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When Dream wakes, all he feels is an ache in his body. His body feels weird, and maybe it’s because he hasn’t been properly in control of his body for so long now. His mind is exhaustingly blank - no voice in his head, no Dreamon constantly pushing ideas into his head.
He finds himself sitting up in the bed he woke up in, staring at his hands, staring at the black hoodie he had on. It was Sapnaps’ hoodie he realised, the familiar fire symbol in the middle. When he finds it in himself to look around the room he’s in, he instantly recognises it.
A fond smile comes onto his face as he gazes at his room. He was in his base - so whoever carried him here was obviously close to him since only a few selective people know about his base.
There’s ruckus from downstairs and he finds the strength to stand up and move downstairs. Years of practice help him move downstairs without a sound and he peeks out, met with an image that makes him softly smile.
Sapnap’s on his counter, talking to George in hushed whispers as Bad bustles around his kitchen. Punz is in the living room, surrounded by the three kids of the server as he shows them all of Dream’s pictures and achievements. Technoblade is watching the ceiling, lounging on his couch.
He stands for a while, admiring the scene he hasn’t seen for months. He had watched moments with his own friends, looking through the eyes of someone else, watching the pain they were put through. He was chained to his own mind - screaming and struggling against the bonds that tied him down.
Day in, day out - he watches his friends through eyes that weren’t his.
Dreamons didn’t need sleep - nor did they need food, or water. Which meant that the vessel they used while in the overworld didn’t sleep, eat or drink.
Even now, Dream can feel the exhaustion weighing down on his body - months of not sleeping dragging down his limbs. His body was unhealthily thin - he had never been this thin for a long time.
Techno stood up, facing the direction of the kitchen. As he turned, his eyes caught the figure swamped in a large black hoodie - eyes bright and lips turned up slightly. His eyes widen in shock, his mouth falling open as he meets the others’ eyes.
“Dream?” He asks, instantly gaining the attention of everyone else.
“...hey,” Dream whispers, throat strained and raspy from disuse.
A moment of silence.
And then everyone starting clamouring, moving to get closer to Dream.
And Dream… Dream may have been possessed by a demon and had his mind fucked over and over again but he still retains all his memories from when the Dreamon had control of him - and that included his last battle.
He backed away from the crowd - adrenaline pumping through the Dreamon’s blood. Dream watched from the corner of his mind, exhausted - the injuries the Dreamon got in real life had inflicted themselves onto him. Dreamon’s could rarely feel pain, but their vessels could.
“It’s over, Dream,” Sapnap said, voice steady as he stepped in front of the group.
“Your reign of terror is over, just surrender,” George continued, stepping up next to Sapnap.
Dream shut his eyes, wanting to give up. He had been fighting for so long, and he was so exhausted. Everyone always expected him to be strong - resilient. He was so tired.
He closed his eyes, finally succumbing to the darkness.
Outside, the Dreamon let out a chuckle.
He had broken down the admin.
Finally, he thought with a sick grin.
“You know, it’s been months - almost a year, and you haven’t noticed him missing,” he said out loud, standing up straighter.
Eyes furrowing in confusion, Tommy spoke, “What? The fuck you mean? Did you fucking kidnap someone?”
“The one you call Dream,” The Dreamon exclaims, his voice turning deeper, darker. The silence that answers him make him laugh.
“You’re Dream, don’t pull that manipulation bullshit on us!”
“No, no - you’ve got it wrong, you idiotic humans. Can’t even figure out when your own friend’s been possessed by a Dreamon for 11 months,”
“A Dreamon?” Tubbo exclaims, shock clear on his face. “That can’t be right! Fundy and I exorcised you a long time ago!”
“You fool!” The Dreamon’s voice bellowed. “That was a failed exorcism, it only served to make me stronger. It gave me enough power to finally take over his mind - but he was weak, always begging me not to hurt you.” He snarled, taking sick satisfaction in the looks of shock and rage that crossed everyone’s faces.
