You've Convinced Me

Chapter 12: Not Good Enough

Dream tilted his face as far away from the knife as possible, frowning. He never liked direct confrontations, always choosing to aim and shoot from the sidelines. It wasn't for the lack of strength, but rather a preference. Dream let himself be restrained, because with his injury, he was going to easily be caught again. He just hoped that practice would be over. He wasn't feeling it anymore. "Are we done here?"

"Just gonna give up like that? I dont know 'bout you, little guardian, but I wouldn't feel assured if someone like you were responsible for the happiness of the entire multiverse." Killer taunted.

"Are you going to let me go or not?"

"Nah." He dug the knife into the tree bark, twisting it to dig in deeper. "You'll have to make me. In a fight you can't expect the enemy to spare you just because you're a little hurt."

"This isn't an actual fight!"

"And if it were? Will you just sit here and accept death?" Killer pushed the knife just a bit closer. "It's sad to see this is how little you care."

"Care?" Dream tightened his hold on the weapon still in his hand, getting increasingly annoyed. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, let's say..." Killer brought the knife away, and spun it in his hand. "There's another monster here. And their life is in danger, because someone like me..." In a flash, the tip of the knife was pointed back at him. "... decided they should die." The increasing volume of black liquid flowing from Killer's eyes must not be a good sign. "Still gonna lie here uselessly?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. This isn't the time for hypothetical scenarios! I can't escape anyway, you'll catch up to me easily even if I try!" He said with frustration.

"So you'll give up even before trying." Killer started laughing, his grin growing sharp and uncomfortable. "Heheh, can't say I expected any better." Dream could feel a sharp dig into side of his neck and he cried out in pain. But Killer didn't manage to cut too deeply before a hand yanked him away.

"That's enough. We're not supposed to kill him." Dust told Killer. In this moment of reprieve, Dream placed his hand to his neck, feeling the pain there. His hand shook, an unfamiliar emotion filling him.

Dream has quite had it with everyone thinking less of him. He wasn't weak, he just chose to refrain from hurting others. But...

He grit his teeth, wetness pooling at his eyesockets. With shaking hands, he took the chance to ram the knife into Killer's arm.

"OW OW, WHAT THE FUCK!!" Killer hissed, holding his injured arm. It cut deeply, knife lodged in his bone. Cracks surrounded it.

"Is this what you want?!" Dream sobbed angrily, tears spilling down his cheeks. "Is it??" His choked cries went unanswered and he could feel his tears mix with the sludge. He wiped furiously at them, but only more would pour. It only served as a reminder to how much of a mess he was. He just wanted to run away. He wanted to be anywhere else but here. Why, why did he have to be so miserable?

He pushed himself off the support of the tree and ran away, ignoring the intense pain that shot up his leg with every step. Even as he felt the cracks grow, he never slowed his pace. Nobody chased after him, even as he went further and further away from the castle. It was okay, he deserved it anyway. He was someone who never tried hard enough.

So why should anyone try for him?

-----

Perhaps he had been too cold to Dream lately. Dream had been sick, sad and quite frankly, empty. It didn't help that they didn't have a good relationship in the first place, so Dream only pushed him away everytime they spoke. It didn't help, how his mouth would move on it's own to present it's own set of arguments, leaving everything a deadlock each time. It had been this way for so long, doing anything else seemed impossible.