Peach Silhouette

10 | We fell in love in September

I sat down on the couch, yawning. George was in a good mood, which made me very happy but it was also very exhausting. I never realized how happy he could be, how much more life and how much less caution he could have. It was like meeting George for the first time.

It had been a week since the first night we had kept each other company, and I would be crazy if I didn't say it made me feel so safe. So we'd done it every night since. George never wanted to talk about it in the morning, so I let it be. There was no way I was ruining the best thing - whatever that thing  was, that had ever happened to me. 

George huffed, and I turned to look at him.

"C'mon you lazy bum, it's almost fall. Let's go on a walk while it's still kind of warm." He grinned, tugging on my arm. I smiled and grabbed my hoodie off the hook and threw it over my head. It was not at all warm outside, the salty wind carrying a bite. The sky was a darker gray than usual. 

I'd bet ten bucks it'll rain before we get back home. 

Then I looked around. My eyes widened at the sight of so many vibrant colors.

"Do the leaves always change this brightly?" I asked George, who seemed unfazed. He shrugged.

"This is how it was when I lived in the country." I wondered how many of the colors he could actually see. The whole scene was probably shades of yellow and brown. I frowned. 

"Did you bring your Enchroma glasses with you?" He shook his head.

"They're still back at my flat in London." 

"I'll get you a new pair before the leaves fall off the trees. You should get to experience this in full color too." He smiled softly.

"Thanks Dream." He looked around. "I remember what the colors look like - the real ones, not the ones I see through the glasses." I tipped my head.

"Were you not colorblind when you were younger?" I asked.

"No." he said wistfully, his eyes distant. I saw something flash in them, fear and anger and then it was gone. "My father and I, we used to take these long walks down old roads. The leaves would fall on the broken pavement and crackle under your feet. The air smelled of death and decay, but there was this hint of a promise. Like the promise that something better was coming, if you were just patient. My dad, he used to point out ever single color and shape of leaf. He was a scientist, and he studied the outdoors." George began to ramble, as if he'd finally broken a dam that he hadn't in many years. 

"He would pile them up in our backyard for me, and I'd leap into them and send them flying into a flurry of colors. Then the wind would carry them away while I laughed. We used to paint the oak in our backyard." His voice trailed off.

"Used to?" I asked curiously, in my gentlest tone. I saw his eyes darken. He looked down.

"He died of pancreatic cancer when I was seven." 

I stopped, my foot mid step. I didn't even think about it, I just wrapped him in a hug. He hesitated for a moment before sinking into my arms, pressing his nose into my shoulder. 

"I'm sorry, George. I had no idea." I ran my hands through his hair. He looked up at me, his brown eyes watery. I smiled softly, touching his cheek. He leaned into my touch for a moment, before pulling away. He shivered. 

"I'm cold." He murmured. 

"Take my sweatshirt." I said. He shook his head.

"Then you'll be cold." 

"George, I'm never cold when I'm with you." My cheeks burned as I took off my lime green hoodie and handed it to him. He put it on, practically drowning in fabric. The hoodie was a little big on me, but on George it was giant. He held up his hands, which were like sweater paws. 

"Dream! It's huge!" I couldn't even respond. Damn, I couldn't even look at him. He was so fucking cute. Then we walked, and I snuck glances at him. Lime green brought out his eyes, and his cheeks were pink. I wanted to talk to whoever came up with the concept of George. Whether it was god or just plain DNA - they absolutely perfected human design.

You ever just want to fall into someone's arm and kiss them until you can't breathe? Same. WHAT THE FUCK.

"One day I want to have a daughter. I want to raise her here, in Lincoln City." George said quietly. 

"The Dream Team would be her second family, I promise." I replied.

It was at that moment I made a silent promise. No matter where I was - who I'd become, I'd help raise her. Even if I was dead, I'd find a way. 

I felt a drop of water land on my arm. I thought I imagined it, but then I felt another and another. George looked at me, the serious air between us whisked away by the autumn wind.

"Uh oh." We said simultaneously. We began to run back towards the house, rain beginning to fall faster. George tripped on the slick leaves, and I caught him. He grinned and ran, and I rolled my eyes. Cheeky little fucker. 

We stumbled into the lobby soaked and laughing our hearts out. We raced up the stairs, collapsing onto my bed. 

"I win." I said triumphantly. George huffed.

"Not fair, I was weighed down by the sweatshirt." He retorted. I shook my head.

"Still counts." 

"You can have the sweatshirt back by the way." He said, beginning to take it off and accidentally giving me a glimpse at his chest. I looked away.

"You can keep it." I said.

"But-" I looked at him.

"Keep it, George." He blushed and nodded. That's when he turned around, and I remembered.

Oh shit, the flag. 

~

inspiring song(s)

we fell in love in October - girl in red 

~

an: hi, um, what the fuck thank you for almost 1.2k views. and yes, i know, i'm ahead of schedule. this chapter was going to be released/written by the 14th, but i like not worrying so much about the next deadline. we might actually get a couple more early release chapters too, bc the exciting part has begun. i love you guys so much, and here's to 50+ pages of Peach Silhouette! (i put it in a google doc lmao)

afri out <3