Homecoming

by WaterDrinker247

Summary:

He's loved her practically his whole life, and he never stopped loving her when she disappeared from it.

Asriel could never fall in love again, but his life would keep marching to the beat of time whether or not his heart and mind were still stuck in the past.

A slice of life Dessriel fic- starting from their meeting for the first time in Kindergarten, from pre-canon to post-canon.

Notes:

Howdy! I got sidetracked again, sorry! I might update this more sparsely than I did 'Skin Deep' because I want to prioritize completing 'The True Nature of Kris Dreemurr,' but who knows? I'm going to make a collection(?) or series(?) (I'm very new to AO3) in which I'll place this story and 'Skin Deep.' You can consider this story to be in the same world as 'Skin Deep,' as will all the stories in this collection.

I want to make it clear that Dark Worlds won't play a major part in this story, or in other stories I release under this collection/series. That being said, they do exist in this world, but I will try to write around them and be as vague about the details as I can manage. I'll be able to touch on that more in other chapters.

I hope you enjoy the fic!
WD247

Chapter 1: Kindergarten I- Meeting for the First Time

“Daddy, Daddy! Can I come wiff you?”

“Now, now, son…” Asgore started with a light heart. “You know you can’t come with Daddy to work. I have to stop bad guys, and you have to stay home to protect Mommy!” Asgore, clad in his police uniform, knelt down to be eye level with his young son. “Now, it’s a tough job, but I know you can do it, my son.”

Asriel dropped the puppy-dog eyes and straightened up, looking more serious than before. “There he is! That’s my boy, right there!” Asgore picked his son up, wrapping him in a tight hug with his massive arms. They were both covered head-to-toe in fur, but the golden whiskers on Asgore’s face and head made Asriel itch when Asgore nuzzled his face against his.

“H-hey, cut it out, Daddy!” Asriel struggled to get the words out because he was giggling so hard. “Dat tickles!!”

“Yes, cut it out, Daddy- Asriel has to get ready for service, doesn’t he?” The boys turned their heads to see Toriel, dressed to the nines in her choir robes, resting her hands on her hips and looking impatient. However, when she saw Asgore in his uniform, her expression softened. “And there’s my big handsome man~” Toriel scooped Asriel out of Asgore’s arms and gave Asgore a big kiss. “How I wish you could join us for service, at least sometimes…”

“Daddy has to save da town!” Asriel roared defensively before turning his head back to face Asgore. “Wight?”

“Haha, that’s right, kiddo. I’ll see you two this afternoon, alright?” He rustled the top of Asriel’s head, making his neat fur look disheveled. “Remember, son-”

Asriel cut off his father. “I know, I know, I’ll pwotect Mommy! Have fun today!!” Toriel took Asriel by the hand and the two waved goodbye to Asgore. After the door had shut, Toriel led Asriel to the dining table. He flinched, looking at the chair. “Guh… Mommy, do I weally need to sit in dat? What about my old chair?” Asriel looked at the chair that towered over him, wrestling with the idea that he might have to climb on top of it.

Toriel picked Asriel up and set him at the chair. “Now, now, you’ve grown far too big to use that old thing.” After setting Asriel at the table, Toriel walked over to the stovetop, where a batch of pancake batter was just dying to be made into a delicious treat. Toriel smiled softly, pondering. “Though, maybe one day, I’ll get to put it at the table again…” Asriel nibbled on his metal fork idly, tilting his head curiously, but he made no sound. He didn’t ponder too hard on Toriel’s words, his mind instead filled with thoughts about the pancakes whose rich, sweet scent wafted all the way to his seat and almost made him jump out and run to the kitchen. “Make sure you wear your bib, now, we wouldn’t want your Church clothes getting all dirty.” Toriel brought a plate of fluffy pancakes to the table, where her hungry little monster waited.

After having to change Asriel’s shirt because he did- after all- get his Church clothes dirty, Toriel and Asriel walked hand-in-hand to Home Town’s Church. “Mommy, aww you gonna sing today, too?”

“Yes, dear. Mommy is part of the choir, do you know what that means?” Asriel thought for a bit and shook his head, ‘No.’ Toriel smiled softly as they walked. “Well, a choir is like a… singing group? Mommy is part of the Church’s choir, so I must sing each time we go there.”

“Ooooh, I get it now!” Asriel said excitedly. He began to swing his arm back and forth, pulling Toriel’s arm with his own. Toriel saw his change in attitude and strongly suspected that he did not, in fact, get it now. Asriel was pulling at Toriel, trying to make her move faster. Visions of Toriel donning a Mohawk and singing on a stage flashed in Asriel’s mind, making him giggle with glee. “I wonder if I’ll be a rockstar like Mommy, or a hero like Daddy… I can’t wait to grow up!”

…

Asriel was quite an energetic child, so sitting through Father Alvin’s Church service was rough. Asriel did, however, find himself paying attention to the choir, when his mother and other churchgoers joined together in song. “Wow, Mommy, you’ww the best singer EVERH!!” Asriel exclaimed as he tackled Toriel in a hug. He peaked his head out, resting his chin against Toriel’s leg, staring at her with his cartoonishly wide eyes. “I wanna sing wike you one day!”

Toriel patted Asriel’s head softly. “That would be wonderful, dear! Would you like to practice singing with Mommy when we get home?” Asriel nodded. “Can you say choir? Co-eye-ur.” Toriel enunciated carefully.

“Co-eye-uw.” Asriel scrunched up his nose. “Co-eye-ur?” Toriel smiled and clapped, and Asriel lit up with delight. “Yay! I’m gonna be on the co-eye-ur wiff Mommy!”

“Come, now, dear, let’s please settle down. You must use your inside voice, remember?” Asriel nodded, placing the index finger of one paw over his snout. “Very good, sweetie. Do you want some juice now?” Asriel’s excitement over things generally made him forgetful of his manners, even if he was just reminded of them. Toriel sighed and covered her eyes in embarrassment as Asriel began cheering loudly, running to the table where refreshments waited for him.

“My, what a rowdy one. Reminds me of my own.”

Toriel turned to face the voice that was addressing her. “Oh, Carol! I’m surprised to see you here, this morning!” Toriel greeted the Mayor with a smile.

Carol’s smile was usually reserved for truly emotional moments- her being famous for her icy exterior- but a person as genuine as Toriel was hard not to greet with a smile. “Good morning to you, Toriel. I’m grateful that I actually was able to attend this morning. It’s rare that my workload is actually light enough, and…”

Toriel rested one hand over her elbow and the other hand against her cheek, cradling her head thoughtfully. “I suppose mayors don’t get very long for maternity leave, do they?...”

Carol chuckled and shook her head. “No, they most certainly do not. It’s been a real challenge, finding a babysitter for little Noelle, but I’ve managed. Rudy’s been given some extra time off, too…” She swirled the juice around in her glass as her smile grew ever-so-slightly. “…After all, being mayor has its perks.” She could hardly conceal her playful smirk.

Toriel laughed heartily, and Asriel came back to her side, holding a glass of juice. “Hi! Aww you Mommy’s fwiend?” Asriel’s energetic tone made even Carol’s frozen heart thaw one degree. “Want some juice?” He held out his own glass, offering it to her.

Toriel rested her paw atop Asriel’s head. “Sweetie, this is Miss Holiday. She’s the Mayor of this town, and Daddy works for her.”

Asriel put a finger to his chin, deep in thought. “If Daddy is a hero, and he works for her, then she must be a…” His eyes widened. “Aww you a supewhewo?”

“Pfft-” Carol stifled her laughter, trying to maintain appearances since practically the whole town was here.

“No, she’s the MAYOR. Don’t you know anything?” Yet another voice chimed into the conversation, this one a lot higher pitched than Carol’s. A small girl, only a little taller than Asriel, approached the group, a disdainful look on her face.

“December, be nice.” Carol chided with her own disapproving expression. “Come here and say hi. This here is Ms. Toriel, and the little one is Asriel.” Dess crossed her arms defiantly. “…You remember Mr. Asgore, don’t you? He works together with Mommy. This is his family- Won’t you say hi?”

“Hi!” Asriel said, rushing up to Dess. “Want some juice? It’s weally good!”

“No, thanks…” Dess pouted. “Mom, we’ve been here for so long, can we go now?”

Carol frowned and set her cup of juice down. “…Fine.” She turned to look at Toriel. “It was nice seeing you... I’ll tell your husband you said hello.”

Toriel covered her mouth and giggled. “That’s quite kind of you. Have a good day, Carol.”

Just as Carol turned to leave, she stopped short. “…Oh, wait.” She leaned down to get closer to Asriel’s and Dess’s level. “…I just remembered, you’ll be starting kindergarten after the summer, right?”

Asriel tilted his head. “Kindew… Garden?”

Toriel smiled softly at him. “It’s ‘school,’ remember ‘school’ baby?”

Asriel nodded. “School! I know school!” He cheered, a little too loudly for Toriel’s and Carol’s taste, but neither tried to curb his enthusiasm.

“Well, my little December here will be starting at the same time as you.” Carol gestured towards Dess, who was hiding behind her, not wanting to engage with these strangers. “Dess, at least say hi to Ms. Toriel. She’ll be your teacher, starting in August.”

“I don’t want to go to school! I’m already smart!” Dess stamped her foot on the ground. She turned to face Asriel, and her scornful gaze made Asriel sad for some reason. “Hmph!”

Carol sighed and patted Dess’s shoulder. “I know, dear. Come now, let’s get moving. Sorry about that, Toriel. She won’t give you this much trouble in class.”

Toriel shook her head. “Compared to the trouble I expect this one to give me…” She gestured towards Asriel quietly, unbeknownst to him. “…I’m not all that worried about it.” The women shared a short laugh once again before Carol and Dess departed. She turned to face Asriel once again. “Now, Mommy has to do a little bit of practice with the choir. Would you like to join us for a listen?” His cheerful nods melted her heart, and they walked hand-in-hand towards the practice room. A thought crossed her mind. “…Just make sure you stay quiet, dear. We can practice together at home.”

Surprisingly, Asriel managed to stay quiet during the whole practice. Once mother and son returned home, they practiced together- rather, Asriel sung and Toriel tried her best to help him develop his skills. “Well… This town wasn’t built in a day…” Toriel thought as she nursed her aching ears, sore from Asriel’s dissonant attempts at singing. “Very good, sweetie! You’ll be ready to join the choir in no time!” Her reassuring voice was all Asriel needed to stay motivated.

…

Summers in Home Town were always blistering hot, but for most monsters, this was no issue. In general, only the monsters whose anatomy greatly involved ice or snow ever struggled with the heat. Even monsters with thick fur coats like the Dreemurrs were comfortable in the heat. However, the Holidays were an exception. “Can I go swimming, Mommy?” December asked while fanning herself. Reindeer monsters like the Holidays hailed from the extreme cold and often found it difficult to cool off during the heat due to their fur- so Dess tried to find different ways to beat the heat.

“No, dear.” Carol said flatly. “There are no pools in this town, anyhow. We can all go to the lake together, once Noelle grows a little bit bigger.” The two walked hand-in-hand back to their house, but Dess stomped her foot, trying to drag her mother to a halt. “What is it, December?”

“I wanna swim! It’s hot outside!” She was on the verge of tears, trying her best to seem mature and not throw a tantrum, but the heat really was bothering her.

Carol rubbed her temple with her free hand. “December, sweetie… How about you play indoors today? You and the babysitter can draw pictures together.” She felt her patience waning. “…Make sure that you don’t give her any attitude, like you’re giving me.”

Dess frowned and huffed. “I don’t wanna play with her, she smells bad.”

Carol’s scowl deepened. “You must not talk about other people that way, December. She’s a wonderful babysitter, and she’s helping Mommy and Daddy a lot by taking care of you and Noelle.”

“Why can’t I just take care of Noelle? I’m old enough to-”

“Not another word.” Carol cut Dess off sharply. “If you don’t want to play with the babysitter, you can just NOT play at all. Does that sound like fun?”

Dess felt a pang of fear at her mother’s raised voice, and struggled to not burst into tears. “…No…”

Carol’s stern voice softened ever so slightly. “…That’s better.” The pair approached the gate leading to their house, Carol remotely opening it. “Alright, now, sweetie. Play nice- and try to spend some time with your little sister. If you get hungry, the babysitter will whip something up for you. Your father will be home in…” She looked at her watch. “Three hours.”

She looked down to see Dess still pouting, and she knelt down to get closer to her. “I’m sorry, sweetie. Mommy wishes she could stay home with you and Noelle, but…” She let out an exhausted sigh. She wrapped her arms around Dess, pulling her in for a hug. “Mommy will see you around dinner time, okay? Do try and have fun today.”

“Fun.” The word was sort of funny in and of itself for Dess. How could she have fun? She was practically a prisoner in her own home, not allowed to go outside when Mom didn’t want her to, not able to play with Noelle cause she’s too little, not able to play with Mom or Dad because they were always gone for so long. Dess did not want to make do playing with the babysitter, even if she said she would just to appease her mother. She wanted to run around, to shout and jump up and down. She wanted to feel excited- or more precisely, she wanted to stop feeling so bored. Church, school, public appearance, nobody being there for her, everything in December’s 5 years of living seemed to point towards the fact that fun was a crime. Lying down on the sofa, Dess stared up at the ceiling and wondered how she could have fun right now. “Urk…” She grumbled as she pictured the boy she had met earlier that day. “HE looked like he was having fun…”

…

The school year was right around the corner, and Asriel, for one, was excited. He didn’t have a complete grasp as to what he’d even be doing, but the fact that he was getting to start something made him feel overjoyed. The night before classes began, Toriel and Asgore were worried that Asriel might be too excited to fall asleep, but he wound up crashing due to having spent all his excitement earlier in the day.

The next morning was as perfect as a family could hope their child’s first day of school to be. Everyone was dressed on time, Asriel did not make a mess during breakfast, and they were out the door with plenty of time to spare before class started. “Daddy, you’ww coming too? I thought you had to save the ciddy!” Asriel was walking hand-in-hand with both of his parents. It took some convincing for Toriel not to just drive them all, but Asgore wanted this moment to be special.

“Haha, that’s right, kiddo. I’ll be going to save the city right after you get to school.” There was a slight quavering in his voice, and his emotions were shining through his calm exterior. Toriel rested her eyes while walking, taking in the moment of pure bliss between the Dreemurrs.

“Aww, so you’ll be gone all day…” Asriel’s disappointed voice almost made Asgore crack, but he held strong.

“Yo, fluffybuns! Fancy meeting you here!” Asgore turned to see Rudy, his partner on the police force, walking his own kid to school.

Asriel turned to see that both Rudy and Asgore were wearing a police uniform. “Hey! Dat’s my dad’s costume!” He barked defensively, not realizing that it was standard for police to wear it.

“It’s called a police uniform!” December, who was just hiding behind Rudy, poked her head out to shout at Asriel. Something about Asriel’s apparent lack of knowledge deeply irked Dess. However, no matter how irritated she might seem, Asriel was completely oblivious.

Asriel recognized that snarky voice that spoke down to him, even if he didn't understand that part yet. “Hi! I wemember you!” Asriel waved energetically towards Dess, who in turn gave him the cold shoulder.

“Oh, and you must be little Asriel!” Rudy said cheerfully. They had crossed the street to meet the Dreemurrs at this point, despite Dess’s protesting.

“You know me?” Asriel frowned as he tried to remember a time when he had met a tall, antlered monster. He narrowed his eyes as he pictured Carol, who he also remembered being with the shorter reindeer. “Hmm… No, that's definitely not the lady from before…”

“Asriel, this is Rudy. This is Daddy’s partner, we fight crime together.” Asgore picked up Asriel, letting him sit on his strong arms for a moment.

Asriel’s eyes lit up, overjoyed to meet yet another hero like his father. “Fahaha, how adorable! And I see you’ve already met Dess here!” Rudy said as he put his hand on Dess’s shoulder. “Come on, don’t be shy.”

“I’m not shy! I wanna go home! I’ll babysit Noelle, I won’t throw any fits, so please, Papa!” Dess was on the verge of tears as she threw a fit- exactly like she had just said she would not.

Rudy excused himself and December as they went somewhere more private to talk. “Why’s she so sad?” Asriel wondered. “Mommy, Daddy, can I go cheer her up?”

Toriel smiled softly. “…Not now, dear. You’ll get to talk with her later, if you want.”

Asgore chuckled. “That one’s real shy. I hope you two can get along, in...” He said, stroking his golden beard in contemplation. Asgore then got onto his knees. “…In class.” He let a heavy sigh out as words that he was ultimately unprepared to say bubbled up in his throat. “Asriel, buddy, I’ll miss you. When we all get home tonight, let’s go to QC’s, okay?”

The realization that Asgore was saying goodbye in a sadder way than normal struck Asriel all at once. “Wh- but…” He looked from father to mother and back. He didn’t know why he was tearing up, but when Asgore and Toriel wrapped their fluffy arms around him, he started full-on bawling.

…

Asriel was still wiping his eyes when Toriel led them both into the school. “Hoho? And who’s this little feller here?” Asriel heard an old man’s voice calling out to him and Toriel, accompanied by the 'clacking' sound of a walking cane.

“This is my son, Asriel.” She was still holding Asriel’s hand, and Asriel was still shaken up from crying, but he managed to look at the man speaking to them. “Asriel, this is Mr. Boom. He’ll be your teacher one day.”

The turtle monster stroked his beard. “Well, I sure hope so! I’m not ready to croak just yet, and retirin’ just ain’t in my nature!” He let out a hearty ‘Gyahaha!’ which startled Asriel a little bit, but made him smile nonetheless.

“Hi… My name is Aswiel D… Dweemurr.” Asriel sniffled between his words, still regaining his composure.

“My, you look just like your mother. I’ll bet he’ll do well in school, just like she did too!” He gave a knowing wink to Toriel, who blushed in embarrassment. “Wouldja believe that, back in the day, I was her teacher?”

Asriel’s eyes widened. “Wooow, you’ve been a teacher for…” Asriel began counting on his fingers before realizing that he had nowhere near enough fingers to cover that much time- and he wasn’t exactly sure how old his mother was. “100 years!” Toriel grimaced at his math, and Gerson let out another hearty chuckle.

“Yup! Right on the money!” Gerson affectionally ruffled Asriel’s hair, making him giggle and forget all about the sadness and worry he was just feeling. “Well, now, I should be going. We don’t want the principal on our rears, now, do we?”

“You were the one holding us up, Mr. Boom.” Toriel said with narrowed eyes. Gerson just laughed again, and waved them goodbye.

“He’s a teacher?” Asriel whispered to his mother, and Toriel nodded.

"He is, indeed, and he's the best teacher you could ever hope for. Why, I remember when..." Toriel's voice trailed off, sounding nostalgic. "...Well, I can tell you the story after school, if you'd like, dear. We really should be getting to class now." Asriel, now cheered up from his initial sadness, eagerly nodded.

…

The Kindergarten class started trickling in, parents coming in with their own kid, before giving them a tearful goodbye. “Hi Wudy!” Asriel waved at Rudy as he walked into the classroom, December in tow. Rudy waved back to Asriel and gave Toriel cheerful smile before departing.

There were only six students in the class, including Asriel and December. Asriel watched as a blue monster with floppy rabbit ears, a brownish monster who sort of looked like a cat, a purple-furred cat monster who really looked like a cat, and a green alligator monster with blonde hair all took their seats around Asriel.

However, Asriel's mind was not as focused on the other, seemingly overjoyed students who surrounded him. His mind was, instead, on Dess, who Asriel realized was a close friend of the family. “Hi, were you cwying? Me too!” He whispered to Dess, who was seated to his right. “Huh?”

Dess’s eyes were a familiar shade of red to Asriel’s- any time he had a crying fit- and her scowl made his heart flutter. She scoffed and turned away from the goat monster, trying to ignore him as she focused on Toriel instead. However, for the rest of the class, even when he was preoccupied making friends with the students around him, his mind lingered on the mean girl right beside him.

Notes:

I don't want it to take an extremely long time to finish, so expect multiple year jumps every now and again. Next chapter will largely revolve around Asriel's and Dess's first day of school, but the one after that might be a considerable jump in time. We'll see!

 

Thank you for reading this chapter!
WD247

I like to reread some of my works and add things to the notes that I wish to include in the continuity of this world that don't necessarily have place in the chapter itself.
1. The monsters that suffer the worst from the heat are the family of Snowdrakes who live in the red brick apartment complex on the east side of Home Town. After that is the Holidays.
2. The Holidays are Boss Monsters, as are the Dreemurrs. The only other Boss Monster in town at this time is young Ms. Undyne. Additionally, the Onion Kraken that lives in the lake is a boss monster, but it does not technically live in Home Town.
3. Just as some monsters have affinity for the cold, some have affinity for the heat. All reptilian monsters that aren't Snowdrakes, and all monsters that have anatomy related to fire thrive in the heat. Conversely, they dislike the cold.
4. Noelle is almost half a year old at this point.

Chapter 2: Kindergarten II- Let's Be Friends!

The first day of school, for any grade level, is always the hardest. It was especially hard when you felt like a big fish in a small pond. “This is too easy… Why can’t I just go home?” December wondered with a sigh as she watched Toriel’s deft hands trace neat shapes on the board, forming the alphabet one letter at a time. “Now, one by one, I want you to come up to the front of the class and introduce yourselves! Do we all know what an introduction is?”

There was some mumbling heard throughout the classroom. Dess didn’t turn and look at the other students, but she was certain she was the only one who knew the answer. However, her peripheral vision caught the movement of white fur as it bobbed up and down. Dess turned to face Asriel, who was nodding excitedly to Toriel’s question. “Liar… You’re too dumb to know what an introduction is.”

“Well, today we’ll be learning exactly what an introduction is! And to do that…” Toriel gestured towards the board. “We’ll be using letters!” She clapped cheerfully, and her joy seemed infectious to her classmates- but Dess herself felt miserable.

“Excuse me, what if we already know how to spell?” Dess raised her hand and asked, not waiting for Toriel to address her before speaking out.

Toriel clapped. “Wow, that’s wonderful! It’s very impressive to already understand spelling at your age!” Dess felt her face burn a little. Her attempt at avoiding embarrassment by not having to do baby work just resulted in her becoming even more embarrassed. “However, we don’t all know how to spell yet- so let’s give everyone else the opportunity, whether you know it or not!” When Toriel announced that not everyone knew how to spell, Dess shot a look towards Asriel, who was wearing a blankly happy expression- completely unaware that Dess was looking down on him.

Asriel turned to look at Dess, who turned to look away from him. “Wow, you’ww smawt…” He whispered to Dess. Toriel noticed the side conversation and wanted to set a good example for the other students, but since it was only day one, she opted to wait until they got home to explain things to him. “I know how to speww too!”

Dess scoffed and looked away. “As if.”

“Hi, my name is Catty Cattenheimer!” The first student, the one who sat to Asriel’s left, went to the front of the classroom.

“Good morning, Catty!” Toriel clasped her hands together and looked from Catty to the class. “Now, class, let’s all give Catty a warm welcome! Repeat after me- ‘Good morning Catty!’” The other students’ voices mumbled out a response that only vaguely resembled what she asked them to say. “Now, we can all do better than that, can’t we? ‘Good morning Catty!’” Toriel clapped her hands and the class repeated her once again, this time with much more resonance. “Very good, children! Now, Catty, do you know how to spell your name?”

Catty put a clawed finger to her chin and looked at the board. “C… is for cat.” She thought aloud while pointing at it. “Then it’s… A, for apple?” Toriel’s overjoyed smile encouraged her to continue. “Oh, I know it! It’s T, and T again!”

“Very good! Just one more letter now!”

As Catty pondered the last letter, Dess felt her heart drop slightly. “What? But an idiot like her shouldn’t…” Dread was creeping up on Dess as the realization that she might not be as 'above' all the other students as she'd thought began to set in. “Oh!” Toriel looked at Catty, wondering if Catty was stating that the last letter of her name was ‘O.’ Catty pointed at the ‘Y’ on the board. “It’s ‘Y!’ Because my baby sister’s name is the same, but with an ‘I!’

“Very good, Catty! Now, Catty, dear, why don’t you tell us some things about yourself? What’s your favorite food?”

“Canned tuna!”

“…Right… Now, what’s your favorite color?”

“Purple!”

…

After a short Q&A, Catty returned to her seat, and it was now Asriel’s turn to go to the front of the class. “Hewwo, my name is Aswiel Dweemurr…” Asriel was not generally a shy kid, but seeing everyone staring at him made him feel anxious. “I’m…” He fidgeted, tugging on his shirt as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Heh, serves you right, momma’s boy…” Dess put her elbows on the table and rested her head in her palms. If someone who was seated could look down on someone who was standing, that's exactly what Dess was doing. Asriel gulped and pointed at the board. “A… S, R… I… E, L, D, R, E… E, M, U, R.”

Toriel clapped her hands together. “Very good, sweetie. However, you forgot one letter.” Dess’s concern that Asriel wasn’t as dumb as he looked was replaced with a smug sense of superiority. “He doesn’t even know how to spell his own name!… What a buffoon.”

Asriel counted on his fingers, looking from his paws to the board several times. “’R!’ Dere’s two ‘R’s!’” Toriel congratulated him, and he hopped up and down joyfully. Asriel then began his introductions. “I wike gween! And my favowite food is… The food Mommy cooks!”

Toriel blushed a little. “V-very nice, dear… Let’s all give a hand to Asriel, everyone!” Dess was the only one who did not clap for him. “Okay, up next is Miss December! Everyone give a warm welcome to December! ‘Good morning, December!’” The class repeated after Toriel, and the unwanted attention made Dess blush. If she had inherited her father’s nose like little baby Noelle had, it would be glowing right now.

Dess was hesitant to get in front of the class, but she was eager to prove herself. “D-E-C-E-M-B-E-R, H-O-L-I-D-A-Y.” The letters fell off of her tongue as if following a metronome, precise and practiced. “Wow… she’s smart…” Asriel stared at her dreamily. “…My favorite food is fruit cake, and my favorite color is red and green.”

“Hey, that’s two colors!” Blue Ears shouted from the back of the classroom.

“Now, now, class, when did I ever say you can only have one favorite color- or one favorite food?” Toriel lightheartedly chided, offering food for thought for the young monsters. Dess furrowed her brow, frustrated by her classmates' comments. “Idiots…” Toriel’s smile offered her no reassurance. “Everyone, let’s give December a big round of applause!” Asriel’s claps were the loudest, at least from what Dess could hear. It pissed her off for some reason.

“You’ww smawt!” Asriel loudly whispered to her when she got back to her seat. “My name’s Aswiel!”

“I know that, you just said- ugh…” She turned away from Asriel, irritated, and did her utmost to ignore his persistent attempts at conversation.

“Asriel, dear, you must quiet down. Other students are introducing themselves.” Toriel did not want to reprimand Asriel in front of the class on day one, but he was truly being disruptive. “Other students gave you their attention during your introduction, so let’s be respectful to young Mr. Pants!”

Asriel’s face reddened, the white on his cheeks and ears turning pink. Dess thought it was amusing how pitiful he looked.

…

“Okay, children, who’s hungry?” The bell had just rung, announcing that it was 10:00- snack time for the children. Toriel pulled her desk drawer out and revealed that it was stuffed to the brim with various snacks. The class erupted with excited cheers when Toriel displayed all the food. She had previously verified that there were no known allergies and checked in with the other parents to ensure they were okay with her offering their kids food- even when they brought their own lunch boxes.

Dess was reluctant, but her rumbling stomach forced her to relent and grab some apple slices and a box of juice from Toriel’s paws. “Th… Thank you…” She struggled to remember her own manners, despite how heavily they had been reinforced by her mother. The children were allowed to eat at their desks, and only after that, were they allowed to play on the playmat sitting at the far end of the classroom. Dess wished she could just eat on the playmat, and get away from…

“Wow, dat looks yummy…” Asriel mused, looking at Dess’s food. Somehow it didn’t click for him that he had the exact same selection of food as she did- he had just picked out a tangerine instead of apple slices, like Dess chose. “Wanna twade?”

Dess frowned. “No. Get your own apples.” She huffed, her dark hair flipping as she turned her head away from him. “You can just eat them at home.”

Asriel tilted his head. “Oh yeah…” He turned to feel someone tugging at the left sleeve of his shirt.

“Hi, do you want my apples?” Catty offered him, holding them on her paw. They had cat hairs on them, but Asriel didn’t seem to mind. “For your juice box!”

“No, gimme your juice box!” A nasally voice cried out from behind Asriel, making him turn. Bratty, the crocodilian monster urged him. “I’ll give you my pear!” She displayed the pear, which had a large bite taken out of it. “Ugh, what’s with these people?…” Dess frowned as she put her arm over her food defensively, blocking it from Asriel’s view. Asriel ended up taking Catty’s trade and went to play with the blocks on the floor, along with Pants and Blue Ears- whose actual names Asriel had not committed to memory yet. “Like, whatever…” Bratty crossed her arms in a huff, and Dess did her best not to snicker.

Before long, Dess was the only one who was still at her desk. She didn’t realize it before, but she felt totally isolated. “December, would you like to join the other students?” Toriel’s kindly voice made her stare up at her from her desk. “The other students would all like to play with you, too!” She looked from Toriel to where she was pointing, only seeing Asriel wave at her, while the other kids were preoccupied with blocks and stuffed animals.

“No…”

She hated crying, especially in front of other people, but the tears were pooling at the corners of her eyes before she realized it. Toriel pulled a chair up to her desk, sitting across from her. If Dess would not join the other students, Toriel would join her. “I want to go home.” She did her best not to sniffle or sob too loudly- she hated the attention it would inevitably draw to her. Her vision blurred as she looked up towards Toriel, but even through the tears, she could see Toriel’s understanding smile.

“I want to go home!” Dess was now crying loudly, folding her arms over the table and stuffing her head between them to stifle the sobs. Toriel placed a paw gently on December’s shoulder, cooing softly while she patted Dess reassuringly.

The other students didn’t seem to realize what was going on, as they kept playing at the other side of the room. However, with a picture book in hand, Asriel walked up to his mother and Dess. “What’s wong?” His voice was low and tender and offered comfort that Dess hadn’t realized she needed until that moment. Dess kept sniffling into her arms, not offering a reply.

“It’ll be okay, dear…” Toriel said to both of the children at once, reassuring December as well as answering Asriel. “December… Would you like to read a book?”

Dess looked up from her own elbows, tears staining her dark brown fur in even darker brown polka dots. With a sniffle, she nodded. She avoided looking Asriel in the eyes as he handed her the book. It was just a picture book, and she knew she was too smart to read something like this, but she had never felt so grateful to receive a baby’s book as she did right then.

…

After a long day, filled with lots of shapes, letters, pictures of animals, snack time, play time, and even the coveted ‘nap time,’ class time was over. “Alright, children, I’m very proud of you for how you did today! You’ve all impressed me so much!” Toriel picked an apple up from her desk and rubbed it on her blouse. “Everyone come get a sticker!” She held out a page of various stickers, each with a positive connotation- such as smiley faces, golden stars, hearts, clawed thumbs-ups, and balls of yarn. The students walked up one by one and took a sticker of their choice. “…Asriel, you must put it beside your name, not on your face.” Toriel pointed towards the bookshelf, where a sheet of paper with each students’ names was hung up.

Dess snickered when she saw Asriel with a golden star resting on his cheek. Asriel could only tilt his head in confusion, making his long floppy ears wobble.

“Now, who knows the cleanup song?” The kids all tidied up their desks, pushing crumbs onto the floor and bringing their chairs to the back corner of the room. “Very good, children! Make sure you leave nothing behind- because if you do, the janitor might snatch it right up!” Toriel’s teasing voice made the other kids laugh.

“Asriel, aren’t you forgetting something?” Toriel asked after the other students had exited the room. Asriel rubbed his chin and looked around, walking back to his desk. He peered inside, feeling around for anything he might have left behind. Toriel’s soft paws covered the sound of her footsteps as she crept up behind him. “You forgot that the hugging monster was visiting today!” Toriel scooped him up in a big hug, nuzzling him all over, making him shriek with laughter.

“Mommy, dat tickles!” The other students, as well as the parents who had come to pick them up, could hear Asriel’s giggles from the hallway.

Asriel left the classroom first, bouncing from one foot to another as Toriel stayed behind to organize her things for tomorrow morning’s lessons. When the door closed behind Asriel, he spotted Dess, still waiting for one of her parents to come pick her up. “Hi!” Asriel bounded towards her, his abrupt appearance making her flinch. “Urk, it’s him…”

“…Hi…” Was all she could manage. She felt awkward right now. This boy was so unfalteringly kind, he was practically glowing, and it made him hard to look at for someone like December.

“Aww you waiting for youw mommy too?”

Dess scrunched up her face. “Yeah…” She tried to sound as annoyed as possible, to get Asriel to drop the subject if nothing else.

“Wet’s wait togever!” Asriel plopped down on the floor beside her, looking up at her expectantly. Dess furrowed her brows, but slowly crawled to the floor, sitting down. “Your name is… December, wight?”

She nodded silently. “…And your name is…” She tried to remember, feeling suddenly embarrassed that she- the smartest little girl in the world- forgot something like this.

“Aswiel!”

Dess nodded. “Oh yeah…” She looked down, staring at her own lap. “…Asriel…” He stared at her expectantly. “Thank you for…” Her voice trailed off as she felt the guilt of looking down on him before weighing on her conscience.

Asriel took his tiny green backpack off of his back, placing it in his lap as he fished around for something. “Hewe!” He pulled out the picture book, labeled ‘The Very Hungry Cat n’ Pillow,’ which displayed a cartoonishly-drawn kitten chewing on a pillow on the cover. Dess blushed as he pushed the book towards her.

“That’s not what I…” Dess looked from the book cover to Asriel’s smile. “…Thanks?” She took the book and flipped through it, even though she had read it before when she was younger- and earlier today.

“Do you wanna bowwow it?”

“Wha- No! It’s a baby book… I have better books than this!” Dess’s cheeks flushed at the offer, feeling like Asriel was unnecessarily taking pity on her. “I’ll bring a real book tomorrow, if you think you can read it.”

“Dis is a weal book!” Asriel snatched it back from her, pouting as he was finally perceptive to her looking down on him.

“Hey! I was reading that!” Dess tried to snatch it back from Asriel, but his hands were slightly too fast, managing to keep it away. “Give it back!” It wasn’t so much of a fight as much as it was a squabble, but Dess’s rising emotions got the better of her, and she pushed Asriel. “Stupid! That’s what you get for reading baby books! If you were smart like me, you wouldn’t even want to read that!” Dess stood up and walked down the hallway in a huff. When she heard Asriel’s sniffles echoing behind her, she felt her skin crawl with immediate regret.

“…Oh dear…” Toriel whispered as she heard the commotion outside, stepping out of her classroom just in time to witness Asriel’s eyes start to leak.

…

Dess began crying too. “I’m never going to make friends…” She curled up into a ball, seated on the grass in front of the school, isolating herself from the rest of the world as best as she could. “Who needs friends? I just want Mommy and Daddy… I wanna go home…” Dess’s sobs grew louder, despite being muffled by her arms. “…Now, what’s the matter, dear?” Dess heard the bassy voice and the shuffling noise of heavy footsteps against asphalt and looked up, wiping her eyes and trying to stop her sniffling. “December, do you remember me? It’s your Daddy’s friend, Asgore.”

“Just another goat who’ll get mad at me when he finds out I beat up his son…” Dess curled back up into a ball. “Go away! I hate it here! I don’t want to see you Dreemurrs anymore!” Asgore was taken aback by her harsh words, but he didn’t retreat one inch. Dess waited for the sound of Asgore leaving, but it never came.

“Now, December, you don’t have to tell me what’s the matter, but…” He scratched his beard as he tried to think of the right thing to say to a crying child. He sighed and took of his police cap, resting it at his side. “The first day of school is always the hardest, child. You might feel all alone right now, but chin up, okay? If you’re anything like your old man, you’ll be the life of the classroom in no time!”

“I don’t want to be the life of the classroom. I want to go home!”

Asgore stood back up and put his police cap back on. “Well, now, who said that both can’t happen?" Asgore straightened the wrinkles on his uniform. "Tonight, you’ll feel happier at home- and probably most nights, actually… But one day, you’ll be excited to go to class- excited to see your classmates.” Dess looked up at Asgore, her tears mostly dried up now. “One day, you’re going to be sad that you have to go home instead of hanging out with your pals!”

“Fahaha, you'd better listen to this guy, Dess!” Dess’s ears perked up as Rudy called out to her, crossing in front of the trees. “He knows a thing or two, cause he used to be the biggest loner in the whole school!”

“Papa!” Dess ran up to Rudy and tackled him with a hug. She was no longer crying, but her slightly damp eyes left wet spots on Rudy’s police uniform.

“Rough day, huh, kiddo? Well, a little birdie told me there’s a nice and tart fruit cake waiting for you in the fridge!” Rudy rubbed December’s back gently. “If I let you have a slice before dinner, will you tell me all about your day?” He felt Dess nod her head against him. “Fahaha, don’t tell your mother, though! She’d have my antlers mounted over her desk if she found out I let you eat dessert before dinner!”

Dess giggled. “No she wouldn’t! She loves you!”

…

Asgore smiled at the cute scene unfolding before him. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, Rudy.” Asgore turned to walk into the school.

“W-wait…” Dess’s soft voice made both the policemen halt. “I… I have to do something first…” She ran inside and found Asriel back where she left him, crying as Toriel rubbed his back. “A-Asriel…” Both the goats looked up at her, Asriel still sniffling. “Ugh… What a crybaby… All I did was push him…” She bit back her remarks, not wanting to worsen the situation. “I’m s… I’m sorry I was mean to you…” Toriel’s soft smile made her feel even more guilty.

Asriel shook his head. “…No, I’m sowwy… I took de book fwom you…” He croaked, his throat raw from the excessive crying. Asgore and Rudy followed close behind Dess, and they were able to witness the heartwarming moment firsthand. The parents exchanged knowing looks with each other, trying not to snicker and ruin the moment for the children.

Dess shuffled nervously, struggling to say the words she never anticipated saying to the person she never anticipated saying them to. “A… Asriel… W-wanna… B-be my friend?”

In an instant, it was like Asriel had never been sad- as if all the sadness in the world had vanished. “Yeah!” He hopped off of the ground, and Toriel grimaced at how dirty his brand new pair of pants looked after sitting on the floor, but she held her tongue. Asriel ran to Dess, who took an anxious step back, put off by his abrupt change in energy. He pulled his backpack back out to his front, fishing the book from it and offering it to her once more. “If you wanna wead it, still…”

Dess hesitated, but she took the book from Asriel and held it against her chest. “That book is from the classroom…” Toriel thought with narrowed eyes, making a mental note to remind Asriel not to take things from the classroom when they got home. “Thank you… Tomorrow, I’ll… I’ll bring you my book, too, okay?”

The door on the other end of the hallway swung open. “Hey, you brats! Go have yer heart-to-heart outside! I still gotta teach these youngin’s for another two hours! Get movin!’”

A blue-scaled fish girl poked her head out of the classroom, right behind Mr. Boom. “Hi Miss Toriel!!” The girl waved energetically at Toriel, and she waved back.

“Get back to yer seat, little lady!” Gerson snapped. “Sheesh, willya look at what I’ve got to deal with this year?”

“We’re very sorry about that, Mr. Boom.” Asgore said nervously- a sentiment the other adults present shared. Asgore was the biggest and strongest monster in Home Town, as well as a respected police officer. However, old habits die hard, and when Mr. Boom ordered one to do something, his students- past and present- tended to listen.

“No need fer the formalities. Just get goin’! You kids stay safe, y’hear?” Gerson waved his walking stick at the family as they left, affectionately referring to everyone present as ‘you kids.’

“That old codger is such a nag, I swear…” Toriel muttered under her breath as she took Asriel’s hand, Asgore taking the other one. Together, the families walked back to their houses, and it suddenly clicked for Asriel and Dess that they lived right next to each other. Dess felt a spark of hope- her first and only friend turned out to be her next door neighbor- she was gonna have a hard time being bored in the future, wasn’t she?

Notes:

I love comfy fics!!! I hope that nothing sad or tragic happens later!!!

Next chapter won't be much of a time skip.

I like to reread some of my works and add things that I didn't necessarily think fit in the chapter, but I want to include anyways.
1. As Boss Monsters, December and Asriel are slightly bigger and taller than their peers, but Dess is a little taller than Asriel.
2. Carol taught Dess how to read starting when she turned 3. She also taught her addition, but she couldn't yet grasp subtraction.
3. Some of the books Toriel keeps in the classroom: 'Where the Wild Humans Are', 'Winnie who Flew', 'The Very Hungry Cat n' Pillow', 'Goodday Sun', 'GREEN EGGS & [Spam]', 'Hornets Hear a Who?', and 'The Taking Tree'
4. Some of Dess's books that Carol and Rudy have gifted her over the years: 'Muffet's Web', 'Hidey', 'Peter Pain', 'Tails of Peter Bunny', 'Alice in Humanland', 'A Festival Carol', 'Harold Partridge & the Philosopher's Feathers', and 'Horse of Green Stables'
5. The Kindergarteners get out of class pretty much as soon as most of their parents get off of work. Toriel walks any of her students to their home whenever their parents are unable to pick them up.
6. Gerson has been teaching for a very long time- he even taught his son Alvin, who is currently in his 50s. He was an author before he was a teacher.

Chapter 3: Kindergarten III- Playdate

“Not now, dear, Mommy has to prepare for the Festival.” Dess sighed. “When does she NOT have to prepare for something? If not NOW- then WHEN?” Carol knelt down to face her daughters, Dess holding young Noelle on her lap. “On the day of the Festival, we can all go walking around town together. We can even meet with the Dreemurrs, if you’d like.”

Dess’s frown slowly flattened out until she no longer seemed so outwardly unhappy. “…Okay…”

Noelle was standing on Dess’s thighs, looking at her face in pure awe, twisting her fingers through Dess’s hair. “Ouch! Don’t pull, Noelle!- Mom!” Noelle had grabbed a fistful, not yanking Dess hard, but Noelle’s freakishly strong baby grip tugged on her hair, sending a searing pain on her scalp. Dess’s sharp exclamation startled Noelle, who began to cry.

Carol gently scooped Noelle out of Dess’s hands, the baby’s monstrous grip on her hair loosening. “Shush, shush…” Carol gently stroked Noelle’s head and cooed softly. Noelle’s crying went from intense, to moderate, to soft, to silent. Noelle rested her eyes while her mother cradled her in her arms. “I’m sorry, dear. Noelle doesn’t know any better. Is your head okay?”

Dess rubbed her scalp tenderly. “Yeah…” Her eyes watered from the pain, and it was almost enough to make her cry. “Nope, I’m a big girl, not a baby like Noelle or Asriel. I don’t NEED to cry.”

Rudy walked down the stairs, letting out a yawn that sounded like a war cry. “Mmph…” He scratched his side and blinked the tiredness out of his eyes. “Good morning, girls.” He kissed Carol on the cheek and ruffled Dess’s hair before trudging over to the coffee maker.

“Good morning, dear.” Carol took a glance at her wristwatch. “…I’ve got to be going soon, or I’ll be late. Do make sure you aren’t late to work, we don’t want your boss getting mad at you.” Rudy and Carol smirked at each other.

“Aren’t you Papa’s boss?” Dess asked, her head tilting.

“A man’s wife is always his boss.” Rudy said with a cheeky smile. He took a sip of his instant coffee, letting the bitter taste wash over his tongue and help wake him up.

“But yes, I am.” Carol added, and Rudy stuck his tongue out at her. Carol rolled her eyes. “Put that thing back where it came from, or it might get stuck.” She handed Noelle off to Rudy and grabbed a briefcase, heading to the front door of the house. Suddenly, the home phone rang, waking Noelle back up and making her cry once again. “Goodness, who could that be so early?...” Rudy gently rocked Noelle to help her calm down, and Carol walked to the house phone. “Holiday residence, this is Carol speaking”

“Miss Holiday! I’m so sorry! I can’t come in today, my car’s not starting!” The distraught voice of the Holiday family’s babysitter cried out from the speakers. Carol’s heart skipped a beat. “What do we do now?” She rapped her fingers on the table which the receiver normally rested.

Carol’s fingers continued rapping against the table as she contemplated her family's situation. The babysitter lived in Ebott City, which was not a very far drive from Home Town, but it would be an incredibly long distance to walk- and impossible to do so in a timely manner. “…It’s no problem- thank you for informing us. I do hope that your car gets fixed soon. Have a good day, now.” She placed the phone back on the stand and let her shoulders droop with exhaustion. She turned to look at her daughters, then up to Rudy. “…The babysitter’s car has broken down, and she won’t be able to come take care of the girls…” For some reason, Dess was overjoyed to hear that. She never had any problems with the babysitter other than her bizarre smell, and they did do a good job with taking care of her and Noelle, yet December still found herself silently cheering at the news.

Rudy rubbed his chin, deep in thought. “What if we ask Ms. Tori? She's not working, since it's so close to the Festival.” Dess’s eyes lit up like the lights one might see during the aforementioned Festival. “Oh, THAT'S why I was relieved. Cause I knew that the next best option was…” Rudy nudged her gently. “See? Looks like someone wants to see her friend!”

Carol sat down and thought for a moment. “I’m glad that you’ve been able to make friends with Asriel, dear, but…” She rested her hand over her forehead and pondered. “A mayor can’t just ask for the help of her citizens, SHE has to be the one to help THEM. But the Dreemurrs aren’t just ordinary citizens… Not to this family, at least...”

Dess was silently pleading with her mother, like a puppy desperate for a treat. Carol knew she would get lost in Dess's gaze and capitulate, so she avoided looking her daughter in the eyes.

Rudy noticed Carol’s deep contemplation and stroked his goatee thoughtfully. Asgore did owe Rudy a favor or two, but it would be wrong to try and cash one in on Toriel. “Well... If you don’t think it’s a good idea, I can always call out sick. My boss is pretty understanding about this kind of thing!”

Carol glanced from Rudy to Dess to Noelle. She fought back her smile and shook her head gently, a laugh unwittingly bubbling out of her throat. “…Well, we can at least call and ask.”

…

Asgore and Toriel were already awake and downstairs when the phone began ringing loudly. Toriel was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, and Asgore was sipping coffee while reading the newspaper. “I’ll get that.” He set down the paper and made his way to the wall-mounted telephone. “Hello, this is Asgore speaking.”

“Asgore, good morning…”

“C-Carol! Good morning to you, too!” Toriel poked her head out of the kitchen, now intently listening in on the conversation. “Mhm… Mhm… Well, then I’ll hand the phone off to her… Yes… Understood.” Toriel raised an eyebrow as Asgore gestured for her to come to the phone. “It’s for you. I’ll take over in the kitchen while you talk.” He whispered, handing Toriel the phone and making his way over to the stovetop.

“Yes- Carol?”

“Toriel, good morning. I'm very sorry to trouble you, but I was wondering if I could ask for your help with something.”

“Of course! What is it?”

Carol pinched the space between her eyebrows and sighed. “…Well, I was wondering if you might be able to babysit Noelle and December today... If you aren’t I understand-”

“Not at all, that sounds like a lovely time! I just know that Asriel and December will have a lovely time together!” Toriel’s words made Carol feel lighter with relief. “Shall I come over there, or will you bring the girls over here?”

“Rudy will bring them over. I’m really sorry to ask you this last second, Toriel, I’ll write you a check for-”

“Nonsense! It would be my pleasure to take care of the girls. December is such a lovely girl in class, and Noelle is just the cutest thing in the world!” Toriel was curling her finger around the phone cord, and Asgore was now the one listening in on their conversation. “I look forward to seeing them!... Mhm. Alright then, you have a lovely day now, Carol. Mhm. Bye-bye.”

“The girls are coming over? Goodness, our little boy might just faint from excitement.”

As if on cue, Asriel’s bedroom door creaked open, and he let out a tremendous yawn while rubbing his eyes. “G’mowning…”

…

“Wow, so THIS is the Dreemurr house… It’s so small… Maybe THAT’S why Asriel still acts like a little kid…” Dess noted, oblivious to the fact that she was also a little kid. Dess, led by Rudy, who also was holding Noelle, admired the exterior of the house. “Papa, is Azzy poor?”

Rudy sighed. “No, dear. You shouldn’t call people poor, anyhow.”

Dess struggled to wrap her head around the idea, not understanding that the reason her house was so much larger than the Dreemurrs’ house was because her family was well-off- bordering on wealthy. Rudy knocked on the door, and stomping could be heard from the other side of the door, as well as a muffled, “Asriel, dear, let Mommy answer the door!”

The door swung wide open. “Good mowning, Dess! Hi Wudy!”

“Good morning, little guy! Look at you, answering the door all by yourself! You’ll be a grown-up in no time at all!” Rudy gave him a wide smile, making him giggle.

“Well, let’s hope that doesn’t happen too soon. Good morning, Rudy- Girls!” Toriel said as she pulled the door open wider. Asgore, in his police uniform, waved at them from the dining table, unable to voice a greeting as his face was currently stuffed with pancakes and syrup.

“Good morning, Ms. Dreemurr…” Dess felt awkward about visiting the home of her teacher, but she liked the Dreemurrs well enough that she didn’t hesitate to step inside when offered. Toriel was the kindest teacher she could hope for, even if Dess didn’t feel like she was learning anything in her classroom- Asgore was a kind man, and Dess respected him for how big and strong he was- and it went without saying that she couldn’t complain about getting to spend more time with Asriel.

“And look at you! Such a big girl, now!” Toriel held out her arms, and Rudy passed Noelle to her. Noelle nestled into the soft, fluffy abyss that Toriel’s arms created, sleeping so deeply that she did not realize that she was no longer in her own home, or in her own crib. “Has she had her first words yet?”

“No, and she can’t walk yet, either.” Dess answered before Rudy could. Dess felt smug, being able to differentiate herself from the babies in the room.

“Wow, dis is my fiwst time meeting her…” Asriel stared up at the baby in Toriel’s arms. The idea that this tiny creature was like a smaller version of Dess deeply fascinated him. He wanted to ask about it, but he could only stare in awe for the time being.

Asgore finished up his breakfast, wiping the crumbs out of his beard and off of his uniform. “Mmm, do you want me to pick anything up on the way home, dear?” He asked Toriel before planting a kiss on the cheek.

“No, that’s quite alright. You boys have a good day at work, now.”

“Thanks, Tori. Carol ‘n I really appreciate it. She didn’t discuss the payment with me, but-” He began rooting around in his pockets.

Toriel held her hand up. “Don’t. It’s as much of a treat to me as it is a favor to you.” Rudy’s nose glowed faintly, somewhat embarrassed, and Asgore smirked at him. “Now, you two get moving. Give me a ring when you’re on the way back here.”

The policemen departed, leaving Toriel with the girls and Asriel.

…

Toriel gave most of her attention to Noelle, since she was confident that Asriel and Dess would occupy themselves with something- and Noelle, being the youngest, required the most attention too. It also helped that Toriel felt nostalgic, taking care of a baby again. It was a completely different skillset from taking care of a 5-year-old, or taking care of a classroom full of 5-year-olds.

Toriel sat on Chairiel, cradling Noelle and opening a book. “You two try to keep your voices down while playing, alright?” She whispered.

The kids nodded and settled down on the floor of the living room. Asriel had brought out various toys from his room to play with, as well as some books for them to read together. “Still reading baby books…” She glanced at the selection of books Asriel brought out, but she did not voice her distaste for them. Dess looked over everything else Asriel had brought out, trying to find something that interested her.

“What’s da madder?” Asriel asked, tilting his head.

Dess shook her head. “Nothing!” Dess picked a book at random, ending up with ‘Where the Wild Humans Are.’ She flopped onto her back and held the book up in the air, suspending it over her face. “Maybe it IS just a baby book, but at least it’s a good one…”

The kids played mostly in silence, trying to be aware of Dess’s infant sister. They read books, built blocks, and drew pictures. Asriel fell asleep at one point, only for a short while before Dess shook him awake, irritated with being left to play all by her lonesome. It was clear to the both of them that they should bring the party outside- where they could be as energetic or as loud as they wanted to be- within reason. “Mommy, can we pway outside?” Asriel asked with a yawn and a stretch.

Toriel glanced out the window, checking the weather. “…Alright. I’ll go set a chair out.” Toriel looked over to Dess and frowned at her apparent lack of cold-weather attire. “I suppose she doesn’t need to dress as warmly as other monsters, but…” She adjusted her glasses. “...But first, Asriel, dear, go bring two of your sweaters out of your closet. If you’re going to play outside right now, then you should dress a little warmer.” This was something Dess could agree with, because the alternative was more playtime in relative silence.

Dess chased Asriel to his room, both of the children stomping loudly up the stairs, making Noelle stir lightly in her sleep.

“Wow, this is a big room, for such a small house…” Dess mused, looking around. It was roughly the same size as her own room, but was considerably emptier.

“My house isn’t small!” Asriel barked back, defensively, making Dess snicker to herself. “Mommy says we have a bigger house than most peopwe, and I shouwd be gwateful.” His voice was somewhat muffled as he rooted around through his closet. “Hewe you go!” He emerged with two green-and-yellow striped sweaters, handing one to Dess before slipping the other on himself.

Dess held the sweater out, examining it. “Thanks…” She pulled the sweater over her head and walked back downstairs, where Toriel seemed to be waiting expectantly. “Th-thank you, for letting me borrow this, Ms. Dreemurr…” Dess patted the fabric with her hands, enjoying how soft it felt against her. She knew she didn't really need the sweater to play in the cold, but the fabric was so nice that she actually preferred wearing it over going out with just her normal clothes.

“Of course, honey.” Toriel said while standing up. She knelt down and offered Noelle to Dess. “Here you go, dear. I’ll be right back, okay?”

Dess nodded, taking Noelle in her arms, and sitting on the floor. Dess was still quite small, so a chubby baby like Noelle was difficult for her to hold with her arm strength alone. However, Noelle was able to get comfy and cozy in Dess’s lap- even if it could not compare to being in Toriel's arms.

“Wow! So cute!” Asriel’s loud voice made Noelle groan in her sleep, and Dess put her hand over his mouth. After slowly peeling Dess’s hand off of his snout, he spoke in a whisper. “Sowwy.” Dess only glared at him in response. Asriel’s twinkling eyes were transfixed on Noelle- the first baby he had ever seen or had any meaningful way to interact with. The way Dess held her, the caring and gentle expression on her face, the responsibility to care for and love something so much smaller than oneself- butterflies flew about in Asriel’s stomach. “Dess… What’s it wike to be a big sister?”

Dess’s face scrunched up as she considered it. “It’s annoying.” Her voice was a low whisper, hers being the closest to the sleeping baby. Asriel frowned at her response, but she continued. “I’m always taking care of her. And she’s too stupid… and too little to play with. I wish she’d grow up faster…”

Asriel crossed his arms, an indignant look on his face. “What?” Dess’s irritation with his gaze was scarcely masked by her whispering voice.

He looked away. “I wish I was a big bwudder…” He flopped onto his back, his long ears landing over his shoulders and on the floor. Everything that Dess had just described to her was something Asriel wishes he had for himself. Taking someone into your arms lovingly, someone whose sole interest in the world was their older sibling, that sounded like a lot of fun to him. He didn't need to play with the baby, just being an older sibling was more than enough for Asriel. Dess rolled her eyes, but she did feel a pang of guilt for the things she’d said. She was playing up her dissatisfaction with being an older sister by a lot. Despite how she was acting, she truly loved and cherished Noelle, just as any older sibling should.

Asriel heard noises from outside the window and sat up, seeing Toriel scooting a rocking chair from the back patio towards the front of the house. “Oh, thewe’s Mommy.” Dess turned her head too, and the front door opened.

“Alright, children. Would you like to play outside now?” Toriel asked while patting her hands against one another. Her glasses fogged up from the difference in temperature between the outside and the house, and Dess couldn’t help but think she looked funny.

…

Toriel took Noelle back from Dess, wrapping her in her soft and warm arms before heading back outside. If Noelle were a different kind of mammalian monster, Toriel would have stayed inside with Noelle, opting to watch the kids from the window beside Chairiel. However, as a reindeer monster being wrapped in Toriel’s snow-proof fur, she was at no risk of even getting cold- much less of freezing. She was even better off temperature-wise than Dess, whom Toriel had bid to dress warmer. Anywhere she could nap in Toriel’s arms was comfortable enough for baby Noelle- save for an active volcano. The gentle rustling of leaves in the wind lulled Noelle, making all of the other noises around her disappear into obscurity, and even Toriel found herself getting sleepy.

Everyone migrated outside, and Toriel took her seat in the rocking chair. Asriel and Dess now had more freedom- the freedom to run around and shout and roll in the grass. Toriel wanted to yell at them not to get their clothes so dirty, but she could only shake her head silently.

After playing tag for what felt like ages, the kids lied down in the grass, catching their breath and enjoying the slight sting of the cold on their backs and lactic acid in their muscles. “Gonna have to do laundry tonight…” Toriel made a mental note. Dess was the first to sit up, looking down at Asriel. Her eyes were gentle, and her smile was grateful. Her very first playdate with her very first friend- today had already been so much fun for her.

