It had been the second day. And however good he had been to his family, Clay wanted to disobey, to be grounded at his uncle's house, then he could've spent time with the small Mooshgi. Unfortunately, he couldn't brought himself to. And so Clay followed like a puppy, taking photoshoots the whole morning. He felt bad for George, might he were waiting? Clay hoped not. Then the blonde would be feeling really, really terrible. His foot kept stomping on ground, eventually sometimes he earned a punch from his sister as warning. 

God, he just wanted to talk to George.

A vibration rang in his pocket. Clay took out his phone, seeing the name "Sapnap/Nick" calling him.

- Hey Dream, how's the weather in Britain? Gross?

- None Florida heat waves, got a break at last. Seems like its about to rain here anyway - Clay looked up at the sky, gray depressing cloud starting to take over.

- Got an umbrella?

- No, we're about to buy some. - His family were heading to a souvenir shop - Talk to you later Sap, it might be raining heavy.

- Oh, I was about to ask you to help me code, but that can be later. See you Dream.

Clay turned off his phone. Thinking about it, will Sapnap believe if he told about George? Likely no. But you can't be so sure, Dream. Clay entered the shop, and his crowd separated, looks like they weren't there just for umbrellas. Clay thought of buying one for himself, his eyes scanned for a small one. Then he realized, oh shoot I'm too tall, small umbrella won't help. Then he caught in his sight three. All were spotted white, one green, one red, and one blue.

Clay remembered the mushroom hat, one that slightly moved during the hide. Thinking for a while, he picked the blue one, just because he felt like it. Clay's faourite color isn't even blue, oh well, he wasn't thinking with his brain anyway. Avery - Clay's sister when they gathered at the cashier, looked at him like he was an alien, then at the umbrella. Clay smiled dorkily.

- Guess I'm feeling blue today.

She had no words.

His family hadn't planned after the photoshoot and shopping, so they decided to went back home. Which, Clay wasn't protesting. Just in time, the first drop fell from the sky, then two, then uncountable. Heavy raindrops rained, washed away dry air, seemed to refresh the entire Britain town. Clay opened his newbought umbrella, walked under the crying sky. His family wasn't paying attention to him, well, he's an adult, he should be independent, right? And so, he finally had sometime for his own, each steps wetted by poodles, hearing the drops echoeing on the fabric above him. Florida's rains aren't any like this, they were hot and damp, more like showers. UK's different, way more different, right at the moment? Downpour. Cold and wet. Clay wasn't complaining. A little bit, actually, but this is way much easier breathing than Florida. He loves Florida, he loves his home, but Clay's mindset was starting to shift whether he should take trips to here more often. All because, of a rainy day, in the fog city. Felt like he could take a break from everything. From heatwaves, from sweaty days, from....

from his current position. His career, his life.

Oh how a weather can change people's perspective.

Shoesteps continued leaving trails. Fading away as the rain poured down, heavier and heavier. Its scent was diffent from his hometown's, something so simple, yet so memorable.

Does George likes rain?

Maybe he does, mushrooms likes wet air, right? Then again, he was so small, maybe the rain could flood him- Clay stopped.

Oh god, he didn't like that possibility.

Clay didn't even noticed his step were faster. His sister knew he was heading home so she didn't stop him, though she wondered why was he so hurried. Each poodles made waves, the more concerned he was. Though the heavy downpour made it seemed forever, Clay finally reached home. But the first thing he did wasn't entering the house, he dashed into the forest, mud dirtied his shoes. He looked completely like an idiot wandering, yelling.

- George!!

Only the rain replied back.

- GEORGE!!

Again, only the wet weather replied.

And with that, Clay ran even deeper through plants and trees. He had no times for his thoughtless action, he didn't care. George's safety. All what in Clay's mind was George in danger.

- GEORGE!! WHERE ARE YOU??

A frog creaked.

Clay's breaths was uneven. He didn't care. He felt so hopeless, so desperated. He had nothing to contact to George. And then he was just standing there, starting to panic.

The rain began to weaken. Every drops was like inches drew closer to his sanity. Making him losing it.

When was the last time he lost it?

Georg-

- Dream?

Through all the noise of drops meeting ground, meeting his umbrella, touching every leave veins, so blurry, yet Clay heard it. His voice. George's voice. Somewhere here. Near here. Near him.

