Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sheesh, kid. How the hell'd we get captured this time? Usually not how it goes. At…all.

The SOUL floats about Kris, ‘voice’ mocking and dripping with a caustic if bored tone. It flips, rotates, turns…just about anything a sentient gravity-defying object could do, given the imagination. Maybe it’ll flatten itself and start breaking the conventions of fundamental vectors.

I can hear you, you know. It zigzags its way to Kris and stops right before their face. I should really teach you how to hide your thoughts some time—oh wait, you already do know, you just let THAT particular line of thought out. Hilarious idea, though. Maybe I’ll try it.

Kris lays themself down flat against the tower prison’s bed, colored black but with a prismatic sheen to it. 

Queen captured them this time, instead of Noelle. How that occurred is, really, a pretty funny story—but not one they want to think about right now.

The SOUL continues babbling.

Which is how you never give me answers to my questions about the history of humans and monsters in this world, your big bro the God of Hyperdeath Asriel “College Goat Boy” Dreemurr, if magic is a lost art to legends and myth, oh, and if Asgore and Rudy are besotted with each other and call each other babygirl—

Kris lazily flicks the damned thing with precision out of the window, and watches as it dramatically gets flung into the ‘moon’ of the Cyber World. Then—a red line appears between Kris and where the SOUL disappeared to, becoming taut as it returns full speed into the room. They give their best approximation of a glare, and Kris replies with a hostile grin.

“Shut up. I’m not saying shit.”

Okay, yeah, whate-ever. I could totally help you out if you just gave me the information I needed and maybe we could skip right to finding out who the Knight is. I broke the damn limitations on this fucking— thing , even managing to find a way to like, communicate with you for once! And you still refuse to actually cooperate with me. Do you want another Snowgrave or something? Because if you piss me off hard enough—

Kris launches up and bares their teeth and growls, rage building up with every word they say—finally snapping at the mention of that fucking—

“Don’t you fucking dare.”

Ohoho, biting back now, are we? Whatcha gonna do, make another fountain and screw us all over with The Roaring a few days in advance? Actually. You know, that would be interesting. You have the determination for it.

“I’m—no. Stop. Just. Just stop already. I don’t—”

The SOUL baps Kris’ nose, and they get the distinct impression they’re rolling their eyes at them. The fucking audacity to be so—callous…

Hey. I don’t like this as much as you. I’m just being harsh ‘cause you’re being a hardass. 

They ignore them. The SOUL sighs.

Listen, I already said I won’t do another Snowgrave, silly. Noelle’s too sweet of a kid to push ‘em like that again, and you already hate it enough. So I’m sorry about that…look, Kris. I’ve been trying to get us a neat and tidy solution that doesn’t involve dragging in more people and forcing them through this Dark World BS. That’s why I’ve been resetting the two only days we have access to.

Honestly, that fucking high and mighty attitude their once-actually-kind-of-still-jailor, the SOUL, is adopting is fucking irritating —but they’re right, in some ways, as much as they hate to admit it.

They can’t get past this second day, for some reason that the SOUL can’t quite explain. And no matter what they try, the SOUL can’t just—leave Kris, because then they just come back. Shattering the SOUL isn’t any good, either.

It just kills them both, and forces them back. The SOUL, though, has the option to…not.

Except that option ominously leaves them with the faint message that means letting the world end.

Covered in darkness. The Roaring. As if their presence is a required thing. As if controlling, puppeteering Kris needs to be done.

But it’s been so long. Kris is…just tired of it all.

So, so tired. The two of them—are trapped, in this eternal two day loop, with only the two of them to keep each other company. They’ve made their (somewhat fragile) peace after several—frank discussions on the situation, but still.

“How many times has it even been, now?” They exhale, flopping backwards and spreading their arms out. The fabric is helpfully soft and inviting, which they can somehow tell throught the armor. Frowning, they bring up their hand and start counting. “A…thirty…a month?”

The SOUL looks down at them and emits something that feels like a shrug. 

I live in a different time stream than you. Whenever I decide to take a break from being in this world, time goes on but not for you—though you can’t tell. 

