He/She/They/It I'm a tickle blog who writes and draws for the Dream Team and their Godly Sibling counterparts All the people I write about are characters or fiction-selves of the real people. I will not write IRL fics. This blog will be SFW but will deal with dark themes at times
In my head, it’s like diamonds or something that HD spawned in for a build. He got caught, gave everything back and XD was sent to show him some consequences
I just realised why i’m so fascinated with the dynamic between the Gods and their siblings, and especially XD-
It’s because I can semi relate, growing up I was always the ‘older one’ in my family, my siblings and cousins on both sides i’m older than most and growing up was able to spend the most time with the younger ones… Even with some of my childhood friends i’m older even if it’s by only a few months.
Then I started working an office job where it took me a LOT longer than it should’ve to realise i’m the youngest one there, and it gave me total whiplash. Even though we’re all adults I happen to be the same age as multiple people’s kids and it gives me whiplash (almost an exaggeration, i’m 21 and have co-workers a year older, plus two in their early 30’s)
I feel like the same applies to XD, all he’s ever known is being the ‘Protector” and looking out for those younger, only to meet some others in the same boat and not knowing how to cope with the fact you’re the younger one now.
It’s 11pm and I need sleep (seems to be a common trend when I send these lmao) but this is what my brain focused on instead. Enjoy???
-@sweet-caramel-tthings
YES! This is the exact vibe I am trying to portray with XD.
XD knows he's one of the youngest Gods but since he's never been around them it's not a concern or thought he really had time to realise. He was always the most powerful God in his Realm. Then everything falls apart and he's in the Overworld. There are a few other Gods who know and talk with him (CovenTK being the main one) but then it's when he meets HD and 4K he fully realises "oh damn. I'm baby"
Luckily for XD it's a dynamic he fits into quite well even if he's still a little uneasy at time. It's nice to let his guard down and no longer have to be the oldest or the one in charge. He might huff at it but he rather likes being treated as the youngest and it's a weight off his mind that he's not alone in protecting his brother or the mortals of the realms.
I find it troubling to write Godly characters because I like more human aspects of characters, like struggling with complex feelings so it really warms my heart to read that XD resonates with you in that way.
A mini lore fic. DreamXD awaits for GeorgeHD and Sapnap4K to deal with this new strange moss.
WARNING: This fic is not a tickle fic.
Just a mini fic between main stuff. This is a complete lore drop fic really. I've fiddled with this for a bit trying to get it right and this is the best it will be. Had to cut out some ideas but for a mini lore fic, it's perfectly fine.
The fics after this will be more tickle focused so please look forward to that.
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The air of the underground tunnels was stale and heavy. The feeling of it all was different when it was empty and the bricks cleared of the dead vines. With all of the vines removed, the tunnels became unstable. The tendrils had buried so deep into the stone and some were thicker than DreamXD’s arm. XD was rebuilding some parts of the wall, just to make sure the tunnels wouldn’t collapse, and all the while keeping one eye on the obsidian wall that covered over the strange moss.
HD’s reaction was still fresh in his mind. The Overworld God had never looked so fearful. He wasn’t just scared, it was pure fear etched on his face. All over moss that XD was sure looked familiar but he couldn’t place it.
Well he’d get his answers.
The air crackled with energy. The purple swirl of a nether portal appeared and GeorgeHD and Sapnap4K stepped out.
HD still looked worried. 4K’s face was a mix of sceptical and dread. His eyes caught onto the obsidian and his face pulled to an uneasy frown.
“There?” He asked.
“Yes.” HD’s reply was quick. They both approached the dark purple wall like it was ready to explode at any moment. HD waved his hand, the blocks fell away and the moss was still there, pulsing in the darkness.
“Oh...” 4K’s voice sounded broken. “You were right...shit...”
“Did you think I would lie about this?!” HD sounded offended.
“No! I was just hoping you were wrong!”
“What is it?”
XD’s question broke whatever frustration had come over them. It was like they remembered XD was there. Both God’s looked at each other then 4K turned back to XD and spoke. “It’s called skulk...”
