Clay was on his bike.

He had been riding the route with Sapnap and a6d and, to his disgust, Techno.

It was Saturday evening, and the forecast predicted heavy rain for the next 48 hours.

For Clay this meant only that George would be harder to find.

It was strange to think about, how since the party George had gone from a constant in his life to the reason for him getting up everyday.

He listened to the steady whirr of tires and occasional pedaling.

He felt exhausted. Mentally.

He knew he wasn't sleeping enough, but he didn't see how to do better.

The breeze ruffled his hair and he spared a glance at Technoblade.

He was focusing on steering and keeping his balance on the bike, having never ridden one as a kid.

Weird how he can be so steady on the soccer pitch and unsteady here. We're so different.

Techno noticed him staring and looked up. Clay broke the eye contact immediately.

He looked behind him at Sapnap and a6d. Sapnap was teaching a6d how to ride without using the handlebars.

"Yeah just put your weight back and sit. It's easier to keep your balance if you keep pedaling. Try like this see? Use just your fingertips on the grips and then you can take your hands off totally. Yeah! You're doing it!"

A6d was following his instructions exactly; he slowly and wobbly rode a few yards without hands, laughing and smiling and almost falling over. Sapnap was equally ecstatic and offered a high-five which a6d achieved after almost running into him. They laughed.

Clay smiled.

Their real purpose was to look for George on these bike rides, but it had become such a regular thing for them that now it was almost casual sometimes. Clay wasn't upset that they were having fun, they had already been riding for hours today and everyone was trying their best yesterday and this morning. They needed some laughs anyway.

Clay was still looking for George around every corner. On the bike and off of it. He had been trying not to think about what would happen when he finally found him.

George thought Clay hated him. Because of Techno.

Maybe he would run the other direction if he saw Clay.

No that's terrible. Don't think that.

But you hurt him.

It wasn't me.

What's the difference?

Clay stopped pedaling and coasted. There isn't a difference.

It's only what George thinks, what matters to him.

See? He thinks you hate him, and he was hurt because of you. You hurt him. Your fault.

Clay tried to drown out the voice by pedaling faster.

"Whoa-"

He came too close to Technoblade and scared him by accident. Clay hastily slowed, apologizing.

" 's fine," Techno said, steadying his bike carefully. "What made you speed up all the sudden?"

"Nothing." Clay looked over his shoulder. A6d and Sapnap were too far behind to be listening and were having their own conversation anyway.

Techno made an I-don't-believe-you face but directed it at the road and not Clay. He was tactful enough to know Clay didn't want to discuss whatever it was with him.

And Clay wasn't about to express his irrational feelings of guilt to the person who caused them.

Why is he even here?

The reason he was riding around with them specifically was because he came wanting to help and Grian figured these three were unlikely to beat him up, compared to some of the hermits anyway. Clay had already punched him and probably wouldn't again; a6d hadn't been unnecessarily aggressive; Sapnap was kinda iffy but he took a chance.

Techno sensed they didn't really want him there. And he understood, but he stayed anyway. Maybe he was just stubborn, or maybe he was actually trying to help.

Is Techno really the kind of person to try and right his wrongs?

Hard to say. Maybe there was something more behind his desire to help.

Clay didn't honestly care. He was just waiting for him to either prove himself or betray them.

They were riding on a small road in the woods; it had lots of hills. They were halfway down one when Clay saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He braked immediately and the others stopped around him with various "huh" and "what"s.

"I thought I saw something." Clay scanned the trees, half-dismounted from his bike.

"What was it?" Sapnap asked. All of them were following Clay's gaze.

"I dunno," Clay said quietly.

He cleared his throat. "Probably nothing. Just something moving."

They waited.

"Do you wanna go look or..." Techno said.

Clay frowned at the woods.

His mind had tricked him so many times.

"Yeah sure why not." He got off his bike and laid it down.

The other guys got off theirs and followed, Techno after setting up his kickstand.

Clay caught Sapnap rolling his eyes at the flex.

They walked up to the tree line and stopped.

It was eerily quiet. No birds were singing, Clay realized.

He shivered in the November air.

The others were waiting for his lead. He was in front.

Clay pointed slightly deeper in the trees and slightly left.

"There." Then he started trekking through the leaves, hearing the other's shuffle behind him.

