And second for today. I really hope we can get this over soon so I can start the sequel and I hope the fast pace isn't too much for you guys.

I lay awake in my bed. For some reason, even though it usually is easy for me, I don't seem to be able to fall asleep.

Slowly I turn onto my side and stare over the dark room towards Tavros's bed. I can barely make out his form in the dark. He looks like he's on either of his sides, but I can't really tell if he's facing me or not.

He has his blankets pulled up all the way to his face and after staring at him for a bit I decide he is indeed facing me. For a while nothing happens. It is quiet, no cars are heard, no animals, nothing. I shudder as the wind suddenly picks up and blows hard against the building.

I glance at the window before looking back at Tav and jump up. I blink a few times, but there's nothing weird anywhere. God, I could have sworn Tav had just been staring at me with blank white eyes.

I stay there for a while, sitting on my bed, leaning against the wall. I don't really feel like going to sleep. I'm afraid I'll see nightmares again. And I don't want to. I continue to stare at Tavros for god knows how long.

Finally I feel my eyes droop and slowly slip back under the covers. I really should get some shut eye, even if I don't have work tomorrow.

After trying again I manage to fall asleep. The dream starts out in the carnival my mother took me to when I was young. I walk into a colorful tent, but inside it isn't fun at all. It's exactly the opposite.

The tent from inside is dark. It has huge shadows everywhere and there are exactly zero people there. The tent itself is huge and I barely can make out the other end of it. I walk to the center where there is a tiny circle of light. I stand there dark long strands of hair hanging on my face and I notice a mirror.

Slowly I approach the mirror and look at myself. I have my polka-dotted pants, a loose gray T-shirt and my hair is a total mess. I look at my face a bit closer and my purplish eyes stare back at me.

I hear a sound from behind. Footsteps. Slowly I raise my gaze upwards and a figure is standing behind me. A ringmaster with clown make-up on. He is smiling crookedly at me and I stare back, afraid to move. The ringmaster slowly pulls out three knifes. He leans over me and scratches the mirror across my reflections face. I wince as I feel the pain of the sharp metal break my skin, but for some reason I still can't move.

Then the ringmaster is gone and I stagger back, falling on the ground clutching my face and a booming voice shouts through the empty tent.

"Welcome to the Dark Carnival, brother."

I bolt up as I feel someone shake me and try to calm down my uneven breathing. With wide eyes I look around and see Tav in his wheelchair next to my bed, looking frightened.

"G-gamzee, a-are you all right?" he asks voice shaking. "Y-you were screaming."

"Damn. Sorry, bro, just a bad dream", I say brushing some cold sweat from my forehead. I'm still trying to calm my breathing but I still manage to smile anyways.

Tavros on the other hand doesn't seem convinced.

"I'm serious. You were screaming like you were in pain", he said sternly, clearly worried out of his mind.

"Really, it was just a bad motherfucking dream", I repeat, not wanting to go into details.

"Fine..." Tavros says after a few seconds of unsure silence. He pulls my face to his own and kisses me quickly, catching me off guard once again.

"Night", he says and goes back to his bed. I lie back down and watch as he gets into his own bed, into a comfortable position and looks at me smiling tiredly. I feel bad for waking him up, but at the same time I'm happy he's there for me.

Slowly I fall into a sleep and this time it isn't filled with creepy ass tents or carnivals. I am, though woken up by the doorbell.

"Gamzee, could you get that?" Tavros asks groggily and it seems only reasonable for me to do it. For him it would take too long. I groan and pull myself out of bed. I am way too sleepy to put on any clothes other than the boxers I'm already wearing and walk to the door.

I open the door and lean against the doorframe looking at the old granny standing there. She eyes me suspiciously for a second before looking up at my face.

"Have you ever heard about clothes?" she asks sounding a tad angry.

"Well I'm not naked, so yes. You ever thought about how early you come knocking on doors?" I retort and she frowns.

"The other boy is a lot nicer. I brought him some cookies, I remembered them yesterday", she says handing me the basket.

"Yeah, I'll give 'em to him", I say grinning again.

"Thank you. Good bye", she says and I swear I heard her muttering something about teens today.

I bring the cookies into my room and put them down on the desk. Next I slip into Tav's bed and hug him from behind.

"Who was it?" he asks still a bit groggy.

"The old lady from next door", I answer nuzzling my face into his soft hair.

"Oh. And you opened the, uhh, door in your boxers?" he asks.

"Yeah, is there a motherfucking problem?" I ask pulling my head back as he turns around. The serious expression on his face makes me frown a bit.

"Yes. Only I can see those abs of yours", he says and kisses me.

The kiss catches I off-guard yet again and it takes me a second, but finally I return the kiss. I let my hand slip down to his waist but he stops me there, ending the kiss.

"Mm?" I hum, opening my eyes. Wait, when did I close them?

"Not now", he says smiling a bit, but sounding serious. "Not, uh, yet, at least."

I just nuzzle my face into the crook of his neck and nod a bit, making him chuckle.

"No hurry", I say, still feeling a bit empty about the rejection, but perfectly okay with taking my time. "You're the best."

"You are too", he says and I can just about hear the smile on his face.