It was just two days before Valentine's and passersby could hear a hurricane of strong swearing sweeping down from the Dreemurr house up the hill.
"Damn it all, Toriel! Why isn't this working?" Susie screamed, pulling back from her latest failure. Steam was rising out her ears and all around her, her hair a frizzy mess, and her scales blushing an angry crimson. "Why the hell isn't the chocolate acting like I want? It's supposed to be a freaking mirror, but it's a muddy glop!"
Toriel approached calmly and patiently, observing the mess. Susie had been trying to pour her mirror glaze chocolate over a heart shaped pan. She had turned it upside down so she could capture the shape of a heart and keep the shell hollow for the special Valentine's Day treat. Being that this year was the first time Susie had someone special to share Valentine's Day with, the girl wanted to do something special. However, Susie was having a horrible time getting her creation to work.
"I don't get it! I'm following your recipe perfectly!" Susie raged. "It's got the gelatin, just the right amount of cocoa powder, and I stir it so it won't stick and burn, but-!"
Toriel rubbed the frustrated teenager's shoulders, trying to calm her down. "It's alright. How about you take a break?"
"I've ruined the chocolate seven times already! Seven! I should just go down to San's and buy a box of chocolates. At least he's got some funny cards and we can forget this embarrassment. Please tell me you'll forget everything that happened here today!" she begged.
Doing her best not to laugh, Toriel replied, "You have a fantastic idea! Sometimes the best things take the most effort to work. Just like dating Kris, right?"
"Kris will laugh at me and then never eat chocolate again," Susie said miserably.
"No! Kris will laugh with you and then pilfer all the wasted chocolate and get super sick."
The teen hiccupped a sad laugh and finally replied, "Yeah, you're right. They would totally do something stupid like that."
Toriel ran a practiced eye over the mess her child's girlfriend had created in the kitchen. At this rate, Susie was too stressed to really tackle the project properly. However, it needed to get done today if they wanted to make sure that Kris didn't discover the secret before the 14th.
"Here's an idea, I'll mix the chocolate and get it ready for pouring. Meanwhile, you can work on carving your little figurines," Toriel said with kind smile.
"Sure. Though I'll probably mess those up, too."
"Don't think like that! You're not going to let yourself get defeated by some dumb chocolate, are you?"
"Getting flowers would be easier…"
"Lovers should never take the easy way out," Toriel replied a little more testily than she intended. She closed her eyes and shut out the floral scent wafting from her trach can. "Again, you have a great idea! Let's not give up until we know that nothing will work."
"Fine, I'll give it a try," Susie said, drifting over to the table and plopping herself down on a chair.
The teenage dragon opened a small box full of thick chocolate bars and a knife. She started whittling away, carving the blocks into small figurines. These would be hidden inside the heart she had been trying to make.
Toriel was not going to let Susie just give up. It wasn't just because this was such a sweet idea for a Valentine's Day gift, but she was genuinely impressed with the concept Susie had come up with. Susie wanted to make a glossy container of chocolate shaped like a heart. Making mirror glaze chocolate, she was going to pour the hot chocolate over an inverted heart shaped pan. Once the chocolate cooled, they would cut it free and make a second heart. They would fill the heart with figurines carved from chocolate and then seal the hearts together with some more chocolate, creating a gleaming, perfect box full of surprises.
Susie had come to her begging for assistance. Toriel made her plans for today, giving themselves generous amounts of time to complete the project. This entailed swallowing her pride. She had called Asgore to make sure that he had Kris busy all day long at the flower shop. That way there was little chance that Kris would wander in and spoil the surprise for themselves.
It's such a great idea for a gift! I can't just let her give up! Toriel promised herself. Sharing the jobs will make this go far easier.
She got to work, first cleaning up the working station around the sink and then prepping her own batch of mirror glaze chocolate. As the more experienced baker, she understood that making a good bake was not just about following the recipe, it was about intuition. It took work to draw out the best in chocolate. But it was also crucial that Susie be part of the final victory.
