Day 18

Of course, Curtain went to work like usual, giving Sans time to get ready to pick her up since he would often take a nap in the morning. This time, he decided to head into town since he didn't feel like sleeping. He made it to the fountain area, as he saw his brother there with his scythe leaning next to the fountain.

"Sans! Your up early! It's been awhile," Papyrus said, as he picked up his scythe, which was made of mahogany wood with a steel, curved blade.

"Yeah. I'm going to Grillby's. Do you want anything bro?" Sans asked, as he summoned his scythe.

"Oh no, nothing for me! I already ate," Papyrus said.

"Eh, alright. More for me then," Sans said, as he tossed up a gold piece from his pocket and caught it.

"Don't stay too long. I don't want to have to carry you home like that one time," Papyrus said, with a hint of worry in his voice.

"Nah bro. You know I'm a new skeleton. My emotions are better now than before," Sans said, recalling when he felt guilt not too long ago and stood at Grillby's drinking numerous bottles of ketchup until he passed out.

"Alright then! I'm going out today. There are a few people who's time is up," Papyrus said, as he opened a portal.

"Okay. See ya later bro," Sans said.

"Indeed brother. Have a nice day with Curtain. Nyeh heh heh!" Papyrus said, as he entered the portal while Sans smile widened a bit and he nodded.

At Grillby's:

The whole place was in three sections: the bar on the opposite wall of the door, a restaurant-side with tables and chairs on the left, and a lounge side with couches on the right side. Space was made between each section so that no one would disturb each other. Sans sat at the bar as he was waiting for his order from Grillby on a stool. The counter was made of blue and black marble while the rest was made of wood, and the stools had blue cushions with black stools. Sans sat near one side of the bar, where wooden shelves with various shiny glasses stood on the wall.

Grillby, the Embodiment of Hearth, which is for homey and relaxed environments and feelings, was walking towards Sans from behind the bar. He was a fire monster, with his whole body made of fire and his head in a candle-fire form, and a black and gray tux-vest that wouldn't burn. His mouth wasn't visible unless he spoke, he wore glasses that shielded his yellow eyes, and he had no nose. In his hand was a blue glass bottle of ketchup that he set before Sans.

"Thanks Grillz. You can put it on my tab right?" Sans asked, as he wrapped his fingers around the bottle.

Grillby looked at him with narrowed eyes, but he just signed and nodded. He took a cup and cloth from under the counter, as he polished the cup while overlooking the whole place to make sure everyone was enjoying themselves.

Sans took a drink of the ketchup, and then he asked Grillby, "Hey Grillby. Let me ask ya something: what is love to you? And how would you express it so that the other person knows it?"

Grillby gave Sans a puzzled look, but then he relaxed his expression and said, "... ... that depends on if it is family, friend, or lover."

Sans looked away in silence, pondering if he should tell him, but he knew Grillby could keep a secret.

"Lover," Sans replied, and Grillby nodded, although this time he hid his surprise.

"... well, that relationship is based on adoration, trust, loyalty, and unity between two sides. It works on respecting one another, defending one another, and working together as if you two were indeed one... this type of love is sensitive, and needs reassurance and comfort... if you want your love to realize your feelings... then heed to her will and not just your own. Give her gifts that she would appreciate, take her places that she has never seen but would admire, show her the you that no one else really knows… since she is so special that you would love her, then treat her like the most precious love of your life," Grillby said, as he finished polishing the glass cup and moved on to another, while Sans looked at him in surprise.

"Woah. That's true poetry Grillz. Thanks," Sans said, as he took another drink of his ketchup.

"... your welcome... I hope all goes well for you and your lady-'friend,'" Grillby said, with a small smirk.

"... Papyrus told you, didn't he?" Sans said, as he smiled and partially covered his face in embarrassment.

"... ... yes," Grillby replied.

After drinking the rest of his ketchup, Sans left Grillby's and headed to a more secluded area in the Cosmos village. When he was out of sight, he opened a portal and went through to the mortal world. Someone saw Sans travel through the portal, but he decided to keep that to himself and head to Grillby's.

Sans met Papyrus and asked him if he told anyone else besides Grillby about Curtain. Papyrus said that he only told Grillby, and he was sorry about telling him, but Sans wasn't mad about it, especially since Grillby wouldn't rat them out. After spending a little time with Papyrus, Sans left to get ready to pick up Curtain, and he changed into his mortal form in an alley before heading out.

