Warnings: Language, light smut, mild torture, masterbation

Chapter 4: Lustful Dreams

Bakugo hung naked in the black chains and shackles holding him. Blood dribbled down his back, buttocks, and thighs. He grits his teeth through the stinging pain the whip marks left on his bare back. He received twenty lashes but did not cry out or beg the dungeon master to stop. Bakugo simply endured the pain; he would not give in.

He was left to hang there for a few hours until the dungeon master finally released him. Bakugo fell onto the cold stone floor, catching himself with his aching arms. His wrists were raw from the shackles, and they started hurting once the blood started flowing again. Bakugo ignored whatever the dungeon master was saying and got up from the floor. He grabbed his jerkin and left the dungeon without a word. His back stung from the whip, and it hurt to even move his shoulders. Bakugo stumbled a few times when the pain got too intense. If he had the choice, he would string Tomura up by his thumbs and give him the same punishment, only it would be threefold. He could heal his back, but it would take a while, so he had to return to his rooms.

Bakugo was not expecting to cross paths in the hall with Deku. The Dream King was the last person he wanted to see. He'd bet Deku would laugh at him.

"Bakugo? Are you alright?" Deku gasped. "You're bleeding!"

"Fuck off… it's nothing," Bakugo said through grit teeth. He had to hold on to the wall to steady himself.

"It is something!" Bakugo watched Deku step behind him.

"Your back…what in the world happened?"

"Punishment," Bakugo answered flatly. "But I'm fine. They will heal on their own."

"These look bad,"

"I said I'm fine!" Bakugo shoved Deku away. "Leave me alone, nerd!"

"Let me help you!"

"And just what can you do to help me?" Bakugo asked with a forced scoff.

"I have some healing ability," Deku said. "I can't make the wounds go away, but I can stop the bleeding,"

Suddenly, Bakugo feels the pain leaving his back and is replaced with a strange warmth. He looked over his shoulder to see Deku with eyes closed and glowing with a pale, white hue. Bakugo no longer felt blood trickling down his back, and the pain wasn't as severe.

"What did you do?" Bakugo asked.

"Do you feel better?"

Bakugo reached his arm around to feel his back. The lashes were there, but they had stopped bleeding.

"Don't do magic on me!" He spun around to glare at Deku. "They would have healed on their own without your magic! I don't need or want any help from you!"

"Well, I wanted to help you," Deku said, his brows furrowed. "You should get some rest, so they can heal properly."

"Don't tell me what to do! I don't take orders from you!"

Izuku sighed and turned away from Bakugo, trying to find his way back to the gardens. He would need to rest soon, too, after healing Bakugo's wounds. The Nightmare Warlord was the most obnoxious and self-centered being he had ever met. And yet, there was something unique and interesting about him. It wasn't just the intimate nightmare he had; it was more than that. He seemed to be attracted to Bakugo in a strange, dark way. It could be the whole 'opposites attract' thing, but he can't take a lover.

Wait, 'lover'? When did he think of Bakugo like that? Izuku felt his cheeks heat with shy embarrassment. Why, out of all the people in the world, was he attracted to Bakugo? There has to be some underlying reason that he just wasn't seeing. He didn't like seeing Bakugo in pain, even though the Nightmare went out of his way to hide the pain. He could have fully healed Bakugo's wounds if he were stronger. He pushed the thoughts from his mind when he found the entrance to the garden.

Izuku went straight to the purple roses, taking in their beauty and fragrance. There was so much darkness here that these flowers were the only thing to help lift his spirits. He missed the Dream World, with its lush green pastures, rich forests, clear water, and bright blue skies. But while smelling the roses, he heard a whimpering sound like an animal's. Izuku walked around the rose bushes to see one of the nomus kneeling on the ground. The nomu didn't move to attack him or make any sudden moves. Izuku realized why it wasn't moving; it was injured. It had a large gash over its right leg. The nomu was looking at him as if asking for him to help.

Izuku could resist someone, or something, in need, so he decided to help the creature. Cautiously, he approached the nomu, holding his hands up to show that he wasn't planning to attack. The nomu looked from its leg to Izuku, those black eyes asking for help. Izuku spoke softly to the nomu as he knelt to look at the wounded leg. It was a deep, thick gash, but his healing powers will help with most of it. He summoned his power of pale light again and hovered his hand over the wound, tracing its length. The gash stopped bleeding, and it shrunk a little. It took a lot out of him, and he would have to rest afterward. He couldn't do another one of these healings until he was rested.

