Author's note: Hello everyone. Um.. So it's been like...years since I've worked on an actual fan-fic. I've only mostly written small stuff here and there, but yeah, I guess the point I'm trying to make is that- I'm rusty. I know I probably should've asked someone to write this for me, but I was actually feeling in the mood to write. Who knows, I may commission someone someday to re-write this for me, but until then, ya'll are going to have to suffer through my bad grammar, numerous spelling mistakes, and just overall shitty writing. Also no - this isn't an adult fic - sorry- this will just have lots of fluff and comfort stuff, mostly because I just really need to be fed some comfort writing right now. But anyways, enough of my yammering, please read and enjoy. Also please go easy on me in the review/comments section . I know I'm not the best writer but I'm trying my best. I also hope all this doesn't seem too to rushed. I might go back and fix some things, but yeah..
Also, just give some insight - Kris and Susie are seniors in this fic and it's like early May-ish, so close to graduation. I wanted to specify so that the closeness they display in this fic is kinda something that was built with time. If you can't already guess, the dark fountains are also now sealed and this takes place post-canon.
The school bell rang, the noise blared angrily through the pale yellow halls of Hometown High. Although the angry ringing would seem obnoxious to most, it was actually the sweetest sound to many. It was, after all, the indicator that the school day was finally over. After the ringing ceased, the halls swelled with students and became filled with the reverberation of chatter and laughter. Echoes of lockers slamming and shoes on hard floor filled the building as students piled into the halls, all eager to go home and do "teenager stuff". Whether that "teenager stuff" was to play video games, or watch grass grow, anything was better than sitting through another boring lesson. All of the students in classroom D were making themselves scarce as well. After such a long day of tedious lectures and listening to Ms. Alphys talk about algebra and anime, everyone was ready to leave...and that "everyone" included Susie.
Waiting for the other students to file out of the room, the monster stretched her reptilian mouth wide and let out a grumbling yawn. Yellow teeth that lined her gums flashed in the classroom's fluorescent lighting. Although this display would be enough to intimidate any sane person, it did little to affect the quiet human who was sitting at the desk in front of her. Instead of shrinking away or cowering like the others in class, they gently smiled at her ill-bred mannerisms.
Once the room was empty, Susie finally felt comfortable enough to stand up and stretch her arms to the air. While doing so, her yellow eyes slid down to squint at her friend below. Kris was still silently sitting in their chair watching her. Gaining an inexplicable serotonin rush from seeing the human stare up at her through their bang covered eyes, the monster couldn't help but smirk her trademark shit eating grin.
"Damn, I thought today was never going to end," She began," I think even Alphys was starting to fall asleep..."
With this, Kris's smile widened slightly. They let out a small puff of laughter and nodded their head in agreement. Seeing her friend's approval, Susie's smile broadened.
"Well...I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Let's get out of here."
Susie watched as Kris cocked an eyebrow at her statement. Despite there hardly ever being anything close to a readable expression on their face, she always knew what they were thinking. Crossing her arms, an annoyed growl escaped her snout and the monster's eyes shifted to the side in embarrassment.
"Don't give me that look- I KNOW you gave me your chips. I can't help that I'm still hungry...I'm a growing girl!"
And with that she let out a snort of indignation. A small puff of smoke escaped her nostrils as she briskly walked past Kris. Kris smiled, their shoulders beginning to shake with silent laughter. They loved getting under their friend's skin.
"Hey dork, you coming or naw?" Susie snapped. She was standing by the doorway now, waiting impatiently. Kris stood up, politely slid their chair into their desk, and stalked over to the exit.
Along their way to the front of the building, Kris began to feel the...uh..."call of nature". Their mouth parted slightly and their brows furrowed. Without so much of a word, they reached out a hand and tugged gently on the back of Susie's coat sleeve. Susie halted in surprise and whirled around, almost knocking her friend off their feet in the process. It was a common occurrence that the monster would underestimate her sheer size and bump into things...and sometimes those "things" were little humans. Looking down, she noticed the troubled look on Kris's face.
