#54 Babble

How we met again after I left Wammy's? Oh… it was… well, almost like magic, you know? I rang him, sent himt the plane ticket and told him I'd meet him at the airport.

So there I was in a crowd of people, half my face bandaged up, that huge red coat on to try and cover up the mess I was in, in a bad mood because obviously I couldn't bring my weapons into an airport. Even now I feel naked without a gun.

Anyway, the plane disembarked and the crowd of people around me gathered, everyone was really excited to see the people they loved walk out of that baggage claim area, and in the commotion, I got bumped into. On my scarred side.

That really goddamn hurt. So I started shoving back, I wanted to get to the front of the crowd so I could see my Matt again.

My Matt. My sidekick. My little ace in the hole. No-one ever expected me to make friends at Wammy's, I was a right little psychopath even then, and I wanted to hurt everyone who might be a threat to my position. But Matt was different.

He was perfect, in fact. Because he was third, and didn't want to be anything else. He blocked the way for any other threats to my power and left me free to focus on Near. And he's not useless, far from it. When we were 15 he hacked into MI5's databanks and found the number for the queen's private phone line. Later on when poor old Roger was trying to stop Matt being arrested for making fart noises down the phone at the monarch, Matt said he did it to see if he could.

That kid can hack anything. And while his eyesight's crap, his actual hand-eye co-ordination is second to none. I've known him best L in tennis matches because of it.

Sorry, I'm getting off the point.

So I'm there, shoving at these fat idiots around me, and I feel this sleeve brush past mine.

It was electric, that touch. I don't know how I knew, but I did.

And I turned around, and saw that he had turned too. He'd felt that strange sensation too.

By all the gods, he was beautiful. He'd grown up and turned into an Adonis. My little dork actually had muscles and… I don't know why I noticed this of all things, but the beginnings of five o'clock shadow on his chin.

I remember the look on his face. He looked so… happy and surprised. And he said… in that voice that I missed so much…

"Mello?"

It was like hearing music.

~*~*~

First time I saw him again was… weird. Well, we had been apart a hell of a long time, I knew he'd look different, be different, I was prepared for that. Hell, I knew I'd changed too. Couldn't wait to show him the scrawny little brat that he somehow thought worthy of being his friend had grown into a (if I do say so myself) pretty good-looking guy. Mello had always been gorgeous but on the plane I felt like I was catching him up somewhat. Average height, slim build (and a few muscles too, thanks to the wii! [Thanks Nintendo… wow, brackets within brackets, lol]) hair's still a mess but my skin finally cleared up. There were even some girls on the plane who kept glancing at me and giggling. Mello would have been proud.

I'd been prepared for him to have changed. God alone knew what he'd been upto since he left. I had some suspicions though, (hacked the FBI for fun, Mello was 23rd on their most wanted list… heh, until I did some 'editing' anyway) I didn't have any problems with it, we all do what we have to, to get by.

So there I was, waiting to grab my bag from that weird little conveyer belt thing, getting ready to wrestle my way past the fat-ass family who seem to be on every flight I ever go on, blocking up the aisle and making noises and smells, and trying to ignore the group of giggling girls who'd decided they just loved my accent…

…actually I'll just skip to the moment, shall I? No point going on about this crap.

So I walk out and its like an explosion of people out there in the airport, and I can't see anyone who looks like they might be Mello.

So I freak a little bit, and decide to get through the mass of people and see if I can find him from the outside of the hoarde.

So I'm pushing my way through… and some dick head bumps my arm and I almost drop my cigs from my pocket. I span around to give him a few words (words like 'Off' and 'Bugger' ) and saw a flash of perfect blonde hair.

And big blue eyes.

I'd been prepared for him to be different. Not for him to… be that.

He looked so tired and pathetic… half his beautiful face was bandaged up. He was all wrapped up in a big, cheap red coat. Mello would never have been seen dead in it before.

My poor Mello…

The world had treated him so badly.

I could see for a moment that it hurt… that I was good-looking now, and he was reduced to that.

SO I did the only thing I could do for him. I smiled, to show him he was the best thing I'd ever seen (because he is, really) and said "Mello?"

====NOTICE===

The last five chapters of this Drabble Challenge are as yet without titles!
I've decided to hold a contest to fill them in.

Anyone whom wishes to enter may submit either a piece of artwork or writing.

The art must be of something (an event or OC) from either of the two drabble challenges I've written.

Written submissions must be either continuations of drabbles or involve an OC from the drabble challenges

The winners will be given the chance to choose the title and is they so wish, pairing/events of the final five drabbles to this collection.

I will keep posting this notice until chapter 95 just to make sure newcomers to the fiction see it.

Please send the submissions to me in a PM with the header 'Contest submission' or email me at the address in my author profile.

Good luck! : ) -Esk