They came to the appointed place and looked all around it.

Nothing.

"so what now?" A6d asked.

"I'm not-" Clay was interrupted by a branch snapping.

He jerked his head around so fast he almost fell over.

Sapnap was climbing a tree.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Clay asked tiredly.

Sapnap paused to smile down at him- "Wings of Surveillance."

Clay rolled his eyes and a6d stifled a laugh.

"It's fine-" Sapnap continued making his way slowly up the tree- "you guys can walk around down there and I'll shout if I see something George-shaped."

"Fine." Clay looked around again but didn't see anything.

He started walking away from the road. Why am I doing this? He would have been here. There's nothing. No point.

Keep looking. Don't give up on him.

Clay sighed.

"Wait!" Techno surprised them. "Hold on a sec." He went back to his bike.

Clay looked at a6d. He shrugged.

Techno came back with four flashlights. "If we're splitting up, then take these now. The sun's setting soon." He offered one to a6d.

They stared at him.

Techno faltered. "Here, take it."

Vin frowned slightly and accepted it.

Techno put one down at the base of Sapnap's tree. "I'm leaving one for you, Nick."

"Sure, pig."

Clay took the flashlight for him but he couldn't bring himself to feel grateful. He turned and strode into the woods again.

Techno started following him uncertainly.

"Uh you guys go," a6d said. "I'll stay here and make sure this idiot doesn't fall and break the neck, I mean, his neck."

"And you call me an idiot," Sapnap called.

"you are an idiot," a6d said back. "English is a hard language; shut up."

Clay heard Sapnap laughing, then he and Techno were too far away to distinguish the rest of the conversation.

They just walked in tired silence for a little bit.

Time stretched on.

Clay didn't want to make small talk and Techno was- well actually Clay didn't know what he was doing.

Why is he still here. Why make a group of people your enemies and then try to work with them. What else can you do to me, Techno?

"Uh..."

Clay took a second to realize this was Techno's way of starting a conversation. He glanced at him for half a second to show he was listening but otherwise didn't answer.

"So, you doing ok?"

"What the fuck are you doing?" Clay snapped.

"I don't know I'm just trying to talk-"

Clay stopped. "You want to talk?! You want to be best friends?! You want to win us over with your shiny new bike and buying flashlights? You can't! What are you playing at?! You can't fix problems by throwing money at them! You're the reason we're here and you're a cold-hearted bastard like your dad."

Techno glared. "I know, alright! I know I fucked up and I wouldn't forgive me either! But at least I'm trying to help now! You could be grateful-"

"OHHHH we're supposed to be grateful!! Well then that clears it up!! Thank you so much, DAVE, for the nice flashlights! You're such a valuable member of the team!!! You're just here for yourself. Was George supposed to be grateful for that note you left him?"

"No, I- don't call me that-"

"What, Dave? Oh, Dave Dave Dave Dave. I can't annoy you back Dave? That against the rules?"

Techno was stiff. "It's what my dad called me."

Clay stopped. "It's your name."

"I know, it just reminds me-"

"Look, I'm sorry about your dad, but none of that justifies what you did."

"I know it doesn't!! I KNOW OK?!"

Techno wrapped his arms around himself.

He lowered his voice almost to a whisper. "I fucked up. I was and still am a terrible person. I know. You don't have to keep telling me. I never thought it would go this far."

Clay's voice still held some venom. "You're the strategist, Techno. You should have thought ahead."

"Well I didn't." Techno stared straight ahead, not at Clay. He seemed mad, but at himself.

Clay ran out of words; he pushed some leaves around with his shoe.

Techno snapped his head up. "You can punch me again."

"No." Clay walked away. "You're such a brute."

Techno moved and blocked his way. "Yeah, and you want to know why?"

Clay stared at him. "Why."

Techno stared back. "Because I'm not good with words."

Clay paused, then moved to the side. "Your problem."

"Hey-" Techno jogged next to him- "maybe you can help me though."

"Not likely."

"I just want him to talk to me again."

Clay stopped again. "Your dad? But he's-"

"Nonono, not my dad. I don't care about him. I mean Wilbur. He's not talking to me."

"Wilbur?"

"Yeah we were best friends."

"I know, just- how would I help with that?" Clay threw his hands in the air. "And why would I even help you in the first place?!"

