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They’d been talking about it for what felt like ages. Arguing and discussing and debating over who would be the best choice to take out. They couldn’t decide on one person. They couldn’t find someone that didn’t have attachments. They couldn’t find someone that wouldn’t be missed.
That was when the idea struck Punz. The idea that he already knew Dream was going to protest. The idea that he already knew Dream was going to deny and yell at him for ever even considering. But it didn’t matter. Dream would see the logic. He’d see the reasoning. Punz would make him see it. He would make him understand it. It was the only way. It was the most logical thing. It would be the best for the plan. And that was exactly the kind of thinking Punz was going to use to make his friend see what they needed to do.
“Dream.”
His friend kept going.
“We need someone that no one is going to ask questions about. Someone that no one is going to miss. We need someone that no one will ask questions about.”
“Dream.”
“And they have to stay dead because they’d tell people. I’m not willing to risk the plan for that. We can avoid it if we just figure out who to take.”
“Listen.”
“You’re sure we can’t use Philza? Dude’s old it could work-”
“Dream! Shut up and listen to me.”
Finally it seemed to work. Dream stopped talking and the mask tilted up to look at him. He could see the position Dream was in and read the frustration clearly. It had always baffled him when others on the server would talk about how hard Dream is to read. He wasn’t. If you just bothered to pay attention everything he did made perfect sense. It just happened that most people were so focused on Tommy’s shouting that they ignored Dream. They ignored him and now they were in this position.
Dream, hands on the edge of the table looking over the map of every civilized part of the SMP. He looked like he couldn’t decide between keeping his hands flat or having them balled into fists. It left him with half curled fingers drumming tunelessly against the wood as he thought and tried to burn off his energy. Punz huffed lightly at how clear his friend's irritation was before crossing his arms over his chest and continuing in the silence that was finally offered.
“We don’t have to find someone else to test.”
He could nearly sense Dream’s confusion behind the mask. The way his head jerked back in confused astonishment. The way his fingers froze in their drumming to splay out in a ‘what?’ sort of motion. The way he heard his boots scuff the floor as he shifted.
“We have to test it on someone. We need to know if it works. If the plan goes as we have it I might have to bring up the existence and if I do then it has to work. I need to prove that I have power they don’t and they need to keep me alive. It’s the only way. We-”
Punz cut him off.
“You don’t have to find someone. I volunteer.”
He saw how quickly Dream froze. Watched as his entire body locked into place and the tension that formed through his shoulders. Part of him was glad that Dream was wearing a mask. He was glad that he didn’t have to see the expression on his friend’s face. He knew full well what he’d just said. He knew exactly what he would need to happen. But unfortunately so did Dream. And given the fact that they were all each other really had left he didn’t want to see Dream’s face at hearing Punz ask to be killed.
“No.”
The word was short. Filled with heat and anger and pain. There was more. There was so much more and it almost made Punz want to laugh because so many people out there considered Dream to be heartless but he borderline sounded scared.
“Listen.”
“Punz, no.”
“Dream.”
His voice held none of the impatience that it did the last time he called his name with that emphasis. He knew that Dream was bulking at the idea. He knew that Dream didn’t want to do this because he knew that Dream cared. But that didn’t mean that it wasn’t the best choice. Besides. It’s not like he wanted to die. It was just the best choice.
“You’re all I’ve got. If I die then no one is going to miss me. It’s fine.”
“You’re all I have too. I would miss you Punz. Don’t be stupid. I’m not going to kill you-”
“You’ll bring me back.”
That was the moment Dream snapped. The moment the desperation and pleading anger that had been just barely hidden behind everything else in his voice took control. The moment he moved again and let out what he was actually feeling.
“We don’t know that.”
He paused to breathe for a few moments. He paused to take steadying breaths and Punz could see the way his hands pressed to fists over and over like he was trying to shock himself into focus. Immediately he knew the signs of Dream getting overwhelmed. They’d been friends for a long time. Partners before that. Dream had always been his favorite client. He knew how to keep him calm. Knew how to be sweet with him and knew how to make sure he was alright.
