AN: And now for the fic that has been promised for like a month! :) I was originally going to wait to post this until Interrogation was over... but... It was reported and deleted! Damn fanfiction Nazis! Anyways, this is a MelloxMatt fic, so they'll be yaoi, but no lemons. It will eventually be AU, but is pretty cannon. For clarification purposes, the italics indicate flashbacks. Please read and review! And review my new fic I wrote on Misa... wah no one reviewed! :'( So, that will be all! Enjoy!
It was a day just like any other in my purposeless, painfully monotonous life. I slapped at my alarm clock when it extracted me from my dreamless slumber. I cracked open my eyes, heavy from long hours of gaming the previous night, and attempted to avert my gaze from the empty bed across the room- the bed that had been empty for three years. I suppressed a forlorn sigh as my bare feet silently met the carpet.
How...dull. Years ago, my life was never dull. And years ago, today wouldn't have been just another day. February first. Today was my seventeenth birthday. Back then, I never would have awoken alone...
Eight-year-old Matt jolted out of his sleep, instantaneously wincing as a loud high pitched voice reverberated through his sleepy mind.
"MATT! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" The screaming cherubic blonde donned a mischievous grin as he hopped onto his best friend's bed. The overwhelmed red head scrambled into a sitting position as his bed was mercilessly jostled by the jumping blonde firecracker.
"Mello?" Matt rasped. "Mello? What are you doing? It's too early to be this energetic, even for you."
Mello plopped down to face his friend, a wide grin stretched across his face. "But this isn't just any day, Matt! Today's your special day!"
"I have a special day?"
Mello's grin faltered. "Don't you remember? It's your birthday!"
"So?"
"SO?!" The small boy waved his arms in exasperation. "It's your birthday! The next important day to Christmas!"
"I didn't celebrate my birthday with my parents. Not Christmas either."
Mello's shocked expression soon morphed into an impish grin. "Well, we'll have to change that, won't we?"
Before Matt could ask how he planned to do this, he was thwacked in the back of the head with a pillow.
"M-Mello?"
The blonde made a sound suspiciously close to a squeal and dove to his side of the room, stealing himself for Matt's retaliation. A dazzling smile broke across the young gamer's face as he eagerly pulled his goggles over his eyes.
Soon, white balls of fluff were whistling though the air, chairs and other obstructions were knocked over, and blankets were haphazardly flung about.
The boys lay panting, side by side in the midst of their joyous destruction. Matt turned to face Mello. The boy's cheeks were flushed from exertion and his eyes were shining. "Thank you, Mello."
"Happy birthday, Matt."
I pulled on clothes, brushed my teeth and wandered back to my bead. I tucked in the blankets and straightened my pillow. The bed looked... nice. Everything in it's place, nothing to disturb it... nice. I pocketed my DS and darted out the door. Being in my room- our room without a single gaming device on wasn't one of my favorite past times.
I made my way to the dining hall. Just like any other day, the orphan's rambunctious chatter sizzled down to a light murmur as I came into view. They parted like the Red Sea. Even the children who had arrived in the past three years seemed to sense that I was to be given at least a three foot radius. Sideward glances, and anxious looks... they looked at me as if I was going to break down at any moment. True, I had had a life threatening breakdown- I didn't eat for two weeks, and after that needed to be force fed, and I was catatonic and suicidal- but that was years ago!
Nevertheless, I didn't mind that they all kept their distance. I had never been sociable, and other people tended to make me uncomfortable. Besides, I honestly wasn't sure what would happen if someone managed to say the wrong thing...
"Matt?" A gentle voice chimed. I looked down to see Linda, the one girl who hadn't severed all communication with me. Funny, I hadn't noticed her walk up to me.
"Yes?"
"I, uh, well... I know it's your birthday and all... so... uh... happy birthday, Matt! Seventeen, right?" She gave me a warm smile.
"That's right. Thank you, Linda." I took another step.
"Wait!" I turned back to face her. " I have something for you! Did you think I forgot? I always get you a present! Here," She pulled a previously obscured item from behind her back. "Happy birthday, Matt. I hope you like it... I worked really hard..."
