dnf oneshots

9. glass bubble

PART 1

Loner AU
George protected himself from everyone with a glass bubble. He thought no one would ever be able to break it, no one would be able to get to him. Then he meets Dream, his first friend in years. Slowly, cracks begin to appear in his bubble. [angst] 

CW// mentions of anxiety

He protects himself with a bubble made of glass. A bulletproof glass, so no one can get in. A glass so strong no one can ever break it. A glass foggy so no one can see in.

Until Dream transfers to the school.

Dream.

No one knows why he calls himself that. Girls theorize that he knows he was a dreamboat. Boys claim he's dreaming if he thought he was cool at all (jealousy issues). Others think he calls himself that because he is always daydreaming.

George doesn't know what to think. So he tries not to think. He gives Dream the same treatment he gives everyone else; he ignores him. Keeps his head down; doesn't talk to him; doesn't look at him; doesn't acknowledge him. Everyone's used to the quiet boy who has built himself a glass bubble. Dream thinks he just hasn't met the right person to help pop it. George thinks he's crazy.

He thinks a lot of things. He's an overthinker. It comes with the anxiety. He overthinks everything. He overthinks Dream. He tries not to; but he does. He notices everything the new boy does. He -- accidentally -- compiles lists about him. It's a strange occurence, as he never does it to his other classmates. But maybe it's becasue Dream is new. An unfamilar threat. But he seems too soft to be a threat. But George watches him anyway.

Dream: a laid back, confident guy. Sure about himself. Very good looking, according to the girls. George could certaintly tell he was attractive, but he wasn't sure if it was the bi panic in him, or just the boy part of him. Other boys notice when other boys were hot... right? 

Dream: a good student, a smart student. Nice to everyone. Doesn't tolerate it when people pick on people who don't deserve it. Stands up for everyone. George thinks he might has a future as either an activist or a computer scientist of some sort, with how much tech volunteering the kid does. 

Dream: a new boy. A new student. A new person. A person who isn't scared. Isn't scared to hide. Not like George. George hides. Dream doesn't. When asked about his sexuality by the students upon appearing (because apparently that was everyone's buisness), he didn't confirm anything. But within a week of being asked and asked and asked, he said he was ambiguous and didn't care for labels.

George only wishes he had half the confidence Dream did. But here he is, pushing through the hallways in his glass bubble, just trying to focus on school and living. Trying to ignore his anxiety, trying to ignore the overwhelming feeling that he wasn't enough. 

He sighs, continuing the journey through the sea of teenagers trying to get to their classes. Why has everyone decided to congregate in the 11th grade wing  today? It means eveyone is getting in George's way, and he's nearly late as it is.

He keeps bumping into people, and it's annoying as shit. He sighs again as he fights past a couple who can't seem to keep their hands off each other. Just as he gets past them, someone bumps into him again. 

"Sorry," an all too familiar voice says. He looks up, his face already pink. Dream pauses, looking down at him. He smiles softly. "George, right?"

"Y-yeah."

He grins wider. "I'm Dream."

"I know," George mutters. "You're kind of famous around here, being the new kid and all."