Two weeks later, Dream's POV

I sigh, shaking my head as I wipe away the dried paint indicating Ink's presence in this AU. I arrived to find the place such a mess and the residents say that Ink caused an avalanche trying to ride his brush down the mountain. I have learned not to question how he manages to cause such damage. Instead, I spend my time helping the town rebuild itself. I dig through my bag for more supplies, seeing the paper from Nightmare still tied up with a ribbon. Right...The truce. I haven't read it yet since things got too complicated after he left me with it.

Obscuro told me exactly what his bullies were like and it made me sick to think he endured such torment from them just because he used his powers for fun. He doesn't realize it but they envied his power and were trying to use his love for games to benefit them or control the world. They wanted to use his power to shape the world as they see fit or to control it. They wanted to control him, but he just thinks they were cruel players in a game that broke the rules and toyed with him. There's a reason he was trapped in a doll for years. You can do anything to a doll and have full control over it. They wanted to control him but he wouldn't obey them or use his power the way they wanted. His resistance caused their hate, not his games. And the fact that they don't know how he got his powers makes it more frustrating for them. Why didn't they get his power? They were popular in the AU so they got everyone to turn on him, including the people that made his clothes with the strange symbols. Apparently the main bullies are in a family called the Chameleos due to their power to take the form of anything that they please. They're shapeshifters but it takes more to turn into people as far as he knows. They have to touch whoever they wish to be disguised as according to his memory of how they'd beat him before turning into him. I can tell that it terrifies him to think that they're loose in the multiverse after he was trapped for years and thought his AU was an empty wasteland that was destroyed without any survivors. Obscuro had sleep issues for a week afterward, even after Blip assured him that the creep was gone. Blip made scarves for each of us to indicate that we're the real ones, not a disguised creep. Error is making him new clothes to replace the ones of his AU and to remove the influence of those jerks. And I am keeping an eye out for any other family members of that creep. Nobody is allowed to torment my brother and I don't want them near him. He went against an entire multiverse for me to be treated better, the least I can do is deal with creeps and jerks from his past.

Now I am wandering up the mountains where Ink arrived and looking for any victims that may have been caught in his mess. I find a little kid with a wounded arm and unable to move her legs. Then I hear a rumbling up the mountain. I glance up, seeing Nightmare fighting the Owl Demon and trying to get control of it. He gets thrown off, hitting the snow hard but marches back for another go looking furious. I glance at the kid and frown. Either an avalanche will start from their fight or the poor kid will be caught in the cross-fire. I grab a nearby board and pick up the kid, pulling her close.

"Hold on tight. We're getting you out of here."I say

"The goo monsters won't get us?"She asks, glancing behind us.

"I won't let them hurt you."I say

She nods, holding on tightly. I kick the board down, stepping on it and sliding down the mountain. I turn it left or right to avoid trees and rocks while her eyes were fixed behind us as I can still hear that demon roaring and hissing. This was the quickest way down and within minutes, we reach the bottom and the board slows to a stop. I step off, carrying the girl to where a mini clinic has been set up to handle those hurt by Ink's mess. She gets reunited with her parents who thank me for finding her and quickly go to get the doctors. I go back to searching the surrounding area, then hear wings flapping and a hum. I glance over seeing a hooded figure with wings and a scythe hovering above the snow. I can see skeletal hands holding a list and the scythe. I think I recognize them based on that description....This must be Reaper. I've never seen him when I help AUs so this is new. I'm usually getting involved in Ink's messes or following Ink so I was never in a place that Reaper would go to. I've heard of him and I'm not surprised that he's here since Ink did cause an avalanche. The damages are too great for him not to show up here.

He glances over at me and jolts for a moment. He looks exhausted but then his empty eyes get filled with small white eye-lights. He shows a small smile.

"What are you, the god of coffee? It feels like I just got a kick of caffeine when I sensed your aura."He says

"Coffee...? What's that? I'm no god, just a guardian. My name is Dream. I assume you are Reaper?"I reply

"Reaper. How are you so calm facing me? If you're not a god, then you're not like other mortals that cross my path. Ya know, God of Death and all that. People are usually angry or scared when I arrive, trying to deny my presence. Well...most of them..."He says

I shrug.

