Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dream loves being able to live with his best friend. He wouldn’t have it any other way. He loves being able to hang out whenever they want, loves being able to always have someone to talk to. He loves everything about it (and maybe then some.)

Except for the amount of times that George storms into Dream’s room at odd times, unannounced and already ranting loudly about whatever it is that has him up in arms. Today, Dream was in the middle of pulling on his shirt after a shower, and George’s problem of the day is, as it usually is, his mother. More specifically, his mother’s obsession with his love life. 

“Why is it so hard for her to understand that I’m fine . I’m happy!” George groans as he falls onto his back atop Dream’s bed. Dream just shakes his head with a sigh, running a towel against his wet hair. This isn’t a new conversation, being brought up every few months or so. Though Dream admits, it has been happening more frequently lately.

“She’s your mother, George. She cares about you.”

“You should’ve heard her, Dream. She was being relentless.” George moves to allow Dream to have space when he finally joins him on the bed, sitting back against the pillows. George turns on his side to face him, head resting on his hand. “My sister got engaged, you know that? And since she’s younger than me, instead of just being happy for her, everyone’s like ‘Oh George this is so sad for you! Oh George, why aren’t you getting married? George, your grandmother would love to see you get married before you die.’ She’s not even close to dying! She’s just dramatic!”

Dream winces at George’s exasperation, his hands settling in his lap. In these situations he’s found that it’s just easier to let George talk, so he normally keeps any comments or questions for the end.

“It’s so exhausting, Dream, honestly. I wish there was just an easy solution to it all, you know?” George sighs. “Like it I could magically just ask someone out and bring them home to get my family off my back.”

Dream lets out a small laugh, glancing down at him. “It is that easy though, George. Just…if you like someone, just do it.” 

It almost pains Dream to say it, quickly averting his eyes to avoid George’s gaze. He doesn’t want to think of George going around and asking someone out, taking them home for Christmas dinner, maybe even following his sister’s footsteps and marrying them. He didn’t want to think that at all.

You see, Dream is hopelessly in love with George. Because why wouldn’t he be? The man he’s known for years, the one he’s talked to almost every single day since they first met. He’s been in love since the start, really, but only accepted it a year ago. And he’s been miserable ever since.

He’s never said anything about it, because he knew there was no chance his feelings could be reciprocated. No matter how many times Dream tried to show his love, George gave him nothing in return. He was always too good at masking his emotions, barely ever divulging his true feelings. It drove Dream insane sometimes, before he accepted that he’d simply pine forever and would learn to deal with that indirect rejection. 

And so here he sits, letting the love of his life rant about his own love life that doesn’t include Dream, offering him advice whenever he can.

“…If I like someone?” George questions quietly, raising a brow. Dream swallows a lump in his throat, twirling his phone between his hands and avoiding eye contact at all times. 

“I mean, if there’s anyone that you just…could see yourself bringing home, ya know? Just like… bite the bullet. Take a chance. Put yourself out there.” Dream tries to keep his voice even, not willing to show his true feelings towards the situation. If it were up to him, George would never take a chance, keeping him all to himself. But that’s not realistic, of course, and Dream accepted that long ago. 

George doesn’t say anything after that, settling his head back down on the pillow. Dream sneaks a glance down at his friend, who seems to be lost in thought, eyebrows furrowed as he chews on the inside of his lip. Dream’s eyes watch over him for a moment longer, studying every inch of his face that he cannot seem to get enough of, memorizing every muscle twitch or shift with every move he makes. He drags his eyes back up to meet George’s brown ones, only to find him staring right back at him, eyes no longer transfixed on a random spot. Dream’s breath hitches slightly as George’s lips quirk into a small smile, pushing his body up into a seated position similar to Dream’s. Dream watches with interest the entire time, his body alight with warmth from where their knees are pressed together, so focused on not reacting that he nearly misses when George starts speaking. 

“-take you?”

Dream blinks at him, only catching the tail end of whatever question he asked. “Huh?”

An amused smile spreads across George’s face, and Dream ignores the flutter it causes in his chest. “What if you were my date?”

Oh. That’s not what Dream expects George to ask. He still can’t answer right away, processing the words to make sure he heard them correctly. “You mean…?”

“Yeah,” George says quietly. It was something they were always good at, being able to speak to each other without words. Even before meeting in person. “Only if you want, of course.”

Dream can’t help but smile at the addition, laughing lightly. “You’re serious? Me?”

“Of course. I mean, it’s you,” is all George says, shrugging his shoulders. Dream watches him carefully, watching for any inclination of a joke as his heart beats rapidly in his chest. Was this how he envisioned it happening? Definitely not. But Dream would be a fool to let this opportunity pass because of his own fear, so of course he agrees.

“Of course I’ll be your date, George,” he finally answers. His heart is still beating fast in his chest and warmth spreads over his entire body when George smiles brightly at him. He surges forward, pulling Dream into a hug. It’s awkward because of their positioning, but Dream wraps his arms around George and pulls him closer, holding him against his chest. George lets out a quiet laugh, muffled against Dream’s hoodie before he’s pulling back, grinning down at him.

“You’re great, you know that?” George asks him fondly. Dream grins up at him, reaching a hand up to brush a stray hair out of George’s eyes.

“Yeah, I know.”

—

The plan is to arrive a day before Christmas Eve, and stay at George’s parents house for four days. George was gracious enough to buy Dream’s plane tickets, claiming he’d done enough already. And who was Dream to object to that? 

Nothing changed much between them for the few weeks after George asked him out, though it’s not like Dream expected much of a change. Their relationship was always more on the affectionate side, maintaining some form of physical contact whenever they had the chance. The only thing that really changed was Dream finally knew he wasn’t alone in his feelings. And he couldn’t be happier. 

They hadn’t told anyone aside from George’s family, which Dream was fine with. It only meant that he got to revel in their little bliss for as long as possible. 

And Dream has never felt this much bliss, exiting the Lyft in front of George’s childhood home, the latter immediately grabbing onto his hand as the door shuts behind him. He smiles wide at George, handing him his bag before retrieving his own, his other hand warm in George’s hold. George smiles back just as brightly, giving his hand a squeeze as he leads him closer to the door. 

“So, I told them that we’ve been dating for like three months and just didn’t want to tell anyone, so just remember that in case anyone asks, and maybe also pretend we’re, like, in love or something? To really sell the act,” George tells him suddenly. Dream halts in his movements, stopping in the middle of the pathway at George’s words. An act. An act?

George stops in front of Dream, looking up at him with a concerned look on his face. “Are you…are you having second thoughts? I know you’re doing me this huge favor to ease some pressure off of me but if you don’t want to do this we can just…I can tell them the truth. We’re just friends and you didn’t have plans for Christmas and-”

Dream’s ears are ringing, tuning out the rest of George’s words. An act. A favor. ‘Just friends’. Dream is an idiot. Dream is an absolute fool. 

They say ignorance is bliss. 

He finally brings himself back to reality to find George looking up at him expectantly. He looks concerned, his brows furrowed, as if he doesn’t realize that Dream’s entire world was just flipped upside down. And most likely he doesn’t, because he’s probably not as much of an idiot as Dream is. 

“Sorry, I-I was just-” Dream starts to say, but before he can say anything else the front door is swinging open and a very excited (and a bit loud) mother is shrieking to get their attention.

“Oh, look who’s here!”

George spins around to face her, tightening his grip on Dream’s hand that he still holds. His mother rushes down the steps to reach them, pulling George into a tight hug. “Oh, I’ve missed you so much, I’m so glad you could make it.”

“Of course we made it.” George hugs her back with one arm, laughing awkwardly as he pats her back. And even with the awkward positioning, he doesn’t drop Dream’s hand. Dream meets her eyes where they are looking over George’s shoulder, and they widen almost comically as she finally lets George go, practically pushing him to the side in order to get to Dream. “And you! Oh, I’m so happy you could come as well.”

She pulls Dream into a hug, forcing George to finally drop his hand as he returns the hug. She’s smaller than George, small enough that he can look right over her head at George’s watchful eyes. They’re fond, a small smile ghosting his lips, and Dream’s heart is hurting yet again. 

“I’m so happy to be here,” he tells her. And despite everything that happened not even five minutes ago, he is happy to finally be meeting his best friend’s family. It’s been long enough, after all. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Dav-”

“Oh, none of that, call me Alice,” she interrupts him, pulling back from the hug with a grin on her face. He smiles down at her with a short nod, acutely aware of George’s gaze burning the side of his face. “Now come in, come in, get out of the cold. I know it’s late but there is some leftovers waiting for you two in the fridge-“

“We ate at the airport, but thank you,” George chimes in, letting his mother usher the two of them inside. It’s an immediate relief from the cold air, easing his likely flushed cheeks. The door is closing behind him as he glances around, taking in his surroundings. It’s almost exactly as he pictures it— as if taken right out of a movie. Everything is tastefully decorated for the holidays and it smells of cinnamon and just feels like home.

“Oh dears, let me have your coats, get you warmed up. There’s a storm coming so good thing you got here when you did!” Alice speaks up from behind him. He’s already shrugging his coat off his shoulders, grateful George convinced him to get one in preparation for the cold weather. “I’m sure you boys are tired but everyone’s here and are so excited to see you two.”

He should’ve expected to meet everyone immediately. In fact, he was looking forward to it, up until now. Because now he feels lost, unsure how to even present himself anymore. What he once thought would be a great trip with the man he loved turned into his worst nightmare.

Needless to say, Dream is terrified.

And of course when things go bad they can only get worse, because Dream’s hand is suddenly enveloped in George’s, and he turns to find those fond eyes staring right at him. With a gentle squeeze of his hand, he says quietly. “You ready?”

And no, he’s really not. But he nods anyway, forcing a small smile. It earns him another hand squeeze as George leads him out of the entryway, leaving their bags discarded at the door. His heart is beating fast and his hand is probably sweating but he keeps his eyes trained on the back of George’s head and tries not to show his panic. 

“George? That you?” A deep voice calls from the room they soon enter. The living room, Dream assumes, based on the tv positioned in the middle of a couch and an armchair surrounding it. There’s a fireplace that’s already lit, and a Christmas tree in the back corner. It’s warm and cozy and Dream is already in love with it.

But amongst all of that sits three figures, all turning in their seats to see Dream and George upon their entrance. An older man, a beautiful young woman, and another man about his own age all greet them with wide smiles. 

“George! You came!” The younger woman exclaims. George’s sister, Dream assumes, vaguely remembering the name Charlotte being thrown around in George’s previous stories. She rises from her seat, coming towards the pair, and Dream doesn’t miss the way George’s hand squeezes Dream’s tightly when her arms go around him. “Oh, I’m so happy to see you, it’s been such a long time.”

“Yeah, glad to be here,” George says with a half-hearted hug, only one arm wrapping around her. She pulls back, her smile still as wide, only slipping slightly as her eyes land upon Dream.

“Oh, who’s this?” She asks, face clouded in confusion. George’s hand is warm and grounding under his sister’s scrutinizing eyes, and Dream forces a smile as George speaks up for him. 

“Lottie, meet Dream. My boyfriend,” he says with no hesitation, a smile spreading across his face. Dream’s stomach is doing backflips at the label, trying his hardest to keep his smile from faltering as he extends his hand to greet her.

“It’s great to finally meet you,” he adds. Her eyes brighten with something that Dream assumes is recognition, and she quickly disregards his hand to pull him into a hug instead. It’s over quickly, her attention soon turning back towards George as she slaps him on the shoulder.

“You never told me you two were dating!” She exclaims, sounding offended. George rubs at the spot she hit with his free hand, his other still firmly holding Dream’s.

“It’s recent,” George finally says. There’s a brief moment where his eyes flick up towards Dream, who of course is already staring back at him.its Dream who squeezes his hand this time, and it’s worth the rapid beating of his heart as George’s face softens the slightest amount before he turns back to his sister. “Only about three months now.”

She tilts her head slightly, regarding the both of them curiously. She opens her mouth, ready to say something, but another voice cuts in before she can get a word out. “Charlotte, leave the interrogations for later, dear. They just got here, give them some space.”

