ORPHANED

:: forty-one ::

"what, you don't want the world to change for me?" george scoffed and smacked his bicep playfully.

dream laughed, "of course i do, i was just joking. but honestly, sapnap found his way into my life at the right time. when i first moved here i didn't know anyone and i was just laying around at home wishing i hadn't left."

dream frowned at the memory, remember how helpless he felt. george frowned back at the blonde imagining where he'd be right now if dream hadn't moved.

probably not sitting on the roof of this apartment staring at the sky.

"my mom wanted me to go out, so she gave me money to take the train downtown. i didn't want to venture out too far because i was scared i was going to get lost. The Grind was the first place that felt careful. sapnap made me laugh for the first time since i had moved here...i don't think he knows that, maybe he does, but it really meant a lot to me that he took the time out of his day to make an unfamiliar face feel welcome."

dream looked down from the sky to smile at george. george took notice of the glaze in his eyes.

"i went in the next day to thank him, and he said 'came back for more?' in that dumb voice of his. he made me smile for the first time that day. after that i stopped in everyday, and everyday he always offered me his time just to be friendly."

george smiled, looking up at the sky with the boy sat next to him. "how'd you feel when you met me?"

dream laughed turning his face from george and smiling. "i almost killed sapnap when he left me alone that day, and you almost killed me with your stupid prank."

george rolled his eyes, "no long heartfelt monologue about how i made you smile on your first day of work? i deserve better."

dream rolled his eyes and bumped his shoulder into george's. "that's a story for another day, or maybe for me to share with sapnap."

george's jaw fell open, "no fair."

dream giggled, "is too fair, you get to hear about how i feel about sapnap, sapnap gets to hear about how i feel about you."

"well tell me when you're done talking about me to sapnap, so i can ask him about exactly what you said."

"as if sapnap would remember."

"would you just tell me then." george pouted nudging the top of his head into dream's arm.

dream smiled and looked down at george. "maybe one day."

**

"thank you for today dream. you made me feel so much better."

"thank you for lending me your time."

they stood in the doorway of george's apartment, neither of them daring to say goodbye.

"the time really flew by." george frowned, looking past the blonde to see the now rising sun.

"i'm glad i spent it with you."

"shut up, you're making this harder than it needs to be."

dream smiled at the boy who still wore his sweatshirt. it reminded him of a certain thing in his current possession. he removed his bag, reaching in to retrieve the sweatshirt from before. he held it out to the man.

"you aren't keeping it?" george frowned at the fabric.

dream shook his head, "i didn't want that in my house until it no longer smells like her. you should wash it for me." he smiled as george rolled his eyes.

"what makes you think i want her smell stinking up my house?"

"well i was hoping it'd smell like you if you washed it."

dream watched as george's eyes widened and he turned from the door. "you're so annoying."

"you love me."

george hastily took the sweatshirt, desperate for the conversation to be over. dream smiled.

"we never checked the pocket."

george cringed, "i'm not putting my hand in there. what if it is her underwear?"

dream erupted into fits and giggles, enjoying george's reaction far too much. the brunette rolled his eyes, sticking his hand into the front pocket un-regarding his previous skepticism. he pulled out a piece of paper. dream calmed himself so he could read along with george.

it was a sliver of a napkin with a number written on it. george frowned, handing it to dream, "i believe this is for you."

dream shook his head, grabbing the paper from his hands.

"if i don't say bye first you aren't going to leave, are you?"

"probably not."

"goodnight dream."

dream pulled the smaller man into his chest, holding him longer then he had ever before. he admired the way their heat mingled, feeling george's arms rest in a comfortable place around his torso. he pressed a kiss to his forehead, excusing it as payback. he sighed and released the boy.

"goodnight georgie." he smiled, waving as he turned around. he stepped away from the apartment, fishing the paper out of his pocket. he let it slip out of his hands, with no attempt to catch it, and watched the piece of napkin glide on air as it fell onto the concrete, unaware that george had watched him discard the number, feeling more fond of the blonde than ever before.

dream continued his walk home, thinking back to his conversation with george about his hometown. he pulled his phone out of his pocket, fingers automatically guiding him to an unanswered message.

stay in touch.

less of a demand and more of a question, he stared at the words. he felt bad, of course he did. he felt terrible actually. he was asked so little of himself and he was too selfish to deliver. would they even understand?

**

"you know you can talk to me about anything? if it ever gets too much over there i'll always be here for you."

he watched the boy help tape up a box in his old bedroom.

"i'll always come to you techno." he blinked away the tears in his eyes.

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