Elecx

I hoist myself up onto the bed. Seeing Kris, lying on their stomach, head turned facing the wall. Right hand obscuring their face a little. A familiar dread fills my chest… as I walk around their hand and toward their face. I keep an eye on their hand, as if it would spring up and grab me any moment. Kris’ chest rising and falling with each breath, eyes closed, mouth slightly agape. they are asleep. I needed to wake them up, but…

I walked up to their face, being only a few inches away, I could feel heat wafting off their skin. My heart fluttered in my chest. My tail waged without my input, I couldn’t help it.

I stood there for a while, wishing I could stay longer, when. I reached out my right hand placing it on their cheekbone… the warmth of their skin under my hand, it was nice… I pull my hand away looking at their eyes… still closed… I tilt my head. How am I going to get them awake?

I think about a few things I could try… But part of me just wants to stay here with them asleep… but that’s a little creepy… so I speak…

“Kris?” I whisper, no reaction…

“Kris?” I say louder, still nothing.

“Kris!” I shout, nothing… man, wish they were sleeping this heavy last time… I guess this was their first day back in school… they’re probably exhausted.

With no other ideas… I walk over to their arm, grabbing at their sweater and hoisting myself up and walking carefully up to their shoulder… being not far from their ear. I take a breath and—

“KRIS!!” I yell as loud as I can. I stick my arms out trying to balance myself as I get a jolt from them. Their shoulder shifts under my feet, I As they start to stir their eyes blink open, starting to push themself up. I ran down their arm. Jumping off, back onto the bed. Looking up at the Bean, standing in front of their slowly lifting form. As they turn toward their shoulder.

“Wha?” Kris mumbles, eyes blinking a few times.

“Kris!” I shout again, Kris’ head turns back, eyes lock onto me, widening just a little.

“it’s you…” Kris whispers, they forgot my name didn’t they…

“Casey,”

“Right,” their face gets a little red. As they slump back down, head hitting the mattress, with a Thump and puff of air from the mattress. The bed trembles under me. The dip in the mattress, from Kris’ head, made me stumble and fall right onto their cheekbone, right below their eye. They flinch and blink, I place my hands on their skin, pushing myself up, looking into their eyes. My face heating up, as I scrambled to push myself away.

“S-Sorry!” I stagger out. my tail wagging around unable to hide my nervousness. I get a huff of amusement from Kris.

“Ya know, I wasn’t expecting you to actually show up…” I hear Kris’ atm move behind me, making my fur stand on end.

“Why not?” I ask, I can tell their hand is getting closer.

“Eh… figured you’d be scared off…”

“Why is that?” their thumb brushes against my back, making me freeze up.

“I don’t know… Maybe because you're the size of a mouse…  figure you’d not want to be this close to a ‘Bean’ again…” their thumb starts rubbing my back gently.

“I-I don’t mind being close…” I feel my face heat up even more. Kris stops rubbing my back. I look down at my hands fidgeting with my claws, trying to avoid eye contact. Their thumb starts to tremble. I look back at Kris’ face, they’re eyes narrowed, mouth formed into a small frown… then turning to a smirk.

“Eh, you seemed pretty against it last night with the whole biting me and all…” My fur felt prickly, tail curling in close.

“Wha— I-I just— I had never been in a bean’s hand before… it-it was scary… I didn’t know what to do… I thought you might— I-I didn’t know what’d you do to me… or them…”

“what’d you think I would do?” oh I don’t know? Crush me, torture me, kept as a pet, eat me… the thoughts race through my head I bite my tongue.

“I-I don’t want to talk about it…”

“That bad huh?” I just nod rubbing my arms trying to soothe my racing mind…

…I take a breath…

“Can… can we be, friends? if it’s okay to call it that…” Kris hums. I can tell they’re pretending to be deep in thought…

“I-I’ve never had any friends my age…” I add halfheartedly at the end. I feel my heart pounding in my chest, was that too soon? I mean, we only met for real last night… but I’ve kinda known them and been watching them my whole life… but…

“I mean… if that’s you want to call it…” Kris moves their hand, cupping it behind me making it hard to stand upright…

“I-I should head back…” before I can push their hand away. Kris’ thumb presses into my chest flicking it gently, making me fall on my back. I go to push myself up when I feel the weight of Kris’ hand on me. leaving my upper body sticking out between their thumb and index finger. For a moment I try to push it away, when—

“Can you Stay…?” Kris mumbles out in a halfhearted question. I stop pushing looking over at their face, Kris’ eyes are about to close… they’re about to fall asleep… I sigh…

“Okay…” simple words… I hear them let out a thankful breath. I tried to get comfortable under their hand, it was warm. At least it was warm… I close my eyes, take a breath and try to relax. The smell of their apple scented shampoo lingered faintly on their fingertips, as I snuggled into Kris’ hand. It’ll be fine, I'll be okay…

They won’t hurt me…

They won’t…

Narrowing her eyes back at the fridge, she spotted Casper peeking out from behind it. She snapped out of it, legs propelling her forward. Blood pumping through her veins, lungs and legs burning, as she rushed toward her only escape.

Boom

Boom

Boom—

“GAH!” Mae gritting her teeth, pulling her hands up covering her ears. desperate to block out the ringing. looking up she sees that… Casey was biting the Bean’s hand. She took the opportunity to break back into a sprint.

As she continues to run; she’s over halfway… so close… she’s almost let relief wash over her when—

WHAM!

The ground ripples under her feet; she lurches forward falling to the floor. Blood pumping in her ears, opening her eyes only to see a looming shadow stretch out on the linoleum flooring before her.

She looks over her shoulder. The Beans foot is only a few inches from her miniscule form. A whimper escapes her lips. Follow their leg up, up, up. seeing its face, its eyes staring coldly. She jumps back up to her feet. Turning back to the fridge sprinting for it, hearing the shuffling of cloth above her… not daring to look up again…

Mae’s vision narrows in on her escape… slipping behind the fridge as a gust of air washes over her. looking over seeing the beans fingers brush against the floor and wall where she just stood… Fur puffing out, eyes watering, spine having a tingling numbness, as she’s basically dragged by Casper through the wall…

-

Relief washed over me as Mae slipped behind the fridge... she made it… I bought her just enough time…

Kris’ disappointment is written on their face. they grumble something I can’t make out over my own heartbeat. As their hand tightens further around my form. Making me gasp for air. They stand up, turning back to the counter. Walking back over to the microwave, they open the lower cabinet and pull out an empty glass jar… setting it on the counter. Kris looks at me again, straightening their arm out and then—

I’m falling, I hit a cold rigid surface. I bolt up, scrambling to reorient myself, plastering myself against the glass wall opposite to Kris… Looking up at them, they tilt their head. The glass walls obscure their face making things ripple and warp. they sigh before… walking away? Over to the kitchen sink… I watch as they wash their hands for a long time… several minutes pass. As I count the seconds, taking a deep breath in and out every seven seconds. I feel the tightness in my chest loosen gently. When the sink water stops running Kris dries their hands on a towel… hair obscuring their expression. They walk back over, towering over me. I can make out Kris’ mouth opening and closing as they groan in uncertainty… when—

“Who… Ugh, do you understand me?” I nod regretting it immediately, as Kris gives a wide grin.

“Is it okay if I ask you some questions?” I nodded again, they’re a little too giddy at my simple nodding…

“Okay… Good. So, hmmm, what are you?” lean their elbows on the countertop flapping their hands around absentmindedly as they speak. I hesitate to respond… staring at their hands.

“Uh… My name’s Casey… I'm a Borrower…” I state, Kris’ eyes narrow as I speak…

“What’s a Borrower?” Kris’ genuine curiosity, it twists me into knots.

“We're tiny people who live in the walls or under the floorboards of Beans homes.”

“Beans?” raising their brow, I take a breath...

“That's just what we call humans…”

“Oh…” Kris takes a pause pushing themself off the counter leaning back on their heels, clicking their tongue.

“Hmmm… why are you called Borrowers? Don’t you just take things? I mean you don’t return them, right?” My chest burns remembering what my parents always told me, remembering my parents… My parents.

“Wha— We don’t steal! We borrow! We borrow only what we need to survive, nothing more…” my words trail off. their implication it hurt. Kris hums, clearly taking note of my reacting and changing the topic.

“How old are you?” I’m taken aback at the question, but I answer honestly.

“Sixteen…” the realization that we’re the same age hits Kris as their eyes widen at the information.

“Do you have parents…?” I look away, not wanting to think about it. what could have happened to them.

“No… not anymore... they disappeared, a while ago now…” Kris’ expression softens, despite trying hard to hide their concern.

“How long ago?”

“Uh…  must have been… four years ago… I think?” I don’t mention that it was around the same time as Dess’s disappearance. Kris doesn’t seem to realize anyway… They change the topic again.

“Who was that with you? sibling?”

“Her name is Mae and no, she’s not my sibling… she appeared at my doorstep a few months ago, nowhere else to go.” Kris hums in thought again.

“Are there others? With you?” I don’t really want to say but it’s not like I’m in any position to refuse to answer a question right now…

“Yes… Mae has a twin brother Casper and their younger sister, Leslie” I give an honest answer despite my uncertainty.

“How old are they?”

