> sɪx sᴋᴇʟᴇᴛᴏɴs
"𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦."
You remembered the day like it was yesterday. You woke up one morning and turned on the television. The whole network was instantly drawn to the story of strange beings setting foot outside Mt. Ebbot in 201X. The news ate up every last bit they could mesh together and documented it like it was a holiday. Monsters ranging from fuzzy monsters to literal sentient elements beings, it was what everyone was talking about. Society was divided into either accepting or banishing these creatures, that was the harsh reality where prejudice still made itself present.
Despite these faults, however, a human was given the role of the monster's Ambassador. A young child who somehow freed the monsters from the underground who were trapped there long ago. You believed their name was Frisk.
Adored by the creatures below, they spoke out about the monster's hopes and dreams to look forward to a better and peaceful future. Heck, you'd even say that this kid was doing what current politicians can't. Not even a mere fraction of their power rival the Ambassador's heartfelt actions. By then the world accepted these friendly faces in today's community.
Some would live in the new monster and human suburb, like you did, or would live out in the countryside. Wherever you were, you'd expect to see a few friendly neighbours just around the corner. You, yourself, were excited about this change of events. Plus it would be good business for the store if any decided to live in your town.
But you guessed anything could be possible at this point.
Including Jessabell's new monster girlfriend.
"Oh and then- and then! Me and Blanca went to see the jellyfish and she was super impressed! She couldn't stop staring at them!" You mindlessly listened to her rambling. Not that you were tuning her out to be rude, but more so that you were desperately trying to keep your balance on the ladder as you restocked the remaining item.
But you would mutter a small input here and there.
The brunette dreamily sighed, hands on her cheek in a loving expression. She's become more animated she's become the moment the two started dating, not that you were complaining. You were proud of her for opening up to someone.
Like a love-sick puppy, she would proclaim that it was the "power of love" in every action she'd do. Not to mention the literal hearts in her eyes would appear whenever she talked about her. It was adorable in some weird yet amusing way.
"Well if she breaks your heart let me know 'cause I'll-" In return, she groaned. Whatever blissful daydream she had melted away.
The woman crossed her arms. "Yes, yes I know. But don't go and murder her or anything!" You let out a chuckle, setting aside the now-empty box.
"I'm just looking out for you Jess." Rolling her eyes, she playfully punched your shoulder. Muttering out a dull "whatever" as she went back behind the counter. You went back to the shelves, shuffling the goods and checking the packaging for any damages and whatnot. A slow yet expected uneventful day in the corner store.
Normally with was either you or Jessabell running the store but evidently, the boss needed both of your help to unload the new monster foods he ordered. And when he said help, more like you doing the heavy lifting while the prized daughter talked your ear off.
You've never had any monster culinary treats before but, according to your coworker, they were filled with magic. It was some sort of element monsters used to express themselves and, in some cases, can heal you when ingested.
As magical as it sounded, you were pretty amazed about the capabilities of such simple things.
A variety of butterscotch cinnamon pies, monster candies, and cinnamon Bunnies were coming in. Even that popular brand of MTT burgers and packaged food managed to hit local shopping shelves. Yet that wasn't all that was listed in the order descriptions. They all look so appetizing. You probably would snag a bag of the new orders before your shift ends.
The woman caught your attention, calling out your name. You hummed in response, flattening the last box.
"How long have you been working here?"
You raised a brow. "Two years...?"
"And you still haven't found a partner during that time?! Outrageous!" She shrieked in shock. You were suddenly grabbed by the shoulders, or well her tip-toeing to reach them since she was half your height. Pure terror washed over her eyes as if she'd seen a ghost. In exhilaration, you felt your body sway back and forth. Her yelling filled the empty store.
"How can someone as cool and level-headed as you not bagged anyone yet?!?!" Your eyebrow quirked in irritation at her wording. "You like to tick all the green flags people look for. You have a steady job, a good sense of humour, and good date ideas. Even with that one guy-!"
With a gentle smile, you placed your hands on top of hers, realising you from her deadly grip. You can tell that Jessabell was trying her best to butter you up, it was making you a bit embarrassed, but she had good intentions.
You explained to her it never really occurred to you since you've been so busy with work. Dropping in your two cents into the mix about the really friendly guy was harmless. It only lets a loud breath of frustration out of your hyper friend.
"I appreciate your words, but..." You bit your lip for a moment, thinking about the words you said at the park. You did embark on change from now on, so was this the way to go? Seek out a new relationship. Fall in love? Settle down? Did the loud sound come from the humming lights or was your heart thumping rapidly out of your chest?
To be fair, the thought of you seeing someone was never out of the question. Again, it wasn't a main priority. But this could be a gateway to having some fun. Learning new experiences.
And possibly finding your soulmate...?
To ease her questioning stare, more like nosey intentions, you leaned in and whispered an answer.
"If I find someone you'll be the first to know, 'kay?" You squeezed her hands to reassure her curious appetite. Jessabell looked at indifference but nodded in understanding nonetheless.
Slowly, yet surely, letting go of your hands. You felt a wave of relief wash over you. Now that your tormenter was at bay you could happily go on about the few remaining tasks in the store.
This is what you could have done before the doors slid open followed by the iconic bell.
"Hello and welcome!" The woman greeted. What you didn't expect was a booming voice to return her words. It honestly startled you, almost causing you to drop the flattened boxes under your arm. You couldn't catch a good glimpse at the customer(s) walking into the store. Only a blur of a tall and short figure flashed by your sight before disappearing into the aisles.
Jessabell caught sight of your frozen body before taking the cardboard into her hands. "Here, I'll take care of this. Attend to the new customers while I'm out." You tilted your head in confusion. It was already strange she was willing to help out with restocking, normally she slacks off and goes on her phone as you manoeuvred through the aisles. But the words new customers piqued your interest. Jessabell left with a wink before disappearing to the backrooms.
You happily obliged, seeing her off as you fixed yourself behind the register. The same voice erupted in the building, you could see a gloved hand poking out from the top of the shelves.
