It Was Never the End DreamNotFound

Chapter 26

Dream POV

This... was not what he was expecting. 

Dream was currently standing in front of an abandoned home. Chunks were missing from the exterior, paint chipped and worn. The area itself was full of abandoned homes, most of them too destroyed to provide any shelter.

"You muffinhead!" A man in a black-and-red hoodie and brown hair was hugging Drista tightly. The sun glinted off the sheath of a large dagger strapped to his lower back. "I was so worried about you! Why would you run off?"

The man's name, or code name anyways, was BadBoyHalo. To say Dream was shocked to see him was an understatement. He'd completely forgotten about the people he saw at the top of the ravine that day he first traveled to the Sleepy Bois. He couldn't believe his sister was right there, and he just watched her pass. Considered killing her. 

Not that he was going to share that last part with anyone. Bad was overly friendly, not seeming all that concerned with a group of strangers. He'd been a little off-put when Dream and the others arrived outside his hideout, but once he saw Drista he calmed down.

"I'm fine, Bad." Drista looked embarrassed as Bad released her and looked her up and down as though searching for injuries.

"Who are they?" Bad turned to a very confused Philza, Dream, and George.

"That one is my brother." Drista pointed at Dream.

"I was wondering why everyone was so calm about the Dream being present." Bad smiled but looked a little nervous.

Dream shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Thanks for taking care of my sister." 

"Of course! We adore her." Bad perked up. He gave Drista an affectionate look. "She's our little muffin." 

Drista seemed to pretend she couldn't hear him. "That's George, he's dating my brother and-"

"Awwwwwww," Bad squealed. "That is so cute. I knew it, I could tell the moment they walked up." 

Philza quirked an eyebrow, giving Dream an interesting look. Almost like he was thinking the same thing Bad said. George was blushing again, and Dream felt warm pride building in his stomach. He pulled their interlocked hands closer to his side. 

"This is Philza. He's the leader of the Sleepy Bois." Drista swept her arm in Philza's direction. 

Philza stepped forward to shake hands with bad. "I hear your comrade is ill?"

Bad reciprocated the gesture, releasing Philza's hand before answering. "Bitten by a venomous monster." 

Dream winced, feeling his old wound ache with ghost pain. The reminder made those heterochromatic eyes flicker through his mind, but he pushed the memory away. 

"Can we see him?" Philza requested. 

Bad hesitated, but Drista nodded. Walking to the entrance of the abandoned house, she pushed the door open and disappeared inside. Bad followed suit, leading for the others to join.

Upon entering, Dream nearly gagged at the rotting smell in the air. Surely his wound didn't stink this bad? He tilted his head curiously at George, the question on the tip of his tongue.

"No," George's eyes raised to look at Dream. "Yours didn't have this bad a stench." 

Dream smiled. He loved the way the brunette seemed to guess what he was thinking. 

The house was dark, the walls gutted and the ground littered with debris. Lying on a torn and stained sofa, unconscious, was the black-haired man Dream had seen that day in the ravine. The man was shirtless, bandages wrapped his hip. The area around the bandages was a nasty purple color, and his skin was slicked with sweat.