AN: Finally. FINALLY getting into actual story stuff! I'm glad that we've finally made it to this point! Now, the party can get started in a big way!
This was one of my favorite chapters to write! It was a lot of fun and I got a chance to showcase one of my favorite pastimes! Songwriting! I won't spoil anything, but there is an (unfortunately, incomplete) musical element to this chapter, but even without audio capabilities, I hope you enjoy that as well!
ONWARD, KIDS! IT'S SHOWTIME!
Chapter 13
The Big Two-One
Corbel finished tying off the bandana around his neck. It was a gift from his mother to celebrate his birthday . . . a kerchief made from a section of one of his favorite blankets from when he was a kid. Though the blanket was long since discarded, the fact that Nyala had been able to salvage it and repurpose it was enough to get a smile out of Corbel. With it securely fastened in place, Corbel threw on his lightweight hooded vest to complete his look. He was ready to go out.
As Sans had suggested, he'd made sure his schedule was clear for the evening, telling the others that he would set aside a night for them all to get together again. It was a bit overdue, actually.
There was a knock on his door and a call in, "Heya, kid! You ready?"
With a light chuckle, Corbel called back, "What the Hell, Sans! You're early! You're never early to anything! What gives?" Corbel made his way to the door, being sure both of his cuffs were activated and his "fingerless" gloves were on properly before he opened it.
On the other side of the door, Sans stood with his hands in his pockets. He wore dark blue jeans and old-looking Converse shoes along with his signature blue hoodie. He shrugged in response to Corbel's question. "Special occasion?" He looked the other Skeleton up and down, taking in his outfit. "Lookin' good. Yeah, I say you're ready . . . I like the ascot-lookin' thing! Pulls the whole thing together."
Corbel touched at the bandana. "Heh, thanks."
Grabbing the last bits of his outfit, some long armbands, designed to cover his entire forearms, and attaching the pocket watch to one of his belt loops, Corbel was finally ready to leave. Stepping out of the door and locking it behind him, he and Sans started off.
"So what's the plan?" Corbel inquired. "You've told me jack shit about tonight except that drinks are on you. I hope you know, I plan to milk that for all its worth, by the way."
"Tch, of course, you do." Sans scoffed through his grin. "Alright, I guess I'll bite. There is a club nearby that boasts live entertainment. Comedy, Jazz, Karaoke, you name it! Well, tonight's Open Mic Night and anyone who performs gets half-priced drinks!
"So you plan on performing!?" Corbel questioned in brightened curiosity, "I didn't know you dabbled in entertainment! So, what's your talent?"
"Aw man, you have to ask? Just let me ask you this. What's my name? It's literally right there."
Corbel actually had to think about it for a second. Sans rarely went by anything other than "Sans" or "Serif" while he was at the lab. But he was right. His full name suggested it all.
"You're a comedian!?" Corbel deduced, with a bit of premature laughter.
"Dunno why you're so surprised. With all of our time joking around the lab, I thought it would have been obvious. Oh! And one more thing. This whole thing doesn't come without a little bit of collateral on your part. Being the birthday boy and all, you gotta deal with a little subjugation. Tonight's routine is gonna be Corbel-centric. More accurately, a roast!"
"A roast!?" Corbel repeated, his eyes widening slightly, a hint of nervousness creeping into his expression.
"Yup! And I've got years of material!" Sans chuckled even as he noticed the slight blush beginning to color Corbel's cheeks, "Aw, c'mon, buddy! It's a little price to pay for free drinks, right? Plus, you've got nothing to really worry about! It's not like you've done anything truly embarrassing or anything. You'll be fine!"
"Eh-heh, if you say so."
"And, who knows, if I spin this right, maybe I won't even have to be the one to pay for all of your drinks! People will be throwing booze your way! You can thank me later!"
"Eh-heh-heh . . . I guess we'll see."
The moment Sans and Corbel made their way into the club, Sans made the bartender aware that it was his buddy's 21st birthday and they wanted to do it up right! In response, after checking both of their ages, the bartender gave the two a complimentary round of "Birthday cake" shots. Right away, Sans cheered and lifted the glass, thanking the bartender and putting a few Gs on the counter as a tip. With a toast "to birthdays done right" Sans downed his shot like a pro, letting out a triumphant-sounding "Woo!" at the end.
Corbel, on the other hand, took the tiny glass in his hand and brought it closer to inspect. Immediately, he was able to smell the alcohol in the shot rising to meet him and that was a little concerning.
"Aw, c'mon!" Sans pushed, "It isn't gonna blow up or anything! Let's get this party started!"
With a final look at the glass and its contents, Corbel decided that Sans was right. After all, they were there to have fun! Time to let loose!
With this thought in mind, Corbel tilted his head back and let the glass drain, downing it in one go, like he saw Sans do moments before! As he swallowed, he could feel the liquid in the back of his throat and it burned a little going down, but only for a moment before a slightly warmer feeling settled in his chest. Not only that, but it actually did taste pretty good beyond the alcohol. Like chocolate.
"Yeah-ha-heah!" Sans cheered again with a hand on Corbel's back. "There we go! Why don't you get another round of those and choose a table? I'm gonna go talk to the DJ, kay?" He turned to the bartender. "I wanna open up a tab," He announced. "Whatever this guy gets, it's on me!"
The bartender, a deep-orange squid monster, nodded as he deposited Sans' tip into a pocket while simultaneously mixing another round of birthday cake shots for the two of them. With a quick, "Thanks, bud" Sans turned away to maneuver through the tables and around the people on the dance floor up to the DJ near the front stage.
"Happy Birthday, kid." The Squid said, pushing the glasses in Corbel's direction, "Have fun, but be careful, alright? Don't overdo it just because you can."
"I got it!." Corbel nodded with a smile, "And thanks!"
With very little difficulty, Corbel was able to find a small booth near the wall at the point where the dance floor and the seated area merged. He had a good view of the stage, but he made sure he wouldn't be anywhere near the center when Sans got up to do his act.
It took another few minutes, but Sans came around shortly after Corbel found the table and took his shot in his hand. They downed the shots together this time, tilting their heads back simultaneously and releasing a long breath.
"So far so good, right!?" Sans grinned, "After the DJ finishes this set, the open mic acts will begin, I'm third up, so I've got a little time. Meanwhile, lets take a look at the food. Don't wanna keep drinking on an empty stomach. That'll be no fun at all."
Another hour or so wore on and the two laughed over an appetizer platter and another drink. Sans suggested that since the birthday cake shots had vodka in it, they stick to vodka-based drinks. There were a few party drinks he thought Corbel might like, so for him, he ordered an intimidating-sounding (in name only) Kamikaze and a Bloody Mary for himself. So, as that time passed, both Sans and Corbel could feel the effects of the alcohol starting to take hold. That warm feeling from their chests beginning to spread.
It traveled up Corbel's neck and took root at the base of his skull. He could feel the edges of his apprehension begin to fuzz over and any trepidation he'd had before stepping foot in here was melted away. As they talked, their laughter became a bit more boisterous and more full and a few times, Corbel doubled over on himself, his head touching the table as he tried to sober himself enough to breathe.
Finally, it was Sans' turn on stage and Corbel nearly shouted a "break a leg" after him as he climbed the stairs to the stage. With a thumbs up, Sans took the stage as the DJ announced his name. Right away, there were a few people who cheered in recognition. Sans already had a few fans. He must have done this sort of thing a few times before . . . tch-well, duh. If he already had a following. Corbel shook his head at his own line of thinking as he looked again through the drink menu. His Kamikaze was gone and it was time for a refill. Hey . . . that iced tea thing from Long Island looked pretty good. He got the attention of one of the servers passing by and ordered.
Sans started off by letting the entire club know he was there tonight celebrating a birthday, but when some in the crowd began cheering for him, he had to correct them, saying it wasn't his, but his best friend's, "Go on! Give the people a wave, Corbel!"
