#their face... thats kris...

[jynxedshapeshifter]

I mentioned a while ago during my second playthrough of AA4 that I managed to pinpoint the exact moment this case turns Klavier's world upside down (that being, the moment he realizes Kristoph manipulated him), but I don't remember if I ever posted screenshots of what I meant by that. These are those screenshots. Immediately after this, Klavier requests permission to ask Vera a question. This question is what the first non-painting forgery she made was. He gets confirmation that the forgery was what he thinks it was and breaks down.

Now at first, one might be inclined to say "Well, we don't know that he made the connection to Kristoph, he could've thought Phoenix commissioned the forgery!" but I disagree, because the internal conflict that Kristoph planted in him by telling him Phoenix was going to present forged evidence is why Klavier took a break from prosecuting. Klavier was already suspicious of Kristoph at this point. Klavier doesn't seem even a little surprised when he mentions to Kristoph that not only is he being accused of murder again, but Apollo's the one accusing him. Again.

There's so much Klavier was probably feeling here. Betrayal, if we assume he put the pieces together and realized Kristoph commissioned the forgery. Guilt, assuming he, at the very least, realized Phoenix didn't commission the forgery. Anger, because what the fuck.

This was such a dick move on Phoenix's end too. This whole case is Phoenix using Kristoph's former employee and Kristoph's younger brother as pawns against him. Sure, you could argue that Phoenix thought this was a good way to make Klavier aware of Kristoph's actions, but at the same time, I can't really help but feel like Phoenix also did this because it was Klavier who accused him of forgery, even if subconsciously. We know he's willing to hold a years-long grudge because he does exactly that with Kristoph.

It's interesting because it shows multiple things about Phoenix:

He's not above using manipulation to get what he wants (justice, in this case)

He's not above using people as pawns in his plans

When he wants revenge, he will get it, even if that means emotionally fucking over multiple people (because even if he wasn't trying to get revenge on Klavier, he absoloutely fucked him over emotionally. I can't imagine Kristoph's involvement in this case was good for Apollo emotionally either)

The ONLY reason Phoenix is better than Kristoph in AA4 is because Phoenix is manipulative for the sake of justice, while Kristoph is manipulative for the sake of his own ego. They're on total opposite ends of the morality spectrum but both manipulate and use people for the sake of their own goals (and they both specifically manipulate and use Apollo and Klavier and each other for the sake of these goals).

It's fascinating, and I'm honestly really sad that this is the only time we see this side of Phoenix, even if it does make sense why this is the only time we see this side of Phoenix (and it's also probably a good thing this is the only time we see this side of Phoenix because I think if we ever saw it again, we'd know something fucked up is going on).

Idk. Klavier needs a hug and Phoenix shouldn't have taken out his bitterness toward Kristoph on Apollo and Klavier regardless of how good his intentions were

[junebugdunes]

something soft

[premamelody]

more utypyrt doodles but we're getting real and suzy is there

also theoretical utpyrt flowey deltarune design. i think every theoretical flowey deltarune dark world design should be a farmer that is secretly a reaper. like yeah im just tillin the grounds, the grounds of the buried ones. or at least a reaper.

oh yeah also random flower buddy bc since he's technically both an object and a monster it would be cool if his flower part become a separate darkner. they're annoying. that's it. they serve as the actual health point/actual thing to damage. but they're so obnoxious that they're the target anyways.

[charafansmile]

Here's the better one

[magicalcroissantholybaguette]

For some reason I vaguely sketch characters when I take notes, and recently some deltarune characters (mostly kris) have fallen victim to that.

[runepixel]

hey guys. i'm not the only one who hears the lyrics to this song and thinks snowgrave kris and noelle right

[happyhornqvist]

At the conclusion of that day at training camp in September, the Panthers had long departed the ice and one by one left the facility for the day. As the hot Florida sun beat down with everyone else since departed, a familiar figure was running laps around the building by his lonesome.

It was Hornqvist, who had changed his clothes, donning a pair of shorts and a Panthers T-shirt. He sprinted like a madman, AirPods drowning out the noise as the perspiration dripped from his body.

Then, for just a moment, he stopped and let his mind drift to a faraway place. He removed the AirPods.

“Hey,” he shouted. “Do me a favor. Tell Sid I say hi. And Geno, too. And Tanger. And Sully. I love those guys.”

Hornqvist smiled a satisfied-looking smile, then shook his head, put his AirPods back in, and started running again.

[fruitybashir]

The frown that kris wakes up with

OH NO.................................................

the new pics hit me like a train i swear ...... i want more

[xxun-punxx]

okay so like if you were to switch around the cast from sally face with the cast of deltarune absolutely nothing would change

[lucinfernos]

why dis 🐮 look so mad???

some monster!kris since i finally faced my fear of drawing a furry lol. shoutout to whoever first drew kris as a cow because thats so peak

(used a heavy ref of graypillow's cow art for the face!!)

[partyven0m]

omg hi i just read ur kris x reader fic and i actually love it sm .. can i req a kris x reader where like. reader has a FAT crush on them and they’re gonna try asking them out to the festival… pleek and tank u👅

'If you meant it'

in which everyone assumes you'd be asking kris to the town festival... everyone except you that is.

a/n!!: tysm 4 the request!! <333 this is def a lot more dramatic and complicated than it needed to be BUT im a sucker for the miscommunication trope and like... what r u gonna do abt it? go find a different kris fic to read? there r none!!! ♡ (jokes aside i PROMISE ill write something thats just pure tooth rotting fluff soon sry!!!)

