'Book'/Short #2

Dream rolls his eyes, walking away from Ink and Blue, closing his eyes and gripping his temples. Ink has gotten worse over the years, growing more insane with every universe lost to Error. Blue is just...Blue. It's hard to be around him for long without wanting to rip off one's ears...and Dream doesn't even have ears. Dream wanders far enough away to not be easy to find, and sits in the snow, leaning against a tree. He remembers long ago when he'd lean against the tree he called mom, his brother by his side. He closes his eyes. He still doesn't know what made Nightmare do those horrible things. Dream's breathing slows as he falls asleep.

He opens his eyes to find himself back at his mother of a tree, still standing tall. He furrows his brow, but picks up on this being a dream.

"A dream...I wonder what will happen..." Dream wanders around the tree, not straying too far from where he woke up here. He jumps when a hand grabs his shoulder, summoning his weapon.

"Dream!" Dream turns to see Nightmare is standing there, still in his goopy form.

"Nightmare?! What do you want?!" He rolls his eye, sighing.

"Could ask the same of you. You summoned me here." Dream blinks, confused.

"But I've never summoned you before...and I don't recall summoning you." Nightmare walks around the tree, sighing softly.

"What was your last thought before falling asleep? That should explain why this tree is here, and why I was pulled into this dream." Dream's eyes widen slightly, putting his staff up.

"I was thinking about you...and that day." Nightmare nods.

"Makes sense. You pulled me here because of perhaps an unanswered question." Dream frowns.

"But I've thought of that day before and never had this dream, nor pulled you here." Nightmare nods.

"Either you've gotten stronger, I've ignored it, or something was different this time. Perhaps you've seen my reasoning." Dream shrugs.

"I haven't ever felt stronger. And I still don't know why you did what you did." Nightmare growls.

"You're dense. I don't ignore summons. Especially not these kinds. So something was different. You have either started to see the futility of this world, or...more likely...you had a specific question you wanted answered. Something only this place...something only I could answer." Dream looks at the ground. Nightmare was always observant about everything Dream felt. That hasn't changed...but Nightmare has. Dream closes his eyes, sighing softly.

What do I want to know...? Dream opens his eyes, looking at his brother, only one question leaving his mouth.

Nightmare's eyes widen at the question, his goopy face covering in a bright blue hue. He looks away from Dream, covering his blush with a goopy tentacle.

"Leave. Wake up." Dream opens his eyes, the snowy forest of the AU surrounding him.

"How long did I sleep? I should really go visit mom again...been a long time since I've seen her..." Dream teleports to the dead tree, sitting down near her dead stump. He closes his eyes, relaxing slightly.

"I'm sorry mom..." Dream opens his eyes.

"I should have seen it all...I shouldn't have been so naive...If I had done better by him...maybe my brother would still be here with me. I'm sorry mom...for failing at the one thing you wanted us to do...the one thing you requested of us...and I couldn't do it beyond my desire to make everyone around me happy." Silence carries leaves past Dream on the curl of wind, the town around the skeleton dark and desolate. The skeleton slowly falls asleep, his eyes drooping until he no longer has the strength to remain awake.

"Welcome back Brother." Dream jumps, looking at Nightmare, who has a hand on the tree.

"Nightmare?" Nightmare refuses to look at Dream, keeping his eye on the tree.

"I'm unsure if I once hated you or not...but I don't know how I feel right now..." Nightmare finally turns his gaze to Dream, a smile on the former skeleton's face.

"I wonder how you'll react when you open your eyes..." Dream blinks, opening his eyes, a strange unknown room surrounding him. Purple colors the walls, dark purple sheets and blankets cover the bed the skeleton is currently on. Dream sits up, stretching, his golden eyelights revealing more of the area. There is a door, likely to a closet, across the bedroom. Dream turns to look down beside him, nearly dying when he sees a sleeping Nightmare. Dream slowly gets out of the bed, a million thoughts running through his head. Dream remains careful and quiet, getting around the bed and out the door, closing it silently. He sighs in relief, and starts walking around, trying to find a bathroom, kitchen, or exit. Dream finds the kitchen first, and checks inside to find Horror cooking. Dream freezes, hiding really fast, thinking.

I can't let him see me...but...I also need to grab something to eat...maybe I can sneak past him. A loud sound, shout-like, but also primal like a roar echoes through the castle, startling the golden colored skeleton. Horror hums softly, walking out of the kitchen.

"You may want to reveal yourself, or else when the boss finds you, you'll wish he wanted you dead." Dream's eyelights widen as Horror hums, winking at Dream before walking away. Dream will have to ask Horror what that wink meant, but right now, he needs to pray he can get Nightmare back into a good mood. Dream walks into the living room, practically sweating bullets as Nightmare stomps down the stairs.

"Dream. What are you doing out here?" Dream swallows as much of his fear as he can.

"I...I was hungry y-ya know. And so I came out t-to get something to eat." Nightmare places a hand on Dream's head.

"You could have woke me up, I'd have called a servant to bring you food. Come. Back to the room." Dream slowly stands up, his entire body shaking. Nightmare smiles gently at the trembling Dream, leading him back to the room, the journey silent save for Dream's near hyperventilating breathing.

"Dream, breath slowly and deeply. You might pass out on me at this rate." Dream looks at Nightmare, slowing his breathing down, a bright yellow blush plastered across his face.

"Nighty...why...why are you...?" Dream trails off, not quite sure how to word his question. Nightmare stops, turning to look at Dream, allowing him to gather his thoughts together to ask it.

"Why are you helping me? Why am I here? And why do you seem...to care...about how I feel?" Dream starts freezing and trailing off slightly, for when he looks into Nightmare's eye, instead of hate, or anger, or any emotion he's accustomed to, he sees something new in Nightmare.

"I think those questions should wait for the bedroom, don't you?" Nightmare grabs Dream's hand, leading them around the final turn to the bedroom, entering and closing the door behind them, throwing Dream into darkness.

"I'm sorry about the situation, but I don't generally like light, and I can see you just fine." Dream nods slightly, his soul racing a mile a minute, but he trusts Nightmare, laying when he feels a bed.

"Now, about those questions. 'Why am you helping me?' Well, the reason is simple, I care about you. I'll answer why I care about you and your feelings in a second, so be patient." Nightmare's final sentence in that moment comes because Dream was opening his mouth to ask.

"Now. 'Why am I here?" Because I brought you here silly. After I saw you sitting by the tree, I picked you up and brought you here. Now, finally, the question/answers you've been seeking ever since the first dream summon you made. 'Why do you seem to care about me/how I feel?' First part of that question. I'm not fully sure why I care about you, it...just happened one day when I was watching you. Something in me stirred when Ink kissed you on a dare. I realized...I wanted to be the one kissing you. I wanted to be the one holding you. I wanted to be the one you laughed with, smiled because, and I wanted to be the one you could rely on. Why do I care about how you feel? Because I care about you." Nightmare rolls over, pulling Dream close.

"I want to know how you feel about me, Dream."