Clay dove over the railing without a moment's hesitation.

He was too far behind George to catch him, but he could follow.

As the river rushed up at him, he briefly thought about how cold it would be. Then it was pushed aside and George was the only thing in his mind.

He smashed from freezing air into freezing water, knocking the air from his lungs and forcing him to involuntary shudder as every part of him started shivering uncontrollably.

He was frozen still, suspended for an agonizing moment, unable to move anything. Then he wrenched his body into action with sheer force of will.

He pushed his head above the surface to draw in a deep breath. Frigid air stung his lungs as he turned frantically in circles looking for George. There was no sign of him above the water.

Immediately Clay ducked under the icy surface to find George in the black depths. He flailed his arms around and squinted, turning about wildly in the bubbles.

Clay grew increasingly desperate as the darkness closed in on his vision.

He pulled himself up for another breath then plunged back down again, this time going deeper. With every cell in his body burning from the cold and screaming at him to get out, he swam a few more yards down.

There.

George was drifting much farther down in the darkness. Clay struck out toward him as soon as he caught a glimpse, despite his lungs starting to ache.

George wasn't moving.

Clay swam as fast as he could, pushing and pushing through the heavy water and fighting with everything he had.

George was floating up ever so slowly, his initial plunge and heavy waterlogged clothes fighting against the air steadily leaving his lungs in a stream of bubbles.

Hold on George. Pleaseplease just a few more seconds-

Clay pleaded as he tried to reach for him. His lungs felt like they would burst. He was panicking. He realized he wasn't close enough to him. It felt eerily familiar.

Nonononononono- Clay frantically swam back upwards for more air. Horror trickled down his spine as he left George, racing bubbles to the surface. At the top he panted once before taking in the deepest breath yet and diving down as fast as he could, directly over George. He knew he had to reach him this time.

George seemed lower than before. Still and tranquil, he was like a hovering angel. Clay was the opposite, kicking and pushing and battling as hard as he could, always moving and never stopping.

Clay felt the darkness staining the water around them and his lungs screamed for oxygen.

A filtered beam of moonlight fell down over George as Clay finally got close enough to reach for him. He grasped George's pale hand and yanked him up. Spots flickered in his vision as he wrapped an arm around George's chest and started kicking upward.

Halfway up Clay felt his chest hitch and he involuntarily inhaled water. He choked as the river invaded his lungs, eyes swimming with tears as he started to black out.

As a last-ditch effort he pushed George above him and kicked one last time as hard as he could.

Finally Clay choked in a shuddering breath as his head broke the surface. He coughed and swallowed a bit more water trying desperately to breathe.

Cold air assaulted his lungs again, but he welcomed the sting as his vision cleared and his body felt slightly less heavy. He coughed again to get the rest of the water out of his lungs. Then he clung George to him and started pulling him toward the land.

The freezing water numbed Clay's body, making it harder to swim every second.

He held George over his chest with one arm, above the water, as he moved the other in a weak backstroke, kicking vainly.

After a hundred ragged breaths Clay felt mud underneath him. He wearily dragged George out of the river. George's sneakers dragged in the mud, leaving a rut from the water's edge to the wet grass a few feet away where Clay laid him down.

"George-" Clay's voice was weak. He did his best to sit up and shook George roughly, brushing some dark hair off his face with his hand. "George please. No, no no nonono-"

Clay couldn't stop saying no as he tried to remember what to do. He wasn't sure what he should do. What if he couldn't remember and George was just-

He turned George on his side and tried to get water out of his mouth by patting his back. No, that wasn't right. Clay was panicking but he knew he couldn't panic he had to not panic. He tried to take a deep breath and it hurt him doubly that George couldn't breathe.

He made George lay on his back and put an ear to his mouth and watched his chest, praying to see it rise and fall.

It didn't.

Tears spilled from Clay's eyes, making it harder for him to see.

Check for a pulse check for a pulse check-

He held George's wrist and tried to find that little whisper from his heartbeat; but there was nothing. Nononononono

Clay's heart beat frantically like it could work enough for both of them as he sobbed harder, nearly suffocating as he tried to control himself.

Time was running out and he felt failure growing like a pit in his stomach.

He frantically turned to his last resort and took a gasping breath before pressing his mouth onto George's.

George couldn't feel the tears dripping on his face as Clay tried desperately to push his own air into his lungs. After one second he stopped for another gasping inhale then pressed his mouth to George's again.

Gasp, give air to George, get air, give it to George, get air, give it to George-

Now maybe time for chest compressions- Clay was never trained for CPR but he knew mostly what to do. He pressed both hands on George's chest, one on top of the other and pressed down hard with his palms, counting.

"One two three four-" you can't be dead, George "-ten eleven twelve-" tears kept running down Clay's face as the cold air and icy clothes bit into his bones "-twenty twenty-one twenty-two twenty-three-" he desperately prayed he was doing it right "-twenty-nine thirty-" George you have to survive this "-thirty-two thirty-three-" come on George- I need you "-thirty-six thirty-seven..."

After about a minute Clay tried to call an ambulance. Waterlogged phone. He threw it aside and turned back to George.

He gazed at him. His face was pale and motionless; his pale eyes closed and black lashes still; his chest wasn't moving.

