Nightmare looked at the note on the door curiously. To nightmare:(I'm sorry) Act like dream is cross and cross is dream. Asked by Weaklittlekittylover. P.S.: Only twenty minutes.

He sighed, already not liking this. He glanced back at Cross, debating whether or not to wake him. Admittedly, if he was Dream, he wouldn't wake him either. But he would of he was in his bed. Buuuut Cross looked so cute sleeping....

Nightmare slid out of his room, pretending not to notice or get back into the bed the moment he saw Cross move to hugging his pillow in his sleep. Cross let out a tired yawn, burying his face in the pillow and spooning it, refusing to let go.

"You're up early!" Dream looked over and smiled brightly. Nightmare blanked, only awake because Cross had been starting to roll on top of him. Shit, he can't do this. Dream noticed his awkwardness and looked suspicious, starting to realize that he probably got one of the letters taped to his door. He eyed him up and down, as if trying to find an excuse for one, why he wasn't with Cross; and two, why he was in his aggressive form again.

"I...." Find an excuse- "...wanted to...try to...bake something for you....?" Keeping in mind that 'you' was supposed to mean 'Cross', he tried to think of any follow-ups for any questioning. Hell, all three of them knew he was horrible at cooking, so why start now?

 Dream paused, and then his face lit up as he took the lie. He hugged Nightmare. "I'm glad, brother!"

"Eh...hehe...." Please get it. Nightmare silently screamed. "Thaaaanks...Cross..."

Dream stared at him as he slowly pieced it together. He sighed and face-palmed, clearly disappointed. "Yeah...Nighty." Great, not he felt bad. Now he'll actually have to attempt cooking.

Halluciv walked in and visibly shuttered at the raw tension and saltiness coming from the brothers. "...what happened?"

"Nothing. Nightmare, get Dream while I get the mail."

Nightmare nodded and swiftly strode away.

Halluciv looked awkward until Dream told him about Nightmare switching he and Cross for now. It was bugging him, clearly. Halluciv pat his back, knowing how that must've brought out how dearly Dream wanted them to act like family again.

Nightmare was relieved when he looked at the clock and twenty minutes had passed. He wheezed in relief. Cross, by now, was awake and found the note on the door. He was relieved when Nightmare was just as he should be, but did make him go bac to Dream to apologize.

Dream was still huffy after that, reluctantly accepting his apology. Nightmare promised that they'll spend some time together.

After that small moment of drama, the day got started properly.

Cross had made a point about he and Dream sitting either side of Nightmare so he could love them both equally.

"Okay....first letter." Dream said. "Nightmare i dare u to make Dream angry. Asked by BlueberryMuffinton."

"Already done." Nightmare sighed, and to further prove it he turned to Cross and proceeded to smother him in a bear hug.

Dream huffed and crossed his arms. "You don't have to rub it in..." he looked down, his annoyed expression faltering.

Nightmare whined, releasing Cross and soon glomping Dream with another beat hug. He gave warm hugs. He even went into his much smaller, less bear-hug-y form.

"Next..." Dream sighed, hugging Nightmare with one arm. "Hey dream what would u say if i told you that error and ink became a couple while you are at the mansionim not saying that they ARE but its a POSIBILATY. Asked by PigCat_CrocodileDog."

"First off...Ink can't love. He is incapable of feeling any emotion, empathy, apathy, or compassion." Dream sighed. "He certainly doesn't have any 'feelings' for Error. He just wants to keep him away from the AUs and to stop bothering the Creators. Also, Error does not like Ink, either. Even if he did, Ink would never drink his vials just to create a false feeling he can't devote himself to."

"...ow." Marvul muttered. "Sunshine, buddy, you need new friends."

"I have you all now, don't I?"

"Awww~!" Halluciv squeaked happily.

Dream smiled shyly and went to the next letter. It was attached to a box. He hummed and read the letter. "For everyone except Dream: Eat Dream's favorite food or close to it but don't let him eat any of it. Asked by CelestialMidnight17."

"That would be caramel apple pie." Nightmare sighed and rubbed his disappointed brother's head. "I promise we'll make some later."

"....that actually sounds pretty good." Cross said to himself, quiet enough for Dream not to hear. Nightmare took the package and opened it. The strong smell of caramel wafted out and Dream whined. His mouth was already watering. Nightmare sighed and rubbed his head in sympathy.

After everyone was given a plate and a slice of the pie, and Dream snuggled up against Nightmare while getting looks of sympathy. This was not his day, was it?

The pie was amazing.

Dream handed the rest of the letters over to Nightmare, not feeling like reading them out today. Nightmare sighed and hugged him, stroking his skull reassuringly.

