ORPHANED

:: twenty ::

dream was wiping down a counter with a paper towel that was sopping. it was currently pouring rain, unlike any day before. he frowned. karl couldn't make it to The Grind so his only company was a worn-out sapnap. dream stepped into the back to grab another roll of paper towels.

"dude my legs are so sore." sapnap whined, clutching his calves. dream rolled his eyes and placed the towels by the register.

"why did you even come in today, all you've done so far is complain?" dream turned to face the younger.

"i thought you'd miss my company?" sapnap frowned.

dream sighed, "i'm sorry man, i guess i'm just not in a good mood."

"running just isn't our thing." sapnap rested a hand on dream's shoulder.

"speak for yourself."

sapnap started giggling. being in the presence of the other helped allow dream to relax. he let his eyes flutter shut. the sound of the rain bouncing off of the windows, the ticking of the clock behind them, the light chatter in the small room. it smelt sweet and heavy, the air sitting deep in his lungs.

the bell above the door chimed, yet dream couldn't bring himself to open his eyes.

"that's my cue to leave."

dream opened his eyes to see george stood in front of him. he tore his eyes away. sapnap was removing his apron.

"you're leaving?" dream didn't think he'd be able to face george alone, after all the overthinking that took place the night before. he shouldn't have kissed george, even if it was just on the top of his head. he didn't know george well enough to kiss him, it just wasn't right.

"any other day i'd stay, but i'm so tired man. i'll see you guys tomorrow." sapnap waved as he pushed open the door to the cafe, throwing up his hood and stepping into the rain. dream sighed. he turned back to george.

"enjoying some shut eye, are we?" there wasn't a smile on his face, but in his voice.

dream smiled at him. "i just like the sound of rain." he tore off another paper towel and resumed his previous incomplete errand.

"i don't quite like getting rained on." george spoke from just out of the others view.

"i don't like lightning." dream wasn't sure why he felt complied to answer.

"you don't like lightning?"

dream threw away the paper towel. standing opposite george to continue the conversation.

"nope. never have." he rested an elbow on the counter to help hold up his head.

"why don't you like lightning?"

"do i need a reason? do you like lightning?"

"lightning brings the best excuse to stay inside."

dream nodded his head, of course. "the only reason you like lightning is because then you have an excuse to stay inside?"

george rolled his eyes, "why don't you like lightning?"

dream turned away, biting his lip. "makes my cat scared." he wasn't facing george, but he could feel the smile radiating off of him.

"you're not scared of lightning, are you?" george's smiled bled into his words, causing dream to smile aswell. he didn't want to lie.

"it makes my cat scared, that's all i can say."

"you, a six foot tall giant, is scared of lightning?"

dream looked back to george and frowned. "are you feeling better?"

george smiled, "yes."

"i can tell." dream smiled back.

"i slept much easier."

"i can't imagine why." dream shook his head, smile unfaltering.

"i can." george turned to look down at his hands.

"i'm glad you feel better. i was worried, and i meant what i said." dream stood from the counter eyes still locked on george, when george looked back he continued. "that party will not be as fun without you there."

george rolled his eyes, "oh how fun it was to stand in the corner not talking to anyone all night."

"it was."

"you have really weird taste in fun."

"well i know it's going to be no fun watching sapnap try to talk to girls at this party." dream cringed at the picture. "please don't make me go alone." he was ready to beg.

"my mind cannot be changed, i am not going." george crossed his arms, feeling all too powerful being the cause behind dream's distress.

"you are cruel." dream huffed, just as the bell above the door chimed again.

"you better get to it." george joked while pulling out his laptop. dream rolled his eyes ready to tend to the customer.

the entire time he was talking to the customer, preparing the drink, and ringing up said customer he kept shooting scowls towards george. george, who instead of continuing to work on what he was supposed to, peeked over the screen of the laptop watching as dream worked the coffee machines. both of them smiling when they caught each others eyes. it was pathetic. the patron left the shop, satisfied with his order.

"you know, before you started working here i was actually able to do work." george stared at the home screen on his laptop.

"what, you could get more done when sapnap was here?" dream stood unbelieving in front of george, wiping his hands on his apron.

george nodded coyly. "i hate to admit it, but yes."

dream huffed, "i'm so incredibly offended right now." both of them smiled.

"you're just distracting."

dream could feel george's eyes look him up and down, he tried to hide the flush that settled.

"i'll take that as a compliment."

it was george's turn to blush, he turned away. dream admired the little of george that he could still see.

"you could be a model." dream would have clasped a hand over his own mouth if it hadn't been for the reaction he warranted from george.

"what?" his face was red compared to the light pink from before. his eyes wide.

dream laughed. it was easy to fluster george.

"you can't just say things like that, dream." george frowned crossing his arms against his chest. the red still sitting unsettled on his cheeks.