Get ready for some stuff to go down guys.
"Are you sure it's okay for me to go out like this?"
"You look fine," Matt answered in exasperation. "Stop freaking out."
Mihael gave his reflection in the mirror over Matt's dresser another glare. No matter how many times he looked at his reflection he just couldn't get used to it. He looked different, exciting, maybe even a little bit dangerous. He looked like he belonged in Matt's world. But more than anything, he didn't look like himself.
The black skinny jeans clung tightly to his legs and Matt had loaned him a studded belt to loop around his waist. The leather top didn't meet the top of his pants, exposing several inches of his flat stomach. He had traded in his usual sneakers for a pair of Matt's combat boots. He put a hand against the complicated lacing at the top of the shirt, thinking for the hundredth time that Mother would probably have a heart attack if she saw him like this.
Finally, he tore his eyes away from the mirror and turned to look at Matt, who was sprawled across the bed, feet dangling off the edge. Matt was dressed in his own version of club clothes: a pair of jeans with purposeful rips, a black and white striped, long sleeved shirt, and frayed, fingerless gloves. Mihael wondered for a moment why Matt got to look relatively normal while he was in something that could have been stolen from a male hooker for all he knew. But he didn't bother asking, knowing Matt he would just get some smart-ass reply. Instead he said, "So, this club we're going to… Is it a… I mean to say, is it…"
Matt raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking if it's a gay club?" Mihael nodded. "I thought about it," Matt continued, "but no, it's not. Just a regular night club for seventeen and up. I could've taken you to a gay club, but as much fun as I'm sure it would be to see your head just explode, I'm not really up for cleaning that particular mess."
Mihael smiled, trying to hide his obvious relief. "My head wouldn't explode," he muttered. "I could handle it."
"Mels, you had trouble just asking if we were going to a gay club. But don't sweat it. When you're ready for that kind of stuff, I'll take you, 'kay?"
Mihael nodded, and then looked at Matt questioningly as the redhead suddenly jumped up from his spot on the bed. "I almost forgot!" Matt said, bounding over to his dresser. He yanked open several of the drawers and dug furiously through them, brows furrowed. "I know I put it in here somewhere…" he muttered to himself. "Aha! Found it!" He turned to face Mihael and held out a small plastic bag proudly.
Mihael took it hesitantly and reached inside to pull out one of the most amazing rosaries he had ever seen. The beads were a deep, rich red and the cross was intricate. "Is this what I think it is?" he asked Matt.
Matt grinned at him. "Sure is. I found this morning when I was working at the store and thought it would be perfect for you. Here." He leaned forward and plucked the beads out of Mihael's hand. Then, with no warning, he stepped in close to Mihael and lowered the necklace gently into place around Mihael's neck. Mihael's breath caught in his throat at his sudden proximity to Matt and he breathed in the faintest scent of Matt's shampoo, which smelled like apples. "Do you like it?" Matt lowered his arms but didn't step away, looking Mihael straight in the eyes with an earnest expression.
Mihael rolled one of the red beads between his thumb and forefinger and answered, "Yeah, I love it. Thanks. I needed a new one anyway. I wore my last one out before I met you. Back when I was still trying to pray away the gay." His tone was light and joking, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from Matt, and his heart was racing in his chest. He just hoped that Matt couldn't hear how fast his heart was beating.
Matt chuckled. "Did it work?" he asked, and Mihael couldn't decipher his tone. It was joking, but at the same time seemed completely serious.
"Not at all." Mihael was almost whispering now, still unable to break eye contact. His heart was beating so hard he felt sick, and he was sure his face was flushing. Matt's face seemed to mirror his own emotions and ,slowly, he began to lean in closer to Mihael. Mihael almost couldn't believe this was happening. He let his eyes close lightly and brought one hand up to touch Matt hesitantly on the small of his back.
Suddenly, the door bell rang shrilly through the house, interrupting the moment. Mihael yanked his hand away and Matt snapped back, bumping against the open drawers of the dresser. Mihael looked at him, eyes wide with apologies for something he himself couldn't even understand. Matt glanced at the door and said loudly, "That must be Near."
