ghost

The morning sunlight filtered through the light mesh curtains, casting a soft and golden glow on the living room. You sat on the couch, cradling your baby bump, a steaming mug of your favourite herbal tea warming your hands.

The slight flutter from within reminded you that your little one would be here soon, but there was an uneasiness too. A subtle tension that had been creeping in for the past few days.

Matty was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, while Rosie, now four years old, sat on the glass coffee table in front of you, flipping through her favourite picture book, her eyes still sleepy.

She has a way of moving slowly in the mornings, as if the weight of the day hadn't yet fully settled on her small shoulders. The air was calm, and for a moment, you allowed yourself to soak in the ordinary, the peacefulness of this little family routine.

But it was still obvious that something was different today. Rosie had seemed off, a little more withdrawn than usual. Her excitement about the new baby, which had been there just a few weeks ago, had started to fade. Now, she barely mentioned the baby at all, and her bright demeanour had been replaced by something quieter, more sombre.

Matty emerged from the kitchen with scrambled eggs on a Bluey plate, setting it in front of Rosie, who barely glanced up from her book.

"Breakfast time, my darling girl!" He said happily and gently, reaching over to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "We're going to have a good day today, yeah?". Rosie nodded absentmindedly, still not looking up from her book.

You exchanged a glance with Matty, who raised an eyebrow slightly, sensing the shift in Rosie's mood.

"Rosie?" you said softly, sitting up straight. "Is something on your mind today, baby?". She hesitated, her little fingers tracing the edges of her book before finally looking up, her eyes dull, as if she were holding back something. "When's the baby coming?" She asked, her voice small and fragile.

You smiled, trying to keep the conversation light, but you could see the sadness lingering in her gaze. "Soon, love. Just a little while longer and then you'll be a big sister!"

Rosie's face fell, her bottom lip jutting out as her frown deepened. "I don't want to be a big sister.". You blinked in surprise at her response. "What do you mean?" You asked, your voice gentle. She set her book down with a soft thud and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't want the baby to take my place. I don't want to share you and Dada. Not fair!".

You felt a pang of sorrow in your chest. It was natural for Rosie to feel a little unsure about the changes that were coming, but hearing her express her fears like this made your heart ache. You leaned closer, placing a hand on her tiny arm. "Oh, Rosie. You'll always be our special girl. You're the first baby, and that's never going to change.". She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "What if the baby doesn't like me?"

Matty stepped over, crouching beside her and placing a hand on her shoulder. His face was soft, but there was a sadness in his eyes too, and he understood this moment more than most.

"Hey, listen to me," Matty said softly, meeting her gaze. "I was the first baby in my family. I remember being scared that no one would pay attention to me anymore when your Uncle Louis came along. But you know what? It didn't work like that. We all loved each other differently, but just as much. And you know what's even better? You're going to have a best friend in that baby. Someone you can teach everything you know. Someone who'll look up to you."

Rosie hesitated for a long moment, her small frown slowly easing as she took in his words, though doubt still lingered in her eyes.

"What if it doesn't like me as much as you and Mummy do?" Rosie asked, her voice small but desperate for reassurance. Matty smiled gently. "You are so, so special, Rosie. There's nobody like you. And nothing in the world will ever change that. You are always going to be our first baby. We loved you first, and we'll love you forever. The baby is going to love you too. I promise."

For a long moment, Rosie just stared at him, her expression softening. She finally nodded slowly, though still uncertain. "Okay," She whispered, looking up at you both. "I'll try.". Matty ruffled her hair playfully. "That's my girl!"

______________________________________________________________

The house was quiet now. The day had wound down, and Rosie was getting ready for bed. Matty had drawn the bath for her, the warm water steaming in the tub, and the faint scent of lavender filling the air. You sat on her bed in the next room, making sure it was comfy and cosy for her. Her blankies and bunny neatly by her pillow. Matty helped Rosie into the water, carefully guiding her in as she splashed around with her bath toys while Matty gently washed her hair.

Rosie was unusually quiet, still holding the heaviness from earlier that day. Her small hands lazily swirled the water, and she seemed to be thinking deeply, her usual bubbly self nowhere to be found.

Matty leaned against the side of the tub, his eyes soft as he watched her, sensing that tonight, she needed something more than her usual playful routine. He dipped his hand into the water, making ripples as he spoke softly, his voice warm and soothing.

"You know, when you were born, you changed everything for me," He said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I never knew how much love I had to give someone so tiny until I held you for the first time. You made Dada a better person, RoRo. You still do.". Rosie looked up at him, her wide, curious eyes reflecting the soft glow of the bathroom light. She didn't say anything, but there was a hint of something, a flicker of understanding, as she listened to him speak.

"You're so special, Petal," Matty continued, his voice filled with tenderness. "You've always been special to me and Mummy. Nothing can ever take that away. Not the baby. Not anything. You're the first girl we ever got to love, and that's something no one will ever replace."

