1.

George wants to meet Dream the second Sapnap tells him that Dream is his childhood best friend who he will be reunited with in a week or so. The first time George even hears about Dream it’s a passing comment from Sapnap about how the guy is finally moving back to Florida after three years of doing who knows what. George may or may not have checked out after the words “Dream” and “coming home” were put in the same sentence. Now George has never met Dream, never talked to him, and never seen his face (outside of an occasional photo from childhood; apparently he got photo shy around high school and then stayed that way). However, George does know quite a few stories about him just because Sapnap and Dream were best friends growing up. 

Now, George wouldn’t call himself a jealous person. He wouldn’t admit to it despite the fact that Wilbur and Sapnap tease him about being possessive constantly. He is not jealous or possessive, he is… protective of his friends. George just cares a whole lot. So, when he hears this Dream prick is moving back after practically abandoning Sapnap for three years he is rightly wary of it. 

George is Sapnap’s best friend now, it’s been that way since two years ago when they first met at a party and Sapnap threw up all over George. They were platonic soulmates even if George avoided Sapnap like the plague for around a month before acquiescing to going out for an “I’m sorry” lunch with him. And a wonderful friendship blossomed from there.

  “C’mon Gogy, calm down,” Sapnap looked up from his phone, “You’re gonna love Dream. Plus you need more than two friends.” Nevermind, it was a terrible friendship and George hopes Sapnap trips and falls on his face in front of Karl.

“I don’t have only two friends.”

Sapnap scoffs and raises an eyebrow at him. He looks painfully like a mean teacher who thinks they're funny, “Oh yeah? Who else do you regularly hang out with besides me and Wilbur?”

“Wilbur and I,” George corrects. Because he can and Sapnap is being an ass.

“Whatever,” Sapnap points an accusing finger too close to George’s face, “You’re just avoiding the question.”

George slaps his hand away, huffs, and crosses his arms, “I am not.”

“Are too.”

“Am not,” Sapnap is about to respond when George sighs loudly, “Oh my God! Can we not argue like children?”

Sapnap rolls his eyes, “You are quite literally the one who started it.”

“You make me mad.”

“Too bad I’m your only friend.”

George sputters and hits Sapnap’s arm, “You are not my only friend!”

Sapnap is cackling and George can’t help but reluctantly crack a smile. Sapnap is a bit infectious. He’s the type to light up a room when he walks in because he’s just so determined to carry joy wherever he goes. George doesn’t want some old best friend moving back and stomping all over that happiness. Part of Sapnap’s charm is how open he is, George knows from firsthand experience that that type of exposure has hurt Sapnap in the past. He doesn’t understand how, when Sapnap was burned in the past, he didn’t close himself off. But he can be a little dumb, a little naive, and George loves him for it. 

George makes eye contact with Sapnap, “Seriously though, I don’t want him to hurt you.”

“Oh come on George!” Sapnap smiles wide, “It’s Dream! There’s no need for you to be jealous.”

George isn’t convinced Dream won’t be a massive asshole, “Just remember that I’m your best friend.”

Sapnap speaks with fake sincerity in his voice, “Ah, the return of jealous Gogy. I’ve been awaiting you.”

“Fuck off.”

Sapnap giggles and George sighs, “Seriously dude, I think you and Dream will get along.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

Sapnap winks, “I’m sure you will.”

George shoves him as Sapnap laughs at his own stupid joke. God, George does not want him to get hurt. He’s not hoping that Dream is a bad dude or anything (although it would be vindicating if he was right about assuming Dream was an asshole), he just wants Sapnap to be a little more careful when presenting his heart to people who could easily crush it and then move on like nothing happened. 

George has been a little overprotective since the incident with Sapnap’s last girlfriend. He’s not about to let some ex-best friend come in here and make Sapnap an emotional wreck again, no way. If Sapnap is not going to shield himself from possible emotional devastation, then George will do it.

“Sapnap, I just don’t want you to get your hopes up for a person who might not be as great as you remember him,” George hopes Sapnap understands he’s not trying to be mean, he’s just cautious, “The way you describe Dream- he sounds impossible.”

Sapnap sighs, “I know, I know. And I probably exaggerate Dream just a bit, y’know skewed childhood memories and all that, but trust me George. He’s genuinely nice and I think it’s going to be really great seeing him after all this time,” Sapnap lightly punches his arm, “Plus, I need my two best friends to meet, don’t I?”

George grumbles, “Not necessarily.” Sapnap laughs at him. 

George wants to meet Dream because he’s pretty sure that Sapnap’s perfect childhood best friend is actually an asshole. Seriously, who the hell does this guy think he is appearing out of the blue after three years? He doesn’t trust it. And, no, George is not jealous of the fact that Dream and Sapnap grew up together. He doesn’t get jealous. He just wants to meet Dream to make sure that Sapnap won’t get hurt. He’s a good best friend (better than this Dream guy), he’s looking out for Sapnap, and that’s it.

