Chapter Text
It was a typical, chilly evening in Snowdin. Streetlights started to be turned on and monsters' chatter became quieter. In the middle of the road was strolling a figure. A tall skeleton monster in his favourite, a little torn orange hoodie and khakis pants that somehow protected him from surrounding cold. Between his index finger and middle finger seemed to be held a cigarette.
how long have i been out? oh.. what will blue think? i should've teleported before undyne noticed me. but who could have thought that pepper spray from the microwave was even possible
The skeleton took a last puff before he tossed the cigarette to the ground and stubbed it by his shoe. Then he took a few steps forward toward a house at the end of the street.
the lights are off. weird. is it that late?
He put his skeleton hand into his pocket and pulled out a mobile phone with a few cracks on its screen. However, instead of a time he found out a message sent from his brother's number.
Papy! Don't teleport inside just use the door!
The tall skeleton hummed to himself as in agreement then he slowly turned the doorknob. Pulling the door towards himself he peeked inside as he was looking for some sign of his brother's presence. Seeing nothing besides darkness he thought to himself.
maybe i've left him for too long. he lost his mind. poor sans.
He took a step inside then scrabbling around for a light switch he turned the lights on. Then he tipped his skull to one then another side as it was supposed to help him with his searching. He was about to teleport upstairs when a shouted in unison birthday "Surprise!!" caught him off-balance. It revealed a few skeletons standing behind the sofa. His brother Blue who due to his height hung himself on the back frame of the sitting. On his left was smiling Papyrus wearing a white shirt with a "Birthday boy" written on it. Near the left arm of the sofa was standing Sans waving his palm at the figure in front of him. At his right side was Red, grinning devilishly and from time to time picking his teeth. Finally, there was Edge, a little brother of the mentioned devil. As well as Papyrus he was celebrating his birthday that day but instead of the sign of wearing a custom shirt he was in a reddish apron with a text saying jokingly "This chef bites."
how can someone so serious be so cute at the same time
The birthday skeleton thought still standing at the door and winked toward the edgier one. The other only ignored him and turned towards the kitchen door frame behind him. Suddenly, his attention was caught by his smaller brother.
"Papy! Happy birthday, dear brother!"
Said Blue out-loud throwing himself into his older brother's arms. The taller one opened his arms and wrapped them around his brother's body in a warm hug.
"heya, blue. i thought i was late. but it seems to be your doing, huh"
Was asked Blue but instead of answering his big, blue eyes turned a little darker shade than normal answering this way for him.
"YOU'RE AS LATE AS YOU ARE ON TIME, LAZY-ME!!"
Said Papyrus coming closer to them with his boundless glee. Then he pulled out from his back the same shirt he was wearing and sticked it out toward his lazier version.
"that's very helpful of you.. aw, is that for me? am i a birthday boy today, too?"
He looked down on the shirt with a smile.
"OF COURSE, STRETCH!! EVEN THE LAZIEST ONES COUNT AS PAPYRUS!!"
Told him Papyrus still holding the shirt, this time in front of his rib cage as he was trying it on him in the air.
"that sounds like you'd rather have me drown somewhere"
Replied to him Stretch in a joking, hurtful voice and took the hold of the shirt himself.
Papyrus only shook his head.
"ONLY IN SHOWER OF KISSES TODAY, NYEH HEH HEH!!"
On Stretch cheekbones appeared a light orange blush.
"thanks, rus"
When Papyrus left, Stretch tried to turn to his brother but he somehow disappeared from his sight during their conversation.
"Papy, here!"
Shouted little Blue from across the living room. He was already standing next to the stairs that seemed to set an example of his decorating binge.
"Could you help me with hanging these decorations"
Asked him while holding one helium balloon in his left hand and the uninflated one that seemed to be in the shape of the letter "P" in his other hand.
"why, yes, i could give u my han-"
He replied and flexed his skeleton phalanges.
"Just, take this letter Papy and don't make any attempts on puns!!"
Regardless, Blue was smiling a little under his nasal aperture as he gave him the balloon.
