Nigtmare grows worried due to Dreams latest behaviour and does something he hopes he wont regret

——-

$% Multiverse

Nightmare just knew things had been going far too well, tension in his entire body as he watched his brother go down the far too familiar role of obsession. So far three staff members had gone 'mysteriously' missing, unsure who his twin was trying to fool when he could sense peoples emotions blink out at random times of the day.

They had also rarely left the house and he could see where this was going, feeling more wards being put up around the house and just knowing this would end badly. He knew he could have left and probably should have already but he didn't have the heart to leave the kid here and felt Dream might legitimately murder him if he even tried to take them.

He wasnt sure what had caused this sudden switch but he didnt like it one bit, feeling his brother was a breath away from going on another 'cleansing spree' like in the last.

He looked up when the babybones ran in the room giggling loudly, giving him a shushing gesture as they hid behind the curtain, trying to keep a straight face when he could still clearly see their wings peeking out.

His good mood dropped when Dream entered, their aura much sharper then usual even if they had a playful look on their face.

"Where are you, little bird? Wherever could you be?~"

Both Guardians struggled to not laugh when giggling came from behind the curtains, the hiding place truly terrible and unsure how the kid kept thinking they were 'an excellent hider'. Even without that their emotions were so bright, giving them no chance to hide from either twin or escape Dreams clutches.

"Have you seen the little one, Nightmare? It seems I've lost them. They are ever so sneaky~"

He did end up snorting when the babybones jumped out the curtains to everyone's 'shock', looking ever so pleased at winning the game.

KaRma chirped when he saw Dreams' surprised expression, having great fun with them lately. He purred when he felt their magic surround him still not quite right, yawning as he began to feel sleepy again. He gave a sleepy hiss when he was picked up but was soon out like a light as he cuddled into the fluff on their coat.

"You need to stop doing that. That cant be healthy for children"

Nightmare said dryly, watching as Dream cradled the dead asleep child who was already lightly snoring. His brother had tried to use similar tricks on him but he had gotten around it after the tenth time he had a 'surprise nap' and woke up in Dreams home.

"Im not the cause~"

"Uhuh. I felt your magic, Dream. I'm not an idiot"

"I dont think you understand. Im not capable of putting them to sleep at any moment~"

He was about to throw back a scathing comment at such a blank lie but it got stuck in his throat when he was Dreams expression as they looked at the child in their arms with a troubled look.

"I can gently coax them to sleep if they need rest but if i try anything more i am...let's say dissuaded from such an action~"

Dream didnt know how to put into words the way the child's magic almost 'scolded' him, feeling he was getting off lightly each time he tried to push a bit harder. He finally got the message when he lost a few feathers in the last attempt and stopped trying again the way the child looked at him in sheer disappointment and confusion hurt way worse than he expected.

"They are such a mysterious child. So many secrets and i never feel closer to getting answers~"

Nightmare noticed how fond Dream said that, as if presented with a priceless treasure that they refused to let go.

"Do we even have a name for them yet?"

He sighed as he leaned back into the sofa, gaining a headache at just how complicated everything was and feeling he had very few options to contain the inevitable explosion at the end. No matter what Dream said he knew they were growing more unstable by the days, something inside them seemed to be breaking and he felt powerless to stop it.

He had thought things had been going well but he should have known it was futile to hope, his eyelights dimming when Dream began muttering under their breath, seeing that he had lost them to their mad ramblings again.

He prayed things would get better but knew it was a long shot, his optimism having been stripped from him so many years ago. He missed his brother and felt like he was losing them all over again.

-

Goths/KaRmA/WHO WAS HE? was very very confused..and sad but he couldn't do much about the last thing just yet, holding his plushy kitty close for comfort. He silently peaked through the open door and watched as Dream and Nightmare argued in the hallway, his wings shifting as magic was thrown around and weapons materialised he wasnt scared but everything still wasn't quite right.

He sneezed when the golden magic brushed against him, waving it away and ignoring the numbers that were still floating in his vision. They had been getting worse lately, scrunching up his face when they nearly obscured his vision but jumped when a loud noise came from the hallway.

"You cant keep doing this, Dream!"

"Watch me! Stay out of my way, brother~"

"Its not healthy! You are going down the same road as-"

"Be very careful of your words, Nightmare!~"

He frowned at the hissing tone it's wrong, its not supposed to be like that, carefully closing the door and going to the wardrobe. He opened it, having removed all the clothes and made a nest out of pillows and blankets, getting in before he pulled the door closed.

It was much quieter now, nuzzling his soft stuffed kitty plushy Dream had gotten him the magic in it was wrong, it was ALL WRONG!

These odd fights had been happening a lot lately but they usually made up after a nap, usually waking up on Dream and getting some chocolate as an 'apology'.

He didnt really understand what they had to be sorry for or what the weird faces both adults made after the fights meant but he did enjoy the treat, even if he had odd moment of wanting to stuff some in Dreams face to test it first it could be poisoned, just like BeFore-

-

Nightmare knew this was going to break the fragile trust he had formed with his brother, it was likely to even start the ongoing battles again and he was likely condemning the multiverse to another war but he couldnt just sit back and do nothing.

His brother was changing and not for the better, feeling they were going back into the dark pit of insanity and he was helpless to change it. The babybones might have been unintentionally helping at points but it was getting too dangerous, Dream having come very close to dusting them last time he tried to calm them down and worried who their next target would be.

