All In Love Is Fair (dreamnotfound)

6: The Difference

"Okay I was thinking, as soon as you're dressed I could drive you over to Clay's. I know he was angry yesterday but I think he'll be better today, after he's had time to process and calm down. Do you want to do that?" Clays mother asked. George looks down at his plate and runs his fork through the leftover syrup on it, "I don't know..." he mumbles. Clays mother leans over to touch George's arm, "Everything will be okay hun." Her touch combined with her words seem to give George hope. She knows George better than anyone else, George can't help but trust her, he would be dumb not to. So soon the two are back in her car and driving back to Clays apartment. She called Clay before they left and luckily he answered. She told him George is coming over and when he groaned she cut him off and said they're talking to each other weather he wants to or not. When they pulled into the parking lot George felt the same sense of dread as yesterday. He didn't want to go back in Clays apartment and just get hurt again.

He shakily knocked on the door, this time all alone without Clays mother to scold Clay if he got mad. George rocked on his heels, glancing down the empty hallway. Soon the door swings open and there stands Clay. George feels his breath get stuck in his throat. Will he ever get used to seeing Clay? Will his face become something familiar to George? Secretly, they both hope so. Clay looks different than yesterday, cleaner, thank god. His face is blank as he moves to the side wordlessly signaling for George to come inside. George steps inside and begins to untie his shoes as Clay closes the door behind him. Clay leans against the wall and watches George. George wants to tie them back up and run out the door, just to avoid Clays deathly stare. But he doesn't. He stands back up and slips his shoes off the rest of the way. His eyes meet Clays and he can feel a physical pull towards the taller man. His body screams at him to reach out and touch Clay, feel his touch like he did yesterday when Clay rudely shoved him out of his bedroom.

"Hey." George says.

"I don't appreciate you coming here." Clay replies, ignoring Georges greeting.

Ouch.

Clay pushes himself off the wall and walks into his living room, taking a seat on the sofa. George follows behind and goes to sit next to Clay but he shakes his head and points to the loveseat a few feet away. George frowns slightly but complies. They sit uncomfortably on their respective couches, awkwardly looking away every time their eyes meet. George tries to start a conversation, "So uh, this is your apartment?" Yeah. Obviously. What a dumb question. Clay scoffs, leaning back into the sofa. George waits for a reply but Clay just crosses his arms across his chest and stares at the TV, which would be fine but it wasn't even on, clearly he just wanted to ignore George. "Well, um, your mom is really nice. Her and I have been talking a lot, she's cool." Clay stubbornly keeps his eyes directed away from George. "Maybe I'll have to go for your mom, since she'll actually talk to me." George jokes. Clay tries to keep his laugh in but thankfully fails, it's small but just enough to give George some hope. George settles in after this, using all the confidence in him to hold a conversation with someone who won't contribute.

Surprisingly he's able to talk for several hours. Not about anything they actually needed to, just random things like his flight and meeting Drista. Clay kept going back a forth between tentatively listening and rolling his eyes like he doesn't care. Even though he does, Clays body hasn't stopped vibrating since yesterday, he nearly died when he turned around and saw George standing in his bedroom. At first Clay thought he had finally gone crazy.

"Clay? Are you in here?"

"Go away mom, I'm fine." Clay groaned. He kept his back facing his mother in the doorway, hoping she would take a hint and leave. She doesn't reply for a few seconds so Clay assumes she left and begins to close his eyes again.

"Dream?"

Clay freezes. Who would be calling him Dream? Who sounds exactly like the voice he's been missing so badly the past week and a half?  He adjusts his body so he can turn around.

George. George is here. Clay is unsure of what to do, he feels like he just got shot by a tranquilizer. George is real and he's standing in Clays apartment. He looks so different in person, his features are much softer and delicate, George looks like he could easily be snapped in half. Clay gathers himself, anger setting in. He jumps up from his bed and shoves George out of the doorway into the hall. He ignores the burning feeling in his hands when he touches George's shoulders, ignores the pain in his soul when he argues with his mother about bringing George here. The sinking loneliness and regret set in when he ushers his mother and Clay out the door and locks it. Clay knows he needs to get his shit together.

"Should we order a pizza? I'm starving." George asks as he pulls out his phone, glancing at the time, nearly seven pm. Jet lag is a bitch, George feels like he could curl up and fall asleep for the next twelve hours. Clay of course ignores George's question so he goes ahead and orders a pizza, George already knows what kind Clay likes anyway. When the pizza gets there they move to the kitchen table, George sits a couple seats away for good measure. At this point George has been able to make Clay laugh quite a bit, he nearly wheezes while taking a bite, spraying pizza bits out of his mouth. George's heart swells every time he manages to make Clay laugh, hearing his laugh in person is a different kind of amazing that George never knew he'd experience.

Eventually the sun sets and they're both tired. "Hey Clay?" George asks. Clay glances up from his phone. "Umm... Do you think I could sleep here tonight?" Clay's eyes widen, George stutters, "I mean like on the couch! Right here on the uh couch." Clay relaxes and shrugs. A dumb smile grows on George's face, when Clay disappears down the hall. He can't be bothered to care that he doesn't have his pajamas and toothbrush, George is just satisfied that they've made this much progress in one day. Clay reappears with a few blankets and a pillow, sheepishly avoiding eye contact as he hands them over.

George smiles up at Clay, "Thank you." Clay scratches the back of his neck for a moment then turns on his heel out of the room. "Goodnight Clay." George says.

"Night."

And with that small word George is happy with today. He bites back his smile as he sets up the blanket and pillow on the couch, curling up in between them and sending a quick text to Clays mother, letting her know he's staying the night. She sends back a million heart emojis with a few clapping hands emojis littered throughout.

The next morning when George wakes up he hears light snores coming from the floor by the couch, he peeks over and sees Clay, fast asleep on the floor curled up in a blanket.