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“Frisk,” you say, drawing out the vowel in their name. They hum in reply.
They’re sitting at the coffee table, doing their English homework or something. You’re sitting on the couch, kicking your legs, just looking at them. It was already late and Asriel had already fallen asleep, Mom having left for bed as well. The only reason you were still awake was because Frisk was still up you were watching anime on your phone.
You sigh and say, “Come on, Frisk, let’s just go to bed. Do it in the morning.”
“I don’t feel like sleeping,” Frisk retorts a bit loudly. You stop kicking your legs and they notice. Damnit. You should stop being so sensitive to little things. They get an apologetic look on their face immediately and you feel guilty for making them feel that way in the first place.
“Sorry, Chara.”
“It’s fine,” you reply, and you mean it. Frisk had a nightmare last night and they wouldn’t talk about it, at least not with you. You don’t blame them though. It probably had something to do with you in the first place.
They crawl over to you and hug one of your legs from the floor. You raise an eyebrow while looking down at them. Had they tried that a few months ago, you would’ve kicked them and fled. Now, though…
“It wasn’t about you.”
You look away from them. Yeah, sure it wasn't. Even you have nightmares about yourself. “Alright.”
“I’m being honest, Chara. I didn’t have a nightmare about you.” You can tell by the tone of their voice they’re telling the truth and that makes you feel a bit better.
You move to stand up and Frisk lets go of your leg. You reach a hand out for them, “Let’s go sit in the backyard.”
You both make your way out the backdoor, making sure you’re not being loud enough to wake up Mom and Asriel.
Frisk sits themself down and looks up at you. You take a glance around the garden first. Old habits die hard. Your old man didn’t have a garden this nice though. Frisk pulls your sleeve and back to where and when you really are. You huff before sitting down as well.
You arrange yourselves so that you're both back-to-back. It's odd, and you only do this when you and Frisk are alone, but there's something comforting with having Frisk's warmth on your back. And, it might just be you, but it feels as if your SOULs are closer sitting like this. You only sit side-by-side when there’s company in the room, and maybe it's because it’s easier to protect Frisk sitting like that. You wouldn't ever tell them that though. But, sometimes, sitting side-by-side seems too much. On really bad days, you can't help but think you don't deserve to sit beside Frisk as an equal.
You lean back on them to get rid of those thoughts. Frisk huffs and leans back on you, trying to even it out. You both do this for a few moments before the playfulness dies down into a comfortable silence.
You look up at the stars shining above. Frisk speaks up first.
“Hey, Chara?” Frisk fidgets. You know without looking that they're playing with a sleeve of their sweater. Then, with a softer voice, they ask, "Could we…Could we visit Mt. Ebott?”
“Okay,” you respond easily.
Frisk turns their head to look at you, but you keep your gaze on the night sky. They're surprised.
"I want to go visit there, too."
And it's the truth. You love the underground. No one may be there now since everyone’s been saved, but that doesn't mean you don't want to visit it every once in a while. Once upon a time, the underground was supposed to be a permanent escape from pain. Once upon a time, you were disappointed and upset that it wasn't the permanent escape you were looking for. Now, however, you know that the underground is the best thing that has ever happened to you. It’s led to you being here, hasn’t it?
You realize why Frisk is asking only you and not the rest of the family. The underground was something the monsters wanted to put behind them. This desire to go back and visit was something only the other fallen child would understand.
"Let's go this weekend," you say. You want to be able to butter Mom up before asking her to let you go.
Frisk exhales in what seems to be relief and says, “Thank you, Chara.”
You feel your face warming up and you’re glad you’re not facing them. You start pulling at your sleeve and you curse Frisk because you know it’s a habit you got from them.
After a quiet moment, you’re about to ask if they want to go back inside, but they go first and say, “It’s a really nice night.”
You guess they don’t and reply, “Yeah, birds aren’t singing, flowers aren’t blooming–”
You pause as you realize they probably don’t want that right now. Your sense of humour is horrible. You make to apologize, but Frisk is giggling and you relax.
