SCOTLAND FOREVER

“Tulips,” he said, brushing his fingers over a crimson petal. “Symbolic of perfection and royalty. Sounds fitting, wouldn’t you say?” He smirked, but there was something unreadable in his expression before he looked away momentarily, his eyelights flickered back to you.

“We definitely look the part today,” you curtsied before adding, “your majesty.”

He let out a small chuckle as he gestured towards another flower. “Carnations,” he continued, a bit more thoughtfully. “They represent fascination and distinction. Traits that, for better or worse, tend to draw people together.”

There’s something about the way he said it that made you pause, but before you could press, he moved again, stopping by a patch of roses. He studied them for a moment before plucking one and twirling it between his fingers.

“Roses are, obviously, tied to passion and romance,” he said, almost dismissively. Then, after a beat, he looked at you and offered the flower. “But also appreciation. Or, depending on the color… remembrance.”

You accepted it without thinking. The petals were soft beneath your fingers and the scent was familiar and yet difficult to place.

“…Are you always this sentimental?” You asked, glancing at him.

His smirk returned, but this time it was subtler. “You tell me.”

A comfortable silence settled between you before you shook off the moment with a smile, stepping ahead toward the gazebo and picking up the pace. “Come on. If we stay here any longer, you might start reciting poetry.”

“Spare me the embarrassment,” he muttered.

You sped up with a laugh escaping you, headed toward a gazebo in the distance. “Last one there owes the other a drink.”

“You’re making up rules now?” Of course, without missing a beat, he took the challenge and quickened his pace to catch up.

Inside the gazebo you pulled out your phone, taking some pictures of the scenery as Nox lingered beside you, watching quietly. Eventually, he gently took your phone and faced the camera between you both. He angled the camera, capturing the moment as you lean in closer to his frame. The sun made you both look warm and lively as the phone shutters with a click. Another memory for you to have in your gallery.

…

The following day, you were dressed to the nines along with Nox. He wore a stylized tuxedo with indigo and imperial blue highlights, adorned with little silver dove-shaped cuffs on his sleeves. You had to admit he looked quite dashing, as he put it all together. It made you feel a little worried as you weren’t sure the outfit you’d picked for him was good enough. Nox praised you nevertheless, which made your confidence swell. 

Moments later, you’d both arrived at a small pre-valentines gala. An event that lasted until Valentine's Day, but you and Nox had not planned to spend two nights here. Even so, you both were lucky enough to get entry tickets, so you tried to make the best you could out of it.

The gala hall glimmered under the glow of golden chandeliers, their light reflecting against the marble floors in a dazzling display. The soft hum of music playing in the background set the perfect atmosphere for the evening. You looked around, taking in the sight of elegantly dressed guests engaging in quiet laughter and warm conversations. Everything about the event was polished and refined, from the lavish buffet spread to the intricately arranged floral centerpieces on each table, reminding you slightly of the day before.

Nox, with his composed and regal gait, guided you through the hall with an effortless grace. His eyes stayed on you and no one else. 

“Shall we dance?” He asked, in a somewhat half-playful, half-serious tone- his voice low, but clear enough for you to hear.

You grinned, even though you weren’t much of a dancer; far from a good one for that matter.

“You promise to not step on my toes?” You teased. 

“I believe you might do more stomping than I will,” he retorted, a light scoff escaping him as you could see him fighting the smile trying to escape onto his face. 

You playfully scoffed back at him, your voice pitched as if you were offended. You raise the back of your hand to your head in mock distress, “How dare!”

Nox smirked. “Regardless, I’ll ensure you won't fall, you’re safe with me.”

A warmth crept up to your heart, a comforting realization of the genuine care Nox had for you. You felt blessed that he had allowed himself to feel this comfortable around you; to share his sincerity for you without him putting up a defensive front. 

He confidently guided you to the dance floor, making his first strides. Soon enough, you found yourself flowing with the rhythm, lost in the moment with him. It was comfortable and safe, in a way you couldn’t quite place. There was a steadiness in the way he moved, in the way he kept you from faltering, as if it were second nature. You didn’t know if it was intentional or just him. Regardless, you enjoyed the fresh new experience he had given you. 

“I didn’t take you for much of a dancer”

“Don’t get used to it” He sighed. There was no real sharpness in it, but earned you his signature snarky drawl. “Aww, but you’re so skilled at it. You even managed to avoid my ‘stomping’” You teased. A quiet chuckle escaped him. “I’m really lucky. Next time, I might not be so…fortunate.”

The music began to slow, but the night continued with laughter and indulgent feasting, reminding you of previous events. As the evening was finally winding down, you and Nox stepped out into the cool night air. Nox pulled out his phone and angled it your way. You posed and smiled, not taking it seriously- ruining the elegant vibes you both were showered in. This earned a sigh, and waves of laughter from both of you, but regardless another memory was saved into the gallery.

...

On Valentine’s Day itself, the scent of passion fruit, coffee, and the faintest trace of tea lingered in the air, blending with the crispness of the cool breeze that had settled over the past few days. The warmth of the afternoon sun rested on your skin, a stark but welcome contrast to the chilled air that wove through the open terrace. Nox had just returned, setting down a small plate of neatly arranged mini sandwiches and a fresh cup of tea in front of you. Steam curled from the surface, carrying the familiar, calming aroma into the quiet afternoon. You both were outside the hotel you’d been staying at, resting from traveling anymore and taking the time to enjoy the scenery from where you were. A forest stretched out and across the river that you could see. It was peaceful, compared to the chaotic atmosphere you’re used to back home. Everything felt distant here. As if the rest of the world had momentarily softened its grip. 

Looking in Nox’s direction, you saw him staring out to the horizon as well. You wondered if this is what he wanted all his life.

“You know…” He started, not looking at your direction as he spoke, but lingered on his words before continuing. “Meeting you was a strange surprise. I can’t say I mind, though.” He leaned back into his chair, watching you with a barely readable expression. “It’s something I wouldn’t have found in the underground, or with the others.” 

He paused again, this time with a sympathetic look to him. Something that, once again, was so rare to see from a skeleton like him.

“I don’t say this often, but..” He looked off for a moment before flicking his gaze back to you. 

“I appreciate the comfort you have given me. I hope to do the same for you as well. For accompanying me…I am…grateful. There is no other company I would have preferred.” 

Although his words weren’t much, they made you feel sort of praised, coming from him. 

