No Matter What (A Dreammare Fic)

Chapter 7: Revelations

I'm not ready for this, Dream thought as he stood in front of the study doors. Large and imposing just like the rest of the manor--and no less intimidating. He held up a hand to knock, then pulled it back down. He wasn't ready for this, but he wanted to do it--just wasn't confident. Nightmare wouldn't hurt him for asking, would he? No, Nightmare wants me gone as soon as possible. He wouldn't do anything that would set back my healing, Dream decided.

Remember, Dream, ask about us, ask about the symbol, ask about his side, ask about being useful. Night has better things to do than listen to you ramble.

Dream brought his hand up to the door and firmly knocked, flaring his aura slightly so Nightmare was aware it was him on the other side of the door.

"You may enter." Nightmare's voice rang out from behind the door--and Dream had to repress his embarrassment as he recalled what he had said to his other-half last night in his drowsy state.

The lighter guardian entered the room, and avoided Nightmare's gaze by busying himself with shutting the door.

Nightmare was similarly stumped on what to say, and the figure in his head was decidedly unhelpful. "It's good to see you on your feet."

Dream looked up to Nightmare only to nod sheepishly. "Yeah."

"Something you need?"

Dream swallowed thickly, trying to push past his apprehension. "I have a few questions, if you're willing to answer them?"

Nightmare glanced up from his paperwork. "Alright?"

Dream stared at his toiling hands. "Night... What are we?"

Nightmare startled. "What do you mean?"

"Before the villagers, we were just... just us. After, we were called brot--"

"We are not brothers!" Nightmare screeched out--practically shouting--and trying desperately not to snap his pen under his intense grip, "don't you dare spread that lie here."

Dream shouted back, "I know that now! I knew it before, too. I just gave in--it was easier. There's no excuse for how I behaved back then, but please, please, hear me out? The villagers weren't exactly kind to me, Night. They were soft in their approach, but expectations and being pulled in a thousand directions and the fear of retaliation, it...it broke me. They insisted we were brothers, and I found no issues with the label--I didn't think it mattered. I should have asked how it made you feel, Night, and I didn't and I'm sorry. We're dual-guardians. I knew it then, I know it now, and I'm ready to scream it to the multiverse if that's what you want."

Nightmare twitched, then frowned--his emotions reserved and restrained--although it seemed like he wanted to say something. "Alright."

Dream furrowed his brow bone, and tried his best not to be disheartened by the lack of an 'apology accepted' from Nightmare. He steeled his nerves--thousands of years of fighting his dual-guardian telling him to run when the other screamed--and said, "Night, can I ask you something else?"

Nightmare leaned back into his chair, trying his best to soothe his very suddenly frayed nerves. "Go ahead."

Dream's hands shook, despite his own best efforts to calm down. "What is your side of the story?"

At Nightmare's obvious confusion, Dream continued, "I-I know some things happened while I was away, but you would never tell me what. I don't know what happened to you up until you started eating the apples--and I want to. I really, really, want to, Night. I want to understand. Why did you have one in the first place? Why--"