Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

     “It’s storming something fierce out there. Stay safe, okay?”

     “I’ve got it covered, Virus.”

     Virus raised their antenna at you suspiciously, but decided not to nag you further. They spun their swivel chair around to revisit to their work. The workspace they inhabited was a mess, much like your roommate themself.

     Virus was a… seemingly humanoid monster, but with an invisible body, and a cracked television monitor for a head. The odd part about them was not their appearance, but the fact that they worked as an IT. There were times like this when they made sure you were doing alright before getting to work, but, for the most part, you were the one taking care of them. They worked from home, and rarely went outdoors. In other words, they never did the groceries, and they couldn’t cook. You felt that they would legitimately die if you did not come home with dinner every night… But, on that note: “Actually, are you going to be okay?”

     Virus turned to look at you with a gloved hand pressed to their chest. If they could project expressions on their broken screen, there was no doubt that they would look tastefully offended.

     “Me? Why even bother asking?” Virus’s volume dropped several levels, and they whispered, “I’m never okay.”

     You snorted at your roommate’s melodramatics before giving them a small pat on the head. A hollow note resounded in the living quarters. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll try to get home early with some dinner. Take care of the cat while I’m gone, will you?”

     Virus’s screen was already latched onto their… laptop screen by the time you were finished talking. Seeing a television using a computer… it was surreal. Virus solely waved you off with the repeated flick of their nonexistent wrist. “We take care of each other…”

     After sharing one last goodbye with Virus, and your cat, you jerked on a thin coat and scarf before stepping outside. The storm had already let up. It was just a little windy now, save the powdered snowflakes drifting in from above. Nothing you couldn’t handle.

     You deliberately picked your way down the staircase to the first floor, in your mind hoping no one had decided to pour water down it the day before. Pesky neighbors and their water antics had already landed you in the hospital before, and you were not going to get caught off guard a second time. Your prayers were answered when your feet met the snowy ground without injury.

     You took a glance at your watch to check the time.

     “Oops, gotta go…”

     Versus the blistering cold, you broke out into a sprint.

     At the same time every day, you stopped by a quaint little monster-run café a few blocks away from your shack of an apartment. Lately, you had taken to supporting monsters’ businesses: buying from their groceries, convenience stores, restaurants… you name it.

     But… that wasn’t the only reason you visited the café on such a timely manner each morning.

     You took in the blurred suburban scenery as you rushed by. The neighborhood’s layout was unsystematic. A few houses were speckled here and there beside the apartment you lived in. It was in no way organized… especially with the large numbers of monsters moving in. You always found yourself having more neighbors than you had the day before, but… it wasn’t namely bad. Because of the influx of new residents, the area’s housing values had been significantly reduced, allowing you to rent your condo in the first place.

     “Oof..!” A troubled groan rattled in the air. It sounded like it was coming from one of your neighbors’ front lawns. When you stopped to investigate, you saw Dogamy struggling to erect a… a, uh… very large light-up reindeer decoration?

     “Whoa…!” His grappling with the oversized lawn ornament came to a climax when it teetered on the pins of its feet. You looked at the road ahead, at Dogamy, back to the road ahead…

     “Ah…!” Another troubled yelp from Dogamy.

     … Oh well, the café would have to wait. You trudged through the couple’s front yard, which was submerged under a fresh layer of snow at least a few inches high.

     “Need a hand?” You saddled up next to Dogamy and used your shoulder to prop the decoration up steadily.

     “Oh, good morning!” Dogamy greeted you breathlessly. You just shot him a wink, and decided to leave the pleasantries for later. With you and Dogamy’s combined strength, the two of you were able to properly hoist the decor back up. Once it was properly secured to the ground underneath, Dogamy and you stepped back to admire each other’s handiwork.

     “I appreciate the help.” Dogamy wiped a bead of sweat off his brow.

     “Not a problem; glad I could help.”

     You cupped your hands around your mouth, and huffed into them for some warmth. Your last pair of gloves had gone conveniently missing right at the start of the winter season, so, really, this was all you had to keep frostbite from clipping your fingers.

     You took a glance around the yard, then at Dogamy’s house. “Hey,” You barked to fetch Dogamy’s attention, “where’s Dogaressa at?”

     Dogamy placed both of his paws on his hips and shook his head earnestly. “At work… I have the day off.”

     You smiled sympathetically at him. “Your schedules aren’t lining up like you want them too?”

     Dogamy sighed and scratched his ear. “Nope, not really…” He looked off to the house he and Dogaressa bought together. “We make do, though.”

     “That’s good to hear.”

     Dogamy and Dogaressa had been one of the most amiable of your new neighbors. They moved in shortly before you, but, on the day you showed up, they helped you move your stuff in. They were in no way finished unpacking their own belongings, but they made time for you. The couple even baked you some treats to welcome you to the neighborhood. That wasn’t to say everyone else was not nice… It was just that the couple always found it in themselves to go out of their way to help others. It was something you always liked about them. Often, you would set their charisma comparative to your roommate’s self-loathing and incapability to take care of themself. Ah, well. You loved all of them anyways.

     “By the way, before I forget…” Dogamy dug around in his coat pocket in search of something. After a few moments, he muttered “Aha!” then proceeded to pull out a festive Christmas greeting card. How he kept it in there without wrinkling it… that was left up to your imagination. He extended his arm out for you to take it.

     “What’s this?” You accepted the piece of stationary, taking it into your own hands to inspect it.

     “This was supposed to be for Virus, but…” Dogamy trailed off, “You know them.”

     Holding the piece of paper closer to your face, you could read the golden calligraphy adorning the card. “A… Christmas party?” You squinted even more at it.

     “Yep!” Dogamy rubbed his hands together in excitement. “There’ll be presents and food there with your name on it… er, Virus’s,” He paused momentarily to recover, “… but! We can make arrangements to get that changed up.”

     “You sure I won’t be intruding?” You felt a tinge of self-consciousness. If you agreed to come, you’d be a stranger among monsters who… treated each other like family.

     “As long as you’re comfortable being around other monsters, then we’d love to have you.” Dogamy smiled reassuringly, “You’ve been nothing but kind to us ever since we came to the neighborhood. I’m sure they won’t mind you if you don’t mind them too much.”

     You did not actually have any real reservations about it aside from being the only human in a party full of monsters. You would be a fool to reject free food with your paycheck. You would, without a doubt, wind up stuffing some of the food into your coat, and bringing it back to Virus once the night was over. Then eating that same food for breakfast the next day. Then lunch. Then dinner.

     “In that case,” You tucked the card into the inner folds of your jacket, being careful not to crumple it. “I’d love to; thanks.”

