Just ships I'm no longer into but the stories are cute

Why did you leave?

I never evaluated on how bad off Cross and Dream were after Nightmare died in the switch Novel. So here is some of that.

Cross curled himself into a tight ball in his chair, hugging a particular book to his chest. He desperately crawled his fingers into the books cover till he may have ripped the leather off the outer wall of the pages. He had wailed his sorrows into the book for what he guessed was hours, he just was simply to tired to cry anymore. The pages were wet from where he practically shoved his face on this book and wept.
The door to the library opened, Cross glanced up expecting it to be Error.
However to his surprise it was Dream, who looked just as miserable as Cross imagined he looked right now.
Dream's eyes were puffy, his expression was neutral. His smile he usually wore was no longer on his face.
"Cross..." Dream spoke up, his voice hoarse.
"Yes?" Cross cringed at his voice, it was gruff and his throat burned as he spoke.
"You look awful" Dream laughed dryly, slowly approaching him.
Dream stood in front of him, Cross gave no effort to uncurl himself for his ball form around the unfinished book that he had taken the moment they returned home.
"May I heal you?" Dream asked as he squatted down to be eye level with Cross.
Cross thought about it, and then realized he was indeed in physical pain not just emotional.
Dream held his hand out, Cross however only stared at his hand, believing deep in his soul he deserved the pain of his injuries for failing his beloved.
"Cross my brother would not want you to sit in misery" Dream then reached out and covered Cross's hand with his own, letting the yellow aura form to heal Cross's injures.
Cross stared at Dream, he looked so tired.
Cross moved Dreams hand away from his own, getting a long sigh in response.
"I appreciate your efforts Dream, but you honestly look extremely tired" Cross spoke in merely a whisper, Dream stared at him a long moment before standing back up.
"I am, but you do too" Dream answered, crossing his arms and looking at Cross with a disapproving expression.
"At least go to bed Cross, for not me, for him?" Dream spoke gently, watching Cross visibly flinch when he thought of Nightmare.
Cross looked down a moment, before he stood up, still clinging to the book as if it'll vanish if he were to let it go.
Dream caught him as Cross lost his balance, his vision blurry.
"I'll help you" Dream said, wrapping one of his arms around Cross's waist and letting Cross lean on him.
"Dream? Is he-whoa" Killer walked in, immediately coming to Dreams aid as Cross started to black out.
"I knew his injures were bad, but he wouldn't let me heal him" Dream said with pure frustration, Cross dropped the book he was clinging to as he passed out completely. Killer gripped onto Cross tightly to make sure he wouldn't fall and hurt himself more.
"What is that?" Killer asked, Dream read the title and held tears back from falling once again.
It was the book his brother told him about, the one him and Cross started together and were close to finishing.
Oh Cross...
"Let's just...get him to his room shall we?" Dream said tiredly, Killer looked in his eyes and nodded.
Killer teleported all three of them to Cross's room. It was still in ruins from where Nightmare escaped hours before hand. Killer and Dream placed Cross on the bed, Killer then started to remove Cross's clothing.
"What are you doing?" Dream whispered, closing the window that was still wide open.
"I have to make sure this idiot isn't dying!" Killer whispered back, when he got Cross's last layer of clothing off he winced.
Oh shit this was bad.
Cross had many stab wounds through his rib cage, cracks and fractures littered his upper half like someone took a marker and made squiggles all over him. His spine was slightly shifted, almost like that would be permanent damage later on.
Scars on top of scars.
"Oh my! Why was he sitting with these?!" Dream hissed, immediately starting to work on the worse of the fractures on his upper left rib.
"Do you think...he blames himself?" Killer asked Dream, Dreams eyes widened.
Oh dear.
He couldn't be...right?
Oh yes he would blame himself.
"Oh my...and I thought I was grieving" Dream said that mostly to himself, continuing to heal Cross in silence as Killer watched.
After Dream had finished on the last major fracture, he sat down on the bed next to the sleeping skeleton.
"Dream?" Killer asked, placing a hand on his shoulder, Dream looked up at him.
"He's not okay" Dream whispered, giving one last look at Cross before taking the cover and tucking Cross into them.
"But I promise for my brothers sake of peace...I'll make sure one day he will be okay" Dream said that with new determination.
Killer stared at him before forcing a small smile on his face.
"Come let's let him sleep, you need to sleep to" Killer stretched his hand out, Dream shared a equal small smile and took Killers hand.
"Thank you" Dream said truthfully as Killer and him exited the room. Closing the door quietly behind them, Error was waiting outside the door with a worried expression.
"How is he?" Error asked, concern lacing his tone.
"He was bad off, still is" Killer answered, squeezing Dreams hand lightly.
"He's going to be a handful" Error mumbled, putting his face in his hands.
"Error, he's going to need you the most" Dream spoke up, Error peeked out from his hands and looked at Dream for a long moment before nodding.
"I know...I know" Error then walked past the two, opening the door leading back into Cross's room.
"I'm going to sit with him a while, I don't need him to try anything stupid" Error walked in and closed the door behind him. Leaving the two alone once again.
"He's got him, now let's get you to bed" Killer led Dream toward the neons ones room, he knew Dream was putting on a show. He was just as upset and hurt as Cross was over the loss of Nightmare.
He just hid it better.
Dream allowed Killer to drag him to his bedroom, as they reached the door, Killer then turned around to look him in his eyes.
"Y'know...I think Nights would be proud to see you handling this the way you are...you are so strong Dream...don't forget it" Killer hugged Dream then, Dream was speechless before burying his face into Killers shoulder and wrapping his arms tight around Killers waist.
They would get though this...they had to.