#staggedduo

[sunshine-in-a-bottle]

Staggedduo. Punz, after the Egg, started smoking to cope. When Dream escapes prison they quit, both because Dream's newly fragile health can't take it and because Dream worries about them.

--

Punz trudged into their bedroom, inhaling deeply as they made one final push to the bed, before collapsing into a heap on top of it. The soft comforter smelled freshly washed, and he sent a small prayer of gratitude to Dream for making the effort, if only on Punz's behalf.

A four-fingered hand rested lightly on top of their head and began to skritch.

"Long day?" Dream murmured. Punz made a noise that was muffled by the bed. He knew Dream understood though. He always did.

He heard the sound of a book being set on the bedside table, before hands were gently tugging on their shoulders. Groaning, they pushed themselves up, letting Dream reposition them until they were sheltered in his arms. Surprisingly steady hands wrapped around him, and Punz buried their face into his shoulder to hide away from the light that seemed to hurt their eyes the longer they were exposed to it.

Dream rubbed soothing circles into his back. "Do you need anything?"

He needed to never move again. He needed the ache in his muscles to go away with a bone deep pressure. He needed people to stop being so fucking stupid and horrible to talk to, and he needed Dream to stay right here.

"I'm good." Punz mumbled. Fingers gently ran through his hair, picking out the blood.

They stayed like that for a while, Punz soaking in the quiet that had been denied to him all day. Dream seemed content to hold him in silence, and Punz let their mind drift until they began to doze, the knowledge of absolute safety loosening the tension that they'd been holding for so long.

Dream leaned in, and suddenly he sniffed.

"You smell like smoke."

It was a mild tone. It was a dangerous tone. Punz untangled themselves from Dream just enough to meet his eyes. "I didn't-"

Dream pulled at the fabric of his hood to bring it to his nose. He grimaced. "It's on your clothes, too. Punz?"

"I wasn't smoking." Punz shook his head, fighting the urge to get defensive. It made sense, it was just a question, but God did he want to just. Throw this entire shitty day further into the trash. "I ran into Wilbur. He was going through a pack."

Dream's expression turned sour, before smoothing out into something gentler. "Are you alright?"

No. He wasn't. Punz sagged into his arms.

"Yeah, it was fine. Just annoying." A moment passed. "He offered me one."

Dream sucked in a breath. Fingers gripped tightly into the back of his hoodie, and Punz could sense the murderous intent. It was nice, to be cared about so deeply. It felt good. Like maybe even if he could still feel the itch in his head, it was worth it to turn down the nicotine if it was because someone was actually giving a shit about his health. Giving a shit about him.

"I'm sorry." Dream said. There were fingers scratching at his scalp again. "We can kill him if you want."

Punz laughed tiredly. "I'm good. Just wasn't expecting it. Better to lay low, anyway."

Dream hummed. It was meaningless noise. Then it was a tune, something vaguely familar that made their eyes droop. They pressed their face into his shoulder again.

"Your eyes are blue, by the way." Dream whispered into their ear. He began to hum again. Punz let themselves drift again, safe. Always safe, with Dream.

[aleksanderthemesschild]

ITS THEM; ITS THEM!!!

[hiding-in-the-vault]

MERRY BIRTHMAS

HERE'S TO MORE STAGGEDDUO

THANK !!!

TO ANOTHER YEAR OF THEY !!! 🥂

[kenjo-arts]

Even in AUs c!Dream and c!Punz must be allies

[Mdoka magica au]

[sunshine-in-a-bottle]

Sudsssss

Suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds suds

Fox Dream & Wolf Punz

Fox & the Hound Drunz

Sudsss

"We're still friends, right Punz?"

Dream's voice was low, barely above a whisper. They could pretend it was the crackling of the fire, the howling of the wind, if they so chose. Dream would let them; he allowed too much.

Instead, they reached over and squeezed his hand. The SMP had changed over the years, changed its landscape and changed its alliances and changed them.

"Yeah Dream, we're still friends."

They refused to let it change this.

[sunshine-in-a-bottle]

Staggedduo/drunz. Punz loves Dream loves Punz.

The forest clearing was softly lit. Soulfire lanterns hung from the twisted, gnarled branches, coloring the night a soft blue and bringing safety in the darkness. It was an enchanting scene, and secluded enough to avoid unwitting intruders. He liked it.

They could have met anywhere, of course; an abandoned ruin, a small dirt hut, an open field. Hell, they could have met in the light of day to not risk the chance of monsters. But Punz knew Dream had a love for grand theatrics and dramatic scenes- had helped him prep a few themself- and they'd never deny him anything that brought him joy.

Punz took a knee, and waited.

