Perception {Dreamnotfound}

6 | Trust | 6

Even if he is my target, at least I'm still safe. There's no point in him killing me, he'll just be assigned a new hunter. Better to know who your hunter is than have them reassigned and not know.

Plus that's pointless murder, something most can't live with. Killing your own target must be hard enough.

He knows I'm inexperienced still, even after all this time. You'd think in five years you'd manage to get to grips with weapons, and I've done just that.

My aim is near perfect from training, one of the reasons why I've only ever been to the city outskirts. I'm effectively self-sufficient, hunting food is a breeze.

Getting hold of medical supplies is my only issue, which is why I'm so cautious. But when I do need them, I make sure to get them from a traveller out in the woods, or the outskirts of the city if I'm desperate.

There's no way I'll risk venturing further into central city for anything other than retrieving my target profile.

My skills aren't the problem, it's my fear. I'm too scared to kill anyone, and my nerves mess me up. I fainted merely seconds into my hunter's attack, so scared I couldn't even remain conscious, let alone fight him.

So here I sit, watching Dream sleep peacefully as I remain wide awake. Too scared to fall asleep, as I always am. It's probably like having insomnia, I function on very few hours of sleep. Not healthy, but i make do.

It takes all of my willpower to remain where I am. My head is screaming at me to leave, just because it's so used to yelling 'run' whenever I see anyone. All people are potentially dangerous, all except Dream and my soulmate.

It'd be so easy to see his soulmate band. He's removed his gloves, I'd just have to roll up his sleeve. I'm more desperate to see his face, but his arms are wrapped so tightly over his mask I wouldn't be able to move them without waking him up.

Maybe I'd be willing to try and look at either, had he not been holding a dagger. Probably by instinct, he said he worked alone a lot too. But he's more used to people than me, I can tell simply by the way he approached me for the first time. Either that or he's stupidly reckless.

That probably means that as soon as I lay a hand on him, he'd swing that dagger in self defence. It's not worth having my stomach cut open to find out what he looks like.

Or if he's telling the truth about his soulmate. He may have found them already but doesn't want to tell me.

Why would you lie about finding your soulmate?

Is it possible to fall in love with someone else?

No George, that's ridiculous. Soulmates are meant for each other, true love. You can't fall in love with someone else, that's insane.

My logic would also involve Dream being in love with me.

Pfft, ridiculous.

"George?"

There's shuffling from beside me, and I turn to see Dream is awake. But barely, by the look of it. Tired eyes, despite being asleep for most likely hours. I can't see the sun from here, but I'd guess from the lack of light coming in through the other alcoves it's probably before sunrise.

"What are you doing awake?" he asks drowsily, readjusting his mask to make sure it properly covers his face. "I could ask you the same" I retort, biting back a yawn.

Dream sighs, pushing himself up into a sitting position. "No, but why are you-" he pauses suddenly, examining my face. "You look awful..." he breathes, edging a little closer to better examine my face. On instinct I back up, pressing myself against the alcove wall.

"Thanks" I spit, saying it a little too harshly to convey the humour I was hoping too. His eyes are full of worry, focused on mine. "You haven't slept, have you?" I shake my head, knowing I can't lie. I'm a pretty bad liar, and my face shows I barely slept at all.

"George you need to sleep! Why haven't you?" I stare back at him, pressing my lips together tightly to indicate I won't speak. Cogs turn in his head as he thinks back to something, eyes suddenly lighting up as he remembers.

"You're too scared to sleep. Ever since I came, you've been so nervous. You don't trust not getting ambushed again." He readjusts the scabbard on his belt, placing the dagger back inside of it. "That's why you haven't slept, isn't it?"

Despite my efforts not to, I find myself nodding. Dream gives me a sorry look, then turns away after inevitably remembering how much I hate being pitied.

"I mean..." he trails off uncertainly. "I'd offer to keep watch while you sleep, but I know you won't take that offer. However you look so exhausted you may just fall asleep by accident, so I'm offering anyway."

So he took note of those details. Observant, just like me.

"You're right, I won't take your offer. But thanks anyway."

Dream smiles sadly, watching me with wary eyes before he turns his attention to the barricade we made the night before. Carefully, he pulls away a few bags to create a gap.

"About 5 am" he observes, checking the position of the sun before blocking back up the hole. Too early.

"We can't leave until after sunrise" I comment. "Traversing the forest in the dark is asking to be killed."

He nods in agreement, sorting through the closest bag and pulling out something similar to a granola bar.

"I'm not sure if I can help" he mutters, taking a bite and staring at the floor. "But is there anything that would make you feel safe enough to sleep? I'm worried your hunter will come back and you need to have slept to deal with him..."

"Why do you care?"

The words fall out of my mouth before I can stop them. I just had to ask. Why does it worry him that I may die? I'm not his soulmate, he shouldn't care.

Dream looks stunned. "What do you mean? Isn't it normal to care about your friend?"

Friend.

"Oh um..." I try to look anywhere that isn't at him. "I've not had a friend in years. I've not really had anyone to trust for a while..."

"Not even your parents?" he asks quietly. I shake my head, hating the reappearing look of pity. "Nobody. Once I finished school, I set out on my own. My parents died around that time. To their hunters, within months of each other."

Tears prick the corners of my eyes. Desperately I wipe them away, not wanting to look vulnerable.

I've never told anyone this information, why am I telling him?

"It's hard to trust people when you know that any one of them could kill you. I'm not sure how you found the confidence to step in like you did. Or why you did."

There's a conflicted look in Dream's eyes. "George can I give you a hug? You look like you need one" he asks innocently.

A part of me wants to. Really, really wants to hug him. But it's been five years since I've trusted people, and I'm desperate for company.

Silently I shake my head, causing an awkward silence between us. "I'm sorry" I mumble when I can't take the silence any longer.

I turn away from him, sitting through my supplies in preparation to leave at sunrise. It's hard, my brain unfocused from how tired I am.

Dream is completely silent behind me. No movement at all, and he keeps his distance, which I'm thankful for. His eyes bore into me, I can tell he's staring.

Then suddenly, there's shuffling. Something is dropped into my lap, and I ignore it while I fix my weapons in place securely. Checking over supplies and retrieving my compass, paying no attention to Dream.

A hand reaches across my leg, pushing the item laying in my lap closer to me. I sigh, rolling my eyes as pick whatever it is up.

It's Dream's mask.

"Hi there. My name is Clay, I'm the boy who just saved you from your hunter. It's nice to meet you. What's your name?"