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List of my long running fanfics from ao3 for anyone who is in search!:
My ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SketchyDyslexic
Home for lost souls:
Reader has a really hard time finding out what their soulmate has done to them. Of course life must go on, and she has some new monsters she needs to help settle and find their happiness on the surface.
A anti-harem x reader where all the skeles treat reader right and want to make sure life is good for everyone!
Stockholm syndrome:
You were one of the poor souls that were trapped in Ebott city when the Queen of Monster kind declared it her land as compensation for the slaughter of her family and people.
No matter how hard you tried to get out before time was up, you were taken by the Queens guard unit.
Imprisoned, argued over like property, your right stripped away from you, there was a bidding for humans that was to happen.
you managed to get out of that, not willingly, but you couldn't complain when the Captain of the Queen's guard got first pickings of what human he wanted. You don't know if you should be thankful or scared of what will happen now.
A darkfic (dead dove; do not eat), where the swapfell violet brothers are forced into keeping a human as a slave, eventually turns into a Sans/reader/Papyrus. The Au's get involved too.
Coffee gets sugar:
Swapfell gold papyrus meets one of the worlds top monster rights supporters and activist. She’s human, and she really likes how gentle and kind Coffee is.
Maybe Coffee will be okay with getting a little sugar?
Feather, Duster: (🔞 nsfw scenes in first chapter, and will happen throughout the story)
You lost everything in less than a week. And in the words of a wise skeleton you started drinking with... Fuck em.
Dust sans / reader where YOU get to chose what happens! Maybe a little bit of the horror bros / reader too.
A tyrant and an addict gave me HoPe:
A fast burn fix where the swapfell violet bro’s find their soulmate at the worst time... but they will make sure it works, and they will keep their soulmate safe.
Haunting you; spirits and skeletons:
Deep into the city Ebott, just past the entrance trails to the mountain, there is an abandoned house. Though, is it abandon, or just gave up on?
Most locals of Ebott know of the three-story home with a beautiful Victorian build. The gardens that seem to remain in a constant state of perfection, the vines that creep up walls and through the one broken window out front- said to have been broken during what led to the haunting… Ebott’s very own haunted house.That’s where you come in, SPIRIT, you are the haunter of Ebott’s spooky stories and the original crypted before monsters broke to the surface.
And now, some one shots/short works:
He was real: Horrorswap Sans/reader. (Complete short)
you’ve been having dreams, strange dreams. Ever since you moved out of the bustling city called Ebott, You’ve been seeing strange things. Things that are 100% your imagination.
Sans and Stretch are going head to head in their latest prank war, when they decide to hire a little help from you on the low so they have a better chance at winning.
A cloudy day, through sore eyes: bad sanses/reader
You are still recovering from eye surgery, and are staying with the bad Sanses while recovering!
Maybe don’t destroy my kitchen next time?: shattered dream sans/reader, nightmare sans/reader.
No matter how short tempered your boys can be, they will never harm you; but they can go for each other’s throats- as brothers do.
They really didn’t mean for you to get mixed up in their personal quarrels, but when you do get tangled up in the frightful setting of two all powerful beings baring their arms against each other, things can get a little messy.
When The only love who brings them peace is fractured, how are they to make sure she doesn’t shatter? After all, it is their fault for dragging you in to this.
We’ll be here for you : underswap sans/reader, papyrus/reader
Your car decided to be on the fritz, When you do get to work late a bigot starts giving a hate speech, shouting at you and scaring the customers...yeah. today blows... but at least your lovable Datemates are here for you on the good days and bad ones.
Let me heal you: papyrus/reader
You’re sick so as the amazing datemate the great papyrus is, he simply cannot leave you to suffer alone!
I think about this fic, and this specific fanart of it every single December. I don't know why but this is like my Christmas gift, I read it every December and it brings me unimaginable joy
These past few chapters have been a lot, so as always through this whole story- please mind the tags and TWs! Be safe and don’t read if you think this story will negatively affect your mental health or general wellbeing!
A little doodle page celebrating 50k words and the link to the new chapter are under the cut
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Tragic Detail of the Day: I posted before about how Sans and Papyrus share a lot of the same attacks, in particular a certain attack where tiny bones rapidly criss-cross across the screen (Sans’s is harder but it’s basically the same). I was messing around in Papyrus’s battle and I noticed that he always does this attack at the same time during the battle for the same line of dialogue.
He always does this attack when he’s thinking about Sans.
And this attack (plus a lot of taller bones…) is the first one Sans uses in his own battle after his initial barrage.
So if a monster’s attack pattern is a way to express their feelings… then that attack is each of them thinking about the other.
Additional Detail: I somehow didn’t notice this before, but at the very end of Papyrus’s one blue/one white attack, he sends one set of bones at you at about the same speed Sans does. So he is actually capable of going that fast if he wanted to, but he doesn’t.
So... any more Yandere stuff for us? 👉👈 soft yandere preferably
Sure! Here are some scenarios for you, anon!
(this has been sitting in my drafts for like a year and a half, it's unedited and I skimmed through it just to make sure it's all filled out... But here you go!)
Yandere types and scenarios! (classic Au’s, bad senses and star sanses)
classic sans:
dissaerance type. ex. ‘they’ll never love someone like me, why exsist?’
