Chapter Text
You suppose to hope that it would end happily was a childish idea. All your life you had held out for the typical fairytale happy ending. You weren’t great at romance but you loved the concept of having someone sweep you off your feet. Of having someone’s unending support and unconditional love.
You were a fool for thinking that if that did exist that it would happen to you.
You did your best to stifle the tears as you backed your bags as fast as possible. You didn’t want to be here when he got home. You didn’t want to see him again or face the harsh reality of the last two years being a total lie...
A traitorous part of you did though. You wanted to see him so bad. You wanted to scream and cry and shout at him. You wanted to hold his hand and kiss his is dumb stupid face. You wanted to slap him his dumb stupid face. You wanted so much, too much maybe.
You wiped your eyes, only pausing for a second before going back to packing. You were scared to pause for too long. Whenever you closed your eyes all you could see was him - happy - holding some other person’s hand. She had been beautiful, with long curly dark hair, a pretty smile and long legs; everything you weren’t. He had held her tenderly and kissed her face so sweetly. Bundled up and cozy together under the street lamps while the Christmas lights twinkled, the scene had been picture-perfect.
It’s sad and bitter and petty but … you wish it had been another monster. Then you could have blamed his cheating on your humanity and not whatever else it was to make him cheat. A large cruel part of you couldn’t help but to nit-pick every insecurity that had been instilled in you. You weren’t feminine or tall, curvy nor long-legged, your hair had been short for years and your laugh and smile were awkward and weird.
Although you knew deep down it wasn’t your fault. Not really.
No one deserves to be cheated on, but heartbroken and sore all you could think was “What did I do? Where did I go wrong? How long has it been happening? Was it because she is just better than me?” Lists upon lists of questions you wanted to ask him, but refused to. It hurt too much to face and if you got your way you never would have to.
Another shirt was stuffed haphazardly into your old beat-up, hand-me-down suitcase. A favorite book thrown into the messenger bag with your beaten up lap-top. All these things you had been putting off replacing because you had been saving up for a stupid present for that bastard.
You shook your head to clear it. You had to focus, even if there was no rhyme or reason to your furious packing. You found that you didn’t want to think about it anymore.
As if the world decided not to give you a break, your phone chimed. Even though you didn’t reach to grab it the message popped up on the screen well within your eyesight:
Sans <3: Hey I’m just finishing up at work. I’ll be home soon. Do you still want to watch that movie when I get home?
You felt your heart shatter and threw the phone into the mess of clothes so you didn’t have to look at it or his lies anymore.
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Red walked into a diner.
It was almost like the set up to some stupid, shitty joke. But really, it had been a long day at the auto shop he worked at and Boss had been in a ripe, rude-ass mood since the move, so all Red wanted to do was eat some shitty, greasy food in peace.
The new town they had just moved to was a little place called Cleary. It was your run-of-the-mill, out-in-the-country, backroad, bumpkins-and-farmers-living-off- the-land kind of place. But despite the fact the place made Snowdin look big, it got tourists and out-of-towners because of some natural lake out at the far edge, west of town.
So, in the end, it was nice enough. Big enough. The 5 to 9 Diner, Red decides, was about the same, a little old and run-down, a little hokey, but good all the same.
The door jingles a bit as he makes his way inside and nods to an old woman watching soaps on a TV hung above the other end of the building. He supposes for a Tuesday in March, this place is as busy as it’s going to get and takes a seat in a window booth near the front of the building.
“Hey Bug!” The old woman at the register turns to shout back into what must have been the kitchen, “We got a live one, so stop your chit-chattin’ with Paulie.”
Out ran a little thing, green polo tucked into a pair of beat up old black jeans holding a notepad and a menu in hand. They stumble a bit seeing him, confused with a look of… something else on their face before they sigh, exasperated.
“Good one Bertie. Live one, haha.” The server, Bug, says, rolling their eyes and making their way over to him as he gave his own chuckle of amusement. Stopping at the edge of the table and sliding him a menu, they gave him a smile that Red found too endearing for his own good. It crinkled the corner of their eyes and made dimples pop. "Welcome to The 5 to 9 Diner. Is this your first time here?”
“Sure is,” Red says, not really looking at the menu, instead eyeing Bug. He had to admit, with their big doe-eyes and short stature, the nickname is a fitting one. “Me and my bro just moved here a few weeks ago. Still getting the lay of the land.”
“Oh! That must be the new addition the Sheriff was talking about. What... Um Edge?”
“Yep that’s his name alright. Didn’t know my baby brother was making a name for himself already here in town,” Red says, settling his head onto his hand, to level his cute waiter a look.
