Sans remembers Frisk's lack of interest in Grillby's in the first timeline. When he brought them to the restaurant, they just sat there, quietly listening to him. After, they muttered a thank you, and were on their way to go back to the surface. The lack of emotion disturbed him just a bit, but he would try to look out for them for the lady by the door.

They died by a random monster in that one. As soon as the monster led the finishing blow, the world reset itself. And it was the first time that he experienced the resets and the lack of memory loss. It was like... going to sleep. He just closed his eyes and when he opened them, he was back in bed.

The second timeline, he got his act together when he found out that he was the only one he remembered anything. At that time, all the 'coincidences' pointed to Sans having the ability to predict the future. He wrote down the small bits and pieces that he remembered, sure that they were going to happen once again. And this time he was going to tell Frisk to be more careful.

They came again. Even in that timeline, he still asked them to amuse his brother. But, weirdly, they laughed at his puns. The last Frisk didn't have a good sense of humor. The theory of being able to predict the future was slowly crumbling. There were some variables in the mix, and that included Frisk.

The theory was disproved when Sans and Frisk went to Grillby's. The kid was more cheerful, and loved the burgers. They even ate some ketchup (albeit reluctantly), something the first one refused. It was like they were two seperate people.

They didn't get so far, either. They died at Hotland by one of the guards. He felt a certain drowsiness, again. When he closed his eyes, everything reset.

The third and fourth timeline, he came up with the timeline theory. It was plausible; but there was nobody to really share it with. Occasionally, his friends would say something relating to a previous timeline and he would be filled with hope. But it was short lived, because that's all it would evolve into. Sans wished there was someone to share his notes with.

Frisk was still very happy in the third and fourth timelines. But they just died at Hotland, never to reach their goal of freedom. And he hated how he got attached to the kid throughout the timelines. It was amazing how three conversations at Grillby's in different timelines could make Sans attached to a person.

It got worse from the fifth timeline on.

Sans had expected Frisk to die once again at Hotland, but they successfully made it past without fail. They walked to the MTT Resort, and Sans treated them to some food. He talked about the lady at the door, and noticed how their brown eyes lit up.

"...buddy," he said, trying to get to the point. "...You'd be dead where you stand."

Frisk's eyes darkened at the change of tone and they squirmed in their seat. He felt a pang of guilt, and told the kid immediately that he was joking. They looked unconvinced, but said nothing about it. Instead, they said:

"U-Uh, I don't like the food. Here. Can we go to Grillby's?"

Sans raised his imaginary eyebrows in surprise. This was new. "hmm. maybe before you leave the underground and you're done with your stuff, we could go to grillby's. i can't really go right now. gotta take care of pap, y'know?"

"Yeah! Promis-" Frisk stopped and bit their lip. "... Sorry."

He shrugs. "it's cool. but, hey. let's make a deal. Those are different than promises, yeah?"

They nodded.

"if you survive, then i'll let you go to grillby's with me. deal?"

They grinned and laughed; their cheerful demeanor was returning. When the skeleton left with one of his shortcuts, they waved goodbye. And Sans was actually looking forward to going to Grillby's with Frisk. Maybe Pap and Undyne could come with them too.

He didn't realize it at the time, but that deal would hurt him in the long run.

He remembered judging them in the Final Corridor. It took a while for them to get there, though. Thanks to his shortcuts (which, was discovered by him in the second timeline), he got there in a flash. Sans told them everything when they came; the LOVE, the EXP. The look of horror on their face was terrible, but he had to keep going. When he finally ended his speech, Frisk looked down at their feet. After a few minutes, they finally spoke.

"I think I should go."

He nodded. "yup. still up for grillby's though?"

They wink. "You betcha." there was a hint of apprehension and nervousness in their voice, but they seemed determined.

They leave, and Sans actually thought that maybe this was the best timeline yet. That they could survive. That they could hang out and eat at Grillby's and everything will be fine.

