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It’s raining.
Well, maybe drizzling is a better word for it. The water isn’t coming down that hard, but that doesn’t matter. The sky is gray, the ground is wet, raindrops are falling from from the clouds above, and Dream doesn’t have an umbrella.
She shivers, feeling the chill seep through her clothes and into her bones. It wasn’t that cold when she arrived for her classes, but it hadn’t been raining then. Now the air is damp and chilly, and her cropped hoodie and thin black leggings are doing very little to keep her warm.
Wrapping her arms around her exposed midsection, Dream stares out at the damp world before her and thinks over her options. She’d driven here with her roommate, Techno, but Techno’s classes ended about an hour before hers, so the pinkette is definitely back at their apartment now. Dream doesn’t want to bother her roommate for a ride home, but the apartment building is a twenty minute walk away. She doesn’t want to spend twenty minutes outside in this miserable weather.
It’s not like there’s any other option, though. Dream is just about to resign herself to her fate and start walking when a voice calls out from behind her. “Hey. You okay?”
Dream turns around to see a young woman her age standing by the doors, and- wow. She’s gorgeous . Her hair falls almost to her waist in soft, dark-chocolate-colored waves. Her eyes are the same hue as a cup of caffe mocha. She’s definitely on the tall side, at least a head taller than Dream, with a slender frame and the long, lean legs of someone who does a lot of running.
She’s wearing dark jeans, motorcycle boots, and a black leather jacket over her top, so she looks much warmer than Dream feels. Her hair brushes against her shoulders as she tilts her head. “You look cold.”
“Oh!” Dream gives herself a little shake and tears her eyes away from the subtle curves visible through the stranger’s top. Listen, she’s lesbian- if she comes across a hot lady, she’s going to check them out. “No, I’m okay.”
The girl raises an unimpressed eyebrow, and Dream can’t help but laugh. “Well, maybe a little chilly,” she admits. “But I’ll be fine. I’m just about to walk home.”
“In this weather?” the young woman asks. “Don’t you have an umbrella?”
Dream hesitates just long enough to give an answer. Frowning, the stranger pulls a black umbrella from her bag. “Where do you live?”
Realizing what the girl must be planning, Dream quickly shakes her head. Much as she would love to be walked home by this gorgeous, sexy-as-hell girl, she doesn’t want to be a burden. Besides, it’s not like she knows this person, pretty as she is.
“It’s alright,” Dream insists. “I’ll be fine walking. It’s only a light drizzle anyways.”
“I’m not letting you walk in this weather,” the girl argues, thumb resting on the open button of her umbrella.
“Seriously, it’s okay. I don’t even know your name.”
“Well, how about we change that? I’m Illumina, but I know that’s a mouthful, so you can just call me Mina if you want. Pretty much everyone does.”
Dream blushes despite herself. “I’m Dream. You can call me… Dream.”
Illumina laughs, her coffee-colored eyes twinkling. “I haven’t earned nickname rights yet, got it.”
“Oh,” Dream says, suddenly feeling guilty. “It’s not like that.”
“No, no, I understand.” Illumina smiles, and oh . Her smile is dazzling, like the sun coming out on a rainy day. Fitting, considering the weather right now- and maybe it’s just her imagination, but Dream’s whole body seems to warm a whole ten degrees because of that smile.
“You’re right,” Illumina says. “We don’t know each other. But I would still feel bad if I let you walk home without an umbrella.”
“And I would feel bad if I made you walk with me all the way to my apartment,” Dream counters.
“Fair enough. Where’s your apartment building? Is there a bus stop nearby?”
“Yeah, there is.”
“Then I’ll walk you to the bus stop near here, and you can take the bus home.”
Illumina says it so decisively that Dream can’t bring herself to argue- though that also might be because of the excitement rushing through her at the prospect of spending any time at all with this pretty, fascinating girl. So she nods. “Okay. I can live with that.”
“You make it sound like accepting any help will kill you,” Illumina says, her eyes crinkling as she smiles. Dream notices that she has small but adorable dimples. As if she could get any more attractive.
“I’m not against getting help,” Dream explains, pulling her gaze away from those dimples before her cheeks can start turning pink. “I just… prefer to be independent when I can. And I’ve learned that accepting help from men rarely turns out well. But you’re not a guy, so…” She shrugs, wondering if Illumina will get the hint.
Her new companion smirks. “I feel you. Let me guess: you’re lesbian?”
“Oh my god, how did you guess?” Dream gasps dramatically.
Illumina laughs. “My gaydar. That, and what you said.” She seems to notice Dream’s surprise and does jazz hands, grinning. “Yep, I’m lesbian too. Men are gross, except for my twin brother. He’s okay, I guess, but he hogs the bathroom.”
“You’re a twin? Cool,” Dream says earnestly- although she’s not really sure if she’s saying cool about the twin thing so much as she’s saying cool about this hot girl being lesbian. “My roommate’s a twin too. Her sister once started a cult in a bathroom.”
“Speaking of roommates, why don’t we get you to the bus stop before you miss the next bus?”
“That would be nice,” Dream replies with a smile, and she means it. As lovely as it is to stand here with Illumina, she’s starting to get cold- and she has homework to start on once she gets back to the apartment.
“Then let’s go.” Illumina opens her umbrella with a flourish, and Dream steps under it. The umbrella is big enough to comfortably cover both of them, but Dream is still forced to move close to Illumina. Their hands brush together, sending a tingle of electricity shooting up her wrist. She wonders if Illumina felt it too, because the brunette gives her a brief, startled look.
“Sorry,” Dream says quickly.
Illumina flashes her a sweet smile. “Don’t be.”
Dream’s heart flutters at those words. She really must be the luckiest person alive if she’d just happened to meet this beautiful, wonderful stranger. Maybe it’s her imagination being overactive again, but she can’t but feel like maybe the universe had meant for her to meet Illumina. And she doesn’t think she’s imagining the chemistry they’ve already built, the subtle but tingling energy between them, like they’re two magnets being pulled together by an invisible force.
She can’t help but already feel extremely attached to Illumina as they begin to walk. There’s something so fascinating about her- the gentle swish of her dark hair with every step she takes, the warmth of her mocha eyes, the expressive arch of her eyebrows. Illumina is without a doubt the most gorgeous person to have ever entered Dream’s life, and Dream wants to get to know her better.
“You said that we don’t know each other,” Dream says carefully. “Would you like to change that?”
For a moment Illumina looks startled, and then her face splits into another beautiful smile. “I would, actually. It’s not every day I meet a fellow lesbian, ‘specially not as one as pretty as you.” She winks, and Dream blushes furiously. Normally, she hates it when people- especially guys- hit on her, but Illumina’s compliment only makes her heart flutter like Cupid’s wings.
She’d meant “get to know each other” in a friends way, but if Illumina is hitting on her, then surely Illumina feels just as attracted to her as she is to the brunette, and surely it wouldn’t hurt to flirt back. So she smirks and replies, “I could say the same about you. I would ask you if you fell from heaven, but even an angel couldn’t look as good as you.”