I looked down at Linda's gift. It was a painting- no, that didn't do it justice- It was a masterpiece. Truly, it was one of her finest pieces. She had improved a great deal since last year. The painting depicted me... and nothing else. There I was with my goggles implanted on my face and a blank, oddly serene expression. The background was a swirl of colors, mixed together expertly so that each color both blended and contrasted with the next. It was... nice.
I glanced at her hopeful expression. She probably thought she was being a wonderful person. Only a good natured, kind, kind person would risk talking to me. But in her eyes... I saw pity. Demeaning, week, little pity... and that hurt more than silence.
"Thank you, Linda. I like it."
"MA-ATT" A small ten year old peered up from his gameboy as an overly cheerful bubbly blonde skipped up to him.
"Oh. Hi Linda," Matt replied, slightly uncomfortable by the girl's close proximity. Thankfully, the blonde boy by his side seemed to sense his friend's unease, and came to his rescue.
"Back off, Linda!" Mello grabbed her roughly by the arm and shoved her to the side. He pretended to ignore the grateful grin that was sent his way by his socially awkward best friend.
"Hey! Mello, I wasn't talking to you! It's Matt's birthday!"
"What's it to ya?" Mello stepped protectively in front of his friend.
"I just wanted to say happy birthday!" She pouted.
"Uh... thanks, Linda," Matt responded, furtively eyeing his surroundings for means of escape.
"And don't think I forgot your present! Here!" The small girl reached past the fuming chocoholic to give her gift straight to Matt. "Hope you like it!" She tossed a smile over her shoulder and hurried off, happy to have kept up her tradition of making everyone at the orphanage a present for their birthday. Both boys visibly relaxed, grateful for the absence of unwanted company.
"You gonna open it?" Mello inquired.
His companion chuckled. "What? You aren't going to try to take it from me like last year?"
"She's not your friend. She has no right to give you presents..." Mello grumbled, half to himself.
"Don't worry. I'm sure it will be nothing compared to your gift." Matt soothed, calming his friend's unspoken insecurities. The other boy gave a curt nod, blonde strands flitting into his face at the sharp movement. Matt smiled to himself, proud for once again successfully reading and calming the temperamental child. Without a word, he unceremoniously tore into the wrapping paper. When he saw Linda's latest work, he couldn't contain the wide grin that implanted itself on his face.
"What? What is it?" The impatient boy was eager to discern the reason for the distinctive twinkle in his friend's eye.
"Look." The smiling red head revealed the picture to his friend. Matt thoroughly enjoyed watching the emotions of glee, reminiscence, indignation, anger, and finally happiness flit across the other boy's face as he took in the picture. The beautiful, sentimental picture Linda had drawn.
It depicted two frail boys, one's face framed by shoulder length, golden tresses, and the other's face adorned by a pair of orange goggles. Both boy's eyes were forced into slits from the obtrusive smiles that covered their faces. Side by side, the boys sat on a swing meant for one.
Matt was not as put off as Mello by the fact that their classmate had clearly been watching them as they played in the seemingly empty playground last Tuesday. In fact, he felt a strange sort of relief that such a memory was in a tangible form. Scrawled at the bottom read: 'Happy birthday, Matt! I hope you and Mello have a happy year!' Even on his birthday, he was lumped with his demanding best friend. But as the gamer studied the joyous expressions of the two friends on his picture, he found that he didn't mind at all.
"I'm glad you like it, Matt! So I'll, uh, see you around, okay?"
"Sure." Linda gave me a small, sad smile before sauntering off. I looked down at the painting one last time. Poor, little, Matt, all alone in a swirling disarray of colors. Linda's thoughts and emotions always leaked through her art. I carefully slipped the painting into my backpack- the only gift I would be receiving this year without a doubt. I continued my daily trip to breakfast, struggling to keep my mind from drifting to the presents I used to get... one from L and one from him.
I came to a dead stop in the middle of the hallway. No. No, I was not going to think about him. I've gotten past that. Yes, I decided as I selected a plate and began shoveling random food onto it, I was past thinking of him. All that was left in my mind was my instincts, my natural intelligence, my routines, and my games.