“You’re welcome, I’m always down to have a fun time with you. You always make our little adventures very memorable even if it’s just sitting around with coffee and tea.” You chuckled to yourself a little, and noticed Nox chuckling with you. “I’ll take that as a high compliment.” He grinned, sipping his hot espresso. 

You both settled into the comfortable silence, the only sounds that accompanied the both of you were the occasional birds and cars. Eventually you both started cleaning up, took one more picture together and proceeded to do your own adventure near the hotel before the time finally came to head back home. Sitting in the front seat of Nox’s car with the windows slightly down, you stared outside watching the trees and buildings blur by. It almost felt like a dream-like haze, with how calm you were. Normally, you would be up to your usual playful antics with Nox, putting on music, and forcing him to karaoke with you, but the trip had tired you out too much to do anything of your usual taunting. You wondered if this was also part of his meticulous planning. 

You didn’t mind. You simply gazed out the window, letting the passing scenery lull you into drowsiness. Just as sleep began to take hold, the faintest sound reached your ears: a soft humming from Nox. At first, you weren’t sure if you were imagining it, but the more you listened, the clearer it became. He was humming. And not just any tune, it was your tune. The one you had raved about to him not too long ago, the one that had been stuck in your head for ages. The urge to tease him stirred in your chest, but for now, you let it be, allowing the gentle melody to carry you to sleep.

A gentle shake woke you as Nox leaned over to your side. It was clearly dark, as the only thing illuminated around you was Nox’s indigo pin prick eyelights focused on you, and the dim glow of the night light. You rubbed your eyes, and stretched a bit as Nox spoke.

“I took the liberty of letting you rest and brought your items inside your home. I hope you don't mind.” His voice was deep and low in a hushed tone.

You wanted to ask him how he got your keys, but you decided to let it go since he did you a favor by bringing your luggage inside.

“Thank you, that's so gentlemanly of you.” you said with a smirk, still groggy.

He rolled his eyelights leaning away from you and closed his door, making his way to your side and opening it.

“Come on. It's time to get out.” He urged you to not stall anymore.

You leaned to the dashboard with a groan, stalling.

Nox let out an exasperated sigh, though there was no real frustration behind it. More like mild amusement laced with a patience that has been growing for you. He simply stood there with his arms crossed, waiting.

“You do realize you can’t just sleep in my car, right?” His voice is edged with wry humor.

You peeked at him from a small gap of your arm. “Mmm…. I don’t know. It's pretty cozy here. Smells like overpriced espresso and sass. Very much you.”

Nox scoffed and shook his head. “Funny. But unless you plan to start paying me rent, cleaning and maintaining my car I suggest you move.”

You groaned again, but finally peeled yourself off the dashboard, stretching with a yawn before stepping out of the car. The cool night air hit your face, refreshing compared to the warmth Nox’s car provided you. The quiet stillness of the street felt strangely intimate. You turned to Nox, his expression is unreadable under the dim glow of the street lights.

He adjusted his coat and gloves before speaking. “You should get some rest. It’s been a long three days. I’m sure you want to spend your weekend relaxing.”

“You’re included.” You nudged him a bit, earning a confused look from him. “I’m sure you also need a break from the meticulous planning for all that.”

“The trip was my break.” He retorted, but then he smirked for a brief moment. “But, perhaps spending more of my ‘break’ with you wouldn’t cause any harm.”

Nox lifted his hand slightly, hesitating for a moment before reaching out. His fingers grazed the edge of your hand, a bit more like the ghost of a gesture than a touch.

“Well then, goodnight.” He cleared his throat, looking away from you. 

You tilted your head, a bit curious and confused by the action, but you just watched and nodded. “Goodnight, Nox. Sleep well, and I’ll text you later then.”

That’s all the clarification you needed to throw on a sweater, grab his little basket, and head out the door with a pep in your step. It was a little nippy, but luckily the sweater helped to block out the breeze.

Once you’d arrived on the doorstep, you scuffed off the debris from your shoes to avoid the wrath of half the family. Then, you bumped the door open with your hip. You announced your arrival to the house before the sweet smell of something like honey hit your nose, and you followed the trail all the way to the kitchen. 

Ash stood in the kitchen with a large pot of something boiling on the stove as he bustled to and fro with a few other tasks. He seemed to be trying to tap some colorful powder onto a sheet of paper.

“Hey, you.” You smiled, gently setting the basket on the empty counter space. You made sure to avoid tipping over the vase of colorful flowers, some of which you didn’t recognize. Ash paused and turned his head to face you, his face perking up in the softest way. 

“Heya. Sorry, didn’t hear you come in.” He tapped the rest of the powder onto the paper. 

You sauntered up behind him and peered over his shoulder. “Whatcha got there? Chalk?”

The skeleton chuckled and shook his head. “No, it’s paint. The base of it.”

“Paint? Isn’t that supposed to be a liquid? Or something?” You scratched your cheek with a confused hum.

Ash gently folded the paper to pour the green powder into a glass vial. “When you add a binder to it, it turns into a nice watercolor paint. They’re for Poplar. He said he was running low on a few colors.”

You gasped and grinned. “Aww! I didn’t know you could make paint!” He slid over to the stove and peered over the top, which you realized was where that sweet smell was coming from. “Is that what this is?” 

Ash set the topped vial aside next to a yellow one and nodded. “Mhm. It’s pea flower. If I did it right, it should make a nice teal.” He massaged his palm a bit with his thumb. Clearly, he’d been at this for a second.

“What do you gotta do next?” You asked, wafting the nice smell of the boiling pea flower toward you. The color looked really pretty from what you could tell.

The skeleton sighed. “I gotta pour that stuff into a separate jar and add some alum and washing soda, then strain it through a filter to catch the pigment, and then let it dry out.” He pointed to the sink where a jar tied off with a few filters sat. He seemed exhausted just explaining the process.

“Pour the whole thing into the jar?” You confirmed, and grabbed the oven mitts before Ash could. 

He blinked. “Yeah…”

You turned off the stove and smiled. “Go look at what I got you, I can do this.” You reassured and slowly waddled over to the jars. 

“Are you sure? Ya don’t have to do that…”

“Yep! Go take a little break.” You pointed at some small containers set aside. “Is this the stuff I gotta pour in?” Once he confirmed, you shooed him off one final time before carefully pouring the contents into the jar. Seeing the light shine through really made the pretty color pop. You couldn’t wait to see how it would look in Poplar’s future paintings. 

