Your destination is on the right, his phone spoke. George looked up and he put his phone in his pocket, turning it off. A huge, beautiful bookstore stood before him, the doors large and welcoming. The theme of the shop had warm colors, using browns and oranges with brass that danced together perfectly.
He grips the heated brass handle slowly. The metal's heat bites at his hand and George pulls back his hand, rubbing it on his jeans. He looks at his pink hand, stained with the heat. Is everything in Florida just extremely hot?
George wraps his sleeve around his hand and opens the door, quicker this time. He's met with a small, simple rush of air conditioning that blows in his shiny, silky brown hair.
George exhales and gazes at the bookshelves, jaw dropping from the moment he looked up. The shelves were huge, from floor to ceiling, all of the colors matching. The ladders made him even happier, as they looked safe and secure for an average customer to use. George couldn't wait to start looking through the books. It's almost like the books even matched the vibe, even though they were all of the colors and the rainbow and more. They didn't match the warm-colored theme of the place, but they still somehow synced.
George looked around even deeper than he had previously, now moving about the library. He realized it was perfectly silent, with a few hushed whispers here and there. George enjoyed reading more when there were minimal distractions, and he could already tell that he would be spending lots of his hours on the top floor. There were grand-looking stairs leading up to a warm, cozy seating area. George felt the warmth of the fireplace even from downstairs as he ran his hand over the golden railings.
George took some longer looks at some things, then went and purchased a library card from the kind old ladies at the desk.
"Do you guys run this place?" George asked the elderly lady, fidgeting with his new library card. It felt nice in his hands.
"Yes, we do! I'm Maisie, and this is-"she gestures to the lady by her side "-Eleanor. We're sisters, and this place started off family-owned, a long long time ago."
"Ooh," George exclaims. "That's awesome! So this place has been around for a while now?"
"Indeed it has, honey." Eleanor smiles warmly.
George already feels at home here. "Well, expect me here a lot," he chuckles slightly. "I love reading and I just moved here, so this will probably be a hot spot for me." He smiles.
The ladies both return the smile. "We're so glad! We look forward to seeing you around," Maisie says, returning to her laptop.
George smiles and gives a small wave, going to find books. It doesn't take long for George's hands to become full of romances and fantasies. Some are corny, but others are more serious, with deeper themes. George likes serious ones more, as he enjoys deeper meanings, but every once in a while he finds himself needing a cheesy break.
He picks one last book from the shelf, the pile in his arms already covering his eyesight. One last book, George promises himself. He goes on his tiptoes to reach for it, and suddenly, he wobbles and loses his balance. All of the books start to fall out of his arms, George frantically moving to try and catch them. The last thing George wants to do is make loud noises in this heaven. Once he doesn't catch any of them, he starts to fall backward and—
—he lands. In someone's arms. What the hell? Who-
George panics and flings himself out of the arms, turning around slowly. A barely intelligible gasp drops out of his lips.
The man is attractive. Like, really fucking attractive.
He's tall, a lot taller than George, with dirty blond hair so wonderful that George swears it gleams. He does a double take, not fully aware that this is even real. This man just caught me? After that hella embarrassing moment? Oh my god what if he yells at me—
"Hi," the man says, giving a small wave and a giggle that makes George warm all over.
"I- Oh- um, uh- hi. T-Thanks for catching me, hah," George sputters nervously. What is wrong with me? SPEAK!!!
"It's no problem. Sorry I couldn't catch your books I- I um, just didn't want you to fall.. and hurt yourself," he says, and George swears his voice wavers. No, no, I must be hearing things.
"Oh! Oh, it's no problem!" George smiles and giggles a little, rubbing the back of his wrist.
They stare at each other for a while, not saying anything, just looking at each others' eyes. What the hell just happened? What is even going on omg omg omg he's literally staring at me what do I-
A man coughs slightly, his attention not faltering from his book.
"Oh! Uh, let me help you pick these up," the man offers, kneeling to pick up a book. Wait, no, please don't read the title—
He laughs a little. Shit. "Sweater Weather? I think I read this book 5 years ago," he says lightheartedly. George catches the joking tone but is still terribly embarrassed.
(A/N: Sweater Weather isn't a real book just pretend it's some super cheesy classic that people read when they're in middle school or smth LMAO)
George swallows. "Um, yeah, I re-read it uh- every once in a while, I guess," he lies. He reads it like every month, it's his favorite classic from when he was a kid. "I don't pick it up often.. it's just- um- nostalgic. For me." Which is only partly true.
The tall man laughs a little. "Yeah, I remember it being really good. I might read it again some time."
George exhales in relief. "Yeah." A realization hits George as he reaches for the last book. "Wait, I don't know your name. Um, may- I um—"
"It's Clay, but most of my friends call me Dream."
George looks at him quizzically.
"It's a long running story," he says, dropping it at that. "Um, what's yours?" George noticed Clay's eyes fall up and down George, making his heart flutter.
"Oh- um, it's- it's George." George smiles, and Clay returns it. George fills with heat again. What the hell is happening to me?
He's never felt this way with a stranger before, sort of like they already know each other. Like, it's awkward but the silences are comfortable.
"Hey, do you maybe wanna go upstairs and read for a bit? I don't come here often and stay, so I was planning to today," Clay offers.
George's heart pounds. "Yeah, yes, yeah, um- that would be great."
They start heading up the stairs together, Clay carrying some of George's books this time.
"Maybe you'll let me peek over your shoulder at Sweater Weather. It's been too long since I've read it."
George swears he almost falls down the stairs and dies. His knees wobble but he recovers quickly.
He smiles upwards at the tall boy, feeling warm inside. "Yeah, Ill let you."
YOU ARE READING
suddenly // dnf, gream, dreamnotfound
Fanfiction///dnf, dreamnotfound, gream/// might do one more chapter or something but for now it's complete!! :] lmk if anyone wants a final chapter because i can probably think of something! George has finally moved out of his moms house, away from his sicken...
