feral boys

1 • Red String

George wandered in the halls, nervously gripping onto his backpack straps. A bead of sweat rolling down his forehead, he tilted his head downwards as he heard someone approaching him.

"George what's wrong?" Dream wrapped an arm around George's side, out of breath from continuously trying to catch up to him.

"Just nervous.." George whispered softly, finding a steady pace in his steps, allowing Dream to match.

Dream chuckled, "What of?"

"Presentation today,"

"and you.." George spoke under his breath.

"What was that?" Dream looked down at him, eyebrow slightly raised.

His eyes widened, face flushing red. "Nothing."

Dream nodded, waving goodbye and walking off into the depths of their college.

Dream and George had known each other since the 5th grade, friendship still standing strong now as they shared a dorm. Their friendship was quite.. special, they'd flirt here and there yet they haven't seem to catch feelings for one another.

Except for George.

George currently had to suffer with seeing Dream everyday and keeping his feelings shut away. He didn't want to admit it, really. The fear of losing such a wonderful friendship struck his heart, covering it in harmful sparks of flames. It burned him, having to keep it a secret was exhausting.

The constant feeling of wanting to tell him drowning him, so close to being completely submerged. It could slip out any minute now.

Ever since George broke up with his ex, Dream had always been there to keep him company. From there the red string came more into vision, getting brighter the more they hung out. Though he was the only one who could see it dangling in the space between them, hands not daring to interlock.

But how could he tell him? Best friends for 12 and a half years down the drain as if they'd never met. Complete strangers. It was George's worst fear. He couldn't just tell him, 'Oh yea you're my soulmate!'

How would he react? Would he tell him to cut it?Leave him loveless? Leave him there to know his own soulmate doesn't love him back?

Cutting the thread was something people didn't dare to do. Every person was given a pair of scissors the second their soulmate string appeared. The string can not be cut with anything else, just these scissors.

The scissors sat in his nightstand drawer, a shattered heart engraved in its steel blades. Red silicone wrapped around the handles.

A man with a beanie walked up to him with his other friend, well known as Karl. "Hey George!"

"Hello Quackity, hey Karl!"

Karl waved at him, a friendly smile on his face.

"Me and Karl were wondering if you wanted to stay at the dorm after we get everything done." Quackity said eagerly.

Right, they all share a dorm. He tends to forget Dream is not the only person in his life that exists. "Yeah of course!"

"See you then!"

"Wait-" George caught his sleeve before he could walk off.

Karl paused and turned around, "Yes?"

"Where's Dream?"

"Oh! He's with Sapnap in humanities." He pointed towards the hall where the pod was located.

George smiled, waving and setting off to English class. He took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling. He took a cool sip of water, capping it and tossing it in the trash can.

I just want to get this over with already

He placed a hand on the doorknob, slowly turning it and entering the room. He could feel tons of eyes glued onto him as he walked awkwardly to his seat.

He was late.

He checked his phone screen, 8:47. Class started at 8:30. He sighed, putting his phone away and paying attention to the person at the front of the classroom. George wished he was as confident and brave, they didn't have a hint of fear in them.

"George, you're up."

George's heart dropped just below his bellybutton, he closed his eyes and grabbed his laptop, the powerpoint presented on the glowing screen.

-

"You did it, George!" Dream congratulated him, looking at the grade on his phone.

87.90%

"Dream," George sighed, "I stuttered so much!"

"Don't worry about it George, you did amazing." Dream reassured him, his warm smile calming him down.

"Thank you, Dream."

The blonde hummed as they started to walk back to the dorm, arm around George's shoulder. The red string falling behind his back and looping around to the hand that rested on his shoulder. It shimmered in the hall lights, taunting him. He hated it, how it hugged around his best friend's pinky, linked with his own.

It was unfair, the system surely had messed up.

It never messes up though.

George felt guilty for not telling Dream, he was most likely waiting for his soulmate to come to him. Little did he know he was walking right along side him, the string shorter than ever. The guilt washed over his face, clearly showcasing on his expression.

"Is everything alright George?" Dream stopped in his tracks, voice filled with concern. "You look worried."

George looked up at him, gulping. "Everything's alright!"

Dream smiled and continued on his way, but no matter what, he didn't believe George. He could tell he wasn't alright. He wasn't stupid they've been friends forever, he knew George better than anyone else.

He let it slide but payed most attention to George the whole way, the way his face was turning pale, eyebrows slanted with worry. His eyes were filled with worry.

He frowned, knowing he couldn't say anything for it would only make it worse, putting pressure onto George to spit out and admit whatever was going on.

As George's arm swung back and forth, Dream felt light tugs on his hand as if they were connected in some sort of way. An invisible force making his hand move in sync with George's.

"Are we like connected or something?"

George froze, turning around, his eyes gazing along the red, shimmering string until it met Dream. "What are you talking about?"

"Every time your hand swings forward, my hand moves." He sounded confused, "Like a puppet string."

String.

"I wish it was that easy to tell you." He mumbled to himself, chewing on the inside of his cheek and continuing to walk.

Dream furrowed his eyebrows, "Why is it difficult?"

He heard?!

———

ok so basically the string only stretches when you want to get away but in this case, george was just walking WITH dream so it wouldnt stretch and it would just tug on his finger