(kinda old but not)
Hey guys, vsauce here.
I bring you garbage from the pits of hell.
Enjoy :)
_____Day 9_____
Cross woke up in the most pleasant warmth, feeling as if he could do anything. He was so comfortable and warm, and he could stay right where he was for hours on end. Then he opened his eyes. He was in Nightmare's room, and he was in Nightmare's bed. That wasn't the most shocking thing, though. No, it was the dark skeleton who was hugging Cross's middle and snoring peacefully with his face pushed into Cross's stomach, and his tentacles curled around the both of them. They'd switched positions overnight. Cross's hand settled on Nightmare's skull, rubbing the bone soothingly. He smiled softly as Nightmare began purring loudly, the darker nuzzling further into Cross's ribs. Yeah. He wouldn't mind staying right where he was, and Nightmare didn't seem to mind either.
-
They were late. Cross knew they were late, he could tell from the constant buzzing of Nightmare's phone, but he couldn't seem to care. He was still petting Nightmare, and Nightmare was still sleeping. Cross knew they'd missed at least two or three classes, but he didn't care. He was comfortable, and Nightmare was cuddling with him, he was not going anywhere. Unfortunately, someone did not agree, because Nightmare's phone began blaring heavy metal and buzzing with what was either a phone call or an alarm. He sighed, and silently cursed whoever was calling. Nightmare groaned loudly and blindly groped around for his phone, tentacles flopping towards the sound lazily. One of them curled around the device and dropped it on the bed, directly beside Nightmare's hand. The monster swiped his finger on the screen and groggily grunted out a greeting. Cross poked one of the limp tendrils, stroking it absently and sitting up. Nightmare glared at him, flipping him off while talking on the phone. "I just woke up." The tentacle in Cross's hands squirmed and twitched away, rejoining the others, and Nightmare stood up with a yawn. "Yeah yeah, we're about to leave." Cross blinked at him, trying to decipher who the caller was. Nightmare stared back, "Yeah, okay. Bye." He threw the phone onto his bed, crossing his arms over his chest with a scowl. "So, why didn't you wake me up?" Cross shrugged, "How do you know I wasn't also asleep until now, huh?"
"I wasn't asleep the whole time, y'know. You woke me up a good while back."
"How?"
"You were petting me, duh. Anyways, go get dressed, Dream is throwing a fit and I don't want any more work than I already do." Cross snorted and pushed himself up, "So you just went back to sleep?" Nightmare sighed, "Obviously. Go change, you bastard." Cross saluted him mockingly and left the room.
-
Dream waved at them vigorously, dragging Killer behind him as he practically skipped towards them. Cross had parked closer to the entrance for Nightmare's convenience. Nightmare got out first, strolling around to greet his twin and friend. "I was getting worried. And I thought I told Cross to stay home!" Nightmare glanced back at said skeleton, "He won't let me drive his car, for some reason. Someone had to drive me here." Dream ducked past Nightmare, knocking on Cross's window with a large smile. "Cross! Hi, I can see you! Open the window please!" Cross cringed and rolled the window down, eyelights nervously flicking between Killer and Dream. "...Hey.." Dream stuck his arm through the window, unlocking the door and opening it to drag his not-quite-friend out. "Take off your shirt, I need to check your ribs." Cross looked at Killer again before looking down at Dream and shaking his head. Nightmare scoffed, "Cross, just let him see." Killer shifted, watching them closely. Cross swallowed dryly and pulled his shirt up, keeping his gaze on the floor. Dream carefully unwrapped the bandages, humming as he poked at the damaged bones. Cross flinched but remained silent. Finally, Dream nodded to himself and pumped healing magic into the broken ribs, wrapping them up when he finished. Cross quickly yanked his shirt back down, folding his arms over his chest. "It's healing nicely! No pain?" Cross wrung his fingers, itching to get back in his car and leave. "..N..No pain.." Killer huffed loudly, "Yeesh, jumpy much?" Nightmare elbowed him, hissing at him to shut up. "Can I um... Can I go now?" Dream frowned, "But you just got here!" Killer chimed in, "Yeah, why don't you join us for lunch? You can go afterward."
"I.." Cross looked at Nightmare, who raised his brows, and sighed, rubbing his arm uncomfortably. ".. I'll stay for an hour.." Dream beamed, and grabbed Cross's hand, "Let's go then!" Nightmare tugged on his brother's arm and the golden twin quickly released Cross, smiling at him apologetically. He forgot the other didn't like sudden contact. Nightmare led the group, Killer and Dream chatting behind him and Cross in the very back. The monochrome skeleton kept his eyes on Dream's golden sneakers and Killer's black tennis shoes, following the excited twin's chatter, and regretting staying. Distantly, he could sense stares and quiet giggles, but he chose to ignore them. Instead, he focused solely on Dream's shoes until they reached the food court. He hesitated in the entrance, chewing on his tongue, and hoping that no one would notice. If they left him behind, then he could sneak off and- "Cross!" Dream's cheerful smile was suddenly in his face, startling him. "Don't worry, everything's alright." Without his eyes glued to the floor, Cross was unable to stop himself from looking past Dream and towards all the heavy glares. Nausea stirred in his chest, rearing its ugly head in response to his skyrocketing anxiety.
