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Dream stuck his hand out the car window as they flew down the highway, feeling wind caress the tips of his fingers and brush along his arm. The sun shone brightly on the pavement and beat down on the boys lounging in their seats.
“Are we almost there yet?” Karl whined from the back.
“For the thousandth time,” Quackity replied in a tired voice. “You’ll know when we get there. It’ll be kind of fucking obvious.”
Karl rolled his eyes jokingly and turned his attention back to the Pokémon game him and Sapnap were playing on their phones. Dream looked at Quackity with a grin, his smile widening as he saw the boy shaking his head in mild annoyance. Karl had been asking the same question for the last hundred miles or so and it seemed to finally be taking its toll on the driver.
When the idea for a group road trip had been suggested, Dream and George were initially hesitant about the whole thing. But Sapnap, Quackity and Karl had argued that this summer was the time to make the most out of life, emphasizing the fact that Dream and George would both be dubbed “boring” if they didn’t go. Karl and Sapnap decided that it was their enthusiasm that had eventually convinced the blond, but really the three boys had been so annoying that Dream went with it just to put an end to their begging. Once Dream had agreed, it was only a matter of time before George caved as well, officially putting their plans into motion.
Since they had finally convinced the entire group to be on board with the trip, the boys needed to decide on a location. It was the peak of summer, a few weeks after school let out and a few more weeks before they had to begin worrying about going back to school, so they discussed all their options, landing on a weekend trip to the beach. Karl remembered that he had been to the beach a lot when he was a kid, describing the warm sand and quaint town that was nestled nearby. Dream, who had grown up around the beach as well but had moved away in recent years, jumped at the chance to return, eagerly agreeing with Karl that that was the ideal destination. He couldn’t wait to go back to the cool waves and burning sun that he loved so much. George, again, agreed hesitantly.
And, after years of endless ridicule and teasing, Quackity proudly offered his “mom car” to be used as the vehicle for this adventure since it would be perfect for a road trip. That morning, the boys had tossed their bags into the trunk of his silver minivan and piled into the seats, buzzing with the excitement and anticipation that accompanies going on vacation.
But it had been many hours since then and the snacks they had packed were dwindling, along with the boys' upbeat attitudes that had melted in the hot sun and dripped from the open windows.
Dream pulled his hand back into the vehicle and rested his arm on the inside of the door, tapping his fingers and nodding his head to the beat of the song that was playing faintly.
He lifted his eyes to the rearview mirror and glanced around the back seats of the car, watching Karl and Sapnap press themselves together as they muttered under their breaths and grinning as he noticed George fast asleep next to them. The brunet’s mouth hung slightly open and his cheek was squished against the car window, eyelids fluttering every time they hit a bump in the road.
Idiot, Dream thought, hesitating before his brain continued with Cute idiot though.
The blond realized he was staring with a goofy grin plastered across his lips and quickly pulled his gaze away, forcing his eyes back through the windshield in front of him as he felt a gentle pink hue spill across his cheeks. He took a quick peek toward the driver’s seat, noting that Quackity seemed oblivious to his situation, and let out a short sigh of relief.
Dream knew that he had a crush on George. He had known since the first day of high school all those years ago when the brunet had walked into his third period science class and accidentally dropped his textbook on the floor. And he knew that it wasn’t exactly a secret. Sapnap had caught on immediately, spending the entirety of high school poking fun at Dream’s furious blushing and stammered sentences. That meant, of course, that Karl knew too since he and Sapnap told each other basically everything. As far as Dream was aware, Quackity and George were the only ones that didn’t know, and he’d like to keep it that way.
It wasn’t that he was ashamed or embarrassed about his crush, or his sexuality for that matter. He was open to his friends and family about his attraction to both men and women even if he didn’t have a specific label to put on it. What he didn’t want was for George to find out because he just knew that would make things awkward between the two of them and he cherished the other boy’s friendship too much to take that risk. And he definitely didn’t want Quackity to know since the beanie-wearing boy was infamous for his inability to keep secrets.
“Are we almost there yet?” Karl’s voice floated from the backseat again, tinged with a grin that spread across his face and colored his words.
“I swear to-“
“No Karl,” Dream cut Quackity off before he really got going, knowing that his bottled-up annoyance meant that once he started yelling he wouldn’t stop for a while. “We’re clearly not there yet.”
“How much longer?” The brunet whined in between sips of his Monster energy drink.
“About 2-3 more years,” Sapnap chimed in with a smirk. “You’re gonna be stuck in this car for a lot longer, so you might as well get comfy.”
Karl rolled his eyes again and slouched back in his seat.
“This sucks,” he mumbled.
“Hey, don’t say that!” Dream scolded, making eye contact through the rear view mirror. “We need to have a positive attitude about this trip.”
Karl mumbled something else to Sapnap, who giggled under his breath, before closing his eyes and resting his head on the other boy’s shoulder. Dream watched as Sapnap’s cheeks flushed a familiar shade of pink and the corners of his mouth twitched into a shy smile.
The blond shook his head at the obvious chemistry between his two friends, forcing his gaze away from the sleeping brunet that he so desperately wanted to peek at and out the windshield once more.
He felt warm wind rush through the open window and across his arm again, tickling the faint hairs that grew there. The breeze continued up his body to tousle his hair and brush across his cheeks. He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his lips as he closed his eyes and allowed the sun’s rays to paint his eyelids, tracing their warmth along his skin. There was something so comforting and peaceful about being in the car with his best friends, music playing quietly in the background as they drove through the afternoon.
Until the peace was ruined.
“Oh wait, I love this song!” Karl exclaimed, bolting upright in his seat and startling the two boys next to him, especially the one that had been asleep.
“Karl-” George grumbled, blinking blearily and wiping at a small trail of drool that had begun its path from the corner of his mouth.
“Turn it up!” Karl said, completely disregarding George.
Quackity smiled broadly and leaned forward, spinning the volume dial all the way to the right.
“Wait, that’s too loud-” Dream started before getting cut off by the song’s chorus.
Take me to your best friend's house
Goin' 'round this roundabout, oh yeah
Take me to your best friend's house
I loved you then and I love you now, oh yeah
Karl screamed the lyrics into the wind, shoving his body from the middle seat over to Sapnap’s side so that he could stick his head out the window as Sapnap joined him, closing his eyes and taking his hat off so that it wouldn’t fly away. Dream laughed loudly, a sound completely drowned out by the song blaring from the speakers, and sang the lyrics along with them. He looked to the driver and saw Quackity grinning wildly before he turned in his seat to look back at the seat behind them, laughing again as he noticed George wincing at the dramatic increase in the car’s volume.
The brunet caught his eye and smiled weakly. Dream guessed that the poor boy was still in the process of waking up, so he grinned back and shrugged, continuing to sing the song’s lyrics.
Don't take me tongue-tied
Don't wave no goodbye
Don't break!
