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Dream loved George.
Out of anything in the infinite universe, that was what made the most sense.
If he could give the brunette the world, he would. And, he really did try to, but things never really seemed to work out in Dream’s favor.
The thing about Dream is that he’s special. Not the kind of star football player or valedictorian kind of special, but the ‘super’ kind of special. He has this problem, a problem involving the ever-expanding multiverse.
Dream was able to go in between each dimension. It was awesome, really. The only problem with this little ‘ability’ of his was the fact that he could not control it whatsoever.
So, whenever he was scared or stressed or anxious, he’d end up accidentally opening a lime green portal that transferred him into another dimension. He could usually find his way home after trial and error, but the process was aggravating nonetheless. Because of this, he usually ended up staying a couple of days in places that were almost nothing like home.
It was interesting, to say the least. Each place had its own extravagant details and incredible designs. He’d look around, take in the new sights, and he always, always ended up seeing George. It was kind of his thing: finding George in any dimension. He liked to think of it as romantic.
Every single realm would have a new George. He’d have his hair brushed a different way or don a different set of glasses, but he was always wearing something blue. Sometimes it was a simple cardigan, other times it was a crop top (Dream liked those times a lot more than he let on), but it was always blue. Dream liked to think that blue was George’s color.
The brunette would always end up falling onto Dream somehow. Maybe he tripped on a crack in the sidewalk, or maybe he slipped on some leftover rainwater, but he always landed in Dream’s arms and blushed up at Dream with a toothy grin and a stuttering apology.
Dream would tell George that ‘it’s fine’ and then he’d introduce himself and they’d talk and become friends and Dream would fall more in love with every aspect of George each time. He’d start to like the new dimension he’d stumbled upon simply because of the brunette that inhabited it.
However, he’d be gone before anything could happen with George, sent back to his own universe with his very own George waiting for him.
The George occupying his part of the multiverse just so happened to be his best friend. Maybe it was weird that Dream was in love with his best friend, and maybe it was crazy that he traveled to different dimensions and was still in love with his best friend in every single one, but he really didn’t mind. If being in love with George was his downfall, then he’d happily suffer through it. (It was pathetic, really, but Dream continued on in the name of romance. He swore to himself that one of these days he would actually have the courage to ask his best friend out, maybe.)
He never told anyone about his ability, however, not even his parents, not even his friends, and especially not George. He’d visit each different universe completely by himself, and whenever he returned home it always happened to be the same time as when he left. Maybe he was a time traveler, too.
He continued on in life, barely surviving through high school and managing to wind up in a new reality every week. He was kind of exhausted.
So, it was pretty aggravating when he was studying for a maths exam and a green portal suddenly opened up behind him. It was annoying when he was pulled into the portal, and he could do nothing but fall from the sky and land on the top of a skyscraper.
Dream was terrified of heights, so falling down from the goddamn sky made him pretty fucking scared. Landing on top of a four hundred-foot skyscraper also didn’t help the queasiness beginning to take over his insides.
He composed himself and shakily walked over to the edge. The roof was plain, flat, and covered in bird poop. It wasn’t anything special to look at. The city below, however, was definitely a sight. Cars whizzed past the tower at all heights, hovering above the streets below. The sides of the buildings were paved with electronic billboards, shining brightly with ads for different branding companies. People walking below on the streets were wearing all pastel colors, popping out brilliantly against the cold gray streets. It was pretty tame compared to other dimensions he’d been in. There were some that were covered in ash, and some that were covered in plants. Some had bright hues and shades while others were made of dark and dim features. This one seemed pretty similar to his own, and for that he was grateful.
Dream’s head was starting to get loopy from the realization that he was way too many feet above sea level than preferred, so he hobbled over to the sheltered doorway and began to walk down the stairs.
He only went down one flight before he was in a room filled with bright couches and technicolor screens. Some people were behind a desk, while others were sat waiting in chairs. It looked like a doctor’s office.
Dream hated doctor’s offices so he headed towards the elevator in the corner. Hopefully, the thing would take him back down to the ground. He might even kiss the concrete at this point, being up high was actually the worst.
The doors were slowly closing, so Dream panicked, ran, and yelled out a ‘Wait!’ as he managed to stick his hand in the door before it could shut any further.
He pulled out his arm with a sigh of relief and finally looked into the elevator. Standing right in front of him was none other than George, and he’d be lying if he said his heart did anything but burst when he saw the brunette’s confused expression.
George was wearing a pastel blue sweater with khackis and checkered vans. His hair was messed up and his glasses were crooked, which made it look like he’d been working late the night before. Dream really wanted to swoon, but he stepped inside the elevator in favor of the four people waiting for him to board.
He consequently ended up next to George, so he looked at the top of brunette curls as he watched the numbers on the elevator switch from 45 to 1.
Sometime during the descent, George had looked up at him, and then proceeded to look down at Dream’s outfit. He squinted his eyes and scrunched his nose in such an endearing way that Dream simply wanted to kiss the boy right then and there (but he had to remind himself that this wasn’t his George, only another version of his best friend that he loved all the same).
George pouted his lips and bumped Dream’s shoulder, “You’re not from here, are you?”
Right. Another thing to mention is the fact that George always figures out that Dream isn’t from each particular universe. Usually, it takes a couple of days for the brunette to sense the oddity of Dream’s presence, so it was weird that he had figured it out already. Maybe it was the fact that Dream was wearing gray sweats and a black hoodie compared to everyone else’s bright clothing.
“No,” he smiled awkwardly. “I’m not.”
“Hmm,” George mumbled. He looked up at Dream once more, eyes scanning all of the blonde’s features, before facing forward again, staring at the descending floor count.
Dream held his breath for the rest of the fall. Sure, he wanted to speak to George (when did he not want to speak to George?) but he was also nervous. He’d spoken to many different George’s from many different universes, but he still got apprehensive. Every time.
The elevator made a ringing sound to signify landing on the first floor. Dream took a deep breath, expecting to walk out of whatever this skyscraper was for and never see this version of George again. But then, as he walked away from the building, away from the brunette, he felt something fall into the back of him.
In a panic, he quickly turned around and wrapped his arms around whoever was falling against him. It just so happened that he was grasping a pale blue sweater in his hands, topped off with brown locks and circular glasses.
