All In Love Is Fair (dreamnotfound)

6: The Difference

The Difference by Flume feat. Toro y Moi

Nothing is meant to physically change when you come face to face with your soulmate. There's not supposed to be any indication that you are physically close to them. Because of this you could potentially pass by your soulmate on the way to the bus stop, buy a coffee from them while they're working, be in the crowd of a concert with them, maybe even be classmates and not have any way of knowing other than your birthmarks that may or may not be on a visible area of your bodies. This is part of the reason why society has come to care less and less about soulmates, because it's not something that is incredibly obvious. The only physical aspect, other than the mark itself, is a tingle in the skin where the birthmark is located. It is caused by the other person having a deep longing for the other. When you or them are pining for the other, thinking about the other, wanting them more than anything, then it causes the tingle. Some have reported not noticing the feeling, others said the feeling was so strong it disrupted their day to day life.

The feeling was something Clay grew accustom to, while George has never felt it.

George woke up around five am, confused at first because he was in a random room. When his memories came back the last thing he recalled before he fell asleep was Clays mother bringing his suitcase into the room and shushing someone who was watching from the hallway. George tried to go back to sleep for about an hour but he couldn't quite relax. When he opened his text conversation with Clay he noticed that there was a small 'Read 8:07 pm' underneath the messages. It was a bittersweet thing. Hopefully Clay messaged back everyone else. Sapnap had been worried sick, he would've dropped everything to drive to Florida if George hadn't ended up going. Sapnap actually beat himself up a lot for not going sooner. George messaged Sapnap to tell him he saw Clay, tell him he's not dead. That was really the only good news: Clay's not dead.

Everything else was shit. George let tears fall as he remembered yesterday evening. George wanted to recall every physical feature of Clay. He wanted to think about the mans face, how handsome his features were, how his hair fell on his cheeks, how Clay did a bad job of describing how tall he actually is. But George knows he shouldn't. He knows that the more he lets himself think about Clay, the more it will hurt that Clay wasn't happy to see him. It will make the pain worse. But it's almost impossible to avoid thinking about yesterday and remembering all the times he wished he could see what Clay looks like. Finally George has a face to attach to the voice.

Thinking seemed to speed up time because soon the morning sun shone through the curtains and the air began to smell of breakfast. George couldn't quite pinpoint what the food cooking was but it smelled delicious, he hasn't eaten since on his flight yesterday. By the time George got up and peeked his head out the door he realized that he doesn't even know where the kitchen is located, he was blinded by his tears when he came through the house yesterday, so he didn't get a good look at the layout. George decided to take a left, which luckily leaded him straight to the kitchen full of the wonderful smells. Clays mother stood in front of the stove with a spatula, in the living room several feet away a tv show played on the TV. George cleared his throat in hopes it would get her attention.

"Oh! Good morning George!" Clays mother smiled as she turned around, "How did you sleep? I was just making breakfast." George smiled back at the woman, "I slept okay." He looked his feet awkwardly. A shuffle is heard from the living room then someone comes running into the kitchen.

"Hi!"

George stares at the young girl in front of him. Long blonde hair falls well past her shoulders. George racks his brain trying to figure out who she is. "Oh, hi Drista." She giggles. Drista and George take a seat at the dining table as Clays mother finishes making breakfast. The two visit for a while, Drista asking a million questions about the UK and marveling at pictures George shows her of London. She's a kind girl, she reminds George of Clay, very clever and friendly. Clays mother brings over a plate of pancakes and some fresh fruit, which George gladly scarfs down. He loves the feeling in their home, he can tell now how Clay has grown into the man he is, growing up surrounded by love teaches you to be a loving person. Even if Clay hasn't been the most loving person recently George knows its still in him somewhere.