Chapter Text
"Well dude? What did Seam do?" Susie asked, watching as Kris exited Seam's patchwork tent. They had collected their fifth shadow crystal by luck, having found it tucked in a freshly trashed bouquet given to Toriel by Asgore. He would be the type of dummy to give away something so important... but how the hell did he get his hands on it in the first place? She thought, absentmindedly picking at her teeth with her claws.
"It's... a heart... They barely explained what it was." They said quietly, holding up the object in question. Seam had managed to combine the black glass into a single object, all the shards melting together into a heart shape. It was thin, yet felt unusually strong, and was attached to a chain that looked as if it was made of obsidian. Kris felt it over in their hands, the smooth glass feeling supernaturally cool as if it was sucking the heat out of their body. ...It didn't feel right. They shuddered, choosing to hold it away from their body by the chain.
Ralsei stood from his sitting position, brushing off his robe and fur. The fluffy goat was merely happy that his friends had come to visit so unexpectedly. With the recent quiet in Hometown, Susie and Kris had found it harder to sneak away together to the Dark World, especially with the recent protectiveness from Toriel after someone slashed her tires. That didn't stop them from breaking into school whenever they could, but still! "I'm sure whatever it is, it'll be useful to us! Did Seam tell you anything about it? They'd usually give us some kind of cryptic hint..." He asked, moving closer to examine the heart shaped object. He had heard of nothing like this in the prophecy or... anywhere, really. "Would you like me to check if it's magical, Kris? As a mage, I can tell these things pretty easily!"
As Ralsei stepped forward, Kris realized that the necklace was... tugging at them. Tugging towards Ralsei. Seeking something. He held out his hand, and the attraction became even more pronounced. The chain lifted, and the heart pulled taut straight towards Ralsei. Kris was apprehensive. But Ralsei... Ralsei was seemingly enamored with the object. "There's definitely strong magic within this necklace, but... it's weird. It's somehow... familiar, yet new at the same time. It reminds me of you, Kris." Suddenly, the glass heart ripped itself out of Kris' hands. It knocked Ralsei straight in the chest, getting an oomf from the boy. "Ow! W-What the..?" He started, looking down at its new spot against his cloak.
The chain detached and then reattached itself around Ralsei's neck, fitting snugly, before starting to glow. "R-Ralsei?" Kris asked worriedly, unsure of what was happening. "Are you...?" Before they could finish their sentence, a brilliant pillar of light enveloped Ralsei, blocking out all his features and nearly blinding the pair. A small cry escaped the prince's lips before being drowned out, sending both Kris and Susie into a panic.
"Holy shit! Kris, get that thing off of Ralsei!" Susie said urgently. She reached for where she thought the amulet was, only to jolt backwards. Hissing in pain, her face contorted as she examined her hand. Three of her fingers had been burned, a small blister forming at the tip of her finger where she had attempted to grab at Ralsei. "What the hell did Seam make?! Kris, what do we do? ...Fuck!" She was panicking, that much was clear - her usual tough-girl facade was replaced with pure worry for their companion.
From within Kris, they felt a sickening sensation. The SOUL was vying for control, overwriting Kris' will. Their face dropped into a blank stare as they held out one hand, using their other arm to brace it by the wrist. "I have a plan." It said, deadpan. Kris' body shifted towards the light, and as they did, they felt the light of the SOUL shining within them, almost in sync with what they were facing. It's not going to-! Kris barely had time to think before they unwillingly plunged their hand into the light. They felt their skin start to heat up, as if they had been out in the sun for too long. Then, it got worse. It burned. It hurt. Their skin started to blister and almost boil, the light inside them not nearly enough to let them power through it. Kris screamed in their mind, begging for it to stop.
As if it heard them, an unfamiliar pulse of energy welled up from within Kris. A pinprick of red light appeared within the pillar, seeking out a particular point. Seeking out the heart. It found it - or at least they think it did, settling into one spot in the pillar - and it expanded to outline the shape of the necklace. The geyser of light slowly, mercifully, started to recede. Ralsei was once again visible as the light slowly died, seemingly seeping into the core of the necklace. The black glass swirled with light, dark, and a tinge of red. A bit of their SOUL, lent to stop whatever was happening to their friend.
Eventually, the light disappeared all together. The necklace glowed a dull dark red, pulsing every few moments. Bump-bump, bump-bump, bump-bump... Kris swore they heard it beat. Or they would've, were they not racked with pain at the moment. It was all they could do to not completely collapse, clutching at their mangled wrist as the SOUL relinquished control, shrinking back into the recesses of their mind. It seemed... tired, not that they cared. They gasped out, "R-Ralsei?"
