"Sapnap," Dream says, butting into the room without knocking, the door bumping into the wall.
The man in question jolts, and he slips his headphones down his neck. "Dude, what the fuck," he mutters. "What if I was naked? Or jerking off?"
Dream gives him a look as he walks further in. "Nothing I haven't seen before," he jokes.
Sapnap gives him a deadpan glare.
"Anyways," Dream says, sitting on the edge of Sapnap's bed. "I need your opinion." Sapnap pushes away from his desk, his chair rolling smoothly towards his friend, his phone held out in front of him.
"On what?" he asks.
Dream hands him his phone. "I've been working on a new song, but I'm not sure how good it is since I wrote it mostly alone," he mutters. "I'm scared to show it to an actual songwriter, but you really like music so I was hoping for your opinion."
Sapnap hums as he takes the phone, eyes dropping to read the words on the screen. "You could've asked George too, y'know," he says. "We both like music."
"That's the thing," Dream says softly, rubbing his eyebrow. "Um, it's about him."
"Oh," Sapnap breathes as he reads the words.
Dream looks away as Sapnap reads, worrying his lower lip between his teeth. He's had this song written for the past few weeks, but he's leaving for LA tomorrow to record some more and needs this song done. He should've shown it to someone else sooner but George has disappeared so he finally decided to do it
It's not like it's that big a deal. Sapnap has known since before he did that he liked George.
But then again, he just wrote a song basically confessing to George directly.
Several, actually. He hopes some of them never see the light of day.
"Dream," Sapnap says a minute later. He lifts his gaze, jaw slack. "That's amazing."
"You're not just saying that?" Dream mumbles.
"No," Sapnap says earnestly. "He'll love it. When are you gonna tell him?"
Dream frowns as he takes back his phone. "Tell him what?"
Sapnap narrows his eyes. "You've written, like, 5 songs about him now," he says. "Does he know about any of them?"
Dream nods. "He's listened to Paranoid and Trust Issues," he says, "but I don't want to show him this one."
"He'll hear it at some point," Sapnap points out.
"I'm hoping it's not soon," Dream mutters. "I can't deal with that yet."
Sapnap sighs, reaching a hand out to grasp gently as Dream's shoulder. "I get it," he says. "The others seemed more subtle; this is direct."
Dream nods. "That wasn't supposed to be the point, but it just kind of happened."
"I won't tell him about it," Sapnap promises, scooting back towards the desk.
"Thanks," Dream says quietly. "I'm gonna go pack. You sure you don't wanna come?"
Sapnap groans, falling into his chair. "Dude, we've been in LA, like, eight times the past three months," he whines. "I'm sorry, but I'm getting sick of it. George will always go where you go, though."
Dream frowns, but leaves wordlessly.
-
But it's true. The next day, he and George leave for the airport, headed straight to LA. George sleeps almost the entire time, and they go to the studio right after landing. George finds a bench and knocks himself right out. Dream takes that time to bring up the song with his producers.
"Could use some tweaks," Ron mutters, "but this would sound great."
"So real, too," Jacky says. "Is it about anyone in particular?"
Dream can see the way her eyes glint like she knows exactly who it's about. He's been working with these two for nearly three years; they can read him like a book at this point. He still gives himself away as he glances towards George.
Jacky hums, smirking. "Does he know?"
Dream shakes his head.
"Love confession song," she says with a sigh as she turns away. "So romantic."
The three of them sit down and rework parts of the song. 30 minutes later, they begin working on pitches, vocals, all the stuff Sapnap and George both hate but Dream absolutley loves.
"Hey," George says behind Dream a few hours later.
Dream jumps and turns around. "Hi," he says, subtly hiding the pages with lyrics on them. "Good sleep?"
George slumps into the chair next to Dream, groaning. "As good a sleep can be when you're on a bench," he mutters. Dream subtly motions to hide the lyrics, and Jacky immediately scoops them all up and acts like she's reorganizing them. "What have you guys been doing?"
"The stuff you always hate," Dream says.
"Are you going to be recording soon?" George asks.
Dream casts a glance towards Ron. "I dunno, are we?"
"Uh," Ron says, pulling out his phone. "We could do... Slow Down today?"
"Sounds good," Dream says.
George hums tiredly. "Okay."
Dream chuckles as his eyes blink shut. "Do you want me to call you a taxi, George?" he asks, looping an arm over his shoulders. George immediately falls against his chest.
"No," he says, muffled by Dream's shirt. "'M fine."
"You're exhausted," Dream says, balling his free hand so he doesn't touch.
