Archive of Our Own ^beta

A speck of dust flew across his vision, he really needed to get someone to clean the lights...

Nightmare sat with the rest of his team within the walls of the kitchen. A freshly brewed cup of chai was nursed in one hand, the other holding up a paper from last week's news in outertale. 

Beside him, Killer and Dust were talking... well, that would be an exaggerated statement. It was Killer, who was excitedly telling Dust about his latest solo mission, just how successful he was. The other being awfully quiet in return.

Noted, then Nightmare glanced towards Cross and Horror. Horror was taking strips of bacon, laying them out on a microwave safe dish before he'd cook that third batch. While Cross was manning the grill, making various sized pancakes. 

Nightmare had two trips planned already for everyone today. The first one was to outertale, they had a meet up with Error, just touching up their agreement. The second was a supply run in an underfell. 

As sizzling from the cooking became white noise, he was gazing around the room. The auras of each Sans was swirling to him.

Killer, it was firey and excitement, while the emotion itself was positive and eager, the topic he chatted about was tainted it with a desire for pain.

Then Cross, content but anxious. He appeared to not have taken his medication today, something Nightmare would check in with before they left, sometime after food.

Horror was humming as he worked, nothing special about his emotional state either, just hunger... which, was an emotion for him somehow.

But Dust, hm. When the king of negativity focused himself on the one looking down, it was blurry. As he was feeling perhaps, too many things at once? Distraction, distress, frustration, there was a hint of sadness. All of it was blurring together into a fuzzy mess, something he had seen numerous times before. 

He sighed to himself, and looked back down at his uninteresting newspaper. The talking from Killer shifted, gone quieter as he asked Dust, "Hey, you listening?"

Said Sans startled, not much, but a spike of fear shot from him. And he nodded... 

Nightmare still didn't question it, though. Instead looking up, as Cross started delivering everyone's meals. Nightmare didn't need to eat, but knowing it brought a form of comfort to the others, he'd often chew on something solely for that. 

Horror had a bowl, it was large with six or so shredded pancakes in it, along with egg and bacon bits as well. No syrup, or utensils at that. He was also accompanied by a tall glass of orange juice.

Cross, Dust's, and Killer's had more normal plates, the food of breakfast stacked about three high, with forks and syrup and some bacon on the side. No eggs for cross, and Killer had milk instead of juice. 

Nightmare took another sip of his still warm tea, as they all—Almost all of them began to engage in conversation. Dust held his head down, not touching his plate as others spoke around him. 

It didn't last too long though, as his silence caused everyone else to quiet down, showing faces of either concern or confusion. Cross had his fork raised to his mouth when he asked, "Are... you okay?" 

No answer. 

Nightmare finally leaned in, speaking calmly. "Eat." He whispered to Dust in a mixture of encouragement, and 'that was an order.' They all has an established rule about not skipping breakfast, almost always needed their energy recharged and ready. 

For once though, he didn't quite comply. Instead he picked up the plate without a word, and turns to leave. More so looking rushed, than anything. 

"Awe, what?" Killer spoke—Whined more like. Tilting his head. Cross sighed and got up, asssumingly to go after him. 

"No." Nightmare ordered, causing everyone else in the room (minus Horror) to look at him.

"Give him time, I'll retrieve him when I'm ready."

The others didn't verbally reply, nothing more than a mutter and sitting back down. A heavy awkwardness set over them, before Killer cracked a joke that just didn't land. 

So they ate, Killer kept talking and Horror finally looked up from his bowl of breakfast foods, chiming in. Nightmare closed his eyes, and imagined Dust, targeting his emotions specifically. 

It was clearer now, more sadness, the frustration was morphing into loneliness, and fear...

Fear, hm?

That... worried, him. Thinking that perhaps, Dust shouldn't be alone if he was feeling such an emotion in such a state.

Silently, he collapsed himself into a puddle. Vanishing as he teleported from the ground. 

It was darkness for a bit, maybe a minute or so, before his body began to reform. Right in front of the door, within Dust's room.

'...Younger.' he thought to himself, as he looked in the corner, where a cloud of smoke and soft sniffles could be witnessed.

