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@GeorgeNotFound
I hate this, Ophelia where are you we're planning early @OhOphelia
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retweets      likes
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@Sapnap
FINALLY YES
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@Gogythefirst
Guys he's finally gonna ask Dream out 😌🥰

for legal reasons, this is a joke
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@OhOphelia
POG! I'm out rn with Clark, Jethro and my brother, bring your sidehoe and we can merge groups 😌 it'll be cute
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     @GeorgeNotFound
     Send me the address and we'll be there
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     retweets      likes

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Clay had two more days. Two more days to just let George know that he's okay and where he'd been.

Well, George knew where he'd been. With Keres. He'd seen the photos everywhere. With Keres at a café, with Keres at the beach, with Keres at the park, with Keres at a bloody restaurant. At least the band were there too most of the time.

But now the band wouldn't speak to him either. They said they'd be there when he needed them and then just disappeared. They ignored Nick too, even Vincent. Some friends they were.

But George would get his explanation. He wouldn't let them just drop him and Nick like that, with not a word. Were he and Clay even still in a relationship? If Clay refused to talk to him?

George didn't want to think about it because, deep under all the anger, George still loved him with all his heart and soul. And that's what brought him here, to an unfamiliar haven of green hidden by London's winding roads, with a flock of vaguely familiar idiots.

"Best friend George not found! It's a pleasure to see you, my guy." Ophelia called, throwing her arms around George and Nick. "And you too, Mr. Nappatus." She steered them towards a scruffy looking red blanket on the grass.

On top of the red blanket sat a pale boy, hair much the same dark brown and softly curled texture as Ophelia's but considerably shorter. He was dressed in a worn pair of brown overall shorts, a white shirt and a black sweater bundled in his lap. He looked maybe a year or so younger than Ophelia.

Next to the blanket was a scuffle of, what looked like, two more guys. George could just about make out a tuft of blond hair that looked to be attached to the one in a dark blue, high necked shirt, a black sleeveless hoodie with a red hood and dark blue jeans. It looked as though he was wearing two long bandage sleeves over his forearms, thumb holes cut in each. He had an attractive tan that George distantly wondered how he'd acquired with England's weather.

The other, who had just twisted the smallers' arm behind his back and was shoving his face into the grass, had messy brown hair and a tan even deeper than the previous'. He was wearing a black tee, ripped blue jeans and a worn, brown leather jacket. He had two small, silver studs over his left eyebrow, highlighting brilliant blue eyes. They looked the same age as Ophelia.

"This is my absolute angel, sweetheart, blessing of a brother, Geo." Ophelia motioned to the small boy sat crossed legged on the blanket. He blushed and smiled something small, waving up at George and Nick. They waved back politely. "We don't know those fuckos, they just showed up." Ophelia deadpanned, staring at the two wrestling. The blond had managed to bite the other was now being smothered. George and Nick watched, mildly concerned.

"You love us." The blond wheezed and Ophelia shook her head. She placed one booted foot between the brown haired boy's shoulder blades and kicked him off of the blond.

"This is Jethro. He has the only brain cell out of all of us except for when it comes to his feelings for Clark." Ophelia motioned to the boy she'd just kicked.

"The only feelings I have for Clark are hatred." Jethro remarked with a soft blush, brushing off his jacket. Ophelia hummed in sarcastic agreement.

"Finally, this is Clark. We're pretty sure he has rabies." Ophelia finished, gesturing to the blond who waved happily in response with a toothy grin. George took a subtle step away from him. "But enough introducing, its plan time. Sit."

George contemplated for a moment what he should and shouldn't tell the other four - Nick already knew everything. They seemed harmless, if a little childish, but George was well aware that looks could be deceiving.

"You've got to promise you won't repeat anything I say." George demanded, looking around the circle of fully grown adults - and Geo - sitting cross legged on a blanket in the grass. He didn't sound all that threatening though, considering he only had a chance of beating two out of the five surrounding - Nick and Geo - in a fight. They agreed regardless.

That was all George needed before he spilled. He explained that he and Clay were in a relationship, to which Ophelia crowed a loud 'called it', and that they were currently trying a long distance relationship but hiding it to avoid media drama. He explained that Clay had slowly had to pull back from George because of managerial pressure and general stress but that he still called as often as possible and texted daily. He explained that, five days ago, Clay simply stopped contacting him and Nick sourly added in that Vincent had stopped talking to him four days ago as well. That prompted George to explain that the whole band stopped responding to them as well.

"So, they've all started ghosting you both but still read your messages and like your posts. And they keep being spotted out with Keres." Ophelia summarised, looking between Nick and George for confirmation. They nodded in unison.

"And I'm trying not to go all jealous boyfriend because Keres hasn't actually done anything wrong but..." George trailed off, hoping they'd understand.

"Dude, that's some serious self restraint. I would have gone feral if I were you." Clark assured, throwing a cherry at his mouth and missing horrifically. George wasn't sure when the cherries appeared or where they had come from. He figured the rucksack hidden slightly behind Jethro might be the explanation to one of those.