The nomu let out a screech that Izuku didn't know was a good sound or a bad one. Apparently, it had been a good one because the nomu licked his face with its giant tongue. Izuku was flattered and relieved that no harm came to him, but the goopy spit dripping down his cheek and some stuck in his hair wasn't the best feeling. Izuku used his poofy sleeve to wipe the spit away as much as possible.

"There, you're all better," he said to the nomu. "You can run off now." Izuku returned to the purple rose bushes but didn't return alone. At his heels, like a dog, was the nomu. "You can run off now," Izuku told it again, but it didn't move. It nudged the back of his leg with its big beak. "Are you not going to leave?" Izuku wasn't keen on having this thing following him around. But what else could he do? "Shoo." He tried again, but the beast remained. It was definitely smaller than an average nomu but big enough for him to ride on. "I guess you're going to keep following me," 'Maybe it will get bored and leave.'

But the nomu didn't leave his side, following Izuku all through the castle. Izuku began to think it might be a good idea to befriend a nomu. This one could prove helpful when it came time to escape. And throughout his exploration of the dark castle, he happened upon Tomura. Izuku wanted to grab the Nightmare by the horns and flip him like he did Bakugo.

"Hello," Izuku said, but Tomura didn't respond, only stared at him. "Is there something you need?" He asked, feeling creeped out by the eerie stare. Tomura didn't respond, but he did walk away, almost like he was in a trance. 'That was peculiar,' Izuku thought to himself. It might be safe to say that most Nightmares are a little weird.

Izuku stroked the top of the nomu's beak as he thought about his scoping of the castle and could not find an easy way to escape, if any. There was still the issue of the shard near his heart. He would need to get that figured out before he can plot an escape. But how best to remove the shard? Tomura put it there, and he obviously won't remove the shard. He did pass a library in the castle; maybe there was an answer to the shard in a tome. But he couldn't remember which direction the library was in or which floor of the castle it was.

He turned to the nomu, asking if he knew where the library was and not expecting an answer. Instead, the nomu stuck its long beak between Izuku's thighs and heaved him onto his back. Izuku yelped, and his eyes crossed when he landed none-too-gently on his groin. He never did mastered riding. He didn't need to ride because he had wings. But the nomu turned and started to run. Izuku held on to the nomu's collar as they moved through the castle. It was fun, Izuku thought, and he smiled at the joy he was feeling. The nomu brought him to the library, and Izuku slid off, thanking the creature for the ride. The nomu, of course, decided to join him.

"There are so many books…I wouldn't even know where to start," Izuku trailed his fingers along the spines of the tomes, reading their titles.

He must have looked at over a hundred-plus tomes until he found one that caught his eye. It was a history book called 'Dreams and Nightmares.' Izuku pulled the book from its spot and sat in one of the chairs, the nomu coming to sit quietly beside him. He knew a little about the history of Nightmareland but knew much more about the Dream World for obvious reasons. Both were born at the dawn of time when humans began to evolve, and they have been present ever since. One cannot have good unless evil exists, and evil can't exist without good. They were two sides of the same coin. Evil can only advance if good people do nothing.

Izuku glanced through the pages of the book, looking for anything that might have to do with shards or curses. He was coming up empty. But he did read a few passages about Nightmareland and his world. It said that good dreams came first, but when humans started evolving, they started to act cruelly to one another, fighting for dominance and the like. They were also scared of the night because dangerous things could happen in the dark. With that fear and that evil, the Nightmare was born. Oddly enough, the book doesn't say how many Nightmare Kings there were. There were many Kings of Dreams, a long line of them. This could only mean that the Nightmare King has been ruling over Nightmareland since the dawn of human cruelty.

'That's interesting,' Izuku thought to himself. 'So, it's safe to say that the Nightmare King came from the Dream World, but ended up corrupted. That's just like the rumor to Tomura having once lived in the Dream World. I wonder if Bakugo is from the Dream World, too? That white light and warm feeling we shared…was it somehow connected?' The nomu put its massive head in Izuku's lap, and Izuku blindly stroked the beak. 'Still nothing about curses, though- wait!'

