/ / R O B B E R S / / (Matty Healy/George Daniel)

And if you never eat, you'll never grow

"George said you wanted to know our story, how we ended up here," Ross spoke up after a long stretch of silence as they drove somewhere new, the soft morning light chasing the van as they hurtled down the road with no real destination in mind, "and since you've been with us for almost two months, I think it's about time we told you."

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Matty answered, because although he was insanely curious, and he had asked George about this more than once, he still didn't know if it was his place.

"It's fine, you're family now," Ross grinned over his shoulder, rolling his eyes when he spotted George fast asleep in Matty's lap. "George was right about you, I'm really glad he picked you up."

"Not as glad as I am," Matty beamed, Ross's words meaning more to him than he could ever explain. Even after so long, he wasn't used to being accepted this easily by anyone who wasn't George, he was still the only one he completely trusted not to tire of him or hurt him, but he was growing closer to Adam and Ross by the day.

"You belong with us, which is why I think you deserve an explanation for all of this," Ross sighed under his breath, but before Matty could say anything, he was already speaking again. "Just so you know, we don't just get off on stealing, I mean - maybe now we do, it gives us all quite the rush except George, he seems impartial to it most of the time, but originally, we had to. We couldn't get proper jobs or anything like that because I'm a wanted man, well - we all are now, but I was first, and Adam's still technically missing I'm pretty sure."

Matty's eyes flicked away from Ross when George mumbled sleepily, his stringy hair which he'd recently attempted to dye blonde rubbing against Matty's hand as if asking for attention, inspiring Matty to run his fingers through it as he snapped his gaze back up to Ross when he continued talking.

"Adam was in foster care before all of this happened, I think George already told you that. I was too until I aged out, and it was shit for both of us. Still - I made it out mostly alright, but I always went back to check up on Adam, and one day...well let's just say he got transferred to a new home that I'd heard bad things about. They were fucking sickos who liked boys around Adam's age, god knows how they kept getting approved for children. When I found out, I snuck in and took off with him before they could hurt him. He was like my brother, still is, and I had to protect him. I was broke though, so as we were leaving town, I robbed the shop where we met George at. Adam knew George from school a bit, and he vouched for him, so we just went from there."

"That's - fuck," Matty cursed, his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth as he tried to find the words he was searching for. "I wish I had someone in my life like that."

"You do now," George mumbled thickly, his eyes opening blearily as he peered up at Matty with a look that he couldn't quite place, but he knew it left him dizzy and blushing.

"He's right, you're officially part of our family now," Adam added on, his statement cementing the acceptance Matty was currently basking in, and he knew that he'd remember this moment for the rest of his life.