Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

You shake and curl up in the soft a seemly huge stuffed animal around you, your small form sinking into the plushie as you look around. It's dark. So, the shop is closed. You wondered why you where awake. It wasn't because of a nightmare or odd dream, you barely got those anymore, maybe it was cold? No, the shop owner wouldn't do that to readers.

Sitting up you look at the container around you, it held the plushie you used as a bed rather than the toy bed in the corner that had soft sheets on it, a dolly desk with paper that suited your size and dozens of lead and pastel pieces on it, and a cat figurine you both hated and loved looking at the glass wall of the container that looked out at the rest of the shop.

Sighing you stood up and walked off to the desk grabbing a piece of lead and started doodling still half asleep. Slowly your picture started to look like someone you knew who didn't exist here. As something wet dropped on the paper you blinked realizing you were crying. You frowned wiping away the tears. You had no right to cry. Sitting down you tore up the paper and threw the shreds in the air giving a fake smile.

Light streamed through the front windows of the impeccably large store, or at least it was large to you. A shadow walked past one of the windows and a soft click was heard as the door unlocked and the shop owner, a cat monster, you think, walks in. A smile on her face looking at the wall that housed you and all the other readers.

You stood up and leaned against the glass wanting her attention to break you from your thoughts. She did some things at the counter, shuffling some papers, and flipped the sign on the door from 'Closed' to 'Open' before turning to look back at the wall of readers. She turned on the lights and smiled as many of the readers grumbled making noises you could hear muffled through the 'walls' of your cage.

Quickly you jumped back into your plushie's bat winged arms, now that there were noises you wouldn't have to grab the frankly scary large cat's attention, you curled up in the plushie's fluff feeling just a bit better. Or that's what you told yourself anyway.

You don't have a right to feel this upset, others have gone through worse than you.

Then again you don't have a right to be happy either since you caused this mess.

You didn't know how to feel.

The shopkeeper talked to the other readers sickly sweet and calmly as she when tank to tank, waking each one carefully. She asked each one of they wanted to eat, most grumbling one or two happily waking up and responding.

When she got to your cag- 'room' she asked "Hello, little one. Good morning! Would you like anything to eat yet?" You peeked over the wing of the bat plushie your hands scrunched up in the oversized sweater. Her face was huge, well not all that big really, you're just small.

You nod, and she opens a latch on the top of your 'room' and holds down her hand for you climb on.

You don't move.

She sighs, "I'll ask again later, when I get the rest of them fed" She lifts her hand out of the 'room' and re laches the top, moving on to the next reader.

Eventually most of the readers were up and, in an area, surrounded by a semi-circle of glass to tall for even the most adventurous reader to climb over, but just short enough for the shop keeper and other patrons to step over. The area was covered in soft things and games readers could play with customers, as well as a mini mountain for adventurous reader to climb on and around.

But none of the reader where really in that area, they all sat and stood on a large table that had many smaller sized tables as well as chairs on it. bits and pieces of food lay all around the readers as they ate. You pouted and stood up leaning against the clear wall of your 'room' drooling slightly.

The shopkeeper saw this a giggled looking at you. You sat legs and arms crossed fuming in your deep red sweater.

She came back over to your cage, and unlatched the top again reaching down her hand to wait for you to walk into it. You gave the hand like paw a look like it had just insulted your favorite movie and turned your body away from the furry thing.

"You know, all the other aggressive have warmed up to me by this point..." You flinched curling around yourself.

She smiled sadly and took her paw out again, going over to the table and grabbing some banana slices on a small plate, and placed it in your 'room' on the cluttered dolly desk. She then went back to tending to the other readers. You waited until she really seemed busy and ate the banana pieces as you watched her have troubles with the Jumpers.

Slowly the day dragged on. Almost every reader, save you and a few Lazies, where in the semi-circle the table from before folded and put away. You watched from the seat that was your bat plushie, named Nightmare, as they rain around, talked and snuggled. You didn't get their level of trust with one another.

Then a customer, or adopter as the other readers called them, arrived through the front door, the bell on it jingling.

The monster was pretty plane as monsters went, a dog monster. They went to the front desk and talked to the shopkeeper before they walked over to the semi-crucial area, where many of the adventurous and outgoing readers stood pay attention to him. They crowded around the monster many of them climbing on him. The shopkeeper kept an eye on the canine as she sat at the counter.

You put a hand on the clear wall of your 'room' trying to make out what the monster was saying, you had gotten better at reading lips, well muzzles anyway. You could only make out a few words here or there, and not much of it made sense to you. So, you lay back telling yourself you were content with watching the slight sway of the canines tail and twitch of their ears as they talked to the other readers.

Eventually they picked, not one but two readers. One in a bright Orange sweater, a Jumper, and one in a dark blue sweater, an Adventurer. You wondered if it was because they were mates or something, but where jolted out of thought via the front door slamming open, the bell jangling wildly.

A tall lanky skeleton in a tank top and shorts along with a large red scarf that trailed behind him like a cape as he walked into the store. A shorter, much shorter skeleton in a big blue hoodie and where those pink slippers? You were intrigued and sat up straighter now focusing on the two who waited patiently for the canine monster to finish signing papers and buying the two readers.

You watched the two as the canine left, wondering how skeletons worked... Probably magic between their joints or something, maybe their joints fused together and bended, flexible, weird...

At first you didn't realize it but as you looked back to the skeletons you found you could hear the taller one talk, though it was slightly muffled by the plastic walls of your cage.

He was smiling at the shopkeeper "SO WE CAN JUST TALK TO THEM AND GET TO KNOW THEM BEFORE WE DESIDE?" The shopkeeper nods and says something you can't hear, causing you to pout leaning on the plastic wall with both hands. "OKAY, I WILL. SANS!" He then turns to the shorter Skeleton with a stern face "IF YOU GET A READER, I AM NOT TAKING CARE OF THEM FOR YOU" Sans smirks his ever-present smile tilting, apparently he responded because the tall skeleton stomps a boot red in the face and yells "THIS IS NO TIME FOR PUNS! SANS!" There's a beat where you can't hear anything then the taller skeleton makes a motion as if he's huffing and walks over to the glass wall crouching to lean over it talks much too quiet for you to hear now to the other readers.

Sans stays back and talks to the shop keeper, or at least it looks that way with how the shopkeeper keeps talking and twitching her ears as if to listen to a response, both watching the taller Skelton talk to the readers that approach him.

You zone out for a bit just studying Sans' anatomy, he's defiantly not a human skeleton that's for sure, human skeletons have a split between the jaw and rest of the skull. Your mind wanders to a drawing you made a bit ago of a skeleton, that you think turned out good, well as good as any of your sketch artwork could.

You quickly and albeit haphazardly flip from Nightmare stepping quickly over to your desk grabbing the skull drawing, some blank papers, lastly a graphite stick. Setting all the stuff down in the middle of your 'room' you smiled and held your stick up to judge Sans' exact skull size, so you could get it down on paper. You didn't know how long they would stay here so you sketched wildly only stopping to look up when you felt really lost as to what goes where. You hated the fact that you didn't have an eraser but couldn't very well ask the shopkeeper for anything more, she was already to kind in giving you art supplies. Pouting as you smudged another slightly off line with your dirty sweater sleeve for the third time.

Glancing back up at the skeleton you smiled, happy that he didn't wear a shirt under his hoodie, so you could draw his ribs, although you were having problems doing just that. You looked back down at the paper your brow furrowed in concentration and you stop looking up now confidently drawing based on memory. You didn't see that the Skeleton had seen you.

Chapter Text

Sans was dreaming of boats, his mind then slowly inched into consciousness, his head was bobbing up and down. Limbs hanging limply from Papyrus' arm. The sidewalk below him looking like it was practically breathing with all the bobbing Papyrus was doing. Sans smiled brighter than normal lifting his hands to his chin.

"what'cha so hoppy about paps?" Papyrus took a moment to try and get the joke, then, realizing it was a substitute for happy, he smiles for a fraction of a second, glad he figured out the puzzle of a joke, then grew into a commonly used disgruntled smile/scowl.

"AGH! SANS, ONLY AWAKE TWO SECONDS AND CREATING PUZZLE PUNS!?" Papyrus lifted his arms up in exasperation, effectively dropping sans, who promptly appeared on his younger brothers’ other side. Papyrus continued walking arms crossed slightly miffed at the 'pun puzzle'

"aw, come on paps, you gotta admit that one was punny" Sans closed his right eye at the last word, both skeletons stopping.

Papyrus was extremely conflicted, he wanted to storm off, but the shop was right around the corner, so that wouldn't do either skeleton any good. Then he had a thought. He crossed his arms and gave what was, for all intents and purposes, in fact a pout.

"WELL THEN I GUESS YOU'LL NEVER FIND OUT WHAT MADE ME SO PAWS-ATIVELY ECSTATIC" He smiled at the perfect joke and started walking again, Sans blinked wondering where the hell that had come from, only to stop in his track as the turned the corner, and across the street stood.

'KaYlE wIsKeR's ItTy BiTty ReAdEr ShOp” Sans snickers as he follows Papyrus across the street, toward the ungodly painted shop, it's neon splashed colors hurting Sans' eye sockets

"good one, bro"

"I KNOW, NEHEHEE" He slammed the door open with his usual gusto, causing the tiny bell on the door to jangle in protest, and Doggo standing inside the shop holding two extremely fidgety readers, to freeze.

He steps out from behind his younger brother giving a little cough, shifting from one foot to the other, as to keep moving.

"hey doggo, gettin' some new pals?" Doggo nods gruffly and turns to the shopkeeper, Kayle, signing some papers and paying for his two new pals. As the canine does so, Sans looks to Papyrus who's looking from his older brother to the readers and back, stars in his eye sockets.

Papyrus is the coolest brother.

Doggo leaves with his 'seeing eye readers' and Papyrus starts talking animatedly with Kayle, causing the purple cat monster's tail to swish out from behind the counter every once and awhile. She stresses the importance of being careful with the readers, to not be too loud around them as well, and yes you can get to know them before hand, it's preferred. Papyrus then turns to sans with a quip of his boot.

"OKAY, I WILL. SANS!" He places his gloved hands on his hip and leans down giving Sans a stern look. "IF YOU GET A READER, I AM NOT TAKING CARE OF THEM FOR YOU!" Sans smirks his head tilting slightly with his smile now lopsided.

