Chapter Five: Sounds Like A Date
The date!! Writing this was so so fun that I’ve already begun the next two chapters :)))
when I tell you I love every single one of you from the deepest depths of my heart.
thank you all for the love and support, and I hope you enjoy <3
Also I’m so sorry for disappearing… I kinda deleted tumblr on accident and forgot it existed…
It was colder than you thought it was going to be. You clung your light sweater, while you walked down the sidewalk to the cafe. You knew the place, and you were delighted to know that Oak did too.
After grocery shopping yesterday you had gone home and gotten some gardening done, you knew that the first frost might come soon, and you were glad you did considering the goosebumps running down your arms.
You knew today would be interesting, you hadn't known Oak had a brother until yesterday and your mouth lit in a smile when you thought about meeting him. You'd admit, you had a lot of fun. More fun grocery shopping than you had in a while. He was sweet, despite his gruff demeanor.
The coffee shop came into view and you found yourself grinning. You didn't see Oak and his brother yet, but you were a little early. You didn't mind waiting a little.
Just then a light breeze wept your skirt into the wind and sent chills down your spine.
Maybe you should wait from inside the cafe.
"Brother!" Oak heard his brother call him from the first floor of their home. He fingered the beanie in his hand, hating that he had to wear it. The material aggravated his skull, but he knew he'd get even more stares if he didn't wear it. He tried not to care, but he knew his injury made him look down right murderous. Even his housemates sometimes flinched when they looked at him, not being able to catch themselves in time.
The only people who were able to look at him without flinching were his brother. And you.
He thought of your face then, a light blush taking over his skull. He was so excited when you accepted his invitation. Some of his old personality floated back to him, and words came to him so easily. He felt like himself around you, in a way that he had only ever felt with his brother. And occasionally with Red. Never really with Classic. 'Prime Sans'. He hated the way that was how he thought of him.
'Prime', like he was somehow the first, and all of them came after. That wasn't how the multiverse worked. Classic was just lucky enough to be the first of them to start working on that machine.
Though, he thought bitterly, he'd probably never have the chance to work on that machine back home. He never would have made it to the surface anyway.
He closed his sockets and felt the air shift, and the floor drop from his feet. Then the floor was back and he was looking at his brother.
"Sans!" His brother looked exasperated. He wore a smart turtleneck with a black overcoat, that didn't quite reach his calves because of his height. "We Cannot Be Late To Your Date! It Is Incredibly Uncouth." He looked at his brother's beanie for only a second but didn't say anything.
"it's okay bro. i know a shortcut." He grinned a little and right when his brother was about to complain about the laziness of 'short-cutting' Blue walked in, with Stretch only a moment behind.
Blue looked at them, "WELL DON'T YOU TWO LOOK ALL DRESSED UP! WHAT'S THE OCCASION?" He smiled, and seemed to be starting his breakfast, though it seemed a little late for him to only just then be awake.
Stretch, who looked much less thrilled to be awake than his brother, went to the couch to promptly flop onto it.
Poplar smiled gently, as to not cause any ache in his teeth. He had only just gotten his braces tightened a couple of days before, "We Are Going To That Attractive Little Cafe I Told You About," he looked at his brother and Oak was very grateful he didn't mention you. He didn't need the teasing or interrogation from anyone.
"THE ONE DOWNTOWN?" Blue asked.
Stretch answered from the couch before his brother could, "honey-buns please."
Oak looked at him, his sockets were closed and he looked absolutely exhausted.
Poplar said, "Are You Alright?" The concern in his voice was obvious and Stretch perked up a bit to sooth Poplar's nerves.
"yeah, I'm alright. was just up a little late working on a project."
"Ah." Poplar muttered, glancing at his watch before looking at his brother. "Well! We Can Pick Up Those Honey-buns, But We Will Be Heading Out Now. Have A Nice Day, You Two!"
"YOU TOO, POPLAR! SEE YOU BOTH LATER." Blue saw them leave with a wave, Stretch thanking them and doing the same.
