Work Text:
It's been so long since Dream has let himself just go outside, let the anxiety fly off his shoulders like a cape, never really gone but perhaps a bit lighter than before. But walking down the street, shopping list in his notes app, his sister talking loudly about how George is just gonna have to try this and that, he thinks he's okay, just this one time.
"Dude, are you deaf?" her elbow knocks the air out of him. "Your phone," her stare is pointed and he turns it around in his hand to see George’s name, the dumb photo with his dumb smile and his dumb sparkling eyes and... "Just pick up!"
He laughs as she pushes his shoulder again, they have been shopping for like two hours now so he won't blame her for being cranky. The weariness is getting to him too. And also this is the third George call. He thinks he shouldn't even hang up on him anymore.
"Do I need socks? Will you just buy me new socks? I don't need warm socks, or do I?"
Dream catches the reflection of his smile and proceeds to blush over it all over again. He also notices the eyeroll his sister offers but he looks to the ground where no judgement awaits him.
"I don't think so. Maybe a few pairs? We can buy new ones. Or like, you can steal ours, I guess," the laughter is breathy on his lips. His feet follow the white Airforces he bought his sister 1 hour and 45 minutes ago. They head for a store and he enjoys the sound of bells over his head.
"What, with your massive fucking feet? They're like whole flotillas Dream. They will just be like knee high socks on me."
"You can pull it off," Dream leans against one of the counters as the sales assistant approaches, smiles warmly, his sister is already following, pointing at things. He looks around. A jewelry store? He's sure that wasn't on their list. He turns, scours the display behind him. George is going on about the insanity of packing, how he packed important stuff first like they agreed during the first call, but as he started thinking about it, there was the questioning, and he can be talked out of bringing basically anything. The We can just buy new is the worst sentence uttered, he just can't argue that. So far, his suitcase is filled with dumb trinkets and stuff from fans.
"What size ring are you?" Dream finds himself asking for no reason at all, well, perhaps the reason is the sets of rings on display in front of him, some delicate thin bands, some thicker like his one.
"Are you finally getting me the sleep ring?" he sounds delighted. Dream hates the shiny glass because it shows his reflection too. Dumb, dumb smiles. "9 or 10 I think, I guess."
"You don't know?" finger taps against the glass, the one where his sleep ring is. It's nice. He likes it. It's so easy to get used to wearing a ring. It’s so easy to point at the set of dark silver rings in the corner too, smooth but textured. The sales assistant smiles and he writes a number with his finger on the glass and it’s set in stone. Or glass. Well, actually... His bank account now.
His sister looks into the wrapped-up bag with curiosity but doesn't ask, instead turns some earrings towards him with a question in her eyes. He simply nods.
George is talking off his ear still, he started on ring sizes and moved on to clothing sizes and is now stuck on just clothes, about how he doesn't want to pack and just be able to come. Dream has the joke on the tip of his tongue but he leaves it there, purely to save the ears of his younger sister.
"Just leave it all there," he says and perhaps this is worse, to let her hear this. "I'll buy you everything, I just need you here," he laughs because he can't say it any other way.
It gets quiet for a minute, the call, the store, his sister's look.
"I'm on my way," George says and he isn't, there's stuff to sort out, but Dream holds the box with the ring to his chest and there's no reason to, no reason to have it at all, just that promises and hope make him do stupid things always.
It becomes a steady weight in his pocket, the dark blue velvet box, he sometimes fidgets with it, opens it up, traces the satin lining, traces the band, there is no reason to, but it brings this feeling to his chest, he would equal it to buzzing but not in the annoying way, more like excitement, more like settling down.
George lands on a Wednesday, which is dumb, a basic middle-of-the-week day shouldn't suddenly hold so much importance. He looks tired and worn out and his high energy is faked as he jumps at Sapnap, hugs him tight. Dream offers his embrace with only comforting him in mind and he fits right into the offered crook, arms slithering around to press closer, until his side is pressing against the shape of a small box in his pocket and Dream breaths for the first time in years and with a clear mind he thinks: fuck, I bought him a ring. We're not even dating.
It’s the worst secret to keep. He gets paranoid about it.
