Archive of Our Own ^beta

       Logged into his alt account, chin braced on his palm and his elbow resting on the edge of his desk, Wilbur scribbled down some lyrics that he was thinking of in a notebook while watching Dream’s stream.

       His boyfriend of three months’ voice came through his headphones. He didn’t have a bad voice. Not at all. Actually, Dream’s voice was probably the best thing for him to listen to. It didn’t matter what he was doing. Listening to Dream just…well, he was someone Wilbur naturally felt safe around. He didn’t need to live up to any particular expectations other than just…be him. They didn’t fight, either. It was really weird.

       Growing up, Wilbur’s parents had…occasionally fought. Not often, but they did. With Dream, he’d almost expected that to happen. Dream was someone who came off as hotheaded judging by his tweets and how passionate he was about, well, everything. Especially his fans. He was amazingly protective of his fanbase, loved them with his whole heart and wore that love on his sleeve. But…he hadn’t fought with Wilbur. Not even once. They had come what Wilbur would suppose was close to it several times. Despite that, though, they hadn’t fought. Instead, Dream would very calmly tell Wilbur that they needed to take a moment to breathe and they could come back to the argument later, which Wilbur agreed with. They would take some time, and then they would talk about it together, and then they would solve it together. It wasn’t them against one another, it was them against the problem.

       They weren’t perfect, obviously, but as far as Wilbur could tell they had chosen each other as their soulmates and it hadn’t been a mistake in the least.

       Settled in his chair, Wilbur smiled softly. Tipped his pencil from one side to the other and then glanced down at the notepad. On screen, Dream was wandering around his SMP, trying to stay on task and work with building some extra stuff. There was a note in the bottom of the screen, something Phil and Wilbur had helped Dream do, noting that they were going to build something for the new SMP storyline. Because, well…

       Wilbur had finally, after three months, decided he did in fact want to work with his idea that he got during Stardew Valley. The one where he and Dream’s characters ran away and then started a sort of cottagecore life together. Although this time around they were actually working with something else. So far, he and Dream hadn’t given away what was going to happen with the storyline. They had just let everyone know what was up and that they were going to be streaming doing build work for the next while. They knew what they were doing. They were builders.

       Well, sort of.

       When the in-game chat popped up with the notification “GeorgeNotFound has joined the game”, Wilbur glanced up and paused in his writing. George hurried up to Dream, who was currently sitting in the middle of a birch and oak forest as he was building a house for him and Wilbur. Of course, they were going to need to do a little more work on it. It was a decent size one, although they were going to add on to it as they were joined by more and more folk. Specifically, they were going to add rooms for Tommy, Tubbo, Ranboo, Tubbo and Ranboo’s child Michael, Purpled, Aimsey, and Eryn. But no one else knew that. Not yet.

       George joined the call with Dream…and started flirting with him.

       Excuse me? Wilbur immediately thought. There was a strike of righteous jealousy in his chest. Look, he was not a jealous person. Despite what people could think about him, despite the jokes about him not wanting anyone else to be Tommy’s older brother figures (look, Tommy just picked up nonbiological family members like a Disney princess picked up animal friends), Wilbur was not actually a very jealous person. Especially when it came to dating partners. He trusted dating partners. He especially trusted Dream because Dream was a good person. Wilbur trusted him. He was a sweetheart. At any rate, Dream wasn’t the kind of person who would cheat on his partner.

       Now, George wasn’t aware that Wilbur and Dream were dating. No one was, no one knew that. But still, Wilbur would be…a bit of a bad boyfriend if he didn’t want his partner, with whom he was in a monoamorous relationship with and not a polyamorous one, to not be flirted with. He would argue it was more because he knew Dream was going to be uncomfortable with it. A couple times before, Dream had sort of referenced it but not actually spoken about it. They just hadn’t had the chance to do so yet.

       After a few minutes of DNF jokes where Dream was very obviously uncomfortable but too awkward to say anything (and too good at hiding it for the chat or George to be aware, unfortunately), Wilbur tipped his head to the side. Dream was being dismissive if anything on the outside. Still, there were little pauses in the way he was moving, hesitations before he put blocks down in particular spots when normally he would be building with the flow of conversation. Wilbur picked up on that.

       He also could tell that George appeared to have a small crush on Dream. It has been three months since we first started dating, Wilbur mused in the back of his mind, looking at the screen with slightly narrowed eyes. George was offering something, hidden to the chat but clear to anyone who actually knew them and knew how they worked and what they were like. When did he and his partner break up again? Two and a half months ago? Just two? Long enough that Dream wouldn’t be a rebound, although I don’t know if he ever was one in the first place.

       It didn’t matter anyways. Dream was uncomfortable with what was going on, and he loved George too much as a friend to try and bring it up to him. Which meant that Wilbur was going to have to do something.

       Well, he decided. Time to be the bad guy.

