Inexplicable Dream Team one-shots

Sun and Moon // DreamNotFound

| romantic |

**Content warnings: none**

[1160 words]

Their paths in the sky would never cross. They were doomed to an eternity without meeting each other. During the day, Dream's light shone over the teeming Earth below, cultivating the plants. During the night, he receded into the horizon, where sleep whisked him away until the moon took his place.

Dream wondered what the moon's voice sounded like. Up close, could he be as perfect as he appeared? Did the moon gaze upon him with admiration, heart blooming with love, or did he regard Dream with jealousy, wishing he were the commanding force in the sky instead?

People inhabiting the Earth debated their silent battle in the sky. They asked each other with mild curiosity who preferred the day or night, as if no human could appreciate both. Day and night were supposed to be opposites, but Dream wanted to see the moon on the other side of the planet, watch him cast his subtle glow upon the dark Earth. He absorbed peaceful mutters of sleeping humans, monitored nocturnal animals, marveled at fireflies dancing in the shadows. Dream had never seen the nighttime, for the night faded whenever he approached. Both the moon and him could only travel one way at one speed.

Dream burned voraciously; no one on the earth could view his face for longer than the briefest of glances. However, people on Earth could marvel at the moon for hours, but because his axis turned at the same speed as the Earth's rotation, the people could only view one side of his face. He appeared aloof, stony, cold blue against his warm yellow glow, but Dream had seen the other side of him from afar. Inside, he was a stubborn mule with a soft center, compelling his interest like no other celestial entity.

Sometimes, while Dream soared above the rotating world, he saw the moon from the corner of his vision. Dream pondered the moon's thoughts as he crept beneath him, still too far for them to exchange words. He suspected their feelings were mutual; even when they shared the sky for a mere minute, they did not remove their eyes from each other. Their communication of affection consisted of a gentle but enthusiastic wave in the other's direction. All humans saw was a unique day when the moon was somehow still visible in the sky, faint beneath the sun's glaring light.

During these fleeting glimpses was how they discovered the other's existence, and how they introduced themselves through rushed hand gestures. The moon spelled his name, George, and the sun spelled his, Dream. Gradually, they developed an understanding of the other, and a mutual pining for a romance neither of them could pursue.

Then, a new day came. It began like any other, as Dream moved through the unbreakable habit of feeding the Earth. Plants greedily sucked in energy, dolphins played in the sea, coral reefs crowded with life, and children stretched their arms upward to bask in his glory. No trace of nighttime remained, leaving no sign of the moon like usual. His light banished the darkness far before he could see his distant lover.

Dream focused his gaze upon the planet, observing the fluffy clouds and rippling oceans. When movement flickered in his peripheral vision, he glanced, then did a double take. He had no expectation of another celestial entity seeing him at this time, let alone advancing dangerously close to him. Dream's breath hitched in his throat as he saw the moon. George.

Today was the solar eclipse.

Dream's heart ached for him. Instantly Dream thought of feelings he yearned to pour out. You're handsome, you're perfect, I love you... but his mouth only hung open, wordless.

Equally overwhelmed, George approached at a painfully slow pace, allowing Dream to observe his features more clearly. Feathery dark hair, deep brown eyes, faint freckles upon his face, pouting lips, dainty eyelashes, and a contagious smile. With one wrist, he shielded his eyes against Dream's harsh glare; despite his scrunched expression, his gaze scanned him hungrily.

Dream's heart skipped a beat as George lingered closer than he could ever remember. Despite his scorching heat, Dream noticed hairs rising along his neck and forearms as he neared him, impossibly near, yet still out of reach.

"Dream?" He uttered his name. Sweating profusely with heat, Dream shivered as he heard his voice for the first time. The moon was British.

"George."

"Wait, what the hell? You're - why is the sun American?" His voice was sharp with disbelief.

"I spend a lot of time there," Dream laughed. When they quieted, tension settled over them.

Ultimately, George stood before Dream, blocking his light from the Earth's surface and casting the planet in an eerie orange glow. Dream hugged himself to avoid damaging his sensitive pale skin by reaching to touch him. Their orbits would not allow them to remain together for long: one minute to learn everything he could about his celestial counterpart.

"Tell me about yourself," Dream urged. "How is the nighttime? How do you see in the dark? What do fireflies look like?"

"Nighttime is beautiful," George answered, slightly dazed from his plethora of eager questions. "Surely not as pretty as daytime, though. I've never seen the light up close. It feels warm, and, oh, what do the flowers look like? What do bees look like?"

"Everything is wonderful."

"Being the moon every day gets boring sometimes."

"I know what you mean."

"What's it like to control the plants?" George whispered, voice quaking with awe.

"What's it like to control the tides?" Dream returned, sweating profusely.

We lost themselves in each other's eyes, even as a faint tug began to pull George away from him. Likewise, Dream's never-ending orbit urged him away from George.

"I can't stay," George whispered apologetically.

"I know," Dream cooed. Both of them fell silent, wishing to savor this union for a moment longer. Please, just another few seconds with him... What did he do to entertain himself? What were his hopes and dreams? What was his favorite thing to see at night? What daytime things did he dream of seeing?

An invisible force tugged George along, forcing them apart, leaving hours' worth of conversation unspoken.

"See you at the next eclipse," George promised, raising his voice across the distance separating them.

"I'll be waiting," Dream responded hopefully, but disappointment weighted his heart. The eclipse terminated, leaving his unobstructed light shining upon the Earth again. Before George receded from earshot, he shouted, "Have a good night! I miss you!"

"Have a good day! I miss you, too!" Sending a final glance in Dream's direction, he continued on his orbit, racing to escape into the bitter cold of nighttime once again. Distance could not break their bond of love, their mutual bond of lapsing companionship. Dream was George's sun. George was Dream's moon. They were each other's sky, each other's comfort, each other's everything.

The end.