Foreword:

Hey every ! It's me! Again! :D

This is the fourth story I've written for this site, and it's the longest by some metric. It explores the nature of friendship and responsibility, and of holding onto the past… buuut mostly, it's just an excuse for me to dress Ralsei up in his butler outfit :p

(Hey, what can I say? I like what I like!)

On a more serious note, this will be the last story I submit for this year, as it's Christmas next week, and I don't think I'll be in a fit state to write anything for most of that time! But if you liked this and wanted to read more of my work, please check out my other stories – You-Like, Sarcasm, Secrets and Starfait, and Waiting for Tomorrow. They're all rather different from each other (well, except that they all focus on fluffy boy), but do have a look if you haven't already done so :)

Alright, that's all from me. Go pour yourself a glass of all-ages-appropriate pure battery acid*, take a little [[ride around town]] in your specil [[Cungadero]], and have yourself a very, very [[Hyperlink Blocked]] Christmas and New Year!

*DISCLAIMER – Please don't actually drink battery acid. Unless you are a computer. And even then, maybe… just don't.

Eager to Serve

'I don't have time for riddles, Susie.'

'All I'm saying is, Kris, the past few days have been… well. Stressful.'

The human raised an eyebrow. 'You don't say.'

Susie shifted against the locker she was leaned against, in a sort of non-committal shrug.

Things had been quiet for a few days now. No new fountains, no strange happenings… even the SOUL hadn't acted up during all that time. So it was with some reluctance that the two of them decided to make a start on their group project. It hadn't taken long for things to unravel – their attempts at preliminary research ended in abject failure when it emerged that all the librarby's computers had mysteriously disappeared, and Susie's rather loud attempts to… understand reference books got them both kicked out by Berdly.

Their second idea – to see if Queen would help them – went even worse. She spent the entire time spouting hilarious memes and causing nearby objects to explode with a cheap effect. Most of their efforts were spent cleaning up after her before Ralsei noticed she'd demolished most of an entire wing of his castle.

'Look, you can't blame me for all that!' Susie growled. 'Anyway, that's not… it's not just that, is it?'

Now it was Kris's turn to shrug.

'Well, you might not wanna admit it, but something's been eating away at you. Think taking a short break in the dark world might do you some good.'

'Mm-hmm. And you're not coming with me, because…?'

She flashed Kris a devious grin. 'Wouldn't YOU like to know.'

'You're going to go hang out with Noelle, right?'

Susie's grin flipped upside down at once. 'What the… how did you…?'

'Just a hunch,' said Kris with a self-satisfied smirk.

'Uhh, well… I mean… nah, Kris, you got it all wrong.' She leaned in towards them, eyes shifting left to right. 'It's all part of my plan.'

'Plan,' said Kris.

'Plan,' said Susie. 'See, Noelle's the smartest one in the class, right? So, if I hang out with her, she'll help us out with our project!'

Kris gave a little nod of appreciation. 'Not a bad plan, actually. Just… don't let her do ALL of it, hm?'

'Hey now, I wouldn't… but, I mean, if she offered…'

'Susie.'

'FINE! Just a little bit then! And while I'm doing that,' she pointed down the hall, towards the school's supply closet, 'YOU go and spend some time goofing off!'

'I dunno, Susie. I think I'd rather just crash out in front of the TV, honestly…'

'GOD DAMNIT KRIS!' said Susie.

Kris tilted their head. 'Umm… yeah?'

'Uhh…'

They could see the gears in her head work overtime – they almost fancied that steam would erupt from her ears any second. 'I mean, you COULD do that… but, uh, wouldn't you rather… I dunno, go on an adventure or something? You could get Toothpaste Boy to go with you. It'd be great!'

'That sounds like a lot of work,' said Kris. 'Also, where would we even go? There's been no new fountains, remember?'

'Arright, just… maybe he'll bake you a cake! There, you can eat all the cake you want and just chill up in your room! And best of all, you wouldn't have to clean up after yourself!'

'Mmm… that does sound… wait.'

'NOW what, Kris?!'

The human squared up to her, though they had to stand on tiptoes just to get close to eye-level. '…you're being really pushy about this… is there something you're not telling me, Susie?'

'Yeah, well, you're being a real… uh… aarrgh! You know what Kris, do what you want! I'm tired of arguing with you about it! Jeez, you try doing somethin' nice for people, and they just…'

Kris watched her storm off. They could tell it was mostly front – Susie tended to get that way whenever pressed on something. Still, it was, in a way, rather touching that she'd thought about their wellbeing enough to suggest it. She was many things – a good liar was not one of them. Once you saw past her bluster, she was as transparent as glass.

…what the hell. It wasn't like mom was expecting them to come straight home from school, anyway. A short jaunt through Castle Town might do them some good, after all. So, their mind made up, Kris walked down the deserted hallway towards the supply closet.

THUD.

Kris stood straight, watching as the dark world materialised around them. As they strode into the town, their armour clinked satisfyingly with each step across the cobbles. Their hand absently thumbed the pommel and hilt of the sword resting at their hip, its weight and presence a reassuring reminder that here, they were powerful… or at the very least, capable of defending themself, should the need arise.