Rosie bit her lip, her small hands fidgeting in the water, trying to find Matty's hand as he messed around with the bubbles. She looked up at him once her little hand gripped his, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "But what if the baby doesn't want me to be their big sister?"

Matty chuckled softly, brushing her wet curls back from her face with his free hand. "Oh, love, babies don't think like that. They'll think you're the most amazing thing in the world. You'll be their role model, the one they'll want be like. I promise, Rosie, you're going to be the best big sister."

Rosie blinked up at him, her little heart still unsure but beginning to find comfort in his words. "Really?".

Matty smiled and leaned down, his forehead resting gently against hers. "Really. You're my gorgeous Rosie, my little petal, my perfect flower, and that means you're going to do amazing things, no matter how many little sibling trot along behind you."

She smiled shyly at him, her fingers tracing over his knuckles, her little heart finally finding a bit of peace in this new adventure that's on it's way. Matty stood up slowly, holding out a towel to her. "Time to get dry, baby girl. We've got a story to read."

As you watched the two of them enter Rosie's bedroom, your little girl wrapped in a warm towel from head to toe, head tucked into Matty's neck, you couldn't help but feel the love between them, a bond so strong and unshakable. Rosie was still adjusting, but she would come to realise, just as Matty had said, how special she was, and always would be to the two of you.

The soft, hazy light of early morning filtered through the curtains, casting pale beams across the room. You could feel the faint warmth of Matty's body pressed against yours, his arm wrapped around your waist, his breath steady and slow. The house was still—until the sound of tiny feet pattering across the floor broke the silence.

You blinked awake, groggily adjusting to the daylight. Matty, still half-asleep, groaned beside you. You turned to look at the source of the disturbance, a small figure standing at the edge of the bed, clutching her favourite stuffed bunny. Her big eyes—those dark, familiar eyes—were wide, and there was a slight quiver in her voice when she spoke.

"Mummy... Daddy..." Rosie whispered, her small voice thick with sleepiness. "I feel... sick."

You sat up, heart immediately lurching with concern. Matty stirred beside you but remained half asleep, only half aware of the situation.

"Rosie, sweetheart, what's wrong?" You reached out to her, pulling her onto the bed, wrapping her in your arms. She was warm, her forehead resting against your shoulder, and you could feel the soft rise and fall of her chest as she snuggled close.

"I... my tummy hurts," Rosie mumbled, her voice small. She looked up at you with those round, innocent eyes, her face scrunched in discomfort. "It hurts..."

Matty's eyes fluttered open then, his messy curls tumbling over his forehead as he blinked at the scene. "What's going on?" he asked groggily, his voice heavy with sleep. "Is she okay?"

"I think she has a stomach ache," you said, running a hand through Rosie's hair. "Do you feel sick, darling? Do you need some water or...?"

Rosie shook her head. "No..." She hesitated, twisting her fingers around the bunny's floppy ears. Then, after a long pause, she looked up at you, a little tearful, and said in a tiny, nervous voice, "I don't wanna go to play school."

Your heart softened, the knot of worry dissolving slightly. Matty, fully awake now, sat up and rubbed a hand over his face. "Ah, baba...." He leaned down and scooped Rosie into his lap, hugging her tight. "You don't have to be scared, you know that? Play school is fun! You're gonna have a great day."

"But... what if the other kids don't like me?" Rosie's voice quivered, her eyes wide with worry. "What if they don't want to play with me?"

You looked at Matty, both of you reading the same sentiment in each other's eyes: she was just scared. She was only three, but the world felt like a massive place to her sometimes.

"Rosie," you said gently, lifting her chin so she looked at you, "you're so special, sweetheart. And you know what? You're really brave. You'll make friends today, I'm sure of it."

"But what if I don't?" Rosie whispered, her lower lip trembling.

Matty let out a soft chuckle, pulling her close. "Sweetheart, if you don't make a friend today, it's okay. You'll make lots of friends eventually. But I know you're gonna be so good at making new friends because you're funny and smart and kind."

Rosie still looked unconvinced, though. Her stomach ache didn't seem to be a real physical one; it was all in her head. She wanted to stay home with you both, the warmth of the bed, and the safety of familiar arms. She wanted to be with her parents.

Matty glanced at you with a knowing smile. "Hey, love," he whispered, his voice low and comforting. "I think we need to show Rosie how brave she is, don't you?"

You nodded, smiling back. Matty's hand reached over, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind Rosie's ear.

"Why don't we do something, huh?" Matty said, his voice teasing but soft. "How about we make a special breakfast—maybe pancakes? You know, the ones with the big smiley faces, like the ones we made last week?"

Rosie's eyes flickered with interest. "The smiley pancakes?" she asked, her voice wavering but curious.

"Yeah, those," Matty grinned. "And after that, we can drop you off at play school together. Mummy and I will be right there, watching you be the star you are."

You could feel Rosie relaxing in Matty's arms, her body no longer as tense. She smiled a little, then yawned, still rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I guess I could go," she said softly, her little face lighting up with a tiny smile. "But... can we do the pancakes first?"

