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Clarification: Some people sent me messages wondering what exactly it was that Mello did to Louis. Allow me to explain so that you can continue into the next chapter without the same issues. Mello took a switch blade from inside of his boot and pushed it through Louis's teeth and through both sides of his cheeks. In other words he separated the top half of his cheeks from the bottom half of his cheeks. He is permanently smiling because you can always see his teeth. Simple and bloody. So without any more adieu here is chapter two, playing dead.
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Playing Dead
"I can truthfully say that I had no idea that Louis had such an," The Don's face slowly traveled around the room of beautiful cross-dresses before stopping at the red head that sat handcuffed to a chair and smirking, "interesting enterprise but I must say that I'm glad that it was me that found it. From this point on you all work for me and in return I allow you all to live." He glanced back at his men who all stood stoically, if not a bit uncomfortably behind him keeping their heads down as if that would hide them from his words. "Though, if there is someone amongst your ranks who doesn't want to work for me right now would be the best time to speak. We'll put you out of your misery. We'll do you the same kindness that we did for your sweet Louis."
The red head perked instantly, "Kill me." He spat at the Don who continued to smirk at the group. "I refuse to work for a filthy man such as you. This isn't a mafia run business. I'd rather sell my soul to the fucking devil than work for you." Emerald eyes narrowed on the Don. Matt managed to look striking even with the trickle of blood mingling with his hair and running down the side of his face like an intricate stream.
"Is that right?" The Don asked bending down to the red heads level. "I like you too much to kill you. You got fire kid, something that unusual around here. As a matter of fact you remind me of another one in our ranks right now." He didn't need to glance over his shoulder towards the blond hiding himself in the back for Mello to know that he was speaking of himself. "Unfortunately, it seems that Louis didn't afford himself to train you properly." With those words a swift vision blurring smack came to the side of Matt's face leaving a reddening mark. "As far as you're concerned I am the devil and you don't need to sell anything. I take what I want."
Matt rocked slightly in the chair from the slap. "You hit like a bitch." He replied splitting blood on the floor in front of group that still stood quietly in the background. "When the boss is out I'm in charge of lemon lime." The pure hatred that rose in those green eyes was enough to make Mello want to step back and he didn't think he could ever be afraid of someone like Matt. But this wasn't his Matt anymore, this was someone new. There was the Matt he had left behind had transformed into.
The Don sneered, "Is that right? You're the head of lemon lime now." He reached forward grasping several strands of bloody red tresses and giving them a hefty tug. "I've known many people like you in the past kid. You're looking for somewhere to belong. For someone that wants you almost as much as you want the protection and shelter of somewhere safe." He let go of the boy just enough to step back. "I can give you all those things. I can give you the things that Louis himself couldn't provide for you. All I want from you is your loyalty as my new pet."
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"Okay."
The only word that Matt had spoken after the proposition had been handed to him. The very idea of Matt, his best friend Matt being the pet of that old perverted bastard sent waves of fury through him. The old man had smirked and ordered Mello to take Matt to get cleaned up so that they could have a proper conversation later in his bedroom.
Matt had been in the shower for almost an hour now. If he hadn't thoroughly checked the room for ways out or a way for the red head to kill himself he would have been worried that Matt was still trying to off himself. He wasn't, he was simply taking his time in the shower before he had to come back and face the reality that had happened in the past few hours. He could tell by the haunted look in Matt's eyes that he was blaming himself for what had happened to Louis. They had been completely out armed and numbered. Matt had been their only chance and he performed brilliantly. He was even ready to die when the time came. Matt, his bestfriend, had been turned into a soldier.
The bathroom door opened just enough to release the steam that had been trapped but there was no sign of the red head for another few minutes. Eventually the red head strolled his way forward not so much as glancing in the direction of the blond sitting in the only chair in the room. He had changed clothes and for the first time since they had met back up he looked like Matt. The striped shirt, the loose fitting jeans and finally the goggles pulled firmly over his eyes was enough to want to make Mello rush him but he didn't. Instead he watched the red head move around the room doing useless activity.
"Matt." Mello whispered faintly noticing the other stop moving for several seconds before beginning to move around again. "Matt, I know you can hear me." He said in a slightly louder voice before glancing towards the door where he was positive that the Don had stationed men. "What the fuck happened to you?"
"What happened to you Mello?" He questioned leaning against the warmth of the wall by the fireplace. "You work for a bunch of thugs and killed an innocent man tonight and you're asking me what happened to me?" He watched the other from the sunny tint of his goggles but didn't continue but the words hung from his lips carrying enough weight for the both of them.
Mello hissed, "I did what I had to do to survive in the world Matt. What the fuck does it look like I did?" He glared as the other began to cackle waving off his answer as though it were the most trivial thing he had come to hear.
Matt gestured to the room. "What do you call this?" He questioned.
"Matt you're a stripper and if you work for the Don you'll be a prostitute also." He moved to stand but the blank look on the face of the red head kept his sitting.
He shrugged, "You sold your brain and I decided to sell my body." He ran his fingers through his still wet hair. "When you left I followed you Mello. I couldn't bear the idea of you running around in the world alone and without me but it wound up that that's not how it was. You had gone out and found a place in this world…a place without me." He sighed reaching into his pocket for a cigarette and lighting it before continuing. "I was lost with too much pride to go crawling back to Wammy house and no idea where I could go. No one takes a teenager seriously when they tell them that they're a world class hacker. I was alone on the street, stealing to be able to survive. That's how I found Louis."
"Prostitution?" Mello spat coldly.
Matt shook his head slowly, "No. I stole money from his Don." He took a long drag from his cigarette before sighing quietly. "Everything that happened tonight was my fault. Louis never did anything wrong except hide me." He put the cigarette out on the mantle. "And now he's dead and I have a debt to repay."
Blue eyes blinked, "You have got to be kidding me."
The red head shrugged, "Do you really believe that a person like Louis could have acquired this type of business? That someone working so low in the mafia business had this kind of intelligence and somehow still left behind clues of where he could be and where he was going?" He questioned softly. "I gave Louis power and he could have kept it…" He shook his head heading towards the door. "Mello, I'm not the same Matt that you abandoned all those years ago. I suggest that you stay out of my way." He reached for the door handle.
"Matt!" Mello whispered almost in desperation.
"That's not my name anymore. Call me Red."
[ Authors note: This chapter didn't turn out exactly how I had originally believed that it would. Somehow Matt turned from being a badass victim to a badass villain but somehow I don't dislike it. It's an interesting idea because usually the Matt that I write is the victim. It will be a pretty interesting change. Anyway please review and I'll update when I can. Thanksgiving break means no Internet which means probably won't be another update until next Monday.]