Dream Chasers 01

DISCLAIMER

This is a romantic adult erotic story with fictional characters and plot, targeted at fingernail fetish readers. If extremely long fingernails and/or toenails gross you out, then you're in the wrong place.

'Dream chasers - The Encounter'

by V. Tarransky

Dec 2021

Before anything else: An explanatory note is necessary

'Lucid dreaming' as a phenomenon has been proven scientifically in the 1970s, but the practice of it goes back to ancient times. For those who have never heard about it, this concept is basically defined as the ability to become aware that you are dreaming while you are dreaming. For those who do know what lucid dreaming is, maybe have even experienced it, be aware that this is just a story and I may have exaggerated things a bit, though I dare say nowhere near the level Leonardo DiCaprio's 'Inception' did. I myself have experienced this state of awareness but not to the extent I will make use of in this story. To those that will find my perception of this subject wrong - I humbly apologize and I welcome your thoughts.

Intro: The Place

I ended up in the suburbs a little over a year ago, forced by a raise in the rent of where I used to stay in the city, when the ownership of the flat I was living in had changed. Being somewhat fed up with the annoyances of living in a building with many tenants I went for the more peaceful environment of the suburbs. A generous and well lit living room, a bedroom, an already equipped kitchenette and a bathroom, right above a locally-famous bakery and pastry shop, were more than enough for my simple needs and an excellent deal for the money. There were two flats stacked above the shop and I was in the one at the top, as the other one was not available at the time of my residence change. A few months later the flat below eventually became available, and though I would have preferred it at the time I had moved, I had already become too set in the one at the top to switch again. Ever since then, to my knowledge, it remained empty, and for that I could only be grateful, because it eliminated the possibility of being disturbed by neighbors.

Across the street there was a park, which had probably been a forest decades ago. Now the paths closest to the residential area had been turned into alleys, and scattered along them there were benches where people could sit and enjoy a breath of fresh air, something I really missed living in the city. I used to come here and walk around or jog whenever I wanted to let my mind loose to digest all that was crammed in it during the day.

...And then: The Deal

I stepped out from my place and started walking with no particular aim, just for a breath of fresh air. I was working from home, like many people did those days, and I really needed a break. Maybe pick up some takeaway lunch on the way back. The shop at the ground floor of the building I was living in was the most handy and enticing option upon my return. I loved the quasi-constant aroma of fresh bread coming from there, every time I was going out or going up.

Across the street, the park called for me to rinse my lungs. I crossed and walked a while in the green forest-ish surrounding. Almost deserted. A bench, quite far in the distance on the path I was walking, was hosting the only person around. As I got close I noticed that it was a woman, quite over-dressed for the cloudy yet still dry weather, very... 'plus size', absorbed in reading a book. She flipped a page and a flash of light at her fingertips absorbed all my attention. I had to speak to her.

"Hi... uh... please excuse me for the interruption."

She raised her glance at me, taken by surprise. Mid thirties I reckoned. Blue knitted beret hat, light brown wavy hair coming down from under it, reaching down to just past her shoulders. Big round hazel eyes sunken in a round plump face.

"I... uh... have a question. D'you mind?" I asked. Before she could answer I continued. "I am curious. Why do you... do... that?" I gestured towards her hands.

"Do... what? Reading?" she replied and looked at the book she was holding. Either she had mistakenly thought I was pointing at the book or she was avoiding the subject. Probably the latter.

"Erm... no, I meant... growing... them." I pointed to her hands. "Your nails. I couldn't help but notice when you flipped the page how long they are. They're a bit... far from looking like you just forgot to trim them. They look beautiful by the way."

She looked down like one does when caught doing something to feel guilty about.

"Oh, these?..." she held one hand looking at her nails flexed in her palm. "I just... like... to grow them, that's all."

"Yes, that's... obvious, you wouldn't grow them if you didn't like it. But... I am curious, why... so long? I mean they grow regardless if you like it or not, but you... allowed them to get this far. And they all seem to be filed to the same shape, so there's intention and attention put into it. Otherwise they'd break long before... that" I nodded to her hands again. "So... what is it? That is if you have a clear reason to do it."

