Dream and Punz were loading up horses, both quiet as they worked and neither daring to speak. They were actually leaving, he still couldn’t believe that he had agreed to leave in the first place. He always thought of it, leaving the server and letting it crumble and fall to pieces behind him. Leave for something that he himself didn’t know what for, maybe a second chance at a normal and peaceful life.

Yet, he never went through with his make-believe worlds though, where he ran away and made a new life with new people and he had that second chance to have an actual good future. Once George had been in the picture, now in his place stood Punz. 

Punz, who would never dare leave his side. 

Punz, who Dream grew to love. 

It was weird to think he now felt that way towards the mercenary, in the beginning, the man had been as distant, blunt, and emotionless as one could get. He had known from the moment he had met the handsome mercenary that he would be someone important to him, someone, he wouldn’t want to lose. As they two spent time together, he grew to care for the other in ways he thought he only could for one other person. 

But, that person had distanced himself, and now Dream doesn’t know where he could be. Maybe that was for the best because he wasn’t sure he could handle seeing the look on his face as he gazed at what he had become. He’d be leaving anyways, leaving the place he had once tried to save only to get swallowed whole, being consumed by the chaos that surrounded him.

He paid for that, and he refused to let that happen to himself again. The server would be fine without him anyways, it has been while he was locked away in Pandora’s vault. It thrived, less chaos and destruction swarming the people that inhabited it. He would leave with a clear conscience, and with the one person he still had at his side. 

Dream looked over towards Punz who in return gazed at him, an almost soft fond expression on their face as they smiled at the admin. “Ready to go?” They had wasted no time in packing once they made their decision, packing everything and anything they could fit into their inventories and ender chests, even packing some of their things on the horses as well. To say they were ready was an understatement, and Dream couldn’t help the laugh that left his throat. It was one of the first real ones he had heard himself produce since he left prison, and something he could tell the blond had missed. 

“Yeah, let’s go.” mounting the horses the two made quick work of leaving their hidden base, heading for unknown lands and hopefully a new home. Dream was nervous, as one is when leaving the only home you had ever known. It was a home that he had made, one he had hoped to keep. But now he was leaving it to self-destruct, when and how Dream doesn’t know, but eventually the place he called Dream SMP would destroy itself. Punz looked at Dream, a playful smirk on their face before nudging their horse to go fast, indicating the blond wanted to race. Dream’s expression turned gleeful at the challenge, himself speeding up to hopefully beat the other. 

So what if eventually, the server would fall apart? He didn’t care anymore, it wasn’t his problem anymore. He had new chances to try and grab, he had someone that was there for him. He had Punz. 

Five days Later. . .

The fire crackled slowly, the chilly night air being chased off by the flames. Their small camp was quiet, the two horses sleeping already sleeping to be ready for the morning journey. Dream sat near the fire, green eyes watching the flames as he listened to Punz move around the camp. It hadn’t been too long since they had left the main SMP, and the farther they traveled the safer the two felt. None of them knew they had left, and none of them would hopefully know for a few more days. A few more days and Dream wouldn’t worry too much about someone catching up to them and forcing the two companions to come back to the SMP. If they did they’d know by now that Punz was working with him, and he’d be doomed to a prison cell just as Dream would be. 

Dream didn’t want that. The blond finally sat down next to the white-haired man, a sigh of relief leaving their lips. A plate of food was handed to him, a slab of steak and some cut-up carrots. It was one of the recurring meals the two have. Not that Dream was complaining. He’s survived on way less and more bland meals than this, and so he ate it without any mention that they had the same thing the last night as well.

The two were in a forest, monsters lurking around in the shadows and the trees loomed over them shielding the stars from their eyes. It was the same scene they’d been observing since the beginning of their trek, especially when they left the trails. Dream was afraid that they’d be found if they stayed on the trails, so they left them in the hope for them to be safer. 

“What do you hope we find at the end of this journey, Dream?” Punz looked over towards them, grey eyes shining with a curious gaze. The man in question looked over, contemplating for a moment before saying anything. 

“A home.” Punz raised a brow. “Well- somewhere to call home. One that never has to face war or-or uh, one that we never have to leave.” Dream smiles. “One that we can stay at and make new friends at, one that we can help build and cherish until our deaths.” His voice got smaller as he spoke, eyes almost growing distant. “Maybe a cabin? A nice cabin, one that isn’t too big but also not so small it’s just a bedroom and a kitchen like Technoblade’s.” Dream laughed, looking towards Punz to see the fond smile they held. They looked at him as if they were their world, and Dream loved it. He was happy that it was dark out, on a fire lighting their area because he was sure his cheeks are dusted pink. “Maybe a garden and a small barn to keep some horses and cows in, and a chicken pen for some chickens. A simple life.” Dream paused. “I want a simple life.” His voice was soft, as if he could see it now. Only, it wasn’t just him, it was Punz too, he and Punz and this cabin that they built with their own hands, together. His smile grew a bit bigger at the thought. 

“That sounds amazing.” Punz said, taking a bite of his carrot. Dream tilted his head at the other. 