"Of course," you said, laughing softly. "How about this—after breakfast, we'll all go for a walk, and then you can show us all the new things you learned in play school. Deal?"

Rosie nodded eagerly, her earlier fear melting away. "Deal!"

Matty winked at you, his hand gently squeezing yours. You both knew that play school would be a bit of an adjustment for Rosie, but the moment you all shared this morning was one of those small, perfect reminders of how much love and warmth your little family had. Matty's mischievous grin and that sweet, familiar warmth he carried made everything feel like it would be alright.

As the three of you made your way downstairs to start breakfast, the nervousness in Rosie's eyes was already beginning to fade. Today would be a good day.

And maybe, just maybe, the pancakes really would help.

——————————————————————————

The smell of pancakes filled the kitchen, and Rosie had perked up considerably. She was now sitting at the kitchen table, her legs swinging excitedly beneath her, a half-eaten smiley face pancake on her plate. The soft clinking of cutlery and the hum of morning chatter surrounded you as you came down the stairs, dressed and ready to bring Rosie to school, as Matty flipped another pancake, humming one of his songs under his breath.

Rosie had been more quiet than usual, but it was clear her nerves were slowly slipping away. Every now and then, she would glance up at Matty, her little face lighting up with a mixture of awe and affection. You could see the shift happening in her—her earlier worries about play school starting to unravel.

Matty sat down beside her, placing a fresh plate of pancakes in front of her. "Alright, love, how are we feeling now?" he asked, ruffling her hair as he slid into the seat next to her.

Rosie poked at her pancakes for a moment before looking up at him, her big dark eyes meeting his. She bit her lip, thinking hard, then suddenly smiled and said, "Daddy..."

Matty looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"You're my best friend," Rosie said, her voice full of sincerity. "You always make me feel better."

Matty's face softened, a warm smile spreading across his features as he blinked, clearly caught off guard. "I'm your best friend?" he asked, his voice a little softer than usual.

"Yeah," Rosie nodded vigorously, her curls bouncing with the movement. "You make me laugh, and you're always nice to me. And when I'm scared... you're there."

You watched the exchange, your heart swelling. Matty, of course, was completely smitten. There was something about being called best friend by your three-year-old daughter that was bound to melt anyone's heart. And for Matty, a man who often expressed himself through music and words, those simple but genuine words meant more than anything.

Matty leaned over and pulled Rosie into a big hug, squeezing her tightly. "Well, you're my best friend, too," he whispered into her hair, his voice thick with emotion. "Always."

Rosie hugged him back, squeezing her little arms around his neck. "So I don't have to be scared of play school anymore, right?"

Matty pulled away just enough to look her in the eyes, his fingers gently brushing a curl from her face. "Of course not. You've got your daddy and mummy, and we're always with you, okay? Even when you're at play school. You can think of us whenever you need us."

Rosie's eyes brightened, and she nodded enthusiastically. "Okay!" She gave her dad a big smile, and her whole demeanour seemed lighter. She then turned to you, her little hand reaching across the table to grab yours.

"Mummy, I think I'm ready," she said, her voice full of newfound confidence.

You smiled at her, squeezing her hand in return. "I think you are, love."

Matty looked at you with a proud grin, raising his eyebrows as if to say, See? She's ready. Then, leaning back in his chair, he chuckled softly. "Guess we've got a play school champion on our hands, huh?"

You laughed along with him. "Yeah, I think so. I'll bet she's going to have a blast today."

After a few more bites of pancakes, Rosie climbed down from her chair, still clutching her bunny, and headed toward the living room to gather her things for school, having gotten her dressed while Matty made the first place of pancakes, she was raring to go. Matty stood up to follow her, his hand resting on your shoulder as he leaned down and kissed your temple.

"She's amazing," he whispered, his voice low but full of affection. "She's so strong, and she doesn't even know it yet."

You nodded, leaning into him. "She's got you to thank for that, I think."

Matty smiled, his eyes softening. "Maybe. But she's her own person, too. She's got that fire in her that we don’t have."

You watched as Rosie, now a little more sure of herself, came back into the kitchen with her tiny backpack, her bunny tucked safely under one arm.

"I'm ready!" she announced proudly, her earlier hesitation completely gone.

Matty crouched down to her level, adjusting the straps of her backpack. "Alright, champ. You're going to have an amazing day. And when you get home, you can tell us all about it, yeah?"

Rosie nodded, her cheeks flushing with excitement. "Okay, Daddy! You and Mummy will be there to pick me up, right?"

"Of course," Matty said, his voice full of warmth. "We wouldn't miss it."

As you all walked to the door, Rosie gripping your hand with her tiny one, Matty gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "Remember, you're my best friend, and you're gonna do great. I'm so proud of you."

Rosie beamed up at him, her little heart full of love and courage, and with one last wave goodbye, she was off to the car ahead of you—off to take on her day, her fears forgotten, and her confidence restored.