Ahead, the castle loomed in the eerie blue pallor of the dark world. Its fountain reached endlessly into the inky sky, thrumming with unfathomable, unknowable energy. Kris didn't know if they were imagining it, but the pillar of darkness seemed to pulse with strange, phantasmagorical colour, much like the patches of light that appeared behind your eyes when you rubbed them too hard. It was easy to forget, sometimes, that everything here depended on this fountain's continued existence.

They'd almost reached the gates when they realised that Ralsei hadn't come out to meet them yet. Usually, the prince would be one of the first people to greet them, or they'd spot him careening through town towards them, smiling and waving like a lunatic. They and Susie had often wondered whether he just… waited for them to come back each time, keeping watch from the ramparts, or sat expectantly at the gateway between their worlds. Of course, they were his first and best friends, but there were now several new faces in and around town to keep him company. Not to mention Lancer, who was… well, friendly enough. Even if he was actually trying to be "bad" the whole time.

Now, however, the one time Ralsei hadn't been there to meet them, Kris found that they sort of missed it. The whole place seemed just a little forlorn, less inviting, without the fluffy boy there. That Susie wasn't here either didn't much help – she'd have been on hand with a wisecrack or some sarcastic putdown, which would often cut through any tension or weirdness pretty quickly. They briefly wondered how she and Noelle were getting on, or if any actual studying was being done.

Somehow, they doubted it.

The castle doors were open, so Kris invited themself in. To their surprise, they saw Swatch standing in front of the Cake Cauldron. They seemed to be expecting Kris, because they bowed deeply the moment they saw them.

'Greetings, young master,' they spoke. 'The young prince sends his warmest greetings, and wishes to inform you that he is occupied at present with a very… err, "important" matter. In the meantime, you are welcome to wait for him in your personal quarters.'

'Oh,' said Kris. 'Well, if Ralsei's busy, I can come back later…'

'That won't be necessary, young master. I have it on good authority that he will be concluded in just a few minutes.'

'…okay, thanks… wait, did he know I was coming…?'

Swatch's posture betrayed nothing. 'I was only instructed to relay this message to you, in the event that you arrived before…'

Kris caught the hesitation in their voice. 'Before… what?'

'…Apologies, but I am not at liberty to discuss that, young master. Now, please,' they gestured with one wing towards the stairs leading up to the living quarters. 'You will be seen to in due time.'

They thanked the butler and headed on their way.

'Please rest assured,' Swatch called up after them, 'that you are in very capable hands here. After all, the young prince has learned from the best.'

The best? The best what? God, everyone seemed to be speaking in riddles today. Maybe when Ralsei finally showed up, he'd give some straight answers. In the meantime, though, Kris was looking forward to just crashing out on their dark world bed, admiring their own room. Hell, maybe they'd try flicking through that blasted manual again. Just to see if it made any more sense the seventieth attempt.

But when they reached the door and tried to open it, the handle refused to turn. Kris swore under their breath. Could today actually get any worse…?

'Um, wait a moment, please!' came a voice from the other side. 'There's… just a few more finishing touches to add… ohh, I hope it all looks okay…'

'What's with everyone telling me I can't go into my own rooms today?' said Kris loudly through the keyhole.

The voice didn't answer for about ten seconds. Kris put their ear to the door, and thought they could faintly hear somebody… hyperventilating, on the other side.

'K… K… Kris…?!' they replied. 'You're, um… how nice to… you're… early…!'

The human rolled their eyes. 'Ralsei, I thought Swatch said you were attending to something important?'

'I… I am!' the voice protested. 'I just… need to…'

'If this is a bad time, I can come back later…'

'No no! No, I'm almost…! Just, haha, give me a few more seconds…' there was the sound of nervous fidgeting and moving of things, which rose to a sudden crescendo, and then… 'there! Okay, you can come in now…!'

The door clicked, and Kris threw it open. 'Okay Ralsei, can you PLEASE tell me what's… going… on…'

It took a few moments for them to fully comprehend what they were seeing. In most important ways, the room was much the same as Kris left it last, but the few things that had been changed were… striking. At the room's west side, a long table had been set up, heavy with rows of small silver platters alongside ornate crockery and tableware. From several gently steaming teapots, many enticing aromas gently diffused through the room. The light of a single blue candle illuminated the central table and chair, which were draped with soft fabrics and delicate doilies. And all across the floor… were those… rose petals? Rose petals of all conceivable shapes and colours, catching the light in their soft folds and glistening like beautifully-hewn crystals, shining brightly against the dark floor.

But it was what, or more accurately who, was stood in the middle of the room that made everything fall into place. Susie's insistence they come here… Swatch's assurances they were in capable hands… it all suddenly made sense, in a way that almost made Kris lurch backward. It was Ralsei, his fur combed, his posture erect, his face glowing beet red, and dressed from head to toe in a crisp, black butler's outfit.

'Um, hello Kris!' he said with a small smile. 'H-how may I serve you today…?'

'Why… are you dressed like that?' asked Kris.

Ralsei gestured to his costume. 'Oh, this? Isn't it cute, Kris? How do I look?'

Several adjectives sprung to mind, and none of them were exactly… appropriate. Granted, it was a very nice suit, and he wore it very well. The jet black of the ensemble made his white fur seem even brighter and fluffier, and also accentuated the pastel pink of his curly horns in a way that could only be described as rather fetching.