George immediately sits up, swaying gently. "Whaddya mean?" he asks. "I'm wide awake."
Dream snickers. "Tell Ken if you wanna go to the hotel and sleep, okay?"
"Okay," George mumbles, slumping against the table.
Dream runs his hand along George's shoulder as he leaves the confrence room, leaving him with one of their bodyguards just in case. He follows Ron and Jacky into the recording studio itself, where he swaps his OU cat beanie for headphones. They do some final ideas, and Dream steps up to the microphone.
Whenever he does, he feels brand new. Like a new person, in some way he could never describe, not aloud. It's... freeing.
They record the first demo, and they review it and take notes on how to improve. They do this once more before Ken pops in to say George asked to go back to the hotel.
"Don't sit up watching reality TV, okay?" Dream says, grasping George's shoulders. "Actually sleep. You need it."
George grumbles. "Stop worrying, Dream," he mutters, clearly already half asleep. "I'll be fine."
"Okay," Dream says. "I should be done before 8, so we can go for food then, okay?"
George hums before being led out by Ken and Bink. Dream ducks back into the recording studio, and they keep recording for what feels like hours. It's really only two and a bit.
"Wanna do Spotlight?" Jacky asks. "Now that George is gone."
"Or Kind of Love," Ron mutters, looking down at his phone. "We have Paranoid, Until I End Up Dead, Slow Down and Invincible done."
Jacky smacks him in the chest. "That one can be recorded in front of George," she says. "Right?"
Dream nods. "That one should be fine," he says. "It's Spotlight that I'm a bit worried about."
Ron frowns. "Why?"
"Oh my lord, you are dense," Jacky sighs, hanging her head. "We'll do Spotlight. We're ready to jump right into recording, so Dream, get back in there."
Dream walks back to the microphone, slipping the headphones over his ears when he reaches them. His heart slams in his chest, despite George being fast asleep back at the hotel. He pulls the lyrics up on his phone because, even though he's had the lyrics memorized since the day he wrote them, he's sure he might forget them just because of how nervous he is.
But Ron gives him the go-ahead and he hears the demo instrumental playing. He starts to sing, George's smile behind his eyelids when he closes them.
I wanna put you in the spotlight.
Turn off the cameras, now you're all mine.
-
Dream cheers as Sapnap finishes recording the chorus of Everest. George laughs and claps from the booth, both of them watching as he exits, face flushed with adrenaline but smiling widely. "That was amazing!" Dream says.
"You were mid," George says, grinning.
"Shut up, I was better than you," Sapnap jokes, shoving George playfully.
Jacky stands. "Well, that's all we need from you then," she says. "Dream, you wanna keep working on it or should we pick it up again tomorrow?"
Dream watches his two friends, still bickering as they head towards the exit. "Uh, tomorrow," he says, pushing open the door to jog after them.
"Have fun!" Jacky calls as the door closes.
George and Sapnap pause as Dream's shoes hit the floor behind them, and they both crack a smile at the same time. "Ohh, Dream's showing his face IRL," George teases.
"You're actually gonna hang out with us?" Sapnap jokes.
"No, Jacky just doesn't want you guys drinking your brains out or something," Dream says, grinning.
Sapnap elbows him in the side. "Asshole," he mutters. George just laughs.
-
"The people love me," Sapnap jokes.
"No one loves you, Sapnap," George says. "Don't kid yourself."
Dream snickers. His TikTok Ken filmed of them joke-recording was already blowing up, as the first clip of Everest so far, and as the three of them singing. People were getting super excited already.
"Whatever," Sapnap grumbles. "Point is, this is good promo."
Dream snorts. "Do you even remember when this happened?" he asks.
"Like... three months ago?" Sapnap asks, shrugging.
"Three months after George landed," Dream says, flicking Sapnap's black hat. "Nice try."
George giggles and ruffles his hair before he can slip the hat back on properly. "Yeah, Stinknap," he says. "Get it right."
Sapnap huffs. "Dude, shut up," he grumbles.
-
The DrEP announcement blew up instantly. People seemed pissed that it was still over a month away, but Dream still isn't quite finished recording, and he's taking a small break from it right now. September 1st was the best he could do.
It was a few hours after he posted it when George appeared. "What's this song?" he asks.
I wanna put you in the spotlight. Turn off the cameras, now you're all mine.
Dream sits up on bed and Patches makes an indignant noise as he moves. "What do you mean?" he asks, his heart in his throat. He knew George would hear it, since he deliberatley chose the song to put it in the teaser.
