For some reason some you guys actually wanted me to write more of that abomination a few chapters ago. Uncorrupted Nightmare x Hatred. So, Yeet. I aim to please. Besides I did had a lot of fun writing that. I'm tempted to make it longer, into some kind of actual book, but I don't have any legit plot ideas. So. Yeet.

It had been several days since Dream got rid of Hatred, and it was still strange being back.

His gang treated him like a whole new person. Like they'd never seen him be chill before.

He wasn't even calm all the time. In fact, most of the time he was still a salty little punk.

Error did a double-take when he saw him. He muttered something about missing something important and left.

Fresh acted like he didn't believe he was actually Nightmare.

Why was him being smaller and less scary so weird for everyone?

At the moment, he was sitting in the room Ink had made for him in the Star Sanses' house. Dream had suggested that they move out and get a place of their own at some point, and Nightmare had to agree (Ink was a terrible thing to deal with first thing in the morning. Especially when he didn't motivate himself to get up with his paint, or motivated himself too much). Until then, Nightmare's only choices were that creepy-ass castle that he hated or the Star Sanses's house.

He sighed.

He decided to sleep.

--------------------------------

The meadow was peaceful. Flowers were blooming, birds were singing.

On days like these, Nightmare would've been happier if he'd had a friend to enjoy it with.

Like the one trapped in the swamp on the other side of the mind scape.

He approached the barrier again and pressed one hand against it, peering in to try to see the hiding goop monster.

But Hatred stayed hidden.

Nightmare hadn't seen his friend since he'd been stuck there.

He was getting more and more worried.

He didn't understand why Hatred would't come out to see him.

He turned and sat with his back against the invisible wall.

"Still not going to come out?" He asked softly.

Unsurprisingly, there was no answer.

"Are you mad at me?"

The air behind him seemed to shift, but there was still no response. The swampy part of the mind scape was always silent.

Nightmare didn't like the silence.

Suddenly, he sensed someone enter his mind scape.

And he heard an angry growl behind him.

Nightmare stood.

As much as he loved his brother, he did not want Dream in his mind scape. He would cause more harm than help, whatever his intentions were.

"Nightmare?" Dream called. He'd entered on the opposite side of Nightmare's mind scape. Nightmare knew that if he didn't answer Dream would get worried, so he began walking. "I'm over here," he called back.

Dream was standing by the largest tree in the meadow. He looked concerned about something. They met halfway.

"Um-" Dream started, "I- I know I really shouldn't be here, but I kinda..." He looked away and sighed. "Okay look I know I'm over reacting but I sensed you just fall asleep suddenly and I thought something was wrong. I wanted to see if you were alright. Even though I know you're probably fine."

Nightmare internally face palmed.

Of course Dream got worried about that.

It was like mid-day. There had been no real reason for him to suddenly be sleeping. Unless he was sick or something, which he wasn't.

"I'm fine," He assured his brother. ""I'm fine," he assured his brother. "I'm just- tired."

Dream seemed to believe him, but he glanced behind Nightmare and went pale.

Not even a second later, a loud BANG! shook the very ground. Trees shook, y'all grass trembled, and Nightmare and Dream stumbled.

Nightmare turned.

Hatred was watching them, with a glare angrier than rabid dog and hotter than the sun. His tentacles didn't seem to work properly as they weakly pounded on the barrier of their own free will. His clenched fists pressed against the invisible wall, but he didn't try to break it. His jaw was tight with either pain or rage. Judging by how thinly his goop was spread, Nightmare could easily guess that it was both.

"You," Hatred hissed. His gaze was fixed on Dream, and his voice held nothing but...well, hate. "You did this to me. You put me in here like I'm some kind of fucking zoo attraction!"

Dream backed further and further away.

Nightmare glanced between them, wondering what the correction choice would be.

Defend his friend by asking Dream to leave, making Dream extremely suspicious; or defend Dream by asking Hatred to leave Dream alone, assuring he never saw Hatred again.

He realized that it wasn't that hard. Most likely lose trust that could be gained back through time, or definitely lose a friend that he'd never recover.

"Dream," he said quietly, "You should go."

Dream's eye sockets widened in surprise.

"B-but," he started, "but it- he- that-"

"Isn't bothering me," Nightmare said calmly. "This is the first time I've seen him since you...freed me. I think your presence caught his attention."

Dream gulped, and glanced between the still angrily snarling goop monster and his brother. Finally he said, "I hope you realize there's going to be a lot of questions when you wake up."