'Very…' Kris started, drawing out the syllables to stall for more time. Ralsei seemed to be pre-empting the compliment, because the blush on his face was rapidly deepening.

'…butler-like,' they finished. 'Yep. Definitely got the look sewn up.'

If the prince was disappointed by this rather lame answer, he didn't show it. 'Why, thank you! I hope my performance today also meets your expectations!'

'Uh… performance?'

'Err, well…'

The goat boy's gaze fell to the floor. 'S-Susie mentioned that you were… um, having a hard time back home. So we, um, came up with a little plan.'

'Plan,' said Kris flatly.

'Um, yes. We… we decided to, well, "surprise" you. Let you put your feet up and… well, allow me to… cater to your every whim. J-just for a little bit.'

'Oh, okay,' said Kris. They scanned the room again. Elegant doilies. Rose petals. Mouth-watering platters. Friend in a suave butler suit.

…yep. Still weird.

'Look, Ralsei,' they said, wondering how they were going to let him down. 'I… appreciate… you've clearly… gone to a lot of trouble here. But… well, isn't this all a bit… I mean, aren't you…?'

The prince-turned-butler seemed confused. 'I… I don't follow… oh, wait, I see. You were… worried that I wouldn't want to…'

'Erm, no, that's not…'

'Well, worry not, Kris!' he cheerfully went on. 'Susie only had to bully me a little to get me to agree to it, so…'

The human blinked. 'That's… not okay at all…'

'No no! It's absolutely fine! In fact, I… I actually, um, rather enjoy this sort of thing! I get to dress up, and say things like "Would sir care for another choco diamond?"' Ralsei brought his hands together, rocking on his heels with barely-contained excitement. 'It's like a game… yes… like playing pretend! Only, well, it's, um… not. Haha.'

And image came unbidden to Kris's mind, of Ralsei slowly lowering chocolates into their mouth, and suddenly, something about their greaves became extremely interesting.

'A… anyway,' the prince continued, 'as a darkner, it's my purpose to assist lightners however I can. So, in a way, this is just… an extension of that. Yeah, that's right.'

Ralsei adjusted his glasses, perhaps to make himself seem more authoritative. It had to be said, not even he seemed entirely convinced by that line of logic.

'…oh, but where are my manners? I've kept you standing there all this time! Come, Kris, take a seat!'

He ushered them to the central table, pulling back the chair so they could be seated. Kris briefly considered making a run for it there and then, but his companion had such a look of earnest enjoyment on his face, and his big, puppydog eyes seemed to plead with them to humour him. And goddammit, you couldn't say no to that face - you'd have to have a heart of stone or something. So, tentatively, they sat down.

The quilted seat cushion accepted them instantly, and they sank luxuriously into it, wriggling a little to find the perfect groove. Ralsei wasn't messing around here – this chair was comfy enough for a king. Perhaps it could even give Chairiel a run for its money… Once they were comfortable, a small menu was placed in their hands, offering a small but eclectic set of nibbles and drinks. The main focus was on a selection of flavoured teas that had been imported from Cyber City – each flavour profile themed after one of their acquaintances – Susie, Ralsei, Noelle, and for some inexplicable reason, Berdly. Where the prices would normally be listed, there were instead crude little crayon doodles of the person's face next to their tea, presumably drawn by the prince himself.

'If you're having trouble deciding, Kris,' volunteered Ralsei, 'may I suggest the taster session? Each tea comes paired with a complimentary snack that enhances the experience for your delectation.' He then clapped his hands together with a gleeful expression. 'Ooh, I've always wanted to say something like that! I feel so… refined! Haha!'

Kris smiled along, finding their friend's enthusiasm strangely infectious. 'Alright, that sounds good. The taster session, please.'

'Of course! Coming right up!'

He took the menu from Kris and went to the main table, arranging cups, teapots and platters with a practiced ease. Every now and then he would stop and take stock, cocking his head to one side as he thought to himself. After a few more moments of clattering crockery, he brought everything back with him, teacups and saucers towering precariously atop an ornate tray. Ralsei then began to separate the sets, ensuring that everything was appropriately placed together.

'Let's start with something festive, shall we?' he said, taking one of the teapots and pouring out a clear, glittery liquid into the first cup. 'Noelle tea is like Christmas in a cup, but it can be enjoyed any time of the year! We've prepared a festive brie and cranberry CD bagel as a musical accompaniment for the full yuletide experience.'

Kris nodded appreciatively. The smells coming from the tea and the bagel were making their mouth water. They picked up the dainty cup, gently blowing the steam from the top, and took a small sip. Rich, spiced eggnog hit their tongue, velvety and sweet and delicious. It was very… Noelle. The second mouthful was just as lovely, but the intensity of the flavour was such that Kris had to pause to bite into their bagel. It gave a festive jingle, oozing soft cheese and vibrant cranberry sauce everywhere. They tried a few more sips to quench their thirst. Oh, it was good, but rather heady for their taste; so rich as to be a little bit sickly.

Sensing they were done, Ralsei cleared everything away and prepared the next tea. This one fizzed a wild electric blue as it fell into the cup. Its glazed surface caught the light and threw it like vivid yellow lightning bolts.

