Cicada-Wisp's Hangout

The carriage hit another rock, sending you jolting awake from your seat. Your vision swam as you returned to the world of the waking, looking around to see the similarly disgruntled faces of your traveling companions. 

Mirabelle straightened her rosy bow on the top of her head while Charlie and Saffron fixed their suit-dress and suit respectively. You looked down at your own red lace bow, tightening it just in case.

“Gosh, this ride’s been awfully bumpy,” Mirabelle said in her usual melodious voice, patting her hair back into place. You let out a hum of agreement while rubbing your eyes. “You’d think the road to the castle would be smoother…”

“I don’t think the monsters really need a smooth path,” Saffron said, resting his head against the window seat. For someone who looked so fitting in a suit, they certainly didn’t act accordingly. “Don’t they use magic to make their carriages float? That’s what I heard, anyway.”

“Do they? Oh, that’s fascinating!” Mirabelle replied with a sharp gleam in her eyes. “Like in fairy tales?”

“Aren’t most fairy tales, like, historic accounts of monster-human relations from before the War?” You asked, thinking back to what you saw in a booklet on monster-human history. “Well, censored in the human’s favor, of course, but still.” Saffron just shrugged, and Charlie had closed their eyes already, breathing slowly and gently.

“I think I’ll need to take a trip to the library again…” Mirabelle said somewhat morosely, though her eyes hadn’t lost their previous shine.

“Like that’s a real complaint,” Saffron replied coyly. “Isn’t your library your second home or something?” Mirabelle giggled in response.

“I guess! Ms. Harlow gave me a spare key a while back, actually.” She continued before pausing with a sigh. “But I do hope we get new books soon… Oh! Do you think we’ll be able to stop by Castle Town while we’re at the Gala?”

“If you’re alright with sneaking away, probably.” You said, looking out the window as well. The view of the countryside slowly sailed by you, the occasional farmhouse and barn being the only things to break the monotony of the endless fields. 

But you had no complaints. With the stars shining overhead and the moon glowing like a second sun, you couldn’t help but be brought back to Mirabelle’s previous mention of fairy tales. 

“We’ll be kept within the castle walls until the party ends, after all.” You continued, eyes still fixated on the outside. “And by that point, we’ll have to rush back to the carriage, so sadly, that means no rondevouz.” You heard Mirabelle sigh and felt your heart break a little.

“Don’t be sad, Mira.” Charlie said, startling you slightly. They had seemed deep in sleep. “You might be able to make it to the castle library. How nice could that be?”

“Oh, you’re right!” She gasped, clasping her hands together. “Ahh, I’ve heard stories of the Monster Castle library… Filled wall to wall with bookshelves, desks lining ceiling-tall windows with the most plush chairs in existence… And perfectly lit with magic torches.” She let out a dreamy sigh before settling back into the carriage seat. 

A smile forced its way onto your lips. Mirabelle’s joy was awfully infectious. Everyone who knew her said that, out of anyone, she had the most penchant for magic, considering just how inspiring she could be. 

And you did agree with everyone. There was no doubt in your mind that Mirabelle had some mage ancestry.

Of course, as magical as Mirabelle seemed to be… Her ‘title’ of your town’s mage-descendant was swiftly replaced by someone no one had expected: Frisk Hughmann, town child and troublemaker extraordinaire… Along with marriage, friendship, and all-around relationship counselor.

Frisk had always been an especially interesting child, often pushing the boundaries of both social norms and their own safety. Given that they were a kid and raised by a single father, no one had the heart to judge them for whatever trouble they got into… Which more often than not involved some form of perilous activity, luckily mostly only involving themself.

Climbing onto the roof of the church from the outside was their go-to, which wasn’t that bad considering the church in your town was awfully small. 

There was another time they built a house made of sticks in the woods, and they managed to hide from everyone for three or so days during that stint. It was honestly impressive, and even though he was scared, Frisk’s father was quite impressed by their survivalist skills. 

And trying to ride the sheep like horses was charming, at least until they managed to break the pen’s gate and release them into the wilds.

You winced, remembering the terrible bruise you got for launching at one of the faster sheep that day. You had been sore for weeks, if you remembered right.

