Nightmare's pov

Blue's taco was actually really good. I was happy for a short while, but now I'm just... sad. I'm back to my weak, vulnerable self! Pathetic that I couldn't even beat Dream. How did he get so strong? Was it... determination? Well... no matter. He still beat me in the end. What... what will Dust, Horror, Killer and Cross say about this...? I'm weak and pathetic now. I can't be their leader. But maybe... I can set them free?

"Nightmare, what's wrong?"

Dream was always the stronger one of us. When I ate the apple though... that changed. Me and the others spread negativity across AU's, and Dream was never able to bring me back then. Dream and Ink would always try and stop us. They never could. But now... I'm powerless. I can't do anything. I can't even defend myself. Because I couldn't defend myself against the townspeople... everything went to shit. Everything itself is shit.

"Nightmare?"

Why does he want me back anyway? I'll just burden him. I miss my goop. Even though it treated me like trash... I felt stronger with the goop. It made me more secure. Sure, it made me do horrible things and because of that I don't sleep at night, I still miss it. I was strong with the goop. Even though it constantly made me feel like I was drowning and couldn't breathe, and said things I didn't want it to say... it kept me safe. I am nothing without it. My goop was everything I was supposed to be.

"Nighty! Hey!"

Wha-? I just noticed Dream's hands are on my shoulders and he's looking at me with concern. Blue also has a concerned look on his face.

"YOU MISS IT, DON'T YOU?"

Blue said bluntly. How did he...?

Dream looks at Blue. Blue looks at Dream. Blue gives Dream a nod of approval. But what for...?

"Nightmare. Please, talk to me. What's going on? I just want to help."

... I want to punch him. I also want to run away, but I'd be easily caught. Plus, with Dream weighing my shoulders down... I can barely move at all. My body hurts. I wouldn't be in pain if I had my goop. It was a part of me. But he melted it away.

"...you took it away from me."

The hatred the goop gave me made me so much stronger. It was better that way. I was always a burden to Dream, wasn't I? Heh.

"Um, pardon me? Could you say that again?"

"DREAM, STOP, JUST GIVE HIM SPACE-"

"BECAUSE OF YOU I LOST MY GOOP AND NOW I'M WEAK, PATHETIC AND VULNERABLE WITHOUT IT!!"

I shouted as I shoved Dream off of me and I flew out of the bed. My spine is killing me, but I don't care. I'm too angry to care. I glare at Dream. He looks shocked. He turns to Blue for help. Blue stands up, and walks towards me. I growl and walk backwards. I glare at him.

"NIGHTMARE, JUST CALM DOWN. I KNOW YOU MISS YOUR GOOP.(Pfft-) BUT IT WAS FOR THE GREATER GOOD THAT DREAM GOT RID OF IT! IT HURT YOU... BADLY... YOU WERE CONSTANTLY BEING CHOKED, FORCED TO DO THINGS YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DO, STRIPPED OF YOUR FREEDOM... WAS IT REALLY WORTH IT? YOU CAN DO BETTER NIGHTMARE. I KNOW YOU CAN. WE BELIEVE IN YOU!"

I don't know anymore. I look at my hands, which are shaking at this point.

Blue's pov (Takes place from when Nightmare spaced out)

I was able to read Nightmare's thoughts. Dang, this hunk of gold embedded in my chest is powerful. He... feels pathetic and wants his goop back. It's... like an abusive relationship. One abuses two but makes two feel like one is the saviour, while two is hurt but is reliant on one. That's kind of what's going on here. Nightmare feels like he is nothing without that evil sack of goop, but is badly hurt by what it did to him. Nightmare... isn't fully saved. Dream and I need to fix that. As a matter of fact, Dream just snapped Nightmare out of his depressive trance.

"Nighty! Hey!"

His eyes snap back to life and he blinks. His eyes look at Dream then dart over to me. Showtime.

"YOU MISS IT, DON'T YOU?"

He looks shocked. I look at Dream and send him a message telepathically.

'YOU NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE ASSERTIVE WITH HIM. HE'S STUBBORN, AND WON'T LET IT OUT UNLESS IF YOU TAKE MATTERS INTO YOUR OWN HANDS. YOU CAN DO IT.'

'H-how are you-?!'

'FATE. NOW COME ON, YOU CAN DO THIS. YOU HAVE TO HELP HIM.'

I nod at him. He turns back to Nightmare.

"Nightmare. Please, talk to me. What's going on? I just want to help."

