Chapter Text
Long ago, when forced to run from her realm, Nim, the mother of feelings, found herself in a separate plane of existence from her own. Serving the connection to her old life, she lived in a small reality that allowed her to rest. However, her peace was short-lived.
He discovered her, with her peculiar aura and gentle eyes, and wished to be with her for the rest of his time.
He proposed such, and once faced with rejection, the man turned cold and summoned his blade.
She battled for her life against a being of flesh and bone, succeeding in her fight, but wounded in the side. To keep from turning to ash, she dipped into the sea of alternative lives and drew out two small skeleton forms. With a swirl of her magic, a part of her drifted into the ribcage of these beings, breathing them to life with the touch of her hand rested upon their heads.
The beings could only spy her true form for a moment, before she shifted into a tree, branches twisting to form a small home along her leaves.
She left the beings to find themselves, with Nim whispering lessons before she faded.
“The tree hosts two different apples. One golden and one purple. You should watch the tree and keep them safe. You must never eat either apple, or you will be punished for being selfish.
The beings named themselves once faced with the stars and sun. Dream and Nightmare- a matching set that were each other’s halves.
They grew. They laughed.
Together they reached the age of six, celebrating their making by dancing around the trunk of their mother, singing off tune and clinging to each other’s hands.
Their happiness did not last, as a couple of days later brought the village to their paradise.
And then things were never as they were again.
“Brother! Look what I found!”
Nightmare peers up from his book, spotting Dream barreling towards the tree with glee in his every step. In his arms rest a bundle of flowers- some Nightmare can’t immediately name upon sight alone. His brother skids to a stop as soon as Nightmare closes his book and places it on the grass beside him.
“Good morning to you too, Dream.” Dream doesn’t seem to pick up on Nightmare’s lighthearted tease, shoveling the pile of flowers onto the floor, landing on his knees as he rifles through them. Nightmare watches, amused, when his twin picks up a small yellow flower and hands it to him. He, of course, takes it and holds it between his fist. “Oh? You’ve given me…” he lets the weak little thing flop to the side. “A weed…”
Dream huffs, crossing his arms. “No! I got you a dandelion! It’s not a weed!”
Nightmare thinks about arguing- thinks about correcting him- but he can tell tension is already rolling through Dream’s shoulders, and he definitely doesn’t want to add to that. “It’s very pretty, Dream. My favorite color and everything. You know me too well.” Dream beams brighter than the sun at that, though Nightmare admits he’s a little biased. Dream settles next to Nightmare’s side. He flops his skull onto Nightmare’s shoulder and nestles so close that Nightmare can feel the warmth bleeding into his own cold bones.
Dream was never one for personal space- even as young children. Nightmare recalls spending many nights with Dream tucked into his side, despite having his own bed to turn to. He found more comfort in the proximity, it seemed, as he always appeared to melt whenever he held onto his brother. While Nightmare himself wasn’t for touch, his brother would always be the exception. So, Nightmare coils his arm around his brother’s shoulders and draws him even closer, until Dream is practically laying on his lap.
“Have you had a good morning?” Nightmare asks gently, and Dream doesn’t nod right away. “What is the matter?”
“I’ve been worried about what the villagers have to talk to me about,” Dream admits as soon as he’s questioned, and Nightmare’s legs hurt from the mere thought of the villagers.
They beat him with rocks last week. Only his legs. They hoped he wouldn’t be able to walk, but Nightmare was thankful enough to have his mother heal him as he slept in the treehouse, sustaining only some bruises and cuts in the morning.
They still pained him. He wasn’t sure if it was real or emotional.
He pushes that thought away, focusing his attention back on his twin. “How come? They love you too much for it to be negative.”
“It was different. They seemed…colder,” Dream mutters, barely audible with the way he buries his face into Nightmare’s side.
Nightmare frowns, worry gnawing at his ribs. He’s sure Dream will always be free from the villager’s brutality, as they could never disgrace their precious angel, but Nightmare still finds himself alert. Possibilities fly through his skull- what-ifs plague him like disease. He can’t have his brother get hurt. He can’t have his brother in danger. Perhaps if he offers himself up early, telling Dream to leave to the river and keep himself alone and vulnerable, they’d spare Dream from whatever they are planning-
“-Brother? You’re…hurting me…” Nightmare snaps out of his spiral, staring down at a sheepish Dream, still in Nightmare’s tightened grip. He relaxes, and he realizes he’s been digging his claws into Dream’s shoulder, almost breaking through the fabric of his shirt. His chest squeezes while his stomach goes ill. The guilt hurts more than any injuries he’s ever sustained, and he draws his arm away like it burns.