"WE MUST FIND THE PERFECT SPAGHETTI NOODLES FOR TONIGHT! THE NEIGHBOURS WILL BE SO IMPRESSED BY MY CULINARY SKILLS THAT THEY'LL BE BEGGING TO BE FRIENDS WITH ME!"
"sure thing bro. anything else would just be impastas." The second voice was much lower than before. A deep hum from his words followed by comical drums to land his joke.
Wait, did you imagine that or-
You can hear the other one groan talking about how there is no time for puns... by retorting back with another pun...? "YOU BETTER BE PUTTING SOME BACK-BONE AT HOME THEN WHILE I'M COOKING." The other one replied with a soft snort before the two resumed their shopping.
After a few minutes of idling at your station, the two finally showed themselves. If the world couldn't give you any more surprises that is. The two strangers were a pair of skeletons both grinning at you. You understood the taller monster's pun now.
The tallest one was by far the most unique one out of the pair, well you couldn't exactly say that since you've never met a sentient skeleton before. He was double the height of the shortest monster beside him. Almost rivalling your height by just a head behind. His attire jumped at you, grabbing your attention. It looked like some sort of armour or a battle suit. Dipped in white with accents of gold and back.
A red scarf draped his shoulders like a superhero, you wouldn't be surprised if he was one. He wore red gloves and boots with blue shorts to complete the look. Everything about the boney fellow screamed confidence. From the way he talked, to what he wore, heck even the way he posed dramatically to set the basket on the counter was radiated!
"Hello, how are you?" You muster up the courage you had, but the blinding force of the proud bony fellow was unmatched.
"GREETINGS HUMAN! THE GREAT PAPYRUS WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE THESE!" You simply nodded, scanning each item before putting them in a bag.
There was a large number of spaghetti boxes and pasta sauce. How peculiar, you weren't sure how skeletons would eat considering they don't have stomachs.
...Or anything else...
It'd be rude to ask either way.
"SANS! WAKE UP!" You heard the taller one, Papyrus you assumed, call out to the shorter one. As you scanned the items, you caught sight of the one named "Sans". He appeared to have fallen asleep while standing up. That must have taken great skill since he looked so comfortable and at ease.
With a lazy grin on his face as well!
Despite the fact, Papyrus was poking him and swatting his head. He wore a simple outfit. Blue hoodie with a white shirt underneath and black basketball shorts. Was he always wearing pink sippers? You quietly giggle to yourself at the wild clothes the pair wore.
He seemed to be the more laid-back and lazy type. His posture was always slouched just a bit, making him about the same height as Jessabell. Maybe even small on closer inspection.
"PLEASE EXCUSE MY BROTHER. HE'S JUST REALLY LAZY AND ISN'T BORED OF THIS NICE STORE OR YOUR PRESENCE I PROMISE." You could have 'awed' at his sincerity but you only shook it off saying it didn't bother you. Papyrus smiled while holding his sleeping brother by the hood.
"I assume both of you are new in town?" You began packing the items into a bag. You swore you packed the same box of carbonated noodles three times at this point. The Great Papyrus placed a hand on the hip bone, positioning himself like a pristine model. "WHY YES, HUMAN. I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS!" He then gestured to his brother dozing off. "THIS IS MY LAZYBONES OF A BROTHER SANS."
It was the perfect time for his brother, you assumed Sans, to open one of his eye sockets before winking at you. "sup kid?"
"YOU SEE, WE JUST MOVED INTO THE NEWLY BUILT HOUSE! WE'RE CURRENTLY LIVING WITH OUR RELATIVES THERE. YOU MUST HAVE SEEN THAT MASSIVE BUILDING THAT'S BEEN BUILDING FOR A WHILE."
You thought for a second. Come to think of it, you did see a newly built building not far from your street. These might have been your new neighbours.
A chance to get to know a pair of skeletal friends, plus the possibility of more, sounded alright. You were looking forward to what kind of misadventures they'd be having and what kind of shenanigans they might bring into the dainty corner store.
Somewhere deep inside you sparked at the thought as you smiled to yourself.
You scanned the last item, which was a bottle of ketchup, before reading out their total cost. Papyrus handed you the money. You placed the receipt while dropping the change into his gloved palms. Before you could bid them goodbye a joyful grin graced on the customer's teeth.
"WE'RE HOSTING A WELCOME PARTY FOR EVERYONE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD! YOU, HUMAN, SHOULD NOT MISS OUT ON SUCH A GRAND EVENT HOSTED BY SOMEONE WHO'S AS DASHING AS EVER!"
Was...he inviting you...?
As if he read your mind he struck another pose, his scarf flowing in the nonexistent wind. "I HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!" You flushed at his words, giving him a crooked grin.
Sans dropped in a few words. "come join us for a bite. it'll be pasta-tively amazing." The lame joke caused a fit of giggles to leave your lips. His white pupils stole a glimpse at you before the same lazy grin made its way to his skull. Papyrus rolled his eye sockets but couldn't help to smile at his older brother.
"c'mon that was a good one, bro. you're even smiling."
"I KNOW AND I HATE IT!"
You had a feeling he secretly enjoyed it. Maybe it was because he preferred to land the jokes.
"I get off work in about an hour so I should be good, just let me know when and where." At the sound of your approval, Papyrus's entire mood lit up like a glowstick. He quickly jotted down the address with his conveniently placed notebook and pen. He ripped the paper and handed it to you.
"IT WAS NICE MEETING YOU HUMAN!"
"Please... call me (Y/N). And I can't wait." Although you kept your cool composure, buckets of sweat would leak out from your scalp at any moment. A mixture of anticipation and anxiety swirled in your stomach. Its forces couldn't blend into a manageable nervousness.
Papyrus nodded before bidding you fair well, not before roaring his signature laugh filled with "NYEH HEH HEHS!'. He dragged his lazy brother by the hood while juggling to carry the rest of the groceries. A grumble of a "see ya later kid." was the last thing you heard before Sans fell back asleep.