All three of their heads turn towards the newcomer— George’s dad, based on his graying hair and eyes scarily similar to George’s. They’re staring right at Dream, a stern look on his face. “Dream, you said?”

“Yes, sir. It’s great to finally meet you,” Dream replies, extending his hand. He’s met parents before, he knows what he’s supposed to do. And he knows he did it right when a surprised look crosses George’s dad’s face before he returns his hand shake.

“Nice to finally meet the man my son has lived with for two years,” he responds. It’s a joke, Dream thinks, if the man’s smile is anything to go off of. “Am I going to have to have that ‘if you hurt my son’ talk with you?”

Dream laughs lightly, hand dropping to his side as he finally escapes the handshake. “No, sir, I’d never dream of hurting him.”

“Good, you can stay. And feel free to call me Harry, you’re practically family already,” he replies, turning away to return back to the tv, as if he hadn’t broken Dream’s heart with those last words. 

“Oh, Georgie, you haven’t even met Mark yet!” Charlotte suddenly exclaims, drawing Dream’s attention away from his inner turmoil. She waves over her shoulder at the other man, who up until now had paid no attention to them and their conversations. He gets up, almost begrudgingly so, and makes his way over to the group, immediately wrapping his arm around Charlotte’s back, who greets him with a kiss on the cheek. “Mark, dear, this is my brother I’ve told you all about.”

“George, yeah? I’m Mark, nice to meet you,” he says in a monotonous tone, extending a hand. George shakes it briefly, and moves ever so slightly closer to Dream. 

“Yeah, nice to meet you. Um, this is my boyfriend, Dream,” George replies, and Dream can sense the discomfort in his voice. He extends his hand for a handshake nonetheless, but falters as the other man bursts out laughing. 

“Wait, you’re serious? I thought they were calling you that as a joke. What an odd name.”

It’s nothing he hasn’t heard before, but the tone he uses and the general air about him pisses Dream off. He sees Charlotte open her mouth to say something, her usual joyful expression turned slightly sour, but Dream cuts in before she can. “Funnily enough, my parents were going to name me Mark, but thought, ‘man, how boring would that be?’’

He can tell he struck a nerve as Mark’s smile falls, his back straightening as if to make himself seem taller. Dream just grins at him as George lets out a laugh beside him. Mark looks like he wants to say something but Charlotte interrupts, her smile pasted back on again. “Honey, how about you go get the car warmed up? It’s getting late now.”

Dream can’t help feeling smug as the man grunts out a noise of agreement, muttering a some-what polite goodbye before walking off. At that moment, George drops his hand for the first time since they arrived, turning slightly to look at him. “I’m going to check in about our sleeping arrangements.”

Dream nods, flexing his hand that’s gone stiff from being in George’s hold. He watches as George walks away, watching him disappear into the kitchen before he turns his attention back towards Charlotte, who is smiling kindly at him. He smiles back, unsure what exactly he can say to her, suddenly feeling awkward without George’s presence. Thankfully, she does all the work for him. 

“I’m sorry about Mark. He sometimes has a strange sense of humor,” she starts. Dream almost feels bad that she feels the need to apologize for her own fiance’s behavior. 

“It’s fine, really. I’m well aware my name isn’t normal,” he says with a smile. She seems to ease up a bit, her shoulder’s relaxing and her smile looking more sincere. 

“While George is gone, I just want you to know how happy I am that you’re in his life,” she tells him, reaching her hand out to rest on his arm. There’s a slight pang in his chest, but he smiles nonetheless. 

“I’m happy he’s allowed me to be in his life,” he responds. And it’s true, of course, even if it’s not exactly in the way he wants. But Charlotte doesn’t need to know that. Nobody really needs to know that– not even George. 

“You know, when we were kids, George was always so closed off. He had friends, of course, but he never really let anyone in. I always thought he’d grow up to be one of those grumpy old men who’s spent their life all alone,” Charlotte starts, laughing lightly. “And when I got engaged, I felt so guilty because he’s my older brother and he should’ve been the first one. But then mum told me about you! And oh, I was just so happy to hear that-”

She means well. Dream knows she means well. But he also feels an intense anger wash over him at her words. Hearing someone speak so lowly of George has always brought out Dream’s protective side– and hearing it come from George’s own sister only made it worse. 

“-I’m just so happy he’s not alone for once,” she continues, her smile still sickly sweet. Dream forces a smile of his own. 

“I’m glad you care so much for his happiness,” is all Dream says. If she senses his sarcasm, she doesn’t show it, which he’s grateful for. He doesn’t want to start a fight as soon as he meets George’s family, despite his need to protect George at all costs. She just smiles at him, and thankfully the sound of a car honking outside saves the conversation from continuing. “Oh, that’s my cue to leave. I’m so glad to have finally met you, Dream.”

“Nice meeting you too, Charlotte,’ he responds with a smile of his own. She pulls him in for yet another hug, and Dream realizes he’ll have to get used to how touchy and affectionate this family seems to be. 

George reappears as Charlotte wanders off to bid the others goodbye, his smile widening as he approaches Dream to stand in front of him. His voice is quiet when he speaks, as though it’s only meant for Dream at that moment. “Hey there.”

Dream smiles softly at him, heart skipping a beat when George takes his hand again. “Hey.”

“So, there’s only one guest room, so we’ll have to share if that’s alright.”

It’s not a new thing, sharing a bed with George. They’ve done it countless times before, and it never really meant anything. So why is Dream’s heart racing at the thought of sleeping in a bed next to George, in George’s childhood home, while pretending to fake date him? 

Right.

“Of course it’s alright,” he tells him, once again ignoring the slight panic rising in his chest. George just keeps smiling at him, threading their fingers together with a slight nod.

“Let’s go to bed then,” George says, and it sounds so domestic that Dream could cry. 

“Shouldn’t we say goodnight?” Dream asks when George pulls him towards the stairs.

“No, my mum will just drag us into another conversation. We’ll see them in the morning,” George tells him, guiding him up the stairs. “Besides, I’ve put you through enough torture already today.”

He agrees, but he doesn’t voice it of course. Instead, he lets George drag him into a bedroom where their bags are already set on the floor, letting him close the door behind them. It’s the first time they’ve been alone since arriving, and the first bit of quiet he’s had since George dropped that bombshell on him on the doorstep. Normally Dream handled the quiet well, but right now it feels almost suffocating, the weight of their entire situation sitting on his lungs. He knows they need to talk, that they should’ve talked a while ago. But now that the moment has arrived, Dream is terrified. 

He quickly busies himself by leaning down to pick up his discarded bag, zipping it open. He’s vaguely aware of George’s lingering presence standing by the door, only his feet visible in Dream’s line of view. He’s not moving, and Dream can almost hear his thoughts turning in his head as he likely debates saying something to break the silence, his feet shuffling slightly.

Dream braces himself for the impact. 

“Dream, are you okay? You’ve been weird since we got here?” George asks finally. Of course it’s the first thing he asks, considering how their last conversation alone didn’t exactly reach a conclusion. And Dream has to pause, because he hadn’t given it much thought until now. Yesterday, he genuinely thought he was in a relationship with the love of his life, and he was ecstatic about it. Now, he found out the relationship is not at all what he thought it was, and everything he once thought real is now fake. Maybe he’s not okay. Maybe he shouldn’t go through with this.

He could use this as an opportunity to get out. He could tell George that no, he is not okay and maybe this was a bad idea. He could save himself from this whole thing, and just go home and pretend it never even happened.

But then he remembers every time a conversation with George’s mom left him upset, and every time he had to comfort George because of it. He remembers the conversation he just had with Charlotte, and how little she seemed to believe in him. He remembers when George opened up about being scared of being alone. He remembers telling him there was nothing wrong with him, and that they’d always be together. He remembers the smile on George’s face when he first agreed to come to Christmas with him, how happy he was to have some pressure eased off of him.

He’d do anything to see that smile again. He’d do anything for George’s happiness. 

“I’m fine,” Dream breathes out, dropping his tense shoulders. He glances towards George, finally looking into his dark, worried eyes as he leans against the door. “I’m fine, sorry. Just kind of overwhelmed I guess.”

George watches him for a bit longer, eyes flicking across his face. Dream keeps his face as neutral as possible, silently begging his eyes to not give anything away. George seems satisfied, though, slowly making his way towards the bed and sitting down.

“I know my family can be a bit much. I should’ve told you they're an affectionate bunch, and I wish I could’ve warned you about Mark. I genuinely didn’t know my sister was marrying a prick.” George scoffs, bringing his knees up to his chest. Dream finally gets up from where he sat next to his bag, joining George on the bed. He keeps his distance, sitting closer to the pillows, but angles his body to face him. 

“He is a prick. Poor Lottie had to apologize for him,” Dream tells him, an amused smirk playing on his lips. George looks at him, eyebrows raised in disbelief before he laughs lightly, shaking his head. 

“I think he’s jealous of you. You’re clearly everything he wishes to be.” 

“Oh, come on,” Dream laughs, leaning back against the pillows. George is smiling again, resting his chin atop his knee as he watches Dream.

“I’m serious. You’re taller, you’re more muscular, and objectively more attractive,” George tells him, grinning wide as Dream shakes his head. “You already won my parents over before even meeting them, you’re more successful than him, and you’re obviously just nicer and…just better.”

Dream knows his face is bright red by now. Normally he loves to bask in any compliment he gets, but they’re such a rarity from George that it affects him ten times more than usual. “Stop flattering me, I’m already here with you.”

George laughs at his bashfulness, letting go of his knees and resting a hand on Dream’s shin, looking up at him with a smile. “I know, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.”

Dream bites at the inside of his cheek but forces a small smile, dropping his eyes to his lap to break the intense eye contact coming from George. He clears his throat, swinging his legs over the side of his bed and standing up, glancing back at the other man. “You’re starting to get sappy, we should get you to bed.

He laughs again, but agrees, pointing Dream towards the bathroom to get ready. He makes sure to grab his toiletry bag from his luggage on the way. As soon as the door to the bathroom closes behind him, he lets out a deep sigh, leaning back against the door. It’s the first time he’s been alone, the first time he’s been able to collect his thoughts. But as the thoughts start to pour in, he quickly turns the sink on and splashes his face with the cold water, snapping himself out of it. He doesn’t want to think, he doesn’t need to think anymore. He’s made up his mind. He’s doing this for George, and everything will be fine. At the end of the day, they’re best friends and they’ve been best friends for years. Nothing could change that, not even a simple misunderstanding.

He cleans himself up, washing away the rest of his self destructive thoughts and brushing away any confessions sitting on his tongue. He’ll be fine. He’ll get through this.

They’ll get through this together, as they always do.

“You were gone for a while.”

George’s voice drags him out of his thoughts as he re-enters the bedroom. Dream looks up, finding George standing in the middle of the room. He’s changed, discarding his jeans and crew neck onto the floor and opting for more comfortable clothes instead. He’s holding his own toiletry bag and the covers on the bed have been pulled back, ready to crawl into. For both of them to crawl into. 

Those self destructive thoughts are begging to come back.

“We were on a plane for hours, George. If you don’t take a while in the bathroom I’m not letting you near me,” he mutters, shaking away his thoughts as he places his bag on the dresser. George just laughs, nudging him in the shoulder as he moves past him towards the door, unbeknownst to the shiver it sends through Dream’s entire body.

He changes quickly into more comfortable clothes of his own, dressing more modestly than he would if he was on his own. He’s already freezing as he makes his way into bed, leaving the right side open for George (his favorite), and bringing the covers up to his chin. 

George returns sooner than expected, turning off the light as he does. He’s quiet, and Dream holds his breath until he feels the bed dip, keeping his eyes closed. The silence is thick, suffocating Dream as he feels every shift in the bed as George settles down. Their hands brush together as George adjusts his pillow, sending a shiver down Dream’s spine. His eyes snap open, finding George much closer than he expected. Too close.

“I thought you were sleeping already,” George whispers as he meets his eyes, a small smile on his lips. Dream shakes his head, burying the side of his face further into his pillow and drawing the blankets even tighter around him. 

