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It was the start of their third year of high school. Not that anything made it too significant or different, considering they were in a school that ran from kindergarten all the way up to twelfth grade. In fact, you probably wouldn’t even call it high school; it’s just regular school is what it is.
What made it special was the fact that technically, it is high school for all ninth to twelfth graders, so there had to be some sort of celebration each year. It wasn’t held in the school, though, rather it was held by a student. Jockington, in particular, was known to be the class clown, or at least a class clown who was prideful of it, and due to his popularity he held parties for all sorts of events he considered important; somehow, his parents never seemed to butt in.
This party was an open invitation to all eleventh graders and eleventh graders only. It was made clear that no grade higher or lower than that would be welcome. Though, any other grade higher probably wouldn’t want to associate with a bunch of near-graduated but still very hormonal and often pretentious teenagers.
At least that’s what Noelle thought as she packed up her things, preparing to leave class. Berdly was fussing about his bundle of books and other belongings beside her and rambling incoherently. She didn’t care much to hear what he was saying, though could make out every now and then the pattern which implied he was talking about how school is just like video games. Secretly a bit of a gamer herself she couldn’t help but agree somewhat. But she’d never admit that.
One of the things she had absolutely no need to admit was that in regards to this party, everyone could assume Noelle wouldn’t be attending. Not just because her mother is the mayor who wants her youngest daughter to be perfect and pristine, but also because she just did not like parties. Perhaps that was because the only parties she’d ever been to were family gatherings and business-related celebrations. But they were always so overwhelming, with far too many people. All the noise like a bunch of different instruments being horribly played all at once, and the smells so strong it made her nauseous.
So… yeah. Noelle was, unfortunately, living up to her mother’s ideal view of her. Perfect little girl who doesn’t do parties whatsoever and keeps to her studies. That’s just how it was, to her mother.
And for her sake, Noelle couldn’t say that it was entirely a bad thing. Going to high school get-togethers like these were opening up the gates for future problems like possible alcohol or drug abuse. She didn’t really know for sure if Jockington ever had illegal substances at his parties, she just knew he was… eccentric and a little weird sometimes.
Staying caught up in schoolwork and doing everything you could to gain extra credit was important if you were to succeed. Noelle knew that ditching those obvious responsibilities was nothing short of unhelpful. She had to succeed, and by getting there it meant to work hard. It was all her family was asking of her, most importantly her mother, and why wouldn’t she want her daughter to be great? After all, she was the mayor.
Still…
It didn’t stop the feeling of temptation.
Noelle turned to Berdly and gave him a parting nod and smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Berdly!” she said in her usual soft voice.
Although she appreciated Berdly, Noelle felt she couldn’t really be herself around him. He was just a little too much for that sometimes. Her soft voice, all cute and innocent, was a fake one. Around those she trusted enough Noelle was at the very least louder and a bit feistier. Though naturally high-pitched, she wasn’t stuck on the same tone of voice all the time, and her body language was looser.
It’s been a long time since she’s had that opportunity around a friend, though. The only person she can truly be herself around is her father. And that’s not a bad thing, not at all; she loves her father. But as for friends? She’s all fake.
There’s only ever been one person she could be herself around. And as she begins to walk out of the classroom, she stops when a student passes by her. Beneath their dark maroon bangs, their shadowed face allows a single red iris to peer through. Analytical, silent, but respectful. It catches Noelle off-guard, her heart doing a tiny little flip.
Kris.
Kris Dreemurr.
Gosh, it’s been ages since Noelle has spent time with them. They used to be so small and scrawny, probably due to the fact that they’re human. Now they’re much taller, and whenever they do choose to speak their voice is deeper than it used to be. Of course this is all due to puberty, so Noelle’s not entirely surprised. But she can’t help but feel a little bit of surprise as her brown doe eyes meet the single one that Kris lets her see.
They used to be so close. As friends, maybe… Noelle isn’t really sure. Her entire childhood is a blur, ever since the incident with Dess. But something about Kris has always felt so alluring. She has her eyes set on Susie more, admiring the tough exterior the purple monster upholds, yet Kris is familiar, and they know Noelle better than anybody else does. And she knows them better than anybody else too, probably. Kris has always been a prankster, definitely the real class clown when it comes to them versus Jockington. But they’re secretive about it.