“You sick motherfucker-” Technoblade snarled, eyes glinting in fury.
“You should’ve heard him - pleading with me to leave you alone. Everything you’ve ever done to him - every injury? Didn’t affect me, but oh you should see how your friend is - chained in a little room, forced to watch everything I do.” He cackled, glee overtaking his features. “And now, if he dies from these injuries? It’ll be your fault,” He grins. “Goodbye.”
And then, his body drops down to the ground.
He can’t help but flinch as they all move towards him, angry words and fury filled glances repeating in his head.
They all collectively freeze, guilt overtaking their features.
“Uhm- S-sorry, I-I didn’t mean...to,” He strains, breaking into frame rattling coughs.
Bad perks up, “Dream, do you want some water?” He asks hesitantly and smiles brightly when Dream nods slowly. “Is it okay if I hold your hand?” Bad questions and moves slowly towards Dream after he nods, showing his hands at all times. They move to the kitchen where Dream gulps down the water that’s handed to him.
He glances back to where the group is still standing - “It’s okay if you move closer, I uh- I was just surprised,” He sends a hesitant smile to the group and they move slowly towards him. They make sure not to surround him and he smiles as Sapnap and George stand on his two sides. Automatically, his hands seek their hands and they latch on to his like a lifeline.
“What um, what happened?” He asks.
They all hesitate, trading glances before George speaks up.
“It was-” He cuts himself off, gulping. “When you collapsed, we immediately took you to your base… I don’t know if you remember but we… we ambushed you at your base,” George chokes.
“You were bleeding so heavily that it took you days to recover and be stable,” Sapnap explains softly, squeezing his hands.
“It’s been a week since that happened, and this is the first time you’ve had the full strength to walk and talk,” Tommy finally speaks up and when Dream looks up at him, his eyes are full of guilt. “I’m- fuck, I’m so sorry big man - we should’ve noticed, I’m so sorry,” he apologises, tears shining in his eyes.
Dream shakes his head, gulping. “Not your fault,” he defends them. “The process that it took for the demon took over me… it was partially my fault, to be fair,” he smiles regretfully, bitter. “I was weak for a short period of time, and it took its’ chance and took over,” he explains.
“Still… We should’ve known you weren’t yourself… I mean, everyone here knows you, Tubbo frowns, guilty and hurt. Dream shakes his head and stands, gathering the two teens in his arms.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers to them, feeling their arms wrap around him and each other. “I may not have been in control of my body, but I still saw everything I’ve done to you, to everyone,” He hugs them tighter, feeling tears gather in his eyes. His own shirt is getting damp as well, and Dream cries.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he repeats and he doesn’t stop, even when he feels arms wrap around him.
The cry session doesn’t stop until hours later when the sun sets and he’s in Punzs’ arms.
“Missed you, Punzie,” he mumbles and Punz breathes out a shaky breath.
“Missed you too,” The other blonde says back, tightening his hold. “Sap and George are kind of glaring at me so I’ll leave you to them, yeah?” Dream gives one final squeeze to the older and as soon as Punz stands and leaves, his two sides are occupied by familiar bodies.
“Hi,” He greets his two best friends. “Missed the both of you a lot,”
“We missed you too,” Sapnap says, clutching his hands.
They’re silent for a bit, basking in the comfort of the others.
“I didn’t mean it, you know,” he speaks up suddenly. “When I said I didn’t care about anything but the discs,” he elaborates at the confused looks he gets.
“Dream, it’s okay, it wasn’t you-” George tries to interrupt, brows furrowing.
“It wasn’t me, but it still hurt you guys…” Dream trails off, a guilty frown tugging at his lips. “The last thing I ever want to do is to hurt you guys, you guys are family.”
Sapnap releases a small pained noise and wraps Dream in a hug, joined by George. “It wasn’t you, Dream, please understand that. We now know it wasn’t you - if anything we should’ve known it wasn’t you, you would never say that,”
Dream lets himself relax in his bestfriends’ arms and revels in the warm embrace.
His mind was finally his again.