Work Text:
Happiest Place on Earth
The sun shines down onto George’s smiling face as he gazes upon the imposing silhouette of Cinderella’s castle. He grips Dream’s hand as two kids squeeze by, slightly jostling them. Organ music fills the air playing, unironically, “Once Upon a Dream,” over tapping shoes, chatter and laughter of the crowd around them. Sapnap has procured a Mickey Bubble Wand from somewhere and is directing the bubbles straight into Dream’s face, even though Dream has asked him to stop four times.
Happiness is literally in the air.
Dream pushes Sapnap away and looks down at George who is rubbing his protruding belly. George tugs at the hem of his shirt self-consciously, though there is only love and admiration on Dream’s expression.
“Where do you want to--”
“I need to pee and eat a metric crap ton of ice cream,” George says, before Dream can even finish asking his question.
“You have to pee again?” Sapnap asks, getting right up next to them. “Didn’t you go like, an hour ago?”
“Of course, I did. But I currently have a thirty-two week baby dancing the Hakuna Matata all over my bladder, Sapnap,” George says.
Sapnap nods, holding up his hands to placate the pregnant man. “No worries, man. You piss. I wanted to look at hats with Dream anyway.”
George tries to release Dream’s hand, but Dream uses the clasp to pull George closer and plant a kiss on his cheek before releasing him. Dream has a bright green facemask on and sunglasses. Walking around with Sapnap and George, it will do nothing to hide his identity, but it does the job to hide his face, which he has yet to reveal to his fans.
“Be back in a mo’,” George tells Dream with a smile.
George joins the queue at the closest toilet, which isn’t all that close. The queue is surprisingly long for a men’s toilet, and not only does no one offer to let him go ahead despite his obvious discomfort and predicament, but he even gets some not-so-nice stares.
When it’s his turn, George enters a stall and wrestles down his elastic banded shorts and sits with an exhale of relief. He can feel the sweat running down his back under his shirt. George makes a mental note to ask Dream for the water bottle from the rucksack Dream is carrying for them.
George washes his hands, diligently, at the sink and ignores the bulky man at his left with a mullet who stares at George through glassy eyes and an uneven, wavering, stance as he dries his hands. His eyes move up and down George’s pregnant form. George knows first-hand that there is prejudice out there for male carriers, but with the exception of the less-than-warm reception he received from his family in England, he’s mostly only had to deal with negativity online. Online haters are easier to ignore than real-life haters.
George hastens to finish drying his own hands. He hasn’t been bullied in real life since school, and he isn’t in a hurry to have history repeat itself.
“You just walk around and flaunt it, huh?” The guy asks, much too close, with the stink of alcohol evident on his breath. George hastily tosses his rumpled paper towel in the bin and walks out without looking back.
At the stand with the funny hats, Dream and Sapnap have picked out matching striped Mickey ear hats for the three of them. “Why are they striped?” George asks, not recognizing all of the colors. “They’re rainbow pride,” Dream tells him. George nods his agreement. He can’t see all those colors the way the others can, but he’ll still wear them proudly.
While Dream pays, George opens the rucksack on Dream’s shoulder to retrieve their water bottle. He takes long pulls, already feeling fatigued from the heat. George chokes on this last sip as he hears Sapnap scream behind him.
Dream and George turn around expecting murder and mayhem, based on the yell, only to find Sapnap running up to them, perfectly intact by the look of it.
“George!” He cradles the tiniest Mickey ear hat George has ever seen. George takes it from him gingerly in his hands and can’t help the emotions it triggers. He cries a lot these days. Egged on by the hormones circulating in his blood. George let’s Sapnap coo over him and pull him into a comforting hug and passes the hat to Dream, who takes it and continues to check out. George also hears Dream giving the cashier instructions for personalizing the hats with their names, leaving the baby one blank, so they can have it embroidered after the little one is born and has a name.
Shopping complete for the moment, they take some pictures with some fans they meet on the street, and also with some characters that greet them.
After Dream talks him into sharing a turkey leg, and Sapnap insists he tries some fried chicken, George almost forgets about his craving for ice cream.
Almost.
By the time he thinks of it again, they’re standing in front of the newly opened Tron ride in Tomorrowland. Sapnap is jumping up and down, and Dream is looking worriedly at the sign warning against people riding who have back or heart issues and pregnant persons.
“Maybe we should skip it this time,” Dream says, with a tone of worry.