Dream's smile warped, twisting in worry, as Cross clapped a hand over his mouth. He held up a shaking finger and started backing up, burning magic seeping through his teeth and fingers. Killer grabbed onto Nightmare's hoodie, yanking him back. "Dude, your boyfriend is sick." Nightmare growled, turning to glare at his friend. "He's not my-" His words died as soon as he saw Cross's rapidly blanching expression and shivering eyelights. He started forward, wrenching himself out of Killer's grip just as Cross turned and sprinted away. Dream jumped to the side as Nightmare shot past, bumping into another student. "Hey!" Dream apologized profusely, Killer appearing beside him and pulling him away. The student scoffed and stalked away, leaving Dream and Killer to stare at where Cross and Nightmare had disappeared. "Should we go after them?" Killer shook his head, "Nah. Night's got this. Besides." He started leading Dream to their usual table, "Cross has his Prince Charming already."
-
The restroom door slammed open and Cross rushed in, ducking into a stall and falling to his knees. He retched, pressing a hand on the stall walls, and was sick. Nightmare came in not too long after, following the sound of vomiting. "Cross?" He heard gagging and winced. That didn't sound good. Cross groaned, wiping his mouth and dropping back on his heels. Nightmare knocked on the stall door, despite it being open. "You good?" Cross pulled himself up, wobbling slightly, and holding up his hand when Nightmare stepped forward to help him. The taller stepped aside, hovering close by as Cross stumbled over to the sinks and started washing out the bitter aftertaste. "Cross?" He squinted over his shoulder, voice raspy. "What?" Nightmare shook his head, holding out his hand. "Let's head back. I'll get you something to drink, and you can take a nap if you want." Cross blinked tiredly, wiping his hands and taking Nightmare's. "...Yeah. Yeah, alright."
-
Dream perked up, tugging on Killer's sleeve and pointing at the door. "Nightmare's back!" Indeed, Nightmare was strolling towards them with Cross beside him. The other looked tired and sick. Dream frowned in concern, waving Cross over. Blue shuffled over, sitting beside Dream. Ink joined them quickly. Dream ignored them, hopping out of his seat to greet his brother and Cross. "I saved you two a seat, right beside me." The darker twin nudged Cross closer to Dream, "I'm going to buy some drinks and food. Go on and sit." Dream took Cross's hand, making sure he didn't surprise him, and pulled him to their seats. Dream plopped down beside Blue, urging Cross to sit as well. The other sighed and sank into his own seat, eyeing the group cautiously. "You look awfully pale, Cross." He shrugged, clasping his fingers together. "...I did throw up." Killer leaned forward, brow raised, "Why?" Ink looked between the three, curious. "Anxiety." Cross shoved his hands into his pockets, wishing he had his hoodie. Maybe Nightmare would let him use his. He glanced up, scanning the large room for his housemate. He spotted him standing at the vending machines, talking to someone. Ink inserted himself into the conversation, "Hi!" Cross jerked back, eyelights flickering as they zeroed in on Ink, watching his every move.
Both Killer and Horror noted Cross's fear, slightly perplexed. Ink cackled, "Did I scare you? Wow, jumpy boy!" He threw his arm over Cross's shoulders, ignoring the way the other flinched violently. "Question, how old are you?" Error groaned, stomping over to grab Ink. "Hey!" Ink protested as he was dragged away, his fingers curling into Cross's shirt in an attempt to resist. Instead, he only succeeded in making Cross panic further. The scared monster's sockets guttered out, vanishing. A strangled noise left him before he went limp and passed out. Ink released him as the unconscious skeleton toppled off the bench, sockets wide. "uh... Oops?" Dream, who'd been talking to Blue, whirled around in time to see Cross's hit the ground. He cried out and scrambled out of his seat, healing magic already sparking at his fingertips. He'd barely even stood when black things darted to Cross's limp body, lifting it and cradling the boy. Nightmare glowered at them, "What the fuck happened?" Ink, who was still on the floor, raised his hand to swat at Error's, rolling to his feet when he was let go. "I was trying to talk to him, and he just passed out! I didn't even do anything to him!" Nightmare scowled, "Let me guess, you startled him." Ink laughed sheepishly, "Yup!" Nightmare pinched his nasal bone, exasperated. "Error, control your boyfriend." Error flipped him off and yanked Ink back to their seats.