“The twins are thirteen, Leslie is… eight.” Kris seems shocked as I give my friends ages.

“H-how long have you been living here?”

“Since I was born…”

“Huh,” Kris’s seemingly having the realization that I’ve been here their whole life and have assumedly seen everything… Kris mouth opens about to ask something else when—

My ears twitch as I hear the ceiling creak in a rhythmic way… footsteps. It’s Toriel.

“Kris, your mom is coming…” The creaking of the stairs makes Kris turn.

“What? How did you—” they look back at me.

“Kris? Who are you talking to?” Kris jolts and quickly slides the jar behind the microwave, making me wobble on my feet and fall against the jar’s walls. I push myself back onto my feet, shaking my head. I look up, Unable to see around the microwave, my ears perk up as I listen close to the following conversation.

“Nothing! Uh, no one…” Kris lies… why? They could have just shown me to Toriel… I expected them too, but they didn’t.

“What are you doing up? You have school in the morning…”

“Kris… you’re not eating late again, are you? You know that’s bad for you…” she noticed the bowl of various snack foods…

“No, I’m not… I was… I was checking the mouse traps again…” Kris’ voice is laced with embarrassment. I hear Toriel sigh at Kris’ words.

“Honey, I thought we had already decided that there are no mice in this house…”

“I know…”

“Then why do you keep looking?”

“I just… I don’t know…” they’re lying.

“Is this about Azzy going to college?” It was.

“No.” Kris raises their voice just enough to make Toriel pause before her next words. It was about Azzy leaving… I knew it was.

“O-okay… Well can you at least try to get some sleep, honey. Please? We have a busy day tomorrow,” I hear Kris huff as Toriel footsteps echo out stairs creaking as she leaves.

Kris pulls the jar back out. I wobble on my feet, sticking my arms out to the edge of the jar to keep balance. Kris’ eyes glazed over not really looking at me… Kris slumps in on themself, crossing their arms over and leaning on the counter hiding their face behind their folded arms. they groan, eyes peaking over their arms through strands of hair, almost eye level with me… Kris huffs, before pushing themselves off the counter. Bouncing back on their heels, Kris stretches their arms over their head, spine letting out a few audible pops.

It’s still unnerving how small I am compared to them… and they’re the smallest person in this household.

“Um… what are you going to do with me?” I asked, making my mind wonder… Was Kris going to keep me as a pet? Kill me? Was this all a façade… They still had the capacity to hurt me. despite their supposed concern, I still remember the horror stories my parent used to tell me about Bean’s and Monsters… they’ll squish you, torture you, break your body, eat you alive… that they’re cruel to small things…

The endless onslaught of possibilities made my stomach churn. Till—

“Eh… don’t know. I guess I should let you go… you have people to go back to huh…” Kris’ words… they were filled with sorrow. They grab the Jar, tipping it at an angle making me stumble as the glass shifts under my feet. With the jar now on its side, it allows me to crawl out. I pull myself out of the jar, dusting myself off standing back on the counter, I look up at Kris again.

“Y-you’re letting me go?”

“Yeah…” there’s an agonizing moment of silence…

“So… aren’t you gonna leave?”

“Well, uh… I still need some food… and then… uh…” I don’t really want to ask for help but…

“Can you help me down… I don’t have a good way to get back… Mae has our only grappling hook…”

“Yeah sure…” Kris stands there watching me… as I climb in the bowl putting various foods in my bag. As I finish up having a good amount of food in my bag. I slung the bag's straps over my shoulders and jumped out of the bowl. I look up at Kris, my head spinning at their looming form. Kris places their left-hand palm up on the counter next to me… I pause seeing the small bite mark on their index finger, and a puncture wound in their palm. The blood had scabbed over already. My ears flatten to my head, guilt fueling my next words.

“Hey um… Sorry for biting and uh, stabbing your hand… I was just scared you might hurt us…” Kris shrugs, keeping their hand still.

“Eh, it’s fine…” another worryingly long moment of silence. When I reluctantly step onto Kris’ open palm. Their skin is soft under my clawed feet… I look up at them expectantly.

Kris starts moving their hand off the counter. Making my feet unsteady, sticking my arms and tail out to try to rebalance myself. Kris curls their fingers just slightly; I assume to keep me from falling. But it makes me shudder anyway. Kris walks over between the back of the Fridge and the kitchen sink… they kneel, air rushing past, whistling in my ears as they set their hand down on the floor. Kris uncurls their fingers, before I can jump off though…

“Hey… is it okay if I can see you again? Tomorrow?” Kris seems unsure of their words. I paused looking up, still standing on their palm.

“Hmmm… Only If you promise to take down your traps…” I propose. Kris lets out an unintentionally sinister chuckle, my skin crawls as their hand rumbles under my feet.

“Okay,” I quickly hop off their hand heading toward the fridge, I pause looking back at Kris, they’re watching me intently.

“Um, thank you…” I almost say ‘for not killing me’ but I don’t… because that’s creepy…

“Yeah, ‘course…” I give them a meek smile and slip behind the fridge. Covering my face to avoid inhaling the dust. I hear Kris sigh and stand, the ground shaking a little as I head to the shortcut in the wall. Almost collapsing as I walk through the shortcut into the wall. I was in Kris’ hand… I was in A Bean’s hand, and I wasn’t dead. I pause looking at my hands wiggling my fingers, to make sure it was real… I push the thin sheet of drywall back over the shortcut and take the walk back home…

I hesitate to open the door… when it opens on its own revealing Mae. Wet tear marks on her face's fur. Before I can react, I’m warped in a hug.

“you’re alive!” Mae says, almost knocking me over.

“y-yeah…” As I speak, she pulls away, her eyes wet, face a little red. She’d clearly been crying for a while…

“I-I thought The Bean would have—"

“No… I’m okay.” Mae then looks at me up and down.

“Uhm there’s blood on your clothes…” I looked down, seeing a splotch of blood on my shirt must have been from when I stabbed Kris’ hand. I feel guilt washing over me again.

“Are you injured? I-is the blood yours?”

“Nah… I’m fine, and I’ll clean it tomorrow… I-I need to rest…” Mae nods, letting me walk into the home seeing Leslie curled up on the couch with Casper, fast asleep.

“I got food by the way.” I slip the bag off my shoulders and hand it to Mae, she takes it.

“Can you put it away? I think I need to lay down…” she nods

“Yeah of course…”

“Thank you,” I walk over to the ladder and climb up to my room, yawning as I go… I walk in, closing the door as quietly as I can. Not wanting to wake Casper of Leslie. I slip my shirt off over my head. seeing the splotch of blood already oxidizing making it turn brown... I sigh; I can hardly believe it… I was in Kris’ hand… and I’m alive, they didn’t kill me… or do anything really… I folded up my shirt, putting it on my dresser. I sit down on the tomato pin cushion chair at my desk, pulling out a pencil and paper I sketch for a while…

I pull back seeing drawings of what-ifs mainly if I was the same height as Kris… a part of me wishes I was… maybe then we could really be friends… maybe we still can be?

I shake my head, trying to not remember what my parents told me… “borrowers should never befriend a bean!” the words echo out in my head. I want to try…

I get in bed thinking about maybe going to see Kris tomorrow…

-

I’m woken up to knocking at my door…

“Hey Casey? Um… I-we wanted to talk…” It's Mae. That’s not good… I get my spare shirt and slip it on and open the door stepping out seeing Mae she’s rubbing her arms as if she was cold.

“What is it?” I ask, she’s hunched over a little. She’s holding something back

“Let's go down to the living room, ok?”

“Sure…” I follow her down the ladder to the living room seeing Leslie and Casper looking unsure of themselves… with bags on their backs. oh no… I knew where this was going.

“Um… well, we were gonna leave…” My heart drops, I knew it was coming but it still made my stomach churn.

“It's because I got caught, isn't it…”

“Well yeah… but you can come with us if you’d like to… Ya know since it’s not safe to stay here,” I look down, anger filling my chest.

“they’re not dangerous…”

“Excuse me?”

“Kris they’re… they’re not dangerous… they let me go… AND I made them promise to take down their traps…”

“b-but that goes against Borrower code!”

“I know… but I-I need you to stay… I can’t lose anyone else… I can’t be alone again...” Leslie sniffles and rushes over, wrapping me in a hug, her eyes watering.

“Mae, can we stay? please? I don’t want to go back out there…” Leslie hides behind me as Mae groans, internal conflict written on her face.

“But the rules say that—” Casper cuts her off.

“Mae come on… it’s not worth it to leave… and you know it,” he sets his bag down…

“GAH! But we’ve been seen! We have to—”

“MAE! we’re not leaving, we’ll just get killed if we go out there…” Mae grumbles, sighing, glaring at the floor balling her hands into fists.

“You know he’s right Mae…” I state.

“Ugh! Just because you’re all right doesn’t mean I have to agree with it… but fine we’ll stay… but if anything, ANYTHING, bad happens we’re leaving.”  She walks away into the kitchen. Leslie hugs me again smiling and walking over to the couch getting out her quilt project.

