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As George approaches the telephone box, his worries only heighten. He’s risking everything, and the man on the other side knows that, because so is he. But they’re in this together, so they’ll get out together.
Nobody’s inside, thankfully, or even nearby. It’s what he expected at this late time of night. At first, he wasn’t sure it was the smartest idea because then they would be paying more attention, but the man on the other side assured him he knew what he was doing.
Who was he to doubt his judgement? He would follow that insane man to the ends of the earth, and he has so far. Nothing’s stopping him now.
Jittery fingers reach for the handle, pulling it open and then closing himself inside. He knows the number off by heart, but he wasn’t supposed to be the one calling, he was.
A quick glance to his watch told him he was a minute early. Now all he could do was patiently wait until the phone call came through. He was playing the waiting game. George hated that game.
Time had never gone by so slow. As each second crawled past, he only felt worse. His eyes were scouting out the outside, double, triple, quadruple checking that there was nobody there.
On the dot, the phone goes. It takes everything in him not to answer on the first ring, so he settles for the second like that makes it any better.
With the phone to his ear, he manages to catch onto the soft breathing on the other end. He even thinks he can hear the man’s pink lips part as he opens his mouth to talk, “Hello?”
“Hi.”
George has never felt so relieved to hear his voice. It’s the only thing that manages to make him feel better, and the only thing that manages to bring him back down to reality.
A long pause, and then, “An hour. I’ve got it all planned out, now. There’s a bus at two minutes past. I’ll get on at the stop before, just to be extra safe, so nobody sees us together.”
The bus, he knew about. He had a story prepared for the officers, one that didn’t match Dream’s even remotely. That was good. It was what they needed.
“Okay,” George quietly says, somehow unable to speak any louder, “Okay. Then what?”
He’s thought about it before. In his mind, it was a lot easier, and a lot happier. In his mind, he imagined them in a boat, sailing for days until they finally reached their destination. It would never have worked, but he’d have liked it to.
George has always been fascinated by the ocean. To travel upon it for a long period of time has been something he wanted to do. Sure, he doesn’t like what’s underneath, but it looks pretty from the top and that’s enough for him.
“We walk for a while. Then, there’s horses for us, quite deep into the woods. We ride for a day, with a few breaks but not many, and then we walk again. He should be there waiting for us.”
To be honest, George doesn’t like this idea very much, “But it’ll be dark and—.”
“Trust me, okay? Just trust me.”
“They’re listening in,” He murmurs, unable to stop the words tumbling out his mouth in his panicked state, “They’re gonna know. They’re gonna —“
But of course, his worries cease.
“Stop that,” The man softly says, “We’re fine. We’re going to make it. I promise you.”
“I’m scared,” George confesses, because he can’t keep it to himself any longer, even though he’s entirely aware that his emotions are pretty obvious at this rate, “I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t.” It sounds like a promise. Maybe it is. “Stick to the plan, and I’ll see you soon.”
“Wait—“
“George, we don’t have time. I’ll see you soon.”
He pushes the limit, because if he doesn’t say this now, he’s afraid he never will, “Dream, I—“
All he’s met with is the sound of the other hanging up. It stings a little more than it should, but he knows it’s for the best. They don’t have time to waste.
Running his hands through his hair, he gets to action. He leaves the telephone box, leaving it behind for good, hopefully. He hopes he never sees it again.
His things are where he left them, in the bush where there was a blind spot with the cameras. Not many people knew of that blind spot, but Dream did. That man knew everything, and George loved him for it.
With his rucksack on his back, he sets off for the bus station. He’s got quite a bit of security to go through it beforehand, so it’s best he goes with time to spare. It’s always better to be early than late, in his books.
There’s a few of them patrolling the streets as he reaches the busier part of the town, but they don’t even look at him. On one occasion, he receives a small nod, but nothing more. He can’t remember if he returned it or not, but it won’t matter soon.
The curfew wasn’t for another two hours. He’d be fine.
