the sun was barely breaking through the curtains when renee stirred beside you, her hair tangled in a mess of sleep. you felt her shift with her back to you, tension radiating from her shoulders like static

you blinked the sleep from your eyes and stretched a little, about to reach for her when she mumbled into the pillow “dont touch me.”

you froze “huh?”

she quickly turned with her eyes narrowed and cheeks flushed “i cant believe you cheated on me.”

you slightly sat up, completely confused “what?”

“in my dream. you cheated in me with some girl who worked at trader joes. she gave you a discount on oat milk and you took her to your moms house.”

you bit your lip, trying not to laugh “so let me get this straight. dream me scored discounted groceries and betrayed you in one fell swoop?”

she wasnt amused. her glare could literally slice steel “i should punch you.”

you leaned back on one arm with your grin spreading across your face “you should punch dream me. ive been here the whole time. asleep. like a golden retriever. innocent. loyal. soft.”

“thats funny” she muttered, sitting up with the blanket dropping off her shoulder “because in the dream you werent soft. you were an asshole and- ugh. you wore that dumb gold chain.”

you reached up, fiddling with the thin gold necklace around your neck “this one?”

her eyes narrowed again

“oh my god. youre seriously mad” you laughed, completely amused now

she crossed her arms and looked at you like you had just told her you hated beyonce “it felt real. i woke up with my chest tight. like you had actually left me.”

you softened at that, the teasing dropping from your voice “hey” you said, sitting up straighter and reaching for her hand “id never do that. not in a dream. not in real life. not even in some parallel universe where oat milk is a love language.”

she rolled her eyes but her hand stayed in yours as she spoke up again “still you were kind of a dick in the dream.”

you leaned in, brushing your lips against hers “then let me spend the all day making it up to you”

she paused “i want pancakes. with strawberries.”

“done.”

“and youre carrying me to the kitchen.”

“ill carry you to mars if it gets me out of trouble with dream you”

she let out a small smile “fine but im still watching you.”

you stood then scooped her into your arms with an exaggerated grunt “god how are you this light when your attitude weighs a hundred pounds?”

she smacked your shoulder as she muttered “youre lucky i love you.”

“dream me better remember that next time”