**Bartender George AU**

"Sapnap, I'm really not in the mood to go bar hopping. Really." Dream deadpanned. He was perfectly content sitting here on the couch for the rest of the night. He wasn't in the mood for lights, music, and girls he wasn't interested in hitting on him. Batting their eyelashes and laughing at a joke that even Dream himself knew wasn't funny.

"Dream man come on. It's a new bar, we haven't been there yet!" Dream responded by burrowing deeper into the large blankets surrounding him.

"No,"

"Dream. Get the hell out of your nest." Dream groaned as Sapnap pulled him by his feet. "I know you want to be all sad but dude, come on! This isn't you. Now get upstairs, get your ass in the shower and look hot." Dream was tempted to shriek or to do anything to get Sapnap to lose grip on his ankles, maybe thrash around his feet, but instead, he let Sapnap drag him to the floor. His butt hitting the hardwood with a thump.

"Fine." Dream grumbled. Who knows, maybe he did need this. Maybe he would have fun?

Dream quickly got into the shower and rifled through his closet. Coming to terms with a simple shirt with black skinny jeans. After slipping on his sneakers, he ran downstairs.

"Finally." Sapnap slapped my shoulders. "You're looking good." Dream knew that he didn't want to go out, but it did feel good to get ready. The shower was cleansing and getting into some new clothes was comforting. Reluctantly Dream smiled at that, Sapnap had always been good at making Dream feel good about himself.

"What's the bar called?"

Sapnap shrugged, "Apparently it's this really underrated bar. There is nothing about it online, and you aren't supposed to tell people about it at all. You have to find it or let it find you, I guess. If you search it up a Page Not Found Error comes up. So anyone who knows about it has been calling it the 404." Sapnap shrugged, "You're the only person I'm telling."

"How did you find it?" Dream asked as he watched Sapnap put the car in reverse.

"Karl, Quackity, and I were out yesterday and we were just walking. We took a wrong turn and found it in a back alley."

"How do you not find this sketchy?" Dream asked.

Sapnap just shrugged, "I don't know. We walked in and it was a really nice spot. It's kinda clever they really rely on the whole online thing. When we bought a drink we even got a discord link on a paper."

"Huh, that's kinda cool I guess." Sapnap nodded in agreement.

"Definitely, I think they went along with the whole 404 title pretty well."

"They definitely claimed it as their own."

They parked a few blocks away and met up with Quackity and Karl. Sapnap greeted his boyfriends with a peck on their cheeks and they walked inside. "How long are we staying here?" Dream asked.

"I don't know, it's only like 2 am. Maybe till closing?" Karl asked, looking around the group. "Sound good with you guys?"

Sapnap nodded, along with Quackity. Dream spoke up. "Yeah sounds good. I was just wondering."

Dream walked in and was a little surprised with the cleanliness, good choice of music, and kind-looking bartenders. With such great quality, Dream was taken aback by the lack of people on the dance floor. "We're going to dance, Dream. That cool?"

Dream nodded, "I don't care. Y'all are in the relationship, have fun. I'll be at the bar." Sapnap nodded. Dream walked over to the bar, sitting down in the swirly chair. A woman walked over and asked him what he would like.

Dream was a little relieved when she didn't immediately go into full bartender flirt mode. She was just a kind woman around Dream's age asking him what he wanted to drink. "I'll just take a beer for now."

"Bottle? Or tap?" Dream smiled.

"Bottle is good."

Dream watched as the two people behind the bar swiftly moved around each other. He caught the eyes of the male behind the bar, he was curving his body so he could get around the woman back there with him. He was holding a tray full of shot glasses filled to the brim. Still, he could move like crazy without spilling them at all. To be quite honest, Dream was a little entranced by the boy. Watching him maneuver around like that was impressive, heck it was even a little attractive. He couldn't take his eyes off the brunette.

The smooth curve of his hips. How he gave a smile to Dream as he sat alone at the bar. The wink he sent him as he walked over to a table awaiting their round. Dream felt heat spread up and across his cheeks. Dream said he didn't want any girls flirting with him, what he wasn't expecting was the wink from a male bartender. Dream definitely expect that he could be affected by it.

A guy.

He had never thought about a guy like this.

He wasn't weirded out, of course. Three of his male friends were on the dance floor laughing and holding hands.

But not once had he ever thought a boy was attractive himself.

Yet here he was.

"Here you go, Hun." The woman said, placing the bottle in front of him. Dream fished out a few dollars and put it on the counter.

"Thanks." As the brunette made his way back over to the bar, Dream suddenly found his bottle so much more interesting. He kept his head hung low, trying to hide the blush on his cheeks.