Corbel did through a scoffing laugh as he stood slightly. The whole reason he wanted a wall seat was to avoid being singled out. Though, he figured it was kind of inevitable if he was gonna be roasted.
"There we go!"
Sans started his act with how long he and Corbel had known each other . . . about five years now and how he's watched as Corbel kinda just sprung up right before his eyes. Working together and going through their teenage years together, he'd been able to witness quite a few awkward situations.
As he accounted for the time, he was able to draw out laughter from the other patrons as well as a few deep blushes from Corbel, especially at the story where he'd messed up an experiment in a way that had both Skeletons speaking in high pitched voices for an entire day. Corbel remembered all of the stories fondly, but with the lense of third-person perspective, it was like he was watching it happen through a camera. It really was funny and with hindsight, he was even able to laugh at himself through the more embarrassing stories.
During the act, Corbel's iced tea came and he thanked the server through the laughs. Along with the tea, there was a large plastic medal, something the server picked up after hearing that it was his birthday. The medal was adorned with confetti and party hats and was held at the end of a string of multi-colored beads. The front of the medal read in bold letters "Birthday Boy"
Corbel had to laugh as he slipped the medal around his neck. "Wow. Now I feel important!" He joked.
"You should!" The server winked. "Let me know if you need anything else, alright cutie?"
"O-oh!" Corbel stammered, waving at the server, "Thanks."
As Sans continued his stories, Corbel tried out the Long Island Iced Tea. DAMN, that drink was strong! He hadn't been expecting that! It did taste a lot like iced tea, but he knew right away that he'd have to drink this one slowly.
By the time Sans finished his set, Corbel was leaning backward in his seat, red in the face for more than one reason. He only had a small fraction of his tea left and he was feeling thoroughly roasted by Sans' stories and the others' stares. But with as warm and as relaxed as the alcohol made him feel, he found that he really didn't care.
As Sans reclaimed his seat, Corbel was there to offer his applause and though he tried to stand to applaud like some of the other patrons, somehow his legs didn't quite want to obey him.
Sans sat again with a broad smile, to the sound of residual applause.
"W-Well done, Sans!" Corbel grinned, "Good job!"
Almost immediately, Sans was able to pick up on the change in Corbel's voice. His words were beginning to string together. With a bit of an incredulous laugh (he'd only been on stage for about 40 minutes) Sans scanned the table to find the new drink, a tall glass of light brown liquid that was already almost gone!
"What's that?" Sans asked, pointing to it.
"It'ss the tea!" Corbel cheered, his voice jumping up an interval in his excitement, "Looong Island! If you want some, you're gonna have to get your own! This one's mine!"
"Oh my god . . . Corbel!" Sans burst into a new fit of laughter, "Long Island Iced Tea!? I thought we agreed to stick to vodka-based drinks! Man, that stuff is gonna fuck with you big time!"
"But, I looked at the drink in the- in the menu! I made sure it was vodka and I was drinking sloow. So, don't worry! I got this!"
"Yeah, it has vodka . . ." Sans answered, taking the drink in his hand and lifting it to sniff. Man, this was a strong mix too! Heh, this was gonna be fun! "It has vodka . . . and rum . . . and tequila . . . and gin . . . and triple sec. It's usually a starter drink if you wanna get really drunk really fast. And hate to break it to ya, pal, but you haven't been drinking it as slowly as you think you have." He stole a sip, setting the glass down again. "Yeah, maybe you should slow down a little, and maybe we'll get some water for you next."
"H-hey!" Corbel protested, only a little slow on the uptake, "If you want one, get one for yourself! Stop stealing mine, ya jerk!" He laughed all the same.
"Yup, you're definitely getting water!" Sans waved down someone and ordered two. "And maybe a little more of whatever appetizer has bread in it."
"Aawwww, c'mon, mom!" Corbel teased, "Are you gonna turn into the boring worry wart now and not let me have any more fun! A-and you gotta- you're s'posed to be having fun too, remember!? Don't worry so much!"
"Oh, I'm having fun alright!" Sans answered, watching his younger companion, "You don't worry about me. But I gotta get you back safe too. So-"
"So get something more than just water! That's SOO boring!"
Sans chuckled and shook his head, "And what would you suggest, Mr. First-Timer!?"
Corbel snatched up the menu again and looked for one of the other drinks that sounded interesting to him. "Ooh! The Salty Dog! I mean, if you like grapefffruit. Or Astro pop! Because, space, you know!? Or! OR! SEX! . . . . . . . . On the Beach! Tsssheah! That one sounds good!"
Sans almost couldn't help it. His laughter shot out almost as if from a gun! "I'm sure it does! But, maybe not tonight." Before the server left, he ordered himself another Bloody Mary.
Corbel scoffed at Sans, "Boooooring!"
As their conversation continued, another act took the stage. A cute fox girl sang a cover of a couple of popular songs. She added her own twists to them and really turned what could have easily been just karaoke into her own unique performance.
Throughout the set, Corbel nodded his head in time to the rhythm, he hummed along with the girl and by the end of the performance, he was quietly singing harmonies with her from his spot at the table.
When one of the songs ended and he looked up again, it was to a stunned Sans who was staring at him in a silent shock.
"Wh-What!?" Corbel nearly gasped in his surprise, automatically on the defensive, "Wha'd I do!?"
"What was that!?" Sans demanded. "What you just did! You sing!?"
Corbel relaxed again, slightly embarrassed as he turned his gaze back to the table, "Oh, yeah . . . Well . . . Y-you didn't know? Yeaaah, I sing all the time! At the lab and during experiments . . . I can't believe you haven't already noticed. Gotta say, I'm kiiiiindaa-a little hurt! You've been getting rare live performances for years and haven't even been paying attention!?" He mumbled "jerk" under his breath, but still loud enough for Sans to hear.
"Well, I know I've heard you humming before . . ." Sans recounted, "Muttering to yourself. But you're never loud enough to hear! You should speak up. Or rather, sing out! Because that, just now, sounded awesome!"
"Tchhh-yeeeah. Whatever." Corbel scoffed, shaking his head. "Enough of the- of the ffflattery!"
"Not a chance!" Sans pushed, making fists on the table in front of him. "You're hiding a true talent there! You know what!? A Challenge! You should perform something! Get up on that stage! Let these guys tell you if you won't believe me!"
"Wha-What!? Me!?"
"No, the other singing Skeleton guy behind you." Sans scoffed sarcastically, "Yes you! Put your name in! Sing something! Live a little now that you're grown up! I dare you! And I know you can't back down from a dare! Besides, you know what you'd be if you didn't, right?"
"What?" Corbel asked in hesitation.
Sans leaned forward now on his elbows, his smile becoming coy.
"Boooooring!"
Corbel took a minute to stare back at Sans. Eventually, he sighed, his face contorting into something between a grimace and a contemplative pout.
"Damn you, pulling at my weaknesses . . ." He groaned. After a few moments more, he sighed again, reaching out for the last bit of his drink.
"Fiiiiiiiine!" He moaned, "I'll do it . . . But . . . under a ffffew conditions."
Sans chuckled a little to himself, victorious. "Alright, sounds reasonable. Shoot. What are your demands?"
"Condition number one!" Corbel announced, his tone taking on a more authoritative air. "I choose what song I sing, got it?"
Sans' smile pulled at one of the corners, his brows raising. It was in that quick moment that Sans was reminded that Corbel was, indeed, Dr. Gaster's son. The look on his face as he raised his fingers to count, the inclinations in his speech. Even the timbre in his tone. It all matched almost perfectly. He had to fight off the instinctual "Understood" response for a more casual, "Sounds fair."
"Condition number two. I choose my ac-accomm-paniment! I choose my music and where it comes from!"
