Chapter 3
"Alright. We are going into town." Sapnap said, dragging Dream out of bed. Dream groaned and pushed Sapnap off, falling back into his bed. "Bro, you haven't left your room in over a week."
"Yes I have." Dream mumbled. Sapnap rolled his eyes and threw a pair of shoes onto Dream's back.
"Get the hell up. We are meeting with Quackity." He said. Dream groaned in response as Sapnap left the room.
Miraculously, Dream got himself ready and the two of them were walking down a street in town. Sapnap was window shopping, staring longingly at various things he could buy. Dream was just following along, sighing occasionally.
"Told Quackity we would meet him at Starbucks." Sapnap said, nearing the stretch of various coffee shops.
"Guys!" They heard a shout, and a guy came barreling towards them, chucking an arm around Sapnap and Dream's necks and immediately steering them in the direction of a park, and nearly knocking Dream's cap off his head.
"What about coffee?" Sapnap asked, looking back over his shoulder at the Starbucks they were walking away from.
"Hate the stuff." Quackity dismissed it.
"Hi Quackity." Dream sighed.
"Wassup. Everyone including Karl has been ignoring me for a week! He just got back from that trip and you guys are hogging him!"
"We've been busy." Sapnap defended them. "And Karl's busy today."
"Whatever. I have a brilliant idea of what we should do. There's this market on today and they have a ton of stalls." Quackity said.
"You didn't strike me as a market kind of guy." Dream said, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Of course I'm a market kind of guy. Who isn't." Quackity scoffed, leading the way towards a street that had been closed for the numerous stalls.
Dream was still moping. He truly did not want to leave his bed.
"Cheer up, loser. I found socks." Sapnap said, gesturing to a stall that was purely fun socks.
Dream watched in amusement as Sapnap and Quackity each picked out a few pairs.
They walked through the market, which was surprisingly more busy than anticipated. Dream was taller than most, being able to look ahead at the next stalls and predict which ones Quackity and Sapnap would drag him to next.
"Where have you guys even been this past week. I didn't get a single answer from you, Dream at all. And Karl said he didn't have time to hang out even though he was back from his trip. And you, Sapnap." Quackity said as they walked.
"Um." Sapnap looked at Dream, who just looked at the ground. "Dream's been sick. And we've been taking care of him so haven't had time to see you."
It was partly true. Dream hadn't left his room, in some kind of depressed funk that Sapnap thought was somewhat over-dramatic. Ok, maybe not that dramatic. He did just see his ex-fiancé -no, ex-boyfriend- who disappeared for years and returned with a living four year old on his hip. A bit of a shock, Sapnap supposed. He let Dream mope for a bit.
"But I thought some fresh air might be good for him today. Right, Dream?" Sapnap said. Dream just nodded.
"What's Karl doing today then?" Quackity asked. At that question, Sapnap shuffled slightly nervously.
"He's um... he's looking at a suit. For the wedding."
"Why aren't you with him?"
"Oh. I already know what suit he's getting, Karl's just doing sizes and I wanted to get Dream out of the house." Sapnap patted Dream on the shoulder.
"Can't believe Karl picked suit shopping over the markets." Quackity picked up a jar of honey from a nearby stall. "Karl's the one who loves these places."
"It's true." Sapnap smiled softly. "Maybe I'll get him something." He followed Quackity over to the next stall.
Dream sighed, hands in his pockets as he followed. He had nothing against markets. He just was not in the mood. All he could think about was George, and what happened 4 years ago. He thought about their entire relationship, remembering moments where George may have lied as to where he had been. Remembering how awkward he became one time when Dream brought up children.
He remembered a few breakdowns, towards the end of their relationship. Where he found George crying and breathing irregularly. He helped then too, and calmed the boy he loved down, even when he wasn't entirely sure why he was upset. George never elaborated much. Dream wanted to wait for him to open up himself.
He thought about it now, and realised how stupid he was. No matter what George was hiding from Dream, he clearly wasn't in the best place, and Dream hadn't noticed. He proposed, too eager for their future to consider their present. Too excited to be with George he didn't see he wasn't quite with him.
Dream was off in his own world, but was interrupted when he heard squeals of laughter from a few stalls up. A child was running through the crowd, knocking into people and squealing.
Dream got a sense of déjà vú when a little girl grabbed his leg and hid behind him, giggling her head off. When he looked down, properly at her, and she looked up, his déjà vu just increased. Her brown eyes went wide and she let out a gasp.
