The baku sat within his parlor, leafing through a book he'd pulled from his library. A smirk played on his lips as he scanned the pages, evidently enjoying the contents of the work. He reached for the teacup sitting upon the darkwood table in front of him, steam still rising from the drink in a rich shade of purple. He took a sip of the sinister liquid, eyebrows raised as he continued to study the contents of the tome he'd selected. The baku placed the china back on its saucer, his eyes never leaving the text. Alongside his evening tea, a plate of star shaped cookies and a vase of roses the color of snow contributed to the rich aromas enveloping the small room. The sound of an occasional turning page was the only break from the silence that pervaded the space.
The book was no different from any other that loomed behind him in his library, its contents filled with nothing but pages and pages of his contractees' dreams. Dayshad passed since his second contract with Miku had taken place, and he'd visited her as often as he could to ensure that she was still dreaming sweetly. Naturally, he could have just as easily consulted the book he held within his hands to see how their deal was holding up, but the moon was waxing beautifully, and he was never one to pass up a trip into the world of humans, especially if it gave him an opportunity to spend the night with someone as pretty as Miku. He flipped to another page, still intrigued with what the girl had been dreaming the past few nights. The number at the top of the page marked the date of her dream, underneath lay the detailed contents of what had taken place within the girl's slumbering mind. The entries holding his attention were recent, past the point of the painful nightmares she'd endured before their second contract. His eyes danced over the pages, reading of sweet dreams of gentle romances, others naughty fantasies he could hardly imagine such a seemingly innocent girl thinking up. The most common pattern of her dreams, Len noted with a grin, were that they all involved him.
He set the journal down for a moment, lifting one of the sugar cookies from the plate. He looked thoughtfully at the sweet for a moment, observing its appearance before taking a dainty bite between his teeth. He closed his eyes as the "dessert" melted on his tongue, relishing how sweet and savory Miku's dreams could be. Len patted his lips with a napkin, and lifted the book once more. As his eyes scanned the pages as he smiled to himself.
"Dream to your heart's content, young lady."
He glanced back at the diary and continued to read. She was incredibly observant, and how deeply he had affected her showed with every dream. Her subconscious had managed to memorize every detail of their encounters, painting poetic descriptions of his features and mannerisms across the page. The most prevalent details seemed to lay in their first kiss.
He wondered suddenly if Miku had ever bothered to make time for anybody before him.
Surely boys wanted her, he didn't doubt that in the slightest, but from what he'd learned of her daily life, she was much too worried about school to dedicate her time to anyone else. Len's lips curved up absentmindedly as recollections of late nights flitted across his mind, his time with Miku a deliciously sweet secret meant only for the two of them to share. While they were often physically acquainted, Len knew that Miku in no way lacked depth.
Often he found himself lost in stories of an everyday existence he would never truly know, learning details of the girl's life night by night. It seemed by day she was the same as ever, describing herself as the student everyone admired, the child every parent wanted theirs to be.
Responsible, amicable, studious, bright.
When she described herself in the words others had labeled her as, they seemed to drip like venom from her tongue, and for a moment she would let the vivacious girl fall away and voice everything she had to hide from the daylight.
He found pleasure in knowing he was the only one to watch a bit of her true colors show and drank up those nights eagerly and as often as he could. Over the years he had found that there was something incredibly captivating in seeing a person open themselves up, to reveal to him what lay behind the personas established by them or for them throughout their days. And just like everyone else, Miku too allowed her deepest desires and dreams bloom before him, her fears and worries laid bare, unafraid to show him what she hid from everyone else. She told him everything; of her longing to live a more carefree life, to be like other girls her age, for her parents and teachers to have fewer expectations and the fears that stemmed from not wanting to disappoint them, the dream school she hoped to attend soon after graduating... And so, night by night, the baku watched as Miku painted her inner life before him, the self he was certain she had told no one else. As she told him these things he observed that a weight seemed to be lifted off her shoulders, as if she had harboured secrets and confessions waiting to be spilled to the first person who would try to just listen, ready to divulge her life to anyone who would look far enough to see someone behind what she projected into the world. Despite all of this, she had no shortage of friends. She talked about them from time to time, and she was always so adamant about assuring him that her parents were very loving and supportive aside from their strict expectations. Yet surrounded by people, she still voiced feelings of loneliness and detachment from those who seemed to have no interest in seeing her true self.
