~~~
Dream sniffled quietly, his sobbing having tapered off a long time ago. He was laying under the tree, curled up in a tight ball. He slowly untensed his bones, forcing himself to lay on his back and stare up into the tree. He didn't know how much time had passed but soon he calmed down enough to think rationally. His brother was up there, hurt and in pain. Nightmare needed him! He stood up shakily on weak legs, using the tree to steady himself. (Cause it represents balance XD okay I know that was a horrible joke. Sorry.- X) (I just had to leave it there. XD -Sky)
Dream directed his shaky hands to grip the tree's bark and slowly dragged himself upwards, his arms burning in protest. He hadn't moved them in at least an hour and now he expected top performance? No, of course that's not going to happen.
Despite his weak arms burning painfully, he pushed through and scaled the tree albeit slower than the speed Nightmare had gone. It was a large and tall tree, reaching up to the top was no walk in the park. Dream was already panting when he finally reached the first branch and pulled himself up, practically dying inside as he hung on the branch, his whole body protesting any movement.
His eye lights flickered with determination. The thought of Nightmare up all alone and in pain sparked a protective feeling in him. He had to comfort his brother! He stood up shakily, nearly falling but managed to keep upright and slowly made his way up the tree.
~~~
Nightmare stared curled up on the branch for how long he wasn't sue. His mind now silent as the pain he once felt faded but lingered like a dull consistent burn. Tears had long ended leaving behind a stain on his face. He wanted to move but each attempt only made the burning worse, turning it into a sharp stabbing pain. So he doesn't move. As long as he doesn't move, he'll be fine.
He winced when he adjusted his position into a sitting one, biting his lip to swallow a yelp of pain. He took this time alone to analyze the damage. His right hand was broken, spiderline of cracks on the white and red bone. The blood now dried, staining his bones and clothes a dark red with a brown tinge. His left radius had snapped due to taking the brunt of the force when he tried to protect his skull. However, his skull had cracks and bruises but none are life threatening besides a major concussion, thankfully. His ribs stung with a few bruises and cracks but none had broken. His hipbones were bruised and had a few cracks on it which explained the pain went he tried to move his legs. The legs themselves only had scratches and bruises, none broken nor cracked.
Honestly, Nightmare expected worse. Thankfully the villagers ceased their attacks and he was able to escape. Now if only he could manage to heal himself. But his magical storage are low with pain and it'll be a while before he could even attempt at healing magic, something he's not good at.
Nightmare sighed and put his head in his knees, his arms wrapped around his legs and pulled up to his chest. Maybe he could take a nap first. Stars knows he needs it.
Nightmare closed his eyes and tried to relax enough to sleep. But for whatever reason, maybe the pain or leftover adrenaline, he couldn't fall asleep. He kept trying but it didn't work and he was left to stay awake bearing the pain of his injuries.
~~~
Dream grunted as he pulled himself further up, his skull bumping against a branch. Ouch. Where was Nightmare? He sat down on a branch and closed his eye sockets to try and find his brother's presence. His skull snapped upwards. Nightmare was up there. Almost at the top of the tree, directly above him.
Dream stood up again and quickly got to climbing, slowly approaching the branch where he had felt his brother. His arms were stinging in pain but he clenched his teeth and beared it. Nightmare was in so much more pain. He had to help him!
~~~
It was calm, somewhat. The pain began to dull and became hazy, the good kind of hazy. The one where you can't feel the pain anymore after you've endured it for hours. A relief of some sort. A mercy. He knows it's still there but he can't feel it as intense as it was before. Safe to say, he became used to the feeling.
He stirred when he felt a presence climbing up the tree. He tensed in fear, did one of the villagers climb up? Stars are they that determined to kill him?!
He relaxed a bit when he felt his brother's presence instead of the villagers. The warm feeling of his brother's aura was easily identifiable and hard to be confused with the dark aura that usually came from the villagers. So he relaxed, putting his outwards trust on his brother. Dream would never hurt him.
But...maybe he would. Positively should destroy negativity right?
