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Beaches are not exactly a rare thing along the California coast. They’ve passed a few while driving along the backroads trying to avoid crowded freeways, yet this one manages to take Dream’s breath away.
After detouring at the Grand Canyon (total shitshow, by the way. They had to learn how to hot wire a car while on the run and that wasn’t cool, much less so with Sapnap and George screaming while he tries to work) and mulling through the angry west coast heat, they finally made it to California. Passing the welcoming sign while in a 1998 Ford Explorer is currently one of his favorite memories.
“I’ll race you guys to the bottom.” Dream bets, peering over the edge of the cliff. It’s quite a far drop, but there also seems to be something like a path heading down. Steep, but probably doable. They’d just have to go slow, and an anchor would be smart.
George is pinching his eyebrows together with his index and middle finger, “Did you forget we’re in the midst of an apocalypse, Dream? Why would we go swimming?”
“No idea, but I’m down.” responds Sap, already inching down the rocky cliff. Any zombie that would even want to get them would have to fall a good twenty-five feet to the sand. It’s both a deathtrap to them and a deathtrap to anything else coming, but they deserve this time to relax. Not to mention it’s definitely over a hundred degrees.
Dream looks over at George before deciding to check his bag for some rope he might have. He honestly isn’t too sure; it’s been awhile since they’ve looked for supplies other than bullets for Sap’s gun and gas for the car. He pushes cans of food and a tube of hand sanitizer, before finally pulling up his trusty rope out of the pack. “Found it.”
George still looks apprehensive about the idea, “We should be looking for a place to set up home base.”
“We’ve been traveling for the past few months, George,” Dream licks his lips, “and it’s really hot.”
“You live in Florida, I don’t know how you could possibly think it’s hot compared to that-“
“Lived-“
“Alright, ladies, ladies.” Sapnap interrupts, taking the rope from Dream. “You’re both pretty, but I’m gonna go tie this around something sturdy, okay?”
So while Sapnap is a little whiles away trying to find something that’s close enough and heavy enough to support their weights, the two look over the area surrounding the beach. It seems like they found a pretty secluded area given the lack of undead, and the lack of cars. Usually a spot like this would draw people in like wildfire.
“This was a good call, George.” Dream admits softly as soon as Sapnap is out of earshot, “I’m glad we came here.”
Perhaps it’s easy to just feel some type of way, staring out at the ocean with so much peace surrounding them. For the past year it’s been running, fighting, barely scraping by to stay alive. They’ve had so many close calls and near-death experiences to last lifetimes, and yet what Dream sees right now makes it vaguely worth it.
He wants to write, he decides. If only there was pen and paper around.
George’s cheeks redden a little as he averts his eyes up to the sky, “Yeah, whatever. It was on the way.”
Dream gives a light punch to George’s shoulder before turning from the breathtaking view, “I’m gonna go help Sap. Wanna come?”
“.. Sure.”
One anchored rope and twenty long minutes later they start their descent down the cliff, using the previous trails as some sort of guidance. It’s rough, definitely not carved out, but they make it work. Sapnap ends up going first since he argued he spent the most time trying to set up, followed by a still reluctant George and a cheery Dream.
They leave the rope so they’ll be able to get back up, and all that’s left is a sand stopping them from plunging into the water. Dream and Sapnap only exchange a look before sprinting full force towards the ocean.
“Guys!” George groans loudly, not changing his walking pace. “It’s not going anywhere!”
“Well, we are!” Dream shouts back, trying to pull his backpack off as he runs. He ends up throwing it somewhere back in George’s direction before shucking his hoodie off, too.
That only ensues a hearty chuckle from Sapnap and a flustered response from George, who is currently setting himself up to be their lookout in a situation where they definitely don’t need one. “Dream strip tease? Gone wrong?” the former jokes, also pulling his shirt off.
Dream sputters out something between a laugh and a wheeze as he gets down to his underwear, “Not clickbait! Face reveal????”
“Gone... sexual?” Sapnap echos, and once they’ve stripped down into just boxer brief’s they crash into the water. Dream takes a little more time wading in, but Sapnap barrels full force into it and laughs when he comes back up, hair plastered to his forehead.
“C’mon, George, the waters great!” he calls, beckoning the Brit over with a hand. It’s admittedly a little cold, but how hot it is evens that out. Dream can’t even imagine how George is just sitting there on the beach in the sun.
George shakes his head, something they both can see from where they’re standing. “I don’t really feel like swimming!”
Dream is tempted to tease George until he gets in the water, but a nearby splash from Sapnap ends up tripping him over some kelp. He shouts indignantly as he stumbles, “Hey!”
