~~~

     The world rushed by in a blur as George stared out the car window, trees and lampposts blurring together. His stomach clenched, knotting together with both nerves and excitement. He tried to calm down by focusing on the quiet sound of his fingers tapping against the worn leather seats.

     "Are you sure you're ready for this?" Violet turned to face him, briefly looking away from the road. Her hands were gripping the wheel tightly, knuckles turning white.

     "It's a bit too late to ask me that now," He nodded his head towards the airport building loomed into view. "We're already here."

     "I know," She frowned. "I'm just worried, I don't want you to get hurt again."

      "Don't worry, I'm fine," He tried to reassure but nervousness coated his words. "Everything's fine."

      "I know," Violet repeated. "Just be careful, okay? Don't let Clay manipulate you again."

      "He wasn't manipulating me!" George groaned. "I already explained it to you, when are you going to forgive him? It'll be fine, I trust him."

      "I don't." She mumbled under her breath, her voice almost inaudible.

       "What?"

       "Nothing, nothing." She sighed wearily, parking near the entrance. "I know Clay didn't mean what he said before, I just want you to be careful while you're there."

       "Everything's going to okay, Vi." George tried to shrug off her concern but an anxious feeling ate at his stomach. He bit his lip, glancing at the building in front of him. "Do you think it'll be weird, seeing him again?"

       "I don't know, George," She said honestly. "But I think he'll be happy to see you. Try not to worry about it too much, okay?"

      He nodded slightly before climbing out of the car.  George opened the back of the car and pulled his suitcase down, running a hand over it gently. A small smile formed on his face, mind wandering to Clay.

     "You better call and tell me what he says, otherwise you can walk home from the airport when you get back."

     George rolled his eyes and held in a laugh. "I will, I promise," He grinned at Violet. "I'll see you in a couple of days."

     With one last wave he turned and walked towards the entrance. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to prepare himself for the hours ahead.

    "Don't be stupid!" She called after him, her lips lifting into a smile.

    "Bye, Violet!" George peered over his shoulder and waved again. He watched as she lowered herself into her car, listening to the roar of the engine as it started up again.

     The inside of the airport was crowded, travelers rushing from place to place. George tugged his suitcase along behind him, the cocktail of anxiousness and anticipation burning his insides. It was as if time was on fast forward as he checked his bag at the front desk, thoughts racing through his brain at high speeds.

      George weaved in between people, pushing against the masses heading in the opposite direction. The terminal was loud, hundreds of voices all mingling together. He focused his attention on the gleaming white floor tiles beneath his feet.

     He couldn't help but remember the last time he'd been at the airport. His heart rate sped up as he recalled the urgent expression on Clay's face when he told George he loved him. Another wave of longing surged, crashing over him and threatening to knock him over.

     All he wanted was to see him again, to feel Clay's arms wrap around him. George missed the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. Soon, he reminded himself, looking around the familiar airport. I'll see him soon.

    He was practically buzzing with excitement as he turned down another hallway towards his gate. George shut his eyes for a moment and imagined seeing his face again, a dizzying warmth spreading throughout his body.

     His gate was busy, people eagerly milling around nearby. He rocked back on his heels, heaving a frustrated sigh as he checked the time. There was still over thirty minutes until boarding.

     George contemplated getting something to eat but ultimately decided against it, his stomach churning. He fished his phone out of his pocket and felt an involuntary smile creep onto his face as he eyed his lock screen.

     It was the picture of him and Clay from his last day in London. Looking at it was bittersweet. The vise around George's heart tightened painfully. He wished he could relive that moment, the two of them floating aimlessly in the paddle boat on the canal.

     George shook off the memory, unlocking his phone and going to his contacts. He paused momentarily as he read Clay's name before continuing to scroll downwards and calling Layla, a smile still hovering on his face.

     "George!" She chirped from the other end of the line. "Are you at the airport yet?"

      "Yeah, I'm about to board my flight. Is everything ready for tonight?"

      "The reservation is all set," She chuckled mischievously. "He thinks it's just gonna be a family dinner."

      "You're sure he doesn't know I'll be there?" George asked, his foot tapping impatiently against the floor tiles.

      "Trust me, he has no idea."

      "You're completely sure?"

"George, calm down He doesn't know."

"It's been over three months since we've seen each other. I'm just a little worried he doesn't actually want me there."

"Yeah, whatever," Layla laughed at him. "Don't be an idiot, of course he wants you there."

George envied how sure she sounded. His eyes darted around the airport, bouncing between people and the clock hanging on the wall in front of him. He mentally willed the time to go by faster. "I really hope so."

"He does," She said firmly. "I'll pick you up from the airport when your plane lands, okay?"

They said their goodbyes and George slid his phone back into his pocket, forcing his eyes closed. He desperately hoped Layla was right, that there was nothing to worry about.

George was pulled from his thoughts as the speakers overhead crackled to life, announcing that his flight was beginning to board. The knots in his stomach twisted even tighter but he propelled his legs forward, taking out his passport and plane ticket.

The hallway from the terminal down to the plane stretched for what seemed like miles. George's steps were quick, each one bringing him a little closer to seeing Clay again.

The plane was large, filled with rows upon rows of chairs. George's seat was directly over the wing but he barely registered the whirring hum of the engine, too deep in thought to notice. Though the plane was still firmly on the ground, his head was already lost in the clouds.

His head jolted upwards as the plane taxied towards the runway, his leg bouncing uncontrollably. Nerves sparked in his stomach but he pushed them down. He couldn't help but smile a little as the plane picked up speed, accelerating until it lifted into the air.

George fixated his eyes on the window, watching the grey city he called home slowly disappear behind him. Adrenaline pulsed through his veins, magnifying the jittery feeling lingering in his stomach.

