Nightmare looked over the ones he was dealing with. All the same as earlier when he tortured their dreams. Sally, Eyeless Jack, Masky and Hoodie, the clown, Laughing Jack. The bleeding elf, Ben Drowned. The 'smiling' man, Jeff the Killer and his pet, Smile Dog. It seemed he had his work cut out for him, considering half the table hated him, and the other half was mistrustful and afraid. "before you eat, i have something to say." As he always did with his four boys, his tendrils snaked over the table to keep the plates covered from the view of the others. It was a 'family' meal, after all. "i know that you do not know me, let alone like me, but until the spell can be broken, i am stuck here. i would like for us to get along. i will care for you as i do my own and allow you to do your work as you please. do we have a deal?" Nightmare asked, looking them each in the eye and assessing who would be his troublemaker in this group. Jeff stood out as the one as he sneered at Nightmare. "As if I'd ever listen to a pile of black slime!"

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Before Jeff knew what hit him, he was strung upside down by a tendril, spiky black bones waiting down below. "you are my 'dust' i see. a wild card. loves to push your boss' boundaries. i have killed people for less than that. however, we will have to settle for a different punishment." Jeff scowled at Nightmare as he tried to glare at the king. "Who do you think I am, a toddler?!" He snapped and Nightmare tisked softly while the others watched. "yes. you act like a child, so i will treat you like a child and punish you like a child. no dinner tonight. go to your room, jeffery." The bones below remanifested themselves into the forms of Papyri as Jeff was dropped and dragged the man off, kicking and screaming, to his room. The table was quiet for only a moment before Ben wheezed. "Oh my God, the look on his face! Hahaha!" Nightmare had a feeling that that one would be more of his 'Killer'. Mischievous and following along with 'Dust's ideas until it came to taking the fall. Nightmare had his work cut out for him.

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Slenderman tucked Dust in, Killer burning holes into him every waking moment he was with Dust. Horror had gone deities knows where, leaving the two more or less with each other. Alone. "Do you have something to say?" Slender asked as they left the bedroom. "... i still don't trust you." Slenderman didn't expect less, honestly. He was a stranger in their home. "but thanks. for dust." The entity looked down at the little skeleton. His soul twitched and moved in an odd way, one of his eyelights were dimly lit. "You are welcome, Killer." The skeleton sighed, looking away. "horror's probably got dinner done. this way, slenderman." Wordlessly, he followed Killer, allowing Killer to show him where he was supposed to go. Horror had set a table, just for the three of them, the plates covered. He assumed this was something Nightmare did with them. "Thank you for this meal, Horror." He lifted the cloches from the plates and the two tucked into their plates immediately. Just watching them, he could tell Horror had some sort of food anxiety. He kept glancing at Slender and somehow inhaling it faster. "Horror, please pace yourself. I cannot eat mortal food. I will not be taking it. Horror froze before looking down at Slenderman's plate.

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Error's timing was impeccable. He ended up opening a portal, snatching the plate up with his strings, and closing it again. Slenderman suspected that he had been watching from wherever he was now. Impressive, considering Slenderman couldn't sense him within the castle walls. Slenderman helped Horror and Killer with the dishes after dinner when Horror brought up the subject of food. "if... ya don't eat food... what do you eat? i mean... you gotta have a mouth hidden somewhere right?" He asked as he looked over Slenderman's blank face. "and eyes. you obviously see just fine." Killer added. "You are both correct, in a sense. I can see. Just not in the way most can. And yes, I do have a mouth, however, I cannot eat. I eat other things to sustain myself." He explained to them. Killer grunted softly as he put dried dishes back where they belonged and Horror nodded, accepting the answer without question. "i'm going to bed. don't you dare start searching that library without me watching-" Killer jabbed before teleporting. "thanks for helping..." Horror was gone just as fast. Slender was happy the day was over.

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Dinner was more-or-less quiet, the others watching as Nightmare enjoyed his meal. However... he quickly learned that some diets couldn't handle his pallet. Eyeless Jack, got up in the middle of dinner and went to the fridge. Before Nightmare could question it, a kidney was pulled out of the freezer to be cooked. "Jackie can't have mortal food, no, no." Nightmare's gaze snapped to Laughing Jack. "He needs fresh human kidneys to thrive! Or he will get sick!" The clown explained and happily took EJ's plate to split with Sally. So Nightmare's thoughts on comparing Eyeless to Horror wasn't too far off then. Granted, Horror refused flesh, but they both had something of a dietary need. Jack took his 'meal' to his room to eat and the rest scattered to do their own thing/sleep. Nightmare was left with the dishes before Sally came along, tugging his hoodie. "yes?" He looked over at her. "Can you tuck me in? Please?" Sally asked innocently. Nightmare sighed softly and nodded. "of course. just a moment while i finish up here." He completed the dishes before picking up the little dead girl and bringing her to bed.