trying // dnf

Chapter 7

Tommyinnit is streaming, I got school tomorrow, this is a great time to update 

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"Why is it so cold?" George asked.

"It's not." 

"Yes it is! Dream, I am standing in this water and I am telling you that it's cold!" 

"I'm standing in it too!"  Dream giggled. 

George wrapped his arms around himself. "Yeah, well, you're like, tough, or something." 

"Tough? George, I'm a minecraft youtuber." 

"Which is stupid, because I'm a minecraft youtuber too and yet here I am, looking like a thirteen year old-" 

"You don't look thirteen," Dream reassured him. 

George shivered. 

"If you're cold we can go sit on the beach," Dream suggested. 

"But we've only gone in up to our knees," George said.

"And you've complained the whole time," Dream teased. "If you're not tough enough-" 

"I'm tough!" 

"Then let go of me." 

George had been holding onto Dream as if scared a wave would knock him over. He let go now, taking a step backwards. "Sorry." 

"It's fine. What are you feeling?" 

"2."

"I meant that more as a so, what do you want to do, but I'm glad you're so low." 

"Well, yeah, you're fun." 

The beach behind them was empty. The sky was getting cloudy. Dream thought of himself as pretty tough, but even he was starting to shiver. But he didn't move from staring at George with a smile. And George was smiling back. Matching his energy. Dream knew exactly how he felt in that moment. He lifted his hand, leaned in-

"What are you doing!" 

Dream pulled away as if he'd been shocked. "What?" 

George gaped at him, taking steps back. "What - Wh-" 

"I'm sorry, I thought-" 

George wiped his mouth furiously, turning away.

"Listen-" 

But George was already walking away, already wading back to the shore. Dream hesitated for a moment, then chased after him.

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George threw his shirt back on. The clouds thundered high above him. He shivered, shoved his shoes on, then started walking, his face furiously red. He heard Dream yelling at him, shouting at him to stop, to wait, but George didn't want to wait. If he waited, he had to figure out what he felt. Wouldn't it just be easier to keep walking? He'd walk all the way to the UK if it meant he didn't have to think about what just happened. 

"George, just wait!" 

George took a turn and walked down a sidewalk.  Cars drove by, oblivious to him. 

"George please!" 

It started to rain. George dodged a puddle splash from a car and hugged himself, his hair sticking to his forehead. 

"GEORGE." 

George stopped.

"Please," Dream said behind him, trying to catch his breath. "Just listen." 

George closed his eyes. "To what? Your apology or a love poem?" 

"To me," Dream said. "Listen to me." 

George's throat started closing up with tears. He knew that if he turned around, he'd start crying. 

"I shouldn't've done that," Dream said.

"Yeah, you think?" 

"Let me finish," Dream said. "Please?"

George didn't move. 

"I thought you felt the same way." 

"Are you going to tell me it was just the heat of the moment?" 

"I don't have any excuses." George felt Dream's hand on his shoulder. 

"So what now Dream?" George exhaled shakily. "Do we just go back to your house? Pretend this didn't happen?" 

"If that's what you want." 

George didn't say anything. 

What do I want?

"Is it?" 

What do I want?  What do I feel?  George blinked furiously, trying to breathe, shivering violently, fighting the urge to spin around and -

"George?" 

"I don't know!" George shouted, throwing Dream's hand off him. 

"George, I'm trying-" 

George spun around, rain and tears mixing on his cheeks. "THEN STOP!"