Work Text:
Reixe was supposed to be having a good day. A long, arduous work week at the music studio that she managed to tackle without any huge hiccups- aside from the existence of her manager, of course. He was an unavoidable part of the job, but she’s learnt to deal with it.
Still. It was exhausting. Today was finally her day of sorely needed rest, and that was the plan. She already cleared her schedule so she could be alone today. Her only company would be a book or a long video to watch, while sipping warm lemon tea to soothe her throat.
She even asked Nightmare to give her some space. She loves him of course, but sometimes you needed to take a day just for yourself.
She had been sunk into the sofa, scrolling through her phone, cuddled under a blanket when it started to buzz. A horribly familiar contact appeared on her screen.
Dont answer: Reixe?
Dont answer: I told you to be available today.
Dont answer: We’re meeting for lunch.
Her face scrunched, shutting off his call as soon as her phone first rang. It was a shock, but after a while of ignoring the paranoia he caused, she managed to forget about it- about him. She was going to see him again come the next work day, and she was not going to waste it worrying about him. He didn’t get to ruin her day off after ruining so many of her work days.
Ignoring him the first time, she hoped he’d lose steam. But an hour or so later, the notifications come back with a vengeance.
Dont answer: Reixe this isn’t funny.
Dont answer: Do you really think you can ghost me like this?
Dont answer: I know you like hanging out at the bookstore this hour. Where are you??
Disgusting. Reixe would’ve been at the bookstore at that time, usually. She would stroll about the town, through the little side-street shops in the afternoon. It was relaxing as a pass time; she would window shop, and live in her own world for a moment. A world where she controlled where she went and what she did. She decided not to go this day, when she found out the creep was actually stalking her. You met him ‘on accident’ too much for it to be a coincidence. It’s a relief she never told him where she lived when he demanded it when you started working with him.
Dont answer: I’ll wait for you no matter how long it takes
Dont answer: You hear me?
…
Dont answer: Reixe
Dont answer: REIXE
Missed call 1:54PM
Missed call 1:56PM
Missed call 2:01PM
Missed call 2:03PM
Missed call 2:05PM
Dont answer: ANSWER ME
Reixe snapped.
“I’m not answer you, idiot!” She shouted at her phone, like it’d morphed into the man in question. She finally had a day where she was away from him, where she wouldn’t be able to ‘accidentally’ bump into him and he’d try to pull her away from the crowd or take her home with him, with all the pressures he put on her. She had to do so much just to avoid him, just to tolerate him, and it still wasn’t enough to keep him out of her mind.
Her chest turned tight, her eyes became blurry. Like a predator waiting for her to be vulnerable, her phone started to buzz, no doubt he was spamming her. She pulled on her hair.
“Stop that!” She yelled like her phone could obey her, throwing it across the room. It bounces off the wall and thuds onto the carpet. The infernal thing was still buzzing, a sound that felt like it invaded her mind, and she sunk into the ground. She clutched her skull, feeling like ripping her hair out.
She hated him. She hated him so much. She just wanted him to leave her alone forever, is that so much to ask? Why was it so hard to be rid of him? Why did he have to enter her life when it was already hard enough without him?
In her suffering, she doesn’t notice a presence had entered her living room.
“reixe.” A voice called out, not too far from her. She spun her head around to look at the intruder.
A dark figure stood in the light of the window, tentacles casting shadows on Reixe, a cyan eyelight looking down at her, his pupil shrunk.
Nightmare’s face fell. “what’s happened?”
Reixe didn’t respond. She only stared back at the prince in silence, her heavy breaths the only sound she made.
Nightmare’s negative-laced soul still thrummed at her, crumpled to the ground like she was going to fall apart any second, shaking like a leaf. It didn’t take long for Nightmare to realize the issue, seeing the dent on her wall and her phone directly below it, buzzing like a swarm of angry hornets.
Picking it up with a tentacle, Nightmare scowls upon seeing the screen. That good for nothing manager was brainlessly blowing up her phone, demanding her company and attention– as if the worm deserved it. Nightmare really ought to get rid of him once and for all one of these days, if only Reixe hadn’t opposed it the first time he mentioned removing him.
But there was someone more important to him than a pathetic worm that demanded his attention right now.