You watched Papyrus walk in one direction before yelling something at his brother and going the other way.
You caught yourself giggling at the puns that were thrown earlier, as bad as they were.
What an interesting pair of skeletons.
"You're in a good mood." You felt your skin jump out as the sneaky devil herself crawled behind you. A smug look on her face as her hands pulled behind her back. You could only gawk at her.
"I guess I am...?" Another eye roll met your demise. She ushered to the two monsters who were in the store moments ago.
"C'mon, man! Didn't you think they were at least cute? They're something else compared to our usual regulars!" You let out an awkward sound like it was a faltered laugh.
'She can't be serious can she?' But the mischievous glint in her eyes gave away the already rising tension in the air. You wouldn't be surprised if this was a whole set-up and devious plan. You can already see the horns and tail growing out of your friend. Was Jessabell some sort of convenient plot device to start your heart-pounding steamy love life in the future? Oh god, what are you even saying at this point?
Look, you loved Jessabell, but you weren't in the mood for more of her antics. Besides you treated the pair as you would any other customer.
"Sure...I guess?"
"UGH (Y/N)!" Another fit was thrown as you defensively put your hands up like a deer in headlights. "You can't just be the yes man and agree with everything I say!"
"I'm being honest though!" You argued back. "I guess they were... interesting?" Jessabell sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. You could hear her mutter strings of disappointment and missed opportunities with a dash of determination to get some action. At this rate, she could be speaking in tongues and placing a curse on you.
"I'll let you finish early for tonight so you can get ready. You seriously need to get out more and make some new friends." Why didn't it surprise you that she was listening to your conversation the entire time, too?
But your body suddenly jolted at the glaring fact. "What about your Dad? I can always stay a bit longer if the rest of the inventory isn't unloaded yet."
She tutted her words once more, muttering your name like a disappointed mother. "Relax." She dragged out the last word, "I got it all covered." You felt her hands shove you towards the staff room doors.
As much as you cried and pled for her to stop, more like effortlessly stopped her. Her hands pushed your entire weight like it was nothing before you were kicked to the curb. "Have fun!" A muffled tease slipped through the cracks before you heard the store doors slide open once more.
Dread washed over you as realization slowly settled in your mind.
You didn't have a housewarming gift.
✧༺♥༻∞
"Oh god, is it too late to turn back?" You mummer to yourself.
Cold feet were the expression you were accustomed to, yet the burning sensation between your skin and the collar on your neck stuck like glue.
After the whole Jessabell ushering you to leave the store, you managed to whip up a decently sized cake the moment you got home. It was a chocolate cake made from a cake mix box you don't remember buying. Luckily it hasn't expired yet, the universe was keen on you going out later.
It only took a solid hour to prep your ingredients before you got to work. Wholeheartedly, you weren't some master chef or professional baker but as you took the dessert out from the oven, you'd say you did a pretty good job. Its rich chocolatey goodness made you salivate a little, but you knew if you took a single bite now the cake would disappear in three seconds.
You decorated it with the icing mix it came with and added some leftover sprinkles you used for this morning's fairy bread. You wiped the sweat off your brow with your forearm, admiring the plain yet neat-looking cake in all its glory. You were just finishing the final touches off adding 'WELCOME!' in big black royal icing letters before your alarm went off.
6:30 PM.
Thirty more minutes before the party. You mentally cursed your time management skills.
You searched for a cake container and a nice plastic back to carry it in.
With the possibility of being late breathing down your neck, you quickly took a shower and changed into some casual clothes. A warm sweater vest in your favourite colour over a white polo shirt. Throwing on some cargo pants you looked into the mirror as you fixed your hair.
Soon after you rushed out your apartment door with your shoes halfway in, once you grabbed everything you needed you were on your way to what the night had in store for you.
Your SOUL was hammering itself against your ribcage as your head lifted to the sky. You knew the house was big but Papyrus didn't mention it being a full-blown mansion! Scratch that, your exaggerated perception seemed from being coupled up in a small building. Nonetheless, it was a large house for what you assumed were for two skeletons. Perhaps there were more neighbours to meet.
The breathtaking home resembled those traditional mansions you'd see in the countryside. Towering off-white walls, dark oak-coloured roof tiles and even a nice lush garden with a small fountain in the middle. If it looked nice inside then you had no idea what the interior would be like.
These monsters must be stacked rolls of money, and better yet have well-paying jobs! You open the gates and stroll across the stone footpath towards the door. You could already hear the bustling waves of chitter-chatter. A shriek alarmed your whole body but was followed by laughter.
You clutched the baked good close to you, swallowing down the crawling creature named Fear. With enough willpower, you rang the doorbell and braced for impact.
DING DONG!
One second passed.
Then five.
Then ten.
Why were you already instantly regretting coming here-?
The jingle of the doorknob caused you to catch glass in your throat. In a rush of embarrassment, you fixed yourself as best you could before your eyes landed on a familiar face..? A bony structure held the door, leaning his hand on the frame as his red pinpricks looked you up and down.
"Sans...?" You called out in more of a question since you were unsure if this was the same sans you saw earlier today.
He definitely looked like Sans. The same height that was just below your shoulders, head shape, lazy grin, and sluggish posture. Yet his regular blue and white colour scheme was wiped away with a new shade of black and red. His toothy grin held a more sinister intent behind them, razor-sharp sinister tendencies mind you. Pointy teeth like that could break the skin, let alone the golden tooth that stuck out like a sore thumb. He was dressed in extra layers making him appear slightly bigger. He wore a black winter jacket with a furry hood over his red turtleneck. The same basketball shorts but with accents of yellow along with red runner shoes.
He took note of the name you called him before smirking, leaning his body closer to you. His voice growled like a hungry predator. You can hint at some sort of a Brooklyn accent behind his words as he whispers to you.
"if you keep undressing me with your eyes, i'm gonna catch a cold." Your face contorted to a mixture of cringe and disgust. Your feet pivoted to the nearest exit, yearning for the sanctuary of your bed.
