from the depths (dnf)

two.

a/n: my sincerest apologies for such a long delay between chapters one and two of this book. i've been extremely stressed with my school work and life in general, but i've finally finished this chapter. how's everyone feeling about it so far? is it going as you expected? anything you're expecting to happen in this chapter or the chapters coming? as always, please vote and comment if you enjoy! -chaos

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word total for this chapter: 2662 (pog for a longer chapter)

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"Wow," I say, pressing my palm into my forehead, my mind spinning. "We're in a different reality?"

"Yep." Sap says, smirking and crossing his arms over his chest. "I mean, you guys have probably only been here for an hour or two but outside that invisible border, time is different. It's slower. Things just move more quickly here."

"That's just like how she always told the stories." Dream says, shaking his head lightly in disbelief. This is crazy.

"Yeah, I'd heard rumors that this place was supposed to be better than anyone expected but it honestly is surreal." Sapnap says, grabbing our dirty dishes and putting them in the sink with a slight clang.

"Anyways, do you guys want a tour? This was really the only thing I had to do today." He asks, his back still turned to us. Wait, they knew we were coming?

"Hold on," I decide to inquire. "You guys knew we were coming?" I ask skeptically, and I see his shoulders tense slightly. Maybe he wasn't supposed to mention that.

"Yeah, anytime someone enters or exits the border, we know. We don't know who though, just that it was someone moving through it." He answers, leaning against the sink and looking up, his eyes mounted on something outside the window.

"How could you possibly know that?" Dream almost demands, clearly very curious. He's standing at this point, his curiosity preventing him from sitting any longer. I can almost see Sapnap's knuckles go white on the edge of the counter from his grip tightening, and I almost tell Dream to drop it.

"We have our ways, Dream. It'll make sense later." He says tensely, still not meeting our eyes. "Do you want a tour or would you prefer to explore on your own? We have a policy against weapons being on your person, so you'll have to leave those here until they get you guys a place to stay."

Sapnap's lock onto my knife, his knife, and I look down at it, my left palm resting on the handle subconsciously. My chest tightens, and our eyes meet again. His jaw clenches, and I can tell that he's nearly on the verge of tears.

"You kept it." His voice is small but clear in the silence of the kitchen, only the sound of our breathing obstructing.

"Of course. It was all I had of you." I say, pressing my palm to the hilt, feeling the rough and jagged edges of the wood underneath my hand. He merely nods weakly and blinks a few times, clearing any threat of tears from his eyes.

I pull it out of the holster on my thigh, holding the blade lightly with my right hand, studying it for a moment before offering it towards my old friend, who looks down at it before taking it lightly from my hand. He looks at it as if he's missed it dearly, and I bite the inside of my cheek. I hope he doesn't want to keep it now. I'll miss it.

Don't be selfish. It's his knife in the first place. If he wants it, then it's his.

Biting down harder to suppress the way that makes me feel, Dream's movement catches my eye. He reaches behind him, grabbing his own weapon, his sword, from his back. Holding it with the blade pointed at the ground, he offers the hilt to Sapnap, though I can tell he doesn't want to.