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The two were walking back to Kris’ house. A normal day, like every other. A trip to the school closet to visit Ralsei, a pitstop at the diner to have some hot chocolates and split a grilled cheese, nothing out of the ordinary for the two best friends.
Their hero escapades had ended a couple months ago. Everything had worked out (thankfully), and now that all was settled, they could focus on just being normal teenagers.
Each had learned a lot about the other over the past few months. Habits. Like how Kris always left their shoes untied (because it looked cool, obviously) and how Susie would chew on her pencils in class.
There was one thing that Susie noticed about Kris that was a bit different. Because it only started recently. A month ago, maybe?
They would stare at her. Like, a lot. They would turn around in class to glance at her, or lean their head back “to be silly” and look at her. At the lake, they would watch her rather than the waves, and at home, she would be their focus rather than the campy monster movies they’d watch together.
Susie never pried about it. She poked fun about anything and everything else, but not that.
Why? She wondered that for a while too.
I don’t want them to stop.
That’s what she realized on one school day in late November.
Flu season had begun, and Kris was out that day. And the day after, and the day after. But that first day was when she realized it.
She missed their gaze. Of course, she missed them in general. But having someone look at you like you shine brighter than any star even when you’re just sitting in class, gnawing on a pencil eraser? It made her feel important.
“Susie, we’re almost home.” Kris mentioned, as if they hadn’t made this trip time and time again.
She nodded, smiling. “What did you wanna do today, nerd?”
“I found something cool in my room. Like a game of some sort. We should play.”
“Oh, dude, I’m always down for games!” She chuckled, wrapping an arm around their shoulders.
That too, was something Susie missed when not in Kris’ company. Touch. It was her love language, but she only learned that after becoming friends with the human.
She always, always has an arm around them, a hand in theirs, or she’d walk just close enough that their shoulders would bump every so often.
In contrast, Kris wasn’t usually very touchy. Besides with her, of course. They always reciprocated when it came to Susie.
Kris opened the front door to their house, gesturing for Susie to go inside.
“Susies first.”
“Heh, thanks.”
The two headed upstairs to Kris’ room, with Susie plopping dramatically onto their bed.
“So, Kris, what’s this game you were talking about?”
“I found it under Azzy’s bed.” They walk over, crouching down to pick it up, whatever it was.
“Oh?” At this, Susie sat up, leaning to her left to try and peek.
Kris stood up with a box in hand, not big enough to be a board game, Susie thought, but maybe cards?
She took the box from them once offered to, and read the title. “‘Yes or No’. …Well that’s creative.”
Kris laughed quietly at that, taking a seat on the bed next to her. On instinct, Susie shifted to her right to lean against them.
“So, what’s this about, Kris?” She asked, turning the box around. “Is it just a bunch’a yes or no questions?”
“Pretty much.” They reply, looking up at her.
“Arright, well, I’m sure it’ll be fun.”
“Let’s play?”
“Yeah, man, let’s play!” She grinned, once again wrapping an arm around her friend and giving their shoulder a gentle squeeze.
A few minutes later, they were sat in front of each other on the floor.
Kris began, “Here’s the instructions. Pick a card, and read it aloud. Answer the question, yes or no. If requested, explain your answer.”
“Ugh, dude, sounds like our English quizzes.”
Kris chuckled, opening the box. “Go ahead, Suz.”
“Alright, alright.” She took a card. “It says ‘Do you have a favorite holiday? If yes, which one?’” She took a moment to think before continuing, “Probably Halloween. Free candy is free candy.”
“Fair point.”
“Your turn, nerd.” She grinned. She noticed that Kris looked at her for a moment before taking a card.
“It says… ‘Have you ever stolen anything?’ Only by accident as a kid, and Mom made me go back and pay for it.”
“Dude, really? What’d you steal?”
“A CD for Super Smashing Fighters. Didn’t realize I had to ‘buy’ things with ‘money’.” They smiled, glancing at Susie before setting the card down on the floor. “Your turn.”
Susie took a card. “Says ‘Have you ever’… Uh…”
“Hm?”
“‘Have you ever had a crush on anyone?’” She said, looking at the floor as she set the card down.
“Oh. Uh, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want, Susie. It’s fine.”
“Nah, I’m not a coward, it’s fine. Uh…” She met Kris’ gaze. “Yeah, I do.”
“You do? Or you have?”
“Huh?” She blinked before realizing, “Oh, shit-! I have! I mean, I have had a crush! That’s what I meant. Not that I don’t have one now, but I mean, that’s not what the question asked, and-…”
The girl was interrupted by quiet laughter, and when she refocused, she found Kris with a hand over their mouth.
“Damn it, I just made a fool of myself, huh?”
“Don’t worry, Susie,” They chuckled, continuing, “It’s okay. I thought it was cute.”
The girl looked away. Cute? Her face started to feel warm. “C’mon, nerd, it’s your turn.”
Kris took a card. “It says, ‘Do you have a love language? If yes, which one?’”
Susie perked up at that, genuinely interested. Hers was quite obvious, but she had wondered what Kris preferred.
