baby pandas

hoodie strings

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The process of editing his video became a lot more efficient (and enjoyable) after he moved from the setup in his room down to the couch in the living room instead.

Something about his desk chair felt wrong today, and the brightness of his wide monitor kept bothering him, so he decided to switch it up a little bit, which turned out to be a great idea.

Couch cushions are much more comfortable than his pesky chair, and the light shining through the big windows downstairs is all pretty and sunny-colored.

And it's not so eerily quiet here either like it is in his room, instead filled with soft, little sounds that make it easier to concentrate. Sapnap thinks so, anyway. Like rustling in the trees outside the open door out to the patio, and his friends pottering around.

All in all, a lovely space for getting some work done.

So lovely in fact, that Sapnap finds himself slowly but surely slipping into his headspace. Not so young that he has to stop working, just small enough to feel more at ease and to make him giggle at moments in the video he's piecing together that he normally wouldn't.

"George– oh you're such an idiot," Dream's voice says exasperatedly through his AirPod, his little green character giving a punch to George's. "Give me my iron boots back!"

George just giggles in response, bounding away from Dream in-game, and that makes Sapnap giggle in real life too, sliding his finger across the mousepad to replay the clip.

"Oh you're such an idiot– give me my..."

The clip plays again, and then a few more times, a giddy smile staying put on Sapnap's lips the whole time. 

Just as he's about to move on to another part of the footage, a voice brings him back to the living room, coming from outside of his headphones this time.

"What're you giggling about, huh?" Dream plops himself down beside Sapnap who instantly lets his head fall to the warm shoulder now available to him. Who wouldn't, really.

He gives a little shrug in response followed by another little laugh. Not that he could give much of an answer anyway, not with the string of his hoodie sitting idly between his lips, tongue rolling over the knot of it as he concentrates.

Dream notices, because of course he does, his hand reaching up and pulling the string from Sapnap's mouth with ease.

Sapnap lets out a whine before he can think twice, turning to the blond with a frown. "Why take it?" He complains.

Pink lips curve into a fond smile when Dream sees Sapnap's stern expression, not resisting the urge to lean forward and leaving a light peck on the tip of the brunet's nose.

"Your hoodie's not supposed to go in your mouth, little panda. You know that," he explains gently.

Sapnap huffs. "But I–"

"No buts," Dream cuts him off softly, leaving no room for disagreeing. He's very good at that.

Shoulders slump in defeat, a pout appearing on empty lips.

Dream chuckles and cups Sapnap's little cheeks, "You can have your paci instead, okay?"

"Mmh," Sapnap whines petulantly, acting as neither a yes nor a no. Why can't he just have his hoodie string back? He doesn't understand, kicking his foot against the couch lightly.

"Do you want it or not?" Dream asks him again, placing a hand on his leg to stop him from kicking. "I have it right here in my pocket," Sapnap follows his pointer finger down to the pocket of his merch sweatpants.

Maybe a pacifier wouldn't be too bad... At least when the other option is to have nothing at all.

"Fine I wan' it," he gives in with a mumble.

Dream smiles at him, "Okay, you can have it. That's all I needed to hear, honey."

Then the familiar rubber of his pacifier is being slipped between his lips, and things feel all good again.

Soft couch cushions, sunny living room, funny video– and now Dream is here too!

Sapnap snuggles into the warm shoulder again and skips back to the clip he was giggling at earlier, knowing that Dream is watching his screen too.

"Dis is wha' ma'e me laugh," he somehow gets out around his paci, eager to show off his new favorite clip.

Dream kisses the top of his head and circles an arm around his waist to pull him closer with a sigh. "Alright, show me what made you laugh, baby."

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750 words

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