But eventually their childish games weren’t enough for them, or something. One day, around a year and a half ago, something happened with the rest of the kids that sent them up Mount Ebott in a, from what you understood, dare-infused tizzy. 

What happened on the mountain, or in the mountain, you guessed, was largely secretive… Regardless of the specific events, it led to all of Monsterkind going free in just a single day.

Impressive stuff for a 12-year-old kid.

And now they were all over the news, going from town to town preaching the concept of ‘mercy’ towards all of monsterkind. You were hesitant at first - who wouldn’t be, in a world so full of suspicion and fear? - but the monsters didn’t seem as violent as most stories said.

You felt your cheeks warm at the memory of one goat monster in a suit the color of the night sky right now, with silver stars sewn into it to match which you had seen in painting form. You never got his name, nor have you ever seen him in person, but you had stared at the painting for a little longer than necessary…

There was another bump in the road, snapping you back to reality once again. There was an excited chill in the air, more palpable than anything a silent carriage could produce. You peered out the window, craning your head as far as it could go to see the path ahead.

Bright, warm lights shone in the distance, luckily not obscuring the shining stars in the sky. You couldn’t see that far ahead, but judging by the growing number of stone houses, you assumed that you’d be entering Castle Town soon enough and, based on that, Monsterkind’s Castle as well.

The carriage rattled slightly as its wheels crossed the threshold of dirt road to stone pathway, and you found it almost magically smoother. Mirabelle let out an audible gasp and Saffron sighed contentedly, with Charlie’s mouth curling into a slight smile. 

You supposed a smooth road was good for anyone, and the feeling of calm that settled over you confirmed that you yourself weren’t immune to such niceties.

There was a knock on the driver’s window, and the small pane of glass slid back to reveal the tired-looking driver.

“Get your tickets out,” He instructed, voice gruff. You rummaged around your pockets and pulled out the golden slip of paper, inscribed with your name and the King of Monsters’ robotic, jagged signature. “Checkpoint up ahead.” The window slammed closed, prompting a wince from you and Mirabelle.

“Jerkass.” Charlie mumbled, though they did as they were told, just as everyone else.

“Listen, staying up for hours on end in the dark is enough to make anyone an asshole,” Saffron replied, holding their own ticket in their black-gloved hands. Their suit was light gray, with several four-pronged stars stitched into its sleeves and ends joined in by a gradient into a darker shade of gray. 

It was awfully similar to the monster in the painting’s suit, but for some reason, theirs didn’t strike you as much as the monster’s had. 

“Don’t you remember my adventurer days? I’d always be the grouch himself after a long night out.” He continued, though Charlie just waved him off.

“Well, you were walking around in the woods at night. He’s just sitting on his ass…” They opened a single eye, staring in Saffron’s direction. “...And don’t you mean thieving days? You were robbing people blind, not going on some noble quest!” Saffron broke into another wide, cheeky grin.

“Got me there, Char-Char~” He giggled.

“Shh! Guys! We’re almost there!” Mirabelle hurriedly said, excitedly pressing herself against a window. As nonchalant as Saffron and Charlie tried to present themselves as, they too pressed against each other to get a glance at the town of legends.

Monsters and humans walked the streets together, chatting, with hands clasped and arms entangled. The shops and restaurants buzzed with activity, almost every window brightly lit and packed with patrons of all shapes and sizes. 

You saw a bunny monster in the most fluffy-looking dress you had ever seen going shoulder-to-shoulder with a human taller than anyone you had ever met, and a slime-like monster with a human child sitting smugly on their head going up and down the sidewalk. 

A flash of red and black swarmed down from the sky, and you flinched before realizing it was only a mothman-like monster landing in the, based on a large sign posted nearby, designated landing zone.

“Holy shit, look at the horns on that guy!” Charlie said, sending your head snapping to their window. A tall reindeer-like monster was walking down the street, his horns a twisting and shifting growth of… Pinetree branches? His robe, colored red with white cotton on the ends like Santa’s suit, trailed behind him, leaving a path of frost in its wake. “Angel above, I’d love to have some like those…”

“Do you think there’s magic for that yet?” Saffron asked in a whisper, staring intensely at what you could only describe as a living star. Shimmering lights floated around them, and they walked towards the castle with clear purpose. “Because that’s the body I want.”