Two emotionally collapsed people who relied on plans and their own ability who finally found a place to be safe with each other.
The two people that could never hurt one another. The one person that Punz was asking to kill him.
He moved forward without hesitation at Dream’s move. Walked around the table and grabbed both his hands to force them to hold his own so Dream wouldn’t hurt himself by accident. He had to look up to where he knew Dream’s eyes were. He’d seen his face before but he’d never needed to in order to know what Dream was thinking. He never needed his face to know where his eyes were. Giving his hands a squeeze he could hear Dream take a small breath in before continuing.
“Punz. We don’t know if it will work. We don’t know that the book actually has power. That’s why we need to test it. I’m not going to risk you-”
“You would risk someone else. And I won’t tell. I won’t have to stay dead. It’s better for us. Better for the plan. And if the book doesn’t work then it’s alright.”
The only warning he had was Dream’s hands tightening around his own. He already knew from how the mask was tilting that Dream’s face held nothing but a thunderstorm of pain and anger.
“That’s not the same and you know it.”
His tone dropped far below what Punz thought was warranted for the conversation but he understood. He understood because if their roles reversed he would be acting the exact same way. It struck a painful chord in his chest that he was asking Dream to do something that he knew he would deny as well. But there really was no other way. And he wasn’t about to let Dream spiral further than he already had. He was going to be there for him. He was going to hold his end of the promise.
If no one else on this damned server was going to prove to Dream that he wasn’t a monster then Punz was going to do it himself.
“My life isn’t worth more than theirs.”
“It is to me.”
“You are not god-”
“Well I should be!”
Being this close meant two things. One, that Punz could hear the hitch in Dream’s breathing like he hadn’t meant to say it. Two, he could hear the tremor in Dream’s voice. The raw, unfiltered, panic and fear that was slowly taking over. Luckily for Punz. He always knew exactly what to do with Dream. They were enough for each other to do that much at least.
“Then be it. Be a god. Bring me back. It’ll be okay.”
“We don’t know that.”
It was like Dream was stuck on a broken record. Like he was caught just saying the same things over and over and while Punz understood he also knew they needed to do it sooner rather than later. He could feel his own anxieties about it all building in his stomach and clawing up to his chest. They had to get started before he got too scared to follow through.
“I trust you.”
The words made Dream still again. As if he disregarded all the times he’d heard those words from Punz before and was hearing them for the first time ever.
“Punz..”
Dream’s voice sounded broken. Like there was nothing but a resigned sorrow and pain. Like all his anger had vanished to the void itself.
“Dream, it’s okay.”
“You have all three of your lives still, I don’t know if bringing you back will only do it with one. I don’t know if you’ll get another three. Canon lives hurt.”
It had been a lingering thought in the back of his mind. Something that the fear and anxiety was using to crawl its way up faster. Punz had never lost a life. He’d never died in a way that was canon so Dream would have to kill him three different times. He would have to kill the only person he had left. Punz would have to die to the person he considered his favorite of any he’d ever met.
Part of him was yelling that no plan was worth this.
The other part of him that knew the plan’s purpose said his life would never matter more than the plan. The fact that Dream agreed with the first voice just made his heart ache more about what he knew they had to do.
“It’s alright. We can do it together. We can figure out what to do. It’s fine. I trust you.”
He could feel Dream’s resistance in the way he held his hands. He could read the lines of anguish across his body and he knew Dream was going to protest more.
“The plan matters more. Okay? We have to save the server. You have to save the server. It’s the only way to do that. If I die here then I’m okay with it. The plan is worth more than me-”
He heard Dream’s sharp gasp. Felt the way his hands dug into his wrists but he kept going.
“The plan is worth you going to prison and losing some of your own canon lives. Let me do this. Let me help you.”
