Chapter Text
Throughout her life, the only constant companion that Susie had ever been able to call her own was hunger.
Food never seemed to fill her stomach for long. On the rare occasions that she could actually eat as much as she wanted, until she was full and warm and that ache stopped for once… It didn't last. In a few hours, the clenching emptiness would be back. She'd always, always been hunting for her next meal. When she was little, she'd scarf down her meager school lunch in seconds and would spend the rest of her time in the cafeteria staring longingly at everyone else's food. There were some kids who brought stuff from home–stuff that looked and smelled so damn good–and they never seemed to care about how lucky they were. Sometimes they didn't even eat it all. I don't want this, they'd say. This sandwich got squished in my bag, I'm not eating this. I don't like this flavor of fruit snacks. These chips are boring, I've had too many. And then they'd throw them away, right in front of her. She used to just ask outright if she could have them. She stopped after someone's parents complained that she was trying to bully the other kids into giving her their food. So, she switched to a new strategy.
The other kids made fun of her whenever she was caught digging those unwanted leftovers from the trash. Eventually she learned to stop caring. They'd never like her no matter what she did. She might as well get a free meal out of it.
So, yeah. It was a habit. Digging in the garbage. Today had been especially rough, and she was feeling brave and desperate enough to risk the bins behind the grocery store. So there she was, helping herself to a box of slightly stale cereal. Jaws wide open. Head tilted back. Little shapes and colored marshmallows pouring into her maw.
And then she realized very suddenly that the store guy was there. He stared at her blankly, a trashbag held loosely in his boney hand.
Susie did not panic. This was fine.
With a crunch that sounded a bit too loud in the still night air, her mouth snapped shut, and she swallowed. “Hey,” she greeted him like someone who was not trespassing and eating garbage.
She braced herself for the disgusted scoff, or the harsh reprimand, or the laughter. Probably laughter. This jerk seemed like the type.
“yo.” His reply was as casual as her greeting. His forever-grinning face didn't look like it was laughing, somehow. He tossed his bag into a bin. “is that gonna hurt your gut? it's expired, y’know.”
“Nah.” Susie crumpled up the box into a fist-sized lump and dunked it into the bin like a basketball. “I can eat anything. Iron stomach.” Her grin grew wide, and she purposefully curled her lips in the way she knew exposed her sharp teeth. “I'll even eat bones.”
He didn't blink at the thinly veiled threat. “good source of calcium. you outta try throwin’ em into some milk next time. double-strength calcium.”
Susie deflated and scoffed. Right. She should have known this guy would just joke about all of this. “Whatever,” she muttered, storming forward. Usually when she did that, people scrambled out of her way.
The skeleton, despite being about half her height, remained rooted in place. “actually, could i ask you for a favor?”
Her eyes narrowed as she loomed over him. “I'm not gonna babysit your brother! Kris already said they'll do it!”
“hehe. yeah, they did.” He sounded entirely too amused by that. “but i was actually wondering if i could hire you. it's tough work for a janitor, running this store all by my lonesome.”
Susie’s brain went blank for a moment, rebooting like a dusty game console. “I–what? You said you couldn't afford to hire someone else!”
“eh. i’ll put it on my tab. at the bank.”
“Hometown doesn't have a bank??”
“i do online banking. easier to make new tabs.”
Susie sputtered. “I don't know how to cashier.”
“no biggie, you wouldn't be. y’see, the thing i need help with is this.” He gestured back towards the garbage bins. “food waste is a serious problem. the mayor is starting to crack down on landfill regulations. so, it'd really help me out if I could get rid of the excess before it expires. i'd do it myself, but…” he patted his belly. “...i don't really have the stomach for it.”
“You. You wanna hire me? To just, like, eat?” Susie blinked slowly at him. It was way too good to be true, right? This was another one of his stupid jokes, right?
“yup. can't afford much more than minimum wage for ya, but we got benefits. and dental.”
“You'll pay me, too?!”
“that is usually how jobs work, yeah. howzaboutit?”
Susie foundered. “I-I, uh, well, I guess I can ditch class–”
“hey, school’s important, kiddo. come in whenever works.”
…He was crazy. Right? That wasn't how jobs worked. She wasn't stupid. But, then again, this was the same guy who closed the store on a whim and made basket stacks too high for customers to reach. It's not like this was unusual for him. Was she really going to turn down free food?
And, for that matter, money? What would she even do with money?!
“Well, since you need my help so bad, I guess I can do that,” she declared. “Just don't expect me to do any janitoring.”
“no worries, i don't wanna lose my job.” A hand was extended. “the name’s sans, by the way. in case you forgot.”
“Whatever, I didn't,” Susie lied. “Um. Susie. In case you–”
“didn't forget.” He winked. “anyways. see ya whenever, kiddo.”