"Hey Matt?"
The redhead didn't reply at first, sitting comfortably on his bed, clicking away at his game boy. However, the one person in the world who could so easily get him to put down this game was looking at him expectantly when he spared him a glance, big blue eyes inspecting him from where the blonde stood at the edge of his bed.
Pausing the game with a few swift button-clicks Matt tossed the device aside, turning to face his best friend completely, a slack smile on his face. "What's up?" he inquired.
Mello shifted a little uncomfortably on his feet before placing himself in a delicate fashion on the edge of the bed, feminine blonde hair falling partially into his face. There was obvious nervousness in the way he ran his pale fingers across his knee, over and over again, avoiding meeting eyes with the other.
The redhead licked his lips absently out of nervousness - it wasn't often that his roommate acted like this, and if he was, it was because something important was going down. "What is it," he insisted again, more gently this time, moving so that he was sitting with his feet tucked under him.
The smaller of the two looked up, blue eyes flickering with something unreadable behind blonde bangs, expression soft. "Matty… I just wanted to talk to you," he told him, slowly for once. At the sound of his pet name Matt smiled a little - it wasn't often that Mello called him that in a non-teasing fashion, and he loved it when he did, just like he loved everything else about the blonde. Secretly, of course, since if Mello knew that he would probably break his nose immediately after the shock wore off.
"Sure," Matt whispered back after a second, scooting over and patting the spot he had left beside him, offering Mello a space to sit beside him. The blonde smiled appreciatively, slipping into place.
For a second neither said anything, Matt simply staring at the blonde with a curious look on his face and Mello staring at his hands, eyes narrowed just slightly.
Finally, Mello spoke again, his voice uncertain and unusually high-pitched. "Matty, can I tell you something really important?"
Matt swallowed nervously before quickly nodding his head, eager to play the 'best friend' role once again. Hearing Mello spill out soul-rooted drabbles was, quite officially, one of the redhead's highpoints in life. Right above video games and cigarettes.
Mello shifted uncomfortably before turning his head, tilting it so that he was looking straight up at the redhead, an intense look in his blue eyes. Matt flinched at the sudden intensity, realizing in that moment just how close the blonde was to him, their lips so close that if he just leaned forward an inch he would be… he winced at the thought, unconsciously moving back little. Mello's face unexpectedly followed, not allowing distance to be put between them, and Matt found himself quickly drowning in the blue of his eyes.
"Mel?" the redhead squeaked, blush flashing across his face before he could stop it. The blonde gave him a wide eyed, trembling kind of look, as if truly uncertain of himself for once.
Suddenly, though, Matt was broken out of his embarrassed, bewildered state by a hand, Mello's hand. It suddenly shot up and brushed through his hair, resting tangled in it's unruly masses. Matt fought the urge to shiver, his mouth going dry, unable to speak.
Mello did the seeking instead. "Matt…" he whispered, slowly and drawled out. Then, "I think I'm in love with you."
Matt's eyes widened beneath the goggles, heart (metaphorically) stopping in his chest. What? Surely he was dreaming - he had to be. Surely Mello didn't…. return his feelings. He couldn't possibly return the feelings that he himself had just realized he had, right?
Right?
But there he was, right? Staring into his eyes with big blue wonders, clearly gauging him for a reaction, hand still tangled in his hair. Mello was there, saying those words. At this realization Matt released the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding before this, opening his mouth to speak, feeling his face heat up with blush. Preparing to tell Mello everything, how he loved him, how he loved every single part of him - his hair, his skin, his teeth, his eyes, his voice, his annoying screeching, his chocolate-addiction, his temper, his--
Before he could gather the crazy rush in his mind, though, Mello's composure broke. His serious expression vanished in a blink, replaced by a wide, impish grin, the softness in his eyes replaced by amusement. Matt gaped at his sudden change in expression, still in shock, as the blonde slipped away, his hand removed form his hair and coming to rest on his lap as usual.
Then he spoke, and Matt's heart broke.
"JUST KIDDING!" Mello announced, bursting into hysterical laughter. Matt could only stare, baffled as his best friend gracelessly threw his head back, entire body shaking with hilarity. "You should have seen your face, Matt! You looked so freaked!"
A blush involuntarily found it's way to Matt's face, causing his entire complexion to pinken. Kidding? He could barely believe it, that Mello would do something so cruel to him. Then again, yes, yes he could - Mello was an asshole. Not just any kind of asshole, either, but a special kind of asshole. The kind that can easily, casually reach out, slither his arm into your chest, and before you can even glance down and say 'oh, your arm is in my chest, I wonder why?' his fingers close around your heart and jerk it out. He was a bitch like that.
So why Matt loved him so much baffled many, to say the least.
Said asshole was curled over himself at the moment, laughing like crazy. Every time he tried to stop himself he would find himself looking back up at the redhead and seeing the baffled, embarrassed expression on his face and start cracking up all over again. Matt couldn't stand it - it was humiliating. He couldn't even bring himself to laugh along with the blonde, simply burying his face in his hands.
