Matt's hands moved over Jordy like he had been holding back for far too long. There was something intense in the way he touched him, not rushed, but certain. Like he already knew this was exactly where he wanted to be.
Jordy felt it everywhere.
Every touch lingered. Every movement carried weight. His chest rose and fell faster than usual, his heart beating so loud he was sure Matt could hear it too.
Their lips met again, deeper this time. The kiss wasn't hesitant anymore. It was full, steady, and filled with something neither of them had said out loud yet.
Jordy pulled back slightly, his breathing uneven. "Wait…" he whispered, trying to catch his breath.
Matt didn't move far. His face stayed close, his voice low. "You okay?"
Jordy nodded, letting out a small breath. "Yeah. Just… give me a second."
Matt studied him for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Tell me if you want to stop."
"I won't," Jordy said quietly.
There was no hesitation in his voice.
Matt's expression softened at that, and this time when he leaned in again, the kiss was slower. More deliberate. Like he was taking his time now, like he wanted to remember every second.
Jordy's fingers tightened slightly against him. "You're different," he murmured.
Matt pulled back just enough to look at him. "Different how?"
Jordy hesitated, searching his face. "I don't know. Just… more sure."
Matt held his gaze for a moment, something shifting in his eyes. "Maybe I am."
The way he said it made Jordy's chest tighten, but not in a bad way. It felt real. That was the only way he could describe it.
Matt shifted, sitting up slightly, and Jordy understood without needing anything else said. He turned slowly, settling into the bed, his body tense for a second before he forced himself to relax.
For a brief moment, everything went quiet.
Jordy could hear his own breathing, feel the anticipation building in his chest.
Then Matt moved closer again.
His touch returned, softer now, slower. Careful.
"Still okay?" Matt asked quietly.
Jordy nodded. "Yeah."
He meant it.
The moment stretched, unhurried, as everything else seemed to fade away. The outside world didn't exist anymore. There was no past, no future. Just this.
Just them.
Time passed without meaning. It could have been minutes or longer. Jordy couldn't tell. All he knew was that everything built up slowly until it finally softened again.
When it was over, the room fell into a quiet stillness.
Jordy lay there, his breathing uneven, staring ahead without really focusing on anything.
Then a soft laugh escaped him.
Matt laughed too, quieter, almost surprised at himself.
"What?" Jordy asked, turning his head slightly.
"I don't know," Matt admitted, shaking his head. "That just felt… different."
Jordy let out a small breath. "Yeah. It did."
They both shifted, turning onto their sides to face each other.
For a moment, they just looked at each other.
No jokes.
No distractions.
Just honesty sitting quietly between them.
Matt spoke first. "Are you okay?"
Jordy nodded. "Yeah. You?"
Matt hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah."
Jordy narrowed his eyes slightly. "You don't sound convinced."
Matt exhaled softly, running a hand through his hair. "I am. I just didn't expect it to feel like that."
"Like what?" Jordy asked.
Matt looked at him, his voice quieter now. "Like it actually meant something."
Jordy didn't respond immediately.
Instead, he lifted his hand and gently placed it against Matt's face, his thumb brushing softly along his cheek.
"It did," Jordy said.
Matt didn't pull away. If anything, he leaned into the touch slightly.
After a moment, he took Jordy's hand and pressed a soft kiss against it.
Jordy felt something shift inside him at that.
He let out a quiet breath, then slowly pulled his hand back. "I think I need a shower."
Matt nodded, his eyes still on him. "Yeah. Go ahead."
Jordy sat up, his body finally starting to relax even though his thoughts were still moving fast. As he walked toward the bathroom, he could feel Matt watching him.
It didn't make him uncomfortable.
It made him feel seen.
He turned on the shower and stepped under the cold water, inhaling sharply as it hit his skin.
"Okay… that's cold," he muttered under his breath.
But he didn't step away.
Instead, he stayed there, letting the water run over him, from his head down to his toes. It grounded him. Slowed everything down.
He closed his eyes, letting his mind drift back to everything that had just happened.
The way Matt looked at him.
The way he spoke.
Like it meant something.
Jordy opened his eyes slowly.
And smiled.
When he finished, he dried off and stepped back into the room.
Matt glanced at him briefly before standing up. "My turn."
Jordy nodded and moved back toward the bed, pulling the covers over himself. The fabric felt cool against his skin, calming him further.
But his mind wasn't quiet.
He stared at the ceiling, thinking.
About what this meant.
About what would happen when they got back.
About Ella.
The sound of the shower stopping pulled him out of his thoughts. A few minutes later, Matt walked back in, drying his hair with a towel.
Jordy glanced at him, then quickly looked away.
Matt noticed.
"What?" he asked.
Jordy shook his head. "Nothing."
Matt frowned slightly, sitting on the bed. "That didn't sound like nothing."
Jordy hesitated, then sighed softly. "I'm just thinking."
"About?"
"Everything."
Matt nodded slowly. "Yeah. Me too."
He lay down beside Jordy, pulling the covers over himself and turning slightly toward him.
Jordy shifted closer without thinking.
Matt's arm wrapped around him naturally, like it belonged there.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Matt broke the silence.
"I'm going to end things with Ella when we get back."
Jordy stilled slightly.
He didn't pull away, but he didn't respond immediately either.
After a moment, he lifted his head to look at him. "Are you sure?"
Matt nodded. "Yeah."
Jordy searched his face carefully. "Or are you just saying that because of this?"
Matt shook his head. "No. I've been thinking about it before today."
Jordy raised an eyebrow slightly. "Before today?"
"Yeah," Matt said. "I just didn't know how to say it."
Jordy held his gaze. "And now you do?"
Matt hesitated, then gave a small, uncertain shake of his head. "Not completely."
Jordy let out a quiet breath. "Then don't rush it."
Matt frowned slightly. "I don't want to hurt her."
"You will," Jordy said gently. "No matter how you do it."
Matt's expression tightened a little.
"But that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it," Jordy added.
Matt nodded slowly.
After a moment, Jordy spoke again.
"Are you ready for everything that comes after that?"
Matt looked at him. "What do you mean?"
Jordy hesitated before asking quietly, "Are you ready for people to know?"
The question lingered in the air.
Matt didn't answer.
He looked away slightly, his expression shifting into something more uncertain.
Jordy watched him for a moment, then nodded softly. "I understand."
Matt exhaled, rubbing his face. "It's not that I'm ashamed. I just… don't know how to deal with everything that comes with it."
"You don't have to figure it out all at once," Jordy said.
Matt looked at him again. "You make it sound easy."
"It's not," Jordy replied. "But it's yours. You figure it out your way."
Matt studied him for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Thanks."
Jordy shrugged lightly. "Don't mention it."
They fell into silence again, but this time it felt calmer.
Matt's hand moved slowly along Jordy's back, absentminded but comforting.
Jordy's breathing gradually slowed.
Matt shifted slightly. "You tired?"
Jordy nodded against him. "Yeah."
"Me too."
There was a small pause before Matt pulled him closer.
"Stay," he said quietly.
Jordy didn't argue.
He just settled into him, letting the warmth surround him.
And slowly, without another word, they both drifted off to sleep.