"i would never be that paws-i-tively pawful paps" Papyrus' face slowly turns an orange tinted red and he stomps his boot in protest. "i would never be-little anyone and mistreat em"

"THIS IS NO TIME FOR PUNS! SANS!" With that Sans sinkers and quips

"there's always time for a quick joke, though i gotta hand it to yah for that last one, though, had me thoroughly japed. Bro. though i think i've got to run to catch up this time, old jokes always get left behind." Papyrus huffs at this and walks away too talk to the readers, while Sans stays back to chat with Kayle.

The short skeleton leans on the counter eyes trained on his brother. Kayle keeps an eye on the patron as well, her trained eye kept manly on the readers interacting with the larger skeleton.

“so, what’s up with the machin’ colors?” Sans questions eye lights flickering to her then back to Papyrus.

“Oh, good question!” The striped monster replies smiling as she watches the readers around Papyrus giggling. “Well, they’re color coded by their most dominant trait; orange for readers that are better at jumping and tend to do so a lot, dark blue for Adventurous readers, sky blue for lazy or just always sleepy readers, pink for cuddly readers, and so on. We have some posters and pamphlets around here somewhere...” Sans hums and eyes the readers, then the wall of fish tank like rooms, spotting a splash of sky blue in one or two of the rooms.

Somewhere around the middle he spots a splash of red, sitting in the middle of your make shift room he sees you, focused and drawing with a small lead stick, sweater sleeves stained gray.

“what does red mean?” He raises a bone brow at your frustrated expression, as you lifted up the tiny piece of paper with your small hands and doing a mock punch at it only too let it fall before you hit it. The paper swaying back and forth as it falls.

Kayle’s ear twitched and she eyes three red sweater clad readers glaring at one another in the semi-circle. “It’s a sign of a reader who’s mainly aggressive, and most likely will take a while to warm up too anyone who adopts them.” She shrugs “I've gotten quite a few bites from them in the past, but hey, that’s just how they are” She eyes your cage about to partially complain about you when she sees your pouting at one of your drawings. Her ears perk up excited, tail curling as she looks over at Sans. “Why do you ask?”

“no reason really… is that one too aggressive?” He points at you lazily as you put the paper down and go too draw something on another piece, concentrated.

Kayle shrugs, barely able to contain her giddiness as someone being interested in the stray, she had found the poor dear crying outside about two months ago and it had taken forever for the reader to tell her that they like to draw. She knew that all the reader needed was tender love and care, but she couldn’t give them the proper attention with all the other readers she had to care for in her shop. “Nope, they just like to stay in their room, they apparently hate other readers? I’m still not sure what’s up with them, though they’ve only been here for a month”

Sans blinks at this. “oh, i though all readers were rase in their shops or...?”

The Cheshire like monster nods her head a small sad smile on her face. “Most if not all readers are raised in shops, mostly via magic. That dearie.” She waves a paw towards your room where you sat snickering at the paper in front of you. “I found a while ago, outside on their own. They must have been abandoned by their caretaker… But that barely ever happens, and it may explain why they seem a bit like a creative...” Kayle trails of holding a fuzzy hand to her chin lost in thought.

Sans blinked and looked back at you, right as you looked up to compare your silly drawing to him. You froze drawing in hand. Sans froze, wondering how you’d react.

You blinked looked from the picture too him and back. Only to fall back laughing papers around you sent flying your legs flailing. You then sat up and grabbed a paper as well as orange and blue pieces of pastel, drawing out something then holding it up to the clear wall of your tank.

It was a pumpkin, in a blue hoodie, with ribs. It was sans with a pumpkin head.

Sans stood there a little shocked and more than a bit confused, he blinked and walked over to the semi-circle that surrounded the plush, area where the readers were free to rome. Papyrus sat right next to the adventure’s ‘mountain’ talking quietly yet animatedly to a few readers.

Seeing Sans move must have made you panic because when he looked back up at your room all he could see of you was splash of red in the black bat plushie’s fluff.

“hey, paps” Sans said leaning on the glass wall “find anyone yah like?”

“Anyone? More Like Any Six- Or Seven- Or All of Them!” He stands up carefully and reaches his leg to step over the glass wall then flailed his arms happily “THEY’RE ALL SO NICE” He then then squints his eye sockets holding a gloved hand to his chin “EXCEPT THE ONES THAT ARE NOT, BUT STILL! THEY CAN LEARN TO BE NICE!” He smiles hands on his hips and cape flailing with vigor.

Sans raises an eye bone in question and turns too Kayle. There was no way he was gonna tell Papyrus no. Kayle looked from one skeleton to the other. A bit shocked.

“Ah, uh. Well, if you bought all of them, I would be out of a job...So, you could maybe visit them?” Kayle’s ears are folded back and looked like she wanted to say something else. When a reader in a bright orange sweater, their hair covering their eyes and small ponytail bouncing as they jumped up and said something that the three couldn’t quite make out. All three of the monsters turned to look at the tiny yet lanky jumper, who jumped up again.

“You should work here!” Papyrus’ eye sockets lit up small orange stars sparkling within them as some other readers nod and say things in agreement.

“YES! THATS A GREAT IDEA!” He then frowns, as much as a skeleton could anyway, and holds a gloved hand to his chin squinting. “BUT WHAT ABOUT MY JOB AS THE ROYAL GARDINER?”

Kayle blushes shuffling past the skeleton brothers too lift up the jumpy reader, and whispers to him embarrassed put out that he’s put her on the spot...Again.

“Why would you do this Snip!? I thought we were friends?” He smiles up at her from her fuzzy paws his poufy hair tickling her nose. She scrunched up her snout as the reader pouted.

“We are… BUT WE NEED MORE!” He stands up raising his hands high, head butting her snout. Ending up face forward laying down on her hands. She started snickering tail curling.

“i thought i was the only one with a bonehead around here” Sans pipes in

“SANS! THEY MIGHT BE HURT” Papyrus then leans down next to the snickering cat and reader. “Are You Two Okay?” He says quieter now, as too be careful of the reader.

Suddenly Kayle but out in cackles her teeth clenched together in a sharp smile, lifting her hands to place the reader on her shoulder. “K-kehehe, yes! We are fine, he does that quite a lot.” she pats the reader's head turn to look at the two patrons. “So, about this job offer… There have been let’s say...”

“UNWORTHY” Snip cuts in, pumping a tiny fist into the air sitting happily on the cat monster’s right shoulder.

Kayle closes her right eye and rubs at her ear now painfully reminded at how loud Snip could be. “Uh, Kehe, Yeah. I was going to say unsavory, but that works too.” She pats the reader’s head again earning a bright smile from the smaller one.

“They did and said quite a lot of things I and the readers, didn’t approve of. Most of not all of them were rude. So I had to take down my ‘HeLp WaNtEd’ sign.” Giving a sad smile she walked to sit back behind the counter. Her tail showing how irritated she was at the job seekers by flicking back and forth.

She sat behind the counter sighing as she placed the reader on said desk and patting his head with a smile. Snip turned to look at Papyrus and Sans who had followed Kayle to the counter listening intently. He smiled up at Papyrus sitting under Kayle’s comforting pats.

“You’re much nicer then all of them thought! It’d be awesome if you could help around here!” He says this unabashed, his eyes still hidden behind his fluffy black and brown hair.

Chapter Text

You sat in your room concentrating on the drawing in front of you. His legs were not turning out right, at all. Frowning at the slightly smudged picture you went to punch it, dropping it at the last second as too not actually hurt the artwork.

Looking down at the picture you pout, “this is stupid.” you mumble to yourself then pondering if the shorter skeleton liked puns a lot, you tried to think of one with the word, ‘pun’. Pun-ish, no you couldn’t draw something that had to do with that. Pun-ch, no... that would be excessively hard to get across in a drawing… Pun-pkin, Yes! You smile and sketch out an outline of a pumpkin on a new piece of paper.

You then hold it up and look too Sans, as too try and figure out how to draw it in a way where the monster would understand the pun. Only to realize his head was the shape of the poorly drawn pumpkin! Leaning back as you try to contain you snickering, only too loose against your laugher, and… gravity. Sending the papers around you flying.

You sat up quickly, needing to draw this! Almost dropping the orange pastel in your haste, you scribble out a drawing of sans with a pumpkin head. As soon as the last line of the picture was drawn you slammed it against the clear plastic wall of your cage.

The immediate look of confusion on the skeletons face caused you to freeze up. Wait. Was he watching you the whole time, or was it only because you held up your artwork? The skeleton moving caused you to snap back to reality, and turn jumping into Nightmare’s fluff, abandoning your artwork on the ground of your ‘room’.

Shuffling to hide yourself in your stuffed animal and oversized sweater you start to hear talking. The taller skeleton must be talking again. You peek your head out from your sweater too see the one Jumper who started the ‘Hug Riot’ from this morning, jumping up and down, probably talking to the monsters.

Your thoughts were confirmed when the shopkeeper’s ears folded back, and her tail twitched, put on the spot, as per norm. Then the taller skeleton spoke up.

“YES! THAT’S A GREAT IDEA!” And you think he holds a hand to his chin, but you’re unsure because his back is too you. “BUT WHAT ABOUT MY JOB AS THE ROYAL GARDINER?”

Then the shopkeeper picks up the reader, whispering him only to be headbutted. This makes you snicker at the antics of the two, the purple monster’s tail curling, and the taller skeleton giving them a worried look. Sans shrugs, and most likely said something, because the taller one gives him a weak glare then says.

“SANS! THEY MAY BE HURT” He then leans down and talks to the two, eliciting a laugh from the shopkeeper, her sharp smile causing you to pull one of the bats plushies wings over yourself. Slowly you drifted into unconsciousness, the lost sleep catching up to you. With a snap, sitting up quickly, you wake up to a slight ringing muffled by the ‘room’s walls, as well as the sight of a large pink and black robot telling the shopkeeper to ‘hold on a moment’ with his finger, as he held a gloved hand to his head in a phone gesture. You blinked at the Robot wondering where the skeletons went, though the robot had some interesting colors to him.

