Archive of Our Own ^beta

They did it. Holy shit- they did it. The spot in their chest is hollow- it's cold, choking fumes lick at the bottom of their rib cage. But it's gone. Blinking away the dark spots in their vision, every feeling is- it's so obvious. The light filtering through their eyelids, the twitch of their fingers, the snow falling against their bruised skin. They can feel the frigid air flow through their lungs, making their ribcage creak and scream and pop.

God, yeah, everything hurts. The air stings, like it hates them. But- but, they're alive.

Okay. Okay- they're alive, even if they're a little fucked up. Sitting up, they can see where their chestplate caved in, metal shattering in parts. There's a lot of blood- and something that's not blood-but-blood-coloured coating their hands and chest.

Rubbing out the snow, blood, and grime caked over their eyes and sitting up (with some difficulty)- they can see where Susie lies slumped over. She's got a wound by her side, and the way her chest hitches stabs fear into Kris' heart. Fuck- yeah, she's cold blooded right?

Their head feels like static as they scramble over to her side, putting all their weight into shaking her. Their hands feel tingly- and tired, but they don't stop until she stirs, blinking two yellow, glowing eyes up at them.

"….Kris?"

All they can do is nod, before Susie's up in a second and hugging them. Her claws are around their back, faintly shaking.

"We-? We stopped the Roaring- we actually did it?" Her voice is shaky, it cracks at the end, and all Kris does is nod in her hands.

It's nice. Susie hugs them for a while- probably because of the whole cold-blooded lizard thing, before pulling away. The scrape of her leathery scales against their skin is something their brain latches onto- the way her eyes dart and the smell of dirt and soot and Dust.

"Fuck- uhm, let's- make sure Hometown didn't like- explode?" She stumbles, dragging them along, "A-and Ralsei- let's get there right after-"

Kris just nods, listening as the snow crunches under her feet and she fades into the treeline. They look back- just once- at the bunker. It's been cleared of the vines that covered it, and the darkness that used to go on forever in it is just…gone. Gone with their SOUL and- gone with everything else.

Fuck.

Things don't feel real right now, and as the bunker fades out of view, they follow Susie's lead.

At some point, they cross some sort of threshold, and their armour returns to their normal sweater, even if it is a little blood stained. It's burnt and dirty at the edges, with holes torn through multiple layers. Susie is about the same- dirty and bloodied.

Hometown comes into view fairly fast after that, and it's a lot less messed up then they thought. It's…weird. There's the looming black figures sprinkled around, wings stretched out wide with swords between their hands. The Titans- now just…corpses. Kris can already see them beginning to disintegrate- light pours through the holes torn through them, and it helps with the dread in their chest. They stand as tall as skyscrapers, and running past bystanders gawking at them, they just breathe.

Some things are on fire, but it's mostly fine the rest of the way. People in robes and armour and whatever fantasy clothes the huge ass Dark World came up with walk around- watching as their clothes fade into dust and everything gets a little bit more normal.

The wounds between their sweater and their skin rubs itself open with every movement. It's- it's agonising, actually. They're running down the street, and every step sends knives through their skeleton. Their hips and knees feel like they're going to pop out of socket, every swerve around a Titan's foot gutting them, so it's almost relief once Susie skids to a stop in the middle of the intersection.

There's a lot of people here. Undyne's screeching something- there's police and flashing lights and turned over cars. They're pretty sure she tries to like- stop them or something, but Susie's already running past, grabbing their hand so tightly it might break.

And that's when it happens. When- skidding down the hill (in a way similar to how they did it in the dark world), their feet stumble over eachother and they end up eating shit on the concrete. Not enough to hurt them- just scrape up their hands and knees.

"Shit- hey, you good?"

"-Tripped," They cough up from the asphalt. Susie's hands are against their armpits now, tugging them up, and the pressure makes them feel weak. It feels like they can't catch their breathe- like someone's got their hand around their heart and squeezing it.

She frowns after a second, "Bullshit. You look like someone ran you over, dude."

"I'm fine- just, I'll take a nap once we see Ralsei- okay?" They're pushing against her now- not with any force, but enough to stumble backwards.

