Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

You place a hand over your stomach as you trudge back home. Today has been long and busy. So busy, you had to skip lunch. Your stomach has been screaming at you since 3pm and hasn't stopped. You're really glad you stuffed some snack food in your desk, but you could really use a proper meal.

As you keep walking, you hardly notice the concerned glances from the people passing you by. They're concerned because you're walking towards the monster side of town.

You honestly don't understand why the humans of the town are so concerned about the monsters. Sure, they look tough and edgy, but once you get to know them, the monsters are just like humans. Plus, they've gone through some tough shit in the Underground.

When monsters first arrived three years ago, the town was thrown into a panic. You're still surprised that there wasn't a war. Instead the humans worked out a compromise with the monsters. Well, sort of. See, the monsters were put on the crappiest side of town with crumbling buildings and homes that didn't meet safety requirements. Monsters were also told they couldn't use magic to fix any of their problems. In fact, monsters were told not to use their magic period. A species made up of magic can't use magic. Ugh. 

Now, monsters are fighting for their rights. It's bad enough that humans still have to fight for their rights, but now monsters are having to do the same thing as well. It's extremely irritating.

You shake your head in disappointment. As much as you love being human, sometimes you wish your own species was just a little nicer.

Your stomach rumbles again, snapping you out of your little rant. You speed up, wanting to get some food fast. And you know just the place to go.

Grillby's. A nice diner in the monster side of town. However, it's infamous for the spontaneous bar fights and the short fuse of the owner. You're one of the few humans who dare enter the restaurant and the only human to do so on a regular basis.

The first time you went there was nerve-racking to say the least. It was on a Friday similar to this one. You got so busy at work, you skipped lunch and were very hungry. However, all the human restaurants were packed, even the fast-food joints. So, you kept walking home until you saw Grillby's was open and didn't look extremely busy.

When you walked in, all eyes were on you, almost all of them glares. You gulped and kept your head down, walking to the nearest open table. You kept your eyes on the menu, not wanting to make eye-contact and piss off anyone. 

The owner came over and took your order. Honestly, he was a little curt with you, as if he didn't want you to be there.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice making you jolt. You look up from your menu to see a purple flame elemental. His flames were hot, you could feel the heat radiating off him.

Nervously, you replied with, "A burger and fries, please?"

"Drink?"

You gulped from how harsh he was being. "A soda, please."

He just walked away, without another word. You were worried you pissed him off somehow.

You kept staring at the table, not wanting to anger anyone else. A few minutes later, the elemental came back and nearly slammed your food down on the table as well as your drink. 

As he walked away, you gave him a quick, "Thank you."

You thought he pauses slightly before returning to the bar. You ate your meal in silence, not once looking up at the other customers.

When you finished, you got up and approached the bar. "How much do I owe?"

The elemental sneered at you. "$25."

You nodded and placed $30 on the bar. You always tip, no matter how rude someone was to you. Maybe they just had a bad day, or didn't get enough sleep.

You smiled at him. "Hope you have a good evening."

Ever since then, you always come in on Friday evenings. The food was just that good. Plus, it's really close to your apartment. You could come here anytime you wanted. Now, you go directly up to the bar and eat there. You learned the the purple elemental is named Grillby, and he's the owner. There's also a pun-loving skeleton with shark teeth whom you interact with that sits next to you. The other regulars have gotten used to you at this point too.

Grillby was still curt towards you, but you slowly melted him over time. Two years from your first meeting, and he now acts more like a tsundere rather than irritated by your existence.

You finally make it to his restaurant, smiling as you walk in. "Good evening," you greet to everyone. Some respond back with a gruff, "Evening", others merely grunt.

Walking up to the bar, you see a passed-out Sans slumped over, a bottle of mustard in his bony hand. You shake your head as you sit down, Grillby coming over to take your order.

You point to Sans with your thumb. "When will he ever learn to go easy on the mustard?"

Grillby scoffs. "When he finally pays his tab. And I'm not holding my breath."

You laugh a little and order the same thing you always order, a burger with fries and a soda. Grillby nods and goes into the back to prepare your meal.

"finally 'ere, 'uman?" Sans groans out lazily.

You smile and chuckle a little. "Yeah, I'm here, lazybones. You holding up okay?"

Sans lets out a lazy huff of laughter. "hilarious." He groans and sits up, rubbing the mustard off of his face. "was wonderin' when you were gonna come in."

You roll your eyes. "Sans, I come in around the same time every Friday. You know this."

Grillby comes back out with your food, setting it down in front of you gently. You smile and thank him, watching as he gets back to work.

You start gobbling down your food, hunger taking over. You hardly notice Sans watching with wide sockets.

"geez, slow down." You look over, slightly embarrassed. You also feel Grillby's eyes on you.

Sans chuckles. "i get you like his food, but i don't quite think Grillbs wants ya choking on a burger."

You feel like you're missing an inside joke, but you shrug it off as you continue eating, slower this time. Grillby slams another bottle of mustard at Sans, who isn't even phased. You see Grillby glaring at Sans, but you decide to stay out of it. Besides, you know Grillby isn't mad. You've seen him mad before, and you're glad he was never mad at you.

The first time you saw Grillby get mad was when a racist asshole came in and started complaining about everything as he ordered a beer.

You had only been coming to Grillby's for a couple months by that point. It made you mad that this dude was complaining about everything under the sun. Yet, you were confused because Grillby was still serving him. You thought all establishments had a right to refuse service to anyone.

Finally, after about the fifth beer and the tenth complaint the dude launched about the owner behind his back, you had enough. You got up and told the dude to either shut up or get out. Everyone looked at you shocked. 

The asshole sneered. "C'mon. You're human too. You should know we're vastly superior to these monster scum."

You narrowed your eyes at him. "Wow, I wonder how you even breathe with such a suffocating ego."

The guy snarled and stood up, towering over you. "Watch it, girly. Or else-"

"You heard her." Grillby interrupted, getting between you and the asshole. "Shut up or leave." His flames, which were typically purple, had turned almost white and were so hot you could hardly stand three feet away. Yet his voice was icier than dry ice. You almost shivered from it.

The dude just laughs. "Oh please, you can't refuse service to a human! Law states it."

You hadn't known about that at the time. But Grillby responded with, "I can if said human is harassing or threatening another customer. And you just threatened this young lady here."

You watched from behind Grillby as the asshole's drunken mind was trying to work. "Actually, I never finished my sentence."

"But you did curl up your fist, as if you were about to strike her."

You hadn't even noticed that. You were glad Grillby stepped in when he did, otherwise you would've had a hell of a time explaining to your boss why you had a black eye.

The asshole snarls. "Oh, I won't strike her. But I will strike you!"

"not so fast."

The dude was lifted by red magic, revealing a pissed off skeleton with an edgy aesthetic. His left socket was glowing bright red while his right was void of all light.

The man was thrown against the nearest wall. He lands on the floor with a grunt and yells, "You can't use magic. I'm calling the police!"

Grillby shook his head. "They won't do anything. You have no evidence."

You had noticed a lack of cameras a while back. Maybe it was in case something like this happened.

"She's a witness!" He pointed towards you.

All eyes were on you, trying to determine your next move.

You simply shrugged. "I was just eating a nice meal when you drunkenly ran into a wall, disturbing the other customers."

True to the dudes word, he called the cops. You told them the same thing you said earlier. You said nothing about the skeleton using magic. No way were you saying that. Otherwise, Grillby's would have been shut down, and you were not going to be the reason your favorite place to eat got shut down. You gained a lot of respect from Grillby that day.

And since the dude was clearly drunk, his testimony was deemed faulty and he was charged with destruction of the peace.

Now, looking over at the glaring Grillby, you see his flames are still as purple as ever, so he isn't pissed. You smile as you continue to eat in peace, occasional;y cracking jokes with the edgy skeleton you befriended after that horrible incident.

Chapter Text

It's finally Saturday morning. Finally the weekend. The time in the week where you can sleep in and forget your troubles for just a little bit. The time of the week where you don't have to go to your shitty job and deal with your terrible coworkers. You get to lay in bed for a few more hours in the morning before getting on with your day.

However, your peace is interupted by two knocks on your door.

You groan and get out of bed, making sure your pajamas are on straight before heading to the door. Once again, you hear two knocks on the door.

"Who's there?" you ask without thinking. You're too used to Sans' shitty knock-knock jokes. Now, when you hear two knocks, you reply with 'Who's there?'

"some."

Speaking of the Devil.

"Some who?" you reply with a smirk.

"some ass'ole tellin' a knock-knock joke."

You let out a small laugh and open the door. You're surprised to see your friend in what looks to be a mob costume.

"What's with the get-up?" You ask.

He shrugs and lets out a long, exasperated sigh. "boss wants ta go 'round 'nd check up on everyone. said we 'ave ta look 'professional' an' all."

You tilt you head in confusion. You've heard about "Boss" aka Sans' younger, meaner brother, Papyrus.

Papyrus was the head of the Royal Guard in the underground after he kicked Undyne out of the role. Sans told you how he made sure to give Papyrus a terrifying reputation. Sans started wearing a collar and calling his brother "Boss" to ensure the other monsters would see Papyrus as a threat. It eventually went to far and Papyrus couldn't see the line between reality and fantasy. He eventually became as mean as Sans was making him out to be.

But that was all in the Underground. Now, Papyrus is trying to apply for the local police. But that's not what's confusing you.

"Check up on everyone?"

Sans nods. "dere was a shootin' near dis side o' town. we're goin' 'round, knocin' on doors, makin' sure no one got killed last night."

A shooting?

Normally, shootings happen on the human side of town while magic fights happen in the monster side. But a human getting brave enough to start a shooting close to the monster side...well let's just say tensions between monsters and humans is going to skyrocket, if they haven't already.

You bite your lip, thinking of all the monsters you see in and out of Grillby's restaurant. You hope none of them were hurt.

Hell, you hope Grillby isn't hurt.

"'ey."

You look back to Sans, who's giving you a concerned look. "relax, we'll get ta da bottom o' dis."

You nod. "I just hope no one got dusted last night."

Sans shakes his head. "'aven't 'eard anythin' 'bout dat. but i'll let ya know, 'kay?"

You smile. "Thank you, Sans."

He holds out a bony hand and you give him your phone. When he gets done putting his number in, he hands it back to you.

As he starts to walk away you say, "Just one thing." He turns back to you. "Have you talked to Grillby yet?"

"yeah, 'e's fine. gonna open up shop later today, same as always."

You let out a sigh of relief. "Glad to hear it."

Sans takes his fadora off his head and gives you a little bow. "'ave a good day, miss."

You snort and wish him a good day as well. You send him a quick text letting him know it's you so he can save your number. You also change his contact name to PunMaster.

As you walk back in, you text your friend from high school, Artie.

(Y/n): Hey, be careful. There was another shooting

SmartArt: I'm fine. Are you ok? Didn't it happen near your side of town?

(Y/n): I'm fine, just shaken up

(Y/n): How's your job? They still treating you right?

SmartArt: Yeah, don't worry. I'm doing fine

(Y/n): Just let me know if that ever changes. I'll be there to kick
some ass in a heartbeat

SmartArt: LOL. I'm sure you could

SmartArt: How was Flame Monster's last night?

You roll your eyes. Artie is the only one you've told about your not-so-slight crush on Grillby. Ever since then, he's been wondering when you'll make your move on the purple elemental.

(Y/n): It was good. Got my usual. Skele made some puns

SmartArt: Honey, you need to make a move. Someone that hot won't
stay open forever

(Y/n): Geez, am I talking to Sans? And I know, trust me. I just can't

SmartArt: Why not?

(Y/n): Because, this is Grillby we're talking about here! He's strong,
and charming, and intelligent. He could have anyone he wants. I'm just
an average person. No way do I stand a chance!

SmartArt: Yes you do! Girl, I've known you for how long now
and never once did you back down from a challenge.
Why now? What is it about him that is making you hesistate?
You're always telling me to go for it when I have a crush on
someone. Have a taste of your own medicine for a change

(Y/n): Why do you always have to be right?

SmartArt: Because I am

SmartArt: I'm off tonight. Will he be opening tonight?

(Y/n): He should be, according to Sans

SmartArt: Ok then, let's go there tonight

(Y/n): Not a good idea Art. With the shooting happening so close,
tensions are really high rn

SmartArt: Ugh, true

SmartArt: Hey, do you need to stay at my place til things calm
down?

(Y/n): I'll be fine. I got Sans' #. If there's an emergency, I can call him.
Thanks tho

SmartArt: No prob. Just be careful, k?

(Y/n): You too

You sigh and plop on the couch. Part of you wants to go to Grillby's tonight, but another part of you is scared of making waves. Monsters are going to be on edge around humans, and you're a human. Some monsters might make a fuss if you go there, even if Grillby will stick up for you. You think it might be best if you just stay home for the day.

Well, it's a day of staying in your pjs and relaxing on the couch. You've been wanting a lazy day, and here's your opportunity. You grab your favorite snack and pop in your favorite movie, glad to veg out on the couch.

Chapter Text

You’re lazing on the couch, still in your pajamas, watching another movie. You’ve long since lost count of how many movies you’ve watched, and you’re not really paying attention anymore. You’re in a dazed state, somewhere between asleep and awake.

However, that’s interrupted as your phone buzzes beside you. You pick it up and notice that it’s now 9:17pm. You also notice you got a text from Sans.

PunMaster: where r u

PunMaster: grillbs is askin for u

PunMaster: better get here b4 he comes knockin on ur door

It doesn’t surprise you that he texts like that.

Lazy skele…wait. Grillby is asking for me?

(Y/n): Why is Grillby asking for me? Is everything okay?

PunMaster: its Saturday

PunMaster: u always come in on Saturdays

PunMaster: grillbs made your milkshake and he doesn’t want it 2 go 2 waste

PunMaster: (Y/n), get your ass over here. I will not
tolerate two lazy asses. I will bust down your door and drag you
to my bar. Come here and get a leash on your friend.

PunMaster: sorry grillbs got ahold of my phone

You laugh at the empty threat Grillby gave you via text. You’ve learned long ago that Grillby doesn’t mean his threats when they’re aimed at you.

However, something did catch your attention.

(Y/n): Get a leash on my friend?

PunMaster: some human here who says they know you

Sans sends you a picture. Your eyes widen in shock and semi-horror as you see Artie at the bar, laughing away.

(Y/n): Give me five minutes

You rush and throw on the first set of clothes your hands find. Some athletic tights and a matching tank top. You normally have this set out for Saturday mornings when you want to go for a run. But with the shooting, you didn’t want to risk it today.

You grab your keys and bolt out the door, locking it behind you. You run down the stairs of your apartment complex and bolt across the street to Grillby’s.

As you walk in, you see Artie dancing in the middle of the restaurant. He seems to be enjoying himself as he busts some moves in time to the song blaring from the jukebox.

You see Grillby standing there with his arms crossed, looking a little miffed. You also see Sans and a few drunk customers whooping and hollering at your friend, telling him to shake that ass.

“(Y/n), you made it!” Artie shouts over all the noise, rushing over to you.

You shake your head at him. “The owner called me over. What did you do?”

He laughs and takes your hand. “Celebrate life!”

He proceeds to drag you to the center of the crowd, dancing again. You blush and look around, not liking the situation you’re in. You’re all too aware of the eyes on you.

Artie takes your hand again and starts dancing with you.

The dance is familiar to you. It’s a dance routine you and he have been practicing for a few months now. And it’s a scandalous dance meant for dance girls at night clubs.

“Stop thinking and start dancing!” Artie tells you, starting the routine.

You take a deep breath, knowing he won’t relent. Good thing you wore some athletic wear.

You nod to yourself and smirk at your friend, who smirks back and nods. You both start dancing, getting more whoops and hollers.

You both shake your booties to the beat and raise your hands above your heads, showing off everything the two of you had to offer. After a few seconds, you both pop your butts and lean over going left to right, keeping your backs straight, slightly bobbing to the beat.

Soon after, the two of you grab each other’s wrist, him grabbing your right and you grabbing his left. You both drop to your knees, mimicking a riding motion. Cheers erupt around the two of you, making you a little more confident.