You were in love with Kris.

And not the normal, passing kind of love, either. Not the kind you could play cool, or nonchalant about.

This was the kind of love where your diary had pages describing the color of their eyes and the curl of their lashes. The kind where you practiced saying their name under your breath on the walk home, baked cookies the night before just because you thought they could use something sweet.

You followed them everywhere. Not in a weird way, but in the way where you just happened to end up wherever they were. And if that meant walking the long way to class or sitting silently next to them during lunch while they stared at the wall, then so be it. You were committed.

“Do you even breathe when you’re around them?” Susie had asked once, voice halfway between teasing and impressed. “You’re like a dog. Like a really… loyal, gross, lovesick dog.”

You hadn’t taken it as an insult. Honestly, you kind of beamed.

It wasn’t like Kris ever told you to go away. They didn’t talk much to begin with, but they let you hang around, let you talk to them, let you hand them little folded notes you spent all class decorating.

They even accepted the lemon bar you brought that one time, though you were pretty sure they didn’t like lemon. You’d drawn a smiley face on the napkin. It had taken you three tries to get the eyes even.

But no matter how many compliments you whispered, or sweet things you did, Kris never really… reacted. Not in the way you hoped they would. They were nice. Kind, even. Sometimes they looked at you with this soft expression that made your heart skip a number of beats. But they never said anything back. Never returned the compliments. Never asked you questions. Never truly engaged.

You told yourself it was just how they were. That maybe, one day, they’d realize how serious you were. That you weren’t just being silly.

That this wasn’t just a phase.

But it was getting harder to believe. Especially when they kept looking at you like they didn’t really believe you. Like maybe, deep down, they thought you’d grow out of it.

You hoped they were wrong. Because you didn’t feel like you were growing out of anything.

If anything, your feelings multiplied every time they looked at you.

And you bet your feelings would still be there by tomorrow, and the day after that, and by the day of the festival, and into the following year.

. . .

The last bell had rung, and the hallways became loud with the sound of chatter.

You clutched the strap of your school bag as you stepped out onto the front steps of the school, letting the autumn breeze ruffle your hair. The sun hung low, soft orange light shined across the school lawn, and there they were.

Kris, Susie, and Noelle walking ahead on the sidewalk like they always did, laughing at some dumb thing Susie had said. You stayed back, hanging near the bike racks, pretending to dig around in your bag like you weren’t watching them out of the corner of your eye.

You didn’t even mean to stare this much. It was as if your eyes automatically locked on them anytime they were in your vicinity or something, dragging you along behind them. You just liked being near them, even from a distance. Hearing their voice. Watching how they walked with their hands in their pockets and their hair being blown by the wind. It made your chest ache in the warmest, softest way.

Susie suddenly elbowed Kris with a smirk, jerking her thumb over her shoulder.

“Your little puppy’s back there again.”

You froze, breath catching in your throat. Not that you hadn’t heard the nickname before, it wasn’t exactly subtle, but still, hearing it like that made your ears burn.

Kris glanced back just briefly. Just for a second. Then looked forward again.

“They’re just going that way.” they mumbled, quiet and clipped. Almost too casual. Brushing it off like it was nothing.

Noelle made a little humming sound. “I think it’s sweet…”

But you weren’t listening anymore. Your hands gripped your bag tighter as something unsure poked at your heart. You turned your eyes down toward the sidewalk and finally started walking in the opposite direction, heart feeling just a little heavier than it had before.

You told yourself it didn’t matter. That their obvious disinterest wasn't a big deal.

Not knowing that just a few feet away, Kris was overthinking the interaction just the same.

They walked a few steps behind Susie and Noelle, quiet, hands shoved into their pockets. When Susie had made the joke, they barely even looked up.

A sharp kick sent a pebble tumbling down the street.

It wasn’t fair. The way you followed them around, smiled at everything they did, said things that made their chest ache. The way you looked at them like you meant it.

'Because… you don't.'

Just a phase. A harmless crush.

That’s what they told themself every time you clung to their sleeve or gave them some sweet, silly little gift. Just a phase. You’d get over it. You had to.

Because if you didn’t, if you actually meant it, then… you’d say that… wouldn't you? 

This was a problem Kris has always had, ever since they were little. The way people expected them to just know how they felt. To pick up on hints, read between the lines, decipher a look like it was obvious.

Because it never was. Not to them.

They were good at observing, sure. But when it came to feelings, especially feelings about themself, it was like everything became a guessing game. If someone liked them, they expected to be told directly. No guessing. No assuming. No confusion

And you were… the most confusing of them all. And they despised that. 

But at the same time, they couldn’t push you away.

Because truth be told, they liked your company. Your gifts, your compliments, your presence as a whole. 

So they stayed quiet. Hoping you’d drift away on your own.

And hated how much they didn’t want you to.

.  .  .

The walk home felt longer than usual.

Maybe it was just the way the sky was starting to gray with clouds, or how the wind blew a little harder, or how you kept staring at the ground even though you weren’t really watching where you stepped. Your hands stayed shoved in your pockets the whole time, thumb brushing the edge of the wrapped candy you had meant to give to Kris after class.

You’d been carrying it around since the day before. It wasn’t anything fancy. Just a little piece of chocolate wrapped in pink foil. You’d folded a small note to go along with it, writing their name on the tag three times, trying to get the letters just right. Just something small. Just something to make them smile.

But it had stayed in your pocket.

You knew they liked sweet things. You knew how they always quietly accepted anything you gave them, even if they didn’t say much. But today, something had felt off. You hadn’t been brave enough. And the way Kris had avoided Susie’s teasing all day, not even glancing your way, had sent your stomach sinking.

