Forbidden Flame (Mafiatale Grillby x Reader)

Chapter 14- Syncing Souls

(~Your POV + Time Skip~)

Both of us were awake by mid-afternoon. According to Grillby, the only ones here are Gaster and Alphys. I haven't seen either of them which leads me to think that they're still in their rooms. Grillby firmly implied that we shouldn't bother them. Although, I can't help but feel disturbed by the quiet. The others apparently won't be back for some time. For my protection, I can't exactly leave either. So, Grillby and I have been spending some much needed time getting to know each other.

"Do I dare say that your favorite color is blue?" I tease him. Grillby continues to neatly fold the batch of clothes he previously washed.

'This man never stops working.'

"White." He replies. I'm filled with curiosity as I ask him, "Why?" He takes a moment to think about it. "The best way I can describe it is that, to me, it signifies as something being clean? Freshly washed plates. Warm and pressed sheets with not a single stain. A blank canvas. That kinda thing." Now that he's explained it, it makes total sense that he would like it.

"What first got you into cooking?" I ask him. "The same reason that got you into the council." I pause before guessing, "My parents?" Grillby sets another folded shirt to the side and then grabs another from the basket. "Your parents cooked?" "Started their own restaurant from the ground up. Took a lot of time and effort on their part but it eventually grew to be successful. It was only a matter of time before I was old enough to start helping them. I wouldn't have opened my bar if it wasn't for them." He explains. "That's cool." I sit up in bed and put my hands over my knees. I slowly slip deeper into my thoughts.

'He's living his parents' legacy and I.. I can't even survive a few months in my father's shoes.'

Everyone hates me and all I did was try to do the right thing. The harsh reality is that I'm only one person. "I can never stop the injustice between humans and monsters. My father worked so hard for years and never even came close to it." I say out loud. All I'll ever be is a doll to be pulled by the strings. Smile for the camera. Agree with the council. Make connections with the rich. Ignore the sick things going on in the world. Even if I had done it their way, how far will I be able to go until I suffer the same fate as my parents?

I weave my hands into my hair and pull at it anxiously. "Why do I even try?" I say through a hopeless laugh. "Frisk is in your position too, Y/N." Grillby begins. I look up to him with a sense of disbelief.

'How can anyone understand what this feels like?'

"Very few humans like that they released the monsters from the underground. Instead of having a normal childhood, they are harassed publicly every time they step into the streets. They're forced to hide and yet they still try so hard to help people where they can. Frisk doesn't deserve that unforgiving treatment and neither do you. It's tough to be the one to inspire change but the world desperately needs more people like you." Grillby takes a deep breath and rubs the back of his head. "If you, or Frisk, or your dad, or anyone like ya had given up completely without doing something... There'd be no chance at any of us common folk making a difference."

I want to hug him so badly but I don't want to overwhelm him with embarrassment. The room goes silent for a little while. Grillby briefly glances to me, inquiring with a gentle smirk, "Where was I born?" I'm grateful for the change of topic so I don't depress myself but I'm also at a loss here.

'How am I supposed to know that?'

"We're soulmates, Y/N. Communication by voice is not the only way of talking that we have. Our souls can communicate both words and feelings to each other as well. Try it out." I don't have the slightest clue as for where to start. I know I've always felt certain thoughts through my soul about Grillby but I never actually tried to find them out on purpose. "Can you feel the bond between our souls, Y/N?" "I-I.. Well.." I stare down at my lap.

'Kinda???'

There's always a bond between a soul of a person and their soulmate. It was barely anything before except random thoughts explaining who he was. Now that I know he's my soulmate and we've gotten closer, the signs are gradually growing clearer. It feels like there's another heartbeat in my chest besides my own. The two are close to having the same rhythm, but not quite. Is the other beat coming from Grillby's soul? I close my eyes and listen carefully to it. The more I concentrate my thoughts on his soul beating, the closer my soul gets to syncing up with it. Maybe I can try now? My mind and magic work in coherence, pushing through the darkness to reach his soul.

'Where was he born?'

Strong feelings and small threads of thought begin to flood through my soul. "This place.. it's.. orange?" Grillby chuckles, "You could say that." My magic stirs up waves of heat that flows through my entire body. "It's very hot." I tell him. He responds calmly, "You're getting closer." I don't open my eyes in fear of losing the connection and having to start all over. I still don't know the place where he was born.

'I need a name.'

There's a sudden pain in my soul without warning. It's like someone is attempting to pull it apart in their hands. Strong emotions flood over me such as anger, distress, fear, and guilt. A loud whine leaves my throat by impulse. They feel so powerful and yet these feelings aren't my own. I can't breathe.

'What happened?'

I gain a sensation of what feels like sand burning in my hands. My hands tremble violently as I gain a new thought. It's not sand. It's dust, and I know whose dust it is. I hear the soft whispers of a name.

"Y/N!" Grillby screams. My soul becomes overwhelmed and the connection severs itself. The rhythm of our souls goes out of sync. I gasp as I open my eyes. Grillby is on the bed now, mere inches in front of me. His eyes are wide and his hands are shaking as he caresses my face. It's obvious to me that his usually calm demeanor has fled from him. "Y-You had a-a sister." I say, completely out of breath. I struggle to breathe properly. It feels unnatural, as if my lungs forgot how to in the first place. I'm still winded by these feelings imprinted on my soul.

'They were his... the day that he lost her..'

Grillby pulls me into his chest. I can hear his soul racing within him. My arms wrap around him as I'm overcome with tears. "GriLLby, wHat was-" "You weren't supposed to see that. I-I'm sorry." He says frantically.