Otherside

Chapter 18: Stars

"What's going on?" Dream questioned George sleepily as he led him into the hallway.

"I wanna show you something, and I couldn't sleep," George responded as he took Dream's hand and began leading him down the dim corridor.

    Dream chuckled at the other man's late-night shenanigans but didn't protest to be woken up. "If you couldn't sleep you could've just come and laid down with me," Dream said, wiggling his eyebrows jokingly, though George knew he wasn't technically lying. His presence was secretly always welcomed next to Dream. "You're such an idiot," George said rolling his eyes and Dream stifled a laugh under his free hand. George squeezed the other a little tighter and despite the late hours and the cold floors, George felt warm. They walked a little further in comfortable silence until they reached a long flight of stairs that led to a different tower than the one they were in previously. "Right up these stairs," George said and Dream groaned, eyeing the large number of steps. "Are you just going to lead me up here to kill me?" George made a sarcastic face at him. "Please, if I wanted to kill you I would've done it by now, besides, I thought we had moved past hating each other." They began up the stairs and George smiled fondly at him thinking of the past they shared. "Hey, we may be past hating each other, but that doesn't mean I couldn't take you on." George huffed and raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh really? Because I seemed to recall beating you in our duel not too long ago." It was too dark to tell, but George thought he saw Dream's face go a little red. "Whatever..." He chuckled and continued up the stairs behind George. "That seemed to shut him up," George thought smugly.

    The two had reached a door at the top of the stairs and George turned to face Dream. "Ok I need you to turn around and face away from the door so I can do some things to set it up ok? And no peeking." He spoke firmly. Dream turned around hesitantly. "So this is the time you kill me then?" He teased. "It might be if you peak," George shrugged nonchalantly and opened the door just wide enough to slip through in case Dream really did have eyes in the back of his head. George rushed to close the door and began opening curtains and flipping switches.

    Once he was sure everything was ready he opened the door a crack again to retrieve Dream. He was pleasantly surprised to find him still faced away from the door. "Ok it's ready, you're gonna love it," George said and hoped it was true. "I better, you had me waiting out here forever, I'm on the edge of my seat Georgie." There was that nickname again. He wouldn't admit how much he liked it but he had a feeling Dream already knew. George opened the door and pressed his body against the back of Dream so he could cover his eyes with his hands. "Because I don't trust you not to peek," George said when he felt Dream smile against his palms. "Mhm, sure," Dream replied sarcastically. Once again George was glad Dream couldn't see his face. George led a blind Dream into the middle of the room. "Ready? One, two, three!" and he let his hands fall.

    Dream opened his eyes and gasped in awe at the room he was in. A gorgeous observatory with a large glass dome above them to showcase thousands of stars. The large glass dome with black panes looked as if it blended right into the sky and there was no glass separating them from space. Walls covered with charts and a telescope for looking at all the consolations. It was breathtaking at the sheer amount of glowing orbs dancing over their heads. The moonlight poured into the room and made their skin look silver and milky. It was nothing short of magic.

    "So? What do you think?" George asked, turning to the other man. "What do I think? George this is amazing, I can't believe you've never told me about this place. "I can't either, it was my favorite place to hide out growing up. Come on, let me show you this." George walked to the wall and flipped another switch. As he did, half of the glass dome opened up to reveal the natural sky above them. Dream looked like an awestruck kid and it made George's chest swell. He made his way to the old telescope and opened the cap. "May I? Dream asked, gesturing to the eyepiece. "Sure, let me show you," George said and he came up behind Dream. "Just put your eye up here and adjust these knobs to zoom in and out." George watched fondly as Dream moved the telescope slowly and looked over the sky. "Sickenly domestic" George thought as he watched the other man fiddle with the knobs. As he pulled back he was smiling wide down at George. "That's so amazing, I've never used a telescope of that intensity before, and certainly never been in a room as cool as this."