'Top number' marks their age in the sequence, the dream sequences are in cursive - sadly, formatting - or my lack of skill with it, anyway, doesn't afford me much of a leeway here, but I'm trying to make it as readable as possible. If you're interested in a 'prettier' version - look me up on AO3 [Endless_Crimson_Dream - user ID: 5251358]- I also always update all of my works there faster, since it's more comfortable.

Also, in my head-cannon, Miqo'te mature faster - but I guess some my consider this work to fall into the 'underage' category - so be warned.

Hope you'll enjoy o/

~ Surreal

Chapter 1: Dreamscape

5 years

G'raha Tia was five years old when he first met his imaginary friend. Terrified of the harsh voices of the gruff sailors, he curled in a miserable ball in the darkest corner he could find on the massive ship. He was too young to understand why he was there – cold and lonely - and cried himself to sleep.

"Why are you so sad?" a tiny, distinctively female voice had him nearly jump out of his skin, so he raised his head and blinked blearily at the small girl kneeling at his side.

"W-who are you?" he gasped, backing away from her swiftly, too nervous, even though she looked tiny and delicate – with longish white hair and dark, purple eyes. Vertically slit pupils showed she was a Seeker of the Sun, like him. Despite his apprehension, somehow, it seemed comforting in a way. Since he was dumped on this vessel, he didn't see another Seeker's kit after leaving a whole nest of those back at the camp. He didn't know why he was the one being sent away – the adults, for some reason, picked him, and he wondered what he did wrong to deserve that.

"I'm Surr," the girl said with a grin, sitting on the floor… that wasn't a floor. He frowned, looking around with surprise. Only now did he notice he wasn't on the ship anymore. It was a strange space – where they were – yet somehow, it didn't scare him. Instead, it relaxed him slightly as he looked around the empty, misty place. "You called me," she said, drawing back his attention.

"Huh?" he frowned but carefully moved and crawled toward her. Despite seeing her for the first time in his short life, somehow, she felt… familiar. "Who are you? Where are we?"

"I don't know," she shrugged with a quiet, nervous giggle, looking around as she shifted and sat cross-legged, bracing her elbows on her knees. "I was just in my bed… and then I heard you… and here I am. So, why are you so sad?" she frowned at him, blinking curiously. She twitched, and her ears lowered against her head when he stretched out his hand and nervously touched her knee after nearing her. She felt… real. He frowned, sitting back on his knees and looking at her with uncertainty. Then he looked around again, narrowing his eyes at the swirling around them white mist.

A dream, then? Had to be… He had never before had a dream like this when it would feel like he was awake, but that seemed to be the only explanation that made sense. He focused on the girl again and bit his lower lip, hesitating. He was pretty sure he had never seen her before, but she felt familiar, and if she was in his dream…? Did he make her up? After boarding the ship, he was scared and lonely, but why would his dream give him a girl for company? Girls were ridiculous and boring. They didn't want to play chase and cried a lot.

Suddenly the girl leaned closer, took a deep breath, and purred, grinning.

"You smell nice," she said as if that was a normal thing to say. G'raha flushed to his hairline and stared at her with an offense to cover his embarrassment, fisting his hands in his lap. "A bit like a… things my mom uses to make her teas, but I don't remember its names."

"It's rude to comment on someone's scent," he scowled, raising his nose pointedly.

"It is?" she blinked at him with veeery wide open eyes, biting her lip with uncertainty, then frowned with confusion. "But… I think it would be rude if you smelled bad… But you smell nice. Very tasty."

G'raha flustered, dropping his gaze and shifting uncomfortably. She was… weird, even for an imaginary person. At least, he thought so since she was his first imaginary friend. Then she giggled, and when he looked at her with surprise, she stared at him with a wide grin and shiny eyes.

"You're cute!" she stated, bracing her arms behind her back and leaning on them, then looked around again. "This is a strange dream. But at least you don't look sad anymore," she said with another giggle, and he blinked, realizing he didn't feel sad anymore. Or cold and lonely. "I don't like when people around me are sad," she whispered with a sudden frown.

As strange as she was, it felt good to have a company his age… even if she was a girl. And made up.

"Do you want to play?" she asked suddenly, grinning at him again.

"Play?" he replied with uncertainty, looking around again. "There's nothing here, only mist."

She frowned, then quickly raised to her feet and smoothed her hands across her clothes – a simple, white tunic and long, loose pants. She was barefoot but didn't seem bothered by that in the slightest.