     “Don’t mention it! The more the merrier.” Dogamy nudged at you in jest. “Just swing by tomorrow whenever you’re done with work. If you get off a little early, you can even help set up!”

     “I’ll make sure of it.” You turned your back to him, and lifted your hand up in a farewell salute. “Hey, hope life gets better for you?”

     “It already is.” He smiled at you warmly and returned your wave. “Thanks again, and merry Christmas! We’ll see you tomorrow!”

     You matched Dogamy’s farewell ardor as you stomped back to the path. Once you were out of his line of sight, you allowed your hand to drop to your side. Sticking your hands into your pockets, you resumed a brisk stride down the street. Surely, you were late to the café now.

----

     When you pushed the establishment doors open, you relished the warmth that enveloped you. A familiar bell chime rang upon entrance—the shop owner would be coming around any second now. You tapped the snow off the soles of your shoes as the door closed behind you, and browsed the interior of the store: neat and cozy, as always. Your nose twitched involuntarily as a pungent smell overcame your senses. It smelled like hot cocoa.

     “You like it?”

     You looked up to meet the owner of the voice—it was no one else, but the café owner, Hare. Hare, despite his name, was a bird. A monster that resembled an arctic ptarmigan, to be exact. It took you ages to learn how to spell and pronounce that. Hare was excessively white and fluffy around this time of year, although you suspected that it was his coat’s natural go at camouflage and insulation.

     “Yeah.” You stepped further inside the store and away from the door, unzipping your winter jacket. “It was gingerbread the other day, wasn’t it?”

     Hare gave you a hearty laugh as you shrugged off your outer layer of clothes, draping the scarf and coat over your forearm. “Since you come here so often, I thought I ought to appeal to your tastes every now and then.” He posed, aiming wing guns at you (his play on finger guns), eliciting the shake of your head, but a smile nonetheless.

     “Thanks.” You retorted sarcastically.

     He sent back your smile, but tenfold—an impressive grin plastered on his beak. “Anything for my valued customer.” He winked at you playfully. “Same as usual?”

     You nodded your head. “Same as usual.”

     Hare clapped his wings together. He seemed peppier than usual today to get working. “Alright!”

     You watched him saunter off behind the counter to prepare your breakfast. As Hare busied himself with cooking, you took to your normal seat beside the café window after hanging your outerwear on the coat stand beside the door. As you sank into your comfortable arm chair, you couldn’t help but heave a deep sigh. It wasn’t because you were tired, but because you were relieved.

     This place was somewhere you considered to be… homely. The atmosphere was pleasant and welcoming. It was never crowded; Hare made sure of that, dishing out orders faster than you could keep up. He was an efficient worker that was self-employed. You envied him and his diligence at times. If only you could muster up that kind of enthusiasm for your own work.

     Inside, there were always mellow, relaxing tunes wafting throughout the store along with a new, sweet air freshener every day. He probably handpicked the both of them. You felt more relaxed here than in your apartment. Between work, and taking care of your roommate, you didn’t have a lot of time to yourself.

     “Order up!” Hare’s boisterous shout nearly propelled you from your seat and into the table in front of you. He looked at you apologetically as he set your food down. Fresh fruits, French toast, and a hot chocolate on the side… Your appetite was a little spoiled now, though.

     “Sorry, did I startle you?” Hare wrung his wings together. It was painfully obvious that he didn’t mean to scare you intentionally.

     You followed his apology up with a shrug. “An indoor voice would be nice.”

     “Will do!” He exclaimed… but several tiers lower than the last.

     “That’ll do.” You mentally thanked him for heeding your request. You did not need a migraine—and much less, a heart attack—first thing in the morning.

     Hare chuckled and slid into the seat across from you, showing no regard to his prior antics. You narrowed your eyes at him; he was clearly up to no good. To meet your expectations, he leaned forward, and placed his wing on the table. He wasn’t going anywhere any time soon.

     “So…” The tone of his voice was that of a giddy schoolgirl just rearing to gossip. He was one of the nosier monsters you had met—always eavesdropping and looking into other people’s business. However, you did not mind as much as you should have, because… he always shared the details with you.

     You did not respond to his advance, so he drummed his feathered appendage on the tabletop impatiently.

     “What do you want to ask me?” He wiggled his eyebrows at you implicatively. That was certainly unappealing. It was not because Hare was unattractive, but because he knew what he was getting at. The suggestiveness in his voice told you that he had already caught up with your scheming. Your silence beckoned another taunt from him.

     “Come on! Why don’t you just… spill the beans?” He propped his head up with his wing and looked at your wryly. “I mean, I already know. I just want to hear it from your mouth.”

     The nerve of him. Your mouth folded into a thin line, and you looked away with a grimace. You had been so careful this past month just to make yourself discreet. The way Hare treated your vigilance made it seem like you could toss your prudence all away without a care in the world.

     … But, it was his store, and he did have a right to know somewhat… as a friend, and as someone known to blackmail for the information he wanted. Oh, the perks of being self-employed. You lamented your career and life decisions before coming to a consensus over your response. Prolonged silence under his scrutiny just had you more willing to buckle under the pressure. And so, you did.

     “Alright…” If you did not surrender to his pestering now, it would inevitably come and bite you in the ass. In one scenario, he would continue shooting questionable glances in your direction the whole day. You did not want him of all people bringing attention to your presence. In retrospect, if he knew already, he could have just nailed your secret bright as day on the door of his shop. You held him to a higher standard than that morality wise, but… maybe that was his way of showing mercy.

     “Has he…” You paused to steady your breath, “come by today?”

     Hare leaned in closer. “Who?”

     You quietly hissed through your teeth. “You know who!”

     He shot you a knowing wink. “Oh, but I don’t.”

     You let out an exasperated sigh, and contemplated slamming your forehead into your food. Maybe a headache, or an ambulance, would force him to leave you be. Coming here every other day was embarrassing enough, but pleading guilty to the act was a whole other story. You would have loved nothing more than to take a raincheck on this occasion, but Hare’s oppressive stare made you exceedingly aware… that he could rat you out—anytime he wanted.

     “… Is…” You gulp your shame down your throat. No going back now. “Has Grillby come by today already …?”

     Hare slapped his hands down on the table in self-proclaimed victory. “Nope!”

     “Hush!” You stuck your index finger in front of his beak, stifling the urge to tackle him to the floor.

     “Oh, yeah, right, my bad…” He dipped back into a whisper while bobbing his head in compliance.

     You hated to admit it, but the reason you came to the café every day was to see… Grillby. The flame monster had piqued your interest last month when your coworkers had forced you to come to a drinking party with them. It was just an average mixed monster and human bar with nothing special about it… except the bartender.

