#dessriel microfic

Asriel was waiting by river, drawing small shapes in the muddy dirt with a stick. He was almost done with the outline of a daisy when Dess' boot stomped into the center of it.

"Hi," Asriel smiled up at her, certain he looked absolutely pathetic.

She snorted softly and sank down behind him. "You look like a loser, waiting for me."

"Well, I am." Asriel pushed his glasses up. "What took you so long?"

Her smile fell just slightly. "My mom."

"What's she done now?"

Dess sighed, leaning back on the heels of her hands. "She's mad again." Her voice shifted to a scarily accurate impression of her mother's. "'December Holiday, you are representing our family! I am so sick of you running off and ignoring the rules I set for your safety!'"

Asriel arched an eyebrow. "Like that you shouldn't wear pants in public?"

"I know, the horror of jeans." Dess sighed, dropping her head on his shoulder. "I want to run away."

Sitting up straighter, Asriel looked down at her. "What? I mean, you can't just—run off."

"Why not?" She shrugged, raising her head. "I could. I'm sure I could get a job, find an apartment."

Asriel's stomach lurched. "Dess, you've got a whole future. And what about Noelle?"

"Could take her in when she's old enough." She propped her chin on her hand. "You and Kris could come."

"But I don't want to run away."

Dess laughed softly, eyes scanning the shadowy treeline, the sunlight fading behind it. "Right. I always forget you don't hate your parents."

"You do?" Asriel fiddled with the buttons on his jacket nervously.

"I don't know. I don't know how I feel about them." She admitted softly. "But c'mon, wouldn't running off be fun? Kris would want to."

"Kris is twelve years old, Dess."

"So?" She waved him off. "They don't feel like they belong here either."

Asriel's gaze dropped to his smeared flower drawing in the mud. "I know."

"They deserve better."

"But it's not bad enough to leave, Dess." He ran a hand between his horns. "My parents love us. They love you too."

Dess' lip curled slightly. "I know. But they aren't the ones raising me. And with how their relationship is going—"

She stopped as she saw Asriel's expression sour. "Sorry."

"It's fine. I keep having to explain things to Kris. They… they didn't have parents before this, y'know. Children's homes and stuff, never an actual family. They don't know what's normal and what isn't." He laughed weakly. "They keep asking why Mom is yelling."

Dess leaned against Asriel again. "Don't you see why I think we have the reasons to just… leave?"

"I'd have to leave Kris." Asriel mumbled. "I can't do that."

"I know." She rested her chin on his shoulder. "You're loyal to a fault."

"It's only one more year until college." He kissed her forehead. "Do you think we'll survive that?"