"We can explore!" she rested her hands on her hips and bounced on her heels, looking down at him with a tiny grin. "Come on! It'll be an adventure!" she stretched her hand toward him, and though he hesitated for a second, he grabbed it and let her pull him up to his feet. Standing, she was smaller than him and looked so delicate… and yet she seemed to nearly burst with energy and wide grins. Like she wasn't scared at all of the strange place they found themselves in.

He didn't even think to resist when she pulled him along into the mist. But, despite her brave attitude, her fingers closed and clenched around his hand when the swirling fog closed around them.

"Maybe we s-should go back?" he whispered hesitantly, his ears lowering against his head and his tail flicking nervously. He couldn't see her anymore, and only her tight grip on his hand was his anchor in the thick mist.

"Don't worry," her voice rang in his ears, but in contrast to her words, he could almost sense her wariness. "It's just a dream… dreams are safe."

What about nightmares, he wanted to ask. But instead, he swallowed thickly and tried to at least pretend to be braver than he felt. But despite the comfort her company offered, he felt overwhelmed. Before he knew it, his eyes burned, and his throat tightened so hard he could barely breathe.

He wanted to go home, he thought, closing his eyes. Back to the camp. Back to playing chase with other boys in the forest, back to throwing rocks at the still surface of the nearby lake. Back to lying in tall, thick grass and soaking in the sunlight on lazy afternoons. Back to pilling up with all the other kits at night for comfort and warmth. Where he felt safe and warm, and the world wasn't so scary and cold.

"Oh, wow," his ears twitched at the pure awe in her quiet voice when she stopped suddenly, and he bumped into her back. He opened his eyes in surprise, gasping when they both fell, landing in a patch of thick grass.

"S-so sorry," he scrambled to get off her while she giggled madly, sitting up and looking at him with shiny, purple eyes. Then he blinked, looking around… and his jaw dropped.

They were home. His home. Sun shone brightly over the clearing filled with tents and surrounded by a thick, dark forest. He jumped to his feet, looking around with a pounding heart. He felt the warmth of the sunlight on his skin, a light breeze ruffled his short hair, and painfully familiar scents filled his head when he took a deep breath. Aromas of grass and campfire smoke… and a new citrus smell.

He frowned, only then realizing that his imaginary girl stood up and moved next to him, holding onto his vest as she looked around with wonder.

"Where are we?" she whispered with uncertainty, looking at him with huge eyes. "I couldn't see anything but mist, and then bam! Suddenly all of this appeared out of nowhere! Did you do that?"

"It's… home," he said, looking around again over her head, then frowned as he noticed something was wrong and sagged, realizing it was still a dream. Because the usually busy camp was empty and devoid of life. All the adults and kits were gone, and he could only hear the sound of birds singing and the rustle of the trees. When his heart squeezed with disappointment, he dropped to the ground and sat on his knees, staring daggers at the grass around them as his eyes burned and his hands rolled in fists.

"Hey," his imaginary girl whimpered sadly, suddenly kneeling behind him, leaning against his back, and resting her chin on his shoulder. "You're so sad again. What's wrong?"

"It's not real," he barely choked out through his tight throat. "You're not real, this is not real… and when I wake up, I'll be alone again. I don't k-know what I did wrong, and why they sent me away… Everything is s-so cold and s-scary…."

To his utter embarrassment, he couldn't stop hot tears streaming down his face or breathless sobs tearing from his throat. He covered his face with his palms and tried to calm down, but before he knew it, she moved around him and pulled him in a tight hug, purring soothingly and petting his hair. She felt so warm and real… he could do nothing but wrap around her, whimpering and instinctively looking for comfort. He buried his face against her throat and squeezed his eyes shut, and to his surprise, his heart slowly calmed down, tears dried out when her citrus scent filled his head, and her warmth sank into his skin.

"I don't really get it," she whispered, curling her arms around him and nuzzling against his throat. "But it's okay…" she cut off hesitantly, then petted his hair again. "What is your name?"

"G'raha Tia," he murmured, tightening his arms around her. And wondered how she could not know his name when his mind created her.

"Oh," she giggled softly, smoothing her hands over his back. "A bit like my papa."

"Huh?" he hummed, sniffing.

"My papa's name is T'kirh Tia, so it sounds a little bit similar," she whispered with amusement.

