Chapter Text
Sapnap sighed as he dug through his closet. He had gotten home early from school after the substitute teacher of his last class allowed the students to leave. He hadn't considered following through with it, as some students remained in class to avoid being caught by the security guards that patrolled every crevice of the Hillcrest campus.
His friends had different ideas from his. They all got up from their desks and immediately started getting their backpacks ready to leave the building, deciding they could use the extra time to prepare themselves for Jimmy's party that night. After all, the party was commencing only 2 hours after school hours, leaving many of the students in distress to get themselves to the house on time before hordes of teenagers stormed through the front door.
Dream, too, had the same idea as their friends. Sapnap recalls keeping his mouth shut as he remained seated, listening to music through his earbuds. How early the substitute teacher was allowing the students to leave was absurd in his opinion. 15 to 20 minutes before class officially ended, the first few students ran out of the classroom in hopes they'd make it to the mall. There was a group of girls who ran down the hall the moment they reached the door, yelling about how they didn't have the perfect dress.
Sapnap, as he usually did, already knew what he was going to wear and what time he'd show up. Something simple, a good short-sleeved t-shirt with long sleeves beneath, combined with a pair of baggy jeans and his worn-out Converse. As he would at any party, whether the host was a great friend of his or not, he'd show up not too early nor too late, but right when the peak of the party was about to start. That way, he would skip out on the boring dancing to the loud music blaring through the speakers and cut straight to the one-on-one interactions between the party people and the hired DJ.
He didn't understand why he loved seeing the pure humiliation and embarrassment on his fellow schoolmates' faces whenever the DJ would call them out for something reckless they did on the dance floor. After all, it was where many of the students ran into their "mistakes."
Sapnap, who had run into him outside of a bathroom, decided he would forever avoid the dance floor. Then again, his "mistake" was truly a blessing in the end. Which meant, even more avoidance as to not disrupt that blessing that found its way to him. He never saw a need to meet new people, talk to them at one hopeless party, and never talk to them again if things turned out okay.
So, when Dream noticed that he hadn't stood up from his desk, the blonde immediately grabbed the boy's backpack from the ground and grabbed Sapnap's belongings from the table. He remembers staring at the older boy in disbelief as Dream held the ready backpack to his face. "Let's go," he said. "I want to grab some food and hang out before the party starts."
That was enough to convince Sapnap to get up. The mere request to hang out with Dream and the slight mention of eating with the blonde excited him more than any party. Their "quick" hangout left them with only 20 minutes to get ready and leave in time to satisfy Sapnap's odd need to show up at the right moment.
"Puffy, Punz, Sam, and I are heading out now!" Niki said, running out of her room as she pulled her purse over her shoulder. Sapnap peeked his head out from his bedroom, watching as his sister walked down the stairs to meet with their friends. She looked over her shoulder as Puffy reached for her hand, "Punz says that Dream is almost ready. He'll be waiting for you in his car!"
Sapnap nodded his head, hiding his bare chest behind the door. "Don't forget to take a sweater! Bye~" Niki reminded, walking out of the house with her hand in Puffy's, all while pulling Punz and Sam to the door. Sapnap sighed as he returned to his closet, finding the exact outfit he had pictured in his head earlier that day.
He quickly pulled the clothes onto his body, no longer feeling the cold breeze of soon-to-be Winter air. As he thought of the days, November was nearing, and his parents were soon to get on their flight the very next day. Sapnap smiled as he ran his hands through his hair, ensuring there wasn't a strand in the wrong place. To think that his parents were going to set foot on a plane again after 10 years and would soon return to the place their kids were left in during the span of 2 days, excited the raven, but also frightened him.
Sapnap, a teenage boy who hadn't seen his parents in over a decade, was going to see them in less than two days. He had no idea what he had to act like. No matter how much his sister and his friends comforted him and assured him he didn't have to change the way he was, the raven couldn't help but feel a part of himself shove doubt into his mind.
