Stygiophobia

Rough Roads

George's eyes fluttered open, his mind feeling fuzzy, and his bones feeling fuzzier. He blinked; eyelashes practically shimmering in whatever light was around. He was graceful without trying, everyone knew it. Despite his throat being forced open and stretched, and his entire spine being strained, he was still effortlessly beautiful in every single sense of the word.

Dream could see it, he always could and always would, his eyes shimmered in the light, his cheeks always perfectly pink tinted, his hair soft and silky; the most beautiful shade of brown known to man. His body shape was that of Gods, crafted to unmatchable perfection. George made it look so easy to be elegant, and his looks never made him any less kind. He was a man who had a gentle approach to the world, despite being beaten and psychologically drained his whole life, his soul didn't shine any less bright in hell. He could run straight through hell with a smile if he could stand. He'd help anyone who asked, he was perfection and grace, an embodiment of elegance. George the fallen angel, Dreams eternal lover, the devils prince of beauty. Perfection.

"Welcome to the waken world, you seem to have slept nicely. I'm surprised, since you slept in a bit this morning. You look beautiful as always." Dream smiled, bathing in the warmth of his angel on top of him, simply cuddling against his frozen chest.

"Yes, I've felt tired recently, it's odd for sure, but I don't mind, because you always let me sleep against you." George had the smallest giggle in his words, and a bright sleepy smile across his face. Grace and elegance, he will always have it.

"Yes, I love to be close to you, even if I'm not tired, you know I don't mind. We should be heading to Quackitys though, the longer we wait the more unlikely we are to see him immediately." George didn't sit up, just kept on clinging to the final moment he could.

"Why's that?"

"He's a merchant demon. He has a lot of deals to make, plenty of demons to scam, and he probably has some scheduled killings to be done. He's a busy businessman, and the word on the street is that he's starting up a casino. If I were to guess, he probably will, the guy loves to be filthy rich. Not really sure why, money doesn't get you much in hell. Perhaps he just wants the feeling of power, and the ability to simply say he has money." Dream remembered his old friend well, he's the one that sells him his expensive decor, Quackity is sinister and a scammer, but he's true to those he trusts. Besides, not even the most rich merchant in hell would dare cross Dream over.

"Ah, alright then, we can go if you're ready now. You still have to carry me though, so don't expect to be off the hook." George snickered, sitting up finally. Dream sat up as well, taking George in his arms and standing up, instantly heading to the door.

The weather barely changes in hell, however, some days are significantly colder than others. It's said that if a severely tainted and evil soul enters hell, the temperature drops for the day. Honestly, it's something of a miracle that no one more powerful than Dream had arrived, only one soul ever had managed to get down here that seemed to have more strength than Dream. Dream had the advantage because he had the power to inflict pain through magic, and the new guy was only a fire demon. Dream took care of him upon his arrival, because the devil is a man who likes that his power is unmatched, he bathes in the fact that he's the best.

"Oh, it's really cold today." George shivered silently, feeling a chill run down his spin.

"Is it? I didn't notice. I should stop by the pit on my way, just to be sure no one better than me has arrived." Dream turned his course when making it to the bottom of the trail to his door, heading towards the pit instead of Quackitys.

"What will you do if someone stronger than you arrives?" George asked, seeming to not quite understand what Dream meant.

"Well, my dear angel, the devil can't have anyone better than him roaming his land, now can he?" Dream smiled through his sharpened teeth, getting a full view of all the souls constantly falling. Finally he spotted a soul that looked significantly darker than the rest.