It's been twelve hours, and Sans still wasn't home- he would decline your call after exactly five rings when you called, and on of your texts would be read. You huffed, this wasn't the first time your boyfriend of three years gotlike this. it still hurt your soul a bit when he got like this but it mostly worried you. It reminded you that Sans could genuinly up and disappear one day. He explained to you the first time that he felt like he wasn't good enough for you, and he would do nothing but drag you down- of course you had done everything to help him through those feelings, even going to couples therapy with him. There was nothing wrong with your relationship, the therapist even told you It was a waste for you two to even coming in anymore... But it made Sans feel better that he was trying, even if he didn't need to try.
classic papyrus:
the harmless type! ex. ‘if they’re happy, im happy!’
He knows the way he feels about you isn’t normal. He knows that there is something wrong with him when his love for you blooms into more than just innocent admiration, bordering into a mental illness.
It’s an unhealthy love his brain is formulating. But not toxic one. He would do his best to woo you, and get that date that would come up in conversation on your wedding anniversary. But first, the first date.
fell sans:
dependance type. ex. ‘no, dont leave me, please! i cant live without you!’
Once he’s got you in his life, and you start making everything so-so much better, he will shatter if you leave. Your all he has in this world that can help him, fix him. He is emotionally dependant on you, he can easily provide for you if you’d allow him.
It’s more likely than notthat you would never know of how truly Yandere his love for you can be. Him only opening up to you, taking the relationship steady, and never pushing boundaries, it would be hard to even classify it as a Yandere relationship. He keeps it in his head for the most part.
fell pap:
wrong idea type. ex. ‘they genuinly complemented me, that means they love me!’
He will have already taken his own interest in you for this to start. It’s his brain trying to fine any little history key that you return his affections. Only problem is… The yandere kicks in when he refuses to accept that you helping or being kind to him isn’t some kind of hit at a forthcoming love confession.
He is head over heals for you before you know he even liked you more than a friend. And he is convince you love him even the littlest amount because you genuinely told him you thought his new jacket made him look handsome. That’s where his Yandere comes into play. The overwhelming love he has for you, so much so he is trying to justify you feel the same anyway he can.
swap sans:
obession type. ex. ‘i called 30 times, why didnt you answer? were are you? what are you doing?’
Now. He isn’t out there about it. He is very good at keeping it down low and respecting your boundaries. But. Sometimes you notice that he seems to know you favor one thing over another before even you realize it. How he has it down to a science on how to ‘bump into you’ when your schedules line up. How when you show him things you like, he takes an interest in them too, he always genuinely is interested in the new bands you start listening to.
He knows that the love he feels for you is far to large and compelling him to know everything about you to be normal. He wants to know your favorites so he can make your day better by bringing you those thing son a bad day. He wants to know your favorite flowers so he can have them delivered Valentine’s Day. He wants to watch your favorite show with you, but is okay with just watching it for you so he is good conversation later incase it ever comes up.
swap pap:
worship or self sacrifice tye. ex.1 ‘if its for you, id gladly give my life’ ex2. ‘ill do anything for you, even kill, please youse me however you want.’
Chalk it up to his just being touch/love starved if you want. But there isn’t much in this world he wouldn’t do, give or steal for you. What if you leave because he can’t give you what you need? What you want? What you crave?
He spent think his soul could take the crushing it would receive if you left because he wantgood enough for you, he couldn’t provide for you.
He keeps this under wraps though, never letting it surface. You do notice that he seems to love you much much much faster than normal relationships go. Even if he do sent outright say it too soon.
swapfell sans:
a cross of the obession type and the self sacrifice type. ex.1 ‘i sent you 50 text, why didnt you answer? what are you doing? where are you?’ and ex.2 ‘if its for you, i wouldnt mind dying!’
He really just wants you safe, and happy. It’s a little obsessive and overwhelming- just barely. He know that his soul over swelling with love isn’t normal. It isn’t healthy for him to feel this way about you. The urge to know more than he needs to, to check up on you daily, to know where your going and what time you’ll be back. The way he would do anything to keep you out of harms way, to please you and keep you happy, to keep you from losing interest in him.
He wants to blame it on his monster instincts and the way the underground was… But even he knows deep down in his soul that it wasn’t that. He has some kind of mental sickness. It doesn’t feel right to call it some unheathing, sick love… Not when it’s his love for you, no. No. Nothing with you could ever be unheathing and sick, especially not your love.
swapfell pap:
mix between the ‘final type’ and mainly the worship type. ex.1 ‘a word without youisnt one worth living in.’ ex.2 ‘ill do anything for you, even kill, please use me however you want’
He would do anything for you. That’s an understatement, he will do anything and everything for you. You wouldn’t have to lift a finger, or even love him return. He would still gladly complete your every request. No fear or worry of the consequences.
Your his everything, his majesty, his deity, his soul. He loves you with everything he is, you can be his ‘best friend’ or his mate. It doesn’t matter, he loves you. He knows fully well that there is something sick and fucked up about him when hefinally realizes that he really is glad to follow your commands. The whole ‘dog’ thing wasn’t really that intense, but…
The the ‘final’ type comes into play. If anything happened to you, it would be takeover for him. He would fall down if you ever died. His love for you is so strong for so long he would either have one-sided soul bonded with you, or his love for you was just too much of him to takeaway at once for it to not do real harm to his soul.
horror sans:
harmless and the stalker type. ex. ‘ill always be with you, even if you dont know it!’
He would never hurt you or make you uncomfortable. If your happy with someone else, it will hurt but he is happy for you.
But… He will watch you, observe you from afar. Make sure you are safe. He doesn’t stalk stalkyou, but he keeps more of an eye-socket out for you than what is considered normal.
