UNIT404

9

[ this chapter is based on the song Slow down by Nichole Nordeman, i'd highly suggest listening as you read)

seven years later

"daddddddd when's daddy back from work" the brown haired boy whined, pouting with his head resting on the arm of the chair. His grey eyes glancing up at George as he tugged on his shirt, pouting.

George glanced up to the clock on the wall, "should be any minute now Oliver" George smiled down at his son ruffling his hair, he'd just turned six and was extremely clingy towards his other father, a trait he'd undoubted gotten from Dreams clingyness towards George. But Oliver loved both of his dads, he just spent the most time with George as he was at home the most, so got very excited whenever his other father would return home.

"I'm going out with Lucas after Dreams home, if that's okay" Lucy smiled sliding her phone into her pocket, She was now about to turn sixteen and had been living with Dream and George since her dad passed away.

"Lucas? What skeppys son?" George looked up from the juice he was now making for his son over at his god daughter, rising a questionable brow.

"No, Lucas from next door" She sarcastically scoffed.

"Very funny Lucy, drop the sarcasm" George chuckled as did Lucy in response, they had a lighthearted sense of humour between them all, Lucy being in her teenage years now caused a lot of sarcasm and petty remarks but George and Dream often joked in response back, there was never arguments.

"Right, sorry" She smiled sitting herself beside Oliver as George handed him the beaker with juice and also sitting beside him.

The front door unlocked and opened up, Oliver was quick to jump up, "Daddy!" He beamed latching himself onto Dreams leg, "Hey Buddy, you okay?" Dream smiled pushing his sons hair back, "Yeah! Dad and Lucy took me to the park!" He finally let go of his dad and gently began tugging at Dreams arm to pull him over to the couch where George just smiled up at him in domestic awe.

"Give me a second Oli, atleast let me get my shoes off" Dream chuckled, Oliver let out a defeated sigh letting go of his dads hand and running over and leaping into his other fathers lap to which George let out a surprised grunt at the action.

"Uncle Dream, i'm going out with Lucas, is that alright?" Lucy stood smiling and pulling her bag pack  over her arm, Dream kicked his shoes off putting them on the shoe rack and undid the top buttons of his work shirt, leaving the tank top below.

"Yeah, of course, just home-"

"Home by ten, got it! See you guys, bye!" Lucy chuckled playfully hitting Dreams shoulder as she left.

"God, she's grown up so much" Dream smiled watching the door close, glancing over to George.

"I know, seems like yesterday she was the little girl drawing pictures of her hero dad, putting them on the fridge with magnets."

"Yeah," Dream chuckled sitting himself beside George and oliver, he opened up his arms and Oliver didn't hesitate to crawl out of George's grip to jump into his other fathers arms. "Bad would be so proud of her."

George smiled in response, Dream shifted slightly to pull off his work shirt completely letting it rest on the arm of the chair as he hugged his son, kissing his forehead.

"It's healed up nicely." George reached out brushing his slim fingers gently over Dreams bicep and forearm where a large tattoo of a tiger had finally formed, old scars being covered with tiger stripes.

"Yeah, it looks nice." Dream smiled, his son eventually got up off of him and ran off somewhere into the house.

"it suits you, like," George paused leaning in, planting a soft kiss on Dreams lips then pulling away. "A lot."

"Thank you George."

"I can't believe how soon it's going to be, it feels like yesterday you proposed" George chuckled brushing his finger over the engagement ring on his finger, Dream gently lifted George's hand, placing a kiss on his knuckles.

"I'm really happy yknow."

"Me too Dream, i'm glad things are the way they are."

"I love you,"

"I love you too dumbass"

Oliver rushed into the room almost slipping on the rug earning a "woah-" from his dads who sat up in case he fell, thankfully he didn't, he put something in Dreams hand with an excited smile.

"What's this bud?" Dream chuckled, Oliver shrugged.

Dream looked down, a painting made by Oliver.

A dark haired shorter man stood beside a taller blonde man, between them was a blonde girl with long hair and glasses atop of her head instead of over her eyes and a smaller brown haired boy, it wasn't brilliantly drawn however was rather good for a six year old.

"Woah- you did this buddy?" Dream smiled, oliver nodded excitedly, "you're so talented! you definitely take after your other dad" Dream beamed looking over to his fiancé, who playfully shook his head.

"It's our family." Oliver smiled taking it back and running to the kitchen, presumably to put it on the fridge as lucy did when she was younger.

Dream and George were happy, George had become a stay at home dad whilst Dream still worked his dream job as a paramedic, they had gotten engaged last year and were due to be married in the next couple of weeks. Lucy settled in quite well with them, it was a scary adjustment for them all caring for a young child at the time but soon eased into it, eventually adopting their own child, Oliver. Oliver had autism, sometimes he went mute and it was a little tricky for them to deal with but they did their research and were honestly great parents to Lucy and Oliver, they did their best and that's what mattered.

dream has lowered his shifts drastically, he was a big family man and loved doing things with his family, taking them on days out whenever he got the chance, or even family camping trips (as much as George whined prestigiously about how dirty and cold it was, to which Dream always laughed off playfully calling him a snob.) Deep down he enjoyed it though, getting to spend time with the love of his life, with his family. It was never how George imagined his life to play out, but then again, he wouldn't have it any other way.

And neither would Dream.