"Not at all," he huffed, then cleared his throat and leaned away, blushing as he wiped his face when she moved as well, blinking at him with sad but curious eyes.

"A bit," she repeated stubbornly, wrinkling her cute nose. "The 'Tia' part, I mean."

"That's… that's a title," he said with a slight frown when she blinked at him owlishly, tilting her head curiously. He giggled involuntarily because it made her look so… adorable. And funny. "All the boys' names in the tribe end like that."

"Why?" she frowned, biting her lower lip. "Isn't that… confusing? And… which part is your name, then? My mommy calls papa 'Kirh,' so… Raha?" she whispered, lifting her hands and wrapping them around his jaw and her dark eyes scanned his face carefully.

"Y-yeah," he said softly and couldn't help but shift nervously under her intense stare, lowering his arms and picking delicately on the hem of the back of her tunic.

"Raha," she grinned at him brightly, making his heart stutter, and he swallowed thickly, blinking rapidly.

"Y-you're not supposed to use t-that," he hesitated when her expression fell. How did she not know that? "I-it's rude," he hurried to explain, blinking hard. "Only family, very good friends and… m-mates, can call one by their given name," he recited old lesson, frowning.

"Oh," she also frowned, looking at him with uncertainty. "That's so weird. I have only my name… so what I am supposed to be called, then?" she worried her lower lip, shifting in his lap as her ears lowered and her tail flicked nervously.

"Huh?" he furrowed his eyebrows, truly confused. "What do you mean?"

"I'm only 'Surr,'" she sighed with exaggerated resignation, pouting, and he couldn't help but giggle at her expression. "It's not funny!" she huffed, rolling her eyes, but her eyes were full of amusement, and he grinned involuntarily. "I didn't even know that people are being rude when they call me!"

"Shouldn't you be "T'surr, then?" he suggested, giggling again when she made a gagging sound, with an adorable expression as if she smelled something gross.

"That sounds… awful," she pouted again, moving her hands to play with the fastenings of his vest. "Mommy said I don't have a letter with my name like she and papa do because I wasn't born in a tribe, so I don't owe them any com… comme…" she frowned again, clearly looking for the word.

"Commitment?" he suggested helpfully, chuckling when she sent him a narrowed stare and pursed her lips.

"Yeah, that," she sighed, slapping her hand delicately against his chest. "But if what you say is right, then I have a problem," she grumbled with sparks of amusement in her dark eyes.

"Don't think it matters," he said with distraction, shyly lifting his hand and brushing back the white lock that fell on her cheek. "Since you aren't real anyway."

"I am not?" she frowned with confusion, biting her lower lip. Then a small smile stretched her lips as she caught his hand and nuzzled her cheek against it. "What am I, then?"

"My dream," he said with a dark blush, then looked around meaningfully. "Like everything else here. I was so… lonely," he admitted guiltily, focusing his gaze on his palm, somehow awed at how real and warm her cheek felt under it. "I guess I made you up to feel better."

"Oh," she gasped, then giggled and again nuzzled against his palm. "I thought I made you up. Because you're so cute and pretty."

His blush grew darker when his eyes shot to hers and grew wide at her enamored stare.

"I'm not… cute!" he huffed with an offense, trying to cover his embarrassment.

"You so are!" she grinned, then sighed softly, lowered his hand between them, and wrapped hers around it. "But I am veeery real, G'raha," she said, staring at him thoughtfully.

"You're not," he shook his head with a sad sigh, looking at their connected hands. "I'll wake up, and you'll be gone."

"Well," she hesitated, and when he looked up, she was smiling sheepishly. "Yeah, probably," she finally admitted, and his heart squeezed painfully. "But that doesn't mean I'm not real," she said stubbornly. Then she closed her eyes, bit her lip and her cute face scrunched in focus. He almost giggled at the sight but then gasped when the whole area around them suddenly shimmered and changed, turning into a small bedroom with white walls and a wooden floor. G'raha looked around with astonishment, blinking rapidly. He was sure he had never seen that room before, so why would his mind create it? "See," her soft voice drew his attention back to her, and when he glanced toward her, she was smiling and looking around them. "This is my room, in the real world. So if someone's imaginary, it's you," she sing-a-songed playfully, tightening her hands around his. "And when I wake up, you'll also be gone," she sighed sadly, frowning. "It is a weird dream," she admitted, then blushed and looked at him from under her long, dark lashes. "But… I would like it if you were r-real."