"alright, blue. altho, you still haven't answered my previous question."
Stretch gave his brother an encouraging smile as he was working on his decoration.
"Nothing goes unnoticed for you brother. Alright, I texted Undyne this morning. I wrote to her to stop you for a while but I didn't think you would destroy a microwave."
Blue stood on his tiptoes as he was attaching the streamer to the higher part of the bannister.
"huh, that's scuttlebutt!! i would never put chilly pepper in the microwave"
Stretch made a fake grimace face.
"Papy, remind me of banning you from using the microwave for a month."
Blue trued up some of the previous decorations then proceeded to fill up another balloon with helium destined to complete his imaginative design under the ceiling.
"like i would use it!"
Mumbled Stretch as he was blowing the air into his balloon. Some of his attempts ended up with him coughing the remains of the previous cancer stick into the inside of the balloon which he tried to mask by smiling from time to time. Blue only sighed in response.
"Remind me of banning you from eating frozen meals and using the microwave."
Told him Blue taking a few steps backwards to have a better view at the ceiling. A few of the balloons seemed not to match others in patterns. Not like they were supposed to have any at all. Changing a perspective revealed that one even had a drawn mustache. Thoughtfully, Blue hummed something to himself. Stretch only snickered and started tying his own balloon. When he was ready he attached the remaining letter to the wall and completed the writing "Happy birthday".
"hey, blue"
"Hm?"
"why was i the only one surprised."
"Before I came up with an idea of the birthday party, Papyrus was already in the middle of preparations. And Edge wouldn't be fond of the idea of being surprised at all. So, that left you."
"that would make sense."
Flicking his glance once at the living room once at his brother Stretch straightened up.
"um.. edge is...?"
Stretch asked curiously as he shifted from one foot to the other. Blue did not seem to notice his raising eagerness as he was making not as much understandable gestures towards one of his alternatives.
"He said he would volunteer in preparing food for today's occasion."
His brother answered him at the same time as he sent glare toward Sans whose response was only a shake of a head. Blue then pointed his phalanges at Red. He however seemed to be asleep even when Sans nudged him with his foot.
"do you need any help brother or do i have to return to slacking off?"
Stretch asked joyfully fixing his eyes on sleepyhead. Blue turned his head to him.
"If your idea doesn't include an unhealthy amount of puns or experiments then your help would be great, Papy."
"puns? over my dea-"
Blue rolled his eyes and shoved him playfully towards the others. Stretched only grinned broadly and gave him a salute in response. As he was walking towards Red he passed Sans laying on the sofa cushions. Coming closer revealed a colorful birthday cap on his skull. With one opened eye focused at the surroundings he greeted Stretch again this time out loud.
"hey, stretch. howzgoin?"
He slowly extended his hand. Stretch grinned at him but instead of taking his hand in his own he kept them in the air defensibly.
"sorry, mate but i don't have any trick on me today."
Sans only chuckled at that and took his hand away. His eye lights then turned to his right catching Stretch attention.
"soo, sans, balloon sabotaging, huh?"
He asked him smirking lightly to himself. The other only chuckled and returned his eyes on him.
"mustta say i don't know any things about that balloon. my friend over here. that's a different story."
Sans' stuck out foot indicated Red sprawled at the plastic chair on his right. Then he nudged Red again with his pink slipper. Suddenly, in quick motion, his own slipper almost smacked him in the face before it landed on the sitting beside him. An innocent smile settled on his face.
"you're sellin me here very cheaply, sansy. shouldja threaten him at least, kiddo."
A dark chuckle could be heard as Red spoke. He seemed fully awake now. Dark eye bags now visible under the room light made him look tired, even though his wide grin seemed to tell the other story.
"still calling me kiddo, red? we're the same age."
Asked him Stretch folding arms in grimace. Red snorted and smiled. Carefully, his red eye lights fixed on the taller skeleton.