“I-I’m sorry. I guess I just got lost in thought…” He keeps his tone calm and sweet, hoping to get rid of the dismay in Dream’s eyelights.
“You seemed angry…”
“I wasn’t. I promise,” Nightmare reassures as he pulls away, grabbing his book in an attempt to mask his growing self hatred. “I need to learn to control myself better, hm? My apologies, brother.” He sets the book back in his lap, turning to his saved page. Nightmare can feel Dream’s eyes on him. The words muddle in his head and blur together, but Nightmare keeps his eyes trained to the page. He can’t bear to see his brother’s sweet gaze looking worried or even fearful.
“Do you think you could teach me some words when I get back?” The question feels like a slap to the face, and Nightmare lowers his book.
“The village said they’d work with you,” he murmurs as gently as he can, but Dream still hides away in his hold. “Have they not?”
“They said I didn’t need it. That they’d read everything for me. But I feel like they aren’t reading things right…all the books the teenagers have been reading are so…mean…”
Nightmare’s magic boils, and he takes in a breath to keep from losing his mind with fury. “Of course, Dream. I’ll teach you a little. Now, you should run along. You don’t want to keep them waiting, hm?”
Dream nods his head, but takes his time detaching from Nightmare’s side. Once he’s on his feet, he looks fairly more confident than before, a smile finding its way to his face once again.
“I’ll be back,” Dream declares, turning and heading down the path to the village gate. Nightmare watches him go with a soft smile.
After Dream disappears from his sights, Nightmare stands with a grunt and leans against the tree. Pain wracks through his body, harsh and colder than a blizzard, eating up into his throat and forcing a weak groan out of him. Even with the biting pain ripping through his legs, he keeps going, rounding his mother’s tree and beginning his rough walk up the stairs. He grits his teeth at every step, whimpering and hissing as his hand runs along the bark. It’s the only thing to ground him- keeping him from falling from the stairs with one misstep.
He eventually reaches the top, stumbling around the platform until he collapses against the front door of the house, hand smacking around until it’s able to twist the doorknob and open it up. He goes tumbling into the wood floor, bracing himself with his shoulder, howling in surprise when he lands. Tears build in his eyes, but he forces himself to his knees and crawls to his bed.
He hates them. He hates them all. He hates them for doing this to him.
“Why do you never stop them, mother?” the question goes unanswered, echoing off of the shelves of their little hideaway. Nightmare is no longer surprised.
The door to the treehouse slams open, and Nightmare jerks from his sleep, already ready to reach for his weapon. However, his panic drops from his soul, morphing into annoyance when he sees his brother skip into the house with a squeal, holding a golden apple in his palms. “Oh. It’s just you.” He collapses back into his bed and hides his head under the covers. Dream groans with indigence. He stomps over to Nightmare’s bedside and shoves at Nightmare’s back, shaking him like a dog with a brand new chew toy.
“Nighty! Get up! Up, up, up! I have to tell you what happened!” His voice is whiny as he leans his head back, making his beg even louder.
Nightmare sighs in extreme exhaustion, sleep tugging at the ends of his words as he speaks. “Can’t this wait until later…?” He yawns when Dream pushes himself onto the bed, yanking the blankets back and attacking Nightmare’s shoulders.
“No, because I won’t be here later!” Dream blinks as soon as he says it, flying off of Nightmare and racing towards his wardrobe. Nightmare rises from the bed, pleased to find that his legs ache a lot less than before.
“What are you on about…?” He winces for a fleeting moment as he swings his legs over the mattress, waiting until Dream has turned his back. He takes a breath and focuses his attention on his brother, pain lost to numbness once he spies Dream’s smiling face. It feels him with the utmost warmth.
Good. It went well.
Dream yanks out multiple clothing options, throwing them onto the floor behind him. Nightmare forces himself to stand, steps soft as he makes his way over, nabbing the fallen clothes from the floor. “What is going on with you? You’re making a mess.”
Dream twists around, arms full of floppy capes and button ups. “Oh, brother, don’t you remember? What is today?”
Nightmare raises a brow bone. “Friday…?”
“No! Event wise!”
Nightmare can’t think of a damned thing, resorting to pulling free some of the stashes of clothes from Dream’s grip. Dream allows it with a simple pout. “It can’t be your birthday. That happened ages ago.”