If you are already friends when he takes interesting you, he will still observe you, and watch you. But you will probably think of it as him being his quiet and furious self. He will ask to go with you or ask you to coke with him when ever either if you go out. He still watches you, but not as much as if you were a stranger when he takes an interest in you. Now it’s just purely to make sure your safe and keep you out of danger.
horror pap:
harmless and final type. ex. ‘a world without you isnt one worth living in.’
He doesn’t mind if you don’t want to be in a relationship with him. He wouldn’t want to be in a relationship with him if he saw himself from the human view either. Just being friends is enough for him to get by. Your happy and alive, so he is too!
You can only take so much from a man who came from a world where he lost everything. If you were to die he would more than likely fall down himself. If you were to ever become more than friends, his love for you would overpower most of his soul, leading to him unable to live without you.
lust sans:
the dependance type mixed with the harmless type. ex.1 ‘no,no, please dont leave me! i cant live without you!’ ex.2 ‘if they’re happy, im happy’
He is mostly the harmless type. If your happy just being friends, and you want to be with another, just loving him platonic- he is fine. Happy for you even. It hurts when you don’t get to have the one you love, but he knows it happens.
However. You really does depend on you. If you are his mate, he will shatter if you leave him. He can’t take being left, his would couldn’t either, not when he was used for so long, then given this real love. A real datemate. Someone who really loved him for him. He can handle a breakup in the earliest stages, but your relationship developed a lot faster than most.
He likely want fall down, but it is a good possibility he will if you are his mate for long enough. Don’t chew him up and spit him out, he’s been though a lot, and he truly loves you. Even if his feelings of love is suppercharged.
lust pap:
harmless type. ex. ‘if they’re happy, im happy’
He really is the harmless yandere type. His can tell his feelings of love for you are very much abnormal. Though He can’t tell if it’s a reaction of the LUST that was injected into his soul so long ago…. Or it’s just him. He doesn’t mind though. He knows he truly loves you.
He will try his best to court you properly, and fully understand if you aren’t interested.
OUTCODES
fresh:
removal type. ex ‘you dont need other people, you have me’
He is one of the more unstable yanderes. Being and infected soul from the beginning and never being stable as an individual.
He will only remove people that cause you problems or aren’t good for you.
Maybe you know he is doing it, maybe he keeps it subtle and done in a way that dosen’t affect you.
That’s the goal. He love you so much and just wants to keep you happy and safe. So he needs to apply some force to remove the problems in your life.
Now. Killing them? Maybe he will. Normally he just finds a way around the killing and more to the removing.
error:
restraints type. ex. ‘lets stay to gether forever, youll never leave my side, never again!’
He wants you to come live with him, to ditch your universe, to come be his.
He knows you might not want to leave your world. So he will make sure that he has many options open for you. Nightmares castle seems pretty spooky but it’s hella cosy, he would love to put the house of your dreams in his antivoid. He would love for it to be our ativoid. He could set up a home in one of the Aus that belong to the bad guys or a neutral ground, like outertale. He would set you upon his room, or even one of the nicestin the castle if you wanted.
If that didn’t peek your interest, he would try and get you to tell him what he would need to do to get you to stay with him, next to him.
It would irk him if you were adamant about staying in your world. But he would keep trying, even doing his best to help move along the things you ‘had to do before you would leave this world’
dream:
worship type. ex. ‘ill do anything for you, even kill! please use me however you want’
Your built different than anyone else in the multiverse. You are not affected by his aura. Surely that means that you are his a gift from the divine. His own angel, right? Maybe you are the divine.
With him, it’s more along the lines of a superfied version of him showing his lovethroigh acts of service.
It’s the feeling and the type of pedestal he post you one, despite anything you orothers might tell him different.
He is a guardian, who him thinking there is a higher power who made someone just right for him isn’t really that outlandish. It’s the way he can’t handle it that is. He honestly believed that he wasn’t meant for anything other than being a guardian, no life outside of that- but now he is given that choose to pursue both a life with you as Dream with friends and family, and his life as dream: one of the star sanses, a protector of the multiverse, and a guardian.
swap:
worship and dependance type. ex.1 ‘ill do anything for you, even kill. use me however you want.’ ex.2 ‘no,no, please dont leave me, i cant live without you!’
Like dream, and blue (normal au swap sans).
He thought he had lost that part of himself, the part that wanted to have a datemate, wanted to go out on dates and be happy without a worry. But then you came along. His beautiful, perfect Y/n. He does think of you as some sort of divine being, even though logically he knows you are human.
You didn’t just bring back a part of himself that he needed, when he was lost in the mindless chore of being a star sans, but awakened the better part of that. The part that never had a real mate, the part that could be goofy and sometimes sugestive, the part that would actually consider taking proper measure to punish the man who thought he could put his drunken hands on you when you said no…
It fades a little when you leave, the happy, true love feeling that courses through his bones right from his soul. It ever completely disappears because he knows that you are there for him.
He would do anything, beg, plead, pay, anything to keep you from losing interest in him. If you just want to be friends, that’s fine. He would hurt for a long time, if not for the rest of his life, if you didn’t want to be his mate. But he could live, just having someone as amazing as you is enough.
ink:
final type. Ex ‘a world without you isnt one worth living in’
Making a souless monster genuinely feel things. after everything being taken away, given everything but at the same time nothing? That’s a dangerous game.
He would treat you and your relationship especially careful. To him- keeping from messing this up, his relationship with you, is far more important than his job at working out a peace with ‘the bad sanses’. It’s more important than anything else actually.
