Intertwined Souls (Matty Healy/George Daniel)

7: "Completely Smitten"

Matty grins at his reflection when he hears his phone vibrating against the counter, waiting until he finishes highlighting his cheekbones with body glitter before allowing himself to look down and check the message that's just come through.

Matty backs away so Olly can step into the space he was previously occupying, a soft chuckle leaving his lips when Olly shoves him slightly when he doesn't move quickly enough.

Jamie's expecting a busy night at the club, so almost everyone is working, which means the dressing room is much more crowded than usual. Olly's sharing Matty's area since Harry and Nick have completely taken over half of the small counter with their things, but Matty doesn't mind, he's so close with everyone here it actually reminds him of the bathroom he and Louis used to fight over when they were younger.

"What's got you so smiley?" Olly asks as Matty checks his texts, finding a new one from George that is responsible for his current expression.

"It's that guy he's been talking to," Adam cuts in, "that George fellow, I bet all the tips I make tonight on it."

"Shut up," Matty whines, although he can't deny Adam's statement. He's tempted to try anyway to see if Adam will believe him, but he knows that Adam will only steal his phone if he does.

"Who's this now?" Olly turns his attention to Matty, neglecting his hair entirely as he places his hand on the back of the chair Matty's seated himself in. "You finally got a boyfriend and you didn't tell me about him?"

"No - just a friend, it's nothing really," Matty waves Olly off, glaring in Adam's direction when he scoffs affectionately and rolls his eyes at Matty's words.

"Come on Matty, don't be like that," Olly pouts, ignoring Matty's sigh of disgruntlement as he settles down by his feet and stares up at Matty with pleading eyes.

Olly's always been interested in hearing about Matty's romantic encounters since they dated for a short while, and not in a jealous fashion, but more of an "I'm your friend and I want to make sure you end up with a nice bloke sort of way", which Matty appreciates, but he isn't sure if he wants to share his attraction to George with the world just yet.

It's not that Matty doesn't want to tell Olly about George, because he does. He's already gushed to Adam about him practically every night after he caught them having a smoke together one evening, but Olly exaggerates everything, and Matty knows he won't believe that his relationship with George is strictly platonic.

It is though - at least on George's end. It's been a few weeks since their dinner at McDonald's, Matty isn't sure on the exact span of time since days blur together for him with his odd schedule, but what Matty is certain of is the fact that he's even more infatuated with him now than he was initially.

He had convinced George to give him his number after they'd spent a bit longer showering Allen in affection once George had walked him home. George had seemed hesitant at first, not that Matty blamed him, but he'd typed it into his phone before Matty could retract his query, gracing Matty with a way to stay in contact with him without having to wander the aisles of Tesco in the hopes of spotting messy blonde hair and a tall frame.

George had left not long after that, wanting to get home before Kyle did, and Matty hadn't protested even though it pained him not to. He couldn't come between George and his boyfriend though, not if he wanted to be able to continue to see George, so he'd bit his tongue and let George out with a wave, wishing that he was single so he could drag him down for a kiss like he would have done if not for his current relationship status.

Matty actually hasn't seen George much after that, he avoids the club mostly, claiming that it makes him a bit uncomfortable, only occasionally stopping by on his way home from somewhere to share a cigarette and his company with Matty during his break.