glimpse || DNF

𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝

His chest rose and fell far too quickly. His hands shake, a sheen of cold sweat glistening on his upper lip. Dream scooches closer to him, well aware of what was happening again. "George, listen to my voice." Dream says gently.

George falls into his side again, clutching anything he can touch to make this all go away. Fingers brush his neck as he's shifted into Dream's lap, a steady glide of his fingers on George's arm distracting him from his climbing panic.

"Breathe slowly, there you go...good." George feels his heart rate start to go down, hands less trembly. The thoughts inside of his head no longer echo so loudly. Instead of traveling at the speed of light, they slow down to a black and white film, slow enough for him to process.

Sapnap watches the two of them interact. His eyes fill with tears, a new kind of love blossoming for George. He had never seen this vulnerable part of his best friend. The George that let his friends see him cry, that didn't shove away every trace of emotion, that accepted their help for something other than superficial things.

"Sorry," George is finally able to say to both of them, shifting out of Dream's grip. He hugs his knees to his chest, looking up at them. They stare back at him with affection, and more than a little despair. He sinks more into himself with the intensity of it all.

"Let's not apologize anymore okay?" Sapnap asks. He nods, closing his eyes.

George chews his lip, brunette hair shielding half his vision. There couldn't be any more hiding. No more refusal to communicate emotions. They don't have the time for that.

"Will you guys be okay? I've got to check on Karl...he gets them too." Sapnap sighs, massaging the bridge of his nose. Dream gestures from him to go, so he lifts himself onto his knees, patting George's shoulder.

"Love you Sapnap." George mumbles at the opposing wall, trying his best to avoid his eyes.

The other freezes in his movements, almost sliding off the edge of the bed. His breath almost escapes him, but he forces it back, a small smile forming on his lips. "I love you too George."

The two sit quietly after he leaves. A gentle breeze whistles against the windows, and George has half the mind to let it in. But when Dream wraps his arms around his waist and pulls him toward his chest, everything else fades.

"George?"

His voice was shaky and tentative, fingers slightly trembling around him. George frowns, turning to look at him. He feels a large hand slip off his hip, tucking a lock of dark hair behind his ear. "What?" He breathes gently, watching the man's every movement.

"I love–"

"Wait! Wait." He interrupts quickly.

Surprise flits across the blonde's features, but he nods. George couldn't let this happen again. His friend would say some sweet bullshit and he would lose the ability to form coherent thoughts. And as much as he tried, he wouldn't be able to say anything back.

"...everyone thinks I'm so calm under pressure." George mumbles finally, shaking his head with a tear-filled smile. Dream looks out the window, aiming his confused frown away from his friend. "I thought so too, for the longest time. But ah...I'm not. It's you who calms me down. Your–your voice."

Now he has to calm himself down without it, now more than ever.

"...y-you are the best thing that's ever happened to me." Love laced his spilled words, beginning to cleanse the awful regret from his system of all the times Dream had gone off about how grateful he was for him.

George had never been able to respond. He would give a soft smile, or crack a stupid joke. But nothing more. Because he was a coward.

No. Not anymore.

"I love you so much that I couldn't put it into words. So I didn't. And I kept telling myself that eventually I'd tell you everything you deserved to hear. Everything you had been giving me for years. But I didn't do that either, because I thought I had so much time left to do it."

George forced the moisture from his eyes, swiping at his eyelashes to look at Dream. The blonde's hair shone in the moonlight, beautiful features flushed as tears ran rapidly down his cheeks. His form trembled a little, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

"I love you, Dream. I love you so so much. I love your kindness and your intelligence and your care for everything that doesn't have to concern you. You've called me beautiful and handsome but it isn't just your features that make you the same thing, more than me or anybody else I know. And–and you deserved so much more than all of this,"

"George," He sobs, tears gushing out of his eyes like a monsoon, full of beautiful life and sweet sorrow. He had never cried like this before. Not even when his grandparents died two days apart. Or his cat died. Nothing could top this. "Please stop talking,"

It was George's turn to hold him now. His arms weren't long enough to wrap around the other's chest completely, so he pulled Dream down by his shoulders, cradling his face with soft hands. "I'll never stop. Not if it makes you believe me."

"You idiot," Dream hiccups, covering his face with his hand. "–you put eight years into t-two minutes."

"I'm known to procrastinate." Hands tangle into soft blonde, tugging the waves sweetly. He was still crying, cheeks stained with salt, body still shuddering from the onslaught of emotions George had dumped on him.

"Fuck I love you," Dream laughs, pressing his nose into George's stomach. His heartbeat thuds through the roof when he feels soft lips kiss his forehead, lingering for only a second before pulling away.

They sit back to rest on the bed frame. George doesn't hesitate to curl into the taller's side, dragging his fingertips over the firm dips of muscle he could feel underneath Dream's loose shirt. Calloused fingers find their way into brunette curls, carding through them with careful precision.

When bronze-speckled eyes lock onto him again, Dream struggles to gather his self-control, looking away rather quickly. The breeze seems to attack their windows now, attack the walls of the house with resentment. George shivers despite the warm air drifting from the heater, resting his face into Dream's neck.

Dream gathers his courage and searches the other's face, bringing a hand to George's jaw, resting it there with the timidity of a butterfly. Long, dark eyelashes flutter shut. Blonde hair drifts down from where it had been pushed back prior.

Their kiss is soft. Gentle.

Mouths move with caution, navigating through the dizzying sensation slowly. Lithe hands slide into Dream's hair, deepening the kiss with intoxicating tranquility. Because at this moment, their lives were perfect.

George opens his eyes first, brushing his nose against Dream's with breathless shock. Eventually, the other's open, carefully accessing every emotion strewn across George's face. Before he could say anything however, soft lips were pressed against his again, tugging at his shirt with an intense demand that Dream couldn't possibly resist.

They didn't sleep much that night. 

//

:')