The two of you rise, making sure your asses are the first things to come up. As the song ends, you both pose sexily, back-to-back.

You pant as you drag your friend over to the bar, a very amused Grillby waiting for you.

“I thought I told you to get a leash on him, not unleash your wild side.”

You shrug and smile. “Hey, I got a good workout in. Can I have my shake please?”

Grillby laughs under his breath as he gives you your milkshake. Sans is looking at you with wide sockets.

“okay, where da ‘ell did dat come from?”

You and Artie share a laugh.

“Artie here’s been showing me how to dance,” you explain.

Sans shakes his head. “some dancin’.”

Artie smirks and leans over your shoulder towards Sans. “Come by my place sometime and I can give you a private lesson~”

You groan at his flirting, but Sans’ grin widens. You quickly trade places with Artie as the two continue to flirt with each other.

You gladly sip on your milkshake, glad to have something in your system after that dance. Grillby watches and smirks at you.

You tilt your head, silently asking him what’s on his mind.

“I’m almost tempted to offer you a job, dancing like that.”

You nearly choke on your milkshake. After making sure your last sip is down your throat, you give him a glare, to which he laughs.

“I’ve already got a job. One’s enough.” You mutter the last part, but Grillby still caught it.

“If you ever change your mind, I could use a dancer. The offer also goes to your friend there.”

You shake your head. “He’s already a dancer at a club. His boss would kill him if he danced for cash anywhere else.”

Grillby shrugs, cleaning some shot glasses. “Shame, his dancing made a lot of the monsters here forget about what happened earlier today.”

You look over to the crowd, their stances relaxed. A smile spreads across your face, glad that yours and Artie’s presence aren’t causing problems like you thought.

“So how come you wanted me to get a leash on him?” you ask.

Grillby sighs. “At first, I thought the other customers were going to tear him apart. About the time you got here is when they starting crowding around him like pervs.”

You laugh a little. “Yeah, me joining in probably didn’t help matters, huh?”

Grillby laughs. “Got to admit, I never would have expected that from you. You looked very confident out there.”

You rub the back of your head and let out a nervous laugh. “Honestly, when I get in the rhythm, I am my most confident. Don’t know what it is about it.”

Shaking his head, Grillby smirks and leans over the bar. “Well, confident is a good look on you. You should wear it more often.”

As he walks off, you blush so hard, you’re surprised you don’t get a nosebleed. You hear Artie laugh beside you.

“Damn, you got it bad.”

You nod and lay your head on the bar, trying to calm yourself.

Grillby is never going to let you live this night down.

Chapter Text

Forget Grillby never letting you live down that night. Artie has been teasing you about it all week. You're currently in the break room of your office, chatting with the little gremlin on the phone.

"Girl, you got it bad! You almost had a nose-bleed from how hard you were blushing."

"Shut up," you groan. Artie laughs, knowing you held no bite in your tone.

"Seriously, he was hard-core flirting with you. Just ask him out!"

You roll your eyes. "Artie, you don't know Grillby like I do. That was not his hard-core flirting. That was him just teasing, like always."

You have seen Grillby flirt before. Nearly every monster has fallen to their knees when he flirts for real. Hell, you had to go home and change your panties and he wasn't even flirting with you.You smile when you remember seeing Grillby and Sans lightly flirting with each other. It wouldn't surprise you if they had a fling or two in the Underground.

"Damn, seriously. Guess Sans wasn't kidding."

You snort. "To give you perspective, Sans' flirting is tame in comparison."

"What do you know about Sans' flirting?"

You shrug. "He flirted with me after my first few months going to Grillby's"

"You're kidding."

You aren't. About a year and a half ago, Sans attempted to flirt with you to get into your pants. You turned him down, not really looking for a one-night stand. It was around that time you started sitting at the bar instead of at a table.

Sans took the rejection well. He told you that you were the first one to reject him who wasn't afraid of him or his brother.

You weren't scared of him anymore by that time. All fear of him subsided when he threw the drunk asshole across the bar.

So, instead of sleeping together, you and Sans became friends.

"You can ask him yourself," you finally reply with.

"Ha, I just might."

"Thinking of another trip to the bonezone?" You ask with a deadpan expression.

"Maybe."

You almost choke on your spit. "I was joking!"

He laughs. "Well, he was a good lay."

Stars above, I swear.

"Artie!"

He laughs again and you join him after a bit.

As much as this type of talk embarrasses you, you're glad to talk with Artie for a little bit. Work has been hell this week and your conversations with Artie have been helping you fight the urge to dump gasoline on your boss' desk and strike a match.

This is the first time this week you have enough time for lunch. Your boss took off this week for a golfing trip, leaving you with a mountain of unfinished paperwork. While it is his job to finish his own paperwork, he forced you to finish it for him. You work for the front desk of your company, you're not qualified for your boss' level of paperwork. So you've spent your lunch-breaks figuring out how to do it, otherwise you would have been fired. You also came in a hour early and left an hour late everyday to get not just your shit but your boss' shit done. You finally got it done this morning and left it on his desk for him to find on Monday.

"Hey, you headed to the Flame Monster's tonight?"

He sounds worried. Why does he sound worried?

"Yeah, I always go on Fridays."

"Good, good. Anyways, I gotta go."

And with that, he hangs up. You look at your phone confused. He doesn't just up and hang up like that.

Time for your song code.

(Y/n): Song of the day?

SmartArt: Don't You Dare Forget the Sun

Fuck...

You and Artie developed a code a long time ago. 'Song of the day' means "How are you?'

The songs all have different meanings.

Don't You Dare Forget the Sun means he's in a bad headspace and needs a shoulder to cry on. And with him asking about you going to Grillby's, you know where to meet up. 

You sigh, getting up to throw away your trash. As you are walking, one of your coworkers bumps into you, spilling his hot tea all over your blouse.

"Fuck!"

The profanity leaves your mouth before you can even think.

"You should really watch your language," the asshot says, a smirk plastered on his face. "It's not very ladylike, or professional. Someone could go to HR and report you."

You resist the urge to growl at him.

"You should also watch where you're going," he smirks as he walks away.

I swear I'm going to burn this place to the ground.

You storm to the bathroom, grabbing your jacket on your way.

When you reach the bathroom and see no one else in there, you finally let out that growl.

That fucking asshat! I swear I'm gonna kill him!

You take off your blouse, glad you wore a thick under-armor tank top. This isn't the first time that asshole spilled something hot on you. The first time, it was boiling coffee.

In the reflection of the mirror, you can see the scars you got when he spilled coffee on you. Small burn scars litter the top of your breasts.

You went to HR about it, knowing it wasn't accidental. They did nothing about it since he said it was an accident and the cameras just showed the two of you colliding in the hall.

You tried talking to your boss, but he told you to fuck off and not bother him with petty female shit. His words, not yours.

Ever since, you're coworker has been bumping into you to prove a point. And you've been wearing thick bras and thick tank tops to minimize burns.

You roll your ruined blouse in a ball and put on your jacket, zipping it up.

Just a few more hours...

You really want to get out of here, but you can't. You haven't found another job yet. But as soon as you do, you're ditching this place.

“I’m almost tempted to offer you a job, dancing like that.”

You blush at the memory. Part of you is tempted to take him up on that offer. However, the other part of you is telling you that Grillby was just kidding.

You sigh in relief as you walk out of the office.

As you walk to Grillby's, you're thanking every lucky star you have that it's the weekend.

Your phone buzzes in your pocket.

PunMaster: Ur friends here

PunMaster: he looks bummed

(Y/N): Is he okay?

PunMaster: he aint flirtin back

PunMaster: or laughin at my puns

Fuck. That's bad.

You start jogging to Grillby's, trying to get there sooner. You get a few looks on the street, but you ignore them. Artie's in a bad mind state and he really needs a shoulder to cry on.

When you reach Grillby's, you're completely out of breath. But you see Artie sulking at the bar, a concerned Sans sitting next to him.

You step up to the bar, greeting everyone with an "Evening" like always. Artie sees you, yet doesn't make eye contact.You getnly touch his shoulder when you get to him. He doesn't respond.

"Stray Cats Strut?" you ask, reverting to your code again. You basically asked him if he wants to go into the alley to talk.

He nods and follows you to the alley.

You check to see if the coast is clear. When you don't see anyone hanging around here, you nod at Artie.

"You're good."

Artie hugs you tightly. You hug him back, letting him cry into your shoulder. You don't shush him or say it'll be okay. You stay silent as you let him cry.

After a few minutes, he wipes his eyes.

"Wanna talk about it?" you ask.

He sighs. "It's my boss. He-" he cuts himself off with a shudder. "He called me-"

He can't finish his sentence. He keeps choking up.

You take a guess though. "Your dead name?"

He nods. "Yeah."

You growl, ready to pound someone to the ground. Artie's dead name is a sensitive topic for him and he hates it when someone uses it.

"You know I'll kick their ass. Just give me the word."

Artie shakes his head. "No. Don't. There's already enough drama at the club as is. I don't want to cause anymore."

You nod, knowing he doesn't want you involved. Not yet, anyways.

"Need a drink?" you offer.

"Fuck yes."

You nod and take him back inside.

Grillby notices right away. "What's up with you two? You walk in, walk out, then walk in again."

You look at him. "We need a bottle of whiskey, please."

Grillby's eyes go wide.

Sans looks baffled as well. "not one time 'ave ya ever ordered alcohol. why now?"

"Shitty day," you and Artie reply.

Chapter Text

*3rd PoV*

Grillby is shocked that you ordered whiskey. An entire bottle of whiskey. In the two years you've been coming here, you never ordered so much as a drop of alcohol. Why the sudden change?

That wasn't the only change he noted. He also noticed when you first walked in this evening that you had a jacket on instead of your normal blouse. While he's seen this happen a couple of times in the past, you're still all smiles and politeness.

Now, you look like you could definately use a drink. So does your friend.

When Artie came into the bar an hour ago, he looked like he was on the verge of tears. Now, his eyes are blood-shot.

With a shrug, Grillby grabs some human whiskey. He sets it down beside you along with two shot glasses.

"Total?" you ask.

Grillby just studies you. He can tell you had a shit day. Your hair's a mess, you smell like tea, and you're not smiling like you always do.

"On the house," he replies. He notices the thankfulness you have in your eyes. "Drink up, you look like shit."

He hears you snort as he walks to serve the other tables.

The drunk rabbit in the booth slurs, "You never give away free booze. What's so special about her?"

Grillby sets a water in front of him. "She's nice, unlike you. Sober up, asshole. I ain't cleaning up your puke tonight."

As he walks away, Grillby makes sure to keep an eye on you. He knows Sans is at the bar, but he doesn't completely trust Sans around you.

Ever since you stood up for him and the bar, Grillby's felt a need to protect you. At first, he found it annoying and still was cold towards you. Yet, you kept coming back, kept giving him smiles, kept giving him tips when you pay. You refused Sans' flirting and instead became friends with him. You would hardly bat an eye when monsters were rude to you.

You would never have survived the Underground. Yet, you continue to come here, a place where you weren't wanted at first. Everyone sees you as a regular now. The monsters have warmed up to you. You're the second human to treat them equally. The first being Frisk.

That's why Grillby feels like he has to protect you. You're a part of the monsters lives now. You're part of his life now. When you didn't show up last Saturday at your regular time, he got concerned. Sans noticed and started texting you. Around that time, Artie came in.

Grillby was cold towards him at first until he mentioned your name.

"So this is where (Y/n) hangs out," he muttered as he walked in last week. When he saw all the glares he got, Artie just smirked. He started dancing in time with the jukebox. That's when Grillby stole Sans' phone to tell you to get a leash on your friend.

Grillby definitely wasn't expecting you to start dancing with your friend. The flame elemental has never seen you let loose like that, but he had to admit it was hot to see you so confident.

That's what got Grillby's attention last week. Not you shaking ass, thought he did notice you have a very nice body, but the fact that all your fear and reservations melted away. He likes the look of confidence you displayed. He saw it when you stood up to that drunk and has been waiting to see it again.

But now, you're drinking alcohol with the very same man who helped you show off your wild side.

What the hell happened to you two?

He continues to watch the two of you. Artie's filling his glass up more often than you are. Seems like Artie wants to get drunk while you just need to take the edge off. Fuck, half of the bottle's already gone.

Sans was making his shitty puns to get the two of you to laugh. Artie joins in, but you stay silent.

Grillby notices you're fiddling with the zipper of your jacket. You want to take it off, that much he can tell. What's stopping you?

He walks back to the bar, determined to figure out what's going on with you. He notices you won't even look at him. Normally, you'd give him a smile as he walks by.

As Grillby starts cleaning dishes, he decides to strike up a conversation with you.

"Shit day, huh?"

You scoff. "Yup."

Grillby shakes his head and leans over the bar. "Wanna talk about it?"

He sees the hesitation in your eyes. Yes, you want to talk about it, but you don't want to bother him with your sob story.

Grillby notices Artie's hogging the alcohol. With a smirk, Grillby grabs his original fire whiskey and pours it in your shot glass.

"Monster whiskey?" you ask.

Grillby shrugs. "You look like shit, you need a drink, and your friend is hogging the human crap. Now drink up and spill what's going on."

Your eyes widen at what he said. But, you carefully lift the shot to your mouth. As you drink it in one gulp, Grillby waits with an amused expression on his face. Monster alcohol is ten times stronger than human alcohol. So when you took this shot, Grillby expected you to be plastered. But you aren't. Tipsy, for sure, but you seem to be able to hold a conversation without forgetting it by the morning.

You sigh. "Co-worker being a shithead, like always."

Well, now this is the first Grillby's heard of this.

"How so?" he asks.

You lean your head on your hand. "He keeps spilling his way-too-hot-to-drink beverages on me, ruining my blouses and trying to scorch my tits just because I have them."

Artie does a spit take beside you.

"What?"

Artie looks as surprised as Grillby feels. Seems you've been holding out on everyone.

You just shrug. "Asshat's been doin' it for years. I'm used to it at this point."

Grillby growls, his flames getting hotter.

Fuck, no. Nuh-uh. Not in my bar!

So many monsters came into his bar in the Underground saying they're used to being bullied or abused. It annoyed Grillby to no end. He is not the kind of guy to just let someone continously be abused, because that is not okay. Now, you're doing the exact same shit he used to hate here on the surface.

Fuck no. He is not about to let you give up and wallow in self-pity. Sans used to do that. Hell, the drunk rabbit used to do that.

So Grillby's going to give you the same advice he gave them.

It worked on the rabbit as well as Sans.

"Grow up and fight back."

You and Artie both look up in shock at the flame monster. Grillby continues to stare you down.

"You're used to it? If you were so used to it, you wouldn't be drinking and complaining about it." You try to argue but Grillby keeps going, making sure you stay silent and listen. "Grow the fuck up and do something about it. Abuse is not okay, I don't care what the situation is. Next time, you make that co-worker stop. Or quit your job and find work elsewhere. Either way, stop the abuse. It's not healthy and I won't tolerate it."

You're trying to figure out what to say, but you're too stunned by Grillby's little tirade.

"ya should listen ta 'im," Sans says.

You look over at Sans with a questioning look.

The skeleton sighs. "down in da underground, my bro 'n' i got too deep inta da roles we played ta keep each other safe. he actually got abusive 'n' i just took it. 'til grillbs 'ere said da same thing tah me 'e just told ya."

The drunk rabbit agrees. "Yeah, I used to get wasted every night because I hated my home life. I finally moved out when Grillby told me I needed to get out."

You look around and see other monsters agreeing. You look back to Grillby, who is still staring you down.

"Even if I were to quit, I don't know where to get a job anywhere else," you finally say.

Grillby snorts. "Did  you forget my offer already?"

You gulp. "No, I just thought you were joking."

Grillby crosses his arms and shakes his head. "I don't just give out offers lightly."

He sees you're still hesitating, trying to grasp at straws.

Grillby sighs and leans closer to you, dropping his voice so only you can hear him. "Just quit your damn job and come work here. You live nearby, s it's not a long-ass trek. You'll get free meals, a regular paycheck, and I'm the only other worker here. I may be an asshole, but I don't harass employees. Why are you hesitating?"

