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Unlike the light world, there was no sun in the dark world. There was barely any plant diversity and no weather. Despite this, Ralsei noticed Kris spent most of their time in the dark world. After the day they met, Kris would visit incredibly frequently, especially during the night time in the light world. There were some days where they stayed for a full twenty-four hours. Ralsei didn’t mind, of course; but surely Kris’ mother was worried. The monster didn’t know what happened outside of the dark world. He didn’t know who Dess was, or how Susie’s home life was. He only knew what the school looked like and everything that happened in his town. Ralsei usually slept during their school hours, but many times, Ralsei would find Kris walking into the castle when classes were supposed to start. Kris didn’t answer. They didn’t sign, they didn’t respond, nothing. They just went to their room and Ralsei assumed they went to sleep.
Today was different. Well, it didn’t start out different. Ralsei was sleeping in his room. He fell asleep waiting to see if Kris would come by at the beginning of classes. He woke when he sensed Kris entering the fountain. He didn’t get a chance to even greet Kris. Today, they didn’t go straight to their room; they knocked on Ralsei’s door. The monster didn’t think twice before jumping up to answer it. When he opened it, he could see Kris just standing there with a hand gripping each arm. They had already taken off the armor that automatically appears when they enter the dark world, only wearing the lightwear that was underneath. Their hair was covering their eyes completely. Not a hint of that small red glow. When they saw Ralsei, their hands dropped. “Hello, Kris!” Ralsei greeted. The two hadn’t had a single conversation in what felt like forever. Then, with two fists crossing their chest, they signed, “Hug?”
Ralsei didn’t usually use sign language back when responding to Kris. However, this time, he made a fist with his paw and rocked it back and forth, following with, of course, a hug. The human wasn’t too much taller than Ralsei, but the monster had to step on his toes to fit perfectly into Kris’ arms. After a while, Kris loosened the hug. Signaling that they were ready to stop. Dragging a thumb across the bottom of their chin followed by a few other movements of which included a sour expression, Kris let Ralsei know they didn’t feel well. This is when Ralsei remembered he could speak. “I see. What’s wrong?” He asked out loud.
After a slight hesitation, Kris brushed their chin again followed by different movements, “I can’t stay in the light world. I’m the only human. I feel so out of place. Every time I think I can go back to talking to people, I’m always wrong and I have to come back. The more I stay in here the more I feel like I can do it again, but I can’t.” Kris already had a few tears streaming down their face. Ralsei was shocked with the amount Kris was signing and opened his arms to let them come in for another hug, and they did. The human wasn’t a loud cryer by any means. They made such little noise that Ralsei wondered what made them think they couldn’t. The only noises they made were soft and quiet whines that came from the back of their throat. No one would hear them. No one else was in the castle. Ralsei brushed Kris’ back with his paw for a few minutes. When Kris finally settled down, Ralsei replied, “Every monster is different. Susie has scales, I have fur; and Lancer has— um— well, whatever lancer is. Who’s to say you’re not just a human type monster? Who’s to say what a “monster” looks like if we’re all so unique?” Ralsei continued to brush over Kris’ back. Kris didn’t move from where they were, and Ralsei didn’t mind whatsoever. “Thank you,” Kris said. Not signed. Said.
As the days passed, Kris continued to come to the dark world, but they wouldn’t go to their room. They’d venture to Ralsei’s. Of course, Ralsei had a sleep schedule that didn’t change very much. So, a lot of the time, Kris would just slide into the sheets next to him. It would feel so insignificant to anyone else. The warm feel of the sheets, the mushy feeling of resting their cheek on their arm. At first, Kris would try their hardest only to stay in Ralsei’s presence and not disturb them with physical contact. They would come in and slip underneath the sheets, trying not to make a noise. Then they would fall asleep, mesmerized by the slow up and down movement of Ralsei’s chest as he breathed. Everything changes. Kris had fallen asleep and everything seemed to fade from their mind. Consciousness came back to them for a second when they felt a hand brush against their cheek and eventually cup their face. Ralsei got closer to them and drug his arm to rest on Kris’ chest. The monster rested his head close to Kris’ as well, as if to get warmer. Kris put their arms around Ralsei’s neck and the two fell asleep.
The monster woke Kris up as he did every day. The human groaned as they struggled to open their eyes. Ralsei giggled, it filled him with unexplainable happiness when Kris would ask “5 more minutes?”. Perhaps it was because it meant that they didn’t want to leave his arms. Kris would talk out loud to Ralsei more often when the two were alone. Still only a few words at a time, but it made Ralsei feel so happy to see that Kris trusted him. And, although they never mentioned it since that day, he knew his words didn’t really affect Kris’ insecurities. But he thought maybe allowing them to come and sleep next to him would make him feel better.
Ralsei rushed Kris to the opening of the dark world, “Hurry, hurry! You don’t want your mom to know you’re skipping class!” Kris laughed while speed-walking to the opening. And just like that, they were gone for the day. Except, sometimes they weren’t. Sometimes they would come back with Susie and the three of them would have some laughs around the town. Susie would spend a few nights in the dark world as well. Many more than Kris, but Ralsei had assumed from the way that Susie talked that she didn’t really have a place to go to. So he wasn’t as worried about her using the dark world as a safe space.