Emma’s hands felt just as shaky as hers when their fingers interlocked, but her smile, like her eyes, beamed with joy and pride. Forcing their gazes away from one another and towards the man officiating their wedding had been an act of pure willpower, but now they’d exchanged their vows, their rings, and sealed eternity with a kiss, Calliope could proudly call herself the happiest woman on earth.

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The rest of the evening flashed by in a blur; the reception, buffet and dances had been lavish and many, but what she’d truly enjoyed was when -in the excitement of the party- Cal had managed to sneak off with Emma to wander the grounds of the venue they’d rented. Flower gardens, neatly kept. A gazebo near the edge of the forest lurking beyond the natural pond, with a little stream separating the two.

[break][break]
Cal tenderly pressed her lips against her wife’s knuckles, relishing their quiet time away from the masses. They’d planned all of it themselves, so she could only fault herself for the scale of the reception, but what she longed for now more than anything was not to celebrate her union with the world.

[break][break]
She wanted to celebrate her love with Emma, just the two of them. Their first night together as newly-weds would be just that; cuddled up together on a gazebo bench. Unaware of time, slowly nodding off as a sunset peeked across the horizon.

[break][break]

-------

[break][break][break][break]
In comparison the breakfast bar seemed all the more empty the day after, her sole company a cereal bowl and her reflection staring back at her from the dark depths of her coffee cup. Calliope sighed and stretched her legs, pushing herself away from the table. One dream was strange enough as is, but two, continuous to boot?

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Stranger still was how it made her feel; equally content as it made her saddened. The happiness she’d felt within said dream, and when she’d woken up with the sun blinding her through the parted window drapes… that had been real. It made her yearn for that which her dreams had not been.

[break][break]
The corner of her mouth curled upward.

[break][break]
At least she now knew what it would have felt like to get married to the love of her life.



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+ Dream prompt - Love - 378 words (400 sleep score)[break]
+ Previous Dream prompts - Family / ??

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"Alecto, c'me here boy!"
[break][break]

The Mightyena bolting across the field skidded to a stop, turned, and bee-lined it towards his owner at breakneck speed. Calliope stood, watching as a handful of Poochyena followed in its wake, trying their hardest to keep up with their father. Alecto looked back a handful of times, but never slowed down until he was in front of Cal, sitting at her heel while the rest of his litter came wobbling over. She smiled as the pack of small canines finally reached her, yipping happily and trying to nip at each others -and her- ankles.
[break][break]

It had been one of the many things she and Emma had talked about putting on their to-do list, but with Emma gone, Calliope had all but given the list a second glance. It had been too painful to see their joint aspirations on the paper, knowing they'd never be able to do them together. Over time she'd even forgotten about it entirely.
[break][break]

Only when those weird dreams had started had she been reminded, and subsequently bothered looking for the list again. Sparking fond memories she had spent most of the day reminiscing about, the pale-haired model had decided to make work of at least some of the points on said list. Emma had always wanted a new friend for Alecto, a new puppy to raise and train and hike with.
[break][break]

She'd wanted to travel to the Orange Islands, take the scenic route through Kanto and Johto, visit Ecruteak's towers and explore the nightlife in Castelia and Lumiose City. And maybe, once they'd grown old enough to retire, start a pokémon spa so she could put that massage degree to good use. Calliope would have given her the world if she'd wished for it.
[break][break]

Calliope's world had come to a standstill with Emma's passing, and nothing else had mattered anymore. Joy had been an overrated emotion until recently. But now, with those strange dreams fanning that reminiscent flame, she realised what she was missing out on. On so many things that Emma would have most-likely ended up scolding her for letting them pass her by.

[break][break]
Well... here she was. Babysteps.



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+ Dream prompt - Aspiration - 357 (600 sleep score)[break]
+ Previous Dream prompts - Family / Love / ??

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"Does it bother you?"
[Break][break]

Her voice cuts through the silenced darkness, a hand gently reaching out to touch her arm. Calliope stirs slowly, blinking the sleep out of her eyes to grant the voice all her attention.
[Break][break]

The smile that starts wavers only momentarily as she lays eyes upon her lover, the wedding band on her finger the sole reminder that it's just another dream. One she doesn't mind being present for a little longer. In the past week, dream upon dream, memories have come unbound, and Cal finds herself looking forward to them now– where they'd once been tormenting and unwelcome.
[Break][break]

She just couldn't deal with the emotions they called upon.

[Break][break]
Now however, they're a chance to talk with Emma once more. Dream or otherwise.
[Break][break]

"Sometimes." Calliope admits quietly, turning to face the Emma in her dreams. "I always thought they'd make things harder, but in the end I think I've missed these moments more than I actually want to admit."
[Break][break]

"As long as it helps."
[Break][break]

"You always do."
[Break][break]

Behind the curtains strands of bright, neon light filtered through; Castelia's skyline paling the Lilycove skyline she was used to seeing. It were all little things that reminded her it wasn't the reality she knew, but the one she had sought to have. One that would end every time the sun rose.
[Break][break]

"Remember when we went camping near Motostoke? Near the Bridge Field? The view at sunrise was just to die for."
[Break][break]

"And the Rookidee that kept harrassing you in the morning was a sight to see as well." Calliope laughed. "God, I wish we could do it all again…"






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+ Dream prompt - REMINISCING - 270 (800 sleep score)[break]
+ Previous Dream prompts - Family / Love / Aspiration / ??

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"Let's go back, then!"

[break][break]
It had been just that easy for Dream-Emma to say it. And the following night, even though she was faintly -yet rapidly increasingly- becoming aware of the fact it was a dream, their Castelia apartment had changed vistas to that of the Motostoke bed-and-breakfast they'd visited years ago.

[break][break]
The puff of suitcases being slammed onto the bed snapped her attention away from the window and towards the woman trying her best to wrestle the luggage. Calliope tilted her head softly, resisting the urge to smile as she noticed the vein on her wife's forehead.

[break][break]
"You sure you don't need help with-"

[break][break]
"Don't you even start, Cal, or so help me Arceus!"

[break][break]
The slightest hint of a smirk tickled the brunette's lips, so Calliope merely tossed up her hands in mock surrender and dropped herself into the nearest chair, pouting.

[break][break]
"I might be a model, but I swear I'm worth far more than just being a mere trophy wife, honey," she quipped back, bursting into laughter when Emma sent her a glare back in return. Just then the suitcase popped open, strewing clothes about in a small explosion. Her wife's helpless expression only added to Cal's mirth, whose stomach was now cramping up from the continued laughter.

[break][break]
"Well fuck you, Calliope Alvara!"

[break][break]
"Gladly, but I think that's your job~"

[break][break]
The wink that followed was silenced with a well-aimed throw of the nearest pillow, and a follow-up slipper when Cal casually swatted the thing aside.

[break][break]
"Mercy woman, mercy!" The pale-haired woman sputtered, trying to swallow her giggles after she'd been tackled and worked to the ground with surprising ease by Emma. For one nearly 6 inches smaller than her, the brunette did pack quite some power; something her wife liked to remind her of when she was testing her limits.

[break][break]
The pillow still hovered above her head as Emma squinted at her. "You're a fucking idiot, Cal."

[break][break]
"I'm your fucking idiot, darling," Calliope waggled her eyebrows.

[break][break]
Emma chuckled softly, shaking her head as she dropped the pillow behind her and dipped down for a kiss. "Damn right you are."



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+ Dream prompt - GOOD ENDING - 351 (1000 sleep score)[break]
+ Previous Dream prompts - Family / Love / Aspiration / Reminiscing

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