Kris thinks about asking about what that means , but the SOUL’d just try to turn that into a barter for information. They opt not to. The implications are already nasty enough.

So yeah, we’ve been through these two same days like thirty times now. For me? Been about…one and a half years. Chapter—er, I still don’t have access to Day 3 yet. Damn, been a long time. I wonder when we can finally advance.

…something occurs to Kris.

“Wait. if no time passes by for me when you go…why don’t you just leave and wait until you and I both get access?”

The SOUL goes silent. Kris raises themself up with their arms, leaning closer to it. It’s. Shaking?

…I—I, uh…how do I even explain why I…because I get—bored? No, wait, that’s a horrible reason to—

Kris raises a brow and opens their mouth to challenge them with another question, but then they hear something coming from above the room. They sigh. 

“Oh, great.”

Two Werewerewires drop in from the ceiling with a loud thud. Their heads start charging up ominously. The SOUL, invisible as they are, tilt at the enemies with a sudden less-than-subtle eagerness. 

Most interesting. Two on one’s a little unfair, don’t you think? Say, why don’t you take out that—

I’m not bringing out the damn knife, Kris mentally snaps back, and show you what it looks like in the Dark World. These are just Werewerewires, anyway.

There are still some things the SOUL doesn’t need to know. Or should.

It’s probably just the Twisted Sword anyway, the SOUL grumbles. Though that one might be some weird glass sword—nevermind.

Kris eyerolls despite not knowing what that means and leaps off the bed brandishing their sword. The Werewerewires spark threateningly, and they take a page from Susie’s book and bare their teeth.

“Come. I’m not letting you take me without a fight.”

The SOUL starts reverberating in their chest, and they feel them getting pumped up, roaring for a fight. They ignore the fact that that enthusiasm bleeding into them is—uncomfortable in how it forces them to feel it like it’s their own. And yet—they do not fight it, letting that bloodlust motivate them. They roll their shoulders, feeling their muscles loosen up, and prepare to fight.

But just when it looks like a fight’s going to start, something weird happens.

“Hey Einsteins! Always check your minimaps!”

A yellow-green glowing line draws itself through the enemies’ cords, and before anyone can react, several arrows flash through the air following said line and slicing them. Kris lowers their sword as the Werewerewires instantly get defeated and rush off—and they look to their right to where the attacks originated. But they already know who they’ll find.

“Berdly,” Kris calls out, and the blue bird of the hour walks towards them with a smug look on his face.

Berdly, still wearing that trashy Dragonball-esque costume, spreads his wings out wide and bows. “I know, Kris. You’re impressed and deeply grateful for my timely intervention. Perhaps—you’re even enamoured, m’they—?”

“Finish that sentence and I’ll stab the living fuck out of you,” Kris growls with every intention of following through. 

Berdly quickly shuts up, sweating. “Okay so that’s a no on the m’they’dy, got it, got it.”

They ignore that and lie themself flat on the bed. Because—right.

They teamed up with Berdly today. Instead of coming into the Dark World with Susie like how things were supposed to usually go, they somehow managed to take Berdly’s place and go with Noelle while he got held up in class.

How did that even happen, again? It was sort of basically like two…three hours ago, but they can’t quite figure out where things went wrong. Maybe it was when Kris ended up ‘joining’ Queen. It was fucking hilarious to watch Susie and Ralsei’s eyes blow out of their heads while Berdly declared Kris their enemy and tried to blow their car up with those stupid Spear Blasts, but less fun when Kris deliberately derailed their train car and had to be saved by Queen.

“...and then I ended up being the Noelle to Berdly’s—me,” they think out loud. “Weird how that happened.”

It was…actually kind of fun. Upon the SOUL’s suggestion they let Berdly lead them through Cybercity, and—they had some pleasant conversations, for once, inbetween Berdly’s boasting and their teasing. Berdly’s doctor outfit whenever they bumped into a Virovirokun also looked pretty cool.