"Susie! We're ready for pouring!"
Susie got up and abled back, chocolate smudges covering her fingers. Apprehensively, she asked, "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely! Now, take the pot!"
"I don't know… I don't want to ruin all your hard work."
"You aren't going to ruin anything so long as you hop to it," Toriel said sternly. Then smiling, she added, "Come on, this is the second most fun part."
"The second most fun part?" Susie asked, perplexed.
"Trust me, there is a far more satisfying step!"
Susie shrugged and carefully took the pot. Following Toriel's patient instructions, she poured the chocolate slowly over the pan. Toriel worked her spatula to make sure the gooey goodness didn't go all over the place but was evenly spread across the pan.
"There, now we let it cool!"
Susie looked on in awe at the shimmering, mirror-like chocolate covering the pan. In an instant, her dream of creating the heart-shaped box was no longer a distant wish dashed by disaster. There was a real chance that it could work out. Toriel laughed as the girl beamed like a crocodile.
They retreated to the table where Toriel asked, "What are these you're making here?"
"I'm carving some of our friends," Susie said, showing off a roughly hewn version of an angel.
"Oh, who is that exactly?"
"It's Noelle," Susie said eagerly. "And this is Berdly!"
It looked like a headless knight.
"These are Ralsie and Lancer!"
Where Berdly had no head, one character looked like he was all hat, and the other was a blob. Still, Toriel humored Susie's efforts. She was working and putting effort into the gift. Kris was going to appreciate everything she did. Honestly, her child would just love it because Susie made it. All this work and excitement made it worth it for Susie though. A good present was one loved by both giver and receiver. Making the right present, especially on Valentine's Day, was about exploring how much someone else meant to the giver.
"You're doing a lovely job," Toriel assured her.
Susie continued whittling and carving away until it was time to remove the mirror glaze chocolate from the pan.
"Now we come to the best part!"
"What is it?" Susie asked.
"Removing the heart! Mwahahaha!" Toriel suddenly laughed, making Susie jump. "Here, take the knife. Cut very carefully around the base. Don't pound it and try not to touch it! The chocolate will be delicate."
Susie took the blade and got to work, carefully and patiently slicing away at the places Toriel indicated. Slowly, she cut away the heart and pried it free. Susie's expression was a cross between someone on the bomb squad defusing a trap and Asgore holding Asriel right after she gave birth to him.
Chuckling, she handed over the platter. "Place it right here. You'll put the figures you're making right in here and I'll get started on the second half of the heart."
Splitting the work between them, it wasn't too long before they had the second half to the heart and Susie had completed all the chocolate figurines. There were more than two dozen of them. Toriel began worrying if the heart box would really hold them all without breaking. They decided it was best to keep the heart on the platter until it was given to Kris.
Pipping freshly melted chocolate along the edges, the box was ready to seal. Susie carefully placed the second heart over the cavity of the first and sealed her gift shut. Toriel ran an expertly steady knife around the heart's outside, scooping away the excess chocolate.
The perfect, mirror glaze 3D chocolate heart was now complete!
"I was lying," Toriel suddenly said, causing the teen to jump.
Susie went white and asked, "What were you lying about, Toriel?"
"You haven't done the best part yet." She picked up the platter and handed it to Susie with a wide smile. "The best part comes when you give this to Kris."
Early on Valentine's Day, Kris found Susie hiding behind one of the bushes in front of the school. She was huddled up shivering on the old snow that stubbornly waited for another winter storm to again become relevant. Kris was titled their head, giving her an utterly perplexed look. They asked what she was doing at school so early and so stuck in the foliage.
Blushing and muttering, she answered, "I didn't want anyone else to see what I made you… It's embarrassing. So, I came early to head you off. I asked your mother to make sure you came early today."
That explained why Toriel literally threw Kris out of bed and rolled them down the stairs. They couldn't help but chuckle and ask again why Susie was hiding herself behind the school's shrubbery.
"Well, I began worrying that someone like Noelle might come early and see me. And my present to you is a little too shiny to hide easily. Here! Take it!"
