like real people do | dreamnotfound

22

22 - would you like to move too fast and plan our perfect lives together?

~

"dad," clay knocked on phil's open door, the blond looked up and smiled at the former, not acknowledging the way clay looks like he can be blown away by the wind because of how small he looked. "can i, can i go with niki and wil tomorrow somewhere?"

"sure, where?" phil asked, absentmindedly. his hands skillfully sketched images and stories onto the paper - art was something the three of them all enjoyed, but in clay and techno's opinion - their dad's drawings are the most beautiful ones there were.

"we're just coming over to the hospital," clay lightly explained, "niki's brother woke up, and we're gonna provide company."

"okay, mate." phil smiled, "stay safe, alright?"

"of course." clay responded, he turned to walk back into his room when phil called him again, turning back around to look at his dad, clay raised an eyebrow.

"i love you, son." phil reminded, which made clay smile involuntarily.

"i love you too, dad."

-

"hop on in, loser! we're going to the hospital!" wilbur yelled from his car, niki in the passenger seat. clay wheezed, going to enter the car - but not before being stopped by techno. the blond looked at the pinkette in slight confusion, before getting engulfed in a hug, clay couldn't help but lean into the touch, mumbling a 'thank you' underneath his breath. clay walked into wilbur's car, sitting behind the two. they didn't drive in silence, with the curly haired boy plugging his phone into the aux cord and singing along to the songs obnoxiously, niki laughed at wilbur's antics - and clay, even though he was a little dazed, he still appreciated wilbur's attempts at cheering him up and easing his nerves.

when they arrived at the hospital building, clay exited the car last, trailing behind niki and wilbur with uncertainty and fizzy anxiety right below his fingertips. the employee at the front desk gave niki a warm smile, with the former returning it right back. their footsteps echoed within the white, almost empty, hallway. niki stopped in front of a door, and looked at clay. "are you ready?"

"yeah, i am." clay replied, looking at wilbur for guidance. the latter only smiled at clay, and squeezed his shoulder in reassurance, 'you'll do fine', he mumbled. niki entered the room first, and that didn't calm clay's nerves down.

"hey, george." niki greeted, the fluffy haired boy looked up from the book he was reading and smiled at the sight of his sister.

"niki!" george smiled wide, as niki gave him a hug. "goodness, i missed you."

"how are you?" niki asked, releasing her brother from the hug. george placed his book face down on the table beside his bed, keeping it open as to save the page.

"i've been good! still a little weak, the doctor did say that we have to keep things slow and easy for my organs, they've been too dependent on the support for years and might shut down if we rush things," george hummed, "so i'll probably stay here for a little longer."

"that's great! well, not great on the part that you're staying here a little longer, but great on the fact that you're doing fine." niki held george's hand, tracing circles on his knuckles. "hey, remember that deal a few years ago?"

george stopped, and looked right at his sister. "the ear cuff?" he asked meekly, and niki nodded. george didn't want to keep his hopes up, but the want and need ignited within his heart was something he couldn't ignore.

"yes, the ear cuff one." niki clarified, george looked down, the flimsy hospital gown hanging off of his shoulders are making him hyper-aware of his surroundings. "i pulled some strings, and-"

"wait, what-" george looked up, interrupting his sister, which - niki smiled calmly, her patience unwaivering. the door opened, wilbur entering the room with a tall, blond fellow trailing closely behind. george got a good look at the boy, and he looked exactly like he did when they first met; the same anxiety residing within ethereal, green eyes. freckles littered his skin, and george's eyes lingered over the black, vein like marks trailing down clay's arm. his wavy (the length? wavy length? george wasn't really sure.) blond hair lightly moving with the wind.

"hi, george." clay muttered, meek and shy. george released a breath he didn't realize he was holding, choking out a sob and beckoning clay to move closer.

"it's you, you're actually here." george said breathlessly, niki moved out of the way and couldn't help the smile on her face as clay sat down on the chair beside george's hospital bed. the brit reached his hand out, fingers trailing over the bags underneath clay's eyes, "darling, you look tired."

"i'm sorry." clay mumbled sheepishly, leaning into george's touches.

"why are you apologizing, sweets?" george asked, ignoring the silent tears trailing down his own face in favour of comforting clay, who has crumbled in front of him. because of how absorbed they were with each other, they didn't notice niki and wilbur exiting the room to get food downstairs. "your arm, does it hurt?" he continued, clay shook his head. george smiled, pressing a chaste kiss on the blond's forehead.

"you're actually, i got to meet you." clay let out a watery laugh, "god, i felt so hopeless."

"why is that?" george asked again, despite knowing deep inside why.

"i thought i'd never see you again." clay clarified. leaning further into the touch as george wiped the blond's tears away with his fingertips.

"well, i'm here now." george smiled, "and i won't leave you again, won't push you into portals either." he joked, earning a soft slap on the shoulder.

"you better not." clay wheezed through his tears, making george laugh along with him. george's eyes lingered on clay's lips, and the latter took the initiative to capture the brit's lips in a kiss, properly this time.

-

04/07/21