[[NOTE: This is a SD!Dreammare story, you have been warned!]]
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Dream couldn't help it.
His brother was just so cute sleeping so peacefully like that in bed. Just holding that pillow that he knew had his scent on it.
The much taller skeleton jumped onto the bed, waking his sleeping brother up who gave him a tired glare and the winged skeleton just grins happily and lays on top of the darker clothed male who just grumbles and rolls onto his back, letting Dream use him as a mattress.
"Dream...why must you wake me up like this all the time?" The one under Dream sighed out but did nothing to push the other off. "Because your voice is so sexy in the mornings darling~" Dream replied, a purr to his voice.
Nightmare just gave the winged brother a look at this and shoves Dream's face away from his, much to the muffled protest of the much taller sibling. "Daaaaarling!~"
"No Dream, you're not getting any kisses this morning. My back still hurts from a few nights ago." Nightmare firmly stated. "You're never satisfied with just one kiss. One kiss would end up with us having sex, again." Dream pouts at this as he sits up and looks down at Nightmare, his wings contently resting against his back. Dream loved his brother, it was easy to tell just by how he looked down at the other skeleton. A tender look he reserved only for his Nightmare, the way his smile would be genuine and less wide. He always handled his brother like fine china.
Because to Dream, his brother was irreplaceable china - a one of a kind to be cherished and admired. Even when Nightmare had his moods, the positivity guardian loved him. Loved him so deeply it sometimes hurt. Nightmare was his source of positivity which was a little ironic because Nightmare was the guardian of negativity yet he made Dream feel so much positivity it was nearly overwhelming at times.
"Darling, I said I was sorry didn't I?" Dream continued to pout as he leaned down slightly and gently places his hands on Nightmare's wrists. Such a gentle hold that even a tiny child could easily send his hands flying. Never in his life would he dream of hurting his dear darling; his dear little brother. Nightmare sighed quietly at Dream's words and looked up at the skeleton who was sitting on him. "And I forgive you for that. But I still need a bit of a break, Dream." The pout still didn't go away so he rolls his eyes slightly and tugs his hands free from the oh so gentle hold and lifts his hands up and cups both sides of Dream's face with his ungloved hands. "Oh stop pouting you silly bird, you can have a morning kiss."
This instantly perked Dream up and he smiles brightly down at Nightmare and doesn't waste time in leaning down to give Nightmare a loving kiss. His hands were on either side of his brother underneath him to keep his weight mostly off his adorable little brother.
A soft pleased sigh escaped both of them as they kissed lovingly, Nightmare's hands still gently cupping Dream's face as a thumb began to slowly caress the smooth bone of the positivity guardians' cheek underneath the eye socket.
They slowly parted from the kiss and Nightmare trailed his hands down from Dream's face to his chest. "See Darling, I can hold myself back~" Dream teased as he carefully grabbed his brother and pulled him up into a sitting position slowly, keeping his arms wrapped around Nightmare's waist. He hasn't once looked away from Nightmare since he came into the room, only ever seeing his beautiful brother.
Nightmare chuckles and leans forward slightly and lightly bonks Dream's forehead with his. "So I see, brother. Will you be alright home alone for a while as I get some stuff done out in town?" Dream hummed quietly, his feathers fluffing up slightly as he gazed into the others' dark purple eye-lights. "I'm sure I can manage for a while, Darling~. It's not the first time I've looked after the house while you were gone." His SOUL was so bright with happiness. It was always like the first time he truly gazed into Nightmare's eyes for the first time. That tingly sensation and the way his SOUL swelled with affection and love. The way he would always break out into a wreck around Nightmare, wanting him close forever.
It was the purest form of positivity he ever felt and his brother made him feel alive. His darling. The love of his life he would die for in a heartbeat.
