Steeling My Heart - DreamNotFound

Chapter 7

Dream's car pulls smoothly out of the driveway and turns left, beginning the route to his apartment. A song that sounds like "Too Fast" by Sonder plays through his speakers on a relatively low volume. I shift my view to Dream and find him mouthing the lyrics inaudibly while glancing in the rear view mirror to check his surroundings before switching lanes.

He might look intimidating because of the shadow being casted over his face if the light heartedness of his mood wasn't so apparent. He doesn't appear to be that tired anymore, green eyes staying open effortlessly, posture straight without force, and his expression was of a small smile.

The smile across his face doesn't look to be merely a happy resting face, though, Dream looks to be thinking or maybe reminiscing. "What are you thinking about?"

"What?" He questioned as he spared a quick glance at me, his expression exhibiting slight confusion, before returning his eyes to the road.

"I don't know, because you are smiling like an idiot and you seem happy about something. More than usual I mean." He doesn't respond for a moment and he seems to be constructing his thoughts into sentences, so I give him a second.

When he seems to decide on how to answer my questions, he says "I guess I'm just happy you're staying in my apartment again. I don't really like living alone now that I know what it's like to have someone else in the house, someone to wake up to in the morning and you make me feel more comfortable." He pauses for long enough to look at me and gives me a small smile mirroring my own, then continues.

"It's nice to wake up in the morning and be able to know where you are and that you're safe and that I can talk to you without having to wait to see you just for work. Lately I just feel like we haven't spent much time together that isn't work related, you know?"

"Yeah, but maybe that's just because we are almost always sleeping, working or eating." I giggle.

"Good point, but still." That seems to end the conversation. Minutes later Dream speaks up again. "I know we ate dinner, but that was hours ago, are you hungry at all?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Okay. I am so I'm gonna stop and get some IN-N-OUT. Are you sure you don't want any?" He looks at me as if he knows I am going to eat some whether the food is mine or not.

"Yes, I'm positive." I say while nodding dramatically and exaggerating my accent. He only rolls his eyes, accepting the inevitable. Am I hungry? No. Will I most likely eat some of his food? That has a 95% chance of happening.

We venture off the normal route with a few clicks of a turn signal and pull into the drive through at the fast food restaurant and Dream orders a burger and fries. As the red and yellow lights fade from the rear view mirrors after he gets his food, he takes out only his fries and places them in the center console cup holder.

He places the rest of the food in the back seat and occupies his stomach with fries as we go back onto the main road.

The clouds open up and pour out a light rain that concentrates into a rain similar to the one occupying the sky before we left for dinner. I grab one of Dream's fries and put it into my mouth. He lets out a laugh that is only a gust of air out of his nose and slightly smiles, but doesn't seem to mind. I'm sure he expected it.

Laying my head against the cold window, I look up as much as my eyes will comfortably allow and watch as a rain droplet slowly moves down the window, swallowing other drips, and then falling quicker.

~~

"Geoooorrge." Is whispered very close to my ear and a gentle nudge is given to my shoulder. Dream has been doing this for a few minutes now, but he doesn't know I never actually fell asleep. I do this often. It's cute to see how sweet he is when trying to wake me up.

"George, we are here. There is no way you are still asleep." He says, whisper-shouting. I begin to fake stir to play up my performance. I wonder how far I can go with this.

"C'mon, I'll help you get up." He reaches over my abdomen and unbuckles my seatbelt.

"I don't wanna get up." I whine. "Carry me." I say in a quieter voice and reach up my hands to lightly rest on his broad shoulders.

"You really want me to carry you?" He said as if it was unbelievable, but not trying to change my mind. More like double checking.

I nod lazily and he pushes his right arm under my knees and his left behind my back. He seemingly effortlessly lifts me out of the car, careful not to bump my head and closes the car door behind him with his foot.

The entrance to his apartment takes about five minutes to reach. Normally the trip only takes a couple minutes, but it's obvious he is walking softly so as to not wake me too much. The truth is I'm not that tired. It's impossible to be when so much of Dream is touching me, holding me. Every place his body is touching mine feels like it's buzzing.

He menuervers the arm holding my legs so that he can reach out and open the door with the hand he already has his keys in.

Shutting the door the same way he did the car's, he makes his way through the flat to his room where he gently lays me down on the pillow. I open my eyes just enough to where only if he is looking closely will he be able to tell, which he is.

He is standing over me with a soft smile and his brows knit together upwards. His hands are resting on the bed where if I scooted towards him slightly, they would be back under my legs and back in the same places they were before.

The blond looks first in my eyes, then his gaze makes its way down to my feet and then back. The notion sends shivers down my spine. When he notices my eyes are slightly open, his expression returns to a more normal, but still soft one, and he starts to turn around to leave.

I quickly reach for the arm closest to my head to stop him. I don't want him to leave. "Where are you going?" I ask in the same level as a whisper. I open my eyes more to find his green pouring into dark brown. He looks hopeful almost, and happy, but also slightly confused.

"Going to sleep on the couch."  He says, and then he adds, "Unless you don't want me to." He grins more when I giggle at his suggestive tone and pull his arm in my grasp towards the bed.

"Stay?"