Beyond The End [Dream team x Reader]

Chapter 46

Y/N's POV

We reached a portal just after the Nether light began to shift again.

It wasn't a real time change.

But everything here had its own version of warning signs.

The air felt slightly thinner.

The glow slightly colder.

Like the world was reminding us we didn't belong here for long.

Sapnap stopped first.

"There it is," he said.

The ruined portal sat ahead of us like it had been waiting.

Partially rebuilt from our last trip.

Obsidian still uneven in places.

Lava hardened around the edges like it had tried to seal itself in.

Dream didn't slow down as we approached.

George did.

I noticed immediately.

"You okay?" I asked quietly.

He nodded once.

"...Yeah. Just feels familiar."

"Familiar how?"

He frowned slightly.

"I don't know. Like I've been here but not... as me."

That answer didn't sit right with me.

But before I could respond, Sapnap clapped his hands once.

"Alright. Overworld time. I miss trees that don't want me dead."

That got a small breath of laughter out of George.

Even Dream's expression softened for a second.

Just briefly.

⸻

We stood in front of the portal.

It was already lit.

Flickering purple like it was breathing.

Dream checked everyone's gear without saying anything.

Then again.

Then a third time.

Sapnap noticed.

"Dude," he said, "we're not going into a boss fight, we're going home for like five minutes."

Dream didn't answer.

He just kept looking at us.

At me.

A little longer than everyone else.

I raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

He hesitated.

Then shook his head slightly.

"Nothing. Just stay close."

Sapnap groaned.

"Oh my god, he's doing the thing again."

"The thing?" I asked.

Sapnap pointed at Dream.

"The 'I'm pretending I'm not stressed but I am absolutely stressed' thing."

Dream finally looked at him.

"I'm not stressed."

Sapnap stared back.

"You blinked four times in a row while saying that."