"This goes here.... and that means that plugs in there..."
"mettaton."
"That means that all I have to do is set this here..."
The sounds of clinking and metal came from your bedroom as Mettaton and Sans worked together to set up all the things that the robot idol had bought at the pet store. You sat at your kitchen table watching one of your bigger glass bowls filled with water. Your adorable little fish babies swam in the makeshift pool happy to be free of their tiny plastic prison. Earlier, you were terrified that you had been taking to long in the store since a couple of the fish had begun to slow down in their movements.
After leaving the festival, Mettaton had taken you over to the nearest pet supply store. In all honesty, you were totally fine with just purchasing the basics: a nice tank, sand, food, a couple decorations, etc. Nothing to fancy for now. You just wanted to get your babies out of the bag and into an environment where oxygen was continuously pumped into the water so they could breathe. Unlike the plastic bag that they were all drifting in at the time.
Mettaton had other plans. He picked up every book he could that the store had and read them all at an insane speed. Even though he was a ghost monster in a robot shell, you wondered if there was some sort of processor that helped him pick up information faster. That or he was just a really fast reader? You would have to ask him later when your fish babies lives weren't in jeopardy. Needless to say, he only picked the best of the best and, by the time you both left with your purchases, you felt like you had ended up buying the entire fish section of the store.
You got the fishies into the bowl while Mettaton had begun to unload everything into your house. With all of the noise, Sans had noticed the commotion and had invited himself over. The robot idol had no qualms in dragging the small skeleton into his building escapades. Now you were waiting in the kitchen, out of the boys' way, as they set up the massive tank that was way to big for your babies. You were still curious as to how the hell the two monsters had managed to get the massive thing into your house through the doorway. When asked, all Sans said was "maaagic" and gave you some jazz hands, in which you ended up throwing the empty wet plastic bag your fish had been in at him. You were never going to learn the true answer to that.
Looking up from the bowl, you glanced at the clock to check the time. Not only were you waiting in here to stay out of the way but you were also waiting for when Papyrus was coming over. Sans had left a note on their front door for him to head over to your place once he was back home from work. Knowing how polite the skeleton was and how loud the other two monsters were being, it was better if you waited here so that you could hear the taller skeleton. Papyrus would only barge in once it was confirmed that you were home.
Speaking of the other two monsters... you strained your ears to make out their voices over all of the other noises that they were making. After a couple moments of concentration, you were able to pick them out. How come they were making so much noise while trying to put a fish tank together? Better yet... where exactly were they putting it in your bedroom?
"mettaton, i don't think-"
"Then all I have to do is plug it in!"
"metts, wait! that's not-"
"YEAAAAGH!"
There was a loud zapping noise and suddenly all of the lights flickered as your entire house was descended into darkness. You stood up quick as a flash and made your way to your room, careful to avoid the parts and mayhem that the two monsters had left in the hallway. Your feet skidded to a halt as you rounded the doorway into your room. Only to stop and clap your hands to your mouth at the sight before you.
Sans had upended your bed and was using it as a barrier between himself and the tank that was being set up on the opposite wall. Eye sockets wide with his left one flashing the yellow/blue mix that always happened when he used magic. Tools and parts were strewn about on the floor leading a trail over to the large fish tank that Mettaton had one hand in. The robot's normally fabulous hair stood on end with a small bit of smoke drifting above in a dark halo. He hadn't moved and stood 100% still. His body completely rigid from the electrical shock that he had received.
You glanced at Sans before taking a timid step towards your robot boyfriend. Thanking the stars that it was still early evening and the sun was still out so it wasn't pitch black in your house. "Mettaton...? Are you okay?" you signed to the robot before reaching your hand out to touch him. Only for your body to be encased in blue as Sans lifted you up towards the ceiling and away from the robot star. Blinking in surprise at suddenly floating instead of being on the ground, you gave Sans a rather pointed look.
"hey hey, don't give me that. i just saved you from a rather shocking experience. if you had touched that huge hunk of metal." The small skeleton stated as a bead of sweat made its way down the top of his skull. "lemme just..." He lowered his arm and you with it until your feet were safely touching the carpet once again.
The blue aura dissipated and Sans turned his attention to the still not moving form of Mettaton. The ghost robot monster's body was surrounded by the skeleton's magic. With extreme precision, Sans carefully extracted Mettaton away from the electrical doodad that had plunged your house into darkness when he messed with it. Even with the conductor gone, your house's lights remained off and you silently grumbled to yourself. Mettaton must have blown the breaker when he did whatever it was that he did.
