Chapter Text
The first time it happened, Greg had fallen asleep on the sofa again. Kate was spending the weekend with her friend Renee up in Manchester, so after work he settled in to watch crap telly, eat leftover Chinese food, and drink more beer than he should.
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A young woman took a seat beside him at the bar, smiling at him prettily. Her dark hair was swept up in a loose bun. She reached for his hand, but then her smile faded. She looked almost… disappointed? Greg was trying to figure out why when she took her drink and left him there, wondering.
Greg blinked, and suddenly he was in a grand dining room. People were seated around a large round table, and solicitous waitstaff were delivering a variety of exotic courses at intervals. He’d never been at such a fancy event – even his wedding was pretty casual, come to think of it. Everyone seemed to be in formal attire – tuxedos or glittery evening gowns. Quiet chatter filled the room.
Now, the way his dreams normally go, he’d expect to look down and find himself wearing nothing but the boxers Kate bought him for Valentine’s Day – the satin ones with little pink hearts all over them – but a glance thankfully proved him wrong. He saw that he, too, was in a tux, but… his hands looked wrong. They were not his own calloused hands, but pale, soft skinned ones. He watched in detached fascination as the elegant hands deftly used chopsticks to take a small bite of the food in front of him. I never got the hang of chopsticks, he thought idly. Good to know in a dream I can use them.
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It’s just after dawn when Greg was jarred awake by his phone, ringing and rattling along the coffee table. He fumbled to answer it.
“What is it, Sally?” he grumbled. As she spoke, he got to his feet. “I’ll be there in 10. Keep everyone away from Anderson, would you? Be nice if he could actually attempt to do his job.” The call disconnected, he grabbed his coat, and headed out the door.