Archive of Our Own

    George had been waiting for this for months by now. Counting down the moments until he would get to see his partner again and get to actually hold him and see him. He wanted Dream back with him more than he would admit to out loud. Just in the safety of their room in the barracks would he give himself the chance to be relaxed and content with his person against him. 

    The life of an agent like them was short. They might as well take their kindness where they could find it. The good where they could get it. 

    They hadn’t been together for very long. The time they did have together they were happy. George was always Dream’s second on missions. He was the one that followed him everywhere they went and he was the one that guarded him. All the things the two of them had done with each other and all the good in the world they’d managed to accomplish with one another side by side. 

    It was good. 

    George trusted Dream and Dream trusted George. They made it through just about everything together. All of their fights and all of their good things. They would banter with each other over the radios and they would check each other when the mission was finally over and they had their time to rest. They would relax with one another side by side and more often than not they were sharing a room in the agent barracks so that they wouldn’t have to be apart. 

    Three months. 

    That was how long this mission had been. 

    Three months where Dream had been ordered by their oversight to be sent in on his own into a prison undercover. He was given a rap sheet bad enough that he would be put exactly with the ones that they were meant to be watching. Dream was the best one to be getting in and getting the intel. No one knew what he looked like on missions because of the mask that he always wore. The rest of them were all too known. 

    So their bosses sent in Dream. Alone. Into the prison with the cover going for him as one of the worst people on the planet. Dream played his part well. He knew how to lie and after years of fighting against this type of person he had their moves down to a near science. But they hadn’t told the guards about what they were doing. 

    No one in the prison knew that Dream was an undercover agent. 

    George and Sapnap both had argued that point. They told their bosses that it was risky and stupid and dangerous to not let anyone know that it was Dream that was in there. That it was one of their own that was in there. 

    Their oversight returned with the saying that if someone knew then Dream might not be treated as they would the others and it would single him out to something far worse. The guards had rules that would be followed when they were in the prison, the other criminals did not. 

    George heard the other meaning. 

    Dream needed to be treated harshly. He needed to be handled poorly. 

    This mission was going to send him in alone without any frame of backup or reference and they were just going to need to hope and pray that it would be enough to save him. They had to hope that he would handle anything that might end up going wrong inside and that they could get to him soon enough if something did before their mission was done. 

    Three months. 

    The mission was meant to be five. 

    George had been feeling his heart beating in his mouth since they first got the alert that they were headed to the prison. That their contacts said Dream hadn’t been spotted in the yard now for too long a period of time and that when sending in another agent to pose as a visitor for him the guards acted as if there was no record of a prisoner with the undercover name. 

    Dream was missing inside. 

    They were mobilized immediately to go in and get him out. To fight through the guards and work their way to where Dream was meant to be. George found his cell. He found it empty. 

    It took one of the other prisoners calling out to him to make George turn. 

“You looking for someone specific?”

    It took him too long to remember the false name he was under. None of them were in their usual uniforms. They were dressed to look like mercenaries and all of them had their faces covered. They were going to be hidden from being caught out here like this. Hidden from revealing who Dream was on accident. 

    With an offer of release from the cell in exchange for information, George found out where Dream was. 

“They took ‘im to a special cell. Pandora’s Vault is what they call it. Some underground experiment cell that they use to ‘retrain’ the too warped and twisted. Torture chamber, if you ask me. That’s where they took your boy.”

    George’s heart froze over. His stomach filling with lead and his mind spinning around like a CD that was stuck in its track. 

    He got the instructions that were as vague as a simple down and George ran. Calling to the others on what they needed to do so that they would be able to figure this out and gather any other pieces of information that they could get. 

    A torture chamber. 

    Dream had been tortured. 

    He was going to be hurt. With as long as Oversight waited to actually realize that he was missing and do something about it, there was no chance that he wasn’t. They’d done too good a job at making him into a monster for the sake of his cover that now he was really being treated as one. 

    George ran. Heart in his throat and breathing loud in his own ears. He pushed himself to make it in time. 

    It was just the fact that when he finally made it to the sets of stairs that would lead him down to the vault he already had images of Dream bloody and dead on the ground. He had seen him hurt before. He’d helped him to walk to the medical bay after missions gone wrong more than once. Dream had done the same for him. He’d seen his partner’s blood and him injured and sick and he’d even seen him near death. 