- George?! Where are you?? - Clay immediately turned around, looking everywhere. No sight. But Clay knew-

- I'm above you Dream. - He heard a laughter.

Something hitted his back head. Above?

Then Clay saw him.

George, peaking out of a tree's hole, smiling.

Seeing George smiling, Clay smiled too. He was exhausted. His breaths still heavy.

But at last, he knew George was safe.

Rain stopped, sunshines cleared the now freshed wood. Two creatures, standing there, smiling.

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

- You are such an idiot Dream.

- That's my line, you stole it!

Clay sat on a wet log, watching the Mooshgi collecting tiny leaves that he said are edible. A few minutes later the blonde listened to how independent George has always been, and that he could took care of himself. He had to admit, yes, he was an idiot, how come he had never though of George lived here like the back of his hand? But- Clay thought. I did worried for him, even for nothing. So it was worth it, right? It didn't matter, Clay knew George was safe, and that's enough.

- You got a nice umbrella I see. - George spoke, eyes landing on the all wet umbrella, which was held upside down to dry.

- Oh, thanks George. I don't even know why I just picked blue out of all three colors.

- There are three?

- Yea - Clay dangled his foot the air - All white spotted. Blue, green and red. My favourite color is actually green and not blue though. My sister did questioned why and I just said I was feeling blue.

Clay giggled dorkily. George, seeing his idiotic smile, wondered whether he should call it cute or dumb. He went and with Clay's help, sat next to the giant.

- Blue is my favourite color. I mean, I can't see any other colors than blue and yellow.

Clay, upon hearing that, his smile dropped. He looked at George, questioned.

- You're colorblind?

- Yep, I have protan colorblindness. Pretty severe.

Clay had no idea how was it to have colorblindness, but for some reason he had randomly looked it up on reddit and they said everything was in disgusting yellows and shades of blue. Blue is more vibrant than yellow in their eyes, so it can be guessed. Then even Clay saw George was wearing red mushroom outfit, to him they were just yellow. Clay was about to ask, but he figured it out himself.

Drops of nature tears still dripping off leaves. Scent of rain and revived forest blended, a calm, fresh atmosphere relaxed the blonde.

When was the last time he enjoyed nature? Oh, right, he's Floridan.

And this popped in Clay's mind, out of nowhere. He could've guessed George's age based on his appearance, all so young. But again, George isn't human.

- George, can I ask something?

- Sure Dream, what is it? - The tiny red mushroom looked up at him, his neck would ache from just this, god.

- How... old are you? I didn't mean to offend, just curious.

George stared at him. For, quite a long time. Then he smiled.

- Do you really want to know, Dream?

...

He swore, not that his heart skipped a beat from that. That's just-.....

- Of course. Why would I ask if I don't want to know? - Clay said, sounding natural.

The Mooshgi just wanted to test Clay. He let out a soft chuckle, dangling his legs.

- Well, I'm 249. Next year I'll be 250 years old.

What.

- You- WHAT?? How long do your kind live??? - Clay was shocked. Not that shock, he just didn't think Mooshgies's life expansion was that long.

- Well its actually depends on enviroment, us kind pretty sensitive to sudden changes of surroundings. I would say- I don't know, rumors said the oldest lived here was 857 years old.

Oh my god, if he were a journalist, or a biologist, or- whatever the job have something done with creature discoveries, he would've written down everything George had spoken with the speed of the Flash. Luckily, he wasn't. He was just a Youtuber.

- Oh then, should I call you grandpa? Grand grand-... grand old friend? - Clay joked.

- Dream no!! I'm young okay? I'm not to you but I am to my kind!!

George only received laughter from the blonde.

-- -- -- --

Clay could spent hours just being near George and chatting about randomness. George was a good friend- from just met for less than 2 days they could started to call each other idiots with no literal harsh meaning. They.... actually they had before, right? Anyway, their friendship was growing way too smooth, that Clay had no idea they talked for over 1 hour.

Thanks God he did remembered and dashed back, just to met his family almost suspended him like back in old days. Of course they were worried sick, Clay got it, but can you really blame him? He was freed thanked to his sister, who clearly didn't want her brother to got into trouble. Especially when they were on a vacation.