“I’m good with my human form,” Mirabelle said lightly, settling back into the carriage seat. “Plus, monsters have gone through… Well… Quite a lot. I fear it’d be rude to try and, ah, cosplay them…” Saffron and Charlie made noncommittal noises of agreement, still people watching from their window.

“Well, you know what they say.” You whispered, turning to look out your own window. “Be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it.”

The ride eased into silence, broken only by the occasional ‘ooh’s and ‘ahh’s that came with staring at the general public. After a while, the sights became repetitive and sparse, worsened by the growing proximity to the castle.

That is, of course, you noticed a tall, cloaked monster with pristine white horns emerging from the top of their hood. Their head was angled down, so you couldn’t see much, but judging by their hands folded in front of them, they were assumedly covered in similarly white fur. 

Their dark purple robes made it hard to tell them apart from the shadows, especially since they were standing far from the nearest torch, but something about the sight of them almost forced your attention onto them.

The carriage rattled again after seemingly hitting a rock, audibly this time. You fell backward slightly, but managed to keep an eye on the cloaked monster. Their head snapped up suddenly, and a bright red light shone from their eye, boring into your own. You realized then with a sudden chill that they, too, took notice of your gaze.

The carriage passed by a tree, and by the time your sight was cleared, the monster had slipped away into the night.

You felt your heart hammer with fear as you sank back into the seat’s cushions, your traveling companions unaware of the horror you had just experienced. You knew monsters had an acute sense of their surroundings, but you didn’t realize how far their powers spread. 

Maybe they had some sort of spell in place to make them more spatially conscious? But if that was the case, why not just hide themselves from sight entirely?

You bit into your thumbnail. Shit. Maybe they were just that powerful.

“[Name]? Is something wrong?” Mirabelle asked gently. You looked up to find everyone in the carriage staring at you, heat rushing up your cheeks. “Oh, gosh, are you feeling sick? I don’t think I have any ginger candies on me…” You shook your head while waving your hand.

“No, no, it’s just…” You began, trying to decide whether to tell them. You didn’t want to worry anyone, especially since the monster had disappeared rather than attacking you head-on. Maybe you were just making things worse in your head. 

That flash of red light could have been anything after all, and maybe you two had just happened to lock eyes right at that moment. They could have just been startled from the carriage making such sudden noise, and… 

Shit they’re all still looking at you.

“...It’s just… We’re here! Really here! In Monsterkind’s own castle! A lot of pressure, right?” You finished with an awkward laugh, fixing your lace bow from the previous josling.

“Oh. Oh! That makes sense.” Mirabelle said, breathing a sigh of relief. “Don’t worry, [Name], everything will be fine! You said yourself that there’s going to be plenty of soldiers, right? Monster and human!”

“Chill out, man.” Charlie said, lightly punching you in the shoulder. “If you’re worried about saying anything… Uh… Speciest? Monster-phobic? Just stick by one of us or pretend to be mute.” You rubbed your semi-wounded arm, finding the punch surprisingly strong.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” You muttered as the carriage slowly came to a halt. You heard the driver get out of his seat and make his way to the door, opening it with a hand to help you all out. Mirabelle accepted it gratefully and gracefully, while Saffron and Charlie hopped out on their own accord. You nervously took the driver’s hand, stepping into the brisk night air.

While what you just said was an excuse, there still was some truth to it. You haven’t had a true one-on-one conversation with a monster before, and you were never invited to a party as fancy as this ever. 

It wasn’t even referred to as a party but a gala, which only made you feel even more out of place. You weren’t sure why you, of all people, were invited to go out of those in your village, but maybe Frisk had a soft spot for you or something.

You wrapped your arms around yourself as you hurried after your companions, finding the chill in the air strong despite your sleeves. You hadn’t realized it was so cold - maybe the carriage did have magic after all. 

You all settled into a line before the castle gate behind several other fancily-dressed people and monsters alike, no one truly talking despite the palpable buzz of anticipation in the air.

You decided to busy yourself with looking up at the giant castle before you. It stretched high into the sky, far higher than any church you had ever seen before, with the sharp point at the top looking like it would rip a hole in the ether itself. 

Several other spires poked out from here and there, each one topped with bright, blue flames that cast light that seemingly reached even down to the ground.

