For a Nightmare, He's not that Scary (Canceled - Read Desc)

May I Have this Dance?

Abyss smiled a bit at Mecha as the robot began to leave. "I'm glad you could come talk today, Mecha... And thanks for understanding. About Nightmare, I mean."

"No prob, buddy," Mecha gave a thumbs up, "Just glad you've finally started being social again." He snickered teasingly and gave Abyss a nudge.

Abyss rolled his eyes with a smile. "Oh, shut it."

"Okay, I'll get out of your hair- err... Feathers." Mecha chuckled as he turned away and walked for the door. "Buh-bye, Abi." And then he was gone.

Abyss' smile vanished as Mecha left. He sighed, exasperated, and stretched his wings which had been ruffled ever since Nightmare left.

"I... Need to go out for a flight..." He said to himself. He sometimes went out to fly whenever he needed to think, but mostly it was just something that relaxed him. Just going out and soaring above everything, keeping watch over everything he knows as home and feels the need to protect.

But this time, perhaps, to get some fresh air, he'd go to Overtale for his flight. He loved soaring over the ocean. The scent of the water refreshed his every sense, the glimmering of the surface spread a sense of relaxation throughout his body and mind, the gentle breeze and soft sounds of the waves reverberated around him and making him feel safe... He loved every bit of the ocean.

He opened a portal and flew right on through, leaving it to close itself behind him.

* * *

Nightmare lingered in Overtale even after Cross and Dream left. They'd gone to find Ink, but Nightmare just wanted to be alone and think, like he usually did in his void. He'd been sitting there on a park bench overlooking the ocean for about an hour when he spotted what looked like a very large bird soaring over the shining waters. He cocked his head to one side in confusion, then he realized that what he thought was a bird was actually a person. As the person got ever closer he clearly saw the face of Abyss. Nightmare didn't know whether to be relieved that someone was actually here that he could talk to, or disappointed that he was torn from his thoughts. He stood up and shot a dull-ended bone over toward Abyss to catch his attention.

The bone almost caught Abyss's wing instead of his attention itself, but the winged Sans dodged the harmless attack and turned his head to Nightmare's direction. He blinked and flew the couple hundred yards over to Nightmare.

"Wow... Small world, huh?" Nightmare remarked once Abyss was within earshot.

"Well... Small multiverse, I guess you should say." Abyss pointed out.

"Good point," Nightmare nodded, sitting back down on the bench, "So... What are you doing here?"

"I was just... taking a small flight..." Abyss rubbed the back of his neck, unwilling to bring up Nightmare's scarred-up wrists since the prince didn't seem to want to acknowledge it right now either. "Just to relax a little."

"You'd think only seagulls flew over the ocean so far out like that..." Nightmare leaned back and crossed his arms.

Abyss's face flushed. "...I just fly over the ocean to think..." he mumbled, embarrassed. He hid his face with his wings. Nightmare waved a hand dismissively.

"I'm just playing around, love. Loosen up." Nightmare stood and nudged Abyss. "Now that you're here, wanna take a walk or something?"

Abyss hesitated, still unaccustomed to Nightmare's calling people 'love'. But he nodded anyway and folded his wings.

"Sweet. I know a path where people take walks all the time. Come on!" Nightmare backed away a step then turned around and jogged away, expecting Abyss to follow. Abyss couldn't help but notice Nightmare's childish nature. He had a good heart after all. Abyss smiled and followed after him.

* * *

Nightmare couldn't remember a time where he was ever more carefree. Going on walks was his favorite pastime and here he  was, walking and talking with Abyss, who was becoming an actual friend. Nightmare's thoughts kept flitting back to what Dream said. 'You made a friend!'

Nightmare smiled but was pulled out of his thoughts when Abyss tripped on a pebble. He would have fallen had it not been for Nightmare's quick move, catching him and steadying him again.

"Clumsy much?" Nightmare chuckled.

"Oh hush up," Abyss shot back lightheartedly.

"I have a feeling, with such klutziness, you wouldn't be the very best at dancing either. I kinda wanna teach you just to see how you manage." He snickered.

Abyss blushed. "No. I don't dance."

Nightmare laughed. "I can see why! But still." He held out a hand. "Just try it. My brother taught me to dance when we were younger... You're learning from a professional. You'll be fine."

The winged Sans shook his head. "No way. I'm not going to embarrass myself just because you want to prove that I'm a terrible dancer."

"The only thing I'm trying to prove is that anyone can learn! Come on. Please?" Nightmare gave him puppy dog eyes. Abyss blushed harder and groaned.

"You're insufferable. You'll be the death of me, I swear." Abyss took Nightmare's hand and almost yelped at how quickly Nightmare pulled Abyss close. The feathery mess looked up at him, slightly frustrated. "This is a bit close, isn't it?"

"If you want to learn to dance, you gotta deal with it, love."

"I didn't want to learn! You forced me!"

"You literally took my hand as willingly as if you were taking a free vacation to Paris." 

Abyss didn't answer. Nightmare chuckled. He rested a hand on Abyss's waist, making Abyss squirm a little but the smaller one didn't protest. "Put your hand on my shoulder," Nightmare instructed. "This is a simple two-step, it's not complex at all."

Abyss did as he was told and Nightmare took his other hand in his own. "Now just follow my lead. Look down at my feet at first if it helps." Nightmare started to move. Abyss, slowly having a panic attack, tried to follow but ended up tripping multiple times over both Nightmare's feet and his own. He whimpered and growled at himself.

The prince smiled. "You're not looking down. You don't even know what I'm doing with my feet. Come on. You gotta work with me here."

Abyss looked back up at Nightmare. "I can't do it."

"You're barely trying. C'mon. Just try. Look down."

Abyss sighed but tried again. He looked down and followed Nightmare's lead as best he could.

"See? That's all it is. Right, right, left, right right, left... There you go." A broad smile spread across Nightmare's face. "You're doing better!"

Abyss smiled, embarrassed at Nightmare's praise. He agreed silently that he was getting better, but then Nightmare started moving faster. Abyss panicked again and stepped on Nightmare's foot. He gasped and stopped moving altogether. "Sorry! I'm sorry!"

Nightmare barely felt it. "It's okay! It's alright! I barely felt it. I should've warned you. Let's try and go faster. You can do it. It's the very same movements, just sped up."

Abyss stiffly nodded. The two started to dance again, faster. Abyss gripped Nightmare's shoulder and hand to help keep himself steady. Slowly but surely, Abyss's movements got almost as smooth as Nightmare's. They did nothing but that for a while, then Nightmare let Abyss go and spun him around, then caught him and held him. Abyss felt his face flush in surprise. He gave Nightmare a shaky smile.

Nightmare stood up straight and smiled back. "See? Who said you couldn't dance?"

"I hate it so much when you're right." Abyss sighed, but was still smiling.

"Flattering," Nightmare snickered.

They talked a while longer, then Abyss looked over at the already-darkening sky. "I should get back home."

"I should, too, probably," Nightmare nodded, "Dream will probably be there soon to check on me."

Abyss waved to Nightmare, who smiled in return. Then they parted ways for the night.

--END OF CHAPTER 5--