Illumina laughs easily, but there’s a faint pink tint to her pale cheeks that makes Dream’s chest warm with pride. Suddenly feeling bold, she slides a little closer to Illumina. “How would you feel about exchanging numbers?”
“How would I feel about that? Baby, my phone’s been missing your number for weeks ,” Illumina purrs theatrically, and suddenly they’re both laughing, their giggles mixing together as well as chocolate and raspberry. Dream wonders, as she bends over and wheezes, which one of them is which. Is she the raspberry and Illumina the chocolate, or is it the other way around?
Or maybe it’s neither. Maybe they’re both something else entirely. But they seem to fit together as well as any of Dream’s favorite baking combinations, and she’s smiling as she exchanges numbers with Illumina, and they walk to the bus stop, and she bids goodbye to her new… friend? Crush? Possible future girlfriend? to board the bus.
She doesn’t know which of those Illumina is, but it doesn’t matter right now. Dream is just excited to see her again.
---
Illumina is still on Dream’s mind a week later, when she goes to visit her family a half hour away. They’ve talked via text a good amount, but with both of them having busy schedules involving college work, track practice (Illumina), and bakery jobs (Dream), they haven’t found an opportunity to meet up in person. So Dream is stuck texting her crush (because she’s pretty sure she has a crush, what with the amount of time she spends thinking about Illumina)- not that she minds doing that. Illumina is an amusing person to text with, and Dream giggles so much during their online conversations that Techno had even popped into her room one night to make sure she wasn’t dying.
Today, though, she’ll have her family to distract her from thoughts about her crush. She doesn’t regret her decision to move out and live in an apartment of her own with her best friend of ten years, but she still misses her family daily, and they miss her, so they’ve formed a deal that she’ll come and visit them every two weeks, on the weekend.
Their house is just as it had been two weeks ago and, really, two years ago. The front yard is full of Niki’s favorite flowers, and Puffy’s porch swing is swaying gently from the porch roof. A football is lying haphazardly on the edge of the driveway, a sign that Exdee must’ve had friends over recently.
Dream makes her way into the house, hanging her bag on the coat rack and kicking her shoes off before heading to the living room. Her brother, Exdee, is there, playing a video game on the TV. He’s two years younger than her but a whole foot taller, and he’s also extremely protective of her. Dream is pretty sure that’s because he’s just as attached to her as she is to him, despite the emotionless facade that he puts up. They’ve been together since they were babies, cast away by their birth parents, and Dream wouldn’t give up her brother for anything.
She walks over to him and ruffles his hair. He grunts and reaches up to swat her hand away. “Stop,” he whines. “I’m trying to beat my high score.”
“And you can do that while I do this,” Dream replies, ruffling his hair again. This time, he simply frowns and allows her to do it, though his grumpy expression more resembles a pout than a frown.
After a moment of beating up something on the screen, he pauses the game and stands, drawing himself up to his full 6’2 height. “Hah!” he exclaims triumphantly. “Now you can’t reach my hair.”
“Bold of you to assume I won’t tackle you,” Dream replies. Then she reaches out and gives her brother a hug. He stiffens for a moment but soon relaxes, hugging her back with as much enthusiasm as he can muster- which isn’t a lot, but Dream is used to it. Exdee has always preferred to show his love by protecting his family, not by hugging them and doing all the touch-y stuff that Dream likes to do.
“Where’s Mama and Mum?” Dream asks as she pulls away.
“Mama’s upstairs and Mum is coming home from the bakery right now,” Exdee says. “And Foolish is still out on that shark mission.”
Dream hums. Their older brother, Foolish, is 26 and working as a marine biologist. He’s off in Australia, researching great white sharks. Dream hasn’t seen him in person in a while, but they FaceTime regularly so she can complain about college and he can annoy her with the Baby Shark song on loop.
Exdee suddenly freezes and narrows his eyes at the coffee cup Dream is clutching in her hand. “Is that a number?”
“What?” Dream glances down at the cup and winces when she sees the numbers scrawled in Sharpie. “Oh, um, yeah. The guy at the Starbucks counter today was really… thirsty . He was checking me out as soon as I stepped in.”
Something akin to a growl leaves Exdee’s mouth, and he moves closer to her. “Did he try to touch you?”
“No, he didn’t. And calm down.” Dream gives her brother a light shove and scowls at him. She appreciates him trying to protect her, really, but she’s perfectly capable of protecting herself, thank you very much. “You know I can defend myself.”
“Still,” Exdee grouses, crossing his arms. “You’re my sister, and you’re a lesbian. I’m not letting any guys put their hands on you without your consent.”
“Aww, so you do care about me after all,” Dream coos, standing on her tiptoes and pinching his cheek like a grandmother would. He swats her hand away, looking like he very much regrets saying those words.
Giggling, Dream turns and heads for the kitchen. “Come on,” she calls over her shoulder. “I’m going to bake a cake, and you’re going to help me.”
Exdee wisely doesn’t argue, merely grumbling a bit as he follows her into the kitchen. She ties on Niki’s apron, pulls up her favorite chocolate cake recipe, and begins to order her brother to fetch various items for her.
As they mix the dry ingredients, their hands dusted with flour, Exdee speaks up. “Not to be nosy,” he starts awkwardly, “but you left your phone on the messages app when you went to the bathroom, and I caught a glimpse. Who’s ‘Illumina’?”
“Oh,” Dream says, flushing a bit and casting her glance down to the bowl of powder. “She’s someone I met a week ago.”
Exdee gives her a look, his eyebrows raised. “ Someone someone, or just… someone?”
“Eloquent,” Dream teases him. “But… someone someone. She’s really pretty. I like her. I think she might like me back, since she did hit on me several times, but…” Dream shrugs. “I dunno. I guess I’m waiting until I know more about her before I think about that or make a move.”
Of course, it’s not like her mind hasn’t wandered in that direction a few times. Illumina is gorgeous and hot and fascinating, and Dream definitely wouldn’t be opposed to going on a date with her. But her gut instincts are telling her to wait until she knows Illumina a little better, because right now, they’re really only acquaintances. Acquaintances who flirt and who are inexplicably drawn to each other, but acquaintances nonetheless.
“Oh.” Exdee releases a breath. “I guess that’s why our moms call you the responsible one.”
Dream laughs, amused by Exdee’s lowkey reaction. When guys try to hit on her, he goes full protective-younger-brother mode, but when girls try to hit on her, he’s just mildly curious. “They call me the responsible one because I don’t go around messing with people for fun.”
“Only if they deserve it,” Exdee argues.
“Sure, Dee.” Dream mixes the dry ingredients a bit more, then moves to grab the eggs. “Get me some vanilla extract, will you?
Exdee moves to the pantry and stares inside. “Which one is that?
“The one that says ‘vanilla extract’,” Dream deadpans.
“You’re spending too much time with Techno. Her sense of humor is starting to rub off,” Exdee grumbles as he comes back with the vanilla extract.
“And you’re just salty that she discovered your prized Foosball table that you hid oh-so-well in the basement.” Dream flicks her brother on the nose, giggling when he squawks in protest.
