☽ Troublemaker ☾《Nightkiller》𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗱

☽ Chapter 11: Wilted Wildflowers ☾

Cross' POV

I walked through Dream's garden, quietly inspecting the herbs. I wasn't really interested in the flowers. I was just trying to collect my thoughts. I sighed. "... What the hell do I do? I can't let this go." I had already gotten Dream's trust, I can't take it back. But I already signed the contract with Nightmare... with blood. If I break it, the consequence is death. 

I clenched my fists. "It doesn't matter. I'll just go back, he doesn't know for sure I'm with Dream..." Then I looked away. "But I would need to give important information to Dream too... it's my punishment for being so wishy-washy. I can't go back to Dream without feeling guilty."

Clutching his head, he cursed to himself. "I don't know what's worse- Nightmare getting mad at me or Dream being sad. To be honest, I don't give a crap about my health, but if Dream's private house gets found out, then I'm screwed for."

3rd Person POV

CRASH!

Cross hastily turned around and summoned a knife, prepared to cut a random intruder. However, he was met with a winded Dream, with tears rolling down his cheeks. "What's wrong?!" the taller asked in concern, rushing to his aid.

Dream looked up at him, with a dispirited gaze. "S-Swap..." He let out a loud hic before continuing, "He's dead." He wasn't the type to sugarcoat things. Maybe he was one time, but those times were long gone.

Cross let out a short breath. He didn't know what to feel or how to react. He barely knew the skeleton, but he felt the normal pain that anyone else would feel on a causality. "Oh, Dream..." he breathed. However, he knew how important Swap was to Dream. They always hung out together, and every time, he'd hear about it. "W-who did it?"

"I... I heard from Dust," he murmured, adding, "It was Killer." That sent a bolt of rage through Cross. That damned psychopath. Swap was too young to die. Killer was always the root of all his problems- Nightmare's fits of rage, the lowered standards in the castle, and his mutual friend's death. 

"I'll kill that skeleton," he growled, gripping the handle of his dagger tightly.

Dream looked up at Cross, blinking back tears quickly. Clutching his vest, he yelped, "Don't do that Cross!" Pulling a sour expression, he reminded himself of the battle they had.

"Huff... Killer, don't do this!" Dream yelled, dodging another thrown knife. "This- this isn't you!" The skeleton was genuinely confused. Hadn't this been the fun-loving Killer Color told him about? Killer was everything but laid-back.

Liquid hate poured down from his sockets, he had a huge crooked grin, and his soul was a target. "Listen, I think you should stop talking," Killer laughed insanely, readying his knife again. "You're just wasting your own oxygen." Then he jumped forwards, slashing his knife.

"I... I don't think it's Killer's fault," he mumbled. Should he tell Cross it's Nightmare's fault? He still wanted his brother back, but... maybe his brother was too far gone to be saved. Gulping, he whispered hoarsely, "Just don't do it." Not now. He would save him. And he would save Killer too.

---

"Ah, good job Killer!" Nightmare cheered, clapping his hands together lightly. "That was a surprisingly successful mission." They had arrived at the mansion a few hours ago. It was a lucky choice for him to retreat because the state of the weather changed from predicted sun to a literal three-hour rainstorm. 

"Oh," Killer replied plainly. "Thanks." Turning around, he was about to leave until he was pulled back. "...Boss?" Nightmare paused, then let go.

"Nothing."