baby pandas

do i get a prize?

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Splinters are no fun, but Dream makes the hurt go away and even gives Sapnap a little something for being so brave:)

*mild warning for a small injury (the splinter), nothing graphic or anything, just a lil painful for sap <3

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"Can you be good, Pandas?" Dream asks gently, shifting his feet on the patio where he's crouched down in front of a very upset Sapnap.

Sapnap himself is sat kneeling, holding his injured hand tightly with the other in his lap, refusing to let Dream touch it.

He shakes his head at the blond's question– he really doesn't feel like he can be good right now.

It hurts so bad already, and just one look at the tweezers in Dream's hand is enough to make him want to run away and hide.

No way is that thing going anywhere near him.

The painful 'it' is an unfortunate splinter that got caught in his palm when he used his hands to push himself off the wooden floor he's still sitting on. Clearly, he didn't get very far.

A tiny little sliver of the planks has dug itself pretty deep in his skin– at least deep enough to be both mildly frightening for his little self to look at, and for it to hurt a lot.

He averts his eyes down to Dream's cargo shorts, blinking away the tears that threaten to spill down his cheeks.

Dream sighs and leans down a bit to catch his watery gaze, placing a hand on his shoulder and rubbing it. "I think you can, baby," he says softly, "It'll only take a second, alright?"

His sureness makes Sapnap second guess himself– maybe he can be good if he really tries...

"Do I get a pwize?" He pipes up, wiping at his sniffly nose with a hoodie-paw as he glances up into kind green.

Dream chuckles lightly, "A prize if you're good?"

Sapnap gives his head a nod– it's only right to get awarded for something like this, isn't it?

"I think I can make that happen," Dream agrees with a smiley nod.

"A really cool pwize?" He just needs to be sure. And maybe he's stalling a bit too.

Big hands grab ahold of his carefully, being mindful to avoid the painful area as they give a light squeeze.

"The coolest one ever in history," Dream confirms solemnly, "I promise, baby."

And when he says it like that, there's no way to believe anything else.

So Sapnap lets his shoulder down in defeat, "You can takes it out. But p'ease be gentle, okay?"

He tears up as he says the last part, revealing how scared he is for the pain to come– he hates stuff like this, hates that it's also kind of his fault that it's happening. There wouldn't be any splinter if he had been more careful...

Dream brushes a thumb over his cheek and gives him a shining smile, "I'll be so, so gentle, honey. Don't worry for a second. Now, can I have your hand, please?"

Sapnap nods with a sniffle and lifts his hand into Dream's, bracing himself for the tweezers.

The metal lowers to the slightly reddened skin around the tiny, brown splinter, slowly closing around the end of it that's sticking out and pulling on it so it starts sliding out of his skin.

It hurts really, really bad, and Sapnap can do nothing to stop his cries, tears rivering down from his eyes. "Ow," he whimpers wetly, having to resist every urge to pull his hand toward himself.

"Oh, I know, honey. I'm so sorry," Dream is quick to console him, sounding genuinely sorry that it had to be this way. He doesn't want to be doing this either, of course.

Finally, he pulls back the tweezers, the splinter going with them.

"There!" He announces with a smile, "All done now, baby."

Sapnap sniffles and opens his eyes that he didn't even realize he had shut amid everything, peering down at his hand. "Oh," he mumbles, "is gone."

No more painful splinter in his palm– phew.

"Yeah, all gone," Dream muses, gaining a little smile from Sapnap. "And you were so brave, sweetheart. Such a good boy for sitting still even though it was hurting really bad, right?"

Sapnap leans toward the blond, for a hug, for comfort– just for closeness, really. "Yeah," he mumbles. Dream wraps him in his arms as best he can from his slightly awkward position.

Lips meet a damp cheek, leaving a little kiss right in the middle of it. Sapnap hums, and they stay like that for a few minutes, letting feelings and aches cool down.

When he's ready, Sapnap leans back from a warm neck to look at his hand again. No more splinter, he sighs in relief.

"Alright, you ready for your prize?" Dream asks in a faux whisper.

Oh, that's right! He was promised a prize for being good– and he did it!

"I'm ready, I'm ready," Sapnap bounces excitedly on his knees, a big smile on his lips now. "What is it?" He tilts his head to the side, a bit like a puppy waiting for a treat.

"Well," Dream draws out enticingly, "we gotta go inside to find it. You up for that?"

Sapnap nods eagerly and lets Dream lead him away by the hand; up from the prickly wooden flooring and across the garden into the house, beelining for the kitchen.

"Close your eyes, baby."

Sparkly eyes fall shut in a heartbeat, not peeking even once before Dream says he can open them again. And the moment he does, something plastic-y is placed in his outheld hands.

It feels crinkly, like a wrapper of some sort–

He glances down and lets out a little gasp when he sees what it is, "A lollipop! My favorite one, even!"

He bounces on the soles of his feet as he leans into a broad chest for a hug.

Purple grape, it's called, and it's been his absolute favorite flavor for as long as he can remember. It's the kind that leaves your tongue tinted for hours afterward, and Sapnap adores the color purple just as much as the flavor.

"Thank you, thank you," he just about squeals, his smile as bright as a star, receiving a chuckle and a little kiss on his head from Dream.

"You're very welcome, Pandas."

—

1027 words

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