And oh boy, Red had to admit, he liked looking too.
“Oh please, Sheriff McCoy is old and chatty. Him and Bertie shoot the shit every morning, so nothing stays a secret around here too long, trust me,” Bug rolls their eyes. “Anyway, don’t mean to chat your ear off, just not too often to see a new face here this time of year. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Suppose you don’t serve anything with alcohol in it here, huh?”
Bug barked out a laugh, “No sorry. Gonna have to go down to Pickert’s if you want anything like that. We do have good old fashioned fountain sodas? And I can make a pretty mean cherry limeade.”
"Cherry limeade sounds good then," Red agreed, then took a glance at the menu for real. He already knew he wanted a big, juicy burger. He had been craving Grillby's since moving out here, but this cute little human with an earnest smile was now making him think of other things. "How's the 'burgs here?"
Bug hummed slightly, pen poised over the paper, "to be honest they're okay but-" they motioned to a part on the menu a little farther down with the tip of their pen- "get the breakfast burger instead. Paulie makes them with extra bacon and the egg really makes it great. It's a pretty big meal too."
"Well you've won me over, I'll take one of those too with an order of fries."
"Any condiments?"
Red couldn't help but laugh, "Mustard. Lots of it."
"Sure, sure. Anything else?"
"Yeah," Red decided it was time to test the waters so to speak. He wouldn't mind getting to know Bug a bit better. They were funny and cute, and he had a thing for little firecrackers like they seemed to be. So he put on his best smile, leaned in and said, "You don't happen to be on the menu, huh doll?"
Their reaction… was a weird one. He expected their face to flush, charmed or indigent, not to pale slightly. They recovered quickly enough, hiding their true emotions behind a tight smile.
"Sorry but I don't date," Bug told him, voice cool and sharp compared to the warm tone he had gotten from them before. It took him off guard and they seemed to notice how surprised their stoney countenance made him, as they softened slightly. "Besides. I've had that line used on me by every Tom, Dick and Harry that breezes through this town. You need better material."
Red did his best to brush off the interaction, but hated to admit that his interest had only been more peaked. He gave them another smile, this one a bit softer than his usual, and waved their concern off, "Hey, you're right,, but I'm a sucker for the classics… Plus, you can't blame a skeleton for trying; we seemed to get a long great. Can I ask why you don't date?"
Red was genuinely curious. Did they only date women? Only humans? Just didn't like romance at all?
They rolled their eyes again, their mood obviously improving a bit with Red's easy going nature. "Sorry, your friendship level isn't high enough for my tragic backstory."
He couldn't help but cackle at Bug's nonchalant and obviously rehearsed reply. It was enough to break the tension even more as Bug even smiled a bit more good-naturedly.
"Can I get you something that is on the menu?" Bug added while Red got himself under control.
"Damn, guess I gotta start leveling up huh?" He said, wiping away a tear from his socket. "And nah, the 'burg and fries are enough for tonight."
Bug gave him a nod, “Alright then. I will get this order in for you. It’ll be out in a few.”
Red watched them walk past Bertie and into the kitchen, still chuckling. Whatever goofy look must’ve been on his face, made the old lady raise an eyebrow and give him a stern but knowing look. He just gave her a wink back, making her scoff and turn her attention back to the television.
Just in time too, since Bug walked back out to behind the bar. There was, now that he had the mind to pay attention, a line of ice creams laid out and an old fashioned soda fountain located directly behind it. It was something Red had only seen in old times films, but he could understand the draw. It was neat.
Bug was quick at assembling the drink; a fresh lime and grenadine, typed with something from the fountain. Their movements were quick that he could tell they had probably made this drink more than enough times. He liked cherries well enough, but had never had something like this before so he was curious.
They brought the finished drink over to him with a flourish, "Wa-la! One cherry limeade. My personal favorite."
Red nodded, murmuring a "thanks" before taking a sip. It was pretty good. He wasn't normally one for sour things, but Bug had good taste.
"It's good right?," Bug asked, watching him closely. He nodded, licking his teeth of the sweet taste off his teeth.
“Is good,” he agreed readily.
“Yes! I’ve almost converted the whole town to those,” Bug wiggled in place, obviously pleased with his reaction. In that moment, Red knew right then he had to know them more. Damn it, they were just too fucking cute. They twisted around to walk back into the kitchen, “Just wait until you try that burger. You’re gonna love it.”
Shit, Red was definitely smitten.
Well… no one could say he wasn’t a patient skeleton. Time to level-up his game, so to speak.