Night Terrors

Twenty-Six

Nightmare sighed as he looked at his lover. He'd been having troubles falling asleep, yet his sweet boyfriend was snoozing already. He looked so handsome, so peaceful. God, Nightmare loved him so much.

The god sighed, smiling a little. He scooted closer, holding him closer. He closed his eyes, wondering what dreams he was having. He nuzzled his chest, trying to will himself into seeing it.

Slowly, he blinked his eyes closed. They stayed closed for a few moments before he gave up on the idea and he decided to open them. He soon realized he was dreaming. Well, more accurately, in a dream.

He looked down, at little housewife apron he had on. He furrowed his brows in confusion before he felt two familiar arms wrap around him.

"I'm so tired, my Queen," Killer sighed, nuzzling his lover's shoulder.

"You always feel tired, dear," Nightmare said, letting the dream control his speech. He giggled as he felt small kisses be planted on his neck.

"You know what would make me feel better?" Killer grinned a little.

"We have enough kids, if I'm catching on right." He felt his cheeks flush. He knew it was just a dream, and it probably meant nothing, but knowing his lover dreamt of them in a sweet little family was flattering. It made his heart flutter in a way it only did for Killer.

"We never can have enough. How could you even think that?" Killer slowly turned him around. "I adore seeing you pregnant with my children. And you really flourished as a mother. How can I help you not add another adorable child to our family when I can barely stop myself from overwhelming the ones we already have?"

"You're impossible, Killer." Nightmare grinned, wrapping his arms around his neck. "Maybe I'll consider it. You do have such a way with words."

"Thank you, my beloved." Killer leaned in, gently kissing his husband.

Feeling the ring on his finger, Nightmare leaned in. He wanted something like this. So normal and wholesome. Of him and Killer, in a big happy family. He wanted this. He wanted something so sweet, with no one other than his one and only. It was just a dream, but it was filling his head with thoughts of a nuclear family with his boyfriend. Of being husbands, and parents.

Still, the dream didn't last. His eyes closed into the kiss, and he soon found his subconsciousness somewhere else. He fell to his knees, looking down at his ivory hands. Oh, he already missed the simple golden band around his finger.

"One of those disgusting monsters? Really?" Nim growled from behind him. "I can't believe I raised you, only for you to fall in love with one of those disgusting, pathetic beings."

"You have no right to speak, Nim." Nightmare furrowed his eyebrows, not caring to turn to her. "You didn't raise me. I raised me. And I raised Dream too. I don't appreciate hearing you speak ill of the man I love."

"Disgusting. You should wake up and see no one would really love you. You're pathetic, just like those disgusting mortals. I can't believe I'm your mother!"

"You are not my mother!" Nightmare stood up. "You are a heartless, pathetic, bitter old woman. And you can't even see that! I pity you, I really do."

"Don't you dare speak to your mother like that, Nightmare!"

"You are not my mother!" The dark god turned around, glaring at the tree spirit with all the rage he'd built up for thousands and thousands of years.

"You take that back! You will show me the respect I deserve! Now you apologize before I make you!"

"No! You don't deserve my respect! You're a bitter hag that has nothing better to do than to terrorize me! You're a monster, who never cared! And now you're trying to trick me, to hurt me! You're doing it all over again! You just care about yourself, and you're hurting me again for it! You deserve no respect, not from me, not from my brother, and not from anyone else!"

"I will give you to the count of three, you spoiled brat!"

"No! You won't treat me like a child anymore! I'm an adult, and I have been since I was young! You stole my childhood, and I won't let you act like I have any of it left! You made sure I didn't!"

"One!"

"I won't let you hurt me anymore! I deserve better! I realized that when I found people who actually loved me!" Nightmare felt his face heat up as tears pricked his eyes. But he stayed strong. "And I saw that he did love me! I was so blinded by your neglect, and their abuse, that I couldn't even see my own brother caring! You made me hurt me!"

"Two!"

"That's why I killed you, and not Dream!"

Nim's opal eyes went wide. She didn't speak, her dark green brows furrowed in anger. Suddenly, she screamed. "That's it!"

The prince struggled as his own corruption surrounded him, making him fall to his knees. He could feel it inside of him, in his bones, in his soul. Cracking his skull, overwhelming his senses. He felt it drip down his numbing lips, and pour from his eye. Oh, not again. Being corrupted was the most painful thing he'd ever experienced, and he could feel it happening all over again.

That's when he stood, without his permission. He struggled, yelling  and screaming and grunting as he tried to fight the liquid shadows dragging him closer to his mother.

"Lets see how you like being dead!" Nim sprung forward, only to be held back by her chains. "Now come here, you little brat!"

Nightmare screamed. It was all he could do at the pain.

"Nightmare!"

Killer's face was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes. He looked worried, scared. He knew his boyfriend had nightmares, but seeing him crying in his sleep made his soul ache. He hated seeing his pain.

"Oh Killer!" Nightmare lurched toward, caressing his face. He stammered his name some more before kissing him messily.

Killer pushed him away for a moment, catching his breath at the sudden action. "Woah there, Princess! What's going on?"

"I love you! I love you so much!" Nightmare was so overwhelmed. He hurt for so long, yet Killer helped. He made him feel better, made him feel loved, even if only a little at first. He wanted to cry, for so many reasons. But the one screaming at him loudest was his intense affection for him. "I love you! I love you more than life! Kiss me, Killer!"

"Okay, I think you need to take a breather, hon. I'm kind of worried now. So let's just lay down for a bit, okay?"

Nightmare nodded. He couldn't explain why out of everything, he felt like his love hit him like a train when he saw him that morning. But he felt it. Maybe for his sweet dream, maybe for continuously saving him from his past, maybe because he just couldn't process all of his emotions. But for once, he wasn't scared that he was overwhelmed. He was just in love.