Nightmare's breathing stuttered in fear and he trembled once more. Tears pooled in his sockets once more in fear and dread. Maybe Dream would come and finish the job. Maybe he was sent by the villagers to kill him. Would Dream do that? Would he finally hurt, kill his own brother?
Nightmare didn't know. And that scared him even more than he did.
~~~
Dream felt his brother's presence calm and figured that he had noticed him. There was no point in being slow and quiet now, was there? He quickly climbed further up, ignoring the agony in his arms at having to strain them for so long and pulled himself onto the branch Nightmare was on, heaving with gasps of air. He practically face planted onto the branch and lifted his skull a bit to look at his brother. His soul twisted with guilt as the other suddenly looked extremely anxious.
"It's just.." Dream panted. "just me..." He continued, breathing heavily. He slowly approached the other as if he was a scared and hurt wild animal, taking great care to make no sudden movements. Anything could set Nightmare off now. As much as it hurt his very soul to think about it, Nightmare was not okay. He likely never had been to begin with. A sudden thought shot through his mind. A reminder of what the villagers had said to him and likely to his brother. To the point where maybe, just maybe, his brother believed it to be true.
"You aren't evil, brother." Dream explained carefully, not using the awful name the other had been dubbed with.
~~~
Nightmare curled into himself when he heard his brother come close and tried to protect his skull feebly by raising his arm. He heard Dream's gasping words and relaxed slightly in amusement. Dream was never as skilled a climber as he is. Spending more time on the ground entertaining the villagers and only climbing up to the lower branches when needed, he didn't get a lot of practice.
He opened his eyes and watched warily through the gap between his arm as Dream breathed heavily on the large branch they're on, shyly missing the pool of dried blood on the wooden texture of the branch. Dream said he won't hurt him but...he could be lying just to get Nightmare to let his guard down.
Nightmare scooted backwards anxiously, flinching at the sharp pain he received due to his movements. His eye lights shrunk at Dream's words and he turned away from his brother.
"Go away." he said weakly.
~~~
Dream saw Nightmare relax slightly and was about to think he was getting through to the other when he tried to scoot away. Dream flinched. Nightmare had at least one broken bone and needed healing quickly.
"Brother. I would never hurt you." Dream tried to reassure him, staying where he was. It would do no good to scare his brother further. The other had already been through too much.
"I love you and I will always love you. Even if you were evil, you are still my brother. And I love you." Dream explained steadily, trying not to break into tears. It hurt his soul that he even had to say this. This should be a given. They were brother's for star's sake!
~~~
"Oh yeah?" Nightmare said a bit sarcastically. The pain making him delusional alongside the words of those villagers ringing in his head on repeat. "No, you wouldn't. No one loves anyone that's bad. That's evil. No one. Not even someone like you."
~~~
Dream flinched at the other's words. He could have sworn he felt his non-existent heart break a bit because of the obvious self-loathing his brother was doing.
"I would!" Dream countered, his golden tears finally spilling over. His emotions running wild at the pain his brother had went through and is going through. He let out a small sob, sniffling pathetically.
"I would always love you! Even if you were negativity itself. You would still be my brother!" He shouted between sobs.
~~~
Nightmare ignored the pain in his chest at his brother's sobs but he still flinched. It was heartwrenching to hear something so sad coming out of his brother's mouth. His dear brother who had always been so happy and cheerful. Negative emotions never suited him. Dream was meant for positivity, not negativity. Nightmare steeled his resolve. He shouldn't react to Dream's words. He knew they were lies. Lies he told just to make Nightmare feel better.
But with every gasping sob, every forced out word, every second listening to those tears filled cries, his resolve faded.
With purple tears in his eyes, he turned around and moved towards his brother swiftly. He ignored the pain as his brother was in his line of vision. The sight of golden tears on his dear brother's face made him want to get rid of those tears. His brother should never be sad. His brother should never be upset. His brother should never cry. Not for him.
He knelt down and wiped away his brother's tears with his clean hand, one free of blood and dirt.