Dream's back was to him, but it was easy to see he was maskless. (A thrum of pride in their heart; they were allowed his trust.) He gripped a small, gilded book with a white knuckled fist. They didn't recognize it, but they knew without saying it was important. (Everything involving Dream was important.)

Dream turned to him. For a breathless moment, all Punz could register was the moonlight cloaking him, as if his mere existence was beyond earthly tethers.

Then he spoke. "Punz."

"Yes?"

"I'm going to stay, and fight for this server." Dream looked down at the book in his hands before meeting Punz's gaze. "You don't have to do this with me."

"I want to, I've told you this." They countered fiercely, a dozen reasons ready on their tongue.

"I know you have." Dream hesitated. "But. It's important for you to understand. If we lose, we'll be killed, and if we win, we'll be hated by everyone."

Punz scoffed. "Why would ever care about them when I have you?"

For a moment, it was silent. They threw him a challenging look, daring him to deny their loyalty.

Slowly, Dreams entire body shifted, tension seeping away. The hard line of his mouth melted into a smile, and his eyes held such tenderness that Punz's heart skipped a beat.

"My Punz," Dream murmured, and it sounded like home. "You're wonderful."

He reached out a hand, and Punz entangled his fingers with their own.

[hiding-in-the-vault]

He still has some recovering to do :’)

[sunshine-in-a-bottle]

How its going

[sunshine-in-a-bottle]

After much frustration, I decided to break this up into two parts. Second part will have more Bad Sapnap and Dream resolution because I'm not letting my boys not reconcile.

-

Sapnap thinks it would be fair to call Dream and George the pillars of his world, in their bright, dominating light. 

He had other people, of course he did. He liked Punz with his dry humor and comfortable demeanor, and Tommy's more chaotic nature. He hung around the tavern often enough to be familiar with its bartender, the patrons, the mercenaries, and even if this wasn't The Hanged Man, there was always someone willing to spare him a friendly conversation. 

He didn't need them both; he wanted them. They were his pillars because he loved them.

Even as they were crashing down around him, their voices rising (but never senseless screaming, thank the Maker) he couldn't help but love them, and it made the helplessness burn all the worse as their argument escalated out of control.

"- and if you would spare two seconds to stop falling over your feet over his stupid flattery you'd see he's playing you!"

"I'm not falling- flattery? What? What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"It's the compliments," George waved his hands about, looking increasingly wild eyed, "the little things he does, that he's saying, that you don't even notice because you're too busy fawning all over his knowledge and his words and his idiotic face-"

"Stop making it weird!" Dream yelled. His face was tinted pink in obvious embarrassment. "I don't, I don't do that. I'm literally just listening to him talk, his information has been useful!"

"Oh no, I'm Dream, I can't figure out how to do anything, help me Solas-"

"It's not like that. We're using his knowledge of the Fade, you know, the thing causing all these problems in the first place?"

George snorted. "You don't need him, you don't need him at all, the Breach is fixed isn't it? You can close the rest of them yourself, he didn't need to come with us and watch you do it."

"He's not here to watch, George, he's been healing us this whole time! What, did you think that gaping hole in your shoulder just mysteriously fixed itself?" Dream gestured towards the pinkish flesh.

George stamped his staff into the dirt. An action that Solas had disapproved of a few days back during a long walk. Sapnap wasn't entirely sure of the details, but supposedly it negatively affected the balance or some shit. George had made a point of doing it wherever Solas could see since.

"I can do that, literally I can do that right now. You don't need two mages in the group! You're just letting him come along and drag you to old ruins instead of the actual thing we came here for. "

Dream rose to his full height, looking like a bird trying to use its plumage to be intimidating.

"If you want to be our healing Mage, you can go back to Skyhold right now and practice," Dream snapped, "but I'm not going to ask Solas to go back just because you're jealous."

It was the most dismissive Dream had been to George since they met. Sapnap felt sick, watching George's face crumble for a brief moment, before hardening.

"You're really that stupid, aren't you? You're just going to let him do anything he wants cause you think he's being nice or whatever."

George walked forward to press close to Dream, their height difference minuscule to the sheer authority he held. Sapnap became aware that, even without a staff or lightning in his fists, George was still dangerous.

"He only wants you because you're a project," George spat with venom. "He doesn't give a shit about anything about you besides the Mark on your hand."

Bile rose in his throat as Sapnap watched Dream recoil. Away from George. Away from them.

"Well he sure as fuck isn't the only one." Dream snapped. He stepped neatly around George to prevent their shoulders brushing and walked away, every step controlled and measured. 

George had his back to Sapnap, but the tremble of his shoulders was still visible.

When Sapnap approached him, his voice was small, "C'mon, George."

George said nothing. Sapnap felt his heart drop into his stomach. He gently grabbed him by the shoulder, only to be pushed off.

"George?"

