Holiday Lights

It's like they were mocking you. Just…sitting there.

"Kris? Honey?"

No one was going to buy them, not all of them at least. What would it hurt to just take a few?

"Kris…"

The holidays were coming soon anyway. This would just be an early gift, for you. All you would have to do is reach out and…

"Kris, don't you dare touch a single one of those brownies!"

You blink back to reality, finding yourself arm raised, reaching towards a tray covered tightly with aluminum foil. Turning your head to the side, you notice your mother scowling at you, eyes tightened in a look of suspicion.

"Angel help me, must I order baking trays with padlocks on them, young one? If you are quite finished, would you please hand me the brownies so that I can put the treats on the display? Many of the townsfolk have already arrived." Toriel spoke with a huff.

Solemnly, you grab the two handles lining the plastic tray of chocolate chip-filled brownies and hand the precious contents to your mother. Eagerly grabbing the still warm serving tray, Toriel quickly removes the aluminum foil, gently placing each brownie on top of a circular rack for display. Your face scrunches into a scowl. She may have won this time, but there would be left overs. There were always leftovers.

Sighing, you sit back down behind the table displaying a number of different baked goods. Lying on top of the plastic sheet covering the table were displays containing lemon bars, snowmen shaped ginger bread cookies, a number of different pies (cinnamon, butterscotch, cinnamon-butterscotch), and now a neatly placed stack of brownies. You lean forward in your chair with elbows on the plastic sheet, hands cradling your frustrated face. You grumble to yourself. At least the booth smelled nice; there were worse places to be.

Blowing a bit of hair covering your eyes, you look out on the spectacle surrounding you. The holidays were right around the corner, which meant the annual Winter Lights festival had arrived. Taking place in front of the town hall's steps, a grand tree was brought in from the mountains, then decorated through contributions from residents across town. You had no idea when the tradition had begun, but each of the townsfolk were encouraged to bring a number of decorations and lights each year for the tree. Squinting at the tree's lower half, you could just barely make out the colorful blue and red lights your family lent to the cause, now adding to the colorful assortment of plastic bulbs covering the grand pine. There was even the ornament you and Asriel made a number of years back; a colorful rainbow orb, drenched with an obscene amount of glitter. Holding back a grin, you remember the weeks it took for Asriel to get the sparkling dust out of his fur. Good memories.

You lean back in your chair, adjusting the sleeves of your grey jacket. The cold front had arrived, not that this stopped the festival goers from buzzing about from booth to booth. Off to the right of the town hall's entrance were many of the food stands, shaded by the nearby forest bending in the wind. Glancing over to your left, you saw a number of townsfolk already lining up to QC's booth. The diner owner was quickly pouring cups of coffee and hot chocolate for the dozen or so customers haphazardly lined up. You lean back, far enough for your chair's front legs to hover slightly above the ground. From here you can just barely spot a small pink streak through what appears to be your feline classmate's hair, quickly dashing about while placing pre-made sandwiches on the booth's table. You bite the side of your mouth slightly; you really should find a part-time job.

Looking beyond the tree's voluminous branches, you can make out the booths directly across from your mountain of baked goods. You spot a small gathering of ICE-E's P"E"ZZa employees generally just…existing near a neon blue booth. Many were wearing Santa hats stretched across the top of their masks, to the point of tearing at the seams. You wondered to yourself who actually runs the establishment, and where they manage to find such a…unique workforce.

Beside this manic display was a much more simple booth, adorned with a number of vases near bursting with various multi-colored bouquets. You instinctively search for your father's sizeable figure, only to find the lovable goat absent from the booth. Was he still bringing in more flower bouquets? Shaking your head, you sigh. This time of year, he'd likely be donning his costume by now, ready to delight all around him with the appearance of jolly old Santa. Grimacing, you note that such a performance won't give much time for selling flowers. Maybe once mom was settled in you could sneak over and sell a few...

"Kris honey, could you go get the pie cutter from the car? I believe I left it in backseat, behind where we put the table cover." Toriel's voice shakes you from your reverie.

