i wish i'd found you

chapter two - why me?

"It's hard to explain," Dream says hesitantly. "But, well, I'm dying."

You feel the color drain from your face. "What?" You gasp.

He inhales shakily. "Yeah. I only have an hour or so left."

You shake your head, tears pooling in your eyes. "That's awful. How...I don't understand. Why are you talking to me?"

"Because, well." He hesitates. "Y/N, you're my soulmate."

Your eyes widen, and suddenly everything makes sense. If someone is about to die before ever meeting their soulmate, they get a chance to talk to them right before their death. If you're really Dream's soulmate, that must be how he's communicating with you.

Your head swims with emotions. Of course you love Dream, but you've never spoken to him before, and you never expected a chance to meet him, much less to be in a relationship with him. And now, to find out that you are the one he belongs with, only to learn that he's about to die. It's almost too much for you to handle.

You realize Dream is staring at you nervously. He's waiting for some sort of response. But what are you even supposed to say?

"Dream, I-" You choke back a sob.

He looks pained. As you stare into his eyes, you see them fill with tears. "I'm sorry," he chokes. "It hurts."

"Dream, please. I don't want you to die!" You sit up straight, desperate. "Maybe there's something I can do!"

He shakes his head. "No, please. Don't blame yourself. There's nothing you can do, I promise. All I want is to get to know you, just a little bit, before I'm gone."

You touch a hand to your face. It's wet with your tears. "Dream, there's nothing to know about me. I'm just another stan. I'm not special."

"Y/N, stop. You're my soulmate. You're the most important person in the world to me."

"How can you say that? You don't even know me." Your voice shakes.

"Of course I know you," he says gently. "Look at you. You're beautiful, you're kind, you're empathetic. You're exactly the kind of person I'd fall in love with."

Just then, he gasps. The image of him disappears for just a moment before it returns, but fainter now.

"Dream??"