The sexy doctor roleplay less, but that wasn’t that surprising coming from him. It was weird when Berdly got the Kris Tea, though. He—looked like he actually enjoyed it? And was really bad at hiding it.

He also turned out to have some defensive and utility-oriented spells, with one increasing their TP gain and another returning half the damage when either of them got hit. He was basically a support tank! 

They had to point it out when he kept ignoring those spells in favor of hyperoffense, though. It resulted in a bit of an argument but they did manage to get through to him.

“You aren’t such a bad Player 2, Kris,” Berdly had once told them, nearing the end of their team-up. It was—

Cool.

Then the SOUL’s voice cuts through their thoughts.

I wonder what your Snowgrave would look like. Using that knife? the SOUL wonders, but Kris’ dark silence and quiet contempt is enough to let them know that was not an appreciated comment. Uh. Sorry.

Whatever. Their good mood got ruined. Ugh.

“The Noelle to your wha?”

Kris jolts, remembering that Berdly was right there.

“Oh. It’s nothing,” they quickly say, grimacing. “Just—thinking stupid dumb shit out loud.”

Berdly harrumphs, chuckling. “Perhaps try not to make that such a habit. Imagine if someone hears something they shouldn’t!...also, I’m here to save you.”

“Well. Thanks, I guess, Player 1. I had it handled, though,” they reply, gesturing to their sword. Then they sigh, and sit up on the bed. “...this is all so dumb.”

“Uhh…”

“It’s dumb. I got kidnapped by some super robot lady and this place is called Cyberworld, and I’m teaming up with you. And—it’s whatever.”

Berdly coughs. “Whatever you’re thinking, it’s…it couldn’t possibly be dumb! Your feelings are important and—we should get out of here, actually—”

“You know, this is all rather elaborate for a dream,” Kris interrupts, musing to themself aloud. In their head, they hear the SOUL snort. “Don’t you think? Like, wow. None of this would happen in reality. It’s like a video game. Odd I’d be dreaming of you, though.”

They turn away from the window to look at Berdly. Their classmate’s beak is slightly agape and twitching with the effort to say something, but not coming out. Kris brushes a bang out of the way to reveal their eyes, then slowly and deliberately blinks at him. They grin.

“What? Gonna tell me it isn’t a dream?” Kris challenges.

“Uh,” Berdly finally says. Kris expects him to rise to the bait by ‘disproving’ them, but instead…

“A-actually…no! Because you’re correct indeed, Kris!”

What. They try not to show their shock on their face. Why is Berdly…trying to convince them?

“Perhaps the—elaborate structure and coherent logical plot means you’re more—creative than you think? That’s how dreams work, right? At least, that’s what that Ralsei tells me,” he adds at the end under his breath, and Kris barely stops themself from narrowing their eyes in suspicion. 

Did Ralsei actually try to…lie to Berdly? And he didn’t believe them, but now he’s spouting the same things Ralsei told him to Kris.

…why? Kris can’t figure out for the life of them.

Wait, thinking about it—Berdly’s been oddly nice to them just now. ‘Your feelings are important’?

Oh god. That screams of Ralsei’s influence—

Yeah, right. The SOUL suddenly starts chuckling, waves of amusement emitting from them, and Kris almost jumps out of their bed. Right, they were still… Kris, that boy is a terrible liar. How’d he manage pretending to be the smart kid?

By working really hard, Kris thinks back while Berdly continues stumbling over his words. He’s pretty determined.

They huff a laugh, even more bemused than before. To not be ignored, maybe, if ‘popularity’ and ‘acknowledgment’ matters that much to him. Remember how things’re usually supposed to go? That whole breakdown of his…kinda sad if you think about it. Look at all the effort he’s putting into making ‘the smart one’ a personality and character trait. He must be really scared about being forgotten again. Like you.

Kris twitches and bites back the urge to snarl. Just when they could actually be somewhat bearable… 

God, fuck you.

Yeah, yeah. You know I’m right. I’m only saying that cuz’ it’ll get easier to get over it, kid.

Kris suppresses an eyeroll and returns their focus to Berdly’s blustering.