Like countless times before, Nightmare blocked Reixe’s manager and shut her phone off, then hovered to the skeleton spilling anxious magic around her.
“reixe,” Nightmare called her in a calm, even tone. He wasn’t even sure if she was able to listen to him in this state, but he had to try. “i’m taking you to the castle. no one can bother you while you’re there,”
As he suspected, she wasn’t listening. She continued to shiver in response, her eyelights unstable and looking far away from him… but she wasn’t outwardly rejecting his offer either, so Nightmare takes it as permission. He makes it quick, connecting his magic to hers with a light tap on the shoulder, transporting through the floor and into his realm.
He took her to the bedroom reserved just for her. Immediately it’s quieter, with none of the things that disrupted her life present. Soft light drifted in through a big window, casting soft shadows throughout the dark room. The new environment looked like it’s already had an effect on Reixe, her eyelights stabilizing and her panting quietened.
Seeing that, Nightmare approached her with open arms to hold her.
A mistake, evidently.
“Get away!” Reixe yelled, throwing his arms away.
Nightmare spoke softly. “reixe, it’s me. it’s nightmare,”
She still couldn’t hear him.
“Get away from me, I don’t want you here,” she hissed, crawling away from him. Nightmare would be lying if it didn’t sting a little, but this wasn’t the first time he’s encountered her like this.
Her eyelights were bright and wild, painfully so; their edges fuzzy, like they were frayed. Her magic was released from her in uncontrolled sparks, and she had her teeth bared to him- he wasn’t really seeing Nightmare .
She continued to hiss like a frightened cat, so Nightmare lifts his hands to show surrender. That he wasn’t a threat, he wasn’t here to fight.
“hey… it’s ok. there’s no danger here, just you and me,” he made sure to keep his voice low and soft, crouching near the ground to be closer to her eye level. “you’re safe. and i know you might get worried about this later, but this is fine– i’m fine. we’ve went through this together before, we can go through it again. i’m here for you, when you need me.”
She still didn’t look like she was listening, her eyes showing fear rather than aggression now.
“What do you want form me– I don’t have anything for you.”
“i don’t want anything from you. i just want you to feel ok, that’s all. take your time.” Nightmare smiled.
Reixe made a wibbling sound, backing away from him. She wasn’t outwardly threatening him anymore, which was something. But she started backing away from him like he was something that would hurt her, which wasn’t what he wanted. There was still unstable magic in the air, a broken cable sparking anxieties, fears, stress. It was pungent in the air for a being like Nightmare, he could sense the turmoil in her mind. He didn’t like seeing her like this. He didn’t like that someone he cared for so much could be in such anguish.
It was an itch, knowing Nightmare could make that pain go away if he could just get close enough to consume those negative emotions. But he knew if he had to pin her down and forcefully ate her emotions, it would be an unending cycle and– she would start associating him with more negative emotions.
He had to be patient.
“it’s ok, everything’s ok.” Nightmare hushed. “i promise you, there is nothing here that can harm you. i won’t will it. we’re not in your universe anymore, we’re home in my dimension. i am lord here, and i don’t permit any harm to befall you. you’re safe… nightmare’s here. your nightmare. i’m here to protect you. please, look at me,”
Though Nightmare could see the difficulty in her movement, she still tried to look at him, from behind trembling hands sunk in her hair.
“breathe. listen. you’re safe. you’re… you’re not there anymore. you’re with me now. i want to help you. i can take away that storm in your soul, if you’d just let me close.”
She bit her bony lip.
Nightmare reiterated. “i want to help,”
Her harsh, shallow breaths slowed down, the intense glow of her eyelights softened. The fraying subsides, if a little unstable. She stopped baring her teeth.
Nightmare walked to her on his knees, slow and steady. He paused when she made a pitiful sound, a mix of a sigh and a sob. Finally, she looked up at him, her eyelights rounded and twinkling at him, though dimmer than usual.
She was really looking at him, this time.
“Nightmare?”
He lets out a sigh of relief.
“yes, it’s me, shh… there we go.” He reached for her, pulling her into his embrace. She’s stiff at first, but after feeling the warmth that surrounded her, she relaxed and cuddled into him.
“that’s it, that’s my girl. everything is ok,” he chuckled affectionately, running the back of his finger down her cheek. “let’s get this all out of you.”
