Chapter Text
Hm… He’s late… This is not like him. Sans is never late for his lunch, even if he only had been eating here about an hour ago. Perhaps it’s good he isn’t here right now. It most likely means he is still at work. Even if he is sleeping, it’s better to know he is actually at his job instead of skipping out… Though, it’s always nice to have him around.
The pile of polished glasses reflect the constant orange glow illuminating off my body, flicking around just a little faster than my liking. Why am I so anxious when I know that skeleton is coming to my shop? I feel like a teenager when I’m like this, and it’s quite embarrassing… It’s a good thing most monsters these days don’t seem to really know how flames like mine work. It’s no surprise, seeing as there aren’t as many of us around… As of what I’m aware of now, only my daughter, Fuku, and I willingly live here in Snowdin while the rest are back in Hotlands.
The familiar jingle of the bell when the front door opens brings yet another false alarm. When I turn around, all I see is Jerry walking right back in, a crisp wind blowing in behind him. The squeaks of the glass under a polishing rag ring through the bar a little quicker. If it wasn’t for the fact that Jerry was a regular, I might have kicked him out. He is constantly walking in and out the bar, seeming as if he couldn’t just sit around for more than five minutes of his life. It’s cold outside! I’d much rather keep my flames from faltering so often in one day.
No matter how hard I try to get used to it, I can’t bring myself to settle with this cold. If I could bring myself to live in Hotlans again, I would. Fuku could go back if she so pleased, but there was no way I was going back to Hotlands without a reason seemingly more pressing than some snow and cold winds. Even Waterfall would make a better home… Hotlands could never be a good enough home… Not without…
There is no time to think about such simple times as that. Especially while the friendly face I’ve been waiting for has begun to walk his way to his… Who is that?
“here, get comfy.” Sans gestures to the… what looks like a human? No… It couldn’t be a human if everyone else is so calm. The canine unit is even here and they don’t seem to be bothered in the slightest.
“hey, that sounds pretty good. grillby, we’ll have a double order of fries.” Sans kept his usual grin, entertaining this new friend. So stuck in my thoughts, I’ve probably missed his greeting. He usually starts with a pun before his order.
With a nod, I hurry off into the back. Without anyone else to help, I have to do everything here. Not that it’s all that hard since most days the bar isn’t actually full… Thinking back to my father’s bar, the first Grillby’s, it would be rather nice to have a staff and a larger base of customers, but the small crowd of regular customers is still nicer than having the large crowd of consistently new people. Less bar fights, less drama, and better friendships.
The sizzle of the fries coupled with the thought of the first Grillby’s brings back memories I usually try not to dwell on. Memories of… better days? Could I consider them better days? I guess, despite the change in location, style, and menu, I still managed to end up much like my father. While I may not talk nearly as much, I certainly still managed to have my own skeleton to wait on every day. My father’s skeleton, whose name I can’t quite place… G-something? ‘G’ had spoken to my father in some odd language most times. Hands, was it? It was odd, hearing such a font. Fonts were mostly a skeleton trait, Hands being a font that died out as the skeletal population decreased.
Now thinking about it, we elemental monsters had a rather close relationship to skeletons, especially after the war. While I’ve obviously seen more elemental monsters in my life, I’ve only met three skeletons in person. I can’t seem to remember the face of my father’s friend, parts of my past much like a blur, but I do remember those holes in his hands that appeared randomly one day. My father was rather upset, yelling about how G would kill himself one day for doing something so crazy. I could only wonder what he could have possibly been doing that could hurt him so much as well as get my father so riled up. I don’t think father actually ever got to hear from G about what he was working on.
I chuckle to myself, adding the fries to their respective baskets. Father did seem to have a fondness for G. Perhaps… No, I should stop dwelling on it now. Such a relationship is no longer important once one’s, well, flame has burnt out, so to speak. I stroll out with the fries, Sans having caught my movements from the corner of his eyes.
“here comes the grub.” Sans spoke with a bit of a sigh. Something is bothering him. I would ask him if his friend hadn’t come by… I wouldn’t want to disrupt their time after all.