'Berdly tea is an electrifying experience for the taste buds,' he explained, 'leaving you feeling energised and refreshed. It's paired with a dark burger – the satisfying umami flavour will be sure to return you to ground.'

Kris eyed the liquid suspiciously. Something of that colour clearly wasn't meant to be consumed. Its bright hue brought to mind extremely poisonous jungle frogs, or lethally radioactive compounds. The tang of ozone assaulted their nostrils as they took an experimental sniff.

'Err, it's okay, Kris,' the prince said. 'It's… actually rather good! …well, once the tingling stops, anyhow.'

Somehow, the human wasn't exactly reassured. Nonetheless, at Ralsei's insistence, they cautiously raised the cup to their lips. Their pupils shrunk to tiny dots in their eyes. It was… entirely underwhelming. Like discount energy drink that had been left out in the air a little too long. They put the cup down, opting to take a big bite of the burger instead.

Ralsei gave a nervous little chuckle. 'I… suppose we should move on. Here's something you'll find quite… punchy!' Grinning at his own little pun, he took the third teapot and poured out a deep purple fluid that didn't just steam, but seethed in its cup.

'Much like Susie herself, this tea gets straight to the point. It's a full-on flavour sensation! And after something like that, I find a nice, soft dark candy is just what's needed to cleanse the palette.'

Something inside the cup seemed to glower at Kris as they picked it up. A frisson of wariness passed through them, sensing that if they tried to sip from it, the liquid inside would somehow bite them back. It was… strangely exhilarating. With trembling hand, Kris took the plunge and drank.

W… wow!

Taste and flavour assaulted their tastebuds from the very first drop. Bitter blackberry, cut through with sharp, sour lemon, layered with a peppery fieriness that almost made Kris choke with how powerfully it came on. And buried beneath all those boisterous flavours, there hid a subtle, syrupy sweetness that sang softly in their mouth, tying everything else together. None of it should have worked. And yet, it just did. What's more, everything just got better and better with each gulp, and all too soon, the cup was drained dry.

Ralsei was amazed. 'Wow, you really enjoyed that, didn't you?'

They nodded, holding the cup out expectantly.

The prince laughed. 'Well, I'm glad you liked it! …although, this is a taster session, so… there's, um, one more flavour left to try…' Seeing their disappointed expression, he quickly added, 'I'll let you have as much as you like after, ok?'

Kris accepted this, and Ralsei set to work preparing the final tea. This one came out of the pot an almost pure white – in fact, were it not for the gentle wisps of steam rising from its surface, they might have assumed it was cream. This, then, was Ralsei's own tea.

'…this is a bit of a mystery to me,' he said, 'all I taste is water, haha. Because of that, I wasn't really sure what to pair it with, so I settled for a choco diamond.' His smile became a little shy, and he turned away ever so slightly, perhaps in an attempt to conceal his growing blush. 'A-anyway, I… really hope you enjoy it, Kris.'

They examined the milky liquid. Every now and then, when the light caught its surface just so, they could see faint wisps of pastel pink and spearmint green curling through and around each other in a sort of undulating dance. After a short while admiring the patterns, Kris finally took a sip.

It was sweet. Intensely sweet. Terrifyingly sweet. So sickeningly sweet that it seemed to erode their teeth and strip the tastebuds from their tongue on contact. Any possible nuance of aroma and flavour were obliterated in the face of such absolute, overwhelming sweetness. Somehow, Kris managed to swallow, but the cloying taste persisted. Desperate for reprieve, they picked up the chocolate, raised it to their mouth… and froze half way there.

Because now, amazingly, they could taste something else. Warm, velvety chocolate, spiked with cinnamon and dotted through with melting marshmallows… Kris closed their eyes, and they were back in QC's, sipping hot chocolate on a cold winter's evening, Azzy sitting opposite with his own gently cooling drink and a warm smile… and then, it was gone.

What… what was that?

They took another sip. Despite knowing what to expect this time, its sweetness still shocked them. They swallowed, and waited… only this time, they could taste smooth, caramelly butterscotch and crumbly shortcrust pastry, accompanied by lashings of cold, sweet cream… and now they were home, spoon in hand, mouth watering as they watched their mother's fresh baked pie cooling on the windowsill…

'K… Kris?' said Ralsei gently, from somewhere off to their side. 'A… are you okay…?'

They opened their eyes and looked up at him. 'Wh… what are you… I'm f-fine…'

They caught the hitch in their voice, and their hand flew up to their cheek, astonished to feel the water running there.

'R-Ralsei,' they said, trembling. 'Ralsei, what… did you put in that tea…?'

The prince shook his head. 'Kris, I… didn't… oh… oh, no, Kris!'

He took out a cotton handkerchief from his breast pocket and, leaning over, dabbed gently at Kris's cheeks and eyes, putting on his most comforting smile.

'There, there,' he crooned. 'Everything's alright, Kris. There's no need to cry…'

'It's… it's not… I… I j-just…'

But it was all too much, and with a loud sob, they broke down, unable to hold the memories and tears back any longer. And when Ralsei pulled them gently into a tender hug, they did not resist, but clung tightly to his lapels, lost amidst the emotional tempest that had so suddenly taken hold of them. The prince frowned as he stroked their hair, gently hushing them and rocking them slowly from side to side.

