To anyone walking in on Dream and George the fourth day after they decided to start a relationship just for a free two-week trial, the only available reactions would be confusion and perhaps an impending sense of fear.
Fixing the ceiling with a blank stare, Dream lays numbly on his bed, as if having witnessed the fatigue of life and is reconsidering enrollment. His hair fixes itself into a disheveled scruff that crowns him as One Who Has Recently Slept, a title Dream loathes in the current moment. His phone is by his side, just out of reach of his hand, as if when he set it down on the bed it had been with a sort of careless air as to send it such a small but significant distance. His blanket half-shrouds him in a futile attempt to offer comfort, and curls into itself as if understanding that for once, it could do nothing for the disheartened man.
George is kneeling by his side on the mattress, lifting Dream's left arm to his face so that his teeth are half-sunk into tender flesh. When he lets go, the little dents of his teeth form an arranged oval.
Dream's arm falls limply onto the bed.
George laughs, the humor seemingly lost on Dream as the man continues to float in his crestfallen state, and arranges himself sideways to stare at Dream comfortably, "It's not that big of a deal, you know. We can always get back on track again."
At first, it's like Dream doesn't even hear George's words, so lost in his despondency and anguish. But at last, still drenched in disbelief, he shakes his head and croaks, "But we already broke our streak."
Poking at Dream's eyelashes, George doesn't even attempt to mask his amusement, "I know I know, but there's always next time!"
Dream closes his eyes, either from irritation of George's bothersome movements or to fall back into a meditative state of calm.
Attempting to sweep Dream's forehead with locks of his soft blond strands like some sort of makeshift broom, George comforts, "I know you've been trying to fix your sleep schedule and you're disappointed that it didn't work out immediately, but this is literally your first attempt. We can keep working, you got this."
Swallowing uneasily, Dream pouts involuntarily and mumbles, "Not my first attempt. Every time I break the streak it takes me forever before I can get myself to sleep healthily again."
"That's why I'm here," George pinches Dream's earlobe and squeezes the soft flesh between his fingers, "I'll keep you on track, don't worry."
Shifting to the side so he can hug George in a messy tangle of limbs and oddly wedged body parts, Dream whines unhappily, "But it's already 8:30! I'm not gonna get any sleep tonight and then I'll stay up and then tomorrow I'll be so tired and the cycle continues."
Extracting an arm out from Dream's crushing embrace and petting his hair, George shushes him, "You've done it before, you can do it again. We can take tonight off."
At last quiet and seemingly in the process of recovery, Dream presses a kiss to George's shoulder and mutters, "Sorry for forgetting to set an alarm."
"It's no big deal," George reassures, "I forgot too."
They grow quiet, George loosely wrapping his one free arm around Dream's neck and drumming his fingers against his back. The room is still dark, lulling them into a winding staircase of peace, and for a second George almost could believe they would fall back into the nap which had grasped them so thoroughly as to ruin their newly reformed sleep schedule.
Dream pushes himself up a second later though, a yawn stifling his words so they all end up sounding stretched and distorted. George laughs as he sits up as well, finding his way to the edge of the bed to turn the lights on, "Care to repeat that?"
"Mmhmm," the lights flick on with a click and Dream scrunches his face together in protest, legs swinging off the bed, "What do we do now?"
Stretching himself out, George is taken aback, "You don't have more work to do?"
Dream always has more work to do.
"Well," Dream manages a mischievous smile, "I'd prefer to spend my time doing more productive things with a certain someone."
Raising his eyebrows playfully, George counters, "Seems like someone is trying to shirk their duties."
"My only duty is to spend time with you," Dream beckons George closer and, after a minimal effort of resistance on the latter's part, pulls him in by the waist, "Come on, we can do something fun."
Blushing, George stands his ground, looking down at the man gripping him close, "We just got out of bed! You said we needed to be productive."
"Oh, we'll be productive all right," Dream wiggles his eyebrows poorly, so that he looks more like his eyes are spasming than assuming any sort of controlled facial expression, "Super productive."
Laughing, George shoves Dream backward, sending him free-falling onto the mattress and landing on his back with a solid thump, "Shut up, idiot. You can come wash the dishes if you want to be productive so badly."
Dream kicks his legs and groans, but eventually flops himself upright and finally steps away from the bed, at which point George is already in the kitchen looking for dinner in the freezer. When he makes his way onto the scene, Dream sends a quick, subtle glance at George's ass, just to make sure it's still doing alright, and walks to the sink.
Ceramic plates from lunch and little snacking containers lie in wait, soaked with water and draped with cutlery falling and tilted in all sorts of whimsical directions. He wets the sponge, grabs the dish soap, and squeezes just the right amount. Soapy foam emerges from out of nowhere, and Dream grabs the first dish.
