It was a bit later in the night when Cross had everything packed. He'd used his backpack and hidden his chocolate stash under his mattress. He checked everything that he had before moving back out. The bucket of water was outside the New Tent and he picked it up. He had to be careful.
Nightmare must've left him alone all day because he wanted Cross to rest after the night before. Cross had been doing everything but resting. He snuck past Nightmare's and made his way back out to the Final Tent.
When he got there, it was quiet. He jumped as there was the sudden yanking of chains and roaring. He sighed and pushed his way in. Dream stopped making noise immediately and blinked at him, eyes wide. "You did come back." He whispered, seeming shocked. He twitched. Cross nodded, setting the bucket down in front of him. Dream blinked at it before twitching and looking up at him. "Al-already drank today."
Cross shook his head, murmuring that it wasn't for that. He put down his backpack and pulled out everything. He had some soap and a mirror. He laid it out. "I wanna try to clean you up..." He pulled out some of the clothes he'd taken from the Costume Tent. "I-I even brought clothes."
Dream stared at him before rolling over and smiling. "Cross, y-you are an angel!" He squealed. Cross flushed purple and quickly shook his head. He disagreed immediately. He was far from an angel. Dream giggled. Cross understood why he would think that. It was probably the first time in a while someone hadn't treated Dream like an animal.
He jumped as Dream snapped his fingers. Dream seemed confused by his own action before twitching and holding up his wrist. It was still chained. Cross had forgotten about that. He had an idea. He soaked Dream's hand before lathering it with gel. Finally, after a few minutes of pulling, the shackle came off with a pop. Dream shuddered as he stared.
"I-it's off... it's off!" He shrieked. Cross managed to give a weak smile. He yelped as Dream suddenly tore the bandages off his ribcage. He covered his mouth. Dream's ribcage was filthy and scarred, dried black blood caking his bones. Some of the bandage was left stuck to it.
Cross pulled out one of the towels he'd snagged from the Medical Tent. He laid it out and watched as Dream tore his shorts. He felt bad for Dream as he sat on the towel, completely naked. His body was scarred and caked with blood and dirt. Cross helped Dream lather his body in the soapy gel with a rag. Dream's hand was hard to clean. He had layers of blood on his fingers and he couldn't stop twitching.
His back was also incredibly dirtied up. Finally, Cross had him close his eyes and he cleaned his face. "Ready?" He asked softly. Dream nodded spastically and shrieked as Cross tipped the water on him, washing all the soap off. He shrieked in excitement.
He pulled out another towel and helped Dream dry himself. Dream sat for a few moments, just wrapped in the fluffy towel. Tears welled in his eyes and Cross was about to ask what was wrong before Dream noticed and quickly shook his head. Cross nodded, understanding that Dream didn't want to talk about it. He helped him pull on the shirt after putting on the pants. Finally, he pulled back and sat.
Dream leaned against the backpack. He'd managed to corrode away the hip chain with that golden-tinted sludge. He made a grabby hand motion towards something behind Cross and he turned to see the mirror. He blinked in surprise before picking it up and holding it out.
Dream seemed confused as he stared at himself. "I-I-It's almost l-like I'm alive!" He giggled, tears welling in his eyes again. Cross nodded and tucked everything back into his bag. He stared down at Dream before blinking. He knelt down. This was crazy.
"I-I want to try something else, but only if you can be really quiet." He said softly. Dream blinked at him before nodding and snapping his jaw shut with a twitch. "I'll be right back."
He ducked out of the tent once again. He ran down to the Circus again and into the Medical Tent. He glanced down towards Geno's bed. It was quiet. He had to be quiet. Cross turned to the side of the tent.
With a grunt, he managed to pull down one of the foldable wheelchairs. He froze as he turned and saw a gold top hat sitting almost ominously on one of the beds. He hesitated before picking it up. He didn't know if that had been there before. He yelped very softly as golden gloves fell out of the hat. He paused before stuffing them back in. He heaved up the wheelchair and snuck back out. He ran back to the Final Tent.
