Asylum [Dust X Horror] (Collab with me and BlueTechLunatic34)

Chapter 9 (P. 2)

"So then, how fast should I eat...?" Lea asked, looking dumbfounded.

Dust hesitated before speaking.

"As fast as it's comfortable..?" he said slowly.

"Um, ok...." Lea answered, eating slower, but cautiously.

Dust relaxed slightly, eating slower as well for good measure.

Lea eventually finished her food, looking to Dust. "I'm done. I can go wait in the corner if you want."

Dust shook his head.

"Don't wait in the corner.... Please..." he said sadly.

"Then where should I wait daddy?" Lea asked, this time ignoring her confusion.

"At the table, if you want," he said, smiling gently.

"Ok." Lea responded, waiting quietly, barely even breathing. One might even assume she was a statue.

Dust soon finished his food as well, tracing his finger along the edge of the table lightly.

Sci looked over at the two, smiling warmly. "Aren't you guys going somewhere?"

Dust smiled slightly rubbing the back of his nevk slightly.

"I was planning on leaving after we'd helped clean up," he said, knowing he'd feel bad if he just left while the other two were still eating.

"No, go ahead. Me and Red can clean up, since this seems important for you. Trust me, I won't be offended." Sci said, giggling.

Dust smiled slightly.

"You're sure..?" he asked tentatively.

"I'm completely sure." Sci confirmed, smiling at Lea, who smiled shyly back.

Dust smiled thankfully, taking his plate in his hands.

"Ok then, I'll just put this in the sink and then we'll get out of you hair," he said, gesturing to the plate in his hands as he spoke, then going to do just that.

Lea followed Dust, doing the same. The afterwards, she awaited Dust to give her an order.

"Should we head out, then?" he asked, smiling gently.

"Yes!" Lea excitedly cried, gently taking Dust's hand. "Lead the way please daddy."

Dust laughed softly, holding the child's hand gently and leading her out the door after waving goodbye to Red and Sci.

Red and Sci waved goodbyes as well, as Lea followed Dust excitedly.

Dust smiled slightly, leading Lea to where he remembered the block of condos were.

Lea looked up at the looming buildings, shivering. This is where she spent half of her own life.

Dust wrapped one of his arms around the smaller's shoulders comfortingly, noticing.

"You okay..?" he asked gently.

"Bad memories....this place..." Lea couldn't really manage many words, just shivers.

Dust smiled comfortingly, rubbing the smaller's back gently.

"It'll be okay. You're safe now..."

"Ok...Ok." She murmured, looking away from the building up to Dust.

Dust gave his small, gentle smile, doing his best to comfort the other somehow.

Lea smiled sadly back, looking down to try and divert her tears.

Dust saw her tears and felt immediate guilt, kicking himself for whatever he'd done.

"Sorry," he apologised quickly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry..."

"It's not you daddy." Lea whispered, rubbing her eyes with her sleeves tentatively.

"Really..?" he asked hesitantly, still feeling bad. "What is it..?"

"Bad memories....." Lea said, her face showing a look of terror.

Dust's expression turned sympathetic, and he bent down to pull Lea into a warm hug.

"It's okay," he said quietly, holding the kid comfortingly. "It'll be okay. You don't have to be afraid, I'll protect you. I swear it."

"Ok. I trust you daddy, I trust you." Lea said, smiling shyly in an attempt to ignore her own fear.

Dust smiled gently, releasing Lea.

"Ok," he responded simply.

Lea took Dust's hand, and she began to walk to the front entrance of a nearby apartment.

Dust held the smaller's hand gently, walking with her to the entrance.

Lea entered the place, the insides looking the same as they has a year ago. The same as they had, before Horror's death...

The front desk lady that Dust had met from before looked up, smiling warmly at Dust, and not noticing Lea.

Dust gave a soft smile, stopping at the front desk.

"Heya," he greeted softly.

"Hello there! You're the friend of Duessbag's, am I correct? How is he? I know he stopped renting his place here awhile ago..." She giggled, tilting her glasses happily.

Dust winced slightly, looking down.

'I'll tell her the truth. Or part of it, at least.'

"You haven't heard..? He... Passed on awhile ago," he said, as sadly as he could manage.

"Really?! Oh gosh, I'm so sorry for you! That must have been so sad! How was the funeral?" She asked, a sympathetic look on her face.

"I couldn't even attend the funeral," Dust said sadly, shaking his head forlornly, not knowing how he could describe the funeral he hadn't attended. "I do wish I could've said goodbye, but... my boyfriend wasn't doing very well, and I... Wanted to spend all the time that I could with him before he was gone as well..."

"Oh? Well dearie, is your boyfriend ok now?" She asked, pushing some papers aside to lean more towards Dust.

Dust sighed slightly, genuinely sad this time.

"No," he responded quietly, looking away slightly.

"Um? Really?! Oh no, is he still sick?" She asked, looking genuinely worried.

Dust looked down.

"Dead," he said quietly.