2.

George wants to have a word with this Dream prick. Actually he wants to have a few words. A few very harsh words. George hates to say it, but he was right, Dream is actually terrible and now all he needs to do is look that stupid man in the eyes and tell him to his face. He’s going to meet Dream, yell at him (or at least tell him off), and then hopefully never see him again. That’s the plan. 

And no he is not reacting dramatically no matter what Sapnap says. They have planned to meet up four times, four times and Dream has cancelled at the last minute on every single occasion. That’s mildly annoying at best, and downright insulting when it’s meeting with your childhood best friend after three years. George can not and will not get over it.

He’s speed walking out of Chipotle to Sapnap’s car while his best friend is trailing behind him a bit exasperated, “George, I told you he’s been busy.”

George whips around to face him, “Too busy to see his best friend!?”

Sapnap looks shocked for a moment before laughing, “Oh my God, you need to chill out Gogy,” Sapnap runs a hand through his hair, “He’s only been back for a week and he has family living here and stuff. Plus moving is always a hassle. Give him a break.”

George huffs and crosses his arms, “I don’t even need to meet Dream to tell you he’s a dick.”

“He is not that bad.”

“Oh yeah? Then why didn’t he show up?”

Sapnap stares at him in silence for a couple seconds before realizing George was looking for an actual answer, “Because we met at a Chipotle and told him no pressure?”  

George concedes, “Today was a bad example, but what about the first time he blew us off? We actually had plans!”

“Yeah that did kinda suck,” Sapnap nods, “But he had a good reason.”

“Oh really, what was it?”

George waits, rather impatiently, as Sapnap struggles to find words, “I don’t know. It was kinda personal man and he was ok telling me, obviously,” Sapnap looks at the ground, “But-”

“But he doesn’t know me so I can’t know his super secret reason blah blah blah, I get it.”

Sapnap chuckles, “Do you? Because you seem pretty upset about it.”

“You should tell him that in terms of being your best friend I’m winning but at least two points.”

“Oh, it’s a competition now?” Sapnap clasps his hands together and flutters his eyes, “Is Gogy jealous of Dweam?” he draws out Dream’s name, and George shoves him.

“If you’re going to be an idiot then I don’t want to talk to you.”

Sapnap smirks, “What happened to over-protective best friend George? I miss that guy, can we bring him back.”

George starts walking away from Sapnap and calls over his shoulder, “Nope he’s gone forever because you suck.”

Sapnap chases after him, pleading to bring the other George back. They end up racing to the car and when George gets there first he locks Sapnap out. It’s a good couple of minutes where he doesn’t remember that Sapnap’s other, and frankly worse, best friend is back in town. It’s just them hanging out with no cancellations and no rules and probably some blackmail opportunities. George loves it and he doesn’t want this to change. He doesn’t want to share. And he really doesn’t want Sapnaps hopes getting let down by a guy who couldn’t show, four times in a row. 

George is going to meet Dream. He’s going to meet Dream and prove to himself, prove to everyone that Dream is the type of person he thinks he is. He might yell at him just a bit in the process for ditching him and Sapnap multiple times. Dream is a dick and George is so ready to tell him to his stupid face, whatever that looks like. Hopefully it doesn't take too long so that George can be done with this whole thing and put it to rest. Tell Dream he sucks (insinuate George is the better friend), and then never speak to him again. It’s a simple, foolproof plan and nothing can interfere with it.

3.

Dream sent him flowers. Holy shit, Dream sent him flowers and a little stuffed bear with the words “sorry I was an asshole” sewed into its chest. This isn’t fair and it probably should be illegal. What kind of mind games does this Dream guy think he’s playing? Sending apology gifts to someone he hasn’t even met yet, it’s ridiculous. Did he at least get Sapnap an apology gift too? Or was it just George? No, that’s stupid. Of course Sapnap got one. No one in their right mind (not even Dream) would send a stranger an apology gift for not showing and not their best friend. God this is so confusing and Sapnap has class today and then he’s going out with Karl which means George can’t ask him about it. So, he’ll have to talk to the next best option.

“Aww, that’s sweet.”

“It’s not sweet, Wilbur. It’s mind games,” George is sitting on the counter of the record shop that Wilbur works at as he examines the sorry bear, “He sent me flowers with it too.”

“What type?”

George turns and glares at Wilbur, “What do you mean ‘what type’, you think I’d know?”

“Well describe what they look like.”

