Our Little Toys

CHAPTER 23

  Nightmare unlocked the room and walked in. He smiled calmly, admiring the two sleeping men. He was glad to catch them before they woke up, they were much easier to deal with when they were asleep. They were quiet, calm, didn’t fight back, anything. He walked over to them and sat down on the bed. Nightmare leaned over them, pulling their hair out of the way so he could get a nicer look at their handsome faces. He caressed along Ink’s cheek and jawline, just admiring him with his hands. He heard Dream quietly groan and pulled his hands away as he watched Dream’s eyes slowly flick open. He panicked and clung tightly to Ink when he managed to register that Nightmare was there.

  “Calm down Dream. I am not here to hurt either of you. I am not Killer, do not worry about me doing anything to either of you.” Nightmare explained.

  “Oh come on! You are a liar! What the fuck are you doing here if you are not going to hurt him?” Dream asked loudly.

  “I am just here to return him to his room. He can not stay here forever. Not unless you two start to behave yourselves.”

  “Please, let him stay with me. Please. I can not leave him right now, he needs me!” Dream said, tightening his grip on Ink a little too tightly.

  Ink stirred, letting out small noises of discomfort because of how tight Dream’s grip was on him. His face twisted and he tried to keep his eyes closed, not fully remembering where they were or what was happening. Though that moment of bliss ended when he actually forced his eyes open and saw Nightmare. He tried to pull away and get as far away from Nightmare as he could though Dream held him firmly in place despite the struggling.

  He quickly turned away from Nightmare and tried to comfort Ink to the best of his ability. Ink calmed when he realised that it was Dream holding him in his arms, and instead of struggling against him he clung back to him in the same way he was being held. Ink hid his head in Dream’s chest and hoped that he would protect him. He was mentally pleading that Nightmare would just leave them alone and that he wouldn’t suffer anymore.

  Everything hurt, his chest, his legs, his arm, he could barely move without being in pain. Nightmare raised his hands defensively and stood up away from the bed. He allowed Dream to calm him down and stayed at a distance that wouldn’t scare Ink. Or a distance that he thought wouldn’t scare Ink. He was terrified the second he was in the room with him, no matter whether Dream was in between them or not. He was relying on him, but he knew Dream really couldn’t do anything. If they wanted to hurt him they wouldn’t hesitate, no matter where he was and who was with him.

  “Please, just leave him here. We will not cause any trouble for you, I promise. Just… do not make me leave him.” Dream begged.

  “Alright. Today. Only today. Tonight I will come and take him back to his room. A day should be good enough for you two, right?” Nightmare said, crossing his arms like a sassy teen.

  “Fine, ok… thank you.” Dream mumbled.

  Nightmare sighed and left the room, telling them that he would return later with food for the both of them. They were grateful and relieved when Nightmare left the room and they were left alone with each other. The room was quiet apart from the occasional apology from both of them.

  Both Ink and Dream blamed themselves for their current predicament. Dream thought that it was his fault because he was the first one in there and because the body parts had been sent to him, he assumed that everything that was happening was because of him. Ink thought that if he was stronger, if he forced Dream to stay that day, if he actually killed Killer, just did anything the slightest bit better then they’d all be out of here. In reality it was neither of their faults, but they each blamed themselves for things out of their control. After all, it was human nature in a way.