“Our birthday,” Dream corrects, voice going soft for a moment before rising in volume. “And it’s not! I can’t believe you don’t remember! Though…I guess I didn’t really either until earlier...” Nightmare chuckles at Dream’s sheepish expression.
“Suppose you’ll have to remind me.” Nightmare places the stack of clothes neatly on top of Dream’s vanity. “What’s got you all excited?”
Dream bounces onto his toes, clearly unable to flap his hands with his arms full. “The festival, Nighty! The harvest festival!” When Nightmare only gives him a blank look, Dream rolls his eyelights. “They’re letting me go this year! Like I’ve always wanted.”
Nightmare sighs, relief hitting him hard when he realizes it’s nothing horrid. “That’s wonderful, brother. I’m happy for you.”
Dream doesn’t seem satisfied just yet, though. “And guess what?”
“I’m assuming you’ll be telling me even if I don’t have the foggiest idea of what you are-”
“-They’re letting me say a speech! I get to talk in front of all the villagers! How wonderful is that, Nighty? Me! Getting to inspire all of those people!” Nightmare freezes, halting his folding of the clothes. Dream doesn’t seem to notice his surprise, bounding behind the folding screen, tossing his old clothes over and onto the floor. Nightmare ducks to avoid getting hit, frowning.
“Do you even have a speech ready? I don’t know if you’re prepared for this…It’s so…sudden.”
Dream peeks his skull out from the screen. “I may not have the specifics down, but I know exactly what to talk about!”
Nightmare lifts the folded clothes up and gently places them back inside the wardrobe. “Oh, yeah? Do tell.”
“I’ll talk about you, brother!”
Nightmare pauses, casting his gaze to his legs. “What for?”
Dream grunts behind the screen, clothes rustling. “Well, the villagers always protect me! They make sure I’m safe and taken care of. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a scratch with them around! And I know you tend to get yourself into trouble…falling over and such.”
Nightmare’s socket lids, exhaustion weighing heavy. He lets out a small sigh, mostly to himself, and shuts the wardrobe. “Right.”
“So! If I talk about you, and get them to really like you- to finally see how cool you are, they have to start taking care of you, too! They have to!”
Nightmare has never wanted to say something more than then- confess to where the injuries really come from- but when Dream comes skidding out from the screen, spinning to show his cape off with a fit-full of giggles, Nightmare keeps his mouth shut.
It doesn’t matter what happens to him. As long as Dream is happy, he’ll deal with it. As long as Dream is happy, he’ll be okay.
“How do I look?” Dream turns to face him, eyelights shining and a grin filling his face. Nightmare can’t help but smile, even if a part of him wants to cry.
“Very pretty,” Nightmare nods, knowing Dream has always preferred more…feminine compliments. It’s something Nightmare always noticed but never spoke out loud about, as he didn’t want Dream to feel shamed. But he’d abide by his brother’s unsaid want to keep him confident.
And the words are a success, causing Dream to beam so brightly it burns, hopping in place with uncontrollable joy. “Oh, Nighty! I’m so excited! After this, you’ll never have to worry again.“ He runs over, taking Nightmare’s hands in his and shaking them up and down as he jumps. Nightmare can’t help but snort. “We’ll be proper guardians together! Just like Mother wanted.”
“Whatever you say, Dream,” Nightmare says before he’s engulfed in a hug.
Dream nestles his face into Nightmare’s shoulder, lowering his voice. “Things will get better. I just know it, Nighty. I just know it.”
Nightmare doesn’t have the heart to say otherwise, biting down the flood in the back of his throat and wrapping his arms tightly around Dream.
Nightmare clears his voice. “Dream…I-“
“-Dream! Dream, come down here!”
The twins flinch in surprise, looking towards the window. “That’s strange! I didn’t think anyone was going to be coming to the tree today…with all the preparations.” Dream pulls away, and Nightmare feels his soul sink, his opportunity to confess slipping away with his brother.
Dream peers out the window and then gasps, back to jumping in place when he spies who it is. Nightmare steps up beside him, spying a group of teenagers standing below. Nightmare’s magic runs cold, and fear eats away at him like a starving grasshopper to a field.
“What are you doing here?” Dream yells down to them, leaning out the window. Nightmare grabs hold of his collar, keeping him steady. “Aren’t you supposed to be helping your mothers with the preparations?”
“We’ve come to get you! The ladies need to get you ready!”
Dream blinks, glancing down to his outfit. “But I’m getting ready here.”