"What's up?"
Kris bowed their head sheepishly and gripped their arm with their other hand. Not looking up from the tiled ground, they gently motioned their head towards the bathroom.
Susie's eyebrows lifted.
"Oh! I gotch'ya. Go ahead, I'll wait outside." And with that, they both parted ways.
As soon as Susie passed through the front doors, her eyes widened in surprise. The sky was dark with thick billowy clouds, it looked like it was about to storm. The trees around the school shook in excitement as the low rumble of thunder passed over the small town. Mindlessly, or rather, subconsciously, the monster grabbed a piece of chalk out of her pocket and began to nibble on it thoughtfully. Although she herself wasn't scared of storms or lightening...or ANYTHING for that matter, a sky that looked as ominous as this one did cause her mane to bristle slightly. It was almost like some kind of primal nervousness stirred within her, but she easily shrugged it off...and despite the sky looking as frightful as it did, it was honestly kinda cool... after all, storms were metal af.
Almost immediately after thinking this, a boom rumbled through the atmosphere. This time, the thunder sounded much closer, and a flash of lightening illuminated the dark clouds above. Susie noticed she was standing next to the school's flag pole. Whoops!- probably should move...The thought of getting struck by lightening wasn't something she was too keen on. With that in mind, she lazily meandered away from it and decided it best to take shelter under the entrance awning.
About 20 minutes passed before rain began to fall. It crashed against the roof of the school, the sound of water hitting metal filled the air. The thunder from earlier was now right above the school, and slivers of lightening were dancing in the clouds. The wind was also beginning to pick up, causing the nearby foliage to croak and groan in pain. Susie was smushed to a small corner of the entrance, avoiding the rain like the plague. It wasn't that she didn't like the rain, she just couldn't afford to get wet. A large wardrobe was a luxury she lacked, so...y'know- getting rained on would kinda put a damper on her night. Maybe Kris could ask Toriel if she could spend the night? It had been a minute since they had a sleepover...Hey...wait a minute...actually- speaking of Kris, where was the little freak?
Although Susie thought it best NOT to be nosey while...um..."duty calls", she couldn't help but feel uneasy about the amount of time that had passed since she last saw her friend. Almost 40 minutes had passed since they left for the bathroom. Now that it was raining, it would be hell to try and walk home. Maybe they could go to the library and wait it out?
A flash of white light suddenly blinded her. Susie's pupils turned to slits as every cell in her body lit up from the electricity in the air. After the blinding light, a loud ear splitting crack of thunder split through the sky, and a bolt of lightening struck the flag pole.
The teens hair rose at the sight. Yeesh- Alright, that's it. That was TOO close, she was going inside. Licking her lips to remove any chalk residue, the monster opened the door and slipped through.
The halls were empty and quiet. It made the rumbles and groans of the storm outside all the more menacing. It was her guess that she and Kris were the last persons here. Feeling her gut twist on that thought, Susie put a paw to her head and scratched in irritation. If Kris was still doing their thing, this was going to be uhh...awkward. But whatever. She was worried about the little nerd and thought it best to check on them...But damn, if they've just been in there putting ketchup packets under the toilet seats again, she was going to be pissed.
Plodding over to the bathroom, the monster grumbled before lifting a paw and knocking on the bathroom door.
"Kris? Kris...come on dude. You've been in there for an hour. Ya okay?"
There was silence.
Susie, sucked in a breath and let out an exasperated sigh before finally opening the door. She poked her snout in and glanced around. Nothing.
Absolutely dumbfounded by this, she backed out of the bathroom and began to look around.
