Honey and Milk

26: Twizzlers.

No POV

"How did you know Twizzlers are my favorite candy?"

Clay smiled down at George as he continued looking through the tissue-paper stuffed bag.

"I'm observant. And you've gone on tangents about how great they are several times since Halloween."

He grinned up stupidly, giving a kiss to his jaw before turning to begin opening the pack of candy.

It was Christmas time, and neither boy was able to go home for the holidays. It only meant more time to spend together.

Most of their friends had left campus, including Zak who had, not so subtly, rushed Bad and him off in a car to who-knows-where for the holiday.

And now it was just George and Dream, left spend the weeks together. If anything, it was a good time to heal what had been nearly broken.

"You're too kind for me, my gift just seems cheesy." Clay heard a sniffle, looking down to see tears pricking the british boys eyes.

"Aw Georgie, I'll love anything you give me, even if it's just quality time together." He leaned in to press his nose at the base of George's neck, keen on staying there to bask in his smell.

George sighed, leaning so his head leaned atop the blonde's.

Looking out over the town-view, bundles in their blankets, both were able to remember a similar time of fluttering feelings. Sitting in a truck bed, overlooking twinkling lights, while toying with their feelings. Coming back to the cliff was like the final piece to the puzzle, solidifying their connection by bringing it back to its roots.

George hoped his gift might be taken as seriously as this location.

"Here, open mine before we freeze out here. My fingers are going numb." He pulled a small box out of his coat pocket, shifting so Clay lifted his head and received it.

"You didn't cut out any of my hair just to give it to me, right?" He laughed when George swatted his head.

"I'm gonna take it back and you're gonna be sad you didn't get it." He made to take the box back but Clay held it up, out of reach. "Oh, now you're using my height against me. How rude."

George stuck his tongue out, only for Clay to lean down and bump it with his own. The brunette turned away with an exaggerated gag sound.

"Okay, I'm going to open it! Quit poking me or I'm going to throw it." That made George pull back, pulling his coat tight around himself as he watched Clay with wide eyes. He smiled, looking down to the neatly wrapped gift in his palm.

With delicate, glove-covered fingers, he peeled back the paper, tearing it until a simple black box was left. He gave a quizzical look, catching a glint of emotion behind George's eyes. Just seeing the way he fidgeted, glanced between Clay's lips, eyes, and the box, caused the blonde's heart to melt in admiration. This was his boy, and no one else's.

Returning back to the box, he finished opening by lifting the lid.

Inside was a simple silver band, twisted at the top to shape two entwined hearts -- one large and one smaller. Blue gems decorated the outlines, glittering lightly underneath the starlight.

"A promise ring." George spoke up, and Clay's eyes met his own. He was already pulling off his glove, revealing an identical ring -- green gems instead of blue.

"You chose our favorite colors." Clay mumbled, removing it from the box and examining it in awe.

"I wanted us each to have a piece of each other, even if it's as simple as colors." George fidgeted with his, looking to his green ring and back to Clay's. "I know it's kind of basic, but we've made some promises to each other. I thought it would make it more sentimental if we also had something physical to remind each other."

Clay continued admiring it, before looking back to George's face. Every time he looked at his face, it was as if he had seen him for the first time in that café. The boy was looking anywhere but his significant other's face, and it allowed Clay's face to soften into that of pure adoration.

He removed his own glove, slipping the ring over his finger. It fit perfectly, as if George had memorized how large it was by just holding hands.

Clay reached forwards, taking the hand that had George's own ring in his own, effectively connecting them together.

"I love it. I love you, George." Clay said, leaning in to brush his lips against the shorter's hairline. Instead, George leaned up to connect their lips in a sweet kiss. He could still taste the lasting bits of a shared hot chocolate from earlier.

They pulled back, admiring the beauty of each other's presence.

"I know you do." George winked tugging at Clay's hand to pull them off the trunk bed.

They continued giving lingering kisses, never moving out of contact.

And once they reached the college once more, bundles together watching Netflix. Neither withholding burning feelings and hands holding together their hearts.

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words: 825

AYO SHORT CHAPTER BUT IT'S DONE

i'm hoping to be able to continue lots more writing this summer with much more time, and i have some very angsty and triggering topics i'd like to write, but also some much more light-hearted story-telling. (might even do some 'x reader' fics because i've been reading those o.o)

give me a follow if you'd like to be updated on my writing, i'm going to try to give frequent snip-its on how publishing is going :)

thank you for reading, ily all! <3