°𝙾𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚙𝚎°

Chapter 1: Defragmentation

(that is nightmares design)
Warnings:
Mental breakdowns, mention of body dysmorphia, cussing probably
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Dream looked at the bare bones of his brother, laying in the snow, sprawled on his ribs and spine. He was in shock, he presumed that the touch would kill nightmare! Not revert him back to his original form, he was prepared to just, get it over with! Not,.. not- this-! Though, this is what he wanted, he wanted for his brother to come back, and he was! But would he be the same? Would he talk, and how would he sound? The thoughts racing through his skull, filling it to the brim.

Not now, he thought. He shouldn't just stand there and look dumb! Trotting over to the limp body of his twin, narrowly avoiding the black globs of corruption. Slowing his pace as he leaned over his brother's body, carefully checking his apple shaped soul, he held it, the skin shriveled and wrinkled. The sight saddened him. Slowly lowering down and placing the soul back, then gently wrapping his arms underneath the ladders medial condyle and spine. Carrying him bridal style.

Leaning back up with little struggle, he was surprised to feel how light his twin was. Now being up close, he could see better, looking over his features. The once pearly white bones a gray tone, broken and cracked in various places. Most notably his cranium. A large hole on the left side of his skull, spreading all the was to the back of his head, leaking a dark liquid, much like the corruption that was laying on the ground around, speaking of, was almost completely gone.

Dream inhaled, fighting off the few threatening tears that dare roll down his cheek. He stood up and opened a portal, walking through the golden aura into another universe.
"Cross-! Hey, I need some help!" "With what-?" Cross replied from upstairs, dream had portaled to their house, it was a humble little cottage, a green and yellow color scheme moving throughout the house. "I- it.. it's difficult to explain- just come here!" Dream yelled again, protectively pulling the limp body of his brother closer to his.

Soon he heard heavy shuffling and footsteps, and down came walking cross. He took a quick look at dream, then the gray little skeleton in dreams arms, lifeless and still. The guard instinct immediately kicked in as he rushed over and started to check the body that dream held in his arms. "What happened!? " He asked frantically, eyelights scanning over the others bones. "Who even is this?" He said, looking up to dreams teary eyed face.

"It's n-nightmare-" dream said, breaking out into tears, sobbing while hugging nights body as cross tried to comfort him. "Hey- calm down," he stammered, not knowing what to do in this situation. "I'm sure that there's something we can do-" " Really-?" Dream looked up, tears rolling down his cheeks, a hopefully sad look in his eyes.

"Of course, dream."
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Nightmare awoke violently, trembling, shakey eyelight scanning the room around. Where was he? what's going on? Why did he feel so.. bad? Everything hurt, especially his skull, it felt like he got hit with a damn sledge hammer! 'calm down, just, calm.' he thought silently, rubbing the side of his head, inhaling, taking in the fresh air around him.

Sitting up and opening his socket, he took a long look around, analyzing his surroundings. 'Okay- I'm definitely not at my place..' nightmare wondered, he sighed. His body still ached, it felt as if it was on fire, but it's nothing compared to what he'd gone through. Looking down, he saw something that terrified him. Gray bones, cracked and ruined. A body that wasn't his own, a past form that has been abandoned long, long ago.

"No- no, no, no, no-" his breathing quickening, "Not again, this isn't real-" he felt at his face, once where his protection layed, now a rough and shattered skull. Feeling inside the gapeing hole, removing them and looking at his hands. Shaking, and crying, tears couldn't be held back. He clawed at his face, trying to bring anything, something back. But it didn't feel like him, the body wasn't his, it belonged to someone who died so long ago.

This was all wrong, he started screaming, but it wasn't his voice. That wasn't him. Everything was so overwhelming, it was to this, and to that. The buzzing filling his skull, turning to liquid and falling out in tears. "Fuck, fuck, Fuck- " hitting his skull, grappling onto whatever was around. Eventually falling off the bed he lay atop of.

Struggling on the floor, tossing and clawing, his vision getting blurry again. The distant sound of footsteps were heard, shuffling then the door slammed open to reveal cross, in a black-T with Dream hiding behind him. "GO AWAY FROM ME-!DON'T GET ANY FUCKING CLOSER-" he screamed, shocking the pair, dream rushed over only to get pushed back weakly by the small cracked hands of his brother, who started dry coughing at how hard he strained his voice. Dream nearly broke out into tears.

"We need to pin him down, so we can at least talk to him." Cross said, resting his hand on dreams shoulder. Dream looked up to him, "Okay. Please, I can't bare to see him like this.." "of course." Cross replied, started to slowly trot towards nightmares shaken body, crumbling on the floor. "I said stay AWAY-" Nightmare bellowed. His eye widening to an unnatural amount, creating more small cracks on his skull. The black liquid falling in more visible chunks. "Calm down, just look at me, look at drea-" "WHY WOULD I EVER WANT TO LOOK AT YOU-!?" He said in a loud, ear piercing scream.
Cross had no response, Nightmare didn't trust either of them. Cross didn't think nightmare trusted anyone. With that thought in mind, he decided that he had to do this the hard way.

Nightmare crouched down and starred at dream with such venom it could make his soul shatter. Then he looked at cross with that same I'll intent. Ignoring it, Cross stepped forward, crouching down and cornering the small skeleton beneath him. "Dream now!" He called, grabbing nightmare by the back and pressing his face to his black shirt. Shushing him as dream came over and started rubbing his twins back, sitting next to cross all the while nightmare struggled, clawed and bit. Letting out yowls and curses.

"Calm down broth-" "don't you fuckin' dare call me that." Nightmare spat, letting out a heavy sigh and practicing the breathing techniques that horror had taught him so long ago. "Ok, you can let go now." He said weakly, his voice cracky from all the yelling he just did. Cross raised a 'brow', "Can we really though?" "C'mon cross, let him go.."Dream said, petting nightmares skull, being extra careful around the crack. Flustering nightmare in the process.

So he did, carefully setting the skeleton down on the bed. They sat in silence, not really knowing what to do, or say. Thankfully nightmare broke it.

"So like, can I have a shirt."

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1193 words

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