She stepped out through the leaves, covered in discarded blades and bits of broken branches clinging to her tattered clothes. A little bit of mid winter's ice coated her sleeves and pants, too. Kris helped brush her off, balancing the platter in one hand. She muttered her thanks before eying her present apprehensively.
Kris finally focused on the gift and found their jaw dropping. Their shocked expression starred back at them with red eyes. The chocolate's mirror glaze was perfect! The massive, 3D heart made from chocolate was so big and so well made. They reverently carried the ladened platter over the school's entryway and laid it down.
"You like it?" Susie asked, excited.
Kris could hardly contain their excitement and praise. It was a perfect mirror! It was so big! It looked and smelled delicious! And it was SO. MUCH. CHOCOLATE!
Relief washed over her and with a laugh on her lips, Susie said, "I knew you'd love it! There's enough there to give you ten stomachaches!"
Kris asked if Susie would join them for that.
"Maybe," she said coyly. "But first, you should try breaking it open."
But that would be sacrilege! So much hard work to craft the perfect heart! Kris wasn't sure they could bust open something so beautiful. True, it was Susie's gift and she intended for them to crack it open, but she had done such a good job!
In the middle of their protests, Susie took Kris' head (not too roughly) and used it to crack the heart open like an egg. "There you go," she said gruffly.
Shaking bits of chocolate out of their hair, Kris' eyes widened once they saw the little figurines inside. They eagerly plucked them out, displaying each masterfully carved piece in the cold, morning light. To the untrained eye, they roughly hewn caricatures were nothing more than a waste of chocolate, a curious addition to an otherwise beautifully sculpted gift. But Kris understood the ways of the Susie and quickly identified each subject of her hard work.
Gushing, they called out the names of Ralsie, Lancer, Seam, and then Noelle, Berdly, and everyone else in their classroom. All of them were carved to represent their Dark World selves. They all looked so good! And they smelled delicious, too. Kris' stomach rumbled.
"Geez dude! Did you even eat breakfast?" Susie asked, her own stomach grumbling.
Kris broke off two more pieces of the shattered heart and handed one slab to her. She gratefully accepted it and together they snacked. They would certainly suffer together later, but right now they were totally happy.
Since they were sharing Valentine's gifts, Kris handed Susie a card. Alphys would have them all share cards and gifts later, putting them in paper bags as if they were still kids. That was going to be embarrassing. Susie was onto something by doing this early when no one was spying on them.
"Hey, you know this means that you're really going to have to do something for me on White Day, right?" Susie teased, nudging them hard.
Kris beamed back at her and assured her that they were already thinking of something amazing that they could give her. Together, they snacked on the chocolate likenesses of their friends and reminisced about their grand adventures to save the world. As they chatted, Kris' inspiration began to take form. It was going to be hard to top what Susie created, but they were definitely going to try!
White Day was going to be amazing!
A pulse of excitement thrummed through Kris. They worked with their mother to pour another batch of glazed white chocolate over a cylindrical top. The goal was to create a lid made entirely out of chocolate. There were already three other smaller tops already completed, all part of Kris' plan.
When Kris first started coming up with a response to Susie's awesome Valentine's Day gift, they first thought about making Matryoshka dolls out of white chocolate. They would be a complement to Susie's gigantic heart that hid a bunch of treats inside. And since White Day meant that they had to repay Susie with even more chocolate than what she gave, the dolls would have served that purpose easily.
The only problem as making those kinds of dolls and not breaking them all in the process. Kris had a big imagination and ambition to match, but they understood that some things were just far beyond their level of skill. However, that didn't mean that the core idea wasn't a bad one. Working with Toriel, Kris intended to make an easier to create version of the dolls, but this time as platter tops.
Each one white chocolate covering would be slightly smaller than the one above it so Susie would have to go through layers to get at the sweets in the center. Each layer was going to be decorated with regular milk chocolate drawings depicting some of their cherished moments together. Once Susie got to the center, she would find powdered donuts filled with strawberry jam, one of Susie's favorite snacks from the Dark World.
