Holy crap! I'm so sorry guys! Somehow this poor story got pushed to the back burner. If it makes you feel better I do know how it ends, and it's just how to get there. (That being said I'm seeing at max 10 more chapters, more realistically probably around 5) So hope you enjoy the (very very late) chapter of Illusion of Perfection.

Kat

-Mello-

The next couple of weeks didn't fare any better. Beyond was being just as annoying and I was just as ready to kill someone. If it wasn't for Matt I probably would have. We finally had the house in order how we wanted it and everything was (mostly) peaceful. Matt was constantly monitoring for Raito, he was no doubt looking for us, but we kept mostly to ourselves. Even if they found this town the people would hardly have anything to tell about us. The few that did know us (the two elderly couples who ran the general store and hardware store) loved us and wouldn't rat us out.

We managed to co-inhabit, barely. While it was true, I was friends with Beyond at one point, he needed something to do. This small town living constantly being caged away….He needed the anonymity of a large crowd, something always going on.

Matt and I were just the opposite. We wanted this warped version of a domestic life. We had a house, were free to cuddle and watch TV, make love, and share a bed. It's all we wanted from the start.

It irked Beyond to no end.

After one particularly mean prank (itching powder in our lube? What the fuck B?) Matt finally had enough.

We were eating breakfast (Well, I was trying to eat, I really wanted to get back in the shower and try to make the damn itching go away) Matt walked in and tossed a roll of bills at B.

"This is one third of the money that is left. Go where ever you want. Just go."

Beyond just liked the jam spoon. "Why should I go?"

"Because, you're miserable here and doing your best to make us miserable too! Go buy a car and find a big city or something! I'm sick of all the bickering! And your last prank could have really hurt one of us, you're lucky we caught it early on or I would do worse than make you leave!"

….I hadn't seen Matt mad in a long time, I forgot how scary it was.

"Fine. Gentlemen, I bid you adieu." He gave a sweeping bow before grabbing a bag of his things, the money and leaving.

"Matt…."

He looked over at my soft call. "Yeah?"

"What will stop him from betraying us?"

"We're the ones who freed him, one time friends. We just have to hope he's loyal."

That night was the first night since we left I wasn't able to sleep.

Matt saw just how worried and tense I was, so grinning he planned a "surprise."

I obediently got in the car as per his request letting him drive to the next city over.

We ate pasta at the local Olive Garden, got dessert from an ice cream place, and went to the zoo. It was all silly little things, but things neither one of us was ever able to do. I was just as excited as the kids running from one exhibit to the next. Matt just laughed holding my hand running along. He was in a good mood as well, good naturedly sticking his tongue out at the kids who went "eeew!" giggling when I gave him a chaste kiss.

I was tired, but happy, our newly acquired stuffed zebra and lion belted in the back seat. "Safety first" as Matt put it, I just laughed.

"One more surprise if you want it." He winked my direction. "It's a "big boy" surprise though."

"Oh?"

I received an impish grin as Matt pulled into the parking lot of a XXX store. I quirked a brow, "Really?"

"Can't say you don't want to."

"Lead on then."

Tonight would be fun.