Chapter 18
Dream had his hands over his eyes with a grin on his face as he spun around in his chair, waiting. He heard Lana giggling and George shushing her.
"Alright. Ready?" George asked her.
"Yep. Dream! You can look now!" Lana called out.
Dream removed his hands off his eyes and gasped dramatically. Although, he was actually surprised by Lana's dress. She beamed up at him, fingers tugging at the corners of the navy dress where the silver sparkles glistened. She looked expectantly at Dream.
"Wow. You look beautiful." Dream kneeled on the floor and reached out to take her hands, giving them a squeeze. "Like a princess."
"Really?" She asked, eyes wide with hope and cheeks pink with delight. Dream laughed and nodded.
"So beautiful." He said, and Lana jumped onto him to give him a hug, which he instantly returned.
Dream glanced up at George, who was watching with a fond smile. Dream's breath stuttered for a moment because he also hadn't seen George in his suit yet. And now he's worried he won't actually be able to look away.
"You look beautiful, too." Dream said to George, with perhaps too much earnestness without really thinking. But he was glad he did when a faint blush appeared on George's cheeks. Lana giggled and let go of Dream, letting him stand back up.
"Thanks. Uh. You... you look good too." George said, eyes flicking over Dream's own suit. They were both in the same colour of dark blue to match the colour palette chosen, like everyone else in the wedding party.
They were interrupted by Dream's Mom knocking and entering the room.
"George, lovely, do you mind going to check on Karl?" She said, eyebrows furrowed like she was slightly worried. George nodded, and glanced at Dream once before gently taking Lana's hand and taking her out of the room.
"I think it's best if you come see Sapnap, Clay." His Mom said, taking his arm and making him follow.
"Why? What's wrong?" He asked. The wedding was set to start in an hour downstairs at the venue they were currently at. Everyone was getting ready and doing finishing touches.
"You'll see." She said, lips pressed together.
Sapnap and Karl were in separate rooms since they woke up, wanting to keep up the tradition of having their first look down the aisle. Holly lead Dream to Sapnap's room for the day, patted him on the shoulder once, before opening the door and ushering him inside.
Sapnap was pacing, pulling on his hair. His suit jacket wasn't even on. He looked a mess.
"Dream!" Sapnap went to him the second he entered the room and gripped his shoulders. "Dream I can't do this."
"What? What are you talking about." Dream said, gently moving Sapnap to a seat, and pulling another over to sit in front of him.
"I'm getting married." Sapnap stressed.
"I know. How amazing is that." Dream said, smiling a soft smile that he hoped would calm Sapnap down.
"What if it goes wrong?" Sapnap was very clearly worked up.
"You've rehearsed your vows and we had the rehearsal dinner yesterday. Nothing is going to go wrong today." Dream assured him.
"Not with the wedding." Sapnap pressed his hands on his cheeks. "What about our marriage?"
"You and Karl?" Dream asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
"What if it doesn't work out." Sapnap whispered.
"Are you joking?" Dream grabbed his hand. "I don't think anything could ever come between you and Karl. You're inseparable, you compliment each other in all the best ways and you understand each other like no one else."
"I thought the same about you and George." Sapnap croaked out.
Dream paused, because, yeah. He thought so too. Clearly, since he proposed to the boy, wanting to spend the rest of their lives together. And then he was rejected, by the boy he thought he understood more than himself.
"What you and Karl have..." Dream took a deep breath. "What you have is different to that. Me and George... we didn't understand each other. To some extent, we did, but we were too young to see everything. I think what happened to us was meant to happen. But you and Karl, you are everything I thought I had with George."
It hurt to admit. He was jealous. Not specifically of Sapnap or of Karl, but of their connection. Of their success. They worked because they tried, and they fought for it.
"George and I needed the time and space to grow into ourselves. But you and Karl have grown together. I haven't seen anything like it, it's beautiful." He smiled and squeezed Sapnap's hand for emphasis. "You're marrying Karl, Sapnap. You've wanted this forever."
"I have." Sapnap wiped his face with a small smile. "You said we've grown together, but you guys needed time and space. Do you... do you think you've grown now?"
