Undyne is pressing her palms firmly against the window, grin wide as she stares at the shining decorations inside. With how close she's leaning to the display, her breath is making cloudy stains on the glass.
The fish monster pulls away and shakes some snow off her coat in the process, then dives into her pocket with vigor as she grasps her cell. The contact she's looking for is among the first ones in the list and she nearly slams her thumb to the screen upon the sight of it.
"ALPHYS! I found the best store ever! It has EVERYTHING we need!" she exclaims in her excitable manner without even starting with a 'hello.'
"T-that's amazing, Undyne! D-do you need me to c-come over and help out?" stutters Alphys in return, the sound of her voice only a bit distorted by the smartphone.
"Nah, I can get everything on my own! I just wanted you to know!" Undyne responds happily as she paces back and forth on the icy sidewalk. Passerbyes have to walk around her carefully and some shoot her questioning looks. She minds none of them.
"Okay! By the way, a-are we g-getting Muffet to c-cater the party? I need to l-let her know today. I w-was going to c-call you about that, actually," Alphys then prattles on while Undyne enters the shop with a ding of the bell above the door. She cringes at the sight of caked snow on her boots and wipes her feet to the welcome mat.
"I guess we are? I was surprised to find out she doesn't just do pastries," the redhead shrugs and runs a hand through her ponytail to clear it of the same substance that had hindered her feet.
"Y-yeah, I think she's e-expanding now that s-she has room to. M-Muffet's has become r-really popular, b-b-but... B-but we've already h-had this conversation, h-haven't we? Hehe..." Alphys eventually dissolves into a nervous mess.
"Sure, but don't worry about it! I just love hearing your voice–!" Undyne stops in her tracks, yellow eyes blown wide. Then a deep blush spreads across her face when it occurs to her she's actually said that out loud. "A-ANYWAY gottagobye!"
She ends the call then and there, still scarlet, and smacks herself on the forehead with her phone. Gah! Why is she still so shy about her feelings toward Alphys? She's Undyne, the (former) Captain of the Royal Guard! She shouldn't be shy about anything...
Undyne shakes her head as she slips the phone into her pocket and sighs. She feels her shoulders sag with the action.
When she's done with her spout of self-doubt a moment later, she stands up straight and casts another look around the cozy insides of the shop. From golden bells and red bows and laces to decorations of reindeer and snowflakes, and from fake Christmas trees to rows and rows of colorful lights and decorative balls, the store is filled with season-appropriate items.
Undyne's grin makes a return in full as she marches to the clerk on her right.
"Hey! Excuse me! I need some help decorating for a BALLIN' Christmas party! You up for it, punk?"
The clerk jumps at being shouted at, but recovers with a hospitable smile. She can already tell the monster is going to be a great customer.
.
The ring of the doorbell almost immediately attracts its owner to it, a steaming cup in her hand and a toothy smile across her face. She nearly tosses the door off its hinges when she greets the one just outside it.
"WELCOME, nerds and geeks of all kind! It's a pleasure to–" she pauses, and her grin widens even further when she sees who she's talking to, "PAPYRUS! Finally! I was beginning to think you got lost!"
"NONSENSE! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS NEVER LOST! ESPECIALLY FROM HIS OWN HOME!" exclaims the skeleton proudly and raises a fist to his chest. Undyne feels her fins droop the moment after.
"Why'd you ring the bell? Did you wanna test out the sweet noise I added to it?!" the fish monster beams, then reaches out to the button in the hall and presses it herself. A sound of jingle bells rings inside the apartment.
"HMM, I'M HAVING TROUBLE DECIDING WHETHER THAT QUALIFIES AS 'SWEET.'"
"Yeah, in comparison to what's inside, that's nothing! Come in already!" Undyne celebrates and heads back in, waving Papyrus to follow. He does so and shuts the door after them.
As soon as he enters the combined living and dining room space, he can take in the entire scene. The large space is filled with a variety of familiar monsters wearing Christmas hats and sweaters, as well as other holiday accessories. A few humans are in between the crowd, but the number is so miniscule in comparison to monsters that they more or less disappear when one blinks.
Papyrus gazes up and around the room, to the red laces and golden bells along the walls and a variety of lights and coniferous festoons wrapped around all furniture and whatever structure is in sight. By the expensive flatscreen television, on the right side of the room, a Christmas tree stands proudly: Adorned with fake snow, more lights and both handmade and storebought decorations.
Though you may miss it upon first entering due to the chatter of the crowd, there's a radio playing Christmas music somewhere in the background. A delicious smell of pastries and other holiday foods carries over from the kitchen and Papyrus can't help but look over.
He isn't disappointed by the sight in the least. The dinner table, as well as the kitchen island separating the kitchen from the rest of the space, are entirely covered with food and drinks. Some of Muffet's spiders are constantly scampering across whatever space there is on the surfaces, offering the dishes to anyone nearby. The tip jar is half full with bills and coins.
"YOU REALLY WENT ALL OUT!" Papyrus tells her with sincerity and awe, then turns to look at the other monsters again. "THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE! HOW DID YOU EVEN FIT EVERYONE INSIDE?"
The group is mostly made up of former Royal Guards, regulars from Grillby's, as well as people Undyne knows from living in Waterfall. Some have invited their own friends to join and some are people the occupants of this apartment have met in the past six months or so.
"Oh, uh, I may have also made room in the study," Undyne explains sheepishly and heads over to the dinner table to grab herself a gingerbread cookie. "No biggie!"
Papyrus fights back a frown upon hearing that.
"I THOUGHT ALPHYS DIDN'T WANT YOU TO USE THE STUDY FOR THE PARTY," he says evenly as he takes off his coat and scarf, then tucks them into the coat closet. It's quite full, he notes in passing and leans down to carefully take off his snowy boots.
"Well, no! But I made sure to lock everything away so she can't have anything to complain!" the fish shrugs and munches down on her cookie. "When did you become so uptight, dude?! It's Christmas! Let's celebrate!"
Before Papyrus can begin to formulate an answer, Undyne has leapt the distance over to the tall skeleton and catches him in a noogie. Her cup of cocoa has disappeared somewhere in the process.
