Chapter Text
Asriel heard the groans of their newly awake younger sibling. He sat at his desk adding finishing touches to the group project he had partnered with Dess on. It was just another one of those high school projects where they ask you to talk about different colleges that you’d want to go to. Dess had chosen tons of higher valued colleges to add to the list, and Asriel remembered saying he’d never apply to one of them while they were brainstorming ideas. It felt so overwhelming to think of applying to a college like Core. Still, Asriel had made straight A’s and did hours upon hours of community service. Maybe it was a waste to not apply. His thought was broken when Kris groaned from the other side of the room, “Can you please turn that off. It’s not even seven yet.” They were referring to the religious ska he had open on another tab.
Asriel smiled, “Sorry, Kris.” He closed the tab and saved the document he had been working on. After sending it over to Dess’ email, he gathered his stuff to prepare for school. Kris was still in middle school with Dess’ younger sister. “You’d better get ready Kris. Mom is gonna come up here any minute,” Asriel spoke firmly. Kris didn’t respond. Asriel looked over to their bed to see if they were signing, but to no avail. He began packing Kris’ stuff for them. He looked up to Kris again. They had rolled over onto their back, which was actually more progress than usual. “I’ll met you downstairs!” he announced.
Asriel sat in front of the mirror for a few minutes. He had started growing longer white fur around his chin. It wasn’t blonde like his dad’s. Just white fur. He walked out and saw both of his parents in the living room. “Breakfast is on the table, sweetheart,” Toriel said softly. Asriel smiled, “Thanks, mom.” As he walked to the table, the two continued their conversation. Which was probably why Toriel hadn’t been upstairs calling for the two already.
“The shop is doing just fine, Tor. You don’t need to worry about it.”
“I’m just worried, Gorey. How are we supposed to pay for Asriel’s college tuition. I can only do so much on a teaching wage.”
Everything seemed calm for a few minutes as the conversation continued. Asriel saw Kris at the steps (Awake which was surprising). They didn’t make a noise, so Toriel and Asgore didn’t know they were in the room. The two began to escalate the argument and it ended with Asgore telling Toriel to forget it. They didn’t like to fight in front of Kris and Asriel, but he knew they fought much more when they were at school. He could even hear them yelling when he was outside the door sometimes. Kris waited for the two to stop arguing before coming to sit with Asriel. “Mornin’, Kris,” Asriel greeted. Kris signed “good morning” back. No real pattern could be found with Kris’ talking habits. Sometimes they talked, sometimes they couldn’t. No one minded at all. Asriel, Dess, and Noelle each learned their fair share of ASL to communicate back with them. It was actually neat to be able to communicate that way. “Alright, let’s go ahead and leave,” the young monster started, “We don’t wanna be late.” Toriel made a noise and got up from Chariel, “Oh yes, it is getting quite late isn’t it. I’ll meet you two in the car.” And with that, Toriel was out the door. Kris walked out the door first and Asriel followed. “Azz?” A burly voice called.
The voice startled him. “Yes, dad?” Asgore smiled, “Why don’t you take some of the flowers from the garden and give them to Dess? Oh, and there’s some tulips out there... Can you give them to her as well? Tell her they’re for her father?” Asriel nodded, “Of course.”
“Thanks, bud,” his father called.
Asriel picked the flowers from the garden and made sure to handle them with care. The tulips were already sealed in a plastic covering. He got into the passenger seat. His sibling was already in the back (and from the looks of it, was asleep). Toriel chuckled, “They’re already conked out! We didn’t even start the car yet.” Asriel chuckled too, but his mother looked as if she remembered something. “Asriel?” She started, “Why don’t you drive today? Don’t you have your permit?” Asriel hesitated but nodded, “Yes I brought it.” Asriel was 17 now. He felt a sense of guilt for not having his license yet. But it just wasn’t something that interested him at all.