“What about you?” The blond had paused, the man obviously thinking before he said anything. Finally, he turned towards Dream with a soft smile on his face. 

“I just want to be there for you.” Dream playfully rolled his eyes. 

“No, I mean what do you want at the end of this journey.” Punz stayed quiet, gray eyes looking into Dream’s own. 

“But I meant it. I want to stay by your side.” Both were quiet, Dream’s cheeks only getting brighter. “As long as I have you there with me, it doesn’t matter where I end up. Because I’ll be happy either way.” If Dream hadn’t known any better than he would have thought in some way, Punz was trying to insinuate he loved Dream. A part of him hoped that he was right. Dream didn’t mention it, because if he was wrong he didn’t want to go through how many awkward days and nights until they fell back into their usual. Dream doesn’t think he could handle the rejection anyways. Dream scooted closer to Punz, who in return wrapped their arm around the man’s shoulders. 

“Then I won’t leave your side either, and we’ll stick together to the end. And at the end of this journey, wherever we end up, we won’t ever part ways.” 

“And we won’t stop until we find this perfect peaceful place you speak of either, and then we’ll make a cabin all our own.” Our cabin. Dream smiled looking into the flames as the man hugged him closer. 

“It never will truly end though, you know that right?” Green eyes looked up into gray. “Because even after we find this perfect place, every day will be an adventure, a new chance at something new. We’ll never truly end this journey. If anything, it’s only just beginning.” Punz chuckled at Dream’s words, the white-haired man burying his face into his chest as he leaned closer to the mercenary. Yes, the journey has only begun, that’s what they had decided on. 

Two Weeks Later. . . 

It was raining when they entered a quite large village, the sun setting and the area around them peaceful as villagers rushed to get home before dark or to shelter to get away from the pouring rain. It was the first village that they had come across, and they both were relieved by it too. By now they were far from the SMP, meaning if any of the members managed to find them they were actively searching.

Even knowing this though, Dream couldn’t help the anxiety and fear that one day they could be found and dragged back to the horrid SMP they had barely managed to escape. So now with them being so far away, the two have finally decided to start using the roads and safer trails to get around, mostly from Punz’s convincing words as Dream was still hesitant about it. 

“I think we should stay here for the night.” Punz says, looking tired from the long journey. Dream could see that even though a hood was pulled over his head to shield him from the offending rain. Dream wore the same cloak, hood pulled over his own head in an attempt to stay warm and dry. They haven’t stopped moving since this morning, even as the rain began, and neither of them even eating since then either. Dream nodded, unmounting his horse as he grabbed the reigns to walk on the puddle-filled streets.

Punz did the same, the two finding a public stable to hold them in for the night. Twenty gold later they were looking for a hotel to sleep in for the night. Dream was leaning against Punz as they walked, his eyes droopy and threatening to close as he did so. Punz only chuckled not pushing the other off like the white-haired man was afraid he may have done. “Maybe it’s a good thing I suggested staying here for the night.” 

“No, I could have kept going if we had decided not to.” 

“Really? You look like you’re gonna drop and pass out right now.” The blond was laughing as he spoke, wrapping his arm around the other’s waist tightly. It made Dream’s face turn a shade darker. Dream was grateful that he had a cloaked hood on, he was sure it would be visible to Punz if he didn’t have it up. He didn’t shove the other off of him, if anything he leaned into Punz more.

Finally, after a bit more walking in the cooling rain, they stumbled apon the hotel they have been looking for. The two walked in and took their hoods off, parting from one another as Punz neared the front desk. Dream was too tired to listen to any of the conversations that the blond was having with the other, but he did recognize the fact he handed the money over to the other. Punz turned around and saw the state that Dream was in, chuckling lightly again as they grabbed for the white-haired man's hand. Dream didn’t protest. 

They made their way up a flight of stairs before going down a small hallway, stopping at the second one and opening it. Dream stumbled his way in, eyes droopy and movements slow. He definitely needed to lay down and let sleep take hold of him. The room, from what Dream could register about it at that moment, was simple. It had a bed and a lamp, a chair in the corner, and a small bookshelf as well. One of the walls had a picture too, a cabin in the woods, yet somehow was colorful.

Dream flopped down onto the bed, his eyes already closing before Punz made their presence known. They took Dream's cloak off, setting it somewhere in the room, and then his shoes, and before he knew it he was being hauled farther up the bed. The man only groaned in protest as Punz tried to move him under the quilted sheets, the man swatting the other away as Punz lightly chuckled. It didn’t take long for Dream to finally get under the covers, watching as Punz rounded the bed and got in on the other side. Dream turned around, lazy green eyes staring into Punz’s own gray. 

The man was smiling as he layed down, pulling him into his chest as his eyes closed. “Get some sleep, you obviously need it.” Dream only grumbled, trying to say he didn’t and could keep going, but fell asleep before he could finish his confusing sentence. But he hoped and wished that he could have more nights like these, where he falls asleep in Punz's arms in blissful peace. Hopefully this wish and dream comes true, just like all the other ones he has for his future.