The next day, Nightmare calls me again with good and bad news. For him, at least.
Nm: Hey, brother.
Me: What's up? You sound down.
Nm: Well, I supposed I should get that out of the way, shouldn't I? So... Uh... We have two new members in our group. Yay... But.. Uhm... I kinda... Broke up with Cross... Uh... Yeah.
Me: Brother, I'm so sorry!
Nm: Don't be, Dream. It was bound to happen. Anyway, he was kinda a jerk and yelled at me. We had a toxic relationship, okay? Don't feel bad about it. He deserves better.
Me: Oh... Poor guy. I hope he finds someone. And you... I hope you do, too.
*An uncomfortable silence follows this angsty portion of the call. Then, he starts to speak again.*
Nm: So, uhm... About the two newbies.
Me: Oh... Uh, congrats?
Nm: Their names are Dust and Horror. Absolute idiots. Love them already.
Me: You should find a third idiot. They can be a trio. Like Ink, Blue, and I!
Nm: Good idea, but where am I gonna get a third idiot from? It's not like they sell them anywhere.
Me: You don't know that. For all we know, there could be an entire AU that sells idiots.
*I hear Nightmare face palm himself.*
Nm: Should've checked while I was in the area. Dang it! Where were you two hours ago?!
Me: Asleep or in the shower.
Nm: Probably both.
*He mutters this under his breath jokingly. I still couldn't make out what he was saying.*
Me: Sorry, brother?
Nm: Anyways-
Me: NIGHTMARE JOKU!
*Night laughs loudly and shamelessly. He clearly doesn't care if any of his gang members hear him.*
Nm: Sorry sorry sorry! I had to! It was just-
*He cuts himself off with a wheeze that makes me anxious about his health. It wasn't even that funny...*
Me: Night, take a break. Go take a walk. Geez you scare me sometimes.
*He hangs up and I head downstairs for breakfast.*
"OOOOOOO! LOOK AT ALL THE SHORTIES!"
"AW! SHORITE EXHIBIT! CUTE!"
"Dust, Horror, you're not here to stare are the Star Sanses, you're here to do the job you were assigned."
I wince, watching an irritated Cross scold two other skeletons that must be Dust and Horror.
"OOOOO! THAT ONE MUST BE BOSS'S BROTHER!"
Cross sighs. "Yes, Horror. That's Dream. Leave him alone."
"Wouldn't that be counterproductive?" Dust asks.
Cross slaps him upside the head. "Didn't ask you. Now shut up and complete the mission. I'll handle these guys."
He takes on a fight stance, watching the three of us intently as the two big idiots slip away to do Nightmare's evil bidding.
"Now, where were we?"
"We were never anywhere," Ink snarls.
Cross sighs again. "Oh, Ink... Why must you be so difficult? You're no fun!"
He twirls his knife around before pointing it at Blue's throat.
"Another move. I dare you, Ink."
Blue stares at Ink, petrified, his eyes holding a silent plea for Ink to stand still.
And in fact, none of us move. We're all too scared of what Cross is going to do to Blue if we do.
"Tsk tsk..." Cross mutters. "Look at how pathetic you are. Can't risk having even a little cut on your friend here. Seriously? I thought you were legendary heroes. And aren't heroes supposed to be more... Heroic?"
Ink clenches his hands into tight fists, refusing to take any action against our black-and-white enemy. Cross removes his burning glare from Ink and turns to me.
"You... I won't fail this time..."
He raises his knife, which has been pulled away from Blue's throat, and holds it in front of my chest. As he brings it down, I roll out of the way to avoid being stabbed. Growling, he continues to slash at me, to no avail. I'm so dexterous that he can't lay a hand on me.
"Oh, sure. Run and run and dodge and dodge all you want. Coward."
My blood boils at this. The audacity of him to call me a coward just for not hurting him. Like he doesn't know I might actually have a strategy...
"COWARD?! YOU CALL ME A COWARD?! YOU CAN'T EVEN FACE NIGHTMARE WITHOUT TREMBLING AND WORRYING ABOUT WHAT HE'S GONNA DO TO YOU. AND YET, I'M THE COWARD FOR NOT ATTACKING YOU LIKE I SHOULD. DOES THE WORD 'COMPASSION' MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU, YOU HALF AND HALF BASTARD?!"
And then... Everything seems to freeze. Cross's angry expression drops to one of guilt and defeatedness, like I had seen him with earlier. Ink and Blue just stare at me somewhat sympathetically. But they're mainly just worried, I can tell.
"You know what? I'm done. I never do anything right. Not for Ink, not for Nightmare, not for you... What purpose do I even have? I'm just an emotional pawn. Emotions get in the way of doing the work I'm supposed to. I'm just... Done with all this."
The way his cocky spirits just drop into... This... It crushes me. I snapped at him without considering how he must've felt. Why he was the way he was. Everything he's ever been through. I hadn't considered any of that.
"Cross, I didn't mean it..."
"No, I'm sure you did. And you know what? It's okay. I needed to hear it. And Ink, you can do whatever you want to me right now. I deserve it. You too, Dream."
That seems to be the A-OK to hurdle toward him and squeeze him in a tight hug. Ink does nothing, except grab Blue and take him home.
That leaves Cross and I in a strangely comforting position.
"Why did you... Why didn't you...?"
"Cross, you're not useless in the least. It's okay to have feelings, all right? We all do. Don't feel like it's a burden to you, because it shouldn't be. And you never disappoint me, okay? You make me proud. Because you're always being you. That's all I ask for."
Cross sniffs, putting his arms around my back.
"Can we... Talk again later? You know... Like friends...?"
"Of course..."
....
.... Like friends....
Because that was all we would ever be... And it was a painful truth, no matter how much I wanted it any other way...
Just Friends...
[1019 words. First time I've written smth this long :D]
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