"Near?" Mihael could barely hide the disappointment in his voice.
"Yeah," Matt visibly relaxed at the mention of Near's name. "Yeah, I invited him to come with us. I could've sworn I told you." Mihael shook his head. "I'm sorry," Matt continued. "I just figured, since he's been so distant lately, that maybe tonight we could all have some fun, and maybe Near would warm back up to me. And besides, you two haven't gotten to know each other very well yet. You're the two most important people in my life, ya know? You should be friends."
"Friends, yeah," Mihael muttered.
There was short awkward silence before Matt said, "Well, we should probably go downstairs."
Mihael didn't answer, and instead followed Matt silently down the stairs, trying desperately to sort out his emotions. He couldn't believe he and Matt had almost kissed. Why, why did it have to get interrupted? And by Near, of all people.
When Matt finally opened the door, Near looked just as unhappy to see Mihael as Mihael was to see him. For the first time, Mihael noticed that Near was rather on the short side for his age, nearly a head shorter than Matt. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt, and his hair looked as though it could use a brush.
"Near!" Matt greeted him happily, leaning forward to encircle the smaller teen in his arms and tried to kiss him. Mihael watched the way that Near stiffened under Matt's touch, and saw a look of pain shoot fleetingly across Matt's face before he forced a smile. "Well," he said in a cheerful voice, "You guys both ready? This'll be fun. My two favorite people in the world, what more could a guy ask for?"
"Sure," Mihael and Near both answered, sounding less than thrilled. The two locked gazes, and Mihael felt a shudder go down his spine. Near's odd gray eyes were cold, and seemed to stare right through him. Mihael was paranoid for a moment, thinking that maybe Near could read his thoughts. Whatever it was, he was certain that Near didn't like him. Not at all.
The feeling of being stared into followed Mihael all during the car ride to the club, and through the short walk from where they had parked on a side street to the club's entrance. Matt chatted idly the entire time, trying his best to get a cheerful reaction from either boy, his face falling a bit when they both remained icy.
While they waited in the line snaking around the side of the building, Mihael glanced across the street just to avoid making eye contact with the other two. He noticed groups of well-dressed men and women exiting a doorway across the road, most of them throwing disapproving looks at the people in line for the club.
"Is that," Mihael said incredulously, "a church?"
Matt and Near both looked up in surprise. Matt cocked his head to the side and gazed at the building before saying, "Holy shit, it is! What the hell? Who goes to church on a Saturday night?"
"I just want to know who decided it would be a good idea to have a church across the street from a nightclub," Mihael answered.
Matt shook his head disbelievingly. "Sometimes I don't understand Dallas at all."
And with that small exchange, the ice was broken. The three could talk and laugh together with less awkwardness. However, Mihael still didn't let his guard down around Near. Something about Near troubled him; he just couldn't put his finger on what it was.
The inside of the club was just like Mihael had always imagined a nightclub would be. It was impossibly loud and chaotic, hundreds of bodies rubbing up against each other, bass pounding the walls. It was overwhelming at first, and he had to lean up against a wall, just watching the other partiers, until he could catch his breath and relax.
After they had been inside for twenty minutes or so, just checking the place out, Near disappeared, muttering something vaguely about going to find the bathroom.
"He always does this," Matt confided in Mihael. "He doesn't like to be around so many people." He frowned in thought. "He usually lasts a bit longer though. Most of the time I can get him to dance with me at least once before he runs off."
Mihael made a face, not really wanting to shout to be heard over the music. Then, to his complete surprise, a girl in a short skirt and a glittery tank top approached him and reached a hand out to rest on his chest. "Hey," she said, a hint of flirtation in her voice. "You're pretty cute. You wanna dance?" She smiled coyly at him.
Matt slung an arm around his shoulders and tugged Mihael towards himself, hugging the blonde to his chest. "Sorry," he smiled apologetically at the girl, "he's all mine right now."
She sighed in disappointment and then melted back into the crowd. Matt released his hold around Mihael, and said, "Sorry if that was out of line. I just figured you probably wouldn't wanna dance with her."
