Breathe

space.

If there was anything he got wrong about the move, it's that it would be easy. The move was, in fact, very difficult.

The first problem was the amount of precious space Clay's monitors and overall setup took. It was absurd. And, on top of that, the boxes were deemed incredibly fragile do not touch, only clay is authorized to touch, meaning the boxes essentially rode passenger, seat buckled and all.

The second problem was that he was moving a long ways away from his previous home. The three boys waffled for a while about where to settle down. Nick and Clay suggested Florida, but George was adamantly opposed to the heat and humidity. George countered with Alaska, stating that the scenery would be great, but once the three of them read about the lack of light in the winter, they migrated towards different options.

Finally, the trio settled on Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was populated, yes, but not to the degree any of them were used to. There was snow in the winter and sun in the summer, and honestly, there wasn't really a better compromise. Nick flew up first, signing the papers and getting everything ready. He had the least amount of belongings, so it made sense why he would go first. Then Clay followed, driving a moving van with all of his precious items. George would then ship everything to them in a week, and he would follow shortly after, once his visa was approved. Work purposes seemed like a bit of a stretch to Clay, but if it worked for the U.S. Government, it worked for him. 

The third and final problem was that Clay was anxious- no, make that very anxious. He worried about Patches, who was right beside him the whole way, but who couldn't communicate whether or not she needed to poop or if she was thirsty. He was worried about his monitors and setup. He wrapped the poor things in moving blanket after moving blanket, and finally a layer of bubble wrap, but that wasn't enough to appease his fears. The only reason he hadn't kept wrapping was because he ran out of material. He worried about George, about the visa. What if his visa wasn't approved ? There was no way it wouldn't be; George had a completely valid reason for coming to live in America. 

In essence, Clay worried about everything. The whole nine hour drive was spent ranting at Patches and worrying.

Finally, Clay pulled up to the new house. It was 10 at night MST, meaning it was midnight his time, and though Clay's sleeping schedule was worse than ever, he was still tired. His exhaustion, though it hindered his judgement slightly, did not hinder the absolute beauty of the house. 

Windows stretched the entire height of the house. There were balconies everywhere, with cast-iron fences and flower pots draped over the sides. There was a pool with built-in LED lights to change the water different colors. The pool house was huge; clearly it stored some kind of kayak or paddle board. The grass was recently mowed, and there were lights lining the path up the front steps to the door.

Gingerly, he stepped out of the van, Patches following quickly behind him. He stood in awe for a couple of minutes before he was caught into a warm embrace from Nick. The pair stood in that position for perhaps a little longer than they should have before Nick pulled away and they looked at the house together.

"Big, isn't it?" Nick commented.

"Fucking massive," Clay replied. He went to the back of the truck and threw it open to grab his go-bag, which housed his most basic needs until he could get everything in the morning.

He followed Nick inside, which was even more majestic than the outside. The walls were stark white, contrasted by a dark grey couch that stood in front of a massive television. In the kitchen there were marble counter tops with cast-iron fixtures and handles. The table was made of some type of solid wood- oak perhaps ? There was a mirror that hung above a small chest of drawers, revealing Clay's ghostly complexion and lanky figure.

Travel hit him a little harder than he expected.

Upstairs was just as dazzling, if not more. Nick's room was already almost completely unpacked. Posters of Metallica and My Chemical Romance hung on the wall, with a simple grey bedspread covering his large bed. The desk was where all of the things that weren't unpacked yet were housed, so it was really cluttered, but other than that, Nick's place looked great.

Nick led Clay down the hall and presented him with two rooms.

"I wanted to give you the choice," he said as he watched Clay look around and get a feel for the two rooms. Ultimately, Clay took the one in the middle. The view outside of his window was spectacular, showing him mountains and a lake, and even part of the Air Force Academy, where planes and jets took off and landed regularly.

There was already a bed, chest of drawers, and a desk, so Clay put everything he had in his go-bag away and flopped onto the mattress. He could sleep on it bare, he was so tired.

Clay thought about how lucky he was to be able to afford this monster of a house with his two best friends on the entire planet. He thought about how just a year ago, this would not be possible. He thought about Nick, and how short he was compared to Clay. He thought about George, and how short he would be...

The emotions of gratitude left as quickly as they came. Clay was left alone, on his bed, a single tear streaking down his face. A-alone is w-what I have. Alone protects me.

That was how it had always been, and that is how it would stay. Clay was going to make sure of it.