"Excuse me-!"
The monster's mischievous attitude burst into one of amusement causing a loud guffaw. He whipped his head back with his sharp skeletal hands on his face. "i'm just kidding, sweetheart! don't look so chilled to the bone!" He sighed wiping away a comedy gold tear. "man, you humans are fun to tease."
Flames lit on the apples of your cheek. You averted away from his gaze, mustering up whatever dignity you had left. "I'm here for the party. Papyrus and Sans invited me." You spoke, taming any discomfort lingering at bay. At the mention of his name, his eye sockets slightly widened in curiosity. "oh yeah, those two numbskulls were off shopping. you must be the person my cousin kept talkin' about."
He let you pass through as the door closed behind you. The amalgamation of mindless voices echoed in and out of your ears. The inside was much more cosier than you anticipated. It just looked like three cabins merged into one big house.
The long corridor twisted and turned with rooms left and right and you caught sight of stairs at the end of the hallway. You could easily get lost in such a maze but it was all breathtaking to look at and explore.
As much as you tried to be friendly your eyebrows and lips twitched in irritation. Whether the monster noticed or not he still held his signature deadly smile.
A surprised look painted your face. "Good things, I hope." You sheepishly replied, but the monster just shrugged squinting his eye sockets by a millimetre. You entirely forgot that Papyrus mentioned living with relatives, let alone cousins. You made a mental note for later just in case you find more skeletons in some closets.
"I'm (Y/N) by the way."
He picked at his teeth. "red. i'm colour coded so don't forget it." He winked earning a lopsided smile to crack on your lips.
"I'm sorry that I mistook you for someone else."
"s'fine. happens all the time."
"How many of you are living here?"
"just the six of us. you've already met papyrus, sans plus me. you'll probs see the others once dinner's finished." He grimaced at the word dinner, oblivious to the weird glint in his eye sockets.
"Welcome to the neighbourhood, Red. I hope you and your relatives enjoy your time here. I hope we can be friends." You beamed at him. A silent gasp escaped his teeth. But the words died on his tongue, instead, he deflected his red pinpricks to the side. A red hue glossed over his cheekbones.
"what the fuck are you on about, kid?" He murmured to himself. A string of grumbles ruptured from his ribcage followed after, but the indistinguishable sound left you with nought.
You furrowed your brows, and a strange atmosphere graced the two of you.
Red, from first impression, seemed to be an intimidating guy. Even though he barely reaches your shoulders he still managed to strike fear within your SOUL. Trust me, although Jessabell was shorter than you, people don't use the term "short-tempered" for nothing. But despite the awkward greeting, you lasso the mood light before he decides to pounce on you like a cheetah.
"WHO'S AT THE DOOR RED?!"
Or so you thought...
A pair of marching feet thumped the floors. From one of the corners of the room, another soul joined the main character's party. At closer inspection, the owner of the new voice belonged to someone with a more friendly aura. Another Sans lookalike but, of course, acts completely different from the said monster.
However, his whole demeanour and mannerisms reminded you of Papyrus. He wore a grey suit with a pair of round shoulder plates. with cyan strips at the ends. The iconic long bandanna was wrapped snugly around his neck, flowing flawlessly as he approached the two of you, marching forward with bright blue boots.
"great, the blue stain is here." Red spat, pocketing his hands.
The aqua-coded monster shot a dirty look at Red before his cyan dots landed on you, he sent a warm smile. "HUMAN! I AM THE MAGNIFICENT BLUE! A PLEASURE TO MEET YOUR ACQUAINTANCE!" His voice was laced with energy and pride. It was slightly higher than the other short skeletons you met but was still deep enough to mistake as him the Sans you first met. Blue was slightly taller than Red, maybe by a hair or two, but his larger build overpowered the energetic one's figure.
You can see Red shift in discomfort as Blue introduces himself, internally gagging at his voice.
Looking at the pair you can distinctly pick out the differences and similarities between the two. It was like watching oil mix with water. Red was right, the two of them were colour-coded, making it easy to remember their names.
"PLEASE EXCUSE MY COUSIN OVER HERE, HE'S JUST ALWAYS RUDE AND GRUMPY."
Red objected. You felt his arms sling over your shoulder pulling you to his height, or well try to as his hand traced the fabric of your vest. "nah, me and the doll here were having a nice friendly chat, right sweetheart?" A weary chuckle left your lips, your lips quivered to withstand Red's wrath. You can feel him mentally telling you to play along for some bizarre reason. Blue shot another look at his cousin, contemplating whether or not to interfere.
"Yeah well your cousin here," you flicker your eyes at him, "was just showing me the kitchen for the cake." Politely, yet quickly, you wriggle out of his grasp with ease. You could sense defeat from the other skeleton, but was quickly washed away. Red pulled his teeth to the side before his hand retreated to the safety of his pockets. An unreadable expression morphed his face before reverting back to his regular self. Whatever that was.
At least Blue seemed to be satisfied with the answer. In fact, his eye sockets grew into saucepans, and the circular pinpricks grew yellow stars in the middle at the mention of cake. He eagerly took the plastic bag from your hand. "A HOUSEWARMING GIFT? FOR THE MAGNIFICENT ME?" Warmth blossomed on the apples of his cheeks as he took a quick peek inside.
"it's obviously for everyone." Red looked in your direction again, taking another jab at teasing you. "but I wouldn't mind a piece of your cake sweetheart-"
"I'm sorry I forgot to introduce myself. Please call me (Y/N)." Red choked on his words at the brutal rejection. His bones rattled as your unfazed expression remained untouched. His relative quietly laughed at himself but stopped when a death glare shot him like a bullet. He watched a genuine twinkle in your eyes spark in your eyes, as Blue did the same.