Susie sounds like she's underwater, standing in front of them. Their ears are ringing too, and then they just…stop. Taste the iron and bile in their mouth and put two and two together.

Their hands are shaking too- like crazy. Actually, all of them is shaking. There's a pit in their stomach and a ache in their throat, and now that the adrenaline of- everything- is wearing off, Kris is- messed up.

"….hey Susie? I lied. I think 'm gonna faint."

They dont even know if the words came out- but she doesn't even finish turning around before they're already dropping like a sack of potatoes. As their knees hit the floor, a thought bubbles up. They're- really fucking hungry. And thirsty. And it feels like they're going to lose their guts on the floor.

It's…probably fine to take a little nap, right. They can't be assed to panic- as the last thing they feel before the blood rushes to their head is a distinctive crack! and the sound of Susie's voice.

Susie really wishes she was the one who fainted right now. She's not gonna act like she couldn't like- tell that Kris looked like they were gonna kneel over. But she- really wished it was her instead.

She can't even react fast enough to catch them before they hit the pavement, and thats maybe the worst part. By the time she's turned around- by the time she noticed- they're already in a pile on the floor.

"…Kris?"

Kris doesn't stir. That's all she needs to basically gets on top of them, knees scratching against the asphalt as she grabs them. Tugging them into her lap, claws under their armpits, she can feel where blood is sticky under their clothes.

"Kris- you idiot," She hisses through her teeth, "C'mon- wake up". She can hear her heart pumping through her ears as Kris doesn't even move- they stay ragdolled on the concrete. Not even their eyes flutter or their hands twitch- they're out like a light.

"Alright- alright, you're gonna be fine- you're gonna be fine-" She mumbles under her breathe, before pulling Kris close to her chest in a fireman's carry. The school is farther away then…the hospital, and dread fills her lungs as she starts to run there. People in the street give her weird or concerned looks, and she swallows down the lump in her throat. Kris stays limp the entire way there, breathing slowly.

The emergency room is crowded as she shoves her way through the doors, with kids crying and partners hugging eachother. The telltale black-goop of the Titan spawn sticks to their wounds A nurse stands at the swinging doors, guiding people around as they shout, "Unconscious or patients with severe injuries are priority- don't push."

That's all she needs to shuffle closer to the front. People give her the look- but let her through. "Hey- uhm, th-they fainted, I dunno why but- they're bleeding."

She gestures with her head while supporting all of Kris's scrawny weight, trying to ignore how they're still sleeping through this.

The nurse looks up from their clipboard, quickly writing something down, "Name?"

"Kris- Kris Dreemurr."

"Alright, you can set them on that gurney and they'll get checked out-" The nurse can't even finish their sentence before she's laying Kris down on the creaky rolling bed. There's another doctor already by their side, and the two of them exchange nods before a clipboard is set on the end of the bed.

"Alright. Are you either family, a spouse, or hurt yourself?" The nurse walks up to Susie as she goes to follow the gurney.

Susie blinks as the squeaking of wheels fills the air. "What? No- but-"

"I'm gonna have to ask you to stay back then. There's not enough room for people to stand around right now."

Kris has hands on their neck and chest now, and that weird little pressure thing on their finger. Doctors voices are rising- they stay limp, and Susie can't help it as she pushes past the nurse standing in front of her.

A chitter comes from her throat when a man in a mask steps in front of the emergency room's swinging doors, planting his feet and holding up his paws. He's a lion monster- with a large mane and soft paws. Whatever he's saying- Susie can't focus. He holds her back, not with any force. She vaguely watches herself fight back- shoving and pushing and scratching- she can't leave them- she can't leave them-

The door shuts. Susie has her claws reaching past some random man's back as they take her friend away- where she can't get them or hug them or heal them- not that she can even do that anymore.

"Take a walk- there's people hurt or dying here, we can't deal with you." A cat monster growls, and Susie feels her heart drop to the floor as she stills, and the staff walk around her.

Next thing she knows, she's kicking rocks in the empty lot. Sirens ring through the air in the distance, and the night sky reflects off the windows. It's- really cold. And everything hurts. And her friend is in the hospital and- she could've done something about it.

"Susie-?" A voice rings out from behind her. She's lit by the flickering light in the hospital parking lot now, and the noise of crickets sync up with the buzzing of the air.