"I am," he said with certainty, then blushed as well, dropping his gaze to their hands. "A-and I would… like it too," he said bashfully and swallowed thickly. "If you were real, I mean."

"Good, then…" she chirped. Still, whenever she wanted to say, he wouldn't know because when he lifted his gaze, everything around him – including her – shimmered and melted away.

G'raha woke up with a gasp, blinking hard as he looked around wildly, hoping… but as he predicted, she was gone. He wilted, closing his eyes and covering them with his forearm. Loud shouts of the ship's crew made his ears fall flat against his head. The slight rocking of the massive vessel had his stomach roll with nausea. Still, he hardly paid it any mind – hopelessly wishing to fall back asleep and that she'll be there again.

After a long moment - longer than he would like to admit – he finally gave up, got to his feet, and exited his dark corner, heading toward the deck.

Surr woke up with a gasp, blinking up at her bedroom's ceiling as the loud scream of seagulls outside her open window made her cringe and grimace slightly. She hated that noisy birds waking her up nearly every morning, but it was a price of living by the ocean, as her papa often said.

She sighed, got out of bed, and changed out of her nightclothes, then yawning widely, headed to the kitchen upstairs, rubbing the sleep off her eyes.

"Hey baby," her mom, T'meto, welcomed her with a quiet chuckle, busy behind the counter. "Slept well?"

Her papa turned on his seat by it, grinning down at her, and then he helped her up on his lap when she tugged at the material of his dark pants. She settled against his chest with another wide yawn, then giggled when he ruffled her white locks, the same as her mom's.

"I had a nice dream," she finally said, then frowned. " But it was sad, too."

"Nice, but sad?" her mom hummed, leaning against the counter and petting her hair delicately. "That sounds complicated."

"It wasn't," she giggled, folding her arms on the counter and resting her chin on them, then closed her eyes and sighed. "I saw this boy… and he was sooo pretty!" she gasped softly, remembering the unique red-green eyes the most. Well, not really green, more like blue-green… She bit her lip with uncertainty because it also didn't precisely seem right. And the hair, red like fire. Then she sighed again, opening her eyes and looking up at her mom. "But he was so sad and lonely, it made my heart hurt."

"Oh?" her dad hummed, but she didn't see how her parents exchanged meaningful stares above her head. "Does your… boy have a name?" he asked in an unusually light tone, petting her hair soothingly.

"Yeah, of course," she giggled, turning her head and looking at him with a tiny grin. "His name was G'raha. And Tia, like you, papa."

"The G tribe?" her mom whispered with uncertainty, and when Surr looked at her with surprise, she was frowning at her dad. "I never heard of them."

"Me neither," her papa sighed, then wrapped his arms around her tightly and rested his chin on top of her head, making Surr squeal with laughter and squirm to get free. "And it seems quite unusually… early. She's only five."

"You heard her, Kirh," her mom said softly, straightening and moving toward the stove. "If he was upset enough… he could instinctively lure her into the Dreamscape, reaching for comfort. I'll prepare breakfast, get her to wash, my love."

"Sure, sure," her father sighed with pretend resignation, then Surr squealed again when he tossed her over his shoulder and stood up. "Come on, Surr-purr, let's clean your sticky paws."

"I didn't do anything yet to get them sticky!" she gasped indignantly, resting her elbows against his back and swinging her legs in the air playfully. Then when he turned around, she frowned, looking at her mother. "Mommy?"

"Yes, baby?" she replied without looking back.

"Do you think… I'll see him again?" she asked shyly while her heart squeezed with worry for her new friend.

Her mom turned and looked at her with a soft, gentle smile.

"I'm pretty sure of that, Surr," she said, then waved them off and focused on the stove. "Now, go with papa, and after breakfast, I'll explain what your dream meant, baby."

G'raha spent the whole day watching the waves crashing against the ship's side. There wasn't much more to do for someone as small as him, and the sailors frowned darkly if he stumbled under their feet. They also made strange gestures when they saw him, murmuring something about bad luck, and though he didn't really understand that, he had enough of an instinct to stay out of sight if he could.

Also, while watching the waves, he kept thinking of his imaginary girl. He wondered if he wished enough that he could dream her up again.