You mouthed a silent ‘whoa’ at the sight, not even caring that you got a few odd looks from those around you. Magic truly was wonderful, even if it only took the form of extra-bright flames. You stepped forward without realizing it was your group’s turn to have your tickets checked. 

Somewhat startled and a little annoyed that your gaze had been interrupted, you handed over your ticket to the checker, who spent several seconds cross-referencing each of your names on her list, which looked more like a novel than any stack of papers you had seen before.

“Looks like…” She hummed, flipping through the tickets once more before tearing off a piece of each and tossing them into a bag at her side. “You’re all here, yup. Keep the tickets, though, they’re for the social announcers.” She waved a hand, ushering you into the small single-entry gate one by one. Mirabelle bumped into Saffron’s side excitedly, her eyes alight.

“Oh, we’re finally here! Augh, I can’t wait!” She cheered, feet excitedly tapping on the cobblestone ground. You giggled slightly while Charlie chuckled beside you, unable to fully express the joy that they (probably) felt on account of the focus needed to prevent their suit-dress’ trail from dragging behind them and getting dirty. “Who wants to be introduced first?” She asks once you all reach the castle's main gate.

“Ugh, right… That part.” Saffron groaned, covering their face with a hand. “That’s going to be so embarrassing. What if I fall down the stairs?”

“You’re not that clumsy, Saffron,” Charlie replied as they stepped into the castle. You could see the seemingly endless black-and-white tiled flooring before them, and the thrill of entering a proper castle urged you to move faster. “Plus, everyone’s going to pay attention to whoever goes next the moment you step off the stairs. Just don’t make a bad entrance and it’ll all be fine.”

Saffron said something in reply, but you were too entranced by the room you had entered to recognize them speaking fully. The ceiling stretched on as tall as you should have expected, given the view from outside, but it never failed to surprise you. 

Banners of a human child with a bright red heart before their chest surrounded by similarly colored blooming roses adorned the golden walls, only broken by the full-length windows letting in the night. 

You tread forward on a crimson carpet tripped with a bright yellow, muffling your steps as you approached a closed door that led to what you assumed was the ballroom. To the left and right of the door were stairs leading up to an almost half-floor with empty doorways, which presumably led to the rest of the castle. 

You felt an itch just to break away from the carpet and explore the rest of the place, but you knew you had come too far to abandon this chance at experiencing “the high life,” as Frisk wrote to you in the letter with your ticket.

You and your group paused in front of the closed door, two avian-monster doorpeople stationed on either side of the double doors. You recognized the pattern etched into the mahogany wood along with the golden pins on their shirt; the DELTA RUNE, the symbol of Monsterkind’s religion.

“Names and tickets, please.” The avian monster on the right chirped in a melodious yet worn voice. Mirabelle handed hers over to the monster on the right first, who eyed her with a proud smile. 

They looked down at it, whispering Mirabelle’s name to the one on the left before opening the door up with perfect synchronization. Mirabelle stepped through after a beat of slight hesitation, followed by the avian monster on the left.

You heard the loud, muffled introduction of Mirabelle Aubor of Ebott Town from behind the door before the avian monster reappeared, closing the door in tandem with the other monster. This time they extended a hand, and Charlie placed their ticket on their feathered palm.

And so, after a moment of hesitation, the process repeated once more. Charlettei Joston of Ebott Town went first, then Saffron of Ebott Town - you didn’t manage to catch his last name being announced - then it was your turn.

You took a deep breath before handing over your own ticket, trying to quell your hammering heart. You didn’t know why you were so suddenly nervous; everyone else managed to get their own introduction done well, so you tried to rationalize your feelings away.

As expected, that didn’t work at all. You practically froze in place on the landing you walked out onto with far too many eyes in the sea of people all staring directly at you. Seconds inched on like forever, the only indication that time was progressing at all being the slow introduction of your name.

As if pulled by a string, you turned painfully slowly towards the stairs to your left, hand white-knuckling the railing as you descended. The feeling of eyes on you eased ever so slightly, and your heart rate slowly returned to some semblance of normal, but only after your feet touched down on solid ground did you feel like a living person again. 

You sucked in a deep breath as demurely as you could, somehow managing to avoid the scrutiny of those around you. Somehow.

