Forever

Chapter 3

Loud music pulsed through a crowded room, and a low groan pushed past Dream's lips. He knew he was the only one who could hear it, muffled by the sounds of too many drunken conversations and too loud laughter that drowned everything else out.

It had been so long since he had stepped foot in a place like this, and he definitely hadn't missed it.

With a nudge of his shoulder into Dream's bicep, Sapnap grinned over at him and shouted over the music, "been a while since we've had a night out."

Dream nodded, fighting the urge to roll his eyes and walk right back out the door they had just entered through. He hated places like this, with sticky floors and too many bodies pushing up against one another. He had always preferred bars to clubs, where he could relax and have a drink. There was nothing relaxing about this place, and he was regretting his decision to come along more and more with each passing second.

Sapnap motioned towards an empty table near the bar, and Dream had to force himself to follow along through the tightly packed crowd. They gathered around the small table, leaning in as George stated, "I hope you know who you're looking for, Sapnap. This place is busy."

Sapnap's eyes scanned over the crowd, narrowed and calculating as he searched for a recognizable face among a sea of strangers.

Dream watched him carefully, leaning in closer as he asked, "what are you going to do when you find them? Walk up and say 'hey, got a minute to talk about your boss Philza?'"

George laughed, and Sapnap's eyes shot over in Dream's direction as he said, "maybe. What does it matter?"

"You're going to look awfully suspicious," George replied in a taunting voice, "don't you think?"

Dream nodded in agreement, and Sapnap only rolled his eyes as he went back to scanning the room.

"Karl sent me pictures and information on some of the guys," Sapnap muttered to them, "at least one of them has to be here."

Dream's attention drifted quickly, eyes flitting over towards the bar in search of an open area where he could get himself something to drink. His eyes had only drifted down about half the bar when Sapnap's voice pulled his attention back, "over there, I think that's one of them."

Dream's eyes trailed over to where Sapnap was pointing, landing on a man only a few years older than himself. He was sitting alone near the end of the bar, a drink in hand although he was clearly already drunk.

"You're sure?" George asked, skeptical eyes landing back on Sapnap.

Sapnap offered up his phone, and both Dream and George leaned in to check the photo that filled the screen. They both looked back over at the man, and Dream confirmed, "oh yeah, that's definitely him."

A smug grin settled on Sapnap's face, and George leaned over the table with a smug grin of his own as he said, "alright, let's see you work your magic then, Sap. Go ahead and pull that information from him."

Sapnap's face flushed, eyes flitting over towards the man as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. Dream had to stifle a laugh, and George's smile grew as he shook his head disapprovingly. With his palms spread flat against the wooden table, George stated, "I'll handle this. Should be easy."

Dream's eyebrows raised questioningly, but before he could ask what George had meant, the brunette was running fingers through his hair and turning on his heel. All Dream could do was watch him closely, eyes glued to George as he moved confidently through the crowd and approached the man.

He slid into the empty seat beside the man, and jealousy flared quickly in Dream's body when he realized exactly what George had in mind. Dream knew the brunette too well, from the light touches to the flutter of dark lashes that George used on him constantly. George knew exactly how to get what he wanted from people, but Dream wasn't sure he could sit by idly while he watched his boyfriend flirt with some stranger right in front of him.