Chapter 3

All the Small Things

Frisk groaned and glared at the empty plate before her. She could not believe she ate all of the cookies in one sitting. Well, she could, but she didn't want to. She wished she hadn't. Now, she was stuffed full and just wanted to take a nap, but it was time to go to work. With a heavy sigh, she pushed out of her chair and skulked over to the bathroom. She checked her reflection, making sure no chocolate smeared her face. She absentmindedly brushed the crumbs from her shirt, luckily they didn't smear. She brushed her teeth quickly to make sure that no chocolate was left to gross out her tables tonight. Once done, Frisk threw on her low t-strap heels, grabbed her apron, server book, purse and keys before walking out the door.

Frisk used the back door to walk into Grillby's. She filled out her time card with her starting time before storing her purse away in a cubby in the back. She tied on her apron, checked with a board in the back for the specials of the day and the 86 list before walking out to the actual restaurant. Grillby nodded at her in greeting before turning back to the bar patrons. Tuesdays were a bit busy for the bar; Grillby liked to do a "two for one" discount on the booze.

A sheep monster, Mary, beckoned Frisk over. Frisk dutifully walked over to the senior waitress and smiled. Mary was a sweet woman and had helped train Frisk.

"You ready to take a table, Ruby?" The sheep monster asked. Frisk nodded her head and gave a thumbs up. "Wonderful! I just got sat, but haven't greeted them yet, it's a two-top at 31. I would take them, but I just closed out my last table and tonight is date night for Ron and I." Mary explained, blushing slightly. Ron was the wolf monster Mary had been dating for a few weeks now. Frisk thought they made a great couple, despite how their animal counterparts are portrayed.

"Have fun!" Frisk said, wiggling her eyebrows. Mary lightly shoved Frisks shoulder, blushing even more.

"Oh hush, you!" She exclaimed before walking into the back to clock out and leave. Frisk smiled and walked over to her first table.

The night went off without a hitch. The restaurant was busier than normal, but Frisk didn't mind. She needed the money. Luckily, most of her tables were feeling pretty good from the "two for one" booze and tipped her well. A few patrons had flirted with her throughout the night, but the flirting was light and didn't bother her. One woman had actually left her phone number on a receipt along with a very generous tip. Frisk felt bad that she couldn't call the patron to thank her, as she didn't own a phone herself. Mobile or landline. They were too expensive for her.

Frisk was polishing silverware behind the bar again when she took notice of a patron sitting by himself. He seemed to be some sort of ghost monster and looked pretty down. Frisk saw that he didn't have a menu or drink yet.

"Are you okay, sir?" She asked quietly. The ghost jumped a bit. He looked at her, then quickly looked away.

"I'm sorry," The ghost murmured, "I'm in your way, right? I'll just leave." Frisk startled when she noticed the patron begin to fade away.

"No, sir!" She replied quickly, "You're not in my way! I just wanted to see if you needed anything." Frisk let out a relieved breath as the ghost seemed to fade back.

"Oh, okay. As long as I'm not in the way…" Frisk smiled and shook her head. The ghost let out a small smile in return. "Well I guess I would like a ghost sidecar and a ghost sandwich, if that's okay…. I understand if you don't want to…" Frisk smiled and gave the gloomy ghost a thumbs up. She quickly walked over to Grillby and passed on the order. Frisk would have been glad to make the drink herself while the cooks prepared the food, but the "ghost" products phased right through her. Frisk caught the ghost's eye, pointed at Grillby, then shot the ghost a thumbs up before checking on the last of her tables.

"...ta really raise yer spirits, ya know?" Frisk froze mid step when she heard that voice followed by a chuckle. She looked up from her notepad to see sans the skeleton sitting next to the ghost patron. I can't deal with this right now. She thought silently. Frisk took a deep breath and went over to the barback to relay her order. She stared at the liquor bottles as she waited for Fiku to make her drinks. She refused to acknowledge the punny skeleton sitting less than five feet away from her.

"i see yer drinkin' tonight, ya tryin' ta get sheet faced?" Had Frisk not been so terrified of sans, she probably would have laughed at that. The ghost patron let out a soft laugh. Frisk smiled despite herself. She had been worried about the little ghost monster. Thankfully Fuku came over at that moment with a tray of drinks for Frisk. Although Fuku was Grillby's daughter and had only been barbacking for a few months, she moved faster than Grillby himself. Frisk was always happy when she was barbacking. She loved Grillby, but he did not hurry himself. He was graceful and deliberate in everything he did, sadly that meant that he moved a bit slowly. Frisk mouthed a silent "thank you" to Fuku and went to drop off the drinks at her tables.

Frisk thanked the stars that tonight she wasn't the late night server. Once her current tables left, she could go home as well. No staying around to help close. She was hoping to be out of there by 11. As she was dropping off a Corpse Reviver at her only one-top, the patron stopped her.

"Heya, darling," the young man slurred, "whazza pretty thing like yooouu doin in-inna plash like dis?" Frisk managed not to roll her eyes, but instead gave a sweet smile.

