"Welcome to McDonald's, can I take your order?" the cashier who is apparently named James if the tag pinned to his shirt is correct asks with a tired sigh.

George doesn't miss the subtle eye roll he receives when he continues to scan the menu furiously without answering the question, trying to decide what he wants to eat which is something he should have done before approaching the counter.

It's not George's fault though, he's been a bit distracted, and he also hadn't quite believed that Matty was serious about taking him out until about fifteen minutes ago, which hadn't left him with very much time to plan what he was going to get beforehand.

It's not that George thought Matty was teasing him, it's just hard to comprehend that someone like Matty had willingly elicited to spend the rest of their evening with George, even after he got into a near confrontation with one of their clients like a bumbling idiot.

George had kept his promise to Matty though, hanging around the bar for another hour, drinking probably a bit more than he should have to hide his nerves. He wasn't quite smashed, but he was at that stage of inebriation where everything seems a bit funnier than it is and his body feels warm and light.

George had managed to convince himself that he'd imagined Matty's offer of dinner barely twenty minutes after he'd been left to his own devices, but he still hadn't left, wanting to continue with this delusion until the club closed and he had no choice left but to go home.

But just when George was beginning to doubt everything from the shared cigarettes to even seeing Matty at all, the other man had shown up just like he said he would, his earlier apparel replaced with a loose leather jacket, black jeans, and a Cannibal Corpse shirt that had George stifling a giggle which he hid behind the coat Matty handed back to him with a flourish.

George can't even remember the walk to the nearby McDonald's which Matty had chosen since it's the only place still open this time of night, he'd been too busy attempting to stare at Matty out of the corner of his eye while the other man nattered on about something that George didn't quite catch, only the tone of his voice registering in his sluggish mind, but the sound of Matty's voice alone was enough to keep George occupied for hours.

George isn't sure if his fuzzy state is caused by the alcohol following through his veins or Matty's intoxicating presence, but it's probably a little bit of both if George had to guess.

George wonders if these feelings will eventually go away if he continues to see the dancer on a regular basis, but then that leads George into thinking about if he actually wants them to, and he doesn't quite have an answer for that.

Matty didn't seem to notice how distracted he is though, and apparently George's random nods and smiles were placed at appropriate intervals, which is good since that was all he seemed to be capable of adding to the rather one-sided conversation.

Of course, George had neglected to think about what he wanted to eat while he was so busy marveling at Matty and trying to figure out of he was dreaming or not, leaving him paralyzed with his mouth half-open as James begins to drum his fingers against the counter impatiently.

"While he's having a think, I'll take a number one with a coke," Matty cuts in, giving George a few extra seconds to make his decision, now if only he can stop focusing on how close Matty gets to him when he leans against the tabletop for long enough to spit out his order.

"And I'll have...uh - that ice cream thing with the M&M's in it," George stammers out, his cheeks flaring with heat when James sends him a confused stare.

"The McFlurry," Matty clarifies, a smirk tugging at his lips that has George even more flustered than he already is.

"Yeah - that, and some chicken nuggets I guess."

"What size?" James asks, exasperation apparent in his tone, not that George blames him.

"The ten count I guess?" George isn't even sure how they come since he can't find the section of the menu that states it, but James returns to the touchscreen in front of him, so George assumes he's made a valid choice.

"Will that complete your order?"

George nods mutely, not wanting to open his mouth again in fear of upsetting James any further. George has his hand halfway in his back pocket when he sees Matty digging through his jacket, and without thinking about what he's doing, he bumps his hip against the shorter man's, shoving him gently out of the way so he can place his money in front of James before Matty has the chance.

"Hey!" Matty protests hotly, his slender arm trying to slip under George's elbow, but George fends off his persistent attack. "I was going to get that - I'm paying you back for your help in Tesco remember?"

"I do," George shrugs, grinning widely down at Matty when James takes the bills George has given him and places them in the till, "but I was never going to let you do that."

"This was supposed to be my treat," Matty pouts as James walks away toward the ice cream machine, leaving George's change on the counter instead of handing it to him.

"Oh sod off," George chuckles, doing his best to ignore how adorable Matty looks right now with his grumpy countenance and tousled curls. "I at least lost you a tip tonight, so I'm not letting you spend anything on me, you just being here is enough."

