With the concept of Dark KillerCreamMare, there's a huge spectrum of angusty ideas >:)
Like Nightmare eventually dying of sadness for the feeling of abandonment from his, not anymore, second hand, and, maybe guilt for what happened to Dream? I mean, as the "older brother" who knows if he, deep inside, feels remorse for being the first one to eat the apple all those centuries ago, and "put them all" in that situation in first place. I'm assuming post corruption for NM in this hypothetical scenario is rough as hell and could include an amalgam of emotions.
And besides, if he leaved in the middle of the "journey" without having fulfilled his dream of returning Dream's original self, and leaving Cross alone with that fantasy, could mean a deep wound and sour taste in the soldier as maybe, by that point, he saw in Nightmare some kind of comforting feeling that he was not alone in that nostalgic and far goal, and not left at the side as some kind of "third wheel" in that relationship where Dream and Killer seem to have found a new "guard" and "lord" in each other.
Maybe there could be a point where Cross is just not able to take it anymore, maybe he feels so alone with Nightmare's departure, so desperate, trapped in a closed path with no way out, so hopeless of Dream's "return" even tho he knows Dream never went anywhere. Dream is alive, Dream is there, he always sees him. But he has changed, and Cross has fought with that for so long, that now he's just tired, and little by little his feelings start to manifest through his body, through sickness that grows along with the fading of his strong self.
At the start, Dream may even feel a certain joy from this suffering. Although, as we know, he's still Dream, he's still the person that once loved Cross and his brother with such a strong, selfless, unconditional love. Did that feeling really really dissipated? If so, why does he feel like a thousand neddles are stabbing his heart? Why does his heart aches everytime at a sick and weak Cross using the little force he has left to overforce himself to keep serving him, when he's the one to blame for the passing of the person the guard is mourning everyday? It's surprising for him how feelings are still a difficult topic to understand when he's the embodiment of them. But if he understands or not, that's not of importance, his "older" twin, who cared for him in their childhood is now resting and Shattered wasn't at his side when he passed, and now, it looks like his first love is following his twin's steps. The joy of this second hand suffering, and his own suffering is conflicting him, and just as Cross was Nightmare main companion and bond in his last days, Killer becomes Dream's companion in this conflicting situation.
Even tho his soul is still unstable, of course he has emotions. Killer starts to wonder what would have happened if he didn't contributed to the feeling of loneliness that killed his old lord. What would have happened if he wasn't the traitor Cross described him as in silent murmurs when the soldier didn't wanted to fight but needed to let his fury flow in words? That is how he ends up in the same field as Dream. Strangely, this is contributing to both of them to keep bonding closer, now Killer's curiosity for Dream's new personality is not the only thing making them stick together. The grief, guilt and other relatable feelings about all of this is becoming their new glue, the same way Cross and Nightmare relating to each other was. Killer doesn't regret having approached Dream, but with each day the loss is becoming more and more palpable, the fact that the one he was loyal to is dead and gone is starting to settle more and more aggressively, and hiding those feelings under a rug seems to make them more vivid with each day.
A certain day, Cross passed out by the tiredness his body could not hold anymore for what was rest of that day. Killer couldn't bring himself to leave the guardian, now servant, in the cold ground. Leaving him resting in a bed, Killer goes to Dream, and even though both of them stay in silent, Dream knows what happened, and doesn't know what to do.
If they stay like if everything's fine, it's a reality Cross will die. They won't say it, but they don't want that. At the bottom of his heart, under all the corruption, Dream's love for his servant has not even shacked, at the bottom of his heart, under all his masks, Killer adopted a strong feeling of respect to Cross. But then, what is stopping them from fixing this? Having no idea of how this could be fixed, or even if it has a chance to be repaired.
Cross is dying, Killer and Dream don't know what to do, knowing they could lose two persons in such a short amount of time is maddening, specially if they're guilty for it without the intentions. If they're going to take action they better hurry, otherwise it will be too late, it's an awful situation because they need that time if they want to fix something that looks irreparable.
P.D: ZU IT'S HAS BEEN AGES, I'm sorry for disappearing all of the sudden, I think it has been a year already? D: I'm deeply sorry, but I'm happy I can finally talk to you again in the form of anon ajxnsxm
— Waffle & Oreos Anon ★ (but honestly it has been such a long time I don't even remember pretty well if that was my alias, but it definitely had Waffle in it, anyways I missed you dear Zu! How have you been?)
OMG hii! \(//∇//)\ Long time no see indeed and it's so nice to hear from you again! <3 I'm so sorry for the late reply, my inbox became a full chaos :'D
How's it going?? (ówò) Hopefully you're doing good! ☆
Oh, that would be so rough for Nightmare indeed, and it's such a good point about Cross being left by his single "companion" in this crazy situation... ;w;
But the thought of Cross weakening and dying, which awakes their true feelings and puts them in front of a choice... What a sweet angst that makes my heart break into a thousand pieces (´°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ω°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀)★ Such a good idea and the very motivation that will move the plot — for better or worse.
Thank you so much for sharing it, and have a nice day or night too!╰(*´︶`*)╯*fingers crossed for Aim :)*
