Again | DreamNotFound

Getting too involved

Chapter 15

FOUR YEARS AGO

"Dream!" George dug his feet into the ground. "You nearly made me trip!"

"You're fine, I've got you." Dream smiled, still keeping his hands covering George's eyes.

"Where are you taking me?" George sighed, letting Dream guide him forward again, trusting him despite not being able to see.

"You'll see in a moment." Dream said softly, pressing a kiss on the top of George's head.

"You're hands are shaky." George said, his own hands covering Dream's hands over his face. They were shaky. Dream couldn't lie. He felt like a shaken can of soda, a mix of excitement and nerves. "How much caffeine have you had today?"

"None." Dream chuckled, and then rotated George around. "Okay. We're here."

"Where's here? Can I look now?" George asked. Dream looked around, smiling as he took everything in.

"Yeah." Dream breathed out. "You can look, George." He lowered his hands and stepped back.

George opened his eyes, and his face lit up, his eyes widening in delight and his jaw dropping as he took it in, looking around. The sun had just set, and the two of them were standing in the pavilion by the lake where Dream asked George to be his boyfriend. As George looked around now, he saw fairy lights strung up the pavilion and in nearby trees, twinkling and lighting up their surroundings. There was the distant sound of birds twittering and frogs croaking nearby, and the whole scene felt magical.

Dream could only smile as well, at the look of wonder on George's face, a look of pure happiness that he hasn't seen in a while. The bags under his eyes were barely noticeable in this lighting, and the bright look on his face was magical to look at.

When George turned to meet Dream's eyes again, he was smiling so wide.

"This is beautiful." George breathed out.

"Not nearly as beautiful as you." Dream whispered, and reached out to take one of George's hands. "You are... everything to me, George. I can't imagine my life without you in it, my best friend, and my partner. You're my entire world, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Dream didn't notice the way George had stopped breathing.

"I know we haven't been together long, but I've loved you for years. You're my best friend, and the love of my life. I can't imagine a world where you're not with me." Dream thought it would be more difficult, his speech for George. But it was real, and it came from the heart, and he was so in love that it came so naturally.

Dream went down on one knee, one hand still holding George's, and the other pulling out a box from his pocket.

"George, my love, will you marry me?" He asked, looking up at the boy of his dreams, his best friend, his true love. The person he can't imagine living without, the boy who stole his heart, the man he would do anything for.

He saw it. The look in George's eyes when Dream opened the box and showed him the ring, at looking down at Dream who wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. For a moment, Dream saw it, the love, the happiness, the hope. But it was fleeting. And it was replaced just as quickly with something else, an emotion Dream didn't expect.

"George?" Dream whispered.

"No." George whispered right back, face pale, tugging his hand out of Dream's grasp. Dream let his hand fall limp, staring at George with shock.

"You... no?" Dream couldn't move.

"I can't." George's eyes filled with tears, and he pulled his arms close to his body as if shielding himself. "I'm sorry, Clay. I can't."