George was stood, rather awkwardly mind you, at Flowerboy's side as he'd been guided to a certain wall of individual plants that sat nestled towards the back of the shop.

"Do you want me to tell you what colours they are while I pick them out?" Flowerboy had asked, snapping George's attention back from where he'd been idly glancing around, conveniently towards where Clay was stood.

"Uh, yeah, sure." George answered. A smile crept its way from his chest to his lips when Clay finally returned to his side, relaxing a little.

"Okay, this one-" before he had the chance to finish, hand poised towards a warm yellow flower, a metallic and heavy crash erupted from the door to the back room.

"What the fuck, which fucking bitch ass motherfucking asshole-"

Flowerboy wasn't surprised in the slightest, by the looks of it. He simply sighed and offered his free hand to the source of the crash while Clay and George exchanged a worried look. "Who let the clone out?" Flowerboy - Dandelion, George decided to call him, on accounts of the small bunch of dandelion's littered in messy hair - called to the back room.

As an echo of accusing shouts answered, the person not too dissimilar to Dandelion brushed themself off and promptly froze upon spotting Clay and George. "Holy shit."

All I wanted were some flowers, George thought, with feeling.

"Dude, hey, it's- I'm Fleep floop from twitter."

"No way." Clay laughed in disbelief and George had to think for a few long moments before it hit him.

"Eddie, please don't harass my customers." Dandelion interrupted, to which Edd protested that he hadn't even done anything yet. "Be a dear and run these over to Big T, he should still be in Mika's over the road."

"Sorry about that, I'll hurry it along so you're not late."

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@KeresHexxOff
October 27th
Girl in red was right
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@Hexxed
T H A T S T O D A Y S D A T E W H A T D O E S T H I S M E A N K E R E S
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@Luciddreamer
Ker really living out the wuh-luh-wuh dream here, huh?
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@OhOphelia
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@KeresHexxOff
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"They're here!"

George's relaxed and comfortable façade had been effortlessly shattered now that he was standing on Clay's family's doorstep, a bouquet of hand-arranged flowers clutched between trembling fingers. He attempted to focus his attention instead on Clay's warm hand resting in the small of his back, if only to ground himself.

He took in a deep, shuddering breath as the door swung open to reveal Clay's younger sister. She looked from George to Clay to George again, down to the flowers in George's hands and finally up to settle George's face, smiling widely. She then wordlessly let the two inside, jogging off to the kitchen and assuming they'd either follow or Clay would show George around.

Clay chose option one for them before George had the chance to decide otherwise, guiding him to the kitchen with the hand at his back. He walked slowly, however, watching the way George glanced around in wonder from the corner of his eye and letting fondness warm in his chest.

"Hey mom." Clay greeted, stepping from George's side in order to wrap his arms around the small woman situated at the kitchen counter. She span to welcome her son only to be caught on the boy's boyfriend, who lingered awkwardly in the doorway.

"Oh honey, you shouldn't have." She cooed, slipping from Clay's grasp in order to whisk away the bouquet and place it neatly in a vase that had been previously occupied by wilting plants. "Come in, come in. I've already gotten started, if you could help me with the veggies that would be great."

And that was all it took to thoroughly shoo George's nerves and insecurities out the door, dropping into a comfortable sort of routine that had Clay heady with pride.

Clay's family knew George - from text conversations, calls, video calls and copious praising words from Clay himself - so speaking to him in person seemed no less normal and both Clay and George were endlessly glad for it. They needn't grill George on his intentions, nor analyse him for fault, they'd already long since seen that George was the best thing to have happened to God's green Earth in Clay's eyes.

And if Clay valued George so very much, who were they to downplay that?

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Clay asked once more in a hushed tone and George laughed with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

"I'm an adult, Clay. You've seen me make dinner for you at home. I'll be fine." Clay was about to protest, tell George that that really wasn't what he was referring to, when George's smile softened in the most wonderfully minute way.

It was a gentle adjustment in the curvature of his lips, a softer indent into the corners of his mouth and a warmer crease at the corners of his eyes.

Two chilled hands found themselves resting at the front of Clay's shoulders and George tilted onto his toes in order to press a quick, chaste kiss to Clay's lips. "You worry too much. Go get the stupid ingredients before I convince your mum to actually try and make apple and pear soup with me."

Clay hadn't quite registered that his hands were now rested upon George's hips. Not until he used the position to softly pinch at the skin beneath George's shirt. "You wouldn't dare." And it sounded almost like a challenge.

"Watch me." George stated and now it really was a challenge. Clay was the first to break however, dipping with the tilt of his head to kiss George again. George hummed, fingers softly pressing against Clay's shoulders, but wasn't so easily distracted. "I know what you're trying to do, Clay. Leave already, It's not like they're going to kill me."

Clay side-eyed his sister for a moment, suspicious. "I wouldn't be so sure." George rolled his eyes, however, and took the shopping list from Clay's mother, tucking it into Clay's pocket and beginning to shove him towards the door of the kitchen. He then continued to make shooing gestures until Clay left, hanging his head in a mock sulk.

"I think that's the first time he's ever been reluctant to leave." Clay's father quipped lightly but there was a lingering, bittersweet taste to the words. It was brushed off quickly, however, as Clay's mother began herding them back to their 'stations'. Regardless, George couldn't help the guilt that settled low in his chest as the seemingly comfortable silence dragged on.

"He loves you guys, you know." He managed, somewhat awkwardly. "More than anything."

Clay's mother smiled, warm and slightly lopsided - it looked so much like Clay's own. "I think it's you that he loves more than anything, sweetheart." She replied and, while it made George's heart swell, it certainly didn't help with the guilt. "But we know that he loves us. He's just very busy."

George nodded along, wishing that he hadn't tried to play the superhero in this situation. "He wants to visit more now that he can. When he's not on tour." Because he really wasn't sure what to say or do other than simply spew the wisps of what Clay had once told him.

"Yeah?" But it was worthwhile for the hopeful lift to Clay's mother's tone. "That would be nice." She took a moment to glance up from where she'd been slicing carrots and look over to George. "To see the two of you more."

George felt a bashful tint colour his cheeks, reflective of the flare that had erupted in his heart. He nodded again, unable to contain the smile that tugged at his cheeks as he diligently watched his own hands.

This time, the silence wasn't awkward when it settled once more. It remained easy and light all the way up until Clay's sister switched on the radio. From there it became lightly accented by hums, giggles, the occasional soft sentence or lyric.

And if Clay returned to a dramatic rendition of 'my heart will go on' performed by his mother and his boyfriend? Well, what else could he do other than place down his collected bags and join in.

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1.4k words

I don't wike how this one turned out or how long it took to get out, the next one will be better and come sooner :]

Feedback is welcome and appreciated!!

Yours, Dandelion