"You'd go feral for fun, Clark." Geo reminded in an impossibly soft voice and Clark gave a non committal shrug, as if he couldn't help it. George and Nick had quickly learned that Geo was very much like a more quiet, younger and more subdued Darryl.

"Have you considered that something may be stopping them from talking to you?" Jethro asked, ignoring the cherry that bounced off of his cheek. George and Nick looked sheepish for a moment before shaking their heads no.

"But Vincent isn't the type to just... do what people want him to. Especially if it would mean he lost a friend." Nick reasoned, leaning his elbows on his knees. George looked over at Nick with a raised eyebrow and knowing smirk, to which Nick blushed and looked away. George's face dropped in surprise, he'd only been teasing but he didn't expect Nick to react like that.

"Wait, since when?" George asked, excited, and grabbed at Nick's shoulders. The other four watched in different stages of amused and confused. Nick attempted to squirm from George's hands and bat them away, blushing brighter.

"I don't know! I don't know if I even... you know but.. he's just.." Nick tried, curling in on himself with a small smile.

"Oh, that's a gay panic alright." Ophelia certified, leaning back on her hands and crossing her feet on the blanket in front of her.

"Are any of us straight though?" George asked, still grinning from ear to ear for his best friend. Geo shyly raised a hand.

"As far as I know, I'm straight but there's always the future." Geo said with a shrug and Ophelia threw an arm around his shoulders, ruffling his hair.

"Wait, so all of us but Geo are some breed of gay?" Clark wondered aloud. Jethro rolled his eyes at that and Ophelia nodded.

"Yup. Pan and Poly here." She stated with a flirtatious grin.

"Horrifically homosexual." Clark continued, looking over at Jethro with a wink. Jethro blushed, shoving at his chest hard enough to topple him.

"...bicurious." He admitted anyway, begrudgingly. Nick grinned and held up one hand for a high five.

"Bicurious as well! I think." He stated and Jethro high fived him with a poorly hidden smile. Clark whined something about being cheated on because Jethro never high fives him.

"Just Bi." George finished.

"Man, we could start up our own pride parade." Clark commented having finally caught one of the cherries, only to have it launched back out when Jethro hit him upside the back of his head. He let out a loud whine.

"Alright, enough emotional coming out, let's get back to the problem. How do we get George's little pissbaby of a boyfriend back? I still vote for flying George out there." Ophelia said, bringing them all back to the solemn task at hand. There was a wave of quiet agreement.

"What if it goes wrong?" Jethro commented, Clark nudging his side gently. "I don't mean to sound mean, just logical. If it goes wrong then George is out in a foreign country, alone, with a broken heart and no where to go." He expanded, intentions kind but wording blunt. There was a hum of a more sad agreement. George stared at his hands in his lap. He didn't want to think of the possibility of things not going right but it was a valid concern. George wasn't sure he'd cope if he had to go through that alone.

"What if we all go with?" Geo asked, softly. He'd caught on to George's upset expression and desperately searched for a positive to wipe it away with. The others turned to Geo, eager to hear him out. "If it goes right? Wonderful. We can watch Ophelia try and fail to romance Keres. If it goes wrong? Then forget about them, we can have fun on our own without Clay and Vincent. We could.. we could go to Disney World!" He cheered with pink cheeks. Ophelia looked over at George for approval. George shrugged and nodded enthusiastically and the rest of the group cheered - or, their versions of cheering. Jethro had the widest smile he'd worn in a while and that was close enough to a cheer.

"If things go wrong, Geo and Ophelia will take you two to Disney World. Clark and I will join you after we finish some errands." Jethro stated with a malicious twinkle in his eye, cracking his knuckles. George and Nick laughed at that, used to Jethro's dark and dry humour from the few hours they'd all spent together.

For one heavenly moment in this whole ordeal, George didn't feel so afraid. No matter what happened, he'd have people that loved him by his side.

He had waited long enough, now George was going to get the answers he deserved.

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@Sapnap
Makeshift pride parade (if you see us, feel free to say hi!)
[an image of the group. In the foreground were Nick and Geo, both wearing poorly woven daisy chains in their hair. Geo was tucked under Nick's arm, hand up in a peace sign. Behind them were George and Ophelia, Ophelia teaching George how to plait her hair. George is laughing and Ophelia looks stupidly smug, most likely over a horrible joke she would have just told. Just decipherable in the back were Jethro and Clark, Clark having been thrown over Jethro's wide shoulders. Clark was laughing, despite it looking like Jethro was about to floor him.]
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retweets      likes
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@fleepfloop
This looks like one of those 'draw your squad' memes
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@chiccennuggies
Happy George happy George happy George happy George happy George happy George
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@quackquack
Anyone just happy to see George smiling again?
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     @Sapnap
     Don't tell George but I guess I'm kinda
     glad he's happy
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     retweets      likes

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2k words

It only took George five days to gain a new group that would die for him.

Feedback is welcome and appreciated!!!

Yours, Dandelion