i accidentally met dream

twenty six

The night arose quicker than I thought, and the area got busier with the night festivities. Clay and I walked around a bit, occasionally stopping at shops to see what they offered. Soon enough, it was time to send floating lanterns out. Others already started, watching them float away into the night sky. Clay purchased the lantern for us and we found an area away from the bustling festival.

"It's a lot colder right now." I rubbed my hands together, even though my gloves were on, and breathed into my hands. My breath clouds around my hands, keeping them warm.

"Yeah, the sun set silly." He retorted, chuckling afterwards. A comfortable silence fell between the two of us as we continued walking away from the park area. Minutes later, he broke it. "Are you doing okay? Like, really. I know you wanted to get out today and stuff, but... I wanna know if you're doing okay."

"Yeah, I'm doing a lot better. I really enjoyed today and every day I spend with you." I stopped talking. "I mean-" I started nervously laughing, trying to cover up what I just said. "I just really.. Am having a good day." There's silence and he spoke up again.

"Welp, you ready? To send this off?" He held up the paper lantern and the other things. I nodded and he began setting it up.

"Clay I need to ask you something-" My phone began ringing. "Sorry, one second." I stepped a few steps away, watching Clay set up the lantern, struggling a little and getting slightly frustrated. "Hello?"

"(Y/n) thank god you're alright." Dani's voice was on high alert.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Your snapmap has been showing me that you're in your hometown." Her voice trembled, worried.

"I'm with Clay. I went to my parent's funeral. I'm okay Dani, it's alright." I reassured her.

We talked for a few more minutes before we said goodbye and I put my phone on silent. Walking back towards Clay, I smiled with a wave and he did so too. "I got it fixed. It's ready to be lit and to get sent off."

His grin is so genuine, it makes me smile with comfort and joy. I take the lantern and he lights it up. We both push it off into the sky, watching it float along with everyone else's. "They look like stars, so beautiful."

"What did you need to ask me?" He turned to look at me, we were inches apart without realizing it.

"Nothing, don't worry about it." I smiled and turned away to watch the lanterns, taking Clay's hand and holding it without realizing I was doing so. I felt his eyes watch me only for a second before moving away, probably to look at the lanterns.

+++

It's been about an hour since the festival closed, leaving a few people here and there to enjoy the other half of the park. It started to lightly snow again as we walked and talked, just like the first time we ran into each other.

"You're the one that ran into me, did you forget that?" He laughed. "Man- you were, what, fixated on the sunset." He looked over to me, I glanced away and looked at the sky here. It's not really a sky to stargaze. The nearby city lights ruin that. We were still holding hands, afraid of losing the warmth of letting go.

"It was an accident." I looked back to see him smirking and I nudged him in the side with my elbow. He playfully said, "ow". "You said it was fine as well, I said sorry so many times." I paused, recalling that night. "Actually, I heard your voice and refused to look at you because I was so scared of you finding out that I knew who you were."

"Oh really? I remember you were looking down, but that's about it." He tapped his chin with his free pointer finger in a thinking type of way. "I thought I scared you because you weren't talking. Especially because, at that time, we had only bumped into each other a few times. Also, I wondered why you trusted me so easily. Was it because you knew I was Dream? And that you trusted 'Dream'?" Clay asked as we walked over to a bench. The both of us sat, letting go of each other's hands.