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He found himself back in the same spot once again. As his eyes adjusted to the vast darkness of his goggles and the overbearing appearance of the prison, he reached a delicate hand out to touch the blackstone of the prison’s wall with barely a thought. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, if anyone had walked past and noticed him standing there, he hadn’t noticed. He spent more time here than he cared to admit nor could anyone else bear to bring up when they talked to him.
George closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall, relishing the cool stone against his body. The stone grounded him in reality, especially as his spacey thoughts drifted into the realm of disbelief and panic began to take hold. He released a few steadying breaths as the coolness of the stone seeped into his body and helped calm him down slightly. He hated the fact that this building was his only connection to the one that truly made him feel at peace.
The past few months had been a struggle for George as he slowly became more unfamiliar with what was real and what wasn’t. With no one to support him, he learned to find solace in what little comfort he could find. His eyes shot open as his thoughts drifted to the man he loved. A deep frown creased his ageless face as the man’s voice floated through his mind.
Things had gotten so confusing since his dethronement, but he couldn’t stop the pull he felt towards him. Dream had been by his side for most of his life and he felt his heart thump against his chest as his messy feelings ran rampant. This is how it always went for him-he came to stand at the prison to calm himself from the derealization only to be thrust into his confused thoughts of love and hatred. Sapnap’s voice filled his brain as he took a hasty step back from the prison, “Tommy told me he cut off all attachments to get to where he is, but I mentioned your name in that cell and I saw something in his eyes. He may not care about me anymore, but George, I don’t think he can ever stop caring about you.”
He felt the sting of tears that threatened to spill as he quickly turned and started to walk hastily away from the foreboding prison, grass and flowers at his feet wilting slightly as he walked past. He clenched and unclenched his fists, the fabric of his cloak crinkling with each time he moved the hand on the brooch area, “George?”
His feet immediately stopped moving as his eyes widened. He was rooted to the spot. He heard soft footsteps as the owner of the voice moved closer to him, and before he knew it, he felt familiar calloused hands on his shoulders that caused him to close his eyes briefly. He opened his eyes and turned around, and he was faced with the last person he had wanted to see right then, “Dream.” He breathed.
Dream stood in front of him, maskless, his blond hair long and scraggly, and a soft smile on his face. George was taken aback at just how much more beautiful the man looked here in front of him, standing in the sunshine. The bright light from the sun caught his light green eyes perfectly and they shone with a brightness he hadn’t seen since the early days of knowing him. He felt his breath hitch multiple times as his heart sped up-he was so beautiful he could have died right there and never seen anything more beautiful.
George lifted a hand and reached it up to the other’s face, placing it on his cheek. One of Dream’s hands came up to intertwine with his, his thumb running lightly over the back of his hand in rhythmic motions, “I’ve missed you so much George.” He spoke again, breaking the charged silence between the two, his voice slightly hoarse from either misuse or too much use, “I’ve missed you too Dream.” George didn’t think he could raise his voice above a whisper.
The two lapsed into silence again as they relished in the feel of being in each other’s company once again. George dropped his hand from Dream’s face, but Dream kept his hand connected to George’s, messing with it all the while. Dream’s gaze was focused on George’s hand, but George instead decided to lift his gaze to look at Dream’s handsome face. George was the one to break the silence the second time around, “How are you here? How did you get out?” He asked hurriedly. He knew he should use this chance to take him back to the prison but all he could think about was his desire to run off to some random forest and spend the rest of their days together with each other. How he wanted nothing more than to slam his lips onto Dream’s in one of the most important kisses of his life.
Dream’s soft smile widened slightly at George’s worried tone as he reached out and removed the brunette’s large goggles, his green eyes searching his face. If his cheeks hadn’t been red before, they certainly had gone red as Dream’s piercing gaze searched his face, noticing the same desire in the blond’s eyes that was most certainly reflected in his own, “I got out. I couldn’t handle another minute away from you, George.” Dream answered, and even though his voice had been hoarse before it now contained a different kind of roughness. George leaned closer to the blond slightly as he breathed in the almost long forgotten scent of the man in front of him-a woodsy faint floral scent mixed with a slightly smokey one, “What if they come after you?” George managed as his eyes darted down to Dream’s lips, “They’ll never find us if I help you use those sprite powers correctly.” Dream answered.
With the conversation done in his mind and his thoughts running wild, George leaned forward and without a second thought placed his lips on Dream’s in a hurried kiss, which Dream quickly reciprocated, the hand not already gripping George’s moving to the back of the brunette’s head and twining into his hair. Once George was gasping for breath, he pulled away from Dream, his eyes glazed over as he looked back at the man. He wanted more. He wanted so much more. Dream pushed his forehead against George’s as their breath mingled. George’s forehead creased as he furrowed his brows, “I shouldn’t do this, Dream, I can’t…” He murmured.
Even through his desire he could feel the conflicting twinge of guilt as he thought once again of what Sapnap had said, “What do you mean? George, I’m here! I’m with you!” Dream exclaimed as he broke the forehead contact with the older man, “Dream, I know what you told Tommy and Tubbo down in that vault.” George started, his entire body displaying his conflict. His hand was still gripped tightly in Dream’s, but he had stepped back just slightly, his longer hair still disheveled from the other man’s roving hands.
Dream blinked and shook his head, “George, I…” “You have no attachments, Dream. So what am I to you?” George drove on, ignoring Dream’s words. George saw the rigidity of the taller man in front of him, the despair and want, “I love you, Dream. Despite all of the shit that you’ve done and you’ve put me through. I still love you .” His voice was hard as he forged on in his thoughts, “I’m so conflicted over how I love you after all the shit you’ve done to me, to others; you still make me feel the safest I ever could.”