Before they left Poplar quickly grabbed his cane, which was a sophisticated maroon color that matched his brother's magic. He wanted to be careful, getting tired and not having his cane would be very painful. He knew his brother would not hesitate to shortcut to their home to get it for him, but he didn't want him straining himself. Short-cutting had only just gotten easier for him since. Well. Since the accident. He also made sure to quietly grab the small bouquet of purple hydrangeas that he had grabbed from work the night before. After all, there was no second chance to make a first impression.
When they got outside Oak grabbed his brother's hand and they both closed their sockets. When the air shifted they could smell bread and coffee, they both opened their eyes and saw the cafe in front of them. It really was an attractive little place.
"Okay! Are You Ready, Brother?"
Oak looked at his brother, who looked so hopeful and felt a short moment of anxiety. He realized all at once that his brother's injuries were much more difficult to hide than his were. He really had only just met you. And he trusted you enough to meet his brother, the only thing he really cared about in this entire universe.
But he tried his best to shake that off. No, he didn't know you. But he trusted his gut. He was a good judge of character. After all, He was a judge.
He nodded at his brother finally, who nodded back at him and they stepped into the cafe, Poplar ducking slightly so as to not hit his head in the doorway.
They didn't see you at first, but you absolutely saw them. It was hard to miss the eight foot skeleton ducking through the doorway.
You stood up and waved to them from your booth, and you were glad you picked a booth now. You didn't want Oak or his brother to have to squeeze into one of those tiny seats in the front. You had a smile on your face, you had thought Oak was tall. His brother dwarfed him.
They spotted you and quickly walked over, though it only took Poplar a couple of steps to do so. He was suddenly very thankful that this cafe had such high ceilings, it would have been an awkward walk over while crouching.
You stuck your hand out to Oak's brother and introduced yourself, "It's so nice to meet you!"
He grabbed your hand excitedly, "Yes And You As Well! I Am Poplar," he had a soft voice that you found absolutely lovely, and another tree name too! In his other hand he held a gorgeous hydrangea bouquet and he handed it to you, "For You, Dear." He had a sweet look of hope on his face and you blushed deeply at the pet name.
"Thank you!" You gasped, "These are gorgeous."
He waved you on with a deep smile, a rust red blush lighting his cheek bones.
You chuckled a little, turning to Oak, "It's great to see you again," You opened your arms up a little for a hug and you watched while his face changed from surprise to delight and his face was painted a soft maroon blush. He pulled you in, crouching a little to give you a proper hug.
His hands rested at your shoulders in a friendly embrace and your eyes widened when you realized that you wanted to stay in his arms a little longer than you did. You pulled away and found yourself missing the warmth that was there. He was surprisingly soft for a skeleton, and his arms felt solid.
Though you shouldn't be surprised, you reminded yourself. You saw his arms yesterday, and his bones were much thicker than a human's. Skeleton monster anatomy wasn't identical to a human skeleton, that much was for certain. Oak was much more 'big boned' than his brother, who was thinner and much taller.
Oak was wearing the same beanie you had seen him in before, except now he didn't have his gardening pants, he had on some worn jeans that fit him surprisingly well considering how tall he was.
His brother had glasses similar to yours in shape, but they were much thicker. And his eyelights! They were beautiful, and a little fuzzy. They reminded you of Oak's yesterday when he asked you to this place. His brother wore a large sweater paired with a black overcoat and a smart pair of slacks. He also used a cane, and it was a deep red, almost burgundy color.
They were a very dynamic pair, the two of them. And already you could feel the stares of some of the human cafe goers, however you paid them no mind as you sat down.
Oak looked at his brother, who immediately understood the predicament. Where were they going to sit? On one hand, they both would love to sit next to you, and on the other if they sat across from you they would have a much better view.
However they quickly decided to sit across from you, so as to not make you uncomfortable. Oak already got a hug from you, and with the table against the wall he knew that he would probably squish you a little if he sat next to you, anyway.
"it's good to see you too, shortcake."
"Shortcake?" Poplar looked at his brother from across you, and you saw Oak's grin get wider.