Once you set the empty pot aside in the sink, you poured in the alum, then the washing soda, the crinkling of wrapping paper stopped and silence filled the air. You looked over your shoulder as you stirred the contents and smiled when seeing Ash’s expression. 

The rose sat in one hand, and the mug rested within the other. Ash was smiling at your little note. A soft blush sat on his cheeks, and he looked so truly happy that it made your heart do a couple flips in the best way. You sighed softly and jumped when you felt liquid hit your fingers and realized the substance had foamed over the top. Luckily, you were able to tame the mess before it got too bad. 

“What’s this for?” His soft voice broke the silence, and you turned back to him once you’d wiped the mess away. 

“It’s for you, silly.” You chuckled, and gently stirred the liquid with the stained wooden spoon. Seems Ash had been busy with this project for a little bit. 

You felt him shuffle in beside you, with his hands cradled around the mug and flower like they were the most precious items in the world. You honestly felt really touched by his tenderness with them.

“Well… I get that but… why?” he asked, looking up at you with confusion written over his face. Once you’d finished stirring the pigment, you turned fully to face him. His gloves felt soft against your hands as you gently cupped his own, a tender touch with a matching smile. 

“Remember that holiday you mentioned in your texts? It’s Valentine's Day.” You explained as you brushed your thumbs over the tops of his gloved hands. 

His sockets blinked. “Oh… I don’t think I know that one. We don’t really… celebrate most human holidays.” He looked down at your joined hands, and a small smile grew on his face. “What does Valentine's Day mean to you..?”

You carefully removed the mug and flower from his hands and placed them on the counter, letting the rose sit inside the planter mug before you properly held his hands. He gave a gentle squeeze. Part of you thought he’d be more firm if he had the energy for it, but you’re not going to complain. Love isn’t only shown in physical strength, after all.

“Well, the short and modern version is that it’s a day for couples to just… be cute and lovey dovey. Celebrate being together, appreciating their partners. Give gifts, all that jazz.” You explained, probably very poorly, but judging by his face he seemed to understand. “Personally, I just like to spend time with my partner and do something fun.”

“Oh… well... We’re a couple.” he stepped a little closer. You could feel the tips of his shoes as they touched yours. “I’m your partner.”

“That you are.” You agreed with a hum, smiling when seeing his blush bloom on his cheeks. 

“I…” he looked over to the counter where that large vase of flowers still rested. “I didn’t know today was that kinda holiday but… I guess I still have something to give you.” He pulled his hands away and beckoned you to the bouquet. 

The clear vase held a bushel of very bright, healthy, and colorful flowers. Pinks, purples, and greens are neatly fluffed in an almost perfect circle; and you can’t help but imagine Ash tediously hunched over making sure it looked that way. You could only put a name to two of the flowers, but it looked gorgeous nonetheless.

“It’s very pretty.” You praised, gently reaching out to stroke a soft petal. “Did you grow these yourself?”

He nods. “Mmm… most of them. I had to get the limonium from a shop in town, but I grew everything else.” He smiled, looking very pleased with himself in regard to his flowers.

You bit your lip and stared hard at the bouquet, squinting as if the names of the plants would just jump out into your head. “............which ones are those again?”

Ash chuckled, his smile widening as he took in my distress. “They’re the smaller purple ones. They’re also called sea lavenders, because of how much it looks like real lavender.” He explained, and gently rotated a flower to sit better with the bunch. 

“Why not get real lavender?” 

“Real lavender is toxic to cats.”

“Fair enough.” You nodded and smiled back at the bouquet. “It’s very pretty, hun. Thank you. And you didn’t even know it was Valentine’s Day?” 

He blushed and shook his head, rubbing his arm shyly before he gently pressed his shoulder against you. “I’m.. glad you like it. I hope you like what it says, too.” He hummed.

You blinked. “Oh, shoot, is there a note?” You gently spun the vase, looking for a possible tag or ribbon. 

“Oh, no. There’s no note. Um… right you probably don’t know a lot of flower language, huh?” He rubbed the back of his neck and turned his head away. 

“I know red usually means love or something.” You faced him and smiled, heart fluttering at the apparent hidden message within the bouquet. A message he spent months growing and perfecting to give to you. “What does it mean?”

He fixed the strap of his overalls back to his shoulder, clearly a little shy. “Most of the flowers there mean…. First love, and similar to it.” He said softly, his face a deep blue. 

You blinked and smiled slowly. “Ash….. that’s so beautiful! You went through all the effort to make all this just to tell me I’m your first love?” You could feel your own cheeks warming. 

He nodded slowly and faced me, his smile the biggest it'd been so far. “I… didn’t know how else to say it.”

You used his hands to pull him close and kiss the top of his skull. “For someone who didn’t know about Valentine's Day, you certainly chose the perfect day to give me this.” 

He chuckled gently, squeezed your hands and sighed. “I love you, Petal.”

You yelped and jolted in your bed, sitting straight up as you gawked at the skeleton lazily peering through the window you left open last night. He just grinned as if he hadn’t just roused you from sleep and gave you the biggest scare of your life; at least, for the month. 

“Nice shirt.”

“Stretch? What are you doing here? It’s 3 in the morning.” You groaned, voice rough with sleep as you rubbed your eyes. You weren’t that tired anymore after the spook, but you certainly wished you could go back to sleep.

Stretch grunted and hopped through your window, plopping down on your bed with a sigh. “Couldn’t sleep.” He put his hands in his pockets and turned to you. “Wanna go out with me?”

You sighed and pulled a blanket over your shoulders. “Stretch, it’s the middle of the night. Nothing is going to be open.” 

He chuckled. “No, I mean literally. Do you wanna go out with me? Like for a walk.”

You tilted your head at him, confusion all over your face, and watched as Stretch’s goofy smile widened. “You, Stretch, are asking me to go for a walk?” You asked slowly.

“That’s how you know this relationship is serious. Only the very special people in my life know I walk outside in the dead of night with a flashlight when everyone else in the neighborhood is asleep.” His smile was unbelievably large at this point, and maybe it was that you’d only just woken up, but you really couldn’t tell if he was playing around or being serious. 

“I’m going back to sleep.” You huffed and laid back down. 

Stretch laughed and got up and gently pulled the blanket back. “Okay no, wait. Come on, hear me out.” He snickered and waited for you to turn back to him. “I know it’s late, but it’s a great time of night for lizard and frog hunting.” He knelt down beside the bed. 

“Why would I wanna go lizard and frog hunting at three in the morning?” You rolled over and frowned sleepily at him. 