He watches you blush and shake your head. "Because I have alcohol in my system and I am not about to make a decision like this when intoxicated."

A sigh escapes him and he pulls out a napkin. As he jots his number down, he also gives a job description and how much he'd pay you.

"When you sober up, look at this and give me a call."

And with that, Grillby continues the night like usual. You look over the napkin and put it in your jacket pocket.

Chapter Text

After stuffing the note inside your pocket, you order another shot of the fire whiskey, which knocks you straight on your ass. Sans makes sure you get home alright and Artie stays the night at your place too.

The next morning, you groan at the piercing headache. You fell asleep in your clothes from yesterday. Thankfully you weren't drunk enough to do or say anything you would have regretted. You just had a hard time walking and laughed at every single shitty joke Sans came up with. Artie puked before the three of you got to your apartment. Sans gave him a monster candy, which nullified any alcohol poisoning Artie might have had.

You sit up, noticing you passed out last night on your couch. Artie's clothes leave a trail to your bedroom. You decide to check up on him, making sure he's okay. He drank a lot last night.

You open the door to your room and see Artie passed out on your bed. Butt naked on his stomach. He's snoring away and a puddle of drool is on your pillow.

Shaking your head, you quietly make your way to the bathroom connected to your room and grab headache pills. Grabbing a couple, you make your way back to the living room, putting the bottle of pills on the nightstand next to the bed Artie's still passed out on. You notcie the clock on the table says 11:49 A.M.

You get a cup of water and swallow the pills. You also feel like you could use a shower, but you don't want to disturb Artie. Hell, going back to sleep sounds more inviting.

As you plop on the couch, you feel something in your jacket pocket. You can't believe you fell asleep in your jacket. You really much have been plastered to just fall asleep like that.

Searching through your pocket, you pull out a folded up napkin. Right, Grillby's job offer. And his number. Not the way you'd thought you'd get it, but you aren't complaining.

You remember the conversation you had with him last night. How he wants you to quit your job, work for him, or at least stop giving in to the abuse going on at your work place. You blush at the thought of him being firm with you as he told you to fight back or get out of there. Does he care that much about you? You did act somewhat out of character last night, but that's because you were close to your breaking point with your job.

You look at how much Grillby will pay you. It's less than you're making now, but if you get all your meals for free, you'll still be able to pay rent. Plus, it's a hell of a lot closer than your current job. And you know Grillby. He won't harass you the way your shit-head coworker and current boss do.

But how are you going to work for him and have an obvious crush at the same time. You can't work for him and date him. That's taboo as hell.

But does he even see you that way? Would he ever go on a date with you? You're lucky if you'd even get a one-night stand with him.

Maybe you should take the job offer. If you work with Grillby, you'll be less tempted to act on your feelings. Less chances of getting your heart broken.

You read the job description. All it says is, "Work around the joint, doing whatever you're comfortable doing." Guess he isn't going to make you shake ass if you don't want to.

A groan comes out from your bedroom, alerting you to the fact that Artie is up and about. He stumbles out into the living room, grabbing his boxers off of the floor and putting them on.

"Got any coffee?" he asks.

You shake you head. "No, but Grillby's does, according to Sans."

"Cool, cause I need some. Also a shower."

"Same."

He looks at you and goes to grab some water. "You go ahead and get one first. I'm gonna ransack your closet for clothes."

You nod and get up. "Go ahead."

The warm water is a blessing. You groan in pleasure as you feel your tense muscles relaxing.  The pressure in your head releases slightly and you can focus a little more clearly. Which is good, considering you're heavily thinking of quitting your job and working with your crush. You sigh through your nose, debating on whether or not it's a good idea.

You finish up your shower and wrap a towel around yourself. "Shower's free!"

Artie replies with, "Okay!"

You go into your room and Artie goes into the bathroom. You see the set of clothes he picked out from your closet. Nothing special, just a graphic tee and some sweats. You pick a band tee and some athletic tights. After getting changed, Artie slips out of the shower and gets changed too. You grab your wallet and make sure all the lights are off in your apartment. You also slip on your jacket from last night. You see the note from Grillby and slip into your pocket, just in case.

Artie walks into the living room and nods to you. You nod back and start heading out the door.

The two of you make it across the street and to the open restaurant. Grillby is the first to notice the two of you walking in.

"Well, this is a surprise," he muses. "Wasn't expecting you until tonight."

You shrug. "Hangover. Need coffee. Got any?"

Grillby laughs. "That's what you get for getting drunk off your ass. But yeah, I got some." He fills two mugs of coffee and hands them to the two of you.

You pay him and fix the coffee how you like it. You smile when the first sip passes your lips. "Thanks Grillbs."

He nods and starts cleaning the bar. You look around and notice not a lot of monsters are here. Guess this place doesn't get busy until the evening.

Artie looks at his phone. "Ah, shit. I gotta go." He starts drinking his coffee as fast as he can.

You tilt your head. "Thought you didn't work during the days?"

He shakes his head. "It's not work. It's my Mom. Promised I'd see her today."

You nod and smile. Artie's mom is one of the sweetest people you've ever met. However, that woman does not take shit from anyone. She can't in her line of work. She's a politician. However, she doesn't let work affect her home life. She supported Artie's transition without hesitation. Hell, she paid for everything Artie needed. She's even fighting for monsters to have equal rights.

"Tell her I said hi."

Artie nods and starts rushing out. "I will!"

You shake your head and sigh, a slight headache still present. You rub your temples to try to calm the ache down. Grillby's just smirking at you.

"What?" you finally ask.

His smirk widens and he chuckles. "Honestly, I'm surprised your alcohol tolerance is so high."

You roll your eyes. "Runs in the family, I'm afraid. And every single one of us test the limits."

Grillby tilts his head at that. "Is that a tragic backstory I hear."

You smirk. "I'm not telling. You can't crack me that easily."

He scoffs and chuckle. "You are an enigma, you know that?"

You blush and smile. "I will take that as a compliment."

The two of you continue on in silence, enjoying the calm air in the building.

Chapter Text

After a couple cups of coffee, you decide to get started with your day. You thank Grillby for the coffee, pay, and walk out of the store. Grillby yells as you walk out that he expects you to be on time tonight. You laugh as you walk out, a small bounce in your step is present. This day has started off good. You just hope it will stay that way.

You've been meaning to go to the store for a while now. You're getting low on food at your apartment. Thing is, you hate going to the human stores. They're always so prejudice against the monsters. So, you've taken to going to monster stores. Sure, you get a couple glares every now and then, but since you've been here for so long and have never caused any trouble, most of the monsters know to just leave you be.

Your favorite store is simply labelled 'Store'. The owner, a rabbit monster, mans the store every day. She refuses to buy anything from anyone, claiming her place "ain't some sort of charity program". She's tough, and looks mean on the surface. But once you get to know her, she's actually pretty chill. She just doesn't take shit from anyone.

As soon as you walk in, she sees you and greets you. "Hey, (Y/n). Haven't seen ya around in some time."

You smile and wave to her. "Hey! Sorry for not coming around sooner. Last couple of weeks were a little hectic."

She nods. "Yeah, I get it. Well, take your time lookin' 'round, hun."

You smile and nod. But you got her message. See, since you've gotten to know her, she's been nice enough to warn you if  there's an aggressive monster in the store whenever you enter. If she's telling you to take your time, that means she's telling you to be careful. Not every monster likes living with the humans. There are some that hate humans just as much as some humans hate monsters. There are some monsters that won't hesitate to strike someone down if they so much as looked funny, doesn't matter if they're human or monster.

You go up and down the aisles of the small store, grabbing only what you need to get through the month. Yet, you stay wary of any aggressive monsters. You mainly see some of the regulars you see at Grillby's. You know no of them will hurt you.

You're starting to wonder if the aggressive monster walked out by now.

As you're walking down the pasta aisle, you notice a tall, edgy skeleton. You know just from description that you're looking at Papyrus, Sans' younger brother. You've never actually met him, mainly because Sans warns you to stay away from him at all costs. So, that's what you do. You back out of the aisle and keep walking.

There are a few things you've learned about living among monsters. One of those is that if Sans is serious, you better listen. And he was dead serious when he told you to avoid Papyrus like the plague.

He must be the aggressive monster the bunny warned you about.

You go over to the frozen aisle. It's perfectly positioned so you can keep an eye on the registers from the reflection on the glass. You stay in the middle of the aisle, keeping on eye on the registers, but also looking the other way just to make sure Papyrus doesn't come this way. Thankfully, you see his reflection heading towards the register. The bunny starts scanning his items. You note he has a lot of pasta.

They don't say a word to each other, but you can feel the tension. You decide to slink away from your location and go back to shopping. You should be safe now.

You pay close attention to the door opening and closing. Soon, the bunny's voice echoes through the speakers, "All clear."

A sigh escapes you. You didn't realize until now, but your heart was beating rather quickly.

You grab everything else you need, giving Papyrus time to walk down the street. You do not want him to see you in the open. That would be worse than if he spotted you in the store.

As you're checking out, you strike up a conversation with the bunny.

"How's work been?" you ask.

She shrugs. "Slow. It's actually gotten slower since that shooting last week."

You shiver in memory of last week. "Yeah, that was scary. Your sister doing okay?"

She nods. "Yeah, she's actually trying to buy your apartment complex."

You raise your brows. "Really? How's that going?"

She makes a face. "How do you think?"

You sigh. "Terribly." You look down. "It's not because I'm living there, is it?"

In the past, the innkeeper bunny has been able to buy all run-down apartment complexes in this neighborhood. Yeah, she had to fight tooth and nail for each one, but you're starting to think your apartment might be a harder fight.

The shopkeeper glares at you. "Don't go doin' that, hun."

You gulp, knowing you've angered her.

She continues. "Even if you weren't livin' there, she would have to fight for it. Don't you dare blame yourself for her troubles. You aren't the one giving her grief."

You nod silently, not wanting to anger her more. She takes your nod and crosses her arms.

"You still goin' to Grillby's?" she asks as you start paying.

You nod and smile, glad for the change in conversation. "Yeah."

She nods. "Just be careful, 'kay?"

You tilt your head. She shrugs, saying, "There's a rumor going around that Mettaton got banned from Muffet's. He might start making his way here and even to Grillby's. Just be careful. He's also dangerous."

You nod. "Thanks. I'll keep an eye out."

She nods. "Take care now."

You smile and wave good-bye. "Yes ma'am."

As you walk down the street back towards your apartment, you start to wonder if you should go to Grillby's tonight. You've heard of Mettaton. You've heard about him from Sans, funny enough. But then again, Mettaton and Papyrus are totally fucking, even if they won't admit it. Whenever Mettaton hits a bar, Papyrus isn't too far away. And they always leave together.

You bite your lip as you enter your apartment. As you put away your groceries, you decide to text Grillby. He needs a warning.

You pull out the napkin in your pocket and text the number on it.

(Y/n): Hey Grillby. This is (Y/n). Um...just to give you a bit of warning,
there's a rumor that Mettaton got banned from Muffet's and might make
his way to your place soon.

You watch as the text gets sent, then delivered. It isn't read yet, so you put your phone down as you make lunch. It's nothing much, just a sandwich. As you're munching, you decide to text Sans too. 

(Y/n): Hey, saw your brother at the Store today. I don't think he saw me.
What's he doing with all that pasta?

PunMaster: he likes 2 cook it. can't cook tho

PunMaster: u sure he didnt see u?

(Y/n): Pretty sure. Also, rumor has it that Mettaton got banned from
Muffet's. And that he might go to Grillby's soon.

PunMaster: i doubt it.

PunMaster: paps is always with him. n paps hates grillby's.

PunMaster: unless met is tryin to piss off paps.

PunMaster: how much pasta did paps by?

(Y/n): About ten or fifteen boxes. I'm not exactly sure. Didn't get the
best look. Why?

PunMaster: shit

PunMaster: met and pap are fighting again.

PunMaster: if u go to grillb's 2 nite plz b careful

(Y/n): I will. Don't worry.

PunMaster: cool

PunMaster: will artie be there?

(Y/n): Doubt it. I think he has work tonight.

You see you have a notification from Grillby.

HotDamn: Thank you for the warning. I will handle it if
he causes trouble.

You smile. You decide you'll be okay if you go tonight. It's just for an hour anyways. You don't typically stay too late.

Chapter Text

You straighten your shirt for the thousandth times, like always. For some reason, you're always more nervous to go to Grillby's on Saturdays. You feel like your appearance has to be just casual enough to not be noticed, but you can't look unkempt. You're probably overthinking your appearance, but if the rumors are true and Mettaton is stopping by Grillby's tonight...well, you'd rather not draw attention to yourself.

Part of you doesn't want to go. But another part of you argues that both Sans and Grillby will be worried and you don't want them to worry about little old you. Besides, if worst comes to worst, they'll protect you, like that time with the drunk.

You bite your lip as you wonder why Grillby protected you that day. It's clear he cares for you, but you wonder if it's because he likes you or if he just thought you couldn't handle yourself. You're too scared to ask him directly because you don't want to offend him.

Shaking your head, you decide to just go ahead and have a good time with your friends. Besides, what are the odds that Mettaton is going to show up while you're there? You only stay for the dinner rush.

As you lock up your apartment, you look across the street and see the Grillby's is packed. You haven't seen it this packed since its opening night three years ago. You start to wonder if you're even going to be able to get a place to sit.

Miraculously, as if on cue, you get a text from Grillby. He shows you an empty spot next to Sans.

You get the hint and hurry across the street over to the restaurant.

A crowd of monsters stand next to the doors, making it tough to get into the restaurant. But as you get closer to the door, you notice more and more of them get out of your way. Once inside, it finally clicks that all of those monsters are standing outside and seem to have no interest getting inside.

You greet everyone inside like normal and slide onto the seat next to Sans. He seems amused by your struggle to get inside.

"had tah fight tah get in, huh?" he chuckles.

You shake your head, trying not to laugh at his pun. Grillby comes up to you from behind the bar.

"About time you showed up." His tone being mock anger.

You sheepishly grin and shrug your shoulders. "Hey, give me a break. That crowd out there is ridiculous."

He lets out a noise between a groan and a sigh. "Believe me, I know. They were inside until I kicked them out."

You turn to look at the crowd. They're all gathered around the windows and are just peering inside, as if expecting something.

"Why are they there in the first place?" you ask.

"cause of da rumors," Sans explains.

You gulp. Seems like the mere mention of Mettaton's presence is enough to drive the monsters crazy.

You look back at the bartender and the skeleton. "He's a really big deal, huh?"

Grillby rolls his eyes. "Humans have thousands of entertainment stars. Us monsters only had the one. Mettaton."

Your eyes widen. You hadn't known that. "Is it certain if he's coming here?"

Sans shrugs. "no clue. but i do know that him an' paps are havin' a rough patch right now. so, probably."

Grillby groans. "That's just great. Well, knowing him, he won't be here until late." His eyes fall on you. "You shouldn't have to worry too much about him."

You nod and pull out your money. Grillby gives you your usual after you pay and leaves you to talk to Sans.

"So, I don't know much about Mettaton," you confess. "Or Papyrus, to be honest."

Sans takes a few gulps of his mustard and sighs. "ya should consider yerself lucky. only one 'uman's made it past both ma bro and met. 'nd dat was frisk."

Ah, yes. You've heard of Frisk. The kid too determined for their own good, as Sans sometimes called them. You've never met the kid, but you hear they're still living with Toriel, a goat monster that towers over everyone and used to be the queen of the Underground. Until she got a nasty divorce with the King. You've heard that the whole procedure wasn't pleasant.

"So who is Mettaton?" you ask.

Sans sighs. 'ya ain't gonna give up til ya get an answer, aren't ya?"

You nod, smirking as he groans.

"alright, alright, i'll tell ya." He takes another swig of his mustard before starting. "met was 'designed' by our royal scientist, alphys. according tah her, she made met as a prototype of an artificial 'uman soul." Sans gaffs at the end of his sentence. "just another lie she told tah make 'erself look better and gain da king's favor."

