Dream a Little Dream of Me (for streetlevel )

[hawk_shot]

Have a wonderful dream, Kate. May it be all your mind hopes it can be, and may it help in whatever you face next.


Kate hated goodbyes.

Sniffling, she stared at the ceiling of her apartment. Her old and own apartment, no longer a mixture of past and present in her dreams. That sunset no longer bathed the world with an orange light, her father was once again gone and her mother -- Kate tried not to think too much about Eleanor, even if her presence in her subconcious mind clearly spoke for itself.

Her apartment was dark as the rain tapped her windows, but even then she could tell that morning had come. Whatever it was that Matt was cooking downstairs? The aromas reached her and instantlty made her feel better. It was almost as good as the way that Lucky had come to check on her, hopping onto the bed and sniffing at her face before he licked the tears away.

Kate smiled and pushed his muzzle aside, keeping it away from her mouth before she kissed the top of his furry head in return.


You will receive two amulets. When worn, you will find one another in slumber that night. It will work only once, and both hearts must want it, or else it will not end well.


They were there. As promised by Dream, Kate woke up clutching the hexagon amulets in her hand. Was she surprised by this little magical display? A miracle, Matt might call it. No. By now Kate was used to trust her dreams, despite of anything her mind might argue in the waking hours. Her heart, thought? It had foolishly hoped she was mistaken and that, for once, that dream had been nothing but a meaningless.

She hated goodbyes. 

Putting the amulets inside of her nightstand's drawers, she grabbed one of Matt's t-shirts from the chair by the bed and slipped it on. Dragging her feet downstaits, she knew her silence it was not so uncharacteristic, as sleep often drained her from words early in the morning. Thas time however, she was still sniffling as she came to Matt from behind, her arms wrapping around his waist as he took care of the stove. 

Comments

[hawk_shot]

"See what I told you about? Dogs are totally not for introverts. Specially not cute dogs like Lucky." Kate pointed out, following Matt to the kitchen and doing her best to try and contain little Sam as she saw him getting ready to claw his way up Matt's back. By now she'd learn to anticipate some of his moves. "Lucky is the ultimate pussy magnet. I mean, look at us! I can barely contain myself when I watch you walk him."

It was even better to watch Matt so carefully put together a meal for Lucky. He didn't have to, Lucky has happy to eat his dry food. And yet, with patience, Matt had come up with a far more nutritious menu for him and was happy to prepare it whenever they were together.

There was something so grounding about this, about how domestic things felt now. Almost as if they were finally getting a breather after so many hardships.

Getting down on the floow with the animals, Kate told Sam all about how he was a little nightmare. She tickled the cat around his ribs, doing the exact opposite of what she had been adviced to do with the kitten as that turned into a bit of a rough game.

Of course that didn't last long. As Sam recognised the sounds of his bowl and Ella's, he squirmed in Kate's hands and even nipped at her to be released. "Hey, little fuck!" It wasn't a shocked to see him reach the counter. Or drop into Lucky's bowl. "Go home, Sammie! You're mentally drunk!"

As soon as the kitten was taken away, Lucky dug into his bowl, eating fast and almost taking his bowl for a spin arond the kitchen as he tried to clean every inch of it.

The kittens didn't waste ant time at making their own meals disappeared. Ella, sweet and soft as she was most of the time, growled at her brother as Sam got too close, even if her brother was frantically making his bowl go clean.

"God, it's like we never feed them," Kate pointed out as she patted ther legs clean, getting back up. "Well, like you never feed them, anyway." His meals were far more compelling than anything she could give them.

Grabbing the roll of kitchen towels to used as napkins, she groped Matt's ass before heading to sit down and have dinner.

[streetlevel]

"So I owe us getting together to Lucky? Man, now I really owe him extra peanut butter," Matt teased in response to her comments. They had this routine down fairly well by now. Matt set the bowls down in different parts of the room and Kate distracted the animals until their bowls were ready for them to inhale. He heard Kate yelp behind him, cursing Sam, and he could guess what happened. "Sorry, he can be a little demon sometimes. Maybe we should call him Sauron when it's near feeding time. The food bowl is the one ring for him."

