dreamtalia x 2ptalia

one

"Dream a little dream of me," the young man sang softly. The other man to right, on their bed, was drifting off to sleep. Matthew had a way of doing that to Alfred.

The two brothers went to sleep. Alfred, a cuddler, held the other close to his body. Matthew allowed it as he felt rather cold and Alfred's body was warmer than the blankets.

In his dreams, Matthew traveled the weird world. The land was barren and full of rubble. The heat was unbearable. Steam rose from the ground with loud hissing and the fumes burned his eyes. He wiped away the tears with his jacket sleeve but noticed it to be covered in black dirt and soot. The sky seemed to cry but it wasn't raindrops that landed on Matthew's head, but heavy clumps of ash. The smell was sickening already. The young man looked for a way to get out of the open, since here couldn't offer a breath of fresh air.

With no other choice, Matthew moved on in an awkward shuffle. Somehow, panic built up in his veins and Matthew found himself sprinting to get away. The smells, the sights, the heat; it was all killing him. He tripped and fell. His glasses few off his face into a puddle. Reaching blindly, Matthew retrieved them. Kneeling on the ground, the young man watched his reflection. It seemed to be him at first glance but with another, it clearly wasn't. His other version had longer hair and a scruffier, dangerous look. His eyes were hardened and cold, unlike how Matthew was. Fearful, the young man pulled away. He needed to get somewhere safe. He took two steps before the puddle called to him. From his angle, Matthew couldn't see himself (or his other self), but the puddle put him on edge. The dark murky liquid seemed to hold things more than just any type of water.

That's when it clicked with Matthew. He was so off guard and tense because it wasn't water. It looked like black ink but Matthew knew instantly what the substance was without getting closer. The sulfuric smell was drowned out by the smoke and gases. Suddenly, when Matthew looked back, the puddle was no longer that. It was an ocean. It cried out and spoke to Matthew. It told him to stop the madness, to stop the war, to stop the pain, that there is nothing left to fight for. World domination is useless when there is no world. The black waves went up the dusty shore until reached Matthew's feet. He tried to move away but the blood caught him and soaked his clothes. It dragged him away from land and further into its depths. Matthew tried to cry out but he was pulled under. The taste was worse when it was inside his mouth and nose, his eyes stung even more and he lost track of his glasses.

Matthew kicked his legs to try and swim away but invisible hands pulled him under. The harsh sun eventually couldn't reach the red depths and Matthew was blind as he was brought down. Air finally escaped his lungs and he felt the pressure get stronger. It popped his ears and he was sure his nose was bleeding. The sockets of his eyes were heavy and painful. His entire body ached for closure. Then, the pressure was too much and a startling pain around his midsection brought him up.

He suddenly woke from his sleep with a shout of pain and fear. Cold sweat painted his forehead and back. Matthew took heavy breathes to remember that it was just a dream. Looking down at his waist, he can see Alfred clinging on for fear life. The other man's face was twisted into an expression of grimacing. Small whimpers were audible and Matthew concluded that Alfred was probably having a nightmare like he did. He quickly shook his shoulders to wake him.

Alfred awoke with a start and his steely gaze surprised Matthew. His blue eyes were very red, almost like the bloody ocean, and Matthew had to shake away the terrible feeling. He saw these red eyes before and they didn't belong to Alfred.

Before Matthew could ask, Alfred spoke. "Temperance, you're okay, right?"