    He never wanted to see him dead. 

    That would be too much. 

    He saw the cell at the end. Surrounded by a cavern with a single bridge making it to the box like room that was suspended in the middle. He could see the metal slats that were blocking it off and the guard that was there. He could feel the heat that was surrounding that cell. It was like they’d turned the cavern almost into an oven space. 

    It would be dehydrating and disorienting to anyone that was inside the vault cell. 

    It could kill them. 

    George fumbled on the switches and levers that were on the wall. He searched for one that would get the slats down on the cell and thanked any god that would listen for the fact that it didn’t seem to trip any alarms when he did it. 

    He was running before his heart could even beat again. 

    Sprinting across the bridge and looking inside just to feel his heart break at the fact that the room looked empty. Scalding hot and so void of human necessity. He worried that this wasnt the torture cell and how bad it would be if tat was the case. Halfway through turning away, George caught movement. 

“Found him.”

    That was all he gave into the comm in his ear. Hearing Sapnap respond immediately with questions that he didn’t have time to answer. Instead, George moved forward toward Dream like he was more a frightened animal than he was a person. 

    Dream was beaten. Curled in on himself in the corner to try to hide and bracing like he was about to be hit. His head was down. He wasn’t looking up and if George had to wager a guess then he would say that he didn’t think Dream even knew it was him who was there in the cell. He probably thought it was whoever had been hurting him through this time. He probably thought it was something worse. 

“Dream?”

    He kept his voice down. Not wanting to spook him but still wanting to give enough of his voice that Dream would be able to recognize him. 

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe.”

    He swallowed hard. Dream was shaking. He could see the bruises and the blood. There wasn’t anything that he could immediately mark as life threatening. Overall he seemed to be mostly alright. George just also knew that that wasn’t the best way to work with Dream. 

“It’s over now. It’s safe. I won’t let them hurt you.”

    He had helped nurse Dream’s wounds after they came back from rougher missions more than a few times. He’d washed the blood from his cuts and helped him ice his bruises. He’d kissed the wounds that Dream pouted over and tried to tell him that it would make it all the better. Dream would press himself against him when they were done. Smelling like soap and antiseptic. They would hold each other and Dream would press his face against his neck and they would sleep. 

    Right now he just needed his lover to look at him and see him as the one standing there instead of someone that wanted to hurt him. He needed Dream to see him for who he was instead of what he’d been forced and stuck with here. 

“Dreamie?”

    He used the nickname. Old habits that were burned so deep into them that it was hard to forget the call he would use for him to tease him or in their softer moments. 

    For a moment, he thought it was hopeless. That he was going to have to reach out and check on him physically even though it might require restraining him before he could be hit. Just as George was about to reach for him, he saw Dream move. 

    Small, weak, a movement that he was hesitant to commit, but Dream lifted his head. 

“There you go.”

    He said it soft. Lowering himself down to his knees and trying to offer a smile as he saw Dream’s green eyes and the shine they still held in them. He was hurt but he wasn’t broken. He was still fighting. He was still pushing. 

“Who?...”

    His voice cracked. Hard and painful enough that he watched it send Dream into a coughing fit that had him curled over on himself and struggling for his own air. He was trying but it wasn’t hardly enough. Just pain and air that was wheezing through his lungs and only then did George realize he was still in his mask. 

    He was hiding everything that could identify him and give Dream away to any criminal in the prison that saw him. Almost immediately, George was ripping it away. Showing himself to his partner and waiting for Dream to take him in. For the realization to click and the understanding to dawn on him. 

“George?...”

    Dream moved. Wanting to reach for him but still hesitant and hurting. 

“I’m here. I’m right here, Dream. It’s over. It’s done. I’m getting you out.”

“The mission—”

“I don’t care about the mission.”

    Of course it would be Dream that would be thinking about it right now. Dream that would offer himself up like he was a sacrifice each and every time. He’d lost track of the amount of times the two of them had fought about it. About the fact that Dream would use himself as bait for just about everything if he thought that it would keep the others safe. 

    He was the one that would put the world above himself every time. The world and the greater good. He was a hero. 