"Sure." You mutter out a simple response, raising from the table carefully so as to not tip the many platters of baked goods.

Shuffling out from behind the booth, you stretch your arms into the air, noting a small pop of your joints responding to the hour spent sitting in place. You figure sitting hunched over all the time would eventually catch up to you one day. You frown. A future Kris problem, right?

The air around you seemed to pick up with your slow meandering out from behind the improvised bakery. The near barren branches from the trees above shifted and bent, the wind bringing a chill to your face. You breath in the cool air. Snow hadn't fallen on the town yet, though you expected a flurry any time now. With how long Asriel is taking to come back home for the holidays, you figure he'll be met with a dense layer of powder upon arriving. Would he have trouble driving back? He had picked you up from school in the family van before, so he would be okay, right? You shake your head. Asriel was plenty old enough to not have his little sibling worry so much. You zipped up the jacket covering your sweater beneath, making your way around the booth and towards the main thoroughfare.

You walk past the great tree that towered above, shining with hundreds of baubles shifting slowly in the wind. You pause for a moment to better note the shapes and colors, gently smiling at such a collection of memories. You stuff your hands deep into the pockets of your jacket. You wonder what you could add to such a collection. You had made so many new memories throughout the year, so many new friends. Many of which weren't even part of this world.

Your mouth instinctively curls into a halfhearted smile. Ralsei would love a festival like this, heck, even Lancer would have a blast. You wonder if they could ever leave the Dark World. You remember Ralsei gently explaining to Susie how Darkners can turn to stone if they stray too far from the fountains. Cocking your head to the side, you wonder if the same applies for entering the world of Lightners, or if they would always be stuck in their toy-like forms upon leaving.

You let out a sigh, the exhalation leaving a cloud of steam in the frigid air. A question for another time, and another world. Turning away from the tree, you continue on towards the church where your mother parked behind. Weaving in and out of oncoming crowds, you make your way to the main street across from a number of booths selling local goods.

Now close to your destination, your gaze wanders across the outer ring of booths. As if from nowhere, you spot what appears to be a small plastic table, a cheap sign dangling limply from the front. Stopping mid-step, you can't help but feel drawn to the baffling display. Curiosity takes over as you double back, peering over at the shoddy construction. The sign, a bit of loose-leaf paper hung only by a single strip of tape on a far corner, simply states "store". On the near buckling table is a carton, half-filled with eggs, and a number of culinary magazines, all seemingly noting recipes for summer barbeques. Eyes squinting in sheer confusion, you look around, finding no one in sight as to man the counter. Backing away slowly, you shake your head. What kind of boneheaded weirdo sets up that kind of booth?

You force yourself to break eye contact with the cursed booth. In your hasty escape however, you suddenly begin to lose your footing, a stray pebble slipping underneath your left shoe. Your eyes go wide in panic, the sudden loss of stability sending you flying backwards. In a split moment of regret, you realize the booth truly was a sign of the end times. Toppling backwards, you close your eyes, clenching your teeth in readiness for a sudden impact.

"MMPH! KRRS!?"

But the impact never came. Slowly opening your eyes, you realize that, while you didn't fall onto the rough asphalt below, you did fall into the rather sturdy form of a mauve dragoness. Looking up, you see Susie standing above, eyes wide and mouth filled with…a sandwich?

"Uh…h-hi Susie." You stammer out, heart still racing from the thought of impending scraped elbows. Slowly coming back to your feet, you feel Susie untangle her arms from your form, clearly grabbing you at the last moment in whatever way she could.

Turning back to Susie, you see her struggle to remove a sandwich from her mouth, most of it torn to pieces in the ensuing chaos. You realize she likely tore most of it apart in her maw while attempting to keep the meal, and you, from falling.

"The hell Kris? You make it a habit of falling onto other people? Man…that was a good sandwich too." Susie glumly stares down at the shredded remains of her meal, tossing the leftovers into a nearby trashcan. You shift into a pained smile. On one hand you ruined your friend's meal, on the other she wasn't littering anymore, which was an improvement. And you didn't slam into the ground below. Could be worse.