"You're right." Techno slowed. "I deserve it anyway. Sorry for asking."

Clay scoffed.

"'Sorry for asking.' You never even said sorry for what you did to George."

Techno went quiet.

Clay stopped angrily rushing through the bushes and looked over his shoulder at him. "You aren't even-"

Techno pushed him over.

It caught Clay so off-guard he fell on the forest floor; he turned on his back and scrambled backwards, hands on the cold earth and dry leaves. "What are you d-"

Techno had backed up to pick up a branch like a club; he raised it and ran at Clay.

Clay covered his head with his arms.

The next thing he heard was Techno swing the branch down and a crunch.

He opened his eyes as Techno danced back like a scared animal and half-squealed. "OH MY GOD THAT THING WAS SO HUGE HOLY FUCK HOT DAMN IT WAS BIGGER THAN THAT ONE WE SAW AT FUNDY'S THAT ONE TIME HOLY SHIT OH MY GOD- oh uh I mean-" he cleared his throat and brought his voice down like six octaves. "I am awesome yes you're welcome."

"What the fuck just-"

"I saved you from a snake." Techno pointed at Clay's feet.

There was, indeed, a snake there. It was half-coiled up and now very dead. But its body was still writhing around.

"Oh." Was all Clay could say. Gross.

He kicked it away.

Techno shrieked, "A- A- AHHH HEY DON'T why would you push it AT MEEE AHH!" He almost tripped himself backing away from it as it squirmed.

As he stood up Clay started wheeze-laughing at Techno acting like a teen girl seeing a roach.

Techno heard him and dropped his hands. He shrugged his coat back around his shoulders and cleared his throat, trying to look cool again. "Totally did that on purpose."

"Yeah- sure-" Clay managed to say through his wheezes. "You- (wheeze) had that (wheeze) all under con-trol-" The rest of what he said was lost in barely-audible wheezes.

Techno tried to keep a straight face. "Shut up, teakettle."

"TEAKETTLE!" Clay's voice went to bat pitch as he wheezed harder.

Techno smirked since it's impossible not to smile hearing Clay go "PHAAAHAHA" and struggle to breathe wheezing.

Eventually Clay inhaled again.

At that point the forest was dimming around them so the two decided to head back the way they came.

"So," Techno spoke, "were you about to step on that snake on purpose or?"

"No way, I didn't even see it."

They walked side-by-side in silence after that, but it was a much more comfortable silence than before. Clay felt mostly like himself for the first time in a while.

They paused to turn on their flashlights.

"Thank you," Clay decided to say. "For your help back there."

"Yeah. I expect compensation, of course."

"Whoa wait-"

"I'm just kidding, Clay." Techno smiled.

"Oh, pffft."

They trekked for a bit.

"About Wilbur," Clay said, "just talk to him."

Techno looked at the ground. "You really think that'll work?"

Clay nodded. "Yeah, it's probably all he wants."

"Ok." Techno sounded doubtful.

>>>

Sapnap glanced down at Vincent.

Techno and Clay left a few seconds earlier and Vin started climbing the tree after him.

"What are you doing?" Sapnap chuckled.

Vin glanced up and a smile spread over his stupid French face.

"I'm not letting you have all the fun."

Sapnap paused in a good place and checked on Vin.

"Have you ever climbed a tree before?"

"not one this tall," he responded.

"Be careful."

"you be careful, I can take care of myself."

"I bet," Sapnap said quietly to himself.

"what was that?"

"Nothing." Sapnap made a mental note to remember Vin had good hearing.

He resumed his progress until he got to a good place near the top with a few big, flat branches to sit or lie on.

He looked down at Vincent again. He was slower finding places, but more agile.

"Come on, Vinny."

A6d rolled his eyes, then focused on reaching for the next branch.

"stop rushing me, I'm coming."

"Ohhhhhh TMI."

"haha MDR."

"MDR?"

"yeah-" Vin grunted slightly as he hauled himself up with his thin little stick arms- "it's like French 'lol'. I'm dying laughing," he said sarcastically.

He was almost to the little platform Sapnap sat on, but he was impatient to show off the spot.

"Come onnn."

"hey, I am not slow. you are just a monkey."

"Are there monkeys in France?"

"I'll take you there, so you can watch me shove one up your ass."

Sapnap laughed. "What? Are you high again?"