Going back to yet another glass, I listen in as usual. Sans spoke about his brother, as per usual. He is always worried for his little brother. He wouldn’t be working as hard as he does otherwise. Sure, he seems like he’s lazy because he takes advantage of the workers laws here in the underground, but he still seems to work harder than most take notice. For one, no one seems to ever bring to question how a skeleton would end up with bags under his eyes. Sure, the answer for most monster biology is magic or the lack thereof, but it always seemed just a little off. Of course, we’ve gone through that conversation already.
Sans’s continuous work is why he is allowed a tab… While I badger him about when he is going to pay it, I do tend to have to remind myself that perhaps it’s worth keeping it open. Though, I can’t help the feeling that the both of us would be dusted before he ever gets to pay. Heh, if there is a world beyond our own, our post-dust souls will meet and I’d certainly make sure to badger him then. It certainly would be funny.
“welp, that was a long break. i can’t believe i let you pull me away from work for that long. oh, by the way… i’m flat broke. can you foot the bill?” Sans pressed his friend, “just kidding. grillby, put it on my tab.”
With that, he was off in a hurry. No time to waste when someone could be on their way to check in on sentry duty. Especially if Papyrus might be there. Then again, the younger skeleton is probably off to training at this point. While it’s admirable to see such a young, aspiring monster, no one in the underground seems to really think he should be in the Royal Guard. Sometimes preserving the innocent is the best thing to do. There are certainly many other jobs he could talk on. Perhaps, if his cooking were to get any better, he could work here. It would give him something to do, and it would be one way to get his brother’s tab paid for.
The patrons in the bar buzzed as Sans’s friend seem to speak to each of them… Well, not necessarily speaking. Everyone seems to just understand their hand gestures. Certainly many of us know what sign language, but not many monsters truly know or understand it, especially those who don’t have arms or hands to begin with.
This new character is rather adorable, yet bold for a child. There is only one kid in this town that is as bold, albeit much clumsier and more naive. Thinking back, Fuku was rather shy at such an age. She is still shy now, but she speaks much more now than ever before.
“Their pretty nice for a human, huh?” Red chirped a little, handing an empty glass to me. I was so deep in my thoughts that I didn’t even realize that the child was gone.
I almost drop the glass in my shock, “So, they really are a human?”
“Yeah, it’s been all the buzz today. Even Jerry seemed to get some respect from them. It’s too bad they’re going to end up being the last soul needed to set us free. Sure, we will get our own freedom, but we have never seen such innocence as that.”
“Hey, who knows? The king is such a softy he might let them be. Sure, he has six souls already and this would be the last we need, but even he should know when to give mercy, right? Plus, the kid acts so much like…” Ugly Fish trailed off, “Maybe I’m speaking a little out of line…”
The three of us went silent. We all remember just who Fish is talking about. Despite all the stories made for the kids, most of us monsters still mourn the death of the prince. That was, after all, what started this hunt for humans to begin with. The separation of the royal family, the disappearance of the queen, the replacement of the royal scientist… it all happen so very quickly. No one truly knows what happen to the prince and that royal human, but no one questions it anymore.
The bar resumed its usual silence saved for the small talk of the canine unit and the music on the jukebox. Red Bird received their refill, my hands back to polishing the glasses. I glance up at the clock again. Sans should be back in another hour.
I sigh, flipping the sign on the door to ‘closed’. The bar was empty of all the patrons, the jukebox no longer playing and most of the light being supported from my own body. However, I wasn’t alone.
“so Grillby, penny for you thoughts? What’s keeping that flame on your head lit so high?” Sans leaned back in his stool, arms against the side of the bar counter. His ever permanent grin seemed just a bit larger than normal.
“I… I’m rather surprised to know that a human is here… Especially one that is seeming to be so beloved by all of the other monsters.” I return to my spot behind the counter, stacking up polished glasses in their respective places.
“yeah, i’m pretty surprised myself. the kid’s a real charmer.” Sans’s eyes never seem to leave my back as he readjusted himself. He understood my flames better than anyone else… It’s nice yet it feels dangerous. I couldn’t hide much of my emotions from him.
