Clark had dragged Clay into the nearest rollercoaster queue, not letting him look at what he was about to ride, immediately after getting confirmation. They had quickly fallen silent, the only noises Clay could listen to in order to distract himself from his imminent doom were the excited chatter of those around them and the faint sounds of Clark hopping foot to foot as he practically vibrated with anticipation.

Clark looked a lot like him, Clay realised slowly. Sandy blonde hair, though Clark's was slightly brassier than his own. The same wonderfully tanned skin, though Clark's only had the occasional mole rather than his generous splatters of dark freckles hidden by thick foundation. Even their eyes were similar, though Clark's green was mixed with an amber-brown ring around his pupils.

Clark was shorter than him and less muscular too, Clay reminded himself as though the knowledge would comfort him. And then he wondered whether George preferred that and the knowledge no longer comforted him. Clark must have been around five eleven and, where he wasn't muscular, he was lean. And he wore his bloody floral shirt unbuttoned to his belly button, so there was no doubt he knew he looked fine.

One thing that was very different between Clay and Clark was the fact that Clark so very obviously didn't care about anything others thought of him. He was so effortlessly relaxed, more than happy to ride wherever the world took him. He didn't care when he laughed too loud at a bad joke, he didn't care when he wore a really ugly outfit, he didn't care when people side eyed him for holding hands with his friends and, most of all, he didn't care when people didn't like him for no discernible reason. He simply didn't care at all.

Clay rather admired him in that respect. He exuded a self confidence that Clay could only ever wish to acquire. He wondered whether George had seen and liked that about him too.

"So, uh... you and George, huh?" Clay asked, by means of starting awkward conversation. He was tired of the lingering silence between them and really didn't want to spiral further into all the ways George may prefer Clark over himself. He really could have said literally anything else, though.

Clark froze from where he'd just been trying to climb the railing made to encase the queuing patrons and turned to look at Clay. He stared at Clay in utter bafflement before breaking into hysterical laughter, having to hop down onto solid ground. Clay watched, confused, and felt his cheeks burn pink beneath his foundation with embarrassment.

"Oh you poor, clueless baby." Clark finally breathed, wiping at his eyes. "George is a cutie pie, don't get me wrong," Clay ignored the pang in his heart from that "but I'm much too gone for Jethro for that. Not to mention I'm too much of a bottom." He stated nonchalantly, patting Clay's shoulder.

"Wait, you're actually into Jethro?" Clay asked, eager to disregard the bottom comment. Clark didn't bother holding back his laugh at that, moving along in the queue with Clay following.

"Dude, I flirt with him literally every second I'm around him, are you unobservant or just plain stupid?" Clark chuckled out and Clay felt himself begin to smile, relief taking hold where jealousy once was.

"I just thought you did it to piss him off." Clay admitted with a shrug and Clark grinned, nodding.

"Oh, yeah, absolutely. But I piss him off because it's hot." Clark shrugged. "He's not a big hugger because he's tragically repressed so I get his arms around me by making him want to tackle me instead." Clay shook his head with a soft laugh.

"But, dude, seriously. Even if I was into George, I'd have no chance with him. The guy's just as crazy about you as you are about him, even if he doesn't show it." Clark reassured him honestly.

"I saw what he was like without you and it's not a pretty sight. Yeah, you hurt him, but it wasn't your fault and you explained and apologised and now you're working to make things right. You're letting me take you on a sodding rollercoaster for him, that's got to mean something. He'll realise how whipped you are for him soon enough and you'll go back to being all gross and in love." Clark stuck his tongue out, pretending to gag. Clay didn't bother making a comment about how Clark was gross and in love too, with Jethro.

"Don't worry about other people liking him, worry about him knowing just how much you like him. That goes for both people who like him too much and people who don't like him at all. George is a tough kiddie, he can deal with people not liking him as long as he knows just how much you do." Clay nodded softly.

"Thank you, Clark." Clay said gently and Clark smiled in return, nodding.

"You won't be saying that in a second." Clark chuckled, shuffling along the queue a bit further.

Clay stared at him in confusion for a moment before the realisation crashed into him all at once. They were next in line.