"Dream!" She just about squealed. Dream's own eyes went wide.
"Oh. Hi." He said, the same squeezing feeling in his chest when he thought about George, but put a kind smile on his face nonetheless. She was just a child after all. "Hi Alana." He added her name, more gently. She was jumping up and down with excitement and put her arms up in the air.
"You must call me Lana, Dream!" She shouted. Dream shushed her gently, looking around at all the people staring at the volume. He crouched down to her level, in the hopes she would stop shouting up at him, but she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Up! Up!" She said.
"Um. Where's... where's your... Dad?" He asked, nearly tumbling from her pulling at him.
"Daddy isn't here."
"What?" He asked, standing up and reluctantly picking her up with him, holding her against his hip.
"He's at a... a meeting." She said.
"A meeting." Dream echoed, looking around. Where did Quackity and Sapnap go? And who did Lana come with?
"Who brought you here?" He asked, moving away from the crowd slightly.
"You are coming to my party right?" She said. Dream looked at her. Right. It was her birthday in less than a week, he recalled.
God, it hurt so bad to look at her eyes. Those eyes.
He looked away.
"I'm sort of busy." He mumbled. He could sense her frown.
"Safnap said you come." She said.
Dream's eyebrows shot in the air and he looked at her.
"What." He whispered.
"Safnap. He told me you come to my party." She said. Dream processed this in his brain, swallowing his confusion.
"Sapnap?" He asked. And she nodded. "You've met Sapnap?"
"And Karl! He told me not to run off but I did." She giggled. Dream was frozen as he processed everything. Sapnap and Karl have met Lana. They didn't tell him. They both knew and didn't tell him. They've spoken to George. Karl was the one who brought Lana here, that's why he was busy today.
They lied to him.
"Dream." Lana said, and he turned to her with a distracted hum. "Why does Daddy cry because of you?" She asked.
This was too much.
Dream stared at her, stared at her big brown eyes. He thought over her words. Because of you.
"What do you mean?" Dream whispered.
"He cried. On his phone. Saying your name." She said, kicking her feet slightly. "Did you make him sad?"
"Did I make him sad?" Dream repeated, his jaw tensing. But he calmed himself down. "No, Alana. I didn't make Daddy sad. He's sad because... he hasn't seen me in a while?" He said, trying to take a few deep breaths.
"Yes. He missed you." She said, clearly repeating whatever she had overheard.
He missed me.
How dare he say he missed me.
"So you are coming to my party?" Lana asked again.
"Lana!" He heard a voice, and he looked up to see Karl jogging through the crowd, a bag on his back and phone in his hand. He clearly looked distressed. Lana giggled and her laugh got his attention.
Karl turned and froze when he saw Dream holding Lana. He cautiously walked over, nervously swallowing.
"Lana, what did I say about running?" He said to her, keeping his eyes on Dream.
"I sorry." She said, then put her head against Dream's shoulder. Karl's eyes softened as he looked between them, but he quickly went back to nervous as he stood up straighter.
"Hey Karl. Fancy seeing you here." Dream said curtly. Karl frowned.
"I'll explain later, ok?" He said. Dream scoffed. "Lana, time to go." Karl said.
Lana's arms tightened around Dream's neck.
"No! Dream has to come too!" She said. Dream tried to pull her off, but her arms were tight.
"Oi, idiot." He heard Sapnap's voice in the distance. "Where'd you go?"
"Sapnap." Karl sighed, turning around and catching the attention of Sapnap and Quackity, who had on some ridiculous necklaces, but were clearly looking for Dream.
When they saw the situation, Sapnap went slightly pale. But Quackity's eyes just widened in shock.
"Alana. You need to go with Karl now. He'll take you to... to your Dad." Dream said, still trying to pry her off. She shook her head, digging her tiny nails into his neck.
"My name is Lana! My friends call me Lana!" She held on tight.
"Come on, Lana. Daddy said he'll be home soon." Karl said, coming over to pull her off as well. Lana screamed when he tried, and it made some people look over.
"Can someone explain to me why there's a child latched onto Dream and why Karl is here when you said he was busy." Quackity whispered loudly.
"Honestly." Dream said, looking over at Quackity. "I'm asking myself the same questions." He said.
Lana was crying loudly now, but Dream didn't have much experience with children. He started rubbing her back, hoping that would calm her down like it did with...