Matty watched her go for a moment, his expression filled with a mixture of pride and tenderness. You caught his gaze, your eyes meeting his with a quiet understanding.

"Best friends, huh?" you whispered with a smile.

“missed you calling me that and all,” he giggles after he speaks, the same stupidly high laugh that's always made your heart feel funny. “sorry for how uncool i'm being, by the way. i know we said we'd be cool about everything, about us, but…”

“s'alright. i get it,” you reply, not unkindly, because you do get it, you understand completely. choosing not to rush back into a relationship seemed like the sensible thing for you and george to do after four years and a few countries apart, but it's proving to be much more difficult in practice; he is your first (and honestly only) love, after all, and you never could resist that voice. or those eyes. or those lips, actually - the first time you kissed him again recently (just a normal smooch, mind you), you almost swooned. like, actually swooned, proper virgin behaviour. “feel like a teenager all over again with you, to be honest.”

“so do i, baby - can i call you that, or-?”

jesus. you hope you don't sound too breathlessly desperate. “of course.”

“thanks, baby,” the grin on george's face is obvious, and yours widens even more as you wriggle further out of your blanket cocoon and roll onto your stomach. “but yeah, i genuinely do feel like i'm seventeen again…”

“good film, that.”

“knew that was coming as soon as i said it,” he sighs down the phone, before joining in with your giggling. “genuinely, though, angel - feel like it's still 2007, because all i can think about is kissing you. m'serious. can't get anything done.”

you kick your legs back and forth, overjoyed to hear him admit he feels the same as you. still, you don't miss the opportunity to take the piss out of him. “jesus, it's the new gucci perfume fiasco all over again.”

“christ, don't remind me of that,” george groans, voice slightly muffled by what you know is him facepalming, dragging his hand down his face slowly; he's a creature of habit, your… well, your george. “thought i’d died and gone to heaven when i got a whiff of it the day we ran into each other in the shop, when we first saw each other again.”

“shut up.”

“m'not kidding, baby. driven me mental since day one, that perfume.”

you rest your head on your folded arms, wistful. “i remember. you walking into the art classroom door because you were that distracted trying to lean over and smell me? how could i forget?”

“yeah, well, it had its benefits too, that day,” george retorts. “if i recall correctly, it motivated me to get all my homework done quickly so i could kiss you, no?”

“that's true,” you allow yourself to briefly get lost in the memory, so strong you swear you can feel the shitty bic pen in your hand now. the flashback progresses to a scene you almost wore out repeating at the time, the workbooks and pencilcases shoved off the bed, and school uniforms following as you and george took advantage of having his house to yourself that monday afternoon. despite not having even discussed doing that with george in the modern version of your relationship yet, the mention of that after-school activity leaves your lips before you realise. “and if i recall correctly, we did a lot more than kiss that night.”

there's silence from the other end of the phone line. a very particular, pregnant type of silence, one that you intuitively know will end with something pivotal to you and george's relationship; despite this make or break moment, you keep quiet, not wanting to make it worse by fumbling an apology or explanation, even though you've got a growing sense of creeping dread that you might've just fucked the whole dynamic up beyond repair already.

and then he speaks, and you can exhale again. “i think about that a lot, you know.”

the atmosphere shifts again - it's still one of anticipation, but of the more… sensual variety, you'd say. heart pounding against your sternum, you wriggle out of the blankets completely, clicking the tv off so you can give george your complete, undivided attention. “yeah?”

“yeah. that night, and my eighteenth, and your eighteenth. prom, and all our holidays, and christening your uni flat,” george hums, giggling after he's done listing. “just any time we fucked, really.”

“you miss it?”

he sighs. “a lot.”

“so do i,” you say softly. “i really miss… no,” you close your mouth, shaking your head. “i can't say it. not yet. s'inappropriate.”

“baby,” there's a hint of forcefulness in george's voice, and it goes straight to your already-slick core. “tell me, please. wanna hear you.”

fuck. you really have missed him.

you sigh. “you're sure you wanna do this?”

“angel, i've never been more sure of anything,” george replies, and you know he means it. “talk to me.”

“alright,” you can't help smiling, both at george and the memory. “was gonna say that i really miss the way you would hold me after we both came, you know? you'd just wrap your whole body around me and kiss my neck, and i'd just feel, y'know, so safe, and happy,” you pause, then grin. “i mean, i miss the actual sex too, of course, but…”

he laughs, and your heart flutters. “i miss that too, the post-shag hugging. you're cute, y'know, baby - thought you were about to say something filthy, honestly.”

you twirl a strand of hair around your finger, flirty. “well, if you want me to be dirty, g, i can. can be whatever you want me to be.”

george groans. “don't fuck me about, angel.”

“m'not!” you decide to be proper serious for a second. “i just want to make you feel good, george. i miss doing that. i miss you,” you bite your lip, releasing it slowly in a poor imitation of the man at the other end of the phone line. “and i want you. i really, really want you.”

another brief silence, then he replies. “how do you want me?”

you smirk. “you tell me. like i said, sweetheart, whatever - and however - you want me to be… i'll do it.”

