Toxic Positivity

Introductions

"Erm, Boss, who is this?" Killer stared at the skeleton, whose golden eyelights shone with the joy of meeting someone new. Dust and Horror were behind him, peeking curiously over his shoulders to see what their boss was hiding on the top floor all this time.

"This is my brother, Dream." Nightmare leaned against the doorframe casually, observing his twin's attempt to suppress his positive aura, which greatly benefitted from Dream's own happiness.

"How come we've never met him before?"

"He only woke up yesterday."

"...?"

"He was asleep for the last 500 years."

"Wow, that long? I'm a Sans and I couldn't even touch that record."

"Considering that by sleep, I mean trapped in stone, no Killer. He wasn't being lazy."

"What got him so petrified?"

"Was that a pun?" The yellow guardian's expression was unreadable, yet Nightmare could tell he was unamused.

"Yes, Dreamy, it was a pun."

"Can I call him that?"

"No, Killer."

"What about me?"

"And me!"

"Dust, Horror, Killer; if I hear a single one of you refer to my brother with that nickname-" He left the threat hanging. The three knew by now what that meant.

"Yes, Boss!"

"Only I have the right to call him Dreamy." Nightmare wasn't about to let Dust add this new nickname to his collection. The hooded Sans rarely called anyone he knew by their real name, and had a preference for embarrassing ones. But any nickname was fine for Dust (and Killer) if there were no funnier alternatives.

"Okay, Boss..."

"Don't stay near him for too long, though."

"Why?"

"Because, Killer, Dream can become... toxic."

"Wait, does that mean-"

"You cannot use him for your experiments, Dust."

"But whyyyyyy?"

"It won't end well for anyone involved."

"But that sounds like the perfect recipe for chaos."

"Do you want to clean up the casualties afterwards?"

"Um, no."

"Then leave my Dreamy alone."

"Umm, Boss?"

"Yes, Horror?"

"No...offense but...you sound...a little possessive."

"..."

"Uh, Boss?"

"..."

"Boss...I'm sorry if...I- Boss?"

"Look, Horror didn't mean to offend you in any way."

"Yeah! Dusty's right; Horror was just curious; he didn't mean to stand out of line."

"...Boss?"

"Leave. You can come back and see him tomorrow. I shall permit you all to befriend him, but none of you are allowed to remain with him for any elongated period of time if I'm not there."

"...Yes, Boss."

After they left, Dream looked down at the floor, dejected. He was already told that this would be a likely outcome, but... it wasn't fair.

Nightmare remained for a few more seconds, hesitant, torn between wanting to comfort his brother and wanting to get as far away from him as possible.

He left. Locking the door behind him.

Not even he was completely immune.

NEXT UP: A conversation with a dusty pal.