"Maybe work made me desensitized to the normal amount of fear. Spending years fighting Nightmare might've used up all the fear of death I could give."I say

"Nightmare? That walking gooptopus? You fight that freak? He isn't even on my list anymore! Apparently he serves a higher purpose but I have yet to see it."He says

"I used to fight him. Now things seem to have changed and he has other priorities."I say

He glances up at the mountain.

"So that so-called king has taken on rodeo as a hobby...He sucks at it."He chuckles, checking his list.

He frowns, glancing at me.

"I don't see you on here either. What are you again?"

"I'm his counterpart you could say....The one who had to keep him in check. He creates negativity and I create positivity."I say

"Is that the jolt I felt when approaching you?"He asks

"Yeah. Most people feel more than that."I reply

"Most people get a sense of dread automatically near me. You look exhausted. Does work drain you too?"He asks

"It did but I'm finding a balance with life and work. Making healthier habits lately."I say

"So you lived off of coffee before that or something stronger?"He asks

"What is that?"I ask

He looks horrified at my question. It's like I just asked Error who Asgoro is. I'm guessing it's something important I should know about.

"How do you not know coffee?"He asks

"It must've been made in the 500 years that I was in stone."I say

"But the AUs have plenty of it!"He says, sounding flabbergasted

"I didn't have the work-life balance to explore what AUs had until recently."I say

He paces in the air, looking like he's struggling to process what I just said. He leans on his scythe, seeming to think. Then there's a loud screech of pain that makes us both freeze up.

"That thing is so annoying."He says

"It terrifies me."I say, shaking my head.

"Want to go elsewhere?"He asks, offering his hand.

He swiftly gets punched by a large tentacle, knocking him away.

"Stay away from him!"Nightmare snaps as he lands on the snow.

"Nightmare!"I snap

"You're welcome!"He says proudly, walking over to me.

He smiles at me and I shake my head.

"What did you do that for?"I ask

"Protecting you obviously."He says

I summon my arrows and quickly aim ahead, startling him. I adjusted my aim, firing three arrows past him, piercing the Owl Demon as it tried to fly closer. The wings get pierced and it crashes into the ground with a screech. Nightmare glances behind him and then back at me, looking astonished.

"Thanks..."

"Don't mention it. Rule number one: NEVER turn your back on a goopster until you're sure that you're away from it."I say

"That's a good rule. Where'd you learn it?"He asks

He did not just ask that.

I glance at him dully.

"Only took until the twentieth fight I guess and running from that thing to learn that."

"Oooh...."

"I think it should be clear that I can handle myself. I don't need you protecting me as you say from a nice conversation."

"Oh come on! It was a good effort, wasn't it? You won't have to worry about him anymore."

I roll my eyes, crossing my arms as Reaper hovers behind him with his arms crossed as well.

"I think you forgot about the god part, buddy. Death is my job, not whatever you were doing back there. Now, I think we should continue our conversation elsewhere."Reaper says, making Nightmare jolt.

The scythe drops between Nightmare and I, making him take a few steps back. Reaper grabs it and slices the air to make a portal.

"Shall we? I think they can handle things now. If they couldn't, my list would be flashing. I need to refuel anyway."He says

I nod, following him through to another AU. He leads me into a small shop with a teacup next to the sign and glances around at the people inside. I see a look of surprise wash over his face.

"Nobody is reacting....They seem calm..."He says

I glance around, seeing the customers and staff acting casually. Not too happy but not too upset. Just...neutral.

"Maybe our auras cancel out the feeling of joy or dread? This is surprising to me too. This hasn't happened before."I suggest

"Doesn't it cancel out with Nightmare?"He asks

"Nightmare and I are rarely in the same area without it becoming a conflict dangerous to those around him. He mainly attacks AUs to get more negativity. We've never been civil or casual enough to know if this is even possible....until recently...."

"Well, I'm showing you what coffee is before the dread hits them."He says, leading me to a space by the window.

He goes up to order and a few minutes later comes back with two cups. He hands me one and smiles.

"I think you'd be a mocha coffee type of person. Give it a try."He says

I take a sip, humming in satisfaction.

"It tastes good..."

"Mhm."He hums, taking a sip from his.

I smile as we chat for a bit and he gets the rare chance to stay in a place where others don't dread his presence. We talked about various parts of our lives and he was curious about my progress getting into a balanced routine. Apparently he was too busy reaping souls to notice Obscuro's livestream. He told me about the company he surrounds himself with and I told him about the friends I have around me. He gets a puzzled expression when I say that I befriended Ink to some extent.