Not that I want to hide much to begin with.
“Hm…” I turned back to him, “Well, I figured perhaps your brother would have captured the human, but I see he befriended them instead. I suppose it’s nice, but wouldn’t he be giving his hopes up doing such a thing?”
“you mean… since the human is most likely going to have their soul taken away?” Sans sighed, taking my nod as my answer, “yeah, I guess… even if it’s going to be for a small time… I would say it’s worth it. at least he can have someone to keep him happy…”
I frown, leaning on the counter, “Sans… You keep him happy too…” I already knew where this was going. He always seem to go down this self-loathing path, especially when talking about his brother… One would think that speaking about someone so close would bring more happiness than sadness. I always hated the way Sans would just dwell on what he considered the bad aspects of himself.
Sans was silent for a moment. I was going to say something more to try to fill the awkwardness, but he suddenly chuckled. It was a little darker than usual, “no matter how many times we repeat these nights you never seem to change…”
“Hm? Repeat? If you mean all those nights you’d stay late, then I would have to say the same to you, too. ”
That seemed to catch Sans off guard, “uh… yeah…”
Did… Sans not want me to hear what he said before? “San—“
“So, Grillbz, how is Fuku doing? it’s been some time since i’ve seen her here.”
Sighing, I decided to follow his change in subject. “Fuku is doing well. She is now old enough to go on her own. She tends to go down to Waterfall, though she goes to Hotlands to visit some friends.”
“Waterfall? that’s surprising. i’ve seen her pass by my sentry station, but i figured she would be going to Hotlands… testing her own strengths, huh? she's becoming pretty brave. she said she wanted to be a scientist or something, right?”
I nod, smiling softly. “Yes… She even took up learning Hands. She wants to know several different languages so she can better read different research without the confusion some translations can cause. It’s rather admirable to see someone so young trying so hard.”
Sans’s eyes went blank for a moment, his head slightly down. I most certainly wasn’t expecting that reaction… What’s got him so shaken up?
“Sans?” I placed a hand on his shoulder, getting his attention back.
“sorry… i was just thinking… she should try to douse some of her flames there… learning multiple languages are good, but Hands is no longer handy at this point. if she kept her focus on something like that, she’d have a hard time ketchup-ing to the rest of the scientists.”
Those puns were bad, even for Sans. “Sans… Is there something on your mind? Perhaps something you may want to talk about? You don’t quite seem like yourself tonight.”
“… maybe we should just get back home. i’m sure Fuku is waiting for you, and Paps is waiting for me, too.” Despite his words, Sans didn’t seem to want to move from his spot.
I walked around the counter, “Fuku has keys to the house, and you mentioned during one of your earlier breaks that Papyrus was staying in Waterfall for late night training, correct?”
“…”
“I’m here for you, Sans… You know I am always open to listen to you… Sometimes you need to just talk it out.” I took a seat next to the skeleton, pushing a bottle of ketchup his way.
“i guess it wouldn’t matter… you’d never remember it anyways.” Sans sips from the bottle, staring at the mirror across from him where all the glasses were stacked.
I leaned my head against the palm of my hands, watching him. I’ve decided to let my flames move more freely, hoping Sans would follow suit and loosen up a little as well. It would be better not to question what he just said, and give him his moment.
“… every time this world resets the story changes in some way or another… yet, every time we talk you seem to always be the same. you’re always there for me, always giving me the same pep talks and words of courage… i so badly want to be able to do the same for you, but it’s never that easy… not when I remember everything that has happen before… i don’t know what it is about you, but i could never get myself to stay away from here… from losing this attachment. you’re pretty special Grillbz… i feel like i should stay away because it might just be for the better. i burden you enough, and now i’m doing it repeatedly. i walk in, eat, and leave without much else changing. then i say these later hours, keeping you from going home and simply telling you about my experiences. i know full well you’d never understand and that it’s like i’m simply using you for your food and your time. if things were different… if time would never jump back… maybe i’d do more.”