Still, you told yourself it was okay.

By the time you reached your street, the wind had picked up and the trees were rustling low and loud. You looked up once then kept walking until you were in front of your house.

Inside, the quiet was deafening.

You removed your shoes carefully, hung your bag on its usual hook, and made your way towards your room.

It welcomed you with it's colors and familiar clutter.

You hesitated before sitting at your desk.

The small note was still crinkled but neat. You set the chocolate down beside your lamp and stared at it for a long time.

It wasn’t the first time you’d brought them something. You did it all the time. You liked seeing their expression (or lack thereof), liked when they took it without saying much but always remembered to eat it later and tell you they liked it. You liked how they didn’t tease you like Susie did, or blink at you all confused like Noelle. Kris just… let you like them.

And you did.

So, so much

So it stung, despite them not having said anything cruel. Because they hadn’t really a said anything at all.

You kept thinking about how easy it was for Kris to laugh with Susie, to talk softly with Noelle. How natural they looked together, how much history and closeness there was between them. You never felt out of place until you saw them all walking side by side and realized you weren’t really part of that picture.

Still, that was okay.

You opened your journal, the one that stayed tucked safely in the drawer under your pens and stickers. You flipped past the pages full of hearts and clumsy doodles of Kris’s smile, the pages filled with sweet little daydreams, like pretending they knew how much you cared, and liked you just as much back.

Tonight’s page was quieter.

You didn’t write much. Just a few honest thoughts. A soft kind of acceptance. Not sadness, not bitterness. Just something like growing up.

Maybe Kris didn’t take you seriously. Maybe they thought it was just a silly crush. And maybe… maybe they were right.

You paused, pen hovering. That part stung.

Because you knew your feelings were real.

You couldn't see a universe in which they weren't.

You loved them. Not just because you were lonely, or because they were cool, or because you were bored. You loved the way you felt around them. It was warm like rays of sunshine, fresh like a field of flowers.

But maybe Kris didn’t see it that way.

Maybe they just thought you were being cute. Harmless. Something to be humored until it passed.

So, you wrote what you could. You didn’t ask the question you’d planned to ask for weeks. You didn’t write about walking together under festival lights or sharing a snack while music played in the distance.

Instead, you wrote about how you hoped they’d have fun. That they’d laugh with Susie and Noelle. That they’d enjoy themselves, because they deserved that. They deserved to have a good time with the people they liked being around.

You smiled at that thought. A little one. Real and small and shaky.

If you really loved someone, you were supposed to want them to be happy.

You slid your notebook shut, carefully, and stood up to shove the foil wrapped candy into your desk drawer.

Tomorrow, maybe you wouldn’t cling to Kris. Maybe you wouldn’t trail after them down the hall. You wouldn’t stop liking them, of course. But maybe you’d stop hoping they liked you back.

Just a little.

You’d still smile at them. You’d still be happy when they were happy. But maybe from a bit farther away.

Because if they were going to the festival… They should go with people they liked. People who made them smile.

And if that wasn’t you, then… That was okay. You’d still root for them.

You pulled your blanket tighter and shut your eyes.

You were going to be fine.

.    .    .

Something was off.

Kris couldn’t have said why, exactly. Nothing was different. Not really. Susie was loud, Noelle was cheerful, the halls were the same muted beige. But something was off.

They realized what it was when they finally slid into their seat.

You hadn't greeted them.

You didn’t look for them, or smile happily when they walked in. There was no cookie or candy on their desk either, no handwritten sticky note with a tiny heart drawn at the bottom. No compliment. No quiet giggle. No lingering glance.

Just you, already sitting down, doodling half heartedly in your notebook with your head low.

Kris blinked.

They hesitated for a moment before clearing their throat. “…Hey.”

You looked up like you hadn’t expected them to speak. “Hi.”

And then, you smiled. Soft and small.

Polite.

Not the kind of smile that said I’ve been waiting all night just to talk to you again.

It was… normal. So normal it felt odd.

You turned back to your notebook before they could say anything else.

Kris didn’t know what to do with that. So they sat still. Thinking. Watching you from the corner of their eye. You weren’t ignoring them. Not really. You weren’t mad either. You just seemed a little… sad. Like you were trying hard not to be.

Then the realization settled slowly,

You hadn’t said good morning.

You always said good morning.

They couldn’t explain the quiet panic they felt after that. Couldn’t explain why they kept glancing your way the entire class, waiting for something familiar, some smile, a joke, a compliment, anything.

But you stayed quiet. Your head bowed.

And class went on. Peaceful. Normal.

They hated it.

.  .  .

The cafeteria was loud with the usual lunchtime energy, trays clattering, laughter and happy chatter. Kris sat at one of the tables, half-listening to Noelle ramble about something school-related. They hadn’t touched their sandwich.

Their eyes kept drifting.

You were seated at a far corner of the cafeteria with some of your other friends, quietly eating with your head down, not engaging in their conversation. No greetings. No big smile. You hadn’t even waved at them when you walked past earlier.

It was strange.

“Missing your fan club?”

Kris blinked. Susie was standing beside the table now, an apple in one hand, her tone a little mocking.

Kris raised a brow. “What?”

Susie flopped down across from them, took a bite of her apple, and nodded in your direction. “You’ve been watching them since lunch started. It’s kinda weird without ‘em glued to you, huh?”

Kris shrugged, casual. “Guess they got bored.”

