Flash!

"Jeez, Ceris, you're gonna blind us!"

Ceris, a small dinosaur-type of monster with a very long neck, laughed as Sans rubbed his sockets. "You and Gaster said we're making history with this research, and it needs to be documented!" She looked at the photo as it printed out of the camera. "And I want to make sure the history books have action shots."

Sans chuckled as she bounded off to take pictures of the other researchers before he turned back to the other two monsters at the table. "All right, so what was that you were saying about anomalies, Wynn?"

The rabbit, pupils still too-wide from the flash, blinked before tapping the paper in front of him. "Based on what I've read, any sort of anomaly could completely break the universe!"

Sans leaned forward, putting on a face of listening intently as Wynn explained his findings, but he wasn't able to concentrate. Really, he was too caught up in how great things were right now. Things were busy, yeah; he still had work and had to make sure Papyrus was all right—though god, he wished he had more time with him. But even so, they were making amazing leaps with the study, and it was...fun. Between tests and research, they joked and chatted and were forced into pictures. And that was without everything he was learning from Gaster—after the rest of the group headed home, he and the scientist would sit and chat about the day's major discoveries or simply talk about the going-ons in the Core, with Gaster signing all the while and Sans imitating as best he could. Immersion, according to Gaster, was the best way of learning, and it seemed like it was true. After a few weeks, Sans was able to sign simple phrases without speaking; it was still tough, of course, but the look on Gaster's face when he saw the signs was incentive enough to keep learning.

He was broken out of his reverie as Terrin, the fish-girl who had spoken at the meeting, interrupted Wynn.

"Okay, hang on, did you get this from a textbook or one of those human books from upstairs?"

Wynn puffed. "That shouldn't matter!"

"It does! Human books are weird. I've seen some where everyone has giant swords; I'm sure humans don't have giant swords."

"It was a science book, Terrin!"

"Okay, okay, hang on, let's cool down. No need to get hopping mad," Sans interjected, earning a giggle from Terrin and a pained look from Wynn. "Anomalies obviously aren't great, but they're not tearing the universe apart just yet. If they were, there would have only been one reset and we all would have died."

Wynn frowned. "But it could be making the timelines weaker! If that's the case, than it's just a matter of..." He stopped himself, and Sans grinned.

"Say it."

"No, Sans."

"Come on, say it. If you don't, I will."

"It's just a matter of time!" Terrin finished with a grin, leaving Wynn fuming nearly as much as Papyrus after a pun. Sans gave her a high-five just as Gaster whistled between two bony fingers, signaling the session was over.

"Excellent work," he said, sounding proud of the group (he always was). "But it is getting late, and I think it is best we break for the night."

"Yess, time for Grillby's!" A lavaman, Tephra, pumped a gelatinous fist. The rest of the group gave a cheer, and Terrin turned to look at Sans.

"You should come with us! You always miss out!"

Sans half-smiled. "Well, y'know how it is. Gotta go to work tomorrow and all..."

Another flash nearly blinded him. Ceris took the photo out and shook it, then held it out for everyone to see.

"And here you see Sans the Skeleton, who always put work instead of having fun," she said loudly, then looked back at him. "Seriously, though, you should take a break and come out with us! It's practically tradition that we all go to Grillby's on Fridays."

Sans glanced at them for a moment, then looked back at Gaster. As subtly as possible, he signed, "Okay?"

Gaster smiled at him, hands telling him, "Have fun."

Sans gave him a little smile back, then turned back to the group. "All right, but I really can't stay out too late." He grunted as Tephra slung a warm arm around his neck.

"Awww yeeaaahh, party at Grillby's tonight!"

~

Sans had been to Snowdin a few times, but only on the quickest patrols when there had been a threat of humans. He'd never actually met any of the locals or gone in any of the shops. He'd assumed Grillby's was some sort of diner, not...well, not a dive bar.

He was finally shoved into a seat, looking around in a bit of a daze, as the group completely took over the bar.

"All of our usuals, and an order of fries for my buddy Sans here," Tephra called to what looked like a sentient mass of flames. He looked at Sans for a moment—well, the glasses near the top of the flames were directed at Sans—then nodded. Tephra grinned at the skeleton. "These are the best. Your tastebuds are gonna go into orbit."

Sans half-smiled and opened his mouth, pointing at the hollow bottom of his jaw. "Too late."

