paint splattered scars || dnf

The Mandatory Beach Episode's Prequel

Guess who's back (back again) Saturn's back. Tell a friend. /ref

Happy 45th chapter (50th including the mess of author's notes)

Few more chapters to gooooo. I don't plan on leave this for that long again. But it wasn't a whole month this time!! I did NOT check for errors, so there are probably typos.

NOTE: I know about the car continuity error. I'm gonna keep referring to Karl's car because I don't feel like editing anything, but I want you to know that I know that you know that I fucked up.

Anyways, some Sapnap & George shenanigans this chapter :)

COMMENT WHILE YOU READ 👹(pls :])

TW: discussion of self harm

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"We're not doing that."

"Why not!"

"We have three hundred dollars. Not three million."

"Buzz kill."

Conversation had been like this for the last few minutes as Karl idly drove around the neighborhood.

"We can go tomorrow?" Karl suggested.

"It's only noon. Plus, uh... George and I have therapy tomorrow," Sapnap said uncomfortably.

"That's not an all day thing though, right?" Karl asked.

George jumped in to help Sapnap out. "It can be better, sometimes, to have time to... recuperate. We can just go today. I think it'd do us all some good."

"Right, but where?" Dream glanced around.

"Beach day?" Karl finally raised an idea.

The looks on Sapnap, George, and Dream's faces made them look like they might throw up.

"We... could do that?" George glanced at Dream, who was making eye contact with Sapnap.

There seemed to be some kind of understanding between the three of them. Something changed in their faces, and it was agreed.

This would be fine.

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"I just realized I don't have any swim trunks." George muttered, looking upset.

"Mine at at my parent's house." Sapnap said.

They'd gone by Karl and Dream's houses already.

"We should stop at the store to get sunscreen and some food anyways, so you can just buy them," Karl said. "We have three hundred dollars. Parking and food won't cost that much. And we don't have to spend it all."

"It's technically George's money anyways, right?" Sapnap shrugged.

"I don't care to keep money that belonged to my uncle." George crossed his arms, but he looked a little less uncomfortable than he normally did when speaking of his family.

"So let's go! Karl, find a grocery store, come on," Dream demanded excited from the backseat by George.

"Okay, okay," he said with fake annoyance.

————

"I am not wearing that!" George nearly yells with a laugh.

"Aw, why not?" Sapnap grinned, holding up the most hideous pair of swim trunks he could find.

"Those are... atrocious."

"Mee-me-me-me. I'm George and I'm British and I use words like 'atrocious'." Sapnap said in an awful fake accent.

"Atrocious isn't even a crazy word!" George makes a face at Sapnap, before picking up a pair of light blue shorts from a shelf.

Basic!" Sapnap yells. "Get something cool." Sapnap lifts up a pair of black shorts with flames on the sides.

"I don't trust your opinion on what is 'cool'."

"Okay, fuck you," Sapnap points at George with a smile. They both get a dirty look from a woman in a store uniform, which quickly shuts them up.

Dream pushes a small cart around the racks of clothes, nearly bumping into multiple, before saying, "Are you guys done yet? Karl and I got some food."

"We're having a picnic," Karl states seriously.

"What did you get?" George goes to grab something from the cart but Karl stops him, grabbing his arm quickly.

"No looking! It's a surprise!" he exclaims cheerily, but the smile drops when he realizes how nervous George looks. He releases his grip on George's arm. "Sorry."

George rolls his shoulders, then smiles a bit at Karl. "It's fine. Really."

"You getting those?" Dream asks, pointing at the shores in George's hands.

George looks down like he forgot he was holding them. "I mean, I kinda wanted them, yeah. I don't know if I should get something else..." his voice slowly got quieter and more unsure as he continued talking until he was near silent and mumbling.

"No, no. I think they're great! You'll look amazing." Dream takes the side of George's face in his hand.

"Okay, enough of that." Sapnap crosses his arms. "Are we... getting swim shirts... Or just shorts. Because— You know." Sapnap looks at Dream nervously, whose back tenses.

"Should we?" George asks. "Are you comfortable with..." George lowers his voice, "Karl knowing? I mean, I think I'll be... okay? What about you two?"

"It's been quite awhile so there's nothing new. Thanks to you." Dream allows his smile to show on his face, just a little.

"I'm not taking credit for anything."

"What about you, though?"

"Karl knew I self harmed after awhile. And he obviously knew the night of the party" The when I nearly died goes unsaid. "I don't think he knew how bad it was, but I think I'll be fine." He hesitates for a moment or two. "Will Sapnap be alright?"

"I think he will be. He'll stay in his comfort zone, and I think it's good that he's allowed to have that."

After a little more shopping, the end up checking out in the express lane, though they have far more than 15 items. The same woman George and Sapnap saw before walks by, eyeing their cart. She looks like she's going to say something rude, but decides she doesn't care and walks over to an empty line.

Karl and Sapnap are laughing while pushing the cart out of the store. Dream and George walk a little farther behind, both of their hearts heavy with nervousness, but excited for the rest of the day ahead.

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849 words

Damn sorry for not updating for awhile again. Trying not to do that. Next chapter will be pretty cute if you ask me :)

Also I already wrote the ending to this fic in my notes app, but you'll just have to waaaiitttt, there are still like 5 chapters to go.