#Daydreamoffice

[daydream-office]

Intro time~

It’s been a long day. Hell a long week. Nothing ever seems to go right for you. A canceled date, extra overtime at a shitty job, bills piling up. You just needed a break. Even now as a drizzle started, You could only sigh. The app had said it wouldn’t rain today so you didn’t pack your umbrella. Just your luck.

Thunder echoed above you, signaling that worse was coming. Of course, Why wouldn’t it? It’s not like you didn’t have to wait at a bus stop without a damn cover alone in the dark. Checking your bank app as well proved that getting a ride was out of the question as well. God why the hell did shit have to be so expensive!?

Another roll of thunder came from above as the rain picked up. You could feel your eyes burn from unshed tears when a flickering light drew your attention. This was a kind of quiet side of town so it wasn’t uncommon for the streetlights to act weird. Only this seemed to be drawing you in. Heading towards it, you saw an old sign. One you could swear… you had never seen before.

The office of Daydream Collection and Fulfillment

Da fuck? Ok now you had to be going insane. You had definitely never heard of this. A part of you wanted to check it out. What the hell could they mean by fulfilling daydreams? Was it like a travel company? Of course as a new wave of rain came, you figured it couldn’t hurt to at least see if you could wait out the rain inside. Your sneakers were soaked already from stepping in one too many puddles.

The door opened silently into an almost basic waiting room. Plastic chairs lined the walls with small tables in the corners holding the basic magazines you always saw at the checkout lanes. A reception window was wide open with an older wooden door separating the waiting room from the offices beyond. Only it didn’t smell like any office you had been in before. It was almost sweet, warm even, like fresh baked cookies.

“Well hello there~” 

You jumped as a voice called out. An older woman was there smiling. Her skin was slightly tan with lines around her mouth and eyes. You could tell she had lived a long and hard life and yet… there was something so calming about her, almost motherly.

“Um, hi. Sorry I just needed to get a break from the rain.”

“It’s cool. You’re not the first one.” The woman smiled as she opened the door.

“Come on in! You can dry off by the fire if you like.”

“Fire…?” You gave her an odd look but slowly walked back. She wasn’t very tall. Maybe 5’5 but the cargo pants and loose shirt hid muscles it would seem. Even just leaning on the counter close by, her body spoke of strength. 

Only something happened when you walked through that door. You’re not really sure what. A warmth settled over you like a blanket and everything that had been bugging you was slowly disappearing. The woman just smiled and offered you a weathered hand.

“Come on.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Boss isn’t too strict. She won’t mind.” You just nodded and took her hand. God she was warm.

“My name is Mel. Well it’s really Melpomene but people struggle with that. So I go by Mel. You?”

“Um… (Y/n).” Mel smiled then.

“Let me guess… just randomly saw us huh?”

“Yeah. I didn’t even know this office was here.”

“We aren’t always. Just when someone close by needs us it seems.” You gave her a confused look and went to ask but stopped before the words left your mouth.

Mel had led you into a beautiful library. Bookcases lined the walls filled with books, old and new. Leatherbound, paperbacks, hardbacks. It didn’t seem to matter, they were all here. Of course the real shock was the blue person sitting in a leather chair with their legs over an arm playing on a switch. A tail peeked out from under them, swishing gently as they bit the tip of their tongue in focus.

“BB!”

“Hang on! I’m about to… Win!!! Yes! Ha!!” The blue person sat up quickly cheering.

“Another cup wiped out!! About damn time! Had to remake my kart combo again…” They looked up and such gorgeous blue eyes met yours.

“Oh hey! A human!”

“Yes. A human!”

“...Shit!” They quickly grabbed a gold band and slid it on. Instantly before your eyes, that blue person turned into a pale human with dark hair. You couldn’t help but Yelp as they laughed.

“Sorry!!! I don’t always wear it when it’s just us!”

“What the hell!?”

“Well… I mean one of them? I’m not sure which circle my blood is from…” Mel sighed then.

“It’s ok… BB is one of our residents. She’s from a different world. Please just…. Ignore her.”

“Hey! When Sky isn’t here, I’m in charge!”

“Says who?”

“She did!”

“When?”

“Last night!”

“Hm.” You couldn’t help but laugh. Oh god they argued like they were family. The one called BB just smiled then.

“So, just wandered in, huh?”

“Yeah… It’s raining really bad and… I just needed a break from it.”

“Ah Well get comfy! We’ve got tea, snacks… Games. Tons of books! Boss is out but you can always fill out a request!”

“A request?” BB nodded then. Mel led you over to a matching leather chair letting you sit down. It was close to a fire and you could feel the heat sinking into your bones. This place really was cozy. It was almost like a home honestly. BB was sitting across from you on one leg letting the other dangle.

“Ok so I’m gonna guess that you’re not familiar with this place.”

“I’m not. Like at all.”

“Yeah that’s not shocking.” Mel nodded. She was sitting close by on a couch working on some sort of puzzle on the table in front of her.

“A lot of people come here not knowing who and what we are and that’s totally ok. In fact, I think that’s how the Boss set this place up to work!” BB was really excited it seemed. She was almost childlike in this excitement and you couldn’t help but smile.

“So the whole point of this place? Is to collect stories. Any kind. Biographies of people, recipe books. Memories. Any kind of story. Boss collects them and keeps them safe but along with that? She fulfills daydreams.” You gave BB a confused look making her laugh.

“I’m serious! Think of it like this. Everyone has that one character out there that, no matter what happens or how long it’s been since you’ve seen it, their very existence can make you smile. Now take them and imagine like… going on a walk with them! Or swimming! Those kinds of daydreams? Boss will take requests, look into everything needed and she will do her best to bring it to life for you! She’s got one hell of a way with words after all.”

“So she’s a writer?”

“Of sorts.” Mel spoke up.

“Our Boss is an interesting woman. She writes, bakes. Anything to make her own demons leave her alone. Hence why we have so many different activities here. Everyone has their own pain they want to forget for even just a few minutes and she wants to help with that.”

BB nodded.

“She really helped me out… As you can guess I’m not from here so Sky took me in and let me stay here as long as I help her out with guests and taking requests! Mel is the same way. She needed a place to just… let everything go.”

“That and dealing with drunken idiots every weekend gets old.” You just laughed gently.

“So… This is really just a place to…. forget?”

“Just for a little bit.” BB gave you a soft smile then.

“We can’t make all your troubles disappear… but we can try to make them easier to bear. After all, a kind lie is sometimes better than a harsh truth.” You couldn’t help but nod.

“...how does one go about putting in these requests?”

“Well we were working on formal sheets but right now? You just ask. There’s some things she won't touch but otherwise? She’ll do her best!” BB gave a silly pose then just to make you laugh. She beamed before getting up and running over to a table. She came back with a pencil and paper and left them close by.

“Think about it. ‘Cus I can see it… You need a break, hon and well… That storm isn’t dying anytime soon.” You couldn’t help but smile as you just nodded. Maybe it would be worth a try. After all, there were a few people you could think of, that… it might be nice to spend an autumn walk with.