Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Living on the surface came with a lots of plus points.

For one point, it was the SURFACE. There was a sky and the sun and the STARS in the night. It was a beautiful place, full of plants and animals and all kinds of human stuff. It was new and interesting and ever changing.

There was weather.

Humans were a bit confused when monster showed a pretty strange but enthusiastic joy whenever the weather changed. Be it sunny or cloudy, rain or snow, heat or mild temperatures, it would put monster in good moods.

Another strange but good thing was that apparently gold was pretty valuable to humans. So what was a meager savings for hard times before, was now a wealth great enough to live comfortably on for quite a while.

Grillby never hurt for money, his sold from his soldier-days was barely touched over all the time, but he enjoyed working in his bar. And now he could built his bar all new and just like he wanted. Also now he could hire some more employees so he had even more flexibility and could even take some days off work.

The problem was, that he didn't really know what to do with himself once he had a day off.

While his new bar was constructed, he already took the time to travel a bit, visiting a near-by dessert and checked out all sorts of tourist attractions that could be found around his living space. He had been thinking about visiting other countries too but found himself a bit to nervous flying on airplanes over big bodies of water to really consider this.

So there he was, having one of his free days... and being pretty bored.

His apartment was pretty bare. There really wasn't much he did in here usually besides sleeping and resting after work so he didn't bother with personalizing it. There were a few photographs on the walls but nothing much else. It felt... empty. Lonely.

He did still have his niece but she had moved a bit out of town with Grillby's sister and her girlfriend, so he talked mostly via texts with her. But now it was a weekday so she would be in school most likely.

Most of Grillby's friends were regulars from his bar and friends was... a bit big of an word for that. He knew them and cared about them but he wasn't really close with them.

Grillby's flames flickered a bit lower when he finally concluded that he was just very very lonely.

He kind of missed Snowdin now. Long days at the bar, which was always filled with familiar faces. And of course, Sans, who came each and every day.

Sans had been a stable for some years for Grillby, a small skeleton monster with a way with puns and who never failed to make Grillby laugh. They had struck up an easy friendship, Sans being there to cheer Grillby up and Grillby being there to listen to Sans and help him if needed. The tap was a long-standing joke between them. Sans payed what he owned Grillby without a fail and Grillby would sometimes give Sans food for free, especially when he saw the small skeleton struggle with life in general.

Sans wouldn't always tell him everything that was wrong but Grillby had the feeling that Sans told him more about the things going on in his life than to anybody else. Grillby in turn had the feeling he could trust Sans with everything in his life in turn.

They knew a lot of things of each other. Grillby knew about Sans struggling with money sometimes. He knew Sans lost his parents at a young age and that Papyrus doesn't remember either of them. He knew Sans liked ketchup because the texture was nice to him and he hated raw carrots. He knew Sans was afraid of heights. He knew how much Sans loved his brother and that he loved the stars and longed to see them for real. He knew Sans used to be a scientist but that something happened and he is not one anymore. He knew Sans had a friend he had never seen face-to-face, a voice behind a door that shared puns and knock-knock-jokes with him.

He knew a ton more and Grillby had always felt kinda honored to know this much about Sans. It felt nice. When he called Sans his dear friend in public the eyes of the little skeleton had lit up brightly and Grillby had felt a flutter of warmness at the sight.

It all changed on the surface.

Sans now was heavily involved in politics, even if only behind the scenes. He took care of Frisk whenever Queen Toriel or King Asgore couldn't, he was behind the scenes when his brother was speaking the to the humans. He sat together with the royal scientist Alphys at the tables as an representative of the science division of monster kin and he still acted like the judge whenever Asgore needed him to be. Grillby had heard that Sans had bought a house and a telescope, a real one, and had a year-pass for the observatory. He heard talk that the little skeleton could become a real scientist again, working on big projects about space and stars.

He didn't heard any of this from Sans himself and hadn't seen his dear friend in weeks. To be honest, it hurt more than he would have thought.

