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“Say Kuchel…what do you know about dreams?” Kenny asked.
Unfortunately, Kuchel’s response was to burst into laughter.
“‘S not funny you bitch,” Kenny grunted, folding his arms and scowling.
“Sorry, sorry,” Kuchel responded in between her fits of giggles. “It’s just…could you have tried to sound less like you were pulling out your own teeth? Are you mad that you need to ask your dear old sister for help, or that you’re asking about something as ‘ridiculous’ as dreams?”
“Originally, it was just the dream thing, but now I think it’s both.”
Kenny got up to leave, ready to return to his apartment, but Kuchel quickly grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back down.
“Wait, wait, I said I’m sorry!” Kuchel begged and Kenny sighed, sitting back down. “What do you want to know?”
“I keep seeing this…guy in my dreams. But it’s like a memory or something.”
“A memory?” Kuchel cocked her head.
Kenny flung his head into his hands. “‘S what it feels like, at least. Some of them are like…he came out of this weird monster thing, and I tried to kill him, and he let me stab him through the arm.”
“That sounds like something you would dream about,” Kuchel teased.
“ But then some of them are like…we just go on a picnic together or something.”
“Okay, huh, that’s definitely interesting. What does he look like? Is he hot?”
Kenny felt himself blank and his mouth went dry, remembering the man from his dreams.
“You know you’re dreaming about going on dates this dude, so you’re already way past this not being gay,” Kuchel chuckled, and Kenny only flushed more.
“Oi! Y-Yeah, though. He’s…he’s really pretty, actually.”
“Aww so you can be sweet! Keep going!”
The man flashed across his mind. Kenny had seen him at many ages in the memories, but mostly at the age he was now.
“He’s short and kinda like, petite, but there’s like a…firmness to him? He’s got sparkling blue eyes and silvery hair. He’s…almost like a prince or somethin’?”
“Ooo he sounds pretty!” Kuchel cooed, clapping her hands excitedly. “You know, I feel like I’ve seen someone that looks like that! There’s a guy that looks like that at my university!”
“Oh my god, are you serious?” Kenny gaped. “What the fuck. What the actual fuck.”
“You should come visit my campus for a day!” Kuchel gasped, gripping her brother’s arm excitedly. “There’s a lot to do even if you aren’t a student, and maybe you can find your literal dream boyfriend!”
Kenny rolled his eyes. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“Oh come on Kenny! I’ll buy you dinner, wherever you wanna go near campus. How’s that sound?”
“Oh, free dinner? We’ve got a deal lil’ sis.”
“Shake on it asshole,” Kuchel taunted. “And I better see both your hands.”
“Fine, fine,” Kenny huffed, offering his sister his hand and showing her his other, fingers uncrossed. With that, their deal was sealed.
Kenny groaned into his hands, regretting having to catch such an early bus to get to his sister’s campus. Of course the only buses stopping at both his apartment and her campus were at the weirdest of times.
Apparently there’s some cafe near the bus stop. Maybe I can get some caffeine in me before I lose it.
Finally, he got to the front of the line, ordering himself a vanilla latte. The girl at the register gave him a bit of a look, but he honestly didn’t think his order was too contradictory to his appearance. He just rolled his eyes and took a seat, pulling out his computer. He figured he could get some work done at the very least.
“Kenny! Uri!” the barista called, setting their drinks out.
Making his way to the front, he reached for what he presumed to be his drink, and his hand brushed against the other person’s.
“Oh, sorry!” he laughed awkwardly, and Kenny looked up as they both grabbed their correct coffees, and Kenny felt his heart stop as he stared at him.
It was him . The man from his dreams.
“Uh, uh, um…” Kenny felt his mouth go dry. “It…okay.”
Uri laughed, and Kenny felt himself flush, the sound like beautiful music to Kenny’s ears.
“Well, that’s good then.” Uri smiled. “Are you a student here?”
“Uh, um…no, I’m here visiting my younger sister,” he explained awkwardly, running a hand through his hair to try and calm his nerves. “She’s a sophomore.”
“Oh, that’s great! I’m actually a 5th year here,” Uri’s smile faltered slightly. “I didn’t get into the grad school I wanted to go to, so I decided to start my master’s here for now.”
Suddenly, the silver haired man glanced around, realizing they were probably in everyone else’s way. “If you’re…still interested in chatting, maybe we could sit together? No pressure or anything of course, er, Kenny?”
“Yeah, it’s Kenny. And, yeah, sure thing,” Kenny replied, flushing. There’s no way I’m letting him get away. Not when he’s even more gorgeous in real life.
“Oh great! I was sitting in that corner over there, if you wanna come over.”
“Mhm, yep, I’ll grab my shit.” Kenny wanted to curl up and die at how awful he was at talking to Uri. A small hopeful voice inside of him said that the way Uri smiled and laughed with him meant he felt a fondness towards him, but Kenny wasn't exactly an optimist.
Still, he grabbed his bag and plopped down on the chair across from Uri, setting his latte down on the table.
“So, what do you study that you couldn’t get where you wanted to go?” he asked roughly, wanting Uri’s attention.