“I’m gonna make breakfast now…” I can tell Mae’s conflicted, part of me wonders if she was told the same horror stories as me… I walk over and sit down at the dining table… I watch as Mae makes some oatmeal… I wanted to try and reassure her, tell her that Kris was safe, and they wouldn’t hurt us… but I knew I couldn’t promise that…

Kris stares, hating the look of their own face... the way their red outlined wings stuck out where their ears should be. The way their iris and pupils looked like little Save points. Like little stars… they lean back huffing as they stare out at the lake… Kris pulls their knees close to their chest, wrapping their wings around them again. starting to dread Susie’s arrival… since it meant they’ll have to confront things again, deal with reality.

To deal with the prophecy.

To deal with people.

Deal with the plan…

Kris wasn’t ready but—

The rustling of a nearby bush as something brushed past it, catching their attention.

It was too late.

Kris turns their head seeing Susie walk into the clearing… Noelle follows close behind her. shit.

-

Noelle felt her heart pounding. Still trying to recover from her panic attack. Endless questions swirled in her head. Was Kris okay? Why were they hiding in the woods? Why did Susie not want to tell Toriel? Was she going to be murdered? Would she also go missing? until—

She saw something glowing red just past a few trees. It was big… Susie leading her into a small clearing. She saw it… at first, it looked like a very large bundle of wings and feathers… she squints heart leaping into her throat as its head turns…

 no…

No fucking way.

There’s no way!

“K-Kris?!” Susie turns to Noelle as she shouts their name… w-why’d they look like that? Like they did in the dark word… but that can’t be! It was just a dream like this is right now!

“Mhm” Kris hums, Noelle closes her eyes tight, it’s a dream it’s all a dream she’ll wake up for real… in her room, on her bed, she can almost feel the mattress under her. The blanket gently draped over her. any minute now She’ll—

“Noelle? You, okay?” Susie’s voice… her eyes shot open… still here, standing on the cold damp dirt…

“Heh, t-there’s no way! It wasn’t real! This isn’t real! There’s no way it was all… real…” Noelle’s voice dissolves into fear fueled giggles… staring at Kris, in the same armor they wore in the dark world…

“It was real… The dark worlds, all that stuff… it’s all… real.” Susie trails off letting out a huff leaning back on her heels.

“I-It was real… W-why didn’t you tell me…? That it was…?” Noelle’s face falls, to one of disappointment…

“I-I— We didn’t want you to get hurt…” She scratches at the back of her neck, trying to act like this is normal.

“Well, hah... At least I can now say that… I liked riding the Ferris wheel with you…” Noelle and Susie’s faces both get bright red. Noelle swaying on her hooves, as they both try to look at anything but each other… Susie looking up at Kris. Just as the 15-foot-tall teen rolls their eyes at the two monsters.

“h-hey! Don’t give me that look dumbass!” Kris huffs hiding their darkening face behind their wings. Susie debates back and forth on embarrassing Kris, by confronting them about the festival invitation they made for her…

“Heh, hey Kris… look what your mom showed me…” before Susie can pull the paper out of her pocket… she’s knocked flat on her back, gasping for air. She props herself up on her elbows. Kris’s wing’s not far away, being the culprit for what knocked her over. Noelle rushes to her side as Susie takes a deep gasping breath.

“S-Susie are you okay?” Susie brushes off Noelle’s concern pushing herself to her feet. Seeing a dark blush covering Kris’s face.

“Geeze Kris. Ya didn’t have to do that…” Susie trails off, Noelle’s face not able to hide her concern.

“Um, what exactly happened yesterday… after you left… That made Kris um… like this.” Noelle whispers the last part to Susie, Kris clearly able to hear it anyway…

“Eh… it’s complicated but… There was a dark word in the church and—”

“T-there was one in the church?!” Noelle’s face is covered in worry.

“Yeah… and remember that thing Ralsei told us about the roaring and the titans and stuff?” As Susie explains, Noelle hums listening close.

“Well, the knight ended up summoning a titan… and then Kris… well… we thought they WERE the titan at first… but…” Susie pauses, staring at the ground…

“Kris, they defeated it! said it was sick… like those old giant monster movies!” Susie's voice picks up thinking about those old films, she takes a breath remembering after they got back.

“But when we realized it was them and sealed the fountain… Back in the church… They stayed like this…” Susie gestures to Kris…  Susie left out the part about the prophecy… she didn’t want to talk about it. to not worry Noelle.

“So… what do we do…? I mean… how, or can we get them back to normal?”

“I don’t know…” Susie states, Noelle looks nervously at Kris. The three sit in an awkward silence. Kris occasionally ruffling their wings.

“Hmmm, Oh yeah!” Susie hums remembering where they could do to maybe find stuff on how to get Kris back to normal…

“We need to check the library, maybe we can find a book with answers!”

“Um… Susie? They’re close today… it’s Sunday…”

“FUCK!” Susie throws her hands up, Kris chuckling at her.  of course, of course it would be… when she gets an idea… they’re gonna have to break in—

“Berdly… He’s got keys…” Kris says. Eyes narrowed at the two…

“What?” Susie and Noelle say in unison.

“Berdly, he has—”

“Yeah, yeah I heard ya… just how do you want US to get HIM to help?”

“he’s got keys…” Kris saying it like the words themself would solve their problem.

“YEAH, I got that part! But… Berdly?! really???” Susie waves her hands around in a dramatic manner.

“Yep…” Kris simply states, Susie slaps a hand over her face…

“UGH! fine… So where would he be?” Susie mumbles the last part when Noelle pipes up.

“I-I have his number… We can just tell him to meet us here.”

“don’t think it’ll be THAT easy… After I called him dumbass…” Susie mumbles the last part.

“It’ll be fine Susie, let’s’ just stay over by the picnic tables,”

Susie groans to air her discontent, Berdly? Why him? Of all people…?

“Stay here Kris don’t want him knowing too…” Kris shrugs in response, looking back at the lake… the two monsters walking out of the woods and over to the picnic tables. Standing near the tables Noelle pulls out her phone to call the blue bird, him picking up the phone after only a few rings.

“N-Noelle! C-changed your mind about going to the festival with me? hmmm?” his confidence, his smugness, it made Susie sick.

“Uh… I-I Uh,” Noelle’s unable to speak. Susie snatches the phone out of the reindeer’s hands.

“No, she’s not! but… UGH! This sucks to say… We need your help…”

“MY HELP! YOU need MY help?! Heh, just as I thought… YOU two DO want to go to the festival with ME!”

“What NO! we Just need—”

“Say no more Susan! I’ll be waiting for you both…” Berdly hang up. Susie almost snaps Noelle's phone in half… but groans, calling the damn bird back.

“Susan, I told you I’ll—"

“Listen up FEATHER BRAIN! Just meet us at the lake or I WILL break you in half like a twig!” Susie hears a gasp through the phone and next to her.

“Heh, heh, I-I’ll be right there,” Berdy’s voice is shaking. the phone hangs up… Susie sighs, handing it back to Noelle…

“y-you didn’t have to go that hard on him Susie…” Susie rolls her eyes.

“If it gets him to show up, so what…”

“But we’ll have to tell him it was real right?”

“We could uh, give the excuse that we left something there?”

“I don’t think he’ll buy that…”

“Ugh you’re probably right…”

The two monsters sit at the table closest to the Lake… Susie’s head swam with questions and thoughts… but mainly what would they even do if they could get Kris back to normal? or if they couldn’t?

What then?

Susie groans loudly, seeing Noelle jolt at the sound. Susie crosses her arms leaning on the table making the tabletop tilt leaning toward her…

“y-you said it was like those old monster movies, when Kris defeated a titian…”

“Yeh…” Susie dreads Noelle’s next question… mainly because she didn’t actually see them do it…

“Um… how tall were they in the dark world?”

“Eh like… you’d fit in their palm size…” Susie holds out her hand for a moment. Seeing Noelle’s face contorts to an expression of unease…

“Oh… W-well at least they're shorter here…” Noelle’s heart felt odd…

“Yeah, they woulda” destroyed the church otherwise…”

“Fahaha!” Noelle’s laugh… It was nice to hear her laugh and see her smiling. Like an old holiday song, it made everything else fade away…

“Ya know Berdly probably got the missing report ‘bout Kris too…”

“Probably yeah… What’s your point?”

“We could tell him… that they’re missing, and we need them in the library for that reason…”

“Hmmm…” Noelle hums out when—

“Who’re you talking about?” that nerdy voice…

“Berdly!” Susie bolts up from her seat spinning on her heels…

“Nothing!  just…” Susie takes a breath, time to lie…

“Listen, we need to get in the library… I uh, left something in there!” a pause

“For the group project…” she adds

“Really? THAT’S what you needed me for? To break into the library?”

“Yeh? I mean if we have any hope of having a presentable project…”

“Tsk, like that’s what it’s really about…” Berdly clearly not believing Susie…

“Yeah, it is… I mean we wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t serious…”

“Psh as if… you’re just hiding the fact you want to go to the festival with ME!” his confidence was even more sickening in person.

“Ugh, no! I told you! We’re not going to the festival with you! We just need in the library!” Berdly looking down defeated, before coming back with a hard glare, and a smug grin.

“Okay how’s this sound: if you two go to the festival with ME, and I’ll let you in the library…”

“UGH! you know what, forget it! we’ll just figure it out on our own!” Susie goes to leave to walk back to Kris when—

“W-wait! Please you don’t have to spend the whole time there with me… just part of it… please…” Berdly cracks in desperation. Here we go.