Now that your eyes had adjusted to the dim light, you noticed that your boyfriend wasn't online. His bright LED eyes were out and there was no control to his limbs save for what Sans was doing with his magic. Was he alright? Was he hurt? Could he die from something like that? Your worry must have shown on your face because Sans was by your side patting your shoulder reassuringly in a flash. "don't worry, bud. the electrical surge just overloaded his system. all you gotta so is trigger a reboot."
Sans timidly approached the robot as he gently set him on the ground. The skeleton pressed one of the circles above Mettaton's visible eyebrow and flinched as though he was expecting a jolt. His body relaxing immediately when it never came. "there that should do-"
"HUMAN!" the yell was followed by a loud bang as Papyrus, no doubt, kicked your door in and dashed down the hallway to your bedroom. His eyes flaring orange with his magic. "I HEARD A SCREAM AND THEN ALL THE LIGHTS IN YOUR HOUSE WENT OUT! ARE YOU OKAY?"
You couldn't help but silently chuckle as the lights in Mettaton's eyes flickered on and he reached up to rub his forehead. "I'm fine. We just had a pretty enlightening experience though. Mettaton was just ecstatic." You signed to the tall skeleton with a playful smirk on your face.
"NO! BAD SONGBIRD!" the robot wailed from his position on your bedroom floor. "NO PUNNING AT MY EXPENSE!"
Rolling your eyes, you stuck your tongue at the downed monster before turning back to Papyrus. "How many people does it take to put together a fish tank?"
"I DO NOT KNOW... HOW MANY?"
"Three. A human and two monsters with one of the monsters being a scientist in Quantum Physics and engineering and the other getting electrocuted." Sans snorted at your words while Mettaton groaned on the floor. You turned to the two monsters in question with a raised eyebrow. "Seriously, how the hell did you two manage that? I've never heard of someone getting electrocuted while putting together a fish tank."
"we just ended up floundering with the instructions a bit." Sans stated with a shrug. His already bright grin growing wider at his brother's playful shriek of dismay.
"BROTHER, NO! NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR PUNS! I JUST GOT HOME!" Papyrus heaved an overly dramatic sigh that had you silently laughing along with the small skeleton. "WHY ARE YOU GETTING A FISH TANK ANYWAY HUMAN?"
"I'll happily show you in a minute. For now, I should probably go see what's wrong with the breaker and see if I can't get the lights back on." As you started to make your way out of the bedroom, a skeletal hand caught your arm making you turn to its owner.
"don't worry about that. lemme go figure it out. why don't you take metts to show off your fish babies to paps?" Sans. Probably the laziest creature on this planet was offering to see what was up with your power breaker? How on earth could you say no to that? You nodded your head to your best friend while dragging his brother back towards the kitchen. Your poor boyfriend begrudgingly getting up from the floor to make his way after you.
The light from the sun outside was more than enough to keep the kitchen illuminated. So you introduced your adorable little babies to the tall skeleton who made a high pitched squeal of glee at the new additions to your household. Mettaton slumped into a kitchen chair while trying to get his hair back under control as you told Papyrus how you got the fish.
"NOW THAT YOU HAVE PETS, WE SHOULD SET UP A PLAYDATE WITH OURS!" The tall monster declared proudly. His eye sockets scrunching up while he watched the fishies swim about in the bowl.
"Sure... though it will have to be after they get accustomed to their knew home, Darling. Who knew a fish tank would be such a pain to set up?!" Mettaton stated with a vague disdain that had you silently chuckling at him.
You leaned in and helped him pat his black locks back into place. Receiving a small shock from the static that was still in his hair. The lights came back on but you didn't pay them any mind. You had a robot boyfriend to tease. "Awww, you make such a caring fish daddy."
Mettaton snorted before turning to you with an incredulous look. "Fish daddy?!"
"Fish daddy." You nodded your head. "Fish daddy. Fish daddy. Fish daddy."
"Please stop calling me that." There was a soft thud when the robot's head met the top of your wood table.
"BUT IT IS SURELY A HIGH HONOR TO BE CONSIDERED THE FATHER FIGURE OF SUCH CUTE CREATURES!" Ooooh, Paps. Could this skeleton make you love him any more than he already has? "I KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE A GOOD CARETAKER!"
"Mmm... I guess. By the way, what kind of pet do you have, sugar skull?" The robot lifted his face from the table when he tried to divert the conversation away from himself. You were going to let it go for now but there was no way you were going to let him forget.
"I DO NOT HAVE A PET BUT SANS DOES! PET ROCK!" Papyrus declared proudly with a small heroic pose. "THOUGH I HAVE TO ALWAYS TAKE RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THE LAZYBONES FORGETS TO FEED IT!"
Poor pet rock. You had noticed it at their house a couple of times but didn't really pay it any mind. Did you have to feed rocks in The Underground? Or was it just like any other rock that a person claimed as their pet? You shrugged and offered the tall skeleton a big smile. "I'm sure pet rock wouldn't have it any other way. After all, it has the Great Papyrus taking care of it."
