Chapter Text
No one needed a ticket to ride the train between universes. Unless you had a specific place that required special permission to attend, that was, but Yuemiyu had no such places of high publicity and status in mind. When they boarded the train with nothing but a terrified look in their eye and the clothes on their back, all they had set for a destination was someplace far away. Far, far away.
After countless years and days that would never leave their memory, they finally built up the spine to escape their previous residence. Home didn’t sound like an accurate word, as a home needed to be safe and full of people or things one cared about and vice versa. They didn’t escape from a home, they escaped from a prison.
Now they were free.
It felt so odd, going where they weren’t permitted. For the entirety of their memory, it had always been what their masters wanted them to do rather than themselves. Individuality was a sin for those low enough and Yuemiyu just descended to the ninth circle for such an offense. They put themselves first, managed to escape that terrifying place, and now they found themselves feeling incredibly small in what they believed as a hostile world.
Yuemiyu wandered through the train cars, painfully aware of how full and packed the locomotive actually was. Either reality or their own paranoia taking over their brain, they kept getting the feeling that everyone had eyes on them. Silently picking them out, ready to call to the hills to their masters, alerting their escape and where they were.
Soon, soon they’d be off the train, but now they had to keep to themselves. Yuemiyu hugged their arms tighter to their chest as their step quickened. If there were no seats, then perhaps the safest place to stay on the interuniversal train was the roof. No one would find them there, and what of it if conditions weren’t livable? For being a spirit within the body of a puppet, the mortality of situations had never been a top priority.
Before they could resign themselves to taking their chances above the train, an empty seat caught their eye. Yuemiyu stopped in their tracks and studied it. An entire seat… almost completely out of the way and in a quiet car. Maybe…
Then they saw someone sitting across from it. The stranger could hardly care about their presence, seemingly absorbed in a book they had on the table. To Yuemiyu, a part of their brain warned them that this could be a front, that whoever this was had plans to lure them into a false sense of security. But at the same time…
Yuemiyu made up their mind and slid into the chair across from the stranger. Getting over the initial anxiety of sitting down had been quite easy, though now came the worry of being attacked or interrogated. Though still, given the new presence in front of them being completely taken by a written world of their own, Yuemiyu could shove most of those thoughts aside for the most part.
They didn’t make a sound, not a tap on the table or any kind of small talk. Instead, they simply stared at the tiny marks made on the table in front of them. Of course, most that they could see was incredibly hard to make out, thanks to the eyes on their own head. However, the one on their chest was much more fruitful with staring at it.
Seconds passed before the shuffling of the stranger across from them met their ears. An awkward cough caught their attention and they finally looked up. The stranger gazed right at them, large eyes even larger behind the thick-framed glasses.
Their eyes met, and Yuemiyu felt as if they were immediately swallowed up by the stare of the other. It felt so odd as if they were studying them as if they were the book in their hands. The tension in their shoulders released slightly, the anxiety melting away as they tried to search yet failed to find any hostility in the other’s look. Instead, they only found pure curiosity.
“Hi,” the stranger said, albeit awkwardly. Their lips stretched into an equally uneasy smile before their eyes fell back to the book. Apparently whatever they were reading came before the conversation.
Yuemiyu gave a quiet greeting back. They didn’t quite hear themselves say it as they continued to closely examine the person in front of them, the anxiety still refusing to let their guard completely down. So far, the stranger had no such interest in them aside from a greeting, but Yuemiyu still couldn’t be sure.
“Are you alright?” the stranger asked, not looking up from their book, “You’re fidgeting.”
Stiffening, Yuemiyu straightened their back. Their anxiety was that apparent? Even to the point of them not being able to sit right in their own seat? They hadn’t even noticed, though now being consciously aware of the fact, they did find themselves sitting in a slightly different spot from where they started. Though now, they were consciously aware of how much their anxiety spiked from such a brief interaction. What if the stranger said something that would take them back to that place?
“Yep!” Yuemiyu said, flashing a smile that was the opposite of a mirror to their inner thoughts, “Fine, just can’t sit still.”
How odd that the stranger didn’t even need to look up to know what they were doing. The paranoia festering in their mind grew more intense, distrust mounting even more. What were they thinking letting down their guard for a single second?
A small smile crept itself onto the lips of the other and they finally closed their reading material after placing a bookmark between the pages. The movements were slow and meaningful as if they were trying their best not to scare a wild animal away. Though, Yuemiyu knew it to be incredibly close to the truth.
