Learn how to love (Dream Team fanfic)

Chapter 17~Breathing

Dream took his sweet time taking the ropes off of George's arms and legs, and wouldn't let Sapnap help. So out of boredom, Sapnap went off to go rest. Dream wanted to make sure not to cut him. He went very slowly around his wrists, which were red and bloodied. Once they were free he inspected them. When he saw the cuts he absentmindedly rubbed his thumb across. He flinched. That probably hurt him. His hand drifted further down until they were locked with his. He sat there holding both of George's hands and looking at his face. It felt just so right. How could something feel so right in this world? George was going to be okay. This made him smile fondly, as he removed one hand which was holding George's and used it to wipe his face. His fingers traced the bruises and he silently cursed himself for being too incompetent. He hated this. His hand rested cupping George's cheek. If he could only tell him how much he was loved. To just what extent he would go. All for George. He wished George would forgive him. He wished he could kiss him. He played with his fingers. They were soft and wet. He looked at his own hand that was holding George's mouth closed. He remembered the hot and fast breath on his palm. The saliva that remained. DONT think about that he was freaking out, they're two very separate experiences you sick fuck what is wrong with you! Still, the tingly feeling in his abdomen remained.
Sapnap was laying in the grass and looking up at the sky when he thought of what Bad would say. This caused him to sit up.
"Dream?" Dream looked up very quickly, dropping his hand by his side, face bright red. Sapnap chose to ignore what he was on about when he asked
"What do you think Bad will say?" This caused Dream to slouch. He put his other hand on George's and clasped his hand between the two of his own.
"He's gonna be very mad"
"Shit!" he said flopping back down onto the grass.

    George eventually came to. He swore he was okay to walk after eating plenty of bread and meat as a request from both the other boys. Even so, Dream insisted that Sapnap of himself carry his pack. He protested.
"Dream I'm going to be fine."
"I doubt that, you don't want to be doing a lot of walking, too much breathing, you'll pass out again."  Sapnap hummed in agreement, but by the end of it, he was holding his own pack and they were walking back towards the village. Dream doing his best to ignore the image of George breathing heavily.
It did not take very long for George to fall behind, he was breathing hard, but did his best to hide it. Dream and Sapnap pretended they didn't notice how slow he was moving, and after slowing their own paces as slow as they possibly could, Sapnap cracked, spun around, and was just about to yell at George, when he fainted right into his arms.
"Welp," Sapnap said.
"Okay, we really need to go though. We're already so late for Bad"
"Okay, let's go then!" Sapnap said.
"Okay, um you take all the packs, and ill take George" Dream said, hiding his blush.
"Seems fair I guess," Sapnap said not catching it and grabbing all the packs. It was getting dangerously close to dark at this point, and they had to take many breaks due to the extra weight, although it was mostly Sapnap who was stopping.
"Come on!" Dream said after the fourth stop.
"They're heavy!! What the hell does George keep in his pack!" Sapnap said, sick of carrying around soaking wet packs. He ripped it open and reached inside, only to pull out a bunch of blue-flowered petals, beginning to wilt, and sopping wet.
"Ah, it's these," He said, dumping them all out.
"What're you doing?" Dream started before realizing it was probably for the best if it meant that Sapnap would quit stopping so much.

    When they finally reached the village it was dark. Bad was right at the entrance, the first light visible was his own that he held up looking into the night. When he spotted them he ran over in a panic.
"You said the afternoon! Not Night!" Bad said, immediately grabbing a pack off of Sapnap who was panting heavily.
".....We're... so-... sorry" he panted out like a dog. Dream carefully placed George down.
"Yeah, a lot went down while we were gone. Should we explain?" he said calmly.
"Do it on the way, we need to get back home okay?"
"We HAVE to?" Sapnap said
"Yes," he replied. "There's no snowstorm keeping you is there? And I'm not wasting any money on an inn. I don't care if one of us is unconscious we're getting back.
"Fine," he said curtly.

    After explaining the story to Bad, he softened up quite a bit and was far more lenient on Sapnap who wanted breaks. Dream only asked to take a break once, when George was breathing on a certain spot on his neck before he was ready to go again. It seemed as luck could not get any worse for the Dream Team though, as when they had finally reached home after an awful day, they found that their home had been raided, and griefed.