"Shh...Shh... Please don't cry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
~~~
Dream looked up when he felt more than heard Nightmare approach and flinched slightly when he heard his brother's words. He was apologising... Why? It wasn't his fault that he was crying. Dream took the other's hand in his own, holding it tightly.
"It's not your fault." Dream whispered quietly, his crying tapering off to sniffling. He suddenly remembered that Nightmare was still very much hurt.
"Can I please heal you?" Dream asked quietly, holding his brother's hand tightly.
"Please, brother." He pleaded.
~~~
Nightmare flinched both because of pain and because of his brother's question. Anxiety began to well up inside of him and he looks around nervously.
"I uh..." he stuttered uncertainly. Dream shouldn't waste his magic on someone as useless as him. While he needed to be healed, it would be a waste for Dream to use his magic on him. He should save it for himself. Or someone else that's better than him. Stars knows the villagers tended to injure themselves on a daily basis.
"Dream just...go back down. The villagers would be worried if you don't greet them like you normally do. Don't..." Nightmare paused to take a breath. "Don't worry about me. I'll...I'll be fine."
~~~
Dream's eye sockets widened. He couldn't do that. He would never do that.
"No." Dream said steadily, his expression worried.
"I won't leave you up here alone. You are hurt and I will heal you." Dream explained slowly, hoping that the other would understand. He concentrated on his magic and made his hands glow brightly with healing magic.
"Please just let me do this for you, brother." Dream pleaded.
~~~
Nightmare tried to tug his hand out of Dream's hold, wincing at each attempt. Stars his hand still hurt. His whole body hurts actually. While he wants Dream to heal him- he's so selfish, Dream doesn't need to waste his magic on a waste of space like him.
He shook his skull at his brother, pleading. "Dream just- just go back down."
~~~
Dream winced when he saw the other try to pull away. He needed to heal him soon and fast but he needed permission. He really hated what he had to do but he did it anyways. It was the only solution he could think of.
"Please, brother. Do it for me? Please let me heal you." Dream asked, feeling sick at having to resort to this.
"I would feel very bad if I couldn't help you." Stars how much he hated it to guilt-trip the other... But it was the only way to get him to agree...
~~~
Nightmare's eye lights shrunk into tiny pinprinks at the sentence. He...he never wanted to make his sweet little brother feel bad! That's the farthest from what he wanted! His non-existent heart broke at the very thought.
Stars his brother is so hard on himself. Dream always took all of the guilt and all of the blame. Even if it wasn't his fault! Nightmare never wanted Dream to take his pain! Never!
Nightmare masked his despair by glaring at Dream through tear filled eyes, his body trembling with emotion and he snapped.
"WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT AN EVIL MONSTER LIKE ME?!"
~~~
This was not going like he thought it would... Dream flinched at seeing the tears in his brother's eyes. He had made it worse, hadn't he? Just how sick was he?
Nightmare's scream made him flinch back hard and he lost his balance, falling off the branch. Fuck.
~~~
Oh shit-!
Nightmare's eyes widened when he saw his brother lose his balance. Reacting on instinct, Nightmare's arm shot out and grabbed his brother's hand in a tight grip. Due to the force of his reach and gravity, he fell onto the branch on his ribs with a thud and a grunt.
He winced as his injuries worsened, the rough texture of the branch and the force of his fall made more of his ribs crack and bleed. Inertia and gravity working against his already fragile ribs. Blood began pooling on the branch through his clothes and dripping out of his mouth. Nightmare trembled in pain as he shut his eye sockets tight. Shit. He was more injured than he thought.
~~~
Dream winced when he felt his arm jerk, nearly falling out of its socket. He looked up, his eye sockets widening when he saw Nightmare. He was bleeding, blood dripping from his mouth as he held him by his hand. Dream quickly pulled himself back onto the branch using one hand and stared at Nightmare guiltily. He really had made things worse. The other looked to be barely holding onto consciousness!
