Midnight Birdsong [Dreamnotfound AU]

Chapter 31: Something Something Mess

Announcement at the end :D

Clay collapsed, exhausted.

Or he would have, if he had been next to the bed.
As it was, he still had to toil up some stairs and push the door, then slump to the bed.

It was his birthday. Directly after a grueling soccer practice he had to suffer the tiny party, in which his friends all pretended nothing was wrong. The three of them just wanted him to stop brooding over George for a while, and they meant the best, but to Clay it just didn't feel right without George.
Now they had left, and he was finally by himself.

To "brood," I guess.

He was slightly bitter even in his exhaustion, but he was ready to pass out and stop feeling.

He was about halfway in his room when he stopped.

There was a little bundle on the floor.
He must not have noticed it rushing through his room earlier for a quick shower and back out to humor his friends.

Clay's heart went to his throat.

It was sloppily wrapped, trademark George.

There was a note on it.

He slowly crouched down to read it, afraid to touch it.

After a millisecond, disappointment set in when he recognized his mom's handwriting, very different than his friend's.

George's mom dropped this off yesterday. Said he fixed it like a week ago.
Leftovers in the fridge. Reheat when you're hungry.
Scrawled at the bottom like an afterthought:
Happy Birthday Sweetie ♡

Clay impatiently crumpled the note and stared at the package.
Old.
But from George.
From before.

A birthday present from George.

He almost didn't want to open it. Just preserve it as a reminder of what he did.
But quickly the temptation- the need- to know what it was became overwhelming and he gently unpackaged it-

The wrapping paper fell open to reveal a comforter. A really fluffy and soft comforter.

Clay hugged it to his chest.

A few tears blotted the surface; he brushed them off and set it down on his bed.

George.

George knew exactly what he needed.
What he sometimes forgot to give himself.

His eyes snagged on a piece of white in the discarded wrapping.
He quickly grasped it and almost frantically brought it over to his desk light to read.

Dear            Clay,

    Can you believe this took me forever to find because I was searching quits?! And here you call them comforters! I was so confused.
Anyway HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I wrote this the week before, a week ago for you I guess. I know you'll win the game Friday. Not really looking forward to the Halloween party but whatever.
I'm getting off track though. I hope you enjoy your birthday and you take the day off or something so you do something for yourself. You don't really do that enough.
Happy Birthday! I'm actually happy you were born because                                         I'm glad we're such good friends and it's fun when we hang out. I know you sometimes get low and don't think much of yourself but you're the best                                                          person
My words are getting messed up and I'll probably have to rewrite this again but anyway-
Hope you like the "comforter" and shiver less.
Sweet dreams :)
-George