Chapter Text
Berdly hears a knock on the door and perks up from his bed to go answer the door. To not so much of his surprise, he sees his dear friend, Ralsei.
“You’re actually here-“ he accidentally says out loud. “I mean of course you’re here, haha!”. Berdly can’t help but feel .. nervous? And sweaty. Was that possible for a bluebird like him? He leans against the doorframe to try to appear “cool” but inside he knows he’s failing.
“Come to relish in my presence?” he says with a cocky grin on his face, trying to track away from what he accidentally slip out.
“I’m sorry Berdly. I wasn’t the one who texted you telling you I’d come over, that was Susie. She took my phone and told you I’d come over, if you don’t want me here I can go..”.
Berdly stares at Ralsei for just a little bit before opening his beak to speak. “There’s no harm in staying” he says as he slides his arm down from the doorframe. He coughs and speaks. “I’ve been meaning to show someone my new console, do.. you wanna see it?”.
Ralsei’s mouth forms a smile before he agrees. “I’d like that!”.
Berdly’s cocky grin is once again on his face and he proceeds to brag “I must warn you, it’s a rare model AND it’s in mint condition so try not to get it dirty”. He finishes his sentence as he’s turning around to head towards his tv but stumbles a little bit.
Ralsei notices and rushes to him before closing the door behind him.
“Oh Berdly, are-“.
“Just fine dear prince!”. He pulls out his hand to face his “new” console. “Shall we?”.
Ralsei nods and they both sit down to face his TV. The new console that Berdly was talking about didn’t actually seem to be in “mint condition”. It was pretty worn out but Ralsei didn’t want to bring it up. Instead, Berdly did.
He hands over a controller to Ralsei’s palms and yawns a little bit. “It’s not really new…, Ms. Alphys gave it to me.”
“Ms. Alphys.. she seems nice!”.
Berdly nods and yawns.
“Susie seemed hesitant to introduce me to her since she didn’t exactly did so good on the project. But she’s nice and sociable.”
Berdly eyes close as Ralsei speaks.
“You.. seem tired Berdly. Maybe you should sleep early tonight?”. The concerned dark goat faces the bluebird and notices the feathers on his friend.
“Your.. feathers..they’re..”.
“Beautifully unique?” the bird said.
“Well.. I do think your feathers are nice but.. they’re pretty fluffed. I don’t think that’s good.” He reaches out his hand towards Berdly’s feathers on his face and his concern grows only more and more.
“Your feathers don’t usually look like this..” he brushes his fingers against his friend’s face without realizing what he’s been doing.
Berdly looks at Ralsei with drowsy and sick but surprised eyes. “I’m just a little sick..” he then slowly moves his face away from Ralsei’s hand to face the floor.
“Oh- I’m sorry! I hadn’t realized what I was doing, I should’ve asked- you just seem so sick and I’m so worried..” the goat brought his hands up to his chest.
“Y..you’re worried?” the bluebird asks as he faces Ralsei once more with slightly more open eyes.
Ralsei’s face oddly seems a little more pink than usual. “.. Of course I am Berdly”.
“Fear not your majesty, gamers don’t die, they revive.”
“…..” Ralsei just stares at Berdly.
Berdly coughs again and before he speaks “b-but um.. I should probably go to a doctor.”
“The giant circle in the sky is already gone I don’t think you can go right now.” He grows a frown on his face.
Berdly smirks and raises his eyebrow “you mean the sun?”.
“Oh! Yes! Haha, sorry there’s just so much to remember about .. the light world. I think when the sun goes away, it’s called a sunset? That’s what Kris said.”
“You learn quickly, you’ll fit right in.”
Ralsei seems a little surprised, Berdly is actually speaking to him. No fancy words to downplay any hidden messages in his sentences, no cocky comments to contradict any honesty he might’ve shown. He likes this. He likes when Berdly is.. real? Was that the word? Honest, and true. Something Ralsei himself has had an issue being in the past.
“You.. think so?”.
“Mhmm.” Berdly nods as his drowsy eyes once again close themselves.
“!!!” Ralsei looks at Berdly has he slowly, but surely, rests his head on his shoulder. He must be really tired.
He doesn’t move his position. Ralsei’s scared of waking up his sick friend in need.
They stay in that place for a little while.
Ralsei realizes that Berdly needs his bed so he begins to get on his knees to grab Berdly towards his bed.
The goat rests Berdly on the bed and Berdly wakes up right before he is fully laid down.
“What..” he speaks with drowsy eyes.
“Please.. rest.” Ralsei sits down on the bed next to him, still holding on the bluebird.
Berdly’s eyes open a little bit, he seems more awake now. “I’m okay. I don’t want to rest yet.”
Ralsei lets go.
“Why not? You’ll feel better in the morning.”
“If.. I close my eyes then.. you’ll just go.”
“Do.. you want me to stay here?”.
