#.write

Awkward, but he's not letting it go. "Were you gonna tell me it's a two-way street?"

"I don't know how this works either." her gaze falls to her boots. "It didn't seem to do much on that quick in-and-out on New Years, so I was thinking that maybe.. it'd be fine as long as I didn't think about it. That's awkward."

"Taking it slow is out the window then, eh?"

The joke doesn't land at all. Her voice cracks. "Damn. Sorry."

Silence — worse than awkward. By Kogai's side, Sinoe wags her tail restlessly; her head nuzzled into her owners side in a comforting gesture. That behemoth of a cat still seems to understand her better than him, despite them having been in the same skull just a few minutes ago. It'd have been embarrassing to lose to a cat if he hadn't seen what he had. Maybe he should take a page out of her book.

He reaches for her hand. "Listen, babes.. I can't pretend I didn't see that. But.. I won't say nothin'. 'Til you're ready. If you are." his fingers trace over her knuckles — under the fabric, he feels every ridge as though his own. "And I get it now. Why you.. did all of.. that. Changes nothing."

Twining her fingers into the fabric of her hood, she pulls it over her head — pulling it taut, as though to hide. "It doesn't matter if I'm ready, does it? You know so much now, if not everything—Ugh, I just.. This sucks. I mean it's fine, this just isn't.. how I wanted it to go."

A memory laced with an orchid aroma comes up when he looks at her head bowing lower and lower — something visceral. Perhaps a little too fast, he tips her chin upwards with his other hand. Her startled expression quickly shifts to questioning. "Hey. Not judging you. She is, up here. She's telling you all that dumb shit and you're letting her speak for me." with two taps to her forehead, he draws out an awkward smile from her. Much better. "Don't tell me I look like her."

Kogai begins to scan his face, humming — he quickly covers her eyes. She laughs. "Prick. I meant that."

"Yes, I understand." she plucks his hand from her eyes, dragging it along to rest it against her cheek. The metal of her hand clinks against his when she intertwines their fingers — only the faintest of sensations, but enough to love. "Still, um... sorry for laying that on you. I really didn't.. think it through. We're even now, if that still makes you any happier?"

"Nah. No more checks between us. I meant that too."

For a moment, she keeps smiling.. then her brows furrow. "Huh. Wait. No more checks between us?" she looks near offended. "You've cashed all of yours back then, but you still kinda owe me for throwing away m—mfhnmh!"

Untangling their fingers, he clasps his hand over her mouth to silence her protests. "Pleasure doin' buisness, sweet thing. Let's get you home, yeah?"

At the same time that her teeth sink into his glove, doing little to his steel-covered skin, another much sharper pair try themselves on his boot.

dividers by @/cafekitsune !!

George hated rainy days.

They made his body fatigue, mind hazy with the lazy pitter-patter hum against the rooftop as he lost himself. The touch-starved need to have someone with him keeping him distracted. Focus was always cast aside for clambering up into his bed, piles of blankets on top of him while he scrolled through his phone. 

Losing his productive drive for one day, in his mind, was the worst thing that could ever happen in the moment. His first rainy day in Florida since he arrived was spent huddled under several layers of fabric. It was far too hot and sticky for the humidity, poking his legs out to gain freedom as his torso was baked in the hot compartment he’d created himself.

The morning was spent so lazy, he found himself slipping into a state of haze- approaching footsteps and a rapping knock on the door dragging him out of it.

“George?” He heard through the door, “Geooorge, c’mon! I know you’re awake.. I’m bored.”

A groan.

“If you don’t open up I’m coming in there.” The warning was nothing if not lighthearted, concern hovering just below a teasing twinge meeting his ears as the door was pushed open.

What Dream was then met with was a heap. A heap of blankets, George sunk under them and nearly dozing off if it weren’t for the twitter feed in front of him.

“George, are you sick?” 

He shook his head.

“Tired?”

A nod.

Without warning, he was being picked up from his place of slumber and slung into his friend’s arms bridal-style; struggling to get out of his grip.

“Dream-!” George thrashed a bit, “Let me down!!” It was met with low chuckles, eventually his own laughter pouring out into the air- muffling the rain’s harsh sounds.

