Zodiac

Chapter Eight

There was no other way to put it - Calix hated Dream.

Ever since the Leo had made up with George, there wasn't a single moment of silence in his life. It seemed like Dream was always taking George from him, insisting that they had to hang out as often as they could to 'make up for lost time.'

Calix called bullshit on this.

And after the third time this happened, he decided to do something about it.

He had been sitting in the living room on the couch, reading some novel that George had bought a while ago when his lover burst through the front door, his eyes wide and cheeks flushed red from the cold. He had a bright grin on his face, and Calix would have thought this cute -

If it weren't for Dream following behind him, the same smile on his face. Calix scowled and stood up.

"Where were you?" he asked, walking out of the living room and over to George, helping him out of his coat.

"We went ice skating over in the Sagittarius District," George said, sounding breathless. "Oh, Calix, it was loads of fun, you should've been there too-"

Calix frowned and hung the coat up. "I wouldn't want to intrude on you," he snipped. "Seems you had plenty of fun on your own."

George blinked. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked quietly, lowering his voice as he glanced at Dream. "What's wrong?"

Calix sighed loudly, throwing his head back dramatically. "You didn't do anything, George," he said sourly. "That's part of the problem."

"Hey man," Dream broke in, taking a step forward to move in between George and Calix. Calix glowered at him. "We just went skating, it's not a big deal."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Dream," Calix snapped. "But you're not the one dating George, therefore, this is none of your business. It might be in your best interests if you leave now."

"Calix!" George argued, looking appalled. "You can't just kick him out, that's rude!"

"What's rude is that I haven't seen my boyfriend all week because he's out and about with another man," Calix hissed, jealousy dripping from his words. "So excuse me if I'm not very tolerable of his presence, George."

"We're friends Calix," George insisted, crossing his arms and stepping out from behind Dream. "Am I not allowed to have friends anymore?"

"That's not what I said," Calix shot back, looking equally frustrated.

"Then what are you saying? I'm not following."

Dream cleared his throat and raised his hands in defeat when both men glared at him. "Calix, George and I are really just friends," he said.

"We will never be more than friends."

George's heart dropped.

We will never be more than friends.

But why should he care? George was supposed to be happy with Calix, sound in the foundation of their relationship. He loved him, and Calix loved him back. It was that simple.

Was it that simple though?

George watched blankly as Dream left the house, offering a small smile before he slipped through the door, and Calix stormed off upstairs. He jumped as the bedroom door slammed shut, leaving George to his thoughts, which was always a dangerous thing. Distantly, George recognized the fact that he had walked into the living room, but he didn't remember it happening.

Dream was...different, compared to Calix. Whereas Calix was all sharp corners and bitterness, Dream was soft edges and warmth. The difference between the two of them was huge.

Heat rushed to his cheeks at the thought of Dream holding him around the waist as they slipped and slid across the ice earlier that day. The other's arms had been so comfortable, making George never want to leave them.

Was it possible to be in love with two people at once? Because if it was, George definitely suffered from such a situation.

Dream wasn't sure what he was doing with George, but he knew that he enjoyed the negative impact it seemed to have on Calix. He liked making him angry.

He also loved spending time with George.

Dream drove back to his District in a haze, a grin on his handsome face as he recalled the events of the day. George's laugh, his smile, the color of his cheeks...

Dream cut himself off there before his thoughts could escalate. It wouldn't do to think about George that way, not when he had spent so long just trying to be his friend again. Besides, the man already had a boyfriend - Dream could never sink so low as to try to break them up, or get in between their relationship.

Still, he laughed to himself as he entertained the idea. That would definitely be amusing, and a win-win for him. Calix would be pissed off, and he could have George to himself.

Dream nearly slammed on the brakes at this thought.

Have George to himself?

Of course, Dream could appreciate the attractiveness of his friend, and the way his personality could be so similar to Dream's and yet still be so different so that they never clashed. But there was a difference between wanting George all to himself, with Calix out of the picture, and being able to simply appreciate certain facets of what made George, George.

Right?

Dream drove for another hour, deep in thought even as he pulled into his driveway back at the Leo District. He turned the engine off, grabbed his keys and locked his car doors before making his way up the pathway.

He almost didn't see the figure waiting for him on the front step.

"Dream?"

AN: really short chapter so I can set the scene for what's supposed to happen in the next one <3