Loyal Servant (Crossmare) (Rewrite)

Off The Deep End

A/N
Sorry this one took so long! I was writing oneshots. This is long so typos have probably evaded me. 
...

Nightmare watched the guards with growing curiosity. Their approach on such a serious matter was... interesting to say the least. He's heard them make plans a hundred times over, but those short sessions never had the same atmosphere to them. I will never understand mortals... but they do cooperate far better than us gods, I'll give them that.

He was the only one observing them, from the shrouded corner cast by the tall pillars. He felt fairly certain they didn't even notice him there, too wrapped up in their conversation. Even Cross failed to pick up on his presence, his precise focus fully dedicated to the plan. Nightmare didn't want to interrupt them anyway.

"Alright, so here's the deal boys..." Cross began, pacing before the table they all stood around. "Horror, you're not just yourself today. You're also Error," He decided, pointing to the skeleton. He then gestured between Killer and Dust. "You two are Dream and Ink," He continued on. The pair glanced at one another and nodded along. "And I guess I'll cover for everyone else. That being Nightmare, Paperjam, and Reaper," He then added for himself.

"So, we encounter Fatal and Fell in the middle of the anti-void. There could be anything there, but for now we'll assume it's an empty field. What are we doing?" Cross asked his team. Dust and Killer paused to think, but Horror just scoffed and instantly spoke up.

"Well, if I'm playing Error, I run right in and throw everything I have at Fatal, because I think I'm better than everyone and can survive anything," Horror told them, crossing his arms and closing his eyes while he bore the widest smirk. Nightmare flicked a tendril at the sight. Yes... Error would wish to prove himself above the rest of us...

Cross snapped his fingers and pointed at Horror. "Actually, that may not be the worst idea. If Fatal thinks Error is his only opponent, he might just drain a good deal of his magic subduing him," He realized, thinking it over.

Killer raised his hand. "Alright, but as Dream, I am too goddamn perfect and sweet to let you go and sacrifice Error like that," He said with a roll of his eyes.

Dust grabbed one of Killer's shoulders and shook him a bit, a smile on his face. "Which is why we do what Ink always does and withhold that bit of key information from her," He told him, effectively winning an amused huff from Killer. "Besides, she's going to be sitting in the back firing arrows like mad. She doesn't have to know," He figured, shrugging it off. He then looked up, thinking to himself. "As Ink, I'd say he could play a similar ranged strategy. He'll need to stick by Dream anyway, otherwise she'll hardly have the positivity needed to form an arrow."

"After Error is tossed aside, Nightmare can hit him hard and fast. He'll be able to teleport not just himself, but a couple of us as well. I'll fight alongside him, perhaps with Killer," Cross suggested, his gaze glazed over with intense thought. Nightmare tilted his head. He's taking this into far more consideration than we gods had. "Meanwhile Paperjam can be our support, keeping us well shielded and perhaps healing Error enough to return him to the fight. Reaper won't be involved until later, as I'll have him rewind the pocketwatch once Fatal's down. I don't want him to be there prior, as I'm not sure how Fatal will react to Geno's husband," He explained.

"That leaves Dust, and Horror," Killer pointed out, nodding to the mentioned skeletons. "What will they be doing?"

"Focusing on Fell. He isn't too powerful, but I won't have either of you be alone during a battle like this," Cross replied, still sounding so calculated. Nightmare quite liked listening to him talk like this. Cross then gave a small sigh. "And I know this is against Nightmare's preferred outcome, but see if you can flip Fell rather than kill him. It's better he works with us, than against us," He then added. Nightmare couldn't be bothered to care. He found himself trusting Cross's choice, rather than despising it for countering his own personal hatred towards Fell.