There’s a moment of comfortable silence as Dream cracks a few eggs into the bowl, and then Exdeee speaks again. “What’s she like?”
“Who? Illumina?”
“Yeah.”
Dream absentmindedly squeezes a few drops of vanilla extract into the batter as she thinks about her answer. Finally, she says, “Beautiful. And… really fascinating. I don’t know how to explain it, but I’m really drawn to her. She’s gorgeous.”
“Sounds like you really like her,” Exdee murmurs, his expression unreadable.
“Yeah, I do,” Dream says quietly.
Exdee is quiet again. Then he says, “I know I’m not the best person to ask for dating advice, but… it sounds like she makes you happy. And you like her. So I think… definitely get to know her better, but also don’t let this opportunity pass. If you like her, like, like like her, then you should definitely ask her out.”
“Oh, I probably will ask her out,” Dream assures her brother. “If she doesn’t ask me out first. I just want to talk to her a bit more first. But I’m definitely going to take the jump. There’s no way in hell I’m going to just let a girl as pretty as her walk away.”
“That’s good.” Slowly, hesitantly, Exdee moves closer to her and hooks their pinkies together. “I want you to be happy, sis. You know that, right?”
Dream smiles at the use of the nickname and bumps her body affectionately against his. “Of course I know. Just because you don’t like physical touch doesn’t mean you’re not good at showing your affection other ways. I know you love me, Dee, and I love you too.”
Exdee gives her a relieved smile. “Yeah. Okay. Good.”
“Yes, very good,” Dream repeats with a laugh. “Now, let’s finish this cake.”
They fall into their usual bantering as they mix the cake batter. Exdee steals the whisk before she can lick the batter, so she retaliates by squeezing icing down his shirt. His shrieks are the most satisfying thing she’s heard all day.
The icing is green, like Exdee’s eyes. The batter itself is the same color as Illumina’s hair. Dream thinks about those soft, wavy locks as she puts the baking pan into the oven and starts the timer.
The cake is delicious.
Dark chocolate haunts her dreams that night.
---
Illumina didn’t believe in love at first sight until she met Dream.
Her day had been perfectly normal and uninteresting until the point where she stepped outside after her classes, ready to head back to her dorm, her pet bird, and her annoying but sweet twin brother, and saw the girl standing by the doors, staring out at the rain with a small frown.
Illumina had asked if the girl was cold, because she certainly looked cold in her thin, cropped hoodie, and that was when the girl had turned around. Her beauty had hit Illumina with the force of an asteroid. She’d never thought that someone could be pretty, cute, and sexy all at the same time, but somehow the stranger had managed.
Her curly, honey-colored hair? Gorgeous. The smattering of tiny freckles across her nose and cheeks and her petite stature? Absolutely adorable. Her chest area and strong, lean thighs? Hotter than hell itself. She was without a doubt the most beautiful person Illumina had ever met, and there was something so fascinating about her that lured Illumina closer, like a magnet to a nail.
She’d convinced the girl- Dream- to let her accompany the blonde to the bus stop. They’d walked under Illumina’s umbrella, rain clouds darkening the world around them, but Dream was as radiant as the sun. Everything about her shone - her vivid green eyes, her peach-lipped smile, her little blushes whenever Illumina said something flirtatious.
Maybe it was shallow to flirt with someone she’d just met, but Illumina doesn’t regret it. She’d known from the moment she’d laid eyes on Dream that this hot stranger was a lesbian, and she would have to be crazy to pass up the opportunity to flirt with a fellow sapphic. Life is short, and Illumina has always had a “make the most of everything” policy. So if she stumbles upon a sexy, gay girl? She’s going to flirt.
And Dream was more than just sexy. She was bright, beautiful, fascinating. Her wheezing laugh was the most unique, beautiful thing Illumina had ever seen. Even though they’d only talked for a few minutes, Illumina had gotten a pretty good read on her personality- playful but fierce, sometimes sweet and sometimes fiery, independent and totally kickass. In other words, exactly Illumina’s type.
So she’d flirted maybe a little harder than she would’ve otherwise, and to her delight, Dream had flirted back. They’d exchanged numbers, and Illumina doesn’t think she’d imagined the connection between them. They seemed to just fit together in a way she can’t quite explain. Being with Dream felt like something in Illumina’s life had finally clicked , and she’s desperate to see the blonde again, desperate to get to know her crush (because she definitely has a crush) better.
Unfortunately, track had decided to start kicking her ass with practices almost every other day. Her computer science professor has begun assigning lots of work as well, and she’s barely had any free time. But finally, the universe decides to bless her with a whole Saturday afternoon with no track practice, no work to do, no errands to run- nothing except whatever she wants to do. So of course, she texts Dream, saying that she’s free and asking if Dream wants to meet up for coffee at a nearby bakery.
And it looks like it’s her lucky day, because Dream agrees. Illumina immediately throws her phone down and squeals into a pillow- then remembers that her twin brother is in the room and quickly lifts her face up.
Fruit clears his throat and raises an eyebrow at her from where he’s lounging on his bed, making her face burn. “You good?”
“Yep,” Illumina says, hurriedly brushing a few strands of hair out of her face. She should really brush her hair before she goes on this… date? Is this a date? Oh, god, if it’s a date, she doesn’t think she has anything nearly cute enough in her closet.
“You look flustered,” Fruit helpfully informs her. “Like you did when-”
“Shut up!” Illumina throws a pillow at him to shut him up, in case someone is outside and hears the embarrassing story of what she’d done as a kid. Fruit ducks it and gives her an infuriating smirk.
“You missed.”
Scowling, Illumina goes to pick up her pillow, which had almost knocked over her bird's cage. “Whatever. I’m going somewhere in ten minutes, so you can have fun on your own. Invite your girlfriend over or whatever- just don’t spoil my bed.”
“Mina!” Now it’s Fruit’s turn to look flustered. “I- we don’t-”
“And remember to use protection,” Illumina adds, hiding her smirk. She’s not going to pass up an opportunity to tease her brother.
Fruit groans and buries his face in his hands. “We’re not going to have sex.”
“No, no, go on. Have fun. Just lock the door, ‘kay? I’d hate for someone to walk in on you- unless you’re into that.”
“MINA!”
Laughing, Illumina walks over to the closet. After some careful deliberation, she picks out an outfit and heads back to her bed, pulling on the curtains around it to give herself privacy to change. She and her twin are as close as two peas in a pod, much as they like to annoy each other, and they’d asked the college board to allow them to be roommates despite the no-boys-and-girls-sharing-a-room policy, but no way in hell is she getting changed in front of him.
She pulls on a cute black top, some dark jeans, and a pair of boots- not her motorcycle boots, but these dark brown ones with zippers on the side. She brushes out her hair until it’s not tangled, then pulls on her leather jacket. “I’m going now,” she calls to Fruit as she emerges from behind the curtain. “Bye.”
“Where are you going?” Fruit asks curiously.
“To the cafe to meet someone,” Illumina replies, being purposefully vague. If Fruit finds out about her crush, she’s never going to hear the end of it.