Asriel sat up too, and he began to root around in the grass for something. “Cut that out, that’s dirty!” Dess teased, and Asriel giggled in response, but he continued to search. “…What’re you doing, anyways?”

Asriel, with paws that were stained green, plucked something out of the grass. “Wookin’ for fwowers…” He examined the small weed with a white flower and stuffed it into his pocket.

“Flowers are for girls, Azzy.” Dess said while rolling her eyes.

Asriel turned towards her and frowned. “Dat’s not twue! Daddy woves fwowers!” He stood up with another weed in his hand, looking defensive.

“Nuh uh!” Dess jumped to her feet as well, and they stared each other down.

Asriel crossed his arms and huffed. “Anyone can wike dem!” Dess didn’t understand why she even felt the need to get defensive over this subject, but Asriel’s stubbornness irked her as it always had.

“Gimme that!” She held her hand out, trying to confiscate the white clovers Asriel had plucked from his lawn. When Asriel’s face went from irritated to happy, Dess felt her heart skip a beat.

“Okay!” He handed Dess a flower. Asriel was always happy to share, especially with his friends. Toriel and Asgore had done a good job instilling an unwavering kindness and understanding into him, but part of his kindness was simply in his nature, too. Toriel witnessed the scene with a smile. “Now isn’t that just adorable…” She rested her eyes and reminisced about playing with Asgore in elementary school, imagining what the future might hold for these two.

Dess’s hand shakily accepted the flower. She didn’t fully understand why she was feeling so shy about a stupid flower. The gift made her happy, even if she had just been making fun of Asriel for it. “Th-thanks…” She turned the white clover around in her hands, examining the pointed petals closely. It didn’t have much of a scent to it, other than the vaguely earthy scent of grass masking a fainter, sweeter smell.

“You’we welcome!” Asriel said cheerfully before kneeling back in the grass to look for more. “I give all my fwiends fwowers!”

Dess’s grip on the weed tightened unconsciously, and the stem bent in half. “All your friends?…” She loosened her grip and allowed the flower to fall to the ground, becoming obscured in the lawn around the other white clovers and various weeds. The realization that the gift wasn’t special, that it was just standard to him, deeply bothered her for reasons she did not yet understand. Asriel tilted his head, noticing Dess drop it to the ground. “You dwopped it!” He scurried over to the flower, which might have been lost in obscurity to Dess- but stuck out like a sore thumb to Asriel.

“I don’t want it anymore!” She huffed and kicked the grass in front of Asriel before he could reach the flower, trampling it beneath her hoof. “Flowers are for girls, anyways! You shouldn’t be playing with them!”

Asriel pulled his hands back before she could accidentally stomp on his fingers and looked up at her. His lower lip was quivering. “B-but… I thought…”

Dess hated this feeling. She felt like she was about to burst into tears, but she had to be considerate for the sake of someone else- just like she always did. She couldn’t let her own feelings take priority because of babies like Asriel and Noelle. She always had to take the high road, even if she felt like she had been wronged in some way. Dess plopped down in the grass, back turned to Asriel, desperately trying to hide the growing sadness on her face. “I thought I was your only friend…” Dess admitted, not able to face Asriel. At least, it was true for her- Asriel was Dess's only friend.

“Huh? I’m fwiends wiff everyone in cwass…” Asriel corrected her, and the words stung Dess painfully. She didn’t turn around to face Asriel, so he began to root around in the grass some more, the silence growing heavier between the two. Just when Dess was about to turn around and say something, she felt Asriel’s arms wrap around her, embracing her in a warm hug. “But you’re my bestest fwiend, Dess…”

Dess looked down at Asriel’s hands as his arms draped over her shoulders. In his hands were more flowers and weeds, more variety this time than simply white clovers. Dess placed a hand over one of Asriel’s arms and contemplated the warm feeling she felt in her chest. “So… I am special?” What was this feeling? The relief of being as important to her favorite person as he was to her? Was it something more than that? She couldn’t tell, just like she couldn’t tell why her eyes began to leak tears onto the flowers in Asriel’s hands. “I’m sorry… I was mean again…” Her heart was heavy with regret for stomping on Asriel’s flowers- for trampling on Asriel’s feelings- and it only felt heavier with how he was the one to reach out and comfort her.

Toriel’s attention was taken off of Noelle momentarily when she heard loud sobs coming from the children playing in the yard. “Oh, dear…”

…

The children were brought back inside and made to wash up, having been dirty from playing in the grass. “I swear, those two are going to end up either falling in love or hating each other…” Toriel rested her palm against her forehead while the children washed their hands. “Alright, children, who wants something to eat?” They had not realized just how hungry they were, but at the mention of food, their stomachs each let out a deep growl.

After eating peanut butter, jelly, honey and butterscotch sandwiches, Dess and Asriel lied down on opposite ends of the sofa and passed out.

After a good-sized nap, they continued their playdate for some time. Even little Noelle joined in on the fun, crawling around on the floor, chasing Dess and squealing with pure, innocent excitement. Dess mentally kicked herself for acting like she didn’t enjoy being an older sister before- this was the greatest feeling in the entire world. While Dess and Noelle played around on the ground, Asriel ran up to his mother. “Mommy, whewe do babies come fwom?”

Toriel’s eyes widened. “Well, I certainly did not expect that…” Her face began to redden somewhat, and her glasses fogged up like she had just stepped inside from the cold. “Well, erm... Sweetie, babies come from… Oh, dear, how should I put this…” She tugged on the collar of her blouse. Dess was now looking at her as well, curious as to the answer of Asriel’s question. “…Uhmm... It’s a secret!” She put her index finger over her lips and gave an awkward smile. Dess did not hide her dissatisfaction with the answer, but Asriel did not seem overly perturbed.

“Then… can you have anodder baby? I wanna be a big brodder, just wike Dess!” Dess frowned at being called a 'brother,' but she understood what he was trying to get across. Toriel felt her somewhat-hastened breathing steady as relief washed over her. “Oh, THAT’S why he’s asking…” She placed her hand over her heart and exhaled.

“Well, perhaps one day...” Toriel scratched her cheek, pondering the question herself. The truth was, she would be overjoyed to have another child, but ‘it takes two to tango,’ and it was truly a conversation meant to be had with Asgore, and not with Asriel.

The rest of the playdate went by without much incident, besides Dess accidentally spilling fruit juice on Asriel and him covering for her, despite Toriel being fully aware that Dess was at fault. The children handed Toriel the dirty sweaters, and she began a load of laundry. At around 3:00PM, Rudy came by to pick up the girls, and shortly after that, Asgore came home.

…

“Another child?...” Asgore’s golden-colored beard was able to hide most of his blush, but hints of pink were visible just underneath his eyes and at the tips of his ears. “I… I must say, I’ve thought the same thing, before…” He rolled onto his side to completely face Toriel, devoting all of his attention towards her. The Dreemurrs truly weren’t poor like Dess had initially thought- in fact they were more affluent than most of the families in Home Town. Having another child was well within their means, and the thought of another baby goat running around- chasing after Asriel or running into its parents’ loving arms filled both Toriel and Asgore… with vigor, more than anything else. They realized they were both in agreement on the situation; that night, they thanked their lucky stars that Asriel was such a deep sleeper.

…

The next morning, Asriel noticed the heavy bags under Asgore’s eyes. “Daddy, you wook so tiwed today… Did you fight cwime in your sweep?” Toriel, who, in contrast to her husband, looked quite refreshed, could only giggle at her child's question.

Notes:

A little bit of a nothing burger, but whatever. It's pretty obvious what I'm setting up for the next chapter, or I hope it is!

Thank you for reading,
WD247

I like to reread some of my works and add things that I didn't necessarily think fit in the chapter, but I want to include anyways.
1. The Festival takes place during autumn. It gets to be quite chilly during this season in Home Town, with the highs in the 60s(F) and the lows in the 30s.
2. The Holidays did not, of course, fire the babysitter. However, during the school year, Toriel's classroom functions as a daycare for children 3-5, along with the Kindergarteners.
3. The only things Dess has actually learned from Toriel's lessons so far have been subtraction and some vocabulary.
4. Asriel is worse at spelling than Dess, but he's better at arithmetic.
5. Monsters are more hardy than humans (especially Boss Monsters), and it takes much more for them to get sick. Even though Asriel and Dess were playing outside in the grass, Noelle is at no risk of illness by playing with them.
6. Before they each married and had children, the only Boss Monsters in town were Carol and Asgore- and their parents, of course.
7. Dess is very selfish, but she's only 5 so it's okay.
8. Monsters can eat pretty much anything as long as it's considered food by the existing standards of the world. Monsters don't gain weight by the quality of food they eat, rather they gain weight by the quantity of food they eat.
9. Asriel obviously knows Dess isn't a 'brother.'

Chapter 4: Third Grade I- Picnic

“Achoo!”

Asgore rubbed his itchy nose with the back of his forearm. He had learned his lesson not to rub his face with his hands while gardening years ago, when he wound up getting soil lodged deep within his nostrils.

“Bless you, dear.” Toriel stepped outside with two glasses of lemonade. The back yard of the Dreemurr house was directly facing the tree line, and it was here that Asgore chose to make his canvas. His preferred method of expressing his artistic creativity was, of course, planting all sorts of flowers.

“Thanks, hon.” Asgore said, slipping a dirty glove off of one hand with that of another and taking a glass. Toriel was skilled at making anything sweet- one might think they’re drinking liquid lemon candies rather than actual lemonade; there was not even a hint of sour despite the distinct lemony flavor. She didn’t even need to use a heart-stopping amount of sugar in her recipe.

Asgore rubbed the cool glass against his forehead, enjoying the feeling of cold condensation wicking to his fur. The Spring months in Home Town were pleasant for the most part. It was not dreadfully hot, the weather was relatively calm, and- outside of specifically the land surrounding the Dreemurrs’ residence- there was not an abundance of pollen in the air. It was the perfect time for some sort of get-together.

“How lovely…” Toriel stood back and took in the beauty of the flowerbed, filled with daisies, buttercups, roses, and a variety of other flowers. It was as if Asgore purchased the flower seeds from a rainbow itself. Asgore stood up and brushed the dirt off of his knees, some brown staining the white fur on his paws. “Ugh, dear, you’re so sweaty!” Toriel recoiled with an affectionate laugh as Asgore tried to wrap his arms around her. “Go in and wash up, you’ll want to be nice and comfortable in your uniform, won’t you?”

Today was a special day for the Dreemurr family, but also for the Holiday family- and for the whole of Home Town. Today was the annual Home Town Police Picnic. It was a day meant to deepen the trust and understanding between the members of the police force and the citizens of Home Town. It was a somewhat obsolete celebration as of late, because practically everyone in town knew each other already, but that could not stop people from showing up and enjoying some barbecue, sodas, and sandwiches while watching their children play together.

Asgore and Toriel heard the front door swing open, and they knew exactly what was coming- who was coming. Asgore widened his stance and braced for impact, preparing himself both mentally and physically to intercept his son. “Daddy!!!” Asriel slammed into Asgore at top speed. If Asgore weren’t the biggest and strongest monster in town, he might have stumbled.

“Haha! A good morning to you too, my son!”

Toriel chuckled at Asriel’s enthusiasm. “Calm down, dear- save some energy for running around at the picnic!” Asriel giggled and ran over to Toriel, who wrapped him in a one-armed hug as she was relaxing on her rocking chair. “Would you like some lemonade?”

Asriel shook his head. “No, thanks. I’ll have some at the picnic, though!” Asriel was nearly filled to the brim with energy- today was a special day, after all. Of course, he was excited to run around with Dess, and even Noelle, who had just recently turned 3 and was finally able to waddle around and speak a little. However, there was more to this day in particular- more that made it special for Asriel. “…Do I really have to wait until the picnic, Mommy?”

Toriel raised an eyebrow. “Dear, I just offered…" Realization dawned on her face. "Oh, erm… No, dear, I told you that we’d talk about it after the picnic.” Toriel swirled her glass around, listening to the soft clinking of ice cubes against the glass. She shot an irritated look at Asgore, who shuddered and went back to his gardening. Toriel breathed out an exhausted sigh. “…He’ll find out soon enough, anyhow… I suppose I should tell him later today, after all…”

Asgore and Toriel had been hiding something from Asriel, intentionally trying to keep him in the dark because they were fully aware how Asriel would bounce off the walls day in and day out until it came to fruition. It was a well-kept secret, at least, until Asgore went and ran his mouth, telling Asriel that he had a big surprise for him, and not to tell his mother that he knew. Asgore had to sleep on the couch that night, but it wasn’t as though Toriel could truly blame him for wanting to let it slip to Asriel. After all, when your only son was going to be an older brother soon, it’s only fair that he should be told.

The reason Toriel wanted to keep it a secret, though, was because of how… unconventional this all was. Really, Carol needed to know before Asriel did, which is why Toriel was making Asriel wait this long to learn it in the first place. After all, the Dreemurrs were adopting a human. They needed to import various things into the city, all for the sake of their new child. She would need Carol’s support in getting various books stocked on the Librarby’s shelves, as well as getting human blood stocked up in the hospital in the case of emergencies. Also, Toriel was not quite sure how Asriel would react to his younger sibling being something other than a monster.

…

“Wow, that’s so good, Noelle!”

Dess had grown VERY fond of her baby sister, and it seemed like her love for Noelle deepened with every passing day. Noelle’s bright smile and even brighter red nose beamed up at Dess, who almost had to look away from how utterly cute it all was. “Dessy!” She cried out while holding a picture up to her older sister. It was a drawing of what appeared to be Dess- it wouldn’t be very clear if it weren’t for the antlers at the top of the brown and black crayoned-in smudges.

Dess took the portrait from Noelle gingerly. “Just wait til I show Azzy, he’ll love this!” Dess wrapped her sister in a tight hug, and her giggles could be heard from across the house.

Rudy, in his police uniform, walked downstairs. “Howdy, girls! Oooh, and what do we have here?” He gently took the picture from Dess’s hands and held it over her face. “Fahaha, it’s like I’m lookin’ through a window!” He turned to face Noelle. “You drew this?”

“Yes!” Noelle hopped off of the sofa and ran to Rudy, jumping up and down in front of him with her arms in the air.

“What’s that, you want me to pick you up?” He rubbed his chin, his hoof-fingers stroking his mustache and chin beard. “Well, how about a deal? You draw Papa a picture like you drew for Dess, and I’ll pick you right up!”

Noelle squealed with delight and plopped right back in front of the coffee table, placing down a fresh sheet of paper and pulling out her crayons. “How’re you doing, Dess? Excited to see your boyfriend?”

Dess blushed and balled her fists up in rage. “Azzy’s NOT my boyfriend! He’s just my friend, and he’s a boy!” Rudy ruffled her hair, right between the buds where her antlers had just started coming in- and let out a teasing ‘Fahaha!’ Dess swiped her dad’s hand off of her head and growled. She hated when he joked with her like this.

“Hey, now, I’m just teasing!” He walked over to the kitchen and looked through a cooler that had been placed on the floor, rummaging through it, pulling out a soda and popping open the tab. “Though, those two DO seem attached at the hip…” Dess had become more social with her other classmates over the past three years, but Rudy rarely heard her talk about them; it was always ‘Azzy’ this and ‘Azzy’ that. Rudy could no longer count the amount of times Asriel and Dess had spent time at either one of their houses if he were using every digit of his every extremity to tally. Meanwhile, he could only count on two hands the amount of times Dess and Bratty, or Dess and Blue Ears- whose actual name Rudy could not for the life of him remember- hung out together.

The education system in Home Town was quite different from those of other, larger cities. Mrs. Dreemurr taught Kindergarten as well as grades 1-3, Ms. Muffet oversaw the Librarby’s Computer Lab- because she had misconceptions about the meaning of ‘browsing the web’- as well as teaching grades 4-6, Mr. Fox was the Principal as well as teaching grades 7 and 8, and Mr. Boom was in charge of P.E. as well as teaching grades 9-12. Since there were so few teachers and so few people in each grade, students would share the same classes with each other from Kindergarten until they graduated from their final year of high school. If Dess made enemies with her classmates, she would be forced to spend time with her enemies for the next 9 years, but if she made friends with them, she would have the privilege of spending time with friends for the next 9 years.

It was Rudy’s sincerest hope that Dess could become more sociable, but he strongly suspected that most of Dess’s interactions with her other classmates were a result of her spending time with Asriel. He couldn’t complain, though. He loved the Dreemurr family. Toriel was a lovely lady, Asgore was Rudy’s best friend, and Asriel was a good kid- and was a lot smarter than he let on. Those two always worked together on projects, always studied together; and Dess had been near the top of her class on every little quiz and test as a result.

Carol’s hooves made loud clacking sounds as she walked downstairs from her bedroom, putting an earring on as she did. “Alright, I’m about ready to go.” She focused her eyes on Dess. “Girls, do you have everything you need?” Dess looked over herself, and looked for Noelle’s sake as well, since she was preoccupied with drawing a picture of Rudy. She nodded and gave a thumbs up. “Then I’ll go ahead and get the car started.”

…

The Holidays made their way to the lake. They brought a cooler packed with refreshments, and another packed with meat for the grill, which Asgore was going to bring to the lake with his truck, among other things. The Holidays and Dreemurrs were, for the last several years, the first people to show up to the lake, for obvious reasons. However, this year, there was a single person who had arrived to the lake before anyone else. “Yo!” Undyne, an alumnus of Home Town’s only school, and previous student of Toriel, waved at the Holidays as they stepped out of their car.

“Oh, it’s you! How’s it hanging?” Rudy went to give Undyne a hi-five. “Girls, this is Ms. Undyne- she says she wants to join the police force now that she’s graduated from high school.”

Dess looked up at her. “Oh, I’ve seen her before…” She turned to face Carol, who cleared her throat. “Good morning, Undyne. It’s always a pleasure when someone shows interest in becoming a police officer, but…”

Carol’s voice trailed off, and Undyne’s fanged smile drooped a little. Carol sighed. “Well, it’s just... It isn't something you can just join. You’re aware of the Police Academy in Ebott City, right?”

“Nghahaha! ‘Course I know ‘bout that! I’ll be starting classes in September. Hey, you fellas need a hand?”

“No, that’s quite alright.” Carol said before anyone could say anything one way or another.

Dess frowned at Undyne. “She wants to be a police officer? But only BOYS can be police officers, like Papa and Mr. Asgore…” Rudy seemed to notice Dess’s confusion and patted her on the shoulder. “She may look like she’s just scales n’ bones, but that Undyne is quite a beast! We’d be lucky if she ends up staying with us!”

“’Course I’m gonna stay here, I hate Ebott City! Too many stinkin’ humans!” Ebott City was something like a bastion for the human race, with the highest proportion of human residents in the whole country. That being said, humanity was a dying race, and even in Ebott City, there was only 1 human to every 3 monsters. Undyne’s eyes widened when she saw Toriel and her family walking over to her and the Holidays, a disdainful look on her face.

“What’s this I hear about ‘stinking humans,’ Miss Undyne?” She asked with her arms crossed. “I had thought I managed to get you to stop badmouthing humans 12 years ago…”

Undyne blushed, red creeping up over her blue scales, a sharp contrast that matched beautifully with her head of fiery hair. “Uh, n-nothin’! Hey, you guys want some help with moving the grill?” She pointed as Asgore’s truck, where his grill was waiting to be moved, quickly changing the subject. “Yeah, right. Like you could pick that up… You’ll just get in the way…” Dess rolled her eyes at Undyne, scoffing.

“Certainly, that would be a great help!” Asgore said as he unloaded a cooler. When Dess saw Undyne not just lift the grill up with a single hand- but also hold it over her head- she questioned everything she had believed up until this point. She was awestruck. Asgore nudged Rudy and leaned over conspiratorially. “Dibs on having her on my Handball team.”

“Fahaha, you’re on!” He said, fire crackling in his eyes. “Yo, Fishfood! You like pork ribs or steak more?”

“Ignore him, Undyne- How about some hotdogs? As many as you’d like!”

“I’ll give you my police badge if you-”

“You know you can’t offer that.” Carol cut Rudy off sharply.

…

Dess almost didn’t notice Asriel run up to her, she was still so amazed by the display of strength Undyne had just demonstrated. “She CAN pick it up… She… She CAN be a police officer, like Papa or Mr. Asgore…” Dess looked over just in time to see a blur of white before she was tackled with a fluffy hug, like she was being assaulted by the world’s most aggressive cloud. “Hi, Dess!” Asriel took his arms off of her and looked around. “Hmm? Where’s Noelle?”

Dess grabbed Asriel by the ear and tugged it gently. “You know you can’t charge my sister like that; she’s still just a baby. Even if you act like a baby, you’re too big to be one.”

Asriel yanked his ear away from Dess’s grip and stuck his tongue out. “Shush! I’m not a baby!” He pretended to sound wounded, but both of the children were smiling. “Hey, Dess, wanna hear a secret?”

“Uh, sure?” She raised an eyebrow. Why did her heart skip a beat? It was probably just going to be something stupid, anyways. It always was- anything unrelated to classwork that Asriel said was either childish or stupid, or both- at least from her perspective.

“Mommy and Daddy are gonna tell ME a secret today!” Dess’s shoulders drooped. “Yep, it was something stupid, all right… I don't know why I'm surprised...” Dess also didn't know why she was disappointed.

“Hi, Azzy!” Asriel and Dess turned to look at the source of the voice calling out to him. Noelle was waddling towards them on unsteady hooves, and Asriel knelt down to greet her.

“Howdy, Noelle!” Dess thought Asriel was immature compared to her in many ways, but she had the utmost respect for how well he handled smaller children. He was like a miniature clone of his gentle mother, even if sometimes he seemed to have the awkward strength of his father.

It didn’t take long for the grill to be set up, and not long after that, other townsfolk began to come to the lake. The two metal picnic tables that were already there could not begin to hold all of the townsfolk, but some people brought their own seats, and some even brought their own folding tables.

In all, only another 15 or so people showed up to the picnic, 4 of which were Asriel’s and Dess’s classmates. “Ugh… Her…” Dess narrowed her eyes when Catty and her family showed up. She felt her eyelid twitch when Asriel ran up to Catty, embracing her with a warm hug- only marginally less intimate than the hug he gave to her. Her hands unconsciously balled into fists, scrunching up the hem of her shirt and leaving deep creases. “Hi…” A small white cat monster, who looked to be about 3 years old, greeted Noelle, snapping Dess’s attention away from her unknowable feelings. She was sucking on the claw of her index finger and staring at Noelle with an intense curiosity.

“Dess, come on, let’s play!” Asriel gestured for her to come to him- to play alongside Catty, of all people.

With Bratty, Catty, Catti, Noelle, Dess, Pants, and Blue Ears, Asriel began a game of tag. Naturally, the big kids were gentle with the smaller kids, but that hardly came into play because the smaller kids could scarcely be bothered to play- especially Catti. Catti was more interested in orbiting around Noelle, even when Noelle was ‘it,’ and that resulted in a few moments where they just took turns tagging each other and giggling.

Dess tried to ignore her frustrations and instead focused on the adults running the party. “Oh?” She spotted her mother and Toriel having a conversation, just behind the tree line. Both of the ladies seemed anxious about something, and Carol was rubbing her temples, seemingly deep in thought about whatever Toriel was telling her. Dess didn’t need permission to see her own mother- not an event like this. “Hi mom, hi Miss Dreemurr!” Dess trotted up to them, her hooves clip-clopping on the dirt road. “Huh?” For some reason, Toriel seemed startled by Dess’s sudden appearance.

“H-Hello, December… We, uh…” Toriel looked to Carol for help.

“December, why don’t you go play with Asriel?” She gestured to the boy who was lazily sprawled out on the seat of the picnic table. “So unsanitary…” Toriel thought while wincing. “Or… Oh, how about you get some food? It looks like your father and Mr. Asgore have already fired up the grill.”

Dess frowned. “There's something fishy about mom and Miss Dreemurr…” She crossed her arms. “What’s going on here?”

Carol just sighed. “Look… It’s not my place to say. Toriel…” She looked over at the goat lady, who looked equally unprepared to reveal anything. “Uh… Erm… Well… Okay, the simple answer, Toriel, is yes. I don’t think things will be ready before…” She gestured with her hands. “…But, everything you’ve asked for could be ready in… a month?” She couldn’t hide the uncertainty in her voice, but it was more than enough consolation for Toriel to give a relieved smile.

“What are you talking about? Moooom!” Dess complained in the whiniest voice she could muster.

“Now, December…” Carol began with a chiding voice. “You must not pry, this is a conversation between adults.” Dess still looked pouty, and Carol sighed, capitulating a degree. “Look… You’ll find out soon, I promise.”

“Is this the big secret Azzy told me about?”

Toriel raised her eyebrows. “Er… Yes, I suppose it would be.” She looked to Carol. “…Don’t worry, dear. I promise to tell you soon, if Asriel doesn’t tell you as soon as he finds out, himself.”

This didn’t satisfy Dess at all, but the look in her mother’s eyes told her to drop the subject. Dess opted to get some food and sit at the park bench with Asriel and her classmates.

...

Food and entertainment were things that paired together quite nicely in any setting, and the entertainment that Dess was witnessing before her eyes was unlike any other she had seen before. Asgore and Rudy, as team captains, had picked out teams for a Handball match. Monster Handball was different from Human Handball, as it was essentially dodgeball, but you could kick the ball too, as so many types of monsters were armless. The names were conflated at some point- at least, that was as good of a guess as anyone had, but nobody thought too deeply on it because Human Handball was not played anymore.

Rudy was the lucky one and managed to sway Undyne to join his team with the promise of giving her his antlers next time he shed them. She thought it would be a cool souvenir, and Asgore couldn’t shed his horns- only his fur. Also on Rudy’s team was a bookish yellow dinosaur who Undyne recognized was in her class, but she did not have enough of a presence for Undyne or the others to recall her name.

On Asgore’s team, he snagged two musclebound knights; really, he snagged just one, but he refused to play the game without his 'bro,' so it ended up working out to be teams of 3. The game started, and it was clear that Undyne and Asgore were the only real players. Nobody on the field- save for the shy dinosaur- was a slouch when it came to athletics, but Asgore and Undyne stood head and shoulders over the others. “Ouch!...” Dess winced when she saw her dad get pelted in the face by a ball, and she could not tell whether his nose was red due to the impact, or due to the embarrassment.

Pretty soon, it was just Asgore and Undyne left. One threw the ball with so much force that it would make a normal monster stagger, and the other would catch it barehanded. “Wow… Undyne is so… Cool…” Dess stared in complete and utter admiration for the fish monster in front of her. Even though her arms were thin, rippling muscles could be seen underneath her glistening blue scales, and the amount of force she put behind each throw seemed disproportionately huge.

Just as Asgore was about to launch a ball at Undyne, he stopped himself. “Wh- Mr. Boom, please! Get off the field!” Asgore urged, as the old turtle monster stumbled into the midst of a great battle, seemingly ignorant to the danger he was in.

“Yeah, old man! Get off the field!”

Gerson raised a hairy eyebrow and pointed his walking stick at Undyne. “Hey, who’re you callin’ ‘old man?’ I’m just tryin’a get sum barbecue- you punks're in the way! Kids these days, no respect…” Gerson grumbled as he continued walking, like it was nothing, taking his sweet time. This was saying something, considering that he was geriatric AND a turtle monster.

Undyne grit her teeth. “Well, I couldn’t do this back when you were my teacher, but I’m an adult now! Take this, you old fart!! NGHAHHH!!” Undyne launched a ball so hard that it made the trees on either side of the field rustle violently. Dess was certain she was about to witness Mr. Boom lose his head, and she covered her eyes.

‘WHAM!!’ Dess slowly uncovered her eyes to see Undyne looking dumbfounded as Mr. Boom continued to make his way slowly down the field, completely untouched, unharmed, unfazed. She turned to look at Asgore, who had a bright red spot on his face, and tears at the corners of his eyes from how badly the impact on his snout smarted. “Gyahaha! I’ll betcher gonna need some ice fer that one! C’mon, fluffybuns! Let’s getcha some ice from the cooler!” Asgore hung his head in shame, following Gerson to the cooler as Rudy and Undyne erupted with cheers.

…

Dess nudged Asriel. “Psst, Azzy- You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?”

“I hope Daddy is okay…”

“Urk… That’s not what I was thinking… But that did look like it hurt…” She rubbed her neck, feeling bad that that hadn't been her first thought.

As Rudy and Asgore iced their aching faces, Dess and Asriel ran up to them. “Papa, can we play a game of Handball too? Just us kids?”

“Please, Daddy? I won’t cry, I promise!”

Asgore and Rudy looked back towards their wives. Toriel looked apprehensive, but she nodded. Carol, who was eager to watch her daughter compete, gave a fervent smile and thumbs up. “…Alright, then…”

Asriel and Dess were designated as team captains. Initially, Asriel wanted to be on Dess’s team, but after Catty and Bratty latched onto both of his arms, she felt a rage boiling inside of her that only launching a ball into his face could ease. With Blue Ears and Pants at her side, Dess cracked her knuckles, staring daggers at Asriel. “Right now, we’re not friends, we’re enemies! Come at me with everything you’ve got!”

“W-we’re not friends?...” The hurt in Asriel’s voice made Dess falter. Catty whispered something into his ear. “An expression?... Ooooh… Okay, Dess! I accept your challenge!”

“That’s more like it!” Pants cheered. His face grimaced in a creepy way, but his classmates were well aware that he was just smiling. “Come on, Azzy! Let’s do this thing!”

“Oh, erm… Okay!” Asriel said.

Asgore, while still holding ice over his snout, placed the balls in the center of the field. “Alright, children. You know the rules. Don’t cross this line, and don’t throw any balls at non-participants.”

Blue Ears raised his hand. “Mr. Dreemurr, what’s a... A non-participants?” He tilted his head, trying to remember the pronunciation of the word that Asgore had just used.

Asgore scratched his beard. “It’s… Uhh… It means- Don’t throw your balls at anyone who’s out, or anyone who’s not playing.”

“Like, can we kick the balls?” Bratty raised her hand and asked.

Asgore sighed. “Yes, you can kick them. Are there any other questions?” He looked around, and there were only blank faces. “Very good. Then, on my mark… Get ready… Get set…” Asgore blew into a whistle, signaling the start of the game.

…

“I’m sorry, Azzy… I didn’t mean to… Ugh…” Dess held her head down in shame as Asgore was taking care of Asriel, holding a tissue up to his bleeding nose- a shimmering whiteish-purplish liquid oozing into the paper. Dess’s team had won, with Blue Ears knocking out Bratty and Catty, Asriel knocking out Pants and Blue Ears, and Dess knocking out Asriel. Only, Dess knocked out Asriel a bit too hard, actually landing the ball square in his face like she had felt the urge to do previously.

Tears were dripping down Asriel’s face, just as his magical blood was. “Izz-izz ogay…” He said with a nasally voice. “You diddun bean do…” Being unable to breathe through his nose made his words come out funny. The truth was, Asriel really wasn’t upset, he was only crying because his nose stung so badly.

“Gosh, Azzy, you, like, almost had her!” Catty said, running to his side.

“Like, I was just about to say that- copycat!” Bratty said, glaring at Catty and snarling, displaying her jagged needle-like teeth.

Dess stood up and was about to walk away. “Waid!” Asriel also stood up, the tissue Asgore was holding onto his son’s face falling to the floor, and Bratty’s and Catty’s arms sliding off of Asriel’s. “Ids ogay! I had vun!” He held a hand out to Dess, offering her a sportsmanship-like handshake.

"Yeah, like, that was a good match, Dess." Bratty added.

“Dessy!” Noelle ran up to Dess, tackling her with a hug. “Stwong!”

“Hey, kid, that was a nice throw! I was on the edge of my seat that whole match! You both seriously rule!” Undyne cheered. “I… Everything’s okay?” Dess looked around her and only saw the faces of people who accepted her, even for her mistake. Even Asriel, the victim, was smiling stupidly at her.

Asriel took a fresh tissue from Asgore and put it back over his nose. Behind the fresh paper, behind the tears, Dess could see a loving smile that no amount of getting pelted in the face could turn upside down. Dess pulled Asriel into a tight embrace, not caring that small droplets of magical blood were landing on her shoulder. “I love you…”

Notes:

Not much to say about this chapter! I wanted to write something that could involve Undyne, as well as set up for the introduction of (you know who) for the upcoming chapters! Sorry, I yap a lot in my stories, and I feel like I wind up repeating myself a lot. I hope it's a somewhat pleasant read, at least. Next chapter will be more fluff.

I like to reread some of my works and add things that I didn't necessarily think fit in the chapter, but I want to include anyways.
1. Monsters can have allergies like humans do, with varying effects. Being allergic to pollen is almost universal for monsters, except those without noses or lungs. For example, Undyne is completely unaffected by pollen because she has no nose- though she has mild allergic reactions whenever she eats grapes.
2. Toriel zests lemon peels to extract the lemon flavor before adding the lemon juice and citric acid.
3. Animals exist in the monster world, and most monsters don't have any reservations against eating meat products. Even Undyne isn't above eating fish- she considers fish an entirely different class of being from herself.
4. Toriel's and Asgore's biggest fear about revealing the identity of his new younger sibling was that Asriel would think them to be like a pet rather than a sibling.
5. Noelle finished the drawing for Rudy, and he picked her up just like he promised.
6. Dess's antlers were blue like her mother's, but a darker, more muted color. Her nose was dusky black, though, which she got from Rudy's father. Noelle, of course, got her red nose from Rudy. Dess did, however, inherit her father's black hair, though it had some streaks of blonde from her mother's side.
7. Gerson was never a warrior like he was in UT, but he was exceptionally nimble for his age. It helps that- even if Undyne had landed the throw, he would have been mostly unscathed, being a turtle monster.
8. Dess was 7 years old and Asriel was 8 years old at this point.
9. Most human sports were still kept around, even though there were so few humans left in the world. The main sports that have been completely phased out were- Handball, Softball, Lacrosse, and Badminton.
10. Monsters keep the human tradition of the Olympics alive, but because of the vast difference in physicality along with the importance of magic in it- Humans have a different league. Monster scientists predict that, in 89 years, there won't be enough humans left in the world to make the Human Olympics happen.
11. Monster Olympics have all the same sports as Human Olympics along, but with the addition of various magic-exclusive related events. Boss Monsters aren't allowed to participate in the Olympics, otherwise Undyne would be more than qualified to enter.
12. Monsters bleed, but their blood is different from human blood. It's not red, and it's made from magic instead of hemoglobin and plasma (idk I never took A&P)

Chapter 5: Third Grade II- I'm Gonna be a Big Brother!

“Goodness, what a disaster…” Toriel mumbled as she examined Asriel’s magical blood-stained shirt. “I don’t believe this will ever wash out, dear… We’ll need to go shopping for some more clothes.”

Asgore raised an eyebrow. “But dear, Asriel already has-” When he saw Toriel’s wink, he closed his mouth, realization dawning upon him. “Ohhh… That’s a clever way to go about it.” Asgore cleared his throat, coughing into his closed fist. “Y-yes, that would be a great idea.” Asgore gave his own wink, much less subtle than Toriel managed, but Asriel was none the wiser.

“But Moooom!” Asriel complained. “I hate shopping for clothes! You make me try on every little thing, I just wanna go back to the lake and play!” He crossed his arms and huffed angrily. It wasn’t fair. Dess got to stay at the lake and play with their other classmates, even though she got her clothes dirty too.

“Sweetie, you simply can’t run around with your clothes so dirty. Just listen to Mommy, okay?” Asriel crossed his arms and pouted. “If you be a good boy, Mommy and Daddy will get you a treat, how does that sound?” Asriel was still pouting, but it was difficult for him to stay mad for very long, especially when he would be getting a treat out of this excursion. He nodded his head silently. “That’s better, dear. Now, go wash your face, and put on a clean shirt.”

Asriel’s feet felt like they were made from lead as he trudged up the stairs, acting defiant in little ways. “It’s not fair… It was fine… I just wanna play more with Dess…” Asriel kicked himself for not considering his other friends, but in his heart of hearts, Dess was who he missed the most. He breathed a heavy sigh and picked a shirt out at random, slinging it over his shoulder as he stomped similarly slowly back towards the bathroom. At the bottom of the stairs, he saw his mother looking displeased with his bratty behavior, and his gait hastened subconsciously.

The bathroom door shut behind Asriel, and Toriel looked over to her husband with an anxious look. “Oh dear, I’m so nervous… How do we tell him? What do we… What will we say? What will HE say?”

Asgore put a reassuring paw on her shoulder. “Asriel is a kind, sweet boy. He would love a piece of toast with ALL of his heart if he believed it to be his younger sibling. It won’t be any different for young Kris- human or not human.”

Toriel sighed and leaned against Asgore, placing her forehead against his chest as he wrapped her in a warm embrace. “You’re right… I know you’re right, but still…” Asgore could feel Toriel’s racing heart. “Do you think Kris will ever accept us as their family? What about the other monsters in town? If… If Undyne thinks so little of humans, what might the other monsters think?”

There was a moment of silence. “…I wish I knew the answer to your questions, dear… All we can do is be there for Kris- and for Asriel. To hell with what anyone else thinks about it!”

Asgore felt Toriel’s breathing intensify against his chest as she quietly laughed through her nostrils. “Language…” She was still lightly chuckling, and Asgore began chuckling lightheartedly, himself. The bathroom door creaked open, and Asriel emerged from within, water making the fur on his face stick down, donning a fresh and clean shirt.

Asriel wiped his face with the towel that was draped over his shoulders. “Mommy? Daddy? What’s the matter?”

Toriel lifted her glasses and rubbed her slightly damp eyes. “It’s nothing, sweetheart. Are you ready to go?”

…

“Hey, kid, chin up.” Dess, who was crossing her arms indignantly, looked up to see Undyne approaching her. “That Dreemurr boy- he’s a tough kid. I’ve known his family fer a while, and if he’s anything like his pops, then he’s made of freakin’ steel!”

Dess frowned. “Coming from you, that doesn’t really mean much… You beat Mr. Dreemurr…”

Undyne raised her eyebrows. “Uh… Well, I, uh… Well, look! You saw that he was cool about it and everything! Don’t let it getcha too down! I remember, back when I was yer age, I didn’t know my own strength!”

Dess shook her head. “I’m not… Ugh… I’m not sad about that… I just wanted to go with him…” Dess was more than a little upset with her mother when she refused to let her go with the Dreemurrs. She not only felt responsible for Asriel’s nosebleed, but she also simply didn’t want to part ways with him yet. Today was supposed to be a special day for the both of them, but it had ended too soon.

Undyne raised an eyebrow. “Ooooh, I get it now.” She playfully nudged Dess with an elbow.

“Shush! It’s not what you’re thinking!” She roared. Her face was hot, and she internally thanked her father for passing down his own dad's dusky black nose. If Dess wasn’t fully aware that Undyne could throw her so hard she’d skip across the lake’s surface like a pebble, she might have punched Undyne for teasing her. “…Asriel’s my friend… JUST my friend…” Dess didn’t know why she felt like she was trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince Undyne.

“Relax, kid, I’m just pushin’ yer buttons!” Undyne said, putting her hands up submissively. Dess settled back down, crossing her arms and pouting. “Sheesh, kids these days have no subtlety…” Undyne scratched around her gills nervously. Dess rolled her eyes and leapt off of the seat, storming off. “Ugh… Kids…” Undyne sighed and rested her head on the table.

“Gyahaha! Now d’ya see what dealin’ with brats is like?” She felt a stick poking into her shoulder and turned her head- still resting on the table- to look up at him. “Ugh… Can’t I get away from this guy for ONE hour?” Gerson was staring at her with his one good eye, offering a cheeky smirk that showed missing teeth. “Ya say the wrong thing, and they run off to tell mommy! Now, imagine havin’ to deal with brats twice her size, all day, ev’ry day!”

“Yeah, yeah…” She wanted to storm off, just like Dess had, but even she could realize the irony of doing that. She just sighed, accepting her situation. She did have some things she wanted to say, anyhow. “Hey… Old man… Sorry fer pitchin’ the ball at you earlier…”

Gerson sat down beside her. “Dunno whatcha mean! All I saw’s you throwin’ it at fluffybuns! Couldn’ta done it any better maself! Ya got a real arm on ya, little lady- ya remind me of maself when I was just a boy!” No matter how old Undyne turned, Gerson would always call her ‘little lady.’ She wanted to be mad right now, but she couldn’t begin to muster up the necessary energy. “…Y’know… I’m glad I had you fer ma student.” Undyne sat up, taking her head off of the table and looking at Gerson, who was wiping his nose with an index finger. “…And not just in school. When I metcha as a little brat… A littler brat then y’are now… That little girl that I knew… She woulda never been the type to try ‘n say somethin’ nice to a kid- even if ya did manage to screw it up- Gyahaha! Heck, she woulda never apologized to me fer throwin’ that ball! I feel like maybe… I did the world sum good by helpin’ steer ya the right way…”

Undyne felt her breath hitch, but she covered it with a cough. “What’s with you, old man? Acting all sentimental…”

“Gyahaha! ‘M I bein’ sentimental? I didn’t realize! I was just ramblin’ like old farts do…” There was a heavy silence between them. “...Undyne.” Undyne’s eyes widened, surprised to be called by something other than ‘little lady.’ Gerson cleared his throat. “’M gonna miss ya. Hope ya swing by the Church, sometime… Before ya go off to do great things.”

Undyne was a fish monster; water was essentially her most important resource, and she hated to waste it. But right now, she couldn’t say that the tears that pooled up in her lower eyelids were wasted.

…

Dess overall had a positive opinion of Undyne- having been blown away by her sheer strength- but she was in no mood for her teasing. She instead went to look for her parents, with the hopes that she might convince her mother to end the event early- or to simply let her return home early. She could use that as an excuse to sneak off to the Dreemurrs’ house… “Ugh…” Dess spotted Bratty and Blue Ears hanging out, accidentally making eye contact with the former.

“Like, what’s up, girl?” Bratty affectionately greeted Dess, who was a little hesitant to return the familiarity.

“Hey, Dess.”

“Hey…” Dess rubbed her elbow nervously as she approached them. It’s not like she disliked her other classmates; she just had difficulty talking with them sometimes. The only one she felt like she could really be herself around was Asriel, and he was off Angel-knows-where.

“Like, we were just talking gossip. You wanna join?”

Dess furrowed her brow. “Mom and Dad say not to talk about people behind their backs…”

Bratty rolled her eyes, a slight hissing noise coming from deep within her throat. “Girl, you are, like, such a momma’s girl. Come on, it’s just for fun. Right, Bluey?”

Blue Ears raised his eyebrows. “O-oh, um… Yeah?” Dess narrowed her eyes. Something told her that Blue Ears was being talked at rather than being spoken with, but Dess decided against interjecting. “We were just, uh… Talking about Catty.”

“Why am I not surprised…” Dess said with a sigh. “You two don’t seem to get along very well…” She gestured at Bratty as she said it. It was true, they always seemed to be at odds over every little thing, even if they were so similar in their approaches to said things. They spoke the same way, dressed the same way, and had the very same interests and hobbies. It was honestly a surprise to Dess- who had trouble making friends as it was- that these two weren’t the best of friends by now.

“Like, of course we don’t. She’s trying to take my man.”

Dess’s heart skipped a beat. “Wh-what do you mean by that?”

Bratty scoffed. “Don’t you ever use your eyes, girlfriend? That copycat was totally hanging onto Asriel, trying to cop a feel. It's like she doesn’t know we’re, like, totally a thing.”

Blue Ears looked from Bratty to Dess anxiously. He felt himself retreating into the trees as he saw Dess’s fists shaking. “A thing?” Dess truly didn’t know the meaning of her words, as she’d never heard that phrase before, but she could guess based on Bratty’s tone.

“Um, yeah? I mean, he even held my hand once.” Bratty displayed the back of her hand, holding it up as if she were showing something off. “We’re like, so totally gonna get married one day. But, you’re like, invited to the wedding, if you want.”

“You’re just a kid. You can’t get married.” Dess’s voice was trembling. “You can’t get… You don’t know… Asriel holds everyone’s hand.” She felt like she was either about to cry or flatten Bratty’s elongated snout with her fists, but she didn’t understand where these feelings were coming from.

“Dess, she’s not-” Blue Ears looked from Bratty to Dess and gulped hard. Was it worth risking making an enemy out of the popular clique to tell Dess the truth? What even was the truth? He didn’t know. He just wanted to fit in. Dess was looking at Blue Ears expectantly, but he felt himself shrink against the tree even further. “N-nevermind…”

“That’s a lie! Asriel doesn’t like you!” Dess turned back to Bratty and roared.

Bratty scoffed. “Uhh, yeah, he totally does. What, are you, like, jealous?” Bratty crossed her arms and felt a low, annoyed rumble reverberating in her throat.

Dess could feel her whole body trembling. “I’m NOT jealous! I just know Asriel better than you!” She jabbed a finger towards Bratty. “Or you!” She moved her hand to be pointing at Blue Ears. “Or Catty, or Pants! I’m Asriel’s best friend! If he likes anyone, then…” Dess’s voice trailed off, her composure breaking. “I’ve gotta get out of here, right now.” She was a ticking time bomb, and when the timer hit zero, she was going to burst into tears.

Dess sprinted out of the thicket just as other people were beginning to show up, wondering what the racket was. She didn’t know where she was running to, only that she needed to get away from any of her classmates. They could not see her like this. She found the quietest, furthest-out spot she could, sat down, and bawled her eyes out, venting out all of her frustrations into the sky.

…

Asriel looked wistfully out of the window as the Dreemurr family made the drive to Ebott City. He didn’t especially have anything against the city, this is just not how he wanted to spend his afternoon. He wanted to be there, at the lake, with his friends- with Dess. He must have been sighing, because Toriel spoke up. “We won’t be out for very long, dear. If you’d like, I can call Ca- Mrs. Holiday, and we can invite them over for dinner.”

“Really?” Asriel seemed to cheer right up, and Asgore let out a relaxed sigh.

“Yes, dear. Well- I can ask, at the very least.”

“I think that would be a lovely idea. Hey, champ, have you thought about what you want your treat to be?”

Asriel put a finger to his chin and pondered. “Hmmm… Butterscotch pie! Wait, no… Cinnamon pie! Hmm…”

The Dreemurrs made the short, 20-minute drive into the city in relative silence. “Look, Mommy, Daddy, there’s a human!” Asriel was excitedly shouting from the back seat, pointing at his window, even though his parents were facing ahead.

Toriel faltered for a moment. “Y-yes, dear… Ebott City has many humans living in it…” Toriel turned the car stereo down. “Asriel… Do you… Like humans?”

“Hmm?” Asriel tilted his head. Asgore was biting his lip nervously, and placed a hand over Toriel’s. “Well… I dunno any! I guess I like them! They look cool, and their skin is… I wanna know what it feels like, but it’s rude to touch people without asking!”

Asgore chuckled lightly. “Yes, that’s right, son.” He furrowed his brows and licked his lips. The words were begging to be said, they were waiting on Asgore’s tongue for him to spit them out. Toriel gently squeezed Asgore’s hand, offering him consolation while using it to anchor and reassure herself.

Before long, they had arrived at the department store they had set out to visit. “Did you bring a shopping list, dear?” Asgore whispered, and Toriel shook her head. She was just going to wing it, buying small shirts, shorts, pants, sweaters, socks, shoes, boxers, swimming trunks, pajamas, and even diapers- just to be safe. She had not yet met young Kris, but she knew they were small, even for a human child. They were three years of age, had ruby-red eyes, and had not yet spoken their first words- something that was supposedly abnormal for human children their age. The cart was beginning to look full before Asriel noticed something was amiss. “She’s not making me try anything on? Wait… These look too small to fit me…” He scrunched up his face and examined the things his mother was picking out.

“Guh- Mom! I don’t wear diapers anymore!”

Toriel dropped the box of diapers onto the floor accidentally, her expression going vacant. “Now… Now’s the time.” She pushed her glasses up her snout and cleared her throat. “Ah… Asriel, honey… Do you remember how Mommy and Daddy were going to tell you a very... Special secret today?”

Asgore’s eyes widened. “Go time, got it.” He picked up the diapers and set them in Toriel’s shopping cart. Asriel nodded. “What does that have to do with this? Mom… These won’t fit m-” His eyes went wide. Asgore and Toriel leaned down and spread their arms open. “NO WAY!!!” Even though they were in a store, Toriel and Asgore didn’t try to stop him from shouting, he was that excited. “I’M GONNA BE A BIG BROTHER?!!!”

Toriel’s eyes began leaking, but she nodded. Asriel tackled his parents with a hug, shrieking into his father’s chest.

“Asriel, there’s something else that we need to tell you.” Asgore brought up. “We’re adopting, son.” Asriel tilted his head, clearly never having heard that word before. “...We’re going to take a child who doesn’t have a home into our own home and accept them into our family. A…” Asgore cleared his throat. “Good heavens… This truly is difficult to say… Asriel, we’re adopting a young human child.”

Neither Toriel nor Asgore knew what to expect from this revelation, but they certainly didn’t expect Asriel to look so utterly and completely excited. “Really?!! A human?!! Wow!!” He was literally jumping up and down, his long ears following the movement on a delay as he did so. The Dreemurrs were now getting stares from passersby, most of whom blushed from how cute the scene was. “Can I tell Dess?!! Can I- Can I?!!”

Toriel set a paw on Asriel’s shoulder. “N-not now, dear. Let’s get back home, first, at least…”

The whole car ride home, Asriel was playing 21 questions, asking every little thing about their new baby sibling. Only, it was more like 2,100 questions, as neither Asgore nor Toriel could hope to keep up with the sheer volume of inquiries that Asriel was throwing their way. He wanted to know every single thing about Kris- to absorb every single bit of existing information about his new younger sibling. Next month, they were scheduled to adopt Kris, and that day could not come nearly soon enough.

…

Dess had managed to slip away from the public’s eye for the most part. Bratty and Blue Ears watched her storm off, but Bratty didn’t care to follow her, and Blue Ears felt stuck between a rock and a hard place- not willing to outwardly show favor towards Dess nor Bratty. He simply took his leave, returning home. The picnic was still in full swing, and Dess was able to disappear from the adults without their noticing. That was, at least, until Dess heard the noise of twigs and leaves crunching underneath someone’s shoes. Undyne and Dess both startled each other. “What the?” Dess’s watery eyes widened, seeing Undyne’s expression. “Undyne is… Crying?”

“Ngh… Oh, it’s just you, kid…” Undyne wiped her eyes and tried to stay cool. “Uhhh…” She glanced around nervously. “That’s MY spot…” Dess had taken refuge behind the old, abandoned building that was neighbor to the lopsided haunted house- finding a shady spot in the trees to cool her head. Undyne frowned when she saw Dess’s tearful gaze. “Crap… Did I make her cry?”

Dess turned to look away from Undyne. “I guess even strong monsters like you can cry sometimes…” She said it almost absentmindedly. She understood intuitively that it was a rude thing to say, but she didn’t care at the moment. Undyne stumbled in on her in her most vulnerable state, and Dess suspected that Undyne felt the same way- like a deer caught in the headlights.

Undyne didn’t ask to sit down next to Dess, she just did. She felt the cool earth beneath her as she stretched out her legs. “…Yep, s’right. Even big bad Undyne has a heart. Surprising, innit?” She flashed her classic toothy grin, but her smile didn’t meet her eyes. Undyne’s gaze trailed off of Dess and onto the floor. “I… Look, kid… I’m sorry if I hurt yer feelin’s…”

Dess wiped her eyes. “No… It’s not that…” She rested her elbows on her thighs and tried to become as small as she was feeling. “I just… I hate my classmates… Sometimes. I don’t even think they were really teasing me, but…” Dess’s fists clenched as she remembered the prior events, trembling with frustration but having no way to vent it out. She was no longer alone- she could no longer sob freely without being pestered by someone else. However, right now, Undyne’s presence was nowhere near an unwelcome one.

Undyne stared straight ahead, unable to look at Dess. “…I get it, kid… They don’t understand ya, right?” Undyne waited, but Dess didn’t respond. “…I’m gonna talk, so just listen, ‘kay?” Undyne didn’t wait for her to reply, to nod, or shake her head. “Years ago… There was a little lady… She was tough, and crude, and mean… She said things she didn’t mean ta, and people got hurt. She never meant ta hurt ‘em… And in the end, she’d always end up gettin’ hurt worse than anyone else... She was surrounded by people, but she didn’t have a single friend- can you believe that?!” Undyne found herself snickering at the situation. “…That little lady would always come here to cry.”

Undyne could hear muffled sobs coming from her right, but she didn’t bother turning to face their source. “…Little lady… I guess what I’m tryin’ ta say is…” Undyne grumbled and scratched her neck, raking her webbed fingers against her auburn locks and subconsciously combing them. “Nghah! I get it, okay? Even if I don’t get it exactly, I… You remind me of me. And if there’s one piece of advice I could give t’ya… That I needed t'hear when I was going through this same crap...” Undyne cleared her throat, trying not to get choked up. “…Being misunderstood is, err… It’s the first step towards being understood… And that second step?” There was a pause, and Dess looked over at Undyne, expectantly. Her eyes were reddish, and her fur just underneath them was damp, but she’d stopped her sobs and sniffles. “That’s more like it…” She bared her fangs in a fiendish smile. “Helpin’ them understand. Ya gotta talk to people ya don’t wanna talk to, and one day, you’ll end up really enjoyin’ talkin’ to ‘em- and they’ll enjoy talkin’ to you, too. Next time… Ya might not haveta sneak off someplace to cry.”

“Fahaha…” Dess’s chuckle was weak, comprised of short, breathy exhales. “You sound a little bit like Mr. Asgore… Back on my first day of Kindergarten…”

“Nghahaha! Well, he 'n I had the same teacher, after all.”

A lighthearted silence took root on the tree stump Dess sat atop. After some time, Dess uprooted this silence. “Miss Undyne…”

“Nn?”

“Why were you…” She didn’t want to pry, but she couldn’t help but wonder. After all, Undyne had just told Dess to help people to better understand herself- surely Undyne would take no offense with Dess trying to understand her better. “Why were you crying?”

“Oh, right. Well, I was just feelin’ a little sentimental, is all. I guess ya could say… I’m not really lookin’ forward to leaving this place for 6 months…”

“Undyne is so cool…” Dess sighed and stood up, brushing twigs, dirt, and leaves off of her pant legs. “Thanks, Miss Undyne… I’m gonna… I’ll do it. Thank you…”

Undyne chuckled. “Nn, don’t mention it.” As Dess was leaving, Undyne shouted after her. “But hey!! You still just be you! Don’t ever let anyone tell ya you can’t be you!” Dess gave a lighthearted ‘Fahaha!’ and waved as she left the thicket of woods behind the abandoned building. She hoped she could see Undyne again before she left for the police academy in Ebott City.

“…Bratty… I’m sorry I yelled at you earlier.”

Bratty, who was no longer hanging out with Blue Ears, raised her eyebrows. “Oh, like… It’s whatever… Water under the bridge, girl…” She rubbed the back of her head anxiously. Bratty never had expected Dess to get as defensive, or to storm off as she had. She hadn’t really been bantering; she had been selfishly claiming Asriel all for herself even though she didn’t know him half as well as Dess did. If anything, Bratty felt like she totally deserved to get yelled at, but she would never admit it out loud. She was eager to accept Dess’s apology, being first hand witness to just how frightening Dess could be.

Dess jabbed a pointed finger towards the crocodilian monster. “…But… I’m never… EVER… Gonna let you steal Asriel from me, ya hear? You OR Catty.” There was a fierce determination in Dess’s voice, and Bratty’s scaly lips curled up into a smile. She was helping Bratty to understand her better, while not compromising a single inch in being herself. This was the truest thing December Holiday could have possibly said at this moment.

“You’re, like, so on, sister.”

…

It wasn’t long after the Police Picnic had ended when the Holiday residence received a phone call. “Yellow?” Rudy answered.

“Asriel, dear, shush!” Toriel hushed her son sharply, plugging one ear with her finger. “Yes, hello? Rudy?”

“Yup, the one and only!”

“Erm… Would you and your family like to come over here for dinner? Asriel is- Asriel, sweetie, I really cannot hear when you’re shouting like that!” Rudy snickered, having never heard Toriel be so stern with anyone, much less her little golden boy. He could still hear faint excited noises coming from the background. “Ahem… As I was saying, Asriel is insisting…”

The Dreemurrs brought extra chairs out from their storage and placed them around the table. “Ahh… I’ll never get tired of that cinnamony smell…” Rudy mused, taking in the fresh scents of pie that Asgore always carried into work with him- sticking to his fur. Dess agreed with the sentiment- as Asriel always smelled faintly of cinnamon and butterscotch- but this wasn’t something she’d admit to his face. Speaking of- where even was Asriel?

“Goodness, me… That boy must’ve run 10 miles just inside this house while waiting for you folks to come over here.” Toriel sighed while rubbing her cheek. “He’s probably all tuckered out, I’ll go fetch him.” She glanced at Asgore, who was handling things in the kitchen. “After all, HE insisted on being the one to tell you…”

…

“No… WAY!!” Dess exclaimed. “A human?!! In Home Town?!! Your baby sibling?!!” Dess was incredulous. If Asriel was like an older brother to Noelle, then that would mean by commutative property that Dess would be like an older sister to this young human. This was awesome news, to Dess. Rudy was so surprised by the news that his nose glowed faintly. Even little Noelle, who didn’t understand what everyone was excited over, was cheering ‘Human, human!’ over and over again while slamming her baby fork against the table, knocking pie crumbs onto the tablecloth. Only Carol, along with Toriel and Asgore, seemed to maintain her composure.

