Chapter Text

After a third Hathy had gotten so uncomfortable from Susie's attempts at flirtation that they'd awkwardly left the battle, the Fun Squad were at a loss.

Ralsei's heart ached for his new friend. She was trying—that was clear by the determined look she donned when she thought no one was watching.

She just... wasn't very good at ACTing just yet. Especially flirting.

"How..." Susie groans, leaning against the wall and slowly sinking to her knees, slumping bitterly. "The hell have you guys been doing this the entire time? I'm exhausted."

"Oh no... do you need a snack?" Ralsei fretted as Kris held up a handful of Dark Candy and some Choco Diamonds, head cocked. "That'd help your energy!"

"Mentally exhausted, dude." Susie mumbled, scrubbing her melancholic face with a clawed hand. "I take it back. You and Kris aren't wimpy nerds. This is the most challenging thing I've ever done. Good job, you're great, and I suck."

Ralsei bites his bottom lip with fanged teeth, casting a concerned glance to Kris. They shrugged helplessly.

"Susie..." He starts. "Monsters— and humans, pardon me, Kris— are good at different things. We could never fight like you do, for example!"

"Great. The one thing I'm great at...I can't do anymore."

Oh.

Ralsei winced, staring sadly at the ground.

"You..." Kris spoke, and he and Susie weren't at all prepared, bowed heads snapping to attention. They spoke very little, and most of it was during battle. "You just need practice."

A good five seconds of silence. Ralsei's mouth was open a bit, his gaze admiring. Kris was a good leader, and he forgot how little they needed to do to make a situation seem so much brighter.

Ralsei could do all the comforting, all the convincing, all the planning in the world and still not get much done; Kris was simply a natural.

"But how can I practice when I don't even know where to begin?" Susie finally argues, looking somewhat more upbeat, though reluctant to show it.

Kris looks unsure of how to answer that. Ralsei fumbles for something, anything, until Susie seems to get an idea.

"You two show me!" She exclaims, pointing at them both.

"But how?" Ralsei casts a look around the castle hallway they were currently in. It was quiet and empty. "We beat all the nearby enemies."

"Man, for a nerd, you sure are dumb." Susie grins toothily, and Ralsei huffs. Didn't she just say he and Kris weren't actually nerds? "I meant you two do it. One of you be the enemy. The other can show me how to ACT. Smart, right?"

Ralsei gasps.

"Susie, that's brilliant! I'd love to— er, Kris, do you mind if we...?"

Ralsei looks over to Kris, claws clasped in front of himself pleadingly. They gave two thumbs up, and he beamed.

"A-alright! Who's the hero and who's the enemy? Which would you rather be, Kris?"

Kris shrugs, not looking as if they minded either way.

"Ah, how about you try and be the enemy first! I'm afraid I may be too soft to be a good villain." Ralsei giggles, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Kris nods and takes a step or two closer.

"Please try to pay close attention, Susie." Ralsei smiles at his other comrade.

"Yeah, yeah." Susie snorts, sitting up straighter.

Enemy Kris just sorta looks the same. No, exactly the same. Ralsei wasn't sure what he'd expected, it wasn't like they could transform or anything, but...

Like they'd heard Ralsei's thoughts, they slowly raised both fists, mimicking a boxing position, eyebrow cocked as they focused solely on him.

The skin on his face warmed under his fur, as he was unused to being in the spotlight and unsure of why it made him as happy as it did, seeing Kris look at him so intently.

"Kris blocks the way!" Susie announces.

"Oh, my!" Ralsei plays along, having to hold in a giggle when Kris begins to sway in place, reminiscent of a video game fighter. "Whatever shall I do? Oh!"

Convincing was always a good ACT option.

"You don't need to do this." He takes a step closer, and Kris hesitates. "You're worth so much more than this... this violence. I see so much good in you."

Kris stills completely.

"You look kind. I think you'd be an even better hero. If you would, please let me be on my way."

It's quiet for a moment. Kris's hands fall to their side.

"You won! Earned, uh," Susie falters. "Nothing! I'm broke."

"Teaching you is the best reward!" Ralsei beams again, clapping. "Great job, Kris. You're such a good actor, hehe."

