Aconitum

Second Chances

The next time Dream dropped off a letter Nightmare actually read it.

Dear Nightmare,

I know you won't reply. That's alright, I've given up on expecting you to reply. I don't even know if your reading these or if they are just sitting in some abandoned corner of your house, waiting to be forgotten. It doesn't matter either way, I still want to write to you. I don't want to lose you despite what you've done.

So I've decided to forgive you! I hope you can return the favor despite how I acted when I ran into you, and how I spoke in the previous letters.

Speaking of the previous letters, the man who's been opening the door is very interesting. Dust I believe his name is? Is he your friend? Maybe your servant? I cannot really tell. He seems kind either way. He says you two aren't the only people living there but refuses to talk about the other person/people in any meaningful way. Would you be willing to tell me about them?

Dust says he's sad that you don't open the door for me yourself, what's your opinion on that? I myself obviously agree with him, but it made me wonder what your stance was. Maybe you could write me back about that? If something makes you want to write me that is. If writing is unappealing it would be great to see you for real. I've missed you, and I remember some of what you said to me while I was a statue.

I think I believe you about your regret. I didn't have these powers well tuned then, obviously, but I think I understand better now that I'm more used to them.

I hope your well,
Dream

It was an alright letter all things considered. There were parts that concerned Night, like the part where Dream "forgives" him, and the part where he calls Dust a servant. The rest of the letter was reassuring though. Dream didn't seem mad anymore. That gave Night a chance to repair whatever chance he had at a friendship with his brother.

He started composing a letter back, then he crumpled it up and dropped it on the floor. He'd pick that one up later.  Later being about 4 hours after the first letter. There was a mass grave of unfinished letters on his floor and he still didn't have a half decent reply to his brother. It was like his brain didn't want to fix things, but he did! Nightmare wanted things to be normal so much!

People were so horrible back then, the only good thing in his life was Dream back then. Losing him would ruin what grasps of light he had back then. Not that that period of time hadn't already been soured, but he- it was hard to justify to himself in any logical way why he needed Dream to be in his life now that he was free.

It was important to him regardless though. Dream avoiding him forever would be horrible.

'Fuck letters actually.' Night grabbed a long sleeved shirt to pull over the t-shirt he wore as PJs that he hadn't changed out of. His pants would have to do. He thought he was ready to leave and just see his brother like a normal person until he saw something glint in the corner of the closet. He grabbed it, his circlet. He hadn't worn it since getting out. He wasn't a prince anymore, he had no people.

Dream probably would be pleased to see him wearing it.

Nightmare glanced in the mirror nervously before leaving, the kindest thought he could come up with was, 'good enough.'

Dream was in an au filled with positively and flowers. Where he sat the sun streamed down through a large gap in the mountain that sealed the monsters in. When Nightmare glanced up the sky seemed far away, the jagged rocks of the mountain seemed to stretch up endlessly. That wouldn't be a pleasant fall.

Nightmare didn't know what to say, but with the way Dream perked up told him his brother was already aware of his presence. Night stood still, feeling the breeze push his hair away from his face. Dream was like a skittish animal he was afraid he'd scare.