When George sturdied himself, he turned around to face the blonde, cheeks pink in embarrassment. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I’ll have to make it up to you.”
Dream was the one blushing now. “It’s fine! How would you even make it up to me?”
George looked down the street, sneaking a glance at the array of shops, floating cars, and colorful people before turning back to Dream with a smile. “I could take you out to lunch.”
“Okay,” Dream said with a shrug, trying to act as if George asking him to lunch didn’t phase him in any way.
He was being dumb. He and the George from his reality went out to lunch, or breakfast, or dinner all the time. It was a common thing for friends to do. But that did not mean that every time they went out as just the two of them his stomach wasn’t fluttering around with butterflies. Now wasn’t any different, even though it was a different George. He still blushed and stuttered and embarrassed himself at any word the brunette spoke. Dream liked to call it The George Effect .
They were seated at a two-person round table in a cafe that looked extremely similar to one in his own reality. It was covered in signs holding cheesy messages and flowers, tons of flowers. Dream pulled one out of its vase and handed it to George hesitantly. He was thrilled when the brunette smiled softly and held it in his hands in a gentle manner. It was a different George, obviously, but they all had the same mannerisms. It was what made a George, a George.
Dream’s eyes scanned the menu, reading through every available lunch option while glancing up every few seconds to simply look at the George in front of him. The features were always the same, the same freckles Dream had grown to love, and the same bright eyes filled with curiosity at everything they looked at.
At one point, the brunette caught him staring. Dream could almost swear there was a tint of blush along George’s cheeks before he looked back down at the menu.
A waitress came to the table and they ordered, and when she left they proceeded to stare at each other. George looked like he was analyzing Dream’s figure, as he had in the elevator, while Dream was simply looking at all of the brunette’s familiar features and pretending to memorize them (even though he could probably point out every blemish on a George blindfolded).
“So,” George started, leaning his chin against his palm, “Where are you from then?”
Dream’s eyes fluttered, blinked, and widened. “Pardon?” He asked dazedly.
“Where,” George asked with a stifled laugh, “are you from?”
Dream leaned back against his chair, legs kicking out beneath the small table. “Does it matter?”
“No,” George said with a faux sigh of annoyance. “But I’m curious and I have nothing better to do today, so spill.”
“You wouldn’t believe me,” Dream teased.
Another thing he was absolutely certain about when he traveled to different realities was that George always believed him. Whenever he’d tell the other that he was from a different part of the multiverse, George would always believe him without a single second of doubt in between. It was kind of crazy since in his actual reality the George there was quick to hesitate whenever Dream told him something completely unbelievable. But, his George would eventually believe that what he said was true. That was the thing with George’s apparently: they always trusted Dream.
“I think I would. You seem so out of place that it feels like you’d belong to any place but here.”
Dream scoffed, “I’m not that much of an outcast, am I?”
George smiled. “Keep telling yourself that and maybe it’ll come true.”
Dream was struggling not to break out into a wide grin. What George said was funny, but it really wasn’t that funny, he was just completely and utterly wiped.
“Fine,” George said, crossing his arms as he did, “If you won’t tell me where you came from, then at least tell me your name.”
Dream was actually an idiot.
So, maybe, he’d forgotten to introduce himself to George. Maybe he was so caught up in staring that the fact they weren’t even on a name basis didn't even cross his mind.
“Sorry,” he apologized with a frown. Then, he smiled as wide as he could and held out a hand across the table. “I’m Dream.”
George grasped Dream’s hand in his own and gave it a small shake (electricity did not go down Dream’s spine as they touched). “George.”
“I-” know. “It’s lovely to meet you, George.”
The brunette furrowed his brows again before releasing their hands.
Their food came after that, and they ate in silence. Apparently, the service in this dimension was much better than his own because as soon as they were done, their plates were immediately cleaned up and a check was placed on the table.
The brunette slyly grabbed it and placed a golden card inside. It looked like a credit or debit card, but it was much smaller and was in the shape of a square.
George closed the check, card still inside, and looked up at Dream. “I bet you don’t even have the correct currency type to pay for this,” he said with a grin.
Dream groaned. He felt bad that he couldn’t pay (usually he liked to pay for his George whenever he could) but it was true, he didn’t have the money to pay for the food. He laughed nervously, “I’m guessing you don’t use dollars here?”
George breathed out a laugh as well. “I don’t even know what that is.”
The brunette pushed his chair out an inch in an effort to stand up, but Dream was behind George before he could move any further. He gripped the top of the wooden chair and pulled it outwards. George stood up and reached for his coat, but again, before he could, Dream grabbed it for him. He wrapped it around the brunette’s shoulders and helped George pull his arms through. Yes, Dream did have a problem where he had the urge to help George with every single small task, but it was fine, it definitely wasn’t an inconvenience at all. Besides, this George even seemed to like it the same as his own.
Under the chair was a hat that looked like it belonged in his reality’s 60's. It was blue like George’s sweater and it was tied with a navy bow at the top.
“You have a hat?” Dream observed.
George scrunched his nose in the adorable way that Dream loved. “Yes.”
“Why didn’t you wear it earlier?”
George took the hat from Dream’s grasp and placed it on top of his curls. “People tend to not wear hats inside of buildings, Dream.”
The way George said his name made Dream almost melt, but he regained his composure when he noticed the brunette staring at him. “But you could have worn it when we went outside?”
“I forgot, I guess,” George shrugged.
The brunette started walking towards the entrance to the cafe, so Dream followed behind like a lost puppy.
When they were outside the cafe, George turned around and sat on a nearby bench. He looked confused so Dream followed George’s actions once again, and sat down next to the brunette.
“I feel like I know you,” George admitted, guilt dripping out of his voice as he did. “I know that’s really weird to say, and I know we just met, but I really do feel like I know you.”
Dream smiled softly. “I get it.” And he really did. If there were multiple Dream’s out there, then he would surely be in George’s place right now: dreaming about different versions of himself, seeing himself with people he’d never met before. But Dream was the only one of his kind out there, which meant, ironically enough, that he didn’t actually dream.
“You do?” George asked, his features turning into a curious gaze.
“Yeah.” I know you too.
