Chapter Text
Of course, it was Ralsei’s idea to have another little get-together. Being the sweet little muffin that he always was, he always loved to invite his friends over and have them accompany him in various, pleasant activities. Anything to do that was tame and relatively enjoyable to the self-proclaimed “fun-squad,” was right up their ally. Sometimes Ralsei would invite Susie and Kris to bake cakes together and eat several other sweets while they were at it. But because Susie alone tended to wolf down the enrity of these meals, more often did he offer them to play random multiplayer games that were of the group’s interest.
Watching a nightmare-inducing movie was definitely not on his list of “things to do with friends.”
So, naturally, it was Susie’s idea.
“Did you make anything?” the lizard monster asked as soon as she walked through the door, narrowing her eyes hungrily at the kitchen. Kris’s greeting was far less unceremonious; they smiled at Ralsei and gave him a small, gentle hug before following after their famished friend.
“A-ah, yes!” Ralsei had to shake himself, as he often tended to freeze up in Kris’s embrace. But because he had faced a countless number of their hugs he found himself being able to recover much quicker. “T-there’s a jar on the highest cupboard.” He turned away from Kris, yet still, the pink blush on his fluffy white fur remained. Kris made to move to show that they had noticed. Ralsei turned his attention toward Susie, who was ready to raid the kitchen. “Here, let me get it,” he called as he scurried after her.
Susie marched into the cute, well-kempt kitchen and scoffed loudly. She turned to the goat boy, doubt gleaming in her yellow eyes as she jerked a thumb towards the highest shelf. “Uh, right. Like you can reach that.”
Ralsei frowned and blinked. “Of course I can. Then how would I have put the cookies there in the first place?”
Susie shrugged nonchalantly. “Whatever. Ok. Anyway,” she brushed past the both of them, “I’m gonna put a movie on for you guys.”
Kris flashed a thumbs up while Ralsei skeptically tilted his head to one side. “What kind of movie is it this time? Is there any foul language in this one, too? ”
“I dunno,” she muttered half-heartedly. “Chill out, dude. It’ll be fine. I found it in my basement. It looks good.”
“Hum, alright... I’ll go get the cookies, then.” Ralsei glanced at the highest cupboard before moving into the dining room to grab a chair. Grunting slightly with effort, he started to drag it back into the kitchen. He tried to keep his mind off of Kris, who was undeniably watching him closely, but to no avail. In his inattention he slipped backward with a surprised squeak. Kris smoothly stepped forward to break his fall, and the back of Ralsei's fluffy head collided into their face.
“Oofity,” Kris muttered through a face-full of fur.
“Ah!” Ralsei whirled around and dipped his head in embarrassment. “Oh dear, I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!!! I didn’t mean to bump into you, Kris! Are you okay?!”
“Kris, if you die, I will literally kill you,” Susie warned from the other room.
Kris just offered a small smile as the goat boy continued to apologize profusely. They gingerly rested a hand on his arm, their demeanor kind. “Do you need help?” they asked gently, and Ralsei flushed quite noticeably. His heart fluttered quickly, like a dove’s wings in a cage.
“A-aw, thanks Kris, but I’m okay.” He quickly managed to move the chair underneath the cupboard and stood upon it to reach the counter. The jittery feeling in his heart did not leave, still. Ah, I feel like an idiot.
“The floor is slippery,” they deadpanned, staring at the tiles. Bless you tiles for making Ralsei fall onto me, Kris hailed the floor silently.
“Yes, I did clean the kitchen floor and counters this morning, but I should have been more careful.”
“Then, be careful,” Kris warned. “Why did you put the cookies up there, if it’s hard to reach?”
The goat boy braced his knees against the shiny, black counter and reached up to begin his search for the cookies. “Well, I really like sweets,” Ralsei explained, rummaging through the contents in the shelf. “So I put them up here so I don’t feel tempted to eat them all the time, haha~!” The sudden giggle caught Kris off guard, and they turned their head in a struggle to compose themself. Ralsei made no notice of their reddening face, however. He muttered to himself as he searched through the cupboard, “Chocolate bars, bag of jolly ranchers...no…”
“I like sweets too,” Kris stated, their voice far softer than usual. They continued watching him closely.
Ralsei smiled and giggled sweetly. “I know that, you always like to eat all of the things I make. Though,” his smile became a small pout, “Susie barely does leave much for you.”
“I leave enough!” Susie shouted indignantly from the living room. Ralsei rolled his eyes and nodded sarcastically.
He paused for a moment, his eyes lighting up as he found what he was looking for. Elated, he exclaimed, “Ah! Ah-ha! Here it is!” He pulled out the jar triumphantly, and a grin sprung upon Kris’s face.
Heh, that’s cute.
The fluffy boy blinked rapidly when he noticed Kris’s look and his gaze shifted away as his face flushed an even brighter shade. “Haha, sorry.” He leaned forward to stand back on the chair again, his face tinted a distinct pink. Trying to push away his embarrassment, he asked in what he tried to convey as an offhand manner, “What’s your favorite sweet, Kris?”
“...You have to guess,” they muttered coyly.
Ralsei paused and looked at Kris curiously. They didn’t often tease him. “I have to guess?” he repeated in wonder, and a small smile crossed his face.
“You can get a prize if you get it in three tries.”
An adoring laugh. “Hehe, what kind of strange game is this? Alright, I’ll play. But what do I get if I win?” the fluffy boy asked lightheartedly.
