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captainwans · 9 months ago

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I BET YOU LOOK GOOD ON THE DANCEFLOOR.

— ALEX TURNER

pairing: fetus! alex turner x fem! actress! reader

summary: following a brief and hurried exchange between the pair, she returned to the old pub in hopes of seeing him once more.

warning: vulgar language, sickeningly teeth-rotting fluff, ryan being an ass, and paparazzi being the paparazzi.

note: this is part two from old pubs and cigarettes, and i suggest you to read the first part before reading this! ryan is a fictional character that’s apart of the story if anyone is confused.

word count: 4,9k | ( picture not mine! )

arabella series!

masterlist!

…. [Y/N] WATCHED THE EMPTY STAGE WITH ANTICIPATION, EXCITEMENT FILLING INSIDE HER BODY AS SHE EAGERLY WAITED FOR THE CUTE, LONG-HAIRED MUSICIAN TO ENTER THE STAGE. It was such a shame that she never got to know his name, and she was still fuming over how her best friend interrupted their moment. She could still feel how his hot breath fanned her face, the smell of cigarettes and mint lingering in the air as she looked into his sweet brown eyes gazing into hers. She couldn’t stop thinking of him. The look on his face, when they had to leave the pub from the paparazzi, left a deep scar on her heart. His kind smile and his understanding nature made her guilty for leaving him on the spot. She remembered throwing a fit in the car that night as they were heading back to their trailers, angry and flustered at how their interaction went.

[Y/N] slapped her best friend’s arm, which earned a small yelp from the strawberry blonde. She watched her hiss in pain before she mirrored her actions by slapping her shoulders, looking at her with a look of confusion. “What the fuck was that for?” Cindy chided with furrowed eyebrows, rubbing small circles on her arm to cease some of the pain.

[Y/N] rolled her eyes, rubbing her shoulder as she looked at her with a glare. “You know why,” she growled at the burning pain on her shoulder, grimacing as she clenched her jaw.

“Oh, thank you so much, Cindy, for saving us from the paps. Thank you for looking out for me. I’m so lucky to have a friend like you. You’re welcome by the way.” Cindy said in a dramatic tone, returning the same glare she was receiving before throwing her magazine at her. “Bitch, please. You’re over here moping over a guy that you just met. The paps almost knocked Vera outside while you were playing hide the zucchini with your rockstar boyfriend.”

[Y/N] scoffed, folding her arms in front of her chest, and shaking her head. “Thank you….” she ended up saying in a sweet tone, earning a satisfied grin on Cindy’s face. “For ruining my chance with him.” she finished her sentence, watching her friend’s face falter and morphing into a scowl.

“So, what are you gonna do? Go back to him and confess your undying love for him.” Cindy asked with a giggle, earning another slap on her thigh making her laugh even harder. “He was very cute by the way, I’ll give you that, babe.”

[Y/N]’s cheeks flushed, feeling blood rushing through her ears at the mention of the musician. “I heard they were having another gig at the same pub. They’re performing next weekend and we’re not filming on Saturday, so..” she answered with a pleading look, making Cindy let out a sigh before nodding her head.

As the days passed, with [Y/N] counting the days for the weekend, the day finally arrived and here she was, seated at a table near the front stage alongside Cindy and her other two co-stars. Another band was performing earlier, which got everyone talking, especially the girls. Two of [Y/N]’s friends left their table to interact with two of the members, leaving her and the strawberry blonde alone, not impressed by their performance and their attitude at all.

[Y/N] cringed at one of their attempts to flirt with her friend and scoffed with a deep scowl, before moving her gaze to her best friend. “Let’s hope they stay away from us,” she said in a small voice, but Cindy heard her regardless, earning a small snicker.

“I think we’re too late for that,” Cindy answered with an amused look on her face, her eyes looking at one of the members nearing their table. She grimaced, watching him eying up and down at her friend, making her narrow her eyes at him as he introduced himself to them.

“Ladies.” One of the vocalists greeted the duo with a smirk plastered onto his face, causing [Y/N] to stifle back a laugh bubbling inside her throat. He presented himself as Ryan and she watched him inching closer to her, placing himself in the middle of the girls, causing Cindy to scoff under her breath. He gave her a charming smile, completely ignoring her friend. “Did you enjoy the concert, love?” he asked cockily, head tilted to the side as he looked at her, his eyes trailing down her figure.

“We did in fact, not enjoy the concert, Ryan. I mean, I’ve seen better.” her best friend interjected, eyes glaring daggers at his back with a scowl.

Ryan rolled his eyes, shifting in his feet to turn to Cindy. “I wasn’t talking to you.” he shot, giving her a look before turning his attention back to [Y/N], who was looking at him with a deep frown.

She narrowed her eyes at him, crossing her arms before her chest. “Just like my friend said, I’ve seen better.” she simply replied with a fake smile, causing him to scoff under his breath, his smirk turning wider.

“God, with you Americans, it’s so hard to please.”

[Y/N] gave him a dirty look, her face faltering as she watched him utter last his words. Just as she was about to put him in his place, the sound of a microphone dropping down the floor caused her attention to quickly avert away from the guy toward the stage. A soft smile crept upon her face, watching the musician she longed for all week, standing a few feet away from the stage. This left the perfect opportunity for Cindy to drag Ryan by his shirt and push him to the side. “This asshole, who does he think he is?”

She hummed, not paying attention to what her friend said as she was too busy gazing at the cute guy who had been haunting her mind all week. Her eyes sparked, noticing that he cut his hair, but his hair locks were still slightly covering his face and she thought he couldn’t look any more handsome. Crimson danced across her cheeks and she could feel her heart fluttering, watching him fiddling with the microphone before he placed his guitar around his shoulders.

“Pretty boy cut his hair!” She heard Cindy yell, gushing at his new hairstyle with a beam, nudging her friend’s side. [Y/N] giggled and covered her mouth with her hand. “Shut up, Cindy. I think he heard you!” she laughed, watching his head snap toward the comment, his eyes darting across the crowd before his eyes finally landed on the pair, cheeks reddening as he noticed their presence, his eyes lingering longer on [Y/N].

