Graffiti chapter twelve: Anxiety by blackdragonflower

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At a Rulebreaker's Hideout

Smack. "What was your connection to them Stripes?"

Stripes groaned in pain his head swimming and dots dancing in front of his vision. "..."

The young male fell to the floor when he was hit in the back of the head by a blunt object. Blood trickled from his mouth and his green eyes were growing dimmer and dimmer but he still refused to say a word about Angel's Lies. "Damn you!" A violent kick to the ribs. "You were a fucking spy weren't you? I had suspicions but this just proves it. Where did you tell Matt to go?!"

Stripes chuckled weakly, it was pathetic to hear. "Wouldn't you..." Cough. "like to know..."

--

At Angel's Lies

Matt paced the room frantically while Mello nibbled on a chocolate bar watching him. Mello sighed. If Matt kept this up he'd hurt himself or something. "Matt..."

"What?!" Matt lashed out annoyed.

"Calm down." The redhead's emerald eyes widened then narrowed. He stalked over to Mello and punched him right across the face. Mello growled and landed a blow to Matt's cheek. "What the hell you asshole!" The two boys got into a heated fight punching, kicking, and biting.

"I can't stand you sometimes!"

"Well you're no walk in the park either!"

"Jackass!"

"Bitch!"

"What the hell is going on?!" Dante bellowed angry storming into the room. "Stop fighting!" Dante tore the boys apart and held them arm's distance away by their collars. "What the hell are you two doing fighting?"

"Matt started it." Mello grumbled eyes narrowed.

"Shut up!" Matt snapped.

"Both of you shut up!" The man in the black trench coat yelled over them. "Now explain without fighting what's going on?"

"... I told Matt to calm down and he fucking punched me." Mello glared at Matt annoyed.

"How can you sit here all being so damn calm?" Matt yelled. "How can you just sit here when Stripes could be killed?!"

"We're not just sitting Matt. At Angel's Lies we think before we act. Not only is Stripes's life in danger but both of you boys are in danger too. Stripes brought you halfway here knowing the risks of doing so. If you just go and willingly throw yourself into trouble there was no point for his actions."

Matt bit his lip catching a sob in his throat. "But he could die..."

"And so could you."

Seraph walked casually into the room with Kara, "We're sending you back to Wammy House."

"WHAT?!" Mello growled.

"It's for the best." The white haired woman stated plainly. "Rulebreakers doesn't know that you are both from Wammy's so that would be the safest place to put you."

"...Josh knows."

"...?"

The redhead looked up from the floor. "Josh knows about Wammy's... He's probably told Moska already about the place."

"Still," Seraph voiced, "Wammy's House is the best place. There's only one road to get there and we have plenty of helpful spies set up in the city to notify us if Rulebreakers is on the move in that direction. Plus... the police are looking for you. It would be trouble if we got caught with you."

"WHAT?! DAMMIT ROGER WHY POLICE?!" Mello began a stream of cusses. "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!"

"Mello watch your mouth! What would your mother say?" Kara responded much like a real mother would.

Mello shushed but was boiling with anger. "What about Matt? What are we going to say when we come back with him and they find the bruises and bite marks?"

"We'll just have to hope they don't see them."

Dante pulled a cell phone from his pocket and handed it to Mello along with a charger. "Keep this on you. If you somehow get some information call us... and we'll call you with the details we find."

"We're taking you back now. Dante has his car parked out back."

Matt was silent. Needing comfort but finding none he hesitantly reached out and grabbed Mello's hand. The blonde's head whipped towards the redhead eyebrows furrowed, but when he saw the look on Matt's face Mello said nothing and let the hand remain where it was. When they climbed into Dante's black car and were buckled up Mello just faintly heard Matt whisper, "I'm sorry."

Mello squeezed Matt's hand. "Yeah me too. Guess we're both worried about Stripes." Matt looked up at Mello green eyes dim. "He'll be okay Matt. Stripes is tough."

"... I hope so."

It became silent in the car both boys looking out the same window at the buildings they passed, and when the buildings disappeared the few miles of farmland. The closer they grew to Wammy House the tighter Matt's grip on Mello's hand became. They pulled into the driveway, past the shimmering golden gates, and to the front steps where Roger Ruvie was waiting alongside him a bleak looking Near holding a Transformer. When the albino caught sight of Matt and Mello in the back he mouthed,

"Welcome back. I missed you."

But neither Matt nor Mello could say they'd come back on good terms or that they wanted to be there.