"NOOO! UNDYNE!" he whines indignantly, and the pair earns some chuckles from the others around them.
Once Undyne pulls away, cackling, Papyrus pouts and straightens himself to the appropriate standard.
Now that his outer clothes are shed, the former Captain sees they're both wearing woolen sweaters. Papyrus' is a bright red with small bone and bow patterns, while Undyne's is a blue that compliments her skin tone. Instead of bones, it has rows of little fish on it.
"Did Toriel give you that?" she asks while pointing to the sweater, and Papyrus' expression brightens immediately.
"YES! IT TURNS OUT SHE HAD ONE MADE FOR BOTH ME AND SANS! HIS IS GREEN, THOUGH," he tells loudly, as Papyrus always does, "I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE FOUND THE TIME!"
"That new school is really keeping her busy, hun? Let's hope she sorts everything out soon! That woman has earned herself a break," Undyne waves and then begins to turn toward the farther one of their two hallways, the one by the kitchen. "Hey! Let's go break Alphys outta our room. She's been holed up in there for the past half an hour!"
Papyrus isn't sure what to think of that; Perhaps they should just let the scientist be. But Undyne seems set on the idea already, so he might as well go with her.
He follows his friend through the crowd, greeting some of them briefly on the way. Once they've passed the Christmas tree that partially blocks the hallway entrance, Undyne engages him in conversation again.
"Where is your brother, anyway? Or your house keys, for that matter! Or my other BFF?!" she questions in a tirade, slowing her long paces to gaze at the skeleton over her shoulder. Papyrus' frown makes a return.
"I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE WENT. I WAS SO IMPRESSED WHEN HE OFFERED TO BRING UP ALL OF OUR THINGS, BUT BY THE TIME I REACHED THE DOOR, HE AND FRISK WERE GONE!" he informs with what's clearly frustration, but quickly collects himself and simply folds his arms in defiance. "BUT WORRY NOT! IF THERE IS ONE THING SANS WON'T MISS OUT ON, IT'S A PARTY! AND YOU'LL KNOW EXACTLY THE MOMENT HE ENTERS SAID PARTY, TOO..."
"Really? I had him pegged as more of an introvert than that," Undyne hums momentarily, then stops by her bedroom door. Papyrus does the same. "But then again, you two have been going to a lot of parties on the Surface!"
"YES. HALLOWEEN WAS HIS FAVORITE! HE SIMPLY WROTE 'SANS' ON HIS FOREHEAD WITH RED MARKER AND SAID HIS COSTUME WAS 'A SKELETON'! AND HE DOES THAT EVERY TIME! I'M STARTING TO THINK HE ONLY ATTENDS FOR THE FREE FOOD! IT'S DISGRACEFUL," Papyrus scolds his absent sibling.
"Ugh! That sounds more like him!" Undyne agrees easily, then finally knocks on the wood before her. She focuses her attention to the person inside. "Alphyy! Papyrus is here! Come and welcome him home!"
They have to wait for a bit before footsteps saunter toward the door. The door cracks open when they come to a stop behind it.
"W-we-welcome home," Alphys says nervously from the crack and takes fleeting looks behind her. The sight is a bit suspicious, and the fact doesn't escape them.
"Well? Are you gonna come out and join the party?!" asks Undyne excitedly, still more concerned about getting Alphys out of their room.
"Eh, erm, i-i-in a m-minute, okay? I–"
Alphys is cut off by a high-pitched bark. It sounds like it's coming from inside the room and she squeaks, face turning white.
"Babe?" Undyne blinks at her, confused. Papyrus, however, would know that bark anywhere.
"OH MY GOD! IS THAT MEDDLING POOCH INSIDE YOUR BEDROOM?!" he exclaims in increased annoyance and balls his fists to his sides. Alphys jumps at the tone.
"O-oh! Why d-don't you! L-look at the t-t-time! I have to... W-w-water the f-fish tank! I'll be right out!" Alphys stutters all of a sudden, eyes shifting from side to side. Barely a second later the door slams firmly shut and the sound of its lock clicking into place can be heard.
"I THOUGHT I MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT NO SMALL WHITE DOGS ARE WELCOME AT THIS PARTY!" Papyrus shouts at the closed door. Undyne casts a look behind him to Greater Dog, who only tilts his head curiously and lets out a whine.
"Alright! She'll be right out!" Undyne cheers, choosing to focus on the positive. Besides, she has no opinion on that dog one way or the other. "Oh, by the way! I asked Alphys to call Mettaton–"
The last syllable has barely left her mouth when Papyrus' intense stare fixes onto her.
"METTATON? WILL HE COME OVER?"
"Yeah! Supposedly. Maybe. Alphy said he might pop by in the evening if he has time," she explains casually and shrugs. Papyrus' irritation is once again forgotten because of the good news.
"FORGET ABOUT THE DOG IN THAT CASE! WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CELEBRITY IN MY HOME–"
"He's been here before, y'know."
"...AND IT'S ALL THANKS TO YOUR GIRLFRIEND!"
"Maybe! He said maybe," Undyne reminds, but doesn't make an effort to fight off her smile, "But you're right! Alphys is the best, isn't she? Although I'm still not the biggest fan of Mettaton."
"YOU'VE MADE THAT VERY CLEAR!" Nevertheless, Papyrus' mood doesn't seem soured. By now, he's learnt to not always give in just to please Undyne. At least, not all the time. Especially since his perfectionism regarding their living arrangements has given him more authority in their shared apartment. He can only dance around his preferences for so long.
The pause in the conversation gets filled by sudden cheers from the living room.
"Hey guys, it's Sans!"
And Papyrus' mood nearly dives right back to irritation, but he takes a deep breath instead. No, he will not allow his brother to get under his metaphorical skin tonight.
"SEE, I TOLD YOU," he informs Undyne in that even tone from before. She raises a brow, then heads down the hall, likely curious. Begrudginly, Papyrus follows.