"Again, that sounds-"
"I want Undyne!"
A bit of Sans' smile faded before he could stop it, "Undyne, really? But she . . . well, she and I really don't. . . "
"IIIIIII'll make sure she behaves!" Corbel assured, though the slur in his words made it so the promise didn't carry much water, "Maaaan . . . if I'd known . . . I woulda gotten the band back together! THAT woulda been fun!"
"The band?" Sans asked in curiosity.
"Yeeeeahh! Metta, N-Napstablook, Undyne and- and I were all gonna make a band! And we were gonna perform for the Underground! Metta was gonna be our front man, because- well, he's Metta! Napstablook was gonna be our beats specialist and p-percussion section! Undyne was the genius behind our melodies! She's amazing on keyboards! And I wrote the lyrics! I was gonna be guitar too . . ." Corbel's expression fell for a moment as he stirred the ice in his otherwise empty glass, his eyes stared at his fingers holding the straw. "But-but that didn't work out."
"Why not?" Sans hummed, curious in the story.
"Weeelllll, I . . . I was . . . I couldn't . . . It's not important. The important thing is, either Undyne comes and plays, or I'm not getting up there!"
Sans shook his head again, the smile creeping back onto his face. Fine, if it was for Corbel, he could deal with her. At least for a little bit.
"Then give her a call!"
Undyne was at home, battling the training dummy she'd gotten for her front lawn. It was a way to work off some extra energy and steam . . . and since Corbel canceled their plans for the evening, she had the time for it. They hadn't even been able to go out like they'd planned. Oh well, maybe his parents had something special planned or something. Corbel was pretty vague about why he canceled on them, so she figured it was some sort of a surprise thing that even he didn't know about. But as the last in their group of friends to turn 21, She and the Blooks had planned to take Corbel out together and really live it up! Treat him to his first drink!
Oh well, they'd just have to reschedule.
The phone inside rang, demanding her attention. It took a few rings, but she made it to the phone easily. Before she even got the phone to her ear, she could hear the loud noises and driving rhythms seeping through the receiver!
"Oh! Shit! She picked up!"
"Yeah, I picked up! What do you want, punk? Who is this, anyway!?"
"Hey, Red! It's mee~ee!"
"Corbel? What the Hell? Where are you!?"
"L-look! I need your help! Iit'ssfffor a dare! Ssso, dust off aaalll of your piano skills and get your ass over to . . . Where-where is this? S-Sans! What's the name of this place? Kaii-juu . . . ? Tchh, okay! Kaiju! You and me . . . we're doing this thing! Kay!? See ya when you get here!"
The line went dead and the annoying buzz of the dial tone invaded her ears now.
So that's where he was. He'd canceled their plans to go hang out with Sans. No wonder he was being all secretive about it. Undyne hissed to herself as she hung up the phone . . . Damn it.
And he sounded really out of it too . . . How much had he been drinking!?
Part of her really wanted to just blow him off. Just leave him hanging. After all, how dare he blow her off and then run off and get completely wasted without his friends and then have the nerve to drunk-dial her and ask for her help?
But then again . . . Maybe just as a favor, she could . . . And really, it wasn't his fault. It very well could've been a surprise party he knew nothing about until the last minute, and in that case, the blame would lie with the planner. Maybe she'd show up JUST to give that little interloper a piece of her mind. And support her friend.
So . . . Corbel wanted to perform . . . CORBEL, of all people, wanted to get up on stage and sing one of their originals!? Even if it was a dare, she couldn't miss that opportunity!
After putting his name in the lineup and taking his time with the water and appetizer, Corbel ran through everything he could think of when it came to performing. He hadn't even THOUGHT about being on stage for years and when he had been, he'd never been the front man and lead vocals! The thought made him nervous.
He still had about another hour before his name was called. During that time, Corbel sipped very slowly on his water and took in the other acts. A poet, another stand-up comedian. (A Snowdrake this time) An unorthodox dance troupe made completely of spiders! They were all awesome! But with every passing act, Corbel grew a little more nervous as his time came near and Undyne still wasn't there. He ordered another drink. Promising through Sans' warning about doing too much too soon, that he'd take it easy. He ordered a Sex on the Beach . . . just because he liked the name.
Finally, with one act to go, there was a sharp pound on their table!
"What up, Puffball!?" Undyne cheered, "Just thought you could ditch us, huh!?"
"Undyne!" Corbel cheered, " You made it!"
"You doubted me!?" The Fish monster winked, "I don't believe you! Though, I am a little shocked you didn't even invite me to your birthday bash!"
"I didn't know what was going on!" Corbel retaliated, "I mean, I knew I needed to clear my schedule, but I didn't know what the plan was until tonight!"
"Ah! I see!" Undyne made it a point not to look at or talk to the other Skeleton in the slightest, "are you at least having a good time? The pipsqueak is taking good care of you?"
"I'm fffiiine!" Corbel assured, waving off the answer, "It's been great! Tch! I swear you and Ssans are being all like my parents tonight! C'mon! Sit down! Have a drink! Have some fun, would'ya!? Oh! OH! Sspeaking of! You-you missed it! Sans got up earlier and did a whole bit for my birthday! It was hilarious! And you missed it!"
"Well, I'm sorry about that." Undyne responded, digging her bitterness into her words and a bit of a condescending tone to her voice. Sans caught it right away. Corbel did not. "If I'd known there was gonna be a thing going on, I would've made sure to be here. I mean, it's your special day and all! Why would I want to miss your birthday?"
"Okay, I get it . . ." Sans bit under his breath. "I messed up. Sorry, okay?"
Undyne ignored him, "So, wha'd'ya say, Puff!? You ready to really start this party!?"
Corbel swallowed, his eyes going wider. It was almost as if the realization instantly sobered him right up. "It's our turn already!?"
"Sure is!" Undyne grinned, holding out a hand for Corbel, "This last act is our cue, right? At least that's what the lineup said. Let's get going!"
Corbel froze for a moment, looking up at the stage. "I-I . . . but do we have to . . . ?"
"Well, I'd say no, but you did kinda drag me out here, and I'll be damned if I came all this way for nothing, so yeah, we're going up there and we're gonna perform the shit out of whatever the hell it is we're doing!"
She took Corbel's hand from the top of the table, much like she used to when they were kids and helped her inebriated friend to his feet. Right away, Corbel could feel the swirling in his head that hadn't been there before. He hadn't prepared his body to be standing so suddenly and it took a moment for the sensation to catch up to him again. Maybe he shouldn't have gotten that last drink.
Corbel and Undyne made their way from the table where Sans was left watching after them. He did switch spots so he sat where Corbel was with the perfect view of the stage. He watched a little bitterly after Corbel's friend. That was a bit much in his opinion.
On their way up, Corbel and Undyne discussed their options.
"Okay, so we are doing an original, aren't we?" Undyne pressed, "Which one?"
"W-well . . . I was thinking somewhere around . . . maybe 'Claustrophobia' or 'Fairytale'."
"Heh, 'Bittersweet Fairytale' would be fun . . . but we'd need the second vocals for that. I could do them, but it's been a while since I played and sang. Maybe I'll stick to the piano and let you do your killer vocals! You still remember all the words to these, right?"
"Tchyeeaah!" Corbel huffed, "I wrote them! OH! What about 'Theory'!? THAT one would be awesome!"
Something pulled at Undyne's smile and she shot a look back to the audience, specifically to the Skeleton sitting in the booth. She could just let Corbel say everything she'd been thinking. It would be poignant and fitting and it might even sting a bit more if it came from him . . . assuming Sans actually listened to the lyrics.
"Sounds perfect!" She confirmed.
"And-and you remember all of the tempo changes and the key change at the end, right?"
"Um yeah! I wrote them!" Undyne repeated, taking Corbel's line with a wide grin.
