Chapter Text
DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT AMERICAN I AM BRITISH, I KNOW ITS NEVER REALLY COLD IN FLORIDA BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE STORY I SAY FUCK IT, I WILL TRY TO MAKE IT AS REALISTIC AS POSSIBLE WHILE STICKING TO THE PLOT. IF ANY OTHER THINGS ARE OFF AND INCORRECT ABOUT AMERICA I APOLOGISE, THIS IS BECAUSE I HAVE EVER ONLY BEEN ONCE AND DONT REALLY KNOW A BIG DEAL ABOUT AMERICA AS I LIVE IN ENGLAND. PLEASE BARE THIS IN MIND AS YOU READ, THANK YOU:)
The night before it all
December 12th 8:37 pm GMT 13 days before Christmas
‘PING’. George's phone vibrated on the table, making his heart jolt. He picks up his phone and holds it in his cool hands; 7 unread messages from Dream, 4 from Sapnap and 9 missed calls from the group chat, ‘le puta Madres’. George smiled, opening up his phone, the light of his screen flicking from blue to yellow as he taps on the snap-chat icon.
He types into the chat bar.
‘Hi’
George's screen changes again, this time to black as the call screen takes over his phone, his eyes dart to the top of the screen as he reads the name of the frantic caller out loud.
“Dream.”
His excited heart leaps in his chest as an even more excited Dream yells through the phone, he pulls the phone away from his ear, wincing.
“GEORGEEE!”
George chuckles, tapping the speaker button on and lifting his phone a little.
“Jeez, Somebody’s excited for tomorrow. Please calm down, you almost deafened me.” He heard Dream laugh through the phone. George’s chest felt like it was glowing, his smile growing wider, the comforting familiarity of his friend's voice made George feel safe, it made him feel warm in the cold winter air that flowed through his kitchen.
“Sorry, I was on a call with Sapnap earlier, I guess I'm not quite relaxed yet” George could hear the smile in Dreams voice, all the more adding to the tremendous growing warmth in his body.
“Mmm, it's alright,” George says. He picks up his phone and walks into the bedroom, before closing the door behind him and sliding into his bed, tucking the blankets around him and creating a small cocoon for himself to warm up in. “ I'm excited too, I haven't been able to sit still much all day. I mean Dream, I get to see you and Sapnap tomorrow.”
Although George himself couldn't see it, Dreams face was lit with a joyful grin, it had been years, years building up to the approaching day, Dream wanted the now to slip through his fingertips and disappear into the hopeful excitement of tomorrow. “ You don't have to remind me, George, I've been practically shaking all day, and it's yours and Sapnaps fault. I almost dropped my phone calling you.” Dream laughed, George smiled.
“Have you packed?” Dream knew he hadn't. George gulped, unwrapping himself from his cocoon and stepping out of bed. His collected body warmth now lost as a chilly breeze swept over him, giving George the shivers. He hated packing, for all it consisted of was pain; The long minutes of choosing what you were going to bring, and whether you had left your toothbrush in the bathroom were absolute hell. Would he need sun cream? Florida's hot right? But was it still hot in winter? George didn't know, he had been to America before on a family trip to Disneyland and Universal when he was 11. Marvel Studios was his favourite, George loved spider-man. His Mum had dressed him as his hero for the special occasion. Which meant that 11-year-old George went to Florida in a spider-man costume and matching face paint. And if he was honest, It had rubbed off by the end due to sweat. Florida was hot.
“Do i need sun cream?” George frowned, running a hand through his hair as he raided through the cupboards in search of factor 30. He pulled his head out the cupboard just quick enough to hear a snort from the phone.
“No George, you idiot it's winter, it's like 50 degrees outside” George could hear dreams cackle through the phone.
George rubbed his eyes and groaned, “I don't know what that means, please speak in Celsius, dear god”
The swift pitter-patter of the keyboard and the clicking of a mouse emitted from the speaker as Dream typed. “Uhh, ok that's 10 Celsius for you sugar pie”
George rolled his eyes, as he re-examined dreamed words over in his head, “you suck” He assessed the sun cream factor 30 in his hands for a while longer before pouting slightly, “ guess I won't be needing this then” he said, placing the bottle at the back of the bathroom cupboard. Dream chuckles through the phone.
The phone buzzed as George shut the cupboard.
“Sapnap wants to join,” Dream says, his voice and laugh had calmed, his tone was soft and smooth, George couldn't help but think of honey.
“Well add him then,” George huffed, shoving his warmest jumpers into a suitcase. “I'm trying to pack, I can't get distracted Dream, it'll take me too long.” He held up a shirt, assessing the wrinkles. It was a pristine white, with black stitches running along the collar. It wasn't too bad, a few wrinkles scattered along the shoulder area. George folded the shirt, before placing it into its suited pile in his suitcase.
“Gogy gogy, why are you still awake? you should be getting your beauty sleep” Sapnap had joined, coeing gently into the phone, now addressing George as if he was a nine-year-old who had stayed awake too far past his bedtime.