Poplar looked from you to Oak, a short look of confusion on his face before he whispered to his brother with a dramatic gasp, "Brother! Are You Commenting On Your Date's Height?"
Oak chuckled, "of course not, bro. i would never stoop so low."
Poplar gasped again. "Brother!"
You put a hand over your mouth to smother your laughter at least a little. But Poplar just looked so genuinely offended, you couldn't help the giggles that did escape. Your eyes were bright and you said, "Aw Poplar, it's okay. You don't have to be so down about it."
Poplar mouth hung open and Oak looked at you with bright eye lights and a goofy grin. You swore for just a second Oak's swollen eyelight turned into a heart, but you blinked and it was gone.
"Please, Not You Too. I Don't Think I'll Be Able To Stomach This Date If You Do."
Oak looked at his brother, his face suddenly serious and said, "but bro. you don't have a stomach."
You watched Poplar facepalm and both yours and Oak's giggles grew. You looked between the two of them and felt your face warm. You hadn't had this much fun at the cafe in ages. You met Oak's eyelights and you could tell he was thinking the same thing.
"so," Oak started, his quiet chuckles finally stopping, much to his brother's relief, "how've you been, doe?"
Your eyebrow rose, "Doe? That one's new."
"yeah you got these big doe eyes. figured it fits."
"Oh She Does Have Large Eyes, Doesn't She?" Poplar joined in, suddenly looking very interested in your eyes."
Their stares had you blushing a little and you laughed, "I've been good, Oak. It's getting cold out there though, I'm finally getting around to getting all my garden stuff into my greenhouse and into my pantry."
His eye lights widened, "you garden?"
You nodded, "Yeah, I've got some veggies and a couple of herb planters too, but I usually keep those inside." You held your finger up, remembering, "except my lavender, I keep that outside 'cause of my cat."
If it was possible, Oak's smile got brighter and Poplar glanced at him, his quiet laugh escaping him. "Goodness, Brother You Look Like A Kid In A Candy Shop."
Poplar turned to you, "He Has A Garden At Home Too, Though I'm Sure He Hasn't Told You About It."
"Really? I'd love to come see it! Here," You pulled out your phone, "I have some pictures of mine. And I can show you some pictures of Stella too."
You grinned while the brothers looked at your garden. There was impressiveness in Poplar's gaze, and he even made a few 'oohs' and 'ahhs'.
Oak looked downright adoring. Before you thought you had imagined it, but you saw that his eyelight was definitely shaped like a heart looking through the pictures.
You described where and why you kept all of your plants, telling them about the sunflowers in your front yard, as well as all of the bird feeders that fed your crows so they would stay away from your actual crops.
"And if you have strawberries you can paint some rocks red and just keep them around the berry bushes, because crows don't like hard fruits so they'll learn that the strawberries there aren't good."
Oak nodded, and looked at his brother, "we didn't plant any berries this year, did we?"
Poplar shook his head, "We Did Not," He turned to you, "We Tried To Plant Them Last Year But We Planted Them In The Spring."
You nodded in understanding, "Yeah, did that my first year too. Ended up drying out no matter how often I watered them. I ended up moving them to my greenhouse this year and they actually did a lot better than I expected them to." You offered, "If you guys like you could come over to my place after this, I can send some home with you."
You watched as they both were taken aback, and confused you said, "You don't have to, of course! Don't feel pressured just because I offered."
Poplar looked at his brother, who looked back at him and they softly smiled. Poplar said, "No! Please, We Are Not Offended In The Slightest. Where We Are From Offering Food To Someone Is A Large Show Of Trust."
Oak nodded, his face lit in that burgundy glow, "we were just... surprised."
Your eyes widened in understanding and you nodded back to them, "I didn't know that at all, is that a tradition for all monsters?"
Poplar shook his head, his brother letting him take the lead, "No, My Brother And I Were Rather Isolated In the Underground, And Only Those Who Were Close By Carry That Culture. It Is More Of A Provincial Tradition."
You smiled, "Well the offer still stands if you'd like to take it. I have way too much to preserve, I was planning on trying to sell some at the market, anyway."
