Chapter Text
Walking down King st with his head hanging low, hands in his pockets, travels a skeleton. Not just any skeleton. This skeleton has the disputation of a rattle snake, and the looks that would make any sensible monster turn and walk the other way. Large pointed teeth, peppered in scars and cracks, and one more noticeably larger scar on the left side of his face.
Resting at the top of his head, an old injury that has grown in over the years, splitting down his brow, carving into his eye socket and stopping just above an older mouth injury of winters long past. Nestled in the missing chunk of bone sit is a rather large and shiny golden tooth. Two pricing glowing orbs for eyes glace down at the side walk as this skeleton tries to keep the attention away from him. One a bright crimson, the other a dull white.
Poor out of place bugger is on his way to work. He’s been living in this city for a few months now. A city that rightfully gained its name from the mountain that it happens to butt up right next to: Mt. Ebott, or better known as the City of Ebott. It’s a cozy little location where its current population has risen quite dramatically over the passing months, now closing in on two years after ‘The Event’.
This skeleton, rather stocky build, about medium sized, makes his way down town, walking fast, faces past and he’s inbound. Fortunately enough for him, he’s managed to land a job working as a dish washer at certain fire elemental’s new surface establishment.
Each noon he takes the same way to work, sometimes gawking with a glowing eyes at the blueness of the sky, the fluffiness of the wispy clouds up high and the brightness of the fire sun. Some days it would rain and he would walk without an umbrella just to feel the water patter on his bones, often getting his shirt soaked and being forced to change once arriving to his destination. He could easily teleport but his bulky frame needs the exercise. Round crimson belly will often times glow through light colored material and stain with magic, which is a bitch to get out. His comment, mind you.
The warm summer sun on cold bone would usually relax this skeleton just enough that he would unwillingly deactivate the crimson orb back into a soft light, matching the other that sits in his sockets. It would make him forget about the botched killing spree that he had the glory of surviving through, and the fact that what remains of his brother, his own really tall skeletal brother, wasn’t sitting in a vial in his pocket.
Today was a little different. This stocky skeleton is still making his way down town over to his place of work earlier than normal to help set up for a kids birthday party. This wasn’t any random child’s party, no no. This is the birthday party for the child behind the fabled event that released the monsters from their underground prison.
Opting to go into work early to help pre-party prep work for the Young Ambassador’s Birthday, which also happened to fall around the same time that Monster Kind was released from the Underground, Frisk had started to hold his private party at Grillby’s. All the original monsters that he managed befriended on his journey through the unknown would help set up for the now twelve year old child.
This skeleton would enter from the back of the restaurant to keep the disturbances down to a minimum. By now it was no secret that the new hire at Grillby’s looked just like another particular skeleton they all knew and missed. That’s right. There was a tragic accident a few months ago with an unexpected death to go along with it. This tragic event happened around the same time that this new crimson skeleton showed up so it was only natural that the original inhabitants would point the blame at him, claiming that he murdered the other to take his place, along with other highly rude conversations and gestures. This would often upset the crimson skeleton and he would either storm off or hold his own rude conversation.
And just why is this crimson version of a dead skeleton doing here? Well, it was mentioned earlier that he was a rather unfortunate victim of a botched genocide attempt. Somehow, being the only reaming monster in the underground would drive anybody into madness, causing them to try to find a way out, and that he did. This skeleton built himself a device that allowed him travel in-between words of all kinds. An interdimensional door way if you will, allowing this skeleton to abandon his home-world.
Once upon a time ago, this skeleton went by a different way of life back at home be he had an desire to start a new, being from a very very hostile version of the world he currently lives, this skeleton would often try to live as peacefully on the surface that he now calls home. Though, being able to go out and about at night to watch the starts without having to look over one’s shoulder all the time is truly an amazing feeling, something this skeleton has learned to love living out here.
Taking the name ‘Red’, as he hates being called by his real name but due to the fact that he shares a face with dead skeleton of the same font, Red makes a point clarify that he’s not the dead skeleton that everybody misses and he’s just a bozo that shares his face, Or in other words as he would like to say, “Fuck off, I’m not Sans.”