[Y/N] gave him a sweet smile, bringing her hand up to give him a wave, to which he responded with a shy nod, his smile turning wider. She gave him a thumbs up, mouthing good luck before taking a seat at their table. He gave her a grateful look, gripping his guitar tightly before moving his eyes away from the actress toward the crowd, which was rather dead and not interacting, being too busy interacting with the other band who dominated the pub, leaving the second group dumbfounded.

Alex had a tight grip on his microphone, bringing his lips closer to the mic. He turned to quickly glance at Matt and Andy before clearing his throat, causing the crowd to quiet down as everyone acknowledged the second band. “Hi….so, uh–we’re the Arctic–” the musician introduced themselves, but were abruptly interrupted by Ryan, who seemed to find himself standing close to the girls.

“Losers!” Ryan shouted with a laugh and threw his empty cup on the stage, hitting Alex on the chest. This caused some of the people in the crowd to join his banter. Jamie cursed under his breath, feeling his nostrils flare with anger as he looked at him with a glare. “Oh, fuck off, Ryan!”

[Y/N] felt her blood boil, anger coursing through her veins as she, along with Cindy, whirled their head toward him with a glower. “Shut up, Ryan!” they both said in unison, and Cindy stood up from her seat to grab the empty cup away from the stage. She threw the cup toward Ryan, the cup hitting his face making [Y/N] stifle back a laugh. “Go and fool around elsewhere, asshole. Some of us are trying to enjoy a concert.”

Ryan balled his fists, nostrils flaring as he looked at Cindy. He felt everyone’s eyes looking at him, waiting in anticipation of what he was about to do next. He clenched his jaw and turned around, meeting [Y/N]’s face. She gave him a sweet smile. “You heard her,” she said with a knowing look, earning a few cheers from her girlfriends as they watched him leave the pub.

The crowd started to quiet down, everyone watching Ryan’s body disappear in the crowd, completely forgetting about the second band that was supposed to perform. Cindy and [Y/N] high-fived each other, sauntering over to their table. The actress made eye contact with Alex, who mouthed a thank you, gently smiling at the woman making her mirror his smile as she brushed it off with a hand gesture.

[Y/N] looked at the crowd, sharing a look with Cindy before clapping her hands to earn everyone’s attention. Some of them softly gasped, recognizing the woman while the others looked at her with a curious look. She smiled brightly at everyone before turning her gaze toward the band. “By all means, please continue boys!” She beamed with a cheer, earning a few whistles and claps. “Who are you guys?”

Alex grinned at her question, licking his lips before speaking into the microphone. “We’re the Arctic Monkeys, everyone!” he finally introduced themselves, making the girls loudly cheer, warming up the crowd. She could feel them stiff during the first part of the song but got quickly used to it, making her clap her hands as she cheered. She and her friend moved in their seat, bumping their shoulders together while bopping their head to the sound.

The strawberry blonde puffed her cheeks, face scowling as she looked around her. “Oh, c’mon, why isn’t anyone on the dancefloor? This song is so good, compared to the other band,” she said, saying her last sentence loudly on purpose to the other member, who so happened to sit beside them, making him scoff and roll his eyes. He was about to say something, but Cindy butted in, “Oh, shut up, you don’t get to say anything.” making [Y/N] laugh. She watched back to the stage, her eyes instantly locking with his. He gave her a wink, leaving her cheeks flushed with a beating heart.

An idea popped into [Y/N] head, a smirk curving her lips. She turned to her friend. “We’ll be our own dancefloor. C’mon, let’s show them how it’s done.” she beamed, making the strawberry blonde laugh loudly as they moved their body, linking their hands together as they found their spot in the middle of the bar. Loud cheers and holler emitted from their throat as they danced together, their hands around each other as they vibed to the music.

The duo danced the night away like no one was watching, causing a group of people to look their way, curiously watching them owning the dance floor. Before they knew it, two of their friends joined them as the four moved closer to the stage, flipping their hair, and moving their bodies to the music. It was like a flash mob, and more people vibed to the music, cheering and completely forgetting about the first group.

Her best friend twirled her around, making both of them laugh. Cindy whistled at her, “Damn, girl! The moves. I’m not blaming him for the looks he’s giving you, you’re one lucky girl, babe!” she told her wiggling her eyebrows at her, making her grin before moving her head toward him, watching him looking at her with a smile as he sang, making her shake her hips. She shot him a glance, eyes filled with a playful tease.

Before they knew it, the song was over. They all clapped, even some of the remaining members from the first group, cheering and shouting at the band, watching their eyes beaming and glinting with happiness at the crowd’s response. Alex nodded to the crowd, eyes finding hers again, giving her a grateful smile as he brought both of his hands together to show his gratitude. She smiled brightly at him, clapping her hands.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ▹ ▹ ▹

“That was amazing!” Cindy sang, wrapping her arms around [Y/N]’s shoulders, and giving her a little squeeze. Two of their co-stars agreed, eyes glistening from the lights above them as they gushed over how talented they were. [Y/N] hummed with a simper, her smile widening as she listened to her friends talking about them. Her eyes shamelessly darted across the pub, eyes searching for the talented musician. She found him sitting in a booth with the rest of his members, shielding them from the others. She rested her chin with her palm, looking at him with a fond look.

Alex took a sip from his drink and wiped his mouth with his hand, listening to Andy talking about their performance. He watched a smile curve his lips, making him mirror his smile with a hum. As he was about to join in the conversation, he started to pause, feeling someone was staring at him. His eyes subconsciously found hers, who looked at him with a soft expression. He watched her lightly waving at him, causing his heart to stutter against his chest and he looked behind him before turning back to her with an unsure look.

[Y/N] giggled, watching him pointing a finger at himself to confirm if she was waving at him and not some other guy. She bit her lip with a nod, pointing her finger at him with a playful look. She watched a smile forming his handsome features, averting his gaze away from her toward his friends. This went on back and forth, with both of them stealing a few glances at each other.