Dream hesitated. He didn’t speak. He didn’t move. They stood like that for a few moments. Neither of them moving and neither of them daring to so much as breathe hard to risk disturbing the other. Punz was alright with that. He was alright with giving Dream time to process. Time to think. If there was another way that didn’t involve him dying or anyone else dying that they could test the book he’d be all for it. He just knew that wasn’t an option.
And then he heard a splatter. A tiny pat of water against stone small as the tiniest raindrop he could imagine. But it wasn’t rain. He knew it wasn’t rain. They were underground. There was no way for rain to reach them down there. He looked down for it. Looked down and found the small drop and he knew immediately what it was. Pulling his eyes back up Punz saw another drop fall from behind the bottom edge of the mask.
Dream.
The heartless, terrible, cruel, evil, monster of the SMP. The tyrant who felt nothing. The insane man without attachment or love. The near god of PVP and renowned speedrunner.
Dream.
His caring friend who only wanted to save his home. His friend who he’d asked to kill him. His friend who was crying because he knew there was no other way.
Punz wanted to console him. He wanted to do something more. But he wasn’t sure if that would make it worse or not. Dream was crying because of him. A fact of which was not taken lightly in Punz’s book. But he hadn’t said anything and Dream had always been weird about taking comfort when he felt he didn’t deserve it.
“How do you want to..?”
His words were so soft that Punz barely heard him and Oh-
How did he want to die?
Dream wouldn’t look at him. He understood. How did he want to die? He had three chances to do it. He couldn’t say it was something that he thought about all that often. Sure his job had led him to risky positions and he’d contemplated his own death before but he’d never sat and thought about how he would choose to die. It was always more the lines of if it happens he’d be alright with it. He lived a good life. He was proud of what he’d done. He was ready when the time came. Dream had just always made sure the time never came.
Until now. When Dream had become his clock.
“Just,” He hesitated. Dream would give him exactly what he asked for. This wasn’t something he would play around with. Anything Punz requested, Dream would do. He could ask for something completely unrealistic and Dream would probably find a way to do it. “Just make it good. Yeah? I don’t think I really want to know how or when you’re gonna-”
Blinding pain cut him off. He looked down to see Dream’s hunting knife through his stomach. He hadn’t even felt him move. Hadn’t felt him let go of his hand to do it. But it’s what he’d asked for. He didn’t want to know how or when. And Dream had taken him by surprise as asked.
Already he could feel his legs shaking enough he had to reach and grab onto Dream’s arms to keep himself up. It wasn’t until Dream was lowering them both of the floor that he heard the rushed apologies spilling for his friend’s lips.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry Punz I’m sorry-”
He tried to tell him it was alright. That he’d asked for it. He tried to give him a bit of comfort but his eyes locked onto the red soaking through his hoodie and spilling onto the floor. He felt like he couldn’t focus. Idly he thought that he was dying faster than he should until he remembered that Dream laced his hunting knife with poison to kill animals faster so they wouldn’t suffer. If he was anyone else on the server they would tell him it was because Dream viewed him as nothing more than an animal. But Punz knew better. Punz knew Dream was trying to show him mercy. He was trying not to make him suffer.
He managed to slur out a thank you before he died.
It was cold. Cold and dark and lonely. Like snow and wind were whipping into his face and he couldn’t feel anything. His body was numb outside the burning in his stomach. There was a hole. Dream’s knife used to be there. Dream’s hand had been there. Dream had been there. Where was Dream? Where was he? He had two more lives. Why wasn’t he respawning? It’s so cold.
So cold.
Please.
He didn’t want to be there.
Punz sucked in a breath of air in the back of his and Dream’s base. There were sheets under his body. There was warmth. He was safe. He was alive. He was okay. It was okay. He was alone but that was okay.
Bringing a hand to his stomach he lifted his hoodie and found a scar the same shape as Dream’s knife placed right in the center of his body. He felt tired. His stomach felt like it was pulled tight but he could manage. They had to keep going. There was no point in resting if he was just going to die again.