“Oh.” It all clicked for XD. “The stuff from the Warden War.”
The words flashed over each God differently. 4K visibly flinched as though the words would hit him. HD’s eyes widened and it took a moment before he blinked again.
“Y-Yes... How did you—Did Prime tell you about the Warden War?”
“Only some parts.” XD admitted. “Prime said there was a great catastrophe that changed the world but never went into detail. The Endless Library had books on it that I would study.” Now their reactions made sense, but XD was still puzzled and peered at the skulk again. “This skulk won’t spread.”
The older Gods looked immediately doubtful to XD’s claims, but were polite about it when HD calmed asked. “How do you know?”
XD pulled into long deep memories. A time before Dream and before the End was so quiet. Desperate to be loved by his people, he spent weeks in the Endless Library studying their history. “It is not glowing bright enough. Skulk spreads with exp. If it does not have enough to grow it becomes duller.”
“You’re sure of that?” HD asked.
“It is the truth.” XD felt suddenly defensive he was being doubted but his annoyance faded to the looks on their faces. When XD was studying the history, even the kind teachers did not wish to discuss the war. It was fresh and painful so XD studied alone. Now majority of the people who were in the war were long passed and it was never a thought to XD. But HD and 4K would have been there. They lived through the war but their days in it would have been in fear of this skulk spreading and creating more Wardens.
“I will prove it.”
XD walked boldly to the skulk, reached out and touched it. HD was quick to his side and pulled his hand away but his skin had already made contact. Some of the moss stuck to the warmth of XD’s skin but it didn’t spread. Instead it slowly crumbled off like dried dust. Another sign it was close to death as the moss of skulk was normally soft.
“Don’t ever fucking do that again!” 4K snapped in a tone so unlike him. He had come to XD’s side as well, his hands warm on XD’s arms but his words harsh. “You scared us half to death!”
“There is nothing to fear. It is dormant.”
“But why is it here?” HD hissed. Even with proof of the skulk’s state he was still looking at it as though a monster could spring to life from it at any moment. “There shouldn’t be any left. After the war we cleared it all.”
“We can follow the trail and see where it goes. Maybe there is a source.” XD suggested.
The idea made sense though HD and 4K grumbled their agreement. XD felt offended he was lead back from the skulk corner and 4K kept a steady grip on his arms while HD carefully cleared away the wall.
The moss went much deeper than any of them thought. HD had already cleared a pathway about six feet into the wall and as the blocks lifted the skulk crackled and easy broke away. When the skulk started growing downwards, it became firmer and harder to unstick from the blocks. Carefully, HD cleared another three feet of blocks from the ground, dug out to make a small ditch, and they came across something unusual.
A yellowing block of uneven stone with the skulk over the top of it. The source.
HD didn’t look fearful anymore. Now he looked mad. “This was deliberate. This was placed!”
His concern for the skulk was gone as he grabbed the strange block and lifted it. It was just about the size of a pumpkin, or maybe a little bigger.
“What is it?” XD asked.
“A catalyst.” 4K answered. “It’s like...a source block for the skulk. It spreads out if it gets exp. If it gets enough it just starts spreading on it’s own.”
XD studied the block but could not remember it in his reading. Surely the books wouldn’t have left out an important detail, and put it down to him missing it somehow. “Well... It didn’t spread, so it didn’t have enough exp then.” He theorised.
“But it did.” HD pointed to the skulk in the small ditch. “It did! Enough to spread out this far. Something was being fed to it to give it exp.”
The thought was chilling and horrifying. Especially when the moss was growing so close to the chamber, where the Eggs feeding chamber lay. Was everyone accounted for when they were rescued?
XD couldn’t let his thoughts grow too far. “What if...what if something was fed to it before and then it was placed and started growing?”
4K looked thoughtful. “It’s a possibility...”
“It doesn’t matter!” HD cut in. “Whether something was fed to it before or continuously, it doesn’t matter.” HD shook the catalyst in his hand and looked to 4K. “We destroyed these. All of them! It took years but we destroyed every single one of them. Now one of them is here.”
