Apparition x Nightmare

Nightmare had never been particularly impressed by the night sky. Stars were pretty enough, certainly, and he could appreciate something visually interesting when he saw it, but he had never understood why so many dragons seemed content to sit around staring upward for hours. There were things happening below them that were considerably more interesting. Yet tonight, he found himself lingering beside the water, his many limbs settled awkwardly against the shore as his strange body curled around itself. The surface of the water stretched out before him, dark and nearly motionless, reflecting scattered points of light from above. It was only when something enormous shifted beneath the surface that Nightmare's attention moved away from the stars.

Apparition emerged without warning, as they so often did. Their colossal form rose slowly from the depths, water cascading from their dark body as they broke the surface just enough to breathe and look around. Even partially submerged, they were enormous, their presence making the water seem smaller simply by occupying it. They could fly if they wanted to, but there was little reason for them to leave the water when they were perfectly suited to the depths. Their movements were far more natural there, their immense body gliding beneath the surface with an ease that was difficult to replicate anywhere else. Tonight, however, they remained near the surface, their head rising above the water while the rest of them remained hidden beneath it.

Nightmare watched them for a moment, several eyes narrowing with amusement. Apparition had appeared so silently that, had Nightmare been anyone else, they might have startled him. Instead, he shifted his weight and leaned closer to the water, watching the strange deep-sea dragon with open curiosity. Apparition did not seem particularly concerned by his presence. They simply floated there, their gaze occasionally moving toward him before returning toward the sky. It was an odd sort of company, but Nightmare found himself settling more comfortably beside the water rather than leaving. He had no particular reason to stay. That, perhaps, was what made it interesting.

The stars became brighter as the night deepened. Their reflections scattered across the surface around Apparition, broken whenever the colossal dragon moved. For a while, Nightmare watched the stars above, then the stars below, and then Apparition themselves. The contrast amused him. Above them was an enormous open sky filled with distant points of light, while beneath the surface was an entirely different world that he could barely see. Apparition belonged to that hidden world. They could rise into the sky if they wished, but they seemed content to remain where the water surrounded them, occasionally sinking until only the top of their head remained visible before returning to the surface.

Nightmare eventually stretched one of his limbs toward the water, stopping just short of touching Apparition. He didn't try to grab them or pull them closer. There was no need. Instead, he let his claws rest against the wet stone at the water's edge while his gaze drifted back toward the sky. The two dragons remained there together, one on land and one mostly submerged, neither requiring the other to change where they were comfortable. It was strangely peaceful, especially considering Nightmare's usual tendency to turn almost any situation into an opportunity to cause trouble.

After some time, Apparition drifted closer.

Nightmare noticed immediately.

The colossal dragon's movement sent gentle ripples toward the shore, disturbing the reflections of the stars until the water glittered with shifting fragments of light. Apparition's head remained above the surface, close enough now that Nightmare could see them clearly. He tilted one of his heads, studying them with that familiar, smug curiosity, but he made no attempt to tease or provoke them. Instead, he simply remained where he was, allowing Apparition to decide how close they wanted to be.

Perhaps that was the most interesting part of the evening.

Nightmare had not expected to enjoy simply sitting beside another dragon without needing to dominate the situation. Apparition had not asked anything of him, offered anything obvious in return, or even needed to leave the water to share the moment. They simply stayed, watching the stars with him.

For once, Nightmare seemed content to let the night continue without trying to control where it went.