Project 404 [DNF]

Chapter 29: Plushie

George managed to doze off until Dream awoke him with annoyed groans and cursing.

The blonde tried to sit but eventually fell back when his aching head refused to obey his wishes of leaving George's lap.

George watched the spectacle take place and couldn't help but smile at Dream's frustration. Dream finally caved and gave up on his attempt of leaving his pillow, also known as George.

"Why's my neck hurting?" Dream whined while simultaneously rubbing the part of his neck where George had stung him.

George grabbed the empty needle. Dream's eyes widened in terror. "What in the holy hell have you done to me?" George put down the needle. "Don't worry, it's supposed to reverse the effect from what Schlatt did to you."

Dream body relaxed significantly. The green eyes fell shut and George allowed his eyes trail down the blonde's facial scar. It was probably the first time that he'd ever given it much thought. Although it was a noticeable feature, it did nothing to hinder how beautiful George found his cellmate to be.

Though, it showed traces of the life that Dream had lived. Unable to resist the impulse, George ran his thumb down the scar. The green eyes flung open under the sudden touch but closed again as George continued to trace the scar.

Eyes remained closed as Dream took a deep, trembling breath. "You know that when, or I guess if, we get out of here, you're free to leave and go back to the life you had before. I won't hold it against you."

George's thumb brushed over the soft lips seconds after Dream had spoken. It baffled him sometimes. That Dream could appear as one of the most confident people on the planet in one minute, then all of a sudden switch to someone who seemed to deem himself unworthy of practically everything.

Even though it might seem as though George could just turn back and pretend like none of this had ever happened, he knew that it wasn't the truth. Too many things had changed, his view on the world had forever been altered. So, even if he wanted to, it wouldn't work.

But he didn't want to.

Dream's eyes were still shut. George's gaze landed the soft lips. Some sort of impulse took over as he leaned down and connected their lips. The kiss was soft yet filled with suppressed feelings and a desire that had been buried for quite some time.

George broke apart just enough so that he would be able to talk. "There's nothing for me to go back to, even if I wanted to." He whispered.

Dream took a while to respond. "But you don't want to?"

George shook his head and confessed the same thing he'd told Quackity earlier, how his biggest dream was found outside the academical world. He told Dream the envy he'd felt when they'd visited Techno's family and saw their house and the garden that came with it.

During the storytime, he slowly sat back up. A fond smile grew on Dream's face the more George told him.

George paused. "What are you smiling about?"

Dream let out a low laugh. "You sound like a child talking about their favorite toy."

George punched Dream playfully on the arm. "Right then, if you're just gonna make fun of me, I'll stop."

"No, no! It's adorable." Dream objected and took ahold of George's hand. "If we get out of here, I'll make sure that you get your house with a garden."

The promise warmed George's heart and a faint blush spread across his face. Dream carefully pushed himself up on his elbows until their faces were leveled. A callused hand caressed George's cheek before snaking behind his neck and pulling his head away from the wall. Dream quickly pressed their lips together once more and George couldn't exactly claim to mind it.

However, the kiss suddenly came to an end when Dream pulled away with a confused expression. George followed Dream's gaze and saw that the blonde was gripping some type of small, white plushie. Dream's expression softened, although the sorrow that flashed through the green eyes didn't go unnoticed.

"What's that?" George asked cautiously. Dream held up the plushie. Confusion arose as George studied it further. It was an extremely simple design: A round head attached to a cylinder-shaped body. The entire thing was white expect for the face that consisted of the most simplified design one could imagine for a face; two black dots for eyes and a curved black line to create a smile.

George's eyes were instantly drawn to the mask on the floor. The similarities were uncanny.

"Dream...?"

The blonde kept his glossy eyes on the toy. "She still remembers." George heard him whisper.

"Remember what exactly?"

"Me." Dream whispered. One single tear trailed down Dream's cheek before he aggressively wiped it away.

"Remembers you?"

And that question must've been the last straw because Dream suddenly complete broke down. George had wanted to ask about Dream's family for ages but had been stalling to ask due to the fear of triggering something. But words seemed to pour out like water. George's heart ached when the truth about Dream's past was finally revealed. He couldn't do nothing else than hug Dream tightly.

The seemingly insignificant toy was apparently an important detail to the story. A smiley face had been a stupid little thing that Dream had drawn practically everywhere. That was the reason behind his mask. To find out that his sister still remembered such a tiny detail had clearly awoken strong emotions.

Time passed as the two sat curled up together. They'd been quiet for a while before Dream suddenly whispered. "You know, ever since I met you have my biggest fear been that one day, you'd see me the way I see myself."

George took a well-needed breath. "I know you won't believe me. But even if I were given a hundred more lifetimes, I'm sure that I'd never find someone that I could love the way I love you."

Dream didn't answer, just hugged him tighter before placing the toy in his pocket. George placed his head on Dream's shoulder.

Dream's expression suddenly changed as he pulled a tiny object out of his pocket. George tried to see what it was. A quiet beeping rang as Dream pressed a button.

"Techno, you're a genius." George heard Dream mumble.

"What?"

The green eyes practically sparkled as he faced George. "It's a tracking device."

George quirked an eyebrow. "Why would that be necessary? They already know where we are."

But George's question got answered just as the words had left his mouth. Five men stormed into the cell and roughly jerked both of them from the floor and cuffed their hands behind their backs.

They proceeded to being dragged out of the basement and thrown into the back of a van. George happened to hit his head the moment they threw him in the car. The last thing he saw was the dirty floor before he passed out.