#anyway not drawn yet but there is a human guy partner for the twins and he immediately is like perfect | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

keelywolfe · 5 years

Text

FIC: Any Other Tuesday (ch1, baon)

Summary: It started the same as any other Tuesday

Tags: Spicyhoney, Original Undertale Characters, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Prejudice Against Monsters, Violence, Injury

part of the ‘by any other name’ series.

Read it on AO3

Read it here!

~~*~~

It was a slow day at ‘Classic Books’. Not unusual for a Tuesday, but Jeff was currently at a standstill when it came to actually earning his paycheck. All his orders were sent out, any shipment was put away. He’d even dusted the shelves earlier in desperation, thought it wasn’t strictly part of his job. Just a slow, slow day in book sales.

With nothing else to do, he’d pulled out his laptop and was poking at his resume halfheartedly. Applying for new jobs was part of his weekly routine but so far, callbacks were few and far between. When he did get one, it always seemed to turn out he had too little experience, too much education, or it paid less than he was making now.

Didn’t stop him from trying but it sure as hell was discouraging, because he needed a damn new job. He needed it.

It wasn’t even only about using the degree he’d worked so damned hard for. It was…well, he knew what it was about, didn’t he. It was about being able to pay for one of the dates he and Antwan went on, it was about trying to be an equal partner, better than he was now, and maybe if he could prove he was useful outside the bedroom, maybe they could inch past where they were. Stuck between having fun together and wavering on the border of maybe something more.

Not that it was any surprise their relationship had been hanging in suspended animation for the past few months. It wasn’t that Jeff didn’t understand. Antwan was busy, he was so busy. Every time one crisis was handled another one cropped up like a malevolent daisy. That they saw each other as much as they did was probably halfway to a miracle.

And it wasn’t that things were bad, not at all. They still went out when they could and he was still sleeping over a few times a week, either at Antwan’s apartment in town or his house in New New Home. Antwan didn’t seem to mind that Jeff couldn’t really return the favor; his twin bed wasn’t really designed for visitors. But sometimes when they were lying in bed together at night with sweat still drying on their skin and Antwan curled up behind him more asleep than not, the urge to blurt out what he felt was overpowering. Finally let it all spill out between them, pour out the cup of his emotions and see what happened.

Only, Jeff knew what happened, didn’t he. Usually, they told you to get your shit and get out.

Not that Antwan would do that; Jeff knew he wouldn’t. He knew that much, at least. Antwan was so gentle, always, from the very beginning when they barely knew each other’s last names, but they’d already seen each other’s dicks. He wouldn’t kick Jeff out, no. He’d try to be kind, push him gently out the door, and that was maybe worse.

But maybe if Jeff told him, actually spat out that hey, this was a lot of fun, but the truth was he loved Antwan so much, like a physical ache, and seeing him made happiness settle in his chest, right where Stretch swore Humans kept their souls. Maybe Antwan would ask him to stay longer, stay permanently. Maybe he’d say what he felt back.

So far, it hadn’t felt worth the risk. Not yet. But every day it seemed like he got a little closer to letting those words fall free, to see where they took him. If he could get another job, maybe he would be willing to try.

It was worth a shot.

He was juggling a lot of maybes right now, trying desperately not to drop any of them. He wondered what it said about him that getting a new job seemed like the easiest one and he still couldn’t manage it.

The bell over the door jangled as it opened and seeing Stretch shuffle inside brought a marked improvement his dismal mood.

“heya, handy andy,” Stretch said cheerily. He was carrying two disastrously flamboyant drinks, all bright colors and rainbow sprinkles, and set one on the counter, slinging his backpack to the floor as Jeff accepted his generous offer of caffeine gratefully. “how are the page turners today?”

“They aren’t moving much, but that’s about normal for a Tuesday,” Jeff said. He took a sip of his drink and sighed gratefully. It was still a little difficult for him to accept that Stretch, and by default Edge, were so weirdly invested in buying him food and drinks. Even Sans had brought coffee and snacks when he’d gone to help him in the lab, which made Jeff wonder if it was just a Monster thing. ‘Caring and Feeding of Human Friends’ would probably be a bestseller in New New Home. “What brings you out here?”

Before Stretch could answer, the office door opened and Thomas came out, drawn by the jangle of the bell. A smile creased his wrinkled face when he saw who it was.

“Stretch! It’s good to see you, my boy!” He clasped Stretch by the upper arms in greeting, his trembling hands gentle.

