Safe
"We're not safe, are we?"
"Nobody is, Matt. Accept it," Mello growled from beneath a mouth full of chocolate. The cheap kind, this week - resources were low. At this point, the tearing and biting and chewing and swallowing was all just a matter of habit.
Kiyomi Takada stared like a dumb chicken out through the television, now stalling for time, clucking away those needless repetitions of the things she had already announced twice before. Kira approves only of just killings. Those who sin. Those who stand in his way. But everyone knew what she needed to say.
No one is safe.
The arm not occupied with chocolate now draped itself across the top of the couch. It reached all the way behind Matt, so that Mello's fingers just barely brushed his opposite shoulder. It tended to happen. Neither ever seemed to acknowledge it.
"You'd think this Kira business would be more exciting," Matt mumbled.
"...Mmm."
The crowing continued, accompanied by shot after shot of the same low-quality street cam captures, of the same murders, of the same news. With one jagged motion Mello hit the remote on the table with the heel of his shoe, and abruptly Takada's face shut away. He stretched his arms up and out wide in both directions, leather thighs shamelessly spreading. This time one arm fell directly to that shoulder. He looped it around snugly - until his elbow hinged round Matt's neck and his fingers dawdled over a beating heart.
Slowly, he did receive a strange look.
"Hey, what?"
Mello just stared blankly back, looking impatient. "What do you think?"
A few seconds passed - silent, stiff. Until finally, with a blind sigh (contentment? resignation?) Matt settled into the invitation, and stared blankly at the empty screen. Mello's every twitch, every constrict of his wrist, even his heart's very sheet music - Matt could sense it all.
He wondered if Mello knew that closeness offered... vulnerability. Probably, yet here was the contour in Mello's side, the place where bodies merged, carved specially for company, accepting him. Mello lured you in like a false comfort - or an addiction (familiar, dangerous) - but Matt knew at any time, the earth could shatter beneath their feet. And even Mello, hell's grisly fire himself, would burn no more.
He wondered if death would be thrilling. No. Maybe. But he'd like to avoid it, if he can.
He wondered why - though Kira's warning had been etched into every curve of Mello's features - he continued to act as though he were untouchable.
Matt was starting to feel that way too.
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A/N: Look dialogue everybody - Zomg. Again, mucho merci to you reviewer people! We seriously need to start an MxM trend or somethin.