It was about two minutes of this before Mello realized that Matt wasn't just embarrassed. Two minutes of laughing in his face, and it finally dawned on Mello that the redhead had his face buried in his hands, messy red hair falling over his face and shielding a pained expression and an obvious blush. The blonde winced outwardly, the laughing trailing away. He hadn't expected this kind of reaction at all.
What he didn't know was that Matt wasn't as innocent as he looked at that moment. Secretly, the redhead was plotting in his mind, mapping out how these next moments would work.
And they did.
Mello shifted in his place, uncertainty in his eyes from what Matt could see peeking between his fingers at him. "Matty, come on, I was only teasing," Mello whispered uncertainly, shifting uncomfortably to sit closer to him. Trying to weasel his way out of a confrontation, he added, "No need to get all emotional, Matty. We're not gay or anything, I know that. You don't have to be upset."
Matt felt as if he'd been smacked, but he knew Mello didn't mean it to hurt him. Still, he let himself flinch, and the blonde winced in response. Gradually Mello weakened and moved on to the 'confrontation' stage of the game, scooting closer to his roommate.
"Matt. Come now, don't be a baby," he whispered gently, reaching out and grabbing the redhead by the wrists. Matt resisted only slightly as the other boy pulled his hands away from his eyes, peeking up to meet eyes of blue.
"I'm sorry," Mello whispered again, more desperately this time. He looked sincere for once, blue eyes searching the other boys helplessly for some sign of forgiveness. Matt almost regretted not giving it to him that easily, but not quite.
"Whatever," he muttered, letting a sad little sigh escape his lips. Averting his eyes from Mello's and allowing them to rest at his knees, now welcoming the blush that rushed to his cheeks.
Mello flinched visibly, and in the corner of Matt's eyes he saw his face pale slightly at the prospect that he had hurt him. "Come on, man," Mello tried again, twisting so that Matt was forced to look at him. And he did, gaze boring into his as the blonde demanded, "What's wrong? Please tell me."
Well if you insist, Matt thought, but instead whispered, "Don't you know?"
Mello frowned, because he didn't know. And he disliked not knowing things very much, especially when the redhead made it sound like it was something that was obvious. Something that he, number two (almost one) at Wammy's house, should know off the top of his head, immediately, without even pausing to think about it. He hated it at such an obscenity that a tremble went through him - he should know this. Especially if it was Matt.
"Know what?" he whispered, voice unhappy, hand reaching out to touch Matt's hand unconsciously. He almost gasped when the redhead's hand moved away from his, refusing the attempt at a comforting touch. "Matt, come on. What is it? I'm sorry, I don't know. Please?"
Matt looked up at Mello in one sudden, overdramatic whirl, green eyes narrowed with such loathing that the blonde almost died, right there, on the spot, out of shock. But of course, he didn't, left just returning the stare, fighting the urge to glare back.
The expression was gone almost immediately, replaced with a regretful frown. "You really don't know?" he pried. Mello sighed, shaking his head in irritation. Matt kept the deep frown on his face, shifting his position and moving his own hand over the blondes. Mello flinched in surprise as the other boy's fingers laced through his, squeezing his hand just gently. Affection brimming every centimeter of the action.
"Matt?" he managed, trying (and failing horribly) to keep his voice from raising in pitch in reaction to the uncharacteristically intense stare-down his roommate was giving him.
Matt moved forward unexpectedly, the hand not holding the blonde's moving to brush through his hair, pushing the clump of golden-yellow around the other boy's ear with a feather's gentleness. Mello's breath caught in his throat before he could tell his brain not to let it, caught in Matt's overpowering green gaze, the bed creaking slightly as the redhead moved towards him.
He only stopped his slow, silent decent when his face was inches from the other's, emerald eyes gazing directly into the sapphire blue of the others.
"Matt?" Mello repeated breathlessly, barely managing to get the word out again, even though the 'question' was pointless in it's becoming. He could feel the blush on his face, summoned by the feeling of Matt's breath on his lips.
"You really don't know…" Matt whispered a bit sadly, rubbing his thumb over the blonde's temple. He relished silently in the way the movement made his roommate shudder, fighting to keep a smirk off his features. "You don't know…"
"What don't I know?" the smaller boy croaked, entire body tensed.
Matt's eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion for just an instant, eyes narrowed. He looked as serious as a heart attack in that moment, and Mello could hear his own heart pounding in his chest. Praying that the redhead couldn't hear it, but knowing that he wouldn't have to in order to guess how loud it was being.
"It's just that…" the redhead whispered, voice fleetingly tender as he spoke, "I can't believe you didn't guess… how I've always felt about you."
