Chapter Text
Rudy spun back and forth on the counter seat, chuckling to himself at the motion. His hooves actually dangled off the damn things! Had to since the counter was so tall. It had cracked him up as he wandered in; the scene just like the Diner he was used to, but. The scale, man, the scale! What in the subconscious heck? He’d half thought he was a kid again, dreaming of wandering around looking for his mom or something. All diner counters up to his shoulders, booth too damn big. Hell, he was down.
Beat the shit out of his normal dreams. Hospital food! That was the problem. He told Elly, it was just that damn dry hospital lichen making it hard to sleep. …'Course. She didn’t need to know about the nausea from this pill, or the stomach cramps from the medicine to stop the nausea, or the dry mouth from. Something. Maybe the pill for the side effects from the other pill. Not having any of THOSE symptoms going on anymore was a whole part of why he’d thought he was a kid again. No heartburn. No weakness. No fluttering pulse, or sting from where they kept doing the tests with a fun device he had taken to calling ‘Mr. Needle-Fudger’. He hated that damn sample machine. (‘Just a pinch’. Pinch the damn doctor next time, see if he didn’t.)
He was just… regular Rudy, feeling like a million bucks. (If only he had the Doe. Hah!) Definitely not the same age he went to sleep though… he absently eyed the fur on the back of his hand as he spun the diner stool in place, admiring the sheen. Coppery, a little. Healthy and shiny, contrasting nice against the outfit he’d come in wearing. Sort of a long, flowing black number. Woulda killed for something like it back in his scene days, now. Felt a little light for fall, but he wasn’t complaining. He’d ditched the hat it came with somewhere, though. Barely even looked like he had a face wearing that thing.
He stopped spinning with a soft chuckle, taking a moment to examine the counter in front of him. Didn’t feel like leather. Felt a little more like leaves, fresh from the tree, laid together so close they formed one uninterrupted surface. It was beautiful work. He wished he could have shown Noelle; she always was a little tender-hearted for animal byproducts. He always told her, folks had to eat, HE’D wanna know all his bits got used up! Even the antlers!
…He didn’t tell that one anymore.
He glanced up as he heard a door open- and blinked as the door was filled. REALLY filled with a… human? They looked a little green, and also… a little shocked to see him. Their eyes went Very Very Wide as they froze, and he lifted a hand, waving.
“Hey! Sorry if you guys aren’t open yet- didn’t see a sign!” he said brightly. Never hurt to be polite. In return the human(?) looked at him a moment longer, then gently shrugged, shaking their head ponderously. Then, silently, turned. When they turned back, a steaming hot mug of something was sliding across the counter to him, with a little elegant gesture from his new host. He blinked, and leaned in, the mug coming to a perfect stop right against his hand.
“…Hot apple cider! Hot damn!” he said brightly, and lifted it to take a sip- shocked, almost immediately. For one thing, it was HOT! And damn delicious! Sweet, and bright, with a sharp hit of cinnamon and. He had to focus. Cloves, good ol cloves. A pinch of cloves and…
He lowered the mug, and exhaled.
“…Is that. Cardamom? You sly dog!” he said, immediately taking a mental note for his own home blend. But the chef waved a finger, and lifted a wooden sign into view, from somewhere under the counter.
‘CARDADAD', it said simply.
He almost fell off his chair as it clicked. He chuckled, then rolled into a full belly laugh. The room was warm, and comfortable. Even as he needed a minute to recover from laughing, there wasn’t the deep, bone-rattling cough with it. No heart monitor beep. He found himself just taking a moment to relax, and sip his cider.
“Damn, this is a nice dream. So long as I don’t wake up before I finish this mug, I’m a happy man!” he said, and wiped the foam off his mouth with a somewhat mossy feeling napkin. The chef swayed gently, still slouching- the motion absently familiar. Went with the warm light, and the easy mood somehow. Like something from when he’d been young.
The attempt to figure out the nostalgic feeling was interrupted by a menu being slid his way. He whistled cheerfully, but when he reached down to touch his pockets, he did not find the familiar shape of his wallet. Damn. Well. He smiled, and decided to thank the Angel for his blessings. Having to wash dishes to pay for an apple cider wasn’t the worst stress dream he’d ever had. Not by a long. Long. Long shot.