It’d only taken him thirty minutes to walk there, but he would’ve made it in twenty if he walked at his usual pace. With his mind being so busy, he noticed his pace slowed drastically as his thoughts consumed him.
With the bus station in sight, he’s worried . It’s the only emotion he’s capable of feeling these days. The plan’s been stuck in his head for weeks, but the anxiousness has only recently started to properly affect him.
“Evening,” One of the officer says, a worn smile on his face. He seems nice. That’s good. “Are you here for a bus?”
“I am,” He confirms, “I have a family member, I’m sure you know them, Technoblade? Yes, I thought you might. He’s taken poorly, as I’m sure you’re aware. I’m going to pay my respects.”
Everyone knew the pink haired man. It was hard not to. He was respected all over the world.
The officer raises an eyebrow, “You’re related to Technoblade? How so?”
“He’s my cousin, actually.”
A blatant lie.
“So you won’t mind if we call and check?” The officer challenges, but there’s no malice in his voice. Just exhaustion, if anything.
“Go ahead.”
As the officer disappears into the office, George stares at the gates. At first, Dream had said they could probably just run through, but there was no way.
At the top, was barbed wire, and there was at least four locks, too. It was electric, but the officers turned it off before opening it, of course.
Still, people had tried before. George had seen the newspapers, their faces plastered on the front page with despicable words written about them. It had stopped him even thinking of escaping until Dream, the blonde who changed everything.
After far too many minutes, the officer returns. George can’t read his facial expression, but he walks towards the gates and he prays that’s a good sign.
“You’re free to go,” He says, starting to unlock it, “He wasn’t able to answer the call, but his carer confirmed your relation. Send him my best wishes.”
“Of course.”
George is walking through, one step closer to freedom, when he’s suddenly stopped. The smile from his face instantly drops.
“Wait! Sorry, sorry,” The officers chuckles, pulling out a notepad and a pen, “I just need your name and date of return. Sorry, not your name, the woman on the phone already informed me, but your return, please. Estimated times are a preference, but not necessary.”
“I’m not sure,” George pretends to look as though he’s thinking about it, “Would it be okay if when my cousin is better, I get him to call and tell you? I’d rather he kicked me out when he got sick of me than leave too early.”
At first, the man looks hesitant, but then he laughs lightly, “Alright, I’ll make an exception. I know what you mean, before I got married to my wife, I used to have that mindset. Safe travels, Kurtis.”
He doesn’t know why, but the first thought that comes to mind is why on earth Niki gave such a odd first name. Still, it doesn’t matter, because with a final grin, he’s heading for the ticket office.
Fumbling with his money, he asks for a return. The woman beams at him, handing him his ticket and telling him to be safe. He appreciates the gesture.
It turns out to be quite a bit cheaper than he expected, and George mentally notes to tell Dream that was the one thing he was wrong about - the price. George was under the impression it would be triple figures.
He takes a seat on the edge of a wall, anticipating the arrival of the bus. There’s not long to go. There’s also not many more people there, just an elderly man and a young couple. George distantly wonders if they’re trying to get out too.
The sound of the bus’ engine is what snaps him from his thoughts, and in a daze, he glances at his watch. Two minutes past. How did time pass so quickly?
The young couple get on first, then the elderly man, then him. He shows the driver his ticket, not even looking at who's occupying the seats until he receives the nod of approval.
“All good.” The bus driver says, closing the doors, hardly giving George a chance to scout out a seat.
He walks down the aisle, praying he spots Dream. He panics for a moment, because he can’t for a solid five seconds, but then there he is in the second back row.
George goes for the row in front, knowing they couldn’t be together until they got off. He doesn’t know how to feel. Good? Scared?
At the very least, he knows he can’t be happy until they actually reach their destination, yet he can’t help but feel a pang of excitement.
As the bus leaves, heading for the long road ahead of them, he’s so grateful he got out. He’ll never have to see that town again, so long as he can help it.
“Sleep.” The beautiful voice from behind him whispers, so quiet he isn’t sure he heard correctly.
