Chapter Text
Sapnap was eight when Dream got into his first hockey fight (it was completely verbal, of course, but it was still a big moment). Sapnap was shy, a bit of a pushover, and, according to Dream, too tolerant of insults (though Dream was nine, so the best way he could say that was Sapnap let people make fun of him way too much). They had known each other for two years and were best friends. They would do anything to keep each other happy because that’s just what best friends do. So, when some rude nine year old on the opposing team was following Sapnap around teasing him about how he missed a goal, Dream decided to take matters into his own hands or… voice?
“You shut your mouth you stinky butthead! Sapnap’s a better shot than you when his eyes are closed,” Dream yelled at the kid, stopping abruptly in front of the kid in the middle of the ice. Sapnap, who had been staring down, trying to ignore the kid, looked up in surprise at the sound of Dream’s voice carrying over the rink.
“Oh yeah? it doesn’t seem like it, if that baby couldn’t even make the easiest shot in hockey ever ,”
“As if you could even make that shot if there was no one else on the ice! Nice try. I’ve been watching , and you haven’t made one goal yet, Sapnap already made one and he has an assist,” Dream yelled back, speaking nothing but the truth. Sapnap just watched in awe as his friend defended him. He saw Dream open his mouth, surely about to spit out another insult when the ref came in and split them up, but Sapnap knew that this would become a habit of Dream’s. His friends meant more to him than anything in the world, and he would do whatever it took to protect them… especially if they wouldn’t do it for themselves. The look on Dream’s face after he had stood up for Sapnap showed no signs of remorse, so Sapnap knew that this would probably become a pattern, especially because he had no plans to start standing up to people himself.
That night Dream and Sapnap had their customary post-game sleepover, something that they had put in place one year into their friendship. It was something that both of the boys had wanted so badly that their parents didn’t have the heart to refuse. Besides, they were always so hopped up on adrenaline after their games, it was just easier to keep them together and let them tire each other out. They were at Dream’s house this time, laying on the trampoline after an extensive round of crack the egg (Sapnap always won, no matter how hard Dream tried), when Sapnap turned to Dream.
“Why did you yell at that kid today, I was fine, he wasn’t even really bugging me,” Sapnap asked, his curiosity taking the wheel. Secretly, Sapnap kind of liked that Dream had stood up for him, but he also really didn’t want Dream to get in trouble because he stood up for Sapnap.
“Because he was being mean to you, and that bugged me ,” Dream shrugged, rolling over and absentmindedly tapping a beat on the trampoline.
Sapnap scrunched up his face in confusion, “Why would someone being mean to me bug you ?” he asked.
Dream stopped what he was doing and looked into Sapnap’s eyes, placing his hand on Sapnap’s shoulder, “Because you’re my best friend , Sapnap, and when they hurt you it hurts me too. I would do anything to keep you safe, I would even jump in front of a gun!” Dream proclaimed, with the sincerity and intensity that you can really only see from a nine year old making a promise.
“Really?” Sapnap asked, bewildered that he could matter this much to anybody outside of his family.
“Really.” Dream said determinedly, nodding and tapping Sapnap’s shoulder once before turning his attention back to the beat on the trampoline.
They sat silently on the trampoline for a few moments, the only sound being Dream’s fingers drumming on the net of the trampoline, “I would do the same for you,” Sapnap said decidedly, breaking the silence after thinking about it.
Dream looked up and smiled at Sapnap, showcasing the gaps in his teeth from the baby teeth that had fallen out, “Best friends forever, no matter what?” Dream asked, reaching his pinky out to Sapnap.
“Best friends forever, no matter what. Pinky promise,” Sapnap replied, wrapping his pinky around Dream’s to seal the deal with a nearly identical grin on his face.
They fell asleep that night in sleeping bags placed a couple feet apart, right in front of Dream’s family TV. The last sounds that had filled the night were quiet giggles ringing through the air, before they were replaced by the sound of soft, even breaths (and light snoring from Sapnap).