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Grillby never questioned him or asked him questions. From the very beginning, he said Sans could come to him when he's feeling bad or sad or whatever. Over time it became a habit. Sans would come to Grillby's whenever he felt like it. Sometimes he'd talk and have a conversation, most of the time it was one sided. Grillby didn't really talk. But for the most part Sans would just sit and drink until he's wasted. Grillby would then call Papyrus, if he hadn't yet come to pick up Sans, and the brothers would leave home. Grillby never had to escort the skeleton home himself.
Sans might've not realised it, but Grillby knew that he's not a normal monster. He knew that Sans can control timelines. This is because Grillby was once pulled in the changing state of the timelines, and unlike everyone else, he remembered it all afterwards. This was accidental, but Sans had to try something new. He had to stop the human.
Grillby was done closing his place, when Sans came in, blood dripping from the cut on his chest and from the corner of his mouth. A dimly glowing Gaster Blaster was flying by his side, but it too was wounded and weak.
"You said I could come over whenever I needed your help?" Sans had asked him, and it didn't take long till Grillby figured out the situation. The murderous and bloodthirsty human child came inside the pub, a bloody kitchen knife in their other hand. Grillby can remember it like it was yesterday. They fought against the human for a moment which felt like forever. And then the pain hit - the human had managed to strike their knife in Grillby's chest. The wound started oozing blood, which was similar to lava. Grillby dropped on the floor and he started turning black from his legs, arms, body, head. His flame started dying. Sans dropped on the ground next to him and lifted him up on his small arms.
"Reset, kiddo", Sans said, his voice shivery and teary. Grillby could feel small teardrops on his face. He became cold and his legs and arms started breaking to dust.
"Please, kid, if you're there you'll reset and never come back here again-" Sans sobbed and held Grillby closer. He sent many bones and beams and blasters and powerful attack on the human, but he didn't seem to concentrate on his fullest. The human was still standing.
"Thanks for being there for me when I needed you, Grillby. I love you", Sans said. I love you.
Grillby can't remember anything else, he guessed he reached to die before Sans was able to reset the timeline. How the human died and why didn't they just continue instead of fully reseting, Grillby didn't know. From that day on Grillby had looked at Sans with completely different eyes. But they never talked about it, so maybe Sans didn't know that Grillby remembered it. The pub owner had many times wanted to talk about it, but never reached to. Until today.
Sans wasn't as wasted as he usually was at this time of the night, so maybe something Grillby said would get stuck in Sans' mind. The skeleton was almost lying on the desk, his arms were folded under his jaw. He was holding Grillby's hand; this was also a habit. He liked how warm Grillby was. The pub owner could control his temperature; he can get so hot no one can touch him, or then he can get so cool he can touch paper without burning it. When Sans held his hand, he automatically dropped his temperature low enough for him to touch but still feel the warmth.
This time, Grillby held his hand back. Sans didn't seem to mind; he had noticed it but didn't mind. His usual smile was on his face. Well, he always had that smile, he rarely wiped it off. Grillby leaned closer, leaning his elbows on the counter. He was so close to Sans he could whisper to him.
"I love you too", Grillby said. Sans didn't really seem to be able to register the statement the first time, so Grillby repeated what he said.
"I love you."
Sans frowned and lifted his chin up. He stared into Grillby's eyes, or glasses, and asked: "What's that? Grillby, have you caught a fever? Don't go saying things like that."
"I love you, Sans. I remember", Grillby continued and held Sans' hand a bit tighter, as if afraid he'd leave. Sans looked into his eyes, dumbfounded and for once he had nothing to say back. No joke, no bad puns... but then he started to cry. Guess the alcohol was kicking in. Grillby let go of his hand to walk to his side of the counter. Sans sobbed and followed the monster with his eyes. He reached his arms forward towards him, and when in his reach Grillby lifted the little skeleton into his warm embrace. Sans wrapped his legs around his waist and arms around his neck. Grillby stood there, holding the crying skeleton in his arms.