They sat there for a while, in silence, but eventually, George said he needed to go home, so Dream said goodbye and waited on the bench, fully intending to find someplace nearby to stay for the night once George left.
But, before George made it down the street, he turned to look at Dream one last time. His eyes scanned the blonde’s features again and then he was biting his lip and walking back towards the bench. “Do you have a place to stay?”
Dream nodded furiously, trying to keep a straight face as he lied through his teeth, “Yeah. Yeah, I do.”
George tilted his head and sat back down. “Thought you weren’t from here.”
“I’m staying with a family friend?” Dream tried, scratching his neck as he did so.
“Sure,” George said judgingly. “Well… if you do need a place to stay, my apartment is free. Since you literally have no money, it’s the best I can offer.”
“You’d do that?”
“Sure. Remember when I said I feel like I know you? This is me trying to figure out how.”
Dream smiled and followed George back to his apartment.
It was on the fourth floor of a nice apartment building, and it had a nice view of a nearby park outside its window. The room was painted a blue-ish gray and all of the decorations seemed to be multitudes of the color blue. It was cute.
Dream sat down on the couch and watched as George took off his hat and coat near the door. He looked around, but the apartment was empty besides the two of them. “Do you live here alone?” he asked quietly.
“Yeah?”
Dream looked around again. George didn’t have any pictures on his walls or on his tables. Everything was so bland.
“What about your parents? Aren’t you a teenager?”
George smiled. “Yes, I am a teenager, like you- I’m really hoping I assumed correctly- and my parents aren’t here. We tend to move out when we’re around sixteen… You really aren’t from here at all, are you?”
Dream grinned back. “Yes, I am a teenager, and no, I’m definitely not from here. But, you don’t even have a friend to live with?”
He was being intrusive, but he didn’t really care. In a couple of days, he’d be back to his own section of the multiverse and he’d be forgotten here, never to return again.
“I did,” George said with a chuckle. “But he moved out to live with his boyfriend. Nick was great, I miss him a lot.”
Nick.
“Nick?”
George smiled confusedly, “Yeah? He moved in with his boyfriend, Karl.”
It was great to be reminded that Karl and Sapnap were boyfriends in every universe. Knowing his friends happened to be together in every aspect of any dimension made him jealous, to say the least. Why couldn’t he have that with George?
To be fair, not having a romance with George was entirely his own fault since he refused to ask his best friend out, but he was still jealous regardless.
“Cool,” he said, trying to regain his composure.
George squinted again and sat down next to him on the couch. “You seem like you know them?”
Dream shrugged, smiling nervously. “I kind of do. But not the ones that you're talking about, I guess.”
George stayed quiet, looking at Dream with a scrutinizing gaze. So, Dream relented, “I’m not from here.”
“Right.”
The blonde sighed. Every single version of George always made it incredibly difficult for him to speak of his multiversal madness. It was annoying (but he loved it anyway).
“I’m from somewhere else.”
“Obviously.”
Dream sighed again. “I’m from a different dimension.”
George furrowed his brows for a moment, seemingly debating if what Dream was explaining was the truth or not, and then he shrugged, “Makes sense.”
Of course this George believed him, why wouldn’t he? It would be a universal anomaly if he’d spoken otherwise.
“Right.”
“Is it different, from where you’re from?… Well, never mind, obviously it is, but, what’s different about it exactly?” George asked, eyes curious as ever.
Dream smiled and relaxed further into the couch, legs spreading along the table as arms were placed behind his head. “Well, for starters there aren’t any flying cars. And I have a different money source. And nobody really dresses in bright colors.”
“I figured that much, seeing as you’re you.”
“What?” Dream scoffed, “You mean I’m bland and severely nonunique?”
“Precisely.”
George laughed and Dream couldn’t help but follow suit. Another thing about George’s: their laughter was contagious. Or, maybe, their laughter was only contagious to Dream. Either way, he laughed along with the brunette and admired the way George’s eyes crinkled and the way his dimples were upturned. He was really, really beautiful and Dream fell in love with a George all over again.
When the laughs died down, George was quick to ask, “So, are there multiple versions of people you know in every universe?”
Dream smiled, thinking about all the different Georges and Sapnaps he’d met on his accidental adventures. “Yeah. It’s kind of funny, actually. You and Sapnap are friends in each one, and he and Karl are always a thing.”
George smiled softly, but it quickly turned into a frown, “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“What are the different versions of you like?” George asked with a raised brow.
Dream frowned at that, lips twitched downward as his mouth opened and closed, trying to find an answer. He settled on saying, “I’m the only me.”
“What?” George scoffed. “That’s depressing, though.”
“Depressing and true,” Dream sighed.
It was very true. In the past, he’d always tried to find himself in the realms he’d visited. He thought it would be cool to see what he looked like, or if his personality was different. But he never found himself, no matter how hard he tried, so he ended up stopping his search completely. Maybe it was special that he was the only one of his kind, the only Dream, but it was also sad. Knowing no one was like him, had the same ability he did, or went through the same experiences that he had was just plain depressing.
“I think we’d be friends, if there was one of you that lived here,” George said solemnly, his sad little smile already making Dream feel ten times better, The George Effect working at its finest.
“Yeah? I think so too.”
In a second, George looked as if a lightbulb had just lit up above his head. He looked at Dream with perplexed eyes again, and asked, “Are we friends in your dimension? The other me and you.”
Dream’s voice broke, “Best friends.”
George nodded with an understanding. “You miss him,” he observed.
“A lot.”
“And you like him more than you should.”
Dream nodded. How was it that every George but his managed to figure out his feelings? Was he that obvious? Was his George just oblivious ?
“Well,” George said, putting an arm around Dream’s shoulders. “If it’s any consolation to you, if your George is even a slight bit like me, then I'm sure he’ll realize you’re a catch.”
Dream flushed and looked away. “Thanks,” he mumbled.
George grinned and ruffled the blonde locks of hair in front of him. Dream tried to get away but George only continued in his efforts until the two boys somehow ended up on the ground, Dream- with ruffled hair and a mischievous grin- holding down George’s arm so he couldn’t do anymore.
The blonde quickly realized the position they were in and rolled off with a cough, “Sorry.”
George sat up quickly and bumped his shoulder against Dream’s. “Bet you want to do that with your George.”