“To meet someone?” Fruit repeats, his eyebrows furrowing.
“Yes, Fruit. I do have friends. More friends than you, as I recall.”
Fruit huffs. “Well, I have a girlfriend, and you don’t. So hah.”
“Who says I don’t have a girlfriend? Or won’t have one soon?” Illumina blurts out, the words tumbling out of her mouth almost instinctively. She didn’t mean to say any of them, but it’s worth it when Fruit looks at her like she’d just grown a second head.
“Wait- what?”
Illumina takes that as her cue to leave. She’s revealed enough, and besides, Fruit will only be more confused if she goes now. So she gives a cheery smile, like she hadn’t said anything, and starts to the door. “Bye, Fruit,” she calls sweetly.
“Wait, Mina-!” Fruit starts, but Illumina has already shut the door behind her.
The cafe she’d asked Dream to meet her at is only a five minute walk away, so she doesn’t bother to get on her motorcycle. She simply leaves campus and walks down the street until she’s at the cafe. And there, sitting at an outdoor table, is Dream.
Illumina’s heart immediately decides that now is a good time to nearly go into cardiac arrest. She can’t blame it, though- Dream looks absolutely gorgeous in her off-shoulder, cropped mint top that shows off her sunkissed skin and black denim shorts. Her hair shines like lustrous gold in the sunlight, her lips are glossed with pink lipstick, and her eyes resemble glittering emeralds. In her lap is a purring tortoiseshell cat.
Dream looks up as Illumina comes closer, and her face splits into a radiant smile. “Illumina! Hi!”
The pure excitement in Dream’s voice, combined with that gorgeous smile, makes Illumina want to squeal. She contains it and instead sits down across from Dream. “Hey. I thought I told you to call me Mina?” she jokes.
“Mina, then,” Dream says, and Illumina feels a little shiver at the sound of her name on Dream’s tongue.
“What’s up with the cat?” she asks, changing the topic before she can start going red in the face.
“Oh, this is Patches.” Dream runs her hands over Patches’s fur. “She’s my cat.”
“But what is she doing here?”
Now Dream laughs lightly. “Don’t you know? This is my mum’s cafe.”
Startled by this new information, Illumina glances up at the sign above the cafe/bakery. Niki’s is pretty popular with other college students, but she never thought that it had ties to any of those students. She’s talked to Niki, the manager, before, though, and she can sort of see the resemblance to Dream. Both of them have airy laughs and the same bright, beautiful smiles.
“I can see it,” she says slowly. “The resemblance between you and Niki, I mean.”
“Really?” Dream looks pleased. “Well, I’m adopted, but it’s cool that me and my mum still look alike.”
“You’re adopted?”
“Me and my brother, yeah. We’re bio siblings, but we were adopted by our moms when I was seven and he was five. My mum, Niki, runs this cafe, and since it’s a pet-friendly cafe, she sometimes brings our cat, Patches, over. Patchy likes to greet customers and rub against their legs. A lot of the regulars know her by name.”
Dream gives Patches an affectionate rub behind the ears. She purrs and nudges into Dream’s hand, eyes closed in bliss. Illumina smiles at the interaction. Dream is a cute cat mom, that much she can see. It makes her wonder what other secretly adorable attributes the blonde is hiding.
“She’s cute,” Illumina says, gazing wistfully at Patches. “I wish I could have my cat with me. The dorms only allow caged animals, though, so I brought my bird instead.”
“Oh, so you’re a bird lady,” Dream says with a cute smile. “What is it?”
“He’s a blue Pacific parrotlet. About this big.” Illumina holds her hands out in a rough estimate of her bird’s size. “His name is Flurf.”
“Awww, that’s a cute name.”
“Yeah.”
They fall into silence. Illumina searches desperately for something to break it, but Dream beats her to it. “Y’know, we said we’d get to know each other better, but I still don’t really know much about you. How about we actually change that?”
Illumina smiles. “Sure. What do you want to know?”
Dream seems to think for a minute. “What are you studying?”
“Computer science. I’m torn between wanting to be a coder and wanting to be a professional athlete. I love track, but I don’t know if I love it enough to dedicate so much of my time and life to it. And I’m not sure if I want to be famous like that.”
“Oh.” Dream hums sympathetically. “I feel you. I’m studying culinary arts because I want to be a pastry chef, but I don’t know how deep into the culinary world I’m willing to go. Do I want to become one of the top pastry chefs, famous around the globe, or do I just want to open my own bakery and sell to the locals?”
“That’s your choice,” Illumina says. “But if it helps, I think you’d look great on the cover of a magazine. You’re very photogenic.” She winks, and Dream blushes cutely, her freckled cheeks turning pink.
“You flatter me,” Dream murmurs, burying her hands back into Patches’s fur.
“Nothing flattering about stating the truth,” Illumina replies.
Dream blushes even more but smiles. “Well, aren’t you smooth,” she teases. “Do you flirt with every girl you come across like this?”
“No, just the pretty ones,” Illumina says with another wink.
Dude, have some shame , a voice that sounds suspiciously like her twin brother’s whispers in her head.
No , I don’t think I will , she mentally replies. She’s going to flirt with her gorgeous, fascinating crush as much as she wants, even if it does land her a spot in hell.
Then again, she’s not the only one with absolutely zero shame. Evidently, Dream can be just as much of a flirt as her, because the blonde smoothly replies, “You must flirt with yourself a lot, then.”
Illumina fights hard to keep herself from blushing, but she suspects a little red still crawls onto her cheeks. “I’m not that vain.”
“Well, you have every right to be. I’m being 100% serious when I say that you are absolutely drop-dead gorgeous.”
Now Illumina truly flushes. “Now you’re flattering me .”
“But it’s true.” Dream’s beautiful olive eyes flicker up to meet Illumina’s. “You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met.”
“Then you’ve never met yourself.”
Dream turns a brilliant shade of pink, and Illumina thinks that her own cheeks are probably that fuchsia shade as well. Even with how big of a flirt she is, she’s never, ever been this bold before. But she doesn’t regret it one bit. Dream looks so, so pretty when blushing, and the blonde’s little flirts back make Illumina feel fluttery in the best way.
“You- wow,” Dream says quietly. “You’re really good at this.”
Illumina can’t help but laugh. “Not really. I actually don’t flirt with many people, but you’re different. I guess I’m just naturally smooth.”
“I’m different, huh?” Dream’s smile is soft and shy and the most beautiful thing Illumina has seen all day. “How so?”
“You’re just… I don’t know how to describe it,” Illumina replies honestly. “You’re beautiful, and… god, this is going to sound really sappy, but there’s something about you that pulls me closer. Like a moth to a flame.”
“Pulling out the similes, are we?” Dream teases, but her cheeks are bright pink again. “It’s alright. I feel the exact same way. You’re so amazing. I can’t explain why, but you are. And I want to spend every day with you.”
Illumina’s heart flutters. Suddenly, she can feel the tugging of her heart, drawing her inexplicably to Dream. And she understands now the concept of “the one” in all the romance novels she reads. She realizes then- this gorgeous, radiant, wonderful girl is her “one”, her- dare she say- soulmate.
