Trouvaille [Dreamnotfound/Gream]

7. Friends stick together till the end unless they don't.

George woke up with a huge smile on his face. He told his friends to meet him at the park, so he hurriedly got up from bed and got ready, taking Patches with him. She didn't mind being around Winston. Possibly because he reminded her of Denver. 

He made his way to the park, Winston by his side and Patches in his arms, smiling at how weird he must have looked. George couldn't see Lukas or Charlie, but he immediately saw Clay, who was busy petting Denver, holding the carrier in one hand. When he noticed George and Patches, he smiled instantly, walking towards them and extending his hands towards Patches.

"Patches!" Clay exclaimed, petting her fondly as the cat meowed. George grinned, handing the cat over. Clay put the cat into the carrier, smiling brightly. "Wow, you greet the cat before you greet me," George added dully, making Clay laugh.

"Hmm, someone sounds jealous," Clay joked, making George snort. He reached down to pet Winston, wheezing loudly when he noticed George's reaction. "Okay, I'm kidding! Sheesh! Hi George! There, I greeted you, do you want me to kiss your cheek as well?" 

George said nothing, his lips twitching upwards, as he diverted his attention on the fact that his friends weren't there yet. "Lukas and Charlie should be here soon," George told Clay, looking around and trying to spot a lanky homeless man accompanied by a small gremlin rat baby. 

Clay looked around, his head tilted to the right, as he scanned the park quickly, before turning back to him, "Wait a minute, you didn't answer my question!" He chortled, making George's cheeks tint a subtle pink. He rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath. Fortunately for him, somebody called his name before Clay could continue teasing him.

It was Lukas who called out his name, waving vigorously. George waved back weakly, making Clay wheeze again. Lukas walked over to them, accompanied by Charlie, who's eyes immediately got wider when she saw the two dogs.

"You must be Clay. Nice to meet you, I'm Lukas," he said, extending his hand to shake Clay's. He took it, shaking hands for a brief moment before pulling away, both of them smiling awkwardly. George groaned, making both of them laugh.

"Yes, Clay, meet my two good friends, Lukas and Charlie. Lukas and Charlie, meet Clay," said George, gesturing to one another. Charlie waved hesitantly, smiling a small smile, before turning back to Winston and giving him a rub. Clay nodded in response.

Lukas seemed much more interested in Clay than Charlie. The three boys talked for some time, while Charlie watched the dogs play. It was an odd dynamic, but it worked nevertheless.

After a while, Clay said he needed to go home, thanking George once again for taking care of Patches the night before. He then left, Lukas laughing when he was out of sight. George turned to him, confused. "What?"

"Ah nothing," Lukas reassured him, a smile growing on his face. Charlie looked at them and then in the direction Clay went, raising her eyebrows. "And you think of him as your friend?" Charlie asked, Lukas suppressing another laugh. George rolled his eyes at the remark.

"Obviously, Charlie. Why, do you fancy him?" George snapped, getting down and petting Winston. Lukas looked at Charlie and wiggled his eyebrows, making Charlie push him. "To be completely honest, Charlotte has been awfully quiet," Lukas admitted, causing Charlie to let out an exasperated gasp.

"No I do not fancy him, George, sometimes you act like such an idiot," said Charlie coldly, crossing her arms and letting out a frustrated exhale. Her tone sounded strangely genuine. George said nothing, turning to Winston and throwing him a stick to chew on. Lukas noticed the uneasy silence and sighed. 

The three of them stood there in a cumbersome silence. Finally, after what seemed to be forever, Charlie's phone rang and she immediately answered, her facial expressions changing. She hung up and turned to George and Lukas. "I have to go," she said and George nodded, not caring about if she left, even though they were supposed to hang out for the day.

She walked away, her phone in her hand and Lukas sighed dramatically, making George smile a bit. "Well, that was something," said Lukas, looking at George. He nodded, the whole mood of the conversation changing from uncomfortable to tolerable, "She like- never acts like this."

"There's a first time for everything," George shrugged his shoulders, his frustration fading, "Do you think she actually likes him?"

Lukas noticed the tone of George's voice, making him turn to face him. "I don't think so," he said, his eyes flickering as he spoke, "but it doesn't matter if she liked him or not, it's none of our business."

George didn't reply. He thought about it. Yes, it wasn't his business if she liked him or not. But on the other hand, oh how he hoped she didn't actually like him.

"It's just," George started, looking at Winston and then at the ground. Lukas listened attentively, "I know I just met Clay yesterday but.. there's just something about him. He's different. I feel like I've known him for such a long time despite the fact that we only met yesterday. It's so bizarre."

Lukas smiled softly, for he already knew where this was going. He reassuringly put his hand on George's shoulder, thinking about which approach to take. "George," he said, running his hand through his dark hair. George hummed in response, still staring at the ground.

"Don't worry about it. I've noticed this the moment I spotted you two - you guys are very compatible. Whether it be platonic or romantic, just know that I'll still be here for you. You can talk to me about it anytime, alright?" said Lukas and George nodded, his head fogged with thought.

 As he spent the remainder of the walk walking around the park with Winston with Lukas, he couldn't help but feel gratitude towards his good friend. He looked up at the world and couldn't help but smile a little brighter.