Chapter 8: Plans

Julia sat around the motel in boredom. She and Mello were still sharing a room and Matt was in the room next door. Mello had tried to get Julia a room of her own, but she refused to have one. He was stuck with her, and it was his fault in the first place.

"God this is awful," she groaned, looking to the blonde across the room who was browsing a laptop. "We do nothing all day. And sorry to tell you this, but you're literally going nowhere in this race."

"Like you would know," Mello retorted, pissed that she would point that out to him. "And just go do something if you're that damn bored. It's not like you do anything around here anyway."

"If I asked you to come with me, would you come?" Julia asked. Mello glanced at her and shook his head.

"No." Julia crossed her arms.

"I've stood by you for how many years and you can't spare me a day?"

"No," Mello answered. "Besides, we both know it wouldn't be just an outing for you."

"Yeah, you're right. It would be a date," Julia replied with a shrug. "But of course that could lead to a relationship, and apparently you don't do that."

"I don't need that," Mello said. "And it wouldn't be with you if I did." Julia pursed her lips as he continued. "Relationships serve no purpose for me, and I don't need something stupid like that distracting me from my goals."

"You see no upsides in relationships?"

"No," Mello replied.

"Well I can think of a few activities involved that you might enjoy," Julia said, trying to sound sexy. Mello just scoffed at her as he snapped his chocolate.

"I don't need you for that," Mello replied smartly.

"Oh, so that's how Lidner got you?" Julia wondered. "She doesn't pester you about dating like me."

"No," Mello smirked, turning his eyes back to the screen.

"So…that's a no on the date then?" Julia asked after a moment. Mello didn't even bother with a response this time, and so Julia rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Fine, maybe Matt then," she sighed.

"If you can pull him away from his game," Mello chuckled as she exited the room. His gaze shifted to the door as she left, and he stared at the wooden frame for a moment in silence. He had really hoped the Lidner thing was working to drive her away, but it didn't really seem to be. If anything, it was making her more determined. Mello groaned and snapped his chocolate fiercely between his teeth. He didn't know what to do about that girl, and for a moment he figured maybe she'd grow to like Matt instead. But for some reason, this thought bothered him as well so he shook his head clear and turned back to the computer to work.

Julia entered Matt's room without knocking to find him, as Mello had warned, sitting on a chair in the room intensely focused on his DS. He glanced up at her as she entered before cursing toward the game, pressing the buttons quickly.

"Damn," he cursed again under his breath.

"Did I make you lose?" she wondered, closing the door behind her and crossing the room to sit on the couch across from him.

"Nah, it was kicking my ass anyway," Matt shrugged, holding it out to her. "Wanna play again?"

"No, actually I have a mission," Julia told him, leaning forward. "This place is crap and I want to get out of here so bad."

"Okay, so go," Matt shrugged.

"Well, will you come with me?" she asked. "I tried Mello but he's being an ass as usual. It could be fun."

"Could be," Matt agreed. "But probably not for me. I don't really like going out much." He leaned back in his chair and eyed her through his goggles. Julia couldn't help but think his outfit was strange, yet somehow it worked for him.

"You'd honestly rather sit around and play your DS all day?"

"Yeah," Matt answered, grabbing the pack of cigarettes beside him on the side table. He pulled one out and let it hang from his mouth lazily as he dug through his pockets for a lighter. Julia saw it on the couch beside her and grabbed it, leaning forward with it extended.

"Here," she said, flicking the flame on. Matt leaned forward and let it light the end, taking it between his fingers after a moment and exhaling a stream of smoke toward the ceiling. Julia tossed the lighter back onto the couch and eyed him.

"So you're turning me down?"

"Well, you're welcome to hang here but as for going out, no thanks." Julia sighed and reached across the coffee table, grabbing the pack of cigarettes on the smaller table beside him. She grabbed one from the box and lit it.

"You smoke?" he wondered curiously.

"No," Julia replied. "But if it eases the boredom I'm all for it." She lit it and then put it in her mouth; however, as soon as she tasted the nicotine, she instantly pulled it away, coughing, as she put it out on the ashtray in front of her. Her face was scrunched up in disgust, and she shook her head. "Yeah, no. I don't know how you put up with those things. They're bad for you, you know."

"I ain't dead yet," Matt replied with a chuckle, the cigarette moving up and down as he spoke. Julia smiled and stood up, heading back for the door.

"Hey, what's Mello doing?" Matt wondered.

"Something on the computer," Julia shrugged. Matt grabbed his DS and stood up, crossing the room after her.

"Watch out. That room's more boring than this one," Julia warned.

"I'll take my chances." The two then proceeded the short distance to the room next door, where Mello now sat without his laptop, biting the chocolate bitterly.

"Mad cause you've got nothing to go on?" Julia said, raising an eyebrow. Mello just glared at her while Matt crossed the room and sat in an available chair, turning his DS back on. Julia looked at them both for a moment before turning to Mello.

"Money," she demanded, holding out her hand. He looked up at her, and she looked down at him expectantly. After a moment she rolled her eyes and waved her fingers toward her palm, motioning for him to give it to her. "Look, I'm not staying here and since you won't come, you'd better give me some damn cash to entertain myself. You guys are hot but I can only stare at you both for so long."

