Chapter Text
“I’ll get Ranboo to like exorcise you I swear to god”
Dream just laughed "You really think a child could destroy me? I'm hundreds of years old and I've killed just as many"
George narrowed his eyes "then how come that child could bind you to me"
Dream flinched behind his mask, no matter how little he liked to admit the truth was that Ranboo was powerful and probably could, if given the supplies and the passages, destroy him. But he wasn't going to let George know that not now not ever so instead he leant forwards so that his mask was closer to the humans face.
"That was luck and will never happen again."
he laughed, ever irritating mortal that he was "you just don't want to admit that you're scared"
Silence
"You're doing it again, choosing not to answer because you're a shit liar who's too afraid to admit that a teenager has power of you"
Dream would have slid into the void at that point but of course he couldn't because of the binding.
"So we agree." George smirked "you are going to stop killing me and I won't tell Ranboo to destroy you" he turned around and walked away, leaving Dream to his thoughts.
The most prominent of those thoughts was that this human was really fucking frustrating and he couldn't even kill him because the man wasn't bluffing.
So Dream had to resign himself to following George around for however long it took for the child to translate the right verses, no matter how irritating he was Dream was stuck.
So...what's your name?"
"Dream."
"bull fucking shit what is it really"
"Dream, your fucking highness“ he growled
George groaned and turned away ignoring him.
Dream floated upside down as George put little strips of metal in books it was very slow and very boring. He started to poke around the small area, there was a weird metal block that George swiped books across and weird roller stamp thing and lots and lots of books. He carried on floating around until George interrupted his exploring with:
“Shut up”
Dream span around and groaned “I wasn’t saying anything!”
“You were breathing loud, you’re a ghost why do you need to breath”
He pouted and muttered “not a ghost”
George set a book down “whatever you are,you’re dead stop breathing”
Dream groaned but acquiesced stopping his form from breathing was easy it just felt weird so he didn’t do it.
He was lying on the floor in middle of the library, classes were in progress so there was nobody around for him to watch other than George. And George was boring to watch after you’d hit the first few hours. All he seemed to do was study and sleep, neither of which Dream had the ability nor interest in.
So instead he was watching the ceiling fan spin, listening to the electricity buzzing around the room while George sat in his little office and did something utterly uninteresting.
He was quickly discovering that being attached to a human that you couldn't murder was incredibly incredibly tedious.
His almost silence was broken by George as it always was
"what are you doing"
"What does it look like?"
"It looks like you're staring at the ceiling but you're also a fucking demon thing so I don't know"
Dream rolled his eyes and carried on watching the fan
"I could hear the eye roll from over here, I despise you."
Dream stayed silent for a little bit longer before it was interrupted by George walking right through him.
He stopped himself from reacting and sat watching
"Anyway I found some books about the French revolution, the one you're supposedly from." The sound of books thunking against a nearby table "you wanna look through them?"
"I'm not in any of them, I've checked"
George hummed adjusting the sunglasses sitting on his head "what about that ghost you were yelling at when you got 'summoned' or whatever? You know him from being alive?"
Dream groaned loudly and walked over to where the man was standing
"I assume that's a yes?"
"Prince Technoblade, yeah he'll be in your books."
George hummed again and started flicking through them. Dream flicked to his side, head leaning slightly over his shoulder.
"Hmmm Prince Technoblade the runaway royal"
Dream scoffed "why the alliteration"
George turned slightly and glared "shut up"
Dream shrugged and gestured for him to carry on reading
he sighed but did so
"Growing up mostly isolated within the palace, the prince often spent his times sparring with one of the castles knights the prince was recorded as saying that it was to keep his skills sharp.-“
Dream scoffed again “and there I am, surprised that was even mentioned usually they skip straight to him leaving”
“-The prince is also recorded as to spending long periods of time with his little brother Prince Richard III. Technoblade ran away at 19 to join the revolution (sources from the period suggests this was under coercion) he then returned to the castle years later to take over. He killed the royal family and committed suicide, seemingly in remorse"
George let his fingers run over the painting that had been printed into the book. Dream didn't recognise this one it must have been painted after his death.
The painting detailed a bust of Techno in all his royal glory, hair plaited and resting on one side, crown askew on his head. Blood was smeared on his cheeks and the artist had painted beautiful hyacinths in place of the Prince's eyes, the petals stained with crimson.
"You knew this guy?"
Dream nodded
"Well?"
Dream sighed "you could classify it as well yes he was annoying"
“That why you call me your highness or whatever”
Dream went silent.
