Core the Apple

Bad Apple End: Alt ending

"Please Dream... come with me."

Dream stared down at the pleading face of his brother, his aching soul giving another hard squeeze in Nightmare's hand. Everything about him was crying out for mercy, was begging to be set free from all of the pain. The positive spirit couldn't believe he was even thinking about Nightmare's proposition, but he wasn't wrong when he had called him out. He was tired, he did understand what Nightmare was feeling. He shook his head a moment as he gently returned his brother's soul, taking his own back and allowing it to sink into his chest.

"Nightmare..." Dream sighed as he ran a thumb across the back of his brother's hand. "It's... a lot to ask of me. I-I mean you're asking me to... to sit here and die with you." He whispered, as though the other wasn't already aware of this.

"I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else." Nightmare replied without hesitation. "Going out the same way we came into this world, but on our own terms." He wheezed out a quiet laugh and closed his eye a moment. "Is it funny? That we leave this world with love when we were brought in through indifference?" He sounded tired, as though this information sapped more strength from his withering soul. "It's not fair, is it?" He turned his head to look at Dream again, seeing the conflicted expression on his face.

Dream released Nightmare's hand after a moment, looking away to avoid his brother's painfully sad eye. "It's... no, it's not." He agreed quietly, unable to deny it. "It's not fair... it never was fair. We never stood a chance." He weakly laughed, wiping the tears from his face.

"We didn't." Nightmare agreed as he watched Dream get to his feet. He gave a distressed sound, afraid the other was going to simply leave him there. Dream turned and quickly took his hand again and squeezed.

"I'm not going anywhere, just... hold on." Dream soothed him quietly before letting his hand go. The positive spirit moved to remove his circlet, bringing it down in front of him to observe it. He stared at his reflection in the shiny metal, hands trembling as he held onto it. "Yeah... I'm not going anywhere." He whispered again.

He sat the circlet down at the nightstand, a shaky exhale leaving him as he did. He unclasped the small cape from his neck, folding it with tender care and resting it beside his circlet gently. Nightmare gave another sound, more confused now, while Dream sat his prized possessions aside. The spirit removed his gloves and boots next, setting them aside before turning back to Nightmare. The darker spirit's eye lit up momentarily in understanding, weakly attempting to move himself over.

"Shh... let me help you." Dream whispered as he helped the other scoot over enough to allow Dream to lie beside him. Dream gave an exhausted sigh as he laid back, staring up at the ceiling of his brother's room. He had really resigned himself to doing this, his soul straining again in his chest as he clutched the front of his shirt.

"Are you afraid?"

Dream turned his head a bit to see Nightmare watching him with a weak smile. Dream shuddered a bit as more negativity dripped away from the other, part of the open wound showing now. "Am I afraid?" He echoed back with a soft laugh. "Yeah... I am. I'm terrified." He replied honestly. He glanced down as he felt Nightmare's hand take his own in a weak grasp, unable to even muster the strength to squeeze.