'Kris, I… I'm sorry,' he said. 'If I'd known, I wouldn't have…'

'It's not… your fault,' said Kris. 'It's just been… I… I miss how things used to be…'

'How they… used to be…?'

'Back home, I mean… when everyone was smiling, and we… we were a family…'

And before they could stop themselves, it all came pouring out. The late night arguments their parents would hold in hoarse whispers, thinking their children couldn't hear; the tension that had slowly crept into every corner of their house, threatening to ignite into furious outbursts at the slightest agitation; the bitter divorce, and the indelible shame that hung over them because of it; the feeling of utter powerlessness, knowing there was nothing they could do to stop any of it… and just when they though the worst was over, Asriel left for college not long after, and suddenly Kris was… alone.

Ralsei listened to it all, at turns gasping aloud, at other humming sympathetically. Once or twice, he had to strain to hold back his own tears, resolving to be strong for their friend in their moment of vulnerability.

'Oh, Kris, that's so sad,' he said, once they had finished. 'You kept all of that to yourself for so long… I'm really sorry… but… thank you for telling me. It was… a very brave thing to do.'

The human said nothing. Their body was no longer wracked by sobbing, but they occasionally let out a loud sigh, as if trying to expel the last of their sorrow from their body.

'I… I'd like to say I know something of your pain,' Ralsei went on, 'b-but, well… even though I was completely alone for most of my life, before I met you and Susie… in a way, it was all I really knew.'

Kris looked up. 'You… never had anyone else? At all?'

He shook his head. 'I… don't believe so. Although… I'm not sure if I imagined it, but when I was very young… I felt that… I was cared for. Like someone was looking out for me, and they were always close by. And… whenever I felt sad, I would always think back to that time, about how much I was loved and cherished, and suddenly, things… didn't seem so bad.'

He gave Kris a sad little smile. 'I-is that strange, do you think?'

'No… not at all. It's actually rather heartwarming. But I'm sorry that you had to live alone for so long.'

'Haha, it's okay! It isn't your fault any of that happened…'

Kris laughed a little as well. 'Yeah, I guess. Although, I'm also sorry for… well, crying all over your nice suit.'

This made Ralsei laugh even harder. 'Don't be silly! I'm just glad you're feeling a little better, and that you… felt like you could open up to me about it.'

'Y-yeah,' said Kris, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. 'Um… thanks for… well, you know.'

'That's okay, Kris. A-anytime.'

The room fell quiet, the two friends suddenly finding themselves with nothing much to say. Ralsei's face was quickly becoming luminescent, as if he had only just realised how close the two of them had been. Kris, meanwhile, seemed strangely pensive, their eyes downcast, as if ashamed that their façade had been so easily shattered.

'I, um, suppose that's enough for one day,' said Ralsei, uttering something halfway between a nervous laugh and a sigh. 'Sorry, Kris. I was supposed to make you feel better, and I kind of… failed, at that.'

'No, it's not… you were just being nice. I appreciate it.'

'Oh. Well, you're welcome, I guess.'

Kris chuckled. 'I mean, it… it was nice. Being able to talk about all that stuff. And, um, the hug, too.'

They hesitated for a moment. 'A-actually, Ralsei… I wonder if you'd… let me try something…?'

'Oh! Um, sure! If you like…' he said. 'What… did you have in mind…?'

'It… it's not weird or anything!' the human insisted.

'It's okay. I won't judge.'

'Well…'

Kris swallowed. 'Well, whenever I used to get upset, as a little kid, Azzy… I mean, my brother… he'd… let me… stroke his ears.'

'Oh, that's too cute! What a lovely thing for him to…' Ralsei trailed off as it dawned on him where this line of inquiry was heading. '…and you… you wanted to do the same thing with… with me…?'

'I… well, you did say you'd cater to my every whim earlier, didn't you?'

'…ah. I… did say that, didn't I? Haha...'

The poor boy seemed to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and Kris almost felt a little bad about enjoying watching him squirm… almost. After a few deep breaths, Ralsei seemed to calm down somewhat, and leaned forward to let his long ears droop down in front of Kris.

'W-well, if it'll make you feel better,' he said, 'I'll let you touch them for a little while. Just… please bear in mind that they are a little sensit-ttiiiiiivveee~!'

Kris almost laughed aloud as they took hold of one of Ralsei's ears, caressing the soft lobe between forefinger and thumb, appraising it like one might a fine satin or muslin. And wow, was it soft. If Azzy's ears were like felt, then Ralsei's were crushed velvet, so supple and smooth that their fingers just glided effortlessly across them. It was almost as if there was nothing there at all.

'K-Krisss!' the prince pleaded. 'N-not so r-rough…!'

They stopped what they were doing. 'If it's too much, I can stop…'

'Um… n-no… that's okay. It feels… nice, but just… if you could be a little more… delicate…'

'Like this?' said Kris, loosening their grip and just brushing them slowly with the tips of their fingers. The effect was immediate, as Ralsei's knees buckled and his voice took on a strange, slightly husky tone.

'Oh yes, that's… much betterr,' he purred with a dreamy expression. 'N-no wonder your brother liked thiss so much…'

'Oh, he didn't,' said Kris absently. 'Mostly he found it annoying. He only let me do it to cheer me up, really.'

