Work Text:
Susie still couldn't believe it. Their Majesties, the rulers of this kingdom, wanted her to be at their ceremonial ball. She kept wondering about the reason for such invites, as they were given to her on two separate occasions.
Noelle's had been more formal. A guard found her in the marketplace, people watching as they normally do, judging, and handed her a letter from the queen. Susie may have some trouble reading, but you didn’t need to know what the cursive letters in gold with the royal seal meant. It was an invitation, one you couldn't refuse.
Kris, on the other hand, had been just as informal. It made Susie less nervous to be around them, but it was still weird when they handed her that same fancy letter she received from Noelle.
And this time, she could question them.
“What's this?”
Kris shrugged, as if that answered everything.
“An invitation.”
Susie rolled her eyes, “I know that, dumbass, I'm not blind.”
She nudged them in retaliation. They feigned to be hurt, rubbing their arm. But she could see the grin forming on their lips.
“It's an invitation to the ball,” they said, shrugging once more to say ‘no big deal’.
“Like hell it is. You can do that?”
They looked up at her, those red eyes that used to intimidate her now looked soft under the sun. Those red eyes she used to despise so much when they first met. Just the other month, she didn't dare to trust them, afraid for her survival. Being imprisoned was not an experience she wanted a repeat of.
Now, she received invitations to go to a ball. Susie, the peasant, the scary girl, invited by the sovereigns of this kingdom to attend a noble event.
While she trusted Kris, she still couldn't believe her ears.
Kris nodded at her question, that grin softening to a smile. She sighed, before grabbing their shoulders, and noggied their head.
“Heh, I'll repay you somehow, Kris, just you wait.”
Kris couldn’t hide the smile on their face.
Susie sighed as she looked at the castle’s gates. Giant, imposing, wooden gates stood as proudly as the pretentious nobles she encountered in the castle town. She wore her best rags for this ball. In her heart, she looked dashing, but no matter how well she scrubbed the clothes clean, they would look nothing like the robes she saw walking through the gates.
She hid herself in the bushes. Kris told her to wait for them outside the gates. They didn’t say when they would come and get her, but she expected a stealth mission, Kris dressed in black to blend in with the shadows as they snucked Susie in. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why she had to be snuck in.
In retrospect, with Noelle’s official invitation, she could’ve gone past the guards easily, but Susie knew looks were deceiving. If she had extravagant robes, the guards might’ve had an easier time believing her. As she was dressed at this moment? They would probably throw her in jail.
She grimaced at the thought. Last time, it was also due to a misunderstanding, but punching Kris felt satisfying back then. She didn’t think she could handle another night in the dungeon of the castle.
Someone in green robes approached her, with a hairdo that looked like a gush of wind styled up. She wanted to laugh, until the person pushed their bangs aside, red piercing eyes glowering.
She snorted, holding her hand to her mouth to stop laughing. Kris approached her, trying to walk across the grass, but had to raise their robes because they kept getting caught in random branches. Their walk turned into a waddle, and when they were finally face to face, Susie’s smile was so wide, it hurt her cheeks.
“What are you wearing?”
Kris huffed, gripping their green robes tighter. They looked at the side, cheeks glowing red under the setting rays.
Susie burst into laughter.
“You look fucking ridiculous.”
They glared at her, ranking their eyes up and down her body. They quirked an eyebrow, as if saying she wasn’t much better. She stopped laughing.
“What’s that look for?” She bared her teeth. “Got a problem with my clothes?”
“You look ridiculous,” they parroted, a grin forming on their lips.
“Hey! At least I don’t have to walk like a duck!”
Kris huffed a laugh before turning around, and gestured her to follow them. Hastily, she caught up to them, looking left and right for any noble that might be able to spot them. She leaned further against their back, her muzzle close to their ear.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” she whispered, eyes darting everywhere, shoulders tense.
Kris didn’t respond, at least, not verbally. Their shoulders had tensed up, and their hands turned white from the grip they had on their robes. Susie backed a thumb away, about to question their reaction. Instead, they continued to walk into the gardens of the castle, leading her through the winding pathways that seemed to never end. The moment ended abruptly, as if it had never happened.