She never believed in true love until now. Dream makes her feel things she’s never felt before, and now she can’t imagine her life without Dream. In her mind, she can imagine all the things they could be, all the things they could do- sunset walks on the beach with Dream tucked against her side, romantic dates to the sunlit coffee shop, quiet afternoons spent in one another’s arms in an apartment of their very own.
They could be together. Partners, girlfriends, lovers. But not yet. Even with the undeniable connection between them, a relationship can’t be rushed, and Illumina has to take the first step.
She meets Dream’s eyes from across the table. “Will you go on a date with me?”
Dream blinks, then smiles her radiant smile. “Isn’t this a date?”
Startled, Illumina laughs. “I guess maybe it is,” she admits. “But if it is a date, then it’s an unofficial one. So I guess I should ask, will you go on an official date with me?”
Now Dream blushes, her smile growing wider until it’s so bright, it could rival the light of all the stars in the universe. “Mina, I would love nothing more than to go on a date with you.”
Illumina’s heart does a delighted flip at the use of the nickname. “Great,” she breathes. “Do you want to pick where we go, or-”
“Surprise me,” Dream says, smile softening. “I trust you.”
Suddenly, Illumina is very aware of how delicious and kissable Dream’s lips look, glossy and pink in the sunlight. She allows herself a brief moment to imagine those lips against hers, then pushes that thought away. Not yet. Maybe soon, but not yet.
“Okay, then,” she says, smiling back. “Next week?”
“Next week,” Dream agrees. “Just text me when. I’m pretty much free every afternoon.” She shifts around in her seat, and Patches leaps off of her lap and darts away in a streak of brown.
“I just realized,” Illumina says, watching the cat go. “We’re at the best cafe and bakery in town, but we haven’t even gotten anything to eat or drink.”
Dream laughs her beautiful laugh. “Well, we can easily change that. Just tell me what you want and I’ll grab it. I’m Niki’s daughter and I do a lot of the baking for this place, so I always get a discount. Maybe my mum can even throw in a few extra pastries for us, if I can find her.”
Illumina rattles off her usual order and watches as Dream disappears inside. She pulls out her phone to check her messages while she waits, and a few minutes later, Dream returns, balancing two paper cups of coffee and a plate filled with various, mouthwatering pastries.
“Mum was absolutely delighted to hear that I’m on a date,” the blonde announces as she sets everything down on the table. “This is only half of what she gave me. I had to tell her that we didn’t need that many pastries.”
“Oh, so this is a date?” Illumina teases as she eyes the plate. It’s piled high with cheese Danishes, a few blueberry scones, and some other baked goods. She’d completely forgotten how absolutely delicious the pastries at Niki’s smell, but now her stomach is rumbling, begging for a bite.
“I thought we agreed that it was an unofficial one,” Dream points out, sitting back down and flashing a cute smile. “But I’m still looking forward to our official one.”
“I’ll make it worth your while,” Illumina promises.
“Oh, Mina.” Dream blushes and reaches across the table for Illumina’s hand, twining their fingers together. “You don’t even have to try to do that. Spending time with you will always be worth my while.”
Illumina squeezes their interlocked hands, her pulse fluttering at the feeling of Dream’s slender fingers threaded perfectly together with hers. Dream has the calloused palms of someone who does a lot of tree climbing and handicraft, but her skin is still soft and warm to the touch. It’s eudaimonic.
“Your nail polish is pretty,” Illumina says, noticing the mint green polish for the first time. “It matches your shirt.”
“Thank you,” Dream replies, resting her thumb on top of Illumina’s. “You would look good with black nail polish, I think. It matches your aesthetic.”
“I don’t usually do nail polish, but I might try it out, now that you say it.”
Dream laughs. “Yeah, I could tell that you’re not really a nail polish sort of person. You don’t seem into all the makeup and skirts and fancy stuff- unlike me.”
“Hey, that’s not a bad thing,” Illumina says, squeezing Dream’s hand again and smiling. “I haven’t seen you in actual makeup, but I bet you’d look damn hot in it. And a skirt, too.”
“Oh?” Dream smirks. “Should I wear all that stuff to our date, then?”
“Please do,” Illumina replies, winking.
The giggle Dream lets out feels magical, and Illumina swears that the world will never seem dull again so long as she has Dream.
They sit there together, their hands locked, drinking their coffee and nibbling on pastries and talking about whatever comes to mind, until the afternoon turns late and the sunlight glows warm and golden, like thick syrup. The pastries are delicious and so is the coffee, but Dream’s little blushes whenever Illumina drops a casual flirt are a thousand times sweeter.
---
“Techno, help me pick out an outfit for a date.”
Dream’s roommate looks over the top of her book and arches her pink eyebrows. “Dream, I’m not good with romance. You know this.”
“Yeah, but you have killer style,” Dream points out, bouncing a bit on the balls of her feet. “You’re better with fashion than I am, so help me? Please? I’ve got the whole date part down, I just need your help with an outfit.”
Techno heaves an exaggerated sigh and sets her book down. “Fine, but only because you’re my best friend and you bought me those cookies last week.”
“Thank you!” Dream breathes. She follows Techno down the hallway of their apartment and into her bedroom. While Techno begins to dig through her closet, Dream stands back and waits anxiously.
Finally, the pinkette emerges with a bundle of clothes. “Here. Wear these.”
Dream takes the clothes and examines the outfit Techno had chosen. A black A-line skirt with little flower prints, a cream-colored sweater, and a pair of black boots that go up to her calves. “Perfect,” she says. “Thank you, Techie.”
“No problem. For makeup, do a little eyeliner and some rose gold eyeshadow. Pink lipstick would also look good. Do foundation if you want, but I don’t think you need it. Your skin is very nice as it is.”
“Aww, thank you,” Dream jokes.
Techno flashes a small smile- which, for her, is the equivalent of a beaming grin- and ducks out of the room.
Dream changes into the outfit and gives herself a glance in the mirror. Once again, Techno’s fashion sense has really shone through. Dream could’ve picked out a similar outfit on her own, but Techno’s looks much better than anything she could’ve chosen. It’s the perk of befriending an absolute fashion queen- though Techno doesn’t act like it. The main reason she ever wears heels is for the sharp points.
In the bathroom, Dream fastens on her favorite earrings and applies a little eyeshadow and eyeliner, as well as some pink lipstick. Then she heads back to the living room, where Techno is waiting for her. She spreads her arms anxiously. “How do I look?”
Techno scrutinizes her, then decides, “If I weren’t aroace, I would probably bang you.”
Dream giggles. “That’s a good sign. You think I’m ready?”
“Almost.” Techno walks over and adjusts the neckline of Dream’s sweater. “There. Now, chin up,” the pinkette orders. “Stop lookin’ like a deer in headlights. Even I know that you’re not supposed to go into your first date lookin’ like you’re headin’ to your execution.”