After the bot finished his ‘call’ and turned back to the shopkeeper who seemed to have stars in her eyes, her tail held high, shaking. She must be star struck, the jumper reader from before still sat on her shoulder, yet he looked miffed, although you couldn’t see his eye behind the poof of black hair on his head, his frown was obvious.

The smooth looking bot, signed some papers and smiled brightly at her, causing her to smile back. You shivered and curled up in nightmare’s fluff, still under one of its wings. Then you frowned at the robot approached the wall of reader ‘rooms.’ He stopped at yours, looking at you with one mechanical eye, the other obscured behind his hair. You frowned at him, once again tired, but not wanting this odd monster to see you fall asleep, so you opted to groggily get up and pick up the mess that was your ‘room’. Giving the watching robot a glare or two here and there, you finished cleaning up the mess of papers and grabbed a new one and a magenta piece of pastel, deciding to draw the monster whose large head was looking into your cage with barely fanned interest.

You wondered if the shopkeeper would like the picture, she seemed too like the robot after all. You snickered wondering if you could mess with her like the lanky jumper did, only with the drawing. Looking up you see that the shopkeeper had approached your cage too and was, swooning over the bot as she talked to him. After a bit of talking, the two walked away from your ‘room’ and started doing things at the counter. You finished off the drawing, put it on your doll desk and crawled back into your bat plushie’s fluff. Still groggy from just waking up you curled up and fell asleep.

Waking up slowly this time you snuggled into the plush fluff of the stuffed bat below you, sighing in comfort at the nice smell of chalky pastels, and the comfortable sways of your tank like ‘room’. Blinking away some of the sleep you realized ‘Wait, the room isn’t supposed to be swaying!’ You sat up looking around your cage. The pastels and papers were scattered the paper moving slightly with the swaying, your cat figurine thingy fallen over. Lastly the whole wall that was usually see through was covered with a pink, ‘or was it purple?’ cloak.

You mind reals, where was the shopkeeper taking you? Was she moving her shop? Is she tired of dealing with an ‘aggressive’ that won’t warm up too her? Is she bringing you to a different shop? Realizing your eyes were watering you wiped at your face and stood up, leaning on nightmare so didn’t fall over. The whole tank was still swaying after all.

After a bit of judging how the cage swayed, you carefully collected up all the pastel pieces and the graphite sticks, putting them in the poorly made drawers of the dolly desk. Pouting at the papers scattered around the ‘room’ You collect them and hold them too your sweater, smudging a few of them, shoving the cat figurine over to the corner with your foot. Pouting at having to clean the place twice in a row.

Frowning at the smudged artwork you looked back at the cloaked wall. Pouting you sat down sorting through your artwork and assessing the damages.

Whoever was holding the ‘room’ put it down, but not as gently as you would have liked, causing everything in the room, including you too pop up about an inch, and flop down. That caused you to fall over paper flying everywhere. You faintly heard someone say something, then the cloak was removed from the clear wall of your cage.

Only to be greeted by a room that was not the shop. It was way too pink too be the shop, granted it was big enough to house the shop, with room to spare, and was that a slide?

“Oh! You’re awake!” The voice came from above. Looking up, you saw that the entire hold and latched roof of your ‘room’ had been removed, and the robot from before stood above it looking down at you with a showman’s smile “This is my home darling~” His gloved hands fanning out too show of his mansion-esk room, balcony and swirly slide along with a pointlessly huge bed and you think that was a hot tub. ‘Why would a robot need a hot tub?’

“Who are you?” you snark frowning up at him, crossed legs bunched up under you, your hands bunched up in your sleeves. He looked absolutely assaulted, you smile as you watch him hold a hand to his chest plate undignified and thought of your favorite pun. He scoffed, then open is mouth to say something, only for you to interrupt him “Never mind, I don’t care. You’re probably a loser anyway.” You most likely wouldn’t remember his name anyway, you’ve already forgot the shopkeeper’s name. He pouted slightly than, weirdly enough, left the room in a huff.

Blinking at the black, back wall of your ‘room’ you were shocked. Your eyes started to hurt, and so did your ribs. You were in pain, you felt hurt… it took a moment to pinpoint exactly why.

The shopkeeper had abandoned you.

Or at least sold you away because she would never be your ‘owner’ or whatever the fuck it was she wanted. Tears rolled down your face with reckless abandon. Now you had to deal with a huff robot, or… A thought hit you.

“I’ll leave” You breath the words

You rub at your eyes with the stained grey sleeves and stood up shakily. After taking a moment to push down the emotional pain, you frowned and stomped over to the bed, ripping off the sheets. Then you went over to the doll desk pushing it over to the bed, which took more energy than you thought it would, then haphazardly moved it onto the bed.

Standing back and looking at your makeshift latter you smiled then grabbed the thinner sheet, fighting with the small blanket it was tangled up in. After you got the sheet untangled you looked too your bat plushie. Then the makeshift latter.

It took considerable effort and some angry paper tearing breaks, but you finally got your huge plushie on top of the desk, on top of the doll bed. Still fueled by anger you climbed up the makeshift latter and on top of the fluffy mass, the corner of the thin sheet clenched in your teeth.

Tying the sheet to the base of the bat plushie tail, you take a breath and jump over the edge of the tank’s wall. Halfway down you jerk up, arms feeling like they might pop out of the sockets, only too feel the plushie shift.

You land on your tail bone, letting out an undignified squeal in pain, right as Nightmare falls out of the cage landing on you. Effectively muffling your scream and whimpering, as you curl on your side in pain. After a bit you composed yourself and crawled out from under the plushie.

Rump still hurting you stood up and started pushing Nightmare to the edge of the table. Holding on to the sheet that was still tied to the bat, you got on the plushie’s back and scooted it over the edge of the table.

The sliding door snaps open, it’s not the robot, it’s a tan cat monster, a smoke in his mouth. He took one glance at the table then you, and ignoring his smoke dove to catch you, without realizing it you had started falling off the table, without your plushie. The cat barely caught you, landing harshly on his face and elbows. You on the other hand landed on your tailbone, again.

Thinking quickly, you bit your hand and lay on your side in the monster’s paw like hands. He mumbled something, but you couldn’t quite make it out, with his face on the floor and the pain fogging your mind. You took your now bruised hand from your mouth and tried to respond, only to let out a small whimper. The monster’s ears perk up and he sits up, quickly careful of you.

“Oh, man. Are you okay there little buddy?” His ear twitched and you realized how short his fur was compared to the shopkeeper who was much fluffier and wider. Giving him a weak glare, you scoot your legs too look away from him, curling in on yourself. “Sorry about this little pal, but boss man wants me to keep an eye on you.” He then plops you down back in your ‘room’ quickly fixing the mess that took forever for you to make.

You stood up on shaky legs as the monster, presumably went to get his dropped cigarette. Walking over to your plushie, that still had the sheet tied too it’s wing, you flopped down on it, tired and in pain. Curling up in the fluff you tried not to cry as the harsh feeling of been abandoned, no, sold, wracked at you. The cat looked over the lip of the tank at you, quirking an eyebrow.

“Hey, little buddy?” You turn your head too look at him, your eyes glossy, and cold at the easy rebuff of your efforts. “Are you okay?” You blinked at him, a little shocked, and shook your head no. “Are you hungry?” Thinking about it you thought that you could eat, but you weren't really hungry yet. So, you sat up looking at him, and shook your head no. “Then what’s wrong buddy?” You frown and say the first thing to come to mind.

“I didn’t want to be sold to him” You fiddled with your sweater sleeves, and the feline monster looked shocked.

“O-oh, man…” He lights up another smoke now sweating, stressed. “Whoever ‘sold’ you broke a law little buddy” You blink up at him, shocked.

“What?” You resisted the urge to bite at your sleeves, that would taste bad anyway.

“I was researching it, because my cousin wanted to start a shop a while ago... And well you were ‘sold’ illegally if you didn’t give explicit consent” You looked at him worried, he seemed less stressed and more tired now. “Annnd, knowing him… You’re probably only going to be here a week or two before he gets tired of you… Being the selfish prick he his- Oh, man.. Hey little buddy, promise you won’t tell him what I said about him? Please?” You smiled at his panicked face.

“I don’t think he’d believe me though” Trying to hold back a snicker you continued “If he’s that prissy, he may just bring me back today!” The tan monster looked at you with a question in his eyes. “I called him a loser, and I don’t even know his name!” You crossed your arms and gave the cat a smile. “I dun, wanna know their name either” You pout, and the monster chuckles.

“Alright, I’ll take your word for it little buddy” Smiling weakly one of his ears twitched and he huffed out some smoke “You sure you’re not hungry, pal?” You tilt your head.

“I could eat...” You relent, and he gives you a relieved yet strained smile, holding up and finger and leaving the room. You sigh and lay back down on your plushie, this week or so was going to suck.

Chapter Text

Mettaton sighed, leaving the room that he put the imp like reader in, his plan was almost ready. All he needed to do was get the stages set up and inform the other few readers he had supplied hotel rooms to, and maybe call Alyph.

He shook his head, perfect hair bouncing. She could wait, this plan had to work, his rating where falling, other famous monsters had yet to think of this type of attraction, so he just had to work at it.

This was going to be great, and he knew it.

Walking down the center of the hallway he passed by BurgerPants and told him where the new reader was staying. BurgerPant’s gave a lackluster response and shambled away tail twitching. Rolling his eyes Mettaton went to the first reader he bought’s room. The small thing was curled in a pile of pink, white, and black blankets, holding on to a pre Mettaton Ex plushie, the plushie was twice her size.

“Hello sweetie~” He purred as he entered the room, eyeing the reader’s light pink dress, It was far too plain for what he had planned. The cute reader looked up at him with bright green eyes.

“H-hi?” She tilted her head, looking up at Mettaton, awe in her eyes. A fan, that calmed his nonexistent nerves. He nodded happily and clapped his gloved hands smiling brightly.

“Alright, sweet, how do you like the title ‘Amber Rose’?” She sat up straighter and smiled at this.

“I love it! Mettaton!” Smiling the pastel colored robot sauntered over to the reader and picked her up. Lily, the reader, snuggled into his hand holding onto his thumb.

“Now that that’s settled” He held the smaller one up too him “How would you like to be a star?” She smiled, albeit nervously, back at him.