The hustling and bustling of the crowd could be heard the closer they got to the ballroom, which seemed to be right beside the gardens. Kris stopped them around the corner of the path, where stood a lonely bench. Susie noticed some clothes on it, and before she could question Kris about it, they shoved fabric onto her chest.
“Wear this,” they mumbled, looking away.
Susie gaped at them, and tried to untangle the fabric. She realized it was a vest, a very boring black vest, but cleaner and sharper than her actual clothes. She gave a glance at Kris, to gauge their reaction, only for them to not look her way, busying themself with their hands.
Susie harrumphed, throwing the vest onto Kris’ head.
“Stop pitying me,” she growled.
Kris turned to face her, arching a brow. Susie crossed her arms.
“I’m not wearing that thing.”
Kris rolled their eyes and threw the vest back at her.
“It’s better than what you have.”
There was a slight tint of teasing behind their tone, as if daring her. Susie growled under her breath. They did have a point, what she was wearing would only draw attention to her.
She sighed, rolling her eyes to show how displeased she was with this decision, before putting the vest on the bench and pulling out her shirt. She did not see the way Kris whipped their head away from her, nor the blush that had overtaken their features as she changed. She tried buttoning the vest, but it was an awkward fit for her. It was clearly tailored for someone with less bosom.
Her struggles were only amplified with the sweat on her fingers, and the delicate way the fabric felt on her scales. It was going to rip if she kept straining it to make it fit. She let out a frustrated sigh before trying again. Kris had now glanced over to see what the fuss was all about. The view of Susie poking her tongue out as she tried to button the vest made them smile. They reached out their hand to help her, right when she finished buttoning the vest.
She let out a triumph noise, pumping her fist upwards.
“Yeah! Susie one, vest zero.”
Kris huffed a quiet laugh, letting their hand fall at their side. Susie tested out the limits of the vest, to see how far she could stretch out her arms. It wasn’t very far, but far enough to reach for the food on the buffet table.
“Hey, Kris, do you think there’ll be food out there?”
Kris smirked, and only gestured her to follow them. She let out indignant cries when her very important question went unanswered, but they died in her throat as the ballroom came in view.
A giant pendant chandelier made out glass — or diamonds, Susie couldn’t tell — illuminated the giant room in golden lights. Eight walls enclosed the space, forming a dome at the top. There were balconies that surveyed the gardens, and at least one wall was attached to the castle. People danced and laughed, formed small groups to talk, and her eyes immediately went to the buffet table on the other side of the room.
Inside were paintings and sculptures that screamed wealth. They were so beautiful, Susie stopped to admire them. They had colours Susie had only seen in nature, never in a painting from the artist down the road at the end of the village. It made her stomach queasy at the sight, and she looked down at her outfit. She stood out like a sore thumb in the middle of the sea of nobles.
She looked around, hoping to spot that buffet again, but too many bodies blocked her view. Violons and harps resonated in the room, sounds so sharp it almost pierced her ears. She growled to herself. Her hands went to shove themselves in her pockets, but the vest did not have them. Susie lost her footing, bumping into someone.
She mumbled an apology, lowering her head, hoping her bangs hid her eyes. It was then she realized she had lost sight of Kris completely. Susie knew Kris would be busy, they were the sovereign of this kingdom, but it still stung when she turned around and couldn’t recognize any faces.
She scolded herself for her naiveté, and planted her back against one of the pillars of the room. Whether they had structural purposes or were there for decoration, she didn’t know, and frankly didn’t care. Fumes went out of her ears, fumes of frustration, unable to create the fire she longed for. Her kindle left her, her kindle went to fulfill their duties. She never was the priority.
Then, the sea of bodies parted ways, each going to a pillar and forming a giant circle in the middle, right where the chandelier was. At the end of the circle, Susie saw Kris and Noelle sitting on their respective thrones.
Noelle had that smile that was on the verge of nervousness, but her maroon dress was stunning under the light. Her headdress twinkled around her horns, and her golden hair seemed voluptuous, loose enough to look soft, but tight enough that no strand would land in her face. Compared to Kris, she truly looked like a queen.