You are his first love, so from the get-go the feeling is new and extremely powerful for him. But even he know that this lovehe feels, the thoughts creeping in the corner of his mind that the we’re to ever lose you he would undoubtedly fall down… He knows that that isn’t normal. He’s talked to a few other people, professionals even, without giving away the sick obsessive love his soul was giving.
nightmare:
monopoly and worship type. ex.1 ‘who was that person you were talking to?’ ex.2 ‘il do anything for you, even kill, please use me however you want’
There would already be a relationship there before his love fully blossomed into all it is. Soul suffocating adoration, love, and joy when it comes to you.
Obviously he thinks of you specially before that too. You aren’t affected by his aura, you can find it in yourself to genuinely care for him… Your emotions don’t feed I’m like anyone else, not do they starve him when they radiate positivity.
Itsnot a notisable transition on the outside on how he that’s you extra special. But on the inside of it, deep within nightmares soul, his love from you has gone from ‘weve been on a few dates, they are special to me’ to a burning suffocating ‘this is my other half, my soul mate, I would do anything for them, no one will hurt them or else.’
He worships you. Your the other half of him, the second holder of the crown to his castle. Your guys’ castle. He is a lot like Swapfell papyrus in the ‘worship type’. There is nothing in this world he wouldn’t do for you if you asked him.
The monopoly type plays put a little torrent that usual. Hechecks up on you to make sure your safe, but he monopolized everything around you to keep them improper order forsomoneas divine as you. The castle, of course. But if he can, he will do everything in his power make sure life outside of his castle is easier on you too.
cross:
the harmless type. ex. ‘if they’re happy, i am too!’
He was clueless to how unhealthy his ‘crush’ on you was. Until he read himself a little deeper, finding that his ‘crush’ was far more than a crush. He loved you. The weight the word love held when his soul felt it towards you, that was the scary part.
He is good at containing himself, and keeping the level head that reminds him- you still think of him as ‘cross, that one guy that is in nightmares gang’… Give or take some sentiment.
He would do his damned best to romance you. But even as a ‘bad sans’ he understands that ‘no’ and ‘i really like being freinds’ means what it means.
He gone through the soul chipping heartbreak, something he shouldn’t even have because of how the relationship truly is. He would get over it, and stay happy being friends despite his still pounding love for you, even as you accept a date from someone else.
killer:
removal type and worship type. ex ‘you dont need other people, you have me’ ex.2 ‘ill do anything for you even kill, please use me however you want.’
He doesn’t want to use you as a pincushion for all his blades, so your already special before he can get to really know you. Once he does get to know you, his adoration only grows. The way your relationship develops is just right, opening up that part of him that he hasn’t felt in a long time. LOVE, without the violent intent… Love. And it’s a strong, potent love, one that could swallow him whole is he let it.
He doesn’t question why he feels like your his good, his deity, his everything. He just knows that you are.
He removes anyone you express distaste in. He isn’t shy to ask permission, you knew who you were getting involved with when you got involved with him. Not like it was hard to tell.
He takes joy in killing or removing people from your life for you. He especially loves it when it is requested from you directly. He has ‘removed’ people before without asking. If you have a problem with that you need to tell him to ask you first.
It is more likely than not that he has killed a rando that bothers you too much for his liking. Drunk guy won’t stop putting his hands inyou when your trying to get away? That man is on that nights hit list for killer.
He loves you, and would never hurt you. He certainly would hurt for you though.
dust:
final type, and self harm type. ex.1 ‘a world without you isnt one worth living in’ ex.2 ‘its nothing, dont worry about it.’
he lost everything else but now he has you. You’re the only thing that makes him feel like him anymore. Losing you will be the end for him, he would fall down after you were gone.
The ‘self harm’ type is a iffy on the naming of it for him. He likes that you are helping him, that you are helping him crawl his way to being better- fixed. He isn’t hurting himself, but he is hurting. And the way his soul elates when you genuinely worry and fare for him when he is hurting? It’s enough to slide that category in there.
Like you care for him, he has learned how to care for your human mental and physical health. He put in a lot of effort figuring out human things just so he was sure he can help you when you need it and even when you don’t.
You would never know of his yandere tendencies, because of their category and due to the way he is without them to begin with. Unless he told you.
horror:
self sacrifice/worship type. ex.1 ‘id do anything for you, even kill, use me howeve you want.’ ex.2 ‘id gladly die for you’
You are this mans everything. Hands down. He has decided. You are his soul, his good, his angel, his divine being, his mate.
Often times he feels like he doesn’t deserve someone as great as you. He wants to give and service you, it makes him feel better, if not just makes him happy.
Quite literally, he would do, take, kill, make, buy, anything for you. He would die happily for you, he would kill happily for you. Anything you want or need? He’s got it or will get it for you.
Your on a pedestal so high that even the tallest papyrus would be intimidated.
5 months ago, I started my first posted dark-fic! It is my pride and joy right now, fully edited and beta read by me :D
So here is my pitch for you to go check it out on my ao3, this is the first chapter and is SFW (+ lacks a lot of the dark content that you will see later on!)
Please read the tags and mind the CW’s, I want everyone to feel and be safe when reading my works🫂
Stockholm syndrome. by SketchyDyslexic
description- You were one of the poor souls that were trapped in Ebott city when the Queen of Monster kind declared it her land as compensation for the slaughter of her family and people.
No matter how hard you tried to get out before time was up, you were taken by the Queens guard unit.
Imprisoned, argued over like property, your right stripped away from you, there was a bidding for humans that was to happen.
you managed to get out of that, not willingly, but you couldn't complain when the Captain of the Queen's guard got first pickings of what human he wanted. You don't know if you should be thankful or scared of what will happen now.
