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It's been a rough day. Actually the entire week has been pretty shit if Dream thinks about it. And he really prefers not to think about it but every time he closes his eyes his mind floods with replays every inconvenience, frustration and straight up disaster that happened this week.
The major one was the one terabyte drive that he first lost and then found laying outside on the patio in the pouring rain. By the time he got it dry enough to safely plug in, it wasn't working at all. He lost two whole video recordings that he will never get back. It wasn't short recordings either. Each of them contained about four hours of footage.
It wasn't even the worst part. The worst part was how he reacted to the whole situation. He was tired, frustrated and angry. He yelled at Sapnap for leaving the drive outside and then argued with George when he tried to calm him down. It was bad. Like a proper shouting match with door slamming and everything.
Now as he lays in bed he still hears the echoes of his and George’s and Sap’s voices. He can't fall asleep.
They never had an argument like that before, and it was all his fault. It was Sapnap's fault for leaving the drive outside but all the rest was on him.
He already apologized to both of them but the mood in the house is still somber and he can tell Sapnap is still angry from the way he acted on his stream today, yelling at some randoms in Valorant and rage quitting the match shortly after.
He knows eventually they will get through it and with time, all three of them will forget the argument, forgive him and be a team again but right now it seems impossible.
It's not like they never argued before but it never got this bad.
He stares at the ceiling trying to think positive things until he can't take it anymore and decides to get up. He doesn't bother to make the bed, get dressed or even open the curtains.
The early morning sun flows through the corridor window and almost blinds him when he steps out of his dark bedroom. The house is quiet at this hour, the peacefulness contrasts strangely with the storm going on in his head and makes him feel anxious.
He walks barefoot into the kitchen and freezes when he notices George sitting at the table looking intently at his laptop screen.
“Hey,” he mumbles after a few good minutes of hesitation “What are you doing up?” trying to sound normal.
George looks up at him surprised.
“Oh, hi. I went to bed way too early and I couldn't sleep anymore,” he answers, which Dream counts as a win since they weren't on speaking terms yesterday.
George doesn't sound tense or sad or passive aggressive. That's not what Dream was expecting.
“Are you still mad?”
“Hmm?” George's attention is back on the laptop but he doesn't seem angry, just distracted. It makes Dream feel lighter and more confident.
“I asked if you're still mad,” his voice is more steady than before.
“Oh. Not really. I-” he looks up at Dream again, “you were an idiot but I guess everyone's an idiot sometimes.”
“Really?”
Just like that? He's forgiven?
George must've noticed the shine in Dream's eyes because his face softens into a found expression and he shifts his full focus to him.
“Did you really think I would stay mad this long?”
“I mean… yeah I kind of did.”
“Oh my god Dream. You're so stupid,” George gets up from the chair and walks up to him “you apologized already. Friends argue. Especially when they live together. It's just-like a thing. You don't need to be so…” he gestures to Dream ”devastated about it.”
“Can I hug you George?”
“Yeah,” he averts his eyes. He does it every time physical affection is mentioned “you can.”
Dream wraps his arms around George's waist and bends down to hide his face in his shoulder. He's sure he looks ridiculous with how tall he is but he doesn't care. George wraps his hands around his back and presses close.
“Why are you up anyway?” George asks.
“I couldn't sleep. Nick looked so angry and stressed on his stream, he is still mad at me obviously so I just-”
“Valorant gets him frustrated,”George interrupts. “I’m sure he is not that mad anymore either. He knows you didn't mean to be a dick to him.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am.”
“It's just. It gets in my head and… be honest I… Am I a bad friend?... sometimes?”
“You're an idiot. That's what you are. You are a good friend! What the fuck? Maybe you were a bad friend for like- one day. It doesn't even matter because all the other days you're the best. And you are aware of things you did wrong and apologized. Everyone screws up sometimes.”
“The best?”
“I mean, isn't that what being best friends is? You're literally the best at being his friend.”
Dream snorts, “you're stupid.”
“And you're an idiot.”
“I love you,” he said it a thousand times by now but it still feels like the words are pulled directly out of his lungs before he even decides to say them. Like it's the universe's right to have Dream’s love for George out in the open.
George just laughs the way he usually does when he is happy but flustered and leans up to leave a short sweet kiss on Dream's lips.
It feels better than any love confession could ever make him feel. He knows how much it means when George is the one to initiate any physical contact, let alone anything as intimate as a kiss. It doesn't happen often, so he treasures these moments more than anything. He doesn't need the words from George to know he loves him back.
“Come on, let's go.” George pulls on his hand leaving whatever he was working on forgotten on the kitchen table.
He leads them to Dream's bedroom and searches the closet until he finds three different blankets. One light and thin, one fluffy and warm and one with Minecraft themed patterns.
“I thought you said you can't sleep anymore.”
“Yeah, but I can still hangout with you and maybe nap or whatever.”
“It's the same as sleeping.”
“It's literally not.”
George throws the blankets on the bed and turns back to the closet moving things around until he finds an old washed out hoodie. He puts it on, messing up his hair in the process. He looks absolutely adorable with the messy hair and Dream loves seeing him in his own clothes.
“Stop staring, idiot.” He comments with a scoff when he catches Dreams' eyes.
“I like staring at you.”
“Oh my god. Just go lay down.”
They settle on the bed, covering themselves with blankets and moving around until they are both comfortable and warm. Dream runs his hand gently through George's hair to see how he reacts and when he doesn't protest repeats the motion until George's eyes close.
“See, you're a nice friend. This is nice.” George comments in a soft tone.
“Well, to be fair. It's not really exactly friendly … what we're doing.”
“Hah sure, like you wouldn't cuddle with Sapnap.”
“You're stupid. You know it's different. It's always different with you.”
“No, listen. It makes sense. Just because we're-” he hesitates for a second, “ whatever, it doesn't mean we're not friends anymore. So you can still be a good friend for me.”
“I don't think that's how it works. And why do you still refuse to use the word boyfriend? Just say it. Once. It's not that hard.”
“I don't refuse. It's just like, stupid,” he lets out a nervous laugh.
“It's not. How is it stupid.”
“You're so annoying Dream.” George mumbles and shifts closer wrapping his arms around Dream tightly and pressing their bodies together, making him feel more loved than hearing any word ever could. George wouldn't hug anyone else like that.
The soft, slow and sleepy feeling surrounds him and he can almost feel the dreams pull him in when he hears someone enter his bedroom. The door is behind his back but before he can turn around he hears a whisper.
“Oh fuck. Sorry. Didn't know you were here. Is he asleep?” It's Sapnap's voice which isn't surprising because he is the only other person in the house.
“Yes, don't wake him up. He was exhausted. Let him rest.”
“Oh. Yeah I couldn't sleep either. I kinda feel bad.”
“Yeah, Well he feels bad too congrats.”
“Are you mad at me now?”
Dream feels George's sigh more than he actually hears it.
“I was mad. At both of you. But both of you apologized and we are all fine. Why are you both so dramatic?”
“We're not dramatic George. I just never argue with Dream so it felt like, extra bad.”
“Well congrats, friends argue. It happens.”
“Yeah, I guess you're right. Do you want to go out to eat something when he wakes up?”
“Yee. I'll text you”
“Alright. Tell him I'm not mad at him when he wakes up ok?”
“Alright. Now go away.”
Sapnap rolls his eyes at George and walks out closing the door behind him with a soft click.
Dream lets the sleep take him away, warm, surrounded by the smell of clean laundry and George's cologne and knowing that he is loved.