     Laying it down straight, Grillby was suave as hell. His stature and professionalism on the job entranced you, and his chivalry was what really tugged at your heartstrings. When he spoke to you, he was kind… but that was his job, and he meant nothing more by it. Despite that… you couldn’t help yourself. You were naturally drawn to him, and you spent a majority of the night finding your eyes drifting back to his figure as he served other bar patrons. He looked clean and well kempt… the polar opposite of your hygienic mess. The disparity discouraged you from approaching him forthright, so you kept to yourself the whole night, until events played out in a way that forced the two of you to interact. The morning after that, stopping by Hare’s bistro to unwind from the tiresome night proved… fruitful. The bird had information for you.

     To your luck or misfortune–you didn’t know which of the two it was yet—Grillby apparently stopped by Hare’s café every single morning, earlier than you normally did… or so Hare told you. In spite of your suspicions, Hare had stayed true to his words. After arriving at the café earlier in the morning recursively, you had struck gold. Now, you were expecting Grillby to swing by again today to order breakfast. He never stayed to eat, though. Just picked up his food and left for what you assumed was his work. You only had a brief window to see him, and, so, you took every opportunity to use it.

     “I was a little late, so I thought I would’ve missed him by now.” You folded your hands on the table in front of you, pondering Grillby’s tardiness. It was not as if he had a meeting to keep with you, but… he was almost always punctual. Sometimes, you could even count down to his arrival by the second.

     “I’m not really sure.” Hare shrugged and shook his head in response, acting as if the issue was of the least importance.

     “I hope he’s okay…” You muttered under your breath, more to yourself than the bird sitting across from you.

     “What? Grillby?” Hare started in disbelief, “He’s a big guy; he can take care of himself!”

     You rested your head on the frosty glass pane and watched the street outside in helpless abandon. The windows were partially glazed over with frost, despite the heat emanating from the coffee shop. The streets were also iced over, enticing people to take to the subways today to get to and fro. The only thing that flickered in the streets were the worn out street lamps lining the sidewalk. There was no familiar flame to be found.

     At your unwillingness to carry the conversation, Hare shook his head disappointedly. “I never expected you of all people to fall so hard for a guy!” Hare’s wings shot up into the air in exasperation. “What’s so great about him, anyway?”

     You gave Hare a sided glare before retiring to the window to fixate yourself upon the empty street. You delved for the answer to Hare’s question inside your own head.

     “Uh…” You drew a blank. “… Stuff.”

     “’Stuff’? What does that even mean?” Hare prodded at your head with the dull end of your fork, hoping the more bothersome he got, the more inclined you would be to give him answers.

     “I mean,” You lift your head up from the glass and wave your hand to shoo his wing away. “I can’t explain why I like him.”

     There it was. You admitted it, point blank. By the time you had realized what you said, Hare was already sneering at you with the most shit eating grin he could muster. You rolled your eyes at him. You’d live, but you couldn’t say the same for Hare if he let your secret out. You just resumed your former position, peering out the window.

     You would have to leave soon for work, so if you could just sneak one peek at Grillby if he passed by… You would be prepared to meet anything the day was bound to throw at you. You felt childish doing something like this, but… it kept you sane.

     The time he came around was always a little earlier than your work, and… it just lifted your spirits to see him in the morning. It was a fleeting puppy crush, but the sight of him really did wonders for the rest of your day. No matter how much shit you were forced to deal with at work, you held it in your mind that you’d be able to see Grillby the next morning, and everything would be okay. Thanks to that mindset, the last month had been pure bliss. Virus questioned why you got up a little earlier every day, and pointed out that you may, or may not, have had a bounce in your step as you got ready for work… but that was Virus.

     Hare was getting bored of just watching you, so he helped himself to your silvers. He toyed with your fork and knife relentlessly, flipping them in the air, and spinning them across the table. Eventually, he decided, it was time to progress the conversation, unless he was game on being bored out of his mind.

     “Love at first sight?”

     “No, that’s stupid.” You flat out rejected the idea. It wasn’t love, just… ‘like.’ You were taken by his appearance and gait, not him as a person. In fact, you didn’t know Grillby at all, aside from the snippets you had heard from his daily conversations with Hare. Even then, it was just… formalities. ‘Hello.’ ‘How are you?’ ‘What’s on the menu today?’ Things like that didn’t provide you with any reprieve from your lack of association with him.

     Hare deadpanned. “You haven’t spoken to him once since you started camping out here.”

     “… This here.” You patted the table firmly. “This is a good distance.”

     Your infatuation with Grillby didn’t equate to a willingness to approach him. You were content remaining a distance from him, and if you could just rely on that… it felt fulfilling enough. You weren’t exactly sure how to approach him, or what you would do after that, anyway. As long as you could remain in this fantasyland, it was good enough for you.

     “… Actually, now that I think about it…” Something previously forgotten popped into Hare’s mind. He was… a bit of a birdbrain, for lack of better wording. Short term memory was his greatest enemy. Hare tapped his wing on the tip of his beak. “Grillby did call earlier, and with a large order, to boot.”

     Upon the mention of Grillby, you livened up, tearing your eyes away from the scenery, and back to Hare. “Of what?”

     “Well, aren’t we getting a little nosy?” Hare teased your curiosity, giving you a haughty smirk knowing he had ensnared your attention… and loyalty. The blatant frown on your face had him snickering at you. “Just playin’ with ‘ya.” He waved his wing at you in an attempt to dismiss the frown from your face. It didn’t work. “It was a lot of Christmas-themed pastries… Maybe he’s going to a party?”

     You made the connection right away.

     ‘It couldn’t be, could it?’

     …

     You definitely were not that lucky.

     While you were preoccupied with your own thoughts, Hare spotted something—or somebody—out of the corner of his eye. “Well, well, well… What do we have here?” A throaty laugh rumbled from his throat. “Speak of the devil.”

     You snapped your gaze up from the table. “He’s here?!” You whispered breathlessly. You had to stop yourself from slamming your fists on the table as adrenaline coursed through your veins. You whipped your head around to confirm his presence, and, lo and behold, Grillby was out there, clad in his usual outdoor winter attire: framed glasses, an overcoat, woolen scarf, and slacks… formal outerwear. It suited him, and so did the weather. He was looking as handsome as ever.

     As he neared your position beside the window, you sunk back into your seat, and propped your head up with your arm. If anything, now was the time to begin stress eating. You looked away from the window to make yourself as inconspicuous as possible. All the misgivings that had built up inside you began flowing out from under your breath.

     “Calm down; calm down.” Hare repeatedly lowered his wings down in front of you in mock reassurance.

     That’s when it hit you.

     “Get back to the register…!” You frantically thrashed your hands in the air, motioning for him to get the hell away from you, and back to the counter. Grillby would definitely notice you if Hare was hanging around your table.

