The Stage is Set

Chapter 26: The Crying DayDream Pt.3

Cry baby - Melanie Martinez

Error grits his teeth, and none of them want to wait. Dream is suffering, Nightmare is suffering, all of them are. Cross grips the patched star sewen in his sleeve. The golden one is wonky but perfect to him. He tries to go back to those happy times. To think of those times. The time of the Stars gathered in a field of flowers and relaxing from training. All of them tried different activities to help them destress.

***

"Ink!" Cross looks up from his sewing needle with a little merp. He looks at Dream, who's pouting.

"Yes, Dream?" Cross snickers at the tone Ink use. It's a loving fond tone, one of a mother and her silly child. Ink looks up with a grin from his crop top jacket. "Is something wrong?"

Dream flops backward into Blue's back with a huff. "I need help with this!" Blue smiles with an eye roll before focusing on Outer's hood once more.

Ink chuckles before getting up to look at the sleeve of Cross' jacket in Dream's lap. He picks it up and studies it. He smiles fondly at the wobbling golden star and the different sizes of stitches that hold the star on the sleeve. Dream doesn't have the skills nor the hands for sewing, spending so much time in stone. Dream much prefers baking to sewing. Ink rubs his thumb against the outline of the star with a hum. Cross stands up and looks over his brother's shoulder with a smile. He looks at Lust's perfect stitches, the one who chose to sew today. He looks at the embroidered star from Outer, who hates sewing but loves embroidery. He looks at the blue star, shaped like a save star but with the borders still loose from the jacket sleeve. And then his vision falls on the wonky star with a golden thread still connected to the needle. Ink smiles softly at Dream before sitting down next to him.

"Dream, it's wonderful. Why do you think you need help?"

Dream stiffens before his face flushes with embarrassment. "Ink, you're going into your mom mode again." Ink flushes before looking away, and Dream runs his thumb over the patch with a frown. It isn't good enough. He isn't good enough. "All of yours look perfect. Mine is nothing compared to yours. It doesn't look right. It just doesn't fit." Just like I don't fit here. The sentence goes unspoken.

Ink frowns before pulling Dream's skull against his chest. The scene almost makes Cross laughs at the height difference. "Dream, all of us had learned this skill over time for different reasons. Some of them, aren't the fondest memories." Ink takes Dream's hand and runs it over all the stars gently. "All of them are different in their own way. Unique and special. Loved by others. Loved by us." Ink has that faraway look in his gaze again, nostalgic and sad. "Even if the creators don't see it." Dream looks up at him, and Ink smiles back down at him with a sad smile. "Your star belongs with ours because it tells a story. It tells your story. It tells me all about you, and how you fit in with us."

Ink takes Cross' jacket out of Dream's hands, handing it back to Cross for a moment, before giving Dream his belt back. Dream looks at the stars lining the back of his belt with a smile. He looks at Ink's star. Small, in the center with an outline of black thread, connecting all of the stars. He looks closer. He wonders why Blue and his stars are outlined in a coffee-brown color. He shakes it off before smiling with tears in his sockets.

So this is home.

This is family.

***