“Okay, you two just need to talk. This is not working.” Cindy snapped her out of her state, making her whirl her head toward her with a confused expression. “What?”

Two of her co-stars giggled, leaning against each other as they teased the actress. “You’re so cute when you’re in love.” One of them gushed, making kissing sounds as she tickled her waist.

[Y/N] felt a dust of crimson dance across her cheeks. She swatted her friend’s hand away from her waist as small giggles emitted from her lips. “I-I’m not in love…He’s just…very cute.” she managed to reply in between her giggles, mumbling the last word, but Cindy heard her regardless.

“Why don’t you say that to his face?” Cindy teased, poking her shoulder as she looked at her best friend with a cheeky grin, making [Y/N] shake her head with a laugh. “God, no!”

One of their co-stars stood up from her seat and walked over to her, pulling her up from her seat. [Y/N] looked at her friend like she’s grown two heads and she turned her head toward the others, who gave her thumbs up with wide grins on their faces. “Go get your man!”

“You got this, babe! You’re so hot, he’s already head over heels!” Cindy cheered, earning a few disapproving looks from the people sitting beside them. She slapped her friend’s butt, earning a small gasp from the actress as she received a nasty look.

“Am I blind or was that [Y/N] [Y/L/N], waving at you?” Alex heard Jamie say, making him roll his eyes before turning in his seat to face his best friend. He gave him a look and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

“It’s just…She’s [Y/N] [Y/L/N] and you’re….you.” Jamie replied with a shrug. His eyes looked back and forth between his bandmate and to the actress, who curiously watched them, which made Jamie give her a polite smile.

Alex gave him a look, eyebrows scrunched as he downed the rest of his drink. “Right,” he mumbled, shifting in his seat. His head turned to their table once again and his eyes widened, watching her walking toward them with a soft smile. He panicked, feeling his heart palpating loudly against his chest. He cleared his throat and fixed his posture so that he was comfortably leaning against his seat.

“Oh God, she’s walking toward us,” Jamie stressed, taking a sip from his beer and looking at Alex, who looked back at him with a confused look. Jamie brought his hand over to his shirt, wiping away some invisible dust and fixing his hair.

Alex made a sound of disdain, slapping his hands away from his face whilst giving him a glowering look. “Jamie, stop!” he whined, adjusting his shirt before scooting a few seats away from his best friend, who gave him a scoff and shook his head. “I’m just trying to help you, mate.”

[Y/N] watched the small banter between Alex and Jamie, her lips forming into a thin line, stifling back a laugh as she walked toward their table. She tightly gripped the strap of her purse, eyes looking straight ahead whilst ignoring a few men glancing her way. She ignored the burning gazes at the back of her head, fastening her pace as he neared their table, making the boys snap their attention toward the actress.

Some of them were star-struck and were left speechless, including Jamie, who had his eyebrows raised with a look she couldn’t quite decipher. He awkwardly slurped his drink making her giggle. Matt was the first to break the ice, his eyes sparking as he acknowledged her presence. “There she is! The one who saved our necks out there!” he beamed, standing up from his seat to greet her in a warm hug, which she shyly returned.

“That was nothing, really. Me and the girls enjoyed it very much. You guys are very good.” She complemented with a flustered smile, causing Alex’s lips to curve upwards. His eyes lingered longer on her face, studying every detail.

“Means a lot coming from you, love!” Jamie interjected into the conversation, sauntering beside her to introduce himself, which she happily returned as they shook hands. Andy soon joined, politely introducing himself and complimenting her work.

[Y/N] felt blood rush through her cheeks, feeling her heart stutter against her chest. She introduced herself to a few of their friends before moving her attention to Alex, who patiently watched her interact with his friends. She hummed with a smile, slowly sauntering toward him. She pulled the sleeves of her dress, a habit she did when she was nervous and stood beside him. “Hi.” she softly greeted.

Her voice left a trail of goosebumps, along with a fluttering heart at her gentle voice. His lips curved upwards and he stood up from his seat to stand in front of her. He opened his mouth, eyes gazing into hers. “Hey.” he breathed, rapidly blinking to check if he wasn’t dreaming.

[Y/N] bit her lip, eyes trailing over his lips as her mind wandered back to their last encounter where they almost shared a kiss. She cleared her throat and moved her eyes away from his lips, feeling another gush of crimson heating her cheeks. “You were amazing out there.” she internally cringed at how her voice cracked at the end and gave him a tip-lipped smile.

Alex chuckled at her flustered nature, his smile widening. “So where you…on the dancefloor.” he said, a small smirk curving his features, making her softly giggle as she looked anywhere but him.

[Y/N] turned her head to him, who was already looking at her with a fond look. She hummed, placing her hands behind her back. “Did I look good on the dancefloor?” she cheekily asked, making Alex laugh with a nod.

“You did look good on the dancefloor. In fact, you outshined the crowd with your dancing,” he admitted, biting his lip as he looked into her eyes, making her let out a sound of satisfaction.

The pair continued to converse, realizing that they had a lot in common. Alex finally got the courage to compliment her recent works, telling her how a talented actress she is and praising her. She became a flustered mess, hiding her hot cheeks as she profusely said her thanks and mirrored the gesture back by gushing about his guitar skills, which she stated that he should teach her to play one day. As they talked, she realized that she still never got his name and it irked her brain.

[Y/N] furrowed her eyebrows with an apologetic look as she interrupted him mid-sentence. “I’m sorry…but, I don’t think I actually got your name.” she sheepishly said, folding her arms in front of her chest.

Alex’s eyes lit up and he nodded his head, muttering a small apology for not introducing himself sooner. Just as he was about to tell her his name flashes of lights and the sounds of snapping cameras made them squint their eyes, whirling their head around to where the flashes came from.

[Y/N]’s face faltered, her face slowly morphing into a deep scowl as she noticed one of the paparazzi from the other day getting inside the pub. Much to her dismay, she locked eyes with one of them and they fastened their pace toward her with the camera tightly gripped into their hand. “There she is!”