"Kris?" She called out again. She was only greeted by the sound of silence. Surely they wouldn't of...couldn't of...they wouldn't try to go back THERE, right? It had been almost a year since everything happened. It was something she refused to think about, and she and Kris swore they would never bring it up again. Yeah, no...Kris was eccentric in their own way, but surely they weren't crazy enough to try and go...especially after all THAT, right? Feeling a heavy weight settle in her stomach, Susie turned on her heel and began to march towards the supply closet. Along the way there, she stopped to glance in the unused room where they had previously adventured in. It had been a minute since she had the nerve to look in there, but as she did, the teen was surprised to see it was completely cleared out. Even the storage cabinet was gone. Despite feeling slightly relieved that Kris was not there, it made her stomach flip with dread because that still left...
Susie's pace picked up. A sweat-drop appeared on her cheek as thoughts began to race in her head. Not again, not again, not again...
Reaching the end of the hall, she finally stood in front of it...the supply closet. Seeing her silhouette's shadow cast upon the door instantly trigged a feeling of deja-vu. Bad memories began to flood her brain...memories she wanted to forget. The sight made her nauseous and her paws sweat. Despite the horrible feeling that seemed to grip her soul, she clenched her fists and defiantly clasped the door knob. The teen's snout wrinkled as a grimace puled across her face. Pushing past every instinct that screamed no, don't do it, she opened the door anyway. Her eyes widened with shock. Nothing. Only an empty closet with cleaning supplies and storage boxes.
No Kris.
Relief. Confusion. Fear...Where were THEY?
"KRIS!" Susie called again, this time in alarm. Her deep voice was trembling as she called. It echoed off the cement walls back into her ears...it was like her own voice was mocking her.
After calling again, she listened intently, but there was only dreaded silence...that is until-
crack*
The sound of thunder erupted from outside. Susie's eyes widened and she jumped as the entire school lit up...and that's when she heard it. A scream. It was soon drowned out by the roaring of the storm. Feeling her heart pound against her ribcage, the monster sprinted down the hallway, her boots squeaking against the floor as she pushed herself forward. There was still moisture on the soles of her shoes from when she was outside earlier. It made her footing slippery, causing the teen to almost wipe out completely when she turned a corner.
"KRIS!?" She yelled, her voice shaking as she tried not to panic.
It was weird. Her heart was pounding so hard, her paws were quivering. Why was she so scared? She wasn't scared of anything...but now...
She was terrified.
A rumble shook the halls of the school. The roars of thunder were so loud and constant, that Susie could hardly hear let alone think. At this rate, there was no way she was going to get anywhere chasing sound. It would be impossible. With the school being empty, it was just a giant amplifier.
But wait...
Feeling her chest swell with hope, an idea came to mind. Susie closed her eyes, stuck her nose to the air, and inhaled deeply. The monster's nostrils flared and retracted as she sniffed. She could smell the rain outside...the burning heat of electricity as it jumped through the air...the smell of lingering odors from the cafeteria, and the clashing scents of the students that had walked the halls earlier...but there was this one smell. This one smell that she was able to hone in on. The teen's brows narrowed as she tried to focus on this one smell. It was a sweet smell...fruity...and it smelled like...Apples.
The monster opened her eyes as she locked in on the scent. Her pupils were slitted as she began to follow the trail.
Sniffing each room she passed, she realized where the trail was leading her. Having this weird understanding of how Kris's mind works, her walk turned into a jog as she figured out where they were. It didn't take long for her to reach a classroom with a name plaque that said "Ms. Dreemurr" on the side. Toriel's classroom...
Susie opened the door and peered in. Feeling her blood pounding in her ears, she experimentally sniffed the air. The overwhelming scent of apples invaded her senses.
"...Kris?" She called. The alarm in her voice was repressed, but much to her embarrassment, still apparent. It wasn't until the room lit up from a flash of lightening that she heard a small yelp come from the corner of the room. The lights were off, making it hard to see. Her yellow eyes reflected what little light the room had to offer as they tried to adjust to the darkness. Her attention narrowed in on a huddled form in the floor. Susie's eyebrows titled upward, and her jaw slackened in sympathy when she walked closer and observed the sight in front of her.