--------------
CW- Suicide attempt's, suicidal thoughts, murder, death, self-harm, substance abuse, violence, mention of sexual harassment and assault, abduction, Stockholm syndrome, mental illness, forced labor (human slavery), torture, psychological torture, sexual content, strong language, prostitution, abuse, PTSD, trauma and trauma responses, etc. will be mentioned or appear in the story.
Reader is NOT going to be sexually assaulted in this work, there may be mentioned of past assault in their life or harassment but they will not be assaulted. There will be mention of others being assaulted.
---
Typically, people don’t just wake up on a Thursday morning thinking to themselves that they will be dumping their boyfriend.
But, its what I woke up thinking, and I’m not about to back out now that the anger is here to scare me into submission. It wouldn’t work, I was waiting for him to get mad, throw things, call me names, threaten my life. None of it was felt, my mind already blocking out said man.
If one could consider him a man, he wasn’t childish in a way that was endearing, he was childish in the way you eye bratty kids at the store for cussing out their single mom who is trying her best to give her brat the world.
That’s one of many reasons I’m leaving him, I could write an essay on all the reasons, truly, but I knew he wouldn’t change even with positive encouragement and patience.
I’m sure that isn’t my soul trait anyway.
Oh, Did I mention Monsters have surfaced in the past 5 years? They brought magic, the truth of souls, and a lot more with them. Crazy shit. They were rough around the edges but seemed okay when I’ve been out and around them- not to take credit from them on their amazing way of putting up with humans, but I’m 100% sure they tolerated humans and their racism because their Queen had been very strict on what would happen if there was trouble caused.
I shivered, remembering the press’ interview with the Queen and her promise of capital punishment on any Monster who harmed a human…
It had spooked many humans that were on the more progressive side, though the government approved of the Queens willingness to keep a tight leash on her people.
I wasn’t a fan, but my singular opinion wouldn’t change anything. I didn’t like the idea that they had just been freed from a cave system only to be slapped in the face with over a million rules, restrictions, and racist comments. Their underground was harsh, but I’m sure the cold welcome didn’t help sooth any aggression they had towards the people who locked them there in the first place.
I sigh, looking at the mess my, now, Ex had left. He didn’t take anything, it was all mine anyway. I briefly considered calling the police for destruction of property but scratched the idea when I realized that only would drag this shit storm out longer.
I spent the rest of the day cleaning up my Ex’s mess, again.
That was until my landlord slammed his fist on my door, demanding I open up. with a grimace, I obliged and let him in.
He bitched at me for the mess my Ex had left, telling me he would have my ass for the freshly punched hole in the wall.
He left with a red face and a note that told me I had to get it fixed or pay up in one week.
Of course I couldn’t do that, there was no way in fuck that I could make two thousand dollars in one week. I worked downtown at a grungy hole in the wall diner, and my tips came in small and few amounts.
Ebott had deteriorated into a ghetto city, an odd thought. The huge city of Ebott had turned into a shit hole, but when? No one knows, it was covered up by shitty politics.
The only thing that didn’t go to shit? Was the amount of money Monsters got when they cashed in their gold currency for human money. It was fucking insane. though no one dared try to swindle them, not when they looked milliseconds away from snapping necks.
Funny thing was that despite their standoffish attitude and barely contained violent nature, Monsters were the only ones who tipped properly.
One time a human man asked you to break a fifty for him, 5 ones, 1 five and 2 twenties. His tip after eating $40 worth of food by himself and running you to hell and back? He left you one dollar.
Monsters? Always tipped the percent that was set at the time. even if you weren’t needed once they always tipped decently.
That’s probably why you couldn’t find it in you to harbor hate or distrust for them. Of course, you still knew better than to get to friendly or stay in a dark alley alone with a stranger- human or Monster.
That was until you were at work, and the broadcast was sent out.
The broadcast that overrode ever station and device in Ebott city,
Screens flicked to the Queen of Monsters on her throne, in her castle that had been built in one week after Monsters arrived. Her guard was stationed.
People were freaking out, talking about how it was on their phones too not just the tv.
But I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.
A robotic voice rung out,
“Hello, human kind of Ebott. NTT broadcast asks for your undivided attention to this announcement.”
The screen went from paused to live, and the Queen started speaking, dull eyes boring into the camera, unblinking.
“Greetings, Humans. It is will great sadness I must announce you are no longer welcome in Ebott city. As of next Friday, I will be capturing the city for my people to live in safely without your harassment and discourse. Not another of my people will dust without punishment.”
There was a brief pause, like she was giving us a second to catch up.
“You have 7 days to evacuate before you are held responsible for your kind’s transgressions against us. Military intervention will result in unnecessary casualties.
Good day”
The screens flickered to black then back to the programs that were previously playing.
I felt sick, lightheaded as people rushed out, paying as quickly as they could and leaving.
I wanted to run too, but my boss caught me by the shoulder, staring me down with a glare.
“You aren’t leaving until your shifts over,”
I could feel myself pale at his final tone, nodding as I get to work cleaning up the mess.
The only three patron left were monsters, I don't know if that made it better or not.
I served the bunny Monster who was 20 shots deep into her drunkenness, asking her if she wanted me to call her a ride home.
She waved me off, paid and just laid in the booth. I left her to do whatever it was she was doing.
The next table was a booth in the corner, a Monster, I knew that much by how wall he was and the fact that he hadn’t run, but they kept themselves hidden.