“I know your answer, Suz.”
“Yeah, yeah. Well you’re the one with the card, so go on.”
Kris laughed quietly, before responding, “Quality time.”
“…That makes a lot of sense, actually.”
“Why, were you wondering?” They ask, setting the card down.
Susie shrugs. “Guess so.”
“Yours is touch, yes?”
“Mm-hm.”
They smile at this.
“Why you smiling, dork?”
“It’s something I like about you. I’m not super touchy with anyone else, but it feels natural being close with you. Next card?”
Susie blinked a few times, thrown off guard by the casual sincerity.
She shook her head to refocus, before taking another card. “‘Do you bite ice cream?’ Yes absolutely.” She bared her teeth playfully, Kris chuckling in response.
They took a card. “Hm, guess we’re even.” They turned it around so she could read.
It read, “Do you have a crush?”
Susie sighed. “You don’t have to-“
“Yes.”
“Hm?”
“I do have a crush.” They responded, setting the card down.
Susie just nodded, but inside, her mind was racing. Why is that?
“Susie, you wanna pick a card?”
“Uh, last one, yeah?”
“Sure. It’s getting late, anyways. I know you wanted to watch that movie.”
She nodded again, taking a card. “It says ‘Do you have a favorite person?’”
“Do you?”
“Obviously it’s you, idiot.” She chuckled, ruffling their hair before standing up. “C’mon, let’s go get some snacks.” She offered a hand, and Kris took it.
A few minutes later, the two were sitting together on the couch, a bowl of popcorn and a family-sized bag of M&Ms in between them.
It wasn’t long before the popcorn bowl resided in Susie’s lap, and the chocolates in Kris’.
Before pressing play, Kris wanted to find out what exactly they’d be watching. They questioned, “Suz, what’s this movie about?”
She shrugged, speaking through a mouthful of popcorn, “Found the CD lying around at the library.”
“Since when do you go to the library?”
“I went with Noelle to help her with a research project thing. It was pretty interesting, but I dunno why she wants my help.”
“Ah. What was it on?”
“Uh… Like, science-y brain stuff.”
Kris nodded, setting their snacks down on the floor.
“…You okay, dude?” Susie asked, slightly concerned. “It’s just us, you can be chatty.”
“Yeah, I’m alright. Don’t worry about it.”
“Kris, man, what’s wrong?” Susie put the bowl on the floor as well.
She must be really worried… “Nothing’s wrong.” Kris smiled in an effort to prove they were fine.
“Kris…” Susie started, taking their hand in hers. She gently ran her fingers over their soft skin, noting the color of their chipped nail polish. “You can tell me.”
The human sighed, taking her hand in return. “It’s just… Something I’ve been a bit worried about telling you.”
“Worried?” She looked up to meet their gaze. “Dude, you’ve told me some crazy shit before.”
“Hah, yeah.”
“So,” She squeezed their hand. “You can tell me this. Whatever ‘this’ is.”
“I was hoping to do this in a better way, but I guess casual is more our style, huh?”
Susie just listened, head tilted slightly in curiosity.
“I really like you, Susie. More than a friend.” They looked down at her hands, still in theirs. “And I’d like to go out with you, if that’s something you want, too.”
…
When they looked up at the girl, her face was bright red. They couldn’t help but start to laugh.
“Kris! Shuddup!” She laughed too, shoving them playfully.
Once the two had calmed down, Susie gave Kris a soft smile.
“I think I’d like that. Y’know, I’ve never uh, gone out with someone before.”
“Me neither.”
“Really? Could’a sworn you and Noelle had something going on.”
“I could say the same for you.”
Susie laughed, pulling Kris into a tight hug. They reciprocated, arms around her waist, face buried in her shoulder. The girl rested her chin on their head. “You’re such a dork, Kris…”
“You love me.”
“I do.” She mumbled, running her claws gently through their hair.
“Can I do something?” Kris mumbles in return, looking up at her.
“Hm?”
“I need you to say yes or no, Suz.”
“Then… Yes? I trust you.”
“Tell me if you want me to stop, ok?”
Susie nodded.
Kris moved their hands up from her waist, their right hand behind her neck, their left on her arm. They leaned in, peppering sweet kisses along her neck and jawline.
“Kris…” Susie shivered, claws still tangled in the human’s hair.
“This okay?”
“Y-yeah, dude, ‘s fine…”
Kris let out a soft chuckle at this, pressing soft kisses down to her shoulder.
“You’ve never done this before…?”
They mumbled an “I haven’t” against her neck, following the trail of freckles that littered her skin.
“You’re good at it…” She whispered, looking away, face hot.
Kris smiled, moving their right hand up to cup her cheek. “Look at me?”
She listened. Kris was the only person who could get her this mushy.
“Can I kiss you?”
“Whaddya mean, you were already…? Oh, shit, like kiss for real?”
“Yeah, like kiss for real.”
Susie chuckled at this, a bit more confident. “Does that make this our first date? We didn’t even get to the movie yet, dork.”
“We don’t follow rules, Suz, you know that.”
