Work Text:
The silence is palpable.
It’s strange, really.
You two just sat on that couch for about a minute before saying anything consequential.
You’ve never been the type to make use of words if you could help it.
Frankly, you shouldn’t be here. You don’t know why you’re letting yourself…
To be honest, I’ve kind of been waiting for…
a chance for us to be alone all day
Ah, but that’s why.
In plain view, locked away by nothing more than bars of aluminum, is your old friend.
You don’t want to hurt her, not truly.
The events of the previous day were surely quite surreal for you two.
You assume your reason for wanting to talk is nothing more than damage control.
To attempt to repair what was cracked, yet you can’t help but notice that small smile she holds.
…
Precious, isn’t she?
You know why she called you here.
There's... something I want to talk to you about, Kris.
…
I want to talk to you about…
…last night
Your heartbeat raises.
Last night, I... I couldn't sleep.
Last night, you left.
Every time I closed my eyes…
All I could see was snow.
You left nothing but darkness behind.
All I could do was hold hindsight and presume.
I was terrified, Kris.
Terrified it was all real.
You feel terrified, Kris.
You shrug it off, for her sake.
I went out on the porch to breathe, and…
You ran to her home to make it right, and…
That’s when I felt it.
That’s when you reached out.
A hand on my shoulder.
Your hand on her shoulder.
I froze.
You froze.
And then I heard your voice.
Your voice.
Kris’s voice.
The distinction is necessary.
You said, sorry for taking your watch, Noelle.
The silver gripping on your wrist was cool to the touch.
You said, it was all a stupid prank.
A cold prank you’d never dream to enact.
You said, Berdly is going to get better.
But it was a prank you certainly did think of.
And you put the watch back on my wrist.
As her face contorted into something out of a dark, dark painting.
You said, sorry for being weird at the hospital, Noelle.
It’d be a lie to say there wasn’t some morbid pleasure out of the ordeal.
You said, it was all a stupid prank.
Yeah… part of you enjoyed yesterday.
You said, Berdly was going to get better.
For you know you can say it wasn’t really you.
...Kris, your voice, your deadpan, mumbly voice…
Even if you sounded kind of weak and shaky…
You can’t hear me, can you?
I don’t know why, but it felt so long since I heard it.
I even started sniffling!... Haha!
If you could, you wouldn't have been happy to hear that.
You don’t like to hear what I have to say, do you?
I can’t really blame you.
Kris…
You feel.
Kris!
You feel…
Kris, you’re back!
You feel good.
hearing these words.
You feel as though things can go back to normal.
You feel as though, when you look her in the eyes
You can be friends.
You feel… things when you look at her eyes.
You feel as though you shouldn’t.
Kris, thank you... well, NO thanks for pranking me, but…
You feel a prickling sensation at the back of your neck.
...Kris, can I... say something else?
please dont
You thought you said
A terrifying presence has entered the room.
You don’t know where or when. You don’t know where I came from.
All you know is you need to get Noelle out of there.
Ugh, talking pretty is annoying, let me just take over for you, buddy.
…
Kris…
Kris!
Kris, there… there was something else you did.
Kris, I wanna let you know real quick, I already know what you’re trying to hide.
Perks of being a time god. I think you know what I mean, but if you don’t, I don’t feel like elaborating.
Something else... I have to ask you about.
Oh, Kris! Look at that smile! Isn’t she precious?
Don’t you want to protect that smile?
After you said all of that... you…
I’m trying to help you out here man Buddy!
Eh, I’m not gonna pretend that’s my reason, at least not yet. We’re not that far along.
Took my hand... and…
You know, in another world, Susie said you were really good at flirting.
Bet you wish you were in that world. Berdly didn’t have to die!
Lol. Lmao.
Pulled... a thorn out of my finger.
Well that’s kind of cruel of me to say, I don’t hate any one of you.
Hell I’d say I really like you guys.
Don’t mind the fact I do my best to hurt your feelings.
I just really want to know what that does.
Then you said…
Noelle inches closer to you, Kris.
I’m your wingman, man buddy!
Stop with that expression!
You said... you said that when I saw you again…
I was gonna tag this fic with “Bad Matchmaking” but something about that felt distasteful, but I think I’m changing my mind
You have no idea what I’m talking about.
You’re mustering up all the will you possibly have…
You said... not to mention you did any of this... or…
…To throw your hand…
?
