❤️💜28k yum💜❤️

"Nightmare?!" Cross crashed through the bushes, soul pounding louder than ever. Why had there been a cannon shot? Was it for Nightmare? Was it for someone else?

"Nightmare answer me!" He yelled, looking around in helpless panic as he found himself back in the clearing where Nightmare and him had split up only minutes ago.

No answer came for him other then the call of birds and rustle of leaves in the tamed wind. No sign of the dark skeleton.

At the side of the clearing, Nightmare's hoodie lay splayed out, basking in the sun. Piled on top, a small handful of dark berries lay. Those berries...

"NIGHTM-- MpHF--" Cross' panicked call got cut off suddenly as he collided with something, a dead weight slamming into his chest and sending him sprawling in the grass. He coughed up blood, spitting it on the ground and looking up above him in panic to see his attacker. It could have been the person that killed Nightmare!

He swung his knife at them without thinking, just instantly assuming that it would be an enemy. But instead of feeling his knife hit bone, his wrist was practically crushed in an iron grip.

"Cross?"

The pressure on his wrist lessened and he fell to the floor, clutching it and gasping in pain. He stared up at them in surprise, eyes wide. "N-Nightmare?"

"That's my name." He crouched down, gently gripping onto his wrist and staring at it. "Sorry, I didn't recognise you at first."

"Yeah, m-me neither." He swallowed and watched as Nightmare bent and curled each of his fingers, making sure he hadn't broken any. "I-I thought that cannon shot was for you, so I rushed to try find you."

The taller nodded. "I was doing the same. Just not while screaming my head off."

"Shut up." He muttered, pulling his hand from Nightmare's grip. "Just shows that I care about you more than you do for me."

He raised a brow in amusement, smirking. "Is that so?"

"Apparently." He scowled and looked to the side before suddenly remembering the berries he'd saw. "Wait- Where'd you get those berries?!"

"Uh, over there." Nightmare pointed behind them at some bushes, his other hand holding one of the fat round fruits in between his forefinger and thumb. "Why, are they dangerous?"

"Those are Nightlock!" He cried, smacking the berry out of his hand and sending it flying to the ground. "You'd be dead within a minute!"

"Oh fuck--" Nightmare quickly wiped his hands off on his trousers, sticking his tongue out. "Good thing I didn't eat any."

"Yeah." Cross sighed weakly and slumped down, his soul beat slowly returning to an average speed. "Let's just forget looking for berries, yeah?"

"Sounds like a good plan to me." Nightmare nodded, unable to help the small smile form on his face as he sat down next to Cross and rested his chin on his shoulder. "But we should keep them."

"Keep them? Why?" Cross glanced at him, his face heating up as the teen pressed a fond kiss against his cheek.

"Dunno, Maybe Reaper and Dream like berries." He snickered, wrapping his forefinger and thumb around his thin wrist.

"Don't forget Dust." He muttered, watching as Nightmare slid his curled fingers down his wrist.

"Nah, that cannon shot was for Dust."

"You don't know that."

"Trust me, I do. He may have snapped Geno's neck like a twig but I seriously doubt he'd be able to do the same to Reaper or my brother. They'd never let him get close enough. Plus Reaper is probably going sicko mode as we speak because of what Dust did to Geno. So if I had to make any guess, I'd say that Dust just died to Reaper's hands."

"I guess that would make sense..." Cross mumbled, leaning into his touch as two of his tentacles snaked their way around his waist fondly.

"Everything I say makes sense." He pressed his face into the crook of his neck, humming.

"Bullshit."

"You doubt me?"

"Yep."

"Ouch. My feelings."

"What feelings?"

"Alright- that's enough of breaking me and making me out to be a monster." He grunted, pushing Cross away from himself and standing up. "Don't come running to 'Mr No-Feelings' when you get scared or break your ankle or some shit."

"Hey, I was jokingggg." Cross groaned, flopping onto his side and into the grass without Nightmare to support him. He raised a hand feebly, reaching out for him to take it.

"No, you're not getting my help after that."

"Nightmaaarrreeee..."

"Nah, I'm done with you." He waved airily, stepping away from the smaller.

"I didn't mean it!"

"Prove it." He turned back to face him, face sour.

"Come here." Cross indicated for him to come over, not bothering to get up from the floor due to the sudden laziness that washed over him.

Trudging over slowly, Nightmare stood over him and blinked. "Here."

"No, come down to my level, if it doesn't hurt your ego so much that is." He ushered him down, flashing a grin.

"You know I preferred it when you were sick and weak and dependent on me, instead of this cocky attitude." He grumbled coldly, but sat down next to him all the same.

"Infect me again later then, just not while we're in the arena." He hummed, pulling Nightmare's sleeve until the taller slid down onto a lying position next to him. "Perfect."

The octopus looked unamused, his cold cyan eye staring at him, unblinking. "I'm waiting."

"I know, I'm getting to it." He huffed before leaning up and pressing a quick and ever-so-soft kiss against his mouth. He pulled back within three seconds, his face flushed magenta.

"Oh." Nightmare blinked, his own face showing the slightest tint of blue. Cross smiled shyly, poking his cheek. "Is that good enough proof?"

The teen pushed himself to his feet, answering instantly. "No."

"No? What do you mean no?" He cried, sitting up. Nightmare grinned down at him. "I mean, no. Simple."

"I actually give up on you."

"The feeling's mutual, now c'mon, let's go." He grabbed hold of the smaller's hand, pulling him up to his feet. "We're easy targets when splayed out on the grass and making out."

"We weren't making out." Cross hissed, taking a moment to steady himself as he watched Nightmare slip the nightlock berries into a pouch hanging from the side of his bag.

"We could have." He shrugged.

"That's not the point."

"I would disagree but okay." He fitted the crossbow back onto his arm, experimentally pointing it at Cross. "Fancy some target practice?"

"Shoot me and I'll stab you." He said, staring warily at the sharp tipped arrow. "Ive already been on the receiving end of that weapon, and I must say I don't really fancy it happening again."

"Oh really? Shocker." He laughed, lowering it and grinning. "But I'd never shoot you, sweetheart."

"What an attractive way of flirting." He said dryly, adjusting the straps of his rucksack.

"Works every time, I know." He winked at him before glancing up at the sky as large shadows were suddenly cast over them. "Uh..."

Cross took a step back, watching as the sun above them slowly faded, getting darker and darker until the sky went from a radiant blue, to a dull grey. "What's happening?"

Nightmare grimaced, glancing about as the trees all around them suddenly looked a lot darker and menacing. "The gamekeepers are bored of waiting..."

"...They're starting the end game."

————————————————————————

Mmmmmmm big fights and big decisions next chapter

Man their time in the arena is actually really close to ending like I never thought we'd get here lmao

Anyways possible deaths next chapter, so bring tissues unless you think they're all emotionless monsters. If so then uh, bring your vials of emotions or some shit uwu

And I didn't have anyone die from the berries cuz Killer basically represented foxface (you'll have to know the Hunger Games to understand) and I didn't really see him being dumb enough to die from berries so I killed him off differently :'D

Anyways, hope you enjoyed etc and y e a h

-Jess-