Coincidentally, as Sans was walking across the street, the car that was waiting at the red light beeped a few times. Sans looked towards the driver and smiled, as he saw that the driver was Joseph, with Karol in the passenger seat. Joseph also smiled and called Sans over to offer him a ride, which Sans accepted and sat in the backseat.

"Hey Sans, what's up?" Joseph said.

"Hiya Sans. How you've been?" Karol asked.

"Hey guys. I've been alright. Just taking a stroll to the mall," Sans replied.

"Ah. We were just heading there too. I had to deliver some packages for work today," Joseph said.

"And I'm just tagging along," Karol replied.

"That's cool," Sans said.

Karol held a smirk on her face, as she turned towards Sans and asked,

"So Sans, you and Curtain... are you a thing?"

Sans looked at her questionably and asked, "A thing? We're two people."

Karol looked at him with widened eyes, as Joseph stopped at the red light. When he looked at her, he snickered from her expression, as she lightly nudged his shoulder to stop.

"What I mean is, are you and Curtain going out?" Karol asked.

"Well, we've been going outside almost everyday," Sans replied, as Karol rubbed her face in an attempt to hide her face-palm, while Joseph chuckled.

"I mean, are you and Curtain dating?!" Karol asked boldly, as Sans finally understood what she was saying and laughed, as Joseph laughed with him.

"Oh my gosh, I didn't know what you were asking... Well, if you must know, I don't know. I mean, we've been going out to places, all different restaurants and whatever with Frisk, but she wouldn't call it a date. I do, but she doesn't," Sans finally replied.

"How is going out to dinner not a date? What is wrong with her?" Karol said, as she face-palmed.

"Eh, you know Curtain. She's never really dated anyone before, so she doesn't know. Of course, she's stubborn, so maybe she won't admit it, especially to you since your a shipper," Joseph said, as Karol looked towards him with skepticism, but then she nodded.

"A shipper?" Sans asked.

"You don't know?! Then let me enlighten you! A shipper like me is someone who ships characters or people together. I'm kind of a match maker in my own mind. I would either pair two people in real life, or pair characters and oc," Karol explained.

"OC?" Sans asked.

"You're sheltered man, but I kind of wish I still was," Joseph said as he looked towards Karol, and she made a face at him as he laughed.

"An OC is an original character created by someone in their own world. In my case, I could imagine a character and put them in any story, and I could ship them with another oc or canon character if I wanted to. A canon character is already part of a story that's not my own," Karol explained, and Sans nodded in understanding.

"She ships you and Curtain," Joseph bluntly said, and Karol nodded in agreement with him.

Sans was surprised, but his grin slightly widened and he said,

"Oh yeah? Me and Curtain huh... tibia frank, I ship us too, but I don't think she does."

"Really?! Yes! Then it is meant to be! You must go out with her again, and this time you two should go alone and it should be as romantic as possible! I know a place you two can go to that is beautiful! Joseph and me go there almost all the time because it's wonderful. It's not too far from the mall actually," Karol suggested, as Sans nodded.

"That sounds great. I would love to bring her there, but she wouldn't agree to going on a date with me if we're alone," Sans said.

"Hmmm... we'll seeee," Karol said, with a smile that disturbed Sans a bit since it felt malicious with how she spoke.

"Karol," Joseph said, noticing in the rear-view mirror that Sans was disturbed and was trying to hide it.

"Oh, sorry my darling," Karol said, as she kissed Joseph on the cheek.

"It's alright. Thank you, sweetheart," Joseph said, as he took her hand and kissed it.

Sans watched their interaction, as his heart felt heavy since he wished for him and Curtain to be close like them. He saw how they looked at each other with love and trust, and he longed for the same thing, but he knew that Curtain needed time, and he didn't help by trying to take her soul unwillingly. He looked out the window at the sky, his heart feeling a little better since he wasn't looking at them, and Joseph and Karol noticed how he looked at them and then longingly out the window.

As they entered the mall, Joseph and Karol went straight to the game store, while Sans lazily followed behind them. They all entered the game store, as Ciara was dealing with a customer from behind the counter, and Curtain was looking for something in the backroom.

"Hey Ciara." -Joseph

"Hi Ciara." -Karol

"Sup." -Sans

The three greeted her, as Ciara greeted back, "Hello there dearies. Oh, Sans. Curtain is in the back room if you're looking for her."

