The Soulmate System

29. A Theme of Acceptance, Pt. 3 & Into the Battle Zone

For the fifth time in their relationship, Bryce awoke with Dylan's arms coiled around his torso. 'But I need to pee,' he thought, the curtains casting shadows across his stomach. Dylan stirred and tightened his grasp, grunting as he drew Bryce closer towards him. Bryce didn't know what his Soulmate was dreaming, but indulged in the embrace, swinging his arm up and around to bring Dylan even closer.

This was exactly what Dylan needed. His dream had involved his mother agreeing to get back together with his father, against Dylan's wishes. The hours asleep spanned years, and Dylan watched his father leave again, and the abandonment put strain on his relationship with Bryce, who, in the end, decided to leave as well.

Bryce putting his arm around Dylan woke him up.

He grunted again and opened his eyes. Vision blurred by tears that had come from his dream, he blinked them away and glared. "You know that touching me wakes me up," he scowled, even if he was thankful for it.

"Not my fault you were cuddling me. You were having some dream, though," Bryce commented.

Dylan quickly uncoiled himself and sat up. "Sorry," he whispered, swinging his legs off the bed.

Bryce grabbed his wrist, but not tight enough for Dylan to feel restrained. "Can I get a status update?"

Dylan's fingers trembled. "I'll tell you later, okay?" Bryce released Dylan's wrist, and the man proceeded to the bathroom to splash water on his face.

But Bryce grimaced at the sound of the running water. It was when Dylan returned that Bryce pressed the question further, "What did you dream?"

His Soulmate stared curiously at him. "Bryce, it's nothing I can't tell you about later."

"But you don't."

"What?"

"You don't tell me later. I forget, or you forget, or we both forget." Bryce threw the sheets off his legs and stood up. "Please, Dylan. What was it?"

Dylan swallowed, his eyes dropping to the floor. 'Why should I burden him with stuff like this? It's not like it's important,' he pondered, but Dylan caught sight of a very-concerned Bryce kneeling on the mattress, the bed creaking as he did so.

"Dylan. Please."

Dylan stepped backwards and said, quietly, "You left."

Bryce crawled across the bed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

His feet touched the floor and Bryce moved closer to Dylan. "What was your dream about?"

"It doesn't matter," Dylan whispered.

"You might not want to tell me, but know that I want to know," Bryce whispered back, snaking his arm around Dylan's torso. After several moments of silence, however, Bryce slipped back to his side, and stood up. "I'm going to the shower, okay?"

"Okay." And Dylan heard the bathroom door click shut.

Bryce sighed and slipped off his shirt. 'He's still being closed off,' he thought, putting down the toilet seat cover.

Recognizing the missed opportunity, Dylan groaned, his gaze drifting to the ceiling while his finger wove through his bedhead hair. The past five times Dylan clung to Bryce, indeed, had produced similar dreams of abandonment, which then produced unintended isolation. For reasons beyond mere stubbornness, Dylan simply wouldn't let go. 'Or open up,' his mind suggested, which he felt was coarse. Even if it was true.

But Dylan decided to seize what was left and stormed into the bathroom, ignorant of the sound of rushing water. "Dyl – !"

"Bryce, I want to tell y..."