"anyways, met is a robot da truthfully is a ghost with a corporeal form. everyone knows dat due tah met's jealous cousin, napstablook, rattin' 'im out."

You sip on your milkshake, invested in this story. "but before all dat, met was our only entertainer, as grillbs said. 'ad a whole show 'nd everything. when da kid came 'cross 'im, met redesigned 'is show to be 'bout a killer robot who destroys da wicked 'uman and frees da underground. only problem was, frisk was too determined for met. da kid was also resilient. made met look like a fool."

You tilt your head in confusion. If he looked like a fool, then why are there so many monsters lined up to see him. 

"after da finale, where met got his ass 'anded to 'im by da kid, naps revealed da big secret on live television. met cancelled 'is show. 'til we got up 'ere. see, 'e's still da only representation we got up 'ere. no network wants tah work with monsters. so met has 'is own show up 'ere. and 'e got 'is cousin to be part of 'is sound crew if 'e promised tah not reveal anymore of 'is secrets."

"Huh." You say as Sans concludes his story. "So, how did he and Papyrus meet?"

Sans shrugs. "it was sometime after met cancelled 'is show. paps went tah hotland and i guess went tah tell met dat 'e was still a big fan. paps always was a sucka for dat robot."

"You mean, this robot, darling?"

You both shoot up and turn to see a robot standing right behind you. You take in their appearance. Nine inch, red high heel boots that reach all the way to their thighs, what look like black leggings, but that could also be metal, silver mid drift that is definitely metal with a red heart where a belly button would be placed, a red chest piece with what looks to be a dial on one pec and a speaker on the other, and shoulder pads for days. You notice the robot has four arms, the two right ones resting on their hip while the upper left one flips their black hair and the lower left one is making crude gestures to the crowd behind them. You also notice two eyes on the left side of their face, both focused on you. You also caught a glimpse of two more eyes when they were flipping their hair.

"speak of da devil..." Sans mutters.

So this is Mettaton.

You gulp, not quite sure of what to do in this situation.

"I didn't know that Grillby allowed humans to be here. But this is a quaint little grease trap, after all."

Okay, now you're mad. Not about what he said in regards to you, but about how he is treating Grillby's place.

"If you don't like it, there's the door." You say before you can think.

Silence. The entire place is silent as they watch what Mettaton will do next. His jaw is dropped in awe of what you said.

You keep your gaze steady, knowing that if you drop it, it'll be bad for you. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Sans tensed. He's looking between the two of you, ready to stop a fight. Or worse, an encounter.

Mettaton closes his jaw and his eyes narrow. Just before he's about to say something, Grillby comes up next to you.

"What do you want, Mettaton?"

The robot humphs and growls. "Why is this human here?"

Grillby's flames get slightly hotter. "She's a paying customer, unlike you. If you don't like that, I suggest you follow her advise and get out."

Mettaton huffed similar to a stereotypical Karen you read about on r/entitledparents. "I knew I was too good for this dump, but it's gone to a new low if you're humoring humans, Grillby. And you, Sans, I thought you knew better. Papyrus will have you dusted for interacting with this wench."

Your jaw is clenched so hard, your teeth are starting to hurt.

"It's 'c-cause she's *hic* a-actually nice! *hic*" hiccups the drunk rabbit you see in his regular booth.

"Yeah!" Doggo, who you've only really interacted with once, speaks up. "She may be human, but she's a nice kid. Leave her alone before you make a bigger fool of yourself."

Mettaton puts all four of his hands on his hips, glaring at you. Sans and Grillby continue to glare at him.

Finally, you offer, "If I'm causing too much trouble, I can leave."

Grillby turns to you with a half-hearted glare on his face.

You double down on your statement. "Look, it's clear I'm a source of tension. I've already paid, so I'll just go before this escalates. I don't want to cause you any trouble."

You hear a chuckle from one of the booths. "Always thinking of others." 

You look over to see the same purple bunny who runs the store. She gets up and walks over to you, ignoring the glare from Mettaton. She blocks his view of you and stares you down.

"Hun, are you really going because you want to or you feel like you have to?"

You gulp. "I feel like I have to," you answer honestly.

She then turns to Grillby. "Are you going to let one of your regulars feel uncomfortable in your own restaurant?"

He growls and glares back at Mettaton. "No."

She turns to Sans. "And do you live just to please your brother?"

Sans scoffs. "fuck nah."

She turns around and glares up at Mettaton. "And do you think you're welcomed here after everything you just pulled?"

Mettaton scoffs. "Bitch, I'm welcomed everywhere. This dump is lucky to have me. Look at all the customers I brought in."

"They aren't paying, so they aren't customers," Grillby clarifies. "Just like you. Either pay for something, or get the fuck out of my bar."

Mettaton clicks his...tongue?  "Is this any way to treat the star of the Underground?"

"fallen star, more like it," Sans mutters. You couldn't help but snicker at his pun.

"A lot of talk coming from a lazy bum."

Grillby's had enough at this point. "That's it, get out. Now."

"Oh please, you can't kick me out. I'm Mettaton."

"Yes, I can. Get out. You're banned from here. If I see your face again, I'll bring this up with-"

"The king?" Mettaton interrupted. "Please do. I would love to see how that goes."

"No, I'll call Papyrus. I still have his number, and I'm not afraid to call him to come collect your sorry ass."

From over the Shopkeeper's shoulder, you see Mettaton's face drop. "You wouldn't dare."

Sans smirks and nods to Grillby. The flame monster pulls out his phone and presses a button.

"Y-you're putting your human in danger!" Mettaton tries to reason.

Grillby smirks as the phone begins dialing. "He respects the rules of my bar. And while she's under this roof, she's safe."

The person on the other line picks up. "WHAT HAS SANS DONE THIS TIME?!"

"I'm not calling because of Sans. Your boyfriend is causing trouble. Come and get him."

Grillby hangs up without waiting for a response. You look between him, Sans, and the Shopkeeper. Part of you is so glad you have friends like them while another part of you feels guilty that they have to do this.

You don't have a whole lot of time to feel guilty though as the doors slam open. You see how quickly Mettaton goes from imposing to squirming in his boots. Looking over the shoulders of all the monsters near you, you see the tall skeleton from earlier, his eyelights burning into Mettaton.

"P-papy-"

"DON'T!" The skeleton stops Mettaton from trying to explain himself. "EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON HERE, SANS?"

Sans shrugs lazily. "we were just havin' a normal night when met comes in, gettin' grillbs short fuse goin'."

"ENOUGH OF YOUR IDIOTIC PUNS!" Shouts his brother.

Grillby rolls his eyes. "Your boyfriend's been bothering my customers and refusing to order anything since he stepped in here."

The shopkeeper nods and that's when Papyrus spots you. You quickly look away, not wanting to start any more drama.

But he practically ignores you as he glares at Mettaton. "YOU JUST HAD TO PISS OFF THE ONLY OTHER MONSTER OWNED BAR! WHAT IS GOING ON?!"

Mettaton opens his mouth to speak, but Papyrus holds up a red gloved hand and the robot stays silent. The skeleton walks out and the robot follows meekly.

"OH, AND HUMAN," he stops at the doors. You poke your head out from behind the shopkeeper.

Papyrus glares at you. "YOU BETTER BE CAREFUL. THIS SIDE OF TOWN IS DANGEROUS."

You gulp as you watch them walk away.

Chapter Text

"You met Mettaton? THE Mettaton? As well as Papyrus?! How the hell did you make it out alive?!"

Oh Artie. As over-dramatic as always.

"Yes, I met both of them. And Grillby said something about Papyrus respecting the bar's rules and that I wouldn't get hurt," you say as you're going about doing laundry.

Since the apartments are a little small, you have to use the commute laundry in the basement of the complex. You tend to spend all day here just to make sure your laundry doesn't get stolen. Last time you left your laundry was four years ago, and it was everywhere. Someone threw your clothes all over the ground before they got done drying and one of your best pairs of panties got stolen. So, you're always keeping an eye on your clothes from now on.

Thankfully, there's good cell service and wi-fi, so you're able to talk to Artie. Of course you were going to tell him all about your exciting night last night. Though, he thought something different happened when you told him that last night was exciting.

"Speaking of Grillby," Artie started.

You suppress a groan.

"Are you ever going to make the first move?" he asks.

You make an 'I don't know' noise. "Artie, one does not simply ask a flame elemental out."

"Alright, Boromir." Artie teases. "But seriously, you need to try at some point. You're always good at handling rejection, so what's different this time around?"

You sigh. "Artie, there's just something about him. I don't think I could take his rejection. I feel like it would break me. And I don't want to be broken."

"Holy shit, it's that bad?"

You nod and sigh. "Yeah, it's been that bad for about a year now."

You hear Artie groan. "Girl, how do you keep a straight face around him every week?"

You shrug, putting a new load in the washer. "I guess it helps that we're always at his restaurant. He has to be somewhat professional and I respect his establishment too much to try to flirt with him. If we were alone in a room that wasn't in his restaurant, I'd probably be a blushing mess."

Artie laughs at that. "Probably. Wait, you've never interacted with him outside of his own establishment. What the hell? How is that even possible? Three years, monsters have lived on that side of town, and two of those years you've been going to Grillby's twice a week. How the hell haven't you two run into each other outside of his work schedule?"

"I don't know," you answer honestly. "Maybe he likes to hang at his home when he's not working."

"You both need to get out more," Artie mutters.

He's starting to sound mischievous.

"Stop it." You say.

"What?" he asks innocently.

"Whatever you're planning, stop it."

You're met with a laugh on the other end of the phone.

"I mean it, Artie."

More laughter.

"Maybe I should get Sans in on this plan. He'd love it," Artie teases.

"Maybe I should tell Sans all your tickle spots," you tease back.

Artie sobers up. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, I would."

"Okay okay, no more scheming. I promise."

You breathe a sigh of relief. "Good."

You hear Artie laugh again, but this time it's more like a snicker.

"Artie," you warn.

"I'm not scheming."

"You're bending the rules somehow."

"Not bending," he promises. "Just extorting a loophole.

"Art, don't you dare. Whatever you're doing-"

"Too late! Just sit back and relax~"

You don't get much more information as Artie just hangs up on you. You look at your phone in confusion.

What the hell is he up to?

You decide to stay in the basement and continue your laundry. Taking out your computer, you go over to one of the small tables and start doing some research. Last night kind of reminded you that you don't know much about monster culture despite having lived with them for three years.

First thing you type in is: Monster Magic

You get a bunch of different articles about how using magic is illegal or propaganda for the anti-monster movement.

It really makes you angry how some people in this world are sometimes.

However, you do find a small blog talking about how the anti-magic laws are super harmful to monsters.

You click on the blog site and it takes you to a website called UnderNet.

ALPHYS: these laws are outrageous! do these stupid humans not realize we literally need magic to survive? like, we are made of PURE MAGIC! telling us to not use magic is going to kill us! even if there are monsters who prefer to not use magic for day to day routines, we need to constantly consume magic in order to survive. yet, we can't have magic in out food, just because we can eat normal human food.
"Oh well, your system can break it down into the energy you need," the court said. do they not realize that it takes ten times longer to break down that magic food and that we need to eat more and more of their human garbage because we're burning off more magic due to digestion alone?! the court system is rigged to hell and back.
Don't get me wrong, i'm glad we'er on the surface, but let's face it. the humans are never going to listen to us. they will just starve us until we're weak and then kill us or drive us underground again. humans aren't even nice to each other, so why would they be nice to us.

EdgySkeleton95: YOU'RE FORGETTING ABOUT FRISK

ALPHYS: frisk is an exception, not the rule. just ask grillby or muffet. they get humans in their joints all the time and nine times out of ten, the humans are rude for no reason.

This blog was written about two and a half years ago. How much longer can they keep taking this shit?

"What are you reading?"

You yelp and swing around, fist first. Your fist is caught is a fiery grip and your eyes land on an amused Grillby.

"Nice punch."

You shake your head as he lets go of you.

"Never sneak up on me like that," you say. "I could've hurt you."

He chuckles. "I don't doubt that. What are you reading?"

You bite your lip and show him your computer.

"UnderNet?" he asks you.

"Yeah, I just..." you gulp, trying to figure out how to explain this. "I want to learn more about you and your culture. Just so I don't offend anyone or..."

You finally take in Grillby's appearance. He's not wearing his normal suit. Instead, he's wearing a black tank-top and black jeans.

Is it getting hot in here?

Grillby chuckles and smiles. "Well, I appreciate that. But, I can be of more assistance than an angry blog written by a spiteful royal scientist."

You nod and close the computer. "So, what brings you down here?" you ask.

That's when you notice the large bag at his feet.

"My machine's broken. Sans said that there's some in here."

Sans said...

Artie, I am going to kill you.

"What are you doing down here?" he asks as he starts his own load.

You shrug, trying to avoid eye contact. "A long time ago, someone stole my underwear and threw the rest of my clothes on the floor. So now, I guard my laundry with my life."

Why did I say it like that? That sounds so dumb!

But Grillby just laughs. "Well, I have nothing else to do today. Mind if I keep you company?"

You feel all the blood in your body rush to your cheeks.

Sans, if I survive this, I will kill you.

"Sure," you hear yourself say.

Grillby comes over and sits down across from you.

"So, what were you reading on the blog?"

You try to keep your cool and not look at how Grillby's flames are somehow forming muscles on his arms, or how those muscle could easily squeeze you, or how sturdy his hand was when he caught your fist and that he could easily pin you down under him.

You clear your throat. "Uh, m-monster magic and how the laws are affecting everyone."

I sound like such an idiot and I'm staring like a perv.

Grillby hums and leans back. "Well, what have you learned so far?"

You duck your head so you can concentrate better. "Um, that magic is illegal, and that monsters need magic to survive."

Out of the corner of your eyes, you see Grillby nodding. "Yeah. So monsters are made up of pure magic."

You look back up, interested in what he's saying.

"Our entire being is a projection of our soul. Our souls give us energy and magic, but also requires energy and magic to keep us going. Thus, we need to eat, like every other living thing. However, because we're magical beings, having magic in what we eat is more helpful to us than nonmagical foods."

You tilt your head. "So is it true that it takes ten times longer to digest human food?"

Again, he nods. "Yeah. Another unfortunate side effect is that the digestion uses up more magic than it replenishes."

You shake your head. "How do you survive off that?"

Grillby shrugs. "Sleep helps. But, we've been fighting to get a bill that allows us to put magic in our food to make it easier to digest. So far, we've had zero luck. So most of us are extremely careful with how much we eat. We also try not to use too much magic in our spare time. Or we spike our food with magic and just don't tell anybody." He winks at the last bit.

You blush a bit and nod. "So how does the law effect physicality? You said your bodies are made up of magic?"

He smirks at that. "Basically, we can change our appearance if it's natural, but we can't go extreme with it."

You tilt your head in confusion. You watch as Grillby's smirk grows wider and he leans on the table. "In short, I can allow my magic to pop a boner, but not boobs."

You flush at the thought of Grillby having a boner and you quickly avert your gaze.

"Wait, you can make your own boobs?" you ask dumbly.

Grillby's smirk is still plastered on his face. "Yup. Monsters can easily change their genitalia. At least, they could if it wasn't for the law."

Well then. Good to know.

"Whatever equipment we had when we came to the surface is the same equipment they want us to have forever." He mutters."Which sucks for the monsters that love to change their genitals on a regular."

"How do they cope?" you ask.

Grillby shrugs. "By having sex with people who won't rat them out."

You laugh a little at that and smile.

"Any more questions?"

You look up and see Grillby looking at you.

You blush and shake your head. "N-not currently."

Grillby seems to deflate a bit before smirking again. "I have a couple for you now, if that's alright."

You gulp. "S-sure."

Chapter Text

Grillby smirks and leans across the table, resting his head in his hand. "So, what made you come to my establishment in the first place?"

You steady your breathing before you answer. "Honestly? It was the least crowded place at the time and it was close to my place."

He nods and tilts his head slightly. "Why keep returning? I was incredible rude to you that first day, but not only did you leave a tip, but you kept coming back and dealing with my attitude."