They said nothing when I asked them if they wanted anything else or if they were ready for their bill. After 30 seconds of feeling awkward about the silence, the monster slipped money on the table, I accepted the cash, giving them a written receipt and handing them back their change. They held up a hand making me pause, they pushed my hand with change back before getting up and leaving. All the while I still had not managed to see their face.
I look down at the money, unsure about the 20 dollar tip.
Why did they tip when Monsters had no reason to play nice anymore?
After checking up on the cat Monster who was face first in his sandwich plate after one-to-many drinks, it was finally time to clean up the back then I could go home and be safe.
I washed up and tidied as quickly as I could, clocking out and not even bothering to ask my boss if I could get paid early to fix the hole in my wall. My savings account I had to make sure I could eventually buy my own house in Ebott would be pointless now.
It wasn’t until I got to the bank did I find out everyone else had the same idea.
There was no cash in the banks, everyone had taken their savings and hightailed it out of Ebott.
Leaving the rest of us behind with nothing.
I sobbed in the shower when I got home, feeling my soul ache painfully. I cried myself to sleep too.
When I woke up the next morning to my landlord demanding the money or else he would evict me… I had to tell him the banks had no money.
He got mad, screamed at me.
I don't recall much of what happened after that,
My hand traced my sore throat as I wheezed and the door slammed, my mind lapsing on anything other than that my landlord just beat me and tried to strangle me into giving him any money I had.
I look at my wallet on the floor, gently I picket it up to see if he left anything.
I let my head fall in a choked sob,
The only thing in my wallet was my ID and my library card. My gift cards were gone, cash was gone, my bank cards were gone.
I let myself scream and cry into my knees on my living room floor,
And for the first time in years since I had gotten clean, I scratched my skin until it stated pealing and blood made my nails to slick to peal anymore.
The next day I had to force myself to get up and go to work, I couldn’t find it in myself to do anything else.
I should be panicking and doing everything to leave Ebott with the way the Queens personal construction crew was building a wall around the city.
But I felt nothing as I continued on, sure that if I could get one more twenty today for tips that a bus would take me to the next city.
No one had come into the diner other than the same cat and bunny Monster that made this place their regular bar to hop to when the last cut them off.
Those two were normally to plastered to tip.
I walked home that day with nothing but the lint in my pockets and a now bruised face.
I pause when I saw something fluttering on the ground by my apartment door, reaching down to catch it, I found the paper to be a twenty dollar bill.
My thoughts went back to the Monster who tipped me yesterday… and to the event that caused it to be ripped from my hands.
I glance around, trying to find out if someone near me had dropped it. But the hall was empty, even the noise from neighbors was gone.
Probably because I’m the only one in the building that hasn’t hightailed it out of Ebott yet.
Not that it was a lack of trying, I had begged many bus drivers over the past two days. Tried to hitchhike even.
… I’ll never try to hitchhike again.
I unlock my door and step in, looking around to see if anyone might have broken in.
Sighing, I take a shower and pack a small bag of things that would keep me alive for the next few days if I managed to catch one of the many crowded buses.
When I woke up, the chilly bite of my apartment made my joints ache as I tried to stretch. The heat and ac had been shut off, I soon found that electricity was down too when I tried to turn on the bathroom light.
Fuck.
With a heavier heart than yesterday, I tried to catch a bus.
Three passed me by before one stopped. The fair for a bus was 50 dollars a per person.
I didn’t stop myself from crying and begging the driver, asking if anyone could please spare any change and that I would pay them back as soon as we were out of Ebott.
No one said anything as the bus driver pushed me off the bus and shut the doors.
I had to stop myself from screaming and crying in the middle of the street, but I settled for sobbing as quietly as I could in the bus booth.
I had 20 dollars to my name and that was it, no car, technically not even a home now. I was squatting in freshly abandon apartments.
The streets were near baren, the only people walking about were Monsters and the occasional human.
My boss wasn’t going to leave, he said that Monsters were bluffing and just wanted to control what apples were in their barrel. There were others who didn’t leave, thinking it was bullshit and the government could put a end to this quickly.
Of course, that wasn’t true. I knew in my soul that help wasn’t coming by the 5th day, the day the wall was officially finished, and guards were stationed that the 4 entrances to Ebott.
I went to work anyway, because the only hope I had left was the possibility of tips. I only needed 30 more dollars to leave Ebott.
I wasn’t against begging for tips, and I even started to try and coax one out of the two regular Monsters.
It wasn’t until the 6th day did I see that tall monster again, they wandered in and sat in the same booth.
I grimaced at the reminder that if I still had that 20, I would have only needed 10 to leave.
I smooth it out into a weak smile as I approached their table, “Welcome to Brady’s brunch and brews, what can I get you today?”
“Why are you still here?” I near flinch at the harsh hiss that came from the Monster.
“I’m sorry?” I knew what he was talking about.
“You’re gonna get yerself killed, you gotta leave.” He hissed again, keeping his voice down. At least, I think they were a he/him, they sounded masculine. And typically, Monsters presented how they chose to be addressed.
I had to fight my eyes to stop burning as I answered him quietly, “I don’t have enough money, I would take some out of my bank account but banks are closed and have no money. no one will let you hitchhike without a favor, and most public transport is full or no longer running.” You don’t move to wipe the singular tear that escapes, hoping he wasn’t looking at you from under that hood of his “I really can’t, I’ve been trying since day one.”
Now that I’ve admitted it out loud, I realize that I had to accept just how trapped I truly am.
I fight myself to stay till as the Monster snarled in a way I’ve never heard before, leading me to think that maybe he was a dog monster. But the canine unit was part of the Queens special unit of guard, he couldn’t be one and be scolding you for not leaving.
