vermillion | ✫

red rays | 14

"Hey Sweetheart." Dream shouts, his hands around his mouth to vocalise his voice out. "Whats with the nickname?"

"Nothing, although i'm glad to see you're alive." He grins, and George spins to face him, smacking his arm playfully, "It was only a fall." The brunette says nonchalantly, and he continues to grab the vermillion red flag from the sand. Whoever had put it in there, really stuck it down. Or the wet sand just stopped it from being free. He sighed in annoyance, letting Dreams hands wrap around the pole and drag it out firmly.

"Thank you."

The blonde only nods, and he casts an eye down the beach, "So the rosters are getting changed again?"

"Yeah, its always quiet around this time of summer."

"So what happens to the volunteers?" Dream questions, confusion laced in his voice.

George continues walking, his new target: the other red flag that was centred in front of Tower Eight. "Well they just change places on the roster, or if I don't come in tomorrow, someone will fill in."

"Tommy?" Dream groans, "Perhaps." George shrugs, and he turns around for the lost puppy to catch up, who trots up and comes to a steady slow. "We should go out for dinner."

"No thanks, I have a coding job to work on."

"George, it's 6PM on a thursday, we're going out for dinner." Dream pulls the second pole out before George could even grab it. "Okay Clay." He said mockingly.

"When you start calling me Dream, it'll be a W for me."

"Then I'll make sure to call you a loser, loser." The brunette grins, lifting his hand into an 'L' shape on his forehead. "Fuck off!" Dream wheezes, light and carefree.

__

"I never thought i'd see you dressed up." Dream points out, opening the restaurant door for George, gentlemen like yet his personality said otherwise.

"Did you just bring a suit with you to Orlando in case you went on a date?" George interrogates, looking the blonde up and down, who was dressed with formal black pants. Not a single crease was laid out, and they fell to his ankle, where pointed shoes were met with each step. A white dress shirt covered abs that George knew too well, from shirtless runs, of course..nothing else. And sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, exposing veined arms and floridian tanned skin.

George, however was dressed nearly identically, although his shirt was undone two buttons, and it was navy, like seas left abroad. And the red rays of sunlight, vermillion, creased across the skies.

"Are we calling this a date?" Blondie says, raising a brow sceptically as the pair waited to be seated. "I-"

"Hello, and welcome to Vermilled, how can we be at your help today?" A ringing voice shone through their ears, and they were met with a cheerful worker. Her hair, blonde that was slicked back into a low workers bun. Bangs were left out, and her eyes lit up with pride of her work.

"Table for two, please."

"Is there any specific placing? We have tables supporting our seaside views, and others in more quieter areas if that may be of pleasure to you both." Her voice was formal, professional and she held a glint of something else there, curiosity.

"Views?" George asks Dream, and the man nods, "Yeah we'll take a viewed table please."

"Of course, please follow me and I will show you to your table." The girl perks up, and she grabs two menus and a drinks menu, gliding across the floor like a ballerina. "This place must be new, last year I remember this being an Antiques showplace." George marvels, meeting his own eyes within a mirror. They seemed dark, tired, and eye bags grazed along the underside of his eyes. A scrape across his forehead from yesterday, and he seemed so, tiny? The way his body moved hopelessly next to Dreams much larger figure.

"Whats wrong? Look like you've seen a ghost." Dream smirks, and when he sees Georges distant eyes, he pulls the man in by the waist, "George?"

"Nothing, nothing. Everything's alright."

"Alright." Dream wasn't convinced and he keeps George close by his side, even as the two stop behind the waitress as she sets both menus down. "Please, take your seats. It is quite busy or rather on this side of the restaurant, but I do hope we can offer you our best service." She says pleasantly, letting both the two men seat themselves before continuing to talk. "My name is Natalie and i'll be your waitress for tonight, can I get any drinks or starters for the two of you tonight?"

"I'll take a beer." George says non-chalantly, not even bothering to open the drinks menu, and he slides it over to Dream. "Of course, and for you, Sir?" She says giddily, George narrows his eyes, taking in the way she surpasses a giggle, or a laugh, even some sort of smile.

"I'll take a glass of Calafuria Rose, thank you." And Natalie quickly notes down such on an iPad; pressing buttons quickly and returning her eyes with the pair. "I will be back with your drinks." With that, she scurries off.

"Rose, huh?"

"Beer?" Dream grins, returning the glance, and George only chuckles. Eyes downcast and his fingernails scraping against the skin on his hands.

"George?"

Browns, meet across with red rays of skin, the sun hit blonde tufts of hair with a gentle sway. And the distant crashes of waves caught George off guard.

"Thank you, for coming out with me tonight." He smiles, genuine and it reached his dimples, broad and he laughed out with soft-spoken words. "I do really mean that. You're a good friend to me, and I'm glad we've managed to surpass being acquaintances on the beach."

"Of course, it's nice, spending time with you thats not with salty water and sand between toes." He grins, taking his time with poetry.

"You look lovely."

"Real charmer aren't you?" George grins through the compliment, and his smile was the light of a thousand suns, he was the real charmer, not Dream. "Maybe." Dream casts a smirk, and he looks away from George to survey their surroundings. "This place is too fancy for a couple of lifeguards." He says when George doesn't respond, and he looks upon a family of four, never mind they definitely weren't family, double date. Definitely double date.

"Thank you." George looks up, his eyes in the oceans blur, squinting as he tried to make out the characters by tower seven. "For what?"

George only sighs, and he takes his eyes off the lifeguards, instead moving down the beach towards the large pier. Where lights were already bedazzled among the world of amusement. The ferris wheel was an array of rainbows, reds that lit up like neon, and yellows that complemented blues, those of which took in the greens and oranges. They blinked in unison, rolling along with the carts and their passengers. Even the roller coaster surged past in a brilliancy of the same colours. "I was worried, today. I rarely go out with friends and especially to dinner." He confessed.

"And then, when we went out- No, everyday I feel like I looked out of place next to you-" He ranted,  his words falling through his mouth like toxins. He bit on the inside of his cheek to stop his rambling, finally looking away from the pier.

"George, I didn't know- But seriously, you do look good tonight." Dream smiled, suppressing the urge to stand up and pull the man into a hug. Creating a public spectacle was never his thing, usually. And even now, he sits and holds his glass of water with a dainty hand, watching George stare out through the windows. "It's alright. I'm glad I told you though, before it gets any worse." He snorts and grins at Dream, eyes meeting with bottle green once again.

Dreams hands found Georges, and both sun-kissed hands went to unclench Georges hand, olive licking skin that brushed his touch against the other.

Palms connected, and Georges fingertips opened slightly to allow Dreams in, to slip between and intertwine their hands like vines caught within each other. Their eyes had never left each other, bottle glass, that mixed with those salty waters and sand, that created something so delicately perfect. Greens, and browns, shining through with red rays of vermillion.

I LITERALLY LOVE THIS CHAPTER

ALSO I MADE THE SPOTIFY PLAYLIST FOR THIS FIC, IT CAN BE FOUND IN MY BIO, ON MY PAGE! VERY  MUCH RECOMMEND LISTENING :D