I recently stumbled upon this gem called 'Hollow Pines' on AO3, and it absolutely wrecked me in the best way. It’s a Suselle slow-burn with layers of angst, set in a post-'Deltarune' Chapter 2 AU where Noelle struggles with her guilt over the Snowgrave route. The author nails the tension—Susie’s gruff exterior slowly cracking as she notices Noelle’s self-destructive habits. There’s this haunting scene where Noelle avoids the hospital wing, and Susie literally drags her there, yelling but hands shaking. The pacing is brutal; every small moment of closeness feels earned, like when Noelle finally breaks down and Susie just... sits beside her, not knowing how to fix it but refusing to leave.
The fic also weaves in Kris’s guilt as a silent third wheel, which adds another layer of melancholy. If you love emotional gut-punches with a side of 'will they won’t they,' this one’s a must-read. Another detail I adored: Susie’s POV chapters show her secretly memorizing Noelle’s coffee order, but she panics whenever someone points it out. The angst isn’t just dramatic—it’s quiet, messy, and so human.