ORPHANED

:: one hundred twenty-six ::

-855k readers special-

i might not have made it in time for 850, but at least i am here now! in the discord i briefly talked about this, but lately i've been out of motivation to do anything at all lately—which seems to be a sentiment we all share—but writing is something i can always find myself thinking about, so i'm not really sure why it is so difficult for me to actually sit down and write. today i was lucky i guess and i actually would've written more but i got tired...point is i want to write more (: thank you for 855 i will try and continue to make you proud!

—

after silently suffering for the most part of the entire day, when they eventually did get back inside, george couldn't hide the silent tremor that welcomed itself into his behavior. dream caught sight of it very quickly and guiltily tried to make up for his neglect by conforming to the brunette's every need. the man was given a change of clothes and ushered into the bathroom with all the time and privacy he needed for a hot shower that would hopefully put a stop to the shiver that had gone on for too long.

with the momentary absence of the brunette, dream was unwillingly left alone with his sister to entertain the nagging questions she had stockpiled. haphazardly he watched her pretend to focus on the screen, but the signature smirk on her face warned him he wasn't ready for what it was she had to say. he was thankful she at least had the decency not to query it around their guest.

"you are so creepy." he opened his phone to turn his attention away from her.

her grin pulled into a smile and she only glanced at him for a second before proposing her faux lack of malice. "i am not creepy." she fidgeted with the remote, disinterested in anything but the idea that she was progressively agitating her brother.

a glance was shot in her direction, and he seemed to adopt a shiver of his own. "then why are you smiling like that?"

"i'm just smiling. I can't smile in my own house?" she turned to him with her full attention now, not in an act to look for an answer to her question, but to examine his reaction.

"you're making me feel like i did something wrong." he had to be the one to break the eye contact that she was exceptionally skilled at maintaining.

"only guilty people feel guilt." her shoulders were shrugged and she took her time to turn away from him.

his phone was turned off at the false statement, and he sat up straighter to accuse her. "that is not true, and both you and i know it."

"actually, i don't know anything." she crossed her arms now, eye's unmoving from the screen, and a smile still plastered on her face. "after all, you're the one that said you don't like when i act like i know things."

he sunk back into his seat and they shared a familiar beat of silence. it wasn't the first time she made him rethink his choice of words, but for whatever reason today her statement carried more hostility than ever before. he attempted to phrase an apology, but she beat him to it.

"you look like a fish when you do that." she offered a more sincere smile and uncrossed her arms. "i was just joking, i'm not actually mad."

his eyes rolled like it was second nature. "you can't keep doing this to me, i hate when you're mad at me more than i hate literally anything else in the world."

her eyebrows rose, glad to know she had the upper hand in the situation. "it would make me feel a little better if you talked about how much more i know than you."

he huffed, and it was his turn to cross his arms. dramatically he recited the phrase she offered him in substitute of an apology. "oh my beloved sister, i've always known you'd grow to know more than me, for i am just a dumb boy who escorts you around to ensure you are not kidnapped."

"now that's what i like to hear." her nod was accompanied by a giggle, and she held up her phone to present to him that she had recorded it all.

he knew it would be no use trying to get her to delete it, so all he could do was sit and stare in shock. this would be the last time he agreed to any of her cop-outs.

"i know you kissed him."

in fear that she was still recording, he tried to keep his expression neutral, unsure if he should call her bluff or be truly frightened by her knowledge.

"something changed between you two, and i've noticed him staring at you a lot more than usual."

just the thought that the brunette had been that affected by the happenings of the past few days was enough to put a flustered smile on the blonde's face, which in turn confirmed for his sister that she was right again.

shaking her head with an unbelieving smile, she turned his attention behind them.

there, descending the stairs with dark wet hair, was a sight for sore eyes. the clothes he wore were evidently too many sizes too big, so he bunched the extra fabric of the sweatpants around his thighs to prevent himself from falling down the stairs.

it was then and only then, that dream finally understood the appeal of prom.

"remember to breathe." his sister whispered to him before heading off into the kitchen.

her words struck him with the realization that he wasn't just observing, and quickly he was off the couch and on his way to the landing of the stairs. when they had gotten close enough the blonde offered his hand to assist him the rest of the way down.

gladly the brunette linked their hands, shooting the blonde a smile past the hair that fell over his eyes. "thanks."

he would've said something if he could, but the truth was he was rendered speechless, so instead he just gave up a nod. when they both were standing on solid ground, their hands stayed cemented together. as they walked to the couch together their hands never broke. only when dream got up to drape a blanket around the brunette's shoulder's did their hands hesitantly give away.

they sat farther apart than dream wanted them to, too far to be touching and not close enough to see the other up close. so he did what his brain told him to and subtly shuffled closer until he was satisfied with how much his knee could brush against the brunette's.

—

for the most part i have mosquito immunity however from time to time i will get bit, just not in a normal place like on my leg no those mfs with suck the blood out of the middle of my forehead and the top of my foot????