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“I swear to the Gods, if you touch him, your dead!” George heard Dream scream from somewhere off to his left. Was Dream talking about him? Who was going to touch him? Fuck, he didn’t know.
But he did know what there was a painful throbbing in his side and his sight was blurring at the edges. There was also a really annoying ringing in his ears that just wouldn’t go away and he’d do literally anything for it to just stop.
“You care about this mortal, son of Neptune?” A low, rumbly voice asked as George felt his body get picked up from the ground. He groaned in pain and clenched his eyes shut, but the throbbing got worse. “Pathetic. He can’t even withstand something as simple as a stab wound.”
Oh? Is that what it is? A stab wound? Neat.
Words were being said (shouted) below him, but George couldn’t make them out anymore, the ringing in his ears too loud now. He felt his head loll to the side and he took a sharp intake of breath.
He was going to die.
In the hands of some Greek monster with bad breath and anger issues. He was going to die and he’d never be able to make fun of Sapnap and his twenty-second crushes on the nymphs by the lake again. He was going to die and never get to see who Tommy or Tubbo are claimed by.
He was going to die and never get Wilbur to teach him how to play “Never Gonna Give You Up” on the ukulele.
But most importantly, he was going to die and he’d never be able to tell Dream how much he loves him, having avoided saying the L-word to his best friend at all costs, afraid that if he actually admitted it, then he’d have to face the truth of the fact. That he genuinely really did love Dream. In like, a romantic way.
“Fuck…” George whispered, a tear falling from his eye at the thought.
He never asked for this. He never asked for his mother to be Aphrodite. He never asked to be a demigod, sent on death missions for the God’s gain. He never wanted any of this. No, he just wanted to live past 20, and then maybe move into an apartment of his own, maybe with Dream. And go to college and adopt a cat. Get a job and live normally.
He wanted to tell Dream how he felt, and take him on a date. He had vowed to his siblings that he was going to take Dream to the strawberry patch to confess with a picnic and they had all gushed over the idea, telling him to do it because he has nothing to lose. And that Dream definitely likes him back…
That was before the quest though. Before George lost his chance.
Now, he was going to die and Dream was never going to know the truth. And George didn’t know what killed him more… the fact that he was literally about to die from blood loss or the fact that Dream would never know how much he meant to George.
George felt his eyes shut and he knew it would take a miracle for him to live now. There was nothing he could do at this point, besides just waiting for the cold embrace of death.
“George,” His eyelids fluttered as he stared into a bright light. He must be dead. But this didn’t look like the Underworld? “George, darling. I need you to answer a question for me…”
“Mom?” George asked, though he couldn't tell if his lips weren’t moving or not.
“Yes, my love.” She cooed as her form appeared before him. She looked just like he imagined she would. Long, slightly curled dark brown hair. Her skin was perfect, and George swore it was glowing gold. She was wearing a long, flowy pink dress that fell into waves at the end and her makeup was nothing short of perfect. “Darling, listen to me.”
“Okay…” He whispered, the awe of meeting his mother still shocking him.
“Are you really in love with that boy? The son of Neptune?” She asked and George felt his eyebrows furrow. Of course, his mother knew, she was quite literally the goddess of love, so why was he shocked?
He hesitated, unsure if he wanted to tell his mom how he felt, but then he sighed and nodded. “Yes. I love him. I think I always have…”
Aphrodite smiled at him and nodded along. “Do me a favor, love. When you get back to Camp Half-Blood… Make good on that vow. Alright?” George felt confusion run through him. What vow? What did she mean by when he got back to camp? Wasn’t he dead?
“Mom?” He asked.
She shook his head at him. “You’ll know, dearest. Take care. I do adore you.”
His vision faded to black, and suddenly he was gasping in pain, his eyes shooting open and his hand gripping onto the first thing it came in contact with, which just so happened to be Sapnap’s singed orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt. He tried to sit up but Sapnap stopped him.
“Woah, easy there tiger!” Sapnap said as he pushed George’s shoulder down gently. “Stay down for now… Punz is finding some ambrosia, but all of our backpacks were basically crushed by Moros’s stupid minotaurs.”
Moros. George knew that name… it was the Greek God of doom. Why was he the one attacking them?
“Dream?” George asked, still struggling to sit up so he could look around for his best friend. His mother said something about a vow and he’s pretty sure it involved Dream.
“He’s okay, I promise. After Moros fled, we had to deal with the monsters he’d left here… Dream’s still fighting.” Sapnap explained as he pressed a yellow, stained red hoodie to George's stab wound. Sapnap's words didn’t make George feel any better though, because all he could think about was the blond. Was Dream alone? Did he have help?
“He’s not alone?” George asked and Sapnap shook his head.
“No, Sam and Techno are with him… Those three have it under control, I promise. Now stop talking, please. You bled a lot. I don’t even know how you’re alive right now…” Sapnap said as Punz came up from behind the son of Ares, handing-off a small satchel. “Gods, just in time. Thank’s Punz.”