"I'm sorry, brother! So, so sorry! Please let me heal you! Please I'm sorry!" Dream pleaded, starting to sob again. His arms hurt really badly but he had to help his brother!
~~~
Nightmare winced and helped Dream get up on the branch, his mind fuzzy and at his peripherals were going black. Shit. He's losing consciousness.
He ignored the pain and his hazy mind to look over Dream for any injuries, though it was difficult with blurry vision. He checked Dream's arm to make sure his humerus is still attached to its socket, that would be a painful injury if it had been popped out.
He heard Dream's panicked voice but it was weak. Like his ears were full of water. Muffled and almost unheard. Nevertheless, he heard the other and frowned.
"Don't-" he coughed suddenly, blood escaping his mouth as his mind went blank. He forced himself to stay focused. Dream needed him. "Don't be."
Nightmare raised his hands to try and heal his brother, he may not be good at healing magic but whatever he has will help Dream's injuries. But he could barely see him. He could only see a blur of colours, his eye lights fuzzy and unfocused.
"Here, let...me..." he mumbled weakly before he trailed off and fell forward, his consciousness leaving him as the pain caused his body to strain too much. He passed out before he fell into Dream's arms.
~~~
"Brother! Brother what's-" Dream shouted panickedly, letting out a gasp when the other pitched forward. He quickly caught the other and held him close, sobbing.
His hands lit up with green flames, his healing magic activating. He took his brother's skull into his hands and quickly healed the cracks he could see there before moving on to his arms. One of his hands was cracked. He quickly healed the cracks seamlessly, moving on to the next crack. He had to take off his brother's shirt to access his ribs and gasped at the broken and battered ribcage he saw. This was not good.
He did his best to heal everything he could but soon his magic got weaker and he could feel his consciousness wavering. He trudged on anyways, until he couldn't think. His mind was solely focused on healing Nightmare, nothing more. He forced himself to heal every break, every crack, every bruise on Nightmare's body until there was nothing left. He kept healing until his magic was drained and then he passed out from exertion. Leaning backwards onto the trunk of the tree with his arms curled loosely and protectively around his brother.
~~~
Both skeletons laid against the trunk of the tree together. Tear tracks visible on their faces and blood stains on them showing pain and regret. The guardian of the negative apples lying on the guardian of the positive apples. The latter's skull on the former chest with the former holding the other close in a protective hold. No one saw them nor bothered them until the sun set and rose the next day. What had transpired on that day was not spoken of or known outside of the ten people that had went through it. The eight villagers and the two brothers.
Nightmare was the first to awake, his eye sockets fluttering open with difficulty before shutting them again, his eyes sensitive to the sunlight peaking through the leaves. He groaned in discomfort. His bones ached terribly. He pushed himself off of whatever he was lying on. He raised his hand and touched his pounding skull. What happened?
He opens his eyes and they widened in shock at the sight of his sleeping brother, blood covered parts of his clothes staining the gold and blue outfit in red. Nightmare shook and looked down where his shirt was pulled up to reveal bloody ribs. He breathed heavily in shock and confusion before everything came back to him.
The attack. The pain. The fear. The tears. Everything.
With how his bones are free from scars and his unconscious brother, it was safe to assume that Dream had healed him until his magic was low. He passed out while healing Nightmare.
Purple tears pooled in the corners of his sockets and he covered his face with his hands sobbing. Why? Why did Dream heal him? Why did Dream risk his life for someone like him?!
~~~
Dream shivered slightly when the warmth of the other laying on top of him was gone suddenly but he didn't wake up, only curling in on himself slightly to preserve some warmth.
~~~
Nightmare sniffed softly as he cried. Self loathing curling in him and bouncing off his mind. Why? Why does he care? No one cares for an evil monster like him. No one wants an evil person like him! So why?! Why does he care?! Doesn't Dream know that he'll just get hurt by being with him?! That's all he's good for! Hurting people! Being evil! He's evil! Dream is better off without him!
Nightmare's sobs increased and he curled into himself painfully with each thought. He clenched his fingers over his skull making thin lines on the bone and leaking blood. Nightmare didn't register the physical pain over his emotional one.