He knows he should, though, because he couldn’t catch a single bit of it last night. He was kept awake thinking about everything that could possibly go wrong.
With his backpack on the seat next to him, he wraps one of the straps around his wrist, just so there’s no possibility of it being taken or knocked off. He leans his head against the bus window, and shuts his eyes.
The next time he opens them is due to a prob in the back of his head. They must be near. He’s incredibly thankful Dream let him get some rest.
He blinks the sleep out of his eyes, rubbing them for good measure, and takes a look outside. They’re completely surrounded with trees. This is it.
There’s only one more bit to get through, but he did it with the other officer so he has faith he’ll be able to do it again.
When the bus halts to a stop, he watches as Dream walks by, and then also gets up. Luckily for them, there’s at least four others who seem to also be getting off. That prevents suspicions even further, especially since they all look to be alone, too.
Mumbling a, “thank you,” to the driver, he slows down, allowing one person to overtake him, putting her between him and Dream. He wonders what Dream’s story is. He’ll ask him later.
Dream’s at the officers first, and he’s through in a flash. The girl in front goes next, where a phone call needs to be made, but then she’s through too. It’s him. It all depends on this.
The officer looks at him, waiting for him to speak.
Clearing his throat, he goes for it, “I’m visiting my cousin. Technoblade. You may know him.”
To his surprise, the officer doesn’t seem phased in the slightest, “I’ll just call to make sure.”
George nods, and waits patiently as he vanishes inside. He tries to spot Dream past the gate, but he can’t see anything. It’s too dark, the only light source coming from the bus station itself with it’s lanterns.
When the officer returns, he merely nods and lets him through. He doesn’t seem entirely impressed but George couldn’t care less.
He’s dizzy with joy.
He steers from the path when the officer isn’t looking, picking up the pace as he walks into the trees. It’s pretty eerie looking, but knowing Dream’s nearby makes him feel all the more safer.
Just as he’s beginning to panic he’s went the wrong way, strong arms pull him in close, and then he hears a muffled, “We fucking made it.”
“ Dream .” He cries, keeping his voice averagely low.
“ George .” Dream grins, lighting up a lantern that George didn’t even notice.
It allows him to see the pure happiness on the blonde’s face. They exchange another hug, before Dream’s expression changes and he holds a finger to George’s lips, as if to silence him.
A distant branch snapping can be heard, but then they can make out the shape of an animal, and instantly relax.
“We have to watch out,” Dream warns, as they start walking in what George assumes is the right direction, “There’s hunters at night. If they see us, we need to hide. They won’t hesitate to kill us, even though we aren’t animals.”
“What? What do you mean?”
This is news to George.
Dream seems entirely serious, “Don’t you know? They kill anything and everything, and they’re allowed because it’s technically trespassing, even though they’re also at fault for that. It’s a free for all, really. We either kill them or they kill us.”
“Since when was that a thing?” George practically splutters, in something similar to disbelief.
“Since always, I’m afraid. But never the matter, we should be fine, it’s too late for them to be out I think. God, George, we did it. We’re going to live the life we’ve always wanted.” Dream gloats.
Nearly. They’ve nearly done it. Not yet.
George doesn’t want to speak too soon.
But then again, he can’t stop thinking about it.
He can’t stop thinking about finally being able to see his best friend again. He was angry at first when he left, but he understands why he done it. George was only jealous, if anything.
It didn’t matter now because they were going to be together. Happy and free, all three of them. Their trio back together, like it should be.
George missed Sapnap a lot more than he admitted. They squabbled frequently, but their friendship was like none other. George loved Sapnap more than life itself, and he’s so glad his brother got out when he did.
A part of him wished he went with him, though. A part of him wished he got out sooner. But another part of him is glad he’s getting out with Dream. And another part is just glad he’s getting out at all.
-
“We have to start walking again,” Dream sighs, dusting his hands off on his trousers as he stretches, “We’ve got very little left to walk until we reach the horses.”
“I haven’t rode a horse in a long time,” George admits, getting up and getting his things together, “I don’t know how good I’ll be at it.”
