Chapter Text
Sam had been stuck inside Pandora’s vault for quite a while now. It had been very lonely for sure, but he had his recent visitor.
Dream.
His previous prisoner that he had proudly watched over for a year. The one he fed to the wolves to devour whole, however never successfully rid him of existence. Giving a grim reminder to Sam what the origin of Pandora's box meant.
To unleash all chaos into the whole SMP server.
Sam believed Dream was capable of such a thing. He had failed to warn anyone of Dream’s plans; not that he would share any further information to someone like Sam.
But, is that really what Dream had wanted?
Previously, Dream talked to Sam of threats for future visions, even inevitably his death. They were still talking to each other, about their past that would’ve been written as mistakes, raising their angered voices at one another about who was right or wrong. They continued talking, the regrets of their lives that would lead to feel sorrowful. And still, they were talking, only like they were trying to make amends.
Still, Dream wouldn’t trust Sam. Neither could Sam say he completely trusted Dream too.
One day, Dream hasn’t come to stay in the cell any longer than to give Sam his rations for a week. Half a stack of steak, cake baked by Dream himself, and thankfully, a clock. Announcing he was going to be busy and couldn’t stay for chitchats; he says with a smile hidden behind his mask.
Sam didn’t think much about what the latter would be busy with since hunger was his most concern. There were no suspicious activities in his feed for said passing week. The wifi in the prison was absolutely the worst, the mini screen statics every once in a while. He couldn’t send messages since disabling that feature in the main cell; but he could see other people's public chats that were his only way of news.
Foolish : Did someone buy my dirt blocks! :O
Foolish : I mean! Ty for leaving payment but remember to let me know first plz! <3
CaptainPuffy : Someone also bought my gardening items and left payment too! Who is mysteriously building something? O7
BadBoyHalo : Could’ve been Sam???
Heh, would’ve believed it if Sam wasn’t the one trapped in a cell.
The chat ended with just confusion as to who was buying peoples items without making an appearance, but in the end with Thank Yous. All that mattered was the person didn’t consider it free to just take. That was at least nice of them.
Turning off his chat; the hybrid laid on the wooden bed and slept.
A hand came down to touch his shoulder, there was someone shaking him awake. However, to Sam, it felt comforting that he turned. The hand flinched when he pulled it closer to press against his cheek and hummed sleepily. The skin was so soft with fingers resting against his own, thumb just over his lips and under his nose. They held a pleasant scent of earthy soil, roses and forest rain; just like being outside.
“Sam?”
It was a confused Dream’s voice; and he finally opened his eyes. Realizing that the hand he’s holding over his face was Dream’s, letting go and sat up quickly fully awake now.
“S-Sorry, sorry. I thought I was, um,” Sam nervously spoke while rubbing the back of his neck. They both didn’t say anything. Dream still had his hand held out, then retracted it slowly to his side.
“Well, I assume you had a nice sleep since you didn’t hear the explosions or me trying to mine the obsidian.”
Explosions? Mining?
Sam blinked, the obsidians and stones blocking the cell were gone, the lava was also missing with the entrance now opened with the platform there. How did he just sleep through the explosions and the clicking of red stones?
“Come on Sam, there’s something I want to show you. Now that I know how to navigate the prison.” Dream sat up and walked to the platform.
So Dream finally hacked the system of the prison? That must’ve been why he was busy. Sam shouldn’t trust what the blonde would say, but nonetheless; it made him feel anxious to know what it is. No longer stalling, Sam got off the bed and followed.
They walked around the prison halls, all familiar to the hybrid since he had walked these tunnels so many times. And then they were at the second respawn area. There were supposed to be three switches with locations written on top, but the third switch was replaced with a button that Dream pressed on. Sam realized that there was no sign.
It used to be called a courtyard, there shouldn’t be anything to trigger. Surprising him, there was now a path opening to reveal a new nether portal that ignited automatically when reveled.
“We’re almost there.”
