‘Yeah, that’s one of the perks, in a way. I’m based in London but I can be away for weeks at a time. So last month I was in Liverpool, finishing up a project with a major gallery, and next month I’ll be in Cardiff doing some stuff with a branch of the council.’

‘Doesn’t it get a bit tiring?’

‘What’s that?’

‘All that travelling,’ says Matt. ‘Having to spend chunks of time in different places. Doesn’t it make it hard to get settled?’

Tim has picked up a stick from the ground next to him, and as he stares into the fire, thinking, he breaks off bits of wood and throws them into the flames. After a few seconds he looks back at Matt.

‘I actually quite like it,’ he says. ‘I get bored easily in one place, I think. It’s good for me, seeing different cities. Sometimes I even think I might like to move abroad, even if it was only for a year or two.’

‘Do you get back to Southampton much?’ asks James. ‘You know, to visit old uni friends.’

‘Not if I can avoid it,’ Tim laughs. ‘No, I had enough of Southampton in the three years I was there, I think. Besides, most people I know from uni have moved on now.’

Tim throws another segment of stick into the fire, and Matt reaches out to take his water – now boiling nicely – off the heat.

‘Do you ever think you’ll get bored of coming back here?’ He’s pouring the water into a mug as he asks the question, but he keeps flicking glances at Tim through the rising steam.

Tim throws his last piece of wood into the fire and watches it burn. He nods his head, slowly, and for a second Matt isn’t sure if he’s heard the question.

‘No, I wouldn’t get bored,’ Tim says at last. ‘I think I’d always want to come back here, every once in a while.’

James looks from Tim to Matt, then back to Tim again. ‘It’s an important place, isn’t it,’ he says. ‘For us.’

Tim nods. Matt isn’t sure if it’s just the light from the fire playing tricks, but for a second he thinks Tim might be about to cry.

‘Sometimes,’ Matt says carefully. ‘I think about driving back down here myself. I’ve thought about doing it a couple of times, particularly on the years when we haven’t been able to meet up.’

Tim’s staring into the fire. He nods his head without saying anything.

‘I thought about coming down last summer, actually,’ says Matt.

Tim’s eyes flick up from the fire and find Matt’s face, then flick back to the flames again.

‘Do you guys ever think about doing that? You know, just getting away from everything and coming down here for a day or two?’