Grillby was old and had lived through a lot of years. He had seen monster come and go, whole lines of families in Snowdin went by in a blink of an eye. Sure, each death of somebody he knew hurt but nothing hurt so much than the notion that he had lost the one that was his closest friend for such a long time to the wonders of the surface.

A part of Grillby longed to be back in Snowdin.

He signed deeply, banishing the thoughts. No, that was not fair. None of this was fair.

He decided to spend the day outside, leaving his empty and cold department to go to a near-by park. Maybe that would banish his dark thoughts.

The weather was nice. Pretty nice in fact. The sun was shining, birds were singing and flowers were blooming in the little park that Grillby favored for his walks when his apartment seemed to be closing in on him. It was nice and relaxing out here, the air fresh with a small current in it that let Grillby's flames dance a bit.

There were a few children with their parents out here, some people walking their dogs or couples relaxing on the benches. It was positively idyllic.

And then Grillby saw Sans. He was standing in the middle of the small road, together with the young human that freed all monster, laughing with them while he stacked up Hotdogs on their head. He was wearing his usual blue jacket but also a pair of ridiculous sunglasses in the shape of flowers and a straw-hat, black shorts and some sort of sandals on his feet.

The human must have noticed him because they turned around and waving at Grillby, prompting Sans to turn around too. There was always a smile on Grillby's friend but this one seemed... more like any other smile he saw on Sans. More... more peaceful.

Sans was happy, truly happy, and Grillby wondered if he had ever saw Sans happy like this.

"Hey, Grillby," Sans said as he came closer. "fancy meeting you here. Is this your day off?"

Grillby nodded slowly. "I was... talking a walk."

"Nice.", chuckled Sans while Frisk signed quickly beside him.

//We weren't at Grillby's for so long! How are you?//

"I am quite well.", said Grillby softly. "Thank you for your concern... I haven't heard from you.... in a while too. It is nice... to see you."

Frisk nodded happily while Grillby looked over to Sans who looked... slightly guilty?

"Hey, kiddo... how about you go and get some nice-creme and we'll meet up at the playground in a bit?", Sans said, handing Frisk some money. The human nodded happily, waving at Grillby and took off.

And just like this he was left alone with Sans.

Sans who looked... more and more uncomfortable? Grillby's flames lowered a bit more. Friends shouldn't feel uncomfortable in each others present... right? Did their relationship change this much already?

"Uh... hey again.", mumbled Sans, laughing slightly. "Wow it... it has been a while."

"A... few weeks.", said Grillby. It were six weeks and five days, not that he was counting.

"Wow... time flies huh?", chuckled Sans nervously before sighing and looking down. "Look, Grillby... I am sorry. I just... so much stuff happened and I... felt kinda bad just popping in on you when you got so much to do too.", he tried to explain. "I really should have come over more, huh?"

"You are... not under any obligation to visit me.", said Grillby, trying to soot his friend.

"Still... it... I'm sorry.", mumbled Sans.

"... I missed you." was out of Grillbys mouth before he could swallow his own words and Sans blinked, looking at him with wide white eye-lights.

"You did?", he asked and Grillby was... confused. He sounded like he didn't expect it.

"Of course.", he reassured Sans. "I... missed you a lot. Even with... many thing going on... I... would have understood. And enjoyed your company greatly not matter the context and quantity."

Sans now looked even more guilty and Grillby felt a bit more distress at that.

"Shit Grills, I... I am really sorry now.", Sans said, sighing. "How about... I'll make it up to you?"

"... how...?", asked Grillby surprised.

"Well, I got the day off, you got the day off... I just drop Frisk off to Toriel after this and then we can... meet up? Catch up on stuff?"

Grillby blinked at the offer but felt compelled to take it. He never really met Sans outside of his work but on the other hand, there was barely a time where he was off work in the Underground. So he found himself nodding.

"Alright... How about 3pm at yours?", asked Sans. "I'll get you and we'll figure out where we go?"