“Their name is Kris!! Look!” Asriel had drawn a picture of what he imagined Kris would look like. He was not a very skilled artist, but Dess got the point. Kris was a tiny human with red eyes, and that was super cool to Dess. “They’re gonna sleep in my room! I can’t wait!! I’ve always wanted to be a big brother!!”

“Big brother!” Noelle repeated, giggling and slapping her hands against the table. “Big brother Azzy!”

Dess had half a mind to join in, slamming her hands on the table and cheering ‘Big brother Azzy!’ with her little sister, but under her mother’s watchful gaze, she opted for something only slightly less unseemly. “Heck YEAH!!”

Toriel and Carol raised their eyebrows. “Heck- Goodness, December, you mustn’t use that kind of language at the ta-”

“Heck YEAH!!” Rudy cut Carol off, cheering, too. Soon, everyone was swept into the cheering, and even Toriel was tapping her foot along with the cheering. Carol rubbed her forehead, but she couldn’t deny that everyone’s excited energy was rubbing off on her. A faint smile crept up on her icy blue lips.

At the very start of Summer break for Asriel, the Dreemurr family gained a brand new member.

Notes:

I love Undyne! I hope I didn't mess up her speech too badly, I felt like it was very in character for her to talk the way I portrayed. I'm so sleep deprived that I fell asleep on my keyboard while adding the italics in HTML, hope that doesn't reflect in the quality of writing...

I like to reread some of my works and add things that I didn't necessarily think fit in the chapter, but I want to include anyways.
1. Undyne doesn't actually hate humans, she just dislikes weakness, and she associates them with weakness. She's never had any negative experiences with humans any time she's gone into the city.
2. Undyne doesn't care a whole lot for Church, but she gets along well with Alvin.
3. Gerson was never Undyne's legal guardian per se, but he's looked after her since she was 4 years old- when he happened to find her crying on that same tree stump. Of course, he was also her teacher in High School.
4. Blue Ears is very friendly and has trouble with giving people personal space, but he gets antsy around Bratty and Catty because he feels like they'll bully him. Outside of Dess and Pants, Blue Ears is Asriel's best friend, though it's almost a tie between the latter two.
5. Toriel is trying not to give Asriel the habit of calling adults by their first name- that's why she stops herself from saying 'Carol.'
6. The reveal could not have gone better for the Dreemurrs.
7. Dess felt bad for yelling at Blue Ears more than she felt bad for yelling at Bratty. She apologized to him later. He pretty much knows that Dess has a crush on Asriel, which he doesn't feel strongly about one way or the other.

Chapter 6: Third Grade III- Kris

Finally. Today was the day. Asriel felt like, if he stared hard enough at the bed that sat opposite in the room to his own, Toriel might drive home faster, and he might get to meet Kris sooner. He wanted everything to happen faster. If he could meet Kris sooner, then Kris could become friends with Dess and Noelle sooner. All Asriel could do with his pent-up excitement was toss and turn in his bed; he even fell asleep a few times while waiting.

...Waiting for the sound of Toriel’s car pulling into the driveway.

“The driveway?... A car?... Mom!” Asriel shot up in his bed, woken by the sound of a car pulling in. His mother’s words rang in his mind, reminding him not to smother Kris as soon as they arrived, since Kris might be nervous in this new environment- being in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by unfamiliar people. However, those were merely afterthoughts compared to the thoughts of meeting his baby sibling, drawing pictures, learning what human skin felt like, and all sorts of other things he’d been planning on doing with Kris when they first met.

Kris’s eyes were red- not from crying, their eyes were actually red. The two little rubies peeking out from behind their long brown bangs were the first thing that Asriel noticed about Kris. When his mother described Kris to him, he thought she might have been exaggerating about their eyes, but she was underselling their deep red hue, if anything. “Hi, I’m Asriel!” Was the first thing he could think to say when Toriel walked through the door, hand-in-hand with the tiny human. “I’m your big brother!” He wanted to shout, ‘I love you,’ already- to wrap Kris in a hug already- but his mother’s warnings told him to have some restraint- to give Kris a little bit of space.

Kris couldn’t talk yet, or they had simply yet to find their first words. Toriel hadn’t gone into detail about Kris’s human parents, but Asriel understood that his family was helping Kris get out of the situation that had likely caused their troubles with speaking.

The second thing Asriel thought when looking at Kris was just how adorable they were. Even though they couldn’t say anything, their eyes told many stories to their new older brother- wandering around the unfamiliar house, intense curiosity burning beneath their crimson irises. Toriel knelt down to Kris’s level. “Kris, this is Asriel. He’s been dying to meet you. Would you like to say hello?”

Kris was sucking their thumb, still taking in their environment, not looking at one thing for more than a few seconds before switching to examine the next. However, when Toriel knelt down and properly introduced Asriel to Kris, their eyes focused in on him like lasers. Asriel felt his heart throb as Kris properly looked at him for the first time. “My very own baby sibling… Angel… I want to hug them so bad…” Asriel had his own fingers held to his mouth- biting at his fingertips in an attempt to restrain himself from running over and glomping Kris. “What’s that, dear? You want to go say hi to your big brother?” Kris was pulling away from Toriel’s hand, slowly.

Asriel also knelt down. As a monster, he was taller than most humans his age- not that he had ever met a human his age before. To him, Kris was so little he might think Kris to be an infant, by monster standards, even though Kris had turned 3 earlier in the year. “Hi, Kris…” His voice was softer now as Kris waddled over to him. Their eyes met his in an intense gaze that seemed to pull Asriel within.

Kris removed their thumb from their mouth and wiped it on Asriel’s fur. “Ew…” Asriel thought, careful not to say it out loud. However, when Kris saw his grossed-out expression, their eyes lit up with an indescribable joy. Kris could not talk, but they sure could giggle. The third thing Asriel thought about Kris was just how infectious their laugh was- his own laughter came out like a shaken-up soda pop.

…

Both mother and child rested on Chairiel as Toriel flipped through photo albums, whispering sweet nothings to the tiny human. “…And this is Daddy. Daddy is a police officer.” She pointed a fuzzy finger towards a photograph of Asgore pretending to hold a skyscraper atop his shoulders, using perspective to create the illusion. Kris wrapped their tiny hand around Toriel’s finger, and she felt her heart melt into a warm puddle that threatened to come pouring out of her eyes.

“Daddy’s so big and strong, right Kris?” Asriel whispered. He was sitting on his knees, on the opposite end of Chairiel from them. Kris blinked, still looking at the photograph. Their eyes trailed down the page, and they pointed at another photo- a picture of Dess wearing a birthday hat, seated next to Asriel. This was from Dess’s 6th birthday party. Dess had vanilla frosting all over her face, and Asriel had chocolate frosting on his own. Asriel’s gift to Dess that year was a vanilla cake with various berries baked into the batter- a result of a misconception of what a ‘fruit cake’ was. Dess had enjoyed that cake more than she’d ever enjoyed any fruit cake before or since. “That’s Dess- December. She’s my best friend. Do you wanna meet her, Kris?”

Toriel glanced from Asriel to Kris. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea…” She whispered. She was anxious that Kris might become frightened, meeting too many people in one day. After all, they hadn’t even met their father yet, as he would still be at work for the next two hours.

Kris pointed at another photograph. It was a photo of baby Noelle, from that same birthday party as the last one. “Look, Mommy, Kris really wants to meet the Holidays!”

Toriel frowned, certain that Asriel was simply projecting, so she chose to ignore his pleas. “That’s Noelle, she was just an itty-bitty thing when this picture was taken. She’s 3 years old now, just like you, dear.” Kris slapped their palm against the picture, giggling again now. Noelle’s face was scrunched up, looking like she was going to sneeze. Her expression seemed to tickle Kris a great deal as their infectious laughter filled the air. Asriel felt his face burn; the scene before him was too cute. Toriel had to stifle her own laughter as she flipped the page. “One day, I’m going to fill this photo album up with pictures of all of us. When Daddy gets home, would you like to take a picture?”

Kris stared up at her, then back to the album, pointing at a photograph of Asgore. “Yes, sweetie, that’s right, that’s Daddy.” Toriel was about to turn the page again, but Kris’s hand was in the way. They pressed their fingers under the page, crinkling it slightly as they flipped back to the previous one. Kris’s laughter began bubbling out once again when they saw Noelle’s sneezing face.

…

When Kris met Asgore for the first time, they began to cry. “Oh, dear… I… Kris…” Asgore stumbled over his words. His tall, imposing figure as well as his deep bassy voice frightened the young human. Needless to say, it took Kris a little bit of getting used to their father's presence. But when it clicked that this monster was the same one who was ‘holding up a skyscraper’ in the photograph, Kris’s eyes widened in amazement. Asriel wondered if Kris believed Asgore really did that, but he wouldn’t bother correcting that assumption if they did.

“It’s okay, Kris…” Asriel whispered as he gently stroked their hair. “This is Daddy. He’s the best Daddy in the whole wide world. He loves me a whole bunch, and he loves you a whole bunch!” Kris’s eyes dried up after a short while, and they held their arms in the air. “I think Kris wants you to pick them up.” Asriel whispered into his father's ear, standing on tiptoes while Asgore leaned down.

Asgore gulped, hoping that this would mend Kris’s poor first impression of him. When Asgore lifted Kris off of the ground and wrapped them up in his fluffy arms, all he could think of was Kris’s smiling face. “You missed it, Daddy, Kris was giggling like crazy earlier.”

Kris’s tiny hands reached up still, grasping at Asgore’s golden beard. “Ouch…” Asgore wanted to complain about his hair getting pulled, but he did not want to risk frightening Kris again- taking three steps backward after this one step forward. Instead, he gently rocked them back and forth, cooing under his breath. Kris’s grip on their father’s beard loosened, and their eyes languidly shut as Asgore lulled them into a deep sleep. Being cradled by Asgore was like being swallowed whole by the world’s warmest and most comfortable blanket, and Kris couldn’t fight their weariness from the long journey they had made with Toriel earlier in the day.

At around dinner time, there was a knock at the front door. Toriel shot a suspicious glance at Asriel, who shrugged, maintaining his innocence of any wrongdoing. He hadn’t invited Dess over per se, but he certainly did not begin complaining when he and his mother spotted her through the open door. “Hi, Azzy! Can I meet them? Can I?” Her voice was low, anticipating that she might frighten Kris if she was too loud. Her whispers were urgent, though- this was something she'd clearly been eager to do for a while, too.

“December, don’t you think you should be asking their mother for permission?” Toriel asked in a stern voice. She crossed her arms, and Dess’s eyes widened.

“I, uh…” Her face went red, and she retreated from the door one step. “S-sorry, Mrs. Dreemurr, I wasn't thinking…”

Toriel sighed and offered Dess a comforting smile. “…Kris is sleeping right now. You two can play- but keep it outside. When Kris wakes up- and only then- you can come in and say hi.” Dess’s gaze was lingering on the ground, but she nodded. “Oh, don’t be upset, dear. I’m not angry with you, I’m just trying to help you understand.”

“Y-yes, ma’am.” Dess’s blush didn’t dissipate when it was only her and Asriel outside of the house, the door shutting behind him. “Darn it…” She scratched at the base of her antler and turned to face Asriel. He looked like he was glowing.

Asriel’s arms shot out as he gripped Dess by her shoulders. “Dess!! Is this what it was like when Noelle was born?!! I can’t take my… pardon my language… My freaking mind off of them!!”

Dess was startled by the sudden contact, but she didn’t push Asriel away. “N-no- well, yes?!”

Asriel blushed and slid his hands off of Dess. “S-sorry… I’m just so… I want to go back in and play with Kris… Dess!! Did you know human skin is really soft?!! They don’t have fur- it’s like scales, but smooth and not bumpy!!” Asriel couldn’t help but gush about his new baby sibling, and Dess was the person he wanted to gush to most of all.

“Wow… I wanna try feeling it…” Dess tried to imagine the texture while she stared at her hand.

“And their laugh!! It’s like… Uggh!!” Asriel’s heart threatened to explode. Dess was beginning to feel a little embarrassed from it, but she would be there for her friend. This was Asriel’s way of helping Dess understand him even better- by going on and on about the things that excited him, ad nauseam. “And we even showed Kris photos of everyone- they laughed over and over at Noelle's picture- you remember, from your birthday party?!”

“I guess I shoulda brought her with me…” Asriel laid down in the grass and took a long, deep breath before an even longer exhale. “I’m just so happy…”

“A-Azzy?!” Dess was startled to see tears dripping down his cheeks before he wiped them on his forearm. Asriel sniffled and sat back up. Dess, now seated beside him in the grass, fumbled around, looking for flowers. She wasn't as good at this as he was, but he was grateful to see her trying. Asriel quietly wrapped his arms around Dess, whose own arms hung frozen at her sides before they slowly met him in the embrace. “I can’t wait to meet them…”

…

When Dess first laid eyes on the young human, they were clad in grey pajamas that were dotted all over with various red apples- bisected apples with seeds visible, apples with teeth marks chomped out of them, apples with little green worms coming out from and wrapping around them, apple slices that formed a heart shape, the list went on and on. “Cute…” Asriel muttered under his breath, seeing these pajamas for the first time.

“Hiya, Kris. My name’s December.” Dess was slightly taller than Asriel, so she leaned down, placing her hands over her knees to get a closer look at young Kris. Kris tilted their head, their bangs flipping out of the way of one eye. “Wow, they really ARE that red… Too cool…” When little Kris was curious about something, it was almost as if their brilliant red eyes compelled the world around them to obey, bending it to their will to sate their curiosity and grant their wishes. Kris’s gaze was fixed on Dess’s fuzzy hands, and Dess found herself extending one out to meet Kris’s without even needing to think about it. “Oh my Angel… Too cute…” Kris’s hands weren’t as chubby as Noelle’s, but the warm, soft, squishy texture of human skin gave the illusion of Kris having even chubbier hands than Dess's younger sister.

“Can you say ‘December?’” Toriel asked. She and Asgore were kneeling on the floor, right in front of Chairiel, hovering just a few feet behind Kris and the older kids. “Big sister Dess?”

Dess blushed a little at being called ‘big sister.’ It was true that the Dreemurrs and the Holidays were already practically one large family, but actually hearing Toriel say it made her heart skip a beat. “B-big sister Dess…” She pointed a finger at her face, her prominent buck teeth bared in an awkward yet genuine smile.

“No, say ‘big brother Asriel!’” Asriel tried to coerce Kris into having his name being their first words. “It’s not a competition…” Dess thought, though it totally was.

Asgore wanted to chime in, but held his tongue out of fear of seeming childish in front of actual small children. “No, say ‘Mommy.’” Toriel added, and Asgore realized she had less shame than him with regards to this. He no longer felt too ashamed to plead with Kris to say ‘Daddy,’ as their first word. They each took turns trying to compel Kris to say their own names or titles- sometimes shouting over one another. Several times, Kris's mouth opened, but no noise came out other than the occasional giggle.

…

Summer break had come and gone, and Kris had still not spoken a word. Asriel and Dess began the fourth grade, finally having a teacher other than Toriel- which Asriel took quite hard. During the lunch break on their first day back, Asriel was quietly sobbing, leaning his head on Dess’s shoulder. Dess wasn’t exactly a sympathetic crier, but she also missed having Toriel as her teacher. She loved Toriel like she was a second mother. “Like, what’s wrong with you two? Miss Muffet is totes the coolest!” Catty, who was carrying her lunchbox, walked over to the damp-eyed duo. “Besides, don’t you, like, live with Mrs. Dreemurr?”

“Of course he lives with her, stupid…” Dess bit back an insult and turned her head away. Catty put a clawed index finger to her mouth. “Hmm? You two’re, like, a little too close, aren’t you?” Catty sat down on the other side of Asriel from Dess, scooting close to him. “You can totally cry on my shoulder, if you want.” Catty's coy laughter made Dess's blood boil.

“That won’t be happening, children. The school has strict policies against PDA.” Catty jumped, her fur standing on end. Toriel had intervened just in the nick of time- Dess had been mentally prepared to spew unfiltered venom towards the feline monster seated her opposite. Toriel's gaze lingered on Asriel, who had just removed his head from Dess’s shoulder. His presence there was obvious from the wet spots on her sleeve.

“Mom- K-Kris?!” Asriel’s voice was hoarse from crying, and his nose was leaky as he spotted the young human in their mother's arms. Kris wordlessly waved at Asriel and Dess, moving their eyes to then consider Catty. “What’s Kris doing here?!”

Toriel brushed Kris’s bangs out of their eyes. “Well, I simply couldn’t leave them in the classroom, surrounded by so many curious Kindergarteners.”

“Wow… A human!” Catty was bewildered. “Like, I’ve never seen a human in Home Town before!”

“This is Kris- my child, and Asriel’s younger sibling. In just two years, they’ll be entering into Kindergarten along with your sister- and your sister.” She gestured from Catty to Dess with a pointed finger. “Speaking of, I have to get back to the classroom.” Toriel held her arm out, offering something to Asriel. “Do be sure not to forget to bring lunch tomorrow. I’m not supposed to step away from class for long enough to drive home and pick it up- even during lunch break. I'm lucky that young Miss Alphys was able to watch them while I was gone.” As Toriel turned away to head back inside, Kris waved the older kids goodbye.

“Urk… I want to go back…” Tears were threatening to leak once again, after Toriel and Kris departed. Dess patted him on the shoulder, agreeing with his sentiment wholeheartedly, and the two struggled to fight the urge to follow the goat woman back to the baby classroom that Dess had once held such contempt for.

…

“Howdy, girls! Howdy Asriel!” Rudy greeted the children as he entered Toriel’s classroom, where they were all hanging around. The Kindergarteners had already been picked up by their parents, and Catti had already left with her older sister. The only people left in the school were the high schoolers, Asriel, Dess, Noelle, and Kris. “Sheesh- rough day, huh, buddy?”

“Yeah…” Asriel replied simply. There was none of the usual cheerfulness in his voice.

“Miss Muffet is nice, but I miss having Mrs. Dreemurr…” Dess’s voice sounded similarly depressed to Asriel’s.

“Oh, December… I miss having you as a student.” Toriel said with a hand placed over her heart and a quavering audible in her voice.

“Papa! Kris!” Noelle ran up to Rudy and gestured towards the young human, who was clacking building blocks against each other.

“Yep, that’s right! You and Kris get to spend a whoooole lotta time together, fahaha!” he said as he lifted his younger daughter into his arms. “Does that sound fun? Do you like Kris?”

“Apples!”

Rudy let Noelle settle into one arm as he scratched at his chin, wondering what in the world that could have meant. Toriel placed a hand over her mouth, giggling. “So that’s why she was getting rather close to Kris earlier today- she must have smelled their apple-scented shampoo. Human hygiene products really are quite fascinating.”

“Hey, now, if you Dreemurrs aren’t careful, you’ll end up taking both of my daughters!” He nudged Dess playfully and winked at Toriel. Asriel just tilted his head, unsure of the meaning, but Dess angrily punched her father in the leg, dealing much less damage than he feigned taking. “Ooooh, you got me… Noelle… Avenge me… Get… Dess…” Rudy slowly collapsed to the floor, gently placing Noelle on her feet.

Noelle didn’t run to Dess to playfully attack her, like Rudy had hoped she would. Instead, Noelle waddled back over to Kris, who was now lying on their stomach, coloring something in with crayons. It looked like they were just adding red polka dots to the page, but at least they were able to color in their own lines neatly. “Krissy!” Kris glanced up at Noelle and handed her the paper, seemingly complete. “Oh, wow, they even wrote their name…” Asriel admired Kris’s handiwork before Noelle snatched the paper away from his field of vision.

Dess was still steaming at her father, but she held her tongue. Asriel was oblivious, and she wanted to keep things that way- for now. “Alright, alright… That’s enough fun for one day. Come on, girls, let’s get moving. Your mother and I are making turkey tonight.” Rudy rubbed circles over his stomach, not caring that he was slightly untucking his police uniform from his waistband.

“Apples!” Noelle cheered as she handed the picture back to Kris.

Toriel giggled once again, and Asriel joined in this time. Rudy picked Noelle up once again, and the Holidays turned to leave. “Bye, Azzy. Bye, Mrs. Dreemurr. Bye, Kris…” Dess waved at the Dreemurrs before heading towards the room's exit.

“Goodbye, dear.”

“Bye-bye, Dess.”

“Apples.”

The room went so quiet one could hear a pin drop. Even Noelle understood the significance of what had just happened, her eyes widening in surprise. “Kris?! You spoke!” Toriel was out of her chair and at Kris’s side in an instant. They had an index finger resting in their mouth, casually tilting their head. It was clearly something that was more significant to the others than it was to them. Asriel was now at Kris’s side, and they soon found themselves surrounded by goats and reindeer.

“Apples!” Noelle cheered from Rudy’s arms.

“Apples.” Kris echoed Noelle. They reached to the floor and picked up the drawing, displaying it for everyone to see. “Apples.”

“Apples!!” Asriel repeated Kris before pulling them in for a hug, doing his utmost not to cry as his heart swelled with pride for his younger sibling. Ironically, Toriel had less reservations against crying right now than her son, and soon, all three of the Dreemurrs in the room were left with moist eyes and a drawing dotted with moist spots. “I’m so proud of you!!”

Dess felt her heartstrings tug at the scene. She was fifty-fifty on whether Kris would never speak, or if their first word would be ‘Noelle.’ This was not something she said aloud, knowing full-well that Asriel would cry his eyes out if she ever even suggested the former. This was a moment Dess knew she would always remember. “Oh I am SO gonna tease them about this when they’re older.”

…

“I gotta say, I feel bad for Asgore! Missing his kid’s first words- and they weren’t even ‘Papa’- or ‘Daddy!’” Rudy chuckled a hearty 'Fahaha,' as he and his daughters made the trek back home. Asriel, Kris, and Toriel lingered in the school even longer, Toriel needing to set her classroom up for tomorrow's lessons.

“Papa, what were my first words?” Dess had begun speaking when she was just over a full year old- long enough ago that she could not remember.

Rudy sighed, reminiscing on the early days of his oldest daughter’s life. “Ah… It was just too cute. I was the lucky one- your first word was, ‘Dada.’ Your mother was MAD that day.” His nose lit up faintly as he chuckled. “I almost had to sleep downstairs that evening, but she got over it. It made it sting a liiittle bit less when Noelle said ‘Mama’ as her first words, years later…” He pinched his index finger and thumb together as he stretched out the vowel sound.

“I wonder what Azzy’s first words were…” Dess thought aloud, not considering her audience.

“Heh, are you sure Asriel’s not your boyfriend?” Rudy expected Dess to punch him again, or to look up with a pouty face and huff, dismissing his teasing in her classic, whiney voice. What he did not expect was the hurt look she gave him- or the quivering just barely noticeable on her lower lip.

“Papa…”

“Oh, Angel… My daughter's got her very first crush…” Rudy’s peripheral vision disappeared as he entered a mental tunnel. “I’m gonna kill that little-” He couldn’t bring himself to finish that thought, even though it wasn’t spoken aloud. He loved the Dreemurrs- he loved Asriel. He loved how happy he made Dess. This was something he should be happy about, not defensive over. Rudy swallowed hard, his emotions dropping down into the pit of his stomach at the same time as his spit. “…I… I’m sorry for teasing you, sweetheart.”

“Dess likes Azzy!” Noelle's voice wasn't a mocking one- she was actually cheering her big sister on. She was just a baby, after all. She did not understand the complexities- or intricacies- of romance between third graders, and she could not understand that she was unintentionally hurting Dess's feelings.

“Shut UP, Noelle!” Dess rushed ahead of father and daughter in a huff, only slowing down when she heard Noelle begin to cry from behind her. “Crap…” This was the first time she’d ever really raised her voice at her little sister. She regretted it deeply, but she couldn’t help it. She could not help how she felt, about Asriel, about being teased, about anything she experienced. It was for that reason that she also could not help letting her own tears fall down, turning to steam on the hot sidewalk.

Rudy had to do a lot of apologizing to both of his daughters that evening, and the girls got to eat fruit cake before dinner by way of apology.

Notes:

A little bit of a shorter chapter, and a whole lotta fluff. There will be a time skip before the next chapter- I'm workshopping just how many years that should be, though.

I drew a picture of Kris in their apple pajamas. I'm not a great artist, but I thought it turned out pretty decently. I DID use an AI upscaler for the background (not the picture of Kris themself)- but I still somehow managed to mess up the scale and Kris looks huge xD. I'm sorry if it's tacky, I don't know HTML or rich text very well and had to follow a tutorial.

<p><img src="" alt="Baby Kris in pajamas" width="960" height="1100" align="middle" /></p>

I like to reread some of my works and add things that I didn't necessarily think fit in the chapter, but I want to include anyways.
1. Kris has absolutely no memory of their human parents. The largest contributing factor to their difficulty with speech was the fact that they were kept in near isolation for the first 2 years of their life, and were only recently rescued from it. They had trouble understanding the meanings of basic words until they were 4.
2. Undyne got to meet Kris, and even she thought Kris was sort of cute.
3. Kris tried to steal the photo of Noelle, but they couldn't find the scrapbook. It was their first act of intentional mischief, even though it was ultimately a failure.
4. Dess got to feel human skin for the first time. She would describe it as: "Like paper, if it were squishy and warm and just a little moist."
5. Catty and Bratty didn't know who had a 'crush' on Asriel first, but a large contributing factor to their crush was to compete with one another. Catty was oblivious to Dess's crush on him, though, unlike Bratty.
6. Toriel personally believed Kris would never speak, though Asriel was holding out hope still.
7. Asriel's first word was, 'Mama.' Poor Asgore...

Chapter 7: Seventh Grade I- The Deal

Notes:

Hi! I added some artwork for last chapter well after I published it, so if anyone is curious, feel free to give it a looksee. I'm not very skilled at art but it was immensely satisfying seeing baby Kris's pajamas come to life on my screen. I messed up the scaling so baby Kris wound up huge, and I don't feel like fixing it xD

“Ugh. So annoying.”

“What? You’re the one who wanted to play with items!” Asriel wasn’t usually one to rise to provocations, but when it came to a particular video game, he always found himself on the back foot verbally, having to justify every little thing he did.

“Well, that doesn’t mean that it’s cool that you’re spamming that stupid tongue move!” Dess was mashing on her controller, being rough with the buttons and joysticks. It almost felt like- if she could channel how badly she wanted to smash the controller against Asriel’s head into the controller itself, her character might beat Asriel’s character more handily. However, this never worked against Asriel. He was simply too good at Super Smashing Fighters. He used the tongue move again, Green Lizard swallowing Big Penguin and spitting out a green-polka-dot egg. "You jerk!!" Dess slammed her forehead against Asriel, prodding him with her antlers. He was laughing, but he secretly was wondering if there would be a bruise.

“Kids, play nice.” Toriel warned from the kitchen as she gathered plates and utensils.

Asriel stuck his tongue out at his mother as he nursed his shoulder- not that she could see his mocking expression from where she stood. The kitchen was bright, and the living room was dark. “Dude, watch it! Your mom woulda kicked us off the game if she saw you do that!” Dess lowered her voice, whispering sharply at her opponent. “Ugh! Dangit!” She was very tempted to sling the controller across the room as she lost her final life, but she restrained herself, opting to pass it off to someone else, instead.

“Uh… Sure?” Noelle, who was seated next to her older sister, took the controller apprehensively. “I’m not really good, though…”

“Naww, you’ll do fine! I mean, it’s just like that cat game you’re always playing…” Dess rubbed her chin, pretending to struggle to remember its name. “Cat Patters?” Her sarcastic voice peeved Noelle, whose nose was now glowing, almost outshining the light of the TV screen.

“It’s Petterz! With an ‘E’ and a ‘Z! You've seen me write it a thousand times!’” Noelle barked back, making Dess snicker to herself. “Not you, too…” She looked over at Kris, who was seated to Asriel’s left. They were snickering just as hard as Dess was. Kris had a penchant for trying to get a rise out of the people around them, even though they took video games very seriously. Dess wanted to point out their hypocrisy when they started laughing at Noelle for getting irritated, but since she was the one who had actually been teasing Noelle, she decided to just go along with them.

“C’mon, Kris. You think it’s so funny, how about you put your money where your mouth is?” Dess snatched Asriel’s controller from his hand and passed it off to Kris. Asriel chuckled and stood up, going to see if his mother needed any help in the kitchen while the others played.

“Don’t need to try.” They replied simply. It was mostly true- Noelle was pretty bad at this game. The types of games Noelle was good at were completely different from the games her sister and friends liked to play, with the exception of the Dragon Blazers franchise.

“Follow my lead, sis.” Dess whispered to Noelle. She moved to the opposite side of her sister from Kris, using Noelle’s frame to hide the controller she'd snuck in her hand. “Just mash buttons whenever stuff happens on screen. Kris'll never know the difference.”

“Fahaha, they’re gonna know. You can just ask Kris to play-”

“What’re you two whispering about?”

“N-nothing!” Noelle’s nose gave everything away, not that Kris had anything to say about it. They were perfectly content with fighting Dess, even though they’d probably lose. Making her mad by spamming attacks was enough to let the sting of losing the battle seem negligible- they might lose the battle, but it was enough to win the war.

“Kids, that has to be the last game, then it’s time to eat.” Toriel warned from the kitchen.

“Yes ma’am!” Noelle and Dess responded in unison. Kris nodded, not that Toriel could hear that.

“Hey, let’s switch places.” Dess realized that Kris knew what was going on, so she opted to sit next to them. She loved employing all sorts of tactics to mess with the Dreemurrs while playing video games. She would poke, prod, tickle, noogie, headbutt, headlock, wrestle, and do all sorts of other things to get the upper hand on them- a sharp contrast from how she would gently guide Noelle and tell her the right moves to use at which times to counter her own.

Kris hated the roughhousing, but that was just part of being friends, right?

“Sergeant Osprey, dude- Really? You know Osprey Punch, like, never lands.”

“Don’t need it to. He’s fast and hits hard with everything else.”

Dess raised an eyebrow while considering her options. “Alright, then… Sword Magician.” Kris frowned at her. “She’s just gonna use counter over and over again.” They thought, resigning themself to their fate of battling a notorious spammer.

Asriel walked back into the living room, sitting next to Noelle. "They booted you off, huh?"

"Yeah, but I like watching more, anyways... I'm not really into this kind of game..."

“You know, Noelle, Sword Magician is actually the protagonist from Dragon Blazers III?” He whispered as the game began.

“What? No way, you’re lying!”

“No, it’s true! I mean- it’s 3D, so it doesn’t really look right, but…”

“How did that even hit me?! I countered!!” Dess howled, getting irritated with how Kris was somehow beating her, interrupting Asriel's and Noelle's side conversation. Kris didn’t respond out loud, instead only giving Dess a cheeky grin that made her irritation deepen. “Why, you little…” Dess poked Kris in the side, trying to tickle them. She always failed to realize that, when she took her mind off of the game to start roughhousing, she was only cementing her fate- as the loser of the match. “Hey, cut it out!” She realized she had lost another stock to Kris, who took advantage of her distraction. Asriel wondered if she realized how ironic it was that her efforts to distract Kris always ended up distracting her, but he was certain she'd hit him for saying so.

“You snooze you lose.” Kris stuck their tongue out at her and smirked.

“Ugh, that’s it!” Dess swiped the top of Kris’s head, swinging the devil-horned headband they always wore to be over their eyes, blocking their vision. Kris's smile disappeared in a flash, and they froze. Dess immediately took a revenge stock against them. “Ha! You snooze, you lose!” She said with a mocking voice, pushing Kris’s shoulder lightly. They gave no resistance.

Kris’s in-game movements stopped altogether. They set their controller down and walked away, readjusting their headband to set properly atop their head, abandoning the match altogether. “What the- Azzy, fill in for Kris! No fun fighting an opponent who's not moving!” Asriel watched Kris as they left, staring at their back. In the dark, Kris's silhouette looked like that of a horned monster, but when they crossed the threshold to the kitchen- where the light was on- the illusion disappeared. They were a human, after all. Dess didn’t think very hard about Kris walking away so abruptly, she had to put every ounce of focus into the game any time she faced Asriel.

Kris’s behavior did, however, bother Asriel.

…

“So freakin’ annoying…” Dess rested her palms against the floor as she leaned back. Asriel had picked up the controller with several glaring disadvantages- not using his preferred controller, not using the character he always liked to use, and not starting with the same number of lives as his opponent- yet he still snatched victory away from the jaws of defeat and defended Kris’s honor. Asriel smirked at Dess, who blushed and looked away, both from irritation and from something else. “Whatever… Come on, Noelle, let’s get some grub!”

"Ewww, don't call it grub! I don't wanna think about bugs when I'm eating..."

“Come on, girls, dinner time.” Toriel announced, poking her head into the living room from the kitchen. “I’m going to turn the lights on, now.” The children complained as the abrupt change in light stung their eyes. “You kids must be nocturnal creatures, I swear…”

Asriel rubbed his eyes and let them adjust to the light. He glanced around, looking for something- or someone. “Oh, wait…Mom, where’s Kris?”

“Kris said they weren’t feeling well, so they ate and went upstairs already.” Toriel explained as she dished out dinner for the children. “And you kids should be going to bed soon, too. Tomorrow is going to be a big day, after all.” Dess’s eyes widened as the metal spoon hung lazily out of her mouth. “That’s right… The Festival! I'd almost forgotten!” Dess had a plan, and she was going to need Noelle’s help for it. “Hmm? What’s the matter, dear? Your face is all red.” Toriel reached over to Dess, trying to press the back of her hand against her forehead, feeling for a fever.

“It’s n-nothing! Thank you for the food!” Dess hurriedly began shoving the food into her mouth, trying to speed up the process as quick as possible so she could get home faster. She didn't want to talk shop in front of Asriel, of all people- the person whom the plan revolved around.

“Sis, you’re being so messy…”

“Pfft- we should start calling you Dessy!” Toriel placed a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle the laughter she herself had brought about. Dess always tried to force herself to laugh at Toriel’s horribly unfunny puns, but she always wound up laughing in genuine because of how seriously funny Asriel seemed to think they were. He laughed at all of his mother's jokes, sometimes even to the point where his stomach would hurt.

The front door opened all of a sudden, and the laughter abruptly died down. “Oh, good evening, dear.” Toriel’s voice faltered somewhat as her husband came through the door.

Asgore shook the cold of the autumn air off of his fur and relished the cozy feeling of his home. “Hello, Tori. Hi, girls.” He nodded towards Dess and Noelle, who smiled awkwardly towards him. “And how’s my boy?” He ruffled Asriel’s head. “Goodness, I won’t be able to pet your head soon, your horns are starting to get quite pointy!” Asriel chuckled at the contact.

Toriel fidgeted nervously, her lips becoming pursed and the air growing thick with tension. She wanted to ask him. She wanted to know why he had gotten home so late, once again. This was a quiet and very small town, after all. What could he possibly have been doing other than making sure cars weren’t speeding- or catching petty thieves? Asgore hadn’t bothered providing an explanation before dishing himself a plate and taking his seat at the head of the table. He glanced around the room. “Hmm? Where’s Kris?”

Kris opened their bedroom door, peeking out of it from the top of the stairs. They weren’t wearing their usual devil-horned headband, something that Dess wanted to point out and laugh at. She decided that that would make Toriel mad, so she chose not to. “Hi, dad.” They said softly, their voice almost too quiet to hear from the dining room. They didn’t wait for Asgore to reply before closing the door once again.

…

The air around the table was heavy, and nobody found the right words to say or the right time to say them. “Well… Noelle and I should be going now. We’ll see you all tomorrow, right?” Dess looked around the table, her eyes lingering more than a little bit on Asriel.

“I’ll walk you home.” Asriel excused himself from the table, running upstairs to grab a sweater. He would be fine without one, but he knew that his mother would give him grief for walking around outside in just a t-shirt.

“Ugh… Kris! Unlock the door! It’s my room too!” Asriel had tried the doorknob, but it didn’t budge. Asriel heard soft footsteps approaching the door to his bedroom, just before it creaked open. “Really, Kris? You know I live here, too…” He crossed his arms, irritated with his younger sibling. When he took a look at their face more closely, he blinked in surprise. “…K-Kris?” Their eyes were red- and not just their irises this time.

Kris shoved a sweater into Asriel’s chest before slamming the door shut once again. They had done this song and dance before, it wasn’t anything that completely surprised Asriel- except for the fact that his younger sibling had obviously been crying. Asriel heard the ‘click’ of the lock. He stood, dumbfounded in front of the bedroom door. “Crap… You better tell me everything when I get back.” He shouted loud enough that the sound would penetrate through the door, but quiet enough that the others, downstairs, couldn’t hear him. If Kris had heard him, they gave no reply. All Asriel heard from the other side of the door was footsteps trailing away, towards the right side of the room where their bed was.

“Sheesh, what took you so long?! That was so awkward…” Dess complained as they left the Dreemurr residence. Asriel shot her an annoyed look, and her stomach dropped. “S-sorry… I just mean...”

“Look, Dess, Azzy!” Noelle pointed down the street, cutting off her sister. Dess was grateful for the out- she was only going to keep embarrassing herself if left to her own devices. The town had already mostly been set up for the Festival. With the soft illumination of street lamps and a blanket of night sky lit up by the moon and stars, the children could see the Ferris Wheel's silhouette ominously looming in the distance. “The Ferris Wheel…” Dess’s eyes lingered on it, thinking of all the possibilities- of her plan for tomorrow.

“W-wouldn’t it be nice to get on that?” Dess suggested, rubbing the back of her head anxiously. "...Just the two of us?" She wanted to say it so badly, but she couldn't.

Asriel tugged at his collar. “Y-yeah… That would be nice…” Noelle looked up at the older kids and suddenly realized that she had become a third wheel of sorts. Asriel’s expression dropped, thinking back to how Kris was behaving strangely back at home. He wanted to keep hanging out with Dess and Noelle, but he didn’t want to leave Kris all by their lonesome, not when they were so clearly upset about something. “…Let’s just get you two home, alright? I'll see you both tomorrow.” Dess couldn’t help but feel hurt by Asriel’s sudden change of tone, but she chalked it up to the awkwardness with his parents from earlier.

The kids arrived at the gate leading to the Holiday residence. “Bye, Azzy!” Asriel hugged them both before he turned to head back towards his house, waving them both goodbye. It was a short walk, but the girls- especially Dess- were grateful for his company.

It was just Dess and Noelle, now. “Noelle… Do you think you could do me a favor? For tomorrow?”

…

“Kris, open up.” Asriel gently knocked on his own bedroom door, forced to wait for permission to be let in. He waited, but the sound of skin slapping against the floor never came- Kris never walking over to the door. Instead, he heard their soft snoring, just barely audible through the closed door. “You little… Wake up!” He knocked a little harder this time, and the snoring stopped, abruptly.

“Who’s there?”

“It’s me, obviously. Now let me in, I’m tired, too!”

“What’s the password?” Kris was now at the door. Asriel wondered if they were getting a kick out of this.

“You… Ugh…” Asriel pinched the spot between his eyebrows, his frustration growing. “Today’s Tuesday, so the password is…” Asriel cleared his throat. “’Adventure.’ Now let me in, or I’ll…” His voice trailed off. He could never really threaten his younger sibling- especially when he knew something was wrong.

The voice that came out next was a lot weaker. “…Is Dess there?”

“No, Kris. I just walked the girls home- without you.” Asriel heard the sound of the door unlocking and seized the opportunity- twisting the knob and getting a foot in the door before Kris changed their mind and decided to keep playing keep-out. “Sheesh! What was that for?!” Asriel was trying his best not to raise his voice, but he was irritated with Kris.

Kris sat down on their bed, one of their hands balling up into a fist on their knee, making their pajama pants scrunch up. “…Sorry…” Asriel rolled his eyes and walked over to his own bed, lying on his side.

“…Forget about it.” He was frustrated, but it was impossible to stay angry at Kris for too long, at least for Asriel. “Hey, earlier, you…” He scratched behind his ears, trying to think of what to say. “When you left earlier, was… Was something wrong? You just kinda disappeared… I thought you totally had that game in the bag, y’know?” He was desperately trying to find out what was wrong with Kris without bringing up the fact that they were crying. Kris was not the type of person to cry, normally.

Kris took their sweet time thinking of a response. Usually, they could play it off when something was bothering them, or banter with Asriel whenever they had accidentally gone too far and irritated him. Something was definitely the matter. “…Big bro… Does Dess hate me?”

Asriel’s eyes widened. “Wh-what makes you think she hates you? The Holidays love you, Kris…” Kris’s gaze didn’t meet his own. Asriel sat up in his bed, furrowing his brow, trying to get a better look at Kris. In one hand, they were gripping their pajama pants so hard Asriel thought it might tear. In their other hand, they gingerly held onto their devil-horned headband. “No… They love YOU…”

“Children?” Asriel’s focus was taken away by his father’s voice coming from the other side of the door. The knob twisted open, and both of their parents were in the doorway “Your mother and I are going to bed, now. Set your alarms for 9 o’clock, we don’t want to keep the Holidays waiting.”

“Good night, children.” Toriel walked in and kissed Kris on the forehead, then moved to Asriel for the same. “Tomorrow will be lots of fun, so do try and get some shuteye soon.” Her voice sounded sad to Asriel.

As their parents walked out of the room, Asriel turned his focus once again on his younger sibling. “Kris… Are you gonna tell me what’s the matter? Why would you think Dess hates you? Why were you crying earlier?” He knew better than to ask that last part out loud. Kris shook their head and lied down, turning to face away from their older brother- opting to ignore his line of questioning. Their devil-horned headband was now resting on their nightstand, though this was not out of the ordinary. Kris did not much enjoy the feeling of it pulling on their hair as they tossed and turned in bed. Asriel did not accept Kris’s silence as an answer, though, so he decided to take action.

He hopped out of his bed and crawled into Kris’s, wrapping a pair of fluffy arms around his younger sibling. “Stop… Get out...” Kris’s voice was weak, and they sounded tired. They could muster up no energy to remove their older brother from around them, especially when it was such a comforting feeling. Asriel did not leave, and Kris could no longer protest. “Asriel…” Kris sniffled and turned to face him. Their eyes were moist, just as Asriel suspected they had been earlier. “I… I don’t…”

Kris fought against the sobs that were threatening to spill out, making an explanation a herculean task for them. “Shh… It’s alright, Kris. You don’t have to tell me anything right now.” He gently stroked Kris’s head, combing their hair with his fingers. “…I’m sorry for getting angry earlier… Let’s just get some sleep for now, okay?” His voice was even softer than his fur as he gently increased the pressure of his hug, pulling Kris closer against him. It had been a couple of months since they had last slept in the same bed. The last time, Asriel was the one who needed comforting, since Dess had put on a scary movie that was not meant for kids. Kris seemed to eat it right up, but Asriel would have had nightmares if Kris wasn’t there to comfort him.

This was different though. Kris clearly wasn’t frightened over anything, but something was amiss. Their grip around Asriel tightened, and Asriel tried his best not to think about the snot and tears that were leaking onto his pajama shirt. Their body trembled as they sobbed into Asriel’s chest. After a while, the sobs died down. “…I’m never gonna grow horns, am I?”

Asriel bit his upper lip as he felt a sudden stinging in his eyes. The realization came crashing over him like a torrential downpour. “Kris…”

“What’s wrong with wearing it?... I… I just want to be like everyone else… I wanna be like you… I…” Their tiny hands were gripping the back of his shirt roughly, stretching it without realizing.

“Kris.” Kris’s hands loosened all of a sudden as Asriel’s sharp voice rang in their ears. “...I love you so, so much. Whether you have horns, or if you have hair..." He rested a paw on Kris's head gently. "...You’re never gonna quit being my baby sibling. No matter what… I’ll be there for you. If you want to wear horns, you can wear horns. But you don’t need them to be a member of this family… And Dess doesn’t hate you. She’s just... Stupid, and she likes pushing people around to show that she loves ‘em. She didn't realize anything was wrong, Kris. She loves you almost as much as I do.”

Kris sniffled and another silence built up between them, this one comforting rather than oppressive. Suddenly, Kris began wriggling, trying to free themself from Asriel’s grasp. “W-what is it, Kris?”

“Clothes…” Asriel released them from his grasp, and they slid their shirt off and wiped the rest of their snot and tears on it. “Gimme your shirt.” Kris took Asriel's shirt, also dirty from their crying, and threw the dirty laundry in the hamper. They rooted around in their closet and pulled out two of Asriel’s shirts, slipping one over themself. Asriel didn’t complain that Kris was wearing his shirt, though.

Kris crawled back into their bed, and he two fell asleep in each other’s arms… But… They both forgot to set their alarms.

…

“Really? Really?!”

“Urk- Noelle, quiet down! And turn your nose off, it’s freaking blinding me!” Dess feigned discomfort as she covered her eyes. “Yes- really! So don’t tease me about it!”

Noelle frowned and crossed her arms. “I’m NOT teasing you, sis! I’m happy for you!” Her nose was glowing even brighter now. “I love Azzy, too! I can’t think of anyone better for you!” Noelle interlocked her fingers and stared up dreamily with a sigh. “Dess and Azzy… I wonder what your kids will look like…”

“Are you trying to get your antlers ripped off?!” Dess was trying not to raise her voice out of fear that one of their parents might overhear the conversation. “I just told you not to tease me!!” She put her hands on Noelle’s shoulders and began shaking her back and forth.

After Noelle regained her bearings from having been shaken, she swiped Dess’s hands off of her defensively. “Stop that! Meanie! Now I don’t wanna help you!” Noelle crossed her arms and huffed, looking away. However, she peeked at Dess with one open eye. Dess could obviously see that Noelle was only pretending to be angry with her, but she needed Noelle’s help getting Kris away from Asriel long enough to get on the Ferris Wheel. If everything proceeded like it always did, Dess would suggest going on the Ferris Wheel with Asriel, then Asriel would suggest that Kris and Noelle come along too, but Kris and Noelle would be right there, and she couldn’t say no right in front of everyone. She would have to convince Noelle.

Dess sighed and slumped her shoulders. “Oh, woe is me… My future ruined, all because my bratty little sister doesn’t want to help me out…” She gingerly laid down on the floor and languidly placed a forearm over her eyes. “The love of my life… My dreams... All gone in a flash…”

“Dess, stop! I’m sorry!” Noelle caved immediately, kneeling at her sister’s side and shaking her back and forth. She sounded like she was about to cry, and Dess regretted playing with her emotions like that.

Dess sat up and flicked Noelle in the forehead. “I know, I know... And I’m sorry, too. So will ya help me or what?”

Noelle rubbed her stinging forehead. “Ow… What do you even want me to do?”

Dess tapped her fingers on the ground, considering the options. “Well… I… I had a few ideas, but…” She stared at her baby sister. “Oh, Angel… She’s gonna hate me after this, for sure…” Dess cleared her throat. “B-but… Let’s talk payment first, okay? How about I… I’ll buy you that stu- I mean, that new game you keep asking mom for? With my allowance? And I’ll let you use my computer to play it for… for 1 week!”

Noelle’s eyes widened. “C-Cat Petterz 2?!! You mean it?!!”

Dess rolled her eyes. “What a nerdy sounding game…” She brushed the bangs away from her eyes. “Y-yeah, that one. I’ve got some cash saved up, so I can buy it next time we go into the city. Shake on it?” Dess extended a hand to her younger sister, who almost reached out to take it, but retreated at the last second.

“Wait. You still haven’t told me what I need to do!”

…

“Kids, really?” Kris woke up to Toriel’s complaining voice. “It’s almost 9:30, we’re going to be late meeting the Holidays!”

Asriel’s eyes shot open and he quickly disentangled himself from Kris, rushing to the closet to get dressed. “Cold…” Kris already missed the warm and fluffy embrace of their older brother. It didn’t help that Asriel completely threw the blanket off of the both of them as he rushed to the closet. He knew that Dess would make him pay if he was late. He wasn’t quite sure what she would do this time, but it was sure to be something bad. One time, Asriel was late to class, and Dess left chewing gum on his seat as a penalty- and Dess never even chewed gum. Another time, Asriel was late to meeting her at the lake because of choir practice, and she gave him the silent treatment all day. At least, that’s just what it felt like- she really only ignored him for 20 or so minutes.

Kris gently tried to tug the blanket back over themself, but Toriel held it firm with one hand. “Come on, Kris. It’s time to get up.” By the time Kris sat up in their bed, Asriel was already dressed and ready to leave. This was going to take forever- Kris did not have fur like the others and had to put on a lot more layers during the chilly autumn months to compensate for that. "Hurry up, Kris..." Asriel anxiously checked the alarm clock, watching as it turned from 9:28 to 9:29. He considered rushing Kris out of the door, but he thought of what happened last night, and decided to give them some grace. “Really, children…” Toriel sighed and turned out of the room. “Breakfast is ready. Be downstairs in 5 minutes, or we’re leaving without you.”

Nearly fifteen minutes later, Kris trudged downstairs with Asriel in tow. He wanted to leave ahead of his family to meet with Dess, but Toriel refused to allow it. “On a day with as much religious importance as the Festival, families should ALWAYS stick together,” he had recalled his mother saying earlier. He resigned himself to whatever cruel fate awaited him by the hands of his closest friend.

Together, the four Dreemurrs wandered out of the house to meet the Holidays. However, as it turned out, the Holidays ended up being even later than they had been. Carol left the house with her clan in tow, spotting the Dreemurr family from the other side of their iron gate. “Toriel, I’m very sorry for being late. We were held up by our youngest…” Carol shot Noelle an irritated look, but Noelle looked 100 times more unenthused than her mother- roles being strangely reversed. Dess, looking guilty, fidgeted with holiday sweater sleeves and tried to retreat her hands into them.

“Oh, that’s quite alright. We only got here ourselves- for the same reason.” Toriel shot a glance at Kris, who looked away in response. Asriel was curious about what was wrong with Noelle, but the relief of being free from Dess’s wrath outweighed his curiosity. Together, the two families departed towards Home Town proper to celebrate the Festival.

Notes:

I hope you enjoyed reading the chapter! I enjoyed making it. There will be fluff, but there will be pain, too. Roses have thorns, you know!

(I love hurt/comfort/angst/fluff fics!! I wanna be clear this has nothing to do with the weird route!)

I wanna take this moment to say some things that didn't exactly have a place in the chapter. I'll list more as time goes, and I might end up adding some to my previously released chapters. I also intend on doing this going forward with new chapters- assuming there's anything to say.
1. Dess is perfectly comfortable wearing a t-shirt in this weather, but it's Holiday family tradition to wear holiday themed sweaters during the Festival. It isn't as comfortable as wearing Asriel's green and yellow sweater, for Dess.
2. Asriel is also only wearing a sweater, even though he would be fine in just a shirt. Kris, on the other hand, is wearing a sweater, a scarf, a jacket, two layers of socks, and pajama pants under their blue jeans- and their devil-horned headband. They despised having to put all of it on and take all of it off, but they quite enjoyed wearing this many layers, especially in the cold.
3. Noelle's nose glows during heightened emotion, even when it's not a positive one. The time Dess explained her plan to Noelle resulted in the 8th brightest glow ever to come from Noelle's nose.
4. The spot on Asriel's shoulder where Dess headbutted him did, in fact, have two bruises, though they were invisible under his fur.
5. Asriel and Dess are almost both 12 right now- Dess's birthday is a little over a month after the events of this chapter. She has her party at the movie theater in Ebott City. They ended up watching the newest superhero movie- something that both Dess and Asriel found interesting. Catty and Bratty seemed uninterested, Pants wasn't able to keep up because he hadn't seen the past movies in the series, Blue Ears enjoyed the movie but didn't have much to say about it out of fear of sounding nerdy, Noelle didn't understand the plot, and Kris slept through the movie.
6. Undyne is now a police officer in Home Town, though she's currently at the bottom of the totem pole.
7. Noelle is 7 years old, and Kris is 6. They're both in the second grade.
8. Noelle's antlers are just buds, whereas Dess's antlers have come all the way in. Asriel's horns, however, are only half as long as they're going to grow.

Chapter 8: Seventh Grade II- Words Overheard

Notes:

WOOHOO!!! I'VE REACHED 100K WORDS ON AO3!!! I wish I'd done it in a month like I'd initially planned, but 1 month and 1 week is pretty good, if I say so myself!

The air was cold and crisp this morning, and Asriel enjoyed the sting of the wind blowing through his fur. It offered some comfort in an otherwise uncomfortable situation. Dess was acting all fidgety and nervous, Kris was so heavily-layered that everyone had to walk slower to accommodate for them, and Noelle was clearly deeply irritated about something. It didn’t help that his father was acting all chummy, but his mother wasn’t reciprocating his friendliness. “Well, kids, how are we feeling this morning? Up for a little bit of Festival fun today?” Rudy broke the ice that had frosted over both families. “Look over there! QC is giving out hot cocoa for free!” He squinted and gestured towards a booth that she was running. The sign said 'FREE HOT COCOA,' or so it would seem.

The rabbit monster, QC, raised an eyebrow. “Read a bit more closely, sugar.” She pointed a paw at the sign, reading, ‘FREE HOT COCOA for every bottle knocked over.’ The latter portion of the sign was in a much smaller font than the former. She crossed her arms and sighed. “Look, as many freebies as I give you folks, at least play the game first, ‘kay?” Kris licked their lips hungrily, not that anyone could see that behind their scarf. They were antsy for an opportunity to have chocolate in one way or another.

“Faha, can’t argue with that. How much?” Rudy asked as he pulled out his wallet.

“Just $1 for 3 balls. Don’t go crazy, though.” She narrowed her eyes at Asgore and Rudy. “That new police officer, what’s her name… Undyne? She almost took down my whole booth! I had to give away half of my cocoa just to get her to leave! Really, unbelievable...”

Asgore rubbed the back of his head anxiously. “W-well, you see… Er... Yeah, that about checks out…” He leaned down towards the children. “Hey, any of you kids wanna give it a shot?” He looked at Kris and saw the wild look in their eyes, the look that they always had when they anticipated getting chocolate. If Kris were a larger creature, they would look utterly terrifying right now. It was like a ravenous beast lived within Kris, only itching to escape when chocolate was on the line. Without waiting for a response, he pulled a dollar out and handed it to Kris. He didn't need to wait for a response.

Kris stared at the dollar, then up at QC. “Yeah, that’s not gonna work, is it?” Asriel nudged Kris, who wasn’t even eye-level with the booth- much less with the bottles placed high on the shelf within. “Here ya go.” Asriel knelt down with his hands behind his back, in position for Kris to climb onto it. “Cute…” Dess admired the little things Asriel did for Kris, even though sometimes she wished she could swap places with them- this instance being one of those times.

“How sweet…” Toriel mused.

“Want me to give you a piggyback ride, Tori?” Asgore suggested with a chuckle, getting into place for one.

“…No, that’s quite alright.” Asgore's smile dropped, and there was an awkward silence between the adults.

Dess also offered Noelle the opportunity to get on her back to throw some balls, but she refused. “Man, what is wrong with her today?” Asriel wondered as he stood upright. “Alright, Kris, careful now… Don't smack me in the head, on accident...” He leaned forward with Kris on his back, letting them take the balls from QC’s large paws. “Alright, steady now…”

Kris threw all 3 balls, and none of them even made it far enough to hit a bottle- much less to knock any over. One didn’t even cross over the countertop of the booth, and Dess had to chase it down before it got lost beneath another. They sighed and rested their chin on Asriel’s head- right between his horns- accepting their defeat. “Well, now, you gave it your best shot, sweetheart. Chin up, Kris.” QC handed Kris a tiny red cup with hot cocoa inside. “Now, don’t go tellin’ everyone that I’m just giving away my cocoa, ‘kay, sug? Let the sign do all the foolin'!” She gave a conspiratorial wink to the adults, and they shared hearty laughter. The families then went on their way.

…

“Any minute now, Noelle…” Dess cast her sister a sideways glance, but Noelle wasn’t meeting her eyes at all. The families continued walking, passing face-painting booths, clown monsters tying balloons into animals, booths where other children were shooting air rifles to knock down prizes, and booths where one had to swing a hammer hard enough to flatten a soda can so that it might fit inside a thin slot. That booth was smashed into pieces, and Asgore and Rudy could only imagine that it was Undyne’s handiwork that resulted in the destruction. “Hi, Dessarino! Hi, Azzy! Mizz Dreemurr!!” The Holidays and Dreemurrs snapped their heads towards one booth, where a brownish cat-like monster was grimacing at them. “Oooohhh yeah. It’s me. Festival Pants.” Pants, working behind one booth, pulled on some suspenders and let them snap back onto his chest with a hushed 'Ouch.' He examined his claws, running his thumb over them. “…Yeah, I thought about running around the FESTIVAL like a chump too, but duty calls!” His neck muscles bulged when he enunciated his words. Asriel sighed, feeling sorry for him- always having to work with his family instead of getting to run around and have fun during events like this.

“Hiya, Pants! What’re ya selling?” Dess put one arm over the counter and looked around the inside of the booth. There were strings taped onto the countertop, along the wall, and on the shelves displaying a range of different prizes.

