Archive of Our Own

With a swift hand motion, Asriel unlocked his phone and turned off the alarm before it even had time to make any noise. With a similar quickness, he carefully took the bedsheets off of him and hopped out of bed, mindful not to bother the sleeping doe besides him. He wanted to make sure he could make some breakfast for his girlfriend before she woke up on that very important day.

Valentine's Day. While neither Dess nor Asriel were sticklers for tradition - the former having grown a distaste for holiday celebrations in general - they always enjoyed using that day as an excuse to do something special together. And this time, Asriel had planned a whole day out for the both of them: First, he'd make his world-renowned pancakes for breakfast - Dess’ favorite. Then, they'd take a stroll to the bowling alley near their place and have some fun there. There was an arcade bar close by too, which they could check out. After that, he'd take her to a restaurant he'd found out about from his coworkers: a newly opened Italian, which looked to be-

… Wait… where's Dess?

Asriel's train of thought, carefully transporting his plans, was suddenly derailed once he turned back to look at the bed and saw no deer monster laying down peacefully on it. It was strange for Dess to wake up early, especially on a Sunday, so the goat monster was left perplexed for a few seconds.

Asriel shook off his confusion rather quickly. She was probably excited for today and got up early. I hope she hasn't had breakfast yet! He proceeded towards the bedroom's door before turning back and looking for something stashed deep in the closet. After some searching, he produced a flat box from within and nodded.

Unlike the rest of her family, Dess wasn't the biggest fan of gift-giving or gift-receiving, but she often made an exception for her boyfriend. And this time, Asriel was sure she'd be over the moon for what he'd managed to get for her: a sealed vinyl of the album Solace of the Heart, from the (now defunct) band Heralds of the Four. She'd mentioned the band a lot recently but had been unable to secure anything worthwhile from them - they'd disbanded a decade ago already - so the goat had taken it upon himself to stalk second hand sites for anything he could get his hands on. After much bidding and dealing with packages getting stuck in transit, he'd managed to secure the vinyl, and had kept it hidden until that very day. And what better day to give it to her than the day you celebrated how much you loved someone?

Smiling already at the thought of his girlfriend's beautiful lips curving into a smile, her freckled nose wrinkling in laughter that showed him her buck teeth, Asriel stepped through the door of the bedroom into their apartment's kitchen - “Good morning Dess! Seems like someone was eager to…”

“... start the day?”

There was no one but Asriel in the apartment.

He looked around, as if the house's small interior could have hidden Dess from him, but his search came up empty. The only signs - if subtle - that she'd been there at all were an empty cup stained with coffee on the sink, and a piece of paper left on the table.

Asriel got closer to the mysterious piece of paper. It was some sort of note, with what was undoubtedly Dess’ handwriting.

Meet me at Hometown's bus stop.

As Asriel walked towards the nearest bus stop, wearing his letterman jacket and with a backpack that a vinyl fit surprisingly well inside of hanging from his shoulder, a million thoughts raced through his head. Countless questions and hypotheticals, each pushing the rest in an effort to make themselves be the first to be addressed and not being helped by the goat monster's nervous nature.

What was going on, for starters? While it was true that Dess did not care much for this particular holiday - or any of them, to be frank - she was well aware that Asriel had planned out the day for them two, and had even expressed her eagerness to “be surprised”, as she'd put it. For her to just be gone like that…

… Why had she left? Asriel trusted Dess more than he trusted himself - something he was sure she'd chastise him for - so she must've had a good reason. Yet, the goat's mind could not help but wander to the past few days. Was she… upset, maybe? Had he overlooked any signs? Maybe he had said something stupid and hadn't even stopped to think of the consequences. Hell, maybe she was just being nice about the whole Valentine's thing and was just too overwhelmed by it, upset that her boyfriend was basically forcing her to do something she didn't want. Angel…

However, not even Asriel's all-too-common worrying could stop the last question from popping into his mind. Where exactly did she want to meet up? Their apartment was not far from the bus stop but it was still in Ebott City, not in Hometown. Thankfully the two places were fairly close by, and the fare was not expensive by any means, but it still struck him as very strange for her to want him to meet there instead of somewhere closer by. What did she want to say that entailed going back to their old home?

Suddenly, the sound of a bus opening its doors startled him and made him come back to the real world. He looked around for a second: he had found his way to the bus stop, just in time for the next bus heading to Hometown to arrive. Both the stop and the bus were empty, which was to be expected; Hometown was not exactly a popular destination, and he had always found it quite strange that a bus line ran to and from it at all. Carol's doing, if he had to guess.

The goat monster shook his head, deciding to not keep the bus driver waiting, and stepped into the vehicle.

“Good morning, Asriel!” - the voice of a familiar fish monster made the golden boy almost drop the change he was about to hand him.

“Wh… Mr Fletchbak?” - the goat asked, handing a few coins to him and getting a ticket in return - “I thought you had retired!”

“Hihihi! Well, I had, yes.” - he let his words linger in the air for a few seconds. Asriel stood expectant, and was about to speak just when he continued - “... But you ever been retired? It's dreadfully boring!”

Adriel chuckled - “Well, it's good to see you again, Mr Fletchbak.” - the bus driver nodded, and the goat looked at all the empty seats on the bus. He chose the one closest to the driver.

“Welp, looks like no one else is going back to the old stomping grounds.” - with the press of a button, the door of the bus closed, and the vehicle's engine seemed to redouble its efforts - “Next stop, Hometown!”

Asriel looked out the window as the familiar buildings left his sight. Soon they'd be replaced by other familiar ones.

…

The ride from Ebott to Hometown was not long, but Asriel's mind took advantage of the flat landscape and monotonous sound of the engine to bring back his previous doubts. Dess must've taken that bus, too, if she'd gone to Hometown - unlike him, she didn't have a license yet, and even if she did none of them owned a car just yet. He'd tried reaching out to her through his phone, but his calls had gone unanswered and his messages left on sent - although this was not particularly unusual of Dess.

“So… Any reason you're going back?” - the fish monster asked, thankfully keeping his eyes on the road.

“Uh…” - Asriel thought for a second - “I'm going to meet up with Dess.”

“Oh ho ho! On Valentine's day, eh? Hope you two kids have fun!” - Asriel tried his best to smile, but couldn't find it in him to do more than smirk. I hope so too…

“Say Asriel…” - the fish monster continued - “... Do you remember the first time the both of you took this bus together?”

Asriel brought his hand to his chin - “... Yeah… Two years ago, when me and Dess first moved to Ebott.”

“That's right, my boy!” - the fish monster laughed - “By the Angel, you two were glowing that day, let me tell you!”

Asriel chuckled and turned his head to the side. He couldn't remember the exact seat, but he did remember how two young monsters huddled together, their excitement barely contained as they headed to what would be their new home.

“I'm so happy, Azzy!” - Dess said, and just her inflection sent Asriel's heart flying out of his chest - “Our own place! Our own rules!”

“Well, we gotta pick up the keys first.” - he said, his tone matched by an eye roll from his girlfriend and then a chuckle - “And I better phone mom as soon as we are inside or else she won't let me find peace…”

“Well, of course. We also have to unpack everything the moving company left for us…” - the doe’s enthusiasm seemed to falter for a moment, but it was instantly redoubled with a bright smile and a tight hug, effusive even by the goat monster’s standards - “... But our own place, Azzy! With our stuff, and decorated however we want!”

The goat couldn’t help but laugh with the deer. It was going to be the first time both of them were truly on their own, although they knew their parents were more than willing to help if needed - they were only a call away, but had remained in Hometown. Neither of them had been to Ebott much before either, with only Asriel coming once on his own to scout out the property before buying. The goat monster thought that he should have been feeling nervous: by all means this was a gigantic step for the both of them, one that had been admittedly taken without that much preparation. And yet, he simply… couldn’t.