"Yeah." Dream said with a nod, thinking it over. Sometimes he doesn't feel like he's grown up, but the truth is he has learnt so much from George and their mistakes. "I think I'm where I should have been 4 years ago."
"And George?" Sapnap questioned.
"He's grown even more than me." Dream smiled at the thought, how much George had changed despite remaining the same. The lessons he's learnt and the effort he's putting in.
"If you knew what you did know back then, do you think it would be you in my shoes right now? About to marry the love of your life?" Sapnap's voice was soft, and he was watching Dream carefully for his reaction.
"Maybe. I think we would have at least been able to communicate better. Maybe we wouldn't have been married yet, but we might have still been in each other's lives one way or another the past 4 years." It was difficult to think about, because what happened then is what made them who they are now.
"What about now?" Sapnap asked, leaning back, a twinkle in his eye.
"What about now?" Dream asked it back, confused.
"Would you marry him now?"
No. Of course not. They couldn't. He didn't even want to think about it because thinking about marrying George would just make him feel things that he's been trying to hide away. It's not even on the table. George has a daughter, marriage is so far in the future... no, it's not even in the future. Who is Dream kidding? He won't marry George because why would George, who's already rejected him once, want to marry him? He's learnt how much of a mess Dream is by now, he doesn't want that in his life. Romantically.
"Today is supposed to be about you and Karl." Dream managed to splutter out.
At the mention of his name, Sapnap's eyes lit up and he jumped out of his seat, grabbed his coat and slid it over his arms.
"I'm getting married! To Karl Jacobs." Sapnap beamed at himself in the mirror as he fixed his hair. "I'm marrying the love of my life and the most incredible guy in the world. Holy shit I'm so excited. Let's go, let's go!" Sapnap grabbed Dream's arm and tugged him towards the door. Dream just laughed, shaking his head from the sudden whiplash of mood.
"Woah, hold on. Still too early." Dream stopped him, and then put his hands on Sapnap's shoulders, getting him to look at him. Sapnap was now bouncing with excitement and anticipation. "You're getting married." Dream grinned.
"I'm getting married!" Sapnap grinned back.
"Come here." Dream chuckled before pulling him into a hug. "You got this. I'll be right there next to you, as always."
"Wouldn't want it any other way."
•
The ceremony was beautiful. Dream started crying right along with Sapnap when Karl walked towards him down the aisle. He didn't stop crying throughout the entire thing, and yes, he had the rings. Dream didn't let them out of his sight since he picked them up.
Lana did well as the flower girl, skipping down the aisle and giving Sapnap a big hug at the start before sitting with Drista and Dream's Mom.
Before they knew it, Sapnap and Karl said I Do and walked back down the aisle together as husbands, hand in hand to the crowd applauding.
George had to tug Dream towards the reception because he was still crying in happiness. Sapnap and Karl's vows really got to him. It was his two best friends getting married! He was the staple third wheel! He was proud and overflowing with emotion like a parent!
Now though, he had to give his speech as best man which was downright terrifying. He had it memorised, of course. Still nerve-wracking looking over the sea of people as he cleared his throat into the microphone and clutched his glass of champagne. He met George's eyes first, a comforting smile, before taking a deep breath and looking over to the newlyweds.
"So, for those who don't know, I'm Dream, or Clay, I suppose. The nickname Dream was actually all thanks to Sapnap, funnily enough. We first met online playing Minecraft of all things with dumb little usernames and squeaky voices. I never thought typing 123 to join a random Skype team would give me a brother, but here we are." He made eye contact with Sapnap, who was smiling and already wiping his eyes.
Really, no one would ever think you'd make best friends online. But in the world we live in now, it shouldn't be that ridiculous.
"And then Karl came into the picture, and I collected another best friend. Not only that, but my brother found the love of his life. Karl is everything Sapnap deserves and needs, and vice versa. Again, for those who don't know, I've been stuck living as a permanent third wheel with them for the past few years. You'd think I'd be sick of it by now, and yes, I suppose I am sick of watching them make out while trying to eat my cereal, but honestly I'm going to miss them when they move out."