“So someone is making them.” 4K finished.
“Not someone. Something! They’re back!”
“Don’t! HD... Don’t say that!”
“The evidence is quite clear 4K! They survived! They’re back!” HD snapped his attention to XD. “What did the books say happened at the end? When the war was over, what happened?”
The concern for HD made XD’s memories panic. He quickly ran through everything he could remember. “It...the Wardens were growing weaker. They couldn’t get enough exp to live and began to starve. They died out.”
HD and 4K looked between one another, with the thought passing between them clear as day.
“That was a lie?” XD asked.
“It’s not entirely wrong.” 4K admitted. He had looked uncomfortable the moment he saw the moss and now it was like his skin was constantly crawling. He scratched at his hand or face and his tail would whip behind him every few seconds.
“Then what happened?”
“They did grow weaker.” HD explained. “The Wardens worked as a hive mind. They were supposed to act for the skulk, growing it further and bringing exp to feed into it. But the Wardens also needed exp. Their gluttony fought with the hive orders, and couldn’t bring enough exp to sustain the skulk. The skulk lost power to grow and make Wardens. The Wardens lost connection to the hive mind. They were uncoordinated but still dangerous. To organise a mission to kill every single one of them would have been too dangerous.”
“So...they live?”
“An idea was called...” 4K took over. “That if we couldn’t kill them they would be...locked away.”
“Locked away?” XD’s ears twitched in his confusion. “Where?”
“There are cities hidden deep underground the Overworld. They were there long before my time. Maybe even before Prime. They were the first to be overrun with skulk and the Wardens. When we had confirmation every catalyst was cleared out, we would lock them down into the deep underground cities and let them starve themselves.” HD explained.
“Not all agreed...” 4K mumbled.
“It was voted on and decided!” HD defended. “The war was over! To lose any more people killing those things would have been wasteful. We’d already lost so much. It won the vote and I gathered every Warden from every Realm and I locked them away underground. They’d kill each other and the ones left would starve. It kept people safe!”
The silence that followed was tense. 4K and HD refused to look at each other.
“Okay... Well... Maybe they did die. Or maybe they did not.” XD cleared their throat. “But whatever happened to them, this...catalyst? It’s here now. And if you say all of them were destroyed then someone had made more.”
It brought the tension back down from the room, but it was no less troubling to think about.
“Can Wardens make these things?” XD asked.
“Not on their own. Without the hive the Warden’s only thought is consuming to survive. They were supposed to bring exp to catalysts to keep them going. If they’re all destroyed it would take... Prime, I don’t know...a lot of exp to make one.”
“So either, they weren’t destroyed, or someone coordinated enough exp to make one from the skulk.” XD reason. His mind flicked through possibilities and memories of his reading when the skulk pulsed again, and a memory struck XD. “Oh shit...”
“What?” 4K asked.
“The moss—Skulk! I’ve seen it before. It was found at the prison. In Dream’s cell and through the walls.”
“In the prison?!” HD blinked. “That... Is that how Dream escaped?”
“He said it was through the moss. He said someone contacted him and he escaped through a strange moss. I never put it together!”
Connections quickly lined up in XD’s head, overwhelming and stunning him. The moss at the prison leading to Dream’s cell. Dream spoke about someone talking to him through the revive book. ‘Friend’ he called it. It never clicked to XD the moss could have ever been skulk, or that it could ever be used in such a way.
“Dream said he travelled through the moss. Is that possible?”
HD and 4K shared a look between one another. “That’s never been a thing before...” 4K mumbled, and immediately regretted it when XD’s face twisted in worry.
“Even if it wasn’t, Dream’s fine. He’s not infected with anything.” HD quickly assured him. “But if someone contacted him and is using the skulk, then that someone probably made...this.” HD held forward the catalyst again. It pulsed it’s eery glow again and again.
“He said...this friend contacted them through the revive book.” XD gave a look to 4K.
The Nether God quickly pulled the book from the jacket. “This? I thought...there shouldn’t be any way to contact someone through this.”
“Dream said the person was dead but...not dead like gone. I’m not sure if he meant it was a ghost but he said they contacted back and forth with the book.”