He took a deep breath as he shook the thoughts out of his head, grabbing his phone and earbuds from the bed. He stared at the time, reading 8:20 PM. The party at Jimmy's house had already been going on for two hours at this point. However, there were only ten minutes left before the fun happened. A hired DJ would be showing up at the house to play a few remixes, take requests, set up karaoke, and more. It was when all the drinking games and the pool were open for use.
Sapnap placed his phone and earbuds in the pocket of his jeans, eyeing his closet before he closed the door to his bedroom. He knew that he'd need a change of clothes if he were to go to the pool, or a sweater in case the weather decided to turn against everyone and freeze people to death. "He must be waiting for me already..." he sighed, walking down the stairs.
Even after leaving the Maddens and slowly getting out of old habits, Sapnap couldn't seem to get away from holding onto those railings for dear life. Watching himself do it brought more fear to him as he thought about his parents' arrival on Sunday. He grabbed the house keys that hung from a nail punctured through the wall, opening the front door. As he looked outside, he could see Dream leaning against his car, which had its engine already on as he waited in the driveway of his house.
Sapnap couldn't help but smile at the sight of the blonde. He took a deep breath as he locked the front door, making his way off the porch. "Ah, you're ready! Let's go," Dream said from afar, looking up at the raven. Sapnap nodded his head as he pushed the small gate open, letting the old hinges pull the gate back into place. "Still haven't gotten a lock for that gate?" Dream laughed.
"Seriously? I was able to jump over it at the age of six. What is a lock going to do?" Sapnap giggled, making his way to the Takens' driveway. Dream nodded his head as he chuckled, opening the door to the passenger's seat for the boy. Sapnap sighed as he stepped inside, feeling the cold but comforting air filling the car. He watched as the blonde quickly shut the door and made his way around the car, stepping into the driver's seat. "Alright, how far is his house? I want to make it in time so we can get into the pool before everyone else."
Sapnap smiled as he looked through the window, feeling the car begin to move as Dream drove out of the driveway. "It's about three minutes," he said. "We have enough time."
Dream nodded his head as he began to drive through the neighborhood. "Did you bring extra clothes?"
"Did you?"
"Nope," Dream chuckled. "I'll just go in my boxers."
Sapnap's brows furrowed as he turned to look at the blonde. Dream could feel the small glare burning through the side of his face. He smiled softly as he turned to look at the raven, reaching his hand toward the boy's hands resting on his lap. "I can ask some of my friends if they brought some extra shorts," he said.
"What? No, do whatever you want!" Sapnap said, looking away as his face grew hot. "I was going to do the same anyway... I was just going to keep my long-sleeved shirt on."
Dream chuckled as he gripped Sapnap's hand, running his thumb back and forth against the back of the boy's hand. "Alright. I can use you as my body shield so nobody looks at me, hm?" he suggested. "That way you don't get jealous."
"Me? Jealous? No way!" Sapnap scoffed. "Why would I be? We're friends."
"So? If I don't want you to be with anyone else, I'd assume you'd be the same with me," Dream smiled, turning to look at him as he parked the car. "Or are you totally okay with me going off tonight and finding some girl to hook-"
"Shut up! Of course not, asshole—" Sapnap groaned. "It's not jealousy, though."
Dream shook his head as he smiled. Sapnap sighed as he looked out of the blonde's window, finding Jimmy's house sitting before them. He smiled at the familiarity. The bright lights shone through the windows. From inside the car, they could hear the laughter and singing from those enjoying the party. "What are we waiting for? You said you wanted to go into the pool before anyone else," Sapnap said, opening the door as he unbuckled his seat belt.
"We have less than six minutes left before everything starts," Sapnap said. "Come on!"
Dream got out of the car, watching as Sapnap quickly ran around and grabbed his hand. The raven dragged the older boy across the street, stepping onto the opposite sidewalk that they had just been on. "You are very jealous, you know that? I can feel it radiating off you already, and we haven't seen a single girl yet," Dream laughed, placing his free hand over his stomach.
"Shut it! I'm not jealous!" Sapnap groaned, not daring to look back at the blonde. His face flushed a bright red as he opened the front door, being met with the smell of heavy smoke from vapes, the smell of weed, and various types of alcohol. "Woah..." he gasped, placing his free hand over his mouth and nose.
