Chapter Text
There was a time, long ago, In the Kingdom of NIM before it fell, where the Queen was beloved, with her two sons given to her by a god. A child of day and one of night, made to represent the balance the Kingdom offered to the world.
A tale of great joy which tragically came to become one of sorrows, as most stories do.
As many believed the scales should tip further in one direction over the other. Most favouring the idea of the younger Prince of light being the only one to represent the kingdom. Blaming the misfortunes that befell upon them, such as a drought or bad crops, on the existence of the older son, The young Prince of night.
Wrongful blame and misplaced anger grew to fear and scorn as people looked for something, someone, To blame, So course they blamed who could no defend themselves. They blamed a child.
As loved as the prince was inside the palace walls with his Mother and Brother, He couldn't stay protected forever, As servants grew bolder with their statements and cruelty's toward the Prince of Night as they realised he wouldn't tell a soul of what they said nor did. Had people been even the slightest bit aware of what was to come from these actions, perhaps they never would of happened. Had people known, or had they choose be kind and unblinded by judgement or fear, perhaps the fall of NIM would of never happened.
But just as an icicle falling could shatter itself or fall upon someone's head, Something always ends up hurt in the end, Do we blame the weather for the icicle? or the person the planted the tree it grew upon?
As the young Prince's were not just gifts from a god. They were in themselves powerful entities that kept a dangerous spirit at bay. A spirit NIM believed to of been defeated years ago when the kingdom was just being built, A spirit that was trapped away in the tree of life, hidden in the very gardens of the palace.
The spirit was a being that thrived on hatred and pain, and oh how it ached to get revenge on the very one who encased them in this prison all those years ago. A tree now blocked off with a wall, hiding in the deepest corner of the garden where no one could find it, Till one day a young man, a scientist. Stumbled upon it, and pulled away the bricked, Promising the creature it's revenge in return for something else.
His revenge came in the form of a young boy, who came to cry beneath it's branches, A boy so miserable that he could hear the whispers of the spirit in the tree, A boy...that was so clearly NIMS.
It was easy to pretend to be his friend. Easy to convince him not to speak of their friendship to anyone, and easier it was to get him to bite the apple. As apple infused with the creatures very being.
That was a day that would be remembered for years to come. As the boy melted into his hatred and anger, allowed this beast that hid in the bark of a tree to consume him. To possess, to use his body as a puppet to which the creature played host.
The once timid and quiet prince, long gone, and in his place, This tar like creature that laughed at the misery of NIM, Who when faced with her child could not bring herself to attack, ultimately leading to her demise. It was in her death and faced with what seemed to be the death of his brother, that the youngest of twins, Dream. Found a power of his own and with an vanquished cry, he shot an arrow of light, that pushed all evil from the borders of NIM.
Marking the beginning of a new era, The separation of NIM. Into the Kingdoms of Dark and Light.
As time passed it became known that the young Prince Nightmare had not died that night, He was merely sleeping deep in the subconscious of this being, fighting everyday to try and return to his body, and the identity of he who had unbricked the wall wouldn't be found out till the once Prince, Now King of Darkness managed to pull himself to the surface after the fall of another distant Kingdom, and he called out the name of he who had found the tree first. He called out the name of a soon to be traitor XGaster.
Now, Here they were, Grown, Adults, Their own separate Kingdom's and their own separate rule. Brought together to fight against a common enemy.
. . . . .
When Dream had met Cross, It was under the guise of forming an alliance with his brother. With the war now far behind them, and the rise of a new common enemy. An agreement for a new era of peace between the two brothers had been found. They believed it was time for a truce, As fragile as it would be, considering their joint and bloodied past. It was agreed upon that a truce would do them well.
As for Dream, He held no intent to pay any attention to Nightmare's guards, Least of all his brother's newest addition. A young man acclaimed around the kingdoms for reasons not pertaining to a kind nature, nor a merciful solider. Instead this new addition was shadowed in rumours, controversy and mystery, The son of the common enemy, XGaster. Who had been raised by his father in the now fallen Kingdom of XTale. Raised to be a weapon as he, Once a royal guard, Aided his father in over throwing the late King Asgore.
The solider growing to become a ghost story to children, and a tale of caution for those who may encounter the beast on the battle fields of war. Dream held no desire to meet this beast, he doubted he would be able to hold his thounge in the presence of he, Who according to rumour, was as intimating as the rumours made him to be, Cold and calculating, silent, even in the face of horror. Dream already had choice words toward his brother, who against all the arguments of the council, Pardoned the criminal for his crimes, freeing him of what was supposed to be the permanent punishment of the void. A fate for many worse than dusting. A fate many believed to be justified given whom this man was kin to. Dream tried to argue that if not for his own crimes, then please let him keep the punishment for the crimes his committed, Should Nightmare not also hate this man? Who's bloodline was the cause of the fall of their own? But Nightmare wouldn't hear it.
