The circus isnt always fun and games and some monsters from Gaster's past try (and fail) to locate the babybones

(Co written with Firehedgehog )

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"If you don't give me a name, I'm going to call you BunBun," the Sans of the circus told him, they'd been discovered several hours ago. He'd fallen asleep in a rather friendly lions cage able to clean his matted ears, but he was so comfy and warm with a fluffy lion.

He'd been pulled to the main office of the AU traveling circus, and apparently Sans was put in charge of him.

"Gaster..." he finally ground out,

"Nope that's Gaster, you need another name." Sans said pointing out the ring master "Choose, or I will"

Gaster hissed angrily, but knowing how Sanses worked he'd likely end with Fluffy as a name.

His glare darkened when he saw the Sans mockingly tap their watch, trying to come up with a name that didn't have some cutesy meaning.

"Loot?" he questioned/asked, he was a thief and always looting.

"Sure, let's go with that." Sans snorted at the name choice, having heard better and clearly judging the name.

He wasn't paid enough or truly cared enough to give a better suggestion, writing the name down in the list of workers.

"You will work while here. step out of line and the ring master will deal with you." He said no nonsense, any playfulness vanishing as he got right to business.

"Can't I just leave, all I did was fall asleep in a cage?" 'Loot' protested, sure it was a snowstorm outside but he had worse before.

"And you stole some food. You are staying until you pay it back. You don't get off that easy, bunny." Sans said with little sympathy, eyelight flaring in warning at the little monster as if daring them to run.

"You mean, the water?" Loot said dryly, which was all he had used and hadn't taken any food. This was a scam!

"Oh? Are you arguing with me now? Maybe I should add more to what you owe this kind establishment that you've stolen from." Sans smile was a mockery of true kindness, a reason he was picked by Gaster to sort the finances as he was absolutely ruthless and with a soul filled with little true kindness.

Loot stared at Sans, and for a moment his eyes flared a more chilling red.

Sans reached over and casually flicked the babybones on the forehead, too desensitized from Gaster to blink an eye at that little trick.

"You're assigned to clean the lions, especially considering they didn't eat you." He instructed blandly, that the cage was massive and would take a good while was truly not his issue.

Gaster let a round of swearing, ones that usually sent adults into shock.

"Less yapping more doing." Sans shooed away the foul mouthed child, a nearby practicing clown falling off their unicycle at the foul words reaching his ears.

Three hours later Sans would discover 'Loot' was gone, in fact the bunny eared Gaster had skipped out of the AU entirely. He was not doing shit for Sans, stealing food.. he was a thief but he would only admit to what he took. He had water, water the lion care takers had taken from a local well.

No to slavery.

"Sorry, boss. Looks like he made off." Sans smiled apologetically, deeply relieved when the ring master didn't look angry.

He didn't question his good luck, missing how the monster twirled a few tufts of fur with a concerning gleam in their eyes.

"They were quite interesting" Gaster grinned, such a unique new toy.

One likely to make a lot of money if he worked things right and it would be a perfect exhibit to go with the other animals.

He was sure he would find the little bunny again, those sorts rather predictable in the end.

Now, if he could discover there original home... there would be a lot of buyers.

He carelessly waved away Sans, his mind filled with many plans as he went to his office, placing the fur in a vial that would be useful for tracking his toy later on. For now he had his sights on a Papyrus that is said to be able to breath fire and control is as well as an elemental, his newest 'act' soon to be in his clutches with the help of a little persuasion of course.

"All coming alone now, after all... the show must go on"

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"There it is again!"

"Sans, please relax. You'll collapse if you continue on like this," Papyrus begged, Sans was clearly exhausted with dark shadows under his eye sockets.

"I can't, he's out there lost and confused Paps. And its our fault, the only way we can track him is when it flares," Sans protested.

"We'll find him Sans, I won't allow anything else" Papyrus told his sibling softly, they'd already failed them enough.

~~~

Gaster: Nice and comfy
Lion: sniffs babybones using him as a bed
Lion: This is mine now

Gaster: How can water count as food?
Sans: Pulls out lawbooks sure you want to go that route?

Gaster: *Grumbling as he sorts through trash for dinner* Glad I've seen the least of that place
The Ringmaster: *Ominously stalking in the background waiting for his moment*

Sans and Papyrus: *In tears as they search for Gaster* He must be so scared right now!
Gaster: *Whistling happily as he steals a whole cooked chicken from a house* Life is looking up!