Sometimes they meet in fire, sometimes in the cooling of water. A few times in air or earth. Even once or twice when the blood flowing through his veins is like ice. Sometimes they are aware of their connection before meeting, sometimes it isn’t until after. Still, they always meet. Always. It is a promise that was given.

Then it doesn’t happen. He isn’t aware what’s supposed to happen, but he knows something is wrong. At the age of fourteen he suddenly feels a sense of dread and from then on, he can’t shake the feeling of something being off. Some part of him knows that he is incomplete.

The next time something goes wrong, Blake’s skin is a canvas of art his destined one has given him though they have yet to meet. One day there is no new art. A day or two means nothing, but one day becomes many. Many become months. He never finds out what happened, but he tries to move on with his life, day by day. It is the greatest struggle he can imagine to not give in.

It happens again. This time his destined’s fate is easier to figure out. Instead of art from his future partner, he is given their scars. To him, it is its own form of art. Every single one tells a story he can’t wait to hear, a testament to strength, beauty and survival. Even the ones that are purposeful, hidden where clothes will cover, are dear to him. There is a sadness in them, but also a hope that the one Blake is connected to will be able to keep surviving past the pain. And whoever they are, they do. Those scars start to fade. The last scars Blake ever receives tears him apart emotionally more than physically, though just barely. It would take a miracle for injuries like that to heal. A miracle that never happens.

A promise given is not a guarantee of happiness. That is clear as there are more bad outcomes. Even times where they meet, there are ones where happily ever after is never meant to be. Ones where Blake can’t heal his destiny's heart, ones where he’s the one breaking beyond repair, ones where they never realize they need each other to be whole. As much as there are good ones, there are awful and grim ones too.

*~*~*

Blake wakes from his dream with a start before realizing he is wrapped in warmth. He glances over to Dewi who had latched himself around the dark haired man. Blake calms himself before his emotions can activate his ability. Everything is okay here. He and Dewi have found each other. They can get through what the universe throws at them, together. Always together.

He chooses to focus on the here and now, on this life. He knows the truth, but chooses to ignore it. Because he has a secret he will never share. He has a second ability, whether connected to his time traveling one or not, he isn’t sure. But he can never tell anyone, tell them the wonderful and horrible information. His dreams, his nightmares, are not just the creations of his imagination.

At night, as he sleeps, Blake can see them; thousands of versions of himself and the lives he could have lived, more than there are stars in the sky. He experiences every life in an instant and over the span of an eternity. It is one of the few things his perfect memory does not hold onto for very long. By the end of the week, he will have probably forgotten tonight’s cluster.

Blake does not dream. He bares witness to alternate worlds in his sleep.