Lancer and Martha lead the group while Kris and Susie stayed to the sides to make sure they wouldn't be attacked. It was a small store, not like the warehouse, and was around a 12x12 building. Kris couldn't see much exactly, but apart from the sight of a few rackets, nothing much else was there except some shelves littered with occasional small sport's items and little gadgets.

"It's so damn dark here, I can't see anything..." Susie mumbled. Noelle looked around, trying to find a light switch or fuse box of some sort. Ralsei turned his attention to a little grey box near the right side of the store. Ralsei tapped Kris's shoulder and pointed to it; Kris nodded and signaled everyone to stay put and watch while they went to turn on the lights. They both ran forward, looking around just in case. Ralsei was the first there, opening it up, and inside was a small red switch; he smiled, grabbing hold of it and quickly flipped it up.

"Thank god!" Kris sighed, looking around as the light's flickered to life above them. In front of the rest of the group was a counter, and on it was a severed hand and tons of blood. Behind the counter were display cases that were broken in and completely bloody.

"Is that a gun?" Ralsei asked. There was a pistol in the middle display cabinet, that was, ominously, around a pool of blood inside. Ralsei slowly moved to it, but knowing horror movies he didn't want to be bitten. He knocked loudly on the counter and backed up to avoid the risk.

To none of their surprises, an arm rose up and pointed to the sky; it grabbed hold of the counter and pushed itself up. A zombie came to life, lifting itself off the floor. Ralsei, without thinking, quickly punched the zombie right in the face, and it smashed its head right into the display cabinet that was behind it. Glass flew everywhere, and many of the pieces penetrated the zombie's head, killing it. 

"Oh, crud...did I really just do that?"

"Bashed a zombie's nose in. Cross that off the bucket list!" Kris joked. He ran up to the zombie and threw the body down; for good measure, he stabbed the top of the zombie's head with the end of his candy cane weapon. Martha looked to one of the shelves, her face lighting up as she ran and grabbed a tennis racket off the wall.

"This could be perfect!" Martha exclaimed, practicing hitting an imaginary ball, or possible zombie head. Kris grabbed the gun out of the display cabinet and held it in his palm. On closer inspection, it wasn't a gun but rather a FLARE gun.

"I already have a weapon, Susie already has a weapon, and Martha has a weapon," Kris noted. He looked up at Ralsei and smiled, and handed the gun to him politely. "Ralsei, I think you should have it..."

"I don't know...I'm not used to killing off other zombies--"

"You literally murdered an entire army, you'll be fine! You just need to have the fighting spirit!"

Susie looked around the store to find something for Noelle to use. Kris sighed and set the gun inside his pocket.

"If you're not going to use the flare gun, then at least use something else! Some other weapon!"

"Like what?" Ralsei asked as, he too, looked around the room. All he saw were just some rackety old sports items that wouldn't be any help here.

"You gotta get creative!" Kris explained. He ran to the other side of the store and grabbed a baseball bat, handing it over to Ralsei. "Like this! At least use this bat!"

"I-I don't know if that's a good idea!" Ralsei debated. Kris grabbed Ralsei's arm by force, then placed the bat right into his hand.

"Just whack it across a zombie's head!" Kris groaned from frustration at Ralsei insisting to be weapon-free. He peered around Ralsei's body and to the outside; outside was a decaying zombie that aimlessly walked around the front of the store. Kris pointed to it and grabbed hold of Ralsei's arm.

"W-Where are you taking me?!"

"Outside!" Kris exclaimed. They both stopped at the front of the store and watched as the zombie just did its business. Kris's patted Ralsei's back a couple of times, then slightly pushed him forward. "You got this! You just gotta whack it across the head!"

Ralsei was shaking and pretty uneasy at the thought of what he'd do to it. To get Ralsei going, even more, Kris tapped the front of his weapon on the ground, making a soft tinking noise. The zombie turned to Ralsei, extending its arms as it slowly limped to him. 

"It's not that hard, scaredy pants!" Kris mocked. 

"Quit it, Kris!" Ralsei snapped, turning back to the zombie. He held it low, getting ready for the hit, and with all his energy he swung the bat right into the side of its head. The head came clean off and flew into the air; a fountain of blood flew into the air as a result.

"See! Not so hard, is it?" Kris asked, placing his hand on his shoulder. Ralsei looked down at the zombie and sighed.

"I mean it didn't feel good..."

"Buuut?"

"It didn't...feel bad." Ralsei gave in and let out a long sigh. He scratched the top of his forehead then turned to Kris. "Fine, you win. I'll keep the bat."

"Thank god, finally!"

While the others tested their weapons, Kris and Ralsei made their way outside to the side of the shop. They sat down on a patch of grass and looked up to the sky and relaxed.

"Been so long since we had a normal conversation, eh?" Kris asked, lightly nudging Ralsei in the rib. Ralsei chuckled and scooched a bit closer to Kris; this was his moment.

"I mean when the apocalypse is knocking at your door trying to get ya. I'd probably like to focus more on that than an actual conversation."