"It's... silly. You wouldn't understand."

I looked at her, she seemed embarrassed.

"Try me. I know, most people find it disgusting, but... I find growing super long nails quite interesting. For a lady I mean. As a statement of... I don't know... skill? ...experience? Like a... a... martial arts... devotee striving for... mastery, that sort of thing."

She started a short laugh, stopping with mouth open, staring at me, with disbelief in her expression. "Really. I'm not kidding" I added.

After a moment she spoke.

"Wow... erm... never in my life have I heard someone compare growing long nails to Kung Fu. But what you said, I think, is as close as you can get to expressing how I feel about growing my nails. With each day that passes and I manage to... still have them I feel like I am... progressing, like... getting better at it. And I just... try to get them as long as I can."

"Cool," I commented as I evaluated their length in my mind to at least two inches in length. "They look like... they must have taken... maybeee... two years? ...To get this long? ...Maybe two and a half?"

"Close..." she confirmed, smiling in agreement. "Last time I... yeah... I rode a bike. Or at least tried to. It... uh... didn't end well. Was a little over two years ago" she explained further. "How come you know such things?"

"Like I said, I find it fascinating. Intriguing. Appealing. Even... sexy" I raised an eyebrow and looked at her. Her eyes went wide open.

"Are you... flirting with me? Or just simply hitting on me?"

"I don't know... Am I? I am strolling in the park one cloudy day, I see a lady with super long and beautiful grown nails, reading a book... an actual book!... on a bench. I compliment her on her nails, conversation starts. About nails. Is that flirting? Or is it just hitting on you? I will just be on my way if I'm a bother" I offered, still trying to be friendly.

"No, no, no... Actually... You're the first person to have offered a... umm... respectful word about my nails in like... I can't even remember."

"Can I...?" I pointed to the empty space on the bench.

"Yes, of course". She moved her bag to her right side. I sat to her left.

"Theo" I extended my hand. "Short for Theodore".

"Helen" she extended hers and we gently shook hands. I stole another glance at her nails. Quite slender hands given her overall look, though still a bit 'fluffy', large and gently curved nail beds that looked very healthy and strong, square filed growth, each following the curve of its nail bed, some starting to emphasize various degrees of twisting to the side.

"So... would you rather we talk nails? Or..." I tilted my head to see what she was reading "...LaBerge? Ah-ha!... You're a dreamer!" I knew that book very well, the lucid dreaming 101 hand book. "No, wait, not 'dreamer'... what's the word... uh... o-... o-..."

"...You mean 'oneironaut'?"

"Yeah, that one."

"Well... no. Not yet, anyway. I just discovered lucid dreaming and am trying to see how it... works. Do you know anything about it?"

"Actually..." I discreetly looked around and at my watch "...I do. I can do it every once in a while, whenever I can find the time to..." I checked my watch again "...focus on it. Maybeee... once or twice a month, I think?"

"Wow, that's... awesome!"

"Thanks but... I'm really just a beginner myself. Anyway, I've been where you are. It all comes down to practicing and a strong intention to get you started. I find, however, that Raduga's material has better structure. More... concise. Faster to understand."

"Raduga?"

"Russian guy. Quite experienced it seems. Very pragmatic. Basically what LaBerge and others say but I feel he's a bit more focused on the... erm... practical aspects. Finish with LaBerge and then, after you're done, try Raduga."

"Umm... thanks." She chuckled. "How about that? Now I'm even more anxious to try it. And all thanks to my nails," she ended laughing and wiggling her fingers. As she did that I felt my heart pound in my throat a few beats, and my pants starting to stretch. I looked away and tried to tone down my excitement.

"Yes, it's... funny how sometimes the... stars just seem to be... aligned. Like someone picked and placed them by hand with a ruler and compass. I mean... what are the odds of a chance meeting like this, two complete strangers, yet... with... so odd things in common? That is unless you still think I'm hitting on you or flirting."

"I think... who's actually flirting now is... not so clear anymore" she replied, this time, her raising an eyebrow.

I checked my watch again, twice. Consistent.

