#grumpyoldhag

17... to distract

you know what to do :}

"That's cheating!"

"How?" The Dreamer drops his tail with a puzzled expression.

"Because it's attached to you! You can move it!" Eddie brandishes his jump rope like a threat - not that the Dreamer can see it. It's wholly imaginary.

The Dreamer looks from Eddie's empty fist to his own tail and back again. "Not really. I mean it's attached, but I can't really move it like that." He gestures down at where it lies on the ground as though simply holding still proves no force on earth could move it. "It feels fairer than just a pretend one," he reasons. "How do I know you're even keeping proper count?"

"Because I don't lie."

The Dreamer frowns in consideration. It's a strong argument. Still. "What if we both use my tail? That way we can both count, and if I move it then we both win."

Eddie scrutinizes him but can't seem to find fault with this idea. He brightens into a grin. "Deal! Here, I'll hold the end, you hold closer to you, there we go..."

There's an extended navigation and detangling of limbs until they're arranged nose to nose with the Dreamer's tail looped behind Eddie's ankles.

"Okay, ready? One!"

They count out their hops together, slowly at first, then faster and faster as they get the hang of it.

"Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen..."

"Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen..." The Dreamer is getting winded and Eddie looks up at him, aghast.

"How did you get ahead of me?"

"Did I?" The Dreamer looks down at their feet as the keep on jumping. "Wait, was that twenty-one? Twenty-two, twenty-three..."

"But I'm only on eighteen! How are you doing that?!"

But the Dreamer can't answer and keep up with his count at the same time, his eyes fixed on their feet, his tail a blue blur whipping around them in an endless repetition. At a loss for how else to stop this madness, Eddie interrupts him with a prompt smooch on the lips.

Shock is written all over the Dreamer's face when he looks up at Eddie, his count promptly forgotten. Eddie seizes on his chance.

"Twenty-nine, thirty! Ha! New record!"

He whoops in triumph and drops the tail to embrace the Dreamer, whirling them both in a circle, and stunned though he is the Dreamer is thrilled to be caught up in the dance.