Now taking a moment to breath, you're surprised to see Susie without her frayed coat and white tee. She now donned a particularly poofy jacket, zipped up to her chin. The jacket appeared older, small tears showing on the sleeves and pockets. Susie had apparently sensed the change in weather, same as you. Despite the change in outerwear though, Susie remained faithful to her slightly torn jeans and messy mane. She was consistent, if anything.

The folds layering the jacket made a small squeak of the material rubbing against itself, each movement letting out a near indiscernible sound as Susie attempted to brush away pieces of her sandwich. You'd try and come up with a joke regarding the material had you not just leapt into her arms moments ago. You shake your head, now is not the time for your face to flare up.

"Sorry, I just tripped on some rock or something. Thanks for saving me…" You massage the side of your neck, awkwardly trying to find words that explain why you almost ate dirt moments ago.

"Yeah well, you owe me a sandwich." Susie's face remained sour for a moment, soon twisting back into her usual look of mild annoyance. "Bah, whatever. What're you doing here? Mom drag you out of the house?" Susie snorted to herself, trying to find a way to move past the loss of her now trashed meal.

"Pretty much. Mom sells a bunch of baked stuff during the festival for the school. She says it goes towards field trips and school supplies." You plainly state, kicking a rock off the path. "Why are you here though? N-Not that I'm complaining."

"Eh, dad's doing his security gig here. Got hired by the mayor to make sure nothing gets stolen or anything." Susie chuckled, "Mayor probably just wants to make sure that weirdo P"E"ZZA employee doesn't 'go to battle' like last year."

Looking off towards the neon blue booth, you remember hearing about a gargantuan employee jumping onto another townsfolk's table, screaming about his heart pulsing in the heat of conflict. Thankfully, your mom's booth was a fair bit off, though you do recall hearing about the sheriff suplexing the man in the ensuing chaos. All just local rumors though, you doubt official police officers would act like that.

"Hey, your mom giving out free samples this year?" Susie begins to elbow you slightly in the ribs.

You instinctively roll your eyes. "I'm pretty sure the money she makes from all of it pays for the chalk you eat anyway." Looking down, you notice a number of stray bread crumbs landed on the front of your jacket. Likely some in your hair too, you think to yourself.

Susie chuckles, reaching over and roughly tousling your hair. "Fine, whatever. Hey, wanna go do something? All the festive crap is boring me to tears. Come on, you're here every year, right? You gotta know some place that isn't all about holding hands and singing carols."

Fixing your hair back in place, which really just amounts to finding a slightly less messy style than before, you peer back at Susie, ready to explain how you just stepped away to get something from the car. Looking up, you suddenly find your resolve weakening, tested by the sight before you. Susie was smiling, eyes squinted from the fanged grin she had painted on her face. Damn that smile. Why couldn't you be scared when you saw a dragoness bare her fangs at you? Others would be terrified. That was the natural reaction, not for your chest to tighten and heat to rise to your face.

"I-I mean, yeah, I know some spots that could be-"

"Hell yeah!" Susie slaps you on the back, nearly winding you in the process, "Lead the way."

Before you realize, Susie moves behind you, ready to follow at a moment's notice.

"Uh, you know you don't have to do…that. Like, we can just walk together." You tilt your head to the side.

"What?" Susie crosses her arms. "Isn't that your thing? You're the big leader and everything, so lead the way."

You shake your head, "I'm not even the leader. You guys just seem to think I know where I'm going all the time. I mean-"

Susie lets out an exaggerated sigh, "Ugh, come on. Do you want me to hold your hand or something?"

Yes.

"N-No."

"Good, then lead the way freak." Susie snorts, satisfied with her minor victory.

Rolling your eyes, you turn back to the bustling crowds and colorful booths. Where could you even take her? You begin walking back towards the main plaza, hopeful that at least one of the tables offered more than hot cocoa and glad tidings. Maybe you could take her to QC's booth? You shake your head. She most likely just came from there. Hence the now ruined sandwich. Maybe you could take Susie to your father's booth? You could find a bouquet of purple flowers that she might-

Abort thought. Next plan.