You scanned your immediate vicinity for your traveling companions, though they all seemed to have scattered into the sea of partyfolk. You drummed your fingers on your crossed arms, trying to decide what the best course of action from here was.

Idle music hummed in the background, though the overwhelming conversation of the crowd mostly drowned it out. As large as this ballroom was, it was still approaching its max capacity. You heard the call of another guest arriving and, with a wince, realized more people were still coming before wondering if Monsters knew what fire hazards were.

You saw a man-like form of fire walk through the crowd carrying a plate of hors d'oeuvres, and realized that this place was probably safer than you had assumed.

You felt a little hungry and thirsty from the ride here, and you think you remembered seeing a snack table somewhere nearby from your previous vantage point. The conversation and music continued to play, and the few faces you could see in the crowd all looked so happy and grateful to be here, so you figured that you still had enough time to waltz around before the, well, waltz.

You pushed into the crowd of bodies using the skills you had gathered over the years from moving through the market crowd back home. If someone cut you off to your right, then you’d go left-right-forward to counteract that. 

It was a little harder because of the Monsters' varied forms in the crowd, but you had a goal in mind and were growing trust in yourself and your body despite the panic-infused moments from before.

The snack table was in sight after a couple of minutes of somewhat stagnant movement, though before you managed to reach it properly, a loud voice boomed over the music and idle chatter.

“WELCOME BEAUTIES, GENTLEBEAUTIES, AND ALL OTHER WONDERFUL ATTRIBUTES OF MIND AND BODY!” An animated, robotic voice called at the head of the ballroom. You froze, instinctively turning to face its source along with everyone else.

Sitting atop a golden throne with plush purple cushions, with one arm raised in the air and the other supporting his robotic cheek, was none other than King Mettaton of Monsterkind, fully decked out in his usual black-and-pink wardrobe. 

He slowly rose from his seat and approached a pedestal that slowly rose from the ground, cape flowing behind him like wings.

He wore a stereotypical king’s crown with the only non-black-and-pink colors: blood-red silk and bright gold framing. It almost made him look like a character from a storybook, though life had become more of a fantasy in recent years, so you weren’t surprised you felt such a reaction within you.

“THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US ON THIS FINE EVENING TO CELEBRATE MONSTERKIND’S TOTAL INAGURATION TO THE SURFACE.” He boomed, eliciting some polite claps from the crowd. Several of the monsters behind him did the same, though their expressions were less awe and more amusement. 

“THIS GALA HAS BEEN UNDER WORKS FOR LITERAL YEARS NOW, AND I TRULY HOPE IT DOES NOT DISSAPOINT.” He flashes a theatrical pose with a palm to his forehead. 

“FRISK, THE DARLING ANGEL, HAS BEEN HARD AT WORK TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE HERE, DOWN TO THE INVITEE LIST AND DINING PLAN. IF ANYTHING AMISS WERE TO HAPPEN… OH! THE MISERY.” Mettaton sighed before snapping back to his previous cheerful manner.

“WELL! GOOD THING NOTHING LIKE THAT WILL EVER HAPPEN!” He continued, earning him some laughter from the crowd. You laughed too, though it was more of a dry chuckle. “BUT I AM SURE I HAVE BORED YOU ALL ENOUGH! I ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING, AND I WOULD LIKE TO KICK OFF THE GALA WITH THE MAIN EVENT…” He snapped his fingers, and the lights dimmed before several small fairy lights began to float in the air like fireflies. 

“…THE WATLZ, OF COURSE! ALL OF MY WONDERFUL MONSTER FRIENDS SHALL JOIN YOU ALL ON THE DANCE FLOOR, SO PLEASE DO NOT BE AFRAID TO JOIN THEM FOR A LITTLE TRAISPE.”

The noise of piano keys filled the air, quickly joined by violins, cellos, and violas, with harpsichord plinks tying them all together. You heard the hopeful tune of a flute as well, bright and jovial despite the somewhat mournful melody that enraptured you and everyone in the crowd. 

The mob of people both thinned and pressed back to make room for the wide, open dance floor, only a few couples remaining out in the open with fingers interlocked and love clear in their gaze.

You looked up from the crowd to see several of the monsters behind King Mettaton rising from their seats and making their way down the steps. A tall skeleton with an orange cloak billowing behind him strutted down the steps with pep in his step, with a shorter skeleton dressed in purple-blue high on his heels. 

