[Shattered Dream Angst] Daymares ★

Cursed Cell

   Nightmare barely went down to the dungeon to see Dream. Only ever going down there if it was absolutely necessary, as Nightmare worked day and night to find a way to cure Dream from his corruption. 

   Everyone else in the team assumed it was because of how sad Nightmare got whenever he saw Dream looking the way he did.
   No one else was allowed to visit Dream for their own safety. Not that Nightmare had ever mentioned Dream to be particularly violent. Yet. If Dream was acting out, Cross would be the first person Nightmare told.

   Mostly Nightmare mostly kept his worries to himself, but he was getting better at sharing his thoughts and concerns. Or at least he did with Cross.
   Cross always just took it as Nightmare trying to be more open to his friends. Even though Nightmare was only ever that 'venerable' with him. He'd long since given up on the idea that Nightmare could ever care about him in that way.
   Their relationship was strictly professional, and they both preferred it that way!.... sure.

   One night, Cross started to feel wrestless in his sleep.
   As he dreamed, his body twisted and turned.
   His dreams started to not feel like his own until he heard Nightmare's voice call his name.
   "Cross!" It echoed from the catacombs of the castle. Feeling light on his feet as he stepped through his dream he tried calling out to Nightmare, but couldn't get a sound to leave his throat.
   "Cross!" Nightmare sounded desperate for Cross to hurry. Though Cross could only walk so fast despite feeling weightless.
   He knew he had to find Nightmare.

   In a blink he was at the top of the stairs to the catacombs.
   "Down here. I need your help." Nightmare's voice was louder, more lucid, so Cross followed. Nothing seemed real, nothing felt solid as he touched it. But Cross was never one to know when he was in a dream.
   The dungeons came into sight, but everything grew blurry, and Cross felt his body gain in weight. The group felt strange, solid and cold, but his eyes couldn't focus on anything.

   "Cross?" Dream's voice called him back to wake up from his 'dream'.

   Dream giggled in a confused manner as he sat up from his bed, "What are you doing here?" He asked. Dream's voice wasn't different, it just felt different.
   "I um. I don't know..." Cross looked around to make sure that everything was real.
   Everything suddenly felt solid as if it was real, apart from his head that felt groggy, as if he really had just woken up.
   "Do you usually sleep walk?" Dream sounded concerned for him. Cross realized he was still wearing his pajamas, and his bones felt stiff, urging him to stretch.

   "No, not usually." Cross did stretch out his arms and back. Puzzling what happened. "Did you give me some kind of dream?" Cross suddenly thought to ask him. Seen as this was where he happened to walk to.
   Dream had an almost fearful and guilty looking on his face.
   "I don't know. That's not usually how my magic works. But I just don't know anymore." Dream shook his head, as he whimpered. Cross couldn't help but notice Dream's tentacles curl up as Dream started to curl into himself with distress.
   He seemed terrified of hisown magic. Horrified of himself. Cross couldn't help but pity Dream's situation. Especially with how lonely he must feel down here in such a miserable looking dungeon.

   "I'm so sorry!" Dream cried out. Cross stepped closer to the cell.
   "Please don't be! It's not your fault!" Cross tried to cheer him up before he'd start bawling.
   "It is! I chose this! I destroyed everything! And now I'm going to die like THIS!!" Dream cried more into his hands, tucking his knees to his chest. Cross held the bars to his cell tightly.
   "You're not going to die here! Nightmare's going to fix you! I promise!" Cross insisted. Dream's light gasping and whimpering slowly stopped as he calmed down. Peeking his eyes out from behind his hands slowly...

   "Pinky promise~♡" Dream almost sounded too delighted as he spoke, Cross's face turned as he stared at Dream's playful grin revealed from behind his hands.
   Cross was way, way too close to Dream's cell.
   Cross was quick to lunge back from the bars, but Dream's tentacles were faster at grabbing Cross's arm.

   The tentacles wrapped all around Cross's arm and dragged him back to press his shoulder against the bars of the cell. Dream's grip was tightly squeezed all the way up to Cross's shoulder. Pulling him against the bars almost painfully.
   Cross whimpered as he felt the tentacles squeezing around his bones. Knowing full well how easily Dream could break his arm.

   "Don't leave me down here! I'm so lonely~ We can stay down here! Together!!♡" Dream smiled happily, hopping out of bed and skipping closer to the bars.
   "Let go of me!" Cross yelled in fear.
   "Why are you afraid!?" He asked worriedly, "Am I scary? Am I TERRIFYING!?♡ HAHAH!" Dream spoke a thousand miles an hour, seemingly going from sad to happy to scared to angry all within a few seconds of eachother. "I could love you! I need to love something after all!!♡ And you're right here! I could love you to itty-bitty pieces! Haha!" His grip on Cross's arm tightened as he giggled.

   Cross tried desperately to get away from him. But any time he could get even an inch away from the bars, Dream's tentacles would pull him back with a quick and painful force, usually causing his head to bang into the cell bars.
   He felt like he was going to crack, whether it was his head or his arm first.
   "Let go!!" Cross yelped in a desperate cry.

   "Dream!" Nightmare's voice called from the other side of the dungeon.
   "Nightmare!♡" Dream nearly instantly let go of Cross's arm causing him to fall back against the ground.
   Nightmare ran to Cross, to make sure he was okay.

  "Nightmare! You're here to see me!♡ Please let me hold you! Don't leave me in here!!" Dream reached through the bars, lightly burning himself against the metal's spells.
   "I'm sorry Nightmare. I didn't think that he was dangerous..." Cross apologized fearfully as he couldn't take his eyes away from Dream. Terrified that Dream would jump out at him.

   "Don't apologize. He's never been like this before..." Nightmare also couldn't help but stare. Dream never did this. He had to be having some kind of episode.
   "Dream, stop hurting yourself. I'm right here." Nightmare told him. Dream reluctantly stepped away from the bars with a pout.
   "Please Nightmare! I can't stay in here! I need to get out! I want to be near you!" Dream begged.
   "I know. I know. You'll have your chance. I promise. But I need to know that you're not going to hurt people first." Nightmare explained.

   "What? But I would never-" Dream stopped himself. He looked down at Cross's terrified face as he rubbed his likely bruised arm. "Oh stars... I'm, I'm so sorry!" Dream hunched down to Cross from his cell, remembering to not touch the bars.

   Dream seemed genuinely remorseful for his actions. But Cross's instincts couldn't help but wonder if he was lying for Nightmare's sake.

   "It's okay Dream... This is why Nightmare is trying to help you. Right? To make sure this never happens when you're free!" Cross tried to be as understanding with Dream as he could, given exactly how shaken up he really felt. He also wondered if Dream had that same "fear aura" that Nightmare has.

   Dream could feel exactly how scared Cross was. He never used to be able to feel as much as he did. It was unusual. But he was getting the hang of it.

   "Okay. I get it." Dream nodded, "Now I understand. I do need help..." Dream was willing to stay in the dungeon a little longer.