“—so yes, this is totally, 100%, logically and objectively, a dream! Haha. Though, it is strange you would be dreaming of me, your great rival in Super Smashing Fighters and in the—battlefield of academics—I mean, you don’t even like me that much in the first place.”

The bird chuckles weakly, and Kris—freezes.

Where’d he…get that impression? Sure, Kris sort of hates the world, but. They never really got out of their way to…actually, no. They…sort of do go out of their way to antagonize Berdly whenever they get the chance. Especially in Super Smashing Fighters.

So is it really a surprise? The SOUL adds, every word dripping with amusement, the bastard, like a devil commentating on the mess that is their life. That this silly, lonely boy thinks you dislike them?

“With all the trolling you do to me, perhaps you should be dreaming of—dumping me into a vat of custard instead or something! Hah…haha. Uhm…yes.”

Berdly trails off and begins nervously picking at the plume peeking out of his neck. Something like—guilt and a drop of shame rises in Kris’ chest at the knowledge that Berdly thinks they actively dislike him. It—revulsion and a drop of self-loathing starts pooling in their throat and their knee jerk reaction is telling them to avoid this conversation entirely.

‘You’re not special,’ they almost say, wanting Berdly to just shut the hell up— except now that they know how Berdly feels on the inside, they, logically, know that it’s absolutely not the right thing to say.

Is there even a right thing to say? And the worst part is that the SOUL is now frustratingly silent—something that both relieves them and makes them feel pissy. Good that they’re keeping their creepy puppeteering hands away from trying to guide their emotions (something Kris spent many an hour arguing with them about) but also bad because there certainly are times where they’d love some advice, and this is one of those times. But advice from the SOUL—it’s just—

Kris. I know you don’t like me saying anything on stuff like this…but the worst thing you can do right now is to stay silent. And I know you know what the right thing to say is.

Kris—nearly gets angry at them, but. 

…they’re right. They’re tired of running away and ignoring their problems. Sometimes—you just have to speak up.

Thanks, Kris thinks at them. The SOUL just nods.

So Kris Dreemurr decides to be honest—one of the few and far between moments of sincerity that they have ever shown in their entire life.

“Hey. I don’t…”

Kris bites their lip, trying to think up the right words at the same time as they try to prevent them from tumbling out and coming out wrong. 

Berdly blinks, turning their head up to look at them.

“I don’t. I don’t hate you. That much. Or actually hate you. The real—not dream-you, I mean.”

“...oh. Really?”

Kris ignores the tug of the SOUL urging at them approvingly of this course of action from inside their body, and inhales.

“I just think you’re—a bit of a brat, sometimes. So I guess annoying? But I don’t really mind. It’s. It’s cool. You’re cool. Wouldn’t be a regular, typical school day without you blabbering your Smart Guy Schtick all over the place.”

Kris pauses, noting maybe that was a bit too honest, with Berdly’s face screwing up in upset. They quickly try to salvage it.

“Not that it’s—bad. I just—well, okay.” They remember the days where Berdly’s jabs actually did hurt, where he might have gone a little too far in his ego-trips. “Okay. You do piss me off sometimes. You’re—pushy, you, you always try to make it out like you and I are rivals of some kind, you always try to get your way and if that means interrupting people, well—and you keep directing and putting Noelle down—”

“Not in private,” Berdly unexpectedly blurts out. His face is pained, and it’s not a look Kris has ever seen on him before. “Not in-I only —I know Noelle is smarter than me. I-I merely—the gloating is mainly exaggerations, because I don’t want anyone knowing I’m—!”

“That you can actually be kind of dumb?” Kris bites out, mind blanking out for a moment as their emotions start swirling and screwing up their words, and they didn’t mean to say that but it’s all just spilling out now. “That you’re actually like—I don’t know, not as naturally smart and witty as you claim yourself to be? Like, c’mon, you think anyone actually thinks talking about being a gamer every ten minutes is actually behavior from a-an intelligent person—”

“I-I just—” he sputters, cutting Kris’ rambling, and he looks like he’s seconds away from crying and they suddenly regret ever talking—” I thought you said you didn’t hate me.”