“Sorry, sorry. I’m just nervous.” That’s an understatement. She’s beyond nervous for her first date since high school, and with the most gorgeous, fascinating girl ever. But still, she tries to follow Techno’s advice, lifting her chin up and fixing her expression into something excited. At least that part she doesn’t have to fake- she is very excited for her date. It’s just that the nervous butterflies in her stomach are stirring up a storm, and she sort of feels ready to throw up.
“Hey.” In a rare show of affection, Techno bumps their shoulders together. “You got this, alright? Focus on havin’ fun.”
“I’ll try.” Dream takes a deep breath, then reaches for her keys. “Alright, I’m going now. Bye, Techie.”
“Bye, Dream.”
Dream heads to the parking lot and gets into her car. She puts in the address Illumina had given her, her eyebrows raising when she sees the name of the place. It’s a baking studio. What could they possibly be doing at a baking studio?
She gets her answer ten minutes later, when she arrives at the place. It’s a small but fancy building, with the name of the studio written in looping cursive above the door. Illumina is waiting outside, looking ten times as gorgeous as usual in ripped jeans and a black blouse with a small slit in the chest, giving Dream a peek at her tanned skin. Her hair has been clipped back on one side, the rest spilling down her back like a chocolate waterfall. Her mocha eyes meet Dream’s, and the shiver that runs down Dream’s spine is a thousand times better than the rush any cup of coffee could give her.
“Hey,” Illumina greets, flashing a dazzling smile. “You know, if being sexy was a crime, you’d be guilty as charged.”
Dream blushes and laughs. “Did you practice that one?”
“I did,” Illumina agrees, looking way too pleased with herself. “Anyways, since you said you liked to bake, I thought that for our date, I’d rent out a baking studio for a couple of hours. You can bake whatever you want with the fancy stuff and laugh at me when I burn everything I touch.”
Of all the potential first dates Dream had been imagining, this wasn’t one of them, but she doesn’t think Illumina could’ve come up with a better and more thoughtful idea. Her cheeks warm to impossible levels, her heart swelling until it feels ready to burst with affection. Suddenly, she really, really wants to kiss Illumina, but she restrains herself and smiles instead.
“Thank you,” she murmurs. “I- thank you so much. That’s so thoughtful. And don’t worry, I could never laugh at you.”
Illumina grins. “Trust me, you’ll be swallowing those words when you see how terrible I am in the kitchen.”
“Well, that may be the case, but I’m sure you’re much better in the bedroom.” Dream winks, pride fluttering in her chest when Illumina’s cheeks turn bright pink.
“Looks like I’m not the only one who’s been practicing,” the brunette jokes. She offers her arm and smiles flirtatiously. “Well? Shall we see how trash I am at baking?”
Giggling, Dream hooks their elbows together and allows Illumina to lead her into the studio. It’s devoid of people, the whole room illuminated by bright ceiling lights. A counter lines the back wall, a fridge on one side and a large pantry on the other. There’s an island with a sink and a range, and there are lots and lots of cabinets, much more than Dream has at her apartment.
At the sight of so much space to work, Dream’s nerves are overpowered by excitement. She rushes forward and begins looking in all the cabinets, her giddiness growing when she sees all the state-of-the-art equipment. The pantry is stocked with all sorts of baking goods, even a bit of saffron, and the fridge is similarly filled with quality ingredients.
“I take it you like it?” Illumina asks, a small smile on her face.
“This is amazing!” Dream squeals, letting her inner 5-year-old take over like it always does when she sees a fun new recipe to try out or gets new baking equipment for her birthday. “Thank you so much, Mina. How did you afford this?” Suddenly worried, she turns to face Illumina. Now that she thinks about it, this place must’ve been expensive to rent completely. “You didn’t go broke taking me on a date, did you?”
Illumina laughs. “Nah, don’t worry. Us college athletes do get paid. It’s not a lot for track, but it’s enough that I could afford to rent this place for two hours. So-” she waves her hand at the island. “Bake away.”
Dream grins giddily, too happy to say anything other than, “Will you help me?”
Her date smiles at her. “Of course I will. Just tell me what you need me to do. Although I’ll warn you now- anything you tell me to do, I’ll probably mess it up. Like I said, I’m terrible in the kitchen.”
“We’re going to make chocolate tartlets with raspberries,” Dream announces, already pulling out the ingredients. “Mina, see if you can find some small tart pans. They should be in one of the lower cabinets or in the drawer beneath the oven.”
With Illumina’s help, Dream locates everything she needs and begins to make the tart. She crushes Oreos in a food processor while Illumina melts butter in the microwave, and then they mix the two ingredients together for the crust. They line several tart pans with the crust and set them off baking in the oven for a few minutes.
While the crusts are cooling, Dream chops up several ounces of dark chocolate. She helps Illumina measure out some heavy cream and heat it in a saucepan, and when it’s done, they pour the hot cream into a bowl with the chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts and mixes with the cream.
Dream dips her spatula into the mixture and tastes it. “Mm,” she hums. “I love dark chocolate. Here.” She holds the spatula out. Too late, she realizes that Illumina might find licking the same spatula gross, but the brunette doesn’t even hesitate before licking some of the chocolate off.
“Tasty,” Illumina says. Then she winks. “Like you, I’m sure.”
Blushing, Dream puts the spatula back into the bowl. “Flirting again, are we?”
“You just make it too easy,” Illumina purrs, smirking. “And I know you like it. Don’t even try to deny it.”
“I do like it,” Dream agrees. “You’re hot when you get all flirtatious with me.”
“And you look damn sexy in that outfit.” Illumina’s eyes flick up and down Dream’s figure. “I knew you’d look hot in a skirt. All that’s missing are the thigh highs.”
“Maybe I’ll wear those next time.”
“Please do.”
Dream makes a mental note to buy more thigh highs as she pours the chocolate ganache over the tart crusts. She uses the spatula to smooth out the surface, then pops the pans into the fridge. “There we go. Now we just wait for them to chill.”
“How long will that take?” Illumina asks.
“Probably half an hour, or maybe a little less.” Dream flattens her palms against the counter and hoists herself up. Her feet dangle well above the floor, and suddenly she feels small, especially with the way Illumina now towers over her. But she can’t bring herself not to mind, not when Illumina moves closer and places herself between Dream’s legs. Their bodies are almost pressed flush together, their faces mere inches apart. Illumina smells amazing- not like perfume, but something sweeter and earthier. Dream doesn’t know what that scent is, but it’s heavenly.
“You’re beautiful,” Illumina murmurs suddenly. She’s so close that Dream can count every single one of her long, dark eyelashes. “You know that?”
“Yeah?” Dream laughs breathily. “You’re beautiful too.”
“Not as beautiful as you.” Illumina’s hands creep up to hold Dream’s waist, the ends of her long hair brushing against Dream’s arms. “No one is as beautiful as you.”
“Surely you’ve met prettier girls.”
“Not that I can remember. And even if they were prettier, they were nowhere near as amazing as you.”
Dream blushes and reaches up to hook her finger through the hole in Illumina’s shirt. Her knuckle rests against the brunette’s soft, cool skin. Illumina gives a minute shudder at the touch, and it makes Dream feel weirdly pleased.
“You flatter me,” she whispers. “But really, you’re the amazing one.”
