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George entered Dream’s room a couple of days later to find him sitting up at his desk, listening to music and humming to himself as he… practised speedrunning?
George blinked. It had been quite a few years since Dream had publicly done any speedrunning content, be it on Twitch or YouTube or anywhere else, but he didn’t know how long it’d been since he did it offline. Granted, he didn’t tend to come into Dream’s office when he was on the computer often, but still.
“Hey,” George said, wrapping an arm around Dream’s shoulder. His heart softened as Dream turned around and smiled at him, leaning into the contact. “You’re speedrunning?”
“Yeah, it had been a while,” Dream said, glancing at his paused Minecraft screen. “Part of me missed it, you know. Just sort of getting in the zone in this block game and… and kind of forgetting about everything else.”
It suddenly hit George that he hadn’t speedrun Minecraft in… years, probably. Before - before lots of things happened. His chest panged at the thought of Dream wanting to do it now to remind him of those times again.
George pulled him closer, hugging Dream’s face to his chest gently. “How are you feeling?” he whispered.
Dream stiffened a little in George’s hold, opening his arms and giving him space to crawl into his lap. He immediately cradled George to his chest, squeezing him tight.
“I just… I don’t really feel consumed by the stress anymore,” Dream whispered. “I’m not anxious. I’m just… I’m just sad.”
George’s heart broke in two as he heard how quiet Dream’s voice was when he said that. “Sad?” he asked quietly.
Dream nodded, holding onto him tighter. “I just feel kind of hopeless, you know. No matter what I do, I just seem to make things worse.” He sniffed and buried his face in George’s shoulder. “Why do I fuck things up, George? It’s like I ruin everything I touch.”
George shakily wiped away his friend’s tears, struggling not to cry himself. “Don’t say that about yourself, Dream,” he said softly, running his hands through Dream’s hair like he’d done to comfort him a few nights ago. “I know you’re trying your hardest every day, you’re still here, still going, you’re doing your best. And if they can’t see that, they can-” George didn’t even want to finish the sentence, he was so angry. So furious at the people who were hurting his boy, making him feel like he ruined everything.
“And you don’t ruin anything, not by a mile,” he continued. “Look at me. You’ve made my life so much better, there isn’t a reality or- or universe I could ever imagine being in without you.” He tugged Dream closer, pressing a kiss on his head.
Dream seemed to soften slightly at his words. “George, thank you,” he said quietly, touched by George’s sudden affection. “I just can’t believe I’m feeling like this all over again,” he confessed. “Everything I suffered through as a teenager, all the work that was done to push through it… it’s like I’ve gone completely backwards and it’s all been undone,” he vented through the tears. “I really thought I was better and now here I am again like I was years ago, unable to leave this room, scared to go out there. I just feel like I’m scared of everything now.”
George frowned, looking up at Dream with worried eyes. “Scared of what?”
Dream grabbed onto George’s hands, fiddling with his fingers. “It’s not like… well, that,” he rolled his eyes, and George knew what he was referencing. “I don’t care about dumbasses coming up to me or whatever. It’s just… I feel myself falling back into that pattern before everything. Before… before you were here,” he said quieter. “Just not wanting to leave, because… because it’s easier just to stay here, in my room, away from the world.” He slumped into George’s shoulders, and he held him upright, rubbing comforting circles into Dream’s exhausted back.
I wish I could take away your pain.
I wish no one was causing you pain in the first place.
I wish I could see you happy again.
George couldn’t bear the thought that people had stripped away at his joy. Taken the brightest person in the room and selfishly dimmed his glow. He just longed to see his Dream again, the Dream who could light up the room just by being there, the Dream that could see the light in everything. Now it felt like all he could see was darkness.
You took my Dream away from me, and I’ll never forgive you.
“George? Are you okay?”
Fuck. George hadn’t realised he’d been crying too.
“I’m - I’m sorry this is so stupid,” George sniffed as Dream pulled him into his chest, cradling him in his arms. “I’m supposed to be the one comforting you .”
“It’s okay,” Dream reassured him, kissing his forehead. “I know it’s been hard for you too. I probably scared you a bit with all this, huh,” he sighed.
George ignored Dream’s last comment, flinging his arms around his shoulders. “I’m so sorry about all this, Dream,” he sobbed, unable to hold back the floodgate of emotions he’d been keeping in for so long. “I’m sorry you’ve been feeling like this, I’m sorry they’ve- they’ve done this to you, I’m just so sorry,” his voice cracked in the last sentence, burying his head deeper into Dream’s shoulder.
“George,” Dream started softly, “Don’t feel sorry for what they did. You… you can’t take it away, but you didn’t cause it, okay?” George nodded slowly, trying to breathe deeply.
“I just can’t stand all of this, Dream,” he said, a little calmer now. “I just want it all to be over.”
Dream gave a shaky sigh in agreement, holding his love close to him. “We’ll get through this, I know we will. Somehow, I have no idea why but somehow… I know we can do this. I feel it.”
“One day, Dream, I promise,” George said as he snuggled closer, “one day, things will be better. I’ll make sure of it. Or else I’ll just- I’ll-” he struggled to keep a straight face, smiling a bit.
“You’ll what, George?” Dream smiled a bit too, despite the tears still on both their faces.
“I’ll- I’ll do things I can’t say out loud,” George exclaimed, and both of them laughed, still clinging to each other.
“George, you are crazy,” Dream said, enunciating every word and pretending to be cross. “You are a crazy little man.” He pointed at George, lightheartedly prodding at his chest.
“Crazy for you,” George muttered, and Dream unexpectedly pecked him on the lips.
“I love you,” Dream gushed, pulling the boy on his lap closer.
“Love you too, idiot,” George muttered, and kissed Dream again. He slid his arms around Dream’s neck and gently petted his curls as they kissed, Dream humming in content as he held onto George’s waist. George blushed as he pulled away, looking at him with nothing but pure affection in his gaze.
“Hey,” Dream whispered, eyes starstruck. On another day, George would’ve teased Dream for how flustered he’d made him look, but for now he just hugged his boy close.
“I wasn’t joking, Dream. One day, this will all be over, I promise.”
“Hopefully not all of it,” Dream whispered back, lacing their fingers together and kissing George’s hand as they both held each other tightly.