castle_perrault | It's a beautiful day--

The peace and quiet is ruined not long after by this guy. They tend to do that! Tromping along without anyone older to ask them to try and keep it down, not really looking for anything except for someone to chatter at (hopefully), they find Frisk all cozy.

"Hi Frisk! What's up? ...you look kinda tired, yo."

They've still got the sun on their face, so they don't mind.

"Hi, Kid." Frisk smiles up at them tiredly. "I am tired. Jus' got done with being sick. Don't think you're gonna catch it, though," they're quick to reassure.

Patpatpat. This is dinosaur feet trying to be quiet. It's a bit better. They plop down on their bum a little ways from Frisk, also in the sun. Sick all alone without their mom, that sounds awful. No one to heal them or make those special pies. "Monsters don't catch germs from humans. Are you okay??"

It's the other Frisk's birthday... a few days ago.

This one isn't aware of how much their mental calendar has slipped, however. They've done their best, and while the days have tried to blur, they're sure they've successfully fought them off, with small tallies notched in the wood of Chara's bed and carefully counted, determined to get it right. As far as both Chara (who's been content to go off of the other's time) and Frisk are concerned, it's March 2nd.

They know the other said not to get them anything, but pschhh, how likely was that going to be? Not very. They need some cheering up, Frisk thinks. They've enlisted Chara's help for this one, pooling their memories of their experiences with the other.

It's hard to get gifts in the Castle, when there's only what you can find or make, but they've done their best, a bundle wrapped in drawn-on and glued together paper clutched in between Chara's hands as they wander the Castle, looking for the recipient, and fighting the urge to pull at the ribbon.

"Oh. That's good."

(Maybe that's why Chara was surrounded by Dreemurrs in the end. Nobody had anything to fear from them.)

"'M okay. Just...tired," they repeat lamely. "Being sick really sucks. Snot's gross."

Frisk really likes that balcony, as it turns out. And they also like pillows, and cushions, and the fact that they can do stuff like carry and drag those things around.

They don't...always appreciate that it rains, and that spoils their resting on their pile of soft things.

They've compromised today. They're in a formerly-empty room not too far from the balcony's entrance, ignoring the pattering of water against the window, and Frisk's piled up all those cushions and pillows and blankets and more into a massive, massive fort.

Only their mop of hair might be visible from the outside, curled up as they are. It's nice and warm inside, and they certainly appreciate that.

That's an impressive blanket fort and Frisk mentally nudges Chara to an annoyed yes I can see that, Frisk from their quarters.

Frisk spots the hair peeking out and... has an idea. They carefully set down the package safely in a corner of the room with a small smile and quietly pad up to the pile before-

Leaping. Into it. They're aiming away from where they can see the other is, because as mischevious as they're being, they don't want to startle their other self too much by landing on them.

"Happy birthday!"

Prickling instinct tells them something's in their space.

Frisk being themselves, they don't even look up. It's probably either a friend (if not now, then soon-to-be) or somebody who's going to pass them by--or the worst case scenario, but that barely brushes their thoughts.

Therefore, they are not at all prepared for a human cannonballing into their fort, knocking down something that was trying to be a wall and, thanks to their overdone cushioning job, bouncing Frisk into the air a few inches with a shriek.

"Chara!" they yelp, scrambling to sit up and failing. Too many blankets, you know, tangled around their legs.

They give up and lie down on their face.

"...Thanks," they answer eventually, muffled. "An' you."

They got them to actually bounce! This was a good idea, although their face falls to brief, there-and-gone worry as they gauge the other's reaction before shifting back into mischievously pleased, coming up over the rise of a pillow that was a sad casualty.

There's a horrible, horrifying moment where the urge to answer to the wrong name feels natural, and they swallow it back and swallow it down because how was their other self supposed to know and anyway, this is supposed to be a fun thing for the other. They're not going to ruin it for no reason.

They can feel Chara's pricking presence - the moment didn't escape them either - and they wriggle across the debris in front of their other self and rest Chara's head on their arms, legs folded up and over.

"S'not mine yet." This isn't about them, this is about the other, don't wriggle out of it. "We got you a present!- hang on-"

They scramble to get up and run into the same difficulty as the other, although less enough they do get free and make their way over to the small bundle before bringing it over and pushing it towards them, hands moving in palpable excitement after letting go.

"Here!" They pull a pillow towards Chara's chest and rest their chin on it. Go on, then!

