"There you go. Nice and snuggly huh?" Karl mumbles, having just placed the baby in his stroller, closing the straps over his chest before throwing a fluffy blue blanket over his tiny socked feet.
"He is literally the cutest thing I've ever seen, I swear." He adds, stroking a soft hand over one of the rosy cheeks hidden inside the stroller.
"I know right?" Dream says, bent down on one knee, tying the laces of his shoes.
"George, you ready to go?" He calls up the stairs, having now straightened his body and placed his hands on the stroller's handle.
"Yes yes, I'm ready, I'm ready" the man repeats the words, hurrying down the stairs, losing his left sneaker on the way and quickly running back up to get it.
"Where's Sapnap I thought he wanted to come with us?" Dream asks, while George bent down beside the two, huffing and trying to slip his white shoe back on.
"Oh he's waiting outside, said you people were taking too long" Karl explains, chuckling at the look that appeared on Dream's face.
"He's such a hypocrite sometimes. Last week we were half an hour late because he couldn't find his hat."
They all laugh as the blond opens the door, seeing the man already outside sigh at them.
"Finally" he huffs, throwing his head back as if he'd been waiting for hours.
"Well how about you try and coordinate everyone being ready at the same time while also dealing with a 5 month old who hasn't had his nap today" Dream quips with a smile, Sapnap just rolling his eyes and looking away from the blond.
"Whatever, can we go now?" He answers, already making his way down the driveway.
Dream huffs and shares a smile with George, who blushes and averts his gaze as fast as he can.
Over the last few weeks an unspoken rule had found its place between Dream and George. If they didn't talk about the kiss, it never happened.
They tried to live life normally, going on about their days like they usually would, the only difference being the forbidden accidental touches, or eyes dashing away quickly as they threatened to meet.
"Hey lovebirds, you coming?" The youngest of the men shouts, him and Karl waiting patiently on the sidewalk by the road, hands intertwined in a tight grip.
"Oh fuck off, who are you calling lovebirds here" George shouts as he gently pushes Dream to the side to take control of the stroller, slowly pushing down towards the other men, leaving the blond perplexed on the doorstep.
Dream quickly rushes after them, walking in sync next to his son and George, placing one hand dangerously close to the brunet's on the handle as they reach the sidewalk.
Relieved they could finally leave, Sapnap points a hand forward into the direction they wanted to head, letting the pair on the stroller take the lead.
Dream and George stayed silent, only sparingly gazing towards the other's fingers, the blond's hand inching closer with every step they took.
Contrary to Dream's belief, George didn't pull away when their fingers touched on the black plastic. He just looked at their skin connecting and pushed his own fingers tightly against Dream's. This was the most he could allow himself and Dream could see what it was doing to him.
Right behind the two, Karl and Sapnap were walking at a slow pace. Not that they could walk any faster seeing as the men with the stroller were taking their sweet ol’ time, basically moving in slow motion.
Karl's grip tightens on Sapnap’s hand, the other reciprocating the gentle gesture of love by turning to his side and kissing the man's cheek, making the other giggle.
"We're going through the park right? The one on Creekwood avenue?" George simply questions, the blond clearing his throat before answering, their two pinky fingers, George's left and Dream's right now intertwined into one another.
"Uh yeah yeah. I think we might have been there before." Dream answers, small squeeze running through the connection between the two.
"I think I remember it. It's the really pretty one" George continues, meeting Dream's eyes for just a second before they fling back down to Daniel, who thankfully had fallen asleep already.
"You're the really pretty one" Dream speaks without thinking, George's face dropping as a deep red blush washes over his features.
"George, I'm sorry I shouldn't have-"
"It's fine Dream, don't worry" he mumbles, finger loosening from the blond's, body pulling slightly away. He needed distance, and whatever they were doing wasn't helping the whole feelings situation.
"I'm gonna go talk to Sapnap and Karl" he grumbles, eying the floor as he backs up and moves over to the men still happily intertwined.
"Trouble in paradise?" Sapnap quips, deep smile on his lips as George rolls his eyes.
"Shut up. I just needed some space okay?"