If he keeps it in the sock drawer George can just decide to get some socks and finds it and that will be awful. He already steals his hoodies so closet it out of the question. Nightstand? Somehow even that is not good enough. His pocket is the safest place. He can't even take it out anymore because the door can open any minute, so he just keeps the pads of his fingers pressed against it and chokes.
George walks in with Patches all cuddled up in his arms, head rubbing against his neck. "Do you think she would like sleeping in my room with me? She loves me!"
"Maybe," Dream nods. He's afraid to move his hand. What if it all comes tumbling out? "I said she would."
"You did," he nods and he looks satisfied as he comes by the table, leans on its side. Patches leaps to trot over his keyboard and press her head against the monitor.
"She used to do this all the time while we were on call, chase you on the monitor. That's how I knew," it's already tumbling out, Dream doesn't even have a choice. A hand lands on his shoulder. If it slid down it would get down all the way to the source of everything, a blue velvet box. There's a ring for George. If it doesn't mean anything, why is he not able to just take it out and give it to him? If it means something.... What?
"Can we get some food? What are some restaurants that only Florida has?" he’s pulled away at last, and the hand leaves his pocket and instead slots into George's as they rush down the stairs to chase down Sapnap. He's the one to drive.
Sapnap finds out 15 days after George sets foot in Florida. They're in the kitchen early morning, talking about the birthday party planned for Dream's mom on Saturday. Dream touches the outside of his pocket to check for the outline, a habit he didn't even know he developed until Sapnap zeroes on it, narrows his eyes.
"What's that?"
"Huh?" he pulls his hand away in an instant and Sapnap pats over it instead and just raises his eyebrow.
"Dude... You really shouldn't," he laughs as he pulls the box out, Dream doesn't even have time to form together thoughts, sentences, explanations. "Is this for your mom? Earrings?" he opens it up and stares at the ring, too big for his mother, too marketed-towards-men looking perhaps to pass it of as such. "Is it..." Dream doesn't know what he was going to ask him but he nods anyway. Sapnap stares into his eyes for excruciating 34 seconds. "Are you..."
"No," he clasps the box shut as he takes it, puts it back into the pocket. All around him, it's a minefield and there’s nowhere to run, there's just more questions he doesn't have an answer for.
"You bought a ring for him? Dream, what?" the confusion is to be expected, Dream would like to have some explanations about it too.
"I just did it on a whim and now I don't know what to do," he finds himself whispering. "I-...I don't know why. I just saw it and suddenly I was paying and I would just give it to him but I didn't when he arrived and now it just feels... too big. It feels like something important even if it isn't because we aren't, we aren't..." Sapnap presses a hand against his chest and just nods, breathes with him for a minute.
"It’s a nice ring," he nods, his eyes are kind to him which is all Dream could ever hope for. "If you don't want to make it into a thing, we can all get one," the shrug of his shoulder is casual but it is followed by this look full of gleam. "And if you want to make it into a thing... Well," he nods to the box and it's cheeky, the smile he gives him.
"I'm scared," it's easy to be honest with Sapnap. It's like a confession, Dream is certainly begging for something, that’s for sure.
"George should be scared. You can do so much better," Sapnap scoffs and the moment is broken and they chuckle and their laughter is wet but the love is there forever, one thing there is no doubts about.
George comes down an hour later in a cloud of oblivion and Dream’s Sooners hoodie.
His mother finds out on a Saturday. He really should have left it at home, safely hidden away but for some reason it felt wrong, when he put it on the highest shelf behind some thick jumpers. George wouldn't even be at home to find it, that's it, they're all heading over, but Dream left it there and took three steps and he was missing it like a piece of himself was ripped away. So it's in his pocket now, in his nice pants, which are nice but thinner than sweatpants and George is sitting in the back with him and his hand is resting on his thigh, it didn't start there, he just laughed and smacked it lightly, like a tease, and then it stayed there, warm presence, inches away from a turmoil of emotions wrapped in pretty satin.
Dream's mom accepted all the flowers and gifts they brought and he helped her carry it all into the kitchen corner.