Or, they try to be, but they end up getting caught anyway. Still, as subjected to their pranks as Noelle has been in the past, it’s just another part of Kris that makes them comforting. She’s used to them. Even if they don’t hang out anymore because Noelle is too busy with her studies or Kris is sleeping in too late or their families no longer associating with each other… She’s still comforted by them.
Wordlessly, the human’s eye glints and they flash a small smile before turning and exiting out of the classroom. Noelle’s chest feels tight with a sudden warmth and she notices she’s holding her breath. It’s strange… something about them…
She misses them.
That’s the last of what Noelle thinks about it before she’s distracted by a multitude of other things. She walks home by herself, in silence, mind racing in a million different directions. Maybe it’s an intentional subconscious tactic, so she doesn’t have to think of Kris like part of her wants to.
To reminisce on what once was, what could have been, and… no, it’s wrong. It’s in the past. What’s done is done, right? So then… she just has to move on.
She regrets not going to that party.
Noelle is not immune from checking her phone even while she’s doing schoolwork. She scrolls through her social media, feeling a pit of lonely emptiness in her stomach upon seeing her peers sharing tidbits of the celebration. There’s dim lights with music playing, the stereotypical coming-of-age movie party, with music playing in the background and drowned out voices near the foreground. Monsters doing funny hijinks, taking on challenges, having the time of their lives.
It almost makes her jealous. And Noelle is not usually a jealous person, mainly because of her status… but it’s that same status that causes this jealousy. She didn’t choose to live this way, to have no opportunities with having fun. To not be a teenager and live wildly.
She misses being younger. She hates that her memory does not work as well as it should, because this feeling of bitter nostalgia can’t be consoled. Noelle fills in all the blanks with memories she’s never had, but seen only in movies. It makes her chest feel heavy, far too heavy for her to bear, and she feels like she’s going to cry. But it’s so foolish of her to cry when she has this much privilege, right? After all, anyone who isn’t her family or strongly associated with them would crave this position and prestige.
But how blind they’d be. The pressure’s only gotten worse since Dess, and Noelle isn’t sure she can handle it all the time. She misses rubbing her tears on the jacket Dess had taken from Asriel because she was scared, misses only crying because Kris took their silly pranks too far. Misses having a sister and misses having friends, or whatever Kris was to her. She misses being real.
Part of her wonders if Kris is at that party now. They’ve never been too big on any sort of social event unless they could sneak a good prank in. But it’s been a good while since they have, and Noelle is sure Asriel has a game tonight.
It’s… so tempting. To just see if the party’s as good as it seems to be. To see if Kris is there. Maybe if Noelle just discreetly slipped out the window of her bedroom, she thinks as she turns toward it and sees Kris staring at her, then maybe--
Wait.
“Kris?!” she gasps, clasping her hands over her mouth immediately.
The human from outside lifts a hand to wave sloppily at her, quickly putting it back on the windowsill they must be balancing on. Noelle stares at them in shock, but leans forward and unlocks the window. She pushes it upwards to open it and a cool gust of air hits her furry face. She shuts her eyes, and Kris makes a grunt of surprise, but they move like a snake slithering into her room, silent and calculated.
Noelle scoots to press her back against her pillows, watching as Kris shuts the window for her and moves to the edge of the bed, giving her space. They don’t say anything, just itch at a spot under their messy hair and sniff. It would be amusing if this were just a cheesy movie, but Noelle knows this is far from it, and if her mom found them both like this it would not end well, so…
“W-what are you doing here?” she whisper-shouts.
Kris’ head turns to look her way, the shadow under their bangs not revealing much. Their mouth curls upward into a small smile and they offer a shrug. For once, their mouth opens to speak, their deep voice quiet. Figured you wouldn’t be at the party, they say casually, every word rolling out from their tongue with ease.
Stifling a sigh, Noelle relaxes her body a little and rubs at her eyes. “Well, y’know, m-my mom wants me to keep up with school, so…” She glances at them and tilts her head. “That… doesn’t really explain why you’re here, though.”
She knows that Kris doesn’t speak a lot. Of course, they’ve probably spoken to her the most out of anyone, but maybe that’s a bit of an overconfident assumption.
“O-okay, you don’t have to say if you don’t want to, haha.” She laughs a little awkwardly, twirling the strand of hair at the side of her face with one finger, looking down at her free hand. It’s not that important anyway, maybe Kris is just here because they felt the same way that Noelle does. Or not. Whatever.