"Well yeah I mean when you like someone it's good to have some distance-" Karl joins in now, stopping abruptly as he felt Sapnaps elbow in his side.
Sapnap's eyes widen as he shakes his head towards Karl already knowing he fucked up.
"Sapnap! You told Karl?" George shouts quietly, quickly gazing towards the blond who was still walking along the sidewalk a couple feet in front of him, he prayed he couldn't hear their conversation.
"I'm sorry okay? It slipped out! I just can't keep any secrets from him." Sapnap defended himself, looking not at all sorry.
George was fuming, the brunet had promised to not tell anyone! And he did anyways, he broke the promise.
"Hey George, chill, I knew anyways" Karl interrupts the building explosion that he could see forming in George's head, that would ultimately lead to both of them getting screamed at.
"Huh? What do you mean you knew?"
"Oh please, have you seen you two? It's pretty obvious if you ask me" George slaps a hand over Karl's arm at the words, the blush on his face deepening to the darkest shade of red.
"Also, why are things still so weird between you two? I thought you talked?" Sapnap added, confused look on his face.
"Sapnap, it's not that easy okay? We did talk but-" he pauses and gives Dream's back another look, slightly zoning out from how defined his muscles were even in a thick hoodie.
"that's not all we did" he finally finishes his sentence, desperately avoiding the other's look, much rather keeping his pupils on the figure in front of him that was Dream, who was still alone and he felt quite bad now for leaving him.
Sapnap and Karl share a look in confusion, before Karl's face lights up in sheer excitement and understanding.
"Oh my god. What did you do? Tell us tell us!" He screamed, loud enough for pretty much the entire neighborhood to hear, which meant Dream also heard it and it made him turn around and curiously eye the three men that walked side by side all of them looking equally as guilty as if he had just caught them doing something bad.
As he sees their expressions and faked smiles, he turns back around. Whatever they were talking about, they did not want him to listen so he picked up his pace a bit to further the distance between them.
"Fine, fine. I'll tell you but you have to promise not to say a word to Dream or anyone else for that matter. We haven't even talked about it." He points to the blond, who was bending over the stroller now, tightening the blanket around his son.
"Okay, okay won't tell anyone, now out with it" Karl giggles, clutching Sapnaps hand under his arm.
"Ugh" George sighed, face burying in his hands before he looked back up starting to speak.
"Don't make a big deal out of this but we kissed." He mumbles, watching Karl freak out like he was a high-school girl who had just found out her crush liked her back.
"Oh my god, George. What the heck? How am I supposed to not make a big deal out of this? How did it happen? How was it? Was it good? Oh I bet it was good! Tell us everything!" Karl was jumping up and down like a basketball, Sapnap still connected at the arm being shaken around like crazy.
"Okay okay, babe, calm down, please breathe" he laughs as he holds the boy at the shoulders to still his movement.
"It was like 3 weeks ago or so. Couple days after our talk Sapnap. Daniel was teething and Dream was super overwhelmed so I went and helped him. We talked and we hugged and then it just happened I don't know"
"How was it?" Sapnap asks, tone quiet and sincere, not hyped up and shrill like Karl's.
"It was-" he thinks for a second and as his eyes dash towards Dream's body, he was taken back to that night, the emotions, the feelings. He could see the man's face in front of his eyes, clear as day, like he was standing right before him. He saw the freckles and the glistening in his eyes. He felt the arms that were wrapped around his body, the gentle hand cupping his cheek. He remembered the moment their lips touched and a shiver ran down his body. Suddenly he couldn't feel or see any of it anymore. He was pulled back out of his thoughts, one little word slipping past his lips, eyes still desperately glued to Dream's moving body.
"magical"
The men, even Karl, quiet down to a comfortable silence as they continue walking on the cement floor, all of them thinking about the words just said.
George felt kinda bad. He knew he should have talked to Dream before telling the other's. But how could he talk about it when he immediately blushed as soon as the man even just looked at him, let alone touched him?
It was like Karl was reading his mind, like he was listening to his thoughts somehow because he instantly asked, "are you gonna talk to him about it?"
He sighed and shrugged his shoulders, he himself not even aware wether he would or not.
