Sans glared down into the little cupboard under his stall, there were four pastries left. Three he could explain to Papyrus, but four was pushing it. To say today had been a slow day was an absolute understatement, for some reason barely anyone had come into the city, and people heading out usually don't stop for a bite. Ugh, desperate times called for desperate measures. Sans picked up one of the pastries and held it out enticingly. Soon enough a pair of monsters hurrying towards the gate stopped to look at him.

"meat pastry," Sans supplied helpfully, "only 30g."

"Woof, that's pretty pricey!"

"Yeah," the monster's companion said with a sneer, "what's in it? Veal? Peacock?"

"you think you're gonna find a bakery or food stand between here and wherever you're going?" Sans waved over the pastry, disturbing the thin stream of steam wafting off it. "piping hot and convenient."

"And awfully small."

With a sigh Sans snagged the other extra pastry out. "tell ya what, these are my last two, so i'll give you a two for one deal. 30g for both."

"That is a good deal." The first monster quickly dug out the coins and tossed them onto the stall's surface while snatching the pastries from him. They handed one over to their companion and without another word were already walking away as they bit into them.

"wow, rude." Sans gathered up the coins and pocketed them with a scowl. His expression quickly smoothed out as he leaned back in his chair, front legs off the ground, fingers laced behind his skull, whistling a cheery, haunting tune. The holy flame tucked safely in their cupboard hummed along.

Several city guards came marching up, Sans waved lazily as they approached. "time to lock up for the night?"

"Just about."

"good, today's been boring as watching paint dry."

"Boring is good, boring means nothing awful happened."

"yeah, you got a point there." Sans let his chair fall forward and let out a great yawn. "so aside from everyone and their brother leaving town, nothing unusual to report."

The guard nodded.

"how about you?"

"What? Oh," the guard snickered, "nothing to, heh, report. But have you heard what Lord Fiersome chose for this year's summer solstice sacrifice?"

"the good ol' triple s. but you know, i actually haven't. no one's wanted to chit chat on their way out. i doubt anything is going to top the mayor's wine collection five years ago." Sans chuckled to himself as he started to stretch.

"This year he's chosen a mortal."

Sans stopped mid stretch, he slowly shifted to stare up at the guard in shock. "what, really?"

The guard nodded. "It's true, I stopped in at the temple to confirm it myself."

"that's just… that's just weird."

"It is, isn't it? I know Lord Fiersome fought in the war but damn, that's hardcore."

"wait, what're you talking about? what does the war have to do with anything?"

"I was just kind of hoping it means there's a human we can use for the sacrifice."

"whoa, hold your snails, back it up there a minute. what?! why would you want a human anywhere near us after the war?"

"If Lord Fiersome wants us to kill someone for him, a human's a much better option than any of us, right?"

"lord fiersome wants us to murder someone for him?!"

"Well… it's a mortal sacrifice so…"

"yeah, i get that part, but did the priests say they were going to actually kill someone?"

"Well no… but-"

"you know how the solstice works, there's a token sacrifice on lord fiersome's altar and the rest goes to the priests. probably they'll just cut off some fur or a claw tip or something. i mean, what do you take lord fiersome for? a human?"

The guard sighed, "Yeah, okay. I shouldn't let the rumors running around get to me. It's just…"

There were shouts from the other guards, one of them calling an "All clear!"

"Looks like I've got to get back to work."

"sure, sure. good luck with that gate, i hear they can be a real pain in the back door." Sans waved the guard off, who snickered as they went to join the others. Sans resumed his relaxed posture, though his smile was strained as he stared up at the golden sky.

"SANS! HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEWS?" Papyrus came bounding over, eagerly bouncing on his feet.

"probably not, it's been a slow day over here." Sans opened the cupboard and pulled out the pastries, handing one over to Papyrus.

"TODAY IS THE DAY LORD FIERSOME CHOOSES WHAT WILL BE SACRIFICED TO HIM ON THE SUMMER SOLSTICE."

"yeah, i knew that." Sans fed a piece of his pastry to the little holy flame and shut the cupboard before finally turning to face Papyrus. "but so far no one's wanted to stop and chat about it."