When he looked at Dess’ smile, as she excitedly told him everything she planned to do to their apartment (possible or otherwise), as she smiled with such unbridled joy that she didn’t bother to hide the lone crooked tooth she was self conscious about, as the setting sun shone behind her thought the window and gave her a halo worthy of her true nature… Asriel thought- no, he knew, that everything was going to be okay. That no matter what happened from that point on, everything would be fine. That they could have everything taken from them… but they would always have the other. And he could ask for nothing more.

“... I’m so happy to be with you, Dess.” - he said.

The doe’s laughter ceased for a second then. For a moment, she looked at him almost perplexed, a twinkle shining in her eyes. And then, before the goat could anticipate it, her lips were firmly planted on his. Once she pulled back, she replied, almost whispering - “... So am I. I wouldn’t want anyone else in the world.”

“... Neither would I.” - Asriel replied, as the memory slowly faded with the screech of the bus’ brakes.

“Well my boy, it seems we’re here.” - the fish monster pressed a button and the door slowly opened, letting some of the cold air in. Asriel stood up and walked up slowly to the driver’s side, giving him a nod before stepping out of the door - “Say hi to Dess from me!”

The name of his girlfriend startled the goat, as if waking him from having been sleepwalking up to that point. He frantically looked around the Hometown’s bust stop, but he found no flannel, no leather jacket nor ripped jeans in sight. No bright blue antlers or dyed hair to welcome him. He sighed. Angel, where…

“... Something wrong, son?” - the bus driver asked, the vehicle’s motor still softly running in the background.

Asriel gave one last look to his surroundings before turning to answer him - “... It’s just… She told me she was gonna meet me here, and… I’m just worried she may be upset at me for whatever reason, ha ha.” - he said, feeling ridiculous at the same time as the words left his mouth. Of course he knew Dess loved him, and she would tell him if she was upset in any way, but the goat’s brain had the nasty habit of making mighty idols out of the tiniest pebbles.

“Hihihi! Don’t worry son, she didn’t seem upset at all this morning.”

Asriel had to fight the urge to step back.

“Wh-what? What do you mean?” - he asked.

“What? You thought she got to Hometown on foot? Hihihi!” - the fish monster laughed, clearly delighted by Asriel’s confusion - “Actually, I’d say she was pretty happy! Beaming the whole ride, even.”

Asriel blinked a few times - “... So... she’s here…”

“Yup. You must’ve just missed her I’m afraid.” - the fish monster said, just as he took something out of his pocket - “She did tell me to give you this, though.” - the fish monster extended a small piece of paper towards him, and the goat took it - “Now, I hope you have a good day son.” - the driver gave him a wink before closing the door and beginning his trek back to Ebott.

Asriel watched the bus grow smaller in the distance for a good minute before finally examining the piece of paper he’de been given. There, in his girlfriend’s handwriting, was yet another phrase:

Meet me at QC’s.

Hometown was small enough that traversing its entirety by foot barely took more than half an hour, and given that the goat had lived the vast majority of his life in the town, he knew the fastest way to get around. All in all, it took just shy of five minutes for Asriel to be left standing right outside the wooden facade of QC's diner, basking in the light of the still rising sun and the neon sign both.

After a moment of hesitation, the golden boy pushed open the door and stepped inside the building. The cold silence of the outside was immediately replaced by a comfortable warmth and the gentle hustle of people enjoying a nice breakfast.

“Asriel!” - a familiar voice spoke to him from behind the counter - “Welcome, hun!”

Asriel smiled as a purple bunny monster made her way to him - “Howdy Miss QC! It's great to see you.”

The purple monster replied with a giggle - “Oh, the pleasure is all mine.” - she pointed to a booth next to the window - “Go have a seat over there, I'll be right with you in a moment.” - Asriel did as he was told, and settled on the faded red cushions.

After a few moments, the purple bunny came by Asriel's table and left a wooden tray in front of him, full of everything one could ever want: a big cup of hot chocolate, a sandwich that was almost too tall to bite into properly, a generous portion of fries and waffle covered in syrup. The famed QC’s Special, still as delightful as when he'd had it as a kid.

Asriel stared for a second at the food he definitely hadn't ordered - “Bon apetit, hun.” - QC herself said, as she turned tail and made towards the counter once more.

“W-wait!” - the goat monster's voice stopped her in her tracks. The goat monster got up from his seat - “I… I'm here to meet Dess, not to eat, sorry. Have you seen her?”

QC chuckled before answering - “Well of course I have! And she told me to get you a special.” - she pointed to the extremely appetizing spread of food on the booth, still warm - “She said you'd probably not had breakfast yet.”

Asriel was suddenly made well aware of the rumbling of his stomach. Of course, with all the rushing out the door after reading the note, it only hit him just now that he'd completely forgotten to eat. And well, if Dess had told her that… - “Thanks Miss QC. How much is it?”

QC's loud laughter almost made him jump back - “Hahaha! Don't worry about that, hun. It's on the house.”

“Miss QC! I can't-”

“Yes you can, young man!” - she shut down the goat's complaining with remarkable efficiency, and simply stared at him, expectantly. Asriel took a tentative bite out of the sandwich, which was immediately followed by a few more. He heard the soft giggling of the bunny monster as he quickly scarfed down the food. It was even better than he remembered, and he was even hungrier than he realized.

“Think of it as… a gift, for all of those years of kind patronage” - QC's words drew Asriel's eyes away from the now half-empty cup of chocolate he was drinking - “You, Kris, Noelle… and Dess.”

Asriel swallowed almost half a waffle, and looked towards the older woman as she spoke - “Do you remember when you two would go on dates here? On this very same spot, even.”

Asriel turned his head, and the image of a deer monster appeared in front of him. She was wearing a green camo jacket, the shirt below so ripped it could barely be considered clothing. She was playing around with her empty cup, seemingly deep in thought.

“Dess…” - the goat monster across from her spoke up, drawing her attention from the cup - “Are you okay? You seem distracted….”

“It's just…” - she sighed, letting the container drop onto the table. She slumped on the chair, shrinking slightly - “Dude, we have to do something.”

“What?” - Asriel left his fork on top of a carefully folded napkin, and inched closer to Dess - “What do you mean? Is something wrong?”

“What? No! No, of course not! Things are actually great.” - the girl's smile, the one he was one of the few privileged enough to be witness to more often than not, cleared all concern the goat had in a decisive swoop - “... That's kinda the thing, isn't it?”

Asriel blinked a few times - “I don't follow.” - the doe laughed loudly at his response, making a slight blush creep into his cheeks - “H-hey! Don't laugh!”

“Fahaha, sorry, sorry.” - Dess breathed in, and stared deeply into Asriel's eyes. If the hazel of her iris was not already burned into his mind's eye, that stare that said so much while speaking so little would have done the trick - “It's just… we've been, uhm, dating for a while now, right?” - a rare shade of red had crept into the doe's cheeks, but it may have been just the reflection of Asriel's; he was sure his had outshone it. Just hearing it out loud was enough to make his heart skip a beat, a strange mixture of homemade waffles and butterflies settling on his stomach - “And well… it seems like we got nothing to show for it. Like things are the same, you know?”

“... Do you think that's bad?” - the boy asked.

“... No.”

The boy smiled - “I think it's sweet that things haven't changed that much. That I'm still me and that you are still you.” - he took a sip of the chocolate - “... I guess that's what I like so much about you… about us. That we can just be… and I can keep loving the same girl I have always had, the same girl that's been by my side all along.”

Asriel could've sworn he saw a tear in the corner of Dess’ eye, but her response didn't give him much time to focus on that detail - “Fahaha… You're such a sap.” - she looked out the window - “... I love that, too. Thank you for letting me be myself.”