     “Yeah, yeah.” It was Hare’s turn to roll his eyes. He stood up from his seat and pat your head with his wing. “Have some faith in your wingman, will you?” He drawled his words out sarcastically, and strolled back to the register at a mockingly slow pace.

     What he said just now was… dangerously suggestive. Not in a bad way, by all means, but… You shivered at the weight of his words. You didn’t know what to expect next. Hopefully that was just… one of his puns, and just that.

     The thing is… he never cracked puns.

     You heard the café door open behind you. The sound of boots crushing snow underfoot as someone entered the café was all too prominent.

     “Hey, man! Running a little late today?” At Hare’s prompt, without looking, you could hear the person in question stalk up to the counter.

     As Hare began interacting with the customer, you realized your food had gone untouched. To make yourself seem less suspicious, you began nibbling away at it. As you sipped on your hot chocolate, you eavesdropped on the conversation between Grillby and Hare. You would put up with the guilt later.

     “Just stopped by an old friend’s house. Is my order ready?” That was definitely Grillby’s voice. It was soft, deep, mellow, and many other soothing adjectives that were lost to you at the moment. His voice never failed to relax you, no matter how anxious or tense you were.

     “Yessir! Just gimme a moment here…” You could hear Hare’s footsteps move away from the counter. You took the opportunity to glance over your shoulder at the area of the register… With Grillby’s presence confirmed, you came back to your food while nodding your head solemnly. He was there, in all the flesh and bone he didn’t have.

     “Do you need some help?” Grillby placed his hands over the counter, leaning over to get a good luck at Hare as he burrowed through some boxes in the back.

     “I’m fine, big guy. Just give it a second.” From a mountain of boxes, Hare’s wing burst forth and gave him a little wave. Grillby scratched the back of his head as he waited by the counter patiently.

     The excessive shuffling and throwing of boxes could be heard once more… you were sure most of them weren’t even empty. That was Hare’s problem, though. Soon, the barrage of cardboard related sounds ceased, and you heard Hare set something heavy on the counter. “One more trip…” The symphony from earlier was repeated. After Hare dropped off the last round on the countertop in front of Grillby, he began ringing his purchase up on the cash register. “Alright, so… that’ll be…”

     While the transaction was taking place, to your horror, your watch went off. You silenced the sound as soon as the first note came out. Taking a glance at it, you remembered something important. Hare, apparently, was not the only one with a case of short term memory this morning.

     Yesterday, your boss had instructed you to arrive at work early today. The thought had just slipped from your mind. Who would even remember that kind of offhand comment over the course of a busy day? Maybe your tightass boss would, but… He should have at least texted you as a reminder, but… that was your boss for you. Your task for the day was to help him fix a mess he, himself, had caused… The corporate ladder was a tall and painful one.

     As the seconds ticked away, you took inventory of your options. If you left now, you could make it on time. Otherwise… you would meet your boss’s wrath. You had not been late many a times before, but… your colleagues always were. You were the most responsible of the bunch, and if you went awry… your boss would lose it. When your boss didn’t have his morning go right, no one had a good day.

     At the back of your mind, you could hear Hare count Grillby’s money by hand… Although, you weren’t sure why he bothered in the first place. You thought about it and… with both Hare and Grillby preoccupied, this was about as good a time to leave as any. If you were lucky enough, neither of them would notice you until you stepped right out that door.

     You stood from your seat, being careful to make as little noise as possible. You packed the remaining food on your table into a small pouch, and tiptoed to the side of the door to claim your jacket and scarf. You snuck a quick glance at Grillby and Hare… The two were caught up in a conversation of their own. You’d be able to make it out unscathed.

     After dressing yourself for battle with the arctic temperatures outside, you snatched up your belongings from the table, and made your way to the door. But, of course… you felt the urge to sneak in just one more glance at Grillby. It wouldn’t make a difference, right? You just wanted to see him one last time before you went to work… that was all. No one would notice, and it would not be a big deal. There was nothing that was keeping you from doing so.

     Right before you got to the door, you angled your head slightly to take a good look at Grillby. He was there, standing tall and firm with a fixed posture. His broad back was turned towards you, and all you could see were the flames on the back of his head dancing in the warm lights of the coffee shop. His gloved hand had reached up to adjust his glasses ever so slightly, and the other was placed on the pile of boxes on the counter. Every minute movement he made enraptured you.

     The sight of him… eased your worries. You would be able to get to work just fine. Nothing would go wrong, and you would be able to deal with your boss’s heckling even if you did end up clocking in late. It was of no consequence to you. Maybe you would have to stay a little later to make up for that… But, as long as you could wake up the next morning, take your seat as usual, and have a cup of good old hot chocolate while waiting for Grillby… life was good.

      As your hand touched for the handle of the coffee shop’s door, you heard a voice blatantly directed at you.

     “Hey, you.” It was Hare’s unmistakably shrill voice.

     You forced yourself to crane your neck towards the boxes on the counter. You really thought they would’ve obscured Hare’s view, but… You forgot. Hare was a bird, and birds always had a bird’s eye view. That was no joke. Grillby had yet to turn around, and so, you attempted to silently communicate with Hare. You made X’s with your arms, shook your head aggressively, and slid your finger across your throat, all to no avail. He renewed his call to you.

     “Yes, you. Get your lazy ass up here!” Hare. What the hell was he thinking?

     To your dismay, Grillby turned around to look at you. He had an eyebrow raised, looking just about as confused as you were, although you had a good indication as to what was about to go down. No matter how you looked at it, this was going to go down in Hare’s favor. He was holding all the cards, and your fate was in the palm of his hand.

     Between Hare and you, all that was shared was communicative stares. Yours were murderous. Hare’s were smug. Grillby, on the other hand, remained expressionless. For gods’ sake, he didn’t have palpable eyes for all you could tell.

     You took one last glance at the door, then lowered your hand reluctantly. Escape had just slipped through your fingers. Of course you weren’t going to be as lucky as you had hoped to be. It never worked out that way. The only thing you could do now was… hold your head up high, take it all in a stride, and hope for the best.

     You left the comfort of the exit’s vicinity, and stepped up to the counter with some newfound confidence.  You took the debacle of the encounter as an invitation to make a courageous move. As you stood next to Grillby, you looked directly at him, and nodded your head in greeting.

     “Hey, Grillby.”

     To your relief, Grillby nodded back, acknowledging your arrival. You held back the sweat threatening to cascade down your forehead. Was it hot in here, or was it just you? As you faced Hare, you hoped the intent to kill was spelled out on your face. He ignored it.

     “Grillby here,” Hare paused to motion towards the flame with his wings, “needs some help carrying these boxes. Think you can handle that?”

