The muffins burned.

In the midst of their couch situation the muffins Dream had been so intent on sharing with George had charged and sunken into a form almost unrecognizable compared to his past photos of the pastries.

At that point, though, neither person was too hungry, and decided on simply picking up lunch while they were out.

They were walking downtown, shoving each other playfully, banter once again flowing with no end in sight.

It was nice, neither one could deny. Despite the overbearing heat, both could only feel comfortably warm in each other's presence.

"If you're so good at the game, why dont you add another hunter?" George says as they turn another corner, his ears tucked into a beanie and oversized tshirt covering his tail. Even if Dream accepted him, he knew there would be no such reaction from the rest of the world for his features.

"I already told you, I have to decide who the next one is going to be!" Dream let out incredulously.

"Excuses, excuses."  George said, essentially ending the conversation. Like it always did, their words faded out into a comfortable silence, Dream slinging his arm around George's neck as they walked.

"What're you doing?" the brunette giggled out as his friend began to purposely take sloppy steps, wobbling and bringing George with him, nearly tripping the both of them.

"Oh, I don't know, I think I feel faint!" Dream said, closing his eyes, his steps becoming purposefully uneven.

"Shut up, you're fine."

"Oh, but i feel like throwing up, regurgitating absolutely everything I haven't eaten today!"

"You're being dramatic. Do you want to stop for lunch. It's getting pretty close to midday anyway." George said, pushing his friend away, still laughing loudly.

"Yeah, sure," the blonde replied almost instantly, immediately standing up straight. "What do you want to eat?"

"Sushi." The answer was sure, almost demanding, as though it was a necessity. "And milk."

Dream looked down at his friend questioningly for a brief moment, contemplating his food choices carefully before shrugging and agreeing.

"Yeah, sure. I dont see why not.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

They burst into the seafood restaurant in a fit of giggles and wild conversation.

It was a casual restaurant, full of children being equally noisy if not louder, so they didnt get too many strange stares.

They made their way to an empty table, almost collapsing with laughter and unsteady on their feet due to the breathlessness of their mirth.

They soon had to calm down, however, taking up their menus and scanning over them, their wheezes subsiding into slight chuckles as silence overtook them once more.

"So..." Dream said, breaking the quiet and attempting to ease his boredom as he had come here before and already knew what he was ordering. "Do you know what you want?"

Brown eyes met slid to the blonde, looking at him unimpressed. "Dream, I literally told you I wanted sushi and milk for lunch. That's all."

A chuckle. "Okay, then call over the waiter."

Immediately, the air went tense, George's eyes falling downward and ears visibly through the hat flattening on his head.

"Uh, do you mind doing it? I have... anxiety I guess... I dont like talking to strangers.." George said, nervously.

Dream was quick to agree, not enjoying the unease that had settled over his friend. "Yeah, sure." Soft voice, gentle tone, fond eyes. The brunette relaxed, offering an appreciative smile.

"Thanks, Dream."

Thirty minutes later, they were talking once again, quieter, but just as attentatively as before.

The two friends didn't wind up buying another couch that day, instead roaming around the outdoor shops and purchasing clothing as they saw it, picking up souvenirs they knew they'd forget about by dinner time.

They were children, living the life they couldn't live together because of an ocean they both ironically loved.

The initial surprise and surreality was wearing away, with excitement close behind to replace it in influencing their choices.

They were, once again, exhausted by the time they got home, but instead of watching a movie, they sat on the couch, talking in hushed tones with each other as they had done over call many times now.

Confidence in silence, secrets in quiet; it was all the same, but the sincerity was in more than just their tones now, more than just voices scratchy from being carried long distances to reach each other.

And in these talks, there were no hard feelings, and nothing was off limits for conversation.

Transparency, allowing themselves to be picked apart for the understanding of their questioners and the answers their lives held.

Each late night talk was different, some light hearted and trivial, but others curious and deep.

This one was one of sleep deprivation and answers.

But neither of them minded their secrets being placed on display as a gamble to see just how much the other would accept them.

And every time they awoke from one of these conversations, light from the shared information of the night prior, the boundaries that held the acceptance of their friendship seemed that much more boundless.

"You were born with your cat features?" Dream asked, sitting before his friend, his eyes wide and glued to the brown ones that peered back at him.

"Yeah, I don't really know how that works, to be honest." No hesitancy, complete honesty.

"Are there any other behavioral changes I should know about?"

"I don't know about all of them, myself. I know I need a scratching post, and I have an inclination to eat more catlike foods, but other than that, there's none I can really share with you."

"What about water? Are you fine with that, or do you hate it?"

The disgust on the brunette's face was enough of an answer, and enough to make Dream let out a chuckle.

"Alright then," he said, falling silent, nothing more in his brain pressing to be said. It was George's turn.

And the brunette had only one thing on his mind, only one worry since he had come to meet his best friend.

"You accept me for... all of this, right?"

Validation... something held in the formation of a few simple words, yet craved by every human on the planet.

It was a simple thing to give, but not given enough. It was so easy to give, but that didn't mean it wasn't made hard to receive or earn.

But with Dream, it was.

With Dream, there was nothing that was to difficult to give, whether that was money or shelter, the blonde was willing to provide anything.

A few simple words were easy to leave his tongue as he pulled his friend into a hug before they both left for sleep.

"Always, Georgie."

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