Dream took a deep breath, and glanced at George, who nodded in support.
"The kind of love Sapnap and Karl have is one of a kind. That love is hard to find, and it can be hard to hold on to, because love isn't easy. Love isn't something you just stumble across, decide to keep and just hope you don't drop it somewhere. Love is messy, love is a journey, love pushes your limits and tests your patience. You have to fight for it, and there are no doubts in my mind that Sapnap and Karl have fought hard, and will continue to do so for the rest of their lives. I just hope they keep me around long enough to see how much it grows."
And with that, he lifted his glass to the teary, beaming faces of the husbands and took a sip while the crowd applauded his speech. It wasn't long, but it was everything he wanted to say.
He made eye contact with George, who gave him a small smile and lifted his glass briefly towards him before taking a sip.
•
Dream cried again when Sapnap and Karl had their first dance. Look, it's been an emotional day. He's also had a few champagnes so he was happily buzzing around and a tad more emotional than usual.
Everyone was dancing now, milling about, drinking, snacking, chatting. Dream dragged his sister to the dance floor per his mother's request. Despite her grumbling, she did dance with him, purposefully stepping on his toes at times, but he saw her smile here and there.
Dream was taking a break from dancing, but was watching on with a fond smile as George danced with Lana. She was laughing her head off as George walked around with her feet on his shoes. Dream felt his heart swell at George's own laughter, especially when he pulled her off his shoes to twirl her around.
As she twirled, she caught sight of Dream, and beckoned him over eagerly. George looked up, cheeks flushed from dancing and a wide smile stuck on his face. Dream chuckled and walked over, as Lana let go of George to run up to him and grab his hand and tug him over.
"Dance now!" She ordered, grabbing one hand each of Dream and George, as an upbeat song came on. Dream looked at George, who shrugged and grabbed his hand too, finishing the circle.
The three of them danced and spun around and laughed as they did. Dream and George let Lana guide them in circles until they were dizzy. With the added alcohol, Dream was certainly quite disoriented, but was laughing nonetheless.
"Up!" Lana said, tugging on their arms when a slower song came on next. They were all puffed from their energetic dancing. George rolled his eyes at her demanding tone, but picked her up onto his waist. Lana pulled Dream close too, and he just laughed softly, before wrapping one arm around Lana in George's arms, and the other around George's waist. Blame the alcohol, but this felt natural.
"Was I a good flower girl?" Lana asked, looking between them both, as George swayed her to the soft beat.
"You were perfect." Dream said, and she smiled a toothy smile.
"I like weddings." She said, and George snorted slightly. "I want to get married one day."
"That's far in the future." George said immediately, making Dream laugh.
After a a few minutes of the three of them talking and swaying on the dance floor, Lana saw Drista somewhere in the distance and immediately wiggled out of their grip and ran off. The two of them stood there for a moment, before Dream laughed.
"I think she likes my sister more than me." He said, looking back at George, suddenly aware of his arm still wrapped around his waist.
George was looking at him thoughtfully. Until Dream started to pull his arm away, and then he moved closer, both hands coming up to rest on Dream's shoulders. It took him by complete surprise that he instinctively moved both hands to George's waist.
"I don't think she adores anyone more than you." George breathed out, and Dream felt him flex his fingers on his shoulders briefly.
"Well, there's you." Dream said, swallowing. It felt like the atmosphere had changed slightly, but then George gently started guiding him to move, rather than standing stuck to the floor all tense.
"She tolerates me at best." George said sarcastically, which made Dream laugh and relax slightly, the two of them slowly moving around the dance floor.
"You're her entire world." Dream adjusted his hands to sit more comfortably.
"Yeah cause I let her have icecream and visit you." George said, narrowed eyes like it's Dream's fault. Dream just thought he looked adorable. Maybe that was his alcohol lens.
No. George was just lovely.
"I liked your speech." George then said, slightly more serious. Dream blushed slightly at the compliment and slight embarrassment.
"It got a bit corny I think."