     You restrained yourself from strangling Hare right there and then. Was he even listening to the conversation earlier? He just unbalanced the equilibrium that you had worked to maintain for the past month. He landed a potential catastrophe into your lap. The fear of embarrassing yourself beyond repair in front of Grillby sank into your stomach. What if you took a horrendous fall right in front of him? Dropped everything he purchased on the ground? Disappointed everyone the pastries were for? Ended up sprawled and broken at his feet? The constructed situation in your mind sent shivers down your spine. Lord, if that was what was going to happen, you would be having roast fowl for Christmas dinner.

     In the face of your own bloodlust, you maintained a calm tone. “No problem.” You peer up at Grillby, who was already looking down at you. “You wouldn’t mind?”

     “If you don’t.” Grillby’s reply was accompanied with a small nod at both you and Hare.

     “Well, you heard the man.” Hare picked up a stack of the boxes and flung them at you. In one swift motion, you slammed your drink on the counter, and jumped forward to catch all of the pastry boxes in your arms. To your surprise, you had caught all of them. You didn’t even want to see the look on Grillby’s face if you had managed to drop even one. “Chop, chop! The food’s getting cold.”

     Grillby looked tense; he was poised to catch the boxes in your arms if they threatened to fall. “… Are you alright?”

     His concern for you nearly did make you drop the boxes, but you arched your back so your cheek could support them. “No, but thanks for asking.” If you said you were, that would be a lie.

     You adjusted the bag of food under your arm, and positioned yourself more appropriately to support the load weighing down on you. Hiding your face behind the boxes, you shot a disgusted glare in Hare’s direction.

     “Actually,” Hare took drink from the counter and snatched the bag from under your arm, “You won’t be needing this…” He proceeded to dunk them into the nearest garbage can. That was the last straw. That bird would not be getting out of this scot free.

     Hare, more serenely in his efforts, helped Grillby lift the larger stack of boxes up from the counter. You felt a little ashamed of the fact that you were the one carrying the lighter load, but you just rested thankful Hare didn’t decide to throw all the boxes at you. After Hare mushed Grillby and you away, all he did on his part was open the door to escort the two of you out.

     “I’ll be seeing you!” Hare waved Grillby and you off as you exited his store.

     “In hell.” You whispered under your breath.
     “What was that?” Hare smiled at you threateningly.

     “Nah… nothing.” Apparently, you had picked up one of Virus’s bad habits: snarky side comments.

 ----

     As Grillby and you drew further away from the café, Hare remained at the doorway of his café… watching. You didn’t dare talk while he was still in earshot; you weren’t quite sure yet if his hearing was as good as his eyesight. When Hare finally withdrew, he disappeared with a smug look on his face. A job well done for him, you supposed… torturing you like this. Glancing back over your shoulder, you sighed in irritation.

     “Sorry.” You heard a low voice right beside you, almost causing you to jump. Grillby was so quiet, you had nearly forgotten he was walking right next to you.

     “What for?” You questioned his sudden apologetic tone.

     Grillby lifted up the boxes in his arm slightly as he shrugged. “Hare.”

     You dismissed Grillby’s worries with the shake of your head. “Don’t worry about it. He asked me on purpose to make me late for work. I mean, that’s Hare for you.” That was a lie. Hare, in all of his scheming shenanigans, had set you up for a different reason… whether it was for your benefit or undoing, you would decide upon it later. That would also determine the fate of your feathered friend.

     “I can take these by myself if you’d like.” Grillby offered in hopes of making up for Hare’s pronounced crudity.

     Realistically, you should have accepted the offer. The chances of the situation turning out to be in your favor were as bleak as your escape from the coffee shop just a few minutes ago. But… You shook your head. There was no way you could pass up spending time with Grillby. You are the one who wanted to get to know him better, even if you didn’t express that desire explicitly.

     “I can’t just leave you to carry these all by yourself, now can I?” You adjust the boxes in your arms to get a good look at him.

     Grillby met your gaze for a moment, before looking straight down the path once again. The conversation seemed to meet a dead end right there. At that moment, you wanted to dive right into the nearest trash can to escape the tense atmosphere you created.

     “… Thank you.” Grillby’s appreciation for your help came in a quiet voice.

     “What?” The words that dropped out of your mouth portrayed your shock quite clearly. Did Grillby just… thank you? Looking back at him, his line of sight now rested on you. “Oh, uh…” You quickly looked away to escape his glance, and gave him a half-hearted shrug. “Don’t… mention it?”

     When he looked away, you found yourself the time to bounce back from the initial astonishment. You secretly let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding in the first place. Your heart had nearly leapt right out of your throat thanks to Grillby’s unexpected show of gratitude.

     You trudged in the snow at least an arm’s length away from Grillby, picking your way down the icy pavement. The walk was quiet, save the few cars that drove lazily by. The neighborhood was relatively peaceful. As before, you would’ve gauged the silence as awkward, but, now, being next to Grillby… it was actually more comforting than watching him from afar. You savored his presence at your side. This was something you could get used to.

     The audacity of your own thoughts startled you. You were being a child. This was a one-time deal, and Hare had helped you get it. You weren’t so sure how you should be feeling towards him now. Hateful, thankful, or indifferent… he’d ask you for details tomorrow, for sure. Maybe, if you asked him, he’d be able to pull off something like this again…? You’d done well so far, from what you could tell. You spoke to Grillby in a level voice—not too overexcited. You may have been far too casual than you would have liked, but being composed was all you could ask for at times like these.

     You were more than overjoyed given this exclusive chance, but you could feel your arms getting sore. The winter’s iciness had begun seeping through your jacket as well.

     “By the way… where are we heading?” You felt a little annoyed at yourself for not asking earlier.

     Grillby nodded his head, motioning that the destination was farther down along the road. “Just up ahead.”

     “Haha, that’s good.” The giggle that bubbled up from you wasn’t exactly a positive one. If you were getting closer to Grillby’s stop, then… you would have to leave his side sooner. You warily looked at him from the corner of your eye. You considered falling behind a little to see him more clearly, but you decided against it. That… wasn’t important. If he continued going to Hare’s store after today, you could just… observe him as you always had. Right then, you wanted to be just a little closer to him… Was that too much to ask?

     You were wracked with a sudden shiver. Your lightweight jacket provided you with little relief from the frigidity. It wasn’t as thick as you would have liked it to be. You were cheap. Your jacket was sheep. So, of course, you’d be getting scorched by the cold… cheaply.

     “Is something wrong?” Grillby’s voice pulled you out of your thoughts.

     “Oh, uh… Just, uh…” You scrunched up your face. “Getting a little chilly, huh?”