Falling out of his recollections, the baku glanced down at her dream journal, a new entry catching his eye. It was a recurrence in her dreams now, the only worry her subconscious and conscious alike could use to plague her. Despite her romanticism, the baku knew Miku was a realistic girl, and in her sleep and daydreams, worries about her relationship with him flitted through her mind. Though she didn't doubt his existence, the nature of their relationship concerned her, and with good reason. Still, he was rather concerned by the length of the entry. What would typically have been a paragraph or two seemed to consume the entire passage. His eyes darted across the page, reading of concerns Miku had about her relationship with him, wondering how what they had could ever last, fearing the day when they may have to inevitably part ways, wondering about what exactly he was and what he was capable of achieving. Though she was justifiably worried, Len couldn't stop himself from commending Miku for her realistic approach to the situation.
Turning the page, Len's eyes fell upon a completely blank entry. Noting the date, the baku realized that Miku hadn't fallen asleep yet. He closed the dream diary, standing to return the book to its rightful place. Behind him a tall bookshelf accented with gold gilding stood, towering from the ceiling to the floor. Within the expanse of shelves an array of bound books were stacked together, blanketed in a heavy layer of dust. Though the disarray of the bookshelf clashed with the sleek neatness of the rest of the baku's room, Len seemed to pay it no mind as he slid Miku's dream diary into the nearest space on the shelf.
He plucked his coat from off his desk and turned to leave, but paused for a moment when his eye caught the arrangement of flowers resting upon his tea table. The roses were in bloom, the petals so full they seemed to burst off their stems. He pulled one from the vase, inhaling the delicate aroma before he turned away from the table. In a moment he had disappeared from the room in a cloud of purple and gold smoke.
~x~
As he approached the familiar house, he could make out Miku resting her arms against her bedroom window, a pale silhouette in a world of shadows. As he got closer, he could see her eyes shine in wonder as she stared up into the starry night sky.
"Is there something you wish for young lady?"
The girl jumped at the sound, turning to face the voice's source.
"Len!" she exclaimed excitedly with a laugh. "How are you?"
"Much better now that I'm with you," he replied playfully. "For you," he explained, extending the white rose towards the girl.
"Oh, that's very kind of you!" Miku responded appreciatively. She lifted the bloom to her nose and after a moment sighed in contentment.
"Is it to your liking, then?" the boy asked with a pleased smile.
"It smells wonderful, Len!" Miku beamed at the boy, her eyes shining brightly despite the low light. "Could you wait here a minute? I'd like to get this in some water."
"Of course."
"Be right back!" she called over her shoulder as she left the room, being sure to firmly close the door behind her.
Len's eyes lingered over the closed door for a second before releasing an audible sigh of annoyance as he tugged at the collar of his dress shirt, his clothes feeling unusually tight. By the time Miku returned with a vase, Len had removed his jacket and hat and was in the middle of rolling up his second sleeve, his bow tie undone and hanging precariously around his neck. He paused to watch Miku set the vase on her desk, and smirked lightheartedly as she covered her mouth to suppress her laughter.
"What's so funny?" Len asked as he straightened and approached the girl, his look playful and challenging.
"I'm not used to seeing you dressed down," she explained, her stomach suddenly filling with butterflies.
Miku glanced away, her heart beginning to race as the baku closed the distance between them. She felt her skin heat up as her gaze locked with Len's, her legs pressing against her desk as the baku slid an arm around her waist. His touch alone sent a small shiver shooting through her body, leaving her waiting in anticipation for what would happen next. Hidden in the quiet of her room, time seemed to stop around them as he inched closer. His arms slid over the girl's back, firmly holding himself closer to her, he pressed his face to Miku's neck and closed his eyes.
"What are you doing?" Miku stammered, freezing with the sudden touch. A new shiver shot through her as the boy's breath tickled her neck.
She felt him shrug as he nuzzled against her skin. "I missed you," he explained simply.
As quickly as he had advanced upon her, Len was already stepping back, the spell now broken left Miku dizzy as an all too innocent smile spread over his face.
"What's gotten into you?" Miku muttered as she pushed herself off the table.
"I didn't want anything getting out of hand. I see you like your gift," Len nodded towards the desk and Miku turned, eyes falling onto the rose that was now neatly placed into the vase.