She's sat against the concrete base of the lamppost, hands around her knees. Her head swivels at the voice- and standing there is…Toriel. She's got eye bags that Susie can see even from here, with ruffled clothes and fur.

"I- Mrs. Dreemurr, h-hi-" Her voice cracks, and she shakes off the exhaustion in her bones. The cold isn't doing her any favours either, "How's Kris- you-"

Toriel- surprisingly- cuts her off. "Honey, what are you doing out here? Should you not have gone in with them- you are surely hurt too, are you not?"

The goat woman's shuffled over now, hands fidgeting at her bag strap as she kneels down. Susie- god, all she can do is shove her chin further into her arms.

"…they, uhm, kicked me out. There's too many people and- I tried following Kris and I might've…accidentally hit one of the nurses." She mumbles after a pause, "Got mad."

Embarrassment burns at her face. It's worse then the pain right now, and she watches Toriel's face drop.

"That- that's not right, Susie."

She stays silent, and Toriel sighs, "I think you should go in again- now that you're…calmer. Kris is still…" she pauses, "Let's just say fragile. I don't think having you get sick too would help them out."

"Wait- are they okay-?"

"…they'll pull through, is what I was told. They just need some help."

Susie lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. They're fine- they're fine.

"Now- c'mon. I don't want you to get sick." Toriel tuts, stretching out a furred paw to pull her up. Susie grabs it- as gently then she can- before hissing. Every scratch and bruise wakes up, pulsing hot and red and angry. Toriel frowns at this, before gently holding her hands against Susie's back. It's…comforting. She also guesses it's to make sure she doesn't collapse walking in.

"Can you tell me what hurts?" Toriel says softly in that preschool teacher voice, walking slowly as Susie shuffles next to her. It takes her a couple seconds to like- actually think about the question.

"Uh- 'm just tired. Need a good nap or something…and my wrist feels a little weird."

As a show, she lets her hand flop in a circle, wincing when there's a distinct cracking noise that sends Toriel's ears flat against her head. It makes her hand feel funny- it hurts like someone's picking it apart and putting it back together.

"…alright dear, we'll get that checked out."

The hospital entrance is a lot emptier now, with only some people sitting in the lobby. How long was she outside? Jeez. There's a different set of nurses now.

She's sat down as some doctor and Toriel talk, mumbled voices swimming in and out her ears. Her leg jumps up and down, tapping against the tile.

The next…two hours pass in a blur. She's not hurt enough to warrant like…actually staying the night. Even though she wants to fight and stay and- break into wherever they're keeping Kris or some shit but-

Her claws are stuck in a awkward, black plastic and foam brace. Stitches itch against her scales, and disinfectant spray sticks to her nose. She leans against the car door- the scent of thick cinnamon comes from the air freshener. Not cigarettes or anything. Cinnamon. Toriel hums in the front seat, and before she knows it, she's pulled up to the front of the Dreemurr house.

It's quiet without Kris. Toriel's- boyfriend guy is there, the dude from the convience store. There's some hushed words between 'em, but Susie can't be assed to care as she stomps upstairs.

And…the room is empty. She doesn't know what she expected, but- it's so empty. She shuffles her feet, catching her claws on the rug and awkwardly grabbing the lone pillow on their empty bed before shoving her snout into it.

Smells like apples.

Kris thinks they fade in and out of consciousness for a while. They have no idea for how long or what time it is- every time they wake up it's soft voices that send pins through their skull. Sometimes it's nurses…? And sometimes it's just them. Alone. Shaking like a wet dog or stumbling over their own words. Nothing makes sense.

When they wake up, they still feel like shit. Their eyes are caked in gunk- eyelashes sticking together as they open them. They're kind of shocked for a second, but once they get their bearings…It's not sudden or blinding or however it is in those action movies Azzy used to watch, just…one moment they're asleep, the next they're staring up at the ceiling.

The air smells sterile and plastic-y- and they see their own breath fogging up in front of their mouth. Okay. Okay- fuck, hospital. They're in the hospital. It's night, because there's no light in the room save for the dim glow on top of the nightstand to the right. A vase of flowers sits there too, and their eye travels further until they find the little chart with their name over it.