"True points made there, friend."

Ralsei's palms began to sweat as he tried to keep his cool and move the conversation normally.

"You think the government has been completely annihilated?"

"I doubt it. I mean, sure this entire ordeal might be bad. But to think of all the movies made of this and the codes and everything, there's absolutely no way!" Kris assured. He patted Ralsei's back again, much more lightly though, and looked at him with a warm smile. "Someone's coming for us, don't worry!"

Ralsei gave an even warmer smile back, as he slowly inched his hand closer and closer to Kris's. 

"Wait, do you feel that?"

Ralsei looked at him in confusion, but then he felt it too. Like something just landed on their heads? They both looked up into the sky and smiled; it was snow.

"A little bit late for a snow day now, don'tcha think?" Kris said to the sky. "When I think of killing zombies and the end of the world, snowing totally hit's me first. I mean, what a combination! Works perfectly!"

"At least it's pretty to watch!" Ralsei argued, staring into the dark black sky that was dotted with white snowflakes. "Better than killing zombies."

"I don't know man, getting all that anger out through some zombie kills really get's your heart going and your blood flowing!"

"Really does..." Ralsei muttered. He looked down at his lap, one question ringing in his head out of any others. He really didn't want to bring it up, he knew Kris might get upset, but then again he had his pills recently...so, why not? 

"You look kinda nervous, Ralsei. Are you ok?"

"I was just wondering about something...about your anger."

"Oh..." Kris hung his head in shame, which caused Ralsei to beat himself even further. Why did he even open his mouth and say that? That is such an embarrassing question to ask and he knew that Kris was going through tought times!

"Ralsei, for all the times you've been there for me and for all the bullsh*t you put up with from me...I think you deserve to know the truth."

"You don't have to if you don't want to, Kris. I know it was dumb to ask--"

"It's fine. I've prevented you from knowing, and anyone else from knowing, for too long. I realize now that keeping it behind me isn't helping, and I just need to acknowledge it and move on!"

"Well...then...why are you always angry? And, not to seem rude but, always snap at me and act rude?"

"It's a long story," Kris got nestled in his patch of grass and looked up to the sky. "Me, my dad, my mom, and my brother were a 'happy family'. When I was adopted as a baby, Asriel was around 8 years old and my dad and mom seemed to be happy."

Ralsei knew about Kris being adopted, everyone did. It wasn't something that was blown up, though, because a lot of the monster and human children were adopted. And also everyone knew that Kris's "brother" was Asriel. How did they know? Cause he was famous in their little town and would get awards left right and center and hang out with all the cool kids.

"But I knew something was wrong, ever since I came home my dad and mom were so stressed and they would get into occasional fights sometimes. I was oblivious, though, and I just kept pretending like none of it happened cause I was young and dumb. I looked up to my brother, who had so many awards and I destined to become just like him. And so I studied and studied and studied, and that ended up getting ME awards too!"

"I was happy, my brother was proud and so were my mom and dad. Everything was going stellar!" Kris explained with enthusiasm. Suddenly, his eyes drooped and his eyes began to well. "Then it happened, my dad picked me up and by accident dropped me right onto my little head. I had to go to the hospital, and they were barely able to save me. From what I heard my mom and dad cried forever and prayed that I would be ok."

"Luckily they saved me and my family was so happy...but not for long. When I got home, my mom and dad argued and argued for hours upon hours on it. My mom was so upset, and she supposedly couldn't handle him and our family anymore. So she left for the night and when she got back, she was determined to do it. My mom and dad argued some more, and then finally they came to terms to divorce."

"I blamed myself for it all, I became angrier and began hitting things. I screamed at my brother, once hit my dad in the leg, ran to my room and cried for hours on end. Anytime anyone wanted to talk to me I would just be an emotional mess, still kinda am. But I mean, who could blame me? I dealt with nearly dying, then the divorce of my family and then blamed myself for everything. How would I not be angry?"

Tears rolled down Kris's cheek, he tried wiping them off as his voice became shaky. The sadness chocked him, and the only thing to comfort him was Ralsei who hugged him tightly.

"When I was 8 my family noticed that my condition wasn't getting any better, and then something else finally screamed at them to take me to a therapist. They found a knife in my room that I had used to cut myself with...I didn't plan to properly hide it and thank god I didn't, because who knows what would have happened to me then."

"My mom took me to therapist's, and they all told us the same thing. That I had Bipolar. But my mom knew that it wasn't it because the medication didn't work in the slightest. We tried to make it work, but the medication didn't help anything. We went to more therapist's who told me the same thing over and over again. Then...we met Dr. Gerard, one of the best human doctor's that we knew of that were near us. That's when we finally got something else, and after we tried to medication for a bit it actually worked."

Kris cried, even more, covering his eyes so that Ralsei wouldn't see the sheer amount of tears that welled up in his eyes. He kept trying to wipe them off like it was going to work but it wasn't.