“Because it’d be with me? And you love me?” He put on that stupid cheese smile that never fails to make you smile back, but you tried to hide it behind your blanket. “Besides, not like you’re doing anything important-”

“I was sleeping! One of your favorite things to do!” You argued. 

He continued to talk. “So why not spend this time doing something fun?!” He stood up to his full height and put his hands on his hips. “Come on, you’ll like it!”

“I like sleep, too…” You slowly sat back up and tried to bite back a yawn. 

Stretch settled down into a more calm pose, matching your energy a bit more. When he gets all excited his similarities with Papyrus really show. “We won’t be out too long, promise.” 

You sighed, caving at his eager face. “If I do this, you’re treating me to lunch and dinner today.” 

He snorted, and you almost moved to argue with him, but he waved it off. “I hear ya, it’s a deal. Lunch and dinner, on the to-do list.” He nodded and reached his hand out when you started to get up. “You’re gonna wanna change clothes.” 

“I gathered that, silly.” 

After you threw on a pair of sweatpants and a nice soft jacket, you and Stretch lazily strolled out of your house. Sure enough, it’s still the dead of night and very dark. The lamp posts were the only light source that allowed the two of you to see the sidewalk. Stretch seemed to have a specific target to walk towards, so you followed.

You soon found yourself in a more odd location than expected. The edge of a small thicket of trees that bordered the large neighborhood. You couldn’t help but laugh in denial.

“You know, if I didn’t care about you so much, I’d find it really strange that you woke me up in the middle of the night to lead me into a dark forest.” You hummed and gave a little shiver from the breeze.

Stretch snickered and pulled an item from the pocket of his hoodie and affixed it to his skull. You squinted from the bright light suddenly shining on your face and groaned. 

“Luckily, I have a means to make it not dark.” He replied and offered a second head light to you. You decided to ask why he had multiple of these later.

“You’re lucky I like you.” 

“Oh so very lucky. Let’s go!” 

Stretch was very careful with you as you both walked through the cluster of trees and bushes and whatnot. He kept a hand around yours, and the light pointed down to make sure you were never far behind and never slipped. All the while, the orange dots of his eyes flicked back and forth with each sound in the night. You could hear the hoot of an owl, the chirp of crickets, and even the occasional frog croak.

You stayed put when Stretch let your hand go and started snooping through some bushes. He rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie and dove his hands into a small, muddy puddle, and let out a shout of victory. 

You cocked your head and watched as he approached you, his hands firmly gripping a large frog covered in dirt.

“I got you a friend.”

“Oh my g-, put it down Stretch!”

He fake gasped. “You don’t like my gift?” 

“I love your gift, just not the possibility of it attacking me.” You stepped back and smacked his arm when he moved the frog closer. It was surprisingly relaxed in his hands, all things considered.

Stretch smiled. “He’s fine. He won’t hurt ya!” He cocked his head and hummed. “Can’t tell what kind it is… it’s a wood frog.”

You hummed and nestled your hands in your warm pockets. “Well, we are around trees.” You teased gently. 

He rolled his eyes and crouched back down to the spot where he’d grabbed the little guy and let him go. “Let’s hop to it!” 

Oddly enough, rooting through leaves and bushes was quite fun! Even if it was a little cold. Your fingers gently tingled in the cold night air which left you to watch Stretch more than participate, but it was enjoyable nonetheless! Anything he caught he’d give you a quick show and share a fact or two about the critter before letting it go. It was remarkable that his clothes stayed clean the whole time. 

“This a habit of yours I didn’t know about?” You asked as you were crouched with him as he set free a much smaller frog. It was various shades of brown and you were surprised Stretch saw it even with the light. 

He shrugged. “Eh… consider it a temporary hobby? A lot of these little guys weren’t in the underground, so I’m kinda infatuated by them.”

“Ooh, big word.” 

“Hush.” He pushed you with his elbow with a chuckle. 

You laughed with him and stood back up, walking with him once again. “It’s actually really cute. Even if it’s a little silly to think of you stalking through the night just to look at reptiles and stuff.” 

He hummed and wrapped an arm over your shoulders to gently pull you closer as you both strolled your way out towards the street. “I’m glad my silliness is endearing.” 

“It’s one of your best qualities.” You replied, grinning when you caught the subtle orange that spread on his face. Though he probably thought you couldn’t see it in the darkness.

He rubbed the back of his neck with one of his hands, trying to brush off the embarrassment. “W-well uh… in that case I-OH!”

In a blink, and with speed you’d rarely seen from the skeleton, he was over by a bush and quickly swiped something from the leaves. You tried to ask what was so exciting that got that reaction from him, but he spun and offered you to look instead. 

“Ooh, a lizard.” You smiled and reached out to try to give the rather large critter a pet, but Stretch pulled his hands away. 

“A gecko! A tokay gecko specifically.” He lifted his hands up to his face to look at the little guy closer. “You’re not supposed to be out here. No, you are not.” He hummed and tried to look it over without loosening his grip. 

“He’s not?” You inquired and shuffled closer to him. The little guy looked pretty. The red spots really made him pop.

He shook his head. “Nope. These little guys are actually from uh… Asia I believe? So far away from here. Obviously invasive.” He hummed and cocked his head to the side. “And usually supposed to be pretty aggressive….” His voice drifted off. 

“Looks pretty docile to me.” You observed and leaned against the skeleton, partly to look at the large reptile and partly to soak up his warmth as the cold started to bite a bit more. 

“Yeah, that’s the problem. That means he was captive bred. He shouldn’t be out here.” He frowned and held the critter closer to his chest. 

You grinned. “Did you just make a new friend?” You teased, nudging him as he laughed. 

“Nyeh heh, I wish. Regardless of if he was in captivity before, he’s pretty grown up and won’t hesitate to bite to protect whatever they call their territory. Wouldn’t want any of my little ones getting hurt.” He waved his head in motion for you to follow, going back to the original task of going home. 

“What are you gonna do with him then?” You wrapped an arm around one of his own, looking at the reptile that seemed rather content in Stretch’s grasp. 

“I’m gonna make a temporary tank for the night, then turn him over to a shelter in the morning. He’s a beautiful little one, I’m sure he won’t be stuck there long.” 

You smiled. Watching Stretch dote on something the size of his hand was always so sweet to see. You knew a select few details of his past and that kindness is ingrained in his very being, despite some of the demons he obviously has, no matter how much he refused to tell you. Watching him be his authentic self in these moments reminded you of just why you fell for him.