If Frisk does open it, they'll find inside layers of paper with hand-drawn pictures of their various interactions and various encouraging statements, a book on music for beginners, some crayons they found in the back of a cupboard, oddly anachronistic, and yet another book, this time on singing.

They thought about putting flowers in. After the events of the sickness, they decided against it.

Speaking of... the smile shrinks to an inquiry.

"D'you feel better?"

They saw the sweater's color and blurted the first thing that came to mind--it's not like they're the only Chara they've made friends with before, anyway. They can't be sure.

Frisk props their head up, resting their head on their hand, and elbow on the cushion pile 'floor'. "Still almost yours. You didn't have to get me stuff..."

They don't hesitate long in working it open with one hand, though, and they don't even start leafing through it before their eyes go wide. There's just a drawn picture on the top, they can tell there's more stuff under it, but they suddenly can't move enough to look through the rest.

"You didn't have to get me stuff," they repeat in a wobbly voice.

They're smiling.

(They're also not answering that question.)

It's... They're really reminded of when they'd been with the Dreemurrs for a while, and Asriel gave them something. Casually, delighted but casually, like the fact of what he was giving was more important than that he was giving them anything at all, because he'd found it in the dump and thought it was cool and that they'd like it. He'd seen it and thought of them.

They'd said the same thing. It's a little spooky and it makes something in Chara's chest squeeze a bit, and they say what he said then, albiet with the slightest wobble of their own. They can feel Chara themself looking away, embarrassed.

"I didn't have to, but I wanted to!"

They beam. Don't think they didn't notice the question being dodged, but that's okay. It's answer enough, really, and Frisk becomes determined to leave this as a bright spot.

They settle down into the cushion and wait for their counterpart to get to the good stuff, eyes crinkling in happy anticipation. They can take as long as they need.

The papers are lifted so gently, it looks completely absurd.

Here in the castle, Frisk's gotten two gifts before.

Their scarf is one--worn and tattered along the ends in spite of their initial attempts to be careful, but obviously well-loved. Grune doesn't seem upset when she sees it, at least. The other is a kite, handmade by Serif and (S-4) Papyrus--if anyone else had seen them holding it for the first few months of having it, they would've seen the same near-reverence.

All of them made things for Frisk, with their own hands. Maybe they should be saying something, but then they're entirely certain they'll tear up if they try. Nobody needs that right now.

They're still just as touched by the rest of the presents, even if they were things already in the castle. The singing book is paged through with massive grin, and the crayons are rolled between their fingers and delighted in. They've found paint before, but sparingly, and nothing beats just being able to draw things on paper.

Frisk ends up sitting in a semicircle of gifts, smiling so hard their face aches.

"Thank...thank you. Really, really thank you."

"Oh, yeah! Pretty gross. ...I hope you didn't throw up! That's even grosser!"

What a gross thing to bring up.

Frisk makes a face. "Won't. That was just at the start of being sick. The weird dreams and nose stuff was worse."

Frisk props Chara's chin on the pillow again, shifting slightly until it's most comfortable and kneading the plush of it in their hands happily. It's... strange to see their other self smiling like this, but in a pleasant way. It's a good smile.

"No problem." Their own doesn't quite match it, but it's getting there. The other's emotion is infectious - maybe because they're the same person in a sense? "The books were Chara's idea," Frisk adds helpfully, neglecting to mention their own contributions. It's a fact that may be somewhat evident given the nature of past interactions, ones that Frisk only knows about because they encouraged Chara to draw some pictures of their own. Those are in a slightly different style.

Speaking off... Frisk tilts their head. "Um. D'you wanna try them out?" It's a tacit invitation for a shared activity if the other likes, but they wouldn't mind at all if their counterpart didn't want to. It's their presents, their crayons and drawings that are blank on the back and their books, after all.

"Um." Seems their voice can crack on a single syllable.

They probably can't get away with not touching them for a while. That's what gifts are for, not just to...look pretty. Only, the crayons can be used up--and it doesn't occur to them to draw on the other drawings, even if it's on the other side. That would be ruining them.

A music book is lifted, but Frisk doesn't open it. Watching them read would be boring, huh?

"Sorry," they say hastily after the silence goes on. "It's...I can't...decide. This is so nice."

Don't waste paper, _______. Both sides. We're not made of money.

In a way, it's very deliberate. They wouldn't consider it ruining them - Frisk's sense of self-worth extends to the things they create as well - but they'd be touched if they knew that's how the other would see it.

