Work Text:
Nightmare walked down the hallway, scowling unconsciously as he stormed towards Cross' room, his tentacles lashing and moodily twitching behind him. He had had enough.
Ever since Cross had convinced him to let his friend 'Epic' join the gang, Nightmare had kept feeling increased surges of positivity in the castle. It was ruining that perfectly good negativity hidden deep within Epic. And he wanted to keep that negativity for himself.
He arrived at Cross' room and slammed the door open, not bothering to knock in his annoyance. He startled Cross and Epic, having caught them in the middle of a passionate kiss.
He gave Cross a haughty, disappointed look.
"I expected better of you Cross."
Both Epic and Cross are purple in the face and quickly move away from each other, straightening their ruffled clothes and trying to act natural.
"You know I dislike positive emotions. If you can't control your feelings for your 'friend' while in my castle then he'll have to stay in a different room.
He will stay in mine, to further deter you from such things."
Cross blinked and opened his mouth to protest. A tentacle slapped over his mouth, silencing him.
"No excuses. I've given you enough chances and now there will be consequences. Epic, pack your things. You're moving now."
Epic shuffled awkwardly. "Uh, like, right now, bruh?"
Nightmare's scowl deepened and he had to restrain himself from letting his tentacles lash out at him.
"Yes, right now. Is there a different meaning to the word 'now' that I don't know of? Pack your bags and follow me to my chambers.
And a not-so-subtle reminder that you will refer to me as 'Boss' or such titles as 'my King'. Just 'Nightmare' if I'm in a good mood. And right now I'm not in a good mood." He said, pointedly.
Epic shrugged nonchalantly. "Okay, if you say so, 'just Nightmare'."
Nightmare's socket twitched. He might scream if Epic kept up this attitude. How could Cross stand his company!? He seemed to never take anything seriously; always joking and messing around. He even plastered on a goofy grin in the face of adversity. But Nightmare knew it was all for show; to cover up how broken he was inside. Much like himself and his goop.
"I'll be waiting outside the door."
He promptly slammed it closed and leaned against the wall, glaring a figurative hole into the tapestry across the hall from him with his burning, cyan eyelight.
~ ‐ ~ - ~
"Why you doin' this, bruh? Er, boss?"
Epic was walking down the hall behind Nightmare, a comically colored rucksack thrown over his shoulder. Nightmare continued to face forward as he moodily answered.
"Doing what?"
Epic hesitated, hearing the simmering rage laced through those two words. He decided to press onwards anyways. Not like he hadn't died before.
"Letting me stay in yer gang? Seems like ya can't stand me."
There's a long pause as they walked in silence. The longer it stretched, the more anxious Epic became, waiting for the answer.
...
...
...
Nightmare took a deep breath and his tentacles relaxed somewhat.
He finally spoke. His voice was quiet, barely above a whisper; tone soft and tired.
"...my gang needs you." I need you.
He shoved that thought to the back of his mind.
"And if you and Cross can't stay focused, then I must remove the distraction from him. Namely, you."
Epic's face scrunches in confusion as he thought over that response for a few minutes.
"...but what do I got that ya didn't have before? Seems like you were doin' fine before I showed up?"
Nightmare stopped abruptly and Epic had to catch himself before he stumbled forward into the mess of tentacles in front of his face.
"Uh, Br- Boss?"
"..."
Nightmare turned around to face Epic. His face and single glowing eyelight didn't give anything away as to what he was thinking.
Epic nervously fidgeted under the other's piercing gaze.
"...Are ya gonna kill me, boss bruh?"
Nightmare silently stalked forward, tentacles curling high above his head and he seemed to suddenly be taller, looming menacingly above Epic.
Epic started to back away, ending up with his back pressed against the wall; his soul pounding in his chest. He avoided looking at him in the eye, too afraid of that being interpreted as a sign of disrespect or rebellion. Just because he couldn't die, didn't mean he wanted to.
"...boss?"
Nightmare scornfully looked down the edge of his nasal bone at Epic as he lazily wond a tentacle forward and tilted Epic's face towards his.
"Look me in the eye, Epic, and tell me you don't feel like you want to break down into tears at any given moment."
Epic flinched as his face was moved to face Nightmare's, half-expecting to receive a hit. He slowly forced himself to look at that otherworldly glow and kept his focus there.
"...Both eyes, Epic..."
He gulped and opened his scarred socket, the purple eye there looking at Nightmare's teal one. A wicked smile slowly crept its way across Nightmare's face.
"Good boy~ Now say it: 'I don't feel like having a breakdown'."
Epic's gaze flickered away from Nightmare's, briefly breaking eye contact before he looked back.
"...no, I don't."
Nightmare tuts.
"That's not what I told you to say, now was it?~ I'll give you one more chance to try again."
Epic gulped and opened his mouth. No words or sound came out. He took a deep breath and tried again.
"I- I don't… I d-don't feel..."
...He couldn't bring himself to say the words. To say out loud the lie he told himself every day: that he was 'fine'. Because he never was.
Nightmare's twisted grin turned into a malicious smirk at the continued silence. The tentacle keeping Epic's face turned towards him softly stroked the side of his skull. Epic internally grimaced but bore with it, preferring that over admitting the truth.
"You can't hide your emotions from an empath, my dear Epic~ And that is what you have that the others don't: an endless supply of negativity for me to feast upon."
Nightmare suddenly dropped Epic and turned to resume walking down the hall, smirk still faintly in place.
"Now come along; we've got to get you set up in your new room!~"
Epic gasped when he was suddenly released and Nightmare's attention was off of him; not realizing he had been holding a breath he didn't really need. He looked over at the retreating form of Nightmare and his goopy tentacles.
He quickly stood up, grabbing his bag and following. His soul was pounding in his chest and he thought he might have never been more terrified; outside of when he was sleeping.
How long was he going to last here before something worse happened?