Dream didn't come down for a week after that day. George loved to think that perhaps he felt guilty at trading her off like property, and that he simply didn't want to show his face around the other mer who had witnessed the entire thing, but he knew in his heart that the pirate cared for no-one. It was most likely he was just busy, as it was most days he didn't come down.
But nonetheless, it seemed to him that Dream had no use for a dead merperson, so he stopped eating.
He would rather starve, than give in to Dream and his operation.
No matter how tempting it seemed, despite the fact that they had gone back to weirdly cut up fish of wide variety, he wouldn't eat. And it was all the better if no-one saw him sneak a nibble here and there, to satisfy the grumblings of his stomach roaring for attention.
Two days in, the black and white haired boy realized. Two days later, another conversation had been held at the top of the steps. George was already weak, but not enough so he couldn't strain to be a part of that conversation.
"Listen...worried...he hasn't..."
Then Dream spoke, and George was barely able to recognize a hint of concern. He scowled, knowing it was only for business.
"...make sure...me know...please..."
At that point he gave up, not feeling the energy to care much more. He turned to Quackity instead, only to find his friend already watching him intensely.
"Listen, George, I know why you're doing this and all, but it really isn't hea-" George cut him off with a snappy retort. "Yeah, yeah, I know. You've said this before. I don't need to hear it again."
Quackity shut his mouth, instead choosing to leave George in silence.
Both sat for a bit, letting the sound of ocean waves rushing against the ship's wood take over the air, until eventually, one (or both, he couldn't tell) of them fell asleep.
-----
The stairs creaked, but this time instead of the usual odd-haired man, it was an unwanted white, round mask. George scowled as he stopped in front of his tank, backing away not out of fear this time, but hatred.
He mumbled a simple, "What you do want-?" but it came out muffled to the point of inaudible to Dream's end from under the water. Stupid English.
He swore a faint smile tugged at the man's lips, but instead Dream chose to remain expressionless.
Well, not that he could get more expressionless than a mask with a smile on it, which covered his entire face save for his mouth.
"I'm sure you know why I'm here."
George said nothing, a scowling look still on his face.
"I'm worried for you, you know." Dream rested his arms on the edge of the tank, slightly too close for George's comfort. He shrank back, and Dream recognized this. He took a step back, and George met his eyes for a fleeting moment of both curiosity and confusion.
Then he averted his gaze again and rolled his eyes, unwilling to believe he was telling the truth. "Yeah right," he mouthed so it wouldn't come out in an odd arrangement of bubbles or faded speech.
"Why are you do this?" George scoffed. Couldn't he see it? Or was he so self-absorbed that he failed to realize?
After a moments hesitation, the mer came up out of the tank and set his hands on the glass's edge.
Dream took a few steps back, both startled and surprised by the action.
"I'm doing this," he spat, "because you do not know what it is like to lose someone like that. Because once I die, maybe, just maybe, you can make realize it is not so funny!"
Dream stared at him for a moment, before reaching into a pocket and pulling out a small cod, not even the same weight as what they might receive daily.
While George was still above the tank water, Dream pushed it into his hands carefully.
"Please. You don't need to starve yourself." He gestured towards the fish. "I won't force you, but I hope you do."
Then the man did something George never would have expected: he bowed his head for a moment, taking the bottom of his shirt and tugging it down once or twice.
Of course as a human, it was different, being as he was tugging at his shirt rather than pectoral fins (or side fins, depending on the species of mer), but the premise was the same. A symbol of sincerity, of submission, of letting go of pride.
At least momentarily.
George blinked cautiously, as if to check he was seeing right, before Dream turned and left again quietly.
George stared down at the cod warily, glancing to Quackity and Foolish- who had witnessed the whole thing.
What did he do now?
-----
Word Count: 825
Date: 11/05/21
KFAJGAKSGJA 200?? Y'ALL- WTF-
Well..uh..okay, dayum-
So uh, leave feedback if ya got any, and if y'all ever have any questions feel free to ask! I go way too in depth with characters so if you're wondering why a character did something or something's described a weird there is most certainly a reason I wrote it that way.
Also debating on doing a short informational chapter about the lore of the world, idk- maybe maybe not
Anyway thanks sm y'all :')
Edit from future Froggess: fuckin hate this chapter, definitely my worst in the ENTIRE book, but oh well- that's why the edited version of LoS on Ao3 exists right? HAHA YOU HAVE FALLEN INTO MY SELF PROMOTION TRAP