You warmed up in the skeleton house and helped Stretch set up the temporary tank for the gecko. The little guy immediately hid under a hide away log the moment Stretch let him inside. After he was settled, you yawned and sat with the skeleton on the couch. Drowsiness had begun to weigh on you a while ago, but finally sitting down showed you just how tuckered out you were. It was only 5 in the morning, and you were thankful you didn’t have work tomorrow and had every intention of sleeping in. 

You felt the skeleton nuzzle his face against the top of your head and hum. “Happy Valentine's Day, sweet bee.”

You turned to look at him. “Valentines day?” 

“Yeah, it’s technically the 14th, even if the sun isn’t up yet. Had the whole day planned for ya…. If you’re up for that I mean.” he hummed, a shy smile tugged on his face. 

You hummed sweetly and leaned your head back to his shoulder. “That sounds lovely, but I don’t know if I’ll be waking up any time soon for your plans.” You sighed. 

Stretch rubbed your back and pulled you a touch closer. “Well, good thing I had that planned out too. Had a whole lunch and dinner date planned.” 

“Aww.” You smiled and closed your eyes. Lunch and dinner, he’s so sweet. 

…

Wait. 

“Is that why you laughed!?”

Stretch’s cackling filled the living room and you’re once again reminded of another reason why you fell for him. He really does think of everything. 

That’s all the clarification you needed to throw on a sweater, grab his little basket, and head out the door with a pep in your step. It was a little nippy, but luckily the sweater helped to block out the breeze.

Once you’d arrived on the doorstep, you scuffed off the debris from your shoes to avoid the wrath of half the family. Then, you bumped the door open with your hip. You announced your arrival to the house before the sweet smell of something like honey hit your nose, and you followed the trail all the way to the kitchen. 

Ash stood in the kitchen with a large pot of something boiling on the stove as he bustled to and fro with a few other tasks. He seemed to be trying to tap some colorful powder onto a sheet of paper.

“Hey, you.” You smiled, gently setting the basket on the empty counter space. You made sure to avoid tipping over the vase of colorful flowers, some of which you didn’t recognize. Ash paused and turned his head to face you, his face perking up in the softest way. 

“Heya. Sorry, didn’t hear you come in.” He tapped the rest of the powder onto the paper. 

You sauntered up behind him and peered over his shoulder. “Whatcha got there? Chalk?”

The skeleton chuckled and shook his head. “No, it’s paint. The base of it.”

“Paint? Isn’t that supposed to be a liquid? Or something?” You scratched your cheek with a confused hum.

Ash gently folded the paper to pour the green powder into a glass vial. “When you add a binder to it, it turns into a nice watercolor paint. They’re for Poplar. He said he was running low on a few colors.”

You gasped and grinned. “Aww! I didn’t know you could make paint!” He slid over to the stove and peered over the top, which you realized was where that sweet smell was coming from. “Is that what this is?” 

Ash set the topped vial aside next to a yellow one and nodded. “Mhm. It’s pea flower. If I did it right, it should make a nice teal.” He massaged his palm a bit with his thumb. Clearly, he’d been at this for a second.

“What do you gotta do next?” You asked, wafting the nice smell of the boiling pea flower toward you. The color looked really pretty from what you could tell.

The skeleton sighed. “I gotta pour that stuff into a separate jar and add some alum and washing soda, then strain it through a filter to catch the pigment, and then let it dry out.” He pointed to the sink where a jar tied off with a few filters sat. He seemed exhausted just explaining the process.

“Pour the whole thing into the jar?” You confirmed, and grabbed the oven mitts before Ash could. 

He blinked. “Yeah…”

You turned off the stove and smiled. “Go look at what I got you, I can do this.” You reassured and slowly waddled over to the jars. 

“Are you sure? Ya don’t have to do that…”

“Yep! Go take a little break.” You pointed at some small containers set aside. “Is this the stuff I gotta pour in?” Once he confirmed, you shooed him off one final time before carefully pouring the contents into the jar. Seeing the light shine through really made the pretty color pop. You couldn’t wait to see how it would look in Poplar’s future paintings. 

Once you set the empty pot aside in the sink, you poured in the alum, then the washing soda, the crinkling of wrapping paper stopped and silence filled the air. You looked over your shoulder as you stirred the contents and smiled when seeing Ash’s expression. 

The rose sat in one hand, and the mug rested within the other. Ash was smiling at your little note. A soft blush sat on his cheeks, and he looked so truly happy that it made your heart do a couple flips in the best way. You sighed softly and jumped when you felt liquid hit your fingers and realized the substance had foamed over the top. Luckily, you were able to tame the mess before it got too bad. 

“What’s this for?” His soft voice broke the silence, and you turned back to him once you’d wiped the mess away. 

“It’s for you, silly.” You chuckled, and gently stirred the liquid with the stained wooden spoon. Seems Ash had been busy with this project for a little bit. 

You felt him shuffle in beside you, with his hands cradled around the mug and flower like they were the most precious items in the world. You honestly felt really touched by his tenderness with them.

“Well… I get that but… why?” he asked, looking up at you with confusion written over his face. Once you’d finished stirring the pigment, you turned fully to face him. His gloves felt soft against your hands as you gently cupped his own, a tender touch with a matching smile. 

“Remember that holiday you mentioned in your texts? It’s Valentine's Day.” You explained as you brushed your thumbs over the tops of his gloved hands. 

His sockets blinked. “Oh… I don’t think I know that one. We don’t really… celebrate most human holidays.” He looked down at your joined hands, and a small smile grew on his face. “What does Valentine's Day mean to you..?”

You carefully removed the mug and flower from his hands and placed them on the counter, letting the rose sit inside the planter mug before you properly held his hands. He gave a gentle squeeze. Part of you thought he’d be more firm if he had the energy for it, but you’re not going to complain. Love isn’t only shown in physical strength, after all.

“Well, the short and modern version is that it’s a day for couples to just… be cute and lovey dovey. Celebrate being together, appreciating their partners. Give gifts, all that jazz.” You explained, probably very poorly, but judging by his face he seemed to understand. “Personally, I just like to spend time with my partner and do something fun.”

“Oh… well... We’re a couple.” he stepped a little closer. You could feel the tips of his shoes as they touched yours. “I’m your partner.”

“That you are.” You agreed with a hum, smiling when seeing his blush bloom on his cheeks. 

“I…” he looked over to the counter where that large vase of flowers still rested. “I didn’t know today was that kinda holiday but… I guess I still have something to give you.” He pulled his hands away and beckoned you to the bouquet. 