Dream blushed and swatted the brunette away, “Shut up,” he groaned. His face turned an even darker shade of red when he did let himself think about his own George. He wanted to take care of the brunette so badly. He wanted to shower him in affection, and make sure George knew how much he was loved. But he couldn’t, because he was stuck here, and because he was a pussy who couldn’t admit the feelings he’d been harboring for over five years.
“You so do,” George grinned.
Dream snapped out of his daydream and looked back to the brunette in front of him. His hair was completely messed up and his glasses had fallen to the ground. The fabric of George’s cardigan was ruffled and before Dream could even think, he was reached forward to flatten it out.
“Thanks,” George said when Dream was done as he reached to pick up his glasses. They were seated crookedly on his nose again and Dream’s brain was practically screaming at how adorable the brunette looked.
They settled back on the couch, and George put some bird documentary on the television.
They were silent for a while, eyes trained on the television. But, eventually, Dream’s mind drifted to his own George and how much he loved his George and how much he wanted to get back to his George because maybe, just maybe, he would fess up about his feelings. But, he also liked this George. He was nice and funny and sweet and cute and everything that his own George was. The George here was almost exactly like his, and it would be so easy to stay in this dimension forever, to make a life here and never go back.
But then he thought about his friends and family, about Sapnap and Karl and his mom and sisters, and George. He couldn’t leave them, he really couldn’t.
He’d look for a way out of this dimension starting tomorrow. Today was nice, he didn’t want to add any stress onto the chill day with this other George.
So he sat there on the couch with this dimension’s George and fell in love with every little action he made. He picked up on every detail about the brunette and fixated on it until his brain had almost stopped functioning. It was much too easy for Dream to fall for George. It was like his life’s purpose was to love every version of George in every universe. Maybe it would be hard for everyone else, to leave other George’s behind as he traveled back to his own, but to Dream it was okay. Sure, he cried a lot whenever he got home, but at least he fell for kind, cute, nerdy boys and not any of the bad kinds of guys in the world. He was lucky, lucky to fall for George.
His brain went silent for a while, so Dream opted into watching the documentary instead. The sky outside was turning darker every hour, and the noise from outside was starting to subside. Dream looked around for a clock, but George’s apartment had none. It was strange, but then again it was another dimension.
He looked over at George to ask about the realm's oddities, but was startled to see the brunette already looking his way. George flushed pink and turned away. “I feel like we’ve known each other for ages,” he said, looking down at hands folded neatly in his lap. “I know I said that already, but you just seem so familiar.”
Dream chuckled. This usually happened as well, next to the tripping and falling and then Dream actually falling, each George tended to feel a strong connection with Dream even though they’d technically never met before. “I like to call it The Dream Effect.”
George stifled a laugh. “That’s dumb.”
“But it makes sense,” Dream grinned. “Since I‘ve talked to so many Georges from different parts of the multiverse, it’s only a fact that all of you would feel like you know me.”
“All of us?”
Dream’s stomach dropped. He really hated thinking about all the Georges he’d left and never returned to. It was inevitable, and unavoidable, but it made him feel guilty nonetheless.
“I’ve met a decent amount of Georges in my life,” Dream laughed dryly. He didn’t like talking about them, usually. It was painful and sad and it made him feel all mushy inside.
“I’d hope I’m your favorite,” George said softly. “Besides your original George, I guess.”
Dream smiled. He remembered the George from the blue dimension, and the George from the dark dimension, and every other George from all the dimensions. The one that stood above the rest was the George from his dimension, however, and he really wanted to get back there.
“I’ll need your help.”
George looked confused. “With what?”
“Getting back to my dimension.”
“Sure. Yeah. Of course.”
Dream shifted on the couch. He always felt bad asking the Georges to help him to leave them. It was just plain cruel. Yet, it was the only way he knew he could get back with absolute certainty.
“So, tomorrow, I’ll just need you to…” He drifted off, eyes latching on to anything that wasn’t the brunette next to him.
George put a hand on his shoulder, and he went absolutely red. “What?”
“Uh…” he smiled nervously, “Well, I change dimensions whenever I’m stressed, scared, anxious, or…”
“Or?”
“…flustered.”
A beat passed, and then George grinned. “I can do that.”
Dream flushed again. He really did have a problem. It was actually pathetic that he needed a boy, who looked exactly like his own best friend, to flirt with him in order for him to get back to his actual best friend, who he had an immense crush on. Pathetic, yes, but he hadn't found any other way.
“Thanks,” he mumbled quietly.
The rest of the night was spent semi-quietly. Apparently, in this dimension, they didn’t eat dinner. It was weird, but Dream wasn’t really hungry after their lunch anyway. Eventually, George headed to his bedroom for some sleep and Dream stayed on the couch.
He fell asleep dreaming of his favorite brunette and all the different versions of him that he also subsequently fell in love with.
In the morning, it was loud.
Dream woke up to the sound of various pots and pans all clanging together in an unholy harmony. He blinked his eyes open and looked toward the kitchen for the scene of the noise, breathing a sigh of relief upon the realization that it was just George.
“Morning,” the brunette called out from the kitchen.
Dream groaned and rolled back over to sleep. He was not a morning person. Once he was up, he was up for the whole day, and he really did not want to be up right now. But then he remembered he was in another dimension and pushed himself upright. He heard the brunette cover a laugh and quickly straightened his clothes and hair. Dream was in the kitchen before the brunette could say anything else.
He sat down at the island and rested his chin on his palm. “Morning.”
George smiled, eyes crinkling and all, “Ready to go home?” He pushed a plate towards Dream and scooped up what looked like eggs and hashbrowns, placing them down with a plop. This George, as it seemed, could actually cook. His George couldn’t cook to save a life, so it was nice that Dream didn’t have to be the one making meals for once. He forked the egg-like substance and piled it into his mouth, “‘anks.”
George scrunched his nose in disgust and scarfed down his own breakfast. It was odd that this dimension only had lunch and breakfast, but other places were much more peculiar, so Dream didn’t find himself minding one bit.
They finished eating a while later, and ended up on the couch, sitting awkwardly as if they hadn’t had a heart-to-heart chat the day before. “So,” George started hesitantly. “You want to go home?”