“Damn- Hey, I’d love to, but I can’t pay for this as is- can I open a dream tab, maybe?” he asked brightly. Immediately, the chef lifted their hands up over their chest in an X, shaking their head. He frowned, worried a moment before they pointed to the menu. He leaned in- and laughed at a tiny asterisk by every price, which lead down to a tiny little subtitle.
‘FREE- FOR ASGORE’S BEST FRIEND’.
“Well, deck my halls, Doc. If that ain’t me!” he said, and burst out laughing again- in too good a mood to care about the shock of coughing that’d follow laughing this hard. Hated that damn cough. Made visits with Tori tough… er. Then they’d already gotten by the time his cough got Doctor Bad. But.
Somehow. The cough never came. He just laughed, and took a deep breath that trailed into confused chuckles when he wasn’t punished for it. Just a little ache in his chest, and that vanished as soon as he took a sip of his drink. Damn. It really was a good dream. He picked up the menu, scanning it as he took another sip, looking up to the chef.
“…Not a talker?” he asked, and nodded when they shook their head.
“Suits me. I know decent MSL if you got it…?” he offered- Kris had never used it a ton, even in their most nonverbal times. Sure didn’t seem to need it recently. But he tried to stay fresh. Never knew who’d need someone who could understand them- and Angel knew you needed to be understood!
But they shook their head again- and pulled out a sign.
‘GOT A SIGN ALREADY’, then flipped it around.
'<- GREEN’. it now read, and Green smiled as he chuckled.
“Damn! Now thats a talking aid right there. Name's Rudy! Nice to meet you.” he said. Green nodded, then frowned, and implausibly flipped their sign a third time to reveal new words.
‘HOW… DID YOU GET HERE?’ was written, a little cramped.
“Heh. Hell if I know.” Rudy admitted, scanning the menu. “Think I mighta… needed to sit down to rest a second… and…?” he frowned, not really reading the words ‘SPECIAL ADULT-EQUIVALENT BEVERAGES’ or the fact that for some reason Sarsaparilla was listed as one.
All he really remembered was working on finishing the lights. Feeling a little overheated, and dizzy, and then. Had someone come by to help him? There had been a lurch, and a sense of motion, and…? He hoped to hell he hadn’t passed out sitting on the City Hall steps or something. It’d be so damn embarrassing for Noel… and probably Carol would have an opinion about it.
…That wasn’t fair. He knew she worried. She had a big damn heart, he knew more then anyone, it just belonged to the whole town. He’d always told her, he didn’t mind so long as she held aside his slice a little special. He knew it… still was. Like a slice of wedding cake in a freezer. Just. He’d never been much of a fan of cake for show instead of cake for eating.
“Musta just got hungry.” he finished, because. If he hadn’t been dreaming (and it was easy to forget despite talking to an 8-foot-tall-person in a 11-foot-tall-door Diner), that honestly could have been it. His damn blood sugar. Actually, thinking of cake.
(…and trying to. Not. Think about his wife. Who he loved! …who. He loved. Very much)
“Damn, y’all have REAL Stollen bread?? With the marzipan and everything??” he asked, brightening up as Green nodded with a serene, sure confidence.
“Well hook me up! And don’t be stingy with the candied fruit in my slice!” he said, grinning as Green nodded, and turned. He actually felt hungry thinking about it, damn. When he took a deep breath, the air smelled like someone had thrown a Holiday party in a garden; a smell he had once been incredibly well acquainted with. Once, Asgore had even surprised them all by setting up a careful tarp roof the day before a heavy snowfall, big enough for his most delicate plants and the whole rowdy family, even if eventually it’d gotten too cold and they’d had to go inside before Kris and Dess turned blue. Blue-er.
He sighed, the memory heavy and warm as a blanket, looking around the joint peacefully. There was soft music in the air, and kind of a breezy ambiance. No crowd, but a soft rustle of leaves that made him think a bit of conversation.
“….Damn. Been forever since I came somewhere to relax on my own..” he said softly, then frowned. “Guess I know why. Hard not to miss having someone to share it with.” he added- Green looked over their shoulder, in the middle of doing something with a small hand saw. He wasn’t gonna question it, smelled incredible.
“I’ll think. I bet Noelle would love trying the eggplant(?)nog you got on the menu here. Or what Carol would think of the decoration. Woman loves a unified theme. One time we went to the Rainforest Cafe and she was so into the animatronics….” he chuckled happily, then, slowly, the laughter came to a stop.
