第１１話

"Ask"

The next morning, Matt woke up to bright sunlight stretching out across the room. His mind and vision were hazy, and it took him a moment to completely wake up. When he did, he was surprised to feel a warm body resting beside him. Looking over, he was even more surprised to discover Mello asleep next to him, the other boy's arm wrapped around his waist, his head resting on Matt's chest.

What the...? Matt shifted slightly, sitting up on the couch. Mello didn't move.

Matt figured Mello must have woken up during the night and moved over on his couch, though why Mello would do such a thing, Matt didn't know. Usually Matt was the one seeking closeness at night. But Mello had wanted to be close to him...

This thought made Matt smile to himself.

He gave a small sigh and laid back down beside Mello.

He didn't want to go back home. He didn't want to face his parents, didn't want to listen to them yell and scream anymore. It would be perfect if he could just stay with Mello, where he wanted to be in the first place. He hated home. He hated it more than anything.

Turning over on his side, he found himself facing Mello again, in a similar position to last night. This realization made his heart begin to beat a little faster. Matt stayed still for a while, simply watching the other boy.

A few minutes later, he felt Mello shift slightly, and then the other boy opened his eyes, a small smile forming on his face as he saw Matt. "Morning."

Matt hoped to hell that he wasn't blushing. "M-morning."

Mello didn't seem at all disturbed by how close their faces were. "Did you sleep well last night?" he asked.

"Yeah, better than I would've at home."

"I'm glad," Mello said, "that I could be of some help."

Matt was silent for a minute, silently pleading with his mind not to think about how close he and Mello were. It was enough of a struggle simply not to lean forward a few more millimeters and repeat the events of last night.

Suddenly, Matt could feel pressure on his hand, and looked down to see that Mello had taken it and laced their fingers together.

"I don't want to go home," Matt said.

"I know you don't, but your parents are the ones who make that choice."

"I hate them."

"Oh, Matt...you don't mean that," Mello said gently.

"Yes, I do. I hate them."

Mello sighed. "Things will get better."

"They haven't yet."

"Just bear with it."

"I've been bearing it," Matt said, "For years. I'm sick of it, and I'm sick of them."

Mello squeezed his hand slightly. "I know. I wish I could make it better for you."

"You're here. That's enough," Matt said with a small sigh. He just tried not to think about how close they were, and how he had to control every muscle in his body not to lean forward just one more time. Mello's lips had never been so tempting – no one's lips had ever been so tempting...

Matt forced himself to look away, knowing that if he stared into Mello's eyes for a second longer, he wouldn't be able to hold back. "M-Mello, can I ask you something...?" he said softly.

"Sure, what is it?" Mello asked.

"Have you ever...?" he began.

"Ever what?"

Ever what? Matt repeated inside his head. What exactly am I trying to ask him? If he's ever had feelings for another boy? If he has feelings for me? No, stupid – I can't ask him that. The obvious answer would be a no, and there's no point in embarrassing myself like that. "Nothing, I just...wondered if you..." Liked me? Would kiss me? There were so many forms of the very question Matt was dying to ask, longing to know.

"If I...?"

Matt took a deep breath and looked back into Mello's eyes again. "I...I have to tell you something."

"Uh – okay...what is it?"

"You have to promise you won't laugh, or ... be grossed out, or whatever, okay?" Matt said.

Mello gave a small laugh. "Alright. Just tell me what it is!" he said.

Matt swallowed to get rid of the lump in his throat. "Mello, I..."

Before he could get the rest of the sentence out, a loud knocking came from the doorway and the two boys jumped off the couch immediately, as though they'd been electrocuted. It wasn't but a few moments later that Mello's parents came downstairs, looking just as shocked. In their hurry, they didn't even notice the two boys downstairs.

"What is this noise?" His father demanded, as the knocking on the door continued. He marched over to the door and wrenched it open. "WAS?!" he demanded.

Mello could feel Matt shrink beside him as his own parents walked into the room, looking furious.

"Cecilia..." Mello's mother began, looking concerned. "What's the matter?"

"Where is our son?" Matt's father demanded.

"Mail? He isn't at home?"

"He left last night, and since this is the place he seems to always skip out to..." Cecilia said, enunciating the word 'place' with a certain distaste in her voice. "Seeing as he's so damn fond of that son of yours."

As if on que, Mello's parents swerved around, their eyes widening when they saw the two boys.

"Mihael, what is the meaning of this?!" his father demanded. "Why is Mail here?"

Before either of them had a chance to reply, Matt's mother had strode across the room and struck Matt sharply across the face. "Don't you ever leave the house without telling us, ever!" she said angrily in French, as Matt put a hand to his stinging cheek.

"Well maybe if you two didn't spend the whole time arguing, he wouldn't want to leave!" Mello spat, and Matt looked at him in horror and fear.

"Why you little --!" Cecilia's hand raised in the air again, but Mello's mother grabbed her arm.

"Don't you dare raise a hand to my son," she said.

"Your son is the reason that we barely see Mail anymore!" Cecilia cried furiously.

Mello opened his mouth to retort, but Matt quickly shushed him.

"Come on, Mail – we're leaving!" His mother grabbed his arm roughly and jerked him forward. "You're never to come here again, understand!?"

Matt's eyes widened in silent protest, but any words he might have said were never allowed, for his mother pulled him out the door.

第１１話　－　終