I was about to exit the buffet line when one final dish caught my eye. A lone chocolate cake rested on the edge of the table. The knife beside it reflected the harsh florescent lighting like a cruel omen. It was clean, without blemish, without a single lingering crumb of cake. Unused. For really, who would want a slice of chocolate cake for breakfast?
"Mello," Eleven-year-old Matt was trying in vain to gain his best friend's attention.
"You're going to LOVE your present this year, Matt!"
"Mello," the remarkably patient youngster tried once more.
"But I won't tell you yet!
"Mello, I-"
"Nope!" The oblivious blonde continued. "Because it's a secret! And you're going to go insane all day wondering, won't you?
"Mels, listen, I-"
"But it will be worth it! It's gonna blow your mind, Matt!"
"MELLO!"
The rambling one jumped and whipped around to face his friend. "Jesus, Matt! You almost gave me a heart attack! Give me some warning before you yell in my ear!"
"Sorry, Mello."
"Good."
The two continued down the hallway towards breakfast, the newly dubbed eleven-year-old trailing behind the blonde like a kicked puppy.
"God, Matt! What is it?"
"What? I said I was sorry..."
"I don't care! Just... why are you being all miserable? It's your birthday! Why aren't you happy?" The agitated tween snapped, artfully masking his concern with jaded words.
Matt picked up a plate tentatively. "It's just, maybe... I could ask you a favor?"
Mello shot an easy grin back at the young gamer. "That's all? What do you want me to do?"
"Um, you might not like it..."
"Matty! Your my best friend! Just tell me." The boy's blue eyes sparkled as he noticed a big chocolate cake perched on the end of the table. He reached out eagerly and-
"WAIT!"
"Ah!" The blonde shot a glare over his shoulder. "What is it already, Matt?"
"Uh, do you, uh, think maybe, just this once-"
"Matt," the boy rested a pale hand on his friend's shoulder, "I won't get mad, okay? I promise."
Reassured, the younger boy began his speech with vigor. "Last week in AP Anatomy, we were examining the causes of early death in England. And Dr. Mayer said that one of the main ones was diabetes. And-and then he yelled at Polly for eating her licorice! She always eats licorice! And he said if she continued to eat that much she would die before she graduated! I think he may have been exaggerating, but- but you eat more chocolate than Polly eats licorice." Matt clamped his mouth shut, shrinking back from the piercing steal sheen in his friend's eyes.
"So," the chocoholic's voice was low and dangerous, "you want me to give up chocolate."
"Oh, no no no!" The gamer wagged his head, red hair slapping against his goggles. "Just, just eat a little less! At least don't eat chocolate for breakfast."
"Matt, there is no way-"
"At least not on my birthday!"
The frail boy ran his hands through his baby-fine blonde hair, already edgy from chocolate withdrawal. He looked at his friend- saucer-wide eyes shone through the orange tint, begging, pleading. He looked at the cake- round and lathered generously with decadent, savory chocolate frosting. He looked back at the redhead- his lips unconsciously set into a heartbreaking pout. He looked back at the cake... and mournfully tore his eyes away.
"Fine. Just this once." Mello had trouble biting back a smile as his friend beamed up at him. "But I'll show you! I'm not going to get diabetes and I'm not going to die!"
"You'd better not! I'd kill you!"
The two boys stared at each other for a brief moment before simultaneously erupting into laughter at the ridiculous statement.
"You do realize, that this is the last time you'll ever see a chocolate cake left uneaten! Breakfast or otherwise!" Mello remarked as the boys strode to their usual table.
Matt threw his head back, red locks briefly flitting out of his face as he barked a laugh. "I'm counting on that!"
I tore my eyes away from the uneaten confectionary, and turned towards my usual table. My usual, boring, empty table. I nibbled experimentally on a piece of toast. It tasted bland. I got up to clear my plate after only a few minutes and half a slice of toast.
When others saw my meager food intake and slight form, and heard rumors of my alleged mental instability, it was easy to come to the conclusion that I had some sort of eating disorder. This wasn't true. Food didn't really interest me, never had. The only reason I used to eat relatively normally was because someone had been there to lovingly shove the food down my throat. And now... they may mercilessly gossip and spout rumors about me, but no one truly cared.