The Heart of the Ocean (DNB)

The Men in Third-Class

More sports this chapter! (similar to last chapter but I understand the sport better)

I had to learn cricket for this and I do not regret it.

TW/CW: classism (I guess but not really) and non-explicit descriptions of gore

*******************************************

Dawson:

⠀⠀⠀The day before had been very taxing on Dream's muscles. Dream hadn't seriously played tennis like that in at least three years. Dream sat up on his bed with a groan. The bed itself was one of the most comfortable beds Dream had ever slept on, but his back hurt like a bitch anyway.

⠀⠀⠀"You sound like a horse, Dream." Ranboo said from the stool in front of the window. Sapnap snickered from above.

⠀⠀⠀"Shut up." Dream groaned as he positioned his legs so they hung off the bed while he scratched his head sleepily, "That's the price of being good at tennis."

⠀⠀⠀"Becoming a horse?" Sapnap teased.

⠀⠀⠀"No, having a sore back." Dream replied. Sapnap and Ranboo giggled.

⠀⠀⠀"How's the nose, by the way?" Sap asked as he descended his ladder and shuffled through his suitcase for clothes.

⠀⠀⠀Suddenly, Dream gained a migraine that was centered around his nose. Even if the pressure was actually non-existent, it felt like if he just punctured a hole in his face, the pressure would seep out, "Fine, until you said something." Dream grumbled. Ranboo was sitting in the corner on his stool reading 'Villette' by Charlotte Brontë, a different book than he had been previously reading recently.

⠀⠀⠀"Oops." Sap deadpanned from beside him.

⠀⠀⠀The Slovak was absent from his bed, like he usually was in the mornings. Dream looked over to the mirror above his pillow and found that the bruise was significantly smaller and healed than the first day, more yellow than harsh purple and blue.

⠀⠀⠀"Hopefully there'll be marmalade at breakfast today." Ranboo grumbled as he buttoned up his shirt properly.

⠀⠀⠀"Of course there will be." Dream replied as he pulled off his sleeping shirt.

⠀⠀⠀Ranboo averted his eyes to give the adults some privacy, "There hasn't been the past few days, so I'm hoping there will be today."

⠀⠀⠀Dream and Sap exchanged confused glances, "There's been marmalade every day." Sap explained.

⠀⠀⠀"What?!" Ranboo abruptly turned around as Sap was fixing his hair and Dream was doing up his belt and securing his suspenders. The adults laughed.

⠀⠀⠀Dream's headache hadn't subsided yet and it was starting to piss him off. Just like every other day on the boat, he got judging looks from other passengers because of his injury, muttering 'thug' and other demeaning things. Dream brushed it off in favour of grabbing a bowl of oatmeal. As Dream, Sapnap and Ranboo found three empty chairs beside each other, they sat down and began eating, Dream making sure to pass the marmalade over to Ranboo. Ranboo eyed the orange jelly-like substance like it was a precious jewel. He ended up using his spoon to pick some up and dump it on his toast.

⠀⠀⠀While blowing on his hot oatmeal, Dream caught Ranboo trying to take a bite of his toast as most of the marmalade slid off and into his napkin-covered lap and chuckled, his blowing stuttering with his laughs. Ranboo frowned and licked up the sweet substance from the napkin.

⠀⠀⠀"Whaddya wanna do today, Dreamie-boy?" Sapnap asked as he took a bite of smoked herring.

⠀⠀⠀"I was hoping to catch Dee at some point, but I'm not sure how likely that is." Dream frowned as he downed another spoon of his meal.