*drops this and runs away*
Enjoy!! Vote & comment while you read <3
The sofa wasn't comfortable by any means, but it would do for some late night (or would it be considered early morning?) movies. George and Dream sat beside each other with piles of blankets and a bowl of popcorn between them.
The two spent more time looking for something to watch and chatting than they did actually watching the movie. It looked like Dream wanted to say something a few times, but bit his tongue. George wanted to know what the other had to say, but he didn't push it.
If he was being honest, George found Dream to be fascinating. He always seemed sort of closed off, even now that he was a bit more relaxed. It definitely had something to do with the alcohol. He wasn't drunk, but George didn't trust that he wasn't at least foggy. More than once, George caught Dream staring thoughtfully past the old TV at the blank wall. He was clearly thinking deeply about something.
As casually as possible, he asked, "Are you alright?"
Dream glanced over at George. "Yeah, I'm alright." His tone is a bit too sharp for George to believe him.
George wondered if something had happened when Dream left. Was he stressed about a murder? Because if so, George didn't think he was prepared to help with that. "You're sure? You just seem off. I don't know." George wondered if Dream would get annoyed at him asking again. They were pretty close, but George wasn't sure how far their friendship stretched.
"I said I'm fine," Dream snapped, sounding frustrated.
There was a small pang in George's chest, but he nodded. He stared at the T.V., not actually watching the movie and instead wondering
George would deny being frustrated by the harshness in Dream's words. "Right. Of course," he muttered back bitterly. George knew he shouldn't push it. There was still something in his mind that kept reminding him that Dream was dangerous, like a warning alarm.
Dream sighed added a hesitant, flat, "I'm sorry."
George wished he just forgave Dream right there and forgot about the ordeal. "Are you really? Do you actually feel bad or are you just saying that for my sake?" He spoke coldly, not raising his volume, refusing to look at Dream. George surprised himself, honestly. He didn't want to be upset with Dream.
Dream was immediately defensive. "Yes! I feel bad for snapping at you, George. I really didn't mean it. I'm just a bit," he paused like he was thinking carefully about how to word this sentence. "...high strung right now. But I promise I'm fine. Just don't push it."
"George this is why nobody can fucking put up with you! You push people, and then they finally fucking break. You're a manipulative asshole." Harsh memories jostled around in George's head.
"I'm not trying to push you. I'm not trying to manipulate anyone, I swear. I just don't know what to do anymore!" he'd tried to reason, desperately pleading with his best friend.
George scowled at the memories of the fight. "Fine," he conceded. He crossed his arms and continued watching the movie. It was some weird sci-fi horror they'd found on Netflix. George hadn't been paying much attention, so he was totally lost.
Silence filled the room. George sat uncomfortably, trying to watch the movie. He could feel Dream looking at him. Finally, he sighed. "Are you going to say something? Because if you want to say something just say it."
"Are you okay?" Dream looked at George flatly, if not a bit skeptical. He didn't look hurt by anything George had said. "You're being more weird than I am."
George's brain short-circuited while searching for a response. Was he okay? He hadn't thought about it too much, but he had been pretty shaken up as of recent. Maybe everything going on had messed with him a little bit more than he thought. Maybe he was convincing himself Dream was upset because he was upset. That was a thing, right? "I don't know. I feel fine."
"You didn't seem fine when you thought the me opening the front door was an intruder."
George scowls. "That's not... I didn't think you were someone breaking in."
"Yeah, you did."
"Stop deflecting! Just because I asked if you're upset doesn't mean I am. I'm fine." George insists. Maybe he's a hypocrite for lying to Dream, but at this point he was committed to the lie.
Dream shrugs. "Okay," he says smugly.
George's face goes a bit red, and he sounds completely baffled. "How did you turn this around on me?" He's not even angry anymore. Just a bit impressed.
"It's a gift." Dream smiles, glancing at George.
George rolls his eyes. "It's fucking annoying is what it is," he grumbles, turning back toward the T.V.
Dream doesn't look over at George this time. He crosses his arms, elbowing George in the process. "You love it," he jokes.
George's face heats up a bit, and he tries to conceal it by turning away a bit, but it doesn't matter. Dream doesn't even look over at him. Quietly, he mutters, "Do not."
Dream says nothing in response. George's eyes shoot over to him, and he wishes Dream would say something. He doesn't.
George pulls one of the many blankets up around his shoulders and slumps against the back of the couch, trying to get comfortable. George brings his attention back to the T.V. just in time to see one of the main characters of the movie literally explode. "Oh my god- What just happened?"
"You'd know if you were paying attention." Dream said with a smile.
"I was paying attention!" He was not.
"Right. What's got you so distracted, George?" Dream glances back over at George, and his grin feels somewhat like a trap.
"Nothing, I just wasn't expecting that!" George defends himself, pulling the blanket up to his face. "I don't like this movie anymore" he says over-dramatically.
"You haven't even been watching it, George." Dream tilts his head a bit and George has to force himself to look away from his eyes.
"Whatever, this is stupid." George glares at Dream, but he's clearly not serious.
"You're a chicken" Dream says over confidently.
"No, this movie is just shit." George says stubbornly.
Dream smiles. "You would think that."
"What does that even mean?!-"
George is cut off by Dream's phone, tossed on top of their pile of blankets. The screen lights up and it buzzes, slightly muffled. Wilbur's face and the contact name "dickface" pop up on the screen, and George has to stifle a laugh.
Dream doesn't seem as amused. His smile drops, and he answer quickly. He winced as Wilbur can be heard shouting on the other end, even from where George is sitting.
"What the fuck did you do, Dream? Were you not going to tell me the situation when you called and said you needed me and Tech to clean up a place? Firstly, I was just out drinking with you. I broke one of my own damn rules by going to clean up a scene for you after we were drinking, but you ALSO went out to do this after drinking. What the fuck was this, Dream? He's fucked. There's DNA everywhere, too. This wasn't a hired job. You just killed a guy, didn't you? This is going to be nearly impossible, you dick—"
Dream's eyes widen as Wilbur immediately starts shouting, and George can hear most of it. Dream covers to speaker quickly, standing up. He looks worried and holds up a finger, gesturing to George that he'll just be a minute before rushing out of the room. George hears his bedroom door click down the hallway.
He looks toward the hallway, then back at the T.V., unable to make sense of anything going on (relating to Dream of this shit movie). What had Wilbur been talking about? How much of that was George supposed to hear?
Well, presumably none of it, based on Dream's reaction.
George mulls over Wilbur's words. This wasn't a hired job. You just killed a guy, didn't you? It couldn't be true, right?
George's eyes flicker up from where he was staring at a spot on the floor, just in time to see watch another man on the T.V. screen get smashed in the face by a weapon, dropping dead as the bad guy (?)—George wasn't actually entirely sure who was who— stared down at him. George winces at the sight of the fake blood.
1423 words
This last paragraph is very allegorical, especially relating to Dream's actions 2 chapters ago when he kills the guy (esp. the part where George says he doesn't actually know who the bad guy is). Little detail. I'm positive nobody would've picked up on it so I had to say something.
Also sorry for being gone so long :( I didn't plan on this. I have so much work to do constantly, I genuinely have no time to write. The only reason i got this chapter out is because I've been working on it bit by bit for the last week and a half when I have free time (and even now, I'm ignoring some of my homework to wrap it up).