~~~
Dream's eye sockets fluttered open as he got woken up by the sobbing and crying. He didn't immediately register it as that, looking around confusedly. Sunlight was streaming through the leaves and casting a warm glow on his bone. But that wasn't right. His spot barely had sunlight streaming through the thick leaves and branches. This wasn't his normal bran-
Then he registered his surroundings. Nightmare was sitting in front of him, panicking. His hands clawing at his skull seemingly done unconsciously. Dream stood up immediately, taking his brother's hands to keep him from hurting himself. He sent healing magic straight through, his magic weak from yesterday's overuse.
"Shh... Everything is alright, brother. Calm down.." Dream whispered, trying to get the other to calm down.
~~~
Nightmare snapped his head up at the touch and saw his brother's worried gaze. He flinched at that look and tried to pull away.
"No! No!" he cried as he tried to pull away. Dream shouldn't go near someone like him let alone touch him! He'll just corrupt and hurt his brother with his negativity!
~~~
Dream flinched and concentrated on all positive emotions he could conjure up, creating a calming aura around them. He really hope that would help the other calm down.
"Please, brother, calm down." Dream begged, trying his hardest to make the other calm down. He needs to get Nightmare to think clearly. He was on the edge of a panic attack! Nightmare could hurt himself if he doesn't snap out of it!
"Calm down brother...it's okay...it's okay." he said softly and calmly to the other, hoping it'll help stave off his panic.
~~~
Nightmare shivered at the calm soothing feeling of his brother's aura projection. The aura feels safe, felt nice. But to him, he was draining Dream's positivity with his own negativity. Like a filthy, evil leech. He sobbed all the more but his tugs became weaker. He couldn't fight his brother in his weakened state. Especially if he keeps projecting like this.
"Stop...please stop..." he sobbed weakly before he stopped struggling, the calm aura surrounding him and calming him down from his panicked haze. He cried softly but no longer struggling.
"Please...please just leave me alone. Y- you're better off without me. I-I'm bad. I'm e-evil. I-I'll corrupt you! I'll h-hurt y-you!" he sobbed out in despair.
~~~
Dream watched worriedly as the other broke down sobbing. He hugged his brother tightly, rubbing his spine soothingly.
"Shh... Just calm down, brother. Everything's alright..." Dream tried to calm him down, his aura still wrapped around them.
~~~
"N-no it's not!" Nightmare yelled out and struggles weakly but ultimately stayed in Dream's comforting embrace.
"Why do you c-care? W-why do you c-care about s-someone as b-bad as me? I'm bad! I'm evil! You shouldn't b-be near me!" Nightmare cried heartbroken. The words sounding so true in his head. It has to be. Since it was beaten into him
~~~
Dream started crying as Nightmare told him all those things. What hurt most was that the other seemed to believe it. He held the other closer.
"You are not bad! You are not evil! Y-you are my br-brother and even if you were all those things- which you aren't- I would still love you! You're the best brother I could have wished for!" Dream sobbed, holding the other tighter still.
"I... I just wi-wish that would get into your thick sk-skull...." Dream explained.
~~~
Nightmare shook his skull in denial at his brother's words. Lies! They're all lies!
"B-but I am! I'm bad! I'm evil! You'll see me as what I am sooner or l-later and I'll h-hurt you!"
~~~
"Stop talking like that, brother, please!" Dream begged, golden tears dripping down his skull.
"You are not bad. You are not evil. I promise you that even if you were the living embodiment of evil you would still be my brother and I would still love you!!!" Dream shouted, panting slightly when he calmed down a bit. He buried his face into his brother's blood-soaked shirt and sobbed loudly.
~~~
Nightmare froze at his words and stopped sobbing yet tears still fell from his eyes. He... Dream...
He held the bright eyed skeleton as he sobbed in his chest. His mind going blank from shock. He would...? No. No, that must be another lie. His brother would never... He would never promise something like that.