Finally making it to the rear entrance of his place of work, Red enters Grillby’s with a massive scowl already on his permanent smiling face. Grillby, his boss and owner of the restaurant, Muffet and Toriel were already hard at work on tonight’s entrées. Red sneaks in from behind, clocks in and gets to work keeping the place clean. He gives a greeting grunt and gets to work scrubbing off cake batter and related goo off of pots and tools. Occasionally he will hear quips of laughter and chatter coming from the ladies and they would look back at him. Red didn’t care that he wasn’t invited to the party. Sure he could go if he wanted to but he figures that it’s better to stay in the back and be ‘glad’ for Frisk, the annoying little brat.
And listen to that god’s awful noise that is Mettaton singing to Frisk, wishing him a happy birthday.
Nothing really changes. His own Mettaton would do the same when he was locked away underground back at home and even they seem to like it too. Red, on the other hand, was just too busy scrubbing away at rather hard spot on a rather feisty pan as the dining room door opens from inside the restaurant.
Grillby’s kitchen isn’t large, and Red’s nook is just big enough for him to work. The door slams shut, causing the ladies to jump, and Red can feel a set of eyes bore into the back of his head. He recognizes this feeling; it’s similar to the harsh gaze that Red would receive from when his own brother would catch him under his sentry desk back at home. More often than not, Red would get a little warning before magic would come piercing through the wood of his station.
The stocky and sneering skeleton turns to find himself locking eyes with this world’s Papyrus. He has to tilt his head up just a little to look into the taller skeleton’s face, and boyo is Papyrus staring hard. If Papyrus could, he would bore a hole in the edgy counterpart of his brother’s head.
The reinstated queen, Toriel, calls Papyrus away from the stare down. Red watches just him go and shrugs, then rolls his eye orbs and turns his back to the encounter to refocus his attention on this rather stubborn dish and continues to scrub, brushing off the encounter. Oh what Red would give for a proper brawl with somebody. A real fight, one that blood splatters and teeth fall out, but that’s highly frowned upon here.
Over the course of the late morning and into the afternoon, the chill would periodically return. Red decides that he doesn’t need this and would teleport out every once in a while. He would then reappear within a few moments as fresh set of dishes are placed at his station to scrub. Often humming songs with his harsh voice, scrubbing in tune or creating his own to keep pace with. Anything to stop a possible fight.
Expertly hidden under the large fold of his belly sits a tail. A short stubby tail that Red doesn’t want anybody to know about. It twitches and shakes, rubbing his soft belly almost casing a snort to escape from Red’s teeth. He just bites back the feeling and continues to scrub. One day he’ll let the tail out, just not today. Today, Red focuses on not braking another monsters teeth in.
That would be bad, no, horrible. It would look awful on Red’s part and he needs this job. Grillby was the only person that was kind enough to hire him and Red has taken it onto himself to keep on the good side of his boss. The stocky skeleton figures since Grillby was good friends with the original Sans, that this was probably the only reason that he received this job. Since then, Grillby has been very vocal about how grateful he is at hiring Red. Since he is a stocky, lower to the ground guy with weight on him, and who happens to be much more sinister looking then most monsters he knows, Red has broken up many a fight from breaking out in the bar.
One fast paced evening, a drunken argument between two humans went to a full out brawl and Red managed to not only pin both of humans down, but he also managed to throw both of the humans out like potatoes. Needless to say, don’t mess with the staff. Red seemed over joyed for the physical altercation to develop, which scared his boss to no end. He even told Grillby after that if anything like that were to happen again, that he would be more than happy to help break it up. Red also told his boss that in a sense it reminded him of his bar back at home.
That bar turned strip club after a certain hour was amazing to work at and this Grillby there happened to be purple flame monster that considered himself and his brother kin. Talking about his Grillby often brought a smile to Red’s face as he recalled his family stories. Red even managed to find Grillby’s dust back in Underfell and spread it around his bar, but keep his glasses. Even though Red was completely heartbroken when he found that pile of dust, the first thing he did was to fulfill his kin’s wishes and thought it was the kind thing to do.