“Sorry, should’ve been more polite there,” they admitted, “It’s a really good book though.”
They tapped at the book before they set it to the side, a quiet invitation for Yuemiyu to read the cover. Curiosity immediately poked at them and they drew closer to the table, all three eyes wandering to read the cover.
“Do you study dreams?” Yuemiyu asked after their eyes glided over the large-font words. They knew people had professions in them, but hardly met any dreamhoppers before. Was this their first?
“Yeah,” shrugged the stranger, “Though I’m not really supposed to talk about it. But, you should try reading some books on it if you’re interested!”
“I haven’t really done much reading before.”
A light fell onto their face as they gave another glance toward their book, their smile becoming slightly wider. While they did look to be disappointed that they couldn’t share much about themselves, they appeared more than eager to drag people into the rabbit hole with them.
An action as small as that made Yuemiyu relax even more, their shoulders slumping farther toward the ground. To be completely absorbed in a world that wasn’t real life was promising, as why would the stranger care about the affairs Yuemiyu was running from? They wouldn’t have the mind to turn them in. That, and something else that they couldn’t place a finger on caused more of their anxiety to melt away.
“You should get into it!” the stranger said happily. They now shoved the book Yuemiyu’s way, allowing them to open the book and peer inside at its contents. “It’s a wonderful escape and an equally nice way to pass the time. Especially with dreams, who wouldn’t want to get into a new plane of existence where anything is possible? Imagine the things you would see.”
They began to list off impossible scenarios and scenes that defied imagination itself as the other busied themselves with the book below. It felt like an enchantment had snatched their attention and eyes, gluing them to the page. Slowly and surely, they began to hear the stranger’s voice fade its way to the back of their mind. All too late, they realized how fast they were pulled in, and quickly tore their eyes away.
“It gets you hooked too! I would give you that, but I’m in the middle of reading it… oh!”
Suddenly, the stranger’s eyes lit up, the light reflected in them and the glasses somehow becoming brighter. The smile on their face doubled in size as they turned to a bag sitting beside them that Yuemiyu hadn’t noticed before. A clawed hand dove into the book and after a second of rummaging, the stranger produced the most pristine-conditioned book Yuemiyu had ever laid their eyes on.
“I forgot, I was gonna return this since I already have the same copy at home.” They shoved the book across the table. “So, maybe you’d like it more than me! It’s perfect to dip your toes into the profession. It’s all about dealing with and handling sensitive dreams.”
Their curiosity was piqued and Yuemiyu pulled the book closer, handing the stranger back the other one. Happily, the stranger took it back and nodded at the one in Yuemiyu’s possession.
“Keep it, I don’t mind.”
For a moment, everything stopped. It felt strange as if the train had suddenly come to a halt and Yuemiyu found themselves free falling. Keep it? Keep the book? They stared down at it, everything else vanishing around them.
Yuemiyu echoed the first suggestion aloud, staring at the stranger in disbelief.
“Think of it as a gift!”
A gift. Yuemiyu looked back down at the book, gingerly picking it up as if it was the most holy thing in the entirety of existence. Their chest felt funny as if it wanted to explode with some unknown feeling. They had never gotten a gift before. Why was it making them feel like this now?
At that very moment, their anxiety melted away completely. What a kind gesture. Why would someone give it up to someone like them? But at the same time, Yuemiyu felt thankful to no bounds.
“Thank you so much, I’ll keep it safe for you,” they promised, words now rushing out faster than they ever thought possible. It didn’t feel like one of their anxiety-driven rants where their words fired out like bullets from a gun. Here, it felt as if they poured from a faucet, as fluid as water.
“It’s yours, so you don’t need to do it for me,” laughed the other. Their eyes glittered happily. Apparently spreading their knowledge and getting such a positive reception from it made their day, and Yuemiyu couldn’t help but feel better that they were able to do it to this kind stranger.
“Thank you again though.”
The stranger nodded, now much more eager to continue the conversation. “You’ll find a lot of interesting things in that. It’s actually a really good beginner’s book if you’re interested in the subject, but not so much if you’re hesitant. But I think you’ll do fine.”
The task didn’t seem daunting at all and Yuemiyu nodded enthusiastically. Completely at ease now, they hugged the book closer to their chest; they didn’t want to damage such a precious object.
