Between Friends (dnf)

Naps

"You have to wake him up."

"Not yet."

"Dude, we have to clean. Just wake up sleeping beauty already."

"Five more minutes?" Dream bargained, earning an annoyed eye roll from Sapnap, but an agreement nonetheless.

Sapnap left the room, knowing there was no way he was going to sit there and watch Dream fawn over George sleeping. There was no denying that they both knew the additional five minutes were more so for Dream than they were for George.

Their three part Christmas stream train had ended not too long ago, everyone was exhausted, and the house was an absolute disaster. Sylvee and Ken had left about an hour ago, wishing them luck with cleaning up the aftermath.

Dream had noticed the way George was nearly asleep on his feet before his stream even ended. He pitied him, wishing he could scoop George into his arms to let him rest in the middle of decorating gingerbread houses.

But alas, there were lights and cameras and friends and tens of thousands of eyes on them. There was also the fact that he technically didn't know if George would even want that. He had a fairly good suspicion George would- but Dream's suspicions had been wrong in the past.

Once all the lights and cameras had been turned off and the watchful eyes of their friends and fans had ceased to look their way, Dream saw his opportunity coming into view. It only took one tired glance from his favorite chestnut colored eyes for Dream to decide it was time to make an executive decision or two.

So maybe Dream was the one who insisted they all deserved a short break.

And maybe Dream was the one who encouraged George to lay down, ushering him to his favorite spot on the couch.

And maybe Dream was the one who wrapped a blanket around George, ever so slightly tucking him in as an excuse to hold him just a bit longer.

And maybe Dream didn't put up much of a fight when George said he should sit on the couch with him to make sure he'd only nap for ten minutes- a conversation that transpired about forty-five minutes ago.

Unfortunately for Dream, Sapnap bore witness to all of this, seeing straight through whatever 'mom-friend' façade Dream was trying to front with.

That meant there would be no maybe about who would have to wake George up from his nap with the worst news possible.

It was time to clean.

"Hey, Georgie. Time to wake up." Dream said in possibly his softest voice. He was standing behind the couch, looking over George and Patches, who was curled up on his chest.

Not even Patches, the lightest sleeper in the house, stirred from Dream's gentle calling. Granted, Dream wasn't necessarily trying all that hard to wake George up. He could still see the faint dusting of rose colored eye bags peeking out behind dark lashes.

Dream didn't know if he had the strength to wake George. His face was finally relaxed and he looked so peaceful. Dream wanted to let him sleep until the only color left on George's face was the perpetual blush he wore whenever their eyes met for too long.

Dream sighed, making his way to the front of the couch, kneeling beside George. He couldn't help but reach out one of his hands to George's head, lightly flicking a piece of hair out of George's face.

Dream was still getting used to seeing George like this- no distortion from a lens or monitor, just raw, unfiltered beauty.

Patches squinted open her eyes, her gaze seeming to match Sapnap's level of annoyance with him. Her stare alone was enough to make Dream try waking George again.