George has to think, the bouquet was a mix of colors and he was more focused on the fact that Dream had the nerve to send him flowers in the first place, “There were these tall ones that had lots of little flowers clustered together,” George makes a sort of cylinder motion with his hands, “The flowers were purple and looked like little stars. And then there were some of those pink ones that kinda look like tissue paper roses,” Wilbur is nodding along like he’s getting anything from this. Honestly, George would not be able to tell you what Wilbur actually has knowledge about and what he’s bullshitting for kicks. Although, George has a feeling he’s being mocked right now, “And then there was like one or two that kind of looked like supermarket lilies but without the color? I don’t know. The point isn’t what the flowers were, the point is that he sent them in the first place.”

Wilbur laughs at him, “I don’t know why you’re getting so worked up over someone trying to make amends. He honestly seems sweet if he went out of his way to get you flowers and this,” Wilbur pinches the arms of the bear and pushes it into George’s face, “sweet little guy. Look at him Gogy, he’s just so sorry.”

“You are rude.”

“And you’re obsessing over someone you haven’t even met.”

“Exactly! He’s a coward, who the hell drops off an apology gift and doesn’t actually show up to apologize?”

Wilbur rolls his eyes and begins to walk away, “Someone who has better things to do with their time.”

“Could you drop your little nonchalant act for like two seconds and actually help me?”

Wilbur actually laughs at that, “Help you? With what?”

“What should my next move be?”

“I don’t know, accepting the apology and moving on with your life?”

“You are dumb.”

Wilbur comes back to pat George’s head. He’s so annoyingly patronizing, “And you are making yourself crazy. Give the guy a break, he doesn’t seem so bad.”

“He sent me flowers!”

“You do realize you aren’t proving your point at all?”

George huffs and crosses his arm as the bell at the door chimes to signify someone entering the shop, “You don’t understand.”

“Yeah, yeah. Now get off the counter so I can do my job and help some paying customers.” 

George leaves the shop feeling no better than when he entered and still seething. It doesn’t matter that Dream gave him a gift if he couldn’t even show his face when apologizing. And George is definitely not being extra defensive because he might be wrong about Dream. He is certainly not upset that Dream actually tried to make a sweet gesture, turning whatever preconceptions he had of the man on their heads. And this isn’t about how Dream cares enough to try to make amends before even properly meeting George. It’s not. Dream is a coward and still a prick and George will not forgive him so easily. Sure he’s making an effort, an effort to play mind games. 

George wants to meet Dream and shove his stupid apology bear in his face. “Sorry I was an asshole”, George is not buying it. He has to scrap his old plan because now he can’t just yell at Dream and never see him again. These gifts, they mean war.

4.

George gets Dream's phone number, somehow. It happened somewhere in between Sapnap telling George he was finally able to meet up with Dream and George telling Sapnap about the physiological warfare he was facing. Sapnap had laughed so hard he couldn’t breathe and then told George that he really needed to stop accrediting Dream crimes that he didn’t commit. George thinks Dream is far from innocent still. But at some point in the night, George isn’t sure when the exact second of his downfall happened but it was probably after he fell asleep watching the movie, because he wakes up with a new contact in his phone. Dream ;) .

He is going to kill Sapnap. He is going to commit actual murder and then he won’t go to jail becasue the judge and jury will understand that it was justified. 

He spends a good afternoon staring at the contact, debating if he should text it. He almost calls his sister but then realizes she will most certainly use it against him as embarrassing materials at family dinners in the future. Screw it, he’s going to meet Dream eventually, why not start by texting him?

You (2:47 PM)

I don’t like you.

It might not be the best way to start a conversation where the other party doesn’t know who you are, but George isn’t trying to make a good first impression. He waits in anticipation for six whole minutes before: 

Dream ;) (2:53 PM)

ummm

who is this ?

George almost doesn’t tell him, but then he would probably get blocked. And sue him, he’s curious. 

You (2:53 PM)

George.

Dream ;) (2:54 PM)

your punctuation is terrifying

You (2:55 PM)

Good.

Dream ;) (2:57 PM)

actually tho

george is a common name lol

and im low key scared

feel like your some serial killer or smth

You (2:59 PM)

Ughhhhh 

Im Sapnaps friend

Dream ;) (3:03 PM)

OMG YOURE THAT GUY

IM SORRY ABOUT DITCHING A BUNCH

stuff came up

also

did you like the flowers ;)

You (3:03 PM)

No 

They were dumb

You are dumb

Dream ;) (3:04 PM)

feisty

  You (3:05 PM)

I will delete you

Dream ;) (3:06 PM)

my number ?????

You (3:06 PM)

You 

Dream ;) (3:06 PM)

damn i leave sapnap alone for three years and he makes friends with murders 

You (3:07 PM)

murderers*

Admittedly, talking to Dream is kind of fun. And George just doesn’t know what to make of that. Because they don’t stop texting. George actually ends up texting Dream basically everyday. And he’s kind of nice and a little bit funny and genuine the way Sapnap is. The way that makes you feel like you’re in the presence of something special. 