Vin grinned, "higher than you in a second."

Sapnap reached a hand down to help him up and Vin stretched his long arm out to reach it.

Vincent barely had a half-second to gasp as the other branch he was holding snapped.

And he fell backwards.

Sapnap lunged and caught his hand.

"whoa," Vin breathed; he was now dangling in the air, Sapnap holding his hand with both of his.

Sapnap smirked. "Now who's almost breaking his neck?"

"yeah, yeah- can you pull me up?"

I got you.

Sapnap smiled, joking around, "Only if you say please."

Vin looked down, then back up at Sapnap with wide eyes. His eyes-

"please," Vin said softly, scared.

Sapnap pulled him up immediately, scolding himself internally for even pausing a second to gloat; he felt immensely guilty at how shaken Vin was. "Sorry. I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"yeah, yeah, I'm okay." Vincent brushed his hands off, not looking at him. "you took your time."

"Sorry-" Sapnap tried to think of a good excuse- "you're heavy."

Vin glared at him. "you take that back."

Sapnap sensed the return to playfulness. He stuck out his tongue. "No."

"oh yeah?" Vin smiled and leaned close to him, gripping the branch tightly; he grasped Sapnap's shirt with his other hand and tilted him slightly off the edge.

Sapnap saw the empty air out of the corner of his eye and felt a swooping sensation in his stomach. He knew Vin would never drop him, but his eyes were that cool deep brown with a little wild pleasure. He knew what he was doing.

"O- okay- okay, you're not heavy. You're a feather. I take it back."

Vin quirked his lips and pulled Sapnap back over the branch. "not so hard up here to get you to do what I want."

Sapnap pushed him back a little. "You either."

Vin drew a quick breath in and locked eyes with him. "what do you want then?"

Sapnap's heart was still beating fast from the adrenaline. He drew back a little and let a6d get back in a stable place. "Nothing."

He watched a6d take a deep breath. Maybe he's scared of heights, but then-

"You certainly like things dangerous, Vin."

Vincent eyed him. "you also," he said casually.

"Check it-" Sapnap caught Vin's eye, he nodded at the sky- "sunset."

"oh." Vin's gaze rested on the sky.

Their lofty position had a small, mostly clear opening they could see the sunset through. The rest of the branches and leaves made the space feel enclosed and protected. It was pretty; the sun was almost completely down, but there were large dark clouds over the edge of the forest and getting closer. That's when Sapnap remembered it was going to rain soon and probably keep raining till Monday.

He knew they should go down soon because of the dark and approaching rain, but he guessed they had enough time to wait up here a little longer and then head back.

Vincent had apparently judged the same; he sat with one arm on his knee and the other long leg hanging off the branch.

"Why did you follow me up here?" Sapnap asked him.

"because it looked like fun," Vin answered. "and I thought I should give Techno a chance to apologize to Clay alone."

Sapnap raised an eyebrow. "You trust him that much?"

Vin sat back on his hands and looked out at the clouds.

"yeah, I think he- how do you say this in English- he um, has regrets. he- he wants to make up?"

Sapnap nodded. "Maybe, but I don't trust him anymore- what?"

Vin had shushed him.

He was staring intently at some branches and leaves.

"What is it?" Sapnap asked in a hushed voice.

Vin frowned like he did when he was thinking. "nothing," he decided. "I thought I saw something." He turned back to look at Sapnap.

"answer this for me," Vincent said. "why did you climb the tree? you can't see the ground from here and it is not a good place for looking for people."

Sapnap shrugged. "Guess."

"I think I know." Vin turned his dark brown eyes back on the lingering sunset. "you didn't think Clay actually saw George."

Sapnap nodded. Then he poked a6d. "And what else?"

Vin half-smiled. "and you just wanted to climb a tree because it looks fun?"

"Bingo."

Sapnap sighed.

"And about George, I don't think he's here. In the woods."

"oh? where then?"

Sapnap didn't actually know, he could only guess. "In a house... staying with relatives or friends?"

A6d shook his head. "what friends have we not talked to? who isn't worried?"

"I don't know," Sapnap couldn't offer anything.

A heavy silence settled in, both of them pondering the severity of the situation and forgetting the jokes and fun from earlier.

"we should go back down," Vin said eventually.

"Yeah," Sapnap agreed.