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Susie called out to Kris from outside their bedroom window. She waited for a response, but none came. The rain left her body and clothes completely drenched. She figured if Kris didn't hear her in time, then she should probably leave.
As she turned around to walk away, she heard a crash behind her. Kris fell face down into the bush below their window. They groaned a little before rolling off the bush and onto the wet grass on their back.
"Oh my god!" Susie ran towards them and lifted them up by the armpits. She brushed the dirt from their clothes, and picked the leaves off their face one by one.
"Are you okay?"
Kris nodded. Their skin was pale and their breathing was slow and shaky, but Susie assumed it was from the fall.
"Do you wanna go inside and get ice or something?"
Kris looked towards their house. They saw Sans and Toriel's silhouettes dancing in the window. The loud music sounded muffled from the inside of the house, but it still made Kris's ears ring.
Their chest also burned from ripping out their soul. It still remained in the birdcage in their room next to their bed, thrashing helplessly against the metal.
"No," they said. "I wanna get out of here."
Susie shrugged. "Okay, lead the way."
Kris began walking, though their pace was way too slow for Susie's liking. It almost seemed like they were limping. Susie wanted to ask them to speed up, but she remembered that they were probably hurt from falling from the second story of their house. She stayed quiet and shuffled her feet to walk at their chosen pace.
The heavy rain obscured the path ahead. With each step, water soaked through their shoes and socks. Their wet hair stuck to their faces, making it even harder for them to see. Susie lifted her hair from her eyes and looked over at Kris.
"You saw the ending of the prophecy earlier, right?" Susie asked.
Kris nodded silently.
"It's just bullshit. Why would it say something so stupid? You and I both know I'd never let that happen."
Kris remained silent and looked away from Susie. Her face fell at their reaction.
"Hey..."
Susie stopped walking. Kris turned around when they heard her voice from behind.
"I won't let you die, Kris," she said. "I don't care what the stupid prophecy says."
"Susie, I-"
"No, wait," she interrupted. "Before you came into my life, things were... rough. Everyone said I was a bad kid. No one listened to me. No one talked to me. No one believed me when I told them that people were hurting me. And even if they did, they thought I deserved it."
"I just wanted to connect with someone, but everyone was either scared of me, or mad at me about something. I hated my life. I hated being alive."
Kris's heart ached at Susie's words. If they hadn't felt so weak, they would want nothing more than to hug her. Tell her that she never deserved that. Her life was valuable and worth something.
"And then I met you." Susie smiled. "You never treated me like I was bad, even when I was mean to you. Being around you makes me... feel good. No one's ever made me feel like that before."
Kris looked away from her and blushed.
"That's why I can't let the prophecy happen," she said. "I can't lose you, Kris. I won't let anything happen to you."
Kris couldn't bring themself look at the hopeful yet pained expression on Susie's face. They knew what the prophecy entailed. They knew what would happen once the soul left them for good. Vessels must be discarded when they're no longer useful. Kris couldn't stop it from happening, though they could try. They could delay the defeat of the Roaring Knight, just to stay alive a little longer. Still, that wouldn't change anything. They were going to die.
"We can't control it," Kris said.
"Kris, don't say that!" Susie shouted. "Don't fucking say that! You can't die! I'm not losing you!"
Kris averted their gaze to the ground and shut their eyes for a few moments.
"I don't want to lose you either," they whispered. "I'm trying to find a way to live. I want to live. I didn't used to, but now I do."
"Kris..."
"It's because of you," they said.
Kris reached out and held her hands in theirs. Her scales lightly brushed against their palms.
"You make me want to stay alive."
Susie blinked back tears. Kris got closer to her and placed a hand on her cheek. She could see their dark crimson eyes gazing directly at her.
"You can't leave me." Susie's voice cracked as she spoke.
"I wish I didn't have to," they said. "Every second I spend with you only makes it more difficult to face the inevitable."
"Kris, please..."
"I want things to change so badly. I wish I could be here with you forever."
Susie closed her eyes and sighed. "Me too."
Her legs wobbled from pure emotion. When she could no longer hold herself up, she leaned against the nearest building and sat cross legged on the ground. Kris sat down next to her and hugged their legs to their chest.
Kris and Susie looked at the street in front of them. The rain flowed rapidly down the pavement like the tears on Susie's face.
"Why do you have to die?" Susie asked with a weak voice. "Why do I always lose everything good in my life?"
A lump formed in Kris's throat. Susie turned her head away from Kris, though they could still hear her soft gasps and hiccups.
Kris moved in front of Susie and stood on their knees so they could look directly at her at the same height. Susie turned towards them with red and puffy eyes. Kris cradled her face in their hands and softly rubbed their thumbs against her skin.
"You never deserved that," Kris whispered. "I wish I could take your pain away. I wish I could stay alive a little longer. For you."
Kris pressed their forehead against Susie's and closed their eyes, allowing tears to fall. Susie closed her eyes as well and continued softly crying. Their wet hair clung to each other's faces.
After a few moments, Susie wrapped her arms around Kris's body and held them close. She hid her face in their shoulder, soaking their shirt with her tears. Kris returned the hug and gently rubbed their back. They could feel her trembling underneath her.
Susie wanted nothing more than to hope. She thought if she held Kris tight enough, she could stop them from dying. She could keep them here with her forever. She didn't have to lose anyone else.
She had to save them. She would not let them die. Not if she had anything to say about it.
As the rain poured around them, all she could do was savor their presence. Feel their body pressed against hers, smell the apple scented shampoo in their hair, and listen to their gentle yet shaky breaths next to her ear.