The clear vase held a bushel of very bright, healthy, and colorful flowers. Pinks, purples, and greens are neatly fluffed in an almost perfect circle; and you can’t help but imagine Ash tediously hunched over making sure it looked that way. You could only put a name to two of the flowers, but it looked gorgeous nonetheless.

“It’s very pretty.” You praised, gently reaching out to stroke a soft petal. “Did you grow these yourself?”

He nods. “Mmm… most of them. I had to get the limonium from a shop in town, but I grew everything else.” He smiled, looking very pleased with himself in regard to his flowers.

You bit your lip and stared hard at the bouquet, squinting as if the names of the plants would just jump out into your head. “............which ones are those again?”

Ash chuckled, his smile widening as he took in my distress. “They’re the smaller purple ones. They’re also called sea lavenders, because of how much it looks like real lavender.” He explained, and gently rotated a flower to sit better with the bunch. 

“Why not get real lavender?” 

“Real lavender is toxic to cats.”

“Fair enough.” You nodded and smiled back at the bouquet. “It’s very pretty, hun. Thank you. And you didn’t even know it was Valentine’s Day?” 

He blushed and shook his head, rubbing his arm shyly before he gently pressed his shoulder against you. “I’m.. glad you like it. I hope you like what it says, too.” He hummed.

You blinked. “Oh, shoot, is there a note?” You gently spun the vase, looking for a possible tag or ribbon. 

“Oh, no. There’s no note. Um… right you probably don’t know a lot of flower language, huh?” He rubbed the back of his neck and turned his head away. 

“I know red usually means love or something.” You faced him and smiled, heart fluttering at the apparent hidden message within the bouquet. A message he spent months growing and perfecting to give to you. “What does it mean?”

He fixed the strap of his overalls back to his shoulder, clearly a little shy. “Most of the flowers there mean…. First love, and similar to it.” He said softly, his face a deep blue. 

You blinked and smiled slowly. “Ash….. that’s so beautiful! You went through all the effort to make all this just to tell me I’m your first love?” You could feel your own cheeks warming. 

He nodded slowly and faced me, his smile the biggest it'd been so far. “I… didn’t know how else to say it.”

You used his hands to pull him close and kiss the top of his skull. “For someone who didn’t know about Valentine's Day, you certainly chose the perfect day to give me this.” 

He chuckled gently, squeezed your hands and sighed. “I love you, Petal.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You were tired.

You were tired and could hardly breathe.

Those were the only two things you could think about as you followed Boss’ trail down his usual jogging path. You supposed that it was through practice that he was able to keep this up every morning. That, and sheer endurance. Maybe the lack of muscles to wear out as well.

Either way, your legs felt like jelly – which felt pathetic, as you’d only been going for half an hour, albeit at Boss’ pace.

Speaking of… contrary to you, it seemed that your jogging partner was still pushing to keep things going. Even if he refused to say it, and even when he had notably slowed down his pace for you, you could tell he was itching to rocket off through the rest of his walk. If only by the energy of his movement.

Yeah, this wasn’t working out for either of you.

You were the first to speak.

“Ok… time out. I’m ready to stop.”

Boss stopped in place, taking a moment to inspect you in all your exhausted glory.

“I see. This was what I was worried about. I appreciate your ambition on my account, but also…” he hesitated to finish.

You spoke up as he remained silent.

“Boss, I really appreciate that you prepared so much for this. I’ll admit, I overestimated my ability, too. I just thought that by taking the normal route, I could get to know you a little better. The things you like to do or see on your usual jog, y’know?”

Boss gripped his chest tightly.

“You need to not be so sweet, I don’t think my Soul can take it.” Boss picked you up, noticeably cringing a little at just how damp you were, but still he held you regardless. “Do you wish to head home?”

You shook your head.

“Not really. I don’t want to cut my time with you short. You don’t get a lot of free time as it is.”

“Do you have the energy to walk?”

“…Nope.”

“Then I will make do.”

Boss set you on the ground. You barely had time to wince before he lifted you back up, this time taking you by the knees as you were scooped up into a piggyback ride. You swiftly wrapped your arms around Boss’ shoulders, not wanting to lose your balance.

“Is this comfortable for you?” Boss asked, helping you situate yourself.

“Uh… I’m… I’m ok. Are you? I know I’m kind of sweaty right now–”

“If I cared, I wouldn’t have lifted you. Your ability to make it the rest of the way is more important than my intolerance of filth. If it is any degree of comfort, I’ve had to carry my brother in much the same way, and you could never match his lack of cleanliness.”

“…Fair.”

Boss continued down the path, moving at a quick pace, but slow enough to not jostle you. You used this time to take in your surroundings. He had chosen a relatively nice neighborhood for his walk. Trees just starting to regrow their leaves for spring lined the path, with freshly manicured lawns on either side. The houses, still cast in the shadow of the early morning light, stood in pristine lines. It appeared to be new construction, with how fresh everything about the buildings looked. A few walkers passed the two of you by, human and monster alike, with some offering a wave or a brief, “Morning!” Boss reciprocated the gesture as best he could while still holding you.

You spoke up after a little while.

“This is a nice place you found. Did you just find it at random?”

Boss answered directly.

“It was already Papyrus’ route, before I’d… erm…” He paused for a moment. “Before I joined him on his jogging route. We used to live nearby, actually.”

“Oh really?”

“Indeed. Monsters settled relatively close to here after they first emerged from Mt. Ebott. Most of what you see around you was built by them. Have you never been to this area?”

“I’ve never really had a reason to. Though I think I’ve driven past once or twice.”

“Would you care to see the old house?”

“Sure!”

Boss’ snicker was the only warning you had before he took off. It was about 4 blocks of being tossed around before he skidded to a stop right outside a quaint little house nestled right in the heart of the neighborhood.

“Do you think you can stand for a bit?”

“Yeah, would be good to stretch my legs anyway.”

Boss carefully lowered you to the ground, letting you take in the house. It was no wonder that they’d had to move; this was the perfect size for a small family. Emphasis on “small.”

“How on Earth did all 10 of you manage to squeeze in there?”

“We didn’t. That’s why we moved.”

You nodded. Suddenly, a lot of things began to click into place. You had thought the size of their house wasn’t enough before… now you couldn’t find the words.

Boss stretched his back, his spine popping slightly after the exertion of carrying you for at least 2 miles.

