slow burn; sapnap

twenty seven

"the next member of our panel that we would like to welcome is quackity!"

though it was pitch black backstage, hadden could hear the room erupt with applause after every name was called. she nervously started cracking her knuckles in an attempt to calm down.

"don't be nervous. it'll be super fun. you're just talking with your friends." dream reassured over her shoulder.

"next we have august!"

hadden shook off any chills and decided that august would enter boldly and confidently. she stepped out onto the stage and waved into the big room despite not being able to see any faces because of how bright the lights were.

she took her seat next to quackity who instantly wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close in a hug, earning some awes from the audience.

"and last but certainly not least. the reason we are all here. everyone welcome dream onto the stage!"

once the audience finally calmed down and some opening remarks, the q&a began. most of the questions were directed to dream or revolved around specific story arcs and lore that august couldn't really speak to, so she didn't have to say until a fan in a ghostbur cosplay stepped up to the microphone.

"hi everyone! i am a huge fan and i have a question for august. as you are somewhat making your reappearance onto the server more recently, do you see yourself siding with any specific nation or group?"

"hi! um, well i haven't made any decisions yet so this is not a set in stone answer but i have been considering kinoko kingdom." the room and panel itself gave a mixed reply of cheers and boos and laughter as they all clearly had strong opinions.

later on more attention was brought to august.

"what is your favorite part of the dream smp?"

"thats a huge question," dream started. "but honestly probably just getting to grow and make relationships. these are my best friends and the server is an opportunity to get closer with them. and it lets me meet people i probably never would have without it. like i probably would have never met august if it wasn't for sapnap asking me to add her. its just so cool for that."

as the panel got to about a half way mark august and a few others left the stage to create the opportunity for more dsmp creators to get to speak. hadden followed niki off the stage and they went and watched from a reserved section of the front row for the rest of the panel. the two had to restrain themselves from obviously giggling whenever a cringey question was asked, as to not embarrass anyone.

once the panel wrapped up hadden was grateful to be done for the day. her and her friends all tiredly slugged back to their hotel to have a moment of rest and peace.

"hey," nick jogged up to walk next to hadden. "about what i said earlier, sorry i just kind of sprung that on you. i wanted to make sure you were okay with it and didn't just feel like you had to say yes."

"of course, i'd love to." as hadden replied nick could barely hide his excitement.

"cool. that's really cool. well, um, is it okay if i pick you up for dinner tonight? i can find us somewhere that we don't have to worry about fans." he sounded so eager, which gave hadden butterflies.

she had never experienced anything like this and she had dreamed of having moments like this with nick.

"that sounds really good. just let me know when to be ready and what to wear, okay?"

"you've got it augy."

as soon as they were back in their room hadden grabbed tina and started jumping up and down and squealing.