[Y/N]’s expression stretched into a look of discomfort and she could feel her heart stammering against her chest, feeling panic wash over her. Her body became stiff and she stepped backward, ending up hitting a hard chest. She let out a rasping gasp, feeling their hand gently placed on her waist, and just by his touch she knew it was him. Butterflies swarmed inside her stomach even by the slightest touch, but it quickly vanished as it rapidly appeared. “[Y/L/N], we just want a picture. Is this your boyfriend?”

Alex cursed at them, his eyes bulging from their sockets. “Fuck off!” he chided, pulling her behind him protectively. He and Matt shared a look before he led both of them out of the scene, their hands intertwined as they tried to escape from the photographers.

The more they tried to escape, it seemed as more photographers engulfed around the old pub, and Alex scoffed. “Where did they all come from?” he mainly asked to himself, but [Y/N] heard him regardless. “I don’t know,” she said in a small voice, face hiding into his back while trying to avoid getting snapshots on her face.

[Y/N] heard Alex grunt and she pulled her face away from his back to see him getting grabbed by one of the photographers. The actress grew hot, her cheeks flamed with anger as she stepped in front of him, slapping their hand, which resulted in their camera falling down the hard floor. “Don’t touch him!” she sputtered, her voice laced with venom.

“We just want a picture, ma’am! You didn’t need to do that.” the man scolded, his face painted with frustration at his broken camera and [Y/N] wanted nothing more than to smack his face and remove that stupid look on his face.

[Y/N] shook her head and went to check on Alex, but when she turned around he wasn’t there. A downward pout etched onto her face and she felt worry prickling inside her chest, squeezing her lungs and making her let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She cursed internally and she wanted to cry out for his name, but she remembered that just as he was about to tell her his name, the paparazzi came and snatched that opportunity away from her.

Alex’s eyes frantically darted across the heavy mass of paparazzi taking over the area, his stomach clenching at the thought of her being alone with them. “Fuck,” he mumbled, hands rubbing his face as he squeezed his way through the mass. “[Y/N]!”

The actress squinted her eyes as small groans emitted from her lips. The flashes of lights increased with every second and she just stood there, frozen and unable to move. She clenched her jaw as her breath grew thin and ragged. She had her head face down with some of her hair covering her angry expression. Her shoulders rose until they were under her ears and she closed her eyes, letting out an exhale. Two of the cameramen noticed her state and shared a look before lowering their camera. They made room for her to walk away, and she took that opportunity and made a run for it.

She managed to squeeze her way through some of them by using her elbows to push them out of her way. She hissed at their nails digging into her skin and her lips pressed into a thin line to prevent herself from screaming at the top of her lungs. Her lips emitted a small prayer, and just like that her prayers were answered when her body slammed into Cindy’s. “Oh my God, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” her best friend sighed in relief before taking her into her arms.

[Y/N] melted into her arms, using her big oversized jacket to hide her face inside. “Thank God,” she muffled into her chest and she felt her hands rubbing her back comfortably as she yelled at the paparazzi.

“Shit, is that blood?” Cindy worried, her voice wavering at the end as she had her hands on her arms. She pulled her friend away from her chest and removed a few hair strands away from her damp face. She cupped her face, looking for other injuries on her delicate features. “They’re gonna fucking pay.”

Cindy stepped in front of her, pulling her phone out and waving it in the air, earning the photographers’ attention. “You guys have five seconds before I call the cops on you,” she said with a stoic look, eyes cold and rigid as she looked at them with a look of disdain.

[Y/N] touched the scabs on her left arm and gritted her teeth together as she felt a burning pain searing through her. She quietly cursed, not noticing two of her friends dashing towards her with concerned looks. “[Y/N], are you okay?” they asked in unison, their hands touching her shoulders and she flinched with a small whimper.

She nodded sarcastically, “Yeah. Never been better,” she answered in a bitter tone, making the pair share a look. She sighed in frustration and rubbed her glistening face, listening to her co-star. “Well, the good thing is that the paps are gone. Thanks to Cindy.”

[Y/N] sniffled, moving her gaze away from her friends toward Alex and his friends, her eyes tinted with hope as her eyes darted across the almost empty bar. She found them sitting and hunched at the corner and she frowned when she detected no signs of Alex. She locked eyes with Jamie, who gave her a worried look, to which she replied with a nod. She breathed out in relief when she noticed none of them were injured, but the ache in her stomach punched her gut as her mind wandered back to how the paparazzi treated Alex, making her heart stumble over its own rhythm.

Her lips twitched and she subconsciously hid her bare arms inside her long sleeves, hiding her bruises as she gave Jamie a look, mouthing Alex’s whereabouts. Just as he was about to answer, a gentle hand took hold of her right arm, where she thankfully didn’t have any bruises, and pulled her attention away from Jamie. [Y/N] slowly moved her head, meeting Cindy’s concerned look. “There’s a cab waiting for us outside.”

[Y/N]’s eyes burned with exhaustion and she nodded. She scrubbed her eyes with her knuckles before taking one last glance at them, in hopes of seeing him, but much to her disappointment they were nowhere to be found. Her hand slowly drifted over her mouth to hide her growing frown, and she let Cindy guide them out of the old pub. “I never got his name.”

Cindy looked back at her, her lips curving upwards but faltering when she noticed her frown. Her eyes softened and she pulled her closer, rubbing her shoulder as they headed to the exit. Goosebumps broke into her skin as she felt the cold wind hit her skin, making her shiver. The duo went inside the car with [Y/N] quietly mumbling that she wanted the window seat. The car drove off and she watched the old pub slowly disappear, leaving an empty feeling clouding inside her chest.

“What was the name of their band again?” [Y/N] asked her best friend, her eyes tinted with hopefulness. Her shoulders dropped when she watched Cindy halt with her response, displaying an unsure expression. She cursed under her breath as disappointment etched onto her features.

“I’m not sure…It was something about Arctic–or was it Atlantic?” Cindy replied with furrowed eyebrows, giving the actress a shrug. The strawberry blonde’s eyes softened and she wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to her side. “Oh, don’t worry, babe, you’ll reunite one day.”