“It’s too cold. And you know I can’t fall asleep easily in new places,” Dream mutters, letting his eyes close again. 

“We can talk until you fall asleep. I know that sometimes helps you,” George says quietly, shifting on the bed again. Dream’s chest definitely doesn’t tighten at all, and he nods, keeping his eyes closed. 

“Only if you’re not too tired.”

“Never too tired for you. And we should probably talk about the next few days anyways,” George responds, and the sound of it absolutely terrifies Dream. He doesn’t say that, though, and just settles into his pillow, opening his eyes to look at George again. He looks thoughtful, already staring right back at Dream, and smiles slightly as their eyes meet. “Were you…okay with everything today?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, like, everything we did. Like, holding hands and just being close, I guess.” He sounds tentative, eyes shifting away from Dream’s stare. It’s rare seeing George like this, and Dream can’t help but find it almost endearing. 

“I was fine with it. I am fine with it. We’re normally affectionate, anyways,” Dream assures him. He watches as George lifts his eyes again, though they remain distant even as he nods slowly. 

“What about other stuff? In case it comes up?”

It’s Dream’s turn to hesitate now, his heart stuttering in his chest slightly. “Like what?”

George looks nervous, clearing his throat and leaning back slightly. “Well, my parents normally have a gathering on Christmas Eve, and my mum has always been a fan of mistletoe. Not saying we’ll end up under it but just in case, you know?”

Kissing. George is talking about kissing. Kissing George, who Dream is in love with. George, who doesn’t know that Dream is in love with him. Nothing could go wrong with this. 

“I guess it’d be fine, if the situation arises,” he manages to get out, voice slightly strained. George studies him for a moment before a soft smile spreads across his lips. 

“I can also see you and Mark getting into a ‘my horse is better than your horse’ thing, so I just wanted you to know I’m comfortable with whatever too. Anything to humble that prick,” George adds, laughing softly. 

“What, you wanna make out in front of your family to stick it to him?” Dream jokes, smirking at him. George laughs again, and Dream thinks he can see his face turning red, even in the darkness. 

“Yeah, show him you’re man enough to do it. Alpha male style,” George retorts, and it’s what sends Dream over the edge, laughing into his pillow. George laughs with him, and it feels normal. It feels right. 

Maybe Dream can get through this. Maybe Dream was overreacting. Because it’s George, his George, and they’re best friends. They’ll be fine. 

Hopefully.

Chapter Text

Dream didn’t even notice himself drifting off to one of George’s childhood stories until he wakes up again to a brighter room. There’s a brief, disorientating moment where Dream forgets where he is, but then his eyes land on George’s peaceful face, only inches away from his own, and he thinks oh, right.

They moved closer in their sleep, George’s fingers resting gently on Dream’s. He’s warm, warmer than he was last night, and he thinks it partly to do with George’s presence. It’s a nice feeling, waking up next to someone. But it’s not a feeling Dream will let himself get used to. 

He shifts onto his back, sliding his hand out from under George’s as he reaches for his phone. It’s still morning, but Dream can hear voices and the rattling of pans coming from downstairs. 

He goes through the few notifications he has: a few texts from his friends and family wishing him a good trip, including a suggestive text from Sapnap that he doesn’t have the energy to correct right now.

“Why are you glaring at your phone like that?”

Dream hadn’t even realized George had woken up, his voice startling him enough that he almost drops the phone on his face. He turns his head, finding George in the same exact position as before, but watching him through sleepy eyes. He smiles slightly when Dream’s eyes finally find him.

“Just Sap being an idiot,” Dream tells him, setting his phone back down on the nightstand beside him. He turns back onto his side, facing George, but keeping more distance between them than when they woke up. “How’d you sleep?”

“Could sleep longer, really,” George sighs, turning his face into the pillow. Dream smiles to himself as he watches him, unable to resist reaching his hand out to brush George’s hair out of his face. George doesn’t seem to mind, almost leaning into the touch as he lifts his head again, looking up at Dream with a soft smile. “Ready for today?”

Dream laughs lightly, dropping his hand back onto the bed. “Depends, what are we doing?”

“Well, the party is tonight. And my parents usually go to midnight mass, which we can obviously skip. But the rest of the day is ours,” George tells him. “There’s a good chance my mum forgot something so I might have to run down to the shop at some point. Could show you around a bit, too.”

“That sounds fun,” Dream answers with a smile. “I’d love to see where you grew up.”

–

A few hours later, it’s exactly as George predicted. His mom was already frantic about forgetting a few ingredients for the party, while his dad tried to convince her they had enough food. George of course offered him and Dream to head down to the shop around the corner, to which she thanked them profusely with tight hugs and kisses on their cheeks. 

“Does she forget things on purpose because she knows you'll offer to go to the store?” Dream asks as they walk out the front door, bundled up in sweatpants and winter jackets. George laughs, slipping his last glove onto his hand as he leads them down the pathway.

“Oh, of course she does. It’s actually a Christmas tradition,” George laughs, his hand falling to his side. Dream almost expects him to take his hand as they walk, but he shakes the thought away as soon as it comes to him. “Luckily these are the easiest items yet so we don’t need to go too far to get them.”

They walk together down the sidewalk, the streets fairly quiet for the afternoon. It’s cold, and Dream resorts to stuffing his cold hands into the pockets of his coat. The air falls quiet between them, both of them just enjoying the fresh air, until they turn the corner to their destination. He stands back as George opens the door to the shop, opening the door and letting Dream enter first. Muttering a quiet thanks, Dream steps inside, instantly met with warm air and the faint sound of Christmas music playing over the speakers. A bell dings as the door closes behind George, and the worker behind the counter gives them a bored look. 

“Wanna get hot chocolate after this? I used to go to this one place every Christmas morning, so they should be open,” George asks from behind him as he walks down an aisle. He glances over his shoulder, stopping as George pauses to look at one of the shelves.

“Yeah, that sounds nice,” he answers, moving to stand behind him and peer over his shoulder. George throws a quick smile his way, grabbing a box of crackers off of the shelf. 

“I’m getting you some classic British snacks to try, too. Just so you can laugh and say how much worse it is here,” George tells him. Dream laughs, snatching the box from him to hold as George reaches for something else.

“You know me so well.”

They grab the remaining things on the list, checking out quickly so as to not bother the cashier too much, and retreat back out into the cold. They each have a bag in their hand as they stop outside the door, Dream looking towards George for direction. He smiles, gently nudging Dream’s forearm with his fingers to lead him in a direction. They walk, and George’s fingers slide down slower than they probably should, brushing against the fabric of Dream’s gloves. He could reach out, he wants to reach out and grab ahold of George’s hand. But he refrains, flexing his fingers as the contact fades away.

“So who’ll be at the party?” Dream asks after a few moments of silence. They’ve walked past a few shops and houses, seeing a few more people wandering the streets. There’s a group of carolers in the distance, and a dust of snow has started to fall from the sky, barely sticking to their shoulders.

“Some friends of my parents, some extended family, grandparents, neighbors…nothing too crazy,” George shrugs. Someone passes them on the sidewalk and Dream moves out of the way to let them pass, bumping into George’s side. “If it’s too much we can just sneak off. I doubt anyone would question it.”

“And miss out on my competition with Mark? I’d never,” Dream jokes, grinning down at George. It earns him a laugh in return, George playfully nudging him with his elbow.

“I bet Mark would never sneak off from a party to make out,” George grins, and Dream nearly chokes on his own spit.

“George, that’s your sister you’re talking about!” 

“Well, it wasn’t weird until you mentioned it!” George tries to defend himself, but his smile is too wide to take seriously. Dream just laughs, and George joins in, unable to contain it any longer.

“You are such an idiot,” Dream manages out through a wheeze. He halts his footsteps as George grabs onto his wrist, stopping them in front of a small shop. His laughs are dying down, but his grin is wide as he looks up at Dream. There’s a brief moment where Dream’s gaze lands on George’s lips, and he almost gets lost in how pink they stand against his pale skin. He physically needs to shake himself out of the trance, trailing his gaze to the storefront behind George’s shoulder, clearing his throat awkwardly. “This our stop?”

He’s staring at the door so he misses George faltering, only noticing as he drops his wrist and turns around to face where he’s looking. “Yeah, this is the place.”

He opens the door for them again, letting Dream in first, and it’s a similar sight to that of the shop from earlier. It smells of baked goods, made evident by the display case situated at the counter. It’s a small place, but it’s cozy, and Dream could see the appeal of coming here every year.

He didn’t even notice when George approached the counter, already placing their order. Dream walks up behind him, ready to place his card on the counter to pay when George’s hand falls on top of his, stopping him. “Don’t you dare.”

Dream’s brow furrows as he looks toward him, frowning slightly. “You’ve bought enough, let me get this one.”

“I already told you, you’re doing this huge thing for me already. The least I can do is spend a little money on you while you’re here,” George argues. The lady behind the counter returns with their two drinks, and George rushes to hand her his own card before Dream can, smiling triumphantly as she swipes it in the reader. 

“You’re an idiot,” Dream whispers in his ear, sliding his wallet back into his pocket. George grins wide, taking the card back from the worker and nudging Dream’s drink in his direction. 

“You two are very cute together. Hope you have a great Christmas,” the worker tells them before they walk away. Dream notices George’s face turn a light pink as he glances up at Dream, but he’s still smiling. Dream smiles just as wide, turning to look at the cashier who’s watching them with a smile of her own.

“Thank you. Merry Christmas to you, too,” he tells her. He nudges the small of George’s back with the hand holding the bag of groceries, guiding George back towards the door. His face is still red, burying into the collar of his coat as they emerge back into the cold. If Dream looks hard enough, though, he can see the smile he’s hiding as well.

“How’s your cocoa?” George asks after a few minutes of walking in silence. Dream, frankly, had been too distracted to remember the drink he was holding, so he quickly takes a sip. He regrets it immediately.

“Ah, fuck that’s hot,” Dream hisses. George laughs, and his shoulder is bumping into Dream’s arm. 

“You’re an idiot. Don’t injure yourself just to get out of the party tonight,” he quips. Dream smirks slightly, nudging his shoulder back.

“I’d never. Can't risk burning my tongue right before we make out to annoy Mark.”

It was a bad time to make the joke, because George just so happens to be taking a sip of his hot chocolate at the same time. Which means he’s now spitting it out of his mouth, choking on whatever remains as he chokes out a laugh. 

“George!” Dream laughs, stopping in his tracks. He shifts his cup to the hand that’s still holding the bag, reaching out to pat George’s back as he breaks into a fit of coughs.

“You’re going to kill me,” George manages to get out between coughs. Dream bites his lip in an attempt to hold back a laugh, slipping his hand down as the coughs subside.

“I’ll try to be less funny then,” he tells him. He’s about to switch his cup into his free hand again when George grabs ahold of it, lacing their fingers together. Dream’s breath hitches slightly, glancing down at their joined hands before looking up to meet George’s eyes. He’s smiling up at him, cheeks flushed pink. He hadn’t even noticed they’d reached George’s house, smiling down at him and squeezing his hand. “You’ve made a mess of yourself.”

“Yeah, thanks to you,” George scoffs, glancing down at his chest. There’s a bit of hot chocolate splashed onto his coat, and Dream wishes he could reach out and help him.

“Should get you cleaned up, then.”

“Probably should,” George answers. And yet neither of them make a move to go inside, just smiling at each other. There’s a voice inside of Dream telling him to make a move, to just lean in and seal the deal. He’s so close to listening to it when George speaks up again. “My mum was watching through the curtains so I thought we should play it up a little.”

And just like that, Dream’s hope shatters. His grip on George’s hand slips slightly, but he keeps his smile no matter how painful it is. 

“We can probably go in now, though. Maybe nap before getting ready for the party,” George continues. Dream just nods mutely, letting George tug on his hand to lead him up the pathway to the door. They’re immediately greeted by the smell of food cooking in the kitchen, George’s mother shouting at them over the Christmas music she has playing.