Kris was on the floor, back pressed against the wall, head buried in their knees. The human was shaking as they sobbed uncontrollably.
"Kris..."
Her voice was gentle. So gentle in fact, that it even surprised her. Kris continued to cry, their sniffles echoing off the cold walls of the room. Susie frowned as the scent of salt hit her nose. Unsure of what to do, her paws reached out, but then retracted. The teen's shoulders then drooped and bangs covered her eyes.
How long had they been here? Was Kris in here this whole time?
The sound of thunder boomed outside and the room filled momentarily with light. Kris violently flinched and let out a muffled whimper into the sleeves of their sweater. Susie wasn't sure what compelled her or what came over her. She just reacted...acted without even thinking. She quietly fell to her knees next to Kris and began to shrug off her jacket. Without a word, she shuffled closer and placed the jacket around the human's smaller frame. Kris, who seemed almost delirious, grabbed absent mindedly at the fabric and pulled it over them. Susie watched quietly, her eyes still covered. Never before had she seen them so small...so vulnerable...
Whenever she thought of Kris, her mind would always think: mischievous, intelligent, and rational. She was reminded of all the times they adventured in the Dark World, when they'd be adorned with their armor, sword and shield out, ready to ACT...always knowing what to do, what to say- This was was the first time...the first time ever...
Feeling her chest tighten with guilt and self resentment, she swallowed the lump that began to form in her throat. Unsure of what to do or say, her heart made the decision for her.
Kris froze as they felt large muscular arms wrap around them. Their scarlet eyes that were filled with tears flashed briefly in the light as a crack of thunder sounded and a flash of lightening showered the classroom walls. Despite this, they remained silent and frozen, their tears silently running down their reddened cheeks.
"Kris..." Susie spoke, her deep voice quiet but soft. For a moment, the room was silent.
Quiet...
Time seemed to slow at that moment.
"I'm so sorry...I don't understand what you're going through...but I'm here."
Kris remained still, their hands clutching the jacket as the warmth of Susie's body enveloped them. Shaking hands hesitantly wrapped around her waist and a wet face pressed into the front of her shirt. The monster immediately felt chills erupt all over her body as the cold wetness of Kris's tears seeped through the fabric and dampened her scales. Her hold on them strengthened as she felt the human begin to shake and they continued to sob.
Susie's mouth curled up as she felt her own eyes begin to sting. This was unfair. How could someone so small, so quiet...someone who was once so insignificant in her life have such an effect on her? Her grip on them tightened. This time, it didn't tighten for them, it was more for her. It was almost as if it was for reassurance...that they could never leave again if she held on tight enough. She felt like she had failed them, and that if she let go, they'd vanish...again. It was scary. It was SCARY. Losing them even just for that brief amount of time was scary. Susie wasn't scared of many things, but that...that concept alone terrified her.
They stayed like that for a while. Every now and then, when there was another flash of lightening or the random clap of thunder, Kris would once again bury their face into Susie's chest. She held them, her chin resting on their shoulder, paw gently rubbing their back up and down as they cowered in fear.
"It's okay...don't look..."
Kris, as always, continued to say nothing. On occasion they would sniffle here or there or let out a small whimper, but they refused to say a word. At some point, both of the teens' legs had grown numb from their position, so Susie took the initiative and guided them both to the floor. Her face was flushed from being so close to them, and she could tell Kris was nervous too by the way their body heated and trembled under her touch, but the new position brought almost instant relief to their aching legs. They both agreed in mutual silence that it was worth the awkwardness. Susie pulled the jacket over Kris as they laid in the floor. At first, they both continued to lie there, motionless, too nervous to move or say anything. But as soon as the thunder started up again, Kris threw all inhibitions aside and wrapped their arms around their friend. Susie wasn't purposely trying to take advantage of the situation or anything...more like...she was trying to make the better of it- but the monster couldn't help but bury her snout into the back of Kris's neck and inhale. She always tried to deny how good they smelled...she used to toss it up to the thought that maybe it was just because she was hungry all the time, or maybe she just REALLY liked apples...