"It was beautiful. What you said about love." George said softly. "How it's messy, and hard to hold on to, and how you have to fight for it. How it's a journey."
"You think?" Dream said back, and George nodded.
"Do you... do you believe that people can find their way back to each other?" George's voice was so soft Dream had to lean in slightly closer to hear it. And when he did, he froze.
He hadn't ever thought about it. His parents split and never would have considered getting back together. He knows that people can grow apart, but fall back together? After all that distance, all that time, all that growth, is it even possible to go back to someone that caused you so much pain?
But that someone brought so much love, too, once. So easily disguised by the pain is the person you lost. The person you loved. In all their faults and mistakes is the person you once gave your heart to. Can you ever really fall out of love with a memory? And if you never really fall out of love, what's stopping you from falling again?
"I don't know." Dream managed to croak out, searching George's eyes for the intention behind his words. "I did say love was a journey."
"And you have to fight for it." George whispered, his fingers moving from Dream's shoulders to the back of his neck, gently threading through the hair at the base of his neck. "Dream." He took a deep breath. "Will you let me fight for it?"
It's very difficult to describe exactly what happened in Dream's brain at this moment. A million thoughts went around his head at the same moment he shut down completely. What does someone say to that, let alone think about it. Thinking about it was exactly what Dream has been trying not to do.
George, who lied and caused him so much heartbreak. George, who has returned to his life despite his fears and respected Dream's wishes at every turn. George, who was his best friend and someone he once loved. George, who he isn't even sure he ever stopped loving.
George, who he loved unconditionally and lost.
"Wait-" George's hands went to Dream's face the second he felt him panic and pull away. "Just-" George scrunched up his face in a slight panic, before lifting onto his toes and pulling Dream closer to press their lips together.
And, oh. He was home. It was the softest of kisses, but Dream melted into the relief of coming home. He felt like crying just from that.
Dream pulled away first, taking a step back and removing his hands from George, whose eyes widened at the sudden movement, cheeks still pink.
"I can't..." Dream took another step back, panic flooding through him. George. Again.
There were still people dancing around them, not even aware of what occurred or how drastically Dream's life just changed from a simple kiss.
Dream turned around. He had to go. That was a mistake. Him and George didn't work last time, and it broke him. He can't do it again. He won't. And he won't bring an innocent girl into the mess this time. Dream will screw it up again. He will ruin George, Lana and then himself. He won't.
"Clay." George said desperately.
Dream stopped, he waited, eyes scrunched up with his heart pounding. He always stops. He always waits. He can never ignore George, his body won't physically let him despite the amount of times he's left hanging, hoping.
There was a soft touch on his cheek, and he opened his eyes in shock, meeting George's wide and desperate brown ones.
"Don't go. Please, don't go. I'm sorry I kissed you but I'm not sorry for still wanting this, us. You." George stared into his eyes. "I know I've broken your trust and you're scared but I will fight for this, ok? Me. I will prove to you how much I need you, how much I love you, Dream. Because I still do. I never stopped. I broke your heart but you still had mine. And I will not stop until either I prove to you that I will never hurt you again, or until you tell me to go. If you tell me to, I will. I'd do anything for you."
Dream knows there were tears in his eyes matching George's own glistening ones.
"I don't know what to do." Dream admitted in a whisper.
"That's okay." George breathed out, clinging to the fact that Dream didn't immediately run away, shout at him or reject him. "We've got time, and I'm going to do things right this time. I refuse to lose you again."
Dream believed him.
•
Drista noticed Sapnap and Karl had snuck away earlier, but she chose to ignore that fact for her own sanity and innocent mind. Until of course, she found them hiding in the corner of the room. Normally, she would have gagged and averted her eyes from the likely scene she would have stumbled across. But instead, she saw Sapnap with a tiny pair of binoculars fixed on the dance floor while Karl watched as well, the both of them talking softly.
"The fuck are you two doing?" Drista said after she snuck over to them, which made Sapnap jump so high he nearly fell on landing. "Is this some weird newly-wed tradition? Spying on your guests?"