Asgore visited. The golden petals reflect the lamp nicely. Their neck is stiff as they twist the other way, and it's…not surprising? AB+ blood bag, with a little note scrawled under it with human. Then, a couple more bags run off from a pole with shit like nutrients and water . One into their hand- and another through their the crook of their elbow. It's hard not to immediately gag feeling it in the digging into the soft skin.

It's a battle to sit up. It's like their muscles don't want to listen to them- they stay still and locked up and stiff. If Kris didn't know better, theyd think the SOUL is back. But it isn't, they're just…tired. By the time they're getting up, they're winded and sweaty and achey. The heart monitor to their side picked up, and hearing their own heartbeat is weirdly jarring. Their fingers barely work getting the oxygen mask off, with their stiff limbs.

Paper gown crinkling under their hands, Kris- somehow- somehow- stands up. The wires and tubes get tangled, and they feel like gagging just tugging them loose. They don't even want to touch anything too hard, that it'll just all fall out and they'll start bleeding everywhere and die- or something.

And somehow, they stand up. Shakily. Ironically, like a baby goat. All their fingers hold around the pole, laying all their weight on it as they make the- painful shuffle through the door.

The hallways are dark. Not darker then dark, but if they squint, they can make out the moonlight from the windows.

…And when they turn around, there's Susie. Standing in the hall, dimly lit in the face. She's panting, like she just sprinted up here. The moment they make eye contact, they can't even blink before-

"…you're a asshole, y'know. Don't bail on me next time."

Susie's voice is gruff, and she's got red, irritated scales underneath her eyes. Her claws are gentle, even when the ends dig into their back. They've got their arms around her sides, squeezing her back. To- to say I'm here. I'm fine. The touch feels like bursts of fire against their skin, making them twitch and the world light up.

"Didn't…mean too." They cough out, "…sorry." The blood is pooling in their feet now, and they let themselves melt into her claws. Their knees feel weak, and they hear Susie huff before- they're scooped up. Susie's dragging the bag pole behind her, and Kris' head sits under her chin.

They stand there until their knees almost give out. Susie's so- gentle, dragging their limp form back tot heir room until they're sitting in the bed again.

"…Yknow they put a thing in your stomach?" She says, once the nurses finish checking up on them. And getting everything in order again- which means they're breathing through a mask again.

"Mhm. Catheter. Or whatever." They squint at her like it'll help, "I think they stuck it through my kidney, though."

"Whatever," Her head flops down on their legs. and she's quiet as those yellow, beady eyes look them up and down, "…your mom like, cried. A lot. She took me to her place and…it was really empty, man."

Fuck. Fuckkkk.

"…did they like, tell you? What happened? Or did my mom?"

A tapping starts against the side of their bed. Susie's free hand has started scratching against it

"You…like, starved. I think. Dehydration too," Her eyes darken and her snout crinkles, "and, uh, blood loss. But- mostly that." A pause, "…Why'd you do it. Or-"

They haven't ever moved faster then now, probably. In a second she's grabbing her unhurt talon in their hands- sweat between their fingers and a tremor in their wrist. Susie's jaw pops shut, and there's silence as Kris tries to find their words.

"…it wasn't me."

"…Huh?"

"The soul. I- I don't think it like…knew that I needed to eat. Or drink. Or it just- didn't care." Their hands are shaking now, and Susie's face blanches as they spit the rest of the words out.

"I…shit, man. "

They ignore how Susie feels. Just for right now- because they think they deserve to be a little selfish. Susie lost a friend and Kris is- really, really tired. So- goddamn tired.

They fall asleep again at some point. Their eyes just- couldn't stay open, and the rumble of Susie's throat lulls them into the nice, quiet dark.

The first time they eat actual solid food they almost get themselves sent to the emergency room again. It's been- a week or two, and Kris slept eighteen hours a day, coming out of the hospital only after some strict agreements on monitoring.

