Day: 11
Life Count: 160
Dream:
He almost fell off a cliff.
He almost was caught by his psychopathic hunter.
He had an insightful conversation with his enemy.
He was caught by his best friend while almost walking off the edge of a waterfall.
What a day.
George pulled him back onto firm ground and Dream stumbled backwards, his hands brushing against the stone for support. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind, his head spinning as he fell back against the rock wall. George had his eyes averted the entire time, and Dream reached up to his face as he remembered he didn't have his mask on.
"Hold on." Dream mumbled, then ran inside his cave, tying the porcelain circle back over his head. "Okay, you can look now."
George slowly walked inside the cave and looked up to stare at Dream's mask, as if he was trying to imagine the face behind it. The shorter man gently strode up to the blond boy so that he was right in front of him, tilting his head slightly to look up at Dream.
"Hey." Dream murmured, feeling his face flush red at the proximity, awkwardly reaching up to run his hand through his matted hair. "Um, thanks?"
"Are you blushing?" George, pointing to the sliver of Dream's face that was uncovered and was bright red. "You look like your blushing."
"N-no, I'm not." Dream looked away from the smugly smirking brown haired man in front of him. "I'm not."
"Mmkay." George just shrugged and wrapped his arms around Dream's waist, hugging him and making him let out a small 'oh' in surprise. "You were."
"Was not." Dream grumbled as he rested his head on top of George's hair, his breaths ruffling the dark strands. "I don't blush."
George pulled away, his eyebrow raised, looking completely unconvinced. Dream sighed and sat down on his cot, throwing off his wet hoodie and shivering as his cold skin met the frigid air. Water was still running down his back from his soaked hair, and he growled every time a droplet slid between his shoulder blades, making his whole body go cold. He unconsciously started unwrapping the bandage around his arm, wincing every time he pulled a sliver of his own skin away.
"Here, let me help." George walked over and sat down next to Dream, gently batting his hands away. "You always end up just hurting yourself more whenever you try."
"You're not going to stop unless I give in, right?" Dream grumbled, and George just nodded with a grin on his face. "Fine then, whatever."
George deftly unwrapped the bandage from Dream's shoulder, wincing and looking extremely guilty when the blond boy hissed in pain. His fingers were healing, looking less like a crushed mess and more like a hand, and the cuts on his knuckles and palms had scabbed over. George took in a breath and looked up at Dream, worry in his eyes as he saw the infected wound on the blond man's shoulder.
"Dream, why didn't you tell me it was this bad?" George could almost feel the heat radiating from the blond man's skin, the infected cut still inflamed and swollen.
"Because I knew you would react like this." Dream gave a small cough and George glanced up at him, worried. "See, your already overreacting. I'm all right."
"That's what you said the last times when you were dying, Dream." George pointed out as he took out a small jar of salve from his sweatshirt pocket. "Bad gave this to me and told me it was for you. I heard you guys are okay now, you, Bad and Skeppy. I know what you did for them. They owe you their lives. You can come back now."
"Well... I am happy they didn't drown." Dream shrugged, his hiss of pain as he moved his shoulder echoing around the cave. "But I'm not going to go back."
"Why not? Everyone follows Bad and Skeppy's word, they will realize your not the threat they once thought you were." George peered up at Dream's mask, confusion written all over his handsome face. "Me and Sapnap are there, we miss you. I just want you to come back."
"I'm sorry, George, but I can't." Dream looked away as sadness clouded George's amber eyes. "I'm putting so many people I care about in danger if I go back. I have a psychopath who hates me, and wants to end my life, and the lives of the people I love. He wants to kill my friends, torture them, make them live in eternal agony. If I go back, everyone is going to die. Sapnap would die, Bad would die, Skeppy would die. George, you would die, and I can't have that happening."
"But if you come back, we could work out a way for everyone to get out, alive, together." George gently grasped Dream's hand in his own. "We could get everyone to fight against Wilbur because I don't think there's anyone actually on his side, well, maybe Niki. I bet a lot of people at his camp don't agree with him, I heard Tubbo and Jack Manifold don't, we could get them, maybe Tommy and Phill too. Hell, we could even get, Technoblade!"