'Well, that was niice of him… though, in my opinion, he really didn't know what he was mmissing…'

Kris nodded, continuing to apply gentle pressure to the fluffy lobe, listening out for Ralsei's small intakes of breath and contented sighs to guide their whisperlike touch. There was a meditative quality to it, in a way there hadn't been with Asriel. The thought did cross their mind, more than once, to suddenly squeeze, just to see how the prince would react… but, given everything that had gone on, that seemed needlessly churlish. So instead, Kris decided to give an experimental little scratch just behind his ear, like you might do with a well-behaved dog. Judging by the little kicks he gave, and the way he leaned into the contact, they guessed he enjoyed that, too.

'Do you want me to do the other ear?' they asked. Ralsei gave a response that was something between a hum and a quiet whimper, which Kris took to mean yes. So they reached across, but no sooner had they taken it in their hand than the door flew open, and in waltzed Queen, eye-visor displaying numerous question marks.

'Hey Kris Have You Seen Lancer Anywhere/I've Scanned Everything Within A Five Mile Radius But He's Not Showing Up/I Even Made Him His Favourite Mystery Salsa—'

Everybody froze. Kris looked at Queen. Queen looked back at Kris, then at Ralsei, who was trying very hard not to look anywhere at all. Then she threw up her hands and her eye vizor flashed "LMAO".

'Oh Wow Hahaha/This Is Why You Never Forget To Open An Incognito Tab Kids'

As if he'd been electrocuted, Ralsei leapt about six feet away from Kris, embarrassed beyond belief. 'I… it's not what it look like…! It's nothing weird…!'

'Bro It Looks Kinda Weird' she replied, covering her mouth to give a cruel little laugh. 'But I'm No One To Judge/Believe Me, This Is Really Rather Tame Compared To Some Of The Things I've Seen'

'Um… what things would those be?' the prince asked meekly.

Queen laughed again. 'You're Such A Pure Idiot Child/ Kris Wherever Did You Find This One'

Kris just shrugged, as if to say "Don't ask me".

'You know, I AM the prince of this world,' said Ralsei. 'A… a little respect would be nice…'

'Indeed' said Queen, 'But Maybe Not While You're Dressed Like That/It's Cool But Not Really Suited For Royalty/Though It's Good To See You Putting Your Butler Training To Good Use Hahaha'

'Well… maybe next time then?' he said hopefully.

'We'll See Peachboy/Anyway I Have To Go Locate A Small Round Boy/Don't Have Too Much Fun LMAO'

And then she was gone, slamming the door behind her. Ralsei exhaled loudly, collapsing into the seat only recently vacated by Kris.

'I… think we'd better wrap things up here for today, Kris,' he said. 'Oh, I hope she doesn't tell anyone about this…'

'It's Queen, Ralsei,' said Kris with a small laugh. 'She's gonna tell everyone.'

He seemed to sag even deeper into the chair, his glasses drooping and making him appear even more morose. 'Oh no… there goes my carefully-built reputation… no-one will take me seriously anymore…'

The human didn't have the heart to tell him that no-one really took him seriously anyway.

'Well, if it makes you feel any better,' they said, 'you make a very good butler. Very professional. And the suit looks nice, too.'

'Aww, Kris,' Ralsei beamed. 'I appreciate you saying that, but… haa… perhaps I was being a bit naïve about this whole "prince" thing. I've read every book on the subject, and I thought I knew what to expect. Turns out the reality is a bit different, haha. I mean, look at Queen. She carries herself like a proper ruler ought to. Confident. Powerful. I couldn't pull that off even if I wanted to – I'm just too fluffy and adorable to inspire respect or admiration in anyone…'

Kris thought back to all their interactions with Queen. Somehow, it was extremely difficult to visualise her doing any actual… ruling. Oh, she had the whole "tyrannical dictator" thing down to a fine art, but the day-to-day admin of running a kingdom didn't seem to be her speed. There again, she was a literal computer, so maybe she did it all in five seconds flat… which would explain why she spent so much of her time memeing on everyone. Because she could.

'I think there's a bit more to it than that, Ralsei,' they said. 'I'm no expert, but… you have to admit, everyone loves it here. So I think you must be doing something right.' They put a hand on their friend's shoulder. 'So don't doubt yourself, okay? You're still growing into the role, after all. You're gonna make a fine prince.'

Ralsei turned his head to look back at them. '…for someone who doesn't talk very much, Kris, you seem to know just what to say. Hearing you speak so highly of me… it r-really means a lot.' Then he turned away again with a long sigh. 'Still… I worry. What… what if I'm not good enough? What if I make a mistake? What if I-aaiiieeeee~!'

Kris gave his ear a gentle tug. 'No. Stop. No beating yourself up anymore. Just… relax a little, okay?'

'B… but Kriisss…'

'You're always working hard for everyone,' they went on, idly massaging Ralsei's fluffy earlobes. 'But you don't have to do it all by yourself anymore. You've got all your subjects here. You've got Susie, and she's… er, well, she's the most dependable person I know. And, for what it's worth, you have me, too. So, don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. You don't need to keep trying so hard to please.'