"Lasagna?" George asks, holding a box with the layered pasta depicted in mouthwatering detail and peeking at Dream's progress with the dishes.
Startled, Dream almost drops the bowl he's holding, though a smile springs to his face a moment later as he turns his head to look at George, "Lasagna's fine."
George meets his gaze and returns the smile, nodding as he leaves Dream's peripheral vision to grab a baking tray somewhere.
He wanders back later, once Dream is nearly finished with all the dishes and the oven is ticking with a timer for the food. Pecking him on the cheek, George watches with keen interest as Dream blinks and a light pink color rises to his cheeks, "I think I have an idea for what to do with the rest of our time. Don't worry, it'll be fun."
-
"This is not fun. George, you're totally making me do this to feed your own ego," Dream sighs in dramatic pretense, "I've already done this quiz!"
"You're one to talk!" George shoves the computer closer to Dream's face, "You made me take this stupid quiz first. I'm just returning the favor. Go on."
"No! You already know the answers. I refuse," Dream sits in stubborn rebellion, "I regret ever taking it."
"Come on," George coaxes sweetly, leaning into Dream and batting his eyelashes, "I'll tell you a secret if you take it."
At this, Dream perks up, catching George's gleeful gaze and narrowing his eyes, "Is it a good secret?"
George shrugs, smiling wider, "Dunno, maybe it is, maybe not."
Dream crosses his arms, clearly not one to be fooled by a bad bargain, "Is it something you think I'd want to know?"
Lips sealed, George just makes an exaggerated shrug and taps his chin in dramatic imitation of someone thinking.
Letting out a sigh, Dream takes the computer from George and bumps into him on purpose, "You're the worst. I hate everything."
Laughing at having gotten his way, George nestles himself comfortably next to Dream on the bed and rests his head on the taller's shoulder. Having eaten a heaping portion of lasagna, played chess with Dream, then proceeded to demolish him in BattleShip, George finds himself nostalgic for their last sleepover—those uncertain days of unconfirmed feelings and omnipresent tension. Sure it was really only maybe a month or so ago, but it fuels some curious part of him that wants to see how the events would play out now that they've figured their relationship out, mostly.
So at 10:30, they brush up, change into pajamas, and crack open a laptop for more internet quizzes, to George's great delight and Dream's unyielding reluctance.
Dream clicks into the "Am I in Love with My Best Friend" for the second time in his life and sighs heavily when he sees the first question.
George just giggles and watches his mouse hover over the screen, "Go on then, do you catch yourself staring at me?"
"Well, BFF," Dream puts extra emphasis on the three letters, "I don't know. Seeing as we're totally not already romantically involved, I guess the answer will be..."
He moves the mouse so it hovers above the "No" answer, highlighting it into a shade darker. George scoffs in offense, knowing full well that Dream definitely stares at him, and is almost about to let out a word on his displeasure before Dream switches the answer lightning fast and the next option pops on.
"Heh," George smiles like a little weasel and leans up to peck Dream on the cheek, "Good on you for being honest."
Dream just rolls his eyes and grumbles, though he is absolutely trying to suppress the rising corners of his mouth.
They speed through the next few questions relatively quickly, Dream still complaining about the lack of range with the answers as he did the first time. George just nods sympathetically and urges him on, enjoying the ego boost far more than he really should.
"'Do you get butterflies if you touch?'" George scans the next question, "Oooh! Dream..."
"George," Dream takes a deep breath, "We are not in middle school and this is not you trying to figure out who my crush is."
"It's not?" George feigns surprise, "But you haven't told me of this mysterious yet definitely cool person yet."
For a moment, Dream plays along, "Ah, right! It's this one idiot..."
George bursts into giggles and flicks Dream lightly, "Knock it off, you're the idiot."
"Sure sure," Dream drags the mouse across the options, "Touch me."
George splutters and even the faint glow of the computer screen is enough to illuminate his reddening face, "Wh- what?"
Dream gestures to the screen with a tilt of his head, a self-satisfied smile playing on his lips, "Well, just gotta confirm."
Not one to back down from a challenge, George smacks his palm onto Dream's face, "There you go. How does it feel?"
Contemplative, Dream answers, "Hmm... Less like butterflies and more like an especially ferocious mosquito."
George cracks a smile at that, "Last time I checked, 'Especially Ferocious Mosquito' wasn't one of the options."
"Ah well," Dream plasters on a face of regret, "'OMG! YES!' it is."
George doesn't even bother hiding the pleased smile on his face, just humming a happy tone to himself and fixing his eyes on the next question Dream has to answer.
"The future..." Dream mutters, "I think a little? I don't think it's something I am losing sleep over though."
George nods, "And you should not be losing sleep over it because we'll figure it out together."
