❤️💜18KDXHZHJSJSZGZ💜❤️

---Cross' POV----

Geno smirked, stepping slowly towards me, dragging the sword behind him on the stone, making that loud scratching sound ring out and echoed throughout the cavern, making me shudder.

"Nightmare can't save you now sweetheart~" He cooed, confidently taking a few more steps forwards.

I panicked, stumbling back. "G-Geno you don't want to do this! O-Once Nightmares got th-the key w-we can close the chest a-and then destroy the key! Y-You can do whatever you want to it!"

Geno laughed manically, leaping forwards. "You're begging? Ha! I like it. Beg some more."

I backed up more, glancing behind me quickly to try and catch sight of the tunnel that Nightmare had gone down.

Geno must have realised what I was thinking of and suddenly lunged forwards, making me yelp and dive to the side, landing awkwardly on the uneven rocky floor.

"Oh I don't think so Cross." He growled, blocking off the entrance to the tunnel. "You're not running to your little boyfriend this time. You've hidden behind him this whole time, letting him do everything, take all the blows. But you can't do that now. Can you?"

"I-I haven't hidden behind him!" I hissed, backing up more, the sharp rocks digging into my palms, making them sting and bleed.

Geno laughed. "Very funny. You've done nothing Cross. Nothing. Nightmare's done everything. You're nothing without him."

I shook my head, quickly. "Y-You're wrong!"

He laughed, stepping closer to me, his dust covered sword aimed at my chest. "You know I'm not, Cross. And that's what scares you. You've been abandoned and rejected all of your life and it's going to happen again. You can scream all you want. But Nightmare won't come for you."

I froze, tensing up as I felt my spine dig into smooth rock. I'd backed up into the pedestal, and now Geno had me trapped.

"Go on Cross~" He taunted. "Scream for help. Scream for him. He won't come."

I whimpered, inhaling sharply before letting out a scream for help, trying to direct my voice towards Nightmare's tunnel as well as I could.

No sooner than I'd done that, the cavern started to shake and a glass shattering screech ripped through the cavern, making the whole place shake.

The force nearly made Geno fall over, but he managed to stay up by stabbing his sword into the ground, stabilising him.

I however, was thrown backwards slightly, my head being slammed into the hard rock of the pedestal.

Instantly my vision was filled with stars, my head pounding.

As soon as Geno had focused his surroundings he advanced towards me, his sword held above his head, ready to stab me. Ready to end my life.

"NIGHTMARE!!!" I screamed desperately, begging in my mind that he'd hear me.

"Still calling out? Pathetic."

I froze in absolute fear as Geno raised the sword further above his head before swinging it down, slashing it down to split through my skull and the rest of my body.

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, whimpering. Please just let it be quick.

A muffled shout echoed through the cavern, clearly not coming from Geno or me, but I was oblivious, waiting to feel the crunch of the blade shattering my skull.

That feeling never came.

I shook, curled up in a ball, my hands covering my face as I stayed braced.

A sudden clatter to my right made me jolt and flinch before uncurling and looking up slowly.

Geno was stood there, a look of fear and confusion on his face.

His hands were limp by his sides, his fingers twitching slightly, having let go of the sword.

I blinked in confusion for a moment before I noticed the blood steadily forming around the centre of his chest.

And in the middle of the blood, sticking right through his body, was a black, dripping tentacle.

Geno looked down in surprise, his eye wide with fear.

With a horrible sucking sound, the tentacle ripped itself out from Geno's chest.

Geno stood there for a good few seconds. His eye slowly went from the gaping hole in his chest to me where we held gazes for a fraction of a second.

And then he collapsed, falling to the side, revealing who was behind him.

Nightmare.

I cried out weakly, holding out a shaking hand to him desperately, my whole body shaking.

Nightmare immediately ran over to me, stumbling over the rocks before collapsing to his knees besides me, pulling me into a tight hug.

I burst into tears, unable to comprehend how close I had been to dying. Sure there have been other times when I've felt like I was going to die, but there's always been something in the back of my mind telling me that I'll make it, telling me that today can't be the day I die.

