Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Dream?" a shaky voice calls out as the darkness. It isolates not only the figure struggling to see through the branches cutting into his wounds but also his voice. He couldn't shout, not when people were still chasing him. Sapnap was with his team, Dream and George when their camps were ambushed. They used to have a home to go to... but because of the nature of their job... Sapnap squeaks as he dodges an arrow that almost takes his eye out.

Sapnap manoeuvres through the trees, ignoring that the branches are tearing his wounds apart. The adrenaline made him ignore the pain as his survival instincts start kicking in, he has no idea which way he was going as he didn't even see which direction he ran to according to the compass but George managed to stall time for him and Dream... who last he checked was already sick... to escape. Sapnap lost him however when they stopped to rest.

Sapnap doesn't even know if they are captured or worse... Sapnap was so distraught he didn't notice something in front of him and he slams straight into it. It feels metal... his head is ringing... how did they manage to get in front of him? He was running in a straight line all this time-

His vision clears a little as he tries to calm himself down, he should be running but a pair of firm arms had a tight grip around him and he was running for miles upon miles without stopping. Sapnap flinches a little as he hears the sound of horses in the distance... or was it right behind them? He couldn't really tell but the sound is getting further away.

Sapnap finally stops struggling and his brain clicks into place, realising that the person who has him hasn't killed him or knocked him out yet, instead they are locking their arms around Sapnap's back, running up and down his back... as if...

Sapnap looks up to see a figure that is like a shadow, only there is a pair of eyes... and he is pretty sure that there is armour attached to it... so it's a person... wait... those messy locks... that hood...

The Dream Team, who consists of Sapnap, Dream and George are fighters of the highest calibre (at least Sapnap thinks so) join tournaments and are pretty targeted by fans, both in a good and bad way hence why they are in this mess now... last year he had his big break by winning one of the overseas tournament and the finalist that he had to face... was...

"Sapnap?"

"S-shadoune?" Sapnap chokes, he grits his teeth as the pain from his wounds catches up to him. Shadoune is prepared however as he catches him before he could fall.

"Don't worry, I live near here... I've got you..." Shadoune mutters, he looks up, prepared to move but something bright opens behind them and Shadoune seems to know what it is but Sapnap doesn't, he wants to escape but Shadoune is still strong and helps him through the light. Sapnap realises that it's a portal and they are in a completely different place now.

Sapnap tries to scramble back as another figure approaches them, also in armour but with flames and a helmet instead of a hood.

"El diablo-" Sapnap mutters. Farfadox, also an opponent in the same tournament he met Shadoune in, is someone he is worried about, unlike Shadoune, Farfadox intimidates him and with his vulnerable state... but instead of making fun of him, Farfadox silently helps Shadoune support Sapnap and speaks to Shadoune about his condition.

"You don't have to worry Sapnap... you are safe here..." Shadoune replies.

"But-"

"Your friend is also here... we will take you to him now," Farfadox adds.

"George?" Sapnap asks.

"No... was George with you?" Shadoune asks, worried. Sapnap feels his stomach drop as they finally reached the medical wing of the... mansion? Sapnap didn't know that Farfadox and Shadoune lived together... but that didn't matter as George is still out there and Dream-

"Dream- how is he?" Sapnap asks as he tried to go over to Dream only to make it harder for Farfadox and Shadoune to prevent him from toppling over.

"He is fine, you need to get those injuries cleaned and stitched," Shadoune replies in worry as they put him in the bed beside Dream who is unconscious and pale looking.

"He was sick-" Sapnap starts but Farfadox seems to had enough and uses two fingers to tap gently on his forehead. Sapnap's consciousness immediately slips away.

"Was that necessary?" Shadoune asks, huffing. Farfadox shrugs, not really in the mood to play around.

"I'll take Conter and Spreen to find George, you stay here and keep an eye on them... I'll ask Nutria 23 to bring Cris and Serpias here," Farfadox replies, taking his sword from where he left it beside Dream when he first brought Dream in, he was flinching at every touch and jittery even with Shadoune there, so Farfadox, who never allowed anyone to touch his sword, lets Dream have it while he went to help Shadoune find Sapnap.

Now, however, Farfadox seems seething, smoke puffing out of his mouth. He's mad because of what they had heard about the Dream Team hunt, their former friends... allies... even lovers started turning their pitchforks towards their own. Shadoune didn't know the gritty details but the town has gone to hell these few days, at least for the Dream Team... 

Now Farfadox was going to live up to his name and bring the hell to them.

Chapter Text

Sapnap slowly opens his eyes and tenses a little. He doesn't recognise the room he is in... but at least he isn't sleeping on the cold floor or strapped to a metal table... he sighs. He watched way too many movies about that... he didn't even experienced anything like that before... but... he looks to the side to see Dream still sleeping but some colour seems to have returned to his complexion, making Sapnap believe that he might be okay.

He still has scars from the prison he was kept in however, he knows they were hidden under his armour but it wasn't as glaringly obvious as it is now, which is rather fitting. To think that everyone will turn against them... to think that he was lied to... used... and more than half of the time... he had been against his closest friend...

"Sapnap?" Shadoune asks.

Sapnap blinks back into reality after hearing Shadoune's voice but didn't turn to look at him as he lowers his head as his vision fogs, not from any smoke or mirrors however...

"Hey..." Shadoune whispers as he kneels in front of Sapnap with a handkerchief. Oh right... when people are sad... they cry... Sapnap seems to forget that as he accepts the handkerchief to hide his face more than to wipe his tears. "You're okay, you are safe..."

Sapnap shakes his head, he isn't sure if he was really saying that he didn't believe that they were safe here or that they would be okay... he doesn't even know where... here... is-

Shadoune takes the handkerchief from Sapnap's hand and softly wipes his tears but his tears continue to flow. Sapnap didn't want Shadoune to just kneel there and keep taking care of him so he snatches the cloth and blows his nose into it.

"I... should go... you should let Dream stay here..." Sapnap starts.

"Why? Where are you going?" Shadoune asks in a panic. Why was Sapnap saying this? Why doesn't he want to take Dream with him? And why was he in a rush? There are many questions he wants to ask but he didn't want to pry too much.

"Dream... probably doesn't want to see me when he awakens... I... I've did somethings I'm not proud of... just-" Sapnap takes his hand and Shadoune almost immediately returns it. "Just tell Dream and George that I'm sorry..."

"Why... why would Dream not want to see you?" Right... Shadoune probably doesn't follow his town's news even though they have met a year ago and have met at different points in time to get here.

"I..." Sapnap remembers before they were forced to leave... George was still in his coma... he had made so many memories and friends... he had thought... that they had something good here... he didn't notice his best friend, digging himself into a hole...

Many believed that he was up to something and they were right, only Sapnap realised that they were mistaken in his intentions. With people, there is always conflict, conflict with those who had came before others... conflict of interests... power... Sapnap never really focused on that, all he was content with was making friends, fighting, sparing with people and learning new things. George had went into a coma after an incident where his house was caught on fire...

He hadn't woken up for so long but Sapnap never gave up on him... he made sure he was safe and had the care he needed while he slept. Sometimes he wonders what George would do... if he had been in his position. Would he had done what he did?

Something happened that led to Dream being locked up in prison... which is why he looked at Dream when he thought of them being captured. He had visited Dream once but he had refused to talk to him, Sapnap still didn't know why but he was frustrated, he didn't know why Dream did what others said he did... he wanted control... he wanted power... so everyone had him locked up instead of killed...

Sapnap learns of the revival book only when it was used on someone who tried to go in and kill him themselves.

If he had pried in, talk to anyone else who didn't tell him that Dream did horrible things yet why was he still alive? If anyone did anything horrible to Dream and George... he'd- kill... me- but was he able to kill his best friend for the benefit of other people? That's the question he asked himself many times. If it meant that everyone could live peacefully together...

But he couldn't... no matter how deep Dream digs himself into the hole... Sapnap is still watching, he is still waiting... for any sign... anything to tell him that this was all just a bad dream.

He found out about the torture he endured and what he planned on doing... what his actual motives are through a former mutual friend of theirs. The revival book that started it all was the ability to bring people from the dead. All Dream wanted was to bring everyone together against a common threat. But the sight of Dream in the prison made Sapnap think that... he wasn't enough... he was on the ground when Sapnap found him, he could have easily killed him there... he has the death book, a book that can kill anyone at the expense of his own... but he can just as easily swing his axe down on Dream and it'd be over.

"I... I actually thought of killing him... I hunted him down and-" Sapnap sniffs as he buries his head into his hands.

Dream had been attacked, when he thought he was safe in the very prison that was designed to hold him... they ambushed him and brought him to the brink of death. Hell, even Sapnap helped them break into the prison. The guards who were hired to keep him there came and protected Dream, Sapnap was sure Dream had some leverage over them as they used to be adamant that Dream was such a bad person and deserved to be there. So why did they help him escape?

Maybe he did deserve the torture... but if what he heard was true... that he did this all to bring everyone together... absolve of all conflicts... Sapnap wasn't innocent, he had killed before and was the reason for most conflicts in their town but he wasn't alone... they were a town of fighters, even normal towns had their own problems, if a group of unruly, rebellious destroyers came together, there was sure to be chaos.

But that shouldn't be Dream's burden to bear alone.

They were out of the town before they know it. But people would be looking for them so Sapnap had to take the longest route out of town. He had friends who can take care of George... he was sure that they wouldn't do anything bad to him.

George can easily do the same as Sapnap did before... stay safe amongst the masses. But George had the compass that pointed towards Dream and when he heard of what happened and finally awakened from his sleep, he followed his dream's guidance and told them they would be safe once they get to the end portal at the end of the server. That is how they reached to the beginning of this story.

"Sapnap... did you talk to Dream about it?" Shadoune asks.

Sapnap shakes his head.

"Since he is doing this for the town... don't you think he'd forgive you? Besides... you helped him escape didn't you?"

"It was more of George than me... I..." Sapnap wanted to leave before Dream woke up but he didn't think that Dream could be just pretending to be unconscious still, Dream had more time to rest after all.

"Sap... don't go..." Dream rasp, voice scratchy from disuse.

Sapnap wanted to run away but Shadoune still has his hands wrapped around his.

"Talk to him... you can't run away from your problems..."

Part of Sapnap knows that Shadoune is right, he has already been running from his problem for so long, he wasn't there when his childhood friend was tortured by a whole town... how could Dream ever forgive him?

"It's not your fault... Sapnap... it's mine..." Dream grunts as he pushes himself up. Shadoune didn't really want him to open his wounds again so he hurried over to Dream to help him.

"I brought this upon myself... no one can be blamed but me..." Dream sighs, he reaches out to Sapnap who stares at his hand with a haunted expression. He is missing a few fingers... the Dream Team were born fighters... if Dream had lost mobility in his hand or worse... lost it... what would he do now? He couldn't even imagine what he himself would do if it happened to him.

"Sap... if anyone should leave this place... it should be me, not you... you'd be safer here and-"

"Okay stop," Shadoune sighs. "No one is going anywhere," he looks at the two who are looking at him pitifully. "I'd like to see you try though I wouldn't want you to injure yourself further, but the castle isn't going to let you leave that easily without the vote of all of team mafia..."

"Team-"

"Mafia?" Dream glances at Sapnap who lowers his head to stare at the floor.

It seemed like Sapnap would try jumping out the window anyway with the way he went to it and throw it open. Shadoune didn't even stop him as he climbs onto the railing.

"Sapnap please!" Dream exclaims, wanting to pull him inside but Shadoune stops him and watches with a hint of smile behind his lips as Sapnap leaps out of the window. Even if they were on the tenth story, Sapnap would have been fine with a water bucket only he didn't even start falling. The curtains which were limp before sprung to life and pulls him back into the medical wing, gently putting him on the floor.

Sapnap slaps the curtain away and it sags, like it's sad or something before going back to normal-looking curtains.

"What the-" Sapnap starts and wanted to climb out again only for the curtain to move. He glares at it and it lowers a little but as soon as he puts a knee up it rises again, ready to grab him again. Sapnap tries to juke it by hopping back inside and quickly tossing himself over only for the curtain to be just as fast if not faster. He didn't even manage to poke his head outside.

"What the fuck!" Sapnap shrieks as he bites at the curtain out of frustration which wiggles in a panic.

"Sapnap please... we just replaced the curtains yesterday..." Shadoune sighs as he drags Sapnap directly onto Dream's bed. Sapnap still isn't meeting his eyes but Dream knew that he was eating himself up inside. When they were playing social deduction games, Sapnap would fall over or panic so much that he would be so obvious to everyone. Dream knows that Sapnap hates betraying his friends and he probably felt like this was the biggest betrayal he could have done.

How easy would it have been if he could just say that he was evil, that he wanted to do the things he did for fun and because he was bored and not because he was tired of the fighting, the killing and the deaths?

They were a fight for fun team, fight for drama maybe but for death and destruction of innocent lives?

All the same, they were a violent and chaotic team that needed some intervention. But why would Shadoune and Farfadox be the ones to help them?

"Shadoune?"

All three of them look to the sound to find two figure at the door.

Chapter Text

"Mis amores~ I come here with cookies!" Serpias beams, in his hand, is a tray filled with fresh cookies that are still slightly smoking.

The black and white-haired human with cat ears sounded so sweet but those words are surely only for one occupant in the room, the other simply continued to look out the window. Although Serpias seems worried about Dream, he still seems a little hesitant when it comes to Dream as Sapnap, the only one who has been making friends instead of enemies these few years, had met before once in a event.

Sapnap didn't think that Serpias was living with Shadoune either... was everyone living with Shadoune then?

"Dream~ mi amigo, try it," Serpias beams after handing Sapnap a cookie goes over to Dream to feed him given his arms were still healing.

"Thank you but... I'm not hungry," Dream smiles. They had just eaten after all.

Serpias pouts, "I put a lot of effort into making this, please have one bite~"

Dream glances at Sapnap who immediately looked away while nibbling on his cookie. He is full too but he still didn't want to be rude. The cookie had a chewy and crunchy taste to it, not too thick either so Sapnap can take one bite. But Dream who tries to eat healthy and well... golden apples... finds the cookie revolting.

Dream sighs because it seems like Serpias wouldn't leave unless he took a bite so he bit a small piece of it. It was nice... a little too sweet for him right now but... Dream manages to hold his lunch down.

"Nice?" Serpias asks.

Dream nods, "Yes..." he smiles.

"Yippe!" Serpias beams before promptly wolfing down the cookie Dream had just bitten. He had also brought some milk for them to wash down the cookies with when his time to play house is over as a huge whooshing sound announces the presence of a portal.