Ralsei was still standing, thankfully not consumed by the burning light that had engulfed him moments ago. But it was clear that he was much worse off than they were. Patches of fur were singed off his body, revealing pink and black scorched flesh underneath. His knees wobbled, and Susie barely had time to catch him before he collapsed. "H-holy shit, Ralsei! Ralsei, say something, are you ok?!" Susie in her panic considered shaking him, but didn't out of fear of making his condition worse. "Kris, this is bad! I need to heal him. Are you gonna be ok, dude?"
Her attention was mainly on the prince, not realizing the severity of Kris' wounds. They fell backwards, still clutching at their wrist. "I-I'm... I'm... ok..." The pain was too much. Kris' ears were ringing. It burned so bad. They didn't know how to help. Oh, god, what do they do?! They're so useless, Ralsei is hurt and they're... No... I can't... They thought, fighting as darkness crept into the corners of their vision. They were going into shock.
"Kris?! Kris!" Susie's voice felt very far away as they slipped into unconsciousness.
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When Kris awoke, they did so with a start. Nightmares of a snow-covered city whirled around their thoughts before being forced out by reality - They were still in pain. "Kris! Don't scare me like that!" A voice hissed from nearby. They looked up, meeting the concerned eyes of their healer: Susie. "If you're gonna pass out on me, at least don't yell when you come to. You two SUCK for leaving me to deal with that all alone." Her tone was mean, but Kris got the feeling it was less genuine anger and more of a coping skill.
"Sorry I worried you, Susie." Kris said. They examined their hand, the tingling sensation of magic lingering just beneath their skin. Susie had managed to heal it on her own, and while not as perfect as Ralsei's healing is, they could hardly complain. A new layer of soft skin covered their right hand, almost pink compared to the skin further up their wrist. Their nerves were still stinging with the memory of the heat, but the physical damage was completely reversed. "...Great job on the heal." They mumbled.
"It's not that I was worried, dummy. You were fine! You are fine. I just..." Susie sighed. "Don't do something stupid like that again. I nearly lost my cool when you put your hand into that beam, and then passing out on top of everything!"
Kris allowed themself a small smile. "You completely lost your cool." She nearly looked offended.
"Oh, no way are you sassing me right now, Dreemurr!" Susie growled. "I had to carry both your asses all the way to the castle AND spend a solid half hour trying to heal the damage! Do you have any idea how tiring that was?! I handled that just fine, thank you very much!"
Kris giggled, letting go of their urge to continue teasing her. They figured she was really scared, especially having to drag them up all the way to the castle. Wait, she dragged both of us all the way here..? The thought crossed Kris' mind and they turned, finally taking in their surroundings. They were tucked into their bed, the purple and blue sheets tightly pressed under their armpits. Next to them, dozing peacefully, was Ralsei. His fur had grown back for the most part thanks to Susie's healing, slight aberrations in his fluff barely visible. The heart shape necklace rested against his chest, pulsing softly. Several bandages were wrapped around his shoulder, no doubt where the worst of the burns were located.
Susie followed their gaze and gave an apologetic smile. "I got sorta... spent towards the end. His burns were bad... I'm sorry I couldn't do more. Heh, well, I guess I should be apologizing to him..." She trailed off, looking away from Kris. It's understandable to feel a bit of guilt, as if she could have done more. But Kris wanted to do their best to alleviate her feelings.
They reached out a tentative hand and placed it on Susie's head. They've seen this before in certain shows - this is something people do to cheer you up, right? "You did amazing, Susie." Kris said softly.
Her face reddened a bit, though not entirely visible through her already purple skin. She turned toward Kris somewhat flustered. "Whatever, weirdo. Now let go of me!" Kris let out a soft laugh, and Susie couldn't stop herself from snorting and laughing along with them. As they shared a brief moment together, Ralsei began to stir beside Kris.
"Mm..." He turned, blearily opening his eyes. Kris and Susie turned toward him expectantly, waiting for him to say something - perhaps an assurance that he felt ok. "Five more minutes..." Was what Ralsei said instead, snuggling back up to his pillow and curling up under the blankets. The giggly duo burst out in raucous laughter, adding on to the fit they had already been having just moments ago. Ralsei's eyes shot open, launched into wakefulness by the sudden noise. He attempted to sit up, accidentally putting weight on his hurt shoulder before falling back down in pain. "Ow! K-Kris, Susie, why are you laughing?! What happened?!"
The pair attempted to stifle their laughter, knowing their friend was in pain - but it was to little effect. All of their tension from the past hour was releasing at once, with Susie nearly doubling over on her stool at the goat boy's pitiful look. Kris wasn't much better, a hand clasped over their mouth as they tried unsuccessfully to stifle the giggles they were afflicted with. Ralsei looked at them with big, pleading eyes, which only served to make them both laugh harder. "Oh my god, Ralsei, dude," Susie got out between laughs. She pulled her hands up to her chin and did her best to put on a cutesy voice. "Five more minutes, pwease?" She burst out laughing again, falling into the deep laugh the other two had come to love.