Nightmare tentatively wrapped his arms around the sobbing skeleton, laying his head on the other's skull. His cheek resting on the top of Dream's skull. His eyes half lidded in thought and sadness.
"Dream...don't make promises you can't keep." he says softly onto Dream's head as purple tears fell down his face and onto the other's skull.
~~~
"I.. I'm not... I mean it!" Dream insisted, looking up at Nightmare.
"Seriously." He added quietly, sniffling a bit. He really meant it. Even if Nightmare would be evil he would still forgive him and love him.
~~~
Nightmare hugs his brother close, his chest feeling warm with something other than pain as a small hopeful smile grew.
"You promise?"
~~~
"I promise, Nightmare." Dream promised.
~~~
"I promise, Nightmare..."
"Nightmare..."
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Nightmare!"
Said skeleton was pulled from his thoughts with a small jolt at the yell of his name. He looked down to the side where he could see one of his boys standing at the foot of the tree he's lying on. The midnight skeleton looked around in confusion, as if he's only just realized where he is. He's on a tree with his back against the trunk and just staring off into the starry sky of this unfinished AU where his Hideout is. Now he remembered. He had climbed this tree about an hour ago until he reached the top all in a daze, like instinct almost. He couldn't help it. Not really.
A tree is his safe zone. A place where he could go without fear of being attacked in the past. Or a place where he could wind down and relax when he got too emotional. The leaves provide cover and privacy while the height usually drove the more lethargic people off. The higher branches are the safest and the smell of leaves and the ambience lighting from the moon or sun had helped him through tough times in the past. He...never shook off the habit even after he changed into his dark form. And he never will.
He looked down at the foot of the tree were Killer is and said softly. "Yes?"
~~~
Killer stared up into the tree where he had spotted a black splotch of colour. Nightmare. He called his name and after he hadn't reacted he had screamed up into the tree. After a while his actions were rewarded by Nightmare shifting a bit and looking down.
"Are you okay?" Killer asked, staring up into the tree. He really didn't want the other to have an episode up there. What would happen if he fell down?
~~~
"I..." Nightmare started but it trailed off and he deflated. Is he okay? Has he ever been okay?
Looking down at the worried face of one of his gang, he decided that he would not worry the other.
"I'm...I'm fine."
~~~
That stutter didn't sound very reassuring. Killer stared up into the tree, looking at Nightmare doubtfully. The other only climbed onto a tree when he was extremely distressed and both of them knew that.
"Let me rephrase that question. Do you feel okay enough to come down or does someone have to climb up and get you?" Killer asked. He really hoped the other could get down by himself. The last time he had tried climbing onto a tree it hadn't ended well...
~~~
Nightmare looked away with a soft uncertain sound. Damn him. He doesn't feel okay enough to come down but he doesn't want anyone to climb up either.
He hated when he got like this. He hated reverting back to his weak self. Not in body but in mind. Keeping pent up emotions inside, especially for someone like him, is not healthy. He is bound to slip up and explode or be like this. Vulnerable, both emotionally and mentally. Weak. Just like he had been before his transformation.
~~~
Killer frowned at the other when he received no response. He waited for a good minute but could hear nothing from the other. He didn't come down either. Killer sighed and walked to the tree, trying to climb up. Save to say he wasn't the best climber and only proceeded in scratching up his hands on the rough bark.
~~~
Hearing scraping sounds made Nightmare turn his head to spot Killer trying to climb up the tree. His Soul stuttered in fear as his eye shrunk. Why is he so scared? He should be. Killer wouldn't hurt him. He would kill him. Right?
Flashes of past memories flooded his mind. The beatings. The pain. The fear. That's all he could think. Rationally Killer wouldn't hurt him. But the fear persisted. No one would try and climb a tree to get to him. They're too weak and not as skilled. They- he wouldn't reach Nightmare up here.
Nevertheless he tried to get the other to stop. "Killer wait! Stop!" he says but his voice was tinged with fear.