He could take it, he could be the target again but he wouldnt watch an innocent be put in the same position. He wasnt that cold to use another as a 'sacrifice' just to make life easier, even though he doubted many would feel the same he wasnt naive, no matter what his brother said and did know not everyone could be trusted.

"..Nightmare? Where are we going?"

"We are just going out for a bit. There is no need to worry. Go back to sleep, little one"

He said softly to the yawning babybones, pulling the blanket over to cover them further as he walked away from the house he had been staying in for the past few months. He knew the guard rotation by now and Dream was on one of his rare excursions but he wouldnt have long, an hour at most to do what he planned.

"Where's Dream? He said he would nap with me"

His SOUL flinched at the confused whisper, unsure how the babybones was always able to tell when someone was near or left the residence, their magic still a mystery to what it exactly did as was their thought process.

He had seen far too many children cry when Dream got in one of their moods but the child did none of that, treating it like it was nothing and continuing on with their day.

Far too risky to keep them near someone so unstable, so he was taking a risk, having heard of this 'special' magic through his friends' somewhat questionable sources but he was willing to take the risk.

"You will see him soon. It's fine, little one. Just rest for now"

The lie tasted like ash on his tongue but he didn't regret it, unable to tell the truth especially when their white eyelight looked up at him so innocently. He didnt want to scare them but he knew he was just being a coward, unwilling to witness their expression crumple with the harsh truth.

He had never felt more like a monster in his life and felt his sins crawling on his back.

He took a sharp breath when they wrapped their arms around his neck, trustingly falling back asleep in his arms. He didnt have much time to reconsider his actions, wondering if this truly was for the best as he finally reached the meeting point. He saw Killer carelessly throwing a knife in the air, their apparent nonchalance not fooling him for a second as he saw the tension in their frame.

"Right on time, Nightmare. The contact will be here any second and-what's that face for?"

"'Contact'? I thought you had a spell we could use, you never mentioned someone else!"

"While i'm flattered how high you think my research skills are, you know im more of a people person then books. It will be fine. You worry way too much and i heard good things about him!..well, most of the rumours were good and some might have ended up as a pile of dust and ruined cities but you will definitely get your 'mysterious portal' that i still have no clue why you want it! That very rude of you by the way and my poor feelings are-"

He wanted to curse at suddenly having another variable in the equation, eye twitching as Killer rambled on and feeling deep regret for having asked them for help. They might be his oldest friend but they sometimes had the self preservation of a dead worm and the common sense or a brick.

He was surprised they hadnt been dusted years ago, finally able to truly sympathise with his brother when they mentioned how dim they found most people. The reminder on why he was doing this dampened his mood, lifting a hand to worldly tell Killer to shut up.

How they hadnt been caught yet was a miracle, the night hiding their forms but it would hardly do the same for noise.

Before he could berate them unsure why he bothered when they never learned he felt a surge of dark emotions closing in, twitching when they suddenly appeared right in front of him. He was speechless as he looked up at the giant monster, not having met anyone who could match his brothers height.

Their cold gaze chilled him, the mismatched eyelights that showed little care for him but it was the pure loathing in their emotions that made him feel he had made a large mistake.

"Well? I haven't got all day. Where is the monster you want moved? I dont have all day"

..where had Killer found this person and what did they pay them?!

If they tried to barter their SOUL again, there would be words.

He shakily pulled down the blanket, noticing the flickering emotions before it was ruthlessly squished down by the black boned skeleton, frowning when they expectantly held out their hands for the babybones. He reluctantly handed over the child, praying they stayed asleep during this and taking a relieved breath when they did so.

He watched helplessly as the tiny monster he had grown to care for was bundled close to the strangers chest, not having a moment to object or even change his mind before they vanished without a trace.

He felt he did the right thing...so why did his SOUL feel so cold..

——

High pitched laughter filled the air of reality, multiverse shuddering in response while others mindlessly continued on like nothing happened. Only few bared witness to the deities' amusement, causing them to shiver in dread on what could cause such a reaction but the majority thankful it wasn't them for once.

The mortals were lucky, none the wiser to what was happening, continuing going about their lives and never knowing of the larger predator that toyed with their lives for sheer entertainment.

"𝕊𝕠 𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕒𝕞𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖 𝕤𝕠 𝕞𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕓𝕪 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕨𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟 𝕤𝕠 𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕚𝕝𝕪, 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕨𝕖? 𝕀'𝕝𝕝 𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕟𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕦𝕟! 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕣𝕦𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕞𝕪 𝕗𝕒𝕧𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖, 𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝔾𝕠𝕕~"

~~~~~~~

Karma: *Proud of his amazing skills at hide and seek* I'm like a ninja!

Dream and Nightmare: *Hearing the babybones loudly run about and not even even concealing their whole body*...Sure you are, buddy

-

Dream: *slowly growing more insane*

Nightmare: *Trying to survive their insane mood swings*

Karma: *Vibing in their nest with a stuffed toy*

-

*Nightmare and Dream getting along*

FATE: *Bored and looking for entertainment* Hmmm. Thats nice and all but what if i spiced things up?

-

Nightmare: *Feeling desperate* I need a spell for transport out of the multiverse. Its urgent!

Killer: *Recalling rumours of a unstable monster that had great power and thinking its a great idea to find them* I have some ideas. You can count on me!

Nightmare: *A feeling of doom overcoming him* Why do i feel like i just made a massive mistake?