“Georgie, bring those things in here, would ya?” She calls out. George looks up at Dream, giving his hand one last squeeze before letting go of his hand. He leads him into the kitchen, Dream following quietly behind him. The room is full of various pots and pans scattered across the counters, barely a bare spot in sight. Alice is currently digging something out of the fridge, her head popping out from behind the door to look at them. “Thank you, boys. Just put them down wherever.”

They do just that, finding an empty spot near the sink to set the bags down as she closes the fridge door. She smiles at them gratefully before practically pushing them out of the way. 

“Do you need anything else, mum?” George asks as they edge closer to the door. He throws a glance towards Dream, but he avoids eye contact at all costs, staring right at his mother and awaiting her answers, fingers twitching impatiently at his side.

“Oh no, you’ve done enough. Go enjoy your time together, I’ll be fine,” she responds before waving them off and getting back to her work. Dream is the first to leave the room, heading straight for the stairs. A hand grabbing his arm stops him before he can get too far, and he finds a concerned looking George as he glances over his shoulder.

“Hey, you okay?” He asks tentatively. He leaves his hand where it is, and the look on his face makes it hard for Dream to lie to him. But alas, he dug his own grave.

“Yeah, I just think the jet-lag is hitting me. That nap you mentioned sounds pretty good right now,” Dream tells him. It’s concerning how easy it’s getting to lie to George, and the small smile that spreads across his face sends a sharp pain to Dream’s heart. 

“Let’s do that, then. We can put something on the tv and just relax until the party,” George answers. Dream nods in response, waiting until George drops his wrist before walking up the remainder of the stairs and into their share room. He drops the bag of treats the bought onto the dresser along with his cup, pulling his arms out of the sleeves of his coat. George wanders in after him, closing the door and going through the same motions as him.

George lingers by the dresser as Dream takes his drink to the bedside table, crawling under the covers as soon as he can. He receives a laugh from George who’s watching him with a smile, shaking his head slightly at his bundled up self.

“You’re really that cold?” He asks, walking over to sit on the bed.

“I’m from Florida, George. I’m not used to winter,” Dream retorts, curling in on himself. George laughs again, tossing the covers back to allow him to get under them as well, sitting back against the pillows.

“Want me to put something on?” He asks, grabbing the remote from his nightstand.

“Sure, whatever you want,” Dream mutters, closing his eyes and he pushes his face further into his pillow. He hears the click of the tv turning on, George pressing a few buttons now and then. He doesn’t care what movie George finally puts on, the volume being turned down as the happy tune of the opening credits blasts through the speakers. He doesn’t care as a narrator starts talking, or as he feels the remote being dropped onto the bed. He does care, however, when he feels the hesitant touch of gentle fingers carding through his hair. He stiffens slightly, keeping his eyes closed as every panicky thought runs through his mind. Alarm bells are ringing, telling him he shouldn’t find this comforting and he shouldn’t be letting it happen. He doesn’t listen of course, only settles closer into the touch, letting it be the only thing consuming him and lulling him to rest. It’s pleasant, and it’s something Dream can see himself getting used to, but he pushes away that thought for now— he simply lets it happen.

—

The party is more crowded than expected. The living room is filled to the brim with people chatting and drinking, and the kitchen counters are covered in the beautiful food that Alice made. Dream’s family was never one to have lavish Christmas parties growing up, but he has to say this is quite nice.

“So who was the one who made the first move?” One of George’s aunts is asking them. So far they’ve been hounded by almost everyone there, asking questions about their relationship and gushing over how cute they are. George has done most of the talking since he actually knows the people asking, but once in a while Dream will tap in with an answer of his own. 

“Oh, it was Dream actually. It was a long time coming, honestly, but one night it just…happened,” George tells her, smiling up at Dream. “I’ve never seen him more confident than when he burst into my room and asked me on a date.”

Dream laughs to himself, reaching down to grab his hand before turning to the aunt. “He makes it sound so easy, when really I was chasing this guy down for months and he had zero clue.”

It’s painful how on the nose their fake story is, and yet how it could not be further from the truth at the same time. Dream’s been in love with George for years but can never imagine himself making the first move. You’d think he just loves to torture himself. 

“You two are adorable. I’m so glad you could join us, Dream,” the aunt smiles at him. George leans his head onto Dream’s shoulder, squeezing his hand.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Dream answers with a smile of his own, glancing down at George. He notices the woman make her leave, but George keeps his head in the same position as he looks out at the room. Dream can’t resist the urge to lean down and press a kiss to the top of his head, lingering for a moment. As he starts to pull away, he swears he feels George start to lean into the touch. He tips his head up as Dream pulls back, their eyes connecting. Dream hesitates, looking down into George’s eyes and nearly getting lost. George’s lips part and he almost looks like he wants to say something, but a different voice sounds from in front of them, interrupting the moment.

“Now why are you two all holed up in a corner? You haven’t even got any drinks!”

They both turn their heads to find Charlotte standing in front of them with her hands on her hips. Her face screams disappointment, but Dream can see the twinge of amusement in her eyes.

“Oh, Dream doesn’t drink,” George answers for him. Dream smiles slightly to himself, immediately trying to hide it when Charlotte's eyes flick towards him.

“Well that’s fine, but you can still have some champagne can’t you, Georgie?” She asks. George doesn’t even get a chance to answer before she’s grabbing his arm, dragging him towards the kitchen. Dream stumbles a little as George tugs on their still connected hands, following closely behind. He frees his hand to ease the awkward positioning, but stays following them for the short distance through the crowd. The kitchen is more empty than the rest of the house, with just a few people lingering close to the door. 

“Dream I think mum got some sparkling cider if you wanted some of that,” Charlotte mentions as she rounds the counter to where the drinks are. 

“Oh, no I’m fine. Thank you, though,” Dream answers, sidling up beside George who smiles softly at him. Charlotte busies herself with pouring the glasses of champagne as George stares up at Dream, reaching out after a moment to pick at the collar of his sweater. Dream follows his movement, looking down at George’s fingers daintily picking at a piece of fuzz. He lifts it up for Dream to see, smiling slightly as he brushes it off his fingers, looking back up into his eyes. 

“Can’t have you looking like a mess,” he smirks, and Dream can’t get over how oddly intimate this moment is, standing up against the counter of a quiet room, with gentle touches and soft whispers and-

“Oh, look at you two! It makes me so happy to see you two together,” another voice interrupts them, Dream instantly recognizing George’s mother's voice. He’s certain his face is flushed as he turns slightly to look at her, George doing the exact same. “Oh, I didn’t mean to interrupt, I’m just so happy we can all be here together.”

“Mum’s certainly had some champagne tonight,” Charlotte mutters to them, sliding George a glass of his own. It wasn’t meant for Alice to hear, but the scolding look she gives Charlotte says otherwise.

“Oh, Charlotte, I’m only having fun. I’ve heard so much about Dream so it’s just incredible to finally meet him!” She exclaims with a wide smile in Dream’s direction. Dream’s smile is genuine, a curious eyebrow quirking up at the implication of her words. He looks down at George, his grin morphing into a smug smirk as he speaks.

“Aw, babe, you talk about me?” He asks. His grin widens as George’s face turns a dark pink, which he tries to cover up by rolling his eyes. 

“I’m starting to regret that now. Your ego is big enough,” George mutters, taking a sip of his champagne. Dream laughs lightly to himself, leaning down to press a brief kiss to the top of George’s head again. 

“Don’t worry, babe. I’m flattered,” Dream whispers, but he knows it’s loud enough for the others to hear. He thinks he hears a quiet ‘awe’ coming from Alice’s direction, and George’s face is still flushed as ever, despite the small smile tugging at his lips. 

“You two are just the sweetest,” Alice coos. She reaches out to touch George’s arm, looking knowingly at him before speaking again. “You made quite the catch here, George.”

George’s face gets even more red, but he smiles nonetheless, briefly meeting Dream’s eyes. “Yeah, I know I have.”

Alice smiles, leaning back again with a small nod. “Don’t let him get away either.”

Dream’s heart is clenching tight as George just nods mutely. He still has a smile on his face as he turns to look back up at Dream, his mother making her leave from the room. He’s vaguely aware of Charlotte still lingering around, but that doesn’t matter as George stares at him with that unreadable twinkle in his eyes. 

“I think my mom has a crush on you,” George says suddenly, laughing slightly. 

“I mean, can you blame her?” Dream asks with a smirk, motioning at himself. He expects George to laugh along with him, but instead he eyes him up and down, slowly dragging his eyes across Dream’s body. When they eventually meet Dream’s eyes, he looks just as smug as Dream does, moving the slightest bit closer. 

“I think she has good taste,” is all he says, but it’s enough to almost send Dream into cardiac arrest. His heart is beating fast enough to burst out of his chest, and his entire body suddenly feels warm as George’s eyes glance him up and down again. He’s too close. Any closer and Dream might not be able to handle what would happen next. 

“As much as I'd love to stay here and flirt with you, there’s probably more people we should talk to,” Dream tells him, swallowing the lump in his throat. George doesn’t seem disappointed, his face not wavering as he leans back with a nod and a sip of his drink. Dream’s fingers drum against the counter nervously before he makes the decision to just take George’s hand, leading him out of the kitchen. They pass through the hallway, nearly making it to the living room when Charlotte calls out from behind them once more. 

“Look! Mistletoe!” 

Both Dream and George stop in their tracks, Dream squeezing his hand as he looks up. Sure enough, the cursed plant hangs above their heads, mocking Dream’s every fear. He stares for a bit too long as he tries to keep his composure, slowly tilting his head down to look at George who’s already staring up at him. His eyes are questioning, glancing briefly towards Dream’s lips and back up again. Permission, of course. Permission to kiss his fake date. 

Dream’s heart is racing as he minutely notes his head, squeezing his hand once again. George gives him a soft smile that he assumes is supposed to be reassuring before he tilts his chin up, leaning closer to Dream. Dream leans down to meet him halfway, and within seconds he’s feeling the soft brush of George’s lips against him. It’s gentle, not at all pushing for more, and it’s over before Dream can even decipher how he feels about it. He makes sure to smile as it’s done even though his legs feel like collapsing in on themselves. 

“Okay, lovebirds, enough of that,” Charlotte calls out to them with a laugh. George’s face is red as he looks up at Dream, laughing almost nervously. Dream impulsively leans down to press a quick but gentle kiss to George’s forehead, giving his hand a squeeze. Charlotte has disappeared now, leaving only the two of them standing awkwardly below the mistletoe, neither of them saying a word.

They’re drawn out of their stupor by a cold gust of wind blowing through the now opened front door, a few guests filtering out and saying their goodbyes. Dream turns his head to watch for a moment, but out of the corner of his eyes he sees George down the rest of his drink and let go of Dream’s hand. He doesn’t question it, doesn’t want to know what he might’ve done wrong.

Dream is starting to think his life motto should be ‘ignorance is bliss’.

“I’m going to get another drink,” George says when the silence lasts for too long, the front door finally closed again. “I’ll meet you in there, yeah?”

“Sure, yeah,” Dream answers, clearing his throat. George gives him a tight lipped smile before walking back into the kitchen. Dream suddenly feels bare without George at his side, hand twitching slightly without the grounding essence of George. Nonetheless, he takes a deep breath and wanders back into the living room to mingle. The crowd has thinned out a bit, but it’s still lively enough for Dream to feel incredibly out of place. 

He searches the crowd for a familiar face he can approach, hoping for Charlotte or Alice or even Harry. And yet the first person he makes eye contact with, the first person that actually approaches him is none other than Mark.

“I’m told you guys are skipping out on Mass tonight? Why’s that?” He asks, because of course he does. Dream laughs awkwardly, shifting on his feet as he shrugs his shoulders.

“I don’t know, George and I just don’t do that kind of thing,” Dream tells him. It really is as simple as that, and no one else has had a problem with it so far.

“Probably because you’re new blood, right? Gotta make good with the new guys,” Mark jokes, or at least Dream assumes it’s a joke. Dream forces a small laugh either way.