Illumina smiles, her cheeks tinted pink, her dimples flashing. Up close, her eyes are more than just brown. They’re the color of a warm cup of coffee in the sunlight, the color of melted chocolate fresh off of the stove, the color of the delicious mousse Puffy makes every year for Christmas dinner. They’re entrancing, and Dream feels like she could easily stare into them forever.
“You have chocolate on your lips,” Illumina says softly, breaking Dream out of her trance.
“Do I?” Dream inhales shakily, trying to calm the storm of butterflies in her stomach. “Will you get it off for me?”
“Of course.” Illumina’s smile turns softer, sweeter. She reaches up to cup Dream’s cheek and slowly, slowly leans forward until their lips meet.
The kiss starts off gentle, barely a peck, but Dream tilts her head so that it deepens. She closes her eyes and tangles her fingers through Illumina’s dark curls, feeling them for the first time. They’re every bit as soft and silky as she had imagined, and she quickly falls in love with the feeling of those wavy locks between her fingers.
Illumina’s lips are warm and taste like chocolate. Her hand is strong where it grips Dream’s waist, her palm soft and cool against Dream’s cheek. It’s easily the best kiss of Dream’s entire life, and when she separates for air, there’s an indescribable, tingling warmth swelling her chest and a fluttery sensation in her stomach. This , she thinks dazedly, must be what love feels like .
She opens her eyes to see Illumina smiling at her, mocha eyes soft with affection. “Did I get all the chocolate off?”
Dream takes a moment to gather her thoughts. Then she tells Illumina, “I think you should kiss me again, just to be safe.”
Illumina laughs and swiftly presses their lips together again in a kiss that tastes of chocolate and cream. This one is quicker but no less amazing, and Dream is smiling when they separate for a second time.
“You’re a good kisser,” she whispers. “Have you done this before?”
“Just once,” Illumina admits. “With my ex-boyfriend in high school before I realized I was gay. But I like kissing you a lot better.”
Dream laughs. “I would hope so.” She closes her eyes, leaning forward to press her face into the sweet, inviting curve of Illumina’s neck. “You’re so amazing,” she murmurs. “I want to spend every day of the rest of my life with you.”
“Then be my girlfriend,” Illumina says immediately. Her fingers creep up to Dream’s hair, tucking a strand behind her ear with an undeniable gentleness. “Be my girlfriend, Dream.”
“I will, Mina, I will,” Dream says with a small, breathy laugh. She lifts her head and opens her eyes so she can smile at Illumina. The brunette smiles softly back, and it hits Dream then. They’re girlfriends now. This dazzling, beautiful, fascinating person is her girlfriend, and it feels so good to be able to call Illumina that, even if only in her head.
“Hey, I just realized,” Illumina says after a moment. “You have a nickname for me, but I don’t have one for you.”
“My name is hard to make nicknames out of since it’s only one syllable,” Dream points out, absentmindedly twirling a strand of Illumina’s hair around her finger. “But go ahead and make one up if you want.”
Illumina tilts her head, seemingly thinking, then announces, “Drizzle.”
Dream giggles. “What?”
“Drizzle,” Illumina repeats with a grin. “I dunno why, but it suits you. And we met for the first time when it was drizzling, so I feel like it’s fitting.”
“Well, I can’t say anyone has ever called me that before,” Dream says dryly. “But I like it. Drizzle. It’s cute.”
“Just like you.” Illumina leans forward and presses a chaste kiss to Dream’s lips. “Drizzle,” she adds.
“Mina,” Dream parrots, and they both laugh. It reminds Dream of that day in the rain, when they’d laughed together for the first time. She remembers what she’d wondered- which one of them was the dark chocolate and which one of them was the raspberry. But now she thinks that it doesn’t matter. The point is that they fit together, each of them good on their own but better with the other. They’re a pair, complementing each other perfectly, and that’s the best part about them.
Still, it is a fun question. So she tells Illumina, “When we first met, I though we worked really well together, like dark chocolate and raspberry, and I wondered which one of us was the chocolate and which one of us was the raspberry. What do you think?”
Illumina laughs. “Leave it to you to compare us to baking ingredients. I think that… you’re the raspberry. You can be sweet, but you’re not always, and you’re pretty small and cute. Plus, raspberry pink would look good on you.”
“I’ll have you know that you’re now the only person who has ever gotten away with calling me small and cute,” Dream says, making Illumina laugh again. “But I guess I agree. And you’re sort of like dark chocolate as well. Your hair is the right color, and you’re not for everyone, but I find you amazing.”
“Yeah, I’m a handful,” Illumina agrees, grinning. “You should see the way I torment my twin. He always gets this look of panic whenever he’s with his friends and I walk into the room because he knows I’m going to embarrass him in front of his buddies.”
“My younger brother is the same way. I think he’d like you. And he knows I like you, so he won’t go all protective mode on you like he usually does with people who flirt with me.”
“My brother doesn’t seem protective, but he once beat up a drunk guy who tried to harass me at a party,” Illumina says. “It was great. I was just chilling with my chips and watching him fistfight with some random dude.”
Dream giggles. “I want to meet your brother now.”
“And I want to meet yours.”
“We should meet up at my mum’s bakery sometime. Me, you, and our siblings.”
“That’ll be a mess.” Illumina grins. “Let’s do it.”
“Okay,” Dream agrees, laughing. “But first let me get the tarts out of the fridge. They should be ready now.” She hops down from the counter and retrieves the tart pans. They look ready and delicious, so she sets them down and pulls out a box of raspberries and some powdered sugar to decorate them.
As she’s taking the tarts out of the pans, setting them on individual dishes, and dusting them with sugar, Illumina comes up on her side and wraps an arm around her waist. Dream smiles up at her girlfriend ( girlfriend! her brain screams) and leans into Illumina’s side. “Hi.”
“Hey.” Illumina holds up a raspberry, and Dream allows the brunette to feed it to her. She munches on the sweet fruit as she forms a circle around the outer edge of each tart with more raspberries. This is her favorite part of the baking process- decorating, adding the final touches, then stepping back and admiring her work.
“They look great,” Illumina says. “Can we eat them now?”
Dream laughs. “Yeah. Let’s just find some forks.”
They locate two forks from a drawer and dig into a tart. It’s delicious, the raspberries complementing the dark chocolate perfectly, but the company is definitely the best part.
By the time Dream gets home, her lipstick has all but rubbed off from kissing Illumina.
---
Three weeks after the baking studio date, in the middle of October, Illumina finds herself at Niki’s , this time with not only Dream, but Dream’s younger brother and Illumina’s own twin. The four of them grab a table underneath a maple tree to chat and get to know each other.
Dream is wearing Illumina’s leather jacket, having stolen it on the way here. Illumina doesn’t mind. Her girlfriend looks cute in it. The jacket is just a little too big on her, and she’s sporting the most adorable sweater paws Illumina has ever seen.
Apparently, she’s not the only one who noticed. Exdee, Dream’s younger brother, tells Dream, “That jacket makes you look really small.”