George blushes when the words leave his lips, belatedly realizing how sappy he sounds once it's too late to take it back, but Matty seems to preen under the praise, his eyes glittering and his expression smoothing out as George continues to stare at him, his breath hitching slightly when Matty makes no attempt to back out of George's personal space just yet.

"Fine, but I'm still cross with you," Matty huffs with no true venom to his words, retrieving the cup James holds out to him before crossing his arms while George grabs his ice cream, "and next time I'm not helping you order either so good luck with that."

"Hey - I was doing alright," George laughs, quickly pocketing his change before hurrying after Matty who's already heading toward the soda dispensers. "It's not my fault that I got confused after all, the names all sound the same."

"It is a bit redundant," Matty agrees, "but honestly, if that was you doing well, then I can't wait to see you really fuck it up." George pretends to be hurt while Matty fills his cup to the brim before pulling a lid on it, his slender fingers picking through the straws for a few moments until he finally decides on one.

"Wait a second..." George mumbles mostly to himself as Matty leads him to an empty table, folding his long legs into the booth with only a bit of difficulty, dropping the wounded act when it doesn't get a reaction out of Matty, "did you say next time?"

"I did, didn't I?" Matty hums, his lips which are still a bit red even without the lipstick sucking on his straw idly. "I'd like there to be, it's not often that I have company on my late-night food runs."

"I - uh..." George stammers dumbly, unsure of what he should say in response to Matty's offer.

A part of George is dying to blurt out that of course, he'd love to do this again, but he's not sure if that's a promise he should make. He's already walking a dangerous line here, and he isn't certain where the barrier between a friendly outing ends and a date begins. Even if Matty had sworn this was just a simple dinner between friends, George has never felt this way while grabbing a bite to eat with John.

George is already far too smitten with Matty after only speaking with him twice, and he has a feeling it's going to get worse if he continues to spend time with him, but if he isn't acting on his impulses, is he really doing anything wrong?

George doesn't want to keep thinking of Matty in this way though, because it's not fair to anyone, not to him, not to Matty, and especially not to Kyle, but he also isn't willing to avoid the first person that's made him smile in weeks all because of a silly crush.

On the other hand, his feelings might fade away eventually, and his interest in Matty could all be a phase caused by Kyle's absences and George's loneliness. George isn't usually like this, after all, he doesn't fall for people so quickly, especially not random strangers, so maybe by seeing Matty more often, he'll be able to forget his infatuation with the dancer and gain a new friend in the process.

