These Lonely Depths

Part Four

Hearts and Horror remained in Life's garden for a few more days. Despite his injury being healed, Heart's body was still trying to catch up. He would still have dizzy spells if he moved too fast. Neither of them are sure where to go next. Life has been kind, but they're intruders in her garden. It won't be long before they've overstayed their welcome. Even with that worrying end hanging over their heads, the next few days are blissfully peaceful. Horror can't remember the last time he could just....... be. Hearts is gonna be okay. Of course, now that he's on his feet, a few issues have come up.

"Horror." Hearts somehow glares down at the other monster, despite being shorter. The two are sitting across from each other in the grass. Hearts has taken to exploring the garden, and Horror follows him around like a lost puppy.

Not meeting Heart's eyes, Horror rips at the grass and doesn't speak. Hearts waits another minute just to see if he can guilt it out of Horror.

"Why haven't you been eating!?" Hearts finally asks, annoyed.

"Looks funny," Horror grumbles.

"That's no excuse! Have you even tried any of it?"

Horror hadn't been taking care of himself while following Hearts from AU to AU. He wasn't aware of it at the time and can't remember it now to be angry at. What Hearts is angered by is the fact that Horror won't touch any of the fruit in the garden. Horror is a little glad now that Hearts doesn't remember much. He'd be dishing out a much bigger scolding if that were the case.

"Don't want it," Horror mumbles again. Even before his AU began to starve, fresh fruit was a rarity. It's strange and foreign to him. Nightmare wasn't exactly focused on providing his employees with a nutritious dinner.

"So what then? Are you just gonna refuse to eat until who-knows-when?" Hearts continues to stare Horror down, gaze firm and unwavering. Horror's AU nearly killed him when there wasn't enough food around. He might pretend to think nothing of fasting for days and days, but Hearts knows Horror better than that. Hunger makes Horror's haunting memories all the more vivid. Hearts isn't afraid of trying to force feed him.

The silence thickens until it's finally broken. "Fine. Fine," Horror huffs, standing up, "I get." There's not much point in trying to argue. Horror could easily resist anything Hearts tries to make him do, but what's the point of it? Hearts is usually right about things like this. Horror is just being stubborn. Still keeping Hearts within his sight, Horror walks off towards a nearby fruit tree.

Another monster might have gotten up and offered to help, but Hearts knows Horror too well for that. It's not often that Horror can convey his feelings through words. He speaks more clearly through his actions. Preforming favors for people is how he shows that he cares. He might seem grumpy now, but Horror wouldn't have gotten up if he was really annoyed or unwilling to eat anything. The real reason Horror probably wasn't eating is because he wanted confirmation from someone he trusted that the fruit wouldn't make him sick. It wouldn't be the first time that he ate something that brought instant regret.

Hearts bursts out laughing when Horror stomps back over. Instead of just picking the fruit off the tree, Horror had violently shook some of the branches in order to make a bunch of the fruit drop. One had nailed him in the face and burst open. Sticky fruit juice runs down one side of his face.

"S-Sorry, sorry," Hearts laughs breathlessly. Horror scowls at him for a moment before a small, mischievous smile forms on his face. Horror grabs a piece of fruit from the bunch he's carrying and hold is above Heart's head, crushing it. Hearts squeals as fruit pulp runs down the back of his neck and chest. Horror laughs with an airy chuckle. Hearts smiles at that. He takes a piece of intact fruit and bites into it, motioning Horror to do the same. The large monster hesitates before taking a small bite. "What do you think?"