They said it smoothly, like it didn’t matter. Like the way their stomach twisted at the sight of you sitting so far away was just hunger.

Susie paused mid-bite, talking with her mouth still full. “Honestly, I was sure they were gonna ask you to the festival.”

Kris didn’t respond.

She watched you a second longer, then turned her head back towards Kris. “Guess not, though.”

They stayed quiet, shoulders relaxed like nothing was wrong, but they couldn’t stop watching you. Couldn’t ignore the empty space next to them that you used to fill. Couldn’t figure out why it felt like they were missing something they never admitted they wanted.

This should’ve been fine. This was what they’d been waiting for, right?

You getting over it. Moving on. Proving it was just a phase.

So why did it feel so awful?

They looked away again, trying not to sigh.

They should’ve felt relieved.

“…You don’t think they’ll still ask?”

Kris’s voice was low, like the question had slipped out on accident. They didn’t even face Susie when they said it, eyes looking to a random corner of the cafeteria.

Susie blinked. She tilted her head, brow raised slightly, and then it hit her.

After a pause she shrugged, biting into her apple again and backtracking on her words. “Pfft. Probably will. Maybe they’re just having a rough day or whatever. Give it a day or two.”

Kris nodded once, slowly. They had nothing to say to that. Because they didn’t believe it.

If it were just a bad day, you’d be next to them. Whispering complaints. Tugging on their sleeve, and sulking. You wouldn’t be sitting all the way over there, quiet, like they didn’t exist.

This wasn’t just a mood.

Something was had changed.

And Kris didn’t know what to do with the part of them that didn’t want it to.

.   .   .

A day or two she said. 

It had been three days.

Three days since you’d stopped walking with them.

Three days since you’d stopped saying good morning.

Three days since you started pretending you weren’t obsessed with them.

And Kris was starting to lose it.

They wouldn’t say that out loud, of course. On the outside, they were still the same, calm, quiet, unreadable. But inside? It was awful. Every morning, they found themself unconsciously slowing down near your locker, waiting for your usual smile, only to be met with silence.

They kept catching themself watching you across any room, wondering if maybe you’d look back. But you never did.

The worst part was how… normal you seemed. Not upset. Not angry. Just distant.

And Kris hated it.

Not because you weren’t being annoying in the usual way. But because it made them feel like they’d imagined all of it, your sweetness, your devotion, your love. They’d been so sure it was just a crush, one you'd get over. But now that they were being proved right...

It hurt.

They leaned against the lockers after class that day, eyes narrowed at the floor, eyes glaring daggers at it. Susie came up beside them, chewing gum and raising an eyebrow.

“Trying to explode the building with your mind? Doesn't work, trust me.”

Kris didn’t answer. Just looked up at her before their eyes drifted to something further away.

Susie followed their gaze and sighed. “Still acting weird, huh?”

A small shake of the head.

"You scare ‘em off or somethin'? Thought they were totally head over heels for you..." She muttered as she continued to look at you.

Kris didn’t reply to that one either.

Because if they did, they might’ve said something like “Me too.”

Or worse. “I wish they still were.”

.  .  .

You stopped looking for them in the halls. Stopped trying to catch their eye.

It hurt, but what else could you do? They seemed fine. Like your absence hadn’t made a difference. If they’d cared, even a little, they would’ve shown it.

So you smiled when it hurt, stayed quiet when you wanted to speak, and told yourself it was better this way.

Maybe it really had all been one-sided. Maybe they had only ever tolerated you, your compliments, your sweets, your clingy, lovesick puppy crush, because they were a kind person.

But you didn’t let yourself move. Didn’t let yourself cave. Because how could you walk back to someone who had never really wanted you there in the first place?

You glanced across the cafeteria. Kris sat between Susie and Noelle, expression unreadable, as always.

You wished they looked a little less okay. Then maybe this wouldn’t feel so much like rejection.

. . .

But Kris wasn't okay.

It was getting worse. And every time they saw you, ducking your head, walking fast, ignoring them, they wanted to grab you by the wrist and just ask.

What happened?

It made their chest tight. It made them angry. Not at you, never at you, but at the situation. At how bad everything had gotten, and at how helpless they felt to fix it.

They’d spent so long convincing themself your feelings weren’t real. That it was a crush. A game. Something you’d grow out of.

But now that you were gone, they were desperate to have you close again. And it terrified them.

Because if you’d meant it, if you’d really felt something…

Then you’d walked away for a reason.

And Kris wasn’t sure they were ready to hear what that reason was.

.   .  .

Lunch was loud, as usual.

Susie was halfway through the lunchbox Noelle had packed her, rice stuck to her cheek, mouth full, talking anyway.

“They ask you to the festival yet?” she mumbled around a mouthful of food.

Kris blinked, caught off guard. Their gaze flicked across the cafeteria automatically, searching, like they couldn’t help it.

They shrugged, reaching for their drink, trying to play it cool. “No.”

Susie swallowed, eyeing them for a second. “Huh.”

That was all she said. Just that.

But the second she looked away, Kris’s expression shifted.

They hadn’t realized it until she brought it up.

You hadn’t asked.

You always said weird stuff, bold stuff, over-the-top crush stuff.

And now… nothing.

Kris pushed their food around their tray, appetite gone.

They told themself that it didn’t matter. That it was better this way.

Kris kicked their sneaker against the cafeteria floor.

They didn’t understand.

Wasn’t this what they wanted? For you to grow out of it?

They should’ve felt relieved. But they didn’t.

They needed answers, before their head exploded.

.    .    .

It started with something small.

