Looseleaf
CXXXIII. Overboard
"Mello!" Matt whined. "Stop it, the soap's getting in my eyes!" The nine-year-old frowned, trying to shield his unprotected eyes. "Why did you have to take my goggles?"
Mello smiled, realizing how endearing the redhead could be, even if he was complaining. "It wouldn't have been fair," he replied, trying to get more bubbles into his hands. "It was your idea to have a bubble bath, so in return, I get to blind you whenever I want without your being protected by goggles."
"Not fair," Matt repeated, still frowning petulantly. "Besides, you took away most of the bubbles!"
"The bubble soap is right there." Mello raised a hand from the water to point at the bottle on a shelf.
"But then I have to get up to get it," Matt said.
"If you truly loved bubbles, you'd do it."
Matt bit his lip. "A-all right." Then he stood, in all of his naked glory, grabbed the bottle, and practically slammed his arse back down into the tub. The water swished around in the tub, some escaping and dropping onto the tiled floor of the bathroom.
Mello didn't even try to stifle his grin. "Good," he said.
Matt wasn't sure whether he meant the bubble soap or the redhead's...that. Matt shuddered; surely his very straight best friend wouldn't be talking about that. It was Matt's job to be gay and have a crush on Mello, not the other way around...even if that sounded rather nice.
"Now open the top and pour it into the tub," Mello instructed.
Matt obeyed while Mello still grinned like a maniac.
"Good boy," the blond purred as Matt put away the bottle. "Now help me get the bubbles up."
"Uh huh." Matt acqueisced like a good puppy. Soon, the tub was overflowing with bubbles, and the two boys were up to their necks in it.
"See? This is much better!" Mello said happily, already beginning to gather his arsenal.
Matt gulped. "Don't you think I put a little bit too much?"
"Of course not." Mello finally had as much bubbles as his arms could hold. He sat up on his knees and shuffled towards Matt, arms raising above his head and all set to deliver the blow. He was just about to whack the gamer in the face with the bubbles when he saw his face...
Matt squeezed his eyes shut and drew his knees in to his chest, tightly gripping them in place with his arms. He buried his mouth into his knees as to not get any soap in there.
Mello took pity on him. The older of the two brought the bubbles down onto red hair and shaped them into a cone.
"Huh...?" Matt slowly blinked his eyes open. He stared up at Mello wonderingly.
Mello smiled. "See? You have a hat." He patted the redhead's cheek.
Matt touched Mello's hand, and the words tumbled out of his mouth, "I like you."
"I know," Mello said calmly; Finally, he admits it, he thought.
"No, like, I really like you," Matt clarified.
"I know."
"I don't think you get it, Mels. I. Love. You."
Mello smiled. "I know."
Mello refused to say it back. XP