"It's okay, you don't have to," they say once the silence ends - they're pretty patient. And it is okay. Maybe that was pushing too much. They metaphorically pull back a little and sink down into the pillow again. "You're nice." No you. It just sort of comes out, but are they wrong? No they're not.

Honestly, watching their other self read would not be the most boring thing they've done. They live in Chara nowadays after all, and that means compromises like being able to do nothing but watch while the other person engages in an activity that isn't the most interesting to you personally. If that's what they want, that's what's happening. It's their birthday after all. If they want to be left alone to do it, that's fine too.

Edited (minor 'dit ) 2017-04-12 14:10 (UTC)

Frisk makes a funny noise, dramatically putting the book against their face and falling onto their side. (They're very careful not to dislodge anything.) That's a safer action, goofy and not crying.

Really. Don't cry. Please don't cry. As if they weren't already being kind of embarrassing.

They inhale, a messy sort of sound, and the book smells sort of old but in a nice way.

"...but you gave me so much. Didn't think I'd get anything. Or jus'...one thing, 'f I got...stuff."

It's okay if their other self cries. They've seen them crying before, remember? Their other self's seen them crying too.

Frisk does avert their gaze, though, for the other's sake, the same reason they huff-laugh a little at the dramatic gesture. They can pretend otherwise. They look down at the cushion instead, before smushing their entire face into it.

Their reply is therefore somewhat muffled.

"Was it um. Too much?"

Maybe they went a little overboard (the creeping suspicion that they selfishly assumed a higher level of friendship than there actually is gets tossed out on it's ear, but not without a last whisper), but they got really excited. They lift their head and take an exaggerated gulp of air like they've just surfaced from underwater.

"Sides, Chara wanted to give you something too. So it'd've been at least two things." They nod decisively. "People should get presents on birthdays." Another repetition of their absent sibling's words. Cake, too, but everyone here is really sick of cake. Who'd've thought that could happen?

There's nothing wrong with crying, usually. They just think it's too much for presents. They're just being nice, and they've been nice to them plenty of times before--this is just a nice thing they can hold onto and keep.

Frisk peeks around the book's edge. Maybe they're being too dramatic, making other Frisk (and Chara) hide their face at the same time, if only for a minute.

"Mm-mm. I'm just...um. Dunno. I'm happy. Even 'f I didn't...think I'd have anything." They sniff again, then slide the book halfway down their face. Time for a little deflection, and seriousness: "Yours is soon."

Even if these two disappeared, these things would still be there. If that makes them cry, then it's exactly enough for presents.

This Frisk is somewhat puzzled by the fact that the other apparently hasn't gotten any presents from anyone else in the Castle yet - surely the other Frisk knows a lot of nice people here? - but maybe people don't know it's their birthday, or that'll happen later in the day. (Good thing they don't know how late they are - it's easily set aside, because they'd rather not think of any alternative.)

They do the same thing themself too often to not pick up on it as a deflection, but they roll with it - to an extent. "Y'don't have to get me anything if'n you don't want. And today's yours."

This is a that-Frisk day, not a this-Frisk day. The sky's the limit.

Nobody knows, they haven't told, and Frisk-and-Chara might be right and they're in the wrong. It doesn't really matter. They're pretty sure the time in the Castle and the time back home were a few months apart anyway, so they might never know when their real birthday is ever again.

"Nooo I want to. I really really want to." Why wouldn't they want to give a friend a gift?

...They should try to ask their other friends' birthdays. Frisk hums a slightly discontent note. Why hadn't that occurred to them before?

And anyway--Frisk finally lifts the book from their face. "And...dunno what to do. People usually have birthday parties, but I'm not." Since nobody knows it, of course.

"Gross! You really did throw up? I'm sorry, dude."

Come to think of it, they've probably never seen anyone be sick. Definitely nasty to think that it's a thing that happens.

Frisk covers their face. Please, don't remind them.

"Better now," they re-assert. "Not going to...stay in the rain again."

Instead of twiddling their fingers (impossible, for obvious reasons), their toe-claws fiddle with each other. Isn't that an awful thing to learn?

"...you'd better not, if rain made you sick and not all the germs!"

It's a beautiful day--

did someone say more fluff

:>

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i like how this works both in and ooc

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hnng it's been so long i didn't do a thing for this Frisk's birthday

nbd~

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omg so late

np :V

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