My Best Friend's Mistake
Matt/Landry, Post-Leave No One Behind, PG13, 1354 words, Title from Scrubs

How do you tell your best friend you murdered someone… and got away with it? And how do you tell him without sounding like you're insane or making it all up? And just exactly why has it taken you so long to do it anyway?

Landry wondered all these questions as he sat on Matt's couch and watched TV while Matt got them some food. He couldn't do it here, he couldn't do it now. He needed to think this through before setting his plan in motion.

--

How do you tell your best friend what happen that night with Coach Taylor? How do you tell him why you've been acting strange lately without breaking down right there in front of him? And how do you do it all without putting some of the blame on him for never being around as much as he used to be?

Matt wondered all these questions and he stood in the kitchen and got himself and Landry some ice cream. He couldn't do it here, he couldn't do it now. He needed to think this through before setting his plan in motion.

--

Landry sat in his new car as he waited for Matt to get his slow ass out of the locker room. He thought about his plan for days and this seemed like the only way to do it. And whatever kind of funk Matt was in seemed like it was gone. Landry thought it would make everything easier.

Once Matt came out, Landry quickly drove him home and got out of the car when he pulled up to Matt's house.

"You mind if I come inside for a bit?"

"Uh, sure. I guess." Matt was confused, but didn't ask any questions.

They both walked inside the house in silence. Matt threw his bags into his bedroom and made his way into the kitchen while Landry sat down on the couch. Grandma noticed that he seemed a little tense.

"Are you doing okay over there?" she asked him.

"Yeah… I'm fine."

"Well, okay then." She got up from her chair. "I'll leave you boys be."

And with that, she was in her bedroom and Matt took her spot on the chair. He stared at Landry for a while, wondering if he was ever going to say anything, because it damn sure looked like he had to.

"Are you alright? You look a little sick over there."

Landry propped his elbows up so he was sitting up straighter on the couch. He looked right at Matt's face.

"I have to tell you something."

"Um, okay. What… what is it?" Matt was feeling nervous. The last time there was this tense atmosphere around them, Landry told him someone attacked Tyra.

"It's… um…" Landry began breathing heavier and heavier. He began to feel his hand shake.

"After I tell you this, if you want nothing to do with me ever again, I understand."

Matt was getting freaked out. What the hell was going on?

"Okay, what is going on here? You're starting to freak me out and I don't like it."

Landry took one huge breathe, closed his eyes, covered his ears with his hands, and began talking.

"Me and Tyra went to the store that night. The same night you were at that lake party and Julie ditched you. I went inside to get some food because Tyra couldn't go in. And when… when I came out, he was there. The guy who attacked Tyra was back. So I went after him. We got into a fight and he punched me and threw me to the ground. I could hear him tell Tyra he'd be back for her. And that's when I did it. I picked up the pipe I saw lying on the ground and I hit him as hard as I could with it. Right in the head. I did it twice." Landry could feel the tears pouring out of his eyes. Matt was frozen in his seat. He couldn't move a muscle as Landry confessed his soul to him.

"We tried taking him to the hospital but he was already dead. I killed him. I killed someone. And we freaked. We were over a bridge and knew what we had to do. They found his body a few weeks later, so I confessed. Told the police I killed the guy. Told them everything. And they let me go. I got away with murdering someone. You're best friend is a murderer Matt." He put his hands away from his ears and wiped the tears away from his face and looked Matt right in the eyes. "So if you don't want anything to do with me, because I'm a murderer, then you don't have to. I'm sorry."

Landry looked at Matt, wanting, hoping, that he would say something. Anything. But he just sat there and looked at the floor. Didn't move, didn't say one word. Then he got up and ran to the bathroom. Landry could hear him puking through the walls and felt his own stomach crawl. He thought he'd feel better, coming out and telling him everything, but now… now he felt worse.

He watched as Matt walked into his bedroom from the side door and got up to make sure he was alright. Matt quickly threw his hand up.

"Just… I don't feel so good. Just… just go home. I'll…. I'll call you later."

Landry knew he wasn't going to get anything out of him, so he walked towards the front door and left. Matt waited until he heard Landry's car drive off before he covered his face with his pillow. Just when things were starting to feel like normal again, this had to happen. He let every emotion out before deciding what to do next. He wanted to tell him about what happened with Coach, but he couldn't now. And he didn't know when it would happen either. But for right now he needed to think about everything Landry told him. He couldn't just stop being his friend. That wouldn't be fair, or right. He knows Landry would stick by his side if he did the same thing, so he had no right not to do the same. It was a mistake. His best friend made a big, big mistake. And he wasn't going to let him deal with the consequences alone.

--

Matt picked up his cell phone a few hours later and called Landry. Told him to come back over so they could talk. Once he hung up, Matt got up from the bed and walked to his front door. When Landry arrived, he walked out towards his car and sat in the passenger seat. They didn't speak for a while.

"You could have told me… you know?" Matt told him. "You didn't have to hide it from me."

"I wanted to. I really wanted to. But I couldn't. I was scared."

"I would have helped you. Stood by your side. You know I would. You didn't have to go through that all by yourself."

Landry felt another tear come down his face, but luckily it was dark in the car and Matt couldn't see it.

"So… you're not mad? You don't hate me for what I did."

"You saved someone's life. That guy could have killed her. He could have killed you too. I would have done the same thing if it was… if it was Julie." Matt wiped away the tears he could feel coming from his eyes as well. He didn't even want to picture that scenario.

"I know… I know." Landry said. He breathed deeply for the new few moments. Filled with relief that Matt didn't hate him.

"So… still best friends?" Landry then asked.

Matt considered the question.

"Yeah… I don't see why not." He then started laughing.

"You can be such an asshole sometimes."

"Wanna get something to eat. I'm starving." Matt asked, completely ignoring Landry's comment.

"Sure. Just make sure you get that QB1 discount. I don't have any cash on me."

Matt laughed again as Landry started his car and drove off.