“Well, this is a lottery booth." He stuck a paw out, raising 3 digits for the families to see. "$3 to pick ANY string.” He pointed at one string in particular, and Dess wondered if he was unsubtly telling her the right one to pick, or if he was intentionally trying to mislead her. She narrowed her eyes and looked at all of the possible prizes. Up on the shelves behind him, with strings taped in front of them, were various stuffed animals, sweaters, boxes of candy, and even a video game controller that looked like it was pre-owned. Asriel wondered if his parents made him put that on display, and his heart ached for his friend.

“Children, these types of games are always lose-lose.” Carol warned, but Asriel was already right by Dess’s side, looking at the prizes and trying to follow the strings with his eyes. Kris was standing on their tip-toes, trying to peek over the booth, to no avail. Noelle seemed only mildly interested, and Dess felt some relief in the fact that she seemed to be mellowing out. Dess hovered her hand over the strings laid on the table, and every time she hovered over one in particular, Festival Pants grimaced especially grotesquely. She could never tell if the gross expressions he made were positive or negative, but she wanted to pick that string. “…You really want to go for it, do you? Fine.” Carol pulled out $3 and handed it to Dess. As Dess was about to take it, she yanked her hand back. “...But you have to share whatever you win with your sister.”

“Mmmkaaaay.” Dess hummed, taking the cash from her mother and handing it to Pants. He counted it up and gave Dess the 'OK.' “Alright, grand prize, here I come!” However, any time Dess hovered her hand over the strings now, Pants’s face was stone cold and uncharacteristically blank. “Uhh… Wouldya help me out here, dude?"

“No can-do, Dessarino. I'm not supposed to help customers.”

“Urk…” Dess looked around at the other kids for help, but Asriel looked just as uncertain as she was, Noelle wasn’t paying much attention, and Kris couldn’t see the strings or the prizes. “Uhhh… How about…” She tried to remember which strings got the most reactions out of Pants when she had hovered her hand over them before. “This one?”

Pants’s face lit up in yet another disgusting grimace, his eyes bulging and his smile too wide for his face. “Wow, congrats!! You’ve chosen…” He grabbed the string and began tugging it. It had a lot of slack, so he yanked it hard, accidentally pulling the shelf it was taped to down onto the floor, smacking him in the back of the head and sending all of the prizes tumbling onto the floor. He stood up with a lump between his catlike ears and stars dancing in his eyes. “…The full refund. Congrats, Dessarino…” He handed Dess her $3 back. “I’m going on break…” He pulled a curtain down over the front of his booth languidly.

"Good heavens..." Toriel murmured, fearing for Pants's health.

Dess frowned and looked at the money. “J-just hang onto it, dear.” Carol said as she struggled not to laugh.

Asriel went to Pants’s side. “Hey, Pants…” He rustled around for something in his pockets. “I was gonna give this to Dess, but Pants looks like he needs it more…” He pulled out a bag of sour fruit candies he had won from a different booth using some pocket money.

“Azzy, dude…” Pants’s face lit up, his eyes glossing over with tears. He tackled Asriel with a hug, and Dess felt a pang of jealousy, but she realized that Pants needed that hug more than she craved Asriel’s affection. “You’re the BEST!!”

“We’ll meet back here in a while, okay?” Rudy said, branching off from the group. He handed Asriel a little bit more pocket money. Asriel looked up at Rudy, unsure whether to accept it. “Hey, if you don’t spend it now, be sure ‘n use it on Dess later, ‘kay?” He gave Asriel a wink, and there was a vague glow in his nose. Toriel waved at the boys, and the group turned to continue walking around the Festival grounds.

Dess was stuck in place, her eyes wide now with horror. “Oh, no… THAT wasn’t part of the plan…”

…

“Hey, it’s alright, Pants. Wanna find something to do?” Pants rubbed the bump on his head tenderly, considering Asriel’s offer. “C’mon, let’s try that game over there.” He gestured towards a booth where a purple octopus monster was shuffling cups around, moving the ball underneath them so fast that a normal observer could not begin to tell where it ended up. “I love these types of games…”

“That’s SO like you, dude.” It looked like his chin had grown as his mouth seemed to slide upwards over his face. “You know there’s always a trick to these, right?”

Asriel chuckled and nodded. “Well, yeah. But that’s kinda the fun of it! I bet you my eyes are quicker than yours!” He ran off ahead of Pants, who chased after him. “Excuse me, how much is it for a try?” Asriel asked the tentacled monster.

“The first try’s free, kiddos- since ya asked nicely.” Its words came out like bubbles popping, and although its mouth was hidden beneath the net of tentacles, Asriel and Pants could hear its smile. The monster picked one cup up, displaying the red ball underneath. It then placed the cup down and began shuffling all eight of them with all eight of its tentacles. Asriel and Pants did their absolute best to keep their eyes on the cup with the ball underneath, but they couldn’t follow it- and were left to guess at random.

“Hmm…” Asriel rubbed his chin thoughtfully, narrowing his eyes, as though the ball might suddenly appear if he stared at the cups hard enough.

“Heh, this’s easy. Lemme know if you give up, fuzzbrain!” Pants mocked Asriel who simply rolled his eyes in response.

“By all means, go ahead.”

“Alright. It’s actually... In none of ‘em. You threw the ball outta the cup!” Asriel’s eyes widened. “Oh, why hadn’t I thought of that?” Pants rubbed his nose and turned his back to the octopus monster smugly, certain that he was correct. Even Asriel was swayed by his smug aura, and would have bet all $10 he was given that Pants was right about this.

“…Well, that was a good guess, but…” It lifted the cup second from the right with a tentacle, revealing the small red ball underneath. “Sorry, kid. No sneak tactics here. How’s about another try- on the house?”

Asriel nudged Pants playfully. “Let me guess this time, okay?” Pants just rolled his eyes and grumbled. The monster placed the cup back over the tiny red ball, shuffling it between 7 others with blinding speed. Asriel’s head was spinning as he tried to keep up, and in the end he had to shake his head, completely losing his place. “Uhh… Hmm…”

Asriel hovered an index finger over the cups, using it like a dowsing rod until one simply felt right. “How about… This one?” He pointed at the cup just to the left of the center. The octopus monster raised an eyebrow, taking its sweet time to build suspense before revealing the answer.

“And the winning cup is… All of em!” It used all 8 tentacles to lift the other cups up, displaying that there were red balls underneath every single one. “Ya woulda won if you’d guessed at least somethin' last time, kiddo!” It gave a hearty ‘Bubububu!’ which Asriel and Pants could only assume was its laughter. Of course Pants would somehow get that wrong. “…Go 'head and pick a prize, kids. One for the botha yas.”

Asriel picked out a small plush banana that had ‘POTASSIUM’ written on it in bold red letters, and Pants picked out a $1-Off coupon for any Ice-EE’s Pizza. He held the coupon up to the sky like it was a winning lottery ticket. “…Put that in your pocket, dude.” Asriel knew Pants well, and he knew that Pants would end up letting it get blown away in the autumn wind if he held it up like that for too long.

The two walked around for a while longer, trying various games out. Pants checked his watch and sighed. “…Hey, thanks, man. I appreciate you hanging out for a while, but I gotta get back to work. Duty-”

Asriel held his hand up, palm facing outward. “Duty calls, I get it. Well, we’ll be around town. Maybe we’ll try your booth again, alright? Just don’t smack your head next time!” Asriel held his fist out and Pants bumped his against it. Asriel chuckled and waved Pants a 'goodbye,' as he turned and walked back to his family’s booth, where he then had to spend several minutes setting the shelf and prizes back up. The coupon for Ice-EE’s Pizza rested comfortably and safely in his pocket.

…

The kids minus Asriel were seated on a bench while the adults went to grab refreshments and Festival food. Various booths offered samples, and Asgore, being an enjoyer of epicurean delights, wanted to stop at every one to sample them before deciding on what to buy. Rudy found this funny and endearing, but Carol and Toriel seemed irked by it, so they left to buy the first thing that looked appetizing, winding up in a line for caramel apples.

“Noelle, c’mere for a second!” Dess whispered sharply, but her sister didn’t reply. “Crap… Crap, crap, crap…” She wrapped her hands around her own antlers, tugging them lightly and trying to steady her breathing. “Abort mission! Do you hear me? Abort mission!!!”

“…Really? And just give up all those things you promised me?” These were the first words Noelle had spoken all day, and they were just under a whisper. Kris’s ears perked up, now intently listening in on their conversation.

“Yes, really!! I’ll still reward you, okay?!”

“What about my reward?” Kris butted in, seemingly drawn towards Dess’s distress and Noelle’s irritation like a moth to a flame. “Noelle, I think you should keep ignoring Dess.”

“Kris, shut up!!” Kris snickered at Dess’s irritation, even though they didn’t understand what was going on at all, or what was at stake for either Dess or Noelle.

“No, Kris might be onto something.” Noelle idly played with one of her clip-on holiday ornament earrings, twisting it between her index finger and thumb. “You promised me Cat Petterz 2 for computer… AND a computer. No way I’m giving that up.”

“Come on! It’s not like you even wanna do it anyways! How about I cut you a deal, we don’t go through with the plan, but you still get… I’ll buy you something, okay?! There, it’s a win-win!” Dess pulled out a 10-dollar bill, waving it around like a lunatic.

Kris whispered something into Noelle’s ear, and she snickered a quiet ‘Fahaha!’ She cleared her throat. “My ah… What was it again?” Kris whispered something else into her ear. “My ah-turney says that I should refuse.”

“Kris, you don’t even know what that means!”

“I saw it on TV once.”

“Ugh, of course you did…”

“Come on, Dess… It’s not like Azzy will be gone for lo-MMPH!” Kris raised an eyebrow as Dess put her hands over Noelle’s mouth. “Azzy, huh?” Kris wanted to pry, but they’d rather Dess not put her hands on them. It usually stung right after every time she did- she didn’t understand her own strength. However, they didn’t need to ask, the damage was already done. Dess’s hands fell from Noelle’s face in shame as she realized Kris already knew too much for her to control the situation. “Butthead… I almost bit my tongue...” Noelle frowned at her older sister before turning to face Kris. “Dess came up with a stupid plan to get Azzy on the Ferris Wheel all by themselves.”

Dess’s face was burning. She rested her elbows on her thighs and her head on her palms, covering her face, trying to hide the embarrassment. “She wants me to say something stupid to mom so that you and me ride it together.” Kris’s gaze went from Noelle to Dess. She couldn’t see their eyes behind their bangs, but their lips were parted slightly. “...All so she can get Azzy by himself. She just wants to get away from us kids…” Noelle said it offhanded, not really meaning it.

Kris scooted an inch away from the Holiday girls. “Why…” Their heart was beating fast, so fast that they could hear it in their ears. “Is it… Is it cause…”

“Gee, thanks, Noelle! Plan ruined. Now you don’t get any prize.” Dess roared at her little sister, who stuck her tongue out in response. Her nose was glowing quite brightly at this point. Dess noticed Kris’s face from behind Noelle's blindingly-bright nose. “Kris?” They were clutching their chest, and they looked horrified.

“It’s… It’s cause I’m human, isn’t it?” Dess couldn’t see their eyes, but she could see the fresh tears leaking down their face. Kris abruptly jumped off of the bench and ran off, trying to distance themself from the girls and find Asriel.

“Kris?!” Noelle shouted, and Dess grabbed Noelle by the wrist. They sprung off of the bench, too, now chasing after Kris. Home Town was small, so during events like this, it could become quite crowded, and Kris could get lost, or accidentally stepped on, or worse.

“Excuse me, pardon me, coming through! Watch it, pal!” She sprinted through the crowd with Noelle in tow- hardly keeping up. She noticed Blue Ears wave at her at the last second before barreling into him, knocking the blue popsicle out of his hand and throwing him onto the floor. “Sorry, dude! I’ll buy you a new one in a bit!” Blue Ears simply nursed his aching rear and mourned the loss of his icy treat.

“Dess, there!” Noelle pointed out a small bundle of clothes curled in on itself, trembling lightly.

“Kris! Why the heck didya run off like that?!” Dess shouted after she caught her breath. Noelle, also exhausted, slumped against the tree Kris was taking refuge behind. “Sheesh…” Dess wiped the sweat off of her brow. As a reindeer monster, she stayed insulated well during the cold months, so wearing a thick sweater and running around like that made her sweat quite a lot. Kris didn’t look up at her or respond. With a sigh, Dess plopped onto the floor next to them. “Kris… I can’t believe that’s what you thought this was about… I don’t care that you’re a human, dude. You’re still my little buddy.”

They turned to face her, and tiny moist scarlet daggers pointed at her through their bangs. “So why?”

Dess sighed. “They deserve to know.” She mentally prepared herself for what she was about to say. “I… I wanted to get Azzy alone because…” Their expression softened somewhat as they watched Dess struggle to find the right words. “’Cause I like him, okay?! And I wanna… I wanna be his girlfriend! And I want him to be my boyfriend! There, I said it! Happy?!” Kris scrunched their eyebrows, their face contorting into one of utter confusion. “Quit LOOKING at me like that, Kris! It’s not funny!”

Kris wiped their eyes and stared at the ground, trembling again. Dess felt a pang of guilt, worried that she’d made Kris start crying again by yelling at them. However, she heard soft, barely audible laughs coming from beneath their scarf. “Stop laughing, Kris…” Her hands balled into fists. “You’re already on thin ice…”

“Kris, what’s so funny?” Noelle asked, now irritated on her sister’s behalf.

Dess gripped the scarf and collar of their sweater hard, pulling Kris up and pinning them against the tree. “Yeah, WHAT’S so funny?!” When she saw their smile grow wider and heard their laughter grow louder, she had never been so tempted to punch them.

Kris wiped a tear out of their eye and let their laughter die down. “Sorry, it's... Azzy’s been in love with you for, like, years… Even before I was adopted… I thought you two were alre-”

“KRIS!!!” Dess and Noelle turned their heads to see Asriel, whose face was beet-red, even through his thick coat of white fur. Wordlessly, he walked over to Dess. “Give ‘em here.” He held his hand out, waiting for her to pass Kris off to him, seemingly so that he could interrogate them instead of her. Dess’s eyes went wide, and she complied without thinking- passing Kris off to their older brother. They hadn’t looked scared when Dess was threatening them, but they looked positively terrified now. Dess couldn't see Kris's reaction or look at Asriel's embarrassed face. She had tunnel vision. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t speak. She just grabbed Noelle by the wrist and pulled her away from the Dreemurr kids, despite her protests.

…

It was just Kris and Asriel now. Asriel watched as Dess left with Noelle, the former looking completely shell-shocked. He had been holding Kris up against the tree, like Dess had been just previously. But as soon as they were out of eyeshot and earshot, he let Kris drop to the ground. Asriel collapsed onto the floor with them, him now trembling with sobs and gasps. “Kris… Why? I… Why would you tell her that?... It’s… It was a secret!!”

Kris felt a horrible ache in their heart. Their impulsive behavior had hurt their favorite person in the whole world once again. “A-Azzy…”

“Don’t! Don’t ‘Azzy’ me…” Asriel slapped Kris's hand away before it could reach him. He then slammed his head against the tree Kris had previously been pinned to. “How would you like it if… Ugh…” He let his forehead slide down the bark as tears leaked onto the floor- his horns carving deep gashes into the wood.

Kris was shaking now. They messed up. They always messed up. It’s no wonder they felt out of place in this city- they couldn’t fit in right even if they tried. They licked their lips and tried to steady their breathing. “I t-told Dess, 'cause…”

“Cause WHAT?!” This was the first time Asriel had really raised his voice at Kris. He had been irritated with Kris many times in the past, but he’d never really yelled at them like this. Asriel covered his eyes with his sleeve and let more sobs out. “I… I love her, Kris… What if... What if she hates me now? Because of YOU?”

Kris was trying not to cry. They didn’t want this to be about them- they’re the ones who had messed everything up. Asriel heard Kris’s sobs coming from behind him and tried to steady his own breathing. “…Don’t you get it, Kris? She’s my best friend, and now she knows I have a crush on her. She’ll probably never be able to look at me the same…”

“Do I tell him? Do I say anything? Is it wrong? I messed up. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. If I messed up already, is it wrong to tell him the truth? That Dess loves him too? That she’s the only reason I said anything at all? Will he hate me? Does he hate me already? Will Dess hate me, too?” Kris was biting their upper lip so hard that blood began trickling down their chin. “Azzy… I s-said it ‘cause…”

Asriel stood up and put a hand over Kris’s mouth. “Save it. Just… Just shut up, Kris.”

“D-D…”

“I said, SHUT UP!!” Asriel shoved Kris hard, knocking them onto their back, knocking the wind out of them. “Your actions have consequences, you little jerk! You… You ruined my life!” Asriel's fresh tears rained down on Kris’s face and clothes as he held onto their collar. “I-I wish you'd never…”

“Hmm? What’s the matter, children? ...Children?!”

…

“Does this mean you and Azzy are gonna be boyfriend and girlfriend?” Noelle asked as they walked back to the bench where their parents had left them. Dess couldn’t think of a response- witty or not witty. She hadn’t even blinked since Asriel walked in on her harassing Kris. Noelle waved a hand in front of her face, which netted no response from her older sister. “Dessyyyy!!” Noelle drew out the word, speaking it loudly directly into Dess’s ear.

“Noelle…” Noelle’s flinched, fully expecting her sister to retaliate- or to shout at her. “Pinch me.”

“Uh-um… Okay, sis?” She gently gave Dess’s arm a pinch. Dess closed her eyes, breathing in deeply before letting out a long exhale.

“H-he… He likes me? He really likes me?! Do you think Kris was j-just lying?!”

Noelle rubbed her chin. “Kris does lie pretty often, but…” Dess’s gaze fell to the ground, but her ears were alert, and she was listening to every word her younger sister said. “I don’t think they were lying… If I’m being honest, I… I kinda thought you two were dating… When I first learned what ‘dating’ was, fahaha…” Noelle pressed her index fingers together, rotating them opposite to one-another anxiously.

Dess let Noelle’s words hang in the air for some time. “…I’m gonna get you your stupid cat game, okay?” She wasn’t looking at her younger sister, just staring into the distance where Asriel had taken Kris off of her hands. “You got lucky that things turned out so well, so I’m not giving you my computer.” Her voice was quavering, and her body trembled even harder than her voice did. Noelle noticed this and opted to not shout at her for calling Cat Petterz 2 stupid.

Noelle’s nose was glowing brightly at this point. “D-does this mean I don’t have to say that anymore? To mom?” Dess continued staring at nothing in particular, nodding to her sister. “Aw, yiss!” Noelle pumped her fist and leapt off of the bench, running around it in circles, feeling free from her shackles. Today had been perfect for Noelle. Dess was happy, Asriel was happy, Kris got in trouble, and Noelle was still promised a reward without saying the most embarrassing thing she could possibly say.

“Oh, wow, now there’s a change in attitude. What’d we miss?” Noelle looked up to see her father and Asgore walking towards them, holding paper bags filled with some dessert Noelle and Dess had never seen before. “That smells like Asriel…” Dess blushed fiercely as she looked away from the cinammon-laden churros. Rudy raised his eyebrows, noticing the deep red creep up Dess’s cheeks and down her neck. “Golly, something really must’ve happened.”

“Where’s Kris run off to?” Asgore looked around, furrowing his golden brows.

“Azzy and Kris’re over there!” Noelle pointed in the direction where they had left from- some trees that were right behind the Librarby. Asgore raised an eyebrow and began walking that way. “W-wait, Mr. Asgore! Kris, uh…” She tried to think of a lie on the fly- feeling guilty for being the one to ruin Kris and Asriel's private moment. Noelle not only hated lying, but she was a horrible liar- her nose always gave away when she wasn’t telling the truth. “Kris, uhh... Kris threw up! And Azzy is… Patting… Their... Back?”

Rudy raised an eyebrow, and Asgore passed the churros off to Dess. “Right… I’m gonna go check on them, then.” Dess didn’t hesitate to stick her face in the bag, huffing the smell of cinnamon deeply, feeling absolutely zero shame.

It was right after this that Carol and Toriel showed up, holding several caramel apples. Toriel had brown sticky spots on the fur surrounding her mouth, and Carol even had some caramel stuck to her blue lips.

Asgore reemerged from the woods, holding his children by the scruffs of their necks. Asriel looked pouty and was crossing his arms, but Kris looked like every ounce of joy had been drained from their heart and soul.

Notes:

Not sure if the name of the chapter fits. I initially called it "Seventh Grade II- The Festival Part I," but I don't plan on having the WHOLE next chapter take place at the festival, or "Seventh Grade II- An Impromptu Confession" but that basically spoils what happens in the chapter. Dunno!!

Things that I wanted to mention but there's no place to:

1. The Cattenheimer family run a booth in the Festival. They used to run a balloon-tying booth, but they had to change to pellet shooting after their claws kept popping the balloons.
2. Blue Ears was eating the DR universe equivalent of Nice Cream, called Good Cream. It's an unpopular brand, for some reason.
3. The holiday sweater Dess is wearing is dark green with red and gold diamond patterns accenting it. The one Noelle is wearing was mostly red with green and yellow snowflakes and reindeers embroidered into it.
4. Kris struggles with their impulses, often acting before they think about it.
5. Last time, Kris accidentally hurt Asriel by pulling his fur, when it looked like he was shedding.
6. Undyne had to pay a lot out of pocket for destroying the booth with the sledgehammer. She's hanging out at the Church right now, talking to Gerson and Alvin.
7. QC sells stuff other than hot chocolate, Kris is just abnormally drawn to chocolate.
8. QC has 8 kids- Blue Ears is not one of them (even though he's a bunny, too)
9. Pants does enjoy working, but he couldn't have been happier that Asriel pulled him away from his work. His head is okay, though (if you considered him to be 'okay' before the shelf tumbled onto him)
10. Asriel loves Kris, and Kris loves Asriel. Don't forget it!
11. My headcanon is that Pants talks like Hank Venture from The Venture Bros xD

Chapter 9: Seventh Grade III- Facing it Head-on

“Honestly, children… What’s gotten into you?” Asgore sighed as he played his children onto their feet, in front of the other adults and the Holiday girls.

Asriel didn’t know what to say. Kris had just told his biggest secret to the very person whom the secret was about. As he was set down on his feet, the gravity of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks. Dess was right in front of him, but he couldn’t meet her eyes- he couldn't even look her way. What does she think about him? Why was she staring at him like that? Was it pity? Was she going to pretend like she never heard anything? He found himself hoping so as his stomach twisted into knots. Asriel shot a nasty look towards Kris, who continued to stare blankly at nothing at all. It was as if Kris had fallen asleep with their eyes open- while standing. “H-Hey, Azzy… Everything alright?”

Asriel flinched, hearing her talk. “Did she… DID she hear? Is she pretending she didn’t hear? What’s going on?...” He tugged on the collar of his sweater and gulped hard. “Y-yeah…” He rubbed the back of his head, just behind his horns, and felt himself subconsciously retreating behind his father’s large frame.

“Well now, I never took you to be shy!” Asgore teased with a chuckle, slapping his son on the back and pushing him towards Dess. He silently cursed his father for meddling, now forced to be face-to-face with the only person he didn’t want to speak with right now- other than Kris. “Hmm? Did something happen?” Asriel was staring at his hands, still unable to properly look at his best friend. Dess noticed Asriel’s shyness, and she felt her heart drop. “What does… What does this MEAN?! Did I misunderstand? Did Kris lie to me?!” Her eyes lingered on Kris, whose own eyes looked glazed over.

“Oh no, trouble in paradise…” Rudy whispered to Carol, and she gave him an equally foul look to the one Asriel had just given to Kris.

“Goodness, children. How about you take a moment and enjoy some of the delicious treats we’ve gathered up. Maybe that will help take your mind off of… Erm… Whatever it is, that’s bothering you…” Toriel extended arms out, offering caramel apples to the kids. Noelle was the only one who took one. “This is getting bad… What happened? Dang, that’s delicious. Oh man, wow…” Noelle furrowed her brow, trying hard to focus on her sister and friends when fireworks went off in her mind after the first crunch. Toriel let a soft giggle out and retrieved a wet napkin from her handbag. “Here you go, dear.” It was really hard to focus on the drama at hand when being pampered with delicious treats and having your face cleaned for you- Toriel wiping sticky caramel off from the corners of her lips. Noelle rested her eyes and let the euphoric feeling wash over her.

“No, I HAVE to stay alert!” Her eyes shot open, and she turned to face Dess. Dess’s initial embarrassed face now looked uncertain more than anything else. There was a thick silence hanging in the air, only between the children. The adults prattled on and on about one thing or another, but things were eerily quiet between the two people who talked to each other more than anyone else in the world. “H-hey, Kris? Uh… How’re you… F-feeling?”

Noelle tried to reignite conversation between the other kids by talking to someone whom she believed to be a neutral third party. As soon as attention was drawn to them, both Asriel and Dess shot Kris a dirty look. Kris didn’t look at Noelle, much less respond to her. They didn't look at Asriel, or Dess, or their parents, or anyone or anything. Their eyes simply remained unfocused, staring into the distance that was right in front of them. The air was thick with irritation. “Oookay… Well, things somehow seem even WORSE now…” Noelle furrowed her brow and took another satisfying bite of the apple. “Wow, I wish I could say swear words, that's SO good…” The deliciousness of the apple was making the ambient red light coming from her nose brighten by the second.

…

“…So…” Noelle looked from left to right, hoping that someone would say something to her. “Azzy, how about a caramel apple?...”

Asriel’s eyes narrowed, a bitter frown spreading over his mouth. “No, thanks… Apples are the last thing I want right now…” He tried to make every word sound as venomous as possible.

Noelle gulped and looked at Dess. She was staring into the bag of churros yet not looking at one churro in particular. “…So, sis…”

Dess’s head did not turn, but she stared at her younger sister from the corner of her eye. “…What?”

Noelle gulped. “Urk… What’s with THAT attitude?” She cleared her throat and steadied her breathing. “S-so… You gonna just stare at those, uh… Cinnamons? Or…” Dess interrupted her by shoving the bag against her chest- dusting cinnamon and sugar over Noelle’s holiday sweater.

“…I’m not hungry, anyways…” Dess grumbled, still averting eye contact, still looking straight down as if the bag of churros remained right in front of her.

This was awful. Noelle was surrounded by her favorite people, but she felt completely alone. She stared at Kris and wished they would chime in- one way or another. “These… Idiot… BABIES…” Noelle’s teeth grit together hard as she munched on the warm churro. In any other situation, she’d be having a great time chowing down on the tasty dessert. But things were looking dire for Dess, for Asriel, for Kris- for her. “Someone, anyone... Say something… Say ANYTHING… Please…” But nobody's voice snuffed the silence out. Noelle licked the cinnamon sugar off of her lips and fingers and closed her eyes. “Say something… So I don’t have to say THAT…” But silence still suffocated her from all directions. Suddenly, Noelle’s nose began to glow so bright that even Dess- who was brooding and not paying attention, had to turn and look. “M-mom…” Carol focused on her youngest daughter. “C-… Can I get on the Ferris Wheel? W-with… With Kris?…”

Dess’s breath hitched. “No… What are you doing?!” She sat up, itching to say something, to move- to take action in some way, but her body remained frozen in place. “Noelle, dear, you’re terrified of heights. You’ll end up bawling your eyes out… I don’t think it’s a great idea.” Rather than sounding like a scolding mother, she sounded genuinely concerned for her daughter.

Rudy scratched the back of his head. “…Yeah, sweetheart…" What he wanted to say more than anything was ‘You can’t get on it without Dess,’ but Kris was behaving strangely and he thought they might take offense if he implied Noelle shouldn’t get on the ride with them. "You remember last time, in Ebott City? On the escalator?... I’ve gotta side with your mother on this one.”

Carol cocked an eyebrow, as if to say, ‘As you should.’ Noelle’s nose began to shine even more intensely, somehow. “Oh, Angel. She’s gonna say it. She's really gonna... Oh, Angel…” Dess leaned back and put a hand over her eyes. She couldn’t look- even if Noelle’s nose wasn’t acting like a laser beam shining directly into her pupils- she couldn’t watch what was about to unfold. Asriel, though, was staring at her now, acutely curious. Noelle began trembling, trying not to burst into tears from the sheer embarrassment. “B-but… It’ll be okay with Kris there… ‘Cause w-we’re…” She turned to face her sister, fury in her eyes, cautioning her to her impending doom if things weren’t fixed after this. “We’re gonna get… M-married, one day…” Noelle breathed a sharp exhale and stared at the floor, feeling hundreds of millions of pounds of tension leave her body, quickly replaced with the fiery sting of embarrassment.

…

The adults all gasped. Toriel’s face went bright red. “How CUTE!!” She had to restrain herself from wrapping both Kris and Noelle in one big hug that suffocated them both. “Oh, it would just be wonderful if we joined families with the Holidays… Kris and Noelle, Asriel and December…” Toriel’s eyelashes fluttered as she clasped her hands over her heart. Even Carol, known for her stone-cold face, had wide eyes and a smile creeping over her mouth. Rudy had to face away, covering his nose so that he didn’t blind passersby. Asgore stroked his beard as pink crawled onto his cheeks. “How lovely…”

Kris didn’t look at Noelle nor did they say a word. “Uh… What was I supposed to do if Kris didn’t play along?” She gulped down her nervousness and stood up, gripping Kris by the sleeve. “C-cmon, Kris…” Kris was dragged along effortlessly. “Can we? Azzy and Dess, you come, too! It’ll be like a double date…” Her last sentence came out through gritted teeth, and Dess realized all at once that she absolutely owed it to her little sister to comply.

Asriel was blushing furiously. “Noelle knows… So Dess definitely knows…” He wanted so badly to smack Kris on the head, but he restrained himself. His head slowly turned towards Dess, whose own face was red. His heart skipped a beat. “Oh…” He shook his head, gathering his bearings. “Th-that s-sounds like it c-could be f-f-fun…” He was twiddling his thumbs, rolling one over the other, fidgeting like Dess had never seen before. He gulped, hard. “Why is she blushing? Is… Did I…”

Dess’s hand was trembling just as badly as his own when they interlocked fingers. Neither of them could look at each other. “Oh, Angel… This is so awkward… What do I do? What do I say? Is this really a… A… Date?” Dess bit her lower lip and tried to look at Asriel with just her peripheral vision. “CRAP!! WHAT DO I DO?!!” It felt like her heart was going to leap out from her chest. The cute, fluffy boy that she’d been in love with for so long was blushing, while holding her hand. He couldn’t meet her eyes, just like before. But unlike before, his eyes looked soft- and not filled with anger towards his younger sibling.

Noelle’s ‘date,’ on the other hand, had eyes like a dead fish, and hands that felt cold and clammy underneath their gloves. “C’mon, Kris… You don’t have to look so miserable…” She whispered to them. Her feelings were starting to get a little hurt by how badly they were dragging their feet, shuffling along the ground slower than Old Man Mr. Boom. If she couldn’t see that Kris’s skin hadn’t turned green, she might have assumed that they had transmogrified into a zombie.

…

“W-well, we’re here…” Asriel’s head was steaming- steam was literally rising off of his ears.

Dess fared no better than Asriel. “R-right…” She blinked rapidly and stared down at her hooves.

“Step right up! Aww, wouldja look at that… Young love... Oh, how I miss those days…” The attendant for the Ferris Wheel, a tall beaver monster, clasped her hands together and swooned. Her flat tail slapped against the ground multiple times, startling everyone present. She cleared her throat. “S-sorry ‘bout that. It’s $5 per person to ride.”

Both Asriel and Dess had $10 in their pockets. Suddenly, their eyes- which could not meet just previously- locked like duelists about to enter mortal combat with one another. Their fingers hovered over their back pockets, and the air around them went deathly still. If it weren’t so chilly out, Noelle might have expected to see a tumbleweed blow across the street. “You better keep those hands where I can see ‘em, Azzy.” Dess's eyes narrowed. “Or else you’ll be in for a world of hurt.”

“No can do, Dess.” He chewed on the lining of his cheek. “I’m paying whether you like it or not.” In a flash, both of the kids stuck their hands in their pockets. It was a game of life or death- romance between seventh graders was serious business.

“Yeah, you were taking too long, so I paid for the both of you. Have fun, you crazy kids!” Rudy turned his back on the incredulous kids while waving.

“Enjoy your ride!” The beaver monster sent Asriel and Dess off in their cabin with the push of a button, before turning to face the next customers. “Wow, two young couples in a row! Urk- Maybe I spoke too soon?” The beaver monster raised an eyebrow and looked at Kris. “Sheesh, what’s the matter with THAT one?”

“Ignore them.” Noelle fished in her pockets for the $10 bill that her dad had slipped to her while paying for Asriel and Dess's fare.

“Uhh… Alright. W-we appreciate your patronage.”

Kris and Noelle walked into their cabin- or rather, Noelle dragged Kris into the cabin with her. She glanced at Kris, who was staring at their feet. “Okay, this is gonna bug me all day. Just what is your problem, Kris?!”

Kris was silent at first, but Noelle could hear their mouth open. After what seemed like ages, they finally replied. “…Asriel hates me.”

Noelle’s eyes widened. “Kris, you’ve gotta stop thinking that people hate you… That’s- what, the second time, today?”

Their eyes stayed glued to the ground. “…He was gonna say it.”

“What?... That he hates you?”

“...No… Yes?... Sorta…” Noelle rolled her eyes, unconvinced. She just huffed and leaned back against the cool metal of the cabin. “He was gonna say it. He was gonna say it…” Kris’s fingers began drumming against their seat, the metal echoing loudly with each thump. They began to mumble this under their breath over and over again.

Noelle put a hand on Kris’s shoulder, making the words stop coming out all of a sudden. “Kris, Azzy DOESN’T hate you. Quit being such a dummy, dummy!” Noelle had a furious scowl on her face, and her grip on Kris’s shoulder tightened. “Azzy loves you.” She scoffed and crossed her arms, indignantly. “I can’t believe I said all that stuff earlier just for you to act like this…” Her nose was now glowing faintly. “I would’ve rathered they got all embarrassed, instead…”

…

“S-so… The view, is, um… Wow…” Asriel tugged on the collar of his shirt. “Oh my Angel… What do I say? Am I just imagining it? Is Dess really… Into me?”

Dess stared at Asriel, suddenly averting her gaze when he turned to meet her's. “Y-yeah, the view is… Great…” She gulped hard and gripped on the hem of her sweater. “H-hey… Hey, Azzy?”

“What’s up?” He squeaked out the reply, his voice hardly above a whisper.

“I… About what Kris told me…”

Asriel wished he could shrink to the size of an ant and crawl away. “Of course she heard. Of course… Of course Kris just had to ruin things for me…” He looked at the ground. “I’m… I…”

Asriel was a notorious crybaby- he had been since he was a little kid. It was one of his most endearing features, to Dess. He would cry over stupid things, like flowers getting stepped on, like pages in his books getting creased, or even when he got too frustrated while playing video games. Asriel’s body shook beneath his sweater as tears rolled down his face. “I… Don’t hate me, Dess… Please…” He sniffled. “W-we… We can stay friends… Don’t hate me…” He had to cover his eyes and nose with his sweater. He was so ashamed. He wished Kris had never said anything. He wished Kris hadn’t ruined his friendship. He wished Kris hadn’t ruined his life. He wished that he could snap his fingers and go back in time, so that none of this ever happened, so that Kris didn't tell her anything.

“Asriel.” His breath hitched. He was so used to Dess calling him ‘Azzy,’ that hearing his actual name was something of a surprise. He tried to stifle his sobs with minimal success, but he was listening intently. “Look at me, Asriel Dreemurr.” Asriel leaned down to rub his eyes, still shaking with violent sobs. “Look at me.” Dess’s voice was sharper now, and Asriel felt compelled to obey. He slowly peeled his eyes off of the ground and looked at Dess. His eyes fixated on her holiday sweater, tracing up and down the red and gold embroidered diamonds that contrasted the dark green fleece. He couldn’t look at her face. He was terrified to learn what kind of expression she had on- he feared the worst.

But he could not stop himself from looking up when he felt her hands grip both sides of his face, forcing it up and forcing him to stare at her. He felt his heart jump into his throat when he saw her glossy, moist eyes looking deep into his. It was like he was being hypnotized, being pulled closer to her. Wait- he actually was being pulled closer to her. Dess’s eyes slammed shut as her nose crashed against his- before she tilted her head to allow her lips to meet his own. They both felt fire blazing over their fur as Asriel leaned into her embrace, putting a hand over her shoulder and pulling her closer. It was happening. It was actually happening.

Neither of them really knew how to kiss, being inexperienced 12 year olds. They kind of just slammed their lips against one another, Asriel’s upper lip getting pressed against by Dess's prominent buck teeth, and a considerable amount of fur ending up in Dess’s mouth. After their lips separated, they stared at each other, properly. Dess looked like she was about to cry, and Asriel couldn’t tell if it was a good sign or a bad one. “You idiot…” Now she was crying.

“Wh-wh-”

Asriel was interrupted by Dess, who gripped him hard by the front of his sweater and pulled him in for yet another kiss. His head and body were filled with electricity, and dizziness set in after they broke apart. “I’ve liked you for forEVER!! If I’d known…” She wiped her fresh tears onto her sweater sleeve. “If I’d just known sooner…” She shook her head. “I mean… I was the one who was scared… That I’d ruin our friendship… I can’t believe all this time… You’ve felt the exact same way…” Laughter mixed together with sobs, and both of the preteens began crying loudly. If the cabins weren’t closed, everyone in Home Town would be privy to this touching moment. “You’re so dumb… And… I’m so dumb, too…”

Asriel wrapped his arms around Dess. “I’m… I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner…”

“Shut up!" She nudged him- though not hard enough to make him think she wanted to push him away. "I… We’re both pretty guilty, aren’t we?...”

Asriel rested his chin on Dess’s shoulder. “…Yeah… We’re pretty big idiots, huh?…” His soft laughter tickled Dess’s neck, and she nuzzled her head against his. “I-l…” He gulped. “I really like you, Dess… I love you.” He felt the words so strongly, but he could not bring himself to say that last part. Now that both of them understood their feelings for each other, it was like saying an entirely different thing from when he’d say it to her as a younger kid.

Dess turned her head and kissed him on the cheek. “I like you too…” They held each other for some time, both staring out of the Ferris Wheel in the warm embrace of each other’s best friends- their soulmates. They could both feel each other’s breathing, their heartbeat, their warmth. This was everything they had ever wanted- from the exact person that they wanted it from. “…One point to me.”

Asriel pulled away and stared at her face, which had contorted into a boastful smile. “What?”

“I get one point. And we’re definitely keeping score, you hear?”

“One point for what?”

Dess’s face was bright red, but she still had a familiar smugness about her. “I was the one to kiss you first. That's one point for me.”

Asriel pulled his ears over his eyes, but he could not hide his bright pink flush with the ears that were displaying it for the world to see. “…That’s fair…” Dess wished that he had argued back just a little- his meek little reply was just too cute. “I’ll get you… I’ll catch up…”

Asriel was muttering under his breath so quietly that Dess could almost not hear him. She cupped a hand over one ear and held it close to him. “Hah? Speak up!” Asriel was still muttering, even quieter now- and she felt a twinge of irritation. “Say it louder!” She leaned closer in. Much to Dess's surprise- like a puppy, Asriel lunged forward and licked her ear. “Ah- YUCK!” She wiped the saliva off of her ear with a sweater sleeve and fumed.

“And that’s one point to me!” Asriel was doing his best to act all smug, but he was shaking like a leaf in the wind.

“Ugh, totally gross!” She wanted to lunge at him, and get her revenge, but she didn’t think her heart could take it- and she KNEW that his heart couldn’t. After pretending for a few minutes that she was seriously disgusted, she burst out laughing, infectious, boisterous laughter that had Asriel joining in until both of their stomachs hurt, and both of them had tears of joy to wipe from their eyes. They laughed until they were tired, and Dess rested her head on Asriel’s shoulder- him now seated right by her side, no longer sitting across from her in the cabin. “…You know… I’ve wanted to do this for a long time… To finally tell you how I feel…”

Asriel’s hand slowly creeped over her own, sneaking a pinky finger between her index and middle finger. “…To be honest… I don’t know if I would’ve ever had the courage to say anything…” He let out a heavy sigh. “I came up with so many plans… Throughout the years… So many flowers that I just ended up handing back to Dad 'cause I was scared of what you might say…”

Dess snickered. “Flowers? Well, if I’m being honest… I don’t know if I’d have taken them to mean ‘go on a date with me!’ I mean… It's just kinda expected, with you, y'know? You are kinda a flower boy…”

“Am not.”

“Are too.” Asriel kept his mouth shut. “Well… We’re not keeping score from before we got in this cabin, but… I'd have you beat, if we were. That little speech Noelle gave, about Kris? That was all me.”

“I knew it. I mean, I didn’t think Noelle would’ve ever said that in a million years unless you'd dared her to, or something…” Asriel snickered into his hand, suddenly overly conscious of what his breath smelled like, as well as the closeness of Dess’s face.

“Yeah…” Dess rubbed the back of her head. “I was actually gonna back out, today, too… I’m a total wimp, just like you.” She poked Asriel’s shoulder with her index finger. “If it weren’t for Kris telling me… Y’know…”

Asriel shot up, a panicked look in his eyes. “Oh, Angel…” He held his head in his hands. The realization hit hard.

“Wh-what’s wrong?”

“I… I said some awful things to Kris… I thought that they were just… Telling my secrets willy-nilly… I thought that they were trying to… Sabotage me… Oh, Angel…” Asriel wrapped his hands around his ears and tugged on them.

“A-Azzy, I’m sure it’ll be okay…” Dess tried to reassure Asriel, but she realized all too suddenly that it was her fault that Kris had said anything in the first place. If it weren’t for her threatening to beat them senseless, Kris might have kept their mouth shut. If that had happened… “…If Kris hadn’t said anything…” Dess placed a palm over her forehead and breathed in deeply. “…We might have never found the courage to say anything to each other…” Dess shook her head, chasing out the negative thoughts. She hated that she was thinking of herself right now.

“I’m… I’m an awful brother… The things I said… What I was about to say to them… And they were just… Helping me…” Asriel had never felt so ashamed in his life. “I… I was gonna tell them that…” He was struggling to get his words out all of a sudden, choking on his own sobs. “…That I wished they’d... Never been adopted…”

Dess bit her upper lip and squeezed Asriel’s hand. “You didn’t mean it, Azzy… You were angry…” Asriel couldn’t respond. It was taking every ounce of his energy not to sob loud enough that the pedestrians walking below could hear him.

Dess gently squeezed Asriel's hand over and over, reminding him constantly that she was there for him. The silence wasn't comfortable- there was no silence. Asriel was still crying- having pulled his sweater over his eyes. After some time, the loud crying became sniffles, which became hiccups. “…We owe our little siblings a lot for today, don’t we?...” Asriel nodded, not making a sound save for the pitter-pattering of tears falling onto the metal floor of their cabin. “…Everything will be okay. If I know one thing about Kris… It’s that they love you more than anyone- or anything else in the whole wide world.”

“But that doesn't make it right… I... I'm awful...” He coughed, trying to quash the sound of his sniveling.

Dess ran her thumb over the back of Asriel’s hand as she considered her next words carefully. “…Misunderstanding is… The first step towards understanding…” Asriel looked up at her, surprised by the sudden sage advice. Dess shook her head, her black bangs falling over her eyes. “…Whenever I do something wrong… And I accidentally hurt someone… Our classmates, Noelle, Kris… You…” Dess tried to steady her breathing. “Angel, this is embarrassing…” She continued. “…I think back to some advice I received a few years ago. I can’t say that it’s solved all of my problems… And I can’t say that it’ll make things right, but…” She took her hand off of Asriel’s and instead wrapped both of her arms around him. She leaned close to his head, speaking clearly into his ear. “I think, maybe… It’s the first step… In the right direction.”

…

Asriel and Dess stepped out of the cabin, hand-in-hand, fingers laced together. Both of them had eyes that were red from crying, and neither of them had properly cleaned their noses. They must have looked funny, because the adults were staring at them, hard. Toriel knelt down and pulled out some fresh wet napkins. “Here you are, children.” Dess took one and immediately began wiping her eyes and nose, but Asriel hesitated. He turned to watch the Ferris Wheel spin, waiting on the duo who had gone in immediately after he and Dess had.

Noelle, looking extremely agitated, dragged Kris by their sleeves out of the Ferris Wheel’s cabin and headed towards the group. Asriel turned to face his parents. “Mom, Dad… I need a moment with Kris- alone.” Dess smiled and unraveled her hand from his. Toriel and Asgore exchanged glances, but they did not stop him from running to meet Kris, whom Noelle had left behind at this point. Kris’s hands were hidden in their long sleeves, their mouth was hidden by their scarf, and their eyes were hidden by their bangs. They were frozen in place, and although it was hard to spot through their many layers, Asriel could see that they were shaking.

“I’b sowwy…” Asriel couldn’t understand them at first, but it clicked, and his breath caught in his throat.

“No, Kris… I’m… I’m sorry.” He got down on one knee and held his arms out. Without hesitation, Kris crashed into their older brother like they’d been magnetized to his embrace. Kris did not cry very often, especially in front of other people. When Kris cried, it was usually silent, in the comfort of their own bedroom. However, right here, in a crowd full of bystanders, Kris let out the loudest wails Asriel, or any of the others, had yet heard come from their mouth. Asriel let his arms and hands sink into Kris’s thick padded jacket, holding them firmly. “I’m so, so sorry…” His own voice was tremulous. He and Kris had a lot of talking to do, later.

Noelle witnessed this, rubbing the back of her head. “Oops… Maybe I was a bit harsh on them earlier…”

“Fahaha, crying that much just because you said you wanted to get married with ‘em, eh, Noelle?” Rudy playfully elbowed his youngest daugther, and Carol- not so playfully- elbowed him in the ribcage. “OOF!... Yeah, I deserved that…” His daughters gave him nasty looks as he nursed his side tenderly.

For the remainder of the festivities, the Dreemurrs and Holidays received stares from other monsters- being the two families who were walking around with the loudmouthed crybaby human. However, never once did they feel ashamed to be seen with Kris, and never once did Asriel feel ashamed to have Kris’s drool land on his head when they fell asleep on his back.

That evening, Dess and Noelle had to explain quite a bit of stuff to their parents. Faces burned red, and noses glowed even redder. At the end of the day, after the girls had gone to bed, Rudy had to shut himself in the bathroom and cry gently, while staring at and touching baby pictures of Dess. “My baby… She’s gone and grown up…” Carol leaned against the wall, quietly listening to his sniffling, offering the quiet comfort of her presence from just beyond the door. “My little girl… She’s gone and gotten herself a boyfriend…”

Notes:

That last scene, ugh. Poor Rudy, I was even tearing up just a little. I hope you enjoyed reading the chapter!

Things I wanted to include but don't really fit:
1. Asriel cleaned the blood off of Kris's chin before Asgore arrived. He thought Kris was trying to get him in trouble by making it look like he punched them.
2. Noelle doesn't know the name for churros.
3. Dess looked for Blue Ears to pay him back for the Good Cream, but she couldn't find him in the end. She ended up paying him back for it the following Monday, at school.
4. They returned to Festival Pants's booth, where Dess won a small box of minty cookies. She shared them with the others- including Festival Pants himself.
5. Kris and Asriel shared a bed on this night, too. Kris forgave Asriel much sooner than he could forgive himself. Kris still partially feels at fault, seeing as though they are the one who told the secret, even if it was for a good reason.
6. Noelle isn't actually embarrassed by the idea of marrying Kris, she just didn't like having to say so to her mother. She doesn't particularly see Kris in a romantic light, but she doesn't see them in an unromantic light, either.
7. I feel the need to mention that the infamous moment where Noelle was 'forced' to ride the Ferris Wheel with Kris, and they shook the cabin to scare her, took place during another Festival than this one- two years after this one. Carol, still under the assumption that Noelle has a crush on Kris, made her ride the Ferris Wheel with them, and Kris, wanting to prank her, went along with it. Dess got them back for that one. I didn't feel the need to include it in the story because it wasn't important to Asriel's and Dess's relationship. The same can be said for the infamous Ice-EE's pizza box story, which is much more a Kris story than a Dessriel story. I don't want this fic to just turn into 'Skin Deep: the Prequel' I want it to be more heavily focused on Dess and Asriel.
8. Kris loves Asriel, and Asriel loves Kris.

Chapter 10: Tenth Grade I- Assembling an Ensemble

Notes:

Oml some very embarrassing typos this chapter... Very sorry to anyone who saw those.

A comfortable breeze shook the leaves of the tree Dess was seated underneath, making them rustle. The grass felt cool and more than pleasant enough to settle down in. It was a nice escape from what would otherwise be too uncomfortably warm for her liking. The heat made her feel tired, and the comfort of the shade made her want to rest her eyes. With her back against the tree, Dess strummed lightly on her acoustic guitar. It was not loud, nor was it played with any particular grace- but that didn’t matter anyhow- she didn’t have an audience right now. Time flew just like that- forgetting about everything in the world other than leaves floating on the breeze along with the notes of her improvised song. It felt like she was on an accompaniment with nature itself.

“You know, you’ve gotten pretty good at that.” Dess’s eyes had been resting as she idly strummed her guitar, but they shot open when she heard his voice.

“You’re always welcome to join me, cutie.” Asriel’s face was red, and Dess could only wonder if it was because he had just finished up at practice, or if it was for some other reason. “…Well, after you shower." Dess pulled her shirt over her nose, acting more disgusted than she really was. "You’re all sweaty, right now- and you smell like you just worked a shift at Ice-EE’S.”

Asriel lifted an arm up, getting a whiff of the smell Dess had described. “Oh, that’s just my deodorant. I guess it was a dumb purchase, huh? That's the last time I take Pants's advice...” He shook his head and swiveled on his foot, turning so he could face the same direction as his partner- seating himself in the cool shaded grass. He stretched his legs out and let escape a breathy exhale. “Phew… I’m exhausted…”

“Well, don’t get too comfy. It’s hot out here, and I’m hungry.” Dess jabbed a thumb to her chest. “C’mon, let’s head to your place.” She stood up and brushed some grass off of the back of her pants. Asriel groaned and laid all the way back, indignantly. “Awww, is baby tiwed?” She nudged him with a hoof, and he rolled over onto his front, laying his snout flat against the floor.

“Baby is tired…” Asriel’s words came out languidly, like he was about to fall asleep. “Baby ran a 15k today…”

“Fahaha! Quit calling yourself ‘baby,’ dude. Only I get to call you that.” Dess rubbed her chin. “…Okay, well- Miss Toriel can call you that, too, but…”

“Ugh, don’t make it weird.” Asriel sat back up. He was wearing a tank top, so the grass that was sticking to his arms was obvious- green against an ocean of white. Dess let out another quiet ‘Fahaha,’ and helped brush him off.

“Alriiiight…” He slowly crawled to his feet. “The things I do for love…” The two began their journey towards the northern end of Home Town.

“Oh, shut it.” Dess rolled her eyes. “I’m the one who was waiting for like an hour in the heat- for you.” She playfully punched Asriel’s shoulder, and they shared a laugh. “Kris ‘n Noelle joined me for a bit, but your mom dragged them away. Sucks, too, ‘cause Kris plays a mean grass whistle. Can’t say it paired well with my playing, though…” Asriel shrugged, and they began walking. “Hey, we should all play together, some time.”

Asriel raised an eyebrow. “You know I can’t play any instruments, right?”

Dess rolled her eyes. “You’ll be the singer, obviously. You’re the only one who can actually sing-” Asriel opened his mouth, about to tell her that he could teach her how to sing- and that he wanted to hear her sing, but Dess stuck out an index finger to shush him. “Don’t start. Don’t wanna hear it.”

Asriel rolled his eyes. “…What about Noelle, then? She’s in the choir with me.”

“Well, I, uh… I dunno? Her voice is a little high pitched. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I want her to join us, too!" She held a fist up and began counting on her fingers. "You on vocals, me on guitar, Kris on…” Dess tapped a finger to her chin. “Either piano, or keyboard… And Noelle, on… Tambourines?”

“Ha, that sounds like it could be a lotta fun!”

Dess blinked, taken aback somewhat. “Why did I not think that that he’d be on board?” She coughed into her hand. “W-well, it doesn’t have to be today, or anything.”

Asriel cocked an eyebrow and frowned. “Well, I’d hope you weren’t talking about today. You’re not forgetting that we have a project to work on, are you?”

“Ugh… Don’t remind me… Stupid freakin’ turtle…” Dess kicked a dandelion that had sprouted in a crack on the sidewalk. “You cool with doing all the work?” Asriel gasped put his hands over his heart, pretending to be wounded by her suggestion. “Yeah, yeah, I’m just playin’ around.”

Asriel smiled softly at her. “…We don’t really have to work on it tonight, I guess. We’ve got pleeeenty of time.”

A knowing smile spread over Dess’s face. “Oh, Asriel Dreemurr…” She felt her heart throb as she stared at him dreamily. “Sometimes I feel sorry for your mother… I’ve been a terrible influence on you.”

Asriel wrapped his sweaty arms around her in a tight hug that she would have fought against were she not holding a guitar with one hand. “Yeah, but you’re my favorite terrible influence.”

…

“Goodness, dear, you’ve grown to be quite the athlete… I don’t know where you get all that energy from. Certainly not from your father…” Asriel did his best to ignore the dig at his father and walked up the stairs in silence. Dess hung back in the living room, looking over to the table where Kris and Noelle sat, working on their homework together. Really, Noelle was the only one doing any work. Kris was just doodling on their paper, trying to look busy so that Toriel didn’t notice that they weren’t really completing their assignment. “Oh, December, would you like anything to eat?” Dess’s eyes widened in embarrassment as her stomach growled loudly. “Hoho, I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’” Dess was grateful that Kris didn’t seem to care, and that Noelle only gave her a reassuring look- and that Asriel was out of the room at the time. “Go ahead and sit, dear.”

Dess’s smile was sad as Toriel brought the plate over to her. “Things are changing…” Her hand unconsciously gripped around the neck of her guitar. Things were changing. Ms. Toriel used to wait until everyone was home before serving dinner- outside of special occasions. As of late, she had begun plating dinner as soon as it was made. She’d only wrap a plate in foil and leave it in the fridge for Asgore- who could come back home in anywhere from 4 minutes to 4 hours. Asriel himself was becoming rebellious in little ways. Maybe it was because of Dess, or maybe it was because of Kris- but Asriel found himself engaging in mischief more than he ever had as a younger boy. He'd procrastinate, he'd pull pranks, he'd sneak out at night, he'd get home late. He was like an entirely different person from the little religious boy Dess had known since they were both 5. He was getting tall now, too. Dess had been the taller one since they’d met, but lately, her antlers were the only things giving her a height advantage over him. Even little Noelle had changed- her antlers having come in almost all the way. She was tall for her age, too, and it frightened Dess just how quickly she seemed to be growing. Kris was the only one who seemed unchanged. They were still just a quiet kid who gave less than half of one full thought before doing something idiotic. The only thing that had really changed about them was that they could play piano, now- Carol had given them lessons and it turned out they had a knack for it. Human fingers were better at those sorts of things, after all. It kind of irked Dess just how easily they picked it up- she had tried and failed to learn from her mother, in the past.

"That's right... Music..." Dess settled down next to her sister at the table. “Psst. You guys wanna come over later and make some music?”

Noelle tilted her head. “…Like, make a song?”

“No, like… Like jam out, y’know? We can all just... Play whatever, or we can pick a song when we get there.” Kris smiled and nodded. “See? Kris gets it!”

Asriel walked downstairs with a change of clothes in his hands. “Oh, you’re showering first? All right, dear. Dinner’s ready, so just help yourself whenever you’ve dried off.”

“Thanks, mom.” Asriel gave a nod towards Dess before walking to the bathroom, where he shut the door behind him.

“I wanna.” Kris added, bringing the conversation back to the topic of music.

Noelle frowned. “Well, I don’t think that our mom would like that… It’ll be loud, and she’ll be tired after work…”

Dess feigned exasperation, splaying her arms out on the table and resting her head against it. “Ugh, Noelle, you’re killing me… With boredom…” Noelle crossed her arms and huffed, her nose now glowing. Dess sat back up and smirked. “Hey, hey, Noelle- they needya down at the fire station. Cause you’re such a wet blanket! Fahaha!”

Toriel struggled not to laugh at the joke, as it was at Noelle’s expense. It was funny- or rather, it was terribly unfunny just like Toriel’s own jokes always were. Clearly, exposure to the Dreemurrs over the last 9 or so years had caused some changes in Dess, too. “H-here you are, dear.” She said as she put a plate in front of Dess. Toriel covered her mouth abruptly. “Pfft! Deer…”

"Thanks, Ms. Toriel." Dess began to chow down on the food, ignoring her pouty sister in favor of the delicious meatloaf Toriel had made. In her peripheral vision, though, Dess saw Noelle’s scowl deepen, and she had to relent. “Sorry, sorry, I'm just teasing. How about this weekend, then? Mom’ll be out, and you’ve got nothing better to do than play on my computer. Kris, you’re in, right?” They gave a thumbs up. “There, that’s three votes.”

“Azzy isn’t here, he hasn’t voted yet.”

