Gold | Dreamnoblade

When I Fall

"Dream?"

He received a vague hum in response. Techno rushed the rest of the distance up the hill finding Dream lying in the grass, hands behind his head and his eyes fixed on the sky. Slightly out of breath, Techno walked over hesitantly, as if he'd scare off an animal by approaching to quick. He sat down beside him but kept an arms distance. Leaning back and assuming Dream's position. Dream was correct, the North Star and parts of the Big Dipper were visible but not much else.

"Light pollution." Techno responded to a question Dream never asked.

There was a subtle movement of Dream's shoulders next to him, "I've always lived in the cities so I've never really seen a non polluted sky."

Techno tried to recall the last time he went stargazing. The same country but a far different place. The French countryside was beautiful, or maybe Techno was simply clouded by nostalgia.

"Do you ever stargaze?"

"Used to." Techno answered. Dream had turned his head towards him. Techno kept his eyes fixated on the inky abyss above them.

"Why'd you stop?"

Techno had stopped a lot of things over the years. "I had to move. Didn't really have time to anymore either."

Dream nodded. Returning his face to the skyline in the silence. Techno could hear the wind rustling the leaves, a single bird calling out into the night, the crickets, and the beating of his heart. He felt so nervous and he tried to sift for the reason why but he knew that it got worse when Dream stopped talking.

So he prodded, "Why are you out here?"

The beating got louder. The crickets and bird got quiet and anticipation of Dream's answer.

"I get antsy before races and I kinda forget what to do with myself. So I went for a run and I ended up here."

"Oh." Techno wasn't sure how to respond. He wanted to reassure the other but he was awful with emotions, "I get like that too." he admitted.

"Yeah?"

He felt Dream's gaze again. Techno refused to meet it and nodded. "I picked up breath training in part to help calm myself before races."

"How do you do that? Breath training, I mean."

Techno felt pride creeping up. The opportunity to talk about his interests within his reach.

He pulled his hand back. "Box breathing." Dream didn't want to hear him ramble about subjects of insignificance for an hour. Nobody did.

Dream laughed slightly, "Cool, can you elaborate a bit? How do you do box breathing?"

Techno involuntarily brightened, turning his head to look at Dream.

Fuck.

The light of the sky and some nearby street lights allowed Techno a good view of the other even in the dimnesses. His freckles immediately reminded Techno of the countless countryside stars. Techno had to keep talking to prevent himself from finding the constellations on his face. "You uh, breathe in four, hold four, exhale four, hold four, and repeat."