Ralsei pouted angrily. "H-hey! I've just been through an abnormal event! I'm in pain! I don't even remember the past little bit! Don't make fun of me for being tired!" He crossed his arms angrily, doing his best to seem annoyed. It didn't really work, so he decided to use his ultimate attack: Turning away from the other two.
"Aw, Ralsei..." Kris had nearly managed to get their giggles under control.
"C'mon Rals, don't be like that..." Susie echoed.
"Hmph!" Was the only response they got.
Kris gave Susie a look, the two of them coming to a silent agreement. "We're sorry, Ralsei." They said, putting a gentle arm around him. They made sure not to put too much pressure to avoid any sensitive areas.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry too, dude." Susie said, unceremoniously flopping across the bed on top of both of them. Thankfully, Kris took most of her weight being closest to her, so the prince wasn't hurt.
Ralsei put in a valiant effort of staying angry for all of 4 seconds before acquiescing, letting out a small laugh and leaning into the hug from both of them. "Well... the hug is pretty sweet, so I guess I do forgive you..." Kris smiled under the pile of fluff and scales, and Susie allowed herself a toothy grin. They stayed like that for a good while. Happy. Warm. Safe with their friends. A moment of levity in an otherwise scary time.
...
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...
...
Grrrrrowwwwww... An unexpected sound interrupted everyone's warm and fuzzy thoughts. Susie snickered. "Dude, Kris, was that your stomach? Did you not eat today or something, dork?"
Kris shook their head, poking the dragon girl in her side. "That was you."
"Like hell that was! I had a very filling breakfast of chalk and some of those pancakes you snuck me this morning."
"Where do you think I got the pancakes from? I had some too, that was definitely you."
"You little twerp-"
"Um, guys..?" Ralsei interrupted. "I think that was... me?" He said sheepishly. (Goatishly?)
Susie's weight lifted off of them as she stared with confusion. "What? No way, since when do you-" Grrrrrowwwwwwwww. A second growl interrupted her question. "Wow, damn, I guess that really is you, huh?" Ralsei's face flushed, embarrassed. "Well, uh, hold on a sec!" Kris and Ralsei watched her get up and exit the room. She came back shortly, carrying a plate with two pancakes. There was a big bite taken out of one of them, jagged with the shape of her teeth. "Ok, so, all I had was these two left from this morning. I brought 'em into the Dark World cause I was kinda hoping they'd turn into a pancake person, but it works for this occasion." The bed-bound pair smiled at Susie's idea, imagining what sort of bullet pattern a pancake Darkner would have. Hopefully a delicious one. She gingerly placed the plate down on Ralsei's lap, setting a fork down with it. A bit of syrup was already soaked into the cakes, but they were otherwise dry.
"Aww, thank you Susie!" Ralsei said with a bright smile. "I've never had pancakes before!"
"They're blueberry." Kris added.
"Don't thank me yet, toothpaste boy. I gotta go get you some proper syrup. It's like, an integral part of the meal. Kris, can you stay here and keep an eye on him? I'm gonna run to your house and steal a bottle. And maybe some pie too, heh!" She added as an afterthought. Kris nodded and gave her a thumbs up. "Nice. All right dudes, I'll be back in a minute. Don't let him bake me a cake or anything, got it?" They gave her a salute at that, wincing as they accidentally used their newly healed hand.
Susie snorted and even Ralsei let out a little giggle, causing Kris to turn to him dramatically with a betrayed look on their face. "A-Ah, Kris, I didn't actually hurt your feelings, right? T-This is just sarcasm?" Ralsei said, only half-worried.
"I'm wounded. You've wounded me." Kris said with a flat voice. They dramatically put their other hand up to their forehead with their palm turned out - as if they were fainting in an old movie - and flopped back against the pillow. If they could've made their eyes turn into X's, they would've, but they settled for sticking their tongue out to the side. Ralsei laughed again, his eyes crinkling up with joy. Kris could've sworn they saw a slight blush under his fur... They found themself wishing they could see it more. They had been thinking things like that a lot lately.
Susie rolled her eyes from the doorway. "Alright nerds, be back in a few. See ya!" She stepped out into the hall, her tail the last visible part of her as she walked away, and exited the castle. With how scary everything had been, all of them together in one room had been comforting. It felt like, even with everything that happened, they could handle it just fine so long as they were together. Now, however... there was a Susie-sized hole in the atmosphere that the dragon girl was no longer supporting.