He closed his eyes.
"You have to go with Karl. He will take you home to Daddy." Dream said softly. She hugged him tightly and didn't stop her crying.
"I'm so sorry Dream, I lost her and if I had known-"
"It's fine, Karl." Dream sighed, and started walking. "Just lead the way to you car, I'll take her there." He said. Karl swallowed and nodded, turning to walk away. Dream followed, but turned to Sapnap and Quackity. "I'll be back." He said, with a sigh.
Sapnap nodded, and pulled Quackity away, who immediately started asking questions.
Dream followed Karl, still rubbing Lana's back.
"I-I want y-you to come to m-my party." She cried. Dream winced at the volume by his ear.
"I... I mean, I am really busy and I think your party should be just your friends-"
"You're my friend." She sobbed.
"I am?"
"Yes." She sniffled. Dream sighed.
They walked to a car park where Dream saw Karl's car, but there was a booster seat in the back now. Karl opened the door and Dream walked to it.
"Alright, now you have to go home to Daddy." Dream said and Lana cried louder again, holding him tighter.
"Don't leave." She said. Dream closed his eyes, bouncing her slightly.
"Sorry, Alana. I really have to go." Dream said. Karl put a hand on Lana's arm again but she pulled away from him.
"Come home with me." She sobbed. Dream sighed.
"Ok. Ok. Just... just let go and I'll put you in your seat and I'll come too." He said. Lana lifted her head, tears still on her face.
"Really?" She sniffled. Dream nodded, and she finally let him pull her off and place her in her booster seat. Karl did up the buckles because Dream was struggling.
He backed away from the car, and Lana watched him.
He backed up further and she realised he was leaving and started tearing up again. "Dream!" She cried. He really couldn't go with them. He couldn't see George again. He simply refused.
But this near-four year old was crying because he wasn't staying with her. She called him her friend, this kid he barely knew. This kid who was his ex-best friend's daughter, his ex-boyfriends child.
This little girl with the same brown eyes that he could never say no to.
Karl was watching him too, looking guilty as ever as he put him in this situation. And Dream just sighed and walked to the passenger seat of the car, opening it and sitting down without looking at Karl. He sent a text to Sapnap letting him know where he was going. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see the tiny fingers.
He pretended to bite it and the hand pulled away, an excited squeal following from the backseat.
"Dream, I'm sorry." Karl mumbled as he pulled out of the carpark.
"Not now, Karl." Dream said, as another hand was placed on his shoulder. He fake bit it again and heard another delighted squeal.
"When we get there, you can stay in the car." Karl said. Dream nodded. That was his plan.
A hand slid through the gap in the headrest and poked his neck. He brought a hand up to it and grabbed the wrist. Lana squealed and tried to pull away but he held on, pretending his was going to chew on it. Kids weren't that hard to entertain, really.
"No! Dream!" She screamed, and Dream let go of her hand, letting out a small chuckle as she laughed. He turned back to the front, letting out a sigh.
Eventually, Karl pulled up at an apartment building and parked the car on the side of the street. He grabbed his phone and chewed on his lip, looking up nervously at Dream.
"Alright. Daddy's almost home." Karl said, turning to Lana with a smile. "Let's get you out of that seat, huh." Karl said, getting out of the car and opening up the back one. He unbuckled Lana's chair, which allowed her to reach forward and grab Dream's hair now with a giggle.
"Ow! I need my hair." He said with a small laugh.
"Come on Lana, let's get out of the car so I can figure out how to take out this stupid chair." Karl said.
"Stupid chair. Stupid chair." She chanted, still not letting go of Dream's hair.
"Is that a bad word?" Karl asked nervously.
"No clue." Dream responded.
"Lana, can I pick you up?" Karl asked. She shook her head.
"Come on, Alana. Don't you want to go outside?" Dream said.
"Only if you call me Lana!" She huffed.
Dream swallowed. He shouldn't be able to call her a nickname. He's not close enough to her. He doesn't know this child, she shouldn't know him. Nicknames were for friends and family, that's what she said. Dream was neither.
"But Alana is a beautiful name." Dream said. Lana frowned, but then reached her hands out to Karl, who lifted her up and placed her on the footpath.
Dream looked out of his window as her small hands reached up to it. He couldn't quite see her face.
"Open door." He heard her say. Karl was busy trying to take out the booster seat.