"So," she exhaled with feigned composure as she turned back to face the boy. "What brings you here tonight?"
"As you know, I simply wished to see you," Len replied warmly. "Though I am rather confused. Why aren't you sleeping…?"
Miku laughed lightly. "I suppose I'm not tired yet. Will you sit with me for a moment?" she asked hopefully.
Len smiled and bent his head in silent agreement.
Miku excitedly retrieved the chair that was tucked against her desk.
"Thank you," Len replied graciously, and took the chair from her. He sat it across from the ottoman Miku had placed by the window earlier that evening. As he settled into his seat he took a moment to admire the stars, then turned his attention to the girl.
Miku sat across from him in her ottoman and leaned closer to the boy. In the darkness her eyes seemed to change to a shade of deep jade. "You mentioned something about a wish earlier. What did you mean?" she asked curiously.
"You had been looking at the stars," Len responded. "I only assumed… Isn't it customary to wish upon them?"
Miku regarded the boy with a smile. "Now that you mention it, I suppose it is. But I think all of my wishes have already come true," she admitted quietly.
"Is that so?" the baku responded. "And how is that?"
Miku looked down for a moment, eyes flitting back up to catch Len's gaze. "For a long time I've wished for someone like you."
"Oh?" the boy asked curiously, leaning forward with interest.
The girl squirmed under his gaze, her cheeks burning from embarrassment. "I've been wanting to thank you for a long time now. The nightmares were eating me alive. I don't think my life would have ever been the same again if it wasn't for you, Len… So, thank you very much," she concluded, her adamant gaze piercing deeply into the boy.
Len was taken aback by the girl's confession, but he quickly regained his composure with a small chuckle. "I'm honored, and incredibly lucky to have caught the attention of such a wonderful girl," he responded lightly.
Miku smiled at the boy, her eyes wandering over his features, eventually falling onto his pointed ears. "You really aren't human…" Miku whispered quietly. "Even after everything that's happened, it's still hard for me to believe it."
"I understand," Len replied. "It must be difficult for someone to accept that their world is no longer quite what they've always perceived it to be."
"Yes, it is," Miku admitted. "But more than anything, now I'm curious."
"Curious?" Len asked, raising his eyebrow in question.
"About bakus. Would you mind telling me about them?" the girl asked with a hopeful look.
"There isn't much to tell," he admitted simply. "We travel your world assisting humans who need to be rid of their nightmares through contracts. Our sole purpose is to eat dreams."
Miku waited for Len to continue, but soon realized he had no more to say.
"That's it? There has to be more than that…"
"I'm afraid not. Of course there is more to our world. Much like yours has groups of humans who specialize in certain fields, bakus coexist with other types of creatures who keep our society running smoothly. But there is very little need for more than a few handfuls of such specialized creatures, so bakus are a rather scarce species, and incredibly busy because of it. So really a baku's existence isn't a very interesting one. That is, until we meet someone like you," Len added playfully. "And frankly, young lady," the creature continued as he took Miku's hand and stood, "You are what I would much rather be focusing on right now."
He helped the girl from her seat and led her across the room. The baku reclined slightly on the still-made bed, an impish grin on his lips.
Obviously hesitant to join the baku, Len sat up before gently pulling the girl against him until she was comfortably seated on his lap. She averted her gaze, her face burning scarlet as the boy began to languidly trail his eyes down her form.
"Why won't you look at me?" the baku cooed, leaning closer to the flustered girl's face. "You know you don't have to hide from me." He wrapped his arms around the girl's waist, his lips gracing the lobe of her ear as he spoke. "What is it you desire, Miku?" he whispered, his voice low and filled with temptation, dripping like honey with secrets and promise.
She turned to face the boy, beautiful turquoise eyes already needy and clouded with desire. She slipped her hands over his chest and rested them on his shoulders. Taking hold of his loosened necktie, she pulled the boy inches from her face.
"Kiss me," she breathed, a hint of her longing slipping into her tone with the request, and Len was happy to oblige.
Their lips met, and he quickly parted them, feeling her gasp as he traced her lips with his tongue. There was no hesitation this time, no fumbling or nervousness as Miku felt herself press against him, their teeth clicking together as she eagerly deepened the kiss.