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

"Shop," Julia answered. Mello dug in his pocket and retrieved a few bills, handing them to her from between his fingers.

"Thanks sugar daddy."

"Whatever," Mello said, clearly pissed by the name, as Julia turned for the door. "At least buy something good."

"Sugar daddy…" Matt chuckled once she had gone. "Can't say I've heard you be called that before. Wonder if the nickname will stick?"

"Shut up Matt," Mello snapped.

"Buy something good…" Julia repeated to herself. She was standing in a clothing store, browsing the racks upon racks of clothes. She was hoping to find something a little more girly to replace the clothes she'd grown accustomed to wearing around the Mafia scum. Someone there was always all over her, and so she never wore anything revealing. Now that they were gone and she had the opportunity, she was kind of hoping to show a little skin. Plus it couldn't hurt in getting Mello's attention.

"Anything I can help you with?" a saleswoman asked, approaching Julia. She had blond hair that was pulled up into a ponytail and glasses that rested on the bridge of her nose.

"Yeah…actually I'm looking for something kind of…revealing, I guess."

"Ooh someone special in mind?" the woman asked with a slight smile.

"I guess you could say that," Julia answered. The saleswoman nodded and led her to a rack.

"These are our more flirty pieces," she said. "And over there is the lingerie." Julia giggled.

"I'm not sure I'll need that exactly."

"Well just in case you change your mind," the woman laughed before heading off to help another customer. Julia skimmed the racks, but kept letting her gaze travel to the lingerie. She did share a room with Mello, and they did have some pretty cute pajamas over there. Maybe a little something sexy wouldn't hurt…

"Hey," Julia said casually, stepping into the room with a few bags in her hands. She was dressed in her new outfit, and it didn't take long for the two men in the room to notice. She had on a short black skirt and boots that reached just below her knees, and a light blue, spaghetti strapped tank top that didn't quite reach the waist of her skirt. She dropped her bags on the bed and sat down casually on the couch, crossing her legs and looking to the boys. "Anything fun happen while I was gone?"

"Nothing as exciting as what just happened a second ago…" Matt trailed off, obviously staring at the woman.

"Oh please, you should see what else I bought," Julia teased, raising her eyebrows slightly. Mello was still staring, and finally he clenched his fists.

"Why the hell'd you by that?" he wondered. "What a damn waste of money!"

"Hey, I haven't been able to dress like this in a while so deal with it. Besides, you should be nice to me. I bought you both a present."

"Huh," Matt said, sitting up. "Hear that Mello? We get presents."

"Yeah," Mello grumbled. Julia dug through a bag, quite deliberately tossing a few lacy items onto the bed for the room to see, before pulling out a small box.

"For Matt," she said, tossing it to him.

"Sweet," he said, admiring his new video game. "Thanks babe."

"No problem," Julia replied, turning back for the bag. "And for Mello…" she pulled out a large chocolate bar, and also a smaller box of chocolate. "Something sweet for a bitter personality."

"Right," Mello said. He didn't deny the chocolate however and instead held his hand out to take it. Julia leaned over onto the arm of his chair to hand it to him, quite deliberately showing a bit of cleavage as she did so. She was having a little too much fun with this, and was very satisfied when Mello's gaze shifted toward her for just a second before whipping back as if he hadn't noticed.

"Well it's late," Julia pointed out, standing back up straight. "So I'm going to go change into my new pajamas and go to bed." She grabbed an item that looked too lacy, too sheer, and too small to be pajamas and went to the bathroom.

"Man, can I switch rooms with you?" Matt asked, closing his DS and looking to Mello, who had his fist clenched around a chocolate wrapper.

"Get the hell out Matt," Mello snapped, standing up and heading toward his own bed. Matt pulled himself off his chair with a grunt and headed toward the door.

"Have fun," he said before slipping away. Mello tossed the wrapper toward the door and shut the light off quickly before Julia came out. He lay down and closed his eyes, finally hearing the bathroom door open.

"Asleep this early?" Julia wondered, walking across the room and turning the light on. "That's not like you." She wore very short black shorts and a white flowy tank top that was sheer aside from the area on her chest. Mello clapped his hand to his forehead and groaned.

"Jules…"

"What?" she said. "This shouldn't be an issue with you. You said yourself you have no interest in me and these pajamas are comfortable."

"Doesn't mean it's not a distraction," Mello said, snapping the light off again as Julia climbed into her own bed.

"Ah, so you do notice me," Julia said. "Good job. Next step is admitting why you kissed me."

"Let it go Jules," he grumbled. "We're friends and you're lucky we're that much."

"Nah, friends ended with that kiss," Julia sighed, closing her eyes. "Now it's either a relationship or this sort of denial thing you've got going."

"Or maybe it's just me using you when I need you."

"At least you need me sometimes," Julia said. That was the last thing Mello heard before she drifted off to sleep. Damn. This was going nowhere. She was stuck on this, and it had been his fault to begin with. He wasn't actually sure how to fix it either as he rolled over to sleep.