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Dream bit into the bread biscuit, blinking in surprise at the taste of cod filling his mouth. He hadn’t been involved in any of the cooking for the wedding, only specifying that it be something everyone could eat, and Niki had obliged, albeit more so because Fundy had agreed with it than any authority Dream wielded.
He had no idea it was even possible to stuff fish meat into bread. It was delicious, but messy; flakes of biscuit spilled onto the skirt of his dress with each bite. He couldn’t bring himself to care. It wasn’t like anyone was around to judge him for it. He had checked every corner and corridor, listening for the sound of footsteps, before finally settling cross-legged on the banquet table.
If they weren’t here anymore, they wouldn’t be coming back to look for him.
Just to make sure, though, he perched himself in just the right spot to see every possible entrance and exit. He wasn’t going to let himself be taken off guard. Not again, not like earlier.
His comm was pinging again, server message after server message. He pressed the mute button a little harder than he meant to, but the silence was more golden than wedding bells. He took another bite.
The door on the left side of the altar suddenly groaned, loud as it was pushed open, and Dream stilled.
A pure white hood was thrown back as his mercenary stepped through the door; Punz’s face had a shadowy look to it, tight eyes and a clenched jaw. Dream made no move to call out to them. Instead he watched with a guarded expression as they advanced to the altar. He hadn’t messaged them after the wedding ended in failure, hadn’t tried to explain himself or apologized for a failure in a step of The Plan. He… didn’t have the capacity to. Wasn’t sure how to explain when his feelings had been spiraling out of control and his face was wet with tears because George-
Punz’s eyes finally met Dream’s. From all the way across the room, their face crumbled with relief, and the knot twisting in his stomach eased.
It was bad to make assumptions, he knew that, but his heart seemed to be convinced anyway; they didn’t blame him, they wouldn’t turn on him for this incident.
“I found you,” They strode forward almost too quickly before faltering, trying to pull back their emotions. “Are you alright? Why didn’t you message me? I’ve been trying to get ahold of you since- Puffy was telling people.”
Dream gripped his ankles to keep himself from fidgeting; Punz knew his tells. “I decided… it was better to lay low. Until everything settled down. It was better not to attract any attention this way.”
“Lay low?” Punz muttered under their breath in obvious disbelief. He probably wasn’t meant to hear that, but the chapel had excellent acoustics. “Dream, you know I-”
“Want a bite?” Dream cut them off.
“A bite?”
“I’m having a feast!” He gestured to the large table and all its many treats, both sweet and not. “Niki made it for the wedding, so it's not poisoned or anything- did you know you can put cod in bread? It’s pretty good.”
He set his own little morsel on the tablecloth and grabbed the half-eaten plate, shoving it into Punz’s bewildered face.
“I’m offering it. It was all made for me, really, since it was my- you know, you could consider it a bonus for all the hard work you’ve done lately. A good meal, my treat.”
Punz squinted at the food, turning to look at the sheer amount of dishes: a large pot of carrot soup, squeezed between a bowl of beet salad and some fancy pastries drizzled with honey, salmon on crackers with a strange dip that had been spicy when he tried it, apple fritters stacked in a wonky pyramid-
“Yeah, okay. I am pretty hungry.” They sighed, rolling their eyes as they grabbed a pair of tongs. They pointed it at him. “It is hard work searching the whole server for your dumbass.”
He snorted as he watched them fill their own plate. “What were you even doing searching for me? I didn’t ask you to.”
Despite how perfectly valid this question was, Punz still had the audacity to look affronted.
“Why wouldn’t I be? I was trying to find out if you were okay.”
Dream fell silent. Words seemed to fail him as he watched Punz bring up the spicy dip for inspection. They didn’t notice at first, at least, Dream thought they hadn’t. But after a moment, they met his gaze again, a challenging look in their eye, and he found enough power to speak.
“Well. I’m fine.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Punz said firmly.
Something in his chest twisted.
The wedding cake had been left uneaten in the center of the table; two tiers, plain vanilla. Not Niki's work. Bad had made sure that it was something Dream could eat, and after he brought it out to take its rightful place on the table, he had told Dream how proud he was of him.
He brushed the crumbs off his dress a bit more forcefully than he intended to.
“You want a slice?” He asked. Dream slipped off the table without waiting for an answer, but Punz was closer, and in the time it took to circle around, Punz had driven one of their combat knives into the cake.
“Do you want a slice?” Punz smiled slyly. They set the piece onto a plate and offered it. Dream huffed.
“What are you-? I can get it myself, idiot.”
“I'm just being polite!”
“Then be polite and let me get my own.” Dream reached for the knife in Punz's hand, curling his fingers around their own to wield it. To cut his own slice, thank you very much.
They let him.
They also make him sit in a chair to eat the cake instead of on the table, the bastard.
“This is pretty good.” Punz said through a mouthful. Casually, they curled a boot around the leg of Dream’s chair, preventing it from tilting back and toppling. The other moved to gently press against Dream's ankle. It didn't move.
It felt like protection, like they were committed. More so than any potential husband had been.
“It is.” Dream murmured. He took a bite. It was sweet, light and fluffy. Made with love.
He'd make sure to commit to them, too. He promised.