He wished he knew what Dess would have thought. He could pretend he knew. But people changed. Azzy sure had. Carol had. Seemed like just him and Elly had stayed the same. It was a familiar hurt; all of it. The loss, the change, even the agony of thinking about how little he’d changed besides getting weaker. Less capable. Less able to tell himself he’d made the right choices for his family.
(Maybe, if he hadn’t been such a damn coward, if he hadn’t tried to hold on to everything at once, they’d all…)
He took a deep, slow breath. Live with a hurt long enough, and you could hold it in your hand, tuck it back into a pocket.
“Well. Maybe I oughta get out on my own a little more often.” he murmured. Wasn’t like Asgore seemed to have time to hit the Diner with him, anymore. Used to be he at least still had that. Wasn’t so bad with a friend to let lean on you. Someone to love. …like a friend. His best friend. Yep.
A plate clinked on the counter by him, and a massive green hand patted his shoulder. It made him smile, and look up, grateful for the interruption.
“Damn, look at this Stollen! So good it should be against the law.” he said, brightening as he cracked the terrible joke. He was good at that. He could always find a bright moment. That's what the Holidays were for!
It seemed to tickle Green- their shoulders shook with silent laughter. As he started to address the circular slice of sugary fruit-bread (which had kind of a bark texture to the outer icing- cute!), they took out a wallet. He blinked- but understood as it was open, and a line of pictures unfolded. He immediately leaned in, ready to coo.
You HAD to coo. Photo of somethin’ in a wallet, 90% odds it was a baby. He’d been shown a picture of a literal egg with a ribbon on it once. He cooed, damnit. Sacred parenthood oath. If it was in the wallet, it was probably a baby picture. Once he got cooing over someones car, but honestly that kind of car guy appreciated it.
However in this case he was looking at about a half-handful of orange fuzz trying to glare fiercely at a camera, and god damn it WAS adorable!
“Ohhh look at- “ he paused fractionally, glanced up, and was relieved to see the sign lifted with ‘HER’ on it. Tough to tell with little kids. “Look at HER! What a cutie!” he cooed softly, as the photos unfolded down. All kinds of adorable childhood-ish activities caught on film, showing her playing with knives, trying to punch through a wall, being tenderly spoon fed applesauce. The usual stuff.
By the time Green finished showing off and was wiping down the counter, he’d picked through most of his Stollen and polished off a second mug of cider talking cooking with Green. It was damn nice. So nice, he felt silly for not going to the Diner more often. While he still could, anyways. Last time must have been… week or two before his tests came back bad again.
It all felt like so much… he tried not to think of it as wasted time. He’d had a good talk with Father Alvin about it… he’d still lived all those years. Laughed. Had time with his family he’d never trade for anything. All the love he’d felt. Nothing could be wasted. Just. Sometimes it felt like he’d spent a lot of time the last few years patiently waiting for people who never seemed to do more then appreciate it.
He knew it wasn’t fair of him… probably. It wasn’t great when your adorably non-confrontational local priest casually-not-casually brought up that divorce wasn’t a sin in their religion, or anything. Poor guy. He’d told him he knew. Just.
…Just. How could you not be patient, with what’d happened…? And he had Noelle, and. And Asgore was still…
It’d been easy, once, to be sure about it all. Now, sometimes he felt like he could hear a countdown, and started to wonder if he was waiting on people who were never coming back. He’d had some hard talks with Carol. Some… good. Some… a little like talking to a wall. One of those times, she had taken a long breath, and closed her eyes, and told him if there was something he needed she couldn’t give him… she just wanted to be told when he found it. And she’d support him. The way he supported her, with what. She needed.
Hell of a thing. Sure. Easy. Just… find someone to love. As a married man. All he needed was somebody who seemed like his type. Tall. Blonde. Catastrophically emotionally unavailable. Strong. Good at taking care of other people, bad at taking care of themselves. Big smiles. Hard worker…
Not still in love with their ex-wife.
…Well. He chuckled softly to himself, about ready to get up and see what the rest of the dream had in store. Before the doors opened with a hard slam, sharp enough to scatter his thoughts as he turned.
Music swelled. Literally, like a sitcom theme had swelled in, as for Just a Moment, Rudy’s eyes fooled him completely. His heartbroken thoughts combined with the flash of motion. Blonde hair, tall, skinny good shoulders. Big shocked wide eyes, just like Carol's got whenever he really managed to suprise her good. Showing up with her favorite flowers clean out of season for Valentine's Day type Absolutely Shocked. (Obviously Asgore had helped, he’d loved helping with flowers).
