"Got it!" Gaster called out, breaking the sleepy and comfortable silence of Grillby's bar, "Finally."
It was late in the morning, just late enough that the bar was open, but still early enough for the patrols to be out. There wouldn't be any customers in for a little while - very few monsters bothered stopping in for breakfast except for Gaster. The Royal Scientist was always keeping Grillby company in little ways like this. Like clockwork the skeleton met Grillby on his morning walk to the bar, filling the crisp mornings with pleasant conversation and his frenetic hand gestures. These days the Scientist spoke often of developing technologies, meetings with the King and other grand niceties that came with his position. And Grillby, like he always had, stood and listened and offered some warmth in the cool mornings.
He remembered times years ago when Gaster's ramblings were much less grand, when the two of them spoke of little more than digging through trash heaps in Waterfall, exploring new places in the underground and working on personal experiments. Grillby didn't mind the change. He was glad as ever that his friend was happy.
Normally, the demanding nature of Gaster's occupation had the two parting ways as soon as Grillby unlocked the front door to his bar. This morning however, Gaster had the day off - a rare occasion indeed! But of course, just because his work was finished, the skeleton felt no obligation to actually stop working. So instead Gaster had fixed the lights of his eyes on Grillby's broken jukebox and declared with a hearty flare of his hands - "Grillby, I'm going to fix this today! Just watch me!"
So while Grillby had started preparing the bar for the guests who would eventually arrive, Gaster tinkered away at the old jukebox. It was a treasure from the junkyard in Waterfall. Grillby and Gaster had found it in pieces, gathered all they could carry and assembled it as best they could. Grillby mostly just hovered over Gaster's shoulder and welded one or two things together when asked, or handed a part that had slipped past the skeleton's long-reaching arms. Grillby didn't have much of a head for assembling technologies - but he had cooked them a great dinner when Gaster had declared the project finished in looks at least. He'd always promised to come back and fix the insides of the machine as well, so someday it could actually play music. Grillby had given up hope on the darn thing eons ago.
Apparently Gaster hadn't.
So the elemental gave quite the flicker of surprise when Gaster made his declaration that morning, smiling excitedly as he replaced the removed back-panel on the tired machine and tossed a coin through the slot in the front. Grillby flickered a smirk as he cleaned a glass behind the bar counter, watching in quiet amusement as Gaster flipped through lists of song titles. Well, the selection-system on the machine seemed to be working fine at least! The plastic book-like pages turned, clicking into place as Gaster rifled through the song lists. The skeleton finally picked one and with a static wheeze the jukebox hummed to life, slightly-off-tune notes pouring through the worn speakers and into the cool atmosphere of the bar.
It was a song Grillby had never heard before, but he burned a little brighter and warmer when the tune danced to life. It sounded nice at least.
Gaster winced a bit, though his smile barely wavered, and kicked a foot against the side of the jukebox, "Well! It sure doesn't sound like any of the newer machines! But it's charming enough, I'll give it that."
Gaster skipped a few steps towards Grillby, skeletal feet tapping across the hardwood floors to the beat of the music. He stepped to a stop in front of the elemental, arms splayed in a grand motion and a silent 'ta-da!' before Gaster laughed, "What do you think?"
"I think it's perfect," Grillby said with a grin, flickering in warm and pleasant oranges, "I can't believe you actually got it working."
"Eh, it's not done," Gaster said with a smirk, "I have to replace that speaker system. And maybe get some updated music in the darn thing. But it'll do for now."
"Definitely," Grillby chuckled.
Gaster watched the bartender expectantly for a moment as he got back to cleaning one of his glasses. Grillby flickered a quizzical smile back at the skeleton.
"What?"
"I mean," Gaster signed playfully, leaning against the counter and closer to Grillby, "You're gonna break it in right?"
"And how would you propose I do that?"
Gaster raised the bony ridges above his eye-sockets in an impression of an incredulous look, "How else do you christen a brand-new music machine?"
Gaster danced back a step, doing a grand - and rather graceful, Grillby noticed with a quiet smile - spin, "You've got to dance. Come on, at least one song."
"You can dance for both of us," Grillby laughed.
"Nope!" Gaster signed with a flare, "This is your bar, and your jukebox. You've gotta dance."