Dream grinned awkwardly, “Yeah.”
“And now I have to flirt with you.”
Dream scoffed. “You’re saying it like it’s a bad thing.”
George crossed his arms and smiled. “Oh yeah, it’s just the worst, having to flirt with a hot guy I’ll end up with in another universe.”
Dream flushed at that. It was too easy, really. Whenever any George said anything slightly flirtatious, he’d turn into a goddamn tomato. It was embarrassing, but he couldn’t help it.
“If you stayed here, maybe we could end up together. I think I’d like that. I think you would as well,” George continued, scorching closer to Dream as he did.
Dream was burning. George wasn’t even trying that hard to make him flustered, but it was everything. His voice, the way his eyes looked, how his lips were slowly turning into a smirk. Dream was going crazy, and it was all this George’s fault.
“If you stayed here, I bet I could make you feel more wanted than at home.” He paused, moving a hand up Dream’s shoulder. “I’d make sure you’re cared for. You’d have anything you wanted.”
Dream closed his eyes and gulped. It was so much all at once. And, sure, this happened like twice a month- one of the George’s having to flirt with him because he was an idiot and didn’t know any other way to get home- but he was always the same: nervous and extremely flustered.
A green spark flickered on the edge of his fingers before disappearing into a mist.
George saw it and quickly moved his hand to rest on the back of Dream’s neck. He twisted the hairs residing there and combed through the rest. Their thighs were brushing now, and George was pressing his farther and farther into Dream’s with every light touch.
“Would you like that?” George asked, eyes looking deep into Dream’s helpless soul. “To stay here?”
He thought about this George, and everything here- the weird meal system, the bright colors, everything- and couldn’t help feeling attracted to it. The place was new, and different, and the perfect place to build a life with this George in. But then he thought about his own world, with his green bedroom he’d painted years ago and never changed, and his cat Patches that he loved more than anything else, and his sisters that always teased him in the most loving way, and George.
This world, and this George, were great, but he knew it wasn’t right to stay here. He didn’t even really exist here.
George’s hand found his own and he stumbled to find any words. “I-”
The brunette cut him off, squeezing the blonde’s hand as he did. “I know.”
The green spark was back at the tips of Dream’s fingers, running along the tops of his nails. George smiled, looked down at Dream’s lips, and asked, “Do you want a kiss before you go?”
Dream’s heart dropped at that. He did, he really really did want to kiss him. But, he felt like his lips were reserved for his George and his George only. It felt wrong to betray his best friend like that, but when this George was moving closer every second, he practically forgot about the other dimension, and started panicking.
George? George! Wanted to kiss him! And he was about to! And it was happening- And his heart was beating so fast that he could barely hear the sound of a portal opening behind him.
He closed his eyes with nervousness and excitement all mixing together inside his head, but the brunette’s lips never touched his own. Instead, he felt soft lips press down lightly on his forehead. It was short and sweet, and even though it wasn’t on the mouth, Dream knew he was somehow more flustered than ever before.
He opened his eyes finally and saw George looking down at him. The brunette was biting his lip and it looked as if water was starting to form in the corners of his eyes.
Dream hated this part.
He looked behind them and saw his signature portal opened up to his actual bedroom. The math notes he made while studying were still on his desk, and his clothes were scattered all over the floor with an unmade bed in between. He missed it so much and it had only been a day.
Dream looked back to George and felt his heart break. The brunette was pursing his lips to hold back a frown and his eyes were watering heavily. Dream felt himself tearing up too. This really was the worst part of his ability.
“Hey,” George said, wiping a stray tear from Dream’s cheek. “I’ll be fine.”
Dream frowned with a smile full of melancholy.
“You need to tell your George how you feel,” George said sternly, but he was smiling all the way through.
Dream nodded and went to stand up so he could leave, but George grabbed his hand and tugged him back.
The portal stuttered and began to fall to a close. Dream panicked, but George remained calm. For a second he was worried this George was trying to keep him here, scared that he would never leave, but then George smiled softly and pushed Dream through.
The portal went smaller and smaller as the seconds went by, but before it closed completely, George asked quietly, “Take care of him for me?”
The hole closed and Dream could finally see his entire bedroom. He was only thinking of one thing.
I will.
The next day, Dream woke up with motivation coursing through his veins.
Today was the day he would tell George. He had to. It was too painful to keep falling for every other George that he knew he couldn’t have. He needed his George, and he had to tell the brunette how he felt before it was too late.
So, he got ready for school, hyping himself up as he changed, brushed his hair, and ate breakfast.
He always met up with George before class. Their lockers were near each other and their first periods were in the same hallway. It made sense.
Dream’s heart almost stopped when he saw brunette curls with a navy sweater and converse. George never failed to stun Dream with how pretty he was.
“Hey,” Dream smiled as he opened his locker to hide the blush on his cheeks. George peeked around the side and smiled sweetly. “Morning Dream.”
He grabbed his books and they made their way to first period.
George was his best friend, and he could trust the brunette with anything. Well, everything except his enormous crush. He didn’t know how the brunette would react. Would he be mad? Upset? Fine with it? Or maybe, would he feel the same?
It wasn’t really a strange thing to think about: Dream and George together. Everyone always said they looked like they were already dating, with their constant affection toward each other. It was excruciatingly painful to have to constantly remind others that what they had was totally platonic, even if Dream was feeling anything but.
He couldn’t take the hardship of having to leave every George in other universes anymore. It was terrible, and he felt guilty every time he remembered the losses. He didn’t want to cry over the boys he’d lost, he wanted to appreciate the one he had.
Morning classes went by in a blur as Dream tried to think of how he would tell George all about his inner turmoil. Before he knew it, he was sitting at a lunch table with Karl, Sapnap, and the very brunette that had occupied his mind all day. The couple was being annoyingly couple-y and Dream was so jealous that he could barely breathe. But, instead, he held in a smile and laughed alongside George as they made fun of the couple together. The brunette even went so far as to reach under the table to link their hands together. It was really sweet, and Dream found himself swooning even though it was a common thing for George to do.
It was like the brunette could tell when Dream was stressed or angry or sad. He would always reach out at the exact moment Dream needed comfort with any physical touch he could. It was reassuring and nice and Dream would be lying if he said he didn’t absolutely live for whenever he and George touched.
