Clay clutched the glasses hidden in his hoodie pocket.

He's gonna be so excited-

He smiled as he saw movement at the front door. He was waiting on the sidewalk outside of George's house to ride bikes with him to school. It would be George's first day back since getting discharged from the hospital.

At the moment George was trying to extract himself from his mom's incessant hugs and kisses goodbye. Clay had to smile at his flustered face.

George finally got away from her and rolled his bike up next to Clay's.

"Sorry about that. She's been extra clingy. Both of them actually, I had to tell my dad four times that he didn't need to drive me. FOUR TIMES!"

"Well it's understandable. But they should know you're in safe hands." Clay winked.

George's blush was evidence that he had been successfully distracted from his grumbling, and they started the short bike ride to school.

It had been just a week since he had almost died. George had mostly recovered and bounced back to his normal self.

Clay was sometimes haunted by the image of him not breathing, but it was slowly fading and being replaced with the happy picture of George alive and smiling.

It was easier to forget that and relax when he was around George.

George made him smile.

George caught him staring and trailed off.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing," Clay grinned. "You're so hot it's distracting me."

"Oh my god, Dream," George laughed nervously. "You're such an idiot."

Clay decided to tease him.

"Oh my god, George." He let out a dramatic exhale. "You make me an idiot."

"Oh shut up."

"Oh my god, George, I'm such a lovesick fool for you George, ah!"

George rolled his eyes and tried to hide his smile. "You're so stupid."

"Awww George, but that's why I'm so lovable!"

"Hmmm no. I hate you."

Clay fake gasped. "HATE ME?"

"Yes. I have decided I hate you."

Clay stopped pedaling so George would have to slow down.

"Well that's too bad then, you really would have liked it."

He made a pouty face.

George jerked his head around. "What? Liked what? What are you talking about?"

Clay shook his head. "No. You hate me now so I'm not telling you."

George groaned. "Come ooooooon!"

Clay shook his head again. "Nope. It's nothing."

George pulled his bike up right next to Clay's. "Come on. Just tell me, Dream."

Clay smiled and sped up, leaving a surprised George in the dust. He called back to him, "You said you hate me, George! You don't deserve my love!"

George furiously tried to catch up. "That's not fair! Slow down!"

He wouldn't slow down. Scenery flew past them as the annoyed Brit chased the lanky athlete.

All it needed was some flower fields and romantic music to become an old-timey movie.

George quickly tried to make amends. "Ok I do love you! I was lying! Come back and tell me what you were talking about!"

Clay wasn't falling for it. He offered a cocky smile and called back, "It's too late, I'm leaving you for Sapnap!"

"OH THAT IS IT!!!" George put on a burst of speed, stubbornly getting closer to Clay.

Clay looked over his shoulder, smiled, and veered off the road to school, heading in a new direction.

George did a quick double-take and then followed, confused, "What about- I thought we were going to school?!"

"Detour," Clay said without looking back.

He knew George could never resist a mystery.

He let George almost catch up to him, then stopped suddenly.

He had brought George to a quiet little park area. He wasn't planning to actually skip school, but he didn't want to surprise him in front of everyone else.

He shushed George's questions and led him by the hand a little away from the road.

"I have something to show you."

He stopped and chuckled a little at George's confused face.

Then he got serious.

"George, this week has been..."

He held on tighter to the glasses in his hoodie pocket and started again.

"This week has been- um a million gazillion times better than the week before it.

I really loved every minute with you and I- um- here."

He hastily pulled out the glasses and offered them to George.

George let out a small gasp.

After a second of disbelief, he carefully took them from Clay's hands.

"I thought they were gone," he whispered softly.

"How did you get them back?" He looked up at Clay with wide eyes.

"A little bird gave them to me."

This got a laugh out of George, and he seemed to be letting go of pent-up tension.

Clay ruffled George's hair. "Come on! Put them back on already."

"Okay okay." George didn't need to be told twice before putting them on and making Clay awwwwwww internally.

George unfortunately saw his expression and said, "What?"

"You look so cuuuuuuuute!!!"

"Oh my god, shut up." George pulled his classic look-away-and-try-not-to-be-obvious-about-how-much-he's-blushing move.

"George."

Clay held his hands.

"There's one more thing."

"Oh, what is it Dream?"

"Will you be my boyfriend? I know maybe it's too fast but I-"

"YES!"

George threw his arms around Clay's neck and Clay hugged him and laughed, lifting him off the ground a little; he was insanely happy.

George giggled as Clay spun around with him romantically; they didn't care that it was cheesy.

They embraced and shared one soft kiss under the autumn leaves.

Then they walked back to their bikes, hand in hand.

It felt right, for them to be together. They made each other complete.

>>>

George felt giddy with happiness.

He had gone from rock bottom to a soaring high; it was like he was dreaming. All of his wishes just came true.

He reached up and touched the white-rimmed glasses nestled in his hair, just to reassure himself that they were really there.

He thought that not even school could bring down his mood, but fear twisted in his gut as it came into view.

After they put their bikes up, Dream offered him his hand.

George hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"I'll protect you," Dream said in his best dashing prince impression.

George smirked. "You better."

Stupid. There's nothing to be scared of.

But still he had to stop himself from clinging to Dream on the way in.

He couldn't help being scared. He didn't want to be a target.

He subconsciously reached up to pull the glasses down from his head, but realized it and let his hand drop.