As he's expected, a bunch of people have gathered around the entrance in a half circle which, undoubtedly, Sans is in the center of. If he squints, he can spy an overwhelmed Frisk smiling awkwardly due to the attention they're receiving just being around him.
"really, guys. you're giving the ambassador cold feet. it'd be snow problem, but, uh... we do actually have to 'flake out for a bit to get rid of our luggage."
Sans' voice can be made out from all the cheery questions and greetings of the others. Undyne is taking in the scene with a neutral expression and folded arms. Then a moment later, she springs into action.
"Alright, everyone! Let's not crowd my roommate!" she exclaims in a strained happy tone while clapping her hands once. "This is not an open exhibit on lazy skeletons! NGAH!"
The agression seeping into her tone commands attention and everyone nervously scatters into small groups to converse. Frisk sighs out of relief when they have their freedom again.
"There's the human I've been waiting to see!" greets Undyne upon better sighting them and approaches the kid, ignoring Sans in the process. She puts her arm over their shoulders and grins widely at them. "Welcome to the greatest Christmas party ever! Or at least best of the year! In our neighbourhood!"
"AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF THIS ABOVE-AVERAGE PARTY! IT FILLS YOU WITH DETERMINATION!" exclaims Papyrus from beside Undyne, leaning down to beam at his shorter friend.
"geez, undyne. we were only gone for one night. did'ya do all this in that time?" Sans asks and furrows his nonexistent brows as he studies the scene. "looks like 't was a lotta work."
Undyne finally turns to pay attention to him and waves it off.
"Pfft! Sure, but it was well worth it! The place looks amazing, right?" she responds while still keeping Frisk in her hold. "A real Winter Wonderland!"
"i mean, if your 'winter wonderland' is mostly made up of electric lights," he shrugs, wearing that smug and amused expression he often does.
"Hell yeah it is!" she declares loudly and pumps her fist in the air. Then she looks down at Sans' feet, and next, Frisk's. "Oh, hey. Take off your shoes before you go any farther!"
"YES, PLEASE! I DON'T WANT TO WORRY ABOUT WET PARQUET!"
Sans shrugs, already knowing the drill. He slips out of his slippers and judges for a moment if it's worth the effort to pick them up. Upon receiving a sharp glare from Papyrus, a glint of mischief does flash in his eyes, but he complies anyway.
Meanwhile, Frisk has shimmied out of Undyne's hold and is already putting their dark winter boots into the closet.
"I'LL MOVE OUR LUGGAGE SINCE YOU HAVE ACTUALLY FOR ONCE GONE THROUGH THE EFFORT OF CARRYING SOMETHING THIS FAR!" Papyrus then comments when his gaze lands on their shared bag of clothing, presents and other necessary or less necessary items from their night over at Toriel's. He picks it up with ease and starts toward the other hallway, the one where their rooms await. "DON'T PARTY TOO HARD WHILE I'M GONE!"
"Pshh! I ONLY party hard! Exclusive party-hardiness, hardly-partiness and other related terms!" Undyne challenges, once again pumping her fists into the air. How she acts starkly contrasts the way she dresses – the stylish way she has her ponytail done and the careful picks in clothing with both her sweater and neat, dark jeans.
Papyrus raises an index finger, as if about to correct Undyne on something, but seems to decide against it and turns to continue his walk down the hallway.
"Your apartment looks great," Frisk finally speaks up when they return to Undyne's side. She smiles and waves them over to the tables of food.
"Thanks, punk! Grab some pastries now that yer here! Unless Toriel's already made you sick of sweets by now," she instructs and grabs a random plate to push in Frisk's general direction. They giggle and step over to grab a bun from the tray. "Guessing that's a no. Alright!"
Undyne puts the plate down and places one hand on her hip while the other gestures at the rest of the table. The chairs have been piled to the side, out of the way of the buffet.
"Take whatever you'd like!" she exclaims, then glances toward the drinks with an inkling of realization in her slitted pupils, "Except the eggnog. Don't touch that, actually," she adds meekly.
They decide to take the advice and not go near it, just incase. They do see some people drinking it as they look around the room, but pretty much everyone else is an adult.
Sans seems to make the same deduction they do and the next time they see him, he's also holding a mug of the drink. Frisk fights the urge to shake their head.
"How's living with everyone?" they ask instead, catching Undyne's attention anew. She's made conversation with a few of her guests while Frisk has been collecting food onto a paper plate.
"I want to say it's like an extended sleepover, and sometimes it is! But a lot of the time..." Undyne trails off, nearly sweating as she considers her words in an unusual manner to her. Then she shakes her head and rids herself of the toned down attitude. "Papyrus can be a total control freak! Which is understandable, because his brother does absolutely nothing to help around in the house! And..."
She casts a wary look toward her bedroom before she continues.
"While Alphys does actually help clean and stuff, she's about as messy as that lazy skeleton!" she finishes, shoulders squaring in annoyance. "I love her, but damn it! It's really hard to adjust to everyone!"
Undyne sighs when Frisk shoots her a sympathetic look.
"But! It's also pretty rewarding. I feel a lot closer to all of them, too... Even if Papyrus' brother is still a complete weirdo," Undyne deadpans the end part. Frisk chuckles at the notion. All four of them can be considered quite eccentric, so they're surprised Undyne can single someone out.
"And it's good training for the few years to come! I'll be spending most of my time around Papyrus, after all," she shrugs and leans her back to the kitchen island. Frisk bites down on the bun they've collected earlier. "And maybe he'll actually get a break from his brother, too, and learns to relax! Man, he still claims he won't take an actual vacation at any time, but he needs it about as much as your mom does. Asgore, too..."
Since coming to the Surface, both boss monsters have been busy with politics. Asgore is planning to step down from his position as king and let the human state have control over everyone, equal to humans, but the process is taking a lot of time. He, as well as Toriel, are making sure everything goes down smoothly.
Adapting to the human culture has been unexpectedly easy. While the appearance of monsters has been a shock, they have a certain quality that brings humans to accept them for the most part. That's of course the fact that, due to making so many jokes to light up the mood in the Underground, monsters have gained an incredible talent to make humans laugh. And the fact that they can do that connects to them in a way nothing else likely could.