". . . Oh! And you'll have a section where you can freestyle for a bit too . . . ssince there's no- there's no guitar solo, that part's aaalll you, 'kay?"
"Got it. You ready?"
"U . . . Ummmmm. I-I guess . . . Oh . . . umm. When you play the intro, I'll come in after the 8-count at the end . . . and we'll do 8 counts between verses too instead of 16 . . . 16 would be toooo- too long, I think."
"Sounds good."
The act in front of them ended to applause and right away, someone was working on centering the piano for their act as the DJ made an exit announcement for the previous performer. After a bit more applause, he announced that the next act would feature the birthday boy from Sans' act who would be performing an original composition.
"Give it up for Corbel and Undyne! Performing . . . (Undyne had to whisper the title for him) 'A Theory of Life and Lies'!"
The two were showered by welcoming applause as they took the stage. Undyne took a seat at the piano bench as Corbel took and adjusted the mic to fit his height. But as soon as he'd finished his adjustments, and he looked out over the crowd. Realization hit him hard.
From his spot in the booth, Sans watched as a nervous Corbel took center stage and pretty much froze when he saw the size of the crowd. Immediately Sans recognized the sudden wave of stage fright. Even he still got it whenever he had to perform, but he knew once he got started that it was easier to continue. The hard part was getting started. But maybe if Corbel knew that there was someone supporting him unconditionally within this sea of people, it'll help him loosen up.
Sans cheered twice as loud, even when the sounds of the other patrons started to die down. He needed to make sure Corbel could hear him. He even threw in a "Yeah! Go, Corbel!" in hopes that it would reach him.
From behind the piano, Undyne recognized the telltale sign of stage fright as well. She used to get it when her mom made her do piano recitals when she was a kid and she knew how to overcome it . . . or at least a method that worked well for her.
"Hey, Corbel!" She called to get the Skeleton's attention. When he didn't move, she called again until he seemed to snap out of his trance and turn toward the familiar voice.
"Hey, don't worry about them." Undyne instructed, "This isn't for them. They don't matter here. This is for you! Plus . . ." She jerked her head toward their booth where Sans was cheering enthusiastically. She almost hated to use him like this, but she knew it would work for Corbel. "He's out there too. You wanna show him what you got, right?"
Corbel turned to look at Sans as he cheered and called out, "Yeah! Go, Corbel!" A faint smile pulled at Corbel then as he turned back toward Undyne.
"He dared you into this, yeah?"
Corbel nodded.
"And don't you wanna show out!? Show him you got what it takes."
Corbel thought and his smile became more determined. He nodded again.
"Blow him away. Make him take that dare and shove it up his bony ass!"
Corbel chuckled a little. He seemed ready to go.
"Knock him dead."
Corbel nodded again and turned back toward the audience. He looked back toward Sans who had stopped cheering and was looking toward Corbel with a smile. He gave him the motion to breathe. Corbel followed the instruction and that nauseous swirling slowed. He closed his eyes for a second, focusing and collecting himself before he stepped forward.
"Th-thank you!" Corbel called into the mic. "My name's Corbel, aand-and that's Undyne, and this is something we call, 'A Theory of Life and Lies'!" He turned back toward Undyne and gave a solid nod. Her cue to begin.
Immediately, Undyne played the uneven notes of the intro, almost pounding on the keys. She needed to make up for the lack of percussion and create the rhythm through the force of her playing. Corbel was right. It was a little difficult to keep all of the meter changes in order, especially when there were so many right after the other and they didn't have a drum loop or Napstablook to keep the tempo even. But she'd practiced this song for years and she was the one who wrote it this way. She had no doubt that she could do it and pull it off flawlessly.
The intro neared its end and Corbel grabbed onto the mic stand almost as if for stability as the first lyrics came to him. He closed his eyes and began singing in a dark voice:
Crawling forward,
Search with sightless eyes
For your answers
Reaching, grabbing
All you hold are lies
Tonight, you're ending a life
Waking up. All alone.
No one left to call your kin.
No familiar face will you find here.
Bleeding through a heart of stone
Now you'll pay for all of your sins
There's no way to turn back time
So you breathe just a little bit deeper.
You run just a little bit faster.
Accept the embrace of the cold perilous night.
You grow just a little bit stronger.
Fight just a little bit harder.
Forcing your way back into the light.
As your innocence dies.
Right away, from the first notes of the song, the others knew there was something different about this performance. They were almost compelled to stop whatever it was they were doing and focus their attention toward this Skeleton.
From his spot in the booth, Sans' eyes went wide as he listened. How was it that he never noticed that Corbel had this much talent trapped inside of him!? Corbel had mentioned before that he'd been giving rare private performances over the years. Is it possible that he'd heard Corbel sing this song before and just didn't hear him over the soft tone of his voice?
He watched Corbel as he sang, swaying slightly in time with the rhythm. His eyes were closed and his grip on the microphone was almost vice-like. He was still nervous, but it was being channeled. Soon, the sway was more like a dance, and he began to hold the microphone as if it were his dance partner. Or a lover.
His eyes opened, narrowed still, as he began the second verse.
Just a moment
Something here is wrong;
Left behind you.
Dying now
Don't say you're moving on
Without something as important as this.
Look around. All around.
Tell me what you're seeing here.
Devastation at your feet.
Cutting out, ripping out.
Do you think you'll finally be free
If you steal what you've lost from me?
So you cut just a little bit deeper
I bleed just a little bit faster.
You're taking my heart in your hand,
Holding it tight.
You squeeze just a little bit harder.
I scream just a little bit louder.
I'll do what I can to show you the light.
Just open your eyes.
Now completely enveloped in the performance, Sans listened intently to the song and the lyrics. So dark and full of pain, even malice toward someone. Why had Corbel chosen this song to sing? More importantly, why did Corbel feel he needed to write a song like this? It was almost like he was singing to a mortal enemy, or perhaps someone he loved who had hurt him deeply. It sounded like the loss of a close friend . . . or a really bad break up.
It did sting a little to think that just maybe he'd had something to do with it . . . but then again, that might have been a bit presumptuous. He didn't know what was going through Corbel's head when he wrote it . . . But still, even if he wasn't even partially responsible for it, he could feel the pang of familiarity. He almost hated the feeling. Again, he could feel the harsh edge of the cold knife driving into him. It was smaller than last time, but it was still just as sharp and it pierced him just as deeply as before. Still, he felt compelled to listen.
Stop. Take a look. Do you like what you've become?
The shattered mirror shows the ghost of what you used to be.
All these countless lives lay before your smoking gun.
Are all those times I made you smile just a memory!?
The point in the song came where Undyne took control. The solo that would have been Corbel's guitar if things had panned out in their favor. Now, Undyne played the part of soloist, trying to convey her thoughts and feelings into the keys. She'd be lying to herself if she said that she hadn't been practicing this song as a warmup for a while now. And she knew exactly what she wanted to do for this moment. She let her fingers take over as she stole a look out toward the audience. There were a few who were dancing in their chairs and nodding along with the song. A few others who were standing up in order to dance. Corbel seemed to have relaxed significantly and was dancing freely now- really getting into the song as well, which, of course, helped drive the mood of the audience. But her main focus was the one in the booth whose smile had since faded as he listened to the song and the lyrics. She gave a dark smirk. No, this song wasn't about him . . . but if the shoe fit, then, he should fucking wear it!
The key change came during the solo and she played another refrain, driving the tone and the melody back and giving Corbel an audio cue that she was ready to pass it back to him. Corbel took it instinctively and he held the mic once again, almost caressing it as he prepared for the finale. They knew just how this song was supposed to end and they were both ready for the slow down. As Corbel sang, the pulse of the song would slow and by the end of it, the song and the singer would die. They'd written it to symbolize just that.
You've become just a little bit darker.
That smile seems a little bit colder.