"OH! PAPYRUS WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU AFTER HIS SHOPPING TRIP!" Wow, you must be some celebrity or something in this mansion. "MY BROTHER AND THE OTHERS HAVE BEEN DYING TO MEET YOU. COME LET'S GO MEET THEM!" Blue asked the dazed nobody if he wanted to tag along but he waved the two of you off. Mumbling to himself he'll take a shortcut and meet you guys later. You couldn't help but tilt your head at his words.
"don't worry doll, you'll see me again." His hand grasped the doorknob, letting the cold air greedily soak up the mansion's warmth.
"Good because I'll be so bonely without you." A sliver of a smirk made its way to your lips. It was an obvious sarcastic comeback to tease him back but Red was too stunned to say anything. A second of agitation caused his shoulders to spike a centimetre higher.
It was a small crack from his tough and flirtatious facade but in desperation quickly covered up the evidence. He mellowed out before letting out a chortle. He turned his back to you, walking out the door. What confused you was that he took a sharp right, not before uttering a few words your way.
"see ya, sweetheart. enjoy the party." On cue, he was out of sight the moment the door shut itself. Leaving you and Blue to only stare at each other.
"YOU KNOW, IF HE MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE YOU CAN TELL ME." Blue grimaced. "HE MEANS NO HARM BUT LET ME KNOW SO I HAVE AN EXCUSE TO BEAT HIM UP FOR YOU." Your heart squeezed at the sediment also in terror at the last part but that was really sweet of him to offer. Honestly, you didn't really mind Red's weird flirting antics. They were harmless and it was easy to just either ignore or play along with it. You told him you appreciated it and said you'd keep that in mind.
"COME ON, FRIEND! YOU MUST BE IMPATIENT TO MEET THE OTHERS!" A bony hand caught your wrist as you were dragged along the carpet. "to the kitchen!"
A yelp weakly left your lips, as you leaned down from his force. He's stronger than he looks. Another tug at your arm almost caused you to trip, catching yourself by the door frame as Blue zipped left and right.
You look up to see that you are now in the kitchen. To your surprise, it was twice the size of one back in your apartment. A long ivory kitchen counter with plates, cups, drinks, and appetizers was laid out in a single file. The waft of home-cooked food tickled your nose, your mouth began to water.
There was a mix of monsters and humans around the kitchen area. Plates in hand while drinks cups in another. Laughing, talking, and some even crying out of pure joy for some weird reason. Best to steer clear away from that crowd. Too bad Jessabell wasn't here to enjoy the party with you.
"(Y/N)!! I'VE SET YOUR CAKE!" You turned to see Blue unrevealing the dessert in all its glory. He admired the cutesy handwriting as he lifted the lid. You could see his ocean eyes turn into stars. "YOU MADE THIS YOURSELF?" He praised. You bashfully nodded which only caused him to exclaim in awe. A sea of lava slowly seeped into your chest, and a warm yet light feeling lingered a little longer than you liked. "FRET NOT FRIEND! YOUR CAKE MAY BE AMAZING BUT IT'S NO MATCH FOR MY SANS-ATIONAL TACOS!"
A string of 'MWEH HEH HEHS' bounced off the walls. He dove straight to the oven, taking out a tray of the pre-prepared delicacies.
"'sup bro? who brought cake?"
!!
You could have jumped out of your skin at that moment. You spun on your heels only to be met with a wall of orange in front of you. Oh no, your worst nightmare. Someone taller than you!
Hesitantly you tilted your head up. Meeting relaxed droopy eye sockets. It was Papyrus...? Okay you knew the drill no need to be confused for the fourth time tonight. Though he was slouching, you knew that if he stood up straight he'd have a good twenty or so centimetres on you. He wore a long and baggy orange hoodie, forest green loose-fitting shorts and orange sneakers. You could smell hints of smoke and honey from his clothing. An interesting combination to say the least.
The stranger raised a browbone at you as you gave him some space. You let out a timid apology.
"BROTHER!" Blue exclaimed with joy. He rushed to place the last remaining dishes on the counter. He hurriedly marched to your side, pointing at you excitedly. "COME AND MEET THE CORNER STORE WORKER!" He nudged your shoulder, throwing a starey-eyed wink. "THIS IS (Y/N). THEY BAKED A CAKE AS A HOUSEWARMING GIFT." He led his brother to see your accomplished work.
"well, would you look at that..." Blue's brother spoke. A bit deeper from Papyrus' voice but still held its tenor range. "name's stretch. stretch the skeleton. i see you've already met my bro and some of my hilarious cousins."
Sarcasm was drenched in the word hilarious. You replied with your name, still flabbergasted about his height. He took out his hand, lazily opting for you to shake it. You cautiously shook his hand, but felt a jolt spike your nerves. You quickly pulled back. It was a harmless shock, but you swore your heart leapt out of your chest for a moment.
Stretch's shoulders bounced unable to control his fit of giggles. He pulled back his long sleeves revealing the culprit. "the ol' buzzer in the hand trick. it never gets old." Blue just groaned, pinching his nose bone(?) in pure agony.
"BROTHER! DON'T TORMENT THE HUMAN!" You assured him you were okay, but it was more of Blue's exhaustion of Stretch's shenanigans.
Come to think of it, Blue and Stretch have mirroring personalities of Sans and Papyrus only swapped. Was that some weird coincidence? A glaring clue poked at you, the shorter skeletons seemed to have similarities and differences of their own.
A two-sided coin with the same head.
"i think they fell asleep standing." You felt a bone pick at the side of your head. Wherever your mind drifted to was suddenly forced back into your consciousness. You blinked a few times, gathering your bearings. Stretch was busy poking your head while Blue frowned.
"ARE YOU ALRIGHT, (Y/N)?!?" He seemed genuinely concerned.
"i think something's bothering them." He held a finger to his chin, eyeing you.
"S-Sorry!" You sputtered out in embarrassment. "I was just thinking about work! Nothing bad."
Blue bought the lie. "C'MON (Y/N)! YOU'RE HERE TO RELAX AND HAVE FUN! YOU CAN WORRY ABOUT THAT LATER."