"I had BPD, Borderline Personality Disorder. All the evidence matched up and luckily I got my medication that worked wonders for me to not be so emotional. But I wasn't happy, I felt so ashamed to have it and I felt like I was alone and nobody could help me or relate to me. I knew kids who had depression and anxiety, but no one had BPD. No one!"

Kris put his arm on Ralsei's shoulder and looked at him with teary eyes.

"But then me and Susie fell down the hole, and I met you. Then we managed to fall down again and get you, and Lancer, and everyone else up from the underground...god, I can't tell you how much you helped me. When nobody wanted to be my friend you and Susie stood up to the challenge and dealt with me. But, while Susie was kind and all, you were the only one who helped me and cared about me when I went through the rough and became angry. I would give anything up for you to stay here, just because of how kind you are. I would give anything up to stay friend's with you forever!"

Ralsei looked down and cried as well, removing his spectacles and hugging Kris tightly. He finally had his answer, he finally knew what was wrong with Kris. Kris wiped away the last of his tears and chuckled a bit.

"I've never told that to anybody just because of how afraid you or someone else would leave or make fun of me...Ralsei you have no idea how you being my friend has helped me through so much."

"Kris, I could never imagine a better partner than you. A better person to care and love!"

Kris smiled at him and finally, the sadness washed over him. That's why Kris needed so desperately to get back home for his pills. Why he acted so erratic and why he hid his pills away from him. It all made sense. 

"Wait, love?"

Ralsei blushed and looked down rubbing his arm. It was only fair for Kris to know his secret as well.

"Kris, you told me your secret and now it's only fair that you know mine," Ralsei started. He sighed and placed his hand on Kris's.

"Kris, I love you. I love you more than anyone else that I know. You've been the light of my day since I met you in the underground." Ralsei looked up at Kris, it almost looked like there were hearts in his eyes. "We could be so much more than friend's...we could kiss, make out, and do so much together! No one else can stop us! It can be just us!"

Kris froze, he did NOT expect this at all. He certainly felt like Ralsei was acting a bit weird trying to be near him, but he didn't expect him to love him! Kris thought about it for a minute and thought again and again about if he should except. Kris looked at Ralsei, with all his blush across his face. Kris couldn't deny it, he couldn't deny that he was cute, so cute.

"Ralsei..." Kris placed his hands on Ralsei's, which caused Ralsei to blush even more. It felt like just them out here. He did love him back, he did think he was cute, he thought all of these things. But while he was cute...

He wasn't love cute. 

"I-I really don't want to friend zone you...but I can't. I'm sorry." Ralsei felt like his heart had been crushed and destroyed and shot again and again. "No no! Listen! It's not because I love another person! It's not because I hate you. It's not because you did ANYTHING wrong! You did everything right, you cared for me, helped me, and supported me!"

"T-Then why don't you want us to be together?"

"It's because of me...if you didn't know, BPD has a symptom that makes someone think that someone is going to leave them if they do something wrong or yell at them, so they prepare for them leaving...and I-I just can't risk you leaving me! You've been my everything and I don't want it thrown away because of a stupid love!"

"I won't leave you, ever! I promise! I'll love you forever and ever!"

"My outbursts might get even worse, and I just don't want you to go! If I get into a relationship with you I will be DEPENDENT on you. I don't want love, and if I do get love I worry how it might affect the other person!" Kris explained. Kris hugged Ralsei tightly, trying to comfort him. "Ralsei, you don't need me to love. You're strong and caring and nice and optimistic! Don't let me bring you down! It's not because of you, but it's because of me. Please don't leave me, ok bud?"

Ralsei's soul felt almost broken, like the pieces were now everywhere...but as he touched the place where his soul would be, he felt something. Something as Kris hugged him, something felt soothing and calming. He began to smile and cry at the same time, as this feeling drowned over him.

"If I promise to not let you bring me down. You have to promise that you will get better for all of us. Not just me, but for Susie, and for Martha, and for Lancer, and for everyone that cares about you!"

"I promise!" Kris blurted out, hugging him even tighter. It felt like Ralsei was even more fixed than he already was, just from this talk and experience. He finally realized another thing, that he didn't need love to fill his heart. All he needed was a good friend.

And Kris was one of them.

Ralsei hugged back with even more energy than Kris gave him. They both sat there, hugging each other, not saying anything but just slowly rocking back and forth and not letting go. 

"I love you, Ralsei," Kris told Ralsei. He then smiled again and lightly hit Ralsei's shoulder. "Platonically."

"I love you too, Kris!" Ralsei said, hitting him back with a slightly harder punch with a side giggle. "Platonically as well!"

"I bet they all got their weapons sorted out by now. They're probably waiting for us," Kris noted, standing up and stretching. "Come on, Ralsei. Let's go!"

Ralsei stood up and walked behind Kris, this time not imagining of him holding Kris's hand, or him imagining them together. He looked up into the night sky; at the beautiful stars that twinkled above their heads and the snow that so gracefully fell and landed on the ground. It really was a good night...

A good night for r̶o̶m̶a̶n̶c̶e̶  friendship.