One down. Two to go.
He forced himself up and ignored the flash of pain that shot through his body at the action. Walking was hard for the first couple of steps but by the time he made it to the hallway he’d settled his pain enough to hide it. If he showed Dream the damage the death had cause he might panic and refuse to kill him. Punz was alright dying for this. He wanted to. But he didn’t think he could do it to himself.
They’d both built rooms in the back of the building in case they needed a place to crash while out or one of their meetups ran long. It didn’t happen often but Dream was paranoid and liked to be prepared for anything. Both of them set their spawns when they come in. Dream’s paranoia not settling for less when he would imagine the ways someone could kill them every time they entered a building. Punz would love to say it was unfounded. He would love to tease Dream for his careful measures. But he’d seen what the other had gone through and still goes through on the server. He knew Dream had every right to be as paranoid as he is. It just so happened that it allowed him to walk to his own death far faster than he would have otherwise.
He found Dream still kneeling in the spot where he’d died. The blood was still there. The knife was still hanging limp in Dream’s hand.
“Dream?..”
The response was immediate. Dream’s head shot up and looked in his direction and he could tell even with the mask that he’d been crying more.
“Punz. Are you? Are you okay? I told you this was a mistake. I told you it was wrong I-”
“Dream, Dream. It’s okay. Look at me, I'm okay.”
He could tell the signs of one of Dream’s panic attacks. They’d been reliant on each other for a while. Since Dream couldn’t count on the others he’d counted on Punz. And Punz had seen Dream breakdown after nightmares woke him up choking on his own screams. He never judged. Just like Dream never judged him when he woke up screaming from his own.
He wrapped his arms around him and pulled Dream close. Let him reach up and feel his heart beating strongly through the fabric of his hoodie.
“I’m okay. It’s okay. Just breathe.”
Honestly he wasn’t sure who this was hurting more. Him or Dream. The thought that in the past he would have made a joke like that to Sapnap brought everything to a darker mood. If he told Sapnap this story or if Sapnap had been there with them. He would have told Punz that Dream was faking. That he didn’t care and that it was a manipulation. He would have told Punz to get away from Dream and for Dream to leave and never come back.
Punz knew full well how false those words had been. And he knew exactly how deep they’d cut Dream.
The nightmares after George’s dethronement hadn’t been kind. The nightmares after this were sure to be worse.
Once again it ended up with them standing and holding onto each other. They were standing close. They were clinging. Punz for the stability and warmth that Dream offered. Dream for the stability and security that Punz offered. They were two chaotic energies that balanced with each other. Dream was Punz’s leader. The one that pulled him forward and taught him how and when to move. Punz was Dream’s control. His temperament and restraint that pulled him off the ledge when he needed it most.
They stabilized each other.
It felt good like this. Safe. Comfortable. But he didn’t want to wait when he knew what needed to happen.
“Dream?”
He could feel the arms around him tighten so he reached up and cupped the sides of Dream’s head. He didn’t touch the mask. He knew it was probably the only thing keeping Dream from fully shattering during this. And besides, he’d see him again. He didn’t need a last look. Not yet.
“I don’t want to leave the hug either. If you wanna just. I don’t know. I’m not going to look. I don’t want to. So just. Keep me close? Keep me warm, yeah?”
He could hear the tremor in his own voice. He could hear the fear that was trying to worm its way through at the idea of going back to that cold dark place. He’d seen the void before during other respawns but the consumption the void had shown him through the canon cycle had struck a note of fear in him he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to shake.
Dream’s hands moved to cup his face. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what Dream was planning to do.
“Punz..”
“It’s okay. I’m asking you to.”
“You’re life-”
“I’d rather lose them to you than anyone else.”
Both of their emotions were running high. Both of them with their hands around each other’s heads. They were showing their vulnerabilities. Punz knew it was time. He knew he couldn’t look. For his sake or for Dream’s he wasn’t sure but he couldn’t look. He closed his eyes and let his forehead fall against Dream’s. It was the old hunters' move that they all used to do with each other to express their care. Somewhere along the line it had become something special and intimate for them.