Sapnap looks horrified. “Skip? Skip it? Skip Tron? Dream, we’ve been looking forward to this ride for literal months.”
George is onto Dream. He knows exactly why Dream doesn’t want to go and he’s not having it. Protective Dream has been activated.
“You guys can go,” George tells them.
Dream’s already shaking his head. “I’ll stay with George. You go, Sapnap.”
Sapnap makes a noise, like a whimper and looks to George, and then away.
George loops his arms around Dreams neck and pulls him as close as he can with his giant belly in the way. He then puts his hands on Dream’s cheeks and tips his chin up until he can see Dream’s eyes lift to meet his under the dark lenses. “Dream. Don’t be an idiot. Go with Sapnap. It’s fine. I’m going to buy an ice cream and I’ll meet you back here.”
Dream slides his hands from George’s hips to the sides of his protruding belly. “Baby, I wanted to buy you an ice cream,” Dream simpers.
“Yes. And that’s why I’m taking your wallet. So, you can buy me an ice cream,” George says.
Dream wraps his arms around George’s head, pulling him in so he can kiss George’s hair, through his mask.
“Are we going? Can we go now? Is this a thing that’s happening?” Sapnap says, shifting his weight, excitedly, from foot to foot.
“Shut up,” Dream says to Sapnap, without looking at. “Try Storybook Treats,” he says to George. “In Fantasyland.”
George nods. “Find me there when you’re done,” George says, pulling away from Dream.
George wanders his way back through Tomorrow Land toward Fantasyland. Seeing some fans staring, he tugs his shirt down again before waving and they wave back. He then waves at Buzz Lightyear, who salutes him.
Spotting a stand for some Dole Whips he slows his steps, but ultimately decides to press on. Dole whips are delish, but George doesn’t think Baby is in the mood for pineapple. Chocolate probably. George feels a swift kick on the right side as if confirming the thought.
He walks a little further, stopping to take in some of the attractions and food venders. He stops to watch in the giant teacups spinning around and around at the Mad Tea Party, and then, when he turns, immediately sees the Mad Hatter himself, with Alice, the second of whom pantomimes rubbing a protruding belly with a large blinking eyes. George smiles broadly and rubs his own belly in acknowledgement. She smiles sweetly as she waves.
The Storybook Treats is a little medieval cottage-looking stand with a menu of sweets. Everything looks good to Baby (who was now thump, thump, thumping away with their little kicks) but the brownie sundae is really calling out to George. The line moves quickly and soon George is at the front of it.
He smiles at the cashier. “Brownie sundae, please,” George says.
She hesitates, then she says, “Are you Georgenotfound?” in a British accent. He nods. “My little sister watches you all the time.” Her chin dips down as she leans forward. “Well, we, I should say. We watch you. She got me into your streams,” she says, with a blush.
“Thank you. That’s very kind of you,” George says.
The cashier, whose nametag reads “Poppy” finishes putting the order in and then leans forward once more. “No charge. My shout,” she says, in a conspiratorial whisper. George tries to protest but as he reaches into his back pocket, he realizes that he never took Dream’s (or his) wallet out of the rucksack. So, he merely says, “Thank you,” sheepishly, with a broad smile.
George can’t help but lick his lips as he watches her construct the gooey concoction.
As soon as she hands the sundae to George over the counter, he feels something bump him from behind.
“Excuse me,” George says, automatically, moving to the side.
Behind him is the man from the men’s toilets, the drunk one with the mullet, with another man, looking equally intoxicated, beside him. He’s standing close to George, much closer than he needs to.
“Excuse you?” The man asks, with a sneer. “Don’t think there is much of an excuse for you,” he says.
“Disgusting,” his friend puts in, looking George over. He spits onto the sidewalk.
Mullet man knocks off George’s mouse ears.
George isn’t a fighter. He’s never actually been in a fist fight but, blame the hormones or the presence of ugly bigotry, George is angry. He shakes with it.
Tears prick the corner of his eyes.
“This real?” the first man asks, poking George hard, twice, in the belly.
“Stop that!” George yells, swatting him away with one hand. He drops his sundae.
“Oh, no. What are you going to do about it, cupcake?” the man asks, pushing George.
George, whose balance isn’t the best when he’s not carrying a nearly full-grown baby in his tummy, tips easily and slams into the wall of the stand. George straightens back up and glances around at the shocked faces around him, concerned but not stepping in to assist. The two guys are laughing and some of the other parents have started to gather up their children and lead them away.