    George just only wanted to protect Dream. Sapnap. He wanted to protect his world. 

    His team. 

    His family. 

“Sapnap is handling it. Okay? So we need to—”

    Boots on the ground. They both could hear the sounds of guards shouting orders that was echoing through the halls. They had to get out. At the very least they needed to get out of this cell and they could figure out the plan later. George turned to check their surroundings only to look back and see that Dream had gone completely rigid with fear locked in his eyes. 

    Dream. The fearless leader. The one who fought everything and didn’t bat an eye. The one that made the world nearly bow to him with the way that he was. His passion and his fire and his personality just carving his path forward. And now here he was, looking terrified and curled in a corner. 

    George wanted to kill every last guard he found. 

“Dream, Dreamie?”

    They didn’t have time for him to slaughter everyone in the prison. He had to get Dream safe. He needed to get him out. 

    Over a month, he’d been in this place. 

“Can you stand?”

    Dream’s eyes moved back to him like they were ripping away from something they were glued to. He was shaking. Fine trembles that went the whole way through his body but George knew how steady he always was before. 

    He watched Dream nod. Watched him try to move to push himself up against the wall only to see the stone of it cutting into him. 

“The hell is this made of?”

“Obsidian.”

    The answer croaked from Dream’s mouth. His breaths were catching again and George could see the strain on him. He thought it looked like Dream should be sweating. He wasn’t. He was too hot from the cell. He wasn’t going to be able to run out of this if he could barely get himself to stand while leaning on the wall. 

    George wished to anything that Dream could be comfortable. That he could give him time and let him feel and process and do whatever it was that he needed to do. But right now they didn’t have time. 

    They didn’t have the fucking time. 

“Can I touch you? Can I help you?”

    Dream was hesitating again. His eyes stuck on George’s hands like he was expecting for them to grab him and hurt him. He could nearly see the flashbacks reflecting in the green he loved so much but then Dream was looking up to his face and out across the bridge and he was nodding to him. Desperation leaking through his expression as he reached out and George met him fully to take his weight as his body struggled to handle it alone. 

“I have you.”

    This close he could smell the blood that was covering Dream. He could almost taste the damage that was done to him but he didn’t have time to check. 

“Are you alright? Can you do this?”

    He knew Dream hated the question but he had to ask it. He needed to know if he had to call Sapnap and the others and get them down here to defend. If they needed to comm in for Oversight to send them more people as backup. If they were going to have to get a med evac in here urgently and blow Dream’s cover just to save his life. 

“I can.”

    Dream was so hoarse. He needed water. He needed rest. He needed any amount of human care. 

“I can do this.. I can— wait—”

    George stopped the steps he was taking. Walking them back toward the bridge before he heard Dream’s request. His partner was struggling against him. Reaching for something behind him and George let him move. Whatever Dream needed right now, he wasn’t going to force him against his will. 

    He couldn’t do that when that was done to him so much already. 

“Mask.”

    George felt the material pull over his head. Covering him and smothering his identity from the world once more. He’d thought Dream would want the reassurance that it was him after he had waited until he saw his face and from the way he saw his lover’s eyes shutter over he knew that he was right. But Dream breathed as deep as he could with the grinding that was coming from his chest and he nodded to him again. 

“Go.”

    They moved together. Working as a unit and staying close to one another to try to make it out as easily as they could. 

    The entire way across the bridge George was listening to the way that Dream breathed. To how he struggled against him and the near death grip that he had in his clothes. He was shaking and sometimes he would need to pull over to tuck them both into a crevice in the wall because Dream’s breathing was getting too bad and he was feeling him beginning to go slack against him. 

    He couldn’t afford for Dream to pass out. He couldn’t risk losing him when they were this close. It was in one of their stalls when Dream had given no other response than to weakly nod into his chest to show he was still awake that George tapped his comm again to talk to Sapnap and the rest of their team again. 

“I have him. Breathing, walking, we’re getting out.”

    He heard the relief that came through immediately. 

“Status?”

    Sapnap was scared. They were all best friends behind the fact that he and Dream were starting to be more. They both loved Sapnap and they knew he loved them, just in a different way. 

“Stable.”

    He hoped that wasn’t a lie. He hoped he wasn’t wrong. 