“Yeah,” She leaned in, voice quieting to a breathy whisper, “I know.”
Before long, the two had their lips together. It was a strange feeling, not bad whatsoever, but Susie felt she had to be very careful with the soft human.
Although she had definitely set internal boundaries in the past as to how rough she could be with them, she always trusted their strength, especially in the Dark World.
There was something about this kind of intimacy that felt different, though, and she wanted to show Kris the same love that they offered her.
She gently parted her lips, allowing Kris to lead. She followed and reciprocated as they kissed her, unusually flustered by the idea of them taking charge.
“Mm,” They hummed against her, tangling a hand in her hair before pulling back to breathe. “Susie…”
“Goddamn…” The girl panted, refocusing on Kris as they pulled apart. “Can I… do something?”
Kris nodded.
“This is super out of my comfort zone, dude, so… don’t judge if I’m, uh, wrong.”
Kris smiled. “I trust you, Suz.”
“Okay.” She moved her hands down to their waist, gently lifting them and pulling them onto her lap. This way, they were not only closer, but they were also similar heights.
“You wanted me closer, huh? You could’ve just asked, Suz.” Kris teased, gently brushing the girl’s bangs from her face.
“Hey! You agreed you wouldn’t judge, asshole.” Despite her words, she smiled, knowing that Kris was just messing around.
“Whaaat? When did I do that?” They grinned teasingly.
“Like 30 seconds ago, stupid.” She chuckled, moving her hands up to play with their hair again.
Kris closed their eyes, leaning into her touch.
“Do you like this?”
“Mm-hm…”
“…You’re cute, Kris.”
They opened their eyes to look up at her. “A compliment?”
“Oh, shuddup.” She looked away, face flushed. “You compliment me all the time. Let me do it for you.”
Kris nodded, closing their eyes again. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Susie mumbled, running her claws through the human’s bangs. They leaned in, resting their head against her chest.
“…I like this.”
“I like this too. I think, uh… I didn’t know how much I liked you until recently. I mean, ever since we became close, you’ve been my favorite person, but… I started to really like you after you started giving me signs.”
“I gave you signs?” Kris questioned, looking up at her.
“Yeah. You stare at me a bunch. Not in like, a weird way, though. I think it’s sweet.”
…
“Hey, now you’re all red, too!”
“Susie!”
The girl laughed, falling back against the couch. She quickly noticed the human’s gaze set on her, paired with a soft smile. She spoke, “You’re lookin’ at me again, nerd.”
“You’re too pretty to not be admired.”
“Pretty? Now you’re pushing it.”
Kris laid down next to her, an arm wrapped around her waist. “You are pretty, Suz.”
Susie leaned down, pressing her face into their neck.
Using their free hand, Kris ran their fingers through her hair. “I’ve waited so long to do this with you. I know we practically cuddle all the time, but…”
“No, I get it.” Susie mumbled, pulling them into a tight hug. “Can we just… be all sappy, for a bit? It’s so weird to me. Feeling this way. But I do.”
“Yeah, we can.” Kris responded, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “I know what you mean.”
Susie pressed a gentle kiss to their neck in return.
“Suz…”
“That ok, Kris? You did it to me, so I…”
“Mm-hm, it’s ok, just feels weird.”
“Heh, yeah. Well, I could help you get used to it.”
Kris froze up at that, flustered.
“If you want?”
They nodded.
The girl copied their motions from earlier, peppering kissing along their jawline. She let her hands fall to their hips, nose gently bumping against their cheek.
“Can I keep going, Kris?” She whispered roughly.
They nod again, face hot.
The girl continued down their neck, being more gentle than she ever has been.
Kris tilts their head back for her, and in response, she gently nips at the delicate skin. She looks up at them to make sure that was alright, and gets the delightful sight of a completely red face.
Susie chuckles. “You like this?” She teases, hands moving up to squeeze their waist, thumbs tracing against the fabric of their sweater.
“Susie…” They whisper, flustered.
She leans back in, kissing up their neck, nuzzling against their jawline.
In return, Kris gently plays with her hair, lovingly scratching her scalp.
“Mmh, Kris, you’re distracting me…” She closes her eyes.
“Is that okay, Suz?”
“Mm-hm…”
“You’re so sweet.”
Susie scoffs playfully. “I’m not,” she says, opening her eyes to look up at Kris.
“For me you are.”
“Eh, not always.” She grins, practically tackling the human, pinning them down and tickling them.
Kris squeaks, attempting to shove Susie off of them, or at least get her to stop her assault on their sides.
“Heh, you’re way smaller than me, dude, tough luck!”
Kris laughs, accepting their fate. Susie eventually relents, moving her hands away and looking at Kris, who’s already gazing up at her. Their hair tousled, bangs brushed aside, the girl is able to get a better look at their face.
“You’re all red.”
“I couldn’t breathe, stupid.”
“You want me to tickle you again?”
“No, no!” Kris waves their hands, laughing.
Susie smiles, leaning in to press a quick kiss to the human’s lips. “Wanna start that movie now, Kris?”