One-shots [Reqs: 5]

A Lovely Day

Lust's silent footsteps were too loud, every breath like an explosion. His chest rattled with each reedy breath, his body tense, ready to take off at a moment's notice.

He peeked around a corner and held in a sigh of relief. Lust had yet to run into one of the gang members, and he prayed to all things mighty that he never did. Quickly, he slunk around the corner, hugging the wall tightly as he shimmied over to slip into a random door. Back pressed against it, Lust sank to his knees, shaking with silent sobs. A moment of safety, he begged. Just a second without fear.

The world, sometimes, was not always fair. Lust bit his tongue, stifling his yelp as his phone rang. Breath stuttering, he fumbled to mute the device, swiping rapidly at the screen multiple times. After a long three seconds, the phone turned off and went silent, but Lust's focus had shifted. His attention, no longer on the damn cellphone, was now fixed on the glowing red dot that slowly getting bigger.

His hand tightened around his phone, gloves creaking against the strain. The phone beeped, and sent a distress signal as it started to crack. Lust was frozen as footsteps grew near, raspy chuckles filling the darkness. "What's this? A new.." The light vanished, and the same gritty voice came from his left, a breath of hot air brushing his cheek. "..toy?" Lust whimpered, bones locked up stiffly as the talking dissolved into hoarse giggles. There was a click, and the room was flooded with a harsh red glow. He immediately tried to back up, choking at the sight presented to him. So much blood, so much dust, so much...

He gagged, retching as the smell of rancid blood stabbed at his sense of smell. He became painfully aware of the ax that glinted from where it was held against the wall. Lust's hands frantically grabbed at the door handle, desperately latching onto it as if it would save him. His eyelights, small slivers of purple suspended in his sockets, darted up to meet a single beacon of crimson. Lust had managed to run into one of the most dangerous skeletons in the multiverse.

Horror.

The nightmarish monster spread his teeth into a chilling grin, purring under his breath.

He didn't see it coming. No, he didn't even notice Horror's ax moving. He almost didn't notice were it not for the sickening crack and thud of his arm breaking off and hitting the floor. For a few seconds, Lust stood there, legs trembling and soul racing, staring at Horror with a slackened jaw. He didn't feel anything except for his thumping soulbeat and the sticky blood and marrow dripping down his side.

It hit like a speeding train on a brick wall. He jerked, gasping wetly, suddenly aware of pain like no other. His hand grabbed at the jagged stump, tears flowing faster, dripping down to mix with the blood. Molten fire, more painful than anything he'd ever experienced, flooded his body, and Lust's eyelights guttered out and vanished. 

Horror chuckled lowly as he caught the monster's limp body. He licked his teeth, moving Lust over to prod at the drenched stump that had been his arm.

"Horror, you touch that and you die." He stopped, slowly turning to face whoever had interrupted his meal. There, in all his glory, stood the Creator himself. Horror raised his hands, mocking surrender as he took a step away from the mess, and towards Ink. Weaker than him or not, Horror was still a very intimidating figure, and when the large skeleton continued walking towards him, Ink had to grit his teeth to keep from stepping away. Horror towered over him, all brute strength and irrationality, and asked, "You gonna follow through withat?"

Ink's fingers twitched, tight against the rough wood of his brush. Acidic paint gathered at the tip, hissing as it dripped onto the stained floor. A tense quiet fell, the air thick with apprehension and challenge.

"Creator." Ink and Horror both snapped to attention, one out of surprise and the other out of reflex. In the darkest corner of the room, a familiar emerald light glowed, shifting back and forth. It darted to the side, where Lust lay, and flashed back to Horror. It stopped on Ink. "What brings you to my castle, Creator." Ink's grip tightened, "I'm here for Lust. I won't leave without him." Nightmare scoffed, a tendril of black slinking out of the shadows, creeping around Lust's ankle. A flick, and Ink grunted as he scrambled to catch Lust's limp body. A portal of ink rose behind him, and the Creator quickly left with the parting words, "Get a better leash, Nightmare. I won't be as polite next time." Nightmare tipped his head, eyelight feverishly bright, as if he were delighted by the prospect of a 'next time'.

