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13/5/20

Dream :)
Hey Dar?
11:23pm

Darry
Hi Clay!
11:23pm
What's up?
11:23pm

Dream :)
Is the offer for media distraction still up?
11:23pm

Darry
Ooooo!! Yes!!
11:23pm
You need some quiet time with George?
11:23pm

Dream :)
I want to take him to the Café
11:23pm
And I need to talk to him about where we stand
11:23pm

Darry
Did something happen?
11:23pm

Dream :)
Kind of
11:23pm
Last night I found him crying over the things people were sending him
11:24pm
I'd just taken off all my makeup and my contacts
11:24pm
And I didn't really know what to do but I did know that I didn't want him to feel alone
11:24pm
So I laid behind him and wrapped my arms around him and kissed his neck and told him that they were wrong
11:24pm
And he kissed my knuckles and held my hand over his heart
11:24pm
And I think it helped
11:24pm
He seemed better this morning
11:25pm
And I let him see my face even though I was really fucking scared
11:25pm

Darry
Language
12:25pm

Dream :)
Sorry
11:25pm
And he didn't care
11:25pm
He said I was beautiful
11:25pm
I told him that I wished we were normal people and why
11:25pm
And at the end I said "I wish we were normal people so that I could tell you that I loved you like normal people do"
11:25pm
And he said we could be normal people if we tried
11:25pm
And we've been cuddling all morning
11:25pm
I don't want to assume what's going on is what I want to be going on
11:26pm
So I want to take him out for lunch and talk to him like normal people do
11:26pm

Darry
Zak and I will keep the media distracted for as long as you need, Clay
11:26pm
I really hope this works out for you
11:26pm

Dream :)
I really hope so too
11:27pm
Are you ready to talk about it or do you want to be in denial for a bit longer?
11:28pm

Darry
I'm not in denial (ò_ó)
11:28pm

Dream :)
So if I asked how you felt about a certain drummer, I'd receive an honest reply?
11:28pm

Darry
Yes.
11:28pm

Dream :)
Alright.
11:28pm
How do you feel about Zak, Dar?
11:28pm

Darry
I like him.
11:28pm

Dream :)
That it?
11:28pm

Darry
Mhm
11:28pm

Dream :)
Hang on, let me go get the screenshots
11:28pm

Darry
WAIT
11:28pm
Okay, maybe it's a little bit more than like
11:28pm
I want to do something today
11:29pm
I've already told him that we're distracting the media for you
11:29pm
So I can just blame it on that if it doesn't go right
11:29pm

Dream :)
YES GO GET SOME DAR
12:29pm

Darry
CLAY!!!
12:29pm
Seen

////:\\\\

"Darryl is no longer in denial." Clay commented from where he was still curled into the crook of George's neck. George hummed.

"What was Darryl in denial about?" George asked absently, one hand tracing up and down Clay's spine and the other holding up his own phone.

"His feelings," Clay stated and George nodded.

"For Zak, right?" George asked, smiling at another kind message before moving along to delete the rest of the not so kind ones. Clay laughed.

"He's so obvious that even you know." Clay quipped. George scoffed in mock offence and began untangling himself from underneath Clay. Clay whined an apology and wrapped his arms around George's waist tighter. George huffed and rewrapped his arm around Clay.

"Do you want to go to the Café again today? Darryl said he's 'distracting the media' so we won't have to worry." Clay asked, fiddling with the hem of George's shirt. George hummed.

"I'd love to. What does he mean by 'distracting the media'?" George responded. Clay shrugged with a smile.

"Not a clue but apparently he's planning on making a move on Zak today." George nodded. It was hard to believe that a little over a week ago, George would have leapt at the prospect of some possible 'skephalo' content. But, then again, a little over a week ago, George would have simply died at the idea of having Dream curled on top and around him like this so he had come quite a ways.

"You know you have to get up if you want to go to the Café?" George teased when Clay pushed him back down after he'd attempted to sit up. Clay groaned in protest and made his way to don his mask.

////:\\\\

@BadBoyHalo
Walking with my muffins ❤️
[an image of two dogs walking slightly ahead of two sets of feet. Barely visible in the image are a pair of hands, fingers laced]
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21.5k retweets      36.6k likes
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@BBHisBaby
Rat and Rocco content 🥺👉🏼👈🏼
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@skephalootp
H a n d s ?
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@chiccennuggies
Are,,, are they holding hands???
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     @BadBoyHalo
     They're dogs, silly, they don't have hands!
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     19.8k retweets      37.2k likes

////:\\\\

Clay was panicking. He had argued with George all the way to the Café about who would pay and George had eventually won. Now, as Clay sat and waited for George to return with whatever he'd ordered for them, Clay was overthinking.

What if he'd read the situation wrong? George never actually said the words, Clay just assumed that's what he was getting at. What if George was only acting that way because he'd been upset?

George sat opposite Clay with a grin, pushing a large plate of waffles towards him. It successfully snapped Clay back to reality and he took a moment to look between the plate and George's grinning face. George had his own plate too.

"How are you so skinny, George?" Clay asked, baffled, and George laughed. George could tell that Clay had something on his mind so he patiently waited for him to find the words.

"George I... we need to talk." Well, he couldn't have picked a more terrifying phrase. George decided. He hummed, eyes on Clay, as he took another bite. "I don't... maybe I... I think that..." Clay groaned and George took pity on him. He reached forward to place his hand around Clay's

"Hey, look at me." Clay looked up from his plate to George's kind eyes. "It's just me, Clay. It's just George." Clay nodded and took a deep breath.