“Hey Karl, guess what?” Quackity called from the front seat several hours later.
“Hmm?” came the mumbled response from where the brunet had his face buried in the soft fabric of Sapnap’s hoodie.
“We’re here!” Dream said with a grin.
Three heads shot up in the backseat, craning to look out the windows and peer out the windshield.
“It’s a lot less crowded than I thought it’d be,” Karl said.
“That’s good though,” Sapnap replied.
Karl nodded and watched as the town’s buildings passed by.
The car rolled slowly down the town’s main street with four boys pressing their noses to the windows in an effort to take it all in. It was a cozy little town with tourist shops, restaurants, and hotels lining the sidewalks. People strolled down the street dressed in shorts and t-shirts or just their swimsuits, many of them holding ice cream cones, a few of them carrying shopping bags stuffed to the brim with souvenirs. Sun shone on the tops of the buildings, illuminating the light shades of blue and yellow that were painted onto their sides.
“It’s so cute,” George observed, palms flat against the glass as he stared at the front of an antique store.
Yes he is, Dream thought, viridian eyes looking at the boy who had spoken rather than the view outside the window.
“Very quaint,” Quackity added, spinning the steering wheel in his hands and turning them into a parking lot off the main street.
“Is this our hotel?” Sapnap asked.
“Yep, right across the street from the beach,” Dream said.
“When are we going to the beach?” Karl asked, gray eyes suddenly alight with excitement.
Dream and Quackity exchanged shrugs.
“Can we go tomorrow?” George groaned. “I just want to get dinner and go to bed.”
Karl rolled his eyes, a movement that was rapidly becoming his signature reaction, but said nothing. Sapnap on the other hand had no such courtesy, chuckling loudly and looking across the car’s backseat to the other boy.
“You want to go to bed? Like, right now?” he scoffed. “You slept like the whole drive anyway!”
George narrowed his eyes. “Well sorry that I wasn’t cuddling with my boyfriend the whole time.”
Sapnap’s cheeks flushed a bright red and he turned his attention back out the window, mumbling “whatever” under his breath.
Dream hid a smile and stifled a laugh, but he felt George’s eyes watching his reaction anyway. Pretending that umber irises weren’t burning a hole in the back of his neck, he opened the car door and swung his legs out, letting out a loud groan as he lifted his arms into the air and bent his back as he stretched. Being cooped up in a car for hours on end had taken its toll and his muscles had become unbelievably cramped, not to mention how stiff his entire torso was from the limited motions he could make in the front seat. Turning back to face the car, he dropped his hands back to his sides and pulled his shirt down since it had ridden up as he stretched, noticing George’s gaze abruptly avert itself from the sliver of exposed skin. A blush began to crawl along his neck at the thought that the brunet had been watching him but he shook the crazy notion out of his mind, walking toward the back of the van and popping open the trunk.
“Who’s name is the reservation under?” Quackity asked, walking around the car to join Dream.
“I think it’s mine,” Dream said. “I’ll go check us in and then we can dump all of our stuff off before getting some food.”
The other boys nodded, grabbing various backpacks, duffel bags, and pillows from the trunk.
Dream lifted a hand to sweep blond hair from his eyes as he walked toward the hotel’s entrance, drinking in the way the evening sun warmed the back of his legs and arms. The air felt different here; more humid but more refreshing than the air back home. He took a deep breath, letting the faint ocean breeze fill his lungs. Letting out a gentle sigh, he stepped into the air conditioned lobby.
“What do you mean there’s only two beds?” Sapnap exclaimed, eyes almost popping out of his head.
“Wha- did you think we were gonna get a hotel room with five beds?” Dream countered. “The biggest option they had was a suite with two beds and a pull out couch. And I definitely wasn’t getting two separate rooms, so that’s what we’re stuck with. Plus, we’re only here for two nights, so it can’t be that bad.”
“Dibs on the couch,” Quackity said with a sly smile.
The boys had gathered up their belongings and trekked through the lobby, waiting for the elevator to open.
“Sap and I can just share,” Karl said nonchalantly, seemingly unaware of the shades of red that flashed in quick succession across the other boy’s face.
“Yeah, for sure,” Sapnap choked out, looking anywhere but Dream’s face as if he could feel the knowing look that waited there.
“And Dream and I can share too,” George added in the same unbothered voice that Karl had used. “Problem solved.”
Now it was Dream’s turn to blush, heat creeping across his scalp and dripping down around his ears, melting his entire head with red-hot coals.
“What?” he sputtered.
“Well, since Quackity called the couch and Karl and Sapnap are sharing one of the beds, you and I can just share the other one. That way no one has to sleep on the floor,” George explained patiently as if Dream was struggling with the concept instead of what that arrangement entailed.
The elevator dinged open in front of them and the five boys stepped on hurriedly, pushing the button to their floor and settling into a comfortable silence. However, Dream couldn’t appreciate the silence because the thoughts in his head were too loud.
Him and George sleeping in the same bed? Why would George even suggest that? He guessed it was a good thing that the other boy was comfortable enough with him that he had offered to sleep in the same bed together. But now he was worried about the whole thing. What if he overstepped George’s boundaries while they slept and things got awkward? What if he couldn’t sleep because he was so worried about everything? What if, once he got in close enough proximity to the other boy, his body spontaneously combusted and he literally blew up?
He knew that George didn’t like him that way, but he also couldn’t forget the way the brunet had been watching him at the end of the car ride; how his gaze had snapped quickly away from Dream’s body as soon as he had been caught. A hint of doubt began crawling into Dream’s mind as he mulled over that fact.
Suddenly, the elevator dinged again and opened onto their floor.
“What’s our room number?” Karl asked as the boys stepped out onto the carpeted floor.
“We’re 315, so take a left,” Dream said hazily, mind still far away from the moment happening around him.
“Dream, you good?” he heard a voice ask quietly.
Looking around blearily, he saw George had hung back from the rest of the group, lifting a small hand to rest on Dream’s arm reassuringly.
“If sharing the bed freaks you out or something, then we don’t have to-“
“No, no, no, it’s okay.” Dream stumbled over his words in a rush to get them out. “I’m uhh- I’m just thinking about what the plan is for tomorrow.”
George smiled warmly, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “We can worry about that tomorrow. You don’t have to think of everything by yourself, y’know.”
Dream’s heart pulsed in his chest, a surge of warmth and affection flooding through his veins. He felt George rub his thumb along tanned skin and smiled faintly as sparks skittered across his arm, spreading goosebumps in their wake. Viridian eyes locked onto umber ones for what felt like eternity, both boys grinning shyly, a matching rosy hue painting their cheeks.
“Thanks,” Dream whispered, afraid that raising his voice would break the simple intimacy of the moment.
“Dream! George! Are you coming?” Quackity’s voice called from down the hall.