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BP came back to the room only to find you asleep in the dark brown bat plushie’s fluff. Chuckling slightly, he placed the small plate of ‘heath pellets’ on the dolly desk along with two fries. He hoped you would like them and not want to try another daring escape, for at least until he could make the room safer for you to traverse.

Leaving the room, he almost ran into Mettaton again, but quickly moved out of the robot’s way. Mettaton was talking to the first reader he ‘adopted’ as he quickly moved past BP. Luckily the tan cat hid behind a fake plant in the hallway and Mettaton was busy.

After the bot had passed by him, BP went to check on one of the other readers Mettaton had gotten, it seems the robot could only convince a few readers to ‘come home’ with him, for his grand scheme. Granted the bot had yet to tell anyone what that would entail. BP went into the room to find the orange hoodie-clad reader jumping up and down chaotically on the springy mattress. He smirked at this.

“Hey there little buddy. How are you holding up?” His eyes following the reader up and down, his cigarette almost falling out in the process. The little guy laughed and shifted to bounce on his bum until he lost momentum.

“Pretty good, though Metta did give me a name, yah know?” The reader’s hair was a curly mohawk and half of it was orange the other half a brownish yellow. He pouted playfully at the much larger monster. “It’s Rick!”

BP blinked taken aback, ‘Mettaton changed this reader’s name again? Couldn’t the fussy bot make up his mind?’ Looking at Rick, who had now started bouncing again BP pondered this, concerned for his little pals. ‘Mettaton wouldn’t hurt them, right?’ Now more stressed than ever BP smiled at Rick.

“Are you hungry?” Sweat making his temples moist BP kept his eyes on the reader’s smaller form.

“Nah” Rick waved his small hand dismissively while he was in midair, then continued to jump as he talked. “I still have a ton’a food left from this mornin’!” BP nodded and looked to the bedside table where the readers small effects and a small table with food on it sat. There also was a bedazzled touch screen phone on its side plugged in, it served to better Rick’s free time.

Nodding to Rick, BP left the room to check on the remaining reader again and, hopefully, get Dapin settled in a bit better so their temporary stay wouldn’t be as bad a his own permanent one.

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After preening and training the smallest, and in Mettaton’s opinion the cutest of the four readers, for around six hours the robot brought the tuckered-out reader back to her room.

Lily had cuddled up to a pre-metta-ex plushie after the robot set her down. He smiled sadly at the tired reader, pat her head lightly and left the room. Walking down the bright halls of MTT Resort the robot let his constant smile fall, wondering how well this was going to work.

As the robot walked, he checked over his video files of the rooms the readers’ where in. Ricky V had bounced up and down on his bed constantly, almost all day; Dapin, a dark blue clad reader, had explored every inch of the room, happily to do so; and lastly the new red sweater clad reader who frankly Mettaton didn’t want to deal with anymore, had caused BurgerPants some trouble.

He sighed as he turned a corner, he’d have to deal with that reader no matter how much he didn’t want too. As too keep up his plan for the new show that would be high on the charts. He pumped a fist as he walked out of the hallway and down a back corridor, smiling at his ingenious plain.

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BP sighed looking down at the sleeping reader, Dapin was lying in a pile of papers in one of the shoes he’d forgotten in the room.

He didn’t want to leave the reader with one of his shoes, but the adventurous buddy had figured out how to make a sling shot of himself and one of the tassels hanging from the window’s blinds. So, BP’s first moment in the room was a slammed snout and lost shoe.

He had come back not only to make sure the blue clad reader had food, but mainly to get back his shoe, as well as too make sure the reader was okay, after all the chaotic pal had been running up and down all around the room.

Giving a small smile at the reader the tan furred monster put out his most recent cigarette on the palm of his left paw pad on his fuzzy hand. Leaning down his tail curled slightly, not unlike his smile, as he picked up the shoe, careful not to jostle the small man.

The cat monster’s mind wanders as he places the shoe on the bedside table, when was the last time he’d felt useful like this? Looking down at the smaller creature he shook his head absentmindedly placing a smoke in his lips, but not lighting it. He could worry about this later, as he usually does contemplate his life before he goes to sleep at odd hours anyway.

The smile now gone, his worry back full force BP gently rubs the light blond scruff of hair on Dapin’s head before he left the room, the door sliding shut without a sound behind him.

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You sighed wondering why the fuck you where awake this early? Rolling over you wince, that smarts. Looking at your bruised knuckle you pout, shifting off the bed using multiple weird shifting movements with your limbs, as to not disturb the large bruise on your tailbone.

After working your way to stand up you see a plate with what looked like cat food and two large French fries on it sitting on your desk.

You look up wearily and stand still as a mouse listening for noises. After hearing nothing for a bit you sigh and go over to the food, nibbling on one of the now cold fries. Though you were pretty hungry now you left the food be, this stuff is crap compared to the fresh fruit the shop keep had given you.
Feeling the pang of rejection, you frowned, and eyes moist you grabbed out some of the pastels as well as scrap paper. Sitting down you mindlessly scratch at the papers, some forming pictures but most just frustrated scribbling.

Maddened by the lack of decent work, and the fucking stupid shit you were thrown into you start tearing at the papers, avoiding blank and well-done pieces. After setting aside your favorite, albeit now smudged skull picture, and tearing up the pumpkin picture, your mind wanders…

Where is the Pun-pkin picture?

You shuffle through the papers, realizing you had less pieces then before, and some of your other doodles were lost too. Seeing as you couldn’t find them you figured the pieces got thrown up in the wind when the ‘room’ was moved. Mind made up you sighed, now hating the robot just a bit more than before.

“Hello, Darling~” Speak of the devil… The pastel bastard stood above your cage again, a definitely fake smile on his face. “How was your night? No more dangerous escapades I hope?”

You kicked at a pile of ripped up paper not taking your gaze away from the bot. Your sharp eyes glared at him as you moved to your stuffed animal, slowly and carefully. Then you snuggle up in the plushie, wanting to be left the fuck alone. You grumbled as much, and the pink bot tilted his head.

“What was that?” He leaned a bit closer to the top of the tank. Your glare grew colder as you wrapped yourself up with Nightmare’s wing.

“Go away…” You raised your voice a bit, so the dumbass could just make out your words, slightly miffed that you were repeating yourself, it reminded you of all the times the most childish of your brothers would ignore you on purpose.

His smile twitched slightly, and he straightened his head looking less confused, now just somewhat disbelieving. “I didn’t quite catch that dear…” That pissed you off even more, not hearing you, you could understand with the mumbling and you being so small, but that!? Fucking straight up ignoring what you said, struck a nerve.

“I said, SHOVE OFF! BOT BITCH!!” Your yell echoed slightly in the tank like ‘room’ and even farther out into the larger mansion like hotel room. Silence followed the outburst almost suffocating in intensity.

You didn’t know robots’ faces could pale, but this one’s did, his completely abashed expression, almost made you laugh, if you weren't so worried for your immediate safety. You expected him to hit you, or yell, maybe throw or break something, but too your surprise, he doesn’t.

The large robot just looks, prissy, maybe a bit hurt, then shakes his head. Eyes cold he towers above you looking, of all fucking things, disappointed in you? You glare back, shoving your clenched and shaking hands into the fluff of the stuffed animal below you.

The silence seems to drag on for hours though it was most likely only a minute, then he turns quickly walking out of the room his boots thudding on the ground harshly in the silence. The almost silent whoosh of the door closing behind him the last thing you hear of him.

The shaking in your hands became tremors in your arms that slowly moved too your whole body shaking. Only for it to stop when a sting of pain on your bruised tailbone reminded you of how small you really are. Eyes moist you wanted to cry, but just couldn’t? You felt so dumb for thinking this horrible robot would really care about you at all, after all he bought a fucking pet not a friend who was his size or didn’t fuck everything up!

No, you fought at your upsetting thoughts, I may be small but I’m not useless, and anyway why would I ever want to be ‘of use’ too that prick.

Thing is, your harsh thoughts combated, you’re small because of what you did, before that you were already useless.

Your eyes were watering now, and you berated yourself for being weak, and pinched at the bridge of your nose. Taking staggering breaths, you tried to calm down, sliding too lay down on the plushie, but the thoughts wouldn’t stop flooding your mind.

Blinking, you suddenly realized you were gnawing on your sweater’s grayed sleeve. Then you remembered something you used to do that helped release excess negative emotions like this. Pulling back your now damp sleeve you looked at your small arm, compared to the enormous fan above you, feeling extremely insignificant.

Bringing your hand down to your face you nibbled at your first finger, lightly. Then you bit down on the thenar space, between your thumb and first finger, leaving light indents in your skin, a small twinge of pain sent shooting down your limb, but it was lost in the harsh throbs from your bruises.

You sigh, upset this wasn’t working then an idea struck, you could bite the bruise on your other hand!

You frowned, rebuking the idea. No, that would hurt more than I’d want, I’m not a fan of pain.

Giving a frustrated huff your lay back arms fanned out, the sleeves now covering both arms past the hands, one still moist. You lay there for what feels like forever, fighting your thoughts back and forth.

Eventually your thoughts are interrupted by a faint whooshing noise and dulled footfall. Your gut plummets and you hope too bloody hell it wasn’t the pastel robot. Looking back a little, seeing as you were still laying down you sighed in relief seeing a tan snout followed by a worried face.
You smiled, albeit weakly.

“Eheh, I thought the pastel brat bot was gonna hit me…” He looked shocked at your initiative to talk first, but that settled into a small smile “Lucky me, he just left again” Your smile cracked, but you fought to hold it.

The cat monster’s face morphed into worry, eyes flicking to glance at the food he’d left, then back to you.

“Little buddy… “

Chapter Text

Kayle had royally fucked up, and Snip was not going to let it stand.

As soon as Mettaton had left the shop he’d jumped from Kayle’s shoulder and ignored her protests of worry as he jumped from shelf to shelf. After a bit of digging at some flies on one of the shelves he pushed it off the shelf and down to the ground in front of Kayle, arms crossed, legs leaning over the edge of the shelf.

“Now why would you do something like that Snip?” She says this as she reaches for the paper “Just because someone really important came over to the shop doesn’t mean you have to be a-” The words die on her tongue as she picks up the small book, labeled ‘Rules and Regulations of Reader Ownership, and all the Laws of reader protection’ She looked at the lanky reader sitting cross armed in front of her. “Wha?” Just as she was about to question Snip, Papyrus busted out from the back of the shop.