A silent way to say ‘I trust you’ and ‘I love you’ rolled into one.
He could feel Dream’s arms tense and forced himself to stay relaxed.
“I’ll keep you warm.”
Dream twisted. The last thing Punz heard was Dream’s voice and the snap of his own neck before everything went dark again.
Floating. He was floating and it was still cold. It was still so cold and hadn’t Dream said he’d keep him warm? Hadn’t he told him that it’d be okay? Where was Dream? He wanted Dream. Dream was warm. Dream was safe. Dream would keep him safe.
Where?
Where.
Where.
Where.
Wh-
Breathing hurt. His head hurt. His neck felt like it was on fire just by trying to move his head. Forcing his eyes open he had to blink a few times to get the blurriness gone. Two canon deaths back to back like that didn’t feel good. He felt like his body was made of sludge.
Trying to force himself to calm down was the hardest part. This was the last time. He had to be ready. The book might not work. He trusted Dream and Dream had been nearly certain that the book would work before Punz had put his own life on the table. It would work. If Dream believed in the book then so did he. Dream hadn’t led him wrong yet. He didn’t believe he would start now.
It wasn’t until then that he noticed the fire in his room was burning stronger. It was warmer. Dream had done what he could. He had no effect on the void itself but he’d tried to keep things warm for him. He’d tried. And the thought made his heart beat just a little faster in his chest.
Once again he forced himself up and blinked away the black spots that swarmed his vision. His head felt foggy but he forced himself through it. Using the wall as a crutch he slowly made his way back to the map room. He found Dream standing by the table. His arms wrapped around himself like he was both hiding his hands and trying to hug himself. It was a sad sight. One that brought Punz enough guilt to consider what would happen to Dream if the book didn’t work.
The answer was easy. He’d destroy himself. If Dream believed that he’d killed him he would take it out on himself and on the world. He would enact everything without regard for his own safety. Punz knew what he was to Dream. He knew that he was the only thing that kept him from completely spiraling. He knew he was the only reason Dream ever considered his own life in his plans. With him gone all of that would be lost.
Dream would burn the world and he’d make sure he burned himself with it.
“One more to go.”
He wasn’t sure what made him say that. Wasn’t sure what in him made him joke. Maybe it was because he was scared. Maybe it was because he wanted to break Dream out of what he was sure was a line of self deprecating thinking. He had tried for a laugh. But he hadn’t anticipated the rasp of his voice from his still healing body to make Dream rip the mask off his face. He hadn’t expected him to move off the table and rush up to him and pull him flush against his chest with the mask long forgotten on the table.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Immediately he was wrapping his arms back around Dream. Holding him just as tightly as he was being held.
“It’s okay. I asked for it Dream. I’m not mad at you. I’m not leaving you.”
“No. No, Punz, think about this. If the book doesn’t work then you’ll be gone after this one.”
“I know.”
The two short words sealed his fate in what was coming. Strangely enough he didn’t think he felt scared anymore. Dream was with him. Dream was holding him. He could see the red rimmed green eyes staring at him like he’d grown a second head but he knew Dream was just worried out of his mind.
“I don’t want to lose you.”
“And I don’t want to die. But I trust you, Dream. You were sure earlier. You were certain the book would work. I trust you. It’ll work.”
“But what if-”
“If you don’t try it on me then I lost two lives for no reason. Right? So just, stab me again? I think I liked that more than the neck. I want to think about things just in case. Does that make sense?”
“You..what?..but-”
“I know. I know I sound insane but can you make it slow? No poison. You can use my sword. It’s okay.”
He could see the pain in Dream’s eyes. He could see the worry and fear and love and everything in there that he couldn’t say. But Punz meant it when he said it was okay. He trusted Dream. He trusted the plan. It would be okay. When Dream walked across the room to pick up Punz’s sword he didn’t move. When he came back and led him to the front where they’d have more room he didn’t protest. When he saw Dream falter he was ready.