~x~
When they finally broke away, Miku's face was flushed, her eyelids drooping as she unwillingly dozed.
"Tired...?" Len mused, caressing her face as he tucked locks of hair behind her ear. He laughed gently as Miku responded with a slow nod.
The baku unclasped Miku's hands from around his neck and helped ease her under the covers.
"Well then, young lady, I suppose I should take my leave-"
"Wait!" Miku interrupted hastily. She sat up, forcing some alertness back into her sluggish body.
"What is it?" Len questioned, curiously raising an eyebrow as he awaited Miku's reasoning behind the sudden outburst.
"I don't want you to go," Miku explained, her voice barely above a whisper as she twisted a bedsheet between her fingers. "...Will you spend the night with me?"
Len's breath caught in his throat as he felt his heartbeat raise slightly at Miku's request.
"That wouldn't be appropriate," the baku blithely replied, though he tried to his best to feign composure as he spoke, his throat still tightened and his heart beat a bit faster than usual.
Miku sat up, leaning towards the boy with a coquettish grin. "Is anything about a young man sneaking into my room appropriate?" she quipped, though her tone was lighthearted and friendly.
Len felt his body relax with the joke. He met eyes with Miku, a mischievous grin playing on his lips as he leaned in conspiratorially towards the girl.
"Under the circumstances," he replied, "I think it was quite excusable. And as for tonight, I suppose spending a few more hours with you couldn't hurt."
Miku's eyes lit up with Len's assent, and in a few moments he was underneath the sheets with her. It wasn't long before Len noticed Miku was dozing off, and he wasn't surprised. Everything about Miku's bed was soft and clean and inviting. If bakus required as much sleep as humans, he knew he would have found himself dozing off by now as well. He absentmindedly twirled one of Miku's locks around his finger and glanced at the girl laying beside him. Len tensed as Miku let out a small breath and moved closer, and found himself holding his breath as she settled against him. He pondered his behavior, wondering what was causing him to react so strangely. Len realized with a sudden burst of surprise that it was as if he was afraid to move too suddenly in fear that she may disappear, as if he himself were lost in a dream of his own. Thoughts of this strange sensation quickly ebbed with the realization that this was undoubtedly reality. The subtle heat radiating off of her skin, comforting and soft against his own, and the rhythmic, quiet sounds of her breathing proved that he was awake. His unoccupied hand hovered over her as he considered tracing the outlines of her back or caressing her cheek, but hesitated, feeling his breath catch again. Though her eyes were closed, he knew she was still partially awake. He pulled away and cleared his throat.
"What are you thinking about?" Len wondered aloud, unsure of why the girl still hadn't fallen asleep. He glanced at the alarm clock that rested on her nightstand, and noted that it was close to three a.m.
Miku opened her eyes, and looked at Len hesitantly, as if she were unsure if she wanted to tell him or not. Len wasn't about to press the topic, but to his surprise, Miku spoke.
"What's going to happen to us?" she asked quietly, concern etched in her voice.
Len paused, allowing the lock to slip off of his finger. He watched the hair fall and make a smooth ringlet on the mattress. He glanced back up at Miku, and saw her expression was clouded with worry.
"Miku, it's alright…" he began, pulling the girl into his arms. "You must understand how much I treasure your company. It's rare for someone like myself to share such a deep bond with a human, and I am more thankful for that than words can describe."
"Are you going to have to leave one day?" Miku asked, though she wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer.
"Of course bakus have to move on and assist others with their nightmares. It's our job to help humans dream peacefully, without it our species would cease to have meaning."
Disappointment and pain flitted through Miku as she resisted the sudden urge to cry. The idea that Len would one day leave her and she would once more be alone was almost unbearable.
Of course he couldn't be with you, she thought, scolding herself silently. He's a baku for goodness sake! How would that even work? As if someone like him could love you. Tears pricked at Miku's eyes and threatened to escape as she fought against the urge to cry. At least you can still have him in your dreams, Miku thought halfheartedly in some sort of attempt to reason with herself. Of course she could dream of him, but dreams could never compare to the real thing, and she scolded herself anew for letting herself be so foolish.
"However," Len continued on. "That wouldn't stop a baku from visiting a human once their contract was up, if both parties so desired."
Miku bolted up, relief flooding through her as she stared at Len.