As if to demonstrate, Gaster launched himself into another short jig, feet stepping along flawlessly to the tune of the upbeat song that crackled its way through the old jukebox speakers. Gaster was a good dancer, and Grillby had to wonder how he'd never noticed it before. Though, he had to admit they'd never really had occasion to dance - or at least, Grillby hadn't. And he had no reason to expect Gaster to.
"Come on Grillby," Gaster laughed, "Don't let me make a fool of myself over here."
"Well I'm afraid I'll have to," Grillby said with a soft laugh, finally setting the glass he'd been cleaning down on the counter, "I can't dance."
"You lie," Gaster said with a dramatic gasp, a hand flying up to his chest in an exaggerated look of dismay, "A classy gentleman like you, barkeep and all, and you can't dance?"
Grillby laughed and rolled his eyes, "Nope. Not even a little."
"Never had some drunk customer pull you onto the dance floor late at night?" Gaster hummed playfully, and Grillby threw the rag he'd been using at the skeleton's face. Of course, Gaster caught it with blue long before the cloth could hit him.
"And dance to what music, bonehead? You only just fixed the jukebox," Grillby answered with a smirk, "I've just never learned to dance. I was summoned during a time when fighting was a bit more important."
"Well we have to fix that right now," Gaster laughed, blue magic flying into motion as he started moving tables to the side to clear a space. Grillby flickered a frowned and meandered around the bar counter and into the barroom proper.
"Don't Gaster," he warned quietly, "I'll have customers coming in soon. Put those back."
"Just one song, Grillby?" Gaster smiled, eye sockets widening to stare pleadingly down at the fire elemental, "Please?"
Grillby sighed and shifted on his feet uncomfortably. He glanced at the clock on the wall, frowning at the time. Well… he supposed it would still be a short while before the first patrol got done for the day and cycled into the bar. It would be a few minutes yet before any other customers arrived… and really how long could one song last? Three minutes? Four if it were long?
Grillby hissed out a defeated sigh of smoke, "Okay… one song."
Gaster pumped an enthusiastic fist into the air and shouted an ecstatic, "Yes!" before jogging off to the jukebox. He slipped another coin into the slot, thumbing through the song selection again and finally settling on one. He was back at Grillby's side before the music even began, offering a hand to the nervous elemental. As the jazzy tune cut in, worming it's slightly-off-tune melody through crackling speakers, Grillby slipped his hand into Gaster's.
"Okay so… how to explain," Gaster hummed, "You know swordfighting, right? All that fancy footwork you do?"
Grillby nodded, flame starting to twist into more nervous colors of yellow and green.
"Right! It's a lot like that really. Just uh… mirror my footsteps and-"
As the singer's voice cut in, Gaster took a step to the side that Grillby mirrored. The two started turning in a circle, hands clasped together and holding just at their eye level. Grillby did his best to match Gaster's steps, did his best to move to the sound of the beat as well.
Babe, there's something tragic about you
Something so magic about you
Don't you agree?
Gaster put a little shuffle in his step, a stutter of a flare to the beat that added some life to his dance. Grillby wasn't quite ambitious enough to try it himself.
Babe, there's something lonesome about you
Something so wholesome about you
Get closer to me
Gaster pulled on Grillby, and the elemental found himself being led into a slow spin in towards the beaming skeleton. They were inches apart for a moment, Gaster so giddy his happiness radiated off of him in sparks of magic that hung in the air for seconds at a time. Then with a gentle pull of blue magic the skeleton stepped Grillby back out again, another slow spin that left the elemental feeling a little dizzy - and also pulled a laugh from his chest.
No tired sighs, no rolling eyes, no irony
No 'who cares', no vacant stares, no time for me
They slipped back into that circular motion, hands clasped together. Gaster's free hand was crossed behind his back in a manner that looked almost princely, and Grillby belatedly remembered to mirror it.
Honey you're familiar like my mirror years ago
Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword
Innocence died screaming, honey ask me I should know
I slithered here from Eden just to side outside your door
Gaster's feet were doing that shuffle again, a skip to the beat that Grillby tried to do once and almost tripped on. Gaster laughed. Grillby did too.
Babe, there's something wretched about this
Something so precious about this
Where to begin?
Babe there's something broken about this
But I might be hoping about this
Oh what a sin
Gaster spun Grillby again, his long arm arching high above the elemental's head. Once again Grillby was left feeling a bit dizzy, and almost childishly giddy, like he actually could dance even though Gaster was really the one leading him through the motions. After the spin, Gaster stepped away from him for a moment, showing off a slightly more dignified flair. He danced his way around the elemental, each step landing on a beat, a syllable, somewhere that made sense in the grand scheme of the song, and invisible sense that Grillby couldn't grasp. But oh did it look impressive.