And, oh God had Clay made a mistake. They were seated at the front because of course they were. Clark had climbed and strapped himself in the moment they were allowed to but Clay was finding it harder to make himself move.

And, oh God he was stuck now. There was no turning back. Clark was chuckling in anticipation at his side and Clay distantly wondered whether he could make himself pass out and wake up once it was over.

"You vomit on me and I'll sick Jethro on you." Clark warned but his grin was encouraging and kind in nature. Clay clutched at the bar in front of them until his knuckles were white.

"Jethro would laugh at you for sure." Clay weakly quipped in return and Clark laughed his agreement, placing a hand on Clay's arm and squeezing easily.

There was a horrible clunk, followed by clicking noises and then they were off, hoisting higher and higher towards the clouds.

George would be the death of Clay, but he would rather die by his hand then let him ever wonder how much he meant to him.

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@OhOphelia
This u? @Sapnap

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@Sapnap
Heart❤️ been broke💔🤕 so many times⏰ I don't know❌🤷‍♀️ what to believe 🍃🙏 yeah👍 mama🤰say it's my👧😣fault🥺😢 my fault😭😞 I wear my heart💝 on my sleeve👕
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@OfficialA6d
I SAID I WAS SORRY WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT FROM MEEEEE
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@quackquack
Wait why is he sad???? What happened?????? W h a t?????? Please, I can't deal with any more sadness, I'll cry
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@OhOphelia
He remembered *** rejected him the first
time he asked them out 😫💔
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The group heard the pair before they saw them. Clark's raucous laugh echoed and bounced as he hauled Clay back. Clay's arm was wrapped around Clark's shoulders, almost all of his weight flopped on the shorter, his legs much too alike to jelly to hold him up stably on his own.

George couldn't help but giggle at the sight, the first of the group to begin making their way towards the two. The others followed, Ophelia, Geo, Nick and Zak clapping and cheering obnoxiously.

"I can't believe you actually did that!" Geo giggled once they were close enough. He had finally gotten off of his phone, Kiri telling him to go and have fun with his friends and that they'd talk later.

"You're so stupid." George laughed out and Clay attempted a shaking smile in return, still not entirely sure he wasn't going to vomit. George didn't think twice on taking Clay into his arms when Clark dumped Clay on him.

Clay took his chance, wrapping his arms around George's shoulders and burying his face  into George's hair. George rolled his eyes but pressed his nose to Clay's collarbone regardless, tangling his arms around Clay's back as well.

It hit George then that that was the first time he'd hugged Clay, just the two of them, since he had dropped him off at the airport all those hellish months ago. It felt a lot bigger than just George comforting him after a rollercoaster ride but he figured they'd talk about that later. For now, he'd let the way Clay held tight to his shoulders and smiled into his hair begin to pull the shards of his heart a little closer.

The others had decided on giving them their privacy, happy to avert their eyes and chat loudly to one another. Clay hummed, nuzzling his nose in George's hair and George giggled somewhat breathlessly, mumbling a 'what?'.

"You smell nice." Clay murmured in answer and George laughed at just how creepy that sounded. He peeled away slowly, allowing one of Clay's arms  to remain around his shoulders.

"You don't." George returned with a wide grin. It was a lie, of course, and everyone knew it but Clay still laughed brightly regardless.

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@DOTDUpdates
Entirety of @(Dream)ingOfTheDisco and @KeresHexxOff spotted with @GeorgeNotFound and friends at Disney World
[an image of Clay draped over George, smile evident in his closed eyes. Around them, Zak and Darryl are tucked into each others sides; Vincent's hand is discretely tangled with Nick's between them; Ophelia has an arm around Keres' waist, tucking her neatly into her side, her other arm around Geo's shoulders and Clark's hand is tucked into the back pocket of Jethro's jeans.]
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@fleepfloop
The shippers are having a F E A S T right now

But like, fr, Dream looks so much happier now and I bet George is too.
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@Hexxed
Keres looks so happy 🥺 and cute 🥺 everyone say thank you Ophelia 💖
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@luciddreamer
If a n y o n e says a n y t h i n g bad about George rn I will T H R O W H A N D S
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     @Dreamishot
     ^^^
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Feedback is welcome and appreciated!!

Yours, Dandelion