Although he doesn’t want to admit it, he’s tired. The nap on the bus wasn’t as beneficial as he thought.
“That’s okay,” Dream is quick to reassure, leading them, once again, in the right direction (what would George do if he didn’t have him?), “I’ll help you.”
They walk in peaceful silence for a good ten minutes before they’re interrupted. It’s still dark, and the lantern is dulling ever so slightly, so they can’t make out much, but they both heard the whiz of an arrow.
Dream leaps into action, pushing George behind a tree and then digging around in his back. He ends up pulling not one, but two kitchen knives, handing the sharper one to George, “Stay here.”
For a moment, George panics, until he realises Dream is only going to the tree about six feet away from him.
An arrow can be heard shooting through the air again, this time landing at the tree directly in between them. This doesn’t even feel real. How is George in a situation like this?
“What is happening?” He whisper-shouts to Dream, who he can’t see because of the fact the lantern is long turned off. He prays the blonde is still there.
“Hunters. Or officers. Either way, we have to run.”
A hand latches onto his wrist, and then they’ve broken into a sprint, almost in sync apart from the fact Dream is much faster than him. There’s a string of shouts from behind them that fuels George to pick up the pace, allowing him to catch up to Dream.
The weight of their bags slows them down, and this is the one time George regrets the fact he overpacked.
An arrow catches George in the back of his calf, and his face meets mud before he can even process what’s happening. He cries out in pain because it hurts a lot more than he anticipated it would.
Blood isn’t shy to appear, oozing out from the wound. George reaches for the arrow, to pull it out, but Dream’s hand gets there first, “Don’t remove it. Shit, this is bad. Can you run?”
“Hey!” A shout from behind them snaps him back to the present as he forces himself to his feet, despite the agony that comes along with it.
His hand intertwines with Dream, and then they run for their lives. George is well and truly scared, and he’s still trying to come to terms with the fact that this isn’t a dream - it’s reality.
Running can only get them so far, and due to George’s limp, he slows them down immensely. Guilt floods his body as he realises the people behind them have caught up, so he prays that they’re reasonable. He prays they let them live. They were so close.
“The horses! George, go. ” Dream barks, letting go of his hand and pushing him forward.
George hesitates for a moment, before he, too, sees the animals up ahead. He charges for them, but he doesn’t even know what he’s supposed to do when he reaches them, and his leg is sore.
There’s so much noise from behind him, and he can only hope that Dream is okay. He doesn’t know how many people there were, but it couldn’t have been more than four at the maximum. Dream is strong. Dream will be fine.
Right?
He unties the rope from the tree from both horses, clutching onto it like it’s his lifeline, and then propels himself up onto the white one. They both whine a little, but they seem moderately okay.
“Drop the rope!” Dream shouts, “I’ll catch up!”
George doesn’t want to.
“ Go !”
He drops the rope for Dream’s horse.
His own snaps into action, and it’s moving at a good speed, but he doesn’t even know if he’s going in the right direction. Dream was the one with the compass.
Liquid trickles down his face, but he doesn’t dare move his hands from the reign. He already knows it’s a nosebleed, as he can taste metal in the back of his mouth.
He’s terrified. His hands are shaking out of probably both adrenaline and fear. Why was he the one without the lantern? What if the horse crashed into a tree? What if —
“ George !”
Somehow, he manages to get the horse to stop, slowing it down and searching frantically for a sign of the blonde. If he squints, he can just about make out what looks like him. He’s on the horse, and he’s going at such a fast speed that George is worried he’ll end up flying off it.
“George! George, it’s okay. It’s alright,” Dream says, once he gets close enough, “Are you okay? Was it just your leg? Are you injured anywhere else? Talk to me, say something. Anything.”
“I’m okay. I’m okay,” He nods, “Are you? What happened ? You didn’t get hurt, did you?”
“No, no, I’m fine,” Dream dismisses, hopping off his horse and motioning for George to do the same, offering him a hand, “I need to treat your leg. Can you hold onto the rope for both of them for me? In fact, you might want to bite on it. Don’t worry. I’ll fix you.”