"Oh! Maybe your friend is back!" Serpias beams before rushing towards the door and swinging it open.

But instead of Farfadox, it was just a bear in pyjamas.

"Spreen!" Serpias beams.

"Serpias?" Spreen asks, looking like he just got out of bed. "What are you-" he thought that Serpias was injured until he saw the two figures in the hospital bed. Oh... is that why Cris was even more active than usual?

"Dream! Sapnap! What happened?" Spreen asks, he didn't know why but the first thing he does is comb through Sapnap's hair as if to comfort him. "Who did this to you?"

Sapnap's eyes widen as his memories of him running from his former friends came back and he lowers his head.

"I'm sorry..." Spreen frowns as he runs circles on Sapnap's back. He had never seen them both this shaken and beaten up before... well beaten up he has but... the light behind their eyes seems to have vanished. Who has the power to do such a thing? "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to talk about it," Spreen replies, comforting Sapnap who leans against Spreen with tired eyes.

Serpias' ears flop, he is still holding the cookies but lucky for Serpias, Spreen didn't forget about him.

"Is that freshly baked?" Spreen asks as Serpias nods eagerly and settles at the foot of Sapnap's bed and starts talking about something in spanish. Sapnap absent-mindedly grabs a cookie just to keep his hands and mouth busy, sugar is also a great way to destress.

"Dream did you eat some?" Spreen asks. Dream didn't expect anyone to talk to him, he shakes his head wordlessly before looking back towards the window. No one knows what Dream was thinking and Sapnap was too distraught to give it thought. But Dream can always see it, the weakness, the shadow that moves ever so slightly out of pace with the others.

When it was night, Dream still stayed up, Sapnap immediately passed out even though he did nothing during the day.

The castle seems sentient and doesn't allow them to enter the place without given permission to but what about the other way round?

Dream didn't even flinch as a figure lands right between the beds, judging by the confidence, they probably thought that Dream wouldn't do anything even if the house caved in and they wouldn't be wrong. The curtain shoots out, stretching beyond the length of what it should be but the figure seems ready and sliced it until it backed off.

But the curtain doesn't stop, as if an infinite cloth, it grabs at the figure at multiple angles, prompting them to leap from table to table, making a ruckus.

Sapnap yawns before looking at the chaos sleepily.

"Dream?" Sapnap asks, slurring.

The figure notices Sapnap stirring and leaps over to Sapnap, with his sword drawn. Sapnap didn't even realise what happened until he felt something drip on his cheeks.

"What the-" Sapnap exclaims, scrambling away from the attacker. The curtain manages to grab his ankles and slams them against the wall.

"Dream!" Sapnap exclaims, grabbing his hand forcefully, Dream winces at how roughly his hand is being handled especially after how he just took a blade for him.

"Why- Why would you do that?!"

Dream's brain scrambles to say something only to whip his head around as a sword comes shooting towards them. The curtain slaps it away but didn't expect for an arrow to follow shortly after.

Sapnap's instincts kick in and he pushes Dream back onto the bed and protected him with his body.

A red cloak flutters in the blink of an eye, catching the arrow and breaking it into pieces. The figure was shocked to find someone else here that he didn't notice Shadoune leaping up towards him.

Sapnap tries to look over only for Farfadox to cover the both of them and immediately checks on Dream's hand, which he is gentle with. Sapnap frowns, trying to look over Farfadox's big frame to see who it was but Shadoune had already brought the body out.

Farfadox says nothing as he takes out the first aid kit and starts treating his hand. All the while Dream doesn't even cry out in pain or flinch even with a hole in his hand. Farfadox furrows his eyes in worry, he wouldn't give him a golden apple as it might make him dependent on it again but... at this point, they have no choice, if not Dream may never use his hand again.

"Shadoune-" Sapnap looks up at Shadoune came up to him and pulls him into a hug. He glances at Farfadox who had blood on his armour.

"George is in the kitchen... he is fine and just have a few cuts... do you want to see him?" Shadoune asks, pulling Sapnap away but not completely letting him go, if Sapnap was honest, he didn't want Shadoune to let go, he is warm and Sapnap is shivering a little.

"I want to see him," Sapnap mutters in a low voice. He almost falls over when Shadoune suddenly moved while he was still sitting and clutching at Shadoune's sweater.

Farfadox looks at Shadoune with narrowed eyes while Dream blinks at them innocently but Sapnap didn't manage to see their expression as Shadoune completely covers his vision.

Sapnap wasn't focused on the two behind them however as he hears a familiar voice in the kitchen.

(Enjoy some doodle art from our discord of Farfadox bringing back gogs and mama bird shadoune being concerned lol)

Chapter Text

"George!"

"Sapnap!" George exclaims.

Usually the both of them would joke and make fun of each other but for the first time in a long time did Sapnap not make a snark remark as he jumps onto George, knocking the air out of his lungs as he pulls him into a bear hug.

"I thought you died idiot!" Sapnap exclaims.

"I didn't!" George huffs, "Once you guys left I booked it out of there... they couldn't keep up with me so-"

George feels something wet seep into his shirt before realising that Sapnap is actually crying.

Shadoune looks at the both of them with teary eyes as well, he cannot stand it when Sapnap is in distress, once the shoulders started shaking, the emotions start piling in.

Shadoune had seem him lose and see him lose people before, usually its met with anger and driven by revenge.

Now it seems that the fire has been completely put out of Sapnap and even washed away by his silent sobs.

"Hey... I'm okay... I'm right here," George replies softly as he strokes Sapnap's hair. He used to love it when they do that and it seems to have worked given his shoulders had stopped shaking.

Shadoune offers George a paper towel which he accepts and uses it to wipe Sapnap's tears.

"I thought..." Sapnap hiccups as he tries to calm himself down. George smiles sadly at Sapnap, patience is a good look for him only it seems to come out in rare occassions like these. "I thought... I'd never see you again-"

"We're here, we are safe..." George pulls Sapnap back into the hug as he continues to comb through Sapnap's hair.

Half of a lock of white hair peers from around the corner of the door. Serpias had heard fighting and saw that Cris was dragging a body out so he came to see if everything was okay.

Spreen, who had been talking to George earlier, gives them some space as he gestures for Shadoune and Serpias to follow him out.

"B-but... what if they plan on killing us here after we have lowered our guard?" Sapnap asks in a whisper a few seconds after he heard them leave.

George glances at the corridor where he can see silhouettes of the three spaniards still casted on the floor, meaning they didn't go too far.

"How's Dream?" He asks, also in a whisper. As far as he knows, none of them had super hearing...

Serpias' ears twitches as Spreen and Shadoune finishes talking and returns back to the kitchen.

"Sapnap, George, since you both are feeling better, you can come with me," Spreen replies.

Sapnap and George looks at each other, wordlessly communicating their decision. They seem to land in the same conclusion as they got up together and walked out with Spreen with their hands interlocked.

Shadoune and Serpias seems more focused on their hands than anything. Serpias was the first to meet eyes with Shadoune, prompting the both of them to look at anywhere but at their direction in embarrassment before following them.

"These are the rooms that are still available, feel free to choose any," Spreen replies.

"Really? We wouldn't want to impose or anything..." George replies. Even if they have nowhere to go, they still had family to go to, things to do... and it's not like they really knew anyone here other than Spreen and Shadoune.

This mansion is way too huge to have just the five of them live here....

"Can we take a room for the both of us? And maybe Dream as well?" Sapnap asks in a small voice.

"What- but I-" all George was thinking of is his privacy but in enemy territory... if they were separated...

Sapnap looks at George with wobbly lips. George didn't really want to share a room with Sapnap but at the same time... wouldn't he just come into his room and bother him anyway if he was scared?

"I'll get more beds then," Spreen replies, "It's not a problem at all," he beams, patting George on the shoulder to reassure him.

"Sapni! Why don't you take the room next to mine?" Serpias grins, eagerly pulling Sapnap aside but not once did he let go of George. Shadoune sighs out loud, prompting Spreen to snap towards him with an annoyed face.

"(If you are so bothered about Serpias why don't you do something about it?)" Spreen asks.

"(Are you kidding? If Serpias loves someone you know how he is like...)" Shadoune sighs.

"(I would know more than you,)" Spreen muses, remembering how Serpias would ask Spreen, the resident's rizz master for advice.

Shadoune glares at him, clearly reading his mind and disagreeing but doesn't say anything. He is just worried when it comes to his gringos, Spreen have no idea why he would however, they are much more skilled than them despite being young, much like himself-

"(I can practically hear your thoughts, don't you have anything else better to do?)" Shadoune asks in amusement as Spreen realises that they have been standing there for way too long and the gringos have already chosen their room.

"(Right... the casino is almost finished, don't you want to play with me?)" Spreen asks.

Shadoune scoffs, "(I don't have enough money for that... or are you forgetting how I lost multiple 100ks to gringos all the time.)"

"Heh... not my problem," Spreen grins.

Shadoune rolls his eyes, unable to stand staying where Spreen stood anymore as he left, however, Spreen hasn't left the corridor for a hot minute. He couldn't say anything to Shadoune when he was no better. Spreen remembers the first time he had met Sapnap, he was eager to meet with them given he had heard so much about him through George.

But seeing how much he was upset when Spreen lost... and how he screamed for help during the night... made his seemingly cold heart ache a little.

Dream's broken body still haunts his memories sometimes.

Spreen takes a swig of beer before going to test out his slot machine. Sapnap sighs as he closes the door to the room they were given after saying that they needed rest which serpias understands.

Sapnap looks at George with wide sad eyes, making George give in with a sigh. It wasn't like he had enough energy to refuse Sapnap anyway.

Sapnap won't go ahead without his say so anyway, so he nods with a gentle smile. Sapnap melts right then and there, more specifically, right on top of George like a bear.

George sighs, patting his back as they simply stay in each other's embrace for a while, just to hear the sound of their heartbeats and the pleasant humming of the air conditioning.

Chapter Text

Their peaceful moment is interrupted however when they hear the faintest of commotion.

"You didn't really have to walk me here..." a soft voice waffles from outside the door. Sapnap was sleeping until George sat up and frowns as he looks at the door with George.

"(I couldn't let you get hurt again, my little dream...)"

"Sorry?" Dream asks, Farfadox said that so softly and in spanish too but he did say his name... that he knows.

"Nothing..." Farfadox opens the door for Dream even though he doesn't need to. Dream looks from the doorknob to fidget with his fingers.

"If you need me my room is just down the hallway," Farfa adds.

"Okay," Dream smiles before Sapnap and George hear the door click shut. But there was no following sound of boots hitting the carpet and there is a shadow at their door.

Sapnap wants to go back to sleep but George completely abandons their cuddling session to go to the door. Sapnap grumbles and presses his face into the pillow.

"Farfadox, can I speak to you for a moment?" George asks before the door could fully open, he wasn't expecting for Spreen to also be there however.

He closes the door just so Sapnap or Dream couldn't hear them, he ushers them towards the stairs. Sapnap, being the nosy kid however decides to open the door right as Dream decides to as well.

They look at each other awkwardly for a while before deciding that evasdropping was much more important than whatever beef they had going on now. If they had any beef anyway.

Dream let's Sapnap go first as he lowers himself to sneak towards where they heard they've went. George was barefooted because of reasons but Farfadox's boots can be heard even from miles away.

"You cannot just leave them here," Spreen replies.

"I can, and I will," George sighs," I will go when Sapnap is asleep, but you have to promise me to take care of them, if anyone asks for them, you have to say nothing, even if it's someone you know, or someone you think we know, so long as they are not me, do not tell them where they are."

"Will you be alright on your own though? Won't they come after you too?"

Farfadox is silent as he looks at Spreen worrying over George.

"I have other places that I can go... but Dream and Sapnap... they are in no condition to take on others, especially Sapnap, you can let him do things for Dream to keep him busy-"

Dream was watching Sapnap's reaction throughout their conversation so when Sapnap wanted to interrupt, he immediately tackle him to the side and drag him away.

"What?!" Sapnap hisses.

"It's better this way, or would you rather have to face our old friends again?"

"I can take them..."

"Techno can barely hold his own against the whole town, do you think the both of you can take them all on your own?" Dream glances to the side as shadows at the stairs grow closer.

"We need our strength to be at our fullest before we go over, besides, do you want to fight Farfadox too? I doubt he'll let you leave."

Sapnap grumbles, noticing that they are returning, simply storms back into his room. Dream returns to his own room light-footedly. He understands Sapnap's frustration, if he was at peak condition he'd want to go in George's place despite him having the biggest target on his back.

This was what he was afraid of... he leans back on the bed with a sigh as he looks out the window. He didn't want his closest friends to fight is own battles. He was supposed to be the leader of their greater SMP. But he let the factions burn and conflict arise due to his inability to figure out his connections. He was willing to be the bad guy if it meant that the server could be together again.

He wished that he could be the director of this story. But unfortunately, so long as there are people, there will be conflict in interests. Hell he'd fight George if it meant he'd stay here instead of him.

Dream wanted to talk to George, maybe when he thinks that Sapnap might have actually gone to sleep instead of arguing with George with what he heard downstairs. It was a testament as to how tired he was when he didn't hear any shouting or screaming and he is sure that the walls aren't soundproof given how Sapnap and George can hear Farfadox even though he was being quiet.

He doesn't know that Farfadox's boots are quite loud so he is surprised when he opens the door to find Farfadox standing there, leaning against the doorframe.

"You know you don't have to hang around me all day like I'm some toddler," Dream grumbles.

"Que?" Farfadox asks acting as if he doesn't understand what he's saying even though Dream know very well where his fluency in English lies. "Where are you going?"

Dream glares at him before knocking on the door opposite them, it was soft enough not to wake up Sapnap if he had been in a deep sleep. The door slowly opens as George appears, much to his relief. Dream cannot help but glance into the room to see a lump slowly shifting on the bed. George has taken someone's armour, probably something Spreen or Farfadox gave him before he leaves.

Dream gestures to the side and makes space for George to close the door and stand in the hallway slowly.

"George... you don't have to do this... if anything we have other friends and allies that can do this for us..." Dream hisses in a whisper, "Why is it you that has to go? Why can't all three of us stay here?"

"You know how bad gets when he is worried, I won't take long alright? As soon as I handle things at our side, I will return with a list of traitors and allies," George replies.

"I don't need that, we will be leaving soon," Dream replies.

"Leaving where?" George gapes.

"You don't have to," Farfa interrupts them.

The two of them finally glance at him. They had been rivals just a year ago so it's a little unnerving to be near him. Dream doesn't mind but George minds it a lot.

"Your friends cannot reach here unless we allow them to," Farfa replies.

