Dream glided his toothbrush against his teeth one last time before spitting. He then washed his mouth out with some mouthwash and shut off the light into the bathroom.

He noticed his bedroom door was already open.

"George?" He whispered, peering in.

Sure enough, George was already there, peacefully and warmly lying in his bed.

Dream smiled, reaching over and shutting off the light. He climbed in bed beside George, wrapping his arm around his waist and resting his chin on his head.

"Sapnap said we should talk," George began in a whisper, "about this."

"Did he?" Dream whispered back, tightening his arm around George firmly.

"We don't have much time, Clay. I'm going back to England in only days."

Dream swallowed a lump in his throat, as George carefully traced each vein on his hand.

"Friends don't kiss."

"You're right," Dream replied, letting go of George and sitting up with half his body under the blanket.

George sat up beside him, both boys staring at the wall across from their bed.

"I don't want to go back to my normal life, Clay."

Dream shut his eyes for a moment.

"George, I-"

"I love you," George interrupted.

Dream felt as if his own heart was stuttering. Those words had never spilt out of the brunettes mouth before.

"You love me?"

"I always say that I never lie to you."

Dream could finally turn his head to look George in the eyes.

He felt his cheeks heat up.

"Fuck," George muttered. Did he mean to say what he said?

"I love you too." Although the words had slipped from his tongue, he meant it.

Flashbacks from the beach house clicked over Dreams mind.

"Clay, My life is going to be a living hell back in England. I can't stay away from you for a large amount of time again. I-I just can't. You know I can't. I love you. I love you too much. I can't deny it."

George cupped Dreams jawline with his hand, spinning his head to face him again since he had looked away.

Dream couldn't help but smile, which made George smile.

"I don't want to let go. I don't want to leave you. And it hurts so much knowing I have too."

Dreams lips started trembling. A tear fell from his emerald pearly eye.

This didn't feel real. Everything Dream wanted to say, George was saying it himself.

"George, we both know we can't be anything. I-I mean we can't be anything right now."

George let go of the others cheek, his smile fading.

He knew this was how the conversation would turn out.

"Fuck you, Clay. Fuck you for being so right."

Both their hearts pounded out of their chests.

"You'll wait for me, right? And you won't ever stop calling me, and you'll still tease me, and you'll be prepared for me when I'm ready? When both of us are ready for each other? When I'm not struggling?"

Dream quickly nodded, knowing that if he tried to speak he would break out into sobs.

"You'll be ready for me even if we're thousands of miles apart?"

Dream nodded again.

"I'm always going to be waiting for you, George. Always. I'll be here when you have everything sorted out. I'll be here when you're happy and ready."

This time, George was the one nodding. Dream brought him into a hug, wrapping his steady arms around George and trying his best to not break down as George cried into his shoulder.

The next step was attempting to say goodbye.

Dream did not want to say fucking goodbye.

A/N | PLEASE READ!!!

hello everyone. Dream actually streamed today wtf! but besides the point. Hopefully now you guys fully understand how Dream and George feel towards each other.

To sum it up, George and Dream are in love but neither of them think they're ready for each other since George is currently struggling with his own messes and Dream isn't prepared to give him what he needs.

NO THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER !

there are still more to come, but everything with the plot around Annie is over.

let's all give a special round of applause to Sapnap, who encouraged George to talk to Dream about what they could be.

last things last, super proud of myself for uploading 3 whole chapters in the span of 2 hours :)

happy reading!

~nu