A Dream Possibly Unshared
A note before you read:
I wrote this story so my friend would send their art to me. Anyway I hope you enjoy~
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I used to have a subtle aversion towards the numerous social gatherings meant for the nobility. They usually struck me as garish, and the people even more so. However, my outlook changed after I met my current best friend. Ever since that fateful encounter in the music room, the anticipation of seeing them has never failed to fill me with excitement. I guess that this longing has created the scene I find myself in now. As I stand in this grand hall, the melodious tunes of the orchestra mesh with the hum of conversational chatter. Amidst this symphony of sounds, the most resounding to me is the pounding of my heartbeat as I see Ezra's gradual approach toward me.
Every intricate detail, from the exquisite embellishments to the stunning gown, is truly awe-inspiring. I’m fully captivated and find it difficult to catch my breath in their presence. “Hi, Ezra. Wha-What’s going on?” I mutter struggling to look away while I feel my face burning up. They slightly grin upon my outburst before moving closer and softly saying, “I'm glad you're finally here. I had to search for a bit and I was getting worried you wouldn't be here this time.” Whether they do this intentionally or I’m that weak against them I find myself even more flustered than before. I try to come up with a response, but the only thoughts going through my head are about how close they are and how enchanting they are right now.
As much as I try to speak, my words falter, and my face flushes red. "I mean... Why would you be concerned if I wasn't here? This place is amazing. I'm sure you could have a great time without me. I-" Before I can continue, they interject, "I can only truly enjoy these events when I'm with you, Cazmier. The only time I want to be in this environment is with you." Once again, their words pierce right through me. It feels like they're striking yet another cord in my heart. I can't even see myself, but I know I must look like a complete mess. Every word they utter has me hanging onto their every syllable, causing my heart to dance with each one.
I take a moment to compose myself before I murmur quietly, "I feel the same way." They catch on quickly and whisper back, "What was that?" I try to play it off, saying, "Nothing. I was just talking to myself." I hope they buy it, but to my dismay, they reply, "I heard what you said. I just want to hear you say it again." as they move to stand in front of me. There's no escaping this now. I feel my face grow hotter and my body temperature rise as I repeat, "I feel the same way. I want to be with you... IN THIS SCENARIO, I MEAN!" I instinctively cover my mouth, but it's too late. I can only hope they don't find my words off-putting.
They smile slightly while stepping to my side and exclaim, "I'm glad we share the same opinion then." During an awkward silence, they glance around, then turn back and ask, "So, are you going to stand there all night, or are you going to ask me to dance?" Their words send me reeling, as I try to gather what remains of my composure and extend my hand, asking, "May I have this dance?" Accepting my hand, they pull me close and whisper, "I thought you'd never ask." Their touch sends shivers down my spine, and I feel myself melting as they lead me to the dance floor.
We sway to the music, while I find myself captivated by a whirlwind of thoughts, enveloped in the nearness of them, their gentle touch, the steady rhythm of their breath, and the sheer magnificence of their presence have my thoughts tied in knots. Underneath this roof, Ezra embodies the heavens above. Nothing else comes close in comparison. I catch myself stealing glances at them, quickly averting my eyes when our gazes meet. Amused, they chuckle before teasing, "Am I making you nervous, Cazmier?" I managed to stammer out, "NO! No, it's not you. I think it's probably just the crowd. Yeah, that must be it." A mischievous grin lit up their face as they leaned in and whispered, "Should we find a quieter place then?"
I nodded, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement as they led me outside to the elaborate gardens behind the grand manor. We ventured deeper into the garden, where a magnificent maze awaited us. My heart raced as they guided me through the twists and turns, and despite my efforts, I struggled to maintain my composure and keep my legs steady. As we reached the center of the maze, I suddenly became aware that they had been holding my hand the entire time.
After finding a peaceful spot, they suggest we take a small break and offer a seat on a nearby bench next to them. Feeling nervous, I hesitate before declining the offer, insisting that I'm perfectly fine standing. I knew it was a lie; my legs felt ready to give out at any moment. They glance at me, commenting on my reluctance to sit next to them, and I quickly took a seat on the far end of the bench. They constantly liked to crack a joke, saying I didn't want to do something because of some sort of dislike towards them, and in the end, I did what they wanted. However, after sitting down, they soon moved closer, dispelling the distance between us.
"So, um, how about that dance? That was great, right?" I say, trying to distract myself from how close they are. "Yeah, you looked great back there. Your dancing was nice too, but I could tell you were a little lost in thought," they say, chuckling to themselves before continuing, "I didn't think this gown would be that distracting for you." I quickly reply, "No, it's not distracting. The dress is striking and looks really dazzling on you." They lean over, pressing themselves against my back, and gently whisper into my ear, "I can show you how striking it looks off of me."
I recoil in shock, my heart pounding, as I struggle to comprehend the unexpected statement. I stammer and stutter over my own words, my cheeks flushing, as I manage to ask, "What do you mean by that, Ezra?" Turning to face them, our eyes practically locking, I see a mischievous smile playing on their lips as they lean in to whisper in my ear, "It's exactly as I said. You can't really be that dense, Cazmier." Heat floods my body as I whisper to myself, "This can't be real. It must be a dream. Why else would they be like this? But this dream feels different from the others." Their arms envelop me, pulling me closer as they ask, "So, have you dreamed about me before? Have you envisioned us doing this?"
I should really learn to stop saying things out loud, especially things like that. I nod slightly embarrassed as they manage to undo my coat and turn me around. "Good, 'cause I've also been dreaming about doing this to you as well," they say before pulling me into a kiss. I begin to feel my consciousness slowly slip away. I know it's wrong – they're my best friend, and I know the real them isn't interested. But I can't help myself right now. I know the only reason this Ezra is saying these things let alone doing this is because deep down it's what I desperately want, what I desperately pine for, but I'll never be able to have.
I lose track of how much time is passing, but I find myself back against the bottom of the bench with Ezra on top of me. Both of us are huffing, trying to catch our breath as we pull away, the strands of saliva still linking our mouths. We both wipe the saliva off our lips as I begin thinking about how I probably won't ever get a moment like this again. I know it's a dream, but it's the most aware I've been in one. I try to catch my breath and sit up, getting face-to-face with them before professing, "I love you, Ezra, and I have for a while now." They smile and chuckle as they pull me in one last time and reply, "I love you too, Cazmier."
After uttering those words they proceed to lean in, but loose their footing as they fall of the bench. I go over to try and catch them, but I trip over due to my awkward position and fall with them.
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Cazmier wakes up at the camp with the morning sun streaming between the trees, accompanied by the loud snoring of Kenny (Ezra's dog) and the shifting of Ezra lying under the same blanket. An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach as he realized he would have to face his best friend after the vivid dream he had just experienced. In an attempt to avoid an awkward conversation, Cazmier pretends to still be asleep. He could hear Ezra's deep sigh and sensed them moving closer, which only heightened his nervousness. Ezra gently brushed back Cazmier's hair and gazed at him in the soft morning light, causing Cazmier's heart to race and all other sounds to blur in the background. When Ezra eventually left, Cazmier let out a sigh of relief, covering his face with his hands as he lay there, feeling as flustered as he had when he locked eyes with Ezra in his dream.
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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Sorry if parts of the story fall off...I'm not really that good at writing 0-o