Ralsei gave a thoughtful little hum. 'Th… thank you. I… suppose I do get rather carried away… and I often forget that friendship runs two ways.' He gave a shy little giggle. 'And… well, it's niice to be taken care of, like this. I could… I could get used to this, I think.'

They stayed that way for a few more moments, not saying anything aside from the odd little sigh from Ralsei. What a weird day it had been. But… well, it had helped, bizarrely enough. They'd have to thank Susie for bullying them into coming here…

'Okay, I think I need to go home now,' said Kris at last. 'Um… thanks for… all this. You really didn't need to… but I'm glad you did.'

'No problem, Kris!' the prince beamed, standing up and rushing to open the door for them. 'And, well, if you ever want to talk, or just hang out… my castle is always open to you. Um, and Susie too, of course!'

'I'll tell her that,' they smiled back. 'And hey, don't worry, okay? Everything's gonna work out.'

They turned around, but had barely got one foot out of the door before Ralsei called them back with a halting little voice. Kris stopped, one hand resting against the doorframe.

'What is it?'

'I almost forgot...' he said, 'Y… you didn't, um, eat the c-chocolate I got you… so…'

'Oh yeah,' said Kris, turning around. 'I completely forgot about that, thanks—'

The rest of the sentence was lost as Ralsei, face incandescent and quivering from head to toe, gently lifted the little square of chocolate into Kris's open mouth. They bit into it at once – it was superb, luxuriously sweet with a subtle bitter edge, but in that moment it may as well have tasted like cheap supermarket candy. The prince's fingers rested gently against Kris's lips for just a moment too long, before he let his arm fall limply at his side. The two of them stood there and looked at each other, trying to process what exactly had just transpired between them.

'Oh… I… don't really know why I did that…' Ralsei squeaked, wringing his hands together and looking over at a dark corner of the room.

Kris said nothing. The chocolate was still melting in their mouth, but even if they could talk… what the hell could you possibly say to something like that? They swallowed, forcing the cloying, sticky chocolate down.

'I… think I'm gonna—'

'Oh… errr… umm…'

Just then, Ralsei sprung into motion, pushing past Kris and into the castle corridor, jerking and jittering like an overwound clockwork toy.

'Well Kris I just remembered I have a lot of important prince things to do now so you better get going haha! Don't want to worry everyone back home haha definitely ok thanks I had fun today we should totally do it again sometime okay see you byeee~!'

Kris had never seen anyone run quite so fast as Ralsei ran in that moment. Once the ringing in their ears stopped, two thoughts came to them.

The first was, let's not tell Susie about this part.

And the second was, thank God the SOUL didn't start acting weird today.

Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Why had he done that?! Why didn't he just let them go, and let that be the end of a nice day together? It wasn't like anything really went to plan – there again, when did it ever? – but things had turned out surprisingly well, all the same…

And then he had to go and ruin it all by doing something like that…!

What did he think was going to happen? How was he supposed to know that was taking it too far? They'd stroked his ears for about fifteen minutes, for crying out loud! Nothing made any sense!

Ralsei threw himself onto his bed, screaming internally. The butler jacket that had just moments ago felt snug and sophisticated was now oppressively tight around his chest, and he tore at it in a desperate bid to free himself from its clutches, and from the memory playing on an endless loop through his head…

What in the world could they possibly think of him now?! It couldn't be good, that was for sure. Would… would they even still want to be friends, after something like that…?

…friends. That's right, wasn't it?

That was all it was, all it was ever supposed to be. Not even that, really… there was the prophecy to think of, after all, and they all had their role to play. The whole… friendship thing… that was just a happy by-product of destiny.

It was supposed to be so simple… but that's not how it had worked out. Not at all. This constricting pressure in his chest, the dryness of his mouth, whenever they were near, whenever they looked at him, whenever he thought of them… this feeling… no… this yearning… so sharp, so powerful it was like agony…

Friendship wasn't meant to hurt this much, was it?

No… this was nothing like the feeling he had with Susie. This was like a relentless demon that tore at his heart, even as it brought him to new heights of glorious rhapsody. It was like a sickness ravaging his mind and soul, the cause and the cure both tied to exactly the same thing.

But why?! Why was this happening?! Why was Kris doing this to him…? Why… couldn't he stop thinking about them…?

Why couldn't they just be friends?

'So, Kris,' said Susie, her grin so wide it almost split her face. 'How was your time in the dark world?'

Kris looked at her, shrugged. 'Fine.'

'…fine?' she parroted, the smile falling from her face. 'Fine? Just "Fine"?! You were being waited on hand-and-foot in there! That at LEAST warrants a "Good"!'

The human looked at her, wondering when she'd spot her slip-up. To her credit, it was only after a few seconds, and she had the decency to look somewhat abashed by it.

'Uhh, I mean… look, it was his idea, okay?! He just needed a little… encouragement, that's all!'

'You mean like you "encouraged" me earlier?'

'Yeah! …uh, I mean…'

The two of them were loitering at the crossroads between QC's and the grocery store owned by the annoying bony fellow. Neither of them had any money, so it wasn't like they could sit indoors anywhere, and they were still banned from the librarby for another fifty-seven hours and twenty-five minutes. So there they stood, kicking up dust, watching everything wind down for the evening.

'Well, someone had to do SOMETHING!' Susie went on, throwing her hands up in the air. 'You've been a total misery guts for like THREE DAYS! And, no offense, but you're no fun to be around when you get like that!'