"Really?" Miku asked, excitement and hope flooding over her.
The baku nodded with a smile, but paused as he stared at the girl.
"Miku, are you crying…?!" Len asked, eyes wide as he stared at Miku.
In the darkness it was more difficult to make out, but Len could see a faint stream of tears falling down her face.
"If I said something that upset you, I apologize," Len responded tentatively.
"Nothing's wrong," Miku laughed as tears continued to course down her face. "I'm just happy!"
Before Len could respond, Miku's lips were against his. She broke the kiss for a moment and Len smirked as the girl moved towards him. Wrapping his arms around her thin frame, he pulled Miku closer until she was pressed against him. Tonight's nightgown as usual, the baku mused as he smiled into Miku's kiss, was not leaving much to the imagination, and he felt his hands moving down Miku's back and to her sides as he gripped against her curves through the thin fabric. The girl gasped lightly as Len traced his tongue over her lips, relishing the sweetness of her taste. She leaned further against the baku, their tongues fervently exploring each other's mouths as their kiss deepened. Miku broke away for a moment, panting as Len continued to hold her close. His hands caressed her neck before he eased down the ruffled lace sleeve of her nightgown, the skin of her shoulder exposed to the light of the half full moon.
~x~
What would have once been lonely nights now passed quickly with Miku and Len sharing each other's company. At first Len voiced his guilt about keeping Miku up so late at night, but she insisted that she didn't mind, and that she would take spending time with him over a full night's sleep without hesitation. Still, Len tried to be courteous about his visits, often consulting the girl's dream diary before going to visit her in case she'd already fallen asleep. On nights when she already had, he'd spend time reading or lounging about his home. Though he valued his privacy and downtime, even he could admit that nights with her were always much less tedious than staying cooped up indoors. Still, tonight he found himself reclining in a soft chair in his parlour, dragging his fingers over the cover of Miku's dream diary. He couldn't imagine that she was still awake at this hour, but opened the book just in case. Flipping to the current date, Len was surprised to see that she had been dreaming for quite some time, in that very moment even, judging by the words embedding themselves on the page. He watched as each letter was placed, seemingly by an unseen hand, the words neatly printed along blank lines, perfectly recording the progress of the dream as it occurred. Resigned to the fact that he would not be seeing her tonight, Len settled into his chair and began to read.
~x~
Though there was no source of light to be seen, Miku could see around her perfectly. From every side appeared to be a starless black sky, stretching endlessly upon the horizon. If it weren't for the masses of crimson roses engulfing the ground as far as the eye could see, the pungent scent that they exuded would almost smell too strong to be real. Each rose seemed to glisten sharply despite the odd mixture of darkness and ample light, and upon further inspection, Miku noted that the blooms were covered in dew splattered like fallen teardrops on each perfectly formed petal. Miku slowly explored the space, too enamoured with the strange environment to be frightened, and with no visible threats in sight, she decided to enjoy the strange dream while it lasted. She wandered aimlessly, and with no landmarks to keep herself oriented, Miku began to question if she was going anywhere at all. Unsure if she had been wandering for minutes or hours, Miku crouched down amongst the flowers and leaned her head against her knees with a sigh. It was strange to her that she could feel tired in a dream, and decided it would be best to wait it out before something odd could happen. The girl squeezed her eyes shut insistently, but she instinctively shot up as she heard a faint echo of a melody in the distance. At first out of curiosity she followed the sound, but she began feeling more and more hesitant as the tune got louder. Miku could now tell that the sound was indeed someone singing, and the hunched, shadowy silhouette in the distance only confirmed her suspicions. As Miku eased upon the stranger, she made out the petite figure of a girl, crouched over a cluster of roses. Up close the girl's voice sounded hollow and absent, reminding Miku of a ghost. Skin deathly pale and wearing a long white night dress and gloves, the stranger's appearance only enhanced the accuracy of the comparison. Miku watched silently as the girl continued to hum, gently pulling the petals from a single bloom cradled in her hand. As she dropped each of the petals, they seemed to fall for only a moment before breaking into small fragments and ascending into the sky. Miku watched in wonder as the girl continued plucking petals off the bloom. Continuing to observe the stranger, she unconsciously shifted her weight. The light sound of roses readjusting around Miku's feet caused the girl to jolt and turn suddenly with a gasp. Miku instinctively stepped back as she met eyes with the strange girl. Her eyes were wide and deep green, the color dramatically accentuated by impossibly dark bags that looked painfully reminiscent of bruises. Her cheeks seemed hollow and were slightly sunken, leaving her face in shadows. Despite her disturbingly sickly appearance, the stranger smiled, her lips colorless and chapped.