The God’s shared another look. 4K looked almost distraught but HD was trying to keep his face calm.
“Before we get out of control with theories, we need a plan.” HD’s voice was calm now. “Firstly, we need this taken care of.” He motioned to the catalyst. “I will speak with...uh, the prison guard. They might have found another catalyst.” He looked to XD. “If you can talk to Dream and get any info about this friend we can work from there. If this person speaks through the book then 4K can keep an eye on it. It might try to reach out to Dream again.”
It was a shaky start to plan, but it was the only one they had for now. XD was not looking forward to the talk with Dream again. He was so resistant to speaking before and after everything he couldn’t really gauge where his brother was in his moods. But not speaking to Dream directly lead to a lot of trouble before, so it had to be this way now.
“First let’s clear up this skulk.” XD suggested. A mindless numbing task was just what he needed. “I know it needs the catalyst to spread but just to be sure we should make sure it’s gone.”
They agreed and XD first got to work, going into the dug out tunnel HD had cleared and started pulling off the moss. It fell apart in his hands and turned to dust, so it would be a fast clean up.
HD and 4K didn’t join at first. They held back and while XD didn’t mean to listen in, his ear twitched to their words and he couldn’t help it.
“If Dream said they spoke to them through the book, it might be him...” 4K spoke so hushed and softly and desperately.
“We don’t know for sure.” HD replied back just as softly.
XD resisted the urge to turn around and just listened again.
“But it could be.” 4K’s voice almost broke.
“I know. Believe me, 4K, I want it to be him as well but you can’t get your hopes up.”
XD thought back to the flickering light that lead him to the moss. Not just a light, but it was the shape of a person. It knew XD was staring at it and it pointed right to the moss.
XD kept quiet and continued clearing away the moss.
This is some LORE lore of Prime and Herobrine's creation. It was a funny idea I couldn't get out my head. Their makers had two very different ideas when they made guards for the mortals.
Also introducing Teth and Parch. They are dead now but Teth would basically be XD and Dream's grand...thing.
After everything is settled with the Egg, the Dream Team take a much needed vacation and take much needed time with one another.
Next part of the AU is out! I have like maybe 2 other fics ready to go as well they'll come next week.
Enjoy~
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George knew from the moment Dream and Sapnap hugged, the two would be inseparable. They never said it out loud but both of them were sweetly affectionate. Before the kingdom was founded, they sought each other out.
They’d cuddle and hug daily. Sapnap’s hand would seek out Dream’s hair. Dream gave kisses out freely and would peck Sapnap’s cheek whenever he went by.
Now after their reunion, they were practically joined into one person.
It was both embarrassing and endearing to see them cling to one another so affectionately. It almost looked like George was the third wheel to their love, but he felt no jealousy as he watched them. George knew where he stood in their hearts as they knew with his. While they showered each other in attention they had missed over the year, George was still very much included.
They’d made it out of the creepy tunnels with Sapnap and Dream joined at the hip. They (George) had dug a tunnel out after following the decaying vines. Since Sapnap’s home was literally steps away, they all crashed there, passing out almost immediately.
The next couple of days were chaotic. Everyone was out and about helping get rid of the vines. The Dream Team was no exception but it was hard to help out when every time Dream stepped out of the house everyone would stop and stare. Of course it might be said the people’s obsession to hunt Dream down was from the Egg, it was still clear things were rightfully tense.
The people openly stared at the three, but none of them approached. That oddly made clean-up faster, letting the three clean up most of the vines around the garden and town. Then as soon as it was done, Sapnap approved of a break and the three were immediately off to George’s cottage.
As soon as the three entered, a nest was set up in the front room with the softest blankets and pillows. They each had their own room and space, but right now they needed each other close.
The next few days went in a blur. They slept close by one another, ate in the same room and spent every hour they could together. If George wanted to hunt, Dream and Sapnap would follow. If Dream wanted a nap, George and Sapnap would snuggle up. When Sapnap wanted a movie day, Dream made a comfortable set up on the couch and George got the popcorn.