“I wouldn’t say I’m new, exactly. I’ve talked to George’s parents plenty of times over the years. We’ve known each other for a long time,” Dream attempts to explain. He glances towards the door, impatiently waiting for George to join him again, but each time it appears empty.

“Oh right, you guys met online right? That must’ve been terrifying to meet in real life then, huh?”

“I wouldn’t say terrifying-“

“What if one of you was a catfish or something?”

Dream has to suppress his eye roll, keeping his face as straight as possible. “I mean, we FaceTimed a lot. I knew who he was.”

“And then living with the guy too? You’ve got to be a complete psychopath to do that.”

“Maybe we are psychopaths, but it seemed to work out pretty well for us, didn’t it?” George’s voice cuts into the conversation, appearing with a new drink in hand. He smiles up at Dream as he leans into his side, and Dream gives him a grateful smile in return. 

“You’re my psychopath,” Dream jokes, wrapping his arm around George’s waist. He laughs, leaning his head on Dream’s shoulder and looking back at Mark.

“I think Charlotte was planning on leaving early for mass so you might want to go find her. Last I saw she was looking for you,” he tells the man, a slight smirk on his lips. Mark’s smile is tight as he nods before walking off to find his fiancé. There’s a brief pause before both Dream and George burst out laughing, George giggling into his champagne glass and Dream trying to muffle his laughs with his hand.

“Why is he so obsessed with starting arguments with me?” Dream asks through a laugh. George shakes his head, looking up at him with bright eyes.

“Maybe he also has a crush on you,” he teases, poking Dream in the chest.

“Are you saying your whole family has a crush on me?”

“Yes.” George’s answer comes without hesitation, his face completely straight as he stares Dream down. Dream looks back down at him, blinking slowly and trying to gauge George’s reaction, but then George is smiling wide again. “You’re such an idiot.”

“Yeah, your idiot,” Dream teases, but he knows his cheeks are flushed. George’s bites down on his bottom lip despite his smile, glancing down briefly. Dream’s arm is loose around George’s waist, but he slides his hand around to rest on his hip as George angles his body closer. 

“I think everyone’s going to leave soon. We can watch a movie or something in bed,” George whispers, taking a sip of his drink. Dream’s eyes follow the moment, and he realizes just how close they are now. 

“Am I going to get to see drunk George tonight?” He asks quietly, the corners of his lips turning up slightly. George let’s out a quiet laugh, shaking his head as he puts his glass back down. 

“No, it’s only my second one. Tipsy, if anything,” he answers. Dream smiles at him, finally dropping his hand back to his own side, but keeping their close proximity. George glances down at his hand, and Dream almost thinks he sees a ghost of a frown on his face.

“Think we can afford to sneak off now?” Dream asks, glancing over George’s shoulder at the gradually emptying room. George hums quietly, glancing around.

“I think we can actually. Looks like everyone’s leaving,” he tells him. With one last sip to finish his drink, he takes Dream’s hand and walks them out of the room with a determined gait. Before they even leave the room, however, they’re stopped by George’s mother putting on her coat.

“I hope you boys are alright with us leaving you,” she says sadly. There’s an elderly couple chattering on their way out the door, the cold air blowing into the hallway. Dream can see the snow falling outside, picking up slightly since he last looked outside. 

“Don’t worry about us. We’ll just see you in the morning,” George tells her. She smiles at them once her coat is on, and then she’s stepping forward to pull them both into a hug. 

“Alright then. Don’t worry about any of the cleaning either, you just rest,” she tells them, pulling back. Dream sees George’s dad appear in the hallway, already clad in his winter coat. His eyes fall on them and a grin spreads across his face, waving his gloved hand at them.

“Come on, Alice, the car is waiting!” He tells her. She rolls her eyes but turns toward him while his eyes fall on Dream and George. “You boys have fun here.”

“We will,” George grins, waving them out the door. It’s jarring how quiet it is when the door closes shut, a stark difference from the past few hours. It’s nice, and peaceful, but it also makes Dream realize just how tired he is.

“Wanna go watch something?” He asks, turning to look at George again. He finds his eyes already on him, gazing up at him with a soft smile. He just nods slowly, squeezing the hand he’s remained holding. Dream turns around to start for the stairs, but a hand is tugging on his arm, causing him to stop in his tracks.

“Wait,” George mutters behind him. Dream turns around slowly, looking at him in confusion. He’s about to ask what’s wrong when George just points up with his free hand, his smile wider than before. Dream slowly drags his eyes in the direction he’s pointing, unsure, and let’s them fall onto that same green plant from earlier. “Mistletoe.”

George almost sounds too excited to be saying it, still grinning when Dream looks back down at him. He’s confused, to say the least, because they’re alone . There’s no reason for George to even mention it if there’s no one there to pressure them into it. 

And it’s even more confusing when George brings his free hand to caress Dream’s cheek, pulling him into what is probably the sweetest kiss he’s ever had. It’s more firm than the last one, but just as gentle. He can taste the faintest bit of champagne lingering on George’s lips, and he lets his hand fall to George’s hip to steady him as he pulls himself closer to Dream. The kiss lasts longer than before, letting the full weight of it crash down on Dream. George’s lips are the best thing he’s ever tasted, and he wants to taste them forever. But all good things come to an end, because George is pulling back soon enough. Dream wants to chase after him, pull him in for another kiss to last a lifetime. But instead they smile at each other, Dream struggling to catch his breath as a light pink blush dusts over George’s cheeks. It’s mesmerizing, and Dream can feel himself falling towards his doom.

“Let’s go to bed,” George whispers, as if nothing ever happened. And maybe it didn’t. Maybe this whole thing is some elaborate fantasy that Dream has found himself in.

If this is a dream, he’s not sure he ever wants to wake up.

Chapter Text

Being in love with George is a lot like diving headfirst into a frozen pond. The idea of it is thrilling, and everyone else tells you how great of an idea it will be, and how fun it will be. It’s scary at first, and it takes some time to work up the courage to jump. And once you do, once you dive in, it’s an adrenaline rush. You don’t feel the impact, at first, and there’s a moment of clarity as you look through the clear, icy water, where you’re able to see miles ahead of you, and nothing seems like it can go wrong

But then you feel it, that rush of freezing water. It sinks into your bones and you’re scared you’ll never move again. The water turns dark the deeper you sink, weighing you down and forcing you under. The clarity is gone, and you’re not sure you’ll ever find it again. You’re stuck.

Being in love with someone who doesn’t love you back is the worst decision someone could ever make. And yet Dream can never bring himself out of it.

He splashes water on his face to rid himself of unwanted thoughts that have been plaguing him since he woke up in George’s arms. It was an impulse decision last night, and George was the one who offered. Who was Dream to say no. 

“Why are you bundled up like that? I can’t even see you,” George laughed when he entered the room after getting ready for bed. Dream, having gotten ready before him, was curled up under the blankets in a similar position as last night, bringing the comforter all the way up to his chin and holding it tight against him.

“It’s freezing, George! It’s literally snowing outside,” Dream says as George crawls into the other side of the bed, exasperated. George laughs again, turning onto his side so he’s facing Dream, pulling the covers up to his shoulder. It slips slightly as he reaches his hand out, finding Dream’s where it’s clutching the blanket. He pries Dream’s fingers off to take them into his own, bringing them closer to his chest.

“Come closer, then. We can keep each other warm.”

Dream hesitates, grateful for the darkness that hides his flush. He waits for George to laugh and claim it’s a joke, but is shocked when it doesn’t come. George just stares, fingers playing with Dream’s against his chest. He looks content, the corners of his lips upturned slightly. He looks beautiful. He looks inviting. He looks warm.

Dream slides his body closer to George, noticing the growing smile on his face as he does. He lets go of his hand, instead reaching out to touch his shoulder gently. “Turn around.”

Dream listens, albeit with hesitation, and turns onto his other side so his back is facing George. George’s hand finds it’s spot on Dream’s waist, pulling him even closer so his chest is flush with Dream’s back. They’ve never been closer, and have never been this intimate. It almost feels too good.

“Didn’t peg you for a big spoon,” Dream mutters as George’s hand moves to hug him instead.

“Shut up and go to sleep,” is all George responds, and the conversation is left at that.

When Dream woke up, George was still wrapped around him, clinging onto his back. His hand was resting on his chest, their legs tangled together under the covers. Dream was too afraid to move, but he was even more afraid of George’s reaction to their position. Initiating it while slightly tipsy off of champagne is one thing, but waking up with a clear head is another.

Eventually, Dream had to do something. Slowly and carefully, he managed to slip from George’s hold. Thankfully, the man didn’t stir from the movement, only curled into himself instead of into Dream. He couldn’t resist pausing to stare at the sleeping man’s features, tentatively reaching out a hand to brush a stray hair out of his face. He let his hand linger on George’s cheek for a moment before he snapped back to reality, pulling his hand away as if the touch burned him. 

He didn’t waste any more time with his daydreaming, escaping to the bathroom and turning on the shower hastily. He hadn’t even checked what time it was when he woke up, but the house seemed relatively quiet. He wastes even less time in the shower, his mind plagued with the endless cycle of thoughts about George– his smile, the way he felt in Dream’s arms, the way his laughs brightened his face, the way his lips tasted-

He is so in love it hurts .

By the time he exits the bathroom, the house has finally come alive. He silently thanks himself for remembering to grab some clothes before entering the bathroom, because as soon as he returns to the bedroom, George is sitting up in bed, fully awake with a smile on his face. 

“I thought you left me,” George greets him, his tone light and joking. Dream shakes his head, a small smile on his face as he closes the door behind him. 

“Just couldn’t sleep anymore. Thought I’d get a head start on the day,” Dream responds with a shrug, walking to retrieve his phone from the bedside table it was sitting on. He can feel George’s eyes on him the entire time, but makes a point not to meet them, swiping through the notifications on his phone. 

“I think just my grandparents are coming over for lunch, and Lottie, so nothing as crazy as last night,” George tells him. Dream finally turns his gaze to him and for the brief moment their eyes lock, Dream’s heart stops. There’s something unreadable in George’s eyes, and given his already frazzled mind, he can’t really bear to look. Breathing in sharply, he just nods his head, turning his attention back to his phone.

“What time is lunch?” Dream asks after clearing his throat, still unable to meet George’s eyes. If he notices, he doesn’t say anything.

“I think my mom said around one? What time is it now?”

Dream glances up at the clock on his phone. “Almost nine.”

George lets out a loud groan before falling sideways on the bed. “Can we go back to bed?”

Dream can’t help but laugh lightly, finally putting his phone down to look over his shoulder at him. “George, come on, it’s Christmas. Aren’t there, like, presents to open?”

George’s eyes brighten at Dream’s question, sitting back up. “I did get you something, actually.”

He gets out of the bed and makes his way over to his bag, unzipping one of the pockets on the side. He finds what he’s looking for immediately, pulling out an envelope before walking back to the bed, walking around to the opposite side and perching himself beside Dream. 

“It’s nothing big but I thought you’d like it,” George tells him, holding out the envelope for him to take. He does, slowly, looking up at George’s face with a soft smile.

“You didn’t have to get me anything, George. Seriously.”

George smiles at him fondly, nudging his shoulder. “Shut up and open it.”

Dream laughs to himself but obliges. Careful not to rip anything, he opens the envelope, sliding the contents out. He stares at the folded piece of paper for a moment, confused, glancing up at George. The man just nods, watching closely as Dream unfolds the paper to read it– which tells him nothing. “George, what is this?

George smiles sheepishly, ducking his head slightly. “Okay, so it’s more of an I.O.U than a gift, because it revolves around your schedule and stuff but…you’ve never been to London before. You never got the chance to visit me and let me show you around so I thought- I thought we could come back sometime when we’re not stuck with my family and I can show you around. Make a trip out of it.” 