“I HAVE REORGANIZED THE BACK OF THE SHOP PROPER KAYLE!” His smile was bright and friendly, cape like scarf trailing behind him as he walked up to the shopkeeper. Snip stood up on the shelf and held his arms out toward the skeleton.

“PAPYRUS! Can you bring me back to my room?” He asked his usually chipper voice seeming to be missing something, or at least it seemed like it too Kayle, Papyrus on the other hand just nodded and brought the reader to his room carefully.

Then the skeleton went back to tending to the things Kayle had told him to, with impeccable detail a vigor she hadn't expected from the excitable monster, especially for his first day. She only had to correct him two or three times in the whole day, which was good because she couldn’t stop worrying about Snip and the book, not understanding what she had done to make him that upset.

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Sans sighed rolling over in his bed checking his phone and turning off the alarm app he hadn’t needed to use until now. Papyrus had started working part time at the Readers shop they had visited just yesterday, and Tori was more then happy to let him leave the job of ‘royal gardener’ Sliding the alarm off Sans snickered remembering all the skeleton bushes, seems Tori wasn’t a fan of floral boneheads.

Checking his messages, he saw he had at least twelve from Papyrus and three from some others.

cool-bro: GOOD MORNING SANS, OR I AT LEAST HOPE YOU DIDN’T GO BACK TO SLEEP.
cool-bro: I GUESS YOU HAVE, OH WELL.
cool-bro: I’M GOING TO SEND YOU MESSAGES ANYWAY.
cool-bro: THE READER YOU HAD AN EYE SOCKET ON IS GONE.
cool-bro: OH MY GOSH SANS!! METTATON CAME INTO THE SHOP YESTERDAY!!!
cool-bro: SADLY, I MISSED HIM BECAUSE I WAS REORGANIZING THE BACK OF THE SHOP...
cool-bro: IT WAS A MESS!
cool-bro: GOOD THING I’M HERE TOO KEEP IT CLEANED UP THOUGH!
cool-bro: YOU SHOULD REALLY GET UP, I KNOW IT’S YOUR DAY OFF AND ALL BU
cool-bro: *BUT BEING A LAZYBONES IS NOT THE BEST WAY TO SPEND YOUR DAY.
cool-bro: OH, IT LOOKS LIKE METTATON ADOPTED THE READER YOU WERE EYEING WHEN WE CAME HERE THAT FIRST DAY.
cool-bro: SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH KAYLE, SNIP WON’T TALK TO HER.
cool-bro: AND CHARA WON’T STOP THROWING THINGS, BUT THAT’S NOT NEW…

me: hey bro

cool-bro: HEY SANS, GLAD TOO SEE THAT YOU’RE AWAKE, HAVE YOU AT LEAST GOTTEN UP?

me: ok sitting up right now

cool-bro: SANS!
cool-bro: I MEANT OUT OF BED!

me: ok
me: now on the floor

cool-bro: SANS!!!
cool-bro: YOU SHOULD COME OVER, GRANTED YOUR PUNS ARE HORRIBLE THEY MIGHT CHEER UP SNIP, AND KAYLE…
cool-bro: THEY BOTH HAVE BEEN UPSET SINCE YESTERDAY.

me: k

Sitting up Sans kicks a skeletal foot to push a sock off his hoodie and shrugged it on as he stood up grabbing a random pair of socks. Appearing in the living room he moved sluggishly to the kitchen, wondering if Papyrus tried to fit his slippers in the spice rack again.

Snickering lightly, he tugged the second slipper from the rack. Half of the time he honestly didn’t know what his brother was thinking. Though Papyrus is a cool brother.

Appearing around the corner from the shop Sans took a breath of fresh air, taking a step his light pink clad foot fell on a small scrap of paper. Arching a brow bone, he lifted his foot picking up the piece of paper. It was the drawing of him with a pumpkin head and small text had been scribbled out above it. Reading (Pun)kin.

Sans couldn’t hold back the snicker at that, his ever-present smile widening. That reader had a nice san of humor. Pocketing the picture, he strolled toward the ghastly painted shop.

Something nagged at the back of his mind, but he ignored it in favor of opening the front door, the bell from yesterday made not a sound, and the building was full to the brim with a depressing aura.

Faltering in his step he went over to the counter, where Kayle sat her face in her arms, ears folded back. He leaned on the counter, smile flattening slightly at the sight of the dejected feline monster.

“hey, what’s up pussycat?” She flinched, sitting up quickly, her hackles raised and tail poofed up in shock. Looking to her left then right she then saw Sans, her fur laying back down and tail thudding to the floor in relief. She gave him a weak and crooked smile.

“Oh, h-hey Sans? I didn’t hear you come in...” Giving a weak glare at the door she smiled businesslike at the short skeleton. “So, welcome to my shop, your brother’s reorganizing the backroom again if you want to check up on him”

Sans nodded put off by the lackluster attitude of the wide monster, and casually walked over to the door on the left of the wall of the tank like reader rooms. Glancing back at the feline who had lay her head down again, but she was now watching the readers with a worried eye. Sans wondered what was wrong and entered the back room.

Papyrus and Sans chatted all day, Kayle being pulled into the conversation here and there, but she tapered out quickly. Slowly the day ended, the shop closing up early, because Kayle said she didn’t feel too good. Papyrus was worried, but Sans consoled him and said they’d approach her about it in a day or two if the situation didn’t get better.

The situation not only didn’t get better it got extremely worse, Snip stopped eating, and not because he was pouting, his body straight out rejected any food, violently. Kayle was beside herself with worry fretting over the reader, Papyrus was left to pick up the slack in taking care of the other readers as she fussed. It seems Papyrus could not have started working there at a better time.

Though, Papyrus did feel a bit stressed after all there were around forty readers to take care of, and re organizing the back room, the right way, was hard to manage. Yet every time Undyne offered to help him, he would reply with a hearty ‘The Great Papyrus can handle this!’ usually punctured vea him jumping out her window. Granted this only happened a total of two times in the span of three days, but that’s beside the point.

Part way through the second day of the two skeletons waiting Kayle stopped smiling, Papyrus really wanted to say something about the situation at that point, but Sans told him to wait one more day. After all, Kayle is an adult, and she should be able to figure something out. On the third day of waiting Kayle didn’t even show up, and Snip was missing as well, Papyrus only found a note on the door saying where the key to the store was.

cool-bro: SANS!
cool-bro: KAYLE ISN’T HERE, THERE’S ONLY A NOTE!!

me: calm down bro, maybe she’s sick?

cool-bro: BUT
cool-bro: WHAT ABOUT THE WAY SHE WAS ACTING YESTERDAY?

cool-bro: AND
cool-bro: SNIP IS MISSING

me: calm down
me: ill go look for her
me: k?

cool-bro: Okay...

me: ill tell ya if i find anything

cool-bro: THANKS SANS

Sans sighed turning off his phones screen and appearing around the corner from the shop. This would be the best place to start. Looking in one of the shop's front windows Sans could see Papyrus feeding the readers at a table in the middle of the hangout area. It’s late enough in the day that he could convince all of the readers to eat, one of the red sweater clad ones was sitting on his shoulder part of his battle armor, Chara, Sans supposes.

The blue clad skeleton shrugs and looks around the entrance, then walks around the corner into the alley next to the shop. There was a side door behind a trash bin into the shop, but nothing much else there. Thinking back, Sans tried to remember what happened before Kalye and Snip had their ‘falling out.’ He eyed some scrap paper on the ground and then it hit him.

You had been adopted by Mettaton right before Snip started acting weird.

He blinked his eye sockets in shock of the idea and realized that made the most sense. He promptly turned to leave the alley and appeared in the alley beside MTT Resort. Walking around the corner of the building he saw the main door was left wide open and there was shouting coming from inside. Quirking a brow bone, he entered not bothering to close the annoying large doors.

“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN ‘METTATON’S TOO BUSY TO TALK TO ME’!?” Kayle stood hackles raised yelling at a snake/lion like monster who sat behind the counter not at all perturbed by the feline’s outburst. Snip sat on the purple monster’s shoulder arms crossed, he patted Kayle’s cheek and the monster turned to him and took a breath visibly calming herself down, just a bit, before continuing to talk to the monster behind the counter, her sharp teeth clenched. “I, need, to speak too Mettaton, now. Please call him down, or tell me where he is, because talking to him is the only-”

Sans had walked up next to the purple monster quiet as the grave and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned to him her tail fluffing up again in shock, but she quickly smiled when she saw it was him. The monster at the counter cleared his throat and eyed Kayle, though he has no eyes, just indents in his head.

“Ssorry, Ma’am. Mettaton is currently bussy, he cannot talk to anyone right now, including me…” He sighed, motioning to a bright pink phone on the counter. “But if you hadn't interrupted me, I could’ve told you, you can try and call him. He loves fanss” Sans could feel the nonexistent eye roll in the taller monster’s voice and Kayle blushed violet, Snip snickering on her shoulder.

“R-really?” The cat monster ventured “It’s that simple?” The desk monster nodded. Sans noted that his name tag said ‘Fanta’ and the skeleton promised himself to make some good, heck or bad soda puns. Kayle walked over to the phone and picked it up pressing the only button in it, that was Mettaton shaped.

It rang.

Sans offered Snip a ketchup packet, Snip took it and tried to open it with his dull teeth, holding it with both of his small hands.

It rang, again.

Kayle saw Snip struggling and used a claw to open a corner up for the reader.

Guess what, it rang a third time.

Snip sucked at the corner, making a face at the strong flavor, but drinking the condiment anyway. Sans chuckled at that, and Kayle concentrated on the phone.

Ringing one last time, Kayle heard a click then what sounded like a cough followed by Mettaton saying.

“H-hello?” His voice seemed so, she couldn’t think of the word for it, it was at the tip of her tongue. “This is Mettaton~” He didn’t sound at all like he did when he had visited her shop.

“Hey. This is Kayle, the shop owner of ‘KaYlE wIsKeR's ItTy BiTty ReAdEr ShOp’ and I need to talk you about the reader I sold you.” Her voice was all business, and Snip looked at her with happy eyes, though none of the monsters could tell due to the hair cover them.