Terrin squeezed in on the other side of Sans, then grinned at him. "All right, so we've all been wondering, what's this mystery job of yours?"

"Hey, yeah! What's keeping you from all the fun?"

Sans glanced around at the group; all eyes were on him. Well...it was never really a secret; he just never told anyone. He smiled.

"Well, uh...you guys know the Judge?" he said, leaning against the bar for maximum drama for his reveal. The group collectively gasped.

"Oh, my god, the Judge??" Ceris whispered. Wynn glanced around.

"I heard...I heard he can kill a human in one hit."

"Well, I heard he judges monsters just as much as humans!" Terrin whispered. "God, I hope I never meet him."

As the group whispered, Sans' face fell. What? He knew that monsters knew that the job existed, but...well, it looked like his reputation preceded him. How did this kind of word even get around?

Tephra passed him the plate of fries, bringing him back to the moment. "So what's the Judge gotta do with you?"

"Uh..." Sans' brain whirred, trying to get a good lie. "I, uh, I do the paperwork for him." He gave the group a weak smile. "Y'know...have to make sure the, uh, the legal stuff's all squared away."

Terrin leaned closer to him. "So...what's he like?" she asked, voice hushed.

"Boring," Sans replied quickly. "Only cares about his work. But, uh, but he's not a threat or anything." He managed another smile. "Unless you're going around hurting monsters. Then jury-n trouble."

There was a combination of laughs and groans, and the tension dissipated into talk about everyone's respective lives. As the night went on, the group loosened up even more. Dares were made (Sans had to drink a whole bottle of ketchup, then he drank another just to show off; actually, it wasn't too bad.), Ceris started crying over how great it was that everyone was friends before she took loads of pictures, Wynn got in a heated argument with Apho over whether the humans were more likely to have laser swords or just really big swords. In all, it was the best night Sans had had in a long, long time.

Eventually, things wound down. Most of the group left, leaving Sans, Terrin, Tephra, and Ceris leaning on the bar in a quiet, collective stupor.

"Hey, guys," Tephra looked up at the group. "Real talk. What would you do if you could reset?"

Sans frowned. "Y'know, we really shouldn't even be thinking about that. We're just seeing if it's possible for monsters..."

"Oh, don't be a spoilsport, Sans," Terrin said, giving him a little shove. "It's not like we can actually reset."

Tephra grinned. "I'd go back and figure out how to get a job with MTT. I had no idea that rectangle would get so popular."

"My turn!" Ceris announced loudly. "I'd move out waaay sooner if I could go back. My mom was suffocating me." She held up her camera with a tipsy smile. "Deffffinitely would have been a photographer if I'd done that."

"Well, I'd do a complete makeover," Terrin said, patting at a fin. "I was way too hard on myself years ago. I bet I'd have someone steady by now if I had half the confidence I have now." She nudged Sans. "All right, Judge's Secretary, it's your turn."

Sans looked at them, then down at the empty ketchup bottle in his hands. "I'd work less," he said, then smiled. "I hate my job; it eats up all my time. If I could go back, I'd ask for fewer hours, and I'd actually be able to spend time with my brother." He looked up as felt something on his shoulder; Ceris had reached her neck over to rest her head on it, looking at Sans with wide eyes.

"Oh my god, you love your brother SO. MUCH," she said, looking like she was on the verge of tears. "I just...you love him. SO. MUCH."

Terrin laughed and pushed her off of Sans. "And I think you love your drinks SO. MUCH." She got up, then boosted Ceris up as well, trying to keep the dinosaur's neck from flopping around. "I think it's time we get on out before she starts sharing her life story."

"I better get going, too," Tephra said, getting up and stretching with a few pops and sizzles. "Undyne'll have my ass if I come in late."

Sans half-smiled. "See you guys on Monday." While it had been fun, he needed to get home, too; Papyrus would be waiting for him if he hadn't conked out already. He left a tip for Grillby, then headed for the door.

On the way home, though, he couldn't help but think over going back. If he knew what he did now, he could definitely work part-time. That would mean a lot more time with both Papyrus and Gaster, and that would mean a lot more research and no more broken promises.

He stopped outside the house; Papyrus' light was still on. He'd probably fallen asleep without turning it off. Sans sighed, then set his jaw.

He was going to do it.

He was going to figure out how to reset.