"you should be worrying about edge tho. he'd be shocked about where you've run off to." Realization hit the smaller monster like a ton of bricks. Suddenly his face melted into one of fright.
"Edge?" You questioned.
Blue planted a fist in his palm. "RIGHT YOU HAVEN'T MET HIM YET. HE'S RED'S YOUNGER BROTHER." He dramatically posed, his blue bandanna catching the wind. "YOU'RE SO RIGHT BROTHER! I'M SO SORRY (Y/N)! BUT THE MAGNIFICENT ME MUST ATTEND TO IMPORTANT DUTIES!!" You were quick to forgive him, not that you were mad to begin with.
After a series of "MWEH HEH HEHS" later, the energetic monster disappeared into the crowd of monsters. Once again leave you with one of the skeleton brothers.
Stretch rummaged through his pockets, leaning back with a slothful grin. "there he goes, my bro. isn't he the coolest?" You couldn't agree more. Blue was something, not in a bad way of course. You did enjoy his presence and company. Your heart skipped a beat at the thought.
You nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, I'm glad that he also has a really cool brother with him." Stretch's smile faltered slightly at the comment. Not in dismay, but in slight surprise. He watched you obliviously linger in his presence. He took out a single cigarette, sticking it between his teeth.
"Thanks," He bumped shoulders with you. "i'm going out for a smoke. you're welcome to try the food. my brother actually made something edible this time." Before you could question what he meant he was already gone.
With some time on your hands, you went over to the trays of food. The Mexican cuisine called to you. It was served with a large amount of minced beef with an assortment of red and green vegetables. The lush lettuce wrapped itself around the stuffing like a blanket. It would be rude if you didn't eat at least something they made.
And besides you've been dying to try monster food. You wondered what kind of benefits you'd get from it.
You took a plate and placed a single taco on it. You grabbed it by the hard shell and took a bite.
Salty.
Slightly soggy.
You took another bite. It was actually pretty good. If they were made fresh then you'd probably enjoy the taco even more.
You had to ask Blue about the crunchy texture, however. How can something soggy still crack in your mouth?
!!
You rushed to the nearest bin, spitting out the contents from your mouth.
'WHY IS THERE SO MUCH GLITTER IN THIS TACO?!?'
✧༺♥༻∞
The white fluorescent lights burned your eyes as water splashed your face. At least You coughed up the rest of the tiny plastics down the drain. Hopefully, it won't clog any pipes in the near future.
You groaned, taking a long hard look at yourself in the mirror. You wiped your damp mouth with a towel. Next time, remind yourself to check for any glitter bombs when the loveable skeleton serves food to you. Or perhaps this was another prank Stretch made and you were just the unlucky one who bit into disaster. That could explain why everyone else was eating without any problems.
You exited the bathroom with an irritable expression.
"MOVE OUT OF MY WAY STUPID HUMAN!!" A raspy high voice yelled in your direction as a pointed gloved hand pushed you out of the way. Not even thirty seconds in and you were already wrapped into more misadventures. You swear this mansion could be sentient and loves stirring more trouble to meet a couple of new faces.
You glared at the being who just shoved you, and that being was, yet again, another sentient pile of bones. You were running out of synonyms for skeletons.
At first glance, you instantly recognized him as Red's brother. You ticked all the boxes of edginess, bad-to-the-bone attitude, and over-the-top use of black and red. It was slowly hurting your eyes.
He wore a similar battle suit to Papyrus except it was in the shade of the night sky. The accent of yellows and reds adorned from head to toe. Every bit of clothing with either torn into zigzags or had small holes in them, as if something sharp punctured them. Sharp red gloves, jagged teeth, ripped skinny jeans. Even his boots were all big red and pointy! He wore his signature scarf with pride, but it appeared to be more worn and a bit dull compared to Papyrus' one.
The most distinctive feature however was the scar on his left narrow eye socket. Something in your gut told you to stay clear from a guy like him, but at the same time, it sparked your interest.
He was lankier than the rest, His pants just on his hip bone being exposed just a little. You flicker your attention elsewhere. Although he was just a walking corpse it felt rude to stare somewhere so private.
Wait do skeletons even have di-?!
"YOU THERE!" Your attacker pointed in your direction. Like a deer in front of headlights, your whole stature froze. You hesitantly pointed to yourself, confirming that he was talking to you. That only fed fuel to the fire. "DON'T MAKE ME ASK TWICE." In embarrassment, you reluctantly made your way to him.
"Y-Yes?" You stutter out but a heavy box was all you got. Fortunately, your reflex kicked in and you just caught the heavy box with a loud 'oomph'. It wasn't heavy but the sudden weight difference did cause you to lose your balance for a second. "YOU'RE HELPING ME SET THESE UP IN THE SECOND DINING ROOM! IF YOU SAY NO I'LL BE FORCED TO KILL YOU."
Wait, what?
His boots clicked against the floorboards before you had time to process his threat. I mean at least you finally met all the skeletons. Minus Sans and Papyrus, you probably have to find them later before the party ends.
"You must be Edge, I heard that you were looking for Blue a while ago. I'm (Y/N) by the way." He folded his arms, keeping his line of sight forward as you followed. A small 'HMPH' was heard before he spoke, he didn't spare an ounce of attention your way. "ALTHOUGH YOU ARE RIGHT I WILL NOT BOTHER TO WASTE MY BREATH ON SOMEONE LIKE YOU."
Ouch.
So much for friendly conversation.
"TCH! NOT EVEN THE SMALL ONE WAS COMPETENT SINCE I'M FORCED TO WORK WITH THIS HUMAN." Your eyebrow irked again. Wasn't he the one who told you to help him in the first place? It wasn't like you were holding him at gunpoint or anything.
He picked up the pace, holding his head high while you scurried along to keep up with him. Going up a flight of stairs, with a slight difficulty with Edge telling you to hurry up, you both reached the vacant room.
