autumn breeze || dreamnotfound

chapter twelve

This was going to be a long night.

[2046 words]

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very slight mentions of rape [doesn't go into detail, only says the word]
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George POV

It seems I was wrong. After a couple more games, we stopped playing. Dream offered to let us stay the night because there seemed to be a snowstorm heading our way, but I refused. Multiple times.

Peach interrupted our conversation to say that my place was on the way to their hotel so they could drive me. Upon Dream's request for me to accept Peach's offer, I did. I couldn't say no to the charming dirty blond. Plus, maybe I could now ask Peach the question that weighed my mind down to the deepest depths of the ocean.

I hugged the sleepy boy, maybe a second too long as I could feel myself starting to grow tired. Engulfed by his frame, the warmth radiating off of him was heavenly. Like a crackling fire as you're drinking hot chocolate, I was warm on the outside and the inside. We parted, a pink tint on our cheeks, as we said goodnight and I headed towards the door.

As I made my way down the stairs I could hear both Dream and Peach whispering to each other. The only thing I made out was, "Dream, calm down. We'll be fine," before the door shut and Peach made their way down the turning staircase as well.

Peach shot me a warm smile as they made their way over to where I was standing, beside the door, ready to leave. I shot them one back, opening the door for them.

"Thank you," their eyes crinkled and hands retracted into their sleeves, making little hoodie paws as the cold air tried eating away at our fingertips.

"No problem," my accent shone through the quiet street as we quickly made our way to the almost-brown looking car. I half-expected somebody to open the door for me, having gotten used to Dream's kindness. But soon opened the door for myself, as they were already in their small car.

A few minutes passed by, and minimal words were exchanged between Peach and I. They'd already put my address in the GPS earlier, so there wasn't any need for us to talk. But I wanted to get to know them better, so I tried to strike up a conversation.

"So," I began, "what were you and Dream talking about, upstairs before we left? Seemed like he was mad.. or worried, would be a better way to put it." I mumbled the end of my sentence, but it seemed they caught it nonetheless.

"Oh," the radio crackled as the spokesman started talking about the big snowstorm. You could see it now, the roads becoming more and more slippery. The only thing we saw were the white, fragile, snowflakes dancing in the black void surrounding us, "he was just worried it would be awkward between us. Offered to come along," Peach's voice was soothing and sounded sweet. Like clouds, or cotton candy.

I couldn't help but long for Dream at this moment. It was in fact awkward in the car. We barely spoke, a thick tension hung in the air as the silence got uncomfortable.

After a minute or two, Peach reached over to the radio, turning the volume up. The song Baby It's Cold Outside by Idina Menzel and Michael Bublé started playing. I always hated the song, it sounded so.. bad. It sounded quite rape-y if I'm being blunt about it. She obviously wants to leave, she's making up excuses the whole song. Why can't the man just let her go? It's frustrating.

Peach's hand meets the radio a second time, changing the channels a few times but they were all static. I glanced over to them as they decided to just turn off the radio as a whole.