Sans is among the most popular of the monsters on the Surface, too. He's accidentally ended up the star in many videos online due to his interactions with humans and with his brother. Papyrus has only gained a slice of the fame, but adores it ten times the amount Sans does.
Another, even more famous example of this is Mettaton. He's become an instant celebrity amongst humans and currently takes part in at least three or four shows. It's hard to keep count, since he is a literal entertainment machine.
"He's going to start gardening professionally," Frisk tells after swallowing their bite. Undyne nods.
"I heard! He's gonna make the sickest floral arrangements!" she declares proudly. "Anyway, I better go and be a good host. A lot of people have been beckoning me over! Papyrus will be here to hang with you soon. Oh, and remind him to remind Alphys she promised to come out of our room!"
"Got it," Frisk nods, and that's cue enough for Undyne to dive into the crowd. Frisk turns to greet one of the spiders offering them a cup of soda.
While waiting around for their other friends, Frisk goes to talk to some of the other guests as well. They spot Doggo and the rest of the 'Canine Unit' hanging around the left side of the room, where the radio is playing, and heads to them with a plate of food in hand.
When they approach, all of the dogs starts sniffing the air until their eyes fix on Frisk's plate, despite having food of their own. Some of them even wag their tails at the sight.
"It's the Puppy!" Dogaressa cheers, smiling happily. She's wearing a Christmas hat, while her husband has reindeer horns on.
"What's up, Pup?" asks Doggo and casually adjusts his collar. The jingle bells make a sound that causes Dogamy's ears to twitch.
"Hello, everyone," Frisk responds and tosses one of the treats on their plate to Greater Dog, who hops up in the air to catch it with his mouth due to not having his armor. They scratch the dog's neck as praise.
"Undyne is doing great considering she almost never holds parties!" Dogaressa says and sips her eggnog. All the dogs except for Greater Dog are holding a cup of it.
"Guess this'll be her first and last party in a while," Dogamy ads with a hint of disappointment. "We're all going to miss her when she goes to the Academy."
"Papyrus, too. He's always been really nice," adds Doggo and picks up a cookie from Frisk's plate. He fumbles a little as he reaches over, but he has the location well pinpointed from the time Frisk walked over to them.
"Well, they'll only be gone for a few years! Then we can play with them again!" promises Dogaressa excitedly and wags her tail. The others brighten from the declaration.
"Oh, I wonder what Sans is going to do with his brother gone. Papyrus is half of what he talks about," points out Dogamy then, his happiness diminishing partially. Frisk frowns at that, glancing toward the balcony.
Through the large windows, they can see the forementioned skeleton sitting on the railing and entertaining a small group with his banter, no doubt. Their laughs are occasionally loud enough to hear inside.
Frisk has raised a similar question to him only a short while earlier, when sitting at Grillby's new bar. It closed early today, and they visited it during the last twenty minutes.
"about papyrus... you worry too much, kid. we're both adults and he's only gonna be a few hours away. i'm gonna get to annoy him enough when he's on his breaks from school. 'sides, i'm busy working, anyhow."
They're not sure they're convinced, but Sans does raise a good point. They are grownups. Brothers or not, they're bound to have their own separate lives eventually.
Still, they find the thought a bit saddening.
As if called upon, Papyrus enters the room with a wide smile across his face and pulls both Frisk's and Doggo's attention.
"HELLO AGAIN! I HAVE SUCCESFULLY UNPACKED AND SORTED ALL OF OUR ITEMS!" declares the tall monster and places his hand on the human's shoulder. "WHERE HAS UNDYNE GONE?"
Frisk looks around for a moment before they spot the head of red hair in the kitchen. They point at her and Papyrus' gaze follows. She's currently entertaining Shyren and Aaron with a joke or a story of some kind.
"OH, I SEE! HOSTING SO MAGNIFICENTLY! AS EXPECTED OF UNDYNE!" Papyrus beams and waves when he catches her attention for a second. Then he turns back to Frisk. "HAS ALPHYS COME OUT OF HER ROOM YET?" They shake their head. "WELL! I SUPPOSE THAT LEAVES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BRINGING HER OUT TO US."
Frisk nods in admission, then allows Papyrus to drag them toward the room. Their plate is left with the pack of dogs.
They fluidly make their way through to the hallway and soon reach the door Alphys is hiding behind. Papyrus doesn't waste time before knocking.
"ALPHYS! ARE YOU COMING OUT?"
Once again it takes a moment before the door opens. She peers from the crack like before, glasses a bit askew. It appears she makes an effort to meet Papyrus' eyes.
"I'M NOT MAD ABOUT THE DOG ANYMORE," he assures her, though reluctantly. "SANS IS BACK NOW! I BET HE WANTS TO TALK WITH YOU."
"O-oh, he is?" Alphys' mood shifts upon hearing that, but she's still hesitant. "Okay, fine. I'll j-join the party a-again."
True to her word, she steps out. She's not wearing a Christmas hat or a sweater, but she is wearing a red dress fitting of a party. It's adorned by a large red bow in the back and the shape almost reminds Frisk of a Japanese kimono.
Alphys closes the door by leaning into it, then takes a cautious look toward the crowd in the living room. She isn't particularly afraid of big groups, but she isn't accustomed to them either. She comes off quite awkward in social gatherings.
"H-have either of you c-checked on the study? I w-worry for the materials I've l-left there," she asks shyly while holding one of her cheeks in hand. Frisk looks toward the room beside them, its door wide open and some chatter heard from inside.
Originally, the study acted as Alphys' bedroom. But since her and Undyne became an official couple soon after reaching the Surface, she simply drifted into the latter's living spaces over time. The extra room has been given a different use since then.
The apartment's rent is fairly high because of its size, but split between Undyne, Alphys and Sans, it isn't that terrible. Besides, even if the amount of gold brought from the Underground did tip its value downward on the Surface market, it's still been enough to set everyone up for a comfortable life for the first year or two.
"UNDYNE SAID SHE'S LOCKED EVERYTHING AWAY," Papyrus assures her as softly as Papyrus is capable of.