"Look, I may be reading this wrong and if I am then feel free to tell me to shut up but... I want to try being normal people with you, George. I want to ask you to get drinks with me or maybe go and see a movie or get dinner like normal people do when they like eachother. Because I really... really like you, George - I meant every word I said this morning - and I think you might like me too." Clay had been focussing on where George's hand was rested on top of his. He finally plucked up the courage to look up at George, only to be blinded by his smile.

"You aren't reading this wrong but I am afraid I may be dreaming." George whispered, eyes glassy. Clay rushed to cup George's face, thumb ready to wipe away any stray tears. George's laugh was watery as he leant into Clay's palm. "I want to try being normal people with you too, Clay."

Clay couldn't help the grin on his face. "I'll start then. George, would you like to go on a date with me?" George giggled.

"I thought that's what this is?" George retorted with a cheeky grin and Clay had never been more in love.

"Then I'm going to make this the best date you've ever had." Clay said with determination and George laughed. Little did Clay know that it already was the best date George had ever had simply because it was with him.

////:\\\\

@Skeppy
Ur cuuuuuute @BadBoyHalo <3
[an image of Bad, crouched and grinning at Rocco while ruffling the dog's fur]
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24.3k retweets 39.9k likes
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@SkepHalooo
WHAT IS GOING ONNNNNNNN
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@fleepfloop
Fanfic writers: write that down! Write that down!
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@BadBoyHalo
O////O you're cuter!
[an image of Skeppy excitedly talking about something, mid gesture. He's sitting on their couch and it's just about visible that Skeppy's legs are in the photographer's lap]
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@Skeppy
Ur cuterer!
[an image of Bad half-asleep, head rested on
fluffy black hair. He has a faint smile on his
face.]
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24.6k retweets 41.1k likes

////:\\\\

Clay would say the date was going well, in his opinion. After leaving the café, they'd decided to walk for a little while and enjoy each other's company. George was leaning into Clay's side with laughter again after a particularly bad pun. George was probably the only person that found Clay's puns funny.

Neither boy was really sure when it had happened but their fingers were interlaced once more. Every now and again, George would squeeze Clay's hand in three short bursts. Clay didn't know what it meant but he did know that it made his heart stutter.

Just like they'd promised, George spouted bullshit facts about London's best sights, Clay took stupid, cheesy photos whenever he could, George wore Clay's hoodie like an award and the worst thing the two worried about was the shard, which they passed quickly. It wasn't a rollercoaster but it was as close as they had.

And when their feet started to ache, George steered them back in the direction of their home.

////:\\\\

@Skeppy
Ssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh don't tell him
[a selfie of Skeppy curled into Bad's side. His smiling face is nestled into the crook of Bad's neck and it's only just decipherable that Bad's arms are around him. Bad is smiling, pink cheeked]
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31.2k retweets 43.7k likes
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@BBHisBaby
The fact that they both look so happy 🥺👉🏼👈🏼 I'm soft
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@quackquack
SIRS?! EXCUSE ME SIRS, IMPORTANT QUESTION, ARE YOU WEARING SOCKS?!
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@BadBoyHalo
OH MY GOODNESS SKEPPY!!!!!
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@Skeppy
Oh no
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33.4k retweets 45.9k likes

////:\\\\

George let his fingers slip from Clay's in order to unlock the door. It took until both of his shoes were off for him to notice Clay hadn't followed him in.

"Clay?" George called, walking back to the door. Clay hadn't moved. "Hello? You there?" George joked, stepping out again. The concrete was cold against George's bare feet. Clay smiled.

"We forgot a step." Clay stated simply and George looked up at him, confused. "I walked you to your door, where's my goodnight kiss?" George giggled nervously, it was barely dinner time. Clay waited patiently.

George rolled his eyes and placed his hands on Clay's chest. He leant up on his toes to press a chaste kiss to Clay's cheek. Clay rested his hands on George's hips.

Clay expected George to laugh it off and move indoors. He didn't expect George to lower to his heels again and remain in place, looking up at Clay with wideblown pupils. Something in the air between them shifted. Slowly, almost painfully so, George moved away and disappeared indoors.

Clay stood frozen for a moment before scrambling to get indoors and throw his shoes off. Bare-foot, Clay speed walked to catch up with George in the living room.

George barely had time to register Clay in the room before he felt Clay's fingers slide into the belt loop at the hip of his jeans and tug him around to face him. His other hand swiftly yet gently tilted George's chin up and slightly to the side.

And then Clay's lips were pressed to George's.

————————————
2k words

So 🥺👉🏼👈🏼 today Like Normal People Do officially turns one month old!! AND we hit tEN THOUSAND VIEWS!!!!! WHAT????? I honestly never expected this to receive as much love and support as it has and I am so so thankful to each and every one of you for it 🥺👉🏼👈🏼💕 I decided to write both skephalo and a long overdue date (and kith) as a thank you and celebration but I still feel like there's more I could do for you so what would you all like? It can be anything your heart desires and I will try my very hardest to deliver!!

I love you guys so much 🥺💕

Feedback is welcome and appreciated!!

~Dandelion

P.s: I drew Ophelia! I didn't expect people to get so attached to her so I didn't really describe her at all. Does she look how you envisioned? If not, how did you envision her?