It was time. The week was up and Clay still hadn't come to George so George was going to Clay.

He, Nick, Ophelia, Geo, Clark and Jethro had decided they would all go together, just in case. Geo and Ophelia knew the area around where the band was most often spotted and had been to Disney world a few times before so they would be acting guides - and Ophelia really wanted the chance to meet Keres. Nick was there as George's emotional support - and so that he could meet with Vincent and get his explanation in person. Jethro was there as their bodyguard, looking like something straight out of an action movie George and Nick were sure they had watched at least once before. And Clark, well, he had paid for almost the entire trip. When George had asked where he'd gotten that kind of money, Clark responded that his 'glucose guardian' had supplied it. George couldn't really tell whether he was joking or not and he was a little too afraid to ask.

Despite having only properly gotten to know the group a few days prior, George found himself excited to spend time with them all, if nothing else. They were all mismatched and odd and George thought that's what made them perfect. Because they all knew their own and each other's flaws and they didn't care. They loved each other anyways, through all of their mistakes. He liked that about them.

"WASSUP BITCHBOY?" A raucous voice called, almost drowning out the slam of his front door against the wall. George winced, looking up from where he'd just finished packing to his bedroom door. He was about to yell back about slamming doors when he heard the echo of Clark being slapped upside the head, most likely by Jethro, and the laughs that followed it.

George walked from his room to find the five scattered over his couch and sitting room floor. He lifted his phone to his ear, speaking into it sarcastically. "Pest control? Yeah, there's four rats in my living room." That sparked a peel of laughter that George smiled at. There was always a sense of pride and satisfaction in making people, especially your friends, laugh.

"Four? I knew you couldn't count, George." Nick piped up with a teasing smirk.

"Yes, four. Geo is too much of an angel to be a rat." George explained, smirking in return. Geo giggled, sticking his tongue out at the others in triumph. Clark stuck his tongue out in return.

"You all packed and ready, scooter boy?" Ophelia asked from her relaxed position on the arm of the couch. He nodded, only mildly confused as to why he was 'scooter boy' now. Then he remembered the scooter Clay had bought him back when he was a frequent on George's streams and it suddenly all made sense. George ignored the ache the memory left.

"Yeah. I already dropped Mew off and just finished packing. You all ready?" There was a ripple of replies, all affirmative sounding. George nodded to himself and went to grab his bags.

////:\\\\
5/10/20

Georgie 💕
I gave you a week.
1:33pm
One full week.
1:33pm
To respond.
1:33pm
To call me.
1:33pm
To do anything to let me know that you're okay
1:33pm
And what was going on.
1:33pm
Nothing.
1:33pm
Not a word from you in an entire week.
1:33pm
But I'm not going to just give up on you like that.
1:34pm
You didn't come to me so now I'm going to you.
1:34pm
I'll see you soon, Clay.
1:34pm
Seen

////:\\\\

For one nerve wracking, heart wrenching moment, the device had said that Clay was typing. But then it was replaced again by the horribly bland, hollowing 'seen' that George had grown used to.

"I know Clark's taste in music is bad but surely it's not that bad." Ophelia teased lightly at George's sour expression. They'd decided to all pile in to Jethro's van for ease of transport. Jethro drove - obviously, it was his baby - while Clark rode shotgun, left in charge of the radio. Behind sat Geo on the singular side seat and last were George, Ophelia and Nick, stuffed snuggly shoulder to shoulder on the bench. George let out a weak laugh and shook his head, locking his phone. There was no use wallowing, he'd see Clay soon enough. For the first time since the plan was decided upon, George let himself consider what might happen.

It could all go wonderfully right. They could get there, get settled and find the band quickly on the first day. They could confront the band and have them explain that there was a valid reason as to why they hadn't responded and just disappeared with Keres. Clay would explain that there was a valid reason as to why he hadn't responded and just disappeared with Keres. He'd explain and he'd tell George he loved him and George would forgive him. George would forgive him.

Or it could all go terribly wrong.

