Chapter Text
Punz stands impatiently outside of the prison, tapping their foot and crossing their arms. There are few things that could make Dream call Seaburn, and none of them are especially easy or pleasant to deal with.
At least it couldn’t be that he’s gone blind, even drugged Dream wouldn’t sound that… peppy? More like overexcited, which could lead to overstimulation if Dream’s not careful.
As Dream says, “brain can only zoom so much before the wheels come off and everything’s on fire.” And then he ranted about lights, textures, and ‘squishy foods that are wrong ’ for a good fifteen minutes.
Let’s just say that Punz got rid of all the peas he had afterwards.
Regardless, Punz is anxious to see Dream, and figure out why he’s called for the complete abandonment of The Plan. They are trying extremely hard not to let worse-case scenarios run amock in his head, arguing that Sam wouldn’t have called him if it was truly bad, but it’s a losing battle.
After what feels like an eternity, the portal finally flickers to life and Punz walks through without waiting for Sam’s instructions. They did look over the blueprints for the building with Dream many times. They know for the sake of not making Sam feel uneasy they should have a neutral face, but the scowl that graces their face feels like it’s been held back for months . Punz is tired of holding his tongue, watching his tone, acting the perfect little traitor the others believe him to be.
Punz is tired of waiting.
“Punz, I know that this seems a litt…”
“If you don’t show me where Dream is right now I will kill you and use the keycards to lock this place down and find him myself.”
Sam stutters for a moment, meeting Punz’s glare with bewildered eyes. “Uh, well, okay. This way, I guess?”
“Oh hell no, I am not going through all the stupid protocols, we are taking the guard routes,” Punz snarls, snatching the keycard from Sam’s hand and marching over to the hidden door, making sure that Sam can see the weapons he has hanging from his hip in a silent threat. “Where is he? Medical room? If he’s in your private rooms we are going to have issues.”
“Yeah, uh, he’s in the infirmary, he’s… mostly fine? I think he should explain it to you.” Punz largely ignores Sam’s prattle, more notes it down in the back of his head, practically marching deeper into the prison. He fiddles with the dagger on his hip, a gift from Dream, mind monetarily flashing to the day Dream gave it to him. He would rather not have to use it, but he will do just about anything for Dream.
When Punz finally gets to the infirmary, they swipe the keycard and slam the door open, quickly surveying the room for anything amiss.
“Punz!” Dream grins at him from the bed he’s sitting on, swinging his legs onto the floor, and Punz briefly studies the cufflink attached to his ankle, concern growing as he starts to catalog half-healed injuries. “You know that thing I said about babies and admins, like, three months ago?”
What? What is he… oh. That conversation. The conversation on the necessity of protection beyond the prevention of infection.
“...yes,” Punz hesitates as he replies, giving Sam a side-eye, shifting just slightly so he can slash at Sam if needed. Something has clearly happened, beyond just the signs of malnutrition Punz can see in the gauntness of Dream’s face. “Why?”
“We are having a baby! A little Iris!” Dream’s face is filled with joy and a hint of wonder. Punz vaguely notes that it is the happiest they’ve seen Dream in a while as the blood roars in his ears.
Punz barely has the strength of mind left to stumble into the nearest chair before his legs give out. His breath starts to pick up and his eyes spring with tears.
They’re going to be a parent .
They’re going to have a KIT!
They meet Dream’s eyes and let a grin break out on their face for what feels like the first time in months. “We’re going to be parents?” they whisper, barely daring to hope.
Dream grins back as he nods.
Dream would like to have it on the record that he could be a lot more petty right about now, but he’s being a ‘good person’ or whatever, and not rubbing his superiority in Sam’s face. He could do and say specific things that would make Punz go all lovey-dovey or start him on a rant about the server’s stupidity, but he is showing restraint.
See Techno, he can be diplomatic.
Not that it really matters, Sam is just sitting forlornly in the corner, acting like Punz practically vibrating out of their skin in excitement is an attack against him. It gives Dream a weird feeling, but he’ll think about it later.
“So, what’s the plan from here? Do we go to one of your hidey-holes? My tower? Build somewhere new?” Punz asks as they rummage through the pile of stuff Sam had stuck in a corner.
Sam’s face twists but he doesn’t say anything, so Dream figures that he can be at least semi-honest in front of him. It’s not like he could tell anyone. Sam may not realize it yet, but he’s condemned himself in the eyes of the server.
Either through how he allowed torture or by letting Punz into the prison to help Dream. He backed into a hard place and then put a rock in front of himself.
“Honestly, I would rather not move anywhere until after Iris is born, people expect me to be here and the moment I leave we run the risk of someone seeing me. I remember what it was like when my mom was on the run while pregnant, and I have no interest in experiencing it myself.” Dream fiddles with his hair. “The real question is if we want to run to a far corner of the server after they are born or if it’s time to send out eviction notices.”
That gets Sam’s attention. “You would kick people out?” Sam pauses for a moment, and then jerks back like someone has faked out hitting him. “Wait, you can kick people out?”
“Uh, yeah, I am the Admin of this server. That is one of the benefits of forming this world out of nothing but my blood, sweat, tears, and sheer determination. That and the whole It-feeds-me-I-feed-It symbiotic relationship we have,” Dream tilts his head slightly. “I know not much is known about Admins, but that’s public information. One of the Hub rules is that I need to send out eviction notices unless there is a good enough reason before I kick people, but even if those I kick contest it, I have plenty of proof of them breaking server rules, to the detriment of other server members, myself, and the server itself.”
“You could probably kick some people out without notice and easily beat them in court,” Punz offers, not-so-subtly glaring at Sam.
“I mean, probably. I would rather not though. Especially with a baby,” Dream fiddles with his hair. “Either way, evict now, later, or not at all?”
Punz’s tail swishes back and forth in thought. “If we are going to wait for the kit to be born before leaving this stupid obsidian box,” Sam’s face at his greatest creating being called stupid is priceless “then we should wait until after to send out notices, just in case someone decides that they need to retaliate.”
“Point,” Dream sighs and leans back. “I also don’t think we should tell him about this… situation for a month or so.”
Sam’s face scrunches in confusion, but Punz gives him a knowing look. “Yeah, he’s not exactly subtle.” They finally seem satisfied with how they have sorted the stuff Sam got, stretching as they stand up. “First thing on the agenda though; you stink, it’s time to take a bath.”
Dream stutters in indignation as Sam takes his leave, still looking incredibly awkward. “Well, I haven’t exactly had time for that!”
Both Punz and Dream ignore the click of a lock sliding into place.