Chapter Text
Today was a big day for Nyala and her parents. Today was her parents' 30th anniversary! She was so excited about this! She helped her uncles preparing everything in their house, while the couple had been sent away for a 'small walk', to which they didn't looked surprise, and even left chuckling. Nyala was smiling to herself as she gazed upon a photography of them, taken a few years ago. She loved this one so much, they were so happy in this! And she loved it because it represented their everyday life: full of happiness and laughter. She shook her skull as she put the photo back on the table in the living room. "IS EVERYTHING READY OVER THERE?" She turned to her uncle with a bright smile. "Yes! The music is ready, the pictures as well, and the food too!" She said enthusiastically. She was lightly bouncing on her feet, smiling softly at her uncle, who seemed equally excited as his niece. Edge's skull poked from the kitchen, a soft scowl on his skull. "NO. NOT EVERYTHING IS READY!" "Oh? Oh no, did I forget something?! Oh my, what is it?!" Edge came, a mischievous smile on his skull. "YOU, LITTLE SKELETON GRASSHOPPER!" "...Oh, you're right! Thank you, unc' Edge!!" She hugged her uncle tightly, before sprinting to the bathroom, hearing two loud 'NYEH EH EH!!"
After having taken a good shower, and put a purple dress on her, she gazes upon her reflection in the mirror. Her red and purple eyes were shinning bright, her cheekbones flushed with a deep purple, due to the hot shower she took before, and her silver tooth glinting with the light. She touched it with her fingertips, featherly. She remembered how it happened, and now, she couldn't help but laugh at that today, but on the exact moment, she was sobbing hard: She had been playing with Undyne when she decided to impress the fish monster by climbing over a fence and jumping on her. It could have worked, if she had been able to jump farther. But she hadn't at the time, meaning that she fell on the ground, headfirst. At first, nothing happened, until a shrill cry rang through the whole neighbourhood. And of course, her parents ran over there, alarmed by her growing cries. Undyne had been hovering over her, unsure of what to do. Nyala, though she was in pain, when she saw her parents running to her, thought that she knew how they would react: Her dad, Red, would yell at Undyne because he had been scared, while her papa, Sans, would come over and try to comfort her. But the opposite happened. Red ran to her, immediately cradling her to his ribcage, while Sans yelled and screamed at Undyne for not having been careful enough with their daughter.
Nyala shook her skull, chuckling at herself. She really had been a turbulent child! That happened when she was five, at seven, she fell in a river while chasing a rabbit, at ten, she got lost in a forest, and so on and so on. Ah, she caused so many problems to her parents, when she thought about it. *Knock knock knock* She gasped, having been lost in her thoughts. She descended the stairs quickly, going next to her uncles, excited. They opened it...to see that the rest of their family was there: Vasilisa and Toriel were exchanging ruling advice, while Asgore was trying hard not to tremble when hearing Vasilisa's stern voice, telling Toriel to 'educate her husband correctly' and Frisk was patting his shoulder, sympathetically. Alphys and Linai were chatting over the new anime that came out, supposed to be the sequel to Mew Mew Kissie Cutie. Marid was flirting with Muffet, while Grillby was glaring hard at him. Zhadnaya was giggling and wave at Edge, who glared darkly at her, and Metatton and Sahir were chatting happily, well...mostly Metatton. Sahir was listening to him, drinking his every words. Nyala greeted them, before letting them come in, ushering them to hurry.
At least thirty minutes later, another set of knocks came to their ears. Nyala went to open the door, then gasped excitedly, before lunging into the two sets of arms. "Dad! Papa!! It was about time!!" "Haha, sorry for being later than we anticipated, but ya know yer papa! He wanted to take a walk in the park at the last minute." "Says the one who asked me every two seconds to go down the lake..." "Heh, touché, Love." They both shared an amused look, before returning the hug, closing their eyes and kissing her skull. "Can we get in, though?" "Yes, of course, come in!" As they made their way in, they heard a shouted 'SURPRISE!!'. They jumped slightly, before smiling warmly at the small crowd that was gathered in their house. "Should have expect that, when ya and yer uncles asked us to 'Go for a long and nice walk for about an hour'." Red smirked at that, gently punching his brother's arm. "You are the best, sweetie!" Sans took his daughter in his arms, kissing her forehead. She giggled lightly, before spreading her arms, turning to everyone. "Alright, now let the party begin!!"
About four hours later...
The party had been a blast. They ate, shared pictures and some memories, though Sans and Red had been quite silent, seemingly thinking about something. But that didn't mean they didn't have a great time! Especially when they shared every prank and pun they made. It was hilarious to see Papyrus screaming in a pillow and Nyala keeping Edge from giving small slaps to his brother. All in all, they all had a great time. Currently, they had the radio on, playing some music in the background, making Undyne and Alphys sway side to side. As Nyala searched a particular picture in a box, she found another one, what caught her attention. It was a really old picture, in sepia. In it, there were several monsters, all dressed in a 'roaring twenties' fashion, all with an instrument: piano, saxophone, clarinet, trombone, trumpet, and a celloooo wait a minute! She looked closely, rubbing her eyesockets, making sure she wasn't dreaming: The person holding the cello looked closely to her dad...and now that she noticed it...there was another skeleton, who oddly looked like here papa... She took the picture and showed it to her parents.