Stretch immediately lapsed into German, the two of them chattering together happily. Jeff didn’t speak German past schadenfreude and braunschweiger, but he did know the name Andy and he could damn well see it when people pointed at him, thank you. The laughter that followed his pseudonym was not at all welcome.

“Let me in, guys,” Jeff grumbled, “I hate standing to the side while the grownups talk.”

Thomas reached out to pat his hand, even as he eyed Jeff’s drink with distaste. “Ah, I’m sorry, Jeffery, I so rarely get to hear it.”

Okay, so maybe a rainbow frappuccino didn’t exactly scream adulthood. Whatever, Stretch had one, too, and no one gave him shit. “Uh huh. What was it you two were saying?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Thomas said dismissively. He turned back to Stretch, gesturing for them to follow him towards the backroom. “And how are you feeling, my boy? I’ve heard that you were sick.”

That made Stretch stop, scowling down at Thomas. “from who? because i know my best bud here wasn’t tattling.”

Jeff tried his best to look like that was absolutely true.

To his relief, Thomas had his back, waving that off. “I hear things. But you have not answered me.”

“okay, well, for you and whatever tracking device i might have stuck somewhere, i’m good.” The straw crackled at the bottom of his cup as Stretch struggled to get the last sip. “i got your email that my order was in and thought i’d stop in.

“It is. I have it here. You,” Thomas pointed firmly at Jeff, who froze, standing as though pinned by his aimed finger, “are helping him carry them home.”

“I am?”

“he is?”

Thomas spread his hands and shrugged. “He has been sick. He rides the bus. He buys many books. Does he bring a cart? A wagon? No. So you will help him.”

“uh huh. what has edge been telling you?” Stretch asked suspiciously.

“Him? He tells me the truth! You have been sick and are not to carry too much.”

“so, what you’re telling me is he suckered you into making sure i have a personal assistant,” Stretch said flatly.

“No, no," Thomas scoffed. "He bribed me! Good money, too."

“good for you!” Stretch slapped Thomas firmly on the back. “stick it to the man, thomas!"

"Your husband is the man?" Jeff finished his own drink, basking in his renewed energy and tossing the cup into the trash.

"yeah, and i stick it to him all the time," Stretch leered. “c’mon, andy. if i text edge now that you’re coming for dinner, he’ll have time to nix anything with tomatoes.”

~~*~~

After Stretch paid for his books, they ended up going through a rather brutal round of negotiations over who was carrying what before they could finally start making their way down to the bus stop.

Stretch only had one backpack that he could sling over his shoulder, but Thomas dug out a couple of sturdy canvas bags that he loaded with books. Some were normal fiction, popular titles that Jeff recognized. Others had titles with enough complex scientific terminology to make an ache start in his forehead trying to read only the cover, much less cracking it open.

Jeff abandoned those efforts quickly and embraced his role as pack mule, evenly distributing the weight between the bags. He hefted them, testing it out.

“don’t let them fool you, andy, i can take a few more,” Stretch grumbled. As if Jeff couldn’t see the way the zipper on his bag was almost groaning at the seams.

“Nope, I’ve got this,” Jeff grunted. So long as the weight was balanced, it wasn’t bad. He turned back to Thomas, who was watching the process with amusement. “You sure you’ll be okay if I leave early?”

“Yes, yes, go!” He made a shooing motion towards the door. “I will leave my door open while I watch my shows.”

“you are a man who knows what he wants,” Stretch grinned, “see you soon!”

“See you tomorrow,” Jeff added, and followed Stretch out the door.

The next bus wasn’t for few minutes yet and they meandered their way down the street towards the stop. Stretch stepped around Jeff to be downwind before pulling out his cigarettes, managing to flick one free from the pack and light it all with one hand.

“i really should use that vape thing red gave me at the hospital more often,” Stretch exhaled a cloud of smoke with a sigh. “edge has been giving me the side eye lately over how much i’m smoking.”

“How are you feeling, anyway?” Jeff asked, hesitantly. They’d texted a bunch of times and of course he followed Stretch on twitter, but he hadn’t actually seen him since they’d moved most of the lab equipment to the other basement. The memory of Stretch standing frozen on the steps to the old lab was still terribly fresh, as was the soft, hitching sounds he’d made. There had been tears sliding down his cheek bones as he’d stood unmoving, his eye lights tiny and dim. When Jeff realized something was very wrong, he hadn’t hesitated to call Edge.