Susie wanted to sneak between their thrones, to spook them, to have their attention, but she stayed against the pillar when someone approached the sovereigns. They were wearing a colourful suit, and the glasses on their face had an unusual shape. A lot of the servants looked over the top for people who were supposed to blend in with the background. They cleared their throat, and pulled out a parchemin from thin air — at least, from Susie’s perspective. The idea that they could magically appear a piece of parchemin in their hand was funnier than if it came out of their robes.
“Let the Majesties open the waltz.”
The messenger nodded at Kris and Noelle, waiting for something. Susie couldn’t help herself, she leaned forward. Her heart leapt in her throat, the anticipation eating her up. Noelle stood up, and held out her hand for Kris to take. They stepped down their thrones, and placed themselves in the middle. Noelle had a hand on Kris’ waist while their hand rested on her shoulder. Susie could see the small comforting smile Noelle sent their way.
The violins picked up, and Noelle took a step to the side, guiding Kris along. Susie’s chest contracted her lungs at the sight. She wasn’t jealous. Kris and Noelle were the sovereigns of the kingdom, it was expected of them to open the waltz for everyone. The way they move, in harmony with the violins, lit up the room even more than it already was. The eyes of the crowd were on them. Noelle giggled softly when Kris slid down their hand to her waist and led the waltz. Susie’s eyes were on them as Kris twirled Noelle. Her dress spun with the movement, amplifying the twirl with a grace only Kris and Noelle could pull off.
A grace Susie lacked.
Kris brought them close to where Susie was resting. Their gazes crossed path, and Kris winked at her before turning around. Noelle was now facing her, and when their eyes met, she let out a gasp before closing her mouth. Susie tried to smile at her, but she knew it was forced and her yellow teeth glistened under the light of the chandelier.
Noelle almost fainted, but Kris held her tightly, huffing a quiet laugh. Susie could only look in awe as Noelle led Kris across the dancefloor. They floated above the floor, robes and dress mixing together to paint a blurry colourful spot. Susie wished she was with them, dancing and twirling around like nobody was watching them.
She was painfully aware of the eyes that stared at her, of the eyes casting a furtive glance on her way, of the whispers hidden behind hands that were definitely about her. She scowled, hiding behind her bangs as her eyes tore holes in her feet.
Susie didn't understand why they invited her. She would never belong in this world of nobles and family drama, and whatever else rich people liked to do in their free time. She wanted to believe Kris’ and Noelle's invitations were genuine, because they cared about her, but she knew it stemmed from pity. Who wouldn't want to save the poor peasant who got rolled over by your carriage, or got sent into prison due to a misunderstanding?
Despite feeling more comfortable than she felt in her entire life, she didn't like the feeling of guilt that stirred in her stomach whenever Noelle gave her an apple in their secret meetings behind the castle's walls.
Susie tightened her grip on her arms at the thought. The music slowed down, and everyone in the room clapped. She lifted her head, in time to see Kris and Noelle take a bow. The parchemin person cleared their throat when the violinists put away their instruments.
“I announce that the ball has officially started!”
Polite claps echoed in the room, not loud enough to make the chandelier above trembling. Susie thought it was a shame, she would've loved to see the chandelier fall and release all the treasure it was hiding in the ceiling. Where else did rich people hide their money than in a golden chandelier? The fire the candles would cause in the ballroom would be an added bonus. Nothing wrong with a little bit of fire to spice up the room.
Kris and Noelle were back on their thrones while people danced in the middle to the sound of violins and harps. Some approached the sovereigns, bowing or kneeling, and the parchemin person would call their names to present them. Susie sighed, and decided to find the buffet table. If Kris couldn’t spend time with her, like they promised, she could use this opportunity to eat to her heart’s content.
Which was a lot. It was her favourite thing to do.
She left her pillar, and dodged the bodies standing there, conversing or drinking. She tried to keep her head down, to make herself small, but her large figure was hard to ignore, and she couldn’t see where she was going.
This was harder than she first thought. People kept blocking her way, and by the time she saw a glimpse of the table, it was gone the second someone walked in front of her. She huffed in frustration. Susie wanted to punch a wall.
