Philocaly | DNF

34 - tickles

"What the hell, Nick! You cheater!" Dream yelled, smacking his game piece across the board. Sapnap started laughing his head off, sliding the deck of cards off of the coffee table.

George just watched as the two started arguing with his arms crossed.

All he wanted to do was play a simple board game without unnecessary arguing or teasing.

"We're starting over," Dream muttered, scooping up the cards that previously fell from the table.

"Again?" George complained, but he moved all three game pieces back to start.

"Yes, again. We're gonna keep playing until snapmap here learns how to not look at my cards and CHEAT."

"I didn't cheat, you basically set your cards face up for me to take a quick look at."

Dream gave him a hard glare, flicking his piece away.

"Fine, we just won't play at all."

"Don't be a baby," George replied soon to break out into laughter. Sapnap covered his mouth and snickered along side of George.

"You guys are such asses."

"You're a sore loser, Dream," Sapnap quickly responded.

Dream began folding the board game up while George and Dream set their game pieces and the cards into the box.

After they cleaned up, Dream headed to the kitchen to make dinner while Sapnap went into his room to finish up some editing.

As Dream was running the stove up, George slowly trudged into the kitchen to sit on the island table stool.

For a moment, they sat in silence.

Dream faced the stove, unaware of George's presence.

"What're you making?"

Dream nearly jumped, jolting his body around to a chuckling George.

"I- uh, eggs."

"Eggs?"

"Yeah, eggs."

"Eggs at almost eight pm?"

"Hey. Dinner breakfast is incredible."

George softly chuckles, settling his hands folded together onto the counter.

"Hey, um. Now that we're alone, I thought I'd talk to you a bit more about my mother."

Dream faced the stove again.

"Only if you actually want to, George."

"If I didn't want to I wouldn't have brought it up."

"That's true."

Dream fished the egg carton from the fridge, setting it in the counter then going over to the top cupboard above the dishwasher.

"There are a few things I haven't told you about her."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I- I um, actually told her about you. When I was confused with myself."

Dream stopped his hand movement and turned his body to face George. He leaned onto the island table in curiosity.

"My mother is a religious conservative. She always told me she's tried to understand but never really.. bothered."

"What did she try to understand?"

George took a deep breath before he spoke again.

"Back like two months ago, everything kinda came over me. I had no one to talk to about how I felt and it was killing me. I couldn't talk to Sapnap because he has always been such a helpful dumbass and I didn't want more weight onto his shoulders."

Dreams lips parted softly.

"And I couldn't talk to you because.. these confusing feelings revolve around you. They always revolve around you."

Dream continued to stay silent for George to open up.

"When I told my mother how I felt, she shut me out. I caught her cheating and.. you know the rest. I told her to stop and she proceeded to shut me out. When I told her I'd be coming to Florida she went crazy. She told me if I visited you I'd never come back and get attached."

"If she was so upset, why did she care? Why did she care about you coming back?"

"Because shes nothing. She's a desperate nobody. I work my ass off to pay the bills- and that's how it's always been. She wants my damn money and nothing else from me. She's one of the most manipulative people I've ever known, and I know there is no way I can go back there. Ever. Not to that house again, at least."

"Thank you for telling me this, George. What are your plans?"

George took another breath, unable to look Dream in the eyes at this point.

"I'm gonna find my own place, in England. Away."

Dream nodded politely. "If you need help with anything.. you know I'm here. And Sapnaps here. For you."

"I know," his response was quick.

George almost found himself reaching his hand out to connect with Dreams, but remembered the rules.

Instead, his fingers twitched as his eyes squinted to watch them.

"Clay, when did you realize that you.."

Silence fell over them, until Dream realized what he wanted to say.

"A a long, long time ago. Although at first I thought it was only a couple weeks, I was just in denial. I have always had some sort of thing for you."

"..really?"

"Of course."

"When you say things like that, Dream, it makes it harder to not.."

"I know."

George's innocent eyes flickered to Dreams eyes, then to his lips which stayed parted.

"Dream, I'm leaving in two days."

"Don't.. don't remind me. Please. Every time I think about it my heart hurts."

Although Dream was dead serious, George couldn't help but smile.

"What?"

"Nothing."

A playful smile now broke out into Dreams face.

"No, what?"

"Nothing, Clay."

Dream made his way around the island table and right in front of George's stool. He crossed his arms firmly.

"What's so funny?"

George squeezed his lips together to prevent laughter.

"George, stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like that!" He shouted, pointing his finger straight at George's face.

George began to giggle as Dream glared. He covered his mouth with his hand as Dream stepped closer.

He didn't know what he was about to do, until his hands struck George's stomach, tickling him.

"Hey!" George shrieked. "Hey! Stop!" He was shrieking and wheezing at the same time, unable to control himself.

As the two boys sat there like idiots tickling each other, Sapnap swung open his bedroom door.

"Can you guys shut the fuck up?! My chat can hear you!"