They don’t leave the classroom right away when the bell rings, instead lingering near your desk like they’re organizing something in their bag. You glance up once, nervous, and then quickly back down, pretending to fix the straps of your own.

They wait a few seconds longer, like they’re giving you a chance.

A chance to ask them to the festival.

But you say nothing. You don’t even smile.

That night, Kris tells themself it was fine. That maybe you were just tired.

. . .

The day after, they try again.

They take the long way to the cafeteria just so they can pass you in the hall.

Your eyes catch for half a second. You offer a tiny wave.

And Kris says “hey” like it’s no big deal, like they’re not secretly hoping that you’ll stop them, say something, do anything... You don’t.

. . .

By Friday, Kris has almost given up.

They sit at the end of their table at lunch so they’re in your eyeline. They hold the door open for you between breaks. 

All while thinking, maybe if I’m just… available, they’ll say it. They’ll ask. And I’ll know.”

But it wasn’t working.

And with every passing day of you not asking, their patience wears thinner. The confusion deepens. They tell themselves your crush was fake. That you’re over it. That they should be happy about that.

But it doesn’t feel like relief.

It feels like the worst news they've ever heard, thoughts strong enough to split their brain in two.

Kris didn’t hear the end of whatever Susie was saying.

Not after they caught a glimpse of you out of the corner of their eye, slipping out of the cafeteria with your tray barely touched. Head down. Shoulders sagging.

They were standing before they even thought about it, the lunch table loud against the floor. The edge of their tray caught their sleeve and nearly clattered to the ground, but they really couldn't care less.

Susie blinked. “Yo? Where are you–”

But Kris was already walking. Fast.

They didn’t know what they were going to say.

They just knew they couldn’t take it anymore.

They found you just outside the cafeteria doors, halfway to the stairs, and called out without meaning to,

“Why haven’t you asked me?”

You turned slowly, confused. 

“What…?”

Kris stopped in their tracks, brows furrowed.

“The festival.” they said, voice tight, just barely keeping itself together. “You haven’t asked me.”

Your mouth opened, then closed again.

“I waited.” they went on, frustration in their voice. “I gave you time. I thought you building up to it– or– I don’t know. But every day you don’t say anything it’s just–”

They made a noise of exasperation and looked away.

“Why aren't you pretending to like me anymore?” they muttered finally. 

You stared at them, stunned.

“Pretending…?”

You echoed, like you hadn’t heard right. Your voice came out smaller than you meant it to.

“I wasn’t pretending?”

They didn’t look at you, jaw clenched tight.

“All the nice things I said. All the time I spent with you. I just really liked being around you.”

You looked down. “Maybe too much.”

"Every time I followed you around like, like some loser.” You continued, trying to laugh, but it broke halfway out.

“I really liked you. I still like you. But you–” your voice caught, “you never looked like you believed me. Like you wanted me around at all.”

You looked down at your shoes, blinking fast.

“So I stopped trying. That’s all.”

There was a pause before,

“If you liked me,” they started slowly “then why didn’t you just say so?”

You blinked. “I… I thought I did.”

Kris looked at you, eyes narrowing slightly.

“You were always around. You… brought me stuff. Smiled at me. Said I looked nice. I just… I didn’t know if any of that meant anything.”

You opened your mouth, but nothing came out.

“People do things like that all the time,” they continued, their words coming out faster with each passing second. “Sometimes just to be nice. Or to mess around. I didn’t want to assume… So I kept waiting.” they said, voice even softer now.

“For you to just say it. That you liked me.”

You swallowed, hands twisting in the hem of your sleeves.

“I thought you knew,” you said, barely above a whisper. “I really thought… I was being obvious.”

Your voice cracked a little at the end, and you looked down. “I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. I didn’t want to push too hard. So I just… I tried to show you.”

You looked up again. “I thought I was showing you every day.”

Kris didn’t answer right away.

And for a second, you panicked, worried you’d said too much, or not enough, or the wrong thing completely.

But then their expression shifted. .

“…You did.” they said finally. Quiet, almost like they were admitting it to themself more than to you. “I just didn’t know how to… read it.”

Another pause.

You shifted, a little nervous under their gaze. “I… I really do like you, you know. I wasn’t pretending.”

Kris looked away, scratching the back of their neck. “Yeah. I… I get that now.”

A beat passed.

“I didn’t mean to act like it didn’t matter,” they mumbled. “It did. I was just– I don’t know. Kinda stupid about it.”

You let out a tiny laugh. “Well. I was stupid too.”

Kris glanced back at you, and for the first time all week, you both looked a little less tense.

You swallowed. “I know it’s late, and I probably ruined everything by waiting but… do you still wanna go to the festival?”

Kris blinked.

Then, slowly, they closed their eyes and let out this big, shaky exhale. Shoulders sagging with relief. And when they looked up at you again, it was with the goofiest, most grateful smile you’d ever seen on their face.

“…Yeah.” they said, almost laughing. “Yeah. I do.”

You let out a breath too, full of disbelief and shaky nerves. “Okay. Yeah. Cool. Coolcoolcool.”

The two of you stayed quiet after that, goofy silly smiles reflecting each other as relief washed over you.

. . .

a/n2: sry for the sudden ending! I felt like i was dragging it ( ;´ - `;) BUT I DO RLLY LIKE THISSS even tho it took me like 4 daysUGH I NEED TO WRITE MORE SELF-DOUBTING KRIS LIKE IDKY BUT SOMETHING ABT CHARACTERIZING THEM LIKE THIS IS JUST SOOO FUNNNN.... would u guys still love me if i wrote them as a stalker....... loser kris who has simply given up on ever confessing their feelings so they stalk and get jealous of anyone able to freely talk to u instead... someone sedate me.

bye.