Kris nodded slowly. '…yeah, I get that. Sorry. I know you were just trying to help.'

It was true, Susie had been doing her best to distract and encourage them over the weekend. She'd even offered to take them to the movies, which was surprising, considering that she wasn't exactly flush with cash. Kris only hadn't opened up to her because they didn't want to burden her unnecessarily with their worries – it wasn't like either she or Ralsei could do anything about them, anyhow. At least, that's how it seemed back then.

Perhaps, if they had been just a bit braver, and had a little bit more faith… perhaps things would have turned out very differently…

'…yeah… trying,' said Susie. 'I'm sorry too. For being no good at that stuff.' She sighed. 'You gotta understand, Kris… I was getting desperate. Watching you just… wastin' away before my eyes, and there was nothing I could do for you… So I had to turn to the friendliest, most understanding person I know…'

'…Ralsei,' Kris completed the sentence for her. They bit their lip, the memory of the chocolate returning to them, and the look on his face…

'Yeah,' they went on. 'So, how was your study session with Noelle?'

Susie seemed caught off-guard by this swerve, and it took a second for her to respond. 'Uhh… fine.'

'Just "fine", huh?' said Kris, lips curling into a sardonic smile.

She smiled back. 'Haha… well, no… it was good. She's a real smart cookie – patient, too. I… learned a lot.'

'That's good. And the studying?' they inquired, trying to suppress a laugh.

'Ah, well, THAT didn't go so…'

Susie seemed to twig that she was being made fun of, because the next instant she grabbed the collar of Kris's sweater and yanked them up to her face, a devilish twinkle in her eyes.

'Ohh, we got a comedian over here!' she said, voice little more than a soft growl. 'You got any more jokes for me, comedian?'

Kris held their hands up in mock surrender, smiling despite themselves. 'Oh, come on Susie. You walked straight into that one.'

Susie snorted, her tough-girl persona cracking into a wide smile and a big laugh. 'Yeah, guess so. Well, I DID get a few pointers, AND she let me borrow some reference books too! So it wasn't a complete bust, at least.'

'Well, it's a start, I suppose,' said Kris, rubbing the back of their neck. 'So… what else did you two.. you know… get up to?'

She looked askance at them. 'Get up to…?'

'Well… yeah. You… chat about anything?'

'Ohh… yeah. We talked. Well, she talked, mostly. I think she doesn't, uh, have many people who'll actually… listen to her. Y'know? And, well… it was nice. Just… listenin'. Felt good. Like… like I was trusted, I guess? I'unno how to explain it, really.'

'No, I get it,' said Kris, thoughts swimming through their head.

'I guess it was similar for you and Ralsei, right?' she went on, nudging Kris hard in the ribs. 'He sure likes talking after all!'

'More like preaching, really,' they replied, raising a surprised laugh from their companion. '…but yeah. We just… talked, mostly. He did serve me some teas, which was… an experience.'

'Ohh, you mean those you-flavoured teas, right? Yeah, that was a rip – mine just tasted like water! I mean, come ON! If you're gonna scam me, as least be INVENTIVE about it!'

Kris laughed. If only she knew.

'…well, I had a nice time, anyhow. It helped me, I think. So, uh, thanks.'

Susie raised an eyebrow. 'Uhh… why you thanking me, dude? I didn't do anything.'

'Well… for, ah, "encouraging" us. I guess. For showing you care.'

This seemed to knock her off-balance, and they thought they saw the mauve scales on her face deepen in colour somewhat. 'Well, of… of course, man. S'nothing. …well, no, it's not nothing… you know what I… aargh, stop making it weird, Kris!'

They laughed, giving Susie a playful punch on the arm. 'Alright. Just… thanks.' Then, feeling bolder than they had in a while, they said, 'Hey… did you… wanna catch a movie tonight? You pick.'

Susie's grin slowly returned to her. 'Arright, now you're finally speaking MY language! So, Kris! Blood-Breakers III! Extra-large popcorn! Red-flavour slushies! Three hours of face-melting, eardrum-busting CARNAGE! LET'S GO!'

She lunged for Kris's hand, crushing it in a herculean grip, and launched into a full sprint, dragging the hapless human behind her like a ragdoll. Feet barely touching the ground, big grin plastered over their face, Kris let themself get swept up in their friend's near-limitless enthusiasm and energy. They weren't alone anymore. Perhaps, with these newfound friends, they didn't need to keep everything bottled up anymore. Perhaps they could learn to trust again. And someday, Kris would tell them everything. They owed it to both of them, after everything they'd done for them…

…but that could wait. For the day was still young, and there was still time to waste.

Afterword:

Thanks for reading, as always! Let me know if you liked it!

I wasn't really sure where to put this, so I stuck it on the end. Having written this story, it occurs to me that I may be able to... add something else to it. A sort-of side-chapter detailing Susie and Noelle's time together. I'm definitely tempted to do it, but I wanna know - would anyone else be up to read that? I'm definitely in two minds about the whole thing, so your opinions would be greatly appreciated! :) (If nothing else, it'd give me an opportunity to write something that doesn't revolve around Fluffy Boy!)

Thanks again, and Merry Christmas! :)