Inception {Dreamnotfound}

31 | Progress | 31

-George's POV-

"So, Techno agreed?" I ask to Skeppy and Bad, and the rest of us seem to silently agree not to mention how badly both of their lips are kissed a deep magenta.

"A lot quicker than I was expecting, too," Skeppy confirms, and he seems to register that everyone is looking at either him or his boyfriend, but doesn't seem to care. "Told him they were responsible for Tommy's death, and he was planning their murder before I even got to explain."

"Well, makes things easier for us," Clay shrugs, fumbling with the strap of his iconic mask. He tightens it past the point of fitting him, using the now shorter tie to spin the object between two fingers.

Tubbo seems mesmerised by the action, grinning brightly to his left and reciprocating that excitement at the sight of the heavily bloodstained mask. "Tommy says thank you for doing this," he smirks, a distant glint in his eyes that I can't remember seeing from someone like him.

"Don't say that - we haven't succeeded yet."

"Yeah, so when are we actually doing this?" Sapnap asks impatiently, twisting his iconic bandana into a long set of knots. It's equally as stained and destroyed as 'Dream's' mask, evident that the two know what they're doing in situations like these.

"Techno wants us back at camp one for training this afternoon," Skeppy offers as an answer, and I don't miss how his eyes linger on Karl and me as he speaks. "Apparently some of you need a bit more help than others in preparation for this."

"Pfft," Sapnap snorts, shooting a wicked grin in Clay's direction. "Dream and I will be the ones giving Techno the help." The two cheer uniformly, and Karl mutters an unimpressed "oh my god..." under his breath as they fist bump over his head. Sapnap has to stand on his tiptoes to reach over Karl, and the brunette takes the opportunity to shove him off balance.

"You're not welcome, Sapnap," Skeppy quips smugly. "Techno made it very clear that he doesn't want you anywhere near the camp ever again. Or Tubbo, this afternoon, but that's for a different reason."

Tubbo looks extremely displeased at those words, narrowing his multicoloured eyes. "No offence to Karl, but I'm more competent with weapons than him," he mutters, and Karl laughs, offering an embarrassed nod accompanied shortly after by "he's probably not wrong, actually".

"Wait, so Techno is letting me come to the camp?" Clay interrupts, shooting Sapnap a smug look when Skeppy confirms as much. "Apparently so," he shrugs. "Seems that Techno's hatred for The Deception is worse than his hatred for you."

"But not Sapnap."

That earns Clay a glare, accompanied by a gesture that has Bad scowling in disgust.

"Well that's progress, I suppose," Clay smirks, readjusting his mask strap. I catch sight of his lips curling into an unmistakably proud grin as he holds the mask to his face, not bothering to actually wear it. Just test what's to come, evident in the way he keeps adjusting every little detail until it covers half of his face perfectly.

I'm not sure quite what happens to him when he becomes 'Dream', where the sudden surge of confidence comes from when he wears that mask. It's like there's a separate side of him, definitely still the same Clay I know, but hidden beneath what could only be described as venom.

"Shouldn't we be leaving now then?" he asks irritably, and Sapnap is quick to agree with him, frantically trying to unknot his bandana. The ex-assassin glares at the mess he's created before getting so frustrated with it that the throws the bandana to the floor in defeat.

Karl picks it up from where it lands beside him, undoing the knots with ease and handing it back to his boyfriend, who blushes furiously. It only makes Clay laugh harder, along with everyone else eventually, and I distantly notice that Skeppy and Bad are blushing just as much as Sapnap for some reason.

"Yeah, let's go."

~~~

"So, how much experience do you two have already?" Techno looks from Karl to me, trying to hide his annoyance at the fact Tubbo also took a weapon from the crate beside us.

"I've been stabbed more times than I've stabbed people," Karl answers darkly, and even Techno visibly cringes at the comment. Karl looks confused at best, passing the shortsword he took to practice with between his hands uncertainly. It's as if his mind blanked, so badly confused by the weapon in his hands that he seems to have forgotten even which hand he's supposed to hold it in.

"Other one," I tell him, barely managing to stifle my laughter when he tries to copy me, holding it in his left hand. Clay isn't as subtle, a wheeze escaping him before he can pull his mask down low enough to cover his mouth. Karl giggles in embarrassment, clasping his left hand over his reddening face after switching his sword to his right.

Techno looks unimpressed, to say the least.

"Why am I not surprised you're Sapnap's soulmate..." he mutters bitterly, and Karl looks suddenly defensive before deciding this definitely isn't the time to start an argument. "I have used a sword before, I promise," he cringes, forcing himself to offer Techno an apologetic look instead.

Karl and I practice duelling each other for a while, something I prove to be significantly better at, given that I have a decent amount of experience with it at this point. Although, Karl definitely isn't as incompetent with a weapon as Tubbo made him out to be, and it's not long before he gets the hang of it.

We're definitely nowhere near our boyfriend's levels, but we could defend ourselves pretty well.

I spare a quick glance over at mine, who I notice is still watching Tubbo. The teen grips the hilt of his longsword forcefully, white knuckles aching to do something with the weapon they're holding onto.

Clay steps in when his grip tightens again, drawing his own longsword in a silent challenge. It's a weapon I haven't seen him use much, knowing he usually prefers axes. One of his oldest too, evident by the Elite Assassin's crest visible just above the hilt.

Tubbo's eyes light up at the gesture, and he excitedly adjusts his position so that he's in a fighting stance. Clay lets him swing first, ending up quite surprised by how well-aimed Tubbo's first strike is.

I watch the two spar absentmindedly, letting Karl tease me about how many more 'hits' he's able to land now that I'm distracted.

"Hey, you're pretty good!" Clay exclaims when Tubbo's precision is near-perfect again, aimed in a way that would most likely kill someone if the blow was actually received. "Where'd you learn how to do that?"

"Fundy always preferred longswords," Tubbo explains casually, dodging another of Clay's swings with little effort. "He left them laying around a lot. I decided I may as well learn how to defend myself in case he went the same way Karl did." The boy in question freezes abruptly when he hears the last part, so sudden that I almost don't realise quick enough.

"Are you trying to irritate me?" Techno snaps once he notices why Karl has stopped, glaring daggers in Clay's direction. Though even he can't hide his surprise at how skilled Tubbo is, and he seems slightly amused to watch the seventeen-year-old score a few 'hits' on Clay.

"No," Clay shrugs with mock innocence, trying something more difficult now that he knows Techno is watching. The execution of it couldn't have been better, and I'd be unimpressed Clay would use what I know he's been trying to perfect specifically for this purpose, had it not looked so flawless.

"But if I am, that's bonus points for me, I'd say."

"Whatever." Techno rolls his eyes, picking up the crate of weapons beside him. "I'm leaving. You three can keep those swords for now, considering you all seem to have taken a liking to them."

The glow of victory in Tubbo's eyes makes me smile, the way he looks at that sword with so much pride. That grin is even more proud when he turns to his best friend, giving the Lost Soul an encouraging thumbs up.

"It's revenge time, Tommy."