Grillby thought shortly about. It was around 11am right now so it was not an unreasonable time. He could finish his walk like this and wouldn't have to wait to long for their meet-up. So he nodded.

"Alright.", Grillby said, just to make sure, feeling a smile spread on his face with the realization that he didn't lost his dear friend apparently. He was looking forward to meeting up now, rekindling what they had in the Underground.

"Nice, it's a date!", cheered Sans before winking and teleporting away, most likely to get Frisk while Grillby was left standing frozen again.

A.. a date?

Chapter Text

When Grillby came back to his home, his thoughts were still in a bit of a dizzy. He was... unbelievable happy to still apparently have his friendship with Sans. He really missed him and well... seeing him again today made the feeling even stronger, as unbelievable that sounded.

The other thing was, well... he really never had met Sans outside of his work... to be honest, he had not met many monster in general outside of his work.

Grillby could almost hear his sister scolding him, telling him to stop working so much and get out a bit already. He had always frowned at that kind of talk but now he wished he had taken her advise.

And... what had Sans said in the end? A date? Was that just a figure of speech or...

No. Surely not. Right?

Would he WANT it to be a date? Or not?

Seriously, this was pretty confusing for Grillby. He could ask Sans for clarification but honestly, it was... pretty embarrassing. Grillby counted more years to his life than half of the Snowdin population put together, he should be able to figure stuff like that out already.

Yet, he couldn't.

He decided finally to just... go with it, see where it went and if things stayed unclear, he... might get the courage to ask. Hopefully.

Grillby spend the next half of an hour or so getting an outfit together that wasn't his work-clothes (another thing he seemed to have trouble with) and decided in the end on simple black pants and a nice dark shirt and a jacket should the outing take longer and the chill of the night should take in.

He was trying to remember where and when exactly he even got these clothes when he heard a know from his door. A real knock and then a spoken-out-knock.

“Knock knock.”

Confused, Grillby came closer to his door.

“Come on Grillby, I know you are there. Knock knock.”

“Sans?”, Grillby asked confused.

“Awww come on. You are supposed to ask who it is.”

“... fine. Who is it?”

“Adore.”

Grillby blinked at the word, his flames flickering a bit brighter.

“Adore... who?”

“A door is between us, can you open it?”

Grillby first blinked then chuckled and finally laughed softly and opened the door to find a skeleton there, beaming with the satisfaction of making the flame laugh.

“Heh, knew it was a crowdpleaser.”, Sans chuckled, winking at him.

Grillby found himself laughing softly again before he could look at his friend. It turned out Sans had changed clothes too and he... looking nice.

He was still in his black shorts but he now wore a black shirt with stars printed on them and the pair of sunglasses perched up on his head, held in place by some silver and shiny tape. His eye-lights were shining bright and white at Grillby and his grin twitched in a way Grillby had assumed meant that he was happy for real.

Sans just looked... very very good. There were other words to describe him but Grillby couldn't name any of them in the moment.

“Looking really nice, Grillby.”, said Sans softly, while Grillby was still trying to figure out the right way to describe his friend.

“You look... nice yourself.”, Grillby answered more or less feeling a bit silly.

Sans looked away for a moment, before shaking his head and waving at Grillby to come closer. “Okay, we should get going then, huh?”

Grillby nodded and stepped outside with Sans, closing his door behind him. “Where are we going?”, he asked.

Sans just winked at him and took his hand. Grillby had only a moment to blink and look at their joined hands and think about how Sans always felt cool to the touch, be it inside Snowdin or up on the surface, as the world around him fell away, melting into something dark and silent before exploding back into light and sound.

Grillby stumbled a bit, hand still gripping Sans's, as they both were suddenly standing at a little plaza in the town.

“Woah, Grillby, careful.”, chuckled Sans as he stabilized him, keeping Grillby from stumbling further.”