I hadn't felt that a few seconds ago. I'd felt like I was genuinely going to die.

I was oblivious to Nightmare desperately trying to talk to me, but I was quickly snapped out of that as he shook me. It wasn't a violent shake, but it was enough to jolt me back to my senses.

"Cross!?" He said, fear and worry showing visibly in his expression. "Did he hurt you?!"

I shook my head weakly before burying my face into his chest, the tension and fear slowly seeping out of me.

Nightmare hugged me tightly, running a hand over my body, as if to check I was really here while the other hand rubbed reassuring circles on my back.

I continued to cry, my body twitching and jolting along to my sobs.

"Shhshh...I'm here Crossy...you're safe, I'm safe...calm down..."

I gripped onto him tightly, keeping my face against his chest, breathing in his familiar smell.

I felt his fingers hook under my chin, gently pulling my face away from his chest and tilting my head up to face him.

He smiled down at me and I smiled weakly back, wrapping my arms around the back of his neck before he pulled me into a kiss, both of us closing our eyes.

I pressed against him, gripping on tightly. Nightmare pulled me closer, rubbing my back softly as he deepened the kiss, making both of us shiver.

Eventually we pulled away from each other, panting softly.

"I love you Cross...I love you so God damn much..." He whispered, softly.

I smiled up at him. "I love you too Nightmare..."

He nuzzled me before helping me to my feet, making sure to support me.

"Wh-What happened down the tunnel?" I stuttered.

Nightmare sighed. "Well Geno was telling the truth. Surprisingly. The Kraken was down there. Along with this."

My eyes widened as he handed me my heart locket. I clutched it tightly before shakily fumbling with the clasp, struggling for a few seconds before managing to click it open.

We both let out loud sighs of relief as we saw that the key was inside, looking just as I'd last seen. Not a chip or blemish on its surface.

"Lets get this over with..." I muttered, slipping the locket around my neck and gripping onto the key tightly.

Nightmare nodded, gripping onto my free hand tightly as I walked over to the pedestal once more, the key held out in front of me.

I gulped, hovering my hand over the chest for a few seconds before I gripped onto the lid, shutting it quickly.

Nightmare was tense next to me, but he still nuzzled me reassuringly, kissing my cheek. "You've got this Cross..."

I nodded, inhaling sharply before pushing the key into the lock and twisting it, a faint clicking sound then ringing out through the cavern.

The chest was locked.

I let out a shaky laugh, leaning back against Nightmare. "We did it..."

Nightmare shook his head, kissing the top of my skull. "No Cross. You did it."

I smiled weakly at him before hugging him tightly, sighing deeply in relief.

Nightmare chuckled softly, rubbing the top of my skull. "We've been through a lot, haven't we?"

I went to agree and reply to him, but I was cut off. Cut off by another voice.

"You're about to go through a lot more..."

We both whipped round, looking over at where the voice came from.

As soon as I caught sight of them I choked.

It was Geno.

He was covered in blood, every item of his clothing now being red or bloodied.

"G-Geno? H-How are you still alive?!"

Geno looked dead at me, his eye widening as he let out an insane giggle, smiling widely at the two of us. "Oh wouldn't you like to know~"

Nightmare hissed softly, pulling me back a bit.

"Where do you think you're going?" Geno called, stumbling forwards in a fit of crazed giggles and laughs. "I only want to KILL YOU!"

We both froze as he lunged forwards, his sword swinging right at us.

But then suddenly he collapsed, cut down by a black figure holding a sword.

Geno let out a scream of frustration that was quickly cut off my the figure stabbing his sword right through his skull, splitting it and silencing him once and for all.

Nightmare and I stayed frozen, completely tense as the figure turned away from Geno's finally dead body and looked at us.

The figure chuckled darkly before stepping forwards. "No need to be scared. You know me."

They stepped forwards again and I froze, recognising them immediately.

Reaper.

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Ahahahahhahareaperwasstillaliveafterall--

And yes Geno is well and truly ded
Let him rest in Afterdeath

Question: do you hate Geno now?!

If not then I swear--

Ric

-Jess-