Or maybe it wasn't until recently, or more specifically, these past few months she began to realize maybe there was more to it than that. Maybe there was more to these emotions and feelings...maybe it was something she wasn't sure if she was ready to admit.
Despite all of these thoughts spinning in her head, now wasn't the time to indulge. She needed to be there for Kris.
The human continued to bury their head in her chest. Susie squeezed them to her and drew the jacket up to cover their heads. It was stuffy under the piece of clothing, but just as she predicted, her friend almost immediately began to settle down. With the storm out of sight, naturally it would be out of mind.
They stayed like that for a couple of hours...just embracing and keeping each other company. It wasn't until Susie noticed that the storm was starting to quiet down that she decided to finally break the silence.
"Hey...you okay, Kris?" She mumbled softly.
The monster winced as her deep voice stirred the quietness of the classroom. The thunder had begin to die as well, so it made her feel even more self-conscious now that the air had become stilled.
Kris didn't respond. Feeling a pang of concern, she drew back to look down at them, but when she glanced down her eyes widened and her face began to burn. Kris was staring at her, their red eyes piercing. They cut through the dark haven that her jacket provided. Despite the intensity of their stare, the monster couldn't find it in herself to look away. It was like she was under a trance.
"...Susie."
Susie's brows lifted, her throat becoming arid as the blush in her cheeks began to spread to her neck and shoulders.
Kris continued to stare, but the corners of their mouth slowly turned up into a slight smile. Their red eyes softened, and the intense red pools began to blur as tears once again began to fill them.
"...Thank you."
Susie felt like she was on fire. Her heart pounded angrily and her head began to swim. Not exactly sure what to say, she found herself sputtering. She wasn't the best when it came to this kind of stuff...ya' know..."mushy" stuff. So instead of stewing in her embarrassment and emotional immaturity, she took what she thought was the most reasonable course of action and did what she always did: played it off.
"Sure. No problem..."
The teen sniffed playfully before giving them a snarky look.
"...But if you ever run off on me like that again, I'll wring your neck."
Kris gave her an apologetic smile before looking away sheepishly, their eyes reflecting their sincerity.
"Mmn," They hummed softly," ...I'm sorry..."
It was odd. From the few times Kris had spoke, Susie was always taken by surprise. Although it was soft, it had a slight raspy deepness to it that tottered on the line between feminine and masculine. It was plain, generic, yet attractively so. It was, after all, truly and honestly them.
Knowing that they probably weren't going to say much more than that, Susie decided to withdraw her head from the darkness of her jacket and poke her head out. When her head hit the a/c chilled classroom, she instinctively took in a deep breath, her lungs relishing the change of air. After regaining her senses, she looked around and noticed that the classroom was pitch black. Hissing internally at that thought, she knew Toriel was going to be pissed. Damn, it had to be close to 9 o'clock... How were they going to explain this away? Oh well, at least it wasn't storming anymore...
"Susie..."
Susie jumped as she heard her name called beneath her jacked. The article of clothing rustled a bit before Kris poked their head out from underneath. Their hair was a fluffy mess ,and it was taking every ounce of the monster's will power to not to reach out and ruffle it up some more.
"I think we better go. My mom is going to be angry."
Susie rolled her eyes and gave Kris an annoyed look.
"Yeah, no shit..." She replied sarcastically.
With that, the two rose to their feet. Kris was the more blind of the two, they held their hands out and waved around as they tried to navigate the classroom. Susie had a slight advantage with her eyes. Gripping their shoulder gently, she guided them to the classroom door.
What ya'll think? Does this deserve a part II? Thank you for reading.