Domestic ❧ Skephalo AU

Chapter 38.) Puffy

Dream was frustrated.

The process of integrating his physical form into a dream sequence was tiring on his body, so whenever he did decide to dive into someone's head he was only able to stay for thirty minutes or less. The longest he ever held an integration was forty minutes, but even then the toll on his body left him loopy and dependent on George for an uncomfortable amount of time.

He figured that was his own fault, though. If he had actually fed from the dreams he hopped into, he wouldn't be funneling his own energy into a bottomless pit. It wasn't like consuming dreams and nightmares harmed the host, it simply meant the person wouldn't dream at all, which also meant Dream couldn't stick around for long. The abyss wasn't all that comforting.

To nerf him further, unsuccessful integrations left him just as tired as successful integrations, so whenever he failed to contact either of Sapnap's fathers through their dreams, all he could do was shake his head and slump to the floor, unable to try again despite Sapnap's desperate pleas.

It hurt to see Sapnap so frantic, hysterical to the point of crying and breaking things because each attempt was fruitless. Either Bad and Skeppy had ditched their sleep schedules completely, or they were sleeping when Dream wasn't actively trying to reach them.

"Please, one more time! I- I don't care if dad ditched me, I just need to know he's okay," Sapnap begged as molten lava ran down his splotchy cheeks.

As much as he wanted to reassure him, Dream's tongue felt heavy in his mouth and his brain felt like it was being rolled and compressed like a ball of clay. His own worry for Bad, someone who he had accidentally called dad more times than he could count, was teetering into forgotten territory where his own selfish need for sleep cried for attention.

He needn't shake his head for Sapnap to understand his answer.

The Fire Spitter threw his weight onto the bed and cried harder, prompting George to step from his corner and place a hand on Sapnap's back. Rubbing circles along his back did little to calm him, and while Dream wanted to offer his hand in comforting the younger demon, he doubted he had the strength to walk over to his friend, let alone try and tend to him.

He felt awful. His kind was one of the few sub-species of demons able to communicate with mortals without runes or summonings, shouldn't that make things easier? Shouldn't he be the hero?

Glancing down at his trembling fingers, he concluded he couldn't be Sapnap's hero if all he did was waste his time. There had to be another way to get answers, another way that didn't rely on pure luck.

Could he contact someone that was friends with Skeppy?

The secrets of his existence would be blown, but if his dad's conspiracies bordered the truth, that meant the existence of demons was already known to some. What was one more soul knowing what lurked behind the realm of death?

Grumbling, Dream lowered himself onto the floor and pressed the side of his face to the floor. There wasn't a single host he knew of that had any relations to Skeppy.

"Wait," he mumbled under his breath, fully aware neither George nor Sapnap was paying attention to his incoherent grumbles. He did know someone who had relations to Skeppy! But he had only hopped into her dreams two or three times, and he never spoke a word to her. How could he possibly rely on her?

Angling his head to look at Sapnap's trembling legs, he shoved aside his hesitance and swallowed, thickly.

"Get me a fucking snack."

George was the first to respond, "Dream, I don't think–"

"Trust me, Gogs. I think I know who to contact, but I won't be able to if you don't get me a Capri Sun or something."