Her Guardian || Demon! Dream Sans x Reader

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Outer lovers, I hope you're ready for your canon bonus chapter! (Who gets a non-canon vs. canon bonus isn't based on favoritism but more accurately the needs of the story [like you needing to forge a strong bond with characters you haven't yet due to their lack of time in the limelight; think Dust in my Nightmare story (a character pretty much not around until his canon bonus chapter, so I had to get the two of you to like each other, ergo you got a canon bonus dedicated to you two getting cozy)]. So note there will be canon stuff in this chapter important to the plot & plot progression.)

With the time they had while they waited for Slash to return so they could initiate the next part of Error's plan, Dream kept the demons busy with battle practice. He consistently pushed them to get better and better, and the demons took it in stride. It was rather amazing watching them knowing that all that hard work and sweat was to protect (Y/n) from Waylon and his much more powerful demons. Sure Waylon's demons had the brute strength, but if Dream's demons could work together as a team against them? (Y/n) figured they stood a solid chance.

The way the King watched over them, pushing them to become stronger and better, almost made the Stars—which she now included Slash and Outer in due to their shared belief in the same principles as well as the 'Star Sanses' being an undefined group with undefined members at best— and Error his minions. He oversaw their progress, joined in on the fighting or took them all on at once to hone his own skills, all while encouraging them and helping them improve. Even Error joined in on the fighting for a chance at kicking Ink's ass, but (Y/n) watched him work with the others almost fluidly—like while he did it initially to beat Ink, over time and with all his practice, he actually learned how to work with the Stars.

Dream acted like a Demon King when it came to the other demons, and as the most powerful of them, he did it almost like he was made for this—like he was more than just the purpose he convinced himself was his sole reason for existing. He was the leader they needed, subtly showing the merciless King he could be with all the grace and kindness of his pure soul. (Y/n) shuddered to think of just what could push him into being as evil as Nightmare—he had the capacity, not that he'd ever let himself fall victim to corruption. She'd seen a singular glimpse of what he could be if he let go of his morals when he nearly killed his brother, and that scared her enough to mentally retreat from him. She knew he'd never give in, but then, from what she'd heard, Nightmare wasn't always so evil. What if the same thing happened to Dream?

"[A bad apple is all it would take.]" Dream's thought surprised her, and (Y/n) pointedly avoided his warm gaze. She was standing next to him outside the fighting ring while they both watched the Stars and Error duel, his hands behind his back as he watched their progress with pride in his golden eyelights.

"[An apple can corrupt you?]" He no doubt heard all of her mental speculation but that didn't mean she was going to act like he did, keeping her gaze on the others as they practiced like that would convince him of her innocence.

"[A black apple from the Tree of Feelings could make me a sort of shattered, corrupted version of myself, yes.]" The idea seemed ridiculous, but then the Tree of Feelings almost seemed otherworldly with its supposed power. "[Nightmare tends to keep one at hand at all times in the event it needs to be used.]" She distinctly remembered seeing a dark apple in the Negativity King's pocket during their showdown the other day.

"[In case he needs to corrupt someone?]" Her gaze slid up to Dream and he let out a soft chuckle.

"[No, it would only corrupt me. For others, it could heal the most mortal of injuries.]" It made sense then why the King would try to have one on hand as some kind of emergency first-aid item, especially knowing demon norms.