But it was only for a fraction of a second. As soon as it clicked, it felt nuts he’d even made the mistake! He needed his eyes checked. But also. Damn. Tall glass of…
Human? Rudy blinked, sipping his hot cider as he took in the sight of the implausibly tall blond still framed in the goofily tall double doors. Big! Long damn legs. Snappy dresser. Shining gold(?) eyes, staring at Rudy like he’d seen the Ghost of Holidays Present. Scratch that, he was looking at Rudy like he was impossible.
“…Rudolph…?” the man said, his voice resonant in a way that made Rudy chuckle a little, tilting his head back. Lot to look at.
“Thaaat's me.” he said, lifting his eyebrows. Alright! Man with fine dress sense knew him? Apparently? Maybe he did. He rang a couple of sleigh bells. He chuckled, and lifted his mug, toasting him- deciding in the moment… Why not.
He could know a guy like that.
“What’s up, Buttercup?” Rudy asked brightly- bouncing his eyebrows at him, delighted when it made the man snap his eyes shut and actually blush about it. Hadn’t gotten a response like that from anyone for a while now. Made him feel young.
“…RUDY!” The tall blonde man dropped the coat he was holding over one shoulder as he cried out, darting forward so fast all Rudy really saw was a blur and a handsome after-image. Then he was being literally lifted up off his feet in a massive hug. For a moment, his world was mostly red and green vest material, and the kind of tight, warm full-body hug Rudy was always a sucker for. Not to mention the smell. He was a reindeer. He could smell five types of moss apart from each other; you wound up a little sensitive to plant smells. Whatever cologne the guy wore…
Floral. More then floral. Flowers and memory; sweet, bright sunshine-hot dirt and flowers and green leafy smells that combined together to send him something like two literal decades into the past. Back to a shitty little college apartment that didn’t really have enough space for his roommate, let alone his roomie’s hobby. But he’d loved flowers, and Rudy had loved… seeing Asgore happy.
It overwhelmed him a moment; pure nostalgia washed over him as he was held so tightly, it was like the guy thought he’d vanish.
“Rudy- Rudy it’s really you?? I can’t believe it- I didn’t think I would still- YOU would- I didn’t think I’d ever get to see you again, oldbuddy!” he babbled, swaying side to side with Rudy like a tall tree in the wind. Rudy wound up along for the ride, but. He wasn’t complaining.
“Oh- hey. Sorrys about that- Let me get a proper LOOK at you.” the human(?) said after a moment, eyes now closed so much Rudy could only see the tiniest flicker of gold peeking through his lashes. Might not have seen it at all if he wasn’t something like a foot, foot and a half shorter then the guy. In an instant, he went from being hugged, to swept into (of all things??) a princess carry, and sat down on his stool with a genuinely elegant motion.
He had to actually repress a titter. Damn. He was a little weak to being manhandled, what of it. His subconscious was cooking tonight! Pretty literally.
“Like what you see…?” he asked, raising his eyebrows. The human paused, an straightened up, putting his hand under his chin as he posed like he was Carefully Examining Rudy. It made him laugh, and sit nicely a moment, never one to turn down a Bit. The guy tilted this way and that, frowning tightly- eyes didn’t change though. Always smiling, nearly-closed eyes. You had to look for the peeking. …He peeked at Rudy a stone-cold lot. It was kinda cute. Like if a guy who was really full of himself could be shy.
Finally he straightened up, and rubbed under his chin, looking comedically thoughtful.
“I think… you’re as beautiful as a sunrise, Rudolph Holiday.” he said- and for a moment, peeked a little too close to the sun, one side flashing gold as he casually shrugged. “Just like the day we met.” he added, in a voice so warm and sincere, it gave Rudy a bit of a flutter.
“…Damn. Uh. Then.” Rudy paused, knocked off his pace a little. He wasn’t used to having somebody flirt back with him these days. “Damn, line like that’s so nice I have to actually be honest with you!” he managed, smiling up at him.
“Heh~ Hey. Guys like you. I won’t mind a little lying around between pals.” his new(?) pal said, waving a hand- the motion kicking up a little gust of wind, which announced itself a little cheerfully as it kicked the black coat back up into his grasp. Rudy clapped gently, not one to let a good trick go unnoticed.
