Of a Better World

Wonderfully Lovely

"it's wonderful here."

Lust and Horror sat, in their morning ritual, shoulder to shoulder in front of the living room window. Completely alone aside from the softly snoozing mound of fur beside the smaller skeleton, the morning was peaceful. It was calm as the emerging day slowly spilt light in through the windows and onto the faded carpet. The morning was gentle and soft and it took a moment for what Lust said to register to Horror, let alone process.

The words were chirped innocently enough, but he was still sent reeling by the comment as he tried to wrap his head around what it meant. Confused, the gears in his head slowly began to turn.

"wonderful?" Horror asked.

"yeah, very."

"what exactly?"

Lust hummed."this."

The response and the additional layer of confusion it threw him into should have angered him at the very least. But he wasn't. Instead he pushed himself to try and understand. No one had ever called his world wonderful- not one aspect of it. 

"what… exactly do you mean by that?"

Lust contorted his face in confusion, perhaps not having prepared for the topic to be elaborated on. It didn't stop Horror from pressing.

"i guess i mean… it's nice. this. the quiet, the calm. that."

"and what about it?"

"it's just that, no one ever seems to be in a rush here," he scratched his head awkwardly and fumbled around for words. "even though i've only met you two. the silence is nice."

"it becomes suffocating at times," Horror murmured lowly, more for himself than anyone. 

"well it's nice compared to home. in underlust, everyones always… moving. racing to get to the next club or bar or scene all the time."

"must be fun."

"not all the time, not really. back home if i ever sit down to enjoy the morning then i miss breakfast, and if take some time to read the next biggest party has already happened. it's exhausting trying to keep up all the time and constantly feel behind."

Horror snorted. "ah, well then i guess it's nice here, being able to sit and relax and live in fear of death by starvation. much better than sitting at home bitching a fit about missing some orgie."

Laughing, Lust appeared unfazed by both Horror's hostility and insult. "well i sound entitled when you say it like that!" 

"well just imagine how you sound all the time."

"well i am awfully lucky that i don't have to listen to myself talk then," he shot back cheekily.

"im jealous."

"and i'll make sure of it."

Lust lazily tugged at the bandages around his leg, a nasty habit that had unraveled them many times so far- much to Crooks' dismay, and turned to look back out the window. The dog, woken by their persistent chatter, had shuffled itself into Lust's lap and now laid there happily accepting its given affection. Lust patted the soft downy fur on the dog's belly as it rolled onto its back, he was seemingly pleased by its mere existence and deeming that enough for praise.

"you got thick skin," Horror stated, quietly delighted by his own pun.

"i have to," he replied, the joke having flown over his skull. "underlust isn't a barren wasteland, but it's still rougher than most universes."

"a slut's paradise, i'm sure it must be hell."

The dog yipped at Horror almost in offense for Lust, but was hushed. "it is, just a bit different from the one you know."

Horror, having no reply, allowed the silence to return again, heavier this time. It was an odd sense of discomfort that filled the room in a way that Horror was sure only he appeared to feel. He took quick, split second glances at Lust who looked to be deep in thought. 

The light creeping through the window was stronger now, as if the morning was just finally waking itself. It brought no warmth as sunlight did, but was still comforting, at least because Horror knew no other form of comfort.

But another joined it as Lust finally opened his mouth to speak.

"i meant what i said though." As he looked out the window he had to squint in the streghtened light. "this really is wonderful. wonderful enough, at least to me, for us all to sit here together peacefully, and watch the "sun" rise."

Horror was blunt with his response. "you could do this anywhere y'know. anytime." 

"but it's nice because i'm doing it here and now and with you."

"stranded in the middle of a starving universe." Horror added helpfully.

Lust laughed, an action that was so natural to him. "well i have always been good at finding the best of a bad situation." 

"that or stupid, i guess. you've done this plenty of times before and if you're lucky you'll get to do it back in your own universe again too."

Pausing, Lust pondered for a moment before replying with a gentle voice and gentle eyes. "well this isn't the first time and won't be the last, but isn't it lovely?"

It tickled Horror to realize how simple of a creature Lust was at times, and how easily delighted he was. He could just sit there and watch the morning come while in a universe completely hostile to him… and simply be happy. Charmed by the perfectly ordinary.

The dog wiggled around in Lust's lap until it was close enough to nose at Horror's clawed fingers. It snuffled in the palm of his hand, continuoiiiesly squirming and coaxing the larger skeleton to pet it until he finally ran a hesitant hand over it's belly fur. It was soft, and warm. It's tongue lolled out of it's mouth in complete euphoria even regardless of the odd and seemingly uncomfortable position it had contorted itself into.

Despite his impassive and irritable attitude, it was nice. Although he would never say it to Lust, it was nicer than most mornings. Nice to wake up and enjoy someone's company, to not worry about the state of his universe and just be for a moment. Perhaps that was wonderful enough.

"Lovely indeed."

A/N: Being able to write again feels so good even though this chapter is short and i hate it. The last few late updates have been because riots, coronavirus, power outages, family issues and the like are currently in the process of fucking my life sideways. But things are getting better so the next chapters should come fairly quickly!! Remember to stay safe y'all!