He set the wheelchair up outside and went back in to Dream. "Disguise my au-aura... he'll never know..." Dream was muttering. Cross was genuinely curious and knelt next to Dream.
Dream twitched his gaze over to Cross and he shuffled. "Hey, is this stuff yours?" He asked softly. Dream blinked as Cross held out the hat and he covered his mouth.
"I-I..." He seemed choked up as he took it. "I haven't seen this... in a LONG TIME..." He gulped and pulled on one of the gloves with his teeth. He put on the hat and lifted his head. It fit him perfectly. He twitched a smile. Cross couldn't help but stare at him. He did look like a Ringmaster. There was no doubt about it at all. Dream pulled off the hat.
"C'mon!" Cross said softly. Dream took the glove off and tucked it into the hat, which he gripped like his life depended on it. Cross helped him up with a grunt and he heard him inhale sharply as he pulled him out of the tent. The moon was bright. Dream stopped him, staring up at it for a few moments.
Dream trembled, pulling in the chilly night air. Cross understood and set him down. He sat next to him and Dream seemed delighted. His fingers dig into the ground and he began to hum as he closed his eyes. Not a tune or melody. Just a plain hum. After about ten minutes, Dream allowed Cross to pick him up and place him into the wheelchair.
Thankfully, it didn't make nearly a sound when he moved it. He went back and grabbed his backpack, slinging it over his shoulder. He jumped as Dream snapped his fingers again. He, once more, seemed confused by his own actions. He shook his head.
"Th-thank you..." He whispered, golden tears running down his face. Cross told him it was okay. He began to push him back to the Circus. This had been so easy that he couldn't help but wonder why no one had tried it before. He glanced down at Dream, who'd begun to gurgle as gold-tinted black sludge ran down his chin.
Cross stopped and moved back around to the front of Dream, setting down his backpack and pulling out two more rags. He'd wrapped all the wet stuff in plastic. He put the first rag over Dream's mouth. "Cough." He said quietly. He was experienced with these things. Injuries like that were second nature to him.
Dream did and the rag became black. Cross closed it up and set it aside. He used the second rag and got Dream to look at him. He began to wipe the other's face as Dream's single golden eyelight zipped around furiously. He finally pulled back. "Is that better, Ringmaster?"
Both him and Dream froze up. Cross hadn't meant to say that, but it just came out. It made sense. He recognized Dream as a ringmaster, but it was still startling to say it to someone who wasn't Nightmare. Dream had started softly crying again, his shoulders scrunched up as he repeated the word quietly.
It was like he was trying to get used to it again. Cross knelt down in front of him, reaching out. Dream lashed out, clawing his cheek. He immediately retreated, muttering scared apologies. He begged Cross not to take him back.
Cross' cheek stung, but it was almost nothing compared to what he'd suffered before. He raised a hand and traced four jagged lines carved into his bone. He began to console Dream, assuring the broken skeleton that he wasn't going to put him back in the Final Tent.
Dream continued to beg and it was several minutes before he actually seemed to hear Cross. He twitched and stared at Cross. "I'm not taking you back." Cross said. "Okay?" Dream gulped and nodded. "Are you ready to keep going?" He asked. Dream gave another spastic nod.
Cross stood up, wrapping the rags in plastic. He put them in his backpack before continuing to wheel Dream towards the circus. When Dream finally saw it, he stopped him. He came up next to him and Dream was staring down at it in pained nostalgia. Cross could feel it.
He suddenly blinked and Cross let out a soft noise of dismay. "Th-this is...!" Dream whispered. "This is so i-incredible..." Tears ran down his face. He turned to him and smiled. A real smile.
Cross smiled back and started to push him down again. They entered the Circus quietly and right away, the atmosphere had changed with Dream's presence. He furrowed his brow and began to push him toward the Medical Tent.