the last | awesamdude

Ch.2 - The Mineshaft and the Mixed Feelings

Asteria

***

Dream hadn't said much, but then again he usually doesn't. Not after he visits Tommy. He appears so emotionless after seeing Tommy, it's heartbreaking to see, but I don't say anything about it. At least not now. Not now.

He had never showed up for training, so I trained on my own as usual. It was only in the late evening that he returned, storming into my house and whisking me away to the mineshaft he promised.

I swung my sword through the cobwebs, occasionally getting stuck in them. The mineshaft Dream found was wondrous - I've found lots of redstone, nametags, gunpowder, and even gold and iron. There was a chest lodged into a minecart up ahead, barely peeking out of a shadowed corner of the mineshaft. I raced ahead to get it, and once I opened I let out a surprised gasp.

"Dream! There's diamonds in this one!" I told him excitedly.

He appeared by my side not long after, examining the three diamonds in my hand, "Good job." I handed one to him, but he just chuckled and handed it back, "Those are yours. You found them, you keep them."

"But-" 

"Nope."

"Dream." I whined, but before he could mock me or just tell me no again a horribly familiar hissing noise was heard behind me, and before I could react, Dream pulled me behind him and wrapped himself around me as the explosion of a creeper launched us into a pile of gravel nearby.

Neither of us were hurt, but Dream let out a groan, "What have I told you about wearing your armor when we go exploring mineshafts?"

"I don't want to damage it." I explained, still wrapped around him.

"Well, I don't want you being damaged." He chuckled and pulled me closer as he played with my hair.

In moments like these I tend to forget the bad parts of him. He lacks remorse and emotion a lot of the time and he blows me off and most likely is harassing Tommy in exile, but it's so hard to imagine how awful he is when his head is buried in my shoulder and he tells me how precious I am. We've been friends forever, and he's always been touchy and flirty, especially with George, but he's never kissed my forehead and held me the way he does now until Wilbur had passed. I've never figured out why he does the things he does, but I know he cares about me so I don't question it.

Against my will, my thoughts transfer to Sam. The way he winked at me gave me butterflies, and his face in itself was perfect. I've never seen Dream's face. He has his mask pulled up now, but only in a dark cave and while his head is hidden by my shoulder. Sam seemed so sincere, his heart out on his sleeve, but I don't know what Dream is feeling half the time.

He moves to get up and extends a hand out to me, "Ready to go home?"

I nod and take his hand, but he doesn't let go. He holds on to me, and swiftly twirls me around until our faces are only inches apart. In the dark, I can just about make out the curve of his nose and lips and the outline of his hair in the moonlight. His hand lands on my waist and pulls me closer, and my heart rate speeds up. He gets as close as possible, his lips touching mine only lightly enough to the point where I can feel him smile and hear him whisper something.

"Hold on tight."

I barely had time to cling to him as he takes out an ender pearl and throws it up above the ravine we were in. In an instant, we were on the solid grass, only inches away from falling into the ravine where lava awaits at the bottom.

"Dickhead." I muttered as he pulled me away from the edge.

He laughs, "You need to be more prepared, Aster."

"I am prepared. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here, I'd be at the bottom of the ravine, burning in lava."

"I wouldn't let that happen." He said, "Nothing will happen to you while I'm with you."

His words came so smoothly, and as much as my heart longed to hear them, it felt so off in a way I just can't describe. Perhaps it was just because there was no official title to whatever we were, and because he's been my best friend for years and only now does he show such affection. He's always flirted with everyone, George the most, but never so seriously with me. I know for sure that he's never almost kissed George and teased him the way he does with me.

Or it felt wrong because he was wrong.

Of the two maskless men in my life, I knew more about the man I met just a few days prior than I did the man who I claimed as my best friend and have known all my life. Yet the one in front of me had all the advantage over me, and we both knew it.

"Dream, what are we? What is this?" I asked.

He was quiet for a moment, "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Dream." My tone was soft, letting him know I was serious, "This is...all new for us, and you know that."

He shrugged, "I just like the way you feel. I like the way my hand fits your waist and how it feels to touch your hair. I like to kiss your forehead and see you get all blushy."

I'm sure I was "blushy" now, but the nighttime hid that fantastically well, "I'm just confused."

"Just let it flow, Aster." He laughed to himself, "That sounded inspirational. I should make, like, posters." 

Yeah." I agreed, not knowing how to feel, "it did."

Dream walked me home, nothing was said on the journey to my small cabin Wilbur had built for me. He didn't do all the work, though - he was the best at building, so I agreed to fetch all the supplies. His bedroom in the basement will still untouched. 

"Sleepover tonight?" Dream's grin was evident in his voice.

I rolled my eyes, "No, you nerd. You're an aggressive sleeper." 

"C'mon, please?" He reached out to hold my hands. 

Pulling a pouty face, I looked up at him, "Aw, is Dream gonna beg for it?"

He scoffed, "I don't have to beg; you'll let me because you love me and because I'm your best friend." he thought for a moment, "And if I kick you or something I'll just sleep in the room in the basement. 

I stiffened, "No. You can just sleep in my bed, I don't care."

"There's my girl." He snickered and walked in, making himself at home. 

Sleeping beside him was nothing new - we used to sleep over at one another's frequently. But, he did have a tendency to sleepwalk, sleep talk, sleep kick the shit out of me, and just take over the whole bed with his massive body. So, about ten minutes after he fell asleep, I had already moved to the couch after receiving a slap to my stomach. 

From the couch, I watched him. Creepy, I know. But the way his chest slightly rose and fell and his blonde hair, growing long now that I insisted he shouldn't buzz it, fell calmly on the pillow gave a whole new sense to him. This was a man feared by most, and yet here he was looking like someone you could fall in love with. In my bed, no less. All that I had to do was figure out whether or not he was someone worth it.