Their throat chokes up and they want to stop now because look. Look at what just happened. They—fuck, really? What were they thinking, being honest and open because every time they try it just makes things worse.

But. Not saying anything now, when Berdly is just as frustrated as them and when they were—actually connecting—

It would be super fucking horrible. And it actually felt good, talking. So Kris swallows their pride, their confusion, and takes a deep breath. The air flows into their lungs, and they realize how clammy and tight they’ve become. It takes a few seconds, but they let it all go in a sigh.

“I’m sorry. And I don’t,” they speak into the silence and shatter it. “I meant it when I said I don’t.”

Berdly bites his beak and seemingly forces himself to meet their eyes. “...but you also said—”

“Just because you can be annoying, pushy, and…arrogant, doesn’t mean…”

Kris thinks about the way Berdly can be actually—pleasant. About the way he knows when he’s a sore loser. And how to stand up for others when they’re down, or in a bad situation. That he does have a heart, and that he also knows what it’s like to be lonely. That he does actually, truly, care about Noelle—and in some ways, that he does like Kris.

He would’ve made that Dark Fountain on the spot all for Noelle’s happiness if it weren’t for Ralsei. He fought Kris with all he had back when the SOUL was still controlling them and forcing them to make Noelle go down that dark path.

And sometimes—

“Sometimes you’re actually bearable. And nice to me.” Even if he does it all while still under the farce of superiority. “Like how I know you reduced the loan fee my family has for How To Draw Dragons by 99%.”

“Pffft,” Berdly snorts uneasily. “That’s—uh—”

“Seven years, Berdly. You really took pity on me. We should’ve racked up about nearly 7000 in fees.”

Berdly gulps and looks away, embarrassed because that’s definitely true, and Kris…continues, rising up to their feet.

“I’m sorry for calling you dumb or whatever, but—I’m not making fun of you if you act stupid. I don’t want to make fun of you about that, because I think we’re all pretty much the same at the end of the day or something—poetic, like that. Besides—you’re really hardworking. I know you are. And that’s a trait I admire about you.”

Blood rushes through their cheeks and they try not to let it show, the way their mouth is suddenly dry. Was that them talking out of their ass or the truth? They—can’t tell. Berdly looks surprised, too, and they’re standing up straighter at the compliment.

“Because. That’s what matters. That you’re so—persevering, and that you never visibly let other people’s words push you down. You always try to prove them wrong, get the grade, beat the level, you know? And it’s. C…cool,” Kris says, slowly. They nearly said something else.

“Kris, that’s…the nicest thing you’ve said to me.” Berdly is flushing, feathers standing at end, and this is suddenly really weird. They bite their lip and try to change topics.

“And I play pranks on you because it’s funny , not ‘cuz I think you deserve it, and because maybe you need to loosen up for a change? I wouldn’t ever actually hurt you, or something. But if you want me to stop, I will. And. Maybe if the real you stopped pretending to be a stuck-up academia nut and calling me your rival when I don’t really care about that sort of thing, I’d… we would get along better.”

Their classmate’s eyes go wide at their words. Kris’ cheeks flush and they quickly twist their head away so Berdly doesn’t see.

“So. Yeah. You’re not that bad and I don’t actually hate you, even if you can get annoying. And you can be cool and super determined. I mean. I…guess maybe that’s why I’m dreaming about you right now. Because it’s the perfect time to—you know. How else would I tell you these things to your face? Because, um. I wouldn’t, otherwise.”

“B-because it’d be awkward! Very awkward. But I’m—appreciative of it,” Berdly, once again, intelligently says. He keeps forgetting he’s supposed to be ‘Dream Berdly’—but Kris doesn’t point it out. “I mean, I, Dream Berdly, appreciate that admission of guilt! And—telling me all your feelings. I know how hard and vulnerable it is to open up about that sort of thing.”

“...sure.” 

The blue bird rubs their right arm (Kris ignores the memory of Berdly’s arm injury in a previous timeline) and stands around, looking pitiful. Yet—there’s a ghost of a smile at the corner of their beak.