Clay still had to stay at home for the rest of the day. He was downed hearing that, but it was fine, though. He got a game to code for Sapnap anyway. Minecraft but water rise every minute? Looked like Sapnap and Bad were going for a long swim. While coding on his mom laptop (yes he didn't brought his own), Clay added a surprised in it. Heh.

It took enough for Clay to get his back streched and flop himself on bed again. Sapnap had replied he would test it, not without saying thanks. Clay decided to scroll Twitter, having small snickers from his fanbase.

"Dreamnap forever!!"

"Wait is Dream and Fundy together or what? I'm so confused."

"Just updated new chapter of Dreamnoblade :DD check it out!"

Clay completely fine with all ships and stuffs, he didn't mind, he found them quite funny and entertaining actually. He sometimes joked with his friends about them. Though, there was something.... Clay wasn't over yet. His past relationship let him traumatize for a long time. Clay wasn't ready for another.

But why would I care? And- why am I thinking about this in a sudden?

Clay brushed it off. He just knew that he wasn't prepare to start all over again.

---

Meanwhile...

- To the Nether!! - Bad said

They had to speedrun insanely to build the portal, "water rise every minute", means if they weren't quick enough all lava would became cobblestones and obsidians. Both sighed in relief, this challenge was unbelievably tough.

- Wait Sapnap, if we went to the Nether, will the water be there or what? - Bad said while staring at the Minecraft screen Building terrian for Nether.

- I don't know- I haven't thought about it actually.

- Sapnap!!--

And they were in the Nether. Everywhere was lava, as how obvious it had been.

- I think were safe for now.

- You sure?? We don't know what Dream had coded. Maybe water is rising under lava?

As they were mining netherrack and searching for fortress, they saw...

An enderman, who was standing next to the lava ocean just a few mins ago, was crying from the flame and teleport away infront their eyes. The lava had rose.

- OH MY GOD THE LAVA IS RISING GO GO GO GO GO!!!

Complete chaos took over.

---

Clay remembered how panicked he was when thought of the Mooshgi struggling in the rain flashed in his mind. Surely he could convince himself George would be completely safe without him, based on how long he had been living in the forest. But Clay still couldn't just... sit there. He WANTED George to be safe, and not just ASSUMING George is safe.

Was there anyway he could knew?

He needed to stay in contact with George.

Contact.

Clay shot up from his bed. How come he hadn't though about it before? Over a year ago, before Clay started his Youtube career, he took a job as an assistant in computer office. Clay have been saving up money since the first dollar, he didn't spent on anything, literally. All of that just in case if his Youtube career didn't work out. It still kinda did, but over time his subscribers increased, he managed enough to not worry about it anymore. In result, he still got payed, and he pushed them all into his bank account. Those are enough for him to live for three years independent without working at all.

And he knew what he got to do with it now.

As pathetic as could it get, Clay still got suspended to stay home. For the rest of the day. Which mean he had to delay his plan until tomorrow.

F*ck.

---

A long body, flashing dark green scales moved slowly, steadily, towards its meal. Its eyes dilated, long tongue hissed in joy. The snake has found a delicious prey, how vulnerable it was, nothing to protect itself. It hadn't got anything besides a tasteless small mouse, so it was madly, madly hungry. Crawling, not letting any noise made, a hunter was about to prize itself with this weak little creature.

It slowly rose its head, jaw opened, fangs bared in the air. With one quick shot, it sniped at the prey.

Nothing met its jaw.

Instead, its neck was bleeding. The thin metal needle stabbed deep. George shot his eyes at it.

Terrible hisses echoed in the woods, it struggled madly, from the pain too unbearable to take. George let go of his weapon, watching as it tried to remove the needle by swinging its head in the air, though every attempt it couldn't made the sharp metal sinken in its flesh moved a single centimeter. After a while, the snake crashed down, blood made a pool on dirt. The ground swallowed red liquid all in. George huffed in relief, he didn't have to fight, that's way much better. He removed the needle, then looked at the dead snake.

Snake meat wasn't that bad actually, but he would prefer others than that. Sometimes, life didn't give us a choice, and he learned it from his own blood. At least, he didn't have to worry about hunger in three or four more days. He still got to carry the whole snake home, though.