~~~

Sunlight streamed inside from the large windows, reflecting off the steel terminal of the Jacksonville airport. George exhaled a relieved breath as he looked over his shoulder and saw the long line for customs that he'd just finished waiting in. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and glanced around, attempting to gather his bearings in the new environment.

The airport was a labyrinth of different intersecting pathways. George felt lost, out of place among the twisting hallways swarming with unfamiliar people. He clutched the handle of his suitcase tighter and pulled it close behind him.

George hopelessly searched around for Layla in the sea of strangers. Stopping to lean against a wall, he pulled out his phone to check whether or not he'd missed a message from her.

Almost immediately after he grabbed his phone the screen lit up with an incoming call. He smiled gratefully and held the device up to his ear.

"Hey, where are you?" Layla questioned as soon as George answered.

"I don't really know," He admitted, eyes darting around curiously. "I'm near customs still."

"Do you know where the main entrance is?"

"How would I know where that is?" George frowned, jet lag making him slightly irritable.

"Relax, I'll just come find you. You said you're near customs?"

"Yeah," He said, feeling a small surge of guilt rise in his chest. "Sorry, I'm a little tired."

"Yeah, I can tell. But I'm not surprised. I mean, you did just fly across the world." She laughed into the phone. "You might want to take a nap so you're not all cranky tonight."

He rolled his eyes. "Wow, very funny. Now please hurry up."

"You're definitely going to need a nap. Oh wait, I think I see you," Layla exclaimed. "Are you by the water fountain?"

George turned on his heels, looking around for her again. The corner of his mouth twitched upwards when he made eye contact with Layla from across the room. He hung up the phone as she made her way towards him.

"Found you!" She called. "Ready to go?"

He nodded without hesitation, running his hand through his hair again. George checked the time anxiously, noting with disappointment that there were still a couple of hours until he could see Clay.

"Follow me," Layla smiled, sensing his eagerness. "So how are you feeling about everything?"

"I'm so excited," He said truthfully. "I've been looking forward to this for the whole month." George felt restless, wishing he could fast forward time and see him now.

The air outside was warm and humid, the sun glinting brightly against the pavement. Tall palm trees pierced the sky and lined the pathway. He followed behind Layla, not taking his eyes off of his surroundings. His eyes were wide with wonder as he looked around the vibrant city, so drastically different from England.

"My rental car is over there," She pointed and gently nudged George forward. "I'll drop you off at your hotel."

As soon as they were both sat in the front seats, Layla cranked the air conditioning. "God, I definitely didn't miss how hot it is here."

"I like it, London's always so cold." His smile faltered. I wish I could stay longer than four days."

She quirked an eyebrow but didn't take her eyes off the road. "Only four days? That's so short."

"Yeah, I guess," George shrugged defensively, a frown forming on his face. "Hotels are too expensive."

"Believe me, I know from experience." She sympathized. "Long distance really sucks, doesn't it?"

He squirmed around uncomfortably in his seat. "I wouldn't know." He averted his eyes after seeing Layla's expression, shifting his gaze down to him feet.

"Are you ever going to give him a second chance?"

"Can we not talk about this right now?" He asked after a moment, angling his body away from her. "Please?"