     Grillby stopped walking and turned to face you, and you reciprocated his movements. His face, normally void of any distinct facial features, materialized the shape of eyebrows in the area above his glasses. One of them was raised in inquisitiveness. “You’re cold?”

     “Hm?” Now that you think about it, Grillby was a flame monster. The temperature probably didn’t affect him. “Yeah, a little.” You shrugged his question off. No need for him to go out of his way for you, or ask how you were doing. You didn’t need any of that. If you weren’t frozen, you were dying. You couldn’t afford fancy, fur parkas, or whatever people wore during the winter months. Your salary was just enough to support Virus and yourself with living essentials, and that was it. The only luxury you had allowed yourself recently was the morning trips to the café, which was already stressing your budget.

     Despite your nonchalance, Grillby seemed to take note of the temperature’s effects on you. Every shake of your head, tense of your face, and tremble of your shoulders… He caught them all, and he could tell you were hiding your failing perseverance in the weather. “… Walk closer.” The command came out low and husky; it sounded assertive, and somewhat… weird to hear from him.

      All you could do was gawk at him, looking for some kind of answer in the dancing flames. Your confused look prompted him to continue.

     “It’s…” Grillby paused to find the right words to say. “It’s warmer… beside me.” Grillby’s flames grew a few shades redder as he spoke, and he looked away to hide it. Even with his attempts to obscure his flushed face, you saw through him. You felt a little guilty for making him say something so embarrassing to explain his polite gesture. He was made of fire, so maybe walking closer to him would do you some justice from the cold.

     The spontaneity of the offer almost coaxed you into rejection, but… you accepted it. This would never happen again, so… why turn down his offer? ‘Live in the moment!’ is what Virus always said… but, you weren’t too sure how taking advice from a shut-in would help you in real life situations. It was probably more of a sardonic side comment than advice anyways.

     “… Thank you.”

     Grillby settled back into a slow pace so you wouldn’t have to struggle to keep up. You took the invitation to amble up beside him… a little closer than before. However, you were still a little too far off for the majority of Grillby’s warmth to reach you. Grillby, noticing your reluctance, decided to do what you couldn’t—he brushed up right against you. This caused you to jump, but the heat that seeped out from his coat relaxed you. Ironically, it cooled your nerves down. Now that the distance was closed, your arms bumped together as you strolled down the path.

     “Is… this okay?” Grillby looked down at you to make sure you weren’t uncomfortable.

     As a matter of fact, you felt the exact opposite. “Yes.” You sighed in content. “Thank you, Grillby.” You flashed him a sideways smile.

     Grillby looked a little taken aback by this, but he immediately dismissed his disconcertion. He concealed his emotions well, but you noticed his subtlety. After a whole month of watching him, mood shifts like this were easy to identify… and it was an even easier task up close.

     “Sorry, did I say something wrong?” You leaned forward to enter his peripheral vision.

     Grillby shook his head. “… Earlier…” He looked down at the boxes he was carrying before continuing. “I’m surprised you remembered my name.”

     The realization hit you like a bus. You weren’t supposed to remember Grillby’s name. The last time the two of you should have met was at the drinking party last month. Beads of sweat began dripping down your forehead. Nothing you could do to stop them now.

     How were you supposed to… respond to that? How could you respond to that? If you didn’t handle this with the utmost caution, Grillby would find out what you had been doing for the past month. As Hare would put it, you were borderline stalking him. You weren’t stalking Grillby, per se, you were just… Watching him closely? No matter what way you put it in, it sounded horrible. Terrible. You couldn’t explain yourself.

     Would Grillby be appalled by the fact you had been showing up at the café constantly just to see him? Anxiety crept up your back, and you suppressed a little tremble. That would be pretty bad. You couldn’t mess this up now, or your daily dose of sunshine would literally be ripped right out of your hands… and on your own account. You were not about to let that happen. You had to play this off, and smoothly.

     “How could I forget you?” You let out a small laugh, and presented to him one of your most genuine smiles. The smile you showed him wasn’t intended to amplify the honesty of your words. It may have even been unintentional, to some extent. When it came to Grillby, you found it increasingly hard to control how happy you felt around him. “After all, you were so nice to my colleagues and I when we went to your bar last month.”

     It was true. The drinking party last month… your coworkers were a mess. It was downright embarrassing being associated with a party of drunks. You were the only sober one in the whole group. You were good at keeping alcohol down, and you didn’t feel like taking that many shots, anyways. To add onto that, you had Virus to get home too, and you didn’t trust them enough to take care of you. Best case scenario, they would drag you to the couch or the bathroom floor. All the more reason not to get wasted.

     You could’ve sworn you saw Grillby’s shoulders shake with a low chuckle before he replied. “… I’m honored; thank you.”

     Another thanks from him had you blushing. You avoided his eyes by glancing to the side; you were certain he was looking at you. The way his arm brushed yours every other step made you even more aware of him than before. You pushed yourself to not clam up in front of him. “Sorry about them, actually—my, uh, coworkers. They can be a bit of a… handful.”

     You were never good with handling drunks, but, Grillby… When things looked like they were getting out of hand, he stepped in. His presence seemed to naturally temper people, no matter how rambunctious they got. He helped you calm them down, and he helped you carry them out after calling a taxi for them. One of them was so out of it that you had to personally see her home as an escort. Throughout all of that, Grillby was there. You thought he was so caught up in the chaos of it all, he wouldn’t have remembered you, but…

     “It’s good to see you again.” The words that left Grillby’s mouth felt like silk over your ears. Your chest swelled up with pride. Grillby had remembered you. No doubt he was just being courteous by it, as he always was, but those words… you felt dizzy with joy. You couldn’t hold back the trembling smile that crawled onto your face, and the tinge of red that stained your ears and cheeks. All you could do was turn your head away.

     “Aha… thanks. I’m…” You found yourself nervous to continue, but did so regardless. You had to let him know you were just as gratuitous. “Glad to see you again, too.”

     Grillby had just acknowledged you, and indirectly praised you. You wanted to keep talking to him, and keep him talking to you. You had to keep the conversation going for the sake of your own heart, lest it explode and wither away.

     “By the way…” You looked up at him sheepishly. “Thanks for helping me out after that.” A straightforward thanks was the first thing that should’ve been in order. It just had escaped you until then.

     Grillby’s flame flickered slightly at your words. Was he… happy that you thanked him? “Here as well. It was a pleasure to serve you.” It may have been your imagination, but… Grillby placed emphasis on the ‘you’ at the end of his sentence. If it had some underlying meaning, you did not dare read in between the lines. If you got too deep, you wouldn’t be able to get out.

