Hey :)

now we're going to see the relationship between dre and gogy progress more.

maybe a sapnap centered chapter? perhaps?

this first bit, honestly, is for people who were confused by the last chapter ending, but it's important still

Also!! there will probably be only like 3 more chapters in this book :D:D:D we're coming to a close!! I'm excited, i might write another DNF book that is better and then months later unpublish this one out of embarrassment we'll see though

♤

"I'm.... confused," George said.

They were sat at a rusting metal table with matching chairs on the patio of a mexican restaurant.

"Yeah, you're not making much sense," Sapnap said.

"I said that I had like a hyper realistic nightmare," Dream said, and it only gained weird stares. "It was crazy."

"What... happened?" Sapnap asked.

"You don't even wanna know," Dream laughed under his breath and ate another chip. "My family came back. My brother? He tried to fucking stab me. It was crazy."

George glanced at Sapnap. "Why would he do that?"

"He hates me," Dream deadpanned, his mouth full of food. "He has schizophrenia, so he gets these violent outbreaks sometimes, and as teens they were always directed at me. Then my mom'd act like he's a fuckin' saint and blame me."

"That is... a lot," Sapnap said.

"Tsh. You're tellin' me," Dream laughed, and put more chips into his mouth. His leg bounced up and down.

"Are you okay?" George narrowed his eyes. "You're acting weird."

"I'm fine," Dream looked at them finally, his green eyes looked tired. "What's the last thing you guys remember?"

"Uhm...." Sapnap rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's fine-- me and Nick were talking about my girlfriend in the kitchen," George said.

"He doesn't know she's not real?" Dream gasped quietly.

"No, I know," Sapnap said. "He told me after you fell asleep yesterday."

"Wait," Dream paused.  "Yesterday?"

"...Yeah, why?"

"I'm confused now," he ran a hand through his hair. "I kicked my family out of the house a week ago."

"Mhm." George nodded.

"Yesterday, I cut my hand, and freaked out," Dream mumbled. "Then... I went to sleep... My parents came back in the nightmare, and then I woke up and it was just the next day."

"Right," Sapnap smiled.

"Dream, are you sure you're okay?" George asked.

"I'm fine... I'm just relieved," He sighed. "It feels like everything is going to be okay."

"It will be," George smiled. "I'll make sure of it."

♤

Dream had forgotten about his parents by the time 5 months passed. Nothing eventful had really happened in those months, and George was more than glad. He didn't know how much more stress he could take.

"Are you hungry?" George shook the food bowl as Cat meowed loudly from the floor. "I bet."

He set the bowl down and pet Cat's head as he ate. Patches came running in, the bell around her neck alerting George. She must've heard the food bowl. As George stood, she weaved herself in and out of his legs like she did with Dream so often.

"I guess I can feed you," George shrugged. "I hope you like kibble..."

She didn't.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to feed you," He apologized, as if Patches could understand him.

"Wet food," Dream said from behind him. "In the fridge."

George jumped, turning. "Oh."

He couldn't look Dream in the eyes very often. Maybe it was because of his huge infatuation with him, or that George was almost 100% sure Dream knew he was in love with him. Either way, it was hard not to blush out of embarrassment.

Dream knew George was avoiding him. "I'll get it.."

"Okay," George walked past him.

"I'm not going to bite," Dream glared. "You don't have to leave the room everytime I enter it."

George felt his heart skip a beat. "I- I don't."

"I'm sick of lying," He looked tired again. "I've been lied to my whole life. Can I catch a break? Please?"

George didn't answer, opting to leave the tension in the kitchen. But the sinking feeling of guilt stayed with him. He felt like a coward, and he knew Dream was upset with him. But George had enough common sense to know Dream didn't hate him. That seemed impossible at this point, after everything they'd been through together.

Dream, on the other hand, was overthinking it. He had started to think the reason George was avoiding him was because he was sick of him, or maybe because Dream was getting too comfortable with him.

His physical interactions with George, whether it be a hug or a small arm around the waist as they walked past eachother, had become frequent. Dream wanted nothing more than for George to be comfortable staying in the house, and he worried he was stopping that.

Sapnap stepped out of his room as George made it upstairs. "Hey."

"Oh, hey," George said half heartedly.

Sapnap stared at him for a moment, slouching over, a sad expression barely covered on his face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," George shrugged, but walked to Sapnap's door. He sighed suddenly. "It's just... Dream."

"What about him? Is he acting weird again?" Sapnap leaned against the door frame.

"No..."

"Did he say something to you?"

"No-"

"Did he hurt you?"

"No! Listen!" George said loudly, and then lowered his voice again, glancing at the stairs. "I-I... I don't know how to say this..."

"You like him," Sapnap smiled.

George's eyes widened slightly, and he pushed Sapnap into his room. The door shut almost silently behind him. His tone turned to a whisper. "Why would you say that!?"

"Because it's so obvious?" He laughed.

George bit his nails. "Really...?"

"So it's true," Sapnap crossed his arms.

"I don't just... like him," George looked down. "I think- I think I love him."

Sapnap smiled again, and pulled George into a hug. "I'm glad you feel the same way he does."