"Thank you," Sans said, as he was heading over there.

"Oh, hold on! Only employees can enter the back room," Ciara said.

"Eh, let him go," Joseph said, and Sans nodded towards him as he continued towards the open door of the backroom.

"You're sure Joe wouldn't mind?" Ciara asked.

"Yeah, he'll be fine," Joseph said.

In the backroom:

Sans walked in and saw a pretty large room with shelves of boxes, and each section labeled. He walked across the room, and he noticed Curtain holding a clipboard and overlooking some of the boxes. She was just finishing up counting when she turned around.

"Hey sweety," Sans said, as Curtain jumped.

"Sans! You scared the life outta me!" Curtain yelled.

"Nah, you're still alive. I should know," Sans said jokingly, as Curtain pouted, but then she smiled.

"What are you doing here? I'm still working," Curtain asked, as she walked over to him.

"I hitched a ride with Joseph and Karol. They offered, so I just took it. Got here earlier than expected," Sans replied, and she nodded.

"Okay. Um, you can hang around the mall if you'd like. It's been a slow day, so it's kind of boring," Curtain said, as she moved a part of her hair over her ear.

"I'm sure it's not that bad, besides, you're here and so am I, right?" Sans said with a wink, and Curtain snickered.

"Yeah. Well, I guess you can stay if you want to, but remember that I'm still working," Curtain said, and Sans nodded.

Work lasted for about an hour and a half longer, and then the three employees and boss were free after closing up shop. Joseph, Karol, and Joe left together, while Ciara was waiting to be picked up, and Curtain and Sans left in her car with Frisk who just arrived to meet them.

They hung out at Curtain's house for awhile.

"So, Karol is a shipper," Sans said to Curtain as they were playing a different video game that was two players, so Frisk decided to wait her turn to play.

"Oh yeah, they dropped you off. Yes, she's a shipper, and not just fiction but of real life. She likes being a match maker, but I'm just like 'leave me be,'" Curtain said, almost annoyed, as she was rapidly pressing the buttons on her controller.

"I heard. She was telling me about it," Sans said, as he was quick and careful with pressing buttons on his own controller.

"... You know she ships us right?" Sans asked, as Curtain gasped and Frisk was surprised.

"I freaking knew she would do that! Darn it Karol! Why! It must have been when they listened in to our conversation, Frisk," Curtain said, as her character became more aggressive in game play.

"That's right. She was pretty excited when she and Rini found out that Sans likes you," Frisk said, which caught Sans attention.

"You told them? That's why she asked if we were going out, on dates you know," Sans said.

"Oh my goodness, she did not ask you if we were dating. Did she?" Curtain asked, and Sans replied yes.

"Uuhhhhh," Curtain said in annoyance, as her character stopped moving.

Before her character was attacked, Sans' character jumped in and saved her.

"Thanks," Curtain said, noticing that.

"I'll always protect you," Sans said, more serious as he kept playing, while Curtain looked towards him with a softer gaze.

She turned back towards the screen and continued to play, as Frisk noticed how she looked at Sans, but left it alone.

After game night, Curtain went to get ready for bed, and Sans took Frisk home. The two were standing in front of Frisk's house, when she turned to him and asked,

"You really care about her, do you?"

"... yes," Sans replied, surprised by her sudden question.

"That's nice... I hope you'll make the right decision then, cause she's my friend too," Frisk said, as she started walking towards her house.

"What do you mean?" Sans asked.

"... She's a great friend. I would like to be able to see her again after this... but, I want her to be happy. If she's with you and can be happy then okay, if she doesn't want to and can still be happy then okay. But no matter what, it's going to hurt. If she doesn't want to be with you, you'll be sad, and I may not see her often... and if she does want to be with you, her friends may be sad and I like them too. It's going to hurt..." Frisk said, her back still turned while her voice became weak as she entered her home.

"G-Goodnight Sans," Frisk said, and she closed the door.

Sans stood silent for a while, he pondered what Frisk told him, and he started walking towards his house. He also changed to his reaper-form.

'... it's going to hurt...' Sans repeated what Frisk said in his mind, as he took out the locket heart that he kept tucked under his shirt.

Wow, Day 18. I wasn't sure how far I was going to make it in this story, but YES! It's going very well. ;D

See ya soon.