Luckily, George is saved from answering by the arrival of their food which James has apparently decided to bring to their table instead of calling the number on the receipt, or maybe he had been announcing it and George hadn't been paying attention, but either way, Matty seems sufficiently distracted by his burger, so George chooses not to answer, stuffing his mouth instead so the temptation of speaking is removed entirely.

~~~

"So it's my second week working at the club I think," Matty gestures with a spare fry while he speaks, the movements of his hand ensnaring George's attention much more than his food which has most likely gone cold by this point, "and I'd seen these boots in the window of some random shop, you know the ones, I was wearing them tonight?"

George nods slowly, because how could he not remember the footwear Matty's speaking of? He's debating on mentioning that Matty had them on during their first encounter as well, but he decides that might be a bit too creepy, so he digs through his melted ice cream with his spoon instead, trying to unearth the last few M&M's that he hasn't already devoured.

"I don't even know why I bought them, it was like I just had to you know? Once I saw them, I couldn't keep walking, it was fate, I swear," Matty giggles, his eyes crinkling at the edges with the expulsion of mirth. "They cost me an arm and a leg, but I thought I looked pretty in them, so like the genius I am, I put them on for my next shift without seeing if I could dance in them first."

"Really Matty?" George chortles, Matty's laughter rubbing off on him in an infectious manner that quickly has George clutching at his side as he tries to stay quiet, not that he's really disturbing anyone since there is only two other people in the restaurant at the moment.

"Hush - I haven't finished the story," Matty chuckles, flapping his arms in George's direction until he's managed to quiet down a bit. "You can probably guess the rest though."

"I still want to hear it," George pleads when Matty doesn't continue, chewing on his last chicken nugget slowly as he waits for Matty to keep talking.

"Alright fine, it's a bit embarrassing actually, not even sure why I'm telling you this, but I ended up falling flat on my arse during the group dance. I don't think too many people noticed, I recovered pretty well, but it fucking hurt. I'm pretty sure I bruised my tailbone and everything, I couldn't sit down comfortably for weeks after."

"And yet you still wear the boots even after all that?" George remarks once he's stopped snickering, mentally pushing away the image that rises to the forefront of his mind involving Matty tripping over himself, but in this instance, George manages to catch him in the nick of time.

"Of course I do," Matty exclaims, "I've obviously gotten better with my balance since then, and they're a favorite with my clients, not to mention I've grown very fond of them."

"They do look lovely on you," George admits, praying that Matty doesn't notice the dusty pink hue his cheeks have taken on within the past five seconds.

"I know," Matty grins smugly, earning himself a playful scoff from George, "but I really am glad you think so."

"You could probably dance in sneakers and I'd say the same thing," George adds on before thinking about what he's saying, his flush dragging down his neck when Matty beams like George has just given him the best compliment in the world.

"I like you," Matty chuckles, stretching back in his seat gracefully as he speaks, "you're good for my ego, not that it needs a boost according to my friends."

"I'm sure you hear it all the time," George mumbles softly, playing with the collar of his jacket in an effort to look less interested in the conversation, although it's probably just making him seem nervous instead.

"Not as often as you'd think," Matty answers, his voice lowering in pitch as he leans forward onto his elbows. "Well - I guess I do, but it means loads more when someone says it when I'm dressed like this and I'm not grinding in their lap."

"Well I'm being serious," George allows himself to admit, because friends can tell each other that they're attractive without it meaning anything - right? "Hey," George groans, finding a suitable subject change in the fabric of his coat of all things, "you've gotten body glitter all over this." George stretches out the lapel he's holding so Matty can see the gold sparkles clinging to the denim, a smile tugging at his lips the entire time.

"Oh god - I did," Matty erupts into another fit of laughter, knocking his tray halfway off the table in the process. "That's what you get for being such a gentleman."

"I hope Kyle doesn't notice," George mutters under his breath, not that he really thinks his boyfriend will search through their clothes hamper anytime soon, but the shimmer might be a bit hard to explain if he does.

"I can help you dust it off when we go outside," Matty offers, his giggles drying up instantly at the mention of Kyle, leaving George upset with himself for every mentioning him in the first place. "It doesn't stick to fabric too badly, just skin."

"Nah, it'll be fine I'm sure."

And it will be, George isn't going to make this weird, because there's nothing wrong with him sharing a bite to eat with another man. Kyle probably wouldn't care even if he knew where George was, not unless he was aware of George's feelings for Matty that is, but George is pretending those don't exist, so he's definitely not going to voice them aloud any time soon, especially not to his boyfriend.

"Well I don't know about you mate but I'm knackered, you want to call it a night?" Matty suggests, and although the last thing George wants to do is part ways with Matty, it is late, and he probably should get home before Kyle does just to be on the safe side. His buzz from earlier has worn off now that he's put some food in his stomach, and Matty's words have made George aware of the fatigue permeating through his limbs and the weights tugging at his eyelids.

"Yeah, I can walk you home...if that's okay?" George asks, not wanting to overstep any boundaries while at the same time attempting to drag out this evening for as long as possible before he's forced to return back to his flat, because exhausted or not, George still wants to be around Matty for just a few minutes more.

"You really are a gentleman," Matty teases, scooping up their trash while he speaks, "and I'd love that, honestly."

'Not as much as me,' George is tempted to add, but for once in his life, George realizes that it's probably best if he keeps his mouth shut, so he simply trails after Matty as he makes his way to the trash bin, holding the door open for him once he's done scraping their tray which grants him another of Matty's winning smiles that George knows he will never tire of.

~~~

"You've got to be kidding me?" George laughs in disbelief after asking Matty where he lives, because Matty is pointing at the block of flats that George also calls home.

"What?" Matty questions, a look of confusion tugging at his features when George starts to chuckle under his breath. "It's a nice place, plus it's close to work."

"No - it's not that," George tries his best to tamper down his mirth so he can speak without interrupting himself every few seconds with laughter, "it's just that's where I'm headed as well."