“...chair,” they mumbled, half to themself. And with those words, they promptly pushed the seat out of Ralsei’s reach.
“...Uh...Kris? I can’t get down safely without that.” He looked quite puzzled, but Kris couldn’t wipe the smirk from their own face as he peered nervously over the tall counter. “Why did you do that?”
“Guess,” Kris stated. “My favorite sweet.”
Ralsei tilted his head at them, eyebrows furrowing in thought. “Uh, would that be pie?”
Sweetiepie. Kris’s grin widened. “Close, but no.”
The fluffy boy put a paw to his mouth as he thought deeply about his next choice. “Ah, chocolate…?”
“Guys, can you stop flirting and get in here? The movie is starting!” Susie shouted loudly.
“Gah! W-we aren’t flirting!” Ralsei yelped, now nearing the edge of the counter to try to slip down without loosing his balance.
“No cheating.” Kris teased, holding a finger up in mock warning. “You have one more--”
Susie groaned irritibly. “...Should I just put it on pause? (I forgot how to do that, shit.)”
“Ah, Kris, I don’t know. It’s moss, then,” Ralsei declared, throwing his arms up dramatically. “That wasn’t it? I’m not very surprised. Come on, Kris, let me down. Please?”
Kris held out their arms to him. “Jump,” they muttered simply. “I’ll catch you.”
“H...huh…? I’m not that far up, I’m just don't want to slip again…”
Kris stepped closer and leaned thier head to one side. “Give me another excuse to hold you, then.”
Ralsei was speechless, though his blushing face spoke volume. He curled into himself slightly and looked down nervously. They noticed his discomfort and lowered their arms just slightly. Ralsei nervously wadded up the fabric his green cloak before slowly raising his head to shyly meet their gaze. There was something new, something entrancing about this stare that made their hearts flutter so wildly. It was a look that made their minds feel weightless and springy, though the heart was raging wildly as if they were running a mile a minute.
“...K-Kris…?”
“I SWEAR TO GOD YOU GUYS ARE SO DAMN SLOW--!” Susie continued to shout abrasively, quickly snapping the two out of their lovesick trance.
Kris sighed and made a move to grab the chair. As soon as they turned around, however, Ralsei made the mistake of leaping at Kris with the miscalculation that they would catch him. Instead, he knocked Kris backward, causing them both to slip. In turn the two ended up tumbling to the floor with a loud thump, Ralsei falling directly onto them.
Kris, lying against the floor with their crush curled up on top of them, thought their day couldn't possibly get any better. Ralsei, on the other hand,was mortified.
Ralsei felt his temperature rise in sharp increments as he lifted his head. If he were in the right mind he would have thrown himself off of them in a heartbeat, but the intense intimacy of this position made him freeze completely. Kris could feel his shallow breath fan out against their cheek and a tingly feeling resided in them. They were far too close for comfort, but as Ralsei looked at Kris underneath him, he couldn’t help but let out a silent gasp. The bangs that had so often shrouded most of their face had been pushed back as a result of the fall . He held his breath, his own orbs glazing over in wonder as he gazed down at Kris’s face. Oh, their eyes…
“...Your eyes are beautiful,” Ralsei murmured aloud. He was so lost in their gaze that it didn’t occur to him how embarrassed he should have been for saying such.
“Huh…” Kris muttered, circling their arms around his small waist. He felt so tiny, so adorable pressed up against him, and it took everything in Kris to not to cover his soft, innocent face with kisses right then and there. Ralsei’s breath hitched at the close contact and he shuddered slightly, finding himself unable to form coherent sentences in the gaze of Kris’s piercing, ruby-red eyes. “You okay…?” they whispered, their tone laced with calming endearment.
“I-I-I’m s-sor...sorry...!” Ralsei managed in a small squeak. Kris simply smiled, lifting a hand to cup his fluffy cheek. He intiatilly flinched at the feeling of Kris petting his face-- though-- as strange as it was, he could help the warm feeling that arose as Kris continued caressing him. Soon he had forgotten the awkward position they were in as he melted into their touch. “Kris, I…”
At that moment Susie barged into the room to snatch the jar of cookies off the counter, and Ralsei immediately sprung off of Kris with an undignified yelp.
“Next time, I’ll get the damn cookies,” Susie growled. “You guys wanna watch the movie or what?”
Kris hummed dreamily, still lying flat on their back against the tile floor. The lizard monster grunted and grabbed them by the ankle. Kris rose instantly, not at all wanting to be dragged.
The three of them awkwardly marched into the living room, Ralsei’s facial expression one of complete disorientation. As Kris crashed on the couch between the two of their friends, they leaned over to him and whispered, “You okay?”
Ralsei figited, not able to look at them without flushing. “Ah...You didn’t tell me what your favorite sweet was.”
Kris shot a look at the disgruntled-looking Susie and murmured, “I’ll tell you after the movie.”
Their friend rose an eyebrow at Kris. “The hell did you do with him? Did you kiss him or some shit? He was struggling to walk straight.” Ralsei blushed at the comment and looked away.
“You’re the one to talk, since you clearly have trouble being straight,” Kris countered.
“Oh? Is she dating Noelle yet?” Ralsei asked in a small voice.
Susie shook her head with a snarl, though she said nothing against it. “Just watch the damn movie, Toothpaste boy.”