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୨⎯ "𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂 𝒙 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆" ⎯୧
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : guts - all time low
ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ : ▮▮▮▮▮▮▯▯▯

Is this what it feels like?
Finding out
That I've got the guts to say anything

𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. . .

theacesofficial posted a story!

Gemma and Avery sat down opposite Jade whilst Josie was in the booth. Max, the producer they worked with on Sound Mind, was sat in a roller chair listening to Josie's vocals.

They had been finishing up recording their new EP for the past two weeks with Max and they were getting ready to wrap it up. The EP would mainly consist of songs that didn't make it onto the album but also songs that the girls had written since being in Boston. These songs could only be described as vulnerable in a way they hadn't really been before. Whilst Sound Mind could be described as a breakup album, Letters from Boston would have songs on it about falling all over again.

Jade had come up with the name last week when they had all been having a quiet dinner together with Johnny. Avery had managed to make some edible pasta and they all sat down to listen to songs that they just adored, the five friends spent the evening laughing, reminiscing and just relaxing without the pressure of the outside world. They were safe in their bubble of pasta, quiet music and cherry blossom scented candles.

Now in the studio though, they were tired and antsy for numerous reasons. Jade had been on and off the phone all day, seemingly more stressed out everytime she walked back into the room. Avery was apparently coming down with a cold at the end of July and Josie just seemed dazed in a way that Gemma couldn't put her finger on. Johnny had been in with them earlier today before he left to do some press of his own.

Louise walked into the room and sat down next to Jade, putting down bags of food and a tray of drinks as she went. Their manager pulled out various takeaway boxes and cleared as much of the table as she could, putting down napkins to avoid any spillages whilst they all ate.

When Josie exited the booth she took the spot on the other side of Avery and reached for some food just as her phone screen lit up.

incoming call from chris sturniolo

Gemma's eyes widened as Josie quickly snatched the phone off the table where she had put it and held it up to her ear.

Nervously, she spoke "Hey... what's up?"

Jade, Gemma and Avery all shared a confused but some what expecting look, like they all knew this was coming. Josie caught on and stood slowly, trying to make it look like she didn't care for the three pairs of eyes that were on her as she walked out of the room and into the hallway.

Avery watches her leave and then shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly "we all knew it was going to happen"

Jade nodded along whilst shoving a forkful of food into her mouth. Gemma shifted in her seat and looked at the door perplexed.

"What about Charlie? Wasn't she just freaking out about her?"

Avery shrugs again "Who knows. Not our business I guess"

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

Johnny sits at the kitchen island in their Airbnb, watching Gemma and Jade shuffle around the kitchen in an attempt to prep for dinner. Gemma looked through her Spotify and played her regular playlist, letting the music flow through the kitchen at a medium volume as Jade started to cook.

Johnny nodded along to San Fransisco by the driver era and Gemma set the kitchen table before Avery came whirling out of the room she was sleeping in, beelining it straight to the front door. When she pulled the door open, Matt, Nick and Chris were stood on the other side smiling. Avery excitedly invited them in and then led them to the kitchen.

Johnny got up to greet the three of them and Gemma continued to set the table whilst flashing them the biggest smile, her eye's immediately landing on Matt.

He strolled over to her and took the remaining plates out of her hands "Let me help"

Gemma placed a cup down on the table "I'm almost finished here, Matty"

Matt shrugged and clutched the plates close to his chest so Gemma couldn't grab them "Well I've got the plates now so you might as well let me do it"

Gemma smiles and places her hand on his shoulder "Thanks Matt"

As she goes to walk behind him, he leans into her personal space and close to her ear as subtly as he can "Where's Jose? I need to talk to her"

Gemma's eyebrows knit together "Yeah I need to talk to Chris"

Matt, who wasn't expecting that, raises his eyebrows and briefly looks at Chris over Gemma's shoulder. He's blissfully unaware of what Matt and Gemma are speaking about as he helps Jade cook whilst talking to Johnny and Nick. When Matt realises that Gemma is pinning him with an expectant look, he caves.