Dream was silent, looking down at his hands, a crack of lightning outside illuminating the bloody cloth in his hands. The roll of thunder almost masking the sound of a voice screaming through the night, the way they're shriek of pain still echoed in Dream's ears. The next lightning bolt lighting up the golden brown eyes in the dark, so full of death-wishing agony that it made Dream's heart hurt. The splatters of blood on the broken branches, the red stained tree trunk, the burgundy soaked earth, lifeblood of the Blood God dripping from the heather.
"Dream, what's wrong?" George asked, trying to meet the blond man's eyes, but he kept his face averted. "Tell me."
"I think Techno's dead."
There was a pause.
"What?" George looked shocked as he let go of Dream's hand and wrapped his arms around himself. "How- who- what... what happened?"
"Wilbur was hurting him, torturing him, his own brother, George!" Dream pressed his face into his hands, gripping his blond hair tightly. "I heard him scream from the forest, he sounded like he was in so much pain, so I ran there, but when I arrived, they were gone."
"How... how do you know?" George asked tentatively.
"There was blood everywhere, on the ground, on the trees, and it was just too much. I saw him too." Dream's voice shook slightly as he stared towards the waterfall, the aqua shimmering on his mask. "He looked like he was begging for death. His mask was gone, I could see his face, and he could probably see mine too. He was so gone, blood was running down his forehead, into his eyes, all down his body. There were scars too, on the parts of his skin where the fabric had ripped away."
Dream saw them, all the precise cuts made by a long knife, layered up over the years, covered by fabric and lies. He saw Techno's face, his fine features so agonized, his long pink hair matted with blood, his stunning golden eyes so dead, the light fading. Even with blood running down his face and body, Dream had to admit, Technoblade was very handsome. The pink haired boy had always been his equal, his rival, and now, with him gone, there was something missing.
It felt different.
"Phil met me there, in the clearing. He wasn't looking for a fight, he just wanted to talk. He asked about Wilbur, and my past... experiences with him." Dream fidgeted, twisting his hands in his lap as he shifted slightly, letting George re-wrap his bandages. "He was worried about Tommy and Techno, and I could understand why. When I saw Techno, he looked so..."
Dream trailed off, his hands running agitatedly through his hair as George finished bandaging his shoulder. The brown haired man glanced over at the masked man, concern flashing in his gaze as he looked over, Dream's fast breathing echoing through the room.
"I know your looking at me funny." Dream huffed and flopped back onto the cot, growling softly under his breath. "Spit it out."
"I'm worried. Aren't I allowed to be worried about you?" George glanced back at his hands, biting his lip slightly. "You're my friend. I'm scared for you."
Dream looked away slightly, his hands shaking as he reached up and rubbed his shoulder. He got up, standing up so fast that white spots danced in front of his eyes, instinctively pacing the room. His feet echoed through the cave, the aqua light falling on his mask and reflecting against the stone. He was twisting his white shirt between his fingers, an open cut on his hand turning the fabric red.
"Dream, what's going on?" George's eyes followed the blond man as he paced the room, the white shirt gradually turning redder and redder. "You need to talk to me."
"I'm going to go to Wilbur's camp."
"WHAT?"
"George, don't you get it? The only thing standing between Wilbur and Tommy was Techno!" Dream's voice started to rase, blood running down his hand, staining his hair as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Techno is gone, Phil can't do anything about it, Tubbo would get killed the instant he tried to step in, leaving Wilbur's path completely clear! I need to do something!"
"You'd die!" George felt his own speech start to raise in tone as he glanced over at the blond boy. "He would murder you as easily as breathing right now! You need to heal!"
"And let Tommy just..." Dream trailed off, his lips forming a decisive line as he turned and grabbed his sword, slinging it around his waist. "Hell, why am I even waiting for your permission, George. I'm going."
"No, you're not! You are going to DIE, Dream!" George stood up and walked to the entrance, crossing his arms, challenging the blond man. "I won't let you."
