after you, blue || dreamnotfound

vii

clay

"you like him clay."

that was the phrase that keeps repeating in the clay's head when blue arrives again a week later.

do i really like him? clay wonders in his head as his green eyes trace the steps of blue in front of him. i hope he likes me too.

"where are we going today?" blue asks, shaking clay from his pondering.

"let's go to the flower garden again!" clay suggests. "we haven't been there in a small while!"

clay takes blue's hand in his, and they run to the fields together. blue giggles as they near the gate, letting go of clay's hand. clay lags behind and gestures to the gate.

"after you, blue," clay bows slightly while squeezing out a tiny laugh.

blue's cheeks turn rosy and he skips into the fields. clay follows and plops down next to blue. clay finds himself staring at blue's soft features with a small smile on his face. blue realizes this and ducks his head.

"you've never given me a nickname, blue," clay pokes at the smaller boy.

blue doesn't respond. instead, he plucks a small blue flower from the ground and giggles before slowly brushing clay's hair aside and sliding it behind his ears. clay sucks in a breath at blue's touch and his face heats up, skin prickling. blue smiles shyly at clay.

clay smiles back. a warm touch laces his fingers, and he looks down to see blue's hands in his. blue's voice was barely a whisper when he speaks,

"i think i will call you dream. because you're the boy of my dreams."