Undertale AU oneshots

Hunger Strike

Dreamswap! Dream x Dreamswap! Nightmare

Paperwork.
They would be his end, Dream was quite sure. His pen ran aimlessly, filling the signatures required. With the onset of the modern era, you would believe that people would have found more productive methods to work with such nuisance.

He sighed upon measuring the pile of work left.

Disappointment seemed to be a part of a regular routine for Dream.

A knock was heard.
"Come in." Dream commanded, collecting his usual calm.
"Evening." Ink greeted with a scowl on his face.
Dream sighed again, mentally.
This couldn't be good...
"Nightmare has stopped eating."
Of course it was him.
"How long?" An identical scowl spread across Dream's face too.
"4 days."
Dream pinched the bridge of his nose, "Did you-"
"We tried convincing and threatening him, but nothing seems to work."
Dream couldn't care less for a prisoner's well being, truly. But it was Nightmare. If anything harmed the pest, it would harm Dream too. Now, Dream would not want that, would he?
"Kindly bring in his food to his cell. I would speak to him."
"OK."
"Sincere gratitude."
Dream darted through the hallway, every person in vicinity made aware of his exasperation.

He stopped in front of the special cell. Made for his one and only, Nightmare. Very few trusted and meritorious individuals were allowed to interact with the prisoner. Dream had ensured plenty of safety protocols to prevent Nightmare from ever escaping.
...
..
So much, for a useless parasite.

Dream entered the cell. He was immediately greeted with dense negativity spread in the room. Disgusting.
His trained eyes easily traced Nightmare's restrained figure in the dark. Hands were held up by golden chains, which had positive energy embedded in them. Feet were fastened to the ground with similar chains. His head hung low, indifferent to Dream's presence.
"Greetings, Nightmare."
"... "

No response. As usual.
"How have you been?" Dream asked, closing the cell door behind him. The room remained lit with only Dream's magic, and negligible light from a small bulb.
"..."

Still no response.
Dream could hear Nightmare's breathing get heavier with every inch Dream closed between them. He knelt in front of Nightmare.
"I gathered you have been neglecting your nutrient requirements." He continued, "Facing any trouble you would prefer looked into?"
"..."

This obstinate silence was testing Dream's patience. He grabbed Nightmare's chin, making  him face Dream. The purple eyes, though still glaring at Dream, had lost their intensity. Dark eyebags had formed under Nightmare's eyes, the mistreatment certainly getting to him.
"Leave me alone." Nightmare dictated. As if he was the one in control.
"I would, as soon as my question is answered."
"I don't owe you any answers!"
Dream's glare spelled a warning.
"In a position like yours, I would not be as bold."
Nightmare's breath hitched.
"Just like that. Behave yourself." Dream said, his grip hardening on Nightmare's chin.

"Now. Tell me. What is with this 'hunger strike' idiocy?"
"..."

An infamous grin showed on Nightmare's face.
Dream immediately reached for his sword, narrowing his eyes at Nightmare. The master of tricks might be restrained, but that does not mean he stands harmless. The negative guardian sensed the caution in Dream's emotions.
"Got you." Nightmare smirked.
"Tch."
"Annoys you, doesn't it? To deal with my shenanigans? To deal with my silence? To deal with me?"
"Very clever of you to figure out, I supposed."
"That's why."

Dream looked at Nightmare, as if underlining the imbecility of such a reason.
"You're doing this only to pester me, Nightmare?"
"Bingo."
Dream searched his mind for a clever comeback. He hated to admit, but Nightmare had the advantage in the most daft, yet remarkable, manner.
"How would this benefit you? Would you rather not be as immature?" Dream tried to reason.
"Well. I die, you do too."
"You would be required to starve yourself for a very long period for that. Skeleton monsters do not need food as much as the rest."
"You need me to be somewhat healthy for your experiments, right?"

A point made.
This idiot.

Dream sighed.
"Aw. Are ya upset?"
The cockiness was rightfully ticking him off.
"Ink would come with your food. You're demanded to finish every bit of it."
"What if I don't?"

Dream awaited this very question. A smirk made its way to his face.
"Your friends are under our care as well, might I remind you."
The words had the desired effect.
Nightmare shook from.. anger? Fear? The cold?
"Leave them alone!" His voice raged.
"If you choose to co-operate, of course we would. But if you don't-"
Nightmare jumped at Dream. He tried to seize Dream by his throat, violently struggling against the restraints. The chains shook, soon strengthening themselves. Shocks ran through Nightmare's body. They drained his negativity, weakening him further. A perk of Dream's positive chains.
"Finished?" Dream asked, as Nightmare threw his sluggish body against the hard concrete wall, even weaker than before.

The door opened for Ink. He stepped in with a tray holding Nightmare's food: a chicken sandwich, sausages, corn and some salad.
Nightmare looked at the food with, perhaps, as much hate as he held for Dream.
Ink left the food beside Nightmare and hurriedly left.

"What a wonderful timing Ink arrived at, would you not agree?"
Nightmare glared daggers at Dream. He was stubborn, of course, but Dream was no less.
"Dinner time, Nightmare."
Dream picked up a sausage with the fork-
"Oh no. No. You are NOT feeding me."
Dream's grin widened.
"I cannot free your hands for safety purposes. And I, of course, cannot leave you with the food expecting you to eat."
"No. Keep that aside. I ain't going to have that. Not from you. Nu-uh."
"We'll see, would we not?"

Dream held the sausage close to Nightmare's mouth. The negative guardian turned his head to the side, shutting his eyes. As if that would benefit him.
"Come on, Nightmare. Open wide." Dream said, grabbing Nightmare's jaw, trying to force it open.
Nightmare only clenched his teeth harder.
Adorable.
"Your friends." Dream threatened. "Would you allow yourself to lose them over your tenacity?"
Nightmare's clench loosened ever so slightly.
"You'll pay-"
A tasteless piece of sausage was stuffed into Nightmare's mouth. Dream held his jaw shut, only allowing enough movement for uncomfortable chewing. He let go once Nightmare swallowed the food.

"There. That was not as hard now, was it?"
"... "
No clever comments.
Heh.
Nightmare just held a defeated look on his face.
These were the moments Dream cherished the silence.

Dream picked up the next piece, and held it close to Nightmare's mouth. He reluctantly accepted it, not wanting to go through that ridiculousness again.
Poor thing.
----------- ----------- -----------
Dream would never tell you if you asked him, but he enjoyed every moment of Nightmare's momentary defeat. Perhaps, he would find more excuses to celebrate his little defeats in a manner similar.
Oh, wouldn't he love that?