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TWO DAYS, multiple phone calls and one outfit change later, the two neighbours were almost ready for their date, both of them ridiculously and extremely nervous. George was an utter mess, having to call Dream and receive fashion advice from his younger sister. He had settled on a navy sweater with a white collared shirt layered underneath, complete with jeans and some Vans. As he was checking his appearance in the mirror, Rory was flying around in her apartment, with Aurelia on FaceTime.
"I CAN'T FIND MY SHOES!" Rory screeched, tearing her closet apart for her desired footwear. Aurelia held back a laugh as she watched her nervous best friend fly through her apartment.
"Try the front hall closet," Aurelia suggested, watching Rory with amusement. Rory dashed to the closet and sighed with relief, her body relaxing. After she snatched the shoes and pulled them on, she set up her phone so Aurelia could have a full view of her outfit. It was balancing on the fine line of casual and dressy, Rory adorning a white slip dress underneath a navy corduroy jacket. The shoes that she was so desperate to find were chunky Doc Martins, giving her a little bit of a height boost.
"Rory, you look fine," Aurelia sighed, reassuring her friend for about the tenth time in two minutes. "He's lucky to have you. And if he fucks it up, I'm on the next plane to Brighton."
"He's a good guy," Rory laughed, although it was light and came out short. She had never been so nervous for a date before. As Aurelia rambled on about what and what not to do on a first date, there was a knock on Rory's door, the young woman jumping at the sound.
Rory hung up on Aurelia with a smile and opened the door, trying to hold back her gasp when her eyes landed on George. He looked absolutely lovely. Rory tried to hold back the smile on her face but she was beaming, her smile as bright as the sun. George's jaw dropped when he saw Rory, her smile contagious. She looked glorious, her meadow eyes shining.
"You look beautiful," George said, his voice shuddering. Rory's face flushed red as she looked down to the ground and back up to George shyly.
"You're not too bad yourself," Rory complimented. "I like your outfit."
"Had to get an outside opinion," George admitted. Rory laughed, impulsively covering her mouth as she did so. George outstretched his hand after her giggle's subsided and he offered a small smile.
"Shall we?"
Rory took his hand and the two walked, trying to ignore the butterflies floating around in their stomachs.
***
"No! You're kidding!"
Rory sat across George in a small, modest restaurant, a candle flickering between them. A white tablecloth adorned the table along with champagne glasses, filled with the least expensive champagne on the menu per Rory's request. The two friends, although they looked the part, did not fit in with the relaxed aura of the restaurant. Rory laughed easily and despite it being one of George's favourite sounds, her laugh echoed throughout the room. Needless to say, it earned them some glares from other couples.
"Well, we jokingly flirt on streams and the fans took it into their own hands. The ship is called 'Dreamnotfound," George explained. Rory giggled and attempted to lower the volume of her laugh by taking a sip of her champagne, even if she wasn't overly fond of the taste.
"I can't believe my date has an American boyfriend," Rory sighed. "I'm going to have to compete with a Minecraft god."
"Well, you have your charming beauty," George said playfully, although his words rang with truth. Rory blushed, the way she always did when he complimented her and shook her head with a gentle smile.
"So, museum after?" She inquired. George nodded, glancing at his phone for a time check.
"As soon as the appetizers get here, we can eat and get outta here."
The two had decided, for kicks, to order a majority of the appetizers on the menu and share instead of ordering two main dishes. All added up, it was more expensive but the fun was worth the extra cost. Before long, the appetizers presented themselves on the soft, white-covered table, Rory and George filling their small plates with the delicacies. Despite their game of 'Twenty Questions', the two had much to discuss with each other, smiles never leaving their faces.
After the appetizers were finished and the champagne glasses were drained, George and Rory set out for the nearby art museum in the city, the sun slowly making its descent in the orange-hued sky. George saw Rory's free hand sway carelessly as they walked, he was tempted to reach out and take it in his own. Their fingers were millimetres from brushing against each other, all it took was one swift motion.
They were on a date, after all. Holding hands seemed like a good addition to the event.
Mustering all of his courage, George reached out and brushed his finger's against Rory's, taking that first leap. She glanced at him and took his hand without breaking her gaze, doing the hardest part for him.
Rory shrugged with a bashful smile.
"We're on a date, aren't we? Holding hands seems like a good idea."
She can read me so well, like an open book. And I'll continue letting her, George thought, nodding with a grin. Rory had to admit to herself that taking George's hand was the right call, the poor young woman a ball of nerves. But it felt so right, their palms moulded together as their fingers stayed laced with one another. They seemed to belong together.
After museum tickets were purchased, Rory and George removed their masks once they were inside the museum. The tours were staggered and allowed the guests to wander without covering their faces, as long as they kept a minimum of six feet from others.
Rory adored art and viewing it, even if she wasn't a talented artist herself. George appreciated the paintings and the images as well, but the real art for him was in the form of a golden-haired girl with sparkling green eyes. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off her as they wandered through the exhibits and every time she glanced back at him, he desperately searched for anything for his eyes to land on.
"I love paintings," Rory sighed, enjoying the moment she was living in. George watched as her mouth curved into a smile after smile, each piece of art more exciting than the last. The last exhibit was different from the others, the lights were off as paintings on the wall seemed to glow. Rory presumed there were projectors hidden around the room but there was no way she could tell.
Her eyes watched George as he gazed at the art fondly and she smiled, not realizing how close they were. George turned to face her and their eyes locked, neither of them breaking the gaze. George's hand suddenly reached out and cupped Rory's face tenderly, her hand rising to hold the one that held her face. Both of them leaned closer, their lips almost brushing. As George pulled Rory in to close the distance between them, another couple walked into the exhibit, Rory and George jumping apart.
The young woman cleared her throat awkwardly and clasped her hands together, putting on her mask.
"I suppose we should get going," George mumbled, covering the bottom half of his face with a black mask. Rory nodded, her face heating up.