He’d known it was coming probably before Dream did.
It didn’t matter. The sword was held straight and Punz had already decided on what he was going to do if it came to this. He didn’t give Dream the chance to do it a third time. He grabbed Dream’s shoulder as a brace and he walked forward into the sword. The pain was expected this time. He was ready for it. But it still stole a gasp from his lungs.
Dream was talking. He was going so fast Punz could barely make out the words but it didn’t really matter because he could see the worry lashing through his face and the tears welling in his eyes and this time Punz couldn’t help but let his own well and fall. Dream was lowering them down again. It was almost like the first time but he couldn’t feel the poison in him. His own blade never carried the same mercy that Dream’s did.
“Why did you do that?” Dream sounded stressed. He sounded scared and worried and all kinds of things that he didn’t have the energy to name. “Why did you do that?! Punz, there was still time there were other ways-”
“Couldn’t,” He had to pause to breathe. His body felt too tight. Like it was trying to adjust to having cold netherite running through it. “Couldn’t let you get too scared…Right?..I’ve gotta, gotta keep you on your toes?..”
Dream’s hands were pressing on his stomach. Like he was trying to save him even though they both knew there wasn’t a point to it. He wasn’t going to survive this. He was supposed to die. There was no point in fighting it.
“‘Sokay..let me go..’s okay Dre..”
“No goddammit it isn’t okay! You idiot!”
He watched Dream heave around his sobs for a second before the pressure was coming back stronger.
“I’m not letting go. I’m never letting go. You’re all I have Punz please. Please. I have to save you.”
He would. But not in the way he was thinking.
“Y-..you’ll pull me out of there.”
The shake was stronger now. He was having trouble keeping his breathing even. It was becoming more and more shallow by the second and he couldn’t get most of his body to move. The most he could manage was putting on of his own hands over Dream’s on his stomach. Dream was just shaking his head about to continue before Punz cut him off.
“You’ll save me.”
“Please. Please Punz..”
He gave him a bloodied smile. Ignoring how the sword cut into him more when he flexed his diaphragm to speak.
“Hug me?..It’s cold..”
He watched Dream’s mouth snap shut. Watched him nod around his tears and then they were hugging again. Punz laying flat on the ground and Dream bent over him. He was pinned between his favorite person and the floor with a sword in his middle. Both of them crying and blood pooling around them but Punz thought he was okay with this.
He was okay if he didn’t wake up.
He was okay if the book didn’t work.
He tried to tell Dream. Tried to comfort him and tell him to keep going if it failed. But he couldn’t get his body to work. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t talk. He just focused on Dream’s warmth. Focused on the sound of Dream’s broken cries in his ear. And when the darkness came to collect him this time he went willingly.
There was a blizzard. Snow whipping around in the air around him and there were trees in the distance. He recognized this place. He knew what the plan was. Dream was supposed to have a finale of sorts with everyone in the server. He was supposed to pretend to betray him and lead the others there. Dream would go to the prison Sam was building and when he broke out they were going to meet here.
He was going to wait for Dream.
He was going to wait for Dream to bring him back to life.
Unless the book didn’t work. And he would be waiting there forever. Without warmth. Without Dream. He’d be locked in eternity with a snow storm he never wanted. He would freeze and die over and over and wait for someone he hoped to god didn’t show if the book failed.
As much as he was already missing him Punz didn’t want to see Dream for a very long time if the book failed. He knew his friend would lose himself but he never wanted Dream to go down that road.
He didn’t know how long it would take. But he did see the glow from one of the groves of trees. Making his way over was easy. He didn’t think he could feel things here. No pain or hurt or hunger. Just a cold frozen numbness.
Until he made it to the light and he saw the image of Dream bent sobbing over his corpse. He saw how desperately he clung to his corpse and how he cried with enough anguish to shatter the SMP. He watched Dream’s reluctance to put him down.