Their hands just fit so nicely together. Honestly, how was he not meant to swoon? George’s were smaller, and they always slide into Dream’s like they were meant to be there. Maybe Dream liked their difference in sizes (okay, he liked it a lot), but it just felt so right.
When Karl and Sapnap eventually realized that there were more than just the two of them at the table, they finally engaged in a conversation with the others.
“So, Dream,” Karl started. “How was studying yesterday? Are you nervous about next period? I know I am.”
Right. He had a maths exam next period that he didn’t really study for at all. To be fair, he’d tried, but it got him sent into another dimension, so he stopped trying after that, and opted instead to crying over the George he’d left there.
“I’m really nervous, actually,” he admitted.
“We’ll be fine. Mr. Halo usually grades nicely, and you know he favorites you.”
Dream smiled at Karl and felt a squeeze on his hand underneath the table. He looked across to George and practically beamed when the brunette mouthed, ’You got this.’
When the bell rang for next period, the group separated, as well as his and George’s hands. He missed the warmth, but he tried to put the brunette out of his mind as he walked with Karl to maths. Thinking of George during a very important exam would only make him fail worse.
The test ended up fine. He definitely didn’t get an A, but he probably didn’t fail so that was good. He finished early enough to send a text George’s way.
Wanna come over to mine later?
The brunette’s response was instant.
Yes!! I miss Patches :))
Dream scoffed in betrayal and smiled down at his phone. George’s effect on him was insane. It felt bigger than himself, and bigger than their friendship. But, he really loved the brunette. He knew that he’d love George in any way possible as long as they could still hang out. Whether it be platonically or romantically, he’d love George in any way the brunette would have him.
The next two periods passed by quickly, and then he was in his computer science class, sitting next to George as the teacher droned on about some app they needed to be making.
Dream was completely zoned out. He liked computer science, but there was no way he could make a career out of it. George was different. He was so good at the course that he’d started coding stuff outside of class. It was really cool, and Dream found himself watching anything George did instead of working on his own project. His eyes were trained on speedy hands and concentrated features instead of his own laptop. It was a problem, maybe, but George looked too good working that he couldn’t find it in himself to stop.
The bell rang minutes later and Dream’s coding website was still blank. George looked over at his computer and laughed as if he knew he was the reason why the blonde had done absolutely nothing. Dream smiled queasily at the brunette before grabbing his things and heading out the door.
George followed him along the way and hooked his arm around Dream’s. If linking their arms together wasn’t enough, then when George looked up at Dream with curious eyes and asked, “What are we gonna do?” then Dream was far gone. Every single thing the brunette did drove him absolutely crazy. It really was The George Effect in all of its glory.
“It’s a surprise,” Dream answered, heart beating erratically in his chest.
The ride home was quick. It was composed of Dream driving and anxiously tapping his leg while thinking of what’s to come as George stole his phone and added more selfies to the album titled ‘George is an Idiot’.
Dream pulled into his driveway easily and quickly made his way to the passenger side of the car before George could get out. (He liked to pamper the brunette, what can he say?)
They made their way to his bedroom and if Dream looked hard enough he could almost see a tinted pink dusting along freckled cheeks.
George entered first, but instead of walking in effortlessly, as usual, he slipped up on the entrance and fell back into Dream’s awaiting grasp.
The blonde was completely shocked. The step-up into his room was barely an inch and somehow it managed to trip George up. It was weird, but what was even weirder was how the brunette fell into his arms so easily. It was exactly how all the other Georges fell into him in all the other universes.
Now, George was blushing in embarrassment. His cheeks flushed red as he apologized quickly. “I’m so sorry, Dream. I don’t even know how that happened.”
Dream didn’t know either. It was abnormally strange that what happened in the other dimensions was happening here. It had to mean something.
Dream brushed it off though.
He brushed it off and picked George up bridal style. The halfhearted demands to put him down only made him adjust his grip on the brunette and make it seem as if he was falling.
George shrieked and Dream was smiling so hard that his cheeks were hurting. He brought them over to the bed and practically threw George on top of it. The brunette tugged him on as well and suddenly they were wrestling.
It wasn’t really wrestling though, since Dream was clearly winning and had George’s wrists in his hands in less than a minute. He pushed them above the brunette’s head and looked down, suddenly very aware of the position they were in and flushing red.
George took notice and laughed sourly. “Bet you like this,” he said teasingly.
Dream widened his eyes and let go of George’s wrists. He sat down backward but sitting down backward meant that he was sitting on George’s thighs, so he quickly got up and stood next to the bed, trying to convince himself that what happened was not real. George did not flirt with him and they were not just in that position.
The brunette laughed sweetly so Dream snapped his head back in the direction of the bed. George’s arms were now placed behind his head as his legs crossed. His lips were turned up into a smile. “It’s funny when you get all flustered around me,” he said nonchalantly. It was as if saying these things that made Dream go insane was a regular occasion (which it most definitely was not!).
Before Dream could blush more, he felt a zap of electricity on his fingers and looked down to see green specks running across them.
Dread filled his body as he shook his hands, trying to make the sparks go away. But nothing worked and he was left with the apprehension of a portal opening behind him. He didn’t want to go to another universe now. He’d had enough of all the Georges and simply wanted the one in front of him.
“What’s happening?” George asked, voice laced with fear and maybe a mixture of worry.
Dream was of no help. He was looking down at his hands while muttering not now not now not now .
George walked over to the blonde and reached a hand out, only to be completely discarded as Dream took a step back.
The brunette refused to admit defeat and reached out to completely tug the blonde’s arm so they were facing each other. He lifted up Dream’s wrist as sparks flew and raised an eyebrow at the blonde.
Dream looked like he was about to cry. His cheeks were red and his eyes were scrunched up and he simply looked as if he was unable to move.
A small circle of a portal began opening up behind Dream. He stepped forward toward George in an effort to avoid it, but was met with a distressed brunette instead.
“Dream, what the fuck are you doing?” George asked with wide eyes.
“George, I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “This is all my fault, I’m so sorry you're seeing this, you’re not supposed to see me like this,” he rambled. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes and he was doing everything in his power to stop them from coming out. “I’m so sorry, you should leave. I don’t want anything happening to you.”
