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By the time Noelle and Susie got the hospital both were absolutely drenched.
“Fahaha! Geeze Susie, you look like you're an aquatic monster now!” She teased, but it was apparent to everyone BUT Susie that Noelle was admiring the way Susie’s purple scaley flesh glimmered in the hospital lighting.
“And I guess that you're uh… a… rain deer?” Susie joked back, though her expression was more awkward than anything. She hoped the joke wasn't overstepping any boundaries…
“Fahahahaha! Oh my cheezus that's a terrible one!” She almost doubled over in laughing, though a quick glance at herself told her that ergh she was gonna be dripping wet from the rain for a while.
Susie has been somewhat reinvigorated after that, seeing her appreciate the joke made it all the more worth it. Plus, despite not being able to really put a finger in it, seeing Noelle smile and laugh just made her… happy. Kind of the same way that Kris’s smirks did.
“Guess we should go… check in?” Susie asked, then following it up with another awkward: “...however we do that?”
“Geeze, Susie, have you never been to the hospital before? Okay, don't worry, I'll handle all the talking.”
There was something a bit silly about the situation, Susie felt, that she was the one people tended to be afraid of and yet Noelle was the one that had to go up and talk to the receptionist for her. Almost felt like the funny pictures she used to see online of people's girlfriends having to stick up for them and say she didn't ask for pickles.
But she was very happy that Noelle was here. She didn't even know if Kris could help out with something like this or not. Maybe Vari, but eh…
“Done. Let's head to room one.” Noelle beamed back, Susie hasn't even realized she had been staring at Noelle the whole time and so when she didn't immediately respond Noelle continued. “Uhm, Susie?”
“Oh, sorry, was just uh, thinking…” Crap she needed an excuse! She looked around the area and as her eyes fell onto the piano in the corner she quickly continued “...Kris would probably be a good piano player.”
“Huh? Oh, yeah?” Noelle asked as she tilted her head slightly. She started to walk towards the door though, holding it open into the hospital hallway. “I guess you weren't really around way back then but you're actually super correct. Kris used to come over all the time and just play the piano at my place.”
“Really? Damn. I'm kinda jealous.” Susie followed Noelle to the first door in the hospital wing, allowing her to open this one too as she made her way in. Her eyes fell upon the sink for a moment and immediately she knew that- “I bet if Kris was here they'd make a stupid comment about the sink too.”
This again got Noelle to laugh softly. Shaking her head as she closed the door behind her.
“Spot on again! You're already becoming a Kris professional.”
For whatever reason this made Susie happy, but she made the mistake of trying to lift her injured arm up to rub at the back of her head.
“Errgghh, ouchh, that's gonna be a hard habit to break.” Susie grumbled as she sat down onto the medical bed.
“So when you said you were jealous… why was that? Jealous of uhm, Kris coming over..? Or of the piano playing or..?” Noelle was a bit hesitant to ask, for the answer could possibly determine a lot about the future chances of her crush.
“I’unno.” Susie responded with a sigh. She leaned forwards enough to carefully balance the injured arm on her leg. “Just… all of it, I guess. I never could play the piano and… kind of have a bad history with them.” She left that part at that, leaving Noelle really wanting more but unable to bring herself to push the subject.
“And it must have been cool, to have a friend over a bunch. I never really… was allowed to have friends over. I think my mom was embarrassed by our… apartments.” Susie looked all around the room now, everywhere but Noelle. “Sorry, if this is all too awkward…”
“Wha- of course it's not, Susie! I think hearing about your life is really interesting. I mean, we grew up… very different, but we somehow still managed to uhm, get along… really well, right?”
Susie looked away from the Ice-ee pain chart where she had been trying to determine where she fell on the scale to look at Noelle directly now.
“Huh, you're right. I never really thought of it that way before. Your house was god damned huge from what I saw last night. Guess I never would have thought you were the big rich kid with how you act. You're kind of.. too cool, ya’ know?”
“Geeze, uhm, thanks…” Noelle was blushing hard. She was alone, in a room (sure it was a hospital room but!), with Susie!! And they were just… talking! This really couldn't be going any better-
“Coming in.” A knock at the door signalled the doctor’s arrival. The tall white rabbit monster has the entire classical get up. Stephascope, glasses, and more.
“Susie, was it? I have a few forms I need you to fill out and then we are going to do an x-ray of your arm. Noelle, you can wait here if you would like or back in the main reception… though I'm sure your father would enjoy a visit too.” He gave Noelle a knowing nod. Susie got up and looked to Noelle for a moment before just saying a quick:
“See you soon?”
“Yeah, of course! I’ll be waiting…”
As five minutes stretched to ten, Noelle was lost in thought about the entire situation. It was tough, but she her mind kept coming back to how Kris must have been doing alongside how Susie was doing right now too. Right now, Kris was in Castle Town no doubt showing Pink around with Ralsei… or, she supposed, Vari was the one doing that weren't they?