"I haven't heard it before," George says, frowning lightly. "I thought I'd heard all your songs."
"Is it bad that you haven't heard this one?" Dream asks.
George frowns at his phone before turning it off and tucking it into his pocket. He ignores the question. "Who's it about?" he asks instead.
Dream swallows thickly. "Um," he mumbles."
George giggles as he sits down text to Dream on the bed. "Is it a girl?" he teases.
"No," Dream says.
He decides he's imagining things when he sees George's shoulders fall in relief.
"Then who?"
"Someone... very close to me," Dream settles with.
George huffs. "Sapnap?" he jokes.
"No," Dream says, turning away.
There's no new question. He feels George lean into his side, and his breath stutters. "Can I hear it?" George asks.
Dream's shoulders hunch. "No," he whispers. "Not yet."
George lifts away from him, and he goes cold. "Oh," he says. "Um... okay."
He sits another momemt in the tight silence before leaving without saying goodbye.
-
Sapnap stares at him. "Yeah, that was your own fault," he says. "You knew he'd see it."
Dream whines, falling into the couch. "You're supposed to be helping me."
"You can't fix stupid."
Dream flips Sapnap off, burying himself in the cushions. Sapnap snickers, patting his back as he leaves.
"Good luck, man," he says.
"I hate you," Dream groans.
-
August is filled with flying back and forth from Florida to LA. He finishes his final recordings, he sits through countless hours of music tracks, extra vocals, more recordings. ("You thought you were done?" Ron asks, laughing. He thought it was hysterical. Dream was ready to fight him.) He takes a break on his birthday, and he and his friends spend the whole day at home streaming his extravagant present-recival and cake-baking. Then he's back at it.
They compile everything and by August 20th, he's done. He flies back home with a splitting headache and a need for a long sleep.
He wakes up at 2 am on the 22nd.
George and Sapnap are -- of course -- already awake, or still awake, he's not sure. But he walks out, rubbing his eyes tiredly. Patches winds around his ankles, purring loudly. "Hey," he says, voice deep with sleep as he enters the kitchen.
"Oh hey," Sapnap says, way too cheerily for 2 am. "I had to check you were still breathing a few times, just so you know."
Dream snorts, lifting Patches up to stroker her head and scratch her cheeks.
"He didn't though," George says, laying on the floor for whatever reason. "He said he would and never did."
"Rude," Dream huffs, letting Patches go as she starts to wriggle.
Sapnap rolls his eyes. "I knew you were fine," he says, waving his hands around.
"You literally said you were too lazy," George says. "We were 20 feet aw- SAPNAP."
Sapnap holds his foot right above George's face, giggling as George tries to push him away. Dream smiles softly, shaking his head as his two best friends act like absolute children. Again.
-
The 31st seems to drag by. He's holed up in his room the whole day, under the guise of checking Twitter and Reddit and Instagram and whatever social media Sapnap and George can fall for. In reality, he can't face George. All three songs he wrote with George in mind will be falling into the hands of millions worldwide at the end of today, even in a few short hours in some countries, but what makes him sick to his stomach is that George will be able to hear them and know exactly what he's singing about.
...now you're all mine...
His best friend of seven years, who he's been casually in love with for two of them, listening to the words his heart has been desperate to say. From being scared to fall in love, to being scared he won't love Dream back, to being out and proud that he loves him without fear of consequence.
But he's terrified. He is scared shitless of the consequence, of what George will think. Of how it'll all change.
Hours fade into minutes, and before he knows it, his timeline is being flooded with positive comments, most of which are screaming about the DNF songs. They immediately caught on, he thinks to himself. But he can't help to smile as he scrolls past each and every comment, saying how proud they are of him, how good the songs are, how hopelessly in love he so clearly is.
Oh, if only they knew, he thinks.
Idiot, they clearly know now.
He can almost hear George in his head.
It's past 2 when the knocks come.
"Come in!" he calls, liking hundreds of fanarts of all the different songs, smiling harder with each one. It falls immediately upon seeing George in the doorway.
He's leaning against the doorway, head tilted with a small smirk. His phone is in one hand, and Dream can see the screen lit up, Patches as his background with music paused. "Do you have anything you'd like to say?" George teases.
Dream feels his stomach falls through his feet. This is absolutely not a negative response, he notes.
"Uh..." Dream mutters. "Time keeps passing, don't let it pass you?"
George lifts his eyebrows to give him a look.
"Yung Gravy started playing Minecraft," Dream offers, watching nervously as George saunters over to him.