Dream glances up from the paper— which is just a screenshot from the site listing flights. He looks up at George, who’s watching him with a shy expression, biting down on his bottom lip. “George, I-“

He can’t get the words out, clearing out the lump in his throat. George’s posture straightens at his hesitance, his hands joining together in his lap. “Obviously you don’t have to go with me, and you don’t even have to go to London. But your present is two plane tickets regardless, and I’d pay for the hotel room and everything. And you can take whoever you want too, doesn’t have to be-“

Dream can’t hear anymore of his rambling. He’s known George long enough to know when he’s nervous and trying to talk himself out of something, so he quickly drops the piece of paper onto his lap and pulls George into his arms. He tenses for a moment, startled by the suddenness of it, but relaxes into Dream’s arms as he always does, eventually wrapping his arms around Dream’s waist. 

“Of course I’d come back to London with you, George. This is the nicest- this is too much-“ He can feel the tears stinging his eyes, and his body shakes with George’s quiet laughter as he buries his face into the crook of Dream’s neck. 

“I want to do this for you. I’ve always wanted to do this for you,” George mutters, lips ghosting against the skin of Dream’s neck. It sends a shiver down his spine, but he’s too overwhelmed with every other emotion that he doesn’t let himself dwell on it, choosing instead to pull George even closer.

“Thank you, George,” he whispers into his ear. George answers with a squeeze, and Dream lets himself pull back slightly to look at him. His face is red and his eyes are as bright as the smile on his face. It’s contagious, George’s smile, as Dream finds his lips spreading wide. “Who knew you were so good at giving gifts.”

He swears George's face gets even more red, but he just laughs it off. “I wanted to do something special since you’re doing so much for me already. I mean, you’ve always done a lot for me, but this just…”

He shrugs, his features faltering as his words trails off. He doesn’t have to finish. He’s not only said it but also shown how grateful he is that Dream is here with him. 

“George, I-“ 

A yell from downstairs interrupts Dream from saying anything more. George looks almost disappointed to hear the sound of George’s mother’s voice calling out to them, but Dream finds himself feeling relieved. What would he have said if she hadn’t interrupted? The confession sits hot on the tip of his tongue, burning with the desire to just be honest. They’re still close in each other’s arms, and George is looking up at him with those big doe eyes and it would be so easy-

Another yell, much closer and more impatient than before. George scowls slightly, shaking his head as he pulls further away. The warmth Dream felt dissipates instantly, and he just wants to lean in and chase-

“She’ll barge in if we don’t go out there,” he whispers. It feels private, intimate, and Dream’s head is fuzzy with the urge to lock the door and never turn back.

“Should probably go out, then,” Dream whispers back, eyes locked onto George’s lips. If he notices, he doesn’t say anything. But he definitely doesn’t make any move to pull away.

Sure enough, there’s a knock on the door not even a minute later. It doesn’t open, as George predicted, but he pulls himself away either way, forcing Dream to reluctantly drop his arms back to his sides. He doesn’t let himself think about what could’ve happened if they weren’t interrupted. He can’t do that to himself, not when there’s no escape from it.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” Alice’s voice breaks Dream from his trance where he is still seated on the bed. In the time he was lost in his head, George had gotten up to open the door, letting his mom step inside to greet them. “We just wanted to give you two your presents before everyone else came.”

“Mum, I told you we didn’t need anything-“

“Oh hush, you’re my son, I’m going to give you a Christmas present,” she interrupts him with a stern look. George lets out a grunt of disapproval as she turns to look at Dream with a smile. “And it’s not every day my son brings his boyfriend home, so I had to get something for you as well.”

“Oh, that’s-“ Dream blinks in shock, eyes flicking towards George briefly before turning back to Alice. “You really didn’t have to do that.”

“Nonsense,” Alice beams at him. “You’re practically part of the family now, might as well treat you as such.”

Dream’s heart clenches as he smiles at her, not daring to look at George’s expression. She doesn’t waste any more time, stepping out of the doorway and motioning towards them. “Now come on, can’t wait all day.”

They join George’s dad in the living room downstairs, where there’s already a few wrapped gifts waiting under the Christmas tree. Dream and George take a seat on the couch after the morning greetings, and Alice busies herself with sorting the presents. As she hands him two presents of his own, he can’t help but feel guilty for not getting them anything. In his defense, George explicitly told him they weren’t exchanging gifts, and Alice makes sure to reassure him when he apologizes for it.

“You being here is enough of a gift for us,” she tells him, sitting down in an armchair. Dream can’t respond, only offering his weak attempt at a smile. As if sensing his distress, George discreetly grabs his hand beneath one of the boxes, squeezing it tight.

George’s parents open the gifts George got them (which he almost didn’t, but ended up giving them gift cards last minute). Dream promises them gifts the next time he sees them— and tries not to think about how unlikely that is. 

George makes Dream open his gifts first, and he opens them to find a watch from Alice and a cricket jersey from Harry.

“Listen, George never got into it so I’m forcing it onto you instead,” he explains. Dream laughs lightly, folding the jersey back into the box it came in. 

“I’ll definitely give it a try, then.”

George opens his gifts then, his thigh pressed up against Dream’s as he opens his sweater, wallet and watch to match Dream’s. Dream doesn’t miss the light blush on George’s cheeks as his mother coos at them, and he definitely doesn’t miss the way his knee presses closer. 

“Do you need any help with lunch?” George asks as his dad starts cleaning up the discarded paper around them. His hand finds Dream’s again, but he just rests it on top instead of intertwining their fingers.

“No need, dear. I’m making it more simple this year,” Alice tells him, rising from her seat. “You two just enjoy yourselves for the morning.”

She leaves the room at the same time Harry does, leaving Dream and George on their own once more. George’s hand is still on top of Dream’s while they hold their gifts in their free hands. It’s silent as the room empties, Dream looking down at his presents. His eyes flick towards their connected hands before glancing up to look at George, finding the other already staring back at him. A smile is ghosting his lips, brown eyes flicking up to look into Dream’s. “Back to the room?”

“Yeah, sure,” Dream breathes out in agreement. George’s fingers wrap around Dream’s hand as he stands up, and then he’s tugging his arm up to join him. Dream stumbles slightly at the sudden force but George’s hand holds him tighter, keeping him steady with an amused smile. 

George leads him up the stairs to their temporary room, dropping his hand along the way. Dream hates how much he misses the warmth of their joined hands.

“I’m gonna shower quick I think,” George tells him as they enter the room. He brings his things to his bag, placing them on top as Dream sets his own on top of the dresser. “Will you be okay without me?”

He knows it’s a joke, but Dream rolls his eyes anyways. “Yeah, of course. My mom said she’d call sometime soon anyways.”

“Isn’t it, like, really early there?” George asks as he gathers a pile of clothes from his bag. Dream nods, despite him not being able to see, sitting down against the pillows on the bed. 

“Yeah, but you know my mom, she can never sleep in,” he explains. George had met his family numerous times since they started living together, even visiting around holidays, so he knows exactly what he means. 

“Well, tell her I said hi if I miss her. I won’t be too long,” he says with a small smile. Dream just nods again, leaning his head back as he settles into the mattress. He pulls his phone out to scroll through his social media as George leaves the room, closing the door on his way out.

It doesn’t take him long to cycle through his apps, unfortunately, and soon enough his eyes drift off to the items he discarded onto the dresser. His heart warms at the sight, smiling softly to himself as he remembers how excited Harry and Alice were to give them to him. This entire trip they have been so welcoming and so happy to have him here that it dispels any sort of fear he had prior to coming here. Despite meeting them numerous times over FaceTime, it was different to meet them in person. And yet, they welcomed him with open arms, even deeming him part of the family already. 

And it hurts to know that it’s all a lie. Everything they think of George and his relationship is fabricated solely to please them, and Dream’s heart clenches at how different things will be in the future with whatever happens. If they stage a break up, they’ll surely see him differently. But if they do the opposite, if they somehow drag it out, it’ll only hurt them worse. 

Dream likes to think he wouldn’t do that to himself, much less to George’s family. But Dream also cannot bring himself to say no to George, either, no matter how stupid it is.

Everything about this trip is messing with his feelings. There are moments where it’s blatantly obvious how fake it all is, and yet there are times where he has to remind himself how fake it is because George doesn’t seem to remember it himself. Those lingering touches, those fond gazes, and everything he says has stuck with Dream, playing on repeat in his mind and destroying him from the inside. He’s always been prone to overthinking, but for times like this he just can’t help it. 

They had kissed— twice. And each time George acted like it was nothing out of the ordinary for them. Like it was just completely normal for them to kiss without any expectations to do so, and without any watchful eyes cheering them on. There was no need for it to happen and it has been stuck in his mind ever since. He doesn’t think he’ll ever stop thinking about it, actually. And that troubles him.

It’ll be fine when we get home, Dream tells himself, the only affirmation getting him through his situation. Once they’re out of his family’s way, George and him can go back to normal– Dream being hopelessly in love while George is blissfully unaware. They’ll be fine. Dream will be fine. Only a few more days to get through. 

His phone ringing drags him out of his thoughts, thankfully, and Dream answers it right away. He already knows who it is, considering no one else would call him at this hour, and Dream breathes out in relief. “ Mom.”

“Merry Christmas, honey!” She greets him in a cheerful voice. Dream smiles instantly, relaxing his shoulders that he didn’t realize were so tense. 

“Merry Christmas, mom. You’re up early.”

“I’m always up early,” she answers. Dream can practically see her waving him off, and he grins at the thought. “How are you doing, though? What are you guys doing today?”

Before he can answer, the door opens and a freshly showered George walks in, his hair still damp and dripping onto the collar of his t-shirt. Dream gives him a small wave, switching the hand that the phone is in. “I’m doing good, George’s mom is just preparing lunch for today with close family. But it’s been fun being here– really cold, but also really fun.”

“Is that your mum?” George asks quietly. He dropped his old clothes onto his bag and crawled onto the bed to kneel beside him, looking at him expectantly. Dream nods, ready to tell his mom more about his trip, but she interjects quickly at the new voice. 

“Oh, is that George? Put me on speaker, I want to talk to him too!” She demands excitedly. Dream raises his brow at George, silently questioning if he heard. If his wide grin is anything to go by, Dream assumes it’s a yes and takes the phone away from his ear to press the speaker button. 

“Alright, fine, you’re on speaker-”

“Merry Christmas!” George interjects, leaning closer to the phone. 

“Merry Christmas George! I hope you’re treating my boy right since I can’t.”

George laughs, glancing up at Dream with bright eyes. “Don’t worry, he’s being treated just fine.”

“He better be!” She laughs with him. Dream leans his head back against the pillow, watching George happily smile at the phone for his mother to continue. “You know, when Dream told me about you two I was so surprised. It was so sudden!”

Dream snaps his head up, looking at his phone. He told her what happened, didn’t he? Surely she doesn’t-

“I know, it was pretty last minute-”

“I am so happy for you two though. I admit, I knew it would happen someday, and we were all practically waiting for it, but when I-”

“Sorry, mom, we actually have to get ready soon! I can call you afterwards though and talk to everyone else too,” Dream interrupts quickly, pulling the phone away from George. He looks confused, straightening his back to look at Dream, but Dream pointedly ignores his gaze. 

“Oh, fine, you two have fun then. But not too-”

“Bye, mom! Love you!”

The room falls into a heavy silence as Dream hangs up the call, his mother’s words hanging over them. Dream’s heart is racing, staring at his blank phone in his hands. Part of him hopes that George didn’t think anything of what she said—but a bigger part knows he heard everything and understood everything. It’s only a matter of time until he says something about it, and frankly Dream doesn’t think he can handle that.

“I assume it’s nothing fancy today so I can just wear a sweater, right?” Dream asks to break the silence, standing up from the bed. He still doesn’t look at George, walking over to where his bag sits. 

“Yeah, sure. Um,” George clears his throat, and Dream can hear him shift on the bed. He keeps his head down though, knowing whatever is coming. “What was your mom talking about?”

Dream has a few options on how to answer. He could be honest and tell him about the misunderstanding. He could play dumb and pretend he has no idea what George is talking about it. Or he could really just ignore it completely. 

“What do you mean?” He asks through a strained voice, sifting through the clothes he brought for the trip. He chooses dumb, apparently.

