Chapter Text
“Thank you for doing this,” George said, sitting down across from Wilbur. His fingers tapped against the smooth wood and he chewed on his bottom lip, eyes flickering between the man in front of him and the gray table they were situated at. The nervous energy that came off of him in waves was so intense, Wilbur could almost imagine the air surrounding him flickering ever so slightly.
Wilbur chuckled, trying to help soothe the other man's anxiety. “Why are you thanking me? You’re the one that came out here just to help me pull a stupid prank on the viewers”
George shrugged slightly, his shoulders tense and raised. “It was a funny idea. Besides, I got free pizza out of it. Not to mention, I’ve needed to get out of the house for a while.”
Wilbur nodded, his lips twisting in an understanding smile. He leaned back slightly, sitting up straight, trying to seem at least a little confident. Maybe, if he acted confident and calm, George would start to feel the same.
“Dream should be facetiming us at any time…” George continued, tapping his foot against the ground as he waited, watching the black screen of his phone intently, “Do you think this is going to work?”
“I don’t know.” Wilbur replied, leaning forward and resting his chin in his hand, making eye contact with George, “At least we’re having fun trying, though.”
George rolled his eyes, though the smile that crept onto his lips revealed his lack of hostility. It was clear that he felt slightly awkward as he sat there across from Wilbur, the air around them filled with tension. However, as the two of them talked, he could feel the tension melt away, bit by bit.
As his worries slowly faded away, George relished in the content feeling that settled in his gut, warming his shy attitude into one of genuine ease and comfort. Wilbur’s pleasant nonchalance was contagious, and George was sure it was impossible to not feel at ease while in his company.
After a minute of friendly conversation, George’s phone rang, Dream’s name popping up on the screen. Both George and Wilbur froze for a moment before he reached down to answer the call, a large smile on his face.
Wilbur considered himself quite the extrovert, he was able to make friends with almost everyone he met with little tension. However, he couldn’t help but feel out of place watching George and Dream interact, albeit over the phone.
The time at Pizza Hut flew by, George snapping a couple of pictures for Twitter and sending them to Dream, who then had to leave to meet up with his mom.
As George pocketed his phone, Wilbur couldn’t help but notice the way that his eyes darted around, surveying the surrounding area. The tension and anxiety that had slowly melted away over the course of the day were suddenly back. He could almost see the gears in his head turning as he tried to figure out what to do and say.
“Let’s go for a walk,” he said.
George let out a small breath of relief, grateful Wilbur wasn’t noticing his inner turmoil. He nodded, standing and putting his mask back over his mouth, hooking the bands behind his ears.
Wilbur mirrored his actions, then led George down the street, an awkward silence falling between them. “So uh, where are we going?” He asked finally.
Wilbur only shrugged slightly as he continued walking. “Well, you seemed kinda tense,” he stated, “There's a small abandoned beach near my house. I like to go there sometimes and just look at the ocean. It’s relaxing, I figured it might help”
He couldn’t help but notice the way George sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes growing wide. At the mention of the ocean, he seemed to grow even tenser. It confused Wilbur, who felt like the secluded section of the beach by his house was his second home.
There was something about the salty mist that coated his skin, the gentle rocking of the deep-blue waves, the way the seagulls would perch on a long piece of driftwood. It brought him comfort, no matter how stressed he was.
However, George’s panicked eyes made it obvious that maybe not everyone loved the sea as much as he did.
“Are you okay?” Wilbur asked, watching George carefully. The skittish way his eyes jumped from place to place reminded him of a stray cat. In a strange way, it was almost endearing.
George nodded beside him, pink creeping up his neck. As they walked down the barely marked path down to the beach, his breath picked up and he rubbed at his arm anxiously. He was obviously nervous about going, but followed regardless, “Y-yeah, I’m good.”
“Are you sure? We can go somewhere else if you want.”
He quickly shook his head, as if he were trying to convince himself, as well as Wilbur. “No, no it’s ok. I just- uh, I don’t like cold water?”