It's a moment of sincerity after all the witty banter, and George is almost embarrassed at himself for letting the truth slip out so easily. He's learning to not always shy away from affection, and that letting his affection show is not a weakness to hide. Instinctively, he still cannot rid himself of the urge to cringe every time he lets loose too many genuine feelings, but now he's learned to catch those moments and reflect on them. Dream, though he does like teasing and can be flirty to a fault, is actually very gentle with letting George slowly get comfortable with his emotions.
One day, George will learn to tell Dream how much he appreciates it without relying on humor or subtleties. He knows Dream knows already, but personal goals can't hurt.
Having zoned out for a few paces, George startles when Dream suddenly abandons the laptop to instead wrap him in a hug. Returning the embrace though not sure what for, George can feel the vibrations against his chest when Dream speaks again, "Why do you make hugging so nice?"
Squeezing back, George says, "Magic."
"Must be," Dream agrees as he sinks his chin onto George's shoulder, "Let's just do this for the rest of the sleepover."
Though eager to see Dream finish the quiz, tangled up with Dream and so warmly pressed against him, George starts to sway, "I wouldn't mind, but you gotta finish the quiz."
"George," Dream drags the word out in an effort to convince, "You know I love you, you don't need a quiz to confirm that."
"But it's funny!" George sulks, "Plus it's interesting to see how things have changed."
Dream nuzzles himself closer, "I like now."
"I do too," George agrees, at last deciding that maybe he won't put Dream through the rest of his plans, "You're nice."
He seals the statement with a lingering kiss on Dream's face, and lets the quiet moment drag on into the night.
"Hey George," Dream speaks up after a few minutes, "Do you think it's less exciting now that we're not always guessing about each other's intentions? Was it more fun when we were in that uncertain flirting stage?"
"What? No," George pulls back so he can read Dream's face, "Do you?"
Lashes curtaining his eyes with a droopy cast, Dream looks to George and shakes his head, "I like knowing that you're here for certain and that things worked out. It's... it's better that I get to kiss you and hug you instead of just thinking about it."
"Then why did you ask?" George questions, sensing an air of timidity and vulnerability emanating from Dream, "Worried that I think you're too tame now?"
It was slightly teasing on George's part, but Dream's suddenly saddened air is all that's needed for George to immediately backpedal, "I don't! Dream, I promise I like this a lot more. And it's definitely more fun to do this than just think about it."
He closes in and captures Dream in a kiss, soft lips immediately moving to a rhythm that has become familiar with practice. Leisurely desire glides like ribbons in their exchange, wrapping them in a cocoon of warmth. George leans back at a suitable breaking point to look at Dream's face, trailing his fingers down the side as he allows Dream a chance to restart their conversation. The only thing Dream appears to want to restart is the kiss, with the way his eyes bore into George's and he leans forward, tugged by invisible strings of yearning.
Hooking his arm around Dream's neck and pulling him down into another kiss, George lets himself fall back onto the bed at a controlled pace. Dream follows him, elbow pushed into the mattress so he doesn't accidentally smash his face into George's, and they lay against each other as the kiss is drawn out.
Then they kiss for a hundred years, or what feels like it.
They kiss so much George doesn't think he can ever pull himself out of the reverie, the feeling and the touch and the floatiness of sensuality.
Dream lays a steady hand on George's cheek to keep him grounded, the shifting soft brushes of his fingertips sweeping like feathers. The weight of his body seems like nothing to hold up as their exchanged kiss almost removes him from the physicality of mass.
Finally, the kiss breaks, but the mood doesn't.
Dream scoots himself back on the bed a bit so he can rest his head on George's chest, listening to the steady thump of a satisfied heart, rising and falling with every breath, and contemplating his next words. He opens his mouth to speak.
George beats him to it, drawing a breath a second before Dream can, "You know I like you like this, right? If you're... We can talk about anything."
Dream positions his head upright so he can look at George, only to see that the man is laying against the pillow and staring straight up at the ceiling. He doesn't try correcting that, but he does keep his gaze in the general direction of George's face when he responds, "I know George, I'm fine. I didn't mean to worry you with that question. I just got a little uncertain."
A moment of silence passes, and George asks, "Do you have those moments often? Do I make you doubt?"
Dream shakes his head, as best he can against the friction of George's chest on his chin, "Not really. I know you don't like directly talking about things sometimes and expressing vulnerability can be a struggle, but I've also known you for six years now and can tell when you're making an effort or when you're expressing affection. I appreciate it lots, you know. You make me feel happy."
"Okay," George says simply in response, his ears becoming inordinately warm, "Thank- thank you for getting it, I guess."
Then, in a rushed follow-up, "I like you too. You make me feel happy."
Then again, as if fearing a reaction from Dream, "I guess. Yeah."
Holding his tongue and smiling sweetly at George, Dream waits until he sinks into a silence and plants a kiss on his chest through the sweatshirt, "You guess?"