Ralsei sighed noticeably, slumping back against the pillow. Kris could've sworn they saw him wince, as well as several other details; his face fell, his body seemed to tense, and he kept fidgeting, unable to get comfortable. They realized Susie hadn't exactly had time to make the bed more hospitable, with their pillows and a sheet/blanket combo being the only source of support. Pulling themselves out from the covers, they swung their legs over the bed. "Oh, Kris..? Are you leaving?" Ralsei asked, tilting his head slightly. "If you're feeling better, then that's ok! You can get back to the Light World with Susie! I'm sure it would be nice to sleep in your own bed after everything that happened..."
Kris turned towards the boy wordlessly. He was smiling, but... It wasn't a smile that reached his eyes. Kris stared a little harder - they had started to recognize little quirks like this. A waver in his voice here, a not-so-genuine smile there... even a hug that wasn't as tight as it normally was. Telltale signs that the prince was putting up a front for them. They frowned slightly. "Do you... want me to leave?" They asked.
"O-Oh, gosh, Kris, I'm sorry, no. I just..." Ralsei paused, as if he was choosing his words carefully. "You don't need to... take care of me, y'know? The most important thing is that you're ok. You should be with your friends, your family! Eating real food, and... being around real people..." His eyes turned downward, looking at the blanket. "I-I'll be fine!" Another fake smile. "My injuries don't matter. I don't-" He stopped suddenly. Another pause. "...M-maybe you... should... leave..."
If it was possible for Kris to be any more still than they already were, that's what they did. Ralsei kept up the smile for a few seconds, looking at Kris. No, looking past Kris. He couldn't even meet their eye, as if they were focused on some point on the wall behind them - anything to avoid looking them in the face. They stood there. Statuesque. Ralsei's gaze started to waver. It finally returned to their face, but not in the way they wanted. It was searching, digging, examining them for any sort of tell - any emotion that could betray how they were feeling. Ralsei seemed desperate for something from the Lightner. A brow furrowed in anger, a turn towards the door, a step away - anything. He wanted feelings? He wanted a tell? He was about to get one.
Tears ran down Kris' face. They let them fall freely - not that they had much choice. All of the emotions they'd been through over the past hour or so were incredibly overwhelming. The confusion, the fear, the pain, the nightmares, the laughter, and now this. It crashed over them all at once, the once-strong dam they were able to use to hide their emotions crumbling immediately. A sob escaped their lips as their shoulders began to shake. Ralsei made a face like he just ran over a puppy. "Oh my god, Kris!? I-I'm so sorry!" He struggled to rise from the bed, desperate to comfort Kris despite his own pain. He managed to sit up again before it proved too much, letting out a small cry of pain as he put weight on his injured side. "P-Please, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that, d-don't cry!"
Kris turned away from him. It's over... Ralsei thought. I screwed everything up with them... why can't they just scream at me?! Yell at me?! Anything except this... I never wanted this... Maybe if I beg them to stay? Ralsei truly considered it for a moment before resigning himself to his fate. Who am I kidding? I don't deserve that, OR their patience... Kris strode quickly across the room, just as Ralsei thought they would. He nearly allowed a tear of his own to get caught in his fur, but wiped it away quickly. Crying now would just be selfish.
Kris threw open the cabinet door with more force than even they were expecting. The hinges creaked as it bounced back, nearly hitting them in the process. They found it - all the extra blankets and pillows that Ralsei had painstakingly handcrafted for them and Susie. Wiping some of the tears away, they grabbed an armful of both, using the corner of one of the pillows to shut the cabinet back. Ralsei looked over in confusion. "K-Kris? What are you doing?" They strode back to the bed just as quickly, dropping the blankets at the foot of the bed. They grabbed the pancake plate off his lap, placing it on the stool Susie had been using to tend to their wounds.
"S... Sit up." They said in nearly a whisper.
"W-What? I didn't-"
"Sit... up..." Kris said, their composure barely staying together. The tears hadn't stopped completely but had slowed, leaving Ralsei confused. Were they mad at him? Sad? Both? He didn't know, but leaned forwards anyways. Kris began tucking the pillows behind Ralsei, a few behind him for back support and one on either side to lean on. Understanding dawned on Ralsei - the human was taking care of them, despite his earlier protests.
"Kris, I-"
"Shush." Kris cut him off abruptly. "I'm... mad at you."
Ralsei blinked - if they were mad at him, why were they continuing? What was the point? "I-I understand, Kris, you don't have to continue-"
"Shush!" Kris said forcefully. Ralsei's mouth clamped shut with an audible click! They continued with their work, draping a fluffy blanket over the equally fluffy boy. Their tears had nearly stopped when they started speaking again. "I'm mad at you because you're an idiot."
Ralsei blinked again - they had a habit of making him pause like this, saying so much and so little at the same time. He didn't speak again out of fear of being shushed once more, so he just nodded - Kris seemed to like this; at least, he thinks they did. They continued. "And... you're an idiot, because..." They brushed their hair out of the way. Their piercing blood red eyes were more striking than usual, even bloodshot and puffy. Ralsei suppressed a gasp. He never got to see their eyes like this. They sparkled, just for a moment as they caught the light, a product of the tears they had been letting flow. "...because you have no idea how I feel."