A large goat-looking monster followed after them a little way away, though he looked hunched and tired in a way that made him look ancient.

Though if rumors were to be true, some monsters could live almost forever… So maybe it was rude to think that.

But as nice as it was to observe these monsters approach, a flash of black and silver stars caught your attention before you had even realized it. Steadily walking down the staircase in a black suit with silver stars sewn into its hems and ends was another, younger-looking goat monster with pristine white fur and black stripes coming up his cheeks. A red rose was fastened tightly onto his left pocket, though it held a freshness only a living flower could keep.

You didn’t know how you knew all this, given how far away he was, yet you knew it was the absolute truth. You stood there, staring, just as you had done at the hooded monster from before and the monster from the painting all those months ago. Frozen with a warm feeling in your chest and a hammering heart.

Someone bumped into you, pulling their assumed date onto the dance floor, hands intertwined. It was only when the two had begun their winding and twisting dance that you realized it was Saffron and the star monster from before, both sharing an elegant-sounding laugh. You were happy for them, of course, but they had interrupted your romantic stupor.

“...Romantic?” You thought to yourself with flushed cheeks as you made your way to the punch bowl once more. The food looked divine, as everything else had in the castle. The punch swirled with a glittery substance; the light blue liquid never once mixed with the pink substance, no matter how much you stirred. 

“What’s wrong with me today? It’s only been five minutes, and I’m already fawning over a monster who just so happens to look like the one from the painting…” You sighed, taking a sip of the sweet yet rich liquid. “Do I have a type or something?” You thought dryly to yourself, idly swirling around the drink in your hand.

You didn’t know why that monster sprouted such a reaction in you. Maybe it was the fanciness of his suit? The stars and satin were painted beautifully, after all, but that didn’t make much sense. A well-painted article of clothing was more likely to make you want to wear it, not be with who was. 

Your own clothes were awfully drab, however, so maybe that wasn’t too far from the truth. This suit was the nicest you could afford, and it didn’t even have any of the accents your companions’ own clothing held. No stars or gradients for you, only a dull, solid blue color with a couple of diamond-like shapes sewn into the breast pockets. 

And it felt weird to say that you liked the monster’s body mostly… Maybe he was actually an asshole or something, just with a pretty face. Way too many of those in human society, after all, and who was to say monsters were any different? As Frisk had preached, ‘they’re just like us.’

You sighed and took another small sip from your cup, embarrassed to be thinking such things in a public event. There was just something about the monster’s face… His eyes, the way he looked so intensely at the painter, filled with sorrow and anguish, yet hope all the same. 

Regret, loss, but most importantly… Love. Kindness. The willingness to give and take, the push-and-pull of a newly formed relationship.

You squeezed your eyes shut and felt your cheeks heat. How you got all that from a painting was beyond even you - to most people, the monster just looked annoyed, yet you felt as though you could see into his very soul at just a glance.

You could even imagine his voice if you tried hard enough. Mature, yet gentle, with enough boyish charm to remind you of simpler times but without seeming to be kid-like. Not quite gruff, but the tone of someone who knows what he wants and will try - emphasis on try, the monster didn’t strike you as the forceful type - to get it, if he could.

It was the voice of… Well, an angel. Someone who had lived a life you could not understand, but one you wanted to. Someone you would build a life with, even. If you ever got the chance.

Not that you ever would, of course. Why or even how would he see you in the crowd and decide that you were worth his time? He was royalty after all, or at least very close to it. You frowned a little, heart breaking more than you would like to admit for the generally low-stakes situation you were in.

“Excuse me?” Someone asked, their - his - voice gentle yet mature, charming in its boyishness with a complementing dose of masculinity. Your eyes flew open, and you craned your head up from your cup to realize that the monster from the painting, the monster from the stairs, was standing right before you, hand outstretched in an invitation. 

“I’m sorry to come at you so suddenly,” He continued in his suave voice, smooth and soft like velvet. “But may I have this dance?” He asked again, extending his outstretched hand a little further. You awkwardly placed your cup on the table behind him, ensnared in the monster’s umber eyes. 

Your mouth hung open, flapping a few times before you realized that this was not, in fact, a hyper-realistic daydream.