“Getting out ASAP. Meet at Red Wing.”

    Red Wing; their code for their medical facility. They had one close. Prisons and government agencies. They liked to be near each other. Oversight. That was what they called it. 

    Oversight. The people that sent them into this without a safety net. 

“Copy?”

    He didn’t like that he hadn’t heard Sapnap respond yet. 

“Mission is still greenlight.”

    Oversight had talked to Sapnap while he was talking to Dream then. They’d taken the fact that George was the one that had him and that he hadn’t called for backup as the sign to keep the mission a go. They weren’t letting it end. One of their best agents was tortured for at least a month and they weren’t letting it end. 

“What do you—”

“I can handle this. Target clean up. Clear him. Meet you at Red Wing later. Go.”

    George cursed under his breath as he heard Sapnap’s comm click off. He heard Dream groan where he leaned against his chest. 

“Mission?”

“Oversight can kiss my ass.”

“Not if I kiss it first.”

    The words jumbled together but he could still make it out. It startled a laugh out of him before he felt the weight Dream was putting against him. Before it clicked in his head that Dream was always mission mode and no nonsense until the moment they were home and safe. Sometimes they could get him to crack a joke on the transport home but it wasn’t often. 

    For him to make a comment like that while they were in the open field—

“Dream?”

    He heard him groan again. Soft. Exhausted. 

“Stay with me. Just stay with me.”

    They had to get moving again. He dragged Dream up against him and worked toward pulling him forward so that they could move easier. Taking advantage of the chaos that Sapnap was apparently causing for there to be a lack of guards around them. 

    He had to get him talking. 

“Tell me about the mission.”

    He had to get him with it again. He had to keep him going. All of them had been trained to the act of reciting their stats if they needed something to keep them awake and aware. Name and rank if they were losing themselves in something. They were trained in order to be fighters and to debrief through any pain. 

    Too many times their Oversight had come into Red Wing and interrogated them while they were being half prepped for surgery. Making the doctors keep them awake while they dug around in their organs so that they could recite the mission details in case they died on the table. 

    There was no mercy for them. 

    No mercy for any of them. 

“You w’re g’nna kick ‘vers’ght’s ass.”

“I am. I really, really am.”

    He needed him awake. 

“I like y’re ass.”

    George would have laughed if he couldn’t feel Dream fading when he dragged him along. 

“And you can kiss it all you like but you need to stay with me. Okay?” 

    Dream didn’t answer him. 

“Dream.”

    He was going limp. 

“Dream.”

    George shook him. He had just wanted it to rouse him and get him to stay conscious but he heard the sharp breath that tore through his lungs and the way his entire body reacted like he was about to be killed if he didn’t start to run. He was scared. He was trying to hide from something. He was awake but his eyes were dazed and when George tried to talk to him this time he wasn’t getting a response. 

    He’d scared him. 

    They’d hurt him. 

    George heard the sounds of guards coming behind them now. They were close to the yard. They could make the run for it if they needed to and with the way Dream’s breaths were hitching hard, they needed to. 

    With a quick apology and a hope that this wasn’t about to get the both of them killed, George grabbed Dream close and he ran. Forcing Dream to keep up with him and racing them through the yard. There was enough chaos around them that he hoped it would be enough that they could make it through. 

    He heard gunfire. He didn’t feel any bullets whizzing past them. Instead, he heard Sapnap shouting something he couldn’t understand and he knew that he was making a scene to draw the attention away from them so that they could get out safe. He probably had seen Dream. He was probably terrified for him. 

    The run out into the woods felt like a blur. Just a focus of step after step after step. Wheezing breath to heaving pant and then they were breaking through the tree line and forcing themselves through it. Tripping haphazardly over the underbrush and pushing themselves to keep going. 

    At one point, George commed in to tell Oversight that they were approaching and to send for help. Red Wing was a large facility with a lot of guards. They were going to be heavily on edge the second that there was a prison break and he didn’t trust Oversight to actually tell any of the guards that they would be coming and not to shoot them on sight. 

    They wouldn’t be recognized. Not with how Dream’s head was hanging. Not with the blood in his hair. George wouldn’t with the hood on his head. 

    They would be killed the second they tried to get help. 

