Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Dream
“One year ago, today. You remember that?” George’s fingers fidgeted against the wheel as he drove. “One year since the luckiest thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“Of course I remember, I thought it was kind of special, buying tickets for this day.” Dream smiled, watching England fly by in a blur out the window.
It was silent for a few moments, only quiet music playing from the speakers before George piped up again.
“I didn’t know you played guitar.” George noted, referring to the case that Dream had only decided to take at the last possible minute.
“Oh.” Dream looked down so George wouldn’t be able to see the red spreading across his face. “Yeah, I started picking it up again, with the help of Karl. I used to play it back in like middle school and early high school, but I dropped it in favor of singing.”
“Why’d you bring it?” George didn’t seem to notice Dream’s growing embarrassment.
God. Dream should’ve been more prepared for the questions. He had the answers, but they were suddenly impossible to force out of his throat.
“I–uh wrote a song. Or I guess most of it. I just thought maybe you’d want to hear it?” Dream cringed at the words he spoke.
“Are you kidding? Of course I want to hear it! I love your music, Dream. I thought you’d know that by now.” George held a note of excitement in his tone.
Right. Of course. Dream chided himself for being so nervous that George would hate the idea. George was a fan of Dream’s long before they met.
As if on cue, Dream heard his voice come through the speakers quietly. He’d almost forgotten George had a playlist playing in the background of their conversation.
George’s face flushed a deep crimson. “Uh–Sorry, had the playlist on shuffle. You can skip it if you want.”
He bit his lip. It was his favorite song to sing since he’d met George. The Rock Show.
“No–no it’s okay. I won’t skip it unless you want me to.” All the embarrassment about bringing his guitar faded away as his voice filled up the space between them.
George was silent for a few moments. “I can’t help but feel like you’re singing this directly to me whenever I hear it. Even though it’s–y’know–the original version.”
Dream grinned. “If you wanted to hear the other one, you could’ve just called me. I am the singer, after all. Besides, I always think of you when I hear this one too.”
“I didn’t want to bother you just to get you to sing for me–” George’s deep blush still hadn’t faded.
“Awe Georgie, I’d sing for you any time. I love you.”
Time stopped. Dream hadn’t realized what he’d said until after he said it. He just told George he loved him for the first time. He didn’t mean to–he was just talking and didn’t realize he was spilling the truth until it already hung in the air. But George spoke before he could say anything to fix the situation.
“I love you too.”
Dream’s heart was beating so loud that he couldn’t hear the song anymore.
“George?” Dream’s mouth was so dry. So dry . He licked his lips, but it was to no avail. When was the last time he had water? Did he have water on him now? How come his mouth felt so dry when his hands felt like they’d never stop producing sweat.
Nerves. His mind unhelpfully supplied him as George finally pulled into the parking lot of his apartment building.
“Yeah?”
The car was stopped. His beautiful brown eyes finally turned to meet Dream’s green ones.
Greenish-gray. George had told him last year he was colorblind. He couldn’t see green. What did George see in his eyes? Did he like them?
Dream certainly liked George’s eyes.
God, what was all this thinking about eye color? His mind was racing a million miles a minute, but his lips couldn’t form a single word.
George searched the singer’s eyes looking for the question he wanted to ask.
Dream could use an answer to that too.
“Can I kiss you?” He finally found his voice.
The silence hung heavy between them. Dream barely felt he was able to breathe.
“I thought you’d never ask.” The older man reached out and put a hand on the side of Dream’s neck. It was cold, but Dream didn’t flinch. His hands were cold the first time they connected too. Were his hands always cold?
“Are you–” George started, but Dream cut him off, leaning in and smashing their lips together. George’s lips were soft. He tasted like how Dream would imagine a cool summer’s day would taste. The rush of adrenaline he chased in performing could never compare to this.
His brain felt like mush and he was aware of nothing around him except for George and the pulsing heat flooding his veins.
When he pulled away, both men had short breaths. Dream’s eyes were wide and active, quickly scanning every feature on George’s face. His lips were almost unnoticeably swollen from the kiss.
No words were exchanged in the time apart before they connected again. This time, Dream ran his hands through George’s hair. It was soft, thick, and fluffy. Dream could run his fingers through it forever.
“I love you. I love you. God. I can’t say it enough times,” Dream breathed out as they separated again.
George giggled. “I love you too. I can’t believe you’re here. With me. For two whole weeks.”
“Believe it. Because this is happening. God I wish I could just stay here. With you.”
“You just got here. How are you gonna know if you like it already?” George teased.
“Because you’re here,” Dream smiled.
“Smooth,” George rolled his eyes but couldn’t keep a stupid grin off his face.
“How about we go–mphf!” Dream cut George off by pulling him in by the collar of his shirt for one more quick kiss.
“Sorry.” He grinned, his eyes gleaming with anything but an apology. “Just wanted one more.”
“You’re such an idiot.” George finally opened the car door. “But you’re my idiot.”
The possessive word made Dream’s stomach clench. Did that mean...?
No. He shouldn’t bring that up right now. Just let their moment be just that. Their moment.
He gently took his guitar case and suitcase out of the back and they began walking toward the elevator.
“Let me hold one of your things.” George said, more of a command than an offer.
“No–you don’t have to do–”
“It’s not for you, dummy. I just want to hold your hand.”