“Um, Susie?” asked a small voice.
Susie turned so fast, it made her dizzy, fists raised to protect herself. When she saw Noelle’s head tilt, she lowered her hands, rubbing the back of her head.
“Miss, uh, Majesty.”
Noelle chuckled lightly, hiding her mouth with her hand.
“Relax, it’s just me.”
Susie let out a nonchalant noise, somewhere between a grunt and a huff, but her eyes were darting everywhere around them.
“Susie,” Noelle started, before shaking her head and taking Susie’s hand in hers. Susie’s eyes widened at the gesture, her throat becoming dry. “Will you dance with me?”
Susie’s palm was sweaty in her hold. Words were at the tip of her tongue, but when she opened her mouth, nothing coherent spilled out. She shut her mouth, and looked away, bangs hiding her eyes.
She didn’t see the shy smile Noelle was giving her. Susie jumped when Noelle took her hands, and placed them between them. Susie grunted in surprise, and was mesmerized by the smile on Noelle’s face.
“We’ll be brave together, yeah?”
She chuckled, a little ‘fahaha’ that ghosted Susie’s hands, warming up her scaly fingers. She gave Noelle a glance behind her bangs, and that smile still hadn’t left. The fumes dimmed, and a new kindle started the fire inside her. One with a warm smile and horns and golden hair.
“Yeah,” Susie nodded.
Noelle winked, and pulled her into the ballroom. Everything was silent for a second, so much that bees buzzed in Susie’s ears. The violins played one note as Noelle bowed, holding her dress up. That voluptuous maroon dress, probably soft at the touch.
Susie could only stare at her, unsure how to proceed. She and Kris might have invited her, but they didn’t give her any lessons about this. Noelle leaned closer, and Susie’s breath stuttered in her throat.
“You have to bow back,” she said, with a teasing tint behind her words.
Susie bowed clumsily, missing her footing and desperately tried to catch her balance. The violins didn’t stop the prolonged note, and eyes were glaring behind Susie’s back. She ignored all of it when Noelle giggled. She ignored it when Noelle laced their fingers together, when she caressed Susie’s arm to reach her hand and placed it around her shoulder, closer to an embrace, closer to the dances Susie would see at taverns when the jolly left, and the host and hostess thought they were all alone, holding each other tightly. When her hand landed on the fabric, she was taken aback by its softness, like short-haired fur that let her imprint her hand on it.
Noelle lowered her hand on her shoulderblade, and leaned closer to Susie’s ear.
“Follow my lead.”
Right as Noelle took a step, the first violinist changed their tune, letting the others join in with the melody and harmony. Noelle hummed along, moving her feet back, moving her feet forward, quick-stepping to turn right or left. Gently, she pulled Susie towards her when they went backwards, and Susie struggled to follow along. Her steps were quicker than Noelle’s, desperate to keep up. Yet, every time, Noelle slowed down for her, let her adjust, giggled under her breath. Noelle’s cheeks were red under the candlelight, but she didn’t deter her gaze away. Those eyes locked with Susie’s, and the fire roared in her ears.
They danced in circles, going back and forth. Suddenly, Noelle detached herself, reaching outwards before going back in Susie’s arms. It had taken Susie so off guard that Noelle had to gently coax her arm back around her shoulder, squeezing their intertwined fingers. When Susie’s eyes met hers, she smiled.
“Not too bad.”
“You really think so?” Susie couldn’t stop herself from asking.
“I do.”
The next time Noelle detached herself to twirl, Susie was ready. She still stumbled and fumbled, but Noelle’s laugh gave her the confidence needed to last until the end of the piece. The eyes kept staring at them. Susie couldn’t care less. In her arms was the queen, waltzing with her, laughing with her, and the eyes couldn’t take that away from her.
The violins slowed down, and so did Noelle. She twirled one last time, before embracing Susie, arms around her neck, their faces barely touching. Both stopped breathing, for a millisecond. Susie looked into Noelle’s brown eyes, hands twitching behind her back, unsure. Noelle’s face became redder, up to her nose, and jumped away from their embrace. She nervously pushed her hair out of her face.