A few long moments pass between them in silence. It’s a good thing they work so well together because they both like relative quiet. But something about this air enveloping them, it feels… strange. Different. Or maybe it’s just because Noelle isn’t used to this anymore. Should she be? Should this feel different, now that they’re older, or should it feel the exact same? It used to be somewhat louder, when they’d play with toys in her room or Kris’ room.
Party was boring, Kris murmurs.
It makes Noelle lift her head. “Really…?”
They nod, but don’t do much to elaborate on it further other than stating that Jockington’s parties aren’t all that they’re hyped up to be. Noelle could probably guess that on her own at some point, but she’s glad at least someone confirms it.
“I kind of wish I went,” she admits, her voice squeaky. It’s not the fake tone she displays normally, but one that shows she’s vulnerable. Kris meets her gaze and she glances down at her crossed legs. “I-I mean… it’s not that big of a deal, but… if you went, then I… I guess going there would have been worth it.”
It’s too late to realize the implications her words have once she’s already said them. Noelle’s face heats up under its caramel fur, and she tenses, looking up at Kris and searching for a look of surprise or curiosity. But even as she prepares to reassure them, she stops, realizing they just look… patient. Like they understand what she means, and is letting her continue.
Noelle sighs, unable to hide a small smile alongside holding eye contact. Of course Kris knows what she’s trying to say, of course they’re letting her continue. They are… a good listener, after all. Sometimes, if it’s not authority at least.
“Haha… s-sorry,” she says, inevitably. It’s become something she’s used to saying, for fear of being misinterpreted. No thanks to Berdly, she thinks, not with ill intent. “It’s been a while since we’ve spent time together. I guess I’m not all that used to the quiet.”
Kris tilts their head, the hair at their side hanging off. They look almost… cute? But then they straighten up again and grin cheekily, lifting their hand and making a sideways vee-shaped motion. As if they’re trying to mock a certain someone with a beak who happens to be very loud.
“Ah-- K-Kris!” Noelle snorts, reaching out and affectionately shoving Kris’ shoulder. “Fahaha… that’s not nice, I s-shouldn’t laugh.”
But it’s true, she reads Kris’ eyes say as they sweep part of their bangs out of their face. Noelle isn’t entirely sure if it’s natural for humans to have red eyes, but she always found herself entranced whenever she saw Kris’.
“Maybe,” she says resignedly. Noelle shrugs and looks off to the side. “Berdly’s… he’s got a good heart, I know that. B-but yeah, he can be loud sometimes, and he doesn’t always get what I’m trying to say.”
It was frustrating admitting all of this, but part of it felt good. She only ever really opened up about her problems with her father nowadays. Having Kris here, even if it was just for tonight, felt nice. Noelle wasn’t entirely sure why they came, and she knew it wasn’t really her business. She was just grateful to have this moment. It felt almost… dreamlike.
The thought of it being a dream didn’t pass right through her brain like all her other thoughts had been doing. Instead it felt sticky, urging her into a sudden anxiety. She looked at Kris and saw them playing with the hem of their lime-and-yellow hoodie. It felt too specific to be a dream, she noticed, thinking it was rather silly to become so worried. And if it were a dream she likely wouldn’t be so aware.
Noelle remembered when she wore stripes. Hardly anyone in their grade wore such a pattern anymore, because they were teenagers now. But Kris was always strange in that way, hadn’t they? And it was familiar anyway that it didn’t matter much to Noelle. She could understand that getting into new clothes was always hard, and maybe there wasn’t a lot that appealed to Kris.
There was some sort of emotion stirring inside her. Or, rather, a plethora of different emotions, mixing like different colors of paint. It didn’t become muddy, just became blended splotches. She stared at Kris and felt the fuzziness rise up into her throat. Noelle wasn’t sure if this was good or not, but--
“Kris, is it weird to say that this is nice?”
Her eyes snap wide open as Kris looks over at her.
“I-I mean--!” She stammers, gaze flitting all around her room but never turning her head. Why does she always have to speak her mind this way? Gosh, and she knows Kris doesn’t mind, but maybe that’s what makes it so… “I-I just missed, um, sp-spending time with you. You know? It’s been a… long time, since all of you-know-what happened, and well… I… I don’t know. Sorry, ahh...”
There’s another glint in Kris’ eyes, still as friendly as ever. Noelle feels a little small under their gaze but maybe she’s always felt small.