Mouth tilting upward, they pointed at him as if to say likewise.

"Now for round two." Susie announces. "Show me what ya got."

Kris gets back into position. Their eyes had never left Ralsei's, and he was acutely aware of himself all of a sudden—he had to tug his scarf higher, pull his hat down some, flustered.

Their eyes were really pretty. A bright crimson, dotted with darker brown spots. It's a shame that their bangs covered them most of the time.

Wait, battling time!

Ralsei patted his warm cheeks and shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and stepped forward.

"A Different Kris blocks the way!" Susie yells, shoving a dark candy in her mouth, seemingly for no reason.

Kris circled Ralsei carefully, and the prince was confused for all of three seconds until they reached out, attempting to grab him.

He leapt back with a squeak, and they smirked. Was... Was this being played that seriously? What would happen if he got caught? Oh gosh.

Think! Think! Think and ACT!

He did absolutely the first thing that came to mind.

He sank low to the ground, shaking hand over his heart as he curtsied, his other hand bunching into the fabric of his cloak.

"M-m-my apologies." He stutters. "I didn't mean to, er, disturb you. If I may, could you let me pass?"

Silence. He dares look up, and Kris is looking right back at him, their expression so open he visibly slumps with relief.

It'd only been pretend, and yet... Something inside him shrunk in a strange, primal sort of fear. He would rather not dwell on it.

"Golly." He pants, smoothing out the wrinkles in his cloak with still-trembling hands. "You're a tough enemy, Kris!"

Kris looked a bit proud.

"Susie, are you learning anything valuable?" He looked toward his other companion questioningly.

"Uh," Susie starts, licking the sticky remains of the candy off her claws. "Yeah, actually. You dorks aren't too bad. One more lesson should have me skipping into battles, hugging and tenderly caring for every enemy in sight."

"I can't wait." He grins excitedly, quickly turning back toward Kris. "What do you say, Kris?"

Kris goes right back into fighting position, and he cheers, his hat nearly toppling off his head with all the excitement.

"Ah, okay. Let's do this, then!" He says, subtly adjusting his hat back the correct way.

"A Completely Different Kris From The Previous Two blocks the way!"

They waste no time lashing out at him, nearly catching the edge of his cloak with their foot. He turned at the last second, catching them off-guard and getting a good few feet ahead.

Now! It's time to ACT!

Yeah!

Time!

ACT.

ACT...

He had absolutely no ideas left. Oh no.

"Susie!" He yelps when a hand fists into the back of his cloak, keeping him in place as he wiggled around. "Give me an ACT!"

"M-me?" Susie chokes on a Choco Diamond, beating on her chest. "Dude, YOU'RE the teacher!"

"Please—"

"Uh, okay! Um." Susie really wasn't one for doing things under pressure. "...wait. Oh my god, you idiot! You missed the biggest one!"

"W-what? What is it? Quickly, Susie!"

"Flirting! Duh!"

Ralsei stops dead in place, Kris bumping against his back and nearly toppling them both over. Their arm wraps around his middle, the other hand draping against his hip, steadying him.

Ralsei's face is on fire, he can feel it, and has never been so thankful for his fur.

"C-come again?" He stutters, frazzled to the core, and why was Kris still holding onto him.

"Something wrong with your ears, pipsqueak?" Susie raises an eyebrow, none the wiser to his suffering. "Flirting is what I suck at the most, so a good 'ol demonstration would be dandy."

"B-but..."

"That settles it, then! You two lovebirds get to it."

Ralsei's poor face was bordering on being a fire hazard by now.

Kris let him go and he stumbled, nearly tripping over his own two feet. He coughed awkwardly, standing up straighter.

"Ah, well, alright! K-kris, shall we?" His voice shook, but if they noticed anything, they didn't show it.

They nod, merely standing in front of him instead of chasing him. Perhaps they realized he probably couldn't even flirt like this, let alone while being chased...

Flirting time. Oh, goodness.

"Um... " He fumbles while staring intently at the ground, twiddling his thumbs, a nervous habit of his. "Y.... You... "

Kris cocks their head the tiniest bit, eyebrows raising, and he was going to die.