The blissful days reminded George of how it used to be. The three of them lazing around until the call of adventure pulled them off. When it had all been so simple and easy.
It might not have been exactly the same but inside George’s cottage it felt like nothing could get to them.
George poured out the fresh popcorn into a bowl but his path to the front room was blocked by a huffy, snoring Cauliflower.
Since Sapnap’s return the pig had stuck to Sapnap’s side just as much as Dream had, so when they moved to the cottage it was natural she would follow along. She had been circling George as he readied the popcorn and threw a tantrum when she was denied a piece, now blocking his way back.
“Miss Cauliflower. Move.” George tapped her with his foot. Cauliflower snorted and moved herself ever so slightly with her back legs. It was awkward but George stepped through the inch of space she had given him and turned back to sleep.
“Thank you.” George huffed and came back to the couch where Dream and Sapnap had snuggled up.
Sapnap laid back on the arm of the couch, half sitting half laying. Dream was draped over him like a blanket, humming as one hand played with his hair and Sapnap’s other hand was flicking through the channels of the TV.
“What are we watching?” George asked as he settled onto the other end of the couch. Almost instantly Dream placed his feet right into George’s lap, which George had to quickly move the bowl away to not spill the popcorn.
“I’m trying to find something.” Sapnap quickly flicked though the channels, far too fast for George to even see what was going on.
“I’m gonna fall asleep if we watch a movie.” Dream said lazily. “Put on some game.”
“We’re watching a movie.” Sapnap’s voice was just as lazy but still clear. “Fall asleep then it doesn’t matter.”
“I don’t wanna sleep.” Dream huffed, then he tilted his head up. “Give me that!”
Dream made a grab for the remote and Sapnap pulled it up and out of his reach. “No. Snatching.” He warned.
George knew exactly what was going to happen. Dream’s eyes sparked with the challenge. There was a tense pause. Complete silence. And then Dream launched himself up. He made a grab for the remote which he suddenly missed and his wrists were suddenly snatched up.
“George! Grab his ankles!” Sapnap barked as he held both of Dream’s wrists in one hand. George was caught off guard for a moment before grabbing as he was told. Dream tried pulling his leg away which became an awkward tug of war until Sapnap pulled him taunt and tickled up the side of his ribs and down to his hips.
“SAPNAP!” Dream squealed and arched his back as far as it could go. He struggled more but George had a better hold of his ankles since he was was focused more on wriggling his torso away.
“L-Let mehe go! Thaahahat—AAAHAHAHA! NOT THERE! NOT MY STOMACH!”
Sapnap made his hand into a claw shape and scribbled back and forth over Dream’s stomach like he was strumming a guitar. Even with his tunic on it tickled madly judging by Dream’s scream.
“You gonna snatch from me again?” Sapnap raised his voice over the roar of laughter.
“NO! NONONO! PLEASE!”
Sapnap gave a nod to George and they both let go. Dream instantly turned on his side to curl up, falling off both their laps and onto the ground. His fall was cushioned by the blankets and pillows just lain around them, but he still whined. “Ow...”
“You’re fine you baby.” Sapnap chuckled. He leaned back on the couch again to his comfy position. “While you’re down there you can fetch the remote.”
It had dropped as Sapnap focused all his attention to the tickling. Dream turned his head up, eyes on it then he looked back up to Sapnap and George. Sapnap’s focus was between whatever what on the TV and glancing down to Dream. He could see the same mischievous glint that George caught in Dream’s eye.
A silent second passed and then Dream grabbed the remote and bolted.
“Dream!” Sapnap shrieked and despite how fast he was at following, Dream had made it to his room and slammed the door shut. Despite Sapnap try, the door wouldn’t budge.
“You’re just gonna be in much worse trouble Dreamie~!” Sapnap’s voice was sickly sweet. “If you come out now I’ll just get your armpits. If you make me go in and get you, I’m gonna wreck you.”
George watched the scene as he leaned over the couch. This was common occurrence before, that Dream had no shot of winning.
Sapnap turned back to George with a wicked smile on his face. “George? Would you like to help me hold him down?”