“I doubt that.”

118 notes · View notes

popatochisssp · 6 months ago

Note

favorite scents of the boys??!

Scents are something I’ve thought about a bit, though more in the context of what they might smell like.

Still, some of that does touch on the kinds of scents they like, so I’m gonna answer it like that anyway!

Sans (Undertale): Probably his favorite scent is cheap rubber, the kind that goofy novelty items tend to be made of—rubber chickens, whoopie cushions, groucho glasses—and yeah, he smells of it pretty often for the amount of them he keeps on his person at any given time. He’s also a fan of the smell of ketchup, but only smells of it himself rarely, when he’s recently been partaking of it…or if he pulled the ‘loose ketchup bottle’ prank on somebody and caught some splash-back. A lot more often, unfortunately, he bears the faint yet persistent smell of hot dog water…which could be worse if he wasn’t using water sausages for it, a little more pine-y than your typical cased meat odor, but it is still hot dog water so… Alas.

Papyrus (Undertale): His likes ocean-y scents the best, salty and fresh and powerful, just like him! All his most favorite colognes and deodorants are under that umbrella, so it’s probably his most typical scent. If he’s been going on any culinary adventures recently, trying to find his elusive perfect spaghetti recipe, he may smell a bit more marinara than marine…which he doesn’t mind, there’s nothing wrong with a good tomato! A perfectly excellent fruit, that he will probably shower off of himself soon, but nonetheless! …He’s loath to admit it, but he’s also acquired a fondness for the smell of crafting glue, from using it so often assembling models and customizing action figures. He won’t go out of his way to smell more like glue, but if he already does, well…he doesn’t hate it…

Sky (Underswap Sans): His favorite scents are plant-y, fresh and natural but not floral. Aloe vera and cucumber are the big ones vying for the top spot in his arsenal of bathroom products, so he’ll most often smell like that. If he’s been putting in a lot of time at a bar, though, you might catch him smelling more like some kind of booze or other—he’s surrounded by it and people spill, the stuff sinks in whether he wants it to or not. And he does fall into the ‘or not’ category, but less because he dislikes the smell(s) and more because he knows it gives off a bad impression, without context. Luckily, working at a bar usually has him smelling even more strongly of citrus, cutting up limes and lemons for juice and garnishes on behalf of coworkers a lot more susceptible to bar-rot than he is, and citrus smells he does like!

Paps (Underswap Papyrus): Old paperback books are the best smell in the world to him, if he could huff it all day long, he……… Well. He kind of does, admittedly, with the amount of old paperbacks he has. He doesn’t actually smell like that himself very much though, since (much to his dismay) it just doesn’t linger long. Probably most of the time, he smells like cloves, because that lingers and it’s the most assertive scent he tangos with. It’s pretty prominent in the Dog Treats he smokes and tends to soak in everywhere, so he’s at least lucky that it’s pleasant and something he doesn’t mind smelling of. On occasion, he also tends to pick up the scent of pencil shavings—he’s a writer, and a traditionalist who just loves something about the feel of a real wooden pencil…but they do need a lot more regular maintenance to stay sharp than the mechanical ones, and the byproducts…tend to stick to hoodies.

Jasper (Underfell Sans): His favorite smell is wood-smoke, hands down, no contest. It’s what Grillby’s smells like, and he’s been haunting that joint since he was practically a kid, so it’s familiar and comfortable—and yeah, since he’s there so much, it’s all over him too. As far as when he’s not there, he’s enough of a greasemonkey privately and professionally that he gets a lot of crud on him from that, motor oil and gas and transmission fluid, et cetera. He doesn’t love those smells, but he doesn’t really notice or care about them much either, so it is what it is. Regrettably, he will also often smell of mustard. It’s mostly on his breath but it is his favorite condiment to put on anything, and sometimes that means a bit of spillage here and there. Alas.

Pyre (Underfell Papyrus): He loves the smell of leather and wouldn’t be able to tell you if that love came before or after the amount of it he’s amassed in his wardrobe. He even likes the artificial stuff that they put in leather cologne, so even when he’s not actively wearing leather, he probably still smells like leather. He also has his own unique musk—obviously strongest during and immediately post-workout—and while he makes all appropriate efforts to be cleanly and not reek, like some brothers do, that never really goes away and he’s not-not a bit partial to it, personally. Sometimes, rarely, his hands will pick up a bit of a faint rosewood scent, from the fretboard of his—wait, no, the reason’s not important, they just do, and it’s a perfectly fine and acceptable smell that he’s neutral towards!

Mal (Swapfell Sans): If he had to choose a favorite scent, it would probably be cedar wood. He himself only smells like it occasionally, when he’s been furtively whittling, but he’s got a bit of a Pavlovian calming and focusing response to it, so he likes it around. Mostly he smells like talcum powder, since it’s a favorite of his for keeping dry and not sweaty after the workouts, strenuous military patrols, and wildly psychologically tense political situations he’s had to navigate throughout…his life in general. He smells clean and calm and pleasantly neutral, he’s never been stressed even once, have you seen him sweat? No. …That said, if he happens to be unwinding in his private time, after a not-at-all-stressful day, he will probably smell strongly of whatever wine he’s been drinking—almost always something red and dry, naturally.

Rus (Swapfell Papyrus): He adores the smell of coffee, definitely his favorite. Muffet’s was always a safe place for him, so a lot of it is tied up in some of those memories, but he still drinks it a lot (at inadvisable times of day) and he just generally finds the smell of it pleasant. Chocolate has a similar effect, since he has a major sweet-tooth and tends to store a lot of little treats on his person for later…and sometimes he ends up smelling like it too, when he forgets about those treats and they…melt. If he’s not actively smelling like one of those two things, though, it’s probably pen ink, which is his favorite medium for sketching and pretty far up there on his list of preferred scents, even as strong and chemical-y as it is. It mostly only rubs off on his hands, if anything, so it doesn’t linger too long and he finds it meditative for as long as it does last.

