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George wanted to complain so bad but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. It would be stupid, it's not something everyone notices and you'll just look fucking weird, George. No matter how far he shoved the thoughts into the back of his head he just couldn't bring himself to stop thinking about it.
When George first hopped off the plane, saw Dream again and Sapnap for the first time in person he was so excited. He also couldn't contain seeing his friends for the first time in months. Sapnap ruffled his hair and Dream playful punched him in the arm. Other than little touches putting the red luggage into the trunk of Dream's car, they didn't touch him at all.
It's nothing, maybe they just aren't touchy people, it's fine, don't worry just keep it together.
They went to Dream's one bedroom flat, dropped off their things then decided to go out for dinner. Dream picked a local family owned hole-in-the-wall dinner, with quote on quote, "Sandwiches to die for."
Sap and Dream slipped into the 50s themed red booth and George sat across from them while trying not to sense anything wrong with it. The other boys were over 6 feet tall and the booths were already small, it made no sense for them to sit right next to each other. George laughed at them, shoving their elbows into each other's sides and their arms grazing each other as they ate the sandwiches.
Dream was right, this food was to die for. But a nagging voice in the back of George's head demanded he wonder about why they refused to touch him. Don't be coy, you know why.
The 3 boys walked back to the blonde's apartment but George could barely concentrate on the conversation around him. No one wants damaged goods, George.
A few months ago, while Sapnap and Dream played games George found himself nodding off in his gaming chair. Not even an hour later he was abruptly woken up by Dream asking if he was okay and what was going on. The brunette still in a daze asked what they both heard.
"You kept saying stop…" Sapnap whispered softly into his ear.
George blood ran cold and he picked up his phone from the desk and typed in the group chat between the 3 of them. Talking about it would be too hard.
Georgie: I'm okay now, it's been a long time since it happened.
The shorter boy heard Dream's phone ding and assumed he was reading the text. Dream's voice hitched up in his throat as he spoke, "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, but we're here."
Georgie: I'm going to go to bed, goodnight.
"Goodnight George, if you ever need anything or want to talk about it or-" Click. Sapnap's voice was cut by George clicking the end call button. A panic attack threatened to come up his throat and end with him tearing his entire room apart, but he just couldn't bring his tired body to do anything.
The British boy turned out his light and crawled under the covers. No words left his mouth and tears welled up in his eyes, he curled his legs against his chest tight underneath the soft cover and rocked himself gently until he lulled to sleep.
Now they were in Dream's flat and moving around trying to get their sleeping situation figured out, "You two should just sleep in my bed and I'll take the couch."
"No, I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed! You and George sleep in there, I'll sleep on the couch."
"Guys," George interjected. "I can just sleep out here."
"No," they both stated in unison and glared at each other.
"How about we all sleep in Dream's bed, it's definitely big enough," the Texan smiled, moving his bag back into Dream's room and plopping it down on the floor in the corner.
"Only if that's okay with George?" Dream asked in a very serious tone.
"It's fine," George mumbled, rolling his bag into Dream's room and propping it against a wall.
It's not fine, George sat still on the far end of the couch while Sapnap and Dream were beside him. Normal right? Nope, not normal because they were just touching each other. Their legs brushed up against each other with every move, arms touching casually when they reached for the glasses or just Dream putting his hand on Sap's back and rubbing the fabric.
They were avoiding him like he was the damn plague.
The brunette just rubbed his eyes, stared at the marvel movie on the screen and ignored it. Having a panic attack right now is not on the fucking table, it was the last thing he was going to do. If he broke down Dream would send him packing back to England within the hour. Just relax and try not to think about it.
Hour past with giggly conversations, funny tweets sent around and movies watched. George just let himself go numb about the touching, though it still bothered him so much he wasn't going to say anything so help him god.
The brunette bent forward and reached for his cup, in the process his hand brushed Sapnap's who was sitting between the other boys. The Texan flinched and pulled his arm back.
Silence.
No, we can't do this, we're not going to panic not here. George gripped his fingers around the glass, maybe a little too tight, got up and walked inside the kitchen. He was out of sight from the other boys so he just sat the glass down on the counter and glared at it.
Why? Why is it every person he touches leaves? Every single time we get something good, it's gone within seconds.
"Hey…" Dream tried, walking into the kitchen Sapnap not far behind him.
"Just stop doing that."
"Doing what?" Sapnap asked.