Nightmare shifts into a better sitting position, her head nestled in an arm. He tucked her hair away and curled a tentacle over her skull, sensing the swirling, agitated emotions inside her; in her soul. They were turbulent as a storm, and he closes his socket to see into them.
He saw her weekdays. Everything looked normal on the surface but something rippled from underneath, like a big fish deep below, disturbing the waters. The figure of her hideous manager comes into view, and Nightmare had to physically restrain himself from scowling. The parasite pestered her for attention and followed her wherever she went, whenever possible. Nightmare’s watchful eye from beyond her universe made sure he would never touch her, a misdirection here, an illusion there. If it weren’t for his position as her superior at work, Nightmare would have disposed him far faster. After this incident, perhaps the day he finally rids Reixe’s universe of the miserable pest might arrive sooner rather than later.
Reixe had asked earlier to give her space to be alone. Nightmare respected that. As much as he wanted to spend time with her, he made sure she had the choice to do whatever she wanted with her time, to do what she wanted herself. He didn’t want to be another invader in her life. Especially being an outcode with an omnipresent view to her universe, he had to give her the right to privacy. Today had been different, however. With the connection the two shared, Nightmare could feel her distress even without having to look for her. He felt it in his soul, a wordless cry for help spanning universes.
His eyelight flared with hate, thinking how that manager that caused all this emotional turmoil with his insane actions. But the feeling was quickly extinguished, seeing Reixe in his lap. Nightmare took a calming breath and refocused; making a pulling motion with his fingers.
He siphoned everything that burdened Reixe’s mind. Nightmare is a connoisseur of negativity, but he didn’t enjoy it coming from his dear Reixe. Her anxiety and panic tasted bitter. Had it come from anyone else, he might’ve savored the taste of someone so fearful, but from her it only reminded him that she was suffering.
It’s still nice, though. Feeling her tense breaths slow into long exhales, the frightened magic that radiated from her dissipate like mist, her arms falling limp beside her as she practically melted into him. He could see the light of her eyelights return, a neutral, balanced glow. One hand gripped his shirt. She didn’t look like she minded the ooze that started to coat the tips of her phalanges. A smile finally spread on his face.
Washing Reixe’s soul of the things that plighted her was therapeutic for him. Fed him, too. Win win.
“hi.” He greeted, nuding her. “how are we doing?”
She blinked up at him. She still looked a little far from him, but she was looking at him this time.
She spoke.
“... Better.”
He smelled like his castle. An ancient, comforting scent that helped calm her down. She shook her head, trying to shake off the last droplets of negativity that still clung to her.
“do you want to move to the bed?”
She looked at the bed in question, fit for royalty. She turned to Nightmare, who she’s still curled up against. She puts her face in his chest and closed her eyes.
“No,” she smiled, “you’re a good enough bed.”
Nightmare’s socket crinkled while he laughed– a handsome, reassuring sound. “i won’t object to that. but you can’t stay here forever, dear.”
“Is that a challenge?” she opens one eye, playfully.
“i would love that.” To just stay cuddled together with her? An eternity doesn’t sound long.
His face fell however, his expression turning serious.
“do you… want to talk about it?”
Reixe frowned. She didn’t have to think to say “No. I don’t want to think about him anymore,”
“i understand.” He responded, though it looked like he was still mulling something over. “can i kill him now?”
It wasn’t the first time he said it, but it made Reixe laugh all the same. “No, I still need him monetarily. Maybe as soon as he’s out of a job, you can do whatever you want with him,”
“now that sounds like a challenge.” Nightmare commented. “maybe instead of getting rid of him physically, i should be thinking about getting rid of him socially. ruin his life. pull the strings of those around him so he’d be out of a job, make him live in misery. i’ll make sure he has nightmares every night. that might…”
… Reixe was sleeping. That made Nightmare blink, and he huffs a small laugh. It was funny that she could fall asleep while he was scheming her enemy’s demise.
Carrying her like a princess, Nightmare brought her to the bed, tucking her under the thick duvet, her skull sinking into the soft pillow. He kissed the side of her head and moved away, when a hand snatched his wrist.
Her sockets were only opened a crack when Nightmare turned.
“... Stay with me?”
Nightmare smiled at her, softly.
“Of course.”