A large room the size of a tennis court, filled with tables and chairs in pure ivory. Silverware, champagne glasses, and circular dishes were as far as the eye could see. The floors were a crisp marble, the mixture of oak browns and whites swirled together in the garden stone. Windows doors led outside to the balcony while the walls were matted with beige and gold wallpaper.
It seemed so surreal like it was ripped out of a Disney movie.
"DON'T JUST STAND THERE!" A pair of hands forcefully took the contents from your hands. You heard him spit a venomous 'tch' your way as he opened the box. You handed you what seemed to be table linen. Handcrafted and stitched with the finest silk you've ever felt. The detailing in the embroidered symbol was like a kick to the stomach. The piece of fabric probably costs more than your rent!
"SET THESE ON THE FAR END TABLES. WHEN YOU ARE DONE YOU CAN UNLOAD WHATEVER ARE IN THESE BOXES." You bobbed your head, taking the fabrics from him. The last thing you heard was "AND MAKE SURE THEY AREN'T WRINKLED!" before he went back to the other boxes in the corner.
It seemed easy enough. You appreciated the quiet for once. For the past however long you've been here, it's only 7:45, and you've had at least someone talk in your enclosed bubble. Sure Edge wasn't much the friendly talker type, but at least you can enjoy what peace you had left.
The occasional silence was broken by a couple of squeaks from your shoes to the shuffling of cardboard and sheets. You didn't mind the labour, you'd probably said yes if he asked you politely. But let's be real, you let things happen and you just roll with it.
Anyways, you just finished with the last box you had. Edge was busy doing something in the corner, you guessed he was occupied with checking the rest of the equipment. You spotted a lone box on the other side of the room. With nothing better to do, you leaned down, pulling back the flaps to finally get rid of its contents.
You let your hand dive into the sea of knickknacks and doo hickeys before you grabbed the first thing without a thought. Your eyes scanned the foreign object, squinting them as you inspected it up close. Instead of fabrics, crockery, or even a spoon, you held up what appeared to be an... action figure.
It looked like a villain of some sort. A bit worn around the edges but the character was still intact. You dug deeper, finding more unique characters. You guessed it was from some video game or TV show that monsters watched cause you've never seen anything like it. Did Edge want them set up on display?
"DON'T TOUCH THOSE!" Panic engulfed the skeleton's tone, his pointed gloved fingers snatched the tiny villain from your hands. He vigorously pulled the cardboard away from you. "THOSE THINGS ARE PRICELESS! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU BROKE ONE OF THEM?"
In hysteria, you profusely apologized. You meant no harm, you swear! You didn't take Edge to be the collector kind of type, but whenever you'd bring it up he's shut you down in an instant. He carefully placed the action figure from where it came from. He let out a sigh of relief, putting it out of harm's way.
"UGH! OF COURSE, MY LAZYBONES OF A BROTHER WOULD MIX UP THE SUPPLIES." He pressed his thumb and index finger to the middle of his forehead. Although he held a scowl there as a sliver of embarrassment behind his words.
"Hey, it's okay." You reassured him. "We can pack that away later. Plus, um, no judge that you collect figures. I think it's pretty neat." Edge scoffed, looking up at you. You sweatdrop at your words, feeling the overwhelming awkward tension grow bit by bit.
"PAH! KISSING UP TO THE GREAT ME HUMAN?"
"My name is (Y/N)-"
"ALTHOUGH HAVING PRICELESS COLLECTABLES ARE...NICE." He nonchalantly phrased the last part, "I HAVE NO TIME TO WASTE MY TIME AND ENERGY ON YOU. GET BACK TO UNLOADING EVERYTHING."
"But I've already finished that."
"ALL 12 OF THE BOXES? IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME?" He sneered. You bobbed your head, pointing to the well-kept room behind you.
Edge's eye sockets widened in pure shock. Frantically he looked around the room and you spoke the truth. All the boxes were stacked neatly in a pile to throw out for later, table cloths clean and wrinkle-free and every set of utensils, plates, and crockery was neatly set and organised. Maybe it was dumb luck that you happened to do a ton of restocking at the store. Who knows but food for thought.
Edge seemed to only exhibit two kinds of emotions. Fear and Anger. But you couldn't read the painted expression on his solace face. Yet, like a switch, he reverted to his arrogant self. Only dropped a measly "WHATEVER." as he trudged the line between being impressed or not. But you'll take a half-assed compliment rather than nothing.
The doors to the dining room slowly swung open. Metal and steel clanged together along with a few grunts.
"you sure you can carry that bro?"
"DON'T DISTRACT ME SANS! I. AM IN. THE. ZONE."
"heheheh...whatever you say, bro."
Instantly you recognised the two.
Sans, who was keeping an eye socket out for his brother was holding one of the food containers from the kitchen. Papyrus on the other hand seemed to be struggling with the tower of food in his arms. "c'mon pap. let me give ya a hand." Yet his stubborn brother shook his head insisting it'd be okay.
Sans then looked in your direction, recognition glossed his eye for a second before returning back to his default grin. "oh hey kid. hope you have the stomach for tonight's dishes. it sure rattled my bones." As awful as it was you hid a smile behind your hand, giggling to yourself. Edge however was just as confused as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
"SANS? SANS WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?"
"corner store person." An audible gasp reached your ears.
"(Y/N)'S HERE?" Every time he turned from the left to the right, the tower of food would be tipped in a heartbeat. You strained a smile, grabbing the three canisters above his head. That was enough for his eyes to meet yours. His eyes twinkled as he saw you again.
"(Y/N)!" You yelped telling him to calm down before he'd spill the food. "SORRY I WANTED TO SEE YOU THE MOMENT WHEN YOU ARRIVED BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HOW HARD HOSTING A PARTY WAS."
You reassured him that the party so far was great. "Don't worry, Papyrus. I'm just glad I got to see you and your brother before the party ends." He beamed at your words, he'd pull you into a bone-crushing hug but you had to remind him about what he was holding.
"UGH HURRY UP AND PUT THOSE THERE." You forgot about Edge for a moment, yet you couldn't shake off the displeased vibe from him You could feel his eye sockets bore into the back of your head as you walked past him. You held a gulp lodged in your throat.
