Pretense
The first time Matt sees Mello after all that time was something to the effect of a nightmare. He's filled by such a flow of conflicting emotions that he's never even felt before; he's almost drowning as every nerve in his body tingles and sparks with something. He's never felt this way. Not even when his parents died.
Mello's standing there like it's nothing out of the ordinary, like it's his God-given right to desert somebody and fuck with their mind, then appear out of nowhere like nothing ever happened.
It makes Matt sick.
He's so happy that Mello's back, and alive; but he's angry as fuck. He wants to embrace Mello, to feel Mello's body against his, to kiss Mello's eye lids and know that Mello's real and tangible. He wants to punch Mello and leave him for dead, lying in a bloodied pulp on the dingy carpet.
He wants to forget everything that ever happened and think that everything will be just as it used to be, sunshine and flowers and unicorns and all. He wants to turn his back and walk out of the room, forgetting everything and going back to Life Without Mello.
He wants to bring up one of their numerous inside jokes and spend the afternoon rolling on the floor laughing like stupid little girls at a slumber party. He wants to scream at Mello, demand answers and ask Mello if he just fucking knows what kind of shit he put him through.
Instead, unclenches his fisted hand, half-smiles, and mumbles a "hey" like it's the most natural thing in the world.
A/N: Something I recently found while thumbing through a binder. According to the date, it's a few days short of being a year old.
Oh yes, and a general disclaimer: I don't own Death Note.
Thanks for reading. :)