"I-I know, but s-still..." Alphys sighs and adjusts her handleless glasses. "N-nevermind, I'll just t-trust her on this. L-let's go out there and... Party...!" she says, trying for a happy-go-lucky attitude and only managing to come off as awkward.
"THAT'S THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT!" Papyrus cheers and takes the initiative, rushing back into the main room. Alphys and Frisk lag behind, walking side by side.
"U-Undyne has been r-really set on this p-party... I think she m-may have gotten a little b-bored in these path m-months," Alphys starts, chuckling nervously. "I h-haven't been able to hang out with her as m-much as she'd l-like, and she hasn't taken any j-jobs or classes like P-Papyrus. She's mostly just been h-hanging out around the house, de-stressing from being C-Captain for so long."
Frisk nods at that, smiling wryly. It makes sense that someone like Undyne would end up running on the walls being more or less inactive for that long.
"Th-the Academy will do her g-good. Even if that m-means we'll have to b-be a long distance couple for a w-while." A mild sadness flashes in her eyes at that. "I c-can't believe they're already l-leaving next month!" she continues, then comes into a placatory pause, "B-but I guess everyone is t-talking about that... Let's just focus on the p-party for now."
The human can agree to that and they go ahead and find some more of their friends. Another human catches their ear on their way and Alphys watches as they take in whatever her excited babbling contains.
She's brought out of her staring by the voice she most loves to hear (outside anime, that is):
"Alphyyys! You came to join the fun!" Undyne cheers and wraps her arms around her girlfriend from behind. Alphys jumps and blushes a bright red, looking around at the people shooting them looks.
"J-j-just as p-promised!" she exclaims nervously, eyes wide. She's not opposed to Undyne's attention, but is caught off guard. "Y-your breath smells like eggnog."
Undyne laughs and pulls away from the lizard, then tugs her along into the kitchen.
"Have a cup or two! I know you don't do well in parties. It'll help you chill," she promises, already pouring a new cup for Alphys. The latter makes a face, but it turns into a smile.
"O-of course you s-spiked it," she comments, but takes the cup from Undyne anyway, "D-don't have too m-much, okay? I-I don't think I can h-handle being a h-hostess without you all here."
"I won't, I won't!" Undyne waves it off, "But even if I did, you still have the skeleton brothers! They're naturals at this stuff!"
Alphys manages a smile at that.
"I g-guess that's true," she amends. She sips the eggnog, then takes a brief look around. "P-Papyrus said Sans is around?"
Undyne hops up into a sitting position on one of the empty kitchen counters.
"Oh, you wanna go talk nerdy stuff with him, huh? BORING!" she exclaims, fake-yawning to emphasize her point. "I think he's still over at the balcony. Tell him to come inside, actually! I want to start off the karaoke!"
"K-k-karao–" Alphys shakes from either excitement or horror. Undyne has yet to decipher which – Alphys loves karaoke but hates performing in front of people. "I'll g-go tell him! So just sit tight." She isn't given much longer to ponder than that.
Unlike Papyrus or Undyne, Alphys has trouble navigating through the crowd of people. Small squeals of 'excuse me' leave her mouth every now and then until she's by the balcony door.
A pile of blankets has been folded onto the windowsill and she picks one up, wrapping it around her shoulders as she steps outside, mindful of her eggnog. The floor of the balcony is cold and she flinches upon first stepping on it.
"hi, alph," greets Sans from where he's still sitting on the railing. He turns to the three monsters who've been talking with him and slides his left hand out of his hoodie pocket to gesture toward the door. "could'ya guys give us a minute?"
The monsters slip back inside, past Alphys, who shivers as she steps over to stand by the window, opposite to her friend.
"H-hey, we haven't r-really talked in a while, have w-we?" she starts nervously and kneads her claws into the blanket. Sans somehow makes the noise of clicking one's tongue.
"we've both been too busy, huh?" he shrugs it off and smiles at her, "there'll be more time for 'nerd shenanigans' – as your other half graciously calls it – in a month or so, though." He makes the air quotes with one hand before sliding it back into the warmth of his coat. Not that he's even flinching from the freezing temperature, to Alphys' neverending dismay and jealousy.
She also briefly notes how his usual blue hoodie is tucked over a green sweater with blue bone patterns on it, similar to Papyrus' one but more subdued in design. It suits him.
"Y-yeah, can't argue w-with that!" she admits, managing a half smile.
For a moment, Sans casts his eyes on the streets below. It isn't as lively as it usually is at this time. The snowy pathways between apartment buildings are mostly empty, though many lights are on in the apartments and balconies are adorned by colorful decorations. Their own is no exception, thanks to Undyne.
"S-so, have you told Papyrus about y-you-know-what, yet?" she asks after sitting on the question for a silent beat or few. When Sans turns back to her, she averts her gaze, as if she's said something she's not supposed to.
"nah. i'll let him know when it happens, probably," the skeleton simply shrugs, not at all offended. Tension leaves Alphys' shoulders.
She's not actually supposed to know about what Sans has been up to. He simply didn't know she was home when he'd briefly left a brochure on the kitchen counter and she'd ended up asking about it. No point in lying at that point, he'd figured.
"I bet he'll be p-proud of you," she tells him, hoping to sound encouraging. Something flashes in Sans' eyes, but it's too quick for her to figure out the exact emotion.
"of course he will. he's papyrus after all," he chuckles then, "better wait, though. don't wanna make a big deal out of it."
"Hmm... You can f-finally stop taking all those o-odd jobs once you've p-passed all the requirements! You m-must be excited about t-that, right?" Alphys inquires curiously and tugs the blanket on better.
"well yeah, but i dont mind odd jobs anyhow," Sans tells her, brow furrowing, "still, can't deny it'll be fun working in a lab again." He seems a little sheepish upon making the admission.
"I've always t-thought astrophysics s-suits you," Alphys says, smiling in a more relaxed manner to before. She's being sincere and it warms Sans' soul.