When his feet hit the ground, he hates how lightheaded he feels. He sways slightly, awkwardly sliding down into a seating position on the floor, blinking to try and regain his vision back. It was a bit blurry for his liking.
It was difficult to sit down with an arrow in his leg, so he ended up with his knees upwards. He takes the rope in his left hand as the lantern turns back on.
“Shit, your nose,” Dream curses, digging out a first aid kid from his bag that George had no idea he even owned, “Did you break it? It doesn’t look broken.”
George checks over Dream for any visible injuries. His knuckles look a bit red, and there’s a gash running along his arm, but other than that he looks okay.
“George? You with me?”
“Yeah, yeah, sorry. Dream, what was that?”
He twists his leg to the best angle that allows Dream to treat it, even though it hurts greatly. He tries not to let it show.
“Hunters,” Dream sighs, “I’m going to pull this out on the count of three, okay? One. Two. There you go, I know, I’m sorry. It’s over now. Yeah, hunters. I tried to reason with them a little and it thankfully worked.”
George grits his teeth at the throbbing pain, but he looks away so Dream doesn’t see.
“Sorry, sorry,” Dream says, wiping it with something and then beginning to wrap it with what George guesses is a bandage, “We’ll get it properly looked at when we get to the place, okay? When we walk, just lean on me. Will you be okay to ride?”
With a nod, he points at Dream’s arm, “Let me help you, now.”
Dream wipes under George’s nose, probably ridding of the blood, “If you insist.”
Gathering the same materials Dream used on him, he gets to work. He doesn’t miss the look of adoration in the blondes eyes, but he also doesn’t miss the way he winces. It must hurt more than he’s letting on.
Once they’re both fully sorted, they split a bar of chocolate between them. The flavours practically explode in his mouth, but that might just be because there was a bit of dirt in there originally that didn’t taste the best.
When they’re more or less recovered, they climb back on the horses, Dream taking the lead. He’s constantly asking if George is okay, which warms his heart.
He’s still trying to process what exactly just happened, but he decides they can talk about it another time.
His watch tells him it’s just past two in the morning, and it also harshly reminds him he has a full twenty four hours of this. He doesn’t know if he’ll last.
It also makes him think about the fact he only has two bottles of water, so how are they supposed to hydrate the horses?
Dream seems to read his mind, “There should be a river in a few hours. We’ll stop then, let the horses drink and get some sleep, too. Sound good?”
“How do you know that?”
“Sapnap.”
God, does George miss Sapnap.
“Do you miss him?” He finds himself asking.
Even over the sound of the wind, George hears the soft, “More than anything.”
-
By the time they stop, it’s just gone five, and it’s a lot lighter. The sun is even beginning to show herself as she slowly rises over the horizon.
“I can take watch, if you want.” George offers, although they both know he won’t last a second.
His leg is still sore, although Dream rewrapped it and said it isn’t showing any signs of infection which is a good sign, as he wouldn’t be able to treat it effectively without the right resources.
“We can both just sleep,” Dream shrugs, tying the horses to the same tree after they’ve had their fair share of the river water, “I’m a light sleeper, if something happens, I’ll know.”
George doesn’t argue. Instead, he pulls out an extra coat from his rucksack and puts it on because it was a lot colder than he thought it would be. When they were riding, he was so lost in thought, he hadn’t even felt the bitterness of the air.
Thankfully, Dream finds them a patch without mud, which is also conveniently under a tree. It’s strangely romantic.
George lies on his side, curled up into somewhat of a ball. It’s surprisingly comfortable.
With Dream lying merely centimetres beside him, he can feel his breath on his neck. It’s warm, so he’s in no position to complain, but it also sends a blush across his cheeks. He’s never been so happy that Dream can’t see his face before. He’d be teased relentlessly.
They end up sleeping for a few hours, awoken by the horses neighing around nine. He hadn’t slept awfully, but he’d definitely slept better. His back would be hurting in a matter of hours.
