Chapter Text
For once it was silent in the castle, a miracle, that nightmare wasn’t sure of how it managed to happen. Though he suspected his brother had something to do with the restful night, miraculous the little positivity magic he managed to hold on to after his darkening. Nightmare supposed he should enjoy the silence to work in peace, but it was far too empty.
Nightmare had grown quite used to the chaos and constant noise, that the silence was off-putting. He tried to think back to when the castle had only known silence, and a sick feeling rose to make him shaky, as realization hit him.
The last time the castle had known silence like this was during Dreams comantion. Nightmare hadn’t been sure he would ever wake. Dream had to be strapped down to not hurt himself. Of course, it couldn’t protect his mind.
Nightmare goop was dripping at a faster rate, smudging the new law forms he had been working on. He sighed disappointed and he pulled away from the desk. He eyed his widow revealing the dark night sky. The outside sky was not a reliable source for time, as the sun would always leave too soon.
Despite the sky's unreliability, he knew it was late. It was late enough for him to have been politely kicked out of his office and to be working by the candlelight on the desk in his personal chambers.
His mind was too distracted for him to attempt to continue his work and his goop was still runny. He sighed, his body yelled to want to be in his warm bed, but his troubling thoughts did not allow him that comfort. He stood from his chair, stretching out his soar tendrils. He hummed, “Perhaps a walk would do me good” he muttered.
Nightmare figured that most would be in bed but he didn’t risk bringing his candle. He had an image to uphold after all. He silently blew out his light source and moved over to the door. He sent a glance back before stepping out into the dimly lit hall.
The hall was barely lit by the clusters of candles, decorating the walls. He walked off silent, his footsteps echoing through the empty halls. He had no idea where he was walking to, but it didn’t matter, it wasn’t like he would wander somewhere he wasn’t allowed. His cyan eye lazily scanned the doors as he passed.
“What’s gotten you upset, Nightmare?” One of the voices asked. After the apple incident, He began hearing voices. He tried to ignore it for as long as possible, but eventually gave in and responded. Most people couldn’t hear them, but Error could, perhaps due to the voices he heard.
“It’s…nothing wrong…” He sighed not wanting to start this conversation again.
“He’s obviously feeling guilty about Dream!”
“Are you sure? He’s always moody, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t care about Dream”
“Of course he cares!!!”
“I’m just saying, he forced Dream into this”
“Nightmare don’t listen to him!”
Nightmare eye twitches from the argument, “ Everyone shut up.” He orders. “I care very much about Dream, that's why I did it. Positivity was dying, and I couldn’t lose my brother. Being negative is better than death.” He growls softly.
“Then why did you darken him? He would have rather died.” A hesitant voice asked. “I- did it for him… I had to save him… I couldn’t let him die… I had to protect him… It’s better this way” Nightmare reasons. His body aches from the goop dripping down too fast.
The voice muttered, getting louder and louder that Nightmare has to cover his ears to try to breathe normally. “S h u t U P! One person at a time!!” He growls boarding on a shout. The voice did as told, growing quiet. “Thank you, Now I can hear myself think” he mocked. “How is Dreams' mental state? It was bad last time I saw him” one asked worriedly
“He could be better…. But I got some medicine from asylumtale, and it seems to help calm him. Along with sedatives in his food and drink sometimes, but that’s only if I’m scared a bad episode would break out. I can’t have him killing our family now, can I? But he’s recovered quite a bit since his awakening. He can hold a conversation now and cooks and cleans. He’ll make my boy’s dinner after a mission, and keep his room and theirs neat and clean…..” He answered with sorrow evident.
“Nightmare, how is Dream?” One demanded seeing through the half-truth.