“The stars,” Frisk continues after a moment, “they remind me of when the monsters were still underground. Just, they’re shining so bright, far away in darkness, far away from humans.”
Sometimes Frisk has these moments and it really shows how thoughtful they are. You wonder who would've pushed them down in the first place, but it's too nice of a night and an atmosphere to dwell on such things.
You mumble an agreement before asking, “Then what would we be? Planets?”
You meant it jokingly, but Frisk takes a moment to really think about it.
“We're like…" Frisk makes a gesture, "we're like the sun and the moon."
You snort at this. "Yeah, yeah, because I'm dark and dangerous like the moon and you're--"
"No."
You blink and turn your head, looking back at them.
"No, you're the sun, Chara."
Frisk gives you such a nice and warm smile and this much goodness in a person just shouldn't exist. You look away from them.
"You're an idiot," you say. There's no way you could be the sun, not compared to Frisk's light. It was them who saved monsterkind, touching everyone's hearts and brightening their lives.
"You're the sun and I'm the moon," Frisk says, as if it's a fact. "You're so strong and protective and, while you do hurt people sometimes, more than you'd like, you do your best to give people strength. Give me strength."
Frisk brings their knees up to their chest and rests their chin on them. "The sun rises and, even when it falls, you know the sun will be back. Back to be the light you need in your darkest times."
"You're…an idiot," you rub harshly at your eyes. Frisk tries to look at your face but you just look away. Who even says those things? What an idiot.
You see Frisk moving their arm and putting their hand down beside you two. An offering.
"The moon is stupid," you mutter, without any real heat.
"Chara--"
"Shut up, you already talked," you swallow and don't know if you feel better with them being quiet.
You reach for Frisk's hand, but chicken out last second and just let the tops of your middle fingers touch. You think for a second. As if you'd let Frisk upstage you with their description of you.
"The moon is stupid. It's passive and doesn't want to hurt anyone and it's so much less harsh than the sun.”
Frisk remains quiet and you’re sure they’re confused. You take a breath and continue.
“But people love the moon, the moon that'll listen to their problems and will keep shared secrets. It doesn't upstage the sun, it holds its hand as it rises or falls, always there. The sun gives you hope, but hurts to look at, hurts to be in its presence. The moon is so much more beautiful than the sun and inspires people to reach their dreams. Humanity was smart and raced to be in the moon’s presence. Who wouldn’t want to be near something so beautiful, so amazing? No one wishes to see more of the sun than they already do, but the moon? I could never get enough of the moon.” You realize what you’ve said and your cheeks redden even more.
It's silent and you blush harder as each second passes. Frisk probably thinks you're a weirdo--
Frisk sniffles.
You panic and scramble around to look at them. "God, Frisk, don't cry! What--"
Frisk has their hands over their mouth as tears leak from their eyes.
"Sorry, sorry!" Frisk looks at you and smiles, tears still falling down their face. "No one's ever said something like that to me before. I just--"
Suddenly they reach their arms out for you and you look at them nervously, but they know you and they don't try to hug you without permission.
"U-um, hold on," you tell them and you remove your pocketknife from your pocket. Not as reluctantly as you would in the past, you note with a shy glance at Frisk. You take out the loose change in your pockets too because you already dislike hugs, you'd rather not have coins pressing against you or Frisk uncomfortably as well. These things would just ruin the moment for you, and you know you shouldn't really give so much attention to stupid things, but Frisk never complains and always understands and dammit, they shine too bright sometimes for you to bear.
You open your arms slowly, and give Frisk the look that means you feel okay enough for a hug. You appreciate Frisk wrapping their arms around you slowly so you get used to the feeling and you think to yourself it's easy to do this when it's just the two of you.
The stars were of course still out, it's not like the sun was even close to rising, but there was the moon and you close your eyes and just feel.