“Come on, Dream. Come on.”

    He watched his partner try to lift his head. The struggle and the whine that pulled out of him. 

“Come on—”

“Stop.”

    George’s heart broke. If they stopped they might not make it. The building was so close now. Just a little more and they would be in the barriers for it. They could be safe with it. 

“We can’t. I’m sorry.”

    He didn’t want to force him against his will but for this when it was life and death and Dream could die if he didn’t. He could apologize later. He refused to apologize to a gravestone. 

“Stop.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Please.”

“I’m sorry.”

    They broke through trees again. The building of Red Wing looming over them and guards and doctors running out. They were safe. Oversight had called. They were alright. 

    Dream collapsed beside him. George was too tired not to fall right along with him. 

    The both of them hit the grass hard. Panting and heaving and when George looked up he expected to see Dream passed out on the ground and crashing and some wound he had missed but instead he saw him on his knees with his face pointed up to the sky and eyes wide full of unshed tears. 

    Dream had been trapped in that cell for over a month. 

    Without the sun. 

    He was content to watch him. Dream was alive. He was awake and he was breathing. He was hurt. The blood now showing all the brighter. The bruising that looked so much darker now that they had better light. He looked a mess and exhausted and traumatized but he didn’t look like he was about to drop dead. 

    George smiled when he watched Dream look for him. Pulling off the hood and showing it fully when Dream smiled at him. Joy and relief on his face as he turned it back to the sky and tried to breathe. They were both about to laugh. Both about to relax that they’d actually made it out of there. 

    And then the doctors came. 

    Rushing around them both and swarming Dream. Grabbing onto him without care of the situation he’d just been in and pulling at him. He could see the panic that set in instantly. The way Dream fought back and tried to resist. The haze that swallowed his eyes and kept him from seeing the people that were really in front of him. He was terrified. He was shaking and his breathing was getting worse. 

“Don’t—”

    They shoved George back. Not letting him in to try to get to Dream or calm him. Dream started fighting harder. Desperation coming through and George could hear him begging for them to stop. Not to touch him. For the beatings to end. That he was sorry. 

    He was panicking. 

    George heard one of the doctors talk about sedating him. 

    He watched the utter terror that consumed Dream. The way he almost screamed and thrashed like a wild animal to try to escape. The tears rolling down his cheeks now. 

    The broken plea of George’s name. 

“Enough!”

    George pushed through. He was an agent with one of the highest standings. They could reprimand him all they wanted. He wasn’t about to let them hurt Dream like this. Not when he was already so hurt by their enemies. By people that were meant to be allies. 

“That’s enough!”

    He pushed all of them away. Getting down to Dream and cupping his hands around his face. Putting their foreheads together so that the only thing Dream would see would be him. 

“I’m here. I’m here. It’s okay. You’re okay. Just breathe.”

“Make it stop.”

“It’s just inside. We can—”

“Make it stop.”

    He couldn't deny him that.

“It’s stopped. It’s done. It’s okay, I swear. Okay?” 

    He would kill any doctor or guard that tried to touch Dream right now. 

“It’s over. It’s all over, Dream. You’re okay.”

    He was still crying. He was desperate. But he was reaching and George was pulling them closer. Readjusting so that Dream was practically curled in his lap with his face burrowed into the space of his shoulder and neck. He was breathing ragged. Wet tears that splattered themselves into his clothes but George couldn’t care less. 

    All he cared about was that Dream was safe. 

“Sir,” 

    One of the doctors was brave enough to speak up. They had George’s eyes glaring holes into them immediately. 

“He still needs treatment.”

    He did. Dream was still hurt and he still needed to be examined but right now that wasn’t going to be by anyone other than him. They could supervise from a distance if they wanted to. He would allow for that. But right now Dream needed safe and clearly no one other than him was safe for him right now. 

“Get supplies then. Bring it out here. I will treat him.”

“Sir—”

“I wasn’t asking. Go.”

    One of Dream’s hands moved from him down to the grass they were on. Fisting it in his hand and using it as a grounding point for him. George could feel the way he was breathing. How he was counting it for himself to try to come down from the panic surging in his veins. 

“It’s real. We’re outside. We’ve got the sun and grass and all the world for you.”