When the laughter died down, George was still being carried. 

“Could you put me down now?” He asked, receiving a shake of Dream’s head.

He grinned, “I know your tricks, you’re small. And slippery. You’ll somehow get back upstairs.”

The corners of George’s mouth tipped a bit downward, “Let me go.”

“Why?” Dream teased “Are you afraid?” 

George shook his head. 

“No-” He sighs, “Let me down, please.”

Dream sets him down to the floor without a second thought, helping George steady himself.

“Can I ask..? Or is it not something you want to talk about?” It was tender, no teasing intended. Welcoming, warm.

George scoffed, arms folding tight over his chest.

“It’s stupid.”

His friend made a face.

“It’s not stupid to me if it’s bothering you.” Dream swiped away something like a tear from George’s cheek, “You can tell me anything, you know that. I’m not going to judge you George.”

He paused.

“I just.” He bites the inside of his cheek, thinking. “I don’t like the rain, okay? It makes me feel… I don’t know. Alone?”

Dream looked back down at him, holding a hand up to the other’s arm.

 “You don’t have to feel alone, I’m right here.” He cleared his throat, “In the-yeah. In the rain, I mean. You don’t have to feel alone in the rain.”

“Thanks for the clarification.” Dripped with lighthearted sarcasm, a hand snaked around George’s waist. 

“Come in the rain with me. Right now.”

George shoved him, “You’re crazy, we’ll get all wet.” 

“So what?” Dream was practically tugging George by the arm at this point “C’mon. Please? For me?”

And who would George be to deny that?

----

And so, essentially through his own inability to say no to Dream, he found himself standing on the front-steps of their home. He let himself get dragged out further, slipping off socks in favor of bare feet on the concrete and water against his skin.

He stood there for a moment, watching Dream have the time of his life while he bit back a smile.

“Y’know Georgie,” the voice made him jump unexpectedly, he’d gotten lost in his own little world for a moment. “You could join me..” An arm was outstretched to him.

And again, who was he to deny Dream?

George stepped out, water dripping off his skin and rolling down in the aftermath. His hand was slotted in Dream’s- who was for the third time today dragging him somewhere as he caught up to where he was being taken.

The middle of the road was humid and drenched, water panged off the darkened concrete and barely spring back up to create little splashes that sprinkled for a moment before ceasing completely. It soothed him, almost. Made him dislike it a little less, made him like being in it a little more.

He thought of something that made him huff out a giggle.

“Hey- Dream. Dream.” He stifled his full-blown laugh. “Y’know this is a break in a heat-wave right?”

It was Dream’s turn to scoff.

“Pandering!” It was said sarcastically, larger tan arm bumping against George’s. “Dnf! Dnf! Green and blue!”

George found himself barrelling with much-needed laughter, head landing straight into the crook of Dream’s neck as he did; arm draping over his shoulder. He felt hands snake around his waist.

The shorter man moved his head to glance up at Dream, eyebrows ruffled and lips quirked.

“Who are you pandering to now?”

Dream’s face went a bit pink at that, his turn to nip at his lip. His heart pounded in his ribcage, thumping in his ears- him not being the only one to notice that.

“Oh, y’know. Uh. Patches?” 

George rolled his eyes. Slotting his head back to the crook, eyes poking out to peer above Dream’s shoulder- he began to sway them back and forth. 

They stayed like that for a while, swaying. Dream hummed under his breath, water hit their heads and shoulders and backs but it was okay; holding each other made it okay for anything to happen.

“I think I’m in love with you.” 

The world stopped, but not their slow dancing in the road.

There was a beat of silence.

“Really?” George hid his smile, but it was evident that Dream could feel that and the heat of his cheeks against his shoulder, “was it before or after the heatwaves joke?”

Dream felt his breath hitch.

“Is that a no then?”

George looked up, making eye contact.

“Shut up, get out of your own head for a minute.” He leaned in close, breath ghosting against Dream’s lips; “This okay?”

“More than okay.”

And so, in the slow-moving stormy afternoon, for the very first time;