Breakable

Understanding

Dream was tired. He was tired a lot of the time, between nights holding 3 hours of sleep or midday naps after streams that never managed to satiate him. But today, he was especially tired. He was trying to sound normal, as he tried to speed run Minecraft while George tried to kill him as various mobs for a second time. He thought he was doing a pretty good job of it, until George asked him what was wrong.

"I'm fine, just tired." Dream said, putting his pearls into the end portal frame.

"The better for me to explode you with!" George exclaimed, jumping out at Dream as a creeper who had been lurking around a wall. Dream heard the hiss, and George exploded him into the lava. He scrambled furiously with his keyboard to try and get to his water bucket, but it was too late. He was dead. 

"FUCK!" Dream yelled, his desk taking the full force of his fist. His hand ached, but it was almost invigorating. He didn't want to go to sleep. 

"I got you, Dream." George said with a smirk.

"You got lucky, George." Dream retorted.

"I still got you, Dream. Didn't I, chat?" Dream can hear  George smirking as he glances at the wall of text. 

"Chat says I got you fair and square." George says in a sing-song voice. Dream wants to say something funny, but he can't think of anything. His brain is cloudy, syrupy. So he just leans back in his chair and sighs. 

They both say their farewells and end the stream, and Dream is about to turn off his computer when he gets a DM from George.

What's wrong, Dream?  Shit. George knows him too well.

Like I said before, just tired. Dream replies, feigning ignorance. 

I've seen you tired, Clay. That was not it. Dream unsure how to act at the use of his real name, it feels almost wrong on the screen. He doesn't like when people use his real name. It reminds him that he has a life beyond the screen that he's trying desperately to ignore. 

Do you have cameras in my bedroom, Georgie? I'm shocked! Dream types back, trying to change the subject.

Maybe I do ; )  Dream's screen lit up with the notification, and he can't help but imagine what would happen if George did have cameras, if George knew all the things that went on in this house just a few nights prior. Dream needed to get out. Away from his parents, away from Drista, away from Florida. He wanted other things, too, but he wasn't ready to acknowledge that yet. 

You know how I said that I might want to do a face reveal video with you? Dream said, heart racing.

Yeah? George wrote back, evidently confused.

Well I was thinking I could come to Brighton. You know, beat the summer heat with a vacation and all. Dream finally said, deleting his message a couple times before finally pressing send.

Wait srsly?!!! Dream chuckled halfheartedly at George's surprise. He remembered that George still hadn't seen his face yet, and a pang of guilt struck him. He couldn't have done any of it without George. 

Yh, should I get tickets? When ru free to meet up?

What abt like June 5th? I'm pretty much free anytime. Dream's heart was pounding in his chest. That was two weeks. Two weeks, and George would see his face. His real face.

Consider it done. Should I book a hotel? What ones are close to u? Dream asked, both excited and terrified at the prospect of real-life interaction with his best friend.

No need, you can just stay at my place. Got plenty of room in my bed Dreamy ;) Dream rolled his eyes at George's message, but couldn't help noticing that his heart beat a tiny bit  faster at the prospect of staying with George. 

How long am I staying ? ; ) Dream replied, pulling up flights on his laptop. 

Idk however long u feel like. I'm free all summer tbh. George replied. If he was being honest, Dream would make the flight one-way. He was done with Florida, done with family, done with this house. The one thing he wasn't completely done with was Patches, who was curled up on the desk next to him, purring gently. She was 90% of all his physical interaction with the world in the past 6 months. Maybe with George, that would change. He could be a more social person, if he just had someone to make him do it with in the first place.

Ok I'm booking tickets rn ru sure? Dream's heart hammered in his ears, his foot tapped restlessly under the table. 

Yh go for it! Dream clicked buy, full well knowing this was hasty and reckless. You only live once, right? Three weeks. He'd have three weeks in Brighton to spend with George. He wasn't sure if he was completely ready, especially to see anyone else. But he bought the tickets. It was done, and there was no going back.

It is done. 

I'll get cleaning lol

I'm gonna go to bed now so ttyl ig

Ok bye!

Bye . Dream typed out this last word and then crawled into bed, exhilirated, staring at the ceiling and thinking up a storm. What would George's reaction be? How could he wait? Was he prepared? Would this end in disaster? What if George hated him irl? And then he thought of George, and how George always seemed to make things turn out ok, and he relaxed. And after a couple hours of ceiling-staring and overthought scenarios he fell asleep, finally excited for the next morning.