★ LOVE STORY ★
SWEET DREAMS

even now, when Elaine could have slept in, she hadn't. She would have liked to try, but by six o'clock she had given up. Every time she closed her eyes the images came back. She saw the snow soaked in blood, the black sky, the dead bodies and, as always, she woke up to the melodious, saving wind. Before, Elaine hadn't cared much for the gods. How could she believe in something like that when she had experienced nothing but pain and death, but since that day she has been a believer. Elaine believed in Barbatos. She was grateful to him. And every time her anemone vision danced in the wind, she thought of him.

But who she was thinking about right now as she drank her latte was actually Lyney. Oh he was charming. The way he appeared, the way he spoke and yes, she personally thought he looked good. But she didn't have time for that. She had the pastry shop, which takes a lot of time and love. There were also her dreams, her past. She was still struggling with it. Elaine couldn't let someone into her life when it was so messed up.

Added to this! Lyney was a red rag to her grandfather. She didn't know why and would probably never find out, but she was content to just accept it. So she couldn't respond to someone's flirting attempts if she accepted that. In another world. If all the other things didn't exist, she might have given in long ago. She wasn't stupid. After all, he was there every day. But in this world? It just didn't work.

Elaine took the last sip of her latte and put the glass in the sink. She went out in her pajamas to get her mail and instead of the usual brochures there was actually a really beautifully decorated envelope. Elaine carelessly threw the magazines onto the small living room table and sat down with the letter on her large, colorful armchair. She opened the envelope with the letter opener, which looked like a small sword.

To the one and only Miss Elaine,
My efforts here may will be pointless, but I, Lyney, would still like to officially invite you to the show this evening. There is a ticket in the envelope. If you decide not to come, the date on the ticket automatically changes to the next show. I would really like to see your pretty smile in the audience sometime.
- Lyney

Oh my. Was she grinning like the biggest idiot? Yes! He didn't give up and something told Elaine that he wouldn't do so anytime soon either. And the worst part was she didn't mind. She just had to be careful not to cross the line. Which could be difficult if he did more than show up at the pastry shop every day. But she will managed it. Elaine wouldn't go to the show even if the date changed forever. She couldn't tell her grandfather that she had to leave early because of a magic show. And she didn't want that either.

Elaine folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. It landed on the small table along with all the magazines. Somehow she would have liked to hang the letter on the fridge, it looked really nice, but it wouldn't be so wise to hang a letter from Lyney.

Elaine spent the rest of the morning cleaning her small apartment and preparing dinner for the evening, when she would probably come home exhausted. At around nine o'clock she left her apartment and since she still had enough time, she walked over to the Chioriya boutique. The sun wasn't shining too brightly today. The sky was covered with white clouds and only allowed the sun to shine through every second. It was still warm. It could have been a bit warmer for Elaine's taste, but the weather was on the right track.

»How many times have I said that the fabrics have to be delivered on time?« You could already hear her from outside. The windows were open. Elaine pushed down the door handle. »I can't and don't want to work like this! Turn them down, I don't want their mediocre fabric.«

»Your morning is off to a great start.«

»My morning? My morning started four hours ago!« She pushed open the curtain and walked to the front of the room. »Honestly, Elaine, they're all incompetent people.« Chiori. She was stressed almost all the time, but she loved her job. And! She made really great clothes and Elaine didn't say that because Chiori was her best friend! »But what are you doing here? Free today?«

Elaine shook her head. »I'm just starting a little later today.«

»Oh, if you had told me! We could have had breakfast together.« Chiori narrowed her eyes. »You look terrible.«

»Thanks.«

»Are you sleeping at all?«

»I sleep enough.«

Chiori snorted. »Yeah, that's what I always say. Here.« She pulled a small plastic container out of her bag. »Take one about an hour before you go to sleep. That's guaranteed to help you sleep through.«

»Sleeping pills... I don't know, Chiori.«

She shrugged. »Better than having dark circles under your eyes.« Well, her dark circles didn't look that bad. Also! She knew from experience that pills didn't really help her, so why try them again?

»My sleep problems aside, do you want to watch a magic show?«

Chiori crossed her arms. »Do I look like I have time for something like that? And I've already watched a show this month.«

»You watched a show?«

»The twins always invite me over, after all I make their stunning outfits.« Right. Elaine had almost forgotten that. »It might do you good to do something other than work for once.«

»And that comes from your mouth?«

»Listen, i would come with you, but I can't. We can go out for breakfast together at the weekend, but now.«

»Yeah, yeah, you have to keep chasing your employees around.« Elaine laughed. »Be a bit nicer to them, okay?«

»I'm nice when they deserve it!« So she was never nice. No kidding. If someone deserved it and did a good job, Chiori was happy and had kind words. But most of the time... well, she put a lot of value into her business. Which was definitely not wrong!

When she arrived at the pastry shop it was really full. All the tables were occupied, inside and outside, and her grandfather was running frantically from customer to customer. Idiot. Why hadn't he called her? She had been awake the whole time anyway.

The pastry shop had been full of customers the entire rest of the day. As soon as someone paid, new customers came. They sold lots of cakes, coffee and beautifully decorated cupcakes. Elaine's grandfather mainly stayed behind the counter, taking care of the cash register and taking orders. Elaine served everything. She had a smile on her face and yes, at some moments she looked outside. She looked to see if Lyney was coming. He came every day for the last few months. But not today.

Elaine wasn't disappointed, it was better that way, but she had gotten used to it and now she kind of missed it. He always came in with a grin and now he would probably greet her loudly with her name. Somehow she would like that. But Elaine simply pushed the thought aside. She continued to serve the guests.