After exchanging seats, they headed off to school. The streets were filled with town members. The strange police officer who seemed to be weight lifting with random things every morning, Catty’s parents arguing with the neighbors, a ghost peeking out of a house they passed by. Normal behavior for hometown. Driving was easy for Asriel when he wasn’t overthinking it. All he was focused on was not jerking too hard and waking up Kris. He parked in the small parking spot outside the front and looked to his mother for approval. “I don’t know why you haven’t gotten your license, Asriel. You’re a great driver,” she reassured. Asriel’s face flushed, “Thanks. I’ll get to it at some point.”
Toriel held onto Kris’ hand as they walked in. Dess was at the door to the school with Noelle. She held her arm up high to wave at them with a huge smile on her face. “Heyy Dreemurrs!” She called. This sparked something in Asriel’s heart. He loved the way she exclaimed like that. Noelle waved too, but just a small one. “Hi Mrs. Dreemurr,” she said in almost a whisper. Kris and Noelle had already begun signing about something, but Asriel’s eyes were focused on Dess. “I finished up the project this morning,” he declared. “Yeahh dude,” she started, “I got your email. Thanks I couldn’t have done it without you. Literally. This was a group project.” Asriel chuckled. “Come on you four, you’ll be late,” Toriel reminded them.
Asriel and Dess waved goodbye to the other three. The high schoolers walked into the left hallway’s classroom and sat in the seats they always did. Dess was rambling about her mom being strict, and Asriel listened attentively with this head being propped up with his hand.
“She told Noelle she couldn’t put the tree topper on last year because she had already done it, and Noelle cried for an hour. She wouldn’t even budge to take it down and let Noelle do it anyway. I felt really bad so I took it down for her to put up when my mom left. She’s only twelve dude, just let her have her fun, yknow?”
Asriel nodded slowly, “Noelle does it every year, of course she’s going to be upset.” Asriel heard a lot of stories about their mom. Not-so-good things to be honest. The day to day stuff was just annoying little things she did, but sometimes, it would get really bad. Dess didn’t like showing that it hurt, but Asriel could tell when something had happened at home. “Wanna stop by QC’s and talk more? Just to get away?” Asriel offered. Dess smiled, “That would be awesome.” Alphys entered the classroom and things went as normal. Everyone got a few more minutes to work on their projects and then it seemed like class was over.
“Hey mom?” Asriel asked, entering her classroom. There were still tons of elementary school kids in the room since it was a short day for the high and middle school kids. They seemed mind blown by the fact that two high schoolers entered the classroom. Asriel remembered seeing Kris in there sitting alone or with Noelle on the carpet in the back that had been titled “Book Nook”. “What is it Azzy?” She responded. Asriel’s face flushed a little from all of the eyes on him, “Me and Dess are gonna go to QC’s. Do you want the keys back?”
The two headed outside the classroom, seeing Noelle and Kris waiting for Toriel as well. Dess stepped in front of Asriel, “Hey Kris, Noelle, want us to walk you guys home? We’re going to QC’s.” Kris looked disappointed. “Why can’t we come too?” They signed. “Because we’re gonna do homework the whole time!” Dess responded. Asriel smiled at that. It wasn’t necessarily a lie. Maybe it wasn’t funny at all. But he found it funny. Noelle looked to Kris, “Wanna come over and play video games with me and my dad?” Kris immediately signed “Yes “ twice. It was as if QC’s wasn’t even in the question anymore. Asriel’s hands went into the pockets of his plaid jacket, “Alright, let’s walk back to your place and then we can head over to the diner.” When they walked outside Asriel was reminded of the flowers his father gave him. “Oh, I forgot,” he said running over to the car. He opened up the door and grabbed the ones he picked along with the wrapped tulips. Dess and their siblings had already walked over to him after he picked everything up. Asriel had no idea what the flowers he picked were called, but they were a deep blue color. “My dad wanted me to give these to you,” he started, face flushed, “and um, the tulips are for Rudy.” Dess laughed, “Aww thanks Azzy. I’ll be sure to give these to my dad— but uh— what’s the occasion?” Asriel hesitated before shrugging, “I don’t really know. Maybe your dad will?” Asriel felt a tap on his arm. It was Kris. “Dad said he wanted to say thank you for something,” they signed. “I wonder what,” Asriel replied. With that, they began walking out of the school parking lot.