They weren't late, but they were cutting it close.

Dream walked George to his first period class; it went quiet when they stood in the door.

The back of George's neck prickled.

Dream squeezed his hand.

They started to go in but some guy blocked their path.

"So, you're back." He practically spit the words.

George glanced around the room. The teacher wasn't there yet. Most of the students were watching but not all of them looked pissed off, a few might've even been happy to see him again.

Clay was about to go off against the asshole, but George stopped him. He felt like he should at least try standing up for himself, even if he got beaten up for it.

"I'm back," he responded calmly to the guy.

The jerk was looking from George to Dream and then down at them holding hands. His eyes narrowed.

"So you got him on your side then? That won't stand, at this school we don't put up with faggots. You're both sinners going to hell."

"Leave us alone!" George said. Dream squeezed his hand supportively, but let him speak. "If you hate us for being homosexual, then you're missing God's main message. Jesus advocated for love and peace. We aren't doing anything wrong. Leave. Us. Alone."

"Little bitch like you don't know anything about God." Right after the guy spoke he snatched the glasses off George's head. Then he reared back and spat. On George's face.

He flinched.

Clay roared and moved to attack him; George caught his hand. Clay shook George off and tried to fight the guy.

They both froze because of sounds of a kerfuffle in the hallway. George briefly took the opportunity to wipe the spit off his face.

A pair of sneakers squeaked on the tiles and then Sapnap slid in the doorway, almost falling over himself, a6d right behind him.

"HEY MAMAS!" Sapnap held on to George to stop himself from falling over. "Sorry my shoes are slick, these damn floors-"

A6d rolled his eyes. "This dipshit ran over a 'Wet Floor' sign running over here."

That second Skeppy and Bad came in panting. Skeppy leaned over on his knees. "You guys- run so fast- what the fuck."

"Hey-" Bad was also out of breath- "language."

"OH yeah" Sapnap got his balance and walked up to the asshole who was now very outnumbered. "BITCH!!!"

"BITCH YOU MESS WITH MY HOMIES YOU MESS WITH ME I'LL FUCK YOU UP YOU PIECE OF SHIT YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE MESSING WITH WE GOT THE WHOLE SOCCER TEAM AND ALL THE NERDS!"

"Ouch Sapnap," Grian said playfully, coming in with Mumbo behind him and George could see other Hermitcraft members through the door.

They got pushed aside a second later by Technoblade making an entrance.

Everyone got quiet as he walked up to George.

"I've just got one thing to say..."

He cleared his throat.

"Lesbian Rights."

"Woooo!" Bad started applauding and the rest of the soccer team showed up in the now-very-crowded room.

The asshole who spit on George had turned very white and looked like he was about to dirty his own pants.

Dream was still bristling, but George was elated to have this many people behind him.

Sapnap was still getting in the jerk's face. "You still want to pick a fight with George?"

The guy swallowed. "No-" his voice cracked. "No, no we're good, we're all good." He looked around nervously at some of the other students laughing at him and clapping.

"Great," Sapnap said aggressively while smiling widely.

"You want to give those back to him now?"

He wordlessly handed the glasses back to George.

"You want to apologize for bothering him?" Sapnap asked.

The guy swallowed again, lifting his eyes to all the people supporting George. He lowered his eyes and nodded meekly.

"Sorry George."

George accepted the apology.

Sapnap glared around the room. "Anyone else have a problem with us?"

It was completely silent.

The guy who was scared shitless rushed out of the room, probably to the bathroom; they let him pass.

"This is truly an anime moment," Techno said.

The tension evaporated as people laughed and then the bell rang. A few came to pat George on the back before filing out of the room.

He heard Wilbur ask Techno, "You watch anime?"

"Uhhhhhhh, no," Techno answered.

"Weeb," Wilbur laughed.

Then Dream distracted George by wiping off his face with a towel he wet at the sink.

"Hold still."

"Dream, everyone's watching," George whispered.

"Mmhm, got it."

George scoffed. "Thanks."

Dream winked. "No problem, georgeous. If anyone bothers you, come get me okay?"

"Oh, I'm too weak by myself?"

"Nah, I'd just want to watch you beat their ass so I can clap."

"Mhm ok sure love."

It was at this moment that the teacher finally came into the room, trying to cover up her own tardiness by starting immediately. "Good morning everyone, please open your books- oh Clay you better go to your first period, the bell already rang."

"Yes, ma'am," Dream made a face at George and then gave him a quick hug and left.

George hardly paid attention to his class, he was too busy going over every detail of what happened and solidifying it in his memory.

>>>

Sapnap couldn't stop smiling.

The nerds had come over to eat lunch with the soccer group, so everyone was crowded on two tables. Tubbo, Tommy, Fundy, Wilbur, Techno, him, a6d, Skeppy, Bad, Clay and George. Plus Grian and Mumbo took the day off eating with the rest of the Hermits to celebrate George coming back.

It was great; all of them talking in a myriad of conversation and laughter.

Badboyhalo was excitedly talking about how he named his new car "The Muffinator," Wilbur was talking about his frisky new puppy that Techno got him last week as an apology, Grian was saying something to Mumbo about a Christmas dance coming up, and Sapnap saw George just sitting enjoying it all. Clay booped his nose and George blushed.

Sapnap grinned to himself. He was proud of them.

But something else demanded his attention.

"Sooooo Skeppy," he started. Time for blackmail.

"I have this picture..."