Atleast they're about seventy percent tube-less. Their lungs recovered enough- and a week straight of nutrients straight into their blood got them from "walking-talking zombie" to "sort of functioning". So its just two bags of stuff in their veins now. Which means-

Susie's back claws scratch against the pole again as she flops over on the ground, lying on her stomach as some fighting game plays on the T.V. It's not Tenna- instead it's Noelle's fancy flatscreen, which they vividly remember watching the two drag across the lawn and into the living room. Chicken soup wafts from the kitchen, a taste Kris is quickly getting sick of, but it's…nice. Every time they stand up to do- literally anything, Noelle looks nervous. Like going up the staircase is going to snap them in two.

They- didn't mean to do it, and they totally knew what was going to happen, because every single authority figure in their life in the past two weeks has been drilling it into their head. Their stomach just…can't handle food. Or too much water. Or literally anything else. When Kris got free from the Soul, one of their bucket lists items was to beg mom to make some sticky chicken.

And now they can't. So- that sucks….but their mom's pie is too good to just- not eat. And it was just…sitting there. So, with Susie and Noelle playing Dragon Blazers on the couch, they drag their feet and pole to the kitchen island, tiptoeing around before they get their sweet, sweet plate of pie.

And that's how they're now bent over the bathroom toilet, with Susie holding their hair back and Noelle talking into her phone. Their throat burns- their ribs creak with every single retch that tears itself from their guts. The sickly sweet taste of butterscotch lines their teeth and they feel dizzy coming up from every breath. It feels like they just can't catch their breath, every time gets less oxygen to their brain. Noelle's high tones scratch themselves into their brain- god, she's totally calling their mom. Which means- which means she's gonna be stressed and tired and nervous- like they're going to drop dead or-

"-i'm fine-" they cough, "Ate too fast- it'll pass."

They can't tell what the other two talk about, because the blood pumping through their head is deafening- and every heave into the bowl they swear they're going to cough their heart right out of their chest.

"You always- you always fucking do this." Susie growls, and Kris realises then they fucked up. "You know that you can barely fuckin' eat and- now you act like you're fine-"

"Susie-!" Noelle's voice starts, before Kris tugs her hands down, "…she's right. Sorry."

That's all the words they can get out before they're gagging again, spitting out stomach acid and whole chunks of half dissolved pie crust. They didn't even get to eat it, huh?

"…if you get a fever, or get especially dizzy or anything else, we'll uhm…probably have to bring you to the hospital. But- if this passes you'll just have take it easy." Noelle mumbles, having taken over hair duty. Her hooves are cool against their skin, hollow ivory clacking together when she shuffles. Kris didn't even hear Susie leave- maybe it was a couple minutes ago or something.

"…alr'ight. Sorry. Again."

Noelle sighs, "I'm- we're not mad, Kris. Just- worried. Susie's downstairs, you wanna go on the couch or to bed?"

Couch. Their hands sign, because- words don't make sense right now and Noelle knows that.

The toilet is flushed, and Kris changes out of their hoodie. The taste of throw up sticks to the inside of their mouth, and even after washing it out it stays, like a annoying bug. Getting down the stairs takes some struggle- Kris puts all their weight on the creaky handlebars, with Noelle right behind them, holding the medicine pole. She always did want to be a nurse, right? This is like, practice, in a weird way. Hell, she can probably get like…community hours for this.

Susie's nowhere to be found when they come downstairs and flop on the couch with all the dignity of a dying whale.

A cup's set down on the table in front of them, but they don't think they can get their fingers to move. God, they're- gross, and sad, and pathetic. All of this- over a piece of pie they couldn't keep down.

They stay on the couch for a while, just breathing. The nausea ebbs in waves, and focusing on anything right now seems impossible. Noelle sits against the couch, with her head close enough that her antlers are within reach. For a moment they just wanna- run their fingers against them, and feel the grain of them.

Then- the door clicks open. They don't move, just stay laying there, listening to the noise of Susie's talons against the raggedy, coiled carpet. Until the couch shifts backwards, and she's sitting against the couch too.

"Sorry for being a dick. You kinda deserved it though." She mumbles, almost whispers, after what feels like a eternity of silence.

"Susie-" Noelle grumbles; even if it's more playful this time.

They pause, then laugh a little under their breath, "I- yeah. Sorry. I won't…do it again. Noelle scared me enough for that."

"Oh, you really fucked up, huh?" Her head lies flat on their stomach now, gently. They can feel the scales of her chin rub against it every time she speaks.

