#started paused halfway went bro i really dont know where to take this and now we're here

[pyrten]

DNF -- Unfinished / Dropped (12/3/2021)

! Alcohol !

Yeah, I have zero idea where I'm going with this so I'll just put it here for anyone to read lol.

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The upbeat tune thrums through the room. Colourful lights flicker and travel across the walls, illuminating the twinkling crystals hanging from the ceiling. 

Dream doesn't acknowledge the bodies moving across the floor, in sync with the beat of the song blasting from the speakers. Instead, he sits in front of the bar, swirling the liquid in his glass, watching as the bartender attends to the influx of orders from excited (and possibly drunk) customers. 

He decided to stream today, on his birthday. Perhaps he regrets it, seeing how he's sitting in a club, savouring the burn of alcohol instead of dancing, being with his family or going out with friends. It feels awfully awkward as he's always sure of what he feels. 

The bartender places another glass in front of him and he nods as thanks. He takes a sip from the glass and tugs at the collar of his shirt, sighing as his throat burns.

His mind feels a tad bit hazy. Placing the glass onto the countertop, he scans the scene around him. A couple making out in the corner, the whoops of excited teenagers who aren't supposed to be allowed in, the barely-there smell of sweat lingering in the air as bodies move across the floor and brown eyes locking gazes with him as he pauses. The tapping of his fingers on the countertop stops while he stares. 

The man challenges his stare with his own. 

The darkness surrounding the room really doesn't help. Lights occasionally illuminate the man's face, but it's too quick and Dream is only able to catch a glimpse. 

The man swirls his own drink, silently taking a sip as he finally tears his gaze away from Dream's. He does the same, turning his head to focus on the glass he's gripping onto, once again reaching to tug at his collar as he downs the liquid. 

He feels a tingle traveling down his spine. It's barely there but he feels it. Dream squeezes his eyes shut. "It's probably the alcohol," he thinks. "And the generally overwhelming day." 

He tries to focus on anything other than the glittering brown eyes that tugged at his heart and pulled his attention. He hears the chair scraping against the floor from his left and he stubbornly stares at the bottle of rum sitting on the rack in front of him. 

Hiding the lower half of his face with his hand, he sighs. The man probably lost interest. There isn't any reason for him to be nervous. 

Slowly, he gathers his courage as he turns to face the person who took a seat next to him. The least he could do is acknowledge them, for manner's sake. 

Immediately, his words die on his tongue and he's left speechless as he's faced with pale looking skin, soft lips and those mesmerising brown eyes. 

The man gives him a shy smile and looks away, waving the bartender over to order his drink, a huge contrast with the challenging gaze Dream went against a minute ago. 

"Y-you… um… hey," Dream mumbles out, frantically glancing around, trying to find something he could focus on instead of the man seated next to him. He's dumbfounded. How did he turn into a puddle within seconds? Did the alcohol affect him that badly? 

The man glances at him while ordering his drink. Dream awkwardly shuffles in his seat, tracing the rim of his glass with his finger. 

"Hey." 

Dream stops his actions and lifts his head to face the man. He's met with a warm smile and his heart flutters. Immediately, he hides his cough with his hand. He feels a flush making its way up his neck and he hopes the man doesn't notice. 

He offers a smile and lifts his drink to take a sip, hoping it'll give him some courage and ease him. "It's a busy night, isn't it?" He starts. A simple question. 

"It is," the man agrees, looking around while playing with the umbrella that came with his drink. An awkward silence grows between them as Dream tries to formulate a response that could continue the conversation. 

"Your name...?" The man asks, letting the question hang in the air. 

"Dream," he supplies, offering a hand out. 

A small giggle slips past the man's lips and a warm hand, smaller than his, grips his hand. They shake on it and Dream starts to feel more comfortable. 

"George," he replies. 

George savours the touch as Dream slowly pulls his hand away. He keeps the smile on his face, politely thanking the bartender as they hand him his drink. 

He takes a sip, trying to hide his smile. He watches as Dream chuckles and scratches his neck, eyes frantically looking everywhere but him. "That's cute."  

"You have an accent," Dream starts and George perks up. "Are you from the UK?" 

He shifts in his seat, positioning himself so that he's facing Dream instead of the countertop. "I am. I'm visiting here. Family, you know?" 

Dream lets out a chuckle and George is glad that he looks more relaxed than before. George notices as Dream leans closer, perhaps unconsciously and an alarm goes off in his mind. He ignores it. 

A forlorn smile settles on Dream's face. "That's cool. How do you find it here?" 

George giggles. That's such a dumb question. It's not like he's visiting Florida for the first time. "I visit here every few months or so. It's definitely warmer compared to England. The beaches are too crowded for my liking though." 

His heart stutters when Dream breaks into a laugh, not a nervous chuckle or an awkward giggle (although, they're both adorable), a full, hearty laugh that slightly resembles a tea kettle. Dream's cheeks are rosy, his face flushed and George silently takes it in, red slowly colouring his face. 

"There's more to Florida than beaches, George. You can't tell me that when you've visited a few times," Dream says, pressing his drink to his cheek, smiling. George masks his blush with his hand, giggling. 

"Well, I'm telling you that my family and I don't go out often," he replies. 

Dream snorts, feeling better than he was before. His cheeks hurt from all the smiling and laughing. 

"I really don't know how to reply other than to offer to show you around," Dream says hesitantly, placing the empty glass onto the countertop. 

George covers his blush with his hand, eyes widening for a split second. He chews his bottom lip nervously, letting the thought jump around until he settles on a conclusion. 

"Dance with me while I think about it?" George asks, smiling shyly. 

Dream gently drags him to the dancefloor as he reaches to place his drink on the countertop, giggling. 

George holds onto Dream's bicep as they twirl around each other and gracefully avoid bumping into other people. The strobe lights start flickering at an alarming speed, throwing them into darkness every few seconds. George pulls Dream closer, their breaths intermingling. He could barely make out the flecks of brown in those jasmine green (he presumes) eyes. 

His breath hitches as a warm hand cups the nape of his neck and his mind blanks when he hears the whisper next to his ear. "Made up your mind yet?" Dream asks. 

The entire club is plunged into darkness as gasps arise from the crowd. The music stops and he looks around in confusion. Someone grabs onto his forearm and guides him through the crowd, ushering him out the exit.  

George shivers at the sudden rush of warm air and the grip on his forearm loosens. He hears the jingle of keys and looks at Dream while shrugging off his blazer, raising an eyebrow. 

Dream gestures towards a car, an awkward smirk playing on his lips. "The offer still stands…" he trails off. "Unless you want to head back in, which is fine. Maybe you came with a friend and they're probably worried. Or maybe another…" he starts rambling. 

George laughs, bright and unfiltered and Dream stops his rambling to grin. He  unlocks the doors and George slides into the passenger seat while Dream, into the driver's seat.   

They're on the road within minutes. Serene music drifts through the car, contrasting the upbeat music they danced to several minutes ago. Lamp posts and shops blur past them, giving George a slight sense of numbness. "This is such a bad idea," George mumbles but he can't help but smile. He can hear his own heartbeat in his ears, his fingers curl around the fabric of his button up shirt. 

Dream giggles, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to the tune of the song playing. "Tell me to stop and I will," he says, staring at the road ahead. "Do you have any specific place you want to visit? Or prefer?" 

George shrugs, leaning against his palm while staring at Dream. "You're the one who offered. Anything will do. I'm only staying for… 12 more hours before my flight back." His eyes drift from the window to Dream, whose eyes are focused on the road. "Make it worth it." 

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