Boo! It's the weekend (thank God, I can sleep in again :D), which also means a new chapter for you guys ^_^ I think that's how I'm gonna work now, chapters twice a week or something, hope that's alright :L
Thanks again for reviewing! To the guest who wants me to promise never to give this up, if my track record of fanfiction is anything to go by this probably will end up going on a while (I have a TI fanfic from like a year or two ago that I still visit occasionally. Over 60000 words or something now .) and thank you for being so sweet with the rest of your comment (also yay a fellow Monkeys fan, rejoice in the knowledge that we have an awesome taste in music) :3 and Rosalia thank you for reviewing again, I'm glad you're enjoying the story :) ~nellen xx

It'd been about two months since Clive had moved in with Flora. Despite many serious conversations, including the odd shouting match, Flora would always insist that he stay just one more night. One more night became one more week, two more weeks, a month. Clive had given up completely by the third week, claiming a lack of fight left in him and a hate of seeing her so worked up. Only bits of this were true. He could have kept up the argument forever, and although he did hate seeing her cross or upset, she was kind of cute when she was yelling at him. Weirdly cute, although he never dared to tell her.
He woke up in the spare room (for Flora had not only insisted he stay, but that he also stay in the comfort of a bed, which again was met by many protests from the boy) to find himself in an empty house that cold November morning. He was never very keen on this, although he wasn't sure why. He'd survived on his own long enough hadn't he? But the house felt empty without Flora, and he was always glad to see her when he got back. She was nearly always home before him, and nearly always brought a smile to his face with stories of Uni and work. She'd taken a waitressing job at the little coffee shop they had visited when they first met again to help pay her bills. Clive helped too, giving her almost all of his busking money, and the money he made from the small gigs he performed at the pub every Saturday night. Sally had offered him the slot when their usual singer quit, and he jumped at the chance. It was getting a lot colder now winter was almost here, and he preferred being indoors to out.
"That Flora girl's turned you soft," Len had laughed at him as he was setting up his guitar on the tiny stage, but Clive just pulled a face.
"Says you, looks like Sal finally persuaded you indoors then!"
Len shut up after that, but kept the same knowing smile he always wore around the lad, setting him the tiniest bit more on edge.
Clive didn't shower that morning, literally rolling from bed into his clothes in a couple of minutes. A jumper, some jeans and his thick winter coat, and he was ready to leave. Well, almost. A quick rummage through the fridge and an 'IOU half a sandwich, a new bottle of juice, and an aero,' note stuck to it, and he was completely done. He made sure to lock the door as he left, tucking the key carefully into his pocket, just like any other day.

Except it wasn't just any other day. Today, was his birthday.

Glancing at his reflection in the windows of the cars parked along the street, he didn't look twenty-five. He didn't feel it either, skipping the cracks in the pavement with his guitar on his back on his way to the little town square.
"Good morning Clive, you look happy this morning," Sally noted, clearing away some leftover glasses from the night before.
The lad just grinned, "I am."
"Finally get your girl then?" she winked, laughing as he wailed in protest.
"Oh come on! Len's not even here and I'm still being teased! This is bullying! I'll report you!"
"Who to?" The barmaid rolled her eyes, they'd been through this bullying routine before.
"Um... The police...?" He shrugged, "I dunno, the highest authority figure in the town or somebody. Len. I'll report you to Len."
"Len bullies you too!"
"Just stop ok! Please!" He yelped, face falling into a confused pout, "say, where is Len?"
"His daughter in law just had a baby last week, he's at the christening," Sally explained, pushing the door open with her foot and carrying the glasses inside.
"Oh," Clive mumbled, sitting on the cool pavement as he retuned his guitar, "that's nice."

It was a fairly slow morning, and the lad was almost back to sleep by the time lunchtime rolled around. He made sure to dawdle on his walk to the coffee shop, for he felt in no rush to go back. Flora wasn't there today, she had gone to Uni instead, so Clive didn't bother sitting inside. He wandered past shops and people, and explored streets he'd never been down before. A smile began to flicker on his lips as he strolled past a quaint little jewellers shop, a few little tea shops and a cute little vintage clothing store. He couldn't help but think of Flora as he glanced through the window, and how nice she'd look in some of the dresses. He made a mental note to take her there someday, and continued on his walk. He paused again as he heard bells ringing, turning to realise he was outside a church. The bells continued to chime, and he stopped completely as he recognised the tune. "Wedding bells," he murmured, smiling to himself as he began walking once more, this time continuing all the way back to the square. Part of him wished he had stayed to see the procession, or that he'd spent a little longer down that street. The rest of him knew he had to go back or people would start to worry. He always quite liked that, in his own strange way. Though it was true that he didn't like people fussing over him, knowing that there were people who cared about him enough to not want him lost on the streets or asleep behind some stranger's bins made him feel almost loved, and that was something he hadn't felt in a while.

Yeah this one kinda sucks, sorry :L
I promise the next one will be better though, possibly longer too :)

Sayonara, nellen :3 xx