Run-ons, implications of sex among other things. Written for iu_fanfiction's 8th challenge prompt, 5. In the nick of time. Mello/Matt.
All disclaimers apply.
Hide and Seek
'Tis not love's going hurts my days.
But that it went in little ways.
- Edna St. Vincent Millay
the dawn breaks
They were always together, like two peas in a pod. Inseparable.
Sometimes, they spent their days playing and running under the sun, usually after each other (but on times, they found a stray dog to play with). Or on days when the sun was nowhere, and outside, it was wet, they'd stay at the other's house, huddled under one blanket, reading Dr. Seuss or dressing the house cat up or watching the telly.
But most of the time, it was hide-and-seek.
Though only one of them was almost always It, they'd never get tired. They were in constant amazement that no matter what happened, that no matter where they hid, one would always find the other and they'd be home after dark. Always.
Always.
The time came when Roger referred to them as one – and soon enough, they did, too.
It was their idea of the world. Mello and Matt. One who didn't have the red hair was Mello, and the one who didn't have the chocolate in his hands was Matt. They never talked much, though, you'd be surprised to find out. One grunt, and they knew it was time to go back to the house. One smile, and you knew that they were okay. They had a language of their own, those two. And they didn't mind that no one else could understand.
And one day, everything changed.
"I'm going to beat Near," Mello had announced. "That's why I'm starting school this year."
"S-School?" Matt stuttered, as he looked up quickly from his video game. His young mind began whirring with ideas and questions like should I start going to school, too?
"You can't come."
Matt's jaw dropped and his eyes widened in horror. "Why not?" he demanded, throwing his video game away in a fit. He never did that.
Mello's face flushed deep red and he turned around. "Because you're not smart enough."
And he burst into a loud sob.
-
the high noon
After that, things changed. Though, technically, things were the same, Matt knew for sure that that moment was the last day of their little paradise. He said nothing against it, for years later, he understood, yet there was a feeling of loneliness deep in him that he could not understand. Like he was constantly being pulled into a hole where Mello was supposed to be.
The friendship, at least, was there.
Mello still came over to his room, even though it was mostly by Roger's orders. Matt did, too. Mello ended up being good in school – the second, actually – so he was asked to coax Matt into studying harder. That boy has potential, Roger insisted. If only he isn't so intent on playing that bloody little game of his.
Math. Science. English. Matt purposely did not do well, though, in every subject that he could use as an excuse to see his friend. It was humiliating but Matt didn't care.
Those years were the longest.
Seasons passed, uniforms changed, voices and faces were not quite as childish anymore – yet it went on, Matt's futile grip onto the days that he wished to keep. Before he knew it, they were already almost grown up.
There were many things that happened, despite the monotonous pattern of their relationship (if one could call it that). Fights, medals, awards, chocolates and cigarettes. There was also a time when Mello felt lonely, and Matt felt that he wanted to comfort him – and he did.
Matt treasured those little moments, and swore never to forget them. Whatever happened.
And then that came.
-
the sun set
"I'm moving out."
Matt stared at him, mouth agape.
"Hey," he said, waving off his expression. "I hate that face."
It was the face he gave him way back when he first went to school. Matt didn't change his expression. Mello only scowled and shrugged, digging his hands into his pockets.
"'In our story, it was bound to happen'," Mello said. "At least, that's what Near told me to tell you. I'm following him out, but I'm not teaming up with him, the little bitch."
Matt's eyes betrayed no emotion. He knew these kinds of plots. He knew that the one left behind always cried or begged the other person to stay. He'd change everything. He won't be the same, and maybe, maybe, the plot wouldn't unfold as it's supposed to.
"I don't even know why I'm telling you this," Mello finally said, exasperated. "See you around." And he turned to leave.
Matt said nothing, silently wishing that he was right.
And he was gone.
-
nightfall
Matt never forgot about Mello.
He never came back, he never called, and he never wrote. But Matt remembered; he always did.
He knew that there'd be the time when he'd have go out of his nested little world to look for him, to see him, to make it all come back. And he did.
Most of the time, it was hide-and-seek.
He didn't know what he was looking for – the Mello he knew was gone, and the world was too big for him to find one person. That, alone, was for certain.
Sometimes, though, he'd catch glimpses of Mello as child in a few people. Sometimes, Mello the teenager. Sometimes, he'd see Mello as the one he gave himself up to, and sometimes, he just saw him like someone he didn't know.
In the end, Matt got tired of searching.
He'd always find me, he decided, and he waited.
Weren't they were always together, like two peas in a pod? Inseparable?
But then, Matt was only human. He knew how to give up. And one day, he almost did.
It was past dark already and Mello still hadn't found him. Every single fucking day he had waited. This game had gone long enough for him – he was getting scared, listless… he didn't know what else there is to do. He wanted to get out… maybe nobody was looking for him after all.
The phone rang.
the sunrise.
FIN
And so... there.