George wakes up first this time for once, shutting off the alarm on his phone so it won't disturb Matty. By the time he's finished gathering up their things and brewing himself a cup of coffee, Matty still hasn't stirred.
George thought for sure that the smell would wake him, but apparently not. George ends up having to physically shake Matty into consciousness when some friendly shouting doesn't work either, but even once Matty's eyes are open, he refuses to budge off of the mattress.
"You're going to miss bus call if you don't move soon," George scoffs when Matty simply gathers the duvet tighter around him after George tries to tug it away, curling into a ball composed of bare limbs and an excessive amount of fabric. He looks so peaceful right then that George stops wrestling with his coverings, but as much as he wishes he could let Matty sleep the day away like he probably needs to, he's got to get him on the bus first. "I wouldn't put it past the boys to get permission from Jamie to leave you behind."
"Good luck playing tomorrow's show without a singer," Matty retaliates, peeking his head up slightly when he realizes that George is no longer attempting to steal his blankets. "Plus, Jamie wouldn't do that, he adores me."
"He probably would, it'd teach you a lesson for being such a lazy twat."
"I didn't know we were doing self-evaluations this morning," Matty sneers, but his eyes are sparkling with suppressed laughter that he's not able to hide.
"Shut up and get in the shower before I throw you in there myself, you smell like come," George sighs. As much as he's enjoying this playful banter with his best friend, he is painfully aware of the seconds sliding away from them the longer they keep talking, and hopefully the hot water will get Matty functioning again.
"Most of it's yours." Matty sounds almost proud of that fact, and George's stomach swirls with something potent when he sees the languid look in Matty's eyes.
"True - I'll wash it off if you want," George smirks smugly, not anticipating Matty's nod of agreement, but that's exactly what he receives when Matty sits up properly, letting the blankets covering him pool in his lap as he stretches lazily.
"Might as well get clean together if you're so worried about being late," Matty scoffs like he's not being serious, even though the questioning gaze he turns in George's directions tells him that he actually wants George's company, but he's not going to ask for it aloud in case George was only messing around.
"Yeah - 'course." George clears his throat roughly when Matty finally slides out of bed, still completely nude and not at all bothered by the fact, although George isn't either.
It's just odd being able to look at him without trying to be discrete, not that George ever purposely attempted to steal glimpses of Matty naked, it just happens sometimes, but now they are about to shower - together. That's another first for them.
George thought that after being friends with Matty for so long, they would have run out of new experiences by now, but under the pretense of their agreement or whatever the fuck it is, George is now granted permission to delve into a previously inaccessible world of activities that he would typically only participate in with a girlfriend or boyfriend.
George trails behind Matty slowly as they enter the bathroom, trying to be discrete with his sidelong glances as he watches Matty bend over so he can fiddle with the knobs and run his hand through the water, testing the temperature as George strips out of the clothes he had put on earlier.
George doesn't realize that he's been spacing out until Matty calls his name, his spine jerking slightly as Matty steps over the lip of the tub before gesturing for George to join him.
It's a bit awkward at first, at least for George. The shower itself is large enough for the both of them, but George feels like the walls are closing in around him with every passing minute. His hands twitch at his sides as Matty rubs soap over his torso hurriedly, tilting his neck back so he can wet his curls before reaching for some shampoo.
George wants to crack a joke, to maybe remind Matty that he's supposed to be cleaning him up or something else like that, but his tongue is lying heavy and thick in his mouth, and it's easier to say nothing at all and wait for Matty to speak first, if he's even going to that is.
George belatedly begins to clean himself as well, both of them staying silent the entire time. Occasionally their bare skin brushes up against the other's when one of them moves, and each time George feels like he's been hit with a lethal voltage of electricity that leaves him frazzled and dizzy.
George is almost finished washing up when Matty suddenly inches into his personal space, his shoulder bumping against George's chest as he scoots over so George can rinse his hair out. George keeps his eyes closed as the last of the suds run down his back, but when he allows them to open again, Matty fills his entire vision, his dark eyes gazing at him with a look that George can't quite place.
Matty continues to peers up at George with hooded lids, his damp curls falling across his forehead as he tilts his head to the side. Moving entirely on instinct, George pulls Matty up against him, allowing their noses to brush together before George leans down and captures Matty's lips with his own.
It's a strange melding for them; all of the frantic, pent up energy that usually thrums through George's veins has been eradicated. He's not looking to get off since that's already been taken care of earlier, he's just enjoying the moment.
Matty's skin is soft and wet, his lips pliant and warm, his tongue gentle and tentative as they kiss lazily, the hot water running down their joined bodies like a cleansing rain that's healing them both from previously unnoticed wounds.
George hasn't done something like this in ages - kissing just for the sake of it that is. George typically views it as an act reserved for his more serious relationships, because in most cases he only kisses someone to escalate things, but this is different - a special snippet of time that George never imagined he would be sharing with Matty.
