." 

The mans face starts to turn red. "How dare you treat a customer like this? I want your manager!" He slams his hand down on the table. "First you dare have a monster within close distance to food, then you-“

"I. Don't. Give. A. Shit." Your voice is cold, harsh. You're running on pent up energy and caffeine. "Get out you fucking horrible excuse for a human being." A paw lands on your shoulder, pulling you back. You hadn’t realized you were leaning into the mans face. For a brief moment, nobody moves. The man seems shocked into silence. You don't know what he'll do when the shock wears off. His hands are closed into fists, tight enough that the skin has turned white.

You're pulled a few steps backwards and your vision goes white. For a moment you are surprised, then your brain kicks in. Oh. It's the back of Heisenburgs chef uniform. The chef grabs the mans arm harshly, pulling him up from the booth. 

"You are not welcome here anymore." He says, dragging the man away. They both leave your sight, but you can hear the disgruntled customer screaming curses and slurs as he is led outside. You look between the door and the booth where the man had been, shaking in anger.

“Calm down there, it wasn't that bad little buddy.” A whisper in your ear. “I've been expecting worse for a while. Now, breath.” You breath out instantly, unknowing when you started to hold your breath. Unclenching your palms, you feel pinpricks of pain from where your nails dug into your palm. You open your mouth to deny his words- it had been bad, he shouldn't have to deal with any of this- but BP continues. "Maybe you should take a breather outside."

Turning around, you look up at BP. The monsters concerned expression cuts through any complaints you may have. “Maybe I should take a breather outside.” You copy. The anger is still there, boiling underneath your skin. Yea, he's right, you need some fresh air.

You turn on your heel and head straight for the back. The silence begins to fill with chattering patrons as you leave. Word is going to get out quickly. Shit.

The back door slams harsh against the outside wall. You step outside, breathing in and out quickly. Who the fuck does he think he is?! You feel strange, anger overpowering any sense of logic in your mind. Frustration seeps from your bones, weeks on end of stress fuelling your agitated state. You need an outlet, something to take your anger that isn't alive.

Rearing back, you raise your fist and punch the dumpster. A large bang echoes through the area, painfully rushing through your head. You clutch at your hand. FUCK, that hurt. And did it help? Not really. You feel just as jumbled as before, just with added pain.

"what did that dumpster ever do to you?"

You jump back at the voice, eyes desperately scanning the area. Holy shit!  You're not alone. There's a figure in a shadow by near the other dumpster, not far from you. How did you not see them before?! Something about that sends a jolt of fear down your spine. You squint a bit into the shadow, trying to make out any distinctive features. It takes a second, but your eyes adjust to see a blue hoodie.

A blue hoodie. Your breath hitches. They're back. Fuck. 

The hood is up, covering the top half of the mans face. The bottom half is...skeletal? A skeleton mask, really? 

“Why are you here?!” You close your eyes as you demand, frightened. No answer. Your fear and anger increases. “Hey, fuck-face. Didn’t you do enough damage?” You open your eyes.

You gasp. He's suddenly so much closer, only a few meters away. 

Remembering the cutlery in your pocket, you reach in and pull out a steak knife. Horrible self-defence, it won't do much. Still, it makes you feel a little better. This time you wont go down without a fight. You palm the knife, breathing heavily. Is his friend around? Are they casing the place?  You feel your eyes burning. Why?! Why now? Why is everything going to shit at once?

The man flinches harshly at the sight of the knife. Oh? An advantage? You take the opportunity, waving the knife around in panic. “See this? I have a KNIFE!” You can't help but think of everyone in the diner, your anger turning to blind panic in your chest. No, you can't let him get in. You can't let him hurt them. Maybe, just maybe, you can scare him away? Then nobody will get hurt. 

"don't do something you'll regret." That voice is dark, threatening.

No no nononononono. Your mind flitters through your disjointed memories of the event. Of the blue hood, the deep voice, the fear, the pain. Of breaking down into tears alone in your car the next day. Of the endless nightmares keeping you awake at night, and the memories keeping you afraid and jumpy during the day. You've been looking at everyone differently, always thinking 'what if he is one of them?'. Sometimes, when the nightmares get to bad, you open the crumpled piece of paper with the trauma psychologists number. You've come so close, but never actually hit 'call'.   

In less than 15 minutes, this man in front of you has ruined you. That's not to mention whatever hell Lane and the other customers are also going through. You can't let him do that to anyone else, not again. Swallowing painfully, you take a step forward. Brandishing the knife. 

The skeleton mask grins. Wait. What?

“ok kid, you’re about to have a B A D T I M E.”

There's a blue flash under the hood. Then all you know is pain.

Chapter Text

June

Sans is tired, so damn tired.

It shows in the blurry edges of his vision, in the way his magic doesn't do what he wants, in the way his bones ache and skull pounds. He feels almost melted into the booth at the bar -McLarens - watching the MRC bastards chat away. They're laughing, eating and being fucking merry. That deep, familiar anger boils within him as he watches. His fingers clutch the ketchup bottle a bit harder as he takes a sip. 

Getting into the bar after them bad been easy enough. Years of hiding in the shadows has taught him the situations where hiding in plain sight works the best. Humans often don't notice things right under their noses. One peek through a window, a quick -and painful- shortcut later, and he arrived at the back of the bar. The table he picks is close enough to hear what the MRC are saying, but far enough away that they'll likely not see him. And if they do...well, freedom is only a shortcut away. The waiter hadn't even noticed him for long time, and when he did Sans had simply waved the confused guy off. He knows he looks out of place, dressed oddly to cover his bones. From the gloves covering his hands, the hood covering his skull and the scarf over his face, he looks very strange even by human standards. It isn't 'normal', but being seen as a weird human is much better than being seen as a monster. Those 'friendly' MRC joking amongst each other a few tables away can turn deadly in the blink of an eye. He is not going back to that. Never again.

A the two MRC reps continue to joke, Sans knows they've moved away from monster killing 'official business' to more personal topics. He sighs, knowing that there isn't much else that he'll get here. Finishing the ketchup, he watches the two men take their leave. They're talking about a girl. He can't help but roll his eye sockets as he shortcuts out of the bar. He truly cannot understand humans. They can commit the worst type of horrors, then turn around and joke about a girl they find cute. It's sickening. Sans appears beside the diner, watching from the shadows as the reps get into their van and drive off. If he could, he'd dunk on them right now. But what would that do? Four would appear in their place, emboldened by revenge. And well, he's not strong enough for that anymore. Slowly, he turns and shortcuts away. 

He's at the MRC's meeting point hours before anyone else. What's the point in waiting around? It's not like he'd be able to sleep. His skull nods slightly, and Sans has to force himself awake more than a few times. The van pulls up at 2:40 a.m. The two MRC reps are inside, sipping on coffee. A few minutes later, a truck pulls up with three people sitting in the back. All six humans leave the truck and head into the van. From his vantage point, he can't hear any of the words being said. They drive off, and other than more faces to add to his list, he hasn't actually gotten any more information. shit.

Eventually he gets up, forcing his aching bones to move. Any attempt to shortcut has been failing today, so he's forced to walk the long distance back to the town. The ketchup from yesterday had done wonders for his magic, filling him up more than he'd been for weeks. It's not enough, not even close. Shortcuts take a lot of magic and human food will never give him what he needs, not at this point of depletion. He sighs, mentally preparing for the walk back. At least the MRC are long gone, so he can feel a bit more confident walking close to the road. With his hood up and scarf wrapped around the bottom half of his face, he doubts any of the few cars passing by would give him a second look. Still, he disappears further into the treeline anytime he hears a car coming. The walk is long and harsh on his bones. He stops at a few dumpsters along the way, pulling out food when he can. Anything to keep him going. He has to keep going. But why? Why does he have to keep doing this? Even BP seems to have fucked off. 

Thats...not fair though, is it? He lets out a long breath, picking up his pace. There's a million places BP could be if he left on his own, and even more if he was taken. Sans has been watching the MRC even harder since the cats disappearance, but the murderers bastards haven't given anything away. He's already looked everywhere else he could think of: basements, barns, tool-sheds, uninhabited houses, wherever may be empty enough for anything. He comes up with nothing. It's beyond frustrating. If only BP had actually stuck to the plan and told him something, anything than maybe Sans could actually help. The cat monster had refused to tell him any info on the two new humans brought into the plan. Sans trusts BP -he has to- but the other monster has a terrible habit of protecting humans that shouldn't need protecting. And now, Sans is stuck, unable to move forward without even a phone number. How the fuck was he going to find them now?

He takes a break from walking to sit on a log. Doubt flares up in his mind. Maybe there was no way to find them, those humans BP decided to bring on. Maybe they've given up. Maybe the cat monster was lying about all of this. He wouldn't know. Honestly...Sans just wants to sleep. For a long time. Forever, maybe. Exhaustion weighs him down, a blanket he cannot shed. He closes his eyes. 

Of course, thats when that memory pops into his head. One of the last times he say Papyrus, the tall skeleton holding him tightly in goodbye. "I BELIEVE IN YOU, BROTHER!" said tearily in between a few 'nyoo hoos'. Not the best memory, but apparently one that haunts him the most. Ugh. His head hurts. His soul hurts. It's been so long, too long to hear nothing from Papyrus. And with the situation as bad as it is...Sans just has to hope everything is okay.

He's a little low on hope right now. 

His eye sockets open slowly and he pulls himself up. The stars themselves know that he would have given up ages ago if it wasn't for his brother. Even the memory of him pushes him along. Well. If he's going to find these humans, he has to start looking somewhere. 

In the end, he finds himself near the diner. He hasn't been back for a long time now, since BP's disappearance. There's too many people here to come often. But, maybe he had missed something previously, a clue or anything left behind to tell him where to go. He's standing at the tree-line, putting up his hood when he overhears a conversation. Two human women are talking loudly as they leave the diner, walking towards a fancy car. 

“-cool!”

“I don’t know, it kinda freaked me out?”

“Really, why? He seemed nice!”

“Just-magic? Stuff of nightmares. They’re called monsters for a reason.”

The conversation cuts short as the car door closes. Sans is frozen in one spot, eye sockets wide. Why are they talking about monsters? A panic grows in his chest as he breaks the tree-line. He wraps his scarf back around the bottom half of his face as he heads straight for the closest side window. After rubbing away some condensation, he peers in. 

what the fuck?

He breaths in shakily. There is a monster in there. Not just any monster, BP. Eye lights go immediately to the collar around his neck. Oh stars. He feels sick. Despite everything, Sans' strongest theory when the cat hadn't shown up was that he'd bolted, that he'd given up on the plan and just left town. Nobody could blame him, really, it's risky shit that they're all involved in. But this, this is much worse. 

Sans watches in horror as a waitress calls him over. BP follows quickly, almost too quickly. That must be her then, the owner. They never stray to far from their slave. He takes a step back from the window, pain and regret for the other monster strong in his chest. Sans takes in a strained breath. What to do now? A large part of him longs to just dunk on them all, every last human in there. At one time, he would have. But he's nowhere near strong enough for that at the moment, too exhausted from starvation and sleepless nights. Unable to even shortcut much himself, he'd get maybe one human before the others got him. He walks around the diner to the back. The familiar dumpster was there, quiet other than a solo rat. BP must have been captured the entire time. His hands clench into fists.

For a while he stands there, looking up at the sky and swearing profusely in his mind. Then he looks towards the dumpster. At least, some good could come from this. It takes him a minute to climb into it, uncovered feet landing on the garbage harshly. He leans down and begins to tear one open. He never felt ashamed for this. In the end monsters were used to this. In the underground they had ‘fun’ in the garbage dump. The first bag was useless, filled with broken plates and kitchen utensils. The next one, however made his eyes widen. Ketchup packets. A whole box of them. He smiles slightly and stuffs as many packets as he can in his pockets. Jackpot.

His small happiness is shattered by a loud thud, followed by an angry scream. He stiffens immediately, hand freezing in its position. Senses on alert, he hears footsteps. Right outside the dumpster. fuck. For a moment all he can hear is someones laboured breathing.

A booming crash suddenly shakes the dumpster. It echoes up his bones and rattles his skull. He doesn't know anything but pain. 

Escape.

Now.

Reaching for whatever magic he can grab inside his exhausted bones, he tries to shortcut out. For a brief moment he's in the void, everywhere and nowhere at once. Terrified. Panicked. Unstable. Not the way to navigate a place like this. Then he lands, reappearing right beside the dumpster. His body screams at his unnecessary use of strong magic, pain radiating through his skull. 

He looks up. It's her. The human that holds BP captive. The human that pulled the breaks on all progress they've made. The human keeping him from Papyrus. Anger uncoils from inside him, overwhelming the pain in his head. For a brief moment, he can place all of humanities sins on this one. Her eyes are open, staring straight at him. Her face is a grimace, as if she's the one that has the right to be upset. She clutches her hand in front of her chest. 

dirty brother-stealer

“what did that dumpster ever do to you?” His voice comes out harsh, unkind. She startles, jumping back in fright. His grin grows sinister at that, a manic glee in scaring the human. She seems scared. Good. She should be. She's alone, just one human. 

He can take one human. He still has enough in him for that. Maybe he can use her fear to his advantage here. 

“Why are you here?!” Her voice shakes as she screams, eyes closing. She's terrified, but her words don't make any sense. Sans' magic crackles around him. Sure, he can't shortcut, but he certainly has enough magic to scare one small slave-owner. He takes a step forward.

“Hey, fuck-face. Didn't you do enough damage?” Her eyes then open and she screams at how close he is. He almost laughs. Then she reaches into her pocket and takes out something.

A knife.

Sans can't help but flinch backwards, images of lost timelines flashing in front of his eyes. The waitress in front of him transforms into a human child. A child with an expressionless face and murder in their eyes. He remembers it, somehow. The pain of dying. The even worse pain of watching Papyrus die. Giving up. Of it all happening over and over again. His life, the life of his friends and family determined by the will of a mere child.

The weapon swishes through the air. “See this? I have a KNIFE!”

It's enough to bring him back to the present. “don’t do something you’ll regret.” He warns, voice dark with promise. Despite this, she steps forward. Her eyes, full of murder anger are locked on him. All intentions to merely threaten and scare the human leave his bones. screw it. Magic crackles harshly around him, like electricity in the air. 

She takes another step forward.

“ok kid, you’re about to have a B A D T I M E’ Sans' hand flies straight out in front of him, covered in blue magic. Her body is quickly encased in the same. He moves his hand slightly, and she is dragged from the ground. She struggles like a bug, swinging her knife around wildly. Trying to cut. Trying to harm.

killer

Her mouth opens, chest taking in air. She's about to scream, to call for help. N O. Sans narrows his eyes, clenching his hand until the skin around her throat starts to turn red. She can't scream anymore. Choking. Body heaving. 

Slowly. Oh so slowly, he begins to move his magic. The blue around her begins to tighten, pulling at her skin. Her arms spasm in pain, face screwed up. Red starts to leak from her nose. Blood. Heh. He remembers that. Remembers red eyes and pain. 

He doesn’t stop.

He closes his eye sockets as the first cracking sound comes.

Another one.

The knife clatters to the ground. The struggling stops.

But Sans doesn’t stop. He closes his eyes.

A loud, metallic thud breaks through the crackling magic. "Are you be-HOLY SHIT!" 

Sans eyes snap open at the familiar voice. BP. He's standing just outside the metal door, staring with his mouth open at the human. 

“Put her down.” BP says. Sans makes his magic stop, but he doesn't release the human. Why is BP doing this?

“Put. Her. Down. Sans”

The cat monsters tone of voice sends waves of annoyance through him. “why are you always protecting humans?” 

“PUT HER DOWN NOW!” Green magic flies towards him, and he cuts his concentration to dodge out of the way.

She falls from the sky into a pile on the floor, ungraceful in unconsciousness. Blood is already starting to pool around her body. BP rushes forward, kneeling at the humans side. He's muttering a repeating loop of 'oh my god no no'. His ears are back, tail puffed and hands hovering over her body. It's like he's afraid to touch her. What is he doing? What is going on?


Sans takes a few steps forward. A growl begins to emit from the monster. “bp what are you-“

“You had better hide Sans.” The growl grows louder, and those green eyes bore into his. “Or the others will see you.”

"but I don’t understand.” He replies in confusion. Why is he protecting her? “she’s your owner-“

“HELP! HELP! NOW” BP’s voice is loud. Too loud. For a brief moment, Sans is frozen. His eyes are locked with BP’s, confused and panicked. Then he takes a few steps backwards, turns and bolts behind the dumpster.

A big bald human and smaller girl come outside first. Their faces morph to panic as they see the two laying there. Immediately, the bald one reaches for a phone in his pocket and begins to call.

“Oh my god oh my god, what happened?!” The girl exclaims. BP looks away.

“It’s some monster shit isn’t it?” She groans. “Shit okay, whatever.” She kicks at a can on the ground, sending it flying. The bald one appears again, leaning over the hurt human and checking moving her limbs slightly. He finishes the conversation on the phone.

“They said they could have an ambulance her in 30 minutes.” He explains. “I’m taking her inside. We’ll lay her out on one of the tables.” He bends down, pausing as a paw blocks his way.

“Isn’t movement..bad for hurt humans?” BP asks.

“Yea well leaving her like this isn’t doing any good either!” The girl huffs, crossing her arms. “I’ll go clear out the diner and call bossman.”

The bald one picks her up very carefully and they begin to walk around the corner of the restaurant. BP doesn’t spare him a another glance as he follows them out of sight.

Beep. Beep. Beep. 

BP sits on the chair beside her bed, foot tapping quietly on the tiled floor. The doctors have long since gone, having determined her stable enough. The only other visiter is the nurse. She comes by every hour or so and seems kind enough - he supposes you must be if you go into medicine- but seems weary of him at all times. She holds her tongue nonetheless, and works in silence. Honestly, he doesn't mind it that much. In terms of human reaction to him, it's pretty tame. 

On the plus side, the police are gone as well.  That had not been fun. He’d spent the entire interaction terrified that they would ask for his nonexistent papers. That would be the worst can of worms to open right now. He sighs, leaning back into the chair and holding up the book in his lap. Luke had left him a book about a terrifying clown? Thats the only description he’d got before the boss left. Well, might as well. He opens it up and began to read.

It's hours later when the air starts to crackle around him. He puts the book down with a groan. Not again. But there he is, the skeleton of the hour, teleporting into the room. He looks worse than ever, with huge circles under his eyes and shaking bones.

“Should’ve known you’d be by.” He mutters. Sans looks at him, seemingly shocked to see him, before looking back at her. She isn't a pretty sight, for sure. Her neck has huge bandages wrapped around it, bruises showing over the edges. Her leg is suspended in the air, wrapped in a long white cast. The rest of her is littered with bruises and cuts.

He turns to glare at Sans. “You were off your game today, Judge” He mocks. The skeleton flinches at the nickname. Good. Then he lets out a shaky sigh, shoving his hands into his pockets and leaning against the wall.

“yea, i meant to crush her whole body, not just one leg.”

BP’s fur stands on edge. Was that some crude attempt at humour? Now?! “Not what I meant, and you know it.” He growls, bearing his fangs.

“i know nothing.” The skeleton sneers back, pushing up from the wall. “why are you protecting your fucking owner anyways?” His voice turns disgusted at the word ‘owner’, and eye lights dim dramatically. “when did you go so soft. you off ALL damn monsters should hate her for putting that shit on you."

The pain of long-past memories hits him harshly. He takes a deep breath in and stands up, feeling the book fall from his lap to the floor. “You mean this?” He reaches a paw up to his neck, finding the release button quickly and hitting it. The collar falls to the floor with a clang. Sans jaw opens in shock, staring at the collar. “Yea, this isn’t real. She isn’t forcing me to do shit." He stops for a minute, attempting to calm down. "You were right when you said you know nothing."

The silence is broken only by the beeping machines keeping her alive. They stare at each other for a long moment, before BP huffs and sits back down. He grabs the collar off the floor and clips it back around his neck. In case the nurse comes back.

He’s so tired. Fuck.

“how?” The skeleton stares at the collar. “ i dont understand. thats not possible."

“And yet you did this.” He looks pointedly over the human. Sans eye lights follow his, and BP watches the skeleton flinch into himself slightly. Maybe even that skeleton can feel guilt. Even after everything he's done. After a few moments, he sighs. “She didn’t want me to put it on, hated the idea of even pretending to own me. It’s what I chose, Sans.

"why?"

"To help her."

Another silence, full of confusion and pain.

“you abandoned the operation.”

“Yeah.” He nodded, rubbing at an ear with his paw. “I needed a break. You like those too, if I remember correctly.” Sans looks lost. Yeah, theres not much he can say to that. “I’m back at it now. Although, this will throw everything back a while.”

“does she know?”

“No.”

“if you trust her that much-“

“It’s not that Sans.” He’s annoyed now, tail swishing angrily against the ground. “ I don’t want to bring her into this. She helped me out of the goodness of her own heart. She’s not going to get messed up in all of this.”

“goodness of her heart, huh.” A low whisper and  the skeleton is gone.

BP rolls his eyes and picks the book up off the floor. 

Chapter Text

June

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Consciousness hits you slowly and reluctantly as if something is trying to drag you back into nothingness. You have to fight it to wake up, your only hold on reality being the rhythmic beeping.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

You open your eyes. They burn, a bright light above you. With a grimace, you close your eyes. What is that beeping? After a few minutes, you gather the courage to try again. You squint and blink rapidly, desperately trying to adjust to the lights. Your head feels funny. You feel funny. Where am I?

As your eyes adjust, your memory returns. The bastard at the diner, anger, the dumpster, a skeleton mask, the colour blue and pain. Realization hits you slow -as your mind seems to be- but steady. Holy shit. Not a mask. Then that had been magic, right?  There's no way that wasn't magic. Right? So, you're at a hospital then? Wait. Shouldn't you be in pain? At least a little? You look down quickly, attempting to see the damage. Your eyes widen. That's a cast. A huge cast. Shit. You push yourself into a sitting position to see more.

"Whoa little buddy, slow down." A soft force on your shoulder pushes you back to lie down. It's not a strong pressure, but you can't do anything but comply. Oh. You're weak. You cringe, suddenly aware of the weakness in your muscles. Damnit. You look over to your left and breath out a sigh of relief. It's BP. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel...fine. Good." Ew. Your voice is scratchy. Water. BP chuckles and hands you a glass. Can he read your mind? That's not something magic can do, right? You accept it without question, chugging it back. Ahh. Perfect. "A little too good actually."

"That'll be the drugs." He says dryly. You laugh, a little too hard. Yup, definitely the drugs. "You're on some pretty heavy stuff."

"BP what...what happened?" You question, holding the cup in your hands. The monster looks guilty for a second, ears pulling towards his skull before looking away. "Please? That was magic, right? I'm not crazy. That must be." 

There is a long silence. BP begins to tap on his leg. Nerves? "I can't tell you." He admits. "Not here." 

Your eyes widen, a grin forming on your face. "So this is about-"

The door creaks open slowly, interrupting you. A nurse appears through the door. "Oh, good you're awake!" She smiles brightly as she walks over to your side and begins to perform some seemingly routine inspections. But really, you're no doctor. She could be trying to insert an alien parasite into you and you'd have no idea. The idea makes you giggle. 

"How are you feeling?" You give a big thumbs up, taking the last sip of water. "Do you know where you are?" You nod. "Who you are?" Another nod. "When it is?" You pause. Maybe? How long have you been out? The nurse chuckles at your worried face. "Don't worry about that, you're doing wonderfully. I'll let the officers know." Officers?

Two uniformed police officers walk into the room. You blink up at them, clutching the paper cup in your hand a little harder. BP reaches over and plucks it from your grasp. You offer no resistance. "Hello, Miss. We need to talk to you about the event that led to this." She opens her notepad and skims it for a moment. "Your monster here has given us some information already. He says he found you in this condition, but we need to know the absolute truth." Your monster? Ugh.

Wait. "W-wait." You hold up a hand. Well, you try to. Your hand just slaps the blanket. "You don't think BP did this do you?" Oooh shit that opens a whole lot of other problems.

The talkative officer smiles kindly. "No ma'am. It's well documented that monsters cannot physically harm their owners." You breathe out in relief, feeling your attention slip now. "That is not a concern for us. We just need to find out who did." Her hair looks pretty. You watch a few strands move as she speaks. Why is your hair not that pretty? "So, can you take it from the top?"

Focus. Yes. "Uh, yea, sure. I was working at the diner and it was a normal day until this-this asshole decides to harass BP." You frown at the memory, foggy head filling with anger. Your eyes begin to burn. Tears? Ah, shit. Not in front of the officers. No. 

“Harass? What kind of harassment?” They prompt.

"Uh, speaking. What is the word? He kept trying to tell BP what to do which was not gonna fly with me I'll tell ya." You start to stroke the furry paw beside you. It doesn't move away. Yaaay." So we- I mean not really me but Heisenberg. He's the chef. Oh did you question him already?" The officer nods with a smile. Why is her hair so pretty? "Okay then. Um we-I mean he-we-whatever. The asshole was kicked out and I went outside for fresh air. Then..." The paw you're stroking stiffens. You blink for a few moments. Why is he doing that? Your mind struggles to piece together the information. It can't. But BP is stressed about this question. You frown slightly. That's not good. Lie. Lie now. 

"Ma'am?"

"Uh, yea, I mean. Then I woke up here." 

"You don't remember anything?" Oh, it's officer stoic speaking for once. Haha. Thats funny. Nice one me. 

"Nope!" You give a big smile. BP's paw unclenches, relaxing again into your petting. The officers look upset, writing something in their notepads.

"And how long have you had your monster for?" She asks. Oh no. This is not good. Bad line of questioning. What if they ask for his papers? Which you don't have. They'll find out everything is fake. BP would be taken away. You'd go to jail. Oh no. You can't go to jail. 

"WAIT!" That was probably a little too loud. It hurts your head. You hold out a hand dramatically. "I remember something!" BP stiffens beside you again, and the pretty officer raises her pretty eyebrows. "Uh yea. The person that attacked me. He was wearing a bl- I mean a red hoodie." Good job me. Best lie yet. There should be an award.  "He looked just like the man that robbed us a while ago. I think, uh, maybe they were coming back. Casing the joint? A stick-up? You know?" Why did you use old movie slang?

Officer Stoic nods and the pretty one smiles. "Ah, that's very useful indeed!" She begins to write down the notes and has you explain all the characteristics you can remember. You try to explain what the robbery man looked like but you keep getting distracted. You keep losing focus. Eventually, the nurse steps in and explains that you need more rest. You want to complain, because obviously you're fine, but the officers give you a smile and leave. The nurse checks on you for a few more minutes before leaving as well. The room falls into silence. 

"Wow." You lay back roughly, raising your hands up. "That there's a lot for a girl to wake up to." You notice a specific bruise on your arm. Purple. Kinda pretty. Huh. 

“Thank you.” His voice is small. You look to the left, at his face. His eyes are wide, ears twitching. It takes you an unreasonably long time to realize what he is talking about. You give him a thumbs up and a big smile, which becomes a yawn a moment later. 

“It’s nothing.”

“It really is something.” He insists. “ I promise, I’ll tell you what I can once you get out. Okay?”

Giving him another thumbs up, you go to turn on your side. Right, you can’t. “Sounds good, my man. Lets talk later.” You fall asleep instantly after. 

Beep. Beep. Beep.

You wake up easier this time. Your eyes open. It's dark, inside and outside the window. Your head still feels foggy. Why are you awake? Ugh. You stretch your arms, ignoring the IV pull, and try to settle back into sleep. You close your eyes slowly. You freeze. Your eyes snap open. A figure- a skeleton- in a blue hood is standing at the foot of your bed. He's a horror movie come to life. Dark sockets staring straight at you, lipless smile cruel and ready to attack. You can't breathe. Is this a dream?

"you think i'm dreamy?" He chuckles. It's deep and harsh, unkind. "and yes, you said that out loud." You let out a panicked breath as fear coils up in your chest. You look around frantically. Where is BP? Where is anyone?

"the bald one brought him out for food." You stare at the skeleton with your mouth wide open. Did you - "no, you didn't say that out loud. you're just really easy to read kid." That does nothing to help your fear. Your breath comes out quicker. The beeping on the machine speeds up. The skeleton begins to walk along the side of the bed. He's here to kill you. Your very own grim reaper. You flinch back in fear. He chuckles again and sits in the chair that BP had been in. For a long moment, you both stare at each other. 

It must be the drugs. There's no reason that fear should leave this fast. And it doesn't, not really, it's still there. But as you stare at him your focus leaves you. You start to wonder about the black voids of his eyes, how he can smile without skin. Or lips. Then you picture lips on the skeleton. You blink rapidly, unsure how to feel.

Suddenly the skeleton leans forward, placing his hands on the side of your bed. “so whats your game?” Oh, yup, theres the fear again. 

“G-game?” You squeak. He growls. 

“yes.” He speaks slowly now, as if you’re a child. “what do you hope to get from helping a monster?” What do you hope to get? What?

“Uh, nothing?” You ask, confused. “I don’t want anything.”

“and thats it, huh?”

“Yes?” You gulp.

“stop lying to me!” He demands, and you feel a few tears slide down your cheeks. What does this monster want from you?!

“I-I’m not!” You raise up both hands in a placating manner. “I swear!”

“humans don’t do anything out of the ‘kindness’ of their hearts.” He growls. “fame, money, excitement, adventure…they’re all after something for themselves.” You stare at him helplessly. What are you meant to say to that? What's the right answer? You look away from those dark eye sockets.

“You-You’re not wrong.” You start after a few moments. "Humans-we are horrible. We actively kill members of our own species for stupid as, as fuck, reasons. And we enslaved an entire race of people." You are not thinking before you speak, the words tumbling out of your mouth quickly. "I don't wa-want anything from BP or any other monster. Maybe a friend, maybe some smiles or laughs. Nothing somebody isn't willing to give." There's a silence after your little spiel. Oh shit. You fucked up didn't you? Is this how you die? You take a deep breath in and look back to the skeleton.

He’s gone.

It takes you a long time to fall back to sleep, but eventually the drugs pull you under. 

The next morning you don't remember your nightly encounter right away. BP is at your side again, curled up in the chair and snoring lightly. You smile  at him, watching him like a creep for a few moments. The nurse pops in to add some medication to your IV. You almost dread it, knowing the fog it will bring. But the pain stops you from complaining. You ask her, in a whisper, what exactly is wrong with you. She seems shocked for a moment.

"Oh, dear." She mumbles to herself. "I guess you don't remember." Oh, she's told you before? "Your leg is broken, and you have a fractured femur. You have bruises throughout your body, especially around your neck. You're lucky dear. You had some internal bleeding that sent you straight to the operating room, a poison running through your body. Dr. O'Brian fixed you up perfectly, although you'll have a pretty crazy scar on your right side. Your injuries are rather strange tho..."

You just smile, not wanting to continue that line of thought. Your hand goes towards the right side of your abdomen, feeling a line of stitches. You cringe. The nurse leaves, handing you a remote. Theres a TV. Has it always been there? A quick look at BP shows that he is still asleep. You turn it on, leaving it muted with subtitles. It takes a while to find something even slightly interesting to watch. 

You watch the beginning part of Corpse Groom. But the musical number, with all the skeletons, sends chills up your spine. You rather suddenly recall the previous night's events. Was it a dream? Maybe. But if it wasn't...oh god. You switch channels immediately, finding the second-best option. With a sigh, you lean into the pillows and wish for popcorn. 

That nightmare was real, you know it down to your core. That-that skeleton was the thing that attacked you out behind the diner. It's a thing of nightmares and it did this to you. Why? Why did this happen? You clench your jaw and hold back your tears. It's a monster, right? It must be. Or you're being actually haunted by some sort of demon. You shudder thinking about it.

"So, he's descended from spiders?" You startle harshly, turning your head around and wincing. Damn, you keep forgetting all the bruises. BP is awake, staring at the screen. "Sorry, woke up a few minutes ago."

“Warn me next time.” You let out a relieved sound, happy to get your mind off of your previous train of thought. “Nah, he got bit from a radioactive spider. Now he has all the spider superpowers!”

“I know someone who would like that.” He whispers. “Anything to do with spiders makes her day.”

“Huh.” You mutter. “What a weird lady.” He chuckles.

“You have no idea, little buddy.”

You've made it to the ending scene when Luke bursts in, face full of concern. He immediately pops over to your side with a million questions. How are you? Are you hurt? What do you remember? How many fingers do you see? More. You calm him down with a few 'I'm fine' and 'shut up' s.

"I've been waiting for visiting hours in the lobby." He says angrily. "I wasn't allowed in since I'm not family." You frown at that. Luke's as close to family as you've got. 

“Wait, why was BP allowed in then?” You look between them in confusion.

“Honestly? People in the waiting room were pretty freaked out by him even being there.” Luke sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Also, since you can't sign off on him leaving with someone, he's stuck here." You look at BP apologetically. He just shrugs. "Eventually they decided to let him in. Two birds with one stone and all that. We can sneak him out at night though!" Oh, what the skeleton had said. You frown. So, not a dream then. Luke's phone begins to ring. He sighs and apologizes before walking out into the hallway. You hear him pick up the phone as the door closes. 

"Yea, she's awake..."  You wonder who he's talking to.

There's a silence in Luke's disappearance. Honestly, you were not surprised that BP wasn't there when the skeleton was. He probably took the first chance to escape the hospital. You would have. You realize then, that this is the golden opportunity to mention the skeletons visit to BP. Maybe the only opportunity. But, something holds you back. That skeleton was strong, angry and violent. You knew BP would try to protect you, but what if that got him hurt?

You don't mention anything. 

"So, want to watch the next superhero movie?" You ask. BP nods, happily. 

That night, the skeleton returns. 

You're brought into consciousness by an unexpected noise. Groaning, you roll your shoulders lightly and open your eyes. Dark. It takes a second for you to acclimate. You look over to the noise and stiffen. He's sitting in BP's chair, eating your leftover dinner. You stare at him for a few moments before he realizes you are awake. His eyesights snap to you before disappearing. The black voids send familiar chills down your spine. 

Fear.

You realize that it's in your best interest to be kind to this monster. 

“Y-you can have it.” You say. He looks at you, tilting his head slightly. Then he takes another bite of your leftover pudding. You say nothing and just watch as he continues to eat.  Eventually the drugs pull you back into sleep.

The night after, he is mostly through the meal when you wake up. He notices that you are awake pretty quickly, but does not pause. His eyes stay on you, challenging. Unable to do anything else, you stare right back. Where is his food going? Does he have a stomach? You yawn, already feeling the fog begin to pull you back under. 

“ 'm not sorry.” His words are gruff.

“No.” You mutter, feeling your eyelids flutter close. “No I don’t suppose you are.”

This weird tradition continues for the last night of your hospital stay, except your dosage has changed slightly. Your head feels more clear when you wake up then it has for a while. The food is gone when you awake, so the two of you stare at each other for what feels like an eternity. You reach your hand out to the other side. He freezes and you can feel the air crackle around you. Dangerous.

A warning.

Your hand grabs the remote on the other side table and you lean back into your pillows. You say nothing and turn on the television. Luckily, theres a run of School of Punk on. You smile and turn up the volume. Its only the beginning of the movie, when Jack White's character is introduced. You yawn lightly, bringing a hand to your mouth.  The air crackles angrily for a few more minutes before beginning to fade into a hum. 

Its half way through the movie when you finally get the gut to glance away from your companion. He's still there, eyes on the television intently. You quickly take in his appearance. If he wasn't a skeleton, you'd say he looks tired. Theres dark rings around his eyes, and he looks...dirty. Unkept. But, who knows. Maybe skeletons are meant to look like that. His eye lights flutter down to you and begin to fade as soon as he notices you looking at him. You immediately look back at the movie. Somewhere before the band wins the contest you fall asleep. 

Finally, you are about to leave. Hospitals are never a great environment, and you cannot wait to be home. Unfortunately, getting home is harder than you had hoped. BP helps you get into the wheelchair. It sucks, relying on others to move. The nurse reminds you to avoid any type of standing or movement for a while. You smile at her and nod. She's told you all this information many times before. BP is happy to push your wheelchair down the halls, although it makes you feel a little weird.

The fresh summer air feels amazing. Luke helps you into his car while BP folds up the wheelchair. The boys slide into the car and turn on the music. The drive back into town is filled with heavy metal. You're not complaining.

After saying a quick goodbye to Luke, you wheel yourself into the apartment building. Using the elevators for the first time in 3 years feels weird, and you tap impatiently at the metal when you have to wait for it. BP chuckles at the sight, and you stick out your tung at him. Eventually you two make it into the actual apartment. BP closes up behind you, locking the door. You take a deep breath and smile. Home. 

Taking off your hat, scarf and one boot, you throw them into the corner. You wheel yourself to the couch and use your good leg to shimmy yourself into a position on it.

"I don't think your supposed to do that." BP mutters, neatly taking off his scarf and boots. He picks up yours too after a moment.

"Don't care!" You raise your arms up, stretching with a big smile. "I missed this so much."  He chuckles in response and moves to the kitchen.

A moment later he returns with two glasses of soda and an ego. You giggle slightly. He'd wanted to try them since watching Strangest Things, although it turns out he didn't like them. You've been slowly eating them for a few weeks now. You give him a big smile and 'thank you' in return and pat the couch beside you. He plops down. You both take a long sip of the soda. He pulls out a cigarette and lights it, laying back with a satisfied sigh. 

"So..." You prompt, chowing down into the ego."I think you promised me some answers. I didn't forget!"

He pauses, fiddling with the ring of his cup. "I didn't think you would.” He takes a deep breath in, turning to face you completely. "Listen, this information is..." He pauses, arm waving slightly. He looks frustrated, as if he can't find the right word. "sensitive. It's beyond just you or me. I can't tell you to much about it. Lots of it isn't even my information to tell. But, I can tell you something. You deserve that after all...this." He gestures at your leg. You frown, furrowing your brow. 

“Who’s information is it?” You inquire, going to take another sip of the soda.

“mine.”

You scream, flail and throw soda everywhere. BP follows suit, falling off the couch in panic. You tilt your chin up to look behind you.

There’s a skeleton in a blue hood with dark eyes and a huge grin standing there.

Chapter Text

June

Your entire body freezes at the sight of the skeleton. Static fills your mind and crackles in the air around you.

You blink slowly, and suddenly red fabric blocks your vision. BP’s sweater. You look up. He’s standing between you and the skeleton, ears back and tail swishing. There’s a green glow around him. The air gets dryer, sticking in your throat.

“The fuck are you doing here Sans?” Sans? What? Do they know each other? An angry, low sound bubbles from BP's throat as he steps closer to the skeleton (Sans??). The skeleton doesn't flinch. 

“it’s rude to talk about someone behind their back.” Ah, well wasn’t that a fair point.

BP growl intensifies.“Not what I meant you f-“

“It’s okay, BP.” You interrupt, placing a hand on his arm - carefully straying away from the magic. “He’s already here, maybe he can add something?” No need to anger the horrifying skeleton. BP turns to you, a confused expression on his face. A quick glance at Sans shows what you think is something similar. 

The skeleton snaps out of it quicker and steps back to lean against the wall, hands sliding into his pocket. You wonder idly if that's his way of showing he isn't here to fight. Then again, maybe he doesn't need his hands to fight. You don't want to find out either way. The growl in BP's throat quiets, and he turns back to sit beside you. The magic in the air fizzles out. There is a long moment where the monsters just stare at each other. Eventually, it becomes extremely uncomfortable. 

“Alright, so…?” You clap your hands together and both sets of eyes (sockets maybe?) turn towards you. You focus on BP. “Carry on then.”

“Well, it’s not exactly an accident that two monsters suddenly show up in a town like this." BP starts. He pauses, rolling his eyes as the skeleton pushes himself off the wall. “No, Sans, I’m not going to tell her everything,” Sans grumbles and leans back. “I want to, little buddy, but this is bigger than just one part, bigger than you or me or even him.” Your friend looks at you with those big green eyes and you can't help but nod. It's okay, it's not like you really want to know everything. Then you'd be an accomplice, right? The less you know, the less you can mess up. “So, when I went missing and stopped reporting all those months ago it must have caused a bit of a panic.”

You raise your hand to your mouth. “Oh.” Well, shit. “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have taken you somewhere if it was that important.”

“Not going to lie to you little buddy, I was tired.” He leans back into the couch. “Tired of living beside a dumpster and scrounging for my next meal. I took the out. Didn’t think it would last as long as it did though. Anyways back on track…” BP looks to Sans expectantly. The skeleton just stares back, unwilling to cooperate further. BP sighs and continues. “So, I’m guessing that Sans was checking out the diner when he saw me and the collar. I’m still surprised he attacked though.”

“hey, she attacked me.”

"What?!" You complain, sitting up quickly. At the skeleton's hard look, you cower back down. 

"you had a knife."

“Oh.” You mutter. “I guess, I guess I did.” You do feel a little bit of guilt, but push it away. It's not like he's the one still in a damned cast! Still… “I am sorry about that.” The skeletons hard look softens slightly in surprise. "I thought, well, we were robbed a few weeks ago. I was held at gunpoint by two men. One of them looked a lot like you. With the hood and everything.” You glance pointedly at his current outfit. A short, awkward silence falls over the group. At least the crackling air that always seems to come with the skeleton feels a little less overpowering at the moment. It doesn't push you to continue speaking.

The skeleton pushes off from the wall. “whatever”. A blink and he’s gone. You stare at the space he had been in shock.

“Yea, he does that.” BP sighs, leaning back into the couch. “Skeletons man." Understatement of the year. 

“There's more than one?”

“Yea.” He mutters. “The other one’s okay though.” He says nothing more and you don’t push. You’re already trying to wrap your head around new information. Suddenly he turns to you. “Game of Swords?”

You smile. “Game of Swords.”

That night you lay in bed, finally able to process the information given to you. They spoke of something big, a resistance? If that’s the case, why from here? And why with only two monsters? You’re missing a lot of important information. A big part of you believes that BP would have given you more if Sans hadn’t been there. Sighing, you burrow further under the covers and think about that frustrating skeleton.

That night you dream of your high school anatomy class.

For the rest of the month, you and BP don't do much except lounge around the house. You're able to actually relax a bit, thanks to the monster. He is ridiculously helpful when you need to do anything, and somehow always seems there to stop you from pushing yourself too hard. While you roll your eyes at his mothering, it's really nice to have someone care for you this way. It's not a familiar feeling. After a few days, you get a call from the doctor, giving you the go-ahead to switch to your crutches. You yell in excitement to BP, before breaking into coughs over your bruised throat. BP seems just as happy as you at the news but he definitely starts to get restless. You can tell in his tapping feet and wandering eyes. It takes one more day before he asks. 

He brings it up during breakfast. "Hey, so, that thing we were talking about before? I kinda need to get back to the diner soon..."  You frown for a second, but pick up your phone anyways. It's not your call afterall.

[to Luke]: Hey, BP still wants to work. That cool?

The response is quick.

[from Luke]: Yes! I can pick him up tomorrow!

You relay the message to BP, who looks relieved. He spends the rest of the day in slightly better spirits and makes dinner. It's a stir-fry recipe he found online, absolutely delicious.