You slowly drained the last bit of my time.
I'll only last just a little bit longer
As my heart beats a little bit softer.
Using my last breath . . .
to whisper goodbye.
The song ended on an almost somber note. But even through the darker tone of the song, the patrons seemed to absolutely love it! They burst into applause as soon as Undyne lifted her fingers from the keys and Corbel released the microphone for the last time, his eyes landing squarely on the crowd, the song finished and his performance done.
It took a moment or two for him to come back to reality, but when he did, and he could hear the cheers and applause from the crowd, his smile pulled clear across his face. The praise from the crowd filled him and he could do little more than stand there and take it in.
From behind him, Undyne called. She was standing near the end of the piano, gesturing to the crowd.
"Bow, you dingbat!" She laughed.
Corbel looked to the audience once again, his smile firmly in place and he leaned slightly forward at the hip. Right away, he could feel a downward pull of falling and he had to take a quick step forward to catch himself.
Realizing that maybe bowing forward wasn't such a good idea for Corbel right then, Undyne reached out and caught her friend before he could fall off the stage. She threw an arm around him for stability as well as a sign of solidarity as they took another bow together.
As the DJ made their exit announcement, Corbel and Undyne made their way off of the stage and back toward their booth where Sans was waiting for them. He clapped when they approached and Corbel pulled away from Undyne's hold to rush the last few steps and flop on the seat next to him. He laughed and sighed loudly as he caught his breath.
"Oh my god! That was . . . That's . . . That felt incredible!" He cheered, high on the adrenaline and basking in the afterglow, "That was amazing! And you . . . You, you do this all the time!?"
Sans chuckled lightly as he watched Corbel lean back against the backrest of their seat, his eyes fixed to the ceiling, but the smile remained just as broad and just as bold.
"I don't wanna say you get used to it, because you never really do. But it's a wave you learn to ride."
"It's amazing!" Corbel repeated. He tilted his head to look across their table to the person sitting across from him, "Hey, Red! We should totally do that again!" Corbel's laugh bubbled to the surface again as he turned his attention to the one seated beside him now. "Hey, Sans! Saaaans! When's the next open mic night!?"
Sans leaned forward on the table a little, his own smile pulling as he thought it over. "This place usually hosts Open Mics on the last Saturday of every month. You know . . . maybe we could try to make it a regular thing! Of course, I'm interested in hearing the whole band together! And I'm sure the rest of this place would be too!"
"Yeah! Undyne! We should tell the Blooks! And you know Metta would be all over it!"
Undyne hummed, "It might be difficult to get everyone's schedules to magically line up though."
She noticed Corbel full-out pouting in response to the negative sound in her voice. To that, she sighed, shaking her head. God, he was being such a kid! "Well, it's always worth a shot, right? We'll bring it up with them when we all meet up again."
Corbel instantly cheered up at the promise of at least trying to get the band back together to actually perform! The idea was exciting and he couldn't wait to give it all another shot!
"You know . . ." Sans began again, "You really were amazing up there. I had no idea you had that in you! And once you were able to push aside your stage fright, and you really let loose . . . heh, well . . . who knew you could move like that!?"
Undyne scoffed, resting her head on her hand, "Well, you would have if you'd been paying attention at all." She answered, a little louder than what was supposed to be an under-her-breath mutter. It was loud enough for the other two to hear without much difficulty.
Sans narrowed his eyes again as he regarded the other. It was no surprise that Undyne was not Sans' biggest fan, but he'd promised to put aside his resentment for her, at least until Corbel's party was over. Even so, he was nearing the end of his patience with her.
"Hey, hey . . ." Corbel jumped in, hearing the darker tones in the conversation. He didn't make eye contact with the two, but went back to staring upward toward the ceiling as he gestured to them. Again, the slur in his words sucked the majority of the authority out of those words. "Play nice, you guys! It's my birthday! Ssso, no fighting, got it? You can fight on you-your birthday, Undyne, okay? Sans? Okay, sound good? Sound fair?"
"Sounds good to me." Sans answered right away, searching for a way out of the line of conversation. He turned his attention back to the other Skeleton whose eyes had slid closed as he hummed along with the next act.
"Hey, you slowing down there, bud?"
"Psssh, no! I'm thinking. There's a difference."
"Thinking? About what?"
"Eh, just stuff." He released a content sigh, a soft smile back in place, "Don't worry about it."
Sans shook his head this time. At least Corbel was having a good time. That's all he wanted. It was such a difference between the Corbel from tonight and the one who had been wandering the lab staring off into space with no direction or motivation. Tonight, Corbel came alive. It was refreshing to see again after so long.
Maybe having more outings like this one really was the answer! Maybe not quite so much booze, but the chance to have fun! The chance to express himself through more than just his work.
His own smile became more solid. Man, that kid was amazing! And he had always known that, but he also had to wonder just how he'd been missing so much. Especially when it was right in front of him this entire time. Corbel had a whole life he knew nothing about. He had so much he still had to learn. And he found that he was intrigued and even eager to know all of it.
From her spot across the table, Undyne watched the interaction and could see something a little . . . Off. Had something changed in these two since the last time she'd seen them together? She could feel the frown setting in as she studied them. Yeah, something was different and it bothered her that she couldn't pinpoint what it was. She would have to watch them intently to make absolutely sure nothing bad happened. Because if that bastard did anything to hurt Corbel again, she swore that she would-
Her thoughts were interrupted when a tray was set at their table. Once again, the server made their way to them, and effectively startled all three of them out of whatever thoughts they'd been having.
"Another drink for the man of the hour! Courtesy of the little lady at the end of the bar!"
Corbel sat up completely, his eyes widened as he looked to the tray. Another tiny glass sat there patiently just waiting to be taken. Another Birthday Cake shot!
"W-woah, really!?" Corbel stammered only slightly, turning his head behind him to look at the bar. He found a pair of dark eyes staring back at him expectantly through pale blonde and light red fur, and her rather large ears were hanging low behind her head. She watched as Corbel turned his attention behind him in order to find her. She raised her own drink when they met eyes, her tail curling to wrap around her leg.
Corbel smiled back to her a bit sheepishly and took the shot in his hand, raising it up for a second to signal to her that he got it and that he appreciated it.
"Oooh! An admirer!" Undyne cheered, "And she's cute! Yeah, you should go talk to her."
"Sshe's the one who sang before . . . it was before you got here, but she kinda started this whole thing."
"Then you should definitely go talk to her!" Undyne pushed, "You totally grabbed her attention, and you don't want this to be another 'Shyren' thing, do you? Because if you hesitate, you'll lose her too! It'll be the exact same situation!"
"I . . . I dunno." Corbel stammered, "Sh-she . . . And then I . . ."
"Let me put it this way. Either you go talk to her, or I will."
"Fiiine-fine!" Corbel answered, turning to make his way out of the booth. With the back support as a guide, he stood completely, drink in hand, and carefully made his way toward the bar, trying not to stumble and let on just how unstable he felt standing right then. He navigated very well, considering his constitution and, with the exception of the hand on the seat backs, he didn't even look like he was being hindered at all. He didn't even spill a drop of his shot.
The fox girl waved him over and gestured him to take the stool beside her. Corbel accepted, expressing his thanks with a smile.
Undyne let a smile crack as she watched. She inwardly wished him the best of luck. No matter what it was that happened.
But that did mean that she was left alone with him.
When she redirected her attention, she noted the other Skeleton looking over his shoulder, watching Corbel as well. There was something about his smile, though that seemed a little forced.
Undyne scoffed, "What's the matter, Bones? Afraid that you'll lose your grip on him? Afraid that he'll finally cut you off and leave for good? Afraid that maybe he doesn't actually need you? Afraid that he'll realize that you're sucking the life out of him like a lich or a parasite?"