“What was that?”, asked Grillby, blinking and looking around, recognizing the plaza as the one with the many little cafes around it, close to the school where Toriel now supposedly worked.

“Uh, shortcut? Teleport?”, asked Sans careful. “Oh... I didn't took you through one yet, haven't I?”

“I think I would have remembered.”, said Grillby. “That was... something.” He had seen Sans teleporting around often enough but the dark and silent in-between was just... unsettling.

“Yeah the first time is... tripping.”, said Sans, winking and Grillby had to laugh again.

“One... could put it that way.”, said Grillby gently, flames flickering softly.

“Heh.” Sans looked pretty happy at Grillby's reaction too, standing a bit straighter and looking at him with a look Grillby had trouble with reading. He just got that Sans was happy. “So, do we want to go then?”

“Wherever and whenever you want.”, said Grillby softly and Sans seemed to beam even more at this. There was even a small blue glow around his bones.

How peculiar.

Their hands stayed together when they started to walk, Sans leading Grillby through the crowd and the little forest of chairs and tables from the cafes. And their hands stayed together when Sans finally led them to a small stairway, leading them up to a tiny coffee-shop perched on a platform with an big balcony overlooking a good part of the plazza, the small park and the small streets surrounding them.

Grillby almost regretted having to let go of Sans's hand.

They sat across from each other at a small table so they both could enjoy the view down to the people walking on the plaza, their voices a nice background sound, quiet enough so they could talk. There were some other people around them too but not that many and the sunshine was warming Grillby's back quite nicely.

All in all it was still a beautiful day.

And Grillby had absolutely no idea what to say.

Looking at Sans, at least he didn't seem to do any better.

“So... uhm...”, Sans started, awkwardly scratching over his cheek with his fingers. Grillby got the impulse to grab the hand again. “Yeah, how have you been? How is the new place?”

“It's been... fine.”, said Grillby, actually relieved that Sans choose a harmless topic for now. “The rebuilt came out really nice. I got some employees now, two humans and three monster working in shifts...”

“The place is quite popular again, huh?”

Grillby chuckled, feeling his flames flare a bit with pride. “I am happy about this. We got very good online reviews.”

“Yeah, I saw some.”, chuckled Sans. “I gotta swing over to yours again... sorry about dropping from your radar again.”, he added almost mumbling. “I didn't mean to leave you hanging, Grillby...”

“That is... alright.”, said Grillby. Still it felt nice to know that Sans hadn't simply forgotten him. “I heard you had a lot... on your plate... too.”

Sans laughed at that merrily, eye-lights shining brightly. “Awww, Grillby, you are on FIRE today.”, he giggled, making Grillby chuckling bashfully again. “But yeah, uhm... there was a lot of stuff with the humans and Tori and Asgore and well... Frisk and stuff with Papyrus...”, he started naming some stuff, counting them off on his fingers.

“I am sure, you are worked yourself to the bone.”

There was another round of laughter and Grillby grinned a bit more, enjoying being able to make his friend laugh.

“Yeah one could say that.”, chuckled Sans.

“So... do you have more time now?”

“I'm working on it.”, nodded Sans. “The whole royal scientist stick really isn't me, Alphys can handle that on her own soon, she really only wanted me there too because she was to nervous with all the people around her. I'll continue to help a bit with raising Frisk but Asgore said I can quit being the judge soon and I won't be needed in meetings with the humans in a little bit too.”

Grillby nodded at that.

“So... what do you want to do?”

“Well...”, said Sans, eye-lights shifting a bit to the side. “Kinda... Stop not caring, start caring, putting an effort into things... I uhm... was at a pretty bad place. Those last months before Frisk.”

Grillby nodded at that, having noticed how down Sans seemed in that time.

“So uhm... I kinda want to take some of Papyrus's advice and clean up my act. Gotta get a job I wanna do, pick up socks and all that stuff.”

“That is very admirable.”

“You.. think so?”

“Of course. We knew each other for a long time, Sans. It is nice to see you getting better and doing things you genuine enjoy.”