"So that stunt in the medical bay was your doing?" Dream frowns.

"Not me per say..." Farfa looks away with a shrug, "But everyone in this house knows it now, unless they want to be disturbed, no one will be able to even find this mansion."

"I'll be able to return however, the nutrias here have my number," George adds, looking at Farfadox with suspicion. George is worried about leaving Dream and Sapnap with these people of course but Sapnap trusts Shadoune and Dream, for some odd reason, doesn't view Farfadox as much of a threat.

Both of them are annoying, weird and their judgement of people are far off. But they always come up on top and always wins in the end.

He is also quite trusting of Spreen and Komanche who taught him spanish and saved his life on multiple occasions. Both of them have access to this mansion, at least Spreen lives here and can take care of the both of them for him.

"I know what you're thinking, me and Sapnap can handle anyone on our own, we have survived worse," Dream grumbles.

"Do you want me to leave or not?" George teases, it was clear to Dream that he was trying to make it sound like it's just like old times again, where things are uncertain and they only have each other.

"Just do what you believe is best," Dream replies grimly.

George nods saluting him as if Dream was King (he was never the king) and he was a knight on a mission.

Farfa seems to turn away from that, as if disgusted at the gesture. But George didn't care what he think, it was worth seeing the smile back on Dream's face, albeit a tired one.

"Do you have enderpearls? Maybe we should do a stasis chamber before you go-"

"Dream Dream," George sighs, Dream has not stopped nagging ever since they climbed down the stairs, which is a short distance but George didn't need that from someone who is unable to grip a cup right. "Baby," Dream snaps his mouth shut as soon as he calls him that, "I know what I'm doing alright, I'm one of your hunters for a reason."

"Yeah but you're colorblind-" Dream retorts back half heartedly but George bursts out laughing like he just told a very funny joke.

"I'll try not to mistake any green man as gold," George replies before walking through the portal waiting for him. He gave Dream a small wave on the other side which he returns before the portal closes.

An otter with a huge portal gun is not giving him much confidence about the security around here but it wasn't like Dream had a say given that he wasn't here when the mansion was built.

It was just outside the server he owned. He can tell because of its power pulsing near it, being the owner of it and all.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he can handle himself," Farfa muses. That does not inspire confidence either.

Chapter Text

"Come on, don't you want to go exploring with me?" Shadoune asks as he tries Sapnap's door for the fourth time.

Dream looks up at the window where he can see Shadoune pacing around the corridor.

Dream didn't even flinch as a snout blows at his hair.

"Would you like to try her?" Farfa asks. He is wearing what seems to be casual clothes instead of his usual armour despite being outside the mansion. Dream would wear armour, only he wasn't in the condition to wear it. He still wanted to go out however as it has been a while since he is able to stretch his legs. It take him a few seconds to realise that he had let Farfa hanging and she is now chewing on his hoodie.

"I haven't ridden a horse in so long... I'll only just further injure myself," Dream replies but the horse nudging and looking at him with shiny eyes isn't helping his case. He could only scratch the horse's chin.

"Well she has been with us for a very long time... she used to be Shadoune's horse but he took another one, you'll see, she is quite smart," Farfadox replies, bringing her out of the stable. "She doesn't have a name yet, why don't you think of one?"

Dream closes his eyes with a sigh. Another attachment to be taken advantage of, he can hear the distant call of another horse, in a much peaceful life, before everything went to hell.

"Ethos, I'll call her Ethos," Dream smiles.

"A good name," Farfa puts on the horse's armour before going back in again. Dream takes the chance to try and climb onto the horse. As if she can sense difficulty, she slowly lowers herself onto the floor. Dream is surprised at how intuitive she is.

Ethos easily rises and trots around, letting Farfa's Pathos leave the stable.

"(Take it slow, alright Ethos)?" Farfa pats the horse on the snout, prompting her to snort at him as if he needed to tell her.

Sapnap stares out the window of his room, hugging the pillow and ignoring the wiggling curtains as he sat by the table. Shadoune may be convinced that nothing might cheer him up but Serpias knew what he wanted. He made sure that Shadoune left before knocking softly on Sapnap's door.

"Mi amor? I brought cookies," Serpias grins. It didn't take Sapnap 5 seconds to open the door and pull him in.

"Dame," Sapnap demands and Serpias shows him the plate of freshly baked cookies in the shape of a heart albeit quite an ugly one. Well, Sapnap wasn't one to judge given his baking skills the taste is at least crunchy and filled with chocolate, just how he likes.

"Gracias mi amor," Sapnap beams.

"Eat more eat more," Serpias grins, lighting up like a Christmas tree.

Sapnap offers Serpias one but he shakes his head. It was too sweet for him, besides he had made enough for one person. He produces milk from his inventory which he downs two buckets full.

Sapnap sighs in satisfaction, nothing feels better than a little bit of sweets after a depressing week. Serpias wouldn't know what it's like however given he seldom eats sugar but Serpias would make as many cookies as he wants.

"You can keep one, like in squid craft," Serpias beams, taking the two cookies left from his plate.

Sapnap stares at the cookies for a moment before taking both of it into his inventory. "Say, I haven't gotten the chance to take a look at the whole place of yours, since you're here, why don't you give me a tour?"

"I will be happy to!" Serpias beams, eagerly pulling Sapnap along. The first thing Serpias brings Sapnap to is to a door surrounded by netherite blocks and gold blocks. He drops something in front of the door, unlocking it.

"This is our vault!" Serpias beams, proud as if all of this is his. Well it is his and many others who live here but- Sapnap couldn't tease him when he sees people in full enchanted netherite gathered at the center of the vault. Sapnap's expression pales as he is reminded of a group of hooded figures surrounding a lump of dirty rags and hair.

"(Sorry! I forgot there is a mission today)!" Serpias exclaims, turning their attention to him instead as he drags Sapnap away. "I'll show you later," Serpias whispers to Sapnap who absent-mindedly follows him.

"(As I was saying-)"

The only one not pay attention when his attention was fully on Goncho before is Conter.

"This is our pool!" Serpias beams, showing Sapnap the roof and the arcade room.

"Looks... nice... you guys have everything here huh..." Sapnap smiles. Did they build everything themselves? Looks far more impressive than anything he could manage...

"Yes! And they are all yours!" Serpias beams.

"M-mine? You have to be kidding me-" Sapnap chuckles nervously.

"You are a part of Team Mafia now," Serpias beams.

The team that seems intimidating in simple enchanted netherite armour?

"A-are- you sure?" Sapnap stammers. "I'm not really that good with fighting..." he'd lie because he didn't really want to fight anyone which is saying a lot, he is rusty, having spent days partying and playing instead of training... he wasn't as great as he was before.

"No! You are very good! You beat Shadoune!"

Yeah... that happened...

He had said something similar to Shadoune before they fought. He wasn't sure about his skill level back then but it was still the early days of his retirement and he is sure that his skills are even worse now.

Retirement he says. He is only twenty three but he feels tired of all the fighting and didn't find the same satisfaction from destroying things anymore.

"besides, we want you here," Serpias beams.

"I think you got me confused with someone else," Sapnap smiles nervously.

"You saved me and Diffrent before..."

"That was a long time ago-"

"A few months ago-"

Sapnap sighs, he didn't really want to talk about the times he had bump into them since squid craft. Where it all started and ended. Apparently, they had made the friends they needed to as their current ones at the time started going into a downwards spiral. While they were in the trenches, Shadoune and Spreen were there to pull them out again.

They didn't need to do that, so why did they?

It cannot be because they just saved two of their friends... right?

"Sapnap?" Shadoune asks.

"Quick, climb down the walls, I will distract him!" Serpias exclaims as he leads Sapnap towards the railing.

"It's just Shadoune..." Sapnap chuckles as he pats his shoulder. As much as Serpias was helping Sapnap make himself at home, he still knows more of Shadoune. Serpias narrows his eyes as he catches Shadoune entering the rooftop garden.

"I have a surprise for you in your room," Shadoune beams as he urges him to return downstairs. While walking past the third floor, Conter smiles at Sapnap, he isn't in armour this time but he had only been there because he had told the others he hadn't been feeling well and wanted to rest. He just so happened to pass Shadoune who also just returned and is looking for Sapnap.

Without the armour, Sapnap seems to be relaxed when he noticed him but he didn't have time to say much as he is dragged over to his room excitedly.

As he followed them curiously, Serpias wonders what could be better than his cookies. Shadoune seems to don't mind it as he hurriedly ushers them into the room. Serpias peers over Sapnap's shoulder and his eyes widen.

"I know you like pandas but I can't exactly bring them here I heard that you also love cats!" Shadoune beams.

Serpias gapes as the ocelot leaps off from the bookshelf to climb onto his bed. Sapnap's expression softens as he waves for one of them to give him a raw fish. Shadoune had it ready unlike Serpias. Serpias admits that he didn't see it coming at all and it might be better than his cookies actually. He looks at Sapnap bond with the ocelot with a sour expression but immediately lights up when Sapnap turns around.

"Do you have pandas?" Sapnap asks.

"Yes... I have a few of them moved here... but the otters will help me with the rest... shall we go see it together?" Shadoune beams. He wanted to hold Sapnap's hand but Serpias puts himself between Shadoune and him.

"Let's go!" Serpias beams, cheerfully pushing Shadoune out of the room.

"Oh right... I have something for you," Sapnap grins as the both of them turn around and he takes out a cookie.

"What are you doing?!" Serpias exclaims.

"I'm giving him one! It's lore," Sapnap grins and tosses it towards Shadoune. Serpias tries to take it from behind Shadoune's back but he woke up early yesterday while Serpias slept throughout the night so his pickup priority is lost to him.

Serpias internally curses him and his previous ten generations as he drags Shadoune out of the house, not wanting him to have anything more over him.

The clinking of hooves kicks up sand as Dream and Farfa rides through the desert. They had planned on just riding around the mansion but Dream had only been following Farfa further and further away from the mansion. At least they were going away from the main part of the server. There was something missing, however, but Dream couldn't really put his finger on it.

"Komanche!" Farfa exclaims, waving towards a figure in the distance. Dream frowns he is unable to really see who was it but he knows Komanche, he used to teach George Spanish and interacted a lot with Sapnap and George during the squid craft event after he... well-

"(Oh hello Farfa... this is...)" Komanche glances at Dream nervously.

"(It's just) Dream," Farfa replies.

Dream gave him a small wave behind that unnerving mask, Komanche smiles at him.

"(I know but isn't he in danger? I heard some people are after him-)"

"(Yes)," Farfa muses.

Komanche smiles, taking a step back as Pathos snorts at him.

"(Well! I'm here giving invitations to a haunted house event! Just so happens that I can give you all of Team Mafia's invitation!)"

"(We can all bring plus ones can we?)" Farfa replies.

"(Yes...)"

"(Okay thank you)," Farfa smiles through his eyes as he takes the tickets from Komanche.

Dream tilts his head to the side, curious about what they just handed each other but it looked a lot like carnival tickets.

Komanche waves his hand goodbye before throwing himself through a portal. It look a lot like he was escaping a dangerous situation.

"Let's go," Farfa casually replies as they continue their walk down the desert.

They have already gone a few hundred blocks. Ethos is quite slow and steady but the ground is still too uneven for it to be comfortable when going for so long so they stop at an oasis to take a break. They just so happen to reach the edge of a jungle. Farfa looks out for them as they rest but Dream has a feeling that Farfa is too relaxed for them to be in any trouble. Maybe those otters are a lot more powerful than they look.

Still, he didn't want to leave it to chance. It reminded Dream of a certain red-caped piglin hybrid. He sighs, shaking his washed hands in the lake. It was nice being able to travel far he guessed, it has been a while since he could do something like this much less with someone he- with someone that doesn't hate him... he hopes.

Dream was going to climb on Ethos while she was still drinking, she huffs in protest, prompting Farfa to look at them.

"Let's stay here for a little while longer," Farfa replies, patting Ethos for her to continue with her drinking.

Dream says nothing as they wait for a few ticks before he pulls at Ethos again, making her sneeze as she is surprised that he wants to go already.

Farfa didn't know why Dream was in a hurry but not wanting for Dream to be uncomfortable, he pats Pathos who more gracefully raises her head, ready to go.

Ethos' huff probably shouldn't sound that sassy but it did, making Dream pat her neck in apology. There was a pause between them, however, making Ethos look back at Dream expectantly.

"ᵒ" Farfa realises a beat later that Dream is probably waiting for him given he was the one who led them throughout their walk.

The jungle was a little hard for horses to traverse so they turn towards the sparse jungle. While they were trotting, Farfa notices more people in the distance.

"Dream!" Nia exclaims with sparkling eyes. Gia's head whipped so fast Farfa was surprised she didn't get whiplash.

"Ah... it's just the two of you..." Gia sighs.

"What is that reaction," Dream snorts as he hops down from Ethos after she lowers herself. She didn't really need to do that but she is too smart for Dream to get one up on her and it's not like he wants to break his back by jumping off a horse while she's moving.

"Mm nothing," Gia giggles as she looks back to the fishing rod she is holding.

"I didn't know that you are here! You should have told me Farfa I could have thrown a welcoming celebration," Nia grins.

"Nope-" Farfa raises his hands to stop her. Either her parties were going to be very chaotic or end very badly, either way there is a reason why they are keeping it a low profile.

"(You should tell no one about this, not even your family or friends)," Farfa growls in a threatening voice.

"Okay... (Whatever it is you don't have to be so serious about it)," Nia muses.

"(It is serious as his life may be in danger if anyone knows that he's here)," Farfa adds.

"(Why?)" Gia asks.

Farfa gave them a short rundown of their situation. But Dream understood not a single word, he decides to start chasing the sheeps around them.

"Oh dear..." Nia mutters as Gia casts her line again, the fish got away with the bait.

"(Why is he out here then? Aren't you worried that they might find him?)" Gia asks.

"(Even if they tried to, they won't be able to do anything about it)," Farfa replies as Dream returns. He doesn't even have armour or a shield, and despite in casual clothing, he looks intimidating.

Then again, the same could be said for Dream as he walks back towards them without making a sound.

"(I'm sure they'll be fine... anyway, want to fish with us?)" Nia asks with a smile.

"(I didn't bring fishing rods for us)..." Farfa mutters.

"(I have extras)," Gia adds, tossing them both fishing rods. "Do you want to fish?" Gia asks Dream in English.

"I'm okay with anything," he shrugs.

"Well... I think Serpias would appreciate some fish..." Farfa muses as he casually tosses his line. Fishing here works a little differently from other servers yet some how Dream still is the one with the most loot amongst all of them by the time the sun set.