Then, he left.

Nightmare immediately turned to Hatred.

"Hat-"

"Why did you defend me?"

Nightmare flinched at the accusatory tone in Hatred's voice.

"I thought-"

Hatred pushed off of the barrier. His gaze wasn't as angry, but it was much harder.

Nightmare finally noticed the glowing yellow chains around him, sapping his strength and tugging him back to wherever he'd been before. His tentacles hung low, as if they didn't have the energy to support themselves. They didn't undulate as they used to, instead they stayed almost perfectly still.

He looked awful, even for such a terrifying being.

"Thought what? That I can't handle a little shrimp coming over to act concerned?" Hatred turned away.

Nightmare stared at him. "No," he finally said, "I thought it would be better if he left, because I wanted to talk to you before you disappeared. Again. For no reason. Because apparently you don't know how to use your goddamn voice in this place."

It was Hatred's turn to look slightly ashamed.

He crossed his arms and looked down. His tentacles dropped further.

"...Why do you care?" He asked next.

Nightmare sighed in exasperation.

"You know what?" He said, crossing his arms, "I'm going to go deal with Dream. You stay here and think about how stupid that question was, and have an answer for it when I get back."

Before Hatred could respond, Nightmare willed himself to wake.

He blinked the sleep out of his eye sockets, realized time in his mindscape was out of whack again, and groaned.

Dream was going to give him hell for sleeping for so damn long.

He should at least realize the time flow difference, right?

Ugh. Things were just not going his way.

He sat up, swung his legs over the side of the bed, and went to face his brother.

Dream pressed the tips of his fingers together as he tried to process what Nightmare had told him.

But Nightmare knew that Dream would never fully understand. He only knew Hatred as the evil corruption that had taken over Nightmare, probably kept him prisoner in his own mind, and slaughtered countless people.

Any positive light on him seemed wrong.

Dream took a deep breath. "S-so...It- he's not hurting you?"

"No," Nightmare agreed. "He never did."

Dream seemed to have trouble wrapping his skull around this. But he was trying.

That was good.

"But...every time I saw you, it was him, right?"

Nightmare nodded.

"Why? If he...if he wasn't hurting you, why didn't he-"

"I'm not saying he's the good guy," Nightmare said quickly, "he's still an evil plop fountain who wants to take over the multiverse. He had more control over our body, so he kinda...took it. A lot."

Dream stared at him. "...I don't get it."

"I didn't expect you to."

Dream rubbed his forehead.

A quiet voice inside Nightmare's head said, "He's a dimwit. Why are you wasting your time on him."

Hush, Nightmare thought back. He's my brother and I love him. Even if he is dense sometimes.

The voice did not respond. Nightmare got the feeling Hatred was rolling his single eye light.

It was nice to have his friend back.

"Okay," Dream said suddenly, "So...this corruption-"

"His name is Hatred," Nightmare supplied.

Dream blinked. Nightmare swore he saw a small flake of Dream's sanity float away.

"Hatred," Dream repeated. "Hatred is the one who murdered a few hundred AUs and burned down the village."

"And turned you to stone," Hatred supplied from Nightmare's mind. Nightmare ignored him, but he had to bite his lip to keep an amused smile from getting onto his face.

"He's spread fear and despair across the multiverse to destroy the balance and rule everything," Dream continued. "And everything I thought about him is true. Except, he hasn't once hurt you, and your friends with him?"

"Yep."

Dream let out a long breath.

"...I don't know whether I should be concerned or glad, but I think I'm going to be both."

Nightmare snorted. "That's better than I thought."

Dream looked mildly offended. "H-hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means your and idiot. But that's alright; you wouldn't be my brother if you weren't."

Dream puffed out his cheeks. "I am not an idiot!" He protested.

Nightmare poked his chest. "No," Nightmare agreed, "but you do seem to have a knack for taking longer to understand something than, say, Cross."

Dream turned bright yellow. But he folded his arms and grumbled, "At least I'm better than Ink."

"Everyone is better than Ink," Nightmare pointed out, grinning. "Ink can barely pay attention to something long enough to figure it out."

"I'm so proud; my polite little apprentice has learned to insult people."

Nightmare made a snrk! sound and covered his mouth.

Oops.

Dream frowned. "Uh-"

Nightmare shook his skull as Hatred snickered about him being an idiot like his brother.

It would probably be a while before anyone felt comfortable knowing Hatred had started being a smart-ass again.