“Heh... uh... thanks.”, mumbled Sans, looking quite bashful.

“So have you been thinking about what you want to do then?”, asked Grillby, leaning forward interested.

“Well...”, mumbled Sans, “I kinda want to work with science and stars again. Tori asked if I would work as a teacher for her but... eh, I dunno if that would be the right thing for me.”

Grillby chuckled, imagining Sans in a typical sweater jacket and a pair of reading glasses. Huh, that image wasn't half-bad to be honest.

“I am sure you will find something you like to do.”, said Grillby gently.

Sans smiled. “Thanks, Grillby. And well... the other thing is... what I am doing right now.”, Sans gesticulated between them. “I... I wanted to reconnect with friends. Mainly you. And you know, thank you for being there for me. Having you as a friend meant a lot to me...”

“It means a lot to me too.”, said Grillby softly, flames and soul fluttering. He was wrong then. Sans never had forgotten him; the surface hadn't stole him away.

“Heh, that... is great to hear, Grillby.”, said Sans. “So... what are you going to do? I mean... in the future?”

Grillby blinked at the question, thinking. His eyes trailed from the waitress that was serving an other table just now to the people below them and back to Sans. His soul fluttered strangely again.

“Maybe... I should take... a page out of your book.”, he said slowly. “Caring more. Going out more... reconnecting.”

“Heh, sounds good.”

“Maybe I should start listening to the advice I was given.”, added Grillby, thinking of his sister and his niece Fuku Fire, who both told him again and again to go out more, to socialize, to have something beside his work.

“Funny that you say that.”, mumbled Sans. “Listening to advice seems to be... pretty okay.”

“Okay.”, chuckled Grillby. He glanced again to Sans and down to his hands, small and made out of bones and a bit cool to the touch but not unpleasant so. He thought about reaching out and taking it or asking Sans if this was in fact a date.

He kinda wanted it to be one, he admitted to himself. Gentle feelings were always a bit difficult for him but he thought about showing some of his affection and it seems to be a romantic tint to it.

Grillby was absorbed in his thoughts for maybe a minute, not moving at all, when the waitress came over to take their orders.

The moment was gone, sadly. They ordered some drinks and cake and the rest of their time together was spend talking, about the past and other monster, about Grillby's family and Papyrus and what Sans had built over the last weeks.

Their coffee and cake were gone before they knew it and they ordered something new and talked some more and it seemed like no time at all had passed when the waitress came over and very politely told them it was closing time.

Sans brought Grillby back home and told him goodnight and they shared a hug before parting.

“We gotta do this again, Grillby.”, Sans said.

“We should.”, agreed Grillby.

“I'll see you around.” Sans winked at him and there was a moment when they just looked at each other, Grillby again getting the impulse to do... something. But couldn't.

“Promise?”, he asked instead, the word coming out of his mouth faster than he could think about it.

Sans seemed to freeze for a moment, a memory bubbling up inside Grillby about Sans telling him that he hated making promises... but then Sans relaxed and smiled.

“Sure. It's a promise. Goodnight, Grillby.” And then he was gone with a small blink of magic, leaving Grillby alone but smiling widely.

Grillby hadn't had the courage to ask if this was in fact a date. Nor did he took Sans's hand again. But still, he was happy, flames fluttering and he couldn't wait for another meeting between them.

Whatever the future may be, Grillby felt like he was ready for it. Tomorrow was a new day, work first and some time off after that and the next free day in a few days from now. A free day didn't seem such a drag now anymore, not with Sans's promise.

And maybe, next time, he would take Sans's hand after all.

Chapter Text

Grillby hadn't really expected Sans to keep his word this fast.

The next day around lunch time Sans showed up at his bar. He didn't even noticed Sans at first but some of his patrons did and their shouts of recognition and greeting got his attention. So he looked up from the drink he was making and there Sans was, slowly walking towards him, his grin in place and his eye-lights darting around almost shyly. He was wearing his usual shorts and blue jacket again, hands buried deep inside his pockets.