Izuku saw a mention of crystals, and he read through it. The information was seven pages long, mostly showing what type of crystals could be found in Nightmareland and what they do or are used for. Izuku read through each one carefully until he found what he had been searching for; the Shard Stone. It's used as a curse, created by the Nightmare King eons ago, as a way to keep prisoners from escaping. The only way to remove it is to have the one who gave it willingly remove it. Another way was to cancel it out with another shard. But who makes the shards? Is it every Nightmare, or just some? The passage didn't say anything more.

'If that's the case…then I need to befriend Tomura and get him to trust me, so he can remove it unless I can find another to cancel it out,' His thoughts immediately went to Bakugo, and he flushed. "I doubt he would help me," He looked down at the nomu. "I don't suppose you have anything?"

The nomu remained silent.

"Well, at least I know what I have to do," Izuku sighed. 'This isn't going to be easy…I don't like tricking people, but I need to get out of here and return home. My people and the humans need me.'

"OW! DAMN IT!"

Bakugo hissed as he settled himself down into hot herbal bathwater. The water stung his lashes as soon as they touched. But the pain was just a reminder of how he didn't give in. If he had cried out or begged for the dungeon master to stop, he would have had fewer lashes, but he would never give in. Nothing would wound his pride. Plus, the pain wasn't as bad as it had been in the past, and he took that as the help of Deku's healing touch.

'Pfft. Deku. What a nerd and a loser,' he settled into the water, his wounds finally getting used to the heat. He let out a contented sigh. 'Stupid nerd…he pisses me off!' If Deku made him so mad, then why was he getting an erection at the thought of him? Bakugo tried to will the erection away, but it only grew more. 'Shit…' he had to do away with the erection the only way he could, which he hadn't done in a long time.

He slipped his hand under the water to grip his cock and start stroking it. He tried to think of anything but Deku, yet his mind kept flashing pictures of the Dream King. Those emerald green eyes with starlight haunted him, drawing him in like a siren's song. He let his mind wander as he stroked faster. He imagined Deku on a bed of pure white sheets, naked and bleeding from bite marks. Deku's face was flushed with shame and pleasure as he writhed on the bed, keeping his knees closed to preserve his dignity. Bakugo easily pried the legs apart, exposing all of Deku's sensitive parts and relishing in the shock on the Dream King's face. Those green eyes were clouded heavy with lust; and they told Bakugo to ravish him, and he did. Deku's virgin body would be tight and warm; and the Dream Kings' innocence would be his. To defile a pure-hearted and pure-body person was delicious, darkly delicious. And Deku liked it. So did he, and he came under the water.

Panting, Bakugo opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. He hadn't reached release in a long time. He just didn't have the urge until Deku showed up. If Deku weren't preserved for the Nightmare King, he would have him. But there was something else on his mind, something that was bothering him. He did notice the way Tomura looked at Deku, with longing. Tomura is attracted to Deku. Bakugo found himself smirking and chuckled to himself. How humorous that would be to see Tomura attack the Nightmare King to win Deku for himself. Bakugo didn't care if the Nightmare King was released or not, so long as he could continue giving bad dreams and fighting.

But there was one tiny little voice in the back of his head that said, 'Deku is yours.' It was a soft voice, almost a whisper. He willed the voice away.

'I don't need or want anyone,' Bakugo said to himself. 'Having someone will only get in my way. I'm a Nightmare Warlord; I fight to kill and give evil people bad dreams. There's no room in my heart for a lover, only darkness and fighting.' But that same little voice popped up again, and it even flashed an image of Deku smiling happily at him. His heart gave a little flutter. "DAMN IT!" He needed to hit something, so he hit the water, splashing it all over the floor. There has to be a way to stop thinking about that nerd, Deku. Maybe if they spar again, he can clobber him, if anything just to ease his frustration.