The next day BP is gone when you wake up. You can tell immediately by the silence in the house. Sighing, you stretch the best you can. After taking your meds, you pull yourself onto your crutches and go to the bathroom. Oh! BP had made a stack of plastic bags and tape for whenever you'd need it. God bless that monster. You start a hot bath, undress and put on the bag, taping it down. The bath was perfect for your aching muscles, and you already feel a thousand times better getting out. You wrap a robe around yourself, throw clothes in the hamper and use your crutches to walk yourself out. Instead of to the bedroom, you go out to the living room and plop yourself onto the couch. Hey, no one was home to judge you for being in a robe, and you can't be assed to put all the effort into getting dressed right now.

You shuffle yourself under the large throw on the couch, feeling strangely content. There's nothing really on at this hour, so you settle on some crappy daytime gameshows and let your brain rot for a few episodes. Eventually, you've had enough. This was more fun when you were a kid. With a sigh, you grab your laptop and go on social media.

The air crackles around you. The hair on your arms stand up. 

Oh fucking-now?! “What is it you want now?” You look up from your laptop for the skeleton. He's standing near the television -partially blocking it- staring at the muted gameshow. "My answer hasn't changed." Those eye lights turn to you, and the fear you tried to repress hits you in full force. Your limbs under the blanket shudder, sending waves of pain up your shattered leg. You hope he doesn't notice. Despite your overwhelming fear, there's a small bit of frustration growing in your heart. There's only so much intimidation a person can take. The skeleton definitely knows you're an easy target, and you have nothing to defend yourself. He's just here...taunting you. It's too much. 

He doesn't say anything. Oh, the waiting game again? Yeah, I'm not playing that. Not today. You gather up strength you couldn't possibly have, and speak. "If you're going to be here, tell me why or at least step out of the way." Your voice shakes a bit, but overall stays strong. You're proud of yourself. Sans takes a step sideways, unblocking your view of the tv. "Well, thank you then." Forcing your attention back to your laptop, you do some nonsense searches to calm your nerves. Nothing works, and you can’t really focus on anything.

After what feels like an hour -but in reality couldn't be more than about five minutes- you look back up. He's still exactly in the same spot, staring at you. "Oh my god, please stop." You beg, feeling tears (of fear or frustration, maybe both) well up in the corner of your eyes. He suddenly shifts on his feet. Is he feeling uncomfortable? At least you're not the only one. “If you’re going to stay here, at least sit down or something.” You gesture angrily at the other side of the couch. Maybe that’ll force him to leave. He's not going to want to be any closer to....you....

He does move, but towards the couch. Your wide eyes watch as he mechanically sits down as far away from you as he can. His eyes shift to you. You -unsure of exaclty what to do- just nod and go back to look at your laptop. 

What. the. FUCK. is .happening. here!!! You try to message Debbie through your laptop, but have to delete it due to typos. Sure, he hasn't done anything this time, but the monster just being here is really stressing you out. Why is he here? What does he plan to do? Why can't he just leave you alone? But nothing happens. There is nothing but pure silence on his side of the couch, no movement either. If you didn’t know better, you would think you were alone.

You fiddle around pointlessly on the laptop, mind spiraling quickly. Then, out of nowhere, your stomach growls. It makes sense -you didn't eat much this morning -but you find yourself struggling to figure out what to do. You don't want to disturb this little liminal space you've created. Any movement or decision could bring about the angry skeleton from before. You bite your lip and honestly consider going hungry. But you also need to take your pills...

Ah, fuck it.

“Hey, Sans.” You look up. He startles, looking at you with no eye lights again. A deep shudder goes down your back. “I’m going to order pizza. Do you want any?” He stares at you. “That's a yes or no answer man.”

“why”

“Huh? I can’t exactly cook an amazing meal like this.” You gesture towards your leg. He doesn’t look.

“why are you offering food to me?” He stares at you. Well, I can't very well say 'I'm scared you'll kill me if I make the wrong move here' can I?

“You always ate my food in the hospital.” You look away. “If you’re living anything like how BP was, you’re hungry.” For a long moment, there is no response.

“pineapples.”

“What?” You look at him confused. Then it hits you. “Oh, pineapples on pizza? Of course, you’d be a weird one.” Oh shit. You freeze slightly after saying that, afraid that you've suddenly insulted the skeleton. You glance at him from the corner of your eye, and he hasn't moved. You figure it must be okay, but make a mental note to be more careful with your words. Picking up the phone, you call the closet place. You make sure to mention your current predicament and they agree to come straight to your door. Soon enough you’ve ordered two pizzas for delivery and are hanging up the phone. “It’ll be here in forty minutes, or it’s free!” It’s never happened to you, but you can only dream.

“this the place that’s crust around the corner?”

“Yea, actually!” You pause. Wait a minute. Crust?  “Was that a pun?” No response, but his eye lights are back. “Pizza puns are so cheesy, man.” Eh, not your best, but somehow it does seem to get a more friendly look from the skeleton. You're not entirely sure how a skeleton even emotes.

“Okay, what do you want to watch?” You ask. A movie or TV show will fill the awkward, oppressing silence. He seems lost, so you continue. “What genre do you like? Horror? Comedy? Romance?”

“comedy and sci-fi i guess?”

That makes you pause. Comedy and sci-fi? What could-oh. OH. “I’ve got just the show for you, dude.” You exit Notflix and fiddle around for a few moments, before getting it up. Then there's another problem. "Sorry to ask but can you plug this into the TV? There's a cord coming out that will plug right into here. I can't get up to do it." Even asking a question felt impossible. You're almost sure he will say no, or just nothing at all, but the skeleton nods and pushes off the couch. He grabs your laptop with one hand -staying pointedly as far from you as possible- and walks over to the TV. You watch him plug the laptop in, wondering at the state of your life. 

The screen shows wiggly green letters. “rock and marty?” Sans mutters, sitting back down on the couch. His posture is more natural than before, although he stays as close to the arm of the couch as possible.

“Yup, it's essentially about a normal boy and his genius grandfather and their comedic sci-fi adventures around space!” His eye lights seem to grow for a split second as you mention space. "It’s a cartoon but still pretty dark at times. adult themes and all that.” He doesn’t protest your choice, so you hit play. While you had originally thought you'd spend the entire time internally freaking out, you find yourself watching the episode along with him. The skeleton moves slighty at some parts, and you wonder if his shaking shoulders means he is laughing. Can skeletons laugh? Do skeletons laugh? You frown as you think on the question, turning your eyes back to the television. The episode ends quickly after that.

You give him a shaky smile as the credits roll. "So, what did you think?"

“can we watch another?” 

Your smile grows a bit more confident. “You like it?” He seems taken aback for a moment, but nods. “Of course we can!”  You gesture towards the laptop. Sans fiddles with it a bit, finding the next episode and hitting play. The theme is halfway through when there is a knock at the door.

“Coming!" You yell out. “Just one second!” You pull your crutches closer, using them to pull yourself up. You wince a little as they hit your armpits, nobody told you how much using crutches hurt. You're sure there will be bruises there for a while. Slowly you hobble over to the door, feeling the skeletons stare at you. You only open the door a little bit, keeping any possibility of the delivery guy seeing the monster to a minimum. You pay him and grab the pizza, closing the door and turning to hobble back to the couch. 

A skull stares back at you only a foot away. You startle backward, falling hard onto the door. The skull -Sans- looks shocked at your outburst.

“uh, i can take the pizza from you." He mutters, looking away suddenly.

“Thanks.” You let out a deep breath, right yourself up and shove the pizza into his arms. “Just, uh, please don’t do that again.” Without another look, you hobble back towards the couch.

“sorry.” The quiet sound hits you as you sit back on the couch. Good thing, because you might have fallen otherwise in shock. Mr ‘i’m not sorry’ actually apologized? You hide your surprise expertly and just nod your head. He sits down beside you, placing the two pizzas on the table.

You lean forward and open the first one. “Ugh, it’s your horror of a pizza.” You slide the box over to his side, and open yours. You grab a piece, hit play for the show, and lean back into the couch. Out of the corner of your eye, you see the skeleton leaning back as well with a slice. It's not exactly comfortable, but you are able to calm down as you watch the show. The both of you are half-way through your pizzas and on episode four of Rock and Marty when the front door slams open suddenly.

"Turn on the news little bu-“ BP stops mid-sentence, looking at the scene in front of him. You stare at him, mouth around a slice. Slowly you take the bite and chew, swallowing. The two monsters seem frozen, staring at each other. BP's ears slowly go back towards his head, tail beginning to swish.

“Hey BP!” You give him a big smile, trying to convey that everything is okay.

“What is going on here?” His voice is suddenly calm. Calculated. His green eyes shift to you only for a second. 

“Rock and Marty marathon!” You beckon him over. “Join us.” As he looks back at you, his mouth opens in a question. You shake your head, mouthing ‘later’.

He looks frustrated, narrowing his eyes briefly before sighing.“No, we all need to see this.” He walks towards the coffee table and picks up the laptop, disconnecting the HDMI. He fiddles for a moment before placing it back on the table.

Theres a breaking news report running, the reporter standing in front of a burning building.“- at least 30 confirmed human deaths. We have no data on any monster deaths, although many were in there. Officers have not ruled out arson. ” The reporter stops, and the screen changes to a helicopter image of the building on fire.

“fuck!” Sans stand up suddenly, the air crackling around him again. His eye lights are completely out. You blink and he’s gone.

You stare at BP in confusion.“Uh, what just happened?” BP groans, plopping down in the spot Sans was just in.

“That, little buddy, is the section of our operation in Chicago.” He growls. Holy shit. “All progress gone, the people gone, the monsters gone. All gone." He goes silent after that, eyes watching the news report.

A sharp fear grows in your chest, not for you but for your friend.

Chapter Text

July

For a long time the two of you are silent, watching the news report cycle over and over with no new information. Sans does not return.

“Was it arson?” You whisper. BP nods his head, not looking away from the screen. His confirmation sends chills down your spine. Could something like this happen to BP? You watch as the news report mentions again the number of human casualties. There is no mention of the number of monster casualties. You watch as the reporter on the ground walks past injured monsters to speak with the humans. "Did you know anyone there?” There is no reply for a full minute. You begin to wonder if you’d fucked up. Then you hear the small intake of breath.

“The underground was a pretty small place, little buddy.” He whispers back. His eyes are dark and half-lidded. “Not big like up here. You get to know each other pretty well. But, I knew one person in the Chicago branch well.” He pauses. “Technically she was a good friend of a relative.”

“A relative?”

“Mhm.” He sighs, eyes far away. “A distant relative. From what I know, our grandparents were cousins. Anyways, the monster I know working there, her name is Bratty. She got really involved in everything after Catty, uh, my relative, disappeared. I didn’t expect her to be so smart.” He pauses again, looking lost in thought. “She really advanced the whole project along. I hope she wasn’t actually in the building.” Something about his defeated tone tells you that he believed she had been. You shuffle yourself on the couch closer to the monster.

“Can you tell me something? Anything? I can do something to help!” His eyes open fully and he turns to look at you, or in your general direction. The look in his eyes shows he isn't looking at you specifically. 

“Take it from me little buddy, it’s not your problem.” He shakes his head. “You don’t need to get involved in all this shit. ”

“But I already am involved!” You gesture towards him and your leg. “This is my town, you're my friend. I can’t just…not help you. Especially now that I know people are trying to kill you.” The monster closes his eyes and takes a deep breath in. He pushes himself off the couch fluidly into a standing position.

“I’m going for a smoke.” And with that, he’s gone. 

After half an hour you give up waiting, he isn’t coming back while you’re still here. You feel a bit hurt and decide to go to bed. You grab your crutches and pull yourself up, hobbling into the bedroom. Forsaking a nighttime shower you sit on the side of your bed and peel off your clothes before shuffling under the covers. You’re finally getting these small movements down.

You’re too full of energy to fall asleep right away. Hurt has given way to a frustration you're not used to feeling. BP is holding back a ton of information from you. It’s his right, of course, but you feel like if you knew something you’d be able to help. You spend hours staring at the ceiling trying to formulate ideas to either get information from your friend or help overall.

Eventually, you feel your eyes getting heavy. Just before they completely close you notice something. The colour blue. Your eyes snap open.

“Holy shit dude. This is getting to stalker territory.” Your words are harshened by the sleep you were suddenly woken up from, fear having had the chance to fully set in yet. You sit up and rub at your eyes, glaring at your door. “Don’t you have anywhere else to be?!”

Oh.

It's a hoodie. Not attached to any skeletons but merely hanging from the back of the door. Your hoodie.

Immediately you’re hit by embarrassment. With a groan you put your face in your hands, feeling yourself turn red. At least nobody was around to see that. You plop yourself back onto your pillow with a deep exhale of breath. The fuck was that?  You ask yourself over and over.

It takes a long time for the embarrassment to fade again, and a longer longer for sleep to find you. As your eyes finally begin to close a final thought pops into your mind. Where does the skeleton go? Does he have somewhere else to be?

The next few weeks you see nothing of the skeleton. While you're happy that you've been able to avoid being terrified in your own home again, the stress of 'when is he going to just pop up' is starting to mount. You've had a few visits to the doctor. He’s been pleased with your progress so far. BP is perpetually in a stressed mood as well and hogs the laptop for hours scrolling news websites. On the plus side, you’ve read through three of the books that have been gathering dust on your bookshelf. It's nice, but there's only so much of it you can take. Eventually, you get bored at the house and decide to join BP at the diner in the morning. 

You’re not able to work as a waitress, so you do administrative work in the office. You feel a bit (a lot) bad that you can't assist more during the major July holidays. At least you're able to do something to help as the rest of the staff run around. You're happy to be there, to have something familiar to focus your attention on; although, Heisenburg and Bluman are also oddly jumpy recently. It's weird. You mention it to Luke one day in the office on your break, in between bites of a Rueben. Luke shrugs it off, but something about it doesn't sit right with you either. You're in the middle of trying to figure out if you want to call him on it or not when BP bursts into the room. He looks terrified, eyes wide and ears back. Luke stands up and you straighten up in your chair. 

“What happened?” You and Luke both ask in tandem. Who do I need to beat up? A customer must have said something terrible for this reaction, and you have weeks of skeleton-related stress you can't wait to take out on someone deserving. 

“I-I” He stutters for a moment. You’re shocked, having not seen him this flustered before. His eyes shift directly to you. “Come here.”  He turns to walk out. You grab your crutches and follow, Luke on your heels. He looks at you and whispers. “We have a situation.” The three of you turn the corner to face the dining room. Your eyes fall immediately on a man sitting alone on a bar stool.


“James?” You stop in your tracks, looking at the handsome MRC rep in front of you, for once wearing civilian clothing. He looks up to you and waves with a big smile. Shit. Fuck. Fucking shit. Everything clicks into place. He pauses slightly when he sees your crutches but continues to wave. You plaster on a huge smile and hobble over. “I thought you guys were long gone.”

“Nah.” The man smiles back. “Not without your number first.” No fucking way.

“Thats pretty bold of you.” You cross your arms in front of your body as best as you can. He blinks slowly, shocked at your quick rejection.

“Um, I hope I’m not being presumptuous.” He begins, rubbing the back of his head. Shit. You're hit hard with the fact that this man would totally have been your type. Too bad he's a horrible human being. “Our uh, project finished before I got the chance to ask you out. I figured that I’d come back and take a chance.”  The project, right. The monster enslaving project. That he was part of. There’s no way you’d say yes to this.

“So…” He continues when you don’t respond. “I was wondering if you’re free tomorrow night to head to the bar with me? I’m kinda a lightweight, so I probably won’t drink too much. Just figured it would be a nice place for conversation.” He gives you a big smile.

You open your mouth to reject the man completely but pause. A lightweight, huh? Hmm.... An idea starts to float around in your mind. It's probably a bad idea, most quickly-formed ones are, but this is a rare opportunity to help BP. Okay. Get him drunk, get information. I can do that. 

“Okay.” You nod and shift your body into a more flirty stance. The reaction is immediate, as James begins to blush. Yea, you could do this. He’d be easy. “I’m free after my shift tomorrow. Pick me up at 6?”

“Yea!” He seems ecstatic, but you don’t feel more than a tiny bit of guilt. You give one more smile and a wink. Turning around to head back to the office, you see a flash of blue out of the corner of your eye. Weary of past experiences, you slowly glance back.

Oh.

It’s actually him this time. He's standing outside of the furthest window. You subtly glance around the room, but nobody else seems to have noticed. His hand goes up and points sideways. Out back? You give a small nod and begin to walk. You try to catch the BP's eyes, but he seems in a deep conversation with Luke across the room. You're going to have to go alone. Fear starts to bubble up in your stomach, but you push it down. It won't be that bad. After the weird pizza night, you don't think he wants to kill you anymore. Calm down. You push on the door.

You are barely out the backdoor when your vision goes blue and you fly backwards towards the brick wall. Hard. Your crutches hit the ground with a clang. It hurts, a lot. You’ll have more bruises by the morning. Yay. You cough harshly and stare ahead of you, letting your vision recorrect itself  It’s almost surprising how unsurprised you feel. Sans is there, sockets void of lights and arm out, covered in blue magic. You struggle slightly, more for show than an actual attempt. You already know you can't get out. So much for pizza bonding time.

“you’ve been busy, huh?” It’s obvious what he’s talking about. “so i’ve got a question for ya, why the fuck were you getting all chummy with the fucking mrc?!”

Ah, of course he saw that part. For a brief, fear-filled moment you consider lying, to concoct something that will make you sound good. But looking at the terrifying void eyes in front of you, you just can’t. Your heart pounds loudly in your ears.

“He asked me out.” You start.

“and you said yes?!”

“I want information Sans!” Your shaky fear-fuelled voice is the loudest it can get at the moment. “I don’t want what happened to Chicago to happen here. I want to help somehow and maybe, just maybe, I can get some information you need from him too.”

“why?”

“Oh my god.” You push your head back towards the wall. Ouch! Shit. Mistake. “Sans, I’ve told you a bazillion times before. I want to help BP. He’s my friend. Even if he won’t tell me what is going on.”

He tilts his head slightly. “he really hasn’t said anything?”

“Nope.” You shake your head softly. His eyes remain blank as he stares at you. You shiver under the severity of the look. Something feels like it's crawling up your back. You feel your cheeks get warmer under the scrutiny.

He lets out a breath. The lights in his eyes return a bit, mere pinpricks. You feel the magic around you begin to decrease, gravity starting to resume its pull. “you’re something else, you know.” Your good foot softly hits the ground, and you lean back into the wall to prevent falling when the skeleton's magic disappears entirely. Your crutches are lifted so you can grab onto them. He still doesn’t look appeased as he looks at you. “it’s too dangerous.”

No, you're dangerous. You want to say it, but fear stomps the words down. You know you should stand up and reject this sort of treatment -ou are already hurt, why do you need to be hurt more?- but you can't. Instead, you push forward. 

“We're going to McLarens, the bar n town.” You cough a bit as you speak, your broken body complaining. He nods. Huh, so he knows the place. “Apparently he’s a complete lightweight. So I figure I get him drunk, get him talking and ditch his ass before heading home with new info.”

“or you’ll get drunk and mention BP or me or the operation.”

You look the skeleton in the eye sockets. “Sans. I can hold my liquor.” He stares back at you for a long moment, before raising a hand to his face and groaning.

“So wait.” Interrupt him. Stop this conversation. You don't want another argument. Your head already hurts. “Why were you here anyways?” You give him a look. “Spying on me?”

“no.” He denies it. You cross your arms the best you can in front of you, giving him a doubtful look. “ya, kinda.” At his admission, you sigh. It’s not like you can blame him for being suspicious but it doesn’t mean you like it. “but mostly I have to stay near the operation.” Huh. You know that lie. Normally you'd let it go, but some darker part of you wants to call him out. You're always the one on your toes, why cant he be? It's not smart, but you hurt too much to think correctly. 

“I don’t believe that.” You respond. “I know homelessness when I see it.” And it's true. It's in the look on his face, the dirt on his clothes and his bones. Immediately he flinches backwards,  straightening up with a harsh look on his face. His eye lights go out completely.

“it’s none of your business.” He all but growls out. This time, the fear comes with a healthy dose of satisfaction. Still, you don't push the topic. t's really none of my business anyways. "when's the 'date'?"

His sudden change of topic is obvious. You let it go. "Tomorrow, after my shift." 

“i’m coming”

You stare at him with wide eyes. “What.” Does he know what a date even is? How can he…?

“i’ll be in the bar, watching both of you.” He looks at you pointedly. “that way if you get too drunk i can stop you.”

Well. What could you even say to that? Sans disappears, leaving you alone behind the diner. 

The next day you pack a cute outfit into a bag and bring it with you to work. BP is practically buzzing with nerves, barely waving you goodbye on your way out. It makes you feel slightly better about not telling him about this 'date'. Only slightly. The poor monster doesn't need anything else on his plate right now. The shift goes by normally -which is almost an achievement after recent events- although between Bluman today and BP yesterday you will need to order entire sets of new dishware. Today is BP's day off, so you don't have to make an excuse or avoid him. You are watching the clock like a hawk the entire time, dreading what is to come.

Twenty minutes early, James shows up. He's dressed in a nice suit, and gives you a wave as he walks in. You're in the middle of talking to a regular, and take the excuse to avoid talking to him. Eventually time ticks to 6 o'clock and you're punching out in the back.  You give Luke a quick goodbye and head to the bathrooms to change. Your outfit is simple yet cute: a nice dress, tights, leather jacket and a boot on the foot not in a cast. It might not be a REAL date, but you still had to act the part. You take a few extra moments in the back hyping yourself up before you head out. 

James gives you a once-over, smiling. "You look beautiful." The nice sentiment does nothing but make your stomach hurt. He holds out an arm for you. As if.  You gesture at your crutches. His face reddens slightly and he turns to lead the way. You follow, giving a look back at the diner. You can't see the skeleton. Is he already at the bar? James brings you to a large blue Jeep. Huh. Unexpected. It's nice. 

The drive to the bar is quick. James makes light conversation, and you have to stop yourself from smiling in earnest a few times. This stupid likeable asshole. You have to look away and remember him in the MRC uniform to regain your control. The bar is relatively empty as you walk in. A group of regulars is there, however, and you give a quick wave to Ted as he looks over. He smiles back at you.

“Know them?” James asks in a weird voice. Jealousy? Already?

“Yea, they’re kinda legendary at the bar.” You explain. “They’re always here.” He gives a small hum of acknowledgement and begins to head towards a booth. You follow him and sit down across. You are making small talk when the waiter comes over.

“Hey!” She smiles at the both of you. “My name is Wendy and I’ll be taking care of y’all tonight! Can I get you anything to drink?"

“Hmm…” You put a finger to your mouth in thought. “Maybe a vodka cran to start” She gives a nod and looks at your ‘date’.

He smiles. “A beer please!”

Okay. Time to start. You give a fake gasp. “James, you need to have more than that.” You reach forward and grab his hand. “You took me to a bar for a reason after all.”

“I don't drink much.” He replies, looking a bit awkward. You drag your hand away and put on an offended look.

“So you expect me to drink all by myself?”

“What? No!” His hands slide closer to you, eyes wide. He seems completely shocked by your sudden change in attitude. It's kinda cute. Too bad he’s a MRC asshole.

“Okay then.” You look at the waitress, who looks extremely amused. “He’ll have a triple vodka cran.”

“A triple?!” He complains.

“A punishment.” You try to lower your voice and give him a half-lidded look. It feels a bit awkward, but seems to do the job if the look on his face says anything. “For trying to get out of this.” In the end, he says nothing else to complain. The waitress nods and heads towards the back.

You let out a deep breath. While you're ability to bullshit out of a situation is top-notch, you can't say the same about general acting skills. There is no way this plan would work if he kept drinking beers. You take a look at your date. He is looking away, face red. Embarrassed? Well, that wouldn’t work. He needs to be a bit more comfortable. You give him an easy smile.

“So, tell me about you.” He looks back at you with a shaky smile, and starts talking.

Where is Sans?

You take a long sip of your drink, casually looking at the entrance to the bar. It's been a good half hour since the arrival. You’re on your second vodka cran and have managed to convince James to have a strong rum and coke. The man is definitely a lightweight. It was already easier to convince him to get a second drink. His face has started to take on a red hue and his words are starting to slur a bit. You watch as he takes a large drink. He's definitely drunk, but not enough. This drink and some time should get him there. 

You're surprised you haven't seen the monster yet. He wasn't in there when you arrived and you've kept an eye on the door since. There's no way he got by you. Maybe he was just joking about coming? But no, he seemed too serious for that. Well, you don't need him for this. It's actually a good thing he hasn't come in. 

“So, tell me about your work.” You try to slide the conversation back for the fifth time. He always seems to get out of it, seeming more annoyed every time. Still, you try. James brings his hand away from yours.

“Naah, you don’ wanna hear 'bout that.” He shakes his head.

“Oh, I really do though.” You go to talk another sip of your drink. It moves slightly out of your grasp. Huh? You reach for it again. It moves just out of your reach. The fuck. I am not THAT tipsy.  You squint at your glass. The slight blue glow is what tips you off. James is on the same rant about parking at the office, so you take the opportunity to fake a stretch and look around. 

There. A familiar blue hoodie. It's pulled up, and the person is wearing a scarf to hide the bottom of their face. That must be him but...Is he holding a ketchup bottle?

You stick your tung out at him. He pulls down the scarf for a moment and mouthes ‘don’t get drunk’ to you. How did he do that without lips? You roll your eyes and mouth ‘obviously’ before taking your glass and having a pointed sip. You don't look back at the skeleton, but imagine he looks annoyed. 

“So, what about that guy you were with? Mac? What’s he do then?” You prompt with a smile. He gives you a slow blink.

“No!” His voice gets loud for a second, and you lean backwards. “Why are you sho inter-inter-interested in my job? Huh?” He sounds both annoyed and confused.

“Uh, sorry?” You put your hands up in a placating manner. “It’s something normal to want to know about someone you are on a date with.”

“Yesh well…” He takes a deep sip of his drink. “S'rry but pleash shtop it. I won’ say anythin' bout it.”

No, you don’t think he will. Fuck. Any more drunk and the man will be passed out. 

He mutters a slurry ‘sorry for yelling’ and goes back to nursing his drink. For a long time, the silence between you is awkward, uncomfortable. You tell him you need to go to the bathroom and grab your crutches. He just watches as you hobble away.

You close the door to the bathroom behind you with a sigh. A flash of blue.

“Sans!” You exclaim, jumping back. “This is the girls bathroom.”

“doesn’t matter, nobody is here.” He replies. “what happened there?”

“I don’t think this is going to work.” You admit, taking a deep breath in. “He’s too determined not to say anything. It’s not like a regular job. Maybe he’s signed a contract or something?”

“or something…” The skeleton echoes you for a moment. “ok, what are you going to do now?”

“Fuck well, I have to continue the date I guess?” You bring a hand to your head. “It’ll be too suspicious if I dip now but I don’t want him coming back.” You groan. There is a brief moment of silence.

"i have an idea." He says. You “make this the worst date possible. then he won't come back.”  Oh, Genius. 

"Oh, genius!" You give a big smile. The skeleton looks a bit surprised at your enthusiasm. “That’s a plan I can get behind.” Sans nods. There's an awkward silence. "Okay, so uh, I actually needed to use the bathroom.” You blink and he’s gone.

When you return, James is done with his drink. You sit down across from him unceremoniously, taking the time to truly slouch.

“I’m hungry.” You announce suddenly. “Let’s get food!” You flag down the waitress, who takes your order: classic spaghetti and meatballs. James turns down getting any food but asks for another rum and coke. The waitress informs him that this will be his last one. He doesn’t complain.

You spend the next fifteen to twenty minutes doing everything opposite of what you'd normally do. You interrupt him multiple times, push your teasing to be more mean and less good-natured, and take any opportunity you can find to be just unpleasant to be around. At first, he seems just surprised, but that quickly fades to annoyance. Good. The food arrives and is placed in front of you. You thank the waitress and look at your food. A deep breath. Okay, I can do this. You dig in. 

You watch in your peripheral how quickly James' face turns to repulsion. You're really going all out: chewing with your mouth open, attempting to talk in between with no shame - hey, you're a few drinks in yourself. You offer him a bit of half-chewed food a few times, but he smartly refuses. Eventually, he starts looking everywhere but at you, responding to your questions with nothing but "Uh, sure, yea." It's good, but not enough. You need to up the intensity here.

You raise your hand and ‘accidentally’ knock it into his drink, spilling it all over the table and onto him. He groans and pushes away. “Shit sorry.” You mutter through a mouthful of pasta. Doing this almost physically hurts, but you’re pulling out all you can think of at the moment. You stand up and grab a napkin, walk over to his side and begin to pat him down. You look like a desperate woman covered in spaghetti. Not your best look admittedly. He looks at you with wide eyes, before looking around the bar. People are staring.

“Please stop.” He urges. “Use that to w-wipe you...not me." You give him a fake confused look and head back to your side. You do not wipe your sauce-filled face.

A deep chuckle comes from the area where Sans had been sitting. James' face turns towards the sound. You lean over to block his view. “So, who do you think’s the hottest?”

“...What?” He asks. You belatedly realize that he's slurring his words a bit less. Is your grossness actually sobering him up a little? 

“Of the people in the bar!”

“Uh...I...don’ know?”

“Oh come on!” You give him a big smile. He shudders. “Ted is my top. The things I’d do to him are indecent I’ll tell ya.” In reality, the man’s actually kinda your type: funny and protective. “Want me to tell you?”

“No-No thanks.” He looks down at his watch, squinting to read the time. Good. He wants out.

“Hey Ted!" You yell out. “Come’re!” James looks shocked. You just smile at him. It takes a moment for Ted, a regular at the bar, to appear beside the table.

“Hey!” He smirks, face dropping a bit when he sees your face. Oh, you'll have to apologize to him afterwards. “What's up?”

You giggle but don’t respond. James’ stares at you and Ted with wide eyes. “Oh Ted, I need to ask you an important question.” Your tone is very flirty, and Ted looks a bit confused. You know he's dating someone. Another thing to apologize for later. P“Just wanted to ask you what your favourite whiskey.” He tells you, and you flirt at him for a few more minutes before sending him back to his table. It's very uncomfortable, but you know Ted will be alright once you tell him what's up.

You let yourself go on for a few more minutes about ‘bangable men’, picking ones from movies and television shows. He somehow seems to get more and more uncomfortable as you talk. Oh, right, the spaghetti. Time to be gross again. You look down halfway through your spiel. You blink. The spaghetti has moved. It’s inched its way from in front of you to the middle of the table. Hmm? What’s going on?

The waitress appears again, checking on you. You order a full bottle of Ted’s favourite whiskey. She seems a bit concerned but allows it when you say it's for you only. James seems even more annoyed when the bottle appears. He probably would welcome an extra drink right now.

You’re saying what you’d love to do with your fifth of the bangable actors named Chris when James starts to try and speak. You just steamroll over his words, watching the annoyance turn to anger on his face. You see it when he reaches his breaking point. He slams his hands down on the table, to stop you from talking. Unfortunately for him, the spaghetti had subtly inched itself across the table into his range of motion. It goes flying. It's quick and sudden, hitting James solidly in the chest before sliding down to his lap. He's absolutely covered. You bring a hand to your mouth, attempting to cover your laugh. James sits there in shock, staring down at his ruined white shirt. You can't help it. You burst out laughing, hitting the table lightly as you do. People turn and stare at you both from their tables.

Your date puts the plate back on the table and stands up, rushing towards the bathroom without a word. You can't help but laugh more, waiting until James is out of sight before turning to look at the monster. He's sitting there as normal, but his shoulders are shaking. Is he laughing too? You give him a quick thumbs up. 

Eventually, you calm down and wait for your date to come back. But the waitress appears instead. “I’m sorry.” The waitress begins. “Your, uh, date has informed me that he needed to go home. He’s paid the bill and called a cab.” She looks uncomfortable, telling you that you’ve been ditched.

Relief hits you quickly. You shrug and give her a smile. “That’s okay! I’ll head out now then!" She seems shocked at your response and just nods before leaving. You grab your napkin, dip it in your water and wipe your face. Ew. You had felt so gross with that on your face. Taking your phone out, you use the camera app to fully remove any traces of pasta from your person. Once clean, you slide on your coat, grab your whiskey bottle and head on out. 

The giggles hit you again when you reach the outside. You wander a few feet before finding a large rock to sit on. Sitting heavily, you place your crutches against the rock and look up at the sky. The world is a little bit fuzzy, the only indicator that you've had a few drinks. It's a pleasant type of tipsy that you can't help but be thankful for. You know that tomorrow you will cringe at the memory of today, of talking with your mouth open and every word that came out of your mouth. Today though, all you feel is satisfaction. There's NO way the man would come back for you now, right?

“that could have gone worse.”

“Holy SHIT Sans!” You startle harshly, flailing your arms to stop yourself from falling off. “Stop doing that, you’re going to give me a heart attack or something.” The skeleton just shrugs. The two of you stand there for a moment in silence. There's so much you could say, especially now with the bit of liquid courage you have flowing through your veins. You could proclaim the success of the -second half- of the night, you could finally stand up for yourself and tell him off, maybe even ask some of the questions going through your head. Instead, what you say is. "Let's go to the park."

“why?”

“Is that all you ever ask?” You hold up your bottle of whiskey with a smile, shaking it slightly. “I have booze and want to forget that this whole night happened.” Those eye lights stare at you for another long moment.

"ok.”

“Just drink, Skeletor.”

“skelet-“

“Drink!” He gives you a curious look but still takes a deep sip.

You give a quiet hoop and sit back. The two of you are on a bench in the park, crutches on the grass beside you. The stars and moon are out, and it's just you two at the park. 

“The spaghetti thing, that was genius.” You say. “The nail in the coffin.”

“nail in the…” He trails off, holding out the bottle. “you humans are so dark.” You shrug. Not like it's a lie.

You take the bottle from his hand and take a deep swig yourself. It burns its way down. You grimace and look up a the stars. For a long time, neither of you say a single word. You pass the bottle back and forth until he stops giving it to you. Probably for the best, really. You were already a few drinks in when you left the bar. 

Letting out a deep yawn, you relax as far back into the bench as possible. Your eyes feel heavy, mind foggy. It's weird, that you're at all comfortable in the presence of this skeleton. He's the reason you're even in crutches. 

Must be the alcohol. 

“The stars are beautiful tonight.” You love the stars of small towns. Without the smog and pollution to hide them, they shine brightly every night.

“i stopped looking.”

You frown. “When?”

“five years ago.”

You hum lightly in response. That's so sad.  The two of you lapse into silence. You fall asleep to fresh air and starlight.

Chapter Text

August

“You could have got us all in shit!”

“I was being careful!”

I regret waking up. The three of you stand in your living room, tensions high. 

This morning, you'd been woken up by a loud voice. At first, you had been confused about why you were still in your dress from last night. Then after you actually started to remember last night, you were confused as to how you got back to bed. Then your head had begun to hurt so you have up thinking altogether. You rummaged through your nightstand and dry-swallowed a pill, with the intention to get some water from the kitchen to help it go down. Peeling yourself out of bed, you'd walked outside to a stand-off. 

The two monsters were standing beside the couch, staring at each other. San's eyesights were as small as pinpricks, and BP's tail was puffed up. It was obvious that they had been arguing. Both heads turned to you quickly, and you put a hand up to pause any words. It's a testament to how bad you must look that either of them listened to you. After grabbing some water from the kitchen, you'd walked back out into the living room and made a 'continue' motion with your hand. BP had immediately asked what the hell had happened. You told him, of course. And well, he's not exactly happy about it. 

“That was so damn stupid!”

“Hey!” You resent that. “Sans was there too!” You send the skeleton a brief apologetic look for throwing him under the bus. It HAD been your idea, and you’re taking him down with you. He gives you an unimpressed look back. Whoops.

“yea.” Sans lets out a breath and puts his hands in his pockets. “i was there.”

“Did you even think that this could be a ploy to get answers out of you?"  BP asks.

“Answers out of me? Why?” It’s not like you even know anything.

“It looks suspicious for you to both be working at the diner and to ‘own’ a monster.” BP continues. “They were staking out the diner a few months ago for a reason after all.” Oh.

“Wow. No I didn’t think of that at all.”

The cat monster groans and plops down onto the sofa beside you. “No. You never really think it through. You just do.” You frown a bit at the accusation. You’ve never got that before. This isn’t like you. You’ve been so out of your depth, acting has been the only solution you could think of.

“Okay well maybe if you told me anything I’d be able to help out and not turn to these ideas!”

“Ah, yes. “ BP gives you a deadpan look. “I really want to bring my friend into a dangerous operation where she could be hunted down and killed.” He pauses. “NOT.”

You roll your eyes. He’s too dramatic. “Listen guys, I’m smarter and tougher than I look.” Sans snorts lightly. You ignore him. “I’m going to take any chance I can see to help you.”

“Not putting up a compelling case little buddy.”

“Just hear me out.” You take in a deep breath. “You’re involved in some deep shit apparently. Stuff that could get you killed. I can’t just stand by and let that happen to you. You’re a good friend, and frankly a great roommate.”

“I can just-“

“Don’t you dare say you’ll move out.” You point a finger at him. He goes silent. “Why are you so determined to keep me away from this? You’re treating me like a freaking child!”

For a long moment, there is silence. Finally, he speaks in a quiet voice. “It’s just that you…” He trails off for a second, looking away. His ears go down slightly. “ You remind me of someone.”

“Well I’m not them.” You insist, crossing your arms. “And I for one am getting sick of this ‘overprotective’ thing you have going on. You are my friend, not my keeper. I understand if you’re keeping things from me because you don’t trust me, or because it’s dangerous for you guys if I know. But I don’t do this whole ‘I’ll protect you from everything’ schtick.”

BP looks away guiltily, tail swishing back and forth on the floor. You feel a bit bad for causing it. Wait, no. It’s not your fault here.

“Alright.” He sighs, putting his paw on his temples. “Okay. Sure. Fuck it. Let’s go all in here.” He looks towards Sans. “You cool with-“

He stops mid-sentence. You follow his gaze. Where the skeleton had been there is nothing. You're not even shocked anymore. But...

.
“When did he leave?”

The rest of the day is a bit awkward -as are after all fights- but you've gone through 'awkward' with BP before. You'll live. 

When Luke picks you both up for your shifts at the diner, you're the one bursting with nervous energy. You were finally going to get some answers. BP promised he'd tell you at work. Why is work so important? Hell if you know, but BP seems certain that work would be the best place. It's exciting, but a large part of you is still afraid.

You text Debbie a bit in the car, trying to get your mind off your own situation. She’s been having issues trying to infiltrate the MRC from within. Apparently, they're a highly suspicious group. That makes sense really, but Debbie refuses to give up. You slide your phone into your back pocket. Talking to Debbie always gave you a burst of bravery. She's actually inside the MRC headquarters in Ebott, in a much more precarious position than you would ever be in, and she still isn't giving up. You can handle the diner of all things. You take a deep breath in to calm your racing heart. You can do this. Luke pulls into the parking lot. 

Something is wrong.

The area is empty, other than 3 black vans. Immediately the car goes silent, rising tension almost tangible. Luke pulls up to the front and stops the car right in front of the doors. “What the fuck.” He gets out immediately, rushing into the diner. It takes you a bit longer, due to your crutches.

You and BP share a look before you walk in. Shit. The diner is filled with armed MRC reps. You immediately freeze, seeing BP in a similar state beside you.

What the fuck.

What the FUCK.

A MRC rep turns towards you. Oh, it’s the dude. James’ partner. Mac? Was that his name?

Mac smiles kindly at you and walks forward. “Ah, Miss Waitress.” He reaches out a hand. You shake it on autopilot. Your brain is on pause. “I’m so sorry about what happened to you.” He looks down at your crutches. “I wish I was here to stop it. But I think we’re closer to figuring out what did this.”

“But…but I thought…” You struggle for a second to form words. “It was the robbers."

Mac's smile widens. It sends shivers down your back. “Ah, yes. I read your official statement of course. But we at MRC don’t believe this to be the case. We believe you were targeted by the individuals working here after you showed up with your monster.” BP takes a step behind you as Mac's eyes shift to him. You can’t blame him.

“Why would they…”

“As revenge, maybe?” Mac shrugs, seeming uninterested overall. “Or a plot to free your monster. We don’t know the details yet. Hopefully soon. But these two are known monster sympathizers, essentially monsters themselves. Turning their backs on their own kind.” Shit, this man is crazy.

His words click with you suddenly. “Wait.” You put up a hand, stopping the mans racist(?) rant. “Who exactly do you think did this?”

Mac opens his mouth to reply when yelling starts to erupt from the background. Luke. He’s not happy. The kitchen door swings open, revealing four MRC reps holding two people in a harsh grip. It's Heisenburg and Bluman. Oh shit. Luke is behind them, screaming jumbled words about legalities and unfair arrests. The MRC reps don’t seem to be paying any attention. Heisenberg and Bluman are limp in their grasp. Their eyes are closed. Are they unconscious?

“Oh my god." You put a hand to your mouth.

“Its shocking to hear that you’ve known such filth, huh?” Mac mutters. You don’t reply in any way, but your other hand gets warmer. A paw is covering It. BP. You take in a shaky breath. Breathe, just breathe. You can't.

You watch, frozen in place, as the MRC reps drag your two friends out of the diner. Luke follows behind them, screaming. You’re unable to do anything but watch, frozen in your fear and shock. The door closes behind them with the little door chime sound echoing through the diner.

Mac turns fully towards you. “Now, I need your monster to come with me.” BP's paw suddenly tightens over your hand. Your head snaps up.

“No.” You whisper, the sound coming out warped. Clearing your throat, you try again. “I don’t give you permission to take him. Take me instead.” You’re standing your ground about this, they are not taking BP too.

Mac shakes his head with a frown, eyes assessing. “No, no, no little miss.” Shivers down your back. “We just want to talk to him." You notice that he hasn’t once even looked at BP. It annoys you. “Since he was the one to find you, to alert for help and help your recovery we do not believe he had any direct influence on your attack. However, any knowledge may be useful.”

Would it be suspicious to say no? A part of you doesn’t care. You don't want BP alone with this man. But you also don’t want BP to be taken like Heisenburg and Bluman. You think of them, limp in the Reps' arms. No, you can’t let that happen. “Alright.” You concede. You squeeze BP’s paw slightly before letting go.

Mac looks at you for a moment. “You need to order him to tell me the complete truth and nothing but. These little weasels are compulsive liars.”

“Oh.” You turn to BP awkwardly, giving him a look you hope is subtly apologetic. His ears are down, and he’s looking back at you with concerned eyes. “I order you to tell him nothing but the complete truth." Your eyes glance briefly at the collar on his neck.

Mac nods quickly and turns around. “We’ll be about half an hour. Monster, follow me.” BP gives you one last worried look before following a few steps behind him, tail dragging on the ground. You watch him go, feeling your eyes grow warm and your heart drop in your chest. Your mind is running on just profanities, nausea hitting you hard. 

You need air.

Now.

The crutches are loud on the tiled floor as you rush toward the back exit. The door opens with a loud bang and fresh air hits your face. You stand still for a moment, but when the door closes with a click behind you the tears escape. Leaning back against the door, you clench your jaw and fight the tears threatening to fall.

What do I do?! Did I make the right choice?! Should I have let him go?! You reach up to rub uselessly at your eyes. I really don't know what to do. The tears win, sliding down your face as your shoulders shake with quiet sobs and labored breath. 

Bang

The sudden sound from the dumpster startles you harshly. You barely keep yourself upright. Your eyes open, but you see nothing. Nobody is there. You breath heavily, wondering if you're going crazy. But looking a bit harder, you notice a dent in the dumpster that wasn't there before and a large rock below it. How did...