“well, in that case,” god, his voice. “i want you to come over. right now. how does that sound?”

“perfect,” you aren't lying. “is there anything else you want me to do?”

“be my girlfriend again, but we can discuss that when you get here, yeah?”

you beam, kicking your legs excitedly. finally. “yeah. alright,” you roll out of bed and make a beeline for your lingerie collection. “i'll be over as soon as i get changed, babe.”

“please be quick,” george sighs. “oh, a final thing, baby?”

“yeah?”

sweat. that’s the first thing you remember. sweat dripping on the hot tennis court on a blistering day in june, running down their faces in rivulets and flying off in droplets whenever they jump and run and swing and breathe. 

sweat, soaking their t-shirts, making it cling to their sculpted bodies. their sun-tanned arms move beautifully. they’re visually appealing, at least, even if their tennis skills are a bit pathetic. too much twisting of the wrist, too much swish, a shot that’s too wide, a shot that’s not wide enough. 

at least they’re good entertainment if not good players. the joy of watching country club brats fall flat on their asses is like no other. 

you pop the gum in your mouth, and watch them from the shade. matty and george. george and matty. 

they’re regulars, and they might not know you or your name, but you know them. in the same way you know the creak in a stair—not because you’ve tried to look for it and made an effort, but because it’s a force of habit. 

you’ve watched them so many times too, right here on this court, taking out their aggressions on their rackets and tennis balls. their t-shirts ride up each time they jump, exposing their tattoo-covered torsos, the bands of their underwear. the muscles in their thighs are pulled taut too—they’re nice to look at, you think. certainly easy on the eyes. 

“we have audience,” george says, his eyes trained on matty, his mouth curved upwards into a smirk. not once does he look at you. 

matty looks at you from the corner of his eyes. his gorgeous, dark curls are plastered on his forehead, the bridge of his straight nose glistens with sweat. you bite your lip in anticipation. 

you should have gone straight inside after making sure all the balls on the empty courts were collected. you should’ve been making sure you’re not needed somewhere else. and yet here you are… indulging. 

“what do you do? just watch?” george asks loudly. suddenly, his dark gaze is trained on you. the sun might be on them directly but it’s you who feels dizzy. 

you push off the wall, walk a little further and out of the shade. “i work here.”

for a bit he doesn’t say anything, he just looks at matty who seems to be barely stifling a smile. you can’t quite decipher what happens between them then, a nod and a coy smile, like it’s their little secret code. it’s about you, that much you’re sure of. 

and your point is proven a second later when george sets his racket down and walks up to you. 

up close he’s huge, tall enough to tower over you and leave you craning your neck. the hollow of his throat is pink with a hint of sunburn, glistening just like the rest of his forehead. his white uniform is stained with grass a little, but you doubt that bothers someone like him, someone rich enough to afford a year long membership at one of the top country clubs. 

you don’t back away from him though. if anything, you wonder if you should take a step closer, wonder if you should give matty a show since he’s so busy gawking at you and george. 

george, to his credit, doesn’t try to cross the boundary. although he certainly toes it. 

“no, i can see that,” george thumbs the top button of your uniform, the one right below your throat and just above the dip between your breast. he toys with it a second, until it threatens to pop open. “i mean what do you do on the court? just watch? or…” 

“do i play, you mean.” you place your thumb over his, pop the button open easily since it’s already so precarious. when george raises his eyebrow, you shrug. “what? it’s hot.”

george rolls his eyes, but there’s a ghost of a smile on his face too. “oh, do you?”

“a little, we aren’t allowed, technically,” you admit, “but the patrons…” 

“old, sleazy men who like pretty girls in tennis skirts?” 

you laugh. “yeah, them. the managers can’t say no to patrons. and i can’t say no to tips.” 

the club’s not being very subtle either, what with your uniform being a literal tennis skirt, not one that might be functional in the slightest, not for its actual purpose anyway… 

george takes a moment to look you up and down. you can’t lie, it’s certainly flattering to steal his attention like this. 

“george!” matty calls out for him, shitting-eating grin stretched wide on his face. “quit flirting and come back for the next set.”

“yeah, go back for the next set, george,” you tease, twirling a strand of hair around your finger. he doesn’t move an inch. 

“come play a few sets with us.”

“there’ll be three of us. a bit crowded, no?” 

“why?” he cocks an eyebrow, “afraid you can’t take both of us on?”

you look him up and down, lingering especially on the t-shirt sticking to his stomach and his broad chest. then you click your tongue. “the real question is… can you take me on?”

george is distraction personified. 

you decide it’s best to play against matty first—george decides it, more like and you agree. except now that he’s sat in a chair, legs sprawled wide and t-shirt discarded on the ground, you regret it.

the tattoos covering his arms glisten under the sun, his tanned sweaty chest makes your head turn every few seconds, and every time george catches you staring, he smirks. insufferable, annoying, fucking hot. 

focusing on matty’s no better for you. he’s worse than you at tennis, that much is a fact. you’ve already won the first set against him, but then he has that way of staring at you across the net, curls dropping in his eyes, and his crooked smile on display. it’s disarming, if you’re being completely honest. 