“Do you think we’ll make it?” George asks, once they’re back riding again, side by side.
Dream doesn’t even hesitate, “Yes.”
“How can you be so certain?”
They’re moving at quite an average pace, which George likes. There’s no chance of anyone being on their tails anymore, so they don’t have to be fleeing for their lives.
“I just can, I guess,” Dream says, wrapping his coat further around his body, “I have faith. Don’t you?”
“I do.”
“Good,” Dream replies, “Faith is all we need.”
George hangs onto every word.
They ride for a good portion of the day, only occasionally stopping, but not for very long.
It’s not that bad when the suns out and they can see each other without squinting, but George is dreading nighttime. It frightens him, not knowing what’s lurking nearby or if it’s dangerous or not.
Still, he knows Dream is there, and there’s no real reason to be scared. It helps calm his nerves.
The scenery is beautiful, though. There’s the occasional wildlife that he’ll slow down to look at, and they managed to ride along the river for a decent amount of time before it abruptly lessened, and then stopped completely.
“We can stop for rest, if you like,” Dream suggests, taking a swall swig of water, “It’s getting later, again. We only have about four hours left, maybe? We’ve made good distance so it cuts the length of time down.”
George is very much exhausted. He’s uncomfortable, his body aches, and his eyes are drooping. Although all he’s doing is riding a horse, it still manages to wear him out. He doesn’t know how Dream is keeping himself together.
To him, it looks as if Dream would rather just keep going, so he dismisses it completely. It does earn him a raised eyebrow, but nothing more.
The one thing that he uses as his motivation is seeing Sapnap. He wants to hear all about what his brother has got up to in the year he’s been gone, living his life to the fullest. George wonders if he’s happy. He really hopes he is.
There’s somewhat of a lodge to his far left. It looks old.
“ Stop !”
George goes flying off his horse, and he manages to catch a flash of Dream doing the same. Another arrow, this time in his arm. He hits the ground rather fiercely, and can only pray that the blonde a little further ahead remains uninjured.
“What are two men like you trespassing on private grounds for? State your reasoning. Now.” The officer towering over him demands, and he can hear similar chatter beside him that must be aimed for Dream.
“Technoblade. I’m visiting Technoblade. We’re cousins. These are his horses, I’m sure.” He musters, his mouth all of a sudden very dry.
The baton is raised, and then it strikes him on the side of the head. He raises his arms in defence, “No, no, I’m being serious, please. Call him. Call him.”
“And what about your little friend?” The second officer that George hadn’t even realised was there said.
“I don’t know,” George admits, because he truly doesn’t know his story, “I don’t know. Please don’t hurt him. Please. Just — Just leave him be.”
The officers exchange a look, before one of them nods and the other brings up their radio. George hears him utter the words, “Can we call Technoblade? Confirm this man’s story?” but it’s pretty muffled.
“Is he okay? Don’t hurt him. Please, please, just —“
He should’ve known it was coming. The officer not speaking on the radio places a very dirty boot on his face, crunching it down into the dirt. He’s forced to lie on his side, but thankfully it’s the side without the arrow in his arm.
“Don’t say another word.” He’s warned.
From this view, he can catch sight of Dream. He looks to be arguing, then he’s doing something with his shoulder. The officer looks torn. There’s two there, too, and much like George’s situation, one is on the radio.
He just has to constantly remind himself this will all be worth it when they reach their destination.
“This one’s clear.” The officer taking care of Dream shouts, sliding his radio back into its original place.
With pleading eyes, George tries to look at those above him, but he can’t move. The boot is pinning him to the ground and restricting his movements.
It presses down a little harder, and George gasps because - fuck , is his ear sore - this could be it. He could be caught and thrown back into —
“Clear.”
The weight is removed from his face. Dream is keeping his distance, but even George notices the visible relief on his face. George takes a mental notes to personally thank the Gods tonight.
They throw a couple of back handed statements about, before heading back towards the lodge that George was convinced was abandoned. Still, it didn’t matter. They had made it out alive. Roughed up, but alive.