Kris took a deep breath. They were never the type to go on long rants or whine about their feelings - hell, they hardly spoke more than 10-15 words at a time if they could help it. But the exceptions to their rule were special. Things they really cared about, or things that they thought were interesting: The pranks they had pulled on people, the bugs they used to dig up and scare Noelle with, their memories of Asriel before he left for college, their first time really getting to know Susie, even something as simple as Dragon Blazers with Berdly. These things were important to them. And more recently, Ralsei had shot to the top of their list of things they had no problem talking about.
"You... you have this habit of wiping every part of yourself away when we're around. You act like a mirror, or some kind of shapeshifter towards us. Always changing, always... trying. Trying to be what we need at the moment. If we need a healer, you're our healer. If we need to get through to an enemy, you're the voice of reason. And we appreciate it so, SO much, me and Susie." They paused again for a breath. "But, after a while... we don't need you to be something else, Ralsei. We don't need you to heal, or help with a puzzle, or bake us cakes. We... I... need you. I need you to be... you." Kris smiled, remembering what they once told him. "It's nice when Ralsei is Ralsei. It's nice when I see you let your guard down, or give a genuine smile, or laugh, or cry. It's nice because... that's the part of you Susie and I love. The genuine you. The part that... I love. I love you so much, Ralsei, and it hurts my feelings when you act like I don't. So... stop it, ok?"
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...
...Silence. Wow, they really hadn't expected to say that today. Ralsei's expression was one of shock, that they could tell. But they weren't sure if it was a oh-my-gosh-I-love-you-too shock or a wow-I-can't-believe-you-just-said-that-this-is-so-awkward shock. They hoped the former, but honestly? They were just glad they managed to finally say it. All the sneaking around they did, all the glances they stole whenever Ralsei would look away... all the times Kris heard him laugh and wanted nothing more but to make him laugh again. God, and the nights where they laid awake in bed, tossing and turning and lashing out at the SOUL - they wanted nothing more in those moments to sneak out, break into the school and see him, confessing everything they had done, everything they'd be through. They hoped, night after night that Ralsei would just hold them and tell them it was ok. But they couldn't do that anymore. Not if they wanted to move on. So yeah, they needed to say that, his reaction be damned.
"Kris, I..." Ralsei spoke after what seemed like ages. They sat at the foot of the bed, turning towards him intently. "I... I-I..." It was Ralsei's turn to break down. He was not nearly as composed a crier as Kris was, heart-wrenching sobs overtaking his body as he struggled to take breaths. Kris scooted closer, placing a comforting hand on his leg. Ralsei's hand practically shot out, grabbing it tightly as their chest continued to heave. "I-I love you too, Kris, but... it's so hard! I can't let myself f-feel like this!" He cried out, almost yelling. "I love you so much, but... w-what if I disappear?! What if I leave you behind?! W-What if... What if I'm not REAL?!?" Ralsei screamed the last word. "Th-The prophecy, I... I CAN'T let you love something that's not REAL! You don't deserve that!"
"Ralsei..." Kris said quietly.
"I-I don't deserve that! I don't...!"
Kris slowly got under the covers next to Ralsei, holding his hand as best they could as he sobbed. "Ralsei, its ok. I promise it's ok." They hugged him gently, not wanting to hurt him. The last thing he deserved right now was more pain. "No matter what happens - and NOTHING will happen - I'll love you until I can't anymore, and then I'll love you for longer anyways."
Ralsei buried his face into Kris' soft undershirt, hugging them so tightly they thought he might strain himself. They steeled themself to the pressure, tightening their grip once they were sure he could handle it. "I... No, I... I'm s-sorry Kris, I'm sorry, I can't... I can't do it. I can't do that to you, I care too much about you... Please, just stop..." Ralsei cried, grabbing their shirt into his fists. Kris was disappointed, to say the least - but they didn't want to fight. Not while Ralsei was so vulnerable. They still had tomorrow, and the day after that. However long they had, they resolved not to give up on convincing him that it was all worth it to them.
"Shhhh..." Their shush was much gentler as they softly petted the fluffy boy's back. "Ralsei, even if you can't... Just for today, be selfish. Love me until it stops hurting..." Kris leaned down, softly kissing him between his horns. Their cheeks flushed red. When did they get so physically affectionate? Their mind wandered to all of the hugs they had shared with Ralsei, and how they always seemed to linger for just a bit longer than the SOUL wanted. Maybe they'd always been this way. It'd been a while since they had a reason to hug anyone... They brought themselves back to the present once they realized that Ralsei was looking up at them, teary-eyed but seemingly less tense.