"Alright Kris, keep it steady. I'm going to smooth out the sides with the spatula," Toriel said, already getting to work.
Kris' arm wobbled a little, but they held the pot firmly. Their eager, crimson eyes darted all over the scene, taking in the cool spectacle. Watching melted chocolate cascade like an avalanche and cover the containers was just so cool and satisfying. Once the chocolate had all spilled out of the pot, they withdrew and let Toriel finish her work.
Working with their mom, Kris had made good progress. They learned from Susie's experience, so they felt confident they could make this work. With a month to prepare, Kris had not wasted any time or effort. Talking things over with their mother, the two managed to get all the necessary supplies together and had already experimented a little ahead of time.
"Again, we let it cool," Toriel said, wiping her brow. "Let's cut the other containers free and smooth out their bottoms."
Kris happily got out a knife and got straight to work. Toriel had seen her kid do enough weird things that watching Kris hack away at the chocolate with wide, red eyes did nothing to faze her in the slightest. And while Kris prepared the lids, Toriel took out an X-Acto blade and began cutting another component to Kris' gift.
To decorate the lids with milk chocolate drawings, Kris had taken large sheets of paper and drew the images ahead of time. They had then molded the paper to the cylinders, so they already had the grooves and folds preprepared. This way they could see if their image would cover the entire lid. This was one of the more time-consuming parts of the project. Once Toriel had the cuts completed, the papers would become stencils for the melted chocolate that they would paint all over the paper.
If it all worked out, the images would be neatly slapped across the lids, minimizing the amount of mistakes.
Kris looked over their work with a critical eye, while snacking on the chunks of white chocolate cut away from the molds. They manage to not break any of their lids, which Toriel had been worried about happening. Once they were done, Kris took up a second X-Acto knife and helped out.
"You two have some interesting things you've shared, huh?" Toriel said, hefting the image of Susie saving Kris from King.
Kris nodded eagerly and beamed as they held up a picture of the first time they and Susie hugged. Toriel didn't fully understand the adventures and stories these two were always going on about, but she was glad that Kris had someone special to share stuff with. It was also good to see that not all of the images were about fighting. What kind of healthy relationship was built on violence?
Well, then again, Toriel was allowing her child to date a boisterous girl with a foul mouth to match her loud attitude. She probably couldn't have stopped it even if she tried. Teens always found a way. And it was good for Kris to have a good friend, and she knew it meant the world to Susie to have Kris as her best friend. In a small town where two outcasts became best friends, it was almost a given that they would fall for each other.
"We're going to have to work quickly when it comes time to paint the chocolate across the lids," she cautioned. Kris indicated that they understood. "I'm going to entrust the painting to you. The chocolate will need to be tended to in the pot, so it doesn't burn or become too chunky and gritty. Either way, it would become unusable."
Again, Kris understood. They had gone over every step and detail in their heads and on paper for weeks! By practicing ahead of time, they had already experienced a bunch of the pitfalls. And they were doing this two days before White Day, which meant they had time to redo anything that fell apart. Luckily, it was still cool outside so the chocolate would not melt when it came time to deliver Susie's gift.
Once the cutting was done, it was time to melt the chocolate. Mother and teen worked quickly to prep the chocolate. Once it was hot and melted, Kris took another spatula and scooped up a little on the rubber edge. They got right to work, speedily slathering it across the cuts. Once they were done, they needed to lift the paper before it cooled and sealed onto the chocolate lid.
It was the moment of truth. Kris carefully peeled back the sheet and revealed the epic recreation of Susie stepping in to save them from King. Kris beamed triumphantly down at their work. Susie was going to love this!
They hurriedly shifted over to the next lid in the set and got to work. Toriel kept encouraging them, checking to make sure that all the sheets were even lathered with chocolate. The backseat driving might have been annoying to some, but Kris appreciated how much their mother was invested in this project.