He only gotten the gist of what had happened in that old lab, from Antwan and from Sans, and he knew it was bad. Bad enough for an impromptu move and while Jeff certainly didn’t mind lending a hand, it didn’t mean he wasn’t still worried.

Stretch took a long drag off his cigarette, rolling his eye lights. “don’t you start.”

“I’m not starting, I’m asking,” Jeff said pointedly, “you’re my friend and I’ve been informed by you yourself that I am allowed to ask personal questions.”

“that i reserve the right not to answer,” Stretch said, a little sulkily. “but seriously, i’m fine. my magic bounces back really quick.”

Somehow, Jeff didn’t think that was quite the correct answer to his question.

“And your HP?” Jeff knew he was treading in dangerous ground, Stretch could be very touchy about his HP.

His eye lights flickered visibly but he did answer. “it’s good, holding steady at five. ask edge to do a check on me if you don’t believe me.”

“Why wouldn’t I believe you?” Jeff asked, honestly confused. “And what’s a Check?”

Stretch blew out a sharp breath. He crouched down, his backpack wobbling ominously while he tamped out his cigarette in the dirt before pocketing the butt. “sorry. i feel like everyone has been crawling up my ass lately. my bro has been texting me twice a day since i got out of the hospital.” From his weary expression, Blue probably wasn’t sending him cute memes. “never thought i’d be looking forward to him going on his next diplomatic mission.”

He scrubbed a hand over his skull, looking out in the main town square at the little rows of shops and restaurants. “a check is…it’s a magic thing. if you do a check on another monster, it tells you a little surface info, their hp, their lv, if they have any, and sometimes even their basic state of being. usually it’s something you’d only do in a fight, but parents might do it for their kids.”

“Or someone who’s a little overprotective,” Jeff said wryly. “Okay, I can guess you don’t like them much.”

“yeah, it’s generally considered pretty rude to do a check on an adult without asking. doesn’t stop my bro,” Stretch said sourly, “edge usually asks. usually.”

“Well, hey, I promise to never do a check on you without permission.”

“wow, thanks, do you promise not to sprout wings or summon an attack, too?” Stretch laughed. “because it’d be just about as likely. come on, slowpoke, bet i can beat you to the stop without even teleporting.”

He took off at a loping run, backpack bouncing wildly.

“Your legs are twice as long as mine,” Jeff yelled and ran after him.

The canvas bags kept crashing into his ankles, nearly sending him sprawling. Jeff didn’t care. He only laughed and chased after his friend, not even suspecting that in only a few hours he would be lying bleeding out on the ground almost exactly where they were running.

He caught up to Stretch just before he reached the stop, dropping the bags and grabbing the back of his sweatshirt.

“cheating! interference!” Stretch howled. His backpack was abandoned as he tried to squirm out of his sweatshirt, but Jeff was laughing too hard to keep hold. He went back for the bags as Stretch reached the bus stop, hands raised over his head as he cheered.

“and our winner today is the monster contingency! i’d like to dedicate this win to all my fans, uh huh, uh huh, uh huh.” He started dancing, moving his hips disco-style and finishing with a pose that would have done Travolta proud.

“Keep it up, dancing queen, and they won’t let us on the bus,” Jeff panted, still grinning. He flopped down on the bench, book bags falling limply at his feet.

“maybe you, all the drivers like me.” Stretch plunked down next to him and nudged him with an elbow. “feeling better?”

“Yeah.” There was no point in denying he’d been feeling down. Stretch always knew things he shouldn’t.

“good. edge won’t be home for a while yet and i’m feeling the need for a trashy movie. wanna watch ‘plan 9 from outer space’ at our place?”

“If this is how you tip the help, you could use a new calculator.”

“edge made his special spinach dip last night,” Stretch raised his voice to be heard over the oncoming bus.

“Should have said that to begin with. Hell, yes, then.”

The bus came to a groaning halt in front of them and Jeff gathered up his bags, followed Stretch up the steps. He bit back his complaint when Stretch paid for them both and only settled into one of the seats while Stretch sprawled out next to him.

A new job, that’s what he needed. Then he could start paying back his friends.

~~*~~

Read Chapter 2

#spicyhoney #papcest #keelywolfe #underfell #underswap #underfell papyrus #underswap papyrus #by any other name

39 notes · View notes