Rain Fall / dnf

| 024 |

Tw: mentions of eating disorders, sexual assault, and physical abuse.

Clays pov????

I tried to protect him but he just wouldn't let me. I understand fighting is never the answer. But I would've punched the hell out of his dad if George didn't keep me calm.

Emma, Tara, and Karl are upstairs with him in his room. Tara said it would be best if we all stayed away from him for right now.

Something about bigger and taller people being more threatening and more aggressive than smaller and softer people.

Also something about when people are going through a panic attack, or some type of episode it's better to have someone more calmer and smaller to help.

It might bring up memories or past abuse. Which in this case it does for George.

I understand that.

"Bro, what even happened?" Finn asks as he's sprawled out into a chair in the living room, man spreading dramatically.

"His dad saw him and he panicked so we went out. Then his dad and mom came out and his dad said all these things to him... I said I'd protect him but I feel like I didn't..."

"Dude don't blame yourself," Sapnap says, "you try to help we all saw."

"Yeah— and I felt the same way sometimes back when we'd join family vacations with the founders." Jack says, "I'd try to help but Tara helped more."

I sigh and rub my head, "I just feel so useless."

"Don't." Punz says, "You do more than enough for him. I've never seen him more happy in my entire life while knowing him."

"I don't know how to help him and make him happy when I'm down here and he's up there," I say.

It goes quiet before Sapnap speaks up.

"I'll go check in on them if you go eat something," Sapnap says.

I shake my head, "no- no it's fine let them—"

"Clay go." Finn says, "Go eat."

I look at them in confusion, "What are you—"

"We've all seen it Clay. You barely eat. You make all the food but never take some for yourself go eat." Punz says.

I go quiet and chew the inside of my lip.

"Does George know?" Jack asks.

I shake my head quickly, "I don't want to worry him. He has so much going on."

"That's not an excuse clay," Punz says, "George would be more than willing to help you with your own stuff. Let him."

"I don't need help." I say, "I'm fine."

"Clay me and you both very much know that you feel a certain way about that video and your eating and your past trauma," Sapnap says, listing all of the issues I have wrong with me.

"I don't have trauma." I reply, "I don't."

"Whatever you say— you flinch every time one of us goes to pat you on the back. Every time we go in for a high five or fist pump— every time we throw the ball to you." Finn says, "We all know Clay. Let George know."

I sigh and rub my temples on my head before putting them in my lap, "I just want to be with him."

Tara comes down the stairs, sniffing quietly as she wipes a tear from her cheek.

Punz sits up from the couch, straightening his posture, "what's wrong?" He asks.

"Clay, he needs you," Tara says.