"It's about Charlie"

"I know"

Matt can't hide the surprise on his face at Gemma's short but sure answer "Has Josie said anything more?"

"Not really... but Chris called her today and she left the room as she answered it. I think Avery tried to ask her about it when we got home but she kind of danced around the subject."

Matt nods thoughtfully "I'll talk to her. If you end up asking Chris about it, don't pry. He might just shut you down completely but don't take it to heart, okay?"

Gemma's face softens and she gingerly places her hand on his bicep "If he doesn't want to talk about it I won't make him. It's not my business and I'd only ask him for the sake of Jose"

Matt taps her hand "I know"

Gemma smiles again and goes to open her mouth when Avery comes up behind the two of them and swings her arms over both of their shoulders "Alright kiddies how about we pick a movie to start while Jade and Chris cook?"

Gemma rolls her eyes and ducks out from underneath Avery's arm "We aren't watching Toy Story again. We watched the whole series last night"

Avery rolls her eyes and tightens her grip on Matt "Matt will watch Toy Story, won't you Matt?"

He looks to Gemma and then to Avery and shrugs "I'll watch whatever you guys put on"

Avery grins with triumph and cheekily turns to Gemma, who has pointed her finger at Matt.

"Stop encouraging her! I can't watch Toy Story again! I can't do it!"

"We're NOT watching Toy Story, Avery!" Jade raises her voice from the stove

Avery rolls her eyes, pokes her tongue out at Gemma and goes to drag Nick and Johnny to the couch, wasting no time in claiming the best spots. Gemma tries again to take the remaining plates off Matt but he holds them closer to his chest "let me finish, then we'll go sit"

"I can finish setting the table Matthew"

"Let me help Gemma"

Gemma rolls her eyes in defeat and moves to the kitchen to begin getting drinks for everyone when Chris looks at her from over his shoulder "That's a nice sweater Gem, where's you get it?"

Gemma looks down at herself and for the first time tonight, notices what she's wearing. She looks back at Chris "your brother, obviously"

Chris grins and leans in towards her a little bit "Obviously"

Gemma teasingly shakes her head at him and then makes her way to the couch, tapping Avery on the head as she goes to take a seat on next to Nick. Matt wastes no time in joining her as he puts himself right next to her, shuffling in his new seat to get comfortable. Gemma shoulders him in an attempt to get him to stop but Matt simply rests his arm behind her head and begins to fiddle with the shoulder of the green dinosaur sweater.

Gemma whispers as Nick and Avery argue over a movie "Don't get too comfortable, we'll have to get up and eat soon"

Matt shrugs "That's fine"

Gemma rolls her eyes and leans slightly into him but not so much that it's obvious to anyone but the two of them as Avery finally picks a movie.

Josie chooses that exact moment to come out of the room, blanket and phone in hand as she plops herself down next to Johnny. He whispers something in her ear and she nods before exchanging a quick glance with Matt from the opposite end of the couch.

As she looks away Matt looks to Gemma before patting her shoulder reassuringly and settling back into the couch.

The movie playing, combined with Jade and Chris' low chatter from the kitchen allows Gemma to momentarily forget about the interaction.

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

Dinner goes smoothly. There's laughing and non-stop chatter and Avery, Nick and Matt argue about what type of drink is best to have with different meals. Jade provides peanut gallery commentary and Johnny laughs along with the arguing trio, Gemma voices her opinion every now and again and Josie and Chris murmur quietly at the end of the table.

To Gemma it looks like they're in their own bubble, a bubble that pops whenever Chris feels the need to try to change Nick's apparently wrong opinions. Gemma looks to the pair and wonders if that's what her and Matt look like normally.

By the time they had finished eating and finished watching the movie, it was almost eleven thirty and Gemma was dozing off on Matt's shoulder. He checked his phone and silently held it up to show both Nick and Chris the time.

Upon seeing it, they both stood as quietly as they could, Avery, Jade and Johnny following their lead so they wouldn't startle Gemma as her head rolled on Matt's shoulder.

He lightly shook her arm and she lifted her head off of him, choosing to rest her chin on his shoulder instead as she listened to him whisper.