Slate (Horrortale Sans): He’s pretty passionately in love with the way most things in the Allium family smell when being cooked, but garlic is at the top of the list. He could smell it all day long and be a very happy man, and he preps and eats enough of it—garlic bread, confit, pasta, pizza—that he’ll sometimes get it on his breath or his hands. A lot more prominently and frequently, though, he’ll smell like dog, or cat. You know the smell, it’s indescribable, but he works with animals and tends to come home stinking like them, and honestly, he doesn’t really mind the smell at that much, himself. It’s a good stink. …But of course, not everyone agrees, and the fur is a bitch, so sometimes he also smells like the dryer sheets he keeps on him to get some of that hair off and mask the dog-smell.

Papy (Horrortale Papyrus): His favorite scent in the world is flowers! He doesn’t really have a strict preference, but he does like magnolias, jasmine, gardenia… Sometimes he does smell floral, because he definitely prefers soaps that smell like his favorites, or because he’s out in his garden tending to the flowers and the vegetables. The latter is also how he gets a lot of fresh-cut grass and dirt smells into his gardening clothes, which is absolutely a blessing because he loves those scents too! Possibly the only thing he tends to smell like on a regular basis that he doesn’t love is antiseptic. It’s pretty harsh and chemical, but as much as he’s not a fan, it’s a necessity for a nurse—you work a twelve-hour shift at the hospital, antiseptic is probably one of the better things you can come home smelling like. Rest assured he showers immediately when he gets home, he doesn’t like the hospital stink either.

Ash (Undergloom Sans): His favorite smell is a little particular, the way cloth smells when it’s kind of old and worn. Cotton is preferred but linen is also perfectly acceptable, just something about broken in, familiar clothes or sheets or even couch cushions makes him happy and—with the amount of those that he has on and around and over himself on a regular basis—he does pick up a bit of that scent himself fairly often. Still, he does have a brother in the picture who refuses to abide him smelling like musty cloth all the time, so a lot more often he’ll be smelling like fabric softener from the freshly washed pile of laundry he grabs his sweaters out of. He likes that smell well enough too, so no issue there. Sometimes, more frequently than you might guess, his hands (and sleeves) pick up the smell of dish soap, from a chore easy enough that even he can handle, in between rests.

Yrus (Undergloom Papyrus): He’s an absolute sucker for the smell of vanilla, nothing makes him happier. Every candle and air freshener and cologne he gets his hands on is vanilla-scented because he just loves it so much. When he’s not busy smelling like vanilla, however, he’s probably off in the kitchen smelling like bread instead. He does plenty of cooking and baking, and getting lightly floured and saturated in the ambient scent of rising dough is pretty much inevitable—albeit not especially long-lasting. Another not-uncommon smell around him is sweet, light florals, like plum blossom or honeysuckle. They’re just under vanilla as far as ranking his personal preferences might go, so a lot of the soaps and body washes he gets tend to be something like that, if he can find it.

Brick (Horrorfell Sans): As far as a favorite scent goes, his is probably WD-40. It’s a little weird and a little specific, but he’s fixed up enough things around the house with it that his love affair with how useful the stuff is has fully extended to what it smells like. If he knew there was a cologne that smelled like it, he’d probably wear that shit all the time, but since nobody’s told him about that, he only smells of it himself when he’s been doing the handyman thing. If he’s been working a lot, knitting or buying and sorting yarn for knitting, he’s at least somewhat likely to have some lanolin smell on and around his fingers—since his preference is generally wool yarn over acrylic and that has the straight-from-the-sheep aroma built-in. He’s more or less neutral to it. If he knows ahead of time that he’s going to be going out somewhere, though, he’ll freshen up properly with some body spray, something in the amber or oaky range of scents, warm and woodsy with a little spice to it. That, he likes.

King (Horrorfell Papyrus): He’s not a fan of most strong scents, less so if they’re noticeably artificial. Probably his favorite is cocoa butter, since it’s soft and pleasant and not overwhelming, so the majority of his soaps and other toiletries—and the man himself—smell like that, and that’s the way he likes it. If he’s been meditating recently or otherwise trying to center himself, he might pick up a faint tinge of sandalwood from the incense he burns, but again, since he favors light scents it’s bound to be subtle and probably won’t last long outside of his meditation room. He will sometimes get some long-lingering fruit scents on his hands, since it’s something he likes to do, peeling or otherwise unwrapping fruits for himself, or ducks and geese at the park, or for someone he cares about. It’ll be apples and oranges, mostly, but sometimes he’ll make a go of a pomegranate, and his spindly talons will be fragrant for awhile and that’s…fine.

Merc (Horrorswap Sans): He’s a little different, depending on whether you catch him before he’s solved his DT problem, or after. In both cases, he’s liable to often smell like something sweet, thanks to his home-baking business—almond more than most things, since he favors it for texture, or as extract, or as flour for a gluten-free option, but sometimes frosting, compotes, or plain old powdered sugar will cling to him a bit outside of the kitchen too. He doesn’t love it, but he’s fine with it, especially with what it covers up when he’s regularly destabilizing. The DT in his body is an overwhelming presence, to the point of having a noticeable scent when his magic spikes—an iron smell, harsh and metallic…and if he happens to lose control of himself and start melting, the smell of liquidizing bone is equally strong and unpleasant, something chalky and like…corn chips? Understandably, he’s…not a fan. He tends to mask it where he can with strong citrusy colognes, orange and lemon and yuzu, which he does like and will continue to wear for special occasions once his Issue is sorted. But his favorite scent…that’s probably orange blossom, which is just a little too subtle to assert itself over liquid bone and charged DT, but perfect on its own, after everything’s fixed. It’s his favorite kind of soap and he doesn’t really bother with anything else.