Dream never understood, Why Nightmare insisted on brining a traitor into his mist, and for all the worry Dream held, even though he and Night still had their differences, He would soon come to know Cross, Beyond these rumours, Most he would learn were exaggerated and fear mongering tactics, born out of fear of the unknown, for a boy who had been born with a startling amount of determination for a monster. For when people cannot control something they are quick to fear, and Dream would learn first hand the weight of his own ignorance and how even he, as merciful and kind as he was, could be blinded by pain.
It was the day of the first meeting of the truce ordered council. Early it still was, Dream took a small wander through the gardens, The day still bright and warm, seeing as he didn't know how long this meeting would be, He thought it best to get fresh air while he still could. Newly crowned king, He found very little time for moment's like this. To enjoy the peace without someone running along behind him, or urging him to be more careful, Though being careful would of done him some good, As he left himself distracted by something or other and tripped right over a loose stone. Heading straight for the marble fountain that without of a doubt would of left his skull cracked open.
Arms reaching out in reflex and eyes shutting tight, he prepared for a shock of pain, yet- the pain never came, As arms suddenly wrapped around him from behind, Gravity no longer having it's effect as he slowly blinked in eye's open in surprise, and glanced up the light giving way, allowing the King to see his saviour, Dreams magic flaring as his cheeks flushed a soft gold, to see possibly one of the most handsome monsters he had ever seen. With wide and worried eye lights, That appeared just as surprised to see Dream as Dream was to of been caught by the stranger. He noted a small red scar almost hidden beneath his eye, shielded by layers of thick clothing, And for as known as Dream was, for as used to other's fussing about him as he had been, This stranger relaxed, let out a soft sigh of relief and helped Dream back to his feet without the fanfare he was so accustomed to from others.
"Doe's everyone around here have a habit of not looking where they are going?" The stranger muttered under his breath and glanced to the side, as though annoyed, leaving Dream to blink himself back into reality, For all his etiquette training and public speeches, The royal found himself only able to let out a confused "Huh?"
Mentally cursing himself he couldn't believe he was reduced down to this, just because of one pretty stranger. Amazing. Steller work Dream. You get saved by a handsome stranger and can't even string together a sentence- See this is why you're still single.
But the stranger- Star's bless him, just smiled a little, a small smile enough to completely make Dream melt all the more.
"You are the third person I had to catch today your highness" They said, slipping his arm's away from Dream, Embarrassingly Dream wanted to follow them, but managed to keep his head screwed on straight, confused by his own sudden want to be near this stranger. He had never been the overly interested type, He had met plenty of handsome monsters in his life, After all his court of Dream's was revered for it's aesthetics, both with the decorations and the people who occupied it, But for some reason he found himself in silent awe of this person.
A person, who must of took Dream's silence as offense, as his handsome features twisted into something similar to worry or panic, Their posture straightening up as they quickly bowed down in shocking efficiency. Their discipline making it clear they were a trained guard but his mannerisms, Made it obvious they had not been trained under Dreams knighthood.
"Oh- I should Apologise." The warm edge of his voice, gone in favour of professionalism. "I wouldn't of touched you had it not impeded your safety King. My reflexes make it difficult not to catch a falling person, Sire. " His eye's trained to the ground, Yet his cheeks, flushed with endearing shade of purple magic, and Dream was enamoured, In mere seconds. He couldn't remember being so endeared by someone so fast before.
Quickly he reached down and pulled the solider back up "No! It's alright! really, thank you, I would of smashed my skull otherwise" Dream was quick to speak, catching this man's eyes he offered another sincere "Thank you." So earnest that the others cheeks flushed deeper, and Dream's veins thrummed with warm magic that kept him smiling like a kid with a crush.
Realising he was still holding the strangers arm he panicked, flushing as he pulled away clearing throat. "Sorry, Who are you? I would recognise one of my own soldiers, are you with my Brother? King Nightmare that is" He asked, hoping for some answer that would allow him to talk with this person longer, because their eye's spoke of something Dream wanted to understand.
He prided himself on being good at reading peoples character, You don't exactly embody the idea of positivity and hope for a kingdom without some sort of strong gauge for who was good. The solider appeared startled and almost hesitant to answer, Yet just as he prepared himself to speak.
