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The closet door shut, and Kris was left in silence. Loud, harrowing, engulfing silence. Kris thought they could keep this adventure cycle going, but Susie has a completely different goal in mind…they wished they could blame her. Her mind was clearly set in stone and for once, Kris wished it wasn't. But that's Susie. It's part of why Kris adores her so much. And yet, it's part of why she gets under their skin so much. They suppose for now it..doesn't entirely matter. It's late. They should really head home.
Kris turns with their head hung low, making their way out of the school. Their footsteps echo, feeling like loud drumbeats in their ears. The walk to their home feels just as sad as it looks. They walk like a drone down the street, every step slow, and shaky. They hardly get past the library, when they hear a sound behind them. A door opening. Followed by a very, very familiar voice calling their name.
“Kris?”
Berdly.
Kris stops, but their head stays low. They know there’s no escaping from Berdly unless they run, which they don’t have the energy to do, but they can at least try to ignore and not respond. They’re not in the mood for his…eccentric personality.
“Were you just coming from the school? Heh, wanted to be smarter than me that bad?” He says with a sneer that Kris is too exhausted to be pissed off at. They don’t respond. Berdly doesn’t know how to react.
“Well, I had to close the library late, and was just on my way home. Perhaps I can let you join my party and I walk you home? It’s far too dangerous to go alone!”
Heh. Walk them home..if only Berdly knew.
Kris doesn’t respond again. The silence is loud, but not as loud as before. It lingers, as Berdly waits for their answer. To him, Kris just looks neutral. It doesn’t help that he can’t see their face. However, to the trained eye, Kris seems..contemplative.
“If you must insist you walk home alone, I suppose that’s fine. However, I really recommend-”
“Sure.” They spoke. It seems like that threw Berdly off guard, as Kris lifts their head and looks behind their back at the blue bird. “You can walk me home.”
“Wha-ah! Of course you’d accept such a gracious offer. You’re not stupid enough to walk out in the darkness alone. Follow me, my rival!”
“Thought I was your party member.” Kris fully turns around, a hand on their hip, a stupid smirk on their face. Looks like their spirits were raised, even for a little bit.
“Rival turned party member! Keep that up and you’re off the team.”
Kris lets out a dry chuckle. “Sure. Just lead the way captain.”
“Hmmph.” Berdly scoffs, turning his head as he starts walking. For once, Kris walks behind.
As they walk, Berdly rambles on about whatever he felt like talking about. The festival, a game he played, a book he read, a forum post he got mad at, stuff that normally Kris would phase out and stop listening to, but tonight is a weird night. They find themselves listening to every word. Some of it..Kris actually remembers from before. There’s…a lot about Berdly Kris remembers that they didn’t realize they remembered. Huh….
When they make it to the street before their house, something catches the corner of Kris’ eye. It causes them to stop. Berdly notices rather quick.
“Kris? We're right at our final destination, why stop now?”
Kris doesn't answer immediately. They take a beat of silence, before looking to their right side, down the street. “..You mind taking a detour?”
“Where exactly do you have in mind?”
“Could we…sit by the lake for a bit?”
A very surprising answer. Berdly gives his answer after his initial shock.
“I…suppose a side quest won't hurt. Onwards then!” Berdly walks in front of Kris towards the lake, Kris watching him for a few seconds before they start to follow again.
On the way, they pass by the festival decorations from earlier, and Kris takes note of some stray balloons. It gives them an idea.
While Berdly was distracted, Kris grabs two of the stray balloons and slip into a bush. They don't know what exactly is calling to them about Berdly..but they want to do something without anyone getting in the way. It's a bad idea, they know. They've done this enough today. But..they don't want to risk intervention.
Their hand plunges into their chest, ripping out their soul, and stuffing it into one of the balloons, which they carry with them. They slip out of the bush, and catch up with Berdly, holding the not soul balloon out towards him.
“Found some leftover balloons from the festival.” They say, Berdly looking weirdly flustered. Kris hates that they're finding it cute.
“A-ah! A gracious gift for your party leader for his kindness! You're really trying to be in my good graces!”
Kris rolls their eyes, with a very small smile. “Take it or leave it, man.”
“Patience would look good on you.” Berdly responds, taking the balloon from Kris’ hand. They walk side by side to the lake.
Kris sits down by the water first, gazing into calm waves while Berdly sits next to them. The bird starts to speak, but for once, he reads the room, and realizes now isn't the time. Now, he can be content with watching the water. He's never been here during the night. He almost finds it more comforting than watching it in the day.
Even still, the silence always becomes too much for Berdly. He fills it by asking Kris a bit of a loaded question.
“Why are you here with me? N-not that I'm upset! I know I'm rather irresistible, isn't this just…yours and Susie's thing? I've only ever seen you here with her, or Noelle.”
Kris breathes in. They have to consider, and choose their words carefully. Cause even they don't immediately know their answer.
“…To be honest? I…think I needed this with someone else…”
“And you chose me because….?”
If they were in a different mood, or with Susie, they'd say something along the lines of “because you're the only choice”, but they don't. They have a different answer entirely.
“Because….I'm..sure you've noticed, things have been..messy for while. Especially with me, Noelle, and Susie. You're not..involved in that. You're almost the most normal person I know in a twisted way. You….” Their words trail off for a second before they find them again. “You don't treat me like…a tragedy. You treat me like you treat everyone else.” Kris looks to Berdly, a much bigger smile on their face. “I chose you because…you're you. And that's all.”
