One Shots. ~ Requests Closed

8. It's All for You, and Only You [Matt Flyzik|All Time Low]

“Matt, what if they don’t like me?”

“Are you kidding? You’re my best friend, they have to like you.”

“Have to because you manage them or have to because I’m actually likeable?”

“Have to because I manage them,” he replies slyly after a brief moment of silence.

“Matt!”

“I’m kidding, Taylor,” he says with a chuckle, “They’re going to love you just as much as I do. I know it’s cliché, but just be yourself. You’re perfect.”

“Thanks, Matt,” she replies, giving him a wide, grateful smile.

“They will be on their best behavior, I promise. I put a few new rules in place so that it is a more lady-friendly environment.”

“Aw, you did that for me, Matty Mouse?”

“All for you. You’re the only girl I ever work this hard to please,” he admits, hoping she doesn’t catch on to his brutally honest undertone.

“You’re the best,” she replies with a bright, wide smile.

He watches her walk in front of him in near awe, as his teeth catch his lower lip in their gasp, “And you’re perfect,” he mumbles to himself, not daring to speak a single decibel louder in fear that she might hear him.    

Jealous paints his stare green as Matt watches Alex use his disgusting pick-up lines on Taylor, his Taylor. How dare he? If it wasn’t for Matt, Alex and Taylor wouldn’t even know each other; and sickening doesn’t begin to describe the sight before the tour manager as they begin to lean into the one another, seemingly for a kiss.

“I said no PDA on the goddamn bus,” he snaps, intentionally walking between the couple as he makes his way to the back lounge. Surely, there’s something he can do to take his mind off things.

“Hey Matt, you okay?”

He looks up to see the face of the beauty he knows all too well, Taylor. Once his eyes fall on that smile, he feels warm all over. He’s always thought she’s beautiful, absolutely beautiful. She has a heart made of pure gold, and God, that smile. That smile was enough to drive him insane… If it were actually real. He focuses on her lips for a minute and immediately knows something is off. The smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes; it’s not broad enough, not bright enough. That’s not her smile; it’s the one that she’s painted on to fool everyone else, but not him.

“I’m fine; but I think I should be asking you if you’re okay.”

“I dunno, Matt… I feel like I could be developing feelings for Alex but… he probably doesn’t feel the same.”

“R-really?” he clears his throat, and somehow knows he’s going to say something he’ll later regret, “Why would you think he doesn’t like you? H-he gets that big goofy grin on his face when he sees you.”

“I just… I feel like he could do better than me.”

“What? That’s crazy,” Matt scoffs, shoving a hand through his hair as the words just keep spilling out of his mouth, “Don’t you know how perfect you are? Your eyes are so deep and meaningful; just the way you look at things is purposeful. You have the cutest rosiest cheeks, and cute little nose. And then there’s your smile, your bright happy smile. You’re about to laugh, or you’ve just been made happy, and it begins. It’s a slow, hesitant smile, almost. But it’s worth the wait. Oh, let’s see. You’re absolutely brilliant. I listen to every word spill out of your mouth with intent and tenacity, and then they hit the air with meaning; any and every one would be lucky to be in your presence when you’re truly speaking your mind. Don’t ever second guess yourself, please.”

His cheeks flush red and just as she inhales to speak, someone interrupts.

“Flyzik, will you come here for a sec?”

“Sure, Zack,” Matt calls out in response, not meeting Taylor’s eyes as he mutters to her, “Duty calls. I’m sure everything will go great with Alex.”

Nice going, James, he thinks to himself, She’s either creeped out, more motivated to date Alex or utterly confused.

***

When the next morning rolls around, Matt wanders out into the lounge to find Alex and Taylor snuggled up way too comfortably under a blanket, the TV on a menu to a DVD that has seemingly been on all night. Probably a little too roughly, Matt shakes Alex awake.

“God, dude, what the hell is your problem?”

“Get up.”

“Fine, fine,” Alex mutters, carefully sliding out from underneath Taylor, “What is your big issue with me and Tay anyway? Because I know that’s what this is about.”

“Do not call her that,” Matt seethes, his fists balling unwillingly, “You are no good for her, Alex.” Where is all this sudden anger and hostility coming from?

Alex stares back at the tour manager, lips pursed in thought before it finally hits him like a speeding train, “I get it now.”

“Get what?”

“You’re in love with her.”

The blush creeping up onto his cheeks gives him away and an accomplished grin appears on the lead singer’s lips, “This is me formally backing out.”

“What? Why?” Matt casts his eyes downward, muttering, “She’s got this huge, disgusting crush on you.”

“Yeah, but she’s head over heels for you; have you ever seen the way she looks at you? Dear God, it’s like Jamie and Landon between the two of you and you’re too dense to see it.”

“Jamie and Landon?” Matt questions with furrowed eyebrows.

“I’ve watched A Walk to Remember a time or seven, okay, don’t judge me!”

“Geez, Alex, how long am I going to have to pretend to be asleep before you leave?” the voice that sets the tour manager’s heart ablaze finally pipes up.

“Well, gee, I can tell when I am not wanted!”

Alex takes his leave, the two best friends finally alone. The first tense sixty seconds are spent staring at each other. Who’s going to be the first to make a move?

“I-Is it true?”

Taylor.

“Is what true?”

“Are you really in love with me?” she asks tentatively as she stands, her big, brown eyes boring into his.

He brushes jet black hair away from her face as he murmurs his reply, “Do you even have to ask? The main reason why I’ve been cracking down on the PDA rule this tour is because I could not stand his hands all over you.”

“Really?”

“It’s all for you,” he mumbles, “You and only you.”

Small, delicate hands rest on the back of his neck as she pulls his face down to hers, reveling in the long overdue moment. Ignoring the catcalls from the rest of the guys, the sweet kiss deepens; finally, he has her—and she’s all he’ll ever need.

Once they pull away, he rests his forehead on hers; his eyes closing briefly while he’s trying to convince himself that the past moment was not a dream.

“Now about that no PDA rule…”