READER

 You simply couldn't stop laughing, and every time you seemed to be calming down an image of Agrain's face reacting to the puns would pop up, and set you off again. When you could get past the image without laughing too hard, you shook your head, chuckling.

"Man, I love skeleton puns, they always tickle my funny bone" 

 You could hear a distance noise, suspiciously from the direction of the boy's room, which sounded a lot along the lines of:

"How could you say that (Y/n)?!" You chuckled again.

  Heh, oops, he heard me

Agrian was apparently had very good hearing, you clean up breakfast, and after putting the last dish in the sink, you grabbed your phone and purse and called-out 

"Oi, Elijah!! i'm going to my morning shift! you're in charge okay?"

  You heard the 14-year-old boy reply from within the confines of his room.

"Alright!" you smiled to yourself and opened the door.

 After locking the door, you walked to the elevator. After walking out of the front doors you started off to your 2nd job, the Nice Cream Parlor a few roads down. The parlor didn't have many employees, as the boss was a Monster.

 But you were hired not just because you were needed, but cause you truly liked the Monsters as a whole, as you turned a corner you saw the parlor. It was small, and more like a little cafe, light blue walls, white trim, and a sign in the big window which said:

The Nice Cream Parlor

Under it was the catchphrase in smaller cursive:

"The frozen Treat that warms your Heart!"

 You smiled at the small building and entered, a bell ringing as you did so. The boss of the establishment came out of the back-room and caught sight of you.

"Ah! (Y/n), wonderful, are you ready for your shift?" You nodded at your boss, a furry light blue rabbit. He was wearing his usual, red suspenders with a yellow shirt, and red pants.

 You never caught his real name, but you didn't really care if you did, you smiled 

"You bet NCG!" Though, since you didn't know his name, and because he didn't really like being called 'Boss' all the time, you resorted to calling him NCG, short for Nice Cream Guy, NCG smiled back.

 "Great! now I have some business to take care of, do you mind holding the fort?" You shook your head still smiling, he nodded his and bid you farewell and exited the parlor.

You took your place behind the cash/gold register. As soon as you did, two customers came through the front doors, making the bell ring, you looked up and smiled, it was none other than two of the regulars.

The human that freed all of the monsters in the first place, Frisk, and a goat lady, Ex-Queen of the monsters, Toriel.

Frisk ran up to the glass, shielding the Nice Cream from the warm air around you, and pressed her face against it. Toriel smiling in the warm, motherly way she had, and came forward as well.

 "Why hello Frisk and Toriel! the usual I presume?" Frisk took her face off of the glass to nod vigorously making you chuckle while opening the sliding door, allowing the Nice Cream to be in your reach.

You take the Nice Cream scooper and a cone and fill said cone with vanilla-swirl, (the swirl being butterscotch/cinnamon) and hand that to Frisk, next you take a waffle cone and fill it with vanilla-snail (made with real snails) and hand that to Toriel.

  "Thank you (Y/n), how's your family?" You chuckled.

Welp, I'm gonna have to tell her someday

Toriel was the one person that you would consider your mother figure and one who you could rely on for advice. As Toriel gives you the correct amount of Gold to pay for the Nice Cream, you glance down at the register. 

"Well, uh, my mom got arrested" Toriel stopped and looked almost fearful.

"What?!" You grin as you're looking down. Frisk taps on the counter-top and begins to sign something.

  'Are your siblings okay?'

  your grin widens into a smile.

"Yes Frisk they're fine, I was the one who called the cops" Toriel seemed to get over the shock.

"My goodness (Y/n). Though I remember telling you before she, I beg your pardon, deserved to be jailed?" You smiled sheepishly and looked down at the counter, which you were leaning on. 

"Yeah, you did, and I should've called the cops before it got out of hand, I'm sorry I didn't listen" You smiled grimly, thinking your brothers wouldn't have the light scars they now have on their arms if you had acted sooner.

  "It is alright (Y/n), you did what you thought was right" You look up at Toriel and find her giving you a kind smile, you smile back.

"Thanks, Toriel," as soon as you say that however, the bell started to ring violently as if someone had charged through the doors, and indeed as you looked at the door.

 A big burly man, with a black top with no sleeves, a pair of ripped jeans, and combat boots bursts in. As soon as you caught his eye, he growled and started to run forwards.

You instinctively tensed and your Fight or Flight instincts kicked in, you felt everything slow down. Your protective instincts kicked in as well, making you grab Frisk by the collar, yoink her over the counter and place her behind you. 

 Then you jumped over the counter and ran directly to the man, once you were close enough you didn't give enough time to react and punched him in the gut.

 Rolling away, you ended up with you standing while the man doubles over and grunts at the pain, you walked over to him, as he was obviously drunk.

  So you reacted accordingly. Grabbing him by the ear, you pulled him back to the door. 

"Go back to the pub you came from mister" You then shoved the doors open with your foot and pushed him out, making him fall over.

When he gets up again he takes one glance at you and starts to run back the direction he came from. Brushing your hands together you turn around and see Toriel with a dumbfounded expression.

"(Y/n), can you tell me what just happened?" You blinked. The adrenaline slowly left you and suddenly aware of what you did you grabbed your elbow and smiled sheepishly darting your eyes to the floor.

"Well, uh, humans have this instinct called 'Fight or Flight' it happens when a human feels protective or scared-" You perked up, remembering something  "I'm sorry if I scared you, Frisk"

  Frisk popped up from over the counter and beamed.

  'It's alright (Y/n)!' You smiled and looked towards Toriel. 

"So, this 'fight or flight' thing comes when you feel protective?" You nodded heading back to your spot. Frisk skipped back over to her Mom-ster.

 "Does that happen often?" You smiled sadly.

"Well, yes, when my siblings and I went to public school, we openly said we didn't hate monsters, and so, well, you can imagine bullies at every turn,"

 Toriel nodded a thoughtful expression on her face, you returned to your spot behind the register.

"I am sorry you had to go through that (Y/n)," You smiled.

"Don't be, we aren't in that place anymore, I like to think of it as a learning experience," Toriel nodded.

"Well, I think it's time to go, come along Frisk, farewell (Y/n)!" You waved goodbye as Frisk signed:

'See ya next time!' 

After they left NCG came back. 

"Welcome back NCG! Did your business go well?" NGC smiled. 

"Yes, it did! I see you are handling things well," You smiled back and after a couple of more hours, you collected your things and bid NCG goodbye.

You started walking to your apartment for a lunch break, as you were walking, however...

You were thrown into a dark alleyway...

~~~

Words: 1314