"…I just said the same thing." Noelle chuckles, "Uhm, not exactly like that though."

"Mhm," they groan, "…the pie was good while it lasted."

They get a playful punch in the shoulder for that. Susie's smiling again- Noelle doesn't look like she's going to explode with nervous energy. It's- it's not the best right now, but…

It's something. It's comfortable, and until their mom gets back home and fusses over them, they stay there.

When they realise that the whole Soul thing might've had more- permanent effects, it's at a really, really inconvenient time.

The Dark World. It's weird being back in one, especially with their…extended medical leave. Ralsei was excited to see them, which is weird? It's weird in a way they can't describe, like the two weeks they were gone she's become a new person. Longer curls- manifested to become as long as her waist, then braided and tied up in a bun in the back.

She's…she's happy though. Stands up for herself. Eats her own pies and banters with Susie without apologising. It's new, but Kris isn't gonna act like they didn't see it coming.

And that means she actually tries out combat. The armour on their chest feels unused and stiff, even if it is a little different now. The ribcage pattern is replaced with floral engravings, and standing in the street, there's a rapier on their belt instead of a sword against their back.

Their muscles feel unused as the three of them start trekking down the structures right outside town. They're arguing about something unimportant- Kris forgets what, but they know they laughed through it.

When they're not paying attention, suddenly the feeling of dread fills their body, and the hairs on the back of their neck stand up. They have a second to pull out their rapier, before a stumbling, towering Darkner runs across the road in front of them, mouth spitting Titan fluid and foam.

So, that's a problem. All the dead Titan bodies kinda…had to go somewhere, and when they died some things ate them- which leads to…this. A big, rabid dinosaur-thing.

The battle itself isn't hard. It's a lot of dodging, grabbing onto enclaves of rock to not be whacked off into the great, all-consuming abyss below them. By the time the things tired itself out, and allowed Ralsei to pacify it, they've got a little dip in hitpoints.

The Soul- their Soul- fades back into their chest as the battle ends. The rapier fits snugly back into it's sheath. Ralsei and Susie talk in the background, but their head is somewhere else now. Their chest is heaving, their knees shaky. They're exhausted, actually. And god, they feel it. The blood is static in their limbs, like when a T.V fizzles out when it can't find a channel.

"Kris, you good?" Susie says, "You've just been uh, standing there."

"I…uh…" they wheeze out, elbows bent to the front and fingers splayed to their chest as they just- try to breathe. "Yeah-? yeah- uh, catching my breath." Swallowing feels like a struggle, like they're being choked. "I-"

Then their knees give out. It's slow this time, and kind of robotic. But one knee seizes up, before collapsing under their weight, bringing them to a kneel. They- they feel like they should be panicking, or doing more to catch themself or something. But they don't. It's just fuzzy. They're on the floor, looking up at the endless night sky. Someone is talking to them too- green sparkles light up in the corner of their vision.

"Sus'ie? Ralsei?"

"Yes? Yes- Kris, holy fuck dude, you good?" The green light fades a little now, and Susie moves her snout right in front of their face.

"I don't…know?" Their voice squeaks and cracks, "Dizzy."

A pause, "Kris, uh, do you know where you are right now?" That's Ralsei. She continues healing, even though they don't think that'll help right now.

"…dark world. Castle Town- right?" God, their tongue feels thick in their mouth, like it's the swollen to the size of a balloon.

"Yes, good job. Uh, whhhhat's your mother's name?"

"Toriel."

A pause, and Susie nods.

"Count to ten for me? That's all, I promise."

And…Kris can't do it. They get to four before their brain fizzles out, like they can't think straight and nothing in their body wants to listen to them.

"Alright, that's…fine. Susie's gonna pick you up now, okay?"

All they do is nod. The minutes pass like they've been dunked and stirred into a pot of children's cough syrup, all gross and molasses-like. Before they know it, they're staring up at the star dotted ceiling. There's the taste of iron in the back of their throat, and they think they let out a sad little wheeze as they come back to the living.

Their armour's been taken off, and as they blink away the sleepiness, they realise Susie's still there. Just pacing, with her head swiveled towards the door.

"…boo."

Susie- she actually jumps, before spinning around on her heel to face them.