“George! Don’t you dare!”
If he wasn’t helping Sapnap, he’d be on the target list. Seems like an easy choice to make.
“Sure, I’ll help.”
“GEORGE—!”
Dream’s cry cut off as Sapnap pushed against the door. Whatever Dream had propped up against it, whether it was his body or something else, was no match for Sapnap’s strength and he slowly pushed his way in. George was quick, coming to Sapnap’s side and slipping into the room.
In the next few days the Dream Team were still as close, but the overwhelming need to be stuck together at all times had faded. They no longer worried each of them would vanish if they were out of each others sight.
Dream would go off in the early morning to hunt and bring in food for the day. George would take naps in the afternoon as the two would would spar. At night after dinner Sapnap would return to Kinoko Kingdom for a few hours and then come home and fall into bed between George and Dream.
Today, George was debating on going mining. Dream was napping on the couch after coming back from his morning hunt and Sapnap had left to take a lava bath. George was trying to make a list of anything he needed or wanted from the caves, but he couldn’t really focus. His mind was wandering to thoughts he really didn’t want to think.
The starry haired God pleading before him. The hurt in their face burned in George’s head. No matter how much he pushed the thoughts away, just a moment of quiet, and he’d be back there.
“Hey. You spacing out?”
Dream’s voice shocked him out of his thoughts. George quickly wiped his face and turned his head to Dream stumbling into the kitchen. His hair was still messed up from his nap and he was wiping dried in drool from his chin.
Thank Prime. Something else to distract him.
“Where’s Sapnap?” Dream asked as he stumbled to the sink for water.
“He’s out for a lava bath. He said he’d be back sometime at noon.”
Dream hummed before swallowing down the glassful. “Well, while he’s not here, I wanted to ask you. You remember when we were in that Egg’s chamber?”
Literally the very thing George did not want to remember. He knew his lips twitched, but Dream said nothing to it as George nodded. “It was kind of hard to forget.”
“Do you remember that really tall guy? With the horns and fire hair?”
It was impossible to forget him. He had stayed behind as they went to rescue Dream but he was so impossibly tall and imposing. “Yeah...?”
“He looks like Sapnap. Right?”
“Well... Y-Yeah a little...”
“A little?! They look identical!”
They weren’t completely identical but they were similar. Far too similar. And they knew each other too as George remembered the glare Sapnap would give him and how viciously he snapped whenever the guy tried to talk.
But then George remembered, Dream wasn’t there for that.
“Well, yeah they look alike. Sapnap must know him too. They seemed familiar with each other.”
“They did?” Dream’s eyes suddenly lit up. “How?”
“Well they...talked...technically. Look what does it matter?”
“Well don’t you think it’s a little strange that Sapnap has a supposed God who looks like him? Like me and XD... Like...”
“Don’t.”
It was the very train of thought George did not want to go down. His brows knit together so tightly, the look must have given Dream the message as he just averted his eyes. “It was just...a thought. I was just curious...”
The topic needed to be changed. Now.
“I was just planning on going mining.” George rolled his shoulders and sat up straight by the kitchen table. There were loose papers in front of him with the start of a list written on it. Nothing more written than just the number one. “Do you want to come along?” He asked hopefully. Suddenly the idea of being in a cave, alone with just his thoughts, was the worst idea. But then being alone when Dream had these ideas of God look-a-likes might be worse.
“I actually had another idea.” The sleep was slowly dropping from Dream’s voice, picking up with an interesting lilt. He came to the kitchen table, sitting opposite George.
“Yeah?” George raised an eyebrow.
“I was thinking of getting revenge on Sapnap for that wrecking he did the other day.”
It was cute how even though Dream avoided saying the word, his cheeks still flushed a light pink when talking about being tickled. It was cute enough George couldn’t resist.
“What, when he tickled you?”
The light dusting was now a burning red. Dream covered it by annoyance and huffing. “Yes! That! I want to get revenge on Sap for that.”