Rage, sadness, guilt, and anger filled his body and there was no turning back, it was like the dam fucking broken inside George, "Stop treating me like I'm broken!" Dream flinched hard and looked terrified, Sapnap attempted to not look worried but he was hiding. George hasn't screamed that loud since he was a child having a temper tantrum. Seconds later the rage boiled away and the guilt filled his eyes, "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to, please don't leave. I didn't mean to yell at you, fuck- I'm sorry," he babbled and tears were flowing down his face before he could even feel his nose burn. "I didn't want you to leave and I'm just…" George's voice hiccuped from the tears and tightness in his nose. "Upset."
George looked down at the floor with guilt, he just yelled at his two closest friends for no reason other than that they wouldn't touch him. Pathetic.
The blonde walked forward and reached out, giving George enough space to deny the hug. In an instant, the British boy was on his tiptoes, arms around Dream and sobbing into his neck. The floridian was pulled down by the shorter boy into an awkward position, so with gentle hands he pulled George up and let his legs wrap around and lock on the small of his back.
George finally melted and relaxed into his best friends arms, his eyes continued to water and little incoherent phrases came out of his mouth, "I'm sorry- Can we please still be friends? I'm really sorry I snapped, please don't send me home- Can I stay?"
Dream hushed and carried him into the bedroom where he sat down on the edge of the bed. Sapnap stood behind George and rubbed up and down his back gently. The brunette just let everything go, he collapsed into Dream's lap and folded his arms up together between them.
Dream and Sapnap continued rubbing his back, skimming their fingers through his short hair and occasionally touching the sides of his face. Dream shhs and cooed, "It's okay, take your time. Just relax I'm not going to make you leave, you can stay I promise. Just calm down for me, okay?"
The younger boys comforted their older friend until his breathing claimed and he could speak without stuttering or starting to cry again. George pulled himself out of Dream's lap and sat to his left, Sapnap took a seat beside him and the both waited anxiously for George to start.
"I'm bad at this type of stuff…" The British boy whispered and looped his arm underneath Dream's. "I'm not damaged goods, you guys can hug me and touch me. I just want to feel like you guys care."
"Of course we care!" Sapnap beamed. "After that night I was just scared that we would get too close and it would bother you."
"It doesn't bother me anymore."
"George, we don't think you're damaged goods," Dream whispered. His eyes were red and a little watery from seeing his best friend break down so hard.
"I feel like it… No one wants to touch someone who's already been…" He trails off and rests his head on Dream's shoulder.
"I'm really sorry," Sapnap said, his voice laced with sorrow. "I wish I could make it so it never happened."
The 3 waited a moment, just thinking and resting. The British man collected his thoughts and tried to relax, he could almost hear his mom's voice in his ear, just calm down, honey, it's all going to be okay. The screaming, the sobbing were taking their toll on him, his eyes grew heavy and his body was exhausted.
"Let's do this," the blonde started turning to George, pressing his hand to the brunette's face and letting his thumb graze over his undereye and wiping away any salty tears that were left. "Let's all get in the bed and if you want to talk about it you, you can."
"Yeah, I wanna do that," George's voice was shot and raw from screaming and crying.
Dream walked into his closet, changed into a more comfortable pair of shorts and a long T shirt while Sapnap took George into the bathroom. The light haired brunette ran a washcloth underneath the warm water and wrung it out. He took the cloth in one hand, lifted up George's chin with the other and wiped away the salt from his skin.
Dream walked into the bathroom with George's small bag in hand, he set it down on the counter and reached for his toothbrush. As they all finished up changing and cleaning, George stood awkwardly in the middle of the room with a confused looked on his face.
"Lay in the middle," Sapnap softly instructed as he got under the soft sheets on the right side.
George followed and got underneath the covers on the left slide and moved across so he was in the middle. The tallest boy turned out the bathroom light and giggled, "You guys look so adorable."
The shortest boy groaned and covered his face with the cover. Dream laughed again, he flipped off the main light in the room, only leaving the dim nightstand lamp to give some illumination.
Dream rolled over towards his older friend and asked, "Everything alright?"
"Yeah just one thing," George laughed, pulling at Dream's arm until it was wrapped around his waist.
Sapnap laid on his side, his head resting on the pillow next to George and his hand pressed into George's stomach. Dream's head was laying on George's chest and he entangled his legs around the brunette's then hugged further into his side.
The oldest boy sat back and gave into the hugs and snuggles, the two boys were definitely making him uncomfortably hot but he didn't even care about the sweat building up on his skin. He could feel Sap's hot breath lightly against his ear and the rise and fall of Dream's chest.