another revealed truth

third eye, forth person

trigger warnings listed in opening author's note

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dream instinctively sits up as his bedroom door flies open, his mind being ripped away from the deep darkness of his thoughts as he tries to come back to the moment instead of staying lost in his overthinking.

"sorry, sapnap let me in," karl apologises when he notices how he had startled the blond. the brunette pushes the door gently shut, his gaze searching dream's expression. "are you okay?"

dream straightens up as if his poor posture will allow his boyfriend (his real boyfriend) to see into all the dark corners of his mind. he nods.

obviously, karl doesn't look convinced. he crosses over the room, brows furrowed and lips pursed. "you left the lecture," he pointlessly observes as he moves to sit down at the end of dream's bed, right by the blonde's feet.

dream had aimlessly hoped karl wouldn't bring that up. he was already humiliated enough, thinking about how he had stormed out mid-class. he predicts everyone laughed at him, though he knows deep down that it's more likely that they were worried since he can't imagine he looked particularly composed.

dream nods anyway. "do you want to tell me why?" karl offers, though he's clearly reluctant. dream supposes it's because their relationship is still fresh, and they haven't really delved into the world of serious conversations and openness - at least, dream hasn't.

"the printing ink made me think of my old art teacher," dream answers. it's honest, though it won't mean anything to the brunette. it wouldn't mean anything to anyone, really.

it isn't supposed to mean anything to dream.

"the one that got you into art?" karl asks, and dream nods slowly. the brunette's hand finds his ankle, holding gently - it's grounding. "i think you've mentioned him to me a few times."

"he used to buy me presents and stuff," dream says, and karl's grip on his ankle fluctuates almost unnoticeably. "i had a huge crush on him. used to think i was special 'cause he hugged me and stuff."

karl squints. his hand shifts slightly, moving up to sit on dream's bare calf, his fingers brushing over the hair there. "right..." he trails off, waiting for more.

"i keep thinking about him recently, like, a lot. i think i forgot things," dream says. each word feels heavy coming out of his mouth, like he should be keeping them there, and it's getting so hard to speak that he genuinely contemplates signing to the brunette.

though, he's not quite practised enough for that yet.

"what kind of things do you think you were forgetting?" karl asks, already seeming incredibly on edge.

"well, i-" dream feels his breath hitch. he doesn't know why he is even contemplating telling karl this, let alone the fact that he knows he's going to. "i remembered, the other night, this time we hugged and i think-" dream glances away, because he's terrified to think karl's expression is going to be painted in disgust. "i think he touched my ass."

"you think?" karl repeats. he shuffles up the bed, so he is sitting beside where dream's knees are, and leans over to force the blond to look at him.