mmmmmm hit 14k yesterday :3

---Cross' POV----

As soon as Dust dumped the bucket of water on top of Nightmare, he vanished.

Not in a poof of smoke or anything, just gone. One second he was there, the next, he's gone.

Of course I immediately panicked. "WHERE DID HE GO!?" I yelled, looking around frantically for any signs of the goopy skeleton. He wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Oh my Lord I killed him." Dust muttered. He had an expression of half awe and half fear.

I glared at him. "Monsters don't vanish when they die idiot, they dust slowly, no matter what the death!"

"Yeah, but you said water burns him right? So maybe all that sudden water at once killed him and the waters just gone and washed his dust into the ground..." Dust said.

We both immediately looked down at the ground.

"I-I don't see any dust..." I stuttered, slightly panicked. Dust's theory wasn't complete bullshit and actually seemed pretty logical and possible.

I crouched down in the grass and ran my hand through the wet grass. I then bought my hand up to my face and inspected it. Beads of water ran down my finger and dropped off back on to the floor. I glared at my hand, there doesn't seem to be anything dust-like. But if I mention that to Dust he'll probably start a theory about how Nightmares different and wouldn't dust.

I heard footsteps and I didnt bother to see who was coming our way, it was probably the others.

"Hey umm, what happened? Did ya get him?"

Yup. I was right.

I ignored them and continued to inspect my hand for Nightmare's dust.

"Well..." Dust said. " I got him...But then he died... "

"WHAT!?!?" They all yelled in unison .

I growled. "He's not dead idiot!"

"Then what happened!?" Dust cried, throwing his hands up in the air from frustration.

I crouched there, thinking.

"I've got it!" I said suddenly.

Everyone looked at me.

"He must have teleported."

Dust laughed. "Are you crazy? Nightmare might seem all tough and badass, but he's too young to have learnt to teleport. None of us have mastered it yet. Not even Reaper or Error!"

I growled. "That's the only thing that could have happened!"

I felt someone walk up behind me. "He can't know how to teleport Cross...it's just not possible considering his age..."

I stood up and looked around. "No! He can and I'm going to find him!"

Dust seemed to sense what I was going to do and lunged for me, but I was already gone.

I appeared again on the other side of school. I fell and leaned back against the school building, the effort of teleporting taking up a substantial amount of magic. I'm horrible at teleporting, always have been. I feel always feel sick and dizzy when I reappear.

Dust is right. A kid Nightmare and I's age shouldn't have mastered the art of teleporting. But when I lived with him he was very keen on teaching me and my brother early. It was obviously done by force, that's why I'm still bad at it.

I'm slightly concerned about how Nightmare learnt though...

He wouldn't tell me if I asked though.

I glanced at the school gates and looked around. If Nightmare went anywhere it would be somewhere where he can't be seen. So my best bet is he went back to his house.

But...all the way to his house...that's a long way to teleport...

I looked to the side as I heard yelling. The others had found me. I looked at them then glanced at the gate and the world outside it.

"CROSS NO!" They yelled.

But I was already gone and on the other side of the gate.

As soon as I got to the other side, I started running, ignoring the urge to throw up and collapse. I sprinted down the roads in the direction of Nightmares house. I could sketchily remember the general way to get there from when I walked back with him and Dream in the rain.

I skidded round a bend in the road and looked up and down the houses, keeping my eye out for their massive house.

There!

I slowed down and walked down the drive, panting lightly. As I walked closer to the door a horrible feeling building up in my 'gut'.

What if Nightmare wasn't here? What if I was wrong?

I gulped and walked right up to the door. I only hesitated for a moment as I reached forwards and knocked on the door quickly.

I waited for a minute and there was still no answer. I should have left, he didn't answer so he isn't there...right?

I growled and glared at the door. God I feel like a criminal.

I teleported through to the other side and looked around. It looked just like how I'd left it when I was being chased by a pissed off Nightmare.

I quickly went into the kitchen and searched for him. No, not here.

Living room? Nope
Dining room? Not here
Other random rooms? No sign

I glanced upstairs and shook my head. I shouldn't be here and going upstairs would be a complete violation of privacy. But I still walked up there, glancing at all the different rooms.

One of the doors seemed to just give off a negative aura while the one next to it seemed to be positive.

I walked towards the door with the negative intent and gripped the handle lightly. I felt so bad for doing this, but I'm not going to leave until I make sure that Nightmare isn't in this house.

I sighed and knocked gently before pushing the door open slowly. The room was all dark, dark colours and dark furniture. I looked over at the bed and sighed in relief, there was a lump hiding under the covers.

I stepped in. "Nightmare...?"

The lump stiffened. "Who is it?"

I slowly edged closer. "Nightmare is that you?"

The voice sounded a lot younger than Nightmares and had a nervous wobble to it, as if they thought I was about to stab them.

"Wh-Who is it?" The voice asked again.

I didn't answer and stood next to the bed, looking down at the lump in the blanket where the person was hiding. Not really knowing why, I summoned a knife by my side and held it tightly, just in case whoever was under there posed as a threat.

I reached out and grabbed the blanket. Whoever was under clearly tensed.

I pulled the blanket back in one quick motion. Whoever was under let out a squeak and looked up at me.

I blinked. Looking up at me was a small white boned skeleton. He was wearing a purple tunic with gold cuffs. He also had some sort of gold circulet on his head, kinda like a crown.

"C-Cross?"

I growled and pointed the knife at him. "What have you done with Nightmare!?"

The small skeleton yelped and shuffled back until his back hit the headboard of the bed.

I tilted his head up with the blade of my knife, the tip grazing his neck. "Who are you and what have you done with Nightmare!?" I growled.

"Cross it's me!" The skeleton cried, attempting to lean further back from the knife. I just pressed it forwards, making him gasp. "Cross it's me stop!"

I eyed him. "Who are you?"

"It's me Nightmare I swear!"

I growled. "Really? You look more like Dream than Nightmare."

He winced. "I can prove it Cross...A few minutes ago, at school, I disappeared because someone dumped a bucket of water on me..."

My knife disappeared.

"Nightmare?"

He nodded and looked down at his hands. "This is my...Other form...I never told anyone about it because I hate it. It's weak and brings back unwanted painful memories..."

I stared at him, wanting to do nothing more than pounce on him and hug him tightly. I sat down next to him on the bed and sighed.

Nightmare looked over at me nervously, a faint purple dusting his cheeks. I held his gaze and felt my cheeks heat up, he was so cute like this.

I edged closer to him and he tensed. Well, his personality still hasn't changed, he just seems more nervous than usual, more unsure and hesitant.

Without warning I pulled him into a hug. Nightmare let out a squeak of protest and immediately tried to escape, wriggling frantically. I didn't let him and held him tight to my chest, stroking the top of his skull lightly.

Nightmare struggled feebly for around a minute before going limp in my arms, letting me hug and pet him. He unwillingly nuzzled into my hand as I pet him. He'd probably deny it later, but he was clearly enjoying the hug.

I sighed and leaned back, letting my back rest against the wall to one side of the bed. Nightmare, shifted in my lap and yawned sleepily, so did I.

"Sleep well Nighty~" I cooed.

A muffled groan was my only response.

I hugged him tight and smiled, feeling myself also drift off into the land of sleep.

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Mssmskskams my new favourite chapter XD
Tsundre passive Nightmare is my life :3
Hmmmm my children
I love dis shit
-Jess-