Wilbur froze as he stepped onto the rocky shoreline, lips breaking out in an unbelieving smile. Small laughs involuntarily rose from his throat, his hand shooting up to cover his mouth. “I-I’m sorry, what?” he asked, trying to keep from laughing in his friend’s face, “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means I don’t like going into the ocean. It's too cold, and then you’re just miserable for the rest of the day”
“Pffft, yeah, alright Gogy, whatever you say,” Wilbur chuckled. Despite what George had said, he couldn’t help but notice the way that the tension seemed to melt away, or how a small smile emerged on his face as he stared out into the vast, blue waves. He looked peaceful.
A wide grin grew on Wilbur’s face as an idea crossed his mind. “So does that mean I can throw you into the ocean, and all you’ll do is complain?” he asked, already kicking off his shoes.
Instantly, the tension and fear that had melted away so seamlessly were suddenly back, as George looked at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. He took a small step backward, his hands up in front of him.
“Don’t you dare-” he started, but was quickly cut off as Wilbur shot forward, hooking an arm beneath his legs and another under his back, picking him up and running to the water. He cackled as the man in his arms screamed, keeping his grip tight.
“Wilbur stop! Put me down!” George squealed, hands involuntarily grasping at Wilbur’s shoulders and pushing himself as far as he could into his chest, “This isn’t funny!”
“Awww, why not? I’ll make sure to keep you safe, don’t you worry, Gogy.” Wilbur smiled, out of breath from his intense laughter. He could feel the cold water splashing against his ankles, his feet already buried in the wet sand.
Wilbur’s breath hitched as he felt George press his face into his neck, his eyelashes tickling his skin.
“Please don’t drop me in the water,” George whispered, his soft voice barely audible over the gentle waves. “Please don’t, oh my god, please don’t drop me in.”
Wilbur looked down at the man, adoration filling his heart and pumping through his body. George fit perfectly in his arms like he was meant to be there. His head was still adorably nuzzled in his chest, and his small hands held onto his shoulders like a life-line. If it hadn’t been for the way his friend was literally trembling in fear, he very likely would have continued teasing.
“Hey, it's ok, I’m not going to drop you, I promise.” Wilbur hushed. He felt George relax in his arms, and his eyebrows furrowed, “Are you afraid of water, Gogy?”
“No, I just don’t like being wet, I told you.”
“I don’t believe you,” Wilbur replied bluntly, “You’re literally shaking right now, you’re afraid of water.”
George lightly hit his shoulder, and without looking, Wilbur could tell he was pouting, “I’m not afraid of water.”
Wilbur ignored him, gazing out into the deep blue sea, the sight instantly soothed him, he couldn’t fathom that anyone would ever be scared of it, “How can you be afraid of water?! It’s so relaxing!”
“I’m not afraid!” George huffed, squirming against his chest, “I just don’t like it! Now, are you going to let me down?”
A small kick of Wilbur’s foot sent a splash of water into the air, cool droplets landing on George’s exposed arm, making him squeal and struggle even more against him.
“No, Wilbur, stop!” George shrieked, wiping his arm off as quickly as he could, but it was too late. “Shit…” he muttered to himself. “Ok, Wilbur, I seriously need you to put me down, right now”
The sudden sternness in his voice made Wilbur step back slightly in surprise.
“Uh- Yeah, of course.” Quickly, he stepped back onto the dry shore and put George down. “Are you ok? You know I was just joking, right?”
The other man wasn’t listening. Instead, he was too busy inspecting the area that had gotten splashed. The skin on his arm was quickly turning a bright red, almost like an angry rash. The rash streaked across his forearm from where he tried to brush the water away, and a quick glance showed that the inside of his palm looked the same.
“George?” Wilbur asked again, hesitantly reaching out. He frowned as George recoiled slightly, his eyes wide and fearful, “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”
George quickly shook his head, rubbing his arm to try to quell the itching sensation in his skin, “I’m fine, Wilbur. Don’t worry about it. Just an allergic reaction”
Wilbur’s stomach dropped, reaching out again out of instinct, “Allergic reaction? Do you need me to take you to the hospital?”