~~~
Nightmare's shout broke Killer's concentration. He had almost managed to get to the first branch of the tree but the other's exclamation startled him and he lost his grip, falling the eight foot he had managed to climb up. He hit the ground with a grunt, a bolt of pain shooting through his spine. Ouch. That hurt!
Killer had not missed the way Nightmare had sounded. That fearful sound didn't fit him. He wanted to do nothing more than to comfort the other but he wouldn't be able to get up the tree.
~~~
"Killer!" Nightmare exclaimed. A protective feeling bursts inside of him as he watched him fall onto the ground with a thud. Shit. He knew how a fall could hurt. He rememberd the pain so vividly.
Ignoring his own unstable state, he grabbed onto the branch he's on and swung downwards, the momentum he gained is used to swing onto another branch and repeated until he landed on the ground skillfully. He rushed over to the younger and examined him, pulling him up in a sitting position gently.
"Killer! Are you alright?" he asked with concern. His inky body shifting constantly in distress. Stars he's not stable enough for this.
~~~
Killer let out a small groan as he was pulled into a sitting position. His non-existent butt hurt...
But he had been hurt worse in his life so he gave a small nod, hoping to reassure the other. He had been hurt worse but damn if it didn't hurt! His pelvis was most likely bruised by the fall and he wouldn't be able to sit anytime soon. He let out an annoyed sigh at that prospect, looking up at Nightmare who was hovering over him, looking extremely unstable.
"Sorry, Nightmare." He apologised. He should just have left the other alone. Then none of this would have happened...
~~~
"Shut up." Nightmare growled weakly, more concerned and scared than angry. He raised his hand and forced his magic to react. He doesn't have any healing gel left. And they haven't gone to steal any. So he'll just have to make do.
'Come on...come on!' he said to himself as he tried to force his healing magic to work. He isn't very skilled at that nor can he do it very often. Especially in his dark form. But Killer is hurt trying to get Nightmare's stubborn ass. There's no way he's gonna let the other walk around in pain because he can't keep his emotions under control.
Sweat began to accumulate on his skull as he focused hard. Finally he was rewarded with a small spark of dark forest green. Healing magic. It would feel odd because he's forcing himself, probably feeling more like a freezing touch than calming warmth. But it'll have to do. He doesn't have much to spare anyway. Whatever compassion he had was gone the moment he turned into this dark form.
~~~
Killer flinched slightly as something freezing touched him, filling his thoughts with coldness. After a moment he realized it was healing magic and Nightmare's magic at that. He relaxed as the weird coldness numbed his pain, preferring it much over the normal warmth healing magic held. It reminded him Nightmare and that alone was enough to make him relax.
Killer let out a relieved sigh when the pain dulled a bit, forcing himself to tell Nightmare to stop. The other wasn't made to use this kind of magic, as evident from the forced look Nightmare had.
"Thanks, Nightmare." Killer sighed.
~~~
Nightmare panted a bit at the exertion and stopped.
"Anytime." he said softly. He's tired. He's worn out. He's unstable.
His emotions are running wild. His form is becoming unstable. Shit, He shouldn't have forced his magic like that. But it doesn't matter. Killer's healed and that's all that matters. He'll be fine soon. He just needs some alone time to calm down and control his emotions.
He stood up and turned around, intending to go back up to the tree. Maybe spend the night up there.
~~~
Killer could see the exhaustion the other felt and immediately felt guilty. When he saw the other stand up he tried to grab his hand.
"The others are worried about you..." Killer explained, looking slightly guilty.
"Could you come back to HQ?" Killer asked, looking up at the other hopefully. He knew Nightmare wouldn't want to worry the others and would probably go with him.
~~~
The dark skeleton paused when Killer grabbed his hand, his form growing more unstable at the touch. He can't help it. Touch only reminded him of pain now. From the villagers. From the other Light Sanses. From Ink.
From Dream...his own brother. His brother who broke his promise. A promise he made when Nightmare was at his most vulnerable.
