Stone Cold

Chapter 9

[Sooo..... I was supposed to have this done a few days ago but then the week got super busy right after I said it would be updated really soon. Sorry. Also, I just reread this whole thing and idk why you guys like this because it's pretty cringy. At least in the first three chapters. I'm glad you do enjoy it tho. You're all so nice to me and it makes me really happy to know people like my idea. This is a long author's note, sorry.]

*Dream's POV*

He was spreading positivity in Underfell when it happened. One second he was talking with fell Toriel and the next he was thrown into the side of a building by a bone attack. It hadn't even been a day since the attack from the day before.

He was so surprised, he momentarily lost his grip on his aura and Nightmare was able to feel his shock before he got ahold of it again. He looked up and was met with the sight of Nightmare, Error, Killer, Horror, Dust, and Cross glaring down at him. He gulped nervously. How is he going to fight all six at once?

He didn't get to think about that for very long as the time to dodge began. There was no time for defense, he was trying to stay as unscathed as possible. The others looked at his clothes strangely as outcodes usually stick to one outfit to be identified easier. Luckily, they shrugged it off and kept beating him up.

Ink finally arrived and started fighting with Error and Cross.

It was better but still 4 against 1. He ducked and a car flew over his head. Overpowered much? He rolled and missed 2 different bone attacks. He slammed against a wall and got the edge of a blaster. He was finally able to send a few arrows but they were all dodged. Nightmare grabbed his leg with a tendril and help him upsidedown. Pinata time.

Error liked doing that with his strings as well. It happened the last attack and left him quite beat up. Now, however, there were 4 monsters swinging at the same time. How long until he burst?

Luckily, they weren't going to kill him. Just rough him up. He crushed their hope of freedom after all. They would be lying if they said they weren't enjoying themselves. Revenge is sweet.

The sweetness was wearing off. Dream was acting.... Weird.

Nightmare knew he was hiding his emotions. It was obvious. He felt when his hold on his aura slipped. Usually, when they were apart, they could feel slight echos of emotion from each other. But with Dream, Nightmare felt only his aura. Why would he hide his emotions when they weren't in a battle?

It took a level of concentration to keep it up. You could never completely forget about it or you would lose your grip on it and be exposed. If you concentrated hard enough, you could hide your entire presence. That was rarely used.

Nightmare frowned. 'What are you doing Dream?'

Inwardly, Dream smiled. 'I'm glad they can at least do this. I'm glad not all of their choices and actions are taken away.'

Ink glanced at Dream and looked away with a small smirk. He couldn't let his game end so quickly and Dream was doing everything he wanted him too. He even added some angst and made it that much more interesting. He was letting himself be beat up as some sort of apology.

Ink almost laughed at that thought. Yellow paint was such a drug. Ink loved it more than the others. Blue was a close second, and not the monster. Yellow was sweet and blue was tangy. The way it made his entire existence ache fascinated him. It wasn't like a physical ache but was felt in his very being. He loved watching the pain be solidified into droplets of blue paint. Then he could lick them off and feel it all over again.

Ink would do anything to feel new things. His games let him experience even more. If only he was like X-Gaster, able to make a game, watch it play out, and erase it to start all over again. Unlike X-Gaster, he has a much broader amount of pawns and characters.

Blue just arrived and sighed in exasperation. The pinata thing AGAIN? You'd think that would get old. He launched an attack on Dust and Killer. Nightmare and Horror kept doing the pinata thing up. Horror's giggling was too adorable to interrupt.

Horror was the bean of the murder time trio. Killer was the prankster and the middle child. Dust was the embodiment of an older brother. Cross was the baby and the victim of a lot of things. Cows were seen quite commonly in the castle.

Anyways, back to the fight. Dream was able to grab his weapon and smacked Nightmare's tendril with its staff form. That one hurt the least. Arrows were next and were actually able to kill if used right. His daggers were the most dangerous but those were only used in emergencies.

He was dropped on his head but recovered quickly and started being able to defend himself. He was treating this as a spar in his mind to feel less guilty. He hoped they would win now that he knew about the balance. He made sure to hold his aura tightly. He couldn't let it slip again.

He began to smile. Yes, a spar. Spars were fun. He dodged an ax here and a tendril there. He swiped with his staff and blocked. He was almost disappointed when Ink called a retreat. Thoughts of spars died when he looked at Nightmare.

Nightmare who was also hiding his emotions with both his aura and face. Nightmare who he loved more than anything. Nightmare who was doing everything he could to help the monsters in the most pain. Who healed with them. Who surely hated him. Who he was failing once again and this time, knowing he was doing it. Who was staring back with the same intensity.

Both sides glanced back and forth between the seemingly emotionless feeling-twins. The moment seemed to last forever until the light one looked away and left through a portal, the dark one staring after him. No longer emotionless, but with a sad expression. Everyone there knew why. Ink left in a puddle of, well, ink. Blue looked at him apologetically before leaving through Dream's still open portal.

Nightmare sank to his knees and watched as the golden warmth of the portal faded away. His family sank next to him and pressed close. They stayed that way for a few minutes and then finished the job in the au.

It had been a surprise to see Dream in the au spreading positivity. Nightmare wasn't prepared. He would be ok regardless. His new family would make sure of that.