Ten minutes later, Cross woke up with a loud gasp, breathing heavily as he thrashed in Nightmare's hold. He clawed at Nightmare's tendrils, eye sockets wide with panic. "letmegoletmegoletmego-!" Nightmare hissed, dropping Cross in surprise and pain. Dream yelped and Killer straightened so he could watch; Horror's head tilted and Ink turned in confusion. Cross shook his head rapidly, pressing himself against the wall. He didn't know where he was. "I'm sorry, I didn't- I, I'm sorry-!" Nightmare crouched beside him, slowly so he didn't scare him further. Cross shrunk away, repeating himself like a broken record. Nightmare slowly reached out, resting his hand on Cross's shaking skull. The other whimpered, squeezing his sockets shut. Instead of pain, he felt a soothing cold pulsing through his bones. He subconsciously leaned into the sensation, his soul calming and his breath steadying. Finally, he opened his eyes and found Nightmare smiling at him. He pushed down the urge to look at the others, forcing himself to keep his eyes on Nightmare. He gave a flimsy grin, reaching up to grab Nightare's hand. The blue glow died, and his hand retreated. "Better?" Cross nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Nightmare backed away, standing up and offering Cross a hand. He pulled him up to his feet, letting him go once he was steady. Cross hugged himself, wanting to disappear as he sat back down between the twins. Killer passed him a water bottle, and Cross looked up in surprise. "Don't look at me like that, I can be nice." He lowered his gaze, unscrewing the bottle and sipping on it. He drained the bottle quickly, muttering to himself when it was empty.
"Hey, I-" Cross yelped and spun around to stare up at Ink. Panic started rising again, his fingers tightening around the plastic bottle. It crackled loudly, the plastic bending. Ink winced, waving his hands wildly, "No, wait, I-" Cross did not expect Ink to raise his hands, and flinched away. His back hit Nightmare, and the dark twin simply wrapped a tendril around Cross's wrist, calming the other slightly. Nightmare blinked up at Ink. "What do you want." Ink shifted, glancing over his shoulder. He looked back down at Cross with a large grin, although it looked a bit twitchy. "Uh, Dream said you don't like being touched, like, out of nowhere, and I didn't know that, so um..." Ink went quiet, squinting at Cross, his brow furrowed. "You kinda freaked out, and it's my fault. Sorry." He waited. Cross swallowed, clearing his throat. "..It...It's not your fault." Ink frowned, "But I'm the one who made you freak out, how is it not my fault?" Cross shook his head, gripping onto Nightmare's tendril as if he could leech strength from it. It sort of worked. His voice didn't shake as badly. "Because you didn't know. You- I mean, you just... er.. You triggered a memory, that's all. It's- It's fine." Ink's sockets narrowed, "Memory?" Dream suddenly appeared behind Ink, "Okay, everything's good now, right? Let's finish lunch, so Cross can leave. He's injured, so he needs to go home and rest." Dream led Ink away, whispering firmly. Horror piped in, eyelight focused on Cross. "Injured?" Nightmare sighed loudly. Dust snorted, sliding over to them. He took Dream's seat and poked Cross's ribs, making him hiss. "We found him in the lot yesterday. 'is ribs were snapped clean off, don't know who did it. He was pretty messed up." Cross slapped his hand away, "That's not your business to tell. I'd appreciate it if you stopped talking about it." Dust rolled his eyelights, wiping his hand and shifting away, pretending as if Cross hadn't said anything. "Is Chara really your brother?"
"Dust, shut up," Nightmare growled. Another tendril slipped into Cross's hand, an attempt to comfort the smaller. He'd started shaking. "...No. I'll... I'll answer a few questions.." Nightmare paused, glancing down at him. "You sure?" Cross nodded. He met Dust's stare, "...just- just ten." Ink and Horror both began talking at the same time, their voices overlapping. Killer smacked Ink's skull, telling them to shut up. Nightmare blinked at Dust. "Ask." Horror grumbled, his fingers in his socket, "Why does he get to go first?" Killer elbowed him, and he fell silent. "Uh- shit, gimme a sec." A few seconds went by before Dust snapped his fingers. Cross was starting to regret this, his hand tightening around Nightmare's tentacle. Dust grinned at Cross, "Who did you fight yesterday?"