“Sans?” You whisper, voice catching a bit of hysteria. “Sans are you here? What do I do?!”

There is no response. Maybe he really isn't here? No, that makes no sense. He's been watching the diner so closely. He must be around. You walk up to the dumpster, inspecting the dent. Oh. There's a word scratched into the surface: FOREST.

That hadn't been there before. It's weird, not like graffiti. Why would- oh. OH. You turn around wildly, almost tripping over your crutches in haste. The forest is only a bit away, you think you can get there without being seen. With one last look at the carved words, you head toward the forest. Your approach is slow, and you’re constantly on the lookout for stray MRC reps, but you make it. You break the tree line and are immersed in shadows.

“what's happening in there?!” Sans appears beside you instantly. His face is more emotive than you've ever seen. He looks like a panicked mess, probably matching you. There Is blue…sweat? on his skull. For a brief moment, you stare at him, confused at the idea of a skeleton sweating, before your mind snaps back to important issues.

“Heisenburg and Bluman are under MRC arrest. They’re being taken away. There's a Rep talking to BP right now.” You explain. The skeleton groans, leaning back into the tree. “I need to be back when BP comes out. God, I hope he's okay. I shouldn't have let him go-

“they’ll probably talk to you next.” He interrupts your spiraling words.

“Shit.” You reply, running a hand through your hair. You hadn't even gotten to that part yet. “What do I say? What do I do? I don't want to fuck this up!”

“you say the truth, mostly. you don’t know anything.” He looks at you, seeming more present than you’ve ever seen him. “but most important, you don’t know me.” His eye lights flicker as he says this, but don’t completely go out. It's still absolutely terrifying.

“Of course.” Maybe it's a good thing BP hadn’t gotten around to telling you more yet. “Isn’t there anything I can say to help?”

Sans shakes his head. “no, you can’t bring too much attention to yourself right now. if they check for BP's papers we’re done for.” He pauses. “i’m assuming you never got any.”

“No.” You raise a hand to your face. “Never thought to get some fakes.” Shit, you should have thought about this more. Instead, you spent the last few months playing house. A dark feeling creeps up in your chest.

“ok so just don’t bring attention to yourself and BP.” He pauses for a moment, seeming in thought. “try to keep attention off of Luke as well.”

You blink a few times. “Wait. Why?” The skeleton just stares at you. “Oh. Luke has something to do with this?” No, there's no way. Luke, the man you’ve known and trusted for five years now, is involved in a secret monster rebellion? It seems too ridiculous to be real.

Sans looks at you with scrutinizing eye lights for what feels like ten minutes. You fiddle a bit with your hands and want to look away. It’s very uncomfortable, but you manage to hold his gaze.

“yes.”

You don't know why, but you feel as if you've won something important.

You pass a few MRC reps on your way back into the diner. They’re chatting amongst themselves, laughing, and drinking coffee. It’s the diner's coffee. The thought makes you sick. These people make you sick. You briefly notice a van is gone. It probably took Heisenburg and Bluman. Where though? The police station?

The familiar chime of the door echoes around you as you push through. Warmth envelops you as soon as you hobble into the diner. It's Luke. His embrace is warm and protective, as always, and you want to just melt into it. He smells of firewood and...baileys? He's been drinking. You can't blame him. 

“Thank god you’re okay. I didn't know where you were. Shit.” He mumbles into your hair. The two of you stand like this for a moment before pulling away slightly. 

“I'm okay.” You whisper, looking up at him. “The others?”  What does he know?

Luke shakes his head, letting out a long frustrated breath. “Lane was sent home. The poor girls in tears. If I see the rep that did that one more time I'll..." He fades off, looking into the distance. "Heisenburg and Bluman are gone. Taken to New York.” You furrow your brows. Thats so far away. “Its the nearest MRC station.”

He then takes a step away “Here, come sit down.” He leads you towards a booth.

You faintly realize it's the one you had sat in when you first introduced BP to Luke. You'd been so scared that day. Things could have gone so wrong. You look around at the remaining MRC reps in the diner. It seems that things went wrong anyways. You sit opposite Luke in the booth. There's a huge mug of coffee- definitely Luke's own mug- filled to the brim. He slides it towards you.

You take a sip. It's burnt. You frown at Luke, but he is looking away. He never burns coffee, having too much pride in his product. You take another sip, tasting the alcohol this time. Fuck it. This coffee is definitely not for taste. You take a few more sips before passing it back to him. He immediately takes a large sip, pausing a moment before sliding it towards you. The two of you drink the alcoholic coffee in silence for a long time. Neither of you speaks, both too lost in thought. 

Suddenly the creaky office door opens. You turn immediately around, your heart racing again. BP. Is BP okay? Mac appears first, turning the corner and giving you a smile. BP is a few steps behind him. His ears are still down and he looks shaken, but physically unharmed. A sharp feeling of relief flows through you, and you let out a breath you didn't realize you were holding. BP is okay. The monster immediately walks towards you, sitting down beside Luke. “You okay?” You mouth. He nods, rubbing one arm with his paw. Oh thank god. 

“Now it’s your turn little waitress.” Mac places a hand on your shoulder and you freeze. Across from you, Luke eyes get harder and BP’s claws appear. You take in a deep breath and nod. Sliding out of the booth, you follow a quiet Mac Into the back office.

The office is set up differently, more like an interrogation room. The desk has been moved from against the wall to the middle, with everything cleared off of it and a chair on either side. Mac moves quickly to sit in the one closest to the door. He’s blocking the exit. You sit in the one opposite to Mac, and the two of you fall into an awkward- at least for you- silence. Then he shifts, resting his head on his hands and giving you a too-wide smile. 

“Start from the beginning.” He whispers, eyes sharp. "And don't leave anything out."

Only ten minutes later you are being led out of the room. Mac has his hand on the small of your back. You don’t like that. But you say nothing and just wish for it to end.

The interrogation had gone smoothly. You fell back on previous stories and excuses you’d made to explain the attack. He hadn’t asked too much about BP, which was a relief. Honestly, he seemed rather bored for most of it.

Both Luke and BP snap to attention as you walked in. You give them both an awkward smile, trying to reassure them that you were okay. You slide back into the booth silently and feel BP’s tail hit your leg from across the table.

“Alright folks.” Mac seems chipper again. You grit your teeth together. How can a man act so happy in a situation like this? “You are able to leave. We will have our Reps drive you home. Now -“

“I drove everyone here.” Luke mentions. Mac looks angry at being interrupted. “ I can drive everyone back."

“Mr Danes, as I was about to say, you are still under suspicion.” Mac smiles widely. “You are on house arrest for the remainder of the week. We will have follow-up questions.”

“B-but what about the diner?” Luke stumbles on his word. 

“I guess it's closed.” The only response is cold and hard. Mac turns to you. “You are not currently on house arrest, but I suggest you stay away from anyone or place that could cause a…misunderstanding.” What does that even mean? You nod, unsure of what else to do and not trusting your voice.

You say goodbye to Luke with a hug, and follow another Rep towards his van. You slide Into the passenger seat with BP in the back. The Rep says nothing. He doesn’t need directions or a GPS to get to your apartment. It's terrifying, really.

Neither you or BP say a word the entire time either, even walking up the stairs of your apartment. Eventually you close your door behind you. Silence. BP looks at you for a second, before looking around the apartment. It seems like he’s had the same thought as you.

The apartment must be bugged.

There’s no way it’s not. You’ve gotten off too easily. The two of you begin to walk about the apartment, looking in the ‘typical' places. You find nothing. Looking over at BP you shrug. He frowns, looking more intensely. The two of you spend easily half an hour searching the apartment. 

“Gotcha.” He’s holding up a wire. It looks like a normal wire but with a small black bulb at the end. He snaps the wiring in half quickly. “And we’re free.”

“How do you know?” There could be more. This whole place could be bugged for all you knew.

“I can hear the electricity." He points to his ears. “It's faint but I can always hear it. Sort of like a buzzing sound.” You hum quietly. That's ridiculously useful. You keep learning new things about your friend. You briefly wonder if you'll ever know all there is to know. 

BP drops the broken wire on the kitchen table and opens a counter drawer. Pulling out the tool kit he fumbles around a bit inside. He pulls out unfamiliar objects. When did you get those tools? What even ARE those?

He brings the tools over to the table and begins to do…something with the wire and its electronics. He seems to know what he’s doing, whatever it is. You watch him for a few minutes before asking him what he’s doing. “Figuring out how it works.” He mutters. “So next time I see one I’ll be able to actually work with it. Might be able to reverse the feed. We’ll see.”

“Whoa…” You watch him work, fascinated. “You’re pretty good with electronics.” BP pauses for a minute, looking at you with a surprisingly pained look.

“Yea.” It's his only response before he continues. You don't press the issue, unwilling to see that look on his face again.

After a few more minutes you walk back into the living room, leaving BP to his experiments. You plop down on the couch, shoving your crutches to the ground. A message from Debbie pops up on your phone. You want to tell her about everything. To vent, to hear her voice. But if they’ve bugged your house, your phone is a goner. You groan in frustration. Fuck the MRC.

The air around you crackles lightly. For once, your heart doesn’t drop in fear. You look around immediately for the skeleton. He appears in a blink, hands in his pocket but looking very alarmed. He looks at you for only a quick moment, before heading straight into the kitchen. You hear faint whispering.

Oh fuck no!

"Are you guys still trying to keep everything from me?!” You call out, anger dripping in your every word. The whispering stops immediately. “My house is bugged and my friends are either on house arrest or on their way to the fucking MRC station in New York.” BP and Sans appear in the doorway. BP looks very guilty. Sans...not so much. “I’m involved in this.”

There is a long moment when nobody speaks. BP’s eyes move from you to Sans at a fast pace, his tail swishing quickly against the floor. Sans is looking straight at you, unmoving.

“your boss is missing.” A moment goes by when you’re just shocked that Sans spoke. Then you realize what he said. You sit up straight.

“What?!” Luke Is missing? How? “But we just saw him! He was on his way…” You freeze. No.

“home in a MRC van?” The skeleton finishes. “well he never ended up at his apartment.”

Your heart begins to beat rapidly. Heisenburg and Bluman, they are friends of yours. You care about them. You’d help them anyways. But Luke, he’s family. This suddenly is a lot more personal.

“Tell me everything.” Your voice is calm. You are calm. You feel something resonate in your core. “Now.”

Chapter Text

August

“So…” You prompt, looking between the two monsters.

It’s been a good five minutes since you demanded answers, and nothing has happened. Sans is still just standing there, hands in his pockets, staring at you. That's uncomfortable. BP looks back and forth between you and Sans but says nothing. Also uncomfortable. What the hell guys?

“so…” Sans suddenly speaks. “we’re getting out.”

“You-“ BP starts suddenly to the skeleton. He pauses for a minute, thinking of his words. “You’re really okay with this?” He looks skeptical, and you can’t blame him. Honestly, you’re not completely sure why Sans is even still here. Apparently, he can just disappear if he wants, so why isn’t he? He's done it before.

“the kid is right.” Sans shrugs, moving towards the coffee table. He sits on it harshly, and a panicked sound rises from your throat. It's an old and rickety table. You completely expect it to crash under his weight. It doesn’t even move. Weird. The skeleton looks straight at you. “she’s involved now.”

BP stares at the two of you for a moment longer before letting out a defeated sigh. He walks over to sit beside you on the couch. You shuffle a bit to be able to see both, feeling weird like you’re a kid waiting to hear a bedtime story. Although, you’ve never actually had that experience and this ‘bedtime story’ will probably be a lot darker than any Dasney stuff. Okay, this analogy is awful. A moment of silence.

“What are you getting out of?”

“These.” BP rubs a paw on the collar around his neck. He’d forgotten to take it off in the apartment. It was usually his first action upon getting back, but the day has been so crazy. His paw slides over to the release button and the collar falls off, hitting the floor with a loud clank.

“I mean, great, but how?”

Sans breathes out, rubbing a hand on the back of his skull. “a lot of science-y words you probably wont understand.” You want to feel offended, but he isn’t actually wrong. “what do you know about the collars?”

“Nothing.” You shrug. “The basics? That the...owner" ugh '"can control you by saying commands." 

The monsters look at each other for a moment. “hey, it's your expertise. go for it.” Sans leans back onto his arms, looking at BP expectantly. Its BPs expertise??

“Ugh, fine.” BP runs a paw down his arm. “So the collars are actually designed to use our own magic against us. During installation it -i’m using basic terms here because there is a lot more to it- dragged out a portion of our magic and stored it in the collar. This has two problems for monsters. One, we can't get the collar off. Our magic is an extension of us, our souls. We cannot attack our own magic.”

“Two, the magic it stores is…ugh human words are not sufficient… disconnected? from us partially, to the point where it can be used however the collar sees fit." He seems frustrated at the lack of words. Although, human language? So there's a monster language? You'd always thought that monsters just spoke the same as humans. Probably a naive thought. "And the collar responds to the words of the owner kind of like...how your smartphone can respond to your words but on a larger scale. The magic that is stored inside the collar is what forces us to do what humans tell us. Our own magic is what forces us to follow orders.”

“That’s so horrible.” You don’t know what else to say. Do you say you’re sorry? You don’t think it’ll help anything. You stay silent, but your hand travels slightly outwards towards BP’s tail. You place your hand beside it, barely touching it. The tail flinches slightly before settling back down.

“yea well, humans are pretty horrible,” Sans mutters, looking off into the distance. You stiffen up. Ouch. True, but ouch.

“So…how are you going to get out of them?”

“Candy.” You narrow your eyes at BP. He looks shocked at your reaction for a brief second, before letting out a snort. “No really, candy. Monster food is different from human food. When we cook food we put a part of our magic into it, a part of our HP. “HP?  You open your mouth to ask but decide against it. You'll ask later. “When a monster eats this food, that small amount of magic is given to them. Their bodies then convert the new magic into their own.”

“Whoa, you can do that?” Isn’t that like…monster cannibalism?  You keep your thoughts to yourself.

“Yea.” BP smirks. He’s definitely having fun explaining all this to you. “It’s not complete though. For every bit of other magic we consume, our own magic changes on a minuscule level. Typically not enough to make a difference. This process is also the reason why we gain EXP and LV.” EXP? LV?  You nod along, trying to hide your confusion. "When two monsters fight to the point where one falls down, the remaining magic is scattered into the air. Typically, a large portion of it is absorbed into the winning monster. However, this amount is a lot larger than the winning monster can completely convert. So instead, the magic becomes EXP, which will eventually lead to LV!"

"Oh...kay..." You attempt. You see sans hiding his mouth being his hand. Asshole. He's laughing at you. "That's super interesting, and I'm not gonna lie I have many questions. But please, back to the candy and collars."

“Right.“ BP shakes his head. “Anyways, so this monster candy delivers a small bit of magic to the recipients right? And this will cause the monsters magic to change? Well, if we can give monsters enough of this candy, eventually their own magic will change enough that it won't recognize the magic in the collar.”

“Then they can attack it!” You announce, grinning wildly. That explanation was an absolute mess, but you think you might understand. It seems like a long process though. You wonder how long these two monsters have been working at it.

BP nods with a big smile. “Yup. Then they can get out on their own.”  

“So what about Luke?” Your stomach turns even asking this question. A large part of you doesn’t want to know.

"he's a distributer." Sans replies instead. "without him we'd have no way to get the candy into the cities. he markets them as a 'monster enhancement drug'. sometimes it gets picked up by a few pharmacies and stores, which means that the humans are unknowingly helping to free their monsters. if we can't get it into the human market, our people can distribute it throughout the monsters a lot...quieter." You wonder about Luke's recent trip to New York. Was he…?

“Heisenburg and Bluman?" You ask.

“They cook the ingredients for us.” BP mutters. “Heisenburg is a really smart guy, knows his way around chemistry. I found them close to three years ago cooking meth and offered them the opportunity for more money. They didn't even ask, just took it the job.” He shakes his head unbelievingly. Three years ago?!

“Can’t you do it yourself?”

“it’s difficult.” Sans replies. “its practically impossible to get the ingredients as a monster, or the necessary equipment, or space to do it. BP needs to use his magic to cook, but it
goes faster with more people."  You have so many more questions.  

"Why does it have to be BP's magic?"

"There's...not many free monsters out there to do it." BP speaks up. You glance at him, confused. What about Sans? The cat monster seems to guess your next question and quickly shakes his head. He doesn't want you to ask. Why?

You frown and lean back Into the couch. You look between the two of them. “So how did you guys get out?” You ask curiously. It's been nagging at your mind for a while now. 

The atmosphere drops suddenly. Sans looks away and BP looks down. You cannot see their expressions. Their bodies, however, go stiff and uncomfortable. What the hell?

“That’s…” You see BP’s claws come out and retract a few times. “Not a very nice story.” You look at Sans. His eye lights are completely out. Shit. You didn’t think such a simple question would have this kind of effect.

“You don’t have to tell me!” You try to amend, placing your hands up in a placating gesture. “It’s too personal, I get it. Don’t worry!”

There is a very long, very uncomfortable silence.

“well, collar me impressed.” Sans suddenly speaks. Wait. Was the a pun?!  “you’re taking this better than I thought.” His eye lights are back, and his eye sockets narrow at you. Seriously, how the hell can a skeleton do that?

“To be honest, I’m really not.” You admit, bringing your hands back down to your sides. “I’m a bit overwhelmed and I’ll probably think it through tonight instead of sleeping. But it’s okay. You didn’t scare me away or anything.” Nervous laughter. Great. This is awkward.

Suddenly BP pushes himself off the couch in a fluid motion to stand. “I’m taking a shower now.” He strides quickly towards the bathroom, escaping the situation. Well, you guess the talk is over now? Probably a good thing, you've been given too much information anyways. You can feel a slight headache coming on. 

“Thank you.” You look at Sans. He seems a bit shocked. “For telling me this. I know you don’t think I’m the most trustworthy person-“

“that’s just it, kid.” He interrupts. You’re not offended, more interested in what he wants to say. “ it’s the fact that you are a person that makes you untrustworthy. nothing against ya personally.” 

You take in a long breath. It makes sense, really, but a small stem of sadness crawls up inside you. You'll never really gain the trust of the skeleton in front of you. There's no way. Maybe you'll never really gain BP's trust. Fuck, that's a sad thought. 

“welp, time to go.” The skeleton stands up. The air crackles around you. You remember something. 

“Wait!” You call out. The crackling stops for a second. Sans looks at you with one eyebrow bone raised. “Where are you staying?”

“why?”

“Oh my god is that all you ever ask?” You groan. “I don’t need to know like the exact location. But you’re a monster in a small town. I can’t imagine anybody being willing to just house you off the street.” No, you’d be willing to bet on where the skeleton has been staying for months.

“uh, well i’m…” He’s suddenly frazzled, uncomfortable in a way you’ve never seen before. “there’s a place-“

“Sans-”

“it’s a house near the bakery, you know the one? on main street?”

“Sans!” He stops, staring at you with wide eyes. “Stay here.”

His eye sockets blink once. “what”

“Stay here, with me and BP. I have room. It’s not a five-star hotel or anything.” You shrug. “But it's a warm place and a roof over your head.”

Sans flinches back, eyes narrowing.“Even for just one night?”

“no.”

“Sans please-“ Aaand he’s gone. You bring a pillow to your face and scream into it. You hear the shower turn on in the background.

A week later you slide out of the apartment. The shower is still on. It's honestly a wonder how BP can take such long showers and if utilities were not included you’d be completely screwed. You shrug on your coat and hobble out of the apartment.

It takes you a while to walk to Main Street. By the time you make it there, the sun is beginning to set and you hurt all over. Especially your armpit. Nobody ever warned you about how much crutches freaking hurt. 

You find the little bakery relatively easily at least. There’s nothing too special about it, but you’ve been a few times and the food is pretty good. You go inside, having a look around. Its empty of customers. There's a girl standing behind the counter, looking bored. She straightens up as you walk in.

“Hello! Can I help you find something today?” You go to wave her off automatically, then pause.

“Actually, yeah.” You walk up to the counter. “Can you get me one of each of your five most popular items? Three savory and two sweets please!” The girl tilts her head to one side for a moment, before shrugging and agreeing with a smile.

A moment later you’re walking out with a small bag filled with two paninis, a quiche, a chocolate croissant, and a brownie. There must be SOMETHING here he likes.

Why am I doing this? You turn down the alleyway beside the bakery. Why am I helping him? He did this to me. You stop mid-step. He did this. He hurt you. He…well, acted in self-defense. He went over the top, but you did threaten him first. Your mind wanders to the night of drinking at the park. How did you even get home? BP said he walked into the living room and you were just there, on the couch, with Sans a few feet away. You assume it's a part of his little 'disappearing act', but it shocked you that he brought you along. He could have just left you there. It's what you expected, honestly.

You continue walking down the alleyway, coming across an interesting section. There's a piece of wall jutting out into the alleyway. Off the wall is a tarp, creating a sort of tent shape. Smart. The tarp would direct the water away, but still be easy to move if necessary. You walk towards the little house, creating a lot of noise with your steps and crutch. You don’t want to be scaring the skeleton again, you might not survive the second time.

“Hello?” You whisper. “Sans, it’s me.” There is no response.

You sigh. Maybe he didn’t come right back here. You lean down and pull open the side of the flap. You’ll just put the paper bag inside and hope- oh! 

He’s there.

Sans is sitting with his knees to his chest. His hood is up, over his head. His eyes are wide, shocked, and his mouth is slightly open. You’ve never seen it open like that. He has…canines? Well shit. There are headphones on his head, connected to an old…walkman? How the hell did he get that? You can hear the music from here. It’s so loud. He didn’t hear you approach. Fuck.

“Um sorry.” You say hastily, unsure of the best move. Do you turn around and walk away? Do you hand him the treats? You really didn’t think he was home. You didn't want to intrude on his house. Oh god, you were intruding. Shit. Oh, now you’re just standing there looking at him. GREAT. I'm dead. His hand moves slowly, reaching up to slide the headphones off his skull. They hit the ground with a dull clack. “what do you want?” His voice is harsh again, like how it was when you first met him. But the eye lights are still here. Thank god.

“I-well-I…” You stumble on your words for a moment. “Food. Here you go.” You plop the food in front of him. “I’ll go now.” Dropping the side of the tarp, you turn around. You take a few steps away and stop, leaning back against the wall. Breathe in, breathe out. Well, that could have gone better. You sigh. Although I suppose it also could have gone worse.

"you're still here." You turn your head to the left. Sans is standing beside the tarp. "wh-"

“Sans.” You interrupt. “If you ask me ‘why’ one more time, I'll hit you with my crutch.” Sans pauses and looks beyond you. 

"come here." He climbs back under the tarp. You stare at the area he had been in for a moment, confused. Slowly, you move back toward the little house and stare a the tarp. He wants you to go in? Why? You stand there a bit longer, contemplating your options. You could leave, avoid what is turning out to be a very awkward situation, or go in, take a chance, and maybe find out something about the skeleton.

Ah, fuck it. 

You bend down carefully and reach for the tarp. How is this going to work? There’s no way the two of you can fit in there, is there? Is this some magic going on? Some Doctor How 'bigger on the inside' shit? 

No, you soon find out, there is nothing of that sort going on. A few moments of struggling later you're sitting beside Sans, close enough that your good thigh is resting against his...femur? Your bad leg is stretched out straight in front of you, actually reaching outside of the tarp. That's probably a hilarious image. A small bubble of laughter grows in your chest despite the circumstances. 

Sans is not saying anything but is looking through the bag of food. 

“So why did you ask me to come in here?” Please say something. Anything to stop the uncomfortable atmosphere.

"surprised you actually agreed to come in." He mutters, continuing to look through the bag.

“Well you asked me to!” You point a finger at him, narrowing your eyes. “That’s unfair!”

“why would you willingly come into a place like this?” You look at him for a long moment. For once, he's the uncomfortable one. You can tell he isn't happy having someone know how he's been living, let alone having someone actually see it.

With a breath, you lean back against the brick wall. “It’s not my first time being in a place like this.” You admit quietly. “I’m not talking about BP either.”

A moment pause, then a quiet whisper. “how long?”

“A few years.” You shrug and run a hand through your hair. “Luke found me after that. The stupid guy took me in almost immediately. Well, he tried to anyways. I was stubborn as all hell. Eventually, I gave in though. I still didn't trust him, but anything he had to offer sounded better than my current life.” You pause for a moment. “If he wasn’t such a good guy, I’d hate to see where I’d be right now.”

“thats why you helped BP.” The skeleton's tone takes on a note of understanding.

You nod. “Yeah.” You look away from the skeleton and play with the edge of your coat. “I don’t see that stuff much here. People have better luck In the cities where the buildings keep the cold out and there are more crowds for money. So, when I saw BP here I wanted to help him…I just couldn’t leave him alone." You let out a small laugh, before turning to Sans. “It’s the same with you, you know?”

“even after what I did?” He looks down at your leg.

You let out a long breath and shake your head. “I mean, I’m still very cautious around you and whenever your eyes get all black and spooky it’s terrifying." You look away from him again. “But I don’t think you intend to hurt me anymore. You don’t seem malicious, and BP trusts you. That’s enough for me. Like I said, it's no five-star hotel, and I don’t know if I have much food to share. But it's a roof over your head and warmth. Winter is coming fast, and freezing outside is never a fun option."

You expect the long silence this time, as the skeleton thinks over your offer. It’s still uncomfortable, although less than previous ones.

“ok.” Your head snaps back up to the skeleton.

"Wait, actually?!”

“sure kid. if you really want this bag of bones in your house that badly, i’m not gonna say no.” A strong feeling of triumph races through you, and you suppress the urge to fist-pump the air in excitement. You still feel a bit bewildered, honestly expecting to leave alone. None of this has been what you expected when you left the house. Speaking of...

“Alright, should we head back now then?” You struggle up into a standing position- a movement that would have been impossible to do solo only a few weeks ago. You stand up with your crutch and shuffle out of the small house. “It’s a pretty long way back so we should start now.”

“i know a shortcut.” You hear Sans move behind you, sliding out from under the tarp as well. He's still holding the bag of food.

“Really?” You narrow your eyes in confusion. “Where? I can’t think of a single way to-“

“just close your eyes.” He interrupts. You eye him suspiciously for a moment but obey.

The second your eyes close, a boney hand grabs your wrist and pulls you forward. You stumble, not expecting to suddenly move. Your heart suddenly is in your throat, your head is spinning and you're about to throw up- oh god. Then there is floor beneath you again. Your eyes open automatically and you look around. You’re in your apartment. In front of you, the skeleton stands there with a smirk. You look at him, then back at the apartment, then back at him.

“Okay how the fuck did you do tha-“

“You’re back then.” You turn quickly to the sound of a voice. It’s BP, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He looks every bit the stereotypical my-child-was-out-all-night parent. You almost want to laugh at the absurdity of the thought.

“Yup." You smile. He sighs. “I left you a note dude.”

“Couldn't be more vague. ‘Going out for stuff’? Like what the hell is that supposed to mean?!” He walks over to you and bops you lightly on the head. You flinch back dramatically and yell out in fake pain. He lets out a snort, before turning to Sans. “So what happened then?“

Sans looks at you but says nothing. 

"Oh!” Standing up straight, you inform him. “Sans is going to stay here now.” You give BP a look: do not say anything negative about this, I just -somehow- won him over. Obviously, your thoughts don't translate through a mere look and he is just confused. 

He looks back at Sans for answers. “heya roomie.” Sans says, shrugging. BP blinks a few times without saying anything. He lets out a small groan and turns around, throwing his paws up in the air.

“Whatever. I’m going to sleep.” He pauses, turning back. “Wait. Where’s he going to sleep?” His eyes narrow slightly at you.

“Don’t worry, I’m not making you give up the couch.” You laugh lightly. “I have Debbie's blow-up mattress somewhere around here. I’ll just find it and ta-da!”

You can't find the air mattress, and Debbie isn't responding to your texts. You'd be worried about that, but she's been texting less since her trip to Ebott started. 

The three of you stand around the couch. You frown, crossing your arms in front of your chest. What to do...

“i can sleep on the floor?" Sans raises an eyebrow bone and shrugs nonchalantly. True, it's better than where he was before. But it's definitely not an ideal arrangement. You wave off his idea, looking around the apartment. Your eyes fall on BP. Ah, got it.

"BP, stay with me tonight?" You give him a big smile. He just looks at you with wide eyes.

"What?"

You reach forward and grab his arm lightly. "Ah, it won't be that bad. I don't kick or anything!" In the end, you trust BP a whole lot more than you trust Sans. "It'll be fine. Sans can take the couch for one night and I'll track down the air mattress tomorrow!"

The two monsters share a look, before the skeleton shrugs. BP sighs and turns back to you. "Alright, fine. One night and I get the couch back." You nod with a soft smile.

And thats how you find yourself under the covers with BP, watching shitty comedy moves on your laptop and laughing into the night. He falls asleep somewhere after the third movie. Before you, like usual, but you're not tired.

You watch another movie. Its funny, really funny. But sometime between the first and last scene your laughing fades away and you lose all focus on the screen. You cover your face with your hands, feeling your eyes start to burn and breath get heavy.

Your mind is reeling with information about the monsters and about humanity. The terrible truths that you've been told today, and the even worse ones that you can imply from their words. Monsters can be forced to do anything, and humanity...is not the most 'morally correct' species. Your heart hurts just thinking about the possible things that monsters probably have gone through. 

You also think of your friends: of Luke, Heisenburg and Bluman. Where are they now? Are they hurt? Are they even alive? You assume that Heisenburg and Bluman may actually be taken to New York, but Luke is completely missing. He could be dead. You think of his smiling face, and some tears start to slide down your cheeks.

It takes you a long time to fall asleep that night.

Chapter Text

September

Consciousness hits you suddenly. Ugh, your head hurts.

You open your eyes a peek. It’s morning. Unsure of what exactly woke you up, you reach out for your phone on the nightstand. Grabbing it, you pull it closer and hit the ‘home’ button. 7:05 a.m., huh? Too early. Ugh. You determinedly flip over to burrow back under the covers but freeze as you notice another body in your bed. Your eyes open fully. Oh, BP. Right. Sitting up, you look at your friend. He’s curled up away from you, more like a cat than any human, with his tail almost reaching his head. He looks comfortable in his sleep. The comforting smell of smoke that always seems to follow him these days hits you. You smile softly.

A sound from further in the apartment puts you back on edge. You sit up straight and hold your breath, listening for more noise. A cupboard slams, and you remember. Sans. Right. You relax back, letting out your breath. Well, that's enough surprises for this morning.  Fully awake now, you start stretching your arms and back. Once done, you reach into your nightstand and grab some medicine for your headache. With no water, you need to dry-swallow the pill. It's uncomfortable, but uncomfort seems to be your new normal anyways. 

It's been close on a month since the skeleton monster started sleeping at your house. Honestly, it's been uneventful. You don't see the guy often at all. Sans is usually gone by the time you wake up and stays out until late at night, if he comes back at all. The only times you do see him is if he's popped in to speak with BP or if you go to the kitchen at night for some water -sometimes not even then, occasionally the couch is empty even at night. It's awkward...but doable. 

So why is he here now?

You briefly consider just staying in bed. The idea of interacting with the skeleton this early puts you on edge. But, well, you were the one that asked him to stay. You are the one who invited this monster into your house. You can't just avoid him now. He's...probably not a danger to you anymore. He hasn't done anything else to you, and well, you don't think BP would have been so chill about it if he thought anything would happen. Eventually you work yourself up to getting out of bed. Careful to make as little sound as possible, you slide out of bed and grab your crutches, slowly heading out of the bedroom. 

Coffee calls to you more than struggling through another shower. You use the bathroom briefly, before walking into the living room. It's empty, although the blankets and pillows you left out are a complete mess on the floor beside the couch. It's the complete opposite to how BP usually folds them up. Well, at least there is proof he actually stayed last night. 

You head towards the kitchen, pausing slightly in the doorframe. Sans is sitting at the table, fiddling with a flip-phone in his hands. It's the first time seeing him without his hoodie on. Hm. The skeleton is wearing a long-sleeved black shirt. He looks up at you as you walk in, but says nothing.

“G’morning.” You mutter, walking past him to the counter. “Sleep well?”

“yea, thanks.” His words are quiet behind you.

“Want some coffee?” You hold up a bag of Moonbucks pre-ground Sumatra blend.

There is a small pause. “ok.” You scoop some coffee grinds into the French press and turn on the electric kettle.

Soon the quiet turns a bit awkward. Turning around, you lean against the counter. “How long have you been up for?” An easy question.

“dunno, a few hours.” You hum in response. He is back to fiddling with the phone. Is he texting?

“Surprised you have one of those.”

His eyes snap up to you harshly. “why?" Aaaaand he seems upset. What the hell??

You hold up your hands. “I mean a flip-phone. I didn’t really think that anybody still sold them." Then again, I guess he does have a Walkman.

He holds your gaze for a moment. “oh.” He relaxes back down into the chair and lets out a deep sigh, rubbing his hand along the back of his skull. “sorry.” He whispers.

You give a small smile in return and turn around to the kettle. Well, this is awkward. Shit. You pour the boiling water into the French press and stir lightly. Setting the timer for four minutes, you take in a deep breath. Now you have to deal with the awkward silence again. After taking a moment to come up with a topic, ANY topic, you turn around. He’s staring down at the phone but no longer pushing any buttons.

“Hungry?” You ask, wincing slightly at the forced tone of your voice. The skeleton doesn’t say anything, just stares at you with a considering look. This is so awkward. “I can make pancakes?”

For a moment there’s no response, then "yeah. sounds good. thanks."  Okay, cool. Something to do other than stand around. You grease and heat the pan before grabbing the pancake mix along with some chocolate chips, blueberries, whipped cream, and maple syrup.

“want help?” You startle harshly, almost dropping the container of blueberries into the sink. Sans is standing beside you, looking slightly amused.

“Sure.” You take a look at the timer. “The coffee is ready, can you get that?” He nods and walks around you to the french press, staring at it. “Oh, uh. See the wand on the top? Press down slowly to take the grinds out of the water. Then the coffee is ready.” You turn away from the skeleton and start on a plain pancake, nothing special. BP doesn’t like the chocolate ones, so you normally only make one for you anyways.

The sound of your creaking cabinet door breaks the silence. Ah, he’s looking for the mugs. Sans makes a startled sound, causing you to look over. Oh. OH. Oh no.

Your face starts to heat up. The skeleton is holding a gift from Debbie. Its a simple white mug with a picture of a bone on it. It says-

“i found this…humerus?” Yea, THAT. His skull turns to you, and you feel your blush get darker. Is that offensive? Did you just offend him with your mug selection? Well fuck.

“Sorry!” You fold your arms in front of you in a defensive gesture. “Gift from a friend, she knows I like puns and well…sorry?

“jeez kid, don’t jump out of your skin.” Wait, what. “if you like bad jokes, i’ve got a skele-TON more.”

No way. You’d thought…possibly…before but… no way, a pun-loving skeleton? Your mouth is open in shock. Sans looks at you for a second and begins to snicker, placing the mug down on the counter beside your other Rock and Marty one. You watch him for a moment and the absurdity of the situation hits you. You let out a small, surprised laugh.

“what do you have?” He asks as he pours out the coffee. “i take a latte milk.” Oh no, you can't let this stand.

“What’s Sumatra with you?” You chide, turning back to your pancakes and flipping one. “That ruins the entire coffee!”

“Thats a ground-less accusation.” You glance over to see the skeleton dumping the grinds out in the trash. You slide the finished pancake onto the plate on the counter. One down.

“Oh no, I’ve bean exposed as a coffee snob.” You reply dramatically. Pouring another pancake on the pan. Sans lets out a deep chuckle. It’s a nice sound. “Nah, actually I take milk and sugar like the rest of the peasants."

A cup slides across the counter and stops beside you. Surprisingly none of the coffee spilled out. “Thanks.” You mutter, taking a sip. “Oh.” The milk and sugar are already in. It’s perfect. You glance at the skeleton out of the corner of your eye. He’s drinking his too, out of the pun mug. 

He stands there sipping coffee as you make the rest of the pancakes, fifteen in total. You knew BP could eat a lot so maybe it was a monster thing? “Can you bring the pancakes to the table? I’ll grab the rest of the stuff.” You assume he agrees, and turn to grab some cutlery and plates. Sans is sitting at the table when you turn back, the pancakes layered on the plate in the middle. You pass him a plate, knife, and fork before sitting across from him. He watches until you grab a pancake before grabbing one for himself.

Your first pancake is chocolate, and you spray a little whipped cream on the top before digging in. Sans grabs a plain one but douses it in maple syrup. It must be goop now. A waste of a good pancake. The two of you eat in silence.

“Morning.” BP is walks through the doorframe, rubbing his eyes with his paw. He pauses as he looks between you. Slower, he continues towards the table and sits down. He grabs a pancake with his paw and places it on the plate, spreading some butter and whipped cream on top.

After a few more bites, you ask, “So what’s the plan?”

BP looks at Sans for a moment, but the skeleton stays quiet. “Our backup plan has always been to pack up supplies and go back to the city. Start again.” He looks away. “It's all we can do.” Oh.

That makes sense, really. It hurts though, the thought that you’re going to have to give up this new strange, magical life that’s appeared before you.

Wait. Are you?

You lean on your arm and look beyond Sans to your window, a thread of an idea forming inside your mind. There's nothing here for you, not anymore. Heisenberg and Bluman are gone, Luke is missing, the diner is closed and Debbie is in Ebott. But the city. That's so dangerous. There are more people there to hide behind, but also more cops and less loyalty. There’s risk. You look at the monsters in front of you. There's no way there won't be issues with the police in the future. Can you risk that? Risk everything you’ve built up?

“Okay, when are we leaving?” There really wasn't any other option.

“we?”

“Yes, Sans." You look him straight in the eye…sockets. “I’m coming.” A long moment of silence as the two of you stare at each other, challenging the other.

It’s Sans who gives in. “we leave as soon as possible, so pack a bag today.” You lean back into your chair with a victorious smile. BP just looks at you with his mouth open in shock.

“Can d-“

Knock. Knock.

You freeze, turning your head towards the doorframe. Who would even be here at this hour? Both BP and Sans have similar expressions on their face of suspicion. The knocking happens again, more insistent. Shit.

“Coming!” You stand up and walk towards the door. Your hand shakes slightly as you reach for it. The door opens slowly. It’s Mac.

He’s standing there alone with his all to wide grin. “Hello again!” He says cheerily.

“H-Hi Mac!” You reply loudly, hoping the monsters inside will get the hint and disappear.

Mac raises an eyebrow. “Can I come in?” He takes a step forward, but you hold your ground, hoping any extra time will help the monsters.

“Of course you can come inside!” Please hide guys. Please. You step aside slowly and Mac pushes his way In. He looks around instantly, eyes stopping once in a while on different objects. Its Invasive in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable. You let out a breath of relief when you notice the apartment is quiet. A quick peek into the kitchen and you see no monsters. The pancakes are still there though, along with the plates and coffee. It's obvious that someone was over. Shit. You can't let him see that.

“U-um, please sit down?” You motion towards the messy couch. He looks at it for a moment, before looking at you. “BP…my uh, monster…sleeps here.”

“You’re too kind. It’s meant for the floor.” He walks over and plops down on the couch, placing his hands over the back. "Where is the thing anyways?"

"Bathroom.” You lie, cautiously sitting as far away from him as you can. An uncomfortable silence flows through the apartment. Looking over at Mac you realize his roaming gaze has stopped. You follow his line of vision to a blue hoodie, NOT your blue hoodie. Shit. Sans. Mac is staring at it for too long. He knows. Oh god.

“So why are you here?" You ask quickly. The man's eyes shift to you. He waits a moment to respond. His hand lifts from the back of the couch and lands on your leg near your cast.

“I heard you have a doctor's appointment tomorrow.” Oh shit, you do. How does he know that? “I know Luke was your driver, how do you plan to get to the hospital?

“A cab?”

Mac lets out a sudden laugh. “No, no no. After all the food you've served me and my partner, I couldn't’ dream of letting you cab there.” Your eyes widen as you realize what he's getting at.

“Oh, Mac. That’s really nice of you but I’ll be okay on my own.” You insist. “I wouldn’t want to impose-“

“Nonsense!” The hand on your leg tightens slightly. You flinch. “I Insist! I won't take no for an answer. Your appointment is at eleven correct?” He doesn't wait for a response. “I’ll be here at ten.” His tone leaves no room for argument. You stare at him, lost.  His hand gets even tighter for a second, sending pain through your leg. Then he lets go completely and pushes himself up.

“Well.” He starts.“ I better go. I’ll see you tomorrow at ten. Be here.” His words almost sound like a warning. You get up behind him and follow him out to the door. He opens it and gives you a wide smile before leaving. You close the door behind him, locking it.

BP appears almost instantaneously, walking out from your bedroom door. He's quieter than ever, not making a sound as he walks towards you. You open your mouth to ask him what is going on, but he shakes his head. He stops beside you and places an ear against the door. Listening? You look at the monster In the eye, then jerk your head towards the door: is he outside? BP nods. Shit. The two of you stand there for a while in silence. Then BP relaxes slightly.

"He's gone.” You head back to the couch and sit down, not really trusting your legs. “Holy shit." You mutter. BP starts to pace behind the couch. He heard everything, no doubt.

“We need to do something. He saw San's coat!”

BP pauses mid-step. "Shit. They’ve met before.”

“Shit.” You agree. “Where’s Sans?”

“Don't know.” Bad news. “He disappeared pretty quickly.” You groan in frustration and put your head in your hands.

The rest of the day passes by slowly. You both spend a long time on the laptop, looking at various news cycles. Eventually, you feel the stress turn into panic and ask BP to turn on a movie instead. Any movie. That was three hours ago.

It's getting dark now. You have no idea what movie is on, and bet neither does BP. You’re both too lost in thought and stress. The air begins to crackle around you. For once, you're happy for that feeling. Sans. He’ll know what to do. Right? You hear him before you even see him.

“you’re being watched.” You sit up straight.

“What?” Shit shit shit shit.

“an unmarked car outside your apartment.” Sans sits down on the side of the coffee table. “they have surveillance gear and talked to Mac when he left.”

“Are they…listening In on us now?" Sans shakes his head.

“they're probably waiting for one of you to leave, to follow you.”

You look back and forth between Sans and BP. “What do we do? Guys?” You're being watched by the MRC. Oh no, oh no no no no. “Can we leave? Tonight?”

“we need to leave soon.” Sans agrees. “but we need your car.” You groan in frustration. “and you to be able to drive. monsters aren’t allowed.”

“That's bullshit." You mutter, crossing your arms in front of your chest. That means you need your cast off, which means a trip to the hospital, which means…Mac.

“yea.” Sans agrees. “it is.”

The next morning is marked with tension. The three of you sit around the table, not really talking. BP makes some coffee, but nobody really drinks it. At 10 a.m exactly, there's a knock on your door. You give a fearful look to the monsters before heading out to meet Mac.

You feel like you’re headed to your own execution as you sit down in the passenger seat. You take a quick look around the car, everything looks normal. Mac gets in beside you and turns the ignition. The car comes to life and he begins to drive out of the parking lot.

The apartment is just out of view when Mac begins to speak. “I want to talk to you about James.” You frown and nervously look out the window.

“What about James?” Honestly, a bit of relief hits you as he brings up his partner. This is dating. A safer topic than you’d expected.