As the afternoon draws to a close, the evening starts again. Party guests begin to arrive: First it’s some of the lesser monsters that Frisk befriended, then it becomes the boss monsters that he considers his close family. The dining room has been set up to accommodate for the patrons and Frisk finally arrives with King Asgore and Papyrus, who they had to practically shove through the door.
Rather orange in the face, the tall skeleton seems to be carrying something; it appears to be a jar full of glittering dust.
‘Must be his brother. That’s kinda dust-pressing.’ Red quips to himself as he does one final round before heading back into the kitchen. Nothing to bring back with him, the skeleton sticks his own hand in his pocket, clenching the small vial that rests within. ‘I’m no different.’ He passes the doors to go back into the kitchen, cleaning off counters and mopping up mess. Once his duties are finished, Red collects himself and tries to find something to do. Music and laughter fill into the kitchen every so often as Grillby comes in to head into his office or maybe another monster looking for a moment to themselves.
Time passes and Red can smell the cake being cut. It smells amazing and he grumbles a little to himself. Grillby did bring the kitchen skeleton some food about an hour ago, telling him that they would love it if Red joined them. Red often rejects and stays in his spot. He knows he’s not going to be welcomed out there, the other interactions of the past have proven that.
However, Red occasionally pokes his head out of the doors to see if there are dishes that need to be claimed and cleaned. Other than that, he just sits in the back on his phone surfing the web. Looking up star chats and fun little workshops that any of the planetariums might be hosting. Chatting with online friends and just getting into some harmless trouble.
Totally the gulfed into his phone, Red doesn’t hear the doors that lead from the dining room into the kitchen open. The sound of sneakers on tile stirs him from his game. He looks up thinking he is going to get scolded again by Grillby, only to find Frisk standing in place. The fearless child is standing there with a small plate of cake and a small smile on his face. Acne and age are starting to catch up with him, little spots start to litter his soft face.
“Thought that you might want some.” Frisk delivered with a soft voice. He places the plate on the counter next to Red, who follows the child’s actions with wide eyes, gripping his phone in his clawed hands. Red then nods, mumbling a ‘thanks’ with an uncertain voice. It’s much deeper than Frisk is used to hearing and his small face scrunches up. This child then gives the skeleton another small smile and turns to take his leave.
“Wait!” Red squeaks out, chattering his teeth. Frisk stops and turns to look back at him.
“Knock Knock.” Large stupid grim grows on Red’s face. Frisk’s face lights up in response. “Who’s there?” He replies with a cheerful tune. “Abby.” Red japes back. “Abby who?” Frisk returns. “Abby birthday to you.” Red snickers out. Frisk snickers at that retort.
‘Ugh, that was horrible, but I still got it. That might make the kid happy.’ Red snicker to himself, rough voice chuckling. Frisk wipes a tear away, his Sans would have filled the whole night with stupid jokes like that, and it seems that he missed him dearly.
“I like birthdays like the next bozo, but I think too many can kill ya.” Red shrugs off and ends with a wink. Frisk starts to laugh. “One more, one more. Okay. Why are birthday’s good for ya?” Red asks him. Frisk nods with eager anticipation. “Statistics show that the people who have them the most live the longest!” Red ends his one liner with his signature ‘Ey’. Frisk laughs and laughs, snorts too. It sounds like he really needed that tonight. The child wipes more tears from his face. “Thank you, but I’ve got to get back out there. You are more than welcome to join us if you want.” Frisk offers. Red shakes his head.
“As much as I would love to be out there telling more horrible jokes, I’m gonna have to decline the offer. Your friends and family don’t really see me as a nice guy and I can tell that I remind them a little too much of your missing skeleton. Papyrus seems takes it the hardest.” Red explains to Frisk, who looks down, a little sad.
“Hey, have a fun rest of your party kiddo. You better head back out before they come looking for ya, thinking I stole you away or some shit. Judging by the time, I better fire up this here sink and clear a spot. I’ve got a lot of work to do before I can go home.” Red smiles at Frisk, who then waves good bye and takes his real leave back out into the party.
A loud sigh then sounds out from Red. “Fuck…. I don’t want to get involved with that brat. Never again.” He narrows his harsh sockets at the swinging door and straightens up his back. Never again. No more kid. No more family.