How to Establish Your Gang and Take Care of the Children in It

Rule 14: Don't Let Your Murderer Get Attached to People who Don't Exist

"Shit."

Nightmare grumbled under his breath, closing his eye as his headache almost redoubled. He lashed his tentacles with frustration, but this was directed at himself. He'd already overdone it with his magic today. What was he thinking, doing more spells? What he'd done for Killer was the equivalent of not sleeping for two days, drinking a cup of coffee, then going ahead and running a race using the borrowed energy.

But he didn't regret it. He needed information from Killer, and gaining it while the dark-eyed skeleton was injured and on guard would definitely be horribly inefficient. Plus, there was the fact that Mare just did not like to see someone injured like that without at least attempting to help. Terrifying as his reputation may be, Nightmare really was just too decent of a person to fit it.

Regardless. Mare now had a headache and wanted to either die or fall asleep for a week straight. Whichever was faster.

Killer looked at him flatly. "Seriously? One spell and you're about to fall over?"

Dust stepped forward, growling softly. Mare doubted he even processed the meaning behind the words- the hooded skeleton just didn't like the tone Killer was using.

"Dust," Mare said, quietly but sharply. Dust glared at Killer, but subsided.

"Nice fucking guard dog you've got there," Killer said with a snort. "Got him trained too, I see."

Nightmare fixed him with an icy glare, cold fury radiating. "Do not," He said slowly, but with a voice dripping with venom. "Make fun of my friend. I don't care what you say about me, but one more comment about Dust and I will rebreak your arm."

Killer blinked. It wasn't so much the threat that scared him, but the clear connection between these two strangers. Either one of them would clearly be willing to fight to the death to protect the other. It had been a long time since he'd seen such a bond, and even longer since he'd remembered what such a feeling felt like.

Nightmare noticed the hesitation and correctly guessed the reasoning behind it. Taking the opportunity, he stepped forward and put a hand on Killer's shoulder. "Look," He said. "All I want is some information, then I'll leave. Are you willing to answer my questions, or are we going to have a problem?"

"Honestly? We're probably gonna have a problem," Killer said. He ducked out of Nightmare's grip, his cocky grin returning as he judged himself to be a safe distance away. "I dunno what you expect from me. I don't know much. Killertale's not exactly an AU where people stick around to chat."

"But you weren't surprised to see us," Nightmare countered. "You clearly have experience with travelers, even if they may not stick around to chat. I don't particularly care about the gossip. I just want descriptions of the people."

"What, you mean the one golden boy who looked like you?" Killer asked. He pulled out a knife and absently tested its point. "Not sure where he fucking went. Damn promise-breaking bastard," He added in a mumble.

Mare blinked. "Yes! Shattered was here?" He was getting closer to his brother. He was.

"Was that his name? He never stopped to give it to me. Don't look so excited, hotshot," Killer added, pointing at Mare with his knife. "He hasn't been back here in a long time. Fucking trash bastard chased away Color too. 'S been downright quiet around here without him." He clenched the knife slightly tighter, just enough to reveal his grief. As impassive as Killer wanted to appear, his emotions were an open book to an empath such as Mare.

"What... exactly, did my brother promise you?" Nightmare asked carefully, watching Killer for a reaction.

The dark-eyed skeleton's expression went, well, dark, and he gripped the handle of the knife ever tighter. "Wanted information about a person named Mare. Offered some sort of magic charm in return. Keep all the negativity away for a while, he said. But when I told him the other person who ever visited this AU was Color, he just- up and left. He fucking promised he wouldn't hurt Color. Fucking promised he'd come back. He never gave a damn about me. I was stupid to ever trust a stranger." He glared at Nightmare, as though this was his fault.