"Why do you have to make it so difficult!" Dream growled, turning his hair even darker red as he ran his hands through it again. "I'm going to do something I should have done from the beginning. I'm killing Wilbur. I'm ending this."
"NO." George shouted, angry tears forming in his amber eyes. "You will die if you try! Can't you hear what I'm trying to say, Dream. I DON'T WANT YOU TO DIE!"
"George," Dream started, his voice filled with barely contained anger and impatience. "He is hurting a child. He killed Technoblade, his own brother. He's killed so many people, real living beings who had a family or someone for them to go back to. He's murdered kids without a second thought of if they had someone they cared about and were fighting for. He's a psychopath. HE NEEDS TO DIE! I DON'T CARE IF I DIE WITH HIM!"
"I CARE IF YOU DIE!" George yelled, stepping closer to Dream, the angry tears spilling over onto his face, his mouth twisted into a snarl. "DON'T YOU EVEN CARE ABOUT ME?"
"George..." Dream's voice broke as he stopped fidgeting with his hands, letting the blood run down his knuckles. "I..."
"If you want to go throw away your life and completely ruin me, than go ahead." George pointed to the open entrance to the cave, the little rumbles of thunder still echoing from outside. "I won't stop you."
Dream looked at a loss, his hands shaking as he clasped them together, his lips pressed together. George had his eyes on the floor beneath him, watching as his tears fell from his chin, hitting the stone with a soft plink. He didn't dare look up as he waited for his friend to choose, but George knew what was going to happen.
Dream was going to kill Wilbur.
The masked man was too loyal, too selfless, willing to put his own life on the line for the sake of others. Techno's death must have hit him hard, and George knew he had a soft spot for Tommy and Tubbo. He couldn't think of Dream leaving him, especially this soon in the game, especially right after George had finally figured out his feelings for the blond boy. He mentally prepared himself for the words Dream would say to him as George watched his best friend and only love walk to his death.
But he didn't prepare himself for this.
Dream's strong arms wrapping around him.
Dream's breath ruffling his hair.
Dream's heartbeat as he pulling George closer to his chest.
Dream's shaky whispering 'I'm so sorry' into George's neck.
Dream's tears and blood soaking the blue fabric as he clutched the shorter man's shirt.
Dream's hands trembling as he ran his fingers through George's hair.
Dream's sliver of exposed jawline turning a light red as he blushed slightly.
Dream's blond hair falling all across his face as he pulled back.
Dream's tears still tracing his jaw and chin as they fell.
"I'm sorry, George."
George looked up at the blond man, their faces inches apart as he stared into the white mask. Carefully, gently, he reached up for the string that tied the porcelain circle to Dream's face, hiding him. Dream didn't move an inch as George untied the mask, hesitating as Dream took in a shuddering breath.
"Can... can I take off your mask?" George whispered, feeling Dream's whole body tense. "I don't have to if you don't want me to-"
"No. I trust you." George could hear the smile in Dream's voice as the tall man reached up and ran a bloody hand through the shorter boy's hair. "Your my best friend, George. I care about you."
"Okay..."
George took in a breath and untied the white mask from Dream's face, letting the porcelain circle fall away. He could feel Dream's breath ruffle his hair, unobscured by the mask, his light laugh echoing around the cave. He could hear the clatter of the mask as it fell to the floor, the smiley-face staring up at nothing. He tilted his head to look up, to see his best friend's face for the first time ever, mentally preparing for anything.
His heart stopped.
His mouth went dry.
His pulse sped up.
His mind raced.
"George? You okay?"
No, he wasn't.
His eyes traced over Dream's sharp jawline, tear tracks still etched down his cheekbones, the little droplets long gone. A small smile adorned his full lips as George gaped at him, Dream's eyes, god his eyes, like a spark of green fire, gleaming with happiness. His blond hair fell over his slightly raised angular eyebrows and fell into his beautiful eyes. The small splash of freckles were illuminated by his tanned skin, making all the white scars across his face stand out.
"Not what you were expecting, was it?" Even Dream's voice was different, deeper, and richer than it had been with the mask on.