"I feel like I haven't seen you in months, gosh," she leaned to leave a kiss on his cheek, hug him tightly and then she froze, looked down and frowned. "Is it what I think it is?"
"What?" he didn't get it at first, how it was his right side and that's the side George sat at, he touched, he traced the thigh, away from the certain pocket his mom was now reaching into.
"This..." she huffed out a breath. "This is an engagement ring box," she shook her head and then just looked up, eyes teary. "Are you...?" her gaze swayed to the living room, the echo of George’s laugh sounded delightful even from rooms afar. "You didn't even tell me! What?!"
"Mom, I'm not, it's really complicated, please," he reached but she already opened it, her eyes watering.
"Damn, picked well. I like it. You picked good," she nods and her voice sounds watery too as she presses fingers under her eyes. "I like it," she nods quietly. "I like him," she looks up then and he thinks he knows who he got it from, the softness George would call his Patches tone. It's reflected in her eyes now.
"What are we getting emotional about?"
Well now his sister, she doesn't need to know. (She already does.)
The cake is chocolate and Dream lets him have his piece too. The last bite is still stuck on a fork a pressed against his mouth and George doesn't even say a word, just raises an eyebrow and Dream doesn't even argue, just eats it. George's thumb cleans off the crumbs off his lip and then presses in-between his own and Dream burns, he considers dropping to his knees right there and getting the box out on the spot. For a second, he thinks George would just not question it and simply say yes.
November brings rain and cold, and George's birthday. The weather is really bad so they stay in, Dream's family comes over for a while, his mother brings some potted plants for the kitchen windows because supposedly she doesn't have space for them and it's too cold for them outside. She brings a cake too, chocolate and almond. She asked for George's mom's number just last week. They supposedly called for hours. George looks at the cake and his lips quiver as he thanks her 22 times in a row.
When they leave, and the call with his parents is over too, and when they do the cooking stream and that's over too, it's just the two of them and a mess of a kitchen. Sapnap left for a shower but for once Dream doesn't mind. He can look at George loading up the dishwasher and put away all the food in the meantime.
"I like the plants," George nods when he's done and instead gives all his attention to studying the little leaves. "Your mom said to keep an eye out and turn it around when they start leaning too far against the window so it stays balanced."
That evening George follows into his room and they start a new show to watch and George leans against his shoulder with a sigh and closes his eyes. It's the first night he sleeps in Dream's bed and the first night Dream doesn't sleep at all, he stares at the ceiling instead and holds the box in his palm and he takes it out for a minute just to hold it next to George’s face, he thinks this is the adrenaline junkies keep chasing after, this feeling of flying headfirst into the sweetest thing ever. He thinks about plants and how if you don't turn them, they just lean more and more and so you have to physically restrain then from getting too ahead of themselves, stop them from chasing after the sun. The thing is, no one ever stopped Dream.
George finds out on the morning of November 2nd, mainly because there are bloodshot eyes staring at him as soon as he wakes up and a palm pressed to his chest with something sturdy under it.
"What're you doin'?" he slurs out as he leans closer, his nose swipes against Dream's, he smiles so sweetly.
"I got you something," it’s perhaps the wrong thing to say but George’s eyes gleam.
"You did?"
"I got you a ring."
"You got me a ring?!" he laughs, because it's obscure, because they don't really wear jewelry, because why would he, right?
"It’s a pretty ring," he nods.
George's hand moves, slithers under Dream's palm, retrieves the box. It looks luxurious in George's nimble fingers. His nails scrape against the velvet and he's smiling, just for himself, just for a minute.
"It’s a pretty box."
"There is a ring inside."
"You promise?"
"I promise there's a ring inside," Dream nods and it's silly but it keeps rising, his smile, the laugh in his throat.
"Aren't you like supposed to get on your knees?" George raises his eyebrows and looks at him and Dream shrugs his shoulder.
"I can get on my knees if you want me to."
George just smiles wider, if humanly possible. He leans the box towards his side anyway.
"Open it to me," he says and he sits up, Dream follows and his hands shake as he takes the box and pops it open. It feels detrimental, the last moment it's hidden. George can look at it and decide he hates it.