A voice Dream recognised as Nightmares second in command, Killer, Echoed in the gardens from a distance, Somewhere from one of the balcony's Dream guessed.
"Oi! Flower boy! The Boss is looking for you! Come on Crossy~ Can't be lazing about while the rest of us do work!" There was a tease in his tone, But all Dream could focus on was the sudden dread that dropped over him, The name, Told him all he needed, his eyes quickly started down to where the famed and rumoured sword lay against the stranger- no...Cross's hip. Dream felt whatever blood he had run cold, paling in the realisation, that this perfectly handsome stranger had been the ghost of the battle fields. The son of the very person this truce had been caused over, The son of the man, who unleashed the demon that all those years ago killed his mother NIM, and took over his brothers body for years. This was Cross, and Dream had every right to hate him.
Yet what made it worse and so confusing is that he was nothing like what Dream expected, and in the face of Dreams building frustrations and anger, his emotions were halted as he met that gaze again, that suddenly looked so hurt and guilty, yet so...resigned and accepting.
Cross bowed, Dreams hand's fists at his side.
"Pardon me, Your highness. Glory be to the Kingdom of light" and with that, The solider quickly turned away and hurried out of the gardens.
And Dream was left, aching and confused.
It was the beginning of a very, VERY long internal conflict, Laced with the complications of the past, and misjudgement, That would have Dream realising much about himself in the process, As his own prejudice fought against him and time constantly brought him back to Cross' space, He grew to see that this man was no more a monster than the average solider forced to do what they must to survive, that he was a man riddled with guilt, who when shown another way out, took out, and used every day to try and make up for the past.
Cross was hurting and strong, and it was in the mist of battle, When Dreams back was turned, and he went to pull back another arrow, that a spear was thrown toward his back, And Cross, had been the one to step in, and direct it away with his sword, his back pressed to Dream's, a King who had been nothing but cold since their moment in the gardens, Together they fought, and blocked each others blind sides, That Dream began to warm up to this strange being.
Who hid his own injuries for the sake of fighting to the end, even if it eventually did lead to him passing out from blood loss the moment the battle ended, much to Dreams panic, Dream had dragged Cross from the battle field.
And remembered the change in his heart as he didn't care to celebrate but waited for the relief of Cross eventually waking up.
It was in Cross' recovery they found comfort in one another, in the silence of their walks, and love in the brief touches they shared.
They had wed, 2 summer's later. A small ceremony, different from the usual fanfare expected of royals. For Cross was not all that desired for a consort to the king, in both terms of council and commoner, the rumours of him were still told as fact rather than exaggerated fiction, the situation surrounding his birth certainty had not helped, Should he of been of nobility, perhaps the council at least would of been more lenient. Yet despite this, They managed to make it work, and the early years of their marriage flourished, and Dream found himself happiest under the sheets of their shared bed on early mornings, where they whispered and laughed as though they were just two men, who didn't have the entire world on their shoulders.
Cross had been haven, His break from the stress of duty. For it was in Crosses eyes, he was not a god, But just a man. And for Cross, Dream was his everything, who gave him hope and believed in him being better than he was.
Dream's fondest memory always one of Crosses expression before they kissed, The sudden softness, the fondness, Before hands suddenly reached up holding the sides of Dreams face in a soft caress, Always successful in stopping the King's constant chatter as he felt a gentle hand guiding him, and as he looked at Cross he felt a sudden shift, a feeling of want. A feeling so foreign to Dream who never wanted for anything when it came to himself, But in these moments all he could do, was let out a quiet and soft "Oh..." As they melted into one another, each time like it was the first.
His very being buzzed to life the busyness of the day died and stress disappeared for now all he could think of, Was his husband, And this kiss.
The soft pull of the others arms tightening around him, as hands moved to shoulders and then to Dream's back to urge him closer. The sound of a gentle intake of breath reminded Dream of what home actually was, It was in the arms of his lover. Arm's he couldn't believe he once thought incapable of such gentleness.
and he found himself sighing in relief, As he breathed in Cross' air and they melted into the sheets, As though each time was a welcome home gift.
Each kiss would linger, Every glance would stay, and with each gentle hum that came from their mouths coming together as they pulled away in quiet content, Crosses gaze would always look at Dream in a way that made him feel alive, And had Dream ever felt unworthy of the attention of others, He forgot it again when Cross looked at him.
There was something to be said for this honest and deep type of love. This adoration they felt for one another despite all differences, and so. It would be a shame. What would happened next.
When the King of Light...
Disappeared.