The One You Love || Dreamnotfound

Chapter 14

After he finished his food, Clay managed to fall back asleep. Of course, George stayed with him as he did so. The remainder of that day was spent drifting in and out of sleep and just watching TV. It was an average hospital experience, really, but there was something comforting about how whenever he would look over, George was there.

He tended to look over at him whenever he just drifted out of sleep. Sometimes, George was on his phone. Sometimes, he was watching TV. Sometimes, he would just be watching him or playing with his hair.

When Clay first woke up to George playing with his hair, he asked what the hell he was doing. When George only replied with "affection", it took him a second to even process that... but he accepted it. After that, when he would feel George go to play with his hair he would only smile a bit and let him.

This continued for some time until George decided it was time for lunch. Naturally, he asked Clay what he wanted. Clay blinked and looked up at him, shrugging.

"I'm not hungry."

"How are you not hungry?"

"I'm just not? You can go the yourself food, though."

"I mean, I can wait until your hungry."

"You'd probably be waiting a few days."

George blinked at that, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "You're kidding, right?"

"No?? I don't really eat much."

"You can't just not eat."

"I can, I do, and I will."

"No."

"Yes."

With that, George stood up and sighed, looking down at Clay and gently fixing his hair a bit. "I'm getting Panda Express. What do you want?"

"Nothing."

"Cool, I'm getting you an orange chicken plate."

"I won't eat it."

"Yes you will."

"I won't."

"You will."

"Just go, George."

He shook his head a bit and smiled softly, heading down to the food court and leaving Clay alone to his TV. He got to watch TH for about half an hour before George was back. Still, he looked up at him and smiled.

"I'm back- sorry I took so long, the line was long."

"You're good."

George smiled at that and sat down, pulling out a box from the bag and opening it. He grabbed the wooden chopsticks and gave them to Clay, who just kinda looked back at George with that 'I'm gonna fuck shut up' look.

"...Clay, whatever you're about to do, reconsider."

Clay just kept eye contact as he gripped the chopsticks in his fist like a stick.

"...Clay."

And with that, he just stabbed a piece of chicken. George gave him a disappointed look.

"Are you at least gonna eat it?"

Clay just blinked and stabbed it again.

"...ooookay. No more chopsticks for you," George said, taking them back from Clay. Clay didn't put up a fight for his chopsticks, but he clearly found it amusing.

George shook his head and held the chopsticks like a normal person, grabbing a piece of chicken and holding it up to Clay.

"Say 'ah'."

"...George, you aren't feeding me."

"Clay."

"George-"

Before he could finish his sentence, George stuck the chicken into his mouth. Clay was about to say something, but George gave him a little glare and he huffed and ate the chicken.

This cycle continued, Clay eventually giving up on resisting every bite and just letting George feed him. Every few bites he fed Clay, George would take a small bite of his food. This cycle continued until Clay was done with his plate and George quickly finished his after.

This same pattern happened with dinner that night, breakfast the next day, and lunch the next day. George never left Clay's bedside, having Nick bring him his gym clothes to change into when Nick visited. Eventually, Clay was given a brace and pain meds, George signed him out, and he was on his way.

George offered to drive him home, but he refused and stated he could walk. As much as he didn't want to let him go on his own, George allowed it. And so, the two boys both made their ways home. They would both sleep in their own beds tonight.

//

heya! Authors not here! I just wanna say tysm for reading this far :) things are gonna pick up into the action again soon enough, so I hope you guys are ready for a ride.

Also, if you want to read more of my writing, I recently posted a commissioned DreamNotFound angst oneshot titled Prom Dress if you'd like to give that a read!

And with that, thanks for 7k reads! That's a crazy high number that I never thought I'd get posting this, so thank you again :) I hope you all have a great day/night, wherever you are!