An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Hey @rainystressed247 !! :D
Here is your gift for the Dreblrtines~! Sorry it took so long, life got busy :<
Anyway, hope you enjoy some admin!Dream (my beloved) and Dteam friendship <3
It was supposed to be a 5 + 1 story, but I started with the +1 and the story grew and grew so I decided to leave it be :] I may write the other parts later and add them to the series though!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Dream SMP
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Luke | Punz
Characters: Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Luke | Punz
Additional Tags: Character Death, Human Experimentation, Author is a Clay | Dream Apologist (Video Blogging RPF), Author is a Luke | Punz Apologist, Canon-Typical Violence, a person does die, Not Beta Read
Summary:
Behind every scientific achievement there are years of work and research. The understanding of the revival book's powers are no different in that regard.
or
Dream and Punz doing some stabbing and maybe some dying, but it's all okay because they can just come back.
Hey @voidpidgeon here is your gift as part of the dreblrsmp gift exchange :D Honestly all of your prompts were super fun and I wasn’t sure which one to pick, but I decided on the ‘Punz and Dream conducting experiments’ one in the end :D
I am a bit out of practise with writing, but I hope you like it anyway <3
So we know that CC!Dream can now cry on command, and I know people will take that to the depressing route come the lore video of C!Dream breaking down. That’s nice and all, but imagine if he instead cries tears of joy for escaping the prison and seeing the stars and sunrise for the first time.
I procrastinated on this ask so much, that c!Dream is finally out and we saw how happy he was when he saw the sunrise again <3 (and then went back to the vault lmao) and we also saw the first lore video (still hoping for more + the breakdown <3)
But! No harm done, I can just modify this a bit and add another character to the mix :D
warnings: implied/referenced past torture
/rp /dsmp
The mask has been a part of Dream for longer than Punz could remember. They were sure they knew Dream before he got it, but they couldn’t remember the last time they saw him without it. Well, that wasn’t strictly true. Dream used to take off the mask pretty often, claiming it was making his face feel sticky and sweaty. But he would never be without it. It was always there, even when it was hidden in his bag.
It showed in how reserved he was. How unwilling he was to talk about his feelings. How he still refused to tell Punz what happened in the prison.
It showed when Punz tried to ask more about the plan. When Dream would shut down, saying something about it ‘not being a concern’. Dream trusted him. Punz knew that. But even he had some secrets. Not everything was meant to be shared.
Dream didn’t have his mask on when they met after the escape.
Sam probably took it away in the prison. Punz didn’t know what the stay was like, but he was worried about his friend. Dream was… different. More careful, even more reserved than before. It was as if all the work he did to gain his trust had been wasted. He was hiding injuries, limping instead of letting Punz bandage his leg.
But Punz knew that a confrontation wouldn’t help. Not with Dream, not when he was in one of his stubborn moods, no matter what the cause of it was.
So he stayed by his friend, holding his hand during the worst of the nightmares and slowing down during patrols, claiming to be tired, so that Dream had to slow down as well. Because XD knows his pride wouldn’t let him ask Punz to slow down.
Punz admittedly wasn’t the best at making others feel better. All the emotional talk was always more of Bad’s or Sam’s expertise. All he could do was choke out a quiet ‘hey everything will be okay’ while offering a side hug.
This Dream situation had him operating entirely out of his depth. But it was fine. It was for Dream after all.
That’s why he spent several evenings away from their small cottage, making and remaking and remaking a simple wooden mask. He tried to make it from clay, like the last one was, but he had no idea how to make it less breakable. So wood it was. At least for now.
It took him a lot (lot) of tries, but he finally came up with something acceptable. And sure, the birch wood made the mask a bit less smooth. And maybe the smile was wobbly and one of the eyes dripped a bit of paint. But it was a mask. One he was proud of for creating.
(Dream’s reaction was worth it too. His shocked look transformed into an upset face that Punz was scared about. Did he hate it? Oh of course, he must have, it’s not like Punz can do anything right besides kill, right? But then Dream hugged him. He actually hugged him again. Whispered ‘thank you’ and cried. But this time the tears were happy. They weren’t caused by pain or sadness. They symbolized their bond, their trust and appreciation.)
i’ve been listening to Partners in Crime by Set It Off a lot and all I can think about is c!Dream throwing himself in front of a sword/axe for c!Punz or the other way around and that’s how everyone figures out that they were working together the entire time—
(i refused to be alone with this angst)
Hey Anon? :D Anon? :D Do you want everyone to cry? :D
Because I want that as well <3
warnings: blood, death
/rp /dsmp
A happy ending was never the plan.
Punz should have realised that earlier. They should have realised that when Dream told them about the prison. Should have asked more questions. Should have objected, should have tried to suggest a different plan.
But he didn’t. Because they trusted Dream. He was the leader, the mastermind. His plans won them the first war. Why would Punz doubt him now?
Because he was different. They knew that of course. He saw the change in Dream. They saw how cautious and reserved he became. How he never stayed around for longer than plan making. How he didn’t sleep.