Chapter Text

Dream and Farfa both return to the mansion, from the outside, it does seem like any ordinary mansion that is built by a very good builder. Farfa takes their horses back to the stables as Dream studies the mansion from the outside.

It doesn't seem like the curtains can prevent anyone from climbing the walls nor does he see any iron golems or dogs on the outside, hell the doors are mangrove doors and not even iron ones or a secret entrance.

He wanted to ask why don't they just use the front doors just to satisfy his curiosity but something more curious happens when the portal appears in front of Dream as soon as Farfa joins him.

How do the otters know when to do those portals? It was clear that it was not the mansion nor remotely done since the otter is waiting for them on the other side. The otter wears different clothing too, like this one has red sunglasses...

So many questions, yet Dream doesn't ask them. He is just tired and wanted to go to sleep for the rest of the day.

Farfa didn't walk Dream back to his room, entering his room as soon as they pass by it.

"I'll wake you up early tomorrow, get some rest," Farfa says and without elaboration closes the door on him. Dream manages to peek into his bedroom, not intentionally of course and he is sure that the room is a lot bigger than any of theirs.

Dream was going back to his room when he hears clicking. He knows that sound, usually used to call a pet but specifically- he knocks on Sapnap's door a little softly. He isn't sure if Sapnap even wants to talk to him after the stunts he pulled. But then again... he forgave George easily.

Sapnap wasn't the one who opened the door, however. Dream recognises him as Serpias but there are far more strangers in Sapnap's room than he expected.

"(It's Dream)," Piru snaps his fingers in front of Conter and Sapnap who are both on the controller playing what seem to be football.

"Dream..." Sapnap passes the controller to Piru who pushes it back into Sapnap. The light scuffle made him lose to Conter who cheers in delight.

"Dream! Do you play?" Conter asks handing his controller over to Dream who refuses as he climbs onto the bed behind them.

"I do, but you and Sapnap should play, he could use the practice," Dream smirks at Sap who gapes at him, as if insulted.

"Come on come on! Just play!" Serpias grins as he takes the controller from Conter to pass to Dream much to his disapproval but he turns back to the screen to find Sapnap already taking the chance to make multiple moves in his favor.

"Ah! Sapnap! Left! Left!" Piru exclaims, shaking Sapnap's shoulder. Sapnap winces, and he touches the exact part where his shoulder is still healing.

"Shut up!" Sapnap exclaims as he, Piru and Serpias sound like they are actually in the field while Dream casually moves the joystick away as he closes the distance easily.

"Ah! Sapni!" Serpias exclaims, he actually managed to push him to make the wrong move, making his character kick to Dream's team.

"Shut up all of you!"

They did not in fact shut up, Farfa narrows his eyes as he crumples up a map in his hand. He can hear the screaming from down the corridor.

Dream watches in amusement as Sapnap and Piru start their own game. His senses are still dulled so it took him a moment to realise that the bump at his side his not his own feet or Serpias'

Dream feels around for the entrance to the blanket and reveals the ocelot underneath the sheets. It looks up at Dream with wide eyes and runs away only to stop while she is half way up the chests.

Dream still has the fishes in his inventory and it didn't feel right for him to just leave her alone like that.

She might chew on some of the cables after all. Dream combs through the ocelot's fur as he continues to feed as many fish as the ocelot wants.

Sapnap seems to notice that, "Hey stop that," he slaps Dream's hand away. The slap seemed rather loud than he expected, prompting everyone, even Piru who is playing to look at him, making Sapnap's face to turn bright red.

"I'm starting-" Piru quickly starts a new game to fill the awkward silence.

Dream didn't know what they were expecting, maybe for him to lash out but he simply just cuddles with the ocelot now that it was content with the amount of fish it had been fed.

"His name is cheese... Serpias named him," Sapnap's voice snaps him out of his daze. Dream realises that he almost fell asleep like that, additionally, it seem like most of them had already left to do their own things.

The person who named the ocelot however is taking a nap on the bed beside him.

"Well... it's a nice name," Dream smiles. He looks to the side only to find the ocelot missing. He probably went to climb some chests, Dream notices however that there is something additional in his room he didn't notice. Was that shulker there earlier?

Sapnap opens the shulker to take out a few pieces of orange wool. There are a lot of other things inside as well, all in different colours.

"Do you want some? They have some green stuff in here," Sapnap smiles as he laid down four more shulker boxes.

Dream didn't seem to move or say anything however. Sapnap looks between him and the shulker, thinking that maybe he had a problem with them given they were super rare in their town but Sapnap was sure that he used it outside of town with no problem before.

Sapnap opens the shulker and closes it again, wanting his bed to be decorated like how he saw Serpias' room was when he notice a twitch from the corner of his eye. Sapnap opens and closes the shulker again. Serpias who is sleeping seems to twitch in his sleep.

Sapnap grins as he opens and close the shulker multiple times until Serpias whines and stretches. When was the last time he slept?

Sapnap glances at Dream who seems to be far more relaxed than before given there weren't many people in here and... well it was just like old times again only there is lesser screaming from them.

"What are we doing guys?" Serpias asks as he rubs his eyes, looking between the two of them.

"I'm trying to decorate the room! You're in the way," Sapnap teases as he pulls the blanket from underneath Serpias who rolls to the side. He'd roll off the bed if not for Dream catching him on the other side.

"Alright, stop playing," Dream muses and pats Serpias's shoulder as he straightens his posture like a mother hen. "You're going to hurt yourself."

"I am very strong," Serpias winks but gets off the bed anyway so Sapnap can toss the new sheets over. On the other side, Dream catches it and tucks it underneath the mattress.

"You both live together don't you?" Serpias asks. "Why don't you make it half Sapnap and half Dream?"

Sapnap doesn't look up at Dream as he busies himself with his side of the bed.

"We live together but we have our own rooms."

"Ah really?!" Serpias frowns as if that's such a weird thing to say. They have no idea, many would say that dream team are a family but many would also say that George and Dream are dating given how touchy they are. So they both didn't know that Serpias is one of those rare people who thinks Sapnap and Dream had been dating.

And by rare they mean only three people in the entire world, at least according to Sapnap's mind.

"Well I have a lot of orange too! See?" Serpias beams as he takes out orange glazed terracotta.

"Ah... well I was thinking of yellow more... see? It's the sun," Sapnap smiles.

Serpias tilts his head as Dream looks unimpressed.

"That looks like a target more than anything."

"Does it?" Sapnap asks in astonishment.

"Everyone can see it differently, I think it looks like a peanut," Serpias beams. Dream and Sapnap looks at the terracotta then at each other in amusement. Sapnap shrugs as Dream takes out everything that is yellow in the shulkers.

"Where are the loom and patterns for the banners?" Sapnap asks.

Serpias shrugs, "Ask Conterstine, (he is the one in charge of the decorative blocks)..."

Sapnap and Dream glances at each other.

"Right... sorry my English is very bad," Serpias grins sheepishly.

"Well I'll put these here first," Sapnap replies, putting the banners on the side of the bed and on the windows.

"You should put just one, isn't it kind of ugly?" Dream muses as he watches Sapnap put up the banners.

"Shut up, it's nice," Sapnap beams.

Serpias looks around, they didn't really touch much on the room so it still feels a little empty.

"Cheese?" Serpias asks, calling for the ocelot.

Sapnap busies himself with the bed while Dream takes out the shulkers he was given to dye his all lime.

"Cheese?" Serpias calls as he checks underneath the bed while Sapnap is replacing the frames.

Dream looks behind the shulkers with a frown. There would at least be a meow by now unless Cheese was sleeping or well... not in the room at all. But the door had been closed to whole time... right?

"Erm... he might have escaped when everyone was leaving the room..." Sapnap mutters. "Well it's a good thing there is no way for Cheese to escape... right? There is no entrance or exit door-"

Dream looks at Sapnap in concern but Sapnap is very calm... as calm as he can be in a place he doesn't really know well who knows? Maybe one of them has a sick hobby of killing pets?!

Sapnap briskly leaves the room, Serpias almost knocks over the sheets trying to follow Sapnap. Dream sighs and looks back at the bed. He guessed he could stay here just in case... it's not like he is in the mood to do some walking now after travelling and watching others play games... he takes a seat at the edge of the bed and simply stares into nothing.

"Oh Cheese~ (Where are you?)" Serpias calls as he pushes open every single door they came across. Sapnap stands at the hallway awkwardly as he didn't want to intrude. He keeps glancing back at his room as if expecting Dream to follow them. Sapnap didn't even notice that Serpias skipped a door. When they went upstairs and no hint of green went out the door, Sapnap seemed to deflate physically. Serpias doesn't miss that change in attitude, the quicker they find the ocelot, the faster Serpias can get into business.

"Oh Diffrent! (Have you seen our ocelot around here?)" Serpias asks.

"(No...)" Diffrent mutters. "(Have you checked downstairs?)"

"(No... I will go there after I've checked all the rooms here!)" Serpias beams.

"(Well, it's definitely not in my room, I had it locked since this morning)," Diffrent replies.

"(How did the mission go?)" Serpias asks as Diffrent watches as Sapnap walks towards the other side of the hallway.

"(I wasn't part of the group, they should be still on that mission... but they should be fine, it is just going to the end dimension after all)," Diffrent muses. "(Do you need me to check downstairs?)"

"(If you can? I don't want it to drink the rest of the milk)," Serpias mutters.

Sapnap peers from the corner of the wall and Diffrent immediately looks to Serpias.

"(Of course)," Diffrent replies before going down quickly.

Serpias was about to go check when he noticed that Sapnap was now more eager to help him find Cheese, even going so far as to force open the doors when it wouldn't open the first time.

"Woah woah chill!" Serpias exclaims as Sapnap almost takes off the hinges of the door to Shadoune's room. Instead of pushing he pulls the door open.

Sapnap blinks and grins sheepishly.

Chapter Text

"Cheese?" Serpias asks, calling through the pool. It may seem empty but the water is too unsettled for there to be no one in a pool with no currents... unless they had machines that mimic the current.

"Cheese?" Vandal asks, popping his head out of the pool.

"(What the fuck?!)" Serpias exclaims, almost jumping out of his skin.

"Have you seen an ocelot around here?" Sapnap asks, entering through the door to the pool after him.

Vandal blinks at Sapnap in confusion before Serpias had to pipe in and translate.

Vandal shrugs, shaking the water out of his hair. "(No I haven't- have you checked the garden)?"

"(Not yet)," Serpias replies. Sapnap was already walking towards the garden. It is filled with flowers of most kinds but it is still slightly empty. The path leads to a small lake filled with a lone yellow axolotl.

They stare at each other for a while, Sapnap half expects it to be scared of him but it only tilts its head and slowly approaches him out of the water.

Sapnap smiles and opens his hands out in front of him, a flash of blue and red with broken bodies of pets flash in his eyes before he immediately backs off. Looking at where the axolotl had been, it took Sapnap a second to realise that he didn't just imagine it and it just dove back into the water, seemingly out of fear.

"Sapnap! Are you okay?!" Serpias exclaims, helping him up. He had never heard of an axolotl attacking players so he isn't sure what could have caused him to fall over.

"I-I'm fine," Sapnap grunts, pushing himself up with the help of Serpias. "It's not here," Sapnap replies before noticing a door at the edge of the garden. "Could he have gone there?" he asks, pointing towards him.

Serpia's face immediately pales. "Um..." he taps into his communicator on his left ear.

Sapnap takes out a wrapped fungus from his inventory before planting it next to the bench.

"Maybe it's downstairs," Vandal says behind them. He is completely dripping wet, which Serpias doesn't really like given he is a half-cat.

They decide to go back down while Farfadox hears them clamouring around as he returns to the castle through a portal.

He skips his room to go to Dream's room, wanting to see if they did anything productive today. Dream's room still looks the same, he enters Sapnap's room to see it slightly rearranged and with orange banners that acts as curtains on the windows and on the bed.

Instead of Sapnap however, Dream sits on the bed, seemingly deep in thought.

Farfa approaches without hesitation at all despite Dream being tense. He doesn't know how Dream would react when he is lost in his own mind which is now clouded with nightmares of his own making.

Dream's vision turns red and there is no warning as he swings his axe towards him. Farfa didn't expect it yet his reflexes has him raising his shield but he doesn't use his sword even though it's in his hotbar.

He doesn't even fight back, not one bit.

"Why don't you just kill me now?! Why would you wait until we lower our guard, just- defend yourself! What are you doing?!"

"We are not your old friends Dream... at the very least we will no sooner betray you unless you completely fucked us over... even if you kill me... Shadoune will most likely forgive you... I have a few friends that will hunt you... but... I much rather you kill me than you kill anyone else than have me screw a friend over again... you hear me?"

Dream leans his forehead against Farfa's armour. Farfa was ready to die for his mistake of trusting someone again. But the finishing blow didn't come. Instead, a potion shatters beside him and he feels his health building back up and the axe pulling away from his flesh. Dream drops onto the bed with his head lowered.

What was he doing? They had shown them nothing but kindness yet he was becoming the villain he swore he'd never be.

"I want to die..." Dream mutters.

"Dream on, Dream on-" Farfa starts singing the song and Dream smiles as he looks to the side where the bed dipped.

Farfa's eyes soften as he looks at the door.

"I used to serve someone... a king... with a group of my friends..." Farfa speaks of his story in a soft voice. "The king, scared of our power... had killed every one of them... we have served him for hundreds of years... but greed... turned our friend into something he is not... maybe a part of me still missed being a knight... because I still want to protect my friends... I still want to see the best in people... because that is the kind of man I want to be... and I believe, it's the kind of person you want to be."

Dream sighs.

"Of course, you shouldn't easily forgive people that screwed you over," Farfa looks away sheepishly remembering what happened to said King- Dream can feel the killing intent from him however and stares at his fire head with suspicion. "But you don't have to worry about them, they won't bother us here."

Is an understatement, to say the least.

When George arrives in their village with the help of Ant...

"You came at a good time... cause someone just went through the village like a nuke and well... you think the only president with nukes did this?" Ant asks as George stares at the crater that used to be his home.

"Yeah... I guess..." George kicks a bunch of dirt to cover the remnant of black flames. "Well I'll need a list of people still alive, could you get me that? And where is Sam?"

Ant looks at him with wide eyes and looks to the side. George didn't know what that expression meant until a shadow loom over him.

Back in the mansion, Sapnap and Serpias try the newly built casino but there is no ocelots here only a very angry Spreen. Sapnap wanted to gamble too but is dragged away by Serpias before he can get too much into gambling. He wanted to find the ocelot in the mansion fast just so he doesn't have to go to the towers to look for it.