“Ooh, too slow, Dream! Better luck next time.” Sap grins. It’s not that hard to see the plan they’re creating; have as much fun as possible to lure George into swimming with them. He almost looks miserable sitting by himself on the beach.
In response to being splashed Dream tackles Sapnap for what feels like the eighth time into the water, giggling. He feels the ocean envelop them as they fall, only being underwater for a moment but making all the difference. It’s refreshing. They haven’t had refreshing in a long time.
Sapnap scrambles out from under him to splash more water and an entire war takes place between the two, overseen by a jealous looking George. Hell, Dream would be jealous too seeing his friends having fun while he self-isolates.
He doesn’t like seeing George like that, unhappy.
After engaging in a water fight and swiftly beating Sapnap, Dream gets a brilliant idea. He starts wading out of the water and a big grin splits his face. “Oh Georgeee!”
George’s eyes widen in horror as he realizes, moving to get up. “Hell no! Dream, don’t you dare!”
Luckily Sap seems to follow, because his expression morphs into one of mischief just the same. “Ohhh Georgie, c’mere!”
George shrieks in terror as the two of them chase after him, soaking wet and laughing the entire time. “No, no, no, NO-“
He’s promptly hugged by the two of them. The salt water absorbs into the cotton of George’s shirt as he tries to push them off. It’s an unpleasant feeling, clammy. “LET GO-“
Dream’s laughing so hard he’s wheezing, and the more George struggles the tighter he holds. Up close he can see the beads of sweat on the latter’s temple. “Can’t escape this one, George,” he says in a sing-song voice.
“We got youuuuu,” Sapnap purrs, ruffling George’s hair with his wet hand.
George wiggles in protest as his hands slap at the two to get them to fuck off. His cheeks are positively red, “Urrghhhhh, if I go swimming will you two let go?!”
Dream and Sapnap exchange a look, mutually deciding that yes, maybe they will. Either way George has to wait for his clothes to dry and what better way than to swim while he waits, y’know? And given the temperature it definitely won’t take long.
“We’re throwing you in the ocean if you don’t.” Dream threatens somewhat emptily, loosening his grip enough for George to break free.
The Brit’s nose wrinkles as he pushes out of the group hug and looks down at his clothes. They’re definitely not soaked, but in parts they stick to George’s body that must be uncomfortable. “Fine,” he huffs, “I’m going.”
One awkward strip and a lot of teasing later the three are sitting in the water, close enough to the beach where the waves only hit their chests. The sun is starting to disappear behind the cliff. They all know that it’s not night yet, but the placement casts high shadows onto the beach, allowing for a lot more shade than before.
Next to him, George dunks his head under before coming back up and shaking his head like a dog. The water droplets land everywhere, and no one is safe. Sapnap groans and covers his face while Dream just laughs, content and happy.
Everything’s okay for now. They don’t have to worry about zombies, running out of supplies, anything. It’s almost as if the apocalypse never happened, a distant memory in the minds of only a few. Oh, he can wish.
“That’s payback for earlier.” George clarifies, splashing Sapnap and Dream one last time for good measure. Neither splash back, but they both look very amused.
Time flies when you’re having fun, and this is definitely not an exception. The three spend hours underneath the sun, playing in the water without a care in the world. The reality only crashes on them once the sun starts to set for real, and they clamber out to get their clothes back on and equipment.
Traveling once the sun has set is never a good idea, so they set up camp on the beach close to the cliff. It’s rather windy and without the scalding heat of the sun it gets cold, but it’s definitely better than nothing.
They roll out sleeping bags and Dream takes first watch since this whole escapade was his idea. Either way, staying up the extra few hours usually just means he has time to himself, something very rare when traveling in a group of three during the apocalypse. He just sits against the rocks, listening to the ocean and idly playing with his hunting knife. He’s not really worried about zombies right now. There weren’t any for miles while they were coming up here.
“Hey.” someone says from his right, and Dream looks up to find a sunburnt George looking at him expectantly. He sighs and moves over, allowing the other to sit with him.
“Hey yourself. Is Sap asleep?” he responds.
“I think so.” George admits, watching the waves too. The moonlight reflects them so perfectly, ripples of white in a sea of navy. God, Dream wishes he could write. “It’s beautiful here.”
The blonde male nods. He always feels a little more at ease with George around. Maybe it’s the shared trauma of deadly experiences or having to survive together for a whole year, but having him close by is a welcomed, safe feeling. “It’s pretty. I wish I could write about it.”
