#freshsave

Fruitlessly as it might be, a hand reached out to give the gate a tug... her eyes going wide as it came open without an ounce of resistance; it was unlocked.

... she almost didn’t think to actually walk in for a moment, too surprised at the sudden change to what had become her routine. After a solid amount of silence, though, her brain starts working again and she quickly scampers herself & her presents inside... closing the gate behind her, for once.

And after the walk up to her actual front door, she found it unlocked, too. Part of her wondered if they’d been robbed, but as soon as the door was open she could see that wasn’t the case; the house was pristine as ever. Still no sight of her mother, though.

Not that she was... entirely opposed to that, sad as it is. Hence why she tried her best remain quiet as she brought her gifts inside; putting the cake in the fridge and setting up the new Nintend0 in the living room before grabbing an empty vase for her flowers and carrying the rest of her gifts up the stairs to her room. Thank Santa for carpeted steps...

Her gaze fell upon the closed door to her mother’s study as she rounded the top of the stairs, stopping to listen... sure enough, the usual sounds of her ‘going about her business’ could be heard; the distinct sounds of a wineglass clinking against her desk being the most prominent among them.

Eyes fell to the ground and, with a shake of her head, she skulked to her room, sliding it open and quickly slipping inside. Eager to put her gifts away.

A smile managed to grace her face once more as she set the flowers on her bedside table and the plushie made in her dark world likeness on her pillow, taking a moment to just sit there and enjoy the fond memories they brought.

Until the silence was broken by sudden “Good evening.” from behind her.  The sound of which made her instantly spin around and straighten her posture.

“G-good evening to you too, mom!” She sputtered out, arms crossing behind her back instinctively as she faced her mother; stood in the doorway, wineglass in hand, and a red bathrobe wrapped snugly around her small frame.

“You didn’t come home yesterday. Are you trying to worry me into an early grave, young lady?” The white rabbit asked, seemingly in jest, as she waltzed in; looking her daughter up and down. “Where were you?”

“Oh, um... I’m sorry, mom! I didn’t mean for that...” Noelle said, quick to swallow any gripe she may have had at the thought she’d actually be ‘worried’ about her. “It’s just... K-Kris... they invited me over for my birthday!

I know, should’ve told you first, I’m-...” Her apology is swiftly interrupted by a audible ‘Oooh!’ from her mother as her wandering eyes caught sight of the doll sitting atop her pillow, red eyes going wide as she walked over to examine it.

“Little Kris didn’t make this for you, did they?” She said, absolutely enamored with the hand-stitched plush’s quality... and how adorable it’s outfit was! 

“U... um, no, that was from someone else at... at school.” I mean, it wasn’t technically a lie, but it still sounded like one regardless. “Kris got me... well, got us a new Nintend0! It’s downstairs if you want to-!”

And once again, the poor girl gets interrupted- her oddly excited mother reaching over the bed gingerly snatching one of the flowers from the bouquet on her nightstand. “Now these are from Kris, I bet! I recognize his father’s flowers anywhere!” Her rabbit nose twitches as she gave the flower a sniff, an uncharacteristic smile on her face as she slid it back into the vase.

Noelle... was visibly confused at this point, and couldn’t do much more than nod as she sat down on the bed beside her, clasping her hands together in silence. This was, like... really weird. But,  also kind of nice? Almost felt...

“... they asked you out, didn’t they?” 

! ! ! ! !

“E... excuse me?” Her voice came out as a squeak, face flushing pink and her nose glowing bright at the sudden jump in the level of questioning. “On a date, sweetheart. Why else would they give pretty girl like you a bouquet?

Unless they inherited that habit from Asgore, which I doubt.” 

Oh, they’re doing this. This is what they’re doing now. Sweet Santa Claus... “Well... n-no, they didn’t, they... they were just being nice...!” She’s stammering now, and her mother’s squinted gaze certainly isn’t helping.

“... hm. I suppose he did inherit it, then.” The white rabbit said, taking a sip of her whine... not sounding at all convinced of that fact, but she knew her daughter wasn’t lying so there was no point arguing with her. She’ll give it a month.

Finally. She’s finally given a moment to breath....

“Then who did ask you out, hm?”

“ WH... WHA... HOW DID YOU...?!”

An amused chortle from her mom broke the poor girl’s squealing, interrupting her for the third time in the span of a few minutes. “Well, I didn’t. Until now.”

... the fawn’s eye twitched. Once, then twice, then finally the poor deer collapsed onto her pillow in utter defeat, while her mother sat there sipping her wine smugly over her. All too proud of her successful interrogation.

“So, who was it~? A boy from your class? It better not be that Nerdly kid. I’ll kick his ass. You deserve better than that.”

... blink, blink. Her ears couldn’t help but perk up hearing such a familiar sentiment from a completely different source... had she been talking to dad lately? “... n... no, actually, it was... well...” Stars, this was gonna be weird to-

“So it was a girl, then? Interesting. Gotta be something really special if even the girls wanna ask you out, hon.” The... praise(?) was accompanied by a gentle little clap of her paws, apparently pleased with this realization... leaving her daughter utterly perplexed. “You... you don’t mind?”

And there’s that chirping laugh again.

“Mind? Sweetheart, if things had gone just a hair differently in college I’d have been the one married Toriel and Rudy’ be off growing flowers with Asgore.

How is she, by the way? Bet the dinner she served last night was delicious.”

... the only response she got was her daughter screaming into her pillow after the mental images she’d just put in the poor girl’s head. Not that she minded that, either; why else would she throw something like that at her?

She gives the fawn a moment to work it out, patting her shoulder as a comfort, even as the amused smile was still on her face. “So, really, who’s the lucky girl?”

... deep (pillow) breath. Noelle manages to pull herself up, snatching up the doll Ralsei had made her and hugging it tightly before, sheepishly, getting out an answer. “S... Susie. Her name is Susie...” And now she’s blushing again.

For once, the impish look on her mother’s face fades away; red eyes widening and her head tilting at the answer. “... Susie? Susie Touchdown?” Legitimate surprise oozed from her tone, making Noelle shrink... in fear that might be an actual problem. The fact her mom knew of her only made it worse.

So, she just nodded in silence.

... but, no lecturing to have a ‘better judge of character’ or anything of the type came. Instead...she just whistled. Like... in a cartoon.

“Really didn’t take you for the bad girl type, hon! Suppose that’s what runs in our family~!”

She just... winked. Was that in reference dad’s attraction to her or her attraction to Toriel? Who knows, certainly not Noelle, nor does she want to know. She’s... just confused and... sort of happy?

Having a pleasant talk with her mother was... something she missed. All she could do was just... laugh. She’s giggling, to be specific. And Carrolle is giggling with her.

“Oh hon, I’ve got the perfect outfit! She’ll love it; trust me!” The rabbit practically hops up from her seat, bouncing all the way to her room; gong off about how you ‘don’t wear dresses on the first date’ and how she ‘knows Susie’s type’...  It was fun. Noelle was about to follow... when she noticed something.

A tiny, gift-wrapped present; right where her mother was sitting. Ears twitch, looking between the present and the door... before grabbing it.

Doesn’t take her Gyftmas-trained hands long at all to get through wrapping paper, or the little box within it... green eyes widening at sight inside.

It was... a key.