"I didn't fight anyone. My brother doesn't like me." That was good enough, right? Dust hummed, "Why not?" Ink had taken out a notebook, taking notes. Weirdo. "Because I'm a skeleton." Two questions, eight left, Nightmare mentally noted. Ink's writing paused, "Racist brother. Interesting. What about your parents?" Cross's other hand came up to rub his neck. He was really regretting this now. Dream pulled Dust away, reclaiming his seat, and smiled at Cross. Ink cleared his throat loudly. Cross shook his head. Right. Questions. "No dad. Mom wants me dead." Nightmare held up three fingers, scanning the group. He stopped at Horror and squinted at him. The twitchy skeleton titled his head. He'd been taking mental notes every time he'd seen Cross, and he knew exactly what he wanted to ask. "Abused?" Cross's sockets widened, breath hitching. "I, I wouldn't say that, it's not-" Horror blinked at him, cutting him off. "That's not a no." Cross curled in on himself, ashamed. Ink's pencil moved quickly across the notebook. "Huh. So your family hates you and you were abused." He gripped onto Nightmare's tentacle as Killer corrected the artist. "Are." Ink stiffened. "Are? Wait, it hasn't stopped?" Killer scoffed, "His brother did whale on him yesterday. I don't think it has." Blue, who had been listening in the whole time, spoke up quietly. "What about the rumors?" Cross felt a headache forming. Nightmare answered for him, "His brother spread them." Dust grunted, fiddling with his fork. Nightmare held up five fingers. "How'd you get that scar?" Cross reached up to trace the red line beneath his socket, a heavy frown on his face. "An old friend of mine."
Ink looked up, curious. "Doesn't answer how. What happened?" Cross sighed, rubbed his cheek. "Chara told him I was screwing his crush. He got pissed and cornered me. Pushed me out the window. A piece of glass stuck me and I haven't spoken to him since." They had three questions left. Horror scowled, "Isn't Chara that guy who tried to stab me a while back?" Ink gasped, "That's your brother?!" Killer once again smacked Ink. "Lower your voice, twat." Ink whined, rubbing his skull. Error cleared his throat, "How old are you?" Cross leaned back, slumping against Nightmare. "Twenty-three." Error fizzled quietly, moving to sit beside Ink. "How old is Chara?" Cross's brow furrowed. "Twenty-seven?" Nightmare held up nine fingers. Error grinned smugly, "How old is Nightmare?" Ink realized what he was doing all too late. "Twenty-five." Ink pouted, "Error, you used all the questions!" Error glitched, still grinning. "That was the plan. He doesn't want to answer any more questions." Cross relaxed, his skull throbbing with a migraine. Dream offered him a sandwich. Cross thanked him quietly, nibbling on it. Nightmare's tentacles retreated. Cross hid his disappointment by taking a large bite and eating vigorously. He continued to recline again the goopy skeleton, though.
-
Cross hesitated at the car door, his hands twisting his sleeves. Nervously, he turned and looked up at Nightmare. "Can I borrow your jacket?" Nightmare raised a brow, his hands in his pockets. Cross flushed under his gaze, shifting in unease. "You must be so embarrassed right now." Cross folded his arms, annoyed and immensely embarrassed. "Yes or no, you cretin." Nightmare hummed, stroking his chin in thought. "Maybe if you ask nicely." Cross's cheeks puffed out in irritation, face heating steadily. "..can I please borrow your jacket?" Nightmare snickered and unzipped his hoodie, draping it over Cross's head. The other groaned and pulled it off, glaring at Nightmare as he slipped his arms through the sleeves. "Aww, you look like an angry puppy." Cross's blush deepened, his hands pulling the hood up out of habit. Nightmare chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. Cross huffed, tugging the sleeves over his hands childishly and crossing his arms again. Nightmare pet him with a simper, snorting as Cross swatted at him. He backed off eventually, "You should go. I'll text you when I get out." Nightmare watched Cross practically pout before the smaller spun on his heel and wrenched open the car door. Nightmare stepped onto the sidewalk, waving at the vehicle as it backed out and sped off.
-
The old dagger glinted dully in the weak artificial light, still sharp from disuse. Cross hadn't even touched it since the day he got it, wrapping the weapon and hiding it away in a box. He'd forgotten about it until Nightmare found it in his quest to confiscate Cross's knife collection. It had been a gift, for his thirteenth birthday, from his only friend. The handle was personalized, words engraved in the steel. Don't forget us. Such a simple, cliche, and corny phrase, but it meant so much to him. Tear's overflowed before he could stop them. He smiled sorrowfully, tracing the letters. There had been two knives. The one he held, and its twin. They both looked exactly the same, except for the words. Don't forget us written in blue cursive on Cross's, and Remember us written in purple cursive on Epic's. Cross laughed wetly. Epic had attacked him with the very thing that represented their friendship. How funny. He dragged the sharp edge across one of the wooden legs of his bedframe, gritting his teeth. Hilarious. Chara had laughed so hard. Cross jerked the blade down angrily, tears welling in his sockets again. He'd nearly died that night. A deep gash was left in the dark material. Cross's mother was so disappointed when he woke up. The blade flashed as he drove it forward again. The dagger sunk easily through the wooden structure, like a knife through butter. Cross stopped, his head lowered and breathing heavily, hiccups cutting through his sobs.