“oh” Was Mettaton’s response and the word hit her, his voice sounded so, small.

Chapter Text

“Little buddy…” BP’s mind was reeling, oh stars, what in the ever-living king did Mettaton think he was doing, this reader looked absolutely devastated, and they didn’t even Like the guy! The reader started gnawing on their dirty sweater sleeve, and BP blinked. Looking at the food again. “Can I get you anything other than this too eat?” He picked up the small plate and cold fries careful of the other things on the desk and in the tank like room.

The reader nodded mouth still holding on to the sleeve, giving a little ‘mhm’ noise. BP nodded and tossed the small plate and its contents in the nearby trashcan.

“Okay, what would you like little buddy?” He smiled the smoke in his mouth almost out “I’ll get you anything you want!” With that the reader blushed a little embarrassed of being, somewhat, put on the spot.

“N’apple?” You said teeth still clenched on your sleeve, the bruise on your tailbone hurt when you sat this way, but it was the only way to look up and not have to crane your neck. The cat monster in front of you smiled, slightly relieved putting out his cigarette on the palm of his hand.

“Alright, I can do that. Anything else?” You shook your head no and the monster left the room. As soon as he turned you let your small body drop back and took the sleeve from your mouth. Thinking back to the robot you sighed irritably shifting into a more comfortable position. You grumble and start talking to yourself.

“You know what, fuck it. I blame the robot.” Pouting you look at your bruised hand, the robot didn’t listen to insane scientists, now did he? Shaking your head, you smile, “Insane my ass. Those fuckers told me the most fuckin’ convoluted truth.” Snickering your eyes started getting misty, thinking on how no one knew this shit, how and why the readers got here and why they’re called as such. It was so simple, but Chara had called you absolutely insane when you told her.

So, telling anyone, reader or monster, you assumed to be a bad idea. Especially considering you knew some of them from before, your fuckup, a reader or two that is…

Hearing a slight whoosh, you come out of your harsh mindscape. The cat was back, you stood up quickly, letting out a hiss between your teeth in pain. The tan monster moved with a quicker step to get to you. Peering over the edge of the small ‘room’s walls you could see the worry in his eyes.

“Hey, little buddy?” He stood up straighter carefully placing the two apple slices on the dolly desk, you shifted on your feet willing the pain in your tailbone to go away “Are you, really, okay?” You looked up at him eyes still misty with harsh thoughts and pain. You glared at him, knowing it was your own damn fault you ended up with this dumb as bruise.

Opening your mouth, you snap “What does it fuckin’ matter!?” Then your legs give and there’s nothing but darkness.

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“Bored, bored, bored…” Dapin sighed shifting through the Papers he scattered across the large expanse of the hotel bed. “BORED!!” He huffs jumping up and laying on his back with a bounce “THERE’S NOTHING TO DOoo” He wines, eyes wandering, he’s explored every inch of the room as was now, somewhat, screw that, really antsy.

He flails his arms and legs trying to make a snow angel out of the torn-up paper around him. Granted he’d never heard of or seen snow, though he does know what it is for some reason. Giving a small smile the reader looks across the large expanse of black and pink blanketed in white scraps of paper.

He frowns sitting up, something’s missing… But what?

“Hello darling~” Mettaton’s voice snaps him out of his thought process, he looks up at the hot pink robot a big smile on his face as he jumped up.

“HEY METTA- oph” His amped up reply was cut off by him flopping face first into the now scattering pile of papers. Mettaton chuckled lightly at Dapin’s antics and put a hand down next to him.

“Heh, nice to see you to Dapin, sweetie, let’s get going we have a few tricks to practice” His smile seemed smooth, and Dapin sat up then climbed onto the hand, grateful to the robot for killing his boredom.

“WHERE ARE WE GOING?” He asked voice as loud as anyone bigger than him, his small stature did, not, follow through too his voice.

“We’re going to get Rick then we are going to practice an amazing stunt that will make you two stars~” Mettaton said eye sparkling as he walked out the door Dapin standing on his hand haphazardly looking around as the monster then walked down the hall. Dapin didn’t even try a listen to what the monster his bright brown eyes soaking up the hallway, all the doors and all the cool places he could explore!

The blond reader's thought process was cut short when the monster went through another sliding door, into a very different hotel room, with another reader, like him! Bouncing on the much larger bed. Mettaton took the two too practice, only returning them to their rooms when he saw fit.

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BP sighed weakly, looking at the passed-out reader, the tan monster picking them up and placing them on the large bed along with their plush and some small blankets. This can’t be healthy, now more worried for the red clad reader then ever he realizes the little pal has a bruise on their hand.

Entering the next room, he gives a small smile around his smoke at the small sleeping bundle that’s Rick, the reader all sleepy, which BP frankly though was a good thing considering how energetic the mohawked reader had been just earlier that day. Leaving food for the tiny man BP moved on to the next reader’s room.

Lily was sprawled out on her bed, yet she took up no more room than the touch screen phone she was watching videos on, seeming bored. Glancing up a BP she looked hyped till she realized he was, in fact, not Mettaton. Giving him an apathetic glare she when back to her video ignoring his greeting. After placed down the food and she scoffed at his attempt to talk to her again, he took the hint and took his leave.

He leaves the room to check on the next one of the four dragging a paw over his face. Opening the almost silently door BP was stunned, how could something so small create such a mess? There were so many things going on in the room the cat monster didn’t know where to look. Dapin on the other hand seem so engrossed in some videos on his touch screen phone as well, completely ignoring the feline monster and he only looked up when BP almost tripped on a roller-skate that had not been there before.

After leaving BP goes to check on neglected reader one last time, too see if he could get some food in them. They could very well have other bigger wounds for all he knew. His tail flicked with worry. BP nudges the small reader, as too try and wake them up.

After about four minutes BP gave up on waking the reader, seriously needing another smoke leaving the room as he lights one up. Going home for the night, much worse for wear.

Chapter Text

Blinking and shifting around on the surprisingly comfy ground you look around the almost pitch-black area. once the fact that it's dark as fuck registers in your mind you sit up and regret that action immediately, due to your tailbone reminding you of its bruised status. Flopping back down on your back you figure you're on the huge ass bed you saw earlier.

You figure you should try and get out now that it's both night and you aren't in the cage/room thingy anymore, you slowly work to stand up on the cushy surface of the bed. The smell of food distracts you though and you work your way to the head of the bed and onto the side table that has a couple slices of apples on a plate on it for you. As you eat you look around realizing your eyes have adjusted to the lack of light surprisingly well.

It seems the main door to the room was left open slightly, which is odd because it's a sliding door. Shrugging the thought off your climb back onto the bed and slide down the blanket to the floor. Once there you make your way to the way and chew on your greyed sleeve absentmindedly. Peeking into the darkened hallway you wonder what the hell you're doing? You could get stepped on or something. Again, shrugging off the probably smart though you move to hug the wall as you walk down the dark and huge hallway.

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Mettaton smiles as he boots up for the day, looking at his list of amazing plains, he stands up and unplugs. Then he goes to find his Useful readers to try the trick all the way through for the first time! He sashays down the hallway, lighting it up as he goes. Dapin is the first to be picked up of course, him being the most excited to see how the cool tricks they’ve been learning would come together for whole to adventurous trick in all. Second is Rick who just can't wait to do the tricks at an even higher altitude. Then finally Lily, who's strong urge to prove herself, had learned two more songs overnight.

When the got to the room Rick almost jumped from Mettaton's hand to the floor but the robot caught him by his hoodie,

"Ah, ah ah~" The Pinkish robot called as he placed the three of them down, "Careful darlings, the ground is not padded in this room. I want you all to take this trick with Alllll the risks involved, every time!" He twirls as he practically sings this, ending with a large gesture to a tight-rope and multi-trapeze set only slightly taller than Mettaton himself. compared to the three small readers, it was a huge set.

Rick couldn't stop smiling his Mohawk flipping from side to side as he jumped up and down. Dapin blinked and smiled as well, but with a different kind of enthusiasm, this was going to be an adventure of epic proportions he was sure. Lily blinked up at the huge configured mess and thanked the stars she was only going to sing.

Mettaton, properly enthused by their reactions smiled an lifted each onto a different pedestal, Lilly's with a mic and the other two in front of their own trapezes. After everyone was in place he stepped back and swung his hands down in a gesture to begin, thus staring the first, and even though he didn't know it, last run of The Trick of Cute Chaos.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

BP sweated as he entered work this morning knowing he was bound to be fired if Mettaton found out what he did last night. Leaving a Reader lose and free to cause what chaos they wanted was something he Knew Mettaton would fire him for, but he couldn't just leave you locked up in that room in the state you were in. Also, after what his shitty bot boss did to you any way BP figured it's definitely worth the risk.

After he finished getting in uniform, he walked down the hallway to check on you, only to bump into Mettaton himself. Going to apologize BP paused as the bot kept moving, with his head down, through the hallway. Tilting his head, the cat monster wondered what was up with the pink brat when his fur on his chest prickled with something wet. Looking down there on his uniform shirt lay a sizable red/brown stain.

Eyes wide BP looked down the hallway after Mettaton and turned dashing to where the bot came from.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

You sighed after the third turn in the seemingly huge hallway and decided that you'd stop in the next potted plant and wait for someone to turn on the hallway lights before continuing. Doing just that, you quickly realized how tired you were, climbing up on one of the many, surprisingly soft leaves of the fake plaint, you doze off.

Only to be woken by monstrous stomping and the flash of blinding lights turning on, and almost blinding you as you fell off the leaf. Luckily the dirt wasn't as fake as the plaint itself, so you didn't gain any more bruises as you landed on your back. It was only after laying there for a bit longer and contemplating biting your other hand that you heard the footsteps again, now a bit farther away, followed by the sound of a door opening a closing this time, that you decided to stand up and see what was going on.

After almost slipping as you climbed out of the potted plaint's pot, you looked down the hallway to see a monster sized door, with a window next to it. Again, the window was too big for you to use, and to gods damned high up for you to even try, but it was there, so, yeah.

Figuring the door was only a two-minute walk away you shrugged and started walking, still hugging the wall, to keep from the possibility of being stepped on low.