She looks down, folding her hands in her lap awkwardly. Her face has heated up again and she’s pretty sure it’s visible through her fur. Somehow it gets even hotter as she hears the sound of the bed squeaking and Kris leaning forward, their hand coming to rest over one of hers.
It’s… so sudden. She’s not used to it anymore, but remembers that they used to do this. When they were younger, they always held hands, were practically joined at the hip and physically affectionate. Noelle’s silently freaking out as new emotions more fitted to her age overtake her. Kris is slipping their fingers into her palm, their thumb resting on the back of her hand, and she looks up to weakly meet their eyes again.
But…
Now, strangely, she doesn’t feel so small.
Kris’ expression is always unreadable to everyone else, but to Noelle, she can read them like a book. She’s always been able to even if she can’t remember how.
They’re warm, not just by touch but by the look in their eyes. Their crimson gaze is soft and patient. Quiet, but welcoming. And they’re not too close, keeping right to where they’re sitting, but their hand is interlocked with Noelle’s and they’re rolling with the punches like they always have. There’s a strange somberness within Noelle as she wishes that she could be as confidently resigned as them. They would make good friends with Susie, maybe… in another world, at least.
“F-fahaha, gosh… this hasn’t happened in a long time,” she murmurs. Kris makes a little sound of questioning. “Oh, I just mean uh, us… I mean, everything right now, but! The… the hand-holding.”
Her cheeks are as close to fire magic as they’ll ever get. Kris smiles their easy smile, and something about it makes Noelle want to move closer. So… she does. And it’s not too close, but enough that Kris notices. There’s a bit of surprise in their expression but they don’t press further at all.
“Do you remember when we were younger and you found me crying at recess?” Noelle asks, and Kris nods. “I was sad because it was the first day of third grade, and I’d already gotten the new outfit my mom had bought for me dirty. It made me scared of what she would say. A-and… she was upset, but… you found me, and you were already covered in dirt from playing in the field, and you made me feel better with jokes. Having you there, Kris… it… it was nice. You always knew how to make me feel better.”
Kris was looking away now, off to the side, as though they were visualizing that memory in their mind. When Noelle finished speaking for the moment, though, they smirked a little and turned toward her.
Are you saying I’m making you feel better right now? they ask, as confident and smooth as ever, even going as far as to squeeze Noelle’s hand.
“Ah--” Noelle closes her mouth, flustered, but unable to disagree. She takes a deep breath and giggles. “I-I guess so, fahah… I mean, I j-just, I’ve been thinking a lot about… I mean-- I was feeling sad again tonight. About… everything. But you just happened to show up. And I don’t know why, but it’s nice, and this kind of feels like a dream but it’s too specific to be one…”
Words keep pouring from her, stringing sentences together loosely and lazily, poorly constructed. They grow more incoherent as Kris continues to smirk knowingly but gently, leaning closer. The warmth in Noelle seems to dissipate and calm down completely as they come close enough to let her sigh into them, her eyes closing.
Their lips just slide right onto her mouth, the upper half finding purchase between hers. Noelle breaths out some breath she guesses she’d been holding even after she let it go at the end of the school day. Kris swallows it, their free hand coming up and cupping the side of her face, tilting it to one side so this sweet taste of intimacy isn’t too awkward. Noelle’s eyes flutter just a titch but she keeps relaxed. Her body slumps forward a little, Kris’ lips breaking away from hers for just a moment and it’s all she needs to want more.
She finds her own hands searching for some part of Kris to grab on to, and decides on snaking them up around their shoulders. It’s loose but enough to keep them there, just like how she wants. Maybe it means a little more, but all she can think about is how Kris tastes like sweet apples. Noelle’s upper lip, covered by fur that probably tickles the space under Kris’ nose, slides down and captures their bottom half between it and her own bottom lip.
There is no heavy breathing, no air of intense desire right now that makes Noelle want this as badly as she does. She doesn’t know what this means, but not an ounce of regret lies within her for the moment. Kris is here, in her arms. Here.
Her eyes open just a bit and Noelle makes a small noise that comes from her throat. She pushes against Kris’ body a bit, chest pressing against chest just briefly, both their mouths making wet kissing sounds upon contact with each other. Kris opens their own eyes and looks at her, and though there’s an undeniable flush on their face, they appear calm even through the haze. Just like them to be, though.
