The Tiffany Box- ONC 2021 Shortlister

13- A Comfortable Couch

"Wh...what happened?" Eli croaked as he opened his eyes to see Haven sitting with his elbows on his knees on a chair by the bed.

"You kinda passed out." Haven twined his fingers together, looking uncomfortable. "About two hours. I've been sitting here to make sure you're ok. Please don't think I'm some weirdo who gets my kicks out of watching unconscious people."

Though he felt woozy, Eli chuckled. "Thought never crossed my mind. You were cool enough to collect my dumb ass and not leave me face-down in your cabbage patch."

Haven tilted his head in a bird-like manner. "I don't have cabbages."

Eli smiled at Haven's delicate nature. Reaching up, Eli raked his hair back from his face. "Oh man, I'm sorry. I'm getting dust everywhere."

Haven's gaze fluttered to the star tattoo. "It's ok," he said softly. "I have clean towels and clothes you can borrow if you want to shower." Then he quickly added as he looked at Eli's face, "There's a lock on the bathroom door."

Nodding slowly, Eli drew in a deep breath. "Are you always this sweet?"

Giving his guest a single-shouldered shrug, Haven replied, "I dunno. No. I..." he shrugged one shoulder again. "You're a Dream Seller," he said pointing shyly to Eli's ear tattoo. "I once had a... friend who did what you do."

Intrigued that he'd just met someone who once knew another Seller, Eli sat up. "Oh? Some people don't like us."

"I think what you have is a gift. But yah, I know there are some fools who think selling dreams is fucked up." Timidly, Haven looked at Eli. "It's best you don't tell a lot of people what you do, especially in a shit-hole like Los Demonios. Ryo..." Haven paused and looked down. Eli heard a tiny sigh come from him.

"Ryo?"

A small nod as Haven continued to stare at his feet. Soon, the finger twining began again. "Yah, Ryoto...Ryo he was my..."

Noticing Haven's uncomfortableness, Eli spoke, "Friend?"

"Yah." Haven pursed his lips into a sad smile as he looked up at Eli.

"Good friend?"

Haven nodded. In a whisper, he admitted, "Very good friend."

"Don't worry, I'm not..." Eli bit his lip as he chose his words carefully, "someone who judges. I mean, I've had friends like that too. Boys and girls. I don't go bragging to the world because I know how fucked up people are but, you know."

Haven looked a bit more relaxed. "You like them both."

Eli smiled softly. "I do. But I've never been in love. You and Ryo?"

Haven stopped twining his fingers and gave his one-shouldered shrug. "Uh-huh."

"And he was like me."

"Uh-huh."

"Where's he now?"

Haven pursed his lips trying to keep them from trembling at the thoughts of the past. "Bethel cemetery."

Letting out a slow breath, Eli uttered, "Jeeze...I'm really sorry."

"Some people found out what he did. They didn't like it and they murdered him. Stabbed him in the gut in the alley behind one of the Italian restaurants. They put him behind the trash cans like he was someone's old shoes and let him bleed to death."

"Haven, I'm so sorry for making you bring your past up like that." Eli frowned, looking like he wanted to dive under the covers.

"It's not your fault. Besides," Haven gave him a small smile when he saw how bad Eli felt, "It was a very long time ago. More than a decade."

"Really?" Eli's brows jerked up. "You must have been very young." Haven looked to be in his twenties Eli thought, but perhaps he was older than he thought.

Picking the cat up when it leaped on Eli's lap, Haven replied, "I look young. I'm much, much older than you think."

Reaching out to pet the kitten, too, Eli chuckled, teasingly. "Like grandpa old?"

Haven let out a genuine laugh. He found Eli to be nice and that made him relax. "Maybe." After a small pause, Haven asked, "Why are you here? This town lost its appeal a long time ago."

Sliding his finger over a loose thread on the covers, Eli replied sheepishly, "I've run out of dreams to sell. I thought I may be able to find people to harvest from here. I dunno, Haven. Maybe it was a bad idea but here I am."

When the kitten wriggled and mewled, Haven let it leap back on the bed and curl up on Eli's lap. "Do you dream?"

Eli reached for the cat and rubbed its nose. "Yes, it sucks you can't harvest dreams from yourself." When he looked at Haven, he saw the pale-skinned man fidget. "Do you dream?" he asked softly.

When a soft yah reached Eli's ears he had to pause to make sure he heard it. "Another dreamer like me? What are the odds?"

"Not sure I'm like you because I have nightmares, too. A lot of them."

Eli frowned. "Naw, only dreams, decent ones. Never something scary."

Haven cleared his throat. "Ryo told me you can't harvest from anyone carrying nightmares with them."

"True," Eli agreed. "There's a big chance you'll harvest a bad dream that could incapacitate someone's senses...taste, smell, sight. Or cause them to have a stroke."

"Sounds like there should be a warning label," Haven said with a feathery smile.

Though Eli nodded his gaze fell on Haven's mouth. "You look really beautiful when you smile."

"Thanks, Eli," Haven said shyly.

"I mean, I'm not trying to come onto you or anything freaky. I just think you're very pretty."

Haven chuckled. "You suck at poetry."

"I'm trying to be charming."

"You are." Haven's gaze darted to the loose thread Eli had been toying with before then admitted, "I think you're very pretty, too. I uh..." Changing the topic with a slightly uncomfortable tone, Haven shifted on his seat and spoke again, "Where are you staying?"

"Liberty's Motel. But only for a couple of nights. If I don't find anyone to harvest from I'll have no more money to stay."

"Do you want to..." pursing his lips, Haven looked down, his platinum-white hair curtaining his face.

"What is it Haven?" Eli asked gently.

"Stay here?" Looking up through snowy strands, Haven's voice was whisper-soft as though he feared his words were offensive. "Until you get enough money."

"Really?"

Not too long ago Haven feared who this stranger could be. His mind had gone to horrid thoughts but getting to know Eli better made him want the teenager to hang around for a while. Besides, the cat loved him and Haven trusted animals' ability to pick out the good guys from the bastards. "Only if you want to. I've got a pretty comfortable couch –"

"And a lock on the bathroom," Eli said cheekily.

"I'm an awesome cook."

"Really?"

Haven shrugged a shoulder. "No, but I never burn spaghetti."

When Eli began to laugh, the kitten woke up, stretched and padded over to him where it bumped and rubbed against him. "Well since spaghetti is my absolute favourite food, I'll have to say yes. Tell me you have red wine, too and you've won me over."

"I'm not much of a drinker," said Haven happily, "but I'll find some."

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