He was stupid. And dumb. And the biggest idiot ever because one of his stupid portals opened up all because of George saying something that wasn’t even that flirty. He was pathetic, this whole thing was pathetic.
“Dream you’re not making any sense,” George said quietly, voice breaking.
Dream hated this. He didn’t want George to feel like this. It wasn’t his burden to bear, it was supposed to be something Dream handled all on his own.
The portal only grew larger and larger and George wasn’t leaving and Dream was closing his eyes waiting to be sucked in and then nothing came and instead he was feeling warm hands on both sides of his face.
“Dream,” George said softly.
The blonde opened his eyes and was met with his favorite brunette standing in front of him. He was smiling sadly up at Dream. “Look,” he said, “I have no idea what’s happening but I know that whatever is in there is bad. And I think I saw myself, which is weird, but I know that whatever you did to open this, you can do again to close it.”
Dream glanced into the portal, and there was another one of the Georges looking back at them. He’d have to explain that when he got back.
George moved his hands upward and brushed the hair hanging low in front of Dream’s teary eyes. “I know you can do this. I believe in you.”
That was all it took for Dream to turn around and actually try and close the portal for good. He’d tried many times before, but now was different. Now, he had George beside him and the brunette even believed in him. He felt power surging through his veins and up to the tips of his fingers as he thought of everything he’d been hiding. He pushed his emotions towards all the other Georges into the edges of the portal and worked it inwards. He used the George he had with him, his George, to forget about the others. He’d loved them, and left, but all of that exertion was for a reason. It was so he could get to this point, with his George, and where he was finally comfortable with telling his best friend that he was not so platonically in love with the other.
The portal grew smaller and smaller with every strain of thought. All that was left was a small circle around the size of a golf ball. A hand was placed against the small of his back and he suddenly felt like he had the force of a thousand men. George gave him that power, and as pitiful as it may seem, Dream absolutely loved the idea that George was his energy source. It made them like a comic book couple. George was his Lois Lane.
The portal closed instantly and Dream felt himself falling back, closing his own creation had taken up too much energy.
George caught him and steadied him and Dream was too tired to comment on the irony of their situation. The brunette was walking him over to the bed, mumbling hushed you did so goods and Dream was closer to passing out each second.
He fell back onto his bed with a thump and his eyes were zoning in and out. The last thing he heard before he passed out completely was George telling him that he was “such an idiot.”
He felt the featherlight touch of lips against his forehead as he succumbed to Erebus’ grasp.
When Dream woke up, he was confused.
He was in his own bed, in his own room, but he felt like absolute shit.
He blinked open his eyes once, twice, and then he was looking blurry-visioned at the walls of his room. The dresser was the same, his posters were all still hanging, but at his desk, George was sitting there. He was smiling wide and a hand was covering part of his mouth as if he was laughing. Pretty was the only thing Dream could fully comprehend at the moment.
He sat up in an effort to make his way over to the brunette but immediately fell backward. His head was spinning and he practically saw stars. It was exasperating.
“You’re so dumb,” George giggled rudely. To contrast his crude words, however, he made his way over to the blonde, hovering over Dream as he brushed his hands through blonde locks. It felt nice, so Dream closed his eyes at the sensation and fell asleep again.
George’s last words of “Idiot” were playing through his head as he passed out once more.
The next time he woke up, he felt warm. His body had more heat than usual and he could feel it around his arms and on his chest and under his chin.
When he opened his eyes, Dream was shocked to see brunette curls underneath his chin. He shifted out of concern, and suddenly George’s head was popping up in front of his own.
“Hi,” George said with a sleepy smile.
“Sorry,” Dream answered, moving so his arms were no longer around the brunette. He felt terrible, it was probably all his fault that he and George were in this position.
The brunette laughed lightly, “For?”
Dream looked at his arms and their intertwined legs and then back at his best friend's exceptionally gorgeous face. “Whatever this is.”
George grinned teasingly. “How do you even know you were the cause?”
“Well,” Dream started, voice small, “Wasn’t I?”
George giggled again. “Sure. But I don't mind it all that much actually. Feels kinda nice. ”
Dream flushed again. George liked being held in his arms. It was too much. “What did I do?” he asked with a sigh.
George shifted again, but he still wasn’t leaving Dream’s chest, so the blonde wrapped his arms around the brunette’s waist and back again. He liked the feeling way too much, but it was fine for now, since he would probably never have George like this again (and he needed to make the most of it with the time he had now).
“Well, you were kinda shifting when you were asleep, like you were in pain or something,” George began, face falling as he spoke. “So I, like, walked over and touched your arm or something, and then you-” he paused, holding in a laugh. “You grabbed my hand and pulled me on top of you.”
Dream let his head fall back with a groan. “Oh my god.” He was blushing feverishly now, so much so that he probably looked sick.
George laughed again and if Dream didn’t find the brunette’s laughter so absolutely endearing, then he would probably hate it by now. “You’re an idiot even when you’re sleeping.”
“George!” Dream whined.
“What? It’s kinda cute, you know. Dream: idiot supreme.” George flashed a grin and Dream thought he might pass out.
He felt a familiar tingle on his fingers and almost felt nauseous thinking about it. “You’re gonna make me open a portal again, idiot.”
George looked confused for a second before his face lit up in understanding. “Oh my god. Dream! Do you open portals whenever you’re flustered?”
The blonde tried to frown but all he could manage to do was smile. “And when I’m scared, stressed, or anxious.” George pursed his lips to stifle a laugh. “Shut up, you’re the idiot. It’s your fault I’m so exhausted right now.”
“Oh? My fault?” George feigned anger. “I’m so sorry that I flirted with you and you got all hot and bothered.”
Dream pushed the brunette off of his chest at that. As much as he fucking adored the feeling, he was actually quite close to accidentally opening a portal. He knew he could close them now, but it took way more energy than he currently had inside of him, and if George said one more thing admitting that he was flirting with the blonde then Dream was surely going to be in another dimension within moments.
Dream looked down at his fingers and saw a hint of green sparks. He was unable to stop them before, but maybe now he could fix them. He concentrated and concentrated but nothing was fixed. In fact, due to his higher levels of stress trying to fix his problem, he was now sparking even more. He jumped off the bed in frustration.
