Of all the people that Dream had been expecting to meet while shopping for christmas presents with Blueberry, it was not someone from his brother's gang.

Even so, that was exactly who he ran into.

It could have been worse, at least it was Cross and not any of the more insane ones. Like Horror or Dust.

Unfortunately, at least that was what Dream thought, he did not go unnoticed and Cross turned to him with a startled look.

"Heh...hi...Cross..." 

Dream was not sure why he decided to speak up, the situation was just so awkward. 

Not that it helped much, all it did was make Cross shift his eyes from Dream to somewhere on the ground. He did not answer.

Still awkward.

"So... are you buying Christmas presents too?"

At this, Cross gave a hesitant nod, not really sure if he should be talking to Dream at all. At least it was an answer.

Dream got a little more confident in continuing the conversation.

"Oh, who's it for?"

Cross instantly blushes and tries to hide his face with his arm. Of course, this only made Dream more interested in finding out the answer.

'He blushed, so the present must be for someone he really likes.'

'I wonder if I can set him up, love could make anyone a better person. Happier too.'

Dream lean forward a little bit, smiling.

"Come on, who is it for? I can help finding the best present ever if you tell me."

Cross moved his gaze from the floor to Dream. He seemed to carefully consider his options. 

With a heavy sign he seemed to mumble something, not loud enough for Dream to hear. 'A name?'

"I could not hear you Cross, who is it?"

Cross avoid looking at Dream gain, his blush increasing slightly.

"It's for Nightmare..."

Dream's thought process drags to a stand still, before it slowly starts moving again.

'Cross... likes my brother?'

Without knowing it himself, Dream's smile grows wider.

'This is perfect. Love is exactly what he needs, I soo needs to set this pairing up. Wonder what I should call it, Nightcross or Crossmare... hmm... Ill ask for Blue's opinion later. This is GREAT!'

Dream grabs Cross' arm and drags him to another part of the mall.

"I'll help you get the perfect present don't worry. I'm sure Blue will be willing to help too."

^Time Ship^

When Cross got back to Nightmare's mansion that day he was exhausted. Enough so, that he did not even bother drag himself onto the couch before collapsing on the spot.

Dream, and later Blue as well, had lead him all over the mall on the hunt for the perfect present. Cross did not have any energy left after that. The whole thing was like torture, at least he had finally gotten a present for Nightmare. According to Dream, Nightmare would like it, but Cross was not completely convinced. However, at that point Cross would have accepted anything only for it all to be over.

"Move Cross, get your fluffy a** of the floor, you're in the way."

Cross turned his head to the speaker. It was Horror... carrying a Christmas tree.

With a bit of struggle, Cross sat up and dragged himself out of the way a bit so that he did not take up too much of the floor.

"What's the tree for, Horror?" he asked curiously.

Despite Cross getting a Christmas present for Nightmare, the holyday was not really celebrated at the mansion. Considering Nightmare feed of negative emotions and Christmas was a holyday of joy. So seeing Horror carry around a Christmas tree was unexpected.

"Heh, Nightmare lost a bet to Dust so now he has to host a Christmas party and invite the Star Sanses."

^Time Skip (at the party)^

Nightmare cursed as he could hear loud Christmas music play in the mansions main hall and fill the entire place with it. He hated it. This whole situation made him curse Dust even more.

Dust had somehow found out his greatest weakness, the fact that he liked Cross, a lot. And Dust had not hesitated to use that as blackmail to make him host this party. Of course, as far as everyone else knew it was because he lost a bet. 

Dust had even included conditions, like inviting the Star Sanses or how he had to show up at the party and not try to kill anyone.

Nightmare shut his door behind him angrily and stamped of towards the main hall. 'Better get this stupid party over and done with.'

^At the party, with Cross^

Cross nervously griped the edges of the present he bought for Nightmare. Dream had made him, forced him more likely, stand by the entrance of the main hall and wait for Nightmare to come.

He was starting to get second thoughts about getting a present at all. What had he been thinking?

What made the situation worse, was that Dream, Dust and Blueberry where watching him. As if they expected something interesting to happend any minute now.

Cross was sure that he even saw Blueberry holding a camera. 

AN: I think you all know how it ended. I started this one last year nd never finished it (it was the first ting undertale related I wrote) and I lack any kind of motivation for writing right now. And I posted this unfinished because I refuse to have it laying around another year.

In other news, for those that read "Waking up from a Nightmare" the next chapter will be up any day now. :)