They could get there and simply not be able to find the band. They could get there and have the band actively avoid them. They could find the band only to have them explain that there was no valid reason that they hadn't responded. They could explain that they had just gotten tired of George and Nick. That George and Nick simply weren't good enough for them. That George simply wasn't enough for Clay. That Clay was happier with Keres than he'd ever been with George. That Clay never loved him in the first place. That everyone was right, George wasn't enough for Clay and Keres was.

"COUNTRY ROADS, TAKE ME HOME," Clark belted - out of tune, mind you - along to the song, making George jump and look up. Ophelia and Nick laughed, joining in as Geo began filming on his phone and giggling. "TO THE PLACE I BELONG!" Despite his stone cold face, even Jethro was drumming along against the steering wheel.

George glanced around at the van full of glorified children he was stuck with for the next week and let himself let go of what he'd been dwelling in. He'd just have to see what happened when they got there.

////:\\\\

@GeorgeNotFound
Fuck it, holiday time.
[a selfie taken by George in an airport, waiting to board. Jethro is wide awake in an uncomfortable looking chair with Geo, Clark, Ophelia and Nick curled against him in various positions, all in various states of consciousness. George is lent against Jethro's legs on the floor, head in his lap, looking sleepy. Jethro looks less than impressed at being made a pillow of but doesn't look to be moving any time soon.]
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retweets likes
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@GeorgeNotFound
I should probably elaborate that there will be no streams as we'll be spending the week in Florida, videos as usual though!
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@dreamalittledream
I want to be in a cuddle pile with George 🥺 (sssshhhh don't let the toxic stans find me)
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@DreamNotFound
Wait wait wait wait Florida???? Please say he's going to visit Dream PLEASE DREAM NEEDS HIM
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@fleepfloop
^^^ P L E A S E say its reunion time, it's
been way too long and Dream looks
miserable without him. GO GET HIM
     SCOOTER BOY.

////:\\\\

The plane ride was destined to be hellish from the beginning. Nine long hours of overthinking and overanalysing for George to do. George was a logical and smart kind of person but all logic was discarded when it came to Clay. He'd always had that effect on George.

George glanced to the side to look at his best friend and was greeted by a similarly far away and pained look. Furrowed eyebrows hung low over sad eyes, which were gazing down at his open phone. George didn't need to look to know who's conversation he was rereading. With a soft sense of resignation, George decided that if he can't console himself, he'll at least try to console Nick.

"Hey," George murmured, gently nudging Nick's ribs with his elbow. Nick blinked for a second before looking over at George questioningly. "Tell me about him." He prompted, nodding to Nick's phone. Nick looked confused for a moment, glancing between his phone and George and George rolled his eyes. "I rant to you about Clay all the time. Tell me about Vincent." Nick watched him for a moment longer before shrugging.

"I don't even know when it happened, to be honest, it just sort of.. did. We started talking because of you and Clay and, for a long time, it stayed like that but then... something changed. We started talking outside of just updating each other on what was happening between you and Clay." A small smile made its way onto Nick's lips.

"At first I found him kinda scary because he's all blunt and dark but then I got used to it and I realised he was actually.. really funny. And he really does care, even when he pretends he doesn't. He cares so much more than he lets on and.. I don't know. Just, the more I found out about him the more I liked him." Nick shrugged and George smiled over at him, reaching out to ruffle his hair. Nick chuckled, batting George's hand away.

"We'll see them soon." George assured and Nick nodded with a sad smile.

It had helped to keep up conversation. As long as George was occupied, he couldn't be thinking about the possibility of things going wrong; of Clay having moved on. He'd managed to occupy himself rather well, if he said so himself. He'd managed to occupy himself all the way up to collecting their rental cars.

George had pulled out his phone, intending to update Twitter that they had landed safe and sound - and maybe message Clay again. He opened twitter and

Oh

When the group finally noticed they'd lost one and looked back in search of George, he was shaking on his knees.

Oh.

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1.7k words

Don't hurt meeeeeeeeee <3

Yours, Dandelion