George managed to keep his composure for the majority of the flight, forcing himself to think of anything other than Clay. It worked for a while as he stared blankly out the window, letting his eyes lose focus in the white void of puffy clouds. Then, around the four-hour mark, he turned his attention to the small TV mounted on the seat in front of him.
The selection was limited, and all the films were either uninteresting or already seen. The only other form of entertainment George could think of was reading, and he remembered the book that was stowed in his carry-on. Clay had gifted him his favourite novel, the one about heaven and the five people, that George started reading months ago and still hadn't finished. He glanced up at the overhead bins and then at the person in the adjacent seat, opening his mouth to say something.
Unfortunately, the man beside him was in a deep sleep, mouth hanging open slightly. His legs were stretched out as far as they could go under the seat, effectively blocking the path out and confining George to the wall.
He sighed, figuring he would finish the book at home. For a lighter read, George pulled out a magazine from the seat pocket and casually flipped through it before a notice caught his eye. It was an advertisement for in-flight WiFi, which made his stomach jump. The hourly price was abysmal, but money wasn't an issue when love was on the line. George read the instructions before pressing the call button above him.
A flight attendant swooped in mere seconds later, helping him through the purchase before disappearing down the isle. George opened Discord, fingers flying over to Clay's contact.
GeorgeNotFound Today at 6:18AM
hey, are you still awake?
A reply came almost instantly.
DreamWasTaken Today at 6:19AM
yeah, can't sleep
where are you?? how do you have internet?
GeorgeNotFound Today at 6:19AM
i paid for inflight wifey
DreamWasTaken Today at 6:20AM
wow, you miss me that much? ;)
GeorgeNotFound Today at 6:21AM
honestly
it was expensive af so you better be thankful
DreamWasTaken Today at 6:23AM
never thought you were a simp
GeorgeNotFound Today at 6:25AM
watch your mouth or im getting a refund
-
George unlocked the front door, fiddling with the key as he remembered the way the lock jammed occasionally. He entered the flat, greeted only by a meow that echoed from a faraway room.
His mother had already driven away, having been sidetracked by her own plans, leaving George on his front porch with a kiss and a hug goodbye. He had thanked her for all her help before walking under the roof.
The dark hallway stretched out before him, keeping its cold intensity even after George turned on every single light. He walked through the house and set his bags in the bedroom, spotting movement in the corner of the room. A cat slithered from behind the bed and bounced over to him, meowing intensely as it ran between his legs over and over.
"Hi, baby," George whispered, picking up the animal, "I missed you so much!"
He let the cat sniff his nose, tickling his cheeks with its whiskers. George was more thankful now that ever for his companion; trekking through the fog of loneliness would be a bit easier with Cat by his side. He bounced the pet around in his arms, trying to distract himself from the boy he left behind.
YOU ARE READING
Stay Inside (by my Side) : Gream/DreamNotFound
FanfictionQuarantine hit just as George flew into Jacksonville, Florida for a business trip. Usually, he and Clay met up once or twice to hang out before ultimately resuming their own lives. This time, though, George's hotel shuts down and his return flight g...