"Don't act like you wouldn't be having fun taking what they are," Dream said.
Sapnap looked over his shoulder. "I'm trying to get out of that habit because of you."
Dream chuckled. "You don't have to completely stop, you know? I understand wanting a little fun. You let me drink however much I want," he pointed out. "So, go crazy."
"Fine! I will, let's go find Jimmy before we go into the pool," Sapnap smiled, pulling Dream further away from the backdoor that led to the main attraction. He sighed loudly as he willingly followed the boy to the host.
"Sapnap, Dream, what's up?" Jimmy smiled, holding his arms out. Dream watched as the brunette brought Sapnap into a tight hug, patting his back soothingly. He felt his breath get caught in his throat as he watched them pull away, yet remain latched to each other. "Glad you guys made it! And just on time, too. You can be the first to get in the pool, yeah?" Jimmy laughed, turning Sapnap around to face the blonde after feeling the tension rise.
Sapnap looked up at the blonde lovingly, completely unaware of the jealousy that surged through Dream. "Thanks, man—" the blonde smiled, turning to look at Jimmy.
"All the drinks are in the fridge, there are also a few coolers out in the back full of them," Jimmy mentioned, motioning with one of his hands to the back door. Dream watched as the brunette turned to look at the raven once again. He knew that the friendship between them was pure and nothing but friendly. After all, Jimmy housed Sapnap temporarily despite his mother's wishes to get Sapnap out immediately.
"And the good stuff for you is in a box outside, too. Grab whatever you want," Jimmy said. "I've provided it all, so don't worry about anything! I've got a whole bunch of my friends keeping an eye on it to make sure nobody does some weird shit."
Sapnap smiled as he nodded his head. "Alright! Is it the usual?"
Dream watched intently at their interaction. Although their friendship might've been tied in a certain way due to the "hobby" that they shared, there was a sweetness behind it. Jimmy avoided giving Sapnap anything if it ever got out of hand, and Sapnap would advise Jimmy to slow down on how much he took. Dream smiled at the thought, trying to force away the cruel emotion digging at his heart.
"Alright, now I'll leave you love birds alone! Hurry on and get to the pool," Jimmy said, patting Sapnap's shoulder. Dream watched as the raven turned red, telling the brunette to be quiet. He couldn't help but chuckle. Jimmy made his way around the raven, but stopped before he could get any further. He motioned for Dream to lean down, whispering into his ear. "Go for it. There are a few guys here that have been looking at him since you two became friends..." he said.
Dream turned to look at him, his heart racing in his chest. "What do you mean?"
"One of my friends is trying to get with him, and Sap has been turning him down because of you," Jimmy whispered. "Sap is my best friend, and I know my other friend isn't good for him. I know you like him. Go for it before my friend does something."
Dream slowly nodded his head as he looked toward Sapnap. The boy was patiently waiting at the table, running the tips of his fingers against the soft wood. Jimmy placed his hand against the blonde's shoulder, patting it gently. "The attic is open. You guys can 'hang out' there if you want."
"Oh, we don't-" the blonde began.
Jimmy tilted his head. "You seriously think Sapnap didn't tell me everything? I'd rather you guys go for it in the attic and avoid going into the guest rooms. Everyone is in and out of them, and I'm pretty sure they're not leaving the rooms nice and pretty."
Dream's face flushed a soft pink as he nodded. "Alright..." he sighed. "Thanks."
Jimmy smiled as he walked away, making his way to the front door to greet their schoolmates. Dream cleared his throat as he approached Sapnap, giving him a small smile. The raven smiled happily as he reached for the blonde's wrist, pulling him toward the back door. "Let's go!" he said.
The blonde followed Sapnap to the back of the house, being met with the gigantic pool. Everyone outside was getting ready to jump in, throwing their clothes against the multiple chairs and tables. Dream shrugged his shoulders as he began to pull his shirt and pants off, leaving himself in his boxers. "Looks like I'm not the only one who's going in like this," he said, looking at every guy who stood around the pool.