“I would not want you to be anyone else. That's who I fell in love with, after all.”

The doe then gasped, and turned her head to her boyfriend with a wicked smile - “I know! Hold that thought, golden boy!”

Suddenly, the deer pulled out something from her jacket's pocket, and Asriel recognized it immediately: it was her trusty pocket knife. She brought it down to the table and, before the goat could even have time to be shocked, pulled it back with a satisfied grin - “There you go! We left our mark.”

Asrile looked over to the spot the knife had left, and found a small heart carved into the wood of the table; inside it there were two letters: D & A.

“Something out there in the world, a change.” - the doe said, satisfied - “Undeniable proof of us.”

“... I love that.” - Asriel smiled for a moment before panic overtook his expression - “W-wait Dess! That's QC's table! She's gonna be so mad!” - the goat monster's pleas fell on deaf ears, as the doe's beautiful laughter echoed throughout that memory.

Suddenly, the presence of a bunny monster's hand brought Asriel back to the present. He followed the hand until its end, his eyes coming to a stop at a small carving on the table's wood - “Still here, after all these years.” - Asriel opened his mouth but QC's was faster - “Don't worry your pretty little head hun, I would never want to get rid of it. It is beautiful.”

After QC left, Asriel quickly finished his meal, leaving himself with a delighted sigh and an empty plate. He brought the plates back to the counter - “Thank you so much, Miss QC.” - the woman nodded and gave him a smile. Then, Asriel remembered something - “... By the way, you said you saw Dess, right? Did she say where she was going?”

The bunny monster seemed to think for a second before answering - “Sorry hun, but she didn't mention that. She did give me something for you, though.” - QC handed him a small sheet of paper - “You two have a great day, alright?”

Asriel nodded and waved to the diner's owner before stepping back into the outside. As he readjusted his jacket to protect his neck from the slight breeze, he opened the note he'd been given.

Meet me at the Flower King.

Asriel had not been to the inside of his father's flower shop in quite some time. Every time he visited town (informing his family in advance, unlike that day), his father would normally be waiting by the bus station, bouquet in hand. And as he stood in front of the locale, a strange feeling that could maybe be described as nostalgia washed over him.

The chime he heard when opening the door only intensified that feeling.

The inside of the shop was… well, it was exactly as he remembered, down to most of the things that he was sure were temporary; he could still spot a cardboard box being used as a table on the far back, the same one as a few years back judging by its wear and tear. His father was tending to some flowers on a nearby table, blissfully oblivious to his presence as some country music blasted from an old beat-up boombox.

Asriel could only smile to himself. Things hadn't really changed much indeed, but he supposed it was alright in this case. As long as they remained.

He slowly made his way to his father, and tapped him on the shoulder. The older goat monster jumped slightly and turned to look at his son. Confusion gave way to elation after a second, and he rushed to him with his arms open, trapping him in one of his signature bear - goat? - hugs.

“Asriel!! My son, I am so happy to see you!”

Asriel was thankfully lowered to the ground, having the luxury of being able to breathe again - “... I'm happy to see you too, dad… But it's not been that long. Me and Dess came by last month!”

“Can’t a father miss his son these days?” - he asked, making Asriel smile and roll his eyes while he turned off the boombox next to him. He dusted off his hands and took off his gloves, looking fondly at the bed of flowers on the table - “Beautiful, aren’t they?”

“Yeah they are.” - on the flowerbed lay a row of large flowers, a gradient on their petals going from an intense fuchsia to a faded pink. Their petals were arranged in a beautifully symmetric pattern, almost hypnotic.

“I am glad you think so, son.” - suddenly, the older goat bent down in search of something. He quickly resurfaced, holding a small bouquet of the very same flowers that were on top of the table. He handed the bouquet to Asriel, who took it out of reflex - “There you go! Beautiful indeed.”

Asriel looked at the bouquet for a second before talking again - “Dad, come on. You can’t give me a bouquet on the house every time I come by. That’s no way to run a shop!” - he said, mildly annoyed at his father’s insistence on not getting paid for his hard work.

“That’s not on the house, Asriel.” - he said - “It’s from December.”

Asriel looked back at the bouquet in his hands, feeling a dumb little smile creep into his face. His father seemed to take notice - “How romantic… You know, I have fond memories of these flowers in particular.” - the younger goat's smile turned into a nervous grin as some red rushed to his cheeks.

He remembered too, of course. In the small garden next to his childhood home, a pair of goat monsters kneeled next to a flower bed, the full brunt of the sun beating down on them. The older of them leaned back, wiping some sweat off his brow and stretching his back. His son, next to him, handed him a now empty watering can.

“... And these ones?” - a younger Asriel pointed to a bunch of small flowers with many small pink petals.

Asgore looked for a moment at the flowers, a clear sense of pride in his eyes - “Peonies?” - his son nodded, and the older goat cleared his throat - “Well, they symbolize love, honour, good fortune and prosperity.” - the smile he beamed after made a similar one - although one not quite as big - spread onto Asriel's face. It made him happy when his father was able to flaunt his encyclopedic knowledge of flowers.

Asriel dusted off his pants in a vain effort to prevent his mother from chewing him out for getting dirt on them again - “There’s a lot of them that symbolize love, aren’t there? Maybe too many.” - he took a finger to his chin. Red roses, tulips, pinkish lilies, sunflowers, carnations… it was almost hard to think of any that didn’t have it among their accepted symbolisms.

The laughter coming from the goat’s father made him jump slightly back, thankfully not onto any of the still growing plants - “Ho ho ho! Well, I’d say that’s a good problem to have, is it not? Love does come in many shapes and sizes, after all.”

Asriel looked at his father for a second, trying to avoid the directions his thoughts were about to head into - “I… guess, yeah.” - it was like altering the course of a growing river. Asriel did his best to stem the flow for the time being.

Asgore looked at his son - “I love you very much, son. And I love Kris a lot too! I also love your mother dearly.” - he looked around the garden, before throwing his arms out and staring right into the sky - “I love these flowers, I love taking care of them. I love when the Holidays come over and we have dinner together. I love when we go to church on Sunday as a family. I love butterscotch pie, I love when we watch TV and I can hear everyone snoring as my favourite show comes on.” - the older goat breathed in, before lowering his head back down - “How wonderful that love comes in so many shapes, sizes and colours. And that there’s a flower for a lot of them!”

The younger goat’s smile, spurred by his father’s heartfelt words, faltered for a second. It made sense of course. He loved Kris too, but he didn’t love them the same way he loved his mother or father - not that it was a lesser way, just… different. He loved watching the clouds slowly move in the sky, and he also loved gardening (he’d gotten that from his father, no doubt). He loved drawing and singing, he loved playing games with his friends. He loved his friends. He loved… He..

By the Angel, how did he love her?

Asriel swallowed with some difficulty, the river now tearing through his mind and leaving no spot untouched. How? What kind of love was it? He’d loved December for his whole life, the same way he loved her sister… right? No, that wasn’t right at all! It was different with Dess. It’d always been different, but now it was even more different, somehow. Every time he looked at her he felt fear of what she might think, he felt nervous when she took too long to answer him. It couldn’t be… that he loved her that way, could it?

“Dad…” - the boy fought for every word that attempted to leave his throat, swimming against the overwhelming current - “... What if you… didn't know how you loved someone?”

The older goat simply arched an eyebrow, prompting his son to continue - “I-I mean… I have a friend…” - Asriel fell back on the “friend” strategy, certain it would be infallible - “And this… friend, has known this other friend for a long time. And now, without even realizing it, things have changed between them. So now my friend… doesn't know how to feel about them?” - the younger goat was hopeful he'd left enough identifying information out. He didn't know why, but the prospect of his parents knowing about his newfound confusion made him almost as nervous as the feelings themselves.