He looked... fine. A bit stiff and not quite at ease like he used to be in his bar but he was still the same and the fact that he came made Grillby feel... really happy.

His flames might have flared a bit more up than usual because Sans's eyes were suddenly traveling over Grillby's head before he grinned a bit more.

“Hey there, Grillby.” he greeted him while climbing up one of the seats to sit in front of Grillby. “How are you? You look all fired up.”

“Fine, my friend.” answered Grillby softly, flames cracking softly. “Also happy to see you.”

Sans's grin got a tiny bit wider and his eyelights moved to the side. “Yeah, it's... it's great seeing you too, Grillby.” His eyelights started wandering around again. “The place looks amazing. You got lots of people here?”

“We got a lot of customers.” Grillby answered. “It's just slow during lunch time.”

“Can't imagine why.” chuckled Sans. “Say... do you still have my usual?”

“I couldn't take off the burger from the menu even if I wanted to.” chuckled Grillby. “Extra ketchup?”

Sans's eyelights started to glow a bit stronger and he put a hand over his chest. “Grillby, my man, you know me to well.”

Grillby laughed softly when he turned around to make Sans his burger. His flames were flickering lively all the time and he could hear some of his patrons chuckling and laughing behind him but he didn't mind them.

Sans really had come! It was just so great to have his friend back and not being forced to wait for days until he got another day off.

“How did you found time to come here?” asked Grillby when he returned with Sans's burger, putting the plate in front of his friend before getting a glass and filling it up with sparking water.

“Eh, I made some room.” answered Sans, pulling the plate closer to himself. “It was kinda a hell getting out of that one thing today but... I told them for weeks I want an out and today I put my foot down.”

“Uhu?” made Grillby, looking over Sans who started eating slowly. “I hope they understood.”

“They have to.” shrugged Sans. “I told them from the beginning that I was just there until things are stable and running and that I wouldn't actually be any kind of royal scientist or something... I guess I had let them keeping me in.”

“What changed?”

Sans blinked, looking away for a moment. “Uh... motivation. I think.”

They had to stop their conversation there when a group of humans came in and wanted to order. Grillby really hadn't lied to Sans, his business was always busy these days. He mixed drinks and made food for a while but tried to keep Sans in the corner of his eyes.

Sans seemed to relax more and more too, talking to some of the patrons and even to some humans too. He seemed to find more and more back to the persona he showed in Snowdin: laid back and joking and entertaining. There was laughter from time to time that warmed Grillby's core.

It just felt that easy. Just like it used to be. A warm and cozy place to call his own, customers here to get some food and drinks and have some company. His jukebox was actually working, playing a song sung by a human singing about memories and a piano man.

It was nice. It was just really really nice and comfortable and it almost hurt with how good it felt. Grillby just wished it would never end.

It was evening already when one of Grillby's employees came in, enabling him to take a break. He hovered around the bar, not quite sure what to do when Sans looked at him, smile bright and strong on his face.

“Come on, Grillby, sit down already.” Sans cheered to him, patting the empty seat beside him. Humoring him Grillby sat down, looking at Sans with a small smile.

“Having a good time?” Grillby asked, pointing at the several empty glasses and two ketchup bottles in front of the small skeleton.

“Jup.” said Sans with a little pop at the p. “For some reason people want to see me drinking stuff.”

Grillby had known. He had brought tomato juice, orange juice, apple cider and hot chocolate to all kinds of people, mostly humans, who had sat around Sans. He had been curious too once about how skeletons ingest stuff.

The answer was really boring: like any other monster too by breaking down the food into magic as soon as it entered them. But with skeletons you could actually see the process if you look close enough.

“Well I hope you didn't disappointed them.” Grillby said smoothly, earning another chuckle from his friend.

“Dunno what they expected honestly.” Sans said. “But hey, free drinks.”