“Thanks — thank you, for dancing with me.”
Despite her jittering nerves, Noelle gave Susie a smile, before going back to her throne. Strangely, Susie could not see Kris on it. It didn’t matter because her heart was hammering inside her ribcage, and people flooded the ballroom, waiting for the cue of violins before dancing. Susie got out of the way in time, and shook the jitters away. She hadn’t been counting the minutes they had been dancing. An eternity had surely passed. Her heart couldn’t stop thumping.
She wanted to lean onto a pillar to get a hold of herself, but before she could even form the idea, a hand gripped her elbow. Susie let out a noise — one so embarrassing she would deny that she made it — and placed her claws on the hand. She scratched it without looking at the owner, emotions so heightened all faces were blurring together. Green robes invaded her vision, and the hand still held tight despite the injury, despite the small drops landing on Susie’s claws.
The smell made her sick in her stomach, and the green robes finally stopped moving. The hand still held her elbow, but it was gentle, it was soft, it was the soft skin of a human. It would never compare to a goat’s fur, but it was second best. Her arm was guided to the wall in front of her, giving her the respite she sought after dancing with Noelle.
Susie ignored the blood coating her claws, and concentrated on her breathing. She hadn’t run, yet her lungs craved air — as if she had evaded the tax collector. The jitters had gone a while ago, but she couldn’t stop thinking about Noelle embracing her, couldn’t stop thinking about their chins just a thumb close from touching. Being with Noelle was always magical, but they hadn’t been this close since the gardens. Since Noelle leaned on her, hands resting on her chest, and her breath tickled her chin.
Another deep breath entered her lungs. Susie shut her eyes close, and opened them. In the corner of her vision, she saw green robes. Familiar green robes. Kris’ green robes. She turned her head fully, and saw Kris leaning against the wall, eyes staring at the dancefloor. She stood up, snapping Kris’ attention to her, which unglued their back to the wall. A faint aroma of cake whiffed in the air.
“Wanna eat?” Kris gestured behind them with their thumb, exposing their arm. Susie inhaled sharply at the red stains on the edge of the sleeves.
“I — I hurt you…”
Kris shrugged, “I startled you. Got what I deserved.”
They were about to turn their back on her, but she caught their arm, stopping them in their tracks. Her bangs covered her eyes — she couldn’t stand looking at Kris’ face now — and growled.
“You never deserved that. I should’ve controlled myself.”
Kris huffed a small laugh. They put their other hand on top of Susie’s. The injured one on top of hers. She held her breath.
“I think we’re hungry.”
Susie’s stomach grumbled loudly. Kris raised a brow, a teasing grin on their lips. Susie rolled her eyes, and took their hand. She hated how casual they were with injuries, but she’d been craving food since she arrived here. Her fire turned into ambers when her hand touched their skin.
“Yeah, yeah, where's that buffet?”
“Up ahead.”
People moved out of their way, uncurtaining the table slowly the closer they got to it. It smelled absolutely delicious, and Susie couldn’t wait to get her teeth in those little cakes. Ever since Noelle first gave them to her as an apology for running her over, Susie had been obsessed with them, eating a bulk every time she met up with Noelle in the gardens of the castle. It always amused her to see Susie tearing through soft and fluffy cakes with her yellow teeth. At least, that was what Susie thought whenever Noelle sighed and tilted her head, following the motion of Susie’s jaw.
They arrived at the buffet table. They both sneaked some glances, to make sure no eyes were looking directly at them, then looked at each other with huge grins on their face, and dug in.
Susie bolted for the cakes while Kris ate an entire pie to themself. It was loud, it was messy, and Susie wouldn’t have it any other way. Her hands were full of cake icing, and she licked them to clean her fingers. She then took weird looking bread with those same fingers, and swallowed them whole. They didn’t taste the best — actually they were quite bland. She took another one, and bit into it, teeth crunching against something in the middle. It tasted like cucumber. At least, it was fresh.