"Shush!" Sapnap waved his arms, and then reached out and tugged her closer to the giant plant they were hiding behind. "Also, language." He said. Drista just rolled her eyes at that.
"We've been scheming." Karl giggled.
"Course you have." Drista looked between them. "Let me guess. George and my brother?"
"Bingo."
"What did you do?" She asked wearily.
"Well, we both faked panicking about the wedding so they'd come comfort us. I just made Dream talk about why him and George didn't work out, why me and Karl have, and whether him and George would work now." Sapnap said. Drista raised her eyebrows.
"And? Did it work?"
"Well, to be honest, I got a bit excited about the wedding and Karl so I got distracted." Sapnap said, looking at Karl with heart eyes.
"I had a similar conversation with George. But it worked out for the better. I think he already knew he has feelings for Dream, but I made him think about the time they wasted apart." Karl grinned smugly.
Drista looked between them.
"You decided to scheme to make your friends get together at your wedding." She said in disbelief.
"This is our idea of a good time." Sapnap huffed. "I marry the love of my life and manipulate my best friends all in one day. Can't imagine anything better. Plus, now they've had the little shove they need before me and Karl fuck off on our honeymoon. If they aren't offical by the time we get back, I'm locking them in a room." Sapnap sounded dead serious.
"Why are you so desperate for them to be together? It didn't work last time." Drista honestly did love George. She did four years ago and she still does. But it is hard to forget what happened, especially when she saw how broken her big brother was. She doesn't think George would hurt him again. At least not on purpose, never on purpose. But the trust is still broken slightly. It's happened once, it could happen again. George does have a daughter now. That's a whole other variable Dream has to consider.
"They've changed a lot, George especially." Karl said, and Drista looked at him. "And they have had a miserable four years apart. They're still in love with each other, always have been. With Dream's fears and George's hesitance, nothing would happen. We just gave them a little nudge."
"And? Did it work?" Drista looked over to the dance floor, but couldn't spot them.
"Well, kind of. I clearly did well with George, he kissed Dream." Karl bragged.
"What!" Drista's eyes widened, definitely not expecting that.
"And then Dream panicked and walked away."
"Oh." She did expect that.
"But then George stopped him! And they spoke a little more!"
"Oh?" Okay, more progress than she thought.
"Then Dream walked away again. But on better terms, we think. He nodded at George." Sapnap said, looking at Karl. It was clear the two of them had been discussing theories around the final moments between the two men.
"You're both crazy."
"Who crazy?" Lana's little voice chimed in and they all looked down at her. She grinned up at all three of them.
"Uncle Sapnap." Drista supplied, and Lana nodded, solemnly. Like she knows he's a crazy man.
"Are you playing hide and seek?" She asked in a loud whisper, looking around to see who they were all hiding from. "Can I play?"
"We're not playing hide and seek." Sapnap said, but whispered loudly back.
"Is it from Daddy?" She asked, clearly not buying they aren't playing. She spun around and put her hands over her mouth. "Hey, Daddy-"
Before she could yell any more, Sapnap put a hand over her mouth and picked her up. She squealed and laughed, but Sapnap had wide eyes.
"If George looks over and sees us three hiding behind this plant he'll know instantly what's up. Disperse!" He ordered, and he walked away with a Lana tucked under his arm, while Karl went in the other direction. Drista stood at the plant for another minute, questioning everything that just happened.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N
Sorry for being late, and a shorter chapter. Been having a tough time recently. Just started some antidepressants too so just generally got a lot on.
Also it's getting more and more difficult to write for a fandom I'm not very involved in anymore, not to mention all the drama. I will finish this fic through.
Also not Dream quoting Haven in his speech oop.
If you also are looking for a new fandom to join or something fresh to read then go read Crimson Rivers on ao3 right now (you might need an account) that book changed my life and I never through I'd ship those characters but oh my god I'm obsessed with Jegulus I will be writing about them (very dnf coded). There's some more motivation to join the Marauders fandom, I will be writing fics for it :)
Love you guys, I hope I will be more regular in updating but thanks for everyone checking on me <3