Flickering Lights

Chapter 5: Warning

Colletta bustles about in the coffee shop with practiced ease. Mary, her current co-worker was already in the kitchen doing prep work.

"Hey, Mary! How are you today? " She popped her head in the small kitchen. Mary turns to greet her with a wave. She set down the knife in her hand to sign.

"Hello, Colletta. I've been well. How about you?" Her red lips curled up in a gentle smile. Her short oak-brown hair framed around her chubby cheeks and her green eyes shone joyfully in the lighting of the kitchen.

"Same old. Same old. Anyways, do you need any help before I leave to clean the tables and set everything up?"

"No, I'm fine." Mary chuckled before shooing Colletta away. "Don't procrastinate on your work," she jokingly chided her.

"Alright, alright. I'll go. Call me if you need anything." Colletta allowed herself to be pushed out before grabbing a small plastic bucket and putting warm water and soap in it. She took a clean towel and used the soapy water to wipe the table, chairs, and countertops. Once done, she poured the dirty water to focus on prepping the tools used to make drinks. Time ticked by quickly as she worked and soon it was time to open.

Flipping the sigh over to say 'open,' she waits for customers to trickle in. As she greeted the somewhat sluggish customers and took their orders, she caught a familiar flaming head in her peripheral vision.

"Hey, Grillby. Same order as last time?" She asked when the fire elemental was next in line.

He nodded. She put in his previous order and began making it. "So, how have you been this week? Bar as busy as usual?"

"I'm fine. My establishment is always the same. However, I have been witnessing and hearing some... concerning things this week." Colletta could feel his invisible eyes when her muscles froze.

Forcing herself to work through the discomfort, she inquired about the 'concerning things,' "... I see. What are they, if you don't mind me asking."

"How a certain roommate blackmailed Sans into striking an unfair deal or something along the lines of that. I wish to hear what you have to say about it."

"Maybe he was acting like a complete dumbass." She roughly poured the expresso into a white cup. The original Sans was an asshole even if his friends say otherwise. The small, rotund skeleton was anything, but indolent and lackadaisical. He was a paranoid and weary monster, always picking fault at those he deemed a danger to his and his brother's life.

Even if he had suffered a lot, this does not mean he gets to lash out at anyone he dislikes.

"You didn't get hurt, did you?" Worry tinge his quiet tone. That was... something. She had thought he would've defended the original Sans' actions.

"Not really. Strangely, Red and Mutt were out during the... disagreement. I'm not complaining, but it is very suspicious," she shrugged as she finished Grillby's drink. Handing it to him, he gave her the money for it. Just as she was about to give Grillby back his change, he shook his head.

"Keep it as a tip for your troubles."

"This is too much, Grillby. I can't in good conscience receive so much money. Do not pay back for something that is not your fault." She tried to give back the change, but he continued to refuse to take it.

"Keep it. You need it more than I do."

"I already found a place to live. I'm not tight on money, Instead, you can use this money on your daughter," she sighed, exasperated by his thinking.