#swanmare

I think it'd be similar to passive/corrupted. The way I always see Swan is more so Passive if he never got the confidence that Corrupted got, and further spiraled down a terrifying hole of insecurity and self-hatred. With some time/development, he gets a bit of confidence back but not nearly as much as Corrupted.

Swan has a strange case when it comes to his relationship with negativity- he accepts it by now, it's an integral part of him and how he interacts with the world around him. He has to accept and cope with the horror in his life, to use it to make himself stronger or to let it pass through him. Otherwise, he will crumble as he has many times before. His philosophy grows into using the hatred and misery he feels to motivate his desire to eliminate his brother. Swad is the direct source of almost all of the pain he feels.

But his negativity also becomes conduit for his strength, and oddly, keeps him down to earth and resistant against the temptation of mindless euphoria that his brother brings upon others. He is at a total depressive extreme, but he accepts it as the way the world is- and that he is- and finds comfort/solace in the dark and morbid, rather than fear. "If I am alone and I am miserable, at least I am free. The only beast in the darkness is me." All of his fear is centered around Swad, and losing his individuality or autonomy. (All of the previous is just how I've built him in my brain, canon is but a loose foundation.)

Corrupted Nightmare is the total extreme of Passive, if he found confidence and used his torment as motive to hurt others. His ego is based around control and domination over others, where he was once trampled underfoot and constantly made helpless. Whereas Swan's past led him to direct his hatred inward, Nightmare projected his hatred outward and reached a catharsis that also created an opportunity for massive character development and change.

Swan never got to see that catharsis or got to see his tormentors punished for what they had done, and he is stagnant in the stale pool of his trauma and fear, the waters ever rising over his head as Swad fills it.

For Nightmare, I feel that seeing Swan is akin to seeing the horrid dark timeline of yourself where you never escaped a horrible situation. It's a peek into the past at yourself when you were still in a much darker state, a hopeless and helpless world with no escape from abuse. As someone who's surpassed that place, made it an integral focus of his very identity to become the antithesis of that suffocated little boy who could not fight back... Swan would repulse him.

Swan is everything he has made a point not to be outwardly. Swan is still visibly the boy that was always alone at the Tree, with his purple eyes and jacket, his circlet and his pale bones. Nightmare is visibly so changed that there bears little echo of who he once was. But at their cores, they are very, very similar. There is always that lingering fear inside of them, that nothing will ever get better... that they will lose themselves and somehow reach the rock bottom once more, and never, ever crawl back out. That all along, there never was any difference from who they are now and all of the pitiful remnants of the child they were.

Nightmare and Swan are ever constantly fighting for autonomy and individuality, to me. I think they can seek an allyship or refuge in one another, for their pains are so intimately close that the understanding they achieve is so much more precious. Nightmare can encourage Swan to feel more confidence, to confide in him, and protects him or supports him. Swan to Nightmare encourages him to accept what he feels is repulsive about himself, to accept the person he's become.

Most of all, Nightmare would want to change and even "fix" Swan, because he wants most of all to be separated totally from Passive. But Swan's identity is his own, and they'd likely find some conflict in that, because his character and philosophy revolves around utilizing the past and the present's pains to push forward and become wiser. Nightmare is haunted by his past as Passive and wants to avoid or destroy it. Their fundamental ideologies clash, and probably lead to initial disgust or projected discomfort of Swan that forces them apart and makes Swan feel insecure and avoid him.

However, I still think they could very well become good friends or lovers- definitely friends first, though, and with much time and trust. I think they two would get lots of respect for each other and how the other has persevered and found their own way of living, because of what happened to them both. Also I want the two old men to kiss. Nightmare is self-aware and emotionally mature enough to get over himself and apologize, likely after some breaking point in their interactions- which leads to a lot more effort and communication put into understanding their differences and then, more about how to help one another grow and find peace.

One certainly can't deny the allure of a corruption arc for Swan, though. It would be so, so easy.

(clears my throat) Here's what you came for.

Nagging each other about literally anything

"come to the dark side"

Tired old men lounging on patio chairs watching their henchmen train while drinking tea or smoking (respectively)

"meet the family" same vibes as introducing your new friend or datemate to your dogs

Swan gets 3+ new overprotective friends/brothers/romantic interests

Training montage with Swan and Nightmare (and the others) that leads to increased comfort and skinship

Nightmare takes every opportunity to flirt with Swan

Nightmare teaches Swan a lot and they get into a dual tentative friendship and mentor-pupil relationship before Swan feels confident enough to start making moves back

"WOAH HE'S [A TOP] I DIDN'T KNOW THAT"

They're going to have to figure out that circlet. Either Swan takes it off or Nightmare resolves with his past

Reading books together and having their little book club. They're adorable

"I already read that before you"

"Your opinion is wrong and here's why (citing several paragraphs of the book)" "Your takes are rancid, (further citations)"

Revitalizing the cutthroat competitive spirit in Swan

The number one thing they're both most passionate about is who's right about the same book

Even if Nightmare doesn't personally enjoy/agree with the take, he'll go devil's advocate and double down on the argument just to spite Swan and win

Nightmare can stuff Swan into nicer clothing.

Swan always finds his way out of them with significantly more holes and tears (may or may not be Nightmare's fault)

Snark-off

Bitch fits

Swan causes problems on purpose when most comfortable

Lounging all over each other and casually flirting in front of the crew way too much