He brings him towards their farms which Sapnap didn't definitely steal some of their cows.

But there is not an ocelot in sight, Sapnap even went so far as to climb their tree farm to look for it.

"How can one ocelot cause us this much trouble?" Sapnap grumbles. "Are you sure we searched everywhere in the mansion?" Sapnap frowns.

Unlike Dream, he seems rather unbothered towards being outside as the farm is just outside the mansion. He feels a little bad asking the otters to open the portals every time but it seems to be their full-time job.

"There is one place we haven't checked but..."

Sapnap half expects it to be a super secret place that he shouldn't see or even Serpias can't see but it turns out to just be Farfa's room.

"Will I be killed if I open the door or what?" Sapnap muses.

"No kill... but he treasures his privacy..." Serpias frowns as he taps in his communicator to ask for Farfa.

"By the way, can I get one of those...?" Sapnap asks, pointing to his ear and Serpias nods as he talks into their channel.

That is how they found out that he is back and apparently in Sapnap's room. Dream got tired and is fast asleep on the bed. Sapnap didn't seem to mind it, before he would have problems with that but now was not the time to be petty.

"(I don't get why it would be in my room though... I have it closed for hours...)" Farfa replies before unlocking the door and disabling the traps. Sapnap didn't know why he needed that much security for his room but he guessed that the trap is not that lethal and only used to deter friends from entering... right?

A meow cuts off his thoughts as cheese climbs over the table and knocking the brewing stands out of it. Serpias looks pale as if worried that Farfa might just kill them. But Sapnap is very much unbothered.

"Oh hey! You have a loom!" Sapnap beams. "Can I use it?"

"Sure..." Farfa mutters.

Sapnap starts going through his chest like a little rat. But Farfa doesn't seem to care much about Serpias' surprise. Though to be fair, none of them were daring enough to steal from him.

Sapnap grabs a piece of paper but couldn't find any daisies.

"Hm... I want to make a flower banner..." Sapnap pouts. Serpias checks his inventory only to find nothing.

"Ah! I know where we can find some!" Serpias exclaims. But a flicker of a red cloak and Farfa has already disappeared. Serpias didn't bother moving and Sapnap had to wonder why until he could hear glass breaking.

"Um... is he okay?" Sapnap asks with concern as he grabs cheese with a lead before he can knock any more maps off the wall.

"Yeah... in just a moment..." Serpias mutters, not really impressed even though Sapnap is very much so. Won't the mansion stop him?

He hears the sound of water being placed, then thundering boots down the corridor before El Diablo appears at the door, unrustled, he tosses Sapnap a bunch of daisies.

"Oooh Thanks Papi!" Sapnap exclaims with a teasing little tone as he quickly crafts his banner patterns and then excitedly grabs them to bring to his room.

Serpias growls while Farfa stays nonchalant as he goes back to his work.

"(Close the door behind you)," as if he didn't just show off... in front of Serpias' boyfriend!

But he can't really do anything to Farfa so storms out of the room like a petulant child before slamming the door behind him... okay no he closed the door very gently because he did not want to fight Farfa less he wants to be humiliated any more. Serpias notices that his door is open however and frowns, who wants to go into his room? Everyone here is literally richer than him. He peers into the door and checks through his chests. Okay, maybe the extra daisy in his chest may or may not have made up for it.

...

Nope still jealous-

Serpias sighs before going into Sapnap's room, at least he can make it up to him by helping him decorate his room. While he decides with the curtains, he takes out a few books to decorate the bookshelf a little and a few of the essentials. Sapnap and Dream were in a hurry after all so he gave them his crafting table, furnace and even a loom if he wanted to do more banners and he did it all without waking Dream up.

"Thanks Serpi-" Sapnap beams after seeing his additions but Serpias glances at Dream who seems to stir at Sapnap's voice. "Oops-"

"Sapnap?" Dream asks. "You're back..." he mutters... slightly embarrassed that he was caught sleeping on his bed. Sapnap pretends not to mind as he puts up more books besides the bed and an anvil and an enderchest.

"Do you need stuff? I'm sure Serpias can get it for you," Sapnap offers.

Serpias didn't even say anything but he smiles at Dream innocently.

"Um... no... I have everything," Dream scratches the back of his head.

"Really?" Sapnap frowns, "let me check-"

"Ah... it's fine really-" Dream tries to insist but Sapnap had already placed the shulkers in his room.

"Come on, you should decorate your room a bit more! I'm sure there is a lot of green here," Sapnap grins. Dream sighs, letting Sapnap help him. Since Sapnap insists on doing this, Serpias will help too, by putting some books on his shelves.

Some day they will have to talk about what happened, may be they won't ever, but at least now they are able to be in each other's company without it being too awkward, which is enough for Dream.

Chapter Text

"You can go into my room to take anything... but be sure to knock before entering," Farfa looks at Sapnap and Dream who looks surprised. Sapnap is surprised given Serpias seems so scared of being in Farfa's room (he really wasn't) and Dream is surprised because even Sapnap wouldn't allow him in his room or touch any of his stuff when they were living together. And they were... well-

"We are picking flowers today to decorate our garden," Farfa explains as he hands Dream a netherite hoe while handing Sapnap a fishing rod. "We also need raw fish to breed more cats-"

"I'm very good at picking flowers," Sapnap beams, taking out his bucket of water but Farfa stops him.

"I think you should fish instead... You can gain experience in repairing your armour," Farfa replies.

"Ah... about that..." Sapnap mutters sheepishly.

"I stole his armour... and I didn't bring it with me," Dream replies for him.

"That's-" Sapnap exclaims, wanting to stop Dream but he shoots him with a warning look. In another time that may have worked on him, but not now, especially when he had learnt to think for himself for once. It didn't go really well because the people who taught him that had nefarious reasons but it is still hard to keep his rebellious self in check. "That's not true... I took Dream's armour and wore it for most of the time... I returned it to him and well... didn't bring extra armour... but I'm fine with fishing! I will catch all the fish in the river!" Sapnap beams.

"But it is still dangerous when it's night time, you should at least have some armour..." Farfa mutters.

"I have a shield! I'll be fine~" Sapnap grins.

Farfa shakes his head and gives him his shulker box where he stores his extra armour.

"Why don't you just use this armour?" Sapnap asks as he sees the enchantments on the netherite set.

"My armour is good enough," Farfa shrugs. Well, his armour is a trimmed armour and seems to have personal touches of his but the extra set of armour seems just as good.

Dream is a little worried about why he would have an extra set but Sapnap thinks that he just has this for new people so puts it on before diving into the water. It is a good thing he got it actually as he is immediately attacked by a drowned.

"Right this way, come on," Farfa urges him along as Dream glances at Sapnap with concern evident on his face.

Farfa's skills would be more useful in battle, so Dream or even Sapnap would think. They didn't know that Farfa is more of a farmer and a builder than a fighter. All the farms that are in the barn are all built by Farfa. Dream knows of some farms, but he doesn't allow them in his town because people might abuse them and he doesn't regret that decision, especially after seeing what happened to the town.

All Dream needed to do was collect the food and store them in the chests in the barn where it would be sent back up, Farfa was in the other room where he is grabbing the iron from the iron golem farm. At least Dream was paying his dues by doing work for them.

Dream would want to speed things up to return to Sapnap but given he had already been far from the mansion without running into any trouble other than the usual mobs. Still, he cannot help but be more nervous when it involves others.

Dream looks down the three-by-one hallway with a pale face. It reminded him of too many corridors back home. Is he able to call it home anymore?

He would have to go back to grab his stuff. He had most of his things with him but there were a lot more important things than armour and weapons still hidden in the town.

However, he didn't feel like going back and didn't want to talk to Farfa about it either. As much as Dream is grateful for his help, he wasn't going to start spilling the location to his secret base or.... well... his power and knowledge... the reason why it was so easy to make everyone his enemy was not taking everyone's attachments to control them... no... all they would do was take an eye for an eye, there was still ways to hide said attachments. The way griefing was so common in their town that many knew how to hide and keep secrets better.

The only way for them to put him on a common target is to reveal his trump card. The revival book.

Dream wonders if he would want the revival book...

"Let's go, Snapchat should have a lot of fish by now..." Farfa mutters. He notices Dream staring. "Is something wrong?"

"No... let's go," Dream smiles before he can ask anything else and he is about to take the ladder back up.

"No, here's faster," Farfa leads Dream over to the water elevator. Dream looks at the hand that he held with Farfa looking innocently at him.

Sapnap is supposed to be alone but when Farfa and Dream reach them, Shadoune and Serpias are both there, looking at each other with a frown as Sapnap cheers as he drops all the fish into the shulker that wasn't there before.

"I win!" Sapnap beams.

"It's a competition?!" Serpias shrieks while Shadoune pinches the bridge of his nose before dumping all the fish into the shulker.

"(What are you two doing here? Aren't you supposed to help Rich?)" Farfa asks.

"(He said that he didn't need help)," Serpias grumbles, annoyed that Farfa even mentioned him.

"(That's not good... I'll have to go help then...)" Farfa mutters. Dream and Sapnap both looks between the three of them as they sound like they are having a heated conversation with how agitated Farfa sounded.

Dream's first thought was that they were under attack while Sapnap... well didn't really know what could make them that worried.

"(Don't bother, Goncho and Vandal are both secretly tailing him, he should be fine)" Serpias waves his hand dismissively.

The reason why they gave Farfa the easy job is because of how he reacted when he heard of the news at first. So it wasn't really that reassuring that the two people who are supposed to replace him get replaced by another two of the team.

Shadoune at least would know what he was doing. Vandal is at least with Goncho, the guy has the knack for surviving... that streak may end with this mission however.

Still, doesn't explain why both of them are here instead of doing their own things. But from the stink eye they give each other, it's kind of obvious... well at least Serpias is giving Shadoune the stink eye, Shadoune seems more preoccupied by Sapnap.

Farfa would help Rich but he cannot really leave things to these idiots either.

Except for-

"(Shadoune, what are you doing here?)" Farfa asks unable to watch Shadoune and Serpias fight over who would give Sapnap the towel. Sapnap manages to get the towel Shadoune offered since he was closer. Dream grabs Serpias' towel before helping him dry Serpias. Sapnap watches this and realises that Shadoune needs one too so he starts chasing some sheep down to make a new one.

"(What do you mean?)" Shadoune asks as she watches the commotion from afar, still dripping wet.

"(You are supposed to help Conter or Spreen... what are you doing here messing about?)" Farfa frowns.

"Yes Yes! Shadoune is lazy!" Serpias beams from under the towel still drying his hair. Dream sighs, surely Shadoune wouldn't mind sharing a towel with Serpias if he was willing to share it with Sapnap...

A sudden burst of flames suddenly makes everyone look at Sapnap.

"That's... a flaming core- where did Sapnap have the time to get that?" Shadoune asks in English but looks at Farfa who shrugs. Sapnap definitely didn't take it from Farfa as he puts all the boss materials in his shulker.

"Oh Sapnap!"

Farfa narrows his eyes as he glances over at Cris who dives towards Sapnap and promptly swoops him off his feet much to the chagrin of Serpias and Shadoune. Dream looks like he is going to have a heart attack at any moment.

Meanwhile Sapnap is enjoying the ride and can be heard from miles away.

Serpias starts cursing him in such a colorful way that Dream almost wishes that he had his translation tool with him.

"Hi." A robotic sound echoes as if hearing his thoughts. A robot appears in front of them looking a lot like a otter but also a cat?

While Farfa and Dream were too puzzled to understand what is going on, Serpias was quick to call everyone for an emergency group meeting.

"I am Peele, I am a translator otter for English guests," the robot, Peele stares at Dream blankly. It makes Farfa a little suspicious of it because he hadn't heard of this otter and he practically met with most of them already.

Sapnap had already been a few miles away from the mansion so Cris hadn't seen Serpias' messages yet as they were still flying through their world. Sapnap doesn't know how much he missed this feeling of flying in the sky so much until he was reintroduced to it after years of not going to the end.

Fireworks exploded beside them as Cris smoothly dodges it.

"(Cris! That was dangerous!)" Someone exclaims from below. Cris apologises but his grin tells them that he is not really all that sorry.

Chapter Text

"We are going to make a raid farm... it would be useful for saddles and totems..." Farfa mutters as he helps Dream up the horse even if he doesn't have to.

Sapnap looks rather jealous that Farfa is taking such good care of Dream. He remembers back when he first rode a horse when he was small. He had helped Dream up after Bad allowed them to ride a pony together.

Bad...

Sapnap seems rather depressed at that memory but Farfa either didn't care or didn't notice. They didn't manage to find a village the way Dream and Farfa went last time so they are going the other way.

Sapnap was supposed to be helping Cris or Shadoune but he feels that the meeting will bring everyone's stuff backwards. They were going to have nothing for the next dungeon all because the addition of two gringos seems to have lifted their tryhard spirits.

Serpias looks serious however as they have gathered all- well most of them in the vault. With the way they were all dressed, it seemed like they were going to do the dungeon now.

Serpias taps onto the blackboard with a pointer which in big letters wrote. '(Custody of the) Gringos,'

"(We have to decide who will be their babysitter and!)" Serpias exclaims. "(Who gets to be Sapnap's one and only)," he grumbles pushing his pointer back. "(I want no one to touch him or do anything romantic for him if I win!)"

"(It's not romantic at all what I did.... he just seem like the kind to like these kind of thrilling things...)" Cris grumbles.

"(I want to be able to be with him 24/7 and I want none of you to try and take him from me)," Serpias huffs.

"(Then if we win we get to gatekeep him from you)," Shadoune muses.

"(I'd like to see you try!)"

"(He's not being serious is he?)" Diffrent asks in a whisper towards Piru who shrugs, he is definitely not planning his move.

"(What about Dream?)" Spreen asks tilting his head to the side.

"(Dream already has a boyfriend... I think...)" Shadoune mutters.

Those who know of his story seem to agree. George sneezes as he walks through the forest with a pale expression.

"Are you okay?" Ant asks as he leads George through the bushes, parting the way for him.

"Yep..." George grunts, using his axe to swing at the leaves, annoyed that there are way too many." How far off are we?"

"We are almost there..."

Back with Farfa, Dream and Sapnap, Sapnap is shrieking as ravagers are chasing him. Dream leaps up onto the top of the houses, swinging his axe down, the ravagers seem to be tunnelled on Sapnap however as no matter how many times Dream tries to chop up their legs, they continue to chase after Sapnap.

Farfa watches them from afar as he swiftly takes out the pillagers who were aiming their crossbows at them.