Once the pets were taken care of, and a few minutes of free time was bought with the food, Matt headed for the sofa. He poured himself a glass of wine and let Kate help herself to some pizza slices first before he took two for himself. Lifting up one slice, he teasingly tilted it in her direction and said, "Cheers." Taking a large bite afterwards he let out a moan that was almost indecent. "That's so good. We don't tip them enough, whatever the tip is."

[hawk_shot]

After making a whole and detailed argument on how Cupid had no chance next to Hawkeye's dog, Kate settled by Matt's side and picked her slices, chasing after the cheese strings with her lips and cutting off with her teeth this lactose umbilical chord of sorts.

"Cheers." Touching Matt's slice with her own, she snorted at the obscene sounds Matt made while tasting his pizza. "Hey, save those orgasms for later," she teased before she took a bite. Of course, it wasn't long before her own moans followed.

There was only a couple of slices left to reheat in their next lunch, but Kate was stuffed. She licked her fingers clean as she battled Sam, who was now eager to make his way up the table to have a taste of what they were having.

"You sure you want kids after this?" She teased Matt.

[streetlevel]

"Not on my stomach, angel," Matt groaned a little as Ella tried to climb onto his belly to curl up. He gently moved her up to his chest so she wasn't adding even her slight weight to his stuffed stomach. Leaning back against the sofa cushions as he was, he tried to use his foot to help steer Sam away from the leftovers. The kitten mewled angrily at being thwarted, then suddenly saw it as a game of keep away he was now playing with Kate and Matt. "I'm trying to think of it this way... after Sam, then even a human kid has to be easier, right? Lucky was the easy firstborn that fools you into thinking it'll be fine to have another, and then a Sam comes along."

He was teasing, he knew that a real human child would be even more of a handful, but Sam did give them a run for their money sometime.

"Give me just a minute and I'll clean up. Then we can go to bed." A faint nervous shiver ran through him as he remembered what going to bed that night might mean. Not that he'd forgotten it. It had been in the back of his mind all day. His hand found Kate's and he gave a little squeeze. "You still good with it? Doing the dream thing tonight."

[hawk_shot]

Even though Matt's foot was doing the heavy lifting of keeping Sam distracted. Things became more strategic as Kate's own foot stealthily showed up, poking the kitten and making him forget his plan of attack.

Lucky, clearly the big brother who was happy to have a break from his younger siblings, laid down and on his back, looking as sprawled as his humans were.

"Just hope that this isn't one of those situations in which you say 'Oh, it can't get any worse than this and suddenly? Boom, your human firstborn is the Antichrist!" The back of her hand fell down on her palm with a loud slap, making Sam jump as his hackles went up.

At the mention of going to bed, Kate craned her neck and kissed Matt on the cheek. Yes, they were thinking of the same thing. But, while Matt was a little nervous, Kate was nothing but excited, eager to do this.

She squeezed his hand back. "Of course." Her smile, confident as it had been, faltered a little as she sat more upright. "You're not? I mean, Matt, if you're not sure it's really no pressure at all."

She suddenly reached for his stomach, a little bloaty after that meal. "I mean, if you're afraid you'll fart in bed and that that's gonna become a dream earthquake then I totally understand."

Give it to Kate to try and ease worries off with a little humor.

[streetlevel]

"I really hope that being called the Devil isn't asking for the Antichrist," Matt joked back in return. "I'll love my kid no matter what but I'd really hope they aren't meant to bring about the apocalypse and Hell on earth." It was one thing for that to make the premise of a great Pratchett story, but not something he really wanted to entertain in his real life.

Ella was purring on his chest and Matt gave her a loving little pet. At Sam's hackles raising up, Matt patted the cushion next to him. Sam bounced up and over both of them, taking the most difficult route possible, to land at Matt's side and play with his hand. Matt knew it was setting up terrible habits, but at least the pizza wasn't being attacked.