"Are you in a hurry? Oh... riiight!... Reality checks!... Is... this... real?" she gestured with her eyes at the surroundings, amused.

"Seems to be... You should get used to doing this kind of things frequently if you're to succeed."

We were looking at each other, evaluating one another. Not a shred of makeup on her plump round face. In contrast to her nails which looked to be very well taken care of, the rest of her appearance gave me the impression that she has zero interest in looking... decent, at least by my criteria, which... I admit that my taste in women is biased towards a curvy figure, but she was not just 'bordering' on obese, she had already claimed that territory.

"So... why do you want to achieve awareness in your dreams?" I asked her.

"Look at me... I'm..." she gestured at her body "...d'you see?... I'm too... you know... Big. Capital B. I want to change this."

"Okay... aaand... how do you think it's going to help you?"

"Well... from what I've learned so far about it, when you dream you're... somehow... 'face-to-face' with a part of your subconscious mind. It will bubble up fragments of experiences to which it holds on to, in a mix that most of the time makes no sense. I figure that if I can somehow become aware that I am dreaming, there's two things that I am going to try in the dream: the first is to try to... 'look' in the bubbling and... 'ask it' ...for... something that might help me understand what is the source... or cause of my... insatiable appetite. If I can make sense of that and understand it... then I might be able to do something to not let it control me. The second thing that I'm going to try is to satisfy myself. In the dream. So I don't eat so much while awake. I read that it's possible."

"Satisfy... yourself?" I tried not to laugh.

"Yes, wh-...?" she stopped. "Oooh!... No, no, no, no, no!" She laughed "That came out wrong! I didn't mean it like... that!"

"Oh?... Aaand why... NOT?" I dared her.

"Because... uh... uh..." she looked at me with a combination of shock, disgust and curiosity, stumbling for words. "Is... that even... possible?" she continued after it sunk in.

"You mean sex in your dreams? You can't be serious! Have you never had a dream that had something to do with sex? Doesn't... that part of your subconscious ever... bubble up?"

"Well... erm... now that you mention it..."

"Now, imagine if you became aware in the dream and purposely and intently satisfied... that... appetite."

A sparkle twinkled in her eyes.

"Can you... do... that? In your dreams?"

"Why? Are you just... curious? Or do you actually want to try it?"

She rolled her eyes, and looked away.

"Yes" she returned to look at me.

I kept her gaze.

"Yes-... what? Yes-... you're curious? Or...?

She rolled her eyes again.

"Do you need to hear me say it? Fine! I'm-... I-, I-, Ireallyneedtohavesex! Look at me, I'm... huge! Who'd want to... you know... with me... when I look like... this?"

Her nails were really tickling my itch and I had 'Well, I... might' behind my lips, but I kept it in my head only. Then I spoke.

"What I can tell you is this. It's not easy to... summon it. To have it... on cue. You need to put a lot of preparation and practice into it."

"What do you mean? What... practice?"

"Well... You still have a lot to learn about the subject. This may be a bit too much for you right now."

"Oh, come on! Tell me! Please?"

I paused for a few moments.

"Don't you think this conversation has gone a bit... off?" I changed the topic.

She was taken aback. Probably backtracking the conversation in her mind and looking for where it started to deviate.

"But... you did this when you twisted my words!"

"I - did - not!" I jokingly protested. "I was only... pointing... out... that what you said sounded... funny. But nonetheless I will apologize if I've made you feel uncomfortable. Can I buy you a coffee to make it up?"

"No. If you want to make it up to me then teach me how to... to... how did you say it?... summon... dreams to... to... to... get... satisfied. It's either that... or..." she winked "...you make me coffee" she finished, raising her eyebrows twice. Hungry smile on her face.

Did she just say-...? Wait, Wait, Wait... Though I had it in the palm of my hand I wasn't exactly... in a rush. I did fancy the idea of getting to see her nails again, but not necessarily to... get in her bed. Or get her into mine. She was... well... huge. Even for my taste. Thirty or fourty pounds less and I might... start to see things differently. Her nails on the other hand could definitely feed my obsession. Especially since she said that she liked growing them as long as she could.