George hummed once again and closed the book "Lunch starts in a couple minutes if you don't want to see a dozen teenagers in here soon go hang out in a different part of the library"
The man walked back to his little office and Dream watched him leave slightly confused.
George sighed placing his mug down "So, you 're a ghost like the boys can see except you're different?"
Dream nodded messing around with a fork that was sitting on the counter
"Why are you different?"
He looked up tilting his head to the side before shrugging "I'm a godling"
"A god- what?
He put the fork down and said "I have god blood which that means I can't be a normal ghost so death made me a demon instead"
"God blood"
"Blood of a god yes"
George sighed again picking up his mug and taking a long swig "okay sure that makes total sense.
Dream smirked "the intricacies of the universe are just too complicated for your feeble mortal brain to understand, my prince."
George stared at him mug clutched in his hands "fuck off."
Dream wheezed quietly
George was putting away a few plates in his kitchen while Dream floated around the countertops when he said
"Do you want to go sight seeing?"
Dream almost fell out of the air in his surprise
"I know you're centuries old or whatever but its the weekend and you have nothing to do except follow me aro-"
"Sure"
George turned fully around shocked into silence "really?"
Dream smiled small and a little soft behind his mask "sure why not, like you said I have nothing better to do"
George grinned "okay! Let me grab some stuff and we can go out"
So they got in the car.
Dream had never actually been in a car before the binding. He'd seen them and knew what they were and how they worked but he had never put the time into going in them. He wasn't sure how he felt about them to be honest.
But there they were in a car going sight seeing apparently. George had slipped on a Bluetooth headphone so he could talk to Dream without being stared at.
As they drove the human asked asinine questions such as:
“can you eat?”
“no”
And
“Can you touch people, obviously only some of us can see you but-”
“Not as far as i’m aware”
And it continued on like that until they finally reached their destination a-
“-fairground!, you’ve probably never been to a modern one busy with your whole demon thing”
“I-” he started insulted before concluding slightly sheepishly “-haven’t actually”
George walked into the park with a smug smirk gracing his features.
Ice cream didn’t seem that interesting, he wasn’t sure why there were so many children around the van that was selling it. And he wasn’t sure why George was enjoying his so much.
When he asked, the human just responded with
“It’s good y’know?”
He didn’t know.
“I’m not gonna go on any of the rides because” he sticks his tongue out “bleh”
Dream shrugs “okay?”
“Wanna try the mini games?”
Dream titled his head in confusion “Why are you asking me”
“cause i want your opinion? Why else would i ask? Yes or no”
He shrugged “sure i guess”
“Cool!”
Mini games at fairs had changed quite a bit, fairs in general had changed. They were much brighter overall and very loud. (although that was a general change to the world since his death).
But the most important thing about the mini games was that George was terrible at them.
“you’re terrible at this” he muttered into his ear
George growled quietly in response
“aim to the left-”
“-i said to the left”
The mini games were quickly left behind.
George pulled himself up onto a large rock, legs hanging over the ledge arms positioned behind him as he leant back slightly. Dream let himself rest next to him. George had lead them to a tall hill on the edge of town that apparently he used to go to when he was a kid.
George sighed and shifted slightly getting comfortable
"So...did you have fun?"
Dream hummed tilting his head a little "I suppose"
George smirked "oh stop it, you enjoyed yourself admit it"
Dream snorted "fine, it was...enjoyable. If that’s what you want to hear my prince“
He just laughed and relaxed watching the sunset.
Dream rolled his eyes and turned to watch the horizon as well.
"Where are we going?"
"To see Sapnap"
"And that is..?"
"He's a friend from high school he teaches maths at the school"
Dream nodded slowly "alright"
"I heard a rumour that Eret, that's Tubbo-the brunette kid at the seances guardian, is gonna be best man at the wedding." He span around walking backwards so he could look at Dream as he walked down the corridor "I was promised that position like two years ago so I gotta check up to see who's best man she's gonna be cause if its Quackity we have a problem if it's Sap then it's fine"
Dream was once again glad for the mask, it hid his confusion well. George seemed appeased when he just nodded along, spinning around so he was once again facing forwards.
“I heard a rumour that Eret is gonna be the best man?”
Sapnap glanced up from a piece of paper
“My best man yeah”
“And I...”
“Am my fiancé’s yes”
George grinned walking over to the desk
“I’ll allow it- anyway I have a message”
Sapnap groaned dropping his head to the table “just say it”
“Tommy Tubbo and Ranboo told me to say “Pay Eret back hoe”
A louder groan
“And more pressing news, guess who got dragged into their ghost shenanigans”
The maths teacher brought his head up, “really? How’d you manage that?”