"J-Just for today...?" He asked, voice quivering. Kris nodded, and the prince blinked heavily, pushing more tears out of his eyes. "Just f-for today..." Ralsei repeated, wiping his face off with the sleeve of his cloak. "I-If it's ok with you, I think I can do that..." He said, a weak smile spreading across his face. A genuine one, Kris noted. They held eye contact for a little while, grinning back at him. They both paused, stealing the time away from the world so they could savor their respective scenes.
Ralsei - staring into the eyes of his knight and, for once, letting his walls down to fully feel what he had always kept beaten down. Kris, to him, was radiant. Beautiful, handsome, pretty, rugged, delicate, cute - every conflicting and complimentary word he could think of, they were that and more. Ralsei couldn't help but find himself thinking back to his life before they and Susie had shown up. Before they came, he had nothing but the dark to keep him company. He had stopped counting the days after the first few years. It took him another few to stop hoping. Just one more after that to stop caring. No subjects. No friends. Nobody to comfort him, to love him, hell, even just to like him. He was so, so thankful to have finally met the Lightners of prophecy - but he never let himself get too attached. If he said something wrong, did something wrong... if he wasn't useful, they could leave again. He couldn't take that chance, bottling up every selfish thought he had ever had. But now, with Kris' permission... he allowed himself the full depth of his emotional spectrum - just for today.
Kris - gazing down at their prince, his eyes as red and puffy as theirs were just a few minutes earlier. They wiped once last tear from his face, resting their palm against his cheek. Ralsei took their hand in his, pressing it against his fur. His eyes sparkled despite his tears. So many emotions were running through their mind, but they chose to focus on a singular one: Ralsei was here with them, today, and they loved each other. That was good enough for them at the moment. Kris reached down and took Ralsei's glasses off, setting the smudged and tear-soaked lenses off to the side. Once he looked back at them, they sucked in a sharp breath. They forgot his eyes were a gorgeous pink. Kris unconsciously leaned in, losing themself in their rose-colored pupils.
Ralsei stared back into their crimson gaze. A blasphemous thought crossed his mind; one he would never normally consider even entertaining. But if Kris said it was ok... Ralsei sat up slightly. "Kris... I-If I'm being selfish for today... c-can I..?" He asked, eyes pleading. He didn't need to wait long - Kris was already nodding. They thought he was going to be gentle, considering the emotional turmoil they'd all be through and the boy's gentle demeanor. They couldn't have been more wrong. Ralsei practically leapt at the chance, bringing his uninjured hand around the back of their neck and pulling them closer forcefully. They barely had time to think about what they had gotten themselves into before their lips collided in a deep, passionate kiss. Soft... Kris thought, closing their eyes and savoring the moment. They'd always thought it would've been soft, but the real thing was much better than they imagined.
The two of them stayed that way for a long, long time - The Prince and his Knight, light and dark. A hand found its way around Kris' waist, closing the gap between their bodies. It was perfect, a heavenly union of two people bound by fate. Kris was forced to pull back after a while, already missing their paradise. "A-Air..." They muttered weakly, their head fuzzy from the sheer passion the goat boy had exhibited.
"Kris, p-please..." Ralsei whined, placing several needy kisses over their face. Their chest rose and fell quickly as they filled their lungs as quickly as they could. "If it's just for today, I can live with that, but don't deprive me like this..." He selfishly decided Kris had had enough oxygen, locking their lips together again. The gates of his sinful desires had been thrown completely open, and he bit at their lip. Kris gasped, grabbing a handful of his fur and pulling him tighter. Ralsei was submissive in many parts of his life, but when given the opportunity? He didn't know how to hold back. Panting, they poked their tongue at Ralsei's lips during their next long kiss, seeing if the prince would take the hint. He did - god he did. Their tongues intertwined as Ralsei physically pushed Kris down, the pain of the day forgotten. His tongue was much rougher than they thought it would be - it made sense, him being a monster and all, but it still took their breath away. The heat between them was far too much, and Kris felt themselves starting to go limp as their head swam with the passion of their sudden encounter. Ralsei pulled away, panting hard. Saliva connected them for just a moment, sticking to their bottom lip before Kris wiped it away. They, too, were panting, even that small motion taking great effort.
Ralsei took a much more direct approach, licking his lips slowly. From under him, the human watched - their breath hitching once he seemed to smile at the taste. He waited until Kris had properly regained their breath, peppering their face and neck with kisses the whole time. They pushed their now messy hair out of their eyes and stared deep into Ralsei's, hooded and desperate. "I'm... yours..." They muttered. That was all he needed.