He doesn't. He just hums and he looks almost satisfied. He takes it out and turns it around and inspects it.
"Was it expensive?"
"Define expensive," Dream mumbles and George laughs as he shakes his head. He drops the ring into his palm and his heart sinks, takes a leap downhill, until George offers his hand up.
"C’mon, put it on idiot, do I have to do everything myself?" he scoffs but his face is soft as he looks at it. Dream takes it in-between his fingers and slips it on the offered one. It's a little big, he puts it on the middle finger to get a tighter fit and he just hates himself for a moment, for not picking the smaller size. He should have known.
"We can get it fitted better, I think they offer like proper services and shit."
"Okay," George nods but he's not listening at all, he's looking at it and he’s just smiling to himself all over again. A palm splays over Dream's chest, with the tell-tale piece of cold metal on and it makes his heart beat again. "Thank you," it's a whisper right by his ear and a kiss is left on his cheek. Then George settles next to him and lies down again and he's not looking at the ring now just right at Dream. The hand stays on his chest though, and Dream covers it with his own, used to protecting the ring always, and he drifts off like that, his pot turned, his love balanced, the ring finally on a finger.
The fans find out soon. Like proper dictionary meaning of soon. The screenshots of GEORGE HAS A RING are saved by the simple fact that it's on his middle finger still. That doesn't stop people from knowing it's from him. At first, they just guess. A lot. It's all memes and jokes and then a week passes and it's a piece of a joke passed around, until Quackity streams and they're all in VC and he makes the joke about when is George getting married, saw the ring already.
"I don't know," George hums and he sounds mirthful, like he is standing in front of a building doused in gasoline and he's holding a lit match in-between his fingers. "Dream?" the match lands. The fire spreads. Dream bursts. Everyone thinks they're getting married.
"Are you not?" Sapnap is no help at all when Dream hyperventilates into his pillows.
"I don't know," it's confusing. They haven't even kissed. Dream gave him an engagement ring and the world tilted on its axis and then righted back into normalcy. George sleeps in his bed and cuddles close and plays with his hair on occasion. Mostly he just smiles and looks and is happy. Dream is happy not to question it further.
"It was funny though," he scoffs as he scrolls further down twitter, passing the tweets, the clips. "You like full on spluttered. I could actually hear you choking."
"It’s not funny."
"It’s so funny."
"It’s not funny."
"Dude, you didn't even give an answer. You literally was like uhm, well, uhm, full on stuttering. Embarrassing."
"You're embarrassing."
"I'm not the one engaged to George bro," he shakes his head and then just frowns. "Wait, will I be your best man or his? Fuck. Didn't think about that."
"Both," Dream mumbles and he cuddles closer and smiles. One thing's for sure.
The door opens and George walks in and just frowns.
"I was looking for you," he says and doesn't define the you but he launches himself into the bed, right over Dream's back and his arm outstretches over them both. Sapnap catches his hand and looks at the ring and just shakes his head.
"I still think I should get a ring too," he's just teasing but George knocks it against his forehead anyways.
"No. This is mine. Just for me. You get nothing because you stink. Dream loves only me and we're getting married and you will get nothing!"
There's a kiss on the nape of Dream’s neck and after all that it feels like an electric shock.
"I will get all the condolences I think," Sapnap laughs. "Get out of my bed though. If I don't get a ring, you don't get the right to hog my blankets!" there’s a kick to Dream’s shin and he's ready to protest but George is standing up already, pulling him by the waist too.
They walk quietly down the hallway to their room.
Dream's. Not theirs. Dream's.
George stands on his tippytoes to rake his fingers all the way through his hair. "He's so dumb," he says with the sickliest affection in his voice. "Do you think after we get married, we can like legally adopt him as our son? Imagine just being like Sapnap go to your room. As long as you live under our roof you wash the dishes!"
"You’re evil," Dream grins but they're leaning against the door and he didn't even realise. George’s fingers slide to his neck, press against his pulse point.
"You won't get him a ring though, right? You can't even marry multiple people here, right? Or am I wrong? Can you?"
"I don't know actually,“ Dream shrugs his shoulder. He thinks he doesn't know anything anymore, just George's touch and the repeated promise of a wedding on his lips.
