#ttsmp

The thing about having his family here, is that they aren’t afraid to say what they think. No one except Dream can hear them anyway.

“You’re stupid,” Robin tells Quackity as he raises the axe one more time.

“You’ll never get Them back,” Catt says, his eyes gleaming. (He can’t see how Quackity’s expression lingers on the friendship bracelet on Dream’s wrist but he knows all the same.)

“You will die and history will delete you from its records.” Robin says when Dream dies again.

“A shame that you are killing my partner.”

“Stop.”

Quackity’s head tilts like he wasn’t expecting Dream to say anything. A grin splits his face, and he says “You don’t tell me when to stop. I’ll let you know when it’s over.”

And it starts again.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

“Just wait for the Warden,” Catt says. “He’ll be here soon.”

“You aren’t real.” Dream says. “Catt’s gone, and so’s Robin. Dead. Their remains were burned, and The town torn down.”

Robin looks sad for a moment before shrugging. “That’s what happens sometimes.”

Dream looks at them, and then the Warden is there. He props Dream up and forces a healing pot down his throat.

And then he stays for a moment, breath hitching and his fingers Ghost through Dream’s hair.

“Just tell him what he wants to know, Dream,” he says. “Just tell him and this can stop.”

Catt’s blank eyes stare into Dream’s. He feels his fingers reform, and Catt says:

“Don’t.”

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

“You are stronger,” Catt tells him. “You can do this.”

“I can’t I can’t I can’t.” Dream sobs, and then screams when Quackity hits him.

“Who are you talking to, Dream? There’s just me and you.”

“You are, beloved. You are so much stronger. You have to be.”

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

“You can’t tell him, Dad.” Robin says. “He’s only going to get worse.”

“I want it to stop.”

(Warden inspects the cell the next day, checking things out and making sure there’s no bugs or anything.

Catt and Robin watch with dark eyes.)

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Dream doesn’t break. By something sent by DreamXD himself, Dream does not break.

But he wants to. He wants to so so bad.

But he doesn’t and Quackity only grows more and more frustrated.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

“Cornelius, darling.” Catt says, his fingers ghosting through Dream’s fingers. “Can you hang on a little longer?”

Dream doesn’t say anything. He looks at the ghost of his past lover, and he reaches for something. Anything.

“Dad.” Robin mutters, and tries to press his forehead against Dream’s. “Dad, you can stay awake can’t you? For a little longer. Just until Papa comes home?”

Dream turns to look at his son, wincing as his head moves. Robin’s eyes are dead, dead, dead. “Robin,” Dream mumbles. “Hello, Son.”

Catt’s voice is a rumble, low and soothing. “You have to hold on just a bit longer. You can do that, right Cornelius? Just until the Warden returns?”

“I don’t know.” Dream says. He’s shaky, eyeing lava curtain that should be there but isn’t.

Robin leans forward, trying to hold onto Dream’s hands. “Dad,” he whispers. “Come on, Dad. Get up.”

“We can go far away,” Catt promises. “You just need to hold on a little longer.”

Dream closes his eyes and he knows that his family is exchanging looks above him.

“That’s okay, Darling.” Catt says, pretending to stroke Dream’s tears away. “If you want to sleep, I won’t stop you.”

“Catt,” Dream says. “Catt, can you tell me a story?”

And Dream opens his eyes, just a slit, to see Robin curling up near Catt’s arm. “A story?” Catt asks, playfully. “Are we putting Robin to bed?”

Dream almost laughs, but instead stays silent. Catt wraps an arm around Robin and hums thoughtfully.

“Once upon a time, there was two princes. The first one was exiled as a child, pushed away from their home and made to wander the Earth forever. Though he did not know the second part. The other one was mortal, made to life and live just like mortals do. Now the second prince lived with his son, and he was happy but he didn’t love anyone like he was made to.”

Robin shuffles, and Dream thinks he hears something dropping into the water behind him again.

“The first prince met the second one. The Immortal did not fall in love, but the Mortal did. He loved his partner even though he couldn’t see him; his child loved his partner. The mortal spent countless hours, showing the Immortal life, and showing him countless beautiful things that the mortal could not see.

‘How can you find beauty?’ The Immortal asked.

‘It is just as easy as finding you,’ the mortal replied.”

Catt pauses, and Dream hears footsteps. Something settles him, and he takes a breath. Catt continues

“They married toward the end of spring, on the day that the Immortal found the town. They lived together, happily until—“

“Papa,” Robin says quietly. “Can it be a happy story? Just for a little longer?”

“It always is, Robin.” Catt smiles. “The two lived happily together, and they watched their child grow into a handsome young person, marry a handsome young man and have plenty of grandchildren.”

“Dream!” Someone shouts.

“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?” Someone else screams.

“I don’t know, Puffy,” the Warden snarls, low and dangerous and Dream with shy away if he had the strength.

Dream feels Robin at his side. “You can rest now, Dad.” He says. “We’ll be right here when your ghost forms.”

“We won’t leave you.”

“Dream stay with me,” Someone pleads. Dream can’t remember their name. It’s just Robin by his side, Catt on his other side, and Dream feels Robin’s hands in his.

“Promise?”

“Promise? Promise what?”

“Promise.”