And Kris starts to feel that being honest was worth it. They sit back down, wrangling their fingers together. 

“Do you…” Berdly murmurs, then raises his voice, sounding oddly hopeful but confused. “Do you not actually care about—our grades? Our positions in class?”

They try not to roll their eyes but fail spectacularly, and a laugh bursts out of their chest. 

“Fuck no. I mean, sure, I get anxious if I fail a quiz or a big exam since my mom’ll get on my ass, but…it doesn’t matter that much to me. Having friends who I can actually get along with? Does. So if you—stopped harping up about it every day—”

“That was definitely a pun,” Berdly mutters, and Kris fails to not roll their eyes again—

“—and if we just, ugh, I don’t know? Talked about video games without making it some sort of serious competition about who’s better, and…if we played Super Smashing Fighters more often, I’d…I’d really like that. You know?”

The bird gives them a sincere-looking grin. 

“Of course! That’d be—I’d like that as well. Mayhaps we could even try a co-op game. If there’s anything I’ve learned from our team-up today, it’s that—you’re not so bad, Dreemurr.”

Kris smiles back at him, and they can’t help but chuckle. “Thanks, Berdly. That means a lot to me.”

The both of them go quiet, and a contemplative silence settles between them. Kris looks back at the window, staring up at the moon. Then they remember that they were sort of locked up in this tower.

“...ah, right, we should probably get a move on. Those Werewerewires were definitely from Queen trying to extract me for whatever evil, nefarious plan she had in mind.” They know it’s to make them create a new Dark Fountain, but logically they shouldn’t know about that yet.

Queen’s motives for recruiting Kris are actually kind of odd, thinking about it. Something about getting them to speak their thoughts louder, to not be a…dull puppet coasting through life on strings.

That was sort of on the nose, wasn’t it? It’s not like they’re a puppet anymore, but still.

Once I figure out how to pull my Vessel back from wherever Mx. Creepy Voice discarded it, I’ll take my departure from your body, the SOUL assures them.

Kris nods at them mentally and gets up, grabbing their sword. Berdly walks ahead of them, finger raised in the air.

“Ah—right! Here, let’s make our exit through…uh….uhhhh…”

When they see what’s making Berdly stall, Kris’ face contorts in denial and horror as their stomach plunges into the fucking abyss. No. No fucking way.

The SOUL starts cackling. Oh my fucking god, I totally forgot to tell you this was here. Wait, have you been here this entire time and never noticed OR remembered the huge fucking—

“This…ferris wheel. With heart-shaped…carriages. Just waiting there outside this room in this huge…opening.”

They really, really want to throttle the Knight right now. 

“God, why,” Kris wheezes, pained, and Berdly makes a similar noise followed up by nervous laughter. “Just. Fuck it, let’s get on.”

They get on. And at first, it’s becoming one of their Top 10 Never Again Moments, with the both of them deliberately sitting as far away as possible from each other while cute-sy chiptune music plays from somewhere. Kris deeply wishes there were speakers to slice into bits, but cursory glances are telling them that whatever’s playing it is far out of reach. 

“...this isn’t so bad,” Berdly tries, and Kris cringes and gets the urge to hurl themself off a window and jump into another carriage. But that would make things even more awkward, so.

They don’t and just prepare themself to bear the terrible, awkward silence that is surely about to come for the next ten minutes or something.

“I guess,” Kris hesitantly replies. “Thank god this is just a dream. That…my brain is making me dream about.”

Berdly looks like he’s swallowed something particularly nasty and props his head by the window. The fact that the carriage is somewhat cramped is making that difficult. He—flaps his hands a few times, and Kris groans.

“...don’t say—”

“I wasn’t going to! Um.”

They sigh and look down. Distraction. They need…a distraction.

So they look at their hands. They wring their fingers together as much as they can. Their…armor-plated fingers. Frowning, they pry their gauntlets off, and find with some surprise at how easy it slid off them. They study the details of their blue skin and the flesh underneath. Strange. Stranger still that they—somehow like it like this. Better than their regular human hands.

