Eyes of Stone (Gaster!Sans x Reader)

14. Iron Heart

There was nothing like the first inhale of smoke. I don't wanna be impressionable on anyone, but I don't have lungs, so for me, there are no consequences for smoking.

Continuing along the street, which was beginning to get busier and busier, I took in the life around me. Everyone was going about their day, as casually as the next. It was someone's birthday, it was someone's death, it was someone's anniversary, and it was someone's promotion. Everyone had their own life, their own issues, their own joys- and yet I felt as if I was isolated from them all. What was it called again? Oh yeah, 'sonder'.

Laughter rippled throughout the market at one of the stalls, monsters chatting with each other to their hearts content. As I passed Muffet's cafe and restaurant, I couldn't help but remember what Undyne said to me. It was only last week, anyway.

"The glares, the stares.. Doesn't it ever get lonely?"

I remembered my obstinate answer- "No, it doesn't get lonely.."

However, I found myself agreeing with her. One part of me was scoffing, denying it and insisting that I was perfectly fine, that this life was calm and quiet, I didn't need to be surrounded by people and laughs. And the other? It was agreeing, admitting that, maybe I was.. lonely.

Hell, if this wasn't loneliness- staring around at smiling faces and noticing the absence of one on my own face- then I didn't know what was.

Sighing inwardly, I continued to walk back to the house before I caught anymore strange looks.

-/[&^\

Finally, I found myself kicking open the front door, relaxing at the musky smell and sound of drunk laughter echoing from within. Closing the door behind me with a noticeable slam, I trudged through to the bar, where a fair number of monsters were playing card games and ordering drinks from Grillby, who was standing by the middle table, seemingly watching the game that was going on. Poker, yet again. Should spice it up with a bit of Irish Snap, I thought to myself.

But, as soon as I was in the room, the laughter died like a wild animal being shot, the animated, lively sound dissipating at once. The quiet music was the only thing to be heard, as all eyes became fixed on me. 

Okay, I knew I was the boss around here, but what was with all the weird looks?

Grillby was the first to react, pushing me back into the hallway with a very angry shove.

"Where have you been?" His voice crackled and hissed like an over-stoked fire. Now on the topic, his hands were glowing fiercely, as was his head as the fire rippled and spiked.

"What do you mean where have I been? I've only been gone for a couple hours-"

"A couple hours? You've been gone for 3 days!" Grillby's usually quiet and soft voice now had an angry edge to it, reminding that he was indeed, what some would call a 'boss-monster', like myself. Grillby normally didn't say much, but when he did, it was because he was passionate about something, whether it be in a negative way or a positive one.

Wait. 3 days? As in a 24-hour span of time? 3 of those in fact?!

"3 days? Man, I didn't realise I had been gone for so long.." I gulped, scratching the back of my skull sheepishly. Grillby pushed me back with a flat palm on my shoulder, still obviously angry.

"Where were you?"

"It's not a big deal, just this thing.." My voice trailed off as I saw his expression- one of disbelief and annoyance.

"Don't lie," Grillby's voice had calmed down a bit, returning slowly to his normal soft tone, "I was worried about you." 

"Geez, Grillby you didn't need to be worried about me. I'm fine!" I insisted when he gave me a 'I don't believe a word of that' look.

"I was worried too!" Matthias suddenly chirped up, jumping out from behind Grillby. I chuckled, something I didn't do too often, evident by the surprised look on Matthias' face.

"Well I'm fine."

"Tell me where you've been." Grillby spoke again.

"Aight, aight, I will. Only after a drink, though, I'm exhausted." I sighed, rolling my aching shoulders. I wasn't lying, I was physically and emotionally drained from the whole ordeal in the void. chara sure could manipulate you with your past, and your emotions.

Grillby huffed, turning and going back to the bar to retrieve a beer, whilst Matthias ran back to the room to assure everyone that I was fine. I didn't think they'd notice, honestly, and I sure as hell wasn't expecting Grillby to react in that way.

Maybe I wasn't completely alone, after all.

-/[&^\

"And that's what happened. I ended up on the West side, too, so I had to trek back here." I sighed, rubbing my face tiredly. Grillby nodded understandingly, sitting across from me on a wooden chair. I was sat on the worn-out sofa, cupping an empty beer bottle in one hand.

"You'll only feel truly recovered tomorrow," He spoke after a moment, his fire waving and flickering hypnotically, "What did chara want?"

"To see me broken. Hell, that's deep," I chuckled, before continuing, "I think she's going to... kill Y/n and take her soul. Frisk was the last person to ever have the reset power, and I know Y/n doesn't have it."

Grillby nodded thoughtfully. Despite his lack of ability to know when a reset had happened unlike me, I told him what they were anyway, and explained the timelines. Resets weren't gonna happen anymore, anyway- Frisk was gone, gone for good. The thought filled me with dark memories and a sick type feeling, but I pushed it away, knowing it would do me no good.

"I don't know what's gonna happen, Grillby, and it makes me sick to think of what she will do to her." My voice cracked bitterly as leaned back, my head hitting the top of the sofa.

"We can never know what will happen, we can only hope for the best, and do what we can." Grillby comforted, setting me at ease a little.

"Heh, I've got too many skeletons in my closet, Grills," I joked, watching his face light up (quite literally as well), "Or maybe humans in my basement.." I chuckled, before the realization hit me like a pan to the skull.

"CRAP MARLI!!" I gasped, jumping up from the sofa and throwing the door open. Without a moment to waste, I slid down the banister and ran down the steps leading to the basement, all whilst murmuring profanities under my breath.

However, when I reached the door and went to slide the bolts across, I found that the door, quite literally, had been blown off its hinges. Not so much blown, but more like unscrewed. That clever little-

"Great. She's gone." I huffed as I kicked the door down, watching it slam to the ground. The chair was empty, and the bonds cut loose. She either got help or escaped on her own; I was assuming the latter because the town wasn't panicking about spotted humans. Hopefully this wouldn't lead into anything bigger.

"Care to explain?" Grillby's voice sounded behind me, with the tell-tale crackle of his fire, sounding unimpressed.

"So... I may have been keeping a human in my basement.. Literally and metaphorically. And they escaped." I groaned, imagining a pile labeled 'problems' slowly growing bigger and bigger, until it was the size of Mount. Ebbot.

A sigh was the only response I got.

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