After what felt quite a bit longer than two minutes, but probably was shorter than that, you arrived at the door. Only to fall back painful on your bruised tailbone as the Pink-Bot-From-Hell ran out of the room at top speed, leaving the door open. Looking you scrunch your nose up at the metallic smell and constant high pitch scream, then you see the blood, suddenly reliving exactly how you and the rest of the readers ended up here, only to black out.

Chapter Text

Mettaton was not okay.
Dapin was blinded.
Lily couldn't stop screaming.
And you stared at Rick's remains, stuck in a past all readers forget besides you.

The process did involve three people as well. The Bleeder, the Tenco, and the Reader. But all that's beside the point, the main thing was, both things involved a lot of blood. So, because you and Lily were the same general size as Rick the huge room did nothing to abide the amount of gore and viscera he left there.

----------------------------

Mettaton wished he had stopped to put on his gloves this morning, but he was so excised and there wasn't time. Now the blood wouldn't leave his mechanical hands, no matter how hard he scrubbed.

He couldn't wrap his head around how such a small mistake could take a life like that. It was only practice! How come his hands weren't soft enough!?

The Panicking bot practically tore at his hands with the water and soap, thinking on how this would rust. Trying not to think on how truly horrible he'd fucked up. The sound of the small Reader's bones snapping...

Mettaton's hand-phone rang.

He froze staring at it the sound of rushing water filling his ears.

It rang again.

Snapping out of it, the pastel colored bot checked the lobby camera to see who it was, A fluffy purple striped cat monster, with a pony-tailed Reader on her shoulder, and a Short skeleton monster handing the Reader a ketchup packet. That was the monster who sold him the red clad Reader. What did she want? Why would she want that shitty Reader back anyway?

Guess what? It rang a third time.

Quickly he held the still dripping wet hand-phone to his ear, answering as he coughed to clear his voice.

"H-hello?" He asked feeling lower and smaller then what was left of Rick in the other room. “This is Mettaton~”

“Hey. This is Kayle, the shop owner of ‘KaYlE wIsKeR's ItTy BiTty ReAdEr ShOp’ and I need to talk you about the reader I sold you.” Her voice was all business, and Mettaton couldn't remember her voice sounding anything lower than a squeal, this was both good but horrible timing.

“oh” Was Mettaton’s response his left-hand clenching on the sink, cracking the porcelain as his mind raced. If he had blood in his face it would've drained long ago. His mind raced, as he checked the cameras for said Reader. Finding them outside of the open door of The Room. "I actually wanted to talk to you, darling~"

"That's good" She seemed to sigh out the words in relief. "Can we meet in person to talk this out?" The feline sounded both irritated and hopeful.

The bot nodded to himself rapidly, fingertips tracing the cracks on the sink as he talked, "That sounds like a-a good plain! Tell Fanta to let you into room Deep Magenta. I'll be over in about a... half-hour...?" Checking the camera for Burger Pants the bot took note of the tan cat monster in the Red Reader's room, not looking all that surprised to see a lack of Reader in said room.

Narrowing his eyes at this Mettaton walked out of the bathroom and down the hallway to The Room. First thing he sees as he approaches the room is you half-sitting, half-leaning on the doorway, your shoulders bunching up your sweater around you small head. Lily's sobbing could be heard from the hallway. Mettaton leaned on a knee next to you, gently scooping his rusted hands to gently lift you up. You’re too out of it to react, as he walks into the room towards Lily who's clinging to Dapin.

I the pink Reader flinches as Mettaton reaches her. He can't look her in the eyes, as he picks the two up.

As the door slides closed behind him, he locks it.

Chapter Text

You feel nothing, this must be a dream, you swear, everything is a dark red almost black. Coming to the realization that this is the sweater around your head bunched up by your shaking minuscule fists. The world sways around you and you realize that that’s not cold floor beneath you but metal, you quickly move to get away from whatever it is moving you only to be restrained by a set of arms like you in size holding your fore arms.

The red sweater that blocked your slight slipped down at the movement, and the sight of a young man with scruffy blond hair and slight peach fuzz in an open navy-blue jacket, t-shirt and ripped up jeans.

“Hey.” He seemed to be whispering or a least trying to only let you and the girl next to him hear him “Calm down, we need to think this out. This is not okay. We need to get away from this, “At this he nudged his head to the left and you realize that the huge pink robot was the one holding you and these other two Readers. At that moment you where happy for the blondie’s hold on you, or you might’ve fallen off and… “, cruel one’s mechanisms.”

You look to the girl Reader also sitting in the red hued palms for input, only to get a hesitating nod. Biting your lip, you turn back to the blond and nod in agreement. He lets go of your arms eyebrows still creased in worry. He turns to the Pink clad girl and says, “What now?” Still whispering “Lily do you have clue where we would go to get out? You spent the most time with Him.” Lily immediately flinches at the accusation and shakes her head no. They both turn to you in asksince.

Eyes growing wide you look around frantically only to see a flash of tan out the corner of your sight. You frantically turn to see the tan cat that’s helped you so much hiding behind a plant. You frantically motion towards him as the robot monster moved closer and closer most likely zoning out, you can only hope. The other two realize what you mean. Lily looks even more unsure if that was even possible and the blond Frowned.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

BP was almost to the activity place of the readers when he hears frenetic steps behind him, the only thing we could think to do was jump behind the hallway potted plant. Holding still as possible he heard the harsh stomping of Mettaton passing by him muttering to himself about rust. BP tried to process what the living hells was going on.

The stomping clicking of heals returned as he realized Mettaton must have fucked up bad, and this was Defiantly worth losing his job over. So, a soon as the robot reached him BP stepped out from behind the plant in front of his soon to be ex-boss.

“Ha- “He started only to be stopped by frantically catch and hold the three Readers who had jumped into his paws. You looked relieved and the other two readers apologetic, each of you holding frantically to the scared paws. “Oh, okay…”

Both monsters looked stunned for one moment, then BP looked at Mettaton only to see his form start to shake. Knowing that in the past this led to very violent things the feline fled, holding the readers close.

For a full minute nothing happened the air filled with only the sound of BP’s heavy breathing and footfalls on the chrome floor.

Thunderous Clangs of metal on metal rang out from behind them.

BurgerPants ran faster.

The sound of explosions soon kicked off.

He tried to run even faster,

But,

His breathes were labored.

BP barely made it to the stairs before the cacophony of calamity caught up to them. Explosions and what seemed to be a wild song muffled by unhinged laughter assaulted his ears as he careened down the first flight of stairs, feet barely touching one step before being lifted for the next.

The cinders of the constant explosions above him burned his tail as he ran, using his shoulders and arms to protect his precious cargo. An almost constant hiss of pain left him as he ran, slamming his solder into the door to reach the main entrance hallway.

It didn’t budge.

Mettaton had reached them.

A chainsaw in one hand and an overly large bazooka on his opposing shoulder, the robot monster smiled, his head tilted and eyes crazed.

“Done?” He huffed, servos and limbs shaking. “Okay, Sweetie, you Are not going to tell, ANYONE, about this.” Ears folded back, fur smoldering, and body poised to protect the Readers in his care, BP bared his teeth and responded with a uncooperative hiss. His tail, burned as it was, fur almost gone started to hit the metal door behind him.

thup

“Oh, come now~” Mettaton gave a shaky smile, shifting the bazooka back into his back. “Don’t be like that,” His bloodied hand reached out to pat BP’s shoulder.

Thap

BP’s hiss turned into a menacing yowl, all his fur standing on end. The magenta bot yanked his hand back, just barely keeping them from being dented by BurgerPant’s sharp fangs.

THUP

“Now that’s just unreasonable” Mettaton pouted, eyeing BP’s bloody tail. Every hit leaving a bigger and bigger blood smudge on the door.

Tink!

Mettaton turned his whole body to the sound from the window in the stairwell behind him in shock, sharp mechanical eyes squinting at the shadows into the alleyway, looking to see if anyone saw, this.

As quietly as he could BP pushed down on the door handle.

Mettaton with his eyes on the window held the now warring chainsaw millimeters from the Feline monster’s throat, freezing in his tracks.

“We can work this out,” The bot says, assured no one saw, he turns ever so slowly back to face BP “All you have to do is,” He takes a step closer, BP still frozen in his tracks, not moving a hair “Keep your yowling snout shut, and hand them,” His voice still closed he motions towards the Readers with a bloody hand “too me~”

The door behind the feline opens.

Light blinding them both.

They were saved.

“hey”

BP quickly with his eyes till adjusting, unmindful of the chainsaw near his face, turned and frantically handed the readers to the short monster holding the door. Then crouched hissing in pain, kneeling on the floor.

“GO!” He his through clenched teeth. And the monster in front of him was gone.

Only to be replaced by screaming of the monsters in the entrance hall, his eyes were unfocused but he could make out purple, green and some orange before the feline finally passed out.

--------------------------------------

Kayle looked like she was too busy contemplating the phone in her paw to talk so Sans turned to his phone.

me: hey bro

cool-bro: YES?
cool-bro: DID YOU FIND KAYLE??
cool-bro: IS SHE OKAY? IS SNIP??

me: yes
me: both

cool-bro: AND??

me: at mettas hotl 4 red reader

cool-bro: OH
cool-bro: WHY?

me: the reder wsnt adpt but sold

cool-bro: NOOO!
cool-bro: THAT’S AGAINST SPECIFIC GUIDE LINES!!
cool-bro: RULES THAT ARE SACRED!

me: oh

Sans looks up from his phone at a noise, it seems like no one’s noticed it. He looks around the entrance hallway-like area, seeing a door he decides to double around back, at the second noise.

Appearing in the same alley way as before Sans looks through the murky window into a stairwell of all places. The stout skeleton leans closer peering to see Mettaton leaning over, something. Reaching for it only to yank, was that rust?

No.

That mechanical hand had poorly cleaned off blood on it! The Skeleton’s eye lights went out. Then as a cloud moved lighting the window more than the alley Sans could finally see what Mettaton was looming over. Just as the seared feline used their bleeding tail to slam against the metal door behind them, leaving a dark mark on the door.

Tink!

His blue eye ignited, and less than half a moment later he was gone from the alley.