After they dropped off their siblings, they walked to QC’s. Leaves scattered the area. No green in sight. Just the empty trees. Dess coughed, “Damn. I think I get winter allergies or something. My dad said I was coughing all night.” Asriel chuckled, “Typical for a Holiday to get sick during the winter.” The reindeer-monster gave him a soft punch. The two walked into the diner and sat in one of the booths. “Yknow I was thinking of getting another piercing just to piss my mom off!” Dess snickered. “What?!” Asriel had shock all over his face, “She’d kill you, dude!” Dess laughed that sweet laugh of hers, “Can’t be worse than what she’s done before. Don’t forget about the room incident.” Dess ended her sentence with a loud cough that seemed to silence the whole restaurant. Asriel chuckled, “Are you ok?” Dess’ face flushed slightly, “Nothing a Holiday can’t handle.”
After ordering some coffee and a hot chocolate for Asriel, the two left the diner. They walked in silence for a minute, until Asriel noticed Dess’ eye looking down the road. “Hey.. Hey Asriel why don’t you go get your license?” She asked. Asriel was startled, “Wh-What?! Today?” Dess looked determined, “Yeah! It’ll be fun dude come on I wanna watch!” She dragged him down to the DMV, which also happened to be the Police station. It was a small town. The strange police officer turned faster than Asriel thought was possible. “YEAH WHAT DO YOU WANT?!” She yelled. “YO,” Dess started, “Azzy’s here to get his drivers license.” Asriel’s face flushed, “Why’d you call me that?” The police officer looked aggressive, “YES FINALLY... SOMETHING TO DO LETS GO.” She took hold of the collar of Asriel’s jacket and drug him outside to one of the police cars. They really were on a budget, huh?
“ALRIGHT DRIVE, KID!!!” She screamed. “Don’t I need to fill out paperwork or something? Maybe an eye test?-“ Asriel spoke getting cut off before he could say anything else. “NO.” The police officer yelled, “DO I LOOK LIKE I HAVE TIME FOR THAT?!” Asriel looked to Dess who was cheering him on with an occasional cough from the front of the Police station/DMV. This was not what Asriel had planned for today. He started driving all around town. His nerves were shot and every time he made a small mistake he would give the police officer a look to see what she was thinking. And then would immediately look back because uh, hello? You’re supposed to keep your eyes on the road. She just kind of... yelled? The whole time? When they got back to the Police station, she looked him dead in the eye. And put a hand on his shoulder. “THAT WAS THE SLOWEST DRIVING IVE EVER SEEN!!!” She screamed, laughing wildly, “BUT I GUESS THATS HOW EVERYONE DRIVES AROUND HERE.” Asriel couldn’t figure out her tone. Was she mad? Disappointed? A ghost warped through the door of the police station. “Oh... did you fail? I already made the card and everything...” The police officer laughed again, “HE DIDN’T FAIL HES JUST BORING.” Asriel lit up. He passed. He got his license. Dess’ name slipped out of his mouth, “Dess! Dess!” But when he looked over, she was gone. “Dess?” He called one last time. “Oh.. uh... sorry to break the news... but she kinda had to go... she kept coughing and said she had to um... go home to take some cough medicine...” the ghost seemed like it felt it was a burden with every word, “Ill just.. I’ll just go.. I’m sorry...”
The police officer smiled at him, this time, not yelling as much, “Your card will come in through the mail in at least thirty business days, kid.” And with that, Asriel was the only one outside. The monster thought maybe he had done something to make Dess upset. Did she leave on purpose? Maybe that’s why she took him to get his license. He decided to just go home.