He's been here before. White lights beating down on him as beads of sweat gather on his forehead. The cheers of the crowd have numbed themselves to his ears, the sound of his blood rushing through his veins overtaking everything else. There are two minutes left of the game that determines whether or not their school will be the champions for this season and of course, since Dream can never catch a break, it's a tie. His team is looking to him as the whistle blows, starting what will hopefully be the last play of the game. The ball goes to the enemy team first and Dream groans internally, chasing after his defense but falling back for an open pass. He sees Karl get the ball, skirting around someone's ankles and throwing him off guard. The clock ticks down with a little under a minute left and Dream is the only open player on the field.
"Oh, Christ," he mumbles as Karl kicks the ball towards him. Avoiding the defense heading straight for him, he catches the pass and begins to run towards the goal with the ball underfoot. He passes it to one of his teammates, yellow swarming his vision as he is surrounded by the defense who hasn't quite realized he doesn't have the ball anymore. He smiles to himself as he gets around them, opening himself up for another pass as he gets closer to the goal.
There are less than thirty seconds left and Karl still has the ball and he'll admit, he's getting nervous. The last thing he wants to deal with is overtime; he's nervous enough as is. Dream just wants this game to be over so he doesn't have to worry about soccer for another few months. Ten seconds left on the clock and the ball is sailing back over to Dream.
He doesn't even bother to catch it, he just keeps the momentum and kicks it into the left corner of the goal with all the power he can manage through his exhausted bones. His leg falls out from underneath him and time slows down as he falls, watching every movement of the ball. It seems his slip-up distracted the goalie just enough, the ball sailing into the corner he aimed for just as the clock hits zero. A buzzer sound rings in his ears, echoing alongside the cheers of his university and his team. He collapses with his back against the turf as he is swarmed by his teammates, all shouting his name. Everything turns to white noise as people rush onto the field to congratulate the winning team. Not just the winning team, the champions. He smiles to himself as he lays on the turf amid his team trying to yank him up. Sweat drips down his face as he catches his breath from having the wind knocked out of him.
A hand reaches out and he smiles, intertwining his fingers with George's as he lets his boyfriend pull him up off of the ground. As soon as he's up and everyone realizes he isn't hurt, he's pulled into the sweatiest hug imaginable, him and George in the middle of it all. As soon as the team gives them the slightest bit of space to breathe, Dream pulls George to him, pressing their lips together in a heated celebratory kiss. Win or lose, he still gets to have this and that's all he cares about.
" Dream," George giggles into the kiss, his hands pressed against the blond's chest, "There's people."
"They can deal with it," Dream just laughs and kisses him again amid whoops and wolf whistles from his team. Pats on his back disrupt them, but all he can do is smile as he pulls away from George, letting his arm sling around his shoulders and pull him close.
They finally get off the field, but not without the team lining up for their show of sportsmanship that really just involves sweaty palms and stuttering over the phrase "good game" over and over again. As they make their way to the track where their coach is waiting with a proud smile on his face, the team downs their water bottles as they get approached by their friends and family who were making their way down the stadium steps to congratulate the team.
"So, I was right," a voice reaches Dream's ears and despite the growing irritation, not even Damien can spoil his celebratory mood. He turns around to face the man whose eyes were darting between him and George with his hands shoved in his pockets. "You two were fucking."
"He's my boyfriend, dipshit," Dream retorts, wiping sweat off of his forehead as he begins to change out of his cleats with the other still hovering over him. "Can you ruin someone else's mood? We're trying to celebrate here, you know.
Damien looks as though he's holding something back, his expression shifting as he watches George converse off to the side with Wilbur. "Look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I acted at the party and... after the fact. It was shitty and... I guess I'm glad you two worked out your shit. You deserve to be happy even if it's not with me."
He bites back the bitter comment of, " you couldn't make me happy if you tried," and swallows his pride. Really, he was beginning to think the word "sorry" wasn't even in Damien's vocabulary so he is going to take whatever he can get from him. "Thank you for apologizing. We shouldn't have done what we did and I think we both know that. You were jealous, I was feeling spiteful, it's not a good look for us. Let's... let's leave each other in the past, all right?"
"Agreed," Damien responds, a cheeky smile on his face as he holds out his hand, "Truce?"
"You're an idiot," he laughs, taking the hand and shaking it anyway, "Yes, truce. Now fuck off and let me celebrate with my team."
He's given a mock salute in response as the other heads off back into the stands. Not a minute after he's gone, George is strolling over with his arms crossed, sitting down on the bench next to him. Exhausted, Dream lets his head lie on his shoulder as the brunet speaks. "What did he want? Is he trying to steal you away from me again?"
