Dream Chasers 04

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 Second Lesson'

by V. Tarransky

Feb 2022

...And then: The Second Lesson

Holy... fuck. Ten... feet... long? Feet?... TEN?... I had difficulty imagining nails of this length. Not even the height of my living room would be able to accommodate this size. Even assuming they would somewhat curve and twist they'd still hang higher than the average human is tall, these would have to be... dragged around or... carried like... luggage. That is assuming that such a person would be able to move, but someone like this would probably be... bound, or... confined to... long nail captivity.

Not to mention the weight of such nails that would pull on the hands and fingers. This would not be just disabling, this would be... physical... punishment. Ornating and decorating them could not be a humanly achievable task for the owner, presuming that some sort of body-art or very... niche beauty would be the purpose of such an endeavor.

The more I thought about it and the more I replayed in my mind the whole thing, the more it seemed to me that her obsession could not be about living with nails that long, but rather about growing them and maybe being somehow out of control of their growth. What little she let out from her experience before it peaked made sense somewhat if this was the case.

Eventually I had to admit to myself that I can't possibly begin to understand what was in her head, and that I may be wrong and there may be a perfectly logical explanation to her... 'passion', as she called it. But... Hoooly... fuck!... I mean, I know I am obsessed and I am aware that there will always be some corners in my mind that I will never uncover, but... could she be completely aware of her nail obsession? How does one... talk about this? And without... doing... more harm to... someone who I was beginning to think of as a very... strange... girl?

I did my best to avoid a confrontation with her, without being obvious, and to delay it as much as I could with all possible excuses and creating as many circumstances to make it immediately impossible for us to meet, but I knew it was inevitable that we would get face to face again. I felt like I was somewhat aided by fate in this, there's not much you can do to disguise your intention if a knock lands on your door and it's obvious that you're in.

We did some to and fro texting each other and on the phone and eventually five days later, exactly one week after the park encounter, we agreed to meet after business hours at my place.

"Hey, come on in," I opened the door after I heard her knock, and let her in. The light flashes at the tips of her fingers could not go un-noticeable.

"Hey, how've you been?" she replied as she passed by me. "Tough week? I could barely squeeze myself into your schedule."

I followed her to the living room where she took a seat on the sofa in the same spot where she sat last time. Again, a bag with fresh goodies from downstairs became the centerpiece of the coffee table.

"Yeah... Working remotely seems to give my boss the feeling that us working people are wasting time. So he's overloading the team with work. We have a backlog the size of an encyclopedia. But what do you do? How do you earn your... keep?"

While I was saying this I brought out plates, glasses and water and set them on the coffee table.

"Translations. My degree is in modern western languages. I speak, read and write in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch and I am certified on legal and financial matters."

"Wow... that's..." I counted in my head "...six? ...languages?"

"Technically, yes, but if you think about it, it's really only five that are... foreign... to me."

"...obviously" I agreed. "But, wow!... I guess it pays well?"

"When there's legal stuff involved or a lot of money at stake it does. But... really, I do anything that I can get my hands on. News, product catalogs, subtitles, dubbing, books... Anything. Even real-time online translations for broadcasts, these pay pretty well, too."

While she was telling me about her work I looked at her more carefully. Something felt different about her... she looked... more... I dunno... more groomed, more... elegant, more... girly somehow. Khaki blouse and a matching long loose skirt from under which I could notice black leggings down to just above her ankles, no socks, very thin and discreet anklet on one foot, black and rather... stylish leather closed toe and open heel slides. She also wore a pinkish gray shawl over her shoulders, which is... well... woman-ly, I've never seen a man wearing one, but-...

'Makeup! She's wearing makeup!' I suddenly realized. Just barely noticeable, very not 'in your face', just enough to... add a different feel to her persona. At the same instant I became aware of a hint of perfume, beside the usual freshly clean subtle smell usually surrounding her. Wow, it was clear that she was doing it just for me. To impress me. To... 'steer my feelings towards her'. I thought it's... well... cute.