“Hey, right back at you buddy- which is. Kind of the thing. I feel like I ought to know you- hell. I think I do know you.” Rudy admitted, leaning back against the counter a bit- glancing over his shoulder. Green had pulled up a stool back there and was serenely holding a bag of popcorn. When they saw Rudy’s glance, they waved.
“Jolly Green Big G over there too.” he added, then looked back up at the golden eyed man who’d swept him off his seat. He was so familiar, for a moment he forgot it was a dream, and felt genuinely guilty about somehow not knowing his name.
“…But I just. Can’t place it. Sorry if I forgot something important, big guy- I had a lil uh. Medical scare recently, some of the meds give me a little thinkin’ trouble sometimes!” he said, forcing a laugh with the ease of a practiced Cheerful Guy. He was used to trying to explain himself while trying to make the problem sound. Small. No reason to bring down the mood by being The Sick Guy! …You got a little tired of the mood being low, when you were The Sick Guy.
Sometimes it felt like being bad news walking.
“Hey-“ the human's smile fell, and he reached out, laying a (BIG, damn!) hand on his shoulder gently. “No funeral smiles. You could never hurt a heart like mine. Not unless it would make you happy, Rudy.” he said softly, shaking his head. A leaf drifted past him, which made Rudy very slightly frown. Weren’t they inside?
He was distracted from it pretty easily. The human had reached out, taking Rudy's hand in both of his as he bowed over it. For a moment, he thought he was going to kiss his hand, but he just. Held it. And looked at him, smiling like he was the best thing he’d seen all day.
“My name these days is Flowery, and if you ever knew me by a different name… forgetting it was a big favor to me.” he said, ‘winking’ again. “Knowing my smile was already in your memory… is already so much more then I dared to hopes and dream.” he added. It mad Rudy chuckle a little weakly, the cornball line not. NOT working.
If it was a line. Maybe this guy was just 100% vegan cheese.
“Hey… glad to help? Still. Hate to think I forgot a pal like you.” he said, the idea of a pal this excited to see him out there somewhere giving him a pang. It sounded nice. It was nice.
“Hey. It’s nothing to sweats about.” Flowery assured him, straightening up and tossing his head, making his curls sway and bounce. “Sicks, healthy. You’re just the guy I’ve been dreaming about. Live the moment. To me, you’re looking like a cool powder slope.” he said, voice smooth and echoing with friendly sentiment.
It was so pretty, Rudy immediately reached out to cheerfully punch him in the arm about it. Immediately, Flowery did a cartoonish pratfall back, dramatically falling in a drawn out way as Rudy howled with laughter
“H-ey, watch it!! You’ll knock me clean over like that, Rudolph~!” Flowery protested, huffing and pouting as he sat up. “Jeeeeeeze already.” he murmured, which only made Rudy laugh harder. After a moment, Flowery's smile softened, and he started to chuckle a little, the sound breaking out into matched laughter as they both just.
Hooted like a couple of fools in the Diner.
“Sorry, sorry. Hardly know my own strength.” Rudy gasped when he could speak, reaching out to offer him a hand up. Flowery took it, but Rudy didn’t feel any weight on the other end when he stood up. Looked a little more like he just… snapped back to being on his feet. But maybe he missed it while he was wiping the tears out of his eyes. Either way, Flowery's hand was wrapped around his a moment longer then Strictly necessary, he noticed.
“Hey~! Knock me over, throw me out the window! It’s all the best with the boys.” Flowery said cheerfully, which made Rudy snort a little. “Man, you’re just as much of a laugh riot as when we were roomates. Back in college!” Flowery added.
That gave Rudy a little pause, and he hummed, drawing his hand back as Flowery let go. Roomates. He did go together with that old apartment… but it did make him remember. Right. Dream.
“Riiiiight….” he murmured- no rush of dream memory or anything but. He wanted to play along. He could try lucid dreaming flying or whatever later. Right now… he’d kind of liked the part where he’d forgotten this wasn’t real. So.
He’d treat it like it was Real Enough. Why not? He brightened, and snapped his fingers, leaning in.
“Back with Asgore! In that shitty little apartment- so damn hot, he didn’t even need glass on the flowers till winter!” he crowed. Immediately, Flowery snapped his fingers back at him, grinning wide.
“Because the Aysee didn’t work! Not unless you hit it just right.” Flowery said, saying ‘AC’ in a way absolutely nobody ever had in Rudy’s life before.