Berdly short circuits. Not even Noelle has ever spoken that kind, and fondly of him. Nobody has ever praised him truly for being him. He doesn't know how to respond, but Kris doesn't seem to take it personally. They seem to understand why.
Kris glances towards the water then back to Berdly. Their gears start to turn. They stand up, and tie the balloon around their wrist, walking backwards closer to the edge of the water, holding their arms out towards Berdly.
“Say…” They start. “Wanna do something crazy?”
The gesture gets Berdly to laugh, but not in his usual way. It's a cute, impressed, flustered little laugh while they lovingly shake their head.
“What exactly are you planning?”
“C’mere and find out.”
“Well..a good party leader never turns down a quest!” Berdly stands, tying his balloon to his wing. He walks closer to Kris, and before he can do..anything, Kris snatches him up, holding him in their arms like a bride, making the bird squawk and hold to their neck. Their balloons briefly touch.
“Kris! What are you planning??”
“Something crazy.” Is all they say, as they start to take steps into the water.
“I swear Kris if I fall-”
“You won't fall.” Kris assures, a little deeper now into the waves, water up to their shins. “I won't let you. But I will do this,” Suddenly, Kris starts to spin around, water thrashing around their legs, take a few steps forward while they spin, Berdly screaming and holding tight. Their balloon strings tangle together. Berdly occasionally gets splashed from how fast Kris is going.
By the time Kris is done, the water is to their knees, and they're laughing, Berdly catching his breath and death glaring the human holding him. Though the death glare doesn't last long, as he watches them laugh. He finds himself..really staring, a soft red blush peaking through his blue feathers. When Kris' laugh dies down, they look at Berdly, their eyes locking. Kris’ face matches Berdly blush.
After a while, Kris finds themselves chuckling. It's ironic, how much this scene is playing exactly like earlier…Kris is starting to get why Susie and Noelle enjoying it so much.
“Your heartbeat is really fast…I scared you good, huh?”
“I wasn't scared!” Berdly immediately defends himself. “It was just..a lot of work! Your heartbeat is just as fast as mine!”
“I was the one spinning. Of course it is.”
“Tch…”
Kris' smile quickly turns evil. “You're such a tsundere.”
“Wha-” That actually offended Berdly. “You take that back!”
“Nah. I don't think I will.”
Berdly lets go of Kris to cross his arms. “Walk home alone, then.”
“Please.” Kris turns and starts to walk out of the water. “You can't resist being my hero.”
“How can I ever be your hero if you're the one carrying me?”
“I'm holding you because I'm just sooooo happy you saved me.”
“You don't sound genuine.”
Another laugh from Kris as they reach land.
“Never been more genuine in my life. Gamer's honor.”
“Dang it. I can't argue against a gamer's honor…”
Berdly pouts as Kris puts him down. When Berdly takes a step back, that's when they notice their balloons all tangled up.
“Aw shoot. It seems our strings are tangled. Let me just..”
Berdly tries to pull his hand away so his balloon gets unstuck, but he doesn't get far. In a very brave move, Kris yanks their hand forward, grabbing Berdly’s. He looks to them with that blush again, and a slightly open beak. They have a quick silent communication, and they're not both smiling.
“Ready to be escorted home?”
“Take me away, my hero.”
Hand in hand, Kris and Berdly walk away from the lake, to Kris’ home. The walk is comfortably silent. A very calm, and quiet silence.
When they make it to their house, they stop in front of the door. They're not quick to let go of each others hand.
“It…seems we've reached our destination.” Berdly says. “This must be where we part.”
“Shame…” Kris looks over at Berdly. “I was having a nice time.”
Berdly looks to Kris with surprise. “Y…you were?”
“Yeah…it was a good kind of different.”
“P-perhaps we can meet like this again?” Berdly doesn't hesitate when he asks such a bold question. Kris smiles just from how impressed they are.
“Message me when you get home. I'll see what we can do.”
Berdly looks almost exactly like Noelle when Susie shows her feelings. Big smile, wide eyes, red cheeks. The whole shebang.
“Of course! I will not keep my damsel in waiting!”
Kris affectionately roll their eyes, hand slipping out of Berdly's opening their front door. They get one leg in, and leans out.
“Thanks…for walking me home.”
“It was no problem, it's what a hero does!” Berdly playfully bows, making Kris laugh. When he leans back up, he waves to Kris, turning around to head back to his own house. Behind him, Kris doesn't immediately go inside. Their eyes dart around a little, before they settle on Berdly again.
Suddenly, they barge out their door, and grab Berdly's shoulder. They turn him slightly, planting a kiss to Berdly's cheek, all of the blue feathers on his face turning red. When Kris pulls back, their face is a matching color.
“..Good night.” They say, walking away, and heading inside, leaving Berdly to stand there, a hand over his cheek, stunned silence.
He smiles like Noelle again, the smile growing bigger till he's running off to his home, all giddy, and happy in a way nobody's really seen before. Both of them once home lean against their bedroom doors, smiling like school girls, unable to believe tonight just happened. Seconds pass by, before Kris is sitting on their bed, staring at their phone screen, waiting for Berdly's message, one he sends immediately. The soul is allowed back in, only so Kris is given the energy to text “their hero” all night long.