"(Farfa could you help me ask a question?)" Serpias asks in the communicator but Farfa ignores it as he needs to focus. The villagers are running about in panic, he has broken down all the doors and only left one of the houses completely sealed off. He breaks into the roof to start on the farm.

Sapnap grins despite being low as hell. Dream panics quickly placing water between Sapnap and the ravagers on the exact block it needs to be for him to prevent Sapnap from taking any more damage. He was keeping track until his health was reaching dangerously low levels.

"Let me have at them!" Sapnap exclaims, realising that he isn't being chased anymore.

"Are you stupid?" Dream grumbles. "Eat-"

Sapnap bursts out laughing, an annoying and hollow sound to his ears, not like his usually cheerful ones. It was because usually Sapnap was the one panicking when he is low and Dream was the one not really caring, swinging himself into dangerous situations. But this was different, Dream usually has a plan when he does that, his brain going into hyperdrive. But his thinking now is slowed so he has become even more cautious. But to be cautious for someone else?

Dream picks up the water while pushing Sapnap back but that led the ravagers to speed up again, walking away from the water. He pushes Sapnap out of the way, forcefully grabbing him to stay far away while he places lava down. They climb up the house with water and take a break there. But it was more for Sapnap's sake than Dream's.

"Why... why do you care now huh? Didn't I try to kill you and almost succeeded?" Sapnap snorts while also panting. He hadn't really realised how much he ran until he sat down. In his tired state, his brain isn't too great at being reasonable too, it only serves to remind him of how they were before they ruled a town together, during that rule and after that burned into ashes.

Dream doesn't reply.

"Aren't you worried?" Sapnap smirks, "That I might stab you in the back when it's convenient to me? Why do you trust me so much?"

Dream looks away. Everyone but George and Sapnap as he knows of is truly on his side without an agenda. But what determines that? Because they had known each other for longer? There were childhood friends of theirs who actively went on a manhunt for them. Even those who had broken him out of the prison of his own making.

Dream should be all alone... he shouldn't be trusting people anymore. He should just-

A slash of red sends the ravagers looking up at them into puffs of smoke. It shook the both of them out of their stupor.

Farfa sighs as he slams his sword into the ground. 'Why was the raid so hard?' he cannot help but internally complain. 'Five ravagers? Seriously? Clearly, someone has been doing raids here before.'

He notices however that the two gringos are slacking off on the top of a house.

"Did you get any flags or potions?" He asks.

"I have... a few..." Sapnap mutters as he leaps down.

Now was Dream's chance, he could escape if he wanted to. But where would he go? Would they notice if he was even gone? Before he can leave Farfa leaps up onto the roof, making Dream jump a little as he hadn't expected Farfa to have leaping.

"Are you okay?" He asks, before Dream could even say anything, Farfa splashes him with regeneration.

"Hey! I needed that more than he does!" Sapnap exclaims. Dream had thought he was trying to get himself killed but apparently, with his anxious look, it seems that he really wants to live.

Farfa wordlessly sends two health pots his way. One didn't even hit him right and the other hit him squarely in the head.

Sapnap pouts, does Farfa not like him? Why was he treated far differently than how he treats Dream? But then a part of him was glad someone else would treat him just as gently. Dream shouldn't have to trust Sapnap. Hell, Sapnap isn't sure he would trust himself after what happened. But what if the same thing were to happen here?

Farfa lands heavily beside Sapnap while Dream drops beside him with a water bucket.

Well... even so... it is not their responsibility... at least... Sapnap doesn't think it is. Farfa and the others seem more than capable of fending for themselves, being mature and making decisions that also include everyone... right?

From what he learned from Peele at least, Team Mafia was a team that happened only two years ago but most of them knew each other years before this, even longer than their SMP.

"Gah! Ah Peele! You scared me!" Serpias exclaims as he notices the bot wandering around the hallways.

"(You can speak to me in Spanish, I don't mind)," Peele replies.

"(Oh? Ah but I want to improve my English so you have to teach me lots so I can say many good things to Sapnap!)" Serpias beams.

Peele blinks at him, not realising what they have gotten themselves into when they decide to get to know team mafia more since this is their base.

People would expect them to be busy farming all day every day. Well, Conter and Spreen both have an event they need to do while the others either make themselves useful or did their own thing. Serpias seems rather interested in meddling in other people's business.

Peele watches him watch Sapnap and Dream as they continue to farm for the team despite them being the richest ones on the server.

Someone from team mafia, more specifically Piru notices that Serpias isn't anywhere in the mansion and manages to find him snooping when he wasn't supposed to.

"(Let me go)!?" Serpias exclaims as he is being dragged by the collar.

"(You're not supposed to see them until everyone does-)"

"(I don't remember adding that rule!)"

Sapnap looks up in confusion, thinking that he heard someone from above.

"Ready?" Farfa asks as he climbs out of the cave they were mining in.

"Yep! Race you back!" Sapnap grins, grabbing his horse and immediately booking for it. He was bored out of his mind mining so a race was something he could do to take his mind off things. Dream tries to hurriedly climb onto the horse out of habit more than anything. As Farfa stood beside him to make sure he didn't fall over. Dream turns his horse around and was going to jump over the river leading back to their base only for a flash of red to tickle his arm a little as Farfa zooms after Sapnap.

Dream can slightly relax because wow... Dream didn't know Farfa is also this competitive. Or maybe it was just a way to make Sapnap feel better.

Chapter Text

Diffrent didn't know why he agreed to do this but it wasn't like he had anything better to do. Even when he joined Team Mafia recently, Spreen and Farfa had been kind enough to give him everything he'd ever need.

"(I have a few ideas if you'd like?)" Peele asks as they sit in his room for about an hour after hearing Sapnap, Dream and Farfa return from the castle. It was hard to miss with Sapnap's complaining loudly about Farfadox cheating and the sound of the portal opening and closing.

"(Tell me.)"

None of it really is appealing to him. But he saw Serpias giving him cookies so maybe making something for him would be nice.

He was halfway walking towards the kitchen when he noticed someone already there. He opens the door to find Sapnap and Dream turning towards him. Sapnap seems like a robber who got caught while Dream's surprise quickly disappeared to put on indifference. They had their own smokers and furnace so no one needed to be in the kitchen unless they wanted something from the chests.

"Do you need help?" Diffrent asks.

"Not really-" Dream starts but Sapnap interrupts him.

"Yes actually! You don't happen to have any cocoa beans do you?"

Diffrent glances at Peele who gives him a stack of cocoa beans behind his back.

"I don't have any," Peele muses innocently. Diffrent takes the chance to pass on the beans to Sapnap.

"Hey, thanks!" Sapnap grins as he passes it to Dream who mixes the cocoa beans with the flour they managed to mix.

Diffrent feels like he is interrupting something but Peele had been so encouraging of him he feels bad to back up now. He was about to leave anyway when Sapnap notices even an inch of hesitation in his movement.

"Ah Diffrent... I didn't think that you lived here too... did you know Shadoune for a long time?" Sapnap asks, curious about the guy who he had teamed in the hunt and run event they did. He didn't know that Diffrent was still new to this whole survivalist lifestyle. The fact that he managed to survive until the finals to team with Sapnap and the others was already great for someone who isn't born into this lifestyle like most of team mafia.

Peele translates it into spanish for him. Even though they had met last year, it was still hard for him to understand English.

"(No... I just joined them not long before you did...)" Diffrent replies.

"I see..." Sapnap muses as he watches as Dream pour the mixture onto the baking sheet. "Wait! Are you sure it's mixed enough?!"

Diffrent expression softens, forgetting what he came here to do. It was disruptive if all of them did this at the same time so they pulled straws to see who would go first. And somehow, Diffrent managed to win the chance to go first even though he doesn't really want to participate.

"I think you are a great rival!" Serpias exclaims.

But it's clear that Diffrent harboured no romantic feelings for the guy, but somehow, he decided to go along with it. Other people may see this as a chance for them, but it was clear to Diffrent when it wasn't clear to others. Maybe it was because he knew Dream before, seeing him during events and watching him as close as he could from afar. He can see the answer in front of him, clear as day. So he wasn't too bothered about not being able to surprise Sapnap and rather helps them given he has more experience in baking than the other two.

They had only attempted to make cookies during Christmas once and decorated cakes, albeit not so well but it was still the two other times they stepped into the kitchen.

"Look this one looks like Peele!" Sapnap giggles.

Diffrent smiles as Dream breaks the sweet moment with an inappropriately shaped cookie and Sapnap is mashing it up into putty like it just offended him while grinning. Yeah... it's painfully obvious. But Diffrent is glad that they are joking with each other again. He had heard of their fight in the medbay and well... if he is hyperaware of sounds coming from Dream or Sapnap's room then he doesn't acknowledge it nor does he want to change it.

Dream and Peele aren't really helping since Dream's hands are tired and well... Peele's hands are too small to grab the bowl so that left Diffrent and Sapnap mixing the ingredients up and prepping the pipping.

If anyone passed by the kitchen they immediately did a u-turn after seeing it occupied. In the instance of Spreen, Conter had to pull him back from grabbing more melon for his potions.

It was an unsaid rule only a few of them would know. Diffrent didn't really want to gatekeep the kitchen from the other members but he finds that he doesn't really dwell on it for too long as now the whole table and floor is scattered with flour as the result of a mini food fight between not Dream and Sapnap but Sapnap and Peele.

Diffrent sighs stepping in between them despite having a wheat farm, they should not be wasting food like this. That and the kitchen is already very messy, it left with more mess for them to clean afterwards.

"Here Diffrent, have a taste! I think it's quite nice- chewy and-"

Diffrent takes a bite out of the cookie without thinking much. Dream giggles as Diffrent realises that it was the inappropriately shaped cookie. Diffrent rolls his eyes with a grin as he plucks the cookie out of his hand. Sapnap takes his expression as teasing but he is a little flustered, ears a little pink as he hadn't expected Diffrent to actually bite into it then double down too.

It was a common gay joke between men but they weren't exactly sure how each members of Team Mafia would take it.

Diffrent isn't really sure, there is the situation between Shadoune and Serpias too, they have known Sapnap for longer and Sapnap probably doesn't even remember him anyway.

But that was okay, they can get to know each other and grow even closer... it was not like he was going to leave Team Mafia any time soon.

Chapter Text

Sapnap tilts his head as he looks into his inventory. He had only just realised something different when he woke up but didn't find the time to ask Dream about it as Amilcar was at his door as soon as he opens it.

"Oh um... Sapnap!" Amilcar beams, "Are you free now? I have this new game I'd like to play with you!"

"Um... sure..." Sapnap frowns, glancing at Dream's room. Amilcar seems to notice his look and turns to knock on Dream's door as well. There was a moment of shuffling before the door opens. Which is surprising for Sapnap as he'd think that Dream would still be asleep at this time.

Sapnap narrows his eyes, did he even sleep? Dream doesn't meet his eyes and smiles at Amilcar who is excited to show them the game.

Well this game was a great way to get Dream to sleep because he is so dexterous in servers yet so bad at games, Sapnap had to snatch the controller from him. It's a racing game which they had played before but Dream of course forgets how to play it and Sapnap is a fast learner.

Amilcar forgets about what he was supposed to do because... well he isn't really interested. He just wanted to get to know the both of them and play games with them.

And like Diffrent seems to know that there was something going on with them that he shouldn't stick his nose into.

Though it's really hard to see them in their intimidating aura when they are over here, losing at a racing game and bickering like kids. Somehow a burping contest was suddenly raised in the middle of their bickering.

"That is disgusting," Dream snorts, pushing Sapnap away who is waving his breath towards Dream.

They played different games the whole day. Sapnap would have forgotten about what he wanted to talk to Dream about when it didn't appear again after Amilcar left.

"Dream, can you see this?" Sapnap asks, showing his inventory towards Dream.

"What is that?" Dream frowns, so he does see the extra tab.

"I asked Amilcar to take a look at it but he doesn't seem to see anything..." Sapnap mutters.

It is not very obvious what it was... it is not a health bar or a mana bar because only Diffrent and Amilcar had different levels, the rest all have gray bars beside by their icon and Dream was sure that he heard Spreen laughing downstairs at some point between games so they are probably not all dead.

They planned on asking someone else whenever they saw another a member of Team Mafia about Sapnap's inventory which just so happens to be Farfadox.

"Sorry but Spreen wants you for a mission, I wanted to show Dream the thing I promised him that I would show him the last time we spoke..." Farfa replies.

"Ah... right... I'll see you later then..." Dream nods towards the vault which Sapnap nods and walks towards. This is where they often meet so maybe that was where Spreen is. While Sapnap goes to find Spreen while Farfa and Dream leaves the mansion as Dream looks at Farfa in amusement.

"So, what exactly is this thing you want to show me? Last we met we were just talking about the party which isn't in a few weeks..."

Farfa scratches the back of his head sheepishly. Spreen had told him that he needed a distraction just a few minutes before and he couldn't really think of any excuse and can only hope Dream would play along given how they weren't really trying to hide it and was pretty obvious what they were going to do. If Dream didn't want to go with Farfa, he could just say no.

Dream is tired of running from his feelings. He had suppressed his emotions, leading to their friend group being torn apart. He was tired of wearing the mask. Farfa watches with held breath as Dream takes off his mask.

Farfa had seen his face of course, he had taken it off when he was washing his face or just feels too hot for him to keep wearing it outside. Everytime he does, he cannot help but sneak glances. Dream had revealed his face for a while now but it still feels wrong for him to look.

Dream had noticed and laughed at him, his hands cold from the water but easily warmed by Farfa's cheeks and turned his face towards him. He had been so close, his green eyes almost looked like it was glowing.

Farfa should be grateful for the fire that hid his face if not he was sure to reveal how flustered he looked. If Dream had notice the fire flicker a little too fast, he didn't say anything and simply tucks his mask into his inventory before going back to fishing.

Dream had been graceful, like a mermaid. He wonders how the town he created fumbled so hard.

"Well, let's go to the south, I had discovered something cool there," Farfa replies as they take their horses from the stables.

Sapnap meanwhile is awkwardly shuffling in his seat. Spreen had a portal in the vault ready and where they landed was not what he expected at all. Spreen was wearing a suit while Sapnap was wearing his usual white shirt.

Conter is there but he isn't sitting with them... he seems to be playing a Koto? It was the opening song to the anime jujutsu kaisen but Sapnap is rather suspicious of that. Conter is being a little too into the music and he sure as hell didn't think he'd know such a complicated instrument like that.

It had to be an NPC or a mod...

A robot waiter appears with what seems to be expensive variety of sashimi and a rich looking ramen.

