Only You (Matty Healy/George Daniel)

13: Burning

"It's our last night here before the tour starts," Matty announces one evening as if George isn't already aware of that fact.

He's still at George's place instead of his own, which George is more than fine with, in fact - he's considering asking Matty to just move in with him if this keeps up. It doesn't really make sense to pay two sets of rent when they are always at each other's flats anyway, not that they can't afford it now, but he decides to wait until after their stint around the world to pose the question.

"Mhmm," George hums in agreement, pulling back the blankets so Matty can slip in underneath them. George is already half asleep by this point, but Matty seems wide awake if the way he keeps twisting about means anything at all.

George doesn't understand how Matty has so much energy right now. They've been up since the crack of dawn so they could finish everything that they of course put off until just now, which included stopping by Matty's place and locking it down in preparation for his long absence. After that, they had met up with Adam and Ross for a quick get together, which involved saying goodbye to the few friends and family who won't be joining them.

The whole ordeal has George exhausted, and that's not how he wants to start tomorrow, so he had called it a night early, but Matty seems determined to thwart his plan of getting a full eight hours with his constant motion.

"You still up?" Matty asks after a few minutes of tossing and turning, flipping around quickly as he speaks, kneeing George roughly in the process.

"Fuck," George hisses, clutching his smarting shin as he scoots away from Matty slightly, resisting the urge to shove Matty off of the bed as a rebuttal for his surprise attack. "I am now."

"You excited to be on the road again?" Matty questions, but George can tell that wasn't what he was going to say originally by the slight hitch in his voice. He doesn't point it out though, mostly because he's too groggy to care.

"Of course, but I'm also tired, so stop being a twat and get some sleep," George grumbles, burying his face in the pillow to try and block out the world so he can get some fucking shut-eye.

"Oh - okay...sorry mate," Matty apologizes. He sounds so hurt that George finds himself feeling guilty although he hasn't done anything wrong.

"No - it's fine. Did you want to have a chat or something?" George gives in, forcing himself to sit up slightly so he won't fall asleep before hearing Matty's next sentence.

"Nothing, it's silly," Matty protests, but George isn't willing to let whatever is bothering Matty drop now that he's put in the effort involved in evading slumber for a little while longer.

"Something happen with Gem?" George questions lowly, although Matty doesn't seem upset - agitated would be a better word to describe his current behavior George thinks.

"Nah - sent her a text letting her know I was leaving, she wished us luck and all that."

"That's nice," George murmurs, his lids feeling heavier again now that he knows Matty isn't bottling up something painful. "Why don't you lie down?" George offers, even though it comes out as more of a command instead.

When Matty doesn't immediately move, George tugs him against his chest, hoping that he'll avoid another jab from Matty's limbs if he's this close to him. He lets go almost immediately though when he notices how stiff Matty's become. His spine is rigid and George can feel his muscles tensing underneath George's palms.

"Matty?" George whispers softly, unsure if he should back away or bring Matty closer.

Matty doesn't respond, and George is getting slightly frightened now. He runs his fingers through Matty's tangled curls, trying to get a better look at his face, but when his hand gets snagged in a particularly thick patch, pulling at Matty's scalp roughly in the process, Matty's eyes snap to his suddenly, something dark and heavy glinting behind his irises that incites George to yank harder on the locks tangled around his digits.