Undertale AU oneshots

Let us adore you (2)

Thank you so much @GhamzehPmd for your idea!

There was an occasional sound of turning pages cracking the silence. Nightmare stayed seated on the comforting recliner seat, feet elevated on a little leather stool in front of him. From a dim lamp, rose light illuminated his private library.

A soothing cinnamon scent hit Nightmare's nose.
"Darling!" Swapdream stepped in. He held a tray in his hand. "Dreamswap found a healthier replacement for your caffeine addiction."
He placed the tray on the coffee table next to Nightmare. It had a cup of cinnamon tea, with a stick of cinnamon dipped in it. A smell of honey accompanied it. A plate beside it held a grilled cheese sandwich, and some roasted pistachios.
"He also suggested that we probably should watch your calcium intake as well. I don't know if grilled cheese and pistachios count, though." Swapdream said, rubbing the back of his skull.
"Enjoy, darling."
"Didn't you have to leave with Dreamswap to JR?"
"That does not require as much attention as you, we decided."
"Oh, I see." Nightmare sounded uncaring of the response. He had truly wished to spend some time alone, without keen eyes calculating his every move. As if it was not prevalent enough before, his current condition made it worse.

"Uhm.. How are they?"
"Fine, I suppose." Nightmare replied, taking a sip of tea. It soothed his taste buds, much like every other high-quality meal he was offered here.
Swapdream enfolded Nightmare in his arms, lightly lifting his shirt to touch his belly.
"They are fine, right?" Swapdream muttered. He ran his fingers across Nightmare's stomach, wonder-stricken and fearful, as if the slightest error would destroy the fragile marvel Nightmare held. The baby bump was barely there, yet Swapdream had never spent a tiny moment without fondling it.

"My love? Why do I find you awake this late?" Dreamswap worriedly inquired.
"He was hungry." Swapdream replied on behalf of Nightmare.
"Ah, yes. I recall reading about increasing nutrient requirements during gestation... Swapdream and I would fixate the calorie intake very soon, my love. Do not fret." He smiled.
He walked over to Nightmare, placing his hand on Swapdream's.
"I requested Science for further dietary and general care methods. He would enlighten us very soon."
He tenderly kissed Nightmare's stomach, the exact way he imagined kissing his future child.

Nightmare would never admit, but both of them had admirable potential of becoming  good parents. They both had been much dutiful towards Nightmare and their unborn child. Ever since they found out. Ever since that day.
_________

Dreamswap had barely managed to catch an almost unconscious Nightmare that day.

"My love..." Dreamswap placed his hand on Nightmare's forehead. "You seem to have a light fever. We must visit a professional."
Nightmare shabbily pushed Dreamswap's hand away, before pulling the blankets over his head.
"Did he vomit anymore?" Swapdream asked.
"He did... I believe he could have a viral infection..."
"We should rush to Science."
Dreamswap nodded in response.
..........................

"Nausea, slight fever, fatigue, headache.." Science flipped a few pages of the report.
"Is he going to be OK, Science?" Swapdream asked.
"Any course of action to be followed?" Dreamswap added.

A smile perked on Science's lips.
"Congratulations!" Confusion spread on everyone's faces. "You could start expecting!"
Wha-
What?
A gush of emotions rushed through everyone. Worry? Happiness? Shock? Excitement? They could not even pinpoint anymore.
Swapdream and Dreamswap embraced Nightmare in a tight embrace, muttering words of encouragement in his ear.
"It'd be alright."
"We would ensure proper care for you."
"We'll be by your side."
"You would be under our unwavering protection."

The horrid look of confusion, however, never left Nightmare's face.
What?
______________

It had been 3 months since that day.
A year since Nightmare had been caged.
A year since every luxury Nightmare had dreamt of, belonged to him. The collar on his neck and... his freedom were only a small price to pay.

-Shatter-
-Crash-
-Clink-

Nightmare awoke from his reverie. Swapdream and Dreamswap had their heads fixed towards the direction of the sound.
"Wait here, darling. We'll see what happened." Swapdream, accompanied by Dreamswap, cautiously walked into the castle corridor.

Nightmare could only wait for them to return-
"WHERE. IS. BOSS?" Killer's voice reached Nightmare's ear like a bullet tearing through skin.
They did not forget me?
He swiftly rushed into the corridor.
...
..
His long lost team stood there like an eager hound waiting to devour its prey.
Killer
Dust
Error
Horror
Teeth and ambitions bared. There would be no mercy. No hesitance.
Closer to Nightmare stood both the Dreams. Amusement lightened their eyelights, instead of fear. Swapdream's permanent smile mockingly widened. Dreamswap's shattering gaze calculated each of their possible attacks, defense, tricks.

It appeared that none of them had noticed Nightmare's presence in the shadows. He slowly stepped closer to the scene, moonlight falling on his features.
"Boss!" Killer called out, frantically waving both his hands. "We'll get you!"
A barely noticeable smile tugged on each of his teammates' lips.
They... They're happy to see me?

"My love, did we not-"
A wave of Horror's jagged bones hit Dreamswap, which he barely blocked with his wings. Killer speedily charged at Swapdream with his knife, slashing a part of his wing. Swapdream grabbed Killer's wrist with one hand. With the other, he held Killer's skull, preventing him from charging further. Both of them trembled from the strenuous effort of keeping the other restrained.

"LEAVE!" Both Dreams commanded Nightmare.
"STAY!" Nightmare's team retorted.

Nightmare... He was stuck in a trance. His hope had been snatched away from him. His old life had been snatched away from him. His men had been snatched away from him. For so long. For so long...
He was made to believe that no one would come for him. That no one would remember him. That no one would notice his absence. And he believed that. For so long. For so long...
Yet here were his people, fighting a hopeless battle, for him.

Could he finally return to his old life? What about his child? Would his team accept him for this? Did he want them to? Did he want to go back?
...
He did not know anymore. So he stood unmoving, witnessing the chaos ensue.

Error's strings wrapped both the positive entities in a tight trap. Dust shot an array of bones at them. Golden blood spewed all over.
Some bones missed them, and directly hit Nightmare.
...
...
"Oh no."
...
Momentary silence reigned the battlefield as Nightmare crouched down.
Stars...
All eyes focused on the weakened negative destroyer.
Swapdream's eyes twitched at the scene.
"RUN." His voice thundered the threat.
"I would be praying for my soul if I were you." Dreamswap sneered.

Positivity burnt through Error's strings, freeing the entities out of Error's grasp. Killer's skull was brutally smashed into the nearby wall. A splatter of blood reached Nightmare, who anxiously watched his right hand man slowly fade into dust. He looked up at his other soldiers, pity tainting his eyes, as he imagined a similar fate upon them...

A hand roughly grabbed Nightmare's (not injured) shoulder, teleporting him to an icy AU that smelled of death.

Dreamswap knelt in front of him, looking apologetic. He buried Nightmare's skull in his chest. His body smelled of copper, from the golden and red blood scattered across him.
"Forgive me, my love... Such wound should never have been inflicted on you in my presence." His embrace tightened. "They would pay for this, my love. I would ensure that."
A smile spread on his lips, as he lightly kissed Nightmare's knuckles.
"They would not make it to you or our child, my love. Never again."
Letting go of Nightmare, he hastily took his coat off; which he soon wrapped around Nightmare.
"You would not have to go with them. We would ensure."
Dreamswap said, as he finally teleported out.
"What if I want to go with them?"
His words went unheard.

Nightmare pulled the coat to cover more of his weakened body. Once again, he was left with his unanswered questions...

What rights did he, a forever caged animal, have to decide his burdening destiny?