George realizes then that he doesn't want this to end, that he loves this added sense of intimacy with his best friend. He knows that Matty will eventually find someone else, or decide that he's experimented enough and that he obviously like blokes, but George is secretly praying for that day to hold off until the very distant future.
George lets his fingers tangle in Matty's hair, his thumb grazing over the shorter patch from where Matty's shaved sides are growing out. Matty gasps softly into George's mouth, his posture practically melting as George continues with his gentle movements.
George keeps petting through Matty's damp locks with a tenderness that he hasn't yet had the chance to exhibit with the older man, each sound Matty makes in response filling a space inside of him that George hadn't even realized had been empty until just now.
Matty clutches onto George tightly the entire time, clinging to him like he'll fall otherwise, and even though George is waiting for Matty to pull away, to snap back to his senses when what they are doing hits him, he doesn't.
This is new territory for the both of them - they are treading on dangerous ground that is full of pitfalls and deeper meanings that George doesn't want to think about, but Matty seems just as lost in the act as George is. A part of George wishes they could stay together in this small hotel shower for the rest of their lives.
A niggling portion in the far reaches of George's mind is trying to remind him that this is all temporary - that Matty's not his, and he can't get complacent or else he'll end up hurt when this all reaches its inevitable termination, but it's hard to focus on the negatives when Matty wraps his slender hands around the back of George's neck, dragging him even closer as the steamy air obscures them from the rest of the world.
George trails his fingers down Matty's spine lazily, tracing each individual bone as Matty moans quietly into his mouth. Their cocks are pressing against each other's now, both of them hard from just a few minutes of nothing but teeth and tongues melding together.
Matty starts to whine when George reaches the top of his arse, his hips pushing outward in a silent invitation that George hasn't been expecting. George pets over the soft skin tentatively, his mind going blank when the pad of his thumb catches against Matty's crack and Matty whimpers into his mouth.
Matty breaks the kiss then, resting his forehead against George's chest as he pants loudly. George gasps when Matty starts to scrape his teeth over his collarbones, biting down occasionally before licking over the small indents he's most likely leaving on George's previously unmarred skin.
Feeling bold, George allows his hand to follow the line leading down to Matty's most secret place, feeling the puckered hole that he hasn't had a chance to explore just yet. Matty moans harshly when George puts pressure on it, tracing around the small entrance as Matty's knees tremble and his nails dig into George's ribs as he tries to keep himself upright.
George is just beginning to contemplate reaching for the body wash nearby so he can slick up his fingers when a harsh banging emits throughout the room. Matty jumps away from George like he's been burned, his eyes going wide when the sound repeats itself, followed by the irritated voice of Adam.
"You fuckers better be awake because we were supposed to leave five minutes ago," Adam yells harshly, and it's only then that George remembers bus call. It had all been eradicated the moment he had stepped into the shower with Matty, but now reality is crashing back down around him so quickly he is left staggering as he tries to adjust.
"Shit," Matty curses hotly. He spins around so fast that George thinks he's going to fall, but he manages to keep his feet. "We're coming," Matty shouts back as he turns off the shower before all but bolting from the steamy room, leaving George behind as he rushes about looking for clothes while toweling his hair off at the same time.
George eventually recalls how to move, doing his best to ignore his still hard cock and how pissed Adam probably is with them, the latter of which isn't difficult to do since he can't seem to stop replaying the last few minutes with Matty in his head. Even when they are finally settled down on the bus after receiving a short lecture, George finds himself concocting scenarios involving what would have happened if he and Matty hadn't been interrupted.
George tries to focus on something else - anything really, because he feels shaken and confused whenever he dwells on what had just occurred. It had been so different from any encounter he and Matty had shared so far, and George can't place his finger on why that is.
George had liked it, that's not the problem, but now that the moment has passed, he feels off, disconnected from everyone in a way, especially Matty. George doesn't understand how that works, because he had never felt closer to his best friend than he had this morning, but now everything is muddled in his mind, and George isn't sure what to think.
Matty seems introspective as well for most of the day. He keeps his distance from George, not avoiding him so much as just occupying himself with other things, and for once, George is grateful for the small separation, even though it worries him as well. George doesn't try to approach Matty though, they both need some time to work things out on their own, that has to be why George feels so uncomfortable in his own skin.
George comes to the conclusion that contrary to what he said to Matty earlier, this agreement isn't all about the older man - it affects him too, and although he hasn't had any trouble shifting his mentality to accommodate their new dynamic so far, it was bound to happen eventually.
Everything will be okay though, George is sure of that. It's not like he wants to stop doing things with Matty - not at all, he just needs to find the balance he used to be able to maintain between their sexual activities and their friendship. By the time George is dozing off in his bunk, he's calmed down considerably, even though he's still not sure what got him so worked up in the first place.