"LORD FIERSOME HAS CHOSEN SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNORTHODOX AND ALSO VERY UNUSUAL THIS YEAR. YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT NOR EVEN BE ABLE TO GUESS!" Papyrus vibrated in place, Sans simply made a 'continue' motion with his free hand even as he shoved the whole pastry into his teeth. "LORD FIERSOME. HAS CHOSEN. A…" Papyrus paused for dramatic tension, "MORTAL SACRIFICE!"

Sans gasped and put a hand to his sternum, "no!"

"YES! I EVEN WENT TO VISIT THE TEMPLE TO CONFIRM IT MYSELF. CAN YOU BELIEVE SOME OTHER VISITORS TO THE TEMPLE THOUGHT THAT MEANT LORD FIERSOME HAD DEMANDED HIS PRIESTS HURT SOMEONE?"

"what? that's ridiculous, that's not how the sacrifice works at all."

"I KNOW! FORTUNATELY THE PRIESTS AGREED WITH ME WHEN I TOLD THE OTHER VISITORS SO. THE PRIESTS SAY THEY HAVE TO DIVINE AND INTERPRET FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS STILL, BUT THEY'RE ALL CERTAIN THAT NO ONE IS GOING TO HAVE TO DIE."

"that's good. but uh… aren't we going to be late?" Sans looked up to where the golden hue was already fading into inky darkness.

"OH MY! THE GATE IS ALL SECURED AND THE SUN IS ALMOST SET, HOW COULD YOU MAKE ME SO LATE?!" Papyrus made shooing motions at Sans to get him out of his seat and heading for the wall. Sans just laughed and let himself be shooed. "BUT THIS IS SO EXCITING, ISN'T IT? NO ONE'S EVER HEARD OF ANY OF THE GODS ASKING FOR MORTALS BEFORE."

"yeah, must be a once in a lifetime kind of thing."

There was a moment of silence as they climbed the stairs. "SANS, IT'S NOT SOMETHING FUNNY TO JOKE ABOUT, PEOPLE ARE REALLY SCARED LORD FIERSOME IS GOING TO… TO HURT SOMEONE."

"no, don't be like that. we both know that's not what he's asking." They continued on in silence for another agonizingly long moment. "but if it makes you feel better, i won't joke about it anymore."

"THANK YOU, BROTHER."

"sure, i'll just tell some knock knock jokes instead." Sans winked up at Papyrus.

Papyrus groaned and rolled his eyes before leaving Sans behind as he went to get his assignment for the evening. Sans was partnered with an air elemental who took the form of smoke.

"Can you believe Lord Fiersome has demanded a living sacrifice this time? I'm shocked! Just shocked! And appalled too!"

It seemed she was full of hot air. "nowhere in the announcement did i hear the words 'kill' or 'dust.'"

"Well what else could it possibly mean? I just can't believe it though, I've never heard of any god demanding a mortal sacrifice before."

The rest of Sans's shift followed that same pattern, every nightwatchman he had to interact with said basically the same thing. None of them could believe it, none of them listened when Sans refused to believe it. It's like they wanted it to be true just to have some drama to gossip about.

"i take it back, i really am sorry for joking about this." Sans groaned as he held himself up with an arm on the parapet.

"THERE, THERE," Papyrus gently pat his back, "DON'T WORRY BROTHER, I'M SURE THEY'LL CALM DOWN AND STOP WORRYING IN NO TIME AT ALL."

"we can only hope." Sans sighed deeply.

"ARE YOU GOING TO VISIT THE GOLDEN LAMB?"

"i uh… yeah. gonna stop by on my way home."

Papyrus clapped and smiled brightly, "I WISH YOU LUCK! I HOPE YOUR INTENDED WILL ACTUALLY BE THERE AND YOU GET TO SEE HIM. AND ALSO FIND A BETTER WAY TO GET IN CONTACT WITH HIM IN THE FUTURE."

Sans couldn't help blushing at that. "don't think he can count as my intended yet," he mumbled with hunched shoulders, eyes steadfastly on a brick a few yards away.

"NO NEED TO BE SHY, I SAW THE WAY YOU TWO WERE ENTANGLED NOT EVEN A FORTNIGHT AGO."

