A Smile With A Bite. DNF

Part Eleven

According to Dream's obsessive observations, George hadn't fed in four days. Ever since their incident in the bathroom, George hadn't fed from Dream and he hadn't left the house to feed. George wasn't comfortable with leaving yet. More hunters could be out there, waiting. It was too dangerous and George didn't like taking risks. Dream was grateful for George's caution but he didn't like that he was starving himself just to avoid Dream when he was a willing participant.

The boys agreed to go out to a new, trendy arcade with a fancy bar. They had games, go-kart racing, axe throwing, and even mini golf. They had spent hours there, playing games and poking at each other's competitive sides. Dream was enjoying himself but he couldn't keep his eyes off George. He was slower than usual. He still laughed and he played along with everyone, but he was starving. It was a constant agony itching at his skin from the inside out.

While sitting at the bar together, waiting for one of the axe throwing booths to open up, George's attention wondered. He tapped anxiously on the side of his glass as he eyed the couple across the bar from them. The girl was coddling her boyfriend as he wiped his finger of blood and bandaged it. He accidentally sliced his finger open with one of the throwing axes and George could smell his blood. It was surrounding him, invading his senses like water rushing in, drowning him.

"You okay, dude?" Karl asked George, touching his shoulder. George flinched and turned to meet Karl's eyes. "You're like sweating, dude.. Are you hot?"

George reached to touch his forehead, noticing the dampness on his skin that was soaking his bangs. He gulped and gently shook Karl's hand off of him. "I'm fine, Karl. A little hot.. maybe..."

Dream craned his neck to look around the boys sat between him and George. What were him and Karl talking about? Why did George look so pale and sick? Was he going to pass out?

"Do you mind giving me a hand with something, actually?" George asked with a nervous chuckle.

Karl perked up, ready and willing because he was a good guy like that. "Anything, George. What do you need?"

George cringed, already feeling the self hatred deep into his bones. He locked eyes with Karl and said, "meet me in the bathroom in exactly one minute. And don't raise suspicion."

Karl zoned into George's eyes, falling into his compulsion. Karl nodded without hesitation and George sighed. He felt guilty. He didn't want to compel his friends. It was a shitty thing to do, stripping people he cared about of their own free will. He hated it and he hated himself, but he wasn't going to risk attacking a stranger and he wasn't going to ask Dream. He was boycotting Dream's blood.

Dream watched George walk off and into the bathroom. He turned his attention back to his friends and laughed at whatever they were laughing at. Sapnap said something funny. Dream didn't know but he would act like he was present as best he could. It wasn't like he could tell them that he was losing his mind over George. They wouldn't understand, or they'd just tease him.

Karl stood from the bar a moment later and walked off. Dream glanced at him but returned to whatever Quackity was talking about. It wasn't until Dream saw Karl turn the corner at the back of the arcade that he got distracted again.

Karl got up pretty soon after George did. And they were talking before George left. There was no way George tried the same trick on Karl that he tried on that Michael guy at the nightclub. Karl was his friend. He wouldn't compel him, would he? Unless he was really that hungry. But they were in a public place. George wouldn't risk it. He couldn't.

"Goddamnit," Dream cursed under his breath as he pushed off his seat and stomped his way to the bathroom.

As much as he wanted to give George the benefit of a doubt, he couldn't underestimate the power that hunger had over a vampire.