“And good business for me.” chuckled Grillby.

“Hah, I knew it had a reason you keep me around.”

“I got a reason for everything Sans.”

“And here I thought it was my charming personality.”

“Please... it's you bringing in business... and your charming personality.”

Sans fully lost it at that, laughing out loud and leaning over, having to support himself at the counter to not fall over fully. Grillby felt a spark of accomplishment and happiness seeing him like this. He chuckled lowly, reaching out after a second and took Sans's hand, pulling him a bit close. Sans's arms came around him almost out of reflex, holding onto him and continues to laugh and laugh and Grillby felt like laughing too.

It must have looked pretty strange, a hysteric skeleton and a laughing fire elemental, arm in arm about absolutely nothing and Grillby held onto Sans tight and sure and was filled with a feeling of rightness. This is what he wanted. This is how it was supposed to be. This was a moment he never wanted to end.

And for a moment Grillby thought about how skeletons might kiss.

Chapter Text

Time flies by strangely sometimes. It was always something that intrigued Grillby. He lived a very very long life but sometimes a day seemed endless while whole months could go by in a blink of an eye.

When Sans was with him it seemed as if time clashed in on itself. Moments wouldn't end but hours just seemed to fly away. He still loved it, not once thinking that any time was lost. Not when he spend it with this skeletons that seemed to brighten up his whole life now.

Sans came by more often now, almost daily, just to sit and drink and laugh with him. Sometimes other people were there too. Frisk, the human that saved them all, Queen (Ex-Queen) Toriel, the King (Ex-King) Asgore, sometimes even Sans's brother Papyrus.

It was always a very lively crowd with them, with Frisk encouraging Sans's more adventurous behavior (and his tendency to stack small things on other people's heads), Queen Toriel who always was up for a friendly pun-battle with Sans, Asgore who was the calmest of them and Papyrus.

Papyrus was... a bit difficult for Grillby. He was loud and brash and didn't like grease at all, so Grillby was... slightly irritated by him. It was nothing bad, nobody could ever actually dislike Papyrus! Also Papyrus was kind and caring and Sans adored him so Grillby tried to get along with him. It was... a work in progress but it seemed Papyrus felt about him like Grillby felt about Papyrus himself: They were people from different worlds with different tastes and as long as they didn't try and force the other out or into something they could get along.

Probably.

So Papyrus was usually pretty loud when Sans brought him along, groaning loudly at Sans's puns or speaking loudly about his own ventures in the human world. He would laugh and clap monster or humans on the back when he know them and tried to get to know them when he didn't. He was a bright and colorful point in the room, no matter what time he was there and Sans looked even more bright and happy whenever Papyrus looked bright and happy.

And Sans was all the reason Grillby needed to deal with pretty much everything. Sans loved the company, his brother or anybody else, was very animated, laughing and telling jokes and just... shining with a strange sort of energy that made Grillby smile.

But he still liked it best when it was just him and Sans, when it was only them and nothing besides them in the world.

His free days were spend going on outings together with Sans now.

It varied what they did but everything they did was greatly enjoyed by Grillby. They went on walks through the city and the park, they went to movies and theaters together. They sometimes just spend some time at home, sitting together on the couch Grillby had bought months ago but never really used it before Sans showed up at his home with a bottle of wine and a ton of cheese, declaring it a "wine, cheese, and cheesy-movie-day" (apparently Lady Toriel had picked out the items for him and Grillby had to admit that the former queen had very good tastes).

That first cheesy-movie-day was just simply delightful for Grillby. Even with the wine letting his flames spark a bit more than usual and Sans falling asleep against his shoulder... Grillby couldn't wait for the next evening together afterwards.

Sometimes other people joined them. Sometimes it was a picknick in the park together with Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys, Asgore, Toriel and Frisk. Sometimes they went to MTT-concerts together or to some sport event. Sans's family of choice was... loud but Grillby enjoyed watching them as long as he wasn't personally involved into the worst of the crazy.

