I hate abusing Matt T_T Anyway, this is a request from ThruSpring. The prompt was "rude comedian." You can ask her why; I forget why. Oh, and it's Axcent, in case you hadn't guessed ^^

Stand Up

Matt was sitting on a ratty old couch, it's true colour lost to the innumerable and unnamable stains covering the mismatched cushions. It was probably grey, it's surface rough even in the beginning. No wonder no one wanted it except the gamer and his sadistic boyfriend. Said boyfriend was leaning with his elbows over the couch, rolling his eyes at Matt's enthusiasm over Zelda. The redhead was playing his way through Twilight Princess again, herding goats on Epona to earn the right to practice jumping her. Practice Matt didn't need, with his level of gaming ability, but he liked going through all the aspects of the game, every time.

"Matt, I refuse to spend another night watching you run through the same fucking game over and over." Mello growled as Matt chased the last goat into it's little barn. The blonde shifted his weight so his face was closer to the other's, letting his breath curl over Matt's neck and smirking as the redhead squirmed.

"I like this game." Matt whined, tilting away from Mello and sending Link out to look for rupees to buy him a slingshot.

Mello rested his chin on Matt's shoulder, circling his arms around the other boy's shoulders. "I'm taking you out."

Matt stopped his character and tried to twist around and look Mello in the eyes, but he ended up watching somewhere near the blonde's arm. He didn't really enjoy going out in public, Mello knew that. "I'm perfectly happy spending time with you here." He told Mello's arm, glad he wasn't in the middle of a more important mission, one where this type of distraction would be futile.

Mello smiled, pecking Matt on the cheek. "Take a shower. You smell like shit." Then Mello straightened, walked briskly around the couch, and flicked off Matt's game console.

"Fuck! Mello! Why would you do that?" Matt tossed his controller to the side and stood, pulling his goggles down around his neck and widening his eyes at Mello, his eyebrows ducking and his lower lip quivering.

Mello turned away, choosing to ignore Matt's pleading expression. "You're taking a shower, changing into something clean, then getting your sorry ass into the car." His tone was one of finality, no room for arguing.

Obediently Matt slouched his way into the bathroom, still watching Mello under his bangs, putting on his best act of being sad and mistreated. Mello stood, his arms crossed, in the middle of the living room, the rosary around his neck glinting, his eyes hard. He was not falling for Matt's games this time. The redhead seriously needed to be reintroduced to the outside world, no matter how unhappy he was about it. Truthfully, Mello was a little disappointed that the other wasn't more excited to go out with him. They never went on anything you could call a date, and, Mello was loathe to admit, he wanted to. Other couples did, and he craved that semblance of normality in his abnormal life.

He also wouldn't might peeking at Matt in the shower.


When Matt was finally changed into a clean(er) shirt and sitting grumpily beside Mello in his red Camaro, he finally asked what might be considered an important question. "Where are we going?"

Mello shook his head, tapping the steering wheel. He had somehow convinced Matt to let him drive the precious car, in much the same way he convinced the redhead to shower. "I have no idea." He had never really thought of that.

"If we don't have a destination, we should just go back inside." Matt blinked up at Mello, smiling at his loophole. He really did like spending time with Mello, but he'd prefer to do it without other people there too. Crowds made him a little uncomfortable, whereas Mello revealed in any attention that came his way. Hence the leather outfit. It sure was an attention grabber. Matt didn't really like when other people stared at Mello either, prefering to keep the blonde to himself.

Mello shook his head again, the corners of his mouth twitching. "We'll drive around until I find somewhere."

"Why don't we just drive around, and not find somewhere?" Matt suggested, pulling his goggles up over his eyes as Mello pulled out of the parking lot.

Mello didn't answer, speeding down the road and choosing to ignore Matt's lack of enthusiasm. After a few random turns, he stopped in front of a quaint building with a short line flowing from the door. The sign outside advertised live entertainment, free drinks, and good food. Mello jerked the steering wheel into the lot and pulled into a parking space. By this time, Matt was actually a little excited. Being in the car with Mello, on the way to something Matt's mind had finally registered as a date, was almost exciting. When he thought of it that way, of course, instead of thinking about being dragged outside and thrown into a pile of rabid people.