"Again? I don't think it counts as stealing if last time, you very clearly and loudly said you never wanted to fuck me," Dream teases. The words sting less in his mind than they did before, the bitterness of the night of the party fading away with each loving kiss he shares with George. Even more so with every night they spend in the same bed, tearing each other apart. He sees the other roll his eyes and he can't help but let out a laugh, "Nah, he just wanted to apologize. Which was... Surprising. I didn't think he had it in him."
George scoffs, "Me neither, that's shocking. That's good, though, I don't want him bothering you anymore."
"Yeah? You want me all to yourself?" Dream teases, leaning up and kissing the closest part of George's skin he can reach which happens to be his jawline. "C'mon, I wanna get out of this sweaty ass uniform."
He pulls himself up, yanking George with him as they follow the team into the locker room. Dream can't help but laugh to himself as he thinks of the history with this stupid room and the two of them. He still feels bad for every member of the team who sits on that bench, but that is something he will keep to himself. Pulling his jersey over his shoulders, he can't help but let out a small chuckle at the way George stares at his chest.
"You're never going to stop staring at me, are you?" he comments lightly, pulling the other towards him. Even in a locker room full of people and the thrum of excited conversation, the only person he ever sees is George. He takes one of George's hands, running it over his tattoos as the man's fingers begin to trace the ink like they have so many times before.
"Hm, no, I don't think I will," the other laughs, letting his fingers roam across Dream's skin, not bothered by the thin sheen of sweat. Dream just shakes his head and teasingly pushes him off as he pulls a shirt over his head.
Any conversation that is going to happen is cut off by Sapnap coming up and clapping a hand on his shoulder, saying, "All right, so I see you two made up. Glad I don't have to deal with Dream couchsurfing anymore."
"Hey!" he exclaims, but Sapnap simply responds by covering Dream's mouth with his hand which eventually gets pushed off with a laugh.
"You hurt him, George, I know where you live," Sapnap threatens, but it's becoming increasingly obvious that he's biting back a smile. "I will find you. And I will kill you."
"Oh, please," George laughs, crossing his arms, "You stole that from Taken, dumbass."
"Sure did! Now hurry up, afterparty at mine and Karl's, don't fuck in my bathroom," he tells them, heading off to tell other people before Dream can retort with something snarky. Once it's just the two of them again, he scoffs and shakes his head at the recently departed.
George just laughs, a sound that is pure music to Dream's ears. "He's so ridiculous. Do you wanna go to the party, though? It'll be the last party before we leave for spring break, might as well."
" Spring break," Dream reiterates, the brief vacation having slipped his mind, "You going back home?"
He shakes his head, "Nah, flights were too expensive, I was probably just gonna stay here for the week and chill out."
"Come to Florida with me," Dream asks before it's too late to think too hard about it. Still, as the question hangs in the air, he can't help but feel more and more secure in the offer. "I'm driving down on Saturday. Come with me. My mom would love to have you. You can meet her and my sisters. I think my brother's spring break is that week too, so you might see him. If that's okay, sorry, I just realized it might be too soon, you can just forget I asked —"
He's cut off in his rambling by George pressing a kiss to his lips, smiling into it as he lets his arms reach for the brunet's waist. Dream lets himself revel in the moment, a kiss in a crowded locker room surrounded by his friends and the boy he thinks he might love. Even with the question still hanging in the air, he can't help but feel like he knows the answer just by the way George giggles into the kiss. He thinks this moment couldn't be any more perfect.
"You're an idiot, I don't know how many times I need to tell you," the other laughs as they pull apart, still holding each other closer. "Yes, I would love to. Although being in a car with you for God knows how long sounds a bit terrifying, I've seen the way you drive."
Dream scoffs, although deep down he knows he really can't argue. Still, it's a yes. It's a yes and that's the only thing that matters to him right now. "I will let my mom know she needs to prepare to meet my boyfriend."
"Why do you say it like that? Dork," George chuckles, giving him a quick kiss on the tip of his nose.
He just shrugs, "I don't know, I just like to say it. I like to remind myself that you are all mine."
"I've always been yours, I just didn't know it yet." He wraps his arms around Dream's neck, holding him against his chest as their lips meet for another kiss. Dream thinks he could die kissing George like this. He could spend the rest of his life with his lips against George's and he would have no complaints. They pull apart and Dream is sure he hears a wolf whistle from somewhere in the locker room, probably just Sapnap being annoying again, but he doesn't pay any attention to it. He leans his forehead against George's, just soaking in everything about the man in front of him and committing it all to memory. He doesn't think the night could get any better than it is right now. George smiles at him, biting his lip. He wonders if George's mind and heart are racing the same way his are right now. For a moment, the only thing in the world right now is George. "Come on, we have a party to get to."