Warmth bubbled up in his throat again. “Wow. And here I was thinking you were just being nice.” Dream mockingly rolled his eyes, handing the shorter man the guitar case, and intertwining their free hands.
“Now be careful with that. Or else I won’t be able to play you the song.” Dream joked, although he was a little skeptical about letting go of the case. He’d had the guitar for years; it was a gift from his father so many years ago. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust George, it was just incredibly important to him. Nerves were bound to come up.
George squeezed his hand, letting go to press the elevator button. “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of it.”
Dream looked for the teasing note in his voice, but it wasn’t there. George really was taking the authority he was given seriously.
“I trust you.” Dream smiled.
“Y’know, that’s always something I found strange about you. You’d think as a famous rockstar, you’d be a little more cautious to trust people. Why’d you trust me without a second thought? You literally gave me your number. You aren’t always that reckless, are you?”
There was the teasing.
Dream hummed. “There was just something about you. I figured if you did screw me over, it was still worth the shot.”
“Hm. You’re lucky I wasn’t like that.”
“I think I’m just lucky to have you at all.”
George snorted. “You know, you’re a lot less flirtatious over text.”
“Oh come on, you know that’s not true,” Dream smiled. “I always flirt with you.”
“Okay. Maybe just a little less flirtatious.”
“Mmk,” Dream hummed again. “Whatever you say, GeorgeNotFound.”
“Oh my god,” George laughed as the elevator doors opened. “Speaking of that, I should probably stream at least once during your stay. Would you want to join? I’m sure people would absolutely freak out.”
Dream wanted to say yes immediately. “Are you sure it wouldn’t be weird for you? They’re your viewers. Do you really want them all to know?”
George quirked an eyebrow. “I think they’ve seen our tweets at each other, Dream.”
Dream laughed. “Fair enough. I’ll stream with you. Sounds fun.”
“Perfect,” He smiled, opening the lock and the door. “Well, welcome to my home.” He held out his arms to the small apartment. “It’s not much, but it’s just me in here after all.”
“It’s adorable, George.” Dream smiled, observing his surroundings.
George coughed something that sounded an awful lot like “You’re adorable.”
Dream smiled. “All you.”
“What?” George grinned. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“Let’s put your things in the guest room, then I’ll give you the tour.”
Dream followed George as he opened the only door in the small hallway that wasn’t ajar. There was a click from the light switch before the small room was flooded with light. Dream watched as George gently set the precious instrument against the wall. He put his suit case a little further in the room before backing up to stand next to George.
The adrenaline rush was finally wearing off and he started to feel the fatigue he hadn’t felt since deboarding the plane. Jet lag was really catching up to him, though, he chose to ignore it for the time being.
“Okay, well, here’s your room, and across the hall here—“ George paused, exiting the room and waiting for Dream to follow him. “--is my office.”
Dream stepped into the one room that he’d seen on streams before, and it looked just the same. There was a green screen set up behind the computer with three monitors. On the blue walls of the room, George had various decorations to represent his YouTube channel, and his personal hobbies and interests. Three YouTube plaques hung on the wall, and on the last wall, next to his set up, there were several band posters.
Dream’s eyes quickly scanned them until he landed on one of his own.
George turned beet red as he tracked Dream’s eyes to the poster.
It was a picture from a show that Dream couldn’t place in his head. He and his three band mates were frozen in time under dark shadows. All of Dream’s bandmate’s eyes were on him where he took place in the front, his eyes closed, singing into a handheld mic. Sapnap was shown to have a large smile, full of excitement and pride. Punz looked with a small smile, and Karl was next to him, grinning as well. It was an amazing photo, albeit obviously edited for the poster itself.
He wasn’t sure why he’d never seen it before.
At the bottom, there was a line advertising the tour and the dates it had occurred.
“I’m sorry if that’s weird I’ve had it up for a while I kinda forgot that was there I—“ George began spilling out before Dream laughed.
“ George . It’s okay. That’s actually adorable that you have a poster of my band.”
The beet red in George’s cheeks faded to a light pink. “Good. Because I really like that picture.”
“Me too.” He tore his eyes away from it, continuing to observe the room.
Suddenly, a very loud ringing sound filled the room, coming from the speakers. It made Dream jump.
“Ah—sorry—I’ll decline it.” He said, waking the sleeping monitor. He held the mouse over the red decline button before seeing countless messages under, spamming his name.
It was from someone named Tommy, who Dream thought sounded vaguely familiar from some stream or some YouTube video.
“If I don’t take this he won’t leave me alone.” George shot him an apologetic look.
“That’s okay, I’ll go look in my room some more.” Dream smiled, and George nodded in affirmation as he sat down, putting on his headset.
“What do you want?” George asked as Dream closed the door.
He returned to the guest room, and considered playing his guitar, but decided against it for now. He pulled a couple of sheets of paper out of the front pouch of his suitcase and read the title he’d finally decided on.
Love Song. George. Mine. When You’re Around.
He liked the ring to it. It wasn’t specific, but Dream didn’t want it to be an overwhelming song. Just something to spill his feelings. He liked it so far, but knew it wasn’t done. He wanted to play this–or at least part of it for George, but he had another in case he chickened out.
He sat down on the bed, and now that he was alone, he felt the fatigue return. Dream set the sheets of lyrics on the nightstand, and figured he’d just relax—
For just a minute—
Close his eyes….
Just resting them.
Just
Resting…
And within two minutes, Dream was out like a pinched candle.