The two boys jerked apart, George’s hand flying from Dream’s arm to land back on the strap of his backpack. Their eyes darted away from each other, Dream’s looking up to stare pointedly at the ceiling, George’s dropping to scan the floor.
“Uhm,” Dream coughed out in response. “Yeah, I uh- I dropped my room key.”
George’s lips curled into a secret smile as he cast a last glance at Dream before trotting off down the hall to catch up with the others. The blond stood rooted to the spot, brain trying to process what had just happened and stomach trying to settle the butterflies that had filled it.
The rest of the night went relatively smoothly. George was adamant about getting food and going right to bed even though it was only about 6 o’clock at night and, truth be told, the other boys were completely drained as well. Despite Sapnap’s protests to the plan, he was yawning and rubbing his eyes with the rest of them as they sat in a corner booth at the little pizza restaurant next door to their hotel. After devouring two entire pizzas and leaving no leftovers, the group dragged themselves back to the hotel. Karl almost fell asleep in the elevator, having slouched against Sapnap’s shoulder yet again. Quackity and Dream exchanged raised eyebrows as they noticed this, but neither of them said anything upon receiving a pointed glare from Sapnap.
George used his key to open the door to their hotel room and Dream’s heart rate spiked once his eyes landed on the two beds.
He had completely forgotten that they would be sharing. And did the beds look smaller than they had been earlier?
“Boys, I’m fucking exhausted,” Quackity started, pausing as a yawn escaped him. “I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow.”
And with that he disappeared into the side room of the suite where the pullout couch was, sliding the separating door closed behind him.
“Me too. I’m gonna brush my teeth and then I’m passing the fuck out.” Karl walked over to the bathroom, eyes barely open as he pulled his overnight bag out of his backpack.
Dream smiled and turned to see George already laying on one of the beds. The brunet’s eyes were closed and his sides rose and fell gently as his breathing deepened. He had tucked his hands into the long sleeves of his sweatshirt and wrapped them around his waist as if he was hugging himself.
“I was gonna ask which bed you guys wanted but…” Sapnap said, trailing off with a gesture toward the sleeping boy.
“Yeah, I guess we’ll take this one.” Dream chuckled softly.
He grabbed his bag and left Sapnap and George in the bedroom, joining Karl in the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. Once he had finished, he slipped back into the main room, noticing that Sapnap had already passed out on the other bed without even taking off his sweatshirt or his shoes.
Karl made his way out of the bathroom, rolling his eyes in classic Karl fashion at Sapnap’s body sprawled out across the bed.
“Good luck getting any sleep tonight,” Dream whispered. “Sap tends to snore and kick in his sleep.”
“Oh great,” Karl sighed before lifting Sapnap’s limbs so that he could clamber under the sheets next to him.
Dream giggled quietly to himself. He flicked off the overhead lights and whispered a quick goodnight to the two boys, then turned toward the other bed, eyes going soft at what he saw there.
Through the faint light seeping through the closed curtains, he could see that George had rolled onto his side and pulled the covers over his shoulders. His head was turned toward the center of the bed and brunet curls splayed out on the pillow under him, creating a chocolate halo around the pale skin of his face. His eyebrows and eyelids were relaxed, dark lashes settled comfortably on faintly freckled cheeks, plush lips parted slightly as puffs of air blew between them.
Dream felt his body melting into a puddle at the sight of George, usually so full of energy and witty responses, now laying in bed so peacefully. He let out a quiet sigh, taking a mental picture of the beautiful boy, before leaning down to pull the covers up.
George stirred in his sleep, mumbling something incomprehensible as he buried his face deeper in the pillow. Dream slid under the covers, making sure that no part of his body was touching the other boy. He rested his head on the pillow facing George, pointedly ignoring that their faces were only a few inches away from each other and cursing the hotel for having such small beds.
“Dr’m?” George mumbled, voice clearer now due to their close proximity.
“Yeah?” The blond whispered back.
“Dr’m, ‘m cold.”
“Do you want me to turn off the AC for you?”
“No, Sap said ‘e needs ‘t cold t’ sleep.”
Dream smiled into the near darkness at the way George’s words were fractured and slurred into the pillow.
“Okay, then how can I help you not be cold?”
“Can we c’ddle?”
A beat of silence broken only by the whirring of the air conditioner’s fan and the soft snores from the other bed.
“Cuddle?” Dream whispered, convinced that the other boy could feel the way his heart suddenly began racing.
“Yeah,” George mumbled. “My feet ‘re cold and you’re so warm.”
Dream could actually feel his body heat up, hues of pink and red swirling unseen across the tanned skin of his face and dripping lower down the back of his neck.
“Please,” George added, voice pitched higher, almost whining.
The blond’s breathing hitched at the desperation coating the other boy’s words and, never one to say no to George, he caved instantly.
“Okay, okay,” Dream said, opening his arms under the covers. “C’mere.”
The brunet scooted over eagerly, moving his arms from where they had been hugging his own body to wrap around Dream’s waist. His head nustled into the taller boy’s chest and Dream froze, realizing that now George really could hear his heart pounding against his ribs. But no comment or sarcastic remark came and Dream was able to relax, letting his arms settle around George’s shoulders and resting his chin in soft brown curls. He felt George moving his legs around trying to get comfortable. Something cold as ice touched the backs of his calves and he flinched away.
“Holy shit, is that your foot?” he hissed.
“I told you my feet are cold.”
Dream smiled as the vibrations from George’s voice rumbled against his chest and he let his body relax again. The smaller boy squeezed his feet back between Dream’s warm legs and he winced at the freezing touch.
They lay like that for a while, holding each other under the blankets of their shared bed. Dream’s chest grew warmer, both because of the brunet’s head resting there and because he felt an incredible rush of affection for the boy that he was cradling in his arms. He didn’t know why he had been so worried about sharing a bed, although an inkling of uncertainty wiggled into the back of his brain.
What if George woke up and realized what had happened? He clearly wasn’t lucid enough to think clearly. What if he was totally disgusted that he had been cuddling with his best friend? What if the other boys saw them? What if…
George stirred in his sleep again, gripping the back of Dream’s t-shirt with small pale fingers and jerking the blond out of his thoughts. Dream pushed his thoughts into a dark corner of his brain, telling himself that he needed to get some sleep and that his worries could be dealt with tomorrow. He unconsciously drew the brunet closer to him, squeezing him gently in his arms. Their breathing grew deeper and deeper, George sleeping soundly and Dream drawing closer to the edge of sleep, and the two were already asleep by the time George had warmed up.
Dream woke up slowly, laying on his back so that a strip of light breaking through the window shades cut directly across his eyelids, forcing sleep from his mind. He sighed, letting a puff of air blow through his nostrils, and tried to stretch his arms, but found there was something weighing them down. Opening his eyes slowly, he blinked the sleep from his bleary eyes and looked at the bed beside him where his arm was pinned to the mattress.
Oh. Right.