“I see…” - Asgore closed his eyes and placed his hands on his hips. His father's seemingly deep thinking only served to make the boy more nervous. He doesn't know, does he? The older goat spoke again after a few seconds of humming - “Say, Asriel, about this friend of yours… How does he feel about this change?”

Suddenly, Asriel wasn't as nervous as before. Yes, it did make things more complicated at times. Yes, he had been having some difficulty when staring into Dess’ beautiful hazel eyes the last few weeks. Yes, he was embarrassed about how badly he wanted to hear her sing when they had a sleepover. And yes, he couldn't deal with how anxious it made him when her hand would brush against his as they walked to class. But throughout all of this… he felt happy. It was all very strange, but even through this newfound uncertainty, his heart felt fit to burst. Butterflies danced on his stomach every time she spoke, and a warmth rushed to his cheeks and chest both when she laughed. The slightest smile from her could turn his day around, and he always went to sleep thankful that tomorrow would bring another opportunity to be with her.

“I fe- I mean!” - Asriel cleared his throat - “My friend feels...  like it's a good change, I think.”

“Then all is well! He doesn't need to stress over it as long as it is good. And I am sure he'll figure it out eventually.” - Asgore winked, making Asriel jump slightly. G-golly, does he… ? Asriel didn't have much time to ponder how even his inner voice could stutter before he was presented with a bunch of freshly picked flowers - “Here son. For your friend.”

“W-what?”

“He may not know what he feels… but I have an inkling. And about his friend… I am sure she'd appreciate whatever gesture he does.” - Asgore said, slowly patting his son's head.

“Dahlias.” - Asgore's voice, touched by the years, resonated throughout the shop and pulled Asriel from the fields of memory - “Strength, confidence, commitment… and love, of course.”

Asriel looked at the bouquet and then back at his father. He'd been right that day: Dess had never been one for flowers, but those ones had lived a long and cared for life in a small vase in her room. He rushed to his father's arms, giving him a hug - “Thanks, dad.”

Asgore patted his son on the back before letting go after a few seconds - “Don't thank me, son. Thank Dess.” - he scratched the back of his neck - “... And treat her well, alright? You two love each other as much and for as long as you can.” - his smile was a bittersweet one, but not for it any less sincere.

“... Thanks dad.”

A not entirely awkward silence settled over the two monsters, the air outside gently moving the chime by the door.

“... Well… I'd offer you a cup of tea, but I am sure you have places to go.” - Asgore said.

“Yes, I…” - The younger goat nodded, before realizing something - “Oh! Dad, did Dess give you-”

Asgore's words were accompanied by the loud smack of his hand against his forehead - “Golly, I can't believe I almost forgot! Wait a second.” - the goat monster quickly disappeared into the back room of the shop, and returned just as fast with a small sheet of paper in one hand and a sack of fertilizer in the other - “Dess wanted you to have this, too.”

“Thanks, dad.” - Asriel smiled as he took the paper, and stuffed it into his pocket for the time being. Bouquet in hand and backpack behind him, he turned around - “It's been nice talking with you. Hope business is good today!”

“Oh it has been great already! Lots of lovers need lots of flowers!” - he laughed - “This nice young woman next door ordered a bunch of them, and she even gave a lot of them to me! She was very sweet.”

“Happy to hear that, dad.” - Asriel waved to his father as the chime marked his departure from his shop - “See you!”

Once again outside, the goat monster had to keep a good grip on the bouquet for it to not be stolen by the breeze. He struggled a bit with unfolding the note between the wind and the bouquet in his hand, but he was able to read his next destination.

Meet me at the school.

Hometown was generally a safe place, so he didn't consider it too odd that nobody really bothered to lock down the building during the weekends - at least not odder than the fact that Dess had requested him to go there. The thought of Dess wanting to step back into that place after she'd foolishly declared herself “free from studying forever” once she graduated made him laugh. As he walked through the halls of the school, he felt a strange sensation; it was slightly off-putting to see the building so empty and silent, without the hustle of classes and the noise that came from kids and teens, and the way the still rising sun shone throughout the windows and illuminated the dust in the air gave the whole experience an ethereal feel.

He almost suspected that, if he strained his eyes, he could see a young boy next to his locker, laughing loudly next to his best friend as she leaned on the wall.

The faint sound of shuffling made his ears perk up, and he turned to his head to search for its source. Slow steps led him to the teacher's office at the eastern wing of the school, and a careful push to open the door revealed the source to be none other than a goat monster clad in a purple blouse, seemingly very focused on the computer she was seated in front of.

“Mom?”

The goat monster quickly turned around, but the concern in her eyes slowly melted into happiness as soon as she identified who the voice had belonged to - “Oh Asriel! How good it is to see you here!” - Toriel got up from her chair, making its legs scrape along the floor as she rushed to give her son a hug - though one not quite as bear-like as his father’s.

“Good to see you too, mom.” - Asriel smiled as his mother let go of the hug - “... But what are you doing here? It's Sunday.”

“Well, I could ask the same thing of you, young man.” - Toriel's crossed arms made her son's retort die in his throat, and he resigned himself to sigh and smile. Fair play - “If you truly must know, I am using the scanner here to get some of our old pictures into the computer.” - Asriel's  gaze wandered onto the scanner at the far end of the room. It had an open book on top of it and it hummed softly - “Miss Alphys taught me how!" - she added, a proud smile on her face.

Asriel looked at the computer screen. The wallpaper had changed once more. This time, the picture on the desktop was one of Asriel and Kris as kids. They were wearing badly stained aprons and between them held up a tray with the most miserable-looking pie ever made. The pastry's sorry state contrasted sharply with the look of utter delight in their faces.

“And… what brings you here, Asriel?” - Toriel asked. When Asriel turned his attention back to her he saw a slightly furrowed brow, the eyes below it fixed on-

Oh, yeah, the bouquet.

“I'm here because of Dess, actually. These are from her, she bought them in dad's shop.”

Toriel's expression softened, and her lips curved into a smile - “They're beautiful.”

“They are.” - Asriel looked at the bouquet, before looking back at his mother - “Speaking of… Mom, do you know where Dess is?”

Suddenly, Toriel’s expression turned… strange. A familiar kind of strange. Asriel knew his mother very well, and knew exactly what the pursed lips and strangely furrowed brow on her face entailed. It was the same face she’d made when she’d insisted that Santa would have never gotten Asriel the new Smashing Fighters game - even when the boy pointed at a suspiciously game case-shaped box under the tree. His mother was trying, and failing miserably, to keep something a secret - ”... Me? Why would I know that?” - the older goat said.

Asriel couldn’t help but laugh, making the expression on his mother’s face intensify - “Ha ha ha! Good question! I don’t know why, but I just have the sliiiiightest inkling that she talked to you and told you to give me a note.”

Toriel pouted, before breathing out and shaking her head - “Alright, alright, you are correct, my child. She did tell me to give you something.” - she headed over the scanner, and picked up the book that’d been left there. Asriel could tell from the binding that it was his family’s photo album - “No way to separate you two for long, is there?”

The younger goat chuckled - “If any of us has anything to say about it, no.”

The older goat slowly walked towards her son, adjusting her glasses as she looked all around the room - “It was always like that, you know?” - her vague words were answered by a tilt from the younger goat’s head, prompting her to continue - “You two… Always together, no matter what happened. I cannot recall a time in school where you were not by each other’s side. Or before, for that matter.”

