dreamland | dreamnotfound

4

4 - daisies ; la vie en rose | edith piaf

after the talk with clay, george felt a little okay about the dreams, because what if they were just weird dreams and nothing more? but even if they were only weird dreams, he still has fallen for his best friend - and, falling for your best friend is dangerous, because it might go well or you might lose one of the people you care most about. to be honest, george would rather have clay in his life as a friend than lose him permanently.

he walked up to his flower shop, it was a gift from his parents on his 18th birthday, and george ran it well. he was known for being nice and arranging the prettiest looking bouquets of flowers, so his business wasn't suffering.

the day went on normally, and george loved this simple life of his, he just wished he had someone to share it with - george has so much love to give, and he gives them all to his friends, but there's a special type of  love he wants to give out to someone special. maybe, he's thinking of someone specific, perhaps a freckle-filled face with warm, green eyes to match.

he arranged specific requests, such as wedding bouquets and plain ones people would like to give their significant other, but george can't help but think - when will someone give him a bouquet of flowers? he seems to arrange them for other people to receive, but when will someone hand him a bouquet of flowers along with words of love and affection?

the day ended, and before he closed up his shop, a familiar face stopped by.

"gogy!" clay said as he entered the shop, he was wearing a white sweater, skinny jeans and an old pair of shoes he always insisted on wearing.

"hey clay! what's up?" george asked, walking out from his tiny little station, "how are you?"

"chat later, let's hang out!" clay smiled.

"like, right now?" george tilted his head to the side in confusion and clay nodded.

"yea! we could go out and get something to eat, i know you're tired." clay said, leaning against the doorframe, smiling gently at george - honestly, he was just admiring the older man, and george seems oblivious to it.

"uh, sure! just wait for me, and i'll just close my shop." george answered timidly, with a small smile on his face - the one only clay gets to see.

george never knew why, but he always felt something warm and bubbly in his chest whenever he looked at daisies, you can say that they were his favourite flowers. and whenever he looked at clay - he'd get the same feeling.

clay and george walked out of the shop, talking about nonsense and simple things, and george can't help the smile on his face right now, he just felt so happy when he was around clay.

they stopped when an ice cream truck was driving by, clay pulled george by the arm to the ice-cream truck, both of them laughing like children.

"what can i get ya lovebirds?" the old lady asked. she had brown, curly locks with white strands here and there and she gives off strong maternal vibes. she also had a birthmark on her neck, a weird looking one at that. she stared at the two boys with warmth and safety within her eyes, it was as if she knew what was happening and she knew more than she lets on.

"oh we're not together." clay awkwardly mumbled. george can't help but feel a pang of pain in his chest, but clay was right though - they were nothing but two best friends.

"apologies, y'all look so adorable together." she smiled at them, and george sadly smiled in return. "now, what can i get you both?"

"i'll have a chocolate, how 'bout you george?" clay reverted back to his old, smiley self.

"strawberry please." george answered with a gentle smile on his face. the lady then nodded and started preparing their ice cream, humming a sweet and nostalgic lullaby.

"it's almost fall." she started a conversation, stopping her humming. "hades will be with persephone soon." she smiled.

"mythologies?" clay asked, making the old woman nod in response. "my sibling's fond of those stories, didn't know there were many more who are fans of them." he smiled.

"ha, yeah, those stories are very comforting, exuding familiarity. anyways, don't mind me, just blabbering on and on about my thoughts. here's your ice-cream boys." the lady handed them their dessert and thanked clay for the payment. somehow, this woman was familiar, like they've met her before - but that's silly.

as clay dragged george to another place and continued laughing about the simple things that made them happy, the lady smiled.

"fate's with you on this lifetime."

george and clay sat down on a park bench, eating their ice-creams with clay occasionally sneaking a look at george.

clay, out of nowhere, then booped george's nose with his chocolate ice cream and george lightly protested, taking his index finger and wiping the blob of chocolate on the tip of his nose.

they continued talking and eating comfortably, appreciating each other's presence.

"god, george, you're such a messy eater." clay light-heartedly chided, taking his thumb and wiping off melted strawberry ice-cream from the corner of george's mouth, clay then smiled smugly at george and licked the ice-cream off of his thumb.

"clay!" george lightly whined, "you didn't have to make it gay."

george dropped his facade of being mad when clay let out a wheeze, coughing his lungs out. george then joined him in laughing, and there they were - happy in each other's company.

but, george can't help but think about clay's words earlier. clay was right though, they weren't together, heck, george was setting himself up for heartbreak - he doesn't even know if clay liked guys.

clay noticed the sad look in george's eyes and gently nudged him on his arm, george looked up at clay and smiled, leaning his head against his shoulder.

"see that bright star?" clay asked, pointing to a star in the night sky. "that's you, because you make my days and nights brighter, and you're my refuge when i'm lost."

george was flustered, but smiled.

"you're so cheesy." george responded, with a teasing tone. "well, i think your freckles are pretty."

"you think so?"

"yea, you look like the night sky full of stars, and...looking at you makes me feel so much better."

clay felt the butterflies in his stomach go batshit crazy, both he and george don't know what they are - but they're too afraid to talk to each other about it, so for now, they'll simply eat their ice-creams and talk to each other about the little things in life.