A Matter of Time || Dreamnotfound

3

"Where are you taking me?" Sapnap asked when he finished off the last of his rabbit.

Dream bit his tongue, stopping the response that he knew would fuel Sapnap's fire. He lied instead, "I'm taking you to see Karl... the man from your dreams."

Sapnap's eyes widened as well as George's. The prokinetic's eyes filled with tears and he swallowed, whispering, "Really?"

Dream shrugged, not feeling bad about his lie. He said, "You two were separated, right? I noticed a strong connection between you two in your dreams and I decided to help."

"Thank you," Sapnap said honestly. "We were separated when our village was attacked. I haven't seen him in over a year."

Dream nodded. "It'll take us a while to get there, so don't run off. I'm just trying to help... sorry for coming off as aggressive."

Sapnap nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! I'll do anything to see him again."

Dream didn't respond and George cleared his throat. The prince muttered, "Dream, can I talk to you for a second?"

George stood up and walked a short distance away, waving at Dream to follow. Dream sighed and got up, watching his target out of the corner of his eye. He approached George and the prince pointed a finger at his chest.

George hissed, "What are you doing?"

Dream swatted his hand away and muttered, "Don't touch me."

George narrowed his eyes. "Dream, why are you lying?"

"Why do you care? He's my assignment, not yours. If you don't like it, leave."

George shook his head and muttered, "Manipulating him by way of the possibility of seeing his lover again is cruel."

Dream rolled his eyes and retorted sarcastically, "Can his highness not handle a little bit of cruelty? Listen here, prince, the world isn't full of rainbows and butterflies like a castle, okay? The world is harsh and unfair."

George's expression hardened. "I know, Dream. I know what the world is like and I know you've lived longer than me. I don't want to be a bad person."

"I never said you were."

"Pulling me into this makes me a bad person," George said.

"You were the one who wanted to come with me."

"I know," George muttered. He hesitated before asking, "What exactly is your... occupation?"

"I think you already know," Dream replied and left George, going to check back up on his hostage.

George followed quietly and listened when Dream instructed them to continue on. The group left their temporary campsite and eventually exited the forest, crossing a small clearing before stopping a ways away from a village.

Dream said, "Stay by me and we'll be through the village in no time."

"What if we get separated?" George asked.

"Aw," Sapnap teased, used to their bickering after an hour of walking. "Does someone need a hand to hold?"

The prince glared at Sapnap and replied dryly, "No. I'm asking a logical question, you don't need to make it weird."

Sapnap shrugged and Dream said, "Just follow me."

Dream walked ahead, hearing Sapnap mutter to George, "He's like super tall, how can you lose sight of him?"

"Shut up, Sapnap," George snapped, catching up to Dream to walk beside him.

George and Sapnap walked on either side of Dream as they entered the bustling streets of the village. Spices greeted their noses as they walked through the market.