"So. Sleep enough? Well rested? Started a dream journal?" I started on the 'official' topic of our meetings.

"I did better! I've had my first lucid dream!" she gloated.

"Really? Cool! That was... quick! So how was it? How did you feel?"

"It was... unbelievable to say the least. That's what gave it away actually. And... about that... There's something I gotta... know."

"Sure, what is it?" I poured water into the glasses and opened the bag. I was pretty hungry, the fresh pastry was spot on. I couldn't help but remember her 'peace offering' speech from a few days ago. Was she doing the same thing? Possibly... The significance of it, if there was one, was going to be revealed as we chatted.

"What... exactly... happened the morning when you came to talk?"

'Right. Not wasting any time, are we?' "What do you mean?" I started eating a sausage roll.

"You came to talk. Two hours later I woke up in my bed feeling... very... uh... how to describe it?..."

"...in your own words... how did you... feel?"

"Erm... in a very... very... good... mood."

"That's nice. I wish that would happen to me more consistently. Ever since I started working remotely, I don't get that anymore. But lucid dreams do that to you."

"Yes, well... I never... have. Not like this time. That's why it's unusual."

I chewed on my roll thinking about how to make her tell as much as possible of her version of that... experience, before we would 'compare notes' about it.

"So, what's the problem? Why not just... be happy about it and... I don't know... hope for more?"

"Come on, Theo... You were there. What exactly happened? When did reality... cross over? And... how?"

"Tell me how you remember it. I'm not exactly convinced of the reality of my recollection."

"Well... When I became aware that I'm dreaming I was already in bed."

"How did you know? ...I mean ...that you were dreaming?"

"I just... knew."

"Yeah, okay, you've become aware that it might be a dream, but did you verify it? Did you do a reality check?"

"No, I didn't feel the need to. It was... obvious."

"...mmmyyyeeeah... a few days ago I made this very mistake. Even worse, my reality checks were true but I disregarded them in favor of... what you told me. But... how could you be so sure? What gave it away?"

"It was something you... did... in the dream, that could not possibly be real."

"I see." I waited for her to continue, but she was holding it back. I pushed her a bit. "Care to share? I mean I was... there, wasn't I? What did I do?"

"It's more something that you said... rather than did."

I took over before she would ask me to re-play the 'socks' part. "I opened up to you Helen, at least that much of it is real... I think? Do you remember that? Can you... I dunno... confirm it?"

"You tried, yes. You didn't get to the bottom of your feeling of guilt though."

"True, but... Can't you do the same? Whatever it is, I'm not going to hold it against you."

She was thinking.

"What I don't get is how did it... get there? I can't find any gap in the unfolding of events as I remember-..."

I cut her off, trying again to divert her from asking it of me. "Let me ask you this. Did you have a plan of action?"

"I... think I did. I was going to... uh... erm..."

"Nevermind." I took over, feeling her unease. "Did you act on it?"

"Yes, I... think I did."

I rolled my eyes. "You're not sure?"

"Erm..."

"Whatever. How much of it did you complete? Did you get all of it done?"

"I... did."

"There. Be happy."

"Yes, but... I still don't get it. There's no... discontinuity in the events. Did I go to bed on my own?"

"Yes."

"So what happened? Did I just... fall asleep?"

"No. Do you remember why you went to the bedroom?"

"Yes, I took a shower and you were going to... do... me a... favor and then I was going to... give you a... hand, if I remember correctly" she smiled.

"Correct. And then what happened?"

"I-... No! You tell me, that's where it stops making sense."

I was out of ideas about how to go around it. This was proving, again, that I was a complete failure when I wanted to keep her from finding the truth. This was going to be... interesting.

"Okay... okay... So." I tried to find my words. "We... agreed that we were going to exchange... favors. You remember that, right?"

"Yes."

"Then... you took a shower and then we went to your bedroom. You... got ready to... umm... receive..., but before I could get anywhere near to... to... you know... you... you... you-..."