A small figure lay next to him, curled into a ball under the covers and hugging his arm gently. The figure’s face was turned toward him as small pale hands clutched at the tanned skin of his bicep. Brunet curls rolled over the pillow, chocolate waves creating a dark ocean between them. Warm breaths ghosted over Dream’s exposed skin.
The blond’s heart felt like it could explode from the sheer amount of affection that flooded through his veins. His entire body felt the most relaxed it had ever been, as if even his bones and limbs could recognize that it was so right to lay like this with the smaller boy; so right to have him in his arms, to be able to reach over and run tanned fingers through dark hair, to play connect-the-dots with the freckles that littered pale cheeks. He felt at peace.
Until the figure next to him yawned gently and blinked open its eyes.
Dream had a split second to decide if he should shut his eyes quickly and pretend to be asleep or if he should simply lay there, staring at the other boy as he awoke slowly. He chose to test his luck and left his eyes open, a small smile sitting unconsciously on his lips.
“Morning,” he murmured softly.
George grunted in response, lifting sweatshirt-covered hands to rub at his eyes.
“How’d you sleep?” Dream asked.
“‘ve you been staring at me?” The brunet dropped his hands and looked the blond in the eyes.
There was nothing accusatory hidden within deep brown irises, it appeared that the sleepy boy was just asking a simple question. Still, Dream felt his heart rate quicken and heat crawl along his skin.
“I- uh-,” he stuttered. “I j- I just woke up too.”
“Mhmm,” George hummed, clearly not buying it but not pushing the conversation further.
Silence fell between them. The whirring of the air conditioning filled the room, barely audible over the sound of Sapnap’s light snores and Karl’s deep breaths from the bed next to them.
“To answer your question,” George mumbled, eyelids drooping lower with leftover sleep. “I slept pretty well. You make for a comfy pillow.”
“Oh really?” Dream choked out, pretending that that sentence didn’t make his knees go weak underneath the covers.
“Mhmm. Very soft and warm.”
“Good to know.”
The blond turned his gaze toward the ceiling, willing the heat to drain from his face.
“Does this hotel have breakfast?” George asked.
Out of the corner of his eye, Dream could see the brunet struggling to keep his eyes open, making a conscious effort to focus on the side of Dream’s face instead of slipping back to sleep.
“Yeah, they have one of those continental breakfast things. With like bacon and eggs and waffles and stuff.”
“Do you wanna go eat? I’m starving.”
“You don’t wanna wait for the others?” Dream rolled over to face the boy next to him, realizing too late that that was a mistake as the movement pressed them closer together, noses barely an inch away from each other. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes almost crossed as he looked at how close their faces were.
George paused before answering and Dream swore he saw pink rise into pale cheeks, but he brushed it away as a trick of the early morning light.
“They’ll catch up,” the brunet said, voice soft with sleep.
Dream felt warm puffs of breath on his lips as George spoke. Butterflies awoke in his stomach, fluttering their wings with an affection that quickly turned to desire, swooping through Dream’s chest and into the very center of his being.
“Mmhmm,” Dream hummed in response, too distracted by the colors swirling through the irises of George’s eyes and the heat of the other boy’s skin on his to process anything clearly.
“‘re you hungry?” George whispered. “Cuz we c’ld go now.”
But the brunet seemed to be drawn to Dream as much as he was drawn to George, and he made no motion to get up, instead flattening his body and pulling himself closer to Dream, tangling their legs together under the covers like they had the night before. The blond moved instinctively, lifting his arm from where it had been laying limp at his side to rest gently on the curve of George’s waist, sliding underneath his hoodie and reveling in the feel of skin on skin. He waited for the other boy to flinch or pull away in disgust, but that moment didn’t come. Dream was almost certain now that a blush had settled over George’s features as the boy looked up at him with doe eyes, batting his lashes slowly, no longer on the brink of sleep.
“We c’n go,” Dream mumbled, words barely more than air escaping his mouth.
His mind struggled to understand what was taking place. This was so unlike them, this intimacy that had slipped into their veins and drugged them into delirium, yet it felt natural. It felt like this was always what they were supposed to be; two boys laying in bed, so entrapped in each other’s eyes and the closeness of their bodies that they couldn’t think clearly.
George hummed softly, dark eyes dropping to where gentle fingers traced shapes into the fabric of Dream’s t-shirt. Even through the cloth, sparks flew across tanned skin as the beginnings of desire gathered, pooling in the pit of the taller boy’s stomach, a heat that had nothing to do with the layers of covers on top of them.
“When does breakfast end?” George asked casually.
The puff of George’s words across Dream’s lips was enough to fan the sparks of desire into a slowly burning flame and he had to fight every single cell in his body that was screaming for something more, yelling at him to run his hands along George’s curves or tilt his head just enough that their noses could slide past enough other.
“I- I think 10,” Dream responded, affection and pure want dripping from his tongue to coat his words.
The blond couldn’t help himself and he squeezed gently with the hand that was resting on the smaller boy’s slim waist, fingertips digging softly into plush skin. George’s eyes flicked up from Dream’s chest and his lips parted slightly.
“We should probably go then,” the brunet whispered, fingers gripping Dream’s t-shirt and tugging him closer.
Dream’s mind went completely blank as he watched George’s eyes flutter shut.
What?
Then he saw the other boy tilt his head slowly and his thoughts clicked into place.
Oh.
Dream’s eyelids followed suit, sliding closed over tired eyes, and he pressed his head forward, lips already tingling with anticipation.
Sapnap suddenly let out a loud snore, something akin to a chainsaw starting or a lawn mower revving up, before stirring in his sleep and rolling over.
Dream and George sprung apart, eyes flying open as the bubble of intimacy that had surrounded them and dulled their senses had popped. Blood rushed to Dream’s face, flooding his cheeks with heat and cherry red embarrassment. His eyes flew to the ceiling in an effort to avoid George’s gaze, noticing out of the corner of his eye that the same bright hues were spilling across pale features. A sharp silence fell between them. Dream’s skin prickled with tension as if unspoken words and desire-driven actions were crawling across his arms and legs. He opened his mouth to speak, to say something that would fill the awful space that was spreading wider between the two of them in their bed, but George beat him to it.
“So… breakfast?” the brunet asked quietly.
Dream pretended not to hear the way George’s voice wavered over the word’s syllables.
“Yeah, sounds good. Let me just wash my face and brush my teeth first,” he replied, peeling the covers back from sweaty skin and dragging his legs off of the mattress.
He padded across the room, shivering slightly at the cool breeze coming from the air conditioner, and closed the bathroom door behind him. Almost immediately, his legs gave out from under him and he slid to the floor, back pressed against the cool wood of the door.
