"Owwww..." Matt groaned, his eyelids flickering. The light in the room blinded him momentarily and he had to blink repeatably. He sat up, his head swimming. His leg felt like led and his stomach was turning. The details of the room came into sharper focus and Matt realized he was in room thirteen. A splint was fixed onto his leg and a bandage was stuck to his forehead.
Matt looked around, his head felt heavy when he moved it. The first thing he saw was Mello. He was lying in his own bed, eyes closed and breathing relaxed and even. Matt realized that this was the first time he had even seen Mello sleep. All Mello's glare wrinkles smoothed out and his lips became a limp line. His hair fell over his face, hiding half of it.
"Mello!" Matt whispered loudly. Mello didn't respond.
"OH MY GOD ZOMMIE!" Matt roared. Mello still didn't wake up.
"CHOCOLATE!" Matt tried again. Mello's eyes flickered, Matt grinned. The blonde slowly opened his eyes and looked at Matt questioningly.
"Good morning sunshine!" Matt sang, his smile widening.
Mello glared at him.
Matt chuckled "How are you on this lovely morning?"
"It's four in the afternoon."
Matt blinked "It is? Huh, I slept like a log!"
Mello sighed and sat up. The hair on the right side of his head, the one that had recently left the pillow, was sticking up in all different dictations. Matt laughed, this hurt his throat... and his head... and his stomach. Mello scowled and flattened his hair with his hand.
"Sooooooo..." Matt started, trying to think of something to say.
"Don't think just because I saved you were friends now." Mello narrowed his eyes at Matt. Matt blinked, silence filled room thirteen. Matt considered the words before he spoke"Thank you Mello."
Mello stared at him "For what?"
"Saving me of course!"
"Don't get use to it. I saved you only because I wanted to beat up Mich."
Matt smiled softly "You'd make a good friend Mello."
"I already told you we're not friends!" Mello snapped, glaring at Matt. Matt shrugged and laid back against his pillows. That's when he noticed the glass of water on the bedside table. He looked up at Mello, but he had disappearing into the bathroom. Matt grinned and drained the water from the glass. The cold liquid soothed his sand paper throat and made Matt feel a bit better.
"Hey Mello!" Matt called. After a long moment Mello exited the bathroom, not looking at Matt.
"Mello."
Nothing
"Mello!"
No response.
"MELLO!"
"What?" Mello snapped and Matt smiled "Thanks for the water."
Mello scowled and bit into a chocolate bar that had been lying beside his bed. Matt stared up at the ceiling, boredom seeping into him. He sighed loudly, letting the air buzz through his lips. Then he felt something poke his shoulder. He looked down to see that Mello was poking him with a small rectangular device. His DS! Mello dropped it onto the bed beside Matt and left the dorm without a word. Matt fingered the DS on and began a heated game of Mario Cart racers.
"Die peach!" He laughed as he fired a missile at the princess's digital cart to slow it down. He was on his seventh round, demolishing everyone with Toad when Mello returned. Matt paused his game and looked up at Mello.
"I could hear you down the hall." Mello said tonelessly, sitting back down on his bed. He pulled a book from his bag along with his notebook and pencil. Matt shrugged. That was all they said as Mello began to write and Matt unpaused his game.
…
"Shut up!" Mello finally roared when Matt, for the first time since he had started playing, lost.
"YOU STINKING DINASUAR!" Matt roared "YOU LITTLE GREEN CHEATER! I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD FOR THIS!"
Mello cursed loudly and glared daggers at him. Matt tried his best to calm down but the smug little dinosaur was bouncing up and down on the winners platform.
"It's not my fault!" Matt droned, saving his game and closing it with a snap "I can't walk!"
Mello scowled and took a bite of his chocolate. As if on cue Matt's belly rumbled loudly. He rubbed his empty stomach "Can I have some Mello?"
Mello stared at him as if he couldn't believe Matt had even asked such a thing "No."
"I'm hungry!" Matt complained, pointing into his mouth. Mello glared at him "I don't care."
"If you don't feed me then I will die! You said yourself you couldn't see me die!"
"I just said I wasn't going to let Mich kill you. I never said anything about hunger. I checked your leg and it turned out to be a minor injury. You'll be back on your feet before you starve." Mello countered, disposing his empty chocolate wrapper in the trash. Matt frowned "Please Mello?"
"No."
"What if I promise to be quiet for an hour?"
Mello paused "Make it for the rest of the day."
"Whatever! Fine the rest of the day! Food!"
Mello sighed and left. He returned within minutes holding a bag of chips and a plate with a sandwich. Matt grinned as he started to devoured the food.
"Hey, did you make this yourself?" Matt asked through a mouthful of food.
"No, the cook did. Now shut up."
Matt staid silent for the rest of his meal and played his DS quietly for an hour or so. He was in the middle of beat a particularly hard level on Metroiod Prime when Mello swore loudly from his bed.
"What;s wrong?" Matt asked, forgetting their deal. Mello didn't response as he stuck a hand into his bag and pulled another bar of chocolate from it. It cracked loudly as he took off a chuck.
"You'll get fat if you keep eating those." Matt muttered. Mello scowled without looking up "Your suppose to be quiet so shut it."
