I'm gonna keep it real....chapter 5 made me MORE of a Kerdly shipper, now you probably thinking I'm being lowkey delusional rn and maybe I am because we barely got on any kerdly moments this chapter. But with everything going on with Kris, and the small tidbits of moments we did get....really solidified my love for this ship. Seeing how isolated and alone Kris is, reminded me so painfully of Berdly in a similar way.
They both wear masks to protect themselves, also simultaneously pushing those close to them away while yearning for companionship. Berdly is always being left behind but...so it Kris! From the festival, to the moments in the dark world, even at home. Both of them are alone in their own friendgroups, and they don't know how to fix it because their scared.
Both of them are losing their most important person right in front of their eyes, Noelle for Berdly and Susie for Kris. It's mind boggling to think about how early on in the game, Susie and Kris latched onto each other because they were the only ones in Hometown that can truly understand one another. But now, Susie is doing better for herself. She has a community with the darkners in Castletown, her and Ralsei are growing closer, she's 'dating' Noelle and wants to invite her to the dark world so she can join their adventures. All of this is happening, and Kris is left behind in the grand scheme of it all.
It's not that they don't want Noelle to join, their afraid that slowly she'll take their place in Susie's worldview. And that's the same fear Berdly has, he fears he's easily replaceable to not only Noelle but to everyone around him. Their both lonely kids, isolated from their peers due to external and internal forces. Maybe that's why Kris is weird around Berdly, because they see a reflection of themselves in him that their afraid to acknowledge yet.
Berdly stands alone in the library or his hospital bed, and Kris stands alone in their room and the dark corridors of the school. They both have similar interest, humor, and fears. It makes sense while looking deep into this, that these two would get along so well because their practically parallels. Just as Kris feels like their losing Susie, and Berdly is losing Noelle, they can gain a new friendship and perspective from each other.
Because yes, Susie understands Kris, but what Kris needs imo is someone whose completely removed from the prophecy and the mess that is the Hometown conspiracy...and that's Berdly. And Berdly needs someone who will validate his own feelings and experience without making him feel like he has to be ironic about it. If their going to be lonely, they can at least be lonely together.
So yeah, accept this rant post as me being a passionate Kerdly shipper that just wants these two to be happy in the end. I don't expect for it to become canon, but what I truly want is for them to become good friends and I know I'm not alone in this sentiment.