Thoughts were racing around his head, spinning faster and faster into a tornado of doubt and shame. What had they been doing? Had they almost kissed? Why hadn’t George stopped him, said something, done something? Did he want it too? No, no, no, that couldn’t be true. It just couldn’t. Maybe George hadn’t wanted to make Dream uncomfortable, so he just went along with it. That was the most logical explanation, right? Because Dream knew that George didn’t actually like him like that. He must’ve just been playing along.
He pressed the palms of his hands into his closed eyelids, begging his brain to stop, feeling hot tears begin to form.
And if George was just playing along, then he must’ve been so uncomfortable. Dream had crossed so many lines, had done so many things that he regretted.
His breathing deepened as he struggled for air, his thoughts spiraling, choking the breath in his throat and forcing the air from his lungs.
Oh my god, he ruined everything. Him and George would never be the same, never be on the same level of friendship that they had been. The other boy would never be able to look at him the same way again, his vision always tinged with various shades of disgust and discomfort.
A gentle knock on the door pulled him out of his head, drawing him back to the cold tile he was sitting on.
“Hurry up, Dream,” George’s voice came through the door. “I’m practically starving out here.”
“Yeah, yeah, almost done,” Dream rasped, mouth dry.
He lifted a hand to wipe at the tears threatening to spill down his cheeks and picked himself up off the floor. Throwing cold water over his burning skin, he washed his face and brushed his teeth quickly, looking at the mirror to make sure that his eyes weren’t as puffy as they felt before stepping back into the bedroom.
“Ready?” George asked, morning light casting its soft glow across his oversized hoodie and flushed cheeks.
“Ready,” Dream affirmed, feeling completely the opposite.
“Let’s go then.”
Dream trailed after the smaller boy as they left the room, closing the door as quietly as they could before walking silently down to breakfast, both boys drowning in their own thoughts unbeknownst to the other.
They sat amongst the other people eating breakfast; families with rowdy kids, old couples sharing coffee, businessmen grabbing a single bagel before rushing off to do whatever it is businessmen do. However, unlike the other people eating breakfast, a cloud hung over their table. Sharp tension and bits of broken glass littered the floor around their table, heavy walls slotting into place between them as they exchanged quiet small talk. They engaged in a fragile dance, skirting around what was clearly on both of their minds. After about twenty minutes of their uneasy tango, Karl, Sapnap, and Quackity came to join them. The three boys had clearly just woken up with their disheveled hair and drooping eyes. After that, the glass shards seemed to melt into the carpet and the walls became much thinner as Dream and George were able to temporarily forget their situation.
“When are we going to the beach?” Karl asked, yawning over his bowl of Froot Loops.
“I think as soon as we’re done with breakfast, right?” Dream said.
Karl’s smile grew and he began shoveling cereal into his mouth as fast as he could.
“Woah Karl, chill out,” Quackity said with a laugh. “You can’t go to the beach if you choke on a Froot Loop.”
The sound of laughter filled the space between them and Dream let out a hidden sigh of relief when George cast him a small smile.
“Okay, I’m done!” Karl exclaimed, dropping his spoon onto the table and pushing his chair back. “It’s beach time!”
The other boys finished scarfing down their breakfast, grabbing some extra food to take with them to the beach since the snacks they had brought from home were almost completely depleted, before making the trek back up to their hotel room. Karl led the way and talked non stop about how excited he was to finally go back to the beach. Dream listened faintly, his attention mainly focused on the small brunet boy walking next to him.
Arriving at their room, they rummaged through their bags in search of swimsuits, sunscreen, towels, and whatever else they were taking with them. Pieces of clothing flew across the room as the boys tossed things this way and that in search of specific items. One by one, they slipped into the bathroom to change into their swim trunks. And when the chaos of packing and changing was over, the boys followed Karl as they raced through the hotel, taking the stairs instead of the elevator this time since Karl couldn’t even spare the ten seconds it would take.
Dream giggled as they ran, feeling excitement ripple through his body and taking a second to appreciate that he was even able to go on the trip in the first place. He really did love his friends and it meant a lot to him to be able to spend time with them. At least, he felt this way until Sapnap stepped on the back of his heel and he almost went flying across the hotel lobby.
It was already early afternoon and the hot sun was blazing down, turning the pavement into a burning river of black separating them from the cool ocean. Dream could smell the salt in the air, could practically feel the ocean’s breeze brushing across his skin and tousling his hair. They raced across the street, whooping and shouting, ignoring honking cars and oblivious pedestrians.
“We made it!” Karl shrieked as they crossed the small strip of grass that lined the sidewalk and stepped on the sand for the first time.
The group continued racing forward toward the water.
“Wait guys,” George huffed, out of breath. “Shouldn’t we set up a little area for our stuff?”
Karl simply dropped his bag onto the hot sand, kicked off his flip flops, and stripped his shirt off before sprinting full speed at the water, crossing the rest of the beach in the span of about three seconds.
George rolled his eyes in an excellent imitation of the taller brunet before slowing to a walk, chest heaving. It was obvious that that was the most exercise George had had in a while. His cheeks were flushed, splotches of red dotting his face and neck, and he grabbed at his side as if he had a side cramp. Dream stopped with him, leaving Sapnap and Quackity to drop their stuff and chase after Karl into the waves. Although he wasn’t too out of shape, Dream’s breathing was still heavy and sweat dotted his forehead.
“Should we just set up camp here? Or move the stuff somewhere else?” Dream asked, voice wavering slightly as he suddenly realized the two were alone without the comfortable buffer of the others.
“I mean-” George cut himself off as he took a deep breath, trying to slow the rapid rise and fall of his chest. “This seems as good a spot as any. We can just leave it here.”
Dream’s skin began to prickle, either from the sun’s heat or from the silence that followed.
“Are you… uh… gonna get in?” Dream said, gesturing vaguely at the water where the other three boys were splashing through the waves.
“No, probably not,” George replied with a shrug.
“Wha- why? We came all the way to the beach and you’re not even gonna get in?”
“I don’t like swimming.”
“You don’t have to swim, you can just walk out until the water gets high enough and then stand there.”
George wrinkled his nose. “But it’ll be so cold!”
Dream laughed, lifting a hand to wipe a bead of sweat as it dripped down the side of his face. “That’s the point! It’s so hot out!”
George seemed to be unpersuaded by that argument, bending down to grab a towel from his bag and spread it across the sand.
“C’mon George! It’ll only be cold for a second!”
The brunet shook his head adamantly, casting a glance to his right at Sapnap on Karl’s shoulders chasing after Quackity through the water.
“Then you leave me no choice,” Dream said with a sly smile.
He grabbed the hem of his shirt and swung it over his head, dropping it onto the sand next to his backpack.
“Wh-What are you doing?” George stammered, looking back at the taller boy.
Dream would be lying if he didn’t notice the way umber eyes tracked down his body, slowly working their way across tanned and toned skin. He even thought the other boy’s face grew warmer, brighter red lighting a fire on his cheeks, but that was probably just due to the sun’s rays. His own skin grew hot, knees weakening under George’s gaze.