He was so freaked out that he didn’t notice George until the brunette had taken his hands and laced their fingers together. Of anything, this motion should make him even more flustered, but instead, he felt peaceful. George brought one of his hands toward his mouth and started placing delicate kisses along his knuckles.
It was so domestic that Dream felt himself calming down within moments. George kissed away all of his portal sparks, and afterward, he felt completely fine, only slightly (very) red-faced.
“Sorry again,” Dream apologized wearily.
“S’ fine.”
George’s hands were still holding his and he almost felt woozy at the sensation. “At least it wasn’t a full-blown portal this time.”
Dream almost laughed. What he could do was just plain weird. Any other person would be questioning it, asking how it worked, how to trigger it, etc., but George had just accepted it.
Fuck, he loved George so much.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t really ask you over to show you my stupid portals.”
“Cool portals,” George interjected heartily.
“Sure, I didn’t ask you over to show you my cool portals.”
George feigned surprise, a hand covering his mouth as he gaped it wide open. “Really?” He asked sarcastically.
“Shut up. You make my life so hard,” Dream sighed affectionately.
George laughed. “I’m so sorry for being such an inconvenience to you, babe.”
Dream flushed again. “You did not just call me 'babe'. I’ve officially gone crazy. I’m insane. I’m imagining everything and you’re not even real.”
George winked at him. Winked! “Maybe you need to get into a psych ward then.”
Dream was so far gone by now. George was just so much in every single good way. He admitted to flirting and he continued to do it. He’d calmed Dream down when nothing else worked. He was the reason Dream wasn’t in another dimension right now.
Dream was a hopeless romantic, and he knew that, but he still held out hope that all of this meant something. George falling into him earlier meant something and the fact that George gave him the power to close his own portal meant something huge.
Sometimes, Dream felt like his love for George was bigger than the world itself. He thought that maybe because he found George in any universe, they were destined to be together. It was like they were made for each other, romantics written into the stars and onto all the pages of the history books. They were Orpheus and Eurydice, Achilles and Patroclus.
“I like you,” he blurted out.
Upon the realization of what he’d just said he felt blood rush to every corner of his body, but George simply raised an eyebrow with an amused smile.
Dream sighed and continued, voice lower, “I like you as more than a friend.”
He looked down, expecting George to say something along the lines of an ‘ I’m sorry I don’t feel that way but we can still be friends’ talk but it never came.
He looked back up and saw George pursing his lips to contain a smile. He jumped forward and wrapped his arms around Dream’s neck. “You took five years to finally realize that your behavior towards me is way more than friendly.”
“Shut up,” Dream sighed in embarrassment, yet he was too busy smiling like an idiot to actually look upset.
George continued smiling and even laughed a bit. “You’re very obvious with it too. It’s cute.”
Dream’s heart was beating out of his chest. He kept trying to convince himself that this was real, George liking him was actually happening, but it all felt like a fever dream. He decided that he was sleeping, and that if this was a dream, then he never wanted to wake up. If this was a dream he could afford to be bold, he could push away his embarrassment and just revel at this moment with George.
“You like me too,” he observed.
“And you were too much of an idiot to realize,” George added.
Dream smiled even more than he thought possible. His cheeks were burning at the sensation that George liked him.
“I really am an idiot, aren’t I?”
George moved closer so that their foreheads bumped against each other. The new wave of closeness almost made Dream’s heart stop. But he finally had George here, where he’d been wanting them to be for ages, so there was no way in hell he would die before he finally kissed the brunette.
“Oh yeah,” George agreed, “the biggest.”
Dream took one more look at George’s beaming expression and leaned forward.
The kiss was soft, really soft, and Dream was overwhelmed at how gentle George was being.
He felt like he was in Elysium because of how goddamn amazing George’s lips felt against his own. Any other person he’d kissed had never felt like this. George made him feel wanted and cared for and loved that he actually almost cried on the spot.
It was so profound and massive and incredible that Dream almost felt that his brain was struggling to comprehend the fact that George was kissing him.
Soft lips pulled back from his own and Dream pouted at the loss. But he opened his eyes and saw George looking back at him and realized that all of this was real. He liked George. George liked him. They had kissed.
“Hey,” George said.
“Hey,” Dream said. His eyes were welling up simply because he couldn’t believe that this wasn’t a fantasy.
(He was an emotional person, okay?)
George giggled and wiped away a stray tear with his thumb, and then proceeded to kiss Dream’s tear-stained cheeks until they were dry.
Dream felt like he was melting with every kiss George pressed against him. He was sweet and tender and light and it was everything Dream had longed for for so many years.
When the brunette was done, he pulled back and smiled. “We’re boyfriends now,” he stated.
“Yeah,” Dream answered.
George kissed his nose then, and, afterward, proceeded to kiss Dream quickly on the lips. A soft peck, but it was so sweet that Dream pulled in for more.
They kissed less softly now, but the same affection for each other was behind it.
Dream was still convinced he was dreaming because there was no way he was the only one that got to kiss George like this. The only one who was dating George. The only person that got to shower George with as much affection as he could possibly give. It was surreal.
They ended up falling back onto the bed and kissing some more. With George on his lap, Dream was almost seeing stars. It was so breathtaking and perplexing and spectacular all at the same time and he was so, so happy.
Dream was the happiest man on Earth. He was the happiest man in any universe, any multiverse, any dimension, any galaxy, and it was all because of George.
He really hoped the brunette was as cheery as he was because then they would be the happiest people in any dimesion. Dream and George: happiest couple in the entirety of the multiverse.
They deserved the title. Dream had been through so much to get to this moment in time, and George was more than willing to give him everything he needed.
They stopped kissing, eventually, and ended up relaxing on Dream’s bed. They ignored their countless assignments for homework and instead talked and laughed about the dumbest shit while stealing kisses in between just because they could.
It was pure bliss.
In due time, George asked about his portals, and Dream told him about his adventures, purposefully leaving out the details about how he fell in love with a George from every dimension he visited.
But his plan quickly went into shambles when George asked, “So, why did I see myself in the portal earlier?”
Dream blushed and chuckled dryly. “Well, funny story actually…”