Sans smiled at the memory, his soul fluttering with the ghostly echoes of warmth. "yeah, but…"

"NO BUTS, YOU SHOULD GET GOING. AFTER ALL, THE COURTING PROCESS IS A LONG AND INVOLVED ONE. AND AS EVERYONE KNOWS, YOU DRAG YOUR FEET TO DO ANYTHING, THE SOONER YOU START THE SOONER YOU CAN SUCCESSFULLY ROMANCE YOUR GREASY TAVERN KEEPER." He gently pushed Sans towards the stairs.

"alright, i get it." Sans's blush burned all the darker at his baby brother's words. "i'll see you at home?"

"OF COURSE! HAVE FUN ON YOUR RENDEZVOUS!"

"don't think it counts as one if it's not planned," Sans mumbled to himself as he started the long trek to the Golden Lamb. The windows were brightly lit, the door propped open enticingly. Somehow Sans didn't feel like going in. He peeked through the open door anyway.

Jack, a portly gray rabbit with a pair of slim antlers sprouting from his forehead, stood behind the bar. Sans sighed in disappointment. Nearly two weeks since he had seen Grillby last, not the longest time he'd gone without seeing him, but after that last encounter… Sans debated going in and asking Jack how to find the elusive fire elemental, he was the tavern's owner after all. But what could Sans say? 'hey, you know that guy that works at the bar every once in a great while? i think we might be courting, know where he lives?' Sans shook his head, no way. Besides, Grillby had said they'd see each other again, he'd give the guy at least two weeks before getting impatient.

Jack just happened to look up right as Sans started to turn away. "Welcome, welcome! A guardsman just off duty? No? Ah, a nightwatchman then, come in an' rest a spell 'fore goin' home. Have a bite."

Sans shrugged, he could eat. He went up to the bar and took his usual seat next to the holy flame. He dug out a few coins and handed them over to Jack. Jack nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. Sans had just enough time to look around and assure himself the tavern truly was empty before Jack came back out. He set a plate heaped full of steaming food before Sans, then leaned against the bar and smiled jovially at him.

"I've seen ya 'round afore, yeah?"

"sure, i'll stop in after my shift sometimes, not a lot of places will stay open at all hours." He plucked a small piece off his meal and fed it to the holy flame, then started in himself.

Jack smiled and nodded. "Yeah! Course, the guard an' the watch work so hard t' protect us, keep the city safe, an' yet so few 'preciate it. You lot deserve a hot meal an' a cold drink at th' end of yer day just like anyone else."

"and we appreciate it too." Sans took a bite as he considered his next step very carefully. "staying open all the time must be hard, someone's always gotta be down here keeping an eye on things."

Jack smiled all the wider and nodded again. "Yeah, you understand. The missus an' I struggle with it sometimes, there's only so much family we got t' help, an' the li'l ones need a lotta mindin'."

"is it only ever family?"

"Who else?" Jack laughed, great heart guffaws that shook his large belly.

"i dunno, just sometimes there's this fire elemental minding the place."

"Ah, Grillby. Good monster, he is, always nice t' have a night off fer a change."

"i was kind of hoping to see him again."

"Got yer eye on the fellow, ay?" Jack grinned and winked at Sans. "Don't blame ya one bit, if I weren't married I might fancy him m'self."

Sans blushed and looked back down at his half eaten plate. "you wouldn't know how to find him, would you?"

Jack sighed and looked mournfully at Sans. "Sorry, lad, can't say."

"not even a different job he works? surely he doesn't make a living just minding your tavern one night every once in a while."

Jack just shook his head, "I don't know what t' tell ya."

Sans nodded, morosely going back to his meal. He ended up idly pushing the remains around his plate. Of course Jack was too polite to just give random strangers directions to a friend's home. Sans shoved a heaping forkful into his teeth, intent on finishing quickly and heading home.

"So…" Jack trailed off, seemingly unsure what to talk about next. "Ya hear 'bout the summer solstice?"

"of course, mortal sacrifice this year."

"A shame the way everyone is panickin' over it, as if Lord Fiersome would do anythin' other than protect ev'ry last one o' us."

Sans grinned up at Jack, "i've been saying the same thing all night."

Jack smiled wide and nodded knowingly.