Unrequited LOVE

•Chapter 38•

An indescribable amount of time passed before the ghosts left, finally satisfied. You remained curled up on the ground, panting heavily, body on fire.

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts-

You begged for relief, but it never came. The pain remained, burning hotly through every crevice of your shaking frame.

I'm so sorry.

...

And then, the cold came. Your head tilted up, coming face-to-patella with none other than Nightmare. His teal eyelight was fixed on you, wobbling steadily.

You couldn't speak, staring at the goopy skeleton. Something in your chest longed to touch him, but you refrained. And so, you shrunk down under his critical gaze.

Waves of self-hatred ran down your spine. He probably hates me-

But then, something happened. Warm, jello-like tentacles curled around your body, lifting you up into a pair of skeletal arms.

"N-Night-"

"Shhh," he spoke. "It's going to be alright."

No, it isn't.

"I k-killed them!" You cried, burying your face into his clothed shoulder. "I don't deserve to-"

Nightmare tapped a phalange against your lips, silencing you. "You do. You may have been Frisk then, but you aren't now. Trust me."

You want to believe him, you really do, but forgiveness is out of the cards. "You don't understand, I can't just... walk around like I didn't murder them hundreds of times!!" You cry, nearly hysterical.

Nightmare remains unfazed, staring down at you with a soft smile. I don't deserve him-

"And what gives you the right to assume I don't?"

That makes you pause. "W-What-?"

His smile turns bittersweet. "I didn't always look like this, you know. Coincidentally, it was my own insecurities and self-hatred that brought me to this point," he sighs. "Even with everything, I still had a choice... and I chose wrong."

Pity curls in your gut. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, none of this ever was, or will be, your fault."

And then, he touches your forehead tenderly. You gasp when another wave of memories crash down on you, though they aren't yours.

Two skeletons - brothers - one purple and one golden... one good, and one evil.

You recognize the golden-clad one as Dream, but not the purple one. Suddenly, it hits you.

The purple skeleton cries out as shadows surround him. A tree looms behind. Rocks and stones hitting the skeleton's skull. His brother cannot save him. Anger and rage take over, igniting the earth.

Wait, is that-

The tree burns. A bitten apple. Bones as black as night, tinted with teal. Screaming. Pain. Two brothers divided. So many suffering.

You know now. Nightmare pulls his hand from your sweaty forehead. "I do know, (Y/n). You aren't alone."

Your arms come up to wrap around his shoulders in a comforting way. Broken apologies spill from your lips, quiet and pleading. He shushes you again. "I said it's going to be fine. The past is the past."

And yet, you can't seem to let go. "Nightmare..."

-I don't deserve to live-

His arms tighten around you. "If you're not going to live for yourself, then do it for me. You promised you'd some back, after all."

The weight of your forgotten promise tugs at your heart. A wry smile forms over your lips. "...I did, didn't I?"

"Yup, you did," he grins. "And I'll be damned if I don't make you keep it."

His determination buoys you. Oh, Nightmare...

"Promise?"

You smile the first real smile you've smiled in a long, long time. "Of course."

Because honestly, you kinda love him.

***

Nightmare sets you down as soon as you speak those two words. He turns to go, glancing back once more. "Don't lose HOPE, I'll be waiting."

In a flash of teal light, he's gone. You don't feel any pain, just remorseful happiness. "Oh, I'm counting on it."

Another voice breaks the silence.

You passed.

You turn to face them.

Frisk.

They smile, extending their hand once more. Are you ready?

You take it without an ounce of hesitation. Born ready.

Colors erupt around you, creating a vast rainbow over the space. You hold fast in the tidal wave of dyed passion. Suddenly, a flash of white circles around your frame, gathering in the center of your sternum.

Thump, thump, thump.

A glowing white SOUL forms at your chest, flashing with the brilliance of a thousand suns. It's thumping beats pound in your ears, and a titillating warmth covers your being.

Thump, thump, THUMP.

It feels.

Everything feels.

You can feel.

And it's amazing, a feeling so indescribable that it makes your head spin. The world begins to blacken, and you sink to the ground, practically glowing.

Just before it all fades, you hear Frisk say one last thing.

HOPE is the only thing that will save you now.

At this point, they're right.

***

Oh wow, the story is really heating up! ...The end, though I don't want it to, it drawing near. Thank you for all the support, everyone!