“We’re getting in the water whether you like it or not.” Dream stepped closer, reaching his arms forward. “C’mere George!”
“No Dream!” George shrieked, practically jumping across the sand to get away.
“George!” Dream yelled, drawing out the syllables.
The two began an intense game of cat and mouse; every step forward Dream took, George took a step back, always just out of reach. Both boys were grinning like crazy, wild smiles lighting up their faces and igniting a sparkle in their eyes. The stress and anxiety of that morning seemed so far away as they danced across the beach.
“Dream please!” George said, laughing breathlessly. “It’s too hot for this.”
“Then just give up,” Dream replied.
“No, I’ll never let you win!”
“Yes you will!”
As he let out a final yell of victory, Dream wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, scooping him into the air and carrying him bridal-style.
“I win!”
“Okay, fine, just please don’t drop me!” George exclaimed fearfully.
Small hands looped around Dream’s neck, tightening their grip and pulling their bodies close together. Dream’s heart stuttered at the feeling of George pressed against his bare chest, even if the other boy’s baggy gray shirt got in the way of skin on skin contact. Before his knees could go weak and his head could cloud with raw affection, he started off down the beach toward the water, smiling fondly when his unwilling passenger let out little giggles.
He pulled George closer to him as they walked, arms squeezing around the boy’s knees and shoulders. In that little motion, Dream released volumes of unspoken anxieties and fears, worries that had been plaguing him since they had gotten breakfast that morning. When they got closer to the water, he felt a little squeeze from George in return, a tightening of his grip around Dream’s neck, and the taller boy’s legs almost gave out in pure relief; relief that came from the reassurance that he hadn’t ruined their friendship with selfish actions, that the two of them were still as comfortable with each other as they had been before. Suddenly, Dream’s toes brushed the water’s edge, a chill running up his spine as cool waves lapped at his feet. He continued walking in until the water came to his upper thigh, right under George’s butt as he squirmed in Dream’s arms.
“Dream?”
“Yes George?”
“Please don’t drop me in.”
“I can’t believe you think I would do something like that,” Dream said, feigning offense. “That would actually be so mean if I-”
He pulled his arms back, dropping the boy into the water and wincing as a splash of cold water washed over him. George’s limbs flailed and he gasped loudly, standing up as soon as he could get his legs under him. Dream took one look at the boy’s dripping wet shirt hanging loosely from his small frame and burst out laughing, almost doubling over as he wheezed.
“Fuck you, Dream,” George hissed through chattering teeth.
Before Dream even realized what was happening, two small hands planted themselves on his chest and shoved him backward with a surprising amount of force. He crashed into the water and felt a gentle stinging on his back at the impact, gasping for air when the cold washed over his burning skin.
“George-” he called out before saltwater rushed into his mouth, cutting off some very colorful language.
He could hear laughter when he finally brought his head back to the surface and he couldn’t help but smile. George’s laugh was one of his favorite sounds on the planet and he would walk to the ends of the earth just to be able to hear it.
“Your face!” The smaller boy shrieked, holding his sides as he sucked in air. “You should’ve seen your face!”
“Oh yeah?” Dream asked, standing up in the water and moving closer to the other boy. “Well you should see your face when I do this.”
George’s eyes widened as Dream’s hands fell to his waist, pulling him close.
“Wha-?” George’s lips parted in surprise and Dream’s willpower almost gave out as he fought the urge to dip his head and kiss his soaking wet best friend.
Instead, he lifted the other boy into the air and tossed him into deeper water, grinning at the look of shock and fear that crossed George’s features.
“You guys finally made it!” He heard a voice to his right, shouted across the crashing of the waves.
Turning, he saw that Quackity, Karl, and Sapnap had made their way over to where he was standing. All three of them were drenched, hair dripping and eyes rimmed red from the saltwater.
“Yeah, George took a little bit of persuading,” he replied.
“Uh huh, we saw,” Sapnap said with a knowing look.
Dream shrugged, ignoring the way his stomach flooded with butterflies.
“I hate you, Dream,” George said, having freed himself from the water for a second time. “Do not do that again or I swear I’m gonna-”
“Gonna do what?” Karl asked. “This?”
George was knocked off his feet and under the waves for a third time that day as Karl lunged at him, tackling him like a football player. Dream burst into laughter, Sapnap and Quackity joining him before they too were doused in water, splashing and chasing each other until they were completely out of breath.
As they moved further offshore and deeper into the pull of the ocean, Dream couldn’t wipe the smile off of his face.
The hours passed quickly, time turning into the sand that ran through their fingers as they spent the entire day in the water. The only time that any of them were out of the ocean for an extended period of time was to grab a snack or chug some water before sprinting back across the beach to rejoin the others.
At one point, Dream pulled himself out of the water and dragged himself back up to their pile of bags, body tired and aching. He laid out his towel and collapsed onto it, rolling over onto his back. Closing his eyes, he could hear the crashing of the waves and the shouts of his friends. He smiled to himself. Laying like that for a while, he could feel the water droplets begin to dry across his shoulders and chest, the early evening sun dancing over his skin and deepening the sunburn that was already forming. He sat up and shielded his eyes from the glare so that he could look down at the water. Being a simple man, Dream’s eyes immediately locked onto a certain small brunet.
George looked stunning in the golden rays of the sun. At some point during the afternoon, he had accepted the fact that his pale skin would get sunburned anyway and he had taken his shirt off, tossing the soaked gray clothing into a heap by their bags. Now, Dream was able to stare unashamed as he leaped through the air into the water, his exposed torso shining. Viridian eyes watched at a distance, watched water droplets fly from dark curls like diamonds falling into the ocean, watched sunburned cheeks glow pink, watched a smile turn into laughter that made his heart ache with fondness.
Eventually, the other boys withdrew from the ocean, exhausted, hungry, and dehydrated from their day’s activities.
“Wanna go get more pizza for dinner?” Sapnap asked as the four boys approached Dream’s towel.
“Not really, I was thinking we should try that burger place down the street,” Karl said.
“I think we should go to that seafood place. I mean, we’re at the beach after all,” Quackity chimed in.
They discussed dinner as they dried off, doing their best to clean the sand off their damp skin without much luck. Dream didn’t focus much on the conversation, instead looking at George, at the way he moved, at his bare chest, at his swim trunks hanging slightly from the curves of his waist.
“Dream? Hello, earth to Dream?” Sapnap’s voice drew his eyes back to the rest of the group.
“Huh?”
“We’re doing seafood, does that work for you?”
“Oh uhm,” he coughed, hoping his sunburn covered the red embarrassment that was rising to his cheeks at being caught staring. “Yeah, sounds good.”
Sapnap rolled his eyes, an unfortunate habit he had picked up from Karl.