To the strand a picnic plan for you and me
A rope in hand for your other man to hand from a tree
Honey you're familiar like my mirror years ago
Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword
Innocence died screaming, honey ask me I should know
I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door
Then they were clasping hands again, Gaster sometimes nudging Grillby with a nod, a well-placed step, the slightest nudge of blue magic against the elemental's soul. Grillby found each step he made hit the heavy beating of the last chorus of the song, and for a few seconds Grillby felt grand, childish pride at his clumsy skill swelling in his chest and sending his flame through ecstatic hues of white and red.
Honey you're familiar like my mirror years ago
Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword
Innocence died screaming, honey ask me I should know
I slithered here from Eden just to hide outside your door.
The song died off rather promptly, and with it their dance as well. Gaster pulled Grillby into a final spin, one that pulled him close and found the two monsters standing chest to chest. So close together, Grillby felt like he had to crane his head back just to meet the skeleton's gaze. And Gaster was beaming, the light from the elemental's fire dancing in his eye sockets, the lights of which were tinged just slightly purple with Gaster's giddy magic. After a pause the two stepped apart, Grillby slowly realizing he was breathless and nervous - his stomach was pulling itself into flutters of knots.
"All that fuss, and there's still not a single customer in sight," Gaster laughed after a pause, "And plenty of time to move the tables back into pla-"
He was cut off as the jukebox wheezed to life again, spitting out a much slower melody this time. Gaster flashed a quizzical smile in the machine's direction.
"Huh, well how about that," he signed before turning to Grillby and offering a grand mockery of a bow, "Care to join me for a final dance?"
Grillby flickered a laugh before playfully bowing back, "Well… I suppose it would be a waste to let a good song play alone, wouldn't it…?"
"That's the spirit," Gaster chuckled, offering a hand to Grillby, which the elemental took with a smile, "Though, this is a slow song. You'll have to stand closer to me."
Grillby nodded, his soul giving the smallest nervous tug in his chest. Oh dear. As Gaster placed his hands around Grillby - one on the elemental's shoulder and the other on his side - Grillby couldn't help but feel hyperconscious of their presence. He hoped his own hands weren't shuddering, or gripping Gaster too tightly. Stars above he had no reason to be nervous! He hadn't burned anyone in years for heaven's sakes! And he doubted Gaster would care if Grillby accidentally tripped over the skeleton's feet.
But… Grillby couldn't help how nervous he felt. It bloomed in his soul and settled in his stomach like caffeine and alcohol, leaving him feeling awkward and anxious, even as Gaster led him step by step into a slowly turning dance. It was a bit like a waltz, or a bit like how Grillby thought a waltz might feel if he knew how to dance one. There was a certain swagger and sway to the steps that Gaster used, a lilt to his movements, a cautious leading tug. Though Grillby did noticed it missed the normal three-beat step a waltz might hold.
Her eyes and words are so icy
Oh but she burns
Like rum on a fire
Hot and fast and angry
As she can be
I walk my days on a wire
This time the spin Gaster led Grillby into was slow-turning and smooth, each foot landing on a single beat, steady as time.
It looks ugly, but it's clean
Oh mamma, don't fuss over me
And when he pulled him back in again, Grillby found his back pressed against the skeleton's chest, Gaster's long arms crossed in front of Grillby's torso, the fingers of both their hands entwined. They turned slowly like this, Grillby cautious and nervous, leaning into the skeleton's movements.
The way she tells me I'm hers and she is mine
Open hand or closed fist would be fine
The blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine
Gaster led Grillby through another spin, this time bringing the elemental to rest so they faced each other again. Grillby didn't know where he should be looking. It was almost… embarrassing… to look up into the skeleton's face. But it felt so unnatural and rude to watch Gaster's chest, his collarbone, anything but his face and the gentle smile that was laid upon it.
Calls of guilty thrown at me
All while she stains
The sheets of some other
Thrown at me so powerfully
Just like she throws with the arm of her brother
But I want it, it's a crime
That she's not around most of the time
The way she shows me I'm hers and she is mine
Open hand or closed fist would be fine
The blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine
"You know you can lead, if you want to," Gaster coughed, and Grillby blinked up at the skeleton with a bit of surprise. It took Grillby a moment to realize the skeleton was blushing, a slight purple tint of magic warming the arcing cheekbones on his face. Grillby laughed - if for no reason than to sooth his own nervousness.
