INCANDESCENCE - (Scyde)

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 11 - AUREATE

AUREATE

adj. - being the colour gold

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Clyde's ringtone pierces the night's silence, spooking him awake. He fumbles to answer it, caller ID barely registering in his mind. He can only assume it must be one his stupid friends trying to prank him.

"What the fuck, dude?" he's so tired his drowsy murmurs barely sound his own, "It's 2 am, I'm too tired for this shit."

"I'm sorry... I just wanted to talk to you, man." Scott whispers, slight tremble running through his words. Clyde's awake now, alert.

He sits up, "What's wrong?" he asks, brow furrowed in worry.

Scott sighs, noises of shuffling disturbing the other end, "Nothing, I don't think. Ugh, I dunno!!" he whines.

"Did something happen?" Clyde is surprised Scott would call him right now. The morning after Scott slept over was filled with awkward silence and this is the first time they've spoken all day since. And he especially didn't peg Scott the type to try to annoy him unnecessarily.

"Well I couldn't sleep so I was working on my paining, then I finished it so I tried to fall asleep again but I couldn't. Then I felt weird and I dunno... I just wanted to hear your voice." Scott's voice slowly gets quieter and quieter as he goes on. Clyde isn't sure why he's so scared, but he supposes if it's Scott then he doesn't mind being woken up.

"Oh, ok. Do you need me to do anything, or..."

"Can we talk?"

"About what?"

"Anything."

And they do, they talk and talk and talk about anything and about everything. It's hours until Scott finally falls asleep, soft snores letting Clyde know that he isn't just being ignored on purpose. He falls asleep himself, but doesn't bother hanging up on Scott. If he needs him again, he wants to be there.

He wakes up for the third morning in a row feeling awful, but he hears Scott's voice and any tiredness he feels is washes away. Clyde wonders if this is how everyone feels with someone they like a lot, or if he's just weird.

—

Clyde flicks fluff from his sleeve, resting his head in the crook of his elbow. He looks at Scott, who looks at him.

They're under the stairs again, sitting in their own little world. Neither of them have really spoken.

Clyde wants to, he really does. But if Scott wants to just stare at him, then who's he not to stare right back? He loves to watch him anyway, so he might as well do it when he's got a reason.

Scott's the cutest, Clyde thinks - or rather knows. He looks contemplative, small frown gracing his features.

Clyde wants to kiss him.

But he won't, and doesn't know if he ever will. Maybe when they're old and rotting he'd admit it.

Does it count as being in love with someone if you don't know how they feel about you? If you're too scared to ask?

"You have nice eyes." Scott mumbles, before a look of horror crosses his face and his cheeks turn rosy, "Sorry! That was random. I didn't mean it. Not that your eyes aren't-"

"Shut up dude." Clyde laughs, "You have nice eyes too." he reaches out and Scott lets him take his hand in his.

Scott looks like he's about to say something but evidently decides against it. Instead he smiles a small smile. It's adorable, and Clyde has to superglue his mouth shut before he says anything else.

He's saved by a familiar voice, "You guys over here?"

Tolkien's head pops out from behind the wall, and he waves.

"Hey Tolkien!" Clyde turns away from Scott and breaks their hands, waving at Tolkien instead. He feels a brief moment of guilt for that, but grabs Scott's hand after and as Tolkien sits at the wall opposite them, "What's up?" he asks.

"Nothing. Just wondering what you do back here, it's so quiet at the table without you." he says, looking at the two of them. Clyde shuffles a little closer to Scott, just in case.

"I'm sure you guys can make conversation between yourselves." Clyde rolls his eyes, "I know I'm the coolest and stuff, but-"

"No way are you the coolest."

"I am! Aren't I, Scott?"

Scott snickers, "Sure you are." it's dripping with enough sarcasm to fill a glass and drink it.

"I am!!" he shouts indignantly.

Tolkien folds his arms, "Just... Come back sit at our table, please? You can bring Scott along if you want."

"Fine." Clyde relents, and he stands up. Scott follows him, since their hands are still joined, and Tolkien gets up after. They take seats on their usual table.

"Hey, it's Clyde! I forgot you even existed." Craig pokes at his food with his fork, smirking.

"Actually, I'm a figment of your imagination." he rolls his eyes.

"Can't believe my mind would make up something so ugly." he promptly dodges a napkin thrown at his head.

Lunch goes so much better than Clyde could have hoped. His friends seemed to adopt Scott as part of them so easily, it's almost unbelievable. He'd worried maybe they'd tease him or make him nervous, but he really shouldn't have worried about anything. They got along so well. Especially when they all start teasing him.

"Dude, Clyde, I'm sorry. But you kind of are an idiot."

"Yeah, you're our r-resident himbo!" Jimmy chimes in.

"I'm not a himbo!"

Craig snickers, "I bet he doesn't even know what that means."

"I do too!" Clyde says indignantly. He, of course, does not know what a himbo is, but he assumes he doesn't want to be one, judging by how everyone says he is.

"He probably doesn't." Scott remarks.

Clyde scoffs, "Dude! You're supposed to defend me!" he wails.

And Clyde's shaking his shoulders and whining, but he can still see how Scott glows. He's laughing and batting his arms away, and he's shining like a star. Clyde knows he's probably smiling like an idiot, but he's just so happy Scott gets along so well with his friends. He's so happy Scott's happy.

God, he thinks maybe his friends are right. Clyde thinks maybe he's in love.

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