Asriel smiled as a strange but distinct smell filled his nostrils - cigarette smoke, of all things. Once upon a time, in a spot not too far from there, there was a young goat monster. But more importantly, there wasn’t a deer monster. Asriel hadn’t seen Dess for a few periods now, and he was getting worried. She wasn't a stranger to skipping class on occasion, but this time he could feel it was different. And, as the bell rang for the last period, Asriel was faced with a decision.

And he chose correctly.

The boy made his way to a door to the back of the school, his every movement slowed by the overwhelming guilt of doing something as unthinkable as skipping a single class. He fought these thoughts as he followed the faint but familiar smell of smoke up some cramped stairs, until he opened a metal door that led to the roof of the building. There, sitting down next to a wall, was Asriel’s best friend, a cigarette in her hand and the sky in her eyes. Her expression instantly shifted once she spotted him, and his awkward wave didn’t seem to make things better - on the contrary, in fact.

“Dude!” - Dess got up frighteningly fast, and approached her best friend with an accusatory finger that kept a steady grip on her cigarette - “What the hell are you doing here? The last period just started.” - she said, as she tapped the boy’s chest with her finger.

Asriel watched as a small line of smoke rose up the air before him. He stifled a cough and spoke - “... Are you okay?”

Dess staggered back, as if the goat had shoved her hard - “... What?”

“... I just wanted to know if you’re okay.” - the boy awkwardly rubbed his arm as he repeated his question - “I know you can’t stand Ms Muffet’s art class, but you also skipped Mr Boom’s class… I just wanted to know if something had happened.”

Dess’ shoulders shrank, and it was as if all the energy and bravado that normally filled her every word and action evaporated all at once. She spoke softly in a way that she never did, her head hanging low - “Nothing happened. It’s just…”

“... It’s just… useless, you know? Why even bother.” -  the doe’s smile made the boy’s blood freeze in his veins.

“W-what do you mean?”

“Azzy, look.” - there was a mixture of irritation and sadness in the girl’s voice - “I’m not… built for this stuff, okay? For school, for… anything, really. I just… can’t do it.” - she took a long drag of her cigarette - “Might as well just spend my days up here doing nothing. Gonna end up in the same place anyway.” -  she coughed, or perhaps laughed - “You best go back to class. I don't want you to get a spot on your record for me.”

“Dess, that’s…” - the doe's intense stare made him falter for a second, but he pushed through it - “That's not true! You do great when you can put your mind to it!”

“Is that why I have to rely on you always?” - she said, the venom in her voice not directed at him but rather at herself - “Why I need to have you as a partner to get anything done?” - Asriel tensed up, but the stillness was released once the doe breathed out - “... Look, I… You don't deserve to have me just leech off of you that way. You deserve better than me.”

Suddenly, Asriel found himself face to face with Dess. He found his claws digging slightly into her shoulders, and her surprised eyes boring directly into his. The boy took a moment to take in what he had done before speaking again - “I don't deserve- there's no one better!” - the girl averted her eyes - “You… You're my best friend, Dess. I don't want anyone else by my side.”

The doe simply stared at the floor. Asriel continued - “And… it doesn't matter if you're not good at doing school stuff. You're great in a lot of other ways! You're strong, kind, good at games, and I've never heard anyone play the guitar better than you!”

“... You can try telling that to my mom.” - Dess scoffed.

Asriel furrowed his brow and steeled his heart - “Well, if your mom thinks otherwise… She…” - the goat could feel some pressure building in his chest, and something pulling at his conscience. He already felt like he'd need to ask Alvin for forgiveness for skipping a class, but after what he was thinking of saying? Maybe even the old priest couldn't find it in his heart to spare him. However, Asriel had already made up his mind; he was going to stick with Dess, through thick and thin, like they'd always done.

And so, Asriel once again struck out against everything that he thought he stood for - “... She's wrong, and she can b-buzz off!!”

Silence fell over the two kids as soon as the echo of Asriel's words faded. Dess stood still, wide eyed and mouth tightly shut in an undecipherable expression; not that her best friend could tell, for his eyes danced around everywhere but her face as a slight trembling overtook his lips.

… Angel, maybe I was too-

And then, Dess laughed.

She laughed and laughed, small hiccups interrupting that joyous melody. Asriel could not help but join in, and soon enough the two of them were leaning on the other, teary eyed and catching their breath.

“Fahahahaha! You sure showed her, Azzy!” - the doe playfully tapped her best friend's shoulder. Asriel wiped a tear from his eye and looked at his best friend - “... Thanks for having my back, dude.”

“Anytime, Dess.” - the boy smiled - “Now and always.”

“Do you mind… if we stay here for today? I swear I'll go back to class tomorrow.”

“Of course.”

And thus two kids spent the day talking atop the school until it was dark. Talking about who they were, who they wanted to be and what they wanted to do. And the boy knew he had made the correct choice.

When Asriel came back to the present, he found his mother close by, fidgeting with something below his chin. When he looked down, he found a golden necklace hanging from his neck - “H-huh? What's this?”

“It’s a necklace I used to wear a long time ago.” - Toriel smiled as her son examined the heart-shaped locket attached to the necklace, the delta rune engraved on its center - “... I just thought you could borrow it. Even if just today.”

Asriel raised an eyebrow - “Alright… I appreciate it mom, I do, but, uh… What’s the occasion?” -  he said, his fingers wrapped around the golden heart.

“Well…” - Toriel fell silent for a few seconds, her eyes dancing all around the room. Suddenly, they focused on her son’s face - “... My child… Every time I see you, you’ve grown up even more. I feel like time passes too fast, and soon you will not even need your mother for anything.”

“Come on mom, don’t say that…”

“It is true. And while it does make me sad… ” - she said, tears already forming in the corners of her eyes - “... It also makes me more proud than I could ever hope to be. My dear boy, all grown up into a great man.” - As his mother’s voice quivered and some tears escaped her eyes, Asriel could not help but follow suit. And soon enough, the two were drawn into a brief hug.

As the two parted from their hug, Toriel cupped her son's face in her hand - “My child… You deserve the world, and I am sure December will do her best to give it to you.” - she wiped a tear from her eye - “December, too, is a wonderful woman. You best treat her like she deserves!”

“Thanks mom.” - Asriel laughed - “I will.”

Toriel nodded solemnly, before digging into her pocket in search of something Asriel was already anticipating. She handed him the folded paper, and the two waved to each other wordlessly, remnants of smiles and tears on their faces - he must've gotten it from his mom, he supposed.

Asriel waited until he was out of the school to unveil his next destination.

Meet me at the Holiday mansion.

The sun had yet to reach its apex by the time Asriel made it to the black iron gate of the road leading to the Holiday mansion. He'd sneaked in more times than he could count, but he was carrying a lot of stuff and probably more out of shape than when he was a teen, so he opted to try to gain access to the property like a law-abiding person, despite what Dess would have maybe preferred. He reached over to the button-

“Hey there Azzy!” - Rudy Holiday's voice came through the intercom just above the button, startling Asriel - “Fancy seeing you here!”

The goat monster cleared his throat - “Hello Rudy. I was wondering if I could come in?”

“Of course son!” - Rudy's words were accompanied by the sound of the gate sliding open - “We've been expecting you, fa ha!”

The goat monster made his way towards the Holiday mansion, the same Christmas decorations that had always been present on its facade remaining up for yet another year. He took a second to steel himself for the inevitable drop in temperature he'd feel once he entered the mansion, and pushed the door open.

To his surprise, it was not only Christmas decorations which were present inside the Holiday home but also… red hearts? Heart-shaped pillows, heart-shaped garlands and even some petals in the shape of hearts littered the floor. And in the middle of that romantic whirlwind sat two deer monsters, one on the living room sofa and one on a wheelchair next to it.

“Am I… interrupting something?” - Asriel asked nervously. Of course, it was still Valentine's day, so it would make sense if the Holidays had decided to have a day for themselves.