The last time he'd spoken to Epic, he'd begged. He'd cried and pleaded for his friend to believe him. The other's normally goofy demeanor had been swapped out for anger and betrayal. He'd refused to listen. Their friendship went down in flames. Cross stopped talking for a full year. His voice had vanished. He spent his nights mourning over what he'd lost. Epic never even looked at him. He'd thrown their friendship away, and it had ruined Cross. He'd nearly died. Epic only appeared once, and it was to leave a note. I can't believe I'd trusted you. Chara had called his attempt 'throwing a tantrum'. Stop whining, and get over it. No one likes whiners. Cross was silent then. He's silent now. He never stood up for himself, and he knew it. He could do it easily. But he didn't want enemies. A fresh wave of tears flowed down his cheekbones. He just wanted things to be okay. He wanted a family, he wanted his friend back, he wanted someone to put him back together. A broken laugh rose in his throat. When had he ever gotten what he wanted? Sure, he'd gotten things he wanted. But never where it mattered. His hands dropped into his lap, the sleeves of Nightmare's jacket covering them. A tiny smile broke out. Times had changed. He curled up in the strangely large hoodie, slumping back against the wall. He'd gotten a few things that he wanted. He had friends, however few. He had someone to piece him together. Tears dotted the fabric covering his hands, the glowing magic disappearing in seconds. He had someone. Despite how hard the world fought to stop it, he had someone. He wasn't alone anymore. Cross wiped his face of tears, grinning widely. He had Ccino, he had Maddox and Dream, and most importantly, he had-
His phone chimed in his pocket, ringing with a tune he'd chosen specifically for one person in particular. Nightmare. His smile widened. He had Nightmare. His cheeks warmed as he fumbled for his phone with one hand and rubbed his eyes with the other.
I got you a chocolate bar. Come pick me up.<<
The heat on his face intensified, his soul growing warm. He typed out a response and hit send, before sniffling and pulling himself up. Cross carefully freed the dagger still stabbed into his bed, thumbing the letters. He wouldn't forget, but he'd move on. He gently wrapped the weapon in a tattered blue shirt and tucked it away in its container, hiding it beneath his bed. Cross got to his feet, an arm bracing his ribs. When he'd gotten to the house, he'd tripped going up the stairs. His ribs had been aching since then. He shuffled out of his room, flicking the light off and absently tugging his sleeves over his hands as he hobbled down the stairs. He snagged his keys from where he'd dropped them on the table and left the house, sitting painstakingly behind the wheel before he set out to pick up Nightmare.
-
Nightmare rolled his eyelight at Cross's answering text, unknowingly smiling. Cross had sent a smiley face. Killer cooed, peering over Nightmare's shoulder at the darker's phone. "Awww, you're such a good boyfriend~" Nightmare swatted at him, hissing. "He's not my boyfriend, you fucking idiot! Anyways, at least it's not a car." Killer flushed, and Nightmare snickered. "Shut up! It was an anniversary gift." Nightmare waggled his brows suggestively, "Oh? What else did you give him?" Killer shoved him away, face red. Nightmare cackled as he stumbled, catching himself with his tendrils. He smirked at his friend, stroking his chin. "I didn't hear a no~" Killer suddenly pointed at the glass door. "Hey, it's Cross!" Nightmare whirled around, searching for his housemate, and Killer burst into laughter. When Cross was nowhere to be found, Nightmare groaned and his tentacles flicked in annoyance. One of them lashed out, barely missing Killer as he jumped out of range, still laughing. "Brother! I told you to stop attacking people!" Dream's hands sat on his hips, golden eyelights focused on his twin. Nightmare grunted, his tentacles withdrawing at Dream's scolding. "Yeah yeah. Tell them to stop annoying me and I might actually listen." Dream bounded forward, latching onto Nightmare's arm with a pout. His eyelights glinted knowingly. "Don't be rude." Nightmare tried to frown, but his amusement turned it into a teasing grin. "My bad." Dream giggled, pulling Nightmare back to stand at the door. Killer strolled over to join them, standing beside his boyfriend. "So, where's Cross?" Nightmare shrugged, dislodging his brother and scanning the lot for the familiar white car. "Dunno. He said he was on his way."
