And They Were Roommates || DNF

6

Even when his eyes were closed, with the only light penetrating the skin of his eyelids being the multicolored rays projected by the cheap disco ball Sapnap had purchased the day before, Clay could see the world around him spinning. Or maybe he could feel it -- the slightly wobbling he was doing probably should have been a dead giveaway, but it wasn't like Clay could necessarily tell the difference. In all honesty, the warmth from the few drinks he had drunk over the span of the hour that had gone by had finally started to really settle in. The numb airiness began to wash over him, starting from his fingertips and then his brain -- slowly overtaking any intelligent thoughts, replacing them with incoherent mush.

Before moving in with Sapnap, Clay had never particularly minded having a drink or two. Despite the headaches he would be cursed with the morning after a night of drinking, he thrived off of the way alcohol seemingly made everything funnier -- always leaving him with a story to reminisce on months after the fact.

Now, even in minor inebriation, he could tell something was off. Almost every other minute Clay would feel himself look for something; someone. His knees jerking up and down as his leg bounced vigorously -- a desperate attempt to soothe the anxiety that plagued him. Anytime a short boy with jet black hair would bob around in the crowd of people, Clay's leg would freeze and the tremor would shoot up from his leg to his heart as it beat aggressively against his chest. He would take a sharp inhale, practically tasting the alcohol on his breath, as he waited for the person's face to come into focus.

In the end, the familiar figure would end up being a nameless face, and instantly his leg would go back to shaking -- the unwarranted feeling of disappointment creeping up his chest as he played another game of knockoff 'Where's Waldo'. The only relief Clay had gotten was the few glances he had got of Sapnap, Karl, Quackity, Bad, and Punz, not once being spotted George among the group. And when they roamed their way back into the kitchen to refill their drinks or pester Clay, they never left with another bottle of Georges trademark Mike's hard lemonade -- meaning, when they were absent from the kitchen, they weren't with George.

Even outside of Clay's presence, George finally learned to be obedient. Taken at face value, Clay started off giddy with seeing his dominance at play but there was no ignoring the obvious question: 'If George wasn't with them, who was he with?'.

An absence from Sapnap and Punz was understandable, there was only so much George could endure trying to annoy Clay -- it wasn't unusual for George to have to stop his act midway the second Sapnap started acting up. Acting something similar to a cat who loves being pet until the petting goes on for too long -- not hesitating to bite. Karl and Quackity, however, were practically glued to George's side at all times and if you thought Quackity was clingy sober, intoxication increased his clinginess by a tenfold.

Clay's thoughts were a double-edged sword, he was happy George was following his orders while at the time he was losing his mind not knowing where George was and what he was doing. If he didn't spend years with a burning hatred for the brit, he would have had half the mind to say he was being borderline obsessive. But of course, that wasn't the case. Yeah, he thought, just want to make sure he's not testing me.

Almost on cue, Sapnap stumbled his way drunkenly into the kitchen, Karl and Quackity not far behind him. Sapnap made his way over to Clay, Karl, and Quackity, on the other hand, acted like he didn't exist as they flew to the island -- stuffing their face with food, their sullied words becoming even more incoherent as they shouted gibberish with their mouths full.

Clay grimaced at the sight, feeling like he was at some bizarre human petting zoo watching the animals eat -- Quackity dropping multiple cookies in the process, a heartbroken groan as he mourned over his fallen cookie soldier. Sapnap, clearly used to the behavior, blatantly ignored the pair, looking straight at Clay with an amused, knowing glance. Wordlessly, Clay stared back trying to lure Sapnap to spill whatever he had on his mind.