I'm not happy with the quality of this, but fuck it. Also, I hope this isn't super obvious whom was on my mind when I made this, but as tired and stressed out as I am I couldn't give a shit less if someone figures it out (whether they're an insider for the situation or just know me too well.)
Regardless, 1000 words!
~~~
Saturn cracked another joke, which sent everyone into a fit of laughter. Even Ink managed to crack a smile. The night was full of happiness and friendship, even though still early.
The only one not participating in the bonding moment was Dream. He was sitting outside the camp. The others had managed to convince him into going on a camping trip, even despite his responsibilities as the CEO of JR, but that didn't stop him from being isolated.
Dream sighed, looking up to the stars. He never noticed how pretty this AU so graciously given to him was anymore. It was just work, work, work, day after day, night after night. Now out of the cycle for a short time, what the hell does he do?
... His thoughts trailed back to the others.
It was amazing how he and Saturn could still talk to each other even after all this time, but it felt like... It felt like Dream was forcing it. He wanted to talk to Saturn so much more, even if it was just "how was your day" type of conversation. And for Error and Cross... Cross likely still hates his guts, and Error can sort of talk to him, maybe, but it just... It still didn't feel right. With Blue and Ink, it didn't help that they didn't actively talk to him.
It wasn't the first time he wondered if he was all alone.
Saturn, after a few mintues of silence, noticed that Dream was off to the side. For a few minutes he tried to decide whether to leave him there or go talk to him.
... The latter won.
He excused himself from the group to "go take a quick piss", leaving the uneducated skeletons a bit confused, before walking up to Dream. "... Hey."
Dream snapped out of his daze. "Oh, um, hello," Dream greeted Saturn.
Don't say it.
"So..."
Don't say it, Dream.
"How's everything going?"
Saturn stared at Dream for a second, unknowing how to respond, before cracking a small smile. "It's going good with the others. My datemates were howling with laughter as per usual," gosh, the way that his brother mentioned all that sounded so casual, but Dream couldn't help but think it was all forced. Maybe it was.
Yeah, likely.
"Can you tell me how you've been doing?" Saturn cleared his throat. The question came to a surprise for Dream. He wasn't expecting Saturn to ask him anything, or worry about him. Dream didn't want to have Saturn worry about him - he didn't deserve that.
"Same old same old," Dream murmured.
Saturn gazed at Dream. "Anyway..."
"Anyway..." Repeated Dream.
The silence between them was thick. What else would it be? It was his own damn fault for his actions long ago against Saturn. Eating all the apples...
Telling him he needed to die...
Trying to kill him...
Dream now knew how wrong he was, but a simple sorry wouldn't be enough to cut it.
An apology wouldn't even help either.
... Would it?
"I'm sorry," Dream pipped up, looking at Saturn straight in the eye. The other tilted his head in slight curiosity. "For what?"
Dream exhaled, sighing softly, looking down. "For..."
It wouldn't hurt, though, would it?
"I'm sorry for assuming I had to kill you to bring peace everywhere," Dream spat out quickly, nervous on what Saturn would say. Except his brother didn't say anything. Not a word.
... It made him feel even worse.
Dream's soul beat escalated as his thoughts started getting grimmer and grimmer by the second, his anxiety peaking. This'll cause so much drama, and Cross and Error and Saturn will hate me more, I should've just kept quiet, and-
His thoughts stopped as soon Saturn shrugged. "'S fine. It's been so long ago, I think you've figured it out by now you were wrong."
It felt... Bittersweet. But it was better then Dream could've, well, dreamed for. "Wait, what?"
"You're fine, Dream. I forgive you. You've learnt from your mistakes and you're doing your best to repay for what you've done."
Dream's jaw almost dropped, as his thought process stopped dead. He couldn't help himself but hug Saturn, scaring the other for a second before he hugged back. "Thank you..."
Saturn smiled. "No problem."
Dream played with Saturn's hair for a little, whilst Saturn rubbed the other's back, before the two disconnected. "Let's... Get back to camp," Saturn offered, in which Dream nodded. "Alright."
The two got back, to see the other four having a quiet bickering session. They stopped and looked at Dream and Saturn for a second, before going back to their discussion. Saturn went into a tent they had set up earlier that afternoon, ushering Dream inside, whom followed Saturn's request, crawling inside. The tent was dark, and small.
He felt a pull on his arm, before he felt himself falling on top of something, and that something turned out to be Saturn. He felt the other's head against his neck, snuggling. Dream smiled and wrapped his arms around his sibling, cuddling back.
Before the duo fell asleep, Saturn gave a small peck to Dream's lips without warning. It took a few seconds to register for him, but once it did, his face burned. Saturn smiled before cuddling up to the other again.
"I've been such a blind asshole..." Dream murmured, thinking of his actions still. Saturn hushed him with a small kiss.
"I've missed you," he confessed, his words a soft whisper.
It was just like it used to be, after all these years of shit. Dream was able to learn from his mistakes, and from that Saturn was able to come back into Dream's life like he entered it - at the right place at the right time. Maybe they lived their years in hurt for a long time but soon they didn't care about those lost years.
Because maybe, just maybe, if you can't get over your ex, it was because you were too blind before to see you were meant to be all along.