He sighed, and walked over to Dust, who was trying to keep the cigarette in his mouth as his body barely resisted a sob.

One tendrils quickly wrapped around the cigarette, the bad habit itself pulled away from him, his bare hands were rather shaky, the bones rattling. He didn't react to it being stolen, nor as his Boss crushed it, letting the now put out speckles of it hit the floor.

"I do not understand why anyone would wish to willing fill themself with smoke..." He muttered, a hint of disgust, though not directed to Dust. 

The skeletons body shook, as the darker one moved forward and brought his chin to Dusts shoulder.

"It's loud, boss, 's so loud-" Dust stopped as Nightmare wrapped him in a hug, his tendrils scooping him up as he pressed his face into Nightmare vest, hiccupping.

"How much sleep did you get?" He calmly asked as he went over to Dust's mattress on the floor—the skeleton refused a bed.

Dust shrugged, making a whine as one of his hands tugged at his jacket. Nightmare crouched down and set him onto the poor excuse of a bed. "Shh... I know..." He said, unzipping the blue jacket and helping the younger out of it. Even if his magic was getting a boost from the negative emotions the other was feeling, it still left him in pain knowing how distressed Dust was.

"...There we go." He laid the jacket to the side, and brushed off Dust's shoulders. Something that'd help the younger realize there wasn't any dust on him.

"Look at me..." Nightmare said with gentleness, as Dust's face was covered by his hoods shadow.

Nightmare sighed, carefully wiping away a stray tear. As Dust latched onto him again, whimpering.

"T-They're mad a-at me... I-I..." He fumbled over his words, Nightmare stroking his head.

"It'll pass..." Was all he said, shifting his tendril to help cradle Dust, almost rocking him. 

Dust gripped onto his vest, and made another cry.

Heartbroken. That's what described what Nightmare felt. If was heart breaking to hear one of his own so pained, distressed.

"I see.." He hummed to himself, looking around the room. Again, there wasn't much. The breakfast he previously brought up here had been discarded in the trash, and his bedside table had the bottom drawer half pulled open. 

He walked around the mattress, a free tentacle went fishing in the overstuffed drawer. He felt cigarettes, trinkets, an old ketchup bottle—Honestly, he'd have to help Dust clean it out sometime. But for now, he pulled out just what he hoped to find. A pacifier case, with a plain blue binky inside. 

"One moment, I hear you..." Nightmare gave a  comforting pat to Dust, as he popped open the top of the case, and grabbed the binky. Showing it to Dust. 

Dust hiccupped again, but he also didn't fight him when Nightmare nudged it to his mouth, helping him take to it. "There we go..." The taller one said, both hands going back to hugging on him. 

"Calm down... I've got you." He shuffled forward, careful not to walk too fast with a little in arms. As he hoisted himself up.

"Mm..?" Dust mumbled behind the paci.

"You still haven't eaten today, Dust." Nightmare calmly reminded, as he stepped outside his door. Before pausing.  "...Would you be alright with me taking you downstairs right now?" 

Dust was quiet, and gave a tiny nod. Resting his face back onto Nightmare's shoulder. With permission granted, he began to take the long way, also known as stairs. 

Because, sigh. He couldn't teleport with Dust in his arms, not that he minded too much. It was a slight inconvenience at best. 

As he reached downstairs, and made a turn to the kitchen. Chatter slowly became louder, noting the wave of worry—He appreciated his team's care to look out for one and another. 

When he stepped in, everyone kinda quieted down, all having those relieved little smiles on their faces. Killer was the first to speak as he spotted Dust.

"Awe! Little Bro-" His tone was loud enough to caused Dust to flinched, and Nightmare gave him a look. 

"Oh—Right!" Killer said in a whisper yelled, still smiling as he scooting his seat over. His SOUL slowly forming into a star. He pated the empty chair next to him, "Can he sit next to me? Please!" 

Nightmare softly chuckled, "Only if you keep your tone down—Cross, would you make some formula?" His head turned to Cross's direction, who nodded. Getting up as Nightmare sat down, Dust half on his lap and half on the chair, as Killer started talking—Only needing the occasional reminder to keep quiet.