"Stand back." Dream warned, then slowly opened his door. She smiled and waved at him when he opened it and he responded with an animated gasp. "Oh my gosh, a princess!" He said. It made Lana giggle and jump, and made himself smile. Maybe he wasn't as bad with kids as he thought. It was actually kind of fun, getting her to laugh. Her laugh was like music. And it was awfully similar to...
"Karl?" He heard a small voice from the sidewalk, and Dream closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again and looking up to see George.
Of course.
George looked from Karl, to Lana, and then to Dream. His expression shifting to shock.
"Oh. Hey George!" Karl said, quickly spinning around and standing up like he had been caught doing something bad. He laughed a little nervously. Nothing has gone to Karl's plan today.
George didn't take his eyes off Dream. So Dream broke the eye contact first, looking back down at Lana.
"Bye Alana." He said with a small wave. Her previous happy expression turned to sad again, and Dream braced himself.
"No, you can't leave! You haven't seen my castle!" She said, grabbing his arm while he was still seated.
"Castle?" He asked.
"She has a castle. In her room." George said softly, watching Lana and Dream, his eyes softening and beginning to glisten as he looked at them.
"I'm sure it's a very lovely castle." Dream said, gently trying to pull her hand off him.
"Lana, we have to go now." George said. Lana looked back at him with a glare, before jumping into the car onto Dream's lap and hugging him.
"No."
"Alana." George said in a stern voice. "Did you ask Dream if you could hug him?"
"No." She said softly, pulling away slightly and looking up at Dream.
"He doesn't want you to hug him. Now come here, we are going home." George said in a stern tone. Lana looked up at Dream with teary eyes.
"No, no, don't cry! It's ok. I love your hugs!" Dream said, not wanting to see her cry. And it was true, he did like the hugs. But it was a bit weird, the daughter of his ex hugging him like she's known him her whole life. Like he's been there for milestones and birthdays. Like he's seen her more than twice, had any sort of influence in her life.
"Dream, you don't have to-" George tried to say, but Dream didn't acknowledge him.
"But I do have to go home too. And I need to go back to Sapnap, I left him behind." Dream said. She nodded at that, wiping her face.
"Poor Safnap." She whispered. He nodded with a smile, and patted her back. He then picked her up and lifted her out of the car, placing her on her feet on the sidewalk.
"You be good for daddy, ok?" He said. She nodded and walked over to George, wrapping her arms around his leg. He put a hand on her hair, still looking at Dream.
"Are you coming to my party?" Lana asked. Dream's eyes flickered to George, before back to her.
"I... no, I'm sorry. I have... I'm very busy." He said stiffly. Her lip trembled again.
"Okay." She sniffled. George started rubbing her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Alana. But I hope you have a very good birthday, four year olds are so very grown-up." Dream said. She was still sniffling, but nodded and wiped her eyes.
"I'm getting so big." She said, and Dream smiled sadly at that. She was still so young. Growing up sucks, but she doesn't even know that.
Karl put the seat down on the sidewalk, and handed his backpack to George.
"Thanks Karl, I owe you big time." George said to him. Karl nodded with a grimace, glancing back at Dream.
"Well. Bye Alana." Dream said with a wave. She waved back with a frown.
"It's Lana. Bye-bye Dream."
Dream looked up at George, and had to swallow the familiar yet unfamiliar feeling in his heart again.
"Bye George." He said, softer than he intended, before he closed the door of the car.
"Bye, Dream." George said to the closed door. He sighed and gave Karl a hug, who apologised in his ear, but he just shook his head.
Karl returned to the driver seat, and drove away quickly. Dream didn't look back, just stayed staring out the front window.
They were silent for several minutes.
"Do you uh.. want me to take you back to the markets or-"
"Home." Dream said immediately. Karl nodded and took a right turn.
"Look, Dream..." Karl began to say, and Dream looked at him expectantly. "I was doing him a favour."
"When did you find out? When did you talk to George? When did you and Sapnap meet her?" He asked. Karl frowned but took a deep breath.
"The same day you saw George, he had called me for the first time in years. And um... well, we decided to meet up with him for lunch."
"Are you kidding? Without telling me?" Dream scoffed.
"We were curious about how he was going." Karl said softly. Dream looked away, hands balling into fists.
"You both lied to me. You could have told me." He said through his teeth.
"We didn't want to make you more upset. You were still recovering from seeing him again."