“That’s way too simple, Dream! C’mon, we gotta get you into actual nice looking clothes.” The teens laugh together while Dream’s smile falters. His confidence starts to leave him, and Nightmare rushes to pat his back.
“I think you look lovely, Dream,” he whispers, and Dream gives him a small smile.
“Thank you. But I wouldn’t want to annoy them. “
“Do you know when you’ll be back…?”
“No, I’m not…” Dream frowns. He tries to meet Nightmare’s eyes, but Nightmare can’t bear it, staring down. Dream places his hand on top of his, offering him a soft smirk. “I’ll make sure to bring you something, okay? Maybe you can read those new books of yours in the meantime? ”
Nightmare keeps quiet about the fact that they threw the books into the stream a few nights ago. Only nods. “Yeah. Maybe.”
Dream stares at him a while longer, and he almost looks like he’s ready to stay, but as soon as the teens yell for him again, his hand pulls away. “Then I better head off.”
Nightmare wants to tell him not to- wants to pull him away from the window and show him what they did. He wants so badly to take Dream away from everything and give him the world, and forever see that smile on his brother’s face, but he doesn’t. He only stares out the window, eyes studying the group.
One of them glances at Nightmare, a cheeky smile on his face. Nightmare wants to hide away, but Dream suddenly grabs his arm and shakes him into a quick hug. He shoves his apple into a satchel resting on the coat hanger, tearing open the door and heading for the stairs before Nightmare can yell out a “be careful!”
Nightmare watches his brother reach the end of the steps, hurdling into one of the teens’ arms as they laugh, rubbing at his skull and patting his back. Nightmare’s nails dig into the window seal.
Those hands are capable of such hurt- and yet they have the gall to touch his brother. It’s nauseating- disgusting, even. Nightmare can’t fight the rage that fills him.
But he has to let it go. Has to let Dream walk away with those evil creatures and sit alone in the house once more, with his silent mother as his only companion.
Nightmare isn’t sure how long he’s left alone in the house for.
For a good while, he reads the old books on his shelf- the ones he could hide away from the last visit. He gets bored with such things a couple chapters in, skull beginning to hurt as much as his legs. Instead, he cleans.
He focuses on Dream’s areas first, as per usual, picking up the stray clothes he left behind in his rush, organizing his shelves, and eventually moving onto his bed. Climbing the ladder to the top bunk is drawing, but Nightmare manages. He smooths out Dream’s light yellow sheets with careful hands, fluffing up his pillows too with hard strikes to the center.
He turns to cleaning the window next, small and yet horrifically smudged. Nightmare sighs, fully aware Dream hasn’t listened to his warnings about mucking it up with handprints, when he notices something in the corner of his socket.
In the corner of Dream’s bed, tucked away behind the endless amount of pillows, a small furry foot sticks out. Nightmare grabs at it, pulling it free and gasping, small and meek, when he realizes what it is.
“Well, hello there, Miss Dawn,” Nightmare coos at it, lifting it to eye level.
The little stuffed bear, sewed up in a mismatch of patterns and random spots of false fur, flops in Nightmare’s grip like a soaked towel. Its beady little eyes can’t even look at Nightmare, too focused on the ceiling. It’s quite ugly- perhaps a little terrifying, but Nightmare can’t help but smile at it.
He had made the little thing ages ago- for a younger Dream to hold at night while suffering from bad dreams. Nightmare, desperate to rid him of such, stitched together the creature as best he could with the very limited supplies he could snag at the market.
While creating it, Nightmare destined for it to be a male. He assumed Dream would better relate to the toy if he had a ragged button up with pants. Oh, how Nightmare should have known.
Dream had taken the little thing in his hands and named her Dawn. Nightmare was taken back at first, of course. He had explained to his brother what the creature was intended to be, but Dream had only stared at the bear with a faraway look, insisting she be a her.
Nightmare didn’t question it further. He sewed her the prettiest dress and replaced the clothing, bringing a beaming smile to his brother’s face.
“I wish I had a dress like yours,” Dream had whispered so quietly, hoping Nightmare wouldn’t hear. He did. Though he didn’t say a word. Only made the bear more clothing until his sewing began improving to what it was today.
Nightmare looks at it now, a small smile on his face. “Perhaps one day he’ll…Dream…will be like you,” Nightmare murmurs, going to tuck the bear back in its place when he hears shouting from below.
Nightmare jumps, dropping the poor thing and banging his skull on the ceiling. He winces, climbing down the ladder in a rush, rubbing at his injury until he’s able to peer through the front window. Below stands a mismatched group of villages- from teenagers to older men.
