A/N: =D Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Especially to DarkAngel2828, chrono-contract, kAtiE-lUvs-mcr, Fortunate1, Koda-Chan, and Moka777. XD Oh and special thanks to lovelyblackheart for giving us some very constructive criticism, have we fixed the problem? =D Oh and how about 5 more reviews to update super fast?
Mello paced outside the heavy steel door for what seemed like an eternity. He checked his phone, it had only been twenty minutes. But Rod could do a lot to someone in twenty minutes. He knew Matt had messed up big time, but as much as he liked seeming the grunts get their ass kicked Mello felt sick when he thought of what Rod might be doing. He sighed and leaned against the wall. He still couldn't believe Matt had found him, he had been so careful in covering his tracks. Although Matt did seem pretty surprised to see him, could they really have met like this by chance?
When Rod finally growled that he could leave, Matt all but ran out of the room. His nose felt disgusting, sticky blood starting to dry on it. He rubbed it with his sleeve, wincing as he looked at Mello. He was sure he would start feeling the real pain later, but for the moment he wanted to talk to his friend more than anything. "Mell?"
Mello looked up from his shoes when he heard his name. He cringed when he saw his nose and rushed over. "Looks like he didn't screw you over too badly."
He felt guilty about Matt getting hurt and pulled him to his room. He wasn't sure what to say to his best friend that he ditched over four years ago. He opened the door to the adjoining bathroom and turned on the sink. "Come here." He wet a washcloth and held it out to the red head.
Matt let his friend lead him, taking the washcloth. He didn't really feel like mentioning the other punches he'd gotten. It wasn't like he couldn't cover up any bruises with the layers of clothes he usually wore, anyway, and he didn't want Mello to worry. That guilty look was killing him. "Thanks...I'm alright," he assured the blond as he washed the blood off.
Mello nodded, feeling awkward and unsure of what to say. He leaned back against the counter, his hands resting on the counter top to support himself as he watched his friend. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine the Matt he had left behind, an anti-social, shy nerd that hardly left his room except to eat and go to class. This Matt looked nothing like that anymore, and to join the mafia he must've had some amount of guts.
"I missed you," Matt mumbled, trying to break the silence. He finally managed to get most of the blood off of his nose and tossed the washcloth in the sink. "I looked everywhere for you."
"How did you find me?" Mello was eye level with Matt now, he was used to looking down at him slightly when they were kids. "And why did you find me?"
"I didn't even know you were here. Just got lucky," he said, grinning a little. "And you should know why."
Mello couldn't help but smile, he loved that grin, and didn't realize until now how much he missed it. "Well I'm glad you found me, you weirdo." He hugged him tightly.
Matt tried not to wince again, returning the hug. "You better not leave this time."
"And what if I do?" Mello abruptly pushed him away. "I left without telling you for a reason ya know."
"What's your great reason, then? I don't want you to leave."
"Because I didn't want anyone getting hurt because of me! And you already have! Matt, you need to leave, now." Mello hated being like this to Matt, but seeing like this was killing him, and he didn't want to constantly have to worry about whether Matt was safe or not.
"I don't want to leave." Matt wasn't sure what caused the sudden change of heart, but he knew Mello had been happy to see him. There was no way he was just going to leave. "And nothing you say is gonna make me do it."
"Ugh! Matt you idiot! Don't you get it!? You'll get yourself fucking killed! And I don't want to deal with that..." Mello shook his head, he wanted so desperately for Matt to stay, for someone to be there for him, but that would be selfish.
"Do you think I could leave even if I wanted to, Mello? Hell, I'd probably be killed for even trying to leave. So I'm not much safer that way." Matt frowned, putting his hands on his friend's shoulders. "Would you calm down?"
Mello took a deep breath, he was having trouble getting his thoughts together, if you could believe it. "Yeah, I guess not…I am calm." He grabbed Matt's arms and just stood there with him. He felt as if time was at a stand still, and he just wanted to be with his friend forever, to forget about everything. He knew it wasn't an option.
Matt smiled a little, pressing his forehead against the blond's. "Well yeah, you are now."
Mello smiled back, thankful for the red head's closeness. He loved how it felt, safe. Matt made him feel safe when no one else did. He would never let him go at this rate, Matt had sealed his fate. "You know you're stuck now, right?"
When one of the higher-up's walked around the corner and spotted them he frowned. "Cut that gay shit out!" Mello looked over at him and he froze, he hadn't realized it was Mello, who was a higher rank then he was.
Mello narrowed his eyes and pushed Matt away. "Come over here and say that!"
Matt backed up a little, not wanting to be too close when Mello's temper got the best of him. He almost felt a little worried for the guy.
The man just laughed it off nervously. "Hey, c'mon. I didn't know it was you."
Mello clenched his fists. "That doesn't fucking change what you said!" He started towards the man and inwardly smirked when he backed up. "What? Not so tough now, are you?"
"Hey, look, I didn't mean it. Just chill, okay?"
Matt watched his friend, touching the blond's arm. "It's not worth losing your temper over."
"I've worked too hard to get where I am to let these guys walk all over me!" Mello retrieved his gun from the front of his pants and pointed it at the man. "Now get out of my sight!"
The man bolted out of the room without another word, leaving Matt to give the blond an almost worried look. "What have you done to make someone like that scared of you?"
Mello grinned feeling proud of himself, and returned his gun to its previous place in his pants. "Things like you wouldn't believe."
"Do I want to know?"
"Probably not." Mello closed the door and locked it, not wanting some other idiot to ruin his and Matt's reunion.
"Then don't tell me," he said with a sigh, tugging his goggles down to sit on his neck and letting his eyes adjust to the light.
"Anything you want." Mello walked back into the makeshift bedroom, locking that door too, and setting his gun down on a safe he used as a nightstand.
Still not comfortable in the new place, Matt aimlessly wandered after Mello. "When do you want me to go back to my apartment?"
Mello smirked and sat on the bed. "Why would you go back?"
Matt blinked, a little surprised. "I can stay here? With you?"
"Weren't you listening to me? I just said you can have anything you want." Mello leaned over, putting in the combination to his safe and grabbing a bar of chocolate. "I have an apartment too, away from the base if you'd rather stay there with me."
"I'd love that. But I really doubt I can have anything I want." Matt sat on the edge of the bed. "You're still eating that stuff?"
"Believe me, you can have anything." He took a bit of chocolate, loving the snapping sound fresh chocolate made. "And do you really even have to ask?"
"If you say so." Matt laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, I should've known. Share a bite?"
"Only because you're my best friend." Mello said holding the half eaten chocolate bar out to him. "I'm surprised you haven't asked me about that plan I mentioned before."
Matt leaned over and took a bite out of the bar. "It's probably one of the things I don't wanna know about."
"You're more than likely right. But I want you to be a part of it." Mello desperately wanted someone with him on this. If he had to do it alone he would fail, and not because he couldn't physically do it mind you, but because Mello was sick of being alone.
"Then consider me a part of it. All you had to do was ask."
God Mello had missed Matt, always so ready to give up everything for him. He definitely needed him on this one, he had great timing.
"I want to catch Kira."