"Two of my best friends going behind my back to meet my ex makes me more upset then them telling me they would." Dream said, turning to Karl with anger written clearly on his face. "You know how much he broke my heart."
"He's our friend, Dream." Karl said, glancing at him. "He was our best friend too."
Dream scoffed and turned away. He didn't want to hear anymore.
•
"Dream-"
"No." Dream was lying in his bed when Sapnap entered the room.
"Dream please let me explain."
"I heard it from Karl."
"He told me you barely heard him out." Sapnap came further into the room, and Dream remained staring at the ceiling.
"Sorry I didn't really want to hear the excuses for why you decided to go behind my back and talk to my ex. Who lied to all of us, might I add."
"I missed him." Sapnap sat down in Dream's chair, spinning it around so he was looking at the boy in the bed. "I wanted to see him."
"I'm happy you could just get over it that quick." Dream said through gritted teeth.
"I wanted an explanation. For everything. What happened 4 years ago. Where the baby came from. Why he disappeared. Why he rejected you." Sapnap said.
"Oh lovely. While you're talking about my relationship and heartbreak behind my back, would you mind asking about where my navy sweater went? I do recall him wearing it once but I never got it back. I would have asked myself but- oh! That's right. He fucking ghosted me."
"Dream." Sapnap sighed and rubbed his face. "Look. George broke my heart too, you know? I wanted an explanation for that, and it was entirely unrelated to you. It wasn't about going behind your back to meet up with your ex. It was about me finding my old friend again, and getting an explanation."
"And did you get one?"
"Yes."
"Do you forgive him?"
"I do. For what he did to me." Sapnap said. Dream sat up and stared at him. "Not for what he did to you. That's up to you."
"So you're friends again."
"Well, it's hard. It's been years, we are at different life stages now. He has a kid, I have a fiancé. Reconnecting is difficult, but I hope we will become friends again."
"I'm really happy for you." Dream sneered. "Oh! Why doesn't he move in! This room can be available if there's at least three days notice."
"You're not being fair."
"I think I'm being perfectly fair." Dream stood up. "You- you saw me. You saw what he did. You basically saw my heart shattered on the floor, and you picked it up, and you shoved it back in my chest a little crooked, but you helped anyways. You know what he did, and how much it hurt. But in one simple day, you forgot about all of that to go see him?"
"It wasn't about you, Dream."
"Well, why not?! You saw what he did! How can you see all of that and still be willing to talk to the person who single-handedly ruined me. You're my brother. You're supposed to hate anyone who even breathes in my direction wrong." Dream's voice was raised.
"He was my best friend!" Sapnap stood up too. "I have not forgiven him for what he did to you. But I know why, and that was the bit that has been bugging me all these years. I have been on your side the entire time but no one has been on his!"
"His side? Why should anyone be? He lied to me our entire relationship, went and made me fall in love with him, rejected my proposal and then still didn't explain why. And to top it off, broke off our entire relationship with no words, no explanation and disappeared. How can you see and know all of that, and still want to be his friend?"
"Because I love him Dream. I wanted an explanation for me and I got it. I'm still so fucking angry at him for leaving and hurting you. But I missed him. So much. I needed to know."
"And you've forgiven him."
"For the most part. After he explained everything."
"Would I forgive him? If I ever got an explanation?" Dream asked, and Sapnap hesitated.
"Maybe if you just heard what happened-"
"I think it will just break my heart more to be in the same room as him." Dream slumped back down on the bed.
"Dream-"
"Get out."
"Dream, please-"
"Get the fuck out, Sapnap." Dream yelled. And Sapnap did, not even a second glance.
Dream lay back down on the bed, hands falling onto his face. He didn't understand. He was so hurt four years ago. He still is. So was Sapnap. How could he bring himself to sit with George and hear him out? How could he do that without wanting to throw up. Or cry. Or yell. Or kiss him. Or kill him. Or let the floor swallow him whole.
How could someone bear to look at George, with their heart bleeding on the floor between them, for everyone to see.
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A/N
So. Who do you think is in the right here? Dream with his broken heart and unanswered questions? Or Sapnap with his own wishes and a touch of deception?
Maybe they both are. Or neither.
I'd say we could blame Karl but that guy has been through enough in one day. Tried babysitting for the first time and lost the child, revealed a secret, and then brought home the ex-boyfriend of the father. Not his finest moments.