He solved a hundred-dollar bill into my hands, “You better get the fuck out of here tonight,”
I nod in agreement, but before I could say anything else he was standing, holding me off the floor by my collar and demanding I get the fuck out of his sight…
I rushed out the door, no complaints from my boss as I did, his fear of the agitated Monster showing clearly on his face as I rushed past him.
It wasn’t until I was sitting at a bus stop again did I realize he got me out of work early. He caused a scene on purpose so I could leave.
Mentally, I thank the monster as a bus finally stops and lets me on.
He even gave me back my 50 in change for the 100.
It wasn’t until we got to the gate did, I see the guards that were blocking the way.
It wasn’t until everyone was getting off the bus did I realize they were checking people.
Deciding who could and couldn’t leave.
There were three fully armored guards were separating us into two lines,
I felt sick, I felt like this wasn’t real and it would all be over soon.
It wasn’t until the guards were in front of me did, I realize they wanted ID, I made haste to pass them my wallet.
I was actively fighting the urge to vomit as the three guards laughed, pulling out the only 70 dollars I had to my name.
I blocked out their exact words as they mocked me, making jokes to each other of my pitiful attempt at escape.
How they joked about if I was in the underground I would be dead in seconds.
My soul hurt and screamed out for help. To please let me out.
Eventually the guards quieted, tossing my wallet back at me but keeping the cash in hand.
The shoved me into the other line.
I paled when I realized that the people left in the other line were either going to leave without us or we were going to leave without them.
It wasn’t until the guards started shoving the original line to the bus did I realize that I had lost.
My last chance was right there, separated by an iron gate and I had lost it.
I couldn’t help myself as I fell to my knees, begging them to please let me get on the bus too, that I would do anything the asked of me if they would please let me leave.
The three laughed at me, one of them snatching me up by the arm to make me stand, laughing in my face with the others about how amusing I am.
It wasn’t until a throat was cleared did the three stop, looking to a hulking dinosaur Monster.
Lieutenant of the royal guard, Alphys.
“Get your grimy hands off the humans!” she barked and the guard dropped me like a was molten lava seeping into his skin. “You aren’t supposed to play with the ones who don’t meet the marks,” She waves a hand, and the gate opens,
…The bus leaves, and not one of the people on it look back.
Just like that, the gate is close again and I realize there is nothing I can do.
Was I doomed from the start? What marks did I need to meet to leave?
Did that Monster who forced me to try know I didn’t make it and that they would kill us for trying?
Was I going to die here because I trusted him?
The lieutenant of the guard barked out at us this time, “ALRIGHT!” I flinch at the volume “Every one of you, get going” she points back to city, and I pale,
They were going to make us wait for doomsday? They wouldn’t just kill us?
I tried to hope that maybe this was another chance that I could find another bus and try again.
But as I was walking away like ordered, I realized that the sun was setting and tomorrow the was the promised day the Queen would send out her special tracking unit, the canine unit, to find humans.
I felt ill, unsure of what would happen to me or anyone else that failed to escape.
I hunkered down in my cold apartment, taking one last shower, not able to complain that the hot water ran out in less than ten minutes.
I dressed in layers, finding my bag filled with a few sets of clothes and some snacks so I could keep it on me at all times. I pried off the vent in my bathroom and stashed a taped shut box in before putting the vent back.
If I lived, and was free again, that was my box of stuff that was sacred to my soul.
It wasn’t until the siren woke me up in the morning did, I realize I needed to hide.
I tried to find anywhere in the apartment that was unusual but would work well at hiding me.
I refused to hide in the apartments, I knew better than that. So I started looking around the main office, washing room, elevator, and the septic room.
I decide the septic room might be the best, if the canine unit could track human by smell I was sure that the smell of nothing but human waste would throw them off my trail.
Searching the room, I find that the only option was to hide in the corner behind the large water heater that was now ice cold or in the closet that held the breaker and such.
I squished myself into the space behind the water heater, knowing well enough that I should avoid anywhere open and obvious.
Thus began the waiting in this cruel game of hide and seek.
I lost count of time after three hours had passed, but I knew better than to move. I would stay here for one whole day just to be sure, only moving to stretch when I knew it was safe.
Which was nearly never,
It wasn’t until I heard the floor above me creak did I know to keep my mouth shut, stay still as a corpse, and fight my beating heart to slow. only breathing in and out silently, trying to hold your breaths so they were few and far between.
I already lost once; I couldn’t afford to do it again.
I couldn’t afford the slightest disturbance, I had to stay here and still until they were gone.
I had to fight through this.
It wasn’t until then did I start thinking about what would happen if I was caught, what would happen if I wasn’t.
I felt sick, I was cold, and my body hurt from sitting in the same place for so long.
It was silent for a while until I heard footsteps on the creaky wooden stairs,
They were here.
I closed my eyes, knowing better than to stare at them. Not wanting the gut feeling of someone staring at them to give me away.
It wasn’t until I heard a chuckle much closer than I like did I open my eyes.
I could see the dog Monster out the corner of my eye, they were staring right at me,
“Shame too,” I fought to stay still as she spoke “I wouldn’t have known you were there if I hadn’t looked twice.”
My soul hurt, it hurt so bad when she said that.
Again, I almost got away again.
But it was ripped from me just before I could be free.
“If you come peacefully, I promise you there will be a mercy granted.” She sounded like she had sympathy for you, but you really couldn’t tell if this was an act or not.
