saturday mornings are for pancakes // a dream x reader fanfiction

CHAPTER 66: FRIENDS?

JULY 17

SEVEN MONTHS IN NEW YORK

I like Ben's apartment. It's a lot bigger and modern than mine, but it still feels like a place you'd want to relax in. The walls are exposed brick, and one of his walls has a big window. I always tell him he should open it, but he prefers to keep it shut.

I sit crisscrossed on Ben's couch, playing with the strings coming off of a blanket as Ben rushes around his apartment. He picks up a couple shirts from a drawer and throws them in a duffle bag, followed by shorts.

"Are you sure you have to go this weekend," I ask. My eyes follow his movements as he packs.

"Your college roommate only gets married once–" Ben thinks about what he said for a second. "Hopefully," he adds, "and I don't want to miss his bachelor party."

I cross my arms and pretend to think for a really long time. "Okay, I'll allow it if you bring me back a souvenir," I joke.

"One Vegas snow globe coming right up." Ben pauses by the couch to kiss the top of my head before setting a pillow down next to me.

I rest my head on the pillow for now even though he's going to take it on his trip. He chuckles when he sees it, but he doesn't complain.

"What are you going to do with all this freedom?" Ben asks from his bedroom.

"Uhh." I think for what I was wanting to do this weekend. "I think I'll watch a movie tonight or something. Maybe just relax this weekend."

Ben walks in with what I'm assuming is a toiletries bag. "Do I just stress you out too much?"

I smile, moving my head to watch him zip his duffle bag. "Of course not, but your friends on the other hand?"

"Griffin and Caleb are not that bad," Ben defends. I give him a pointed look, and he sighs in defeat. "Most of the time."

I stand from his couch and hold up a pillow for him. "Don't forget this."

He takes the pillow from me and sets it down on the couch immediately. I'm about to ask why he did that when he encases me in a bone-crushing hug.

I let out a laugh. "It's only a weekend, Ben."

"I'll be in a whole new state and city and everything, though," he says, "How am I supposed to live?"

I lift my head off his chest to meet the unmistakable glint of mischief in his eyes. I let go of the hug. "You are so dramatic," I say with a huff.

He pulls me back into the hug and kisses the top of my head. "I'll see you Monday at work, okay?"

"Okay," I say softly, realizing this is the first weekend I'll be spending in New York without him. It's not that we are constantly together, but it's more that he's just always been here somewhere. It's going to be weird thinking of him in a totally different state.

Ben says goodbye before leaving, and I take an Uber back to my apartment. I put on some music and sit on my bed. It's not late enough for me to want to go to bed, so I check my phone instead.

I notice a twitterspace hashtag for Dream on the trending tab and click on it. I read through a couple tweets before coming across one with a link to join.

I glance around the apartment with nothing to do and no plans to go out. I click on the space.

"Anyways," Dream must be in the middle of a story now, "Sapnap and George can never stop fighting even for pancakes."