#ifsd!dreammare

When they are first born they are born bare. There exists no barrier between them. They lay themselves bare, unabashedly to their counterpart. They exist fully with their delamor.

They cuddle, tussle, and sleep with each other unobstructed by anything, tangible or otherwise.

Ribs catch on each other. Bone meets bone with every touch. Kisses hold the same intimacy as locking pinkie fingers. There exists no shame for their forms, only a shared appreciation of beauty.

Until the villagers arrive and decide hooooo these boys need clothes. Everyone wears clothes, it’s nice and offers protection. Besides, it looks good. Every civilized person should live with them.

Hmmm, sure, okay. The boys naively agree and thank the villagers for the gifts. And just like that the first barrier goes up.

Now, cuddles have a thin layer of cloth between them. There’s no more grabbing the other’s ribs or clavicles, it’s sleeves and lapels now. Which they can appreciate in its own way, but it’s not the same.

Then more barriers go up.

They can’t lay themselves bare anymore. There’s something mortal in the way. They live ashamed and hidden, especially to each other.

Nightmare hides the bullying, the pains of rejection, the isolation. The physical marks remain hidden under the cloth that lets them appear.

Dream can’t admit the pressures of the villagers are building and he’s going to break. He’s not playing anymore, he’s working everyday and barely bringing anything home to show for it.

They can see the shape of their problems, but not what fills it. Not the ins or outs. The blockage was built, and they had no tools or had any idea to get rid of it.

These barriers and tensions build and build and build until the apple-incident.

They fight, hurt, and flee and their barriers keep building up and up until they come crashing down.

Post-reconciliation, only after they can bare their souls out to one another can they fully exist wholly to each other, but not unabashedly. The effects of the mortal world still influences their emotions and relationship.