"N-no, it wasn't..." George muttered, feeling his face flame a bright red as he studied Dream's handsome face. "Not at all..."
"Aww, you're blushing, George." Dream laughed as the brown haired man's face got even redder. "Am I too pretty for you, Georgie?"
"Dream!" George grumbled, trying to shield his face with his hands, but the blond haired man reached up and pulled them away. "I don't blush..."
"Liar." Dream smirked as he glanced down at their intertwined hands, George's bright red face betraying his own words.
"What do you want me to say, Dream..." George caught the green man's gaze, raising his eyebrow slightly. "You want me to say you're pretty, fine. You're pretty."
This time it was Dream's turn to blush, his green eyes sliding away from George's gaze, each freckle outlined in a light red. He just reached up and ruffled his hair, something that George had grown to associate with Dream's embarrassment or stress. The brown haired man laughed as tall man just sat down on the cot again. George followed him, gently intertwining his hand with Dream, leaning back against the stone wall.
"I made you blush. Don't lie." George grinned as he rested his head on Dream's shoulder, and the blond boy reached over, putting his arm over the shorter man's shoulder, and pulling him close.
"Fine, I blush... sometimes." Dream sighed as he lay down and started to close his eyes. "I might go to sleep. It's been a... complicated night."
"Yeah, I know what you mean." George made a move to get up, but Dream gripped his hand tighter, his eyes slightly pleading.
"C-can you stay? Just for one night?" Dream asked, his voice hesitant as he laid his head down. "It'd help me sleep. Maybe stop the nightmares for once. But I understand if you have to go..."
"Sure, Dream." George rolled his eyes and buried his head back in Dream's chest, glancing up one last time at his half shut green eyes. "You have pretty eyes."
"Are you just trying to make me blush again, Georgie?" Dream mumbled sleepily as he wrapped his arms tighter around the brown haired man. "It's not going to work."
"Hm, I'm just telling the truth." George felt Dream rest his chin on his head, his rhythmic breaths soothing the brown haired man. "Goodnight Dream..."
George felt his eyes starting close as sleep started to take over, darkness pressing in on him from all sides. He felt Dream brush a hand over George's hair, pressing a light kiss on the shorter man's forehead, pulling away slightly. He heard the blond man whisper something as the dark took over George's consciousness, something that sent panic through his heart, but he was already asleep.
"I'm sorry."
~
Dream waited until soft snores came from the boy sleeping beside him before he got up from the cot. He gently unwrapped George's arms from around his waist and looked down at his peaceful face. His lips were slightly parted, little huffs of breath escaping as he snored gently, ruffling his mahogany hair. Dream smiled, a small tear running down his face as he ran his thumb under his eye, catching the shimmery droplet on his finger and watching it fall to the ground.
"George..." He leaned in and kissed the brown haired boy's forehead, his eyes filled with affection and tears. "I have to do this. For you, for them, for everyone. I just want you to know that I-I'm so, so s-sorry, Georgie."
His voice was shaking as he slowly backed away, his hands trembling as he picked up his mask and sword from the floor. He had to do this, for George, who would die he didn't go through with what he had in mind. It would result in his own end, yes, but the person he loved would live, and that's all that mattered now. He could hardly see from the tears blurring his vision as he tied his mask around his head again. The mask felt different now, less like a shield, more like another wall that he had to climb, less friendly. He remembered George's slim hands reaching up to untie the mask, his eyes meeting Dream's for the first time.
He did it all for George.
He lived for him, spent every breath for him, and now, he would die for him, so he could live. He could imagine George's face right now, when he found out Dream had been lying to him, the heartbreak and pain. He looked back at his best friend's face one last time, smiling through his tears and the shattering of his heart.
He really loved George, and he had to do this.
"Everything for you."
Dream heard the echoes of his own words, bouncing off the stone walls, ringing inside his mind, haunting him. He stood at the entrance, the waterfall sending little bits of cerulean light off his mask as he looked back one last time. His words rung through the air as he turned around, towards his death, the sun rising on his last day.
All for George.
"I love you..."