I missed you, too, they whisper as their lips brush over hers, and Noelle wonders once more what this feeling in her chest is. Her eyelids droop and follow Kris’ motions as their round nose brushes from side to side again her own.
“Is that… why you’re here?” Noelle asks, breathless. “Because you saw me today and felt that you missed me?”
Kris pulls back a little and moves downward, pushing against Noelle’s body with one hand so that she rests back against her pillows. Their lips pepper over her cheek and jawline. Their voice is silky-soft as they tell her that it was not only that, but because they’d rather be with her than at a party.
Noelle asks another question: “Why me?”
Because nothing’s been fun since we stopped hanging out, they tell her.
And if that doesn’t knock the wind from her, Noelle doesn’t know what does. She sucks in a breath and pulls Kris closer with her arms still draped over their shoulders. A sound of understanding is tugged from her. Still, Kris nuzzles into her neck, breathing in the scent of her fur and trailing their lips over her there.
They tell Noelle that everything’s been so much more difficult since the incident. Noelle agrees, though she doesn’t say anything, knowing it’s her turn to let Kris talk. This hasn’t happened in a long time, in fact she doesn’t even remember if Kris ever vented to her or not, but she finds it reassuring to have them with her like this and share her sadness.
Dad’s started sleeping on the couch now, Kris says, quieter than before. Noelle frowns as they go into detail of their parents. It’s so difficult for them to make friends now that Asriel is doing so much and their family’s status isn’t the highest anymore. Coupled with the fact that they’re human. And Noelle listens, remembering well that Kris has always had an issue with their human being, having been the only one in the entire town. She couldn’t imagine how alienating it must have felt, especially now that they were older.
It’s hard for both Kris and Noelle. And this is always something they’ve known, even in their time spent apart. Despite their differences, they still have many similarities, and many people would not expect them to. It’s odd. But Noelle knows that Kris doesn’t seem to care about what people think of that aspect of them, so maybe she shouldn’t care either.
“I’m sorry, Kris,” Noelle says finally. “Don’t feel bad for what happened… it’s not your fault.” She rubs their back a little, and Kris backs out from the crook of her neck to look at her. “I wish we could hang out again more often. M-maybe… maybe we can spend time together in class, though? That would be easier. Or you could study with Berdly and-- ahh, no…”
It’s fine, Kris reassures her. They move up and kiss her cheek, and Noelle’s a little taken aback because somehow she’s forgotten that that’s what they were doing only all of five minutes ago or so. I’ll find a way to come by you again, they add.
“Haha,” Noelle laughs. “You always do.”
Kris hums against her face and Noelle can see a suspicious flicker in their expression. They smile, and mouth silently, Kiss me? and Noelle feels it deep in her soul that there’s no way she could ever deny this.
So she kisses them, hands coming to grip their shoulders and turn the both of them over. Now Kris is the one with their back against her pillows, and Noelle runs her hands over their clothed sides, pulling the blankets over their bodies. She locks their lip between hers and sucks, tongue slipping past and into their mouth testingly. Though they were initially surprised, Kris invites her in.
Noelle’s tongue practically wrestles with Kris’, however gross or good of a descriptor that is. She can hardly think too coherently of what she’d describe it, but can taste cinnamon on their tongue and lips. It’s sweet, so intoxicatingly sweet, her own tongue finding its way to suckle on it gently.
Clearly, she’s never made out before nor has Kris, so neither of them really know how fast they should be going or how intense it should get. Noelle pulls away and wipes the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. She pecks the corner of Kris’ mouth and hears their breathing has become a little labored, stirring something warm within her again. Her head moves down and she starts kissing at the side of their neck, gentle and innocent but still with the same want from before.
There’s then a little bit of noise that Kris makes, not held back when Noelle suckles a little on their sensitive skin. Again, she keeps it as light and innocent as she can, not fully sure if she’s ready to go there just yet.
Yet the sound they emit is like a squeaky whine, and Noelle flushes in the face upon hearing it. She continues nevertheless and sucks on their flesh, careful not to do so much as graze her teeth over it. A bit of amusement works its way through her upon thinking she’s like a vampire. Would vampires do this, though? ...Probably not. They probably wouldn’t be making out with their childhood friend.
… Or whatever Kris is.
