One shots (mostly platonic tbh)

c!dream's limbo (stagedduo fic)

A/n: we don't know what c!dream's limbo is, but I have a cool hc so that's what I'm going off of ^-^ so yeah, have some c!punz reviving c!dream

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It had in reality been mere minutes since it happened. Mere minutes, yet, Dream had already relived it a hundred times. The darkness, the silence...then a voice.

"Wake up, Dream"

The first time it had been Sapnap. Dream snapped his head towards the sound, but it wasn't Sapnap, standing there, it was Punz, holding out a hand, offering Dream a delicate string.

Dream took it without hesitation, grasping it in a shaking hand. His eyes followed the string, tracing it passed where it was entangled in Punz' fingers, to where it neatly wrapped around their neck, to where it wrapped around their heart.

'What do you want me to do with this?' Dream wanted to ask, but no sound could escape his lips.

Then Punz offered a small smile, and they turned, and began to walk away.

No. No no no no, they wouldn't. They couldn't leave. Anyone but them.

Dream wanted to scream, wanted to beg Punz to stay, but he couldn't. The words were trapped in his throat.

He frantically looked around for something, anything.

Then he saw them. Strings like the one in his hand, laying spread out on the ground around him. They disappeared into fog, but Dream swore he saw silhouettes.

Dream felt a tug on the string in his hand. No. Punz had to stay. He wrapped the string around his hand, and pulled.

It was as if time stopped, for just a second. The fog cleared up. Everyone. Everyone was there. Everyone was staring. Everyone was judging him. Everyone held such disgust in their gaze.

'I'm sorry! Don't leave'

Nothing.

They turned, almost synchronized. No, not them too.

Dream grasped for the strings, gathering them in his hands, wrapping them around himself, pulling, anything to make them stay.

[anything to not be alone]

Punz' string was already digging into Dream's skin. It hurt. It didn't matter. Dream pulled.

He pulled.

And pulled.

He didn't even notice when the strings drew blood. Didn't notice when they seemed to move on their own. Didn't notice when they slithered up his arms, around his chest, around his neck. Didn't notice until it was too late.

Dream felt the warmth of blood running down his neck, down his arms, staining his clothes, felt the agony of every movement, the strings cutting deeper and deeper. Felt his throat being crushed, felt his breathing be reduced to pathetic raspy wheezes.

But he couldn't give up, not now. He had to stop them from leaving.

There was the sound of a bone breaking.

A thud.

He did not get up.

...

...

...

"Wake up, Dream" Bad called.

And Dream opened his eyes to Punz standing in front of him, a delicate string in their held out hand.

Dream looked around. Everyone was there. Everyone was staring. Everyone turned.

...

...

...

Sapnap, Bad, Techno, Sam, Ranboo, Tubbo, George, Dream lost track of them, of who called out to him, of who forced him to relive the nightmare.

"Dream"

It was Punz.

Oh god, it was Punz.

It hurt so much more, hearing their voice, knowing when he opened his eyes he'd only be forced to see them leave.

"Dream, I'm here"

No, that wasn't right. That wasn't what they said. Not what any of them said.

"Come one, I've got you"

Arms wrapping around Dream's shoulders.

No no no, this was wrong. Was this a trick? Was he not suffering enough? Dream tried to push away. It was better if he didn't allow himself the comfort, then it wouldn't hurt as badly when it was ripped away from him.

But the arms stayed.

"Dream, look at me, please"

God, Punz sounded so real, so them.

Dream gave in, and opened his eyes. Punz was there, like every other time. But their hand gently moved to push strands of hair away from Dreams face, and there was no string.

There was no string...

The realization dawned on Dream, but a part of him still refused to believe it, refused to feel safe. His hand gripped Punz' hoodie. He never wanted to let go.

"Punz?"
It wasn't more than a whisper, but he'd spoken.

It was real.

"Punz"

Punz pulled Dream closer, laying his head against their chest. He could hear Punz' steady heartbeat.

"Yeah, Dream. I'm here. I'm getting you out of here"

And Dream finally believed them.