You shrug. "You know I don't have the best work life. Honestly, even though you were rude to me, you never crossed a line. You never made fun of me because I'm a woman, or because I'm human. No one did. You were all just passive aggressive, which is better than what I get every day at work. Plus the food was worth it."

You see Grillby's face soften a bit at your explanation. "Your work really doesn't appreciate you, does it? Why keep working there?"

A sigh escapes your mouth. "Because it's ingrained in me to take all the shit from the world with a smile on my face. If I quit, what will that say about me? That I can't take the punches? That I'm weak?"

"No," Grillby interrupts. "It'll show that you have respect for yourself and that you're not willing to take other people's shit."

You smile at that and shake your head. "I wish I had that kind of spirit," you mutter.

Grillby scoffs lightly. "But you do. I've seen it."

You tilt your head in confusion.

He continues. "I first saw it when you stood up for me and my bar. You were willing to get into an encounter with that drunk just to tell him off. You stood up for us. Plus, you kept quiet for us afterwards when you saw Sans using magic."

You blush. You honestly didn't think Grillby thought too much about that incident.

"The second time I saw it is when I told you to come get your friend. Your confidence went through the roof when you were dancing. I was impressed."

You blush more and loo away.

Grillby chuckles. "I wasn't lying when I said confidence was a good look for you" He shakes his head. "The third time I saw your spirit is when you and Artie both had a bad day and decided to get drunk. You were bitter and angry. I knew you were fighting something."

You think your heart is going to explode. Grillby's been paying attention all this time."H-how long have you been watching me like that?"

Grillby's face twists in thought. "Hmmm, around the time you came in a second time and still left a notable tip. That's when I started noticing that your place is just across the street from my bar."

You bite your lip, knowing your face is as red as Sans' magic. Grillby chuckles and smiles.

"I don't think I've seen you this flustered before," he remarks. "Even when Sans flirted with you, you weren't this red."

You shrug. "I didn't have eyes on Sans at the time."

Why did I say that? Why did I say that? Oh stars, he's going to know I have a crush on him? What do I do? Artie, Sans, I will kill you both, I swear!

"Oh?" Grillby teases. "Who do you have eyes for?"

You know damn well by this point!

You bite your lip and steal a quick glance to Grillby, who is sitting there with a smug look on his face.

Oh, he definitely knows. What do I do?

You hear the slight scrape of metal against concrete and the gentle tapping of Grillby's shoes. Feeling warmer than normal, you look up to see him leaning against the table right in front of you. He smirks down at you and you know you're done for.

That's his flirty smirk.

I'm so screwed.

"Tell me if I over step," he says, shocking you. "I can't read your intent."

Intent? What does he mean? And he's being careful of any boundaries I may have. Normally when he flirts, he just goes for it.

Grillby must have seen your confused face because he backs up a bit to give you space.

"Right, you don't know about that," he mutters to himself. "Monsters have the ability to read each-others intentions and emotions. It's how we know what the other is okay with and what boundaries to not cross."

You nod. Makes sense.

"However," he continues. "Since humans don't have that kind of magic, it's harder to read intentions and boundaries."

Ah, that's why he's telling me to tell him when he oversteps.

He leans in closer again, causing you to let out a small squeak. His flirty grin still plastered on his face. You gulp, your face feeling like it's on fire and you know that it isn't because of Grillby's flames.

He chuckles at your reactions. "How about I give you a proposition?"

Your heart is beating inside your ears. "Wh-what kind of proposition?"

"I tell you more about monsters and our culture. In return, you show me more of that fiery spirit. Sound fair?" He offers with a tilt of his head.

You gulp again. 

Go for it! you can hear Artie yelling.

Taking a deep breath to steady yourself, you look up at the flaming elemental.

"Deal."

His smirk grows. "Sweet. Then how about I take you to Muffet's tonight?"

"Tonight?!" you gawk. "But I have work tomorrow Morning."

He shakes his head and stands up straight. "I promise to have you home by 11;00. Are you up for it?"

You know, it's been a while since I've gone to a club. Plus, I've never been to Muffet's. This could be fun.

You nod. "Okay, as long as I'm back home by 11:00."

Chapter Text

"I have absolutely nothing to wear!" you shout at the top of your lungs.

A chuckle from your bed snaps you out of your despair.

"Relax, hon," Artie smirks. "I'll help you out."

You watch as he digs through your closet, grabbing various items of clothing. He pulls out some of your shorter skirts, some tank tops, dance boots, dance pants, and some of your more revealing tops.

He sets them on your bed, skirts and pants matching with tops, leaving the boots on the floor. He even puts some of your tank tops with your revealing tops.

"There, now you have some outfits."

A blush forms on your face at the thought of what Grillby would think about these outfits. "Artie, what if he thinks I'm desperate or easy?"

He rolls his eyes. "Girl, look. He would not just invite you out of the blue to a club if he wasn't at least somewhat interested in you. Plus, you told me he is hardcore respecting your boundaries. I'm sure if you told him to stop, he'd stop." A smirk plasters itself on his smug face. "Though, I'd doubt you'd want him to stop if this evening does go anywhere."

You throw a pillow in his face as he laughs.

"C'mon! Go get changed!" he begs.

You roll your eyes, but pick up one of the outfits he recommended.

While in the bathroom, you put on a black tube top, a semi-see-through purple over-the-shoulder shirt, and some flexible black jeans with tears at the knees. You hate to admit it, but Artie is pretty good at figuring out outfits for you. A smile creeps onto your face as you see your outfits hugs the parts out your body you like.

Simply put, you look hot as hell.

Walking out of the bathroom, you strut in front of the bed, letting Artie judge the outfit on you.

He claps. "Beautiful, absolutely beautiful!" He hands you your boots. "Put these on!"

You smile and put on your best dancing boots. They're black leather, reaching up to the bottom of your knees.

Artie smiles. "Let me do your makeup. Please!!!"

You smile and nod. "Okay, but don't make me look like I'm supposed to go on a stage."

He snorts and rolls his eyes. "Of course not. You're my friend, not my coworker."

You smile as he starts doing your makeup. After your foundation is on, he gives you a slight smokey eye with a hint of silver on the lids. He picks out a popping shade of red lipstick and gently applies it. He makes sure your mascara is noticeable, but not extreme. Lastly, he give you just a slight bit of blush and contour.

"What do you think?" he asks.

You smile, on the verge of tears. "It's amazing. I look beautiful."

He snorts. "Girl, you're always beautiful. Makeup has nothing to do with it."

You smile at him, grateful for his kind words.

He smiles back. "I'll leave you to do your hair."

You nod as you get to work, putting your hair into the best style you can manage.

"What time is Grillby going to pick you up?" Artie asks in your bedroom.

"6:00. Why?"

He smirks. "Cause he's over at Sans' right now. Apparently, he's looking forward to this evening."

A blush creeps across your face. "Oh boy..."

You glance at your phone. It reads 5:55.

"Fuck, I have to grab my stuff."

You rush out of the bathroom to see Artie dangling a small black and purple purse on his finger. "Cards, cash, and ID are all in here. I let Sans know you're ready. Grillby should be here any moment."

You gawk at him. "Artie!"

He smirks. "You'll thank me later!"

You growl a bit. "I swear, I'm going to kill you one day. As well as Sans."

Artie laughs at your empty threat. "Oh, please. You need a Man of Honor at your wedding some day."

You roll your eyes. Soon after, you hear a knock on your door.

You gulp, your heart racing. You slowly approach the door, nerves racing alongside your heart.

As you open the door, your greeted to the purple elemental dressed in a low neck line black shirt, showing the top of his pecs, a short-sleeved jacket with white fur lining the neck, black pants, and black boots.

Stars above, he's so hot.

You notice his cheeks are burning a bit brighter as well as your own.

He smirks and holds out his hand. "Shall we?"

You nod and take his hand, letting him lead you out of your apartment. Artie follows suit, letting you lock the door.

"Have fun, you two!" He says as he skips off to Sans' apartment.

Grillby smiles down at you. "You look beautiful."

You blush harder. "So do you."

You quickly realize your mistake. "I-I mean handsome." You blurt out.

He laughs a little. "Thank you. It's been a while since I've gone to Muffet's. This should be fun."

You nod and smile, glad to be with him.

As you walk down the street together, you can feel the warmth radiating off of him. It feels like a warm blanket wrapped around you. You notice yourself getting a little closer to him to feel the warmth.

Looking up at him, he doesn't seem to mind. In fact, he looks happy when you get closer to him.

"Are you cold?" he asks.

You shake your head. "No, your warmth is keeping me pretty warm."

He smiles. I can make myself warmer if you want."

A blush crosses your face again. "I-I'm good. But thanks."

He chuckles slightly. "If you ever need me, let me know."

He's such a gentleman!

This is very drastic from the way you've seen him flirt with others. Normally, he would pull them close and whisper promises about the night to them in their ears. He would make sure his voice is so low, they'd shiver despite his heat.

But with you, he's taking thing very slow.

Is it the intention thing he talked about?

You find yourself a bit grateful for how he's handling things with you. While it's a bit jarring, it's strangely relieving. You've dated before in the past, but no one has ever been this nice and caring. They always had an agenda, a reason for being with you. Some wanted sex, others wanted a maid or a housekeeper. 

But with Grillby, it feels like he just wants the pleasure of your company. Nothing more, nothing less. It's nice.

He smiles at you. "Anything you'd like to know as we walk?"

You hum in thought. "So, I've heard about dusting. But what does that mean?"

He sighs heavily. "It's a very grim subject. Basically, when we die, our magic disperses in the form of dust. It's the only thing we leave behind. We don't have bodies or blood. Just dust."

You gulp. "My apologies."

He shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. Not many people ask."

You still bite your lip in guilt.

Way to go.

He elbows your arm. "Stop it."

You blink in confusion.

"Stop feeling guilty." He explains. "I'm glad you asked. Like I said, not many people ask about that. I'm glad you'd rather know than make assumptions."

You nod and smile at his words. "Any non-heavy subjects you can talk to me about?"

He hums, rubbing his chin. "Well, how much do you know about souls?"

You tilt your head. "Not much. Humans have many stories about souls, but some don't believe they exist."

Grillby laughs. "Oh, they exist alright. Humans have very powerful souls to make up for the lack of magic. Human souls are typically categorized in one of seven core traits. Now, monsters have weaker souls. In fact, for most of us, our souls disappear as soon as we die. Boss monsters, monster who are extremely stronger than normal monsters, have souls that will last a couple seconds after death. But a human soul will persist for a very long time after death as long as nothing happens to it."

You soak in all of this information. "Wow! What about soulmates? Are those real?"

He laughs again. "Sort of. I've heard humans romanticizing the subject though. A soul mate is just someone who compliments your soul with theirs. Soulmates can be partners romantically, professionally, or just friends. It's someone you naturally click with. You two nearly have the same mind. The bond between soulmates grows stronger the more time you spend together. Sometimes, you can read each others emotions from a far distance and can actually read each others minds."

You probably have stars in your eyes, but at this point, you don't care. "That's amazing!"

He hums and smiles, glad you're enjoying this conversation. "Ah, we're here."

You find yourself standing in front of a large purple building. The entrance looks like the mouth of a spider and there are web patterns on every window.

Grillby smiles. "I forgot to mention, Muffet is a spider."

You give him a side glance. "You're lucky I'm not queasy around spiders."

He shrugs. "I knew you weren't. Or do you not remember removing a spider from my bar?"

That was so long ago. It was a week after the drunk man incident. You found a spider residing in your booth, so you quickly grabbed a napkin, ushered the spider into the napkin, and took it to a safe place outside. You remember Grillby giving you a strange look when you did that.

"Oh, yeah." You say as you remember. "Huh."

Grillby smiles and offers his arm. "Shall we?"

You smile and take his arm. "We shall."

The two of you skip the line, going straight to the door. The bouncer, a mean looking ghost, glares at the two of you. Grillby flashes his ID and the ghost growls but lets you two pass.

A sigh of relief exits your mouth. "That was intense."

Grillby chuckles and holds you close. "Don't worry. You're safe with me."

You nod, looking at the inside of the club. Your jaw drops.

It's insane in here. From where you walk in, you can see a floor below you and a floor above you. There's a bar and seats on every floor, but on the bottom floor, you can see an octagonal dance floor. There are spider webs everywhere.

Grillby chuckles at your reaction and walks you down to the bottom floor, guiding you to a booth. You see a spider waiting on the table. Grillby nods the spider, who seems to bow back.

The spider hands you both menus. You thank the spider, who, again, bows.

You look over the menu, your stomach slightly growling. You remember you haven't eaten since lunch.

"I can cover for whatever you want." Grillby offers.

You smile. "Thank you, but if you don't mind, I'll pay for my stuff."

He nods and smiles a bit at that. "Very well."

You decide on some chicken tenders and fries with a soda.

Grillby orders some chips and fire whiskey.

The spider bows and runs along the wall, crawling towards the bar.

You tilt your head. "So, are the spiders our waiters?"

Grillby nods. "Yeah, they are surprisingly strong. They have an effective system for bringing food and drinks to tables."

"Cool!"

He smiles at your enthusiasm. "Any other questions about monster culture you have?"

You try to think for a bit, but the noise of the music and Grillby's smirk is distracting you.

"Uh, what was it you said about human souls? About the seven traits?"

He nods. "I was hoping you'd catch that. Human souls can be one of seven different colors, each color associated with a core trait. Red is the most dangerous. It's determination. Orange is bravery, yellow is justice, green is kindness, cyan is patience, blue is integrity, and purple is perseverance."

You nod. "So, how do you know what trait a human has? How can you see their soul?"

He smirks and leans on the table. "Two ways. One way is to get into an encounter, or a fight. Another way is a bit more intimate." He winks at you, causing your face to nearly combust.

He straightens up. "However, there is a special type of monster called a judge, who can see the traits of your soul without an encounter or intimacy. He can also tell what your HP, LV, and EXP is."

You tilt your head. "He can tell...video game stats?"

He chuckles under his breath. "Sort of. So, everyone has HP, or health. LV stands for LOVE or Level Of ViolencE. That is a trait that shows how powerful someone became due to how many people they have hurt or killed. LV goes up with the amount of EXP, or EXecution Points."

You nod in understanding. "So just getting into fights will raise EXP and LV?"

He nods. "Yup. Every EXP checkpoint is one LV assigned to your soul. Your HP goes up with ever LV you gain."

You shiver. "That's terrifying."

Your food drops down from ceiling, hanging on by webs. A spider comes up and cuts the webs as the food and drinks land on the table.

"Thank you!" The spider bows to you and leaves.

Grillby starts drinking while you eat. You hum in delight at how good the food is.

As you eat, Grillby strikes up the conversation again. "Mind if I ask you some questions now?"

You nod and take a sip of your drink.

"Why do you continue to work at your job if you hate it so much?"

You sigh. "Honestly, because I'm not sure I'd fit in anywhere else. While I appreciate your offer, I'm not sure I can accept it."

He tilts his head. "Why not?"

You blush. "In human culture, it's very taboo to work for someone you're already friends with."

Or someone you have a crush on.

He hums in thought. "I never thought of that. Guess you have a point. Have you at least tried to find another job?"

You nod. "Yeah. But it's difficult. Everywhere I look, these companies say they're hiring analysts or associates, but what they're really looking for is someone to push paper work onto as well as someone who will stock the entire break room, put paper in the printer, supply everyone with office supplies, etc, etc."

He shakes his head. "That sucks."

You blurt out a laugh. You hardly ever get that response, so it's refreshing when someone speaks your mind. "Yeah, it is."

He smirks and looks at the dance floor as Flesh by Simon Curtis starts playing.

"Shall we dance?"

You blush, knowing exactly which song this is. But you agree anyways.

Grillby guides you to the dance floor. He gently puts his hands on your waist and you nod, signalling you're okay with it. He smiles and the two of you start swaying your hips together. You both take it slow, following the rhythm of the music instead of the thumping bass mimicking a racing heart. You stare into his white flaming eye as he stares back into your.

As you both grow comfortable with the rhythm, he draws you in closer. Your pelvises are nearly touching by this point. You can't tell if your hot because of your blushing or his heat.

