Chapter Text
Dream presses the phone between his head and his shoulders, using his second hand to help close the zipper of his bags.
“But I thought you’re vaccinated.”
George’s voice sounds a little distant through the phone, cars rushing by in the background. “I am.”
“Then what is the point! ”
George sounds amused. “I don’t know. Bureocracy, I guess.”
“Ugh.” Dream re-adjusts the phone between his ear and his shoulder before finally getting the bag zipped up.
An unsureness creeps into George’s voice. “I mean, we could also just like. Wait or something. I could get a hotel here or something and wait until they lift the laws a bit.”
Dream stops what he’s doing, giving his phone his full attention. “What? No way. We’re getting you whether you like it or not.”
George lets out a small laugh, and Dream catches that it sounds relieved. He sighs a little too fondly. “George. We would drive the entire distance four times over to get you here.”
A snort sounds through his phone, and Dream can feel the corners of his own mouth tugging up immedietly.
A comfortable moment of silence later, Dream puts him on speaker. “Alright, I gotta go wake Sapnap up.”
George hums. “He’s still asleep?”
“Probably. I haven’t seen him today.”
George is quiet for a moment. “How do you manage not to see him half the time, when you guys like. Live together?”
Dream shrugs, then remembers George can’t see. “I don’t know, I guess he sleeps a lot.”
Dream hears footsteps down the hall just before a familiar guy gives him a tired stare across their livingroom.
Sapnap yawns, stretching in the doorframe as he sees Dream dealing with two bags, piles of clothes and travel-supplies strewn about on the table. “What’s up.”
Dream gives him a look. “Speak of the devil. Did you pack?”
Sapnap makes his way across the room towards the kitchen, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. “Uhh, mostly, I think.”
“Hurry up then, we wanna leave tomorrow.”
Sapnap nods towards the phone. “George?”
Dream smiles. “Yeah.”
Sapnap rolls his eyes. “Yeah, thought so.”
Dream just rolls his eyes back at him before watching him rummage through the fridge. He turns his attention back to George. “Anyway, we want to leave tomorrow. We should be there in two days travel, so we can meet you in the airport the day after.”
“What, not gonna drive 20 hours in one go?”
Dream knows George is teasing, but still feels a need to defend his honor. “Well, first off, I’m driving a Tesla, so we need to charge the car a lot. So it’s actually much longer, also considering we can’t speed around. Plus, I’d like to see you drive 20 hours in one go.”
Dream can hear George grin. “I probably could.”
He lets out a small laugh. “Please don’t.”
George fills the silence with a nervous snicker, and they both go quiet again. Dream hears George close his window, open his closet, fumble with some plastic boxes. Dream, meanwhile, continues his battle with his second bag, thinking whether to keep stuffing it or just give up and get another one.
Since every state decided to set up their pandemic laws individually, it is entirely legal for someone vaccinated to fly to one state and then travel through the US to get to Florida. For some reason, though, it would be illegal for George to just get a plane to Florida right away.
They stay on call for most of the day, parting when George has to go. Dream gets him to promise they’ll call tomorrow, and lets him hang up.
He spends another few minutes staring at the icon and scrolling through their most recent messages on autopilot. He still feels a smile plastered on his face, bags temporarily forgotten.
Sapnap calls him from his room, pulling Dream back to the present. He pockets his phone and heads upstairs to help him pack.
---
A shrill alarm tears Dream out of his slumber. He rolls over and blindly reaches for his phone, wracking his brain for why on earth he decided to set it so early today. His hand goes over his nightstand, only for the slip of cold plastic and a loud clatter to tell him he successfully managed to knock his screaming phone onto the floor.
He sits up, annoyed, leaning over the edge of his bed to pick his phone off the floor and decidedly shut off the alarm.
He stops, blinks. It’s 6 am, why did he-
The memory hits him like a freight train.
He’s out of bed and on his feet so fast he sways in place for a second while his body catches up. He stumbles out of his room, remembering all the things he still has to do before they can leave.
They’re driving out today. They’re driving out to see George today!
A child-like excitement bubbles in him, brain scrambling to organize his thoughts and do everything in order while not forgetting anything. Dream gets everything done he at least remembered to do before stuffing his bags into the back of the Tesla. That should be all, right?
He leaves the trunk open, remembering Sapnap still has to put his stuff in, only to realize he’s still undressed. Just as he turns to walk out of the garage, his stomach also finally remembers food is a thing, sending a dull plead to his gut.
Alright, and he has to get breakfast, too.
He storms into the kitchen, skidding on the floor in his socks before pausing. It’s quiet. Too quiet.
Running up the stairs, he reaches Sapnap’s door, impatiently knocking on it. When he doesn’t immedietly receive a response, he swings the door open, grinning from ear to ear, barely able to stand still.