It would have been foolish for George to point out he had helped Sapnap in that instance; even giving Dream a few good tickles as well. He just nodded, snorting a little as Dream tried to compose himself. “Okay, how do you want to get him? He is much stronger than both of us.”
“He’ll be tired after his bath.” Dream quickly replied like he had thought this all out. “And the moment he gets tickled, he becomes as strong as a kitten.”
“Okay...what’s the plan?”
A wicked grin grew on Dream’s face and he laid out his plan.
Sapnap had returned back to the cottage a little after noon. He came into the cottage, stretched and fell forward onto the cloud of pillows and blankets.
Perfect.
“Hey Sapnap.” George greeted as he came from his room. He jumped over the back of the couch, lounging above Sapnap.
“Hey...” Sapnap’s voice purred and he slightly lifted his head. Since water would ironically burn him, the only way Sapnap could have anything close to a bath was a lava bath; which was common to demons. The lava would burn off the dirt, but it was also similar to a hot tub or sauna. It made Sapnap sleepy, and soft.
“Good bath?” George asked.
“Mhmm...” Sapnap nodded and stretched out. “Where’s Dream?”
“He’s still napping. I think we’re just having a lazy day today.” George slowly slipped down to the blankets beside Sapnap. He stretched one hand out and kneaded gently into Sapnap’s back.
Sweet giggles muffled into Sapnap’s arm and he half turned over. “That tickles...”
“I’m not trying to. I’m trying to give you a massage.”
“Just out of the goodness of your heart?” Sapnap was suspicious as he had every right to be. Perhaps mindlessly George would rub their backs or brush through their hair if they were lounging and watching something. Never unprompted.
“Maybe? Is that so bad? You want the massage or not?”
Well Sapnap was hardly going to refuse. “Fine. Just... Be careful. You know my back’s ticklish.”
“I know I know.”
Sapnap lay on his front and George climbed over his back. It would be so easy to tickle along his back, but George held back the urge, trying to keep his touch firm for a massage. Right as Dream said, Sapnap melted into the pillows. Few times George thought he’d fallen asleep, but a small knead under his ribs and Sapnap chuckling quickly corrected that.
“Don’t fall asleep.”
“’m not...” Sapnap’s words slurred, deep with sleep. He moved slightly as thought to wake himself up more, readjusting himself to the pillows. Right at that moment, George heard Dream’s bedroom window open just slightly. He just had to hope Sapnap couldn’t hear it.
George gently poked to the back of Sapnap’s ribs, making him giggle again and hiding the light sound of Dream sneaking out his room. He had an armful of feathers and carefully snuck to the couch, while George kept poking.
“S-Stohop...” Sapnap shifted his hips like he was trying to knock George off but it barely even moved George. Perfect.
“You’re falling asleep. I’m keeping you awake.”
“You’re n-not you’re t-tihickling mehehe...”
“You like being tickled though.” Dream said.
Before Sapnap could properly respond, Dream was quick in sitting himself over Sapnap’s shoulder blades. Sapnap woke up then but his moves were sluggish and he couldn’t act fast enough before Dream pulled up his top, and started running the softest feather down his spine.
“N-Noooohoho... Dohohon’t!” Sapnap’s begging was just made all the cuter with his sweet giggles and muffling into the pillows to hide his pink face.
“Listen to those giggles! You’re loving this!” Dream cooed in that sweetly voice George hated when it was used on him, but now he giggled along with it.
“Not there...ahaha! G-Gehet off!”
The feather trailed to the end of Sapnap’s spine, at the edge of the waistline of his shorts, and then flicked and zigzagged it’s way back up. George grabbed a few of the smaller feathers that Dream had dumped and let them flutter down to Sapnap’s back. He watched Sapnap squirm and uselessly try to shake them off before George grabbed a stiff feather and drew shapes along the back of Sapnap’s ribs.
“That’s not the right thing to say when you want the tickling to stop.” Dream grabbed another feather and now had two tormenting Sapnap’s sides. Each one fluttering and licking up and down Sapnap’s side while George swished his feather over Sapnap’s lower back.
“Noooo! Nohohoho...!”