     You could have let the conversation die right there, but… “I really hate going to work outings like that, but…” Your eyes jumped erratically from side to side, trying to find the right words to say. “I really enjoyed going to your bar. So…” You trailed off, completely losing your train of thought.

     “… Then… why don’t you come again?” Grillby’s proposition was sincere. It needed not to be questioned, but the messaged spilled into your mind as if it were encrypted.

     You blinked once. You blinked twice. You held back blinking three times at Grillby. The incredulity of the situation… you didn’t know how to react. You looked away from Grillby and at the path straight ahead to hide the defined shock on your face. Did he just invite you to his bar?

     Grillby peeked down at you once more, checking to see if you were still responsive. “You can drop by my bar whenever you want… with or without your coworkers.” The repetition made it clear as day.

     Yes, he definitely just did. You had to hold down the heat threatening to rise up to your cheeks, as well as the urge to accept his invitation without the slightest hint of hesitation. You forced yourself to maintain composure.

     “Uh, I…” You bit the bottom of your lip, admittedly somewhat embarrassed that this was the excuse you came up with. “I don’t have the money.” Anything to make you sound more modest, you guessed.

     Grillby laughed at the way your shoulders dropped in dejection. Now that… was an exotic sound. You hadn’t heard him laugh before, setting aside the faint chuckles from time to time. He looked slightly embarrassed he had sunken so low as to laugh at you, and lowered his head a little to press nearer to the boxes in hand. “Food and drinks are on me.”

     “Really?” Fake modesty was your greatest attribute. “I couldn’t…”

     “… You thought I’d have you help me without a tip?” Grillby’s voice sported a twang of disbelief and amusement at your humble demeanor.

     “… Maybe.” Believe it not, you had to convince yourself you weren’t a wandering charity sometimes.

     “Don’t worry.” Grillby leaned in closer to you so that he could lower his voice to a whisper. “I’ll take care of you.”

     When you felt the ambiguous warmth thawing your head, you spun around. Instead of meeting Grillby’s side as you expected, you found yourself just inches away from his face. Up close, you could feel his flames licking at your skin. Before, you had thought that his face was something static like Virus’s screen, but, because of the close proximity… you could see the many distinct flames that defined him pulsing with life. Behind his glasses, not only were his eyebrows visible, but white flames akin to the shape of eyes had formed. His eyes looked to be half-lidded, holding your gaze captive with lax intensity.

     You found yourself speechless—at a loss for words. Had Grillby moved any closer to you, you might have been able to graze your lips against him. Just the thought of it made you overheat. So much for maintaining composure. Your arms began to tremble, surrendering to the unyielding force of gravity. With the boxes’ supports weakened, the stack edged dangerously close to collapsing.

     Thinking back to the café earlier… you really needed to stop making those deadly premonitions. You flew into a frenzy, and grappled at the boxes in a flailing attempt to save them and yourself. To your surprise, you briefly saw Grillby raise his arm to steady the heap of boxes, preventing them from falling out of your arms. He had shifted the weight of his entire stack into one arm within a moment’s notice to come to your assistance. You wanted to sink into the depths of your scarf in embarrassment. Maybe… Grillby was more capable than you took him to be.

     “Careful…” Grillby’s voice was husky, yet playful in tone. The accompanying seasoned chuckles reminded you that your face was, essentially, on fire. Was he laughing at you because you were flustered? If it wasn’t for the cold sweat you broke out into, your face would have been completely drowned in several different shades of red.

     “Thanks...” You managed to mutter from behind your scarf as you juggled the weight of the boxes.

     When you looked at him anew, he had already withdrawn to his original position. It was as if… nothing had happened. The only noticeable difference was that a thin line in the shape of a craggy smile had formed across his face, and you could make out the shape of his eyes behind the lens of his glasses. Apparently, he was capable of forming facial features… and they didn’t look half bad.

----

     You should have realized it sooner, but… you and Grillby were going back the way you came from your house. It didn’t really come to you until after he had rescued you from becoming victim to your own psychic predications. However, the realization was better late than never, because, now, you were able to confirm your suspicions: Grillby was acquainted with Dogamy and Dogaressa.

     That… made sense. Most of the monsters that moved into this area were already acquainted with one other… except, maybe Virus. Virus was, after all, from the capital. The monsters here were from a local community that settled in a town called Snowdin underground, which was far away from the capital itself. You decided not to ask Grillby about it, though. If you pestered him too much about his life before coming above ground, you feared you may run him off… and that would be bad, seeing as he was acting as your personal heater at the moment.

     Upon your arrival at the doghouse, Grillby and you stopped in front to take in the sight. It looked like Dogamy had shoveled some snow off his driveway while you were gone, and had taken to putting up some Christmas lights… on a very shaky ladder.

     “… How do we go about this… without startling him?” The question was geared more towards yourself than Grillby, but you asked it nonetheless.

     The outcome of the situation would not differ no matter what you did. If you called out his name, he’d turn in shock, then fall off. If you walked up to him, and did the same, he’d turn in shock, then fall off. Really, there was just no good way to address someone standing on a shaky ladder.

     “Let’s get closer.” On Grillby’s cue, you stayed at his hip as he trudged up the driveway to greet Dogamy. Grillby and you stood beside the ladder which Dogamy was using. He was so preoccupied with the lights, he didn’t seem to notice you.

     “Dogamy.” Grillby, someone you would’ve expected to have all the tact in the world, called out to Dogamy without any reservation. And, as expected, Dogamy turned in shock, then fell off into the snow below. You and Grillby just watched it all play out. “Sorry, did I startle you?” Grillby offered Dogamy a hand as he lay in the snow.

     Dogamy’s snout twitched as the rest of his body remained motionless. “… I know you get a kick out of doing that.” Dogamy scoffed at Grillby, but took the hand offered to him anyways. “Doesn’t it ever get old?”

     Grillby hoisted Dogamy up, setting him up right on his feet. “I don’t do it intentionally.”

     Dogamy laughed right in Grillby’s face. The apology sounded sincere enough, but Dogamy wasn’t buying any of it. “Yes, you do.” He tried elbowing Grillby’s arm, but Grillby stepped out of the way in a dodge. The ease of Grillby’s movements had Dogamy simply shaking his head as he began brushing snow off of his coat. As he did, he lifted his head up to see you standing a few feet away. “Oh, hey there! Back so soon?”

     “Yeah, and with your food.” You lifted up the boxes in your hands to show to Dogamy.

     He thanked you, but couldn’t help but shake his head. “Hare made you do that, did he?” Apparently, you were not the only one acquainted with Hare’s antics.

     You nodded in agreeance. “Who else?”

     Dogamy sighed and pressed a paw up to his forehead, smoothing out the creases that formed. “That bird… he hates going out in the cold. He doesn’t even do deliveries in the winter.”

