Fingernails (Mrog/Matty x George)

Eleven: Bodies and Memories

happy birthday abby xx

Nick Grimshaw was sitting opposite Olly Alexander, watching as the brunet studied the flames dancing in the small fire pit between them. Occasionally, Olly's eyes would flicker up and meet Nick's, and he would do that awkward English half-smile before looking back down at his hands, and then up at the fire once more.

They were sitting in George's garden. The tall boy had spent a good deal of time persuading his mum to let him make a little fire pit in their garden, and he'd only just got it done. It was the day before they would receive their GCSE results, and George had decided it was a good idea to have a little reunion since so many of them were going to different colleges and sixth forms.

Matty was to Nick's left, cuddled into George's side, who had an arm wrapped around their shoulders, his hand rubbing up and down slightly, moving from the wrist, on Matty's arm in a vaguely comforting manner. It was almost one in the morning now, and Matty was starting to get sleepy - bless them, honestly.

Matty and George had noticed Nick staring at Olly, and were intrigued, but this was very probably - no matter how little any of them wanted to admit it - the last time they would see each other. Matty supposed that since they'd never known Olly from school, perhaps they would still see him out and about, but didn't hold up too much hope. Matty and him hadn't spoken very much since the kiss anyway, and Matty thought that maybe that was for the best: less pressure for them to tell George about it all. Matty had tried to tell George that they and Olly had kissed, of course they had, but the words hadn't come out.

George had invited Matty round his house, and Matty had gratefully obliged, as always: George had told them that his mum was out, and Matty had got there as quickly as possible. About halfway to his house, however, Matty had stuck their hands in their pockets and bitten their lip, realising that they hadn't really spoken to George since they kissed Olly. They'd fucked, and had idle chatter over breakfast the next morning, but nothing serious, just wank, really. Matty was aware that they shouldn't keep such a thing secret: it was, after all, just a kiss, and they didn't think that George would really hold it against them.

When Matty stepped into George's house, they greeted George with a quick, firm kiss on the mouth before walking straight into the kitchen, busying themself with the kettle. They made up their mind to tell George the second he came into the kitchen, like ripping off a plaster, but when George came in to ask why Matty had rushed into the kitchen without properly saying hello to their boyfriend, Matty bottled.

"Just really want a cup of Earl Grey."

George had believed them, smiling gently before retrieving what he and his mum now respected as Matty's mug from the cupboard. After all, wanting a cup of Earl Grey was reasonable in George's eyes: the blend his mum bought was particularly flavoursome. He placed the mug in front of Matty, standing behind them as he did so, wrapping an arm around Matty's waist as he leaned forward to put the mug down and pressing a kiss to the side of Matty's neck.

Matty's eyes were half-closed, and they were drifting over their friends around the fire. Marika and Amber were opposite them, quieter than usual as they drank in the end of the summer holidays, the girls impossibly close together with as much skin contact as possible.

Occasionally, Matty's eyes would fall on Olly. When this happened, Matty would smile awkwardly as their gazes collided, and Olly would look away, anywhere except at Matty. In all honesty, Olly was a little hung up on Matty. He knew that they'd only kissed, and that Matty was happy with George and that they most likely loved each other - to whatever capacity sixteen-year-olds are able to feel love, at least - and that Olly had no right to fuck that up for them. And so, he didn't. Instead, he and Nick had found mutual comfort in each other, though for vastly different reasons.