Nightmare’s soul sinks.
“Hey, kid! Are you here?” The man’s shout is loud and tight. Nightmare wonders if he shouldn’t respond, but fear claws its way into his throat and makes him speak.
“Dream isn’t here right now! He’s getting ready for the festivities,” Nightmare yells, and the man’s face is chilling.
“I ain’t here for him,” he says, and Nightmare glimpses something shiny resting on his back. “We want the apples.”
Nightmare frowns, blinking rapidly as his chest grows tight with pain. “Dream…Dream can’t give any right now. You’ll have to wait for him to get back.”
“I don’t believe we were asking.”
Nightmare’s eyelights shrink when the man stretches his hand behind his back, yanking free an ax. It shines in the sunlight, sending unbearable waves of horror through Nightmare’s bones. He watches as the others pull out their own axes, heading for the trunk.
For his mother.
“Stop!” Nightmare screams the plea with everything in him, running for the door. He only manages to open it for a split second before he’s slammed back, a loud thud sounding out from below. “Don’t! Don’t hurt her! You’ll kill my mother!” His begs mean nothing to the men, and he attempts the door again, only to find it locked. He stares, beginning to tremble as the window begins wrapping in thick vine.
“Mother…mother you have to let me out…”
The vines grow more dense as another hack shakes the tree. He yelps, falling onto his bottom, legs brimming with pain. The house begins to tilt, and Nightmare shrieks when he falls back, body heading straight for an open window to the depths below. He braces for impact.
Luckily, the window gets covered quickly, and he only hits the green with his back. He winces, realizing now what his mother is attempting- one last effort to keep him safe- but he knows it won’t help.
“Mother, please! I need to get out!”
The other windows are quick to cover, and Nightmare shrieks when he realizes there’s no escape. He tries getting up, but they hit the tree again, stretching further down.
“I’m sorry, mother,” he sobs into the vines, holding on tight. “I couldn’t…I couldn’t protect you.”
She does not answer him.
Nightmare lets out one last scream, letting his final words be a plea for his brother to be safe, as the tree begins tumbling down into darkness.
Get up. Get out.
Open your eyes-
Get up.
GET UP-
Nightmare’s sockets fly open, gasping and clawing at the floor. Fear overtakes his body as soon as he’s alert, sending jolts of panic through him as his chest heaves and overworks his throat, trapping air inside with each strangled gasp. He tries to scream- tries to make a sound- but all that comes out is a wrapped sob, something cold and wet streaming down his face as he slams his hands onto the floor. He tries to blink away the blur in his vision, but it goes nowhere, keeping it disorientated as he lifts his head from the floor.
You’ll die if you don’t get up. Get up, Nightmare. Get up and stop crying.
Nightmare groans as he finally rises to his elbows. His soul is practically racing out of his ribs as he takes in his surroundings, trembling like a soaked animal in a roaring storm, spotting rubble crowding around him. The walls of the house caved in on one side, blocking sunlight from coming in, while the roof hardly held onto its hinges. It’s not as bad as it could’ve been, he realizes bleakly, and the first sign of logic taking control of his mind has his body relaxing.
Get out. Survive.
As he tries to move, something leaks down his skull and into his sockets. He hisses, shutting one eye as he rubs at the liquid, pulling his hand away to spy a coat of magic pooling from his palm. Fuck. Fuck, I’m- He closes his eyes and shakes his skull. More magic leaks. He can feel it sliding down his neck, sticking to his clothes. Get out. Stop the bleeding. Survive. He grits his teeth, pain beginning to fill him, but he ignores it and pushes.
Keep going. Keep moving.
His body shakes as he attempts to sit up, but he manages, rising to his knees while his hands keep him steady. He’s thankful to find no furniture trapping his lower body, besides one chair laying over his thigh. He kicks it away, and instantly grabs at his skull, not expecting his hand to go through and touch jagged edges.
My head- my skull is broken- His vision blurs, and he growls out a distorted “ no ,” pressing his dirty phalanges to his sockets and shoving the tears away. Get up. Don’t cry. Survive.
He lifts his leg, shoving the bottom of his boot into the wood, hurling himself to his feet. His body doesn’t get the chance to scream in pain as he adjusts, knees bent and trembling as he stumbles to the knocked over couch and clings on. He lets himself shriek when his leg burns hot flashes of agony, causing his head to jolt and his sockets to widen. Nightmare isn’t sure if it’s broken, or somehow worse, but he can’t check now. He ignores it- ignores it all and with an angry grunt, filled with tears and hiccups, he walks.
