Not Giving Peace

Pain piercing the chest… The last laugh… Rob’s eyes open, He starts gasping for air. Just a dream… Robert put down pillow and sat up on the bed. Artist… Valle Deliria… Dryad… These words flashed in his head, giving him no rest. These black curls, so soft, this grin is so annoying and pleasant at the same time… Everything was imprinted in memory as if it were a reality. Hot touches, sighs, grins… The detective shook his head. What he didn’t expect at all was to fall in love with a man in his dream. A MAN, DAMN IT. Don’t think that Robert is a homophobe… But he used to attribute himself to a heterosexual. Juicy scenes were not going to get out of head… The next morning, Steltz got up with not getting enough sleep at all, and also a splitting headache. Because of some kind of dream… Nope. Because of Bert. Rob didn’t even hope to find this person, he was sure that it was just a figment of his imagination. But at night, thoughts of the black-haired man gave neither peace nor the opportunity to fall asleep. Robert could just turn from side to side, trying to free his thoughts and find a comfortable position. Even if fell asleep, he saw nervous passages. So it went on the next night… And the next after… Detective in such a state could not be engaged in any case. The amount of caffeine consumed exceeded the norm. Colleagues sincerely began to worry about Steltz, as the bags under his eyes grew. Hardly fell into a dream… Quiet laughter. Aching chest pain… The eyes opened themselves. The feeling of loss was killing him. Loss of what? Life?… Or the loss of a person… One morning, getting up, Rob decided to go to the doctor, since such a condition is not possible to tolerate. Can they prescribe sleeping pills for him there?… With an emptiness inside, Robert somehow got dressed, took a cup of coffee, and trudged to the first hospital he came across near. He had a good immunity, so he hadn’t been to such places for a long time. Everything smelled of medicines… he felt dizzy. Everything is in a fog, however, as always after that night. The legs did not want to move, the muscles were tired, they lacked 2-3 hours of sleep, and by the way it was luck. It seemed like it was about to fall, but it’s probably okay. Here doctors will catch, examine. But it’s still not nice to fall… The detective looked up… No, he’s definitely going to fall. He was standing in front of him… His black hair, just like in the Valle Deliria, the usual smile, a mocking look. Here it is. Alive, made of flesh and bones… Maybe Rob is sleeping now, and this is part of a bad dream?… The doctor’s gaze changed when he saw Steltz, or it just seemed like it… Legs gave way, unable to stand it anymore. Here, now he will collide with the floor-… he was held by strong, painfully familiar hands. — Sir? Are you all right? — the same damn voice. It’s Soft… — I… I’m tired… Insomnia — Robert said, trying to pretend that he didn’t know the doctor’s fingers at all, didn’t know the voice at all, like he hears it for the first time. This look is not familiar at all… Heart sank. Bert sat Rob down on a chair, trying to ask about the symptoms. But his thoughts were confused both from lack of sleep, and from finding the desired so close, but at the same time so unattainable… — Robert, when was the last time you slept, normally? — Before… That strange dream… — When was this dream? —… I do not remember Bert let out a frustrated sigh. — You need rest, I can prescribe a light sleeping pill, since I’m not sure if a stronger one will suit you yet. — Bert wrote something on a piece of paper — Can you walk to the nearest pharmacy? — Probably… I don’t know Bert tapped his fingers on the folder he was holding in his hand… He sighed. — Let me take you there? Rob looked at him, surprised — but what about… the patients… others? — I’ll have some free time, don’t worry. Plus, you can also be considered as a patient. … — You know — Bert smiled very habitually — I also had a strange dream… And one of the main characters of the dream was very much like you, can you imagine? The detective’s tired eyelids lifted… Had he seen it all, too? Or… Or just a coincidence?… But it’s still: Hope. — Do you remember the dream?… Tell me, please. — Well, first it all started, in such a town… And I painted pictures… Artist — Rob gasped — Bert… — Are you feeling unwell? — Did you see all this too?… Say you remember, say you remember me…. Please — The doctor’s eyes opened in amazement — Did you also have a dream about Totspel and Valle Deliria? … — Was it even a dream?… Bert kissed Robert sharply, unexpectedly. And very briefly. But Steltz could feel very familiar lips. He exhaled… He was missing him. — And now, let’s go buy sleeping pills already. — The doctor smiled ***