"Ok... I'll... help you with... your dreams. And when you lose fifty pounds I... might... make you that coffee. Deal?" I threw in a make-or-break condition but made it so unrealistic, that she would either refuse it or allow me to always be on top of the deal.

"What? Are you afraid that I will squash you?" she looked mockingly at me. I took it as a dare to make me 'lighten' the deal. I stood my ground and did not reply. A few seconds passed. I could see that she was thinking. "Twenty?"

"Thirty."

"Deal." she extended her hand to shake and I couldn't help but notice those immaculate nails again.

"Oh, and one more thing," I continued. It was time to put her nails in the deal.

She promptly withdrew her hand to hear what else I had to say.

"If you trim or cut off your nails the deal is off."

She looked at her nails. Then at me. Then at her nails again. Shrewd smile.

"I'm beginning to think... that my nails... are a bit... too important to you" she said, raising her glance towards me, sideways.

I didn't say anything, but couldn't hide the feeling of being 'caught'.

"Don't get me wrong, I like that," she continued. "So..." she brought a hand up rubbing her chin. She was scrutinizing me while my eyes were glued to her nails. "It seems like I do have some... leverage..." she said, tracing the contour of her lips with her middle finger. When it reached the middle of her upper lip she brushed it downwards raking her nail over her lips. She didn't lick it, but I couldn't help raising my chin a bit and reflexively opening my mouth, just barely, in an empathic reaction to feel her nail on my tongue. She noticed and grinned. "How about... this? You... tutor... me for lucid dreaming and I let you... do... whatever you want with my nails, as long as you don't cause them any mishap. The... erm... coffee... is optional. Deal?"

This... was extremely tempting.

"...And the deal is off at the first-, no, ...second sign of... unwanted... behavior. I'd say one fair warning should be okay?" she added tapping her fingers on her cheek.

Suddenly I felt like I was negotiating something too good to be passed up. In my head, this meant that I got to be around her nails, maybe even touch them, or... maybe... even more, without having to... do anything I didn't feel comfortable doing, at least while I would be tutoring her. She was looking intensely at me waiting for an answer.

"Deal" I finally agreed.

"Great. When do we start?" she promptly followed up.

"Erm... I... am still on my lunch break. I get off at six."

"Wow... Is six that arousing that you... get off at it?" she returned the pun.

I started nodding slowly "I think I deserve that..."

"Yep. You do. Your place? Or mine? Or would you rather we meet on neutral ground?"

"D'you live far from here?" I asked.

"From the north entrance of the park, the second building to the right. The one with the pastry shop at ground level. I'm beginning to question if it was a wise decision to rent a place there. I thought with the park across the street I would get out and walk more. But the pastry shop is not helping me with... you know."

"You're kidding, right?"

"No. Really. I can't... pretend... it's not there. I have to have something sweet or freshly baked every time I go up."

"It's not that. I mean... That's the place where I live."

She didn't say anything for a few moments.

"So you're the one who lives..." she raised an eyebrow, "...on top of me." Pause. "He-looo, neighbor!" she said finally. "So much for neutral ground. It's more like mutual ground" she chuckled.

"When did you move in? I hardly leave the place. I thought I'd have noticed some... commotion."

"I haven't actually... moved... in. I used to live with my folks until last week. I know, I know, it's... waaay past time I should have... relieved them of my presence. I'm just starting to get used to living on my own and I'm bringing stuff along as I find what I need to get by. No... commotion required."

"Well... if you ever need a hand with... carrying... stuff... that may pose a risk to your... manicure... just let me know."

She looked again at her nails and grinned.

"Thanks, I'll... uh... keep that in mind."

I looked at my watch, again, twice. Consistent.

"I should be getting back to work" I resumed and got up. "Coming? Or staying?" I probed for her willingness to come along.

"No, I'll stay a little longer. I'd rather be outside. Away from... food. Anyway, I want to finish this book. By the way, is there any chance that the... russian guy's book can be found in hardcopy? I prefer reading the old fashioned way."

"Erm... I've no idea. It probably can be ordered online somewhere, but if you want to start reading it right away I'll give you my kindle. It's as close to paper as I can offer right now."