songs for the fallen

frisk torments a cat and learns the true meaning of rizz

CONTENT WARNINGS: This chapter contains brief discussion of suicidal thoughts.
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Frisk
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 When Frisk catches a glimpse of their reflection in the gold-paneled door to the MTT Burger Emporium, they hardly recognize themself. Not in a bad way. They still look happy. They like that. They like feeling happy. Maybe that's the dumbest thing anyone has ever said, because who doesn't like feeling happy? But it's new to them. So they're okay with sounding dumb.

They push their way into the emporium, climbing up onto the counter and facing the wretched creature behind it once again. Cal is smoking something, eyes narrowed and fixed on some middle point far beyond their head. Maybe he has his own annoying ghost companion. Why would someone haunt him, though? He's boring.

I didn't choose to haunt you, you know, Chara pesters them, the momentary light of vulnerability no longer shining through their voice. If I had a choice, do you really think I would have chosen a slovenly orphan who willingly eats plastic?

Oh, fuck you. You think I would wanna be stuck with a Homestuck? Chara didn't stop at Warrior Cats. Not that Frisk minded, though. They do like hearing them talk. C'mon, shut up and let me order my damn burger.

Since when do you have money? Chara prods at them as they sit cross-legged on the counter, ruffling through their pockets. I seem to remember you needing to beg Sans for food when you were here last time.

I picked some stuff up in the CORE, they think back. And also I found like a hundred gold underneath your mattress. You weren't paying attention because you were talking about Sonic the Hedgehog so I just took it. It's your money anyway so I figured you wouldn't mind.

You little...! How dare you! Distracting me in my moment of weakness! They can feel Chara grinning in the back of their mind even as they complain, and Frisk can't help but smile too. They like this. They like this a lot. They count out enough coins for a glamburger, then finally look up at Cal, who seems like he's waiting for them to say something.

"Uh...you okay there, little buddy?" he asks, malleable play-doh face stretched and pinched in ways fur and flesh should not be able to move. "You've, uh, kind of just been sitting there staring at the wall for a few minutes. If you're gonna be sick, can you do it outside? I don't wanna get sick too. My boss, you know, he gives us health uninsurance, so if we get hurt on the clock, we kind of have to pay for it ourselves."

"That's dumb," Frisk says, shaking leaves and stick bugs out of their hair and onto the counter. They hadn't realized they'd been talking to Chara for so long. "Uh, one glamburger please. Extra glam, light on the burger." They have no idea what that means, but they're saying it anyway.

"The customer is always right..." Cal grumbles to himself as he sets off to grill their burger. He doesn't understand what they're saying either, which is totally fine, because it's genuinely just nonsense. "So, uh...heavy on the sequins, little buddy?"

"Heavy on the sequins," they concur with a solemn nod. "They're the best part."

You revolt me, Chara thinks at them.

"Shut up. Not you, Callicko Critter." They remember his full name! Their head got so shaken up fighting Mettaton and then the King and then that shitty evil flower that they almost forgot. "So do you have like...an apartment here or something? I, uh..." Right...they still can't tell anyone they're human, except for the people who already know. They don't want to get dragged back to the Barrier again after they just walked all the way down here. "I'm from...um...Snowdin Town and I dunno how much rent is here."

"How old are you, little buddy?" Cal asks, sticking a sparkly pink patty onto an equally sparkly, equally pink bun. "You look a little too young to be renting an apartment."