"I mean, yeah," George replies. Then, comedically, like it just slips naturally off his tongue without the connection registering in his brain first, "I guess."
A burst of laughter escapes Dream, and he nuzzles his face into George, "You did it again."
"I'm just used to saying it," George defends with an embarrassed blush, "Stop laughing at me, it's not my fault."
"George," Dream calls after his laughter settles, "Do me a favor?"
Heading rolling so he can look at Dream from an elevation provided by the pillow, George tugs at the fringes of Dream's hair by the sides of his ear, "Hm... what do you want?"
Enjoying the feeling of having his hair played with, Dream lets a loose smile tug at his lips as he sighs and shutters his eyes, "I want to take the band-aid off, but it seems my arms are busy hugging. Perhaps you'll offer a hand?"
Then, to drive his point home, Dream wraps his arms tighter around George and inhales with a content smile tugging at his lips. It's true that he's nervous, and there are zaps of electricity pinging on the edge of his stomach, yet he finds himself not overly anxious or scared. He can trust George with this, Dream is sure of it.
The motions by the sides of his head pause, and Dream cracks open an eye to observe the reaction on George's face. The dim lighting makes art of his features now that they're farther from the computer, each shadow shaded with a higher intent, and the colors of his lips and eyes are darkened with a mysterious edge. Dream's breath catches in his throat, and for a second he can barely even remember what he set out to look for.
Dream is following the motion of George's alluring lips when he says, "Are you sure about this? I don't want you to do anything you'll regret in the morning."
Redirecting his gaze to meet George's eyes, Dream shakes his head, "I've been thinking about this since the morning, so I know what I want. To be honest, I don't even remember why I made such a big deal of it. The soulmark, I mean. I think these days of being with you have really reinforced my confidence in being able to sustain a relationship. You're just very... you're very boyfriend material, Georgie."
Dream tries to say it with a sense of authority, so he'll sound more confident in his assertion. Yet still he flushes slightly when he makes the remark, darting his eyes to elsewhere in the room before returning them to maintain eye contact. Perhaps emboldened by Dream's bashfulness, George smiles with an air of knowing. He pushes himself up to a sitting position.
"Come 'ere," George orders, and Dream draws himself closer, "Remember our first sleepover?"
Dream scoffs, "It's iconic, how could I not?"
George narrows his eyes, "Well, there's a large portion of it that I don't."
Suddenly remembering the way he kept trying to swindle embarrassing answers from a half-asleep George, Dream coughs awkwardly and stares at a wrinkle on the pillow just behind George, "Uh... Really? Wow! That's such a horrible thing for the other person to do!"
"I didn't mention anything about anyone doing something," George smiles at Dream with a look of amusement, "But there is something I did remember until the morning."
Oh! Memories click together in Dream's brain at a rapid pace, That was the day I told George I knew what his soulmark looked like.
Funny how the timing works, and Dream didn't even realize.
A light grimace surfaces on his features as he tries to recall the purpose behind his declaration. It wasn't that he had seen George's mark with his own eyes at that point, but rather that the mark on his face had become so prominent he felt confident in assuming the pattern of George's. He didn't have concrete evidence for what he knew, but Dream can remember that he sought after closeness with George. He probably just wanted more attention, but didn't want to do it in a way that would completely incriminate him.
"Yes...?" Dream does his best attempt at keeping the conversation alive, "What was that again?"
George's hand makes its way to Dream's face as he cups his chin and slowly runs his thumb along the length of the band-aid on his cheek, "Shouldn't you remember? You're the one who requested it after all."
A sliver of George's nail curves under the sticky edge of the bandaid, and he lifts the corner, eyes never breaking contact with Dream, "'Say you love me.'"
"I love you, George," Dream answers, mesmerized by the way George crafts the moment, the slow movement of his fingers just out the corner of his eye.
Laughing, George mutters, "I was quoting you, idiot."
He swoops in, as if for a kiss, but pauses last minute, "But I love you too."
Their lips lock and as they kiss, George reaches behind Dream and shuts the lid of the computer with a metallic click. Darkness colors the room like dye poured into water, and Dream places his hands on George's waist to secure him in his lap.
The band-aid melts away with the rest of their vision.
Dream barely feels its absence, because his mind swarms with all the kisses in the world.
---
Kang's Note: the secret george was gonna tell dream is that he took the quiz again after he took it in front of dream the first time :))
we only have a few more chapters to go on this fic (if i don't overwrite again that is), and i am very excited to write them so i am hoping progress will be zoom zoom! i am also of the firm belief that george would definitely bite dream just for funsies. not too harsh just. little pinch. nyam.
thank you very much for reading this and for being here, i hope you have not been weighed down by the events of the world while i have been gone. may this chapter bring you at least a little bit of happiness in the hellscape we float on these days, and have a wonderful day! i look forward to seeing you around :DD