“So we’re going now?” George asked, lifting his towel to run through his wet hair, shaking his head around like a wet dog. Dream couldn’t help but smile fondly.
“I think so. I mean, I’m hungry as fuck, I’m assuming you guys are too since none of us had lunch,” Sapnap said.
A general murmur of agreement came from the rest of the group and Dream felt his stomach rumble as he suddenly became aware of just how hungry he was. They packed up their bags, dragged their tired feet across hot sand back toward their hotel, and chatted quietly to each other. After their long day in the sun, Dream could tell that all of them just wanted to go eat, shower, and sleep.
That was pretty much exactly what they did.
They went to the seafood place that was a block down from their hotel and got a table outside with a beautiful view of the evening sun sinking low over the ocean. Golden light danced across the water’s surface and the crashing of the waves was the perfect soundtrack for their meal. They devoured their food, barely tasting anything as they shoved bite after bite into hungry mouths. Quackity was practically drooling over his fish and chips and almost didn’t take a breath throughout the whole meal because he was eating so fast.
Dream ate quietly and listened to his friends talking around him. He found that he did this a lot; just stepped back into almost a spectator position, watching the other boys as they interacted. How they talked, the way they smiled, the sound of their voices. He noticed little things about each of them, like the way that Karl’s eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up when they started talking about something he was passionate about, or the way Sapnap’s giggle got louder and louder when someone kept adding on to their jokes.
But he noticed the most about George. His eyes were glued to the brunet’s face, drinking in the tiniest details that he was sure no one else ever saw. Sunburned pink hues sat heavily on pale cheeks giving him a permanent blush that made Dream’s heart tap dance around his ribcage. When they were waiting for their food, Dream watched as George fiddled with the items on the table, rearranging the silverware and condiments until he seemed satisfied, before clasping his hands together and dropping them into his lap. And Dream almost melted into a little gooey puddle when he looked up halfway through their meal and realized that the other boy’s hair had dried extra curly with little brunet ringlets looping their way around his head. In his oversized shirt with his sunburned cheeks and lopsided smile, illuminated by the setting sun, George had never looked so soft and Dream wanted nothing more than to sweep him back into his arms.
Eventually, the boys finished their food and paid the check, standing slowly and making their way back to their hotel.
“I’m gonna sleep so fucking good tonight,” Karl said stifling a yawn. “Hopefully better than last night.”
“Wha-? What was wrong with last night?” Sapnap exclaimed in offense.
“You snored all night! Like, so loud! And you kept kicking me under the covers, with your slides on cuz you forgot to take them off!”
“Oh,” was the sheepish response. “You can switch beds then if you don't want to share again tonight.”
“No!” George practically shouted, his voice echoing slightly as they walked through the empty lobby.
Four sets of eyes swung to look at him in surprise, startled by his outburst.
“I m-mean,” George continued, stammering over his words. “I don’t want to sleep with Sapnap, especially if he kicks in his sleep. Sounds fucking awful.”
“Whatever,” Sapnap mumbled, clearly tired of the slander he was receiving.
“Nah, it’s fine,” Karl said. “I can sleep with him again. You can stay with Dream.”
Dream snuck a glance at George before stepping onto the elevator and felt butterflies lift their wings in his chest at the pleased smile that rested on the brunet’s lips.
Roughly an hour later, the curtains had been drawn over windows filled with the last light of the day and the lights had been flicked off. It hadn’t taken too long for the boys to shower one by one and they were all ready to go right to sleep. Sapnap and Karl had set aside their differences and were both snoring softly in their bed, facing opposite directions this time in a feeble attempt to stop Sapnap’s kicking, and Quackity had disappeared into the side room to sleep on the couch.
Dream laid in bed as George finished up his shower, feeling sleep’s pull dragging him toward unconsciousness. His eyes slid closed.
He was jerked awake suddenly as the bed moved beside him.
“Sorry,” George’s voice whispered softly. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”
“T’s ‘kay,” Dream mumbled, forcing his eyes open and doing his best to blink the sleep away.
When his vision finally came back into focus, he saw George laying on the pillow next to him, hair damp from the shower and flushed cheeks glowing.
“I didn’t know your hair was so curly,” Dream said before he could stop himself.
“Huh?”
“Your uh- your hair. When it dried after the beach it was all curly.”
“Oh.” George giggled quietly. “Yeah, it does that. I have to comb it out to make it straight.”
“I liked it curly. It looked good.” Dream’s sleep deprived mind made his tongue far too relaxed for his own liking. He was playing a dangerous game.
“Thanks,” came the response, tinged with the sound of George’s smile.
Silence brought sleep back to Dream’s mind, his eyelids drooping lower and lower as the seconds passed.
“S’rry f’r dropping you in th’ water earlier,” he mumbled before he could drift off.
Another giggle. “It’s okay, it was fun. You’re a lot stronger than I thought you were.”
“Yeah, ’m just built different.”
“I liked it.” George’s voice sounded almost shy.
Dream’s half-conscious brain took a few extra seconds to process what that meant before he nearly choked on his own saliva.
“You what?”
“Nothing,” George whispered back. “Don’t worry about it.”
Dream opened his mouth to respond, mind practically buzzing, but decided against it.
“Can we cuddle again?” George whispered, that same timid sound creeping in.
Dream furrowed his brow, eyes still closed. “You can’t seriously be cold right now.”
“I’m not. I just- It was nice… last night. That was probably the best I’ve slept in a long time. You’re just- I mean what I said this morning. About you being a nice pillow.”
The taller boy could feel both of their bodies tense up at the accidental mention of that morning. Neither of them had addressed it and had spent the entire day pretending that there wasn’t some underlying awkwardness between them. Dream had to decide if he wanted to talk about it now that the other boy had brought it up. His closed eyelids and tired body signaled that now was not the time to have that conversation.
“Fine, c’mere,” he murmured, opening his arms as he had done the night before. And, just as had happened the night before, his heart stuttered when George pressed their bodies together.
The other boy’s shirt had ridden up when he slid under the covers and Dream accidentally brushed exposed skin as he wrapped his arms around a slim waist. Sparks skittered up his forearms and crawled along his biceps at the touch, fanning the coals of hot desire left in the pit of his stomach from that morning. George let out a soft sigh as he got comfortable, nestling his head onto Dream’s chest.
Suddenly it was all too much. The two were pressed too close together and his heart was pounding and his skin was too hot and George’s breaths were ghosting across his neck and his thoughts were overwhelming him and he didn’t want to cry like he did that morning but he could feel his head spiraling. As much as he wanted it to be true, George didn’t like him. Not in the way Dream liked him. But the way that they were pressed together and the intimacy of everything was sending Dream’s brain into a state of utter confusion, not to mention the leftover anxiety that had sat unattended all day.
“I uh- I’m actually not that tired,” Dream said suddenly, letting go of the small boy curled up in his arms. “I’m gonna go take a walk.”