“Y-Yes, I’d…” You stammer, then shake your head and stand up straighter. Project confidence, that’s what you needed to do. “Yes, a dance would be lovely.” You fully reply, accepting the monster’s hand with your own. 

He smiles, almost smugly, before bringing the back of your hand to his mouth and placing a - ticklishly - warm kiss on it.

“Thank you, Monsieur…?” He asked, guiding you forward to the dance floor, casting glances back at you even as he pushes into the crowd.

“[Name].” You replied, managing to keep your voice steady for once. “And your own?” You asked, hoping it wasn’t awkward that you didn’t know.

“Asriel.” The monster - Asriel. Even his name is fancy. - replied with a smile, almost sounding grateful. “Asriel Dreemurr, but no formalities are necessary.” He winks at you, sticking a tongue out. “Especially when it’s between us.”

Your face flushes again. That’s happened a lot tonight, you realize.

The two of you make your way into the center of the dance floor, several couples already waltzing around you with elegance and grace. Even Saffron, the known clutz, is managing to stay upright with the star monster.

You look up into Asriel’s eyes somewhat nervously. You can tell that he, too, is projecting confidence - there’s a gleam in his eyes that gives it away - but he certainly looks better than you. You can feel yourself shaking, be it from fear or anticipation, you couldn’t quite tell. 

But it was a good feeling.

You place a hand on Asriel’s shoulder, and he does the same with the small of your back. Your free hands clasp together, and you cannot help but rub your thumb over Asriel’s soft fur. He sways back and forth, and you try your best to follow along.

“Have you ever waltzed before?” He murmured, the current song slowly trailing off.

“Not really.” You reply, hearing a few plinks from the piano for the next song. “I’ve practiced before, but that’s not like the real thing.” Asriel shrugs in response, grip tightneing.

“Don’t worry,” He said sweetly while leaning in a little. You hadn’t realized it before, but he’s tall. And his horns only contribute to his apparent height. “It’s simple when you get down to it. So, just follow me.” You nod shyly in response before being tugged forward, almost going barreling into Asriel’s chest. 

You manage to catch yourself, somehow turning your stumble into an almost sweeping bow. 

A long note from a string instrument cues Asriel to spin you around with him as the center, your back foot gracefully sliding along the floor like a bird over water. 

You two step back and forth, falling into a rhythm with those around you despite the lack of initiated coordination - made only more beautiful by the palpable magic in the air and music on the wind. 

Hidden within the growing melody of the current song is a music box, pure and innocent yet enchanting. It catches your ear before you realize it, and, almost by second nature, you focus on it to the point where you cannot hear anything else. 

Warmth gathered beneath your fingertips, spreading to Asriel’s hand and shoulder before forming an almost magnetic connection between the two of you.

You lock eyes with him, feeling nothing other than the crescendo of music around you and each other. Your heart slows yet picks up at the same time, and, from what you can feel from the pulse in Asriel’s hand, his heart does the same. Time flew by around you both, wholly irrelevant. 

If you were to live in this moment forever, connected eternally with him, encased and enraptured by the bond you never realized you had… You’d be happy. 

Your grip on his shoulder tightens, and Asriel’s hand on your back slides lower, both of you pressing yourselves together, burning with the desire to be together.

The music in the air reaches its apex, forcing the two of you away from each other as he throws you back, sending you leaning impossibly low on the dance floor. Asriel leans over you, face and mouth dangerously close to yours. 

You can feel his breath on your lips and face, and the reminder that he had kissed the back of your hand earlier screams in your mind.

You lean your head forward as far as you can, and he does the same, resting his forehead against yours. You both rest there for a moment, grounding yourselves as you both return to reality.

The song ends, and you both force yourselves into upright positions. You’re still in the center of the dance floor, the other couples who danced alongside standing around you, gaping at you both. With a start, you realize that everyone in your immediate vicinity is staring at you, and your breath catches in your throat. 

The previous comfort and ease you felt quickly turned into embarrassment and shame. You don’t know much about high society, but even modest folk don’t express their emotions as passionately as you both had done.

Whispers fill the room around you, and you shrink under the attention. Asriel is frozen in place as well, eyes staring off into the middle distance. You take a step away from him, trying to avoid adding more fuel to the flames of gossip. 

