I have yet another art piece featuring one of hotdogstandz Sans AU designs! This time, we've got Dust!
This is also featuring a lil mini story I wrote because I cannot contain all my artistic abilities, heh.
This piece is also fully shaded, which took forever because I haven't fully shaded a piece in forever, but I hope y'all like it!
(Click for better quality)
I tried my best to convey the personality Green gives his version of Dust, but I didn't have a whole lot to go off of, but I tried my best! I hope you all enjoy!
Story under the cut!
It had only been about 6 months since Pluto joined the…odd group of skeletons led by Nightmare. When they first arrived, the deity had warned them about the other’s feelings toward humans. They didn’t think it would be much to worry about at first, but only a few days later they were attacked by Dust during breakfast while he mumbled something about the stripes on their sweater. Luckily, they only got away with a few scrapes and a bruise or two. As a result of the attack, Pluto began avoiding Dust, and pretty much everyone else, as much as possible. However, Nightmare called them to his office just a few days ago to talk to them about at least trying to get along with the others, stating it would be easier for everyone when it came to missions.
So here Pluto was, sitting on the couch in the den, trying to act relaxed while Dust sat just a few feet away from them. They tried to focus on the stupid adult cartoon on the TV, but the potential of being attacked again was enough to distract them from the crude humor that they would normally laugh at. It took a good three episodes for them to finally start to relax and actually pay attention to the show rather than Dust.
Then they felt the couch shift and looked over to see Dust about five inches from their face.
Pluto jolted and pressed themself back against the arm of the couch, “What the fuck, dude! Give me a warning before yo-”
“Shut up.” Dust demanded plainly.
Pluto obeyed, much to their own dismay. Dust wasn’t looking directly at them, more like in their general direction, but it was still enough to be unsettling. Then a moment later, he began looking around before pausing for a second, then looking around again.
It was when he started to feel around the couch cushions that Pluto finally decided to break their obedience and ask, “What the hell are you doing?”
He didn’t bother looking back at them when answering, “You don’t fuckin’ hear that?”
Pluto, despite being pressed about as close to the arm of the couch as they could get, pressed themself further into the couch, worried this was another one of Dust’s mental breaks, “Uh, hear what?”
“The fuckin’ thumping,” Dust grumbled as he continued to shove his hand between the couch cushions in search of what was making the supposed noise.
Pluto glanced at the TV before looking back at Dust, “Do you think it could be coming from the TV?”
Dust finally looked up at Pluto, making a shiver run down their spine, “I know what the fuckin’ TV sounds like. It’s not that.”
Hearing the growing annoyance in Dust’s voice, Pluto opted to stay quiet and turn their attention back to the TV, hoping one of the others would come into the room soon to deal with Dust. Unfortunately, that is not at all what happened. Instead of a saving grace, Pluto was suddenly grabbed by the shoulders and pinned to the arm of the couch by Dust. Immediately going into a panic, they tried shoving him away, “What the fuck! Get off me!”
Dust ignored them, shoving their arms out of the way and, of all things he could’ve done, pressed the side of his skull to their chest. Pluto’s panic was still present, but now they were more confused than scared. Then, after a few seconds of them trying to shove Dust away, he mumbled, “It’s comin’ from you.”
Pluto froze, slowly processing Dust’s words and trying to figure out what the hell he was talking about. They assessed the situation fully for a moment before it finally clicked, “Are you talking about my fucking heart?”
Dust leaned up to look them in the eye, “It makes noise?”
“Uh, yeah. I thought you’d know that.”
Dust deadpanned and they narrowed their eyes, “Look, I get that you guys are skeletons n’ shit but Nightmare said you had experience with humans so I figured you’d know our hearts make noise.”
“I’ve never heard that sound from a human before, though.”
Pluto’s eyebrows knit together in confusion, “If you’ve ever been close enough to a living human, then you’ve heard it.”
“...Do they have to be living?”
“Wh-uh, yes. Yes, they do. Our hearts only beat if we’re alive. If they stop beating then we die,” Pluto explained.
Dust didn’t respond, his eyelights turning to Pluto’s chest, in the general area of their heart. After a moment, Dust planted his head right on their chest, facing the TV to continue watching the cartoon.
“Uhhh, Dust? Do ya mi-”
“Shut up.”
Pluto’s jaw clacked shut instantly. No way in hell were they gonna risk pissing off the skeleton that has routine mental breakdowns. When it became clear Dust wasn’t moving any time soon, Pluto gradually relaxed. Slowly, they rested their arm over Dust’s back.
Much to their surprise, he let them.