"One cannot leash a beast like Horror." Ink scowled and vanished into the portal. A split second later, Nightmare's eyelight snapped to Horror, tendrils slowly twisting around him. "Boss-" Like Lust, Horror was thrown, although more violently. He crashed through the door, the wood splintering and scattering like broken glass. He hit the wall with a resounding thump, more tendrils whipping out to coil around his limbs before he could fall. "What have I told you?" Horror snarled at the harsh demand, teeth snapping as he bit at the tentacles. Nightmare continued, voice calm and full of deadly promise. Horror could make out the dark king's form, watching that bright eyelight slowly getting closer. Nightmare walked leisurely, his tendrils tightening with each slow step. "I asked you a question, Horror."

Bone cracked, and Horror choked, sputtering out his answer, paying no mind to the taste of his own blood. "Don' mess with them Stars 'nless you say so." Nightmare stepped out into the hall, smiling. "Maybe I should leash you." Horror growled, spitting a glob of red at his boss before giggling. "Like a dog!" He cackled, the sound changing until it sounded far too much like a dog's bark. Nightmare wiped his face, ignoring the raspy noises. He stared down at his hand, eyeing the bloody spit. "..Yes. Like a dog. Should I treat you like one as well?" He smoothed his hand down his front, ridding his hand of the spit, absently slamming Horror against the wall repeatedly.

As the monster jerked around in his restraints, Nightmare hummed and cleaned his face. Finally, when Horror went still, Nightmare unceremoniously released the cannibal and watched apathetically as he slumped over. He sank into a low crouch, pushing Horror's cracked skull with a fingertip, smiling widely. "All pets should get punished for misbehavior." He hooked his thumb around a jagged end, tugging and tugging until it popped off like a puzzle piece. Starting to hum again, Nightmare broke off bits of Horror's skull, going around the edge twice before he got bored. He dumped his small collection of skull parts into the now wider hole that split into Horror's head. He chuckled as he used the liquid-like negatively that covered his bones to glue the pieces to the inside of Horror's head.

Nightmare snickered, straightening to his full hight once more. A hard shove sent Horror's unconscious body sprawling out on the cold marble floor. He watched as some of the not yet hardened negative goop seeped out and onto the floor. He snapped his fingers, and there was a quiet woosh of teleportation. On skillfully silent feet, Cross stepped up to kneel before him. "My King." Nightmare jerked his skull at Horror, "Clean it up and put it back in its room." Cross stayed silent and kneeling, head still bowed. "Stand. Ten minutes, slave, and return to your own when you're done." Cross stood up. He glanced at Nightmare, "..?" Nightmare grunted, "Do whatever you please. Just get it out of my sight." Cross dipped his skull, and turned to Horror. Purple magic slowly encased Horror, as well as the mess of goop and the severed arm that had started dusting.

Nightmare left the soldier to complete his task, dropping into a shadow and warping to his throne room. Dust and Killer immediately dropped down, kneeling respectfully, and Nightmare couldn't help but smirk. A king indeed. As he sat in his throne, Nightmare began to consider creating collars for his slaves. He chuckled. "Ink, it seems, is considerably intelligent sometimes. Wouldn't you agree?" Dust and Killer murmured their agreeance, still kneeling. Amused, Nightmare stretched out his tendrils, snaking them around their throats. The ends snapped off, thinning and growing taut around both their necks. Somewhere else in the castle, Cross paused as a thick black band slithered around Horror's throat. He stared at it curiously, reaching out to brush his fingers over it. A small bit broke off, darting up his arm and slinking up his collarbone to weave through his vertebrae. He shivered as he felt it growing, sinking into his bones and permanently staining them. Well, then. He pulled his hand away from Horror's throat to feel at his own.

Nightmare simpered as Killer and Dust both rubbed at their new markings. He could sense Cross's delight, as well as Dust's mortification and Killer's confusion. Nightmare already knew how Horror would feel about it. Oh, he anticipated that anger with satisfaction. He hummed in thought. Error would be tough to convince. He grinned. That wouldn't be a problem.

Cross walked in just as Nightmare spoke. "Remind me to thank Ink for the idea." Even though Nightmare was talking to himself, Cross acknowledged his words and took his place at the throne, standing to the side attentively. Like he always did, Nightmare placed his hand on Cross's hooded skull. Today had been quite lovely.