[chiya-eltanin]

hm. dont usually put my own two cents for theories but somethings been kind of annoying me recently so yeah. ralsei thoughts.

i really dont like the idea that ralsei is a specific object. especially not with newer stuff from chapters 3 and 4.

For starters, most people that try to figure out what ralsei is in the real world are basing it off of this appearance

however, I feel like there's plenty of evidence to point to this not being his real form, right? People have already pointed out that his original shadowed form isn't fully consistent. It's possibly the most obvious when you compare his singing animations in both forms. His hat form makes what was later 'revealed' to be his ears look more like hair?,

Ears don't really split the same way that hair does, and theres other examples of hatsei having this kind of spikyness to his 'ears' that hatless ralsei doesnt have.

even the fangamer plush makes his ears spiky!!

its a pretty major part of how hatsei looks, and its certainly been talked about before. And then comes chapter 3+4. And we have plenty of evidence that ralsei is a shapeshifter, and I have seen literally nobody talk about it????? huh?????

Oh, and the hat casting a shadow on him makes no fucking sense because he goes onto wear SEVERAL hats in chapter 3 and he's normal????

also I know its like. A funny bit, but HE TURNS INTO A HORSE

WHY THE FUCK WOULD KRIS'S HEADBAND TURN INTO A HORSE???? WHY WOULD A GREEN CRAYON TURN INTO A HORSE???? WHY CAN HE DO THIS????? THIS ISNT A COSTUME THATS NOT HOW THEY WORK????? WHERE WOULD HIS BODY GO.

not to mention that changing shapes was literally his ability in the legend of tenna game???? he plays it off like 'oh every character has abilities i can turn into a box' but he can also turn into a dog? since ralsei was the only one who read the manual it very well could be an ability given to him since the real Ralsei is also a shapeshifter.

It would also explain why ralsei draws himself in his hat form

thats closer to what his natural form is. Dont have any screenshots on hand right now, but he's got two lines in chapter four (if you leave him lying on the ground for too long, and right before they find the first fountain) about how much longer he can 'keep this body for' that make it very obvious that he's only using a form that looks cuter to appeal to us. Him being a shapeshifter would also explain things like

His face being a deliberately made abstraction would also make this interaction make a lot more sense. Pre chapter three, I assumed Ralsei based his face on Asriel to either try appealing to Kris or as fanservice for the player/red soul, however, now that we've slowly started learning more about Ralsei, it's beginning to seem more like Ralsei just wants to have a face and more distinct appearance, like the lightners do. However, because of how dark worlds work, he can only base it off of what already exists, with that already existing 'model' being Asriel, although with modifications to make himself cuter— pink horns and eyes, and his usual glasses. It's why Kris is always quick to point out differences between them, and why Ralsei is embarrassed at being told that they look similar, he didn't have a choice other than be based off something that already exists.

Alright, so Ralsei is a shapeshifter. He still has to have some equivalent in the Light World though, since that's how Dark Worlds work. He was literally about to tell Susie what he was before getting interrupted, and Toby Fox is deliberately dancing around the topic.

However, I think the answer is actually pretty obvious. Ralsei is a being of 'pure darkness', which is why he can exist in any Dark World, unlike Lancer and Rouxls, who need to be objects that 'belong' in their respective worlds. His form is made up by the original dark fountain, and he describes himself as a 'Prince of the Dark'. Characters in the Dark World know about what happens to and around their real world equivalents, but Ralsei in particular seems to be especially aware of all of Susie and Kris's actions and movements. He doesn't need to be brought in by Kris like Lancer and Rouxls do, and he always appears in the Dark World a few moments after Susie and Kris do, while somehow almost always having pretty intimate knowledge of how the world came to be. Ralsei is also the most adamant on being depended on by Lightners, even more than people like Tenna. He talks about how a Darkners role is to be used by Lightners and to make them happy, and his character development in Chapter 3 especially goes into how he wants to be needed and how he's afraid he's slowly developing his own personality, and why he believes darkners shouldn't do that.

So, taking all of that into account, I feel like the most obvious answer for what Ralsei is is a shadow.

He's a literal prince of the dark. It explains why he can shapeshift, since shadows can be made to look like anything— I'm specifically thinking of things like shadow puppets, and why when he gets knocked out he seems to literally disappear, returning to the shadows. A shadow is also the most dependant on light, shadows literally cannot exist without light, or they'll just be darkness. It even explains his empty room.

His insistence that his only role is to help the Lightners, the way that people can never find anything notable about him (asking swatch for specials his suggestion for Ralsei is based purely on how he dresses and Queen literally forgets to get him a cage), and his ability to be in any dark world (since there's literally nowhere without shadows) all seem to point towards Ralsei being a shadow.

Ralsei being a shadow also means he's literally with you in the dark, could probably straight up not exist if the world was plunged into darkness, and also makes him a weaker version of a titan (explaining the 'prince' title. not quite king, but noble nontheless).

[ace1diots]

Also I finally figured out why “Raise Up Your Bat” gets to me so much, and the answer is the dichotomy of what Ralsei sings vs the actual lyrics.

