"My Fluid Love" - Spifelk

Strawberry Foam

(Sorry for not writing an earlier chapter I was focusing on other things)

Jacob sunk into the bathtub, letting the strawberry scented foam permeate his skin. His dirty blonde hair floated on the surface of the water. The water lapped against his skin. Everything was peaceful, the door was locked, and only repeated callers could reach him.

Jacob was meditating in his one corner of the world that wasn't pushing against when his phone rang. For the 16th time today.

Jacob groaned as he got out of the warm bath. The water dripped onto his black bath mat, the cold air stinging Jacob's skin.

"Oh my god, Zak, what do you want now." Jacob whined. Zak had been calling Jacob all day, clearly falling apart. Jacob wanted to have sympathy, but Zak was breaking down over something he dragged Jacob through and didn't listen to Jacob's cautions.

Jacob got over to his phone to realize that it wasn't Zak. It was George. Jacob's apprehensive mood lifted immediately. Jacob picked up and put his phone on speaker. Jacob set his phone down on the bathroom sink counter and got back into his bath.

"Hey, Jacob." George's voice was calm. Jacob moaned in response.

"Yeah, I know." George had known Jacob long enough to understand Jacob even when Jacob was too lazy to talk.

"So, I was thinking, maybe if we did like a stream, we could push you to 500k." George explained. Jacob nearly got out of the bath.

"I just hit 200k George." Jacob sunk lower in the bathtub, trying to absorb all the heat to prepare himself for the upcoming stream.

"Yeah, I know, but we can still try. Maybe if we're fun people will like you." George replied.

Jacob moaned again. George sighed in response.

"I don't know, maybe I'll just come over to your house and tickle you." George offered.

Jacob giggled. "nOoOoO!" He squealed, even though George was miles away, and Jacob would have been able to hire 5 bodyguards before George would arrive.

"Hey, why do I hear water sloshing?" George thought aloud.

"Oh, I'm taking a bath." Jacob replied. Jacob turned over onto his side.

"Oh, uh, I...I can call you back." George flustered immediately.

"No, it's fine, it's not like we're on a video call or something like that." Jacob pushed to water around.

"I know, it's just, it's kinda weird 'cause...you're naked." George's tone changed as he realized. Jacob rolled his eyes. Not this George again.

"Why are you even thinking about that? That's like thinking about my tongue because I'm eating ice cream. Do you want me to bathe with clothes on?" Jacob asked.

"No!" George denied.

"Then don't think about it. Think about frogs." Jacob continued to enjoy his bath.

After about a minute, George spoke up again.

"But, you would totally be sexy naked." George explained.

Jacob groaned. "Oh my goodness."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was talking to Badboyhalo."

Jacob giggled.

"Alright, I'll stream with you. Just let me put on...well, any clothes whatsoever."

"Why, it's not like you use facecam." George said passive aggressively.

"I have crumbs in my chair." Jacob kicked the water lazily.

"Fair enough."

[Time Skip to about 2 hours later, brought to you by Ridue Music]

Jacob pulled on his grey hoodie as his stream booted up. The smell of red berries lingered in his apartment. As his discord ringtone rang out, Jacob yawned and glanced at his fursuit. He saving that for another day.

The trip was approaching quickly. Jacob was scheduled to fly out in 3 days. Jacob was terrified, not of planes, not of Zak, but of facing George.

Jacob was 99.99% sure that George had never seen his face, and Jacob wished to keep it that way. However, l face masks didn't obscure Jacob's vitiligo-ridden eye sockets and eye lids, an appearance flaw that drove away many women and Jacob was very conscious of.

Jacob tried to push those thoughts out of his mind. Maybe if George truly loved him, he wouldn't care. But love was such an umbrella term. Maybe George loved him as a friend.

But friends don't care how you look.

Right?

Jacob sighed and put on his big boy pants to start streaming. No viewer is gonna like a depressed lump.

"Alright, what's up! Today I'm gonna be..." Jacob trailed off, realizing he hadn't planned this stream out at all.

"Uhhh, Zelk, what are we doing today?" George asked.

"I guess we're just...doing something." Jacob admitted.

"You wanna try beating Minecraft or something?" George asked.

"Yeah, but let's do it with one of your mods!" Jacob cheered.

"Uhhh, sure, let me set up a server that we didn't blow to bits later on." Jacob leaned back in his chair, savoring his stroke of genius.

As George set up the server, Jacob tried again to come to terms with meeting George and George seeing his face.

"Maybe it'll be fine, it's not that noticeable after all." Jacob reasoned.

"Ah, but George has noticed every other flaws, why will this be any different?" A malicious voice said in his head.

"Uh, well, he might be nice?" Jacob tried to muster a reply.

"He's never nice. He hates you." The voice replied.

Jacob sighed. Not these thoughts again.

Jacob realized that George was within speaking range. That meant that Jacob could just ask George, and flex tape the insecurity away.

He heard George breathing, so Jacob decided this would be an ok time to ask.

"Hey George," Jacob started.

"Mmhm?" George replied.

"Am I ugly?" Jacob asked, and then realizing how stupid he was to ask that question. How could George answer, if George had never seen his face?

"Are you?" George replied. Jacob was taken aback.

"I...don't think so?" Jacob was confused by the question.

"Then, no, you aren't." George replied. Jacob thought for a second.

"But I was asking you if you thought I was ugly?"

"Zelk, I think you're absolutely fine, a solid 9/10, but I can't convince you that you're appearance doesn't matter that much for a significant period of time. That's something you have to do." George said casually, without much thought.

"Oh."

Jacob felt his insides churning. He heard what he didn't want to hear, but what he needed to hear, and it felt weird.

Did George love him? It was hard to tell.

But Jacob would have plenty of time to figure it out.