Chapter 1 – Between Closed Doors

Matt leaned against the wall of the club, sweat prickling his skin as the bass rattled through the floor. The lights flashed in time with the music, making everything blurry, and the air was thick with perfume, alcohol, and sweat. Normally, he hated clubs—too loud, too crowded, too chaotic—but tonight wasn’t normal. Tonight was the second day of his birthday, and he was here to celebrate with Ella.

At least, that was the plan.

Then he saw him. Jordy.

He was standing across the crowded floor with his friend, looking out of place but completely confident at the same time. Jordy had been dragged here by that friend, probably complaining the entire way, and yet he looked calm, almost like he belonged. Something about him caught Matt off guard immediately.

Ella and Jordy’s friend were mutual acquaintances, which was why they ended up at the same table. Drinks were poured, laughter bounced off the walls, and for a while, everything felt normal. Jordy kept to the edge of the group, observing quietly, sipping his drink, while Matt found himself stealing glances, again and again. Every time their eyes met, Matt’s stomach flipped. Every smile Jordy gave, every slight movement, pulled him in deeper.

At first, they just talked casually. About the music, the crowd, the club. But somehow, the conversation shifted. Jordy admitted—almost casually—that he liked guys. Matt froze for a second, unsure what to do. Not because he was judging, but because it stirred something in him he didn’t expect.

“You’re serious?” Matt asked quietly, leaning closer.

“Yeah,” Jordy said, shrugging. “Not like it matters. Just… thought I’d say it.”

Matt didn’t look away. He couldn’t. His heart was already racing.

Later, Jordy excused himself to the restroom. Matt followed without thinking, instinct taking over. He didn’t know why he was doing it—maybe curiosity, maybe something stronger—but he had to. Jordy didn’t stop at the restroom either. He slipped past the crowd, through a small hallway, and into a little corner behind the bar.

“You didn’t have to follow me,” Jordy said softly, glancing over his shoulder.

“I had to,” Matt said, grinning slightly. “I wasn’t leaving without saying hi… or whatever this is.”

Jordy rolled his eyes but didn’t step back. The corner was dark, private, and for the first time, the thumping bass from the dance floor faded into the background.

Matt leaned closer. “You’re not leaving, are you?”

“Not yet,” Jordy admitted, voice low.

Their lips met. First slow, careful, testing the waters. Then more urgent. Matt’s hands tangled in Jordy’s hair, moved across his back, brushing against the warmth under his shirt. Jordy’s hands slid beneath Matt’s, exploring, feeling, testing. Every touch made them shiver, every brush of skin sent sparks through both of them.

“Matt…” Jordy whispered, breathless. “I shouldn’t… someone could—”

“Not thinking about anyone else,” Matt said. “Just this. Right now.”

Jordy leaned in again. Kisses deepened. Hands roamed. Shirts began to lift, brushing against skin, tentative at first, then more confident. Matt felt his chest tighten as he noticed Jordy’s face flushed, hands trembling slightly.

“Matt… are you sure?” Jordy asked, voice low.

“I’m sure,” Matt said, pressing a hand to Jordy’s side. “Just… don’t stop.”

They didn’t. Shirts went over heads, hands explored freely, lips meeting urgently. Matt’s mind raced. Ella. The risk. The crowd outside. But none of that mattered in this corner. None of it mattered when Jordy’s hands were on him, when his lips were pressing against his.

Hours earlier, it had all seemed so normal. Matt had spent the day before his birthday quietly with Ella, celebrating small, simple things. Cake, laughs, a few gifts, nothing over the top. But that night, he had come here to keep celebrating. Jordy hadn’t planned to be here at all. Dragged along by his friend, he had expected a few hours of loud music and lights, nothing more. He didn’t expect to meet Matt, didn’t expect to feel this pull.

Now, pressed together in the corner, Matt’s mind replayed the events leading up to this. The table, the drinks, the casual conversation. Jordy’s casual admission about liking guys. The way Matt had felt his stomach tighten, his chest pound, the way he couldn’t look away. And now here they were, shirts halfway off, hands exploring, lips barely parting for breath.

Matt could feel Jordy’s heartbeat through his chest. He could feel every small tremor, every nervous shiver. He could feel the heat pooling in his stomach, spreading downwards, making him ache. His own hands trembled slightly, brushing over skin, trying to memorize the way it felt.

“God…” Jordy whispered, his forehead resting against Matt’s. “This… is insane.”

Matt chuckled softly. “Yeah. And I like it.”

They kissed again, slow and messy at first, then faster, rougher, hungrier. Every movement was a negotiation, a test, a challenge, and neither wanted to stop. Jordy pressed closer, hands sliding over Matt’s sides, fingers brushing skin he hadn’t felt before. Matt responded in kind, hands roaming Jordy’s back, tracing the line of his shoulders, feeling the taut warmth beneath his hands.

Every now and then, one of them paused, breathing hard, looking at the other, and in that brief moment, they were acutely aware of the impossibility of what they were doing. But then lips met again, hands exploring, the thrill of being caught, the danger, the secrecy—everything combined into a sensation they couldn’t resist.

Matt’s mind drifted briefly. Ella. His parents. The people outside this corner. They could walk in at any moment. But the pull was too strong. Jordy’s skin, his lips, his shivers under Matt’s touch—it made all reason fade.

The corner became their world. Low murmurs, gasps, and soft laughs mingled with shallow breathing. Shirts came off completely now, hands exploring freely, lips brushing and teasing, almost making out fully but stopping just short. Matt realized, for the first time, that this night had changed something in him. He didn’t know what it was exactly, only that he didn’t want it to stop.

Time passed, or maybe it didn’t. He wasn’t sure. The music outside had slowed to a gentler beat, but they barely noticed. They were wrapped around each other, tangled in arms and legs, pressed together, shivering from heat and desire.

Finally, they paused, chests heaving, lips barely apart. Both of them were flushed, sweaty, and breathing hard. The tension between them was thick, almost unbearable.

“This… this is crazy,” Jordy said quietly, finally breaking the silence, eyes dark with heat and hesitation.

Matt smiled faintly, brushing a hand down his back. “Yeah. But I like it.”

They lingered in that space, half-naked, trembling slightly, lips hovering, hands tracing skin. Neither wanted to move. Neither wanted to leave the moment. It was dangerous, reckless, forbidden, and perfect.