"We're gonna go, but I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

Gemma barely registered what he was saying before she was nodding in an attempt to tell him that she understood. He smiled at her and fished his keys out of his pocket, handing them off to Chris.

"Go get in the van, I'm gonna take her to bed"

Chris took the keys from his hand and Jade spoke from where she was standing next to Chris "Don't worry about her Matt, she'll probably just sleep on the couch tonight"

Matt shook his head no and slowly began to stand "Nah it's okay, I've got her"

Josie tilted her head and nodded at him "second door on the left is where she's sleeping"

Matt nodded again and stood fully in front of Gemma before grabbing her hand and reluctantly pulling her up. Her eyes opened barely once she realised that she was being moved.

"Where are we going?"

Matt held onto her hand and let her steady herself as she leant on him, her words getting muffled because she was talking directly into his arm.

"I'm going home, you're going to bed"

Gemma tried to pull away from him "I'll walk you out"

Matt shook his head and began to slowly lead her to her room "Don't worry about us, let's just get you to bed"

He pushed open the door to her room and lightly pushed her in the direction of the bed. Groggily, she pulled back the covers and flopped down underneath them as Matt pulled them up to her chin. He patted the duvet and began to turn to walk when Gemma's hand fell from underneath the covers and grabs his own.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Her words were slightly slurred and her grip was loose but Matt focused on her tapping her forehead.

He looked at her puzzled for a moment before leaning down and gingerly placing a kiss on her forehead. She smiled contently and hurried herself further under her covers "Thanks Matty"

All Matt could do was smile at her and lightly brush a few stray pieces of hair out of her face "I'll talk to you tomorrow sunshine"

She wasn't going to let him get away that easy though

"You know that song? The one that's about you?"

Matt stood at the end of her bed confused "Yeah?"

Gemma nodded in her dazed state "That's not the only one. I'd show them to you but I don't want to scare you"

Matt, now shocked and slightly flustered, somehow managed to get out a coherent response "Scare me?"

She nodded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world "Yeah, it's like history repeating. I write a song about a boy and then he fucks me over so all I've got left is this great song and a shitty boy"

Matt let's his jaw drop at the honest admission, not knowing what to do in this situation other than try to reassure her that he really doesn't plan on going anywhere. He braces himself on the bedframe and thinks momentarily of what to say.

Her words leave a bubbly feeling in his stomach, like he's a bottle of sofa that has been shaken and he's waiting to pop. There's nothing that could've prepared him for what she said, not really anyway. But he knows that if she's said it while she's basically asleep that she didn't know how to say it to him normally.

"Gem, you writing a song, or songs, about me doesn't scare me." Matt is sure and confident in his answer, like he needs her to know, even if he isn't 100% sure she'll realise what she has said after she gets a good nights rest.

"We'll see Matt"

Just as Matt goes to speak, his phone buzzes in his pocket

iMessage
Chris
where r u

iMessage
Chris
hurry up

iMessage
Nick
Stop flirting and come get in the car we look weird sitting in their driveway

Matt rolls his eyes and sighs deeply before quickly making his way back to Gemma's side. She looks like she's just about to knock out when spots the notepad and pen on her bedside table.

Quickly, he writes her a note to wake up too.

You couldn't scare me off with songs, I love everything you write.
I'm also not finn.
Talk to you tomorrow sunshine
- Matty

Making a swift but quiet exit out of her room, he says goodbye to Josie, Avery, Jade and Johnny and speed walks to the van.

Chris and Nick are both on their phones when he gets in the car and neither of them waste any time in trying to interrogate him about why he took so long

"What the fuck were you doing?" Chris asks from the passenger seat

Matt starts the car and backs out of the driveway, beginning to drive the three of them home "She wanted to tell me something so we talked for a bit, sorry"

Chris looks questioningly to Nick in the back and Nick speaks up "Did you talk about you two?"

Matt tilts his head and makes eye contact with Nick through the rear view mirror

"Something like that"

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OKAYYYYY how did we like it? Was it soft enough? Idk man I'm just a sucker for half asleep honesty and forehead kisses pls sue me!!

Thank u for reading, hope you're having a good week <3