His body feels like he’s riding waves- hanging into every piece of furniture he can as makes his way over to the window. It’s sideways now- and Nightmare has to hunch back down, even if his leg protests harshly, and brush aside rubble. The wood cuts at his hands and tears his sleeves, but Nightmare keeps going. Eventually, Nightmare clears out the window, leaving only the glass in place. He raises his bleeding hand, swaying. With a loud cry, he slams his fist into the glass, and a blooming ache overtakes the bone. He gasps, shaking his hand and repeating the motion. The glass starts to crack- as well as his hands, but he keeps hurdling punch after punch.
He’s angry then. He imagines he’s hitting the villagers- hitting the people who hurt his mother, and suddenly the glass shatters. The shards dig into his bone, but he doesn't even have the strength to scream. Clearing out the remaining pieces of the window, he makes enough space to fit through it.
Get out. Survive.
Nightmare climbs out, collapsing onto the grass. Distant voices ring in his skull, and when he looks up, he sees the villagers crowded around the tree, talking.
Talking. Chatting. Smiling .
For all they know, Nightmare could still be trapped in the rubble. For all they know, he could be dead.
And yet they don’t care. They proceed with their plans like they just killed a bug rather than a living being.
For once in Nightmare’s life, he allows himself to be consumed by his anger. The fear of being what they always whispered about no longer is within him. He can only feel pure, boiling rage.
As he tries to stand, he pauses when he sees something flying above his head.
It doesn’t take him long to realize just what it is.
Dust.
Nightmare wastes no more time.
Survive. Survive. Live. Live for him. He needs you. He needs you.
Nightmare drags himself to the tree, fisting through the leaves and yanking an apple free. He watches as the remaining apples shift to a deep purple; the gold disappearing from the tree. He feels no remorse. His mother is already dead. She won’t be missing anything.
The apple is cold in his hand, mixing with blood and dirt, looking just as ugly as Nightmare feels. He doesn’t want to eat it. A part of him that’s still frightened begs not to- unsure of what it will bring him. Unsure of what it will do. That part of him wonders aloud if it would truly be so bad to die. Slowly, Nightmare’s grip starts to loosen, as his hesitation works with his quickly fading magic to remove his chances. Keep him dead. At least then, he’d be at peace.
“At least Dream will be easy to manage without that demon getting in the way. Maybe he’ll actually let us treat him…kindly,” Nightmare catches one of the disgusting teenagers say. Watches him make a horrifically gross smirk as his friends laugh. The adults have the decency to tell them to hush, but they don’t say anymore. They don’t say anything. They let it go- let the teens grin and nudge each other like they just told a comedic joke.
Nightmare’s body shakes, but not with pain, just fury.
He needs you.
Nightmare grins widely at the group, a dark glint filling his eyelights. He brings the apple to his teeth and feasts.
“So, what do you think, my lord?”
Dream frowns at the formal title. “Just Dream, please. We’re all friends here! No need for form- um…form,” he glances to the floor, cheeks flushing gold as he tries to remember how to pronounce the word.
“Formalities,” the women offers, and Dream nods his head with shame. She raises a brow at him, seemingly losing much respect in one brief moment, before her hands glide to cup his shoulders and force him forward. He squeaks, blinking rapidly. “Eyes at the mirror, my lord.”
Dream opens his mouth to correct her once more, but he takes a peek at his reflection and stops.
Around the top of his sockets is a thick coat of yellow paint, drawing attention to his already glowing eyelights. It glitters and shines as he tilts his head, full of wonder at how…nice he looks. How right he feels.
“What do you think?” she asks again, a smile clear in her voice. Dream presses a hand to his cheek, watching as his face dusts a slight yellow- his eyelights blowing wide and flashing.
“I look so pretty…” he doesn’t mean to say it- doesn’t mean to label himself in such a way, but the damage is done. The woman stares down at him with a tense expression, and Dream shrinks in on himself in panic. “I-I meant handsome. Sorry, I must’ve been thinking of you while staring!” In an attempt to recover, he beams up at her, smiling wide and strained. It works. The lady smiles back, bashfully giggling as she pats the underside of his chin. He preens at the touch, but doesn’t get to enjoy it for long before she pulls away and the warmth is gone.