The conversation abruptly ended as Dream stopped walking and looked back, waiting for them to catch up with him.
"We have to take a right here" the Blond speaks one hand on the stroller, the other stuffed in his pocket.
"Here let me push him for a little now, you've had him all this way" George says, not letting Dream reject the offer as he pushes the man's hand off the handle, directing the wheels on the rocky dirt path leading them straight into the park's heart.
Just like when they first left, Dream and George were walking ahead of the other two, mostly silence covering the men, the only noise were small cries from Daniel.
"So what were you talking about with Karl and Sapnap, anything interesting?" The blond questions as they walk past a small playground, a little boy on the swing waving George a hand, who easily waves back.
[Dream smiled at the small interaction. He thought about what it would be like when Daniel was that age, 4 or 5. How would their lifes look? Would they still live together? Would they even still be friends? He didn't have time to spiral deeper into his thought as George answered the question.]
"Oh nothing much,we talked about the weather" he lied clearly and Dream knew it.
"The weather? Right." He responds "That's why Karl was so giggly. He just can't contain his excitement of cloudy skies and the slight breeze, of course."
A slight awkward chuckle dips over his face as he eyes the floor, slightly bending forward to adjust the blue blanket on the little baby's body, making sure it was snuggly and warm.
Dream decided dropping the subject of what the three men had talked about was easier than pushing on and possibly making George get mad at him. [So he just kept his mouth shut] .
"You cold?" He asks the brunet next to him, observing the tiny bumps on his skin and the arm that was wrapped protectively over his chest.
"I told you to take a hoodie" he continues as he tries to look into George's eyes.
"Well it was warm when we left and I didn't want to carry it all the way. But it's fine we're nearly home" the other rebutted, slinging his arm even tighter over his thin shirt.
"No George look you're shaking, take my hoodie I'm warm anyways"
George rolled his eyes, pausing his walk as he waited for Dream to slip from his hoodie and hand it over, definitely noticing the way the blond's shirt rode up exposing the tan skin of his chest as he pulled the fabric over his face.
"Here" the man reaches out, signalling to the other to put his arms up before he glides the pullover over his chest, his heart jumping at the sight of George drowning in the huge hoodie that was his. There was something awfully domestic about this, and neither of them would admit how nice it felt.
"Woow sharing clothes huh?" Sapnap calls from closely behind them, both of the other men having had time to catch up during the hoodie exchange.
"Haha very funny" Dream said, taking another look at the man before continuing the walk.
The four men made their way through the park, again Dream and George inching closer and closer with each step. After about half an hour of turning through the intertwined paths, they made their way back onto the pavement road that they had walked on earlier, this time heading into the other direction.
As soon as the stroller touched the cement, Daniel woke up and started screaming loudly, tiny hands flinging around him.
"Oh buddy look we're nearly home, just like 5 more minutes" Dream coos as he bends down to the wailing infant trying to soothe him while also keeping him in the stroller.
"Here it's fine, I'll take him." George says, stopping all movement and loosening the black straps from the baby's body and picking him up, blue blanket wrapped tightly around him as he rested him against his chest.
Pretty much immediately, the crying stops, baby softly grabbing pieces of George's brown locks, seemingly very interested in pulling on them.
They continue to make their way up the road, all of them relieved to be home. They loved their little walks, but this one was longer than usual and the cold weather made it hard to enjoy.
Just as they were turning into the empty driveway of their house, an older lady, one of their neighbours Dream recognises, looks at them and with two hands slapped together in front of her chest speaks nearly as giddy as Karl had earlier.
"Oh my lord, look at you two! And that little baby oh what an adorable little boy! What's his name?"
Dream, who had seen the lady around a few times, was not reluctant in telling her the answer to her question, since becoming a dad he often found himself in conversations with older women who thought Daniel was adorable.
"His name is Daniel" he quickly replies, stepping closer to George and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. It was more of a subconscious move to Dream but to the woman it must have looked like some form of shoving off his pride and joy and she was not shy to comment on it.
"Oh Daniel aren't you adorable! And your dads too huh? Look at them, so young, such a nice little family you have here."