The lyrics he censors aren’t even inappropriate. They’re not really that at all. They’re kind of middle schooler levels of edgy but i just. I dunno. I think its interesting that he still refused to sing them despite that. Also, something about Ralsei saying the word “kite” and the original word being “night” and the two blurring together for a moment to almost read as “knight” when the lyrics are overlayed.

its like theres a double meaning layered over a double meaning layered over something trying to change the meaning thats inadvertently adding to it. like. what if both sets of lyrics are gonna be relevant somehow. blinks and loses my mind

(more rambles under the cut)

For posterities sake heres a link to the lyrics that contains both the original lines and what Ralsei sings

some of Ralsei’s lyrics are probably just there for nonsense reasons (like. the line about Mites.) but some of this with their additonal layer-over feels. idunno how to put this. almost like a prediction.? im thinking mostly about the festival here.

looking specifically at verse one and ignoring the mites line. the “sun shining brightly” line layered over the “blood gushing bright” line really gets to me for some reason. “Lets get your friends and fly a kite” sounds very festival type activity. i didnt know what to do with the “fur is looking white / future lost its rights” line at first but. toriel, asgore, asriel, even ralsei himself? could be about or related to any them. “raise up your hat for a funny sight/raise up your bat for a burning fight” just fit together perfectly- laying that line on top of the lyric feels like it adds additional context to the original line that was there.

the chorus is interesting because ralsei doesnt change Any of the lyrics. And the additonal added thing of this is the Freedom motif/Don’t Forget motif. it uses parts of Don’t Forget’s lyrics and ideas as well as just referencing it musically. It’s asking you to follow someone (the singer of the song, arguably most likely Dess) into the dark, that they’re with you, and that your heart will guide you through the waves (once again associating dark worlds/darkness with water.)

now lets look at verse 2. The only utdr related ducks i can think of are the small bird that carries you over a large gap and washuwas duck so this might not be relevant or we don’t know what its about yet. “And mom kiss goodnight” my first thought there was well, the end of the undertale pacifist route if you choose to stay with toriel- so this line is probably about toriel loving kris as her own child (that sung over the “blood gushing bright” line reads in very “the player has killed toriel in the past” type of way to me, but i dont know if thats intentional?) “When your pancake’s slowly frying�� is about the opening of chapter 4 of deltarune (pared with the “hope slowly dying” line to reflect the new fears of our cast of characters, particularly susie here i think given that she gives a whole speech at the end of chapter 3 about how she hasnt had hope for a while and having friends has finally given her some). “and your future’s really bright/and your future’s lost it rights” is just very Yeah- not much to say about this one but it still feels Relevant to it all. “Bring extra smores to the campsite/raise up your bat and face the fright” this. this line in particular feels about how Dess was lost in the first place- all of them camping out in the woods behind the graveyard until something Happens and Dess goes to protect them, only to be dragged into darkness/the bunker somehow? and the last line of “i bet my friends still want a bite/lets knock em dead into the night!” feels like a proper last hurrah for the song, as well as a reminder that Dess misses everyone just as much as she is missed, and that theres still things that have to be/should be fought for no matter how much/who is lost in the process

[faineantgrl]

roaring knight character analysis

note: i will try to use they due to the fact we do not know the character yet, but i will be using "she" to break up any repetitiveness. at the end i will be talking about why this all points away from carol but i will not implicate anyone else.

video sources: x x x

we're going to skip over chapter 1 and 2 mentions & before tenna's destruction because ngl I don't think they're very important to this specific analysis i'm doing. that would moreso be plot/intentions and i want to analyze the knight themself.

Pre-CHP3 battle

so already just the way that tenna is sliced is interesting.

as others have pointed out, this is nigh impossible of a pose. so either the roaring knight somehow perfectly hit tenna whilst facing the other way, or hit tenna, then turned around to strike a foreboding pose. either way, we have already been given a flare for the dramatic.

they then hit this pose. now i've heard it's crying but when they're turning into this pose they're seen smiling for a few frames.

so, if they are doing some sort of crying thing, it's definitely on purpose to creep out the lightners more.

im not gonna flood this with screenshots but susie interrupts them trying to take toriel. they back off, but as seen in later chapters, and even later on in the boss fight, they didn't really have a reason to. they could have just blasted susie or something.

then they do Whatever This Is. if we didnt already establish the above you'd think this means they're Pissed, but the lightners aren't really a threat. they never do this again so it seems... it's just to freak out the lightners again.

Non-attack options

any action that is done to try and talk to the roaring knight does, essentially, Jack Shit. the roaring knight does not respond. i do not think this means the knight doesn't care to, as shown above they LOVE being a Freak, but rather that they... kinda can't! this should be kept in mind as we continue.

the everything else in battle

during the attack where the knight splits the Battle Box™️ they continue to strike poses

and then theres this attack

which i can only describe as Entirely Unnecessary. theres leftover code for more combination attacks like these which i can only imagine were left out because they were a little too batshit crazy to survive.

they also overkill the characters, up to -999 hp. you simply just don't gotta do that, mx knight.

and then...

they do. That.

"KB, didn't you just say they don't do the weird body contortion thing again-" yeah! they didn't! if you look closely That Is An Entirely Different Form Than Before (mostly in the "ribs")

and that final dramatic flair! they're not just putting on their best performance for the lightners, but you too!

and then they go "ougofhf... im so Weak,,,,,, you should HIT ME. it would be REALLY BAD if you HIT ME"

"oh no im dyingggg oh gosh-"

"-SIKE."

susie here makes a mistake of falling AGAIN for it

and then gets hit SO HARD that there isn't even an animation

then they get ralsei

and then we get darkness before seeing them "knighting" kris

this change in the pattern intentionally tricks the player into thinking "oh well they're not going to kill kris, maybe they're working togeth-"

SIKE AGAIN

i cannot express to you how funny it is in retrospect how many times the roaring knight tricks the player in one cutscene. like, they know exactly how the player is seeing everything and is using that to not only be super dramatic but to trick them several times IN A ROWWW thats CRAZY

once again we have another moment of the knight letting susie interrupt for unknown reasons. not only is my girl not a threat to the knight normally but she is DOOOWN. either the knight is trying to once again trick the viewer or she has a soft spot for susie. i mean who can blame her everyone does

and now here's her perfectly dodging attacks to show how much of a farce that battle was

and then the roaring knight turns into a bird. i dont know what thats about im not going to lie.

