Pandemonium | Dream SMP

61. In body and partial soul.

I let Dream carry me for a good ten minutes in comfortable silence before deciding enough is enough. I've allowed him to have his way under the pretence that I was too emotionally exhausted to care what he did. A dumb excuse, I know, and I can't believe it's taken me a full ten minutes to realise it.

I gave up too easily.

Twisting under Dream's grip, I manage to gain a little height by pushing up on his shoulder. And then before he can question my wiggling, I throw myself forward as hard as I can.

The momentum has him fold backwards, buckling with a yelp.

I raise my arms, protecting my face as I prepare to eat dirt for my poorly executed plan.

Dream isn't able to regain his balance in time, but he does manage to twist his torso, landing uncomfortably on his side instead of squishing me.

A thoughtful but unnecessary action. I'm no stranger to pain.

"What are you-" I don't let him finish, bringing up an elbow and ramming it a little harder than necessary into his mask.

He splutters and reels away, shoving his hands up under his mask.

He drops my trident and it comes zipping into my hand as I call for it.

In a matter of seconds I've managed to turn the tides. I'm the one who stands over him now as he groans in pain.

"What is it with you and my mask?!" He exclaims, more annoyed than angry as he sits upright in the dirt. His round mask sits wonkily on his face, a portion of his cheek and lips viewable as a steady stream of red dribbles down from his nose. His hands have blood splotched across them in his attempt to stunt the flow.

I open my mouth to respond, but then shut it. I've wasted enough time humouring this man. I need to return to Manburg. Schlatt might need me. I can't believe I let him distract me with ideas of a date? Who in their right mind goes on a date right after a breakup?! It's an insult to my relationship with Fundy.

"Oy, hold on a minute."

I don't turn back, continuing to walk away with my trident gripped tightly in a hand.

"You could at least thank me, y'know? You looked like you needed to hit something. Though I'm surprised it took you this long to retaliate, honestly. I thought I'd be walking in circles for hours-"

Dream bites his tongue as I swing around, my expression tight. He hasn't bothered to fix his mask, and when he smirks I actually see his lips move, creased with blood.

"...What?" I utter, unsure if I'm hearing right.

He shrugs nonchalantly. He's still sat in the dirt and doesn't look like he plans on standing any time soon.

"Did you really not notice? I've been walking the same path for the last ten minutes, waiting for you to perk up."

"So that talk about a date was just to rile me up?"

"Well I don't know about that. Haven't you ever heard of a walking date?"

I roll my eyes.

"Very funny. You do know that toying with the emotions of others is deplorable, right?"

Dream actually laughs. "Oh, like you're one to talk. Dating that fox when you're clearly into me."

"I told you that that was a mistake," I mutter, my gaze dropping to my feet. I should be angry. I know I should. But I just can't bring myself to feel that emotion right now. "It's not like it matters anymore. We broke up. Turns out we didn't really understand each other."