Dream walked towards the new portal. Sam followed with the continued feeling of being anxious, shifting to uncomfortable. Was this new location just a trick? What could be on the other side, a new prison cell for Sam? Or would it be so much worse, a torture chamber. And he would be the first guinea pig to test the new room.
“Close your eyes.”
Sam stared confused at Dream.
“It’ll be okay Sam. I promise I won’t hurt you, it’s just a surprise.”
Dream’s voice was soft, gently speaking; he must be smiling right now under his mask, but Sam wouldn’t know. With a shaky inhale, he did as instruct. Feeling his hand being held, Dream squeezed his hand gently, and he hesitantly returned the squeeze.
The latter laughed lightly before guiding Sam towards the portal. The familiar feeling of being teleported simulated through their form once, feeling the heat of the nether. Without needing to see, Dream was helping him sit in a boat. Rowing pretty fast could mean it was further away from the prison and they were sliding on ice. They finally stopped to be holding hands again and were walking into another portal.
Sam could feel a breeze once they were fully on the other side. The familiar smell of soil that was lingering on Dream’s fingers was just like this. The sound of birds chirping, bees buzzing, the critters of animals around the unknown area echoed around them.
Without even being instructed, Sam opened his eyes; having to pull a hand over them from the sun's shine, until he adjusted to the light; he was shocked.
A vast area of what mimicked a forest. High roofed trees, long vines hanging down far above them, grass and moss everywhere, flowers swaying gently to the breeze, a large waterfall flowed from a high wall into the lake at the bottom. The forest looked like it was in a crater of a cave. But with the looks of the area, life from the ground was blossoming from where they were standing.
Sam could understand why it had no name.
It was a Secret Garden.
“I’m not very good at building things, but I really felt a liking to this area. Giving it a little help transforming it into this.” Dream stretched his hand in front of them, swaying it aside slowly as Sam’s green eyes followed the hand that showed him more of the area.
Sam walked forward into the grass, stretching his hands out to let tall strands sway against his fingers when he felt them. He basked in the sun's ray, inhaling deeply before letting out a sigh, gunpowder easily floating away from his mouth into the open air.
Dropping to his knees, he stayed there while continuing to look at the scene before him. Even with the impressive builds Sam or Foolish could create, they never looked anything like this. His lands were always disformed, hollowed, recreated to look real but obviously terrain.
Everything here must’ve taken little work to grow, it all looked natural. Just being able to get dirt to become bright grass, the trees to harbor freshly green leaves, flowers to shine colors, rocks covered in the wet moss.
The garden was beautiful.
“Why would you want to live in the prison, and not here?”
“Isn’t it obvious? This place wasn’t meant to be ruined. I don’t want this area to be considered a danger zone. You’re looking at what it’s supposed to be. Peaceful.”
Dream was walking forward but stopped behind Sam. Didn’t do anything, just shared the scenery with the hybrid kneeling before him. Pretending to not notice his large form trembling.
“Will you kill me here?...”
“No. There’s no bloodshed here, Sam. I said I wouldn't hurt you.” Dream sounded honest, since they were nowhere near the prison; Sam actually believed his words.
“I’m only bringing you here once.”
And never see it again.
Dream was sitting next to Sam now who released a deep, shaky breath when he finally sat back too. Trying to keep this image buried deep into his mind. An inspiration to one day maybe recreates something similar to this. It won’t look or exactly feel like this though.
Sam dropped a hand down to touch wet grass, fingers searching for nothing in particular but to feel. Flinched when accidently touching Dream’s own; he retracted his hand into a balling fist with grass in his palm, feeling awkwardly embarrassed that he didn't even apologize but shrugged.
The sound of light shuffling beside him, Sam could feel the blonde's fingers touch his palm. Just like before they were in the portal; Sam held onto Dream’s fingers, and then holding hands.
Staying like that, they stared at the garden until the sun was finally going down. It was even more beautiful, luminous bloom shrooms shining around the darkest areas, moon light shining, insects chirping; lovely.
“I don’t want to forget this.” He really didn’t.
“You won’t. Just know that if there were any place safe around this server, it was only here. Remember it, Sam.”
Remember the secret garden.