     “Well…” You nod your head in the direction of the house. “We can make a toast to that at the party tomorrow.”

     “Cheers!” Dogamy exclaimed derisively. A laugh was shared between the two of you.

     “Shall we go inside?” Grillby was already making his way toward the door before anyone responded.

     From there, Dogamy invited you into his humble abode… or… well, maybe it wasn’t as humble as you thought it would be. Overall, it was… gaudy. It looked like Dogamy had spent more time decorating the inside of the house than the outside. You assumed it was all in preparation for the party tomorrow, so… that was sure to be an experience.

     Dogamy had you and Grillby set the boxes of sweets in his kitchen, and offered to brew you a hot drink, but you declined politely. You were already late for work as you were, and decided that any later would get you fired. As you took your leave, Grillby followed suit, saying that he should be getting to his bar as well. As the two of you left Dogamy to his own devices inside, you both quietly shuffled down the house’s driveway back to the sidewalk. There, Grillby and you turned to face each other.

     Right. You two would have to go separate ways for work.

     Grillby was the one who broke the silence. “… Which way are you going?”

     “Me? Oh, uh…” You hazily pointed down a connecting street. “That way.”

     Grillby nodded, and offered his hand to you, holding it out for a handshake. “Thanks for all your help.”

     You accepted it wholeheartedly, taking out your own hand from your pocket to shake his. You welcomed the heat that seeped from his glove… His handshake was firm, so you returned it with equal strength.

     “I said don’t mention it, right?”

     As you withdrew your hand from his grasp, you could feel the tips of his fingers linger against yours… In a regular handshake, two people would have just… let go, and left… right? When you pulled away, Grillby didn’t let go. He only loosened his grasp, and gave your retreating hand a squeeze.

     “Grillb…” His name died in your throat.

     An uneven, rugged mouth spread across Grillby’s face as his eyes came into view. Behind his frames, you could see his pupils narrow at you in a return to the sultry gaze he had scalded you with earlier. His hand was still wrapped around yours, and you felt him he lift it up to the rim of his mouth.  A shiver traversed the length of your spine as your bare skin made contact with Grillby’s flames. His fire flickered against your skin… you thought it would have burned you on contact, but… it did no such thing. The heat that brushed your fingertips made them tingle, and you felt that same heated sensation disperse throughout your body.

     Grillby studied that shaky look that you gave him… how your lips trembled ever so slightly, the way you buried your face into your scarf. When his lips shifted to the top of your knuckles, he paused for a moment to admire your muddled face. Feeling increasingly aware of your body’s rising temperature, you opened your mouth to interject, but he stopped you.

     Grillby hooked his free hand under the fringe of your scarf and tugged it down to fully expose the lower half of your face. He pulled you closer to him, cradled his cheek on the back of your hand. He pulled his index finger up to his mouth, and hushed you, blowing a soft and breathy “Shhh…” to silence you.

     When he opened his mouth, you were stunned by its features. It took on a jagged and irregular shape. The inside was composed of a white flame, similar to his eyes, and was obstructed by protrusions of his orange fire in the form of what looked to be pseudo teeth. Your breath hitched in your throat as a shudder passed over you, and Grillby smirked at you knowingly.

     Once he was certain you were settled, he returned his lips to your hands, keeping his eyes trained on you throughout the whole ordeal. Mouth rested upon your knuckles, he slowly closed his eyes, and began planting tender kisses in each dip and crevice within his reach. In response, you raised your free hand to cover your mouth, fearful of what you would look like when Grillby was through with you.

     When he finally pulled away, you were stood there utterly confounded. The words you needed so desperately to speak wouldn’t come out. Your brain was fried, and Grillby knew he was the culprit.

     You heard a deep laugh rumbling from Grillby’s throat at your bewilderment. “Sorry, was that too much?”

     ‘Too much’? That was an understatement. What happened just then… you were no fool. No matter how much of a gentleman Grillby was, that was not the mediocre ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye’ you would have expected from anyone.

     Grillby reached out to grasp your shoulder gently, not wanting to agitate you more than he had already. “It’s alright, just relax…” His thumb worked into the junction of your shoulder blade, massaging nerves bundled up there. Grillby’s face now… in contrast to his smugness from earlier, he looked… concerned.

     “Sorry.” You blurted out the first word that came to mind. Grillby was sending you some mixed signals that you weren’t sure how to translate. “You took me by surprise?” No lie there.

     “Apologies for that, then. I’ll try to be more tactful next time.” Next time? There was going to be a next time? God, all these… words put together that you didn’t understand. “Are you warmed up now, at least?”

     Come to think of it… you raised your hands up to inspect them. You were feeling… oddly warm. “How did you do that…?” You looked up at Grillby expectantly.

     “That’s—“

     Beep. Beep. Beep.

     Your goddamn phone went off.

     “Sorry, sorry…!” You dug your phone out of your coat pocket and fumbled with it in your hands. You read the phone number on the screen… Of course, it was your boss. This wasn’t something you could ignore. “Can I take this? It’s from work.” Grillby nodded, and you answered the phone call promptly.

     “Hello…?” You turned away from Grillby and held the phone a good distance away from your ear, making sure the microphone was at least pointed towards you.

     “You ungrateful FOOL!” And, there, bellowed your boss’s deafening yell. You didn’t even flinch, just lazily slipped the phone between your ear and shoulder as you check the time on your watch.

     Well, shit. You were really late.

     “Yes, boss. Yes. Yes.” You nodded your head accommodatingly even though your boss wasn’t there in person. You were just warming up for what was to come at the office. You held your tongue from any snarky remarks you could have made, and patiently waited for him to finish lecturing you over the phone.

     Once he took the liberty of hanging up on you, you turned back to Grillby. Anyone else would have taken the opportunity to tiptoe away by that time, but he was still there, standing patiently still for you to finish your business up. How sweet.

     “Sorry.” Grillby voiced yet another apology you were not expecting. “I’ll make this up to you.”

     “Really, no skin off my back. I’ll get my money’s worth from Hare tomorrow.” You gave him another nonchalant shrug, and took a few steps away from him. It was time for you to go. “See you around, Grillby.” You raised your hand up in a mock wave, and Grillby did the same.

     “See you…” He stopped midway, suddenly pulling his hand down. “Oh, and, I nearly forgot…” That same smile he had revealed to you earlier made its way onto his face, coarse teeth and all. “Don’t be afraid to take up my offer from earlier.”

     The eyes behind his glasses gave nothing away. Grillby looked as calm and composed as ever, but you couldn’t help but pull your scarf up to hide your blush. Whether you were going to accept Grillby’s invitation or not… That was up to you.