Inception {Dreamnotfound}

21 | Fazed Reunion | 21

-George's POV-

"George!" I hear someone yell my name, and the familiar voice makes me think I'm dreaming.

Yet when I turn around I realise that somehow, it's really him. Tubbo waves at me through the forest, a bright smile barely depictable from how far away he is. Though his voice is filled with sunshine, and that's enough to tell me he's okay.

I sprint over immediately, grin as Tubbo tries to make up the remaining distance. I notice that his footing seems a little uneven towards one side, which makes him stumble a little, but the injury looks taken care of. As do the smaller ones, and it's only when I notice the two people stood behind him that I realise why.

"Oh, hi George," Darryl greets quietly, shuffling towards Skeppy uncomfortably. When he turns his head, I notice a deep scar etched into the side of it, evident of what happened to him.

Or rather, what I did to him.

"Everything alright here?" A familiar voice suddenly asks from behind me, and a comforting hand is placed on my shoulder. I wrap my own hand over the larger one, digging my nails in forcefully in an attempt to keep myself in the moment. Clay seems to notice as much, voicing his own surprise to see all three of them before steering Tubbo and I back towards the camp.

I don't bother to protest and nor does Tubbo, not when he looks to terrified by my paling complexion that he must think I'm about to faint.

"You should see Karl," I stutter to nobody in particular, trying to walk away calmly on uneven legs. It's terrifying, really, the way my footing is now far more uneven than Tubbo's despite my lack of an excuse.

Seeing Darryl again isn't a good enough explanation for this. I feared something similar would happen, but a part of me had always wanted to believe I was stronger than that. Turns out I was wrong.

Very, very wrong.

I feel a little better when I see the look on Karl's face, the relief that floods his eyes once he sees Tubbo. The way he wraps him in a hug so tight it's like he never intends to let go of him, probably for fear of what the world may do next.

"Oh my god are you okay?" Karl asks frantically, pulling back to look the teen in his multicoloured eyes. The fear in his tone makes me think Karl won't take yes for an answer, though when Tubbo nods sweetly, he looks satisfied.

The older of the two stifles a relieved sob, pulling the teen back into a tight hug on shaky legs. Tubbo placidly let's him, offering a small wave over Karl's shoulder to Sapnap, who stands slightly behind his soulmate.

The ex-assassin subtly returns the wave, trying not to catch Karl's attention. Which ultimately fails, Karl teasing him with a "you're so cute" and one of his characteristic, shrill giggles. Sapnap only shakes his head, trying to distract Karl from his blushing by gingerly wiping a stray tear from his face.

"I'm cute?" Sapnap rolls his eyes, looking Karl up and down before muttering, "says the one with flowers in his hair".

"Hey, you gave them to me," Karl retorts, sticking his tongue out and plucking one of the less-damaged flowers from his hair. He hands it to Tubbo, who admires the dainty, blueish petals before tucking the stem through one of his buttonholes.

Karl then offers another to Sapnap, who scowls, yet takes the flower anyway. I think it's a sweet gesture on Sapnap's part, until a small dusting of pollen thrown in my direction demonstrates his actual intent.

Sapnap laughs mischievously, pinching the tip of the flower between his thumb and index finger in an attempt to collect more pollen. He then tries to throw the remnants at Karl, but when nothing transfers, he resorts to rubbing the pollen off on his sleeve instead.

"Stop that!" Karl squeaks, plucking another flower from his hair and jabbing it towards Sapnap threateningly. I've never seen someone try to imitate a weapon with a flower, but it seems to have the same effect on Sapnap that any normal dagger would've.

Tubbo and I watch the two soulmates in amusement, who resort to using the longest flower stems they can find to poke each other with. The result is an awful-looking jousting match, but it's enough to settle the uneasy feeling still swirling in my stomach at least slightly.

If nothing else, they look happy, and it's still relieving to see someone that makes Sapnap smile so effortlessly. It gives me faith in part of the soulmate system, even if the other part has always made me fear it.

Clay, Zak and Darryl return shortly after, still deep in conversation when they enter. So much so that Clay fails to notice the two still playfighting, earning a flower stem to the stomach.

"What the hell!" he spits, though his tone is so overpowered with laughter that his anger falls short. He glares at the still laughing Sapnap, jabbing him bluntly in the stomach with his elbow. Sapnap whines in protest, muttering something inaudible at Clay, which I just know was full of curses.

"Hello!" Karl greets cheerfully to the other two over his soulmate's shoulder, and I realise then that he can't have ever met these people before. "You must be Karl!" Darryl smiles nonetheless, and I presume Tubbo must've said something already.

"The one and only," Karl giggles, winking at Sapnap playfully before erupting into yet another delirious fit of full-on laughter. It earns him a glare from the latter, accompanied by a string of words that has Darryl yelling "language!" before two even leave his mouth.

It's not the first time I've seen Karl drunk on what could only be described as hysteria, but despite the craziness, these moments never fail to make everyone smile. Including me in this moment, strangely, when even with Darryl stood a few feet away, my heart won't stop glowing with warmth.

"Congrats on getting your soulmate back," Skeppy smiles to a still heavily blushing Sapnap, who returns a curt "you too," while trying his best to ignore Clay and Karl's teasing. I notice both Skeppy and Darryl's eyes linger on Karl, specifically on the mark barely visible above the collar of his hoodie.

"What happened to him?" Skeppy questions quietly, making sure Karl can't hear. The three of us listening do the same, noticing that Karl has resumed his flower-jousting match, but this time with Clay instead.

"Long fucking story," Sapnap spits bitterly, attempting to roll his eyes while avoiding Darryl's. "You wouldn't believe who's to blame for it either."

"That's the second time today I've been told that," Darryl mutters, shooting Skeppy a glare, who snorts with laughter in response. Sapnap shoots him a questioning glance before deciding not to bother, instead settling on bluntly stating, "Fundy stabbed him. He was his target."

"I didn't think Fundy's soulmate was dead though," Skeppy ponders aloud, squinting at the deep scar etched into Karl's neck. The mark itself proves that what caused it was lethal, so prominent it's as if the wound is still fresh. Definitely not something that can be fixed or faded with time, much like the scars and Clay and Darryl's heads.

All scars from lethal events that ended their lives. Or first lives, I guess, considering they're all alive again now with nothing but those scars as evidence they ever weren't.

"They weren't," Sapnap sighs, and Darryl lets a quiet 'oh' slip from his lips before the room turns silent. Even Clay and Karl have stopped, both shooting us a questioning glance, to which I respond with only a shrug.

I notice Tubbo at my side, tugging at my sleeve in an attempt to break me out of my daze. When I turn to him, he's tapping his left wrist, signalling to what I know lays beneath his sleeve. He nods towards Skeppy and Darryl, then back to his wrist, and my eyes widen in alarm at what I suspect until Tubbo confirms otherwise.

"Tommy wants to talk to Darryl," Tubbo whispers subtly, checking that everyone else is occupied before speaking. Everyone except Clay is, but it doesn't matter if he knows anymore. "Any reason why?" I try to question just as quietly, earning a sceptical look from my boyfriend across the room.

"Because he's Shadow."