"To Nightmare, Cross, and Dream: What do you think of Empireverse? And Nightmare, how do you feel about Cross loving Dream in that AU?To Xcellence and Halluciv: KIIIISSSSSSSS- MAKE OOOOUUUUTTTT-. Asked by harper_skelli_girl."

Xcellence face-palmed and snorted at how overdramatic Nightmare read that. He opened his mouth to say something, and then choked when Halluciv pulled him into a kiss and promptly shoved his tongue into his mouth. "Mmmph-!"

Marvul averted his gaze pointedly.

Nightmare snickered and went back to the question. "I've seen that guy before. He has goat eyes. As for the Cross in that AU, he's....interesting." He teetered on the term 'Stockholm Syndrome'. Actually, the term was more accurate for Empireverse's Killer.

"I like the markings. They look cool." Dream shrugged. "It's such a new AU that there is no story, just countless timelines of possibilities." Nightmare nodded, and Cross looked clueless as to what this was about.

"Next." Dream opened the letter. "To Nightmare and Xcellence: I dare the both of you to lock Halluciv and Cross in a room with their Biggest Fears for Half an Hour, and none of you can let them out till the time runs outEveryone: What's your Opinion on Outertale Sans? Asked by Honey_Sketch."

"Space guy. Surprisingly chill about everyone stepping into his AU to stare at the stars." Nightmare shrugged. "Can't deny it's pretty, though." Everyone nodded in agreement. Nightmare then sighed and pat Cross on the head.

Halluciv pulled away from the make-out session with poor, breathless Xcellence and whined. "Aww..." he slid off the couch and looked around.

"Was that door there before?" he pointed to a door to the side of the room. He walked over and opened it, seeing that it was just a closet. A big closet. "Welp, get in here, Cross." he pulled the monochrome skeleton into it with him, and shut the door.

"Wonder what they'll see." Dream wondered.

"Cross will-" Nightmare paused when there was a small, girly shriek from in the closet followed by "COW" and Halluciv's laughter. "...yup. There's a cow in there. How did it fit?"

Marvul and X were both wondering what Halluciv would see, and it was followed by a startled, terrified wail. It was followed by.....sobbing?

As if the walls became soundproof, it went silent.

The half hour was suddenly so much more agonizing.

Once the time was up, the doors swung open. Halluciv practically fell out and teleported on top of both X and Marvul, tears streaming down his face as he tackled them both in a strangling hug.

Nightmare got up and went towards the closet. Cross was curled up. No cow. He could feel the negativity, fear, and regret radiating off of him. He was quivering like a feather, hugging himself. His pupils were gone.

Nightmare crouched down and picked him up. Cross whimpered. "I'll be better I'll be quiet I promise I'll be good I promise just please don't leave me-"

"Woah, woah, calm down." Nightmare said, startled. Cross was scared. Any thought of his comical fear of cattle was out the window. Sure, cows, scared him, but not to this. "Shh, shh, I'm not leaving you. Shh..."

They were all quiet for a couple of hours, trying to get the two to calm down. Halluciv was mumbling something about Xcellence and Marvul dying and him being powerless to do anything about it, until Marvul 'dusted' and the bond broke, leaving him in agony. Cross feared rejection. He was so, so terrified of it.

After a long while of reassurances, it was time to get the last letter over and done with so they could all put it behind them.

"Last letter." Dream opened it. It had a small scribble on the top. "It says to go outside after reading this..."

"Not shady at all." Cross mumbled, curled up in Nightmare's side.

"Nightmare what do you think about there being different versions of you running about the multiverse I mean one of them could even be a dinosaur... (cough cough). Asked by undertaletrashlit."

Halluciv pulled away from Xcellence(an intense kissing session had happened as a result of close cuddling), who was dazed and practically unconscious as he tried to catch his breath. Halluciv idly ignored X's magic manifesting under him. "Let's go outside, then." He shrugged, pulling X to his feet and patting his head. Marvul teleported outside, soon followed by the others.

Cross let out a semi-girly shriek when something immediately charged at them, only to slam into the barrier. It was black, and did accurately resemble Nightmare with its dark coloring and bright blue eye. It shrieked and hissed, almost oversized wings spreading as it repeatedly tried to get to them. Its long tail hit the barrier, hissing with its sharp-toothed jaw opened wide. It roared, clearly unhappy.

"I wanna ride it." Nightmare muttered. The beast was at least twice his height, soon giving one last snarl before turning and bounding back into the thick forest. It was out of sight moments later. There was the shrill caw, a large bird flying overhead as if trying to scare them even more.

"This forest scares me." Dream mumbled.