You didn't have to be inside Mello's head to know that his heart (metaphorically) halted, sucking in a breath as his blue eyes grew wide as saucers. Staring at Matt's oh-so-close face in disbelief and amazement. Matt watched, silently amused as the blonde's features twisted, going from shocked and uncertain to baffled, embarrassed, and… unexpectedly awed, going slightly limp.
Before Matt could break the moment, Mello did instead, managing to whisper, "Really?"
Yes, really. I've always loved you. I always will. You're my everything. It doesn't matter if I'm gay straight or fucking asexual, I want you all to myself. I'm all yours, if you want me, because you know I want you. I love you, Mihael Keehl!
These words were never spoken. Instead, the planned smile spliced Matt's face, stretching over his features. He didn't move away as Mello had, simply staying within the radius with the smirk on his face, the picture of sly amusement.
"Just kidding," Matt whispered coyly, breath still warm on the blonde's lips. He was secretly delighted at the red-hot blush that stained Mello's face at his words, the disbelief in his widening sapphire eyes. Revenge was awfully sweet - he would have to do it more often.
Or not.
"Matt, you jerk!" Mello screeched, but didn't move away from Matt when he startled. There was a truly pissed look on the blonde's face now, and the redhead had a silent guess that he had taken it too far (even though he'd pretty much done exactly what the blonde did just moments before).
Still, if he was already over the side of the cliff, he might as well skydive… "I had you going there, didn't I, Mello Yellow?" he teased, letting his hand slide up Mello's arm and onto his shoulder. He was slightly surprised when Mello let out an involuntary shiver in response, but he guessed it was just the auto-response. "Lost at your own game."
Mello's eyes flickered angrily, but of course Matt was right.
The blonde's eyes narrowed. "You, Matt, are the worst fucking son of a bitch in the entire goddamn universe," he announced, but didn't move to break the distance, instead digging his hand (now resting on Matt's knee for lack of better placement) into the redhead's skin to prove his point. Before Matt could think of a witty comeback, the blonde continued, "But I happen to be a giant liar."
Matt's eyes narrowed suspiciously, the hand that was still resting on Mello's shoulder tensing, waiting for explanation. Racking his brain for all the things Mello had said and lied about recently, but he gave up after thing, like, 1,000,000.
He didn't need the list, though, because the blonde quickly made it obvious.
"I hate you, Matt," he whispered, the words he spoke completely contradicted by the gush of affection that the speech was drowned in. Matt's eyes widened in surprise, only to widen even further when the chocoholic moved forwards, closing the distance between his lips and the other's.
Matt stayed completely frozen as Mello advanced on him, even as the blonde's arms slithered around his neck to pull him close, and even as the other seemed to be refusing to break off the kiss, the lips simply staying crushed against the redhead's. Could only stay stiff as his first kiss was stolen away.
Finally, though, after a few seconds of almost going blue-in-the-face because of a lack of reaction, Matt regained his consciousness, blinking and pulling away. The blonde let out a rejected little squeak at the movement, anger flickering in his slitted eyes, but the redhead was far from done with this game. Matt crushed his lips back on Mello's the moment he had caught his breath, hands grasping the other boy's slender shoulders and forcing him to be impossibly close as they continued the kiss.
Mello didn't allow himself to stiffen in the vague surprise, digging his nails into Matt's shoulder blades and returning the pressure of the kiss. And kiss they both did, chaste and short but seeming to take an eternity.
Suddenly, though, just as Mello was about to move to take more out of the moment, Matt shoved him away. The blonde gasped in anger once again, blinking several times. He could barely believe himself for starting the kiss, but now that it was broken off, he felt a cold sense of unhappiness at the loss.
Matt's hand had flown to his mouth, as if to check that it was still the same after kissing who he thought to be his best friend. They felt the same, but they were definitely wetter, and his face was definitely a whole damn lot warmer. Mello was blushing, too, slouched in a bewildered state of unease, not sure weather to run for the hills or demand more smooches. He decided 'neither' was probably the best option, staying seated.
Suddenly, Matt grumbled, "You're a fucking idiot, and I hate your guts. I'm never kissing a dude again."
Mello's eyes grew wide, whipping around to stare in disbelief at his friend, face burning with blush as he found Matt glaring at him. What? Mello's mouth opened to protest, only to be interrupted as the other boy flashed a charming smile at him.
"Just kidding~"
Mello frowned. "Fuck you, now I'm confused," he muttered, glaring at him.
Matt smirked. "Would kissing again make it better?" he offered hopefully, green eyes glinting with mischief. Mello paused, considering this, eyes involuntarily resting on Matt's smiling lips.
Mello's coy grin returned. "Yes. Yes, I think it probably would."
Matt needed no more cues, reaching out and swinging the blonde in for another new-found form of affection. Hoping, in the back of his mind, that Mello wasn't kidding anymore.
Not that it would have stopped him, anyway.
A/N: Ohoho. This was random, too. :P sorry. XD