"I'm working, sir." She replied before attempting to move on, but the drunk man grabbed her arm.

"Whhy-hic-why do ya need to work inna place like- like thiss when yoh've gotta bo-face like that?" The man asked, his eyes rolling around in his head, as if he couldn't focus on any one thing. Frisk firmly tugged her arm out of his grasp and walked away. She gave out an annoyed huff as she returned to the bar. She began aggressively rolling the silverware while she waited for one of her tables to flag her down.

"slow down there, kiddo, you might ware yourself down going at that speed." Frisk stiffened. Slowly, she looked up at the skeleton. She knew better than to be rude towards a patron, but she didn't give him the friendliest of looks before going back to her task. She held back a scowl when sans chuckled in response. She prayed to every deity she had ever heard of that one of her tables would need her, but when she glanced at them, they all seemed content.

"tough crowd." She heard sans mutter. "c'mon, sweetheart, throw me a bone here. this is some a+ material I'm givin' ya!" Frisk took a deep breath and raised her head to show sans her best "customer service" smile before returning to her task. She heard sans sharply inhale and was sure he was about to "go scary" on her when one of her tables called her name.

Frisk was happy to hear that two out of her last three tables wanted their checks. The only one that didn't ask for the check was the one top. Frisk decided that since her only other tables were cashing out and her one top had had clearly too much to drink, that it was time to give him his check as well. She dropped off his check in the same run that she dropped off her other tables checks. When she went around to collect payment, the drunkard hadn't even looked at his check. Frisk sighed, but quickly cashed out the other two tables. When she went back around, the one top still hadn't touched his bill.

"Sir, it's time for you to pay your bill." She informed him kindly. He slowly looked at her.

"Whuuat?" He slurred.

"Your bill, sir. You have to pay it now." Frisk said a little more sternly.

"Buhht the barss not clooshed yet, I shtill got taaaime, daaaull face." He informed her.

"The bar is closed for you, it's time to pay your tab." Frisk said.

"Youh fuckin' bi-hitch. Imma-I'mma payin' custama, youh can't do this." He accused, attempting to point his finger at Frisk.

"Pay your tab. Now." Frisk replied, losing all pretense of kindness. The drunk stood up in what, Frisk assumed, was an attempt to intimidate her, but he could barely stand on his own feet.

"I dahn't werk awll friggen dayy jussst so some whore can tell me whadda do." He said, leaning heavily on the table.

"Pay your tab. Now." Was all Frisk said in reply.

"I know tha owner, ya caahnt tawlk to me that way!" The drunk cried out. Frisk raised a brow.

"Oh really? What's his name?" She asked.

"It's….it's...Bob! Bob is the owna, ya dummb brooad!"

"Is it now? Well 'Bob' says you need to pay your tab and leave." Frisk replied smoothly. The drunk looked at her, confused.

"Well if Bob sez I gotta, then I will, but Imma file a-hic-a complaihnt abaaut you." The man said as he pulled out his wallet. He handed frisk a few notes before making his way out. Frisk did not feel the need to tell him that he had paid her twice the amount he owed.

When Frisk went to the bar to pay the tabs, Grillby gave her a questioning look. She pointed at the drunk leaving and rolled her eyes. When she was close to the fire monster she quietly explained.

"Apparently he knows the owner, Bob." Even though she couldn't see them, Frisk was under the impression that Grillby had rolled his eyes. "I told him that 'Bob' wanted him to leave." Frisk said with a shrug.

"heh." Frisk's back stiffened when she heard the soft chuckle behind her. She forced herself to relax.

"Is there anything else you need from me?" Frisk asked. Grillby shook his head. "Alright, I left my slips in the drawer with all the money I owed you."

"Be safe." Grillby replied. Frisk nodded and smiled. As she went into the back, she heard sans talk to Grillby.

"i think i'll settle up, buddy. had a long day, better get home 'fore paps gets worried, ya know?" Frisk continued to make her way out, stopping only to get her purse and write down her clock out time on her time slip. She threw a friendly wave at the cook before quietly leaving out the back door.

"ya know, most folks who work here leave outta the main entrance." Frisk let out a yelp, quickly turning towards the voice. She had her hand in her bag, grabbing her knife. Her gripped tightened as sans stepped out of the shadows. sans threw up his hands in a calming gesture when Frisk took a step back.

"easy there, sweetheart, i ain't gonna hurt ya." sans explained as he took a step forward. Frisk kept her hand on her knife, but kept it in her purse. She raised an eyebrow at the skeleton. He chuckled and said: "i understand yer skepticism, darlin, but really, i ain't gonna hurt ya."

"What do you want, then?" Frisk asked, straightening her stance. He might have a few inches on her, but she'd be damned if he would let her feel small. sans rubbed his skull in what might have been embarrassment.