As soon as they’re out of sight, Dream makes a beeline for him. They’re hugging in the blink of an eye, comforting arms wrapped around him, holding him close. He melts against the touch.
“I’m so sorry,” Dream rambles, “I never saw them coming. They got you, didn’t they? I can fix your arm, what about your head? It’s bleeding. What if you have a concussion? I can’t — I don’t know how —“
“Dream, shhh,” George softly chuckles, “I’m okay. I’m alright. What happened to you? Did you take the arrow out? I thought they got you.”
“Already wrapped,” Dream says, gesturing to his shoulder that is sure enough, covered in bandage, “I asked if he’d let me whilst he was calling to confirm my story, and didn’t wait for an answer.”
“Nothing else? They didn’t hit you, did they?”
An unfamiliar emotion flashes in the blondes green eyes, “Hit me? Gods, no. Did they—? Oh, Gods. Alright. I’ll help you, it’s okay. It’s alright. I’m sorry.”
George shakes his head, because why is Dream sorry? He’s the reason they’ve gotten this far, the reason George got out and got away.
Truth be it, he owes Dream everything he has.
The blonde had always cherished a sincere affection for George and Sapnap, but when Sapnap left, more of it got pushed onto him. He hadn’t been complaining, it was nice to know he was loved.
Before they started the big grand plan, sometimes they’d stay up at night and dream of a faraway place. Dream would tell him everything he knew, and they’d work together to formulate paths and ideas that would aid them in their journey.
Sapnap played a part in that too. He set up the horses, and because Technoblade owed him a favour, he helped immensely with George’s story. If Technoblade wasn’t on board, he would never have had a chance.
“Are you okay?” Dream quieres, worry seeping through the tone of his voice.
“I’m okay.”
Despite Dream’s reluctance, once George’s arm is wrapped, they keep moving. George doesn’t bring it up again, he’d much rather forget it happened, and Dream doesn’t seem to keen to talk about it either.
Luckily for them, during the time it took them to get to their next resting place - an hour away from their upcoming checkpoint - they never met anymore danger.
Sleep was promised once they returned the horses, because by then it’d be incredibly late, and then they could start walking in the morning. The whole time they’re travelling, Dream doesn’t take his eyes off George.
George isn’t one to complain.
-
With the horses where they should be, they walk. George doesn’t know how long they have to be on foot for, and Dream doesn’t either.
However, his leg is aching, and his arm isn’t much better. He’s trying not to put a lot of his weight on Dream, but with the blonde’s insistence, he eventually gives in.
They’ve run out of both food and water, giving the last of their liquid to the horses. It was a mistake they’d regret, as the sun was out and she was beating down on them, paying no mercy.
Thankfully, they’d slept a lot longer than the previous night. George reckons he got a good seven hours, more than enough to keep him going for a while.
His lips are starting to dry up though, and they’d only been walking for twenty minutes.
According to Dream, they’ve just to walk north and then they’ll see him. George can’t wait. It’s what urges him to go faster, despite the pain it brings. That doesn’t matter. What matters is seeing Sapnap again.
“We’ve basically done it now, George.”
George hums in response, not agreeing or disagreeing with the statement. They’re close, he’ll admit, but they’ve not made it until they’re actually there.
He refuses to let himself get excited until he’s one hundred percent certain they’re both in the clear.
“You don’t agree?” Dream asks, readjusting his rucksack ever so slightly.
“Repeat that once we’re there.”
“I will,” Dream agrees, without hesitation, “I’ll tell you everyday. I’ll never stop reminding you. We did this. Me and you, George. We deserve this.”
“You did this, Dream.”
“No, that’s not —“
Then George sees him.
He sees Sapnap, standing under a tree, a bow in his right hand. His hood is up, but George would recognise those raven curls anywhere. They peek out and they frame his face, too.
“ Sapnap .” He whispers, but somehow the other hears it. His head snaps up, his hand going to his mouth in nothing other than shock. He looks older.