Poplar sat back in the booth, relaxing his back into the soft seat. He watched your face, he saw complete trust. It was a little foolish, he realized. To let these two monsters into your home after just meeting them. But he did not take you for a foolish person. Perhaps a little too trusting. But you were very intelligent, he could tell.
Oak had a soft smile plastered on his face, and he didn't remember the last time he had smiled so much. From your cheesy jokes to the way you were so trusting of him and his brother, he found you absolutely adorable. And you gardened too, you even offered him something from that garden. Something that you had raised from the ground.
You pulled out your phone, saying that you completely forgot to show them pictures of your cat, "Her name's Stella!"
Your phone showed an elegant black cat with one patch of white fur on her face. Poplar cooed at the screen, letting out a soft 'aw'. Oak melted at the sight, she looked absolutely adorable. "stella. like stella maris."
You looked at Oak, "Stella Maris?"
"the constellation." Oak surprised himself. It had been a while since his memory was good enough that he could remember a constellation so easily. His brother looked at him, and his face was proud but just as surprised as his.
"Brother, Have You Been Studying Constellations Again?" Poplar asked, his brow bone raised a little.
"no." Oak answered honestly, he hadn't been. He was afraid that he wouldn't be able to remember any of the constellations he studied, and didn't want to be disappointed when he didn't.
"I've always loved the stars," You said. You had a dreamy look on your face, which peered out the window of the cafe. "On the mountain is the best view. You don't even need a telescope to see all the stars up there."
Oak said, "you've been up the mountain?"
"I live on the mountain. On the west side."
Poplar's eyesockets widened, "Do You Really? We Live On The Mountain!"
"Really?" You looked at them, "I didn't know anyone else lived up there! I figured after the opening monsters would want to get as far away from that place as they could."
Oak was stunned, she had been this close the whole time? They lived on the west side too, though he was sure they were a little further up the mountain than she was, since they had never seen her. Or even traces that another person lived so close.
"yeah. a lot of monsters did. but we have a pretty big family." Oak looked at his brother, who understood what he was doing.
"Yes! We Live With Our Cousins, And The Homes In Town Are Not Nearly Big Enough To House All Ten Of Us."
You whistled, "Good god. That is a lot of people in one house."
Oak chuckled, "yeah. it definitely is."
This was not good, Oak realized. Sans had moved onto the mountain for the seclusion, just in case the machine got out of hand. Just in case something happened, he didn't want to be the cause of mass panic. And then something did happen, they all arrived and they were just thankful that Sans had built such a large house up there. But you were there, probably the whole time.
Sans was not going to like that.
You thought about Blue and Black. They were skeleton monsters too. Maybe they were their cousins! But... is that racist? How common are skeleton monsters? Just because they're skeleton monsters doesn't mean that they are related. You decided to just leave it be, not wanted to risk being offensive to your new friends.
"Wow. Well I guess that makes it a lot easier for you both to come over, doesn't it?"
Poplar and Oak chuckled softly, Poplar letting out a soft 'Nyeh Heh Heh' that made you smile. You all decided to finally get something from the shop, Oak getting an Americano, Poplar and you getting lattes and some small cakes for the table.
You all talked among yourselves for a bit, and you learned that Poplar actually worked as a florist at a flower shop downtown, one that you had seen on your commute to work before. You promised to send him home with some flowers from your garden since he had been so sweet to bring you some.
"That Would Be Lovely, Dear." His eyelights were a fuzzy white that had you fawning, and you looked at Oak who had a similar dreamy look about him. You all had finished your coffee and cakes some time ago, but you really didn't want this date to end.
It seemed that they felt the same, because they stayed in their seats, all of you looking at each other. After a little you smiled, "Do you guys want to come over for dinner? We can make something together, or I could just make it and we could watch a movie." You looked at the time, "It's still really early, we can just make this an all-day kinda date."
Poplar looked at his brother with a soft smile and a hopeful look in his eye that Oak hadn’t seen in a while, "What Do You Think?"
Oak grinned, "sounds like a date."
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