"I don't know how to dance, remember?" Grillby muttered quietly, still flickering in a cautious smile, "My leading is a bad idea."
Gaster let out a sharp laugh, "You could lead me off a cliff and I wouldn't mind."
Grillby couldn't help himself. He blushed bright blue, nerves and embarrassment creeping up to tinge his flame in churning color. Gaster cleared his throat uncomfortably, blushing a little brighter himself.
"I mean," he amended with a stutter, "That's j-just to say… I don't care if you can't dance or… you know…"
Grillby managed to get control of his frenetic flickering, stamping his color back down into less damning oranges and yellows, "Do you want me to lead?"
"Whatever makes you feel comfortable."
In answer, Grillby leaned into Gaster just a little more. He felt more than heard the skeleton take in a sharp breath, something less than a gasp and a little softer.
"I'm fine like this."
Her fight and fury is fiery
Oh but she loves
Like sleep to the freezing
Sweet and right and merciful
I'm all but washed
In the tide of her breathing
And it'd worth it, it's divine
I have this some of the time
The way she shows me I'm hers and she is mine
Open hand or closed fist would be fine
The blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine
The dance ended with one last spin from Gaster that settled Grillby once again with his back resting against the skeleton's chest. This time he allowed himself to lean back into the embrace, radiating what he hoped was a comforting warmth. A grateful one. He and Gaster had been friends for so long, years that seemed sometimes like they had passed into eons. It felt… nice… to be this close together. The touch. The music. The closeness. Even in spite of the nervousness, the soft and creeping feelings of unknown. They could stay like this. Or they could change. They could grow closer or farther in different ways. But no matter what, being together - it felt nice. Grillby hoped, somehow, between the magic in his soul and the warmth in his flame, that Gaster knew he was cared for. Loved even. In so many different and interesting ways.
This dance was just another facet.
It wasn't until Grillby had opened his eyes - when had he closed them? - that the elemental noticed a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye. His head snapped around to the door of the bar where four of the dog guards were standing. And the sweet woman who owned the general store and -
His growing embarrassment must have turned its way into the color and heat of his flame, because suddenly Gaster was snapping back into reality as well - wandering back from whatever distant thoughts he'd been pulled into when the song ended. He blinked at the small gathered crowd, all of the monsters there hiding adoring smiles.
"Oh… well… hi…?"
It was the bunny from the general store who spoke first, a coy smile on her lips, "Well don't stop on our account dears. We can wait until whenever you're finished there."
But Grillby was already breaking away from Gaster's embrace, sputtering and flickering a hundred different colors and none of them pleasant.
"S-sorry! Sorry! Just give me one moment and I can - Gaster c-could you put the tables back while I warm up the ovens?"
The skeleton let a regretful laugh wheeze past his teeth. The second dance… probably hadn't been a good idea. But… it had been nice. Gaster sheepishly went about the task of putting back tables and chairs, feeling very much like he'd been caught stealing cookies from his mother's cookie jar. Which was of course absurd, since he and Grillby had done absolutely nothing wrong. And the customers didn't seem inconvenienced in the slightest.
But Grillby was embarrassed, and for now that was all that mattered in the grand scheme of things.
Still, even as the customers were sat and waited, and as Grillby got about the task of bringing his bar to life, Gaster stayed. He stayed as waves of new customers came in, and Grillby relaxed back into the task of being a host. Gaster joked with some of the patrons, listened to others as the night wore on and they drank and they smoked and talked a little more than they should. And Gaster stayed even after, helping clean and close the bar.
Gaster, like many other nights since the two had known each other, walked Grillby home. They talked some, but mostly they just enjoyed each other's' presence, and the sound of snow crunching under tired feet. Grillby invited Gaster in for dinner and tea, and before the skeleton left, they promised each other that they'd dance again.
Gaster really was a terribly good dancer.
And Grillby was more than happy to follow his lead.
Author's Comments:
*Loud coughing*
Well that's about as shippy as I get :'D
This idea popped into my head today and I couldn't get it out. Hopefully you all like it! It's really just mostly self-indulgent fluff, as far as I'm concerned.
All songs in this are Hozier. The first is "From Eden" and the second "Cherry Wine" the live version. That man is a great singer honestly. I love his style!