"So, how are you finding the castle so far? Is there anything you want or need?" Spreen asks as if he had all the power in the world to give Sapnap what he wants which Sapnap doesn't really doubt but still...

'Yeah... I need you to tell me what the hell is going through your head-' Sapnap grumbles internally but he isn't going to reject good food.

"Hm-" Sapnap shakes his head as he stuffs his mouth with sushi. "I think you guys are pretty welcoming, do you think I can build a base outside the mansion?"

"Er..." Spreen lowers his glass of sake which Sapnap was sure he didn't actually drink. "You can but it won't have the same protection you have in the castle...."

"So we are technically open to attacks now?" Sapnap asks, despite the alarming words he is speaking, he seems rather comfortable focsing on the food.

"Um..." Spreen looks away awkwardly, not really wanting to tell Sapnap that they were actually in a restaurant built by the nutrias just for them and there isn't a shred of mobs or enemies that can find their way in here. "Don't worry! I'll protect you!" He beams, wanting to seem reliable nonetheless.

"Uh huh," Sapnap muses. "Who was the one who died the earliest during squid craft?"

"Hey! Conter also-" Spreen starts but realises that arguing with Sapnap was something that he shouldn't be doing. He clears his throat. "I mean- we can protect each other, I'm not good with intellectual games but I can fight!"

Sapnap watches the bar on Spreen rise, fall then rise again. He downs his sake in amusement.

"Can I get more sake please?"

It was clear that it was going to be a long night.

Chapter Text

Spreen didn't want to look at how much money he owes nutria23 but he at least managed to scam Farfa into helping him pay for a little bit of it as he wanted some materials for his plan to distract Dream the next day.

Dream had a lot of fun exploring with Farfa and noticed that he too has a love meter. Farfa seems completely smitten even if Dream isn't able to read his face due to all the fire there, the love meter is almost full.

How he was going to make it full to see what happens seems to be entirely dependent on him given Farfa has been doing the most already.

He tries testing it out by approaching Spreen first, who just so happens to be finding him.

"How about I cook for you? When was the last time you ate home-cooked food?" Dream asks.

"W-what- oh... um... I wouldn't want to trouble you..." Spreen stammers.

Dream smiles glancing to the side at the love meter that is steadily growing. While he does that he can also cook for Farfa but it seems that he is already preoccupied.

Sapnap seems to have the same lucky timing as Dream as he finds Farfa and asks if he needs more help. He feels bad staying here without paying them back despite Diffrent telling him that he didn't really need to pay them anything.

This was Farfa's time to shine. He wasn't a fancy type of person nor does he waste time playing games.

"Erm... (do you need me to get anything else)?" Sapnap asks, looking at his phone.

"I can understand English," Farfa muses as Sapnap attempts to communicate in broken Spanish.

"I know..." Sapnap pouts, "But I want to learn Spanish!" he looks at the stables which are huge on its own but Farfa doesn't offer him any of the horses... in fact... it seems like most of it is gone... even Dream's horse even though he is sure that Dream was still in the castle unless he had snuck out in the fight.

There was only one horse... oh... oh

It was too obvious but Farfa's expression is as blank as a face full of fire would be so Sapnap doesn't really know if everyone is really out or is this just a ploy??? Also since when does horses allow two people on them?

The saddle is much bigger than the ones they are used to. Did they always ride horses together??? Farfa looks at Sapnap expectantly and Sapnap struggles to keep his face straight.

"You take Pathos, I'll go grab another horse," Farfa replies, realising that Sapnap isn't all about it.

"No, no I can't-" Sapnap waves his hand, he would rather be the one who walks but Farfa who had already climbed onto Pathos leaps down.

"I'm the one who invited you out so you take the horse, there is a plains on the way, I can grab one, now come on," Farfa gestures for him to take his hand. Sapnap, rather embarrassed accepts the help to get onto the horse. Just days before he wanted to be the one to be helped up but now that he was, he was quite flustered about it.

'Cute...'

Sapnap doesn't look at the meter beside Farfa's icon, a little worried that he is going to find the meter in the negatives for the negative aura he was displaying but his face would have caught on fire if he look to see the meter immediately shooting up.

Pathos looks unamused as she is led by Farfa towards the plains, given that Farfa seems to know where they are going, Sapnap lets him lead the horse on. It was nice to have a slow walk on a horse instead of running about all the time.

Sapnap is slightly glad that Farfa doesn't seem to have a love meter given he hardly ever checks his inventory, either that or he is very good at hiding it. But Sapnap remembers Dream and physically deflates. While he is having an internal crisis of his love life, Farfa manages to find a horse and immediately chases after it like a madman. Pathos looks at her owner with a deadpan expression. He was doing the most right now.

Sapnap blinks, not really knowing what to think of Farfa wrestling a bunch of horses to love him. Back when they first met it seemed like Farfa was cool and dangerous, being his enemy and all but now that they get to see this side of Farfa when they were just seeking refuge in their house... Sapnap goes back to being depressed about their situation, not thinking that maybe... just maybe team mafia has already thought of them as one of their own despite their differences in experience and barrier language.

Team Mafia hadn't experienced betrayal yet after all... at least... that's what Sapnap thinks.

"Okay, the deep dark is just a few blocks away..." Farfa mutters, not out of breath despite the running he just did. The horse looks at Pathos with a horse version of a haunted expression while Pathos just snorts at it, like saying: 'You'll get used to it'.

"T-the-" Sapnap had only entered the deep dark twice in his life, he never needed to go down there since they were discovered. He had entered his first deep dark with George and didn't like it, he wasn't good with horror so when the warden gave him blindness and suddenly appeared beside him in one of their manhunts, he almost died of a heart attack there.

"Don't worry, I know my way around it... it's quite safe," Farfa replies.

Part of Sapnap doesn't believe Farfadox because his version of safe could be his version of very dangerous. Maybe it was the weight of expectations... Sapnap is used to the expectations dumped on the three of them just because they were the 'dream team' but on his own... the expectations are tripled. He has met many pvpiers who boast and thinks that beating Sapnap means they could conquer the world despite him never really training for anything other than the variety of games in the championships that some don't even have pvp in.

But even that pressure led him to not really care for the championships anymore.

Maybe if they had the multi-lingual server that they were supposed to make together... in another world... they could have been the ones to offer Team Mafia a home instead of the other way round even though none of them really are great builders.

Sapnap didn't realise that they already reached when he heard the echoes of vibrations underneath the horse's feet. Pathos isn't all that bothered but the new horse seems rather nervous at the feeling underneath its hooves.

Farfa pulls out a fence and sets it down on the ground, tying both Pathos and the new horse to it. Sapnap leaps from the horse and pulls out his flaming sword.

"Did Cris give you that?" Farfa asks in amusement as he lets Sapnap lead a little with the light following him around like a firebug.

"Hm? No... Conter gave me the materials for this... how come you never use these swords?" Sapnap asks.

"It's from a boss... it happens only once a week and there are many other bosses so there is a limit for each resource..." Farfa explains as they enter the deep dark territory. Sapnap hesitates as he hears the cave warble.

Farfa takes out a torch and walks into the deep dark with Sapnap sneaking beside him. They have swift sneak but that is still not really reassuring for Sapnap, he twirls around, thinking that the warden might spawn beside him but if it did... Farfa stops and Sapnap bumps into him as their armour clinks together like the sound of wine glass clinking but that's enough to engulf them in darkness. Sapnap squeaks (definitely in a manly way) but Farfa is faster, he splashes them with night vision before finding the shrieker and the warden's hit box that is emerging from the ground.

Despite Shadoune's warning that if he fails it was going to be super awkward, Farfa was confident given that he had done this more than once... three times to be exact, had survive even the failed ones but if Sapnap died that would be hilarious but also pretty bad but Farfa had the confidence in Sapnap that he didn't in himself.

But Sapnap didn't need to do anything as the warden suffocates in the blocks he placed.

"Oooo," Sapnap whispers in awe. But it takes a while for the warden to die anyway. Still, it was cool, in a way it reminded him of Sam and maybe it would be something he'd do if he... well wasn't the one who put Dream in prison in the first place maybe he would have been able to join their last manhunt. He isn't entirely sure if he is going to join them during the future manhunts that they had planned. Maybe the entire roster would be changed...

Farfa would be a good hunter but he isn't sure if he would want to hurt Dream even if it was in a controlled environment where death didn't matter to the hunters, it wouldn't bother Farfa but the one he is going to hunt was Dream who in the manhunts, lost if he died.

Farfa was so much better than Sapnap would ever be... Sapnap's expression falls as the warden finally dies.

"That took a while huh..." Farfa muses.

"Yeah..." Sapnap smiles but it doesn't seem like he was too enthusiastic about it. Farfa breaks the shrieker.

"You can use this as an xp farm," Farfa explains as they walk deeper into the deep dark, Sapnap is careful not to make too much noise as Farfa finds another shrieker and experience points floats towards him. "Do you have a hoe?" he asks.

"Yeah," Sapnap smiles as he breaks the sculk.

"You can enchant the flaming sword to give it sweeping edge to increase the range," Farfa adds.

"Thanks... Farfadox..." Sapnap mutters. "Are you sure you don't need me to do anything else?" Sapnap asks as he turns around to stab the zombie that has been groaning near them for a while now.

"You don't need to return to us anything... we look out for each other without the need to owe each other anything," Farfa replies.

"Yeah but... we used to do that kind of stuff y'know? I know how it feels to have your efforts be unacknowledged and taken advantage of... I don't want you guys to feel that way..." the way Dream does in their own home...

"You are too kind..." Farfa sighs. "If someone were to take advantage of us we won't hesitate... but until then-" Farfa turns around to block an attack from something Sapnap didn't catch.

"What was that?!" Sapnap exclaims.

"It's a ghost... don't worry about it..." Farfa muses. "Just use your flaming sword... don't use your normal one... and block with your shield..."

"But it's so scawy!" Sapnap exclaims running away as a red ghost chases after him. Farfa leaps towards it, batting it away like a baseball.

"Are you okay?" Farfa asks, worried about Sapnap but cannot help but laugh at his antics, which Sapnap finds kind of endearing .

"Y-yes!" Sapnap exclaims, steeling himself, what was he doing? He can't let Farfa do all the job when he just offered to do things for him. He leaps towards a creeper but doesn't notice something flying towards him.

He blocks with his shield and a prompt appears for him to struggle.

"Wow! This is super dangerous!" Sapnap exclaims. He has never been so afraid of a cave in his life.

"Maybe we should leave..." Farfa mutters. Were the nutras spawning them? There was way more than he expected there to be when there was only two of them.

"Nah... it's way cooler!" Sapnap beams.

"But if you die..." Farfa mutters.

Sapnap purses his lips, he can't tell Farfa about the book, look at where it got Dream when he told the others... but Farfa was different... right? Even if it would be easier for them to just toss them in the streets... they still protected them...

"I know you have a way to revive people but being dead... isn't exactly all that fun-"

oh...

Chapter Text

"You told them about the revival book?" Sapnap asks with a frown.

"No... I didn't... I was debating to but... I chickened out..." Dream mutters. "Why, what's wrong?"

"Well they know!" Sapnap exclaims throwing his hand into the air and sigh. "How can we be sure they aren't just being nice to us for the book?"

"It's useless outside the sever... besides they have their own revival system here..." Dream mutters. "They have no benefit to be nice to us..."

Well except for that one thing that's going on right now...

"How come they don't ask you on a date?" Sapnap changes the subject as he snacks upon some snacks that Conter had brought them from his trip to Japan. He eats when he is stressed.

"I guess I never really met any of them since squid games..." Dream mutters as he chews on a mochi and immediately scrunches his face at how sweet it is. Sapnap is devouring it however like inhaling air. "Or maybe you're just that popular."

"Oh shut it," Sapnap leans against Dream as they watch a movie together in Sapnap's room which still looks empty but still... they will have a lot of time to fill it all up with memorabilia. At least it looks nice.

"It's been days since George is gone... do you think he'll be okay?" Sapnap asks.

"Of course, he'll be fine, he's one of the best hunters after all," Dream smiles.

"That's a lie and you know it," Sapnap snorts but it's clearly teasing. To some, however, it seems like they were bullying George.

"You belonged with us George..." George looks up at the figure looming over him with a frown. "You helped a criminal escape... now you'll have to pay for the consequences." Ant looks at Sam with worry who is looking down at George with a dark expression. Bad is also there, both Bad and Ant didn't look too good and had the decency to look guilty at least.

"Dream is no criminal... you should see what the server looked like after Dream left..." George snorts.

"Silence!" Sam exclaims, poking George with the bottom end of his trident. But George is looking up at him with a smirk instead of a frown, looking practically devious. Sam didn't expect George to just use his head, literally to pounce on Sam while Ant and Bad were struggling to get George under control, said president with nukes looks at the scene with a worried expression.

While that was going down, Piru brings Sapnap to the amusement park. Dream was also offered to go but he doesn't do well on rides, not after the events in the prison making him easily nauseous. Piru wanted him to go and try the food at least so he watches them as they went on all the rides Dream practically ate a whole week's worth of food from just carnival food.

Sapnap didn't dare go on the horror rides but Piru brings him to his favourite roller coasters and shooting games. Dream did try the target game he did practice a lot with Farfa and manages to get some of his strength back so he hit the target three out of five times at least, it was better than when he couldn't fully pull the bow back at all.

"Come on, just one horror ride... please?" Piru eyes widen.

"Go ride on your own, I'm not going anywhere near that!" Sapnap exclaims.

"But I'm scared!"

"Then why would you want to go in there?!"

"Because it's fun!"

Sapnap shakes his head rapidly as he is dragged towards the horror ride filled with screams that can be heard whenever the door opens.

"Help me Dream!" Sapnap exclaims with a shriek that reminds him of the time Sapnap had been cornered by a bunch of wither skeletons. Dream didn't help him then and isn't going to stop now. He smiles at him and shakes his head as he pops popcorn into his mouth.

Sapnap spent the whole ride hiding behind Piru with his eyes closed. He doesn't sound scared at all, laughing mainly because Sapnap is shaking beside him but he can't laugh any longer despite this being his plan all along he cannot help but shout when something ugly suddenly jumps at him.

They almost fell out of the car many times if not for the seatbelts they would have. How was he going to survive in the haunted house party?

But at least now Sapnap knows how reliable Piru can be as his plus one.

To apologise to Sapnap he goes back to the carnival games to win him a panda plushie despite him needing to spend over a stack of netherite to win one.

When they came back it was super late into the night, Sapnap was tired and so was Dream when they came back but it was still early into the night so they decided to train, it would be good for their stamina too and maybe someday in the future Dream would be well enough to start manhunt again.

