Like Normal People Do

Ashamed

"Im going to miss you. When you go home." George murmured. Despite being covered in flour and muffin mix, he held no desire to move. Clay didn't know how to say that he was already home.

"I'm going to miss you too... but I'll message you all the time and we can videocall now too." Clay reassured, tapping his thumb idly on George's stomach. He unlaced his fingers in order to reach and stroke Bartholomew. "We could introduce Patches and Bartholomew when I get back." George hummed.

"Tomorrow is your last full day, right?" George asked, watching the way Clay's hand moved. Clay nodded, wrapping the arm behind George around him tighter. Mew stood and stretched, deciding he was done being cuddled. George and Clay watched as he trotted off.

"It won't be the same. When you aren't here. I've gotten so used to reaching out and being able to touch you." George shifted slightly to demonstrate. He placed his hand over Clay's heart and splayed his fingers. He noted the way Clay's heart fluttered beneath them. Clay reached up to cover George's hand with his own that had been previously occupied by Mew.

"I know, sweetheart. But I'll be back as soon as I can be. You won't even realise I was gone." Clay lifted his hand from George's to gently press his jaw, tilting his head to look into his eyes. George took a moment to look between Clay's eyes. Something in him ached to know how the rest of the world saw them but something else, something smaller, was somewhat glad that this view was unique to him. Or, at least, to very few.

"Before I found you," George began, softly. "I only had Nick. I was so... so lost. So alone. I'd never found a place that I felt I... I belonged. I was sort of just... there. Just drifting. Nick tried to help and I appreciate him so much for it but nothing ever seemed to work." George took a breath as Clay held his.

"And then I found you. I found you and through you I found myself. I found myself in the lyrics you all wrote and I found myself in the community you all grew. It finally felt like I had a place to belong in." He softly traced his fingers up Clay's neck to cradle his jaw.

"I'm not ashamed to say I was your fan before I was your friend. I'm a little ashamed to admit I've posted thirst tweets about you," Clay chuckled breathlessly. "But I'm not ashamed to admit that I was - and still am - your biggest fan." George brushed his thumb back and forth over Clay's cheekbone.

[SPICE WARNING! Skip to the second warning if you wouldn't like to read it!! (Again, I don't write NSFW, it just gets a bit spicy)]

Clay couldn't find the words to explain to George what he wanted to say so he pressed his lips to George's and prayed he could taste them instead. They tasted something like 'I love you too'. George sucked in a soft breath as Clay's eyebrows furrowed. Clay adjusted to pull George closer, licking at the seam of his lips.

George decided it wasn't close enough and he clumsily clambered his way into Clay's lap, straddling his thighs and wrapping his arms around Clay's neck. Clay let out a soft groan and placed one hand on George's hip to steady him. The other slipped beneath George's shirt to rest in the small of his back. George arched to press themselves together tighter.

They broke for breath and Clay immediately dipped to the hollow of George's pale neck. George let his head tip back. As Clay sucked marks into George's throat, one hand massaging George's thigh, George became overwhelmed. He softly pushed at Clay's shoulders and Clay immediately pulled back. Clay searched George's face, eyes full of concern.