Only when only a quarter of the tables were occupied did she go to the back to the kitchen. She was already preparing some dough for tomorrow while her grandfather served the last few guests. A chocolate dough for the three-tier coffee cream cake, sponge cake base for the summer rolls and also vanilla pudding for the small strawberry vanilla tarts.

And of course she didn't miss the watch. The magic show is happening right now. Right now Lyney would go on stage and wrap them all around his finger with his charm. He would perform some kind of magic trick and would definitely have a grin on his face.

»We had good sales today.« Her grandfather came into the back and interrupted her thoughts. »Before you go, can you just sweep the floor? There were a lot of kids there and the tiles are full of crumbs.«

Elaine nodded. After all, her grandfather was already 72 and had been up since this morning. »I'll take care of everything, just go home.«

»You'll only do the bare minimum, promise?«

»Promised.« And then her grandfather left. And thoughts of the magic show appeared again. The audience may have been applauding because Lyney had thrilled them with something. Maybe he bowed. Maybe he took off his hat. Okay, stop. Elaine shook her head. She picked up the homemade eggnog to her left and took a generous sip of it. Only then did she pour a little into the dough and finish kneading it.

This was due to lack of sleep and stress! And the fact that Lyney tried to force his way into her life. Elaine shook her head again. She took a bowl and put the dough in it and put it in the large refrigerator with the others. Then she started cleaning everything at the front. The tables, the counter, the chairs, the floor and yet she knew that despite the work she still wouldn't be able to sleep later.

She sighed. Maybe the pill wasn't a bad idea after all. Elaine pulled back one of the chairs and sat at the table with the bottle of eggnog. She looked out the window and watched as everyone else slowly closed their shutters. She watched as people came home from work, birds flew around and children ran home quickly before it was really dark. The streetlights came on and that's when Elaine's eyes closed.

»Miss Elaine.« She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. »Elaine.« She knew that voice. That charming, gentle voice. Oh she was definitely dreaming. She had already been lying in her cozy bed full of colorful pillows for a long time.

»Elaine, my love.« A hand gently shook her shoulder. Then a finger that stroked her cheek. »Love, you have to wake up.« She could tell by his voice that he was smiling.

»Lyney,« Elaine murmured. Now she was already dreaming about him. Wonderful.

»Yeah, yeah it's me!« He pushed a strand of hair out of her face. »I'm here.« And then Elaine opened her eyes. He was here! He was sitting next to her! What the hell was he doing here? »Good morning, sleepyhead.« He grinned at her. »The door wasn't locked, pretty dangerous if you ask me.«

Elaine moved away from him a little. Her head... she felt dizzy somehow. How long had she slept? What kind of pills were those? She was an absolute mess and Lyney my goodness he looked stunning. He wasn't wearing his hat; it was lying on the table in front of him. His hair was slightly disheveled and his eyes were a bit tired.

»Everything alright?« He looked at her intently. »You must have fallen asleep.«

Elaine couldn't help but laugh. The pills had been damn good, well, or the combination with eggnog was to blame. Lyney looked at her puzzled, but laughed along slightly. Oh he had a lovely laugh. She had never noticed it so directly. Or rather, she had always ignored all of it.

»I'm fine, really, i feel totally great!« She didn't know what was wrong with her, but she leaned in and tapped his nose with her index finger. »Boop.. You don't have to worry.«

Lyney smiled. His eyes sparkled as they become upturned crescents. »Oh? a tap to the nose...« He seemed oddly delighted in the action, and perks up not long after, with a strange, mischievous shine in his eyes. »You weren't at the show today, sadly. I missed you there.«

He took out his deck of cards. He flipped through it with a grin. »Love, why don't you pick a card? Any card from the deck, whichever one you want.«

Elaine eyed him suspiciously. Lyney had the demeanor of a cunning cat, one that if you turn your gaze away from for a mere second, is sure to cause trouble. »Why?«

»You weren't at the show, I want to show you something.«

Elaine was pretty sure that she might be crossing the line here. But she felt so good right now. She had slept absolutely well. Yes, she felt a little dizzy, but that was probably a side effect. Doesn't matter! She pulled a card from Lyney's hands. She received the two of hearts.

But before she could even properly glance up from her cards, she met with a faceful of brilliant red roses, each delicate petal perfectly curving in place and green, glistening leaves healthy and lush. Lyney was the one behind it all, a smug smile on his lips, and before Elaine could even open her mouth to speak, he leaped forward and swiftly kissed her nose.

»Boop.« And he winked, smoothly tucking a rose into her hair. Hell, he was so smooth. Her brain wasn't even able to register half his actions until half a minute after, and when she did, her face burned. »Haha - what's wrong, love?«

Yes, the limit was definitely crossed! Elaine wanted to run away. He couldn't just... it didn't work that way! »You can't just kiss me, Lyney!«

»First it was just your tiny nose, second why? Because you liked it?«

»I did not liked it! You have to go now.« Elaine got up from the chair, she was a little unsteady on her feet.

»Is it all because of your grandfather?« Lyney also got up from the chair and walked towards her. »Because I'm pretty sure you do like me and this, us, could be our little secret.«

Elaine's head spun. Because of the pill, because of Lyney, because of everything. Her grandfather probably had a good reason why he hated Lyney and she didn't want to betray him. On the other hand, Elaine wanted to know all too well what his lips would feel like on hers. »I-i can't do this.«

Lyney stopped right in front of her. She could smell his perfume. She could feel his breathing. »Then I accept that.« Really? He gave up now? Wow. She didn't expect that! »At least for today, my love.« He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. His kiss was so soft. His Lips were so fucking soft! »Can you make it home alone?«

Elaine nodded. She couldn't make a sound. Lyney... he made her go crazy. And she thought about him the whole way home. Of his lips. Of his scent. Of his words. Goodness, yes, she wanted Lyney.