“Hah! Only when Asgore did it…. I always tried though. I swear it KINDA worked if you did it to that one sitcom theme-“ Rudolph reached a hand out, and smacked the counter, whistling. Every-WHERE you LOOK…
“Oh I love that song.” Flowery said with a soft sigh, tilting his head back as his shoulders rose and fell. Rudy tried to bounce his eyes, but it was kinda tough when something else was bouncing. …not a LOT of bounce, compared to Asgore, but, hey. A nice view was a nice view, even if it wasn’t the Rockies.
“Pull up a stool, man! Catch me up! I wanna hear all about it. Old times, new times, new crimes!! Don’t hold back! It’s been too damn long since I got to hearing any new stories! …old stories too! Been too long since I got to do any crimes.” he said, as Flowery slid up to the stool, looking down at it uncertainly.
“Oh! Well… Obviously I’d love to.” Flowery tossed his hair back, holding a hand to his forehead. “But- I’m sorry to keep Asgore waiting.” he said, frowning uncertainly. Then he smiled again, and raised his head, smiling at him.
“Hey, I KNOW he’d love to see you, though! Why don’t you and I-“ Flowery started, but stopped, when Rudy gently laughed. The sound was a little more bitter then he mighta meant it to be or… maybe just tired.
“Asgore waitin’ on me huh.” he said, because. Hell. if it was a dream. He loved the guy. Loved the guy. But. He swiveled on his stool, until he could lean against the counter with one elbow, and look up at Flowery.
“Be honest, Flowery. He really waiting on you? Or were you waiting on him.” he asked, giving him the Be Real With Me eyes. Flowery cracked immediately, expression faltering. It made him hum, long and drawn out. Figured. Subconscious invented a whole extra best friend for them both, and somehow he couldn’t imagine Asgore not leaving him out in the cold.
“A-aw, come on, Rudy… you know how Gorey is!” Flowery said, pulling his smile back together, shaking his head.
“I sure do.” he muttered. Nobody in hometown Knew How Gorey Was better then him. Used to be a dead tie with Tori, now…
“He’s just a little tied up worrying about the big stuff. He’s got a bigbeautiful heart.” Flowery insisted. But Rudy noticed the mysterious wind keeping his coat cooly flapping had died down, so it just hung down his back. Rudy snorted softly, put in mind of drooping ears. It made him feel… honestly.
Honestly?? A little mad, actually! Alright, so he said the same kind of thing himself all the time. But that was him. Hearing it from somebody else… hell with that. Him and Flowery go get double ignored? Hell with it. He was grabbing the wheel on this dream.
“He does. But right now, my little beautiful heart could use a little time with a guy who's got time for me.” he said simply, reaching out to gently pat the stool next to him. “Come on. Don’t leave me hangin’! I know booths got the juice, but. This is a pretty exclusive pass to the Counter Club.” he said, wiggling his eyebrows. His little joke with Elly; kind of a way to try and make it just being the two of them fun and special. Back when he’d thought it’d be special, instead of. Normal.
“Besides. It’s GREAT in here.” Rudy added, because Flowery had hesitated, and he’d never been above cajoling. He even gestured back at Green, who was now reading a magazine with a frying pan on the cover, discretely indulging in a line chef's ability to either mind their own business or tuck gossip away for later. Their popcorn from before also had a smaller magazine, with popcorn on the cover. Green waved, and he waved back, because Green was cool as hell.
When he looked back at Flowery, he had a hand pressed to his chest, and looked. A lot more touched then Rudy had expected.
“You…. Likes it?” Flowery asked, leaning down towards him, the breeze fluttering his cool jacket. “You really like my Diner…?” he asked. Rudy snorted, and reached out to tug on the edge of Flowery’s jacket, trying to see if he could pull the man closer to the counter seats.
“Of COURSE I do, man! What’s not to love?” Rudy asked, gesturing around them. “It’s like a fall forest out here, but without the ticks and pneumonia risk. The chairs are comfy, the music's peaceful. Green obviously kicks ass.” he said, gesturing back again. Then he picked up the menu, waving it at Flowery a little.
“And this menu! It’s got all my favorites on here! Stroopwaffle. Three lichen salad! I love it!” he said, and meant it. Maybe he was an easy guy to please.
“…Heh. Well. Of course!” Flowery said, smiling with a curly little edge to it that Rudy couldn’t help zero in on. Like a little prideful smirk was trying to escape that big pretty smile.