"Okay, I get your bond with Error. You're literally wearing his strings to keep warm so you have to mean something special to him. But Ink? He doesn't have a soul! How can you bond with someone that has that missing piece that lets him care? I've seen the chaos he causes! How do you even like him?"

"Well, when you have an aura that others can get addicted to the soulless trait can be a plus in a friendship. It may not be considered easy or normal, but I don't have to question how genuine his actions are like I do for others. There's nothing for my aura to influence so I know that whatever he does is him. It's tough having that doubt in mind around others so it's a strange comfort to not have that around him. And to some extent, he does care. He has protected me numerous times in the past and checked in on me several times when he thought there were issues. He'd hear how little I got to be independent and would drag me to things, trying to help me live for myself instead of others. It usually backfired but the attempt was there. And on some level, we could relate to each other."

"How can you relate to him?"

"He and I both try to understand the feelings others experience naturally. He can't experience it without his vials and for the longest time I couldn't express it like others normally would without being shamed for it. I can hardly say I understand what a normal relationship is like without my aura factoring in somehow just like him with his vials factoring in. I'm relearning what my happiness feels like instead of what the joy of others feels like but part of me knows I may never get a complete understanding of it...We both have limits to our interactions with others that can frustrate us. So to some degree, we understand each other....Even if he can be a chaotic pain in the rear."

He pauses, seeming to think for a few moments.

"Wait...So you don't know what love is then?"

"I have an idea of it and held on the value of it for over 500 years now. I have Swap and friends showing me the love and the care that comes with a bond."I say with a shrug

"Have you ever fallen in love or felt that?"

"I've sensed the joy others have experienced when they fell for someone as they call it. I've sensed my aura becoming their addiction that strangers mistake for love for me. I've seen friends go through it and how strong their feelings radiate from them...."

"Have you ever experienced it yourself?"

"I....I don't think so...That'd be too scary for me honestly if I did. Well, before I got stabilized. I cannot imagine myself dealing with that feeling while on the run from Nightmare. I'd probably fear not being enough for them, failing to protect them, or if I'm mistaking my feelings for what I'm sensing from either. The majority of people who have fallen for me are influenced by my aura so I'd probably be worried that I'm breaking down or some other concern my mind came up with while lacking sleep....Is there a way to tell that one has fallen?"

He sighs and smiles.

"It can feel different for anyone but there's plenty of signs. For me, I was falling in love when I couldn't stop thinking about my darling. I found myself feeling safer around him and wanting to spend more time and confide more in him. I wanted to make him as safe as he made me feel. I couldn't help but feel happier around him and adore all his quirks and imperfections. Even the little things became important things to recall. I just felt better and wanted to be better with him...And of course, there's the soul-racing and burning cheeks that give it away. If you ever find yourself acting like this around a specific person, you might just like them more than you think. And if you catch someone noticing the little things, making more time for you, and loving the parts of you most people don't focus much on, they may be falling for you. If they keep you safe and do more than try to impress you, meaning they try to make you happier, then they might be someone genuine. Listen carefully to their words or teasing comments, that's how it started with me and my darling. But if you find someone accepting you with all imperfections attached and wanting to protect your smile, they may be someone for you to keep close to. Not saying you have to say yes for their sake, but for yours. You don't have to return feelings that you don't have for others just because they have it for you. Just telling you what type of love is good to take a chance with. Then again, you're the one who can sense good emotions. You can be the judge of who is a good partner for you."He explains with a smile growing on his face.

Someone who accepts me with my imperfections and protects my smile? Loving parts of me others don't? Trying to make me happier? "NoW wh0 neEds aN aUrA wiTh cApTivAtIng m0meNtS liKe tHeSe? ThaT v0icE aNd lAuGh?" Why is Error's dream coming to mind? He likes my smile, and laugh, and when I get angry strangely....But that can't relate to what Reaper is saying, right? That was just him explaining our friendship...

"Do you have someone in mind?"

My face burns.

"No! I just liked imagining the experience....having something genuine..."I say

He smiles, nodding. Then I hear the sound of a portal shutting and glance toward the sound, seeing a glitchy portal disappear. I quickly recognized whose portal it was.

Was Error spying on us? I get that he likes to check in on me but it always surprises me how random the timing could be...Then again, I am hanging out with the god of Death so I guess that would be concerning...

"Have you heard of a boy named Palette?"Reaper asks

"Hm?"