Berdly looks at Ralsei in the eye and seems hesitant to say anything at all.
Tired and heavy-eyed, Berdly clings his wings onto Ralsei. “Please don’t go. I don’t want to be alone..”. They’re close. Not close enough to kiss but close enough that Ralsei can see his face pretty well in the reflection of the bird’s glasses.
“I won’t go if you don’t want me to.”
Berdly looks like he’s about to cry. Ralsei can’t tell if it’s just because he’s unwell or because his friend is actually about to cry. He hesitantly raises his hands up to Berdly’s face as he asks “Can I..?”.
Berdly is too tired to disagree. They’re close.
Berdly’s arms are still hanging onto Ralsei’s and it’s been a few minutes but neither of them have realized just how long they’ve been looking at eachother in the eye.
“I’m here Berdly. I won’t go until you feel better.” Ralsei opens his mouth to speak once more before Berdly takes that chance instead.
“I don’t want to be alone…I was alone all week.” Ralsei slowly takes off Berdly’s glasses with his right hand and once he sets them down on the bed, he raises his hands right back up to the feathers on his friend’s face. “I don’t like being alone either.. I .. won’t go.”
Berdly usually isn’t like this, is it really just because he’s tired? Ralsei likes honesty but this feels invasive more than anything. He speculates on whether Berdly’s vulnerability is an outcome of pure free will or the sickness that has taken over him. He thinks and he thinks as he realizes just how much closer their faces are.
“Noelle is worried about you.. Susie too.. I think.” He speaks a little bit more softly before, just soft enough to not surprise Berdly.
“I.. don’t want Noelle to see me like this. I’m weak and I don’t want her image of to me to be distorted.”
“Oh Berdly.” He caresses his face, almost like he’s petting the bird. “I’m sure Noelle wouldn’t think you’re weak just for being sick.”
Berdly moves his face towards the soft, petting hands of his friend. “Do you think I’m weak..?”.
“Not at all. All you need is rest.”
“I’m tired Ralsei..”. Droopy-eyed and just right infront of his face, Berdly seems like he’s about to cry. He doesn’t, it’s almost like he’s awake enough to hold that part of himself back.
Ralsei hugs his bluebird.
“I wish I had magic in this world. I could heal you in an instant and you wouldn’t have to feel this way.” Berdly surprisingly held him tight, despite being so tired.
They hugged for a good few minutes as Berdly mumbled into Ralsei’s neck. A few minutes later, Berdly was laying down on his back as Ralsei got up to grab a warm towel to put on his friend’s forehead.
“Is that good?”.
Berdly’s quiet but his faint smile seems like a good enough response for now.
“Are you going now?” the bird asks.
“I.. I said I’d stayed didn’t I?”.
Berdly grabs Ralsei so he wouldn’t be standing over the bed anymore and instead would be close enough to the bed to get on.
They’re laying next to eachother and Ralsei just can’t seem to get his eyes off Berdly.
“… Why are you here Ralsei” he speaks softly but strong enough to be understood.
“You’re sick” the goat answered.
Berdly moved his head a little bit to face Ralsei’s voice. “You know what I mean.. Nobody else would do this.”
“I simply don’t think that’s true. Noelle brings you up when I speak to her and Susie’s the one that felt like you needed to be checked up on.”
Ralsei thinks a little bit before he speaks. “And Kris.. I’m sure they would’ve come if they knew you were so sick like this. You have people who care about you Berdly. I.. care about you. And I want you to be okay.”
“You don’t think I’m too annoying?”.
“I think you’re charming.”
Berdly’s eyes open a little bit.
Ralsei panicks. “I uh.. mean I’m fond of our talks and.. I never thought I’d feel so nice talking to you and- I. I just, I guess what I mean is I like how hard you try to get my affection, I think it’s… sweet.”
“Even if it’s just for show..”.
“…..” Berdly doesn’t say anything, he loves the voice of his dear prince too much to interrupt.
“I know you don’t mean it so seriously when you call me ‘dearest prince’ or when you make so many grand gestures to ‘win me’. I like the attention.. oh angel I hate myself for it.”
Berdly closes his eyes, “I don’t call you ‘dearest’ just as a joke.”
“Y..you don’t?”.
“You’re here with me. You’re very much dear to m-“ Berdly’s subtle confession gets interrupted by a long serious of coughing.
He hates seeing his friend like this but.. he likes being needed? He’s glad he could be here for him. If this had happened a week earlier, he would’ve spiraled about how selfish this whole situation feels but that’s the least of his problems now. He’s searching up blue-bird illness treatments on the internet and how he could help Berdly.
Berdly moves his hand a little towards Ralsei’s direction, as if.. he wanted to hold hands?
Ralsei takes off his glasses and gently places his hand on top of Berdly’s.
Any regrets that either of them have were tomorrow morning’s problem.
“Goodnight Berdly.”
“Goodnight Ralsei.”