“Where are you off to, anyway?”
Almost as quickly as it had gone, the anxiety slowly wormed its way back into Yuemiyu’s mind and their bright smile faltered slightly. As much of an innocent question as it was, they still couldn’t help but feel tense. What if they were going to report to their masters and ambush them? They’d be captured again.
But again, being honest was as just as risky as it was lying.
“I’m not sure yet,” they replied with a shrug, looking down at the table again. “I’ll see where the train takes me, but I suppose somewhere far away.”
“Oh, so you like to travel?” the stranger’s eyes lit up again.
“I do!” Yuemiyu lied, though grimaced when it sounded just like one. “Just seeing where the tracks take me, is all.”
The smile on the other’s face faltered slightly and they studied Yuemiyu’s face even closer. Eyes flicking behind their glasses, a volley of emotions passed over their face, and the other couldn’t help but feel as if they were being read like a book. They shrank back slightly, trying to give a more laid-back smile.
“If you need places to go, I can give you a map,” the stranger offered, their voice still friendly and hopeful. “I travel for my work sometimes, so I’m more than happy to give you some places. Or even, why not tag along with me?”
Confusion quickly settled over the stranger’s face at their own offer, though they quickly hid it with a smile. They made a decision, though now looked incredibly awkward about it.
Alarm shot through Yuemiyu for a second, lighting every metaphorical nerve of theirs ablaze. Travel with a complete stranger and stay with them? What kind of test was that? See how gullible they were, testing to see how desperate they were for protection? All suspicions lept up at them, warning them of how obvious of a trap this was.
Yuemiyu stared at the stranger, attempting to capture any fault in their otherwise genuine and sweet face. The moment that they found any hidden treachery, the train car would be far behind them in the same second.
But the way the stranger asked the question, how they hesitantly waited for an answer, how their expression never deviated, and something else that Yuemiyu couldn’t place a finger on yet was enough for them to let down their guard enough to consider.
“Can I have your name then?” Yuemiyu asked.
The stranger blinked, a little surprised and unsure if this was an acceptance or denial of their offer. “It’s Helios Aelius.”
Yuemiyu played the name over again in their head, finding something incredibly but vaguely familiar about it. For some reason, they felt as if they heard it before, much like how a tiny part of them believed they’d seen Helios from somewhere before too. Had they run into each other and never noticed?
“Mine’s Yuemiyu.” It felt off not adding a last name, but at the end of the day, they never had one to begin with. “Helios, would you really take me with you?”
“Yuemiyu…” Helios tested, “That’s a pretty name. Isn’t a part of that name related to the moon? I’ve always studied hidden meanings behind names and the bit relating to the moon really fits you, and— oh- I’m getting carried away, I’m sorry. To answer you though, I don’t want you to take offense, but you look really lost and scared. So why not take you with?”
That came out so straightforward that Yuemiyu didn’t even think of being offended in the slightest. Instead, they found themselves shocked at the boldness of their honesty. Someone with as transparent motives as those, they never had the mind to be angry or upset.
“I…” they began, “I am all of that. I’ll… hm. I’ll come with you.”
The words felt cemented in stone the moment they left Yuemiyu’s mouth. Going with a stranger they only just learned the name of only overstepped the line of recklessness and foolishness by miles. What happened to them being careful?
They could only answer that Helios easily drew them in. Everything about them was sincere and friendly, attributes that they couldn’t run away from when existence turned so cold.
Helios brightened up at Yuemiyu’s words, their eyes practically glittering behind their glasses as their smile became even more brimmed with happiness. Though they quickly caught themselves and tapped on their book.
“Heh! Great! Um.” Their face fell slightly as they sent a furtive glance at it, “I’m not too good with conversations and uh, you look like you don’t want to talk about why you’re on the run. Why don’t we read?”
Read? Yuemiyu had completely forgotten about their gift in the heat of the moment. They had been so caught up in the largest act of kindness they ever felt in their life that they forgot the act preceding it. All the same, they gave a nod and opened their own book.
A hum rose from Helios’ throat as they once more sank into the depths of their own, though Yuemiyu noticed them leaning slightly farther over the table.
They didn’t know what to think, as all of their senses relaxed into calmness and content. The only anxiety-inducing bit about the entire scenario was that they didn’t understand why. Helios was a strange person, but they found that they didn’t quite care. A kind person was a kind person, as unbelievable as it was.