“Heh, alright it’s a deal then” Susie sees Noelle's jaw agape at the proclamation.

“Cool!” Berdly seemed ecstatic, his feathers all puffed out…

“I’ll let you in, but don’t tell anyone I did this… or I-I could lose my job…”

“Heh alright. lead the way…” Noelle stops Susie, grabbing her hoodie sleeve, As Berdly starts to walk away.

“What?” Susie whispers to her.

“shouldn’t we… tell him?” Noelle whispers back…

“Eh, nah… it was hard enough explaining it to you… he’s just… it would be annoying” Noelle looks away sighing.

“Okay…” Noelle releases Susie’s arm…

“you two coming or what?”

“Yeah, yeah we’re coming, nerd…” Susie adding the nerd part under her breath. Susie spots something out of the corner of her eye… her eyes drift over, it's Kris… peeking through the trees. Her skin crawls, snapping her head back to Berdly to avoid suspicion from him…

He doesn’t notice… Thank God.

The three head through town to the library passing the road leading to the festival… Berdly looking back and forth before he unlocks the door… swing it open about to walk in with them.

“Hey ya mind keeping watch? At the front desk? ya know just in case?” Susie says, trying to act casual about it.

“Ugh, fine, just don’t take too long, and don’t steal anything!” he buys it. flicking the lights on and going behind the library’s front desk.

Susie walks toward the stairs to the second floor, Noelle flowing close behind.

Walking up the stairs, to the non-fiction section Susie starts looking for something about human souls… church… religion… something anything that might have answers.

“So, what are we looking for exactly?” Noelle questions. Susie shrugs her shoulders.

“Eh not sure, just something about human souls, or religion… We need to know if we can get them back to normal…”

“Hmmm, maybe if we find something like, a book on old legends?” Noelle looks at the

“Huh… maybe?” Susie then reads a few book titles:

Human and Monsters souls: the difference

How To Care For A human

Monster Funerals

The Legend of Deltarune—

A book title catches her eye:

The Angel and The Nature of Human Souls.

“Ah ha! This could have something,” Susie pulls the book out showing it to Noelle. The deer nodded in agreement.

-

Berdly sat there behind the front desk pulling out his phone, looking at the screenshot he took of Kris’ missing person report… an unease filling his chest. Kris was last seen with Susie… she must have something to do with it… Ugh why’d he even care ‘bout that loser… remembering his dream he had in the library’s computer lab the other day… it was so real, but. it couldn’t be… there’s no way Susie, Noelle, and Kris would ever be, that cool and Fearless… and—

“Hey bird brain! we got what we needed!” Susie's voice snaps Berdly out of his thoughts.

“Oh… Uh, okay…” he glances at the two. second guessing his next choice of words but…

“The festival isn’t for another hour… you two wanna—”

“Nah, we need to work on our project! See ya!”

“Wha- you didn’t even let me—!”

“BYE!” Susie gabbing Noelle’s hand and rushing out, leaving Berdly wide eyed and slack jawed.

“Finished… hmmm…” those two were hiding something… they probably stole a book! He walked upstairs to where the two were… seeing a single book missing…

Susie groans squinting as the sun beams through her window. She sits up tossing her legs over the bed's edge… she sighs not ready for leaving her room. not wanting to deal with her hungover parent… she digs her claws into her beds edge, chest feeling tight. She propels herself up, off the bed. Breathing deeply, she walks out the sound of the toilet flushing and continued gasps and gaging as a reminder of the recent hangover. She looks at the wall clock, seeing it’s 7am. She has a little time…

She spends the next good while cleaning up last night’s mess. Picking up empty beer cans, paper plates encrusted with grease and dried food. All the while trying to prevent her stomach from churning at the foul smell of the room, and the horrible sounds emanating from the bathroom… Wishing she could just leave but she knows it would only be worse tomorrow if she didn’t. After washing her hands thoroughly, checking the time 7:45am. Before she can scurry out of the apartment, undetected. There's a knock at the door. shit.

“Susie! Get the door!” her parent demands through their gasping and gurgling vomit. She scowls as she looks through the door’s peephole. Her heart drops, fuck. It’s Toriel.

Okay Susie remembers what you were going to tell her… she tries to mentally prepare herself as much as possible.

“SUSIE!” her parent screams out, making her jolt.

“I’m Getting it!” she shouts back, baring her teeth. She takes a breath and—

She unlocks and swings the door open. Toriel rubbing her arm, tapping her foot. Toriel’s discomfort is evident, since she stops as Susie steps out quickly, closing the door behind her.

“Good morning. Susie, I um wanted to apologize for last night I wasn’t at my best,”

“It’s fine,” it wasn’t fine.

“Um, is Kris awake yet?”

“They left earlier. Said they were heading home,” Toriel’s eyes widened.

“Oh… well, thank you for telling me. See you later Snoozie” she smiles that same fucking warm smile. She was starting to hate that nickname. Toriel pauses before she leaves, looking back at Susie.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Are you planning on attending the festival?”

“Maybe…” she doesn’t want to say she was planning to go with Noelle since those plans are most likely canceled. Not because of Kris… and the whole thing with them, but because she’s worried about Noelle’s mom being there. Despite her brazenness yesterday it really worried her.

“Well, whether you go or not doesn’t matter, but I did find this,” Toriel hands a piece of paper to Susie. It has a scribbled drawing of her on it. With a written invitation to the festival. No name as to who, but she already knew.

“It was in Kris’s nightstand… I figured they’d be too nervous to ask you…” Susie felt her heart ache, knowing now if Kris isn’t back to normal… they couldn’t. first Ralsei and now Kris…

“Yeah, you’re probably right” she looks down hair obscuring her eyes…

“I’ll leave you to you now, have a good day Snoozie,” Toriel turns, leaving Susie to grit her teeth that nickname again. She stands there staring at the invitation reading it over and over. redness forming on her face. She folds up the invitation, carefully shoving it in her pants pocket.

Letting out a deep sigh. She hears Toriel leaving the building. She checks for the apartment keys yep in her pants pocket… she starts walking to leave, stepping outside she sees a group of younger kids playing in the street, they freeze seeing Susie. Making her scoff. Still the scary kid huh…

Susie looks up, clouds scattered loosely across the sky. The rain’s lingering smell still fills the air, the wind blowing gently. Though knowing this town, it could change at any moment…

looking to her right seeing Toriel heading down the street back to her house. Susie needed to go check on Kris… hoping the daylight might have helped them go back to normal… she doubted it but… she wanted to hope… it’s all she had now.

She started walking down the town streets heading to the lake seeing the lights of the festival’s Ferris wheel in the distance. Emerging from the trees… she walks past the holiday residence… hearing the gate creak open and of course when she looks Noelle walks out. Susie turns away pretending to not see the reindeer… She keeps walking, turning toward the Lake. She hears her name. but she keeps walking… she can’t just leave Kris alone all day. Not after what she knows now… That Kris… they—

“Susie!” she jolts seeing Noelle appear at her side.

“D-did you not hear me?”

“Uh no…” Noelle sees through her lie.

“Psh, yeah right, I saw you turn away…”

“y-you saw that huh?” Susie's heart is pounding.

“Do you want to go do something? Before going to the festival?” Susie needed to find an excuse, when—

“Maybe just hang out by the lake? I uh, didn’t get much sleep…” as the words fell out of her mouth. She slaps herself mentally. Why??? What if Noelle spots Kris? What if she freaks out… what if—

“O-okay sure!” Noelle seemed like she was going to explode… eyes wide face beet red.

“Uh let’s go, I guess,” Susie leads the way, Noelle following behind her. The audible clicking of her hooves on the concrete, soon at the end of the sidewalk and the clicking stops as they’re now walking on the dirt path toward the lake.

Fuck she’s so fucked…

-

Toriel gets home calling out for Kris getting no response… she checks the bathroom, nothing. knocking on their bedroom door… she waits, opening it and— nothing…

Just two empty beds…

“they’re not here…” nausea fills her chest realizing—

She doesn’t know where her child is.

Panic ensues, calling the police station, getting no answer she freaks out further. Calling 911…

She informs the person over the phone of what’s happening… They tell her to calm down and breathe. She insists on an alert being sent out. The person over the phone compiles saying they’ll send an alert out in her area. She thanks them… guilt filling her chest… she was drinking herself into a coma while Kris could be anywhere… she remembers Susie saying Kris was headed home… Did something happen? Where do they pick it up? kidnaped… she felt her eyes well with tears. Slumping down on the floor, she sobs… it’s her fault.

She can’t help but feel a well of guilt in her chest.

Kris is missing…

-

Noelle stops walking as her phone lets out a loud buzz.

“Oh, hang on, might be my mom…” she pauses her walk, words trailing off. Susie pauses, turning to Noelle rolling her eyes. When She watches Noelle’s face get pale white as a sheet…

“Um… S-Susie, when did you last see Kris?” Susie’s heart drops blood like ice in her veins

“Yesterday? W-why?” Noelle turns her phone around to show Susie… As Susie starts to read it in her head.

‘Missing person Kris Dreemurr… last seen yesterday at…’ Susie stops reading it to herself. Fuck Toriel must have sent that in… they’re so fucked. Noelle pulls her phone back staring at the alert…

“W-weren’t you with them yesterday?” Noelle’s words warble and crack.