A smirk grows on Grillby's face as the song starts to increase in tempo. You nod and smirk in return, part of you taking up the silent challenge.

Grillby twirls you as the chorus plays again, this time faster. You smile and twirl back into his arms. His hands find your waist again and you both begin to dance, your back to his chest. Your pelvises meet as you continue into the song. At the last cycle of the chorus, Grillby spins you back around and lifts you up. Your legs instinctively latch onto his waist. You move your waist and hips to the rhythm, Grillby keeping you upright and swaying to the music with you. It almost looks like you two are having sex right in the middle of the dance floor. 

Both of you are breathing heavily as the song concludes. He lets you down and you both go back to your booth. Instead of sitting across form you, he slides in next to you.

"Glad I got to see more of your spirit."

You blush and take a long sip of your drink.

He leans down and whispers in your ear. "Am I overstepping?"

You shake you head and smile. "Nope. I'll let you know if you do."

He nods and smile, grabbing his drink and taking a few sips.

You check your phone. You still have a few more hours to enjoy this.

"Want to dance again?" He asks.

That's when you hear Die Young by Kesha.

"Hell yeah." You say.

Chapter Text

"And. true to his word, he brought me home at 11 PM."

Artie growls on the other end of the phone. "Girl, don't hold out all the details from me. You can not tell me you and Grillby didn't get it on after dancing to Flesh."

You laugh a little, making sure there's no one near you while you're in the break room. "Honest, Art. Nothing happened."

He groans a bit while you laugh. "Girl, you seriously need to get some."

You roll your eyes. "Just cause you and Sans are constantly in the bone zone doesn't mean Grillby and I need to rush things. We're comfortable taking this slow and figuring out where it goes."

It's Artie's turn to laugh. "Oh please. You're not fooling anyone. You want to fuck him, don't you?"

You blush. "Maybe. But I'm not the only one dancing here Artie. It takes two to tango."

He laughs. "Alright, alright, I'll relent. For now."

You smile and shake your head. "Anyways, I need to get back to work. See you later."

"See ya!"

You smile as you hang up. With a sigh, you mentally prepare yourself to get back to work.

You're not sure what happened over the weekend, but your boss has been even angrier with you today. He's shoved every tiny bit of paperwork your way with harsher deadlines than before, has yelled at you multiple times today, threatened to dock your pay, and has overall been a dick. You have half a mind to file a report to HR, but you know by this point it won't go anywhere.

"(Y/N)!"

Speak of the devil...

"Where the fuck is my damn paperwork, cunt?!"

Oooh, cunt. So original.

With a growl, you grab the file next to you and quickly walk into your boss' office. "Here you go."

He takes it from you with a grunt. "Damn woman. Know your place and address me properly!"

Excuse me?

With a small sigh, you ask, "Will that be all, sir?"

He growls. "I don't like your attitude. Get out now, bitch. Before I report your actions to HR."

You don't need to be told twice. You quickly rush out of there and get to your desk. With a sigh, you start working again.

You get about halfway through your tasks with your douche-bag coworker interrupts you. "So, you just out whoring around tonight? Or was that a one time occasion?"

You gawk at him. "Excuse me?"

He smirks. "Little birdie told me you were out with a monster last night. Now, if you wanted someone to satisfy you, you could have just come to me, sweetheart."

You gag. "Ew. No way. Stay the fuck out of my business."

He invades your space and corners you to your desk. "C'mon, babe. I can do so much better than that fucking monster."

Instincts kick in. You knee him in the balls and squirm out of there.

Thankfully, luck is on your side today. One of your coworkers happened to see what went down and called for security.

The guards escorted the douche out of the building for the rest of the day. Your boss still makes you continue working, but HR did have to ask you a few questions.

At the end of your shift, you want nothing more than to burn the building down as you leave. But, you restrain yourself and just simply leave.

However, you can't help but hear a second set of footstep close behind you. You sharply turn the corner to get a good look and you notice the douche is following you home!

Shit shit shit shit shit!

You start to panic.

What do I do? Where do I go? I can't go home!

Suddenly, you get an idea. You quickly duck into an alley and hide, hoping he would pass you by.

Sure enough, he looks around, trying to find you.

While hidden, you quickly shoot a text to Grillby.

(Y/N): Hey, sorry to bother you. Can I come to the bar tonight?

HotDamn: Of course. Is everything okay?

(Y/N): Got on of my coworkers in trouble. Now he's following me.

HotDamn: Get to my bar as quickly as you can.

You check to see if the coast is clear. Not seeing your dick of a coworker anywhere in sight, you crawl out of your spot and quickly head towards Grillby's. You notice Dogamy and Dogaressa standing just outside the doors.

Dogamy sniffs the air and spots you. "There you are. Inside, quick."

You nod and get inside, the Dog Couple following you. Grillby ushers you behind the bar and keeps a look out.

You sit down behind the bar and let out a shaky breath.

Grillby bends down to look at you. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

You shake your head. "I'm okay. No, but I hurt him."

Grillby tilts his head.

You sigh. "He cornered me and said some rather revolting things. I panicked and kneed him in the balls."

Grillby laughs at that. "Nicely done."

You glow at the praise. "Thanks. He was escorted from the building for the rest of the day, but he was waiting for me after work. I was so scared, i didn't know what to do. I'm sorry-"

Grillby cuts you off. "Don't apologize. This is not your fault. Stay here as long as you'd like. Are you hungry?"

You stomach answers for you, letting out a growl.

Grillby chuckles. "I'll get you some food. Follow me" And with that, he exits to the kitchen.

You follow him and marvel at the kitchen. It's a very basic set up, but it's cool to see it. Grillby starts fixing you a plate from the recently fried food. You smile and find a comfy place to sit where you won't be in the way.

Grillby comes over to you and hands you a plate of chicken tenders and fries. "Here you go." He also gives you your favorite soda to drink.

You smile and thank him. He nods and walks back out into the bar. You can still hear the crackling of grease on the surface of the chicken, so you decide to let it cool down for a bit. Looking around, you notice your favorite condiment and grab it, deciding it would go well with your tenders and fries.

The tenders have cooled down enough to be able to eat them, so you start munching away, giving the kitchen a good scan. You see a door on one wall and you're assuming that leads out into the alley. You also notice a set of stairs close to the door leading out into the bar. The stairs are leading up, so you assume Grillby lives above his restaurant, which does make sense.

Part of you wonders what's up there. How does Grillby decorate his living space? Is he messy or clean? Is there a living room or is it like a studio?

The door opens and you watch as Grillby grabs a few more plates. He stops to smile at you. "How are you? Better?"

You nod and smile. "Much. Thank you."

He nods. "Of course. Dogamy is keeping an eye on the front doors and Dogaressa is watching over your apartment. I'd recommend staying here for just a bit longer, in case that dick decides to show his face."

You nod. "Thank you. I'm sor-"

He cuts you off. "What did I say? Don't apologize for this. Do you know how often I've done this as soon as we got to the surface?"

You never thought of that. Guess Grillby's is a safe haven for anyone who's on the owner's good side.

He continues. "Look, some people are extreme dickheads. You cannot hold yourself responsible for their actions. Us monsters have learned to form packs and stick together. Like it or not, you're now part of our pack."

That makes you blush extremely hard.

When did this happen?!

"So, we'll protect you, no matter what. You've done the same for us before." He concludes as he steps back into the restaurant, leaving you alone with your thoughts. 

Since when was I part of a pack?! Was there some special ceremony I missed? Is there a pack name I need to know about? Who's all a part of this pack? Did everyone know but me? What is going on?

All of a sudden, you hear a very loud growl coming from the restaurant.

You move closer to the door, trying to listen in on what's going on.

"You're not welcome here." you hear Grillby spit out. You don't think you've ever heard as much venom come out of his mouth. If he could actually spit venom, you're sure the guy he's talking to would be dead.

"You know the law just as well as I do, monster." Great, it's your dickhead of a coworker.

"Yeah, and you're a danger to my customers." Grillby shoots back "Get. Out."

"Chill, Fire Crotch, I only came to ask if you've seen a human named (Y/N)."

Where you were scared before, you're now pissed. How dare he talk to Grillby like that.

"Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. No one hear would."

"Ha! Protecting your whore, huh?"

Angry tears prick at the corner of your eyes.

"Why the hell does sexual status matter so much to you humans?" You hear Doggo ask.

"Judging by how many cheap perfumes I can smell on you," Dogamy starts. "Something tells me that you're the whore between you and (Y/N)."

You quietly laugh at their retorts. It's comforting to know they got your back.

"At least I don't sleep around with monsters."

Grillby laughs. "Real strong comeback there." he says sarcastically.

The man growls. "Look, I know you're hiding her. She came in here and hasn't come out. Just tell me where the fuck she is or I'll call the cops."

Grillby laughs again. "On what grounds?"

"Magic usage! They'll take my word over yours any day."

Your eyes widen. He's telling the truth. He's not drunk, he's human, and he's respected enough by your fellow coworkers. The cops could arrest Grillby.

Grillby chuckles again. "Now, a year ago, you might have had some ground to stand on."

Wait, what? Did Grillby install cameras?

"The fuck do you mean?"

A pause. You look around the back room and that's when you see it. A camera at the top of the staircase leading up to Grillby's apartment. You also find another above the door leading to the alley.

He did install cameras.

"I can still get you on grounds for kidnapping and holding (Y/N) hostage."

"That still won't work." Dogamy chimes in.

"Leave her alone." Grillby states. "You will never get to her."

The guy just hmph's and growls. "Fine, but I'm not leaving here any time soon. I'd like to order a drink."

Fuck this guy.

Grillby growls but takes his order. He soon makes his way to the back, where you are waiting.

"Are you okay?" You ask in a hushed whisper.

He nods and takes out his phone. He shows you a message from Dogaressa.

D.ressa: Have (Y/N) meet me in the alleyway. I'll get her home safe.

You nod in understanding. "What about you?"

He smiles. "I'll be fine. Just hurry." He point to the door leading to the alley.

You quickly open the door, thanking Grillby one last time. Dogaressa is waiting for you in the alley with an extra black cloak in her paw.

Grillby closes the door behind you. You wrap the cloak around your shoulders and put the hood up.

"You'll be safe with me," she tells you. You nod and stick close to her.

As the two of you cross the street, she starts asking questions. "Who is that man?"

"Chad Baxter. A dickhead of a coworker."

She nods. "Does he know where you live?"

You shrug. "I don't know."

She grunts. "Just say the word and we'll put up guards around the building."

You look up at her. "Not that I'm ungrateful, but why?"

She barks out a laughs. "Because, you're part of our pack. Didn't Grillby tell you?"

You nod. "Yeah, he did mention that a few minutes ago."

She nods. "He's the leader of our pack. He decided about a year ago you were someone we should keep an eye on. Just in case you ever needed help."

You shake your head. "Why wait until now to tell me?"

She shrugs. "Something about how he was scared you'd run out on us or thought you joined an illegal gang. you didn't become official part of the gang until a few months ago. Grillby was trying to figure out the best way to tell you."

"Why didn't he ask me if I wanted to be part of the pack?"

She laughs again. "Humans form packs all the time. You never say anything about it, you just know when you're a part of it. Though, I guess humans call them cliches or something like that."

You pause to think about that. Looking over your shoulder, you can still see through the glass that Grillby is still serving your piece of shit coworker.

"You said he wanted to keep an eye on me in case I needed help. Does he think I can't fight?"

She shakes her head. "Nothing like that. None of us know your fighting skills. It's more of, if you need backup, we're here for you."

You see how frustrated Grillby is, as well as Dogamy and Doggo. Even the drunk bunny looks pissed.

"Looks like they could use a bit of backup."

Dogaressa looks at the restaurant. "Yeah, but monsters can't do much against humans."

Even though your heart's beating violently in your chest, part of you just can't stand how Chad's treating your friends. That part begins to burn, challenging your choices. Why did you run away? Why haven't you put this dick in his place? Are you seriously going to stand for what he's doing to your friends?

I want to help them, but how can I? Challenging Chad will be difficult. He's bigger than me. More than likely stronger too.

Something rings in the back of your mind.

"...no matter what we always persevere."

"We can stand up to those who seem bigger and stronger than us. Even if they win, we get back up and keep fighting until we win."

"Always stick up for what your believe in..."

"Perseverance isn't just about rolling with the punches. It's also about how to dish out the punches despite how difficult it is..."

You feel something within your very heart and soul. You are filled with PERSEVERANCE.

"But I can."

Chapter Text

You watch as Chad keep bullying Grillby around in the restaurant. You can feel how tense Dogaressa is next to you. If you try to run across the street, she'll stop you. She's be tasked to guard you and keep you safe. You know she won't let you put yourself in danger on her watch.

"We need to get you inside," she says.

You shake your head. "No."

She growls softly. "Look, Grillby told me-"

You cut her off. "I know! But, I just can't run away like a coward while that bastard treats my friends like trash."

You pant, pent-up anger rising up in your chest. You've kept a level head, tried not to make a fuss, kept your calm, but it was never enough.

It will never be enough. 

"If I don't make a stand now," you say. "I will spend the rest of my life running from jerks like him. And there may come a time when none of you are around to protect me."

You look at Dogaressa, who stares down at you with a neutral expression.

"And I never wanted any of you to get caught up in my problems. I should have stood up for myself from the start. I shouldn't have let assholes like CHad walk all over me. I thought I was doing the right thing, but now Grillby, Doggo, Dogamy, you, and who knows who else is caught up in this. All because I didn't do the right thing from the start."

A small smile creeps its way onto Dogaressa's snout. "So, what are you going to do about it?"

With a determined look on your face, you take a deep breath. "Make things right. I have to keep my perseverance."

She nods and looks at the restaurant. "The asshole's aware of the cameras in there. You start something there and the cops get involved, Grillby will have to surrender the video evidence."

You hum in thought. "Are there cameras in the alley?"

She chuckles and shakes her head. "Nope, Grillby hasn't installed those yet. Doubt he ever will."

You nod. "Then I need to get him there. He's due for an ass kicking anyways."

She barks out a laugh. "Well, cops have magic sensors now. They act a lot like fingerprint scanners. So you'll have to fight him alone. We can't step in unless you need it."

You look at her and smirk. "You won't have to. Trust me."

She smirks and nods. "Very well." She takes out her phone and texts someone real quick.

You look inside the restuarant to see Grillby check his phone. His eyes get really big and her looks across the street at you.

You nod and ball your fists up, letting him know you're ready to stand your ground.

He looks uncomfortable, but checks his phone again. Looks like Dogaressa's giving him the run down of your conversation.

You watch him take a deep breath and nod at the two of you. You smile and nod your thanks to him.

Taking off the cloak, you hand it back to Dogaressa and walk across the street. You see Dogamy make a comment that gets Chad to turn around. He notices you as you make your way to the alley.

You take a deep breath as you face the brick walls. You know this isn't going to be easy, but no one messes with your friends.

You hear the restaurant door open then shut, followed by the sound of familiar footsteps approaching you.

"Hehe, finally decide to come out of hiding, huh?"

You turn to face CHad. You know this fight will be a bit easier than you anticipated. One, his speech is slurred. Two, he's not stable on his feet.

You've seen this enough from your family. Chad's drunk.

I'm still kicking this guy's ass.

"You know, I've been looking for you everywhere. Don't know how you got out of this monster dump, but I'm gonna make sure you don't escape again til I've put you in your place."

You roll your eyes, letting your anger fuel you. Behind you, you feel the familiar warmth of Grillby's fire. You also see Dogamy and Dogaressa behind Chad. Looks like you've got an audience.

Chad doesn't seem to notice and just keeps chuckling. "Aren't ya gonna say anything? Or do I have to give you a lesson in manners."

You keep quiet, which causes him to get angry.

A smirk creeps onto your face. Let him get angry. He can't channel it like I can. He's too drunk to fight properly.

He tries to throw a punch. But you see it coming from a mile away. You dodge out of the way and grab his arm, twisting it behind his back.