"Come on, you obviously still care about him-"

"Stop it!" George interrupted her. "Clay and I agreed to just be friends. It didn't work before, why would it work a second time?" He couldn't cover up the resentment lacing his words.

"I'm only trying to help you, George," She said gently. "I'm not saying you have to be together, I just don't want you to make a decision that you'll regret later. I'm not blind, I saw the way you two looked at each other. I can see how you get when you talk about him-"

"Just drop it, okay? You don't understand."

"Do you think Matt and I never fought?" Layla chucked humorlessly. "I do understand, George. I don't want you to do what I almost did and throw away your relationship."

George inhaled a controlled breath through his nose and risked a glance at her. She was staring ahead at the road, her lips pressed into a determined line. "Then tell me what I'm supposed to do now."

"I can't tell you what you should or shouldn't do, only you can decide that. You know what someone told me after Matt and I got into a big fight? Don't close and lock a door before you can even fully open it."

It was as if her words broke a dam in George's head, releasing a flood of memories. He could hear Clay laughing and they watched the sunrise together. He could see how happy he looked after they'd kissed for the first time. He could feel Clay intertwining their fingers together on his last day.

"I hope you'll give him another chance, George. You make him so happy." She said as she pulled into the hotel parking lot.

His heart was racing in his chest though his voice was quiet. "I'll think about it."

"That's all I'm asking you to do." Layla parked the car and set a hand on George's shoulder. "I'll be back in a couple hours to take you to the restaurant."

He nodded slowly, silently standing and getting out of the car before grabbing his suitcase. George shut the car door but his feet were frozen in place. With a deep breath, he reached out and knocked on the window, waiting for her to roll it down.

"Thank you, Layla," He said meaningfully. "For everything."

"Anytime." She grinned at him. "See you soon, okay?"

George smiled back at her. "See you in a bit." He waved as she rolled up the window and watched her drive away.