“Yeah…”

“W-when’d you last see them?” Susie needs to lie… she couldn’t let Noelle know… then she’d have to say it was all real.

“I dropped them off at their house last night…” Noelle's rapid breathing makes her chest heave, clearly having a panic attack. Shit.

“Whoa Noelle it’s fine it’ll be okay,” tears start pouring down Noelle’s face, her legs shaking about to give out.

“H-hey, take a seat it’ll be okay…” Susie leads her to the picnic tables letting her sit down Susie stands watching the reindeer hyperventilate.

“I-It can’t happen again… It can’t…” Noelle’s words barely audible over her sobs.

“Um… hey, Kris is probably fine, they’re tough enough. heh,” Noelle looks up at her eyes red… trying to steady her breathing. Man, she should just tell Noell that Kris was okay. Susie hums looking toward the lake.

Fuck it. She needed Noelle to calm down.

“Uh, I can take you to Kris…”

“w-what?”

“Come on,” she grabs Noelle's arm, dragging her toward the lake. Noelle wiggles her arm free. Face back to a beet red tone.

“What're you talking about!? Y-you know where Kris is?!”

“y-yeah it’s just—”

“Well, we need to tell Toriel! She needs to know where—!”

“NO!” Susie snaps at Noelle making the girl jolt.

“W-why not?” Noelle's face covered in worry, Susie looks at the ground, letting out a huff.

“I’ll explain just, come with me okay…” Susie says, looking toward the woods.

“Okay…” Noelle says, thoroughly shaken by the whole situation.

Floor having books and torn pamphlets scattered everywhere, the wooden floor once shiny and clean now littered with claw marks and scratches. The carpet draped between the pews having frayed edges and tears. Candlesticks scattered everywhere, broken in half like twigs. Church pews, having scratch marks, and chunks missing. Despite the church’s disheveled state, she hopes things are okay. That Kris is okay. That they’re back to normal.

She turns her head over her shoulder toward the exit door. dim light leaking through the stained-glass windows illuminating, a still glowing winged Kirs… much shorter but… shit.

They lay on their back over the now crushed entry table. Kris’s wings puff out briefly, almost hitting Susie in the side and nearly knocking over a church pew. Before wrapping the wings around their body, they sit up pulling their knees close.

“Crap… Kris, you, okay?” Kris unwraps a wing around one side of their face peeking out at Susie.

“No…” their voice wavering, star-shaped pupils trembling.

“I c-can’t go home like this…” Kris' voice cracks as they speak, looking at their still armored hands.

“Man, what do we do then?” Susie ponders some ideas to herself but, reassuring Kris is her highest priority.

“Hey at least you're smaller… manageable height, and you look cool heh…” Susie pumps her fist in the air chuckling. Kris smiles, letting out a huff of amusement muffled by the one wing still covering their face. At least it got them to smile.

“yeh” Kris mumbled under their wing. Susie looks around when a thought crosses her mind. How is Kris gonna get out of this church? They’re at least 15 feet tall… so how?

“Where’s Toriel…? The knight? Was she even—” Susie cuts off her words.

“W-we did all that for….” Susie trails off, gritting her teeth.

“Let’s just go…” Susie hums, Kris uncovering their face fully, narrowing their eyes at Susie.

“How are we gonna get you out of here?” Susie, saying her thoughts out loud, Kris’ head turns toward the exit to the foyer.

“I can try crawling…” The suggestion gives Susie pause but she shrugs and walks toward the door. pushing it open, the door’s hinges creak as she swings it open.

“Alright where do you want to go… After we get out of here?” Kris hums, eyes sparking with an idea.

“The Lake…” that's a good idea. No one goes over there very often, it could work…

“Maybe stay behind a few trees? I know you don’t want anyone to see you...” Just in case they don’t go back to normal by tomorrow.

“Alright let’s try getting you out of this place!” Susie's voice is filled with determination, she's lucky her hoodie hides her tail... since it had started wagging. As Susie walks through the open doorway, Kris starts to pull themself through the open doors. When their wings don’t fit… Kris pulls them in close, rolling on their side to try and fit, when as they grab the doorframe there’s a cracking sound coming from it.

Kris lets go rolling back on their stomach they try dragging their body through grabbing the open doors when the left door creaks as it's torn off its hinges… Now holding the door in their hand, they drop it, like it bit them it hits the ground with a hollow thud. damn…. That’s not good.

Susie stares wide-eyed at Kris. Dang They're stronger than she thought.

“T-that door was just, really weak…” Kris tries to joke, it’s not very effective. Kris pushed themself back out of the doorway into the main church.

“Mhm… sure,” Susie shook her head letting her hair fall back over her eyes, in a feeble attempt to hide her nerves.

“So… you don’t fit. Hmmm, maybe the windows?” Susie walks toward one of the biggest windows to the left of the stage. Kris stands in the church. Head brushing against the ceiling… they hunch over to avoid hitting their head on the wooden rafters.

Susie grabs a piece of a broken candlestick, rearing back she hucks it at the window as hard as she can. It shatters not dissimilar to the glass panels that told the prophecy…

just less dramatic…

She waves to Kris who carefully walks over trying not to let the floor crack under their weight.

Crouching down Kris peers outside, Susie walks around the mini giant, heading for the main exit.

“I’ll meet you outside,” before Kris can confirm, she’s already gone. Kris sighs, looking outside, they grab the bottom edge of the broken window. Their armor covered hands keeps the glass from cutting them.

Putting their head outside, Kris turns on their side slightly to help them get outside. Pushing at the base of the window, the wall lets out a creak, they keep going. Folding their wings in close. Torso now outside, Kris pulls their left foot out, stepping on the wet grass. As Kris pulls their right leg out, standing on their left leg, they feel faint, tipping over, they’re falling.

Kris tumbles down wings splayed out, in a desperate attempt to prevent falling. Landing on the ground with a loud thud. They bolt up, head spinning trying to steady themself. Kris drags their way to the front of the church. Seeing Susie leaning against the front wall, arms folded over her chest.

Susie looks up at Kris.

Kris Looks down at Susie.

 It felt weird seeing her so small… she was normally so tall… but now Kris could easily carry her in their hands. A moment of silence. Kris tilts their head, wings unfurling a little. Susie scoffs…

“You, ok? I heard you… uh…” Susie stops not wanting to say she could feel the ground shake when they fell.

“I’m Fine…” Kris really doesn’t need Susie worrying about them right now. Too much had happened. Too much was still going to happen.

“Heh, okay…” Susie pushes herself off the wall, looking up at Kris expecting them to lead.

Kris paused looking up to see dark storm clouds covering the sky above. The smell of damp soil and wet greenery permeated through the air.

“It smells nice… After the rain.” Susie sounds somber in her words. Kris’ heart ached at her words.

Kris turns and starts walking toward the lake… keeping their pace slow not wanting to lose Susie. Despite their heart pounding at the simple thought of being seen.

Kris pauses to look behind themself constantly, making sure Susie is still there. Soon standing at the cross point between the lake and their house.

“Let's find you a place by the lake first…” Kris nods, understanding Susie's hesitation to talk to their mom. leading them to the lake. The smell of approaching rain fills Kris’ senses, as the wind picks up…

The two now are at the lake’s edge. Kris turns to the left, brushing past a few rows of trees. A small clearing at the edge of the lake. Kris takes a breath, looking down at Susie, Kris huffs and sits at the lakes edge… Kris pulling their wings in close, like a blanket. Listening to the gentle sway of the lake.

Susie doesn’t want to leave; she doesn't want to confront Toriel… several ideas swirl in her head, her skin crawling at the, what if this, what if that… but she had to… she’d be the one taking the blame if Kris didn’t return home…

“I’ll… I’ll tell your mom you’re staying at my place.”

“Mhm.” Kris’s words lace in deep exhaustion. Susie shrugs and turns leaving kris in the clearing. Walking back to the fork in the road. Walking down the road to Kris’s home it made her heart tremble, clenching her jaw. She could hear the muffled sound of music as she approached.

Going over ideas in her head she had to lie… she reached her hand up, knocking at the door. a pause the music stopped.

The door swung open… the familiar smell of alcohol filled her nose. Toriel standing before her.

“Snoozie!” she gives a slurred greeting, Susie spots that convince store owner standing near an old record player.

“Are you going to stay…" her words die in her mouth, face falling, sobering for a short moment.

“Wh-Where’s Kris?” she straightened up, looking past Susie.

“Is Kris pull-ing a prank? ‘cause if they’re ‘round that corner…”  Toriel slurs and hiccups through her words as they dissolve into a giggle fit. Alright time for Susie to lie her ass off.

“Um actually… Kris is staying at my place tonight? I almost forgot to tell you heh. They were sleeping hard, like, suuuuper hard. I didn’t want to wake them… So, I just ran over.” after a moment of hard staring from Toriel.

“I-I don’t have your number…” the long moment of tense silence as Susie grits her teeth, keeping her mouth closed. was she caught did Toriel see through her? relief wases over the teen monster as Toriel pats her shoulder thanking her for coming through the rain. She offers Susie an umbrella, which Susie brushes off, saying she’ll be fine. Toriel gives her a warm smile, Susie gives her a sicky note with her apartment and phone number. Toriel smiles again and sticks it to the empty TV stand, going back to dancing with that skeleton… Susie closes the door, trying not to slam it out of rage.