I enter Nightmare's thoughts. I want to see how he processes Dream's slight assertion.

'... I want to punch him. I also want to run away, but I'd be easily caught. Plus, with Dream weighing my shoulders down... I can barely move at all. My body hurts. I wouldn't be in pain if I had my goop. It was a part of me. But he melted it away.'

So that's how he feels... not a good effect. He responded slightly violent. Without Nightmare noticing, I scoot a bit closer to him in case he does act out violently.

"...you took it away from me."

His voice was dark, with a hint of hatred. His head is tilted down, his eyesockets empty. Devoid of light. This isn't going good. Dream, please be careful...

"Um, pardon me? Could you say that again?"

DAMNIT DREAM ASKING HIM TO REPEAT HIMSELF IS GONNA PISS HIM OFF MORE THAN HE ALREADY IS!! JUST GIVE HIM SPACE AND EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY!

"DREAM, STOP, JUST GIVE HIM SPACE-"

"BECAUSE OF YOU I LOST MY GOOP AND NOW I'M WEAK, PATHETIC AND VULNERABLE WITHOUT IT!!"

Oh crap. He shoved Dream away, and Dream lost his balance and almost fell backwards, but I caught him. Nightmare flinches when he shoots up and lands off the bed. Nightmare is panting. He looks like he's in pain. I walk towards him. Maybe I can convince him to give up on the goop. He growls at me. Okay, I need to tread lightly. If I come off the wrong way, this could be bad.

"NIGHTMARE, JUST CALM DOWN. I KNOW YOU MISS YOUR GOOP. "

I start. He continues to glare at me, but a little less intense. I take one more step towards him. He backs up a little. There's a wall behind him, he can't go far.

"BUT IT WAS FOR THE GREATER GOOD THAT DREAM GOT RID OF IT! IT HURT YOU... BADLY... YOU WERE CONSTANTLY BEING CHOKED, FORCED TO DO THINGS YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DO, STRIPPED OF YOUR FREEDOM... WAS IT REALLY WORTH IT? YOU CAN DO BETTER NIGHTMARE. I KNOW YOU CAN. WE BELIEVE IN YOU!"

As I was saying this, he looked conflicted. He looks at his hands, which are shaking. Dream and I exchange glances again.

"Blue's right. You don't need that stuff to be strong! We love you for who you are, Nighty."

By now, Nightmare is clutching his head. I gesture to Dream to come over here. He hops off the bed and stands beside me. I connect to his mind so I can communicate telepathically with him.

'I NEED YOUR HANDS FOR A MOMENT.'

'Why?'

'I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE OF NIGHTMARE'S HEAD NOW. THIS WAY, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HELP HIM EASIER. DON'T WORRY, WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT I'LL KEEP AN EYE ON HIM.'

'Whoa. Okay. Thanks again Blue.'

'NO PROBLEM! NOW I'M JUST GONNA GRAB YOUR HAND... OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR HIS THOUGHTS NOW?'

'How am I supposed to be my own person?! The goop was me... I'm nothing without it... but yet I'm here without it. I didn't disappear. But it did. It caused me a lot of pain, but it made me stronger! WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO BE SO DIFFICULT?! IF IT WERE HERE I WOULD BE FINE!! BUT WHY DO I WANT TO BE FREE- SHUT UP- I WANT IT BACK!!

Nightmare is now gritting his teeth and his eyes are clamped shut. His hands are still gripping his head. His back is hunched over slightly, and he looks like he could collapse at any given second. Dream instantly lets go of my hand and rushes over to his very-short brother. I think he shrunk.

"DREAM WAIT-"

"Nightmare, calm down it's okay!"

Dream puts a hand on Nightmare's shoulder, but Nightmare screams and shoves him away. Shit.

Dust's pov.

I look at Stretch. He looks at me. I know we're both thinking the same thing.
Nope. Not going up there. Nuh uh. I'm not ready to face an angry Nootmare.

"Hell no."

We both say at the same time after hearing a scream. Blue is strong. I know he can handle whatever the frack is going on up there. I want to kiss him now.

Blue's pov

Nightmare backs away from Dream, almost hyperventilating. He must be feeling extremely overwhelmed. Scratch that- he IS overwhelmed. You can tell. Dream puts up his hands in surrender and walks backwards a bit. Dream looks at me for help- again. Pfft, it's a good thing he's friends with someone as amazing as I~!

"NIGHTMARE. BREATHE. FOCUS ON MY VOICE."