"Y-you're... really nice, and I'm s-so happy you're here!" He says all in one breath, immediately pulling his hat over his face, squeaking.

Silence lasted for a good ten seconds this time.

"Boo!" Susie finally said, and he peeked around his hat. "Dude, that ain't flirting! You'd say that to Kris anytime."

She was absolutely right. He slumped in shame, gnawing his bottom lip. "I...I'm sorry, Susie. And Kris. I'm just not... I—"

Mortification truly sets in when he sniffles.

"Are you crying?" Susie asks, shocked. "It's not that big a deal, Ralsei-"

"My job, what I've prepared for my whole life was to teach you two everything you need to prosper in this world. And I couldn't." Ralsei blubbers, tears staining his fur. "I'm so sorry you had to meet a p-poor excuse of a prince like me, I... "

Kris steps forward and, with zero hesitation or warning, cups his face with both hands.

He hiccups one last sob and then goes silent, staring back at them with confused, teary eyes.

"No one is good at everything." They spoke for the second time that day, voice low and quiet, a tad husky, given how unused they were to speaking. "You said so to Susie earlier. Right? It's okay."

"B-but-"

Kris leans forward until they were nose-to-nose, staring unblinkingly into his eyes.

"It's okay."

"O-okay." Is all he can think to reply with, too preoccupied with their closeness.

Kris backs away, fingers brushing across his cheeks before they let go.

"I'll show you." They say, casting a brief glance toward Susie. "You watch too."

"Does this mean you're switching roles?" Susie scratches her head, confused.

Kris nods.

Oh! He was the enemy, then.

Sniffling one last time and swiping his arm across his eyes, he readies himself.

"Ralsei blocks the way!"

What was a good menacing pose? At a loss for anything else he bared his fangs, claws outstretched in front of him.

"Grrrrr!" He growls, hearing Susie snort laughter to the left of him and pointedly ignoring it.

Kris stares at him and takes a step forward. And then another. And another.

He nearly stumbles back, before remembering oh, right, enemies don't run. Growling getting a pitch higher with nerves, he stays reluctantly in place. They’re maybe a foot, foot and a half, from him now.

His growling morphs into a small eep when their hand falls to his shoulder. They leaned in close, so close he could feel soft puffs of breath hitting his cheek, and just...waited.

Susie’s eyebrows were damn near in orbit, unsure of what exactly this was, but it was working. Ralsei was blushing and silent, gaze anxiously flitting between the ground and Kris’s face.

They smiled and it looks nothing but pleased, letting go of him and backing up a small bit to flash him a pair of finger guns, saying, “You’re very fluffy and kind. I like it.”

There was a dull thud, which was Ralsei hitting the castle floor, now unconscious.

Kris rushed over to pick him up, draping his arm over their shoulders and giving him a quick once-over for any injuries he may have gotten. Once they were certain he was fine, they gave Susie a smug look.

Susie’s jaw had long dropped, and she recoiled at their shit-eating grin, sputtering, “What even was that?”

“Flirting.” Kris said simply.

“In what world would that work on anyone else but him? He’s already like, half in love with you, man!”

Kris gave the sleeping prince in their arms a pointed glance, as if to say well, it worked.

“Arghhhhh!” Susie groaned, exasperated. “Lets just go, I guess. This last minute and a half was bullshit, and we both know it, but I’ll just avoid flirting with enemies.”

Kris nodded, adjusting Ralsei’s position, and the team of a smug human, irritated monster, and unconscious prince continued on.

About ten minutes later, Susie cast a brief look to Ralsei. “He probably needs to be up and at ‘em before we get to Lancer’s dad.”

It was true. They had to be getting close, with enemies thinning out by the minute, air getting more and more tense as they trudged along. Like all of them, Ralsei was a key part of the party.

Kris looked like they agreed. They nudged his shoulder. He shifted slightly, still very asleep.

“Great.” Susie sighed, massaging her temples. “Guess it’s time for sleeping beauty to get a kiss, huh, Kris?”

It was quiet, and she looked up. Kris looked heavily tempted, and Susie balked.

“Dude, I was kidding!”