Y/N's POV:

Pair up?

Does he mean me being under his own business in his own rule?

It doesn't sound like it, but it did look like he wanted to drown me or something earlier.

Wait. He can't drown me....

That's aside the fact!

Grillby suggested we pair up, which left me in some sort of daze, of just pondering the events that might happen if I said yes.

He could be the boss of me.

I could be the boss of him.

We could both be bosses in a sense.

We could not both be bosses.

He and I would work in harmony and serve customers because that's our goal.

Or he and I could work in chaos because we both have separate goals in life.

Huh. So many possibilities. I wonder which one would happen.

"Ma'am?" Grillby's somehow-normal-voice shook me out of my thoughts.

"Yes?" I turned my head towards him. He was fully leaning over the countertop and awaiting my answer. That doesn't seem very professional. Come to think of it, he would be in the faces of customers if he did this any other time. Hey wait a minute, where's Sans and the green fire girl?

"What's your answer?" He asked, slightly impatient.

"I'm not sure..." I rested my chin on my right hand and looked off to the side.

"What?!" Grillby stood up straight. Hmm... He really likes saying 'what.'

"Yeah, I'm indecisive." I could see Grillby rub his firey nose under his glasses in annoyance. He then sighed, and started washing a cup with a weird stain on it.

"I really suggest it. We could make a great team." Grillby's composure was easily cooled, even if he was made of fire. "You could make the specials and maybe be a waitress, I could be the boss, and bartender and cook."

"If you put it that way...." I trailed off.

Grillby noticeably leaned in closer to await my answer.

"Nope!" I exclaimed.

"What?!" He nearly shrieked.

"Did I stammer Grillby?" I turned on my chair to leave.

"No but wait!" Grillby snatched my shoulder, and to my surprise, it didn't burn my trench coat. My full attention was on him now. "I, er, we, could split the money evenly!"

I shook my head and I tried to turn to head out the door, but Grillby didn't allow that.

"No." Grillby's voice turned firey and bold. "It's very rude to walk off when an elder is speaking to you."

"That's the thing!" I point out. "I don't want you ordering me around! I, want to be my own boss, and take orders from customers, not you." I gestured toward him, and I was finally let free. I then turned and walked towards the door. I didn't even look at Grillby a second time before I opened the door that's a literal gateway to jack frost's kingdom, and left into the snowy blizzard.

The snow here must have really picked up.

Wait how does weather even work in the underground?

You know what? I'm not going to dwell on that...

What really matters is, is that I am lost in a snow storm, with every wind pushing me this way and that, without a light source, without anything to see.

It's like I am blind, but the snow keeps making me blink.

V e r y s a f e r i g h t ?

Grillby's POV:

When the woman said that she wanted to be her own boss, I let her go. She made great points; comebacks, is what Fuku calls them. She left me utterless, speechless, and some other weird phenomenon. It felt like she took away a flame inside of me. The room may have dimmed, I didn't know since I wasn't paying attention, but what certainly did dim, was the flame inside my soul. The fire in my eyes, diminished, and my hope about no resets was forgotten, all because of this one event of the woman and I.

I never even got her name. She got mine, but I was too blinded by the will of wanting her out of the way of my business, that I never even cared for her name.

How impolite I was! I should treat my customers and guests with manners and respect, and not me throwing my questions and also my intimidation voice! I only used that when Fuku was getting bullied for about a week, but that was back when she was a little flame. I never, used it afterwards. At times, I forgot about it of course, but also I thought I forgot how to use it.

I certainly knew how to use it, since I used it twice in my conversation with the woman.

How ungentlemanly!

"Dad?" Fuku timidly called for me.

I sighed to end my thought. "Yes?" I looked her way, and she and Sans were near the back, looking quite concerned about me.

"Why.... did you make her leave?" She shyly spoke, and whenever she spoke like that, was when she would be in trouble, or she's confused. More than likely the latter, since I am confused myself.

"..." No sound came from my mouth since I didn't even try to explain myself. No, excuse, myself.

"No excuse huh?" Sans stated. He didn't look too hot either.

"No..." I finally uttered.

"Look. Grilbs." Sans made his way towards me from the back. "You messed up. Granted, I messed up too. I treated her like a... A traitor." Sans spit. "You may think you have a reason to act authoritative all over her, but ya really don't."

"Does it look like I don't know?" I muttered.

"Nah nah! I wasn't trying ta say that!" Sans gestured to say no. "I was just, y'know, pointing it out... That's all."

"Well... I appreciate the effort, but I know what I did, and I know that it was rude. Actually, lower than rude. Discourteous." I shook my head, and I scrubbed the stained glass. "I should go apologize. Sans?"

I asked for Sans's opinion, but he gestured towards the door.

Not sure what he meant by that, I ordered Fuku to take over for the rest of the shift with Sans and I put my coat on, and dashed outside.

And Into....

the.....

cold.......

bitterness.....