Perhaps the local church was setting up the bean bag tossing games? You peer back towards the old structure; hopeful Susie doesn't notice that you truly had no idea where to go. To your dismay, no such games were set up. Only a single lonely table lay propped against the wall, the Father probably not having enough time to set up for the festivities yet. You silently grimace to yourself. Best not tempt fate anyway. You imagine the Father immediately asking about the next time you'd be attending mass, or worse, Susie managing to punch a hole in the church's wall with a beanbag.

You stop in place, Susie grumbling in response to nearly colliding into you. Of course! The church wasn't the only one hosting games during the festival!

"There a reason you suddenly turned into a statue?" Susie pokes you in the back of the head.

"Sorry, yeah. There's a booth, like one where the forest opens up over there." You point past the town hall, a small clearing of trees closely bordering a remote dirt path.

Susie leans around your side, peering into the distance. "Uh…doesn't that just go to the lake?"

"Trust me, come on!" Dashing forward, you beginning striding towards the forest's opening, Susie grunting out a complaint as she struggles to catch up with you.

Passing by a number of booths, and surprised townsfolk nearly toppled by a small human and dragon, you begin down the dirt path. With Susie in tow, you continue past the sea of trees towering above you, delving further into the surprisingly well-lit borders of town. The canopies slowly begin to part above, trees clearing further and further as you come to the shore of the nearby lake hidden away. Before you was a seemingly endless mass of water, small ripples carrying leaves against the shoreline and back out onwards. You quickly spot the what you were seeking; a lone stump with a single lockbox placed on top, surrounded by dozens of varying blocks of ice stacked as high as can be.

You hear a breathless Susie panting behind you, "Damn it Kris, would you stop moving for one…what's with the ice?"

You smile, searching for one last missing piece in the scene before you.

"Hrmph. Come to throw ice?" A deep grumble resonates from behind the blocks. A bulky wolf man lumbers out from behind the cubes, arms crossed, towering above both you and the now much quieter dragoness.

"Pay first. Grab ice, throw hard. Prizes available." The wolf man mutters, stoney face betraying no further emotion.

Shoving your hand deep into your pocket, you pull out ten dollars, placing the hard-earned allowance into the wolf's sizeable palm. In one swift motion, your money disappears into the small lockbox. The wolf man nods to you, gesturing towards the shoreline. Turning back to Susie with a smile, you wave her over, slowly walking down to the lake's edge.

"Uh, Kris? Who the hell is that?" Susie sputters out, attempting to keep her footing on the loose dirt below.

"I…don't really know. He's just the ice wolf guy, I guess. He's always here during festivals. My dad and I helped him carry some of the ice here once. I mean, mostly my dad. I carried some smaller bags of ice he had." You pause, coming to the shore, waves gently lapping at the edges.

"We just spotted him carrying a bunch of it out here. Dad wanted to help so…yeah. I thought he was making an igloo." Words trailing off, you notice Susie staring at you, eyebrow raised.

"I-I mean, he wasn't. He just runs a game out here. You throw the cubes out as far as you can, kinda like skipping rocks. But, heavier." You shrug, that was the best answer you could give all things considered.

Susie scratches her head, looking over at a smaller stack of ice cubes near the lake's shore. Leaning down, she slowly reaches her fingers underneath the slab of ice, hefting the weight towards her chest. Leaning your head to the side, you notice a whisper of a grin forming on her face, fangs slowly appearing one by one.

"Bet this one goes right in the middle of the lake!" Before you can respond, Susie hefts the block of ice above her shoulder, both hands grasping the slippery edges. Heaving the cube as hard as she can, the block hurtles towards the lake's surface.

Only for the cube to sink a mere few feet from the shore.

Focusing on the ripples emanating from the impact, you do your best to avert your gaze from what is now a raging dragoness beside you.