Though his thoughts were still a jumbled mess George couldn't deny that he felt the slightest bit better, the bundle of nerves in his stomach beginning to relax. The small smile still lingered on his face as he grabbed his bag and wheeled it into the hotel.

~~~

The bathroom mirror was foggy after George got out of the shower. He got dressed quickly, exchanging his usual jeans and hoodie for a more formal pair of trousers and a white button down shirt.

George tugged on his damp hair, groaning in frustration and squinting at his reflection. He felt stupid, unable to stop worrying about whether or not he was trying too hard.

"This is ridiculous," He mumbled to himself after readjusting his collar for the fourth time. George eyed the bottle of cologne he'd set on the counter and glared at it. "What is wrong with me?"

It's just Clay, he tried to calm himself down but the thought only stressed him out more. He gripped the edge of the counter tightly and stared at himself in the mirror. What am I doing?

Eventually George forced himself out of the bathroom and tried to busy himself by organizing his already neat suitcase. He couldn't help but continuously check the time, each minute passing by agonizingly slowly. Anticipation built in his gut with each time he looked.

It felt like it had been days when he finally got a text from Layla telling him she was waiting for him outside. He immediately stood up and made his way down to the parking lot, almost tripping over his feet in his haste.

She was stood leaning against the side of the remtal car staring down at her phone. Her head popped up as George got closer and she smirked at him. "You look terrified."

"I am," He admitted. "I can't believe I'm finally going to see him again."

"I know, right? Only another hour."

The bundle of nerves formed in his stomach again. "That feels like so long."

"You've already waited three months," She pointed out while starting the car. "What's one more hour?"

Torture, He answered silently. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

The rest of the car ride was quiet. George spent the time staring out the window trying to imagine Clay's reaction but no matter how hard he tried he still couldn't picture it. He watched the sun move lower in the sky, the temperature outside dropping with it.

"You ready, George?" Layla turned to face him, her seatbelt now unbuckled. His head snapped upwards at the sound. He hadn't even noticed the car stopping, too distracted by his thoughts.

"I'm ready," He affirmed, nervous giggles escaping his mouth. "I think."

The restaurant was tall, modern light fixtures dangling from the high ceiling giving the room a soft glow. Medium sized tables lined the walls, adorned with an expensive looking table cloth. George was suddenly glad he'd worn a button down rather than a hoodie or tee shirt.

"George!" A familiar voice called to him, wrapping their arms around him in a quick hug.

It was Jennifer, Clay's mother. She smiled kindly before leading him and Layla over to their table. "George, it's so sweet of you to surprise Clay for his birthday. He's so lucky to have someone like you."

He averted his eyes, too embarrassed to remind her that him and Clay were just friends. "Thank you, Jenn." George scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Are you nervous to see him?" She questioned curiously while easing him into a chair.

"Just a little bit." He responded, trying to ignore the snort of laughter from Layla.

"Clay's been talking about George nonstop, right Mom?" Layla grinned at him.

Jennifer agreed instantly, turning to look at George. "You're the only thing he ever wants to talk about. I wish you could see his face when he says your name," She smiled and gently twisted the wedding ring on her left hand. "It reminds me of Michael and I when we were younger."

George's eyes widened slightly in surprise, breath catching in his throat. Jenn smiled knowingly at him. "Clay's going to be so surprised when he sees you."

"I hope so," He muttered while messing with his hair again. "You really think he doesn't know I'm here?"

"I told you, George," Layla chimed in from across the table. "He's completely clueless." She smiled, picking up her phone before inhaling in surprise. "He just texted me and said he's on his way!"

"What?" George sputtered, his chest suddenly feeling tight. His voice was barely louder than a whisper. "Oh my God."

Layla grabbed George's wrist, tugging him into a standing position. "Come on, you have to hide."

"What?" He repeated. "Why?"

"Because it's a surprise, you idiot! Follow me." She led George to the back of the room telling him to wait around the corner. "Stay here, I'll come get you when it's time."

George's heart was pounding so fast in his chest that he was worried it was going to suddenly stop working. Time moved by painstakingly slow as he waited, cautiously peering around the corner.

All the air rushed out of his lungs as he saw Clay open the door to the restaurant. He had to clamp a hand over his mouth to keep from gasping. George flattened himself against the wall.

He could barley make out what him and his family were saying over the music pouring out of the speakers and snippets of other conversations floating through the air.

"Happy birthday, Clay!" Jenn smiled at him, pulling him into a hug and gently ruffling his hair. "I can't believe my baby boy is twenty one years old."

"Thanks, Mom." He pulled back, smiling sweetly at her. Clay glanced at Layla, clearing his throat pointedly.

"Hmm? Oh, happy birthday, loser." She grinned at him, her eyes glinting. George could tell she was excited for what was about to happen.

"Creative." Clay rolled his eyes at his sister and slid into a chair opposite her.

"Wait, don't sit down yet," Layla said to him. "I have a surprise for you."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "A surprise? You know I hate surprises."

"Yeah, I know," She acknowledged, her voice getting louder as she approached the spot where George was hidden. "But trust me, you're gonna like this one. Close your eyes."

"Why?" He asked stubbornly, squinting at her and stepping towards the front of the table. "What, are you going to drop ice cream on me like you did last year?"

"Close your eyes and you'll find out".

Clay sighed dramatically but shut his eyes. "Okay, they're closed."

George's heart fluttered in his chest as he went around the corner and walked towards him. His breaths were quick, nerves coiling in his stomach.