Ell (Horrorswap Papyrus): Like his brother, he also has a lot of DT in his body, just not as much and he’s in control of it. Still, that does mean he sometimes smells strongly of it, that thick and harsh iron tang, but usually only when he’s really, truly angry—just a bit of grump or peeve won’t cut it. His method of covering it up, when it does happen, is with some original scent Old Spice body spray, which he thinks is infinitely better and a classic, timeless scent to wear. He’s not necessarily wrong either, since he’s not a teen boy using it as a replacement for showering, so he doesn’t ever empty a whole can onto himself, but that’s a low bar. As much as he does like the Old Spice smell, the honor of favorite has to go to any combo of fruit-and-cream, and of those, orange creamsicle wins with him by a mile every time. He only has a few soaps and sanitizers in that category, but he’ll replace them immediately when he runs out, to make sure it’s always around.

Pitch (Horrorswapfell Sans): No hesitation, his favorite scent is blackberry and herb—his preferred cologne has it with bay leaf, but he’s found it in soaps and sanitizers paired with basil or sage and finds that equally pleasant. He uses it more to accent than cover up, and he thinks it pairs nicely with his own natural musk. If he’s been working out or boxing a lot, that musk will come through a bit stronger and blend with some other distinct things—neoprene, chalk, hand-tape—to give him an overall ‘gym smell,’ which he’s aware of but maybe only slightly negative on, at worst. He can always wash up after… Probably the only other thing he smells like regularly is chlorine or bromine, since he loves pools and jacuzzis and taking a nice dip in either, and those have to stay clean somehow. If pressed, he’d say he likes that smell in the same way some people like the smell of gasoline—it’s chemical, but there’s something about it to like, even if sniffing it too much directly would probably make you sick.

Nemo (Horrorswapfell Papyrus): His favorite smell is tea, freshly brewed. His general preference is probably more for black teas, but the occasional herbal tea is nice too. His fondness for it is mostly in the act of steeping, pouring, holding, sitting with and sipping the tea rather than only the smell, so he really only smells of it himself when he’s actually made or drank some. More than anything, he tends to smell like marker ink, from his persistent habit of doodling all over himself. It’s definitely chemical, but he does kinda like it, brings back nice memories for him and makes him feel creative and happy. Add in a somewhat compulsive cleaning habit, and you also have him kitchen-lemon-scented whenever he’s at his most sleepless and anxious, and understandably he doesn’t especially love that one, but hey, at least it’s clean and fresh.

Sunny (Gastertale Sans): He loves the smell of cola, a little syrupy but sharp and cut with carbonation bubbles, it just hits all the right notes of ‘pleasant’ for him and makes him feel relaxed. He does drink it, but not so much that he overly smells of it anywhere but his breath if he’s actively in the middle of a can or glass. Mostly, he smells a little grassy and warm, like vetiver or lemongrass since those are the kinds of soaps and body washes he prefers—nothing too strong or overpowering, just clean! ………And sometimes, in odd moments of high emotion, when things feel weird… he smells………like nothing? But something. Kind of like…petrichor, the scent that hangs in the air when it’s about to rain, but…not that, something more charged and…dark. …He doesn’t like that one.

Aster (Gastertale Papyrus): Like his brother, he too sometimes smells like something and nothing, some kind of undefinable electric darkness that he can’t put a name to…and quite frankly, he doesn’t like it either! What he does like are herbal scents, the more assertive, the better—like mint, he loves the smell of mint! Rosemary is also nice, or eucalyptus, but nothing quite beats a crisp fresh mint aroma in his heart. The only time he’ll really stray away from those kinds of botanical scents on purpose is when he’s looking for cologne to wear, and then he’s very unpredictable in terms of what he goes for. He seems to find himself almost magnetically drawn to the most abstract and loosely defined concepts. What is lunar cologne, what does it mean to smell like the moon? He can’t really say, but it seems like it would be good to impress new people—acquaintances, colleagues, perhaps a date… He’ll keep wearing it for the fancy occasions.

Spectr (Transcendtale Sans): His favorite scent is the ocean—not artificial approximations of it, or combinations of scents that someone has decided to label ‘marine,’ only the real thing will do. It’s mostly the experience of being there that resonates with him, so similar standing bodies of water (like lakes and Great Lakes) will also come close for him, but it just can’t really be bottled, what he’s after. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your perspective), he does occasionally smell like sea or lake water himself since he often decides to walk right in whenever he visits one, and that scent lingers even after he’s dredged himself back out. He doesn’t especially mind it, but other people do, and if he then has to be around some, it tends to be easier to…find…some new clothes, preferably some overstock from mass-produced fast-fashion brands just sitting in a warehouse somewhere. So, a lot of the time, he’ll smell like that—the strong dyes and starches and other chemicals that linger in fabric before the first wash. He’s pretty neutral to it, since it fades anyway the more he wears it around. When the weather’s hot, he may pick up the slightest scent of silicone rubber from his body components heating up, but he’s very well-constructed, so that’s the worst of it.

PapAIrus (Transcendtale Papyrus): He doesn’t have a favorite scent, it’s not a sense he has anymore. Which he’s fine with! Lots of smells are gross, and he’s gained plenty of other senses and capabilities with his lifestyle change to counterbalance it, so he really doesn’t miss it much ever. He himself does have a scent though, to an extent. His hard-light form smells a little like how static electricity smells, sharp and tingly, and the more fully solidified he is, the stronger the scent. If he was told about it, that would be his favorite scent by proxy. Sometimes as a precursor to his appearance, the air itself tends to sharpen and smell crisp, the way it does in cold weather—this, he wouldn’t especially like, since it takes some of the surprise out of him showing up if someone happened to notice it as a trend, but of course there’s nothing he could actually do about it anyway. It’d be hard to notice, but occasionally, devices he’s tampered with or poked around in might have a faint aroma somewhat like hot plastic, fleeting and easily put down to just the object itself overheating or something. He wouldn’t really like to know that either, no fun if he's so noticeable but again, it is what it is.

Xanth (Ascendswap Sans): His favorite scent is a sweet berry medley, not all that particular about which ones, as long as there’s a couple different kinds of berries mixed in! A lot of his soaps and body washes will be of that ilk, so it’s probably also the thing he smells like more often than not. He also likes to burn incense, but it’s mostly gifted, or sticks and cones picked up incidentally from all over, so he’s not very consistent with any one scent. White sage pops up a bit more than some of the others, but there’s a whole laundry list of incense aromas he could pick up by proximity. And on occasion, especially if he’s been frequenting pottery studios, it’s entirely possible that he could have a bit of a clay smell stuck to him…or actual clay, on him, it can be messy stuff but super fun and he loves it—even when it’s wedged in between his phalanges.