"awh, geez. youre gonna make me blush," he plays it off and averts his eyes from her, looking amused. She keeps smiling for a moment longer.
Outside just doing something she knows he enjoys, she's glad he has a way to occupy himself once Papyrus moves away. They'll move out of the big apartment themselves, too, and have been entertaining the idea of living together in a two-bedroom for money-related reasons. And, because neither of them really wants to be completely alone.
"We're s-so not g-going to survive living w-without Undyne and P-Papyrus," Alphys snorts in amusement when the thought crosses her mind. She detects a glint in Sans' gaze, his eyelights just a bit wider than usual.
For a moment, she expects a joke from him. But it appears he either can't think of one, or it dies on his metaphorical tongue.
"yeah," he instead says, sounding almost wistful as his eyes drop to the floor. Alphys' smile turns a little tighter, his expression too much a reflection of her own emotions. Perhaps that was the wrong thing to say.
Alphys jumps when there's suddenly a knock on the window behind her and she twirls around much faster than she's thought herself capable. She's met with Frisk's smiling face. The kid points behind her to Undyne, who's eagerly setting up the karaoke machine by the TV.
"Ah! R-right! I f-forgot to say U-Undyne wanted us inside for k-karaoke!" she remembers then, sweating due to her failed mission.
"oh, cool," Sans replies as he easily drops down from the railing. "they're gonna have fun with that."
"Ha, I bet!" Alphys agrees, following him to the door. She's visibly happy to get out of the cold. "Are you g-going to sing?"
The skeleton pauses, considering it as he looks up to the top of the doorframe.
"do a duet with me and i will," he challenges, winking at Alphys. She squeaks again.
"M-m-me? I..."
They've done it before, but never at a party. It's always just been one of the nights where the four of them are fighting off their boredom by competing with each other in various different games, as well as karaoke. Surprisingly enough, none of them are terrible at it, but Undyne tends to get too excited to sing properly and Sans gets too lazy to finish any of his songs, which ends up in Papyrus taking over his parts.
"O-okay! B-but you're not allowed to q-quit in the middle!" she returns with a determined stare. Sans chuckles.
"alright, deal."
As the pair enters the living room, they see the couch has been pushed back to make more room for the two microphone stands. Undyne has just turned on the machine and is looking through a long list of songs. She's downloaded a bunch of Christmas tunes for this specific occasion.
"Okay! Who wants to go first?!" she exclaims at the room after making sure everything is in order.
Sans and Alphys instinctually exchange looks.
"we'll start," he calls out right away and his partner gives a reluctant nod. Undyne turns to them a little quicker than intended, but otherwise hides her surprise well and simply gestures them toward the microphones.
"Take it away, babe!" she tells her girlfriend exclusively, grinning from fin to fin. The rest of the audience is much more focused on egging Sans on, which he – ever the crowd pleaser – plays off laughing.
He spots Papyrus in the midst of everyone, standing with his arms crossed. He shakes his head, but eventually can't help his smile. Sans smiles back at him as he picks up his microphone.
"W-which song do you w-want to do?" mutters Alphys as she fumbles with the controller, hands shaking. Her cup has been placed on the windowsill. He fixes his gaze to the list and hums thoughtfully. "I d-don't know m-most of these..."
"wait, what about that one?"
"W-which one... 'Baby It's Cold Outside'?" She raises her brows when she says it out loud. "O-oh! I d-do, actually... B-but I might m-mess it up?"
"nah, you'll be great," Sans promises her, smiling in earnest. He reaches over to the controller, quickly pressing 'Start' on the song before Alphys can back out.
"Ah! W-wait!" she yelps when the intro music starts to play. She's already blushing and scrambles as she puts the device aside in favor of holding her mic.
"I-I really can't stay..." Alphys starts nervously, her voice uneven as she tries to fight off her stage-fright.
"Baby, it's cold outside," Sans adds exactly on cue, winking his reassurance to his friend. She jumps, and is half a beat late on her next part, forcing her to speed through it.
"I've got to go away," she starts.
"But, baby, it's cold outside," Sans finishes with ease. Somehow, his relaxed energy helps Alphys carry on to her next line with a much smoother tone.
"This evening has been..."
"Been hoping that you'd drop in."
After that, Alphys steadily gains confidence throughout the song. She only stutters on a couple lines, and she hits all the notes she's supposed to, almost sounding as effortless as Sans at times. And besides yawning once near the end, he really doesn't seem like he's dropping out of the song.
Undyne, while mostly keeping her eyes on only Alphys and seeking her gaze when she can, does notice how well their voices meld together in this particular song. Sans' baritone is the perfect fit for the male parts, and Alphys' soprano – when she's confident enough to nail her half – compliments him perfectly.
And when she does look around, most of the room is completely into the performance. Some cheer the pair on, while others simply elect to listen.
Once the song is over, they receive applause accompanied by a few more cheers and chuckles. Sans, as usual, mostly seems tired right after, as if one performance has seeped all the energy from him. Meanwhile, Alphys is left a stammering, blushing mess.
"I c-can't believe I d-did that..." Undyne catches her muttering to herself when she goes to congradulate her on doing such a great job.
"Gah! You were so cute out there, Alphy!" she tells her and places a kiss on the other's cheek. If Alphys is able to turn any redder, she does so then.
"A-ah! Are! You gonna s-sing, Undyne?" she asks while being pulled away from their makeshift stage. The fish monster shrugs.
"Yeah! But I haven't decided on a song yet!" She leans down to Alphys' level, smiling at her mischievously. "Hey, wanna do another duet?"
While Alphys is still recovering from all the public shows of affection, Papyrus seizes the first microphone.
"NYEH! IT'S TIME FOR THE GREAT PAPYRUS TO DAZZLE YOU ALL! JUST WAIT AND YOU'LL SEE THE ACT OF A LIFETIME!" he announces in a very Mettaton-like manner as he locks down one of the songs. Sans, who's now slumped down on the couch, gives him a thumbs up.
"take it away, bro," he encourages.
"Go Papyrus!" cheers Doggo from behind him, leaning over the couch with one hand on its back. Undyne feels herself get filled with similar excitement.