It was hard to fully grasp the situation Kris was in, having not just another SOUL inside them but an entire other person. What would that mean if they wanted to hang out but… Vari did too? How would they eventually figure out how to balance both lives? And why… even when hanging out with her crush, did her thoughts keep turning back to Kris?
Everything was perfect right now. She finally got to hang out with Susie, and yet something told her that there was just something missing. A Kris shaped hole in her heart. Was she… jealous, perhaps? Jealous that Kris was right now hanging out with Ralsei and Pink? Maybe she was, but why?
She knew that it's not like Kris would replace her with those four, right? Unless they actually were really, really cool…
She could see it now, Noelle standing in castle town with Susie but Kris, Ralsei, and Pink come over hand in hand saying they're all going to the club. See ya’ nerds later.
She- Okay! Okay! So she WAS jealous but… there was no reason! UGH! Noelle, Noelle, get yourself together! She thought to herself. She needed a distraction. Deciding she may as well go say hello she got up and went to see how her dad was doing in the adjacent room.
Knocking on the door she gave a quick call out: “Hey Dad, I'm coming in.” Before pushing open the door to see her father reading a book in bed.
“Hey Honey, I had a strange feeling I'd be seeing you today. Call it future sight because I totally called it.” As Rudolph perked up at seeing his daughter he came out of the gates running with the jokes.
“Fahaha! Really now, dad? Did the latest treatment give you superpowers or something?” Noelle let out a little laugh as she made her way up and sat on the side of his bed where she typically did. He had already scooted over to make room for her after all.
“Yeah, the treatment was called ‘Hearing you in the hallway.” He laughed loudly that only resulted in one of his also typical coughing fits. Noelle gave a small chuckle but the worry on her face was obvious.
“Come on, honey, let me live a little! That look you give always makes me feel bad.”
“But you should be resting…”
“Ugh, what do you think I do here twenty-two hours every day? I get a little time to have fun when you’re around, and the other thirty minutes are when Carol’s here.” He teased, but it just made Noelle shift around slightly uncomfortably.
“Well, who was that girl you were with?” He asked, grinning from ear to ear. He KNEW he heard someone else out there.
“Oh, that? That was just… Susie, dad. She got injured recently so I offered to bring her here.”
“Wait, THAT Susie. You know, THE one you talk about nonstop?”
“H-huh?! I mean… I don’t talk about her THAT much, do I…?” This drew a wide grin from Rudy, he let out another, quieter, chuckle this time.
“Noelle, the only time I’ve seen you talk more about someone is when Kris used to come over on the regular and you’d keep asking where Kris was when they weren’t around, or that time you gave Kris a ring-pop and propose-”
“W-WOAH okay Dad no need to go THAT far!!!!” Her eyes went wide, full deer in the headlights mode! And this did NOTHING to help her get her mind away from the earlier thoughts either!
“AHAHAHA!” Laughing into another small coughs. “Eugh, sorry. That was too good. How is Kris, anyhow? Any progress on your weird stalker arc?” He winked at her, earning just another loud groan from Noelle.
“Come on, do you really have to make it sound like I was stalking them…?”
“Eh, you were always telling me about how at exactly four o’ eight P.M. you saw their window open, or about how once you saw them just lean out their windowsill and stare at the stars at exactly nine o’five later that night.” He teased, but there was obviously a little concern in his voice and facial expression about his daughter’s habits but… He was just too nice, or, well- “... Trust me, if you kept going on about that I was about to break out of here, march to the Dreemurr’s, and grab Kris by the ear and yank ‘em out of their house for a little daylight. I was starting to suspect they turned into a vampire!”
“Fahahaha, very funny… But okay, maybe I went a LITTLE overboard in the past but…” Noelle fidgeted, pushing their fingers together. “...The thing is, dad, uhm, they came back to school this year and… We’re in the same group together, alongside Susie, and it’s been like… they never left.” She looked off to the side, she was simultaneously so happy and yet… It was almost stressful.
“Ah geeze, I know that look. Guess you inherited it from me.” He sighed, earning a confused look from Noelle.
“What do you mean…?”
“Well, back in my college years, let me tell you, things got a bit wild. I’ve told you how I met your mom, but did I ever tell you that for a while, Toriel and I had a bit of a thing too, in fact, don’t tell Carol, but it may have been a thing with both Toriel and Gorey.” He flashed her a grin, and Noelle immediately started laughing.
“Oh my goooddddddd GROSS Dad! I don’t want to know that!” This earned yet another laugh, grinning all the while.
“Sorry honey, anyway, things happened, we ended it on good terms and remained best of friends. I hooked up with your mom and all’s well that ended well, right? But you know, I know what it’s like to be in the situation you are right now. So let me just give you some helpful advice…”
Noelle canted her head, looking her father in the eye.