“Wet blanket.”

“Shut up, Kris!” Noelle barked at them, making both Kris and Dess snicker. “Whatever… Now I don’t wanna.” Her glowing nose and sideways glances towards Kris and Dess told the truth of her feelings, though. It was practically impossible for Noelle not to wear her heart on her sleeve. After seeing Dess’s cocky smile, Noelle caved. “Fine… It does, sorta… Kinda sound fun, okay?”

“Dry blanket.”

“Kris, that’s not really an expression… But cool... I think we'll all have a lot of fun. Hey- how much longer before you kids finish your homework?”

“I’m already done.”

“No they’re not.” Kris frowned at Noelle and snatched her pencil from her hand.

“We’re both done.”

Noelle glared at them and opened up her pencil case. She had come prepared, much more prepared than Kris could have foreseen. Kris pouted at their failed prank attempt. “Nice try…” She turned to face Dess. “Sorry, sis. Maybe in 20 minutes, if I can convince Kris to actually work.”

“What’s this about not working?” Toriel appeared like the Grim Reaper, suddenly behind Kris in a split second. She stared down at their paper, which was covered in drawings of stick-figures with horns, wings, tails, animal ears, and all sorts of other things. There were also some drawings of dragon ladies, which they had tried to draw from memory after reading one of Asriel's books. Kris’s eyes widened, and they covered their paper with their arms. “…Kris…” She crossed her arms sternly, and Kris felt themself shrinking with embarrassment.

“Sorry, mom…” Their voice came out weakly, and they began working on the assignment in earnest. They glared at Noelle, who stuck a tongue out at them. "Oh, they are so gonna get you back for that, sis..." By the time Asriel got out of the shower, Kris was almost done, and they were all able to migrate to the living room. After a while of playing various video games, it was time for the Holiday sisters to go home.

Days went by like this pretty often. The kids all went to school together, where they’d split up by grades. Kris and Noelle would go to Ms. Muffet’s class, and Asriel and Dess would go to Mr. Boom’s class. The younger students were let out a little earlier than the older students, so Kris and Noelle would of loiter in Toriel’s classroom while she prepared for the next day's lessons. After the older kids were let out, Asriel had cross country practice- and Dess would sit down in her spot to watch him run. She'd often bring her guitar to school just for these moments, but she would also whip out her guitar to impress her classmates during lunch. Sometimes, Noelle and Kris were able to hang out with Dess and watch Asriel practice for a while, but Toriel would usually drag Kris home, and Noelle would usually accompany them. Noelle was also not a big fan of the heat, being a reindeer monster.

…

“Wake up.” Asriel only mumbled and turned over in his sleep. Kris had to get out of bed and shake him awake. “Wake up…” Their voice was naturally quiet, so it required some persistence.

Asriel grumbled and woke up, blinking the tiredness out of his eyes. “Kris?... What time is it?...” He looked at his alarm clock. “Dude, it’s not even 7:00, on a Saturday…” He shut his eyes once again, covering them with his arm to block out sunlight seeping through the curtains. “What?...” Kris had shaken him once again, taking his arm and pulling it away from his eyes.

Kris gestured towards the window. “Yo.”

“D-Dess?!” Asriel pulled his blanket up his chest, covering it. He no longer slept in a full set of pajamas- he had taken to sleeping in just his boxers. Dess could still see the tops of his shoulders, which now were as pink as his cheeks had become. “Wh-wh-why are you here so early?!”

“Keep it down!” Dess shushed him as she crawled through the window. “Sheesh..." She stared him up and down, raising an eyebrow, impressed with what she saw. "Didn’t know you slept in the nude, dude.”

Asriel blushed furiously. “I’m NOT n-nude.” Even though Asriel had become something of a rebel compared to how he used to be- an innocent religious boy who never did wrong- he was still quite prudish. Dess loved watching him squirm while she pushed his buttons. The lovebirds suddenly became aware of Kris, who was awkwardly standing there- and decided to change the topic. “...Wh-what’s up? You know I can’t sneak out this early, my parents will be up soon.”

She sat down on the floor, resting her back and head against Kris’s mattress. “Yeah, I know. I’m just excited ‘bout today, is all. Hardly slept at all, last night…” Kris sighed and crawled back into their bed, mumbling something about 'Well, I was sleeping...' Dess turned to face them as they crawled back under the covers. “What, don’t tell me you aren’t excited, too, dude.”

“Kris gets cranky when they lose out on beauty sleep.”

Kris probably would have grumbled a reply if they had been awake long enough to even hear Asriel’s teasing. They were already knocked out, snoring lightly. She stared at Kris's sleeping face for a moment before turning back towards Asriel. “Hey, get dressed. Let’s sneak out.”

“Did you not hear me, like, 10 seconds ago?”

“Come oooon. Just outside your house. It’ll only be cool outside for the next hour or two, and I don’t wanna miss that.”

"Something's up." Asriel stared at her for a moment. “…Fine, I’ll meet you out there.”

“What, can’t I watch you get dressed?” Dess was teasing him, but she was secretly hoping he would let her watch. However, his exasperated stare told her to step outside ahead of him. “Alright, fine, fine. But just so you know, if you ever wanna watch me-”

Dess was abruptly booted outside, the window slamming shut behind her. She leaned against the wall underneath, watching and waiting for him. When the front door opened, she jumped. “You know where the spare key is, dude. You really don’t have to climb up to the window...”

Dess rolled her eyes. “Your dad’s a cop. Don’t wanna get lectured about it, or worse. Plus, I like sneaking into your room. I feel like I learn something new about you every time.”

“Wh-what do you mean, ‘every time?’”

“What, you mean you never noticed? I come over ALLLL the time. It’s fun snooping around in your stuff while you sleep.”

“Yeah, right...” Asriel rolled his eyes, unconvinced, and Dess snickered a silent ‘Fahaha!’ He smiled and the two walked to the back yard. There were still many flowers growing there, but they had been less cared for than Asgore would have wanted. It no longer looked like a rainbow of expertly selected and pruned flowers. Rather, it was now overgrown with weeds and various other plants, and rain was the only thing that kept it watered. “…So, wanna tell me what’s really on your mind? The real reason you couldn’t sleep last night?”

Dess’s smile looked sad to Asriel. “You can read me like an open book, huh?” She shook her head and knelt down, examining the flowers. “…Y’know, I never really cared about flowers til I met you." Her voice was quiet. "Well... Still can’t say I really care about them, but… I like how they smell, and how they look, and…” Dess wasn’t meeting Asriel’s eyes. He didn’t say anything, waiting for Dess to speak her mind. “...Azzy... Don’t you get a little nervous about things? About the future?”

He turned his head, facing the cool morning breeze. “…I... I don’t know…”

Dess frowned, grabbing a fistful of weeds and tearing them out of the soil. “…I do. I feel like… Like I’m being suffocated. By this town… Fahaha…” Her laugh betrayed no joy to Asriel. “But I don't mean… Not, like… Not by you, dude. Or Kris, or Noelle, or any of our classmates, or anyone in particular…”

Asriel sat with her in the grass and wrapped an arm around her. “…Sometimes, I really want to run away. It’s dumb. I have everything I could ever dream of right here, right in this one spot. Why should I ever think of leaving this place?” Her voice transitioned from sad to bitter. “…Why should I ever dream of bigger things than what mom wants for me? Me? Dess Holiday, a rockstar?… It could neeeever happen. I'd just be 'wasting my talents.'” She flexed her fingers into air quotes. Dess spat into the torn-up soil. “…At least dad wants to support me, but he doesn't think I'd make it, either...” Dess wiped her eyes with her clean hand.

Asriel closed his eyes. “…Maybe I get it, just a little…” Dess was still staring at the garden, but he could tell that she was listening. “About running away, I mean… Mom and dad… They aren’t…” He shook his head and forced his voice to stop quavering. “I don't know what's gonna happen, with them, Dess... Sometimes I have to just step outside. Sometimes, I take Kris and go to the lake. I’m… I’m not sure if Kris really gets what’s going on between them. Maybe they’re just pretending they don't know… Or maybe they really don’t know. Is it better that way? I don’t know…" He sighed. "Sometimes… I walk around town, and it makes me think of how things used to be. It… It hurts, remembering that things were better back then, and it makes me wanna just… Disappear.”

Dess turned to face him, her eyes piercing into his very soul. “Sorry, I didn’t word that right… I mean, I just… Wanna get out of this place, too, sometimes...” He rubbed the back of his neck. "Like... Sometimes I'll be walking around the woods, and I wonder how long it would take to walk to a different town..." Dess snatched Asriel’s hand with her own, neither caring that she had soil all over hers. “…Hey, Dess... If you could go somewhere, anywhere… Where would you wanna go?”

Dess got off of her knee and sat on her rear, like Asriel was. She put her head on his shoulder, letting an antler gently brush against the fur on his cheek. “…I dunno. I haven’t really thought about it, as much as I’ve thought about just wingin’ it. I even bought these, like… Military rations. Food that’ll stay good for a long time, in any condition... Good for travelling… I guess that could take me as far as Ebott City, but that wouldn't really feel like… Like I’ve escaped…”

Asriel thought of Ebott City. He thought of a city- any city, and he thought of Dess. “Dess… When we’ve graduated high school… Wanna move in together?” Dess blushed and gasped as she felt Asriel’s hand squeeze her own, tightly. “...It doesn’t matter where. Maybe I’ll go to college somewhere. Somewhere far away from here. You can bring your guitar and play at local gigs, and I can find a part time job doing something.”

Dess reciprocated the squeeze. “Fahaha… You really have thought about it a lot... That does sound nice…” Asriel felt a stinging sensation in his heart when he realized that her words sounded hollow. “...I don’t know, Azzy. I don’t know if I can just leave it all behind… Noelle, dad, Kris… Even mom… But, at the same time… I don’t know if I can take it for much longer, living here… It's just… I’m just nervous, is all…” Her voice was hardly above a whisper at this point. The two sat in silence for the Angel knows how long before they heard the front door open, followed by the sound of an argument spat out by two voices. The voices were trying, and failing, to stay at a whisper. The door slammed shut, and heavy footsteps walked away from the house. Asriel could only bite his lip to stop himself from crying.

…

“Oh, good morning, December. Asriel, dear, I didn’t realize you were outside…” Toriel looked around the room nervously when the children walked in. “…Would either of you like breakfast?”

Asriel only shook his head. “N-no, thank you, ma’am. I already ate.” Dess was lying- she was a little hungry, but right now, she only wanted to follow Asriel back to his room.

“Wait, kids.” Asriel already had begun his ascent up the stairs, stopping on the third step to turn and face his mom. “…I know that you kids will be going over to the Holiday’s house while no adults are present. First, let me tell you that I trust you both implicitly, but…” Asriel’s eyes widened as Toriel fidgeted and bit her lower lip. “Oh, Angel, mom… Don’t say it.” She scratched an ear as it flushed slightly pink. “…Erm, well… Just know that the Angel is watching, children. And don’t give Kris and Noelle any ideas. They’re too young and impressionable.”

Dess stifled back a laugh as Asriel hung his head in shame. This was a funny situation in general, but it was especially funny to Dess because Toriel still believed that Kris and Noelle were sweethearts. The reality of the situation was that Kris would rather lick Noelle’s face to annoy her than actually kiss her. Noelle didn’t have the heart to correct her, since Toriel seemed so genuinely enthusiastic about it, but Noelle also didn’t mind the misconception. Kris had only not yet corrected their mother because the misunderstanding gave them more opportunities to pull pranks on Noelle. “…We know, mom…” Asriel muttered out through gritted teeth.

The two walked up to Asriel’s and Kris’s room, where Kris was still asleep. Dess stared at their sleeping face, missing how chubby their cheeks used to look. “Don’t. They’re probably already gonna be cranky from being woken up earlier.”

Dess rolled her eyes and walked over to Asriel’s bed. “You’re no fun.”

Asriel ignored her and opened his drawer. He searched around for something and finally pulled out a handheld device. “Yo, you wanna continue our save?”

“Dragon Blazers Lite? Nah… That next boss is annoying. I’d probably wake Kris up on accident, yelling…”

“Oh, but it’d be toootally fine if you poked and pulled their cheeks.”

“Meh. I was thinkin’ of just pinching their nose so they think they’re drowning.” Asriel frowned at her. “…Just kidding. Hey, you still got that laptop?” Asriel raised his eyebrows and looked over to his desk, where a laptop was charging. He had checked it out from the library to work on the class project with Dess, but all they had done with it thus far was was shamelessly play browser games. “Sweet.”

“You know, we should probably get working on the project soon. It is due next Friday, y'know.”

“We’ll get started tomorrow.” Dess replied as she sat at his desk. Asriel could only chuckle. That was such a classic Dess response- it’s what she had said every day since they'd been assigned the project.

“You know, I haven't seen you play games on your own computer half as much as you’ve played on this thing.” Dess stuck her tongue out in response and hit the power button, and the fans began whirring. “...These games are free, y'know? I can show you where to download them.”

“The games aren’t what’s fun, Azzy, you know that!” Kris grumbled in their sleep and turned over. She slapped a hand over her mouth, now more conscious of her volume level. “Sorry, Kris..." She whispered. "As I was saying... It’s no fun playing games over there. It might be fun with Noelle there, but she only ever wants to play her stupid cat game. Hey, did you see her blog? Check this out…”

Asriel watched as Dess pulled up Noelle’s blog page on the browser. “Aww… How cute…” His eyes danced over the screen, reading one entry that detailed the mysterious appearance of the loathsome Ice-EE’s mascot. “Hmm…” His smile fell as he remembered that day, not that Dess could notice while staring at the screen. She continued to click around, pulling up various entries. The latest one was about Cat Petterz 2, the very game that Dess thought was so stupid. “I dunno, I think it’s charming. Kris has their own hobbies that I totally don’t get, but it’s still cute hearing Kris get all excited about ‘em.”

“Yeah, right. What’re Kris’s hobbies other than pranking people or sticking to your thigh?”

Asriel shoved Dess playfully, but there was a hint of annoyance on his face. “Kris likes plenty of things. Piano, for one, I don’t understand it at all. They could go on and on for an hour about, like… The weight of the keys, the ivory… The smell… just a bunch of stuff that doesn’t mean a whole lot to me. But it still makes me happy.” Dess looked unconvinced. “They like sleeping..." That didn't help convince her any further. "W-well, that's true! It's excessive, like, to the point that you could call it a hobby... They like drawing... They like Smashing Fighters and Dragon Blazers... They also really like this one video game- I don’t even know where they found it or what it's called, but they’re super into it. It’s like a bootleg version of Dragon Blazers 1, but, like... Worse? They also basically broke the game with glitches, but I still see them playing it sometimes.”

“Sheesh, you don't need to get so defensive, I get it already… Hey, do you know where they keep the game?"

Asriel nodded. "Yeah, I think it's under their pillow. No way to dig it out right now."

"Dang, I kinda wanted to see how crappy it was... But I’d bet that something like that is still better than Cat Petterz.” Dess saw Asriel's face contort into a cheeky smirk., and she turned to stare at him. “Wh-what?”

“You remembered that it's not called 'stupid cat game,' after all.”

“Shut up… It’s ‘cause I just saw it on the screen.” She pointed at Noelle’s blog post. Asriel was still smiling at her, smugly. “Alright, fine. I like it when Noelle just… Yaps about her stupid game. Cat Petterz… Whatever… I don't care about the game, but it's still kinda cute, alright? Sheesh...”

Asriel wrapped his arms around her, draping himself over her shoulders as she sat on his computer chair. “You’re cute.”

“You’re both cute.”

...

The older kids flinched when they heard Kris’s voice, none too thrilled about being woken up for the second time. They scooted and sat up in their bed, staring at the couple. Their facial expression was sometimes hard to read for Dess. Even though they were an entirely different species from her-being a human- all monsters were very different from each other. Human facial expressions were, in general, no harder to read than those of other monsters. That being said, Kris's face was still hard to read, most of the time. They rubbed their eyes and stretched.

“G-good morning, Kris.” Asriel said, his voice a little timid. Kris, by no means had a volatile temperament, but Asriel did feel bad for waking them up. Kris trudged out of bed and rested against Asriel’s back, allowing their chin to nestle between his horns. With the three of them, they had essentially formed a conga line of hugs. Kris could not see well past Dess’s antlers, but they could hear the sounds coming from the laptop. “Wanna play next, Kris?” Asriel volunteered it to them, feeling them tilt their head atop his own. Dess made a displeased grunt, whining that he had not asked her- the one actually playing on it.

“No… When can we play music?”

Dess looked at the corner of the laptop screen, checking the time. “Ehh… Noelle’s still asleep, probably.”

“Good. Then we can wake her up with music.” Kris's sinister smile was audible in their voice.

The trio walked downstairs, greeting Toriel. Asriel felt bad for his mother, knowing that she had made breakfast that nobody had eaten yet, so he got himself a plate of eggs and bacon. Dess took this opportunity to have some, too. Kris, like usual, skipped out on breakfast, just resting their head against the table while Dess and Asriel ate. After a quick meal, they walked over to the Holiday residence.

“Dess! Where were you?!” Noelle was at the top of the stairs, looking scared when the other kids came in. “I woke up and the house was completely empty!”

“Sorry, sorry… I didn’t think you’d wake up so soon.” Dess scratched the back of her head. Kris frowned, irritated that they didn’t get the opportunity to prank Noelle, yet again. “Anyways, ready to make some music?”

Noelle cocked an eyebrow. “Already? I just woke up…” She looked around at the other kids’ faces. Dess looked like a puppy dog begging for a treat. Asriel just looked expectantly, obviously hoping that her answer was 'yes.' Kris was still pouting because they didn't get to wake her up by slamming on the piano a bunch, but Noelle imagined that Kris was the most excited to play- other than maybe Dess. “F-fine… Just… Let me brush my teeth, and stuff…” After a couple of minutes that were spent lounging around on the living room sofa, Noelle came downstairs, no longer in her pajamas. Together, the four kids made their way to the kitchen.

Notes:

Thanks for reading! Yet another time skip, we're getting closer and closer to days of canon!

Some stuff I wanted to include that didn't necessarily fit in the chapter.
1. Asriel has been in cross country since the ninth grade. He won his first race in the tenth grade, though.
2. Monsters are a lot faster than humans, so the standards for athletics are much higher for them. For instance, the world record 15k for a human is 40:40, whereas the world record 15k for a monster is 22:10. Asriel's 15k record is 25:33, a time that won him the right-most trophy that can be seen in his room, won during his senior year.
3. He won the leftmost and middle trophies in the 11th grade for times of 25:47, and 26:09, respectively. The trophy on the top shelf was won at a spelling bee.
4. Every time Asriel asks about Kris's game, they dodge the question, saying things like "It's the original version," or "Nunya beeswax." It's a sensitive subject for them, so they wouldn't have let Dess play even if they were awake while Dess and Asriel were talking about it.
5. Asriel went to Ebott City last weekend with Pants and Blue Ears. It was there that Pants had convinced him that he could sweep Dess off her feet if he smelled like a pizza. Blue Ears wanted to refute it, but Pants seemed like he genuinely believed it to be true, so he kept his mouth shut.
6. Kris doesn't have any disorder that results in them being sleepy all the time, but they could sleep all day if they never had to eat or use the bathroom. They truly do enjoy sleeping like it's a hobby.
7. Most Monsters- and humans, for that matter- cannot complete a 15km run, lazy monsters are just as poor at cardiovascular exercise as lazy humans are.
8. Asriel's practices can vary depending on the day. Tuesdays and Fridays were weight training- squats, hip thrusts, leg extensions, leg curls, calf raises, and the likes. The rest of the days involved tackling various things, like 5 rounds of 3km runs at high speed, hill sprints, long distance at a slow pace (ranging from 20-28km), and racing a 15km for time.
9.Asriel is very strong. During weight training days (as of his 10th grade physicality), his maximum squat is 1295lbs. Someone like Asgore or Undyne, if they were to attempt a 1-rep max, could reach over 2500lbs. Monsters have had to innovate in order to accommodate being too strong for human-made barbells to support.
10. Despite being less athletic than Asriel, Dess is roughly as strong as him, and never has lost to him a single time whenever they wrestle. They haven't wrestled in several years at this point, though.
11. Although Boss Monsters are excluded from the Olympics, they have their own sports leagues. It should be said, though, that Boss Monsters don't have a clear advantage over other monsters in running-related sports, while they do have the edge in sports that require great physical strength and magic.
12. Noelle joined the crosscountry team on her 9th grade year. Her best time for a 15k race as of 'Skin Deep' is 32:17. Jockington's best time is 30:44.

Chapter 11: Tenth Grade II- Embarrassed

Notes:

Sorry for such a late upload, I wrote about 3000 words before scrapping almost the whole thing... Here's a slightly longer chapter for you all, hopefully that makes up for it...

“Here they come!”

“Back off, lemme see!”

“Hey, jerk! You’re in the way!”

The audience filed in slowly, and a low buzz of murmuring could be heard from all directions. The Fridge sat down, and before the stove could move to sit beside it, its door swung open and Ketchup, Chocolate Syrup, Milk, Leftover Fruit Cake, and all sorts of perishables came pouring from it to take up the nearby seats. “Jackass!” The Fridge only needed one finger to respond to the stove.

The Katana nestled comfortably next to the ventilation grate, who was looking worse for wear. It realized after some harsh words that- could only come out in a muffle- that it had accidentally sat on top of the Ribbon. “Sheesh, watch where you’re sitting, Butter Knife.”

It was dark, and the audience couldn’t see much. They couldn’t see the faces on the stage- just shapes, outlines of people with blurred edges. Were they statues? No one could tell if they were moving at all. But the silhouettes reminded them why they had all gathered here.

It was quiet, and they couldn’t hear much. The audience could only hear one another as its droning grew louder, becoming white noise. There was so much noise that, in turn, there was no noise.

The band was invisible and inaudible, indistinct shapes that lingered for an awkward amount of time. “Sheesh, will they ever just get on with it?” The whining of complaints seemed to be the only noise that could be distinguished from the nondescript prattling of the masses.

The first noise was a switch, a sharp 'thunk.' In a flash, a cone of light appeared, and the murmuring settled down to a halt. A human with blue skin and indigo hair, wearing a black jumper with studs on their shoulder pads stood behind a keyboard that rested at their waist level. Their clothes were so black that they might almost seem to melt into the darkness behind them, if not for the reflective studs that accentuated their rockstar outfit. Their fingers danced over the keys- in fingerless gloves- itching to kick things off.

The audience began to murmur once again.

A second cone of light appeared. A reindeer girl with golden blonde hair that was tied into pigtails was seen behind a drumkit, with a microphone rigged onto it. She wore a frilly black and red skirt, and had festive lights draped over her shoulders and onto her drumkit. The flashing bright red lights were just barely outshone by the glowing that came from her nose. Her drumsticks threatened to smash into the cymbals, itching to kick things off.

The murmuring grew louder.

A third cone of light appeared. A goat boy with fluffy white fur- fur so white that it was a mystery how he could have possibly been an inky black silhouette just before- appeared left of the center stage. He wore a black denim jacket with the sleeves torn off, a studded belt, a golden headband that pushed up the fur on his forehead, and black-and-green striped jeans with frayed edges. Black makeup drew lines on his face, pointing up from his cheeks towards his eyes. A microphone was stood just in front of him, and his tremulous breathing was barely audible as he struggled to keep from starting the song- itching to kick things off.

The crowd began cheering; Fridge, Condiments, Stove, Katana- everyone began to freak out.

The last light flicked on. A taller reindeer girl with black hair stood at center stage. Her fur was dark, almost as dark as the hair on her head, and it seemed like there was a literal silver lining to her, a white outline that traced her figure and glowed faintly. She wore all black- a black skirt, a black leather jacket, black sunglasses, black everything, and her faint glowing outline only accentuated her dark yet reflective clothing. An electric guitar hung lazily, strapped over her shoulders, as glossy black as everything else she wore. With a snap sharper than a whip’s crack, all four band members struck a dramatic pose. The human pointed an index finger towards the crowd, the younger reindeer girl crossed her arms into an ‘X’ while holding her drumsticks, the goat boy shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, and the taller reindeer girl crossed her arms while facing away from the crowd.

The audience was going crazy now.

“WHO’S READY TO ROOOOOCK?!!!” The girl screamed into the microphone, shoehorning herself between the stand and the goat boy.

“WE ARE!!”

“WE LOVE YOU!!”

“CAN I HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH?!!”

With another sharp crack, the band all faced forward at once, hanging their heads low and letting their arms fall to the side.

The roaring died down.

“One, two- ONE TWO THREE FOUR!” The young reindeer girl clacked her drumsticks together, and with a sudden tidal wave of noise, brought them hard against her drumkit and cymbals, finally kicking things off. Next was the keyboard, the human bringing deft fingers down hard, harmonizing with the drums. And then was the shredding of the guitar; brutal notes that could be mistaken for a motorcycle’s roaring began rocking the audience to its very core.

And last was the song itself.

“WHEN THE DEMON'S HEART IS CRYING AND THE BLOOD IS GUSHING BRIGHT!!!…”

His voice was like aerosolized gold, and if she wasn’t thinking about impressing her audience right then and there, she might have pounced on him.

“When the happy heart is smiling- and the sun is shining bright!” The young reindeer cheered in the background, her high soprano voice adding a depth to the sound of their music that his baritone voice alone could not replicate.

“RAISE UP YOUR BAT FOR THE BURNING FIGHT!!! (Raise up your hat for a funny sight!)...”

…

Silence. Prolonged silence that was followed by an absolute eruption of cheering.

“YOU ROCK!!!”

“SERIOUSLY THOUGH, CAN I HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH?!!”

Roses and bouquets of various flowers littered the stage in front of them just as their own sweat began to pour down. At least, that’s what they had pictured.

It was more magical in their heads than it was in reality. In their heads, the table, the chairs, the decorative ribbons and katana on the wall, the festive pine tree behind the piano, even the oven and fridge were all part of the audience that had just witnessed their performance. In their heads, they looked and sounded like pros, but the reality of the situation was that the mishmash of sounds they had made could hardly be classified as music. An out-of-tune guitar, a grand piano, tambourines that struggled to keep time with the others, and lyrics that the two singers stumbled over after only having read them once- joined together for… That. “…Well… That sounded abooouut as terrible as I thought it would.” Dess leaned down to catch her breath, wiping her sweaty bangs away from her eyes. “…But it fuckin’ ruled.”

Asriel was now seated beside Kris, also struggling to catch his breath, having been the singer for most of the performance. “…Language…” Dess knew that he didn’t really care. She could tell from his smile- and from his performance, that he had been having just as much fun as she was.

Noelle lazily wrapped her arms around her older sister, burying her face into Dess’s ribcage, snuffing out the harsh light that had been distracting the other performers. Dess chuckled and ruffled her younger sister’s hair. “Sis, that was so COOL!!” Noelle squealed, tilting her head up to stare into Dess’s eyes. “We were like rockstars!!”

Dess felt her heart flutter as unexpected tears nipped at the corners of her eyes. “Y-yeah, I guess we were…” Even though she wasn’t very good, even though her mother was convinced that she would never make it, even though her father had secret conversations with her mother about how worried he was for her future, her baby sister had always reassured her that her musical endeavors weren't for naught. Even Kris, who actually was talented at music, was smiling like an idiot up at her. “I love you guys…” Dess closed her eyes and let her heart calm down, hoping that Noelle didn’t notice the tears landing atop her head. If she had noticed, she never once mentioned it.

Dess and Asriel sat down lazily at the kitchen table, building nests out of their arms to lay their heads upon. Noelle was sitting on the piano bench where Kris had been, kicking her feet happily and banging on the tambourine still. She was humming the song they had just played, the song that Dess had written. Her heart swelled with love for her baby sister. Kris was, as they often had in the past, raiding the Holidays’ fridge for chocolate syrup and milk. “Hey, don’t use the whole thing, like last time…” Dess warned them lazily from her comfortable spot at the table. She was too lazy to get up and stop them, though. Kris just stuck their tongue out at her in response, but Asriel’s sharp glare sent their tongue rolling back into their mouth.

Dess propped an elbow up on the table and rested her head against it, staring languidly at her favorite people in the world. “Hey, Dess…” Her eyes shot towards Asriel, who was now sitting up as well. “What’s this about to be?...” Dess eyed her man suspiciously, noting how sheepish he seemed. He twiddled his thumbs, looking around the room, anywhere but her eyes. “Don’t wanna… Y’know… We don’t have to start right now, but…” Dess crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “…But… I thought of something cool… That we could do for the project.”

Dess groaned and laid her head back on the table. “Leave it to Azzy to think about school right after that AWESOME jam session…”

“Nerd.”

“Quiet, Kris. As I was saying…” Asriel cleared his throat. “Ahem… Ah... Erm… We could make our project about music?” Dess’s heart skipped a beat. “Oh…” He scratched behind his ear. “B-but… If you don’t wanna, I totally get it… I mean… I wouldn’t wanna make music a drag for you, like, by bringing schoolwork into it.”

Dess shifted in her seat. “…No, I like that idea…” If Kris and Noelle weren’t in the room, she would have pulled Asriel in for a kiss. She could certainly rely on Asriel to say nerdy things, but more than that, she could rely on him to always have her interests in mind. He went above and beyond to make her feel included, especially with things she would otherwise have no interest in. Dess stood up and walked to her younger sister, draping her arms over her and resting behind her on the piano bench. “Noelle, aren’t I the luckiest girl in the world? Aren’t you jealous that I get Azzy all to myself?”

Noelle glanced at Asriel, who wasn’t sure where to look at this moment, and then over to Kris, who let out a burp and wiped chocolate milk off of their upper lip, ignoring the fact that it had run down their chin and onto their shirt. “…Yeah, you sure are lucky, sis…”

"Well, too bad! He's all mine!"

…

The day was only Saturday, and they truly had plenty of time to work on the project, but for some reason, a fire was lit on their undersides to finally get started. They were swept away by the music they had made, and now they had to put this feeling into words before it was inevitably supplanted by the sheer boredom that came with doing homework. Noelle had gone to the living room, laying down on the sofa and resting her eyes while Kris continued to play the piano. Meanwhile, Dess and Asriel went upstairs to get started on their project.

“If Kris tells mom that we locked ourselves in Dess’s room, we’ll be in SO much trouble…” Asriel stared at the door frame, just behind Dess. “…Better keep the door open, huh?”

Dess frowned, but she didn’t say anything. She pulled a beanbag chair across the room, closer to the computer desk, patting it a few times. “Sit boy.” Asriel blushed and let himself fall backwards into the beanbag chair. It threatened to draw him further and further in, miniscule styrofoam hands pulling him in and swallowing him whole. “Good boy, who wants a treat?” Asriel stuck his middle finger up at Dess, and she snickered. “Alright, alright… Let’s get this shit started!”

Asriel looked around, making sure no kids were around to hear this vulgar language. “What, you gonna go tell Noelle that her big sis is saying swears?” She hovered her hands around in Asriel’s face, and he brushed them away.

“Shut it… If Kris starts saying curse words it’ll be my skin.” He jabbed a thumb to his chest.

Dess clasped her hands together against her cheek and fluttered her eyelashes. “If that happened, I’d get to wear you around all day, every day… My big fluffy jacket... Maybe I should go get Kris!” Asriel, unamused, kicked Dess’s chair. “Fahaha! Sorry, sorry, too dark for your tastes, huh?” He let himself sink further into the beanbag chair, crossing his arms indignantly as his waist and torso were swallowed up in the styrofoam embrace. “…Alriiiight.” Dess rolled her eyes and turned to face her computer monitor.

“We don’t have to get very far today, let’s just get an outline- or something done.”

The two had been working on the project for about an hour, successfully managing to solidify their project’s outline. All that remained was finding applicable articles on the internet or in books, citing them, and actually writing about everything. Basically, they still had the entire project left to get done. “Ugh… Soooo boring…” Dess clicked off of the document and leaned back in her chair.

“Hey, I’m cool with calling it quits here. Wanna go back downstairs?”

Dess turned her chair to face Asriel, pausing to listen for a moment. The only sound that could be heard was the grand piano, Kris still gracefully playing it from the kitchen. Noelle was still downstairs too, so Dess could only assume she’d fallen asleep while listening to Kris play. “…No…” Something about the way Dess had replied to him- and the way her eyes were half lidded- made Asriel’s heart skip a beat.”

“D-Dess?”

“Wanna make out?” Asriel didn’t have time to respond before Dess was on top of him, over his spot on the beanbag chair, gripping the collar of his shirt tightly with both hands. He shifted around and let himself sink further into the styrofoam pellets, half-wishing he might be swallowed whole and spat out somewhere downstairs. “What’s the matter, fluffy boy?” Her face was close, and her breaths sent a chill down Asriel’s spine. “Reindeer caught your tongue?”

Asriel was, in fact, completely speechless. Practically everything he did, he did with Dess, but he was still quite shy when it came to kissing, or other stuff. She loved to press his buttons, to push the envelope and see just how far she could get before his mind shut down and steam started blowing out of his ears like it always did. “D-D-Dess…” She blinked. “What the…” His eyes were shut tightly, and his lips were puckered. His whole body trembled as he waited for her lips to connect with his. Sometimes, her teasing ended up backfiring, and his meek responses ended up making her more embarrassed than she made him. His innocent eyes, his quiet and shaky voice, the bright pink that crept up his cheeks and down his ears- if Dess had less restraint, she might…

Dess breathed in deeply and pecked Asriel on the lips before wrapping him in a hug- at least around his neck, which was the only part of his not completely submerged in the cushiony seat. “You’re adorable, you know that?”

Asriel kept stammering, trying to find the words. Dess simply swooned and rolled off of the beanbag chair, lying on her back, on the floor. “Sorry, Azzy. Sometimes I just... Can’t help myself… If it ever gets to be too much, just… Punch me, or something...”

“N-n-not at all…” Steam was pouring out of Asriel’s ears, which he was using to cover his eyes. “I… I’m also interested, Dess… In k-kissing, and stuff…” He didn’t know how else to put it, and Dess’s own ears began burning red.

“…Then… We, should, um… Kiss… For real… If you want, then…” Dess played with the drawstring on her hooded sweatshirt, idly. Her heart was racing. Saying it this way- suggesting they kiss rather than just teasing him- was something she wasn’t used to. It was like she had been approaching intimacy like she was playing a character up until this point- the role of cheeky, teasing girlfriend- but now she was confronted with the real thing. “Fuck… Why’s this so hard all of a sudden?…” Dess kicked herself for her shyness. She was no stranger to physical affection, especially with Asriel. She was the one who kissed him first, so why did this feel so different?

Asriel slowly crawled out of the beanbag chair. Why was her heart racing? Why?

She was used to Asriel looking cute, but she wasn’t used to seeing him so… “Hot…” Dess slapped a hand over her mouth, realizing she had said that out loud. Asriel had obviously heard her, because he had a similar reaction. The two settled down on the floor, in front of each other, both stealing nervous glances at the other, only to look away before their eyes could truly meet. “W-we don’t have to, if you don’t wanna…” Butterflies plagued her stomach and forced a quaver into her voice.

Asriel put a hand over Dess’s. “N-no… I…” He gulped. “I… I wanna get used to… Things like this… With you…” He was holding the back of his wrist up to his mouth, as though he was overly self-conscious about the way his mouth might look to her up close. “I can’t be all shy about this f-forever… I mean… You’re kinda killing me on the scoreboard…”

Dess’s heart lightened up, some of the butterflies settling down as laughter bubbled out of her throat. “Fahaha! What is it, like, 50 to 15?”

“No- it’s 39 to 17.” Asriel’s voice betrayed a greater level of calm and comfort now, too.

“We really need to keep a tally- I’m not sure I trust that score!”

“My score?!- Yours was WAY off!”

Dess and Asriel shared another laugh, and once again, the air grew heavy. The silence and awkwardness between them were not broken by words. Silently, Asriel removed his retainer and set it on a tissue. His hand, still over Dess's gave it a gentle squeeze. His eyes were filled with determination, a sparkling that was only visible beneath his brow, furrowed in concentration. Dess gulped. Asriel gulped. Still no words spoken, the two closed their eyes and leaned into each other.

Fireworks. That was one way to describe the feeling in Dess’s chest. It couldn’t be described by something like a ‘jackhammer’- which made the pounding of her heart seem almost negative. These weren't negative. These were fireworks. It was like her body was floating in the sky, and colors lit up the darkness behind her eyelids. Dess wondered if Asriel’s face was burning even half as badly as hers was. The fur of his palm tickled against her cheek briefly before caressing it in an embrace. Her own free hand searched for a home, landing comfortably behind his neck. Dess brushed the spot beneath his ear with a thumb, and he shuddered, but leaned into her touch.

Dess’s and Asriel’s hands were intertwined, and Dess knew what she had to do. Still locking fingers together, Dess pulled Asriel’s hand towards her, setting it squarely on her waist. “This is it…” Asriel’s hastened breathing from his nostrils told Dess what was coming. Holding onto Dess’s waist with one hand, the other wrapped around to the back of her neck from her cheek- matching Dess's own hand’s placement on him. Instinctively, he knew what to do next. Dess’s heart felt like it might explode when she felt his tongue gently knocking against her buck teeth, asking politely for permission to enter. Dess wasn’t bound by such formalities. Feeling his tongue, Dess shamelessly opened her mouth- not only to allow his tongue entry, but also to wrestle it with her own. “Cinnamon!! Cinnamon!! Oh, ANGEL!!…” Her mind was filled with thoughts of sweet treats as her senses were overwhelmed. Her fingers raked his scalp- mussing up his hair- and she could practically feel him melting beneath her touch. Before long, she realized Asriel was laid down on his back, and she was on top of him, attacking him like a wild animal. Her eyes shot open and she sat up, wiping her mouth on her forearm. Their lips and chins were covered in saliva- an amalgamation of both of their spit. They were both panting, but Asriel was definitely worse for wear than she was. “Sorry…” Dess said between sharp inhales. “Sorry… I… I took it too far…”

Asriel kept taking shallow breaths, slowly letting his heart go back to a normal rate. “…No, it’s okay, but…” Dess could hear Asriel's embarrassment.

“Y-yeah, Azzy?”

“C-can you move? I…” Dess’s eyes widened, seeing the self conscious look on his face and realizing- all of a sudden why he was asking her to move. “Oh.” She crawled off of him and sat on her knees, facing away from him.

It was just in time too.

…

“Sis, Azzy, look!” The two jumped at the sound of stomping footsteps running up the stairs. They scrambled to not look like they had just been making out- Dess leaping onto her computer chair, staring at the black screen as though she were still doing homework, and Asriel leaping stomach-first back onto the beanbag chair. “Huh? Azzy, your hair looks all silly!” Noelle tousled Asriel’s hair for a moment before smoothing it down.

“Haha, th-thanks, Noelle…” He gulped hard and tried to stay cool.

“Were you sleeping?” She tilted her head, thinking that Asriel was laying on the beanbag chair like it was a bed. "Sometimes, I get really bad bedhead, fahaha!

“Ah, no, I wasn't… Uh… What’s up? Did you wanna show us something?” He rolled onto his side as best as he could, still mostly being engulfed in the cushion. Dess turned to face Noelle, too.

“Look!” Noelle held up a picture. She had drawn a picture of the four of them with their instruments- except for Asriel, of course. It was crudely drawn- Noelle liked to draw people with circles in the same way that the pets were modeled in Cat Petterz 2- but it was made well enough that Dess and Asriel could tell who each circle-creature was supposed to represent. The guitar looked more like a ukulele, and the keys of the piano looked like a zigzag, but she drew the tambourine surprisingly well.

“Noelle…” Dess’s eyes watered. It was just too touching. She could even look past the art style that, if depicting another subject, would have pissed her off. But in this picture, one of the most fun moments in her life with her most beloved people was immortalized. Dess gently grabbed the picture before wrapping her little sister in a tight hug. “AHHH!! Being a big sister is the BEST!!” She shouted, swinging from left to right and making Noelle’s legs fly around with her.

“Gah! Sis! I can’t breathe!” Noelle whined, and Dess released her. “Adorable…” Asriel thought, watching Noelle try to compose herself, trying to pull off the 'too-old-to-be-picked-up' look that Kris had already mastered. Her nose, however, told Asriel and Dess that she did actually really enjoy it, but Dess relented anyways.

“Noelle, is it okay if I keep this?” Dess’s eyes threatened to begin watering, but she was able to keep her cool for the most part.

“Let me see.”

“OOF!” Asriel felt something land on him as Kris charged into the room, leaping onto his back, perpendicular to him. “Guh… Kris…”

“Here, Kris.” Dess showed them the picture, and they stared at it with an intense curiosity.

“You can’t have it. Sis already asked for it.”

Kris continued staring at it in silence, evidently disappointed that it would not be theirs to call their own. “It’s good…” They handed it back to Dess, their intense red eyes still locked in on it.

…

After a while of lazing around, Dess turned on her computer, and the four of them began taking turns playing video games. Really, it was just Dess and Asriel playing games, while the other kids watched, fascinated. They played things like ‘Gorilla Island,’ ‘DOOD,’ ‘StarCrap,’ and ‘Ye Olde Scrolls: Tomorrow’s Wind.’ They ended up settling on playing ‘Quarter Life 2,’ switching places each time the parasitic alien crabs killed one of them. It was Asriel’s turn- emphasis on was. “Shoot… I don’t know how you even play this…” He hung his head and sighed.

“You suck.”

“Be nice, Kris.” Dess nudged them playfully. “…But yeah, you suck.”

“Hey, you’ve died at this same part, like, twice as much as I have!” Asriel stuck a peace sign in Dess's face.

“That’s ‘cause I’m playing with my eyes closed.”

“As if.” Asriel retorted, exasperated. As he stood from the computer chair, he accidentally bumped into Dess’s computer desk, knocking something onto the ground. “Oops-”

He leaned down to retrieve it, but Dess was faster. “Don’t!-” She stood up, tucking whatever it was into her pocket. “…Don’t… Worry about it… Fahaha…” Asriel cocked an eyebrow, but he was ushered out of the way by Dess, who moved to take her seat back. “Yeah, you better tell me what that was about later…” He thought with narrowed eyes, staring at her dubiously.

The kids kept playing games until they heard the gate creak open, telling them that Rudy had come home. “Dad!” Noelle rushed downstairs, followed by Kris. Dess turned to look at Asriel, and it seemed like she wanted to say something, but she just turned her computer off and left the room. Asriel could only follow her in silence.

“Hey, girls! Hey, Kris, hey Azzy!” Rudy paused to cough into his arm. “Oof- Sorry about that! I’m being worked to the bone at the Police Office. Officer Undyne’s causing more problems than she’s fixing- Fahaha!” Noelle hugged Rudy, and Dess was close behind her. He returned their embrace. “You kids have fun making music today?”

“Yeah! Sis! Show Dad the picture!”

Dess’s eyes widened and felt around in her pockets. In one pocket was Asriel’s retainer- which he had not yet realized she pocketed- and in the other pocket was the folded-up picture, along with something else. “Shit… If Dad finds this on me…” Dess gritted her teeth and retrieved the picture from her pants, careful not to also pull out the small mint tin that she was hiding from her father- and Asriel.

Noelle began explaining just how amazing the performance was, and Asriel and Kris decided it was time to head home. “I’ll walk you home…” Dess suggested, not really leaving it up for debate. Asriel wouldn’t have said anything, anyways- he knew that she had something to get off of her chest.

Noelle and Rudy waved goodbye to the Dreemurrs, and Dess walked Kris and Asriel back home. As they made it to the Dreemurrs’s yard, Dess and Asriel lingered back just a bit. Kris could tell what was going on. “No smooching.”

“Kris! Go inside!” Asriel barked while pointing towards the door, a fresh blush creeping onto his cheeks. Dess snickered at his reaction, but she held the same sentiments as him. She wanted to get Asriel alone- no room for snot-nosed brats. Kris sneered under their breath, but they complied. Ever since Asriel and Dess started dating, Kris always struggled with the heartache of being shooed away by their favorite person during moments like these. However, they were able to reconcile it in their mind by realizing that these moments with Dess made Asriel extremely happy- even though they were never sure what went on during them. For all Kris knew, they really were kissing. Also, the fact that Kris loved Dess a whole lot, too, softened the blow every time they were kicked out of the group. At the very least, they had no illusions about the reason for their exclusion- they understood that it had nothing to do with them being human.

…

Dess kept laughing, but her laughter became gradually dryer before it stopped coming out entirely. “Azzy… I have something to tell you…”

Asriel’s heart dropped. “Wh-what is it?...” He truly did not know what to expect. He didn’t want to imagine the worst, but the way she had started this conversation filled him with dread.

Dess felt around in her pockets once again, hesitating. “…Don’t judge me.” She said it even though she knew he wouldn’t. She trusted him, and she knew he trusted her. There was nothing to worry about, right? Dess bit her lip and slowly drew the mint tin out of her pocket. Asriel cocked his head, trying to understand the significance of the mints. Dess clenched her jaws and breathed deeply, steeling her nerves. “…It’s pot.”

“Pot?” Asriel looked at the tin, confused. “…I don’t, uh… Get it? Like… Like a flower pot? You know that little thing can’t hold enough soil to grow a flower, Dess…”

“Leave it to him to think of flowers at a time like this…” Dess pinched the spot between her eyebrows, reminding herself of who she was talking with. “…No… Not like a flower pot. Grass… Weed...” She narrowed her eyes. “He’s gonna think I’m talking about gardening still, isn’t he?…” Dess cleared her throat. “Y’know… Marijuana?… The Devil’s lettuce?…”

Asriel’s eyes widened. “…Oh.” He stared at the ground, looking at the grass beneath his feet. Dess’s grip tightened around the can slightly as she prepared to defend herself from points made about adverse health effects- or religious and moral proselytization. She trusted him to trust her, but she also trusted that he always had her best interests in mind. Sometimes, her best interests were annoying, coming from his mouth. “…Where did you even get it?”

Dess was taken aback by his response. “…Ebott City…” He furrowed his brow, and Dess knew what his next question was going to be. “…There’s a place that sells it to teens. It’s definitely illegal, but…” Her voice trailed off. Dess hated this feeling. She felt vulnerable. She hadn’t done anything wrong, and Asriel didn’t seem angry or judgmental, so why did she feel herself jumping to defend every little thing she did? She slipped the can back into her pocket, looking away from him.

“…Can I try it?”

The surprises kept coming. “What?!” There was surely no way that Asriel, of all people, was asking to try the horrible sinful substance known as cannabis. He was a good boy who went to Church every week, made straight A’s, and had a future. There’s no good reason that someone like him might stoop to someone like her level. Dess’s hand clutched the cannister even tighter, from within her pocket. “Don’t joke like that, dude… You almost gave me a heart attack.”

Asriel scowled. “I wasn’t joking…” She could only stare at him, incredulous. Asriel threw his hands up, frustrated. “Oh, so I can’t be interested in trying it even though YOU have it.”

“I just… I wasn’t expecting it…” Dess rubbed the back of her head. “Sorry… I… I wasn’t making fun of you, dude...”

“…I’m not the same little boy that I used to be. I’m… I’m interested in things, Dess… Things that aren’t just Church, or school, or whatever…” He looked sheepish once again. “...I never expected to try any, but… If you smoke… Err… Pot… Then I’d at least like to try it…”

Dess’s heart dropped. “You’d try something like weed just ‘cause of me, huh?...” Her eyes fell to the floor. “Angel… Look at your life, now… You really are an entirely different person ‘cause of me… Fahaha...”

Asriel reached for her hand, grabbing both it and her attention. She slowly looked from the ground back to his eyes. “…Do you think that it’s a bad thing?” He genuinely looked and sounded curious. “Really, I… I don’t care… I’d get into the bank robbing business, as long as it was with you… I’m not ‘ruining my life.’” He added air quotes at the end. “...Or anything like that. I’m living it. And…” His fingers raked against the back of his neck. “You, uh… Make me want to live life… To try new things... If that involves changing a little, then…” He shrugged, his voice trailing off.

Dess tackled him with a glomp, squeezing him tightly. “Sorry… I… I wanna try it with you, too…” She broke away from the hug and stared at him. Her eyes were moist, and she brushed them with a finger. “…But… Not tonight, fahaha…”

After another hug, Dess turned and walked back home. When Asriel went inside, he found Toriel staring at him suspiciously. “Now, son… I believe that I abridged this conversation earlier out of consideration for December, but…” Her voice trailed off, and Asriel stared at his mother with abject horror. She glanced at Kris, who was lazing about on the sofa. “Kris, dear, would you go upstairs for a moment?”

After a lengthy and embarrassing conversation about the birds and the beasts, Asriel took a shower and went upstairs.

Notes:

Wasn't sure what to name this chapter... It's a bit of an awkward chapter... I don't want to write anything explicit, really, but when writing a romance fic about two teens, it's impossible to pretend like I don't imagine they'd kiss. I hope this wasn't super weird. It feels super weird.

Thanks for reading,
WD247

Some stuff I wanted to include that didn't necessarily fit in the chapter.
1. Toriel would not actually punish Asriel if Kris began cursing. The way things have been lately, there are other sources from which they might pick those words up.
2. Dess wrote an alternate version of the song for Noelle to sing, feeling like it would be inappropriate for any violent words to escape her mouth.
3. The Dreemurrs eat more cinnamon- and butterscotch, for that matter- than any of the other monsters in Home Town combined. Asriel's cinnamon scent can be attributed to this fact.
4. Dess is telling the truth about where she got the pot, but the reality of the situation was that she had a fake ID- also bought in Ebott City. She was taller than most monsters, being a Boss Monster, so the cashier didn't question it. It should be stated that the legal age to buy THC products (and alcohol) in this country is 18- not 21.
5. Dess got the fake ID from a person whom Catty recommended. She got the ride to Ebott City from Catty, too.

Chapter 12: Tenth Grade III- Trying Something New

Summary:

Hooray! This is officially my longest fic ever! Beating my second longest by a few hundred words (ff.net fic)

I am sick so maybe I will take a short break

“That has t’be one of the worst presentations I ever did hear! Did either o’ you two even do any work on it?!”

“Like, Catty was supposed to do all the research, but-”

“Ugh, don’t listen to that liar. She was like, totally supposed to do all the research herself.”

“Copycat!”

“Liar!”

Gerson nursed his temples, his one good eye threatening to bulge out of his head from sheer irritation. “Enough!” He snapped at them, and the two went quiet immediately. “…Ya whiney brats… I’ve never had a buncha students as noisy as you all…” He sent Bratty and Catty back to their desks, where they continued to stare daggers at each other. Gerson grumbled under his breath, resting an elbow on his desk and examining a piece of paper. “Good fer nothin’… Alright… Asriel ‘n December, yer up next…” He turned to look at Dess, his good eye narrowing.

“What’s the matter? Don’t have high hopes for me?” Dess smirked as she walked up to the front of the class.

“Well, ya ain’t impressed me yet, little lady! Gyahaha!”

“We’ll both be sure to impress you, Mr. Boom!”

“…Right, lad…” Both Gerson and Dess tried their best not to laugh. Everybody loved Asriel, but he was woefully bad at banter with authority figures, so he always misunderstood Gerson’s and Dess’s playful arguing as actual arguing- always trying to bring peace where there was no real conflict. Gerson held Asriel in high esteem, so he never bothered to correct him, and Dess only didn’t correct him because she thought it was funny. Asriel tilted his head, trying to understand why they both seemed like they were about to laugh, but Dess steadied herself and cleared her throat.

“Ahem… Music.” Dess brought her paper closer to her face. “Throughout the history of monsterkind, music has…” She cocked an eyebrow. “Ugh, this sounds all wrong!” Dess shook her head and set the paper back onto Gerson’s desk. Asriel gestured with his hands, pointing at his pocket. Dess realized what he meant and fished out some notecards from her own pocket. “Music is… Music has been a way that monsters- and humans- have been able to express their feelings for a long time.”

“For tens of thousands of years.”

“Yeah! Woah, that is a long time!” Dess seemed almost as surprised to hear that detail as her classmates were. She shook her head. “Throughout history, music has been created to entertain…”

“…AND to record history!” Asriel said as he brought out a visual aid, a poster with various printouts of ancient songs. “You see here, this is a song that predates even the first wars between humans and monsters.” He pointed a finger at the top song. “For many years, minstrels or bards sung this very song- though it’s very likely that the lyrics varied from singer to singer. It’s currently unknown what sort of instrument was played to accompany the lyrics, but…” Dess noticed Asriel's pause and looked around, realizing that she had left her guitar at her seat. She grabbed it and ran back to the front of the class. “We, uh… Tried to put something together, for Dess’s guitar.”

Dess shifted uncomfortably. She had put on shows for her classmates in the past, even having played for Mr. Boom before, but never like this. It was embarrassing, being in front of everyone, about to perform something while surrounded by her peers. She felt vulnerable, but when she saw Asriel’s reassuring smile, she pushed out all the thoughts of how her classmates and teacher might perceive this. “After all, I’ve got the easy job. He’s the one who actually has to sing this lame song…” Dess steadied her breathing.

It took a lot of research to figure out how to make a tune sound medieval. It involved a lot of things that neither Dess nor Asriel had heard of previously, which only made the research dive deeper. Things like ‘a double leading tone,’ or ‘modality,’ created rabbit holes that neither Dess nor Asriel could escape from in a timely manner. Dess hated school work, but going on a deep dive into music like this- with Asriel? That was something she could do all day. The project that Dess and Asriel were certain would not take long started to defy their expectations and gradually grew more complex,. In the end, they only completed it the day before it was due. Dess watched and listened, waiting for her cue.

“Oh, be still, be silent, and hark!
For the heroes of light and dark!
They brought to our land comfort and peace!
From jaws of evil they did release!
With darkest hair and red jewel eyes!
The heartless hero whose soul let fly!
And next was the girl with heart of love!
Strong as the ox, gentle as dove!
The prince of the dark with fur of white!
Together the three shall banish the night!
The dragon, the fool, the queen, the king!
The knight whose fountains the knife did bring!
To save the land and all of the world!
Into the dark the heroes hurled!
For each of our heroes we must cheer thrice!
And honor the world’s great sacrifice!”

…

There was an incredibly awkward silence after Asriel stopped singing and Dess stopped playing. “W-well, as you can see… This song is about the Prophecy of the Delta Rune.” Dess tugged on her collar.

“Mm, that’s quite int’restin’! First I ever heard it.” Gerson noted while stroking his long beard.

“During the Dark Ages, where few written records exist- relative to the rest of the world- music was used to propagate our beliefs." Asriel continued with the presentation. "There even exist records of human music during this time- some of the earliest existing evidence of human civilization.” Asriel pointed at another song on the poster board.

“Oho? What, yer not gonna sing one of tha human songs fer us?”

Dess blushed and shook her head. “N-no sir, we just…” Gerson was only teasing her, but it was still embarrassing to have to justify herself in front of the class.

“Relax, little lady, ‘m just yankin’ yer chain. Don’t needa hear it, I'd betcha I was alive when those songs’re bein’ sung! Gyahaha!”

Dess felt her heart lighten when Gerson laughed, so she was able to continue. “…As time has passed, music began to become more about, uh… Entertainment, than rather recording history, or about religion. I-I mean, it was always used as entertainment, and there're still religious songs, but…” Dess looked to Asriel for help.

“Dess is right! As we continue through history, we see prominent examples of musicians whose sole purpose was to entertain the masses.”

Dess pointed at some printouts of portraits of various monsters, and some humans. “As you see here, we have, uh…” She tried to remember the names in the right order. “Meowzart, Beetlehoven, Liszt, and… Hay-den?”

“Joseph Haydn.” Asriel corrected her. “During this era of music, there was much interaction between monster and human contemporaries. Wolfe Meowzart and Antonio Salieri, for example, had quite the rivalry- although records indicate that it was one sided.”

“In these years, humans dominated the music scene, ‘cause of their tiny fingers.” Dess wiggled her own fingers in the air for the class to see. Asriel grit his teeth, not liking the negative connotation, but he held his tongue. He knew she didn't mean anything by it. “Stringed instruments- and pianos- were a lot easier for humans to play than monsters.” Dess tried her best not to sound bitter. “…It wasn’t ‘til the…” Dess looked in the air, trying to remember if the century was one number higher than the first two numbers on the year- or one number lower. “Uh… The 19th century?…” She looked back to Asriel, who gave her a thumbs up. “…It wasn’t ‘til the 19th century when monsters began to dominate the music scene again.”

Dess’s finger trailed down the paper. “Of course, humans just had to steal monsters’ sound, but what they created was a blend of the two sounds- resulting in greatest creation that either humankind or monsterkind could offer to the world. Rrrock and roll, baby!” She rolled her 'R,' and Asriel’s heart fluttered at Dess’s pure and unbridled excitement. She was always passionate when she spoke about rock and roll. “Here’s where the entertainment aspect completely overshadowed the…” Dess gestured with her hands.

“Th’ chronicling of hist’ry?”

“Yeah- THAT!” Dess pointed at Gerson, who gave her a wide smile that showed missing teeth. “Music became all about entertainment. About the sound! The message was still important, but the sound! That's what fans wanted to hear. The heavy and slick electric guitar riffs, the bass, the drums..." Dess cleared her throat, trying to bring herself back on topic. "Ahem... We see during this era- the 20th century- famous monster n’ human bands that still come on the radio to this very day!”

