Missed Chances || Dreamnotfound

6

"What does Dream like to do?"

Anna's eyes leap up from her book at the sudden question that came from nowhere. Her eyes narrow almost instantly, scrutinizing George's every move.

George stammers, "I-I, uhm, well, what does he like to do in his free time?"

The question has been on George's mind ever since the previous night. After helping Dream, George wants to know what he does that gets him hurt so badly.

"You want to know what Dream likes to do in his free time?" Anna questions, eyes widening with skepticism. "Dream, as in my brother, as in the one person you've refused to talk to me about for the past week."

George winces. "Well, yeah."

Anna's eyebrows lift. "What changed?" When George fumbles for a reply, Anna says, "Never mind, that's none of my business. Uh, well, he likes to go to the training field and hang out with his friends. Sometimes he'll come here occasionally to read with me."

George's index finger taps on the cover of the book in his lap. Anna tilts her head at the action, shifting in her seat. Her dress folds every which way, but she doesn't seem to care. "I meant," George says slowly, carefully, "what does he like to do when no one is watching? Like at night?"

"Sleep? Like a normal person?" Anna says as if it's obvious.

"But haven't you seen the bruises he'll have?" George asks, knowing he's digging himself a deeper hole.

"Yeah, he says those are from training." Anna pauses, eyes narrowing. "Why do you care? I thought you hated him?"

"I do," George says quickly, "I was just wondering because sometimes his injuries look pretty bad."

George winces at his own words, wanting to hide behind his book. Anna opens her mouth to reply, but her train of thought is derailed when a smile envelopes her face as she looks past George. "Dream!"

George's head snaps around, and his eyes lock with Dream, who is confused and shocked. He sputters, "I― I didn't know you were here. I just wanted to see Anna."

"Obviously," Anna says. "Dream, come sit down. We were just talking about you."

Blinking, Dream looks between them. His brows furrow in confusion. "You were?"

George turns around to give Anna a pointed look. Anna almost smiles, like she knows exactly what she's doing. "Dream, sit."

"I'm not a dog," Dream mutters, but listens and sits in a chair next to his sister.

Anna hands him a book. "You'll like this one."

Dream takes it delicately, looking between Anna and George with narrowed eyes. Anna has resumed her reading, but George is frozen.

"I didn't know you fancied my sister, George," Dream says, lips twisted in a frown.

George starts to stammer, alarmed, but Anna swoops in. "He doesn't fancy me, doofus. He just like to read with me. George is dangerously close to your speed of reading. If you don't pick it up, he'll be reading more than you."

Dream relaxes immediately, and he has yet to open his book. "Does he?" Dream muses, "He should know by now that I'm very competitive."

Anna rolls her eyes. "He should also know by now that you're all talk."

Dream looks genuinely offended. George watches their interaction, amused. He picks up his book, giving Dream a challenging grin before focusing on the words in front of him.

He sees Dream grin in his peripheral.

~

"He's usually here by now," Karl mutters, disappointed, two days later. "He always is on Wednesdays."