“Fa ha ha! Don't worry Azzy, that comes later.” - the Holiday patriarch accentuated his statement with a wink, getting a well-earned elbow to the side from his wife - “Don't be shy, come in!” - he added after recovering his breath.

Carol's lip curved slightly. A smile was a rare sight on her face, but always appreciated - “It is good to see you, Asriel.” - she said as the goat approached the seated pair.

“Likewise! I am happy to see you're good too, Rudy.” - the male deer monster answered with a nod and a raise of the half-full glass of wine he was holding- “Uh, sorry if this is rude, but do you happen-”

“Dess?” - Rudy interrupted. Asriel nodded - “Sorry son, you just missed her! But you can spare some time for these old folks, can't you?” - he added, as Asriel saw Carol roll her eyes and smile.

“I… suppose I can, yes.” - the goat sat down on the opposite end of the table from the married couple, politely declining an offered glass of white wine. After making he and Dess’ relationship “official”, a part of him had become strangely intimidated by the Holidays - especially Carol - despite having been close to them for his whole life.

“Asriel.” - the older doe monster spoke his name, and he had to suppress the urge to stand to attention - “You've always been a great influence on December, you know that?”

“Well… I suppose.” - the goat monster awkwardly scratched his arm. In truth, he wasn't sure who had lifted the other up more, but he was certain whoever you asked would have answered the other without missing a beat.

“Well, I know.” - she said as she took a sip of wine and her husband snickered to her side. After taking the glass from her lips she took a look at it tentatively - “... I may have not approved of a lot of things December has done, but she is my daughter. I love her more than anything, and I only want her to be happy.”

Asriel watched carefully as Carol's icy facade melted for a moment, an expression of what he could have sworn was melancholy seeping through before she returned to her usual imposing self - “And you, Asriel, make my daughter very happy. That much is plain. So thank you.” - her husband took her hand, squeezing it lightly - “For doing what I could not always do.”

Rudy turned to Asriel - “The Carol Holiday seal of approval, Azzy. You better cherish that one son, it's definitely not easy to get!” - he laughed.

“I… Thank you, Mrs Holiday.” - the matriarch nodded, sipping once again from the glass.

“You kids… two peas in a pod, really. From the very start, too!” - Rudy said, eliciting a slight smile from his wife - “You must've been… one year old, two at most? The first time you two met. And it was friendship at first sight!”

The goat smiled and looked into the distance. There are some memories that never leave you, even if you cannot know how you can still remember them. Fuzzy recollections of vague shapes, blurry images and muffled sounds. But all of them part of something important, a moment too significant to ever leave behind.

The first time he saw Dess was one of those moments. 

His recollection of his age then was even fainter than the Holidays’, and he was unsure where the meeting had taken place - kindergarten, if he were to guess - but what forgetfulness could never take away from him was the way he had felt.

He'd felt scared, at first. A lot of strangers, different monsters with different voices than the ones he was used to. Everything was so big and noisy and happened so much. Asriel stuck to his mother's leg like his life depended on it - and as far as he knew, it did.

“Asriel, look!” - Toriel said - “It’s one of daddy's friends!”

A tall monster loomed over Asriel. The man he now knew as Rudy Holiday was just an antlered and red-nosed smudge in his recollection, speaking with a deep voice - “Hello! So you're Asriel, huh? Nice to meet you.”

The kid used his mother's leg as a shield against the stranger. He was big, loud and so scary. Was he really his dad's friend? - “Ah… Asriel, do not be afraid.” - she caressed his head in a way that made him feel just a bit safer, before turning her attention to Rudy - “Sorry Rudy, he is very shy.”

A loud noise came once more from the stranger, this time a booming laughter - “Fahaha! Don't worry Toriel, December is pretty skittish too at times. Speaking of…” - the monster kneeled down, and his voice seemed to soften ever so slightly - “Hey snowflake, do you want to say hi to Toriel?”

Snowflake… ?

“Oh my goodness!” - Toriel exclaimed, startling the young boy hiding behind her. Suddenly, she sifted forwards, kneeling down and putting her son's cover in danger. Asriel clung even harder to his mom - “Is that little December? Hello!”

December… ?

“Say hi, December.” - the deep voice spoke again - “Hi Toriel!”

“... Hi Toriel…” - a different voice repeated. A softer one.

Toriel moved slightly again - “By the Angel, you are just the cutest!”

He'd felt curious then. Snowflake, December - what did it all mean? Who did this new voice belong to? And who was the cutest? His mother had always said he was the cutest… Was she just being nice? Or maybe this new stranger was, perhaps… worth trying to take a look?

Slowly, the young boy shuffled to the side, holding on to the lifeline of his mother's pants. He quickly peeked out from behind safety, and was witness to what now was one of the few parts of that memory he remembered well. A short monster wearing denim overalls stood just in front of Toriel. She was short - maybe not as short as him - and she had an impressive amount of black hair alongside her brown fur. Her nose was red, and her eyes were of a hypnotizing hazel. They drew the boy in, and Asriel felt the same way he did when he wandered at the blue sky of a bright day, in search of funny-shaped clouds. He began to doubt the firmament had ever been blue instead of a lovely shade of brown.

Rudy’s voice startled him out of his staring - “Look December! Someone wants to say hi.”

Asriel staggered back, and thought about going back behind his mother. However, it was her own gaze that stopped him in his tracks; she looked at him, and without words, she urged him forwards. So, Asriel took a trembling step - “... H… Hi.” - he managed to squeak out.

“Very good, my child.” - his mother’s smile made the trembling subside for a moment.

“... My name is December.” - the girl said, making Asriel turn his head. Snowflake December? - “What's your name?”

“Um… My name is Asriel.” - the boy looked to his mother, who nodded in approval.

“Okay.” - the girl replied.

“... A-are we… friends?” - the boy asked. He felt the reassuring squeeze of his mother’s hand on his shoulder, which made him smile.

The girl scratched her head for a moment, looking back at her dad before turning back with a smile that showed off her impressive buck teeth - “Yes! Dad says we can be!” - the boy returned the smile.

He’d felt happy then, glad to finally have a friend like the ones people had in the books mom read to him and the shows he watched with dad. He heard loud laughter coming from both of the adults, but he felt much more at ease than he did before. The male deer spoke after a moment - “Fahaha! Look at these two, already hitting it off.” - he turned to Asriel, who no longer felt as intimidated by his presence - “We just moved in next door. Feel free to ask mom to bring you to visit your friend whenever you want to!”

The boy nodded. There were many noises and many strangers around still, but Asriel had made a friend, and he couldn’t wait to play with them. The rest of the day was fuzzy; they must have left or gone home at some point, or maybe they did visit later that day. What he could still remember, what he’d felt then - and what he felt even now - was that strange warmth in his chest, that force that made his lips try to curve into a smile.

“Azzy, catch!”

The goat, now older and in the Holiday mansion living room, snapped to attention just in time to get ahold of a small item that'd been thrown his way. Thanking his reflexes, he turned his hand inwards to see his prize: a fairly crude pin in the shape of a flower, with the letters “BFF” messily scribbled in the center. The goat looked back at the Holidays in confusion - “... This is…”

“That old thing? A gift Dess made for you back in kindergarten.” - Rudy answered - “Found it cleaning a few weeks ago. You must've lost it here on one of your sleepovers. Whatever the case, it's back where it belongs now.”

The goat smiled as he gently clipped the pin to the front of his jacket. He looked back up at the Holidays - "Thank you.”

The goat monster shifted slightly as an admittedly awkward silence fell over the living room. Carol swirled around her glass of wine while Rudy tapped his finger without much rhythm on his wheelchair's armrest. Asriel began to hear the sound of a ticking clock he could've sworn wasn't there before.

