Dreamcatcher

12

"Venus."

"Yeah?"

"She lives in Reinfeld Park, V. She doesn't even have a house." Chase stared at her like he himself was shocked, despite him being the one delivering the news. "Can you believe that? Aerial stayed at Reinfeld Park for the entirety of god-knows-how-long and never even told us."

Venus sipped her coffee and let out a satisfied shiver. "Mhm, yeah? Is that why you have her sleeping on top of my bed right now without even letting her shower first?" She shot Chase a look of grave disapproval. No ounce of sympathy was clear inside and outside her heart.

"At least treat her like a human being, V. She's my friend, y'know," Chase said, already half-way up the stairs to make sure Aerial was comfortable. "It makes things difficult for all of us if you aren't willing to accept her."

"I'm just saying that if she's been in the park sleeping there for weeks or months or years, I'm not gonna tuck her in on my fuzzy white blanket–"

"At least you can afford a blanket, V. Unlike her." And off Chase went, uncaring and indifferent only to the sighing young woman behind him. As for Aerial, when he saw her carefully tucked in while snoozing the late night away, he himself felt immediately better.

At Reinfeld Park, Aerial had told Chase that she didn't remember her family, her friends, her anything. She only lived at the park because somehow, for no reason at all, the place lingered in her brain no matter where she went. It was like a shadow in her mind.

"Chase, am I your friend?" Aerial had asked at the park. Her hands were cold. She shoved them deep into her pockets and interlaced her frozen fingers, her bones and flesh numb. "Do you think I'm a bad person...for making you wait? For making both of us wait?"

"Mhm...no...maybe having time to yourself is a good thing," Chase had answered. "We all need a break sometimes, away from our thoughts and others. A...A time to be free."

"A time to be free," Aerial echoed softly. "...Free."

Aerial woke to the humming of the house at early dawn, the muffled sounds of chirping birds through the clean glass windows, curtains drawn back like a present. Though the sun's light barely grazed the horizon, Aerial felt herself feeling refreshed. It was mostly due to the bed, she noted, and the first warmth she felt in days, maybe even months.

She spent the next hour awkwardly sitting on the soft white bed, stroking the blanket like how one would stroke a cat while letting her mind wander around.

Aerial hadn't stolen more than five dreamcatchers in the past two weeks. That was her main priority – to get back on track. The only way she could destroy the Dream Catchers was by taking the dreams before They could. She never knew where her resolve came from and where she first thought of such an illogical thing, but she depended on it like oxygen. Maybe in the past she gained a hatred for Dream Catchers, possibly in some sort of revenge situation.

Aerial believed that revenge on others was stronger than a normal dream. After all, revenge affected not just yourself but also another person. That motivated her two times more than a simple goal, despite her claim that all dreams were the same no matter what.

These words were her response when Chase asked her why she was going out again.

"It's seven in the morning, and you're telling me you want to steal dreamcatchers again? Honestly, I strive to have your diligence, but please stop." He rubbed his eyes after a grizzly-like yawn. Aerial thought that Morning Chase looked exactly the same as Normal Chase. "And besides, V told me that she wanted us to wash the covers you slept on and organize a room for you."

"A room for me? What – you mean I'm staying here?" Aerial's shocked voice came out a bit wrong, and she sounded absolutely terrified. "Er..."

"It's not very ethical of us to leave you sleeping on the park ground. Besides, I'm sure you haven't taken a good shower in...quite a while." Chase stretched out his arms, then walked towards the staircase. "Come on."

Aerial sighed, looked at the front door, then back at Chase.

In the end, she decided that the shower she experienced was the best one in years.

"V's birthday is in a week" was the first thing Chase said after Aerial stepped out of the bathroom, Venus's cozy pajamas hugging her body softly. Her long, wet hair had been half-dried, and now it lay in many strings of dark gray hanging over her shoulders.

"Her birthday? It's quite close to yours, no?" Aerial watched him fold the white blanket into a neat little pile. She thought it was a little much for him to put on gloves while doing it, but she didn't express this thought out loud. "Wait...are you telling me to come to another birthday party?"

"She doesn't like extravagant things like parties. Last year I got her a coffee mug, and she spent the day sitting outside on the porch listening to the rain. When I talked to her she said I was ruining her special day." Chase looked over at Aerial, then motioned for her to come help with the other white blanket. "Venus prefers to be on her lonesome – which is a bit sad but understandable, and I can't help but applaud her dedication to the dark aesthetic."

"At least that means I don't need to go to another birthday party. Phew." Aerial opened the door, and together the two teens both carried their respective white blankets downstairs to the laundry machines. On their way down the staircase, however, Aerial asked, "Do you not go to school, Chase?"

"That's out of the blue."

"I'd rather get an education than fold laundry."

Chase set the blanket down into the machine with a heavy sigh, then took a step back to admire his effort on such a task. "I stopped going to high school two years ago. Never found the will to, really. V used to question me and protest about my decision, but now I think she's fine with it."

"But school's important." Aerial realized she sounded hypocritical, so she added, "Even if I don't go myself."

"Even dumb people make friends, though V's still as apprehensive as ever. Besides, I don't care about some successful job. I might regret my words in a few years time, but for now my priorities are elsewhere." Chase smiled, then headed back towards the staircase. Aerial decided he was done talking about the matter.

The two spent the rest of the afternoon upstairs. They had the house to themselves while V went out to her job, which was located at a café Aerial had never heard of. The long hours were divided into reading about the history of dreamcatchers, parts of butterflies and birds, and Netflix. There was always time for Netflix. Aerial decided that living in Chase's house wouldn't be that bad.

"Aerial...?" Chase asked drowsily. The two were on season two of a drama show they started two hours ago, and now the afternoon sun began to turn a deeper orange.

"...Mhm?"

"What happened to you in the past?" The people in the sitcom chuckled along with the laughing track, but Aerial felt her old smile weakening.

"I've already told you before, didn't I? I forgot everything, Chase. I forgot everything a long, long time ago but never realized it until something was missing, and before I knew it everything else was missing too."

"Is there anybody else you depend on?"

"No, not really. If I depended on others, I would let them down...At least I won't be as mad at myself if I made a poor decision that affected only me."

As if expecting Chase to make a cheesy "you can depend on me" comment, Aerial braced for the worst. But Chase only nodded sympathetically, letting Aerial lean on his shoulder in deepening silence. They spent the rest of the night in that position, weighted blankets sprawled on top, and when Venus came home that night the two had long fallen asleep.