#grim queued

* you’re a real flatterer, sweetpea. i’m more’n honored to hear such golden praise from the personification of the sunset itself - ‘n the truth of the matter is... it absolutely depends on the situation. everyone’s different, ‘n i always take into account what i can read about a person ‘n their level of comfort...

* but... if we’re bein’ general? ‘n let’s say it was understood i wasn’t allowed or able to talk for the evenin’...

* i’d start by holdin’ the door open with a warm smile. nothin’ pushy, just genuine - happy to do you the service, because i truly am. when afforded the allowance, after my eyelights had no doubt been caught lingerin’ on that sparkle in your eyes when you get to talkin’ ‘bout your passions ‘n your interests, i’d wink... ‘n if i get the casual passin’ moment, i take a moment to make clear i admire your look as i gently take your hand ‘n brush the lightest of kisses over your knuckles... ‘n peer at you over the gentle crest of ‘em, a sparkle in my own eyelights as i let you take your hand back, grinnin’ with a warmth i’m genuinely feelin’ for that sweet look on your face.

* ohhh, excellent question, sweetpea! i love the way you think.

* you’re completely right - we’re testin’ a manner of different means of approachin’ technology in the odd ways the Void limits things... quantum-oriented chemical and light based systems are at the focus currently, but while i’m supplyin’ research and notes ‘n supplies for Gaster ‘n Alphys’ research and dev on that front, i’m personally workin’ on somethin’ a bit more... hybrid.

* it’s actually somethin’ that, funnily enough, was inspired by my own ‘half’ status - so while livin’ proper things can’t exist or be used by any power or tech means within the Void, magic is technically a lot hazier... normal magic won’t apply, but void magic does. to boil down years worth of scientific theorizin’, cursin’, experimentin’, explosions, ‘n ramblin’, i’m testing the possibilities of tech that use the naturally chaotic ‘n reality-bendin’ nature of void magic’s energy released as power ‘n storage, dependin’...

* it’s a right riot t’ think that you assume i need to be drunk to do a hilarious dare.

* but to answer your question... had to be back Underground. Paps, Dings, ‘Dyne, Alphys, Grillbz’, Muffet, ‘n i were all drinkin’ one night when Grillbz’ closed up shop for a rare couple days off...

* i distinctly remember gettin’ dared to swap outfits with Muffet and do the entirety of the ‘YES dance’ skit with Dings -

* - Dings was ‘Kiki’, for the record.

* problem is, Muffet is, uh, petite as hell - so i couldn’t get her dress higher’n my hips, so i was effectively wearin’ a lil poofy cute skirt ‘n nothin’ else.

* yeah, we all broke down laughing too hard to continue once we reached the ‘ecstasy’ bit. but we were on point till then, much as i nearly busted a rib when Grillby ‘n ‘Dyne jumped up for the ‘let’s YES Kiki back to life’ bit.

(... Grim starts laughing too hard to continue, clearly caught up in the memory, choking out something about ‘red hot’ and ‘never seen his shirt come off so fast’ and ‘Muffet throwing coins at them’. )

* ... the sins i’ve done that has raised my LV... i don’t regret a single one. ‘n almost all of ‘em were not done because someone was attemptin’ to hurt me.

* i can tell the difference between those who’ll learn from gettin’ stopped in their tracks... and those who’ll turn around and keep goin’, or make things worse in other ways. i was given the role of Judge for a reason... for bearin’ the single-souled curse of monsterkind in bein’ able to read souls. only one livin’ monster can do it at a time... ‘n i’ve been able since i was eleven.

* ... so no, i didn’t just punch ‘em.

* i ended them.

* and i’d do it again.

* ... anything to free the poor souls of those they targeted.

* i’ve heard and helped countless tormented people on the edge of death, burdened with that kind of weight. i know bein’ the judge, jury, ‘n executioner isn’t somethin’ humans stand by... or most monsters.

* actually no, no one’s asked about it, heh. to the first, regardin’ soulmates- yeah, they exist for monsters from my world, but it’s a little different from how i think humans picture the concept.

* soulmates happen for monsters - ‘n technically, all souls, though most humans are a little too closed off from theirs to recognize it - when two souls are compatible on a deep, unshakeable level. so we recognize soulmates both as the kind of friends that are almost meant to be lifelong, and as somethin’ that can be more romantically inclined. we don’t perceive it as being an effortless movement of fate, but rather a blessin’ and a boon that we treat with excitement and respect. most monsters who find soulmates are pretty eager to get to know the person, ‘n while there’s the rare occasion where they part ways for some hard reason or other, most soulmates of all kinds will at the very least stay close friends for life.

* ‘n as for heats? ohhh yes, they’re definitely a thing, ‘n are so deeply entwined with us that we still have ‘em even after the void incident. they’re usually at least once or twice a year, for about a week. they’ll pass in about three days, though, ‘n far more pleasurably if you have a partner to help you through it.

* well, back before the incident, there were quite a few - besides me bein’ the Gyftmas present runner that no one could catch for five years runnin’, we also had a tradition of gettin’ a few jugs of spider cider, makin’ cinnaskels - Paps’ thematic answer to cinnabunnies - ‘n marathon a roulette of our favorite movies ‘n play videogames all the night before Gyftmas... ‘n Gyftmas proper we spent half just us, ‘n half visitin’ with the other townsfolk, participatin’ in the yearly snowball ‘n snowmonster contests, ‘n then we’d all meet up at Grillby’s for one hell of a night.

* nowadays i get myself a jug of spider cider for the evenin’ before, send as many barrels as i can through the interdimensional box, ‘n drop off presents to Q ‘n his Lady, as well as a few others who i can.

* day of Gyftmas proper i always, always spend 8 minutes with Dings ‘n Pap - my limit is 10 minutes, but that’s the point of no return, and at 8 i get a more ‘n more hazy... so we schedule it to the second, heh. we exchange gifts ‘n just... spend that little time together we can. it’s over 3-4 months before i can risk dropping in again, so... we try ‘n treasure it, y’know? the last two minutes are when our friends show up, on the dot. gives me a chance to hug ‘em ‘n wish ‘em a happy Gyftmas ‘n new year... give ‘em presents... that sorta thing.

* ... after i give myself a little time to recover, er, emotionally, once i’m back, i usually balance my time between keepin’ an eye out for anyone in need, ‘n droppin’ off useful presents for those who dont’ have anywhere to go ‘n are out on the streets for the season. lil packs of wool clothin’, fresh supplies, a hot meal... i drop it off when they’re not lookin ‘n can’t start askin’ questions so they’re not affected.

* aw sweetpea, i’m sorry... gods, you are a strong soul, you know that? i know how much that kind of rote ‘n routine ‘n thankless work can wear worse ‘n worse on you...

* you’re a warm star in the days of so many people, you know that? the work’s the devil, but for those few kind ‘n patient enough to recognize the person on the other side of the business - they see you, ‘n while they unfortunately might not say anything, they’re grateful for you.

* ‘n you know what? same right here. i’m grateful as hell for you, sweetpea. so you take care of yourself, okay? let yourself take easier evenin’s, ‘n spend that extra bit of time indulgin’ in a long shower or bath, ‘n have that special kind of coffee or tea you really like.

* ... tell you what i can do for you...