The Rhythm Of Our Lonely Hearts

Chapter Twenty-Four: I Still Want More

Chapter Twenty-Four: I Still Want More

Two weeks later

Andy collapsed onto the wooden stairs, coughing in between gasps for breath. His heart pounded in his ears as he struggled to push himself up. The mid-afternoon sun was brutal, making him regret his choice of black leggings. His legs threatened to buckle as he tried to stand up, quickly sitting back down.

"Goddamn it- how the hell did you beat me?" Matt laughed between labored breaths, slowing down to a walk as he approached the porch steps.

"How the fuck do people do this for fun- this was a terrible idea" Andy groaned, finally gathering the strength to stand. The muscles in his legs protested, exhausted from his sprint. His competitive nature had given him the edge to beat Matt back home, but he was paying for it now.

"I don't know, I kind of feel good- minus the whole about to die part." Matt shrugged. "I mean, we ran the whole two miles, that's better than last week." He added, unlocking the door.

The air-conditioned house felt like heaven after spending the last thirty minutes baking in the California sun. The runs had been Andy's idea, or rather his therapist's idea, but either way they'd quickly grown to be one of Matt's favorite parts of the day. After spending the past few months stuck on a bus for hours at a time, it felt nice to be active.

Andy grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge, tossing one to Matt. "I need a fucking shower," he commented, wiping a few beads of sweat from his brow.

"Don't use up all the hot water this time, I need to shower too." Matt reminded him, shooting him a knowing look.

Andy rolled his eyes playfully, "Oh my god, that was one time and you survived."

"Barely. I thought I was going to freeze to death."

"You know there's a simple solution to that problem," Andy smirked, brushing past the guitarist as he made his way towards the bathroom.

Matt's ears perked up at the suggestive tone in Andy's voice, "Is there?"

Matt followed after his boyfriend, perking back up despite his exhaustion from the run. Andy's libido had been at an all-time high since he'd gotten back from rehab and Matt was more than happy to indulge him. Of all Andy's coping mechanisms, this was one he could get behind.

"Yeah... who said we couldn't share?" Andy purred, raising an eyebrow.

"California's in a drought... it would save water."

Andy turned the hot water knob on before stripping his shirt off, "It's the environmentally friendly thing to do."

Matt's eyes drifted down the contours of the singer's body; his skin was still tan from Warped and with his new running habit he'd put on a bit of muscle. He looked stunning, sobriety suited him. The evidence of his unhealthy lifestyle was fading by the day, replaced with a vibrant glow of health. Matt kept most of his comments regarding Andy's appearance to himself, not wanting to risk saying the wrong thing, but he was proud of him and the progress he'd made. To the rest of the world, Andy was relaxing after a grueling tour, but Matt saw the work he was putting in.

Somedays Andy would come back from therapy with his eyes bloodshot and his makeup smeared, quietly curling up on the couch next to him. Those were the hard days. Other times he'd come back smiling and optimistic. Those were the good days. Regardless, every night Andy climbed into bed with him, falling asleep in his arms. Safe. Loved. At one point Matt didn't know if their relationship would survive without the chaos that seemed to define it. But domestic life was going well, really well.

Andy shoved the guitarist against the tiled wall of the shower, his hands pressed against Matt's chest as their lips made contact.

Matt snaked his arms around Andy's waist, nipping at the singer's bottom lip. The way Andy moaned into the kiss drove him wild; the last two weeks had been some of the best sex he'd ever had. Unlike before, he could actually feel passion from Andy. It was the second or third night together that Andy had woken him up in the middle of the night, whispering that he wanted to 'feel close' to him. Since then, it had been daily, sometimes twice daily.

Andy's legs wrapped around his waist as he lifted him up, pinning him against the wet tile. His slender fingers wove through the guitarist's hair, pulling him into another heated make-out session; whimpering into the kiss as Matt pushed into him.

"Fuck- you feel so good." Matt moaned, having to restrain himself already.

"I was thinking about this the whole run..." Andy whispered in his ear, sending a shiver down his spine.

Matt hoped Andy knew how tightly he had him wrapped around his finger, he was completely head over heels for him. Every sound he made, every moan and whimper threatened to send him over the edge.

"You drive me fucking crazy, you know that?" Matt smirked against the singer's lips, gradually building a rhythm.

"H-Harder"

Andy wrapped his arms around Matt, burying his face in the older man's neck. His eyes slipped shut, intense waves of pleasure coursing through him with each thrust. The feeling of Matt inside of him mixed with the heat of the water was intoxicating.

Andy's legs were still shaking as Matt let him down, his feet once again on the ground. The water was starting to run cold, but he didn't want to get out. He leaned his head against Matt's shoulders, soaking in the flood of post-orgasm endorphins coursing through his veins. This feeling was what he'd spent his whole life chasing, the feeling of connection with another person. Love. Acceptance. Peace. That he ever ran from this was hard to believe.

"I love you." He whispered against Matt's skin.

"I love you too, Andy."

Crystal blue eyes looked up at Matt, watching him as he picked through his closet for a shirt. Andy was still wrapped in a towel, laying on the bed, his hair still damp from the shower.

"Are you going to miss me when I go on tour?" he asked, rolling over onto his back.

"Of course, I am... you're going to be a whole ocean away," Matt replied, pouting playfully.

"You should come with me."

"I wish I could... but I promise I'll call you every night." He still had obligations with D.R.U.G.S as well as his new job, which meant he couldn't take a month off to tag along with Andy.

Andy would be touring through the end of the year, including a UK tour. It would be his first time sober on the road, and the longest time they would spend apart from each other in almost a year. It would be Andy's real test of commitment and progress. Matt was hopeful though, just like the first night they'd spent together in their new home. If Andy did relapse, if something did happen, they would figure it out. Together. 

A/N: So sorry for the long update wait, I'm in my second year of medical school and it's no joke. Only one chapter left though and the good news is it's written, I just need to edit it so it won't be a long wait at all.