"What?"

"You said something about... being a... clean... freak and that I should undress to be allowed to get on the bed sheets. So... I did."

"So far it seems real then... Then what?"

"I... asked the same of you."

"But... I was already... naked, wasn't I?"

"Erm... not exactly. You still had your... colorful socks on. Which I found ...weird ...you know... after the shower?..."

She did not comment, and I saw that she was starting to feel uneasy. "Do you want me to go on?"

"Yes."

"Ok. So. You tried to... dissuade me from holding you to taking off your socks. And you got a bit... I dunno... defensive." I felt her tense up. "And then you started acting... strange." I left out my confession about toenails.

"How... strange?" She raised her heels, keeping her feet still on the ground, obviously very... tense.

"Probably like I did when... you know... then. Our first... session. Except, I wanted to wake up."

"Hold on." She was trying to make sense of it. "Are you saying that none of it was... a dream?"

"Ummm... not exactly..."

"Then when did the dream start? When did I actually fall asleep?"

"That's... two different things, you know."

"Quit beating around the bush, Theo! What happened? I need to know!"

"Well-... you-... you-..." I couldn't go around it anymore, I just... let it spill "you said that you wanted your nails to grow, uh... very, very long, in a way that would otherwise be perfectly... executed in a lucid dream. Clear, explicit, unambiguous, convinced. Except... it was not a dream. Yet. So... I... helped you, just a bit. Your complete attention being on your nails, it was... I dunno... easy to... guide your perception to... what you wanted. And then after you... finished... I... led you to a nap. You were pretty tired by the end of it."

She was unable to speak. It was obvious that a part of herself, that she wanted to keep hidden, had been somehow... betrayed.

"Listen, Helen. I want you to know that I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to grow extremely long nails. I mean... I, myself, like super duper long nails on a lady, but... do you really... I mean... really-really... see yourself being able to live with nails ten feet long?"

"Oh - my - God... I did say that, didn't I? I mean... out loud."

"...It ...would be quite a... challenge ...to convince me that you didn't. But honestly... Do you?... See yourself... like that?"

She was silent for a few moments.

"No, it would be impossible in real life. Nails can't grow that long in one lifetime", she replied and I felt a touch of sadness or longing in her voice. "But I should be able to live it in my dreams, don't you think?" a ray of optimism shone through.

"I think so, yeah. But... is it about the length? Is it about having them... that... long? Or is it about growing them... out of control? I'm just... trying to understand."

"What is there to understand? There's... nothing... to understand! I don't understand! And if I don't understand, how can I make you understand?" she almost... lashed out at me, almost, but the raise in the tone of her voice was brewing a storm.

"Helen... I'm not... judging you, it's... I told you the first time, I find super long nails... extremely interesting and this... has made me very curious. I admit that it's beyond... my... thinking 'comfort zone' and I am working on stretching it to include this nuance of long... nail... extreme ...-ism. If you can't open up to me, who I am into long nails and... well... curious and willing to hear about it, then... the chances to succeed of your willingness to make something happen... won't be getting any better."

She was not looking at me. It was obvious that she felt embarrassed this time by the exposure of her... obsession.

"You're right of course..." she resumed after a few moments. "Well..." she added somewhat cheerfully "Surpriiise! I'm twice the freak you thought I was. Ta-daaa!"

I smiled at her 'act'. I took it as an attempt to avoid this discussion.

"Listen... Theo," she resumed more calmly "...I ...knew something was not... right... about that part of the dream. That's why I've been avoiding... this. I'm sorry."

She... had been avoiding... me? 'So... it's... peace offering' I thought. I took another sausage roll, signaling that the 'offering' was accepted.

"It's okay... I was not in a rush either. It gave me time to digest the... umm... events" I resumed after the first bite. "Whenever you feel like talking about it ...I'll listen." She fell silent again. "Don't you want some?" I asked her, eyeing the bag on the table.

