Oxygen.
Why must you take it for granted most of the time?
You sat on one of the many Grecian style stone benches that were placed around the open air mall. This one was almost entirely invisible. It was positioned to sit, exact center, between two large trees and a nicely trimmed hedge. The sculpted hedge reaching at least 5 feet above your sitting form. Unless someone came at you head on, there was no way that they could see your position. All of the plants that the mall had were really well taken care of. Did Asgore have a gardening side business when he wasn't dealing with politics? You would have to ask him the next time that you were at his house. Looking up at the sky, your shoulders heaved while your lungs took in the sweet oxygen that it needed. It's a good thing that you had found this spot or else you would have still been running.
Not long after Mettaton and yourself left Koppel in the alley, the two of you had turned a corner and right into the huge group of MTT fans from earlier. Your ears were still ringing from the high pitched fangirl squeals of 100+ people erupting at once. Mettaton had given them a smile before spinning himself, and you, around to run in the opposite direction. The monsters and humans giving chase so that they could get a chance to speak to the robot idol.
Dodging kiosks and bystanders, you both had rounded a corner in your attempt to escape only to run into your, previously missing, monster companions. You had almost plowed right into Alphys if Undyne didn't have her razor sharp reflexes. The strong fish woman had snatched Alphys up and out of the way just in time. Before anyone from the crowd saw where you were, Mettaton pulled you behind a large billboard sign that hid you from their view. Confused on why Mettaton was here, and even more so by his behavior, Undyne was about to ask what you two were hiding from when the large mob came into view. Both female monsters looked back at you and all you did was hold up the arm that had your purchase dangling it from it with pleading eyes.
They got the hint.
While carrying Alphys under one arm, Undyne dashed out into the open and pointed in a random direction shouting "IS THAT METTATON?!" at the top of her lungs. She then commenced to lead the mob on a wild goose chase through the mall. All the while, leading them further away from your position allowing you to slip away to this conveniently secluded spot. Which was perfect, because you felt like you were dying after that sprint.
"Songbird~ I'm back with a treat~" Mettaton sung out as he rounded the corner into your current hiding spot. He held two fruit smoothies, one in each hand. Not really caring which you had, you took the pink one of the two he offered, since it was the closest, taking a grateful slurp from the purple straw. The cool fruity liquid melted as it journeyed down your throat, sating the dryness that had made its home there during your run. You leaned against Mettaton's side when he sat down next to you. Tapping the cup you held in appreciation. "Feeling better, beautiful?" the robot hummed out after taking a sip from the yellow one.
Nodding, you took another good slurp before setting the smoothie next to you on the bench with your baggie. "Very much! Though I have to ask... how did you know I was in trouble?" Your hands signed to the robot.
"Oh, you mean how I appeared behind Koppel a few moments ago?" He asked and continued after you nodded to him again. "Well, sweetheart, I didn't know that you were in trouble. I just saw someone drag you off the bench and assumed the worst. It was rather tricky slipping away from that crowd."
"How did you sneak away?" That was something that you had been wondering about. How had Mettaton snuck away from such a large crowd without any of them following him?
The robot pushed a button on his belt and a compartment opened that held several little circular gadgets within. He pulled one out and handed it to you. "With this little beauty that Alphys designed for me." Mettaton said giving you a playful wink. He took the bottom piece off the one you held and moved to place it on a nearby trashcan. "Alright, now hit the red button on top of the piece you are holding."
You did as he asked and there was a brief flash of light, then that was it. Skeptical, you looked up from the gadget to say something when you noticed that you were magically sitting in the air next to Mettaton, where the trashcan had been a few moments before. But... you hadn't moved. You were still sitting on the bench. It was like you were looking in a mirror.
Curious as to what was going on, you stood up and approached the fake 'you'. There was a distinct metal dragging sound with each footstep you took. Looking up at Mettaton in confusion, you noticed that the robot was struggling to hold back laughter. You walked over to him and poked his side and that's when he lost it. His vibrant laughter filling the mini courtyard. He looked at the confused expression that your fake-self had. "I-I'm so sorry, Songbird. That device, the Swapdisc, uses a combination of technology and illusion magic. Once activated, it switches your current image with the object that the bottom half of the gadget is attached to."
"So I'm..." you began to sign.
"A trashcan." Mettaton was still chuckling and he was holding his side. "I'm sorry but I hadn't expected you to stand up and move! I wasn't expecting a random trashcan on a bench to come to life and drag itself over to me."
"Well now, you know the true me. I'm nothing but trash." You signed to him with a devilish smirk forming on your face. Immediately, your energy returned. You ran circles around the robot while jumping around. All the while you were signing "Be trash with me!" Over and over until the robot lost it again.
"Songbird, please!" he said after recovering, dramatically putting one hand on his hip while flicking his black locks out of his eye with the other. "I was known as the 'metal trashcan' since my career in showbiz started." Mettaton took the bottom of the gadget off of the trashcan. Your fake-self jumping in place and signing away turned back into the trashcan that you had the appearance of previously. "You're just now starting to catch up, beautiful."