He growls and tries to headbutt you, but you dodge that too. You kick him behind the knee, causing him to fall. However, he kicks your ankle in an attempt to go down with him. You let go and hop away. He growls and quickly gets up, intending to punch you again.

You notice he's tucking his thumb into his fist instead of wrapping it around his fingers.

You back up to the brick wall, letting him run towards you. As he swings, you duck out of the way at the last second. You hear the sickening crunch of bones hitting the wall. As a scream rips from Chad's throat, you know for a fact he broke his hand.

You stay in a defensive position just in case he keeps trying to fight you. Good thing too, because he tries to come at you with his other fist. You easily dodge, but the hairs on the back of your neck raise in alert.

"Look out!" Grillby yells.

You duck down and hear the sound of a fist fly above you. You turn around and see your boss.

He looks at Chad and shakes his head in disgust. "You were supposed to lure her out, not get drunk."

You growl. "You were also following me home?"

He sneers. "You have too much attitude. Someone needs to put you in your place. Especially since your whoring around monsters."

Your anger skyrockets, but you know better than to attack out of pure rage. You have to channel your anger into controlled attacks.

The air around you heat up as Grillby also gets angry and numerous growls fill the air. None of them make a move, but you can tell they would be more than happy to help you fight if they could.

You see Chad trying to come at you. Reacting quickly, you kick him to the ground. However, your boss rushes at you, knocking you to the wall.

You grunt and knee him in the groin as you back meets the wall, making him let go and not having a chance to react. You maneuver around him and punch the back of his neck, forcing him to face plant into the bricks. No crunch, so nothing's broken.

Chad tries to strike you from the ground, but you just kick him in the face, breaking his nose in the process.

You boss turns around and punches you in the lip while your distracted.

The monsters all look ready to jump in until you laugh.

You check your lip and you're not even bleeding. Your boss looks shocked.

"That all you got?" you ask, trying to get him angry.

It works as he tries to attack in a blind rage. You easily dodge and kick him in the ribs as he runs past you. You didn't break anything, but there was a pop from the kick. You definitely dislocated something.

He doubles over on the pavement and gasps in pain.

You crouch over him and smile sweetly. "Oh, and I quit. I'll clear my office out tomorrow." And with that, you punch him in the head, successfully knocking him out.

Chad groans and spits at you, blood mixed in with his spit.

You roll your eyes and look at him. "Have fun carrying yourself and the boss home."

He groans. "I'll report you to the police!"

You laugh. "And tell them what exactly? That both of you got beat up by someone smaller than you? That I came out of nowhere and ambushed you?"

"Your monster friends helped you attack us."

Grillby huffs. "Not possible. They'll never believe you."

You smirk. "Police have magic scanners. Since no one but me touched you, magic won't show up on the scanners."

Chad growls. "I'll get you for this. Mark my words."

Grillby comes and stands beside you. "And she'll have the rest of us to back her up."

You cross your arms with a smirk. "Try anything and I'll kick you ass again."

Grillby laughs and guides you back into his restaurant. Doggo makes sure the humans get a ride home and don't try to call the cops. Dogamy and Dogaressa ruffle your hair in a congratulations on winning your fight. The drunk rabbit holds up his thumb in a 'good job' sort of fashion.

Grillby leans across the bar and smirks. "What do you want to drink. It's on the house?"

You smirk. "Any special mixed drinks your good at?"

He laughs and starts making a cocktail. You watch in awe as he pulls different bottles of all different colors and pours them into a single glass. It starts looking like a vibrant violet color.

"Wow!" you whisper.

Grillby winks as he slides the drink towards you. "I call this one Perseverance. Sip it slowly, it can go right to your head."

You nod your thanks for both the drink and his warning. As you sip on it, you taste a bit of raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, and vodka. You moan in delight.

Grillby chuckles and puts is head on his hand. "How is it?"

You smile. "Amazing. Thank you!"

"You're welcome." He starts cleaning some glasses with a rag. "So, where did you learn to fight like that?"

You blush. "I got into more fights than I care to admit while Artie and I were in high school. I learned how to make my opponents angry while channeling my own anger. How to avoid punches and deliver one of my own. How to curl my hand into fist. Et cetera."

He chuckles. "Damn, you might have actually survived the Underground."

You tilt you head in confusion.

He clarifies. "It's a compliment. It means you're tougher than you look. The Underground..." he trails off. "It was rough."

You nod and sip on you drink. "Well, thank you. And holy shit, this is super amazing. But why name it after a soul trait? Is it the color?"

He nods. "Yeah, that's one inspiration."

You smile and keep sipping, happy to finally be free and celebrating with your friends.

Chapter Text

With a smile, you step into the office for the last time. You're wearing your best blouse and pants, making you feel like a million bucks. As your former coworkers watch you strut in, you notice two people are strangely missing.

Wonder what could have happened to the boss and Chad. You suppress a giggle. It's a complete mystery what happened to them.

Nancy, your former boss' secretary, is waiting for you in your office as you come to collect your stuff.

"Heard you quit after hours last night."

You nod and smile sweetly. "Yup, I'm out of here."

Her eyes narrow. "Also, the boss and Chad are both taking a sick day. Do you have clue as to why?"

You shrug and hum to yourself.

She sighs. "You do realize that if they sue, no one will be able to back you up?"

You shrug again, knowing she's fishing for information. This is what the boss hired her for. She's good at getting info out of people. Finding reasons to fire or frame people. But because you've seen her in action, you know how to avoid getting caught in her traps.

"Well, your last paycheck will arrive in the mail soon. I hope you have enough for rent in your part of town."

You can practically hear the smirk in her voice. Turning your head just slightly, you give her a questioning look.

She is smirking. "I heard rent in that area is going to go up. Seems like the property owner is losing money from all of the monsters living there."

Calm down, you tell yourself. She's just trying to get a rise out of you.

With a smile, you merely say, "I think I can manage. But thank you for the concern."

You watch the corner of her eye twitch. You're making her frustrated.

You keep collecting all of your belongings, no longer bothered by Nancy's presence. You hum a small tune to yourself.

"I also heard that a bill's about to be passed banning human-monster relationships."

So, she's buying into the rumor that I'm sleeping with monsters.

You know it's a trap, so you keep your mouth shut.

"No words to say about it?"

You shrug. "We're no longer colleges. I don't have to pertain in small talk with you."

You grab the rest of your stuff and walk out, seeing the annoyed expression on her face. However, you get this sinking feeling this battle is far from over.

As you start heading back to your apartment, you decide you need to call Artie and see if he's heard anything from his mom. You should also talk to your complex owner to see if the rent is indeed going to go up soon. You also need to start looking for a new job soon. Hopefully you'll find one before you resort to working for Grillby and have to squash your feelings to keep professional.

Maybe I can work for the shopkeeper. Or her sister, the innkeeper! Maybe one of them needs a bookkeeper, or an analyst. I'll check, but I should also keep looking around uptown too. Maybe Artie's mom needs a front desk assistant.

You get back to your apartment and set your stuff down in the living room. You quickly call Artie, hoping he's awake. However, his phone goes straight to voicemail.

That's odd.

You try again and get sent straight to his voicemail. You call Sans to see if he's with Artie.

After five rings, he finally picks up.

"'ello..."

You just woke him up. Shit.

"Hey, Sans. Sorry to wake you. Have you talked to Artie lately?"

"artie? yeah, saw 'im last night. why?"

"Well, his phone's going straight to voicemail. I just want to know if he's okay."

You hear him rustling around.

"shit, no wonder. 'e forgot ta plug in 'is phone last night. i'll charge it up fer 'im."

You raise a brow. "Sans, are you with him right now."

"yeah, spent da night at 'is place."

"Then, can I talk to him?"

"sorry, kiddo. no can do."

You huff. "Why not?"

"cause, we just went ta sleep 'bout three hours ago."

You're about to ask what they were doing all night, but you think you know the answer. You remember Artie confessing to you that sometimes after his shift he gets really horny and has to spend so much time relieving himself. Guess Sans helped out with that.

"Alright, when he wakes up, can you make sure he calls me? Please?"

"sure thing."

You smile and hang up. with a sigh, you grab your keys and head downstairs to the complex office.

Time to see if the rumors are true.

When you walk in, you see a bunny very similar to the shopkeeper in the manager's office. Looks like they're arguing over something.

The complex receptionist walks over to you. "How can I help you?" he asks.

You shake your head and try to get your thoughts together. "Yes, uh..."

Great start...

"I heard a rumor that rent might be going up soon. Is this true?"

The receptionist shakes his head. "Not from what I've heard. Now, if the monster in there gets her way, it might. But that would be from her management."

You don't like the way he said monster. He spat it out like a huge cuss word.

He apparently catches your glare because he tries to backpedal. "Then again, maybe not. Who knows?"

You nod curtly and leave, exasperated.

Fucking racists.

You see Grillby's right across the street. While you know you should be saving money, you do want to pop in and see your friend for a bit.

You find yourself walking in and greeting the people there. Grillby looks pleasantly surprised to see you here.

You smile and walk up to the bar, taking your seat.

He smiles and leans across the bar. "Well, Miss. You look happy today."

You smile and decide to play along. "Well, I quit my overly toxic job, collected all my stuff, avoided multiple verbal traps along the way, and now have the hottest bartender in the world talking to me."

Grillby laughs and smiles. "Sounds like an eventful morning. Want to tell me all about it over a drink?"

You nod and smile. "Soda please."

He nods and gets you a glass. However, instead of handing it to you from across the bar, he sits down beside you and hands it to you.

You blush and smile, your face extremely hot.

"So, want to start at the verbal traps bit?" he asks.

You nod. "So, my former boos' secretary is a fisher. She tries to get any information she can out of people just by talking to them. She tried to get a rise out of me this morning."

Grillby chuckles. "Did it work?"

You shake your head proudly. "Nope. I've seen her in action enough times to know her tricks when I see them. Or in this case, hear them."

He smirks. "Well done. What did she say?"

You shrug. "First was trying to get me to confess I knew something about the boss and Chad. I just kept my mouth shut. Then she tried to scare me by saying that my rent was going to go up." You roll your eyes. "Maybe it will, maybe it won't. But she can't scare me that easily. Then, she tried to say that there's goign to be a bill banning human-monster relationships. Don't know how true that is."

Grillby hums in thought. "Not sure either. Guarantee you I can get an answer for you by this evening though."

You smile and nod. "If it's not too much trouble."

He smirks and winks. "For you? Never."

You blush and keep drinking. He chuckles and changes topics.

"So, have you figured out what you're going to do yet? Job wise?"

You sigh. "not yet. But, with my skill set, I can find a job just about anywhere. But I am not using that company as a reference."

Grillby chuckles and nods. "Well, if you ever need it, my offer still stands. It still stands with Artie too."

You tilt your head. "Something you know that I don't?"

He sighs. "I see Sans looking worried at his phone sometimes. Something tells me it's about Artie."

You sigh too. "He'll never admit it, but his boss makes him miserable. But he loves what he does too much to quit."

Grillby hums. "What exactly does he do?"

You blush and whisper lowly. "He's a stripper."

Grillby chuckles. "I kind of figured."

You blush in embarrassment. "Sorry. It's a taboo job among humans. And Artie loves doing it. Though, he'll never sleep with a customer."

Grillby blinks slowly. "Well, it's that an obvious rule?"

You sigh. "Well, I can tell his boss is pressuring him to. And mixed with Artie's high libido...The only thing that held Artie back is the fact that he doesn't have to rely on under the table money. But now, he's got Sans. I just hope that relationship lasts."

Grillby nods. "For both of their sakes. They're good for each other."

You nod. "So, unless you've got a stripper position open, I doubt artie's going to be taking this job soon. Especially since Sans eats here so often."

Grillby shrugs. "Not exactly a stripper position. I'll talk to him next time he's here."

You smile. "Thanks."

"What are your plans for the rest of today?" He asks suddenly.

You shrug. "Job hunt. That's about it."

He smirks. "You free after 10?"

You smirk. "Yeah. But not much is open after 10."

He shrugs. "Maybe not. But I thought we'd just chill for a bit."

You smile and nod. "Where?"

He smiles. "i know a small cafe that's open 24/7. Want to meet me outside?" He gesters to the opening of the alley.

You nod and smile. "I'd like that."

He nods. "It's a date."

Chapter Text

You go home after confirming your date with Grillby. A huge blush is on your face as you scroll through job site after job site. You're looking at receptionist jobs all over the city. But you still keep thinking of the flirting you and Grillby did.

At around 2pm, your phone starts buzzing next to you. You take a break from your job searching and answer.

"Hello?"

"Sans said you called," Artie answers on the other side of the phone. "What's up?"

"Well, I quit my job," you start.

"Fucking finally! 'Bout time, honestly."

You laugh. "And I'm going on a date with Grillby tonight."

"WOOOOO!!!"

You quickly move the phone away from your ear as Artie starts shouting in joy. A laugh escapes you as you hear him going "YES! YES! YES!"

With a quiet laugh, you decide to put him on speaker.

"I KNEW IT!!! OMG, YOU HAVE TO TELL ME HOW THIS GOES!!! GET SOME, GIRL!!!"

You snort. "Art, dude."

He playfully sighs and laughs. "Okay, okay, don't rush the sex. but you have to tell me everything when you get back!!! When's the date?"

You smile. "At 10 this evening."

"Ooh, I might be at work. Call me tomorrow and tell me everything."

You laugh. "Will do. Oh, Grillby might be hiring. If you're looking to get out of your job..."

Artie sighs heavily. "Look, I know my boss ain't the greatest, but I love what I do."

You nod. "I know, but Grillby might have a similar job and I know he won't dead name or misgender you. Just...listen to his proposition, okay? You can say no if it doesn't sound like a good fit."

He lets out another sigh. "Fine, but you are telling me every gory detail of your date tonight and you're taking extra lessons this week and next. Deal?"

You chuckle. "Okay, deal."

Artie snorts. "Alright, I need to get up and get some caffeine. I also need to wake Sans back up."

You laugh. "Alright, be safe tonight, okay?"

"Will do. Later."

And with that, you both hang up. You get back to your job search, applying to anything you know you're remotely qualified for.

In a few more hours, you notice it's around 6. You decide to stop for today and get some food and watch one of your favorite shows until it's time for you to get ready.

What am I going to wear? Last time, Artie picked my outfit. Okay, don't overthink it. We're going to a cafe, so think casual.

You go into your closet and find one of your band tees. You find a black Rolling Stones tee as well as one pair of your black jeans and some comfy boots. You also put aside some purple jewelry to pull the look together. Satisfied, you walk back into your kitchen, all set on getting something to eat.

As you are eating, your mind starts to wander as you watch one of your shows.

What does Grillby have for dinner? Does he cook himself something in the back? Would he cook something for me if I asked? I wonder what he's like in bed. Is he a dom?

A blush settles across your face as that thought enters your head.

Where did that come from?! Y/N, no more thought like that!

Except those thoughts aren't going away. They just keep coming and get more vivid with each one. You bite your lip as you rub your thighs together. You take a glance at your clock.

Okay, I guess there is plenty of time. I'll just change my panties before I head over.

In a few hours, you're getting changed for your date with Grillby. A blush is still across your cheeks.

Stop thinking about it. Do NOT think about him pinning you to the alley wall and kissing you. Stop it!

With a frustrated groan, you just decide to go out there and meet him, blush be damned. As soon as you walk outside, you can see him locking up the restaurant. You rush over as quickly as you can, being careful to lock up your apartment and keeping an eye on the street. When you meet up with him, he has a smirk plastered on his face. He's wearing his white button down shirt and his black vest. His sleeves are rolled up past his elbows. 

Fuck, he's so hot.

"You look great." He says.

You feel your blush deepen. "Th-thank you. So do you."

His smirk widens and he offers his arm. "Ready?"

You smile and take his arm. "Of course."

As the two of you start walking, you can't help but notice how tame his flames are on his arms. Your arm is completely touching his and you're not getting burned. You also swear you feel muscle underneath all the flames.

Beside you, Grillby chuckles. "Enchanted by my flames?"

You blush. "Sorry, didn't mean to stare."