Clay crawled next to him and pulled his head into his lap. Dimly, it was strange to see someone he knew so well and so long lying asleep and not breathing. He was so used to seeing his natural breath; he would give anything to see it again.

Clay rubbed the tears from his cheeks and again pressed his mouth to George's.

Clay breathed again and tried to give him all the air in his body. He tried again.

Maybe the pushing part- he gently placed George's head down and moved back to his side to try pressing on his chest again.

One two three four-

But he was slowing as his arms were weighed down with hopelessness and his tears thickened.

Eventually he stopped completely.

He threw himself over George's chest and screamed, balling up his shirt in his fists.

"George you can't- you can't leave me now- George- George- after all this-" The rest dissolved in sobs.

The only thing Clay would feel was his face on George's shirt and silent darkness around them. He lay in rigid disbelief at what was in front of him. His breaths were shallow.

He felt completely alone.

If there was a clock nearby, it would have chimed midnight.

Clay opened his eyes and gasped, then sat up quickly. He thought he felt George move.

"G- George?" Clay swallowed, staring at his face. What do I do- does he need-

George coughed, water came out of his mouth.

"Oh my god- oh my god George, George-" Clay tilted his head up, trying to help him breathe- "come on George, please-"

George coughed again and gasped in air.

Relief filled Clay just to see his chest rise; he could breathe again.

George opened his eyes and focused blearily on Clay, then he pushed away from him and scrambled backwards, still weakly coughing up water.

"No y- you-" George tried to get words out between his coughs- "you hate m- me."

His words twisted a knife in Clay's chest. "No, George, listen, listen please George-" he was shaking his head in disbelief. Clay moved closer and reached for his hand. George let him hold it, making no words, but looking back and forth between their hands and Clay's face.

"I don't hate you George, I never did. I thought-" Clay's breath hitched, "I thought you hated me."

"But- but didn't I say- and you said to never talk to you again-" George had never been more confused.

"No no no- that wasn't me, I didn't write that, George. It was Techno; he was trying to split us up so he wanted to make you think- I would never do that, George." Even saying his name was sweet in Clay's mouth, he had longed and prayed and almost given up hoping he would ever call him that again. He could say it over and over. "George, it wasn't true. George, please believe me."

He couldn't bear it if George turned away from him again. "I'm so- so sorry."

George was afraid to let himself hope. But he saw Clay in front of him now and could tell he had been crying. As George looked at his tender yellow eyes he let himself believe him.

He looked again at Clay holding his hand, and he knew the note must've been a lie. He met Clay's eyes again uncertainly, anxious about his response. "What- what happened then, at the party, I embarrassed you, didn't I?"

"No! No George, you didn't, I- you confessed and then fainted. Techno put the note in your pocket and I carried you away from all the people to rest on a bed but then Grian and Mumbo took you home and I was so worried because I didn't know where you went and it was- it was terrible not knowing where you were or why you left-" Clay started choking on his words because of the lump in his throat. "I'm so so sorry for not taking care of you. I should have never let you out of my sight. I regret it everyday. I'm-"

George cut him off with a hug.

Clay cried into his shoulder. "I thought I lost you."

George sniffed and hugged him tighter. "You didn't. I'm here. I'm so sorry for leaving. I thought no one wanted me and you didn't want me around and I was so alone and-"

"Shhhhhhhhhh, it's okay, it's okay..." Clay gently quieted him and held George's head against his chest, right over his quickly beating heart. George melted into his warmth.

"I'm here, I'm here now. You aren't alone. We're together."

George clung to him and sniffed happily. "I missed you," he whispered.

Clay held onto him like a lifeline. "I missed you too, George. You have no idea how much. If you had died, I-"

George shook his head slightly. "I'm alive. You saved me."

Clay quieted and they spent some time without words, then he pulled out of the long hug and held George's shoulders.

"Wha- what?" George asked breathlessly, searching his eyes.

There was a deep intensity in his gaze.

"I need to tell you something, but I don't know which way..." He trailed off, still looking at George's face intently.

George felt his heart literally skip a beat as Clay cupped his cheek with one hand. George unconsciously parted his lips and leaned forward a tiny amount in expectation.

Is he-

Clay closed the distance between them and kissed him.

Oh-

Birdsong erupted from the trees.

George felt warmth spread down through his previously freezing body as Clay's lips met his. He hardly had time to kiss back before Clay broke the kiss to stare in his eyes, head still slightly tilted.

"I love you George. I love you-"

"-I love you too- I Mmm mm-" Dream cut him off, but George wasn't complaining. Where the first kiss was soft and over too soon, this one was passionate and went on and on. George wrapped his arms around Dream's neck and Dream ran his hands through George's hair.

He felt complete; he and George had been orbiting, just passing, and now they had finally smashed into each other. George was the only thing that existed. There was no space between them now but he yearned to be closer.

George felt like flying; it was beyond anything he had ever imagined, better than all his hopes combined. He wanted it to never end. He didn't need to breathe; Dream was his oxygen. He pressed against his chest, needing more.

When they pulled apart Dream said breathlessly, "I love you so much George. This is Mmm mm m-" Now it was George's turn to cut Dream off.

He let him go again after a second and laughed, pressing their foreheads together. Dream chuckled with him, they went back to holding each other to regain their breath.

George nuzzled into Dream's shoulder and smiled to himself.

Sirens cried faintly in the distance.

(2.3k words)