"No problem," Mihael responded, a bit dazed from Matt's touch. "I'm grateful, actually."
What Mihael really wanted was to dance with Matt. But he was afraid to broach the subject, especially with Near being in the same building, able to reappear at any time. So he didn't bring it up. Instead he and Matt stayed where they were, nodding in time to the beat. They passed nearly half an hour like that until Matt suddenly announced he needed a cigarette, and made off by himself to find the outdoor patio, leaving Mihael in the darkened room.
Mihael sighed to himself, waiting for Matt to come back, minutes ticking by like hours. He was so absorbed in his thoughts of Matt that he didn't notice when Near appeared as if from nowhere to stand next to him.
"Mihael." He jumped in surprise. It was the first thing that Near had said directly to him all night.
"Near." He wasn't really sure of what to say to the strange teenager.
"Come with me outside. I have something I want to discuss with you," Near said, his voice eerily flat and emotionless.
Instantly, Mihael was confused. What could Near possibly have to discuss with him? They barely knew each other. "Sure, no problem," he replied nervously.
Mihael followed Near out to the front entrance, stepping out into the warm summer night air. The sudden absence of noise made his ears ring as they paced away from the entrance, looking for a little bit of privacy for their conversation.
Near got down to business immediately. "I know," he said bluntly.
Mihael blanched. Knew? Knew about what? About him and Matt? That they had almost kissed? How could he possibly know?
"I know," Near repeated. "I know you had something to do with Light's death."
Mihael could have sworn he felt his heart stop. Immediately he broke into a sweat and he felt sick to his stomach. "W-What?" he stuttered out. "I- I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't play dumb with me," Near said, his gaze like ice. "It's not a coincidence that we found you on the road the same night that Light was murdered, in the same part of town. I still can't figure out exactly what happened, but I know you had something to do with it. You were running away from something that night, don't deny it."
Mihael couldn't speak, his mind was racing, thoughts screaming through his head. He knew! He knew! HE KNEW!
Near continued speaking. "I haven't pieced together exactly what happened. That's impossible for me to do, because I wasn't there. But you were. Maybe you're the one that killed him, I don't know. But at the very least, you know something about what happened, don't you? What I can't figure out is why you're trying to get so close to Matt. Are you doing this just to fuck with all of us?"
"I- I'm not fucking with you," Mihael said, high voice coming out high and panicked. "I told you, I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't have anything to do with his death. Nothing!"
"Sure," Near said. "Sure you didn't have anything to do with it. Look, why don't you just do everyone a favor and go to the police. Turn yourself in, Mihael. Because if you don't," his eyes flashed menacingly, "I will."
Near turned to walk away, and Mihael choked out the only words he could think of. Words that he regretted the instant they left his lips. "Matt and I kissed!" It was a lie; of course it was lie. But he wanted Near to hurt, wanted to distract him somehow from Mihael's guilt.
"What?" Near turned, and glared at Mihael.
"We kissed," he lied again. "He doesn't love you as much as you think he does." Another lie. "So maybe you should stop trying to protect him by blaming a completely innocent person for Light's death. You think pointing the finger at me will make him feel better? Well it won't, you'll only hurt him more!"
Near didn't respond, a furious look on his face. Suddenly, a familiar voice called out behind them, "Near, Mels! I've been looking all over for you guys! What are you doing out here?"
Mihael turned to greet Matt and Near stalked away angrily, heading away from the nightclub, down the darkened street. "Near?" Matt called, confused. "Where are you going?" He looked questioningly at Mihael.
"He's angry," Mihael said faintly.
"What? Why? Near?" he directed the first two at Mihael and the last one at a quickly retreating Near. He turned, eyes wide, to look at Mihael. "I- I'm really sorry, Mels," he said, sounding close to tears. "But I gotta catch him. I have to know why he's being like this! Why does he keep leaving me?"
"I don't let people just slip away from me. I can't stand people just up and leaving."
Matt threw one last glance at Mihael, his eyes overflowing with emotion; fear, hurt, confusion, sadness, guilt, before he turned and ran off to catch Near, leaving Mihael standing alone in the dark, wondering how the hell his life had gone so very wrong.
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