…against her mouth.
You really, truly, do not want to let me hear the facts I already know.
Kris, it's okay! It's just us!
She effortlessly pushes your arm back down even as you try to push against her.
It was a good try, I’ll give you that. I don’t know what it’s like to be a puppet.
Buddy.
You just said not to mention any of that…
Because it'd get... heard.
You throw your hand against her mouth again.
There’s something inherently tragic about them doing that despite the fact that I already know everything.
This is a really well written scene, Kris.
You have no idea what I’m talking about.
... Kris... Kris, it's okay, it's just us.
Who…?
Who’s going to hear?
Me.ogg
Imagine how jarring it was for Noelle.
Kris...?
K... Kris, your voice... it...
Imagine hearing your childhood friend's voice turn from their typical deadpan, mumbly self, straight back to the abnormally masculine tone they had been wearing during their most terrifying prank yet.
I shouldn’t kid myself, I don’t have that deep of a voice, but you get the point.
Ha... ha... Kris, that's... another joke, right...?
You have no idea who I’m talking to.
(That voice... how... the voice from my dream...)
Because it wasn’t a dream.
S... Sorry, Kris... What did you say? I must have misheard you.
Kris!
(No... there's no way they... they heard...)
(There's no way they heard... my thoughts.)
I heard.
W... What are you talking about,
I... I didn't say anything!
Kris!
(It's impossible. That's impossible.)
(It's just a coincidence.)
sorry, jusIt’s not a coincidence.
Alright, watch this, she’ll ask me to list either the color “red” or “blue”
(If you can... hear me...)
(Say "red" or "blue".)
What’d I say, Kris?
I really don’t care for this section.
I mean it’s a cool idea and I like it but I don’t get why she lists two colors, instead of just one, making me pick
Red.
That’s not how this mind game works. Besides, even if the game had an incorrect option, it’d still be weird for Kris to know she’s thinking about colors.
You have no idea what I’m talking about.
(Say... "green" or "black".)
I picked red earlier because I’m red, very clever on my part, eh?
I think I picked the color black before but
Green
is also symbolic for Christmas so I picked it this time
(Say... say... "it didn't happen." Say "it didn't snow.")
Oh, my sweet winter child.
...Look at me talking that way. When this game first came out, I was younger than you.
It snowed.
(You're… lying. You're lying.)
Noelle becomes stronger
It’s only now. Right now, as I’m typing this, that I notice how sad she looks biting her sleeve in that sprite.
You have no idea what I’m talking about.
K... Kris? Kris, what did you say?
Equip
You have no idea what I’m talking about.
K... Kris? Kris, what is that?
We repeat your name like a mantra.
Kris!
Proceed
Kris... that's... not the thorn, is it?
That’s not. The… ThornRing, is it?
Something I’ve noticed that bothers me about fanart, fanfics, and other such media
Is this misconception regarding the Thorn in this scene.
Proceed
K... Kris... c'mon... you... you still…
Noelle calls it the ThornRing because that’s just how she remembers it.
It is not a ring. It is not a ring that gets put on her ring finger.
No, it is a thorn.
What about... what about last night? What about…
It is a rose thorn that pricks.
I presume Kris had pulled it out of her ring finger somewhere off the middle phalanx the previous night.
I presume it was most likely an easy removal, pricked into the upper layer of her skin and easily pulled off
Didn't you... want to... protect me...?
I know it will most likely be pierced back into her.
I have no idea how deep.
Proceed
(Why... can't... I... move?)
I’ve read an interpretation that it might reach bone.
I do not personally interpret it will be that bad.
But my interpretation could be very wrong
(Why... can't I... look... away?)
I do have to ask why you can’t look away.
Why you’re reading this at all.
Do you think it makes you clean?
I presume not.
But know this.
(NOELLE, DO SOMETHING!!!)
Every single time you’ve read a fanfic.
Every time a character suffers when they didn’t originally.
That’s your fault, isn't it?
Equip
Kris, I really think I
You didn’t need to read it.
I mean I just
It’s the exact same as what we do in the game.
I think I need to
It’s just Another Medium
G-gosh, I think I have to
Kris has no ideas anymore.
Equip
Kris!
I wish you could hear me, Kris!
I wish I wasn’t writing what I think you’d feel, Kris!
I don’t do these things to hurt you, Kris!