Dysfunction to Refunction

Chapter 3

Sure enough, Nightmare comes. Ink had left quite a while before, giving a quick excuse of saving an AU that Error was attacking which left Cross alone and sobbing. Both Cross and Chara knew that Ink didn't have any emotions or empathy in general but it still hurt to have to suck it up when their 'friend' was around. Nightmare was less than amused when he found Cross hunched over himself, exhausted hiccups lingering from crying for so long.

"Cross?"

"N-Nightma-are?"

The monochrome skeleton weakly lifted his head up to Nightmare, some part of him feeling relieved.

"What happened?"

Nightmare didn't really care. Psh, as if he would care for such a weak skeleton. But he wanted to see if it was because of Ink or just by being alone for a long time. If it was because of Ink, that gave him a reason to fight the stupid artist again to let off aome steam. More to the list of reasons to hate the creator, he supposes.

Cross sniffs miserably and wipes the tear tracks off his skull.

"N-Nothing important. I'm over it already…"

"Oh, stop being so stubborn. It's obvious that whatever's bothering you is clearly important. I can practically feel a tsunami of negativity from you."

Not that he kinded. It made him feel much stronger than when he first came. Cross didn't take that very well, it seems as he hardens his expression.

"Why do you care? It's my fault anyway!"

"I don't care. I just don't want to talk to you when you're emotional like this."

"Then you're just like Ink."

That statement really struck a nerve. How dare he compare Nightmare to that monstrosity! Summoning as much self control as possible, Nightmare sighed.

"Fine, I won't pry. Just never compare me to Ink again if you want to keep your bones unbroken."

He shot a returning glare at Cross, who up until then was angry. After the thought of his bleeding and broken body left alone in the anti-void, he decides not to push his luck on testing Nightmare's… Not really much of a mercy as its more of a tolerance.

"O-Okay…"

They drowned in silence for a hot minute until Cross calmed down and asked Night.are about his day.

"Honestly? Just as bad as any other. I had to destroy far more AUs than I thought."

"Doesn't it get tiring?"

"Oh, immensely so."

"Don't you have other people doing it, too?" He asks, Error coming to mind.

"Yeah, but Error isn't really my friend. More like a tolerable ally. And with there being only two of us and three Star Sanses, the creation to destruction rate is tilting against our favor."

"Why don't you get more then?"

Nightmare barked out a laugh.

"Me? Team up with others? The idea is laughable."

Cross frowns. He was just trying to help…

"Then… Why only the two of you?"

"Because everyone else are ignorant a**holes who live their lives blissfully unaware. A kill or be killed world taking up almost all of their attention."

Nightmare would always see the same thing in all of the AUs he'd seen. A Papyrus.  A Sans. Resets and pain. There isn't anywhere in the multiverse where you could catch a break without needing to move around a lot. Sanses too fixated on keeping the peace and sticking with their brothers. Papyruses too wrapped up in keeping everyone and himself from falling apart. It was really a dog-eat-dog world no matter where you go.

Underswap? Stretch suffocates his brother in his need to take care of him that he never grows as a person. Underhaven? Despite being a paradise, no one ever stays in the AU long and that really says something. The list goes on and on. As frustrating as it is, Nightmare can't change anything besides destroy the AUs. Even then, Ink will just create copies, clones of his beloved worlds.

"Why don't you get along with Error, then?"

Cross's voice pulls him from his thoughts.

"Hmm… we're both very independent monsters. Preferring to do things solo. It's easier when you don't have to worry about someone else getting killed or falling behind. We can go at our own pace. The freedom is very satisfying."

Cross contemplates this. While the reasoning for the solitude is understandable… The practice isn't the most healthy. Without Chara, Cross would have fallen down a long long time ago. No one can be alone for that long.

"You're lucky then. Being alone is hell for me…" Cross huffs, shaking his heading slightly.

"Goes to show how cruel Ink can be."

"Yeah…"

Silence…

And then…?

"Can you take me with you?"

This caught Nightmare off guard. Why would this guy want to follow him? Why would he think Nightmare would say yes?

"Take you… with me?"