Blue Christmas

Chapter 2

tw: mentions of homophobia (including use of f-slur), implied depression,

"Sorry, can I help you?"

"Merry Christmas, George."

George stood there, his face blank. He rubbed his eyes, blinked a couple times, then shook his head slightly as if to clear the thoughts inside like a child might an etch-a-sketch.

"Sorry, do I know you?" His voice was tired, slightly scratchy but undoubtedly George, and that just made Dream's nervous smile grow wider.

"You do, yes!" Dream laughed fondly, watching George's expression go through all 5 stages of grief before his eyes widened and he stumbled back a step.

"Wait no way. I- what?" He rubbed his eyes once again, digging the heels of his palms in and somehow looked confused when Dream was still stood there when he opened them.

"George its me!" With that, the daze George seemed to be under broke and he grinned widely, taking a step forward again.

"Dream what the actual fuck why the hell are you here- wait how the hell are you here-"

"Aren't you gonna give me a hug Georgie?" He teased, taking a step forward to meet the shorter in a bone-crushing hug. They both clung onto each other for dear life in the doorway of a street of terraced houses in the late evening the day before Christmas eve and the situation might had seemed bizarre but neither of them cared.

"What are you doing Dream?" George mumbled into his chest, gripping the neon-green hoodie in tight fists.

"I came to see you for Christmas! I'm your Christmas present George!" He chuckled into the brunette hair he was resting his head on.

"But why would you do that?"

"Oh I can go if you want me to-"

"Don't even think about it." George tried to hug him tighter, as if it was physically possible for him to do so. The pair pulled apart, George's hands slipping down from where he had fists of Dream's hoodie in the middle of his back to his wrists as he looked up with curiosity.

"I see why you hid your face from me." George teased, but quickly stopped the moment he saw Dream's expression drop albeit only slight. "I'm kidding, you look good!" He laughed, going up on his tip toes so he could mess up the taller's blond hair affectionately, even if it was with great difficulty.

"Thank you." Dream's cheeks hurt from laughing and the two just stood there for a little longer, neither really believing that this was actually happening and the other was really stood there in front of them.

"Oh- err do you want to come in? Sorry it's so messy I haven't had the chance to clean it- I mean to be fair I didn't know you were coming but I haven't exactly been doing-"

"George, it's fine- oh" He cut off George, starting to reassure the other until he truly took in the state of the room. Takeaway containers and bottles littered the floor, a stack of unwashed dishes in the sink. Normally, you wouldn't really bat an eyelid at a 24 year-old's flat being messy, but this was George. George who would stay up until 3am to make sure every line of the code worked as it should, George who proof-read every single thing he commented online, George who wouldn't turn on his camera unless his bed was made properly and his bedroom was properly tidy. That was what was worrying Dream; he was pretty certain that he could confidently infer that this was not the state George would normally be living in.

"Yeah I'm so sorry it's really bad just- wait in your car or something I'll tidy up." George's voice go faster and a little shaky as he rushed forward, collecting empty containers and picking up plates.