The entire plate was gone in a flash, because bland or not bland, Susie ate it no matter what. Kris had been busy on their side of the table. They were drinking some juice like a maniac, getting it everywhere on the white table cloth, on their robes, in their hair. They also had small cakes that they ate in one bite, licking their fingers clean of the icing. Sneakily, they wiped their hands on Susie’s arms.
“Hey!”
She turned, and wiped her hand on their cheek. Kris puffed their cheeks, and splashed some juice on her. Susie growled, grin reaching her ears as she also took a glass and poured it on Kris’ head.
They were both drenched, and they couldn’t stop laughing. Gasps all around them made them flee into the gardens before they could be separated. Susie took Kris’ hand, because they were running too slow, and because their hand was warm and sticky against hers, against her cold scales. The fire crackled loudly in her ears as they ran and ran deeper in the gardens, evading hedges or going into them.
They slowed down when the chatter of the ballroom dimmed. Susie finally stopped, panting and collapsing on the ground. Laughter bubbled out of her throat, still reeling from their run. Kris joined her, settling at her side, and they stared at the stars together. It was a warm night. And yet, shivers ran down her spine when Kris brushed their fingers against hers.
She didn’t know that Kris was looking at her with a warm smile on their lips. She didn’t know how often those eyes flickered down, didn’t know that Kris licked their lips at least once. Susie was appreciating the night sky, besides someone she trusted. Someone who wouldn’t mock her, kick her, or spit at her if they crossed paths in the streets. Someone who kindled her fire. Even when they ended up drenched in juice.
Eventually, her eyes naturally landed on Kris’ face. It seemed they were appreciating the stars as well — it was hard to tell with their bangs over their eyes.
“Hey, Kris?”
They hummed in reply. Their figure shifted slightly, as if to better look at her. They had been watching the entire time. That didn’t freak her out as much as she thought it would.
“Do you think, in another world… we’re still friends?”
Kris reached for her hand, and she couldn’t help but wince at the sight of the injuries, sore but luckily had stopped bleeding. They brought her hand to their lips, sticky but dry now, ghosting their breath above her knuckles, and just like Noelle embracing her, Susie’s breath caught in her throat.
Rustling of leaves jerked them both out of their state. Before Susie could stand up and snarl, a maroon dress came into view, with a fumbling Noelle brushing the leaves off of it. She raised her head, and blanched when she saw Kris’ and Susie’s hands still clasped together. Susie, on the other hand, felt like she could finally breathe.
“Oh. Was I… Am I interrupting?”
Kris shook their head, and Susie laughed.
“Nah, we were just chilling.”
“Oh, um…” Noelle’s eyes shifted everywhere before landing on them with a strained smile. “I think I’m gonna leave.”
Kris bolted to Noelle’s side, grabbing her wrist. She gasped in shock, but what impressed Susie the most was the speed in which they reached Noelle. Their sticky hand wouldn’t be of help to convince Noelle to stay, but she had a knack of surprising Susie when it came to those things. The two sovereigns gave each other looks, looks Susie couldn’t decipher, looks that seemed to be telling a thousand words. Kris’ grip was firm, knuckles whites.
Noelle placed her hand on top of Kris’, a small smile stretched on her lips. Her cheeks were flushed under the moonlight. Her hair had loosened, landing in front of her face. As if she had run to meet them, as if she had been frantically dodging bodies to reach the gardens.
“I get it, Kris.”
She squeezed their hand, and gently shook it off her wrist. Susie’s eyes widened, because Noelle was about to leave, because Kris looked like they’d been punched in the gut, because Susie wanted. She wasn’t sure what she wanted, but seeing Noelle sad, seeing Kris betrayed, she realized those were expressions she never wanted to see on her friends’ faces ever again. Her fire grew in desperation.
“Hey, Noelle, wait up!”
The name slipped out of her lips, to which Noelle immediately responded with her mouth wide open and her heels swivelling to face her. Kris locked eyes with her, their mouth pressed in a thin line, an unreadable expression. Susie cleared her throat, running her hand behind her hair at the attention.
“Just, uh, wanted to show you how I dance. Uh,” she let out a nervous chuckle, eyes fixating on her feet. She didn’t even know how they hadn’t stepped on Noelle’s during the waltz. “Thought I’d repay you, for inviting me.”
