~ 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ~ {𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒙 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓}

Chapter 10: Flicker of Truth

...

Writer's Block and Procrastination decided to work together to make the Author's life hell. Forgive them if this was a bit late.

:):

Waking up from a nightmare was one thing, but waking up to find Nightmare on the edge of your bed was another.

Face flushed, you whisper-shouted, "How long were you sitting there??" Nightmare's eye glittered, and he shrugged. Something in his posture, the way he was slightly slumped, gave it away.

"...Couldn't sleep?" You asked, trying to keep your time as far from 'soft and understanding' as possible. There was no way in hell you were going to go soft on him.

"Hm. Something like that," he admitted, shrugging again. "I honestly don't know what happened. One minute I was trying to sleep, the next I was awake and..."

...Came to my room, for some obscure reason. Folding your arms, your eyes narrowed. "And why exactly do you find comfort in coming to my room of all places?"

Nightmare smiled again, and it looked almost uncomfortably forced. "To see if you were awake, of course." Then he slid off of your bed, walking to the door. "Welp, better get going—"

"To where?" He stopped in his tracks, door half open, eye glaring at you. Despite the danger, you leaned closer to the dark figure by the door. "To where?"

The king sighed, and sighed for you to follow him. Leaping out of bed, two pairs of feet glided lightly across the floor; one leading and one following behind, a door opened.

You and Nightmare were now in a huge, empty room with nothing in it—except for the orb that floated delicately, ominously in the center. A chill ran down your spine as Nightmare ushered you in, closing the door silently behind the two of you. Walking to the ebony ball in the middle, Nightmare spun it around. Then tapped it. Made a swirl. Glancing at you, he lifted the orb into the hollow air.

The world exploded in starlight.

Falling backwards, a hand caught you before you could hit the ground. Your eyes trailed over every inch of the room, stars flashing from every corner. The only blots of darkness in the room were from the tiny patches of night that dripped out, and the shape of Nightmare. His tendrils were drawn in, making him normal sized.

Now on your feet, no words escaped your lips as the stars twinkled and glimmered all around you. Everything was filled with sky, including the floor. It was like flying, but better. In that moment, you felt a wave of euphoria, a splash of happiness. Laughing you twirled around the star-speckled room.

Nightmare simply watched, his face in a curious expression. Your aura was a bright gold, tinged with orange. He was genuinely surprised that you had actually enjoyed the room: the last person he showed... didn't exactly appreciate it. His personality crashed with theirs, and they came to quite the sticky end.

But you... You shared a lot of the traits he had. Ambition. A need for excitement. Easy to violence. Brave. Definitely brave. Everything that he admired... No no, that wasn't the right word. He didn't exactly admire you, but...

But how will they react when you tell them what really happened? How will they feel then?

"—ver thought someone could take the sky and put it in a room!" Your lilting voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and he went back to watching you stargaze on the floor. A few moments later, you were joined on the right of said floor by the skeleton himself.