“a break?” george calls out when you set your racket down. you are panting a little, but it has little to do with the sport and more to do with the other kinds of heat coursing through you. 

“maybe…” you begin walking off court, toying with the idea of undoing another button. it would be crass… 

across the court, matty takes his t-shirt off too, throws it on the ground and takes a swig out of his bottle. you sit closer to george. 

once your breathing returns a bit to normal, you train your gaze on him, on the way he looks at you with barely concealed interest, subtly flexing his arms while he leans forward, elbows on his knees and his chin on his fists. his jaw looks sharp enough to cut like this, and yet you have the strongest urge to run your finger along it. maybe even your tongue. 

“my friend’s dying for your number.” his tone is so nonchalant that you almost miss it. 

“matty?” you steal a subtle glance at him, lying there on the court shirtless, sun warming his skin. “and he told you this…when?”

george pokes his tongue in his cheek, concealing a smile. “we don’t always have to talk, love…”

“i see…” you mirror his pose, leaning forward with just as much interest, relishing in the way his gaze dips to your cleavage and then back up to your face. a quick glance, a stolen glance. “and you’re not? dying for my number?”

“would you like me to?”

“would you rather i go home with your friend?”

“oh who said anything about going home?”

an image flashes in your head. you, george, matty—in the locker room that would be empty this late in the day, but of course there’s always a chance someone might walk in. someone might see… quickly, you cross your legs together. george notes the movement with much interest. 

“what would you do? just watch?” you steal another lingering glance at matty, who’s sitting up by now, forearms on his knees, watching this exchange with a kind of intensity on his face that you haven’t seen yet. 

“there are worse things than watching, won’t you agree?” george steals your attention away again. 

“and is that what you do? watch?”

george laughs, leaning back. then he hooks his foot under your chair, swiftly pulling you closer somehow on the grassy turf. 

“where?”

“the lockers are free.”

“i’m serious…” he looks at matty, nodding subtly, “we are serious.”

“who says i’m not?”

matty gets up then, dusting off his shorts and walking up to you, right behind you, until his hands are on your shoulders, lightly massaging. you can’t resist a low moan that slips out of you, rolling your head back and closing your eyes. you hope he’s just as good with his hands everywhere else…

“have you decided then,” matty asks, “picked one of us?”

“why not both?”

matty grins, all sharp teeth and wicked smugness. “if that’s what you wish.”

“aren’t you so bold on the court,” george’s breath is hot on your neck, his arms circling your waist, fingers trailing under your t-shirt and up, up, up until the graze the underside of your boob. you hiss, matty falters in his step. 

still, he doesn’t turn, surveying the locker room like it’s the most interesting thing in the world. “matty?”

george’s hand still. “oh is that who you want now?”

“want you both,” you moan, “like i was promised.”

“you were promised—” george whirls you around, manhandling you like you weigh nothing to him until you’re pressed flush against his chest, and he’s close enough for you to kiss him “—nothing.”

“come on, now…” matty’s there suddenly, pressing his chest against your back, grabbing your hips until you can feel his hard dick against your ass. “let’s not lie.”

“mmm i like matty,” you smirk at george, then turn your head sideways so matty can grab your jaw like there’s no tomorrow. at this angle it’s an awkward kiss—teeth against your lips and his tongue on the inside of your cheek, but you gasp just the same, throwing yourself into it. 

george takes the opportunity to kiss your exposed neck. it’s more than just a kiss, if anything you know it’s going to leave a mark impossible to hide. his teeth graze over your pulse point, tongue circling it until you moan loudly into matty’s mouth. 

george pushes against you. “shower. now.” 

his voice is a growl, low and urgent, and not one bone in your body is capable of disobeying him. you break the kiss and turn back to george, walking backwards toward the open showers, making sure not to break eye contact. you do however undo a button of your shirt with each step until it’s completely off you, leaving you in a cream lacy bra and the tiny tennis skirts. matty whistles appreciatively, about to take his shirt off too. 

“no,” you object, almost inside the cubicle. “i want george to take off your t-shirt. go on now.”

matty raises an eyebrow and turns to look back at george. his eyes are still trained on you however, glittering with a challenge. 

“oh you want a show, darling? she wants a show matty…”

matty hmms, “go on, do it then.”

you bite your lip, eyes trailing on their bodies with barely concealed lust. george grips matty’s jaw. it’s not forceful or harsh, but it is enough that his eyes widen. he doesn’t move away though, he just lets george pull him closer and tilt his chin up. he just lets george pull him into a kiss. 

it’s a sloppy kiss—teeth colliding against each other, mouths moving out of sync—it’s a mess, frankly. and yet you can’t look away as george holds onto matty’s neck, fingers tight around the nape and lips hot on his jaw and for a moment it’s like you’re not in the room at all. 

matty whimpers. it’s a pathetic little sound that sends a bolt of thrill straight to your cunt, and you rub your thighs together, clenching in anticipation.

they only break the kiss so george can pull the t-shirt off matty and discard it into a rag. you’ve had enough of being ignored. 