"What are you doing here?" the stranger asked shakily.
"I'm sorry," Miku replied in haste and took another step back. "I didn't mean to interrupt you. I'll be going now…"
"Wait!" the girl exclaimed, jumping to her feet.
Miku flinched as the girl reached for her, and the stranger quickly recoiled in response.
"Can you stay for a moment?" she asked, her tone laced with friendliness and desperation. "I'm sure I don't look very good…" she trailed off with a nervous laugh, "but I promise I won't hurt you. It's just been so long since I've seen anyone. You're the first person I've ever encountered here, actually… So… if you could spend some time with me… I'd be very grateful."
Miku warily watched the girl for a moment. She did indeed look frightful, but aside from her appearance, she seemed gentle and friendly. Still, she knew all too well that her dreams could alter quickly and violently if given the chance, though that hadn't happened for quite some time thanks to Len...
Either way, Miku reasoned, it's not like she can really hurt me. It's just a dream.
With her mind made up, she decided she'd take the chance.
"Okay, I'll spend some time with you," Miku confirmed with a nod and a friendly smile.
"Really? I'm very thankful!" the stranger exclaimed.
Miku looked down at the flower still clutched in her hand. Held against the whiteness of her clothing and skin, the rose almost looked like a spot of blood. Miku pointed at the bloom. "I noticed you were plucking the petals off of that," she began. "Why?"
"Oh!" the girl exclaimed, seeming to remember the rose in her hand. "I could just explain, but I think I'd much rather show you!"
She returned to her place on the ground and Miku sat next to her, eying the girl as she began plucking off petals one by one once again. Up close the transformation was even more miraculous. Miku watched in awe as the stranger picked off and dropped each petal. It would fall a few inches before hovering in the air for a second. The petal seemed to fracture and crack apart before ascending into the sky, making the air around it sparkle as it disappeared into the empty darkness that loomed above them.
"It's beautiful…!" Miku breathed.
The stranger giggled. "That's not even the best part," she whispered as she continued to pull apart the rose petal by petal.
When only one more remained on the stem, the girl turned to Miku excitedly.
"Are you ready to see what happens next?"
Miku nodded quickly, eager to see what could possibly happen once the final petal had been released.
The stranger removed the last petal and the pair watched it slowly float into the air. As it disappeared the sky immediately seemed to alter, turning from black to a luminous blue. Just as the color seemed to set, Miku gasped as she saw an image of a person. Across the sky a small, slender figure glided about, as if being projected onto a screen. By the way she was dressed and her graceful, perfectly balanced movements, Miku assumed she was performing in a ballet. Though she made the dance look effortless, her eyes remained closed and her brows were ever so slightly furrowed as she moved through the air. The two girls sat in silence, enamoured as they watched the ethereal creature dance about the sky. Miku wasn't sure if it was her imagination or if she could really hear classical music playing lightly around her.
The dance continued for some time, until all at once the music seemed to stop in perfect beat with the girl, who stood poised in a perfect bow, hardly allowing herself to breathe so she could stay perfectly still despite her exhaustion. A few moments of utter stillness passed before the girl straightened. Her face relaxing, she opened her eyes and beamed as if looking into an audience, her eyes matching the color of the sky almost perfectly. Next to Miku, the stranger began to applaud, and with a grin Miku followed suit as they watched the image of the smiling girl fade into blackness once more.
"It was like a movie," Miku mused, turning to the stranger with a look of wonder.
"Isn't it amazing?" she responded. "I'm glad you got to see such a beautiful one! Every rose shows something different."
"What else do they show?" Miku asked curiously, leaning back on her arms amidst the roses.
"All sorts of things," the stranger mused. "Sometimes I watch people fall in love, get married, play sports, create art, perform music, win awards, travel. Even just mundane things like spend time with friends. It's fun since there's nothing else to do, and I get to see so many new places and people."
"And you never run out?"