“Shut it sapitus, else the only thing you'll be getting instead of a hug tomorrow is the cold shoulder.” He heard Sapnap sniffle a little behind the screen, George scoffed, rolling his eyes and imitating Sapnap’s previous tone. He spoke into the mic. “Aww, is wickle Sapnap sad he won't get huggles from his fwend.” George smiled before crying into the phone, mimicking the baby noises.
“Oh c’mon now George, don't be mean, you know how sensitive he is.” Dream had added. He had been listening in on the friend's small quarrel, the corners of his mouth twitching at the two’s playfully snide remarks. Dream had played along for George's sake, winning arguments with Sapnap was hard, even if it was a joke. The man was ruthless.
“You guys are always so mean to me, I join a call and get bullied. I really might just go talk to Karl instead,” Behind the screen, Sapnap stretched back in his chair, closing his eyes. “My mans, my hubby, my honey bun sugar-sweet, my-”
“Please stop, I can't bear any more” George rubbed his eyes in pain, silently agreeing with Dreams wise words of wisdom.
Success, Dream clapped his hands together triumphantly, his quest fulfilled. He really was George's knight in shining armour.
“Waa waa, Sapnap. What’re you gonna go do, cry about it?” George couldn't help but notice Dreams' voice turn slightly croaky, as he changed his expression, whining like a baby. It made him suddenly conscious of how nice it was, and how suddenly self-aware of his own he had become. He reached his hand to his neck, rubbing it gently as he cleared his throat.
George loved his friends, and although he knew Dream was joking, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty about it. “We’re not actually serious sappy, you know that. And don't worry, when I see you tomorrow I'll give you the biggest hug in American history.”
“I know man, don't worry, and when I see you tomorrow, I'll give you the biggest smooch in American history.”
George made a gagging noise, placing his hand over his mouth as he retched at Sapnap’s words. “ Bleh, Sapnap that's disgusting, you probably have some sort of gum disease. No thank you.”
“True true” Dream said, “one time when Sapnap was 16, he didn’t brush his teeth for 2 and a half days.” George lowered his eyebrows, eyes crinkled as he frowned. Dream continued. “It wasn’t nice, he only brushed them because his high school girlfriend refused to kiss him because he had such bad breath.”
“Jesus Sapnap, I was joking, but now I know that I really am disgusted.”
Sapnap groaned through the phone, “Nooo, Dream you’re not telling him the whole backstory. I lost a game of truth or dare to Danny DeVito at a party”
“DANNY DEVITO!” Dream wheezed, his lungs inwardly collapsing “I remember you talking about him. He was the guy with the greasy Dorito hands!”
“Hold up,” George ran his hand through his hair, visibly confused. “Danny DeVito?”
“Yeah,” Sapnap added, “ Although we called him Dorito DeVito, he wasn't actually Danny, they just had the same name.”
“ What the hell, Dorito DeVito? that's- I can't tell if the choice of nickname is funnier or if the fact that it came from his hands being permanently Dorito covered is.”
Sapnap sighed, “ I know, that dude never washed his hands”
“And you never brushed your teeth.” Dream said.
“Oh shut up Dream” Sapnap paused for a few seconds before continuing. “Anyways I'm gonna dip, I have a video to finish editing before I leave tomorrow.”
Dream and George bid their farewells as the disconnection noise echoed between both phones, and the two sat in comfortable silence.
George had returned to his bed a while back, his head now resting against his pillows, duvet pulled around him, eyes half open and staring at the phone that lay flat on a spare corner of the mattress, it's glow illuminating a small portion of the ceiling above. The silence only lasted a few minutes, and in truth, George was tired. He wanted to get an early sleep so he could wake for tomorrow's flight. But he enjoyed the company, the blissful seconds of utter relaxation and the faint ticking of his bedside clock was calming. He and Dream could stay like this for hours, they had before. With the only noise being the occasional shuffling of one of them getting up to move around the house, phones still in hands. They would carry each other everywhere, like a child with their favourite toy.
These were nights that George liked most, it made him feel happy and content, it made him feel joy because it meant that Dream was comfortable around him. And it made George feel like he would stay by his side through anything, the end of the world if necessary.
George’s eyes fluttered. He was exhausted, and having to get up at five in the morning wasn't going to help. George wanted to stay on call, he really did. But with the presence of sleep rapidly approaching, he couldn't wait it out any longer. He broke the silence, and with it shattered bliss.
“Dream,” George's voice was hushed to a whisper, “I have to go”
“I know.” Dreams reply was simple. It wasn't rude. He guessed Dream had realised how tired the man actually was, and by keeping words small and brief, George could sleep faster.
“Goodnight George.” As the beep sounded, signifying the end of their call. The two quiet words floated through the room. He closed his eyes, George’s head sunk deeper into the pillows, the faint trace of a small smile planted at the corners of his mouth.
George had never slept better.