“It’s weird, you know.” Mac begins. “The guy was head-over-heals for you and suddenly left for Ebott. No warning, natta.” Crossing your legs, you stare back at Mac determined that wasn’t going to intimidate you over this.

“We went out for a date. That’s all. Didn’t end well, he left without saying goodbye.”

“And why did it end so badly?”

“I don’t know.” You ground out. “I guess we just weren’t that compatible.”

Mac doesn’t say anything else. He reaches over to turn up the music. That's fine with you. You nervously listen to fucking classical music the rest of the way. Mac drops you off outside of the hospital and hands you a card with a phone number on it. promising to pick you up when you call.

The hospital didn’t seem too busy today. You only wait a good ten minutes before being called in to see the doctor. She asks a few basic questions and hums at your answers, writing things down on her paper. Finally, she puts it down. A nurse comes in and begins to fiddle with a machine.

“So, are you happy to get this thing off?”

“Like you can’t believe.” You reply quietly.

The process to get the cast off was rather quick, but you wished the entire time that BP was with you. The sound of the saw-thing really freaked you out. Your foot was a bit swollen, so you are forced to buy some bigger shoes from the hospital. Great. After giving you a run-down of how to take care of your leg, the doctor gets you to sign some forms and disappears with a cheery ‘goodbye and well wishes.’

The nurse stays behind, fiddling more with the machine.It takes a few minutes for your leg to cooperate, and the nurse helps you walk back toward the entrance. You sit down in one of the chairs and open your phone to call Mac. You let him know that you’re ready and he replies that he’ll be there in a few minutes.

True to his word, Mac’s BMW appears in a few minutes. He doesn’t get out, so you slowly make your way over to the car and open the passenger site door. Mac gives you a big smile and you slide in, pulling your seat belt on. You say nothing as he pulls out of the parking lot.

“Bet that feels great, huh?” That was not Mac.

Oh my god.

That was not Mac.

You turn wildly around in your seat. A familiar handsome face stares back at you.

“James?!” You stammer.

“Hello again.” He waves with a smile. “Glad that you could make it to our little question session.”

Oh shit. “W-what do you mean?”

It’s Mac that answers. “See, I always thought you were suspicious. A waitress at the very diner we are watching who owns the only monster in the town?” He chuckles. “But James here…he’s one to think with his heart over his head."

“I’ve had some time to think since our last encounter… “ Your eyes fly back to James as he speaks. "And I’ve realized that Mac has some pretty good points.”

"Don't you need a warrant or so-" Your voice cuts off as James looks down. You follow his vision and your breath catches.

No.

Please no.

It's a gun, pointed at you, safety off. You are frozen in fear. Your mouth opens and shuts unhelpfully. You don't know what to say. You don’t know what to do. What will get you killed? What will keep you alive? 

“So, we have some questions for ya.”

You close your door behind you and slide to the ground. Tears are already sliding down your cheeks.

Where is BP?

You sit there for a few minutes, fighting back your sobs. You can hear the shower from here. BP. He can't hear you out here. 

“shit.” You hear footsteps approach. “you okay?” You open your mouth to say something, anything, but instead, a wretched sound leaves your throat and you burst into sobs.

“woah woah.” A bony hand hesitantly taps your shoulder.  “hey…you’re safe.” You feel a bubble of hysterical laugh form in your chest. Safe. Right.  He kneels down in front of you. You look up at his skull through blurry eyes. “fuck, ok. look at me. breathe. you need to breathe.”

“c’mon, breathe in.” You pull in a shaky breath. “hold it…and out.” You repeat this process for a bit until the sobs begin to fade and you’re left a shaky, teary mess.

“good…ok. “The hand moves from your shoulder to in front of your face. “grab my hand.” You obey, and he slowly pulls you into a standing position. You stare at the hand. It's hard, sure, but there is some movement to it you wouldn't have expected. It's definitely not as gross as you had thought. He slowly pulls you forward. You follow blindly, allowing yourself to be pushed into sitting on the couch.

Sans sits beside you, closer than normal. He doesn’t say anything, and you focus on breathing to calm yourself down. After a few minutes, you hear the shower stop. You can hear BP rummaging around in the bathroom, then the door opens. His footsteps get closer before stopping. Looking back, you notice his eyes are going between your face and your…hand? Following his gaze, you notice that you never took your hand back from Sans. 

"Sorry.” You mumble, pulling your hand out of his.

BP comes over to crouch in front of you. “What happened?”

“They…guns..he…” You pause, trying to formulate your thoughts. Sans’ eyes widened as you mentioned guns. “Coming back from the hospital…James was in the car.” You rub your eyes. “He had a gun…started asking about you…and about Sans.”

“what did you tell them.”

“Sans!” BP growls at the skeleton.

“no!” His hands grab your shoulders, turning you to him. His eyes lights are disappearing. “we need to know. what. did. you. say.”

“Nothing!” You feel tears begin to escape again at his look. “I didn’t say anything. I had no idea who this ‘homicidal skeleton’ was and BP was my monster. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t.” Those dark voids stare at you for a moment longer, before the skeleton lets go.

BP forces himself between you and “I'm taking her to bed, now.”

“she needs to take a shower.”

“Sans!” BP growls. “Not the time to be a fucking asshole!”

“no.” Sans looks down at you. “trust me. she needs a shower.”

Actually, a shower sounds good right now. Wash off everything that just happened. Wash off the dirt…the tears. Like it never happened. Oh. You look up at Sans. I see.

“Yea, a shower sounds good.”

You spent longer in the shower than ever before. For a long time, you just sat in the tub, sobbing and trying to process what had just happened. It had been a double hit, with the gun bringing back memories of the robbery. Like it had been planned to completely terrify you.

Eventually, the tears ran out and you just sat staring at the wall. You don’t want to go to sleep. The realization hits you suddenly. The knowledge that when you will be haunted by nightmares over this creates even more panic in your chest. Standing up, you lean out of the shower and call for BP.

“You okay?” He’s outside the door quickly. Oh yea, monster-cat hearing.

“Can we order in and watch movies tonight?”

A pause. “If that's what you want?”

You nod, then realize he can’t see you. You call out an affirmative and duck back under the spray. Its starting to get cooler. You need to actually move. The rest of the shower is completed in a trance-like state.

The pizza arrives as you’re sliding into your pajamas. You’ve successfully pushed the events of today further back into your mind, promising yourself to think and process more later. You use the elevator to go downstairs to pick it up, the doctor’s warnings about overuse in your mind. You were NOT messing up the healing at this stage. Fuck that.

BP says nothing about your red, puffy eyes and is ready to take the pizzas from you as you enter the apartment. Sans is back, sitting on one side of the couch with his feet up on the coffee table. How can he look so relaxed during all this? You feel like you’re about to fall apart at the seams. BP plops down on the other side of the couch, placing the boxes on the coffee table. The drinks are already there. Huh. Guess I’m sitting in the middle then? You sit down carefully and open one of the boxes. Pineapple. Ugh.

“It's yours.” You pass that one to him and open the other, stomach growling at the smell. You pick up a piece and take a bite. It’s heaven on earth, and you groan in happiness.

BP clears his throat and passes you the laptop, forcing you to put the slice down on some paper towel. “It logged us out.” The HDMI is already hooked up, so you re-enter your information and bring up Notflix.

“Alright guys. What do you want to watch?” You start scrolling through options. “Black is the New Orange, No Reasons Why, 8 Senses, Mettaton the Musical the Television Series-“

“yes.” You look over to Sans in shock.

“Wait, really?” You frown. The skeleton is sat straight up, staring at you. You sigh. “Alright, fine. I don’t understand it. But fine.”

You start up the first episode and place the laptop behind the pizza box on the table.Picking up your slice again, you start to dig in. On screen Mettaton is playing a new kid in school who is more fabulous than anyone so the other kids are jealous. You roll your eyes. “This is so ridicu- guys?”

Both Sans and BP are staring straight at the television, seemingly entranced in the show. What the fuck is happening here? You look back and forth between them in confusion. You had thought that maybe BP didn't know...or maybe he was easy to forgive. But Sans too? 

“Guys?” How could they stand to watch the robot that betrayed them?

Sans breaks away to look at you. He looks a bit guilty, eye lights unable to focus completely on your face. “heh, yea i’ve always hated that rust bucket.” But then his eyes go back to the screen and he doesn’t look away.

You get the feeling that he’s not telling you something important.

Chapter Text

September

You are being watched.

San’s words haunt you that night. You dream of the hooded robbers chasing you down a dead street. They catch you, and when they take off their hoods it reveals James and Mac. They hold the gun to your head.

You’re shaken awake in that moment, opening your eyes to see BP leaning over you. He looks concerned and his mouth opens to speak. You interrupt him by shaking your head silently, and tell him to go back to sleep.He doesn’t look happy but his eyes close slightly as he lays back. The guy has always been quick to fall asleep.

You smile softly at him and slide out of the bed. You walk slowly out of the bedroom and down the hallway. Quietly, as to not wake up a sleeping skeleton, you tip toe passed the couch towards the kitchen. You pause.

He’s not there. The sheets are a mess with most of them laying on the floor and the pillow is across the room. What happened here? You continue into the kitchen and find your cupboard with mugs, filling one up with water. Leaning against the counter, you take in the silence. It’s nice, actually.

In the end, you’re kind of happy that you never found Debbie’s old air mattress. BP has continued to sleep in your bed, which brings you a bit of comfort considering everything going on. And you’re very happy that he woke you up when he did.  Thinking of the nightmare sends a pang of stress straight to your heart. It had been getting worse, fast. You gulp down the rest of the water and place the mug in the sink before heading out towards the balcony. 

It’s occupied. Sans is out there, leaning against the railing and looking towards the ground. You open the sliding glass door slowly but he doesn’t react.

“You’re awake late.” You mutter as you go to lean against the balcony a foot away from him.

The skeleton looks over to you for a second. “could say the same for you.”

You pause for a moment. “Bad dreams.” You sigh. After a moment you look back at your companion. “How about you?” Sans says nothing. You take the hint and look straight ahead. 

Ahh, the air is nice.

“Are you not worried about the …” You gesture towards the parking lot below you. “Uh, them?”

“they’re gone.” He sighs, rubbing a hand on the back of his skull. “they left an hour ago, three on the dot. did the same last night, but returned at three thirty.” His bones clank against the railings softly as he shifts. “if this continues it’ll be a pattern.”

Your eyes widen and you turn to look straight at him. “Does that mean?”

“yeah." He replies. “you packed a bag?”

You nod your head. “When?”

“soon.” The skeleton replies. “very soon.”

Neither of you speak another word. You turn to look over the scarcely lit town in front of you.

The silence is comfortable.

————

The surveillance car returns at three thirty, on the dot. Sans disappears without a word as the car turns into the parking lot. You head back to bed.

Sans is not there when you wake up, but BP doesn’t seem too worried so you don’t question it. The prospect of possibly being followed around town by shady MRC reps doesn’t excite either your or BP, so you spend the next day laying around the house.

The last hour has been taken up by watching old episodes the Price is Wrong on MeTube. You’ve been betting real money on your guesses. So far you are negative fifty dollars. Weird, you’d thought you’d have an edge over the monster considering all the items shown are human.

“$25 400” BP mutters from his laying position on the couch. He’s stretched out on his stomach with his legs over yours and head on his hands.

“Pffft, no way. It has to be worth at least $30,000.” You protest. “The car ALONE must be worth $20,000 and there’s the trip and everything.” 

The host Rob Parker smiles and opens his envelope: ‘And the price is…. $25,584!’. You groan and lean back into the couch. Well shit.

BP gives a halfhearted victory holler and lets his head plop down onto the couch. He grumbles. “You owe me $60 now.”

God, you’re bored. But neither of you can think of anything else to watch. You’ve gone through all the good options on Notflix. A new episode of Price is Wrong begins to autoplay, Rob Parker getting introduced again. That’s enough. You reach forward and close the laptop.

“Want food?” BP rolls over onto his back, looking up at you.

“Don’t know.” He yawns. “What we got?”

You hum in contemplation, raising a hand to your mouth. “Not much… hot dogs? Uhh…” The kitchen had been emptying faster and faster recently. You don’t have much left over that would make a cohesive meal.

The air crackles around you. You sit up straight. Finally.

The skeleton appears near the doorway to the kitchen. He looks exhausted, and leans against the wall with his hands in his pockets. You frown and wait, expecting him to say something. He doesn’t. He just leans his skull back against the wall and looks up at the ceiling.

“Hey…” You start. He tenses slightly, eye sockets narrowing. “I’m just about to cook some dinner. Want a hot dog?” His shoulders relax instantly.

“heh.” He mumbles. “got any hot cats?”

What.

“Hot cats?” Is this a…joke?

You can feel your face scrunching in confusion. Sans’ eye lights shift to you. They’re bigger than normal. Heh. You didn’t know they could do that. He lets out a small chuckle. BP follows suit with a full on laugh. Yup, you missed something here. You look back and forth between the two monsters.

“Sans used to work as a hot dog vendor.” BP says. “Underground.” Oh, that’s interesting. In all your research, you hadn't found a single word on what the underground was like. You’d sort of figured that it was…more primitive then hot dogs. A feeling of shame hits you, and you wince.

“one of my many talents.” Sans chuckles with a shrug. “sold them at my station in hotland. when i ran out of ‘dogs i'd sell hot cats instead.”

You open your mouth to ask what EXACTLY constitutes a ‘hot cat’, followed up maybe by a question about this ‘Hotland’ but the skeleton just continues on. “sure kid, a ‘dog sounds good.”

You close your mouth and tilt your head slightly. His eyelights have shrunk back to their normal size, and he looks tense again. He doesn’t want you to ask about it? You let out a breath and force a smile. “Yea, sure. I’ll go make some. Just one?”

Sans relaxes a bit, giving you a smile. “yup.”

“How ‘bout you BP?” You turn to your friend. He’s looking back and forth between you and Sans with a frown.

“Uh yea.” He removes his legs from your lap, sitting up on the couch. “Sure little buddy.”

You push yourself up off the couch and head into the kitchen. The monsters take a minute to come after you.You grab the frozen hot dogs from the freezer and place them on the counter. Slices of bread will have to do for a bun. You take out the loaf. It’s half way empty but you only got it a few days ago. Giving the monsters a small smile as they come into the room, you open the door to grab the ketchup. Oh, maybe some lettuce too for a salad.

Wait.

“How am I out of ketchup?” You stare at the bottle in shock. Its empty, like you can see through the bottle empty. There is no drop of the liquid left. How is this even possible?

“sorry.” You turn around, holding the bottle. 

You stare at him for a moment, mouth open in shock. “Did you…eat it?” You ask. Sans shrugs.To his credit, the skeleton does look apologetic. But still, how?! “Uhh, okay. Well I don’t have mustard or relish or anything. I thought the ketchup would be enough.” You look at Sans as you say this. He just looks away. “I can't afford more take-out and we don’t really have anything else either…” With a sigh, you start to put all the ingredients back in their places. “I guess we have to go shopping.”

BP groans.

————

You let BP be in charge of the radio on the way to the store and regret it instantly. Somehow he found the one station that was playing ‘Mettaton the Movie the Television Series’ soundtrack.

Pulling into the parking lot, you find a close spot and park the car. The dark car that had been following you since the apartment parks a row behind you. Did they think they were being subtle?Then again, you wouldn't have noticed it before. You sigh. It’s not like they have a reason to be too subtle. They don’t think that you know.

You get out of the car and head into the store, BP following behind you. He pulls on the strings of his hoodie, closing the hood further down on his face. The zipper is done up completely but the collar is still very noticeable. You’re hit with a bit of guilt for dragging him out.

The store isn’t too busy but you do get a few stares. Since BP has been officially living in the town for a while now anybody who was interested has already seen him, so you don’t expect any full-on freak outs. BP snags a small cart on the way in, pushing it quietly beside you.

Since you’re already at the store for freaking ketchup, you decide to pick up some other items. You grab some hygiene necessities, hot dog buns, veggies, pasta, pasta sauce, and frozen pizza. It’s not a lot of variety, but its cheap and easy. Next you head towards the ketchup, determined not to forget the one item you came here for. You walk down the main section, looking at the signs for anything labeled ‘condiments’. Should you get other condiments as well? Or just ketchup? You remember Sans’ words from the night before and decide on just ketchup.

“What are these for anyways?” BP’s voice brings you out of your thoughts. You turn to look at him. Oh. He’s holding the box of tampons, staring at it in confusion.

You pause for a moment. “Uhh, do female monsters not…” Your face starts to warm up. There is nothing embarrassing about this situation, nope. Oh god, why am I getting so worked up over this? He tilts his head to the side at your reaction.

“Do they not what?” No. No way. You’re not getting into this with him here. Nope.

“You know what, nevermind. ” You turn back and spot the isle you need, turning down it quickly. BP doesn’t say anything, but you can hear him put the box back in the cart and follow behind you.

He catches up to you as you're looking through the types of ketchup. You look at all of them before shrugging and grabbing the biggest one. BP gives you a look and you just shrug in response. Honestly if Sans can go through an entire thing of ketchup in so little time, he’d need the big one. It’s not that big of a price difference anyways.

“Ahh…” You look over beside you, where a lady is staring at you. “I wish I had a monster to carry all my things too.” You are confused for a moment before looking at BP. He’s been the one pushing the cart the entire time. You hadn’t thought anything of it, and would have taken the cart at any time. BP seems in a similar state as you. He looks down at the cart. You can see his tail swishing behind him. Anger hits you like a train.

You open your mouth to reply something nasty, but are beaten by BP. “Yea, we monsters are very helpful.” His voice is deadpan, empty of emotion. He begins to push the cart forward. You frown but follow him out of the isle.

When you're at the end, you put a hand on his arm. “Why would you-“ He shakes his head, stopping your words, then jerks his head quickly towards the isle you just came from. You look out of the corner of your eyes to wear he’s gesturing. Two men dressed in dark colours are staring at the ketchup. Oh. Is that them? You look at BP for a moment and he nods. Shit. You can’t make a scene here.

“Are we done?” He whispers, looking around. You want to say yes, just to get him out of the uncomfortable atmosphere.

“Almost, just one more isle.” You grab the cart from him and push it towards the snacks section. BP follows behind quietly. “Grab some sort of snack thats big enough for…us.” You catch yourself from saying ‘the three of us.’BP grabs a large box of microwave popcorn and places it in the cart. You walk down to the end of the isle where the granola bars, trail mix and other things you haven’t had since school are. You grab a few boxes of different things.

Your friend tilts his head in confusion as you unload your haul. You just shake your head and smile. “We're done now. Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”

“Popsicle stand?”

————

A few days go by and Sans seems to get more and more stressed. He uses your shower and laundry, so he no longer looks dirty but there is something there that water and soap can't wash away. You’ve finished all of Mettaton the Movie the Television Series, and are re-watching Strangest Things for Sans. You figure he’ll like it.

You begin to wonder if you’ll need another trip to the grocery store. Sans doesn’t seem to eat much of anything you make. Then again, he’s also already polished off your recent bottle of ketchup. Do monsters need to eat? BP eats just as much as any human you've ever met.

One night Sans doesn’t return at his regular time. You fight back a stab of worry that hits your chest and even BP seems to be on edge. There’s nothing you can do, however. You don’t even have his phone number. Why don’t you have his phone number? Stupid.

Two hours later both of you are watching horror movies. You’ve moved so you are sitting closer to BP, watching the movie through your fingers. BP laughs at your scared response and just shovels popcorn into his mouth. The main ‘demon' is introduced in the movie, and you let out an embarrassing whimper. 

“Looks kind of like the King.” BP mutters with a laugh. You look at him with wide eyes, bringing your hands away from your face.“Really?" There had never been any pictures of the King online, only speculation. The biggest ‘theory' is that the King of Monsters is a huge, terrifying dragon. You wonder how much of that is influenced by the dragon Smog from Lord of the Necklace though.

BP nods, but seems too invested in the movie to chat. You turn back to the movie and look at the demon. It’s sort of…goat like, kind of how the devil is typically depicted. The King looks like that? Oh shit. That’s terrifying. You’re stuck in thought for the rest of the movie.

When the movie ends, you pick the next horror one in the list and hit play. It's later than either of you would usually be up but BP doesn't say anything. There's an unspoken agreement between you to stay awake until Sans comes back. But he doesn't return during that movie, or the one after that, or after that. 

You are fighting against yourself, trying to keep awake. BP is asleep against the arm rest. Forcing yourself to sit up straight, you accidentally elbow BP awake. You apologize, but he grumbles about wanting to be awake and sits up with you. You're worried. Did they get him? Is he okay?

The feeling of crackling air fills you with relief.

Sans appears in a blink in front of the television. He looks tired, stressed and…excited? There is a smile on his face that you haven't seen.

“they’re gone.” BP basically jumps off the couch at his words. You’re not far behind, wide awake again. “lets go.”

Chapter Text

October

After throwing your backpack and an extra bag of food into the back, you slide into the driver seat and pull on your seatbelt. The passenger door opens quickly, with BP sliding in beside you. His small bag of possessions are placed in a bag near his feet. He’s not wearing the collar, but you don’t doubt that it’s nearby.

You do a customary check in all your mirrors when the apartment building catches your eye. It had been such a rush to get out here quickly, that you hadn’t stopped to think that this could very well be your last time here. You are no idiot, and you’d spent many nights up late contemplating what could happen.

In a worse case scenario, you could die out there. Maybe outright by being shot or maimed. Or maybe you’d be taken like Luke by the MRC and just disappear. The idea sends more shivers down your spine.

“what’s the holdup?” A skeletal face suddenly appears in the mirror, blocking your sightline of the building. You jolt away with a screech, and here a small chuckle behind you. He’s in the back seat. The asshole.

“Holy shit Sans!” You close your eyes for a minute, resting your head on the steering wheel. Breathe in. Breathe out. “Don’t scare the driver.” Opening your eyes and sitting up straight, you slide the keys into the ignition and start the car. Out of the corner of your eye you can see BP giving the skeleton a dirty look. Good. The two monsters act as lookout as you pull out of the parking lot.

“turn left.” You hit the breaks, stopping the car suddenly from going the other direction.

“What?” You turn to look back at Sans. “The highway is to the right.”

“we need to pick up something first.” Of freaking course. I hope this is important, Sans. You turn left.

With Sans directing you, the car heads straight through the centre of town. Its terrifying, even with nobody around. You keep expecting the MRC car to pull up out of nowhere. Eventually, the town begins to fade into the distance and Sans directs you to turn onto a small dirt road. Trees surround the car, leaving the headlights your only method of seeing.

BP has his window down, leaning slightly out of it and looking around intently. You assume he’s checking for animals or people. You drive in silence for a few more minutes.

“stop here.” Sans says. You hit the breaks and the car pulls to a stop. Sans immediately slides out of the backseat, with BP following suit. They both look comfortable here, which calms your nerves slightly.

Sans leads the way into the woods.

After a minute or two of walking in dark silence, you let curiosity take you. “So, where are we going?” You ask.

BP falls into step beside you. “Remember how we were cooking monster candy?” You nod. “We’re going to the cabin where all that happened. There’s thousands of dollars with of monster candy and other products in there.” You let out a quiet whistle. Thousands of dollars?!

You don’t know what to say, so the three of you walk in silence through the forest. You keep your eyes focused on the back of Sans’ skull, almost worried that you’d be lost in the darkness if you take your eyes off.

Eventually you come to a small clearing. At the centre of it lays an unremarkable worn-down looking cabin. Sans turns around.

“keep watch.” He looks at BP, who nods in response. The monster then goes to lean against a nearby tree, dark eyes scanning the trees. Sans starts to turn towards the cabin.

“What about me?”Sans looks at you, eye lights almost glowing in the dark. He seems almost surprised that you asked.

“uh, yea. you can come with me.” You give him a thumbs up, following behind the skeleton into the cabin.

When the door opens, you’re hit by a strong smell. It was sweet for sure, but very chemically. Your nose scrunches in displeasure, but you continue into the cabin. The inside is one big room, illuminated only from a lamp that Sans turns on. In the middle are many tables set up with various equipment on it. It reminds you of a high-tech chemistry lab to be honest.

Sans immediately moves over to the tables, moving from one to the other in a quick fashion. He begins to disconnect wires from machines, and remove vials from their stands.

“can you grab those bags?” He points over to the wall, where three big rice bags are placed. You walk over and take a deep breath, bending down to pick one up. You let out a small sound of shock. It’s a lot lighter than you expected. You balance it on your right arm and pick up the others with your left. “bring them outside.”

Sans doesn’t look up or stop moving around the tables as you head out. The cool air hits you a bit harsher this time. You walk up to BP, setting the bags down softly at the foot of the tree. He only glances at you for a second before turning his focus back into the forest. He’s worried.

You lean against another side of the tree and fold your arms across your chest for warmth. This whole thing is so ridiculous. If someone had told you half a year ago that you’d be escaping from the MRC in the middle of the night with two monsters…well…you don’t know what you’d have done. Thought them crazy for sure. Your right hand slides into your pocket. There's something there. Huh. One of the granola bars you packed. Time to stress eat. You begin to bite into the snack.

BANG.

You jump in shock, dropping the granola bar and standing up straight. What the fuck was that? It came from the Cabin. Shit. You can see a small stream of smoke sliding out of one of the windows.
“Relax little buddy.” BP mutters. You look over to him. He looks unconcerned with the cabin and is still looking out over the forest. “It’s just Sans.” Just Sans? What is happening in there? BP stops talking after that, resuming his post with such focus that you don’t feel right interrupting him.

Luckily just a few moments later, the skeleton emerges from the Cabin. You immediately walk over to him. He looks…dusty, but otherwise the same. A sharp relief hits you. “What was that ?” You ask.

The skeleton shrugs. “had to get rid of any evidence.” He slides his hands into his pocket. Your eyes widen in surprise. Did he just…destroy everything? Sans doesn’t say anything else and walks by you towards BP. Shit,why am I so surprised? The first time I met the guy he almost crushed me to death. A shudder runs down your back at the thought. Maybe you weren’t completely over that whole thing.

You follow Sans back towards BP. The two monsters share a look before BP shakes his head. Sans lets out a long breath. “ok time to go.” He begins to walk back in the forest. BP reaches down to grab the bags and follows. Feeling a little useless, you take up the rear. They ready hadn’t needed you here. You were just the driver. An unsettling feeling grows in your chest.

After a few minutes, the road and car come back into view. Nobody says a word as the three of you slide back into the car. You pull off some frankly amazing driving to turn the car around, and start the drive back.

This time, as you get closer to town you take a different route. It’s been at least twenty minutes since you first left the apartment, and the MRC might be headed back. Both BP and Sans seem on edge as well. Sans is in the middle of the back seat, looking around in every direction. BP has his window open, staring out with focused eyes.You’re almost out the other side of town when BP goes stiff.

“Fuck.”

“What?” You demand instantly.

“There’s a car getting closer.” BPs paw begins to tap on the dashboard. “I can’t tell if its them or not though.” Clenching your teeth together, you speed up a bit. What can you even do? You take the next right a bit harshly, followed by the next left.

“It’s getting closer.” BP’s tapping on the dashboard gets worse. Fuck. They’re definitely following you.

You glance nervously at the bags of…something illegal in your back seat. You can see the headlights in your mirror as you take the next turn. They’re right behind you. Angrily gripping the steering wheel, you try to think of anyplace you can lose these guys.

“Sans can you…?” You don’t know what you want him to do. Something.

“no.” The skeleton shakes his head. “if they can’t prove i was with you, they can’t legally take you anywhere.” Legally. Shit. They can still illegally take you. And BP. They’re going to take BP. It’s apparent that they’re going to catch up. You’re no specially trained driver. You can’t pull off any of those awesome action movie stunts. They’re going to win. Before you even leave the town.

No. Fuck that.

An idea hits you suddenly. A ridiculous idea, really. It was your defence mechanism as a kid, used many times when you wandered outside. There’s no way this could actually work. It's stupid and risky. But..Glancing quickly at the stressed monsters in your car, you come to a decision. You have to try.

“Sans. Can you rip the license plate of my car from here?” The skeleton startles slightly at your voice.

“uh, yea.” He looks out the back window of the car. “yea, probably. why?”

“Do it!” You practically yell, turn another corner. The car behind you is catching up, there is only a small window to do anything. Your eyes go back to the road.The back window rolls down and for a moment nothing happens. You’re itching to look back again, to see what is happening, but don’t. You need to focus.

There is a cracking sound and a small vibration echoes through the car. Your window suddenly cracks open, and a license plate glides in onto your lap. Not sparing it another glance, you look ahead for an opening. You need a turn into a residential area. For a brief moment you panic that you wont find one. Then, you see it.

Oh fuck, you’re actually doing this.

You turn the corner harsher than normal, hearing a gasp from BP. Spotting the first free driveway, you pull into it and turn off the car. “GET DOWN!” You scream, dropping down under the steering wheel. You hear a shuffling sound around you and hope the boys had listened.

Then there is silence.

For a moment, everything is black and quiet. Then the street behind you begins to illuminate with light. Headlights. You flinch. This was a stupid idea. Why did you think this would work? This is even MORE suspicious. Shit shit shit shit. You cover your eyes with your hands, expecting to be surrounded by screaming Reps any moment. To be carted away to somewhere any moment.

But nothing happens.

You uncover your eyes, looking up into the car. It’s dark again. No headlights? Did they stop their car? Or did…did it work?

“BP?” You whisper. “Are they gone? C-can you tell?” For a second there is no response.

His whisper is quiet, shocked. “I think they passed us…” A tremor runs through your body.

You hear some shuffling around you and can see Sans looking out the back window from your vantage point.

They’re gone. Holy shit.

“they’re going to come back, quickly.” Your eyes snap up to the skeleton. He’s moved. Sans is leaning forward over the drivers seat. “we need to go.” His hand reaches forward, palm up. Is he…

You take the bony hand, letting the skeleton pull you gently out of your hiding spot. You immediately feel more on edge, more exposed. But you know he’s right. You can’t wait here for long. They’d be back and they’d find the car. The plan wouldn’t work for long.

Sitting back in the driver seat, you shakily slide on your seatbelt. BP looks much more calm than you as he pulls on his. He gives you a small smile. You struggle to smile back.

Wait.

“Where’s the keys?!” Your eyes go wide and you pat your pockets. You lost the keys. Holy shit no you couldn’t have lost the keys how could you be so stupid they must have fallen when you ducked-

“Here.” BP reaches over beside you and pulls the keys from the cupholder. Oh. Shit you’re so stupid they were right there how could you have missed them oh god you’re taking up precious time the MRC could be back any minute.  BP pauses before giving you the keys, eyes wide.

“hey.” A bony hand rests on your shoulder. You look over to Sans. The skeleton looks…concerned. “breathe, remember?”

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Breathe out. 

You groan, dropping your head to your hands. It’s helping but not enough, the stress still thrums though your veins. Your hands are shaky. You don’t have time for this.

Grabbing the keys from BP, you all but slam them into the ignition and turn it on. Your grip on the steering wheel is too tight. A headache is threatening to blossom in your temples.

“Are you sure you can do this?” BP’s paw on your arm forces you to pause. Are you sure? Can you do this? You don’t know. But if you don’t… Luke’s smiling face pops into your mind. You remember the first time you saw him, you had thought he was such shit. A liar. A fake. A hysterical laugh bubbles in your throat.

You slide the car into reverse and pull out of the driveway.

Chapter Text

October

Is that a bald eagle? You let out a yawn, looking at the sky ahead of you. How patriotic.

The rest of your great escape had been uneventful. The other car did not make an appearance (thank god) and no people were out walking on the sidewalks. At 3:20 a.m, that really wasn’t a surprise. The small town typically died down quickly at night. But something had still felt...off. It sent shivers down your spine.

You’ve been on the highway for about half an hour now. The radio station is starting to become more white noise than anything else., but you don’t bother to change it. You rub at your right eye.

“want me to drive?”

“Huh?” You glance back at the skeleton through the mirror. “But you said monsters can’t legally-“

"not legally, no." Sans shrugs. “not like this is a busy road.” It’s true, you haven’t passed a single car since leaving town. Nobody around to see. “nobody will notice in the dark and we need you awake for daytime.” Well, that’s logic you can’t really argue against. A bit of rest also sounds pretty great right about now.

You pull over on the side of the road and leave the car running, just sliding out of the drivers seat. You don’t remember passing Sans on your way to the back but don’t question it. The fogginess of sleep is already beginning to hit you.You forgo a seatbelt and lay down across the seats. Instantly you let out a loud yawn. BP turns to give you a smile. You smile sleepily back at him.

Sans fiddles with the seat and mirrors, adjusting them to work for him. It’s going to be weird to have to fix them later. You’ve never had anybody else drive your car. Wait, can he even drive? Has he done it before? You can’t imagine there was cars in the underground. Then again…there were hot dog vendors and stuff, so maybe you’re wrong. A momentary panic flares in your chest. Then you feel the car smoothly slide back onto the road. Oh, okay. He can drive.Feeling relieved, you yawn loudly and turn over to face the back of the seat.

You’re out like a light.

Hey, wake up!”

You are gently shaken awake. “Whaa…?” Grumbling, you roll over. It’s morning. Ugh. That was not nearly enough sleep. A headache begins to form.The bright light and breeze stops you from falling back asleep. Your eyes focus on BP, who is crouching in the passenger seat and reaching over to shake you. Sans is not in the drivers seat. “Where’s Skeletor?”

“skeletor?”

You pause for a moment, before tilting your head backwards. Sans is leaning through the window of the car door behind you, twirling your keys on his finger. He has one eyebrow…bone raised and looks amused. How does he do that? From your upside-down viewpoint, you can see how the bones of his neck reach into his skull. It’s interesting. It feels weirdly invasive. You sit up quickly, rubbing at your eyes.

“My turn to drive?” You ask, turning completely around to face Sans. He nods and backs away from the door so you can open it. You snag the keys from him with a sleepy smile. With another yawn, you slide back into the drivers seat. Ughhh. Everything is messed up. You have to slide the seat quite a bit to get it right and adjust the mirrors completely. The two of you are close enough in size that this shouldn’t be THAT big of an issue.Sans lays down in the back.

“You going to sleep?”

“nah, just getting comfortable.” You hear the nonchalant response. You look over to BP, who has his feet up on the seat with him. He doesn’t look like he’s going to sleep either. With a small shrug, you reach over to the dashboard and pop it open to reveal a small stack of CD’s.

“Alright.” You say to BP. “Pick something!” You give him a smile and slide the keys into the ignition, starting the car. You hear him looking through the CD’s as you pull back onto the highway. A few minutes later, he slides on into the slot. For a minute, nothing happens. Then you hear it.You let out a surprised laugh, and can’t help but join in.

Is this the real life?

Is this just fantasy?

Caught in a landslide,

No escape from reality

Open your eyes,

Look up to the skies and see,

I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy,

Because I'm easy come, easy go

Little high, little low

Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me

You can see BP giving you a wide-eyed look. “This is a classic!” You explain. He’s picked Debbie’s home made road trip mix. Good choice BP. Good choice.

Other than a word here and there, nobody talks for the next few hours. You’re too busy jamming out to whatever song comes on (there’s a reason you have these CD’s after all) and let BP continue to pick album after album. The music helps, a lot, in forgetting what is going on. It makes you feel as if you’re just on a road trip with friends. A vacation. Not running away with at least one very wanted monster to the city in order to find your missing friends. Nope.

You take in a deep breath and push those thoughts to the back of your mind. For now, just for now. You want to get into the music and forget.

You’re coming on the fourth hour when you feel a bit of worry start to crawl into your chest. The gas is getting low…scarily low. You skipped the last possible truck stop in the hopes of getting as far away from the town as possible. But now you’re regretting it. It’s not like you had a chance to fill the tank before everything went haywire in your life.It’s pure luck that you soon see the sign for a truck stop a mile away.

You pull over into the right lane and turn down the music.“Sans, I’m going to pull into a truck stop.” You warn. “I need gas. What do you want to do?”

The skeleton groans lightly, and there’s a clicking sound followed by some shuffling. Another clicking sound, then silence. You keep your eyes focused on the road, but you’re hit with curiosity.

“What’s he doing?” You give in after a moment.

“He went into the trunk.” BP snickers. Your eyes widen. Smart. Your car has an access point to the trunk from the backseat. But that can’t be comfortable. You promise yourself to be quick as you pull into the truck stop.

The truck stop is small, just one small building and four gas pumps. There are around five other cars in the lot. BP reaches down into the bag by his feet and grabs the collar, clicking it into place around his neck before sitting back up. He puts his hood up as you’re pulling up to an empty pump.You turn off the engine and get out of the car, shivering slightly at the unexpected cold air. Walking around the car you look at the pump. Whoo, expensive. With a sigh, you start the process. You’re just sliding the nozzle into the opening when you hear a pained yelp.

“Ouch! You little shit! Stop it now!” You turn your head towards the sound. There’s a lady yelling at a…child? You squint your eyes, but the child is hidden with the ladies body. It’s uncomfortable, and you frown. But you can’t afford to bring attention to yourself at the moment. You look back at the pump with a weight in your chest, beginning to squeeze the handle.The screaming gets louder for a moment, and you hear terrible words being shouted at this poor child. You close your eyes, feeling your eyes start to warm up.

“S-sorry…ahhh.” Its small, and meek, and holy shit can you just let this happen? You look over again. The lady has moved a bit and that…that is not a child.

That’s a monster. Its standing beside the lady with a collar around its…top. It looks like a diluted little volcano. Is it crying? There are red lines going down its face from it’s eyes. Oh no. You stare at the scene as the woman berates the monster more and more. Demon. Useless. Filth. Disgusting. You begin to shake in anger, your hand cant hold down the nozzle anymore.

The passenger door opens, BP standing up with a look of concern. You look at him briefly, before turning back to the screaming lady. BP must have followed your eyesight as you hear a sharp gasp.A paw grabs your arm. You look over to him with a hopeless expression.

“Do something.” He whispers. “Please.” You stare at him for a minute, feeling your heart break at his tortured expression. What even can you do? You’re just a mere human. You’re powerless.But…looking at BP's desperate face...can you really not try?

“Okay.” You pass the nozzle to him and walk over to the woman. What are you doing?

“Ma’am.” You start, feeling your strict customer service voice click in. “Stop this.” The woman turns quickly to look at you with wide eyes. Her face begins to turn red. Embarrassment? Anger? Maybe both.

“Well I never- this is none of you’re business.” Her voice is loud, grating.

You narrow your eyes.“You’re abusing your monster!” You cry out, gesturing towards the cowering creature beside her.

The woman scoffs.“It’s been nothing but trouble since I got it! Look, the little fucker burnt me!” She holds up a hand, showing a small burn across the back of it. Why was she touching it with the back of her hand? You could wager a good guess. Her eyes suddenly narrow at you. “You’re one of those damn monster fuckers, aren’t you? Loving these little freaks. Disgusting!” Oh. She’s trying to dismiss you.You take in a deep breath. There’s only one thing you can use to dispute her. Even if you don’t want to.

“Actually, I own a monster too.” That was fucking difficult to even say. The woman’s eyes widen again. “He’s over there.” You gesture towards your car, where BP is filling gas and looking straight at you. “And I would never treat another creature like that. There are laws against this type of thing!” Are there? Fuck if you know. “You are a disgusting person and a stain on the human race!”

The woman’s face gets incredibly red. Her eyes shift back and forth between you and what you assume is a small crowd of people staring on. She reaches for her purse. Is she going to hit you? Shit, does she have a gun?

“You know what. Fucking FINE!” She screams, pulling out a sheet of paper. “You deal with it then! Been nothing but trouble.” She throws the paper at the ground and marches off. You stare at the area she had been in shock. Slowly, you bend down and pick up the paper. Oh. Your eyes scan over the writing. Its a sheet talking about the monster in front of you. Vulkin? You look up at the shaking monster. The outlines of their body seem…shakier than before.

“Um, hello there.”“

‘Ahh…H-hello.” Their voice is merely a whisper. Now that you’re closer, you can see that the streams of red lava coming from their eyes has stopped. What just happened? Did she just…give you this monster? Is that even how it works? Don’t you need to sign something? There’s no way the collar would just recognize a change in who holds a paper. Right?

“Shit.” BP is at your side suddenly. He takes the steps to stand beside the Vulkin and crouches down. “Hey, you’re okay now. Don’t worry.” His paw reaches out as if to touch them, but stops. “Shit!” The Vulkin just stands there, shaking. You blink. How is it…fuzzy?

BP swears a few more times before looking at you. “We need to get somewhere private. Now.” You nod immediately. BP grabs Vulkin’s hand, leading the way back to the car. BP and Vulkin sit in the back seat. You make sure the cars’ flap is closed and slide into the front seat, taking off immediately.

The second you’re back on the road, a clicking sound breaks the tense silence. “what was all the-oh.” Sans pops his head out into the back seat. His eyes fall on Vulkin. You watch his eye lights get small and look back to the road. There is no more noise from the back seat, and that alone sends worry straight down your spine.

Somewhere private. Somewhere private. Where the hell is somewhere private?

The answer comes quicker than you could have hoped, in the shape of a four wheeler dirt track off the side of the road into the forest. You turn onto it, cringing at the sound of tree branches scraping the outside of the car. You drive for a few minutes down the dirt path.

“stop here.” You hit the breaks and turn off the engine, immediately turning around in the seat.

“Grab my bag.” BP says, pushing his arm under Vulkins. Both of the backdoors open simultaneously, and BP pulls Vulkin out of the car. You grab BP’s bag from the passenger seat floor and head out. BP has laid Vulkin down on his back. The poor volcano monster has stopped shaking, but every time you blink they get fuzzier. You notice that the monster has taken on a grey hint.

“Whats…wrong with them?” You ask, coming to a stop beside Sans.

“he’s fallen down.” You look over to the skeleton. Fallen down? Does that mean…

BP stretches his arm out for you. Wordlessly, you pass him his bag. His eyes don’t leave Vulkins, but he reaches into the bag and pulls out a small toolkit. When did he get that? He pops it open with one paw and grabs a small screwdriver. What is he doing? BP starts to fiddle with the collar around Vulkins top. Turning it around, he looks for something. He slides the screwdriver into a few parts with a practiced ease. Is he removing it? Hope flares in your chest. Maybe we can free him! But something is itching at your mind. Information you just learned through your research into monsters and the collars. Removing an active collar kills the monster. Your eyes widen.

Removing an active collar kills the monster!

“Wait!“ You call out, lunging towards BP. You have to stop him!A bony hand grabs your arm, puling you back. You stumble and look back at Sans with panicked eyes.

“he’s already dying.” The skeleton shakes his head sadly. His hand tightens over your arm for a second. You stare at Sans. He’s already dying…You look back towards Vulkin. The monster is mostly grey now, shaking heavily with each breath. His body looks so fuzzy…so…unreal.

As you relax your body, Sans lets go of your arm. Your eyes rest on BP’s frantic form. What's the point of this then? You let out a sigh and close your eyes. At least Vulkin will be free now. It’s hardly a comfort. Freedom. You open your eyes. Oh, you understand. BP is giving Vulkin freedom for his last moments. You cross your arms in front of your chest. A heat begins to form behind your eyes as you watch BP do his work. In only a minute, the collar releases from around Vulkin’s top. The monsters eyes open for the first time in a while.

“Ahh…” He crumbles to dust in a second.

Just like that. You raise a hand to your mouth.

For a solemn moment, not even the forest makes a sound.

Your vision becomes blurry as you stare at the dust. With a small sniffle, you raise your hand to rub at your eyes. BP kneels beside the dust, eyes closed and head down. The air is getting heavier. Thicker. Harder to breath.