Asriel pointed at various band logos. “You’ve all heard of ‘The Beetles,’ ‘Punk Floyd,’ and ‘Dead Zeppelin,’ I’m sure! You may have even heard of ‘AC/DC,’ ‘Aerosmith,’ or ‘Queen,’ whose songs became so famous that- despite being human bands- they wound up on monster radios all over the world!”

“Figures that ya’d like punk music, gyahaha!”

Dess stuck her tongue out at her teacher. “Yeah, DUH! What’s not to love?” Dess clasped her hands over her heart- her eyes full of stars. “The presence! The sound! Being a rockstar…” She had to shake her head to continue.

“What’s yer favorite human band, then?”

Dess rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “I like Coldplay!” Asriel added, and Gerson and Dess narrowed their eyes, happening to think, “Of course you would…” simultaneously.

“I don’t remember their name, but, uh… That one band that smashed their guitar after every show. That’s just TOO cool- even though I’d never smash my baby...” She cradled her guitar, brushing it gingerly with the back of her hand.

“The Who?”

“I just said I don’t remember their name!”

Gerson rolled his eye. “And after the heyday of rock, we get into the modern era of music- with things like pop, rap, and EDM!” Dess punched Asriel’s shoulder, and he winced. “…Not to say, of course, that rock isn’t still number one!” He said, rubbing his shoulder tenderly. “Now, with the introduction of services that allow anyone- anywhere to listen to any song they want, music as a medium has arguably never been bigger.”

…

“To conclude our presentation, Azzy ‘n I will perform a song! A new song, that doesn’t exist on any of your ‘services,’” She added air quotes. “That’ll blow you away! It’ll show you rock isn’t dead!” She felt the need to include this even though nobody had claimed that rock was dead. She wondered if she was just projecting, but she pushed those thoughts away.

Gerson, as well as her classmates, stared intently at the duo. “Man, I wish we had a full band for this, but…” Dess steadied her breathing and began to strum on her guitar. Asriel knew to wait. “I wrote this a while back… After a certain human was bullying my little sister…” Asriel frowned. He couldn’t correct her, not in front of everyone, not when she was about to perform. He couldn’t have said anything anyways- Kris had begged him not to tell Dess about that day, about why they had cried so hard. “…It’s called ‘Raise Up Your Bat!’” She shot a finger at Azzy. “You ready, Azzy?!” Asriel nodded. “Let’s get ready to rock!” It took every ounce of energy not to let her voice quaver as she said this. She couldn’t be embarrassed right now. This was a test of her courage- of her ability. This was a defining moment that would tell her if her dreams would ever come true. If she couldn’t perform in front of a few of her peers, how could she perform in front of hundreds- even thousands of strangers? Dess took another shaky breath and closed her eyes. She nodded her head. “The signal.” Asriel had to steady his own breathing, but with a sweet and kindly voice, Asriel started singing this violent song.

The duo caught their breath. Dess couldn’t look at the crowd- of a mere 4 students. “Angel… Angel…” Dess felt like she was about to cry. The first clap came from somewhere in front of her- Gerson brought his hands together in applause, and the students behind her followed soon after. “Like, you rock, girl!” Bratty called out.

“Azzy, sign my face!” Catty called out.

“No, sign mine!” Both Bratty and Pants begged in unison. Even Blue Ears was hooting and hollering, cheering for both Dess and Asriel.

“They’re cheering…” Dess felt like she was about to cry again, but for a different reason this time. “Y’know, I’ve been teaching high schoolers like yerself fer tha past 60 sommat years, ‘n this is the first time I’ve ever seen a project like yers. Can’t speak fer tha research, ‘n ya clearly didn’t study as much as fluffy o’er there.” He pointed his thumb at Asriel, whose eyes widened. He opened his mouth, about to defend December, but was cut off when Gerson continued. “…But color me impressed! That passion- You tryin’ ta be a musician one day?”

Dess shakily nodded her head, her gaze falling toward the ground. “Ya’d do well, little lady. Ya both get A’s, congrats! You two could learn a thing'r two from this project.” He gestured at Catty and Bratty, who crossed their arms and looked away from each other.

Dess felt herself melt into her seat. If PDA were allowed in school, she would have buried her face into Asriel’s chest- letting her tears out freely and loudly- and stayed like that for the whole rest of the day. Since she couldn’t do that, she simply put her head on the table and did her best to cry silently. She was so grateful to have Mr. Boom as her teacher. Ms. Toriel had been right about him being the best teacher in the whole school.

…

“Are you sure? I mean, won’t your parents find out?”

“Relax, Azzy.” Dess stretched her arms as they walked together. “Mom and Dad are… Out of town. Dad had a doctor’s appointment in some other town, and Mom’s taking him.”

“Is he okay?” Asriel’s voice was filled with concern for Rudy.

Dess shrugged. “Yeah, I… I think so. " She bit her lower lip. "I hope so..." Dess put a hand over her elbow, anxiously. "...Mom 'n Dad won’t tell me much about it… But… Hey, at least we’ll have the house to ourselves?…” Asriel didn’t notice- or simply didn’t react to- what Dess was implying.

Asriel raised an eyebrow. “At least until Mom finds out I skipped crosscountry to go smoke weed with you. Kris and Noelle are definitely gonna say something, you know that, right?”

Dess put a hand up. “…Already got it covered, dude. I told Noelle that I wanted to have a ‘secret date’ with you- which isn't a lie! She’s gonna take Kris straight to your house. We’re gonna call your mom at, like, 5:00 and tell her we’re at QC’s, celebrating a goooood practice with some food. Don’tcha trust me?” She playfully elbowed Asriel’s shoulder.

“Of course I do…” Asriel rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry, I’ve… I’m used to sneaking out at night, when everyone’s already asleep, but…”

Dess wrapped her hand around Asriel’s, swinging it back and forth wildly. “C’mon, Azzy. If you’re this anxious before you’ve even STARTED smoking, maybe it isn’t for you.”

“Don’t say that! I’m at least still gonna try it…”

“Sorry, juuust teasin’” Dess’s voice came out like a hum. She felt like she was on cloud nine. Today was a day she’d been waiting for, for a long time. It was carefully planned out- they’d head straight home, Asriel having told his coach that he had to miss practice today. It helped that he had never skipped once before, so the coach didn’t even question it. Dess was confident that her and Asriel would have privacy for at least the next 4 hours- with her parents being out, and with telling Toriel that they were on a date later in the afternoon. “4 whole hours… Who knows WHAT’LL happen…” Dess’s face burned, and she squeezed his hand subconsciously.

…

“You mean you don’t smoke inside?”

“What're you crazy?!” Her voice was incredulous, but Asriel evidently didn’t understand. The two were walking outside, towards the trees. Dess had picked out a smoking spot that was ideal- a place where her parents might never stumble upon, day or night. “…Sorry, you’re too pure to get it, aren't you?…”Asriel flicked Dess on the shoulder, and she snickered. “Weed smells, like, really bad, dude. It sticks to your hands ‘n stuff, and it’ll be SUPER obvious that we were smoking if we do it indoors.”

Asriel nodded, thoughtfully. “Wait, won’t the smell stick to our clothes then?”

Dess’s eyes narrowed, and Asriel’s heart skipped a beat. “I guess we’ll just have to take them off, won’t we?” Her voice was dripping with innuendo. Asriel’s face was bright red now, and Dess couldn’t keep her own face straight. “Fahaha! Sorry, sorry. I’m just messing with you! I’ll wash your clothes before you go home. I’ve still got some of your old sweaters, and a few pairs of pants.”

“I knew my stuff was going missing! Do you actually sneak into my room when I'm asleep?!…” He narrowed his eyes. “...Hey, I bet you took my retainer, too, didn’t you?!”

Dess put her hands up, playing innocent. “Don’t know what you’re talking about, dude. Why would I want something like that?” She leaned in close, closer than Asriel was anticipating. “What do you think I’d do with your retainer, IF I had it?” Asriel retreated a step, his retreat suddenly halting as his back met with a tree. Dess lightly traced shapes on Asriel’s chest with an index finger. “Would I put it in my own mouth? Somethin' else? I’m aallll ears, Azzy~”

Asriel shuddered. “I, I…” He was blinking rapidly, and Dess stopped the onslaught.

“That’s enough teasing. I don’t want your brain to turn to mush before we smoke…” Dess retrieved the mint tin from her pocket, as well as a grinder. Asriel's mind was taken off of his embarrassment, now replaced with fascination over what Dess was working on. “I’m not… Super good at this, so don’t judge, okay?” Dess sat on the ground, crisscrossed, fumbling with the lids to both containers. With fingers that betrayed some level of practice and competence, Dess ground up some of the weed and retrieved it, rolling it into a somewhat mediocre joint. Asriel, of course, had no frame of reference for how something like this should look, so he could only stare in both fascination and awe. “This is a little embarrassing…” Dess thought as she caught Asriel’s pure stare from the corner of her eye.

Dess’s thumb sparked her lighter, and she held it up to her face. “I want you to pay attention to the end right here." She pointed at the tip of the cone. "When it’s glowing orange- that’s how you know you’re pulling in smoke. You don’t wanna pull in for really long, or you’ll start coughing like a sick toddler.” Asriel nodded, focusing intently on the joint. Dess lit it up, placing her lips gently on the end of the cone and breathing in a small puff. “L-like that…” She said with a cracking voice- a great undertaking not to begin coughing.

Asriel’s first draw of smoke had less success, with regards to not coughing. Asriel banged on his chest hard as he coughed violently. His throat and lungs burned harshly, and saliva continually pooled in his mouth- him having to spit several times into the underbrush. “F-Fudge…”

Dess snickered at the way Asriel censored himself. “Sorry, I know it’s harsh. Here.” She handed him a bottle of water, which he graciously took and began guzzling. “Hand it here, we don’t wanna let it go out.” Asriel handed her the bottle before realizing she was talking about the joint. Dess took a few more puffs. Naturally, she had a greater tolerance than a beginner like Asriel possibly could, so she knew that the onus was on her to smoke most of the joint. She ended up having roughly 70% of it, Asriel ended up having 20% of it, and the last 10% went to waste as they put it out in the damp grass.

…

It didn’t take long for Asriel to start feeling the effects. Although his throat was still irritated, Asriel felt a pleasant pressure just behind his eyes, and his lips turned up in a smile. “Hehehe… That tickles, kinda…” Every sensation felt funny, somehow. The crunching of twigs beneath his feet made his legs twitch, and the chirping of birds made his smile widen. “C’mon, dude…” Dess grabbed Asriel by his sleeve, dragging him out of the woods. Asriel started giggling at everything- and at nothing- as Dess brought him back towards the house. It was hard to keep her composure, since Asriel's dumb laughter made her have to stop and laugh herself, several times before they finally made it back to the house. She led him into her room, where she sat him atop her bed and went to her closet. Dess returned with a yellow and green striped sweater, as well as a pair of brown khaki pants. “Get changed, ‘n I’ll run a wash load.”

Dess passed the clothes off to Asriel, who stared at them for a solid 10 seconds before realizing they were his own clothes. Air puffed out of his nose as he chuckled at the realization. Without really thinking about the fact that Dess was right in front of him, Asriel began lifting his shirt off. “W-wait, sorry…” Dess ran out of the room, shutting the door behind him. She breathed heavily, wondering if her heart would stop racing before Asriel had finished changing clothes. While she wanted to stay and watch the show, she couldn’t trust herself not to pounce on him.

Time moved both slowly and incredibly fast for them- they had both completely lost their perception of time. Dess waited for what could have been anywhere from 15 seconds to 15 minutes, and Asriel finally opened her door, dressed in the spare clothes. “Alright, trade places.” Dess brushed past Asriel and stepped into her room. She noticed that Asriel had not yet left. “What, ya wanna watch me get changed after all? Fahaha...”

Asriel blinked and stared at her. “…Yeah, you’re like super hot?” He realized with a start that he had said that out loud. Asriel blushed and looked away, quickly understanding that making eye contact was extra difficult while high, especially in awkward situations like they'd both found themselves in.

Dess’s heart felt like it stopped. “Wh-what’re you saying?” She had only been teasing him. This response was completely unexpected.

“S-sorry, I’ll step outside…” Asriel turned to face away from Dess, but he was stopped when her arms wrapped around him.

“…It’s... It's okay, dude. I…” She took a shaky breath. “I don’t mind you seeing… If you really wanna, but…” She put her chin on his shoulder and squeezed him tighter. “We… shouldn’t do… Y’know… Anything… Not right now, not today… Not while high.” Asriel placed his hands over Dess’s arms, and he gulped hard. “I’m gonna get changed now. If… If you wanna stay, then…” Dess’s voice trailed off. “Angel, how do I even say this? How do I tell him that I actually WANT to get undressed in front of him??”

Dess slowly disentangled herself from Asriel, and he turned to face her. “Fahaha… This is more embarrassing than I expected… I guess it’s what I get for teasing you all the time, huh?” Dess thought aloud as her hands trembled, gripping the hem of her shirt. Asriel’s eyes were transfixed on her midriff, just barely poking out beneath her shirt. “Fuck it.” Dess closed her eyes and bit the bullet. She thrust her arms over her head, bringing her shirt with them, before tossing it to the floor. Her eyes slowly met Asriel’s, though he wasn’t staring at her face. Ever since Dess convinced her mother to allow them to use the ice-skating rink in the backyard as a pool during the summer, Asriel had seen Dess in her swimsuit many times. It wasn’t like he was seeing anything especially different from that, but it certainly felt different for the both of them. “Sh-sheesh, creepy much?” Dess reflexively put a hand over her chest. She had a bra on, but she still felt entirely exposed with him looking at her like that.

Asriel blinked and shook his head. “S-sorry…” He blushed, putting a hand over his mouth. “You’re beautiful…” Dess’s heart threatened to leap out of her chest. “Fuck. Why does he look like he’s about to cry?... Angel... I want to kiss him... I want to....” She bit her upper lip. Asriel’s face was bright red, and tears nipped at the corners of his eyes. These were not tears of sadness, or embarrassment- but the same tears someone might let fall after seeing a gorgeous sunset over lush green mountains. She was so beautiful in his eyes that it physically hurt to stare at her for too long. She was as beautiful and radiant as the sun.

“I’m… I’m sorry I’m, like… Such a prude.” Asriel’s voice was soft. “Dess, I…” His own hands shifted towards the hem of his sweater. “Oh, Angel.” She wasn’t ready for it. He pulled his sweater over his head, letting himself be just as exposed as she became for him. Dess’s eyes widened, and she felt her hands gravitating towards the fluffy white expanse. It wasn’t incredibly obvious due to his thick coat of fur, but Asriel’s body was well-built. His shoulders were broad, and his torso tapered down slightly at the waist. As his body moved, she could see bulging muscles rippling beneath his fur. She wanted to touch him. She really wanted to touch him. She needed to touch him. Dess shook these impure thoughts out of her head as she saw him crossing his arms over his lower abdomen. Dess snapped back to reality. “It’s only fair…”

The two stood in silence for some time, both of them struggling not to embrace like this- shirtless. However, Dess would never forgive herself if she let her and Asriel’s ‘first time,’ be when they were both high- especially since Asriel was considerably more out of it than she was, having little to no tolerance for THC. If she took that leap- even if it was Asriel taking that leap and her simply going along with it- things would never be the same between them. Dess was okay with waiting for a while longer.

After kicking him out of her room, Dess finished undressing and putting on a fresh pair of clothes. With two sets of skunk-scented clothes, Dess started a load of laundry. She set an alarm for 5:00, and the two lazed around on the sofa. “Dang… This is the best food I’ve ever eaten…” Dess had brought snacks out of the pantry for them to share, and Asriel wasted no time stuffing his face with dry cereal. Between having cottonmouth and struggling not to laugh at every little thing, Asriel almost choked on his cereal, and Dess had to sprint to get them more water.

…

“Yes, this is Toriel speaking.”

“Ms. Toriel, Azzy ‘n I ‘re at QC’s. He got hungry after practice, ‘n we decided to go out on a date.” Dess had decided to make the phone call herself, being much more used to interacting with people while high. It helped that she was slightly more sober than him, as well.

“How wonderful, dear! Don’t stay out late, though. I expect him home within the next two hours, is that understood?”

“Y-yes, ma’am…” Dess breathed a sigh of relief. “Phew… Without a hitch…”

Dess and Asriel spent the next hour and a half on the sofa, eating snacks and vegging out. When the time came for Dess to take Asriel home, he was almost back to being completely sober. His eyes were no longer red, but his head still felt a little hazy- something he could chalk up to being tired from practice, if his mother somehow noticed. He was also too full for Toriel’s cooking- something he could chalk up to filling up at QC’s. Dess walked him home and picked up Noelle. “Thank you for taking care of my sister, Ms. Toriel.”

“Not at all, December. You girls sleep well, and do give us a call if you need anything while your parents are still out of town.” Toriel waved at the girls, and they were off.

Asriel wasted no time getting a shower and running to bed. He wanted to minimize the risk of anyone noticing that anything was different about him. He was able to avoid suspicion from either of his parents- though it was a miracle that Asgore didn’t notice anything was off, being a police officer and such. Asriel laid on his back, breathing a sigh of relief. His peace and quiet did not last long. “What were you two doing?” He opened one eye, looking over to Kris. “I know you skipped crosscountry. Tell me or I’ll tell mom.”

Asriel sat up in bed, staring daggers at his younger sibling. “I did NOT.”

“Noelle told me.”

“Dang it, Noelle…” Asriel muttered under his breath. He ran a hand through the fur on top of his head, smoothing it down, trying to calm himself at the same time.

“I lied. But now I know for real.” Kris crossed their arms over their chest smugly. A coy smile was the only feature visible on their face- the face that Asriel wanted to smack for teasing him like this.

Asriel’s fists clenched in frustration. He hadn’t been prepared for Kris’s brilliant deduction and therefore had not yet come up with any sort of explanation. He was terrible at lying, after all. All of a sudden, an idea popped into Asriel’s head, and he snickered. “You reeaallly wanna know?” He leaned forward. Something about his tone put Kris off. “Well, you know, when teenagers like each other a whoooole lot…”

Kris put their pillow over their ears. “Nevermind! I don’t wanna know! Shut up!” They rolled onto their side, away from Asriel. “Gross!”

Asriel ran to their side of the room and snatched the pillow away. “What’s the matter, Kris? Don’tcha wanna know how Dess ‘n I took our shirts off, and- OOMPH!” Asriel doubled over, his hands between his thighs after Kris threw a well-placed punch right where it hurt the most. “You... Little…” His voice squeaked out.

“That’s gross! Keep your dirty mouth closed!” Kris snatched their pillow back from Asriel's trembling hands and laid down. Even though Asriel was deeply irritated by getting punched in no-man’s-land, he still owed Kris his good graces for not snitching on him to their parents. Asriel settled on the edge of Kris’s bed. “Go away. I wanna sleep.” Their face was burning bright red, and Asriel decided to leave them be. He'd get them back for this, one day, but the topic clearly bothered Kris, so he chose to drop it for the time being.

…

Noelle, on the other hand, was far more curious about what the two older kids did while on their ‘secret date.’

“Did you two kiss? Like, a lot? Did you…” Noelle lowered her voice. “F-French kiss?” Dess burst into laughter, and Noelle’s nose glowed, irritated about the perceived mocking guffaws. “Stop laughing!”

Dess wiped her eye, one hand over her stomach as she nursed her aching side. “Phew… Sorry, Noelle. You’re just adorable, is all…” She rubbed the back of her head. “Yeah, we did kiss, a little.”

“I knew it!” If their parents were home, Dess would have slapped her hand over Noelle’s mouth and nose- both were incredibly loud right now. “Dessy and Azzy sittin’ in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!”

“Angel, you’re such a-” Dess scoffed and brushed her bangs. “Yes, we were kissing! It’s normal for teenagers to… Ugh…” She rolled her eyes and stormed up the stairs, Noelle hot on her tail.

“Is Azzy a good kisser?” Dess had to remind herself over and over again that Noelle was simply curious, and that she wasn’t teasing her with these inquiries.

“…Yeah, he is. But I’m better.” She looked over to the piece of paper on her desk, a giddy smile taking over her irritated expression. “41 to 18...”

“Wow…” Noelle rocked on her feet. “Hey, sis, how did your preh-zen-tay-shun go today?” Noelle struggled to recall the pronunciation.

“It totally ruled- we got an A! Hey, how about we go downstairs and I can show you the song Azzy ‘n I made together? You'll sing, obviously.” Noelle giggled and nodded her head, and the sisters bounded downstairs, where they sang and played the guitar and tambourine, respectively, until Noelle got too sleepy to continue. After Noelle turned in, Dess went up to her room, where she fished out Asriel’s retainer. An hour later, Dess took a shower and hit the hay.

Notes:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!! I hope the whole presentation part wasn't super cringe, I thought it turned out pretty okay!

Some things I wanted to include that didn't really fit in the chapter:
1. Gerson was an easy grader. If students seemed like they tried hard, he was always generous with points. Catty's and Bratty's presentation was among the lowest grades he'd ever given, down there with Undyne's final exam grade on her 10th grade year.
2.Although they completely fumbled with the execution, Catty and Bratty both agreed that their project should be about hair care products.
3. Pants and Blue Ears made their project about different ways to make money as a high schooler. Pants decided this alone, and Blue Ears went along with it, content as long as Pants was happy. They also received A's.
4. Mr. Boom is the only one who calls Blue Ears by his actual name.
5. Kris wanted to tease Asriel, but they're actually just as shy about romance as Asriel was as a young boy. It also bothers Kris to hear about Asriel taking his clothes off, since they have their own insecurities about being seen shirtless. Asriel is usually more perceptive to that, but he was still a little high.
6. Some more famous monster bands/artists: 'System of a Hound,' 'Squirrel Jam,' 'David Bowwow,' 'Red Hot Chicken Poppers,' and 'The Rolling Bones' (The latter band is not comprised of skeletons, skeletons aren't the same as monsters. They're Canid monsters, same as System of a Hound and David Bowwow)
7. Some human bands that are famous even for monsters: 'Black Sabbath,' 'Nirvana,' 'Elvis Presley,' and 'KISS'
8. Asriel's favorite genre of music is Religious Ska, but he's grown to deeply appreciate Rock and Roll ever since he and Dess began to meaningfully hangout (since 11 or 12). He knows Coldplay isn't rock, but it's still his favorite human band. His favorite song by them is Yellow.
9. Kris originally didn't mind Coldplay, but once they learned it was human music, they can't stand to listen to it, and have a visceral reaction any time they hear it.
10. It was a common misconception for years that Ozzy Osbourne (RIP) was a monster, which led to him and Black Sabbath having larger monster fanbases than human fanbases. This was also a (quickly disproven) misconception for many about AC/DC.
11. Toriel does not police the music that Asriel listens to, but she does voice her disapproval of songs that are overly-violent/explicit/go against the Church's teachings. She does this discreetly, when Dess isn't over, much to Asriel's chagrin.

Chapter 13: Twelfth Grade I- Could You Leave it all Behind?

Notes:

A bit of a shorter chapter. I've been pretty sick lately (unrelated to writing so much), but I also have a great idea of what I want to do for the next chapter, so this seemed like a good stopping place.

It was a cold, windy, and rainy November.

Undyne straightened her police cap and stared up at the clouds, watching them be pushed faster than something so big should even be able to move. She let herself get lost, staring up at the sky. The clouds, the rain, the treetops, the roofs of buildings. Looking anywhere else was preferable to staring at the cold earth in front of her, right here, right now. Undyne didn’t turn to face towards the footsteps approaching her. She didn’t have to turn around to know who they were- the cool, collected voice and the sniveling whiney voice told her everything she needed to know.

“Heya, Dreemurr, Holiday...” Undyne’s voice was hoarse. The bitter cold rain that washed over her scales and drenched her police uniform hid the fact that the dam had just broken, not all that long ago. “…What’s tha matter, kids?” She asked it like she was offering comfort, like she wasn't on the verge of bursting into tears again. She slowly looked away from the clouds and faced the teenagers. Asriel was holding an umbrella, clutching a bouquet of flowers to his chest with a hand that would not- or could not stop shaking. Dess was staring at the earth- at her hooves. Her expression was vacant- the type of emptiness that someone who represses their emotions puts on as a front. It was a look that Undyne knew all too well. Both Undyne and Dess were too proud to cry in front of others. The rain clouds were a lot more comforting than these teenagers’ faces, tempting Undyne to look away, to look back towards the sky. Asriel and Dess were both dry, having been under an umbrella, only the shoulders on the outside getting rained on. Asriel’s eyes didn’t need the rain to be wet right now.

The rain clouds were more comforting than that grave marker, that chiseled hammer-shape that reminded everyone that he was gone- for good. She really wanted to look back towards the sky. “…Thanks fer comin’…” Undyne said as she stuffed her hands into her pockets.

Asriel got onto his knees, not caring that his pants were getting wet, not caring that he was out of the umbrella's protection as he lurched forward and sobbed. “Mr. B-Boom…” His lower lip quivered as he struggled to spit the words out. “…Thank you, for everything, sir… You were the greatest teacher… The greatest author…” Asriel choked out a sob and coughed into his hand. Asriel had never confronted death before. He had never considered that, one day, he might never see a person again, that they would suddenly cease to exist to the world around them, existing only as a memory and a pile of dust. He had never considered that, one day, the status quo might be turned on its head, all because of something as natural as time passing. Monsters were, in general, very long-lived. Without getting into serious accidents, monsters could grow to be ancient- sickness was scarcely a problem for monsterkind, and being magical creatures, monsters aged very gracefully. Gerson Boom had been proof of that. He lived until the ripe old age of 114, with only the loss of one eye and some difficulty walking to show for it before he turned to dust. His wife is a living testament to monsterkind's longevity- being two years older than even he was. “…I still remember reading Lord of the Hammer for the first time… Heh.” Asriel wiped his eyes and nose, brushing some rain-diluted tears away. “…I thought, for a long time… That it was just some coincidence. That there was a ‘Gerson Boom’ from a long time ago that wrote it, and you happened to be named after him. I remember gushing to you about the characters, about the writing, not even realizing I was talking to the author… Mr. Boom… I’ll pray for you…” Asriel put his hands together and shut his eyes. Two more hot tears leaked out as his eyelids pressed together, but his breathing steadied and the sniffles stopped. After a couple of moments, Asriel opened his eyes. “Amen…” He set the bouquet in front of the tombstone and stood back up, taking the umbrella from Dess.

Asriel held the umbrella over Dess as she also got onto her knees. She pulled a flower out of her jacket pocket and spun it in front of her face, examining the yellow petals. “Mr. Boom…” Her voice sounded empty as she considered the green of the stem, thinking of his scaly old face. “I only knew you for two years, but…” The emotions came quickly, and her voice rapidly shifted from hollow to brimming with sadness. Dess, who was so good at hiding her emotions, was now choking words out between unexpected sobs. “…Thank you, for telling me to pursue my dreams…” Dess gingerly placed her own flower atop Asriel’s bouquet. The rain beat down on it, and it didn’t take long for the flower to become completely unrecognizable from the one she’d picked out from the store. The water that would otherwise invigorate it smashed against it, leaving it battered and beaten. Dess gripped the knees of her pants and squeezed, a ripping sound warning her that her mother would have something to say about 'taking care of her clothes,' later in the night. “You were…” Dess closed her eyes. Visions of her teacher flashed across her mind. Playfully joking about assignments, helping encourage her to pursue her dreams, teaching her how to play the banjo, bringing her and all of her other classmates their favorite foods on their birthdays and holidays, looking the other way when Dess did something stupid because he knew the fact that he'd witnessed it was enough to straighten her up. Memories of the sage advice he’d given her- and to people who had, in turn given to her, like Undyne, Asgore, Toriel, Mom, Dad... That flower, which fell apart and under the heavy rain, in the cruel exposure to the elements- he could sit that flower down and talk to it, and it would look as bright and cheerful as if it were the middle of Spring. Dess keeled forward, an embarrassing amount of snot getting on her shirt as the sobs came all at once. “You were p-pretty cool, old man…”

Dess stood up and huddled closer under the umbrella, rejoining Asriel and huddling close. Meanwhile, Undyne let the rain wash down her face, continuing to hide her emotions. She had never felt so grateful to be a fish monster as she did right now- even this chilly water felt comfortable over her scales. After a moment of silence, she turned on her heel and left the children to mourn together. It didn’t take her very long to end up at the Church. “...Good afternoon, Officer Undyne…” Father Alvin was the only one inside, closing a copy of The Scripture to face her. “Would you care to join me for some fresh juice?”

Undyne sat down hard on a pew and nodded. The fact that she was soaking wet bothered neither her nor Alvin. He quietly stood up and retrieved a paper cup, scooping red juice into it with a ladle. Undyne crushed the cup without meaning to, and juice spilled onto the floor. Her body shook without her meaning to, and her police badge jingled on her chest. Her voice escaped without her meaning to let it, and hoarse gasps echoed across the walls. Fresh tears poured down her face without her meaning for them to, leaving more water stains on the wooden floor. Undyne broke down completely, sobbing loudly, fresh tears joining the puddle of rainwater and juice on the ground.

Alvin gently pat Undyne on the shoulder as she nestled her face against the back of the pew in front of her and cried her heart out. The Undyne that never met him would have trashed this Church before letting a single tear roll down her cheek- in the presence of someone else. The Undyne that had never met him would probably be in jail, jobless, homeless, or worse. This was not that Undyne. This was the Undyne that had known him for practically her entire life- the Undyne that was like a granddaughter to him, and he her grandfather. “Old man… Thanks fer everythin’…” This was the Undyne that missed him the most.

…

They didn’t like spending time at home very much, lately. Even though their clothes were soaked, even though they were putting themselves at- albeit mild- risk of catching cold, they could not bring themselves to step foot in either of their houses at the moment. Instead, they snuck around the gate to the Holidays’ property and settled into their spot in the trees. They’d done just a little bit of work on it ever since their first time smoking together, though not very much. A tarp that was suspended between two trees was the only cover they had from the rain, and it was hardly effective against the nearly-sideways precipitation they got in this torrential downpour. The fire pit they had dug out was full of mud and offered no possibility of catching fire- of providing warmth to the shivering kids. Even the lawn chairs that Asriel had snuck over were soaking wet as they nestled into them.

“No, thanks.” Asriel said, putting his hand up as Dess offered him a cigarette. “The race is next week, and I’d rather not get addicted to cigarettes.”

“Fahaha…” Dess’s laughter was dry as she took one out for herself. Her lighter was wet, but it would manage. Dess shut her eyes tightly as the smoke wafted directly into them. “Son of a…” She rubbed her stinging eyes and held the cigarette away from her face. Dess sighed and let her arms and legs go limp. Asriel watched her for a moment before looking away. Dess noticed, and she went back to attention, straightening herself up and staring at him. “Got something to say?” Asriel shook his head before resting it in his hands. “…Y’know, when you curl up like a baby, it really isn’t convincing…”

Asriel sighed, still looking into his lap, still not facing her. “Are we… Cowards?”

Dess scoffed and puffed her cigarette. “Faha, maybe you are, Azzy. I’m actually pretty freakin' tough.” She jabbed a finger at her chest and let it puff up with false pride. Asriel stole a glance at her from his peripheral vision. Dess’s chest deflated like his eyes pointed gaze had physically pierced through her. “…I dunno... Maybe we are…”

Dess and Asriel loitered in the woods, playing pretend that everything was okay. Meanwhile, their younger siblings, no older than 12- with Kris only being 11- waited in the exact homes that the older kids were escaping from. Noelle maybe didn’t have it so bad, being Carol’s clear favorite between the two of her daughters. Noelle was an achiever, while Dess was an underachiever. Noelle got good grades and planned to go to university, while Dess made mediocre grades and planned to make music for a living. Noelle was a talented singer, and Dess would rather rip her own antlers off than be heard singing. Dess’s heart ached. “…Angel… Am I running away from Mom, or…” She shook the thoughts out of her head. “…No. I love Noelle. I love Noelle more than anything else in the world. It’s not right for me to abandon her like this… When Dad's so sick…”

Dess sniffled hard. Her cigarette had extinguished, being blown out by the chilly wind while Dess was nursing herself rather than it. “Why do things always get worse before they get better?...” Dess asked bitterly. It was a rhetorical question, and she didn’t actually expect Asriel to reply. But the realization of what she had asked- and the person she had asked it to- made Dess’s mouth turn downwards, not even able to smile cynically. “Sorry, Azzy…” She muttered as she relit her cigarette and brought it to her lips. “…I guess I’m preaching to the choir right now, ain’t I? Faha…”

“Don’t.” His voice was sharp, sharper than Dess had been used to. “Don’t pretend like your problems don’t exist just ‘cause I also have problems… Don’t trivialize them, Dess. Your pain, your sadness… They’re not just gonna disappear with a half-assed pun and a ‘fahaha.’” He was staring at her now. “And don’t be sorry…” He grit his teeth together and crossed his arms over his chest.

Dess and Asriel sat in silence, the only sound between them the rustling of Dess’s leather jacket as she brought her cigarette to her mouth. Life had never seemed worse for these two. Carol tried to police Dess’s life and future, and Rudy had fallen ill, too sick to even raise his voice in defense of his eldest daughter. Toriel and Asgore were fighting constantly, worse than ever- and Kris was old enough to understand what was going on. High school was almost over, and their final semester would be hastily thrown together by a last-minute substitute with little actual experience.

Asriel would be leaving Home Town in the summer.

“What? I thought you didn’t want to get addicted before your stupid race…” Dess said in a mocking voice as Asriel held a hand out, expectantly. She shook her head and knocked the carton, freeing a single cigarette and passing it to him.

Asriel leaned back in the lawn chair and stared up at the tarp above him. It blew in the wind and jostled under the heavy rainfall, in ways that seemed almost hypnotic to him. It was a welcome distraction from his thoughts. His thoughts of leaving in the summer. Leaving Kris, Mom, Dad, Pants, Blue Ears, good memories, bad memories, everything ALL behind, packing up things and heading to one of the eight universities that had accepted him. He reached his arm out and took Dess’s hand. “Well… I’m not leaving EVERYTHING behind…”

“Y’know… I’ve thought about just… Taking Noelle with me. And we could take Kris, too.” Dess said as she gripped Asriel’s hand. A subtle smile crept onto his lips, and he wondered if she could read his mind. But they were both thinking it, all day, every day, even if they weren't always talking about it. “...We could find a place with two bedrooms, ‘n you and me can take the living room. There'll be schools, better schools than the shitty one we got over here, and Kris and Noelle could go. We can both work to cover rent and whatever else... You can study, and I can keep practicing music...”

Asriel took the cigarette off of his lips and let a chuckle escape. “…That probably wouldn’t work. One- or both- of us would definitely get arrested for kidnapping, even if Kris 'n Noelle were totally cool with it.” He closed his eyes. “…Personally, I don’t wanna be on the receiving end of an ass-kicking from Undyne.”

Dess chortled and pushed the bangs out of her face. “...Hey, Azzy. Is this really something we can do? Can we really just… Up and leave?” Asriel’s smile fell. Did he want to leave this town behind? While he lived and breathed in this suffocating town, his mind was filled with bittersweet memories. When he walked past QC’s, all he could think about was walking there his parents, each holding one of his hands as they went in to get raspberry waffles, as a happy and loving family. When he passed by the lake, he thought of what fun they would all have together at the Police Picnic, or going swimming during the summer. When he passed his mom in school, he reminisced on how she didn’t used to look so bitter and angry all the time- how she never used to try and say things about Asgore behind his back to build a rift between him and their children. When he saw his father in his police uniform, he thought back to how it used to look neater and tidier- and less disheveled and dirty- back when mom used to clean and iron it for him. Back when things were better.

Even now, he knew he'd have bittersweet memories any time he'd go to class from now on, thinking of Mr. Boom’s gruff but warm voice, always having something insightful or interesting to say.

He wanted to get out of this place- needed to.

But when he thought about leaving this town behind, everything felt so nostalgic that he wanted to cry. Riding the Ferris Wheel or smoking with Dess, cuddling with Kris even though they would pretend like they’re too old to want or enjoy physical affection, Noelle holding up cute drawings for him or Dess or Kris to hang on the wall, everyone playing music together, going to class and seeing people he loved and who loved him, going to parties and doing stupid things together... He already missed everyone and everything in this town, and he hadn’t even left for university yet.

But he couldn't stay.

“…It’s something we’re gonna have to do.” He offered with a sigh. His hand squeezed Dess’s. “…I really don’t wanna leave, Dess. Did you know that Kris hasn’t talked to me since… Since I told ‘em? About us leaving, in the summer? Angel, that was an awful evening. I’ve never… I’ve almost never seen them get so hysterical. I don’t know if they’ll ever forgive me…”

Dess snorted. “You know that Kris’ll forgive you. ‘Distance makes the heart grow fonder.’” Asriel rolled his eyes at the cheesy line. “C'mon, Azzy. Kris loves you more than they love chocolate- and that's sayin' something. Plus, you’ve got a phone, and Kris’s old enough to get one. It’ll be like you never left.”

He shook his head and huffed air out of his nostrils, chuckling slightly. “What would I ever do without you?” He was only half joking- he genuinely appreciated the advice, even if it was a little-on-the nose and obvious. He knew in his heart of hearts that Kris would never hate him, not that it made it hurt any less for either of them. Dess was right, though. He could just call Kris.

“You’d be dead, probably. Or worse- you might’ve wound up dating Bratty or Catty, fahaha!” Dess started laughing before she could even finish her thought.

Asriel shook his head. “…Nah. I think that… If somehow, we never met… I just would’ve never fallen in love with anyone…” The damp fur was slick over their faces, but a slight pink could be seen from underneath.

Dess gave a knowing smirk and squeezed his hand tighter- almost to the point where it hurt. "Fuck, I love you so much..." Dess was on the verge of crying, her heart felt so full at a time in her life where it normally felt so empty. Suddenly, a sinister idea popped into her head. “Really? Even if someone dared you to date ‘em?”

“Dess, I-”

“Hey, how about we play ‘truth or dare’ right now?” Asriel wanted to free his hand, fearing the worst, but Dess held on tightly. She still wasn’t over the events of that night a few months back, even though Bratty was the one who’d kissed him and claimed the opposite was true. “Go ahead, you can start.”

“D-Dess…” He stared into her eyes, but she was only looking at him, waiting for an answer. Her persistent gaze swayed him, and he knew that this wasn't something he could get out of. When he weighed his options, he intuitively understood that ‘dare,’ meant ‘death,’ whenever Dess was playing. One time, Dess dared Pants to play chicken with traffic. Even though it was moving pretty slowly, he still managed to almost get hit. Another time, she dared Catty to say one nice thing about Bratty. That dare had resulted in a hair-pulling slap-fight. She even once dared Kris to try a cigarette, which Asriel had ripped into pieces before they could even reach for it. According to her, it was just a joke, but Asriel was still wary about her intentions. He and Blue Ears seemed to be the only ones wise enough not to accept a dare from Dess- disregarding Noelle, who. Dess had never once given a mean dare to. “…Truth, I guess.”

“Alright. Tell me the truth, then…” She raised an eyebrow. “Who’s a better kisser? Me, or that ugly, green, scaley, nasty-” She continued to list insults, throwing in some vile words that Asriel had never heard come from Dess’s mouth.

“Y-you, obviously. Dude, you were there- you saw her tackle me.”

“You leaned into it.” She crossed her arms and pouted.

Asriel frowned. “I did not, Dess.”

Dess glanced at Asriel’s unhappy expression and couldn’t hold her laughter in any longer, it bubbling out all at once. “Fahaha! Sorry, dude, I’m just fuckin’ with ya. I know you didn’t do it, though I do wish you woulda let me knock a few of her teeth out…” Dess cracked her knuckles, and Asriel’s shoulders relaxed. He brought the cigarette back to his lips. “...Alright, alright. Ask me now.”

“Truth or dare.”

“Dare.”

Asriel’s hadn’t really given any thought to what he would say one way or the other. He paused to mull it over, rubbing his chin in deep contemplation. Right away, an idea popped into his head. “…How about... Uhhh... Wanna... Go to the dance, with me?” He was shyly rubbing the back of his neck.

The school- the only school in Home Town, was about the smallest a school could be. The most students it had ever had at one time was 62, and that was many years ago, before Asriel or Dess had been born. To say that it didn’t have enough people- much less middle or high schoolers- to organize a team sport was an understatement. However, sports that highlighted the individual rather than the concerted effort of a team were prevalent at this school. Sports like weightlifting, bowling, golf, tennis, track, and crosscountry were all options that students could pick at the start of the semester, each semester- unless it was seasonal. As long as 3 or more students voted on the sport, the school would officially recognize the team as having been organized- though any students were free to use the facilities for recreation. Although Asriel hadn’t voted for it on his first year, crosscountry was the only sport that had enough votes to form a club, so he ended up joining it and falling in love with it. Two years later, he was the star of the crosscountry club- again, the only sport that was officially organized this semester.

At the end of each season of a sport, the school holds a Homecoming Dance, in honor of whichever sport-or sports- they were able to form that year. Really, it was just an excuse for the students to pretend they’re in a normal high school- and not a school that had less attendees than the local Church.

Dess glanced at Asriel. “Not really…” Dess had never gone to any of the dances- not Homecoming, not the Winter Ball, not the Gala, not even Prom. Asriel had asked her every time, but she had always said no, so he’d end up skipping too, despite his mother’s protests. They usually ended up in their spot in the trees, on the Holidays’ property, smoking together until the dance was over. “…But sure.” Asriel’s eyes widened. She put out the cigarette and stomped a hoof on it, grinding it into the damp earth. “It’s a dare, after all!”

“Y-you don’t have to, I can think of another dare, dude.”

Dess shook her head. “Nah…” She stayed standing, watching the rain fall in front of her. “School’s almost over. It feels wrong not to go, at least once. Especially when, y’know, you’re the star runner.” Her smile made the cold not sting so harshly as the wind blew through his soaked fur. He wondered what she’d wear- if she’d even wear a dress, or if she’d show up in a bomber jacket and ripped jeans- her normal attire. "Angel, she's so beautiful..." His heart skipped a beat as he pictured the scene. “Angel…” Asriel was suddenly very excited for it to be Friday.

…

The Homecoming race and subsequent dance took place near the middle of November, just as cold and windy and rainy as it had been earlier in the week. Each year, the whole town had to accommodate the racers, roads being closed with police barricades and cones. The route they took had to be almost exactly 15 kilometers, so they actually had to run quite a bit away from the town, nearly running through Ebott City on their loop. However, everyone in town was supportive- not a single soul felt inconvenienced by the race or the racers. Adults and elderly alike admired the runners’ youthful energy, and young children looked up to them like they were celebrities. In a town as small as this one, they might as well have been.

On the day of the race, students from several of the other nearby high schools showed up to Home Town. There were some runners he recognized from past races- winners or medalists, if he recalled correctly. There was an avian monster with extremely long legs and black and white feathers- she had won silver medal at the last race he went to. There was also a feline monster with golden fur and spots- Asriel recognized him from track and field. He recognized a few other flashes in the pan, who had won 3rd place once or twice, but he didn't know many of them well enough to remember their names.

Asriel got the sense that his opponents looked down on Home Town because it was so small, but he didn’t have to wonder what they thought of him. “Azzy, I thought that was you!” The bird girl, Laink, said as she punched him playfully on the shoulder. “Hey, just so you know, when you win this race it’s only ‘cause ya got homefield advantage.”

“Hey, don’t count me out! I’ve gotten better at long distance running lately!” Chester, the feline monster said indignantly. “How’re you doin', boss?” He hi-fived Asriel, who greeted both of his rivals with a brilliant smile. Asriel was a star at crosscountry, but Chester was a star at track. He had no illusions about winning this race, or even placing, but he still wanted to come out and see his friends- and rivals. After all, he and Asriel had gotten quite friendly- having raced each other in the 1600m for the past 2 and a half years.

“Never been better. Totally slept a full 8 hours last night.” Asriel shivered and rubbed his shoulders. It was drizzling, just enough that some water began to wick to his fur and make the morning breeze cut through his defenses like a hot knife to butter. “…Totally not worried I’ll freeze to death- or slip and bust my ass.” They all shared a laugh.

The runners mingled for a while, catching up and discussing their plans for the future. Asriel was happy to hear that they had both been accepted into universities, on scholarship, just as he had. They chatted for a while. “Welp, I’ve gotta get to my spot. See ya at the podium.” Laink waved a feathered hand at the two and walked off. It was almost time to start. Chester also waved goodbye, jogging over to the far end of the starting line, nearly opposite to Asriel's starting spot.. Asriel meandered for another bit, walking around and looking to see if he noticed anyone in the crowd. “Guess they’re waiting for me further down the course…” He thought, kicking some gravel. Mom, Dad, Kris, Noelle, Blue Ears, Pants, Berdly, Dess. Nobody was here, that he could see. He shrugged it off. At the very least, he knew he could rely on Kris and Dess to show up, even if it wasn't at the starting line. Today was looking like it would be pretty exciting.

With a sharp ‘POP,’ a gun was fired into the air, and the race had started. It didn’t take Chester long to pull ahead, edging a little ahead of Asriel. Laink wasn’t far behind, either. Asriel smiled and enjoyed the feeling of wind in his hair. Asriel Dreemurr's last race on the crosscountry team would be a fun one. Today would be a fun day.

Notes:

Are you ready?

...

Some things I wanted to include in the chapter that didn't make it:
1. Crosscountry is a fall sport while Track & Field are a spring sport. Asriel participates in the races in track, but he's better at long distance than he is at short bursts of speed, so he only has a few trophies and medals from track.
2. For 1600m races where both Asriel and Chester participated in, Asriel has won the gold medal 4 times, and Chester has won 6 times. When one wins, the other places second, in the 1600m. They have a lot of respect for each other despite being rivals. Dess dislikes Laink because she's worried Asriel will fall for her, not realizing that Laink already has a partner.
3. As of the events of Deltarune, Gerson Boom's wife- and Father Alvin's mother- is 120 years old.
4.Asriel is 100% telling the truth, Bratty was drunk and went in for the kiss before he could say no to her dare. Dess slapped her hard for that one, and Asriel had to hold her back before it escalated to an arrestable offense.
5. Asriel had been accepted into eight universities, all on scholarship. The plan was currently, he'd continue waiting to hear back from his first choice, but he'd been accepted by his second choice- either of which, he'd continue his track and crosscountry careers there, and maybe try different sports too.
6. Blue Ears only hasn't said 'dare' for Dess because he's pretty frightened of her, even though she hasn't explicitly done anything awful to him (on purpose). Blue Ears is, in general, scared of women, and Dess is an especially scary woman.
7. Kris REALLY doesn't want Asriel to leave. Before they accepted that Asriel had made up his mind, they tried wrapping around his legs like a sloth, blocking the door, and- of course- screaming and crying. After a lengthy and tearful conversation, Kris knew they couldn't change his mind.

Chapter 14: Twelfth Grade II- Homecoming

Notes:

This is my longest chapter of any fic. It took a long time to make, since I'm still pretty sick. I hope you enjoy reading, and I hope the word count isn't suffocating.

“So this is the route, huh?…” Dess examined the map with scrutiny, narrowing her eyes and staring closely. “Uh… Neat, I guess? Where’re you planning on sitting?” Kris silently pointed at a spot on the map, and Dess nodded her head. “Pfft, really? You know Azzy’s gonna be all butthurt for most of the race, thinkin’ ya didn’t show up!”

Kris snatched the map back, not caring that it creased and crumbled between their fingers. “If Azzy cares so much about me not being there, then he wouldn’t be leaving.” Their voice was bitter- more bitter than Dess had ever heard them. So much resentment and frustration was packed into such a tiny body- it was actually a little impressive to Dess.

She fidgeted uncomfortably, playing with the buttons on her jacket. “Can I… How about I wait with you, Kris?” She was unsure how they'd take the question- they seemed irked, like they may want to be left alone. They stared daggers at her, but the cold steel of daggers liquefied into tears as Kris moved to cover their face. They nodded while concealing their eyes beneath their sweater sleeve, and Dess walked with them towards the designated spot, holding their hand along the way.

“Can you tell Azzy not to leave?”

Dess could not meet Kris’s eyes. She wondered if they blamed her for Asriel’s leaving, but she didn’t ask. “…No, Kris.” They huffed and crossed their arms. They obviously weren’t too upset right now, at least not with her. They seemed to have expected that answer. “You’re welcome to visit, all the time, though! I mean, I’d be more than happy to come get you- and Noelle- once a week, or…” Her voice trailed off, seeing the pained expression on Kris’s face. “…I’m sorry, lil’ buddy.”

Dess laid out a blanket in the grass. Normally, she wouldn’t care about her pants getting a little wet or dirty, but Kris didn’t have fur to protect them from the elements- from bugs, or the cold wet ground, or whatever else. They sat bundled up atop the blanket, nice and warm in front of the town’s Emergency Shelter, just 2 kilometers from the finish line.

Kris was never much for words, but they were especially silent today. It had been like that lately, from what Asriel told her. Kris spoke almost exclusively when spoken to, scarcely making the decision to end the silence themself, having few things to say and fewer things they wanted to know. However, one thing did weigh on their mind. “…Where’s Noelle?”

Dess’s eyes widened, surprised that they had actually done something to break the silence. Her gaze fell when she processed the question. “Noelle’s with Dad, right now. I… I thought about going, too, but…” Dess rested her head against one of her hands. Kris’s heart dropped when they realized what she was talking about. “…Do you ever feel… Paralyzed, Kris?” Their mouth opened, but no sound came out, and Dess would have just talked over them even if it had. “…I feel like there are so many things I could be doing that I just freeze. Goin’ to the race, goin’ to the hospital, stayin’ at home, goin’ to the dance… Going to college, getting a job, doing something that might make Mom proud...” She counted on her fingers as her voice trailed off before curling up even further. “What do I do when everyone I love is somewhere else? Is it… Am I picking favorites?” Thoughts like this plagued Dess’s mind lately. Was it wrong for her to choose to leave with Asriel instead of staying at home with her family? Was she a terrible daughter for going to see him race instead of visiting her father in the hospital? He had not seemed bothered by it; his smile was just as radiant as his nose earlier that day. It wasn’t like she didn’t see him often, anyways… Dess sighed and rested her palm against her forehead, stealing a nervous glance towards Kris. “…Sorry, dude. I don’t meanta… Vent, or whatever…”

Kris tugged on her sleeve. “…I’m like that.” Kris pointed a gloved finger towards their chest. They licked their lips, chapped from the cold wind and opened their mouth again. “Talking… Sometimes…”

Dess’s stared at them, eyes bleary with exhaustion from recent events. Her heart skipped a beat, and her vision cleared in an instant. “Talking?” Even as a child, Dess had understood that Kris wasn’t simply abnormally shy, that talking was something that didn’t come quite easily to them. She knew not to ask, that it wasn’t the type of question Kris would feel comfortable answering. She had been there for Kris’s first words, at the overripe age of 3. She had watched Kris grow, understanding more and speaking more- but there was always some sort of barrier. Even on their best days, they were a wallflower that found its way to the center of the room. Even on their best days, they usually found their voice only when spoken to first. Even on their best days, they were perfectly content staying silent unless something needed to be said. Dess understood that- Dess understood them. She had accepted it as reality and never thought twice about it. After all, Kris was Kris.

Kris had never talked with her about it before.

“…I think.” Dess continued staring at them, unsure if it was the right moment to interject. “A lot. A lot of things.” Their gaze continued to linger on the red plaid blanket underneath them, their face mostly buried in their scarf and hooded sweatshirt. “I get stuck, thinking... You understand me.” Dess smiled softly and rested a hand on Kris’s shoulder, rubbing it gently. “I don’t know if I COMPLETELY understand…” She didn’t voice this aloud- they were having a moment together. “You’re like me… I’m…" Kris pursed their lips. "I’m really gonna miss you, big sis.” Kris said with a sigh.

Dess moved her hand to instead embrace Kris in a full-on hug. “I love you so much, Kris…” Her heart felt like it was either going to freeze over from sadness or burst from love. “…I’m gonna miss you too, little buddy. Please… Don’t be too mad at Azzy. He wants to bring you just as much as you wanna go with him.”

Kris’s arms stayed at their side. “…I’m not mad.” Dess continued hugging them, nuzzling her chin against the top of their head, through the padded layers of hood and beanie. “I’m hurt. It hurts.” Their voice was quavering now, and their body trembled. Shaking fingers gripped at her sweater, around her side. “It hurts. I miss him and he’s not even gone. I already miss you… And you’re not even gone.” Dess did her best to control her breathing, trying hard not to crack in front of Kris, in their most vulnerable state. “Not cool to cry when you’re the one comforting the little kid…” She rested her eyes, trying to stop the tears before they could form. “I miss… M-mom… and Dad…” Dry-sounding sobs escaped from their throat as their body heaved.

“Things’ll get better…” She wasn’t sure if she were convincing herself, or if she were convincing Kris. Dess breathed out a heavy exhale, steam escaping from her nostrils as it met the cool air. “Hey, little dude...” Her own voice was raspy as she got their attention, and she had to swallow to clear it from the awkward croaking. “…I love ya, Kris. I’m so happy that… I’m happy that I’m like a big sis to you.” She gently broke away from them and caressed their face, brushing their bangs out of their eyes. “…You’re like a baby sibling to me, too.”

Kris moved her hands away and let their bangs fall back into place, blocking their expression from Dess’s view. “’M not a baby.”

“Fahaha! I know, dude, it’s just an expression.” Dess rested her weight on one arm, leaning slightly while facing Kris. “The point is, you’re my little dude.” Kris seemed to like that better than ‘baby sibling.’ Dess smiled and ruffled their hair a little, prompting Kris to knock her hand off of them again. “Sorry, sorry. I guess what I’m getting’ at is…” Dess rubbed the back of her head, scratching just behind her antlers. “…Even if I’m not… Here, for ya… I’m always here for ya, dude… I know times’re tough, Kris… But any time, any day… I’ll just be a phonecall away. You can always call ‘n say whatever’s on your mind, or just stupid shit, or whatever…”

Kris stewed on this for a moment, and Dess worried that she’d said something wrong. Her answer came in the form of another hug. “…Always there for you, too.” Dess gingerly wrapped Kris in an embrace. She wondered if Kris’s conversation with Asriel went at all like this, though she had her doubts.

“Ya promise?” Dess asked lightheartedly, hoping to ease the mood a little.

Kris nodded, their face still buried against her. “Promise.”

…

The heartbeat that was loud in Asriel’s ears seemed to quiet all of a sudden. The world itself seemed to slow down, the colors around him grew more vibrant despite the bleak grey sky looming above. “Oh yeah, that’s the stuff…” Asriel felt a wave of euphoria and calm lift him up him as he entered a runner’s high. Asriel by no means had an addictive personality, and only took illicit substances recreationally- usually only with Dess. But when it came to running, he absolutely, shamelessly chased the high. He didn’t even notice that Chester had fallen behind, or that he himself had pulled ahead of the rest of the competition by a considerable amount- a solid 20 feet between him and Laink. The only thing on his mind at the moment was the feeling of the grass beneath his feet and the oxygen fueling his magical blood with energy like never before.

There were flags all over the course that denoted how far a racer had made it. There were flags at each kilometer, every 5 kilometers, at the halfway and 3-quarters completion marks, and of course, at the finish line. Behind each flag, people from all over piled up to greet the racers. Families from other cities dominated these spots, but every so often, Asriel caught the stares from someone that he recognized lived in town- even if he didn’t know them personally.

The wind felt like heaven as it roared in his ears. He didn’t feel cold; his body had become quite warm under the intense stress of the race. The air that filled his lungs- through the nostrils and out of the mouth- was sweet like honey. The pleasant autumn colors of the trees danced around in his peripheral vision, blending into a single gold and brown streak on either side of him. The hills, the peaks and valleys, the twists and turns, the terrain, the vague sting of lactic acid- Asriel’s legs considered nothing too tall a hurdle, moving on pure instinct alone.

“Woohoo!! Keep it movin', Azzy!” The first of Asriel’s friends he recognized was Pants, who was waiting for him at the 6km flag. Blue Ears was right beside him, cheering- albeit much quieter than Pants had managed. Asriel was fast. He was so fast that, by the time he had registered who was cheering for him, he had already blown right by them, not having the chance to wave. He made a mental note to thank them for cheering for him, later that day. He hoped he could see them both that night, at the dance.

The muted autumn colors to either of his sides shifted as Asriel saw Laink gradually closing the gap between them. They did not turn and wave, chat, or do anything other than continue storming down the marked path. She and Asriel were deathly serious about running- friendly gestures and niceties came second to that. Asriel felt his heart soar, though, seeing such an esteemed rival so close by. He was truly enjoying this race.

“Go, Azzy!!”

“Like, I was just about to say that!!”

Asriel didn’t need to look to recognize the whiney, nasally voices of his classmates. He hastily waved to the purple and green blurs on either side of him- as Catty and Bratty seemed to have independently set up camp right on the 8km mark.

Asriel wondered if either of his parents had showed up, but he ended up kicking himself. “Of course, they showed up. Dad HAS to be here, he’s a policeman. And Mom… Of COURSE Mom showed up…” He shook his head. He had to clear his mind. He wanted to win. He wanted to…

11km, only 4km left to run.