“Sapnap! Wake up, lazy ass, we have to leave in half an hour!”
Sapnap groans tiredly, forcing himself to sit up. “Wha-? Ugh, already?”
“Yes! Get up , you idiot, we’re gonna be driving to see George! ”
“I know, I know,” Sapnap grumbles, tiredly swinging his feet over the edge of his bed. Dream flies back down the stairs, feeling ready to explode.
He giggles to himself, suddenly having the urge to call George and share his excitement. He doesn’t quite remember the last time he was this excited for something, even though he knows he’s usually a bit more out of it than the people around him.
But George is asleep right now and needs to vaguely get his sleeping schedule right to survive his flight in two days, and his stomach quickly reminds him he’s still hungry.
He swings the fridge open, feeling like he’s walking on thin air. Today. They’re driving out today! And in three days, he’s going to see George for real. In person. His best friend, right in front of him. In three days!
He hums and sings Dynamite by Taio, only really remembering half the lyrics and humming the rest.
Sapnap finally trods down the stairs, heaving a sigh. “You’re such a liar. We still have 45 minutes.”
“The sooner we leave, the better!” Dream sing-songs, biting into his sandwich while already making another for the road. He keeps humming through his full mouth, watching Sapnap tiredly get food for himself too.
Dream half-dances, half-walks back to the garage, ignoring the fact that he’s still in socks, packing in the food. Sapnap jokingly calls after him if he mixed up his meds with cocaine this morning, but Dream just laughs it off.
He yells out that he doesn’t take them anymore, and can’t stuff the sandwiches into a bag fast enough before running back to his room to get dressed.
Sapnap just shakes his head, tiredly chewing on his cereal, but Dream didn’t miss the way Sapnap would grin to himself when he thought Dream wasn’t looking.
What feels like an eternity later to Dream, they’re finally sitting in the Tesla, Dream at the steering wheel, bags, food and documents packed. Sapnap yawns as Dream soundlessly drives out of the garage, leaning back in his seat.
The garage closes behind them, and Dream grins to himself as they leave their neighbourhood behind, merging into the highway and taking a far right. The sun is only just beginning to come up, first beams of light starting to sprinkle over the landscape, making sharp, gold patterns on the asphalt.
He’s usually a lot more anxious about leaving home, but something in him tugs outwards. Sapnap shifts in his seat a bit, and Dream feels himself smile. He definitly feels better leaving home with his best friend at his side, and that may or may not be in account of the fact that anywhere is home enough if he has them by his side. So really, he isn’t leaving home - he’s going out to get his home all in one place.
Dream leans back and sets the car to keep up the speed itself, tapping the steering wheel as he looks for some music to play while Sapnap already looks like he fell back asleep.
Dream just laughs quietly at seeing him slumped into the seat, putting on a playlist and focusing back on the road.
---
Sapnap grodgily wakes up to the sound of a call coming into Dream’s phone, ringing through the entire car and muting the music automtically. The sun has come up, hanging just enough above the horizon, clouds parting to make way for blinding rays of light.
Sapnap smiles, watching Dream scramble to accept the call onto speaker while still keeping his attention on the road.
“Let me guess. George.”
Dream gives him a look that just says ‘Duh’, and finally manages to accept the call.
Dream is grinning, his mood having calmed down over the course of the day but still ringing in his chest. “George!”
“Hi Dream.”
Sapnap just shakes his head, turning his head towards the window and trying to get some more sleep.
Dream ignores him, eyes set on the road as the words quickly quell out of him. “George, how’s packing going? We’re on our way, by the way. Also, Sapnap is still trying to sleep.”
George grumbles something tiredly. He sounds like he just woke up. “It’s… going.”
Dream’s voice pitches higher. “George! You have to pack on time, or you’ll miss your plane.”
George lets out a small laugh. “I still have two days , Dream. I won’t miss my plane.”
Dream giggles after hearing George laugh. “Okay, okay, just don’t miss it.”
He can hear George’s grin in his voice. “I won’t.”
They share a few moments of comfortable silence, and Dream can feel it seep into his veins, fingers still tapping the steering wheel. He’s certainly feeling more tired after his morning excitement wore off, his body sorely starting to remind him that he’s been driving for three hours straight.
Still, George’s voice through the phone eases the soreness a bit, making it easier to smile towards the rising sun and keep his spirits fluttering.
He hears George yawn through the phone. “So- awn- wait, is Sapnap asleep in the car?”
Sapnap groans. “Unfortunately, no.”
“So you’ve just been letting Dream drive you this entire time?”
“Says the guy who’s gonna take the plane and then let us escort him home.”