As if summoned by their words, a stark white vehicle pulled up to the entrance, slowing to a stop just as Dream pushed the door open. He skipped towards the car cheerfully, the window rolling down to reveal Cross's nervous yet jovial expression. "..Hi?" Dream bounced in place erratically, "Heya! You feeling better?" Surprising all of them, Killer piped up, "How're your ribs?" Not having expected Killer to speak to him at all, Cross smiled bashfully. "They're okay.." Nightmare subconsciously glared at Killer. How dare he make Cross shy! Killer definitely noticed it but decided not to comment. He cleared his throat, reaching for Dream. "Alright, well, see you around." Dream waved at Cross "I'll visit Sunday!", he called as he was led away. Cross returned the gesture, relaxing when the couple disappeared. He smiled at Nightmare, enjoying the barely-there blush it created. "Ready to go?" The taller skeleton nodded and moved to finally sit in the passenger seat. Cross blinked at him, sockets wide with hope. "Chocolate?" Nightmare paused, his soul fluttering and flush darkening. Cross gasped and cheered silently when a chocolate bar was placed in his lap. Nightmare coughed, just about ready to throw a riot. Cross was adorable and he adored it to the point of violence. Cross, however, was internally freaking out. He'd gotten chocolate, and he made Nightmare blush! A double win! He hid a smug simper and tucked the bar away for later. He needed to drive anyways.
Once they hit the highway, Cross broke the comfortable silence. "So, how about coffee?" Nightmare hummed. That sounded nice. "Jitters?" Cross smiled, nodding. "Yeah. I wanna invite some-" He bit back a giddy laugh, clearing his throat and forcing himself to continue. "I wanna invite some friends." Oh, stars, he loved that sentence. A hangout with friends! He'd never get tired of that phrase. It filled him with inexplicable joy and overwhelming happiness, and he felt like he'd burst from it. His voice had even been strained! It was too much excitement! An overjoyed giggle left him before he could stop it, startling both of them. Nightmare glanced at him, brow raised. "You alright there?" Cross nodded again, vigorously. He was more than alright! He didn't trust himself to talk without bursting and focused on the road. The familiar colorful sign came into view, making Cross's jittery excitement worse. Almost too quickly, he pulled into the lot, parking the car in the same place from before. His face had flushed, and he was literally bouncing from excitement. Already, he could see Ccino and Maddox chatting in the outside sitting area. They'd come! He bit his fist and swallowed back a squeal. Not only that, but they were early! Oh, gosh, he was really going to do this. He gasped, tears squeezing out through his tightly shut sockets. "Woah, woah!" Nightmare had not expected Cross to cry, of all things. "Are you sure you're okay? I- we can leave if-" Cross shook his head rapidly, wiping his face. "No! I'm okay, I just-" He choked, pressing his free hand over his mouth, his forehead flush against the steering wheel. Nightmare panicked, unsure what to do, as Cross wailed into his hand.
"Shit, okay, okay, we'll stay! Stop crying, oh god-" Nightmare's eyelight flickered, flashing in warning. What the fuck was wrong?! Cross only cried harder, his entire body shaking with sobs. He twitched, feeling a hand settle on his back. Nightmare awkwardly rubbed his back, doing his best to try to calm him. Cross straightened, hand still pressed over his mouth, air whistling as he inhaled shakily. Nightmare frowned, just about ready to force Cross to drive them home, but he froze. Cross let his hand fall, revealing a huge grin. Nightmare's sockets widened, something in his soul doing flips at the pure joy and happiness on Cross's face. That's what he'd wanted to see. That's the smile he'd wanted. A genuinely happy smile that sent shivers down his spine and made his soul race with joy. He gave his own lopsided smile, more confused than panicked now. "What's got you so happy?" Cross laughed tearfully, once again making Nightmare's soul squeeze with intense emotion. "I'm meeting friends! Friends, Nightmare!" His throat tightened, his voice strained. "I, I can't tell you how happy I am, it's amazing!" Nightmare finally understood. Cross was excited. "I haven't done anything like this in so long! And never with more than one person!" Nightmare wouldn't ever fully understand how Cross was feeling, he knew that. But he knew it was probably overwhelming. "Who'd you invite?"
Cross smiled brightly, tears still streaming but not as much as before. "I asked Dream, Ccino, Maddox, and three others! I don't know who the other three are, but I was told that they were excited to meet me." Nightmare watched in amazement as Cross laughed. "I know Dream is bringing Killer, but he's not part of the three. I'm so excited!" Nightmare's soul warmed. He liked seeing Cross like this. "Well, what are we waiting for then? Let's go." Cross flushed at Nightmare's smile, his eyelights darting away to see Maddox and Ccino talking. He looked down at his lap shyly, his fingers clasping together. Nightmare swiftly noticed that Cross was still wearing his jacket, and decided that he wouldn't ask to get it back. Cross sucked in a breath, "Okay. Yeah, let's go." Nightmare got out first, completely content to wait. Cross braced himself as he joined the darker monster, letting him take the lead. Maddox saw him first, and he alerted Ccino of his arrival, the both of them waving Cross over. The small skeleton grabbed Nightmare's hand and practically bolted forward. "Cross, chILL-!"
