Work Text:
“Dream.”
Dream’s eyes fluttered open, taking in the silhouette of Sapnap leaning over his bed, backlit by the light of the hallway.
“What,” Dream said shortly. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and glared. He was ready to yell at Sap for waking him when he suddenly made out the expression on his face in the darkness, his eyebrows slightly furrowed and mouth downturned.
“I just bought some cereal,” he said, and Dream only looked at him, puzzled. “Eat some with me?”.
“Sapnap,” Dream said gently. “It’s literally..” He grabbed his phone from his nightstand, squinting at the brightness, and checked the time. “ ...Three A.M. Wh- You’re kidding right?” He pushed himself into a sitting position. Sapnap only blinked. “ Right?”
“Uh, no,” he said lamely. “I’m being for real. Come on, please?”
Dream laughed in exasperation and flopped back against the bed, closing his eyes. “Three. O’Clock. In the morning,” he said again. “ Why would you wake me up in the dead of night to eat cereal with you .”
It was silent for a moment too long, and Dream opened one eye to glance at Sapnap who was chewing on his lip. It was a nervous habit, and one Dream always griped at him about. “I don’t want to be alone right now,” he finally said.
Dream, despite feeling his heart shatter, kept his composure. “What kind of cereal?” he asked.
Sapnap smiled lightheartedly. “Lucky charms.”
Dream pretended to consider it, but his answer would have been the same regardless. “Okay, fine, but only if we can eat in here.”
“Obviously. BRB.”
Dream rolled his eyes, snorting, but as Sapnap turned away, he felt himself frown. He didn’t know whether or not to ask Sapnap what had happened, if anything. On one hand, he wanted to support him and give him an outlet, but on the other, Sapnap had said he didn’t want to be alone, and Dream took that to mean it might be better to just help him keep his mind off of it. He decided on the latter.
As Sapnap came back with everything they needed, he flipped the light on and settled on the bed next to Dream. “Okay, I forgot to buy new milk and this gallon actually expired yesterday, but”—he screwed the lid off and sniffed—“I think it’s probably fine.”
“You think it’s probably fine,” Dream said. “Oh my god. ” He wheezed, and Sapnap snorted.
“No, it’s fine. An expiration date is just like...a guideline,” he said as he poured milk into the empty bowls.
Dream stared. “Sapnap.”
Sapnap glanced up. “Yeah?”
“ Why,” he began, “did you just pour in the milk before the cereal . Oh my god.”
“That’s how you make cereal, Dream,” Sapnap said simply. He proceeded to dump in the lucky charms.
“Nooooo,” Dream wailed, covering his face with his hands in horror. “I can’t watch,” he feined.
“What does it matter,” Sapnap said, puzzled. “It all ends up in the same bowl anyway.” He passed the green bowl over to Dream and took the red one for himself.
Dream grinned. “So does that mean you wipe before”--he wheezed in anticipation for his own joke--”you wipe
before
you poop, too?”
“ What!” Sapnap exclaimed. “That is not--!”
“‘ It all ends up in the same bowl anyway’, ” Dream mimicked, bursting into laughter.
“I hate you,” Sapnap groaned, but he was still smiling.
“Oh, really? If that’s the case then you can be on your merry way. I’ll eat all of this by myself,” Dream said. He made a shooing gesture while closing his mouth around a huge spoonful of cereal.
“Shut up ,” Sapnap said.
Soon, they’d nearly finished the whole box between the two of them, laughing and talking all the while, but Dream hadn’t forgotten the way Sapnap had acted when he’d woken him up. He’d never seen him like that before--he’d avoided Dream’s eye contact, and his own eyes were glassed over, his mouth a tight line. It was no use trying to pretend he hadn’t noticed, and although Sapnap was seemingly feeling better now, the lulls in their conversation were filled with obvious tension. Dream took his last bite of cereal and placed it on the nightstand. “So,” Dream said. “What’s up?”
Sapnap blinked. “What’s--Uh, what do you mean?” Sapnap said on a nervous laugh. “Nothing wrong here! Just eating cereal with my homie, having a wonderful-”
“Oh, come on now,” Dream said softly. “Somethings wrong.”
Sapnap took a shaky breath. “Um,” he began, but his voice cracked and when he spoke, and when he finally met Dream’s gaze, his eyes were gleaming and tear-filled. Dream moved forward, taking the bowl from Sapnap’s weak grasp, discarding it beside his own.
“Pandas,” he said in a near-whisper, and Sapnap’s tears fell.
“I think I just-” he tried again, but his words quickly turned into a sob, and his eyes screwed shut. “Can we-- Will you--” Dream nearly fell over in an attempt to bring Sapnap into his arms, holding him tightly. Sapnap took shelter in him immediately, his head pressing against Dream’s collarbone,
A minute passed, maybe two, with Dream running soothing hands through Sapnap’s soft hair, rubbing over his back and shoulders as Sapnap shook against him, his muffled sobs the only sound in the quiet house. “Do you want to lay down?” Dream asked finally, and Sapnap moved back to look at him.
“Hm?” he sniffled, rubbing his eyes with the sleeve of his hoodie. His cheeks and nose were red and swollen, and Dream brushed back the hair from his eyes. His fingers trailed from Sapnap’s temple to his jaw, and Sapnap leaned into the touch.
“Do you want to sleep in here with me?” Dream asked again, gentler this time, and Sapnap paused before nodding reluctantly.
“Yeah,” he breathed. “Please.”
Dream smiled, “Okay,” he said, “but if you steal all of the blanket again I’m kicking you out.”
“Of the bed or the house?” He laughed, but it was strained. Dream caught himself before he frowned, and he got up to turn off the lights.
“I haven’t decided yet,” he said as he and Sapnap got under the covers. Sapnap faced away from him, and Dream allowed his self-imposed content expression fall away.
It was quiet again, and Dream studied Sapnap’s form--the slope of his neck, the angle of his shoulders and back--for a few minutes before he noticed the erratic pattern of Sapnap’s breathing. “Pandas,” he whispered. “Are you okay?”
At first there was no reply, and Dream wondered if maybe he actually was asleep, but then Sapnap’s trembling voice cut through the silence. “Yeah,” he said shortly, and Dream frowned. He opened his mouth to say something when Sapnap suddenly spoke again. “No, actually,” he said. He sounded stuffy, weak. “Do you think-- Um...can you hold me?” When Dream didn’t immediately respond, Sapnap tensed up. “You don’t have to!” he said quickly, “I’m just kind of cold and...”
He trailed off as Dream scooted over and snaked an arm over his waist. “Lift your head a little,” he said, and Sapnap did. Dream tucked his other arm beneath the pillow, Sapnap’s head in the crook of his elbow, and shifted closer to him, Dream’s chest pressed against Sapnap’s back. Sapnap breathed out deep and slow, and Dream felt as his muscles relaxed.
“If you ever need me just ask,” Dream said. “I can hold you, or we can watch a movie, or we could just talk or--”
“I love you,” Sapnap said with such sincerity that it took Dream’s breath away. “But let’s just sleep, please.”
“...Yeah, okay,” Dream said. “I love you, Pandas. Goodnight.” His hand fumbled to find Sapnap’s, who immediately linked their fingers together. His skin was soft and warm, and Dream focused on memorizing the feeling as he rested his forehead against the nape of Sapnap’s neck.
“Goodnight.”