She paces in the front lawn looking up at Kris’ bedroom window wishing they were there that everything could be normal. She sneers and turns, starting the walk back to the lake.

She can’t help but feel it’s her fault maybe if she’d just kept her mouth shut, not provoked The Knight… Kris wouldn’t have… no that’s stupid… thinking on it now Kris was showing sings of this happening for a while now… Pretty much since they met Tennna… Kris had grown in height being Susie’s height by the time they fought the Roaring Knight. And taller than Susie by the time they entered the church…  she initially thought it was just human puberty or something… but now? She wasn’t so sure.

Why didn’t she see it? She should have stopped it. she could have—

 She sees a trash can sitting by the picnic tables. Her brows furrow she kicks it over, and over, and over, and over, and—

She stops… It sits on the ground dents in its side… trash strewn over the ground… fluid seeping from the torn bag…

she didn’t feel any better… and now her foot hurt.

She puts her hands in her pants pockets. Huffing, Walking the rest of the way to the lake. Turing, to the left walking through the trees seeing Kris right where she left them… laying down in their wings wrapped them like a cocoon. Looking like a glowing bundle of feathers.

“She bought it… you’re safe till tomorrow…” Kris sits up uncurling their wings a little… body still hidden, their glowing form towering over her.

“Mmmm, K” Kris drones out.

“You back to normal at all? Or…” Kris flares out their wings, showing their body looking the same as before.

“No…” Susie pauses thinking on what to say.

“I-I don’t know much on humans… Is this like… human puberty?” Kris takes a deep breath shrugging their shoulders, shaking their head...

“Well maybe we—I can look for something at the library? Get some answers” Kris slumps back down laying on their side. Facing away, Curling their wings back around their body. Looking like a feathery sleeping bag.

“Alright then…” Susie turns to leave…

“Mmmm” Kris rolls over facing her, pulling their heads wings back showing their face. Their pleading eyes make her pause. between this and her bed at home… there was no competition…

She huffs walking over to Kris walking onto their wing. Kris stretching the other over Susie protecting her from the rain. She hesitates before laying down, getting comfortable Kris pulls their wings in close. Their wings were warm. Like sitting in the sunshine on a nice day.

It felt odd being this close… considering how tall they were…

“Stay… please,” Kris mutters, Susie scoffs… as Kris reaches out cupping their left hand around her back. Pushing her in close pulling their wings in even more.  It was weird being the short one for a change.

“Least you’re cozy…” Susie’s face felt warm as she spoke… warmer than normal. Kris snorts, taking notice of Susie’s blushing face. In return she kicks them playfully in the side. Kris closes their wings on her feathers restraining her movement. She writhes under their wings. When Kris pulls the top wing back letting the rain hit Susie…

“Ah! You jerk!” Susie tries her best to hold back her laughter, as Kris snickers stretching their wing back out covering Susie. She yawns leaning back on her heels… remembering Toriel… she should leave and sleep at home, simply because Toriel might come to get Kris… or check on them… and she doesn’t want to worry her. no other reason… She already had an idea of what to say. But it was nice being here wrapped in Kris’ wings… but…

She tries to push Kris’s wing off her and they only for them to curl around her more.

“Can’t you stay…?” Kris whines, their eyes showing an insistence. Susie rolls her eyes at Kris’s fruitless pleading.

“Ugh, don’t give me THAT look… I need to go. I told Toriel that you’re staying at my place. If I’m not there and Toriel shows up—” Kris hums in discontent.

“Mmmm, K” Susie’s body is shaken by Kris’s humming. But they pull their wing back letting Susie stand… she starts walking away looking back seeing Kris all wrapped up in their wings. She sighs, what was she going to do tomorrow?

Susie walked home, the rain was cold, but it didn’t phase her. she walked up the stairs to her apartment. seeing a monster shaped thing passed out on the couch beer cans littering the floor…. TV is still on illuminating the living room. She walked to her room, uncaring about the heaviness of her footsteps. they won’t wake anyway…

She lays in her worn out mattress, wishing she could have stayed there with Kris… the warmth of their wings was, nice. but… part of her felt she deserver to be uncomfortable… for not realizing and helping them sooner. That she dissevered to be punished…

She tries to sleep tossing and turning, before finally falling asleep. Her head is filled with nightmares… about that fucking prophecy… she—

They won’t let that happen.

“No, you can't, it's too dangerous…” I state, the young borrower groans…

“But you used to say that to Mae! now she goes out with you! Can’t I just go with you this one time? Please Casey? Please! pretty please?” she gives me big soft eyes… Man I swear if they keep wearing me down.

“Ugh… Fine but don’t come out with us, stay near the wall where it’s safe. That means you’re coming to, Casper.” he jolts, sighing, getting up from the flannel couch. As Leslie scurries off to get ready. I head over to Casper, his joints popping as he stands.

“I need you to keep a close eye on her. Make sure she doesn’t get too far from the wall. I don’t want her to get hurt.” Casper nods as Mae and Leslie come out dressed and ready.

“She got to you huh?” Mae’s smug face made my blood boil. My ears flattened out letting out droning sound before speaking.

“Shut up… Let’s just get going.” Mae stifles a bubbly laugh. I pull out my lantern leading the three out. The wall’s studs towering around us stretch on seemingly endless into the dusty darkness. Chipped drywall, and insulation surrounding our home. Following the path over the cold concrete foundation to the tunnel through the dry wall leading to a pulley system up to the cabinets above the stove.

Leslie obviously was excited to come with us. Seemingly unaware that her tail was swishing around happily… I rolled my eyes as I pulled the rope lifting the platform and the four of us up to the cabinet level.

The shortcut was blocked, with silly putty… shit.

"What's that stuff?” Leslie asks, pointing at it. I let my frustration show, furrowing my brow at the material blocking our shortcut.

“It’s, silly putty…Ugh, we have to go to the lower cabinets…” The other three looked at each other, as I lowered us back down to the floor level.

“The cabinets under the microwave should have some food...” I start leading everyone over to the shortcut behind the fridge. I pull the thin sheet of dry wall out of the way and step out, the dust behind the fridge making my nose twitch. I pull my shirt over it to prevent sneezing. I lead the three others out to the edge seeing the long way to travel to get in the lower cabinets…

“You two stay here and signal with this if you hear anything from upstairs.” I handed them a polished bottle cap and my spare lantern. Casper nods while Leslie looks on a little confused. I motion for Mae to follow me.

The cabinets seem to feel even bigger as we approach. Mae boosts me up I open the door and see the cabinet and—

It’s empty… no bowls, plates, just a few empty jars… but most importantly no food… shit… Kris, they moved it. I take a deep breath trying to calm my nerves. When I get a whiff of something sweet, I follow it… out of the cabinet…

We need food… jump out of the cabinet sniffing again it’s on the counter… it’s a trap, I just know it. Mae has a puzzled look on her face.

“Kris move it all…” Mae pinches the bridge of her nose.

“So, what do we do?” I pull out my grappling hook; Mae lets out a disgruntled sigh. as I launch the hook up to the counter. Tugging on the twine a few times to get it securely hooked on the edge… I start climbing up the strand, as I hoist myself up, onto the counter. I turned looking down and gestured for Mae to come up. Once she’s standing next to me, I pull the twine up, wrapping it around my arm into a loop and reattaching it to my waist. Looking over, I see a small shallow bowl of various foods next to the gigantic microwave. When I spot it… A motion detector pointed at the bowl… damn how are we going to—

Mae walks right in front of it heading for the food… before I can react to stop her. I see a small light blink on… flashing, rhythmically.

I freeze up… There’s no way out now… I grabbed Mae’s arm; she almost fell as I dragged her to hide behind the microwave.

“What was that for?!” she asks, pulling her arm harshly out of my grasp. As we stand behind the microwave.

“T-there’s a motion detector.” I say my heart is pounding in my chest… I see Mae’s rounded ears flatten against her head, nose twitching…

“Shit… this is my fault. I just got us killed,” She mumbles. I shake my head.

 “No, you didn’t. We’ll get out of this alive, I promise.” My ears perk up at the sound of footsteps from upstairs…

“they’re coming…” I whisper. Peering out, I see the light from the bottle cap reflecting off the fridge but… It’s too late now. Mae’s face contorts to one of dread…

“You can hide under the Microwave… they’ll see me first, letting you escape, here.” I handed her the grappling hook, hesitantly she took it.

“What? But what if they—”

“I’ll be fine just… promise me you’ll take care of everyone. Okay?” Mae’s eyes start to water, lips quivering. She wraps her arms around me in a hug.

“I promise…” she says, releasing me as she crouches down crawling her way under the microwave. I walk out hiding behind the motion detector. They’ll look at that first…

I hear Kris approaching their footsteps echoing through my skull as they get closer. I feel my skin crawl, my short fur standing on end… heart pounding in my chest, I place a hand on my needle sword ready to attack… I hear Kris groan, clearly disappointed… I hear them turn to leave when they pause.

My hands start shaking as they approach even closer… I don’t want to look. Even the image of them looming over me makes my stomach churn. I close my eyes as I hear the motion detector move from behind me.