"well, tibia honest, i wanted to apologize fer last night. i was a bit of a bone head. i guess i might have come off as….a bit rude. yeah, i know that's a bit of an understatement," sans said in reply to Frisks scoff, "but what i mean is, i crossed a line, and while i did mean everything i said," He continued with pointed look, "i could have said it better...nicer, ya know? anyways, what i'm really tryin' ta say, is i'm sorry if i scared you." Frisk slowly let go of the knife in her bag. She wasn't expecting the mobster before her to apologize.

"It's okay." Was all she said in response. She didn't actually forgive him, but she felt she had no choice. He was a high ranking mobster and she was a human woman. In a dark alley. All alone. And all she had was a pocket knife. "Well if you don't mind, I'll be on my way, sir." Frisk made to walk by the skeleton, but he put a hand to her arm as she tried to pass. Not grabbing, but halting her nonetheless.

"now, sweetheart, i want ya to know that apology was sincere," sans said. Frisk swallowed nervously. Sweat dripped down her neck and sent a chill down her back. Normally she would have shown off her self defence moves by now, but this wasn't a normal situation. She didn't want any trouble with the Groundskeepers. They were entirely too high profile.

"I understand, sir, I would just like to go home now, if you don't mind." She said in the most polite voice she could muster. She gently removed his hand and walked down the alley. She let out a relieved sigh when she didn't hear him follow. When she had made it about a block away, she looked back, only to see the skeleton wasn't there anymore. Probably made his way home, she thought silently. She faced forward and turned down another dark alley, only to stop and let out yet another pathetic yelp as she came face to face with sans again.

"Stop that!" She commanded before she could help herself. She immediately slapped her hands over her mouth, "I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean sir!" She quickly spat out.

"first one's free, sweetheart," sans replied with a shrug, "now anyways, as i was gonna say earlier, 'fore you started walkin' away, i just want a couple 'a questions answered, then you can go on with your little life, ya dig?" Frisk nodded and braced herself.

"okay, so where are ya from?" sans asked. Frisk resisted rolling her eyes.

"I'm sorry, sir, but as I said last night, I'm not in the habit of telling strangers where I live." Frisk replied as cordially as she ' smile faded a bit.

"issat so? alright, 'ruby', what's yer last name? what family you from?"

"I don't have a last name sir. And I'm an orphan, so I don't know." Frisk replied with feigned melancholy. She was glad he had asked that. Usually after Frisk gave the "orphan" response, people would back off out of sympathy. She never really felt guilty about that, after all, she truly was an orphan. It was just a benefit that it was a topic that made others uncomfortable.

"orphan, huh? how'd that happen?" Frisk stared at the monster, shocked.

"The same way it always does. My parents died, no relatives to take me in. Now, if you'll excuse me…"Frisk replied.

"how'd yer parents die?"

"I don't know. I was too young." All pretense of friendliness left Frisks voice. He had no right to ask that and they cold way he asked hurt. What she said was the truth, but not remembering didn't make it less painful. Fuck you, she thought as she shoved past the monster. Consequences be damned, if he thought he crossed a line last night, today he took a swan dive off of it.

"shit." Frisk heard him mutter, but she kept walking. Tears threatened to spill over, but she managed to wipe them away before they did. She told a lot of lies, but she never lied about her parents. She learned early on that the best lies were woven with truths. No matter "who" she became, she kept her background the same. No important details to remember and the city didn't care enough about orphans to keep accurate track of them. It was sad, but true. And she used every bit of it to her advantage.

Frisk decided to use the long route home, just in case the creepy mobster decided to follow her. Once or twice, she thought she saw a flash of light in the corner of her eyes, but when she looked, there was nothing there. Only neon signs advertising some kind of bar or shop.

Eventually, Frisk made it back to her apartment, It was a little after midnight when Frisk turned the key in her lock. Just as she was about to go in, she saw Emily's door open and Emily herself step out. The girl was wearing a very simple dress, but had on rather decorative makeup. She jumped when she saw Frisk looking at her.

"Oh! Hey! I didn't see you there!" Emily said in a high pitched voice, "Well, I won't hold you up, it's pretty late and all! Sorry, I just didn't expect to see you out so late! Um anyways, we still on for dinner tomorrow?" Frisk nodded, "Good! Ummm okay! Well I'll see you tomorrow then! Get a good night's sleep, okay? Alright, goodnight!" Emily rushed down the stairs, much to Frisks confusement. After a second, Frisk shrugged and went into her small apartment She locked the door behind her and quickly stripped off her work clothes. Her one nightgown was dirty, so she simply went to bed naked. It had been yet another long day and she was happy to fall into bed. She promptly pulled the covers up over herself. She was asleep before she could even begin to think about the events of the day.

AN: Sorry if this is a little rough. I really need to find a beta reader, but idk how to do that haha...I also may have written most of this chapter while drunk...so there's that... please, please let me know of any spelling/grammar mistakes! I'm horrible at both when I'm sober, I can only imagine how bad it gets when I've been drinking! If there's any questions please let me know! Other than that, I hope you have a great day/night! And happy holidays!