Sans happily obliged with his brother and you following suit. One by one you set the metal containers on the trays, helping Papyrus afterwards. Sans leaned close to Edge, figuring he could sweeten his sour mood. "what's with the long face, edgy bro? it's a party after all." The darker-coded skeleton tapped his boot patiently, muttering to himself.
"THAT INCOMPETENT BLUE LEFT HIS STATION WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR HIM! THAT'S SO UNLIKE HIM!" He huffed, crossing his arms tightly. "THE HUMAN HERE WAS BARELY MANAGEABLE TO SET THIS ROOM UP."
"oh blue? he said he had to attend to some emergency. whatever that meant." The shorter skeleton suspended his arms in the air in an exaggerated shrug. That still didn't satisfy his answer.
He rested an arm on his hip bone. "WHAT COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN SETTING UP THE FINAL DINING ROOM FOR THE GUESTS HE INVITED?"
"MWEH HEH HEH!" speak of the devil. "ISN'T IT OBVIOUS, EDGE?" From the shadows, you saw Blue's circular pinpricks illuminate in the darkness before stepping to the light himself. "I HAD IMPORTANT DUTIES AS BOTH A CULINARY GENIUS AND A BEING THE MAGNIFICENT ME, PERIOD!" He struck a pose before whipping out a silver platter. "I HAD TO PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON MY MAGNIFICENT TACOS!" He dramatically removed the cover, revealing the savoury dish before everyone's very eyes.
Following afterwards was Stretch and Red. Stretch was holding a large amount of the same containers but seemed to be unbothered by the chaos unfolding at the scene. He just casually walked by his brother. Unloading everything off his hands with grace.
Once he was done, he whipped out a small yellow container of honey before pressing it against his teeth. I guess that explains one of the mysteries around here.
Red and Edge seemed to be chatting away about something. Red was sarcastically throwing remarks as his brother stomped his foot in frustration. It didn't seem they hated each other. They carried out the 'I'd give you my kidney any day but never my charger' kind of sibling love. From afar it looked entertaining and somewhat endearing they cared for each other in some sort of weird way.
"oh yeah blue?" Sans questioned him as he set down the last plate, "why did you have to make more? we already got plenty of food that you all premade." He snapped his fingers.
"OH YEAH! SO APPARENTLY I ACCIDENTALLY PUT TOO MUCH OF MY SECRET INGREDIENT IN ONE OF THE BATCHES OF TACOS. SINCE STRETCH SAID MAYBE THE OTHERS MIGHT BE ALLERGIC TO MY COOKING GENIUS I MADE A FRESH BATCH FROM WHATEVER WAS LEFT..." You choked on your saliva. The monster next to you jumped in surprise before asking if you were okay.
'IT WAS BLUE WHO POISONED YOU!'
✧༺♥༻∞
The night continued. The dining room was filled to the brim with familiar and new faces. You even got a chance to greet some of the regulars of the corner store.
Throughout the night you were either bumping into one of your newly acquainted monster friends. You'd sometimes bump into Stretch by the balcony having a smoke. Or Sans cracking jokes to a small audience he managed to accumulate. They both would offer you to stay for a bit but it was getting late and you were exhausted from running around mingling.
However, a pair of skeletons would follow you around like the plague. Mainly the Red and Blue duo. Not that you minded the banter or snarky remarks playfully thrown at each other. You'd even crack a few jokes left and right. But every time either you or one of the two would be pulled away the gravitating force attracted them back to your side.
Red was his usual brooding self. He laid off the teasing, maybe since Blue wouldn't stop putting in or inserting himself into every conversation. Nonetheless, he enjoyed just walking around the mansion with the two of you. Talking about whatever was on each other's mind and whatnot. He found it hilarious when you were lost in the sea of monsters and humans. Your tall figure frantically looks left and right for him and Blue with a worried expression.
Blue, on the other hand, acted more like a bodyguard. Especially since Red would not keep it in his pants. So he made it his mission to protect you from his weird intentions. And possibly get to know you better, so why not kill two birds with one stone? Yet it still threw him off that you were okay with his behaviour. Maybe it was because you were too easygoing, like his brother.
You didn't see a speck of Edge that night. He was either avoiding you or too occupied with the other guests. Although you did hear a couple of "MWAH HAW HAW HAWS!" in certain directions.
Papyrus announced a light-hearted speech and thanked everyone who came. Ending the night with good food, music, and parts of your cake as well! You forgot that you brought it.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the tasty cuisine, finishing the entire platter in a single night.
However good things must come to an end as everyone dissipated one after the other. You packed up your things, not before bidding farewell to the newly found friends you made along the way.
"GOING HOME ALREADY, FREIND?" Papyrus caught your figure just outside the doorway. You politely nodded, saying you had work early in the morning. His usual grin formed into a makeshift frown saddened yet understanding.
"Thank you for inviting, again Papyrus. It was fun." His eye sockets twinkled as yours mirrored his. Just before you could bid farewell the monster gasped. Taking out his cell phone he handed it to you with a charming smile.
"(Y/N)! LET'S EXCHANGE NUMBERS!" You took his cell to your hands, tying in your digits. "I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU AND MY COUSINS OUT ON SOME ADVENTURES OF MINE. NYEH HEH HEH!"
Spiking your mild curiosity, you agreed. You felt your phone buzz in your hand when you sent the message from his phone. "I look forward to it." He held the door for you as you walked out.
"HAVE A SAFE NIGHT, (Y/N)." He waved you goodbye. You waved back, a grin still plastered on your face. The door was closed with a click, and the skeleton's body disappeared.
You let out one final smile as you exited the gates.
A light feeling in your SOUL never left that night.
> sɪx sᴋᴇʟᴇᴛᴏɴs ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴀᴅᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀ sʜᴏᴘᴘɪɴɢ ᴄᴀʀᴛ!
(This fic will never be fully edited because I'm stupid hhh)