After Fire - Dreamnotfound

One|dreamwastaken

"Well, back off," Clay said.

"Make me."

"Wait, why do we hate him again?" Whispered the brunet boy behind them.

"Because Dream does," The boy next to him replied.

"Dream?" George said.

"Yeah, it's what my friends call me, which is why I never told you."

"Why does Dream hate him?" The brunet continued.

"I don't know, Karl," The boy next to him answered.

The Karl boy stepped between Dream and George and cleared his throat. "Well if Bad and Skeppy like him, I don't think he's a bad person and I think he deserves a chance."

"He called you an underaged asshole, Karl," Dream said.

"Probably because that's how you've been treating him." He turned to George with striking blue eyes. "Hi! My name's Karl, what's yours?"

"George." Karl held his hand out, and George wearily took it. George took a quick glance at his wrist and found his mark to be a rather sharp spiral.

"Yeah, rebellion!" The boy Karl had been talking to said, cutting between the two soulmates to greet George. "Name's Alex Quackity. Now tell me, do you put the milk before the cereal?"

"No."

Quackity grinned. "Then we're going to get along beautifully." He shook George's hand, and when George glanced at his wrist, he found what looked to be a small duck. He took note of it, finding that animal markings were rare. It usually represented them as a person, though George didn't know what a duck meant. He'd have to research it later.

"Come on, Sapnap. Greet our new friend," Karl said.

Sapnap glanced up at Clay, and the latter rolled his eyes as he let go of his hand. "Go."

Sapnap's eyes alternated between Clay and George before slowly approaching the older boy.

"Hi." He spoke softly despite looking outgoing from a distance. He shook George's hand before fake-gagging. "Why are your palms sweaty?"

"Probably because people keep grabbing it," George said, and Quackity laughed.

"He's got sass. I like him," Quackity said, grasping George by the shoulders and pulling him closer to him. "Can we keep him?" He stuck his bottom lip out in an attempt to look more like a tiny puppy begging for a treat. Dream glared at George and shook his head.

"No. You don't live with him. He is Hell on Earth to live with."

"Oh, how? Because your family actually likes me?"

Everyone froze, and it was as if time itself had stopped. George gazed at the four of them. Karl and Quackity looked at one another with wide eyes, Sapnap stared blankly at George, and Clay rolled his eyes. It was as if George had just stabbed the younger boy and left him to bleed out despite what he had said being the same caliber as the rest of their arguments.

"So, what? My parents pulled you aside one day and told you they hated my fucking guts?"

"Your sister told me I'm a better brother than you are, and I'm an only child."

Clay scoffed, though he didn't say anything.

"You're kind of fucked up, George," Sapnap said.

George crossed his arms, feeling every single beading stare both in front of him, and behind him. When he turned around, he found Bad and Skeppy staring at him despite having just been too busy bickering only moments ago. He sighed, looking up at Dream and nodding.