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Growing up in a place like UnderLust was alright for a little while..until Gaster tried to up the monster birth rates with Chara's soul trait (lust). Ever since then, the entirety of the underground had been consumed by lust.
Lust hated it there. She really did. Even though she cared for her brother and didn't want to leave him there, she needed to get out of there and fast. Which was easier said than done.
Everyday was a fight for sanity and she eventually just kept herself locked in her room to keep everyone away. While in there, Lust began doing research on how to leave the underground.
- - -
After months and months of research, Lust was about to give up. There was nothing on how to escape and any resources there had been were blocked or taken down.
One day though, she heard a commotion from outside that didn't sound normal for UnderLust. Curiosity got the best of her and she went to check out her window.
Outside was a strange and very short skeleton with...a giant paintbrush? The skeleton was being ambushed by some citizens but suddenly vanished into a puddle of...ink?
Not even a second later, Lust heard someone sigh behind her. She jumped and whipped around, blaster pointed at the person.
It was that skeleton from outside. How'd they get in her room?
"Heya! You have any idea what's goin' on out there?" The skeleton asked, sounding oddly cheerful with a hint of confusion.
She was still confused but didn't let it show, instead she hardened her expression and didn't speak, afraid her voice would give away how she actually felt about the situation.
"Not much of a talker, huh?" The skeleton shrugged and pulled out a notebook, writing something down in it.
Lust wanted to go over and see what they were writing but didn't want to let her guard down, so she stood quietly where she was.
After a moment, the skeleton put the notebook away and swung his large brush, a puddle of Ink now on the floor. "See ya!" The skeleton gave her a wave and jumped into the ink, disappearing into it's darkness.
Lust didn't have a moment to think as the puddle had began to close, so she grabbed a bag she'd pre-packed and jumped into the Ink puddle.
She expected to just slip and hit the floor but instead, when she opened her eyes, she was blinded by the sun. Wait! The sun?! She sat up quicker than she ever had and stared at the burning ball in the sky, shock on her face.
Soon, the biggest smile made it's way onto her face, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks as she laughed. She'd finally made it out! After so long stuck in that prison of a place! She was finally free!
But her relief was soon short lived as the skeleton from before popped up in front of her. "How'd you get here?"
She screamed and punched them, causing them to stumble back holding their cheek. "You punch hard, kid." The skeleton commented with a chuckle, rubbing their cheek for a moment.
The skeleton grabbed that same notebook and began to look through it, flipping through pages and muttering to themselves. Occasionally Lust heard a few words slip out from time to time which only confused her more.
After a moment or two, the skeleton spoke up. "Alright! You're gonna go to the Omega timeline." "Huh?!" Was the first thing Lust had said during this entire ordeal.
The skeleton didn't say anything and just swung his brush again, an ink puddle appearing under her and sucking her in.
She screamed as she fell through yet another ink portal, this time landing in a blindingly white place surrounded by monsters that looked nearly identical to the people she'd left back home.
A small gray and black kid with (in her opinion a chopped) bob and black holes for eyes walked up to her, holding their hand out.
She stared at the kid for a moment before taking their hand, helping her up.
"I'm guessing Ink sent you here." The kid's voice was calm, drastically different from that weird skeleton's voice.
"Ink? You mean that guy who broke into my place?" She asked, still confused and wondering what was going on.
"That's them." The kid confirmed, starting to walk. Lust followed them, not sure what else to do.
"So...where am I?" She looked around at all the other monsters around them, wondering if that 'Ink' person brought them here too.
"The Omega timeline." They answered, further confusing her. "A new home for people who cannot live in their AUs."
Lust nodded along, looking at the town they had entered. It looked almost like her town back home but more...normal.
"And where are you taking me?" It was then that she had no clue where she would stay now, but the kid didn't answer and kept on walking.
She sighed and just decided to keep following the kid, adjusting the bag heavy on her shoulder.
- - -
Finally, after a few more minutes, the kid stopped in front of an apartment building.
The kid reached a hand into their hollow head through their eye socket and pulled out a room key, handing it to her. She was still a bit confused but gave the kid a smile and thanked them, earning a smile from them as well.
Once the kid left, she entered the building and made her way up to the floor where her new place was.
Her apartment door had a blank nameplate where she assumed her name would go considering the apartment across from her had a white nameplate with the name "Cross" written in black print.
"Cross? Bet he's delightful." She thought to herself as she unlocked her door, walking into the space.
Everything was plain with the bare minimum and not like her at all, but it would do for now until she could make some money and buy what she really wanted.
She knew getting used to everything would take a while, but she already felt better than she did back home.
- - -
It had been a few weeks already and Lust was settling in nicely. Everyone had been so kind to her as she settled in, but she still hadn't seen that "Cross" person who lived across from her.
Maybe he was busy? A shut in? She didn't know, but she did hope to meet him one day.
And that day, just so happened to be today. She'd gone grocery shopping and her arms were full as she made her way through the hallway of her building.
She was only a few feet away from her door when she saw the most beautiful man she'd ever seen leaving the apartment across from hers.
That had to be Cross. She never thought he would've looked so beautiful.
He looked over at her and, when they made eye contact, they both felt fireworks. It was love at first sight.
The other skeleton (Cross) noticed her hands were full and came over to help. "Mind if I take one of those?" He asked, his voice smooth and deep.
She felt herself flush upon hearing it but nodded, letting him take one of the bags so she could grab her key and open her door.
She let him in first and closed the door behind her with her foot. She couldn't believe such a beautiful man was actually in her apartment! But she was snapped out of her thoughts by his beautiful voice asking where he should put the groceries.
"O-on the counter is fine." She told him, walking over and placing the other bag next to the one he'd placed down, mentally kicking herself for stuttering.
While she put away the groceries, he looked around her (for now) plain apartment, taking in all the details. And, after a moment, he spoke up.
"How are you liking everything so far?" "What?" She looked over, confused as she'd been in her thoughts again. "You're new, aren't you?" He asked, glancing over at her. She nodded and continued putting groceries away.
He walked over and began helping her put the groceries away while making small talk. When asking how she was liking her apartment, they both reached for the same bunch of grapes, their hands touching.
The two quickly pulled away, flustered and muttering apologies as they quickly put the rest of the groceries away.
- - -
A few minutes later, everything was put away and Cross was about to leave. He was halfway out the door when he stopped and turned back.
"We never exchanged names, did we?" He chuckled, a sound so charming she wished she could hear it every day.
"No, we didn't." She laughed a bit as well, feeling oddly shy all of a sudden.
He walked back over to her and held out his hand for her to take. "I'm Cross, pleasure to meet you." When she took his hand, he brought it to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of her hand.
Her face flushed bright purple and she looked away, not able to look into his charming eyes any longer.
"And your name is?" He expectantly asked, waiting patiently to hear her name. But when she went to speak, she realized she didn't have a name to give.
If she were to call herself by her AU's name, she would hate herself for forever. And she really hadn't done much research on what she wanted to be called so, after a moment of stuttering, she blurted out the first thing she could think of.
"Love. But you can call me L."
- - -