Meanwhile, Cross was just getting some milk and chocolate protein powder, something that'd actually keep Dust full for awhile. He added in a scoop and begun shaking it up, getting it well incorporated before putting the bottle in the microwave for just a few seconds. 

Dust, his emotions seemed to stay more regulated now. More than content to just listen to Killer ramble on about Minecraft, his SOUL now a full on star. Horror had finished his breakfast bowl, and was mainly just cleaning up now. 

Beep!

Cross took the bottle out, shook it again, befire test dabbing some on his forearm. Deeming it a good temperature, he went to hand it off to Nightmare while Horror cleaned up behind him.

"Thank you." The monster leaned closer to Cross, tone quieter for a moment. "Go take your medication, Cross."

Cross only for a moment, seemed confused on why and or how Nightmare knew he didn't—But nodded. "Uh, yeah. Right." He walked off to do just that, while Nightmare gently tapped Dust's shoulders, interrupting Killer.

"Child, here." He said with his tone trying to remain soft, he gently removed the pacifiers from Dust's mouth. The younger made a tiny whimper  before it was replaced with the bottle. 

"There... is that okay?" He asked, One of Dust's hands wrapped around it, drinking from it as he gave a tiny nod. Though Nightmare still kept one hand on it as well, also keeping the little propped up.

Dust leaned into Nightmare as he drank it, eventually getting down to the end of it as his caregiver pulled it away. Swiftly replacing it with his binky once more.

"There you go..." 

Cross came in a moment later, "I did it." He said, getting a nod of approval from Nightmare. 

"Good, now. I trust you'll watch after Dust, and Killer while we're gone?" He asked, getting a confused huh from Horror.

"Uhm... Aren't we all going to those meetin's, Boss?" Horror questioned while scratching the side of his skull, to which, Nightmare shook his head.

"No, I do not want children accompanying me. You will attend to my side, and Cross can watch after Killer and Dust."

Killer groaned. "What? No! I wanna go too!" He exclaimed with a smile, not quite taking it seriously but still visibly upset by the news. 

"No." Nightmare answered shortly, patting Dust on the back.

"Why not?"

Nightmare just gave his star shaped SOUL a look. And Killer pouted. 

"You're no fun..." He put his elbows on the table and rested his face in his hands. 

Nightmare made a playful roll of the eye at that, as Dust mumbled. "..'tay?" He said around his paci.

He sighed. "No, I cannot stay. I have other duties to attend to. But I'll return shortly. You will be left in competent hands." He assured, before glancing up at the clock. 

"We should be going. Horror, are you ready?" He asked. Getting an affirmative nod, he leaned on the doorway. "Whenever 'ya are."

With that, Dust clinged a little tighter. Nightmare made a gentle frown, patting his head before handing him off to Cross. "I know, I know... you'll be okay." 

Dust made a light fuss, but glad someone would still hold him. While Nightmare turned to Killer. "Be good, I may let you have a treat after my return." He said, causing his negative aura to quickly flip to positive, happily kicking his feet. 

"Yes!" 

After all his said, he gave a nod to Cross, before him and Horror teleported away for that meeting.

They returned later that evening, things dragging out far longer than expected. Then the supply run had to span across more than underfell—As he needed to pick up some little gear.

After they returned home, and put groceries away. He headed into the living room, in search of his underlings.

As he walked in, he paused. The entire room was dark, which was only odd for a moment, before he realized why. 

On the couch, rested Cross passes out, slightly snoring. Dust was curled up in a ball in his lap, and Killer was sprawled out, leaning himself on the other two like a pillow. 

The TV was on, volume turned down as Snow White played. One of Killer's..  gaming things, a... switch? Was abandoned on the floor along with a variety of toys. 

Horror came up behind Nightmare, and chuckled. "They had fun, eh?" 

Nightmare nodded. "It appears that way, yes... Do get this cleaned up, I have other matters to deal with." He said before turning around, Horror giving a nod. 

Nightmare made a slight smile. 

Yeah, Dust was gonna be okay.