“I do not know but now I’ve got a demon fucker following me around”
“-Hey”
“Shush I’m talking”
Sapnap just nodded slowly “fuuuuun, an even more fun thing would be you leaving effective immediately I have tests to mark”
“Only for you sapitus napitus” George laugh and walked out, calling behind him “Pay the guy back”
As Dream followed the man out of the room an even louder groan echoed from behind them.
It was Halloween, it had been a week or two since the fair and they were going to a party according to George, and since he was stuck with the man Dream didn’t really have a choice.
Speaking of George, the human apparently had a costume and wouldn’t let him see.
Dream groaned loudly “Geooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrgeeeeeeeeee”
“What.”
“hurry. Up”
“I’m almost done i promise”
He whined for a few more minutes until George finally finished. The door to the closet swung open and out stepped George he was-
He was-
“Since you love calling me your prince”
He shook his head walking backwards.
George reached forward confusion and concern clear on his face.
"Dream, I-" he smacks George's hand away, scooting as far back into the wall as possible. George sits back on his heels in shock, staring wide-eyed at him.
"Get the fuck away from me!" He yells, reaching desperately for a sword he hasn't carried in decades. Tears fill his eyes, blurring the man in front of him. It makes him look even less like his friend, and more like his murderer. He can feel his lungs burning, practically collapsing in on themselves and he feels for his throat.
He can feel the blade running through his skin, the ground underneath him and the foot heavy on his chest to ensure he couldn't run. He can see the cloak flowing in the wind, the crown glistening in the afternoon sun, and the almost hesitant look on Techno's face. He'd hated that look in the moment, mistaking it for pity, but centuries of contemplation have brought him to appreciate the pause.
There's a clatter and then something warm is wrapped around his shoulders.
"You're safe, Dream." someone whispers. Who is that? He... can't tell. He knows that voice, but he can't pinpoint who it is. He can't see them, but he knows that he knows them. Who are they.
Someone wipes the tears from his eyes, and he's met with George's worried face. The crown once sat atop his head thrown a good ten feet behind him, and the cloak he'd once been wearing the warmth Dream is wrapped in.
"I'd never hurt you. Not even if it were to save my own life."
It's just George the librarian. George who's never done anything to hurt him. George who never would do anything to hurt him. He's not 'George the librarian', it's just George.
His bond.
His friend.
Dream lets his face drop hovering just above George's shoulder, wrapping his arm around the smaller, and cries in relief.
Dream was spread out on the floor next to George's bed as the living man slept. He stared at the cracked plaster and silently wished-stupidly, selfishly that Puffy had had regrets as she dies so he could ask her for advice now when he needed it most. But that was cruel to force someone to endure a half living existence for a bit of advice about something so meaningless as whatever he and George were. Bonded? Friends? somethi-
-Whatever they were was nothing, it was unimportant and meaningless. Dream was dead he’d been dead for centuries and he would continue to be dead long after George had passed on and all Dream had to do was wait, wait for Ranboo to split them apart and he could go back to his work, to the void, and George could do whatever he wanted and it wouldn’t matter to Dream because. Because George was nothing.
Dream was silent the next day, he didn’t want pretend to care about George for however long they would be stuck together.
Which according to the sudden text from Ranboo wasn’t too far away. Just a couple minute drive to the school in fact.
On the way George talked about seemingly whatever came to mind and Dream sat silent and waiting for freedom from the insufferable mortal
Who he didn't care about, he really didn't
Ranboo grinned and waved at the two
"Hey guys! I finally figured out how to sever the binding"
And in a split second Dream felt the force holding him near George snap and float away.
The mortal gasped turning to look at him but Dream was already gone, leaving that plane of existence for the void. Where he could sit in his own thoughts and return to his normal way of doing things. Which did not include anyone he could trust or ghosts of his past or anything except him and idiots who wanted a deal.
Ranboo smiled "nice to see you George I gotta go, Tubbo says he's gonna fight a guy in the parking lot and I wanna watch"
George just nodded watching the tall teenager running out of the library. Blankly he thought that it was kind of ridiculous how tall the boy was.He wandered into his office and sat bonelessly into his chair letting his head rest on the back of the chair as he stared into nothing. Trying to make sense of the complete quiet that he hadn’t experienced since before the binding.he muttered quietly to himself probably but he hoped beyond hope that Dream was there and he just couldn’t see him just couldn’t hear him. He had to be there he wouldn’t just leave not after- everythingAfter hours of sitting there and finally admitting to himself that Dream was gone. He was gone and George…George loved him.holy shit
He loved him?