He saw the hurt Dream tried to hide. How he sent longing glances after George and Sapnap. How his hands trembled a bit when he was gathering resources for the vault and the prison. How his voice cracked when he told him about his plan. The finale.
And they still did nothing. Followed the man they trusted more than anyone else.
Because he had a plan.
He should have asked about the end result. Should have questioned how making himself the bad guy would help with the reunion of their big family. Should have asked ‘what about you, Dream?’.
And now here they are.
Dream is standing in front of the Community House. The new house. The old one long gone. (You helped blow it up.) He is hurt, one arm bleeding and his armour almost all gone, stumbling backward towards the doors of the building.
After him goes the SMP. Punz included. Because he can’t go against the plan now. Not when the final step is almost over. They just need to get to the portal. And then Dream will make the final piece move. ‘Just like we planned.’ Punz thinks, watching another arrow be shot at his friend with a barely contained wince.
Finally they get to the portal, running up the blackstone stairs. Punz sighs. Everything will change now.
But Dream stands in front of the portal, unarmed. The remains of his armour lie away from him and he is not running. Why isn’t he running? A bad feeling washes over Punz. Was he really going to-?
“Dream!” Sapnap is the first to get to the top. He approaches the escaped prisoner slowly, trying to find a trap. A back up plan. Anything. Because there needs to be something, right? Deep down Punz knows the truth already. There is no next step any more. There is no grand escape.
There is no happy ending. Not for Dream.
Sapnap is standing over the kneeling Dream, screaming something about ‘making things right’ and ‘punishment’. Punz isn’t sure, not when all he can hear is the rush of blood in his ears and all he can see is the glint of the axe rising slowly over Sapnap’s head.
He snaps out of his thoughts when Tommy approaches the two and spits out: “You deserve this. Rot in hell.”
No!
Punz grips his axe tighter and leaps. They don’t know if they can get there in time. But Prime must be on their side today, because all he hears is a loud CLANG as the axes collide.
“Punz?” Dream is still kneeling, a confused look on his face. “What are you-”
“I’m not going to let you die!” they yell, overlapping the yells of confusion coming from the crowd. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”
Dream’s face (maskless, they took his mask. they took it again.) shows resignation and how tired the green-wearing warrior is. How did it all end up like this? How did they not notice how tired he is? “Punz…”
“Was this your great plan?! Getting yourself killed?!” Punz is furious. At Dream. At George and Sapnap. At Sam and Quackity. At Tommy and Wilbur. At himself. “Where is your big happy family if you are dead, Dream?!”
“It was never about me…” The admission is quiet, almost impossible to hear, but still breaks Punz’s heart. “I am expendable. As long as you all are together.”
A quiet “what?” is heard from the others. Standing still, not knowing what to do. What to say.
“Guys! Don’t you see what’s happening here?!” an angry shout rises and Quackity steps out of the crowd. He is holding a crossbow, a bolt loaded and ready to fly. “He is manipulating you again! Probably paid Punz as well!”
He didn’t. Dream never had to pay him.
“Let’s just kill him and move on! C’mon we all know there is no other way!” Quackity is still talking, trying to convince the rest of the crowd. Punz turns back towards his fallen brother.
“Can you stand?” they whisper, trying to plan an escape. “I have pearls, we can-”
“It doesn’t matter.” Dream’s voice is shaky, so unlike the man’s usual tone. “It’s never going to end unless I die.”
“No-! We can… we can find a way to-” Punz never finishes his sentence.
A loud BANG travels across the place when Quackity fires his crossbow. It finds his mark.
Dream chokes on his own blood, hand trying to grab the arrow sticking from his chest, but not having enough strength to do so. Punz grabs at him desperately, cradling him to his chest “no nonnonononononoon NO! NO!”
What do you think Dream does after he finished talking to Sam? Going to the courtyard? Putting his lega in the water?
Or is he locking himself into one of the cells, searching for a glimpse or similarity and familiarity 🥲
;___;
/rp /dsmp
He hits the wall first. Almost breaks his wrist and curses softly. He can't let Sam see how frustrated he is. Can't let him get an upper hand. Never again.
He exhales and inhales, trying to calm his racing heart. Tries not to think about the War-Sam's words. He didn't deserve the torture. He deserves an apology.
He tried visiting the courtyard on his first night back. Searched for the room everywhere, trying to remember the plans he and Sam drew over a year ago, but couldn't find it. He thinks Sam must have gotten rid of it when he decided Dream was too dangerous to let out of the main cell. (He never sees the grass nor the still water of the stil-standing courtyard.)
He picked one of the upper cells for his room. It's small. Uncomfortable. Covered in obsidian and spiderwebs.
None of the other cells were supposed to be used. None of them were cleaned or taken care of by the Warden or his helpers. (At least since the escape.)
A part of him knows he should find a bed. Even better - go to Punz and ask him for a place to stay. But the larger part of him makes him stay. Makes him lie down on the cold obsidian (cold, always so cold against his wounds. keeping the heat of the lava at bay.) and curl up for another sleep. Searching for the comforting feeling.
But it never comes. The cell is different. Foreign. Wrong.