George's phone is discarded into his pocket as he rests a hand against Dream's desk, crossing one ankle over the other. "Imagine confessing in a song that literally the whole world could listen to at any point in time if they so wanted to," George jokes. "There's better ways to do it, Dream, you know that, right? There's no need to be so possessive about it."
Dream chuckles awkwardly as George nudges him with the back of his hand. "I-I guess," he mumbles. "I just- get the words out better when it's a song, I guess." He looks up at George, forcing himself to keep any meager composure left. "You make me too nervous to outwardly tell you how much I love you."
George smiles. "You just did it," he says.
"Yes, but you listened to the song," Dream says. "You already know."
"I actually didn't," George says, his head falling back. "I just guessed. I mean, who else would you be talking about?" He smirks over his shoulder as he turns to leave. "But got you to finally admit it, didn't I?"
Dream feels his face go hot as George leaves. He's out of his chair in a split second, chasing George hurriedly, leaving his phone buzzing with notifications on his desk.
"Wait," Dream says, stopping George in the hall. "What- what do you mean?"
George smirks. "You can just admit you're obsessed with me, y'know," he jokes. "Three songs? I'm flattered."
He tries to get past Dream, but he doesn't move.
"Okay, whatever," Dream says. "But what about you?"
George looks up and shrugs. "What about me?"
He ducks under Dream's arm and gives him another smirk as he turns the corner. Dream can't tell what George means, but he's getting sick of this bit.
He follows quickly, just in time to see George pull something from the fridge. He strides over as George sets it on the counter, making a tnk sound against the marble counter. In an instant, he's pushed against the fridge door, Dream's lips pressed against his, a hand on his jaw and another on his waist.
As for Dream, his mind is imploding. Because George's lips are so soft, his hair is fluffy, and it feels like his waist has been molded to fit his hand. And he's kissing George.
Dream pulls away, keeping their foreheads pressed together as they lean against the fridge, breathing deeply. "I mean, what about you," he whispers.
He gets his answer as George's hand finds the nape of his neck and he stretches onto his tiptoes. Sparkles fill Dream's eyelids as he closes them, and he wonders how he made it this far in life without ever kissing George.
Hands grab loosely as clothing and at hair, the food from the fridge forgotten as the kisses grow deeper, both slower and faster. George pulls away, sucking in a deep breath before whispering "I love you too," instantly pushing their lips back together.
George's hips push against Dream's and a groan rumbles in Dream's throat. His fingers dip into George's waist, but not strong enough to leave marks.
"So the song worked," someone says behind them. Dream sighs as he pulls away. George looks over his shoulder and rolld his eyes playfully.
"I haven't actually listened to it," George says. "I saved it for last. Figured I'd make fun of Dream first."
"How'd you know?" Dream asks, looking down at him.
"I didn't tell him," Sapnap says, "just to be clear."
Dream looks over his shoulder to give Sapnap a dead pan glare.
"I just figured it out," George says. "I knew you weren't interested in anyone, so the next logical solution would be me."
"Clearly," Dream mutters.
Sapnap laughs. "Well, I'll leave you to it," he says. "Wear a condom. Be safe! Always get consent!" His voice fades, but he continues yelling anyways.
Dream chuckles, looking down at George warmly, his smile reflected on George's pink-kissed lips. "What if we fucked just to spite him?"
George snorts and smacks him. "No," he says. "Just fucking kiss me and deal with it."
Dream does just that.
-
Even when you're far away, next to me is where you'll stay. We have, we have a different kind of love.
Because I'm paranoid of things I can't avoid, just like me needing you. So can you fill the void?
I wanna put you in the spotlight. Turn off the cameras, now you're all mine.
-
Word Count 3283
~A/N~
i speedran the shit outta this because its 3:30 in the morning and i'm waking up in five and a half hours but im sure its fine
anyways EVEREST CAME OUT AND ITS SUCH A FUCKING BANGER im literally so fucking hyped for to whoever wants to hear but making us wait a month is fucking CRIMINAL WHO DOES THAT
whatever
i've been having crisises every day for the past few days and i posted some of them on tumblr (@/another-hopeless-aromantic) so if you want you can go see me suffer. the most recent was that dteam made a song together and we can hear them in the last chorus and i CRY EVERYTIME I HEAR IT
so can we talk about how dream literally has 2 (or 3, is Kind of Love actually gonna be dnf, it had better be) dnf songs on his debut ep like he's in love
k i really should sleep. have a good rest of your day/night everyone :]
love yall xxx
song that reminds me of this oneshot: Spotlight by Dream (idc that it isnt gonna be out for a month its here now)