I don’t turn around. I can’t turn around… I can’t move.

WHY CAN’T I—

“Y-you’re, real…” Kris' voice booms above me. My fingers tighten around my needle. Just as I see their fingers come into the corner of my vision, I tear the needle out of my belt thrusting it toward Kris’ approaching hand. feeling the needle connect with their flesh, puncturing the skin just enough for them to recoil their now recognizable left hand letting out a startled yelp. Making my ears ring. I pull my needle back looking up at them seeing their towering form looming over me makes me feel so very weak.

My knees quiver like jelly, as I turn to run. Their right hand comes down slamming on the counter blocking my path. nearly running into Kris’ hand as I pivoted the other way. Seeing their other hand come down blocking my escape. Their hands start closing in on me, cupping around me, like shrinking walls. I thrust my needle at their already bleeding left palm. But they pull their hand away and pinch the needle between their thumb and forefinger. Nearly lifting me off the countertop as they pulled the needle out of my grasp. Defenseless, my tail curls close to my body, ears drooping down seeing them loom over me, I can hear my heart pounding in my ears, bad taste in the back of my throat, chest trembling as I struggle for air. I am weak…

Kris leans down their face not far from me. Their brown eyes scanned me with an unreadable expression on their face. Their hair dangling down round me, I pull my tail close to me. I can feel heat wafting off their skin. puffs of air washing over me with each breath they take. Making my fur feel prickly. My hands shake as they just stare… I couldn’t tell how long it stayed like this. seconds? minutes? It didn’t matter, what happened next made me almost vomit.

“Kris? what are you doing?” Asriel? The light flicks on, Before I could really process what was happening. My arms are pinned to my sides as air leaving my overworked lungs, as I’m whirled around by their hand. I try to push the nausea down, swallowing repeatedly. I realize I’ve been wrapped in Kris’ left hand. Staring at the wall, I was being held behind their back.

“Nothing!” Kris’ panicked voice reverberates around my body, able to hear the word rise out of their chest. Their fearful tone made me want to puke.

They have some nerve being scared right now…

A pause, I hear Asriel sigh.

“Kris are you still trying to find that mouse you saw? I thought we already settled that…”  

“I told you! It wasn’t a mouse…” Kris’ voice trails off, Asriel sighs again. I can feel Kris’ hand start sweating fingers twitching around my body.

“Kris… Are you stressed about starting school or—?”

“No” Kris says before Asriel can finish speaking…

“O-okay... Just try to get some sleep…” Kris huffs as I hear Asriel footsteps leave the room heading back upstairs. My stomach flips around as Kris moves their hand in front of their face.

I stare at Kris for a moment, I start squirming, trying to free my arms. When air leaves my lungs, again their hand tightens around me. I harshly cough as their grip loosens on my torso.

Kris sighs and starts walking. Air rushing past me as they head over to the dining table… terror fills my chest. What were they going to do now? They caught me… they’re holding me… they’re the one in control…

“You don’t know what you’re dealing with! These traps are tricky! trip wires, snares, lure cages! Kris isn’t dumb! They’ll figure us out and know that it’s not just me!”

“GAH! Just let me come with you at LEAST once! I lived in the woods for a month! I can manage some stupid beans traps!” I groaned, my blood boiling.

“UGH! FINE! You can come with me! Just stay close and pay attention… got it?” I watch as her face contorts to shock.

“R-Really?” I nodded. Honestly, I just didn’t want to argue any more… She squealed her tail wagging around in excitement.

“Yes! I’ll get my stuff,” I roll my eyes. As she walks over to the storage closet.

“Hurry up we don’t have all night,”

As we prepared, I grabbed my sewing needle, grappling hook, makeshift lantern (made from wires a coin battery and holiday light) and backpack. Mae had a sewing pin, and a smaller backpack. We said goodbye to Casper who was hanging out with Leslie in the living space. He seemed a little shocked but just agreed and let Mae go...

We walked through the walls up to the makeshift elevator using a roped pulley system leading to the kitchen cabinets...

I pulled us up till we were at the short cut to the cabinet above the oven. I walked out first glancing out to see if any traps were laid out… nothing. I gesture for Mae to follow me… we walk out towering containers of food around us… hood vent for the stove going through the middle of the cabinet and outside wall. I shine the light around seeing a container of cereal, and another of cheese crackers.

“You get the cheese crackers and cereal I’ll get the rest” Mae nods as I walk over to a container of dried cranberries. I climb up, pry the lid open and grab a few bits, putting a few in my bag. I then climbed down and walked to another container, this one of salted peanuts. Repeating the same steps with a few other things… chocolate chips, popcorn, rice, and oatmeal. Till my bag was full. I met Mae at the back of the cabinet and she seemed pleased; I gave her a small smile when… my ear twitches, fur standing on end. footsteps approaching… Kris…

I looked around the cabinet. When I saw it… a flashing motion detector, sitting in the corner pointed at us… shit.

“We need to leave, now.” I State Mae tilts her head; did she not hear them?

“W-why?”  She stammers out. I grab her hand and rush back into the shortcut in the wall… shoving my lantern in my bag to dampen the light. Hearing the creak of Kris climbing on top of the stove. Then… squeaking of the cabinet doors hinges as they’re opened…

Mae shivers as we hide in the wall. I hold my breath hearing containers get moved around by Kris… I hear them groan. Closing the cabinet and stepping down off the stove… I let out my breath. Looking at Mae who’s frozen in terror. I motion for her to keep quiet as I start using the pulley system to lower us to floor level.

I keep quiet as we head back down to our home… not wanting to speak, worried they might still hear us… Mae stays quiet, clearly rattled by the close call.

“You, okay?”  I ask before we walk back inside our home.

“I think so. I don’t know. That was way too close…”

“Heh yeah… At least I heard them coming…”

“Don't tell Casper please… I want to go with you again... Ok?” I shrug but nod as we walk in.

Leslie runs up to Mae clearly excited for her. Since this was her first borrowing trip…

“You made it! Did you get any chocolate? Ooo! Can I have some?” I chuckle at Leslie’s excitement.

“You’ll have to wait till we do inventory first.” I state

“Aww but I wanted chocolate…” she begs.

“you’ll get some after I put everything away. Ok?”

“Ok…” she sulks over to the living space…

“Come on Mae, we have work to do…” we head to the small pantry at the back of the kitchen. carefully putting everything away in their proper place… I broke off a small piece of chocolate for Leslie, bringing it out to her. Mae followed me out as we entered the living space. I see Casper sitting on the couch (made from an old wooden box, flannel shirt and fiber fill). looking exhausted.

“Yay! Chocolate!” she snatches it from me, scarfing it down… happiness covering her face, smile forming on mine. She’s so cute, having no idea of true fear… I look at the old watch we use as a wall clock… It's 2am…

“We should get to bed…”

“Aw but I wanted to work on my sewing!” Leslie insists. I sigh…

“Leslie I already did some with you… And it’s past our bedtime…” Casper interjects, pinching the bridge of his nose, barely keeping his eyes open.

“Mmmm, okay promise you’ll teach me some more tomorrow?” Leslie asks, eyes almost sparkling at me.

“Yeah sure…” I just wanted to go to bed at this point…

“Yes!” she jumps up and down in excitement. Maybe chocolate was a bad choice. I stretch my arms over my head getting a few pops from my joints.

“Okay bedtime… see you guys in the morning,”

“Night,” Mae says, waving as I climb up a ladder (made of pencils and toothpicks) to my room, tiredness overwhelming my body practically collapsing in bed. I curled up, eyes watering a little as I yawn. Falling asleep after a short time in my cozy bed.

-

I’m woken up by the sound of heavy footfalls down the stairs… as per usual. I stretch my arms and legs as I uncurl myself. Flipping the quilted blanket off me. The smell of freshly cooked oatmeal filled my nose I climbed down and walked over to see Mae had already made oatmeal and dried fruit for breakfast. She hands me a bowl.

“Thanks Mae,” I ate the oatmeal, sitting down at the table… Leslie, having already finished her food, sitting in the living space trying to sew a small quilt from old cuts of cotton fabric.

“didn’t really get to ask you, but how’d the borrowing trip go?” Casper asks, Mae shivers, I can tell she’s remembering what happened.

“It was fine. Not as bad as I thought” Casper squints skepticism covering his face.

“Ok… Oh we’re gonna need some more fabric and fiberfill soon…” he brings up, gesturing to Leslie.

“She's been asking about it,” he whispers to me and Mae. I sigh, setting down my now empty bowl…

“we’ll have to wait till tomorrow night for it… don’t want to go two nights in a row…” Casper nods, finishing his food. Mae starts cleaning up the dishes.

“We’ll need to get some water from the pipes in a bit, yeah?” Mae asks, looking up from her dishwashing.

“Yeah, in a bit,” Casper says as I get up and stretch again, I walk over to the living space.

“Alright, hey Leslie?” She looks up from her work.

“Yeah?”

“Do you need any help with the sewing?” I asked, walking over to her.

“Nah… I think I figured it out,” she holds up the nicely sewn together blanket piece.

“Good job kid, soon you’ll be able to sew clothing,” she’s kicking her legs in excitement.

