Six Skeletons and The Waitress

25. Black Tea

"OH! EDGE DID. YOUR FRIEND AND I REFRAINED HIM FROM USING THE WHOLE BOTTLE, YOUR WELCOME!" He grinned.

You frowned softly, chewing the lasagna and swallowed. A shiver ran down you spine as you took yet another fork full, this time much larger than the first two. It was terrible but it meant something if Edge willingly gave you a piece of his food—did it? He was so confusing and hard to read sometimes.

Listening to Papyrus talk was soothing and almost masked the vinegar taste if you chewed fast and swallowed on mark time. Papyrus paused, concern written over his skull as he lightly patted your back.

"DON'T RUSH, YOU MIGHT CHOKE." He said, shaking his skull like a mother scolding her son. You flushed and shoved another mouthful of the last piece, making his sigh and hand you the cup of tea.

Inhaling, you began to cough. Slamming your fist on your chest, you hastily took the tea and took two large gulps. The sting on your tongue caused your eyes to water, yet you didn't stop as you chugged the whole thing down.

"SEE? IF YOU SLOWED DOWN YOU WOULDN'T HAVE CHOKED!" He said, the obvious hint of worry making you smile weakly and wipe the tears from your eyes. A loud groan escaped your lips as you leaned back, coughing slightly.

"I thought I was going to die." You humoured, trying to lighten to sudden damp mood. Papyrus tensed besides you and quickly worked his hands to your throat. A startled gasp came from you and you body shut down—various of incidents coming back at you in full force as you stayed still. Breathing cut off as you stared up at Papyrus in horror. Your instincts rushed back at full force as you jerked your hand to his chest, successfully pushing him off with a hard snap of your wrist.

The soft buzz on your skin faded just like the soft glow in Papyrus' palms. You stared eye wide at him and he stared back nervously.

Your hand quickly wrapped around your neck and swallowed thickly.

Wringing his red gloves, he sheepishly tried to smile but flinched when you moved slightly afar. The food was on the nightstand, thankful that you had thought to put it down before greedily chugging down the tea.

"I-I'M SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED BEFORE USING MAGIC ON YOU. I.. I PANICKED."

He panicked? You were the one having war-like flashbacks by your brothers, all those times being tied up and dragged upstairs forever bruised your skin. You brought you bottom lip in between your teeth, gnawing softly on the soft lip as you nodded.

"It's okay, j-just tell be before you pounce, okay?"

he eagerly nodded his head, and just like that the damp atmosphere melted away and he began to talk about the last few weeks without any contact from you, how he was worried when you refused to answer his call—he thought it was because your brothers but Sans said you might've needed some time to yourself.

You apologized and said that you were embarrassed to face the others—he asked why and you quickly deflected the situation and topic to something entirely unrelated.

********

Work was mediocre. A guy came in demanding cash and Muffet stepped in before the situation lead to another encounter. Easily directing him out the door with sweet words and empty promises.

Then a mother of two questioned the café's decor and choice of students; lecturing you how unsanitary it was to have bugs freely wandering where other customers could see. With the training Hannah gave you imprinted in your brain, you slapped on a convincing smile and softly lectured her about the difference between actual spiders and Monster Spiders, she didn't take kindly to that and swore that you were being brainwashed, to which you rolled your eyes and kept the overbearing smile then telling her to leave the premises as she was making other customers uncomfortable.