"I..." Nightmare unnaturally small voice trailed off, his mind hazy and undecided. Mostly confused and lost. Lost in his memories. Lost in his emotions. Lost in the pain of the past. Just...lost. It feels wrong.
But...his absence clearly worried Killer. And by his tone, he worried more than just Killer. He let out a defeated sigh, his Soul jittery. But he couldn't worry them any longer.
"A-alright. I'll go back." he said softly and turned around, waiting for Killer to drag him away. Away from the tree. Away from what he thinks as safe.
But home is safe too. He doesn't have to worry about the others hurting him. Never. He...trusts them.
~~~
Killer could see the indecision in the other and was about to tell him it was fine when Nightmare spoke up, sounding so quiet and frail. He wanted to hug the other so much but he knew it wouldn't help.
When Nightmare agreed Killer held his hand but waited until the other felt good enough to walk to the house, not wanting to drag him there if he was already against going. So he waited, holding Nightmare's hand. He was really worried about the other.
~~~
Killer didn't move like Nightmare expected him to. He looked over to the other skeleton, searching for anything in his gaze. Killer just looks at him worried and visibly holding back. Holding back from what?
Then Nightmare realized it. Killer was waiting for him to calm down. Killer isn't dragging him away, he's not forcing him to walk. Nightmare looked down, confused and slightly trembling. Why? Why isn't he dragging him away like he wanted to? Why is he so concerned? Why isn't he forcing Nightmare to move?!
All of this confusion and apprehension, all the past fear and pain, everything was too much. A stray tear fell from his eye as he trembled slightly. He can't feel emotions well, sometimes looking like he doesn't have any. But when he does feel them, they're difficult to control. Difficult to hold back. Emotions are too intense for him to do anything but push it down or wait it out. Never had a chance to let it out. Never had a chance to show it. But now? There's too much.
Nightmare spoke in a whisper, the one question that kept bouncing in his skull for years now. "Why...?"
~~~
Killer got more and more worried as Nightmare started trembling. His eye sockets widened when he saw a tear roll down the other's cheek bone. The question made him flinch. It wasn't just a simple 'Why?'. There was so much more behind it. Long forgotten pain, confusion, so many emotions begging to be set free. So he did the one thing he knew always helped him to let go of his mask. He hugged Nightmare.
"It's okay..." Killer whispered, rubbing the other's back, hoping letting out all those emotions would help him.
"It's because we care about you, Nightmare... You are one of us." Killer explained, hugging the other gently, keeping his hold loose enough that he could escape should he want to.
~~~
Nightmare flinched at the embrace, not used to physical contact. Well, positive ones anyway. Not in a long time. His form shifted relentlessly, mirroring his unstable emotional state. He should be afraid. He should be running, should be pulling away from the grip, should be refusing the touch. But he didn't. The hug was loose enough that it wasn't constraining yet firm enough to feel protective. It was...safe.
Safe. He laughed humourlessly. When was the last time he felt that?
"T-that's it? T-that's..." his chopped voice trailed off as tears slid down his face. That's it? They care?
Heh. Dream cared. His brother said that he cared and that he'll forever care. But that had been a lie just as he expected. Their lives are different, too different to keep a promise like that. But...Dream and himself are different now. On different sides. But his gang? They're the same. They are hated. They are bad. They have been abused and taken for granted. They have been treated unfairly. They are the same.
Maybe...maybe he can believe Killer...maybe he can believe someone this time. But he had to ask, to make it feel...real.
"Do you promise?"
~~~
Killer flinched when he heard Nightmare laugh and was about to ask whether he should let the other go when Nightmare spoke up. It really hurt to hear and see the other like this but he would never leave him alone on such a state. Killer couldn't get that broken voice out of his mind, the words repeating in his skull.
"I promise." Killer promised, holding the other slightly closer. He didn't even know who that hug was comforting anymore. Him, Nightmare or them both. Probably the latter.
~~~
Nightmare didn't reply but he returned the embrace. His shoulders shook with silent sobs as his emotions were let loose for once in a very long time. No words were needed between the two skeletons. They understood each other perfectly.