“Push us off, if you want. You’re big and strong.” George teased. “If you hate it so much you can make it stop.”
“I d-dohon’t wahant to h-hurt yooohohou two!”
Dream scoffed to the very idea of it, but he slowed his tickling and signalled George to do the same. The feathers stopped their swishing and pulled away from Sapnap’s skin. The only thing tickling him now were the small fluffed up feathers swishing as Sapnap wiggled his hips.
“We’ll stop tickling you when you admit just how much you missed me. Say how sad you were your good pal Dream was gone.”
Sapnap huffed so hard George was surprised he didn’t pass out. It would have been easier for Dream to march back to the Ender Dragon and extract a fang than getting Sapnap to admit he missed him. The Dream Team were no stranger to showing affections to each other, especially in high emotional moments, but getting them to openly talk about them was a different story.
Dream was an open book of every emotion he felt. George would scoff and call them idiots while speaking about it. Sapnap was fine to talk about his feelings, though sometimes it was like pulling teeth. He’d be mostly quiet. Especially under threat of tickling where his pride was on the line.
“Fuck off!” Sapnap predictably replied.
“Well that’s a shame.” Dream shrugged and picked up the feathers again. George followed along, lifting his own. “Looks like you just want to be tickled.”
The feathers came back to Sapnap’s skin. George’s swayed up and down Sapnap’s spine, while Dream went back to his sides. He had thrown aside his fluffy feathers and picked up two stiffer ones, sawing them up and down Sapnap’s side who squealed.
“N-NAAAHAHA...hehehehehe! Stohop! Stop! That tickles!”
“Oh shocker.” Dream cooed. “All you gotta do is just admit you love me and it stops. It’s real easy.”
“I-I should-AAHAHAhahahaha... I should h-hahave thrown your ass back in jail!”
George stopped tickling then as Dream had a well. George hesitated to look up, worried for Dream’s reaction but instead of anger or shock, Dream was grinning. He abandoned the feathers, gave Sapnap a warning of “oh you’re going to GET it!” and tickled his ribs mercilessly.
The reaction was instant before George could warn him. No longer being softly tickled got Sapnap’s strength back. His back arched as he yipped and chortled his laugh and then he pushed himself up to escape. Dream either didn’t believe it would happen, or he was too lost in tickling Sapnap, but either way he tumbled forward. His hands tried to brace himself to stop the fall but all that did was collide with and push George down.
“Ugh! Dream get off!”
“I didn’t fall on purpose!” Dream groaned but as he tried to push himself up, he was pressed down further.
Sapnap had quickly recovered from his giggles, and laid over Dream. His weight pressed his friends to the ground, and his hands dug into their ribs and sides.
“NAAHAHA! FUCK!”
“SAP! NOHOHO!”
“You two think you can team up on me? That’s cute!” Sapnap cooed to them as he quickly straddled over Dream’s back, keeping them both pushed down. “Real cute!”
“NO! Sapnaahahap! It-It was Dream’s ideaaahahahaha!”
“You snake! I ne-ehe! I never fohohorced yohohohou!”
The lazy haze of the day gave Sapnap some mercy, or he was still feeling soft. He relented on the tickling and flopped over the two into a messy cuddle pile. Dream and George whined, still crushed under his weight before they were allowed to shuffle around and settle.
“How cruel to gang up on me.” Sapnap dramatically pouted.
“Cruel? You can carry both of us with one arm. We need to team up on you!” Dream defended his position, which got his sides a quick taser.
It was a half hearted tickle fight that George quickly slipped away from. “Idiots.” He grumbled, and watched fondly as Dream scritched over Sapnap’s neck. “We can’t just sleep and tickle each other all day again.”
They didn’t hear him or didn’t care. George got himself something to eat and threw snacks to the two of them. Even if he was trying to watch something it was hard for George to ignore the two softly calling for him, and eventually he slipped down, back into the bed of pillows and into their arms. Sapnap snored on his left shoulder and Dream curled up to his right side.
There were still other worries, nagging at the back of George’s mind. Things he couldn’t ignore forever. But right now in the middle of his most treasured people, George was at peace.
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