"This ring is just for me, right?" he asks again and he holds Dream's face in-between his hands and Dream smiles into it, the ring pressing into his skin.
"Yeah, got it only for you," he nods.
George nods too, almost mindlessly. He's looking elsewhere. Dream doesn't even get time to question it because he's suddenly there, all close up, leaning in and then stopping a millimetre short of his lips. They actually brush against each other as George speaks.
"I didn't misread this, right?"
Dream can only shake his head.
Kissing George is gravityless field, he's floating, only hanging on by the push of a tongue against his lips. It's not hurried. It's like a promise that there's thousand more to come and they have nowhere to rush.
Dream finds out on a Wednesday. They drive down to the city, to the store, to get it fitted better. As they're taking measurements, he's looking around for real this time, Christmas is approaching and his mother would maybe like some nice jewelry. It's as he's trying to remember what pieces of jewelry he's actually seen her wear that he feels his palm being taken. Something slips on his finger and he immediately jumps up, frowns.
"What are you doing?"
"Trying to find out your size, duh?" he scoffs as if it was supposed to be obvious. "Do you think we should get like actual gems for our wedding bands? Like a little blue and green one? That would be epic, right?" he chuckles as he takes the measuring band back and studies the writing on it, hands it over to the girl behind the counter.
"Here, tries this one," she hands back a matching ring to George's and it slips on his finger easily. George studies his hand and just smiles.
"Yeah, that one is perfect," he nods and then he looks up and Dream is not used to this, to have the sun chase after him instead. George pecks his lips and then is back to talking to the girl about how long it takes to customize a ring and what options they have for wedding rings.
Dream holds his hand up to the lights and he feels dizzy. The next time he comes down to earth is when George presses close.
"Let's go home, alright?"
Dream’s eyes keep slipping from the road to the shiny ring on his finger. He almost jumps when George sticks a phone in front of him to take a photo, grinning like an idiot.
"You bought me a ring," he finds himself whispering as they're standing at a red light.
"I did," it sounds prideful.
Orange.
"You booked a consultation for wedding rings."
"It’s never too early.”
Green.
"I love you," he breaths out and it’s out finally, it’s all out, there is nothing to hold onto in his pockets anymore.
"Just drive you idiot, they're honking at us," he laughs but he reaches out to put his fingers over the ring anyways.
Dream feels his phone buzz against his thigh and he knows it means that George probably posted the picture of a matching ring on his finger too.
"I love you," it's whispered back as they turn right towards their house and Dream smiles and he puts the car into reverse to park.
They go back in a few days to pick George's resized ring and now they develop a new habit, of clinking the rings against each other all the time.
Sapnap stares at them front the other side of the kitchen table with disgust.
"I miss when it was just a box forever stuck in Dream's pants."
George kisses the blush on his cheeks.
"I don't. It was stupid," he laughs.
"I didn't want you to find it," Dream whispers, small, shy.
"Oh yeah, so you just kept it in your pocket all the time. Genius!" Sapnap shakes his head as he stands up, puts the dishes in the dishwasher.
"It was! I was worried he would be looking through the drawers."
"I was looking at your crotch way more than into you drawers so..." he shrugs and when Dream stays gaping, he simply smiles his sweetest smile.
"Disgusting! Like I said," Sapnap smacks the dishwasher closed. He turns the plants on the window around and then just sighs. "Have to do everything myself," shakes his head as he leaves.
The kitchen is theirs.
"Did you actually know?" Dream finds himself asking. He feels like a fool. It seems worse, to be revealed as a guy who carried a ring around for two months for a guy he wasn't even dating.
"At first I just thought you were really glad to see me," George has this habit of taking the strands of his hair that hit his forehead and pulling them down like a curtain, he does it now too. His smile is still visible through it anyway. "Then I thought it was an airpod case. Then I thought you have like a secret girlfriend or someone, you know. And then I asked Sapnap and he just gave me this look and I knew then," he chuckles, pulls the hair lower until Dream smacks his hand away and pushes the hair back, off his face.
"I knew it was all mine," George nods.
It is.
Ours.