"Well?" He asked expectantly, confused when nothing happened.

"Open your eyes, Clay."

It felt like everything was happening in slow motion. George watched as Clay slit his eyes open and blinked before his gaze landed on him.

He drew in a sharp breath of surprise, his eyes immediately lighting up. Clay blinked repeatedly in disbelief. "No way..." He whispered. The widest smile George had ever seen spread across his face, stretching from ear to ear.

Before George could even process what was happening Clay had stepped forward and thrown his arms around him, engulfing him in a hug. He squeezed him tightly, fists balling up the material of George's shirt.

All at once a familiar wave of vanilla crashed over him. He buried his head into Clay's neck, inhaling deeply. His cheeks ached from how hard he was smiling but he didn't care. It was the happiest he'd felt in over three months.

"What are you doing here?" Clay pulled back just enough to see George's face, keeping his arms firmly fastened around him. Shock coated his features and he pulled George closer again.

"Surprise," He whispered into Clay's ear softly. "Happy birthday, Clay."

"Layla was right," He whispered back. "I really like this surprise."

The words sent goosebumps rippling down George's arms, making him shiver. Clay clutched him even tighter. They were both afraid to let go, as if the other would disappear if they separated for even a second.

Layla cleared her throat from behind them. "Not to ruin the moment, but people are starting to stare. And I'm hungry."

"I don't care." Clay retorted, still refusing to let go of George. "I missed you so much." He said, lowering his voice so that only George could hear him.

     The colors in the restaurant suddenly seemed brighter. George felt like he was able to breath again, the pain in his chest finally subsiding as he held Clay again. "I missed you too."

After another moment of being held in each other's arms, George reluctantly pulled back. His knees felt weak as he took a wobbly step forwards, head spinning from being so close after so long being apart.

They sat next to each other, Clay scooting his chair closer to George's. "I can't believe this is real," He murmured, not taking his eyes off of his face. "I think you changed my mind about surprises."

Warmth circulated through George's chest. His brain felt fuzzy, his thoughts scattered. A tingling feeling raced down his back and he resisted the urge to lean even closer.

He zoned out as the waiter came over to their table to take their order, too busy staring at Clay to pay attention to whatever was being said. When it was his turn to order he blinked stupidly before glancing down at the menu at ordering the first dish he read the name of. It didn't matter to George what he was served, only that Clay was still sitting next to him.

"Are you going to get a drink?" Layla asked Clay whole gesturing to the alcohol menu.

His gaze flitted over to George nervously. "That's okay, I had one earlier," He lied. "I don't need one."

"Are you sure?" She sounded shocked. "It's your twenty first birthday!"

Clay smiled at him out of the corner of his eye. "I'm sure."

A rush of fondness spiked in George's chest. He returned Clay's smile and couldn't help but move the slightest bit closer to him, only stopping when their legs brushed together under the table.

Neither of them could stop smiling throughout the meal. Towards the end of it, Clay gently set his hand on top of George's and slotted their fingers together.

His eyes widened but he didn't pull his hand away. The conversation between him and Layla from earlier replayed in his head, bolts of electricity rocketing up his arms.

After they all finished eating, their waiter brought out a small square of cake complete with a candle on top. Clay frowned momentarily at it.

"What?" George asked, confused.

"It's chocolate cake," He wrinkled his nose. "I don't like chocolate cake."

George raised a questioning eyebrow at him. "Why not?" Clay only shrugged in response. "You're so weird, who doesn't like chocolate cake?"

"He's never liked chocolate very much," Layla scoffed at Clay. "When he was younger, we spent hours making him a homemade chocolate cake birthday and he practically threw a tantrum because he wanted vanilla instead."

George snorted, trying to cover his face with his free hand. He turned to face Clay. "Seriously? You freaked out because they made you a chocolate cake?"

"I was ten years old!" Clay exclaimed, embarrassed. "If we're gonna talk about that then we need to bring up the time that Layla-"

"Hurry up and blow out the candle," She interjected. "Wax is dripping onto the cake. I know you don't want it but the rest of us do."

Clay smirked but directed his attention towards George. "I'd make a wish but I don't need to. Everything I want is right here." He squeezed his hand. "Well, except for a piece of vanilla cake."

George rolled his eyes and bumped Clay's shoulder with his. "Shut up and blow out the candle."

Immediately after the flame was out Layla grabbed the plate from him and cut into it. "You're crazy," She pointed at Clay with her fork. "This is great."

Once the dessert was gone, they paid for the dinner and they stood to say their goodbyes. Jennifer hugged both of her kids and then turned to George and pulled him into a hug too. "Thank you," She whispered into his ear. "You made him so happy."

He smiled kindly at her and thanked her for dinner. George jumped slightly as he felt someone set on hand on his arm.

It was Clay, gently turning him around so they were facing each other. "Can we talk for a bit?"

The nervous feeling reignited in George's stomach. He looked helplessly towards Layla, who was grinning at him from over by the door.

"Clay?" She called over to him. "Do you mind giving George a ride back to his hotel?" As soon as she saw him nod she waved goodbye, pausing before exiting. "Have a good night, you two!"

George was hyper aware of the fact that Clay was still resting his hand on his arm. He felt like his skin was going to burst into flames at any given moment.

"Hey." Clay said quietly, his lips still curved into a smile.

"Hey." George responded, voice shaking slightly with anticipation.

"How long are you staying for?" He asked, gently trailing his fingers down George's arm to hold his hand again before leading them outside and over towards his car.