I don't think he can hear me. Dream has a determined look on his face.
(How many hugs have I fracking wrote now? I need to STOP.)
Dream yanks Nightmare into YET ANOTHER hug. Nightmare struggles and tries to get away, but Dream surrounds his body in a green healing aura, trying to calm him. Nightmare continues trying to push Dream away, but Dream REFUSES to let go. He wraps one arm around both Nightmare's back and arms, and shoves Nightmare's face into his chest with his other hand and slightly lifts him off the ground, making it impossible for the angry, passive Nightmare to escape the pineapple addict's grip.
(CLIFFHANGER TIME-)

(Wait don't go I'm kidding it was a joke ;-;)

Nightmare lets out a growl of anger which is muffled from his face being shoved into Dream's chest, but Dream doesn't give up. No matter how much Nightmare thrashes and kicks and tries to escape, Dream refuses, holding him in place, trying to calm him. Nightmare yells as he kicks, but it comes out as muffled "MMF!"'s.
Dream is hugging Nightmare with an aura of warm, calming healing magic, and it soon begins to work. Nightmare slowly stops struggling, his thrashing getting much weaker, and his legs going limp. His breathing gets much slower and calm, and his shoulders sag. He lets out one last little muffled sound of protest before going silent. Kinda like this:

"Mmh..."

(Spooder soup. Why? I don't know.)

Dream de-activates his healing magic and shifts his arms beneath Nightmare's arms, lifting him up. He looks at Nightmare's face. Dream's expression softens. He lightly presses Nightmare against his shoulder, putting one hand on his back and the other beneath Nightmare's rear.

"He fell asleep. Please try and whisper, okay?"

"Okay."

I say quietly, not wanting to wake the small, sleeping skeleton. Dream walks over to the bed and places Nightmare in it, and tucks him in. I look at Nightmare sadly. He's been through a lot. Why is everyone suffering so much? Oh yeah. The old Fate. It's a good thing I took over.

"I will protect him. He's in an extremely vulnerable state right now... and basically the entire multiverse has NO idea what's going on... if someone discovers him..."

Dream trails off. I know exactly what would happen though.

"But I'm still kind of surprised over how small he is... he looks to be about 4'5, 4'4... gosh. I could've sworn he was 4'10 before he ate the apple..."

HE'S SO SMALL AND PRECIOUS AAAAAAAA

"Dream. You know what this means."

I look at Dream, my face completely serious. Dream nods.

"You're officially a member of the Nightmare protection squad."

Dream says, a gleam in his eyes. Stars appear in my eyes. That wasn't what I meant, but... THAT'S EVEN BETTER!!

"R-Really?!"

"You have proven yourself and met all my criteria. Welcome to the squad. Much like the Error protection squad, we protect Nightmare and torture whoever tries to hurt him. We must protect the smol bean."

I nod my head, determined to do my job. Then I remember what I thought of before.

"Back to what I was thinking before... Nightmare needs a nickname."

Dream's face instantly brightens up.

"I have the perfect nickname."

An intense silence sweeps over the room. This is it. The moment that changes everything.

"Nootmare."

I gasp. It's... it's perfect...

"Dream... you beautiful genius!"

I whisper-yell.

"Heh. Thank you."

Dream says with an 'UwU' face.

"It fits perfectly! He's tiny, fierce but soft, shy but smug, and adorable!"

Dream nods happily. I suddenly hear the sound of glass breaking from downstairs, and instantly recognize who did it and what happened. Dust tried to reach the top shelf for ketchup which I hid from him, but couldn't so Papyrus put Dust on his shoulders and Dust tried to get the ketchup but ended knocking over something else made of glass. I'm glad Papyrus and Dust became friends, but sometimes they get along WAAAYY too well. Teaming up against me is one of the things. But other than that, I'm happy Papy supports me.

"*sigh* they did it again. You can come downstairs if you want, but I need to have a little CHAT with those boneheads..."

Dream's pov

Blue storms off. I flop backwards onto the bed, being careful not to crush Nootmare's little feet. I slowly get lost in thought. But for some reason, I just... can't seem to stop thinking about... Outer. Those bright eyelights of his... his insane amount of knowledge about the stars and galaxies... his smooth, deep, relaxing voice... ah... I think... I think I'm in love. I can't wait to see his beautiful smile again.

(2369 WORDS?! AHZHJDJZJSJZJSJZJSJJXJDJXJS THAT IS THE MOST EFFORT I'VE EVER PUT INTO A CHAPTER! I think I'm getting better at this writing thing!)