"Just stay away from me," He muttered, and pushed past Sapnap, his eyes wet.

-

It was three days later that they finally made it back to Skyhold, and George and Dream hadn't spoken since. The violent undercurrent hadn't faded from their interactions during their trip home, and they had split as soon as they reached the gate, neither making eye contact with one another.

They spoke shortly to him, too, as if by bearing witness to the explosion he had been caught in its blaze. It probably would have ended up that way anyway, their team was so closely intertwined that to break one side of the triangle was to fracture all three. It didn't make Dreams sleepless gaze or George's mutters any easier to bear.

When he finally managed the energy to trudge to the tavern, Sapnap barely acknowledged the greetings, instead grabbing a drink and making his way to the top of the building. He didn't think he could stand talking to people at the moment, but the silence of his room had become oppressive. At least here he could soak up some quiet affection for the people below.

He had forgotten about the rooftop's lone occupant.

"You're sad." Cole said plainly.

"Fuck off, dude, I just want to be alone."

"No you don't," the little shit said. "You want them back. You want them to come back to you. Their hurt tugs at yours."

Sapnap had a lot of mixed opinions about Cole, but most of it could be summed up by just calling him a nosy asshole.

"Yeah? And you're not them, so go away. I don't need your psychoana-whatever right now."

He watched Cole tilt his head. Coming up to the rooftop was probably a mistake. Getting up today at all was probably a mistake.

"Harrowed, hollowed, hurried. Light dances from his fingers as the templars close in, to take his life or take his soul. No, not him. You won't let them. You'd die first."

Sapnap practically flopped down, burying his face into his knees. Fine, whatever, guess they were doing this now. It's not like it mattered. It was all bullshit anyway. "And? How does any of that help, man?

"A gap toothed boy, smiling as he sings a lullaby. His hands shake as they wipe your tears, 'The Darkspawn can't get us here. We're safe.' But he's only good at lying when he's wearing his mask."

"And?" Sapnaps repeated with a muffled voice. "You're so bad at this. Aren't you supposed to like, magically fix all my problems? Can't you make them stop fighting?"

Cole's tone was even, but held an emotion Sapnap couldn't parse. "George doesn't want to let go. He is afraid. Afraid for Dream, and it makes him angry. Lurching in the stomach as he puts a hand on his back, leading him away from barrier range. I can't protect him, I can't protect him like that. How dare he. Why doesn't he trust Solas to protect Dream, Sapnap?"

"How should I know?" Sapnap groaned. "George doesn't like doing work if other people can do it for him. So he probably thinks Solas is incompetent or something. Wouldn't be the first time he didn't like one of our teammates."

Oh that hurt a little to think about. Kirkwall had begun to become a distant memory lately, but he could still taste the bad ale of the Hanged Man as they played another round of cards. George would lean in close to his side and blatantly cheat, before turning to glare at Anders for flicking a copper at him. Occasionally, if goaded, George would freeze Anders fingers, or threaten to boil his blood.

When the chantry explosion happened, there was no sense of horror or outrage from George, only annoyance in full force; he made it clear as they fought the red lyrium statues that this was not how he wanted to spend his time, and Sapnap was fairly certain that if they had stayed together George would have made Anders' life hell for daring to inconvenience him.

He was so petty. And maybe if it had been someone else it would have put him off, but fondness lit warm like a candle inside him at George's disgruntled expression. He loved him. He loved him so much.

And George wasn't talking to him. The warmth flickered out and ice built in his chest. Breathing felt painful. He ignored Cole's shadow falling over him in favor of tipping back the drink he'd barely touched, letting the ginger root burn his throat.

"Oh, your threads tangled as they unwound. Your tying yourself in knots-"

"Just go away." Sapnap interrupted. "Just. Go."

Cole paused, buzzing with barely contained energy, before vanishing.

It should have made him feel better. Instead the isolation felt like a reminder; someone was supposed to be sitting next to him. He swallowed down the rest of his drink.

The sun began to set at some point, melting through the clouds into dull orange pinks. It had been a few more hours, a few more drinks, and a few less people to pull him away from the tavern. He was a little past tipsy at this point, but it had become a flimsy shield for his spiraling thoughts, so all he felt was gratitude, muted as it was.

Finally, when the light winked out of sight, the tavern owner kicked him out with a gentle shove. Some of the other drunkards were laughing as they were hauled to the door, singing about Andraste's Mabari (and Maker, did Sapnap miss Ferelden. That old war hound that used to beg him for treats when he used to visit the Chantry as a kid was long gone, but maybe they could get a puppy. It could sit on top of Dream when he was being a know-it-all, and slobber all over George's stupid face. Had George even seen a Mabari before? Gods-)

The night folk didn't raise their voices above a murmur when he wandered through the halls. He barely registered them, the once soothing fuzziness of his brain gaining a rougher texture, until the loneliness once again began to seep in. 