“Such a little charmer. Now, how about we get you dressed next?” Dream nods along and gets down from his chair, going to follow her. He’s stopped when a hand gripes his shoulder and pulls him back. He looks up to see another woman standing with an enormous smile, older than the other but just as tall.
“Let’s take a rest first. You’ve already gotten our angel to yourself plenty. It’s time for tea.” The older women stares at the other, and moment, something flashes across their expressions. Dream can’t begin to decipher it before it’s gone. The younger looks conflicted. Then she nods with a grin that doesn’t meet her eyes.
“Alright. I’ll go get his outfits ready.” She turns on her heel as Dream opens his mouth to say a goodbye, leaving the room. Dream has the urge to go after her, but his upper arm is grabbed and yanked back.
He’s forced to turn around and stumble along with the woman’s fast pace. Once inside the dining room, he is let go and gestured to the table. He wastes no time scurrying to his seat. He watches the woman’s skirt swish behind her as she approaches the kitchen counter, spotting her lift a tray balancing two mugs.
“Why do you want me to drink tea so badly, Felicity? I’ll have time later…”
She ignores him, walking towards the table with a blank smile on her face. It’s unsettling, and Dream tenses in his seat, fiddling with his hands.
“Here you are,” she says kindly as she lifts one from the tray, setting it right in front of Dream. Steam lightly bellows from the top, disappearing into the air. Felicity sits down next to him, setting her cup to the side, staring at him with a hand tucked under her jaw. “Go on, now.”
“It looks a little too hot…”
Felicity laughs. Dream doesn’t. “It’s not like you have a tongue to burn. Drink it.” It sounds less like an encouragement and more of a command. Dream’s soul sinks in fear, uncomfortable with the way she’s looking at him. Like he’s prey. He feels like it, anyway.
“I don’t know if I want-“
“-Drink it.” Her gaze is piercing, smile fallen. “Unless you believe my tea to not be to your standards…I didn’t realize you could have such…selfish wants, Dream.” She looks away, and Dream’s body lurches forward. He scrambles for it, hands burning as he grips the sides and pulls it off the tray.
“I’m sorry. I’ll drink it right now, ma’am. I’m sure your tea is lovely.” He offers her his typical bright grin, but all he is met with is a cold, awaiting look. Afraid of upsetting her more, he begins raising the cup to his teeth.
Suddenly, a loud scream sounds out from outside the window, and a violent tremble shakes the house. Dream gasps, dropping the cup onto the floor and watching it shatter, the burning tea splashing onto Felicity’s lap. She shrieks in pain, eyes bulging with anger as she stares at him in shock. Dream raises his hands to his mouth, covering it while his eyelights shrink.
“I am so sorry-“
“-You little pest,” she reaches out a heavy hand to his collar, but fear overtakes him. He falls from his seat, evading her swipe, wasting no time jumping to his feet. The pain in her legs buys him time, and Dream races towards the exit, swinging through the doorway and heading down the hall. Behind him, he hears Felicity yell for the others in the house, but Dream pays it no mind, reaching for the front door and throwing it open.
The sky is a purplish darkness that consumes everything. His skull drops to look on the horizon. There, he sees something over the many houses slash through the air, black with a cyan mix, slamming down and away from Dream’s vision once more.
The tree is nowhere in the distance.
“Nightmare,” Dream whispers, staff summoning into his hand.
Pain is no longer of relevance in Nightmare’s mind, power flooding his skull and body. It flows through him like a current, raging as he picks another filthy pest up in his tentacles. The teen screams, utter horror filling his whole body. It’s a new type of taste- one Nightmare never thought he’d have, but it’s exhilarating, widening his smile so much he can hardly register that it’s there.
“ You’ll treat my sibling well, hm, ” he coos, drawing the brat close to his face. Tears and snot stream down the human’s puffy cheeks, mixing together to be a disgusting sight. “ I suppose I’ll have to show you my thanks. ”
“ PLEASE ,” it begs, and Nightmare frowns at the nauseating, cracked voice. “Don’t kill me!”
“ Perhaps you should go through adolescence before making pleas. It’s annoying to hear you speak. “ Nightmare gasps, giggling into his hand. “ Oh, wait! You won’t . ” He flicks a hand, and the tentacle goes up into the air, suddenly flying down until it smashes into the grass. A loud crunch sounds outs as the pest screams with everything in him until nothing is left. Nightmare squeezes every last drop of negativity from it before it goes weak in his grip. “ Such a pity to die so young, hm?” Oh, well. I suppose it’s what’s warranted .”
“Nightmare!”