"Seriously?" Matty exclaims, and unless George is mistaken, Matty seems quite thrilled by that prospect. "What number?"

"102," George replies, attempting not to grin too widely as he speaks, because living in the same building as Matty isn't something to get excited over, but George's heart is still skipping erratically despite that logic.

"Ah well I'm in 453, probably why I haven't seen you, my place is all the way in the back, but it's got a nice view."

"That makes sense," George nods, following Matty up the rear staircase that he's never had a need to use before now what with his place being on the ground floor. "So do you have a roommate?" George speaks up when the silence around them gains an uncomfortable edge, although Matty doesn't seem at all bothered by the quiet.

"Nah, it's just me at the moment. My friend Gemma moved out recently - oh - I've got a dog though, do you want to meet him?" The volume of Matty's voice pitches up suddenly at his suggestion, his eyes going wide and bright all at once as he waits for George's answer.

"Is that even a question?" George smiles, his teeth showing through his parted lips as he quickens his pace so he can get back to Matty's flat that much quicker.

George adores animals of any kind, he always has, but Kyle isn't fond of house pets, so George hasn't been around dogs since he moved out of his family home years ago. George hadn't thought that Matty would own a dog, although that's a silly assumption given the fact that he knows next to nothing about him, but this newfound information has George ecstatic and bubbly at just the thought of seeing the animal.

"You're going to love him," Matty promises, his neck constantly craning to the side so he can look at George as they walk. "His name's Allen, he's just a puppy still, but he's getting so big already. I'm thinking of getting a tattoo that says Dad because of him, I really do feel a bit like a parent now."

"You should," George encourages him, shifting back and forth impatiently when Matty pauses in front of one of the many identical doors, his long fingers digging in his pockets for his keys.

Once Matty finally gets the lock open, George has to resist the urge to push past him and seek out the dog for himself, but Matty seems just as eager as he is to see Allen. Matty toes off his shoes before all but sprinting further inside, calling out for his dog as he goes.

George grins so hard it almost hurts when he spies a flash of tan fur hurtling toward Matty, his chest feeling warm and tight when Matty kneels down and engulfed the animal in a loose hug.

"George, meet Allen," Matty beckons for him after pulling his face out of Allen's neck. George can't decide what he wants to focus on more, Matty's expression or Allen's presence, but Allen makes the choice for him by bounding in George's direction, his tail wagging excitedly the entire time.

"Hey boy," George coos, dropping down on his knees so he can run his hands through Allen's fur gently when he stops his forward motion to sniff curiously at George's ankles, "aren't you gorgeous?"

"I think he likes you," Matty beams like the proud parent he claims he is, scooting over until he's so close to George that it's almost uncomfortable, but in the best way possible, "granted, he does seem fond of any form of attention, takes after me I suppose."

"Well I like him too." George can't keep the joyous tint out of his tone, not that he's trying, but still - he can't remember the last time he's been this happy, and it's not just because of the dog.

"You sufficiently cheered up now?" Matty asks after a few minutes of silence during which George smothers Allen in affection. George suffers a moment of confusion before he remembers the melancholy state that Matty had found him in earlier, in fact, it had almost slipped his mind that Matty had done all of this to make George feel better. He hasn't been thinking of Kyle or his cancellation at all over the past hour minus one or two instances, which means that Matty's plan had worked. "Allen always does that for me, even on my worst days."

"Yeah, honestly this night couldn't get much better," George answers sincerely, hoping that Matty understands how much this evening has meant to him without him having to put it into words, because he knows he'll end up embarrassing himself if he tries to explain it.

George finds himself proven wrong though, because just when George is debating on taking his leave while his happiness is at an all-time high, Allen leaps into his lap completely, and when Matty leans over so he can stroke his ears, his shoulder pushes gently against George's side.

The twin points of contact have George grinning uncontrollably as a warmth starts in his chest that quickly spreads to the rest of his body, and George has never felt so content - so wanted than he does at that moment.

I have no words for how much I love this story why is this my favorite thing ever?

Btw future apology for slow updates on pretty much everything I'm exhausted and overworked but this fic is my reason for living so I won't keep you waiting too long if I can help it.

Votes and comments make my day if you feel like leaving one.

xo starr