"No, it's... I told you, it's not helping me. Please... don't... bring me... anymore... No offense, but... I really need to do something about my weight. I'd rather keep it to the dream-... did I mention that?... They taste just as good. No, actually, they taste better."

Wait. "How... do you know that?"

"From... the dream?"

"You mean... the same... dream?" I was stunned.

"Oh, right! I guess you can't possibly know what followed. After the... uh... you know... the... umm... the nails thing. Which was... not... a dream? ...Apparently? I went and... devoured what you brought. But in the dream!" She smiled victoriously. "I found the bag untouched when I really woke up. But I was... completely... satisfied."

So... her nap... and the dream that ensued... had built on what happened before. "False awakening?" I realized.

"Yes!" she replied enthusiastically.

"...aaand... your... nails... how-...?"

"Oh, I thought I was waking up, so they were... normal again."

"So... it was not... exactly... lucid. You realized that you ate in the dream only after you really woke up. Right?

"Yes, I guess so... but... wow... when you think about it, this is... wow... amazing!"

"Yeah, it is!"

I took another few bites waiting for her to say something. But her attention was 'inwards' probably re-playing in her mind parts of the experience from a few days ago.

"So what have you learned from this?" I eventually resumed.

"Oh" she snapped out of her reverie. "Um... That I should... check the reality no matter how... impossible things seem to be?"

"Correct. What else?"

"Um..." she was thinking "...thaaat ...erm... I don't know... What else should I have learned?"

"...That when you've just woken up, there's a pretty good chance that you're actually still in a dream. What can you derive from this?"

"Thaaat... I... should check reality? ...When I wake up?"

"Correct. That's where 'strong intention' is important, unless you manage to create a habit, or reflex, to check if you've really woken up. Practice to do it automatically, to not have to remember to do it. Or at least try to. I myself am not yet able to do it, but my practice is very inconsistent, my motivation fades after a few days of nothing happening. But you, you're very motivated right now. Why don't you give it a shot?"

"Okay, I will... So... to recap. Basically nothing from my experience was a lucid dream."

"Yeah... but... don't get discouraged or lose interest. You have gotten... satisfaction in a dream, not in the real world. Well... at least the eating part. To me it's... mind blowing, I never-..."

"Hold on..." she interrupted me, raising a long nailed index finger. My eyes immediately shot towards her hand. I couldn't help but chug on the sight of it. She thought for a moment. "You mean the... other... umm... satisfying... part... you know, the one that was not... a dream and you were... how did you say it... guiding... my perception, that... was not... just in my head? It... played out?" she asked, squinting her eyes.

Oh... fuck. I thought she had already figured it out. Apparently the level of my involvement was not obvious from the start.

"Erm..." I did not reply instantly "Well... I was... due a... you know... favor. And I... well... I... delivered. I think?"

Her mouth worded 'fuck' but without making any sound and her face turned red. Then she covered her mouth with her right long nailed hand. She probably felt like I did when I thought things were just in my head.

"I was naked, showered and my hands were freshly washed! It was all... very... clean!" I tried to tame at least the clean beast inside of her.

"What?!?!... No! It's-... I mean, yes, thanks for that, but..." she had difficulty finding her words. She opened her mouth a few times but nothing coherent came out of it.

"So... I... guess we're... even?" I took over, but apparently the 'embarrassment' background twisted the meaning of my question.

"Is that what it was about? To you? Getting even? For the embarrassment I caused you when I let you believe it was a dream and I let you cum to my face?"

She misunderstood what I was asking and she was obviously angry.

"Umm... No. Listen, Helen. It was not about payback. It was about... you know... favors."

She snapped out of her anger. "Oh..."

"Was it... un-wanted?"

Her anger vanished. A touch of embarrassment, though, was still obvious in her demeanor.

"No", she replied after a moment.

"Was it... I dunno... okaaay?"

She rolled her eyes and withheld an embarrassed laugh.