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Kris was crying.
Curled up under the covers, their head pounding, they felt there was nothing to do but cry. Their little human nose scrunched as they sniffed and coughed, trying not expel the contents of their stomach as well as their lungs.
They blinked in the darkness, clutching at their hair to try and ease the pain somehow. Maybe their horns were growing in?
That brought them little solace as the pain only worsened. Perhaps it would be better not to have horns, if this was the price.
The cold they felt bit through their covers and deep into their bones. They shivered so violently they thought their teeth would fall out. They clenched their mouth closed to avoid upending their lunch. Angels, it hurt.
They heard a loud slam and the noise- shouting?- that had been filling the house beforehand ceased immediately. That was a good sign, wasn't it?
As tears started to trickle down Kris's face, they sat up slowly, pulling the covers around them. They needed mommy now. It hurt too badly to just cry alone.
Stepping down the stairs, little baby feet dragging along the floor, they squinted into the darkness. The TV was on, casting a painful light in the otherwise dim living room. Kris rubbed the tears out of their eyes with one hand as they shivered. "Mommy?"
The TV channel glitched. Oh, mom must have changed it. "Mommy?" They said, looking around in the shadows that draped chairiel and the furniture. "Mommy, can you come out now?"
The TV channel changed once more, and Kris noticed a note taped to it.
"Out. Food in microwave. See you soon. -love, Toriel"
Their eyes blurred with tears as they practically collapsed into the chair, curling up with the covers. No one was at home. Mommy's not here. They would just have to be brave.
"I want mommy." They cried, to no one in particular. To everyone. To mommy. "I want Daddy. I want Azzy. Please come back, i don't want to be brave. My head hurts, mommy..."
The TV light dimmed, and amongst the ringing in their ears, they heard a strange sound like a dial-up phone. They pressed their hands to their ears. "I want Mommy..."
A large furry hand shook Kris awake. They coughed and shivered, greedily cuddling close to the warm limb. Feeling soft filed claws, they looked up, squinting at the goat monster before them, croaking, "Mom? Mommy?"
A masculine voice responded to them as they were pulled upright and inspected quickly. "Angels, Kris, you're burning up."
Kris made a noise. So mommy hadn't come back for them? Where was she?
"Kris? It's Azzy. Can you look at me?"
They looked at him.
Asriel picked them up gently, Kris cuddling into his soft fur. "Azzy, i don't feel so good." They confessed. Their headache had lessened a little, but their throat itched and their nose hurt. Asriel sighed softly. "I know, Kris."
Kris clutched Asriel's sweater. "...'M sleepy."
Asriel nodded. "How about this? I'll make you some soup to warm you up, and then you can sleep in my bed for tonight."
Kris's throat twinged. "Don't wanna eat." They mumbled. Asriel poked them in the forehead. "Too bad, shorty. You're eating. You need it to get better."
He turned on the lights and Kris scrunched tighter to him as they were shifted to rest on only one of Asriel's arms. Slowly, a steamy savoury smell started to wind its way into Kris's stuffy nose. Their stomach growled, and they pressed their face into Asriel's armpit. Damn.
Asriel chuckled. "See? Hungry baby. Have some soup, then off to bed."
Kris ended up having to have most of it spoon-fed to them, and then was gently carried up into Asriel's bed, tummy warm and eyes bleary. He gave them a tender lick on the forehead and then stood and left the room.
Only their family television bore witness to the hushed argument Asriel had with Toriel and Asgore when they crept back into the house, the middle-schooler's rage-filled face reflected on the smooth plastic. Kris was none the wiser as Asriel spat shame at the two adults, indignation pulling the air taught. When they woke up in the morning, their fever and headache were almost gone.
Someone made pancakes.
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Kris was alone when they found Ralsei curled up on his bedroom floor, shivering and wrapped in his weathered scarf. Their SOUL ached so much to see the soft goat boy pitifully unwell that they rushed forward, placing a hand to his forehead and checking him for injuries or other symptoms.
Ralsei coughed weakly. "Hi, Kris!" He said, deceptively brightly. "S-sorry, i don't know what-" he coughed more, forcefully. "I'll be r-right with you."
Kris was so surprised that they let the SOUL speak for them for a moment, echoing their thoughts. "Don't. I'll look after you."
Ralsei blinked and then smiled, putting his shaking hands out toward Kris. "There's no need, i-" more coughing. "I'm very well!"
Kris shook their head firmly. "Will take care of you. Stay." They insisted. Ralsei, ever eager to please, settled down a little warily.
Kris thought for a moment. What to do, what to do...
All those times they got sick as a little kid like this, what did they do?
Watch TV, mostly, and-
Kris shot up. They knew who to ask.
"Sit tight, Ralsei. I need to get some stuff."
Ralsei nodded, shivering. "O-of course!"