The wind started to feel colder, the colors started to look less vibrant. Asriel bit the inside of his cheek and tried to collect his thoughts. He couldn’t afford a distraction. Second place was right on his tail, and he could tell that she was gaining on him.

On his right, just by a few inches, his rival edged ahead.

…

“Sheesh, you really picked a good spot, didn’tcha, Kris?” Dess rubbed her shoulders anxiously. Something about the shelter felt off, like the air around it was filled with malice. Dess wasn’t a coward by any stretch of the word- she was actually quite brave, and frequently leveraged that over Asriel to comfort him during scary movies. She was also not especially superstitious, even if Noelle and Kris seemed to get up to strange hijinks with Catty’s younger sister. But this place still gave Dess the creeps.

“I wanna run.”

“Huh?” Dess raised an eyebrow, and Kris pointed along the ground, tracing a line from the clearing of the woods Asriel would be emerging from- down the path he’d be running on. Dess nodded, thoughtfully. “Oh, like… Ya wanna race alongside him?”

Kris nodded. “It’s empty here. Lots of space… No people.” Kris stared at the clearing. They were right, them and Dess were the only people around. It seemed that the other townsfolk shared Dess’s sentiments with regards to being creeped out by the shelter. “…But Azzy won’t see me if I wave.” They shifted nervously, their eyes falling back to the ground. “…And I’m still not talking to him.”

Dess sucked air through her teeth. “Ouch, so he wasn’t exaggerating about that…” She rubbed her shoulder, as if the comforting feeling could make its way to him right now and mend his and Kris’s strained relations. “W-well…” Dess cleared her throat into her closed fist. “That sounds c-cool. Say…” She looked at Kris’s outfit. They were bundled up heavily, just as they always were when it got cold. It had been that way every fall and winter ever since Kris was little- when they got a nasty cold on their first year in Home Town. “…I betcha can’t move real fast in all that, can you?”

Kris shook their head. “No. But Mom says not to take it off ‘til I’m home.”

“Well, duh. We don’t want you blowing snot all over us!” Kris shot an annoyed look at her, and she backed off just a tad. She rubbed her chin as though pondering, but she already knew what she wanted to ask. “…S-so, how about, uh… Wanna take a ride on my back? I’ll run’n cheer for the both of us!” Kris nodded wordlessly. They did not smile or voice a reply, but Dess could tell they appreciated her gesture. “…But seriously, this place, ugh…” She looked around. Wind wasn’t blowing over here, birds weren’t chirping over here- the only sound that Dess could hear was the rustling of the grass beneath their blanket and an ominous low rumbling, almost imperceptible if one was not listening for it. It really added to the creepiness of this location- and was the main reason that Dess had tossed out this place as a potential option for a smoke spot.

Kris rolled their eyes- at least they seemed to as their pupils disappeared somewhere beneath their messy bangs momentarily. “What, like you aren’t a liiittle creeped out?” Dess pinched an index finger and thumb together while enunciating. They shook their head and stood up, starting to trudge up the hill, through a small thicket of trees that separated the shelter from the path Asriel would be taking. “D-dude, what’re you doing?”

Kris walked to those doors, those red doors, and placed a palm flat against it. Dess had chased after them, contemplating picking them up so they couldn’t get close enough to touch the door- but she stopped short. “Not scary.”

Dess lingered behind Kris for a moment, glancing around them. She felt like a chicken, letting a 11-year-old kid be the one confident enough to tackle a scary situation while she cowered behind them. She examined the doors. They were just doors. There was some sort of quiet hum coming from behind them, but that could be chalked up to electricity, right? Dess felt some of the stress leave her body. Kris took their hand off of the door, examining the rust that brushed onto their glove. “Dude, gross. That door’s nasty, don’t touch your face with that hand.”

Kris thoughtlessly, impulsively put their hand to their face, leaving a reddish-brown handprint on their cheek. “What the- you little!...” Dess sighed and stared at their flippant smile. “Azzy’s gonna be pissed if I let ‘em walk around like that…” She cleaned their face with some water that she’d brought from home and dried it on her sleeve. After a light scolding that she was certain they would not be receptive to, Dess looked back towards the door. “Hmm, wait…” Dess noticed something near the spot where Kris’s hand was. “Oh, neat… There’s, like… A panel.”

Dess’s fingers traced along the rim of the panel. “You just said it’s nasty.”

“Yeah, it is. Do as I say, not as I do.” Kris rolled their eyes. “Aha, here we go!” Kris stared in awe as Dess removed the panel, revealing strange indentations underneath as well as a number pad. “What the?…” Dess stared intently at the shapes. “Dude this is… Hmm…” Kris stared from Dess to the panel and back, trying to make heads or tails of what she could have possibly been thinking. Dess noticed their confusion. “Weird! This’s weird, right, Kris? Like… That isn’t normal.” Kris shrugged. They really didn’t know; they had seen far stranger things in the past. This town, and its inhabitants, were inherently bizarre. The existence of a number pad and bizarre shapes hiding underneath some panel didn’t seem all that weird to them. Dess shook her head and picked the panel back up. “…Let’s get back to our spot, we don’t wanna miss Azzy.”

As they walked, Dess’s mind lingered on the shapes. “A police badge, a pine tree, the Delta Rune…”

…

12km, and still no sign of Mom or Dad- Kris, or Dess.

“Damn it!” Asriel’s frustration began to weigh down on him. That was all it took for him to lag behind just enough for his opponent to completely overtake him. His frustration only grew. He wanted to win- this was his town. He couldn’t come second at a race in his town, not on his last year of high school. People expected great things from him- he expected them from himself. There was no time to think about heavy things, they would only serve to weigh him down.

“Where WERE you all night? Don’t you know how la- Daisies.”

“I’m ALLOWED to have a life outside of the hou- Roses.”

“Big bro, are Mom and Dad figh- Poppies.”

“Hyacinth. Amaryllis. Lily. Sunflower. Chrysanthemum…” Asriel crowded his head- already full of noise from thoughts he wished not to think- instead with of all the different flowers he liked. He could talk about flowers all day, and he could think about flowers all day. “Orchid. Carnation…” Suddenly, the heavy question of whether his parents could put aside their differences long enough to support him was not so heavy or pertinent. “Buttercups...”

“AZZYYY!!!!” All of a sudden, he didn’t need to think of flowers to repress his negative thoughts. Dess, with Kris on her back, was shrieking his name and waving around like a lunatic, just 30 feet ahead. Asriel’s spirits lifted. “They came. I knew they’d come… I knew it…” He fought back the urge to run over to them and wrap them in a warm hug, but he hadn’t dashed right by them as he’d expected. On the contrary, Dess- and Kris- were running alongside him, from the sidelines, keeping pace for some time. “Keep goin’. You’re almost there.” Dess’s voice escaped through raspy breaths. She was quite strong, but she was not nearly the runner that Asriel was- and Asriel wasn’t currently being weighed down by a bundled-up human like she was. Also, of course, Dess smoked a whole lot more than Asriel did. It didn’t take very long for her sprinting to slow down to a jog, falling behind the runners. “You got this, dude!” She cried out, expending the last bit of energy she had before keeling over and lying face first in the grass, huffing and puffing while her tired lungs struggled to expand under Kris's weight. Kris grabbed her antlers and tried to pull her up, but she didn’t budge. She was tired. “…Win this for us, Azzy...”

Dess’s and Kris’s encouragement was all it took for him. The wind was back in Asriel’s sails, and it seemed like some imaginary force was tugging him forward, pulling him ahead of his competition once more. He was jogging fast. He was running. He was sprinting. He was almost there.

14km, 1km left to go- and he'd just passed Laink once again.

The time was nigh to spend all of his reserves. If Asriel could not run so hard that he passed out- or threw up- at the finish line, then he was certain he’d come in second place. It was now or never. Asriel began to really step on the gas. He was sprinting as hard as he could, like he was in track and field instead of crosscountry. The end was in sight. His opponent was still hot on his tail, only a few feet behind him. His heart pounded as he exerted himself harder and harder. He imagined Dess, with Kris, cheering him on, like they were still running beside him. It filled Asriel with determination.

It all came down to this last sprint- a photo finish.

At least, Asriel had thought it was a photo finish. He had to hear the news of his clear victory only after wiping the vomit off of his mouth and letting the black spots disappear from his vision. “Gross, dude!” Laink said playfully. “Man, that was something else. I reeeallly thought I had you that time, then you completely wiped me in the sprint.” She was speaking through huffs and puffs as well, clearly just as exhausted as he was. She shook her head. "Too bad, too. That means I'm 0 and 5 against you..."

Asriel stared for a moment before sticking his finger up, turning away to throw up once again, watering the grass with liquid butterscotch and cinnamon. “Sorry…” He swiped his forearm over his face, unceremoniously letting bile smear onto his arm. “That was a good race, dude… Angel…”

Asriel stared at the gold medal wrapped around his neck, examining his reflection. “Azzy!” His attention snapped towards trees as Dess and Kris exploded out of them. Without knowing- or caring- that he had just thrown up, Dess wrapped Asriel in a tight hug, nuzzling her face against his sweaty shirt. “You fuckin’ did it, dude.” Kris, even though they weren’t willing to speak with him at the moment, hugged him around the waist.

Asriel ended his final race of his crosscountry career with tears of joy.

After the awards ceremony, Asriel took some time to congratulate the other racers, catch up with his friends and opponents properly, and otherwise mingled for a few moments. Dess and Kris orbited around him- Dess feeling anxious about Asriel’s closeness with some of the other runners, and Kris not knowing where else to stand at the moment. After the crowds began to disperse and cones and police barricades started disappearing, the trio made the trek back north through town.

“So, wanna go to QC’s? You’re buying!” Asriel nudged Dess playfully, and they both snickered.

“As much as I’d love to pay for your food- again, I’ve gotta go do some stuff. I promised Dad I’d come see him after the race, and I also gotta get ready for the dance.” She winked, and Asriel’s heart skipped a beat. “The dance. Oh, Angel…” She was ‘getting ready’ for the dance. To Asriel, that meant that she was gonna wear something special. "A dress?! Heels?! Maybe even MAKEUP?!" Asriel tried to push the thoughts out of his mind, not wanting to set up any expectations. After all, Dess would be beautiful in any attire, not just in a dress. But Angel, did he want to see her in a dress. “You ‘n Kris should go eat, though! Whaddya say, Kris?” She rested her arms over their shoulders, just behind them, moving them left and right to jostle them playfully. “QC’s has some reeeaall good hot chocolate!”

Asriel gulped and stared at Kris. They still weren’t meeting his eyes, but it seemed like they wanted to say something. “…Good job.” It took a great deal of effort not to start crying when Kris spoke to him- the first time they’d actually said something to him in over a week. They had gotten by thus far with gesturing- or simply ignoring their older brother. But today was special, and though they were still bitter, they were really happy for him. Also, they really wanted some hot cocoa from QC’s.

Dess walked with them to diner and waved goodbye, turning back and heading towards the hospital.

…

Déjà vu.

When Dess thought about the symbols she saw on the shelter door, she felt déjà vu. Her mind continued to linger on them as she walked towards the hospital, letting muscle memory carry her as her thoughts were too preoccupied to consider which direction she moved. “I SWEAR I’ve seen those before!” She thought about the symbols carefully. “A police badge…”

Dess scoffed and kicked an empty soda can with her hoof. “Yo, punk. You gonna pick up your trash, or do ya like bein’ a litterbug?” Dess glanced up to see Undyne baring a fanged smile at her. Dess wondered briefly if she had accidentally summoned Undyne by thinking of a police badge, but those silly thoughts disappeared as she greeted her with a fist-bump. “Sup, kid? You not walkin’ with yer boyfriend? He totally crushed it at the end, it was freakin’ awesome. Even I can’t run like that!”

She shook her head. “Nah, goin’ to the hospital.” Undyne’s smile dropped. “Oh, right…” She knew that Rudy had fallen ill lately- she found out after complaining to Asgore that so much of his workload was being relegated to her. She had only thought that he was shirking on his responsibilities, getting lazier with his old age. She wrote a ‘Get Well Soon,’ card for the first time in her life, on that very day. Undyne scratched the back of her head. “It’s alright.” Dess offered, seeing Undyne squirm uncomfortably. “…That trash isn’t mine, though. Probably some jackass from out of town, leavin’ this place dirtier than when they arrived.”

Undyne scoffed. “Nghah, tell me about it. I had to run across the track to tackle some brats from Ebott City. Almost took down a few runners on the way.” Dess snickered, and Undyne’s face reddened slightly. “They were tryin’ta start a fire!” Her voice was defensive, and Dess found herself laughing a little harder.

She knelt down to pick up the can, examining it in her hand. “Hey, wanna see if I can make it from here?” Dess pointed to a wastebin across the street.

“Nghaha! Go fer it!... But ya will hafta pick it up if ya miss.” Dess rolled her eyes and wound up her arm, gyrating about the shoulder. With a grunt, she lobbed the can- the light aluminum can- hard enough that it nearly knocked over the trash bin. “Damn, kid!” Undyne patted Dess on the back.

Dess rotated her arm a little bit while stretching her neck and rubbing her shoulder. “Yup. All in the technique.” She was lying, she didn’t really know how to throw properly- her brute strength was all she had relied on. It had done right by her so far.

“Say, kid. Yer gettin’ pretty strong- ever thought ‘bout becoming a cop? Yer graduatin’ soon, ain’t ya? Would be cool to have you ‘n Rudy both workin’ under me!”

Dess stuck her tongue out. “Yeah, right. As if Dad’ll ever be working under you.” Undyne chuckled a bit. “…But, nah… I really wanna do… Somethin’ else.” She glanced nervously at Undyne, unsure whether she could open up to her about her passion for music. She liked Undyne, but the fact remained that Undyne worked for her mother, whom Dess didn’t want anything unnecessary said to.

“Ngah, that’s a shame.” Dess felt some weight leave from her shoulders. She had been worried that Undyne would pry, but Dess’s answer seemed to have satisfied her. “Well, if ya ever change yer mind, I’ll always be here to recommend ya to the Academy!” Undyne nodded towards Dess before turning away. The sound of some kind of racket told Dess that Undyne had immediately found trouble- or had made trouble, as she often did.

…

The diner was packed- having plenty of people from out of town visiting it before returning home. It was loud, but the two Dreemurr kids sat at the bar quietly. Kris lightly sipped on their hot cocoa, not caring that their upper lip was stained brown. “Here, let me get that for you.” Asriel held out a napkin, but Kris turned their head. They held their hand out, instead, and Asriel relented with a sigh. “Kris…” Kris stared at their reflection in their mug as they listened to whatever Asriel had to say. “…I’m sorry.” Asriel rested his head on the countertop.

Kris licked their lips and wiped the chocolate off of their mouth. They hadn’t forgiven him. They hadn’t forgotten the fact that, all of a sudden, their days together were numbered, and he’d be disappearing from their life- for the most part- in the middle of summer. It hurt.

But Kris loved Asriel more than the world itself. Kris knew that he wasn’t simply abandoning them- they completely understood his desire to get out of this town. They understood that he would keep in contact, and that he loved Kris with his whole heart. They understood that Asriel was hurting just as badly as Kris right now, and if Kris were the older sibling- if the roles were reversed, they might have made the same decision as Asriel had. They understood that he was miserable, and why he was miserable. They hated that. It hurt.

Kris gripped the sleeve of Asriel’s sweater, and he listlessly raised his head to face his younger sibling. “Phone.” Asriel stared, incredulous. Kris bit their upper lip and considered their next words carefully. “Get me a phone... Before...”

Asriel took Kris’s hand within his own. “Of course, Kris. I’d never leave without…” He sniffled and let out a shaky exhale. “…Of course I’ll get you a phone.” He considered offering to drive Kris to Ebott City to pick one out, but he knew better. His soft, fluffy fingers tickled Kris’s hand, which did not retreat. “…We’ll always be together, even if I’m not home.”

Kris snickered under their breath, prompting Asriel to tilt his head. They thought it was humorous how similar Asriel and Dess’s responses were, and they wondered who had rubbed off on who over the past decade or so. Kris was still silent, but Asriel felt like he’d made some progress with them. The siblings were able to regain to some semblance of normalcy between the two. “…Y’know, I’m thinking I’ll leave my PC behind.” Kris’s eyes widened. “…I mean, I’ve got a laptop already- for school... Don’t need to bring both…”

Kris continued staring at him, not putting the pieces together. “…If y-you wanna, Kris… We can video chat sometimes, too. I… I know that I’d wanna see your face, when I'm so far away. I'm...” His voice was quavering and his eyes were leaking. It hurt Kris to see him like that.

Kris's face flushed a little as they nodded. “I’ll also…” They fidgeted. “…M-miss your face...” Asriel felt a warm smile creep over his face without meaning to, love for his younger sibling overwhelming him. Kris rested their eyes and sipped their hot cocoa once again. Asriel was willing to go so far just to make Kris more comfortable. He would drive far away to buy Kris a phone just so Kris could hear his voice. He would leave behind his prized gaming computer- that he built himself- just so Kris could see his face. He was hurting badly too, but he was taking great strides to make things right with them. Kris loved their older brother so, so much.

Kris didn’t know if they were extending an olive branch, or if they were simply being a brat, but they held up a closed hand to Asriel, letting it hover in front of his face. Inside of it was a crumpled-up napkin- dotted with smeared hot cocoa. Asriel’s heart fluttered when he realized what Kris was asking him to do- without having said a word. “Cute…” Asriel gingerly accepted the napkin and unfurled it, lightly dabbing the hot cocoa off of the blushing Kris’s upper lip and the corners of their mouth.

…

“Heya, Dess! How’d Azzy do today?”

Rudy was lying down on the hospital bed, and Noelle was seated next to him, playing a handheld game. “Hi, sis…”

“Heya, Noelle.” Dess stepped fully into the room and shut the door behind her. “Azzy won, duh.” Her voice was playful.

Rudy chuckled, and his laughter transitioned to coughing. Noelle and Dess exchanged worried looks, but their lips stayed sealed- Rudy didn’t like being fussed over after every little cough, no matter how serious it sounded to them. “…Phew, sorry about that, girls.” He massaged the back of his neck and stretched a little. “…Hey, Dess, wanna play with?” Rudy gestured towards the handheld console he and Noelle had been taking turns playing. Noelle passed the game off to her father so that both of the girls could both watch him play. “Dragon Blazers I?”

Dess smiled and nodded. “Yeah, cool…” She pulled a chair up to the opposite side of the bed from Noelle. “Which part’re you guys on? Ugh, that stage?… The remaster does it so much better…”

“Fahaha! Sis, you sound just like Berdly!”

“Never compare me to Nerdly!”

“Aww, come on, Dess. Berdly’s a nice kid!” Rudy playfully smirked and looked away from the screen. “Or are you just jealous of him ‘cause he knows how to talk dork stuff with Azzy?” Noelle stifled a laugh.

“Fah, hah, hah. Very funny.” Dess's laughter was mocking, but couldn’t stop herself from breaking into actual laughter.

After a while of playing Dragon Blazers, Rudy got tired. Really, he had been tired for a while, but he was holding out so that he could see both of his daughters today. After saying their goodbyes, Noelle and Dess started walking back home. They were about to interlock hands, but Noelle recoiled when she saw something. “Ugh, sis, what’s that on your fingers?” Noelle pointed, and Dess examined both of her hands. Her fingertips were still stained with rust from the shelter.

“Oh, this?...” She narrowed her eyes and loomed over Noelle scarily. “This... Is blood. Human blood. I killed Kris, muahaha!” Dess wiggled her reddened fingers in front of her younger sister’s face. Noelle stared up at her, unamused. “…Yeah, it’s just rust. Kris’n I camped out by the shelter to watch Azzy's race.”

“You mean you touched those doors?” Noelle seemed grossed out by the notion.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s not as bad as you’d think. I was a little nervous, too, but actually... It was kinda cool. There was this… Panel…” Her eyebrows furrowed as she recalled the shapes once again. “Hey, Noelle, wanna check it out?”

She shook her head. “No way! You’re just gonna scare me, or… Or Kris will pop out from behind the door, or something!” She crossed her arms and pouted. “I’m not falling for it!”

“Welp, can’t blame her for thinking that.” Dess thought. “Well, maybe I’d try to scare ya, but Kris went to the diner with Azzy.” Noelle still didn’t seem convinced, but she didn’t voice any concerns. “…Anyways, there were these weird symbols on the door. It was kinda… Oddly familiar?”

“What were they?”

“A police badge, a pine tree, and the Delta Rune. Any guesses?”

Noelle pondered for a bit, but shook her head. “I don’t know… Maybe mom would?”

Dess felt a bitter taste cover her tongue. “…Yeah, I’m sure she would…”

The rest of the walk home was silent.

…

“I’m very sorry, dear…”

Asriel was staring out of the car window, not facing his mother. “…It’s okay.” He didn’t really mean it, but he didn’t want to look like a petulant brat. It wasn’t okay. His mother had missed his race. She hadn’t gone into detail as to why, but Asriel already knew why. She didn’t want to see Asgore. His mother couldn’t put aside her differences with his father for the 20-ish minutes it took for Asriel to complete his race.

Toriel continued to stare forward, eyes on the road. Asriel, in contrast, only watched the trees disappear in the distance, from the side. He didn’t care that he was beginning to feel a little motion sick- he didn’t want to engage with his mom right now. He wanted to get out of this car. He wanted to get out of this home. “…You know that I love you very much, dear…” Her words were sincere, but Asriel still would not look at her.

“Do you hate Dad- more than you love me?” He didn’t say the last part out loud.

“I- Of course I don’t hate your father!…” Toriel took a shaky breath. “He… Asriel, sweetheart… Your father and I…" She gulped. "...We have things that we need to work on… He…” Her eyes narrowed, and her voice became laden with contempt. “He… Has things that he needs to work on.” Asriel grit his teeth together. “Of course. Dad’s the problem. That totally answers my question- just leave Azzy in the dark about what the actual ‘PROBLEM’ is.” Toriel’s hands were shaking on the steering wheel. “…Even though… Mommy and Daddy haven’t been getting along very well, lately…” She blinked the newly-formed tears out of her eyes and pursed her lips. “…I still care about him. I care about you, and I care about Kris… We both do.”

Asriel knew she cared. He knew she loved him and Kris. He even understood deep-down, that despite their problems, she truly did love Asgore. But it felt like things were too far gone between them- for their family. The point of no return had already been reached.

Despite still being upset, Asriel tried his best to engage in the small talk his mother offered, through the rest of the car ride. The two of them were en route to Ebott City, where they had planned to go looking for a rental tuxedo for the Homecoming dance- while Kris stayed at home with Asgore. After a 25-minute car ride, they showed up to the rental place- where Asriel picked out a nice-looking, yet relatively inexpensive bespoke black tuxedo with a red bowtie. After coming home and picking out some flowers, Asriel was ready for the dance.

…

Dess didn’t know if she did it because she was simply curious, or if it was because she resented her mother, but she decided to do a little bit of investigating. After glancing in Noelle’s room and confirming that she was thoroughly distracted with her computer games, Dess sneaked upstairs- to her parents’ bedroom. She had broken into her parents’ bedroom multiple times before, but never for any reason other than to retrieve her confiscated electronics- or to return them to their place. She had never truly had a reason to dig around her parents’ things- plus, she deeply feared finding something she wish she didn’t see. Her parents were grown-ups, after all.

“That’s never gonna NOT surprise me…” Dess looked at the black katana that her mother kept by her bedside. She had not once seen her mom use it, but she had to give credit where credit was due- it was a really cool sword.

The bedroom was pretty simple, a large bed on either side of the room, much like Asriel’s and Kris's. Charts and graphs were hung up on the wall in the center of the room- and important-looking documents were on bookshelves on both sides against the front wall. Really, it seemed like it was Carol’s bedroom, and Rudy was just living in it. Dess tried not to think about the relationship dynamic between her parents as she launched her investigation.

There were some things that helped narrow her search. On the bookshelves were some large boxes, labelled, “SHRED,” “LIBRARBY,” “HUMANS,” “COMMERCE,” and “FESTIVAL.” To Dess’s disappointment, none of the boxes had labels indicating they might have some hidden information about the shelter.

Why was she doing this? She didn’t really care about getting into the shelter. But when she thought about those symbols… Dess shook her head and began pilfering through loose folders. “Junk… Junk, junk… Trash, crap… More junk, and…” Dess looked at a folder labelled, “December.” She scoffed. “Of COURSE Mom would have a folder on me. Wonder what ‘kind things’ it says about me.”

She opened it up and furrowed her brow. Inside was Dess’s birth certificate, her elementary school and middle school graduation certificates, among other important-looking things. She suddenly felt guilty for assuming the worst, and she had to shut the folder. “…Junk.” Dess tossed the folder to the side before continuing her search.

After another 20 minutes or so, Dess realized that she was pushing her luck, and Noelle might get done gaming soon. Dess sighed in resignation- she had tried, but there was nothing to show for it. She knelt down and started to clean up the mess she had made. If her mother found out she was rooting through her things… Dess shuddered. She picked up the files she had tossed to the ground, placing them neatly back in their respective places- to the best of her recollection. “What the?...” Dess noticed something that had been knocked loose from the file with her name on it- from when she had tossed it aside.

A photograph. A polaroid that captured a moment in history. In her history. She wondered if there were other photos in the folder, briefly opening it once again. There were none. The only photo deemed important enough for Carol to keep in that folder was in Dess’s hands right this instant. Her eyes widened in revelation. “No fuckin’ way…”

An infant Dess was wearing a green-and-red striped shirt underneath a denim jumper, on all-fours. A younger version of her parents were on either side of her. This was back when her dad wore glasses, and her mom wore red lipstick instead of blue. Her eyes would have lingered on her parents longer if it weren’t for what she spotted in the foreground. In front of a confused-looking baby December, a police badge, a cutout of a festive pine tree, and a pendant with the Delta Rune on it rested on the carpeted floor.

On the back, something was written in permanent ink.

12.25

Dess pocketed the photo before finishing the cleanup. “This is it.” She felt like her world was spinning. Her legs were shaky, and she had to take her time walking downstairs, where she went to her room to collect her thoughts. It was all coming back to her now.

It was a Holiday family tradition- a ritual. On their first birthdays, three items were presented to them- one from each parent, and the third from the closest family friend- each with some significance. Whichever item the infant Holiday crawled towards was said to determine the path their life would follow. She remembered being there- just over 5 years old- when Noelle was the baby crawling towards the objects on the ground. She remembered that Noelle had to choose between the police badge, the pine tree, and something else- but Dess was sure it wasn’t the Delta Rune.

“What the fuck does this mean?...” Dess tried to wrap her head around it several times, with no success. She glanced at her computer screen, looking at the time. “Almost 5:00…” The dance wouldn’t start for another hour. Dess sat up on her bed before crawling off. She walked over to her guitar and stuffed the polaroid inside. “I’ve got plenty of time.”

Curiosity got the better of her.

…

The music was loud.

Asriel wasn’t especially averse to loud noises like Kris was, but the speakers were uncomfortably loud for such a small room. “What’s the matter? Not gonna dance?” Asriel was leaned against the wall, staring into his glass of punch. He looked up and saw Catty, wearing an off-shoulder black dress that matched her dark hair well. “Like, c’mon, Azzy, this party’s for you!”

Asriel smiled and shook his head. “Nah, sorry…” The glass in one hand began to tremble as hard as the flowers in his other hand. “She’ll show up…”

Asriel waited. And waited, and waited, but Dess still hadn't arrived. He had stepped outside several times to try and call her- but her phone must have been dead, because it didn’t even ring. He wondered if he’d done something wrong. If he’d said something inappropriate, or if Dess just got cold feet and didn’t want to be seen in a dress. He wondered where she was.

Asriel leaned against the party table he was seated at, his elbow pushing the tablecloth and pulling some silverware along with it. “Heya, Azzy! Don’t look so glum!” He turned to see Pants’s disturbingly wide smile and flinched slightly. “You totally RULED today!” His smile was unnaturally wide, and his neck muscles were unnaturally strained, but the strange expressions comforted Asriel in their own unique way.

“Yeah, sorry…” He said with a sigh. “I’m just a little disappointed, is all…”

“Well, don’t be! Dance Pants here’ll help you get back on your feet.” His face morphed into a more handsome one, with a sharper jawline and twinkly eyes. Asriel secretly wondered why he didn't make his face look this way all the time- it was a serious upgrade. A rose appeared in his mouth as he extended an open hand to Asriel. “Dance with me.”

“…No, thanks.” Asriel chuckled and stood up- to go refill his punch.

“See! Dance Pants knows how to getcha on your feet, Azzy-boy!”

After some time and some chatting with Dance Pants, Asriel began to lighten up. He was irritated with Dess for leaving him hanging like this, but he still wanted to have fun with his friends. Asriel wasn’t much of a dancer, but he tried to go with the flow of the group as best as he could. “Yeah, that’s right! Bust a move, Azzy!” Asriel’s stomach dropped when he felt Catty grinding against him.

That wasn’t cool. “Catty, cut it out!” He stepped away from her. It felt wrong. It was wrong. He wanted Dess to be here. He wanted to dance with Dess. Where the hell was she?

His mind was taken off of Dess as he felt Catty bump into him once again, wrapping her fluffy tail around his back. “Like, don’t be a sourpuss, Azzy! We’re, like, just dancing!” He stepped away again, freeing himself from her tail’s grasp. Catty continued her onslaught, pushing him further back until she knocked him against the punch table, punch splashing all over the back of his rental tuxedo. Asriel balled his fists in fury, but he left without a word.

Toriel, who was a chaperone for the Homecoming Dance, saw Catty’s illicit behavior and- although it might have been a slight overreaction- phoned the police.

Asriel left in a huff, irritated to no end about Catty’s behavior and Dess’s absence. “O-oh, Azzy, hey. Great job today…”

“Hey, Blue Ears.” Asriel’s voice was sour, but Bluey didn’t deserve having things taken out on him. "...Thanks for coming to cheer me on, dude."

Bluey nodded in reply. He knew something was up, though. “…Not doin' so hot?”

Asriel shook his head. “Not really. What about yourself? I don’t think I saw you in there for more than five minutes.”

Blue Ears chuckled and rubbed his elbow. “N-nah, man… It’s not really my scene. I wanted to go ‘n hang with you and Dance Pants, but…” He sighed. “I dunno. It was too crowded for me.” Asriel stared up at the night sky, not responding immediately. “Angel, what happened to your tux?!” His eyes widened.

Asriel stared at the front of his tuxedo before the unhappy realization dawned on his face. “…Don’t ask.”

Blue Ears nodded, his ears drooping just a little. He’d also wondered where Dess was, but he was sure Asriel would give him a similar answer. He didn’t want to make Asriel mad. Asriel was nice to him. The two stood together in silence for some time, silence that was broken by police sirens. “Yo, Azzy. Yer Mom called, where’s she at?” Undyne greeted Asriel, who was squinting at the harsh blue lights flashing in his eyes.

“Inside.” He replied with a grimace, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. Undyne nodded and pushed the doors open.

“…Wonder what that’s about, heh…” Blue Ears stared at the doors leading inside, woefully unaware of what had transpired within. Asriel gave a look that seemed to remind him, once again, ‘Don’t ask.’

Asriel left the dance early. He laid the soiled tuxedo on the ground of the bathroom, stepped into the shower, and began sobbing and scrubbing his frustrations away.

At around midnight, someone slammed on the Dreemurrs’ front door and woke the whole family up. “Who in the world?...” Asriel blinked the tiredness out of his eyes and stared over at Kris, who looked similarly perplexed. At first he suspected they had pulled a prank, but they seemed nervous. The siblings heard their father open the front door, followed soon after by the sound of Toriel opening her bedroom door. After exchanging a glance, Asriel and Kris went to see what the ruckus was.

It was Officer Undyne, and she was holding her police cap over her front instead of wearing it atop her head.

Chapter 15: Twelfth Grade III- So Long, Home Town

Notes:

Well, I'm not sick anymore! I hope you enjoy the chapter, or enjoy hating it.

“…I have some troubling news.” The Dreemurrs, or anyone for that matter, had never heard Undyne looking or speaking so formally before. They had never seen her look so sheepish, like her eyes couldn’t land on one spot, on one person. They had never felt dread like they did right now. He had never felt dread like he did right now. “December Holiday…”

He couldn’t hear. He couldn’t hear what Officer Undyne had started saying. Words of consolation and questions of all sorts fell on deaf ears, ears that could only perceive a high-pitched ringing every time he attempted to comprehend any of the messages she had come to deliver to the Dreemurrs- or any of the questions she had for them.

He couldn’t see. He couldn’t see anything. Everything to either side of him disappeared into inky blackness as his vision tunneled- and the limited vision he did have to his front was obscured by a veil of tears that threatened to come pouring out like the rain outside.

He couldn’t breathe.

His head was empty. If any sensation could make itself known to his brain right now, it was sure to be something painful.

His breathing, and hearing, and sight came back to him all at once as the tactile sensation of the strong, scaly hand landing on his shoulder pulled him back into this world. “…’M sorry, but I need to ask. Where did you see her last? Any of you?” Undyne was not used to consoling people like this- people she knew. She had never considered that one day, in a town so small and peaceful, something like this could have happened.

Panic. The thought that something bad had happened. The knowledge that something bad was happening. His words were caught in his throat. He couldn’t speak. “No… No…” Toriel gently rested a paw over Asriel’s other shoulder, but he didn’t turn to face her. He continued staring straight forward, at Officer Undyne. He was trembling. He had fallen to his knees, and he was crying. He was sobbing uncontrollably, even though he had tried to get better about his incessant crying over the last few years. Undyne looked down to the ground solemnly. “…I’m gonna ask some yes-er-no questions, just nod er shake yer head.”

He didn’t remember the questions she had asked. He didn’t remember if he had given Officer Undyne any answers- or if whatever answers he had given were accurate. He didn’t remember if Mom or Dad or Kris had responded for him. He didn’t care. This was just a bad dream. It didn’t matter. He didn’t have anything to worry about. He would wake up, and no time will have passed at all. Mom and Dad would be happy together once again, and things would be okay for everyone- Dess would still be here. It didn’t matter.

He didn’t remember his father leaving that night to go search the town with Undyne. He didn’t remember getting back into his bed, or Kris crawling into it with him and wrapping him in a tight embrace. He didn’t remember anything. It was just a bad dream.

Hope.

Hope was the first thing that was dashed for Asriel when he woke up the next morning to meet Kris’s leaky red eyes. “Angel…” It didn’t take long for him to start sobbing too. For the first- and only- time in either of their lives, Asriel hugged Kris so tightly that it actually hurt them. Kris didn’t flinch, whine, struggle, or anything. They wanted to hurt on the outside as much as the both of them were hurting on the inside.

He didn’t remember pulling Kris out of bed and sneaking out of the house. He didn’t remember helping them get dressed for walking around in the cold weather, beginning a trek around the whole of Home Town in search of his lost friend- his lost love. He didn’t remember sneaking Kris onto the Holidays’ property to check out the smoke spot they had set up camp in over the past couple of years. He didn’t remember it looking so shoddy, like he had only ever visited this spot with rose-tinted goggles in the past. He didn't remember clutching the empty carton of cigarettes to his chest so tightly that it crumbled. He didn’t remember crying so loudly that Carol spotted them, ultimately finding his and Dess's secret smoke spot. He didn’t remember what she had said to him and Kris, or the mascara running down her eyes, or the cold- yet warm- embrace that she wrapped both of the Dreemurr children in.

He remembered Dess. That's all that mattered.

A day went by, and he still remembered her like she was still right there with him. A week went by and he’d wake up happy, eager to message her or call her first thing in the morning, only to be crushed by the cruel reality of this world. The reality that she was gone. He’d walk around town and see something, anything- and make a quip or a pun that Dess would hate that she’d end up laughing at. Words that echoed across the empty sidewalk, the sidewalk meant to fit two. She was gone. All the memories of walking around Home Town with his family- that he still held onto dearly, were replaced by memories of her. Mundane memories, where nothing exceptional happened. Walking together, cracking jokes, teasing, pushing each other around, talking about class or classmates or books or video games or movies or the future or anyone or anything. He hadn’t realized just how much these little moments had mattered to him until they were gone. Until she was gone.

A month went by. He didn’t remember his father picking up the habit of drinking heavily or losing his job. He didn’t remember the words his parents said to each other those days, even though he could remember they weren’t anything nice. He didn’t remember seeing his mother hold up the paper- that paper- that ended things between them permanently; that paper that had unceremoniously, cruelly sliced a wedge out of his family. That paper that told Asriel, anyone, everyone, that Toriel was no longer a Dreemurr, that Asgore, all of a sudden, had to move out of the house and into some shoddy building. That paper that confirmed the truth that he had known for long while. It only took two signatures for the Dreemurr house to feel emptier than ever.

It felt like each individual fur on his body had turned into sharp icicles and turned inward on his skin. Everything hurt. Everything was cold. He hated this place. He hated his father for how he crumbled under the weight of reality. He hated his mother for using a tragedy like this to cut ties with his father. He hated his parents for making everything about them. He hated this town for reminding him over and over that things weren’t okay, for constantly reminding him of how things used to be. He hated himself for giving up his search so fast, for coming to terms with it so fast. He hated himself. He wanted to disappear.

If he disappeared, would he end up in the same place as Dess? A smile crept onto his face, despite the tears rapidly pouring out of his eyes. That could be nice. Simply not existing in this place any longer- in this world as far as anyone knew- would be a welcome change of pace. He’d give everything up right now if it meant he could exist in some unknowable void, empty save for the one person he wanted to see again no matter what.

His eyes widened. He didn’t remember Kris crawling onto his lap and beginning to sob against his chest. Asriel bit his lower lip so hard that effervescent magical blood began to bubble out and trickle down his chin. “I’m sorry, Kris. I’m sorry. I’m sorry…” He repeated the apology over and over until the words lost all meaning, and he was rocking back and forth. Who was comforting who? He didn’t know or care. He knew he was being selfish, wanting to disappear like that, wanting to break down and cry like he was. Kris already had to endure this terrible pain of losing Dess, the pain of their parents’ divorce- Asriel could not imagine what they might go through if he also disappeared.

"If I disappeared, too..." Asriel shut his eyes and sobbed into Kris’s shoulder, neither of the siblings caring that Asriel’s magical blood and tears leaked onto it. He hated himself for what he would be putting Kris through, in the summer, in the coming years.

He hated himself for wanting to disappear- for being willing to disappear. Asriel hated himself. He would be leaving his baby sibling behind, after all.

At the two-month point, he had cried so much that there were no tears left to cry. His head buzzed, but otherwise, he felt totally empty inside, like there was a hole in his heart- like he was missing his very soul. His other classmates’ reassurances, consolation, questions, they all went in one ear and out of the other. He brushed off Mr. Boom’s replacement teacher’s meek, halfhearted interrogations by resting his head on his desk and sleeping through class. Everyone knew to leave him alone. Everyone but Kris.

Kris stuck to his side like never before. It was almost difficult to get them to leave and go to their own classroom when they walked into the school building. It was a welcome presence for Asriel. Kris was just about the only person who could make him feel something right now, even though it was usually something painful or sad. He loved Kris, and he regretted that he had to leave so soon.

…

The ride to the university was long, quiet, and awkward. Something that would have, in another life, been a touching moment between family members was nothing of the sort. Toriel and Kris had said their goodbyes at home, before Asriel trudged all the way to his father’s new house- the old abandoned building right by the lake- with his suitcases.

Asgore didn’t have a lot to say. Asriel felt sorry for his father- he had just lost his love as Asriel had. But neither of them turned down the religious ska that came on the radio, neither of them had much to say to each other. Asriel wondered if his father was still holding out hope that things would get better with his mother, just like he was holding out hope for seeing Dess again. He didn’t want to think about that.

He thought about how Kris had looked completely mortified that morning, how their tiny yet brilliant rubies had almost compelled him to unpack his bags and stay home. He thought about how their arms hung limply to their sides when he wrapped them in a hug, and how they hadn’t actually said anything to him, not even ‘goodbye.’ They hadn’t kicked or screamed or cried or frowned or smiled- they looked like an empty husk. They had looked as empty as Asriel felt inside at the time. He didn’t want to think about that.

Asriel shut his eyes as he rested his head against the window. The radio and bumpy road lulled him into a deep sleep, one that made the car ride feel less awkward and long.

Asriel had made it into his top choice university, on scholarship. He would be running for Snowdin University’s track & field team. As long as he kept his nose to the grindstone, didn’t miss too many classes, showed up and ran when and where he was asked, then his student life would be totally paid for. He got to eat 2 meals a day from the cafeteria- for free, for the his whole student career- even if the food didn’t look too appetizing on the school’s website. He got to live on campus for free, even though he had wanted to get an apartment in town, instead of a dormitory. His classes would be paid for. It was truly a privilege, but it was one he felt entirely uncertain that he wanted at the moment.

His eyes opened around the time they entered Snowdin City. Asriel thought about how Dess would have loved the weather here, and about how they used to build snowmonsters or lie down on their backs to make snow-demons. He sighed, building condensation on the car window with his exhale. No matter how badly it hurt, no matter how much he missed her, no matter how much he could push all of the other thoughts away, Asriel would never NOT want to think about her. About the lost girl who held firmly onto his heart, somewhere. About his lost love.

“Brr…” Asgore wrapped his arms around himself, shivering slightly. Asriel could tell that he was just playing up how cold he felt- he certainly had more insulation from the cold than his son did. “Are you really going to run around in the cold, like this, my son?”

Asriel smiled softly to his father. “I kinda have to, Dad… It won’t be so bad, you really start to heat up while running.” He wondered if his father was trying to get him to change his mind, to get him to come back to Home Town, like Kris and their mother had seemed to have wanted. He wondered if he was making the wrong choice, or if he’d be reminded of Dess in too many ways to handle, living in such a frigid city. He closed his eyes and sighed, steam floating out from his mouth and dissipating into the air. “…It’ll be alright. Sometimes I’ll be racing in different cities… I’ll call and tell you my schedule as soon as I find out. Who knows... Maybe I'll end up racing at Ebott U.” He gave a dry, halfhearted chuckle that reassured neither himself nor his father.

Asgore nodded and shifted weight from one foot to another, awkwardly. Asriel knew what he wanted. He knew that his father wanted it, that he might even need it. Asriel needed it too, right now. He set his suitcases down and wrapped his father in a tight hug- a rare thing to happen between the two, as of late. Although his father was still bigger and stronger than he was, the realization that his child was an adult now came crashing down onto him as roughly as Asriel’s constricting embrace. His little boy, a man now, about to take his first steps towards becoming an adult, in a city all by himself. After the worst possible things could happen back at home, a home he might never want to return to. These feelings crashed onto Asriel, too.

After a tearful goodbye between father and son, Asgore set back down the road, en route to return to the town that seemed to have rejected him wholly. As the exhaust of Asgore’s truck cleared from the air, Asriel turned around to face the building in front of him. He gulped hard and wiped the remaining tears off of his face. This place was a little daunting, having come from such a small town.

The building looked brand new- red bricks that were completely clean save for the snow and icicles adorning it. His dormitory was chilly, almost as cold as it was outside, though thankfully without the wind to accompany it. The discomfort of the cold, oddly enough, offered some comfort. Any sensation right now was welcome, even the bite of the ambient temperature. If Asriel couldn’t feel cold right now, he wasn’t sure that he would feel anything at all. He wanted to look around, to see all the amenities his new living quarters had, but he couldn’t muster up the energy to even move his eyes away from the window. The powdery snow that piled on the windowsill, and the sheet of ice that obscured his view of the outside world, let the meager sunlight that shone through grey clouds dance in fascinating patterns on the floor and walls. Dess would have loved seeing it. It was the type of simple, mundane, yet beautiful thing that she would have written a song about- or attempted to before getting frustrated and slamming her fist against a tree.

He continued staring, finding it impossible to take his eyes off of the window. The beds on either side of the room subtly reminded him, from the corners of his vision, that he would be living with a roommate. “…Guess I had better get settled in...” With weak arms that trembled and threatened to scatter his things across his living quarters- on weak legs that threatened to give out- he managed to pack his clothes neatly into the dresser and stock the bathroom with toiletries. He saw her in the corners of her eyes. He thought of her every time he put away a sweater that she had- at one point- borrowed. Asriel wished that he could dry his eyes on command. He hadn't finished settling in all the way before he collapsed onto the bed and cried into his pillow.

He must have fallen asleep, because when the sound of the door opening woke him up, the sunlight was no longer peeking through the iced-over window. “Sheesh, what is it with this freakin’ tundra? Doesn’t electricity exist up here?…” Asriel turned in his bed to meet the voice that was complaining through chattering teeth. His eyes widened. “Hey. Nice to meet you.” Somehow, the first thing that Asriel had noticed about his new roommate wasn’t the fact that they were a human. It was their eyes. Their eyes were red, not unlike Kris’s- but instead of having two glistering rubies that hypnotized and compelled the world to bend to their will, they had two pools of lava- of deep red blood set ablaze- that truly inspired fear within Asriel. He had never felt so frightened by someone so small. “My name’s Chara.”

…

Before he knew it, the first week of classes had come and gone. Then, the second, then the third. His first semester was comprised mostly of general education courses, courses that students who attended bigger high schools got to skip because of their access to advanced courses that Home Town’s sole school did not offer. He had to take math classes, even though he already knew how to do the math. He had to take language classes, even though he spoke perfectly well. He had to take chemistry and history classes, even though he was sure he wouldn’t need to use those for a computer science degree.

“Hey, Azzy, wanna get some food?”

Asriel looked up from his laptop, while seated on his bed. “You just wanna mooch off of my free meals, don’t you?”

Chara shrugged. “Sorta.” The lack of shame in their voice made Asriel smile unwittingly. “Hey, what’re you workin' on?”

Asriel turned his laptop slightly away from Chara, preventing them from looking at the screen. “I’ll call you later, okay?” He hung up the video call and shut his laptop. Chara was still staring, curious. Their eyes appeared to burn brighter when they wanted to know something, not too unlike Kris’s. The little ways Chara was similar to- and different from- the only other human Asriel knew had begun to intrigue him. “…Was just chatting with Kris.”

“Ah. Well, don’t let me interrupt you, man. You can call 'em back.” They put on an extra layer, a long black duster that covered their red sweater and part of their dark-blue jeans. “Want me to get you anything? I feel like taking a walk, at least.”

Asriel shook his head. “…Don’t worry about it. I’ll come with.” He set his laptop on the charger and stood up. Chara was still curious about the young human that their roommate- and new friend- spoke with every single day- multiple times a day. Their curiosity must have been pretty obvious, because Asriel shot them a knowing look.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Kris is scared of humans, or something.” Asriel glowered at Chara, who only laughed teasingly. “Don’t look so serious, pal!” They playfully nudged Asriel as a broad smile tugged at the edges of their mouth. They really were different from his younger sibling. “…I was a human kid in a town full of monsters once, too…” Their voice trailed off, but the smile didn’t leave their eyes. “…I can’t say that I don’t get it.”

Asriel grumbled something under his breath while putting on his coat. He was grateful to have Chara as a friend. In his classes, he felt alone. On the track team, he felt alone. He simply allowed himself to be puppeted by the expectations of his professors, of his coaches, of society. He merely showed up, completed whatever work needed to be done, and went back to his room, day after day, week after week. The only things to break the cycle of monotony were his one-sided chats with Kris- and the company of his new friend. With Chara there- someone who invaded his personal space consistently and forced him to get out of the dorm, Asriel struggled to feel particularly isolated in this snowy, unfamiliar hellscape.

…

Isolation.

At the start of their life, Kris was isolated. It wasn’t until the age of 2 that Kris had any meaningful interactions with other people, and it wasn’t until the age of 3 that Kris started speaking. Their years in isolation made understanding speech and replicating it a challenge for the young Kris, but that was only at the start of their life. They didn’t remember much from back then, just the things that Mom and Dad and Asriel had told them.

Right now, Kris felt like they had reached the end of their life. A cycle had been completed, one whole revolution about some unknown axis that determined their fortunes and misfortunes, their past, present and future, that had started with isolation, and was now ending in isolation. Dess was gone. Mom and Dad had gotten a divorce. Noelle had almost entirely stopped trying to talk with them. Asriel had gone off to college.

It wasn’t a conscious decision, it wasn’t something done in spite of anyone in particular, to avoid anyone in particular, or anything of the sort. It wasn’t as though they were doing it to propagate their sneaking suspicions that their life had finished trudging down the circular path of its single, 12-year long orbit. It wasn’t something that Kris even wanted to happen.

They wanted to speak, to reassure Asriel, or Toriel- or Asgore in any of the now infrequent times that they saw him- that it wasn’t any of their fault. But Kris’s mouth refused to open; their words refused to come out. They were trapped in an empty house, with an empty heart, with nobody there who truly understood them. Kris had never felt so alone. They were isolated.

The screen had gone as blank as their face as Asriel hung up on them. They didn’t blame him for wanting to spend time with his friends. They didn’t blame him for leaving. They didn’t blame him for what had happened to Dess, or their family, or their loss of voice. They didn’t blame him. But they wished they could wrap themself up in his arms right now, and let him squeeze until the life drained from their body and completed the cycle. “…Kris, dear, dinner will be ready soon…” Their eyes slowly trailed away from the monitor and towards their mother.

She had not taken their loss of voice well. She blamed herself, deep down. If things had been different between her and Asgore, would Kris be struggling like this? Toriel fidgeted with an ear, staring at Kris. She couldn’t tell what they were thinking. Angel, she could never tell what they were thinking even before they stopped speaking. They were a mystery to her now more than ever. Did they blame her just like she blamed herself? The crushing weight of responsibility bore down on Toriel as she made her way back to the kitchen. She wanted her baby back. She wanted both of her babies back. She even would have taken Asgore back, if she could turn back the clock and change things before anything went wrong. Her bottled up emotions fell about the place as the frying pan sizzled in front of her. “My child… Angel, my babies…” A pair of thin arms wrapped around her, making her jump slightly. “K-Kris?! Goodness, you startled me…” She wiped her eyes and nose with a paper towel and turned to face them. “I’m sorry about that, dear, I was just…” Her voice trailed off. She wanted to make an excuse. She wanted to come up with something that didn’t tell them what they already knew. She wanted to say something, anything that would bring the life back to Kris’s dull red eyes.

Toriel wrapped Kris in a tight hug- one too tight for their liking- and plated dinner for the both of them.

Things were quiet at home. Asriel was gone, Noelle stopped coming over, Mom and Dad no longer screamed at each other; they no longer saw each other. Toriel no longer brought up Asgore’s name, not even to say something spiteful or hateful- or something that would serve to drive a wedge further between him and their children. The few things Kris heard came in the form of small talk. It hurt, only being able to make small talk with their mother- and only being able to nod ‘yes,’ or ‘no,’ at that. “Did you learn anything at school today?” “Did you have a good day?” “Did you make any friends today?” “Would you like something to eat?” The answer in their heart was always ‘no,’ but Kris always found their head nodding up and down.

…

Guilt.

Asriel had never felt so guilty as he did every time he hung up the video call, leaving Kris all alone in a world that was falling apart- that had already fallen apart. He wanted to be there for them. He wanted to wrap his arms around them and reassure them that everything would be alright, even though it wouldn't- even though it wasn't. He wanted to hear their voice, not just see unenthusiastic-seeming texts pop up on a screen every now and then. He wanted to feel their skin, to tousle their hair, to feel their soft breaths against his chest as they slept on the same bed, even though Kris pretended they were too old to want that. He missed Kris so badly. If somehow they had forgiven Asriel before Dess disappeared, he was sure their forgiveness had since submerged into the depths of despair.

Asriel stared at the apple he had picked out from the fruit section of the cafeteria, looking at it almost longingly. “Why don’t you take a picture, it’ll last longer.” He stared at Chara for a moment before reconsidering the apple. Wordlessly, he picked it up and placed it on their food tray. “Uh, thanks, but no thanks. You left a bunch of fur on it.” Asriel’s eyes widened as he noticed small white hairs dusted over the otherwise appetizing fruit. He shook his head- then rested against a palm. Chara frowned. “…I’m just joking. I’ll eat it.” They still didn’t understand the significance of the fruit, but Asriel seemed to have some sort of emotional attachment to apples. It wasn’t worth questioning for Chara.

After the two ate, they went on a walk. Snowdin City was so cold that it snowed, even in the summer. But it only got worse throughout the year. There was no better opportunity to play outdoors than the in span of months from July to August. Chara evidently had a stronger immune system than Kris, because they seemed largely unbothered by the cold, and did not have to layer themself so heavily. “Kris…” Asriel’s shoulders slumped. The two had been walking in silence, silence that was strangely comfortable, considering how little time they had known each other for- silence that was broken by a vague question. “How did you deal with it?”

Chara raised an eyebrow. “…Y’know, it would help if you explained what ‘it’ is." They flexed their index and middle fingers in air quotes. "...My grades? The cold? The shower drain that you clogged with your fur?”

Asriel shook his head. “Sorry. I just mean…” He rubbed his shoulder anxiously. “If it’s too personal, you don’t have to say anything, but…” When Asriel glanced back to Chara, their eyes were two roaring flames, ablaze with curiosity, as they often became. "Creepy..." Asriel shuddered and looked away. “How'd you handle... Y’know… Being a human... In a town full of monsters…”

Chara’s smile drooped slightly, though not all the way. Seriously, they could be a world-class poker player the way they had control over their facial expressions. “Well… It wasn’t quite so bad. Monsters looked at me differently, sure, but…” That creepy look was plastered on their face once again, the same look that gave Asriel chills the first time meeting them. That same smile, those same eyes that he felt might set his fur on fire. “Well, I had something of a bullying problem. The only human in town was also the smartest kid in class. They didn’t like me. But that was fine, ‘cause I didn’t like them either. They tried to push me around.” Asriel continued staring at them, intensely focused on their words. He hoped to gain some insight on how to make things better for Kris, in a roundabout way. “…They picked on me, at least until one of 'em got cut.” Chara smirked and brandished a pocket knife- one that Asriel hadn’t realized they were keeping on their person.

Asriel frowned. Was he supposed to tell Kris to carry a knife around now, or something? That was stupid, and Chara’s fake story was stupid. “…Yeah, I’m just messin' around.” They stuffed the knife back in their pocket. “I wasn’t the only human in my town. I had my cousin, too… Er… I guess they were more like an adopted sibling, now that I think about it…” For the first time since Asriel had met Chara, they seemed sentimental about something. “…I didn’t really get picked on much, and I wasn’t all that alone. Sorry, that probably wasn’t the answer you were hoping for.” They rubbed the back of their neck, adjusting the collar of their duster, looking awkward and contrite.

Asriel shook his head. “…It’s fine. Sorry, if I brought up anything… Anything that's too…”

Chara let out a chuckle. “Nah, it’s cool. They’re not dead or anything, they just go to a different school. They're not smart like you 'n me!” They playfully clapped a hand on Asriel's back. Chara's bubbly tone made a smile find its way onto Asriel's face, despite the heavy subject. They reached into their long duster and pulled out a box of cigarettes, something to take the edge off, some edge that they wouldn’t make known to Asriel. “You smoke?” Asriel’s breath caught in his throat. When his eyes focused on the cigarettes, his peripheral vision told him a story from long ago. Chara’s hands were covered in brown fur, their black duster and red sweater transformed into a red flannel shirt and black AC/DC tee, and their smile that was just barely visible had a prominent buck-tooth. “You wanna smoke?” It was her voice.

Asriel had to blink and shake his head. He sniffled hard and looked away from Chara, moving to wipe the fresh tears on his hoodie before they could freeze against his fur. “Asriel?” It wasn't her voice. She was gone.

“…Sorry. No. I don’t smoke.”

Chara wordlessly stuffed the cigarettes back in their pocket. “I’ll have one later, then…” Asriel hadn’t gone into detail about it, but Chara could tell that he had a rough life at home. His parents had divorced, his younger sibling seemed to have been wracked with some sort of trauma that had rendered them mute, and they often woke up to the sound of Asriel sniffling on the other side of the room. They didn’t know the details, and they didn’t want to ask. What they had understood, above all, was that life was hard for Asriel- their new friend. If he wanted to talk about it, then he would. In the mean time, Chara would be there for him, physically and emotionally. “In due time, pal…” Chara rested their eyes and listened to the sound of snow crunching beneath the both of their feet.

Notes:

Hope it isn't disappointing that it isn't nearly 9000 words long like last chapter, but in general I want to keep my chapters in the 4000-5500 word range.

I realize that I'd used the term 'smolder' wrong so I've rewritten 2 lines.

Thank you for reading.

I can't think of much to add but I'd like to give a physical description of Chara, in comparison to Kris (as we know them, at the age of 16 (they are still 12 at the time of this chapter)). These are just my headcannons, and they only serve to paint the picture of the characters I'm writing.

I should mention that, at the time of 'Skin Deep,' (where Kris is depicted as 16), Chara is 21 years of age. As of this chapter, though, they're only 18, a Freshman in college.

Kris (16):
-Darker-colored skin
-Dark, rusty brown hair that covers their eyes almost entirely. Messy and unkempt, though not greasy or dirty.
-Flat affect.
-Red eyes that glistered like rubies and seemed to hypnotize.
-4'11" and 94lbs.
-Somewhat gangly despite being so short.
-Long fingers with black nail polish.
-Gifted at music, good at piano, keyboard, guitar, bass, and dabbles in violin and cello.

