Cocktails and Beer. | Grillby x reader |

|Chapter 22| In which someone questions.

Grillby's POV:

I don't know what went over me. All of a sudden, Y/N faked that she was easily offended, and then it stirred into a flirty pun war. Just minutes before, I had nearly lost hope of my life, seeing that all of my life's efforts, memories, and days, were put into that bar. Yet, my little, seeming to be meaningless question seemed to have brought back our interactions.

I hadn't even been this playful ever since I had accidentally lifted her up from excitement.

Also I hadn't seen her this lively either. She's been so... proper, in the bar. Guess that's how she acts in her work environment... Guess I used to do it as well, being quiet, scrubbing away on my one stained glass...

"Is something wrong Grillby?" I heard Y/N softly spoke, her gaze at my face. I shook away the memories, and avoided eye contact.

"No, nothing's wrong." I excused myself.

"But, surely, staring off into the distance with tears in your eyes, is normal." Y/N used sarcasm as she resumed the spaghetti. "Also, don't lie to me Grillby."

I blankly stared at her, then sighed in defeat. My tears were wiped away by my hands, and I looked upon Y/N, with, a different light on her than back at work. She has a care as though she were caring for her co-workers. She keeps our relationship strictly platonic, except for this one moment.

"Why is it that you act differently now?" I softly asked.

"Pardon?" Y/N questioned me.

"Well, usually you would be more... professional. Now, you freely flirt with me!" My interesting choice of vocabulary made both of us have a burn on our cheeks.

"Well..." Y/N trailed off. She blinked as she took a deep breath in. "I had been ignoring you, ever since..."

Right. The bar was gone.

"I, I was glad you talked to me. You had been zoning out, and staring off into space with an intent look on your face." Y/N looked at my expression, then looked away. "I didn't want to disturb you, for you were obviously thinking of important things, like your bar, and Fuku."

"You don't have to do that." I frowned.

"But you need your isolation! Away from me. I have been so closely intertwined with your life, that I needed to back away!" Y/N looked to me with plead. "Please..."

"I...." I couldn't think of anything else to say. Y/N finished her spaghetti, and then left the room in a hurry. I could only watch her exit the small kitchen, with confusion, in my eyes.

I looked back to the finished pasta and sauce. I grabbed a plate from the overly tall sink, and scooped some noodles. I then looked at the bubbly sauce, the one with the brown sugar. I grab the spatula, then scooped myself Y/N's sauce. With a fork I also got from the cabinet, I twirled the spaghetti and sauce together. I ate the mouthful, slurping the pasta without my suggested flavor.

My eyes lit up at the taste.

It actually tastes good. I thought.

I turned my head back to where she left. My flaming eyes curved with guilt. I turned back around to look back at the sauce and spaghetti that she made. I sighed once again, causing the steam to move away from my sudden breath. I turned my head back to the doorway, with it's lack of a door and entity.

My soul nearly jumped out of my chest when I suddenly saw a body leaning against the door frame.

I nearly knocked over the pot and sauce pan with my startle! I quickly moved them back in their places, then looked over to the person responsible.

"Wow, you look spooked out of your skin." The one and only Sans punned.

"Sans.." I muttered.

"Sorry, sorry. Now's not the time." He casually walked into the small kitchen. With a glance at the meal Y/N has prepared, he looked back to me. "Look, I'm..." Sans trailed off as he rubbed the back of his spine. "Sorry. I caused you to burn down the bar, and..." He looked back up towards me, his eye sockets slanted with guilt.

"No. It's my fault."

"Grillby-"

"I'm serious Sans. You might have caused me to burn down the building, but it was me who didn't control his temper, and his flames." This may have caused some tears to form. "Sans. This isn't something you should be worrying about. Y/N and I would think of something..."

"Speaking of Y/N, do you know why she hasn't been acting herself lately? Or why... You haven't been acting yourself lately?" Sans leaned in with an inquired face.

"What do you mean?" I cocked my eyebrow at his questioning face.

"You know what I mean Grillby." Sans put his hands into his hoodie pockets. "Haven't I alluded to it when we were last in the pub?"

"Sans, I don't understa..." I trailed off, realizing what he meant. My mind has been purposely forgetful of encounters with Y/N, by playing dumb with myself and her. Our arguments are so.... Stupid, with the will to be away from each other. It's as though we are purposely screwing ourselves up, just so we could stall the connection between us. The bold acceptance of my offer, the fox monster, resulting in my fear-filled dream, causing Y/N to burn her hands. My cold stroke, and the fire in the bar. How could I be so ignorant to these interactions? I slumped against the cabinet, with magma-y eyes. "Why do I forget things like this?"

Sans must have looked at me with concern, since I felt his bony hand patting me on the shoulder. I rubbed my sinuses and my forehead, causing my glasses to push up. He seemed distant from me, slightly alarming me so I looked up to where Sans disappeared off to. My breath hitched as I met eye contact with the topic of my anxiety.

"Grillby..." She spoke softly, breath hitting my face due to the fact that we were close in proximity.

"Why are you back?" I mumbled. Y/N had a face of hurt.

"Sans persuaded me that you, need me..." She then smiled with a hint of a smirk. "Unless you... Don't?"

"Nonono! Not at all! I-I just, just didn't have any words to say!" My words clipped when I felt something alien on my cheek.

Y/N.... Is she...?

Y/N's face was gently grazing mine as her delicate, little lips touched my firey cheek. I was shocked, startled, and confused, even moreso than I had ever been in my life. My cheeks and nose are burning, with more flushed flames. The small moment felt like eternity, so when she finally left my face, I had a strange feeling, a hunger, inside my soul, that I had no idea I had. It also felt as though I were finally looking at the world with all of its color and wonder, like I had missed out on everything and all of its memories, connections, and emotion.

I must have looked lovestruck, for I came to grips with reality, realizing I was staring into the wall, and beyond, in a state of shock and happiness. My mouth had been slightly open, with no will to close it. I heard a chuckle from beside me, my mind registering it as Y/N.

"Think ya struck a match in Grillby, Y/N. With any other person, he's timid, calm, and about as blasè as I am." Sans commented on me, not seeming to care that I was listening.

"Did I? It more seemed like a wild fire." I could imagine Y/N smirking.

"Yeah. He's so emotional around you." Before this, I hadn't realized that I had been. Once again, I had been ignorant of myself.

"Finally you realize this." I heard Sans speak. I was confused to why he said that. Was that to me?

"Did I mumble that?" I asked, blinking my eyes to rid my state of being dazed.

"Yep you did Grilbs." Sans gestured to Y/N beside him. "Ya finally realized your feelings of Y/N."