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"TENNA!!" Kris cried, skidding into his office. Studio. Thing. Whatever.
The large TV man immediately crouched before them, the very picture of worry. The concern made them feel weird, but they had bigger problems right now.
"Tenna. I need your help." They said, breathing heavily. Tenna leaned closer. "It's- Ralsei. He's sick. He- i-i was sick like this a few times, but i don't know what to do."
"I know you were there." Tenna froze. "When i was a kid. When i was sick. I don’t remember much, but i know- and i don't know what you did, if you just- but i know you saw. So, what do i do?"
Kris was staring at the floor now, fingers twisting on their scarf thing. God. Speaking so many words, to Tenna of all people, felt... odd.
Tenna shifted, and gently extended his hands toward them. "Of course, Kris. I'll help you." He said, and Kris let out a relieved breath, allowing themself to be scooped up by the large man.
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As it turned out, soup actually was a main component of recovering from illness. After supplying Ralsei with tea and plenty of blankets (thank you, Lancer), Kris and Tenna had retired to one of Tenna's rooms to cook Ralsei some soup. Kris didn't really know how eating would work for darkners, but they trusted Tenna.
Huh.
The TV man was being an excellent sport, having dressed up in a red gingham dress for the occasion and put on 90's cooking channels for a good recipe. Kris was doing the actual cooking.
While they were chopping up the onions, Tenna said nervously, "...Kris?"
Kris didn't stop preparing, transferring the onions to the boiling water and starting on the carrots. "Mm?"
"I tried to help. When you were a kid."
Kris tried to make their sharp inhale as unnoticeable as possible. Tenna didn't stop, guiltily wringing his picnic-patterned skirt.
As they watched the soup for when to turn off the heat, he continued.
"I tried to call Toriel, and Asgore, but neither of them would respond. I had to call Alphys to see if she could reach Asriel, and even then-"
Kris's whole body froze.
Toriel didn't respond?
Their mom left them?
Mom left them alone while they were crying for her and didn't pick up the phone?
And neither did dad?
No, that couldn't be right, could it? Would mom have just....
...
Tenna was still warbling. Kris felt the SOUL choose something to say and bit down hard on their hand to avoid saying it. They weren't that cruel.
Oh, but they were angry.
They transferred the soup to the bowl and heard Tenna stop chattering. "Kris? A-"
"Tenna. Thank you for your help. But keep your mouth shut about my family." Ice sliced through the air at those words. Tenna's face crumpled. "Kris, i-"
"Don't talk to me." They said, in agreement with the SOUL for once. They took the bowl and left. They had Ralsei to take care of.
-------------------------
Back in his pillow fort of illness, Ralsei was looking a little better. He smiled croakily as Kris placed the soup beside him. "Eat." They said. "Good for you."
Ralsei nodded, and ate almost half. Kris had to convince him it was alright to leave the rest, as the goat looked about ready to fall asleep in the bowl.
Ralsei curled up on Kris's legs, warming them up to their chest. They were always cold in the dark world. The poor tired goat cuddled into them, seeming not to notice their armour.
Kris sighed. Well, they might as well get comfortable, since a soft goat boy had taken their legs hostage, they thought with a wry grin, and wriggled out of their armour as best they could.
And if Susie found them a while later and INSISTED upon joining the cuddle pile, well. Kris wasn't mad.
Even if Tenna's words haunted them.
Why had Toriel left? Why had she been unreachable? Didn't she care they were sick?
Did she even know?
Did she even care? Was it all an act? Did she-
"Hey, Space Case! The nerd just said something to you!" Susie said, tapping their head.
Kris blinked at Ralsei, pushing Susie's hand away.
"Thank you for looking after me, Kris." He said, swinging his body a little nervously. "I- it was nice. But you don't have to do it every time!"
Kris blinked. "I will." They said. Of course they would. He was their friend.
Susie pushed their face away, making them stumble back. "Naw, i need a turn too!! Next time i'll look after you."
Kris raised a wordless eyebrow at the chalk-eating girl.
"You think you could be better? I'd like to see you try! Ralsei care-off, Kris!!!!" She roared, tail thrashing excitedly as Ralsei protested, ears pink.
Kris pushed away the worries about their mom. It was fine. Tenna must have been confused. He was just a TV set, he didn't know anything about their family.
Their family was fine.
Still, they thought as Susie and Ralsei argued playfully, this 'found family' they've found isn't so bad. It's always nice to have people you can bring soup to when they're sick. It's nice to care again.
"C-can i look after you when you're sick, Kris?" Ralsei asked. Susie shook her head. "Nah, i wanna! Arm wrestle me for it!"
Kris giggled. And people who would bring you soup when you're sick, they supposed.
They might actually survive all these disasters, all things considered, because looking at their adamant friends, it was hard to believe anything could hurt them.
Even the memories of Toriel they want to forget.