"Done!" Toriel declared, putting the pot aside and slumping down in a free chair. "And now we have enough chocolate to last to Halloween."
Kris shook their head. It would only last until next weekend.
"I am not taking you to the hospital if you give yourself a stomachache," Toriel said sternly.
Kris laughed, already turning their thoughts to the donuts.
"We'll tackle those tomorrow! I think we deserve a rest," their mom said. She glanced at the chocolate and grimaced. "We also need a break from chocolate. Too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing."
Kris wasn't too sure about that. This wasn't even the best part! Now that their gift was well underway, their thoughts immediately shifted over to how amazing White Day was going to be!
Susie fidgeted in her chair. She came early again to school, hoping that Kris would be the one hiding in the bushes this time, and hopefully carrying a delicious gift that they were embarrassed to share in front of everyone else. However, she was deeply disappointed. Kris arrived on time with everyone else.
The large box they carried was so conspicuous. It was clear that it was her White Day gift. She groaned, embarrassed and annoyed. If she didn't want everyone to see her giving out the Valentine's Day chocolate, then why would she want a big display when Kris paid her back?
"You're playing it very gutsy," she growled as Kris took their seat. They turned around and grinned back at her. Ah hell, it's hard to remain mad with that face of theirs! Plus, there's a fantastic smell coming from the box, and I am hungry…
She folded her arms and firmly set her scowl. Even if she wasn't really mad with Kris, and her interest and hunger were piqued, that didn't mean she going to let them off easy.
Unlike with Valentine's Day, when Alphys made a big to-do about the teens sharing their chocolates and swapping cards, White Day was a different animal. Since all of the boys who received chocolate were expected to the give the girls more, there would be an quick, formal exchange. However, Valentine's Day always got the real focus from everyone, which meant that this little holiday was more like a fun obligation.
The boys had their bags of preprepared snacks for the girls. Polite chocolates to say thank you for the gifts and candies they got last month. Though putting it that way belied the fact that they were supposed to pay back the Valentine's goodness with about triple the amount of chocolate. Just to be polite, of course. A quick exchange and it would be done. However, when Alphys gave the word, Kris took the reins on the situation and did not let go.
"Al-Alright everyone! Settle down! Now, it's White Day, s-so let's have everyone exchange their chocolates. You can eat during class, but please! Make sure you clean up your mess. I don't want to spend another two hours after class scrapping up the crumbs and trampled chocolate off the floor…"
As their classmates got up and began shuffling around, Kris leaped to their feet, tearing away the tape along the box's edges. The loud sound drew everyone's attention as the box's sides fell away dramatically. Susie's jaw dropped as a large, white chocolate cake appeared before her eyes.
Kris motioned for her to join them at their desk. She got up and immediately saw that the decorations on the cake were drawings made from even more chocolate! The illustration at the top and dead center was of herself. It was Susie dressed in her awesome, spiked vest, her axe blazing in both claws, and a fierce expression on her face. She could hear her old words rings like thunder in her head.
"Hey! Get away from my friend!"
Oh, Kris…
She approached the cake, hands trembling. Kris surprised her by inviting her to remove the top.
"What?" she asked, confused.
Kris explained that there was more under the top. It was not a solid block of chocolate, but there was a surprise underneath. Sudden excitement flooded Susie and lifted away the cover. Underneath was another lid made from white chocolate with another drawing made in milk chocolate. This one was of their first hug.
She punched Kris playfully and grunted, "That was not something I'd have shared in public."
Kris said that she just needed to accept that she was really a softy at heart. She groaned as everyone else in class was inching closer, oohing and awing at the craftsmanship. Kris assured them all that Susie had also made a remarkable gift before telling her to lift that layer and look at what was underneath.
Next was another white chocolate cylinder and this one had drawn on it the final moment of their fight against the Knight and the Roaring. Kris had somehow managed to capture the moment perfectly. The last moment that really cemented their friendship and set them on their path towards being together.
The last image was one that shocked her. It was their first ki-
CHOMP!