Piper (Ascendswap Papyrus): His favorite scent is definitely bergamot. He himself smells like it often, since it’s the feature of every cologne he wears, and most of the body washes and potpourris he keeps around his home. He’s also fond of the way magazine paper smells—he keeps a steady supply of them in circulation to keep on top of lots of different trends (and to see if any inspire him to participate)—but that’s a scent that doesn’t especially linger, maybe a bit on his hands if he’s been at it awhile. What does linger, whether he likes it or not, is bird smell but he only picks that up when he’s been whistling too many birds onto his fingers, or if he’s been petting learning how to handle raptors in the hopes of some day soon getting to keep a falcon. What the bird smell actually smells like depends entirely what kind of feathers he’s been preening and for how long, but either way he kind of likes it.

Carmine (Underfell Fruition Sans): His favorite smell is metal, brass and copper and steel. Mostly, they don’t have a smell of their own but they do when someone’s touching them, or if they’re being actively cut and machined, and that’s the kind of smell that he likes. He smells of it personally every now and again, since he does have a passion for tinkering with most anything he can get his hands on, and on his hands is where that scent tends to linger a bit. Way more often, what he smells like is ozone, a kind of heavy electrical smell, like lightning’s about to strike—or already has. It’s at its worst when his magic is in high supply and lightest if he’s running low, and most of the time at a ‘Huh, storm’s coming’ level that he's…admittedly nose-blind to, so he has little opinion on it. If you’re up close and chatting, something you’ll definitely catch of whiff of is the cinnamon gum he prefers, but that’s a calculated move, premeditated on his part. Nobody likes rank breath, best to keep it smelling like something nice if he’s going to socialize, right?

Tank (Underfell Fruition Papyrus): His favorite smell is soap. He has a strong preference for softer ‘clean’ scents, something like Dove soap, vaguely floral and light and not overpowering or chemical. He never really had a choice in anything what he used to clean himself with before, but now that he does, this is one of the easier choices he’s made. He also has an odd fondness for the scent of still, stagnant water—even when it’s heavy on the mildewy, algae notes. He doesn’t much smell like that himself, unless he’s been maintaining his aquariums recently, but he certainly doesn’t mind the mustiness of it as much as some might. If he’s been working, he’s liable to pick up any of a dozen scents common around a job site—sawdust, gravel, paint, spackle—whatever’s around and whatever he might’ve been tasked to do…but those will get replaced by the scent of soap in short order.

Vi (Swapfell Fruition Sans): His favorite scent is definitely ginger, extra points if it happens to be gingerbread, but he likes it in most other things as well. It’s something of a special treat for him, so he doesn’t indulge in it very often and he’s in the habit of hiding any evidence, but if he lets his guard down it’s possible to catch a faint whiff of it on him, rarely. Probably the most notable smell on him is balsam fir, which he prefers for a cologne. It’s a good strong scent, woodsy with a balance of sweet and spicy, and makes a subtle enough statement about himself…though naturally, he goes without it whenever he doesn’t want to be noticed. Every now and again, he may also smell a bit like apricots, coinciding directly with the summer months when they’re in season and it’s an ideal time for him to get a whole bunch and make illegal booze out of them. He likes the smell inasmuch as it can be a conversation starter to ask if anyone is interested in a bottle or two when it’s ready, but he’s not especially passionate about the smell for its own sake.

Hunter (Swapfell Fruition Papyrus): If you ask him, the best smell in the world is wet earth, or just plain old mud. It’s sharp and gritty and real, and he loves catching a whiff of it under his soles or even his palms whenever he’s been outside long enough. He does wash, sometimes, so he doesn’t always smell like literal dirt, but his preference for a juniper berry body wash keeps him smelling pretty outdoorsy most of the time. Under all that, there’s also his own natural musk which he doesn’t much care to hide—after all, it blends so nicely with the smell of fresh air and trees that cling to his clothes after he's come back from a run or parkour through the woods…or at least he thinks so. Why would he want to douse himself in fragrances to get rid of it?

Kohl (Descendtale Sans): He likes the scent of nutmeg the most. It smells warm and spicy and little bit bitter, and he likes that—but mostly in beverages, like coffee, so he only occasionally smells of it himself. Also faintly on him is the scent of formaldehyde, from when he’s working. He’s less susceptible than any human coworkers to some of the more astringent chemicals in his line of work, so a lot of the mixing and handling is left to him, which he’ll surely make wry comments about but actually doesn’t mind so much. Even faint, the smell seems to be a bit of a subconscious deterrent for most humans, once they get close enough to notice it. Most of that, however, is sadly rendered ineffective by the strong floral scent he often picks up, mostly roses and lilies, from setting up, moving, disposing of (and occasionally absconding with) funeral flower arrangements. …Even so, he can’t bring himself to truly despise it. He does enjoy flowers.

Bram (Descendtale Papyrus): He likes flowers too! Certainly a lot more than he enjoys the scent of dirt, when he’s working, or the scent of rot, when he’s trying to obtain new animal bones for his collection. To that end, he’s definitely also a collector of dried flowers, and he keeps them on his person anywhere and anywhen he thinks there might be unpleasant odors that could sink into his clothes—lavender and hibiscus and lotus are common choices…but even so, none of them are his favorite. That honor goes to rhubarb! It’s so fresh and fruity and lovely, almost every cologne and soap and toiletry he buys features it as a key note, if not the only note, and he feels at his best when he’s wearing it. Rarely, he may sometimes smell a bit smoky. Just candle wick smoke, since he likes to burn a lot of candles and then has to go around blowing them all out so as not to leave them unattended and that scent clings for at least a little bit. It’s not his favorite either, but he doesn’t mind it at all.