But you had been caught, and you had nothing else to lose. Even if she was lying, at least you wouldn’t be tugged and dragged around.
I nod and start to climb out from my hiding spot, holding my hands out where they could see them.
As Dogaressa, I learned her name was as she personally walked me to where I was supposed to be taken, promised… I was lead peacefully out to where other guards were corralling humans. I flinched at the screaming protest and the way the Monsters forced them to cooperate.
I find that Dogaressa had been truthful with her promise, as she leads me to a soft white room with a handful of other humans.
This was where the ones who went peacefully or surrendered themselves went, I soon learned.
We were allowed a warm shower, though we were all put in the same room together, and monitored the whole time. I kept my eyes to myself, doing my best to relax when I knew I couldn’t.
When we redressed, we were all taken to another room.
I caught the sight of other humans outside in cuffs and chains as we were walked to the next room…
We were told to line up and we were given numbers to hold.
For a second, I thought we might be getting mug shots taken, until three Monsters were escorted into the room.
I near gasped out loud like someone else had when I found myself face to face with the Queen and her guard leaders.
“Ah, how lovely, I knew we would have peaceful souls left” the Queen huffed at a soft laugh, one that sounded almost motherly if you didn’t realize she was talking about her prisoners. The Queen turned to us again after her short joke to the two monsters beside her, “I thank you for your cooperation, your kind are rare in this world.” She said, a small smile that was almost genuine gracing her.
I slowly do a bow in thanks, unsure if I should speak directly to her as a prisoner, watching the others beside me do the same.
She laughs louder, a bit more genuine than the first one “and polite too, how delightful!”
I felt empty as the Queen turned back to the other two Monsters in the room,
“Take your pick”
The other two seemed just as confused as us for a second, before the captain spoke up, his voice making me flinch in its brashness. “PARDON, YOUR HIGHNESS?”
The Queen shook her head at him, “You two are the head of my guard and keep my empire running smoothly, it is by far not as grand a reward you both are deserving, but I decided to let you two have first pick of what human you want to be yours” she laughed, like it was silly of him to ask.
But my stomach flipped, as I put the pieces together,
We were going to be slaves instead of prisoners.
“I SEE, THANK YOU YOUR HIGHNESS, WE ARE HONORED” His voice said otherwise, it was like he was just as shocked as us and went to default dialog.
I notice that his eyes kept flicking back to me, squinting ever so slightly, if that were possible, he is a skeleton, so I might just be imagining things.
I decide to keep my head straight and eyes on the floor, unsure if it would be best to be picked or if it would be better to be one of the humans left over.
“NUMBER 7” he finally said, smoothing down his uniform.
Internally I felt the life draining from my soul, I let my eyes flicker up to his slight grimace.
The facial expression surprised me,
“Go on, dear” The queen said waving to me softly, I knew better than to hesitate or disagree now, so I softly step forward and shuffle to stand beside captain of the royal guard...
I watched Alphys eye me and the captain before asking the remaining line up if any of them liked anime, before picking the only human brave enough to raise their hand.
We were then dismissed, and I found myself following right behind the Capitan as he walked away.
Soon he paused and I almost walked into him with how abrupt it was, he turned on me and I found myself too nervous to investigate the strange lights in his eyes any longer than a few quick glances.
“YOUR NAME?” I blink letting myself glance up at his face, before answering him quietly.
“AGE?” I answer again, this time not risking to look up at him.
“HM,” he seemed almost bored “WHAT IS IN YOUR BAG?”
I breath, knowing that would be more than a one-word answer.
“um, food and clothes I had packed when I got caught.” I go to take off the bag before he raises a hand, stopping me immediately.
“KEEP IT, I CAN TELL YOU ARE NOT LYING. NOW, YOU ARE COMING HOME WITH ME.” I nod, “YOU WILL MEET MY BROTHER, AND LISTEN TO WHAT HE TELLS YOU TO DO UNLESS IT CONTRIDICTS WHAT I SAY. IF WE ARE TELLING YOU DIFFERENT THINGS PLEASE INFORM ONE OF US SO I MAY SORT OUT ANY CONFUSION.”
I nod in agreement and feel as if I should blush at the Captain saying please to me, his slave.
“I WILL SET UP SOMETHING MORE OFFICAL WHEN WE GET HOME, FOR NOW I MUST LET MY BROTHER KNOW YOU WILL BE THERE. I AM FAR TO BUSY RIGHT NOW TO ENTERTAIN THIS,” he eyes you for a second… “I SHAL LEAVE YOU HERE TO WAIT FOR MY BROTHER TO PICK YOU UP ON ONE CONDITION” I nod in agreement “YOU NEED TO STAY RIGHT HERE, DO NOT MOVE. IF ANYONE ASKS, YOU ARE MY SLAVE AND YOU ARE WAITING ON PAPYRUS.” I nod again before flinching as he barks out “USE YOUR WORDS!”
“Yes sir, I’ll wait here until Papyrus picks me up.” he seemed satisfied,
“VERY WELL, YOU SHALL WEAR THIS, LEST I NEED TO REMOVE LIMBS FOR MY SUBORDINATES TOUCHING WHAT IS MINE.” I let him wrap his scarf around my neck, “DO NOT TAKE THAT OFF UNTIL I ASK FOR IT BACK, UNDERSTOOD?”
“Yes sir,”
And just like that he was walking away down the hallway, like he knew I wouldn’t try to escape.
It was a bitter thought, but I knew all the same that I wasn’t going to try either.
I sat down with my back against the wall, waiting for his brother, Papyrus, to come get me.