“It was certainly a time,” he began, “I had to share a room with both Papyrus and Poplar, as they were the only two that bothered to maintain a decently clean and organized space. Even between the three of us trying our best, though, there was barely room. It took quite a bit of work, but I thank the stars every day that we saved up enough to move out.”

“Yeah, I don’t blame you. I think I would have been driven stir crazy within a week.”

“Most of us were. Though there are some things that I miss about the old place. The location, for one.”

“Oh really? What’s so special about it?”

Boss smiled, taking your hand in his. He led you down the street, just beyond the boundary of the neighborhood – past the houses you couldn’t see before.

What you were eventually greeted with was an elementary school… and right in front of it, an enormous hedge in the shape of a familiar face. You couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity.

“Wait, wait, is that Papyrus?”

“Indeed. He requested it from the king specifically. Every time we go jogging, he always stops to pose and take pictures in front of it. It’s always amusing, though he doesn’t do it with as much frequency anymore, as it’s a bit out of the way.”

“Oh, I would PAY to see him do that.”

Boss laughed at your comment.

“It is certainly a sight. I’ll be sure to let you know when he’s in the area. Assuming you don’t wish to accompany us on our NEXT jog?”

Boss offered you a sly smile. You shook your head.

“Nope. If I can’t keep up with you, I DEFINITELY can’t keep up with him.”

“I don’t doubt that.”

Boss led you further down the road, away from the houses and into what seemed to be a business district. This was somewhere you were more familiar with; a lot of monsters had set up shop in this place.

You’d been to the odd store here and there, though it had been a while since you visited. It wasn’t quite bustling yet in the early morning hours, but you could tell it had become much livelier. Paintings adorned the building walls, the once small shrubs had sprouted into trees… clearly the area had received a lot of TLC.

“Would you like to make one last stop before we head home?” Boss asked with a wide smile on his face.

“Sure, I’m game. Where are we headed?”

“You’ll see.” Boss led you down the street, passing window display after window display with all sorts of unique decorations. It was near the end of the street when Boss finally stopped. 

“A bookstore?” You asked.

“Indeed. This was where I first learned to cook.”

You paused.

“… In a bookstore?”

“No, no. You see, when I was in the Underground, I didn’t have much time to prepare food, and not much in the way of literature on the subject either. What I did learn was from a friend, who was more focused on pummeling her food than preparing it properly. Monsters made a point to gain all kinds of knowledge once they surfaced and had access to all the books this world had to offer. So, this is where I obtained my first cookbook.”

“They didn’t have them Underground?”

“Well, they did. Sort of. Most of them were waterlogged or hard to interpret without having a monster equivalent. It was interesting, learning just what foods existed and what I could make with them. One of the many reasons I’m glad I’m here now.”

Boss looked at the store wistfully, his gaze just barely clouded over. You smiled, taking his hand in yours.

“I’m glad you’re here too.”

Boss grinned, turning his gaze to you. His smile was wide, crinkling his sockets.

“Perhaps you were right. I’m glad I was able to take this route with you. I shouldn’t have doubted you.”

“No, no, you were right to. I am going to be SORE in the morning.”

Boss chuckled, kneeling down to your level and nuzzling his teeth against your forehead.

“Perhaps we both were a little bit right and a little bit wrong. Regardless, I am happy you’re with me.”

“I’m just as happy to be with you, Boss.”

You wrapped your arms around Boss, who returned the hug tenfold. It was there, in the middle of that sidewalk, that you could feel just how much this skeleton loved you – how your love for him was just as present, and just as intense.

Yeah.

“i haven’t gotten one yet so thanks.” “You’re welcome! Can I come inside? I want to give everyone else their gifts too!” “heh, sure. i’m sure you want to see a certain someone as well. he’s in the kitchen.”

You nodded as your face heated for a moment, “Thank you, Sans.” You headed inside and, sure enough, there was something cooking in the kitchen… or baking…? A rich, buttery scent of baked goods wafted in, as well as something strange; it was as if there was something being awfully burnt. You ran to the kitchen to see what could possibly have gone wrong. Red was standing around the counter with a frustrated expression across his face. He hadn’t noticed you yet as he turned his back, but you could see his sleeves had been rolled up, flour dusted across his hands and cheek along with some chocolate. He grumbled angrily to himself, and it’s then that you saw the source of his frustration; a layered chocolate cake –or… what remained of it– had turned charred and concrete. After setting the tray on the stove, he turned and noticed you.

Caught off guard, he coughed and blushed, “wha- whatcha doin’ here, sweetheart?” 

You smiled as he was sweating nervously, obviously trying to play it off cool. 

“Well, it’s Valentine's day silly, I’m delivering gifts for a few people. Now what are you doing here?”

“nothin’. ain’t nothin’ goin’ on here. just... kitchen stuff.” 

Your eyes flickered to the poor, unfortunate cake that looked more like a solid block of charcoal than anything edible. 

“Uh-huh. Kitchen stuff, huh?” 

His blush deepened as he ran a hand down his face, only managing to smear more flour onto his cheek.

He groaned, “alright, alright! ya caught me, sweetheart.” A sigh left him, “i, uh… was tryin’ to bake somethin’ fer ya.” He rubbed the back of his skull. “normally i’m not this horrible, but i dunno what happened…” A bit of shyness seeped into his voice as he spoke, “i guess i kinda got lost in thought.” A smile crept up on your cheeks as you walked closer, inspecting his burnt cake. A bunch of decorations were scattered around the counter, and the recipe book was opened on a page for layered cake. You could tell from the mess that he was trying.

You sighed and gave him a hug, “I appreciate the gesture, I can tell you really put a lot of effort on it.”

“well…pardon my french but it looks like a pile of sh–”

“–shweet delicious goodness?” you quickly countered with a grin.

“somethin’ like that.” His face was lightly dusted scarlet as he put a hand on his hip, the other trying to nudge the cake towards the trash.

“Hey wait- why are you throwing it away?”

“it’s burnt, there’s no way you could eat this.”

You tried to pull the pan back before he chuckled, pulling you back by your hip.

“no, you’ll get sick if ya eat it… also careful, s’ hot still.”

You nodded, feeling his warm phalanges pull away from the side of your waist. 

“There must be a way to save it still, you worked so hard on it. It’d be a waste…” You sighed, rubbing your chin before you clapped your hands together, “oh wait, I got it!”

You rummaged through the drawers, pulling out a knife and spatula. Red’s bony face seemed to contort in confusion as he hovered behind you.