Nightmare remains silent. His tendrils twitch tense and are ready to strike. The aura darkened as the temperature dropped. “I suggest we move onto the next question~” he coed darkly
“How have the others reacted to Dream?” A small one asked. “Hm? Oh! Well, they were baffled, but they eventually accepted him. Dream has- oh wait he prefers Eclipse now, sorry. Killer came up with the nickname, and he prefers it to his name. Eclipse is still adjusting, but I think some of the others are as well. It’s also a big shift in personality as well… but Eclipse has started talking to them….while stable…” he muttered the last part quietly.
They clearly had more questions but they were fading away. “Seems that’s all we have time for currently” he sighed relieved as they faded too much to hear. He straightened his posture and continued on his walk. The voices did make him appreciate the silence more. However, they did nothing to soothe his mind. If anything they worried him more.
“Stop that, you are in control. Do not let anyone make you second guess. It was the right thing to do.” He muttered as convincingly as possible. How he would have laughed at himself 7 years ago. Giving himself a pep talk, how pathetic. He scoffed silently. He continued walking, realizing he had wandered into Eclipse's wing.
He sighed softly and approached his chambers only to hear footprints approaching. His eye narrowed as he sunk into the shadows waiting. To say it was entirely predictable was a lie, however, it wasn’t too surprising to see the small blue skeleton walking around. His usual uniform was on, but no matter how much Nightmare saw the butler attire, he still was used to the battle body he had once wore. The small skeleton looks left and right anxiously. His eyes scanned every nook and cranny. Nightmare sunk deeper into the shadows to not be caught.
Despite Blue not seeing anything his eyes showed such worry. Nightmare mused about how expressive one could be with their mouth sewn shut. After Blue looked sure there was no one around, he knocked three times on Eclipse’s door. Eclipse emerges, his face covered in his hood and mask. His mask had a dripping crimson smile design and the hood had been a part of his cloak, dyed. Eclipse hated the color yellow.
“Thanks…” Eclipse mummers, gently taking his former friend's hand. After Blue’s capture, Nightmare had given him to Eclipse as a “playmate” as Eclipse so often referred to his victims as. However, it seems that emotional ties had not been lost as the memory had been, and he took blue as a servant. Nightmare was greatly amused by this, after all, Blue had to clean up the blood and dust that his best friend, the former bright guardian, created.
However, he wasn’t too happy that Dream had been turned into this. During an episode, was really only time he would smile wide, and it was usually for others’ fear or pain.
Blue grips onto his hand clearly anxious. Eclipse gave it a reassuring squeeze, slipping his mask low enough to give Blue a smile. Oh how that made Nightmares blood boil. How dare he, despite everything, be the only one treated to that smile. Nightmare should be the one to have his brother smile. He had no problem with it being shared, but he barely got a response from Dream and Blue received it effortlessly. His tendrils sharpened ready to attack.
He held himself back for the sake of his brother. After all, he would shatter what progress he’s made. Nightmare, however, might have a lovely chat with the dear butler.
Eclipse walked off holding Blue close. Blue looks less stressed following him. Nightmare frowns and carefully follows them moving from shadow to shadow. Eclipse chatted with blue using sign language, both making jokes and Dream trying not to laugh. “You are rotten!!” He gasped loudly at Blue whose pose read ‘you know I am’. Nightmare frowns, he hadn’t seen his brother smile and laugh like that for years…
Eclipse and blue slipped into Eclipse's private kitchen. “That idiot better not be making a frankinson monster of caffeine.” Nightmare cussed softly. He watches in disgust as his brother mixes pure coffee grinds with a shit ton of 5 hours energy drinks where the water in coffee should be. Dream then poured an energy drink into the mixture of water and 5 hours energy. Blue winches at the mixture as if he is physically hurt by it.
‘Are you trying to summon the caffeine gods?’ Dream grins and looks him dead in the eye. “Yes, I’m gonna fight him, or die trying” Eclipse giggled. ‘Sir, I believe there’s a better way to deal with your night terrors’ Blue signed trying to be a voice of reason. “No sleep, no night terrors!” Eclipse sang. His body rocked and wobbled as he leaned his full weight onto the contender tops to stabilize himself. His eyes were lidded and his mask was not even up to his face. His eyes lights were more haze than pinpricks.