Sans snapped his head around to shoot a deep glare at Undyne.
"No! That's not . . . That's not what I was . . ." Sans had to take a deep steadying breath, channeling his thoughts and trying to find a way to speak without completely going off on her.
"Why do you do that?" He nearly snapped, "Why do you feel the need to tear me down like that? What have I done to you? What have I ever done to you!?"
"Not me!" Undyne hissed back to him, jerking her head to signal to the bar.
"Wha- Corbel!?" That was years ago! It was . . . unfortunate, but we've worked it out! And we've been able to move past it!"
"What makes you think that it's anywhere near finished! Just because you came to some sort of agreement when you were kids, doesn't mean that the whole thing didn't come with major side effects!"
"What are you talking about!? Corbel and I have known each other for years now and we've been friends that whole time. He's my best friend! I know him and I trust him more than anyone! And I know he trusts me too! Enough to be able to help each other past shit like that!"
"'Shit' huh?" Undyne grumbled, "You really don't know anything, do you?"
"Really . . ." Sans hummed shortly, "Care to elaborate then?"
"Well, let me say it this way. He may be your best friend. But I'm his. There's nothing that happens that I don't find out about eventually. We talk about everything. Including you. When he's hurting, I'm the one he talks to. When he first started to get sick, I was there! When he began coughing up dust, I was there! When his body began to fall apart and he couldn't even get out of bed, I was there! And let me tell you, when you're a long forgotten page in his history, I will still be there! I will always be there for him! No. matter. what!"
Sans froze at the news, his darkened expression falling.
"Wait . . . What? What's wrong with Corbel . . . ? He's been coughing up dust? For how long!?"
"Oh, you don't know?" Undyne sneered bitterly. "If the two of you are so close, I thought that he would at least tell you!"
Sans remained silent.
"Well then. Let me ask you this. Do you ever wonder why Corbel's clothing is always so . . . conservative, no matter what the temperature is? Why he never wears short sleeves or shorts? Why he's always wearing those gloves? Why he sometimes needs to excuse himself during the day and his voice sounds harsh when he comes back?"
Sans thought it over and stayed quiet. He had wondered about those things. Especially the hoarseness in Corbel's voice whenever he did have to excuse himself for a while . . . He had no idea that he was . . .
"How is he now?" Sans pushed forward, "What is his condition?"
Undyne smirked, "He's your bestie. You should ask him about it sometime. But I will say this. Those armbands are new."
Sans shot another look backward. Corbel was seated, leaning slightly forward on the bar with his head in his hand as he laughed lightheartedly with the fox. The two of them really seemed to hit it off fast. The fox gestured widely as she spoke, and where her tail had been wrapped around her leg before, perhaps in some nervous habit, now it was gently sweeping back and forth as she relaxed to chat with her new friend.
"Do you understand now?" Undyne pressed, her tone a little more relaxed and not nearly as bitter, "What's on the line here?"
Sans nodded slowly as he turned back around and sat. He still didn't make direct eye contact with Undyne, but at least some of the puzzle pieces seemed to fall into place as far as where her role in Corbel's story came in.
"I gotta admit, there was a part of me that was wondering why you were so protective over him . . . I thought that maybe you had a thing for him or something."
Undyne actually laughed out loud at that statement, the reaction sneaking up on her.
"Nah, nothing like that. He's like . . . the little brother I never had. I do love him and yeah . . . I might be a . . . Bit of a tiger shark when it comes to him . . . but I'm only trying to put his feelings first. When we were growing up, there were a few instances that really scared me . . . and I thought . . ." She trailed off, but it didn't take much for Sans to piece together what she was going to say, "Well, I don't know what's gonna happen in the future, but for whatever time we have, we should make the most of it, right?"
"Then, we have that in common at least." Sans answered, "I only want him to be happy, he deserves that, right?"
Undyne froze as her eyes narrowed at Sans. Sans matched the expression, curious.
"It seems you still don't really understand, then." She said darkly, "Alright. I'll say it straight up. You can't make him happy . . . You can never make him happy . . . And the sooner the both of you figure that out, the better off you'll be."
Undyne slid from her spot and stood from the booth, ready to leave.
"Wait, you're leaving?" Sans asked, confused now for a different reason, "At least have one drink. I'm already paying for Corbel's, I can grab one for you too."
"Eh." Undyne shrugged, "Thanks, but I think I'll pass. I've done everything I came to do. I helped Corbel with his performance and I got all that mess off my chest. The rest is up to you . . ." She looked up and across the floor to where Corbel continued to laugh with the fox girl. He now had another larger drink in front of him. "Corbel got pretty wasted tonight and from the look of it, he's still working on it. Think of this as your opportunity to change my mind. Take care of him, Bones. Don't let him do anything he'll regret. Just . . . get him home safe, okay?"
Sans hummed as he watched after Undyne, nodding his answer. When she was gone, he ordered himself another drink. Something strong.
A little while later, a very visibly unstable Skeleton slumped back into the booth with a giggling sound higher than was normal for him. He drummed his hands on the table in an undetermined rhythm and hummed a few atonal notes.
"Hi, Saaaans!" He cheered, "Y-yyou'll never guess what jj-just happened!"
He paused for a moment, looking around for something missing.
"Heeeeey . . . Wh-wwhhere-where's Red?"
Sans sighed, "She went home already."
"Awwwww maaaan!" Corbel groaned, "I wanted to tell her toooo!"
"Well . . . you can always tell her later, yeah?"
Corbel sighed loudly, "Uuuuuugh, I guess . . ."
"So, what's the news?"
"Oh! OHH! YEAH! That! Well . . . You-you know the girl I was talking to!?" Corbel's laughter sputtered, "She's a fox!"
Sans gave a short scoffing chortle.
"Well . . . Yes. I suppose she is. A Fennec if I'm not mistaken."
"Nnnno! No! I mean she's a-a-a vixen!"
"Well, yes, we just established that. Being a fox and all, I would think so! But then again, you talked to her, so you would know better than I would."
"Damn it, Sans! You know what I mean!" Corbel squeaked, giggling again at the ploy, "Stop playing! I-I mean, she's hhhoootttt! And, and she's a scientist! Just like us! She's studying Bio-ennngineeering! And- AND get this! She wants to do a c-c-collaboraaattion! She wants to work with me to song a sing . . . song-sing-song . . . Sing a sssomething song together! Isn't that AWESOME!?"
"So. Just to clarify. A really hot girl just called you out in a club, buys you a shot and proposes a business deal- just out of the blue?"
"Well, not compppleeetely random like-like that. Weee've heard each other sing, and we like each other's voices. It's not random at-at all actually . . . ANYYWAY! Yeah! So that's a thing! We-we're gonna sing together nnnext Open Mmmic and see what happens!"
"Well, that does sound really cool. And she's a scientist too? Go figure. Anyway, congratulations, kid!" Sans sighed, looking over a longer-than-expected strip of paper. "I can't wait to hear your collab. Next time, though, you get your own drinks."
"Yeeaahh! Of course! Of course!" Corbel answered with a wave, "Th-thank you for that, by the way!"
"Of course!" Sans smiled, "Happy Birthday. Heh . . . I still can't believe you had two Long Islands! I think we might have found your favorite drink. Those plus all those other drinks . . . how are you even conscious right now, First Timer?"
Corbel shrugged with a wavy 'I dunno' sound. As he did, he let his head rest backward again with a broad smile. Probably best to get him home soon before he passed out here.
"Heh, so, now that you've drunk this place dry." Sans continued, "What do you say we head home?"
"Wh-whaa!? No! We can't go yet!" Corbel weakly protested, "What about the . . . the rest of the show!?"
"Kid . . . everyone is packing up. The DJ played the last song 30 minutes ago. The bar did last call already and the club is closing. It's time to go."
Corbel groaned again.