"My son just met this kid who doesn't seem to have any folks looking after him. He's a really good kid. I checked his soul records from my list. Apparently he's an abandoned son that another version of you had with Ink."He says

I'm not even gonna start with questioning HOW that is possible...The poor child...How could another version of me abandon a child? My job may have its risks but loved ones are still important. I'd at least leave them with something or TRY to protect them while with them. But that isn't the case....

"How disappointing....That child deserves better."I say, deep in thought with a frown.

"Would you like to see him?"

"Won't that freak the poor boy out?"

"He says his dads haven't visited in months. I think it'll be fine."He says

I nod, already having an idea forming. He takes my gloved hand and we teleport away. I see a little boy sitting on the grass by himself, drawing on paper with a few crayons. He cannot be older than eight by the looks of it. The little boy glanced over his shoulder and his eyes seem to brighten a bit.

"Hello..."He says quietly.

As if speaking any louder would scare us away. I can sense positivity radiating from him and one of his hopes crying out the strongest: Don't leave me again. I don't want to be alone.

"Hello, I hear that you are Palette."I say

"Hey, Palette. I met this other version of your dad and thought it wouldn't hurt for you to meet him."

Palette walks closer hearing that from Reaper. His gaze scans me curiously.

"He does look more awake...Dressed different...."

"He's getting a work-life balance."Reaper says

"That's possible?"Palette asks

I nod and he frowns for a moment.

"Guess I'm not worth the effort...Won't try to make it possible...I'm not good enough..."

I frown, kneeling down to him.

"Palette, I may not be your dad here but I won't allow you to think so little of yourself. You are very important and worth plenty to those smart enough to recognize it. They just don't and aren't worth your frustration or pain. They're not worth you insulting yourself when they don't notice you. I know it may not be much coming from me, but it's true. You deserve better and are worth it. Don't let their stupidity minimize your value in any sense."I tell him

His eyes twinkle hearing my words and he nods.

"Tell me, Palette. Where do you eat and rest?"I ask

He shrugs.

"Depends on the AU I land in. Fa-Ink tries to keep me in an empty space to make it easier to find me but he never returns and I use my own tools to get out."He says, summoning a big paint roller.

I frowned, now understanding Error's frustration when I had given him a similar response. But that was different. I had duties to uphold and messes to prevent, which explained why I never had a place to rest. But here is a child without a place to rest. There's no reason for that.

"Hmmm, that can't be comfortable. If you ever want a place to stay and rest, my door is always open. You can use the guest room whenever you like."I say, seeing Reaper smile.

Death's grin didn't compare to the beaming smile I got from Palette. He hugs me close, thanking me. Then he pauses.

"What's the catch?"He asks

"None. I must warn you though that I have two pets in the house and a little brother named Obscuro."I say

"Your life is very different from my parents....Good."He says

"I can show you the home. Do you have to grab anything?"

He nods.

"I'll be right back!"He says, running off.

I smile, glancing at Reaper as he takes a long sip from his coffee, trying to act casual.

"You intended this to happen, didn't you?"I ask

"Kid deserves someone looking after him and I think we both know that. I don't want to come across him during work if you get what I mean."He says

I nod.

"My brother has been adding more guest rooms anyway so I don't think there will be an issue."I say as Palette returns with a backpack strapped to his back.

Reaper's list hits him on the head and he sighs.

"Guess I have to return to work. I'll see you both around."He says

I nod as he flies away with his scythe. Palette takes my hand and looks up at me with bright hope in his eyes. I teleport us to the house, finding Nightmare sitting on the front steps. I frown, taking another sip from the cup I took with me from the shop. I'll need some more energy for whatever he plans now.

Palette tears away from me, running up to Nightmare and smacking him on the head with the roller.

"Leave! Leave now! You're not allowed here! You hurt people!"

"Palette!"I say, pulling him back.

"What? He tried to attack my friend the other day. He shouldn't be near your home. All he will cause is trouble. Unless...Is this timeline different? Is this Obscuro?"He asks

I shake my head.

"This is Nightmare but I can handle him. Go inside and pick which room you want to rest in."

"Okay.."He says

I open the door for him and shut it behind him. I glance at Nightmare who now has a streak of orange down the middle of his dissatisfied face.

As ridiculous as he looks, he doesn't look happy. And sitting outside my house? This is only becoming more concerning to handle....

TBC