George leans against Dream a little more, perhaps just getting warm. It is a little cold out without a sleeping bag. “Narrate a scene, right now.”
“... You want me to tell you a story?”
George nods.
Dream can feel the heat radiating off of him since they’re sitting shoulder to shoulder, and he doesn’t mind it. The warmth is welcomed and the presence is also welcomed. He clears his throat, “Once upon a time...”
George snorts, interrupting the beginning of his story. When Dream sends him a glare he just smiles innocently, “Sorry, continue.”
“Once upon a time in a twisted, dark world, there lived a boy. He wasn’t very talented in any sort, just smart and quick on his feet, but where he lacked strength he had a friend who made up for it. This friend... he’s smart and careful in a way the boy isn’t. He likes thinking things through completely and not rushing, so they complemented each other well.
In this dark and twisted world, monsters lurk in every space or crevice possible. They feed on the living mindlessly, unaware of their actions and what they do. The boy and his friend were forced to flee their home because of these monsters.”
“Wow, sounds similar.” George muses dryly.
“I’m trying to tell a story, George-“
“Okay, sorry.”
Dream clears his throat, “Anyways. The boy and his friend had to leave to stay alive. They decide to travel the world in search of wonder and for a safe place to live, away from the monsters. Along the way, they meet another kid who they knew from long ago, before having to flee their home.
The three of them journeyed across the world, drinking in as many things as they could see before the darkness would sweep over the land. In those hours they were scared, desperately trying to remain undetected. They had fought too hard to have any of those experiences taken from them.
Along the way the three stumble into a great, huge monster. It’s claws are long and sharp and it’s body easily towers over buildings, and it wants blood. During the fight the boy is injured protecting them. They narrowly manage to escape thanks to the kid, who distracts the monster long enough for them to escape.
During those hours where they wait for the kid to come back, the boy’s wounds are tended to by his friend. They don’t know if he’ll survive since no one lives once attacked by a monster, and in a tearful last goodbye, he tells the friend he loves him.”
George is studying him very carefully, his lips pressed into a frown. Dream pretends not to notice. “The end.”
“That was an awful story, Dream. Why did the boy have to die?”
Dream kicks at a pebble, trying to avoid George’s eyes. He has essentially just confessed his affections towards his best friend, someone he can hardly live without anymore. His heart twists and pounds in his chest at the thought of rejection. “He just had to.”
“The boy should’ve lived happily ever after. You can’t start a story with once upon a time and end it like that.”
“I love you, George.” Dream blurts out, taking the other’s response as some type of confession as well.
George takes a moment (probably because of how abrupt that was) but he replies with, “I know, I love you too.”
“You do?”
“... Why wouldn’t I?”
“I just.. I just thought you saw me as a friend, and that’s all,” Dream pauses, trying to process, “because that’s how it always has been.”
“You gave a lot of mixed signals. If you didn’t I would’ve confessed before you did.” admits George. His voice uncharacteristically intimate, quiet over the roar of the waves.
“I.. I didn’t mean to. Or I didn’t think I was.”
“You’re just... dense sometimes, Dream.”
Dream snorts, “Understatement of the year.”
“Yeah,” George responds fondly, “understatement of the year.”
“Can... Can I kiss you?”
“You can.”
Dream leans down to place a peck on George’s mouth, looking up for confirmation again. What he doesn’t expect is for the latter to initiate. He presses their lips together gently, a sweet, closed mouth kiss.
For a moment the two shuffle around each other, trying to find the right rhythm and what they’re looking for, but Dream’s only thoughts are about George. How he smells like the ocean and how he tastes vaguely like the peanut butter and crackers they ate this morning. How soft his hair is, already too long since barbershops aren’t around, and the hesitance in his movements. It seems like George is just as nervous as he is, and honestly? That’s okay.
Then Dream deepens the kiss and George wraps his arms around Dream’s neck and it’s perfect, so perfect it hurts, so perfect he wishes he did this sooner. Today has just been pure bliss. He feels like it melted away weeks of pent-up stress and frustration.
Dream breaks the kiss and rests his forehead against George’s, panting softly. There’s this grin on his face that refuses to leave. He’s so unbelievably happy.
George’s smile is delicate, his fingers still toying with Dream’s hair. “You look like the cat that swallowed the canary,” he whispers, eyes full of adoration.
Dream’s grin only widens as he pecks George’s cheek and then the corner of his lip. “I don’t think I’ve been this happy in a long time, George.”
And George only smiles, leaning into the Floridian’s space like it’s his, yet neither would have it any other way.