       Pushing himself up from his desk, he set his headphones to the side and then pulled a page from Kristin’s book. Cheese and crackers. No better way of going about it. Besides, Dream probably didn’t remember to get lunch and Wilbur needed to take care of him.

       So, once he had put together a little platter of cheese slices, Ritz crackers, and then some little slices of ham from the things that he and Dream both liked. It was protein and it wasn’t a bad texture, okay?

       Anyways, Wilbur made his way into Dream’s streaming study casually. There was a bed in there. Not for weird reasons, nope. They just sometimes ended up in the same room, Wilbur reading a book on the bed while Dream edited. Sometimes Wilbur played his guitar or took a nap. Every once in a while, when Dream was working late into the night, Wilbur would come in and pull him to the bed rather than to Dream’s actual room. It just was one of the things that made sense. Besides, it was more of a futon than a bed, and it was pretty comfortable due to the blankets and Patches could usually be found there.

       When Wilbur walked in, Dream didn’t bother to mute. His camera wasn’t on, it wasn’t like anyone could see Wilbur if there was one anyways since he was tall and on top of that he wasn’t going to be super loud. He was just going to be delivering food.

       “Oh, hi.” Dream said, turning away from the keyboard and looking over. Smiling, Wilbur put the tray of food down on the desk, off to the side of the keyboard. Then, he gently took Dream’s face in his hands, kissed light golden-brown waves where they stuck out from beneath Dream’s headphones. Humming softly, Dream closed his eyes. He reached up and gently touched Wilbur’s wrists. Held onto him for a moment. “What is it?”

       Quickly, Wilbur dropped his tone into something different and quieter than usual. Softer, too. He knew what he was doing. “Just wanted to bring you something, sweetheart.” Dream’s cheeks flushed and he smiled softly. Turning to the screen, Wilbur huffed softly. Then, he kissed the top of Dream’s head again. “Remember to drink water. I’ll see you later at dinner.”

       Then he left the room, smiling softly.

+++

       Dream awkwardly explained to chat that he and Wilbur were roommates.

       Eventually, when they finished up the stream, George and Dream went on some sort of call. Wilbur had walked by for a little bit. Checked in on his boyfriend. Clearly, they were having a talk about what had happened. Instead of eavesdropping, though, Wilbur just grabbed the dirty dishes from the desk and then walked off to wash them in the sink.

       But once Dream had finished his call with George, there were footsteps in the hallway. One second, Dream settled his hands on Wilbur’s hips, rested his chin on Wilbur’s shoulder and started kissing his neck. Then, the next second, Dream had him pushed against the door to their bedroom and they were laughing into kisses and gentle touches. They ended up on the bed eventually, Dream kissing Wilbur’s neck and being…a bit more touchy than normal. Like he was trying to prove something.

       Not that Wilbur minded, he just ran his fingers into Dream’s hair and held him close.

       Eventually, Dream stopped kissing him as hard as he was, sitting back and then rested his forehead against Wilbur’s. Gently, he kissed the tip of Wilbur’s nose. “What’s all this affection for?” Wilbur asked, looking at his boyfriend. Rolling to the side, Dream flopped down on the bed. Rolled onto his back and then let out a long sigh. For a little bit, neither of them spoke. Dream kept his eyes on the ceiling. Then, softly, he started talking.

       “Are you okay with the DNF bit?” He asked. Blinking, Wilbur pushed himself up on one elbow and looked down at his boyfriend. Reached over with his other hand and started playing with Dream’s bangs. Jade hazel eyes flicked over to him. “I just…I wanted to ask you. You’re important to me, and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

       “I mean…” Looking to the side, Wilbur gave Dream a wry smile. “Can I keep coming into your streams to give you cheese and crackers and flirt with you?”

       Dream stared at him for a second and then busted out laughing.

       “Oh my gosh,” wheezing, Dream wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. “Please do. I would love that.” He replied. Pausing, he swallowed and took a breath. “Wilbur, I…I don’t plan on leaving you. I don’t have any reason to. But I also don’t want you to be jealous. You’ll tell me if you’re feeling left out, right?”

       “Of course I will.” Wilbur leaned over. Brushed Dream’s hair out of his eyes and kissed his forehead. Dream smiled softly. Then, he relaxed into the bed. Wilbur looked down at him. “And I’m glad to hear you don’t want to leave because I share the same sentiment.” There was a soft smile shared between them. Then, Dream sighed slowly. Reaching up, he touched Wilbur’s cheek. Wilbur leaned into the touch. “Besides, I like that we can actually communicate healthily. It’s very important for a healthy relationship.” Dream smirked. Like, actually smirked, not just smiled or grinned. He smirked. At Wilbur.

       “We stan healthy communication in this household.” He declared. Scoffing, Wilbur leaned down and kissed him.

       And he maybe dragged Dream back into continuing their makeout session.