You peer upwards at the throne, finding with a start that King Mettaton has once again risen to the pedestal, robotic eyes staring down at you with the precision of a hunter.

He raises his hands upward, hovering the two of them near each other before slamming them against each other rapidly for several moments. The noise echoes through the building, reverberating and slamming into your ears. 

The people in the crowd around you form a chorus, the previous tense whispers turning to a jovial cheer that-

“Oh, wait.” You realize far too late. “They’re clapping.” Relief flooded through you as you realized they weren’t calling the guards on you, though you didn’t know why they would. 

Asriel, having seemingly snapped back to reality a second ago, bows deeply, and you quickly do the same. After a moment, he grabs your wrist and pulls you through the crowd, which parts to let you both through quickly.

You still feel everyone’s eyes on you, but the intensity lessens as the two of you approach a small door on the side of the wall, which opens to reveal a balcony overlooking the castle town and never-ending stars. 

The cool night air draws you back into your body, easing the tension that remained from your previous encounter.

You lean against the stone railing with a sudden smile, and Asriel does the same to the side of you. You lean against your hand and look up at him curiously, drinking in his profile. A stiff breeze blew past the two of you, sending his ears fluttering in the wind ever so slightly. His eyes turned to you with a smile.

“That was a really nice dance.” He said, leaning against the banister like you were. “Seriously. It was like magic or something. Are you sure you’re a beginner?” He asked, to which you shrugged.

“Maybe you’re just a good leader.” You replied. “But, ah, thank you.” You paused, thinking your next words over carefully. “Why… Did you ask me to dance? Not that I didn’t like it, of course, Angel above it was wonderful…” You sighed dreamily, feeling a lot like Mirabelle and the library. “Just… Why?” Asriel’s smile faded, replaced by a pensive frown.

“I don’t know.” He said after a moment of silence. “Just… When you were introduced, my heart started racing. Everything was so boring before, but when I saw you… Everything just snapped back into focus, I guess.” He smiled down at you, a little tiredly. “You really caught my eye, [Name].”

“...You did too.” You mutter, with an awkward laugh at the end. The painting of him crossed your mind again, but you weren’t sure if telling him would be a good idea or not. 

The obsession you had felt with the painting before you even met Asriel face-to-face was more than a little concerning, and it bordered on a type of love you did not want to fall into.

“Maybe later then.” You thought, staring off into the horizon. “If we do end up getting closer.” You breathed a contented sigh, closing your eyes and letting the brisk night air combine with Asriel’s body heat. Even a few inches away, you could feel his heat, far clearer now in the cold night air.

“...Before or after you saw my painting?” Asriel asked a little coyly, startling you. Your head whipped around to face him, finding his mouth curled into a smug smile. 

“Y-You know about that?!” You squeaked. “Well, I guess it is your painting…”

“Frisk sent it to you on my behalf,” Asriel said before rolling his eyes. “Well, not really. They just took it and shipped it to Ebott Town… How they knew we’d be a match is beyond me.” He laughed, a light and contagious sound that warmed your heart.

“Is that what we are?” You asked, rising from the banister. “A… Match?” Asriel stood as well, taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders towards you.

“If you want to be, [Name].” He replied in a serious tone. “I want to get to know you. I know we barely even know each other, but…” He clasped his hand in your own, gripping it tightly. 

Warmth spread along your body just as it had when the two of you were dancing, made only stronger by the thumping of your ever-beating heart. 

“[Name] of Ebott Town, I humbly ask as Asriel Dreemurr of Monsterkind for your permission to court.” Asriel cried, drawing your hand to his chest. Your palm spread over his heart, and you felt his pulse throb beneath your fingertips. 

“I don’t know the proper courting ritual for humans, but… I am willing to learn, if you accept.” He gave you a weary smile, and beneath his heartbeat, you could feel him shake with trepidation.

“I…” You begin, mind swimming. You weren’t unhappy, far from it, but this was all happening so fast. Weren’t first loves supposed to be slow and sweet? As sweet as Asriel seemed to be, you had just met.

And yet.

When you stared into his eyes, you saw not only yourself in their reflection but him as well. There was a future for you together, you were sure of it. And, judging by the way he was looking at you, too… He knew as well.