-
Dream bid the group farewell, leading a slightly drunk and sleepy Killer out of the building. Cross waved, sipping from the hot chocolate that Maddox had so kindly provided him with. Nightmare, who was actually drunk, leaned heavily against Cross, muttering gibberish under his breath. Two of the three mystery guests had passed out, and Ccino was talking to the last of the three. It was a sweet goat monster named Toriel. She'd arrived shortly after Dream and Killer did, introducing herself quietly. Cross had chatted with her for a good hour before they exchanged numbers. She'd been invited by Ccino, hence why she was talking to him, and the two others had been invited by Dream. One of them, Cross recognized as the smart kid who sometimes stared at him. He'd introduced himself as TK, and immediately asked Cross to arm wrestle with him. Cross had been too confused to even try to win, and he sat awkwardly through the kid's triumphant boasting. It took ten minutes before he'd contributed to the conversation, and once he did, TK had done wonderfully well. They talked about their mutual feeling on fried asparagus and made terrible jokes about Peppa Pig. Nightmare had puffed out his chest in pride the entire time, watching Cross socialize with the monster. He was proud, despite getting shitfaced after the first hour. TK had arrived in the second hour, Toriel on the third, and one the fourth hour, the last guest had shown. He was an odd one. Another friend of Ccino and, strangely enough, Killer as well. A skeleton who called himself 'Outer'. He was pleasant. Cross found that they both were space fanatics, and got both Outer and TK's phone numbers. At the end of the night, Dream was slightly high on sugar, Killer was tipsy, TK and Outer were blackout drunk, and Toriel was only on her first drink. After Dream and Killer left, Ccino and Maddox volunteered to drive the drunk monsters to their homes, and Toriel tagged along to help. Cross wished them all a goodnight and decided to stay a bit longer.
Now, he was feeding Nightmare little coffee cakes, giggling at the determined expression the other was making. "You can do it." Nightmare blinked blearily, tipping forward and biting the cake. Cross cheered softly, carefully feeding Nightmare the rest of the small pastry. "Don'ttt pantronize me." Cross laughed, shaking his head. "Okay, I won't." Nightmare hummed tiredly, "C'mere.." Cross was pulled onto Nightmare's lap, the smaller squeaking at the sudden change. Nightmare buried his face in Cross's neck, swaying slightly as he nuzzled the small skeleton. Cross shivered at the feeling of Nightmare's breath hitting his neck, whining quietly. "Nightmare, let me go." The drunk monster woozily protested, sliding his arms around Cross's waist to hold him in place. "Nnnoh...Comfy." Cross gingerly pried Nightmare's arms off, gasping when he was yanked even closer. He flushed, trying again. "Nightmare, we have to go home." He shuddered, the sensation of teeth on his neck startling him. "Wait-" His breath hitched and he squirmed, finally managing to get free. "Don't do that, okay? You're drunk, and we're in public." Nightmare groaned quietly as he was pulled up onto his feet. The ground seemed to buck and rock beneath him, nearly knocking him over. He stumbled into Cross, who immediately steadied him. Nightmare leaned against the smaller, inhaling deeply. "You smell nice." Cross's face heated, but he ignored it, murmuring to his friend as he tried to lead him to the door. "Let's get you home." Nightmare only mumbled incoherently and lurched drunkenly when they moved. One of the night workers were kind enough to open the door for them, which made things easier for Cross. He thanked the girl quietly, cursing as Nightmare suddenly slipped away.
The same worker lunged forward and caught the drunk monster, preventing him from toppling down the stairs and injuring himself. He once again thanked her, taking Nightmare and holding him in place. She smiled, smoothing down the front of her shirt. "It's no problem, sir. How much did he drink?" Before he could respond, Nightmare nuzzled his face again. "Crossssssy.." Cross cleared his throat, a hand coming up to tilt Nightmare's face away, and grinned at the human awkwardly. "Too much. I hope it's not a bother, but can you help me get him down the stairs?" She nodded quietly, moving to take Nightmare's arm. She was promptly slapped in the face by a stray tentacle and shoved away by another. The sudden action jerked Nightmare out of Cross's hold and sent him tumbling down the stairs. He groaned as he fell in a heap on the ground, tentacles flopping limply. "Croooosss...!" The boy rushed forward with a shout, panicking. A tendril sluggishly pushed itself onto the floor, slowly forcing Nightmare to his feet, and sending him into Cross's arms. The smaller grunted at the weight, doing his best to counter the momentum and hold Nightmare up. "M'tired.." After checking him over quickly and thanking the worker, Cross nearly resorted to carrying Nightmare to the car. Thankfully, the alcohol seemed to lighten enough for Nightmare to make it to the lot. The darker skeleton leaned against the car, whining as he was shoved into the passenger seat. Cross took a few moments to breathe before he got in the vehicle and started the car.
