Inexplicable Dream Team one-shots

Multiplication // DreamNap

| platonic |

[4003 words]

**content warning: swearing**

At dawn, Sapnap parks his car beside the curb of an airport terminal and turns off the engine. Immediately his passenger Dream unbuckles his seat belt and hops out, hurrying to unload his luggage from the back seat so he can catch his flight on time.

"Do you need any help?" Rolling down the passenger-side window, Sapnap presses a button on the dashboard to unlock the back doors.

"No, thanks," Dream dismisses his friend's offer. "I've got it." Pulling his luggage out of the back seat, he slings his backpack over his shoulder and slips his arm into the strap of his duffel bag. "Alright, awesome." Approaching the open passenger window, Dream leans down to make eye contact with his friend. "Thanks for the ride, Sapnap, and of course, thanks for taking care of the rabbits, too. I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem," Sapnap shrugs. "You said you left a checklist somewhere, right?"

"Yeah, it's on the kitchen countertop," Dream confirms. Nodding gratefully at his friend, he concludes, "Well, I guess I'll see you later. There are clean sheets in the bedroom closet, so you can feel free to sleep in my bed while I'm gone!"

"I definitely will." Despite Sapnap's exhaustion from waking up so early, his smile is genuine as Dream turns around to leave. "Good luck, dude!" For several moments, he lingers beside the curb and watches his friend jog with his luggage toward the airport terminal's sliding doors.

When a random driver honks their horn behind Sapnap's car, he flinches and turns the engine back on. Annoyed at the other driver's impatience, he steers the vehicle away from the curb and back onto the asphalt. He drives through the airport's perpetual traffic until he reaches the main streets again, then he begins his journey to his friend's now-empty house. A pounding headache haunts him, and he fantasizes about how well he will sleep tonight in his friend's bed.

Dream's business trip will last for four weeks. Until then, Sapnap will live in his house, keep it clean, and take care of his friend's beloved rabbits. However, he is inexperienced with animals; inevitably he worries that something bad will happen. What if I lose the checklist? What if the rabbits escape and run away? What if a rabbit dies and Dream blames me for it? With so many insecurities, Sapnap can only hope for the best.

***

While Dream travels on an airplane across the country, Sapnap packs his belongings for his own travel day. This morning, he picked up Dream for their trip to the airport. Now, at midday, he returns to his friend's empty house with the spare key. Carrying his luggage, he unlocks the front door and steps into his new, temporary home.

The air is stuffy and warm, but not unpleasant as Sapnap closes the front door behind himself and drops his bags upon a couch. His footsteps echo through the main living area as he walks to the kitchen. Like Dream promised, there is a checklist on the countertop. I'll check it later.

First Sapnap explores Dream's house. He identifies the locations of the laundry machines, toilets, and storage closets. Next he surveys the variety of foods in his friend's cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer. Finally he hauls his luggage into the bedroom, stacking his clothes on a dresser and unpacking the rest of his belongings.

Once Sapnap is fully moved in for his month-long residence, he returns to the kitchen. Looking through its clear glass windows for the first time, he views the two rabbit pens in the backyard. Blue tarps drape over wire fencing, protecting the vulnerable pets from outside predators. One of the rabbit pens is also significantly larger than the other one. Weird.