But the nerd did heal his back…Deku didn't have to do that. The wounds would have hurt for a much longer period of time. Just how much power does the Dream King have, he wondered. Deku must have a lot, since it's by his willpower alone that gives life to the Dream World. Nightmareland wasn't like that, they are ruled by one person, currently the Nightmare King regent. Why does the Dream World enact rules that are so much different than theirs? Why did the Dream World need the willpower of prayer to keep it alive? For a realm that gives good dreams and lives in a land of light, they were selfish. He wouldn't go for that if the roles were reversed. At least being the Nightmare King gave one power to do as they please, unlike the Dream World, which was restricted. Once they take over the Dream World, Bakugo himself will see to it that rules are changed. There has to be a way to change the current ruling structure of the Dream World.

His bathwater grew cold, so he got out and started to change into his evening wear. The fabric was bothering his slashes, so he chose to sleep shirtless. He couldn't lay down on his back, and he hated sleeping on his belly. He felt more vulnerable laying on his belly because it wasn't easy to see someone, or something, try to attack him. At least on his back, he would be more alert and aware of what is happening around him. He grumbled to himself and closed his eyes, trying to think of nothing (Deku) as he fell asleep.

Izuku sat in his room on the bed, weaving another good dream for Tomura upon request. The next good dream was for Bakugo. He knows Bakugo doesn't want him working his dream magic, but the Nightmare Warlord was in need of something nice. In fact, everyone living in Nightmareland should try to experience happier things. It is likely that the Nightmares don't dream unless one is woven for them, just like in the Dream World.

And tonight, he will try something different; he will put his real self in Bakugo's dream, not just his dream form.

"May these good dreams find you," Izuku said with a prayer, and then set his prayers to the Dream World.

Tomura knew he was in one of Izuku's good dreams because of the warmth. He was standing in a large valley full of different colored flowers and flowing green grass. Tomura was afraid to walk through the flowers, or even touch them because he feared they would melt away. But everything was so warm and beautiful, he felt happiness and joy. The flowers of colors brought him joy, a sensation he hasn't felt in this manner. Ruling, punishing, and weaving nightmares is what gave him joy. He never thought there was anything else. And there seems to be something familiar about it. Suddenly, Izuku was standing before him, dressed all in white, with a colored flower crown on his head. Izuku smiled and held out a hand.

"Come walk with me,"

"But…I destroy everything I touch," He replied.

"Not here you won't. I promise."

Trembling slightly, Tomura reaches his hand out and takes Izuku's, touching the skin with all five fingers. Izuku's hand didn't turn gray or crumble away. Tomura's eyes widened in surprise and awe. In a good dream like this one, his power doesn't hold the same effect. Then, Izuku smiled warmly at him and pulled him into the field of flowers. Tomura was able to walk among the colorful flowers without them turning to dust. The air was warm, and there was a sweet smell on the breeze. Tomura never wanted to leave this place.

But then he woke up, finding himself back in his dark, cold room. He reached over to the bedside table and grabbed the cup of black water he had with all five fingers. The cup turned to dust, and the water spilled out on the floor. He was back to his usual self, destroying anything he touched.

He was dangerously thinking about taking Izuku for his own, and never letting the Nightmare King free. But thinking on it further, he doesn't have the power to keep the Nightmare King encased in that crystal. The humans were doing it, not him. If he does take Izuku, he will likely be punished by the Nightmare King. Before he was encased in the crystal, the Nightmare King was already looking for a bride, and his eyes were set on the current Dream King of that time. But then All Might came into the picture and sealed the Nightmare King away. Their plan for the Dream World domination was halted, but now it was closer. He just wanted Izuku to be his; he wanted to feel happiness and joy with Izuku just like in the dream.

"He makes me happy…I've never felt happiness like this before…"

"Damn that nerdy Deku! He put in one of his stupid dreams again! I have to wake up!"

"Kacchan!"

"Huh? What? 'Kacchan'?"

"I'm over here!"

Bakugo found himself in the woods with healthy green trees and grass. Deku was ahead of him, standing in an open area, waving to him. Bakugo rushed to him, ready to pummel the Dream King into the dream dirt, but he stopped when he entered into the glen. Deku stood in the center of the glen, surrounded by small bugs blinking with lights. The moon was out, and it was so bright that the glen looked like it was shrouded in sunlight. Little purple flowers dotted the moss covered ground, and when Bakugo stepped on it, he found it was soft. He crouched down to touch it, it was spongy, and so, so soft.

