Chapter Twenty-one

Date Night

The ride to the destination was quiet, not awkward quiet but the peaceful kind. It wasn't like we could actually exchange words with the wind beating against us. Taking this time, I took notice that for a skeleton Sans feels sturdy. I know he's made out of magic bones, but his ribs feel so solid, not easily broken. Makes sense with him being a monster and all.

We pulled up to a small restaurant, to my surprise it wasn't Grillby's, it's the local hangout and he seems comfortable there. Taken back by his place of choice for the date, I didn't register him turning off the motorbike. My arms still tightly wrapped around him, Sans shifts slightly before he looked over at me.

"Ya' like havin' ya arms wrapped 'round me don't ya'" He chuckled deeply causing me to gasped and quickly let go of him.
"S-sorry" apologizing quickly, my face started to burn from embarrassment as I quickly climbed off.
"It's okay" He climbed off the bike with his signature smile plastered on his face, "Besides I like the way ya' were clingin' ta me" he added before leading me into the building. Shit, I bit the inside of my cheek being careful to not to cut myself.

"A-Ah…um…this is a nice place," I said just above a whisper, looking around the building, it had warm sunset pallet. The dining area had soft light dancing against the walls, the restaurant was welcoming I could spend hours here.

"Glad ya' like it" the skeleton's deep voice brought me back to the present, "Alphys and Undyne comes here a lot"

"Oh" not having anything else to say I followed Sans and the waiter to a table near the back of the restaurant. Sneaking looks at the other occupants, noticing a pattern. There's was mostly couples here! My face flared up, I was not expecting anything like this. Picking up the menu my eyes looked through the options they offered.

"what are you getting?" I asked, peering over at the skeleton sitting across of me. Only to see him mulling over the choices as well.

"I like the look of the pan-seared steak tenderloin", he placed the menu down and waited for me, to make up my mind, "we can also share my dish if ya can't pick". My back stiffens at his idea, swallowing thickly I continued to look over the menu.

"Um…then I'll have the carbonara with sautéed shrimp" placing the menu down on the table and smooth it over with my hands.

"Ya' know Paps isn't here right?" He laughed, calling over the waiter

"I like pasta, they can make a multitude of yummy dishes" I raised an eyebrow at the male across from me. I shift slightly under his gaze, "so…um…I don't know much about you other than you're a cool"

"I can say the same about ya…Tori and Asgore talk 'lot about yer parents…yer siblings…but hardly anything about ya" my head shot up a bit at this statement.

"Well," I chewed on the inside of my cheek "I…kinda don't do much…for a Higgins" I stared down at my hands "I…mean…the media doesn't really know that I exist"

"What do ya' mean?" I could hear the confusion in his voice, "We know about ya'…Tori knows about ya'"

"I'm not a page turner Sans…if you search up Higgins…you'll be more likely find Victor, Vincent, or any other of my brothers" my laugh came out more bitter than I wanted it to be, "people don't see much of me…and that's how I like it"

Sans hummed thoughtfully from the other side of the table, before looking back over at me, "But I think ya' a page turner" his cheeks flushed a light blue.

"Why thank you, Sans" I laughed, "I really appreciate that…but tell me about yourself"

"This ol' bag of bones, what would ya' like ta learn 'bout me" he lazily grins at me, his shoulders falling slightly.

"I'm serious! I want to know more about my date" a soft purr passes my lips, leaning forward balancing my elbows on the table; so my chin could rest my chin on my hands. His smile grew strained at the comment, the lights in Sans's sockets shrunk.

"Uh…I worked at the park…selling hot dogs" the skeleton in front of me rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Came up with the other monsters three years ago"

"How was the underground" I smiled at him full of curiosity, wanting to know where humans had locked monsters up for centuries was something that captured my interest "I want to go and see it sometime"
"Really?" disbelief was in his voice, "it's nothin' special…unlike the up…ya

have the sun and the moon"

"SO! Daisy told me that she lived in a place called 'snowdin' and it snowed all the time" I exclaimed trying to keep my voice down "it sounded so cool!" a grin threatens to split my face apart "I mean…you guys are in a carven…underground I might add, and there's snow…and trees…and…and a river!" I couldn't even hide the hype in my voice as I went on.

"We also had places called the Waterfalls and Hotland" Sans added
"Yes, I know…it's amazing that you guys had so many different environments underground…and I know you're going to say magic…but it's all so cool just to think about, I mean if humans were trapped underground they couldn't effect their surrounds like that. I'm just so amazed by your people Sans…every monster I met showered me in nothing but kindness, and I want to give a little back…you know" my fingers found their way into my hair, "my parents are doing a great job so far…but that's them and I want to something else so I won't be in their shadows" I shrugged my shoulders slightly. Being so into my small rant I haven't notice Sans had gone completely quiet. Furrowing my brows hoping that I didn't bore or insulted him in any way. I shyly glanced over at him, he didn't seem insulted but he was giving me a weird look his skull resting on his hand.

"Man…yer adorable, getting' all worked up like that" that deep chuckle when straight to my core, "ya' know what…I'll take you there one day"

"R-really?" my eyes widen "you'll take me" the excitement returning to my voice, I don't think it ever disappeared. He nodded, not once he stopped laughing not even when the waiter returns with our meals, thanking the waiter I tried the food. After a few chews, the food started to have a frizzy feeling, the kind that would happen when I was younger and was more keen to eat pop rocks. Monster food, it has to be one of my most favorite things about them besides their kindness.