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Susie scratched the back of her neck as she made her way up the stairs of the Castle once more. A bottle of syrup and a slice of pie were way lighter than her two unconscious friends, but it was more her social battery that was suffering this time around. When she got to Kris' house, she was hoping to just grab the bottle and a slice and go. But nooooooo, Toriel wanted to chat about how Susie was doing and what she and Kris were up to. Not that she minded talking to her, per se, its just that she was itching to get back to her friends. After the dramatic day they had, all Susie wanted to do was hang out and blow off some steam. Maybe Ralsei can teach me how to use that cauldron he always bakes from... How the hell does he do that, anyway? She thought, bored. It'd be nice to bake him a cake for once. She bet Kris would enjoy it, too! Finally she reached Kris' room, lazily pushing the door open. "Yo nerds! I got the thing! Sorry it took so-" Susie froze, halfway through the doorframe. "...Long."
Ralsei was tucked into bed, sleeping amongst a pile of pillows and blankets. A dreamy smile was stuck to his face as he breathed deeply, cozy amongst the fluffy bedding. But Kris? They looked like they got hit by a truck. Their usually straight hair was messy and wild. Even their bangs had defected, one half skewing off to the side to reveal one of their eyelids that was usually hidden. They were barely covered by the blankets, with only their legs being partially covered by a simple quilt that was discarded to the side. Their shirt was bunched up in the middle, revealing their toned midriff - and a trail of hickeys that lead from their jawline almost to their waistline. There were enough for Susie to draw a scatterplot if she had really wanted to. It seemed to have stopped right above their bellybutton. They were fast asleep all the same, mouth slightly open - they had a bruise forming on their bottom lip, too.
Susie's jaw hit the floor. She could hardly believe what she was seeing, despite the fact that the evidence was right in front of her. And all over Kris... She thought, her eyes tracing a path down their stomach. Her stomach turned slightly. Was that... anger she was feeling? No, something more complicated... sadness? No... Jealousy...? Oh hell, it WAS jealousy! God, I am NOT thinking about that right now. She thought, her face heating up. Susie set the pie down on Kris' dresser and promptly turned on her heel. Whatever she thought she was feeling, it was gonna have to wait for another time. Right now? She needed a cold shower.
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The three of them eventually reconvened later that day, though not without some awkwardness. Kris and Ralsei had noticed the pie when they woke up, so when they finally met Susie outside the pillar of light that allowed them to leave the Dark World, there was a severe lack of eye contact. Ralsei was blushing furiously the entire time, his gaze practically locked on the ground beneath his feet. Kris was red too, though less so - they always had a knack for keeping cool in different situations. Susie was mercifully choosing not to bring up the very visible bruises that still dotted their neck, but rest assured, she was TOTALLY clowning them for it as soon as she got the chance. "D-Do you have everything, Kris? Susie?" Ralsei asked bashfully.
Kris nodded. "Just a plate and the syrup." They said, their voice flat like usual. The trio approached the exit, with Kris and Susie preparing to make the jump like they always did when they left. Jumping and not coming down immediately was still a little hard to get used to - it was often that one of them would splat after losing their footing on the return. Ralsei stood with them, managing to muster up enough courage to meet their and Susie's eyes.
"Um, well, I guess this is goodbye for now! I'm going to keep studying this amulet that Seam gave us while you're gone. I... can't seem to take it off, so... hopefully it's nothing bad, haha!" Ralsei said, giving them a smile. Kris' eyes narrowed. It wasn't a genuine smile, but it wasn't fully fake either. While they were pleased that they could ascertain these things about him, it made them worry. If it was anything like the other armors and accessories the group had gathered, it would likely just increase one of his physical or magical abilities. The strange feeling that something was odd about it returned, but they had more pressing matters going on right now.
"Don't stay up too long, Rals. We'll be back as soon as we can, and then we're having a proper hangout sesh. No canoodling with Kris next time, got it?" Susie said, letting out a teasing laugh.
"S-Susie!?!" Ralsei said, covering his face with his ears. The embarrassment was too much, but it was thankfully short lived - Susie had jumped already, laughing the whole way up before disappearing in a flash of light. A sign that she had made it safely, however flustered she had left the prince. Kris stepped up, mentally preparing themself to jump next when Ralsei interrupted.
"U-Um, Kris?" He asked, uncovering his face but still playing with his ears. He had shy habits like this, much to Kris' endearment. "Thank you... for letting me be selfish today. You made me really happy, even if... even if this can't last." Kris nodded solemnly - it was clear he still wasn't ready to commit to anything. However determined they were to change his mind, the rejection still stung.
Kris kissed Ralsei for the last time, lighter and gentler than they had been earlier. They both closed their eyes, appreciating the softness of each other's lips. Ralsei's fur tickled their nose as they pulled away. They were going to miss that feeling. "See you soon..." Kris mumbled, practically tearing themself away from the fluffy boy. They just needed to convince him that he was worth it, and maybe... maybe they could be together again.