"Dad, Papa, what's this?" She handed them the picture, under questioning gazes. "WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS?" "In the old box, over there!" There was silence, before both Red and Sans gasped, excited. "I thought we lost it!!" "I can't believe it was right there! Man, that doesn't get us any younger, heh?" "Ah, that's for sure! That brings me so many memories..." Sans smiled, dreamily. "...But that picture was taken in the twenties..." said Frisk, frowning. "Ah yes, it's true that you came in our family just recently, my child. You see, monsters had been freed a while ago, around this time. Humans had been scared out of their lives, and it resulted that we had been scattered everywhere." "Yes. My brother and I were in different cities. Same for Red and Edge." "But there is something I don't understand: you look barely older now, compared to this picture." "Well, as you may know, us monsters don't age the same as you. It's even more true for us skeletons. I may not look like it, but I am 257 old, in skeleton age." "...What?!" Frisk looked shocked, making Sans and Red chuckled. "So, that' had been taken before we reunited, Darling? And what were you doing?" "Ain't obvious enough? We were part of a jazz band." "No seriously, what were you doing?" "Is it that hard to believe in?" "...Wait, you're serious?" "You don't remember, sweetie? I know that you were little, but still." Nyala blinked, tilting her skull to the side. "Well, ya really were a babybones, so I would be surprised that you do remember it. But I can still recall it so clearly..."
Red and Sans both had their look lost for a moment, when an old tune began to ring in the house. AT that, Sans' eyelights shone brightly. "Oh, I remember this song!" Red laughed as he got up, extending his hand to Sans. "So do I. May I have this dance?" Sans smiled, before pushing himself to stand, taking the hand Red was extending. "With pleasure, Dear." As they began to dance, the music seemed to get louder and louder in their mind.
(Okay...erm... The songs I am going to mention here are obviously not mine at all. I will put the link to an amazing youtube channel that covers some actual song in a postmodern and jazz style. I love what they do, and I recommend you this channel! It's PostmodernJukebox channel, which is amazing! I will link every song I used and will precise the original author as well! Here is the link to their channel: youtube.com/c/postmodernjukebox/featured I hope you will enjoy it! I will also use jazz songs like the ones from Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and such!)
(youtube.com/watch?v=UviVYc9qzy4&list=RDGMEMTmC-2iNKH_I8gQ1LHo9FeQ&index=10 , the 'original' was by Gotye. I think there was a controverse about it, that they stole it from someone else. Anyway!)
The cello was the first instrument that could be heard in the small room, the cords being touched with strength, yet with a certain gentleness. After a few seconds, a voice, sounding a little cold resonated as clear as a crystal. "Now and then I think of when we were together. Like when you said you felt so happy you could die..." A skeletal hand was softly holding the stand microphone, with a certain care. The skeleton there sang almost coldly, looking detached and indifferent. "I told myself that you would write for me, but felt so lonely in your company. But that was love and it's an ache I still remember..." The cat monster began playing the piano, the lights seemingly getting brighter, but it was just in Red's mind, as he still played his instrument, but his eyes were glued on Sans. He was so damn gorgeous like this. He was already in normal times, but here...it reminded him of when they first met.
When Red had emerged from his Underground, he had been separated from his friends and his brother. He had wandered over and over again, until he arrived in this city. Where he had lost himself even more in its depths. Until he saw him, after having roamed in the city the whole night. The rays of the rising sun outlining his figure, a sad, tired, yet sympathetic expression on his face. "You're lost there? Ah, you're new to the Surface, aren't you? That's something I can totally relate to. Wanna come to my place? I can help you to settle down and find a job, and maybe to find your family? Well, I'm still trying to find out mine, but I'll do my best!" Red was close to tears, but that didn't mean he would accept any stranger's help. "Wh-why should I accept? I-I barely k-know ya..." "You're right, and I understand that you're wary. You're free to not accept it, of course. So, what do you say?" Red let a few stray tears, before taking the hand. "...I-I have nothing to lose... I accept." Sans smiled at him, pulling him to his feet. "My name is Sans. What's yours?" "...Red. My name is Red." Sans smiled warmly at the other, taking his hands in his. "It's nice to meet you, Red."
"But you didn't have to cut me off! Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing! I don't even need your love, 'cause you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough." And now, here Red was, playing cello in a jazz band, accompanying Sans. The other skeleton had such a beautiful voice. "Boy, you didn't have to stoop so low! Have your friends collect the records and then change your number! Guess that I don't need that though! Now you're just somebody that I used to know. Somebody...I used to know...Somebodyy~" Red was enthralled by that voice. Sans was the star of their band, though the smaller refuted and denied it. For him, he wasn't more important than the others. But damn, Red had to agree that he was the most recognisable member of their band. He was smaller than them -especially compared to Red, but he was the voice of their jazz. "But I don't wanna live that way, reading into every words you say! You said that you could let it go, And I wouldn't catch you hung upon somebody that you used to know!" Red looked at the public listening to them, enchanted. Yep. A normal day, of this year of 1923. A normal evening, in their usual bar. "Now you're just somebody that I used to know... Somebody...I used to know...Somebody I used to know...Somebody I used to know...Somebodyy~" Red was glad he wasn't that someone Sans used to know.