“What kind of bestbuddy would I be if I didn’t prepavy your favies?” Flowery asked, sliding closer as Rudy kept tugging on his coat. He chuckled, and finally stepped in closer, sitting down next to Rudy by straddling the seat backwards, then turning. Rudy didn’t judge, he’d sat down like that when he’d had the lower back problems kick in at About Thirty Exactly. Flowery made it look cool, somehow. At least to him.
“Besides. Asgore’s always talking about you, you know! Switching to lichen from carrots for your health… that made my heart smile for days.” he said, slowly leaning over with his elbow extended like he was leaning on it, despite still being a foot above the counter.
“DOES he now…” Rudy asked, with soft sigh- but Flowery reached out, putting a hand on his shoulder like they really had known each other for years. Rudy allowed it, because he was very handsome, and Rudy was on about year four of near-terminal heartbreak.
“Hey.” Flowery said softly, frowning. Mostly frowning. Rudy had noticed his eyes mostly stayed the same, besides opening and shutting. Kind of reminded him of holiday movies about the winter’s frost falling in love with a monster girl and trying to become human. All smiling stop motion eyes and sad little frown; like maybe if the guy cried, it’d be little beads of sparkling glass or something. Rudy had always loved those movies. When he’d been little, his heart had kinda broken for poor Jack Frost, turning back into weather in the end.
“I mean it, Rudy.” Flowery said softly. “I know we haven’t talked… for a while but. You’re always on Asgore’s mind.” he said, squeezing his shoulder. He frowned, and as Rudy watched, something painful flickered at the edges of his posture.
“That’s… why I’m so glad I could see you. I knew I’d see Goregore today, but I didn’t think I’d get to see you before I have to go.” he leaned in, just slightly, and Rudy didn’t lean back. …Goregore? Hell was his subconscious having this tall fine man and Asgore doing. Maybe he SHOULD have gone along with it. Too late now, he was mad at Asgore, and Flowery had a big tragic frown.
“I hope you can forgive me for that. If… there was any way I could have been at the hospital somehow…” Flowery said, trailing off with a hitch of longing so strong it made Rudy reach up, and gently touch the hand on his shoulder. Something about it was…
Nice. It was nice to have someone a little agonized over him. Somehow, the idea there was someone who’d wanted to see him as bad as he’d wanted company was. Nice. Not that he ever doubted Carol; she was his true blue. And Asgore still came by every day, just. Sometimes… Recently, his wife and his best friend could both be in the same room as him, and he still felt like they weren’t really with him at all. They were already putting him in a locket. He wanted the hell out of gauzy bedsheet flashbacks, already!
“Hey. I’m here now, ain’t I?” Rudy asked, smiling at him. “Why waste time boohooin’ about coulda-woulda’s? You got me now. Steal me away already!” he urged cheerfully, bouncing his eyebrows as Flowery looked shocked.
“H-hey, I’m not a stealing guy… I just borrows~!” Flowery said, swapping from a Harried Frown to a cutesy, tounge-stuck-out smile, bonking his fist against his own skull. It made Rudy giggle a little, leaning over to bump his shoulder against Flowery’s arm.
“Alright, so borrow, borrow! What else you got going on? Sounds like Asgore’s busy.” Rudy rolled his eyes. “Lemme guess. ~His Project~.” he said, turning to look over his shoulder at Green.
“Amirite??” he asked them, and snorted when they lifted a silent thumbs up over their magazine. The popcorn had returned to its post at the stove, wearing a small apron. He looked back to Flowery, and sighed.
“Yeah that’s what I thought. Man's so lost in the past, he can't even give it a break in a dream! Slumberland invented a whole cute boyfriend for him to be neglecting!” he said, bringing his hand down to slap the counter- the impact popping flowery up in a startled hop on his stool a second. When he landed, he immediately turned to gesture with both hands,waving them quickly as he shook his head.
“BEST friend!” Flowery corrected, voice echoing in a way that made Rudy’s ears flick. But he only sighed, and looked at Flowery sadly.
“Damn. Still closeted even in Wonderland… Asgore, what am I gonna do with you….?” he murmured, shaking his head. Hell was he going to do with Rudy, either? Well. For now at least, he shook it off, and smiled up at Flowery. Asgore’s loss.