Sapnap and Karl who had now reached them talking on the sidewalk, couldn't but let out loud bursts of laughter at this, hands slapping on knees as they heard what the woman said.
George's face turned red within seconds, Dream noticing this and quickly talking to clear up the misunderstanding.
"Oh we're not-" he starts, being interrupted by George, who just takes Dream's hand and intertwines their fingers, deep smile on his face, thinking it would be easier to just play along than to explain whatever they were to this old lady that they'd probably see like once a month if even that often.
"Oh honey it's fine" George quickly says, the laughter behind them abruptly coming to a halt, as perplexed looks creep on their features.
"Uh yeah, alright babe" Dream does his best at playing along, heart beating about ten times faster in his chest as he tightened his grip on George's hand.
"Alright well, you little cuties, I'm sure you have lots of work with this little one so I'll let you get back to it." The woman smiles, making little grimaces towards the baby who smiles and lets out a little laugh.
"You take care" Dream calls after her, before pushing the stroller up into the driveway, his and George's hands still connected in a tight hold.
Karl and Sapnap agree to take Daniel inside while the others gather all the stuff from the stroller.
"Uhm you know you can let go now, the woman is gone" Dream says, George's hand squeezing Dream's slightly in his.
"Oh yeah, sorry. It's just-, it feels kinda-" he pauses for a moment, kicking dirt around with his feet, "nice. It feels nice".
A slight tint of red appeared on both of their faces, Dream's mouth dropping and whispering soft words, "it does?"
"Yeah. It does" he speaks softly, shallow breaths slipping over his lips as he steps closer.
"So warm and soft" he continues, taking the man's hand in his, quickly intertwining their fingers once more, heat radiating off his face.
"George. Stop." Dream reluctantly pulls back, trying to loosen their tight connection.
"You don't want to?"
"I do but-" he breathes while looking deep into the boy's eyes "you'll regret it. You did last time"
"What if I won't?" He mumbles, free hand attaching to the blond's shirt and pulling him in closer, faces only inches apart, breath lingering in each other's skin, just like that night 3 weeks ago.
George took one last breath before darting forward, chest thrown flush against the others, and lips colliding once more in the same deep explosions he had felt the last time. Everything surrounding them turned into a big white blur.
Space and time were frozen and it was just them, together out there in the evening sun, that shone on their heads.
The blond's hands move over the man's body, finding their place in the dips of George's waist, which were hidden by the big grey hoodie he still had on.
Dream connects his arms behind the boy's body, tightening them and pulling him into his chest even more, he never wanted to stop this, he never wanted to let go.
They pull apart after a couple minutes, their lungs aching for breath, while gazes meet in between them.
"Wow" George mumbles, as he places his hands against Dream's chest, heart feeling like it was doing backflips in there.
"You know," the blond starts now, "if we do this more often, we're gonna have to talk about it eventually", he huffs as he places his forehead against George's, a big smirk appearing on the older's face before he also speaks up.
"Shut up and kiss me you idiot" He laughs as he launches his face back against the lips of the other, taking him by surprise making him tumble backwards slightly.
Another few minutes pass and even after they had stopped kissing they stayed close, hugging deeply, George's face placed against Dream's chest, both of them loving the comforting embrace of the other.
The younger had placed his chin into the brown silk that was splayed on the boy's head, happily just standing there, hugging George, whether it meant nothing or something, he didn't care, he didn't want to think about it, he just wanted to stay in this moment.
"Are we interrupting something?" Sapnap laughs as he eyes the men huddled close into one, baby in arm and Karl in tow.
"Wha- no no" George quickly mumbles as he loosens from the others embrace. "I was just- nothing, nothing"
The blond backed up, not failing to notice how George kept a finger wrapped around one of his behind their backs, smiling softly down to him just admiring the man.
"Well whatever you were doing, this one needs a new diaper and I'm not changing it"
Dream laughs, removing his finger from George's hand with a little look, and taking his baby in his arms, finally making his way inside past Karl who's face looked like he had just seen a ghost, when in reality it was just the two men cuddling in front of their door.
The rest of the evening was spent inside, all of them enjoying each other's company in the living room, sitting and chatting and playing with Daniel.