"WHAT THE HELL MAN?! That shit just slipped out of my hands, how are you supposed to throw it like that?" Susie roars in outrage, the deafening yells making you squint. You always did forget how loud she could be.

"Whatever, shit's rigged or something. Wolf probably made the ice more slippery." Susie snorts loudly.

Looking back up the path, you note a rather pleased wolf man standing firm, arms crossed against the raging cacophony below. Well, at least he wasn't taking it personally you suppose.

"Human go. Throw ice." The solemn wolf nods, gesturing towards the ice stacked neatly beside you. You stare down at the blocks, near the size of your head, and reactively swallow. Maybe they weren't that heavy?

Gripping the edges of the block closest to you, you heave upwards. Finding some give, a newfound hope pushes you forward. Your fingers begin to tingle, the cold slowly burning into your bare hands. Realizing holding a solid block of ice for any period of time posed risks, you quickly pulled the block up to your chest and, with every bit of strength you had, brought the cube to your shoulder. Resting for a moment, you balance the block precariously, digging your heel into the shore. With one last heave, you fling the cube forward.

A massive splash erupts from the water's surface, droplets hitting the tops of your shoes as ripples of water crash against the shoreline. Looking out onto the lake, waves emanate out from the source of the disturbance, the ice having reached a fair number of feet out from the lakeside. The impact fell somewhere close to Susie's own projectile, possibly even further. Letting out a held breath, you can't help but smile from ear to ear. You actually did it! You threw a block of ice as big as your head!

"Human. Good." You hear a gruff interjection from behind, looking back to find the wolf man smirking.

You turn to Susie, finding her squinting at the sight of your accomplishment. You spot small puffs of steam emanating from her maw, annoyance clear on her face. Was she angry at you? You feel the pride begin to drain from you. You didn't mean to show off, you were just happy you actually managed such a feat.

"Susie? I didn't mean-"

"Oh, now it's on." A grin etches its way across the dragoness' face, a dangerous glint appearing in her eyes.

Before you can even comprehend what's about to happen, Susie turns back to the blocks of ice, cracking her knuckles in anticipation. Reaching up to her jacket's collar, you hear the high-pitched rumble of a zipper being loosened, Susie's coat falling to the ground below. Your face immediately flares, heat surging between your ears and cheeks.

From behind the hair draped across your face, you now see Susie stretching as if free from some great burden. Underneath the jacket, you realize Susie had donned a loose white sleeveless top, below it a much tighter black tank top. As if in some show of strength, Susie stretched her arms, muscles bulging with each movement.

You shake your head. It's just Susie in a tank top. That's it. Just a tank top. You've seen her in a sleeveless jacket in the Dark World. This wasn't any different. There was nothing different. Not her scales shining with every movement. Not how her muscles flexed with every stretch. Not how she was putting her hair up in a ponytail. You freeze, now watching Susie struggle to gather up the mass of hair covering her back, tying the near waist length mane into a single bundle.

You hope for once the hair covering your face would hide the multitude of colors you were turning by the second.

"There, can goddamn move now. Not gonna let a little bit of cold stop me from showing you how it's done!" Throwing a fist into the palm of her hand, Susie chuckles, readying herself with barely contained excitement.

Grabbing the cube before her, Susie effortlessly maneuvers the mass onto her shoulder, cradling the block with one hand. Quicker than you can comprehend, the block is thrown clear across your view, far into the lake's horizon. Turning only an inch, you spot the impact out of the corner of your eye, far beyond the few feet you had managed before.

"HELL YEAH! That's what I'm talking about!" Susie roars, pumping her fists in a display of unabashed excitement.

Your gaze turns to the floor. Just don't look up. She won't see your face if you just keep your head down. You repeat this mantra, hoping some divine form will show mercy in your time of need.

Despite your best efforts at escaping from this reality, no such mercy finds you. Within moments, you feel arms wrap around you, lifting you off the ground in a single movement.