George wonders if the water in the town they grew up in just creates open people or if Dream and Sapnap are strange like that on their own. 

And George finds himself warming up to Dream dangerously fast. Because Dream wasn’t supposed to be charming, he was going to be a prick. George was so sure he was going to suck and when he doesn’t, where do you go from there?

George hadn’t expected to get excited every time his phone dings because it might be a text from Dream. George hadn’t expected to smile at every little stupid emoji and mispelled word. George certainly hadn’t expected the butterflies from when Dream would flirt with him. It’s a lot to deal with; Dream has started making him blush and laugh and this has taken quite the turn hasn’t it.

George has to meet Dream, he just does.

5.

Fuck schedules. Seriously fuck schedules. George has been wanting to meet with Dream for around a month now (a good portion of that time was spent hating him) and class and work and everything in between keeps getting in the way. 

Sapnap has been able to meet with Dream several times now, and yeah they were childhood best friends, and yes Sapnap has more free time in his life because he didn’t load up on shifts for work and classes like a certain someone did but that still seems unfair. George wants to meet with Dream probably more than Sapnap at this point. He’s never met the guy and he’s… crushing. Just a little bit. Just a miniscule baby amount. It’s just that Dream’s flirty jokes and actual sweetness pulled George into a rabbit hole of feelings. 

He doesn’t really know how it happened but Dream’s name in his phone has changed from Dream ;) to Dream <3 and George thinks there's some merit to that. He’s definitely not in love, but he could be. He just needs to meet Dream. 

+1

George meets Dream for the first time on a rainy Saturday afternoon, around a month after Dream was actually back in Florida. He had only known stories of Dream before and a couple baby photos that he’d been shown on occasion as Sapnap told him about childhood mischief. He hated Dream for possibly stealing his best friend and then he liked him because of insistent texting.

He shows up to Dreams newly set up apartment with a bear that says “be mine” on its chest and a single red rose. If George is doing this, he’s going to do it right. 

He knocks on the door and waits, Dream opens it and George doesn’t know what he expected but it certainly wasn’t this. Dream is tall and lanky and George has to crane his neck to look up because Dream is standing pretty close. He has messy dirty blonde hair that somehow doesn’t look like a rats nest even though, judging from Dream’s wardrobe, he was not prepared to see anyone today. (George had maybe impulsively gone to Dream’s apartment the minute he got the address from Sapnap. That idiot had been keeping it from him because he hadn’t wanted George to try to go beat Dream up in the early days. George definitely could not have beaten Dream up judging from his height). Dream’s eyes are green and they are alive like joy. His face is a pretty type of angular but soft around the edges. Is it weird to say a man is beautiful? His eyes kind of light up in recognition, it makes George burn. Dream knows it's him, they’ve never seen each other but he knows. It might be because of their soulmates, it might be the bear. 

“Hi.”

Dream chuckles but he sounds a little nervous, “Hey pretty stranger.”

George glares, “Not a stranger.”

Dream laughs and he sounds like a fucking kettle and George can’t help the smile on his face. His entire body feels on fire, “Come on in Gogy.”

“How did you know?”

Dream shrugs, “I’ve seen photos. And how many English friends does Sapnap have?”

“Wilbur.”

Dream smirks at him. Holy shit he has dimples, “Wilbur isn’t short.”

“I’m not short.”

“Sure, neither is Sapnap.”

“You are just an asshole aren’t you.”

Dream hasn’t stopped smiling, George hasn’t either, “Maybe a little. Do you want anything to eat? And a change of clothes? You’re dripping on my floors.”

“Sorry.”

“If soggy floors means time with you, I’ll take it,” 

George’s face is on fire, “You can’t say stuff like that.”

“Why not?”

George sputters, “I don’t know, you just can’t.”

Dream wheezes and George is whipped. When he eventually calms down he points to the gifts in George’s hand, “I see you’ve brought me a gift, red roses mean love you know?”

“I know.”

Dream hums and smiles at him, “I like the bear.”

“I thought you would.”

Dream chuckles, “Oh you know me so well Gogy,” he makes his way over to George, invading his personal space, “Is this ok?”

“My clothes are still wet,” Dreams face is also red and when he smiles George feels starstruck. He’s laughing and George is laughing too.

“You are ridiculous,” He can feel Dream’s breath on his face, “Is this ok?”

To answer him George leans up and places a kiss on his mouth. It’s sweet and over way too quickly but Dream pulls back absolutely beaming at George. God, he’s stunning. 

“Wait do you have freckles?” Dream wheezes and George is so elated. He’s buzzing and lightheaded and just so happy that he’s finally here, meeting Dream.