Crrrrrr

What is...

BANG

You jolt, turning to the sound. A tree hits the ground hard. It’s broken in half, and glowing faintly blue. The air is crackling. Sans. You spin towards the skeleton. He’s facing the broken tree. His hands are balled into fist and emitting blue light. Magic. Oh shit. Fear this you hard in the chest. You freeze.

“fucking humans.” He growls out, voice deeper and more dangerous then normal. His voice cracks with magic. He turns back towards the dust. You gasp. His eyes are completely gone. His smile is terrifying, pulled in extreme anger.Your breath comes out quicker, shakier. Your heart jumps to your throat. Memories flash before your eyes. Of a blue hood. Of pain. Of a sentence...

“ok kid, you're about to have a b a d t i m e.” 

The words that haunt you at night echo through your head.

Not again. 

Please no. You begin to shake.

Something grabs you from behind. You scream and turn in place, closing your eyes and flinging your arms out wildly. Theres a muffled sound of pain and the hands around you let go. You take a moment, breathing quickly, before opening your eyes.

It’s BP. He’s on his back in the dirt, one eye closed in an expression of pain. Your eyes widen. “Oh my god. BP!” You’re still shaking as you crouch down beside him. “I’m so-are you okay-oh my god I’m so sorry!”

He sits up. “Ugh.” A paw comes up to scratch at his ear. “You’ve got a mad punch little buddy.” BP opens his other eye again- it doesn’t look bruised thank god- and gives you a smile. He’s alright. You let out a relieved breath.

A leaf crunches behind you. You flinch and turn around. Sans. Immediately you tense up.

The skeleton has taken a step closer to you. The magic is gone, air smooth and light around you, but the fear is still real in your chest. He looks shocked, with wide eye sockets and a hand reached out towards you. His hand falls back to his side.

The three of you are frozen for a long time, none daring to break the silence for fear of something going wrong.

Sans takes another step forward. You lean away slightly.“Probably not a good idea Sans.” BP calls out from behind you. You have to agree with him on this point.

Sans does pause, but takes another step forward. ”Sans!” Your friend growls from behind you. The growling gets louder as the skeleton doesn’t stop his approach.  You look away, breathing heavily.

“come with me?” Sans' voice breaks echoes lightly. When you look up at him, he jerks his head towards the forest. Oh. A stroll in the woods with the homicidal skeleton-STOP IT. You tell yourself. I haven't been scared of him for the past few days, right? But seeing that magic again, the blue that became the worst pain of your life, it sent you back to square-one. Back to the girl in the hospital willing to do anything to keep the ‘homicidal skeleton’ happy.

You look over at BP. He gives you a reassuring smile. “Go on.” He whispers. “You’ll be fine. I need to do something here anyways.” His tail gestures towards the dust on the ground. Vulkin. Shit. Looking back towards Sans, you nod. You don’t trust your voice to stay steady enough. He gives you a strained smile and turns towards the forest. He walks slowly, and you eventually catch up. Sans Is not going to hurt me. You fall into step beside him, that phrase becoming a mantra in your mind.

For a minute or two, you walk in an awkward silence. You take the time to pull yourself back together. This is Sans, you haven’t been scared of him since you left the hospital, right? You take a deep breath in. Can you keep lying to yourself like this? Your mind unwillingly filters through countless sleepless nights and nightmares.

“sorry.” His words make you stumble, brought suddenly out of your thoughts, and turn your head to stare at him. Is this really the same skeleton from the hospital? His eye lights shift to you for a moment.

“You didn’t mean to scare me.” You mutter. “I don’t know what happened. I overreacted.” Oh god, this is awful. Why did you agree to this?

“no, i’m sorry for hurting you…behind the diner.” You take in a deep breath. Oh…that.

You open your mouth to say it’s your own fault (because really, you have to take a lot of the blame for that) but he shakes his head, interrupting you.“ I would of just left…but i was so angry and you were just…there, ready to take all the blame.”

Well, what do you say to that? You take in a deep breath, kicking a rock out of your way as you walk. “I…I have nightmares about it.” This is the first time you’ve said it out loud. “I don’t think BP knows. He think’s I’m over it. I wish I was.”

“heh, yea. i know the feeling.”

The two of you continue walking in silence. You just need to…to pull yourself back together. Push everything away. Just be normal. Just be happy. Just be…

You stop walking, looking down at the dirt floor with glazed eyes. Your head is full of unfinished thought, years of ignored emotions bubbling beneath the surface. Fear. Anger. Panic. Loss. Depression. Pain. You can’t hold them back anymore. You're too tired. Letting out a small sound, you crouch down and burry your face in your hands. Your shoulders are shaking.

“hey.” You open your eyes behind your hands. “c’mon. look up.” It takes a minute, but you slowly let your hands down. With a deep breath, you look over to the skeleton.

He’s crouched down beside you, a complex look on his face. His hand reaches out for you, pausing as you flinch. “i’m not going to hurt you again.” His voice is a whisper, softer than you’ve ever heard it. The dam breaks.

You let out a sob and lean forward, crumpling into his shoulder. Sans doesn’t flinch, and you feel two bony arms wrap around you. You’d never know how long you stayed like that, ugly-crying into San’s shoulder. He doesn’t say a word the entire time, just stays there with you until your sobbing stops and your tears dry up.

“M’sorry.” You pull backwards, leaning back on your own feet. He shakes his head slowly, refusing your apology. You rub at your cheeks, attempting to remove the traces of tears from them.

“heh, its ok.” He replies. “we all need an outlet sometimes.”

“What do you do?” That makes Sans pause. He stares at you, eye lights shrinking slightly. Then he stands up

“we better get back.” You blink. Shit, how long has it been? And you still have to make the trek back too. You stand up beside him, brushing off a bit of dirt from your jeans. 

“i know a shortcut.” Really? Out here? You look at him skeptically. “take my hand.” Stubborn traces of fear scream at you to reject this, to reject him. But well, how can you say no after all of this. The larger part of you just wants the fear to be gone.

You nod, taking his hand. You feel his bony fingers wrap around yours. He gives you a smile and you’re gone.

You don’t exist.

Wait, you do?

You’re standing and falling at the same time.

Everything is black but colourful.

Time is not a fact. You blink.

You’re back. You let out a gasp and look around. Nope, definitely not where you had been. You’re back on the dirt road and can see the car just a bit away. “How did…”

Sans smirks. “maaaagic.” A hysterical laugh threatens to bubble up in your chest. Heh, of course. The skeleton appears and disappears all the time. You just teleported with him. Holy shit. You let out a small laugh.

“Magic. Right.” You shake your head. “Let’s get back.”

The two of you start your way towards the car. BP is leaning against the car as you walk up. He looks nervous, and stands up quickly to stare at you both. His ears go back towards his skull as he takes in your red eyes and cheeks. You shake your head, giving him a smile and a thumbs up. He instantly relaxes, letting out a long breath. “Everything’s ready. I have the dust.” 

“The dust?” Your heart is hit again at the thought, that poor Vulkin was reduced to such a state. You almost feel numb. It’s been way too much emotion for one day.

“monsters spread the dust of those that have fallen down over their favourite thing.” Sans mutters a bit mechanically, as if reading from a book. “that way they can live forever in it.” Huh. That’s an interesting idea. You immediately think of the people who spread their loved ones ashes in the sea or at a special place. Why did people think humans and monsters were completely different creatures?

“Ready to go?” BP looks at you. You nod and the three of you move back to your positions in the car. As it turns out, you have to back out the entire way. The dirt road is way to small for you to turn around. Sans and BP help by calling out directions and warning you if you’re too close to a tree or rock. It takes a while to get back to the highway.

Eventually you turn back onto the road and speed up. Sans lays back down on the back seats and BP puts his feet on the dashboard, looking through the CD’s. None of you really want to talk anymore. You glance at the CD as BP slides it in and smile. Alright. That works. You take a deep breath as the verse starts and sing along.

Hello, it's me

I was wondering if after all these years you’d like to meet

To go over

Everything

They say that time's supposed to heal ya

But I ain’t done much healing

The mood is somber, and BP carefully balances a jar on his lap. Is that...Vulkin? You force yourself not to look, to just focus on the drive.

Destination: New York CIty.

Chapter Text

October

Anxiety grows stronger in your chest as you get closer to New York City. Part of you is excited (naturally as you’ve never been) but the realistic side of you keeps insisting that this isn’t a vacation. You wont get to see the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building or any of those other ‘touristy’ places.

That doesn’t stop you from staring wistfully at the billboard signs you pass. Mettaton is on a large amount of them, from advertisements for cooking equipment to the Mettaton the Musical the The Movie marketing. BP stares at each one as you pass, his ears up and eyes wide. Sans for once doesn’t seem as interested. He looks over at what BP is watching and scoffs, laying back across the seats.

Eventually, Sans sits back up. His hood is over his head, likely protection from people beside you in traffic. He directs you to take an exit in a few miles. With a sigh, you begin to merge into the next lane. It takes you a while (you’re a cautious driver) and so you miss your exit. You manage to take the next one. Sans is able to direct you from there. Half an hour later, you notice the buildings are beginning to look a bit more…grubby. You wonder exactly where the skeleton was taking you. He hadn’t been too forthcoming with answers about the arrangements here.

You’re at a red light, curiously watching a prostitute when Sans tells you its the apartment on the right. You turn down Spoffard street and pull up into the parking lot. With a small sigh you turn off the engine. Not the worst place you have been, but still.

“How do we have a place here?” BP voices your own concerns, turning around in his seat. “Did you call ahead?”

“no.” His eye lights don’t meet your eyes. You narrow yours. What is going on? “this place is…not exactly legal.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. “the owner put me up on short notice last time i was here, not many places will rent to monsters ya know.”

He opens the door and slides out. BP and you share a look, before following suit. You grab you stuff (no WAY you were just leaving it in a car) and follow Sans into the building. The first thing you notice is the old carpet and musty smell. The area is bright and spacious, but it smells like it hasn’t been clean in decades. The three of you walk up to a door labelled ‘office’ and open the door. Inside, a man is sitting behind a desk fiddling with his phone. He jumps as the door swings open.

“H-hey!” He looks up, shocked. His eyes fall on Sans. “Whoaa, skeleton dude! You’re back!” He gives a yellow smile.

“hey jonah.” Sans takes a few steps forward. “got any room?” He’s tense, not even bothering with small talk.

“For all three o’ ya?” Jonah puts a hand to his mouth. “Suuree. Rent gone up. Three thousand.”

“Three thousand a month?!” You’re shocked. “Thats a rip off, and you know it!”

Jonah’s yellow smile is back, slightly creepier this time. “Or I s’ppose I coulda jus’ call up the police and tell ‘em bout some skeleton without a collar.”

You’re stunned into silence. He’s right , you’re taking a risk even being here. Sans turns to look at you for a moment. He wasn’t putting up a fight for the money. He lets out a breath and looks back at Jonah. “you don’t want the police up in here.” He says. “we’ll do two thousand.”

Between all of you, you are only one hundred dollars short of the rent. You and BP have to walk down to the Sunoco gas station a few blocks away for money. You naturally walk closer to BP. No one bothers you, but you do get quite a few…odd looks. BP has his hood up now, and you wish you had one to put up as well. The gas station wont due cash back, and the ATM there takes an extra seven dollars for usage fees. Figures.

Half an hour later, you meet Sans back at the apartment and wait for Jonah. You’re tired, and even a floor to sleep on sounds perfect. Eventually he shows up and leads you passed the broken elevator towards the stairs. The fifth floor apartment is furnished. Its the first thing that takes you by surprise. It also doesn’t look dirty. You sigh in relief. Jonah hands you the keys and leaves quickly.

“It’s not so bad…” You mutter, putting your bag down.

BP immediately goes to look around. “Two bedrooms!” He calls out, sounding happier than he’s seemed since you got into the city. You smile. Okay, you can work with this.

“sorry about the price.” You look over at Sans. He still hasn’t lowered his hood. “it’s really…the only place that will do month to month with monsters, even collared ones.”

You shake your head. “It’s okay.” He seems a bit surprised at your answer. “It just means we have to find them quickly, work extra hard.” Your nervous smile is returned. “So, who gets the rooms?”

“i’ll take the couch.” The skeleton shrugs. “i don’t sleep much anyways.” You frown, but know better at this point then to ask about it. He never answers, and always seems more tense after you ask.

With the room situation taken care of, the three of you go to ‘personalize’ your new living area. You place all the left over food (mostly granola bars and gummy fruit packs at this point) in the cupboards and head towards the bedroom. BP has taken the smaller one, leaving you the ‘master bedroom’. It’s not too big either, but you’re still pleasantly surprised.

You hadn’t brought much, mostly clothing and your laptop. With a small sigh you begin to put away your clothing and toiletries.

Sans and BP are talking on the couch when you come back in. They stop immediately and look at you. You immediately get the feeling that you’re not supposed to know what they are talking about. It annoys you a bit, because honestly you’re putting everything on the line for this. But…in the end you understand. This is a lot bigger than just BP or you or even Sans.

You force a smile. “Anyone else hungry? Let’s explore!” It’s only two o’clock, but daylight savings time has started and you get the feeling that you don’t want to be walking around here much at dark. BP nods slowly, an glances at Sans.

Then you realize. “Oh, OH.” Sans can’t actually go out. “I’m so sorry Sans, let’s order in okay?”

“nah, go have fun.” The skeleton shrugs. “just bring me back something good…with ketchup.” He gives a lazy wink. You still feel bad at the idea of leaving him. Maybe he’ll get some sleep if he’s alone? Eh…probably not.

BP gracefully pushes himself up from the couch and walks towards his bedroom. Getting the collar? You stand in an awkward silence for a moment. Then an idea forms in your mind. You’ve thought about it before but there was never really a situation to bring it up. But now…

“If you…” You avoid looking straight at him. “If you ever want to…you know…go out or something. We can figure something out, use the fake collar or-“

“no.” Its strict and final. “i’m never putting on one of those again.” His words are on the edge of anger. You look up. He’s not looking at you, but at his hands.

“Aaand thats totally okay!” You force a big smile on your face. “Just forget I even mentioned it.”

BP takes that moment to come out of the bedroom, breaking the tension in the room. He has his hood up and the collar on. The familiar pit in your stomach returns seeing him in it, but he seems almost nonchalant about it now. “Ready to go little buddy?” He asks, tilting his head.

You give him a smile and nod, grabbing your purse from where you left it near the door and sliding on your shoes and jacket. You give one last look at Sans before you close the door behind you. He is still looking at his hands. There is nobody around the building as you walk out. It’s both a relief and a slight cause of concern. BP sticks close to you and you make it to your car. You both slide in.

“So, what food are you feeling?”

“Not pizza.” He mutters. You laugh a bit. New York was known for its pizza, was it not? You kind of wanted to try it, but you can wait. The two of you decide to drive around until you find a place.

It turns out that finding a place is a lot harder than you’d imagined. A huge majority of them had huge ‘NO MONSTER’ signs on the outside, and those that didn't looked run-down or unappetizing. BP looks more and more put-out as you drive.

Finally, you find a place with no sign. Its a pizza place, but you don’t think BP cares at this point. It seems nice enough too. You drive around a bit to find a parking spot. The one you pick is just a few blocks from the restaurant. You bring BP into conversation as you walk, attempting to lighten the mood.

The restaurant smells amazing. Your stomach starts to growl immediately and you take in a deep breath. A person in a uniform comes out from the back. “Hello! Welcome to the Majors. For two?” You let out a breath you didn’t realize you had been holding and nod.

The waitress takes you over to a table and asks for any drink orders. You order water and BP asks for milk. The waitress gives a nod and a smile before leaving. The two of you sit in silence.

“Holy shit.” You mutter. “We’re in New York.”

BP lets out a snort. “Yea…we are.” He is certainly less impressed than you are.

“I never thought I’d ever get to New York.” You smile. “Did you know that New York is famous for its pizza? I hope this place tastes as good as it smells!" You pick up your menu and look at it. So many options. They have stuff other than pizza. Good. BP wont get too sick of it then.

“Alright.” You put the menu down. “I’m getting a chicken parmigiana calzone.” BP puts his menu down not long after you, deciding to order a penne linguini.

The waitress comes by quickly, taking your order. Your food is out only fifteen minutes later. It’s delicious. BP seems to enjoy his a lot too. You make a mental note to return to this place for actual pizza.It is great to actually get to talk to BP for a while. You notice that this is the first time you’ve eaten out together…other than at the diner. But that was more ‘shared lunch breaks’ then ‘dinner’. BP seems more at ease in the open than you’ve ever seen.

Of course, thats when something happens.You’ve noticed this girl before. During dinner she looks over every few minutes. At first, you think she looks upset about BP being a monster. Then you realize her looks are…more curious than angry. You don’t confront her.

You order a pizza and some desert for Sans half way through your meal so it will be ready for takeout. By the time the two of you are done, the pizza is in a box at your table. You pay at the table and begin to pack up to leave.

“Wait, sorry!” The girl runs up behind you. “Can I get a picture with your monster?”

What? You stare at her, shocked. She wants a picture with…BP? “Why?”

“I’ve never seen a cat monster before! Only in online forums. They’re so rare. So…hot!” Her eyes look over BP. You can see him from the corner of your eyes slide his hood back up. “Does he have a tail? The things I could do to him. And the ears! Ahh…but a picture will do for now!”

You glance fully over at BP. Something is wrong. His eyes are completely dilated, paws clenching and unclenching over and over. “No.”

“What?” She's already pulling out her phone.

“No. You cannot take a picture of him.” You all but growl at the girl. Her cheeks start to turn red, and she opens her mouth. You turn and grab BPs paw, lightly pulling him behind you out of the restaurant. He follows without any resistance.

You turn to face him as you exit the restaurant. “Hey…are you okay?” BP doesn't answer. The paw in your hand is shaking slightly. What just happened? “BP?”

BP suddenly looks at you. His eyes take a moment to focus, as if he was in a dream. “Can we go back?” His voice Is quiet and tense. You barely hesitate before nodding. Neither of you let go of each others hand as you walk towards the car.

The good mood hasn’t returned by the time you make it to the apartment. You had put on music in the car in the hopes of cheering him up, but the monster seemed lost in memories. It really worries you, and you resolve to ask him about it later…when he’s less torn up about it.

The two of you pass Jonah on the way in. The man is talking loudly on the phone and only gives you a yellow smile as you pass. You awkwardly smile back.

BP suddenly stops. “No…” He whispers, eyes narrowing. “It can’t be.” You glance over. His ears are twitching wildly. He’s listening intently to something.

Your heart starts to pick up. “What’s wrong?”

“Nononononono…” He bolts for the stairs, voice getting quieter as he disappears from sight. You watch him for a moment before running after him. Your heart is in your throat. What could get THAT reaction?

BP is long gone when you reach the staircase. You regret not exercising more as you have to pause a few times running up the flights. Eventually you reach the top and head down the hallway, breathing still a bit rough.You turn the corner and pause. What is going on here? BP and Sans are both outside of the apartment, talking to an… uncollared monster? Neither of them seem too happy about it, which puts you more on edge.

“KA-sigh” The saucer monster calls out, licking its fingers. Gross. You approach carefully. The monster looks up at you. “Who are you?” It looks very unimpressed. Sans and BP glance up at you briefly, but say nothing. You give an awkward wave and introduce yourself. The monster scoffs and glances away. “Looks stupid.”

What?! You narrow your eyes and open your mouth to give this little shit a piece of your mind because what the fuck how rude can a guy be to your face like show some class and talk behind your back or something this is just so rude and- A paw on your arm breaks you from your angry thoughts. “This is Jerry.” BP mutters.

You don’t like Jerry. “What is he doing here?”

“he’s out new neighbour.” Sans looks all too amused by your reaction to Jerry. The monster in question is continuing to lick some powdered substance off his finger. Ugh. “he wants to come for dinner.”

“It’s only polite.” Jerry rolls his eyes. You open your mouth to protest (this pizza was for Sans, not some little rude monster) but pause. Is this some sort of monster custom? Invite your neighbour over to dinner? But usually it’s the current resident that invites the new one over, right? Then again…do you really want to go to Jerry’s place? You glance at Sans who just shrugs. Shit. Maybe this IS some sort of monster custom.

Without a word you walk by the monsters and open the door to the apartment. You can hear three pairs of feet following you inside. You quickly hide the pastry box in the cupboard and lay out the pizza on the table.

Ten minutes later you find yourself sitting around a small kitchen table with three monsters, looking at Jerry in disgust as he somehow gets pizza sauce all over his body. Your anger has mostly worn off at this point.

“So…Jerry…” You still don’t want him in your house. “When do you think you’ll be heading home?”

“Are you trying to ditch me?” Jerry pauses, staring straight at you. His tone is…serious, and angry.

You backtrack immediately. “Uh, no. I was just curious.” The change in the monsters demeanour sends a shiver down your spine. “It’s been a long day so I think we’d all like to head to bed soon.” You look over at Sans, who raises an eyebrow bone at you but plays along and nods. BP hasn’t been paying attention to the conversation at all, just staring quietly at the clock in the corner.

“Hmph.” The monster shifts back to a less serious face. “WELL, I SUPPOSE I could leave now. But then I wouldn’t get desert-“

“We don’t really have any desert…” You lie, remembering the pastries you’d picked up from the pizzeria.

Jerry continues. “And if I leave now, I can’t tell you the info that I have.” What the fuck does that mean? Does he have information on the MRC? "It's good info too."

Well fuck. “Actually now that I think of it…” You stand up, turning towards the cupboards. “I might have some chocolate croissants left.”

“Wow, you SUCK at this.” Jerry laughs meanly, watching as you scramble to grab the pastries from the cupboard. You pause. The little shit head played you. Fuck. As you turn around, you see Sans’ shoulders shaking a bit. He's laughing. You narrow your eyes at him, but he just grins at you. You groan as you place the pastry in front of Jerry. “You better have some damn information.”

Jerry hums to himself and starts to eat the pastry in silence. Your tension grows more and more as you watch him. “Seriously. I will literally kick you out of this apartment if you don’t start talking.”

"I got info on the Angels.” Angels?

“Wait. What?!” BP suddenly returns to the conversation. His leans forward towards Jerry. “Say that again?” Even Sans is sitting straighter, looking at the saucer monster. For a long moment, Jerry says nothing. “jerry. now. ” Sans’ deep voice is a lot more terrifying than BP’s. Jerry actually looks up.

“SHHH! I’m THINKING, guys!!” He waves his sauce covered hands in the air. He waits another few moments before talking. “Theres a monster that works at the Dairy King on West 14th Street. He works for them…or with them. I don’t know.”

“That’s not really a lot Jerry.” You narrow your eyes. But both BP and Sans seem shocked by the information. BP’s mouth is open in surprise, ears and tail twitching. Sans is looking off into the distance and you can almost see the quantity of thoughts going through his skull.

Jerry looks incredibly please with himself, and gives you a smug look. You stick out your tung at him. Childish, but warranted.He stuffs the rest of the pastry in his mouth, chewing with his mouth open. You cringe visibly. 

“I’m ditching YOU now.” The saucer monster smirks, then gets up and walks out, likely leaving sticky fingerprints on areas of the house. You shudder at the thought.
For a long while, nobody speaks. Both the monsters seem deep in thought.

“We have to go see this guy.” BP mutters.

“yea” Sans replies." i havent had word about the angels in too long..."

“Guys?” You look between the two. “What are the Angels?"

Oh. Wow. Both the monsters turn towards you quickly, giving you a panicked expression. Did they forget you were hear? Ouch. Neither of them speak, and look at each other for a moment. The air is thick, atmosphere awkward. 

I'm not supposed to know about this, huh?

A pain begins in your chest. You've known that they have been keeping secrets, you're no idiot. But having it RIGHT here, and being shut out by your best friend and...whatever Sans is turning out to be, hurts. REALLY hurts. You press your lips together. 

"Uhh, okay." You mutter, standing up from the table. "Nevermind then." You turn to walk away. A small whine comes from BP, but you don't look his way. You don't want to see his face right now. 

You're stopped in your tracks by a hand closing around your wrist. You look down. Oh, it's skeletal. Sans? Your eyes follow up his arm to his skull. He's looking right at you. His eyes lock onto your eyes. He lets out a long breath. 

“sit down.” He says. “i’ll tell you about it.”

Chapter Text

October

Ughh. The morning light hits your eyes as they peek open. You blink a few times and yawn loudly. Why am I awake?

I’m walking on sunshine, woah.

Ah, that’s why. With a small groan, you turn over and reach out blindly for your phone. You miss it a few times, before finally grabbing it to look at the screen. Too bright. 7:45 am. Why did I  even set an alarm? You stare at your phone for a minute with half-lidded eyes, a sleepy mind attempting to figure out this puzzle.

Oh!

The Dairy King. The Angels. Your eyes snap open completely and you sit up. Another yawn forces its way out as you stretch your arms above your head. You slide out of bed and pocket your phone, heading out the door.

And don’t it feel good! (Hey)

Oh. Right. The alarm. You consider changing the song but decide to let it play quietly in your pocket. It feels like too much effort to get it back out, and you're on a mission for coffee anyways. Where Sans had found an instant coffee maker, you’d never know. He couldn't exactly have bought it regularly. Still, you don't ask. 

Rubbing at your eyes, you enter the kitchen and make an immediate beeline for the coffee maker. You hum along to the song playing as you grab a mug -luckily, the apartment HAD come with some dishes, although you needed to thoroughly wash them last night. Swaying back and forth to the music, you slide the mug under the spout and hit 'on'. Immediately the machine starts working. 

You turn around to lean on the counter, and startle harshly as you see Sans sitting at the table. Oh no. The skeleton is staring at you with one eyebrow bone raised. He has a mug of coffee (?) in his hands. Rubbing a hand down your face, you consider whether this is something to be embarrassed about. In the end, you decide you're really not up to it right now. Too tired. Screw it. 

So, you stare down the skeleton, who makes a show of bringing the mug to his mouth. Luckily, it's time for the chorus again.In the most deadpan voice you can manage, you sing along. “I'm walking on sunshine. Wooah.”

Sans’s eyes widen and he snorts, having to put the mug back down. A sense of triumph blooms in your chest. “well that was off-key.”

The machine behind you beeps, so you turn back around. “Don’t comment on someone’s singing Sans. It’ll only lead to treble.”

A deep chuckle sends shivers up your back. “how clef-fer.”

You stop the music and take your mug from the machine, turning back to the skeleton with a smirk. “People tell me I’m quite sharp.” Pulling out a chair, you sit opposite the skeleton. You look down at your coffee, wishing you had a bit of milk or sugar or anything to dilute it.

“impressive.” Those eye lights are bigger than you’ve ever seen them. Huh. “musical puns usually fall flat.”

“I learned a few instruments as a kid.” You reply. “I’m more in tune with them than most people.”

Sans’ eyes light up more. He looks like he’s about to reply but a groan from behind you stops him. You turn around. BP is leaning against the doorframe, a tired and unimpressed look on his face. “Seriously? At eight in the morning?”

The cat monster sighs, walking over to the cupboard and grabbing a few granola bars. You put your hand out as he sits down beside you and he dutifully passes you a granola bar. “Thanks." With a small smile, you begin to eat it. You quickly realize that if you eat a piece and then have a sip of coffee, the taste balances out a bit. 

For a long few moments, you're all silent. It's relatively comfortable, all parties are either deep in thought or just too tired to manage any conversation. By the time you finish the granola bar, there is only a bit of the coffee left. Alright, let's do this. You chug the rest, willing the coffee to miss your tongue as much as possible. Oh god, I really need to pick up some milk.  Sans chuckles at your scrunched-up face. You glare at him as you slam down the mug on the table. He raises an eyebrow bone and takes a huge swig of his own. He doesn't react. Damnit.

Admitting defeat, you stand up and rinse out your mug in the sink. You'll fully clean it later. Turning back, you begin to walk back toward the bathroom. "I'll be ready in half an hour. Does that work for you?” BP gives you a thumbs-up before laying his face down on the table. You give a fond smile and continue out of the kitchen.

You skip shaving and all the unnecessary bits today, deciding to throw your hair up in a bun. Who cares. When you get out of the shower, you wrap a towel around yourself and walk into the bedroom. You sit down on the wooden desk chair and open the laptop. Sans had set up the internet last night, another thing you're unsure as to how he managed. You open up Goggle maps and type in the Dairy King address. An hour away. That’s not…too bad for New York City. Still, you groan.

Half an hour later, you and BP say goodbye to Sans -who just gives a lazy wave back from the couch- and head off towards the 6 line. You only take one wrong turn -not bad- and are able to correct yourself quickly. BP just follows along beside you. 

Luckily, the station is only a few minutes away. The first thing you do is look for a ticket station. The machine is old but still works. It turns out that Monster tickets are more expensive, for some reason. With a sigh, you buy a few tickets for yourself and BP. Afterward, you follow the signs further toward the track. There are not too many people at the station, and the train is coming within the next five minutes. The two of you are the first on the cart as the door opens, and you manage to snag a two-seater beside a window. Perfect. 

You let BP slide into the seat beside the window, and plop down beside him. The train starts. You glance out the window…but it’s mostly black. You look back at BP. He seems uninterested, lost in his own little world. After a few minutes, your mind travels back to last night's talk.

You almost regret sitting back down. The atmosphere of the room is thick with tension. BP looks increasingly awkward. He opens and closes his mouth a few times, a bunch of nonstarters. 

Eventually, you just have to say something. "So...." You prompt, hoping you taking the leap and breaking the silence will do something. You look over at Sans. The skeleton doesn't look like BP, isn't awkward or unsure. At least, he's not openly. His face is completely unreadable, eye lights mere pinpricks. You can't help but wonder what he's thinking. Is he going to back out, to change his mind about telling you? Is he going to disappear completely? Glancing at BP, you wonder what would happen if the skeleton did leave. Would BP be able to answer this on his own? There is a weird power dynamic going on between the two monsters.

“the angels are…” Sans starts suddenly. You sit up straight, looking back at him. “our last hope.”

Well…that was not informative. At all. But your mouth stays silent and you wait. 

When it looks as if Sans is not going to respond, BP finally jumps in. “They’re a group of, uh, monsters…that are preparing for war?”

“War?” You exclaim, panicked. Shit. Your brain conjures up image after image you saw in your history books. You replace humans with monsters. Could monsters even survive a war with humans? They are already starting from the bottom. 

Around you, both monsters look surprised at your reaction. BP puts his paw up, bringing you from your morbid thoughts. "That was bad wording, sorry! Not exactly a war but..." He thinks for a moment, ears going flat on his head. "Sans, help me out here!"

“not exactly a war.” Sans concedes. “...but...listen kid, it’s been ten years now and nothing has changed. monsters are dying daily, our numbers are dwindling quickly. if something doesn't happen now, we'll all be dusted soon. we need to stop it. the angels are a last resort, a last stand." 

It makes sense. Complete sense. But a shiver still goes down your spine. “How?”

“the monster candy is only a small part of it.” Sans’ finger bones tap against the table. “what will happen when the monsters are free? something big, something the humans cannot ignore…” He fades out, looking at the wall.

“What’s going to happen?"

Sans shakes his head. “i don’t know. i haven’t seen any of the angels in years. even back then the plan was changing every few months.” He sighs, shoulders drooping. He looks…sad. You wonder if he was friends with any of these ‘Angels’.

“Who are they?” You whisper.

“those who are trustworthy.” Thats…a weird way of saying it. You blink slowly.

Silence falls over the three of you. The monsters look deep in thought, but you find yourself unable to think too deeply about the information you've just been given. You bet you’ll be up into the wee hours of the morning, overanalyzing every bit of information. For now, though, you’ll reach over to grab BP’s paw. You’ll send him a smile, letting him know that this information isn’t changing anything.

It doesn't matter that the monsters are fighting back. It doesn't matter that they are planning for  something  big, something that will likely change the course of history forever. 

You’ve already chosen a side.

Looking upwards at the gross train ceiling, you let out a deep sigh. In the end, it had been so late it was early by the time you fell asleep. And, honestly, all of your overanalyzing had not been fruitful at all. If Sans and BP are actually unsure as to what these 'Angels' are planning, then you really have no hope. After everything that has happened, you still feel as lost as you did the other day. You check your phone. 

[to Debbie]: Pls answer me :(

The message you sent last night is still unread. You frown, sliding your phone back into your jacket pocket. Her replies have become even more scarce in the past week, and you haven't received a single response from her since you skipped town. It's not...completely unusual for Debbie to get too caught up in her work, but the timing of it has you worried.

The little digital sign turns to your station, so you stand up. BP stands up right after you, his arm brushing harshly against yours. Instantly you recognize the gesture for what it is: a grounding attempt at comfort. You almost wish you could hold his hand or something. He is nervous, he's been so the entire morning. Not that you can blame him. Here he is, a monster on the run, in a fake collar and surrounded by humans. NYC may have its fair share of monsters, but BP is unique enough to get quite a few curious looks. And well...some really gross ones as well. 

The two of you manage to get off the train surprisingly easy, and follow the crowd of people out the station. BP sticks to your back like glue. You squint your eyes as you walk, the sun unrepentant on your face. Oh. Huh. For some reason, you had honestly expected to see more skyscrapers and billboards. Instead, all you can see is a Hole Foods store across from a cute outside market. It is remarkably...unremarkable. Sure, you are surrounded by some big buildings, but not what you expected at all. Your mind had built this up to be way more intimidating.

Someone bumps harshly into BP's shoulder, throwing him fully into you. You stumble sideways, and are certain you would have fallen on your face on the concrete if BP hadn't caught your arm in time. He pulls you up and steadies you, mumbling an apology under his breath. By the time you are fully upright again, you can't even see the offender anymore. You glance over at your friend, who just shrugs. The look of defeat on his face sends another wave of frustration through you. Ugh. Grumbling under your breath, you run a hand through your hair. Why the hell does he have to deal with this?!

“Alright, I think its this way.” You mutter, forcing yourself to push the incident to the back of your mind. In the end, you really do have shit to do. As you start walking, BP follows silently behind. Well, he's been pretty damn silent the entire trip. It's such a huge difference from his normal attitude, and unnerves you quite a bit.

You manage to find it just a few blocks from the station, sandwiched between a Four Guys and a Wine shop. You and BP share a nervous smile, before you head on up. You grip the door handle and push. Ah. Its a pull. Damn. You pull the door open and walk in. Immediately you're hit by a familiar smell, one that you can't place but is unique to any one of these that you've ever been in. Along with the smell, the inside looks...normal. A sharp contrast to the anxiety you feel. 

Something bumps into you softly. "Oh! Sorry folks! I didn't mean to -oh!" You turn around at the voice, eyes locking on the second person today who has bumped into you. Oh. Oh is right.

Immediately a small smile forms on your face. It's not a person that is speaking, but a monster. He's blue. Thats the first thing you notice. He's also a bunny. Huh. The third thing that catches your attention is the look of absolute shock on his face as he looks at you. No. Not at you.

At BP.

You follow his gaze over to your friend. His face mimics that of the other monster: eyes wide and mouth open. His ears are twitching as his tail swishes behind his back.

"Burgy!" Suddenly the monster in front of you lurches forward. You are forced to step back as the blue monster pulls BP into a full-body hug. For a long moment -or at least, it feels long to you- BP does nothing but stand there. You begin to worry that you'll have to step in and save him somehow.

Then, suddenly, he relaxes. BP's arms come around the blue monsters waist, actually pulling him deeper into the hug. Your eyes slide up to BP's face. Oh...wow. You've never seen him look like that before. He's smiling, the biggest you've ever seen. His eyes are wide open, but you can tell that he isn't seeing anything. The meaning is clear, and you feel a sense of warmth begin to form in your chest. They know each other, well. Long lost friends perhaps? Even if this monster isn’t who Jerry was telling you about, you’re immediately very happy that you came. It's worth it. The hug ends after just a few moments. The rabbit monster takes a small step away, still closer than you would have guessed. He looks up at BP with a huge smile, which falters quite a bit as his eyes fall on the collar.

"Oh...Burgy..." He reaches up towards it, but his paw stops short of actually touching it. "I'm so sorry." His tone is full of a knowing sorrow. You suppose he does know, if the collar around the monsters own neck says anything. Suddenly, those sad eyes turn towards you, finally acknowledging your existence. Immediately, you wish that he hadn't. Those eyes narrow as something hostile grows in him, and that smile grows tight at the corners.

Well, shit. The implications are clear: he thinks that you 'own' BP. The thought makes your stomach hurt. While you don't exactly care about what humans think of you at this point, you really don't want a friend of BP's thinking that you are the type of person to own someone. Still, there's nothing you can say here to fight the unspoken accusation. Its too busy, there are too many people around. You feel yourself practically cringe under the weight of that stare.

Suddenly you feel BP step up beside you. You look over in surprise. He moves so quickly. BP places a paw on your shoulder, his expression pulling into an easy smile. He introduces you casually to the monster. The blue monster -named Guy, apparently- looks between you and BP, eyes narrowed as he seems to search for something. After a tense moment, he seems to find it. His eyes open completely and his smile becomes more genuine.

"Hi!" He holds out a paw. "Nice to meet you!" You echo his words back at him and take his paw without hesitation, shaking it softly. Guy's smile widens.

“Can you move?!” An agitated voice from behind reminds you that you’ve been standing in the doorway for too long. Guy lets out a sheepish laugh and asks you to follow him. He leads you both to an empty corner booth, as private as you can get in this type of place.

“I can take my break in about ten minutes!” He says. It's only then that you notice his uniform. Oh. The only difference between his uniform and the others is the thick collar around his neck. Just looking at it makes you feel uncomfortable. That is not a fake collar. It's real, and is actively hurting his monster. "Just wait here!" And he disappears, off towards the counter.

The two of you are left in silence. "So...I'm guessing you know each other?" You prompt, tapping the table with your fingers. BP startles at your words, looking surprised. Huh. Your question must have brought him out of a deep thought.

"Yea." He nods, speaking quietly. "He used to be the local Nice Cream vendor." Wait. Did he say 'nice' cream?  You want to ask more, but BP continues. "He used to come see see me during my breaks. He’d come in and ask stuff like ‘what do you think of this joke for my next ice cream wrapper?’. And to tell you the truth little buddy, they weren’t even CLOSE to jokes. Anyway I, uh, just told him that they are all good, because he’d give me the nice cream for free afterwards…” Its the most you've heard him speak all day, and with more emotion than you've heard from him in a while. 

"Aww, haha, that's cute." You reply, amused by your friends story. Damn, you wish someone brought you ice cream during your breaks. Then again...you probably could have just taken some. Luke wouldn't have cared. Hmm.

BP’s eyes widen at your words. “Uh, t-thats not-“ He stutters, looking away. You stare at him, confused at the odd reaction. What just happened? What did you say to get that sort of reaction? An odd, charged silence falls over the booth for a few moments. You turn your head to watch the restaurant. It’s full of humans, both the workers and customers. Maybe Guy is the only monster? You hope he’s the one that Jerry was talking about. Two birds with one stone and all that.

"Hey!" Guy appears at the side of the booth, surprising you. Damn, he also moves so silently. “They let me take my break a few minutes early.” He slides in beside BP, a bit closer than strictly polite. You watch with interest as BP doesn't shift further away. Huh.

For a moment, the table is silent. Then the rabbit monster speaks, in a quiet tone of voice. “I’m assuming here, that there is a lot more to the relationship between you two than it seems.”

...uhh? What?? Your brain stutters. 

“We’re not…together…” You say, awkwardly gesturing between you and BP. It's like your brain just stopped working. You have really never even considered him that way. A monster and a human? What an odd thought. 

Guy laughs at your response, hand in front of his mouth to muffle the sound.“ Oh gosh no. I mean as a monster and human.” It still takes an embarrassingly long moment for you to realize what he is getting at. As a monster and human. As an owner and collared monster. He’s asking if you own BP. Oh.

“Oh, yea. You’re right in that assumption.” You reply, speaking in the same coded words as the monster had already. The place is full of ears, and walls can talk. Guy looks over at BP, who simply nods with a smile. His cheeks look a bit darker than normal, but you chalk that up to the odd lighting.

"So..." You pause, wondering how to word your next question. If he's on a break, you don't have much time. It's best to get right into it. You don't really want to even say the word 'angels', unknowing how risky this situation is. "Someone named Jerry told us you were here. We were wondering if you had some information on...things." Damn, you're a wordsmith.

Despite your messy sentences, Guy seems to catch on quickly. His eyes widen, ears drooping down slightly. "She knows about the...?!" He looks at BP, who simply nods. "Ooooh boy. I won't tell anyone, but that was a really bad idea." He glances at you. "No offence, but the..." Pause. "The 'bosses' won't be too happy having a random human know about this."

The bosses? Guy sounds like an old mafia movie. And being called a 'random human' is definitely a hit to your ego. But, well, is he wrong? As you sit and contemplate his words, you can't help but notice that the rabbit monster is nervously fiddling with something just under his left sleeve. A bracelet? Maybe it wouldn't be an odd sight on a human, but you've never actually seen a monster wearing jewelry. Huh.

BP puts his paws up. "Hey, it wasn't my idea." A glance at you. "I mean, I wanted to. But it was Sans that told her." If Guy looked surprised before, the expression on his face now is pure shock. It would be funny if you weren't so confused.

"Sans told her?" He looks at you, narrowing his eyes in consideration. They flick down to your chest, and you feel something odd. Kinda like a pulling sensation. It's over as quick as it starts. Those ears go back up and his mouth opens to an amused grin. "That should be fine then! The bosses don't get mad at him, really. I'm still surprised he said anything to a human though..."

"A lot has happened." BP supplies. A definite understatement. 

“So…” You prompt. “What can you tell us?”

Guy frowns, glancing around. “Uh, not much, unfortunately. Not here anyways.”

Fair enough. You hum in thought. An idea pops into your head. "Alright then, want to come over?" You ask. Guy tilts his head at your offer, but doesn't say anything. You try again. "We can order food?" Guy glances at BP, who just shrugs. It's odd, really, how the monsters seem to be able to communicate with each other so easily without even speaking. It makes you feel a bit left out, but what could you even say?

“Yeah, okay! ” Guy’s smile is back. “I’ll just need to talk to King. He’s the manager of the store and well… my owner?” He sounds a bit unsure. He takes a look at your confused face and continues. “Technically I’m owned by Dairy King, the corporation, but King is sort of my…caretaker? It’s weird.”

The casual way Guy talks about the whole situation is unsettling. Maybe it's because of how tight-lipped BP and Sans are on the subject, but hearing him say 'my owner' so easily...it sends shivers down your spine. The monster stands up, letting you know that he'll go get King from the back. You wait only a moment before deciding to slide out of the booth. If you're here to meet someone who would own a monster, you don't exactly want to be sitting down. BP probably feels differently, sliding backwards into the booth to give more space.

True to his word, Guy returns only a minute later with a towering man. It must be King, but damn he looks much more...intense than you expected for a Dairy King manager. The man takes a look at you and frowns, before looking over at BP. You notice how his frown lessens as he sees BP’s collar. Ew. 

“I ‘ere ya wanna take Guy some’ere?” The accent is thick, and you take a moment before answering.

“Yes sir.” Customer service voice don't fail me now. “It seems that your monster and my monster are friends. I think it would do them good. I’ll have him back the next morning, whenever you need.” Every word you say makes you feel scummy. 