She grinned, showing her teeth. Noelle froze, like a deer in headlights, face flushing bright red. Her nose almost seemed to glow. Susie brushed it off, and nodded towards Kris, a gesture to let them know they were also part of the invitation.
Throughout her escapades with Noelle, their conversations were often about what Susie’s life looked like. Noelle had this thirst of curiosity for the peasant life. It bewildered Susie to no end, and even tried to escape the subject multiple times.
This time, though, she wanted to include Noelle in this part of her life. She wanted to show her how people danced in the various villages she lived in. She didn’t want her image to be a clumsy dancer who couldn’t waltz for the life of her. Susie could dance, watched by the right public.
Her ears perked at the frenzy way the bow strummed against the strings, and took Kris’ and Noelle’s hands. She brought them close together, raising their hands up in the air, before walking backwards. She laughed when Kris and Noelle struggled to hold their hands as Susie repeated the movement. Close, far, close, far.
Her laugh loosened Noelle’s chuckle, who had been tense and uncertain until now. She then spun them around, running in circles with their hands tied. Noelle’s dress got in the way of Susie’s foot multiple times, but every time Susie managed to catch herself. It didn’t stop Kris from cracking a smile at the sight.
When Susie spotted that cheeky smirk Kris loved to put on, she untied her hand from Noelle’s to link her elbow with Kris’. She turned around, laughing at their shocked expression. They tried to follow her, but she immediately changed partners, doing the same to Noelle. Noelle let out a small shriek that turned into laughter as she tried to follow Susie’s cadence.
“Yeah!” Susie cheered. “Now, you two go.”
She threw Noelle in Kris’ direction. They stumbled at the force of her throw, before giving the other nervous looks. Kris took the initiative, linking their elbow in hers. Noelle let out a breath, and turned Kris around, observing the way they found their footing in this dance they had never partaken in.
Susie clapped her hands in a rhythm that sounded right to her ears, cheering them on. Her foot tapped against the ground against her will, but it didn’t matter now. She was pumped up, and was ready to spin them in a circle again.
This time, Kris and Noelle were prepared for the frantic and disorganized way Susie danced. When she took their hands, they linked theirs, and they spun and spun and spun. The moon was high in the sky, their robes and dress and pants were dirty from the ground — their drenched clothes weren’t helping — and Susie felt like she could fly. No eyes were judging her, just laughter and the comfort Kris and Noelle brought her.
Susie hadn’t been paying attention. Her stupid grin hurt her cheeks, and her eyes only saw Noelle laughing, and Kris’ smile. She only saw their hair wet with sweat — and juice in Kris’ case —, sticking to their faces. Her foot caught Kris’ robes, and she fell on top of them, bringing Noelle down with them.
Kris let out a pained grunt, which made Susie laugh. Noelle let out a disoriented groan, before freezing when her hand touched Susie’s shoulder. She bolted out of the pile, only to fall backwards on her rear. Susie couldn’t stop herself. She rolled in laughter, joined by Kris.
She sat up, wiping a tear away.
“You alright, Noelle?”
“Couldn’t be doing better,” she said, rubbing her lower back, but Susie saw that smile on her lips.
“Kris?” Susie asked, because she did fall on top of them.
“Never better,” they replied, a sort of goofy smile Susie never saw on them before.
She pushed them, rolling her eyes.
“Get that stupid grin off your face, you look like you’re about to shit.”
Kris snickered, and lied on the ground, hands interlocked on top of their chest. Susie raised a brow, but got no answer. Noelle sighed, and joined their side, laying down as well.
“It’s beautiful tonight,” Noelle murmured.
Susie looked up, where stars splattered the sky. The moon glowed, giving shadows to the bushes and dwarfed trees. Kris hummed in agreement. Susie glanced at the two sovereigns. They didn’t look like royalty. Their outfits dirtied, their faces flushed and wet with sweat, Kris unsubtle way of touching Noelle’s hand with their pinkie.
Susie huffed a laugh. They didn’t look like royalty. They looked like her friends. That thought warmed Susie’s chest better than any fire ever could.