"Hey, George." The woman whispered behind the bar. Dream just barely caught her words. "My shift is over but if you need some help closing I'm all good to stay." George shook his head. His eyes lingering on the boy at the bar.

Dream could almost sense his stare. It made his neck and his face burn with heat.

"Nah, go home. It's a slow night. I can close on my own."

"Thanks, George."

As she was halfway out the door he called out to her, "Text me when you get home. I shouldn't be late tonight." She nodded with a smile. Suddenly, Dream's heart sank. Of course, a handsome boy like that would have a girlfriend. He was just doing his job and flirting a little with the customer. Dream had read way too much into it.

"Hey there." Dream looked up at the boy just barely. He was diagonal from him, leaning over the counter. A small smile tugging on his lips.

"Hey," Dream said. He could talk to girls and have sly comebacks like it was nothing. But with this it was different. He had never been this shy in front of someone before. No one had made him feel this way before.

"Ah, you're shy. I see." George pushed himself off the counter by his palms. "That's okay. You want a refill?" Dream hadn't even realized he drank the entire bottle already.

"Yeah, that'd be great." Dream flashed him a smile. George's cheeks turned crimson at the boy's voice and smile. He was supposed to be the flirt.

"Right." George grabbed a bottle from the cooler and handed it to him. "The name's George by the way." He held out his hand. Dream happily took it. Dream knew that George had a girlfriend, maybe this would make this all easier.

Except for the butterflies it sent Dream when he wrapped his hand around George's. Suddenly, a twinge of jealousy tugged on his heart. "Dream."

"Nice to meet you Dream. First time here?" George asked. Dream nodded. "Well," George dug around underneath the counter and handed him a paper.

For a moment Dream hoped it was his number.

But then he remembered what Sapnap had told him. It was just a discord invite.

"Here, this is for a discord Server we have." Dream took the paper and shoved it into his pocket. George changed the subject by nodding over to Dream's group of friends. "Those yours?" Dream laughed.

"Yeah." Dream took a sip of his beer. "They got together a few months back. They all love each other more than anything."

George smiled, "Are you their chaperone?"

"Nah, they actually dragged me here." George grinned.

"Ah, so they broke the rules for you. Punishable by death you know."

"Right right."

"How are you liking it? I think I did an amazing job at starting this place?"

Dream's eyes widened. "Wait you own this place?" George nodded proudly.

"Yeah, it's a slow night but wait till you see it in its glory." George leaned over the counter again, this time in front of Dream. The blond gulped nervously. His face inches away from Dream's. "That is if you come back." His voice was smooth and full of an edge that he couldn't place. So warm and enchanting.

"I think I will. I didn't even want to come out tonight, but I'm having a nice time." Dream moved in a little closer. Having to lift from his seat to get closer to George's face. George seemed unfazed, like he dealt with this on a nightly. He probably did.

Dream sat back down. Hoping to find a little reaction. He wanted to know if he was actually into Dream or if he was just doing his job. It was probably just the latter, he was fairly sure that woman was his girlfriend anyway.

"I'm glad. I hope to see you around again." Dream didn't know where this conversation was going but he didn't want to leave it. He didn't want it to end.

"Question." Dream asked.

"Shoot."

"When did you start this place?" George took a deep breath.

"Maybe around a year ago? I started it with a friend of mine."

"That other bartender?" George nodded. "She seems sweet. Are you two a thing?" George's eyes widened then he burst out laughing.

"No, no. She's my roommate though. Her name is Niki." George leaned over and got close. "Why were you so curious?" His voice was low.

"Nothing. Just wondering." Dream connected his eyes with George. Dream wasn't going to look away, he was supposed to be good at the flirting thing. He was supposed to know this game.

They kept their eyes locked on each other. "Are you sure about that?" George asked, grabbing a pen without breaking eye contact.

"Maybe. I'm not sure." George clicked the pen and took Dream's hand.

"Here, let me do something." Dream wanted to laugh when the pen moved along his skin, it tickled him slightly. "There."

Dream peered down. Staring at the digits on his palm. Matched with a mini pair of white-lined goggles next to it.

"Call me. 'Kay?" George reached over and pecked Dream's cheek.

Maybe he wasn't just being flirty because he had to.

"Right. Yeah. I will."

Texting led to dates. Dates led to sleeping over. Sleeping over led to I love you. I love you led to candle-lit dates. Sometimes this all led to after-hour talks at the 404.

It was a great thing. Dream was so happy that Sapnap dragged him out that night.