Met With Silence

Midnight Drives and Mind Reading Cats

I love you Dream.

But the words got caught.

George woke up, mildly shaken up, in a cold sweat. He looked around as he breathed heavily and looked at the clock on Dream's nightside table.

12:03

He tried to recite the numbers back to himself, his words a whisper, just to make sure he could still speak and that he hadn't lost the ability entirely.

Letting out a calming breath, he leaned his head back briefly before looking out the window and seeing complete darkness through the curtain.

"George?" Dream mumbled, his voice deeper than usual and raspy, a voice George had heard over calls many times but was only getting used to in person, "you okay?"

The brunette almost had a thought to talk to him but snapped his mouth shut. He wasn't ready. He just looked over the edge of the bed at the other boy who was propped up on his elbows under him.

"You didn't wake me up," Dream said as if reading George's mind, George loves it when he did that, "I haven't been able to sleep. Are you alright? I heard you, like, breathing heavy and..."

A sudden panic rose in George's chest. His throat. Hoping, praying, that Dream hadn't heard his whispers.

"I thought I heard something else," Dream said quietly, "couldn't tell what. But you seemed panicked."

With just a head shake in response, Dream pulled himself up, cautious of George's head who turned to look up at him.

"You think you can get back to sleep?" Dream asked, stretching and looking down at George who shook his head meekly, "okay... okay. Uh, here's a weird idea. Do you wanna go on a drive with me? We can just listen to music or I can talk and you can listen. I don't have much to talk about other than the things you've already heard but I can figure it out."

Another nod, this one smaller and barely noticeable in the dark room, the only light being the beside clock. George stood up with Dream, trying to make out his outline so he didn't bump into him.

"Okay," Dream said, grabbing George's arm to steady him after he almost tripping over a blanket, "let me just put on shoes and I'll let you do what you need. It's pretty warm outside so..."

Then Dream left the room and George let out a breath, thankful that he didn't have to sit alone after his nightmare. He hated those the worst. The ones that targeted his way of life.

Regularly, he gets scared he'll forget how to talk. Or that he won't know how to open his mouth anymore, like what happened yesterday at the island, he almost panicked.

Sometimes it was worse than other times. While he was scared of speaking, he was more scared of not being able to ever speak. It was irrational. He could relearn if he had to but some part of him didn't let him think rationally.

He wrapped his arms around himself and walked towards the door that Dream left open and he proceeded to make his way to the stairs and walk down. Seeing a vague shadow, he smiled knowing Dream was in the same room.

Dream was doing this for him. He felt bad at that thought but couldn't quite express it. Dream should be asleep. He should be asleep. But now the two were up and getting ready to go on a drive.

"Hi," Dream said, leaning near the door, seeming to notice George's presence, "you ready?"

George just walked towards him, standing right in front of him and leaning his head against Dream's chest for a little then hitting his head against him.