“…” I didn’t want to say anything as he continued. I know very well that Sans isn’t drunk himself, so whatever it was that he was stating must have some truth to it… I don’t get why I couldn’t remember these ‘resets’ if Sans could, but it probably has to do with something I would never begin to understand… I often feel a slight bit of déjà vu, which sounds a little like what Sans is going through, but with much less vividness. Perhaps it has something to do with his nightmares? Ever since we first met he was getting those nightmare that seemed to just stick with him… Plus, being in the underground makes it hard to really grasp reality sometimes.
“…” Sans waved a hand in my face, snapping me out of my thoughts. I hadn’t even noticed he stopped talking, and now I feel kind of back. He’s looking at me as if waiting for a comment.
“Sans, about those resets. You mentioned that, with me, they were the same ever time… How so?”
“huh? oh, well… you’re not one for talking much in these situations… you would always seem to just understand what i‘m feeling, but never why… you’d sit back and listen to me talk the night away until it’s too late to continue…” Sans shrugged, his head plopping down on the counter.
“Hmm… That does sound like what I would do… Perhaps we can treat this moment differently?”
“is it just me, or is it getting a little hot in here?” Sans smirked, fanning himself down.
“Oh hush, Sans. I was just thinking that maybe I should tell a story for once. Since I don’t talk too often, it may be a refreshing change. I’ve found myself thinking back to the past quiet a bit as of recent… I’ll talk about the time when I used to work at my father’s bar… before we met in Hotlands.”
Sans simply stared back at me, more interest in his eyes than I’ve ever seen before.
“Hm… Where to start? Well, I’m not sure if you remember my father all that well since you only saw him a handful of times… Assuming those times haven’t repeated for you, too. He was once a soldier in the war. He was fairly close to the king… I’m sure if he was here now he would have possibly joined the Royal Guard himself. He was very popular, so plenty of people would visit his bar, but they usually weren’t regular customers. Despite that, he had one particular friend that was the closest to a regular customer… Just like you, my father’s friend was also a skeleton…”
“Junior! Where are you! We have another order I need you to take care of! This is the last order for the day before we close the restaurant!” Father called, rather agitated. I already knew what was making him angry just by the way his flames splayed out from the top of his head.
“I’m sorry father. I was just taking out the trash.” I walk in from the back door and straight to put my gloves away. “Has that scientist not come yet?”
“No, of course he hasn’t. It’s been two days. He probably won’t be back for the rest of the week! He isn’t even returning my calls!” He shoved the receipt into my chest, his flames growing a darker shade of orange-red.
“I’m sure he is fine father,” I sigh, pushing up my glasses, “Why don’t you just go to the labs and try to visit him? He would be working on overtime by the time the bar closes. I can just clean and lock up for you.”
“No… He would be upset if I went over there and disturbed his work…Plus, it’s not my business if he’s busy or not… He’s just a customer.”
I looked up at him from my position at the kitchen counter, “You don’t have to be like that. He really is a friend to you, and you to him. At least… send over some food in case he isn’t eating. He is rather thin for a skeleton. Plus, aren’t some of his bones cracked? Isn’t that… I don’t know, dehydration or something?”
“I… I suppose there is some food here that will go to waste if it isn’t eaten soon. You can package that for him on yo—“
The kitchen door opened, one of the waiters peaking in. “Sir… a man by the name of G aster said he has come by the see you. He wishes to talk in here. Is this okay?”
“In here? Fine, let him in.” There was a flash of worry as his flames lighten up in color. Father really was more emotional than he liked to believe.
I was cooking over the stove, using some of my fire elemental magic, when that tall skeleton walked in. It seemed fine at first. My father and G bantered back and forth for a while. Father was annoyed and told G off with a huff in every word. There was even the occasional flex in his arms when he’d clench his fist. He seemed to simmer down once he got his words out, his glow dimmer and his flames calmer. That was… until G’s hands came into view.
“G_____! What happen to your hands?!” My father held the two hands palm-side up before G could shove them back in the pockets of his lab coat. That skeleton never seemed to part with that coat.