"You better do good! Because I'm going to do even BETTER! You'll see!" she exclaims, and Papyrus immediately grabs the challenge presented.
"NYEH HEH HEH! MAY THE BEST MONSTER WIN! MOST CHEERS FROM THE AUDIENCE WINS YOU THE ULTIMATE TITLE OF KARAOKE MASTER!" he promises while pointing at Undyne, the intro of his song already playing. The crowd makes noise in approval.
"You're on, punk!"
As usual, Papyrus ends up beating her in this particular contest. While they're both popular among the people present, Undyne ends up getting way too excited while doing her version of the Jingle Bell Rock and the sounds from her microphone make the dog monsters whine in pain. She looks quite apologetic for a good while after that.
Many others take turns singing that night. The monsters pick from the most popular songs, ones they've had time to get accustomed to on the radio or through their searches on the internet. Mindful of this, the one human besides Frisk that dares to take the mic is sure to pick a less known tune from the list, hoping not to take anyone else's song choice.
The karaoke is overall a hit, of course. That only amplifies on Shyren's turn at the machine. She's had a few cups of eggnog and it's making her brave enough to try singing in front of everyone.
She clears her throat nervously, trying to do it away from the mic. Then she floats back in, lips parting as she's about to enter the first verse.
"I... Don't want a lot–"
"I don't want a lot for Christmas!" someone sings over her, and everyone's gazes snap straight toward the amplified voice. The front door has been blown wide open and, who else but Mettaton himself is leaning into the doorframe.
The room is filled with surprised gasps.
"There is just one thing I need," he continues, smiling smugly as he looks into the room with half-lidded eyes. He's abandoned his battery-efficient boxy form and instead sports his 'Ex'-labeled shape, one of his (in)famous legs bent against the opposite side of the doorframe in a suggestive pose. He's wearing a Christmas hat, but it's pink and entirely covered in glitter – his boots match the description.
"I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree," he carries on with the tune, then steps out of the doorframe and knocks the door closed with the heel of his boot. It emits a soft click when it falls into place. The entire room is focusing on him and nothing else.
"I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know!"
His voice has become breathy (somehow), and he strides across the room. When he slides in front of the microphone in such a fluid manner that it can be called nothing short of professional, the crowd erupts into a new wave of cheers. His next line starts with a low chuckle due to the reception.
"Make my wish come true..." he draws out the line, one boot rising from the floor. Then on the next part, he slams it to the parquet with a sharp snap. "All I want for Christmas, is you!"
His surprise performance, accompanied by backup vocals from Shyren, ends up being the highlight of the evening for most.
It takes a good while for the horde of fans around Mettaton to dispense enough for him to actually approach the hosts, who've evacuated into the kitchen with Frisk accompanying them. Undyne and Sans are having more eggnog, undoubtedly because of Mettaton's presence, even if neither of them admits to it.
Meanwhile, Alphys is entertaining Papyrus' comments of admiration about said robot and Frisk is taking in the conversation with a bright smile.
"Alphys! The decorations in your apartment are simply beautiful, darling!" Mettaton announces upon entering the kitchen. Papyrus gasps as he turns to gaze at the star.
"T-thanks, Mettaton! U-Undyne set them u-up," she tells, hoping that he'll give the other monster the credit she rightfully deserves. Mettaton doesn't fight the bait this time around.
"Did she, now? Oh my! You have an eye for style, sweetie!" he compliments, caressing one of his own cheeks adoringly. Undyne is a bit taken aback he's being friendly with her.
"Wow, what's gotten into you?" she asks bluntly, despite being so adamant on being a good host before. Papyrus cringes at the tone, as does Alphys. Frisk rubs at the back of their head and forces a smile.
Nevertheless, Mettaton only chuckles.
"Why, the holiday season, of course!" he waves off easily, "It may not be traditionally a monster holiday, but the way everyone fusses over it... It simply gets me into a cheerful mood!"
"Huh," Undyne contemplates the response, glancing down at her cup. Maybe she won't need anymore drinks tonight, then. She puts the cup aside and puts on a hospitable smile. "In that case, my house: Your house! Welcome to the party!"
Alphys breathes a sigh of relief. Catastrophe averted.
"Thank you, darling, but I simply can't stay much longer. I have other parties to make appearances in! Shyren has promised to come along for the rest of them," he explains, then takes a mindless glance at Papyrus. The skeleton straightens immediately, trying to reel in his adoration to not embarrass himself. "I truly enjoyed having her as my backup! I mean, she was horribly out of tune, but the passion! Maybe we'll even make it a regular occurence."
Frisk enters his line of sight next, and his smile turns softer.
"My, it's been a while, hasn't it, darling? Call me sometime! I'll have you in another one of my shows," he instructs and Frisk gives him an eager nod. He looks to everyone once more, and when he realizes Sans is standing at the back, he raises his brows in surprise.
"Ah, Sans. I've been meaning to contact you! I'm opening another resort next March. I want you to perform for me again," he says, and this causes Papyrus to flinch and abruptly turn toward his brother. Sans looks completely unaffected.
"i'll let you know," he only shrugs, which gets a curt 'hm' out of the robot.
"Well, beauties! I think that's everything!" Mettaton sings shortly after. "Thank you for having me, it's been wonderful! I must fly now, but give me a call if you have a hot scoop for me!"
He turns on his heels and gives an over-the-shoulder wave to the group.
"Toodles!"
Then, after announcing his departure to the rest of the party, he's off with Shyren in tow.
Papyrus turns another sharp glare toward Sans and the latter avoids his scrutiny, finishing the rest of his drink in one long gulp. Alphys senses the tension and has a sudden need to get out of the kitchen.
"F-Frisk! Did... Did you want to k-know what I'm working o-on right now? It's actually s-something regarding M-Mettaton," she stammers quickly, which manages to also pull Papyrus' attention away from his older brother.
Frisk nods their head, smiling at her.
"Show me," they suggest, and Alphys gladly leads them toward the study. Papyrus seems torn between interrogating his brother and going after the pair.