He snorted at her teasing, then shook his head. It took some effort but he sat up a little straighter as he promised, "No, I want to do it. I do. I don't want to put it off. It's just a lot, you know? To think about. I haven't seen anything since I was nine years old, Kate. The thought of getting to even in dreams? It's hard to wrap my head around. But I'm looking forward to it." It just made him nervous, and excited, and scared, and curious, and so many emotions. He folded his fingers in hers as they rested on his stomach. "I'm glad we're doing it together."

[hawk_shot]

"It would be pretty shitty, but I bet your dad would have found it even funnier than a wild mini Matty." She remembered well what Matt said about his father warning him that his firstborn would be as much of a hadnful as Matt had been as a kid, it was the same threat Eleanor Bishop had dropped on her daughter.

As her thumb stroked Matt's knuckles, Kate made herself comfortable. She wrapped her arm around the top of Matt's head and encouraged him to rest against her shoulder. She kissed his forehead, listening as he reminded her just how long it had been since he last saw a blue sky or the faces of those he had cared about as a child.

"I'm glad too." Her heartbeat sure testified about how big this was for her too. To be able to watch him, as he saw the world as their unconsciou minds merged into one. "I know that it's like, a super intimate thing. A big deal for you. I feel like, almost priviliged to think I'll be there."

She didn't want to idealize what could happen, Matt himself had told her that even if they simply replayed the way they spent their Saturday, but in a dream? That would be enough.

Having dinner together, walking around the neighborhood, playing with Lucky and the cats.

After a moment, she couldn't help herself.

"Does this mean this is the first time you'll see a woman naked?"

[streetlevel]

Matt rested his head on Kate's shoulder at her encouragement, letting out a soft sigh at the doting kisses. At her question about whether he'd seen a woman naked, he huffed out a little laugh. "You would think to ask that." He said it in an endeared, amused tone. "Yes, if we end up naked tonight, it would be the first time I saw a woman naked." Even if they didn't end up disrobed though it would be special for him. Just seeing her face felt like a gift he couldn't imagine ever getting.

Turning his head, he let his lips leave a small kiss on her shoulder. "I can't think of anyone better to do it with." He and Kate had been through a lot together by now. Matt had other close friends too like Karen, but it felt right that if someone was going to be sharing this moment with him right now, it would be her. He wasn't going to hope that he might see departed loved ones, or figure for certain he'd get croissants in Paris or see her naked. He'd just enjoy knowing that no matter what he'd share a literal once in a lifetime experience with someone who mattered this much to him. Someone he... the word love danced in his mind, a new flavor to tease and taste.

"... okay. I'm getting up to clean this mess. Any minute now." Another minute went by, then he got up for real. He transferred Ella to his shoulder before starting to clean up their dishes and get the pizza in the fridge for tomorrow.

[hawk_shot]

"Well, I'm sorry but it's a very valid question!" Kate defended herself as Matt playfully called her out. She ran her fingers through his hair as he explained his feelings on what might happen that night, Kate's nails gently scratching his scalp as he spoke.

Squeezing him lightly, she held onto him as she also allowed herself to relax for a moment. "Funny, because neither can I." Matt had asked why she didn't pick anything else as a gift from Dream. And honestly? Not even now, not after a whole day of the question sometimes poking her mind, could she think of a better idea. Of anything else she might want.

Watching Matt experience something so unique would be enough of a gift.

Eventually, they both found the strenght to get off their asses, Kate picking their empty glasses and helping Matt take things to the kitchen before she headed upstairs. Of course, even though Lucky had lingered for a moment in the hope some leftovers could turn into a treat, the dog quickly followed her up, jumping on the bed as he waited for Kate to come out of the bathroom.