“I need ‘im ‘ere ta open.” King’s face doesn’t change. “10 am. Sharp.” You nod. “Okay then. But not t’day. Call me when ya want ‘im.” He holds out his hand. You stare at it. It takes you an embarrassingly long second to realize he wants your phone. You grab it from your pocket and unlock it, handing it over.

It's only when he has the phone that you remember the photos on it. Shit. You wait, anxiety gripping your throat, as he looks at it. He's taking a long time. “Where d’ya put in numbers?” Oh, oh he just doesn’t know how to work it. A sharp string of relief hits you.

You walk up to him, and guide him into finding your ‘contact list’. He takes a long time to put in his number and name, but you don’t rush him. Eventually, he finishes, and he hands you back your phone. You slide it into your pocket and give him a smile. King doesn’t reciprocate and turns around to walk back towards the ‘Staff Only’ door. Well, alright then.

When you turn back, Guy is hugging BP. When he lets go, he turns to you. You give him a big smile and open your mouth to say ‘see ya’ when you’re pulled into a tight hug as well. You don’t imagine the ‘thank you’ whispered into your ear.

You leave the Dairy King feeling incredibly better than before. Kings’ number is in your phone, and you plan to text him tonight to set up everything. Sooner the better. It bothers you that you have to go through Guy's 'owner' in order to see him. 

For now, you have a long subway ride back to the apartment. It really isn’t as bad as you had thought when you got there. The water was not the best and you had to run it for a few minutes before it became clear, and you saw a few mice running through the lobby this morning (at least you hope they were mice) but the apartment wifi works well…and really, that’s all you need.

You assume BP will make use of his newfound privacy when you get back. It must be nice to suddenly have his own space. What will you do then? Maybe you’ll watch a movie? You let out a deep breath. There weren’t too many interesting movies left to watch. That’s all you’ve been doing since the hospital, really. It's so boring when you’re alone.

You pause suddenly, stepping to the side to avoid being run over by someone again. BP follows suit, looking at you in confusion.“We don’t need to go back just yet.” You say. “We’re in New York! Let’s go see Times Square!”

“What?” BP tilts his head. “Why?”

“I just want to…have fun for a bit?” You look up at BP with pleading eyes. “It’s been a rough couple of months. I always feel like something is going to go wrong. Can’t we just…enjoy this a bit?”

BP stares at you with wide eyes. After a moment, he lets out a long breath and shrugs. “Sure, little buddy.” He gives you a smile. “Sounds good.”

“Woah…” You look up at the giant golden statue. You get flashes of memories of movies that take place right here. Wow.

“I don’t get it…” BP mutters. “I mean, it's pretty I guess.”

“It’s just a famous sight. That's all.” You reply. “I wish we were here in the winter. They put up the biggest Christmas tree you could imagine, full of shining lights and tinsel and a skating rink and everything. It's super pretty, romantic even.” You let out a dreamy sigh.

The two of you wander around the Rockefeller Center for a few more minutes. Times Square had been cool to see in person, but even the nearby McRonalds had seemed more expensive. You both had grabbed some snacks, promising to eat something a bit more healthy for dinner. By now it’s getting late. You should be heading back. The two of you lean against a nearby wall while you bring up your phone, using Goggle Maps to find your way back to the apartment.

A cheer starts to arise around you, causing you to look up. People are bolting towards the right. You blink a few times and turn your head toward where the mob is heading.

Oh. Oh WOW.

It’s Mettaton.

The robot is standing there, easily seen as a foot taller than any of the humans. He looks…just as beautiful as in the movies and specials. You suddenly feel a little starstruck. He has on a  designer coat and is wrapping a scarf around his neck as a piece of paper is shoved into his face. You can’t hear what he says, but he smiles and takes the paper. The crowd around him begins to scream again.

“Wow, I didn’t know a group could get so high-pitched.” You joke, looking over at BP. You expect the cat monster's usual nonchalance, but instead, he is staring at Mettaton with wrapt attention. You wait a moment, but the monster doesn’t look away. “I can go try to get an autograph if you want?”

That causes BP to look away. “No thanks, little buddy.” He says, pushing off the wall. “I’m just surprised to see him again.”

“Again?” You push yourself off from the wall as well, and begin to walk away from the crowd. BP follows beside you.

“Yea, well…” He rubs at one of his arms with a paw. He’s wearing one of your coats, but maybe you need to find him a thicker one. “Last time I saw him in person, he was yelling at me.” He puts on a dramatic Mettaton voice. “ ’being above ground doesn’t mean you get any more sick days.’” He snorts.

That answered…nothing. BP looks down at you. “Oh, I never said.” He laughs. “He used to be my boss.”

You stop in your tracks. “What?!” That…can’t be possible?

Mettaton couldn't have been BP’s boss. You’ve read the reports and seen the TV interviews. The robot was a prisoner, an experiment put on by the monsters to escape. A horrible experiment on a human soul out of desperation. Mettaton is human…

Right?

“Shit.” BP’s face is serious all of a sudden. “Listen, little buddy, you can’t tell anyone that.” He groans, rubbing at his face. “It’s not…not a thing that humans should know. I'll tell you about it back at the apartment. Not here.”

Mind reeling, you look back at the crowd. Mettaton is still talking to fans, although his security team is starting to push them away. If the robot isn’t a human soul… is he a monster soul? What is he? And if he isn’t a human soul, and the monsters all lied… then there is a free monster. A single free monster not hunted down by the MRC, and loved by humans all over the world. You think about the various interviews you’ve seen of the robot.

Shit. He’s a better actor than you thought.

You watch as the robot begins to walk away toward the pulled-up limo. The crowd begins to disperse, but a flash of white and red follows the robot. You squint a bit. What is that? It’s a monster. Tall and white. Bald? You’re a bit too far away to tell instantly, so you take a few steps forward.

The tall monster weaves through the crowd before getting to the limo. The security guard looks at the monster for a moment and opens the door. The monster takes one last look back at the Rockefeller Centre. You see its face and everything clicks. That's a skeleton.

You take in a breath.

“That’s Papyrus.” BP is suddenly at your side. His voice is a mere whisper, but you can still hear the surprise laced in it. “He’s Sans’ brother. I didn’t know he was…” He fades out. You watch, eyes wide, as the skeleton -Papyrus- slides into the limo. You don’t move until the limo drives away. Sans’ brother.

You have to tell him.

Chapter Text

October

The apartment is empty when you open the door.

Excitement still flowing in your veins, you search the other rooms for a few minutes. Nobody is there. Huh.

“He went out?” You look over at BP, who just shrugs in response. Hmm, he doesn’t know either. “I didn’t know he…went out…” You sort of thought he just stayed at the apartment. Then again, with that teleporting power of his, he’d be a fool to stay in one place.

You give a small sigh before kicking off your boots and placing your coat on the little hook near the door. Air officially out of your sails, you collapse on the couch. You can hear BP walk into his room, but the door doesn’t close behind him. To get more comfortable, you adjust to lay completely on the couch. Pulling out your phone from your pocket, you look through for Kings number.

You send a quick message explaining who you are. And then: 

[You]: Can Guy come over tomorrow night?

You feel like a parent trying to organize a play date. Ugh. But...you need to play along for now. Still, it leaves you with a bad feeling. “Texting Sans?” You jolt lightly. BP is suddenly right by your head. Damn his cat-like quietness. Still, you move your feet so he can sit down. He does, bringing his knees up to his chest.

“Huh? No. I uh, actually forgot he had a phone.” Well damn, you really need to get his number. “I’m texting King, trying to get Guy over tomorrow.” BP takes in a stuttered breath and looks away. Your eyebrows raise. Curious. “You guys are close, right?"

He clears his throat. “Uh, sure. You could say that.” His voice is slightly higher-pitched than usual.

A slow grin grows on your face. “Do you want to get…closer with him?”

“Oh shut up.” He groans. You open your mouth to respond-

The front door opens. Both of you turn instantly towards it. It’s Sans, who pauses a bit at seeing you both on the couch. It’s weird to see him actually using a door. “heya.” He mutters, closing the door behind him.

“Where were you?” BP asks, ears perking up. He took the first ‘out’ of the conversation. You glare at him. There is no way you’re going to forget all that. He glances at you, but quickly looks away.

“what, think i’ve been just sitting here all day?” The skeleton jokes. “nah. stuff to do, people to see.” He holds up a plastic bag. Groceries? “gonna go put this away, then i want to hear about it.” He starts towards the kitchen.

You sit up quickly. “Wait, Sans!” He pauses in the doorway, turning with a raised eyebrow bone.

"…'sup, kid?”His eye lights follow you as you stand up, taking the few steps until you stand in front of him. You open your mouth, but pause. How do you even word this?

“When we were downtown we saw another skeleton.”

“what?” He tenses up quickly, eye lights becoming pinpricks. You stare at him for a moment, heart rate picking up. You open your mouth. “wait. these can’t get warm.” And he turns around, walking into the kitchen. What?

“Sans!” You call out, following the skeleton. He is already at the fridge, opening it. “Listen, we found your brother! Downtown!”

For a long moment, Sans is silent. He continues to put away various vials of liquid into the fridge. “so you saw Papyrus?” He finally turns back to you, popping open a half-empty bottle of ketchup with one hand. It’s your turn to pause.

“You…you know he’s here?”

“yep.” Sans takes a swing of the ketchup. You’re too surprised to really react. “ ‘course i know where my younger bro is.”

“Oh…”Sans takes your moment of silence to leave the kitchen. You stare at the spot he had been in for a few moments longer, before following him out the room. The skeleton has already taken over the other arm of the couch. You awkwardly sit on the small coffee table, praying it wont break under you.

BP looks over to you, and you just shrug in response. What the hell just happened?

“So where were you?” BP recovers first, turning to Sans with his question.

“i found out where the headquarters are around here.” Sans shrugs. “figured that’d be the best place to find our missing friends.” You stare at him in shock. He’s been…infiltrating the MRC headquarters? Well, that kinda makes you feel like shit. While you were downtown eating McRonalds with BP, Sans could have been risking his life for Heisenburg and Bluman. Even for Luke.

“What did you find?” BP looks much more interested now, pupils dilated, ears forward and tail swishing.

“i think i might have found out where they’re being held.” Sans rubs the back of his skull with his hand. “i’m going tomorrow. could use some help actually.”

“Of course!” You reply.

Sans’ eye lights shift to you awkwardly. “yea, well… not gonna lie here kid. you’d be more of a liability on this one.” “Oh…makes sense I guess…” A part of you feels insulted, really, but it’s not like he’s wrong. BP is the quietest person when he wants to be and Sans can teleport. What can you do that’s even close to either of that? Nothing.

Your phone pings in your pocket. You fish it out, smiling a bit at the message on the screen.

[King]: Yes. Pick him up at the restaurant.

“wait. you still have your phone?!” A bony hand reaches forward, grabbing your phone from your hand.

“Um, yes?” You start to glare at him, but pause at seeing his panicked expression. “No, Sans. They can’t track this phone. It’s not under my name.” The skeleton looks at you for a moment, before back at the phone.

“didn’t you call the mrc rep on this?” You blink. Oh fuck. You did. Your memory flashes back to getting your cast off and calling Mac in the waiting room. Had he planned this whole thing? Oh shit.

“I’m so sorry.” You groan, looking away to hide your darkening cheeks. “I didn’t think-I-I don’t know why-“ The telltale sound of metal being crushed interrupts you. You look over at Sans, who is holding your now ruined phone in his hands.

“don’t worry, it’s done now.” He sighs. “did you bring anything else?”

“Uh, only my laptop?” You raise up your hands. “But it’s not to my name either, or the same one as the phone. It should be okay!” Please let it be okay. If you endangered this entire thing…

“should be fine.” Sans sighs. “but bring it out anyways. i’ll check it out.”

Both monsters are gone when you wake up the next day.

You sigh and look around the empty apartment. At least, you assume BP has gone with Sans. You respect him too much to check his room. In the back of your mind it registers how this is your first real moment of being…completely alone in months. Part of you longs to just lounge around the apartment. You could curl up with a blanket and surf the internet. Catch up on some music maybe? Sans had finished with the laptop pretty quickly, declaring it safe to use. But…

Worry blossoms in your chest as you think about what your boys could be doing right now. Sans had made everything seem so ‘casual’ and ‘easy’ but you know it can’t be that simple. They’re infiltrating a big MRC headquarters for godsake. Something could happen to either of then, and you would have no idea. Groaning, you walk into the kitchen to make yourself a cup of coffee. You stare off into the distance in a morning haze as it’s being made. A few moments later, you’re pouring milk into the now full cup and heading to the table.

xxx-xxx-7267 -sans

Huh? You stare at the note on the table for a few minutes. Is that his phone number? But you don’t even have a phone anymore. Sans knows that. Why would he…?

Then it clicks. You need a disposable phone. Well at least that gives you something to do today. You drink the rest of your coffee and head towards the shower.

An hour later, you’re sliding on your fall boots and a jacket. You double check your keys and purse before heading out into the hallway, locking the door behind you.

“Finally!” You turn quickly towards the voice. There’s no one there? Oh, wait. You look down and cringe. Ugh.

Return of Jerry. “So, like, what are we even doing?” He yawns loudly.

We? “No.” You turn around and begin the walk towards the stairs.

“Huh? Are you ditching me?” Jerry’s tone change sends shivers down your spine. It’s not something you'd picture coming out of the annoying monster. You pause, turning back around to face him.

“Listen…Jerry…pal.” You attempt. “I have some errands I have to do today. Necessary ones. I have to leave and it’s not like you have uh…” You motion towards your neck. “So it’s not like you can come.”

“Ka-SIGH.” The monsters voice is back to normal. “But the wi-fi here sucks.”

You laugh awkwardly. Ugh, how do you get out of this? “Yea..ha…um well I have to go now. Train to catch and all.” You back up a few steps, give Jerry a wave and head on out.

Wow, dodged a bullet there.

It’s only when you get to the station that you realize you really have no idea where you’re going. It’s not like you can rely on your phone while out anymore. But…going back to the apartment to look it up means possibly running into Jerry again. No. Not an option.

You decide to take the same route you took the other day to get back from Times Square. With the amount of tourists around, there must be a phone place somewhere. Right?

Thats how you end up back in Times Square, looking up at all the signs and colours and feeling much more overwhelmed than when you had BP at your side. People rush around you on both sides, some grumbling about ‘tourists’. You shake it off, and look around for a phone store. Luckily, there is a D-Mobile across the street. You head on over.

Inside is less crowded then you expected. Honestly, you breathe a sigh of relief. There’s a worker standing behind the counter, looking relatively bored. You walk over.“Hey, do you have any pre-paid phones?” You ask. The guy looks at you for a moment, before pointing towards the other side of the store. You thank him and walk over.

They only have about five options for a phone, all of them looking extremely dated. You sigh, grabbing one that looks like a Blueberry phone from eight years ago. You head back to the counter and ask to put one hundred on the phone. Just to be safe.

“Where you from?” He asks as he’s, ringing through your purchase.

“Oh…a few hours from here.” You reply cryptically, unwilling to say anything more precise. Honestly, you doubt this random D-Mobile worker has anything to do with the MRC. But you can’t take risks. Not after the whole phone debacle.

As you’re paying, you hear the guy mutter. “Huh, don’t sound like it.” You tense up slightly at his words, but he doesn’t say anything else. He just hands you your receipt and the phone. Giving him a small ‘thank you’ and a smile, you head on out.

Now what to do.

This is stupid.

Looking up at the now more familiar gold statue ,you let out a sigh. As if they’d come back to the same place two days in a row. You take the last bite of your street-corner taco and turn around. Well, being a bit early to pick up Guy couldn’t be that bad, right? Ugh, but you really don’t want to be sitting around a Dairy King for four hours.

You decide to pop into some nearby shops to pass the time, staring wishfully at the expensive items at Arizia and Tiptop shop. You leave empty handed, a bit proud of yourself for not giving in. Accidentally leaving through the wrong exit has its advantages however, as you see an M&H store across the street.

Jackpot.

With a smile, you head across the street to the M&H. Inside, you pass by the ‘womens’ department and head straight towards ‘mens’. It doesn’t take you too long to find what you’re looking for.A coat, long and warm for BP. The price is actually pretty good as well. You guess at a medium size for him, and fold it over your arm. Perfect. After the coat, you kind of go crazy with ideas. A sweater for Sans, a hoodie for BP, some hats, and mittens for both of them. You even remember some mittens for Guy. In the end, you spend close on two hundred.

You feel a bit happier when you leave. I guess shopping therapy is real. And you’ve only bought necessary items. Go me. You check your phone, noticing that you still have a few hours before you have to head over to Dairy King to pick up Guy. Hmm. Maybe some food? But you really don’t feel like spending MORE money.

You look around outside. Huh. There’s a line forming a bit outside of a Burns & Noble down the street. Curious and lacking in things to do, you decide to check it out.There are no signs up or anything, so you go to the person in the back of the line. “Um, sorry. What’s this line for?” You ask.

She turns around, looking at you like you’re crazy.“Uh, Mettaton’s book signing of course!” She sounds almost offended that you don’t know. Weird. You didn’t even know he had a book. “You need to have a ticket though, I think they sold out a few days ago.”

Wait, Mettaton. Your eyes widen. If the robot is here, maybe Papyrus is as well.

You walk to the front of the line and try to see through the windows. Unsuccessful. The person guarding the entrance is staring at you weirdly.“Uh, can I just go in?” You ask. “To…buy a book?” The guard looks at you suspiciously, but nods and opens the door. You slide into the bookstore with a smile. The inside looks like every other Burns & Noble you’ve been in, although there is a lot of security.

A security guard catches you looking. “Keep moving ma’am.” He shoo's you. Unwilling to cause a fuss, you head further into the store.

Ugh, you’re so close too. You sigh and decide to at least look around. It’ll look more suspicious if you just leave. Wandering around, you check out a few books. There aren’t any you’ve been particularly looking forward to, and you won’t be able to buy any today. Being in a bookstore brings a sense of…ease that you haven’t felt in months. The smell of books always gets you. You used to spend hours a day in the ones back home. With a small smile teasing your lips, you walk much further into the store.

You turn a corner and bump into someone, hard. With a startled sound, you jump back and look up to the person. You take in a breath. It's him. The skeleton. Sans’ brother.

He’s standing there, holding a pile of books in his hands. A collar beeps quietly around his neck. You can’t help but stare. Other than the whole…skeleton thing, the two don’t exactly look similar. Papyrus looks more like the anatomical dummy in a classroom than Sans ever did. He’s tall, not hiding his bones behind layers of clothing and his jaw looks…detachable. But that’s not what has you staring in shock. By now, you’re pretty used to the whole ‘skeleton' thing.

He has… a crack. A large, jagged, angry looking crack starting somewhere near the top of his skull -where you can’t see- and going straight down through an eye, ending at his jaw. Smaller cracks lead out from it like morbid tree branches. It looks…unnatural, unsettling.

“IM SORRY HUMAN.” The loud voice shocks you out of your thoughts. “I DID NOT SEE YOU.” Oh god, is it because of the eye?

“Oh, uh.” You stammer. “It’s okay! No harm done.” The skeleton smiles at you and begins to walk around. Something hits your foot, and you look down. A book. Mettaton’s smiling face is on the cover. Oh, it must be for the signing. “Um, you dropped this.” You pick up the book, holding it out. Papyrus turns around.

“OH. THANK YOU HUMAN.” Sans’ brother reaches out with a red glove to gently take the book back.

“Do you want any help?” The words are out of your mouth before you can really think about them, but you can’t bring yourself to regret your offer.

For a moment, Papyrus just stares at you. “UM, WELL…” He looks down at the overflowing books. ‘IF YOU WOULDN’T MIND?”

You give him a smile and reach forward, grabbing a few books from his arms. You can't hold too much either, but you hope that you're helping a small bit. Papyrus begins to walk again, and you catch up to him, careful to walk on the ‘good’ side. He pauses only a millisecond as you catch up, almost in surprise.

“This must suck…huh?” You ask.

“WHAT?”

“Having to do work like this for Mettaton?”

“YOU ARE MISTAKEN HUMAN. I AM METTATON’S NUMBER ONE FAN.” Shocked, you look over at the skeleton. He seems to be even brighter then before. “I AM HAPPY TO HELP WHENEVER I AM NEEDED.”

Well, what can you say to that? “Huh. Alright then.”

Silence. You’re nearing the front of the store.

“Why are you doing this?” You’re more shocked by his suddenly quiet voice than his words. Glancing over, you see his head turned towards you.

“Just wanted to help, that’s all.” You give him a big smile, hoping to convince him that you don't have some evil plot brewing in the back of your mind.

“WELL THANK YOU HUMAN.” And his voice is back. You feel pretty relieved. He stops suddenly, reaching forward to grab the stack of books from your hands, placing them effortlessly onto of his own stack. “I HAVE TO GO NOW." Papyrus smiles. It’s infectious, you smile back. “I AM VERY HAPPY TO MEET YOU, KIND HUMAN.”

And then he bounds off. You watch him go, smile still on your face.

You really like him.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” You call out, almost rushing into someone on your way into the Dairy King.

You’re late. After all that…you’re late. Shit. Customers and employees alike stare at you in shock and confusion but you don’t even care. All you care about is that you haven't messed this up. You look around wildly for King or Guy. Oh god, did they already leave? King doesn’t have your new number. Shit. BP is going to be so disappointed. 

“Hey!” Someone calls out. You turn quickly to the side, looking in the direction of the voice. Guy is standing beside you, looking shocked at your reaction. “Oh, sorry!”  What’s with monsters and being so quiet?? Holy shit.

“No no, I’m sorry I’m late.” You let out a relieved breath. Alright, the night is still salvageable.

“You're only a few minutes late.” Guy smiles. “King already left. You ready to go?” You nod, noticing he’s holding a duffle bag. The two of you leave the Dairy King quickly. 

Guy turns out to be great at conversation. There isn’t a moment of silence between the two of you as you head back to the apartment. He asks a lot of questions about your relationship with Sans and BP, but is careful not to say their names. It’s already dark by the time you make it back to the apartment. Damn daylight savings time. Guy sticks a bit closer to you as you make the walk back through the area, which you’re grateful for.

BP and Sans are on the couch when you arrive. They both turn to look at the door as you open it. “Hey guys!” You call out, putting away your outside clothes. You notice Guy following your example. “How did everything go?”

“Pretty good.” BP answers with a smile. “We think we found where they’re keeping Heisenburg and Bluman. We're going tomorrow to make sure.” Ah, so another day by yourself.

“went shopping?” Sans is staring at your bags from the couch.

“Yup!” You smile, taking a few steps towards the coffee table and placing them down. “I got a phone too, don’t worry. I just didn’t want to message you incase you were in a bad situation.” You take the phone out of your pocket and hand it to Sans. He fiddles with it for a few moments, putting in his number and hands it back.

“Alright, so BP.” You take out the dark coat from the bag, handing it over. “I got you a coat. My old one isn’t warm enough.”

“Aw, cool. Thanks little buddy!” He holds up the coat, looking thrilled. You smile, happy that he likes it. Then you reach in and grab the other main item. Pulling it out, a feeling of excitement flows through you.

“So this is for you.” You hand it over to Sans. If BP looked a bit surprise, Sans looks completely shocked. He takes a moment before even grabbing the warm sweater, eyes wide.

“uh, thanks.” He mutters, unfolding the black sweater. Suddenly he takes in a stuttered breath. Your smile grows, he’s seen it. He begins to chuckle. It starts quietly and grows into a full on laugh. Unable to help yourself, you begin to laugh as well.  BP and Guy look on, confused before Sans turns the sweater around. Its a thick wool sweater, completely black except for bones going down the arms and white ribs decorating the front. It’s not completely anatomically correct, but it was the best you could find. Thank god for it being October. BP and Guy begin to chuckle as well. It takes a few moments for you all to quiet down.

“thanks.” You look back over at Sans. His smile is big and sincere, eye lights wider then ever. You smile back at him and nod, before reaching back into the bag. You hand out the mittens and hats to everyone. Guy looks delighted that you remembered him and thanks you multiple times. 

“did you get anything for yourself?” Sans asks, giving you a weird look.

You furrow your brows. “Uh, nope.” Why would you? It’s not like you needed anything. Suddenly you remember. “Oh, uh Sans? Can I talk with you in the kitchen for a moment.”

“sure buddy.” Sans get up from the couch, and follows you into the kitchen. The two of you stand around for a minute before you find your voice.

“I saw your brother again.” The atmosphere gets tense instantly.

“what?” Oh, that’s not a good reaction.

“Yea, I was looking at a bookstore to pass the time and apparently Mettaton was doing a book signing in there?” A boldface lie, but Sans doesn’t seem happy as it is. “He was struggling with some books so I-“

“listen.” Sans voice is darker than normal, more serious. But his eye lights are still there, staring at you. It stops you from completely panicking. “leave papyrus alone. i’m serious.” You didn’t doubt that. “don’t talk to him, don’t go near him. walk the other way if you see him. no contact at all.”

You gulp. “Um, sure…okay I wont. But why not?”

Sans stares at you for a moment. “lets go back.” He turns around, leaving the kitchen quickly. You stare at the doorframe in shock. He doesn’t want to talk about it. Was Papyrus dangerous? He didn’t seem dangerous…

Eventually you walk back into the livingroom. Everyone has already settled on the couch. Guy is taking up one side, with BP beside him and Sans on the far other side. That leaves only an opening between BP and Sans. It’s a little awkward after the previous conversation but you sit down in the open spot.

BP has the laptop on his lap, scrolling through the Notflix options. Jerry was right about one thing, the wi-fi here does suck. “What about something spooky?” You ask. BP looks over to you. “It’s getting close to Halloween now so there must be something out.” Leaning over BP’s shoulder, you find ‘The Fifth Sense’ and immediately recommend that. “It’s a classic.”

BP turns on the movie and places it on the coffee table. There is no TV, so you all have to watch on the laptop screen. But it isn’t too bad. You get sucked into it easily.

The funeral reception scene is on when a bony elbow hits your side, breaking you out of your concentration. You look over at Sans and open your mouth to ask what’s going on. But the skeleton has a finger over his mouth in a ‘shh’ motion. You close your mouth and raise an eyebrow. Sans gestures with his head to your other side.

You look over. Somehow during the movie, Guy had stretched out. His arm is now resting on BP’s shoulders. The rabbit monster looks pretty happy about it actually, continuously looking down at BP and smiling. It doesn’t look like he’s paying any attention to the movie.

For his part, BP’s eyes are wide and dilated. His cheeks are darker than normal -blushing?- and there is a small smile on his face. His ears are twitching wildly, but he isn’t leaning into Guy at all. He is watching the movie almost too intently, in a way that you know means he is just lost in thought and not actually paying any attention.

A grin starts to grow on your face. Oh my god. This is too cute. You look back at Sans, who has a similar grin on his face. He wiggles his eyebrow bones- again, how?!-, and you hold back a laugh.

You and Sans spend the next hour quietly joking around and watching the progression of Guy and BP. Eventually, a definitely blushing BP ends up almost completely laying on Guy. Honestly, you have to hand it to Guy, he’s either very confident or just has great moves. The movie ends, and another one begins to play.

You fall asleep before the end of it. 

Chapter Text

October

You are shaken awake suddenly. "Huh?" You grumble, opening your eyes just a crack. Blue stares back at you. Huh? You open your eyes fully. Oh. Its Guy. Why is Guy in my room?  "Uh, hello." 

"Good morning!" Guy says, huge smile on his face. He sits down on the edge of your bed. Again, why is he here? Your brain struggles to focus. "I hate to wake you, but we need to go soon or we wont make it." Go? Make it? What? Pain begins in your temples as your tired brain attempts to connect the dots. You grumble again, pushing yourself into a sitting position.

Oh. You're not on your bed. You're on the couch. Did I fall asleep here? The last thing you can remember is joking around with Sans about...Guy and BP. Ohhh. Things are finally falling into place. Looking back at Guy, you send him a sleepy grin. "So, how far did you get with my best friend last night?" 

Guy, to his credit, keeps eye contact. His right ear twitches lightly, but his happy smile doesn't falter at all. "About as far as you did with Sans."

What.

You stare at Guy, eyes wide. It's like your brain once again is stuttering, trying to figure out what exactly he's getting at. Something happened between you and Sans? The skeleton?!?! "Uhh..." The monster keeps a straight face for a moment, before leaning back and bursting out in laughter. A joke. Immediately you feel yourself relax, letting out a long breath. Looking back up, you roll your eyes. "Don't joke like that." You mutter sulkily. Its way to early in the morning for this sort of thing.

"But I'm not joking!" Guy stops laughing, looking you straight in the eyes. The smile on his face is freakily sincere. But, that's not possible. He must be joking. Right? Right?! "I've never seen Sans look so...flustered."

Your heart begins to beat a bit faster, as you try to remember something -anything- that might have happened last night. "What happened?!" You demand, reaching forward to place a hand on Guys arm. He looks at you for a moment, letting your anxiety rise before answering.

"You fell asleep curled up on his arm." He finally answers, that same freakily sincere smile plastered on his face. But...this has to be another joke right? You couldn't have done that. You feel your face begin to heat up in embarrassment as odd images flood your mind. Quickly, you slap your hands over your cheeks. No. No way. That didn't happen. "You two are so cute together. When's the wedding?" His tone takes on a teasing note, but it goes completely over your head. Your tired brain is too busy spinning to react.

You...with Sans? No. That's not possible. Sure, things are going better between you now but he's still pretty freaky sometimes. And, well, he's a monster. You can't be with a monster. You're not even into them! Right? Oh, shit. Is that racist? Speciesist? Well, it's not like you are...against dating a monster. You have just never heard of anything of that nature happening before. There would be an obvious weird power dynamic, right? And, well, Sans is a skeleton. How would that even work? He doesn't have lips or anything. He probably doesn't even have...the...parts...

Oh god.

“I've never seen a human go that red before.” Guys voice, close to you, finally pulls you from your racing thoughts. You look at him, eyes wide, unable to do anything but watch him examine your tomato-like state. “What are you thinking about?” That smile is definitely a lot more wicked than the one before it.

Okay, that's it. "Shut up." Unable to deal with any of this any longer, you place your hands on Guys' shoulders and push him back. He falls against the arm of the couch with a laugh. Rolling your eyes, you stand up, purposely hiding your red face from the monster. "I'm going to get ready."

You practically run out to your bedroom, willing your heartbeat to calm. It takes the door slamming behind you to finally quiet Guys' laughter.

Even Guy is surprised that the two of you are not late for the drop-off. Somehow, you even make it to the Dairy King ten minutes early. You have no idea how that happened, but you are not going to ask questions.

The restaurant is pretty busy when you arrive, and King is behind the counter. He looks over when the bell chimes and gives you a nod. Okay, cool. Job is done. Hopefully, this went smooth enough that we wont have any issues having Guy come over more. Despite his teasing in the morning -you are already planning your revenge-, you have already really grown to like the guy. He's lively and kind, quick to smile. You have no idea how he has managed to keep that attitude after everything, but it's nice nonetheless. 

And the influence he has on BP is wild. You never thought you'd see your friend become a happy, blushing mess. Everything is worth it just for that. You can't wait to see it again. Not that it's over because Guy is leaving. Oh no. The cat is up for some Grade A teasing later. 

"Thank you." Guy says, pulling you from your thoughts. You look over at him. The tall monster is staring at you with a soft smile. "Thank you so much for bringing Burgy back to me." It's a statement full of happiness, but the look in his eyes tell of a different, darker story.

Honestly, you are only beginning to be able to imagine what life has been like for monsters. Not only is it stress, fear and pain for themselves, but for everyone else. Anyone else you knew and loved prior to leaving the mountain. A fear of the unknown. Unknowing whether anyone you care about are safe or happy or even alive. Looking at Guy, you have no doubt that he used to worry a lot about BP. All of this pain...because of humans. Because of YOUR species. And still, here he is, thanking a human like you. It seems almost impossible.

"Don't thank me." You sigh, looking away. "I'm not-"

"No." An arm reaches out, a paw gently grabbing your hands. You look down, and then back up at the monster with wide eyes. "Sure, there might be many humans who don't agree with everything. Those like King who treat monsters with basic respect. They are considered the 'good ones'. But they don't...do anything. They act nice, but still willingly buy or sell slaves." His ears droop as he speaks. "I don't blame them, really. It takes a lot of courage to do something." 

The look he is giving you is pointed. Courage? Me? You feel like laughing at the thought. You've just been dragged along, it's not like you've actually DONE anything courageous. Letting out a long breath, you stay silent and avoid his eyes. You are not going to fight him on this, but you can't exactly agree. 


Guy lets out a sigh of his own, and lets go of your hand. "At the very least, you have monsters that trust you. They trust you enough to let you in on secrets that could ruin their entire species. That means something." You finally look back up. Guy has his smile back, ears no longer drooping. It doesn't feel real though, not fully. You wonder how much of his constant happiness is real. "Alright, I have to get back to work now, bye!" He takes a step away, pauses and looks back. "I'll get Burgy to update me on you and Sans." A wink.

You open your mouth in protest, but he's already off towards the 'Employee Only' door. You stare after him until the door closes behind, feeling extremely off-kilter. You and Sans? A human and a monster? Has Guy gone crazy?

Ugh, you need to get out. You need air. Turning around, you leave without looking back.

On your way back to the station, the now familiar market catches your eye. Sans had got some…things the other day (most of which you are pretty sure are not food) but you need some more essentials. You don’t really have a plan as you walk around the market. The essentials are picked first: some bread and eggs, veggies and fruit. You think you could have haggled for some prices, but you’re not really confident enough to try. Maybe you’ll stop by the nearby Hole Foods and grab some pasta. Hmm. Is it worth it? You raise a hand to your mouth in thought.

“HUMAN!” You jump as the loud voice harshly breaks you from your thought. Oh my god. Is that? Your head spins towards the direction that the sound came from. A tall skeleton is making his way through the crowd towards you, hand in the air waving wildly. You open your mouth in shock, raising a hand almost mechanically to wave back. In only a quick moment, he’s in front of you. Your head cranes up to look at his face. He has a huge smile on his face. You purposely avoid looking at the crack down his skull, a feeling of utter ‘wrongness’ growing inside you.

“HELLO AGAIN KIND HUMAN.” He begins. “I SPOTTED YOU FROM THE HOLE FOODS PLACE.” You blink slowly. Hole Foods? That’s pretty far. How can he see so well with one eye? Luckily it doesn’t seem like he expects you to respond, as you’re really unsure what to say. “AND THEN I REMEMBERED, I NEVER INTRODUCED MYSELF. HOW RUDE OF ME.” He strikes a dramatic pose. “I AM PAPYRUS.” He looks like he wants to say more, but cuts himself short.

Well…you can’t really say ‘I already know that’. Sans’ words echo in your mind. He doesn’t want you to talk to his brother. Ah shit. “Um, hello Papyrus!" You tell him your name.

“THAT IS A WONDERFUL NAME.” You notice that the area around you has cleared out, people are giving the skeleton a wide distance. “NOT AS GREAT AS MINE, OF COURSE. BUT MAYBE A SECOND BEST?”

“I’ll take it.” You reply with a shrug. “Listen Papyrus…I have to go-“

A metallic sound cuts over the crowd. A voice? As it quiets, the people begin to look around wildly. From the far right, a group of large men and women dressed in black approach. You look on in shock as they get closer, spotting a flash of silver and purple from within their circle. Oh. Oh no. No way. But there he is. Mettaton in the flesh. Er…metal. Holy shit what is happening here? How is this my life?

“Oh my goodness, there you are!” Mettaton steps out from the circle, quickly coming up beside Papyrus. Luckily you are partially hidden behind he skeletons large form. “You know you can’t just run off like that Pap.” His tone is light, but firm. Papyrus looks a bit ashamed.

“I AM SORRY METT. JUST YOU SEE, THIS IS THE HUMAN I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT.” The skeleton steps to the side, revealing you to the metallic superstar. You stare in shock, wanting to just sink into the concrete floor. “I WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MY NEW FRIEND.” Oh god, his friend? You only met the monster once. Metallic eyes shift to you, going up and down your form. You feel completely exposed under that gaze. It’s harsh and analytical. The security guards have formed a circle around the two monsters, keeping the crowd at bay. Unfortunately that means you are inside the circle as well.

In the end, Mettaton chooses not to acknowledge you. “We have to go now Pap.”

“OH, YES.” Papyrus’ good eye widens. “BUT I CANNOT JUST LEAVE MY NEW FRIEND TO STRUGGLE WITH HER GROCERIES.” He looks down at you. “WE WILL TAKE HER TO THE STATION.” The robot falters, also looking down at you. His eyes are much less welcoming than Papyrus’.

“Um, I-“ This is all happening too fast. What the hell is even going on? You look between Papyrus and Mettaton. The station isn’t that far away. It’s an easy walk. That’s enough to make you want to reject the offer. But then Papyrus hits you with a huge smile and you can almost feel your heart hurt at the thought of disappointing him. “…okay?” Fuck. 

Mettaton lets out a scoff and looks away, crossing his arms. But Papyrus looks overjoyed, reaching over to grab your groceries from your hands. You let it happen, still unable to grasp everything going on. You just wanted some groceries. Thats all.

Looking up from the enclosed hands, you notice that the ample security guards have now closed in a bit tighter. The crowd on either side is starting to get a loud again, with some people yelling out to Mettaton, so you’re a bit glad.

But for once, Mettaton doesn’t seem interested in his fans. His attention is back on you. “Hey Paps, why don't you go ahead and bring the groceries to the car.” His tone is light, but those eyes are still hard and…angry? Shit. Papyrus looks a bit uncertain. “I can get to know your new friend.”

That does the trick. “WHAT A WONDERFUL IDEA!” Papyrus reaches forward, patting you on the head with a gloved hand before bounding out of sight. He slides through the crowd with no problem, and none of them seem interested in him. You miss him immediately. More particularly, the knowledge that Mettaton likely wouldn’t do anything to you in his presence. You feel completely vulnerable and exposed in front of the robotic monster.

Mettaton suddenly begin to move, forcing you to move as well within their circle. They move pretty quickly. You stay near the back, practically being pushed by the furthest guard. Mettaton looks back at you and rolls his eyes. With a small huff, he slows his own steps until he’s at your pace. The guards follow suit and you are no longer at the back. You try to keep your head forward, but your eyes keep glancing over at the robot. Your heart beats loud and hard. What the fuck is happening here? How did I end up walking beside freaking METTATON?!

The crowd has become loud, but the screams of ‘Mettaton sign this!' or ‘Take a photo with me!’ sort of blur into a background noise. “What do you think you are doing?” The metallic voice is harsher than you've ever heard, and you've seen most of his media due to BP.

“What?” You look over at him. He’s looking at you out of the corner of his eyes. He doesn’t respond, but it takes no time for you to realize he’s talking about Papyrus. “Oh.” What do you even say to that? “I don’t…know?”

“You don't know?!” In a blink, the robot is in front of you. You stop walking immediately to avoid running into him, and jump as his hands grab your shoulders. Your heart jumps to your throat as you look up at his figure. He leans forward until his head is right by your ear. “Listen here then. Stay the fuck away from Papyrus.”

The absolutely dangerous threat in those words shuts down your mind. You begin to shake as the robot straightens up. His hands squeeze your shoulders painfully before he lets go. “I’ll get one of the guards to bring your grocery bags back.” He heel turns, taking a few steps away. Your mind struggles to restart. Theres a pulling in your chest, urging you to do something. Anything. You don't know what. Your mind can barely form a full sentence. Your lungs hurt. Breathe. You need to breathe.

“Wait!" You call out. The robot stops, looking back over his shoulder with a grimace and cold eyes. He’s only a meter or two away. “Listen I…”Oh god am I actually going to do this? “I know Sans?” The phrase is whispered so quietly, you don’t think a human could hear you. But somehow, you feel as if the robot did.

Looking down at the ground you wait for…whatever is going to happen. This is so stupid. It’s too much of a risk. It could go so wrong, especially if Mettaton and Sans do not get along.

But nothing happens. You look up.

You let out a surprised breath. A purple... chest? Mettaton is only a foot away from you. Your eyes go up further to his face. “You know him?" The metallic voice is quieter than normal. You nod. “How?”

“We’re…” Roomates? Runaways? Partners in crime? Why is this relationship so complicated? “…friends.” You clench your hands into fists. “And I just…Papyrus dropped a book and I couldn't just ignore his brother.”His eyes stare straight into yours.

“Prove it.”

You blink. Prove it? Prove you know Sans? “Um, okay. He’s shorter than Papyrus, closer to my height, and…thicker?” You pause for a moment, thinking of your words. “Big boned? He likes to wear a blue hoodie and has blue magic.”

Mettaton narrows his eyes. “Too easy.” He shakes his head, his hair falling perfectly yet again. Is it possible for him to look disheveled? “Tell me something personal.”

Well shit. You wrack your brain for something that might placate the angry robot. “Well uh, he REALLY likes ketchup. I’ve seen him drink it straight from the bottle. He likes bad puns and science and space. Oh and pineapple on pizza. He’s a slob and pretty lazy.” The word ‘teleportation’ knocks around your mind. It would definitely convince the robot that you actually know Sans. The skeleton keeps that ability pretty hidden. But, if you were wrong about Papyrus and Mettaton. If they are dangerous, you can’t give up Sans’ biggest weapon like that.

“He’s surprisingly sturdy and soft for a skeleton, not how you'd think bones could be. And he has these eye light...things that change in size depending on his mood. I’ve seen them as big as quarters or just not exist at all. And-"

“Stop.” Mettaton holds up a hand. You obey, and fidget a bit as he remains quiet. His eyes look you over critically, but they seem a bit less angry than before. Just as invading though. Slowly, he places his hand back down. “Two days from now. I have a reservation at five at The Striped Pig. Be there at four. We need to talk.”

You nod quickly without thinking about it, too stressed and out of your element to do anything else. The robot looks at you for a moment longer before suddenly turning around. He takes a few steps away before stopping. “Well? Are you coming?”

Feeling like a puppet on a string, you follow behind the robot. The security guards keep the growing crowd from getting close to either of you. In the process, they close the circle quite a bit so there are no openings. Soon you find yourself walking beside Mettaton again.For a few minutes, the two of you walk in silence. Where is this car?

Mettaton turns his head to look at you. “What did you say your name is, darling?” Darling? Emotional whiplash hits you quickly, and you stammer out your name. “Not bad.”

The robot muses. He says nothing else as they get closer to the car, which turns out to be an honest-to-god black limo. You’d normally be more blown away, but you’re still reeling from the previous experiences. Papyrus is already inside, but has the window open and is leaning out to wave.

“ARE YOU TWO FRIENDS NOW?” He asks as you climb in after Mettaton. You give him an awkward smile without responding, unsure of what to say. The skeleton just gives you a smile back and pats your head.

The trip to the station lasts about five minutes due to traffic. Honestly, it might have been quicker to walk the few blocks. You don’t complain though. Papyrus chats to you the entire time, and Mettaton just watches in silence.You wave a goodbye to Papyrus -who is once again leaning out the open window- as you get out of the limo. Only a few people stare at you, which you're grateful for. You're not exactly looking for more attention.

The ride back is quiet and uneventful. You lug your groceries up the stairs as quietly as possible, attempting to avoid somehow summoning Jerry. Luckily, nothing happens and you escape into the apartment. As you close the door behind you, you let out a long breath.

“Long day?” You look towards the voice. BP is sitting on the couch, laptop in hand. He looks…exhausted. Oh right. They infiltrated the MRC headquarters today. Shit. You’d forgotten in all the ‘excitement’ that happened. A bit of guilt hits your gut.

