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“Ranboo, Tubbo, move!”
Blood cut through the air. Wheeling, Dream turned to look. George crumpled to the ground. Darting over, he skidded to a stop by George’s side. Threw his arm up and formed an energy shield. Tubbo and Ranboo both looked up from where Ranboo had tackled Tubbo to the side and teleported. George’s head dropped onto Dream’s knee, he took a shaky breath. Claws lashed against the energy shield.
Techno charged forwards, shifting into his beast form and attacking. Dark purple blood spattered the energy shield, droplets popping and snapping loudly as they hit it. Dream kept the shield up, watched as Sapnap, Quackity, Karl, and Tina charged in to add to the defense in Techno’s support. Tina’s claws found the beast’s eyes, digging into them and she started biting at a wrinkled snout. Karl flipped over the beast’s back, grabbed a sword from the ground, and then drove it into their attacker’s side. Around them, some of the others were working on getting villagers and teammates away from the current fight. Sapnap had fire rippling over his form, Quackity was being aerial support.
“George.” Dropping his hand, Dream quickly pulled George to his chest. Pained, dark brown eyes met his, and George rasped in a breath. Forced a weak smile. He looked agonized. “Oh gosh.” Dream glanced down at the wounds.
George had been ripped open from his throat to his hips.
Blood matted the cloth of George’s shirt and the leather armor both, darkening the bright azure of George’s shirt to a darker, almost purple tone. Panting, George dropped his head back against Dream’s shoulder. Gasped and then jerked from pain. Pinkish-white bones poked through the torn muscles and flesh across his chest. Dream was pretty sure he could just see the beating of George’s heart, see George’s breaths and the cuts through his lungs where he had been hit. He was dying.
Okay, okay. “You’re going to go to respawn, okay, George? It’s alright.” George reached up with a shaking hand. Grabbed at the air weakly. Quickly, Dream found his hand. Supported George against him. “Ssh, ssh. It’s alright, I promise. We’ll be there, okay?” George nodded. Swallowed. There was a sharp rasp in his throat. He twitched again. “Do you want me to send you there?”
George jerked his head to the side, shaking it. With a nod, Dream pulled him closer. Kissed his temple. “Y-you know—“ George swallowed, tightened his grip on Dream’s hand. “Tax benefits.”
Dream scoffed and shook his head, “Are you proposing to me as you’re dying in my arms?” George snickered softly, then winced. He sucked in another pained noise. Coughed once. Blood spattered his lips. With his other hand, Dream gently rubbed up and down George’s arm.
“May—be.” George closed his eyes. Leaned into Dream a bit more. “’w. Hurts.” There was a pulse of bright blue at his throat. His magic was trying to stitch the wounds back together, keeping him alive but also keeping him suffering. Gently, Dream clung onto George. Rocked him back and forth delicately.
“Does this feel better?” George hummed. Nodded. He was still bleeding out, and he wheezed again. Gently, Dream brushed his fingers through George’s hair.
“Mmmm…nice too.” George whispered, leaning into him. “Don…let the kids…see.”
“Promise I won’t.” Dark brown eyes met his own jade hazel ones, piercing into him almost. Then, George inhaled shakily. Swallowed. Blood dripped down the front of his throat, wet around where he was lying on Dream. “You’re alright. I’ll meet you at home, I’ll take care of you. Don’t do anything reckless, alright?” George swallowed. Then, smiling, Dream gently kissed George’s temple, felt the man relax into him. “Plus, you owe me a better proposal than that.”
George huffed out a laugh, dropped his head against Dream’s shoulders, and then faded away.
+++
Dream basically kicked the door to George’s room in when he got back to the house.
Curled on his side in his bed, George lifted his head. Smiled softly. “Hey, Dream.” He whispered softly. Then, he dropped his head against the pillow and exhaled softly. Closed his eyes. The next thing he knew, Dream was settling at his back. George rolled over after a moment, pushing his face into Dream’s chest. He had gotten some medical treatment, thanks to Skeppy and Bad hurrying home when they saw George’s injuries. Tubbo and Ranboo had sent thank you messages when they arrived home, and now George was bandaged up and curled in his bed under the blankets.
Dream gently retucked the blankets around them. Exhaling, George pushed into Dream a little more. Let Dream’s arms settle over his sides. “I’m not sorry.” He whispered softly. Dream hummed in question. “Not sorry for saving Tubbo ‘n Ranboo. Not sorry for proposing. Just sorry that I had to die to get the courage to do it.”
Dream huffed out a laugh. “Well, I don’t like the pain. I don’t like what you went through. But I don’t think I would have it any other way.” He gently kissed George’s temple. “But by the way, you still owe me a better proposal, you idiot.”
“That’s my line.” George murmured, laughing into Dream’s chest. A hand rubbed up and down his side, slipped under his shirt to cup his ribs. After a second, Dream’s thumb rubbed over the bandages on his side. “I’m not going anywhere, Dream. I’m staying right here, alright?”
“Yeah, you are. I’ll pin you to the bed if I need to.” Dream whispered softly, lips pressed into George’s hair. Humming, George shoved at him when he felt the ridge of Dream’s mask.
“Take off your mask.” George ordered, reaching up to try and find the mask. Dream leaned away for a moment with another half-laugh. He took the mask off and placed it somewhere else, and then he was back on George. “You can crush me if you want.”
“I don’t think that’s a good—“ Quickly, George rolled Dream on top of him, exhaled slowly to show he could breathe as he looked up at Dream. There was a soft chuckle, and Dream shook his head as George wrapped his arms around Dream’s back and then found his shoulders and held onto him tighter, “Okay.”
“This feels nice.” He murmured softly. Then, he buried his face in the side of Dream’s neck. “I want more touch.”
“I’m lying on you.”
“I want more.”
“How?”
“Figure it out.” He replied softly. Dream hummed softly.
“Alright, fine.”
Suffice to say, neither of them moved for the next couple of hours.