“oh you are greedy,” he taunts, gripping your wrist tight just when you try to undress him. something tells you he’s used to getting what he wants, inside the bedroom and outside. 

“you’ll have to earn it though,” matty joins in. 

earn. yes. 

breathlessly, you nod, blood pumping through you at a dizzying pace. you know what george wants as he stares at your mouth, far longer than before. and so you give in, eager to please and to taste him, and you kneel, right there on the cold bathroom floor. 

“is this good enough?”

“much better,” he smirks, tracing your lip with his thumb. it would almost be a loving gesture if it weren’t for the utter and complete lust written all over his face. 

george looks eager, exchanging glances with matty, who stands against the wall, watching. his shorts are almost pulled down, exposing the v of his pelvis and the boner that he palms. matty is content watching. you turn your attention back to george. 

george leans against the wall, discarding his t-shirt somewhere and letting you pull his shorts down until they’re around his ankles, until he’s completely exposed with his hard cock centimetres away from your face. your mouth waters at the sight of him, but you choose to put your hand around him first. around his base, holding him in one hand while the other rests on his thigh. the bathroom tiles dig into your knees, but george groans and suddenly it’s all worth it.

he moans when you move your hand—a trail of your finger up along the thick vein that runs along his underside. you stare at him through your lashes, making sure he’s looking at you when you lick up his slit, already leaking with precum. 

“fuck…” matty groans behind you. 

you rather like this attention, like the fact that he’s getting off to the sight of you on your knees, about to get face-fucked by his best friend. 

george tries hard to keep his eyes open, to watch you as you put just the tip of his cock in your mouth. your hand is wrapped around his base, pumping lightly. you know it feels good because a moment later, his eyes flutter shut. 

his soft sighs turn into groans as you take him deeper into your mouth, only halfway through, still pumping him with one hand and swirling your tongue around his tip. the weight of it feels delicious on your tongue, the taste and the smell of sweat and grass and remnants off his cologne. it’s an odd mix, one that wouldn’t appeal to you otherwise. but here, now, it breaks through any semblance of control you feel over yourself, even as you try to take it slow, tease him mercilessly before you give him anything else.

but george is getting desperate, his hips bucks as he thrusts into your mouth reflexively, making you gag slightly. instead of apologising, george smirks. matty whimpers too, the sound of skin on skin and you look up at george, at his eyes that flit between you sucking him off and matty pleasuring himself. 

“do it again,” you tell him, clenching your thighs together for at least some friction. 

george raises an eyebrow. “that how wanna be treated?” his voice has almost turned into a growl, something so deep and feral, it has you taking him deeper into your mouth, all the way until you gag around him once more. 

“she’s asking so nicely,” matty taunts, breathing harshly between words. 

whatever hold george has on himself snaps at the encouragement. his fingers tighten in your hair, holding you in place as he thrusts his hips again, faster than before, harder. and with each thrust you feel more of his control slipping. 

you feel the saliva pooling in your mouth each time his tip hits the back of your throat, feel the burn around your mouth from his thickness. feel the ache between your legs that grows stronger and stronger. 

“oh fucking! shit—” he moans, cutting himself off as you hum around him and hollow your cheeks. your scalp stings from his hold, mixing pain and pleasure, making you hiss each time. 

somewhere in the meantime, matty has walked up to you, completely naked now and so much closer, closer still when he kneels next to you. you whimper, pleading to be touched, even if it’s just a little. matty seems to understand what you want. 

“such a perfect girl,” he coos, words falling carelessly off his lips while he pumps himself slowly. matty waits a moment, then unhooks your bra, letting it fall off you before he grabs one of your tits in his hand, pinching the nipple between his fingers and rolling it until white hot pleasure zings through you. your jaw grows slack and george groans in frustration. 

“did i tell you to stop?” 

you come back to the present, back to matty touching you while he’s touching himself, back to george with the tip of his cock resting on your lips, back to the ache between your legs. 

you take him in deeper as frustration builds in your body, a need for release so strong that you might almost be on the brink of insanity. 

both george and matty pant, their breaths coming out harsher, and even when your jaw aches and saliva dribbles down your chin, george keeps going, fucking your face like your nothing but a blow-up doll to him. 

“good girl,” he grunts between them, “perfect, perfect girl.” and you know it’s not long now, you can feel him twitching inside your mouth, can feel the way his hips buck and his moans grow louder. you hollow your cheeks again, moan again to let the vibration do its job. 

matty moves to stand behind you, breathing loud and almost irregular.