They raise their hands to their face, flex their fingers, and discover that blue is a particularly—nice color. It reminds them of—

Berdly. Berdly, who, past their hands and sitting across from them, is staring intently.

“...hey.”

He squawks and pretends to not have been looking. Kris giggles.

“I—apologies. You seemed deeply scrutinizing your—er, digits—”

“It’s fine,” they sigh. “Really.”

“Oh. Okay.”

…

“...I think I like blue. As a color.”

“Er. Is that so? I would have thought red would be your favorite, considering your fondness of it.”

“I didn’t say it was my favorite. Just that I like it.”

The corners of Berdly’s beak twitches, and Kris tilts their head at it. That was weird.

Hey. Hey, Kris. I think I’ll take my leave for now. I’m gonna go check out what’s happening with Noelle and Susie.

Kris blinks at the SOUL’s voice. I—sure. Should I—?

The SOUL nods, and they close their eyes and focus on the thought of Noelle and Susie. Then—their presence disappears, and Kris feels a slight weight leave their chest. They exhale shakily.

That was—odd. Why did they suddenly—

“So—what other colors do you like?” Berdly asks, and Kris returns to reality.

“Uh,” they stumble, caught off guard by the question. “I’m not sure. Green? Yellow? I’m—fine with all colors. I just—like red and blue more. I guess.”

“Ah. Intriguing,” Berdly comments. He’s smiling nervously, the way he always does when he’s unsure of something.

Kris—doesn’t know what to say next, so they continue inspecting their hands. This time, they pull off their other gauntlet and flit their fingers together. It’s—something, they suppose. The sensation grounds them, and yet…there’s this buzzing sort of feeling in their body, bubbling with hesitation.

To—Berdly. At him. Because he’s right there, and ignoring him seems sort of impossible and just so awkward to do, after…earlier.

“Hey—” “So—”

The two of them stutter and trail off, having spoken up at the same time. Berdly’s face colors and Kris is pretty sure they are, too. 

“I…uhm…” Berdly’s beak flaps open and closed. “Do you—I think—this must be a very strange dream for you.”

“You think? Haha. Yeah. I also suppose this is the first time you’ve ever shown up in a dream of mine.”

“Truly?”

“Truly.”

“...”

“...do you think maybe the reason why you’re dreaming about me now, is because. Something’s, uh. Changed?”

Kris startles at the question. It sounds like Berdly is asking if they…

“...I don’t know,” they answer honestly. Perhaps before Cyberworld (in this particular timeline) nothing really changed, but.

After teaming-up and finding out that they worked well together, after their talk in the tower—

Well, maybe something did change. Kris isn’t sure what it is, yet. Or…ready to…consider…?

“Oh,” Berdly mouths. “Well, that’s fine. Though, if…”

They look at him. He’s rubbing at his costume’s gauntlets. Then—he does something strange. He pulls off the visor sitting on the left side of his face and starts examining it.

“If—maybe. Partly. The reason why Dream Me—Dream Berdly, that is, is being nice and not-so-much-of-a-jerk-he-could’ve-been for once is because you…picked up on something from him?”

Kris opens their mouth, but nothing comes out. It’s nonsensical, what he’s saying, but also not really.

“That I…can tell you’re—he’s actually a dumb, lonely blue-bird like me? Or something?” Kris offers, and Berdly processes that before minutely nodding.

“Perhaps.”

“...perhaps.”

“...”

“And that he wants to be my friend. For real.”

Berdly stops playing with his visor, and there’s the slightest twitch of his eyes, and then a nod. He’s still looking down at it and not meeting their gaze. Kris—continues, and tries to think of—what Berdly could be thinking right now. What Berdly wants them to say.

“That—perhaps in reality, he…he actually does think I’m not so bad.”

“Yes. Maybe. I—I wouldn’t presume to know.”

“What if you—do, presume to know? Just—you’re Dream Berdly, right?” 

Berdly looks up, then, and he looks…confused.