    Dream’s eyes were closed. He was still crying against him but George wasn’t going to let him go. 

“It’s safe. You’re safe.”

    The supplies came out to them. Cloths and water. Materials to do stitching. The doctors would move it up to them and pull themselves back as quickly as they came so that they wouldn’t have to risk George removing his side arm and leveling a bullet right between their eyes. 

    He would. If it would help Dream, then he would. He wouldn’t even hesitate. 

“Can I take care of you?”

    He waited until he felt Dream nod against him.

    Working methodically to remove him of his top and work the dirt and grime off of his skin. Taking care of the bruises and the cuts that were a map of the damages that were done to him inside of that cell. 

    He massaged the muscles that were still tense until he could feel Dream relaxing against him. His breaths still shallow and measured and a check of his ribs telling him that they were thankfully only cracked. 

    They could nurse those with time. 

    Dream just needed time. 

    George worked through him until the sounds of the fighting at the prison were beginning to fade. With Dream nearly boneless against him but still awake enough to hum or nod his responses. George was careful with him. Assessing him as best as he could and knowing that they would need to get him inside and changed and into bed to sleep and properly rest for the first time in a month. 

    He wanted to wait for Sapnap before they attempted that. He didn’t want something to happen and a doctor or guard to get the bright idea that they were permitted to touch Dream again. 

    Almost as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he heard the tap and beep from the comm still in his ear. 

“Mission cleared. Headed for Red Wing.”

    George smiled. He didn’t sound hurt. He was alright. He held Dream a little closer when he parroted to him. Feeling him hum into his skin and curl closer. The exhaustion was winning. 

“Copy. We’re outside Red Wing. Guards and all.”

    He didn’t want Sapnap to get here and then panic at the crowd that was outside. It was a combination of people that were trying to make sure that Dream was actually alright and for the guards to be ensuring none of the real prisoners escaped their holdings. 

    Some of them were strictly out there so that they wouldn’t be seen. 

    If they were seen being protected by government workers then their cover would be blown and Dream’s face would be shared and seen by all of the criminal organizations the same way that his and Sapnap’s were. 

    It was a risk and a danger that they all wanted to keep Dream far, far away from but Oversight had only ever cared for the sake of their missions. For the fact that they could use Dream as a dummy to send wherever they wanted and into whatever cover they so pleased. 

    Part of him wondered if it would be better for them to be caught. If he should try to covertly tell Sapnap that he should lead a captive back to them so that Dream would be safe from ever having to do a mission like this again. 

    He’d seen the way he reacted to the mention of a sedative. How panicked he got. How much he tried to fight. He would hunt and kill whatever guards were responsible for making that reaction out of him. 

“Heavy watch. They know you’re coming but maybe don’t have your gun up. Don’t get yourself shot.”

    It would put Dream in more danger to have his face known. People were cruel and they were clever. They would do anything they could to find information about him and they would work to break him down and hurt him more. 

    At least with just the mission in play they could argue that Dream wasn’t a good fit for them anymore. 

    They could weaponize Oversight’s arrogance and lack of heart. 

    They could say that Dream failed this mission. That he wasn’t able to fulfill it and that they’d needed Sapnap to work the clean up the rest of the way to bring him home. That Dream wasn’t sufficient on his own. They could hold that over them to try to make sure that their friend stayed with them. 

    That Dream wasn’t used as Oversight’s slave anymore. 

    Still. It was nothing but fear that George heard crackled over his comm. 

“Is he—”

“Stable.” Dream didn’t move against him. George’s smile turned tender. “Sleeping. Going to need your help carrying him to bed this time.”

    He heard Sapnap chuckle. 

“Shower, food, cuddles. Sounds like a good night.”

“Your status?”

“I’m clear.” Sapnap’s voice had softened. “We’re all clear, George. It’s done.”

    He let himself breathe. His own exhaustion settling in as he heard Sapnap repeat it. 

“Sap?” 

“Yeah?”

“Hurry the hell up.” 

    He leaned his head against Dream’s Pressing a kiss into his hair and smiling at how Dream’s hands curled a bit more into his clothes and the grass.

 “I want to go to bed.”

    Sapnap scoffed. He could still hear his smile all the same. 

“Copy that, Idiot.”