"O' course how could I pastably not?" Sans laughed at his own pun, which I of course soon joined in.

"Really Sans?" my hand covered my mouth, "we're in the middle of dinner" I pushed my food around. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, he called me adorable heat shot up to my face. My foot tapping uncontrollably under the table as I felt a tug in the middle of my chest. Hopefully, he means it and not just pulling my leg, god I hope he means it. Change the subject, Panda "uh…so how is it having your dad over?"

"Pops? He's a chill dude…sometimes a numbskull" the short skeleton became relaxed the more he talked about his father.

"He is a character" I hummed while tapping my finger against my chin, "I like him"

"Yea, he built the core" that got my attention I heard a little about it, "he was also the royal scientist before Alphys"

"Wait!" I dropped my fork "really? That's great…a-and wait Alphys was a royal scientist?" I tilted my head.

"Yea and I was his assistant back in the day, and Alphys was his student" he continued nonchalantly, this shocked me. Never in a million years would that I think Sans was…wait for no…is a scientist.
"Oh…wow…I'd never" I lift my hand up my mouth as my brows knitted together, he's really smart.

"What did ya' think I did in the underground?" he tilted his head lights trained on me

"Well…a standup comedian?" my voice got oddly quiet, swallowing thickly as my heart started beating against my ribcage. Then he started laughing, if my skin wasn't so dark I'm pretty sure I would be red as Papyrus's sports car.

"Yer kiddin' right?" he mused slightly, shaking my head I unconsciously bit my lip. My eyes flicked across the room, catching the eye of one the other customers. My cheeks flared up when they winked at me, before quickly turning back to their dining partner. Shrugging I brought my attention back to Sans who was looking at the same direction.

.

Sans said he wanted to take me to one last place before dropping me back home, saying it was something very special to him. When he said special I didn't realize the exit of the underground! Getting up here was a pain in my ass, climbing up a mountain isn't a good idea when you have flats and a skirt on. The reward was worth it, standing at the edge of the cliff looking over the town now known as Surface as the foot of Mount Ebott.

"The sunset is beautiful," I said in awe, we could see everything from up here! Squinting my eyes, trying to spot my house. Which was in vain since my eyesight isn't the best, with me being nearsighted and all.

"Yea…it's one of the best things about being here" he joined me by the edge of the cliff.

"One of the things" I laughed, "what's the best then?" I teased nudging his side with a cocky grin. The stocky skeleton stuttered some before his skull light up like a Christmas tree, cute. The tugging sensation made itself known again, my hand ghosted over my chest.

"Somethin' wrong?" Sans looked up at me with a worried expression.

"My soul…I think?" I was no fool; I knew about souls. Daisy told me about them, the literal essence of a human, and monster. I could never call on mine, but I know it's there…everyone has one. Daisy would never summon it for, she'll go flush in the face and run to her room. Facing the skeleton sucking a shaky breath, looking him straight in the sockets, "c-can you look at it?".

He chokes.

"D-do ya' know what yer asking me?" his face became a brighter shade of blue. He can't look me in the eye, his whole skull is that pretty shade now.

"Yes!" I spoke up grabbing his hands, "but Sans…I trust you!" I was begging, my soul never acted like this before, "please…I know you won't hurt me"

"I'm a monster!" he barked back, his smile turned slightly downward, my lips pressed together in a thin line. What was that supposed to mean!

"I don't care Sans!" my gut churned, what does him being a monster has to do with this, "Sans…I trust you with it…please…i-it just doesn't feel right". This got his attention, the skeleton looked back at me his brows knitted together.

"What's wrong wit it?" he pulled his skeletal hands away from mines, they were hovering over my chest.

"I don't know I was hoping you'll know" it didn't come out louder than a whisper but, it seemed like he heard it. All the lights left his sockets, and a blue flame appeared in the right socket.

"Ya' might feel a slight discomfort" he warned me before, feeling a painful tug from my chest then nothing. A bright light forced me to squint me, eyes soon adjusting somewhat to light; I could now see a green heart. It had different gradients of green in it, some darker than others. It has a mist of both greens and speckles of white surrounding it kind of reminded me of the milky way. My soul, I can't believe that I'm actually seeing it. Heh, and it's my favorite color. I scanned the object nothing looked off, well I think nothing looked off.

"It's been damage" Sans muttered as he also studied it

"D-damage?" my head shot up, "I-is it bad?" that must have been why my soul felt off for the whole evening.

"Someone…must ta hurt you really bad…there's a long crack goin' through it" I shivered as the man ran his finger over what I suppose was the crack, "it's deep but healed over with determination"

"Thank you, Sans" I smiled, I'll have to talk to Daisy about this later.

"Ya have a nice soul…" he was still fixed on the heart "never seem a human's glow so brightly before"
"Oh! Well…um…that means a lot to me" my eyes darted over to the edge of the cliff, I haven't noticed we completely missed the sun setting. After him staring for a bit more and me feeling oddly naked, Sans returned the soul into my chest. We stared at each other awkwardly, maybe that wasn't such a good idea after all. I never knew how his eyes looked like stars before, leaning closer to get a better look. Not noticing how he did the same to me. My lips met his teeth my heart rate shot up as my eyes widen. Shit! Immediately I tried to pull away, the hand that tangled itself in my hair kept me secured.

I just wanted to post this real quick...still rewriting the whole story tho!