Of a Better World

Adjustment Period

The machine was fixable, Lust had been ecstatic to hear, but it'd take time to fix. Time and effort.

The minute he had told Lust, a look of absolute relief crossed his face. So of course Horror couldn't let that last long and immediately took to explaining the drawbacks of fixing the machine. It was a bit more complicated than sticking a bunch of parts back together.

First he'd have to come up with a half decent blueprint to construct the machine with- one that didn't scatter people across time and space when they used it. Then there was the matter of scavenging lost or missing pieces; a task that would require more than a few trips to the Dump. All before they could even start on rebuilding it.

Yes, Horror estimated the time it would take to be a minimum of at least six months. For how much he wanted the other gone, he couldn't help but relish the way the news wiped the grin off of Lust's face.

While it was unfortunate news for the two sanses that they'd be stuck together for the time being, Papyrus seemed quite content with the circumstances. Upon being told that their guest would be staying a lot longer than initially planned, he was overjoyed. He immediately went about fussing over Lust and how they'd get him new, more cold resistant clothes, regardless of Lust's claims about not really needing any.

He was bubbly and cheery and optimistic with a positive view on what their time together would look like. His enthusiasm went unshared being the only one with such a bright perspective on the matter, but it was still nice to have someone with a different outlook on things around.

Horror let him pester and fret over the smaller monster with a small degree of fondness. It wasn't every day he got to see his brother that happy, so why ruin it? It wasn't as if he cared for Lust at all. After starvation had swept over the underground like a plague, Papyrus' smiles had never truly been as genuine as they were before, most of his feigned happiness an act to calm and reassure those around him. If something in this bleak world made his smile a little more real then who was Horror to take that away from him?

Of course he still had to remind his brother not to waste all their winter rations offering them to a guest every five minutes in an effort to be polite. But it wasn't like Lust would accept anyway, after learning about Pap's special ingredient in the spaghetti.

Horror had watched, visibly irked, as Lust forcibly emptied the contents of his stomach once the realization had dawned on him of exactly what it was he had eaten. He seethed quietly, mourning the waste of perfectly good food.

Lust would either learn to tolerate it, or starve, and Horror was entirely indifferent to which option he chose. He had lasted nearly a year without eating human flesh out of stubborn reluctance before he finally caved. Maybe the tiny skeleton could survive long enough without eating human meat to get home. He most likely wouldn't. Either way they had no vegetarian options on the menu.

It'd been nearly a week since his sudden arrival and the skeleton was adjusting well enough. That didn't mean he was doing good in any way shape or form, oh no, it simply meant he wasn't dead. Horror had warned him about going outside, not discouraging it in the slightest, but just letting Lust know that if he left there was little chance he'd come back. A part of him hoped that the sans was stupid enough to wander out unprotected.

He was still steadfast in his ways and determined not to eat another bite of human flesh. It was entertaining to watch the smaller monster struggle with hunger pangs only a week in, knowing it was only bound to get so much worse. Horror kept track of his vain efforts with baited breath; his bet was that Lust would quit two months in, at a maximum. That was of course, as long as he didn't keel over and die sooner.

Horror was in no real rush at all to fix the machine in all actuality. It would be a waste of time and effort in his opinion, especially when there were easier ways out there of getting rid of a nuisance. He just had to be patient, he reminded himself, and then he'd have his chance to free himself from Lust. Hunger would weaken him after only so long, Horror just needed to tolerate the little irritant in the meantime.

It wasn't too unbearable to live around Lust while he waited. The smaller monster was skittish and scampered around him with a level of fear that wasn't entirely unearned. Sometimes it was like he wasn't quite there at all, really. They never occupied the same room for any noticable amount of time, always choosing to go elsewhere when the other showed up.

Lust had warmed up to Papyrus fairly well and extremely quick; seeing past his unnerving appearance to recognize him for the gentle giant he was. It was nice seeing Papyrus have something close to a friend, and it was endearing to watch the two huddled together as his brother rambled off ideas for his next puzzle and Lust followed along with soft words of encouragement. With the beginning of their friendship Lust decided to nickname him "Crooks" after his crooked teeth and wobbly figure. Horror found it demeaning, but chose to keep that fact to himself after seeing Papyrus' obvious love for the new moniker.

It was odd having Lust there, but it didn't seem as if he was going anywhere soon. More times than he'd like to admit Horror has stumbled into the kitchen in the morning, dazed and sleepy, only to find Lust there, reading some book he'd dug up from the basement or working on blueprint plans. It always slightly stunned him, seeing another in the house- he'd have to blink a few times before remembering that the past few days hadn't just been some weird sort of fever dream. They'd stare at each other like deer in the headlights before one of them scurried away to continue their activities in peace and solitude.

But all opinions aside, Lust was here now and it appeared like it was going to be that way for a while. Horror, as if he had much of an option, begrudgingly tolerated him. After all, he liked to consider himself well tempered.