Averse

Chapter 8 - Coping

"Dream," an unfamiliar tenor voice spoke behind him. It sounded warm and kind, if not a bit...melancholy? Dream slowly turned around, face still stained with tears, and came face to face with an unfamiliar skeleton. Something clicked in his brain as he took in the form of the other. "E...Eclipse...?" came his astonished whisper. He had heard of this tall skeleton who walked within nightmares, bringing ease of mind to those he visited. How was he here? Dream couldn't have nightmares!

He saw the taller skeleton's eyelight flash with alarm. "H-How did you...?" The guardian hurriedly rushed to correct his (quite frankly rather rude) greeting. "A-Ah! S-Sorry, I-I've heard of you. Some folks around the Multiverse had many good things to say...! Apologies if I startled you." Eclipse nodded, seemingly relieved at this answer. "Right," he confirmed, comforting smile returning to his face. "May I ask," Dream began quizzically. "How are you here? I can't exactly have dreams for you to walk through!" A nervous laugh escaped him as he stared up at the rather intimidating figure before him. "A-Ah!" Eclipse once again seemed a bit startled. "W-Well, you still technically enter the Dreamscape when you sleep. I can still access your mind in this state." Dream nodded, taking in the information graciously. He noted that Eclipse seemed rather nervous– more so than he had been described.

"Please," Eclipse started, knocking Dream from his thoughts. "Have a seat, tell me what troubles you." He watched the taller skeleton nestle himself into a cross-legged position on the ground. Eclipse stared up at Dream patiently, still smiling softly. The smaller guardian chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck, sitting down in front of Eclipse. "O-Oh, well– I'm sure there's not much to talk about there. I'm the guardian of Positivity, after all!" The taller skeleton's smile fell into a concerned frown, something familiar flashing within his eyelight. Dream instantly knew his acting had been too poor to be convincing. "Dream..." his breath caught as he said the name, "I am only drawn to extreme turmoil. Typically the nightmares I visit are truly horrific... traumatic, even. There is certainly something for us to talk about." Dream looked away, slightly ashamed of himself. With a sigh he turned his attention back to Eclipse. "Alright," he eventually caved. "There are...a few things." Eclipse patiently waited with his hands folded in his lap for Dream to continue. "I'm not..." the smaller skeleton hesitated for a moment. "I'm not okay," he whispered softly. With his eyes cast down to his lap, he couldn't see the deep stab of pain that flashed across Eclipse's face. The taller skeleton remained quiet, however, and waited patiently for Dream to continue. "I nearly... killed... one of my brother's subordinates recently." He didn't notice Eclipse's posture stiffen at the mention of this, or if he did he made no move to comment. "I've just felt so... so horrible ever since then. I don't know what happened, I–! Well... it's not like I was feeling much better before that, either... I don't even remember the last time I've felt... okay." Looking up for the first time in a minute or two he met Eclipse's eyes, seeing the sympathy and concern painted across his face. "I don't think I've been okay since I lost Nighty," he whispered breathlessly, tears welling up in his eyes again. Eclipse choked back his own emotion, attempting to keep himself together and not give himself away. "It's been so much harder without him," Dream continued shakily. "A-And– now don't get me wrong, I love Ink, I really do! –but he just doesn't get it! I know he can't, I know it's unfair of me to ask him to, but..." he wiped his eye sockets with the sleeve of his robe. "I just wish he actually cared about me, I guess."

Eclipse stared at Dream as the guardian lowered his head again, eyes hollow and lifeless. "Everyone who's ever cared about me either treats me like some eternally happy god full of sunshine and rainbows, or... isn't around anymore."

Eclipse could feel every bone in his body aching with the desire to help his brother, no matter how big the rift between them was. He had dreaded the day that 'Eclipse' would meet Dream, yet at the same time had been rather excited. He was finally able to speak to his brother again without acting as his enemy. He was finally reunited with his brother... but he couldn't say anything about it. He couldn't do anything about it. Dream couldn't know, so he had to bite back his emotions and act as 'Eclipse', the unbiased and wise pseudo-therapist of the Multiverse. Still, he couldn't stop himself from reaching out to comfort his brother, wrapping the smaller skeleton into a warm embrace full of more love and compassion than the other could know. Dream hesitantly wrapped his arms around Eclipse, returning the hug gratefully. "I'm sorry," he murmured weakly against Eclipse's shoulder. "There must be more important things for you to be doing right now..."