"Four days." George felt like his brain was going haywire as their fingers intertwined, his breaths speeding up.

Clay's turned his head to face George, disappointment evident on his features. "Only four days? You're joking."

"I wish I could stay longer but my hotel room is so expensive. I couldn't."

"You're such an idiot, George."

"What?" He took a small step back from him in surprise.

"You didn't need to book a hotel, you could've just stayed with me." Clay frowned again, leaning against his car door. "Do you want to?"

"What?" George echoed, his thoughts moving too fast for him to fully process them.

"Do you want to stay at my place?" He clarified. "You could cancel your hotel."

"I don't know if I should."

"Can you at least stay over tonight? I haven't seen you in forever. I missed you, George."

"I guess I could... Are you sure?"

A smile replaced the frown that had formed on Clay's face. "What's wrong with you? Of course I'm sure."

George smiled down at his feet, avoiding making eye contact. "I missed you too, Clay." He opened the car door and sat down, secretly relieved he didn't have to go back to his hotel.

The drive to Clay's apartment was oddly quiet, George's mind still reeling from seeing him in person again. Even though he'd known it was happening for over a month, it still felt like he living a dream. He was worried that if he took his eyes off Clay that he'd wake up alone back in England.

It was nearly dark outside, the sun having almost completely sunk below the horizon. The apartment complex was tall, casting a large shadow over the pavement in the fading golden light.

George yawned as Clay unlocked the door and stepped over the threshold. "I bet you're exhausted after traveling all day," He laughed lightly, grabbing George's wrist and guiding him towards his room. "I'll give you a tour of the place tomorrow."

He simply hummed in response, allowing himself to be pulled down the hall. George stumbled forwards and collapsed on Clay's bed, only picking his head up when he felt something soft land on his arm.

It was a pair of sweatpants and a shirt. Clay cleared his throat and pointed to George's clothes. "I didn't think you'd want to sleep in those." He grabbed a set  for himself and rested a hand on the door knob. "I'll be right back."

As soon as Clay was out of the room George changed into the clothes he'd given him. Once he was done he sat back down on the edge of the bed and pulled out his phone, contemplating calling Violet before deciding to wait until the morning.

George couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so happy. Being able to see Clay again was even better than he imagined. He pushed himself off the bed and walked over to the window, watching the rapidly darkening sky.

His body tensed as he heard the door creak open but he relaxed when as he felt Clay move to stand next to him. They turned to look each other at the same time, their faces only a couple of inches apart. George inhaled sharply but he was rooted in place, unable to move away as his eyes met Clay's.

"George," He muttered while taking a small step closer. They were so close that George could feel  heat radiating from his body yet he was still frozen. "Look at me."

Memories from Layla's wedding tumbled through George's head. They'd been this close then but he'd pulled away, too scared to get any closer. But now, as George's eyes landed on Clay's lips, he didn't feel afraid.

He looked down, timidly taking another step forward and letting his eyes slip closed. Clay placed his hands on the small of George's back, slowly closing the distance between them.

George's breath hitched as their lips grazed together, his hand halfway in between Clay's face and chest. He felt like he was trapped, completely unable to move.

Clay pulled back, his eyes wide with shock. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be- I shouldn't be doing that." He started to move away but George gripped his shirt, stopping him.

"It's fine," His voice was ragged. "I don't mind."

"Oh," Clay tilted his head. "Oh." He carefully fastened his arms around George's waist again, waiting for him to move.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, the two of them staring at each other unsure of what to do. George tightened his grip of Clay's shirt and took a deep breath before pulling him closer and pressing their lips together.

Clay released a muffled gasp in shock but kissed him back, tangling his fingers in his hair. "George." He mumbled against his lips, moving as close as humanly possible.

Their breaths mingled together. George melted into his arms, smiling into the kiss. He could feel Clay's heart pounding hard against his chest and moved his hands to cup his face.

George reluctantly pulled away, his lungs burning from a lack of oxygen. He felt like the inside of his body had been set on fire but it was a pleasant feeling. "Oh my God."

The butterflies in him stomach fluttered as Clay traced George's cheekbone with his thumb. "Wow."

George stumbled backwards, his fingers ghosting over his lips. "I can't believe I did that." Incoherent thoughts swam through his brain. What did I just do?

Fear and uncertainty lingered at the back of his mind. He wanted to step forward again and be wrapped in Clay's arms again but something held him back. George felt a wave of regret wash over him. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin their friendship but he was terrified that he already had.

Clay's eyes were soft as he looked at George but the confusion in them was still clear. "It's okay," He held his arms open. "Come here."

He hesitantly walked forward and let Clay place his arms around his waist. George was speechless at his own actions. Concern invaded his mind but he shoved it down, not wanting to think about whether or not he'd made a mistake. All he wanted was for Clay to hold him for just a little bit longer.

~~~

hello!! i'm sorry for the small delay, this chapter ended up being a lot longer than i meant for it to be! i also rewrote a lot of it! i'm still not completely satisfied with it but i figured i'd at least get it up and i can make additional edits later.

i hope you enjoyed, please feel free to point out any typos or let me know your thoughts and predictions!

i love you all and i hope you're staying safe! as always, have a good day or night wherever you're from and whenever you read :)