The man pushes George again, and this time George finds himself on the ground. Rage consumes him, paired with an unexpected compulsion to defend himself and his baby. Led by this feeling, and without a single other thought to consequence, he manages to get to his feet, then lunges-leading with his fists.
The next thing George is aware of is a tight hold around his middle, above his bump and he thrashes until he hears the familiar voice next to his ear.
“George,” Dream says, and George goes limp, letting Dream pull him away and turn him bodily away from the fight, shielding him with his back if there be any other attack. The anger leaves George like the air let out of a balloon.
He sags against Dream, crashing both physically and emotionally, his cheeks wet with tears. Dream just holds him up and whispers words of comfort and security and walking them a few steps away from the fight.
When George comes back to himself, Dream loosens his hold enough for George to turn them to face back at the men who are now surrounded by security. Dream stays close at his back. Sapnap has inserted himself between the men and where George and Dream stand, but is held back by one of the Disney security, from engaging the men further. The mullet man has a bloody nose and is jabbing a finger towards George with angry accusing words. The same one that poked George’s baby belly. George rubs at the phantom memory of the pain.
One of the security guards, tallest of the bunch, turns to where George and Dream are standing and then starts towards them. Dream tightens his grip about George again.
“Roman,” Poppy calls to the tall security guard in a loud clear voice above the melee, from behind the counter. He stops advancing toward Dream and George and turns to her. “That man attacked the pregnant one. Everyone here saw it,” she says.
Roman, looks uneasily around at the crowd, many of whom nod their support of this statement. “Alright but, even so, if he struck him in the face--”
“Obviously, he did!” the mullet man chimes in, almost losing his balance with his proclamation.
“--then I have to take him in too,” Roman finishes.
George looks guiltily down at the bruised knuckles of his left hand before covering them with his right hand and setting them on top of his bump.
“I didn’t see the pregnant man punch him,” Poppy says, easily, “Perhaps he fell over. He looks rather topsy-turvy.”
There’s some snickering in the crowd to this, and the man with the mullet looks incredulous. His friend is looking decidedly uncomfortable as he realizes the crowd is decidedly against them.
Roman takes a step towards Poppy and lowers his voice. “You know I have to detain them both, Poppy,” he says, though he looks sorry for it. “Fighting gets them banned from the park. Rules are rules.”
“You’re not seriously going to ban an injured pregnant man from the happiest place on earth. Are you Roman?” she asks. “After he was attacked?”
The crowd starts calling out their support, including Sapnap who calls out. “Yeah, Roman, ya dick!”
Roman rolls his eyes and calls for his team to restrain the mullet man and his friend before walking over to Dream and George. “Can you walk?” he asks George, kindly. And it’s only then that George realizes the stinging in his knee, which he has to lift (leaning back against Dream) to see is abrased and bleeding. The motion also causes pain in his hip, which he must have bruised when he fell. He cries out at the pain and seizes the joint with his hand.
“Why don’t you sit, and I’ll send over a nurse,” Roman says. Dream backs them up slowly, until they reach the concrete perimeter of one of the flowery garden areas that’s wide enough for him to sit, and also not too low to the ground. He pulls George down to sit on his leg, still keeping both arms, protectively around him. “One of the deputies will also need to take a statement from you,” Roman adds. “What’s your name?”
George tells him, and feels Dream press a kiss into George’s shoulder blade, no doubt pleased. Dream loves to hear George use their shared last name. George pats his arm, can’t helping the smile that comes to his lips. He loves it, too.
“You forgot my wallet, baby,” Dream whispers, as Roman walks away, speaking into his radio. “We stepped out of line to come give it to you.”
“Yeah. I guess it’s a good thing I forgot,” George says back.
Sapnap sits next to Dream, brushing off George’s Mickey ears before handing them to him. Poppy brings over a fresh brownie sundae which touches George so much that he begins to cry softly as he eats it. Baby thumps him.
“God, Gogy, does anything not make you cry?” Sapnap asks, gently teasing.
“Shut up, Sapnap,” Dream and George say together. Baby thumps again.
A smiley woman, with a Disney name tag that reads, “Monica” identifies herself as the nurse and begins to ask George some questions about his injuries. After confirming his range of motion is intact in his leg and his hand and that he can bear weight on his leg, she allows him to sit back on Dream’s lap and eat his treat while she cleans up his knee.