When he finally hurdled up in his dark corner as the sun set behind the horizon, shivering as he rolled the blanket around himself tightly, he closed his eyes and tried to imagine her again with all his heart. Last night's dream felt a bit fuzzy, and he couldn't remember the color of her eyes anymore… only that they were dark. And despite that, they shone as bright as the stars above the ocean.

He drifted off to sleep with a smile.

When he opened his eyes again, he was in the misty place again… but alone. As alone as back in reality. He glared at the swirling mist, pretending there wasn't a yawning pit opening in his heart. Or that his throat wasn't tightening painfully.

Stupid, naïve G'raha! And… and it's not like he needed her anyway! She was a girl, and being friends with a girl was a stupid idea. Doesn't matter how… warm she was. Or that she held him tight when he cried and didn't laugh or call him a weakling like the other boys back home would do. He didn't need a girl!

He sat down cross-legged in the middle of the clearing in the mist, shut his eyes tight, and focused like she did last night – trying to make up another friend, a boy this time. After a moment, he peered with uncertainty through his lashes and gasped as his eyes shot wide open. A boy was sitting opposite him, in precisely the same pose. A Seeker of the Sun, with white hair and dark-purple eyes – her eyes were purple… - but those eyes didn't shine as they should, and his expression was empty and devoid of life. He looked like a doll, at best.

"What are you doing, Raha?" a tiny, female voice chirped behind him, and before he could even look back, a small – so warm – form pressed against his back. When he finally tilted his head with a pounding heart, she rested her chin on his shoulder and peered at his creation with shiny, curious eyes. "A doll? It almost looks like me, if I would be a boy, I mean," she giggled, wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, and grinned when he still could only just… stare. Feeling so much relief, it seemed almost like a huge weight had fallen off his heart.

"Surr…" he gasped, letting his hand wrap around her arm and squeeze delicately, as if making sure she was… well, not real, but there. "I thought… ah, you weren't here."

"I was too excited and couldn't fall asleep," she giggled, turning her head and resting her cheek against his shoulder. "But I know what this place is now," she grinned at him smugly, wiggling her eyebrows. "My mommy told me."

He blinked at her owlishly, and his tail thumped against her legs nervously. So there she went again, making stuff up. It was so weird that his made-up person was making up more people. Or was his imaginary friend a liar? Is that even possible?

"What is it, then?" he asked, deciding that he didn't care anyway. She was here, and she was so warm. And still felt so strangely… familiar.

"It's called a Dreamscape, Raha," she said proudly, nuzzling against his shoulder.

"I told you," he frowned, hesitating… but the rules were to be followed, even by an imaginary person. "You can't call me that."

"Yeah, you said only family, close friends, and… mates can use it," she smirked, fluttering her long lashes, and his heart sped up at the weird glint in her dark eyes. "So it's okay, you see. Because when we grow up, I'll be your mate, Raha."

"Huh?" he hummed with uncertainty, biting his lip and turning slightly in the embrace of her arms to look at her easier. "What do you mean?"

"My mommy said," she whispered, with that weird, dark glint in her eyes but very seriously. "That this place, the Dreamscape, is only ours, and we can do whatever we want with this – create anything we want with just a thought," she smiled, tossing a glance toward his doll, then turned her gaze back to him. She squeezed her tiny arms around his waist, pressing tight against his back as a dark blush spilled over her cheeks, but she held his confused stare fearlessly. "And we get to be here when we sleep because we're soulmates. That we were born at the exact same moment, to be together. So you see, it's okay, Raha," she grinned brightly as his heart stuttered, then started to pound furiously. "It's fine because you're mine. And I'm yours. And when we're big, I'll find you, and we will always be together. And until then, I'll always be here for you, so you don't have to be sad anymore, or ever again," she lifted her head, closed her eyes, and pressed a kiss on his cheek. Then she released him and jumped to her feet, stretching her hand toward him. "So, want to explore? You can show me the forest again if it's okay? It was so pretty. I had never been in a place like that before – papa won't even let me go outside our garden. He says I'm too little," she pouted adorably.

G'raha blinked a few times, trying to pick up his jaw after her statement. Was she… making it up? Had to. It sounded so… weird. Too… big. Or maybe he was just… too small to understand.

Did it really matter? She was here, with her warmth and shiny eyes, and it didn't feel so cold and lonely anymore.

He shook himself up and grabbed her hand, getting up to his feet and letting her pull him toward the swirling mist as his forgotten, lifeless doll melted away into the fog.