By the time Matt joined them upstairs he would find her sitting against her headboard, inspecting those amulets closely as she held them on her hands. She pinched the chain, holding them up against the light, watching the sand rock from side to side and up and down, at times seeming to float like flakes inside of a snowglobe. Like fragments of something that was not affected by the physics that ruled the waking world.

"We need -" She liked her lips. "We both need to wear this," she explained as she held one out for Matt to take. "These are Dream's gift."

[streetlevel]

Ella remained on Matt's shoulder as he finished helping clean up, then going into the bathroom after Kate to get ready for the night. Sam sprinted about at their feet, gave pleading sounds at Kate to help lift him onto the bed, and then immediately cuddled up next to Lucky. Their coats were similar enough in coloring that it was hard to discern where the dog's tail ended and the kitten began. Matt gently set Ella onto the bed before he changed into boxer shorts and a t-shirt. Settling on the edge of the bed, he reached out a hand to accept the amulet and chain that Kate offered to him. He let his fingers run over it, noting the general shape and, when tilted, hearing the grains of sand pour from one side to another. "Sand? Really? That's a little on the nose, isn't it?" he teased with a smile, the joking helping to settle some of his nerves.

He slid the amulet around his neck. It felt surprisingly light, given the metalwork. Otherwise, it didn't feel like anything special at all. "I keep expecting it to heat up or burst into flames or something," he admitted as he ran a finger along it. Nothing, though. Perhaps it only activated once they were dreaming? For something so powerful there had to be safeguards in place.

Sliding downward, Matt settled himself back against the pillows. He opened his arms, a silent invitation for Kate to join him. They slept in various positions, often ending up spooning, but right now he welcomed the cuddling. "If I do see myself and I have something weird on my face, I'm gonna blame you for not telling me," he teased softly as he kissed her forehead.

[hawk_shot]

As Matt explored the jewel with his hands, Kate slid the chain around her own lean neck. "That's Dream for you. The guy likes to look after his brand, I'll give him that." Besides, she had to give it to him, it was a pretty amulet.

As Matt settled down and invited her to join him, Kate wasted no time and lean into his embrace, cuddling him and feeling her body relax against his as she exhaled a deep breath. "Are you kidding me?" She smiled to herself as she felt Matt's lips on her forehead. "The only weird thing about your face is that it's stupidly good-looking." Utterly and unmistakingly hot.

Even though the night was warm, Kate kicked down the covers and sheets, always prefering to go to sleep with something, even if it was a thin sheet, covering her. It was no surprise how sometimes, even in the middle of her sleep, she'd strip and toss her t-shirts or shorts away. Or how she'd often kick those very sheets off, too."

"This is so weird," she confessed. "Like, in a way, it doesn't feel like we're getting ready for something real big to happen." Even though this could be the most magical of experiences. "Besides, what if you fall asleep first but then I can't sleep because I'm too excited." It wouldn't be the first time something like that happened to Kate.

[streetlevel]

Ella of course found her way to the top of the pillows, lying where she was within easy reach of Matt and Kate's hair. Any who said it was a sign of dominance that she always wanted to be on their heads, Matt would have responded with claiming she was a queen and deserved it. He smiled a little as Kate complimented his appearance, letting his hand lightly brush against her hair and her cheek. "Foggy would always say I knew how to find the really hot women. I don't need to see you to know he was right." A beat. "But it does feel like a gift that I'll get to, anyway."

She had a point that it was hard to sleep with this much anticipation. "I've gotten good at managing to sleep before a big case. Lots of breathing exercises, playing songs in my head. This is different, though." A beat. "I guess we should have asked for a list of directions, but neither of us are good at following those, anyway." May they never build furniture together. "It probably won't work if only one of us falls asleep, right? We'd just dream normally, until both of us were asleep at the same time?" He could be pulling that out of his ass, but it made some sense to him. He hoped. "We could both drink some wine or take a Benadryl," he joked about getting them sleepy.

