But We're Not Normal

Explain

"The only reason we could come talk to you was because Damien is in the hospital." He admitted quietly and Nick looked mildly alarmed. "Not because of us." He added quickly. "He got into an accident. They won't tell us the details but it's bad enough that we're under temporary management."

Zak and Darryl watched from the couch, praying Nick would believe them. Nick stood silent for a while, looking between Vincent's warm brown eyes in search of some sign he may be lying. There was none.

"So.. Damien forced you to stop talking to us?" Nick finally asked and Vincent nodded solemnly. "And he may have hurt someone if you didn't listen?" Vincent nodded again, chancing a step towards Nick. Nick didn't try to move away.

"Did you... did you at least try? To find a way to talk to us?" Nick asked in the barest voice, his crossed arms looking more and more as though he were holding himself to find some comfort. Vincent threw all caution to the wind and reached to place both of his hands on Nick's shoulders.

"There wasn't a second I spent not trying to find a way to get to you." Vincent promised. Zak and Darryl watched him in shock and wonderment. They had never seen him like this before, not for anyone.

"And.. I know you hate him right now but if you had seen the way it effected Clay then you'd know he never stopped loving George. For a while, I was so sure we'd lost him." Vincent remembered the dozens of skipped meals and the tens of hours lost to him simply... staring.

"If he loved George so much then why did he cheat on him? Did you forget the first day Clay ignored him? The way he broke in front of us and questioned what he had done wrong, what about him wasn't enough? Can you imagine what finding out Clay had cheated on him did to him?" Nick bombarded, feeling the anger begin to bubble up under his skin again.

"That's something for Clay himself to explain." Vincent decided, gently massaging his thumbs into Nick's shoulders. Nick uncrossed his arms to hold onto Vincent's wrists. There was a pause in which Nick let his eyes slip closed and Vincent studied his face quietly.

"It's going to take so much self restraint not to knee him again." He growled and Vincent felt a wave of relief crash through him.

"So you'll hear him out?" He asked and Nick huffed out a sigh before nodding. Vincent couldn't stop himself from pulling Nick into his chest once again.

Nick relaxed minutely in Vincent's arms, wrapping his own around him in return. He would hear Clay out, if only to decide whether it was acceptable to punch him again.

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6/10/20

bff stealer
[an image of George walking with Boobies in his arms, a small smile present on his face]
4:12pm
We're gonna get this cutie s o d r u n k tonight
4:12pm
Clark has just gone off to acquire the devils juice
4:12pm
George seems better but he's still a little spacey so we're gonna cheer him up high school style B)
4:13pm
Hope you haven't killed anyone off yet
4:13pm
Seen

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Clay was a nervous wreck under Nick's searing glare. He and Keres had replaced the other band members on the couch, looking very much like two children in trouble. In many ways, that's exactly what they were.

"Explain." Nick demanded. Geo and Jethro had agreed, after many long moments of convincing, to let the three of them have the conversation alone. They had led the other three out of the sitting room and into the kitchen with one last pat to Nick's back and shoulder.

"Damien-" Clay began, only to be cut off.

"I know about Damien. Explain why you cheated on George." Nick bit. Keres flinched but Nick couldn't find it in himself to care.

"I didn't- I didn't cheat on him-" Clay tried and Nick barked a fierce sounding laugh.

"Oh, didn't you? So those photos of the two of you, that's not you?" Nick asked sarcastically.

"No I- Nick, Keres kissed me." Clay pleaded, missing the way Keres curled in on herself guiltily.

"Oh, because that makes it so much better!" Nick laughed, a sound usually bright and clear now turned dark and heavy. "I don't care about who kissed who, I care about why."

"George trusted you and he loved you with everything he had, Clay. He is the best fucking thing in our lives, the best thing to have ever happened to this world. And you cast him away." Nick accused protectively. "Now I want to know why."

It was silent for a moment as Clay desperately gathered his words and Keres sat shaking. "Before that photo, I was having a panic attack. George had messaged me saying he was on his way and I was so fucking scared about what Damien might do to him. Keres was panicking because I was and she tried to help the only way she remembered. It stopped right after the photo and neither of us would do it again." He explained earnestly.

"You don't just kiss someone because they're panicking!" Nick exclaimed in exasperation, throwing his arms up. Keres curled into herself further.

"It was the only thing I could think of to snap him out of it. It was the only thing I could remember someone doing for me." Keres explained shakily.

"Okay, but that doesn't explain why you didn't just say that to everyone. Why you didn't deny it when everyone said you were together. Why you let George go on believing he was losing you if you're so sure he wasn't."

"Damien wanted the two of us to have a contracted relationship, the only way we could refuse was if we didn't deny anything publicly. If we let people believe what they wanted to." Clay mumbled and Nick could feel the simmering heat in his stomach burn at Damien.

"I promise, Nick. I wanted nothing more than to talk to George. To tell him what was happening and tell him that I still love him. To have him there, at my side like he always is." Clay pleaded. "I texted him last night, when we found out Damien was gone so we could finally talk to you both again, but he hasn't responded. He hasn't seen it." Nick sighed deeply.

"Ophelia and Clark have his phone right now, otherwise we all know he'd be tearing himself apart wondering what he'd done wrong. They're keeping him distracted." Nick explained before padding towards the kitchen and calling for Jethro and Geo. Clay watched nervously as he returned with the two in tow.

"I don't forgive you, I still think you're fucking stupid for everything you did... but George deserves to know the truth if he decides he wants to." Nick stated and Clay swore he could cry.

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1.8k words

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Yours, Dandelion