They were going to leave him, he knew it; Dream had left before, he could do it again. George just didn't have time to get away, as stuck as they were in Kirkwall after the Blight. He was losing the people he loved, once again, and this time it was purely their choice. Sapnap would become adrift, floating aimlessly, unwanted. What was the point of all this?

What was the point of surviving the Blight if no one wanted him?

He stumbled a little, clutching his head and leaning against the wall. He didn't recognize his surroundings, but it was dark, and all the halls looked the same anyways. He let himself sink to the floor. It would be fine if he rested for just a moment. It's not like anyone in Skyhold would dare attack a companion of the Inquisitor. Just a small moment, to let the dizziness end.

"Sapnap?"

A pair of legs entered his vision. They knelt down, and Bad was looking at him with concern.

"What are you doing down there, mister?"

"None… of your business." Sapnap grumbled, trying and failing to keep the slur out of his voice.

"It's always my business when you're part of the Inquisition, silly," The Inquisition Ambassador scolded, but it was soft. "Besides, if a friend needs help, it's always good to check up on them."

Sapnap blinked up at him.

 "Friends?" He croaked.

"Of course." Bad smiled. "I know we hadn't had much chance to talk at Haven, but I appreciated your help. You really boosted morale, and don't think I didn't notice you working with some of our soldiers. I'd like to think of you as a friend, if you want to be mine."

Sapnap felt grief punch the air out of his lungs. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. Instantly, Bad's face shifted to worry.

"Hey, are you okay?" When Sapnap didn't answer, Bad sighed. "This probably isn't the best time for this conversation. Here, let's get you up and into bed. Cmon, up we go."

With surprising strength, Bad tugged Sapnap until he was holding most of his weight. He was steady and solid beneath Sapnap, and rubbed soothing circles into his back as they slowly made their way to an unfamiliar corridor.

"Where-?" Sapnap mumbled, but Bad hushed him. They stopped at a plain looking door with an oddly decorated handle, and Bad unlocked it.

It was too dark to make out more than a few shapes. Bad navigated them with ease, stopping at a large lump that Sapnap realized was a couch. 

"Here we are, down you go mister, that's it."

Soft. This couch was so soft. It was plush and comfy and somehow better than any bed he'd ever slept on. He sunk into its cushions. He never wanted to leave this couch.

"It's good, isn't it?" Bad chuckled at his appreciative hum. "Finest in Antiva. You'd think the Orleasians would be the ones to make a good couch, but they get a bit too caught up in making it look pretty. Don't tell anyone I said that, though."

Sapnap grunted, already half asleep. He felt a blanket be draped over him.

"We'll talk more in the morning. Get some rest, okay?"

Comfy. Safe. He drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Its time to talk about Herald Dream again. Give me two characters lets have some fun

Alright alright alright alrightalrightalright

Dream plus two? I'm gonna sayyy Bad and Sapnap c:

Good luck o7

[sunshine-in-a-bottle]

What do you think Dream ships

Besides DNF? Probably DNN, I've seen him like art for that before, specifically the one of him kissing Sap while George is resting on his back, holding Saps sword. Not necessarily Dreamnap though? Hm. Even if he allows shipping him with anyone, and gets the appeal on a dynamic level, I dont recall him giving a lot of Dreamnap art any attention. I've seen him like Staggedduo art but not shipping of it in the sense that its more explicitly romantic, although I could be wrong. Im wondering if he's aware of the awesamdream stuff happening with the implied crush Sam has on Dream. He probably doesn't ship that, but I can only assume he'd let Sam do whatever. Probably finds it funny.

[sunshine-in-a-bottle]

Because I go to school again and don't have time to reblog 250 posts a day you are all legally obligated to send me all the new Dream and Drunz/staggedduo drawings so I don't miss them. I trust you with this mission, should you choose to accept it.

[sunshine-in-a-bottle]

hello hello hello, what've you been up to?? you've seen me going insane over my dnd campaign but i actually don't know if you've played dnd! or if you want/plan to? i wish to Know gamerrr

GAMER!!!!!! Gamer gamer gamer gamer-

I'm writing a lot!!! All the fics, so much staggedduo but also DTeam, which reminds me I need to yell at you about the werewolves fic because I have thoughts and am not sure where to put them and It's Hard. Writing is Hard.

I do play dnd! I've played since I was like... 12? I've been both a player and a DM, and fairly bad at being both. Bit scatterbrained for character builds and not just whatever makes me happy. I really love it though, especially the story aspect? I love worldbuilding and characters and writing. Makes the writer in me go brrrr, so you're legally required to tell me everything about your campaign