After an agonizing second, he gives in to his curiosity, not in the mood for an argument anyway. He leaves the kitchen without another word.
Undyne is left alone with Sans and she gives him a blank look.
"You worked for Mettaton?"
He only shrugs in response. Though the information never did end up reaching Papyrus' ear, it's common knowledge to anyone who lived in Hotland. But he knows she didn't set foot in that place if she could help it.
Not long after, someone intercepts their interaction (or lack thereof), and both monsters are back to their hosting duties.
.
It's late into the evening that the last of their guests are taking their leave. Undyne says goodbyes to them at the door, accepting the thanks for holding the party and helping them get their coats. Everyone else, including Muffet's spider employees, have gone their own ways.
Alphys turns off the radio at the side of the room while Papyrus is already collecting paper cups and plates into a black waste bag. Sans is lazily lying on the couch, arms folded behind his head on the armrest and eyes fixed to the ceiling.
Frisk is the only "guest" still around, but none of the residents actually consider them that. So when Undyne closes the door after the people departing just now, she breathes out a sigh of contentment.
"Man, that was a great party, wasn't it?!" she celebrates then, grinning broadly. "I mean, it was a lot of work too! But I want to host another one!"
"I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE SANS DIDN'T TELL ME HE KNOWS METTATON," Papyrus half mutters, giving a pointed stare toward the couch. Undyne snickers and gathers some trash into her arms, then dumps it into the bag Papyrus is holding.
"Look, normally I would agree, but you're better off not interacting with the dude. He can be kind of shady," Undyne tells him, but Papyrus still frowns as he continues his ministrations.
Alphys crosses the room and gathers some of the leftover food, then carries it into the kitchen. Frisk picks up on the cue and starts help her do as much.
"T-thank you," Alphys says to them when she notices their efforts. Then she turns to Papyrus. "H-hey, are you going to d-drive Frisk home tonight, or are t-they sleeping over?"
Papyrus perks up at being addressed.
"I WAS GOING TO DRIVE THEM TONIGHT, BUT IT'S THEIR DECISION," he starts, then gazes at them, "WHICH WAY DO YOU WANT IT, HUMAN?"
"Mom expects me home," they tell him after a moment of thought. Papyrus smiles.
"IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO DO AS YOUR CARETAKER WISHES!" he agrees easily, then hands the bag he's holding to Undyne, who's still collecting trash close by. She takes it without argument. "CAN YOU HANDLE THE CLEANUP?"
She shrugs.
"Hey, my party, my trash! Don't worry, I'll take care of it," she says and carries on doing such. Papyrus gives her an acknowledging nod. Unlike with Sans, he can trust her on this.
"I'LL GO GRAB MY KEYS," he tells and heads into his room down the hall. Frisk focuses on helping Alphys wrap and put away the leftovers while they wait for his return.
It's quiet for a beat before Undyne speaks up again.
"Can you imagine this'll be the last time in a good while we'll be able to hold a party like this?" she groans unhappily. "Of course I'm excited I'll become a police officer, but... I'll miss out on a lot of fun stuff with all of you guys!" she outright whines then.
Alphys gives her a sheepish look. Sans, who's half asleep by now, cracks his eyes open enough to gaze at the pouting redhead.
Papyrus returns before anyone can come up with a response, tossing the keys once in his bony palm.
"I'M BACK! LET US HEAD OUT, FRISK! MISS TORIEL IS WAITING," he speaks and takes out both of their coats and boots from the closet. Frisk finishes wrapping the dish currently in their hold before they rush over.
The human and skeleton slip into their outer clothes, Papyrus' look finished by his red scarf. He opens the door for them and lets his friend out ahead of himself.
"D-drive safe!" Alphys calls at them from the kitchen. The skeleton nods.
"AS ALWAYS!" he promises in a happy tone.
As Papyrus is about to close the door after them, he hears an interaction play out inside the apartment.
It begins with what sounds suspiciously like cake being thrown against something solid.
"At least help out by putting away the karaoke set!"
Papyrus forces himself to not turn around and witness what is likely their couch getting stained right now. He closes the door and with it, the situation out of his mind.
He jogs down the stairs with Frisk in the lead and in no time at all, they're unplugging his red convertible from the winter heater. It has a temporary roof draped over it, but it can still get cold inside it in this weather.
Once comfortably seated and buckled in, Papyrus carefully takes off from the yard. Frisk has noted from the beginning that Papyrus is both a talented and a responsible driver, which makes them feel especially safe in the passenger seat.
While the skeleton focuses on the road and nearly non-existent traffic, Frisk pulls out the small package inside the pocket of their coat. They press their thumbs into the snow-themed wrapping paper just enough to make out that the thing inside is soft. The present is neatly-enough put together that Frisk believes it's been done by whatever store it's bought from.
"the real reason i brought ya out here is this," they remember Sans saying to them at Grillby's, "merry christmas, frisk. that's what you say, right?"
They hesitate for a moment, since this might still be considered too early. Their curiosity ends up winning the inner debate and they tear open the wrapping paper.
As they gaze down at the present, they go through a brief series of emotions. Surprise, confusion and finally, amusement. The last emotion becomes stronger the more they try to hold in their laughter and they can't help the snort that escapes them.
That gains Papyrus' attention, though only for a second, as he looks over just long enough to make out what Frisk is holding in their hands. He frowns.
"OH MY GOD, DID SANS REALLY GIFT YOU A WHOOPEE CUSHION?" Papyrus groans irritably. As if Sans isn't getting on his nerves already.
The more he contemplates it, however, the more his irritation starts to melt.
"...I'M GOING TO MISS HIM."
The softer than usual confession surprises Frisk enough to turn and blink at their friend. Papyrus almost looks a little sad.
Somehow, that makes them feel much better about Papyrus going away.
They close their eyes and lean their head into the backrest of their seat. That's right, everything is going to be alright. Everyone is free and that means everyone is going off to chase their own paths in life.
That doesn't mean they'll stop caring about each other. The thought is reassuring, and Frisk goes the rest of the ride with a smile on their lips.
[A/N] Happy holidays, everyone!