George shrugged off his touch, shifting underneath his gaze, “No, no, no, I’m fine. It’s not a big deal, Wilbur.”
“I have allergy pills in my house-” Wilbur responded, motioning up the path, but George rapidly shook his head.
“- Oh, no. I’m okay.” He said, “I actually have to get going, but, uh, thank you again for helping us.”
Wilbur watched, frozen in shock as George practically ran up the path, leaving him standing alone on the rocky shore.
What the fuck was that about?
He looked back out to sea, and took a deep breath, savoring the refreshing scent of the water. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. He must have done something wrong for George to run off like that. Did he push it too far?
He recognized that they weren’t the closest, and by picking him up he was pushing the bounds of their friendship, but at first, George looked like he was enjoying it.
He involuntarily chuckled, the sound of George’s laughter seemingly bouncing off the waves with each crash onto the shore. The sound was contagious.
Not to mention the way he curled into his chest, the ticklish feeling of his eyelashes against Wilbur’s skin, and the way he felt his breath on his chest. It’s no wonder why George was ‘the Minecraft it boy’.
His eyebrows furrowed as once again storm-clouds rolled in his mind, drowning out the cheerful thoughts with heavy concerns. He should text George, make sure he’s okay. But if he did do something wrong, he’s not going to want to talk to him.
He bit his lip, pulling his phone out of his pocket and opening discord.
WilburSoot: Hey, Gogy. I’m sorry if I took it too far with the water thing. I did enjoy my time with you today, let me know when you get home safe.
After a few minutes of staring at George’s grey discord icon, he slid his phone back into his pocket. He would answer when he wanted to. No need to worry about it.
He eventually made the short trek to his house, relieved to find his flat-mates were out.
A few minutes and a cup of tea later, he crashed on the couch, pulling his phone back out. He knew he had videos to edit, and people to message. But he couldn’t bring himself to lift from the soft cushions.
He inhaled sharply, seeing George’s name on the screen. When did he turn off his ringer? How did he not notice?
He stared at the screen for a moment, trying to calm his racing heart, before clicking the icon.
GeorgeNotFound: I’m fine, Wilbur. I promise. I had fun too, maybe we can hang out again soon or stream together. Let me know :]
Wilbur bit his lip, but it did little to prevent the massive smile from taking his face.
WilburSoot: I’d like that.
The next time Wilbur went down to the beach, it started like any other day. He had gone for his regular walk down to the shore to clear his head, but this time something different caught his eye.
A little further up the beach was a tide pool, filled to the brim with colorful sea life and local plants, surrounded by jaded rocks and shells. It was his favorite place to sit and read or just watch the fish. It was like getting a glimpse into another world, one he wished he could admire for the rest of his days.
As far as he knew, he was the only person yet to discover this section of beach, along with the tide pool. And he planned on keeping it that way. An influx of people surely meant an influx of trash, disturbance, and most of all a loss of his private resting place.
So it made it all that much more peculiar when sitting on one of the jaded rocks, was a shell. It would have been normal, considering he was on a beach, but this shell was unlike any he had ever seen before.
The shell was wrapped, like a conch, but smaller and more round. It was light in color, the faintest hue of a blue coloring the base and raised golden stripes wrapping around it. It was enchanting.
He picked it up with little hesitation, delicately running his fingers over the smooth shell. His head tilted in wonder, eyes wide in admiration. It was stunning. Ethereal almost.
Brown eyes scanned the beach, mouth agape, half expecting someone to have left it there. It was so different from the usual shells that were brought in with high-tide, but it wasn’t impossible.
Still, that deduction didn’t feel right to him. But regardless, he took the shell with him back home, placing it on his nightstand. He would find somewhere better for it tomorrow.
Perhaps, if he had been paying closer attention, he would have noticed the bright flash of blue as it slipped underneath the waves. Maybe he would have noticed the eerie, glowing eye that stared up at him, or the wide grin of sharpened canines.
But he wasn’t, and so the strange details of the ocean went unnoticed.