“The whole…um, us thing, I guess,” George continues. Dream’s hands still, considering his response carefully. He can’t exactly play dumb anymore, not when George is sitting their with his questioning eyes and uneasy tone. But how can he tell the truth?

He shakes his head, pulling out a cream colored sweater. He risks a glance towards George and regrets it immediately, his big brown eyes staring him down with an unsure expression. Dream looks away quickly, pulling the sweater over the plain white T-shirt he already has on. 

“Dream,” George says lowly, not letting him get away with it apparently. George’s shoulders sag, finally looking back up at George, who’s features soften slightly. “What did she mean by that?”

“It’s nothing, George,” Dream retorts quietly. His heart is pounding in his chest now, his fingers clenching into fists at his sides to calm himself. He can’t ignore it anymore, he has to say something. But he can’t tell the truth, he can’t let it all out there. He can’t handle what the reaction will be.

He can’t handle the rejection.

“It’s obviously not if you’re acting like this,” George replies, raising a single brow. Dream inhales deeply through his nose, shaking his head. He doesn’t have to tell the truth. He doesn’t have to ruin what they have.

“There was some miscommunication. I told my mom you asked me to be your date and she…well, she took that as, like, your actual date.”

There’s a moment of silence following Dream’s lie, the two of them staring each other down. Dream tries to keep his expression as neutral as possible while George levels him with a questioning gaze. 

“So she thinks we’re dating?” He asks slowly.

“Uh, yeah,” Dream answers, clearing his throat. His knuckles tap nervously against his thigh, desperately hoping George can’t read right through him. He feels slight guilt throwing his mom under the bus, but whatever it takes to get through these few days.

“That’s funny,” is all George finally says. Dreams eyes snap up to look back at him, but his face is void of any emotion. He stares at Dream, watches as Dream’s mouth gapes open slightly. He can’t help but be offended, the words getting to him more than he is willing to admit. 

“What’s funny?” He questions, voice slow and unsure. George shrugs, letting out a quick laugh. 

“The fact that she thinks we’re dating. Us dating at all, really,” he answers. Dream’s heart plummets to the pit of his stomach, his shoulders dropping with the weight of it. One of his worst fears comes to life: George laughing at the thought of them being together. George thinks it’s funny for them to be in a relationship. George thinks it’s so crazy of an idea that he has to laugh. 

The only thing funny is how more idiotic Dream can get.

“We should probably get ready,” Dream tells him, voice coming out a little harsher than he expected. He turns away to avoid the fallen look on George’s face, turning back to his bag to find a pair of jeans.

“You okay?” George asked because of course he does. But Dream doesn’t answer, quickly changing into the dark pair of jeans he grabs. 

“That new sweater your mom got you would be nice,” he tells him instead, spraying a bit of cologne onto his neck. 

“Dream?”

“We should offer our help to your mom again. She’s done a lot already,” Dream continues. He knows he’s moving from one topic to the next, but right now Dream cannot let himself think any longer. And what better way to not think than to constantly keep talking?

“Dream!” George practically shouts, much closer than before. A hand grabs onto Dream’s forearm and pulls, turning his body to face the now standing George. He looks worried, and almost sad, and Dream fights the urge to run and cry. “Dream, what’s wrong? What happened?”

“Nothings wrong, George-“

“Don’t lie to me. Tell me what’s wrong,” George persists, tightening his grip on Dream’s arm. His touch is warm, but not in the way Dream is used to. It’s not warm like the sun, or your favorite sweater as you sit in front of a fireplace. His touch burns now, like a hot iron branding his skin. It’s painful, and Dream has no choice but to pull his arm away to save himself.

“Nothing is wrong, George. Let’s just enjoy our Christmas.”

He seems unsure, but he drops his hand nonetheless, taking a small step back. Dream lets out the breath he was holding, keeping George’s gaze for a moment more. He looks sad, or disappointed maybe. 

But nothing can be worse than the empty hole sitting in Dream’s chest where his heart once was, broken by the man he’s been in love with for years. 

How can he possibly get through the rest of this trip?

Chapter Text

Dream feels like he is in a haze throughout Christmas lunch. He barely even registers the voices talking to him, greeting him at the front door. A hug from Charlotte, a semi-friendly nod from Mark, a kiss on the cheek from Alice’s mother– all with George’s burning gaze stuck on him. He can’t meet his eyes, he refuses to meet his eyes and give him an indication of how he’s feeling. He pastes on a smile convincing enough that no one can ask any questions about it, not caring if George can see through it at all. 

His words are playing on repeat in Dream’s mind like a broken record, taunting him with broken hopes and dreams. Funny, he said. It’s all funny to him. 

Dream is an idiot. A heartbroken idiot, but an idiot nonetheless. 

Dream and George haven’t said a word to each other since they joined everyone downstairs. He knows that George wants to say more, but every time he opens his mouth to speak, it quickly shuts again. If anyone notices a shift in the air between them, no one says anything, and Dream is thankful for the lighter topics of conversation to count as a distraction. 

“-all I’m saying is it’s far more interesting,” Harry says before sticking another forkful of food into his mouth. This has been going on for a while, him and Mark debating over which sport is better. Mark, of course, thinks it’s soccer and is having a hard time seeing differently. “Lottie, come on then, surely you have some sense.”

“Dad, you know I never liked cricket as much as you did,” Charlotte admits slowly, rolling her eyes at the conversation. Harry shakes his head in disappointment, eyes trailing towards Dream who has remained quiet until now. 

“Next time you visit, I’m taking you to a match. You’ll have no choice but to enjoy cricket with me,” he tells him, pointing his empty fork at him. Dream laughs despite his heart twisting at the expectation of him revisiting. 

“Sounds good to me,” he agrees. He doesn’t miss Mark’s stare as his eyes turn back to his plate of food, his gaze almost jealous and maybe a bit angry. Dream doesn’t care, and doesn't want to entertain Mark’s competitive nature any longer. 

“Maybe you’ll finally get George to go to a match, too,” Alice joins in, an amused smile gracing her lips. Dream’s eyes flick to George to see his reaction, and the man rolls his eyes while shaking his head, piercing a potato with his fork. 

“Not very likely. You and Dream can bond over that alone,” George retorts. Dream’s heart breaks once more at the thought of doing this all over again, of continuing to do this all over again. After today, after George’s admission, Dream doesn’t think he can even handle spending another day doing it.

“I wish you two could spend more time here,” Alice says sadly, putting her fork down. Dream’s heart beats fast in his chest as he glances towards George, forcing a small smile as he meets his eyes. He can see the smallest falter in George’s features, but he smiles softly, his eyes never leaving Dream.

“We’ll come visit again,” he says, and it sounds like a promise he doesn’t intend to break. Dream almost wishes he would.

“Maybe we’ll even visit you two sometime!” She adds, smiling widely. “And there’s always the wedding of course.”

She motions towards where Charlotte and Mark are sitting, who both smile at the mention, Mark taking Charlotte’s hand from where it rests on the table. Dream watches the movement fondly, but longingly, silently wishing for what they have. 

“Maybe there will be another wedding soon, hm?” George’s grandma pipes up for the first time in a while, an almost mischievous smile on her face as she eye’s George and Dream. Dream’s heart is in his stomach as soon as the words leave her mouth, and sinks even further when George slips his hand into his under the table. 

“No need to rush them,” Harry interjects, but he’s smiling at them as well, a hopeful glint in his eyes.The air is thick all of a sudden, with everyone’s eyes lingering on the two of them, and Dream finds it hard to breathe. George squeezes his hand, and Dream has half a mind not to violently pry his fingers away. 

He’s grateful when the topic quickly changes as everyone seems to be finishing up their meal. His shoulders are tense and his hand is on fire where George still hasn’t let go, his thumb rubbing circles into the back of Dream’s hand. Dream assumes it’s meant to be comforting, assumes George has noticed the odd tension in the air between them. But all it does is make Dream yearn for more, and more is exactly what he can’t have. 

“I wish we could stay longer, but we’re going to Mark’s mum’s for dinner,” Charlotte says eventually, Alice already gathering the empty plates from the table. She looks up as Charlotte and Mark stand, still hand in hand, and smiles at them.
“Oh, no worries dear. Say hi to her for me,” Alice responds. She hurries to bring the dishes to the kitchen as the two leave the table to get their belongings. Dream takes this as the opportune time to finally slip his hand out of George’s grip, standing up from the table and ignoring George’s eyes trailing up for a chance to meet Dream’s. He stacks up a few empty plates to carry into the kitchen, following in Alice’s footsteps. He hears the other occupants of the table strike up a conversation as he leaves, bypassing Mark and Charlotte putting on their coats to set the plates onto the kitchen counter.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Alice reprimands lightly. He just smiles wide, shaking his head.
“I want to help. I don’t mind,” he responds. She pats his arm gently with her hand, flashing him an appreciative smile. Charlotte walks into the kitchen then, smiling at the two of them as she approaches Dream.

“I wish I had more of a chance to see you while you’re here,” she comments sadly, pulling him into a hug. He hugs her back, laughing when she squeezes tight. “Mark and I will have to plan a trip to come visit.”

“Absolutely. We’d love to have you,” Dream tells her, pulling out of her embrace. He directs his smile to Mark standing behind her, who offers a closed mouth smile in return. If the circumstances were different, he really wouldn’t mind them visiting. But for now a little white lie should please them.

“I’ll coordinate it with George, then,” she concludes, stepping away from the counter. She meets Mark’s extended arm, smiling widely up at him. He smiles as he wraps an arm around her shoulders, glancing back up at Dream briefly.

“It was great meeting you. Hope you have a safe trip home,” he adds, to Dream’s surprise. Without waiting for Dream’s response, he leads Charlotte out of the room with a quick wave and Dream’s direction, which Dream half heartedly returns. He watches them leave, suddenly aware of how empty the kitchen is, Alice having been long gone to retrieve more dirty dishes. He pushes himself away from the counter, ready to go back into the dining room to do the same, but a body blocks him from getting any further than the hallway.

He blinks in surprise when he finds George standing in front of him, arms crossed over his chest. He looks like he wants to say something, biting down on his bottom lip, but the two of them just stand in silence for a bit. The only sound comes from the other room, Dream hearing the faint sound of a sportscaster on the tv. George doesn’t break his eyes away from him and Dream’s foot taps impatiently on the floor, the awkward tension weighing him down. 

He can’t stand it anymore, breaking the silence with an exasperated sigh. “George…”

“Wanna go for a walk?” George asks quickly, taking the smallest step forward. Dream peeks over his shoulder, catching a glance of his family laughing happily in the other room. He doesn’t know how well he can handle being alone with George right now, but he also doesn’t think he can handle any more questions or comments about their fake relationship.

“Yeah, sure,” he agrees quietly. The lesser of two evils , he tells himself, stepping towards the coatrack to grab his coat. George does the same, shouting quickly to his family about their plans. Dream pulls on his jacket, eyes flicking towards George as he does the same. He doesn’t know why he’s so scared to be alone with George, considering they’d have to be alone soon enough. Maybe it’ll feel easier to breathe if it’s outside, anyways. 

They step out into the cold, the wind blowing snowflakes into their face immediately. It’s been a steady snowfall since yesterday morning, but nothing has really started to stick until now. Their footsteps leave prints in the dusting of snow as they walk down the path, and Dream keeps his eyes stuck on the toes of his boots to avoid even looking in George’s direction. It’s just a walk. He can make it through a walk. 

They don’t make it very far, though, not even past the neighbor before George’s footsteps come to a halt, his hand reaching out to grasp at Dream’s sleeve. “Dream, wait-”

He stops, closing his eyes briefly as he inhales sharply. Slowly turning his head and opening his eyes, he meets George’s wide, brown ones, staring up at him with a sad look on his face. 

“What, George?” He asks, trying to keep his tone even. He doesn’t want to come off as harsh, and doesn't really want to get into an argument with him. He needs to be normal. He needs to show George he’s fine. He needs to be fine.

“Did I do something wrong?” 

Dream is not fine. Not when George is looking up at him like that and sounding as sad as he is. He’s not fine at all.

