The Wonders of Hopes and Dreams By: Solinel FeatherHeart

004

He didn't get any time to himself the following day.

He awakes to the automated voice alerting him of an incoming call from his Boss. Immediately on hearing the contact name, all the effects of sleep snap away. Almost like it's become a part of his instincts. He answers the call, luckily for him it wasn't a video call. "Hello?" He asks into the still air around him.

"Good morning Lykas, I'm reaching out to you regarding the most recent Mission File you've been sent." "Yes, I'm listening sir." He responds, his voice falling to that strange obedient manner that he wears with no one else. "You are to meet me in our usual location exactly at Midnight tonight. We are to discuss the details in extreme depth. I have just received more insight from The Viper, and she has requested I tell you her expectations for this mission and possible punishments in person with you."

Lykas feels his bones run cold. Goosebumps form on his skin, he secretly and quickly gathers his composure before responding. "Of course Sir, I'll be there when it's time." A small and mused chuckle beats against his ear drums, echoing inside his head, haunting him. "Good boy."

The line falls dead.

The subconscious tension in his body melts away. He sinks into his mattress as he takes the time to close his eyes and gather his thoughts. He covers his eyes with his right hand, and roughly caresses his entire face. "It's too EARLYYYYY!" He shouts, his frustration getting the better of him. A few moments later he hears the rough textured knock of Rykis on the hatch that opens up to lead to his room in the attic.

"Lykas? You okay in there?" He hears his brothers muffled voice call through the door. Lykas drags his body out of bed, feeling as if he's lugging around a 100 pound sack of coal. "Yeah, I'm alright. Can you make breakfast this morning?"

He sees the hatch immediately open before him. Rykis yanks the ladder down from its folded up position and he quickly climbs up it. Lykas is met face to face with him, he can see that look Rykis has. They all call it the Are-You-Shittin-Me-Stare, since he only wears it when he knows someone is lying to him. "Are ya shittin me?" He asks, his voice twisting into a playful accent.

Lykas laughs a little, the combination of his tilted down head and cocked eyebrow always gets him when Rykis pulls that voice. "Maybe I am." "I KNOW you are. No maybe about it. You and me and Nomi ALL know that I can't cook for the life of all THREE of us. And you're asking ME to cook for you guys."

As Rykis talks, he pulls himself fully into his room and dramatically staggers to the little couch Lykas made for himself out of scraps he picked off of the streets and he seats himself down. Rykis sits back with his natural man spread, his arms crossing over his chest. The look still spread across his face. "So what happened? Bad dream?"

Lykas shakes his head, "Woke up to a call from the Boss. He wants me to meet him tonight at Midnight, regarding the mission file." He watches his face change, "Well, I can't do anything for you. Just, don't die." Rykis says, his body shifts on the sad, thrown together couch.

Lykas nods his head, "I won't. Now go make us breakfast. I'll get the sand ready." Rykis rolls his eyes, but he can see the small smile trying to fight its way for a place on his lips. "Fuck you man." He says as he pushes himself up off of the couch. He walks over to the ladder, before he steps onto the first few railings Lykas feels his hair become aggressively messed up. "You're crazy." Rykis says as he descends down the small ladder.

Lykas hears a thud as Rykis jumps off of the ladder halfway down. "Don't forget the sand bucket!" Lykas calls down to the bottom floor.

He doesn't get a response, but he can feel the change in air. A smile spreads across his own lips as he rises to his feet and he walks over to the very small pile of clothes he keeps draped over the beams in the far back corner of his room. He changes out of the set of clothes he's been wearing for the past three months and into the second set he has.