An hour passed, and he felt it. The feeling of drowsiness. He feels a rush of fear. Did they die? No, they couldn't; not after everything that happened. He sprints to the barrier, completely forgetting about his shortcuts due to panic. He needed to stay awake. If only for a couple minutes.

When he finally reaches the barrier, he immediately wishes he didn't try to run there. Because the sight of a barely alive Frisk stabbed through their back made him absolutely sick. He wants to kill the king, right here right now, but he notices the kid's eyes looking up at him.

"Sans?" they said quietly, then cough up some blood on his shoes. "Sorry..."

He knelt down and said to them, "no, no. h-hey, i'll make sure that next time, we're going to grillby's. ok?"

Frisk looked up at him curiously, but it immediately turned into a look of realization. They tried to tell him something, but-

And the world went black once again.

The sixth timeline was terrible, too. But, honestly? All of them were terrible after the fifth one. Especially because he always forgot about Asgore. In most timelines, that was the constant.

So when he saw Frisk come out of the door of the Ruins, Sans let out a sigh of... relief. He didn't even know why. Nonetheless, he proceeded with his usual introduction.

Cue Pap coming in, cue Sans asking Frisk to help him out. It was the same.

"yeah, so-"

"Hey, let's go to Grillby's!"

He stared at them. Their eyes dart around uncomfortably, and they coughed. "Sorry, Mom was saying something about it..."

"nah, it's cool," he mutters. It's not, but he couldn't get his hopes up anymore. He needed to learn from the other timelines.

"Yeah, so...?" they tilted their head. "Can we?"

"yup. i'll tell you when, though. i have places to be, y'know."

After some puzzles, they went to Grillby's. It was kinda the same, but there was a new touch of nostalgia for him. This reinforced that deal Sans made with them. Maybe deals aren't so different from promises, he thought.

When they reached the MTT Resort, they went to eat again. They made the deal, again. And he really wanted to say no, but he couldn't.

Frisk eventually got to the Final Corridor, where he judged them again. They were perfect. No increase of LOVE, and they never gained EXP.

When Frisk died from Asgore's trident, he didn't try to run there this time.

The next time, they won. But Frisk never came back. He sent a voicemail. Undyne and Pap said hello, but when they were gone, he said quietly into the phone:

"if you come back, we'll... go to grillby's. like i said we would. ok?"

The next couple of timelines were the same. He stopped keeping track of anything anymore. Which is why Sans didn't remember what timeline they were in; he lost count.

The other Frisk, the one from the first timeline. They came back. The way they stared at him blankly, how they never laughed at his jokes like the other one did. He could never forget their dull eyes.

And this Frisk killed everyone.

Sans met them at the Final Corridor. He didn't bother to go to MTT Resort with them. They didn't deserve it, the demon. Eventually, after a short speech from him, he fought Frisk.

They were going pretty strong, dodging every Gaster Blaster and looking pretty determined while they're at it. After a while, they started to sweat in exhaustion.

"hey," Sans said. "just sayin': at this rate, the grillby's deal is bound to be broken, frisk." he knew they probably didn't know what he was talking about, but-

"Don't you get it, Sans?" Frisk scoffed. "How much timelines has it been? We'll never go to Grillby's. It's not meant to be. There's no happy end-"

He killed them immediately, but they kept coming in the next timelines, instead of the other Frisk. He couldn't stop them anymore. The happy Frisk was gone. And they were never going to keep their deal. They're never going to go to Grillby's.

Sans hated promises, but he hated deals even more.


I'm trying really hard to make longer fics, but it's hard. This is a record 1,600+ words, though! Pfft you can tell where my creative juice started running out-

AU-ish, where Pacifist doesn't exist and you're only graced with Neutral and Genocide endings. There's some more AU stuff, but I'm sure you can find where they are by yourself.

R&R! !

EDIT: spotted a few blemishes here, and there, so I fixed 'em