“You didn’t…” Dream starts, but he struggles to find any other explanation for his behavior. As far as George knows, they were having a normal conversation when Dream decided to randomly pull away. Of course George would think he did something wrong. Of course he’d blame himself without knowing. “You didn’t do anything, George.”

It’s partially a lie. Technically George did laugh at the entire concept of dating Dream and consequently breaking Dream’s heart. But George didn’t know all of that, of course.

“Then why are you pulling away from me? Why are you…why were you so cold and distant at lunch?” He presses further, tugging slightly on the fabric or Dream’s sleeve. Dream desperately wants to pull away, their close proximity almost suffocating. 

“I didn’t mean to be, I just- don’t worry about it alright? I’m fine,” he explains. He inwardly cringes at the near desperation in his voice, clenching his right hand into a fist. George’s eyes flick away from him briefly, glancing down at their feet. His grip loosens on Dream’s sleeve momentarily and Dream uses it as an opportunity to slowly pull his arm away. The movement immediately draws George’s attention, his eyes shifting back up to look at Dream– and fuck he looks sadder than Dream has ever seen him.

“I’m sorry I put you in this weird situation. It’s not fair of me to use you and lie to everyone about it. I’m just…I’m sorry, I really am,” George tells him sadly, his voice hoarse and barely above a whisper. Dream can hear the emotion in his voice, and he knows that George is being genuine in his apology. He knows that George would never intentionally cause him any harm. 

“I agreed to this, George,” Dream responds calmly. George’s shoulders sag and his head drops, shaking slightly.

“I shouldn’t have asked in the first place, though. Not you.”

He doesn’t know what it is, but the realization hits him that he can’t do this forever. As much as he’d like to fake a smile for eternity and not risk their friendship, he doesn’t think he can . He can’t stand another moment of George blaming himself for Dream’s seemingly random mood changes. And he can’t stand to keep it in any longer either. He feels like he’s a time bomb, just a few ticks away from letting loose.

“George, why did you choose me to be your fake date then?” Dream asks slowly. George’s answer is instant, his head snapping up to look at him.

“You’re my best friend. Who else would I ask?”

Dream shrugs half heartedly, holding George’s gaze. “Sapnap, Quackity. Wilbur even. Or you could’ve asked someone you like, like I told you to. ”

He pauses, watching George’s eyes flicker away. He looks flustered, almost, but Dream presses on. “So why me?”

“Dream, this is-“

“Tell me George. Why did you pick me?” Dream interrupts. George huffs out an impatient breath, shaking his head. “George-“

“Because you’re easy!” George practically shouts, arms flailing upwards. Dream flinches at the sudden explosion, the words hitting him harder than they should. “You were the easiest option. No one would question it because we're already so close. And I knew I wouldn’t have to explain it too much to you…” 

“So I’m convenient,” Dream says, tone flat. It’s a statement rather than a question, and George’s face falls.

“Not- I don’t mean it like that. I just…I know you. And you know me. That’s what’s easy,” George explains exasperatedly. He sounds like he’s on the verge of tears. He looks like he’s on the verge of tears. “But also-“

He stops, snapping his mouth shut. He looks up and Dream can see the fear setting into his brown eyes, widening slightly. 

“What?” Dream asks cautiously. Whatever George stopped himself from saying must be serious because he looks the slightest bit paler, taking in a deep breath. Dream waits patiently, waiting for George to continue, because Dream knows he will. They’re in too deep now to stop here.

“You’re unattainable,” George breathes out, as if it’s his last dying breath. “I knew that-I know that it won’t get complicated. You’re you, I’m me…we’re best friends. We’re us . That’s all there is to it, and that’s all there ever will be.”

The words are a stab to Dream’s heart. “But why do you say that?”

“Because I know that, Dream. Because I know I’d fuck it up if there ever was anything more,” George tells him, glancing down at his feet. They shuffle in the light covering of snow, and he brings his arms around to hold himself as he continues. “And because it’s impossible. It’s a pipe dream. There’s just no way it would ever work out…”

“You can’t know that for sure-“ Dream says, gazing down at him. George scoffs and lifts his chin to meet his eyes, his facial features hardened.

“No, I do know that. Look at you, Dream. Look at how every person that sees you either wants to be you or be with you. And how easily you handle everything and you’re just…we’re worlds apart, Dream. It’s impossible.” He says it with a certain finality, as if he knows everything there is to know. As if he knows how Dream feels.

“How can you say that?” Dream whispers frustratedly. His own jaw is set now, matching George’s, and hardened green eyes meet sad brown ones once more. 

“I just know it. I know who you are, and most importantly, I know who I am. I’m…broken, or something. And I came to terms with the fact a long time ago,” George explains tiredly. His crestfallen expression twists something in Dream’s gut. He’s looking at a man that has given up– but a man who also has no clue how wrong he is. 

“Are you an idiot?” Dream blurts out. George’s eyes snap up from where they’d fallen to the ground again, looking at him in confusion. 

“ What ?“

“No seriously, are you? Are you blind to the world around you?” Dream presses on. He clenches his fingers into fists to keep his emotions at bay, not wanting to blow up completely. “How can you not see the way you brighten a room when you walk in, or the way everyone just feels lighter in your presence?”

“Dream-“

“How can you not see me, George? How can you not see that I never want to be around anyone else. How I’d do anything for you, even fly across an ocean to torture myself as your fake boyfriend? How can you not see how madly in love I am with you?”

George just stares, mouth agape. Dreams chest is heaving, needing to catch his breath as he stares right back. There’s an emotion in George’s eyes that he can’t exactly read. Dream lets out a deep breath, dropping his shoulders and taking a step forward before continuing.

“How can you not see how absolutely beautiful you are? With your lips that are always begging to be kissed and those eyes that make me forget my own name?”

They’re close now, standing on the sidewalk as the snow falls around them. George’s chin is angled upwards to keep his eyes locked on Dream’s, and he looks dumbstruck as Dream steps as close as he can. Their chests are nearly touching, Dream towering over George– and yet George doesn’t pull away. 

“You drive me insane, George. I can’t think straight when you’re around, and I’ve been torturing myself this entire trip because you were so close and yet so far the entire time,” Dream breathes out. “I couldn’t take it anymore, I had to say something or else I never would. I can’t go another day with a heart so heavy with love that it kills me inside.”

George stays quiet, as if sensing that Dream isn’t done. He swallows thickly, and Dream’s eyes trail the movement in his throat briefly before gazing back into his eyes. “If I somehow misinterpreted what you were saying…if I’m an idiot professing his love for someone who doesn’t feel the same, please just stop me. Please reject me so I can- so I can move on-”

“Don’t,” George mutters, his voice hoarse. Dream’s breath hitches, his body inching away slightly. He is an idiot. He has always been an idiot.

“I’m sorry,” Dream whispers, his heart sinking in his chest. “I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t-”

“No, shut up-” George interrupts him again, squeezing his eyes shut as he shakes his head. “No, I mean-don’t apologize. I didn’t-”

He cuts himself off again, eyes snapping open. His eyes look brighter than before, happier than before, and a flicker of hope ignites inside of Dream’s chest. He opens his mouth again– to say what, he doesn’t know. But he doesn’t need to, because a hand is gripping around the back of his neck and George is surging upward to close the distance between them, pulling Dream into a kiss. It’s forceful, but passionate, and Dream’s knees buckle in because fuck, he tastes so good. The taste that hasn’t left Dream’s tongue since they kissed under the mistletoe with no eyes watching them. This kiss tastes just as sweet, if not more, and Dream’s hands find George’s waist as their lips mesh together. It’s perfect, it’s everything Dream has ever wanted. But most importantly, it’s George . 

Dream is the one to pull away first, his fingers digging into George’s coat. George’s eyes are still closed, but he’s smiling, leaning forward again as if to chase Dream’s lips for another kiss. Dream laughs lightly, lifting one hand up to George’s jaw to caress it, thumb brushing across his cheek. George lets out a satisfied sigh as he finally opens his eyes, his face brightening as they meet Dream’s. Dream can’t resist the urge to lean in once more, capturing his lips in a sweet but chaste kiss: just a brush of lips together, but enough to leave both of them wanting more. 

“You’re not an idiot,” George whispers after a silent pause. The hand that rested on the back of Dream’s neck now comes around to embrace his cheek instead, George smiling sweetly at him. “You didn’t misinterpret anything.”

“I love you,” Dream whispers. The way that George’s face brightens completely at the words is enough for Dream to kiss him once more, eliciting a soft laugh from George as he does. 

“I love you ,” George tells him as they pull away. It’s a rare phrase coming from George, but it leaves Dream’s heart full and his head spinning. They kiss again, because that’s all Dream can think to do, and frankly it’s all he wants to do in their limited amount of privacy. They can talk later, after they’ve braced George’s family once more (who are more than likely waiting for their return), and after Dream steals one more kiss as they step up to the front door.

The others are waiting, of course, and the evening is filled with laughter and games and even more food, laced with secret grins and sly glances shared between the two new lovers. Each look holds those three sweet words that Dream will never stop saying, and it’s enough to get them through the rest of the night. 

It’s not until they’re laying in bed that night, a cheesy Christmas movie playing on the tv as they lay tangled together under the blankets, that George finally says something. His hand is splayed across Dream’s side, his other hand lacing through his hair, the smile still prominent on his face. He whispers Dream’s name to get his attention, waiting for the man to lift his head up and connect their eyes, his own smile just as sweet.

“I did listen to you, you know. When you told me to take someone I liked…I did .”

It’s a sweet confession, one that earns a fond hand reaching up to cup his cheek. And yet Dream can’t help but tease him as he normally would. “I can’t believe you had a crush on me. That’s so embarrassing.”

He laughs as George’s hand lightly jabs him in the side, despite his growing grin. “Shut up, idiot. I already told you I love you.”

“I love you too,” Dream laughs. He supposes there’s no harm now to tell a secret of his own– the secret that caused this mess in the first place. “I thought you were actually asking me out, you know.”

“What?” George looks down at him, an eyebrow raised in confusion. “When?”

“When you asked me to come here. You never said it was fake, at first. That’s why my mom said all those things-”

“Wait, how long did you think that?” George asks quickly. He looks upset, frowning down at him, but Dream laughs it off lightly.

“When we got here,” Dream admits, an awkward grin spreading across his lips. He can feel George’s features fall, his grip around him tightening. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“No, shut up. It’s fine ,” Dream laughs again, leaning up to press a quick kiss to George’s jaw. “And besides, it worked out in the end.”

George pauses for a moment, studying Dream’s face. He can see the guilt in his eyes still so he shakes his head lightly, his smile softening. George finally smiles back, pulling him closer by the waist and kissing him gently. It doesn’t last long, and Dream settles back down into George’s embrace not longer after, eyes turning back to the movie. George’s fingers card through his hair again, and for a few minutes it’s just silence aside from the voices emitting from the television. It’s comfortable, and Dream can imagine them doing this very same thing in their home back in Florida. He can picture a lifetime with George in that moment, finally letting himself entertain the fantasies that have plagued him for years. Fantasies that can finally come true as he lays in the arms of the love of his life. Arms he’ll be laying in for as long as they will allow him. 

“Hey, Dream?” George asks quietly, breaking their silence once more. Dream doesn’t bother lifting his head to look at him, nestling further into his embrace as he answers with a hum of acknowledgement. He can feel George’s laughter reverberate through his body, his pointer finger tapping Dream’s forehead lightly. “Do you wanna be my date for my sister’s wedding?”

Dream smiles to himself, laughing lightly as he finally lifts his head. Twisting around slightly, he looks up at George to find him smiling back at him, a cheeky grin lighting up his face. 

“For real this time?” Dream jokes. George lets out a loud laugh, pulling Dream close again. 

“As my real boyfriend this time,” he confirms, and Dream’s heart flutters at the label. He grins, and his boyfriend grins back, and their lips meet once more. It’s sweet, it’s passionate, it’s even more than Dream could ever ask for. But most importantly, it’s with his boyfriend.

Dream loves being in love with his best friend. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.