Noelle’s tongue runs over their collarbone testingly. Kris grunts, and she keeps going, lips closing around it and sucking there too. Their breathing has only become more uneven, though of course it’s not in a bad way, just heated. Her hands find the hem of their hoodie and shirt, sliding under it, feeling their bare skin under her fingertips. Kris’ head moves to the side, stifling a gasp as Noelle touches their body tenderly.
But then, everything stops.
“Noelle?”
It’s her mother’s voice outside her door, and Noelle doesn’t dare freeze. She tears herself away from Kris and they’re dead silent, even as she shoves them off her bed and onto the floor. Rapidly she gestures for them to hide under her bed, and despite the thudding noise they made against the surface, Kris slides quickly underneath and Noelle throws the covers off of herself. She isn’t sure if her mother will come in, but doesn’t want to seem suspicious in case.
“Yeah, Mom?” Noelle calls back, her tone back to its fake one.
“Are you okay in there? I heard something hit the floor.”
Noelle flushes. “Uh-- y-yeah, I’m fine! Just, d-dropped my binder,” she lies. There’s a quiet, barely audible snort from Kris under the bed.
Her mother makes a sound of understanding. “Ahh, I see,” she says. “Well, it’s good that you’re studying like I asked. Dinner will be ready in ten minutes, so finish up whatever you’re working on and come down by then.”
“Okay.”
She waits, listening for the sound of her mother’s hooves clacking against the hallway floor. Her steps grow quieter as she moves further away and once Noelle barely hears her, she breathes out a sigh of relief.
“Okay, Kris, I think you need to go now,” she says with a bit of sadness in her voice. But Kris doesn’t reply. Noelle furrows a brow and bends over the side of her bed, looking underneath. She can’t see anything in the dark crevice. “Kris…?”
Suddenly there’s a tug of her tail and a small “Boo!” whispered from behind her. Noelle gasps, holding back a scream as she whips around and sees Kris at the edge of her bed again, grinning and snickering quietly.
“Kris!” she says in a scolding tone. But then she remembers that this is definitely something Kris would do, and definitely something she’d fall for. Noelle smiles a little and reaches out to rest her hand over theirs. “Okay, I’ll forgive you this time. But you do have to leave now.”
Kris huffs, quietly crawling back onto Noelle’s bed toward the windowsill. They click and push it open with ease, sitting on it and sliding one leg outside. Noelle watches them, and they turn to look at her with a single red eye through their bangs that is crinkled at the corners from their smile. They hold out their hand, and Noelle takes it again, and they squeeze hers.
“I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” she whispers.
Their childhood whatever-they-are nods and gives a thumbs up with their free hand, pulling back. Bye-bye doe-eyes, Kris murmurs with great fondness. And just like that, they’re gone.
Noelle waits a moment. Then, she sighs, turning away. She isn’t entirely sure what any of this means going forward, but… part of her feels calm. Like things will make sense in time, and work out, and she won’t feel so horribly affected by a pressure to succeed. Maybe it is because Kris has made it clear they miss the way things used to be and that they miss her, too, or maybe it’s because they kissed.
...They kissed.
So what does that make them? Again, Noelle has never been sure at all. She and Kris know each other better than anyone but it feels strange for her to call them just a friend. And… that’s not just due to what’s happened tonight, it’s always been this way, but… now it feels even more difficult to say they’re just a friend to her. And what about Susie? What is she? Noelle still gets butterflies thinking of her, so maybe she isn’t entirely focused on just one person.
But maybe she shouldn’t be so stressed now. Maybe this is why Kris came over, to relieve her of her stress. Maybe they saw her crying in the window and didn’t mean to come in, just wanted to check in. But then that would be stalking, Noelle tells herself, and Kris may be weird but they’re no stalker.
Before she can think any more on it, she hears some rustling close by outside her still-opened window. Noelle nearly jumps, but leans over and looks down. What she sees is nothing short of both hilarious and shocking.
Speaking of Kris and their weirdness, they’ve managed to become tangled in the holiday-themed string lights that decorate the Holidays’ house. Noelle snorts and it catches their attention, and somehow, just somehow, this is enough for Kris’ eyes to go wide and their face to flush. Even after making out for the first time and being emotionally vulnerable, this is what gets them.
“Kris!” Noelle whisper-shouts. She laughs quietly to herself. “You’re so silly, Kris. ...Do you want me to call Asriel for you?”
Kris rolls their eyes, sighing, and reluctantly nods. Still, they smile, and it's enough to make Noelle giggle some more.