“Why didn’t it work?”
The world felt like it stopped. The book didn’t work. Dream had already tried and it didn’t work. He was stuck here. He was trapped here. He was dead. He was Dead.
But then Dream was swearing and cursing the world and even from the realm of death Punz could see the move of power in the room. He could see the strength his admin possessed leaking through him. He could see the determination that poured from him when he lifted his head and glared at the book sitting on the table. Dream would save him. Dream wouldn’t leave him. He would get him out. Dream would keep his promise. He’d save him from the cold. Dream would know. Punz felt himself nearly burst to tears when he heard Dream whisper to his corpse.
“You’ll be warm soon. I won't fail you.”
He could see Dream reach for the book on the table. He could see him trying to settle himself. And then the image was gone. It was gone and he was alone.
But it couldn’t be long. It wouldn’t be long. Dream was coming. He had the book. He would use it and it would work and he would be fine. He’d be alive again soon and everything was going to be okay. Dream was coming.
Dream was coming.
He’d just wait.
And wait.
Wait.
…
..
.
The air was warm.
He sucked in the feeling of warm air moving through his working lungs like a drowning man. There was no pain this time. He could feel the tackiness of his blood around him and he could feel the hollow stitching feeling that came with his flesh coming back together. Like a healing potion had just been used. Now that he was thinking about it he could smell the sweet scent of a healing potion in the air.
There were hands on him. Hands that were shaking. And slowly. Oh so slowly. A voice reached his ears. Pleading, desperate, scared.
“Punz? Open your eyes. Please open your eyes. Are you okay? Punz! Please god say something. Do something. Please be okay. Please, please, be okay.”
He managed a groan before dragging his eyes open. He was in the same place he’d been when he died. He was on the ground and Dream was hovering over him. As his vision cleared bit by bit Punz noticed something was wrong. Dream kept reaching to his face not to wipe his tears but to wipe blood that was trickling from his nose. He could see Dream was shaking, from adrenaline or something else he couldn’t tell. But he was paler than he was when he’d last seen him and there most certainly hadn’t been a selection of white hairs hanging with his bangs.
“Punz? Can you hear me? You with me?”
“You’re bleeding.”
It was the first thing that came out. Intentionally or not it was the only thing he could think of. Dream was hurt. Dream was bleeding. He’d been fine when he saw him in wherever it was that he’d been. Something happened.
“That doesn’t matter.”
Punz begged to differ.
“You died. The book didn’t work. I had to do it twice and if I didn’t boost it I don’t think-...I almost lost you. I almost lost you. Oh my god I killed you..I killed you.”
More blood seemed to be coming and Dream looked paler by the second. Slowly to make sure everything was alright he pushed himself up and reached for Dream. He could feel him trembling and the comforting warmth from before had turned into a raging inferno. The book worked. But what had been the cost of it?
“Dream? Slow down. I’m okay. I don’t even feel the other respawns anymore. I’m okay. It’s okay.”
“I had to use a pot on you. The wound didn’t heal. I-”
“Breathe. Breathe. Are you okay? You look like you’re about to be sick.”
Dream nodded to him. He didn’t believe it. They’d done the impossible. They’d actually done it. So much had happened. So much that it was too much for either of them. Slowly so they both made it back because Punz felt fine but he wasn’t a fool. He knew adrenaline could numb out more than people thought and he knew when the crash came he likely wouldn’t be able to move. Dream was also counted in that as well. He’d started and he didn’t stop. Punz wasn’t sure he could stop.
They had a lot to focus on. They had a lot they needed to talk about. But for tonight? For tonight Punz led them both back to his room and settled them both on the bed. They would sleep first. Dream would rest his head over Punz’s beating heart and slowly relax that they were still together. Punz would hold his feverish friend and they would relish in the heat that was life.
They were okay. He’d given Dream his heart and Dream had kept it safe. Now it was his turn to do the same. They’d keep each other warm. They’d watch each other’s hearts.