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It was a quiet night in the castle.
Centipede was up far later than they were supposed to be. They delicately carry a glass of water in their hands as they navigate the sprawling, dark halls back to their bedroom.
Navigating the castle in the dead of night would be scarier for any other small skeleton, but Centipede has lived in these halls all their life. They found the faint creaking and constant smell of dust comforting, almost. Their father did always say they were brave.
As they passed by Nightmare’s study, they heard murmurs from inside. They paused in front of the large, slightly agape doors.
“…Centipede can’t…”
They flinched at the sound of their name. Sounded like Dust. Sounded like he’s frustrated.
But if they’re talking about Centipede, surely it wouldn’t hurt to listen in…?
They gently placed the glass of water on the ground before pressing their face to the gap in the doors. From this angle, Centipede could see Nightmare, nothing but a shadow in his desk chair, and Dust in front of his desk, tightly gripping a lit cigarette, tail flicking irritably.
“I understand your apprehension, but you understood this would happen when you had them.” Nightmare’s chilly voice cuts through the tension, so strangely calm. Centipede mentally notes to ask what “apprehension” means later.
“Not about you amputating their-”
“That’s enough. This conversation is pointless.” Nightmare cuts off Dust. “They will be joining, and the necessary precautions will be taken. You don’t have a say in this.”
Dust sighed before slamming the desk, making Centipede twitch. “Horror, are you gonna fucking say anything?” He yelled.
They didn’t even realize Horror was there, not visible from their slim view of the study. It’s hard to hear as he mutters, but whatever he said makes Dust slam the desk again.
As Dust took a drag of his cigarette, Centipede’s vision started to blur, face growing hot and tears threatening to bubble over.
They should back out before things get worse. Before their crying gave them away. They turned to grab their water and-
THUNK.
Their tail whacked against the door to the study, ringing out in the quiet hall.
They froze.
“Centipede.”
They covered their mouth to stifle a sob. Maybe if they were very quiet-
“Look at me, Centipede.”
Nightmare was already behind them, a tendril cupping their face to make them turn towards him. They see Dust peeking out of the study, concern etched on his shadowed face.
“Were you listening to us?”
Centipede frantically nods, tears dripping down their face now. Honesty gets less punishment.
He squeezed their face with his tentacle, staring at them, analyzing. After far too long of a pause, he let go.
“We’ll talk about this later. Go back to sleep.”
He crept back into the study, closing the doors firmly behind him, leaving Centipede teary-eyed and confused.
They didn’t hesitate to leave, grabbing their cup and rushing back to their room. They hoped- prayed- that later never comes.
----
They didn’t sleep. Curled up tightly in their blankets, they stared at the wall. They barely even drank their water, too anxious to stomach it.
They didn’t know how long it had been when their door creaks open, Nightmare’s imposing figure standing in the frame.
“Get up.” He beckoned, his voice hushed and sweet. “I have something important for you to do.”
Centipede perks up. If he was trusting them with something important, maybe he really did forget about them listening in on him.
They untangled themselves from their sheets and scrambled over to Nightmare’s side, trying to look as attentive as possible. He takes their small hand and leads them down the winding, shadowy hallways of the castle.
“I’m sorry you had to hear that conversation between me and your fathers. I know you don’t like yelling.”
They couldn’t tell where he’s bringing them, the endless cobblestone walls all looked the same, aside from a sparse few paintings covered with cloth.
“… ‘t’s okay. Sorry for spying on you.”
Nightmare chuckled.
They gripped Nightmare’s hand tighter. “What’s the thing I have to do?”
He chuckled again. Centipede didn’t understand what was so funny about that.
“Be patient, Centi. That kind of rashness doesn’t get you anywhere.”
Centipede grumbled, tugging on Nightmare’s hand to try and get him to move faster, but he kept at his own languid pace until they gave up.
Though, it isn’t long until they’ve arrived at their destination, a small room that smells like lemon scented cleaner. There were a sparse few beds with thin sheets and shelves filled of medicines and bandages and scissors.
It was the infirmary.
“I’m not hurt.” Centipede muttered as Nightmare urged them onto one of the beds.
“It’s a precaution.” He helped them up on the mattress as his tentacles rifled through the room, grabbing various objects. “If you want to go on missions, we have to do something about this nasty thing.”