Sapnap slowly pulled the short-sleeved t-shirt off his body, leaving the long-sleeved shirt on. Dream turned to look at him, watching as Sapnap kept his eyes on the ground as he pulled his jeans off. His eyes trailed the raven's legs, remembering the smoothness of Sapnap's skin. He could feel his body grow tense and his heart race further. "Do you think the water is warm?" the boy asked, turning to look at the blonde.
Dream continued to stare. "You're cold?"
"Yeah... how are you not cold?" Sapnap questioned, wrapping his arms around his body. Dream chuckled as he shook his head, wrapping his arm around Sapnap's shoulder. "It's not that cold. But you can use me as your heater while we're inside."
The raven's face turned red. "Oh, be quiet. Let's go in already."
Dream laughed as he nodded. He enjoyed poking at the boy, making him red and flustered. He knew that deep down, Sapnap enjoyed it too, but refused to admit it. The blonde pulled Sapnap to the pool, holding him near the edge. "Don't push me in," the boy said, glaring at the blonde. Dream chuckled as he held the raven by the shoulders.
Everyone began to cheer, chanting for Dream to push the boy into the water. Sapnap kept looking over his shoulder, whispering to the blonde to let him go. Dream took a deep breath and gently pushed the boy into the water, hearing Sapnap yell out and splash into the water. "Dream!!" he screeched, wiping away the water from his face as he swam up.
"I'm sorry!" Dream laughed, standing over the edge. Sapnap groaned as he carefully swam to the edge, listening to everyone talk and laugh with each other as they all made their way around the pool. Everyone was lined up on the edges. "Is the water cold?" the blonde asked.
The raven looked up at him. He quickly wrapped his arms around Dream's leg. "Why don't you find out for yourself?"
Sapnap placed his feet against the wall of the pool and pushed himself back, dragging Dream down into the pool with him. "Ah!" the blonde yelled, splashing into the water. The raven laughed as he tried to get away. However, as he reached for the stairs in the pool, Dream quickly grabbed his leg underwater, pulling the boy toward him.
"Let me go!" Sapnap giggled, listening to the water splash as people began to jump into the pool. The air around them grew warm as they got accustomed to the coldness of the water. Laughter and chatter filled Sapnap's ears as he looked around. Boys were swimming around, throwing water and beach balls to each other. Many of the girls were relaxing against the walls of the pool, holding their drinks with wet hands.
Dream chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Sapnap's stomach, feeling the softness of his t-shirt rub against his chest. "Hey guys!" Sam greeted, running up to the pool with Punz. Sapnap and Dream turned around to look at them, smiling. "How's the water?"
"It's nice!" Sapnap said, trying to pry the blonde's arms off him. However, Dream only tightened his grip. "You guys should come in. Where's everyone else?"
"Most of them are out in the living room partying. Some of the rest are playing drinking games down in the basement," Punz said. "Do you want me to grab us some drinks before I go in?"
"Yeah, get me a beer—" Dream said, putting his hand under Sapnap's shirt. The raven cleared his throat as he smiled, asking Sam to bring the box of goodies to him. "What are you doing?" he finally asked, turning to look at the blonde holding him. Dream shrugged his shoulders as he rested his chin against the boy's shoulder. "Nothing."
Sapnap giggled as he shook his head. "Thank you!" he said, receiving the box from Sam. Dream sighed as he grabbed the beer from Punz's hand, feeling the water shift as his brother and Sam both jumped into the water. "What are you taking?" Dream asked, peering over the raven's shoulder. His eyes traced every small bag of powder and variations of drugs. The smell of marijuana filled his nostrils.
"I don't know," Sapnap said. "Something not too strong."
Sapnap grabbed one of the bags and a small slab of wood. He pushed the box away from the pool, pulling the lid down to protect everything inside from the water. Dream watched as the boy placed the slab on the edge, carefully opening the bag. He took a mouthful of the drink in his hand, feeling the coldness of the liquid travel down his throat. "Do you want to try it?" Sapnap asked, making a small line on the slab.