-
"Crossssyyy...!" Nightmare came ambling in, scanning the room hazily in search of the oreo. He found the smaller fast asleep on the couch, exhausted after dragging Nightmare inside and putting him in his room. All of his efforts had gone to waste it seemed, since Nightmare was now downstairs again, and searching for him. He cooed when he found his housemate, shuffling forward. His tendrils slithered onto the couch, lifting the sleeping monster as Nightmare sat. He gathered the small skeleton in his arms, snuggling into him and purring contently. He proceeded to nibble at Cross's jaw, the tickling feeling rousing the other from his sleep. He blinked groggily, croaking in a questioning tone, "N...Nightmare?" The dark being hummed, still attacking Cross's jaw, and Cross flushed deeply once he realized what was happening. He quickly scrambled to get up, putting at least two meters between them, leaving Nightmare to stare at his empty lap in confusion. He swallowed dryly, breathing quickly when Nightmare looked up at him. "Cross?" He stepped forward hesitantly, taking another step, and another, until he stood in front of Nightmare again. He carefully sat beside him, unsure of what to do. Nightmare tilted his head, eyelight hazy, and reached his hands out to pull Cross back onto his lap. This time, when he attacked Cross's neck, the other did nothing but shiver in his hold. Nightmare grinned against his neck, mind thick with drunken want. Cross bit his tongue as he felt something warm brushing his vertebrae, the heat on his face increasing with each passing second.
Nightmare left a kiss on his throat and pulled away, eye locking onto Cross's. They stared at each other silently, neither of them moving until Cross twitched at the feeling of a hand tracing his spine through his clothes. He was helpless to stop what happened next, freezing at the foreign feeling. Nightmare was kissing him. It took a few seconds for it to process, and once it did, he threw away all rational thought and returned the kiss. His neck tingled with fantom touches, his mind growing muddled with each new kiss. He squeaked when Nightmare suddenly stood up, his grip tightening on the taller's shirt as he was carried upstairs. His face burned the entire trip, and he was sure that he was going to melt. He knew he had to put an end to what was happening, but he couldn't force himself to do it. Cross jolted back to reality, having felt himself falling for a second. He found that he was in Nightmare's room, on the bed with Nightmare himself hovering over him. "Nightmare?" He shrunk under the other's heated gaze, not sure what to expect. If things started escalating, then Cross would put an end to it. But he was fine with kisses. And that's what he got. He was okay with it. He was fine with it. In fact, he was overjoyed. They were both breathing heavily by the time they stopped. Nightmare merely slumped over, drawing Cross close, and fell asleep. Cross, though, spent a few minutes trying to calm his erratic soul. Nightmare was drunk. He wouldn't remember anything, and Cross wasn't going to tell him. The thought saddened him, but he'd set his mind. Nightmare wouldn't know. Some distant part of him nagged at his mind, trying to remind him of something. Then it hit him. It was Friday. He whimpered at the reminder. He'd circled Sunday on his calendar. He couldn't do it now, not with so many good things happening. He couldn't find any reason for it anymore. Still, his soul twisted sharply, and he inhaled shakily. Cross was torn between what to do.
So, instead of thinking about it, he focused on the comforting warmth Nightmare gave off and pretended that he wasn't plotting his own death.
------END------
Oof. I tried to save the whole 'first kiss' thing for later, but things just happened. Uh, so that's a new development in their relationship. I'm sure you enjoyed that. Now, I would put day ten here, but there's an issue.
Day nine is, just like day eight, nearly seven thousand words. Basically, it's long as fuck. that, and I don't have day ten written yet. I've had to open three different documents for this entire idea because it's so damn long and apparently the thing I'm using is a pussy and can't handle my glorious trash. So yeah. Fuck.
(proof)
(look at this shit that's three documents)
Sorry if I take so long to update, I'm doing my best. I really am. Insomnia sucks, and despite the quarantine, I don't have enough time to write. It's stupidly stressful, and it's shit. I love writing, I really do, and I'd spend all day doing it if I was allowed to, but like always, life has other plans.
So, uh, I'm sorry.
To make up for lacking everything you want, here's a shit drawing of Shattered Dream:
(ignore horror lmao)