“Um-”

“Alright.” - Carol Holiday cut through the silence with the ease of a skilled swordsman - “I think it is time we give it to him.”

Rudy nodded to his wife, then closed the distance to Asriel and handed him a folded paper note - “Here you go son. Sorry to cut this short, but it's been nice seeing you again.”

“O-of course! Thank you as well.” - the goat monster turned around, giving the Holidays a wave before opening the front door to the house - “Goodbye!”

“Asriel.”

Carol's voice froze the goat in his tracks.

“Y-yes?”

“... Take good care of December, will you?”

Asriel smiled - “Of course.”

With a final nod of approval from his girlfriend's parents, Asriel Dreemurr exited the Holiday mansion and quickly made his way out of the property, in possession of yet another memento. Once he'd made sure the iron gate was closed behind him, he took the liberty of opening the note and looking for his next destination.

Meet me at our spot.

A comfortable breeze blew throughout the town, making the trees next to the road sway slightly, the sounds of their leaves almost like that of the ocean's waves. While Asriel liked the hustle and bustle of Ebott, the ambiance in Hometown was entirely different; it was calm, subdued, almost as if the world had been completely cut off from it and the town had flourished on its lonesome - something not that far from the truth, admittedly. It was a moment captured, a living memory and a reminder of what he had been, of what he could be still.

Asriel smiled, wiping some moisture from his eyes. Golly, must be all the love in the air…

He continued his way towards the lake. Towards their spot.

It'd taken him a second to understand where she'd meant, given that they had never really referred to the place as “their spot” - or any way, really. It was simply where they'd naturally end up most of the time: whether it was when they'd decide to hang out for a bit after class was done for the day, when Dess would message Asriel in the dead of the night and the two would sneak out to be in each other's comforting company, or when they felt particularly in love after a date around town, they'd always gravitated towards that spot when it was just the two of them. Asriel couldn't really remember how or when they'd actually discovered it; must've been when they were kids, given the fact that they'd always used it, but other than that he had no clue. It had just always been there for them.

As the goat monster neared the lake's shore, he felt the breeze intensify slightly, free of the restraints of the treeline. The fated spot was one that had remained hidden from most of everyone else - or at least that's what they thought, given how many times they'd come back and seen things stay exactly as they'd left them - yet it was in plain sight: just in the outer reaches of the town, next to the lake, there was a small hill that rose above the forest, with a singular tree planted atop it.

Suddenly, as the goat monster closed the distance to the hill, the wind brought with it music.

Asriel stopped for a second, making sure the faint sound of a guitar he was hearing in the wind air not only in his recollections of the past. The melody could not be coming from anywhere else other than his destination, so the young man hurried his steps towards it. He weaved in between the trees as the hill came into view, the notes becoming louder with each step. It was the not entirely focused strumming of a girl trying to pass the time, one he’d come to know and appreciate greatly over the years.

With his pace quickening almost to a running stride, Asriel crowned the hill, and was rewarded by his very own sun, sitting atop a small blanket and playing the guitar as she leaned on that tree that so much had happened below of.

The playing stopped as soon as she saw him, but the sound that replaced it was even sweeter.

“Took you long enough.” - Dess said, smiling.

Asriel chuckled, as all of his running caught up to him in a moment, leaving him gasping for air. He slowly walked towards his girlfriend's side, plopping down next to her before answering - “Well, you didn’t exactly make it easy, did you?” - he placed his backpack and the bouquet on the grass.

Dess raised an eyebrow as she set her guitar leaning on the trunk of the tree - “What, you didn’t think to check this place first of all? My my Azzy, do you even love me?” - she said, stealing any possible response from Asrierl’s lips with a quick peck.

Asriel pulled back and took a good look at Dess, somehow only then noticing something was… off. Well, maybe not off, but certainly different. The doe had a particular style that she rarely strayed from unless on very significant occasions, and the way her current attire differed from her usual ones indicated that it must’ve been a very significant occasion indeed: the girl was wearing a woolen sweater with a black shirt underneath. Her legs were covered by black tights and she had a short skirt too. Asriel looked at her for a few seconds before she took notice - “Like what you see?”

“No- I mean yes! Yes, always!” - Asriel stuttered for a second, much to his girlfriend’s delight - “It’s just… it’s not your usual style, you know?”

“Dunno.” - Dess said, crossing her legs and leaning back on the tree - “Just figured I’d switch things up a bit today. A special occasion.”

“Fair enough.” - Asriel said, leaning back next to her. He looked down at his own clothes - some jeans, a hastily put-on shirt and his worn letterman jacket - and furrowed his brow - “I do feel a bit underdressed now, though.”

“Don’t worry Azzy, when you’re next to me, you’re always underdressed.” - she winked, making the goat laugh and shake his head.

The two stood in silence for a moment, simply being. From their position, one could very easily see the entirety of Hometown. Asriel saw in the distance both his and his girlfriend’s childhood homes. He saw QC’s diner and the librarby, the school and the town hall. He saw the houses of friends and neighbours, the church he’d gone to every Sunday for most of his life. The same places two younger monsters had seen from that same position many times before.

But Asriel saw something else that time. He saw a young boy running, excited to go to his friend’s house on Christmas and share his present with her only to meet her halfway, the girl having had the same idea. He saw four children near the shore of the lake, the two youngest of them on the shoulders of their older sibling and fighting to topple the other pair into the water. He saw two awkward teenagers walking next to each other, unable to look each other in the eye until one of them slipped their hand onto the other’s, their fingers intertwined as they’d always meant to be and their lips joining soon after. He saw two lovers walking next to the treeline, before one turned around and made him promise to always be by her side. He saw two adults packing what little they could fit in big boxes, their parents happy and inconsolable at the same time. All of these specters and memories danced around in the distance, and all headed in the same direction: hand in hand, always together, always below the tree. Asriel followed their path and turned his head to his side, finding… her.

She was looking into the distance, too. Her gorgeous hazel eyes were almost golden in the sunlight, a halo of green barely visible on their irises. He saw the freckles dotted around the lighter fur that covered her face. He saw her dark hair gently sway in the wind, leaning to the right even if she always tried to have it lean left. He saw her buck teeth, and the way her lips pursed slightly when she was thinking about something. He saw Dess, as he remembered her and as he’d know her. He saw the girl that had lifted him up, and the one he’d move mountains for. He saw the woman he was in love with.

She turned her head, watching what must’ve been a dopey smile on his face before grinning - “Who’s got you all smiling, dork?”

“You.” - Asriel replied.

“Good answer.” - she rewarded her boyfriend with a peck on his lips, before asking another question - “... What did you think of your gift?”

“... My gift?”

Asriel looked to his side. He saw a freshly picked bouquet of dahlias on the floor, a show of love grown with care. Looking down he saw a locket and a pin, testaments to the time they’d shared together. He then closed his eyes, and could still savor the taste of a QC’s special that had brought back equally sweet memories. And when he opened his eyes, he saw the images of a boy and a girl running through the town. Days, months, years. All of them with her, all of them worthwhile.

“It’s perfect. Thank you.” - he said, and he felt the doe squeeze his hand slightly. He knew Dess was thoughtful, but he didn’t expect her to be “contact people of Hometown in advance to have a memory lane scavenger hunt” kind of thoughtful - “... It makes the one I got you kinda feel lame in comparison, ha ha…”

“Oh, you got me something?”

Asriel looked at his girlfriend like she had three heads - “Yes? How could I not?” - he quickly reached over to his side and grabbed his backpack - “I hope you like it! It should be in mint condition, unless the seller lied to me. Again.” - he sighed, as he pulled the vinyl out of the bag - “Here.”