“shit shit shit—” george pants, eyes rolled to the back of his head and jaw slack from pleasure, “gonna cum,” he moans, “gonna cum in your mouth okay?”

you want to say yes, nod, something to let him know how badly you want to taste him, for him to fill up your mouth. 

his entire body tenses in that moment, stomach tightening visibly before you feel the thick, warm cum shoot right into your throat and all the way down. you try to keep up with him, swallowing everything he gives you but some of it dribbles down your chin anyway, mixing in with the drool, making a mess. 

almost exactly a second later, ropes of cum shoot down your back, your spine. matty, reaching his own orgasm. it’s utterly pornographic, the scene—you on your knees with cum dribbling down your chin and your spine. two men staring at you with lust-riddled eyes, in complete and utter awe.

“pretty little mess,” matty sighs softly, as if reading your mind. george still thrusts in your mouth, gentler now as he rides out the last waves of his orgasm, his cock leaking with the last drops of cum. 

you keep your mouth open when he pulls out, letting him see his release on your tongue—thick and white and milky. then you turn to matty. “wanna share?”

matty nods, crashing his lips against yours. the moment his tongue slips inside your mouth you moan. he can taste george on your tongue, can taste every drop of his cum you failed to swallow. you bite his lip, enjoying his hiss a little too much. matty lets you though…

he’s too busy digging his fingers in your jaw and your neck, almost squeezing the sides of your throat. it’s not enough to cut off air completely, but it’s enough to make your head spin. 

when matty pulls back, milky release almost coating on his lips, you feel the breath leave you in a whoosh. 

george kneels next to you, hand on your hip. 

“take this off, yeah?” his fingers taps against the waistline of your skirt. “your turn now.”

“touch me,” you whimper, grabbing george’s hand and moving it up your thigh until his fingers are practically at your aching cunt. he stills and looks at you with a grin. 

“matty can help, can’t he?”

“wha—”

“you’ve been so good to us” he whispers right into your ear, nips your earlobe while he’s at it too and you moan just from the thought of it—both their fingers stretching you out, making your see stars, the taste of cum still linger on your lips and you nod, breathless, spreading your legs to bare everything to them. 

“please,” you nod eagerly, letting matty part your legs wider, letting him graze your thigh. george, not one to be outdone, joins in a second later. 

this time when you kiss matty, you make sure to slip your tongue inside, something he seems to enjoy a little too much, and you take advantage of his distraction. 

“like that,” you moan in his mouth and grab his hand, pushing a finger inside and searching for george’s hand right after. 

“want more?” he smirks. his eyes look pitch black, blown out wide and so dark, it sends a thrill down your spine. 

george presses a kiss on your neck again, mouth rough, all teeth and tongue until you’re close to a blackout and grinding on his hand. you feel the stretch when his fingers enter you, right alongside matty’s. their hands work in tandem, pulling out and pushing in, and the burn of the stretch is divine. your eyes close of their own accord, hips undulating, back arched. 

“please d-don’t stop,” you beg, moving your hips faster and faster, matching the thrust of their fingers, “i’ll die if you stop.”

your voice is raspy and rough, like you’ve been screaming unintelligible things for hours. and maybe you have been; your body certainly feels like it, on fire with a current running down your spine every time their fingers push in deeper. 

“won’t” george promises, at least you think it’s him. his voice has morphed into something you barely recognise. but his hand moves faster and faster, thumb circling your clit, and that’s all you seem to care about. 

“ohgodohgodohgod,” you chant like a blind devotee, drunk on them both, pathetic and desperate. matty’s moves, kissing the other side of your neck, teeth over your earlobe and tongue against your collarbone. if tomorrow you woke up covered in hickeys, you won’t regret it one bit.

heat burns hotter in your chest, the bottom of your spine as you clench around their fingers, stretched out and almost at the edge 

“that’s it baby, look at me,” george says. no…it’s almost an order, “look at me when you cum.”

instinctually, you open your eyes, look right at him—at his face that is so close to yours you can practically feel his breath fan your cheek, at his completely dilated pupils and swollen mouth. he kisses you hard and rough, probably tasting himself on your tongue and that tips you over the edge. 

with a cry you cum all over their hands, panting and breathing hard. it’s barely even audible over the rushing blood. 

“fuck—” matty chokes, utterly speechless. you feel no different. 

instead, when matty pulls his hand out, you take a hold of it, place it in your mouth. he makes a sound at the back of his throat—a choked moan like he can’t take it anymore. the moan frees itself when you swirl your tongue around his fingers, licking every inch of them, sucking them clean, not breaking eye contact even once.

you turn to george next, almost expecting him to stick his fingers in your mouth, shoved deep down until you gag around them too but he’s quicker, eager enough to swirl his tongue around them while you and matty watch. 

“at least you’re better at this than tennis,” you mock, earning an eye roll from george and a laugh from matty.

the showers stink of cum and sweat. 

your uniform is probably unusable now. fuck.

with shaky legs you get off the floor, utterly naked, with no idea how to go back outside and how to do your job. 

“shower?” matty asks, utterly nonchalant. 

george looks at you for an answer. oh well… “and a smoke after that,” you add. 

“that’s the plan then,” he agrees and turns the shower on. 

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