[hawk_shot]

Tipping her chin up, Kate smiled as Ella moved to join them. Normally, during the summer Kate was used to pushing her head up and across the pillow, leaving her neck as bare as possible as she slept. A few times now she'd woken up to the kitten nesting on her raven locks, letting herself now as Kate attempted to move but she felt that small weight on her hair.

After making some kissy noises that gathered Ella's attention enough to encourage her purring, Kate felt's Matt hand on her cheek and closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. "See? I knew this was a good idea. A great idea, even." Kate pointed out a little playfully. "This is all about proving that Foggy knew you had a superpower of your own."

Keeping her eyes closed, Kate reached out and caressed Matt's cheek with the back of her fingers. She traced his jaw down, aware that he would already recognise what kind of touch that was. "Nah, I think this is probably a kind of intuitive deal, you know? Like you said, only working once we can actually walk into each other's dreams." But then, that meant they both needed to synchronize their sleep, if you will. "I just hope I don't pass out like, two hours after you do and that I shorten our dream."

Even if time never seemed to work like it did in the real world.

"Fuck it, I'll try anything," she laughed. "I'll just try not to drive in my dreams."

And yet, if she was expecting Matt to actually get up and get them that bottle of wine, she didn't show it. Instead, Kate propped herself up, drapping herself on half of Matt's chest as she cupped his face, leaning down for a deep, encouraging kiss.

[streetlevel]

"Maybe instead of focusing on how one might fall asleep later and shorten the dream, we can just focus on having any time at all to share it? I know it's not a miracle but it feels pretty miraculous to me. Even a minute would be more than anyone could ever expect." Yes, he was something of an optimist sometimes. He'd rather focus on the positives of the moment than already count all the ways in which it might be done better. He reached one hand over his head to give Ella some pets. With his foot he gently gave a loving nudge to Lucky and Sam. Holding onto Kate with his other arm, he blew out a breath. Eventually, sleep took him.

Sometimes in his dreams, Matt thought he saw. Hazy mental images that weren't precise due to how long it had been since he'd last actually seen anything. He heard voices, those tended to be more clear, but normally he either dreamed in a world on fire, or there was just very blurry images that represented what he remembered of objects and people.

This time though, as the amulet glowed, when Matt opened his eyes, he saw himself looking at a vibrant, utterly beautiful, city street in Paris.

[hawk_shot]

Sometimes Kate couldn't help but worry. Because with a sleeping schedule as messed up as hers was, sometimes sleep could be elusive. And while she had the privilege of being able to oversleep plenty of times, being up early sometimes could be tricky. Specially on the nights when the clock ticked and she couldn't help but start counting. Wondering how much time she had left before she finally passed out.

Thankfully, Matt's words did bring her some peace of mind. She did feel Matt's breathing go even as her head rose and fell slightly along with his chest. Sammie woke up at some point and moved, curling between Matt's legs. And eventually, everything went still.

Quiet and dark, until it wasn't dark anymore.

The room was wide, lit up even though she could tell it was night time. Lucky was somewhere curled into a couch, Kate did not need to look out for him to know about it Nor did she recognise the apartment, even if some art pieces sounded familiar, some posters even more so.

Their bedroom in the waking world was quiet and dark. Until both amulets lit up.

Kate, in her dream, remembered. She looked down at herself, she was in her normal clothes. Ripped jeans, a t-shirt. But the amulet on her chest? It felt heavy enough, it pulled her out of that hazy state that dreams encourage.

She remembered.

"Matt?"

Even though Kate looked around, she couldn't find him. She called his name, wondering if Matt had somehow woken up. Maybe they had done something wrong? Perhaps they should both have stated their consent before passing out.

Kate stepped out of the apartment, taking down some stairs that were similar to the ones at her loft. But, the one thing that was certainly not like home? The city. That was nothing like New York, certainly nothing like her neighborhood. The city felt older and warmer. Darker, like it was even later at night than she'd realized. But everything glowed as if they were surrounded by candelight.

And there he was. She spotted him straight away, in the middle of the crowd.

"Matt!" Kate waved, trying to get his attention.