WORSHIP ( ❥ ) DREAMNOBLADE [Reupload]

02. | HUMILIATION

Throughout the rest of the entire event, Clay felt like everybody was watching him, staring at him, judging him silently after what they had heard—George, especially. Clay played rather poorly compared to the previous times he was in the Grand Championship, placing sixth individually.

Dave placed first and his team had won.

"That fucking pig..." Clay mumbled angrily as he stared at his hologram, unmoving up on the highest podium with "TECHNOBLADE" above it in gold.

"We'll beat their team next time! It's okay," George assured, walking up to Clay from behind.

Despite the outward friendliness, Clay could tell he was somewhat uncomfortable.

"Did you..." Clay huffed, "Did you hear anything during the halftime break?"

"N-No... Did something happen?" George said quickly.

'Lying through his teeth,' Clay thought.

"We had a little fun, that's all," Dave called out, waving to them both from the entrance to the

leaderboards as he approached.

Dave smiled and put his arm around Clay's shoulder, towering over both him and George, "Smiley can tell you all about it—though, I'm sure some other people could tell you, too."

Clay slouched in place, wanting to bury himself in a hole and never come out.

"S... Smiley?" George muttered in disbelief as his eyes flickered between the two men.

"C-Clay," George stammered, "could we talk alone?" he looked over at Dave.

"Be my guest," Dave said, retracting his arm and leaving.

George pulled Clay to the corner of the room rather haphazardly, his eyes showing nothing but hurt and betrayal.

"How could you?" George demanded harshly, "He wasn't just on another team, he was our biggest enemy—if you wouldn't stop for us, why didn't you do it for yourself? Techno's your biggest rival! What the Hell is wrong with you?! We all trusted you! How are we ever supposed to join another championship when everybody knows about it, too?!" tears burned in the corners of George's eyes.

"You... you didn't just go against the team," George sniffed, "you went against me. I thought—I thought you liked me! You said that you'd been thinking about me and about us and maybe getting together—I knew it might've still not happened but this is how I find out?! You, fucking our biggest enemy out in broad daylight during the big event? Sorry, not fucking—getting fucked by is what happened," George seethed with anger, pouring his heart out through his mouth in his words.

"I-I'm sorry!" Clay uttered, "I just... It didn't play out exactly how you think!"

"Oh, so how did it play out then, Dream?" George sneered.

"He was going to kill me at first but then—then I... Techno was cutting me and I..." Clay's cheeks burned with embarrassment, not wanting to admit to his kink but desperately wanting to explain himself.

"You can't even bother to get out a good lie to make me feel better. You're pathetic," George finished, turning on his heel and quickly fleeing the space, leaving Clay completely alone.

Clay looked down at the belled sleeves of Techno's white shirt, extra baggy on him. He was lucky they cinched near the ends, making it adjustable. Clay wanted to change out of this awful shirt so badly. It wasn't awful for the way it looked, but for the way it made Clay feel; he felt like a traitor. There was no way in Hell Clay could ever face George or Nick or any of their friends again-it felt like everything was over.