George breaks into a sprint. His leg hurts, his arm hurts, and his head hurts, too, but he doesn’t care. He couldn’t care less.
“ Sapnap !” He repeats, throwing himself into the younger man’s arms, burying his face into the crook of his best friends neck.
He’s not sure he wants to let go. If they stayed there forever and always in that exact moment, George would be more than fine with it.
Another set of arms joins them, and he has to bite back the tears. The reunion is like none other. For a solid few minutes, none of them make any plans to break away from the warm embrace, until Dream pulls back and George shortly follows.
Sapnap breaks into a wide and warm smile, one George missed ever so much, “Dream. George . Gods, fuck, I can’t believe it. You made it. You really made it.”
George chuckles, it’s wet and he feels his eyes water, but he nods and beams all the same, “We did. Please tell me it’s nearby, though. I think I’ll collapse if I have to walk much further.”
It’s then when Sapnap takes in their states. He notices how scuffed they both look, and he catches onto the bandage on George’s arm and Dream’s shoulder. Would’ve probably been a good idea to have their coats on. The last thing he wanted was Sapnap to fret over their well being.
“There’s a doctor,” Sapnap rushes, “I’ll get you both looked at. Come on, it’s not that far. Ten minutes, tops. Gods, I’ve missed you guys so much.”
They begin walking, syncing their steps. Sapnap subtly slows down to match their sluggish paces, but George doesn’t miss the worry etched in his face.
Getting to this moment hadn’t been easy, but it had most definitely been worth it. They’d encountered some disruptions along the way, but it all paid off in the end like Dream always assured him it would.
“We couldn’t have done it without you,” Dream breathes, “We owe you everything. Thank you.”
“Don’t you dare thank me,” Sapnap scoffs, ducking under a tree branch, “I left. I should’ve brought you both with me. But I’m just so glad you made it, even if it took you a while.”
“It was a lot harder than we thought,” George admits, “But we’re here now.”
In a moment of tranquil silence, Sapnap turns to look at them both, “I’m never leaving you guys again.”
George doesn’t hold anything against him.
How could he? Why would he? He has never once blamed Sapnap, and he never will. It sort of stings to think that their best friend feels guilty, when that’s the very last emotion he should be feeling.
“Please don’t feel bad,” George gently says, “Please. None of us ever blamed you. Not once. We understood, of course we did.”
“Still,” Sapnap shakes his head, pulling his hood down and revealing rather long curls, “I just — Look, we can discuss it later. We need to get you guys back into shape. There’s plenty of food and water, and I even moved houses to have enough space for both of you.”
Dream flushes light pink, “You didn’t have to do that. We would’ve been fine anywhere.”
George is secretly very grateful. He didn’t want to live on his own anymore. It was lonely and he much preferred being in other people's company.
Ever since he was little, he’d always dreamed of sharing a house with his friends. At the time, he hadn’t met Dream or Sapnap, but as soon as he did, he knew it was them he wanted to share with.
They walk for several minutes before a village comes into view. George allows himself to relax, finding comfort in the fact they wouldn’t encounter anymore danger. A smile is spreading across his face before he can stop it.
It’s infectious, because Dream grins wildy back at him whilst Sapnap talks to people who appeared to be guarding the entrance to said village.
They escaped. All three of them. They did it.
He wants to know everything that’s gone on since Sapnap made it here. All the people he’s met, the places he’s been, everything. He knew that wouldn’t happen until both him and Dream had been looked at so Sapnap could put his mind at rest knowing they really were as fine as they said.
Moments pass, and then they’re walking through the gates and into their new home. It’s perfect.
It’s everything he’s ever dreamed of and more.
People pass by, not paying much attention to the fact he and Dream were newcomers. Happiness radiated throughout the whole village. Not a single person had a frown on their face.
“I told you, George,” Dream whispers, finding his hand and clutching onto it as though it’s his lifeline, “I told you we’d make it.”
“You’re home now,” Sapnap softly says, aimed at both of them although he’s looking directly at George, “You can let go. You’re safe here.”
So George lets go.