He smiles. "It's okay. I'm pretty sure you've figured out by now that I can control the heat of my flames. And you are feeling a form under the flames. Not even I'm sure what's under there. It's just the form my magic takes."

"Wow," you say with stars in your eyes. "How do you control your heat?"

He shrugs. "I guess it's sort of like breathing to you. I can stop thinking about it and I'll be fine. But as soon as I think about it, I can control it. It can also be effected by emotions."

You nod in understanding. "I see. That's cool."

He smiles. "Glad you think so."

You blush a bit and smile.

"Oh," he starts. "I did some digging. The bill your ex-co-worker mentioned is only being work-shopped. Apparently, it has never made it off the cutting board. I doubt it's going to go anywhere."

You sigh in relief. "Good. I'm glad."

He smiles. "Me too."

If things go well, we can start dating for real. I wonder if he actually dates.

"Gold for your thoughts?" he asks.

"Gold?" you ask back.

He nods. "That's what we used for currency. Now, we use actual money, but we still fall back into calling it gold."

You nod and smirk. "Did anyone keep the gold."

Grillby shrugs. "How else do you think we were able to afford anything?"

You both share a laugh as he finally brings you to the cafe. It is a small cafe on the edge of town.

You both grab a couple of drinks and sit outside at one of the tables, enjoying the night life.

As you relax, you can feel Grillby's eyes on you. You look over to see him smirking and staring at you.

"Do I have something on my face?" you ask.

He shakes his head. "No. I'm just thinking how beautiful your spirit looks now that it's free."

You blush and try your best to hide your face.

He smirks. "Please don't hide. Your blush is cute."

You blush even harder.

Fuck, he's going to be the death of me.

He laughs and smiles. "Y/N,"

And stars, the way he gently says your name. You feel like you're going to melt. His voice is so gentle, more gentle than anything you've ever heard.

You peek over at him and he's leaning across the table. You blush deepens as you notice his muscles are bulging underneath his shirt.

He's smirking. You know that smirk. It's the smirk he has when he's hard-core flirting. It's making your heart beat so fast in your chest, you think it might explode.

He tilts his head at you and keeps smirking. "Fun fact about monsters: we have an extreme heighten sense of smell."

Your blush deepens as you clench your thighs together.

His smirk widens. "Forgive me for being a bit forward, but I've been smelling your arousal all night. And it seems to be getting stronger the more I flirt and complement you."

Shit, he knows!

His expression softens a bit. "Now, I'm not expecting anything tonight. But, if you ever want me, you know how to reach me."

You gulp. "What are you expecting from tonight?"

He leans back in his chair. "Just the pleasure of your company."

You smile a little, your heart still beating fast. "What if I were to take you up on your offer? What would happen afterwards?"

His smirk returns. "You mean after I give you the best time of your life? That's up to you."

You tilt your head. "Up to me?"

He nods. "I'm usually exclusive with my partners. Sans can attest to this. If you want to be exclusive with me, then I can do that. But, if you just want a one-night stand and then we go back to being friends, I can do that too. All I ask for is that we don't become friends with benefits."

You smile. "So, just to make sure I'm getting this right, exclusive meaning..."

He chuckles. "Soft of what you humans would call dating or courting. And we can take it as fast or as slow as we want."

You nod and smile. "So, do I need to have sex with you to be exclusive?"

He leans across the table again and smirks. "No. But I will ask for your intentions, if that's okay."

You nod. "I'm not looking for friends with benefits or a one-night stand."

He smiles and nods. "Good."

After the two of you finish your drinks, he walks you back home. As promised, he doesn't expect anything from you. He doesn't ask for you to come to his place nor does he ask to visit yours. He simply lets you be.

You're about to cross the street when a thought crosses your mind.

"Hey, Grillby?"

He looks at you with a tilt of his head.

You blush as you try to get your question out. "Wh-what are your f-feeling a-about kissing...?"

He smirks. "I would love to kiss you if you would allow me to."

You nod and he walks over to you. He cups your face gently and moves in to kiss you. You can feel a comforting warmth coming from his face. As your lips meet, that warmth spreads through your entire body.

The kiss doesn't last very long, maybe three seconds at most. But it is enough for you to memorize the feeling of his lips against yours.

As he breaks away, he smiles and you and leans down to whisper in your ear. "Goodnight, my dear."

You blush and squeak out a good night.

Artie is going to have a field day when you tell him all of this.

Chapter Text

You are currently stretch with Artie in his apartment, reciting what happened last night. When you get to the part where you and Grillby kissed, Artie starts jumping around.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!"

You laugh and smile.

"Girl, when is the next date?" he asks, extremely excited.

You shrug. "Whenever we're both free. Well, more of whenever he's free."

He smiles. "Omg, you need to let me know when. Maybe one night, we can set up a double date with me and Sans."

You nod and smile. "Yeah. That sounds like fun."

Artie grins. "I eard he's really kinky, so have fun when you actually get to the sex part."

You playfully punch his shoulder. "Dude, come on."

He laughs. "But seriously though. I'm happy for you. I'm so glad things are finally working out for you."

You smile. "Me too. Honestly, it feels so good. I'm scared there's another shoe waiting to drop."

"And if there is, I'll be right there to help you."

You smile as you finish up your stretches. "Thanks, Art. Oh, you need to talk to Grillby anyways."

He smiles and nods. "I know. I'll look into it, okay. I promise."

You smile. "Good. Now, ready to show me this new pole dance routine of yours?"

Artie spends the next thirty minutes showing and teaching his new routine. It reminds you of Hazbin Hotel and Angel Dust's dance from Addict. When you mention this to Artie, he sheepishly admits he took heavy inspiration from that music video.

As you leave his apartment, you get a text from Grillby.

HotDamn: How are you? Are you
free tonight?

A blush spread across your face.

(Y/N): I'm good. How are you?
Yes, I'm free tonight.

HotDamn: I'm doing well. Good
I want to see you. I know I'm
working tonight, but would
you mind stopping by tonight?

(Y/N): I'd love to

HotDamn: Thank fuck. I'll see you
then.

You blush and can't contain your squeal of delight.

The rest of your day is spent job hunting and building up your resume. A few companies messaged you back saying they are looking at your resume, but you know those are automatic messages. With a sigh, you decide to take a break and watch your favorite show. You relax and let your mind go numb for a bit.

I wonder why Grillby wants me to stop by today. He seemed relieved when I said I could make it. Is he okay?

You sigh and let your mind wonder.

What would have happened if I took him up on his offer for sex? Would he have been gentle with me at first? Would he have been kinky? What is he like in bed?

You touch your lips gently, a blush dusting across your cheeks.

His kiss was so gentle. Is he waiting for me to take initiative with the more hard-core stuff?

You smile and look over at the time.

I should get ready. I think I'll stay casual tonight.

You grab your tings and head out. You see that it's not very crowded tonight at Grillby's restaurant. You also see Sans waiting at the bar.

"sup." He greets.

You smile and say good evening to everyone.

As soon as Grillby sees you, you watch as his shoulders ease from stress.

Did something happen today?

You smile and greet him. He comes out from behind the bar and approaches you.

"Good evening, my dear."

A blush crawls up your neck and across your cheeks. He smiles and leans in.

"May I?"

Your blush deepens as you realize he's asking if he can kiss you.

You nod and smile. "Yes, please."

Why did I say please?!

He chuckles and kisses you on the lips. Not for very long, maybe three seconds at most. But you're head feels dizzy afterwards and the whole restaurant is left gasping.

Sans chuckles. "bout time."

Grillby sighs in relief. "You have no clue how much I needed that today."

You smile and sit at the bar. "Everything okay?"

Grillby starts cleaning some glasses. "Eh. Just more annoying customers. However, Mettaton is being a pain in the ass right now."

You click you tongue. "Anything I can do to help?"

Grillby chuckles and shakes his head. "No. You being here is enough to help me as it is."

You smile and blush. "Well, I'll be here as long as you need me."

He smiles. "Thank you."

As the night goes on, the two of you keep talking. He insists on you drinking a couple glasses of water every now and then, just to make sure you're staying hydrated. You and Sans exchange terrible puns when Grillby is dealing with a customer.

As it starts approaching closing time, Grillby asks you to stay behind for a bit. Sans chooses then to go home.

"Thank you for staying here." Grillby starts. "I really needed that."

You smile and nod. "Of course! Glad I could help."

He smirks and pulls you close to him. You blush and rest your hands on his chest.

"Is this okay?" He whispers in your ear.

You nod and try to control your rapid heartbeat.

He smirks and holds you close. "You are amazing, you know that?"

You blush even harder at the praise. "I'm n-not-"

"Yes, you are." he places a hand under your chin and tilts your head to look at him. You look into his fiery eyes and see nothing but sincerity. "You are amazing and wonderful. I'm sorry not enough people told you that. But I promise, as long as you are with me, I will never let you forget it."

I have died and gone to Heaven!

He leans in for another kiss, but stops about halfway. He's waiting for you to commit to the kiss. Silently asking your permission.

You meet is lips with your own, giving him your full permission. This time, the kiss is much longer. Your lips meld with his. His move expertly across yours, slow and steady. He doesn't crush you or pull you in a tidal wave. He goes at your pace, never going faster than you.

At the end, you're left breathless, your head spinning. Grillby smiles and touches your forehead with his. It's like he's drinking in your presence. Like he's recharging his social battery with you around.

Your heart swells with joy at the thought. You smile and are happy to stay here as long as he needs.

Suddenly, you feel him tense.

"What's wrong?" You ask as you look up at him.

He's starting through the window, across the street.

"This might seem forward," he starts. "but would you mind staying here tonight?"

You tilt you head. "Why? Is something wrong?" You look to where he's staring, but you can't see anything across the street. It's too dark for you to see.

"I thought I saw movement near your apartment." Grillby explains. "If you aren't comfortable staying here, I can call a cab and you can stay with a friend."

You start to shake at the thought of someone breaking into your apartment.

Grillby wraps his arms around your shoulders, holding you in a comforting embrace.

"If you're okay with it, I'd like to stay here." you say.

Grillby nods and leads you upstairs.

"I have a guest bedroom you can borrow. Or you can sleep in my room if you'd like. It's up to you."

You blush at his words.

Do I stay in his bed tonight? Is sex required? Would I get cuddles tonight? We are exclusive and he does feel comfortable kissing me in public.

You bite your lip as you decide on what to do.

"Can I stay with you?" You ask.

He smiles and nods. "Of course. And, nothing is required of you except that you get some sleep."

Guess my worry was written all over my face.

You smile as your shoulders ease up a bit. "Is it alright if we cuddle?"

He chuckles. "I wouldn't mind that at all, my dear."

Chapter Text

Grillby leads you through the kitchen and up the stairwell. You see the camera again and chuckle as the memory of kicking Chad's ass enters your head.

Grillby turns to you with a curious look on his face.

You point to the cameras. "Just remembering the time I kicked a few asses."

Grillby joins in with your chuckling and leads you to the living room of his apartment.

You look around and see a small electric fireplace along the far wall. There's a shelf above it lined with knickknacks.There's a couple of empty, expensive-looking bottles, a cigar box, a couple candles, and an interesting glowing rock.

He also has a couple pictures on the walls. One is of him and Sans. The background looks like a bar, but it's not the one you're familiar with. Grillby is also holding one of the empty bottles on his mantle. Another picture is of a fire elemental but instead of purple like Grillby, they seem to be yellow and are wearing a school girl outfit. The last picture to catch your attention is one where Grillby is opening the bar here on the surface. Everyone you know from the bar is there and Grillby is holding the other expensive bottle.

In the corner closest to you, you notice a bookshelf with a variety of books. You notice a couple of titles from the surface such as Pride and Prejudice, The Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe, Hamlet, Le Morte D'Arthur, The Great Gatsby, and Dracula. There are also some books written in a language you don't recognize.

Grillby loosens his tie as he walks past you and into a hallway on your left. You see three doors down this hallway. Grillby opens the closest one and enters, revealing a bedroom. "Bath room is the next door," he announces. "There's a spare toothbrush you're welcome to use."

You nod and go through your nightly routine. While you can't brush your hair, you use your fingers to comb out any huge tangles. You also brush your teeth with the spare toothbrush.

You awkwardly go back into the living room, observing more. You see a black couch accompanied with a dark wood end table. There's a book on the table. The title is Animal Farm. You also notice a case meant for glasses.

Does Grillby have reading glasses?

"Enjoying yourself?"

You squeak and turn to see Grillby leaning against the doorway of the hallway. He is shirtless, causing all the blood in your body to travel towards your neck and cheeks.

"I-I was just looking around." Your eyes are everywhere except on Grillby. You're sure that if you stare at those magical, fiery muscles any more, you'd die of a nosebleed.

How does he have pecs? Or abs? I know he's made of magic, but this is incredible!

Grillby chuckles and looks at his book collection. "When we first came to the surface, I heard talk of stories people reead when they were in school. I wanted to catch up on those stories."

You nod. "I remember Animal Farm from high school."

"No spoilers. I haven't finished it yet."

You smile and relax. Not that I remember much about the ending anyways.

"Don't worry. I won't." You keep looking around the room. The apartment is very neat for an impromptu sleepover.

Grillby smiles and walks over to you. "If you're curious about something, feel free to ask."

You nod and point to the picture with the fire elemental. "Who's that?"

Grillby smiles fondly and walks over to the picture. "That is my younger cousin. Her name is Fuku. She's currently going for her degree in the culinary arts like myself. She hopes to be a professional chef in a fancy restaurant/hotel."

A smile stretches across your face as Grillby talks about his family.

He continues. "I'm so proud of her. She and I...well, we're the only family we've got."

You frown a little and look down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

He shakes his head. "You didn't. I apologize, I didn't mean to bring the mood down."

You offer a gentle smile.

He returns it and smiles at the picture. "She's grown into a tough young lady. She can take on the world. I know she'll go far."

You nod and look at his bookshelf. "I recognize some of those titles, but what's the other language?"

He smirks. "Monster language. Some of those are stories, others are histories. One has recipes for cocktails."

You giggle and smile. "Wow, this is a really cool place you have."

Grillby smiles and walks over to you. "Would you like for me to show you more?"

You blush and nod. Grillby smiles and gently takes your hand.

You follow him into his bedroom. You see a large bed with black sheets and blankets. This room is a little messy with some shirts and vests along the floor. You see a dresser with what looks like a bottle of lube on top of it. You also see a box of condoms next to it. His closet is open and there's a small chest at the bottom.

Grillby notices your stare and chuckles. "If you want to, we'll work our way up to what's in there. Right now, I believe you asked for cuddles."

You blush and nod.

Grillby takes off his pants, revealing black boxers underneath."Do you need night garments?"

You think about it for all of two seconds before you shake your head.

"If you're okay with it, I prefer to sleep mostly naked." you say.

Grillby chuckles. "Me too. Want me to turn around?"

You blush. "Y-yes, please."

He nods and turns around, letting you get undressed down to your panties. You can't help but look down and see the burn scars along your breasts.

I am so glad I got to kick that guy's ass.

You see that the light switch from the ceiling fan is above Grillby's head.

"C-can you turn the light off?" you ask, suddenly very nervous of your body. What will Grillby think of it?

Grillby hums in confusion, but turns the light off. His flames are the only source of light in the room. You can still see the bed from where he's standing.

"Is everything okay?" he asks.

You nod. "Yeah, sorry. I'm just a little nervous."

That's a lie. I'm a lot nervous!

"Is there anything I can do to help your nerves?"

You nearly melt at his question. Some of the tension leaves your body.

"Mind if I get in to bed first?" you ask.

He nods and peels back the comforter, letting you get in. You quickly jump into the bed and cover up your body.

Grillby chuckles and gets in beside you. "I understand if you're not comfortable showing yourself to me now. But just know that I will always find you beautiful, my dear." He kisses you on the forehead.

More tension leaves your body. "Thank you."

He nods and smiles gently. "You're welcome. Now, I believe it's time for the both of us to get some sleep."

You nod and turn around, wanting to be the little spoon. Grillby chuckles and tucks an arm under your head. His other arm gently wraps around your waist, pulling your back to his warm chest. You smile contently as your drift asleep in his warm embrace.