“So something my mind conjured up. So—why not pretend you’re him, and—come up with what my brain thinks you—what my brain thinks he wants to say.”

“I…” the bird stutters, and he’s clearly unsure of how to respond. Then: 

“Okay. Well. Let’s say he—that I…think you’re cool.”

“...okay.”

“And that I—I’m jealous that you live closer to Noelle than I do.”

Kris is taken aback.

“Why would you be jealous of…that?”

“Because of the travel time! And that means you’re her neighbor, and you can visit her more often than—I can. You two grew up together and everything, and—I…it’s stupid. That’s a—such an irrational thing to get so heated up over, isn’t it?”

“I…guess. I mean, I sorta get it. Me and Noelle aren’t so close anymore, but…”

Kris stares down at their hands, and thinks about Dess. Thinks about those years where Noelle…

“You would have been a better friend than I ever was. You— are a better friend to her than me.”

“...”

“...and I wonder if we would’ve been better friends, too, if you were our neighbor.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“You—okay. No, I mean, yes. Thank you. That is nice to hear. And—you should smile more often?”

“...I don’t smile unless I have a reason.”

“Oh.”

“By the way, do you know how weird that sounds?”

They snort, and he starts sputtering.

“No! No, I don’t mean it like—”

“It’s condescendingly, pretentiously, weirdly—”

“I’m serious! I—you have a great smile! When you’re being genuine instead of being a loud and petty snarker not contributing to society!”

Wow, backhanded much?

“Gee, thanks. I’m proud of my snarking skills.”

“Aaarrghh, Kris. You—heh. Hehe, that’s…you can be—actually pretty funny. Like your pranks, sometimes, when it’s not costing me my reputation.”

“Learned it from the best.” 

“Definitely not Mr. Dreemurr. So your mother, I’m assuming…?”

“Yep. She’s amazing, isn’t she?”

“I—suppose so! I’m—appreciating the product of her efforts.”

“...what’s that supposed to—”

“You, Kris. I appreciate you.”

“That’s. A weird way to phrase it, Berdly. But thanks…for complimenting my mother’s child-rearing ability.”

“You’re very welcome, Dreemurr.”

“...”

“...”

“Also I know you wait until it’s the regular librarian’s shift to check out the How To Draw Monsters books.”

“I—what—how?”

“Kris, I’m the volunteer assistant. I have premiere and unexpurgated access to the loaning records, remember? It’s a mystery they still let you, with your family’s raging debt—”

“I promise it’ll be returned some day!”

“Seven years! Specifically two thousand, five hundred and eighty-three days of overdue fines!”

“Not my fault ‘Ree wanted to draw sexy dragons and misplaced it!”

“So you admit your family misplaced it!”

“I—n-no I—pffft—”

“You can’t take it back now, Kris!”

“Pfft…hahahahaha! Hahahaha—”

“Stop laughing, this is serious! If you find it now, you can still avail of the 99% reduced fee—”

“Oh, so you admit you reduced it!”

“Huh—wait, no! Shut up! Shut up, shut up—”

“Hahahah! Hahahaha, hahah…hah…”

“Heh, hehe…”

“...”

“...you’re smiling.”

“I am?”

“Mhmm.”

“...I guess I got my reason.”

When the ride finishes, there isn’t some sigh of relief or awkward “haha, well, THAT’S over” moment. Instead, they meet eyes with Berdly, and silently jump out together onto the platform awaiting them.

Berdly is quick to help Kris land properly, holding them by the shoulder and letting go just as swiftly. The two of them walk a few meters away before he speaks up.

“...I’m happy that happened.”

Kris blinks at him as they tug at their gauntlets, ensuring it’s been put back on right. 

“That’s—that doesn’t sound like something you’d usually say.”

He grins and chuckles, beak tugging into his feathers where it curls upwards, and he holds his wings behind his back.

“Guess that’s how you know it’s just a dream, right?”

Kris knows it isn’t. And maybe—something tells them that Berdly is aware of that fact. But…

For the sake of it, they pretend, and say—

“Yeah. A nice dream.”

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