Chapter Text
It was a quiet, chilly December weekend in Hometown, residents beginning to take time off to celebrate the year’s end and gather with their friends and families. For nineteen-year-old Kris Dreemurr, it was just another day. After graduating from high school earlier in the year, they had stayed behind to figure out what they wanted to do long term. In the meantime, they picked up freelance gigs playing piano for local events. They often spent time with their good friend Susie, who was training as an apprentice police officer for Undyne.
Later in the afternoon after a performance, they messaged Susie asking to meet at the lake. While waiting for their purple pal, they drifted off in thought, between all the mundane and monotony this past year, they felt something, or someone rather, in their life was missing. Before entertaining this thought further, they heard loud patters of footsteps behind them.
“Dude, look at my new badge, I passed my exam!” Susie beamed with excitement as she showed off her uniform. “You’re lookin’ at the freshly appointed Officer Susie, ready to beat up bad guys and serve justice” she winked slyly while fist in hand.
“Congrats on the promotion” Kris smiled faintly hearing the good news.
“This has been a helluva year, got a sick job, no more class, met some cool peoples, life is good” she reflected fondly. She took a moments pause as she noticed Kris’s expression turn more serious.
“Hey, you arright? You seem a bit bummed about something..” she asks with concern.
“It’s fine” they respond softly. “Must have not gotten much sleep.”
“Can’t fool me silly. This is about seeing Noelle again, isn't it?"
Kris's heart skipped a beat, sinking as Susie mentioned their childhood friend's name. Noelle Holiday, graduating valedictorian at their school, went off to study at the presigious Mt. Ebbott University. She was the first student since Kris's brother Asriel to get accepted and continue her ambitions there. Last they heard she was preparing to follow in her mother's footsteps to be her successor in running Hometown, however who knows what she's been up to since moving away. Kris sighed, assuming she didn't really miss them much, embarrassed to even dwell over it any longer.
"She's coming back tomorrow for the annual Holiday gathering" they admitted. The Holiday family always hosted a large get-together with close acquaintences. Kris and Susie were among those invited.
"Why so nervous, then?" the dragon wondered.
"She's going to think I'm a failure" the human lamented.
"What? Absolutely not! She knows you're just figuring stuff out. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to see you again. All of us" she retorted as she patted Kris's back. "Besides, I think she will appreciate the slower pace back home, a break from the adjustment being away."
Kris nodded reluctantly. "I guess you're right."
"That's the spirit! Now, wanna race back to the gate?" Before Susie could finish her question Kris had already sprinted off. "Cheater!" she echoed as she followed after them.
--
As the sun began to set, Kris returned home to their mother Toriel, who was in the middle of cooking dinner.
"Hi honey, you're home a bit later than usual" she greeted warmly as she placed a plate of sphaghetti in front of them. "Must have had a lot of shows booked today?"
"Not too bad" they spoke mildly. "I met up with Susie."
"Oh that's wonderful! Hope she's doing well." Kris nodded in reply and they took a bite. Some silence went by and filled the empty space of the house. "By the way, tomorrow we're going over to the Holidays for the gathering. Remember to look your best."
"I know" Kris rolled their eyes.
"You don't seem very excited. You always love going over every year. What's different this time?”
"I missed Elly" they confessed as they looked down and flushed rose across their visage.
"I can tell you have. Noelle I'm positive missed you too. You should be looking forward to seeing her. You two have so much to catch up on!" Toriel reassures her child.
"Mom.." they began. "Are you dissappointed I didn't go to college like Azzy?"
Toriel's eyes widened in concern. "Everyone has a different path towards their future, dear. You have a wonderful gift of music you get to share with the world. You're just getting started and I couldn't be prouder. You just need to be more proud of yourself."
She and Kris shared a gentle embrace as they began to head upstairs. "Get some rest, sweetie."
--
The next day Kris took the day off to prepare for the Holidays. They took a long shower, spritzed their apple-scented cologne, and put on their outfit typically worn for church as it was the best attire they owned. They couldn't stop thinking about the event. Thinking about Noelle.
The evening finally arrived as they approached the Holiday manor, decked out in boughs of holly per usual. The estate brought back familiarity, memories of blissfulness rushing over them as they entered through the foyer. The group was already beginning to sit at the dining table, and their eyes immediately spotted a cheerful Noelle in a cozy red sweater, looking as darling as ever. They sweated a bit in awkwardness as they approached the doe.
"Kris, you made it! It is so wonderful to see you again!" She exclaimed merry and bright as she initiated a tight hug around her long time friend and former neighbor. Kris reciprocated with butterflies.
Noelle's mother Carol greeted the rest of the guests as her father Rudy served the feast. Some joyful banter ensued as the group shared their stories from throughout the year.
"So Berdly, how is your computer science degree going? That sounds like a difficult area to study" Carol asks the blue bird.
"It's going swellingly" he boasts with an exuberant amount of confidence. "It's almost too easy peasy. I'll be the next S-tier hacker and game developer in no time. You know if I got off the waitlist I too would have been attending Mt. Ebbott with Miss Noelle over here. I may even apply to transfer next year."
I can't stand that piece of chicken Kris fumes to themself.
Catti and Jockington remained silent, just content to be there as Noelle's former classmates. Catti stared intensely at Susie, which brought Carol's attention to the dragon as well.
"Ah yes, Susie. You've truly surprised me this year. You are working with Undyne now?"
"Just completed my apprenticeship yesterday, booyah!" Susie celebrates. "Kris knows all the deets."
She looks towards a timid Kris, hesitant to speak about their accomplishments, or lack thereof. Toriel interjects, "And Kris has been very busy serenading the people in town."
Noelle giggles, "We all know how great they are playing piano, they were the only one that knew how to use ours!" Kris grins as they accepted the compliment.
She continued, “Speaking of, I ran into Azzy- ah I mean Dr. Dreemurr as he likes to be called, fahaha. He was busy with grading his students’ exams and couldn’t make it home.”
Carol nodded in understanding, “Yes, being a professor surely is not a walk in the park. It seems all the older kids could not join us this year, however all seems to be well.”
Noelle grins widely, “As for me, this first semester was pretty crazy, I’m still trying to get used to everything being so different, but it’s nice at least to have a break from it all for a short while. And I’m so so grateful to have people I care about the most right here with me.”
”A toast to another successful year!” she raises her glass of fruit punch as the rest of the table follows in high spirits.
The group wrapped up the dinner and headed over to the Christmas tree to begin White Elephant.
“Heh, check out this one Kris, it kinda looks like your face” Susie teased as she grabbed a random gift from underneath. She tore up the paper inelegantly. “Aw man, socks again? They don’t even fit my feet! Guess I’m using them as mittens or something.” Kris snickers in a brief moment of lightheartedness. They ended up choosing a poorly modded version of Minecrap from Berdly, Noelle picked a CD from Catti burned with all of the greatest hits from Blood Crushers.
Once the gift exchange was over the guests began to gather their bearings and leave for the night. Before Kris stepped out the door, they felt their left hand being caught by someone else’s.
”Kris, wait!” Noelle voiced in plea, “Could you stay behind for a while longer?”