Killer sighed as he distractedly dug his knife on the human. Blood came flowing out, beautifully, from the man's purpled neck and some of them got into his face. For a moment, he just sat there, bored, watching the color of life slowly draining from the human's face until it resorted to no more than a cold, unmoving body.

He turned to the hand tapping lightly on his shoulder.

"Any signs of Nightmare?"

Horror shook his head, a bloody axe on his other hand. Killer sighed again and slowly got into his feet.

"Let's go find Dust."

It had been weeks since Nightmare's disappearance and Killer was getting restless as hell. He had got enough of this sudden, unannounced vacation. The other day, he had went out his way to do something, anything about it.

He killed.

Horror and Dust readily followed him. Error, though with some reluctance that he didn't know where the heck that came from, provided them the AUs portals. If Error wasn't useful and Dust didn't shake his head firmly at him, he would have lunged at Error.

He shrugged off that thought out his head and began walking towards the blurry figure that he thought was Dust. It should be him anyways, because they had tore down the entire place, killing every single living beings in their sight. That was what he thought until his voice died on his throat at what on Dust's arms.

Distantly, he heard Horror gasped beside him and the thing tore its gaze on him to looked at Horror.

"What is this, thought I have taken down the whole place." He kept his eyes trained on that small form and it squirmed under his attention. "No matter, give me that. Dust."

"No."

His smile fell and he stared back disbelievingly.

"Why?"

"You just can't."

"Okay okay jeez." He threw his hands up in the air as a surrender and Dust cancelled his gaster blaster at him.

Now that was curious, why did Dust get all worked up over a brat? He tilted his head and swiped a bloody hand over its cheeks. It flinched but didn't do so much as turning away. He grinned. At least it was obedient.

"Aww cute, I want one too! Where did ya find this, Dust?" Horror poked it with the handle of his axe.

Dust shrugged.

"Not me, Paps found him." Dust gestured the air above his head and curiously enough, it followed his movement, its eyes focused on a specific point. Way too specific, he thought, as if it was actually seeing someone there. "So I'm keeping him."

"Him? Does it have a name?"

"Do you, kid?"

He saw it stretched its hand and put in on his own. Something in him trembled, perhaps the remaining of his so-called soul, at the warmth that tiny hand brought.

The small skeleton mumbled onto his hand.

"It's Ccino."

-

He made a habit of touching it often, out of curiosity. His hand would fly to where its cheeks were as he waited, patiently for Ccino to hold him.

"You could have washed your hand."

The kid mumbled with a frown. He laughed, his fingers leaving a bloody trail on its face.

"But where's the fun in that?" His eyes wandered to the cooking pan it was holding. "Trying to make something?"

"I find some chocolate in the kitchen. Horror said I can take it. I want to make hot chocolate but..."

"There aren't enough ingredients."

The kid nodded. He saw it stare down at the chocolate bars with a forlorn expression.

"Then go buy some." The kid blinked at him, which soon became a glare and...was that a pout he was looking at? He flicked on its head and the pout broke into a smile. "Looks like someone doesn't practice teleportation."

"I do! But it's difficult." Then the kid tilted its head and he stared, feeling it strangely mirrored his own. "And you can always take me there, can you?"

"Spoiled brat."

But he did take the kid on the groceries shopping. He needed something for a change anyways.

"You are spoiling him." Dust told him this when they got back with both of their arms full of groceries bags. All that it took was for the kid clinging on his jacket while looking up at him with expectant eyes.

"Yeah I guess." He shrugged then flashed the other a grin. "But you sure you aren't?"

"..." Dust glared at him before glancing back at Ccino. The kid was busy showing Horror what it purchased for dinner while wearing a dusty blue hoodie with a white hood. The clothes seemed a bit too big for its size but every once in a while, he found the kid running its hands on the clothing in grateful gestures. Even he was getting a little jealous. "It's just an old hoodie."

"Well I don't mind. It feels peaceful when the kid's around." He suddenly frowned. "Is there anything on Nightmare yet?"

Dust looked at him as he slowly shook his head. He gritted his teeth.

"It's been half a year, where the hell is he?!" A thought hit him. "...Don't tell me?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Dust took out a cigarette packet from his pocket and he stared curiously at it, not knowing the other was into smoking.

Dust proceeded to lit up his cigarette and took a long drag. Trail of gray smoke escaped his mouth.

"So I've been thinking of a raid since we're on our own now."

"When?"

Dust smiled as he casually flicked away the dying ashes.

"Probably next week if we're all set on preparation."

"That's too long!" Dust steeled his gaze back to him as he huffed and looked away. "Fine. Next week is next week."

With that, their discussion came into an end. He relaxed back to his chair and decided to catch some sleep. He had some training to do after all.