The voice makes Nightmare freeze, tentacles halting on his back. He knows that voice- knows it so well that it pains him. He’s quick to turn around, eyelight landing on the figure behind him.
Dream stands, posture weak as he huffs, staff held tightly in his grip as he takes in Nightmare’s form. “Oh, stars…”
All of Nightmare’s confidence from prior falters, leaving him hunching in on himself and yanking at his ripped clothes. “ Dream, I -“
“What happened to you?” Dream cuts in, sockets starting to water as he tosses his staff aside and jogs over, arms outstretched. Nightmare doesn’t move, but also doesn’t stop him, allowing Dream to hold the sides of his face. At first it’s comforting, but Dream doesn’t linger. As soon as his fingers sink into the tar, he pulls back in surprise, yelping. Nightmare’s soul feeds from his disgust and fear, but Nightmare himself shrinks back in shame.
“What happened ?” Dream asks again. His voice is a lot quieter, as if he doesn’t really want to know the answer, but Nightmare can’t bring himself to stay silent.
“ I- I ate one of the apples… ”
Dream glances to the tree, limbs eerily still as he stares. For a moment, Dream doesn’t say anything. He just stares. Stares at their mother. Stares at the dead bodies lying around. Stares at the bloody tentacles on Nightmare’s back.
“ Why ? Why did you do this?” Dream’s expression is nothing like Nightmare has seen before. It’s distant. It’s untrusting.
It’s angry .
“ I- I had to! The villagers- “
“-You killed them…”
“ They tried to kill me first! They were going to hurt you , too! I just wanted to protect you- “
Dream’s brow bones furrow. His grip on his bag tightens. “By eating all the apples?! Mother said-“
“-I don’t care what mother said! She didn’t protect me, ” Nightmare yells, tears starting to build in his eye. “ I was dying , Dream! I needed to live ! I needed power ! ” His eyelight glances down to Dream’s bag. “ And you have the last one I need. Hand it here, Dream. Please . ”
Dream takes a step back, holding the bag close to him, eyelights shrinking. “I….”
“ Don’t be difficult now, brother. With that last apple, I can be the most powerful being in the multiverse! I could protect you forever! You’d never need to worry again. ” He smiles at Dream as he stalks forward, following Dream’s footsteps. “ Think about it, Dream. We can run away from here. Go to the ocean. Like you always wanted. Live on the beach…or in the woods… it wouldn’t matter. Because it would be just you and me. Forever . ”
Dream grits his teeth, browbones knitted in thought. Nightmare’s gaze is so hopeful- so kind- that Dream falters, losing his balance and landing on his behind. He shifts the bag into his lap and shields it as Nightmare stops right in front of him. “ Please, Dream. ”
Dream stares into Nightmare’s eyelight- no longer purple and instead cyan. He ponders for a long while, but eventually digs his hand into his bag, pulling the last golden apple out. Nightmare’s gaze shines with excitement. Dream looks at it long and hard, face blank.
“I’m sorry, Nightmare.” He gives his brother one last smile. “But I can’t .”
Before Nightmare can grab the apple, Dream draws it to his chest and shoves. It morphs into him, shining his whole body as his skeletal body accepts the new soul. Nightmare shrieks- inhuman as he falls to his knees and presses a hand onto Dream’s chest. But it’s too late. The apple becomes one with Dream, and his body begins to turn to stone, starting from his feet and rising up and up.
“ No ,” Nightmare screams, hot, cyan colored tears streaming down his face as he tries pulling the apple from Dream’s ribs. “ I need it! Dream, I- “He pauses, taking in the stone moving over Dream’s body. It reaches his knees. Then his waist. And Nightmare watches his brother’s arms go limp as they are overtaken. “ Wait, stop ! What’s happening?! ”
“Mother said this would happen…remember?” His voice comes out weak, but kind. “ Punishment… for taking an apple… ”
Nightmare shakes his skull widely. “ No! No , you can’t go! I- I need you! ” Nightmare cups his brother’s face, teeth twisted into a tight sob. Dream can only smile back, tired eyes staring up at Nightmare with peace.
“ I love you, brother, ” Dream mumbles as the stone reaches his shoulders.
“ Don’t leave me! Dream, please ! ” Nightmare gasps when the stone fills under his hands, and he manages one last shriek of “ NO ,” before his brother is gone, leaving only a statue in his place.
“ No …” Nightmare whispers. He wraps his arms around his brother, sobbing into the crook of the statue’s neck. “ Please, come back. ”
But nobody came.