Nightmare sighed loudly at his sleep-deprived brother. Of course, Eclipse would be dead without him. His brother needed him. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, seeing his twin like this was sadly a great comfort, as it reminded him Dream wouldn’t last without him.
Eclipse frowns “shit I think I heard something… hide!” Eclipse hisses as he climbed into an empty cabinet. Blue panicked silently and drove into the pantry. Nightmare had to hold back a laugh at the comedic moment. He sighed forming into a physical form and moved past the pantry eyeing blue. If blue could Nightmare imagined he would have screamed.
Nightmare knocked on his brother’s cabinet “Eclipse, please don’t do this tonight” he sighed. No motion was heard “Did you fall asleep in there?” Nightmare sighed, reaching to open it. However, the cabinet swung open and Eclipse climbed out pouting. “Brooo… I mean boss, sorry I didn’t mean to disturb you.” Eclipse greeted trying to cover his exhaustion. “You didn’t, however, I have a question, are you trying to poison god? Cause that’s what you made” he pointed at the monster brewing “I think it's breathing “
Eclipse pouts, “it is very lovely!” Nightmare eyed it “it’s going bye-bye now” Nightmare could tell blue was gaping at him. He didn’t blame him, after all, it was rare he was like this. His tendrils wrapped around the horror concoction and dumped it down the drain. “Nooooo” Eclipse whined. Nightmare sighed “Blue clean this mess up” He ordered picking up Eclipse and teleporting to his chambers.
Eclipse struggled from the tendrils wrapped around him. “Shhhhh relax~ look at me~” Nightmare soothes deadly. Well it would have been deadly if he wasn’t talking to his younger twin. Nightmare despite everything couldn’t kill him.Eclipse hesitated before meeting his eye. Eclipse knew what he was doing, after all this wasn’t Eclipse’s first time.
Nightmare eye gleamed hypnotically. Eclipse frowns trying to pull away and close his eyes. He even tried to shove Nightmare away. However he still went down pretty easily. Much more easily than Dream would have. Nightmare growls softly, Eclipse is Dream, what was he saying? Eclipse's body relaxes and he leans into Nightmare, his skull resting against Nightmare's own.
“That’s it… you’re doing so well dear, thank you for corroborating. Big brother is here… relax, you're safe~ I’ll take care of everything.” He praised softly petting his skull. Eclipse hummed burrowing into his chest. “We need to get you into proper sleepwear… please try to sit up…” he muttered softly. Eclipse whined sitting up.
“Good… very good.” He praised getting up and taking some old purple pjs of his and helping eclipse slip them on. He gently removed the mask, and cloak smiling at seeing his face again. There were a few cracks in his skull but it was Dream still. He gently slipped off his circlet and laid him down and tucking Eclipse into Nightmares bed.
Eclipse smiled softly nuzzling into the warm blankets as nightmare joins on the other side. Nightmare threw off his jacket and wrapped his arms and tendrils around his small bedmate. Eclipse nuzzled into him, purring content wrapping his arms around him.
Eclipse frowns softly “Nightmare… whose Cross?” Nightmare felt his goop run cold “w-what?” He asked, shocked and anxious. “A monochromic skeleton…. He is constantly in my dreams… I feel like I should know him.” Eclipse confessed. “I’m sure it’s not too important, the mind can play tricks. He’s probably some random guy you passed. Go to sleep little brother” Nightmare lied anxiety knotting his stomach but he shoved it down so as to not let Dream know. “Hmm good night Nighty” Eclipse hummed. “Good night brother…” he hummed softly, pulling Dream closer, as if afraid to lose him. This could be bad.
He sighed tired. He was too exhausted to deal with this right now. He glanced down at his sleeping brother and smiled softly. Letting out a yawn he laid his head down and let his eye close, slipping into unconscious.