Chara (18):
-Pale skin.
-Light brown hair that's parted in the middle, with fringed, asymmetrical bangs that only reached far enough down their face to cover their eyebrows. Well-taken care of, they care a lot about their appearance.
-Rosey cheeks and prominent dimples. Sometimes they wear makeup.
-Red eyes that glowed like lava and seemed to inspire fear or dread.
-5'06" and 113lbs. At the age of 21, during the events of 'Skin Deep,' they are 5'08" and 125lbs, and are done growing.
-Slender and graceful.
-No nail polish but their fingers always look like they've just received a manicure.
-No interest in music whatsoever other than listening to it. They're great at dancing though.
-Looks like a model.

Chara's cousin (17):
-Darker skin, around as dark as Kris's.
-Dark brown hair, not as red as Kris's. Somewhat of a bowl haircut with shorter bangs than Chara.
-They put less effort than Chara into their looks, but more than Kris. Somewhat prominent dimples, sometimes they wear lipgloss.
-Dark brown eyes that are never seen open.
-20 years old by the events of 'Skin Deep,' 5'05" and 102lbs.
-Somewhat long legs and arms for their size, but surprisingly graceful. Trained ballerina.
-They wear red nail polish but sometimes they use blue or purple
-Decent at piano and brass instruments, better at woodwind and string instruments. Not great at dancing but legitimately talented at ballet and figure skating. Something of a jack of all trades musically.

Chapter 16: University Year 2: I- Friendship

Notes:

That last chapter was hard to follow up... I hope you enjoy this one!

It didn’t mean anything.

They didn’t understand the purpose of the therapy, but Mom had insisted that it would help- even though they knew it wouldn’t. They knew it, but just like every other time they wanted to say ‘no,’ to her, they nodded their head ‘yes,’ instead. Kris sat and stared at the blank canvas that, in front of someone else, might have offered a meaningful way to express oneself. In front of them, it was just a canvas.

The other troubled youths around them had things to say, not that they cared. They could be insulting Kris, complimenting them, asking them questions, not even speaking to them- anything. It didn’t matter, none of it meant anything.

The brush met the canvas in an act of futility. They at least owed it to their mother to try, even though they could already see the outcome. Their red eyes glazed over as their hand jerked around randomly. “It doesn’t mean anything… It doesn’t mean anything…” Their mouth opened and their tongue moved to make the words, but no sound came out. They glared at their finished work with contempt- it looked just as bad as they had imagined it might. What they saw was just a single black smear that had enveloped nearly the whole picture, and stained the side of their hand. Their spirits weren’t lifted by this, they hadn’t expressed anything by this, and they didn’t feel any differently than they had before they came here. It still hurt, that aching emptiness that had settled deep within the confines of their chest- where their heart once slept.

Toriel wanted to see the painting, but it was resting comfortably in the trash can at the clinic. They never bothered to take the paintings back with them, any time they went. They never bothered to explain that things hadn’t gotten any better for them, instead simply nodding in agreement with whatever she asked, not thinking twice about it. It made Mom feel better about things, and that’s all that had mattered to Kris.

Kris’s eyes narrowed at their older brother, in the tiny window on the monitor. They didn’t know what he was talking about. He droned on and on about operating systems, software engineering, cloud computing, discrete mathematics, this and that, odds and ends- a whole bunch of phrases that wouldn’t have meant anything to Kris even if they could understand them. He sounded passionate- happy, even. That was good, that was enough for Kris. If Asriel was happy about something, then they might feel happy about something one day, too.

They hadn’t realized that he asked a question- they had accidentally tuned it out. “I’ll take that as a no, then…” Their eyes widened, just barely noticeable behind their mop of messy hair. Their fingers might have been nimble when it came to playing piano, but they were quite the slow typer. It didn’t help that they struggled to think of what to say. “Sorry. Can you say it again? I didn’t hear. I wasn’t listening. I’m a crappy sibling who just ignores everything their brother says. I don’t know what you said. Yes. No. Maybe.” Kris grit their teeth together and began typing, pecking one letter at a time, slowly and deliberately. It was the most effort they had put into anything in the last month.

“S-o-r-r-y—s-a-y—a-g-a-i-n”

Asriel sighed and chuckled. “…Can’t really say I’m surprised. Sorry if I was boring you.” He wasn’t being serious. He wasn’t trying to say anything hurtful, or make Kris feel guilty- he was just playing around. Despite his intentions, Kris felt the chasm that had opened up in their chest expand, and their mouth turned downwards in a deep frown. “You’re not boring. I love you. I miss you. I’m sorry. I miss you. Please come home.” Their lips quivered as their mouth opened, but they covered it with a fist. “…I was just asking if you wanted to see what I was working on in class.”

Kris gulped their emotions down and their lips turned back up- not into a smile, but into the flat line that had always adorned their face. They nodded. They didn’t really want to see it, but they wanted him to think that they did. He would be happier that way. Asriel began sharing his screen, displaying some sort of page, filled with numbers and words that probably meant a whole lot to him, but meant very little to Kris. Asriel’s voice trailed off as he got to the bottom of the screen. “…I’m sorry, Kris.” Their attention snapped right back to him. “Did I miss something again? What did he say? I’m so sorry. I’m sorry.” Asriel sighed and rested his head against a palm. “…I wish… I wish I could be there with you… I want you to be able to tell me what’s wrong, and not…” He sniffled and wiped a tear out of his eye. “…You know that… That I know when something’s wrong, even though you won’t tell me. And Mom told me that you’d started to go to therapy… but she doesn’t think you’re really opening up.”

Kris was crying now. That was embarrassing, they weren’t supposed to be feeling anything one way or the other. They quickly covered their camera. “That- Kris, THAT!” Their voice, which they could not intentionally form into words, was coming out in sharp gasps as they sobbed. They had to cover their mouth, too. “You HAVE these feelings, Kris. They aren’t just gonna disappear- you can’t just shut down. Please, Kris. Tal- I mean… Tell me… Tell me what you’re really feeling.”

That was stupid. He already knew what they were feeling. They were hurting. They were hurting so badly that they couldn’t do anything. They couldn’t think, they couldn’t eat, they couldn’t move around, they couldn’t interact with other people, they couldn’t speak. They wondered what he could have possibly meant by his question. Asriel continued staring at his camera, his eyes boring into Kris from their computer monitor. “Tell me you’re sad. Tell me you’re angry that I left. Tell me… Tell me to come back home.”

Asriel was crying now, too. Kris didn’t like that. They didn’t want him to be sad. They wanted him to be happy, like he had been just a minute ago. They wanted him to succeed in his endeavors. They missed him, but they had already come to terms with the fact that he was away from home. They had already come to terms with the fact that they were alone. They shouldn’t drag him down or ruin his chances at a bright future just to satisfy their own cravings for his affection.

Both of their hands moved back to the keyboard, uncovering both their mouth and the camera. Asriel’s upset face seemed to soften, just a little bit. Kris licked their lips as they considered which key to press first- their mind was filled with so many thoughts of what to say, they didn’t know where to begin.

“i—a-m—f-i-n-e”

“Kris- Damnit!” Asriel slammed his fist on his bed in frustration, making his laptop bounce and land askew. He readjusted the camera to face him head on once again. “Kris, I swear to the Angel if you don’t tell me what’s really on your mind...”

Thoughts of Asriel’s fluffy arms wrapping around them filled Kris’s mind- thoughts of him coming back home. Angel, they wished he would come back home. Kris shook their head, pushing the thoughts- the hopes- that Asriel would come back to them into the vault and sealing it closed. They were just being selfish. Asriel would hate them one day because they greedily stole him away from his dreams- his dreams that he set out to accomplish despite everything that had happened. He would stop loving them, and then he’d really be gone from their life for good. They could be patient. He was coming back home in December. Kris didn’t know what to say. They knew that he knew the truth already, he was just strongarming them into admitting it- admitting that they were hurting, and just pretending like they felt nothing.

“m-o-m—i-s—c-a-l-l-i-n-g—m-e—l-o-v-e—y-o-u—b-y-e”

“Kri-” They hung up on him. They sat on the computer chair and pulled their knees to their chest. They rocked back and forth, trying to steady their breathing, trying to calm their racing heart. It hurt. Would Asriel believe them? They were certain he wouldn’t. What would he do? They didn’t know. It hurt.

It hurt.

Their bed was the sole comfort in their life, outside of their nightly chats with Asriel. Their bed didn’t hold any expectations for them, it didn’t try to make them feel better, it didn’t try to push them out of their comfort zone and shake things up in their life with the hopes that something might change. It didn’t beg them to answer a question that everyone in the world already knew the answer to. It simply laid there for Kris, waiting for them as longing as they waited to return to its indifferent, yet warm embrace. Kris had spent a lot of time sleeping lately. They slept a lot even before their life- as they knew it- had ended, but their lethargy had entered into frightening territory for those around them. They didn’t eat much, despite Toriel’s insistence. They didn’t walk around or exercise or play outside, despite Toriel’s insistence. When they weren’t at school, at therapy, or on their computer, they stayed in bed. It was their sanctuary. It didn’t hurt so badly when they laid down and closed their eyes.

…

“Kris- Son of a bitch!” Asriel slammed his laptop shut. He needed to stand up. He paced around his room, his fingers hovering over the call button. He clenched his teeth and blinked tears of frustration out of his eyes. With a trembling hand, he shut his flip phone. “Mom would be no help…” He tossed his phone against the bed so hard that it bounced off and smacked the wall before tumbling between it and the bed. He sat down hard on his mattress, gripping and pulling on his horns, trying to calm himself down so he could think rationally.

It had been around a year and a half since Asriel got into University. He was no longer obligated to stay in a dorm, since that was a requirement only for first years- but there was no reason for him not to, since he was given a full-ride scholarship. His friend, on the other hand, knew better than to pay the full price of a dorm for all four years of their student career. Asriel breathed in deeply and let his hands fall to his sides. He wordlessly stood up, pulled the bed away from the wall, and fished his phone out from its hiding spot. He dialed their number, and they picked up immediately. Sometimes he wondered if they just sat and stared at their phone, waiting for his call. He shook the thoughts away as their voice rang through the speakers.

“Howdy, pal?”

“Can you hang out right now?”

“Sure can. See you soon.”

That was that. Asriel put on an extra layer and stepped outside to wait for his friend to arrive. It was really, really cold out- being November in Snowdin City- but he couldn’t stay trapped in his room all day. He needed to go out and do something, to talk to someone. He would simply endure the snow beating down on him for as long as it took. When Chara’s car- affectionately known by the two as ‘Cara,’ pulled into the parking lot in front of the dorms, Asriel didn’t even give them the opportunity to step out. “What, we’re not hanging out at your place?” They asked as Asriel let himself into the passenger seat. Their voice didn’t seem all that disappointed to him.

“No…” He rubbed his shoulders, letting the air from inside the car warm him back up. “…Let’s go lift weights, or something… I don’t know… I need to blow off some steam.”

Chara gave a bemused look to their furry friend. “…Yeah, I’m not lifting weights. How about we go ice-skating, or something? I know a pretty good spot nearby.”

Asriel’s eyes fell to the dashboard. He had wanted to learn how to skate for a while, but Dess had never taught him. She had her very own ice-skating rink, but they had never gotten to use it together. Angel, he wished she were here. He wished she could teach him, holding his hands and spinning him around just to show off her skills, just to make him feel like he was about to slip and fall. It would be such a Dess thing to do.

But she wasn’t here. Even though he loved her like she had never left, the truth was that he didn’t know if he would ever see her again- if she was even still alive. He believed that she really was out there, that she had just run away and was biding her time- but he kept his expectations in check. He couldn’t wake up with a broken heart every single day of his life, he wouldn’t make it past the age of 30. Asriel could never fall in love again, but his life would keep marching to the beat of time whether or not his heart and mind were still stuck in the past. He stared out of the window, doing his utmost to ignore the reindeer girl who stared at him in its reflection. He rubbed his eyes, and she was gone. Dess was gone.

“We could go do something else, if you want, but…” Chara was doing a poor job at hiding their disappointment.

“We can go. Ice-skating, I mean…” He was still facing away, staring at the snowy trees that passed them by. “…I’m telling you now, though, that I have ZERO idea how to skate.”

Chara snickered. “Not a problem, friend. I’ve been told I’m a preeettty good teacher. Aaaannd it just so happens that I have some monster-feet-sized skates already in my trunk.”

Asriel turned to look at the human, who was stealing nervous glances his way, small flashes of red popping in and out of view from the corners of their eyes. “…You had this all planned, didn’t you?”

Chara smiled and shrugged. “I figured we’d end up going skating together at some point. Would really be a waste not to- this is the only city in the country where lakes and ponds can be frozen year-round. Plus, I’ve got a looot of other stuff prepared, you just haven’t asked me the right questions yet.”

“If one of them’s a bowling ball, don’t even think about it.”

“Aww, you’re no fun…” Chara pouted and looked away from Asriel, staring at the empty road in front of them. They turned on the radio, and the two sat in a comfortable silence as they made their way down the fire-magic-thawed roads.

…

“W-would you stop moving around?”

“Azzy, you’re the only one who’s moving right now. I’m rock-steady.” Asriel was struggling to keep his balance as he hung off of his human friend, who was much smaller than him. He had not yet gotten used to the feeling of being on ice, and constantly felt like he was going to slip and fall on his behind- as he had multiple times already living in this city. Chara and Asriel were holding onto each other, gripping one another by their forearms. “Okay, now, bend your knees just a little. You wanna stay low, it’ll help with your balance.”

Asriel was not in any position to argue, or say that it was bad advice- but he certainly didn’t feel steady as he gently lowered himself. “When I let go of you, you wanna keep your arms out in front like how we’ve got 'em now. That way, if you do fall- which you won’t- you won’t bust your nose on the ice.”

“That’s reassuring.” Asriel said sarcastically as he frowned and stared at his arms. Before he could protest, Chara had already let go of him. “W-wait!”

“It’ll be okay, Azzy. Remember the penguin wobble?”

Asriel sucked air through his teeth. “Not really.” He looked like he was doing the Valsalva maneuver, with his knees slightly bent, his arms in front of him, and his face looking extremely concentrated. Chara did their best not to laugh at his expense, but it really was funny to them. “Shut up…”

“C’mon. One foot slightly in front of the other. Watch me.” They pointed a gloved finger at their face and began to demonstrate. Chara was graceful, they must have had some practice with a real professional, because they themself looked like a pro on the ice. One foot in front of the other, pushing one foot to the side at a time, they were able to launch themself forward on the ice, like a human-shaped rocket. Asriel was stuck in place, watching his friend dash around on the frozen lake, silently hoping that they would come back for him. After what felt like an eternity, Chara had done a single short loop around the rink. “Watch this!” They called out from slightly afar, before charging towards him at full-speed.

“S-stop! Slow down!” Asriel braced for impact, putting his hands over his face. Chara was small, a lot smaller than Asriel, but it wouldn’t take much to knock Asriel off balance on this uncertain terrain. Chara was smiling, their glowing eyes mocking him as they traced red lines in streaks across his vision. They were getting closer. Asriel flinched and looked away, fully prepared to fall on his ass, but with a scraping sound, Chara came to a halt, just a few inches in front of him.

“See? That’s a plow stop.” They gestured towards their feet- one foot had turned in towards the other, the friction of the skates bringing them handily to a stop.

Asriel caught his breath and shook his head. “Sheesh, don’t scare me like that…” He said as he brushed some loose snow off of his ears.

“I think you’re ready to try it.” Chara had somehow maneuvered behind him- somewhere he couldn’t turn around and swat at them. They took advantage of that fact and gave him a slight push.

“Woah-woaaah!!” Asriel was waving his hands around like a madman, trying to stay steady. “Asshole! Stop it!”

“Out of the frying pan and into the fire- or should I say, out of the fridge and onto the ice. Give it your best shot, pal.” He couldn’t turn around to see them, but he could hear the smile in their voice. Asriel would definitely get them back for this. He shut his eyes tightly, but before he realized it, he was gliding across the surface. He had struck a balance, and all that was left was to actually skate. Chara moved out from behind him, joining his side. They grabbed his sweater sleeve gently, not to tug him forward, but to reassure him they were right there if he fell. Maybe he wouldn’t try and get them back for this, after all.

Steeling his nerves, Asriel took the first stride, sliding his left foot out, then his right foot, then his left foot again. Before long, he was really skating. “I’m doing it! I’m really doing it!”

Chara snickered and let their grip on his sleeve fall. “Good, then you can chase me. Tag- you're it.” They gently tapped Asriel on the shoulder before dashing off. Asriel may have had the physical advantage over Chara, especially when it came to speed, but they were clearly in their element on the frozen lake. They were figure skating, while Asriel was hardly skating. One thing he did have as an advantage, though, was momentum. He weighed over double what Chara did, and as long as he could move in a straight line, he would end up catching up to them.

A glaring problem with that theory was that Chara was not bound by moving in a straight line, like Asriel was. After a while of chasing- skating in a straight line before T-stopping or plow-stopping, Chara got tired of the game, and let themself be caught. “Alright, alright.” Chara muttered as Asriel relished in his victory- that had unknowingly been handed to him on a silver platter. “Wanna hang out at my apartment? I’m getting pretty cold out here…” Their teeth were chattering. Asriel often had to remind himself that Chara was not as immune to the cold as they sometimes had seemed.

…

The car ride back to Chara’s apartment was quiet. Asriel was trying to text Kris, who did not seem all that eager to reply back to him. He wondered if they were even awake- fully aware of their recent dependence on their bed.

A: [Kris.]

A: [Don’t think our conversation from before is over.]

A: [I’m gonna be home in a few weeks. I’m excited to see you.]

A: [I miss you.]

He set his phone down and sighed. “Tough day, huh?”

Asriel shrugged. “Kinda, I guess…”

The two made their way back to the apartment complex where Chara lived. It wasn’t very nice, but it was cheaper than a dorm- while not being much further from the campus than the dormitory buildings. The room itself was only marginally bigger than a hotel room. The only bedroom in the apartment had most of its floor space taken up by the bed, which was not on a box spring or frame. The living room had some folding chairs, a recliner, and a small CRT TV with an old video game console hooked up to it. It wasn’t nice and it wasn’t much, but it was certainly a welcome change of atmosphere for the chilly college students.

Asriel settled on the recliner and looked back at his phone while Chara rooted around for something in the kitchen. “Still nothing.” He set his phone back against his chest, hoping that he would be pleasantly surprised by it buzzing and alerting him that Kris had replied.

Before long, it was the evening, and Chara had pulled out some glasses.

…

Kris stared at their phone as it lit up, disturbing their peace. Asriel was texting them again. He liked to do that, even though he knew they wouldn’t reply. They shuffled around and sat up in their bed. Although they scarcely replied, they always tried to read what he said. They never wanted to leave him hanging- things just often worked out that they did. They were very poor at texting over the phone, even worse at it than typing on a computer keyboard.

-[Krid]

-[Hos moom’]

Kris narrowed their eyes and tried to make sense of the gibberish on their screen. Suddenly, their phone started vibrating. Asriel was calling them. What could he possibly want? What could he expect them to say? It irked Kris. They answered briefly before hanging up, just to get their phone to stop buzzing. They were sure Asriel was on the other line, saying something that might have been heartfelt, that was being heard by nobody but himself.

Kris curled back up in bed and let their tears fall onto their pillow.

Toriel’s eyes widened when she heard the home phone ringing. “Who could it be, at this hour?” She stood up from Chairiel and picked up the phone. “Hello, this is Toriel speaking.”

“Mo- Shtop! Shtoppidd!”

Toriel heard what sounded like Asriel wrestling with something- or someone. “Hello, Miss Dreemurr, please forgive Asriel. He’s a little tipsy.”

“Oh.” Toriel felt some pause at being referred to as ‘Ms. Dreemurr,’ but she did not correct the voice she heard. They were clearly Asriel’s friend. “And who am I speaking with?”

“Ah… This is Chara. Azzy, stop! Hold on Miss Dreemurr-” Retching sounds could be heard in the background, and Toriel worried for her son. “Sorry… Azzy’s fine, he just drank too much. I’m taking care of him right now.” Chara was holding Asriel's ears so they did not fall into the toilet bowl, gently rubbing his back at the same time.

“Could you perhaps be the same Chara that Asriel’s been telling me about?”

There was a brief pause. “…Good things, I hope.”

Toriel giggled. “Why, yes. Asriel has nothing but nice things to say about you.”

“I know that’s not true.” Chara cast a sideways glance towards their friend, who was still throwing up in their toilet. As they continued to nurse Asriel, they chatted intermittently with Toriel. After what felt like an eternity, they managed to bring Asriel to their bed. “I swear to Christ if you throw up on my sheets…”

…

“Dude, wake up.” Asriel groaned and covered his eyes, blocking out the natural light that Chara let in. His head hurt. Why did it hurt so badly? “Come on, wake up. You’re gonna be late to class.”

Asriel shot up in his bed. “What? Wait…” He looked around. It wasn’t his bed after all.

“Dude, I’m never drinking with you again.” Their voice was teasing, and Asriel was going to need to pry later about what transpired the night before. There was no time for that now, though. Chara was right- he needed to get to class right away. He had slept in his clothes and brought his laptop, thankfully. “Alright, c’mon.” They twirled their key ring on an index finger, whistling as the snow crunched beneath their boots. Asriel rested his head on the dashboard and tried to jog his memory of the night before- to no avail.

“…What happened last night?”

Chara snickered and stuck a piece of mint gum in their mouth, just to cleanse it from the nasty taste of sleeping for 8 hours. “You want the real version or the funny version?” Asriel groaned in response, dreading what he was about to hear. “…Real version, then.” They began to chew on the gum briefly, then rolled down their window to spit it out before the outside air could make icicles form on their eyelashes. “…We went ice-skating, then came back to my place, then I made some food, then-”

“You don’t have to start that far back…”

Chara rolled their eyes and continued. “…And then… You didn’t want to smoke, so I pulled out the wine. You’re really a lightweight, considering… Y’know. You’re gigantic.”

“Uuggh…” Asriel’s head was pounding. Chara wordlessly offered their bottle of water to Asriel, which he greedily accepted. “Thanks… I appreciate you driving, too.” He muttered after guzzling half of the bottle and wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

“No problem. You owe me, though.” Asriel simply grunted in response. “Anyway, as I was saying, we started drinking. You, uh… I think you probably said some things that you didn’t mean to…” Asriel cast a sideways glance at his human friend. He looked expectant to Chara, who cleared their throat. “…About a, uh… Your ex, I think…”

“She’s NOT…” Asriel nursed his aching head and looked away from Chara, in shame. “She’s not my ex.” His voice was cool and collected, but there was a clear hint of emotion behind them. “She’s not dead… She’s still…” He sighed and sipped more water.

“…Sorry. You don’t have to talk about it.” Chara stared at the road still. “…But, that wasn’t all you talked about. I had to stop you- or I tried to stop you from calling your Mom. And then, guess who I got to talk to?” Asriel rested his head in his hands and groaned as this story began to ring a bell. “Yup, your mother is a very lovely lady and I was really glad to speak with her. She offered to let me come visit at some point.” Asriel gulped. That would certainly be nice- having Chara come visit Home Town- but… Kris probably wouldn’t like that. “…I said I’d think about it.” They must have sensed Asriel’s discomfort, or they might have just been telling the truth.

Asriel let Chara’s words echo in his mind as he held the cold water bottle against his forehead. “…Dess was… Dess is my girlfriend… My life partner…” He let the words spill out without reservation. “…She went missing, a few years ago. But she… She’s not…” Tears were blurring his vision before he knew it, and he had to rub his eyes- already aching from the hangover- to clear them.

Chara didn't pry further, and the two rode in relative silence. Asriel ended up making it to class on time. There truly would not have been a penalty for him if he were late, but he liked to be punctual. Asriel let Chara borrow his key, so they just lounged around in his dorm while they waited for him to get out of class, so they could hang out together for a little bit before Chara had to go to their own lectures. They would have a long, overdue conversation about things- about this mysterious ‘Dess’ figure. Plus, Chara had more things to tease him about from the previous night.

…

Noelle was a bad friend.

The paper snowflakes that hung down from the ceiling offered her little comfort, nowadays. They didn’t really help her cool down in the summer. They didn’t really sway in any breeze or pile on the ground. She couldn’t really build snow monsters out of them, or make snowballs, or snow castles, or anything like that. They weren’t real. The meaning behind them, the platitude of friendship with which their creation intended to convey wasn’t real- not anymore. The human hands that had deftly helped cut out the complex shapes were gone from her life.

Maybe Noelle was a bad friend for thinking things like this.

She lied awake, staring at the snowflakes that hung like marionettes without masters to puppeteer them. She had thought about taking them all down. She had thought about tearing the paint off of the walls, knocking everything over, smashing things, breaking things, hurting things. Noelle closed her eyes and let a single tear of frustration trickle down her cheek. Those things that she had gone through- that Kris had gone through- why did they only serve to drive them apart? When Noelle passed Kris in the halls, why did she avoid them? When Kris saw Noelle, why did they avoid her? Why could they not commiserate, like they had in the past? They used to hug each other and cry, and they both would feel better afterwards- why could things not be the same way now? What would happen when Asriel comes back home? Would she also act like she didn’t know him? Even after everything they had both gone through- losing the most important person in their lives?

Maybe Noelle was a bad friend to the Dreemurrs.

She knew about Kris’s problems, about how they could not speak. Should she even try to speak to them when she knew that they would not respond- even if they could? Was she a horrible person? Who was avoiding who?

Noelle was plagued by these shameful thoughts. Her friendship with Kris had started and ended with Dess- at least, that’s what it had felt like. At one point, two children who were inseparable- who grew up together- who got up to hijinks to mess with their older siblings, played games together, drew together, did everything together- were now practically strangers. Kris stopped coming over, not even to play the piano- to make music just for her. She would have even welcomed them to come over if they wanted to play for themself, like they used to. But they didn’t. The only thing Kris and Noelle did together now was avoid one another.

Maybe Kris was a bad friend, too.

Noelle’s eyes fell from the paper snowflakes to the alarm clock near her bed. “6:22…” She tried resting her eyes for a moment, hoping that she could get just a few minutes of rest before it started blaring, and her day had to begin whether she liked it or not. She had slept poorly the night before. She had been getting little sleep as of late, ever since that day- that day when everyone’s lives were turned upside down, when Mom had to call Dad in the Hospital to see if Dess was there, when Officer Undyne and Asogre scoured every nook and cranny of Home Town in search of her. That day.

She knew that if she could just accept things, her life would be easier. She could sleep better. She wouldn’t have as much trouble paying attention, to the point that she’d lost the spelling bee- to the point that Berdly had overtaken her as the class’s top student. She wouldn’t feel so awkward around others- around Kris. She wanted to move on, to let her life continue. She wanted to stop feeling stuck. She hated how badly it hurt still, but she could never just lie down and accept that her big sister was gone. It would never stop hurting- it would only hurt less and less over time. That wound was something that would scar, and even if skin and fur covered it over the years, it would always threaten to tear right back open.

Noelle’s alarm went off, and she sat up in bed, staring at it. She wanted to smash it into pieces, to rid the world- her world- of the nuisance it provided. Noelle crawled out of bed and made her way to the bathroom, where she brushed her teeth and combed her hair. That light green toothbrush that Dess had stolen from Asriel was still there, still patiently waiting for her return. Noelle paused and considered whether the toothbrush could move on before she did. “That’s no good…” She caught her reflection. She looked sad- it was normal, because she felt sad. But she didn’t want to look sad, not in front of Mom, not in front of her teacher, not in front of her classmates, not in front of Kris. She didn’t want the world to know her problems, and so like donning a mask, Noelle’s sadness disappeared from her eyes, from her mouth, from her person. The bright and cheery Noelle that her classmates knew stared back at her in the mirror.

Noelle was a cheerful girl. She wasn’t a bad friend.

She wondered if she could ever find the willpower to open up to Kris, to make things right- or at least clear this murky and heavy air between the two of them. If she owned up to the fact that she had been horrible, that her kneejerk reaction to tragedy was to shut down- and shut them out of her life- what would they do? Did Kris think that she blamed them? She could never blame them for what happened- but did they know that?

Noelle glanced at her pencil case. It was stocked full of pencils- a certain human had stopped trying to steal them from her. It was funny how something that- at the time, was annoying- had turned into something Noelle felt nostalgic for. She glanced then to Kris, near the back of the room. “…Sleeping, like always…” Sometimes she felt jealous of them. They didn’t need to put on any sort of act to get through the day, they didn’t need to force a smile or force themself to pay attention. They were never called on, no expectations were given to them. They would simply just trudge through the halls, lay their head on their desk, and let the world continue without them present or alert. They never had to hide their misery, not like Noelle did.

Maybe it made Noelle feel a little better, knowing that Kris was suffering just like she was- that they might be sympathetic to her plights even without them knowing. Maybe she was a bad friend for feeling this way- or maybe that told her that she still felt connected to them, on some level. Maybe she wasn't as bad of a friend as she'd thought.

Noelle wished that she were older- that she could have had Mr. Boom as a teacher before he passed away. She respected Ms. Alphys for doing her best, but she really seemed ill fitted for the role. Alphys probably would have done better in Mr. Fox’s place, teaching the slightly younger kids, but neither Noelle nor Ms. Alphys were in any position to question the principal. Alphys seemed totally intimidated by high schoolers, and let them walk all over her. At least it gave Noelle the opportunity to feel better about herself- being on Ms. Alphys’s side even when the class seemed to rebel against her.

It was especially bad when the class gained a new student.

Notes:

A little bit of fluff, a little bit of angst. This fanfiction is drawing to a close, slowly but surely. I don't want to simply breeze over the college life, but I also don't want to focus too heavily on Chara. I have bigger plans for them in another fic.

Some things I thought about including that didn't make their way into the chapter:
1. Chara drives a vintage black Pontiac.
2. Chara is not musically talented, but they're skilled at dancing, and dancing-adjacent things, like figure-skating, rollerblading, ballet, and others. They learned a lot from their cousin.
3. Asriel doesn't like bowling because the fur on his fingers gets pulled when he sticks them in the bowling balls.
4. Snowdin City has safe roads that never ice over. The fire magic that is imbued on the asphalt prevents water from freezing on it. It keeps the roads at a comfortable 80 degrees (F).
5. Chara is not explicitly Christian, but when growing up, they never heard phrases like 'Angel damn it,' or 'I swear to the Angel.' They also wear a necklace with a cross on it, despite not really caring about the meaning.
6. I really hope it didn't come off like Noelle hates Kris- she still cares deeply for them. It troubles her a lot that her and Kris had found themselves drifting apart.
7. Kris stopped talking to Noelle, and Noelle never extended the invitation to talk back out to them before they stopped talking altogether. She partly blames herself for them becoming mute.

Chapter 17: University Year 2: II- Pretending

Notes:

It's been a few days, I've been distracted (by Silksong). Sorry for the late update, I hope you enjoy reading.

“There, there…” He was reassuring them, but his own voice was cracking. It was hard not to cry to the point of exhaustion any time he came home, lately.

Even though he had gotten used to walking around and being reminded of how good things used to be, there was a living-breathing constant reminder of the past, who latched onto Asriel’s leg, back, torso, face, anything, every time he visited from college. Kris loved to pretend like nothing was wrong while they were separated by their cameras, but whenever Asriel came home, they let him know exactly what was wrong. All of the sadness of loss, all of the frustration of being unable to speak their mind, all of the longing they had felt, everything came out of their eyes and onto Asriel’s sweater as soon as he stepped out from Asgore’s truck.

It hadn’t even been that long since Kris and Asriel had last seen each other. He had just been home a couple of weeks ago, for the Festival- but it felt like every time he left, their heart left with him. Stuck at home, in a body they did not want- that didn’t do what they wanted it to, they felt trapped- life had stopped moving for Kris. But when Asriel was home, they felt whole again. His soft fur and loving embrace served as the key that freed them. Home, although it was still sorely missing Asgore’s presence, felt fuller- even felt comfortable when Asriel was back.

Asgore took his children to QC’s, where they sat and talked- rather, Asriel and Asgore talked. Kris could only give input sparingly, when something was asked to them directly, and they happened to be paying attention. “So…” Asgore munched on a fry and sipped on his soda. “The projects you’ve been working on, son, tell us about them.”

Asriel chuckled a little and shook his head. “...Well, it wasn’t really a project, it was more like coursework. I dunno…” He took a sip of the vanilla malt he had ordered and wiped his mouth on a napkin. “...Humanities was kinda boring, I had to give a speech just last week.” Asgore was staring, his eyes begging for more information, and Asriel couldn’t help but relent. Even though he understood that neither his father nor Kris would be able to fathom the complexities of computer science, he appreciated that they were taking an interest. “...Well, for Humanities, last week, I had to give a speech about, uh… Crypto. I mean, that class is just a bunch of nonsense, though… We have to learn about famous figures and contemporary things in compsci.” Asgore looked confused by the abbreviation. “...Computer science, I mean. Data Structures is more interesting, though, it’s like…” He scratched his chin, contemplating a way to put it into layman’s terms for his family. “...Organizing data. There’re a bunch of popular algorithms for sorting data, and it can get really complicated.” He flexed his fingers. “...Having to write it by hand is… It really puts into perspective how handy computers are.”

Asgore was nodding and listening intently, even though he didn’t really understand. Kris, on the other hand- words were going in one of Kris’s ears and out of the other as they rested their head against Asriel’s shoulder. They were sleeping- which they did often enough- but for the first time in nearly a month, Kris was truly resting.

…

Kris only had to make it another week until school was out for winter break. They only had to go to school another handful of times before they could spend some quality time with their favorite person in the whole world. They had to get through exams, despite having slept through much of the semester. Kris could manage that; they had done so plenty of times in the past.

They caught her staring again. Maybe she was wondering why they looked so chipper, relatively speaking. Really, they still looked like a corpse dug fresh out of the grave, but they were at least able to keep their head off of the table for a few minutes before giving up- a marked improvement from their normal behavior. It might have been her first good look at their face in a while. Maybe they felt up to approaching her. Kris’s eyes fell from the back of Noelle’s head and down onto their desk. “Nope.” They closed their eyes and let their head fall down, like always. Some things might never change.

They were woken up by the bell. “O-okay, class. Everyone enjoy your lunch break. Don’t… Get up to any trouble, ehehe…” Kris’s eyes lingered on Ms. Alphys before turning back down to the table. Mom always had something to say when they came home with a completely full lunch box, but that didn’t matter much to them. They just wanted to sleep for a while longer, they didn’t need to eat. Kris were grateful that Ms. Alphys had stopped trying to usher the kids out of the classroom as of late. Maybe she didn’t want to bother them while they were sleeping- having a pretty good idea of what they were going through. Maybe she was scared of the new student, who similarly stayed planted in her seat every time the lunch bell rang.

“Hey.”

Kris was jostled roughly by someone’s strong grip. That didn’t feel good, the hand was not gentle or warm, and it had sharp claws that dug into the sweater Asriel let them borrow. Kris stirred slowly, rising and looking around before they were jostled once again. Kris turned around to face their assailant, the dragon girl who seemed rough around the edges, who had just moved to this school recently. To everyone else, she must have been truly frightening, but to Kris, she was just another monster who was strong enough to kill them by accident. She gripped them by their collar and pulled them close. She was stretching out Asriel’s sweater. That wasn’t nice of her. “The FUCK are you looking at me like that for?”

She pushed them hard, and their back slammed against the edge of the desk. It was enough force to almost knock them and the desk over. It hurt- it might even bruise. Kris didn’t know what they had done to make her so angry with them. “Why did you do that? I didn’t push you first. My back hurts now. Did I do something wrong? Are you… Just playing around?” The girl glared at them. “What? Not gonna say anything? Maybe you’re as dumb as you look.” She stood up, leaning over and putting a palm on her desk to support her weight. With her other hand, she gripped a fistful of Kris’s hair, forcing their bangs out of the way as well as tugging painfully on their scalp. Their hands reflexively gripped onto her wrists in a futile attempt at getting her off of them. “That hurts. Stop.”

She was glaring at them, staring them deep in the eyes. It was like she was a bull-monster or something, the way that the red of their eyes only served to deepen her annoyance with them. “I was wrong. You’ve gotta be even DUMBER than you look. A normal kid would’ve begged for mercy by now. Guess that just means I can be merciless with you.” She made her voice sound as menacing as possible, but Kris did not stir or quake in fear. They continued staring at her, their mouth opening and closing a few times like a fish out of water. They even managed a croaking sound, but that was only due to the searing pain in their scalp and on their back.

“H-hi, Kris, I was wondering if-” The bully abruptly pushed Kris back onto their seat before she could enter the classroom. “She didn’t see us. It’s cool, just play it cool. The teacher’s pet didn’t see it. She’s coming over to us. Fuck.”

Noelle crossed the room, moving deliberately towards Kris and Susie. “What does she want?” Seeing Noelle marching towards them, Kris’s heart raced more than when Susie was threatening them. “K-Kris, your hair is such a mess, fahaha!” Kris stared in disbelief as Noelle tousled their hair a little bit before straightening it out. “What?” She was pretending like they were close again. Was she making fun of them? Was she trying to extend her hand to them in friendship once again- to make it so she wouldn’t have to pretend? “S-sorry, if I interrupted something.” 

Why was her nose glowing?

“U-uh, nah, it was nothing.” Susie put her elbows on her desk and used a hand to block her face, looking away from the reindeer girl. “Shit. Shit. Shit. I’m so fucked. Did she see?” Susie stole nervous glances towards Noelle, through her finger slits, gauging her reaction. The bell rang again, and it didn’t take long for the other students to trickle back in. Noelle looked back a few times, but she meandered back to her seat.

Kris’s head hurt as they laid it back down on their desk. They tried to play the events back in their head, to figure out what they had done wrong and to figure out what Noelle had wanted. They hoped that she would come back and finish saying her piece. They hated being curious about things, as they could not voice their own curiosity. Their unease distracted them for the rest of class, not that they were paying all that much attention anyways. Ms. Alphys was doing her best to prepare all of her students for the upcoming exams, and Kris would certainly benefit from the lessons, but that did not prevent them from nodding off multiple times throughout the remainder of the school day.

After classes ended, Susie lingered just a little while after the bell to watch and see if her life in Home Town was over- if the teacher’s pet would rat on her and she would be expelled. She hated it here. She would have been glad to leave, but… When she thought about breaking the news to her foster mother, that she had messed things up again and would have to change schools… Susie couldn’t keep her composure. She had done it again. She had just moved here, and she would have to leave already. She should have been more careful. She should have covered her tracks. She should have just kept her mouth shut. She didn’t need to pick on them with the intention of stealing their lunch, she had enough food at home. Susie couldn’t do anything right.

Susie pushed her chair out, letting it clatter to the ground, and left in a hurry. Tears were stinging at her eyes and falling behind her as she ran- fast and far, anywhere away from this school that would spell her doom.

…

Noelle knew.

Of course she knew. Of course she could see the signs, how disheveled Kris looked- their hair, their collar, the tears that had formed at the corners of their eyes from how badly it stung. She knew, but she didn’t say anything- not to Ms. Alphys, and not to Kris.

She didn’t know why she kept her mouth shut. She took no pleasure in seeing Kris get hurt, but there was something about the new student. Something that told her to turn a blind eye, just this once- then again, then again. She had already turned a blind eye to so much this girl had done- and not just to Kris. She ignored the messes Susie brought in, the torn paper and smashed pencils she left in her wake, the scribbling on the desk, the clear attempts at bullying Kris and the other students, everything. “Why?...” Noelle stared at the papers on her desk, not really reading any of the material, just letting her eyes dance over the words before moving back to the start in a fruitless attempt at comprehending the passage. She hadn’t even realized the bell had rung. “Why does she remind me so much of…”

Kris was gently massaging their scalp as an explosion of noise was heard behind them, almost making their heart leap out of their throat, and Susie rushed out of the classroom. They thought they had done something wrong, once again. But that didn’t matter. She was just a stranger, and even though she was rougher than most, Kris didn’t feel any particular way about the dragon girl who sat behind them. Their mind focused instead on the reindeer girl who sat at the front of the class. Noelle was now staring at the open doorway, along with Alphys, who looked thoroughly frightened. “N-Noelle, I hate to ask you this, but…”

She didn’t need Alphys to finish- she was already walking towards Kris. Their eyes lasered in on her as she approached them, but she walked right past them. They weren’t sure why their heart sank, but they looked away from their old friend in their best attempt to ignore her close proximity. Noelle picked Susie’s chair off of the ground and set it atop her desk. She didn’t immediately walk back to Ms. Alphys, though, she lingered in front of Kris momentarily. “...I was asking before, but I got distracted…” She looked away, back towards the doorway that Susie had just stormed out of. Kris shifted uncomfortably in their seat, finding themself leaning slightly away from Noelle. “...Since Azzy’s back in town, I was wondering… Do you think we could all get together… And do something? It’s really been a long time, fahaha…”

Kris’s heart thumped.”What does it mean?” Memories stirred within them, memories of a friendship that had lost its spark for quite some time, now with a small matchstick hovering just out of view. They didn’t know what to say, but just like every other time, Kris simply nodded. They opened their mouth, and Noelle waited for them patiently- but of course, nothing came out.

“I must be going, my reliable number two. There is only so much learning one can do after classes let out- and very little of it can be done outside of the library.” He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his beak and stared at Kris. “And my contemptible number three… I wish you the best of luck on the first exam, tomorrow. You’re going to need it!” His face squashed into a stupid smug grin as he left the classroom. If Kris could speak right then, they would have probably told Berdly to shut his beak. His voice was like nails on a chalkboard to Kris when he spoke all high and mighty like that.

“Bye, Berdly.” Noelle waved politely to him. Kris wondered if her and Berdly were really friends. They spent a lot of time together, and they studied together a lot. They wondered if Noelle seriously enjoyed his company.

Then again, she could pretend like she enjoyed- or even wanted to seek out- Kris’s company, so anything was possible.

Truthfully, the thoughts scared Kris, the thoughts of pretending everything was back to normal between her and them- or her and Asriel. Maybe there was a chance that things could return to normal, but the likelier- scarier- outcome was that Noelle would realize she had been better off without Kris in her life at all. They could endure the awkward glances and smiles; they could handle being just a friendly acquaintance to her, and not a true friend. They had been able to hover at further than an arm’s length from their once-best friend for this long. Things were better right now, Asriel was home. They could keep going; they could keep the charade up. But Kris would never want Noelle to look at them the way they felt they deserved to be looked at- like dirt, or something buried 6 feet beneath it. They could never survive something so horrible.

They needed to talk to Asriel, they couldn’t do it without him. They always needed to talk to Asriel.

…

Kris was grateful that there was crosscountry practice today- the last one of the season. They had the sneaking suspicion that Noelle might have followed them home, otherwise. The way her eyes kept lingering on them, the way it felt like she had more things to say to them, the way she looked like she was waiting for them by their locker, it made their skin crawl. It wasn’t a bad sensation as much as it was frightening to them. They could not confront this- whatever it was- not alone. Not without Asriel.

“Do you feel prepared for your first exam tomorrow, dear?” Kris stared up at their mother as they walked to her car. They nodded, but this time it didn’t feel so disingenuous. “That’s wonderful to hear, sweetheart.” Kris actually did feel decently prepared- they just did not have any expectations of making a grade above a 60- not that Toriel needed to know that. They had cruised as the class number 3 with minimal effort. Truly, the other students were not much in the way of competition.

When they got back home, they found Asriel hard at work in the kitchen. He was on the phone with someone, but he hung up soon after the front door opened. Kris’s appetite was always greater whenever Asriel was home, especially when he was the one cooking. It was like every facet of their life- that involved actually living it- came and went with Asriel’s presence. When he was gone, they hardly ate, they slept all day, they hurt- but while he was home, it was like the color returned to the world- to their world. “Howdy! Just finishing up over here.” He moved his phone out of the crook of his neck and returned it to his pocket. Kris absentmindedly embraced Asriel from behind, shamelessly sticking their face against the small of his back and inhaling deeply. When he was gone, it was like the cinnamon-scent that was ever-present in the Dreemurr family’s house left along with him, even though it most certainly did not. “Uh, Kris, I’m kinda trying to work here...” 

“Come now, Kris. You need to wash up, anyways.” Toriel helped peel Kris off of Asriel and ushered them into the bathroom. They would have grumbled a complaint, if they could have at the moment. “Honestly… Sometimes I wish Kris still hugged me like that…”

Asriel smiled gently, even though he was still facing the stovetop. “...Me too… I’m worried about them. I’m… Not always around, y’know? Sometimes I worry that they rely on me too heavily, and not enough on you, or…” His voice trailed off, sounding a little sad. It was true- Kris depended too heavily on their older brother. It was like they lived and breathed only while he was home, and the rest of the time they were practically a zombie. They might be getting by, but they certainly were not living their life.

Kris opened the bathroom door, and conversation between mother and son stopped abruptly. 

…

“Ah, systems of equations… How I miss when math was this easy…” Maybe he wasn’t bragging, but it sure seemed like he was. Kris shot their older brother an annoyed look before a smile cracked at their lips. They didn’t need it, but they certainly did not turn down Asriel’s offer to help them study for their upcoming exams. Even if he wasn’t the smartest person that they knew, they loved nothing more than his attention, his company. That did, however, make it a little difficult to concentrate on the material he was trying to show them. “So, show me how you’d work this problem out.” He pointed a finger at the Algebra textbook, highlighting one question in particular. It had a lot of numbers, and it even had some letters. It didn’t make all that much sense to Kris. They put their pencil’s eraser to their mouth, letting it drag on their lower lip as they considered their approach. Kris began to scribble on the notebook paper that Asriel had provided them before passing it back to him. His eyes narrowed as he examined Kris’s handiwork. “...Yeah, we’re gonna be here for a while, aren’t we?”

Kris wasn’t smart like Asriel, but Asriel had all the patience in the world for his younger sibling. He never made them feel stupid, even while correcting their mistakes. He was a gentle guide, and Kris absentmindedly thought how they would learn a lot if Asriel was their teacher instead of Ms. Alphys. After a while of studying algebra, they both came to the conclusion that they could use a breather. “Wanna go for a walk? It’s not that cold outside.”

Kris knew what he was trying to do. They knew that he knew how inactive they’d been lately- how they’d spend all day on their bed. They knew he was trying to help them, and they loved him for it. However, when he insisted that it ‘wasn’t that cold,’ they could only stare at him, nonplussed. It might have been true for him, since he had just gotten out of a frozen wasteland, but Kris had no fur to shield themself from the cold. Asriel noticed their confused look and nodded. “...Right, my bad.”

Kris went upstairs, put on an extra layer, and the Dreemurr kids headed out. The air was cool and crisp, and it might have felt good blowing through their hair if their scalp wasn’t still aching from earlier in the day. Otherwise, things felt better, outside, and inside. Things even felt good. They walked around in relative silence for a while. Asriel’s words floated on the cool breeze, and Kris even found themself paying attention for once. His voice was deeper, in person, than it was over the phone or over video calls. It was a welcome change, being able to hear him like this. The two settled down at the lake shore, near their father’s new house. “We should go and say hi before heading back home.” Asriel cast a sideways glance to the building, now dubbed ‘Flower King,’ with signage that hadn’t been present the last time he was in Home Town. He had mixed feelings about it.

Kris nodded. They loved their father dearly, and they missed his presence at home every day. They did not miss the fighting, though.

Asriel wiped Kris’s eyes, which they hadn’t realized began leaking. The two sat in silence for a while.

Asriel pulled out a box from his back pocket. “...Don’t tell Mom, okay?”

Their eyes widened and their heart swelled. They didn’t particularly care for cigarettes, especially the foul smell that they left in the air or on peoples’ clothes. But Asriel was sharing something with them- showing them a side of him that they didn’t know existed. They knew, of course, that Dess had smoked, and they reasonably assumed that Asriel smoked sometimes too, but he had never even held a cigarette in their presence.

Kris pulled out their notepad and began scrawling on it. It was a simple enough way to convey their thoughts when the spoken word failed them, and their fingers were not deft enough to type fast. It was also a gift from Asriel, so it was a foregone conclusion that they would make the most of it. ‘(i didnt know you smoked)’ It was a half-truth, but they made their point clear.

Asriel nodded. “...I don’t know. For the longest time, I didn’t really want you to know… I was scared of what you might think of me.” He saw the sadness in Kris’s eyes. They wanted to say it with their own mouth, to reassure him that he meant the world to them whether or not he smoked, drank, stole, murdered- anything. Asriel inhaled deeply and let the smoke float on the cool autumn air, dissipating over the lake’s surface. “But things are different, now. You're a big kid, you can handle my dark secret." Asriel let out a snicker, but his smile drooped as his laughter quelled. "...Dess and I… We did our fair share of smoking… Together.” He let out a bittersweet laugh. “...Truth be told, it was more her than me, and…” He rested his forehead against his palm, looking away from Kris. “...I hadn’t touched a cigarette for a long time. Not since… Not since she disappeared.”

Kris didn’t know what to say. Asriel was sad. They were sad. They wished they could change that, but they were utterly powerless. “...I only started again recently. Trying not to make a habit out of it, though. Wouldn’t want Mom or Dad to find out...”

He was looking at Kris again, like he expected them to say something. They wanted to- Angel, they wished they could. Kris stared at the notepad and waited for the words to come to them, but too many words plagued their thoughts all at once, and they became white noise in Kris’s head. Asriel put out the cigarette with a sigh. “...Sorry. Didn’t mean to bring the mood down.”

Kris wrapped him in their arms, not caring that he smelled like smoke more than cinnamon at the moment. He had come all the way from Snowdin, and all he had done was comfort them. It was their turn to comfort him. They could see it in his eyes, that he had been holding back. They knew it because they were the same way. He missed her more than anyone else- even more than Kris missed Asriel every time he left home. Asriel’s hand gingerly wrapped around Kris’s wrist. “H-hey, what’s up? Is something wrong?”

Kris only squeezed him tighter. He might not want to say it- almost certainly not. But he was hurting too. Kris maneuvered around him so they weren’t hugging him from the side, but from around the back. Asriel’s hands trembled as they gripped Kris’s own. “...When we were little… We used to come out here, for the Police Picnic. You might not remember it, we stopped going around when you were really small. I think 'cause you were scared of Officer Undyne." Despite the funny message, his voice was trembling nearly as badly as his hands were. “...It’s funny, you know? The things that you remember. I remember getting smacked in the face really hard, and…” He sniffled hard and wiped his nose.

“I’m sorry, Azzy… I didn’t mean to… Ugh…” His nose had bled. She had thrown the ball at his face, probably out of frustration or jealousy or some combination of the two. She was strong, she was tough, she had grit. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, and she had felt even worse about it than he had while he was hurt. The stinging sensation in his nose was pleasant, because she was right there with him. Asriel looked at his hand after wiping his nose. There wasn’t blood, and she wasn’t here.

Asriel pinched his eyes, wiping fresh tears away. “...Sorry, Kris. I just got a little overwhelmed, is all…” He patted their hand, and they slowly unwrapped their arms from around him. “...Being in town, it… I’m sure you know…” Kris nodded. “...I wish you could come visit me in Snowdin, sometimes. I…” He sighed. “Thank you, Kris. For being here… For me.”

They picked the notepad up once again and began writing. ‘(not like i can go anywhere else)’

Asriel smiled and shook his head, a slight chuckle escaping from his throat. “Not what I mean, dork…” He put a hand on his forehead and smoothed his fur back. “...Seriously. I can’t ever say it enough, Kris, but I love you. I don’t know what I’d do without you, and… I’m sorry that I’m…” His voice trailed off as he stared at the lake. His voice did not quaver, but it was cracking. “...I’m sorry that I left. I’m sorry that I leave, and that I’m gonna leave again. I’ll leave you behind, even though… I know what things are like… More or less, while I’m gone. And I’m sorry that I can just… Let things be that way, while I go and play make-believe somewhere 6 hours away.”

Kris bit their upper lip as they listened to their older brother’s spiel. This isn’t something they wanted to talk about. They didn’t want to talk about themself, they didn’t want to draw attention to how far they had fallen from the once energetic little human they had been. They didn’t want to draw attention to their own suffering- that was what the video chats were for. Asriel was actually here. They didn’t need to talk about anything other than what would make Asriel feel better. There could be no catharsis in talking about Kris.

If Asriel kept going, he’d want to stay home. Then he’d blame them for losing out on his perfect scholarship, and his future. They had been patient and waited long enough for him to come home, so why were they being punished? Kris’s breathing hastened as their mind raced. “Change the subject. I HAVE to change the subject. College? No. Mom and Dad? No. Classes?” Kris’s eyes widened as they remembered what had transpired earlier. “Noelle.”

They feverishly scribbled on the paper, pushing every other thought away- even those that dictated how neat their handwriting should be. Asriel stared at the scribbles and raised an eyebrow. “...Kris, I can’t read that. Is that Cyrillic?” Kris snatched the notepad back and steadied their breathing before attempting to write the words again.

‘(noelle wanted to hang out)’

“Noelle?...” Asriel nodded and passed the notebook back to them. “That could be fun…” He pulled his phone out and briefly glanced at a text from a ‘CHARA’ before looking at his other contacts. “...It’s been a long time since I talked to her… Have you talked with her lately, Kris?” Kris frowned and shook their head. Asriel chewed on the inside of his cheek and nodded. Maybe it was a sensitive subject for them- hell, it was something of a sensitive subject for him, and he didn’t even have to see her every day. Asriel licked his lips and set his phone back in his pocket. “Not tonight…” He thought as he looked at Kris’s uncertain expression. 

…

Susie showed up the next day, surprised that a phone call had never made its way to her foster mother. She would not look a gift horse in the mouth, though. As far as she was concerned, she had gotten lucky this time. Next time, she might not be so lucky. She didn’t really give a damn about the exams, but she knew better than to skip out on them. She would just have to show up, guess as best as she could, and turn the paper in. She didn’t really have to try, she never did.

She was the second to last student to show up, and she did her best to ignore the stares from her peers and from the teacher. They hurt her, physically, and she would never let them know it. She would never let them know that it hurt how badly she stuck out, how she could never fit in. It just fueled the fire within her, even if it ate away at her very heart and soul. 

Kris, on the other hand, was a bit more apprehensive about today. Even though they were significantly more prepared for the exams than Susie was, it was the inevitability of what would happen after the exams that made their heart race. When they walked into the classroom, their eyes fixated on Noelle’s. They froze in place, staring at her. Angel, they wanted to say something- or they wanted her to say something.. “K-Kris? Is something on my face?” Kris snapped out of it and shook their head. They mouthed ‘sorry’ before trudging to their seat and planting themself firmly on it. They found it hard to ignore Noelle’s glances towards the back of the room, and even harder to ignore the irate stare boring into the back of their head.

“O-okay, class. Now that we’re all here… You have 180 minutes to take the test. D-don’t look at other students’ answers…” Ms. Alphys’s eyes seemed to linger on Susie as she said that. It made her want to snap her pencil in half, but it was the only good pencil she had. She could afford to save venting her frustrations for after the exam that determined whether she passed math or not.

After the papers were handed out, the timer started, and the students began working on their math final.

Notes:

I'm sorry if it feels like not a lot happened in this chapter, but I was particularly pleased with Asriel's and Kris's interactions.

Some things I wanted to include that didn't necessarily fit in the chapter:

1. Susie is a Boss Monster, being a dragon. On top of already being much stronger than Kris, she's much stronger than the other monsters her age. Noelle is a Boss Monster too, but she's fairly weak for one. Susie is a little bit older than Noelle, too. Susie is roughly as strong as Undyne was at her age, while Dess was (a little) weaker than Undyne at her age.
2. Something about dragons: they are proficient in fire magic, though Susie doesn't know any. The Dreemurrs are also boss monsters with an affinity for fire. Magic is not used much though, so it's impossible to say whether the Dreemurrs are better or worse than dragons, on average, in terms of fire magic.
3. Another thing about dragons: they grow wings when they reach maturity. They're mostly for aesthetic, as they rarely grow big enough to facilitate flight, but they usually grow large enough to be used to glide.
4. Another thing about dragons: they have tails that vary in sizes. Susie's is quite small, though it's not all the way grown.
5. Another thing about dragons: some dragons have horns, but Susie is not one of those- or else she would have grown them in already.
6. Asriel keeps in regular contact with some of his friends from Home Town- namely Pants and Bluey, but he had also grown distant from Noelle, like Kris.
7. Chara and Asriel regularly call and text. He was on the phone with them in the kitchen, and he texts them at night after Kris falls asleep. Even though Pants (who now works at Ice-EE's, and can appropriately be called 'Pizza Pants') was his best friend other than Dess, it would be most appropriate to say that Chara is Asriel's closest friend at the moment, as they've achieved a level of closeness akin to siblings.
8. Asriel really wants Kris and Chara to meet, but he hasn't even told them that the mysterious 'Chara' that he's grown so close with is a human. He doesn't know how to even bring it up to them.
9. The text Chara sent him that Asriel ignored while at the lake read- actually I shouldn't say it. Chara likes to use a lot of swear words over text, even though they don't say many in person.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of Life in Home Town