“not that i don’t ‘ppreciate your determination, sweetheart; but if ya eat that, i promise you, you will regret it later.” 

He cracked a small chuckle as you bumped him with your hip to get some elbow room.

“Just watch, hold on!” you insisted.

You started to saw off the burnt parts, haphazardly putting the scraps into a different bowl. He perked up, trying to intrude, but ultimately waited and gathered a few stray bowls and utensils into the sink as you work. It wasn’t long before you moved aside to reveal the cake. Red looks at it, his bonebrow raised and nodded, trying to cover his obvious concern. 

Voila! You successfully made an even more unappetizing cake, but now cut into weird chunks…

“no offense, but… it looks like a bear got hungry.” Red muttered.

“No-no- wait, hear me out- we can turn these into cake pops! Just gotta mix it with frosting, chill the dough, mold ‘em into spheres, add a bit of chocolate and sprinkles, and boom – they’re still edible!”

“yeah?” He asked in surprise, almost hopeful that his Valentine’s gift wasn’t going to be a complete disaster after all.

“Yeah!” You chirped and the two of you got to work.

Red couldn’t help but smile, his initial nerves and discomfort seeming to melt away as you both got comfortable in the kitchen, moving in sync to make the cake pops. He helped stir in the frosting as you crumbled the cake. Then, with the small ice cream scoop in hand,  you scooped the dough into little balls before Red whisked them into the fridge.

Afterwards, your hands scrubbed at the bowls, washing the dishes as he wiped the counters and opened the window to air out the burning smell. He cleared the trash as you finished drying your hands. After some time passed, Red washed and dried his hands before pulling the cake pops out. 

Finally ready to decorate, he dipped the cake into the melted chocolate, a curtain of excess chocolate falling off as he gently turned it in his hand before passing it to you. You sprinkled on heart candies and sugar crystals before putting the cake pop on a piece of wax paper to dry. By the end of the little baking extravaganza, you were now also a mess covered in a bit of frosting, sprinkles and chocolate. 

“Nice! We saved the city!” you exclaimed.

“what? wait- you got a little something right there.”

You rubbed your face, and looked back at him with a confused look.

“nah, s’right here.”

His fingers gently rubbed away some chocolate on your chin as you leaned down, making it easier for him to reach. You didn’t realize how close you both had gotten until Red stopped suddenly, his eyelights turning into pinpricks and his cheekbones warmed into a pretty crimson. He pulled away and wiped the chocolate on a rag before turning to you. 

You coughed into your hand, shaking off the heat warming your face. “So uh… ready to eat some nuggets of cake?”

He choked, his struggling wheeze quickly turning into a chuckle, “not when you say it like that.”

“Fine, fine. Lets just dig in!” 

You gingerly picked one up and took a bite – it tasted great, the traces of charred dough having been long covered up by the chocolate and frosting. It was moist and perfect, you gasped softly as you looked at him excitedly; he looked almost surprised by the taste.

“Oh yeah, I’m stealing all of these.” You did a little dance as you ate, enjoying the cake pop.

He laughed a bit, joining in on the jig as you both just happy-wiggled at your creation. 

“good luck, ‘m stealing a couple fer myself.”

“I thought you were baking it for me!” You gasped in mock offense.

He paused for a moment, “they’re our cake pops now.”

You bit into one and tried to look as annoyed as possible, but he only relished in your reactions as you both ate and goofed off in the kitchen. You remembered the cookies in your bag, so you went to grab them, and bring them to your skeleton. He stopped chewing as he took the goodies from your hands.

“ya brought me a valentine’s gift?” 

His voice seemed to waver as you nodded, gesturing for him to try it. He flashed you a crooked smile, his sharp teeth grew even wider as he pulled the bag apart gently.

He looked at the cookies, baked with obvious care and… love. He looked at you again, and you couldn’t help your own face beginning to warm up as you greatly anticipated his reaction. He turned one of the treats around in his hand, appreciating the neat frosting, and took a big chomp with his teeth. The cookie went down smoothly despite the lack of an esophagus, and the entire thing was gone in a matter of seconds.

His genuine smile said it all as you watched him go for another. You couldn’t help but sigh in relief as he ate while you grabbed another cake pop. The both of you enjoyed the ambience of the warm kitchen. The aroma of sweets brought you both closer as you packed up a few cake pops to go, leaving a few for him and his cousins to try later. 

The evening rolled by as you headed out, carrying a mixture of treats from every skeleton in the household. You scrambled to, at the last minute, pass out the other cookies you made for each of them, and Red couldn’t help but notice… that you had only made special cookies for him.

You were on your way out after saying your goodbyes to each skeleton, giving them hugs before you pulled away. You said goodbye to Red as he held the door open for you. As you started to step away, you felt phalanges slip into your hand, intertwined with your fingers. You stopped and turned to face Red.

“Red?”

“i - uh, sweetheart, thanks… fer saving the cake, and fer the cookies. happy valentine’s day.”

You smiled warmly at him, feeling your heart beating a bit harder and faster. You couldn’t quite place if it was just all the sugar, or something else making you feel like running a lap around the corner. 

“You’re welcome, thank you too… for baking me something. You’re so sweet.”

His smile was warm before he realized, “i- was that a pun?”

You laughed and squeezed his hand gently and his eyes softened and his shoulders relaxed. 

“Would.. you like to walk me home?” you asked softly.

“i’d love nothin’ more than to cake you home,” he replied with a wink.

The two of you walked back to your house right across the street, the crisp air cooling you. Soon after, you stopped at your doorstep. He looked at you, almost sad to let go of your hand as you jangled the keys out of your pocket and opened the door. You turned back to him, his hands now shoved in his pockets.

“Thanks for walking me back, Red.”

“s’no problem, sweetheart, have a good night.”

“You too…”

The two of you stood there for a few moments; despite the silence, it was… comfortable. You swore you could feel your heart knocking against your chest as he slowly turned to walk back, his shoes dragging along the sidewalk. With a moment of confidence, you lurched forward and grabbed his hand, and he looked back surprised as you leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek. His face was deceptively cool despite his growing blush.

“T-That’s for walking me back.”

You never thought you’d see a skeleton as red as a tomato, but there you were watching him momentarily stunned and flustered as he tried to ‘keep his cool’.

“heh..heh.. i should walk ya back more often, then.”

You smiled and pulled away, scurrying behind your opened door before he could notice your own face dying of heat. 

“You can try, ya goof.” You waved him goodbye as he walked away, waving back.