As she’s working, George feels the stares of people walking by. Some stop to ogle, and others are bold enough to take pictures. Luckily none of them approach. Dream presses his face to the back of George’s neck, placing a soft kiss. George sighs and sets his food down, not wanting pictures of him eating all over Twitter.
Sapnap uses both thumbs to type something into his phone. “Wait for it . . .” he says. Dream and George look over at him.
“What? What did you do?” George asks.
It happens slowly at first. A trickle of princess come up the path, coming to stop in front of the boys. Then other characters appear: Alice, Mad Hatter, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell. Then characters that normally wouldn’t normally reside in Fantasyland: Micky and Minnie, Pinocchio, Mufasa, Frozone and Russell from “Up” all come to stand in front of the boys, blocking them from fans and gawkers.
“I tweeted to @WaltDisneyWorld that they were doing a poor job protecting @Georgenotfound ‘s comfort after being freaking attacked in their park. Present company excluded, ma’am,” Sapnap says to the nurse as she places the last plaster on George’s now, dry and disinfected scratches. She tips her head in acknowledgement and offers George an ice pack for his hand.
They can hear that Gaston has started a bantering duet with Belle, but they are moving farther away, hopefully bringing some of the crowd with shorter attention spans away.
The nurse finishes packing up. “You’re good to go,” she says. They all thank her.
“I’m starving,” George announces, once she’s gone, then waits for Sapnap to make fun of him.
To his surprise, Sapnap says, “I thought you might be, so I used my fame and fortune to book us a table.”
“Did you?” Dream asks, skeptically.
“No, I used your name,” Sapnap says. George and Dream snicker at him.
“Where are you taking us, Sapnap?” George asks.
“Wine Bar George,” Sapnap tells him.
“Ah! I love it,” George says, in a high voice. “A restaurant named after the greatest streamer in the world.
“You tease now, but you will love it. You know who else loves it? Dream. Dream loves Wine Bar George,” Sapnap teases. “He’s loved it for years.”
George smiles at Dream. “As he should.”
Dream pulls down his mask and George gasps and hold his hand up to shield Dream’s face, but the star-studded cast is still doing a good job and making a colorful wall. “Dream!” George admonishes, worriedly.
“I do love Wine Bar George,” Dream says, ignoring George’s concern. He leans forward to kiss George on the lips. “They have great steak, and also Key Lime pie.”
Sapnap groans. “Please stop with the kissing.”
“Oh! I’ve been wanting to try Key Lime Pie,” George says, ignoring Sapnap. George takes Dream’s hand and positions it high on the right side of his belly so he can feel Baby kick. He leans forward to whisper in Dream’s ear. “Baby likes the idea of pie, but I think they like the sounds of you voice even better.” Dream’s face goes soft, as it does whenever he feels the baby, hears the baby, talks about the baby, etc.
He leans forward and kisses George again. Then again.
Sapnap doesn’t say anything this time.
“If only I didn’t have to walk there,” George says.
As if on cue, a portly Sheriff’s deputy arrives in his golf cart to take their statements.
“Time to press that pretty privilege, George,” Sapnap says, under his breath.
George puts on his most charming smile.
Bellies full of steak and pie, the boys return to Magic Kingdom weary with the excitement of the day. Dream leads them to a comfortable bench, the perfect place to watch the fireworks. George plops down onto the bench next to Sapnap without effort for grace or form. Sapnap slings an arm around his shoulders.
“How are your feet holding up, Gogy?” Sapnap asks.
“Achy and swollen. I’m going to need a foot massage when I get home.”
Sapnap makes a face. “Gross. Absolutely not my wheelhouse.”
“Good thing It’s in mine,” Dream says, dropping down on George’s other side, and dropping a kiss on his cheek through his mask. He hands George the water bottle from the rucksack. After several sips, George hands it back and makes sure to take Dream’s hand once it’s free from zipping up the bag.
The three (well, Baby makes four) sit close together despite the lingering heat of the evening. They sing along to “Once upon a Dream,” as it plays overhead. George doesn’t care that he can only see a fraction of the colors variety that the other two can. He doesn’t care that there are people in this world that hate him, for something he can genetically change. Everything he needs is on this bench. Baby kicks along to the fireworks like their own marching band. George feels warm. He feels loved. He feels a little emotional, but that’s okay.
For George, at this moment, Disney truly is the happiest place on earth.