Chapter Text
Asriel really, really loved Chara...
But he couldn't help the exhausted groan that left him when their friend's alarm screamed at such an early hour. Chara's behavior was always odd to him, but they could be really soft so he didn't mind it. Most of the time...
Ahem!
After thirty minutes of tossing and turning and procrastinating getting up as his roommate tidied up the room. Said room was always impecably clean. But he really didn't want to argue with the most stubborn person he has ever meet.
So off the engineer went, to the shower right after Chara left theirs, he did his best to not get his fur on...well, everything, but It wasn't his fault his beautiful fur had consequences!
He finally got out of the bathroom, his fur was wild despite his best efforts to tame it, in times like those he missed his mother, and he was wearing his matching sweater with Chara...
Talking about family.. Asriel couldn't help but hope that Kris got some new friends this year, they really needed some support after the divorce...
...Since... Asriel can't even be there for they...
He shook his head, It wasn't his fault, he needed to get his degree in engineering. Kris would understand, Asriel could only pray to the Angel that mom and dad were being mature about it (Chara said them weren't) and he wanted to visit as soon as possible (he'd have to take Frisk, Clover and Chara with him...) Asriel let out a sigh and fixed his hoodie.
"Chara, I promise, you already closed the door..its the fourth time now!" He whined worriedly as Chara rolled their eyes and kept doing their morning ritu— uh, routine?
He didn't want to hush them, especially with Frisk arguing that Chara probably has OCD and the latter denying with everything in themselves.
"I will be going soon, Azzy, your class is in..." Them paused, "2 minutes, just go ahead of me. I'll be fine."
But Asriel wouldn't be fine, he hated walking through these halls alone, being stared at for having a human sibling and having multiple curious faces shoved infront of him! Chara always made them back off! But Asriel is too nice for that—he really didn't want to be rude to anyone!
So he stayed there quietly fidgeting with his paws as Chara finally finished their little routine, all them did next was check twice if their knifes were in their pockets and them started walking with Asriel trailing next to them.
Chara subtly glanced at him and without hesitation took his paw into their gloved hand. It was odd, but then again, when was Chara not odd? Never! But them barely touched anyone—and hated being touched, so the goofy grin that was granted by Asriel was one to be expected.
Chara, on the other hand, was obviously squirming, but somehow Asriel seemed to be more bearable to hold than Frisk, Clover or the others.
He was trying to focus, he really was, but the words blurred into nothing and his brain felt like mush as he daydreamed instead of paying attention. He already knew what was on the board by this point...so it wasn't wrong! Right..?
Asriel didn't think too hard about it, doodling on his journal, the formulas on the board were already written down, so he was just making random shapes.
A smile with red, a yellow crown, him and Chara running around. He smiled justttt a little bit. It was a nice distraction from...everything.
His parents and Kris probably thought he didn't notice...but he did pay attention, all the time. Especially to how, sometimes, he was treated like gold, and praised, while Kris didn't receive anything.
He felt guilty about it frequently, even if its not his fault.
He got first place! He was soooo happy! Maybe now mommy and daddy would stop fighting and would pay more attention to him and Kris!
Asriel ran up to Toriel with a smile full of pride, his mother patted his head and praised him "Good job, Asriel! I'm so proud of you!" She said, but immediataly stopped once Asgore stepped into view with flowers and the biggest smile.
He handed Toriel the flowers hurriedly, picking up his son and spinning him around proudly, Toriel was almost rolling her eyes.
Through it all, Asriel's eyes were fixed on his little sibling's, he wanted to go hug them too, but his parents momentarily forgot about both of them as soon as them got home, he could hear them yelling at eachother as he covered Kris' ears and played games with him.
Asriel stopped dwelling on his memories as the bell rang loudly. Too loud infact, he never understood why, monsters already have some sensitive hearing and that thing surely doesn't help!
He took a few minutes to get up, now that he remembered how bad things were back then...he worried that Kris would hear worse without him there to to please their parents and take the human away from all those problems.
Frisk would tell him to take deep breaths...maybe he should start taking some boxing classes with Oliver so he'd be able to take out some of his anger.
But who is he kidding? He can't even hurt a fly and he used to scream over spiders, which he might still do, but its irrevelevant. He needs to hold everything together, if he starts boxing he might lash out...
Asriel shivered just by remembering how Chara would get physical the moment anyone glanced wrong at their group, they destroyed most with words, but reserved their fists for whoever decided to talk about their friends.
Maybe them should ask Alice for some help with Chara's temperament.
And the day was over in the blink of an eye! Asriel stumbled back into his dorm with Chara swiftly starting another routine, the sleep routine this time.
Atleast them made food, and Chara's food was always perfec—
"Oh shit!" He got up fast and ended up falling back on the couch before scurrying back up again. Chara raised an eyebrow, "What is it now, crybaby?" Their voice was mocking but Asriel recognized the affection in it.
"I forgot to study to my exam!" He rambled, already starting to panic, the exams were worth a good part of his grade angeldamnit! "And its tomorrow!" Chara paused what they were doing, something rare for the lawyer to do, and looked at Asriel with their signature grin.
"I can help you after dinner, even if we have different majors, and I get the privilege of scolding you, is that fair, crybaby?" Yes! It was completely fair! Even if Asriel scowled with a smile on his face.
"Chara.." The brunette placed plates down on the table and hummed for Asriel to continue, "You are a good friend." Chara stilled for approximately five minutes, grin frozen on their face before they looked at Asriel and... softened.
"You too, even if you cry too much for my taste." Was their answer, their smile thought, was noticeably more genuine, and that made up for many of Asriel's failures.