"Last I remember, Dream, you burnt the kitchen trying to surprise me for our anniversary last year." Nightmare raised a brow in questioning at this and Dream blushed slightly in embarrassment. "I'm sorry Darling but I promise that this year will be different! I promise not to cook again. But I still want to do something nice for you this year~" Dream pulls Nightmare closer, taking in the feeling of being whole, the feeling of the love so pure between them. Nightmare didn't protest as he wraps his arms around Dream's shoulders and from the content look he knew that Nightmare was happy even without feeling the emotions coming off him. They both sat quietly for a moment taking in the closeness before Nightmare pulls away and Dream lets him.
He never wanted Nightmare to feel trapped, never have to put effort into pulling away from an embrace. As much as Dream would love to never let go, to hold him tightly and to kiss him as passionately as he wanted, he knew Nightmare. The positivity guardian knew that Nightmare just needed time.
And Dream will give him all the time in the world Nightmare needed to feel comfortable again. Every moment is so precious to Dream, every moment that his brother lets him hold him for longer periods of time, to make love to him often is the greatest gift Dream could ask for.
All he could ever ask for was these small precious moments.
These moments of trust, of openness, of just feeling loved is all Dream wants. He would be content to never be able to hold his darling tightly, to never have that closeness of the SOUL that his feelings so desire for. He may desire to be bound to his brother forever, to feel their love even worlds apart while they worked, but if Nightmare never wanted that...
Then he will still be happy. He can accept that.
Either way, whether or not his brother will ever be ready, Dream will love Nightmare forever and always. Nightmare's happiness was what mattered, not his own desires for what they could have together. Even if he has to keep showing Nightmare he was different, he wouldn't hurt him, for the rest of eternity then he will do it.
Dream could never tire of his brother. Never tire of those small laughs, those glares he knows aren't actually heated, their small arguments, the perfect imperfections of their day to day life they've had for ten years now. Ten beautiful long years of being with his brother.
He must have zoned out while watching his brother go about his morning routine because suddenly he found himself staring up at Nightmare who was snapping his fingers in front of his face, gloves covering those milky white fingers that he loved to kiss and nuzzle.
"Ah, sorry Darling, I was just admiring you and got lost in thought~" Dream cooed as he lifts a hand up and gently takes the hand in front of his face and entwines their fingers together. This earned him a small blush from the negativity guardian who huffed quietly. "I had been calling you for five minutes. You must have been thinking really hard?" There was a small note of concern and Dream gently kisses the tips of the gloved fingers as a physical apology. "I'm sorry darling. A lot has been on my mind today~" The gloved hand slips from his and Nightmare backs away from him a couple steps. "Alright, Dream..." He wasn't entirely convinced but he knew he wouldn't get much more out of the other guardian at this point in time.
"You should get going Darling~ You don't want to be late do you?~" Dream teased and Nightmare rolls his eyes at this and turns his back on Dream and leaves their house, all the while being watched by Dream who had such an adoring look on his face.
It takes a moment before he stands up and goes to a music box on their shared dresser and he picks up a small black velvet box, his wings drooping and shoulders sagging slightly as he caressed the soft texture with a thumb. Ah...yes, the box... he thought. He couldn't help himself as he popped it open and gazed at the diamond ring sitting inside the box. The diamond was apple shaped, the same shape as their SOULs. He remembered a couple years ago he had gotten the ring and proposed to Nightmare. The rejection still stings but he will wait for as long as he had to to try again. Maybe Nightmare would never be ready to commit, but that was okay.
Dream slowly and gently closes the small black box and just gazes down at it. Nightmare had said he wasn't ready at the time, and he's never brought it up again.
He was just so glad he hadn't chased Nightmare off with his proposal.
The guardian places the box back down on the dresser and looks up and into the mirror before he lifts his shirt and takes out his SOUL and gently caresses it as he watched two little SOULs inside it moving about and he smiles a little.
"Three weeks, and you're so active already."
Dream places his golden SOUL back into his chest and begins his own errands for the day.
This anniversary will be the best one yet.
After all he could only hope that Nightmare would overcome his insecurities and doubts and accept their children.