Pushing his way out of the booth, Sans stood and the moment he did, he realized that he did not prepare himself properly. His head felt a bit heavy and the room slowly spun to correct itself to his new position and vantage point. Damn, and he'd been trying to go easy so he could keep an eye on the first timer.
"Alright, let's get going, kid!"
"W-why do you still call me that?"
"What?"
"I'm not a kid . . . I'm not even a whole year younger than you? Why do you call me kid?"
"Well, Why do you call Undyne 'Red'? Why does she call you 'Puffball'?"
Corbel drew in a sharp breath. Sans didn't seem to notice.
"It's because you like each other, right? It's just another term of endearment."
Corbel hummed. "I . . . Guess you're right."
"Hm? You want me to stop? I'm sure that I can find something better."
"Eeehhh. It's no big deal, really."
"If you say so. Well, then. C'mon. Let's get going."
"Fine . . ."
As Corbel pulled himself out of the booth for the last time, he found it much more difficult to get his legs to do what he wanted. Not only was his head heavy and his vision toggling, but his limbs felt soggy and slow. He had to use the table to help himself stand. And when he did, it felt as if the world was moving without him off to the left. He tried to adjust and catch up, but . . .
"Woooooaaah . . ."
"Iiit's okay, buddy. I got you." Sans answered, reaching out to catch the tilting Skeleton. This was what he'd been preparing for all night and he knew it was coming. He dipped under Corbel's arm, setting him straight again. "I got you. You think you're okay to walk home?"
"Yeah . . . yeaaah. I-I'm gooooood." Corbel grinned. "I'm good!"
The two left the club a bit slowly, passing by the last few patrons and the staff, waving their thanks and goodbyes. The others wished Corbel a happy birthday again and congratulated both of them on their performances.
The walk back inched on just as slowly. Corbel continued to weave and trip, and he nearly toppled over even with Sans' help. After all, Sans wasn't the most stable person either, but he could still navigate back to the apartments and the dorms.
All the while, Corbel laughed and recounted the night. On more than one occasion, Sans had to remind him that it was very early in the morning and there were monsters around who were trying to sleep. To that, Corbel's giggles quieted a fraction as he assured Sans time and again that he understood and he would stay relatively quiet until something else crossed his mind.
After a while, even that seemed to die down and it seemed as fatigue was finally beginning to catch up to them. Corbel began to sink more and more and his recounts became more and more unintelligible, his words becoming muddled slurs.
The problem with this was that his dorms were still a bit of a walk away . . . maybe it would be better if he rested somewhere safe until he was okay to go home.
"Aalright, kid. Change in plans . . ." He said more solidly than he'd anticipated. "We're gonna go to my place and you're gonna rest for a bit. I'll get you some more water. I'll take you back home in the morning, okay?"
"Buuttititismmmorning. Yyyousaid . . . you . . . said itwasmorning."
"That I did. Buut . . . It's not morning enough. Actually, we could both do with a little break. Heh-heh. You really went all out tonight, didn't you? Gave me a run for my money. Literally."
"Pfffffff . . . " Corbel answered, laughing to himself, "Butt . . ."
"Really, and you wonder why I still call you 'kid' . . ." Sans muttered back.
"No . . . nonono, but seriously!" Corbel started again, "We had ffffffuuun tonight, didn't we!? At the- club. The cluuu- the Kaiju! We had soooomuchfun!"
"Yeah, we did." Sans acknowledged, hoping to keep the volume of Corbel's voice lowered by setting a tone with his own. As they walked, he let the younger of the two lean on him for support. They were almost back to the apartments, but they weren't clear just yet.
"Yeahwedid!" Corbel repeated, "You're awesome, Sans! Youknowthat!? Not a whole lotta p-people wooooulda done something like that for me! You-you're the . . . the most . . . you're really cool! You're amaaazing!"
"Tch. And you're drunk. Like really drunk. I think you might have overdone it a bit." Sans shook his head, a small grin on his face. "I kinda wish I'd taken pictures, or a video or something. Who knows how much of this you'll remember in the morning!"
"Ohhhh! I'm never gonna fffroggit . . . fffforgit . . . pffffffft." Corbel giggled again, "I-I did sooomuch-stuff that I reeeeally-wouldn't'a done before! And it was fuuuuun! The-the drinks! And the singing! And Undyne was there! And I . . . fuggin, gottup on stage infronna people! And I sanga song I wrote!"
"And you killed it! I think you made a lot of fans tonight." Sans continued, chuckling a little to himself. Just listening to Corbel slur his curses was strange and entertaining to hear. Sans began setting up a goal for their next outing to see if he could get Corbel to do it more.
They entered the complex and Sans had to take smaller steps with Corbel in tow, trying not to disturb the other tenants too much. And it seemed Corbel knew they were nearing the end of their journey too. He began to sink a little more, to the point that Sans had to use a little of his Blue magic to keep him upright.
"But you! You liked it too, yeah?" Corbel continued, a little late on the response, "Riiiight? I-I passsedthe- passed the dare!?"
"Definitely. You passed."
"Good." Corbel smiled, "I wouldn't'a done that if you weren't there! Y-you kinda broke the-the shell there! You got me outta that corner!"
"Aw, I didn't do all that much. You're the one who got up on that stage and sang the crap out of that song! I was just your moral support."
"But . . . butstill! You were there and you were amazing and you cheered for me! And you . . . you're incredible!"
As they stopped in front of Sans' door, Corbel seemed to want to keep going and he nearly tripped over Sans.
"Wooooah-woah. Okay. You're okay." Sans said, catching the younger and facing him to set him straight again. He needed to get him inside quickly before he completely collapsed.
Corbel grinned, "Tcch, see!? That's what- thasswhat I mean! You're an awesome guy! Like-like the best guy! And I . . . had a loooot of fun tonight because of you. So . . . thanks."
Sans was digging in his pocket for his keys as Corbel spoke, but before he could fish them out or even mutter a distracted, "Don't mention it, kid" something stole his attention, jerking him harshly out of his task.
Corbel leaned in, gently touching their foreheads together with a soft humming chuckle. An even softer smile pulled on his features as he tilted his head and touched their mouths together.
Sans' eyes went wide in his surprise . . . a . . . a kiss. A kiss!? Corbel was kissing him!?"
And he wasn't pulling away . . . Why wasn't he pulling away!?
Something sparked and short-circuited. Something that seemed to shut down all of his functions. That's it . . . he was malfunctioning. He wasn't reacting . . . he wasn't thinking clearly.
At least that's what he told himself even as his eyes closed and he took a tiny step forward instead of backward. His programming was being overwritten. And as he pressed back, returning the gesture, his mind was being hijacked. And as he took a small handful of Corbel's vest . . .
No . . . this was really happening . . .
He finally snapped enough to come to his senses and he pulled away sharply. His features were wide and his face felt extremely hot.
Shocked to his senses as well, Corbel pulled away, his eyes just as wide and his cheeks on fire in a fierce blush.
For a moment, neither one of them spoke as they tried to make sense of what just happened. What the hell . . . What the HELL!?
"Oh . . . Shit . . ." Corbel breathed heavily, realization toppling over him all over again like a wall of bricks. His blush only got deeper as he took several slow steps backward. "Oh ssssshit . . . Oh shit . . . ohshitohshitohshit . . . I-I-I actually did it this time, didn't I?"
Sans stood frozen in his spot as feeling slowly returned to his hands and his legs. He couldn't even bring himself to answer.
Meanwhile, Corbel kept repeating that phrase and he kept trying to step backward. Soon, another phrase joined the first. "I'm sorry . . . I'm so sorry, Sans . . . I-I'm sorry . . ."
With another step backward that didn't fall the way it was supposed to, he tripped backward, and he fell completely, catching himself on his hands with a sharp hiss.
That's what it took for Sans to blink out of his stupor. He took a step forward toward the other, his hand outstretched.