“I’ll be in my room for a bit, let me know when you’re ready to head out to collect the water,” I leave the three heading to my room sketching for a while, drawing Kris again… Till I hear Mae knocking on the door.

“Hey, I’m ready to go when you are,”

“Ok, be there in a sec” I respond, getting up and heading out to get my stuff. We leave soon after going to gather the dew collectors (thimbles) under a freshwater pipe leading to the bathroom sink. We head back with the water, placing it in the water tank, made of a small plastic lunchbox container. I head back out putting the thimbles back to collect more water.

We spend the rest of the day keeping the house clean, chatting on and off, and playing a few games…

-

The next day is about the same. Eat, Clean, Chat, play Games…

Till nighttime comes… 1am, meaning another borrowing trip. We needed to head to the linen closet, for some fabric and fiberfill. Mainly so we could patch things up and make some new clothes. Some of my clothes, in particular, were getting worn out and needed some patches…

So, we’re off… Mae coming with me again. Using the pulley elevator to get us up to the second floor… and heading through the walls getting to the shortcut in the hallway leading to the linen closet at the end. Staying close to the walls, to avoid detection. We pass by Kris and Asriel’s bedroom door on the way, though everyone is asleep by now… I still felt my heart rate spike as we ran by the door. We slip under the linin closet door pulling out my lantern. Seeing built in shelves towering above us.

I look around spotting a plastic bag of old fabric scrap in the corner on the floor, perfect…. Open it and work to pull out a few pieces of cloth, putting them in our bags. Pulling small amounts of fiber out of an old ripped up stuffed animal. Till our bags are full. I nodded, signaling to Mae that it’s time to leave. We carefully head back to the shortcut, and back home. With no problem...

The Dreemurr’s were a particularly interesting family mainly because they housed the only human in town. Kris. The mother (Toriel), father (Asgore) and son (Asriel) all being goat monsters… they often had another family over the Holidays made up of four reindeer monsters. mother (Carol), father (Rudy) and their two daughters (Noelle and Dess). It was weird watching the two families change over time… living in the walls by the staircase means it’s kinda unavoidable to not hear everything.

I had basically grown up with Kris… it was strange seeing another kid my age but being unable to interact with them. I watched them grow and change along with me… My parents went missing around the same time as Dess did. That’s when I watched things fall apart…

Toriel and Asgore got divorced taking a massive toll on Kris and Asriel… the Holidays stopped visiting… I heard about Rudy getting sick… Kris started to further isolate themself not talking to anyone… and next fall Asriel leaves for college. I could tell it was weighing heavily on Kris…

Kris had stopped wearing their red horned headband... It was strange seeing all this happen… I wanted so badly to comfort Kris… but it was against the rules… Borrower code forbids me from being spotted if I am, I’d have to leave… but I had nowhere to go… One late night in May after the house was asleep… I headed up to Kris and Asriel's room… using one of the makeshift elevators to the second floor, then following the tunnels under the floor to the opposite side of the room by Kris’ bed.

I walked up to the shortcut in the wall. setting my borrowing bag down just within the wall. I was starting to have second thoughts, but I continue anyway. I walk out being in between Kris’ bed and the wall… I pull out my makeshift grappling hook, made from twine and an old fishhook.

I swing it and latch it to the edge of the bedframe. Tugging a few times to keep it secure, before hoisting myself up climbing the rope to the bed’s edge. I untie the twine from my waist. Leaving the hook in case I need to run. I climb up the rest of the way using the bed sheets. soon pulling myself up onto the bed. Seeing Kris, sleeping soundly. They were laying on their stomach; their head turned toward the wall… toward me.

I took slow shaky steps toward them. Seeing their hand lying flat next to their face, arm limp at their side disappearing under the blanket. I was soon standing right in front of their face; their bangs covering their right eye. Left eye closed, slow steady breaths coming from their slightly agape mouth. My heart was pounding seeing their towering form in front of me. It made my heart feel strange... my tail curled close to me. I should just leave…

But I stood there for a while debating with myself on whether I should leave or not. I then hesitantly placed a hand on Kris’ cheekbone right below their uncovered eye. Their skin was warm… it was odd being this close to the bean… this close to someone… it had been a long time…

Maybe all the warnings and assumptions I heard about humans and monsters were wrong…

Just as the thought enters my head my heart skips a beat as I watch as Kris’ eyes scrunch up…

Their mouth closes forming into a frown. A rumbling hum coming from their chest… I shiver, pulling my hand away and backing up as their eye blinks open, squinting in the dark… their one uncovered eye looks around for a moment then locks onto me… my fur stands on end, as their eye widens. I need to run… their visible hand starts to move. I scramble to sprint around it heading for the edge of the mattress. I hear them push themself up behind me… making the mattress wobble. almost falling; I don’t look back.

I drop down the edge clawing my way down the sheets to the bed frame. I hear them groan above me. I climb down to the makeshift grappling hook still attached to the frame and make my way down to the floor. Retrieving the hook by snapping the twine like a whip getting it to release and fall to me. I don’t bother tying the twine to my waist, no time. I rush back to the crack in the wall. Heart pounding in my ears, I look up seeing Kris staring down at space between their bed and the wall… at me. I freeze up, for a moment as they stare… brown eyes dilated from the darkness it’s hypnotizing… I shake my head, snapping out of it, slipping back into the wall.

This was a mistake…

Now they know. I grabbed my Bag and made the long journey back down to my home in the walls. I take a breath trying to keep my heart from exploding. Kris saw me…

They saw me…

They didn’t hurt me they just, stared…

I knew it could end badly whether I leave or not… but for the time being it was better and safer to just stay.

-

I was woken up that morning to the familiar sound of thunderous footsteps coming downstairs… and Kris… talking with Asriel… they were in the dining room. I uncurl my tail and body sitting up. starching my arms trying to stifle a yawn. My ears perk up trying to make out the words…

“I’m not lying! I saw a tiny person!” the voices slightly muffled by the walls around me.

“You sure it wasn’t a mouse?”

“I’m sure! It looked human! kind of…” Kris seems more unsure.

“Heh, what do you mean kind of?” Asriel questions.

“I don’t know, it had a tail… and fur…” I slip out of bed, my nervousness sky rocketing, as I hear Asriel hold back laughter…

“I’m not Joking Azzy! I saw it!” the sound of footsteps walking past my home entering the room, Toriel…

“Hey mom,” Kris and Asriel say in unison.

“Morning, are you too ready for breakfast?”

“yeah” They both say I hear them move to the table.

“Kris thinks they saw a tiny person last night,” Asriel bluntly says… I can practically feel Kris’ glare at Azzy.

“Oh. Well, I’m sure it was just a mouse,” Toriel assumedly says. Kris doesn’t respond.

“Well, we should get some mouse traps then, huh.” Azzy says Kris stays quiet. my blood chills under my skin, mouse traps… that’s bad.

“Oh, that’s a thought, maybe you and Kris can get some when you head to the store later?”

“Sure, sounds good. Would that quell your nerves, Kris?”

“Yeah, I guess…” as they speak, I can tell Kris’ lying… they’re going to start using traps, huh. Never dealt with those before…

The day passes as normal… I stay in my home all day… just listening in on occasion… it was a Saturday… relatively calm. All things considered.

-

It’s been about a week since Kris saw me, the teen had become hyperfixated on catching me. setting traps around the house… it seemed more like they were trying to distract themselves from the thought of Asriel leaving… but it still scared me the way it was escalating. They first started leaving food out trying to catch me, then glue traps… when those didn’t work…

it got worse...

Another week passes when I get an idea… I leave a note next to a trap with the words “try again” Kris’ reaction was priceless; their panicked expression and excitement was worth it.

-

Two weeks passed now into June, and I’d leave more notes every time I’d discover a new trap. Using a batch of usable-to-size pencils I’d made for myself a while back. Seeing Kris get flustered about the notes was funny every time. They started leaving more traps and even making their own. Trip wires, tiny snare, and crude handmade box traps… it was fun for a while that was until. While getting ready to go on a borrowing trip one night… I had three young Borrowers appear at my doorstep…

Mae Casper, and Leslie… this was bad. Now I had something to lose…

Mae and Casper were twins, both 13… but Leslie was only 8… they had lost their parents a few months ago… where exiled from a colony and had been living outside for a while… but found my place after wandering the woods for about three weeks… they looked more like mice than I did… light orange-y fur. I helped them get settled letting them stay in the main living space… not wanting them in my parents’ old room.

They were nice but… it was hard having someone my size around again… I had gotten so used to being alone… often having to apologize to them about talking to myself out loud…

I waited a few days to tell them about the inhabitants of the house… telling them about Kris in particular, and primarily the traps… at first, they were a bit freaked out. I tried to reassure them saying they don’t have to go out and can just stay home… stay safe.

I took a while to convince Mae not to leave immediately. But she eventually agreed to stay after a few harsh conversations.

Mae was the first to offer to go with me on Borrowing trips… she felt it would be safer if we stuck together but… I refused. I couldn’t let them get killed. Not due to my negligence…

-

It was summer now… July to be exact. Asriel had already got accepted by a college out of town… he was going to start in September… Kris was clearly hiding their worry of being left alone, one day they came home with a red wagon and bird cage… it confused me, along with Asriel but Kris didn’t give an honest answer… what did they need it for?