Chapter Text
It was a normal Thursday night. Dess looked up from the notebook she was scribbling in while sitting cross-legged on her bed. A spark of inspiration had hit her after school, and she'd been working on a new song ever since. She knew it would probably never be heard outside the confines of her room, but that was alright with her.
Well… maybe she'd let Azzy hear it. He always said he liked her voice, even when she didn’t believe him.
Her eyes drifted toward her computer’s lockscreen.
“6:30… Wonder what Azzy’s up to,” she muttered with a small smile.
She hopped off her bed and slipped on the black leather boots that had been knocked over beside it. On her way out of the room, she knocked on her little sister’s door.
“Come on, Elly! We’re going to visit Kris and Asriel,” she called as she headed downstairs.
“Comingggg!”
The two sisters were nearly inseparable, despite being so different. Sixteen-year-old December had a wild creative streak—too wild, according to some. She always had a new idea, though not always a good or safe one. Rudy liked to joke he must’ve given birth to her himself, with how she’d inherited his dark hair and sharp wit.
Noelle, thirteen, had all the caution and structure Dess lacked. She was quiet, thoughtful, and an academic powerhouse. She admired her big sister’s boldness, though she’d never admit it out loud.
Noelle scurried out of her room to meet Dess at the door, and the two headed out after Dess texted their mom to say they were off to the Dreemurrs’ house.
Asriel heard a knock at the door. He was crouched in front of the TV, trying to convince his game console to connect. After giving the side of it a final, encouraging thump, the screen flickered to life.
“Awesome. I’ll get it!” he called to his mom, who was in the kitchen pulling a butterscotch pie out of the oven.
Jogging to the front door, he opened it just a crack—only for a familiar face to pop through.
“Dude, it’s us,” Dess grinned, leaning on the frame. “You gonna let us freeze out here, or what?”
Asriel smiled in that quiet, warm way he only did when it was her. He opened the door wider, letting the girls in.
“Mom, Kris, the girls are here!”
Toriel peeked in from the kitchen, catching sight of Noelle and Dess entering.
“Noelle, Dess! Just in time for pie,” she said, smiling.
“Hi, Mrs. Tori!” Noelle replied cheerily. “Is Kris in their room?”
Asriel nodded, and Noelle was already halfway down the hall.
That left just the two of them.
Dess and Asriel flopped onto the living room couch like they owned it. Dess stretched her legs across his lap without asking; he didn’t even blink, just adjusted slightly and handed her a controller.
“I thought you weren’t coming for a minute,” he said, fiddling with the other remote.
“And miss out on beating you at Dragon Blazers ? No way,” she teased, nudging him with her foot.
“Flattered,” he replied, eyes flicking to hers with a soft grin.
After a few more playful nudges, they finally settled in and started up the game. They played until their energy faded, then switched to watching a show they’d both seen a thousand times before, curling up with slices of Toriel’s pie.
Noelle and Kris had already fallen asleep in the shared bedroom, and Toriel had retired to her room. Asgore was still at work on the night shift and wouldn’t be home until morning. The house was quiet, save for the glow of the TV and the soft hum of the late night.
The show playing now was one of Asriel’s favorites—about a group of monster friends living together in the city. Two of the characters were clearly in love, even if they hadn’t admitted it yet.
Asriel liked to imagine a future like that for him and Dess: going to college together, maybe moving to the city, figuring out life one step at a time.
He glanced down at her. Her head was resting in his lap, legs stretched across the couch, fast asleep.
She was smiling in her sleep.
Asriel felt his heart squeeze in the quiet. He gently brushed a strand of hair from her face and leaned down to kiss her cheek.
I’ll never let that smile fade, he thought to himself.
Then, with the TV still playing quietly in the background, he closed his eyes and drifted off beside her.