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“AH!”
“Ah!” After Kris had been forced to stay silent for the whole day… It felt so pleasant to gasp.
Looking into Noelle’s wide emerald eyes, even though she was terrified… For some reason it made them happy.
Noelle sighed. “Of course, Kris. Of course you’re smiling.” It seemed she didn’t know how she wanted to feel. Kris’s arm was still on her shoulder… could she sense that they were just Kris now?
“Noelle.” Kris noticed two peculiar things: She didn’t seem angry, as she often was when reacting to their pranks. And her ears, quite adorably, bounced up when they spoke.
“I’m sorry for taking your watch.” They handed it back to her. For a half second, she caressed her watch, like it was a stuffed animal.
“Noelle, it was all a stupid prank.” She seemed to realize that they were doing the only thing both them and the SOUL did: lie.
“Berdly is fine. Kris remembered how from within their stolen body, they looked upon what the SOUL viewed as a disposable piece of chicken, stuck screaming in its virtual body, dead and unvalued in its physical.
“And finallyyy…” They hated how quietly silly their voice sounded, but Noelle smiled, somehow.
“I-I-I-I-I know it sounds weird, but everything at the hospital was just a, silly, prank. W-Well not what I-I sai-“
“Take your time, Krismas.” Kris took their time and it didn’t work. But it worked for Noelle.
She took a deep and silent breath in. When she breathed out, snot spilled across her face like broken glass. She tried to wipe it off with her sleeve, but Kris offered her their shoulder. She looked at Kris. For two seconds, both of their mouths were open.
“Did you want to tell me something, Kris?” Her voice was gentle, her tone particular. Kris had answered this question earlier. But on this occasion, she didn’t remark on her awkwardness. She had the kind of smile Kris hoped she’d show.
Kris knew it was a bad idea, but they hugged Noelle. At the very least, it would make her more comfortable before what they were about to do.
Kris knew, despite the Christmas gloves Noelle had on, that the thorn ring, one of two objects they hated with a passion, remained on her finger. “Don’t look, Noelle.”
The poor girl whimpered as they did it, but faster than they expected, it came off. The blood on it was blackened, like Noelle’s insides had become those of a machine’s. Thankfully, the blood that flowed from her finger was red, warm, alive. Her voice sounded alive too.
"Oh, oh, thank you... can I take the thorn?"
"But... it hurt you! It needs to be thrown into the trash!"
"I want it as a reminder of, like, the hardships I've endured."
"What do you mean?"
"Well... since Dess's dissapearance, I've never endured that much. My mom doesn't let me.
"So... why don't you give me that thorn? I want it to be a reminder of my r-resilience. That my mom tries to suppress." Her face scrunched.
It was a truly horrible idea, in every way. What if Kris, SOUL-bonded, came into her house? What madness would've happened then? But it would give Noelle the comfort she needed. It would help her cope with the situation.
"Come on, Kris, you've controlled my actions enough today." She sounded irritated. When they showed her the ring, they were too weak to pull their hand back.
"T-Thank you, Kris."
By now, they should've been exchanging goodbyes. But they weren't. Something was preventing them from doing so. They had an idea of what it was.
Noelle came closer. She smiled, and held up her bleeding finger. Did she want the kind of kiss the thorn ring could never give?
They looked at Noelle. She nodded her head. She brought her hand even closer. The taste of iron filled their mouth. Kris felt sick thinking about it... but they didn't mind the taste of her blood.
She giggled. "You know, that spot doesn't hurt anymore."
She put her hand on their shoulder. "Good job, Kris." They tried to leave.
"Wait... Why don't you stay here for a little while longer? I can't sleep, and now that your real personality's back..."
"I never realized how sweet you were," she cooed. Her eyes drooped, her hand was still on their shoulder.
Kris turned their head away. They couldn't do it now. Not with the SOUL still a threat. Noelle put both her arms around their body. Kris felt her breath on their face. They took a breath in and then out. For some reason, Noelle did the same.
Noelle was an objectively cute girl. Kris wanted to kiss her on her little freckles and around those wide eyes. Would it matter that they had her blood on their lips, if she'd been romantically repressed for so long?
A part of Kris's mind entertained thrusting their tongue into Noelle's mouth, and finally getting to see what it tasted like.
But thinking of the SOUL, thinking of the damage it could do, with her attachment to Kris... they couldn't.
Kris pushed their potential girlfriend away, gently. She went forward again.
"Don't mention what happened after I pulled the thorn out."
Noelle giggled. "Of course. Mom doesn't want to know about that. She'd go insane."
"No, no, Noelle. I want to forget about that." Kris rubbed their lips with brutal vigor, until the friction burned them, and Noelle couldn't see any more blood.
The poor girl's smile drooped. "Kris-Kris if this is about whatever came into you yesterday, don't worry about me. It's safe to kiss me. I'll know whenever you're not up for it. I will not proceed." Did that last word hurt them more than it hurt Noelle?
"Kris, I, I..."
They saw that Noelle was thinking about something significant. She might have figured it all out, right then and there. They sighed and looked back at her.
"You don't understand a goddamn thousandth of it. Stay away. And for the last time. Don't mention what happened after I removed the ring." They walked away and then they turned back.
"I-I didn't mean-"
"You didn't mean any of that?"
"I didn't mean to talk like your mom." Noelle somehow managed to smile.
They embraced. Kris wasn't interested in Noelle's sweater, her hair, or her freckles. They only cared about Noelle.
Kris turned their head away and patted her on the shoulder.
As they marched into darkness's embrace, they looked at Noelle for one final time. She wasn't crying, smiling, or angry. After a few seconds, she came back into light's embrace.
As they walked away, they realized they were so tired. A third of their vision was covered with green blotches. Their head felt heavier than their torso.
They wanted to go to sleep... but ironically, they also wanted the SOUL; despite all the horror it could create, they needed its energy to survive the things they'd been put through. Using their last bits of energy, Kris silently prayed that it wouldn't continue its misdeeds. They prayed even though the Angel had never answered, and even though the SOUL might not be capable of empathy.