"Hey, hey. Calm down. It's . . . It's okay, okay? I mean . . . Well . . . Here. Let me help you up. Can you stand?"
"Nnno, I . . . I got it. I'm . . . I'm good. I just . . . God, I'm so sorry. I fffucked up. I'm gonna . . . I'm gonna go home."
"Oh no you're not." Sans protested, kneeling down to help situate Corbel once again. With his own strength and a little bit of his Blue magic, it only took moments for them to be set upright once again. "You're not going anywhere. I can't let you go home like this . . . No . . . You're staying with me tonight."
" But-but I . . . You're still . . ."
"You're drunk, Corbel . . ." Sans repeated letting that be his answer- his reasoning behind everything that just happened. "We've both been drinking quite a bit. So rest here for tonight. Go home in the morning. That's not a suggestion. That's what's gonna happen."
Corbel hummed in uncertainty. Eventually, he nodded. "O-okay . . ."
"Alright. Let's get you inside, o-okay? Once we do, have a seat and I'll get you some water. Okay?"
Corbel hesitated. "It's . . . It's so hot."
"Hey, that's what happens when the adrenaline starts to wear off. Plus you're covered from head to toe. Maybe lay off on the layers? Now, hang on. Let me get my keys . . . And . . . Here we go . . . Eh, I'm afraid, you'll have to excuse the mess."
Again, in a low grumble, Corbel expressed how hot it was. He fidgeted with the bandana around his neck as well as the collar of his shirt.
"It's okay, buddy. Let's just get you inside for now."
After a little fumbling and a little stumbling, the two were finally able to make it inside the single room abode. Shuffling through the dark, they traversed the room to the center where Sans had a couch against one side of the room and his bed on the other.
Sans set Corbel down on the couch and told him to just take it easy for a moment while he got the water. It should help with the heat as well. Corbel continued to fidget with the bandana, mumbling incoherently to himself.
Meanwhile, Sans busied himself, gathering cups and ice. He was still trying to sort through everything in his own head. Though he tried to remain as calm as possible as he took care of his . . . of Corbel, his mind was reeling just beyond the paper-thin facade. Nothing made sense anymore and he couldn't really figure out what to do . . . water . . . he needed water.
But even as he tried to focus on the water, he couldn't seem to get what happened ten minutes ago out of his head . . . what the hell did happen ten minutes ago . . . ?
WATER!
Grabbing both cups in his hands, Sans shuffled back into the main area.
To find an immobile and unresponsive Corbel. Even after calling to him a few times, Corbel didn't move.
He had removed his bandana and his armbands . . . and his shoes . . . and his vest . . . and his pants, leaving only his shirt, his socks, and his boxers.
Not only that, but he'd migrated from his spot on the couch, where he was supposed to be waiting for Sans to return, over to the bed, taking up all of the room there.
Sans let out a long sigh. It was actually a bit of a relief that Corbel was already sleeping . . . And he had taken steps to cool off from the heat. He finally seemed relaxed as he slept, breathing deeply every so often.
Sans approached slowly and carefully, trying not to move anything or shift anything that would disturb Corbel as he slept. Silently, he lowered himself to the floor and sat beside the bed.
The night had been . . . an adventure. A LOT happened and it ended on an . . . exciting note.
Again, the kiss flashed in his mind and muddled his thoughts. He thought he understood Corbel's actions . . . they were easy to track . . . but his own . . . why did he . . . ?
He was drunk. He was still drunk . . . technically . . . but could that really be his answer? Even in his own head, it sounded like an excuse . . . one he couldn't just let slide . . . and he couldn't keep using it . . . after all, alcohol is known for lowering and extinguishing inhibition. So people tended to be able to do the things they otherwise wouldn't be able to do . . . like talk to a pretty girl . . . or perform in front of a crowd of people . . . or finally take initiative and kiss your long-time crush . . .
And if the same could be true of him, then were those his honest reactions too . . . free from any inhibition . . . He'd responded to Corbel's kiss by kissing him back . . . by stepping toward him . . .
Sans looked to the other Skeleton for a moment as he slept.
"What a mess . . ." He muttered,
Corbel drew in a deep breath as he shifted to lie on his side, his arm reached up to lightly grab the pillow under his head.
And that's when Sans saw it.
He had to look closely, but there, near his wrists, there were what looked like small cracks splintering. He followed one of the cracks and it led to the end of another, until it hit his elbow. Looking over the sleeping form, he could see other similar cracks on his legs, running down his shins.
This must've been why he would always be wearing clothing to cover up these cracks . . . This must've been what Undyne meant . . . "when his body started falling apart . . ."
"Oh, Corbel . . ."
But what about those gloves . . . even now, when he'd been complaining about how hot it was, he continued to wear them.
Gently, Sans reached over, peeling back the wrist of the glove . . . or trying to . . . there was something hard and sturdy there in the wrists that he couldn't move. Some sort of plate or something keeping the gloves in place.
He supposed he could keep that secret a secret for another night.
Instead, he reached out to lightly stroke Corbel's skull.
"Hey, there," he whispered, "I really hope you had a good birthday. Now . . . get some rest. I'll leave your water close by, alright bud? And I'll be right here if you need me."
Before he was aware of what he was doing and before he could stop himself from doing it, he'd touched his forehead softly to Corbel's. The boy didn't stir.
Sans pulled away, taking his water with him as he took a place on the couch.
He was asleep within minutes. He really was exhausted from the night and he needed the sleep just as much as the birthday boy.
Hours passed and neither of them stirred.
The day was finally over.
From the dark, something moved and a sharp breath could be heard as Corbel sat upright, breathing heavily as if in shock. His eyes darted around his . . . not his . . . room . . . where was he . . .?
On the walls there were papers tacked; lists and formulae and theories decorated the otherwise empty area. On the floor, clothing was strewn and a dish here and there . . . glasses of water . . .
Come to think of it, his mouth felt a little . . . he could use some water . . . would it be okay if he drank this . . . ?
It was full and it was right next to him . . . He reached over and tried to grab the glass. His fingers twitched, disobeying the order. He tried to focus a little more on the task, maybe there wasn't enough magic . . . no, they still wouldn't move.
"Damn it . . ."
He had to get home to charge his cuffs.
He adjusted his position, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed . . . why was he so . . . naked?
And where the heck was he?
Across the room, he could see another figure, sleeping soundly and softly snoring.
"Sans . . . ?"
This was Sans' place . . . ? How did he end up here? When did he . . .?
He remembered the club and singing for the crowd and even the cute fox girl . . . Kit . . . ? Yeah, that was her name!
But after that . . . everything was a bit . . . foggy.
Maybe he should get home . . . he needed to charge his cuffs . . . but where were his clothes . . . ? Why would he even take off so many layers . . . in front of Sans? His arms . . . his legs. He was extremely self-conscious about them and Sans was . . . well, he was . . .
A tiny smile spread as he turned his attention to the sleeping Skeleton. Somehow, everything seemed peaceful as he watched the slow, even, rise and fall of his chest and Corbel was put at ease, just knowing he was nearby . . .
But still, he had to get home.
Picking through the clothing on the floor, Corbel found his armbands, his vest, his shoes, and his pants. He could put on the vest, the shoes and the pants . . . but he couldn't buckle them . . . and he wouldn't be able to pull on the armbands either . . . he would just have to make due until he could get home.
As quietly as he could, Corbel stood, everything around him swirling into place as he blinked . . . man, maybe he was still out of it . . . yeah, he still felt a little unstable . . . but he was confident he could still make it home even like this.
He shuffled his way toward the door and opened it the tiniest bit, enough to slip through.
"Bye, Sans . . ." He whispered, "Thanks for a great night. I had fun . . ."
With a final look, Corbel closed the door to a dark and quiet room.