George pushed away. "Wait, what!?"

"Well, he hasn't told me persay," Sapnap shrugged that time. "But it's so obvious. And I was right about you."

"Don't get my hopes up like that!" George pushed him slightly. His face turned red. "But uhm... thanks... for supporting me."

"Of course," He patted his back. "So, when are you gonna confess?"

"Pfft. Funny," George scoffed.

"I'm not joking," Sapnap said.

"I'm going to die with my feelings," He looked down again. "Less embarrassing that way too."

"Don't make me intervene," He said. "I'm not going to let my two best friends get depressed because they were too pussy to share their feelings."

George huffed. "You don't have to intervene."

"You're going to do it," Sapnap stated, but it was obviously a question.

"I guess."

Sapnap smiled again. "I'm proud of you, Gogy."

"Shut up," George smiled. "You're so annoying. Literal dog water I swear-to-god."

There was a soft knock on the door. They both looked up, and then to each other, and back at the door. 

Sapnap cleared his throat. "Uhm- Yes?"

"Is George with you? He isn't- isn't in his room," Dream said through the door. 

"Yeah, he's with me," Sapnap said. 

The other side was silent, but Dream's shadow still leaked under the door. After a minute of no responses, the shadow moved towards the stairs. 

"That made it so much better," George said sarcastically. 

"What?" Sapnap threw his hands up. "What was I supposed to say?"

"I don't know! Say I went outside or something!" George argued. "You know Dream took that the wrong way- he probably thinks we're talking about him!"

"Well, I mean-"

"In a not good way, Nick," George sighed. 

Sapnap looked away. "Yeah, well, we can just go talk to him now and explain everything."

George facepalmed. "Are you serious?"

"Why's it got to be so fuckin' complicated? Just talk to him! He'll understand," Sapnap said. "The miscommunication between us will be our downfall."

George rolled his eyes. "Whatever. He'll forget about it by tomorrow. I don't want to talk to him."

"You know that's not true," Sapnap grabbed George's arm as he tried to leave. 

"Let go," George yanked out of his grip. "Why are you being so insistent?"

"Because I already know what's going to happen," He said. "Dream is going to think we don't like him or something stupid like that. Now, whether you like it or not, I'm going to express my truth, and you are going to be there."

"You're so dramatic," George said, but followed him out the door. 

Dream was in the kitchen, standing in front of the microwave with a box turned backwards in his hands. He looked up as they walked up to him.

"Uhm... hey," He said nervously. "What's...wrong?"

"I-"

"Me and Nick weren't talking about you," George blurted. "We were talking about me."

Dream looked confused. "What..?"

"When you came looking for me," George said. "And we were talking, we thought you might conclude it was about you, so we just wanted to let you know it wasn't."

Dream looked at Sapnap. He smiled awkwardly. "Yeah, we weren't."

"Oh... uh, thanks," Dream smiled. 

"Actually, we were talking about George's crush," Sapnap said.

"Nick!" George's face paled and he shoved his friend again. "Why would you say that?!"

"Crush?" Dream snickered.

"No, I-"

"He's in loooove," Sapnap grinned as George tried to hit him. 

Dream laughed again, seeming to forget about his previous worries. "Who's the lucky lady?"

George blushed and his eyes darted around the room. "Shut up..."

"Is it someone I know?" Dream leaned forward. 

"I know them," Sapnap said. 

Dream's eyes sparkled. "Tell me! who is it?"

"I'm not going to tell you," George said. 

"Why?" His eyes dimmed. "I won't tell anyone, you can trust me."

"I know I can trust you," He said. "But I just.... I can't tell you."

Sapnap sighed. "It's fine, I'll tell you later. She's really pretty."

George's heart started to calm down then, and he smiled softly at Dream. He didn't smile back, instead looking back to the box on the counter. 

"Do you guys want some... uh..." He flipped it over again. "Vegan rice?"

"Are you vegan now?" Sapnap sat on the stool across the kitchen. 

"Nah.... I just bought it," Dream said. "I wanted to try it, but now I'm just wishing I had regular rice."

George lifted himself onto the stool next to Sapnap's. He rested his head on his hands and closed his eyes. "I'm down for whatever."

The rest of the night seemed normal. There was the obvious weight in the room between George and Dream, but when was there not?  

Sapnap had ended up cutting open the plastic bag the rice was in because Dream didn't want to use the scissors. He also ended up microwaving and plating it. 

Dream stopped having such frequent nightmares about his sister, too. After his parents had finally been confronted, it seemed Dream was no longer worried about whether or not they thought he'd killed Avery. Because he knew that he hadn't. 

George watched his two friends eating, occasionally talking. As much as he knew Dream was worried about their relationship at the moment, he couldn't help but imagine everything was okay. There wasn't anything wrong, there was no tension, they were just best friends. 

But all three of them thought, in different ways, that would come to an end soon.

♤

Hey hey hey

SUPER short chapter today, i'm sorry! I wanted to get it out, haha.

Alright, well don't expect another chapter for another few days lolol I have to double down and finish this other writing project and then i'll continue working on this :]

until next time <3