Tip The Scale (EV!Dream x Reader x EV!Nightmare)

Chapter 11- Bound By Curse

(~Nightmare's POV~)

I sigh, firmly closing the book shut.

'Just as I thought.'

Y/N. That's what the goddess referred herself as. I watch her sleeping form. It's been less than an hour but she's slept peacefully as soon as I got the fire started. Y/N is curled up in the chair beside me. Her hair has partially fallen over her face. With two blankets wrapped around her and a spot in front of the fireplace, she finally warmed up. Finally, she's getting the rest that she needed. Any ice that had attempted to spread was gradually melted away. Once she fell asleep, her soul calmed and it stopped appearing at all.

I take a few more logs from the side and toss them into the fire. If I want to get rid of any chances of her getting hypothermia or fever, it's crucial that the fire is steadily fed throughout the night. Staying up doesn't matter to me, since most nights I don't sleep at all. Might as well do this than stand in my room doing nothing.

The fire blazed, swallowing them up like a starved beast. The embers that spark from it rise into the chimney like a group of fireflies. I watched it for a moment, until the door to the dining hall let out a small groan.

"You can come out." I state with blunt force. There's no point in them hiding now. I had already felt a pair of eyes watching me. All I had to do was wait for something, like a trip or sound, to confirm my suspicions. Though, I wasn't expecting it when two forms approached.

'Horror and Cross.'

Cross had his glare on the human, well, goddess. When he saw that I had noticed it, he crossed his arms and broke the silence, "So? What was all that commotion about?"

"Am I going to be seeing absolutely everyone tonight?" I groan. Horror chuckles, "Well that depends on you. Killer's waiting in your bed."

'THAT- uGHhhH!'

I growl furiously, my tentacles growing rigid. I'd rather die than go in there and kick him out. He's too touchy and can't take a hint.

'FiNe! I had no problems with staying in here for the night AnYWay..'

Cross turns his head to the fire, continuing with his direction of the conversation, "Horror tells me this goddess has power." "Curse. It's the balance of the gods." Both gave me tilted heads and confused expression.

I roll my eye and sigh, explaining, "Gods are naturally immortal, but not invincible. Take my brother for instance. Dream, the god of dreams, hope, positivity. Put him in a room full of negative energy or he becomes negative within himself, and it'll practically suffocate him. In other cases he'll become weak or throw up. That's his curse and he may well die from it if unchecked. That's the balance of the gods."

"If I may ask, Your Excellency, is that why finding a thesaurus so important? To find the goddess' weakness?" Horror asked. Similar to a child, he steps back and grabs a chair from the dining table. Then, he drags it closer to the fireplace and sits down. I give the book to him.

"I discovered the whole ice ability isn't random. It coordinates with her balance curse. The girl said she was Goddess of Empathy. Go ahead. You may look it up in there yourself." I turn to him, expecting him to follow the order immediately.

Horror is the most curious out of the group. Food is the first topic of thoughts for him, but not the only one. He likes to ask questions. As long as the topic is respectful, I have no standing issue with answering them. When he isn't bickering with Killer, he's actually quite calm and behaved. Besides, he should know more about this if he is to continue caring for the goddess.

'We don't need this whole disturbance happening again.'

Horror nervously bows his head, replying promptly, "Of course." Within a few moments, he had opened the book and stopped upon a certain page. Cross leans over his shoulder, taking a peek for himself.

"Now, tell me what it says is the opposite of empathy." I command. Horror silently reads it over for a moment. But it was Cross who answered, "The opposite trait of Empathy is Cold-Hearted."

I snap my fingers, leaning forward in my chair, "Exactly! What's most intriguing is her soul takes it both figuratively and literally. Her attitude from earlier and the one she had when she woke up were completely different. I've concluded the second point to this. When she feels uncomforted or if empathy shown to her is lacking, her soul takes on a more dangerous state and literally freezes itself."

Horror chuckles through a smile, "Wow, that's actually pretty cool." Still asleep, Y/N turns herself over, now facing us. Though she doesn't have much space in the chair, she still found a way to get comfortable only moments later. One of the blankets came loose with her maneuver and fell to the floor.

I let out a quiet huff, slowly bending over the side of my chair. The tip of one of my tentacles manage to reach and curled under the soft fabric, grabbing it and then carefully draping it across Y/N again.

Cross arches an eyebrow, stating, "You've changed the plan, haven't you? We're not killing her." "It seems she has better use to us alive than dead. Look here.." I brush the back of my hand across her cheek, pushing a few strands of hair out of the way for them to see. Y/N relaxed at my touch almost immediately. I couldn't blame her. It they truly are courting, no doubt she's probably used to gaining such affections from my brother.

'You're staring-'

I harshly clear my throat, startling both of Sanses beside me. I continue to my point, turning away to hide the embarrassing blue tint that had formed across my cheeks, "Y/N has no mark even though she is to be married to my brother."

"And? What does that have to do with us?" Horror spoke up, asking another one of his questions.

"We will play her trait of empathy against them. Just look at what happened with our dear friend, Cross. We let her get to know the real us and not what my brother has told her. When she allows herself to be marked of the moon kingdom, we will still reap the same rewards of the first plan. My brother and his worthless subjects will lose their hope over her betrayal, and we will finish this war once and for all." I turn my gaze back to them, finishing with a grin, "All we have to do, is simply change her mind~"

Cross stepped back, his eyes widened with disgust. His expression has turned to one of great stress and alarm. "You don't agree?" I inquire, my tone low and threatening. "It brings great risk, Your Majesty. The longer you keep her here, the better chance it gives them to come rescue her. The first plan was what we planned for and has wOrkEd peRfecTLy fine. The execution day is SET-" I interrupt him, "Why are you so angry on account of her? In all the years you've served here, you've never been this harsh. I'm quite intrigued. Perhaps, you've met Y/N before?" Cross' pupils shrink and he shakes his head, "No, I haven't. I swear on my loyalty to you."

"And how loyal are you, Cross?"