Loyal Servant (Crossmare) (Rewrite)

Between-Arc Oneshot: Bonding

A/N
This is mostly just pointless fluff with very little plot relevance sprinkled in. Mostly just a collection of fluffy scenes. My random thoughts. Just them being in love for 2000 words straight.
This is because I'm still working out my next arc plans.

Cross watched Nightmare as he stared at the board between them with his eye narrowed. From the looks of it, he individually glanced between every single piece. Cross could essentially see his mind at work, a hand placed over his mouth while he thought.

"You're overthinking it," He warned, leaning back against his chair as he waited for Nightmare to make his move. He flicked a tendril in response. Cross chuckled. Even during a simple game of chess, he's as competitive as one can be.

Eventually Nightmare pushed his queen forward, taking out one of Cross's knights. The action didn't go unpunished. He didn't think for even half as long as Nightmare, instantly moving one of his bishops to take out his queen. "Damn it!" Nightmare cursed, folding his arms. He gave his head a shake. "You're as quick witted as a god and it drives me crazy."

"There seems to be a lot of things about me which drives you crazy," Cross noted.

Nightmare nodded. "Yes, but oddly enough I love all those things at the same time," He admitted off-handedly. He hadn't even looked up from the board when he said it. Cross smiled and let out a small huff. He doesn't even know when he's being romantic, which somehow makes it even more romantic.

"Hey, Night," He began. Nightmare looked up, meeting his gaze. "I love you," He just said for the sake of it.

It took the king by surprise for a moment, his tendrils freezing up. Cross didn't spontaneously say such things often. Usually he had a reason for it. "Are you trying to distract me? Is this how you keep winning?" Nightmare questioned, immediately counting out the pieces on the board. Cross let out a light laugh and shook his head.

"No. I just love you," He insisted. He tilted his head. "And you love me too, right?" He asked.

"Of course I do," Nightmare scoffed back, as if only an idiot wouldn't know he loved him. Nightmare kept his gaze locked on Cross's, his teal pinprick giving off a captivating warmth. Nightmare let out a small purr next. Cross couldn't look away, lost in his lover's eye. At least until he just barely caught sight of movement in the peripherals of his vision. He glanced down right in time to see Nightmare's tendril shoving one of his white pieces onto a different square.

"Hey!" He exclaimed, lightly smacking it away. "Now you're distracting me in order to cheat!" He complained, moving his piece back to its proper spot. Nightmare leaned against his seat and bellowed with laughter.

"And it almost worked too, you love suck!" He said before chuckling some more. Cross took Nightmare's fallen queen and tossed it at him. It bounced right off his slick skull and knocked over a couple pieces on the board. Nightmare only looked more amused, struggling to stifle his laughter. Cross rolled his eyes, though he was smiling as well.

When Nightmare settled down, he briefly glanced Cross up and down for whatever reason. He paused, and suddenly looked a whole lot more serious. "Hold on. That crack on your heart locket... How long has that been there?" He asked, pointing to the pendant.

Cross glanced down, picking the golden heart up between a couple fingers and eying it. "Since Fell's trial," He answered, gently running the tip of his finger along the fractured corner, then the shimmering black coil which sealed the locket shut. Nightmare made a beckoning motion with his hand. Cross took the necklace off and carefully placed the pendant in the palm of Nightmare's hand. "I don't think your magic was affected."