“What? You were literally falling asleep like two seconds ago.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Dream could feel himself nearing total panic. He needed to get out of the room and fast.
“Uh- okay?” George’s voice was riddled with confusion and Dream knew that if he looked at his face, his eyebrows would be furrowed. “Where are you going? Do you want me to go with you?”
“No! I mean- you need some sleep, don’t worry about me. I’ll be down by the beach.”
And with that, Dream walked quickly out of the room, not bothering to put on shoes or grab his phone.
The air was cool as Dream walked across the beach. Once the sun went down, the ocean breeze blew a gentle chill over the beachside town. Yet the heat still warmed the pavement and the sand, so Dream didn’t even feel cold. His body was a perfect balance of not too hot and not too cold. He couldn’t appreciate that however as his focus was within his own mind.
His thoughts and feelings were so tangled, so twisted inside of him that he felt like he was going to explode. It was like there were two voices inside his brain arguing with each other.
George doesn’t like me. But then why did he want to cuddle with you? Because his feet were cold and he needed to warm up. But what about tonight? He said cuddling helped him sleep. Do you really believe that? Well what else am I supposed to believe? Obviously he likes you! It isn’t that obvious to me! Come on, do you really need a list of everything? The way he looked at you when you took your shirt off at the beach, he said he liked how strong you were when you picked him up, and, oh yeah I totally forgot, he tried to kiss you this morning! No no no, he was just doing everything this morning because he felt pressured by me. It was all my fault. Damn, you really are stupid huh? You didn’t force him to do anything, he was doing it because he wanted to. He was going to kiss you, you didn’t initiate anything!
“Shut up shut up shut up,” Dream mumbled to himself, lifting his hands to cover his ears as if that would block out the noise.
His stomach felt sick and tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. He continued walking down the beach, getting further and further away from the hotel without realizing it, unconsciously putting distance between him and his problem. Unfortunately, his problem had no plans to stay away.
“Dream!”
The blond turned to see George running across the sand. The boy’s hair was disheveled from the breeze and he was breathing heavily.
“Wha- George, what are you doing?”
The brunet stood in front of him and doubled over, almost gasping for air.
“Give… me… a… second…,” he huffed out in between deep breaths.
Dream tried to mute the debate that was taking place in his head but he couldn’t. The voices were too loud and he had suppressed it for too long.
“George, I really don’t want to talk right now-”
“Why?” George asked, finally having caught his breath. “Why not?”
“I just- I can’t-”
“I’m always here for you and you know that. I’m the first person you come to when you have problems and it’s honestly freaking me out right now that you’re trying to avoid me. I don’t know what’s going on in your head, but we can figure it out together. I promise.”
“George I just can’t- I don’t know how to-” Dream turned away, willing the tears out of his eyes.
“Just talk to me! I’m right here!” George cried, reaching out a hand.
“I’m in love with you, George! That’s why I can’t talk to you!” Dream yelled.
He brought his hands up to cover his face, digging the heels of his palms into his closed eyes and rubbing angrily at the wetness that he felt there.
The air seemed to still around them and time slowed to a halt. Waves crashed on the beach with no sound, cars drove by silently, and Dream felt like his entire world had shut down.
“What?” George whispered, his voice audible through the quiet atmosphere that had suddenly fallen.
Dream took a deep breath, dropped his hands down to his side, and spoke, his voice wavering. “I’m in love with you.”
“I- Dream, I-”
“I know, you don’t love me back. That’s why I’ve been so weird on this trip cuz I feel like my brain’s been trying to convince me that you do like me and I know you don’t so it’s just been pure chaos and I didn’t want to pressure you into feeling like you had to reciprocate and-”
Out of the corner of his eye, Dream saw George step closer as he talked. He felt small hands grab the sides of his face and turn his head so they were face to face. Their eyes blinked at each other as they locked and it seemed like the other boy was the only thing that still functioned in the world Dream had just shattered.
“I do love you,” George breathed out.
“But-” His words were cut off as George’s lips pressed onto his own.
Everything fell back into place. Sound filled Dream’s ears, colors flashed behind his eyes as they slid closed, the world restored itself in a matter of seconds.
He dropped his hands to George’s waist and pulled him closer, gripping the curves that he had been admiring so closely earlier. Pale fingers moved from the sides of his face around to the back of his neck, tangling in the blond curls that grew there. The warmth of the other boy’s plush lips spread throughout his body and revitalized him from head to toe. Flames of desire roared to life in the pit of his stomach.
George pulled away first and Dream chased after him greedily, dipping his head to reconnect their lips again. He had been waiting for this for years, fighting against his own wants every day, so he intended to make the most of it. He pressed deeper, tilting his head and nipping at George’s bottom lip. George sighed into the kiss, warm breath escaping his nose and brushing across Dream’s cheeks. The blond’s knees went weak at the little noise that rose out of the back of George’s throat and it was a good thing that he had his grip firmly on the other boy’s waist or he would have collapsed straight into the sand.
Finally, Dream let George pull away again. He pressed one last kiss softly to the corner of his mouth, brushing over sunburned cheeks, before leaning back and letting his eyes open again.
“God, I’ve been wanting to do that forever,” George breathed.
The brunet blinked up at Dream, pupils dilated within umber irises, cheeks flushed, plush lips slicked with hints of spit. Dream thought he had never looked more beautiful.
“Wait,” he said, furrowing his brow. “I’m so confused. You like me?”
George burst out laughing. “Yeah, of course. How could I not? I mean, you’re… you.”
Dream chuckled. “I don’t really know what that means.” He paused before continuing. “But I thought-“
“Dream, just think about it, why would I platonically cuddle with you? And I tried to kiss you this morning! Did you think I did that on accident? I’ve been trying to drop hints this whole trip!”
“Wow you sound just like that other voice in my head.”
“What?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Dream said, realizing it would sound completely crazy if he tried to explain the intense, two-voiced debate that had been slowly driving him insane. “I just really convinced myself that you didn’t like me and I was doing things to make you uncomfortable.”
“Well you don’t have to worry about that anymore.” George stood on his tiptoes to press a kiss to Dream’s cheek.
Everything suddenly fell into place, all of the years of tentative flirting and strangely intimate moments between the two of them flashed through Dream’s mind as he slotted the puzzle pieces together. He felt a rush of pure happiness flood through his veins, overwhelming his whole system with joy. His body felt lighter than it had in months as if there had been a physical weight resting on his shoulders. A smile grew on his face. He stepped forward and swept George into his arms, lifting him off of the ground and swinging him around in a circle. George’s laughter echoed clearly and beautifully in Dream’s ears, his favorite sound.
“Dream?” George asked through his giggles.
“Yeah?”
“Please don’t throw me in the water this time.”
Dream chuckled, smile growing wider. “Anything for you, George.”
And as the two walked back along the beach, hand in hand, two halves of one whole, Dream knew that he meant it more than anything.