“Are you really selling off-brand Dream Essence again?” a familiar voice said, and Malin hid a grin as he straightened up, looking down at the blonde head of curly hair that stood atop four feet of pure disapproval.
“It’s really not off-brand this time,” he said, and Dream Willow snorted.
“Sure, because you stole my recipe!”
Malin shrugged, adjusting the rows of bottles filled with shimmering fog. “I was trying to be good to you, Weeping Willow. What’s the problem this time?”
Willow sank into the chair beside his table, and balanced her elbows on her knees. “I have a…proposition,” she said, her features curling up in mild distaste. But Malin knew that it was all performative, and there was barely discernible excitement dancing in her eyes. “You want to sell Dream Essence, I don’t want to run around behind a bad batch again.”
Malin lifted an eyebrow. “And here I thought you really enjoyed hanging out with me.”
Willow glared at him, no heat behind the gesture. “I enjoyed it like you enjoyed hanging off the dragon, conman. Besides, I’m trying to make things better for you, so listen.”
Malin mimed zipping up his mouth and throwing away the key. Willow narrowed her eyes, but continued.
“My offer is this: I check your entire store of Dream Essence and make sure it’s manufactured according to the standards of the Dream Elves. You give me a cut of the profits. And we find other people like your mother, who are stuck in their nightmares and who need help to find their way back out, and we help them. That’s it.”
Malin couldn’t help the soft smile that spread over his face. “You’re pretty good,” he remarked, crossing his arms. “That’s a good deal for me.”
Willow turned bright red, and hid her face in her hands. “I know I have a lot to learn,” she mumbled. “But I learnt a lot while working with you. Don’t make me ask twice, you imposter of a Dream Elf.”
Malin laughed, and extended his hand to her. “The pleasure will be mine, little Weed. I look forward to working with you.”
Dream Willow peeped out from between her fingers, and then reached out to shake his hand. In the moment between one breath and the next, they settled, comfortable, into each other’s worlds, and somehow, reality and dreams didn’t seem all that different after all.
Sreepriya Ramesh 
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