In his rush the stalky skeleton did not realize that there were more paper in the alley than what he accounted for, so when two attached themselves to his legs he appeared somewhere lese entirely. Confused and disorientated it took longer than he wanted to get his baring and appear in the shadow next to the door inside the entryway.

He grabbed the door handle as soon as he reached it and yanked it open with more magic than might, only to have the tan feline from before turn to him and frantically, yet oddly gently hand him three readers, a pink, a blue and a you.

As soon as he spotted your curled up frantically shaking form Sans knew he would Never let anyone hurt you anywhere near like this Ever again.

Hearing the hissed ‘GO’ from the monster keeling in front of him,

Sans Left the building.

Chapter Text

Papyrus was worried, he’d taken all his stressed energy and used it to take care of the Readers properly. Sans had been gone for almost two hours and not word was sent to him. To keep himself for going mad wanting to text Sans the tall skeleton left his phone on the front counter, closed.

Chara poking his jaw pulled Papyrus out of his daze, for him to realize he was over pouring the soft bedding into the Comfy Readers’ area, not that they minded all that much. Heck, some of the Jumpers were throwing the excess around.

Papyrus carefully got back to work focusing as much as he could, the red clad reader on his shoulder had to poking him back into attention constantly. Just after he’d cleaned up the most recent mess of food made by the Jumpers and Adventurers his phone rang.

He quickly hopped over to his phone snatching it up and flipping it open

LAZY-BONES: hey bro

ME: YES?
ME: DID YOU FIND KAYLE??
ME: IS SHE OKAY? IS SNIP??

LAZY-BONES: yes
LAZY-BONES: both

ME: AND??

LAZY-BONES: at mettas hotl 4 red reader

ME: OH
ME: WHY?

LAZY-BONES: the reder wsnt adpt but sold

ME: NOOO!
ME: THAT’S AGAINST SPECIFIC GUIDE LINES!!
ME: RULES THAT ARE SACRED!

LAZY-BONES: oh

He Frowned at the screen, worried, only to be poked by Chara again. He gave a smile to her and turned to the front desk where a book was out of place. He had wondered what it was doing there but figured Kayle left it there for reason. Now that Sans had texted him, he figured out the reason.

She must had snapped to her senses at the pain her favored reader was in. Papyrus lost some respect for his new boss, that is to say, all of it.

Giving a sigh unequal to his normal jolly demeanor, he turned back to the readers and started helping get them ready for bed as the sunlight lowered behind him streaming through the storefront windows.

--------------------------------------------

Sans appeared after the last reader was settled into their room.

Papyrus used to this entrance didn’t start as others might have but leapt into action when he saw what looked like blood on his brothers sky blue coat. Hoping over the small fence he dashes towards his shorter brother.

Sans is overwhelmed this entire situation, Papyrus could tell immediately buy the blank eye holes and hunched, protective, stance. The shorter skeleton monster didn’t move or even twitch when his brother reached him, gathering up the two readers then reaching for you.

Only then did Sans react, shifting to look up at his brother, holding you close to his breastbone. Papyrus paused at this and, looked into his brother’s eye sockets. The taller skeleton nodded to himself and took the other Readers over to the washroom. As he walked through the backroom door Sans slowly shuffled to the front desk. Sliding to sit down on the chair behind it he gently placed you on the desk hands shaking.

He drags a hand against his face causing a small scraping noise, his other hand palm down next to you barely touching the desk. Brown spots spattered on his skeletal hands and jacket.

You looked around, also overwhelmed but, by the openness of the desk in your case. Shivering and worried you slowly stand up then start towards his hand. Hesitating every step or two, crouching down next to his right hand, you nudge his hand and lean agents the skeleton palm you look up at him.

He starts, hold his hand still giving you something to lean on. The slight downward quirk of his mouth quirks back up after he studies you for a moment.

“heh, you okay there bud?” his skull tilts to the side, and taps his chin with his free hand, then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a familiar piece of paper. One of your drawings!

You perk up, and reach out with grabby hands towards your art, the only one you know is okay. He holds it in front of you and you take it only to find it’s the stupid pun one you made when you saw him! Face turning bright red you use one had to pull the sweater up and over you face.

The stocky skeleton laughs, a deep chuckle coming from his ribs.

“it is a good pun bud.” He places his free hand in front of you making a pocket of space between his hands, “have any others?” You nod, face still hidden in your sweater. His melodious chuckle escapes his mouth again. “care to share?”

You mumble something into your sweater and shake your head no. Sans sighs and leans back in the chair hands still encircling you partially.

“that’s your provocative kiddo” You peek out the top edge of the sweater collar to see the large, compared to you that is, monster looking at the backroom door, his smile almost turned down. You could feel the almost palpable worry this skeleton feels for the Readers and monster he left behind.

So, gathering your courage you put the sweater back were it goes and start fidgeting with the picture as you say, “I wasn’t sure if you would find it humerus…” He turns back to you shocked, and his smile grows so wide his eye sockets bend up at the bottom.

“well it sounds like you put a ton of thought into them…” He chuckles again, worry seemingly gone “A skele-ton!” You snicker, then wince at the pain in your rear. His eyes narrow at the action, and his smile turns almost to a frown, brow bones creased in worry he sits up.

“hey, what’s wrong, bud?” Your gut sinks and you pull your sleeves down, shifting to not lean on your tailbone, and failing. After another wince you pout. “seriously, how can I help?”

Flashbacks of BP asking you the same thing causes your eye to moisten and you whimper. His eye widen in worry and he frantically looks around for something that could help you. Papyrus seems to have just getting the other two reader comfortable and Sans flags him over with his eyes, then mutters something to him.

Quickly Papyrus brought over some grapes, sliced apples and tomatoes. The larger skeleton placed the small plate in front of you between Sans’ hands. You smile weakly at the two and grab an apple to nibble on eyes still watery.

Chapter Text

A T.V. played in a dark room, a light whistling noise could be heard, not unlike snoring. On the screen two dogs sat on a bench nuzzling, and interviewer monster asking them questions about the Nuzzle Championship and how they thought they’d do. Soon the screen switched back to the main reporter, an ox with a dog face and paws, talking about the latest scandal.

“In other news the classic and beloved pastel robot monster has been arrested today under counts of neglect of multiple Readers, the small companions sweeping the nation, abuse, neglect and death of Readers in his care!” The low volume buzzing in your ears as you lay on the chubby skeleton’s belly, holding onto a skeletal hand for balance as he snores, enraptured in the television wanting to know what happened to the robot who did such a cruel thing for fame. A shot of Mettaton, colours dull and smiles gone, appears next to the broadcaster as he continues “After assaulting an employee, attempting to keep them quiet about the death of one of the Readers in his care, Mettaton was found. Red handed in the lobby of his favorite MTT Hotel. Chainsaw still in hand.”

The screen cuts to a clip showing Mettaton in cuffs being led into a courthouse-like building. “He will be tried to the fullest extent of the law. We’ll keep you all at home posted as these events unfold” After about five minutes of another interview of some Nuzzle Championship, the monster from before came back on the air.

“Breaking News! Breaking News!!” A picture of Kayle showed up on the screen, smiling menacingly with her sharp teeth, “As it turns out the owner of the Reader Shelter that gave the disastrous pink bot his most recent Reader, did not consult the Reader before handing the poor dear over.”

You realized at this point you don’t remember much of what happened after you ate some apples and snuggled into the large, to you anyway, skeleton’s hoodie. it was all just a crazy blurr until his skull came in focus.His large smile much more friendly than that of the shop owner, sans looked down at you with concern in his sockets. Sans’ deep baritone voice filled you with a sense of comfort you never thought possible, your eyes filled with tears and you refused to let go of his pinky finger, even as you passed out. Sans, endeared by this and the police who saw this little being take comfort in this small round skeleton left you in his care.

That’s all you cared to remember as you sit on his stomach watching the news, quietly still clinging to his finger.

Chapter Text

You sigh sitting in front of your computer hearing your siblings fight even through your headphones, gods you hate them, the thievery the fact that none of them care if you live or die, it’s agonizing. So you hide away in your room, as you always have done and stay quiet as possible. only making your way vea being a middle-man online. Playing video games and online quizzes to keep at least partaly sane. Only leaving your room for the restroom, or to pick up a delivery. It wasn’t glamorous and you couldn’t afford much, sometimes having to supplement your income with some craigslist ads here and there. Checking your online bank statement and the lack of yelling outside your room, you decide now is the time to take up that offer to test some ritual mumbo jumbo, you’ve done it before and surprisingly its a big payout half the time. The other half of the time, you have to run or talk quickly, otherwise things would've turned out very bad. Not the point, point is. This one seemed much more legitimate than most of the one’s you’ve gone to in the past. Them being a big company and all.

After getting to the place and being processed, which included some rather invasive questions, you were assigned the title “Reader” then shuffled into a room with two other people. You were all handled an item and told only to go by your titles. You complied and told the other two, then they responded in kind, one called the Invoker and the other, the Holder. You held a tome, with old text printed on fresh paper, it looked like they hand wrote this. The Invoker, some dude with almost orange red hair, had been handed these silver and bronze metal loops covered in burned/melted carvings of some old language. Lastly the Holder, an older woman with silver hair and a surprising young face, held a small live bird. The Invoker mumbled something about norse, and you jumped at the sound of a speaker over head screeching to life, almost dropping the large book in your shock.

“The objects you hold are not to be put down or mishandled. First, Invoker, put on the bronze and silver bracelets,” He does so- “Next, Reader open the Tome to page 472, and read line 3” You blink then flip through the pages, passing the page you need then turning back to it. Focusing your eyes on the third line. You Read, and the world tilts. Then the line has been read and the person on the speaker is almost finished another sentence, you think, because the Invoker is waving his arms, and the world was tilting in the other direction now.

There was a sharp trill and everything came back into focus. The Bird on the Holder’s arm had sung a note. Pulling you back from whatever it was you had just seen/ felt.

“Everyone present?” The person on the speaker overhead asked, almost desperate kind of hope in their voice. There was an intense moment of silence, then the Holder nodded, the Invoker mumbling a small ‘yea’ after her, you followed that up with an agreement of your own. You still couldn’t believe what had just happened, did the world really just tilt?

“Okay, next line Reader” You hesitate, and the Invoker glares at you.

Then you Read.