"What'd I tell you! That was awesome! We were awesome!" Susie beams down at you, eyes tightly shut, with the largest grin you'd ever seen plastered on her face. Spinning you in her arms only for a moment, Susie continues to grin from ear to ear as you consider how close you were to passing out.

Within moments, you were dropped back on your feet. Shaking your head, you look back up, finding a still smiling dragoness above.

"Uh…s-sorry. Just uh," Susie clears her throat, "That was cool. For a human." Susie stutters out, rubbing the side of her neck. "But did you see how far I threw that shit?! Like, I can't believe you were able to even pick up that cube. But I sent mine flying!" Susie continued on, babbling in unrelenting excitement.

Nodding with a smile, you force down the tightness in your chest. Susie pauses for a moment, a bemused smirk appearing upon her face.

"Hey, you good? Wait, are you cold or something? Your face is all red." Susie mutters, tilting her head to her side.

Damn everything. You may as well just cut everything off for all the good your hair does you.

"Come on, lets get back. Don't want you to turn into a popsicle. Probably getting late anyway." Susie turns from you, retrieving her jacket from the ground. Brushing away the numerous bits of dirt covering the material, she slips back into the warm garment with a quick zip of the front.

"Hrmph. Good throw. Human and dragon. Earned prizes." The gruff voice resonates from your side, reminding you of the third-party present to your internal crisis.

"Here. Good job. Come back next year." The wolf man holds both palms out, a small ice cube held in each.

"Uh, thanks. Don't really need ice though buddy." Susie huffs, adjusting her jacket.

"Not real ice. Plastic ice. Good souvenir for collectors." The wolf man remains motionless.

You reach out, grabbing the small plastic ice cube. It was pretty cool in a weird way. You turn it over in your hand, examining the souvenir from all angles. You shrug, pocketing the bit of plastic. Your mind starts to run through possible pranks using the new trinket. Maybe you could bet Berdly that the ice would never melt in a drink? Could be a way of getting the ten dollars you spent here.

"Earth to Kris, you coming?" Susie's fist lightly meets your arm as she dashes towards the dirt path leading back. Shaken from your thoughts, you quickly follow behind, thanking the solemn wolf on your way out.

You warm your hands on the cup of near scorching hot cocoa, steam wafting in the air. QC was nice enough to give you both some warm drinks on your way back, though you were pretty sure you were at risk for first degree burns. Bringing the cup to your lips, you attempt to take a small sip, only to recoil back as the liquid barely grazes your tongue. Nope, still able to give first degree burns.

"You gonna finish that?"

You place the cup down on the ground below the wooden bench you and Susie had chosen. Susie continues to stare at you for a moment, eventually lying back in a huff.

"I thought you liked chocolate?" Susie grumbles half-heartedly.

"I do. I just can't drink things that are made of lava." You touch the tip of your tongue to your teeth. Definitely burnt.

"Psh. Wimp." Susie chuckles, tossing her empty cup into the nearby trash, now overflowing from dozens of plates and wrappers.

Leaning back into the wooden bench, you stare back up at the giant tree before you. Breathing in deeply, you notice a more present chill in the air. Night was coming, the sun slowly dimming into a deep orange across the horizon. Many of the baubles lining the tree glistened with the fading sunlight, angled in such a way as to reflect shimmers of light onto the ground below.

Many of the festivalgoers had settled in for the evening events, forming small patches of picnic blankets and lawn chairs along the forest's edge. Although many booths continued to sell drinks and snacks, all were waiting for the tree to be lit up. You remember back to when your family would gather, Asriel and you bundled under at least three blankets each, waiting excitedly for the tree's lights to cast a glare into the sky above. You sigh softly. So much had become complicated over the years. Your parents split, Asriel went off to college, and now you had to be worried about Dark World fountains triggering a cataclysm. Certainly more hectic than the moments staring up at the sky with your brother.

