Hot Stuff || BOOK ONE.

Chapter Five: I Promise.

"Y/N?!"

You awoke in a sudden jolt, eyes widened, and breathing raged. Beads of sweat glided from your forehead down to your chin. You were trembling if that much wasn't obvious.

"Child, are you alright?" A soothing voice called unto you, but you couldn't look them in the eye. You were frightened. Frightened something terrible might happen. The figure tried to reach you and by instinct, you slapped the hand away and shivered in fright.

You could feel their stares on you heatedly. But filled with much concern. "Y/n, darling, what's the matter?" Another called, but unlike the usual tone of this voice, it seemed a bit more loving and caring right now.

You didn't respond. You couldn't. Words left your mouth during that nightmare you had. "HUMAN? WHY DO YOU LOOK SO TROUBLED?" Your conscious stirred up suddenly, guilt eating you whole. It wasn't your desire to ignore them like this. But what you saw was sickening.

Surprising enough, the shorter skeleton was absolutely silent the entire time. "think we should leave the kid alone." He finally said, and the rest couldn't agree more. Soon after, monster by monster went up and left, there was only you and a single bright figure in the room. A figure that makes your insides go upside down.

"A bad dream?" A raspy voice asked you, and you couldn't help but tear up to finally hear his voice without screaming bloody murder.

"Just . . . a terrible one." You croaked and the bed creaked after that. And before you know it, you were trapped in a surprisingly warm embrace. Despite everything you've saw, you let the figure hug you. You let Grillby hug you.

"It's . . . alright. I may not be there to see or feel what you felt, but it's alright. It was all just a dream. You're here now."

You don't know why, but his words had only teared you up more. You wrapped your arms around his torso and buried your face into the crook of his neck. It was warm. He, in total, is warm. You couldn't help but let yourself cry onto him. His presence and comfort alone was enough to make you feel safe.

As your sobs grew louder, all he did was hush you quietly. His hands doing all the work as he gently caress your back and soothed your hair. "It's alright. It's okay. It was just a dream."

"But it felt so real." You whimpered.

"I know, I know. It's okay. I'm here. I'm going to protect you from them, alright? We're all here." His words comforted you. And you craved for them.

If only . . . if only he knew what happened. Would he still be able to hold you like this? Would he still be able to say these tenderly words to you? To caress your back and soothe your hair?

These thoughts alone had only made you cry louder. You clutch into his shirt tightly. You couldn't help but tremble in fear.

You didn't want that. You didn't want anyone to suffer. You love everyone. So much. "P-Promise me," you croaked, there was a moment of silence between the two of you until you had the courage to pull away from the hug. You felt a shiver ran down your spine as the warmth of safety left you. "Promise me that whatever happens, whatever I do." You whimpered at this point, the things you've saw in your nightmare flashed once again in your mind. "Stop me. Please."

There was silence that hung between the two of you as you stared desperately into Grillby's glasses. You couldn't tell what he was thinking, or if he's even thinking at all. But after seconds of agonizing silence, he finally agreed. "Okay."

Feeling your heart grew lighter, you let your head drop to his shoulder once more. And you felt his arms wrap around your fragile figure. He resumed his desire to comfort you. Caressing your back and soothing your hair. "I promise." He whispered delicately in your ear. You couldn't help but tear up once again.

"Thank you, Grillby."

-

"Goodbye, darling~" Mettaton purred as he engulfed you in a tight embrace. You gladly returned the given hug and patted his back.

"You act as if we're not going to see each other." You giggled to which the robot pouted at.

"But we might. A life of a star is fabulously horrible!" He told you dramatically, in which, you chuckled at.

"I'll never know." You grinned and waved as he and Papyrus left the RUINS.

"Well, punk, ya know where to find me!" The fish lady told you with its bright and usual grin.

"Of course! I'll see you!"

"B-Bye, Y/n!" The yellow reptile stuttered as Undyne impatiently threw Alphys on her shoulder and off they went outside the RUINS.

Grillby stood silently in front of you and you couldn't help but avoid his gaze. You felt sheepish for what happened a while ago. For him to be able to see you so weak and vulnerable. So . . . fragile.

"I'll see you in my bar, Y/n."

Blushing, you nodded at what he said. "I'll be there."

You watched as he casually strolled his way to his bar. Toriel said her goodbye to the last monster left and went inside to bake some pie. "Sans," you called, but he cut you off with a lifeless; "i know."

"I'm scared." You admitted. And it seemed to struck something at the skeleton. He anxiously averted his gaze from yours.

"that, i dont know." He sighed. 

". . . Sans, please." You whimpered, but he stayed quiet. You heaved a shaky breath as Grillby's bright figure grew smaller and smaller. Growing out of your reach each step he took. "I know it's not just a nightmare. And I know for sure, that Grillby wouldn't be able to do it."

"so youre dumping his responsibilities to me, huh?" He told you lifelessly.

"You know that's not what I—" he cut you short when he took a hold of your hand.

"come with me." He said, and quickly dragged you back inside the house.