Dess’ eyes went wide as she took the record in her hand - “No. Shit. Is that really Solace of the Heart?” - the goat monster nodded, and the doe’s eyes went back onto her prize - “This must’ve cost a fortune… How did you even get this?”

Asriel stretched, feeling a bit proud of his persistence - “Well, I just set up alerts on virtually every second hand site that allowed me to, and had an alarm on my phone that went off each day to look for deals. For… about three months?” - he smiled as soon as his response got the expected reaction out of Dess: a mouth hung open in surprise - “Don’t worry though! I found one that wasn’t too expensive-”

Asriel was unable to continue speaking, as his tongue suddenly fell under control of Dess’. The doe wrapped her arms around her boyfriend and placed her hands behind his head, to which he responded by doing the same. The two basked in the warmth of each other while the breeze caressed their hair, closing their eyes and letting the other be all they could feel.

Good things are so because they eventually end - or so Asriel tried to tell himself as his girlfriend pulled herself from him. He was unconvinced - “... Thanks Azzy.”

“So, you like your gift?”

“I fucking love it.” - the doe said, smiling.

Suddenly, Dess’ expression changed.

“Welp, time to give you the rest of your gift then. Can’t have you one-up me!”

Asriel tilted his head - “Rest? What do you mean, there’s more?”

The doe scoffed - “Of course there is.” - the doe looked at her boyfriend and examined his confused expression for a few seconds, before breaking into a fit of laughter. She spoke after seeing the only deepened confusion on his face - “Fahaha! You really haven’t caught on to it then?”

The goat laughed awkwardly - “Ha ha! Caught onto… what?”

“Well, I thought I may have made it obvious, especially with what everyone told you, but I forgot who I was dealing with.” - she said, sticking her tongue out. Asriel crossed his arms in response - “You’re so silly Azzy. Never change.”

The doe creeped closer to him.

“This should ring a bell.”

She placed a finger on the goat’s chest, and trailed it all the way to the pin on his jacket.

“Something old…”

She took her finger off him, and pointed to the bouquet of freshly picked flowers by his side.

“... Something new…”

She moved her hand once again, this time reaching for the locket on his neck.

“... Something…”

“... borrowed.” - Asriel said, almost by instinct.

“See, I knew you’d catch on.” - The doe smiled - “Come on, what comes next?”

Asriel wracked his brain, as he suddenly felt like he couldn’t really think straight. It was a rhyme he’d heard before, but for whatever reason his mind refused to accept the obvious, clouding his judgment. He struggled to find the words - “... Something…”

Thankfully, his girlfriend gave him a hint.

Dess took something from behind her back.

“... blue?”

A small blue box.

… No.

“That’s it, Azzy.” - she said.

“N-No…” - he managed to say.

The doe got on one knee - “I just hope I don’t, like, mess up now, because it would be really embarrassing.”

“No…” - Asriel said, as his voice began to tremble - “No fucking way.”

“Yes fucking way, you dork.” - the doe smiled. By the Angel, her smile.

She opened the box with a soft click.

“Asriel Dreemurr… Will you marry me?”

Inside there must’ve been a ring, perhaps of a metal so beautiful its shine eclipsed the sun’s. It may have had a precious stone that put the very stars to shame. But in truth, it could have also been completely empty and it would have made no difference. He only had eyes for Dess. For the adorable way her nose wrinkled when she laughed. For the way she knew what just to say to make him smile. For the way it made his heart burn every time she looked at him. And for the way he’d be forever at her side.

At the side of his fiancé.

Asriel threw himself forward, dropping both him and Dess to the ground. The box slipped from her grasp, and the ring could have been lost between the grass. But it was okay, because they’d have a whole life together ahead of themselves to look for it.

“YES! YES! YES!”- he said, each word interrupted by a kiss in whatever part of Dess’ face he could reach as she laughed - “YES, BY THE ANGEL YES!” - he continued his onslaught, leaving no part of her unloved - “A THOUSAND TIMES YES!”

“Fahaha!” - Dess’ laughter was music, it was the sound of bells ringing above a flower-covered altar. It was the sound of a freshly painted room and the sun shining above the clouds. It was the sound of life, lived and yet to be lived.

Dess' hands cupped Asriel’s head. He gently stopped, and simply… stared at her. How she could have become even more gorgeous was a mystery to him.

“S-sorry.” - the goat apologized, helping up Dess - “I just… don’t even know what to say.”

“I’d say yes is a good start.” - she said. She turned around and picked a plain-looking golden ring off the ground. Wordlessly, she moved closer, and Asriel extended his hand.

It fit perfectly.

Asriel felt tears streaming down his face as he pulled his hand back, watching the proof of a promise he was glad to make glitter in the sun. He looked to his future wife and spoke - “I promise to make you the happiest woman in the world.”

Dess laughed - “You already have.”

The two leaned close once again, and-

“DESSSS, AZZZZY!!”

A shrill voice startled Asriel and made him turn around just in time to dodge out of the way of three incoming teens. Once the adrenaline wore off, he could see the culprits plainly.

“N-Noelle? Kris? Susie!? What the hell are you doing here!?”

Noelle wrapped him in a tight hug - or as tight as the relatively short girl could muster - and barely managed to get a few audible words between sobs and sniffs - “AZZZYYY.” - she practically yelled - “DESSS! I’M SO hic HAPPY FOR YOU.” - confused, Asriel turned to the human at her side, who simply gave him a wave and while holding their phone.

“I had these three hide out nearby so they could take pictures of everything. I wanted to have this special moment preserved for posterity.” - Dess explained, before turning a squinting stare at the teens - “But I recall telling them to wait by the treeline and send me the pictures later.” - the doe cracked her knuckles, and Kris’ neutral expression got slightly less neutral for a moment.

The human pointed to the fawn still wrapped around Asriel - “We were, but Noelle got so overwhelmed she basically sprinted to you guys!” - Asriel looked down at the crying mess of a girl, who may have tried to mumble an excuse, but only managed to babble incoherently.

Asriel laughed as he gently pried Noelle off him. The older Holiday sister ruffled her sister’s hair as she wiped her eyes and nose - “Well, I hope you got our good sides at least.” - once the three teens returned to each other’s side, he then looked at the purple lizard and the fawn monster - “... But aren’t you guys doing anything for Valentine’s?”

“Nah dude, it’s become a commercialized mess without much emotional meaning.” - the purple lizard said.

Asriel blinked a few times - “Fair… enough.”

“Also the day after you get a huge discount on chocolate, so that's the thing actually worth celebrating.” - Kris added, Susie high-fiving them in the process. Noelle smiled, unable to hide the slighted bit of disappointment.

All those present laughed, and with a wordless stare from Dess, they started walking back to the town. As they strolled down the hill, Asriel felt the sun shone brighter, the breeze was gentler, and the future looked oh-so bright.

Suddenly, he remembered something - “Uh, Dess?”

“Yeah Azzy?”

“Thank you so much. For all of this. I know you’re not into the whole Valentine’s thing and-”

“Yeah yeah.” - she interrupted - “I don’t care about that stuff, but I know you do, and that’s what's important.” - she wrapped her arm around her fiancé’s shoulder - “So, for you, we’ll have the cheesiest, most lovey-dovey wedding ceremony two barely-above-minimum-wage jobs can afford.”

Asriel looked at Dess. He saw her in a beautiful dress, a veil covering her face. He saw her at their home, rain pouring outside as the two of them huddled together. He saw her driving to the beach for a special occasion. He saw her old and gray. He saw her in every way he could and in all of them, she was… her. She was strong, she was caring and brave, she was passionate beyond belief. In all of those moments, in the future, the present and the past, Dess was herself.

Dess was the girl he’d fallen in love with. The one he kept falling in love with, more each passing day.

“Thank you, Dess. I love you.”