You look over at Susie, her eyes glued to the tree before you. Not everything was so complicated though. You had Susie. She certainly could make things complicated sometimes, but it was a kind of complicated you liked. Being with her on days like this just felt natural. So much of your life took effort. Acting like a normal person in front of your classmates, making sure your parents never knew how much their separation hurt at times, pretending the cage in the corner of your room was just a leftover childhood keepsake…

You shake your head, pushing away thoughts plaguing your mind. Things were complicated, there was no doubt about that. But Susie made you feel…okay. She made you feel like being complicated didn't stop you from having fun, from throwing ice into a lake, from just enjoying a day with someone you care about. You had a lot of problems, that much you knew. But you never felt like you had to hide much with her. Everything just felt natural, a feeling you found rarer by the day.

You look back up at Susie, now stretched with her arms behind her head, eyes closed. You try to hide a pained smile. She liked being with you too, right? She wouldn't drag you around all the time if she didn't. You were friends, good friends.

Right. Friends.

"H-Hey, Susie?" The words tumble out of your mouth.

"Hrm…yeah?" Susie mumbles, clearly enjoying the moment of peace.

"Why…why do you spend so much time with me? I-I mean, we're friends right? Is that why?" You stutter ever so slightly.

Susie's eyes slowly open, her arms returning to her sides as she ponders the question.

"I mean, yeah, we're friends. Would be crazy if we weren't by now, right?" Susie gives you a small grin, eyes squinting in the dim light.

"Y-Yeah. Friends. I mean, I like being around you. It's fun. I feel…normal. B-But I mean, you don't always have to hang out with me if you don't want to. I get I'm kind of weird. You don't have to feel bad or anything, it's cool if you have other stuff to do." You struggle to bring the words out.

Susie stares at you coldly, leaning forward in her seat. You can already feel a lump in your throat forming. Why did you even have to ask? You don't want her to go away. Maybe she is just hanging around you because she feels like she has to. You're both tied to the Dark World now, maybe she feels obligated since you have to have each other's backs in that world. But then, why would she have comforted you all those times? Why would she even care to talk to you outside battle?

There was that complicated feeling.

"I don't really have a lot of friends. Like…any." Susie's voice rings out amongst your thoughts.

"A lot of people just kinda treat me weird. Like, I'm either the bully or just some big tough antisocial weirdo. People seem to put me into some kind of idea and then don't actually try to get to know me." Her voice began to soften, slowly quieting with each passing word.

"But what about Ralsei? Or Noelle? You even seemed to get along with Berdly after a while in the Dark World." You stare at the floor.

"Well yeah. But I still feel like I messed up with Ralsei. We're better, but it's something I gotta work on. Berdly is Berdly. The guy sees me as some kind of rival or something, I barely get it. And Noelle…" Susie pauses, the words hanging in the air.

"Noelle is cool. But she's got a lot going on. And it feels like she just sees me as something else. Like, I don't know how to live up to that. I guess I kinda want to…help her? I don't know. But it feels like she sees me as something I'm just not." A pained look streaks across Susie's face.

"You don't act like I'm anything else. You're just cool with me being…me, I guess. I'm not some random bully or hero. I can just be me around you. Like when I talked with you about my dad or whatever. You were just there. You were a dork, but it was nice." A smile flashes on the dragoness' face as you wince upon remembering your impassioned speech that night.

"Damn it Kris, I don't know. I like you. I-I mean being around you…friends. So shut the hell up already with that bullshit." Susie reaches over, jabbing you slightly in the arm.

You lean back into the wooden slats underneath you, relief washing over. Angel, you could be so stupid sometimes.

"Thanks for being here Susie. Just…thanks for being you." You begin to close your eyes, letting the words fall out one by one.

You hear a small snort as you feel the pressure of the dragoness lean into you. Your breath hitches for a moment, but then relaxes soon after. This was okay. No more complications, just feeling…okay.

"Hey, Kris?" Susie's voice registers barely above a whisper.

"Yeah?" You murmur.

"I was just wondering. You know the dance coming up, right? D-Do you know who you're taki-"

"HELLO EVERYONE, I HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY THIS YEAR!"

Near jumping in your seat, you listen as a microphone crackles to life, the mayor now standing atop the town hall staircase.

"THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING THIS EVENING. WITH THE END OF EACH YEAR, WE TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER ALL OF THOSE HAPPY MOMENTS SPENT WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN OUR BELOVED TOWN. WE DECORATE THIS TREE IN REMEMBERANCE OF THOSE MOMENTS, LIGHTING A BETTER FUTURE FOR THE YEAR TO COME!"

The sound of clapping resonates from across the area, the mayor pausing as a number of attendants begin plugging wires into extensions running from the tree.

"AND NOW FOR THE MOMENT YOU HAVE ALL WAITED SO PATIENTLY FOR. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO MAKES THIS TOWN SO SPECIAL. WE WISH YOU ALL A BRIGHT NEW YEAR, AND AN EVEN BRIGHTER FUTURE TO COME!"

With a single flick of a switch, the tree flashes into dozens of brilliant colors, lighting up the sky above. You stare at the hundreds of shining decorations, all slowly teetering in the wind. You look up at each bauble, representing memories for family and friends, now illuminated by a cascade of colors. All around you, families gaze upon the towering pine, smiling and laughing with loved ones close by.

You look over at Susie who is now mesmerized by the display in front of her. Dozens of colors reflected off her eyes and scales, the dragoness stares in barely contained glee. You wonder if this was the first time she had a chance to see the lights. Either way, you were glad to be here with her…

For a moment, the wind picks up, a chill being sent down your spine. Bundling further into your jacket, you reach down to retrieve the hot cocoa from below. Picking it up, you realize the hot cocoa was instead frigid. Adding to the misery, you noticed a number of floating bits of dust and dirt on the surface, likely caught from passersby.

You sigh. Well, most of the night was good.

"Hey, be right back." Leaning in front of Susie for a moment, you barely receive a response as the dragoness continued to look on with wonder.

You shrug. Rising to your feet, you make your way over to an empty trash can, quickly disposing the cup properly.

"Kris Dreemurr…"

No. Anything but that.

You turn slowly, finding your mother towering above you, her face marred with the promise of oncoming punishment.

"I believe I sent you out for a pie cutter. I don't believe that would take hours to find, young one." Toriel pinches the bridge of her nose. "I understand you've been spending time with your friends lately, which I am very happy for you." Toriel sighs loudly.

Oh sweet Angel you had a chance.

"But no pie this month."

All hope was lost.

[Author's Note]

Hey everyone, just a quick note regarding this chapter and story. Promise I won't make a blog each chapter!

So, first off, massive shout out to deadmannewil over at AO3. Not only did they offer some much-needed input on the story, but they reached out to me regarding the initial idea for this chapter! They brought up how the holiday season was coming, with all the festivals that come with it. The idea for a festival-focused chapter clicked with me and now we have what is probably my longest work yet. It was a fantastic idea to practice a bit more environmental descriptions and offered plenty of opportunities for cute moments between the characters. Thank you so much to deadmannewil for the support and idea. If any of you get bored, I'd highly recommend checking out their stories on AO3. They've made plenty of fics with a Krusie focus that I had been reading before I even started writing things here. Seriously check them out, lots of cute fics to go through.

Otherwise, just want to apologize for the wait on this chapter. Migraines hit me sometimes, so between that and the year coming to a close, I've been trying my best to just stay afloat. Writing helps with the nonsense a lot though, and every comment/review I've received has legitimately brightened my day. It genuinely helps guys. Thank you for taking the time to read this stuff, I really mean it when I say it means a lot.

So yeah! More to come in the future, the series will continue with some chapters already planned out of where this is going. It's slow, but hopefully the paces makes everything come off as more genuine between the characters. Thanks again to everyone who checks this fic out, leaves a review or comment, and messages me. If anyone has a request or suggestions, please feel free to hit me up in whatever format. Even if it's something outside of this Krusie story. Gotta explore new pairings and even settings one day. So long as it's nothing too weird, I'll genuinely consider integrating ideas and requests.

Happy holidays, be safe and be cool!