Dream stood frozen in a conflicted stupor before taking a step closer to George. George held up a hand, “Don’t. Don’t touch me again until I get an answer from you. I can’t just be your distraction when you don’t get what you want.” George’s gaze was hard as he looked at the other. Dream remained silent for a moment after George finished speaking, his green eyes conflicted as he looked over George’s body, his eyes landing on George’s molten brown ones.George could see the thoughts running through Dream’s mind as he thought of an appropriate answer to him.
After a few seconds of silence, Dream parted his lips to speak, “I couldn’t let them know. I couldn’t give them what they wanted to usurp me.” George opened his mouth to interrupt him, but thought better of it and closed it again, “I had cut off everyone else so effectively, I could continue living my life doing the terrible shit I did without caring. But you...I could never shake you, George. You consumed my thoughts, my brain, everything. I knew I couldn’t do anything to you, no matter what. If this is what it means to love, then that’s what it is. And I love you so damn much, George. But I couldn’t give them something to use against me-a sort of weakness. If something were to happen to you because I had given it away, I don’t…” Dream’s voice trailed off, his eyes widening slightly as he struggled to continue speaking.
George remained silent as he watched Dream, his brown eyes softening as he absorbed what Dream said, but his posture remained conflicted, “Nothing would have had to happen if you hadn’t begun this tirade against the server. You could have been forgiven by everyone, but you’ve burned so many bridges in the name of your drive for whatever it is you’re doing.” He spoke, although he moved closer to Dream, “But I just can’t seem to keep away from you.”
Dream pursed his lips, “Are you ready to take my side and have everyone hate you, all in the name of staying by my side?” He asked tersely. George nodded, “I think-I think I can.” He spoke confidently. Dream smiled, leaning forward as if to kiss George once again. Instead, his lips came to a stop beside George’s ear.
“You’re the most gullible piece of shit I’ve ever had the misfortune of dealing with. I don’t love you, and I will never love you, George.” He whispered in his ear, his name spoken in a whisper. He felt a shudder go through his body, despite his horror. George froze as his eyes widened, “W-What, what do you mean, Dream? Th-that can’t be true. I saw the look in your eyes, Sapnap saw the look.” He stammered as he took a small step back from the man he loved. Dream’s face twisted into that of an overly confident sneer, “You always find a way to twist this. I don’t know how many times we need to go over the fact that this man will never be your peace. Not now, and not for as long as you live.” Dream spoke. George’s wide eyes welled with tears and he clamped his hands over his slightly pointed ears, “No, this can’t be true. I won’t let this be true. It isn’t real, you’re not real. It’s a trick. I’m asleep again, I have to be.” He squeezed his eyes shut and turned away from Dream’s form.
Footsteps thudded as Dream strutted closer to George and forced him back to face him. George refused to open his eyes and face the man, instead choosing to mumble under his breath in hopes of waking himself up, “George, your pathetic attempts to block me out won’t work. I’m right here.” Dream spoke. George slowly peeled his eyes open to look at Dream, who now had blood splatters all over him, random scars marring his face and arms.
George froze as he stared at this new look of Dream’s, “Get me out of here. Get me out of this nightmare!!” George shouted to the sky. Dream watched the man with a satisfied smirk.
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George’s eyes flung open and he sat up in his bed, his back ramrod straight. His covers were soaked with sweat and the naturally cold air from the house seeped into his skin, but he couldn’t force himself to throw the covers off. His heart was practically beating out of his chest and he took a few deep breaths to try and calm himself. The dream was running through his foggy mind as he slowly woke up.
He could feel the tears pricking at his eyes and he scrubbed at them to try to clear them away, but they still continued to spill. Silent sobs racked his body and he hugged his knees to his chest. He sat curled up in his bed for a couple of minutes before he heard the sound of approaching footsteps outside his door. He raised an arm to wipe the tears out of his eyes as he heard a soft knock. His breath hitched as he tried to hide a sob, “George?” A soft voice whispered from the other side of the door.
George moved closer to his pillow but didn’t answer: he didn’t think he could manage an answer anyway. The handle twisted and Sapnap pushed the door open, his chestnut fringe falling down in front of his tired eyes. George hid his face in the dip of his legs to cover the tear tracts. Without a word, Sapnap walked over to George’s bed and sat next to him. George knew he was there by the dip of the bed as he sat down and the feeling of his naturally warm body nearby, but there was no physical contact. This is how it went for them most nights. Neither of them cared much for touch, and they knew that about each other, but Sapnap was always able to keep him company as he calmed down from his nightmares.
George leaned towards Sapnap just enough so that their shoulders touched slightly, and he felt Sapnap flinch imperceptibly at the surprising contact, “It’s okay, George. I’m here for you. I’m here.” He whispered as he leaned his head towards the dark haired brunette’s. George breathed out contentedly as his sobs quieted. The two sat together in silence for a few moments, before George eventually spoke up,
“I can’t stop thinking about him. He was in my dream tonight. I thought he was actually there.” He spoke in a whisper, his voice still foggy despite being up for a little bit at that point, “Dream?” Sapnap asked equally quietly, his tone soft. George nodded but didn’t say more, “I know how bad you want him to be here. Like actually here. I know it’s no solace, but I’m here with you right now, and I will be for as long as I possibly can.” He spoke, ending the conversation. Sapnap adjusted the now cool blanket so that both of them were covered up. The two spent the rest of the night together in the bed, Sapnap leaned against the wall, and George curled up beside him, barely touching each other, but touching enough to remind each other they were there. George didn’t dream again that night.