You stuck your tongue at Mettaton with a pout. Regardless, you handed back your half of the gadget and moved back to the bench for another sip of smoothie. "So...what did you attach the bottom end to? A sign? A plant?" your hands asked once you were settled.
"BP."
Mettaton gently patted your back when you choked on the smoothie that you had been sipping when he said that. "What?!"
"I attached the bottom half of the Swapdisc to BP as he was trying to push the crowd apart. Though it wasn't that simple. I had to make it look like we switched. So I 'fell' on him and during the scuffle I switched with him. Unlike a stationary object, if the thing you attach the bottom part moves then the image will change to match the movement independent of your own. Meaning he looked like me even as he moved." The robot shrugged while holding up another Swapdisc that was missing the bottom.
You imagined a really confused cat monster suddenly being swarmed by all of Mettaton's fans. There was no way that he would have remained 100% calm. "Did he scale the crowd and climb one of the stores to hide out on the roof?"
The chuckle the robot emitted seemed to confirm your answer. "You must be hanging out with him to much because, yeah. That's pretty much what happened."
"You know that he is going to make your life hell after that, right?" Your head shook at the robot slowly as you signed to him. BP was a good manager and a great guy. But cross him and there was hell to pay. It seemed to be a game that happened frequently between the monster idol and his cat manager.
"Oh, I turned it off a while ago. If he hadn't already taken the bottom disc off. I think he'll forgive me though. After I tell him what happened, that is." True. BP would probably have been a bit more violent if he had seen Koppel. That monster was a black belt. Mettaton finished his smoothie with you finishing yours not long after. The two of you tossed the cups into the trashcan that was no longer you. He reached out and took your hand as your other snatched up your bag with the Love Tuners.
Now that you thought about it, Mettaton was right. If he hadn't of switched places with BP right then, you weren't sure what would have happened with Koppel. You shuddered as a sudden thought popped in your mind. What had happened to Koppel after you left him? Better yet, since when did Mettaton's hand turn into a cannon?! It was scary but at the same time really cool that he could do that.
You allowed him to lead you down the path with stores lining either side. The two of you window browsed a bit. Some of the clerks noting that you had been in there previously, but you had just shrugged it off. Taking every chance you could, you tried to give the robot your present... only for something to get in the way each time.
Someone would recognize him and ask for an autograph, clerks would try to get you to try samples, or they would try to get you to buy whatever was on sale for the day. Each of them popping up at the most inopportune time. To the point you hung your head in defeat. You would give the Love Tuners to him later.
The two of you wandered the mall aimlessly for a good few hours. Chatting idly and having fun in the shops. It was wonderful. While you walked past a food cart, your stomach let out a loud growling noise. Prompting you to stop in place with Mettaton stopping a few feet ahead of you. An embarrassed blush stretched across your cheeks as you clutched your stomach like you were trying to hide it.
"Oh, darling! I'm so sorry!" The robot closed his eyes for a moment before they opened wide in surprise. "Time sure has flown, hasn't it? Why don't we find someplace to eat?" You took the hand that he, once again, offered to you and let him lead you to a rather ritzy looking diner/bakery.
The Spider Diner.
It was a quaint building that alternated various hues of purple and white. Adorable little spiders decorated the sign with tasteful webs placed in the corners of the store front windows. Overall, the building looked cute. Mettaton held the door open for you, as you walked in. Taking in the immediate wonderful smells of baked goods.
All of the tables were packed with patrons, monsters and humans alike, who all seemed to be enjoying themselves. Farther back, there was a line of secluded booths that were mostly empty. It appeared as though they were reserved. Mettaton headed over to one of the booths beckoning you to follow him. You ignored the stares of the other patrons of the restaurant and followed the robot idol over to the booths. Slipping into one end so that Mettaton could bring up the cloth privacy divider to seclude your booth off from any onlookers.
Settling into the rather plush seat of the booth, you picked up a menu that was laid out on the table. Glancing over the items, everything on the menu was spider themed. Spider donuts, spider cider, baked cobwebs... what were baked cobwebs? Were they actual webs or...? "Don't worry, beautiful. I can assure you that everything here is edible and rather delicious." The robot spoke up after he saw your slightly concerned expression.
"Sorry... some of the things on this menu kind of bug me." You signed to him after placing the menu down with a smirk. Mettaton just rolled his eyes at you but you saw the start of a smile beginning to form on his lips. "But I could just eight about anything right now."
"Please stop with the spider puns..." The robot slumped forward into his hand on the table.
"Ahuhuhuhuhu~ I thought they were rather good, dearie. Sans would be proud." the cloth divider was pushed aside as a purple spider monster with a clipboard and a pen in two of her arms waltzed in. She held a pitcher of some amber liquid in one of her other arms with the other two holding some cups. "Would you like some spider cider?"
You looked to Mettaton who nodded his head and you followed with a timid smile. You now understood why this place was spider themed. "You know, Sans?" your hands signed out of curiosity. Even though this monster was dressed in a rather adorable outfit... she gave off this intimidating aura that you couldn't quite place.
