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Dream joined the game.
Tommyinnit: it dream
Taken huffed, ignoring the message, only to see it spammed numerous more times. Seconds later, and the entire server had started to slowly spam Dream's name, somehow deciding that this was the best bit they could think of.
And honestly, considering some of the streams he's seen, it probably is the best bit they can think of.
But today of all fucking names? Taken doesn't want to deal with the immaturity of it all.
He steadily ignores the stabbing feeling in his chest every time someone calls him Dream. He's not fucking Dream. He's nothing like the dramatic, attention-seeking, sunshine of a human being.
He's only on the server to drop a few things of Fundy’s that he accidently ended up with, and then he can leave. There's no plot streams, and he doesn't have to be anywhere.
There's a note left, asking whoever fronts to 'please please for the love of god mine for netherite we are so low' but he ignores that, not wanting to be here a moment longer.
He's feeling frustrated, misplaced and isolated, and seeing that Sapnap and George are both in a call, he jumps in with them. It's not as if he's fond of them or anything, or appreciates the fact that he knows who he is… he's just bored. That's it.
"Hey," he greets as he joins. He's a second away from ranting when Sapnap cuts in.
"Hi Dream," he says, and the name pins to Taken like a flying arrow, ripping through him. "I'm doing some live speedrunning. George is doing a poor job of keeping me company.”
Fuck. Of course Sapnap’s fucking streaming. What else would Taken's luck be?
"Hey! You asked me to come join you because you were lonely!" George protests, "You don't get to complain."
Taken stays quiet, a sinking feeling inside of him starting to appear. He leans back in his chair and closes his eyes.
In the background, George and Sapnap continue to argue.
Taken's chest hurts, and he's fed up with this bullshit.
"God do you have anything better to do than argue with each other?" he snaps over the phone.
His words have Sapnap and George both falling silent for a moment.
George breaks the silence by letting out a weak chuckle.
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Sapnap teases, “Guys I don't think Dream got his beauty sleep."
He's not Dream. He’s not Dream. And Sapnap- Sapnap knows that. But he's fucking streaming so he can't use his actual name.
Taken hates it, because it’d be so easy to blame Sapnap, to say it’s his fault for calling him the wrong name. But Taken knows that’s not the truth.
It’s fucking frustrating to not be called his own name but also not being able to share it.
And that's Dream’s fault in the first place. If it hadn't been for Dream starting YouTube and Clay jumping to join him, they'd never gain this fame, the amount of viewers that they have. Sapnap would have never risen with them and chances are they would have even stopped streaming all together.
Fucking Dream, always ruining his life and acting as if he's the savior of the entire stupid system or some shit like that.
Taken’s tired of it.
He drops off the call with a click. He considers throwing his phone, but if he does and breaks it, he knows the system will force him to talk about. He kicks the desk harshly instead.
His phone rings on the desk, and George’s name pops up.
"What?" Taken hisses out the minute he answers the call.
"Hey Taken," George greets, and a rush of validation runs through him as he hears his name from someone else's mouth.
"What do you want Gogy?" he asks stiffly.
"Just checking to make sure you're doing alright," George says, "You didn't seem great on call a second ago. Thought I'd reach out without a live audience."
Yeah no shit. Taken wasn’t allowed to be himself for ages even with his own system, and they fucking know about him. No shit he doesn’t want a live audience for his pity party. He doesn’t even know why he jumped on the call with Sapnap and George in the first place.
"Right," Taken bites back, "Forgot- you guys don't want me on stream."
"Taken, no one has said that," George says.
"You think it."
"I don't think that's fair for you to assume," George argues back, voice just as compelling, just hard, not giving Taken an inch of ground.
It’s one of the things that makes George so goddamn annoying, as well as one of the few people he can actually tolerate. George doesn’t take his bullshit, his stupid fucked up attempts to guilt trip. He’s working on it, he is. Doesn’t mean it’s easy.
Taken makes a face.