“You can say that.” You sigh, leaving the groceries on the ground to go plop down beside him.

“So, how was it?” Immediately the monster cringes, ears going flat. Concern flares up in your chest. “That bad? What happened?”

“I don’t…really want to talk about it right now.” He says quietly, looking down. “Later, I promise. I need to get my mind off it.” He’s silent after that. You want to know. You have a feeling that whatever he’s not telling you is BIG news. But…the look on his face. Ah, fuck it. You instead begin to tell him about your day.

“You need to tell Sans.” He says when you reach the part about Papyrus. You sigh. Part of you had hoped he’d agree to keep it a secret. But well, he’s right.

“tell sans what?” The words come from directly behind you. You stiffen up and give BP a worried look. He returns it.

“Something happened today.” You turn around with weary eyes. Sans is leaning against the back of the couch. He looks concerned at your words, which only makes you regret deciding to tell him even more. You have a strong feeling he won’t be ‘concerned’ at the end of this.

“not exactly comforting, buddy.” His eye sockets narrow slightly. Ah, shit. No, this isn’t going to be good. You stand up from the couch, walking around until you are in front of the skeleton. Face-to-face. Somehow this made it worse. Shit.

“Yea, well.” You sigh. “It’s not exactly a comfortable subject.” You raise a hand to rub at the back of your head, stalling a bit for time. Sans doesn't rush you, although you can hear BP shuffling in the background. He’s nervous too. “I talked to Papyrus today.”

“what?!” And suddenly, any concern is gone. Sans takes a step forward, eye lights becoming pinpricks in seconds. His mouth opens slightly, then closes. He looks completely panicked. “and?!”

“And nothing.” There’s NO way you’re mentioning anything about Mettaton right now. “That’s it.”

“you gave your word.” Ah, there’s the anger.

“He came up to me! What was I supposed to do, ignore him? Walk away?!”

“if that’s what it takes!” He spits out, eye lights threatening to disappear any moment. It sends a familiar shiver of fear down your spine. But… you don’t really think he’d hurt you. Not after everything.

You roll your eyes, frustration and anger rising up quickly within you. “Sans that’s ridiculous! I’m not just going to ignore someone speaking to me!”

“well apparently you ignore me when i’m speaking to you!”

You groan.” That’s not what I mean and you know it!”

Sans eyes narrow a bit more. “you’re being ignorant and selfish.”

A pang of hurt hits your chest. “Well you’re being an asshole!” Sans takes a step towards you. “What? Going to attack me again? Send me to hospital? Or maybe you’re planning to finish me off?” The words are out of your mouth before you can even process them.

Suddenly the skeleton freezes. His eye lights completely disappear and he takes a step back.

“fuck you for saying that.” Then he’s gone.

You stare at the area where Sans had been for a long time. Your heart and mind race uncontrollably, threads of unfinished thoughts and feelings. It feels like hours. Shreds of regret begins to form in your heart.

Why did I say that? Fuck.

“Harsh.” BP’s voice startles you from your thoughts. You turn around to see him. He is standing behind you. His eyes are wide, ears back and tail moving wildly. The two of you look at each other for a moment, no more words exchanged.

Taking a few steps forward, you pull the cat monster into a firm hug and bury your face in his sweater. Your eyes begin to burn. Am I crying? Arms circle around you hesitantly.You don’t know how long you stand like that, shaking lightly in your friends arms. Eventually, BP leads you towards the couch. He sits down beside you, and you take the opportunity to lay your head on his shoulder.

“Was I wrong?” You whisper.

“I don’t know.” He replies softly.

After a few more minutes, he carefully grabs the laptop from the coffee table and puts on Notflix. It’s a horror movie. Dabadook? Something like that. You don’t pay any real attention, eyes unfocused on the screaming mother and child. When it ends, he puts on a random episode of E.N.E.M.I.E.S. You’ve seen it before, but the familiar antics are enough to bring you a bit more to the present. A few more episodes later and you sit up, deciding to at least make some food.

Pasta. Comfort food at its finest. But…you never made it to Hole Foods for the actual pasta. You look down at the ingredients. Shit. Breakfast food it is.

You make three omelettes for two people. BP doesn’t comment on it, and packs away the extras into a tubberware container. When did we get tubberware?

The two of you stay up later then usual. Waiting. BP falls asleep first, curled in the corner of the couch. You don’t last too much longer.

But Sans doesn’t come back.

Chapter Text

October

8:22 a.m

[You]: I’m sorry.

10:40 a.m

[You]: Seriously, it was a dick thing to say.

2:15 p.m

[You]: Please come back.

Eventually you clue in that the skeleton obviously has no plans on replying to you. Or returning to the apartment. Your plans consist of spending the day drowning in guilt and bedsheets. It's a successful plan until the afternoon when BP slams open your door and pulls you out of your blanket burrito. You want to complain, but the concerned look on his face makes you pause. You agree to leave bed, but just curl into yourself on the couch.

BP disappears into the kitchen. The same thought process repeats over and over in your head. Why did I say that? It had been such a horrible thing to say. Sans had apologized for everything already, and you’d already forgiven him. You weren’t scared, not anymore.

“Here.” The voice breaks you from your thoughts. You look up. BP stands beside you holding a cup of steaming liquid. A latte? He holds it closer for you to take.

“How’d you…?” You trail off, accepting the latte from him. How did he get latte? You only have an instant coffee maker here. You take a sip of the coffee. It burns down your throat but is otherwise delicious. You take another sip.

“Sans.” BP replies, sitting down beside you. Oh. He holds out a plate. It has a toasted bagel with peanut butter on it. When did we get bagels? Or peanut butter? You stare at the plate. “You need to eat something.”

You accept the plate, resting it on your lap. For a while, the two of you sit in silence. You manage to take a few bites of the bagel and down the coffee. Eventually, though, curiosity wins. “So what happened?”

BP instantly understands you. He pauses, ears flattening to his skull. “Fuck, I don’t know.” His paws fidget against the couch. “There was a lot going on in there. We almost got caught…a few times and had to separate.” He lets out a long breath and meets your eyes. “We found a body.”

Your eyes instantly widen. Oh no. Oh please no. “Luke?” Your heart begins to hammer in your chest. It can’t be Luke, right? He would have mentioned something before. Right?

“Oh, no no no.” BP shakes his head, making an ‘x’ with his arms. “Not a human body. It was a monster.” Instant relief hits you. It’s not Luke. Then, another part of you gets hit by guilt at that thought.

Still, you are a bit confused. “But I thought monsters turned to dust?”

“We do.” He sighs. “That’s why it was so shocking. Monster bodies don’t…last like humans do. I’ve never seen Sans so freaked out.”

“Shit.”

“There’s more.” BP looks away. “We found a trail of sorts. Something that could lead us to find Heisenburg and Bluman.”

“That's good, right?” Why does he sound so sad about it?

“From what we could tell, they’ve been sent to Ebott.” His paw taps on his leg. “Monster sent to Ebott don’t come back. They have some sort of…compound there that monsters don’t return from. I don’t know about humans, but it’s not a good sign.” Shit, It's really not. For a long moment, you sit in silence.

“Any news about Luke?” BP shakes his head. You drop your eyes down to your coffee. The air hangs heavily on both of you, the atmosphere tense and uncomfortable. Luke, where are you? Could he have been sent to Ebott from the start? Is he…dead already? Your heart constricts painfully.

“I…” You pause, putting the coffee down on the table beside the plate of half-eaten bagel. “I think I need some air.” You’re up faster than ever, headed towards the door. BP yells out something after you, but you don’t register any words. There is a roaring in your head that only gets worse. It’s a miracle you remember your coat and boots before you leave. The same can’t be said for your cellphone, but you don’t turn back.

“Hellooo-“

“Not now Jerry.” You walk past the monster without a glance.

You end up parked on a bench miles from the apartment building. At least, you assume it's miles away. You lost track of where you are a while ago, taking turns wherever you felt like it. It goes against every instinct you have, but you don't really feel like yourself anyways. Regret and dread claw up your throat and mix with the small amount of righteous anger in your stomach. The contradictory emotions are almost painful. So you sit on this bench and stare into the distance, focus and feeling fading into the distance.

The park itself looks serene in the October sunset. It's filled with regular people doing regular stuff: a girl plays with her frankly giant dog in the distance, an elderly couple takes a stroll down the path to your right, and children are being called off the nearby parking structures by parents. It's all a reminder of the simple life you worked so hard to get and the life you may never get back. You watch them disappear from the park and bury your head in your hands. 

Your eyes burn with unshed tears. When did everything get so fucked up?

The answer comes quickly. Your life has never been the same since you met BP, since you found that little cardboard house and decided to give food to the homeless being there. Maybe it could have stopped there, but then you went and invited the monster into your house and life. Still, in the end, you don't regret it. How could I EVER regret BP? You think of your friends laughing face as you cook food in your little kitchen, of the blush on his furry cheeks as he cuddled with Guy on the couch. No. You can't regret that. I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. 

And, if you're honest, maybe you were always going to be involved in this. It's not like you had any direct influence over the chain of events, right? Things would have gone on even if you weren't involved: Debbie would have left for Ebbott, Heisenburg and Bluman would have been arrested, and Luke would still be missing. Shit. You suck in a shaky breath through your teeth. The only difference is now you would still be in that little town, without a job or your closest friends. Sure, you would be okay in the end, you always are. But...something about that feels like lead in your stomach. 

“Hey mama.” Your head snaps up, focusing immediately on a shadowy figure standing a few feet in front of you. He is illuminated only by the light of a nearby street light. It’s dark already? How long have you been here? You blink a few times. The man looks average enough, but something in his gaze sends shivers up your spine. Something screams at you that this is wrong, that there is something predatory to this man. A glance in your peripherals shows that you're alone here with him. 

“Uh, hi.” You push yourself into a standing position, taking a step away from the man. “Thank you, I need to go now.” A quick turn and you begin to walk away, feeling that gaze on your back. Maybe he'll just leave you alone. 

Please let him just leave you alone. 

Footsteps hit the concrete behind you, a long gate catching up quickly. shit. 

“Wha’s the rush, little lady?” Ignore him. Ignore him and maybe he’ll go away. Please. You say nothing in response, but speed up your pace. Your heart begins to beat harshly in your chest. “What? I’m not good ‘nough for ya?” The voice is darker this time, an angry affliction rising to the surface. 

Fingers grasp your arm, spinning you around. You let out a surprised yelp. The man stands less than a foot away, staring down at you. "Please let me go." You pull your arm from his grip. Or, you try to. Oh stars, he's really not letting go! Fingernails dig into your forearm. 

Your eyes scan the area for someone, anyone to help. There’s nobody else around. It’s getting dark. Nobody knows where you are. You don’t even know where you are. How stupid can you be?!

“Ya hurt my feelings.” His tone is playful, the look in his eyes decidedly not. He begins to lean forward and you can smell the alcohol on his breath. “Gimme a kiss to make me feel better.” Oh fuck no. You start to pull away frantically, but nothing happens. Shit shit shit. He’s too close. You can hear your heartbeat, plain as day, a panicked drumbeat echoing throughout your body. Your forgotten emotions make a quick comeback: fear, panic, pain, regret, grief…

Anger.

No. FUCK this. Your free hand curls into a fist. In a frenzied movement, you swing your fist toward his face. It hits. Hard. Pain flares up your arm. The man yells, hand letting go of your arm to fly towards his face.

Don’t hesitate. Run.

“You bitch!” The scream from behind you lights a fire at your heels.

Fast. Faster. Get out. Get away. Now.

You clear the park bolting across the street without checking for cars. Dumb, but you make it, running down the sidewalk. People stare at you as you pass them, or grumble as you get in their way. Nobody says anything. Your mind is frantic. You think of nothing but escape. Like prey.

Run. Hide. So he can’t find you. Where? Where to go? Where to hide? Where even are you? You don’t recognize anything. Where am I? Where am I?!

An engine revs behind you. Is that him? It can’t be. Can it? Fuck. You need to get off the streets. It’s too easy to find you here. You take a sharp turn down an alleyway, disappearing into the dark. But you don’t stop running. The noise scatters creatures away. Cats? Rats? Giant cockroaches? Fuck if you know. Fuck if you care.

You run until there is nowhere left to run. A dead end in the alley, with only two locked doors. Your legs scream at you the second you stop, begging for a break. You have to comply, collapsing against the dirty wall and breathing heavily. I can’t go back out there. Who knows where the asshole is. Did he even follow me? You close your eyes. The man's face flashes in your mind, startling your eyes back open. You will the image to go away, but your brain betrays you. It replays the encounter over and over in your head until the man's appearance blurs into a hoodie, into a man with a gun pointed right at you. 

"Oh, the things I could do to you." 

You let out a -frankly pathetic- sound and curl up into yourself, as small as possible against the wall. The adrenaline is leaving and you don't know if you have the energy to get up. You can't catch a breath fully, breathing in and out in ways that shake your entire body. 5 minutes pass...10 minutes...

Fuck. 

Your head slams back painfully against the concrete wall behind you as you look up, trying to force your body to calm down enough to even breathe. You know you are hyperventilating, but the knowledge doesn't make it stop. Close your eyes. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

It takes a while, but eventually, you get your breathing under control. You open your eyes, tilting your head to look up at the sky. It’s dark, too far into the city to see any stars. Your heart screams for your friends: BP, Sans, Luke. Anyone really. How could I be so damn stupid? Where am I? How am I going to get back? Just the idea of going back out to the street sends echoes of panic through your veins. It's the only option, you know that you can't just sit here forever. Eventually, you'll either have to go out or someone will come in. Neither option is particularly great.

What if he's still out there?

It's irrational, yes, but irrational fears don't just go away when you know they are irrational. The chances that the man was able to keep up with you, or even tried to follow you are very low. Still, you need to hype yourself up a bit before even moving. Okay...I'll get up in 5....4...3....2-

A loud crash echoes down the alley, startling you harshly. You freeze in your movements. What was that? The critters from before? 

A dark figure walks into your line of vision.

No way.

You push yourself up from the wall, eyes wide. "Sans?" You whisper, voice shaky and unbelieving. The figure pauses, eye-lights snapping to you. "Sans." You take a step forward, another, another, before you run at the skeleton, stopping just a few steps away. You stare at him with wide eyes. Sans. Oh fuck. It's really him. Relief fills the emptiness inside of you, leading the way for the rest of your paused emotions. Sans is here. He's here. You're not alone. You're safe. 

The skeleton looks sort of how you feel: panicked and tired. He is breathing a bit harder than you'd expect, blue sweat dotting his forehead. His eye lights move franticly over you, stopping briefly at your chest, before focusing on your hand. "what happened? are you okay?"

You follow his vision, bringing your hand up. Oh, there's some blood. You didn't notice before. "It's not mine." You say, your own voice sounding hollow in your head. 

"not what i'm asking here. are you okay?!” The deep voice repeats. You notice that he keeps looking around the alley as if there is something devious hiding in a dark corner. 

“Im okay.” You attempt to assure. The skeleton doesn't say anything. "I'm okay." You repeat. Oh…that had a bit of a wobble to it, didn't it? You take in a small breath and try again. “I-I’m okay.” Even worse. The tears lining your eyes begin to stream steadily down your face. Your shoulders begin to shake. Quickly, you raise a hand to cover your mouth, attempting to hide the sobs threatening to escape.

“I’m not okay.”

In a fluid movement, Sans takes a step toward you. Skeletal arms reach out to wrap around your back, pulling you forward. You bury your face in his shoulder, arms falling limply to your side. The dam breaks with one loud sob.

You’ll never know exactly how long you stood with him in the dark alley, crying into his hoodie. But eventually the sobs quiet into sniffling. You attempt deeper breaths, attempt to get yourself under control. Exhaustion begins to creep into your bones. Your head still hurts, eyes burning but unable to shed more tears. “Thank you." You whisper.

The arms around you tighten suddenly. “hold on.” You obey without question, wrapping your arms around his waist. Huh. How does he have a waist? Shouldn't his hoodie just sink in? Thinking about it too much hurts your head.

The floor disappears beneath you, pausing your thoughts. It happens too quickly for you to do anything. Too quick for fear or panic or emotions at all. Suddenly there is no air. But you don't need to breathe. Have you ever needed to breathe? You are everywhere. You are nowhere. Do you even exist?

Your feet hit ground. Air returns and you take in a deep breath. Immediately you realize what has happened. A shortcut. You just took one of his shortcuts. It's cool, but you’re too emotionally exhausted to really react. For a long moment, you keep your eyes closed, your face buried in his sweater. At first, you assume he must have taken you back home. But…it’s cold. Really cold actually. Wind hits you harshly from the side, sneaking under your coat and sending shivers up your spine. The air smells…different. Fresh?

Sans waits patiently until you pull back, unwrapping your arms from his unexplainable waist slowly. You open your eyes. He is looking back at you, eye lights the size of dimes. The concern is visible all through his features. You attempt a reassuring smile, but it’s weak and Sans does not look too reassured. Still, his arms fall from around you. Standing on your own again, you turn to see where you are.

“What the…” The Manhattan skyline looms in front of you, bright and wonderful in the distance. It’s a sight you’ve only seen in pictures and movies. The skyscraper lights brighten the sky and dance in their reflection in the water. How is this possible? Where are we? A boat? But…we’re so high up.

Oh. It hits you suddenly, the impossible idea. You look down at your feet. You're standing on a greenish metal surface. Holy shit. No way. But there's no mistaking the circular structure you’re standing upon, or the large spikes sticking out towards the city.

Sans takes a few steps forward, deciding to sit right on the edge of the structure with his legs dangling off. It's dangerous. Crazy. “c'mon." He pats the area beside him. You pause. “i won’t let you fall.”

No…you don’t think he would.

Ah, fuck it. Taking a few steps forward, you join him. You sit close to him, leaving only an inch or two between your shoulders. And there you are, sitting dangling your feet off the side of the -holy shit- Statue of Liberty. For a long time, the two of you sit in silence. Both lost in thought. The wind is rough, sending your hair flying in all sorts of directions. It’s cold, but you don’t complain. It makes you feel alive. You cherish that feeling right now. After everything. You glance at your companion. He’s staring at the skyline, lights reflecting a bit off the white of his bones. It’s surreal, wonderful.

“I can’t believe it." You say, voice almost covered entirely by the wind. His head turns towards you. “I'm here…but I was there…and you…" You can’t bring yourself to say any of it. It’s all too much right now, as if you'd break the moment you admit it. “Thank you Sans.”

"it's nothing." He glances away with a shrug. You can barely hear his voice. “my fault you were even out there.”

You narrow your eyes. “Sans, no. I said some shitty things that I didn’t mean. You don’t- I mean…I’m not scared of you. Not anymore. Not at all.” Letting out a long breath, you look back at the skyline. "I haven’t been for a while now.”

The skeleton lets out a hum, leaning back on his hands. "so, what happened?"

"Some creep in the park." You mutter, looking down at your hand. "He grabbed me. I don't really know what he intended but..." 

"heh. you punched him?" 

That pulls a chuckle out of you. "Yeah. Nobody talks about how much it hurts." You let that sit for a minute, looking out at the scenery in front of you. "I panicked." You admit. "I ran, I don't know how far. I ran as far as I could, I found the alley and just...I don't know...panicked." Stars, your words are failing you.

"i get it." Sans says. "i've, uh, had that too." You turn to look at the skeleton with wide eyes. That is an admission you would never have expected from him. Sans doesn't meet your eye, just stares out at Manhattan. 

"How did you know where I was?" You change the subject. 

There's a long silence, to the point where you wonder if he'll just ignore you. Then he finally turns to look at you. The grin is back on his face, even if it seems a bit to tight to be real. "magic." He wiggles his fingers lazily in the air. A lie. You look away, ignoring the painful ping in your heart. 

The two of you sit in silence for a long time. In the beginning, your mind plays re-runs of the events that just occurred, as if trying to categorize and make sense of it all. Eventually though, you have to give up. There will be years to cope with all of that. For now, you just want to forget it all. To sit and enjoy the impossible scenery in front of you with a friend. 

Debbie would freak out if she saw me right now.

Your lips curl slightly in a smile as you think of the expression that would be on her face when you tell her about this, about all of this. Oh, how your life has changed. And to think, it all started with a dumpster. That dumpster that somehow became one of the most influential locations in your life. It's where you met both BP and Sans, although you try not to remember the later meeting. At the time, you never would have guessed that you'd make friends with either of them. That the eyes staring out at you from the dumpster would become ones that you find happiness in seeing every day, or the skeletal "mask" grinning dangerously in the alleyway behind the diner would become something you'd be relieved to see in another alleyway later on. But it had happened. Somehow.

With that train of thought comes another wave of guilt. You really had said some nasty things to Sans yesterday. You know why you’d said them, to be honest. To hurt him. You’d picked the words that you knew would hurt the worst, even if they were untrue. Why? Because he said you were selfish? Shit, why am I like this?

“I’m sorry." 

“sorry.” Huh?

The apologies came at the same time. You turn to face the skeleton with wide eyes. He stares back at you, expression mimicking yours. For a second, you both are quiet. Sans is the first to break, chuckling. You join in a moment later. It's a bit hysterical, a natural attempt of both of you to lighten the tension in the metaphoric room. 

The moment doesn’t last long. The two of you quiet down pretty quickly, but reality weighs a little bit lighter on you at having found someone to share it with. “Is this where you were today?” You ask. Is this where you disappear to?

“i come here to think.” He replies. “i used to spend hours here, come early to watch the sunset. i used to think it was the most beautiful thing.” A pause. "i wanted to bring pap up here some day." You’re surprised at the sudden honesty, as well as the mention of his brother.

“That sounds nice.” You smile at him. Part of you longs to ask more, to pry. If Sans was so close to his brother, why do they not talk now? What happened? He might actually tell you right now. It’s tempting. But, you don't know if you can take the weight of more drama at the moment. You take in a breath, and pivot. “We should watch it sometime.”

It’s the right thing to say. His face lights up, eye sockets widening and pinpricks of light growing slightly in size. The smile on his face relaxes slightly. More sincere. He nods. “yea.”

A bony hand reaches towards you, palm up. “well, ready to go back?”

Yea, you really are. You smile at him fondly and take the outstretched hand. “Beam me up Scotty.” He pauses, his eyes narrowing in confusion. Ah, no general Star Track knowledge then. “Ah, forget it." You giggle. “I’ll show you sometime."

And like that, you disappear.

Chapter Text

October

“Wait! Where are you-“ The door slams shut. “…going?” BP stares at the door, now alone in the much too quiet apartment. His ears slowly raise back from his skull, tail swishing behind. What was all that about? What the hell made her go off like that?

With a small sigh, he pushes himself up from the couch. A little lost at what to do now, he starts picking up after them all. The least I can do...I guess. First, he goes for the dishes, grabbing the mug and reaching for the plate. Wait. Something catches his eye and he pauses, hand frozen midair. Is that her phone?  Swallowing harshly, his paw passes the plate entirely to pick up the flip phone instead. She forgot her phone. Of course. Shit. 

An odd feeling of dread begins in his chest, threatening to claw up his throat. It should be fine, right? But he feels his tail starting to poof up. Something just doesn't feel right about this. The look in her eyes as she left was so...unnatural for her. But, everyone deserves their moments of peace...right? Attempting to push away that feeling of impending doom, he puts the phone in his pocket and continues to tidy up. Eventually, the place looks relatively good again -as good as this rundown apartment could ever look; yet, the memory of her eyes and the phone in his pocket are never far from his mind. 

Plopping back down on the couch, he tries to relax. It doesn't work. The apartment is too quiet and his mind too loud. His hand taps at the phone through his pocket. Ah, screw it. Taking it out, he unlocks the phone -not like she ever tried to hide the password from him- and rifles through the contacts. There aren't many, and he finds the one that he's after in mere seconds. With only a moment of hesitation, he hits the call button and puts the phone to his ear. It's not made for monsters. It's too small for his head and doesn't reach completely down to his mouth. Its awkward, a reminder of just how out of place he is here. The phone rings four times before a deep voice picks up. "Yuh?"

A deep breath.“King, it’s BP-“

“Who?”

He pauses, ears going back. Ah, shit. “Uh…it’s Burgy.” A sound of acknowledgement from the other side. Of course that's the name that King would know him by. Guy never would speak of him as anything other than the nickname. He doesn't mind really, but it never sounds right coming from anyone but the rabbit monster. "Can I talk to Guy?"

There is a pause, long enough that he wonders if he misunderstood the situation, before he hears a grunt and the phone goes silent. BP frowns, bringing the phone up to see the screen. It's still connected, so he hasn't been hung up on. But what is King doing? BP's heart beats a little harder than before. The other monster had mentioned time and again that king is a 'good human' and has done many things to help out the monster, but what if this is the limit? 'Good humans' don't own monsters, right? And what BP is doing right now violates a few laws that he knows about. Monsters are not allowed to use the phone without permission from their 'owners', and two monsters talking to each other on the phone is basically unheard of. Would King say something? If he did, would the MRC be called right over? What would happen to-

“Burgy?” A soft voice drifts from the phone.

BP immediately places the phone back to his ear. "Hi..." He responds, letting out a long breath of relief. King hasn't done anything except grab Guy. Thank the Stars.

“Whats wrong?” Guy's voice is a little louder now, coated in concern. BP opens his mouth to reply but nothing comes out. What do I say? How do I even start? Does he start with the other inhabitants of the apartment, the drama that they've surrounded themselves in? Does he voice his concerns at how she left, that stone that's been sat at the bottom of his stomach since the door slammed behind her? Or....? He takes in a stuttering breath, memories of the MRC headquarters flittering through his mind. Those awful things he'll never truly forget. Does he talk about that? So much has happened. Why am I even calling? I shouldn't burden him with this- 

“I’m coming over.” What? Guy's voice immediately pushes through the spiralling thoughts. "Tonight."

He can't help it, his ears immediately perk up at the idea. But... "Hey-no, you have work and nobody else is here so it's just me and it's not important-"

"It's important if it's you!" Guy interrupts, words sending jolts of warmth into BP's chest. "It's been a while since we had the chance to hangout just us." The voice on the other end of the phone is cheerful, but there's a level to it that BP knows well: that stubbornness that led to the formation of their...friendship. "I'll just talk to King. I'll be there soon!" 

"Uh, yea, see you soon."

An hour later and no sign of Guy.

BP paces around the coffee table, tail swishing wildly behind him. His mind has been full of unproductive, circular thoughts for the past twenty minutes. Why is he not here? Has something happened? What if he was attacked? What if he’s hurt? His breath hitches at that thought, claws appearing and retracting as he clenches his paws. This is my fault. I should have pushed back further. I should have just said no. I should have-

A sound breaks through his thoughts. A knock. His head swings towards the direction of the front door. Immediately he is racing towards it, heart in his throat. His paw stops inches from the doorknob. Shit, here he was about to make another rash decision. Who knows what is actually on the other side? Obviously, he hopes it's Guy, but it could be anyone really. Straightening up, he looks through the peephole. "I swear if it's fucking Jerry-" 

A blue bunny stands on the other side, grinning at the peephole. BP swings the door open in one motion, wincing as it bangs loudly against the opposite wall. Guy's smile gets wider and he holds up a paper bag. "Not Jerry, sorry to disappoint!" 

For a brief moment, BP just stares. Then the relief hits, hard in his chest. His shoulders go down for the first time in half an hour, paws unclenching as he relaxes. He's safe, that's all that matters. “C’mon in.” He turns around, leading the way into the apartment. Guy follows quietly, closing and locking the door behind him. “What took you so long?”

"What do you mean? It's only been an hour." A hand lands on his shoulder, forcing him to pause on his way to the couch. Guy appears in his line of sight, eyes narrowed slightly in concern. "Oh, Burgy...were you worried about me?"

“No.” He looks away.

“I’m sorry.” Guy frowns. “ I didn’t mean to worry you. I just, well-" His sentence cuts off as he lets go of BP’s shoulder to reach inside his bag. He watches as the other monster ruffles through it for a few seconds before seemingly finding whatever he was looking for. A grin appears on his face as he pull out a bottle of-

BP’s jaw drops. “No way.”

“Oh yes.” Guys grin grows more devious than he’s ever seen before. Monster alcohol.

Human liquor, much like human food, does its job. Monsters can ingest both and live. Human food just tastes…off to Monsters. It’s weird and most of the energy does not convert well into the magic that Monsters need in order to survive. Eating human food will leave a Monster always half-hungry. It’s similar to human liquor. Monsters can get tipsy off the stuff, but that’s about all.

“How?”

“I’ve had it for a while actually.” Guy mutters, walking over to sit on the couch. BP follows, eyes unable to leave the bottle. “Grillby gave it to me a while back, so you know it's the good stuff. ”

BP quickly turns to face the other monster. “Grillby is alive?"

The other’s eyes widen for a moment, before softening.“I keep forgetting that you’ve been gone so long.” Guy sighs, reaching out to put a hand on the cat monster's arm. “He was here years ago. He showed up in New York with a collar around his neck. There were posters advertising him all over the city: ‘Come meet the monster of fire.’ King was able to arrange for us to go to the show and…” The monster trails off for a second, looking disturbed. Then he shakes his head. “Well anyways, that was when monster-fever was still a thing. When interest started to fade, he disappeared. I haven't seen him since.”

The two sit in silence for a long moment, both lost in thought. “So why bring it now?” After all these years of keeping it, likely a secret from even King.

The other’s face pulls into a small smile. “You sounded like you really needed it.” Well shit, he hadn’t realized he sounded that bad. “Do you…want to talk about it?” BP stares at him for a few seconds. No, he doesn’t want to talk about it. But...he knows the consequences of keeping all of this in. 

“Give me that first.” He reaches out, grabs the bottle from Guy and pops open the top. Raising it to his lips, he takes a small sip. Oh. It tastes like home, like those late nights in Waterfall with Catty and Bratty -many many years ago, before things got weird between them- drinking Monster Alcohol stolen from their parents cabinets, like heading out of a long shift at MTT Resort just to be invited to a house party at Aarons, of sitting in a circle in Snowdrake's basement watching a bottle spin around and praying to the stars it lands on the blue bunny across from him. They weren't all memories he'd consider good at the time, but damn if he wasn't glad he has them. BP takes another sip, a small moan pulling from his lips. Oh, how he missed this. There is a small laugh from the side. He glances over at Guy. It takes him a second to realize why the other monster looks so amused. He feels his cheeks warm as he shoves the bottle back at Guy, who just laughs again before taking a sip himself.

The two are quiet for a long time, passing the bottle back and forth. Eventually, the mood begins to shift and Guy starts to prompt conversation. “So, this is about the MRC headquarters?”

BP swallows a large sip, nodding. The "It was...horrible." He closes his eyes, pinched look on his face nothing to do with the strong liquor. “At first it wasn’t so bad, just like a regular human office. But, the further we went the more messed up things became.” He pauses, opening his eyes to stare blankly ahead. “We found a room full of dead bodies.” Guy sucks in a surprised breath. “Human and monster, both.”

“Experimentation?”

“Probably.” He sighs. The tightness in his chest increases. “The monsters, they looked like they’d been there for weeks. It wasn’t pretty.”

“But monsters don’t-“

“Yea I know.” He interrupts. “The humans were worse though. Bodies cut up, dried blood everywhere. It was…rough.” His paws start to shake. “Th-there was a body there with no head, flayed open with the insides everywhere. How can…how can humans do that to their own species? I don’t understand, I-”

The world around him spins as he’s suddenly pulled sideways into another body. BP only realizes that he's shaking as Guy's arms wrap around him, the other monster resting his chin between his hears. "Don't say anymore if you don't want to." He says. BP goes silent, slowly trying to get his breath under control. When exactly did it get out of control? It takes longer than he's comfortable with to calm down, but even when he's fully relaxed he doesn't pull away. 

“Did you tell her?” The whisper from above sends shivers down his spine. BP shakes his head slowly in response. “Where is she anyways?”

“Don’t know.” He replies, words quiet. “She left.” The feeling of dread from before makes a resurgence. “She doesn’t have her phone on her.” He sits up, and Guys arms fall from around him. “I don’t know what to do.” It’s not like he can go look for her. A monster on its own on the streets would be arrested quickly.

“What about Sans?”

“Huh. What about Sans?” He looks at Guy.

“He can get around the city quickly, right? Can’t he look for her?” The bunny monster suggest.

"That's...actually not a bad idea." He reaches for the phone, quickly finding Sans' contact information. But he pauses. “They got into a fight yesterday. It was pretty bad.” BP looks at the rather pathetic messages that she had sent Sans earlier. No response. What makes him think that Sans would respond now? Still, he has to try.

6:02 pm

[BP]: It’s BP. She’s gone.

He clicks 'send', and the phone begins to ring almost immediately. BP shares a look with Guy. Heh, he should have known better than to doubt. He picks up after the second ring.

"what do you mean, she's gone?!" The voice is too loud. BP groans, pulling the phone away from his ear. 

“She left Sans. Don’t know where she went. She left her phone here though.” There's a long pause, the harsh sound of wind the only thing coming through the receiver. Without it, he would have thought Sans hung up. "It's getting dark." BP prompts, hearing the undertone of worry in his own voice. 

“i’ll find her.” The phone clicks off.

[Sans]: found her

[BP]: Alll gud?

[Sans]: yup

[Sans]: drunk already?

[Sans]: its only 10

[BP]: fuk u.

For a moment you don’t exist. You do exist?

You are everything. Nothing.

Everywhere. Nowhere.

This feeling is familiar. Huh.

Then your feet hit the ground, and you're back to reality. It ends just as quick as it starts. You open your eyes, heartbeat loud in your ears. The first thing you see are familiar eye sockets staring back at you, eyes the size of coins. A feeling of comfort washes over you. You take a deep breath and attempt to calm your racing heart. Holy shit. Teleportation. You just teleported again! 

Trying not to seem as excited as you are, you casually look around. You're back in the apartment. The familiar setting feels weird when you remember where you had just been (which, HOLY SHIT). You let go of the bony hand. Everything seems exactly as you left it, almost as if this crazy night never happened. It helps -a bit- to push everything aside. No, not exactly a healthy coping mechanism, but necessary right now. You'll unpack everything that happened tomorrow. 

Maybe.

“looks like someone has company.” Sans’ voice brings you back to the present. You look at him before following his line of vision towards the door. Ah. There's an extra set of boots tossed half-hazardly near the doorframe, an unfamiliar coat hung up on the rack. You glance over to BP's room. The door is completely closed. A small grin pulls itself onto your face. Ah, young love. You snicker a bit a the thought, imagining BP’s reaction to your musings.

It's then that you notice your cellphone sitting on the coffee table. In only a few steps, you're able to pick it up.Oh, cellphone. I’ll never leave you again. You flip it open to see if you have any notifications, but pause as the screen lights up. Shit, it's past midnight. You let out a sigh, flipping the phone closed and sitting back on the couch. "It's late. We should probably get to bed or something."

“yea, probably.” Sans mumbles, plopping down beside you. A moment passes. Neither of you move.

“I’m not tired though.” You feel wired, actually. You look over at the skeleton, recognizing a familiar energy in him. “Star Warp?”

“i thought it was called star track?” He looks over, tone interested.

“Oh, no, two different things. Star Warp is essentially a space western. Sound good?” You’re rewarded with a small nod. Pocketing your phone, you reach for the laptop on the coffee table. Opening it, you browse for online versions of the movies. It takes you longer than you'd want to find it with the slower internet, but you do still find it. Eventually the buffering is done and everything is ready. You place the laptop in a good spot on the table and curl up into yourself on the couch. "Press play whenever you're ready."

Something suddenly blocks your vision. You blink a few times before your eyes can focus on the item in front of you. A wine bottle? It has a label, but you don't recognize the characters on it at all. You look over at Sans, question evident in your expression. Where did he even get that? And it’s half empty? How could- oh.

“Should we really be stealing their alcohol?” You ask, glancing over to BP’s closed door. “There’s not enough in there to do anything anyways.” Not with either of your tolerance levels anyways. The night in the park had proven that. When you look back at Sans, a wicked grin has appeared on his face.

"it's monster alcohol." He says, shaking the bottle a bit for emphasis. Huh? Monster booze?  He chuckles. "it's strong enough, trust me." You stare at him for a moment longer, before shrugging and reaching over to grab the bottle. The skeleton lets you take it easily, and you take a swig. The taste is...strangely missing. It tastes a bit like water. …fizzy water? …that disappeared before it hit your stomach? …what?

Sans lets out a full laugh, and somehow the last bit of tension between you both is gone. “ah, you shoulda seen your face.” He grabs the bottle and takes a swig himself. “monster alcohol doesn’t work like human alcohol.”

You can’t help but ask. “How does it work?”

“magic.” He smirks, wiggling his fingers in the air. You roll your eyes, reaching over to push at him playfully. He just laughs and hands you back the bottle.

“Burgy.”

No.

“Burgy, wake up!”

BP groans, refusing consciousness in favour of curling up into the fluffy blanket around him. It's nice. Warm and comfortable. Why would he want to leave? The blanket begins to shake, short sounds coming from around him. Huh? Grudgingly, he slowly opens his eyes to...blue fur. Craning his head up, he comes face to face with the rabbit monster. "Wha...?"

Guy continues to laugh, the sound moving his entire body. “It’s morning, I need to get back to the restaurant.” The other monster says, managing to speak in between his giggles. BP just stares at him, brain quickly pulling together memories from last night. His face get warmer and he just hopes the other monster doesn't notice. After a moment, he starts to wonder why Guy isn't moving if he's in a hurry. He looks down between the two of them. Oh. OH.

They are completely wrapped around each other. If they were the same colour, he'd not know whose body part was whose. He's currently laying on one of Guy's arms, head buried into his chest. Their legs are completely intertwined, his tail coiled around the others waist. BP stares down as he feels the warmth on his face spread.

“Oh, uh, yea.” He mumbles, finally looking away. Untangling himself from the other monster takes longer than he’d like to admit, especially since the bunny monster seemed content to let BP figure it out on hi own. Eventually, the two are able to get out of bed, stretching their limbs. The cat monster eyes his clothes on the floor, determining them a loss until he can do laundry. At least he still has a few more items. He pulls on some clean clothes and turns back around. 

Oh stars. Guy is right there -dressed, thankfully. "Hey..." The other monster starts, voice soft. BP looks up to meet his eyes, soul jumping in his chest at the look in them. Shit. He is unable to move as the taller monster leans down, pressing his lips against his in a soft and sweet kiss. "I'm glad I came over last night."

Shit. His soul feels like it's about to fly away. "Uh, yea. Me too." 

With a small smile, Guy turns to head out the door. He stretches his arms in the sky as he walks, apparently unaware of the absolute chaos he's left in the monster behind him. BP follows behind, mind reeling and eyes unable to focus on anything but the area of blue fur revealed as Guy's shirt moves -which is ridiculous, neither of them had clothing on just a moment ago. He manages to break out of it as the other stops stretching to unlock and open the door. 

“Oh!” There is a quiet gasp. Guy freezes in the doorway, effectively blocking the way. BP waits a moment, watching as those floppy ears twitch above him, before raising a paw to his back and pushing lightly. 

“Let me through.” He says. The bunny monster takes a second to move, but eventually continues his way into the living room. BP uses the opportunity to follow him through. He can practically feel the excitement radiating off the other monster. What has Guy so worked up? He looks around the area.

Oh, that. That would do it.

“don’t say a word.” The skeleton warns. The sight on the couch is not what BP expected to see this morning. Sans sits at the far end of the couch, legs up on the coffee table and leaning against the corner. It looks...mildly comfortable at best. The rest of the couch is taken up by her. She's completely passed out, arm dangling off the edge and snoring lightly. Her head lays barely on a pillow at one side and her socked feet rest in the skeleton's lap. BP stares at the scene in surprise. It's no secret that the skeleton is not a big fan of touch. Not by monsters and definitely not by humans. It's new, something that happened after monsters were 'free' from the Underground. It's not that Sans is touch-averse or anything, but to see him willingly sitting there with a human using him as a foot rest is...unexpected to say the least. And, seriously, how is any of this comfortable?

“I guess you two made up?” BP grins. “Do you want me to get her to bed?”

Sans looks down for a moment. “nah, she’ll wake up soon anyways.” 

If he thought he was surprised before, it's nothing compared to now. He gave Sans an easy out, and the skeleton still decided to stay where he is. “What happened?” BP asks, taking a few steps forward.

“stole your booze.” Sans replies through a yawn. He gestures towards the laptop. “watched some movies.”

"Sans…” He frowns, voice dropping slightly. "You know what I meant. What happened?" 

For a moment Sans just looks at him, calculating. Then he shrugs. “ask her tomorrow.” His whispered words hold a tone of finality. BP knows that he'll get nothing more from the other monster. He doesn't know how he feels about that. Sans would mention if it was important, right? But how could last night not be important? A bit of awkward silence follows.

“i see you had a fun night.” BP’s brain freezes. What. Sans’ face suddenly houses a mischievous grin. His eyebrow bones raise expectantly, and he nods towards the door. BP turns around. Guy is standing at the door with his coat and boots on. They look a bit thin, a bit ill-fitted. BP frowns at that.

“Thanks for having me over last night!” Guy smiles widely, taking a few steps forward towards BP. In a fluid motion, the other monster's hand reaches up to cup his chin, pulling his head slightly up. He closes the gap between them.

Shit, Guy really is a wonderful kisser.

It’s over as quickly as it started. Guy pulls away with a soft smile, taking a few steps back. He winks. “King will be here soon to pick me up. I have to go. Bye Sans! Bye Burgy!” The bunny monster gives a big wave and leaves, closing the door behind him. BP stares at the door with wide eyes, warmth pooling yet again In his chest. Then he turns around.

Oh shit. He forgot about Sans. The skeleton is still in his position on the couch, but those eye lights are staring straight at him. The grin on his face has grown exponentially. Then the eyebrow bones begin to wiggle.

“Oh shut up.” Ears flattening to his head, he stomps past the couch into the kitchen. It’s going to be a multiple-cups-of-coffee type day.

Chapter Text

October

A distant slam drags you back into unwilling consciousness. You let out a small groan, but refuse to open your eyes; taking a moment to breathe before fully committing to this whole ‘awake’ thing. A scam, truly.

The first thing you really notice is your uncomfortable position. Usually, you stretch out in bed and take up as much space as possible. But now, you're laying half on your side. A slight pain echoes up your back. You move a bit, attempting to ease the discomfort. As you do you become aware of a dull pain in your head. Ugh. That's a familiar-enough pain. A hangover.

"-awake?”  Your eyes snap open at the deep voice, searching out the source. Sans sits on the other end of the couch, a mischievous grin on his face that just can't be for you. Your eyes slide down to his lap, where your feet currently rest. 

“Oh, sorry!” You exclaim, sliding your feet towards you. He shakes his head, dismissing your apology. A yawn pulls itself from your mouth, and you rub at one of your eyes absently. Why are you on the couch anyways?

Another distant slam breaks you from that train of thought. You push yourself up on your elbows. If Sans is here, it must be BP slamming stuff in the kitchen. Or Guy -you suppose-, but he doesn’t seem the type.

“So what’s his deal?” You ask.

The skeleton lets out a small laugh, the grin on his face growing. “he’s just embarrassed.” He stretches his arms above his head. “he tried to sneak guy out this morning.” Well, they were obviously unsuccessful. That imagery is great. But…

“Aw, I missed it?” You mumble, finally pushing yourself into an upright cross-legged position on the couch. The two of you sit in silence for a moment, before you turn your head towards the kitchen.

