Chapter Text
It hurt but he didn’t care. You couldn’t care, with how lost you suddenly felt.
You stared at them, shock making your eyes widen. Killer, Dust, even Horror. They all stood side by side next to the star Sanses. Was it not enough? Were you not enough?
Being Nightmare has been complicated. To be fanon Nightmare would be a dream, to be after corruption but before Dream became free; even more so. But of course you were canon Nightmare, of COURSE it was after he gathered his gang.. Well, it was canon Nightmare with a sprinkle of having the gang. So fanon-canon? It.. it didn’t matter because what is happening now is what matters.
You tried to make up for what canon Nightmare had done to them, tried to be better while still being in character, and.. and yet. They left you.
You don’t blame them. Heavens no. They had been treated terribly, at least as terrible as you could assume Nightmare had treated them. So no, you couldn’t blame them. But it… it stung that you did your best to make up for mistakes you never committed. You did everything you could… And in the end they sided with the stars, you had just enough strength to portal back.
But did you want to? It was always so tiring, you loved the gang, but perhaps they didn’t care about you like you did. The goop on your body was melting and seeping into the ground as a hopeless acceptance filled your gaze.
Horror had seen many things, behaviors, reactions… He wasn’t surprised by the bosses change in attitude, what surprised him was the warmth that filled his gaze. He knew his boss was an actor so he didn’t think on it. But at times like this, he wishes he did. Wishes his thoughts weren’t always so cloudy and clogged. But the look in his bosses.. no. Nightmare’s eyes was only confirming something he didn’t want to think about.
Nightmare truly cared about them didn’t he? Maybe in a sick and twisted way, but he still cared.
Error saw Nightmare melt into the ground, compressing himself to get away. Nightmare lost, not only that but he was betrayed. Even to Error that had to sting. That along with the fact Nightmare had been making an effort to change, maybe it was because of the overwhelming positivity getting to him, or maybe something else behind the scenes. He didn’t know.
But Nightmare has been different in so many ways in the last few months. Almost a whole year now. He was odd, his notes even odder. It was as if, he was getting tired.
There were notes; strategies that had been written down. Strategies on damage control, safe routes, communications. Nightmare had been trying to go for strategies that lessened not only damage to him but to his subordinates as well, not to mention the universes under his jurisdiction… but. Nightmare had always been a little weird, hasn’t he.
As the stars sighed and made their way out with the former members of Nightmare’s gang turning in with them, stiff and weary. Nightmare nowhere in sight, not that it'd be hard to find him. The universe was now desolate and crumbling.
While the rest of them were retiring to rest and take care of wounds; Error went to find Nightmare.
Fuck.
That was the only thought running through your head coherently. Just a chorus of fuck and no. Why?
Because you certainly couldn’t go back to the safety of the AU you used to lay base, especially because you were alone now! And where did you end up? IN A PACIFIST AU!
This was such a shit situation for you. A being that’s dying and losing form in a pacifist AU… well there was one bright side, it seemed to be one of the untouched AU’s.
At least untouched by you and the stars…
God, you need to find some negativity, and soon.
BANG
You startled at the sound of something hitting a trash can in an alleyway. The alleyway you're in currently… You retreat further into the darkest corner. Like hell, you choose life! LIFE!
”PIECE OF SHIT, CAN’T EVEN GET ADOPTED! WHAT THE FUCKS THE USE O’ YA THEN!?”
The negativity was absolutely Divine. Your hunger subsided and you began taking shape again, no longer a liquidy mess. You hear a door slam closed as you.. WAIT ADOPTION!? DID THEY THROW A CHILD OUT HERE? WORSE A FUCKING ANIMAL?!You rush towards whatever hit the trash can and pause. Where…
Scraping and whines.
Your eye-light shoots down to a small mini version of… horror.
You quickly try to scoop him up to try and check on the tiny version of your favorite of the boys, only for the mini-Horror to scoot back farther and wince as they hug their tiny arm closer to themself. An arm that’s bleeding.
“YOU’RE INJURED!”
The wound of the events was still recent but.. this was a bitty so it’s not them… meaning they don’t know you, and you.. YOU DON’T HAVE TO ACT LIKE NIGHTMARE ANYMORE!
Your hand shrinks back and your voice lowers. “Can I hold you? Or at least heal you?”
“Can I hold you? Or at least heal you?”
He stared up at the pitch black mass in front of him,the only discernible feature being a glowing green eye-light. Green magic, magic doesn’t lie. But he had just been thrown out, how convenient is it that a.. mass? Was here to help him.. but, green magic means healing and he… should he? But what if?.. does he have a choice?
.
..
…
No… He was thrown out, this is likely the only chance he’ll get help ever again.
He doesn’t have a choice.
So he nods.
Success! You aim to scoop the bitty once again, they’re just as cute as they’re described in fics and look in comics! Aweee. Right you can gush out later, right now you need to focus on the shivering bitty. The bitty flinches the closer you get to it but doesn’t scoot back this time.
You let the bitty sit in one hand, thumb acting as a backrest, while you lightly lift the arm with two fingers and start healing. The tiny horror’s eyes widen as his arm restores to its former glory. A concerned eye-light looks over the bitty, a bitty who is noticeably tired. Without warning you bring the bitty closer to your chest, the bitty panics and tries to get off but freezes, noticing the height. The bitty glances back at you with uncertainty in his single eye-light.
He won’t be going anywhere will he?