“I mean, if you want to let me try driving on the right side of the road for the first time in my life-”
“Nonono-”
“You don’t have to-”
George snickers at Dream and Sapnap immedietly voicing their disagreement, and Dream and Sapnap just give each other a look despite knowing George can’t see it.
Sapnap nudges Dream’s arm after a moment.
“Hm?”
“We should probably take a break soon, though.”
Dream muses over his options. He’s tired, but is he that tired? “Wellll… I’m already 3 hours through, and we can go 5 at a time, so technically I’ve started the second shift already…”
“No, you need a break. We’re taking the next one out to switch.”
“Nono, it’s fine. I’ll just do the five.”
Sapnap shakes his head. “George, tell Dream he needs to take a break and let me drive.”
“Dream, let Sapnap be useful for once in his life.”
Dream chuckles as Sapnap gives a faux offended ‘George!’ towards the phone.
George quietens down, voice turning a bit more serious. “Really though, you should let Sapnap drive, otherwise you guys won’t make it.”
Dream sighs defeatedly. “We’ll make it. But okay, okay, we’re taking a break at the next stop.”
---
Sapnap finally takes the wheel while Dream and George talk over the speaker, talking about video ideas and what they’d do once they meet up and how George is going to hate the heat while he argues he’d like it more than the endless rain in Britain.
The next two hours pass in a fly before they have to stop to charge. George hangs up to let them take a break from driving and to get back to packing, leaving Sapnap and Dream alone at the car stop. The clock reads 13:34. 5 hours down, 15 more to go.
They both go to the small food place at the stop to eat something other than old sandwiches from this morning. They find themselves a small table to stand at, Dream dutifully drinking from a glass water bottle while Sapnap waits for his hot chocolate to cool down a bit.
The sun is fully beaming down on them now, warming up the gray asphalt and causing the air to flicker near the horizon. The highway is on a bit of an elevated line, meaning the parking lot gives view of the wilderness beyond, green and dotted with palm trees with a grayish city flimmering far off in the distance. Dream regards the view while he stretches, trying to get the soreness out of his limbs.
Sapnap sets his hot chocolate down again, the drink still too hot to be comfortable to drink. “So, will George let us hug him when we see him, you think?”
Dream looks back to him, grinning at the thought. “You say that like he has a choice.”
Sapnap just shakes his head at him, smiling. “He’s just not the hug type of person, is what I mean.”
“I know that.” Dream cuts in, starting to open the plastic packaging of his food. “But I’m sure he’d want to hug us when we meet, at least. Plus, he didn’t tell us not to, yet.”
“That’s true.”
They stand in silence for a while as Dream deals with his food.
Dream gives him a look. “Is hot chocolate in the middle of spring really that good?”
Sapnap rolls his eyes at him. “I was feeling chocolate. Let a guy drink what he wants.”
Dream shakes his head with a laugh. “Okay, okay.”
They eat, stretch, talk about nothing special. Dream suggests to get back into the car to see how much longer charging it would take. Sapnap just tells him it won’t be charged yet anyway, but lets him.
Dream gets in, lighting the ignition to see it would be until 16:12. He checks the time. It’s 14:23.
He lets out a long sigh, getting out to a smug-looking Sapnap.
Dream closes the car. “I know, I know, I just wanted to know how long.”
“And?”
“An hour and 49 minutes.”
“We could go on a walk down to the nearby town?” Sapnap points down towards a few groups of houses with his head.
“You mean that tiny village down there?”
“You got a better idea?”
Dream shrugs. “Nah. Let’s go.”
---
Farms, green fields and large family homes line the asphalt. Dream and Sapnap trot down the pathways, looking this way and that. Despite being second on board with the idea, Dream seems more intrigued by the small settlement than Sapnap is, who mostly just trails behind.
Dream stops by another wide field, already sown and growing something, unfolding its first lime green leaves. He kicks a pebble. “We could call George.”
Sapnap joins his side, looking out to the field as well. “He has to pack. Besides, he’ll call if he wants to.”
“Right.” Dream takes out his phone to check the time, then pockets it again.
He sighs, and then sits down on the edge where the dark gray falls away to dry dirt, hanging his legs down. Sapnap sits down as well.
Sapnap leans back onto his hands, looking over the light green field.
They sit in silence for a while, hearing the breeze rustle trees and enjoying the shade.
Sapnap leans forward, trying to catch sight of Dream’s face. “You nervous?”
Dream’s eyes dodge Sapnap’s, looking out to the green. “Dunno. No, I mean, a little. I mean, not really, it’s George, but.”
Sapnap just nods and looks out to the field again.
“At least you’ll listen to George once he tells you to stop leaving your dirty laundry to pile up until it spills out of your box.”
Dream snorts, shoving Sapnap lightly. “Shut up.”