Night Terrors

Twenty-Seven

"Hey Nighty?" Dream looked over at his brother. "Do you ever... miss mom?"

Nightmare tensed up. "No. I never miss her." It wasn't like it was a long while since he last saw her. She always made her occasional visits, trying to get his soul. Now, they were nightly, and he didn't have to worry about caring about all the time past.

"Never?"

"Never."

"Sometimes I do... even after you said all that stuff."

"Oh Dream, I'm so sorry."

"No, it's fine. Maybe I miss what I pretended was her, when it was just you. I miss the beautiful, godly woman I thought she was, you know?" Dream hugged his knees to his chest. "I miss the idea of a sweet, caring mother."

"I do too, Dream. But sometimes you gotta move on."

"I know, I know. It's just... hard." Dream rubbed his forehead. "I mean, I finally stopped mourning you, and then... you came back, you know? And it was like I was a little kid again, and it's hard to break out of that. That I'm an adult, and everything has happened. And... I guess because I accepted that you're dead, and now you're not, I just... I silently wish that our mom'll come back, and that memory of her being a great mother would be resurrected too."

"Oh, Dream..." Nightmare scooted closer to his brother, hesitating before hugging him. "My little brother... little Daydream. I know this all is difficult. I know that everything has changed. But one thing won't. And that's that Nim wasn't a good mom." He pulled away. "But we'll always have each other."

"Right..."

"I think it's time for bed. At least for me." Nightmare stood up. "We're five minutes away from Killer coming down for me to come to bed anyway. It's hilarious, you should witness it sometime."

Dream sniggered, laughing gently at the thought. "Aww. That's cute."

"Yeah. He's cute." Nightmare smiled a little before starting on the stairs. "Sweet yous. Don't let the apple worms bite."

Dream stifled a laugh, remembering how his brother would say that to him when they were children. It was stupid, but... sweet. "Don't have a you, brother." Dream smiled.

"Oh, tell that to Nim! She's the source of all my nightmares!"

The brothers laughed, as quietly as they could, of course. As the dark twin disappeared into the levels of the castle, the golden brother stopped. He hugged his knees close to his chest, biting his lip in thought. There was no one there to be a voice of reason. And with no voice of reason, all hell breaks loose.

-

Nightmare screamed, as his usual nightmare was repeating. He was getting so exhausted by this. He wished she would finally leave him alone. He was so sick and tired of being haunted.

"Just leave me alone!" He exclaimed, pounding his skeletal fists on the grassy ground. Tears dropped onto the grass as he gritted his teeth. "Please! Just leave me alone!"

"You know what would make sure I never bothered you again? If you just gave me your soul! Come on, Nightmare! Aren't you tired of hurting? Isn't it just exhausting to work to keep good relations with everyone? Doesn't it hurt when you remember how much pain you've gone through? If you gave me your soul, you'd never have to worry about that again!"

"Stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it! You just want to be alive! And you don't care if you have to kill your own sons to do it! You're a terrible, selfish monster!"

"Stop complaining! You are so annoying! I won't miss you when you're dead!"

Nim was about to continue, but she suddenly went silent. Her opal eyes softened, and she dropped her scowl. She looked much more elegant with the softer expression.

The dark brother sat there, confused by her sudden silence. He slowly rose to his feet, wearily. He couldn't trust she didn't find another way to get him, and kill him.

"Come here," Nim called out, in her maple sweet voice. It was all too familiar, to when this never-ending nightmare started. "Nightmare. Daydream."

Nightmare's eyes widened. He turned around, seeing his little brother, as just a child, slowly walk out from behind the bushes. His sweet, round eyes stared right ahead, at the tree. At his mother. Why, it had been hundreds of years since he'd seen her, and her face was faded away in his memory.

But now she was so real, and he could see every detail he'd forgotten. From every loose green hair, to her impossibly perfect skin, to her soft almond eyes, to her sweet smile. She was a dream come true.

"Dream, no!" Nightmare went to his brother, grabbing his arm. But the golden son didn't listen. He shrugged his arm away, walking over to the tree.

"M-mom...?" he whispered, his young voice too scared to be loud.

"Come here, Daydream." Nim outstretched her arms, smiling ever so kindly.

"Mom!" Dream's eyes filled with tears. All the years slipped away, and he felt like a little kid again. And for the first time, he'd be able to run to his mother and just cry as she held him. He wanted that.

"Dream, no!"

"Daydream."

Dream started to run. He didn't pay attention to what his brother said. He just wanted his mom. The one that would hold him close when he was scared. The one who got him the perfect presents. The one who treated her sons fairly. The one that would protect her children for anything. The one he made up.

"Stop!" Nightmare managed to stop his brother getting in between him and Nim. He gasped, in surprise and fear, as he felt his shoulder get grabbed by his mother.

And like always, a sudden light blinded them all and he woke up. He rubbed his shoulders, trying to get the feeling of her hand off of him. He was uncomfortable and scared, and he needed to cry.

"Killer," Nightmare gently shook his boyfriend awake. "K-Killer, p-please..."

"What? Princess, are you okay?"

"Pl-please, just, K-Killer... just hold me. Please..." Nightmare laid back down, hugging his boyfriend tight. He tried to calm his breathing, although his entire body was shaking, and he couldn't stop feeling cold. He was terrified and uncomfortable, and he just wanted to feel okay. "Just hold me... hold me, please..."