Ralsei smiled, his eyes crinkling in the way that Kris loved - A genuine smile, they noted. "Since the day isn't over, I wanted to say it again, b-before you left..." The Prince stepped forward. "K-Kris, I love-"
It happened in an instant. The heart, dormant against the boy's chest, flared to life with a red glow. It yanked against Ralsei's neck hard, nearly pulling him off his feet. It didn't need to, though - he had stepped into the beam of light. Ralsei stumbled to catch his footing, but it was already too late. He started to rise through the air, and a panicked look overcame his face. "No, NO! K-KRIS! HELP!" He yelled, desperately trying to free himself. Kris watched with shock, powerless to intervene. If they stepped into the light to try and grab him, they too would be caught in the rising motion.
"I-I'm coming, Ralsei!" They yelled up at him, jumping as high as they could to close the gap between them, hoping their proximity would be comforting. They weren't going to make it. Ralsei was going to cross the threshold before they could reach him.
Ralsei flailed, reaching his hands out to Kris as far as he could. "Oh god, Kris, I-I don't want to disappear! I don't want to be just an object! PLEASE!" He cried. He only rose higher and higher. Kris was closing the distance between them, but at this rate Ralsei would cross over before they reached him. His tone changed drastically. "K-Kris! When you get to the other side, PLEASE don't look! Whatever happens, please don't-!" He disappeared in a brilliant flash as rose rapidly. This was it. They approached the threshold, squeezing their eyes shut as they felt their stomach flip from crossing into the Light World.
...
...
...
Laughing. They heard laughing; the deep, unmistakable sound of Susie laughing. They kept their eyes shut, feeling their way to the wall to get themself to their feet.
Another sound. "S-Susie! Please, let go! I need to get back, before I-" Kris' eyes shot open. That was Ralsei's voice. They blinked rapidly, eyes adjusting to the evening light slowly. Everyone else had gone home by now, leaving the school empty. Kris looked over to where they had heard his voice a few seconds ago. Susie had Ralsei wrapped in a tight bear hug, lifting the boy off his feet and spinning him with joy. She had a massive grin on her face.
"DUDE! What do you mean?!? You're here!! You didn't turn to stone or anything!" She exclaimed, giving him one last squeeze before setting him down.
Ralsei adjusted his crooked glasses frantically, squinting heavily just to see. He was coming down off of the sheer panic he had felt moments ago, struggling to adjust to the new environment. However, his breathing was slowing the more he was able to process. "I... I'm here?" He questioned. Ralsei slowly rose to his feet. Kris stood to the side, watching the scene with a shocked expression "I'm... here..." He said, lowering his hands to his sides.
"R-Ralsei..." Kris said, stepping close to the goat boy. He turned slowly, a blank look on his face. Ralsei's thoughts were whirling a million miles an hour. "You're... you're real..." They whispered softly.
Ralsei's eyes widened. "I-I'm real... I'm real...!" He didn't move from his spot, looking down at his hands. "I'm real... I'm real... I'M REAL!!" He shouted, wrapping himself in a hug and literally jumping with joy. He felt... solid. For once he didn't feel hollow, like a porcelain doll. He didn't feel like an object. He just felt... alive. "I'm real! Kris! Susie! I'm really here...!" Tears of joy poured down his face. Kris and Susie were affected as well, a lump forming in the human's throat at the sight of the prince's happiness. Susie wiped away a tear, beaming at him. "I-I can't believe it! The necklace, how did it-... Oh, who CARES!" He said, hurrying up to Kris. Ralsei nearly tackled them to the floor with a kiss, almost dipping the human with how deeply he pressed against them. They were caught by surprise but reciprocated anyways, wrapping their arm around him to keep their footing.
Susie laughed softly, happy to be a part of the euphoria her friend was experiencing. "Alright you two, get a room, get a room! You don't need to make out again just cause you're- Mmphf!" She let out a gasp of surprise as Ralsei grabbed her by the maw with both hands, pulling her down into a kiss. Susie froze, confused yet wanting more than anything to stay. She shot a worried look towards Kris, not understanding the dynamic between them so far. Kris simply shot back a thumbs up, their cheeks flushed as they grinned at the pair.
Ralsei pulled away, stepping back to look at the two Lightners. He was still beaming. Susie's whole face turned a shade redder as she looked to the side, embarrassed. "I-I've always wanted to do that..." He admitted, blushing to match the both of them.
"Heh, well... glad you got the chance to." Susie said, rubbing the back of her neck.
Ralsei strode past the two of them, locating the front of the school by the light pouring in through the windows. The heart shaped necklace sat against his chest, long forgotten by now. It had shrunk into a very fashionable necklace, a pinprick of red and white surround by a black heart. He took a deep breath in, stopping in the middle of the hall and savoring the fresh air. "So..." He said, turning to look back at them with watery eyes and a blissful smile. "Who wants to show me around first...?"