"Gah!" her classmates cried out as Susie stuffed the entire white chocolate lid into her mouth. There was no way she was sharing that moment with the rest of these chumps. Kris was holding their sides, laughing.
"Susie! I did say to be careful and not make a mess," Alphys sputtered.
"Sorry," she replied with a full mouth. "Couldn't help myself anymore."
She glanced down and was surprised to find more. A small plate piled with sugar powdered donuts lay in front of her. That delicious scent from before assaulted her nose without impediment. Even with her mouth full of white chocolate, her stomach growled for those donuts.
Susie finally managed to swallow and picked up one of the donuts, grinning to Kris. "Alright, I think I can forgive you for embarrassing me. But I ain't sharing any of these!"
She emphasized the statement by slapping away Berdly's hand.
After school, Kris and Susie walked up the hall to the storage closet. They each packed a bag full of homemade candies for Ralsie. They hadn't forgotten Valentine's Day with him, and they both owed him for his amazing chocolates and cakes. But there was no way they could compensate him adequately with their own White Day gifts. He'd accept these anyway, and Susie still had the lid with her and Kris' hug. Ralsie would definitely get a kick out of that.
Susie still had two donuts. Kris had filled them with strawberry jam, her favorite. She savored each bite from the ones she'd already devoured. But despite her previous words, she did want to share this fantastic gift with her significant other.
"Hey Kris, I still have two donuts left," she said, stopping to offer them one. "I don't want to completely spoil my appetite! You know Ralsie is going to have more food for us! But… I also think this kind of stuff tastes better when you share it… Just something sappy I heard once."
Kris happily accepted the donut and bit into it. The sugar went poof into the face and some jam spilled down the side of their mouth. They laughed, trying to clean themselves up.
"Ha! You're such a messy eater," Susie scoffed, popping her donut in whole.
Kris tried to follow suit, cramming the rest of the large, messy donut into their pie hole. They spilled more jam. Comically trying to clean up, Kris was really struggling. They moved to put down their chocolate gifts when Susie stopped them.
"Here, let me help." She leaned in and licked the smeared jam and sugar from their face. Kris gasped and she seized the opportunity to plant a kiss. Shoving her tongue into their mouth. She tasted chocolate, sugar, and strawberry mixed with a flavor that was distinctly Kris.
Kris stepped back, bumping against the wall. They did not break the kiss. Instead, Kris melted into the kiss, doing their best with full hands to embrace Susie.
She finally broke it off and smirked, "Thanks for the gift today, dork. It was nice enough to forgive you for embarrassing me. But I might go back on that mercy if you get lazy."
Kris assured her that they wouldn't and returned the kiss. They might have stood there all afternoon, making out. But eventually the snacks clutched in their hands reminded them that they still had to meet with Ralsie. Besides, White Day wasn't over. There would still be some time for them to be alone.
"You know what?" Berdly said stoically.
"What, chicken butt?" Snowy asked, snorting into his bowl at his own bad joke.
"It's too early for swimming. The water is still too cold," Berdly complained
"And yet here we are at the beach," Monster Kid remarked before slurping up some black noodles.
"Ogling Susie like our lives depend on it," Snowy added.
Berdly sputtered, "You degenerates might be, but I am just appreciating the beautiful weather! I just think that early spring is still too soon for wearing swimsuits!"
The blue jay continued to slurp his own black noodles, wondering what Susie really saw in Kris. They were other there together, playing in the water and splashing each other. Kris wore a full body suit right out of the 1920's, carnival stripes and all. Susie wore a revealing, bright red bikini. She had come with a hoodie, but half an hour ago she unzipped it to enjoy getting in the water with Kris.
Well, she had tossed them in before leaping and cannonballing after them.
The boys eating their black noodles would have given anything to be the ones out there, playing on the beach with Susie.
"You boys are kinda acting creepy," a sweet voice said, obviously concerned.
Berdly, Snowy, and Monster Kid all turned slowly to see Noelle and Catti seated at the other picnic table. Their own bowls full of black noodles were in hand. It was April 14th after all.