"I swear, there's something new with you like, every other week, dude." Her voice growls, playfully.

They groan, getting their hands under them to struggle into a sitting posture. "Tell me about it."

"You with us now? You uh, zoned out there. It was kinda weird, 'cuz it's not like you…fainted, just sat there.." She gets closer, pulling her arms around them and getting them into sitting.

Ignoring that last bit, "Yeah. I think." Again, they keep tripping over their words. "…I guess battles aren't my thing now."

"Hey- I mean, you still kicked ass."

"Mhm."

The bed is cool. It's comfy. Susie has started with the leg-jumping thing again, and then there's a knock at the door.

"Hey- I grabbed some tea. Peppermint. Are you feeling a little better, Kris?" Ralsei walks in, three mugs on a tray between her paws.

They just nod, letting her hand the mug into their hands and taking a sip. Ralsei's hands glow green for a moment again and they get all warm and fuzzy.

"So, what's the verdict, doc? Is it terminal?" They joke, and- immediately regret it. The temperature doesn't drop, but they do get a nasty side-eye from Susie.

"Uhm, can you stand up for me?"

And they do. For about a second, they just stand there, before all the blood rushes to their head and they topple like a stack of cards.

Crash!- the mug in their hands shatters against the floor as their hands meet the tile floors. Someone's immediately got their hands around their waist, and it's back- the feeling like their heart is getting squeezed, wringing out all the oxygen from their lungs.

"Okay- I- see the problem now-?" They make a noise between a gasp and a squeak, "Fuck." Susie wrestles them back in bed, and the room is quiet as they get their bearings again. The ceiling won't stop spinning, and they taste tangy iron in the back of their mouth again, which they figure is probably bad.

"…have you ever thought about getting a cane? Or something similar, maybe?" Ralsei says out of the blue.

"Huh?" Kris blanks, just staring for a second, "Do I look sixty, Ralsei?"

That gets a frown from her, "No, but- you're obviously struggling. It could be helpful, yknow. And- it's not just for the elderly." A huff through the nose.

"…I'll…look into it, I guess."

The next day, Kris is sitting in the doctor's office with a little form with words they hate in their lap. They've ticked off some boxes, and their mom sits next to them as she waits, humming to some tune she heard on the car radio here. They kinda felt bad for dragging her with, but the only other option was Asgore or- Sans. And Kris thinks they'd actually rather die then bring any of them with.

Turns out, after waiting in the doctors office for a hour, they come out of it with a nice pair of (sized properly) crutches and prescription for a inhaler. It's…weird. Getting used to them. Their wrists feel sore, but it takes the painful weight off of the dead slabs of meat that's their lower body.

They sleep through the rest of the day, and before they know it, it's Monday morning again. Which means waking up at a ungodly hour to drag themselves to school.

(…skipping first period was a choice. They sit with their knees against their chest, in the corner of the musty stall. Just to…rehearse. The crutches sit against the toilet, silver metal reflecting off of it.)

Second class, they wait until the hallways are empty and the bells about to ring before slinking into Alphys' room. It's not quiet, thank fuck, and they walk to their desk and immediately take a nap. Until the bell rings again, it's like sophomore year, where they slept through every class. Until-

Someone's foot whacks the back of their chair. Softly. Playfully. People are standing up now, talking around them.

"Hey." Susie's voice starts.

"…hey."

"You actually listened to Ralsei?"

They scoff, scraping the chair against the wood as they sit up, "Are you that surprised?

"Yes. Dude, I think you like, somehow got your mom's goat genes or something because you're really fuckin' stubborn."

Kris, for good measure and shits and giggles, whacks Susie in the shin with their left crutch. She yelps- before laughing and getting her claws through their hair.

They spend the rest of the day sitting on the sidewalk, with a cheap pack of stickers in between Susie's hands. They've got a few stuck to their face now, and she's sticking all the glittery stars and hearts and flowers to the silver of the crutches. Once they tear through the packages, Kris has a nice collection. It's better then the plain metal as she walks them home.

(They don't think they're ever going to really ever feel better from this. They can look at the side effects snd ingredients in every medication on their nightstand for forever, and it still won't work.

It doesn't mean they're not going to atleast try though.)