With expert dexterity, the spider woman filled the cups with cider and set them before the two of you. "Who, in the monster community, doesn't know Sans?" She said with a light hearted chuckle. Once again proving that monsters understood ASL more than most humans you met. "Though I must say, Mettaton. I thought that you would stop by much sooner than this. My business has been up and running for several months now."
"Sorry, darling. I was waiting to bring this lovely lady with me and things just kept happening." He states with a playful wink in your direction. Now it was your turn to roll your eyes at him. 'Things just kept happening' was putting it mildly. "Anyway, Muffet. This is (y/n). My little Songbird this is Muffet."
Taking one of the two free hands she had, you shook the spider monster's hand with a bright smile. "It's wonderful to meet you."
"Ahuhuhu. You as well, dearie." Muffet's fangs showed when she smiled at you and you try not to look unnerved by it. "Are the two of you ready to order?" Mettaton cuts in before you can sign anything and lists off a few items on the menu, as well as a couple things that weren't. Muffet nodded her head while she wrote the order out. "Alright, I'll have it done in a few minutes~ If you need a refill just ask the spiders." Waltzing out just as elegantly as she had entered.
Your eyes lit up in delight as you took a sip of the spider cider that Muffet had placed in front of you a few moments before. The flavor spreading across your tongue like a warm breeze on a brisk fall day. Apples, cinnamon.... Why was everything made by monsters delicious? If they all cooked like this then human chefs were going to have a problem in their careers.
"Despite that little... altercation earlier, today has been a lot of fun. I'm glad that I finally got to bring you here." Mettaton's voice said, rising over the pleasant background music that Muffet's diner was playing. "It's been a long time since I've had so much fun in an outing." Sliding his drink to the side, Mettaton places both of his elbows on the table and puts his head in his hands. His entire body leaning forward in a relaxed position. "Though I must ask. Alphys said that you were supposed to be doing tests all day. What were the three of you doing at the mall?" Mettaton's eyebrow was arched with a sly smirk on his face. Like he had just caught you doing something that you shouldn't have been doing. Though it was true. Alphys had called in and you shouldn't have been out and about. You were caught red handed. In the best way.
He was trying to playfully intimidate you and it wasn't going to work. What was intimidating was that he had set you up to finally give him the gift without any disturbances. Now was your chance. Leaning forward as well, you reached into the bag and pulled out the small wrapped box within. Carefully sliding it across the table until it was right in front of Mettaton's face but a few inches away from his elbows.
Surprised, he blinks a couple of times before looking down at the nicely wrapped box. "What's this, gorgeous?"
"You have done so much for me... I felt that I should get you something. It just took me awhile to wrap my head around an idea of something for you." Your hands signed while you eyed the cup of cider as though it was the most interesting thing in the world. This was a bad idea, wasn't it? He wasn't going to like them, then you were going to have to return them. But it's music themed. He would like it... right? Those thoughts swirled in your mind and it was all you could do to keep a shy smile on your face and not have it dissolve into a look of minor despair.
"Well, well, well~ how could I not accept? This is such a wonderful surprise, though I should be thanking you instead." Mettaton said with a deep genuine warmth in his voice. The look of surprise morphed into something calmer. He settled back in his seat while plucking the small package off the table. With a gentleness that most wouldn't think a robot body could have, Mettaton unwrapped the gift without tearing any of the paper. He set it off to the side, then slid the lid off to reveal the Love Tuners. "Oh my! These are adorable! But what are they?" the robot asked as he pulled one of the two out and held it up to the light for a better look."
"They are called Love Tuners" You signed, then reached for the other that was still in the box. Hoping that he would look down at the slip of paper that the flutes were hiding moments before. "They are one tone flutes set to 528 Hertz. Also known as the love frequency. It's supposed to help one calm down when they are stressed by focusing on ones breathing and sound."
Mettaton's face lit up at your words and he promptly put his on and you mirrored him with yours. "Oh, sweetheart, that is so cool! Yet... why are they in a pai-" He stopped when he looked down and saw the little slip of paper in the velvet box.
Will you be my Mettabae?
Feeling even more nervous now that he saw it, you squirmed uncomfortably in your seat. Your eyes going back to eyeing your cider. "They are a pair because couples give one to each other to remind their significant other that even though they aren't there right then, they are there to support them whenever. Just blow into the flute."
"Is this all because of the question you asked before I took you to the hospital that one day?" He asked and you are unsure of his expression because you are too nervous to look him in the eye.
Instead, you nodded your head while still looking at the table. "Ye-" your hands began to sign when a gentle hand slid under your chin and lifts your face so that you are looking directly into Mettaton's eyes.
He had quietly slid to your end of the booth until he was right next to you. "I was afraid you didn't hear me at the time but I'm more than happy to repeat it again." Mettaton lowered his face until his lips were just centimeters away from yours. Pausing just before they met to say one word.
"Yes."