Conter watches them train within the training hall where the nutrias have a lot of fun spawning mobs on them but it is in a controlled environment. When they entered it a nutria offers to help them which they said that they didn't want, it didn't stop them from fooling around and making creeper sounds near them in the middle of the combat however. Sapnap finds the nutrias cute while Dream finds them annoying. But the nutria can make them fly and give them blindness so they try not to cross them too much.

It wasn't until the nutria spawns an actual ghost did Dream notice Conter there. They were so focused that they didn't realise that they had an audience other than nutria23.

"Wait Sapnap-" Dream starts but it was too late. Sapnap's flaming sword cuts through the air, sending fire towards Conter who dodges out of the way.

"Oh, Conter! I'm so sorry!" Sapnap exclaims.

"It's okay," Conter smiles.

"What are you doing here?" Sapnap asks.

"I just came here to tell you I've brought more stuff for your room," Conter replies, giving him a shulker.

"No way... mangas?!" Sapnap exclaims, pulling some out of the bag along with posters of Jujutsu Kaisen, Naruto and Pokemon cards.

"I've gotten some for you too Dream," Conter beams, giving him not only books to read but what seems to be a key "I've cleared one of the guest rooms so you can use it for your studio, I know you have a place to make music someplace else but you can always use the studio here instead of going off the server if you don't want it I guess Spreen can steal it."

"It's... great... thanks," Dream smiles.

It seemed like they were taking turns each day to interact with Dream and Sapnap but given Conter broke the pattern by doing so right after Piru, Dream wonders what kind of arrangement they exactly made.

"Oh, Conter! Since you know how to find things, could you perhaps find me a game I'm looking for? It's called love and deepspace."

"Sure..." Even though he has never heard of the game before, he knows where to find games, it's the same server where Piru gets his. The next day, Conter is nowhere to be seen. Given the green light, however, Cris decides to teach both Dream and Sapnap Spanish but Dream cannot sit still while learning so he is farming for the team while Sapnap is given flashcards to work with.

But Cris is pretty much as reliable as a stick holding up a 20 story building and Sapnap was taking a short nap too between flashcards so Cris decides to wake him up by shooting into the ground. At least he gave the gun to Sapnap... which might be a good or bad thing to give it to someone who is willing to use it on anyone and they have all seen what he is like with a bow and arrow and during hunt and run where he always uses a sniper.

The gun Cris gave him was an AK but he is still dangerous with it and somehow Dream is immune to the gun thing because he starts 'scaring' the people of Team Mafia with it. First was Spreen who jumps and immediately raises his hand as if he was going to karate chop a whole ass gun until he realised it was just Sapnap being funny. Amilcar pretends to be super scared and begs for his life while Diffrent doesn't seem all that bothered nor does he play along because Amilcar is already doing the most.

Oh, Dream and Farfa are immune to Sapnap's antics given he stopped pointing the gun when he opens the door to his room to see what the commotion is about. Cris can't give a gun to Farfa either unless they want to be eternally tortured. But like Farfa needed Cris to get any guns, which he definitely did not use just days before on a few gringos who were terrified of him.

But when Cris thought that he had won, the gun stops when Conter comes in with a disk despite the game being in mobile, Conter manages to make it into a cd for him to play with a controller, how? Don't ask but it made Sapnap happy enough, he dragged Dream into his room to play it... AK left forgotten in Serpia's room... said owner of the room is gone but doesn't seem to mind Sapnap going through his things.

"Because he is my boyfriend after all!" Serpias beams.

"That's not decided yet!" Shadoune exclaims from down the hall, prompting Serpias to stick his tongue at him even though Shadoune cannot see him from this angle.

Chapter Text

Sapnap spent the whole night playing the game which is surprising given it doesn't seem like something Sapnap would be so invested in. But it's just that the game is so difficult to look with all the fanservice in it if Serpias were to play this he'd be drooling.

It was a single-player game so Dream did sleep halfway through the game though it was mainly because some guy was humming some beautiful tune...

There was a knock at the door but neither of them heard it, one asleep, the other engrossed in the story and the way that guy smirked at him-

"Sapnap?" Shadoune's voice is loud despite Sapnap having headphones on, making him wonder if he has psychic powers. But no... his headphones just suck. He misses the ones at home...

"Yes?" Sapnap asks, surprised to see Shadoune in on it. He is even more surprised that it took this long for him to come to them.

"Let's go, I have something to show you," Shadoune smiles. But Sapnap, just having seen what the games Conter brought him had, different types of gameplay... makes him even more confused about this meter, but he still wants to try something.

"Actually... I'm in the mood for a swim," Sapnap beams, he has seen where most of the events happen, it's either in cafes, in the kitchen or bars but since he had eaten, he decides that the next best thing was something active but he didn't want to go shopping nor does he want to go to the carnival when he already went just two days ago.

"Oh... we have a pool here at the roof," Shadoune smiles," Let's go tonight, the view is much better then."

Shadoune is supportive and even offered him and Dream swimming clothes but Shadoune's love meter doesn't go up at all... 

"What the- a swim isn't that bad isn't it?" Sapnap asks in a whisper as Dream shrugs. "You like swimming... so I don't even have to ask you-" Sapnap snorts as Dream smiles, tilting his head to the side as he lies on his stomach on Sapnap's bed.

Shadoune had went to get their swimming items so Sapnap had to privately message Shadoune that he changed his mind and was tired, he remembers what he actually came here for.

'But if you're tired we can do it tomorrow then!' Shadoune replies to him.

'No show me now >:Y' he types back.

'Alright alright, meet me at the entrance.'

Sapnap and Dream arrives at the entrance together despite Sapnap was sure that they were not supposed to be together on a triple date. Unless that was not what Shadoune was doing. But that didn't matter and Sapnap was confused again when Shadoune brings them both flowers.

Dream has a bouquet of beautiful green roses while Sapnap has a bouquet of orange tulips. It would have been easier for him to just give them both red poppies but he had gone the extra mile, he is using nutria23 for portals as usual, the otter gave them both a thumbs up.

Sapnap was slightly hesitant to go but Dream had little care about what they wanted to do, more willing to sit back and let someone else take the reigns for once.

Sapnap, his habits die hard after all, follows after Dream despite his skepticism.

They hadn't train or fought ever since they came here... not intentionally or with the purpose of getting better. Sapnap was scared of the trauma it might bring him and Dream was just using his recovery as an excuse, he believes it to be the same.

Yet Shadoune knows them to be PVP-iers.

"A gift, to you," Shadoune smiles as he shows them around the dojo. It is quite spacious and with weapons and armour lined up that Shadoune managed to procure on his own. It looks a lot like a japanese dojo but Shadoune waves them over to show them a lever that when pulled, summons a troll that seems confused for a second as to what it's doing here before disappearing in a blip.

"You get random bosses to fight too, easier ones-" he adds while he pulls the lever again to summon a siren who shrieks at them for interrupting her makeup session before disappearing into a zombie with enchanted diamond armour. "-because the ones we fight need at least twenty people to defeat..."

"Twenty?! When do we get to fight bosses?!" Sapnap exclaims.

"Every week," Shadoune smiles and steps aside for them to explore the other sides of the dojo. "The bosses here don't drop anything, if you want we can bring you to our next boss fight, everyone will get the same number of rewards."

"Alright!" Sapnap exclaims, eyes sparkling. Dream smiles, it would be great to test out his skills again but the looming pressure was going to crush him... "Let's brawl!" Sapnap grins turning to tackle Dream onto the ground but Dream's instinct flares, prompting him to leap away and pulling out the sword from one of the armour stands.

"Ah wait! Take a totem first!" Shadoune exclaims tossing them both a funny looking totem.

"What is-" Sapnap wanted to say it looks like a bear but Dream is attacking him. Sapnap flips backwards and onto an armour stand, taking a helmet and sword with him. He grins, pushing himself off the stand to lunge himself towards Dream.

Their sword clashes and Shadoune seems rather pleased. Spreen had asked to watch but Shadoune is gatekeeping this from him. The only other person who heard him talk to the nutria was Farfadox.

As if summoned from his thoughts a ding could be heard in their communicator.

"(I HEAR FIGHTING-)" Farfadox exclaims. Thankfully Sapnap and Dream could not hear him or their eardrums would have exploded.

Shadoune winces. "(Yes well... as you can see...)"

"(Shadoune why did you let Dream fight? He is supposed to be recovering)," Farfadox grumbles. "(Let me into the gym)."

"(No, you are going to destroy it)," Shadoune sighs.

"(Whaaaat- me?)" Farfadox asks innocently.

Shadoune rolls his eyes fondly before watching them stumble around the dojo. Shadoune can see the way Sapnap fights is a lot like a brawler type, you'd think that he would be the one to beat Dream in a fight. But even with the strength disadvantage, he is still agile enough to jump around him and strong enough to deal damage.

"Gah!" Sapnap squeaks as Dream lands a critical on his side he quickly runs to gapple. Dream cuts him off despite the absorption taking hold, two swings was able to bring him to low health. Sapnap dives below Dream before he can land another critical and yoinks a shield off the wall.

Dream brings out his axe, the weapon is heavier than he remembered. His hesitation was enough for Sapnap to combo him, he couldn't run so he takes a shield too. Sapnap brings out his axe as well. They are both regenerating slowly given they have no food in their hotbar and only gapples.

Sapnap takes out his flame bow and sends arrows towards Dream who dodges them seamlessly. Put a guy that never misses and a guy that never gets hit and they are unstoppable. An arrow manages to find its way towards Dream however, he didn't expect the arrow to deal that much damage. He has fire resistance but... the fire reminds him of lava.

He finds himself on the ground shortly after.

"Ha! I finally beat you in public!" Sapnap grins.

"That's not fair," Dream scoffs as he pushes himself up. "We didn't say bows were allowed."

"Well you took the sword first!" Sapnap exclaims.

Dream rolls his eyes, Sapnap seems ready to go for another round. Dream shakes his hand.

"Aren't totems rare? Can we really waste them like this?" Dream muses.

"Bosses drop totems," Shadoune smiles as he raises his hand to high five Dream as a signal to tag in as he takes his spot to rest. "Besides I have a lot," Shadoune grins.

"Shadooooune!" Sapnap exclaims with a maniacal grin as he charges at him with his axe.

"I'm not ready!" Shadoune shrieks as he is being chased around the dojo.

Dream smiles but his hands around his knees tighten a little. He knows things between him and Sapnap are better but he cannot help but let his mind wander.

It takes little to no time for Sapnap to beat Shadoune in full axe and shield gear. Shadoune isn't too great at pvp but still, it is quite a close game if he had trained more he would probably surpass Sapnap. But this showed that Sapnap needed to stop slacking off, he has been on his mind on other things, other worlds.

He sighs, leaning his head onto Shadoune's shoulder who perks up with a smile. Even though he looks like he is tired he is actually more awaken than ever. Dream tries not to get too jealous but Shadoune doesn't forget him, pulling him close.

Shadoune may lose to them in pvp but there won't be a time where he wouldn't want the both of them to be happy and feel protected nonetheless.

Chapter Text

A cat is minding its own business in a village where villagers walk around, chatting with each other, a child or two staring at the cat before being tagged by their friend.

It is a peaceful time when players aren't using them as their farm. The cats can also relax.

"Got one!" Serpias exclaims, landing behind an unsuspecting cat, grabbing it by the side. It took them half a stack of raw cod for the cat to love Sapnap. Maybe because it was trying to escape half the time.

Cheese was getting restless so they decided to get him playmates. Serpias remembers that Dream and Sapnap had cats together, so when he was on a mission and noticed a cat he had tried to tame it but decided to let Sapnap tame it instead just so he can have it.

Thankfully it hadn't despawn thanks to the server.

"Naomi or Milo?" Sapnap frowns thinking of what to name their first cat.

Dream wanted it to be milo first given it was the first cat he got but Serpias wanted the princess Naomi first.

Choices, choices- Sapnap hums and was about to make a decision when he quickly tabs out of the anvil, yelping as an arrow it the back of his head.

"What the skeleton-" Sapnap frowns but it wasn't a skeleton that shot him.

Dream hadn't been paying attention, he had been farming for ender pearls when his face pales as he hid behind a house. It's just a loud mouth teen but he had hidden from him like he was a warden.

"Hey shitface!" Tum2 exclaims.

Sapnap glares at the teen while Serpias is confused as to why there was someone calling Sapnap a 'shitface' he didn't know English well but he knows what 'shit' and 'face' is, so it's definitely not something nice.

"What do you want?" Sapnap frowns.

"Where is Dream?" He demands.

"Why are you finding this guy?" Serpias asks with a frown. He doesn't look like he is here to shake hands. In fact he is trembling. Was he cold? But they were in the middle of the desert?

"It's nothing to do with you!" He exclaims as he unsheathes his sword. "Sapnap... we used to be best buds... why would you let him go?!"

Sapnap frowns as Serpias's ears flops down for being treated that rudely before Sapnap starts swinging his axe towards the intruder.

"You want to go? You really want to go?" Sapnap asks, expression furious as his sword sends fire towards the ground, light it up where ever he swings.

"Stop! Stop!" He shrieks.

Serpias feels bad hearing the cries but he actually knows who he is and knows that he is bad. He is one of the guys that definitely cannot step foot into the castle.

So Serpias could only try and find Dream to get him out of there before he could be seen. Seeing Serpias with the leads, Dream steps out of hiding, he cannot and shouldn't hide forever. He is Dreamwastaken for heaven's sake even with a few missing fingers he should be still strong enough to take them down.

"Don't worry, I will protect you," Serpias beams.

He is saying that to Dream... of all people. But somehow it makes him feel more relaxed. Dream smiles at him before nodding in thanks as they leave the village to return to the castle where they will be safe.

Of course they didn't leave behind Sapnap, it is just that there are other members that are more suited in fighting. But by the time Farfadox arrived, Sapnap had already been sorting out the guy's inventory.

"Any good loot?" Farfadox muses.

"Nah... he only had a few arrows and a shield..." Sapnap sighs. "They came to this server pretty fast huh..." he mutters. "Maybe it's time to make it private..."

"But don't you want to return to your home?" Farfadox asks.

Sapnap shrugs, he doesn't really want to go back. It would only bring him bad memories. But he isn't sure about Dream and George... George is still there... he hopes that he is alright but it has been a while...

"Well at least he cannot revive here... not when he has no friends here..." Farfadox muses.

"Yeah..." Sapnap is slightly worried however if one of them came to this server, it is likely the others will soon to follow.

Well he doesn't have to worry about that for now as they won't be invited to their beach party the next day.