“... No one said you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Trust me, honey, if you want this bad enough, I know you can find a way to make it happen… Just so long as the other two are also in agreement. Don’t force it on either of ‘em, but, hey, I’m sure you can figure it out. Maybe you can just buy them BOTH ring pops this time and see what happens!” Of course he had to end on a joke that caused another small coughing fit, but as he groaned back into the bed it left Noelle with much more to think about.
“...Huh… Thanks, Dad. I guess I should… Well, I got a lot to think about.” Noelle stated, nodding slowly afterwards.
“Yeah, but bring Susie by sometime. I gotta let her know that if she does anything funny to you I’ll kick her ass!” He flashed one of those award winning grins, and Noelle couldn’t help but exclaim out loudly:
“DAD! You’re not even supposed to be getting up, you can’t kick anyone’s behind!”
“Yeah, but she doesn’t know that.” He winked. “Fine, I’ll just throw something at her if she acts out!”
The two fell into a moment of silence before, with now more concern in his voice, Rudy spoke up again.
“So what is she in for, anyway? If we’re going to be neighbors I gotta know how serious the trouble I’m in is.”
“Oh, she, uhm…” She didn’t dare explain how she got blown up by a giant cat bomb while saving the lives of herself, Kris, Ralsei, and Vari, so…. “...She was helping me get a book off the top shelf of the Library (as she still refused to call it Librarby in polite company), and then the stand slipped and she fell, bad…”
“Damn. Guess better her than you, but a fall is no joke. I’ll thank her later for trying to help you, and then scold her for making you worry.” He grinned, but then a more serious tone came over him. “Couldn’t you just get the librarian to help?” Noelle shuddered at the memories of the ‘librarians,’ those weird, gangly-legged Harvestman-Takaashigani things, but quickly recalled a real excuse.
“The new librarian uhm, she has difficulty with… touching things.”
Seeming to recognize this, his expression fell. “Oh, one of the ghosts? Yeah, Asgore was always good friends with ‘em, he gave me more than one lecture on that front. Good to hear uh, one of ‘em managed to find something they wanted to do.”
Noelle nodded, fidgeting again before looking back.
“Hey, Dad, about Kris though…”
Three knocks on the door.
“Rudolph, may I come in?” It was the doctor.
“Yeah, yeah, come on.”
The rabbit from before now stood in here, clipboard in his hand.
“It’s time for the afternoon sessio- Oh, I see. Hello Noelle. Susie’s examination was completed, perhaps you’d like to go say hello?” He asked, looking from Rudy to Noelle and then back again.
“It’s alright honey, go have fun with Susie. I’ll catch you later alright?”
“Of course, Dad, take care. Uhm, I’ll try to come back tomorrow if I can. Though…”
“The group project?” He asked, and she nodded. “Hey, at least you’re not stuck with that one kid again, who was he, Burghley?”
“Fahaha! It was, Berdly, Dad, he’s not that bad… But yeah, I’m kind of glad to have a break at the same time.”
She leaned over quickly and, in return, Rudy gave her a quick hug.
“If your mom gives you any trouble over Susie or Kris, just tell her I said they can come over.” He winked, making her eyes shoot up.
“S-susie, K-kris, over at our place?! Dad that’s…! Okay, I’m leaving now!”
With one final laugh he waved his daughter farewell. The doctor only giving Noelle a warm smile as she walked by.
“They grow up so fast, don’t they?” The doctor commented.
“Yeah, wish I could be there to see it happen though…”
Knocking on Susie’s door, she poked her head in immediately after and saw Susie now had her arm in a cast and was groaning loudly.
“Can you believe it? They’re making me wear THIS stupid thing! It isn’t even fully broken!” Susie siigghheddd as she threw herself back onto the bed. “AND they want to keep me here overnight! Boring as hell. What am I gonna do all day and night?!”
“Well, uhm, actually… I had an idea.” Noelle offered with a small smile.
“Yeah? What is it?”
“Since you can’t really play, but I think it’d be fun. What if I go grab Dragon Blazers and we… Play together?” She was blushing hotly, to some degree it reminded her of when Kris and her used to do the same thing…
“Oh yeah? Like… You play, and I help make decisions for you or something?”
“Exactly! Then it’s like you get to play too, even if you’re not holding the controller.”
“Heh.” Susie smirked, blowing her bangs out of the way. “Giving orders is always more Kris and Vari’s thing, but, why not? That sounds fun. Maybe I’ll pick up a thing or two along the way.”
Noelle nodded, promising Susie she would be back soon. Her face was glowing hotly. If anything would help them become closer together then surely playing games together the same way she used to with Kris would help. Back when Kris used to have that funny plush cat, Seam, and pretend the strategy guide was Seam’s wizard book helping cast spells and give out secrets.
She left the hospital and started walking back towards her place. She could have taken a bit of a shortcut through the woods but… She had one other stop to make on the way home.
After all, she had to know if ‘Sans sold ring pops.