“BP?” You call out.

“…yea?” The voice responding to your call is full of suspicion. Well, you suppose he has a right to it.

“Can you make me some coffee?” Sans sends you a surprised look. You shrug. You’re not exactly planning to embarrass your friend anymore. For now. “And maybe check to see if we have any Esprin?”

“Sure little buddy.”

An hour later finds the three of you sitting around the rickety kitchen table. An off atmosphere permeates the room. You and BP both have now-empty cups of coffee in front of you. Sans has a mug of...something that he sips out of occasionally. BP had absolutely refused to make the skeleton any coffee, but the skeleton had simply disappeared and reappeared in the kitchen with a steaming mug. He has been sipping consistently from it for the past forty-five minutes, but it never seems to run out.

Monster magic maybe? Who knows.

You bite your lip and tap nervously on your thigh. There are more important things to worry about right now, like how (if?) you're going to bring up the upcoming meeting with Mettaton to Sans. You glance at the clock. It's still morning; there's plenty of time for things to go wrong. Normally, the three of you would be talking and joking like normal. There wouldn't usually be this...odd silence hanging over you. It's your fault, you've been dropping every conversation attempted. BP sends you another confused look. You sheepishly smile back. Ugh. You need to say something...but can you? Well, you kind of have to...but...do you really?

You want to keep it a secret, overwhelmingly so. After all, Sans had reacted horribly the last time you even mentioned his brother. But…you don’t want to lie to your friend -and holy shit, when did you start thinking of the skeleton as a friend? Last night felt like such a breakthrough in your relationship. The memory remains something you think will forever be a source of awe and wonder for you. 

The two of you sitting on top of the freaking Statue of Liberty in the middle of the night. The wind harsh and unforgiving, and the conversation anything but. It was such a surreal experience. A small smile grows on your face. 

But, the night hadn't been all fantastic, had it?

Your chest constricts painfully. You can still feel that fear, that panic. Shit. The atmosphere and alcohol of last night had allowed you to push away the memories with practiced ease. If it hadn't been for Sans, shit, you don't know where you'd be right now. Your stomach turns over, heat beginning to pool behind your eyes at the memory.

“-are you okay?” Your head snaps up, towards the voice. Sans and BP sit opposite you at the table, staring at you in obvious concern.

“Heh, sorry.” You sigh, letting go of the mug. “I guess I spaced a bit, huh?”

“…a bit.” But the look on Sans’ face doesn’t lift. He tilts his head slightly to the side, eye sockets narrowing. You look away. The uncomfortable silence permeates the room. BP clears his throat and you can hear his tail swishing against the tiled floor.

What just happened? Why did just the…memory of that night send you into such a panic. You are okay. You survived. Nothing really even happened last night.

I am okay.

I survived.

The mantra repeats over and over in your head. After a few moments, your breathing settles again. When did it get bad in the first place? For a while, nobody says a word. The atmosphere remains thick and awkward. You carefully avoid looking at Sans, but send BP a -hopefully- reassuring smile. He gives a small one back, ears rising only slightly from his head.

You worry your bottom lip, bringing your mug up to take a drink. Oh, right. It’s empty. You place it back down on the table, the clink almost echoing in the room. Well, things can't get that much more awkward, right? This might be your best chance to have the dreaded conversation. With the bonus that it must be able to get your mind off the asshole from last night.

“Sans.” You finally look back at the skeleton. His eye sockets widen slightly in surprise, and he gives a kind smile. Ah, shit. If this whole thing goes bad….well, you better commit that smile to memory. “I have something to tell you.”

The Striped Pig turns out to be a surprisingly small and quaint-looking place. Huh. You don't know exactly what you were expecting, but a cute place to take a grandmother to lunch was not it. You had been nervous for the past few hours about where you'll end up. This place must be pretty good, however, as there is already a small line outside the door. A group of obvious tourists take photos with the large sign out front. You people watch for a few more minutes from across the street, leaning up against the opposite building's brick wall. An excuse to calm your stomach. 

One of the tourists - a balding man likely in his forties - lets out a deep laugh, loud and sudden. You tense up immediately, pressing back into the wall and watching with wide eyes. The rest of the group laughs with him, and they start walking away. When the tourists are out of sight, you let out a long breath and look at the sky. What the hell is my problem?

It's a beautiful autumn day. The sun is out and the air is crisp. But something has felt...wrong the entire day. You’ve been jumpy, unnaturally frightened of others. A stranger bumped into you on the subway -not an uncommon occurrence- and you’d almost screamed. You hadn't been able to stop yourself from jolting away, however, and received quite a few weird looks. You grab at your phone in your pocket, clenching your teeth. The urge to call BP or Sans, just to hear their voices, rises within you. You berate yourself for the thoughts, forcing yourself to let go of your phone.

"Hurry up!" You jolt as a person walks passed you quickly, yelling behind their shoulder. It takes you a moment to focus as the person - a business woman? - walks by. Her heels click loudly on the sidewalk. Glancing in the direction she was yelling, your eyes fall on a short figure. 

A monster, maybe two feet high, stumbles across the intersection. Its small legs work hard to try to catch up. It's holding papers under each arm, rolled up or stapled together. It adjusts its grip on the paper consistently as it struggles. You are instantly drawn to the huge eye that encompasses most of the monster's face. That, mixed with the horn on its head, reminds you a bit of that green monster from Monster Co. (one of your favourite childhood movies). But instead of a happy memory, this monster is wearing the MRC collar. A stark reminder of your harsh reality.

You stand up a bit straighter as the monster stumbles past you, your hands clenching into fists as you watch it struggle. The owner, a young woman dressed in a nice suit, heel-turns to yell at the poor creature to hurry up or it will be 'punished'. The monster lets out a sound that tears at your heart and pushes forward harder. A realization hits you hard.

I can’t help him.

Oh, you want to. Badly. You want to go and hit the 'owner', or offer to buy the monster from her, or something. But...shit. You can't bring any police or MRC attention to yourself, and you don't have enough money to buy a monster. God. Even that thought makes your stomach turns. Images of that Vulkin fading away into dust pop into your mind and send heat straight to your eyes. You still feel like you should have done something more for that monster, done something to that abusive piece of shit owner. That person could have another monster in her possession right now and could be abusing another living being. 

Can you allow this one to just walk away too?

Your hand twitches in indecision as they get further away from you. You are actively losing your chance. What would you even do? You can't afford to bring any attention to yourself, to your friends. You think of BP, of Sans, of Guy...even Jerry. Can you afford to do something that could jeopardize them? Gritting your teeth, you lean back against the wall and watch the monster until it disappears from sight.

You feel like absolute garbage.

A beep comes from your pocket: an alarm you'd set to tell you when it's time to go in. You suck in a frustrated breath and push off the wall to walk across the street. People send you looks of annoyance as you walk up to the front. You don't exactly blame them. Jumping the queue is a horrible thing to do. A man with a name tag is standing guard at the door, monitoring the line. “Um, hi.” You give a small wave. “I’m, uh, supposed to be meeting with someone inside right now.”

The employee- Tyler, according to his nametag- looks you up and down for a moment. “No.”

Wait. What. “Huh?” You look up at him with wide eyes. “Listen man, I’m supposed to be meeting…” You lower your voice to a whisper. “ Mettaton in there.”

“Riiiight.” Okay, THATS some of the heaviest sarcasm loaded onto one word you’ve heard in a while. Damn, Tyler.

You cross your arms across your chest. “Okay, look.” Now you’re getting a bit impatient. You don’t have time for this. Will Mettaton be upset if you’re late? He kinda seems the type. “Tyler, my man. Can you just go ask someone? Please? If they say no then I’ll leave. Just ask.” For a long moment, Tyler is silent. Then he signs, turning to disappear inside the door.

Taking a step out of the way, you have nothing to do but wait. You fidget a bit with the edge of your sleeve, attempting to ignore the stares that you can almost physically feel hitting your back. When the door eventually opens again, Tyler is flanked by a dark-haired man dressed in an expensive-looking suit. He looks like a bodyguard. A chill goes down your back as the guard (?) looks you over. Then he nods once and holds the door open for you. You take the invitation, sending a smug smile to Tyler as you walk inside. Haha, idiot. He ignores you completely.Rude. How does someone like that even get hired here?

The atmosphere inside is surprisingly comfortable, and the music is modern. Nothing is done ridiculously or over the top. You look around the room, not seeing any metal or bone monsters around. "Upstairs." The dark-haired man gestures towards a staircase leading to the second floor. There are two other bodyguards standing near the landing. Ah. That's a bit conspicuous. Alright then. You send the man a nervous smile and follow his lead up the stairs. 

The second floor of the Striped Pig is definitely meant to be a bar, but there is a moderately sized table sitting in the middle of the room. The table is dressed dramatically with candles and rose petals. You raise an eyebrow. Okay, that seems more like Mettatons taste. Speaking of, where is the-

“Darling!” You flinch as the robot appears out of seemingly nowhere from the right. Mettaton pauses with his arms out. A hug? Really? You stare at the robot without moving. He pouts attractively and lowers his arms. "Come and sit!" The metallic voice is much more joyful than the last time you met and reminds you more of how he sounds on TV. It seems to naturally set you at ease. You follow his directions, sitting opposite him at the table. The dark-haired bodyguard leaves, and you are alone with the famous monster. How is this my life?

The atmosphere changes almost instantly as the bodyguard disappears. That large smile drops from the robot's face, settling into a contemplative look as he leans forward, elbows on the table and head in his hands. He's studying you. You both want to look away from the intensity of his gaze and stare back at him defiantly. In the end you simply glance down at the table. That gaze...it feels like he can see your very soul. 

Oh god, this is awkward.

"So..." He leans back in his chair suddenly. "San is back in New York?" You open your mouth to respond but pause, looking around the room. Mettaton smiles lightly. "Good." He praises. "I eliminated all the recording devices before you arrived."

You relax only slightly, knowing that he could just as easily be lying. Still, you had to take a chance somewhere right? “Yea. He's here.”

“Papy will be happy to hear that. Why did you not tell him yourself?”

“I was, uh, unsure about your relationship with Sans.” You explain, looking away towards the bar. “He told us to stay away from you. I didn’t know if you were…bad?” You wince at your own wording, but the robot doesn’t react. He just fits you with the same studious stare.

“And he didn’t tell you why?”

“No.” But you’re damn curious.

“Then it's not my place to say.” Mettaton sighs, crossing his arms in front of his chest. You feel a tint of disappointment but push it away. “But…when we first came to New York, it wasn’t easy. People didn’t really believe in me yet. They were especially…suspicious of my relationship with Papy.” He pauses, seemingly thinking over his words. “There was an incident at about the year mark of them living here. Papy got hurt, badly.” You remember the large crack down the tall skeleton's face and a chill goes down your spine.

“Humans suck.” You whisper, looking down at the roses on the table.

A sharp laugh brings your attention back to the robot. “You got it, darling!" His arms uncross, laying down on the table. His voice lowers again. “I might have been… a bit harsh in how I sent Sans away. My poor Papy has never been the same, really." He lets out a long breath. Did robots need to breathe? “It was necessary. I do not regret it.”

You look at the robot, contemplating his words. He’s not telling you everything, obviously. And to say he… 'sent’ Sans away...it doesn’t make sense. Sans can teleport, he can’t be forced to be anywhere, right?

“Why are you telling me this?” The question is out of your mouth before you know it.

“I was watching you.” Mettaton gestures with his hand towards the window. Your eyes widen in surprise. “I admit, I’m curious about the type of human who could get a human-hater like Sans to trust them.” He pauses, raising a finger to tap at his chin. “So, when I saw you out there I just couldn’t resist a little look! And my-my it was perfect timing when the little Loox walked by.”

“Loox?”

“The monster, darling, do keep up.” Mettaton sighs. You suck in a deep breath, remembering the small, scarred monster. Along with the memory returns the feelings of absolute guilt and disappointment. You look away from the robot, hands clenching into fists. You wait to hear how he will berate you. “Oh, don’t get stress lines. You did fine.”

Wait. You look back to Mettaton in shock. “What?”

The robot levels you with an unreadable stare. “Was the Loox in immediate trouble?”

“No…”

"Was it hurt?'

“No, but-“

“No buts.” A robotic finger waves in the air, interrupting you. “We can’t fight everyone, at least without giving ourselves away. I believe you know why that would be not good.” At your nod, Mettaton sighs. “As much as we want to, we can't interfere in any non-dire circumstances.” The robots words are…reassuring. A bit. You still don’t feel right about it. “I can tell you care.” The metallic voice is softer than you've ever heard it. “There used to be a lot of people who cared, in the beginning. Humans and monsters fought loudly and angrily for equality once. Do you know what happened? They died.”

You look down at the tablecloth, unable to lock eyes with the monster. The original resistance had been broadcasted across the globe. You remember being young, watching the TV with rapt attention. It hadn’t seemed real, almost like a cartoon. People cheered it on like they would at a football game.

“This…revolution, whatever you want to call it… won't be won if we spread ourselves too thin. We learned this last time. If we fight every battle, we lose more allies than we help. There are so few of us now.” His voice is carefully steady, as only a public figure can be when discussing topics like this. “Now, we move in the shadows, at night, planning one coordinated attack of all we have left. That’s our only chance.”

The two of you fall into silence. You contemplate what you just heard. It makes sense, although it doesn’t really sit well with you. You think about what could have happened if you had said something about the Loox. Would you have gotten into a verbal fight? A physical one? Maybe the police would have been called? The MRC? There were monsters involved after all. In the end, there’s no way you would have made this meeting. Mettaton would have watched from the window as you fought. You wonder briefly what he would have thought. But you know now, he wouldn’t interfere. His role in this is too important for him to get involved in something so small. He wouldn’t give away years of work for this, for you. It's a sobering thought.

Suddenly your vision is covered in yellow. No. Gold. You blink a few times, spiraling thoughts stopping as you attempt to focus on what is in front of you. You can make out letters. A ticket?

You frown. “What's this?” Reaching out, you accept the tickets and squint at the cursive writing.

METTATON’S HALLOWEEN GALA.

No way. You look up at the robot in shock. Mettaton's parties are legendary with celebrities appearing from around the country, occasionally even the world.

“It has a plus one, for Sans.” The robot leans back in the chair with a smile. “It’s a costume party, with a 1990’s theme.”

“The 90's?" You question. It seems like a weird theme. You study the ticket a bit more. It must be worth thousands of dollars. And it's here in your hands. For you. Wow. "Can I have another ticket?"

"For who?" Mettaton asks. "I can't imagine Sans would be hanging around two humans."


“Uh, well. No. A monster.” You put the ticket on the table. “BP mentioned that he used to work for you...underground?"

“BP?” Mettaton tilts his head to the side, tapping on his cheek and producing a soft clinking sound. “Oh, Burgerpants?!” He pauses, eyes widening.

You nod with a small smile. “He's a friend of mine."

The monster stares at you with wide eyes, his mouth forming into a real smile. “Oh, darling you have to-“

A sudden commotion from the staircase interrupts his words. “METT WHY WAS I TOLD TO WAIT DOWNSTAIRS- OH MY-“ You turn around at the booming sound of Papyrus’ voice. The skeleton is standing at the top of the stairs, looking between you and Mettaton with gloved hands on his cheeks. “YOU TWO ARE BECOMING BEST FRIENDS?!”

“Of course Papy!” Mettaton takes the intrusion in stride, reaching over to rest a hand on your arm. You don’t flinch at all, huh. “I’m sorry they made you wait downstairs.”

But Papyrus is long over that. He takes two long-legged steps forward until he is beside you, reaching forward with his gloved hands to encompass yours. “THIS IS THE BEST SURPRISE!” You can’t help the laugh that pulls from within you. Something about Papyrus just makes you happy.

Both of the monsters insist that you stay for dinner, all expenses paid. It was...impossible to refuse Papyrus' face. The dinner was wonderful actually. It was the best food you’ve had in a while, and the conversation was hectic but fun. You found yourself laughing along most of the time. Mettaton seems to have relaxed completely around you. Still, the three of you stay on safe subjects. Nobody talks about the many major elephants in the room. 

In the end, you decline the offer for a ride home. You need the time to think. The three of you pile out the back entrance, where a luxury car is waiting for them. Papyrus pulls you into a big hug goodbye and pats you on the head before heading out to the car. You watch him get in with a smile and turn back to the robot.

“Here.” He’s holding out another ticket. “It’s for Burgerpants.” You accept the ticket, placing it with the original in your wallet. You’re very conscious of the fact that you now have two very valuable items on your person.

“Thank you." You smile. “For this and for…giving me a chance.”

The robot stares at you for a moment, before metallic limbs rush out towards you. He places his hands on your shoulders, leaning in. “I see why Sans likes you.” And that's all. He sends you a wink and turns away, following Papyrus into the car.

The car pulls away and you’re left alone behind the building, a bit confused by the heat you feel beginning in your cheeks. You begin your walk towards the main streets, snorting unattractively when you have to walk by a line of dumpsters. How fitting.  

Chapter Text

October

“Remind me why I need to be here again?”

You send a sympathetic look to BP as he steps out of the way of yet another person not paying attention to where they are going. NYC has been weird about that. Monsters are around enough that people don’t stare as the two of you walk down the street. That should be a good thing, but it seems to have flipped completely in the opposite direction. People ignore BP completely, often running into him and then yelling at you to control ‘your monster’. Ugh.

“The quicker we do this, the quicker we can leave.” You reply, flipping through the costume packets in front of you. No. No. No. No. Maybe…. eh, no.

“What about this?” BP’s voice is full of sarcasm as he holds up a packet with a generic skimpy maid uniform.

“That's what you want Guy to wear?” You reply with a snicker, reveling in how quickly BP’s cheeks get darker. The monster stutters and puts the packet back, letting it go as if it burned him. “It needs to be 90’s themed. As in, stuff that was around in the year between 1990 and 1999.”

“Well, I won’t be any help with that.” The cat replies, reaching his arms up to stretch.

“I know.”  You sigh, going back to the packets. “I need you here for sizing. I can get a general idea for me, you, and Sans.” You’ve lived long enough with them to guess. “But I have no idea about Guy.” There's a joke there, somewhere. You turn around and walk towards another section, BP following closely behind you.

That section ends up being completely useless. It’s frustrating, really. You have extremely specific needs for these costumes. They have to be more than just 90’s themed and the correct size. BP and Guy’s costumes need to be full-body, as the only monster officially allowed at the party is Papyrus. So their costume needs to cover everything. Sans can maybe get away with a more revealing one, but you’re not too sure. Honestly, you’re not too sure of this entire thing.

Ah, fuck if you know. But you’re damn well going to try. Getting Sans to agree to the entire thing had been…easier than expected. You suspect it has something to do with the fact that Papyrus will be there, and silently vow to get them to meet up somehow.

By the end of the next section, you begin to lose hope. At the very least, you can throw together three Yell costumes for the boys. The horror movie villain with its dark cloak and white mask is perfect to cover up everything. But three people going to an event together all dressed as Yell will definitely raise some flags.

You flip through the packets, wishing for another option. You pause.

Wait. What is this…

This could work. Maybe.

Holy shit. You raise a hand to your mouth, covering the growing grin. It’s a risk. Sans might not even let you do it but…oh it’s perfect. Now you just need to find some companioning outfits.

“We’re back!” You call out as you open the door.

The apartment is calm. Sans waves from the couch, laptop resting on his lap. You hear him pause whatever he's watching as you slide off your coat and boots. The increasing chill of the outdoors is starting to worry you a bit. All of you will need even thicker items soon enough. 

“what did you get?”

You jolt, looking up towards the voice. The skeleton is right there, less than a foot away from you. How? He made no sound. 

“Did you just….” You blink, looking from him to the area he just was. “From the couch?”

Sans gives you a lazy grin and reaches his hand forward for the bag. You pull it back from his reach, feeling your nerves tighten in your stomach. His grim falters a bit.  “Okay, so. I found something where we can all go as a theme. We’ll be less likely to be checked then.” You think, anyways. “And the one I found for you is amazing but…” You trail off, giving an uncertain grin as the skeleton's expression shifts to one of suspicion. His eye lights flicker between you and BP. 

“I’m staying out of it.” BP raises his hands up in dismissal and walks over to the couch. He grabs the forgotten laptop off the coffee table and starts scrolling. The skeleton just shifts his gaze to you. Okay. Now that you’re here, facing Sans, this doesn’t seem like that good of an idea. You should have just gone with the Yell costumes.

“So…you don’t exactly need your nose…hole right?”

“…what.”

Anxiously you hold out the bag for Sans to take. He grabs it, rifling through the packets with a confused look on his face. Then he pauses. Oh, he found it. He pulls out a package and stares at it. You hold your breath as he continues to look through the rest of the bag, finding the container at the bottom. 

“so you want to…?” He holds up the container, pointing at his nose with the hand holding the bag. You nod once, watching for any sign of discontentment from the skeleton.

But Sans lets out a laugh, shoulders relaxing. “that’s it? damn, you had me thinking it was way worse.”

Your eyes widen. “So you’ll do it?”

He shrugs. “sure.”

You smile widely at the skeleton. He smiles back.

Two days later, the apartment is a wildly different atmosphere.

You’re running late. Of course you are. The original plan had been to leave at 7 p.m. It’s 7:30 p.m already. You still need to shower and get dressed, the apartment looks like a tornado has gone through, and Guy hasn’t even arrived yet. Overall, it’s chaos.

Cupboards swing open and slam close in the kitchen. “Sans!” You call out, pulling out your costume packet for the first time. “Any luck?”

Another slam. “nope.”

You let out a long puff of air before turning to look at BP. The monster is sitting quietly on the couch in his robes, hood pulled down. His claws tap away at your cell phone, his tail swishing back and forth and his mask laying beside him. “Any word from Guy?”

“No.” He replies, nerves evident in his tone. 

Running a hand through your hair, you grimace. “I'm going to go take a hot shower. While I’m in there can you please help Sans find the damn nose?” BP looks up from the phone at your pleading tone. He nods, pushing himself up from the couch. He doesn’t let go of the phone, waiting for some sort of response. 

Heading into your bedroom, you open the costume packet fully and pull out your robes. They’ll be wrinkled tonight, but nothing you can do now. You lay them out on the bed and pull out the cheap round plastic glasses. Well, it’ll do.

Grabbing a towel, you head into the bathroom and start the shower. The hot water feels heavenly on your skin, and you allow yourself a moment to relax. Physically, anyways. Your mind is reeling, trying to predict possible hitches in your plan.

All the costumes are cheap and simple, which acts as a positive in this case. Simplicity means fewer chances for wardrobe malfunctions, right? You’re just hoping that the simplicity doesn’t attract negative attention amongst the rich guests. Sans’ nose -if you can even really call it that- had been the most complicated part of the costume, and that had been just a DIY paper mache thing. It had taken hours and many failed attempts to make. And now its gone. You pray he finds it.

The ticket check worries you the most. If the bouncer attempts to physically check any of the monster's costumes, there is no way to hide them. Maybe Sans can teleport away with the boys if it gets bad? You’d have to talk to him about that.

“Sans found the nose.”

You scream, sliding backward in the tub. BP’s face is visible on the other side of the clear shower curtain, popping in through an open door. Shit!

“LEAVE!” You manage to shriek out.

BP’s ears flatten against his head. “…not like I haven’t seen it before…” You hear the grumble as the door slowly closes. “…just figured you’d want to know.”

“Not the point!” You crouch lower in the tub, covering your bits.

“what? you’ve seen her naked?”

Oh good. That’s Sans. Right outside the door as well.

“Close the damn door!” You scream out. The door clicks closed. You rest your eyes, promising to never forget to lock that damn door again.

You quickly finish up in the shower, all relaxation gone at this point. When you step out of the tub, you grab your towel and begin to dry off. As you wrap your towel around your body, a twinge of annoyance grows. The fuck was that, BP?! Silently you slide out of the bathroom, crossing the small hall to your room. As you lock the door, you glance at the time on the clock. 7:50 p.m. No more time to relax. You throw on your robes, using a clip to keep the wet hair out of your face, and head outside to lay into the cat monster.

But instead, you find BP and Guy talking in whispers on the couch. Sans -dressed in his own robes- leans against a nearby wall, a somber look on his face. This is…serious. All your ire instantly evaporates. Guy’s ears are completely drooped as he talks, his hands holding a steaming mug of coffee. 

“Hey Guy, glad you made it.” You announce yourself, walking up. The monsters stop their conversation and look up. “Everything okay?”

BP and Guy share a look. Guy shrugs, and BP speaks. “King is being a dick.”

“Uh, elaborate?”

“He’s being…” Guy mutters. “I don’t know. He’s never been like this before but… he really didn’t want me to come out today. We got into an argument and he-“ His voice breaks. “I think he was going to actually order me to stay in. He’s never done that before. Never.”

“Ah, shit.” You carefully sit down on the arm of the couch, putting a tentative hand on Guy's shoulder. He doesn’t react. “How did you get out?”

Guy lets out a sigh. “I managed to distract him from actually making the order. He thinks he did. He then went to the liquor cabinet and attempted to drink the entire thing. Passed out pretty fast.” A dry laugh. “Gonna be pissed when he wakes up and I’m gone.”

What could you even say to that? “Damn…” You give him a comforting smile, squeezing his shoulder lightly.

“Anyways, sorry I’m late.”

“Nah, don’t worry about it.” Your smile grows a bit as his ears start to right themselves. “We’re late anyways because someone-“ You give Sans a look. “lost their costume.” When you look back at Guy, he has a small smile on his face.

You feel eyes on your side. Looking over you notice BP’s stare. The cat monster begins to alternate between looking pointedly at you and Guy. Oh. Does he want to be alone? You give a small nod, and your friend sends a relieved look back.

“C’mon Sans.” You stand up, hands attempting to straighten your robes. “I’ll help you with the rest.”

You walk into the kitchen, expecting the skeleton to follow. Sure enough, you hear footsteps on the tile behind you. Pulling out a chair from the table you sit down, gesturing for him to do the same. He follows suit, pulling the chair in front of you so you can focus on his face.

He passes you the paper mache piece. You grab the glue off the table and begin to apply it. “So where was it hiding?”

“who nose.”

You pause, looking back at the skeleton with wide eyes. “Was that-“ Your mouth closes. Sans has a huge grin on his face, eyebrow bones wiggling. “That was horrible.” But you laugh as you say it, his pun breaking the tense atmosphere. The skeleton chuckles in response. “Okay, sit still."

San sits surprisingly still as you attempt to fasten the paper mache to his face. You’d be bringing extra glue just in case, but you’re hoping you won't even need it. Finally, the piece seems to be ready and you sit back. It stays -thank god- and doesn't look half bad. Next, you’ll use make-up to help blend it into his bones. But will it fool everyone? You reach forward and poke it gently. It doesn’t move.

“Does it feel okay?”

“uh-huh.” He reaches up a hand to poke at it himself.

It hits you suddenly how different your relationship with this monster has become. He hadn’t flinched once as your hands worked around his face. It’s an act of trust that you never thought you’d receive with him. Not with how everything started.

“so…” Sans’ voice breaks you from your thoughts. “bp saw you naked?”

You let out a groan.

Chapter Text

October

It’s a miracle that the four of you are dressed and ready to leave by eight. You rush out the door, pausing just for a moment for BP to lock up. But that’s all it takes.

“Hey guys! Where are we going?”

It’s Jerry. Ugh. Licking a powdery substance off his lands loudly. Disgusting. A quiet groan comes from behind Guy’s mask. Damn, even Guy isn’t a Jerry fan. Well, it's not like you are either. You've seen enough Jerry for a lifetime. Huh, that raises a question. Why have you been seeing so much of him? You rarely saw your neighbours at your old place but Jerry just seems to be ‘coincidentally' wherever you go. Has he been waiting outside your apartment? Ugh, that WOULD just be like him.

Everyone pauses, uncomfortable. There isn't time to ditch him tactfully: the Ball has already started! Mettaton and Papyrus are waiting.

“We have to go.” Your answer is simply to turn away, starting down the hall. You hear the boys following behind you immediately.

“Hey! W-wait!” His voice echoes behind you, but you ignore it. He doesn’t follow, and soon you’re opening the doors to outside. It’s dark already, the cold wind sending chills up your spine. You realize you forgot your jacket on the hook in front of the door. Great. Well, you're not going back for that. Not with Jerry there. 

It's a quick walk to the main street. The boys are quiet behind you, nervous energy evident. It isn't normal for them to just be walking down the street, especially Sans. Yet, nobody you pass gives any of you a second look. People are used to costumes of all sorts. Hailing a cab is relatively easy on the main streets. The monsters pile into the back so you slide into the front.  The driver doesn't say a word, which is a win in your opinion. He'd be protesting if he knew they were monsters. Cases like this used to be in the news all the time. Huh. Is this any of their first times in a cab?  There's still so much you just don't know. Even about BP. They keep their pasts extremely private. Well, you don't blame them.

You inform the driver of the venue -a huge museum- and he takes off. You make small talk with the driver to distract him from any possible red flags coming from his other passengers. Overall they stay quiet…which is a bit intimidating when two of them are in masks. The driver doesn't seem concerned. 

The cab pulls up a few blocks away from the museum, stating that he won't be able to get closer due to traffic and road blockages. You pay him as the others get out, before emerging yourself. None of you say a word, nervous energy almost physical in the air. You head towards the museum.

“Oh, wow.” You whisper.

As you approach, the chaos increases:  paparazzi swarm the outside, people taking selfies and waiting for a glimpse of a famous guest. It’s an absolute madhouse. It sends a rush of excitement through you, chased by a similar rush of dread. You pause. Shit. Can we get away with this? If even one person suspects something, we're all screwed. You can't afford for them to look closely at any of the monster's costumes. Honestly, the plan itself is completely crazy. It's risky, to an almost obscene level. You send a nervous glance to the others. 

A gloved hand reaches out from under the robe, grabbing yours. BP- you assume anyways- squeezes it briefly, before letting it drop. It’s a small act of comfort, sure, but effective nonetheless. You take in a deep breath and attempt to steady your heart. Then you begin to walk. The monsters stay close behind you as you navigate through the crowd. You’re practically buzzing inside with nerves. Your thoughts racing uncontrollably, circular thoughts with no solution.

Someone is going to notice.

There’s so many people here.

There’s no way this will work. What was I thinking?!

We’re so screwed.

…

…

…

But nothing happens.

You make it close enough to see the beginnings of a huge red carpet leading into the event. Security litters the area. Two of them stand on either side of the entrance. They are armed. Most likely there to check tickets.

You pause, taking a deep breath to steady yourself.

“Sans?” You whisper, before realizing he probably can’t hear you amongst all the noise.

Yet, he does. “yea?” He’s at your side, eye lights glancing at you out of the corner of his sockets.

“If things go wrong…” You start slowly. “Get the boys out of here.”

“of course. ” He says without missing a beat. Then he pauses. “and you, you mean?”

There's a long moment of silence between you. “You guys are more important to this whole thing than me.” It’s a fact that Mettaton unintentionally -or intentionally, who knows with the robot - helped you realize. Sans, BP, and Guy each have something to give to this revolution. What do you have? “If it comes down to it, leave me behind.”

You risk a glance at Sans. The skeleton's eye sockets are wide. He opens his mouth to respond.

“Are we going?” Guys nervous voice breaks the tension surrounding you. He has stepped up to your other side.

You give him a smile and nod. “Sorry.” Ignoring the looks you can just feel Sans sending, you begin to walk towards the bouncer.  As you get closer, the man turns towards you. His harsh eyes glance over all the costumes.

You're so screwed.

There is still time to back out.

“Tickets?” You swallow harshly, reaching into your purse to grab the tickets. For a brief moment, your hands clutch at air and your heart drops. Then you find them.  Your hand shakes as you hand them over.

The bouncer examines the tickets. “For the four of us.” You say uselessly, pointing behind you are the boys. Your heart is pounding hard in your chest.

There is a long moment where you're sure that he's going to ask more. But then he rips off a part and hands back the rest. “Nice costume.”

“Uh, what?” You place them back in your purse and stare at the man.

“Harriet Potter is my daughter's favourite right now.” The man smiles, and suddenly he’s human. In the way faceless terrors just cannot be. Something settles just a little inside you.

“It’s uh, truly multi-generational.”

"What made you go with villains?"

You've practiced this. “Well, these two are obsessed with the Death Chompers. It was an easy choice. “ You point at BP and Guy. One of them raises their hand to wave. "And if I’m Harriet Potter, I need to have my nemesis.”

Sans twirls his want in his hand, and in a surprisingly good impression of He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named says “Avada Kedavra.”

The bouncer chuckles, gesturing towards the carpet. “Well have fun.”

You step onto the red carpet, head reeling. Did it work? How did it work?

Someone -you’re not entirely sure who- grabs your arm, leading you down the carpet. A few people take pictures of your group as you go, but you all walk past the designated photo spot without stopping. The less evidence the better.

There's another line once you're inside. A bag check. Luckily they seem to be only checking bags, not costumes. You watch others go through easily. Wait.

“Is that Kimi Kardasheen?” You whisper towards Sans. You receive only a shrug in return. Damnit.

9:30 p.m

And finally, you’re inside the Mett Gala.

You have to pause a few steps in, wide eyes taking in the scene in front of you. It feels completely unreal, like a movie scene. The main area - a huge dimmed ballroom- is cloaked in purples and oranges, lights sending shadows dancing across the high ceiling. A large, crystal chandelier in the middle reflects glittering light downwards to the dance floor. A small group of costumed people dances below, an obviously choreographed and professional dance. The left side of the ballroom has a higher level -just a few steps up- where couches and tables are placed so people can relax. People have already taken up most of the tables. You squint in the direction of a big crowd. Is that… Cardi C?

Holy shit. This is…not like any Halloween party you have ever been to. Well, duh.

You startle lightly as a hand rests on your shoulder.  Looking over, you recognize one of your hooded Death Chompers. Is it BP or Guy? You honestly can’t tell. It's a bit unnerving actually. BP or Guy gestures with his head towards the right wall. You follow the line of sight. A huge table of appetizers sits along the wall. Your stomach clenches just looking at it. None of you had eaten in the chaos of before. And this is fancy food, it must be good, right?

Nodding, you look over to Sans. The skeleton is staring out into the crowd. You're pretty sure it's not the makeup that is creating such an odd look on his face. You try to imagine what he's going through. It must be hard, to suddenly be out and amongst the creatures that actively hurt him and his people. When you had first mentioned the plan, he had seemed...well not exactly excited but happy enough. Now you can practically feel the unease rolling off of him. Reaching over, you grab his wrist loosely. He looks over at you, returning your smile with one of his own. He suddenly looks normal again. You don’t buy it.

Either way, you pull at his arm and head toward the food table. He doesn’t put up a fight, letting you pull him along behind you through the crowd. You make it to the table pretty quickly and your eyes light up at the spread in front of you. It all looks like something off the Food Net. A quick glance back at Sans shows he’s less interested, looking back toward the crowd again. You frown.

Out of the corner of your eye, you see the two Death Chomper costumes start to pick out food. Standing beside each other, you can finally tell which one is which. BP has always been a bit shorter than Guy. Phew. 

A tray is suddenly pushed into your sight. You blink rapidly at the weird glasses filled halfway with liquid that are presented to you. Turning your head, you find the man holding the tray. He’s wearing a Butler’s uniform, the top half of his face covered in an intricate mask. He smiles at you.

“Sorry, what is it?” You ask.

A loud sound blares from the speakers, a new song beginning that you don’t recognize. You see the man speak but hear nothing.

“What?” You ask again.

Again, you see his mouth moving but hear nothing. The new song drowns his words before they reach you. He looks at you, holding out the tray expectantly. Feeling too awkward to ask again, you take a glass. T he man then turns to hold the tray out for Sans, who reaches out to grab one as well.

“Uh, thanks!” You raise the glass in thanks. Sans follows your lead and the butler disappears into the fray. Turning to look at your friend, you point at the glass and give him a confused look.

He just shrugs. You look down at the liquid. It looks a bit…green? Is it a mixed drink? Or the lighting? Leaning forward you sniff at the glass, immediately wrinkling your nose. Strong then, alright.

You catch San's eye again, shrugging at his inquisitive look. The two of you stare at each other for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then Sans’ shoulders shake a bit. Laughing? He holds out his glass, looking at you expectantly.

It takes you a moment to realize what he wants. A smile begins on your face. You hold out your glass too, unable to hear the glasses clinking together.

Well, bottoms up.

10:30 p.m.

No sign at all of Mettaton or Papyrus. Honestly, you’re getting really anxious. What if they don't show? Has something happened to them? Has the MRC caught up with you?  The thought freaks you out.

The others are getting restless as well. BP and Guy have eaten more food than you'd think was possible. They've been subtly circling the tables waiting for new food. It’s a bit hard for them to eat under the costumes, but they've been managing quite well. Nobody seems overtly suspicious anyways. Sans has stuck by you. He hasn't stopped tapping on the table you two are at for the past ten minutes. His eye lights constantly scan the crowd looking for…something. Papyrus? The MRC? Both? You don't ask. Not that you can blame the guy. He was brought here with the idea that he'd see his brother again, and that hasn't happened. You’re beginning to worry that he'll leave here disappointed.

Another minute of ‘tap,tap,tap,tap,tap’ and you've had enough. You stand up, pointing at your empty plate. Sans nods and you head towards the boys. They’re beside the appetizers as usual.

As you walk up, the shorter costume -BP- turns towards you. "So, where’s the robot?"

You shrug, looking around. "No idea. He has to show right? I mean, this is his event.” Your voice betrays your worry, and Guy reaches over to pat your shoulder. For a moment, the three of you are lost for things to say. Another song begins to play.

“Are y’all talking about Mettaton?”

You all turn towards the voice. A middle-aged man stands holding a glass of the unknown liquid. He looks…normal enough. You take the opportunity. "Yea, see I’m a BIG fan. I was hoping to meet him tonight but I don't think he's going to show.”

The man laughs. "Nah, he’s always late. Something about being fashionably late and making a big entrance?" He laughs again. You look over at BP and Guy who look...well, you can't see their faces at all. But they must be as relieved as you.

“Oh, thank you!” You turn back to the man with a smile, ready to leave now with new information for Sans. Hopefully, he’ll be able to calm down a bit.

“Pleasure to be of service sweetie.” He says. You cringe inside at the nickname. " Anything for a fan of my Mettaton."

What?

”Your Mettaton?”

“Yea.” He leans in closer, each alcohol-laden breath hitting you hard. “I'm his producer. I’m actually pretty famous on my own. How about I tell you about it over a dance sweet thing?”

You freeze. “Uh..." How to escape this, how to escape, how to- "T-this song isn’t really a good one to dance to."

“Nonsense, c’mon!" A hand grabs your arm and you're suddenly being dragged towards the dance floor. You look back at your friends for help, but only masks stare back. It sends a chill down your spine.

The two of you end up in the middle of dancing costumed bodies. Claustrophobia threatens to close in on you. You don't want to be here. You close your eyes, your heart rate picks up. You don't want to be here at all.

Woah. Calm down. You take a deeper breath. What’s wrong with me? This isn't that bad. You're completely overreacting. Girls get asked to dance all the time. He’s been nice. It's just a dance. There isn't anything to get upset over.

But...something just feels so wrong.

No.

This is supposed to be a fun night. Celebrities and 90's music. Don't mess this up by freaking out.

Hands on your hips pull you back to reality. You look up at the smiling man. Oh, you don't even know his name. Did he even say it? You don’t know where to put your hands, and awkwardly place them on his chest.

“So, where'd you get that cute accent?"

You pause. “What?”

The two of you look at each other in silence. When he figures out you are not going to say anything else, he gives you a weird look and shrugs. Then he begins to move, leading you in a dance. Well…here you are then. Slow dancing to a song that definitely is not meant to be slow danced to. It's weird and uncomfortable. He is talking again, but you don't soak in any of his words. He doesn't seem to be waiting for a response anyways. A monologuer. In a way, you got lucky. You don't really want to talk.

“can I step in here?”

Relief hits you instantly. Your head swings towards the voice. Sans. He looks at you with a smile and reaches out his hand. You return a shaky smile and reach out.

“Wait your turn?” Hands clutch tighter at your hips. You look back at him with a frown.

“Let go of me.” The words are a bit shakier than you'd like, but they seem to do the trick. The man looks at you with a furrowed brow before throwing his hands up.

“Whatever.” He turns to walk away but stops to look at Sans. “Keep a better eye on your girl.” You open your mouth in shock. The hell?  The man walks away. You watch him until he disappears, then turn to Sans.

“Thanks.”

The skeleton shrugs. “no problem. bp said you looked like you needed some help.”

“BP, the real MVP.” You smile. The dance floor seems a lot less claustrophobic with him here. “So, do you really want to dance? I mean, uh, we don't have to dance together but- you know what I mean."

Sans snickers, but shakes his head. “uh, no. i have two left feet.”

Ah. Alright then. A small sting of disappointment hits your chest. “Oh, okay. Bummer. Back to the tables then?”

“sounds good."

11 p.m

Still no sign of them.

The food is great, and the music brings on waves of nostalgia but you can't really get into the moment. You’re held captive by a nagging worry, unable to really enjoy the moment. You shotgun the last of your glass of unknown liquid. Ugh.

You're at a standing table at the side, a mini plate full of food you don't know the name of, and humming along to the songs. People-watching has been the only way to pass the time. So far you’ve noticed Gambinish Child, the hybrid car guy whose name you forget, Dana Del Ray, Jay Smith, and Mike C Jordan walking around. 

It's really exciting to see all these people in real life. People you've only seen on TV or in movies. A large part of you wants to go up and talk to them, maybe get a selfie. This will be your only opportunity. But it this really that type of event? Will you bring attention to yourself? You really can't afford that.

Your mind naturally shifts to Debbie and Luke, the movie marathon nights full of popcorn and laughter. Both of them would absolutely freak out if they knew where you were. Debbie had always been a bit more starstruck than you. And Luke was the biggest Gambinish Child fan you knew. He IS the biggest fan. IS. You can't start thinking of him in the past.

You miss them. You miss the jokes, the fun, the freedom. You miss the trust, the honesty, the love.  Shit, you really miss them. What would they say about where you are now? Would they be proud? Your heart begins to ache. What you would give to call Debbie right now. But you can’t. You can’t risk Sans or BP or Guy, hell, not even Jerry like that.

A new song begins one of Debbie’s favourites. You let out a breath through clenched teeth. Debbie was on her way to Ebbot last you heard from her. When was that? Months ago? Is he even okay? And Luke...god knows where he is. A heat begins behind your eyes. Fuck.

“hey.” A voice to your left. You look over to find Sans, holding some unknown liquid of his own. When did he get beside you? The skeleton wiggles his eyebrow bone. You narrow your eyes in confusion. The hell? He shakes his head with a smile and points with his thumb over to the dance floor. You look over.

Holy shit.

Your jaw drops. This is so much better than any celebrity.

‘-And I'm wondering what you’re dreaming,
Wondering if it’s me you're seeing.’

Right on the edge of the dance floor, two Death Chompers slow-dance. It's a bit awkward with the costumes and drags an almost hysterical giggle out of you. You wish you had a camera, this is gold.

‘Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we’re together.'

But the humour begins to fall away as you watch them dance. Those aren’t just two Death Chomper costumes. That’s BP and Guy. You can picture them in your mind, blush red cheeks and goofy smiles. You wonder how Guy convinced BP to dance with him. Then again…