They perked up at the mention of joining missions. They kicked their feet excitedly as they asked, “What thing?”
He tapped their bruised tail. Centipede’s mood sours immediately, flicking it away from his touch.
“It’s not nasty. It’s a normal tail.”
“You don’t know how to control it yet.” He took something from his tentacles that looks like a misshapen, toothed knife. “And that would cause a lot of problems for you.”
A lump started to form in Centipede’s throat as one of his tendrils turned them towards the wall, away from him. He doesn’t let go. Another one crept up to their face, covering their mouth.
“Bite this if you need to. It won’t hurt me.”
He grabbed their tail, yanking it out straight as they desperately try to thrash it. Something’s wrong. Something’s wrong and they needed to get out of here immediately.
A hand forced their tail down, immobilizing it. They struggle and writhe but Nightmare just squeezed them tighter.
Suddenly, there was a burning pain in the base of their tail.
They screamed but his tendril pushes further against their mouth, muffling it. They cried and bit and whimpered but it remains unmoving. He doesn’t even flinch.
The pain flared as it went deeper, under the layer of bone and into the marrow. Their was face wet and burning, the taste of blood mixing with the unripe apple of Nightmare’s tentacle.
They heard him mutter something, but their brain was too crowded to make it out. Nausea started to crawl up their throat. They think they’re going to die here.
And then it was over. A sharp pain still lingered, but there was no more burning. Nightmare let go of them and they nearly collapsed forward off of the bed.
Their breaths were shallow and panicked. Nightmare propped them up with a tendril and planted a light kiss on their forehead.
“You did great, Centipede.”
They sluggishly turned to face him, vision still blurred from the tears. He’s holding their tail, detached from their body, bleeding purple from the end.
They tried to mumble something, an objection, a cry for help, anything, but all that falls out are blubbers and tears. Nightmare shushes them, wrapping his arm around their shoulders.
“It’s okay, it’s over now. Just breath…”
They threw themselves against his chest, pressing their head against him until they could hear his soulbeat. He paused before cradling them, guiding them to take deep breaths.
When their breathing finally stabilized and Nightmare’s jacket was thoroughly wet with tears, he took some items from the end table next to them- bandages and two pill containers.
He gently wrapped the stump of their tail with the gauze, muttering faint affections to them all the while. You’re very strong for your age and you’ll make such a great subordinate, it all went over Centipede’s head. The adrenaline had worn off, and their tail was burning. It was hard to not flinch as Nightmare closes up the bandages.
He handed them two pills. “One to help with the pain, and one to make sure the wound doesn’t get infected.” They took both gratefully.
Immediately, they started to feel sluggish and dizzy, tightly gripping the sheets underneath them to stay conscious. They turned to Nightmare nervously, attempting to voice their concern, but he grabbed them by the shoulder and carefully motioned them down on their side. “That’s the painkiller. It makes you tired, that’s normal.” he reassured, tossing the thin blanket over them.
“Goodnight Centipede.”
----
Centipede struggled to open their eyes. They were… vaguely aware of the yelling going on around them. They recognized Dust’s voice, and Nightmare’s, but whatever they were saying was completely lost on them.
Despite their best efforts, their eyes fluttered close again.
----
They’re awake again, though barely, as their head still feels like it’s full of cotton.
The yelling has quieted, or at least muffled. They strained to sit up, still blinking away grogginess. They wracked their brain for why they’re in the infirmary until their brain snatched on the memories of Nightmare pulling their tail taut, the burning, sharp pain, him holding their bleeding, severed-
Suddenly, large arms wrapped around them.
Oh. Horror is here.
Centipede squeezed him back, the faint smell of cigarette smoke a welcome comfort for once.
“How… how are you feelin’?” He hesitated to release them, hands lingering at their sides.
They slapped what’s left of their tail against the bed- ow. Maybe they shouldn’t have done that, however, it was definitely less pained than before. Nightmare didn’t lie.
“I’m fine.” they muttered, trying to peek past Horror and out the infirmary doors, but they’re already closed. Horror pulled them back towards him.
“Dust ‘n Boss are talkin’ right now. I’m here to keep you company.” He gave a strained smile, pulling them back into another hug.
The shouting could still be heard from outside, until there was a loud thud, and suddenly, it stopped.
Horror squeezed them tighter.