"This is one of my favorite places to come," Deku told him.

"I told you to stay out of my head," Bakugo said, standing up.

"I think you like seeing these good dreams," Deku said. "And I tried something new. I am actually my real self, not just the dream me."

Bakugo narrowed his eyes at Deku. "So, you haven't been putting your real self into these good dreams?"

"No, and this is my first time trying, and it worked," Deku smiled at him and even flushed. "You know…I've been thinking about you a lot…"

Bakugo felt his cock start to swell. "Thinking about me how?"

"Just…in ways I shouldn't be thinking," Deku said. "In the real world, I cannot take a lover; I'm married to the Dream World as its king. If I marry the Nightmare King, then the Dream World will all but disappear…at least, that's what I worry will happen. A Dream and a Nightmare have yet to be married."

"The Dream World won't last once the Nightmare King is released," Bakugo said. "You might as well get used to the idea."

He watched Deku's shoulders slump slowly, and the look of woefulness in those green eyes. He didn't like the way it made him feel, like he was feeling sympathy for another. Deku seemed to have a little too much power in this dream, and Bakugo wanted to see how far he could go. He could try to make this dream into a nightmare, but something stopped him. Maybe he wouldn't turn it into a nightmare, but he could still gain control over it. If there was one thing he hated most of all, it was losing his control.

Deku looked stunning in the moonlight with the little lightning bugs floating around him. The Dream King had a little blush beneath the freckles, and Bakugo found himself staring. He marched up to Deku and pulled the man into a kiss. Deku's lips were soft and warm. Deku tried to push him away, but Bakugo took control and wrapped his arms around the other, trapping him in an embrace. Bakugo plundered Deku's mouth, arching the other backward in his hold. He used his long tongue to probe Deku's mouth and the back of his throat. Deku was moaning and making noises, pushing on his shoulders. Bakugo broke the kiss, and Deku let in a deep gasp of air. Deku's lips were already kiss-swollen, and those green eyes with starlight became heavy lidded with pleasure. Even if this was just a dream, it tasted and sounded real enough.

"You can't…we can't…I can't do that," Deku protested.

Bakugo smirked and let out a chuckle. "Judging by your blush and that tent in the front of your clothing, you're lying to yourself." Bakugo watched Deku try to hide his erection with both hands. "Knock it off,"

Bakugo grabbed both of Deku's wrists and wrestled the man to the mossy ground. Deku looked up at him, surprised, and tried to squirm away. Bakugo shoved his thigh between Deku's, keeping them open. He felt Deku's erection against his thigh, and the other let out a little whimper. Deku tried to cover his flushing face with his hands, but Bakugo moved to place them beside his head. He had Deku perfectly pinned underneath him.

"You're liking this," Bakugo said with a smirk, pushing a little harder on Deku's groin. He let out a short laugh when Deku's hips pushed against his thigh. The Dream King moaned again. "I think you just like the fact that you can be ravished by a Nightmare, your sworn enemy. You're a dirty-minded little Dream King, aren't you?"

Bakugo wasn't prepared for that same thigh to come up and strike his cock with force. It was odd how he felt the pain, and he had to move off of Deku. Deku got up, still flushed, aroused, and panting, but giving him a nasty look.

"You went too far," Deku said.

Bakugo, grunted as he stood up, glared back at Deku. "The fact that I can…feel pain in this dream…is peculiar." He straightened his back. "If we fuck in these dreams, they won't carry into the real world," he watched Deku's eyes widened at that. He smirked. "And I can have you here, and let the Nightmare King have you out there."

"I…I can't be with anyone like that," Deku said.

"In here you can,"

Deku turned away with a flush. "I…I can't risk that," then he turned back to Bakugo. "Besides, you're not exactly the type to devote yourself to someone, and I wouldn't want a…casual relationship."

"Ha! Those are some pure thoughts for someone with a raging hard on," He enjoyed the angry blush across Deku's features.

"It's time to wake up!" Deku shouted and snapped his fingers.

Bakugo woke up back in his room, but he was grinning maniacally ear to ear. He had the Dream King right where he wants him. And this time, he'll be active in the nightmare he plans to send Deku. Deku won't be able to escape, and they can pick up where they left off.

TBC