"I am willing to cooperate." The redhead told Mello, nodding seriously as he opened the passenger door.

Mello climbed out of the car too and walked to Matt's side, heading into the restaurant, his fingers curling around the other boy's. Matt smiled. He liked having Mello hold his hand.

When they reached the door, people certainly looked. Matt blushed as they stood, feeling eyes on him as well as Mello. He shifted, leaning against the blonde and looking around when they began to move into the building. Mello could feel Matt's discomfort, and lead him to a far table, where less people were sitting. They both sat in opposite chairs, Mello glaring at everyone around them and Matt tracing the lines in the wooden table in front of him.

A waiter drifted through the masses, taking orders and placing small white plates in front of couples. He seemed to be avoiding where Matt and Mello sat, swerving around them without so much as a glance in their direction.

After a few minutes during which both boys sat in comfortable silence, communicating with their eyes and small smiles, a man jumped onto the stage, bringing a black mic stand with him. "How is everyone tonight?" He asked the crowd jovially, grinning broadly, his demeanour one of extreme confidence.

The crowd cheered, lifting glasses to the man.

"Yeah, hi to you too!" The man tapped his foot on the stage, scanning the tables closest to him with murky eyes. "I'm Demetry, aspiring comedian, full time ladies man." He laughed, and several people smiled up at him from their seats, sipping at various drinks. One person screamed out "Hi Demetry!" Obviously intoxicated. "This is my first show." He continued, saluting the drunk man in the back.

Matt adjusted his goggles, clutching Mello's hand under the table. He was glad he'd come, just so he could stare at Mello without the blonde noticing and taunting him. He didn't pay much attention as the comedian continued, the crowd laughing. Eventually, Matt did tune in to the cocky face of the man onstage, when Mello's face turned into a scowl.

"The Weasley family is huge! I mean seriously folks, they're everywhere. You know what I'm talking about. Right? How about you, over there. Redheads are ruining your life. I can just tell." The comedian was laughing at himself, and a lot of the crowd was laughing at him too, most of the people's cheeks flushed, alcoholic drinks in their hands. Mello was not laughing.

"I like red hair." He muttered, scowling.

Matt shook his head, squeezing Mello's hand. "It's not personal, Mels. Stop being so-"

"How about you! You're a ginger, there in the back!" Matt stopped as the man named Demetry pointed over at him, his eyes widening behind his goggles. "You know this is couple's night, right?"

Matt tilted his head. No, he hadn't known that. What a nice coincendence, seeing as he was there with Mello. They were a couple. Mello scowled at the man. Matt was about to point out the luck they'd had when the comedian started again.

"Isn't that a boy with you? Or does someone need a bit more makeup?" The audience laughed at that too.

Matt flushed, tightening his grip on Mello's hand as the blonde lept out of his chair. "I'm going to kill him." Mello growled between clenched teeth, shaking off Matt's fingers.

"You are a boy! Look at that, folks. That kids a ginger and he's gay too."

Mello stormed through the tables, clambering up onto the stage to look the man in the eye. He was considerably shorter than Demetry, as well as narrower. The comedian laughed at Mello, backing away and turning to the crowd, ready to bring the microphone back up to his lips, then stumbled sideways and fell as Mello's fist collided with the side of his face. The crowd laughed again. In the back, Matt was standing and watching Mello in shock, his arms crossed over his 1-up mushroom t-shirt.

Mello gave the guy a final look of disgust before jumping off the stage, moving towards where Matt stood, grabbing the redhead by the arm, and leading him out of the building.

"This is one of the reasons I don't let you take me out." Matt muttered as Mello stormed towards the car, his grip still around Matt's arm.

"I was defending your pride." Mello growled, opening the door for Matt and huffing.

"I'm pretty sure you were protecting yours." The redhead told Mello as the other boy started the car, his eyes softening and a smile in his voice. "I told you we should have just driven around. You need to take my advice more often."

Mello snorted, pulling away from the parking lot and turning into traffic. "I might, if you're advice didn't involve 24 hour gaming marathons on the couch."

Matt nodded, looking out the window. "We always end up there anyway. Why not just stay?"


A/N: Gettit? Probably not, but hehe. I amuse myself.