Dream hummed as he rested his head against the boy's shoulder. "Only if you drink some of this," he said, swinging the beer around his hand. Sapnap smiled as he nodded his head. The boy reached for the bottle, looking at Dream as he took a sip. The blonde rolled his eyes as he took hold of the bottle before Sapnap could put it down. "Open your mouth, that was way too little!" he chuckled.
Sapnap giggled as he complied, tilting his head back slightly as he opened his mouth. Dream smiled as he placed his free hand on Sapnap's back, rubbing it soothingly as he lifted the bottle. From the corner of his eye, he could see Jimmy's group of friends watching from the opposite corner of the pool. He turned to look at them as he carefully poured the drink into the boy's mouth.
One of the boys watched Sapnap closely. The way his brows furrowed when he noticed how close Dream was to the boy brought a sense of edge to the blonde. "Jimmy was right..." he thought, turning back to look at Sapnap. He pulled the drink away, placing the half-filled bottle onto the edge of the pool. Sapnap smiled as he wiped away the drops of water from his chin.
"That's so bitter!" he groaned, placing his hand over his mouth.
Dream kept his eye on the guy at the corner of the pool. He sighed as he turned to look at the raven, finding him hovering over the white powder he had poured out. Sapnap sighed deeply as he leaned back, wiping his nose. "Have you done this before?" he asked, looking up at Dream.
The blonde shook his head. "It might burn a little, but it won't be too bad!" Sapnap said. Dream took a deep breath as he moved his hand on the boy's back to his waist, pulling Sapnap closer. He leaned down, pressing one of his nostrils down. He carefully snorted the small line on the slab, groaning as he pulled away. "Fuck—" he hissed, holding his hand over his nose.
Sapnap giggled as he reached his small hands to Dream's face. "Are you okay?" he laughed, running his thumbs against the blonde's cheeks. Dream smiled as he nodded his head. He turned to look at the boy at the corner, realizing that he had been checking the raven out the entire time. He groaned in annoyance as he rolled his eyes, turning away.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Sapnap asked, reaching for the box again.
"Nothing..." Dream sighed. "It's just someone."
Sapnap tilted his head as his brows furrowed. "It's nothing like that, don't worry—" Dream smiled, pushing strands of Sapnap's hair behind his ear. "It's someone getting on my nerves, that's all."
"Why?" Sapnap asked, taking in another line from a different substance. Dream watched as he took a drink from his bottle. "They keep looking at you."
"What?" Sapnap asked, looking around at the pool. His eyes locked in with the boy in the corner. "Oh, him? That's Jimmy's friend."
Dream sighed as he leaned against the wall of the pool. "Jimmy told me that he's interested in you," he said. Sapnap watched the blonde closely, no longer feeling the boy's hand on his waist. He frowned as he held onto the edge. "I don't know... it shouldn't bother me this much."
"I don't like him," Sapnap reassured. "He isn't really a good person. Jimmy has been talking a lot about dropping him, but he hasn't gotten to it."
"What makes him so bad?" Dream asked.
Sapnap sighed as he rested his head against the palms of his hands. "He messes around with everyone he meets. He doesn't look for commitment. He's also brought a lot of girls and guys down, saying they aren't 'good enough' for someone like him. It's annoying... so I've been turning him down every single time he asks me to follow him somewhere."
Dream hummed. "I see."
Sapnap smiled as he swam in front of Dream, moving the blonde to cover himself from the boy. "Now he can't see me," the raven said, looking up at the blonde. Dream smiled as he closed his eyes.
"Can I tell you something...?" Dream asked.
"You can tell me anything," Sapnap smiled.
Dream took a deep breath as he wrapped his arms around Sapnap's body. "I..." he began, their eyes interlocking.
Sapnap tilted his head to the side, "What is it?"
.
.
ミ★ 𝘛𝘖 𝘉𝘌 𝘊𝘖𝘕𝘛𝘐𝘕𝘜𝘌𝘋. ★彡