“Ah, my bachelor’s degree is in political science, so I was applying to law school actually,” Uri explained awkwardly. “I guess I just didn’t have the backing the better schools wanted, y’know?”
“Y-Yeah, I get it,” Kenny replied awkwardly. “Still, I can’t imagine you’re like dumb or anything like that-this school is hard to get into itself from what my sister said.”
“Oh, thanks. And yeah, you’re right but…I guess I just shot too high for graduate school. Or maybe they would’ve preferred I had a different major. I dunno. Anyways, what’s your sister study? And what about you, are you in school?”
“Oh, Kuchel studies social work and psychology actually, which is fuckin’ insane to me,” Kenny stated simply, though he could feel a swell of pride in his chest from talking about her.
“That’s pretty incredible,” Uri agreed, sipping his coffee.
“I’m not in school, didn’t go to college actually. I do some landscaping work for a pretty decent company though, so it pays the bills and that shit. Sometimes I wish I went to college, but then I see all the shit Kuch does and that goes right out the door.”
Uri laughed at that, his smile wide and genuine. “If you saw what I do here, that feeling would only grow. Is your sister Kuchel Ackerman, by the way?”
Kenny felt his heart skip a beat. Kuchel knew his dream man?
“Um, yes. How do you know her?”
“We shared an elective class two semesters ago. It was pretty small, so we all got to know each other. I think she mentioned she had an older brother, but I guess I never had any reason to think about it before now. Do you like your job, Kenny?”
“Uh, yeah. It’s pretty physical, but I don’t mind that kinda thing, and the pay is nice. Plus seein’ the final results is always amazing, honestly. Like, you know how nice those fancy mansion yards always look? It looks even better when you’re the one that made it look that way.”
Uri’s smile widened, and Kenny swore his companion was blushing, which made his own face redden. “That sounds amazing, Kenny.”
“T-thanks.” Kenny rubbed the back of his neck, not sure how to respond to how Uri’s words were making him feel. “Uh, anyways, maybe this might be too much to ask, but since you’re going to this university, is there any chance you could let me know how my sister is doing if you ever end up seeing her?”
Uri blinked owlishly at him, and Kenny felt himself cringe.
I mean, I could definitely appreciate someone telling me about Kuchel since she won’t do it herself, but man was that a shitty attempt to keep in touch.
As if reading his mind, Uri chuckled softly. “If you wanted my number, you could’ve just asked, Kenny.”
Kenny flushed, waving his hands in front of his face slightly. “No, I meant it! Kinda. Maybe…I wanted your number, but I also worry about Kuchel a lot, and she doesn’t tell me a lot about her friends and her school life. I get it, she wants to break away and be independent. But, uh, see, we don’t have parents anymore-our dad died last year, so I guess I just worry about her a lot since we’re all the other has. Sorry to dump that on you!”
“No, it’s okay, I get it! Kinda,” Uri replied, and Kenny noticed that he pulled his phone out. “My father and brother were sort of abusive and manipulative to me, so I’ve been kinda no contact with them since I left for college. I wish I still had some family that looked out for me too. I think it’s really nice that you care for your sister so much.”
“Ah, that sucks just as much for you,” Kenny sighed sympathetically, and reached out to pat Uri’s shoulder awkwardly. Luckily, Uri grasped his intention, and smiled softly. “I guess we’re more alike than I’d thought at first.”
“I’m glad we met, then,” Uri added, before placing his phone in Kenny’s hand. “Though, I still think you should’ve been bolder asking me for my number, and then said the thing about your sister.
Kenny just huffed, rolling his eyes as he typed his name into Uri’s phone, snapping a somewhat ugly, but maybe ‘ruggedly handsome’ photo of himself to put as his contact picture in Uri’s phone. Uri laughed again at his face, and Kenny frowned, handing the phone back.
“Sorry, sorry,” Uri chuckled softly, before Kenny’s own phone lit up with a message from Uri, letting him add his number into his own phone.
“Wanna take a picture on mine?” Kenny asked after creating Uri’s contact, waving the phone out in front of him.
Uri’s eyes lit up, and he eagerly snatched Kenny’s phone, before sticking his tongue out, throwing up a peace sign, and snapping the picture. Kenny snickered, and Uri gasped in a mock offense, which made Kenny’s heart swarm with warmth. Suddenly, the phone buzzed, and Uri quickly handed it back.
“It said it was Kuchel,” Uri explained, and Kenny glanced down, seeing his sister had gotten out of class and wanted to show him around.
“Ah, she wants to meet up now that her class is over,” he read allowed, gathering his things. “I should head out.”
“I might as well head back home too,” Uri replied, gathering his things as well.
“It was…real nice to meet you, Uri,” Kenny laughed awkwardly, feeling himself flush slightly.
Meeting him for real has only made the feelings from my dream even stronger.
“You too.” Uri smiled, before grabbing his hand in both of his. “I’m glad our meeting this time around was a lot less intense, hm, Kenny the Ripper?”Kenny’s mind went both blank and flooded with memories. As Uri turned away, Kenny bowed, slightly mocking. “I agree, King Uri.”