CHP3 conclusion

in conclusion of chapter 3: the knight is a dramatic af trickster who loves a good pose. not only are they putting on a show for the lightners, they're also putting on a show for the player. i almost wonder if they were spending all of chapter 3 getting antsy like "i gotta. i gotta get my freak on. whats taking so long i need to get silly with it"

CHP4 first cutscene

they are, quite literally, waiting for the player. theyve just been standing her this whole time, presumably.

their mouth turns into an eye because of course it does

and then they do THIS. which is entirely unnecessary. as i've said many times.

also note the change in color: before their overlay light thing was pink, but now its red. either they decided pink wasn't threatening enough, or thought pink overlay on blue wasn't gonna fly, and either of these show just how much WORK they put into the act.

and they also just attack susie here for fun i guess since she doesn't actually get downed

and once again they're on that PLAYER TRICKING GRIND

one sword at a time, even if fast, is possible to deal with

nevermind.

the knight also tricks the lightners and player AGAIN because they actually made TWO DARK WORLDS in the church and put a LOCK on the DOOR. IDIOT.

this is also an important moment for the knight's character. it seems they were entirely not planning to make the titan until susie says this. this is SO EXTREMELY PETTY. it's SASSY. it's FABULOUS.

they literally smirk and wait for ralsei to BEG like a cat about to push an item off a counter, waiting for their owner to get upset about the incoming doom before actually doing it.

ive also heard that the titan battle is harder if you end up defeating the roaring knight in chapter 3. the pettiness. the trickery. i literally have no choice but to stan etc etc

IN CONCLUSION

this roaring knight is a DIVA. she is WORKING IT. they are SASSY, DRAMATIC, A TRICKSTER, AND PETTY. they are PERFECT.

...that's also why it can't be carol. carol is the literal antithesis to whatever THIS is. she is no fun allowed. and there is only fun in the roaring knight's ball-court. carol is the harshness of a deadly winter storm, the roaring knight is the snow day spent throwing snowballs at your friends.

minnesota girl i'm incomprehensible daisy dukes winter coat on top ice-kissed skin so cold i'll freeze your popsickle oh woaoaooa oh woahahahah

[lukkasyuki]

Random screenshots I took while playing Deltarune's new chapters (Spoiler alert)

Friend INSIDE me. Tenna is such a cool character, i didnt recruit all darkners so he got fucking chopped by the knight lmao.

THREE TIMES thats my boy

The Sblurfs, this was funny

Dude i wasnt expecting the game to react to the letters i choose lol

Sinking Ralsei plushie

Kris is serving

Be not afraid.

This was PEAK

Gotta make sure all the boys are fluffy

Is Roulx Kaard hot?

THIS IS SO CUTE A

When your mom picks your outfit

DELTARUNE MENTIONED IN DELTARUNE

I love them so much

Never change Susie

Noelle's face lmao

CUTE

Queen aura farming

My Kralsei heart keeps winning. Btw wtf is this room Ralsei

I mean the plushie wins for me

If you told me Toby Fox would put an Among Us reference in his game i would totally believe

Noelle showing her love for Berdly. Her faces are so good lmao.

KISS KISS

Hell

Kris know how to be a good pal

I died more against Jack than against the final bosses

Kris is such a mood in this frame

Cute.

RALSEI FUCKING FLOATS???

That scene of Kratos unaliving himself

[goomyloid]

what do you think kriselle's dynamic would look like if noelle was the one posessed by the player?

ooohh i read a swap fic about this once... and saw art for this concept once.... it certainly is an interesting premise

im probably thinking too much into it, but it's hard for me to imagine noelle being possessed WITHOUT it being a full swap au. the reason kris mostly flies under the radar is because they already act weird and off-putting normally, and they also dont have many friends (prior to game events) nor do they put on any kind of face for others

noelle on the other hand almost has everything to lose socially LMAO being turned into a puppet where she cant Control everything she says and does is like. masking autistic girl's worst nightmare. BUT THAT ASIDE... if noelle like, was the one suddenly commanding kris in the weird route, they would be monumentally freaked out, even if they dont show it super well... consciously, they might follow her orders because they Trust noelle especially when she's serious about something, but part of me thinks that kris eventually catches on that something is REALLY wrong -- faster than noelle does normally -- and eventually tries to get away from her and actively resist. noelle freezes when shes afraid, while kris runs... they have experience running away, right? maybe. but i dont think they would submit like noelle ultimately does.

as a hypothetical... if being controlled instead somehow kept noelle's usual demeanor, with only a few things being a bit Off, maybe on the main route kris would still be able to tell that something is different. that even though IT hides it really well, she still walks a little funny, or says something she wouldnt normally say, or she has this particular stiffness to her... i like to think that kris would be the only one to notice much like the inverse happens normally... what would they do about it... would they try to Intervene or just watch from afar to make sure nothing goes horribly wrong... idk thats scary. this girl is smiling pretending like there isnt A Being controlling her every move