A Shadow of the Past

Comfort Food

A few moments later, Dust strolled out of the kitchen, looking quite pleased with himself.

"WhAt'S gOt YoU sO uPbEaT, dUsT?" Error looked at him quizzically.

Dust had just finished helping Horror, who'd returned from his AU, with the groceries he and Nightmare had picked up for the group. "Oh, y'know, I beat Killer at something. Again." He chuckled, a proud grin spread across his face.

"AnD wHaT wAs ThAt, MaY i AsK?"

"A flirting contest~"

"Ew! WhO wAs ThE jUdGe?!"

"Blueberry~" he said, winking.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, said smol skelly was watching Horror pour mushroom soup on some pork steaks. He then set the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

"I'm kinda experimenting, here," Horror said as he put a couple cookie sheets with steaks on them into the oven. He really liked the inlaid oven because it was far enough off the ground that he didn't have to bend over. "I tried mushroom soup at a restaurant once. They didn't seem to mind my appearance, so I was able to ask some of the employees for tips on cooking. One of them suggested this, so Imma try it out. What do ya think... uh, what was your name, again?"

Blueberry grinned. "It's Blueberry, sir!" He was really starting to like his new nickname.

"Just Horror is fine. Anyway, would you like to help? I could findja somethin' ta do so you're not bored."

"Oh, yes! I would love to help! I've made quite a few tacos myself, after all!"

"Pfft, tacos?"

"Why, yes! Alphys taught me a lot about cooking, and we have- we... used to have lessons... every day..." Blueberry's voice wavered towards the end, which caused Horror to look up from peeling some potatoes. He set the peeler down, and gave Blueberry a sad look.

"... Error... he had to destroy it, didn't he?"

Blueberry sighed and nodded a couple of times. "Yes. But, was doing it to save others! He doesn't want to do it, but he says... if he doesn't do it, someone who isn't as nice as him will! So, I'm gonna keep believing in him to continue to save people, even if they don't notice! He needs to know that, too. Somebody's believing in him, and supporting him, and being his friend!"

Horror was impressed. A version of himself like Papyrus, huh? That's nice. But, doesn't that mean...?

"Where's your brother? Is he dead, too?"

"I... don't know. But I want to keep believing he's still out there, somewhere. You wouldn't want to believe your brother was dead, would you?"

Horror shook his head. No, he'd be devastated if someone told him his brother had died. "I wouldn't want to hold on to false hope, either, though. He wouldn't want me to grieve for him, forever. He'd want me to keep living my life in the now, not the past," he sighed. Picking up the peeler again, he continued where he left off. It got quiet in the kitchen. Everyone else had left, leaving the two of them alone.
"Didja... still wanna help?"

Blueberry brightened up a little. "Sure! What can I do?"

"Well, you can open this." He handed Blueberry a can of cream-style corn. Blueberry narrowed his eyes and frowned at Horror. The latter had a shit-eating grin on his face, which confirmed Blueberry's suspicions.

"..."

"What?"

"Was that a pun?"

"Maaaaaaabe~"