The girl shook her head. "Never. New roses seem to grow constantly."
"That's amazing!"
"I'm certainly never bored. Though it can get sad sometimes…"
Miku cocked her head slightly to one side. "Why is that?"
"I'm always watching people from a distance," the girl began, toying with a rose as she spoke. "I never get to interact with who I see. You're the first person I've ever seen down here, besides myself, of course."
"So are you dreaming, too?" Miku questioned earnestly, curious to see if she was sharing a dream with another person.
"That would make sense," the girl ventured hesitantly. "Though I can't recall exactly when I arrived here, or the last time I slept. I simply opened my eyes one day, and here I was."
"I… See…" Miku hesitated, unsure of how to go on. "How did you find out that the roses did that?"
The girl shrugged with a laugh. "I got bored one day, and had nothing else to do. Who knew something so destructive would pay off?"
The two laughed, but Miku's voice fell short. She paused a moment, unsure of how exactly to word her thoughts. "Really, you must be sleeping, though. How else could you be in a place like this?"
"I'm not sure, honestly..." the girl admitted. "I've tried to reason it out myself. But I only know that I'm stuck here, never tired or able to sleep. Perhaps that's why I can't leave?"
The two sat in silence, as if pondering what had been said.
Miku broke the silence first. "So do the roses show you memories?"
The stranger stared up at the sky, one side of her mouth turning up into a grin. "Or past lives…?"
"You don't think…" Miku trailed off.
"That I'm dead?" the stranger finished. "I don't think I am… though I would like to get some answers soon."
Miku laughed lightly. "Well, until you can wake up, these roses can be your dreams instead."
The girl turned to Miku and smiled. "I'm fine with that!" she confirmed. A grin spread across her face as she eagerly picked up a second rose. "Want to watch another?"
"Sure!" Miku laughed.
The girl couldn't say how long the two sat, laughing, talking, and watching projections dance across the sky.
"Why don't you try this time?" the stranger suggested.
"Okay," Miku smiled. She held out her hand to take the rose the girl offered her.
She picked a single petal from the bloom and gently released it into the air.
"You did it!" the girl exclaimed. "You're amazing-" she paused suddenly, her eyes widening in horror.
Miku's smile immediately fell as she followed the stranger's eyes down. She dropped the rose in shock, staring at where her hands would normally be. Aside from a quickly disappearing outline, they had somehow become entirely translucent.
"What's happening to me?!" she screamed as she watched in horror as the strange translucence began engulfing her arms at a rapid pace.
"Oh no… Oh no…" the stranger gasped, hands hovering over Miku uncertainly as her body was consumed quicker and quicker by the moment.
"Please! Don't go yet!" she begged. "What's happening to you?!"
"I think I'm waking up…!" Miku called, arching her neck upwards as if she were treading water, uncertainty etched in her tone as she continued to be consumed by the strange phenomenon.
"I- I didn't catch your name…!" the stranger called. "Please tell me!"
"It's Miku…!" the girl gasped, barely any of her body left to see.
"Miku… thank you…" the girl cried out as tears fell down her face. "My name is-"
~x~
Back in the parlour, Len stared down at the page, unmoving, his teeth bared. After a few moments of staring down at the page he was certain Miku had woken up. He tried to relax his muscles with a shuddering exhale, with little success. He hadn't even noticed that he'd stopped breathing as his lungs now burned from the strain. He relaxed his hands, ignoring the dream diary as it fell to the floor with a thud. The baku reached out to massage his aching jaw, and frowned as he looked down at his hand. He also begrudgingly realized that he'd been gripping the dream diary so tightly that the seams in his gloves had begun to pop. Easing the gloves off of his sore fingers revealed that his knuckles were still regaining their color from his tight hold on the book. Len rolled his shoulders and neck before producing a pocket watch out of thin air. He flipped it open and glanced down. Lining the normal numbered face of the clock were the moon phases, meticulously placed to reveal the exact phase of the moon in any given moment. He looked at a fourth ornately carved hand, extended past the numbers that marked the hour, minute, and second on the watch. His eyes slowly traced the hand up to where it pointed. By the looks of it, the full moon was fast approaching. With a heavy sigh, the dream eater snapped the pocket watch shut.
"So much work, so little time."
~xxx~
As always, reviews are appreciated. Hope everyone enjoys~