He was surprised when Papyrus suddenly stepped up to him, looking strangely serious. Grillby glanced beside himself but Sans wasn't there anymore. Of course, he had joined Alphys, Asgore and Frisk to play a very strange cardgame Grillby didn't know the rules of. Undyne was with them, cheering them on to put the cards out "WITH MORE DRAMA. MORE PASSION! SHOW YOUR PASSION AS YOU PUT THAT CARD IN ITS PLACE!" while Toriel was gone to get all of them icecreme.

Still, Grillby was kinda confused when Papyrus came to him. Usually he only came close to Grillby to talk to Sans. So he gave Papyrus a look and waited for him to state what he wanted to say.

"Grillby." stated Papyrus, sounding... strangely not as booming as usual. that made Grillby blink in slight surprise. "I know you and my brother are very good friends. And that is really really good." he continued. "... my brother is not an easy person to be friends with. He can be lazy and strange and his puns are just plain bad." Grillby chuckled at that point, about to reassure Papyrus that he rather liked Sans's puns but Papyrus just continued. "He doesn't eat healthy or exercises at all and sometimes I think he got way to many secrets from anybody and it's so frustrating getting him to talk about anything at all." There was real frustration in his features and Grillby wondered not for the first time how much there was that he didn't know about the small skeleton. "But... But he is also my brother and the best there is. He can overwork himself if he is motivated, he won't complain about the important things and he is really really great." Papyrus added, his voice becoming almost a mumble. "And he likes you and you make him smile. He is ALWAYS smiling when you come with us."

Grillby blinked at that, wondering what Papyrus wants to tell him with that. He always had known Sans's smile.

"... he always smiles."

"Not like that!" huffed Papyrus. "And you don't see it when you are not here." He signed deeply, looking away. "My brother was... very very unhappy for a long time. There was barely anything I could do to cheer him up."

Grillby blinked at that, about to ask Papyrus what he meant with that, before his mind wandered to a Sans shortly before the barrier fell. A Sans that seemed to look a bit more gray than white, white eye-lights less shiny and bright, with a smile that looked a bit to fake to be real and with darker topics on his mind. Late nights where he just sat across Grillby at the bar, talking softly as if to himself about things repeating, things not mattering, the barrier and humans and if monster are made of kindness, love and magic if there exist a creature made of cruelty, LOVE and hate.

Grillby had not known how to react during that time, only feeling the unbearable need to comfort and be there for Sans. His comfort was to sit with him and listen, a hand placed on the skeleton's shoulder, feeling the spark of Sans's sad, cold magic while trying to project warmness and affection, comfort and safety. Sometimes Sans had smiled for real these days then.

"But look at him now." said Papyrus, pointing at Sans and Grillby looked, comparing what he saw to the Sans in his memories.

It was a far-cry from how Sans was looking now, bright and bones shining a tiny bit blue with his magic, still feeling cool to the touch but also excited and happy. He chuckled lowly as Frisk seemed to call him out of a bluff, winking and doing a fancy-looking trick with his cards.

"He is always looking like this now, always when you are here, Grillby."

Grillby thought that it was the surface and maybe the addition of Frisk and Lady Toriel to his family that brought this change.

"And well... that led me to the conclusion that you seem to be a good influence on my brother... even with the grease and stuff." mumbled Papyrus.

Grillby blinked again, still not knowing what Papyrus was going on about.

"... what I am trying to say is... I thank you, Grillby. For being there for my brother and for making him happy."

"I... thank you." said Grillby, blinking again, overcome with a strange warm feeling and lightness again.

"Also I approve of this union so continue to make my brother happy or I am forced to do, what the humans call, a "shovel talk" even if there is no talking to shovels involved." Papyrus said with an auditory wink (he even SAID "wink" out loud!) before he ran away to help Undyne with her cheering.

Grillby was left standing there wide-eyed and unsure of what just happened.

"... what?"