Of course now was when he realised, now when Dream had left him had run off and dissapeared. And now he was alone and in love with a- a fucking ghost.
He pushed his hands across his face and groaned before muttering to himself “You’re a fucking idiot George, jesus christ. Him? Of all guys”
After a couple minutes that felt like an hour in that position he dragged himself back to his apartment. He had classes tomorrow and a paper to finish but right at that moment all he wanted to do was sleep. And sleep he did. Collapsing onto his bed face first and falling into unconsciousness in the desperate foolish hope that he’d wake up from this nightmare and maybe he would never have met dream or maybe- just maybe Dream would be there when he woke up.
It had been a week, and Dream hadn’t returned. George had let go of the daydream that maybe Dream was just invisible to him after he’d asked one of the boys and they’d told that there was nobody around him.
He’d been having weird dreams. They were full of flashes of blonde hair and freckles, green eyes and scars. The figure and features of somebody he didn’t know. Or at least somebody he didn’t remember and he didn’t remember anything clear enough to piece it together
It had been officially a week since the binding had been broken and George collapsed into his bed like he had every night since then.
This dream felt different though, he was in the void. Surrounded by darkness and the only thing he could see clearly was.
Green.
A green coat, and a-
A mask.
“Dream?”
He turned and even though George couldn’t see his face he could tell the godling was shocked.
“Dream? Is this real? I-”
A quiet whisper that was oh so loud in the silence of the void
“george?”
He gasped and took a step forward “Dream? Please- I- Dream please come back”
“no no no no no you’re not supposed to be here”
“Dream?”
“I-”
“Dream please”
“You’re not supposed to- see- you’re not supposed to- I don’t understand?”
George reached out a hand trying to reach Dream’s wrist with a desperate cry and-
He woke up in a cold sweat, brow still furrowed from the dream. From seeing Dream. He pushed himself up and brushed his hair away from his face with a groan. Why did the weird shit happen to him.
Dream took a deep breath, well as deep a breath as you could take in the void. He didn’t understand what had just happened. George had been right there, standing in the empty space that he was currently staring at and he didn’t understand how or why. He’d been sitting in the void for however long now (time worked differently there) and he didn’t care about George, he didn’t.
He didn’t care, he didn’t, he didn’t, he didn’t he didn-
Except he did, he did care
He cared about George and the way he laughed and his freckles and his stupid sunglasses and how sarcastic he was and his face when he looked at something he thought was cool and his hands and-
Dream cared so much and George had been so kind to him after the first few days and now George couldn’t see him so it had all been for nothing there was no way he could ever tell George how he felt and even if he could-. There was no reason to entertain the thought.
But maybe, maybe he could go see him. Just for a few minutes. Just to say goodbye.
Dream dragged himself back to the mortal plain and stood in front of George’s apartment building as mortals walked through and around him.
He let himself float through and up the building until he stood watching George in his room, the man was sitting at his desk leaning across it clearly half asleep.
He smiled fondly as George pushed himself away from the desk stretching and yawning. He would allow himself an hour or two to watch and say goodbye.
I’m dead! you’re alive and wonderful and kind and fucking beautiful and I’m- I’m a relic of the past who’s not even in the history books! I’ve checked! If it wasn’t for that kid making a stupid mistake you wouldn’t even be able to see me, George! And I love you so fucking much, because you treat me like I’m alive and breathing and not some statue or soldier built to fucking serve”
George just stood, shell shocked as Dream started to tear up gripping his sleeves and holding his hands close to his chest.
Dream took a breath “I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you so so much and I don’t know how to do that, I don’t think I ever really have but I do no matter how much I try not to and-
“-I love you too”
Dream stopped mid breath looking down at George as the man began to speak
“I love you too, you’re stupid and annoying and yeah you’re a ghost demon godling thing but I love you and I know we’re not bonded together anymore but…”
He stepped forward reaching up for the parody of touch that they had gotten so used to
“I wouldn’t be too against you sticking around Dream”
He reached up and suddenly his hand was clasped in Dream’s
“It’s Clay”
“what was that?”
“My name. It’s Clay”
Dream released his hand and George slowly pushed the mask up and off his face, other hand coming up to press against his cheek. And he was grinning and crying and George was laughing and they were touching and suddenly hugging and all Dream could do was smile and bury his face into George’s hair.
George muttered something intelligible into Dream’s shirt
“what?”
“So Clay huh?”
“oh my gooood shut up”