DSMP Agere/ comfort/ sick fics

Meet ups and meltdowns

Neurodivergent (autistic) George
NT: Dream and Sapnap

⚠️TW: Autistic meltdown, sensory overload

Synopsis: fan meet ups are hard on George, particularly with all the stimuli and not having his headphones with him...

"You okay, George?"

George nods once then looks away, picking at his fingernails incessantly. Dream frowns but doesn't push it, instead taking George's hand to cease the movement and rubbing circles on the back of it.

They look back at the crowd as the noise swells, excited chatter completely incomprehensible as fans try to get their attention.

George cringes and quickly swaps to rocking from one foot to another, shaking his free hand at his waist and popping his lips in an anxious stim. He catches sight of some confused stares and forces himself to stand still, feeling an uncomfortable itch to move again. There is a dull echo as a microphone projects their words and George cringes, whining and head butting Dream softly who looks down sympathetically.

"Do you want to leave?" He asks under his breath and George doesn't reply, instead humming steadily louder and bringing his free hand to his ears to block out the sound of jovial chatter. Dream pokes Sapnap whose eyes widen, nodding and following as Dream begins to lead them away. And they almost make it.

"Oh my god georgenotfound!"

There is a bright camera flash and George cries out, fighting the urge to curl up into a ball and rock for hours until the noise and chatter and colours and lights just stop.

Instead, he feels two pairs of unwelcome hands literally seize him and pull him away. They duck through an exit and push through a back door, Dream hurriedly telling Sapnap to open a car door as they help the brunette in. By now George is crying and rocking harder than ever, barely noticing the hum of an engine as his friends sit beside him, careful to avoid any touching as George hums and rocks, hiccoughing and cringing at every external noise.

"Yeah the next left thanks... Dream have you got his headphones?"

"Shit no they're at home! It's alright Georgie nearly there..."

They try to comfort him as George's cries get louder, both actively glaring at the cab driver whenever he rolls his eyes or makes a comment under his breath.

Of course, it's actually a projection of their guilt- it's much easier to take it out on him, realising they should not have let George stay in that situation so long.

The meet up had been extended by an hour, security had let in nearly double the amount of fans they should have, and to top it all off they hadn't even brought his noise cancelling headphones. Of course the poor boy was bound to have a meltdown.

They gently guide George out the car, refusing to tip and leading them into the hotel, George's hands still clamped firmly over his ears. They hurry up the stairs and into their room where they shut the door and close the curtains, switching on a faint blue night light and collecting George's 'calm down' kit. It consisted of a rather effective weighted blanket, soft sweatpants and his favourite soft toy.

Dream helps him change, feeling awful as George winces at every touch, tears still rolling down his cheeks. He seems to improve and the group grow hopeful- until someone's phone rings and the cycle starts all over again.

George cries even harder, beyond overwhelmed, and leans down, banging his head on the carpet until Dream gently stops the action and pulls him backwards, clamping his own hands over George's ears and rocking him while muttering soft words. Sapnap stuffs the soft bear into George's hands who gulps and pulls it close, finally opening his red rimmed eyes

"Shh Georgie breathe with me, all the noise is gone now" Sapnap says quietly, breathing in an exaggerated way. George flushes and mimics the breathing, a little more content with both hands brushing the soft fur of his plushie and Dream's hands muffling nearly every noise.

It takes a good fifteen minutes for George to stop crying, and when he does he looks so dishevelled and exhausted that no one really wants to move.

Dream lifts his hands experimentally, only for the brunette to wince and sob, relaxing as the hands reappear. During a meltdown his headspace seemed to blur, the others had found, evident now as George continued to stroke the plushie, refusing to talk and barely responding.

Sapnap and Dream look at each other and Dream nods comfortingly.

"Could you get him some snacks and water? I don't really want to risk moving again"

Sap nods and leaves, retuning with a cut up sandwich and some grapes that he tries to feed to George.

George shakes his head but accepts the water after some coaxing, fighting a small smile as Dream complains at his own lack of snacks. And suddenly it turns into Sapnap edging closer and posting food at regular intervals into Dream's mouth who chews appreciatively. Sapnap offers a grape to George who actually opens his mouth, chewing the fruit and playing with his bear as him and Dream are fed alternately.

After a while he seems to have calmed down, reducing his stims to little finger taps and allowing himself to be tucked under his weighted blanket on the sofa where he yawns and quickly succumbs. Dream blows him a kiss then turns to Sapnap who leans against the counter.

"Well done with getting him to eat by the way, making him copy you and everything"

Dream shrugs gallantly, enjoying the praise- he definitely wasn't going to admit that he had just been hungry!