“Well. You’re Asgore’s best friend… who isn’t his boyfriend. And I’m also Asgore’s best friend, who isn’t his boyfriend. Then I don’t see why we can’t keep each other company.” he said gesturing between them. “We have a lot in common. Hell, we even got the same fashion taste! You steal that vest from me in college? C'mon, lemme see the tag!” he joked, sitting up higher on his seat. Flowery laughed, lifting his shoulders as he leaned away, hands lifted.
“Hey, hey! I told you, I only borrows, honest!” Flowery said, waving his hands back and forth. Then he stopped, and lifted the edge of his vest, showing it off to Rudy a bit.
“…Well. I always did really admire your styles, Rudy. You were the coolest thing, you know? Maybe I picked up a little from you.” Flowery said, looking at Rudy with a little subtle peek again. “Do you… likes it?” he asked, fishing about as subtly as a man begging a pond.
“Obviously I do! Vest with the coat over the shoulder? Classic. You look ready to cut an album!” he insisted. Maybe he was laying it on a little thick. But he meant it. Couldn’t do any harm. He’d wake up back at the hospital and tell Carol about it and crack up if she really did get mad about it. Or she’d sigh. He didn’t mind a sigh! So long as he still rated a sigh…
“What… kind of album.” Flowery asked, cupping his chin with one hand, looking thoughtful.
“Smooth dance.” Rudy said instantly, sure of it. The cheesy kind. Real crooner stuff. Immediately, he was rewarded with Flowery's easy, breezy smile.
“Rudy, you remembered! Smooths always been one of my favorite textures.” Flowery said brightly, looking over his shoulder subtly. “I… suppose Gorey did say he didn’t want to be interrupted for anything. And if HE can’t take care of you. He’d want. Someone to.” Flowery said thoughtfully.
“…Probably!” Rudy said uncertainly, before he shook his head. He knew Flowery WAS right, just. You could get sore with someone you still loved like crazy.
“What’s Flowery think about it?” he asked, only meaning to tease. It seemed to stun Flowery a moment, before he smiled slightly wider, and hopped up to his feet.
“…Flowery thinks. You talked him into giving you the Boys World Tour.” Rudy said, offering Rudy his arm with a gallant, goofy sweep.
“After all- you’re his best friend! And your happiness… is mine.” Flowery said, touching his hand to his chest, leaning in closer to Rudy to offer him his arm.
Rudy grinned, and reached out to take it easily, hopping off his stool.
“Thought you’d never ask.” he said cheerfully, letting himself be swept out of the Diner.
It turned out, he loved the Flower Kingdom. Some of the decor choices were a little… iffy, and made him wonder if he’d fallen asleep while Noelle was playing the bit in Dragon Blazers with the underwater dragon castle or something. But it was beautiful, still. Kind of place he’d have loved to go on vacation. And he loved the boys. Including the boys who were girls, or weren’t either.
They… weren’t exactly like any of the rare humans Rudy had met, outside of the kids reminding him of Kris in some ways. But they were fun! They felt like… a family. Not exactly a clear mom and dad kind of family, but he kinda liked that. It made him think of old times, when Kris and Elly had been little, and it’d just made sense to be in and out of each other's houses all the time. Cowboy shows on in the living room, laughing in the kitchen.
There was a lot of laughter in the Flower Kingdom, at least wherever Rudy was. Sometimes he managed to get Flowery laughing the same way he had in the Diner, hard enough all the pretty gloss on him got a little messy. He liked that. He didn’t even mind the guy fussing over him. He liked Flowery. He was a big kook who was too confident to realize he was awkward. And he was incredible to see with the kids. Attentive. Focused. Introduced them and what they liked as if it was the most important thing in the world.
It made Rudy wish he did remember the guy. He could kind of imagine it. Falling asleep on a couch too small for two guys with three guys piled on. Air smelling like sunlight and green, with the shitty old black-and-white TV Asgore never had the heart to let go of on, all the flowers crowding the apartment rustling gently in a fan breeze. It was seriously too hot for how much fur was being packed into one room.
He missed those days, sometimes. Enough he liked the idea of there having been more of it, somehow. He’d never want to give up… he’d never give anything up for the family he’d made, so it wasn’t like he wanted to go back. If he could do it all over again… Noelle was his world. But. If he could go back just for a visit…
The dream felt a bit like visiting those days again. Or like those two family, one family, messy weekends. It was a beautiful place to visit.
It could make a man wanna dream a little deeper, that was all.