“I know.” Dream flicks her tongue out at her brother, earning an offended squawking sound. Exdee is the tallest person Illumina has ever met, and his pale green eyes are a little too piercing, but clearly being around his sister turns him into a little kid. Their dynamic is almost as cute as Dream herself, and Illumina would be lying if she said that she didn’t smile into her cup of coffee as she watched the two.
There’s an aroace pin on Exdee’s letterman jacket. Illumina points to it. “Nice pin.”
“Thank you,” Exdee replies proudly.
“Wait.” Illumina gasps as she realizes something. She whirls on her brother and gives him a gentle punch in the shoulder. “Fruit! That means you’re the token straight!”
Dream smirks. “Hah. Imagine.”
“Yeah, imagine being straight,” Exdee agrees, copying his sister’s smirk.
“Hey!” Fruit protests.
“I mean, I guess I can’t blame him,” Dream muses. “Boobs are hot. But still. Imagine being straight.”
“I hate all of you,” Fruit grumbles, earning laughter from everyone at the table.
Illumina bumps her shoulder against his. “Cheer up. At least you have good taste in women. Your girlfriend’s pretty cute, I’ll give you that. Not as cute as mine, though.” She winks at Dream, who blushes, giggles, and winks back all at once.
Fruit glares mockingly at Illumina. “Ew, get a room.”
“You’re one to talk,” she replies. “One time I walked in on you making out with your girlfriend in the orchestra room.”
“Instrument kink, much?” Exdee says dryly. Fruit splutters, turning bright red, and in that moment, Illumina decides that Dream’s younger brother has earned her respect.
“Y’all suck,” Fruit mutters, hiding behind his coffee. “And I thought you were nice, Dream. Illumina is always talking about how great you are.”
“Oh, I’m nice,” Dream says. “I just like to bully people. But hey- I saw the practical joke book in your bag. If you need any food-related supplies, I’m your girl.”
Fruit’s eyes light up like they always do when he’s thought of a prank, and Illumina feels the beginning of dread stir in her stomach. Maybe it was a bad idea to introduce her sometimes-chaotic girlfriend and her prankster brother to each other. She gives Fruit a light shove before he can get any ideas. “Nope, nope. I know that look, and you are not pranking anyone with cupcakes or whatever baked good my girlfriend gives you.”
“I’m not going to prank you,” Fruit argues. “I just had an idea that involves some overstuffed pastries so that when you bite into them, they explode in your face.”
Dream grins. “I can do that.”
“No, Drizzle, why!” Illumina exclaims. “You realize he’s probably going to give those to me, right?”
Giggling, Dream reaches underneath the table and twines their fingers together. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he doesn’t get you with those.”
“Sneak them into the teachers’ lounge,” Exdee tells Fruit. “It would be funny to see a college professor get jam all over their fancy work suit.”
“You are so right,” Fruit breathes, and he and Exdee immediately begin planning out an epic prank on the college professors.
“Boys,” Illumina mutters, squeezing Dream’s hand as their brothers plot. “This is why I’m a lesbian.”
Dream laughs and scoots her chair closer. She rests her head on Illumina’s shoulder, her fluffy golden hair tickling Illumina’s neck. “Just let it happen. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure the pastries aren’t too overstuffed. And I’ll make sure the filling is somewhat easily cleanable. But I’ll make it colorful, so that the professors will be walking around with pink splotches on their suits.”
“Sometimes I forget how much of a chaotic streak you have,” Illumina tells her girlfriend as she slings an arm around her shoulders. “You look so innocent, but then you say stuff like that, and I’m reminded that I’m dating a devious little baker.”
“You love me for it,” Dream says with a smirk.
“I do,” Illumina agrees, kissing the blonde’s forehead. “You’re sexy when you get all snarky and chaotic.”
“And you’re hot regardless of what you’re doing.” Dream tilts her head so that her nose nudges gently against Illumina’s chin. “You should wear fishnets one day. They’d look great on you.”
“Only if you wear them too.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of lingerie for me.”
“Nevermind,” Illumina says. “I like that option better.”
Dream laughs and kisses her cheek.
They stay at the table for a while longer, chatting with their brothers and teasing the boys, before Dream and Exdee have to return home. Illumina shoos Exdee and her own brother away so she can say goodbye to her girlfriend in private. Even if they will see each other soon (Dream has started coming into Illumina’s dorm after classes are over, partly so they can spend time together and partly so Illumina can get revenge on Fruit for all the times he kicked her out of their dorm to make out with his girlfriend), she’s not going to pass up the opportunity to kiss Dream.
She wraps her arms around Dream’s waist and dips her head to press a quick, chaste kiss to the blonde’s lips. “You coming over tomorrow?” she hums.
“Yep,” Dream agrees, smiling. “You sure seem excited to kick Fruit out again.”
“Of course I am.” Illumina sticks her tongue out at her twin, laughing silently when he glares and gives her the middle finger. “You have no idea how many times he’s shoved me out the door to engage in inappropriate activities with his girlfriend.”
“Oh?” Dream bats her eyelashes. “Are you suggesting that we’re going to engage in inappropriate activities too?”
Illumina smirks. “I mean, I wouldn’t be opposed to a little making out. You’re nice to kiss.”
Laughing, Dream leans up and presses a kiss to her cheek. “Then I’ll be over tomorrow, and after you kick your brother out we can do that. Sound good?”
“Perfect,” Illumina agrees. She gives her girlfriend one final kiss, then gently pulls away. “You should go now. Your brother is glaring at us.”
“I am not!” Exdee protests from behind Dream.
“God, Exdee,” Dream scolds her brother teasingly. “Just because you’re aroace doesn’t mean we all are. Can’t I enjoy kissing my girlfriend?”
Exdee splutters. “I didn’t say you couldn’t! I’m fine with you kissing her! I just don’t want to be late. Mama needs us home.”
“Since when did you care about not being late, huh? I seem to remember you coming home at midnight once.”
“I was busy.”
“Mmm.” Dream nods sagely. “Yes, I’m sure you were very busy. Definitely not going out to buy supplies so you could rig traps around your precious Foosball table, just in case Techno tried to steal it again.”
“ Dream ! Stop exposing me!”
Illumina laughs and waves as Dream and Exdee leave, the latter whining like any younger sibling ever. Then she turns and hooks her elbow around Fruit’s. “C’mon, let’s go home.”
“Finally,” Fruit grumbles. “And you are not kicking me out tomorrow. I have an essay to write.”
“Go write it in Fein’s dorm, then. Or better yet, go write it with your girlfriend. Maybe you’ll have time for a quick makeout session as well.”
Fruit scowls. “I’m not going to do that.”
“You should. Essay writing is so romantic.”
“You’re an idiot.”
“Too bad you’re stuck with me, then.”
“You’re still not kicking me out tomorrow.”
“Try to stop me.”
Illumina does, in fact, kick her twin out of the dorm the next afternoon. She feels a little bad about it, especially since she has to interrupt Fruit in the middle of his essay writing. But it’s worth it to be able to cuddle with Dream on her bed and watch a Netflix show together and maybe steal a few kisses along the way.