I remember getting a peek at those hands after bringing the last order to the window… They weren’t like the skeleton drawings I’ve seen before. The portion between the fingers and the wrist was just one solid block… Now there was a large hole in each of them, which seemed rather painful if the rim of purple magic around it was anything to go by. G’s composure seemed to be breaking as well. G wasn’t one for showing emotions other than anger… At least, that’s all I’d seen from him prior to that night. While I don’t quite remember what his face looked like, I do remember him slightly curling his body inward, losing some of his height. He was taller than my father, but it was that moment that my father was actually on the taller side. G’s voice was deeper, wobblier, as he seemed to try to explain himself… or so I assume.
Cutting G off, my father’s voice boomed loud enough that patrons by the bar may have been able to hear him over the music. “G_____! You’re going to kill yourself! I don’t care what your excuses are! You are already falling apart as is and… and now you’re doing this! What the hell are you even doing that requires… this!”
By the time the bar had to close, G and my father had what seemed like emotional heart to heart. I was clocking out employees and locking up the front doors while they spoke. They were talking for so long the sun almost rose by the time G left. After that day, G would usually enter through the back door of the bar. Ever so often, he would be gone for an extended period of time, only to come back with a new wounds. It was like this for several year, but one day he just disappeared. We hadn’t heard anything from him for a long time and figured he was on some harsh project. My father never took the time to go to the labs to check in on him, which tempted me to sneak out and do so. Before I even willed up the courage to do so, my father got the news that G had been replaced as the royal scientist. No one really even seemed to question this sudden change, even my father took to keeping quiet.
“I would have talked to him if I had understood Hands myself… I’m not even sure how my dad understood it. I am glad Fuku is even interested, since I’m sure if she finds some of his papers she’d be able to tell me wh—“
“she wouldn’t be able to find the papers anyways.” Sans cut in, looking down at his reflection on the counter. He’d sat up at some point during my story, which I hadn’t noticed before.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“last i heard, all of the papers were lost around the time Gas— uh… the royal scientist went missing.” Sans paused for a moment before looking back at me, “i’m surprised you… remember anything from him at all. it was like everyone’s recollection of him was wiped completely after he went missing.”
“I suppose… It’s quite a shame the papers were lost… It could have helped our current royal scientist, I’m sure. Someone to make such a thing as the core should have had some amazing plans…” Sans eyes blacked out once again, but only for a moment.
“yeah… maybe he did. it doesn’t matter now. it’s all a thing of the past.”
There was a sudden, awkward silence between the two of us. We both averted our gazes, trying to figure out how to fill up this air. We never get into silences like this. Sans would usually fill in with some sort of pun… It seems he has been off his game today.
“Sans…” I finally spoke up, “I’m glad your font is much easier to understand… From what my father told me, Hands wasn’t another language, but more of a different way of communicating. I didn’t understand that at all, but supposedly G’s been speaking the same language as everyone else, but the way he write and the way his words come out is different from ours… I can understand it from you at least. You don’t speak in any different language, but your writing style and your accent is something no one else has here. You skeletons are rather interesting… I will say this much… Your font is rather soothing in its own way.”
Sans’s cheekbones took on a soft shade of blue, seeming to glow in its own way. He gave a genuine smile, “thanks Grillbz… i wouldn’t miss out on such an opportunity in any timeline.”
Sans suddenly hopped off his seat, stretching out before heading towards the door. “it’s seriously getting late now. you’re going to end up sleeping in this bar if you stay any longer. we should call it a night.”
With a sigh, I also take to my feet, walking back around the bar counter. “I suppose you’re right. Good night, Sans.”
“good night, Grillby.” A familiar shade of blue filled the room for just a moment, the sound similar to a cartoon laser echoing as Sans took his usual ‘shortcut’ home.
I leaned on the counter once more, face in my arms. What a peculiar night… I just hope that maybe, if these ‘timelines’ and ‘resets’ are real, that I could also remember something about them… At least Sans won’t have to feel so alone through all of this.