The son of Nike nodded. “Sure thing. I’m gonna go help those three finish off the rest of the monsters… unless you need something else?” Punz said but both George and Sapnap knew that he was itching to go fight. Sapnap smiled at him and shook his head.
“All good here. Go give them hell.”
George watched Punz nod and jog away, back towards the fight, before looking up at Sapnap again.
“Here, idiot. Eat this…” Sapnap shoved a small ambrosia cube into George’s mouth. George chewed carefully, his eyes shutting as he savored the taste of his old nanny’s 1-2-3 pancakes. His favorite food growing up. His side instantly started to feel better and he let his head fall into the grass beneath him.
George didn't know how much time had passed, but he knew that Sapnap was no longer pressing the hoodie to his wound, so that must mean that he'd at least healed to the point of not being on the verge of bleeding to death.
“Fuck! Fuck, move Sapnap! Is he okay? George!” George was startled as Dream came running over, sliding on his knees as he rushed to George’s side. Sapnap squawked awkwardly as he was shoved away from the brunet by Dream but he didn’t say anything about it as he sat back and watched his friends. “Shit, George…” Dream whispered, resting his forehead against the Son of Aphrodite’s as he pulled him close.
“Dream…” George mumbled, tears welling in his eyes as he recalled the thought of dying.
“You’re okay… Shit, I told that bastard I’d kill him if he touched you… Fuck, I was so worried about you, George… I-I thought you died!” Dream’s lip quivered as he spoke. “Don’t ever fucking do that again. Do you hear me? Don’t you dare almost die on me again!”
George’s heart broke as tears fell down Dream’s cheeks and onto his. “I love you,” George whispered, reaching up to wrap his arms around the blond’s neck. The son of Neptune froze, pulling back slightly so he could look George in the eyes.
“What?” He asked.
George felt his chest tighten. “I said: I love you.”
Dream sat frozen, holding onto George like it was his last lifeline. Like if he let go, George was going to vanish into thin air without a trace.
There was a storm raging behind dark viridian eyes, and George didn’t know what the blond was thinking.
“You really made me wait until after I thought you died to tell me?” Dream asked, exasperated. His shoulders slumped and George let out a wet laugh, nodding. “Fuck, you idiot. I love you too.” George’s eyes widened as Dream pulled him into a kiss, swift and sweet because they both knew they had an audience.
“I’m sorry…” George whispered as they pulled away from each other, both of them having rosy cheeks, and smiles on their faces.
Dream snorted. “Let’s get you home, idiot.”
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“Dream,” George took hold of both the blond’s hands, turning to face him as they stood in the strawberry field. “I love you.”
Dream stared back at him, his eyes glancing between the blue of George’s left eye and the brown of his right. “Are you kidding me?”
“What?”
“You think this is romantic? In the strawberry field? Do you know how many Aphrodite kids I see come here with their weekly crushes? Wait! Am I your weekly crush?” Dream gasped in horror at his assumption. “Tell me I’m not you’re weekly crush.”
“You’re not my weekly crush…” George deadpanned, unimpressed at his boyfriend’s dramatics.
“Bullshit.”
“What?”
Dream took a deep breath. “Bullshit. You’re gonna leave me for Wilbur next week, aren’t you?” He accused and George groaned, dropping Dream’s hands. He turned away from the blond and began his way out of the field.
“Fuck off,” George whined. “You’re a jerk.”
Dream snickered as he jogged after George, wrapping his arms around the brunet’s waist.
“Aw, baby. I’m just kidding… I know you love me. Sapnap said that while you were delirious and dying, all you talked about was me…” Dream teased and George tried shoving the son of Neptune away.
“Leave me alone. I’m breaking up with you.”
“No, you’re not! Wanna know why?”
“Why?” George asked, glancing up at Dream. “Please tell me why I'm not dumping you right now?”
“...Because you love me!” Dream giggled, pressing a swift, sloppy kiss to George’s cheek before rushing off, George hot on his tail, threatening the blond with his favorite dagger.
Tubbo and Tommy, who were sitting on the Big House steps, both crinkled their noses at the act of affection in front of them.
“Is that normal for couples? To kiss and then threaten to stab each other?” Tubbo asked, resting his chin in his palm.
Tommy shrugged. “Dunno, big man. They’re weird…”
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Bonus:
“You let the boy live,” Zeus said, unimpressed as he stared Aphrodite down. “You aren’t supposed to interfere with-”
“Enough out of you,” Aphrodite rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. “If that were your son, which, may I remind you, you still haven’t claimed, you’d do the same thing.” She sneered and Zeus scoffed.
“I have my reasons!” Zeus’s voice boomed. Aphrodite stood confident though, not convinced.
“Claim the boy, then we can talk.” Aphrodite tossed her hair over her shoulder before turning and walking away swiftly. He knew she was right, but she didn’t know what kind of troubles being claimed would bring for his boy… and he wasn’t ready to let him face the world just yet.