"not until 9 o'clock"
Stretch was about to respond until he heard familiar voice in the kitchen. It would be rather called a growl but either way it made him feel weird and rousing at the same time. Red seemed to notice his change in focus but did not do anything besides staring at him in silence. Then, at one point, he raised a fist in the air and shook it. Such unfamiliar movement instantly caught Stretch attention and made him raise his imaginable brown.
shit, is he goin to kill me? if it's yes, then why in such a weird manner??
Suddenly a realization hit his mind. Stretch showed Red his thumb up and mimicked the gesture on the door separating him from the kitchen before coming inside.
In the middle of the kitchen was standing Edge who was working on his recipe with a few familiar to Stretch ingredients. Icing sugar and a whole lemon laying ready on the countertop. An orange bowl filled with a reddish liquid whose smell revealed a strawberry sauce inside. There were few opened jars of grapefruit marmalade, ground cinnamon and finally, apian honey layered as well. Stretch tempted by a smell in the air finally took a step forward.
"What is this time, Blue- it's you."
Edge said with a little cold in his voice. Stretch blinked twice before he answered him nervously.
"it's me"
He gave an encouraging smile as he was trying to keep his posture. Edge stared at him for a while before a timer went off. He crouched down then and opened the oven. When the hot air finally left the oven he said flatly.
"I don't recall calling you here"
Stretch gave him a questioning look then smiled anyway.
"as long as i remember i haven't seen you ownin' this kitchen"
"And do you?"
Asked quietly Edge putting silicon protecting gloves on his hands. The question made Stretch snicker in response.
"true, it's more blue's playground"
Edge did not comment as he was taking a sheet pan out of the oven. The flavor of the cinnamon cookies quickly spread in the air making Stretch's mouth water. Unnoticeably, he appeared behind his edgier alternative's back and taking advantage of his height he peeked above his right arm to take a look at the culinary goods and sniff it from closer distance.
"sooo, what're you cookin' good lookin'"
Edge could feel a smirk settling on Stretch's face whereas his own corner of the mouth twitched in irritation. Torn between urge of smacking lazier skeleton with a sheet pan as feeling of closeness raised in him uncomfortably
and saving his hard work he took a step away and put held in his hands cookies on the countertop. Sighting, he took a deep breath.
"why already the long face, egdelord. it's your birthday too, after all"
Edge grip on the sheet pan tightened. Stretch raised defensively hands in the air.
"alright, alright. i'll be silent like a house mouse"
Even though Edge did not trust his attempts at being silent he nodded, more to himself, and left the cookies to walk toward the fridge. When he was searching for ingredients throughout shelves, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Stretch slowly raising his hand. Edge sighed.
"Alright. Tell me, what does that little mind of yours want to inform me."
"you seem tense, maybe you should sit down and let me do it for you"
"I am anything but tense. I'm fully focused on my task. You could try it sometimes."
"nuh uh"
A few minutes passed before he spoke again.
"i think i know what's going on here"
Edge raised his brown bone.
"blue always acts so grumpy and mighty when he wants everything to be perfect"
A growl could be heard then Edge turned himself towards Stretch. Now Stretch could see how his red eye light almost looked like a burning flame in his damaged socket. He took a step forward at which Stretch responded by taking a step backwards.
"um.. edge?"
"Oh, now you know me so well. Listen then to me carefully. I do not care that you have a defective personality. Your attempts at whatever you are trying to do does not amuse me, ashtray. And if you really want to wish me a great birthday, may you know that your silence would be the greatest gift of all!!"
For another minute they stared at each other in silence until Stretch's mouth twitched a little.
"What did you say?"
"nothin.."
Another silence. If anything were more heated than the atmosphere between these two that would be only forgotten along the way cookies. Carefully, Stretch focused his eye lights on the floor.
"i said that no one now takes flirting seriously."
"What?"
"..i mean you take, but you take everything seriously!! so i don't know if it still counts-"
Suddenly Edge's face froze. Then a few different facial expressions appeared on his face confusing Stretch. When it seemed to come to an end and the corner of his mouth settled in his natural grimace he immediately left the kitchen causing the door to slam.
"...i think i broke him"