Papyrus nodded his skull at your words with a contemplative look on his face. "YOU ARE RIGHT, DEAR FRIEND! MAYBE THIS WAS MY BROTHER'S PLAN, AFTER ALL? HE KNEW THAT I COULD TAKE CARE OF IT BETTER THUS HE ALWAYS 'FORGETS'."
"oh nooooo. i've been exposed." The deep voice of a certain skeleton brother broke into the conversation from the entrance to the kitchen. "hey what's got metta out of sorts? did the shock do more damage than i thought orrr...?"
"WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING HOW HONORABLE IT IS TO BE CONSIDERED THE FATHER OF THE FISH!"
"Fish daddy." You summarized with an evil smirk at the small skeleton that sent him into a laughing fit and made Mettaton let another dramatic groan. "On that note, I want to name the Godfather of the fishies just in case something happens to Mettaton and I. I want my babies to be well taken care of and I know that they will be since you've always had my back since we met."
"awwww, i got your back too-"
"Papyrus, will you be my fish babies, Godfather?" You quickly turned to the taller brother while signing to show who you were talking too.
"ME?!"
Sans held his hands up to where his heart should be in mock hurt. "ouch. the lack of trust is drowning me in sorrow."
You rolled your eyes playfully at Sans. "Please, you would forget to feed them just like your pet rock."
The small skeleton stumbled back a couple of steps as though you had struck him. He fell down to one knee still clutching at his chest. "another low blow. i'm sinking over here... and even after i got everything set up so all we have to do is add the water to the tank..."
"What?" you blinked at his words. The surprise very prominent on your face.
"yeah, once i got the lights back on i figured i'd get the tank set up while mettaton was distracted. yet after all of my hard work... this is the thanks that i get? utter lack of trust... and betrayal." Sans slowly slide to the floor playing dead and you couldn't help but wonder if the skeleton was more dramatic than the robot monster is.
Heading over to your best friend, you knelt down and tried to pick him back up in an attempt to hug him. But the bastard was cheating by using his own blue magic on himself to keep his body cemented in place so that you could barely lift him a centimeter off the ground. Noticing your struggle, the other two monsters decided to grant you pity and grabbed Sans where they could to try and heave the skeleton monster up.
"Geez, Sans! I know you keep telling me you are big boned but this is just ridiculous!" Mettaton exclaimed as he tried to lift the small skeleton by his stomach to no avail.
"SANS! RELEASE YOUR MAGIC! WE NEED TO GET THE HOME FINISHED SO THAT THE FISH CAN START ADJUSTING!" Papyrus attempted to heave his brother by his legs and managed to get them about a foot off the ground which was much better than your combined efforts with Mettaton. You clicked your tongue in agreement since both of your hands were currently busy only earning yourself a long winded chuckle from the magicked skeleton.
After a good ten minutes of failing to try and get Sans off the floor, you gave up and went to the pantry to pull out one of the many ketchup bottles that you had stashed away for reasons just like these. Popping the cap and waving the open bottle near the top of Sans's skull, you were rewarded with the skeleton releasing his magic and allowing the other two monsters to pull him upright. With the small skeleton back on the band wagon, the four of you went about preparing the tank.
Mettaton and Papyrus teamed up to start filling the huge tank with water while Sans and yourself went about decorating the interior. At one point, you gave up in trying to stay dry and just took your socks off to jump into the tank so that you could place things easier. Only to have Sans to close the top and refuse to let you out until you admitted that he was the pun master.
Revenge was going to be a sweet mistress to you one of these days.
Once the decorations were in place and the sand had properly settled in the tank that was now full of water, you began the process of slowly integrating your fish babies into their new home. Having one of them going belly up due to the shock of the abrupt change in water and temperature was the last thing you wanted to happen to them. They had been through enough until you brought them home.
Soon the four of you were sitting on your bedroom floor watching the fish investigate their huge new enclosure. You bed had been returned to its original position, though you hadn't bothered to make it. Since it was so late in the day, you were going to be messing it up soon anyways. Your floor wasn't in a much better state. Empty packages made of plastic and cardboard had been shoved to the sidelines so that the four of you could view your handiwork side by side.
Your heart swelled. The fish were happy, the skelebros were happy, Mettaton was happy... and you were happy. This moment was pure and you couldn't remember having many of these before being pulled into the world of your monster friends. How could people not understand that these fellow beings just wanted acceptance and love? It, honestly, baffled you.
These people have put their necks out for you so many times it made your head spin and they did it without hesitation. They would do anything for you.
The soft smile on your face grew. You would do the same for them too.
Why couldn't things stay like this?