"You have a point," he admits, which is the closest he’ll ever get to the words 'sorry.'
"Thanks," George says, "Now- how are you doing?"
George still wants to know how he is. Goddamn why are these people so nice.
"I'm being an ass," Taken admits.
"A little but, yeah," George agrees. Taken appreciates the honesty. Taken doesn't have friends, but he thinks George might be the closest he's gotten. It’s the only reason he’s considering sharing with him. George continues, "Didn't know if you knew this, but you kinda do this thing where you intentionally push away positive people in your life before they leave you."
Taken grunts at the call out. George knows him to fucking well.
He sighs, and gets to the thick of things.
“I’m not Dream,” he insists.
“Ah,” George says, “Yeah. Sorry about that.”
"It's whatever," Taken says, "Just fucking sucks. I dunno, like the YouTube thing is fine I guess. Dream and Clay are having a grand ol’ time with it and everyone's really proud of them and shit. It's cool, it's nice."
"But?"
Taken huffs, leaning back in the chair and letting his foot tap gently on the floor. The vibrations flow up his leg, a grounding presence. He’s here, he reminds himself, he exists. He’s real.
"But it's all we ever do now. When I front I always get a fucking list of chores and don't ever get to do my own shit. Like I support them but I want my own fucking life, y'know?"
"Not really," George admits, "but I get your point."
Taken pauses, considering.
It's not fair, he wants to say. It's not fair. It's not fair he has to share a body, share a life, that he has to compromise with his own fucking self. He's seen comments online about how great it seems, how it must be fun to always have friends, to never be lonely.
What a load of bull.
Taken's only been on speaking terms with most of the system in the past year and more often than not he's trying to find his own time, his own space.
He tolerates his systemmates, even goes as far to say that he cares for them nowadays, but that doesn't fucking mean it doesn't suck to be attached to them 24/7.
"I dunno… it’s just, like the longer we do this the more I feel like there's less and less time for me and the shit I wanna do," Taken admits.
"Have you talked to the system about that?" George asks.
Taken groans.
"You want me to talk to people?" he complains, "Communicate? Actually work out my issues? Who do you think I am?"
"Taken, I’ll tattle on you to Raven."
The comment if his girlfriend is enough to bring a small smile to Taken's face before he recognizes George’s very real threat.
"You better not," he says, "she'd be mad at me for not saying stuff sooner."
"Well then do that and I won't have to," George teases back.
Taken groans again but grabs the notebook they keep and flips it to the newest page. He starts an entry, giving basic info of the date, body updates, who's fronting, and other necessities. After that's done he scribbles out a note.
Can we talk about the youtube stuff? Kinda feeling like I don't get to do any of the shit I want to anymore. Let's talk about balance or something? -Taken
"Done," Taken huffs.
‘Taken, language,' Bad chides.
"Fuck fine," Taken groans, ignoring the second 'language' that immediately follows and quickly scribbling out the last three letters of 'shit.’
"What?" George asks.
"Nothing. Bad's making me sensor my note."
George gives a small laugh.
"He'd have your head if you taught Luc to swear," George comments.
Gosh he would. If Taken got Luc swearing, Bad would have his head in an instant. Taken might actually be hated by the entire system again if he got their youngest cursing.
"It's not like he doesn't know most of 'em."
"Knowing is different than using," George points out. "And he looks up to you."
"No he doesn't," Taken dismisses instantly. He's a bad influence. Luc doesn't want to look up to someone like him.
"Whatever," George says, "what do you wanna do? We can rejoin the stream, chat like this, or you can go do something else if you want."
Taken considers.
"Bet I can make Sapnap die before you can," he challenges.
George laughs, "deal."
Taken smirks, and they both leave the channel before moving back into the one that Sapnap is currently alone in.
"Dream, welcome back," Sapnap greets, "Did Georgie make you feel better and give you kissies?"
"Shut up pandas, you wish George gave you kisses," Taken throws back, leaning back in his chair with a smile slowly growing.