"So what happened?" Matt asked ignoring Mello's statement. Mello threw down his pencil and glared at Matt "I need to concentrate! Shut up!"
"Tell me what's your having trouble with first!" Matt answered.
"I'm not having trouble!" Mello denied, scratching out one of the notes he had made in his notebook. Matt closed his DS and sat up "Just tell me Mello, I want to help! It's the least I can do."
"No thanks." Mello growled, flipping a page in his book. Matt grinned victoriously "So something is wrong!"
"Can you just shut up?" Mello sounded strained as he traced a finger along a passage in his book. Matt frowned "Just tell me Mello!"
"Ugh! It's this stupid question! It makes no sense!" Mello roared, fighting the urge to throw the book against the wall. He snapped his pencil in two as his frustration grew. Matt leaned forward "Can I see?"
"What good will that do?" Mello muttered, glaring down at the book. Matt shrugged "It can't hurt."
Mello threw the book at him and Matt almost dropped it. He looked down at the page, it was full of miniscule text. Matt glanced at the title that read: Advanced Technology
"It's the third question." Mello grumbled, nibbling on his bar. Matt read the question and understood immediately. He did a quick calculation in his head then threw the book back at Mello.
"The answer's X134-2." Matt said, leaning against his pillows. Mello narrowed his eyes "What makes you think that?"
"No one knows computers better than me." Matt grinned. Mello raised an eyebrow "The only technology I've ever seen you touch was that DS."
"Yeah well, the people at my old school... thought I was kinda strange." Matt stared at the ceiling, not even sure if Mell was listening "I always was playing my games in school. At lunch, in the halls, in class. My teachers would yell but I did it because all we work was done. I didn't really have any friends. Other gamers didn't want me near them."
Silence filled the room and Matt guessed Mello had just ignored everything in till he spoke "Is that why you hid your games? You thought things would be the same here?"
"Yeah." Matt chuckled "But it's been driving me insane all day. All I wanted to do was shun others and play."
"Huh." Mello grunted, hunching over his work again. Matt closed his eyes and listened to the soft sound of Mello's pencil scratch against paper. The sound soon lolled him into a light sleep.
This time it was man that loomed over Matt, his green eyes sparking as Matt cried.
"Good for nothing boy!" The man kicked out and Matt cried in pain. His father was drunk again. His mother would probably be home soon in the same state. For the millionth time that night Matt wondered, as his father hit him again and again, if it would be better just to leave. Run away.
A door slammed and Matt heard his mothers voice call out something and his father shouted back. A bottle of alcoholic fell and shattered near Matt's face and he closed his eyes just in time as the glass flew at him.
"Matt!"
"No!" Matt screamed and he lashed out. His hand was caught in a softer one and Matt's eyes snapped open. Mello was leaning over him, one hand on Matt's shoulder and the other holding his.
"What- Mello?"
Through all his confusion one thing struck Matt the most. Mello had called him Matt, that was the first time Mello had ever used his name. Mello let go of Matt's hand that fell to his stomach and removed his hand from Matt's shoulder.
"What happened Mello?" Matt asked, sitting up so fast his goggles almost slipped from his sweaty face. His head felt dizzy for a moment and he groaned, putting a hand on his throbbing temple. Mello still stood by his bed, waiting for Matt to calm down.
"What happened?" Matt asked again, his voice leveling out as it became clear there was no immediate danger.
"You were talking in your sleep." Mello answered, still standing by the bed. Matt blinked and the dream rushed back to him "That did I say?"
"You said no a lot. I thought you were going to roll of your bed, you keep flailing. You also said something about a father but that was brief." Mello replied, eyes digging into Matt's.
"Thank you Mello." Matt smiled, his voice soft. Mello scowl "I woke you because you were breaking my focus."
"Oh..." Matt looked down at his hands, slightly crushed. Quiet, then "Are you okay?"
The question surprised Matt and his head snapped up to Mello's face which was unreadable.
"F-fine." Matt stammered as Mello turned away and crossed the room to his bed. He sat down and pushed his books and pencils into his bag. Matt watched him, a slow smile forming on his face "Were you worried about me?"
No response.
"You were! Weren't you!"
"No." The answer was blunt as Mello stretched out on his own bed. Matt tilted his head "What are you doing?"
"Trying to sleep."
Matt fell silent. The only sound in the room was the two boys breathing and the soft ticking of a clock. Matt rolled over onto his side so he could see Mello better. The blonde's eyes were closed and Matt would have thought he was dead if he couldn't see the slow rise and fall of Mello's breathing. Matt smiled as he saw that a strand of Mello's hair was being blow about by his breathing.
Matt didn't know when he fell back asleep. He had stayed awake to watch Mello sleep for about an hour before his eyelids closed. But before he knew it, it was morning. The nightmare hadn't returned. Mello's bed was empty and Matt could hear the water in the bathroom running.
Matt rolled over and stretched, his leg felt fine. Although he wasn't going to risk standing up yet. His head felt normal and his stomach was only mildly painful as he stretched.
Mello came out of the bathroom, steam following him. He glanced momentarily at Matt before he bent to pack his bag like every morning. Matt grinned "Good morning!"
"You look terrible." Was Mello's response but it made Matt smile even wider, they were making progress! Matt sat up and gingerly put his undamaged leg on the floor. Mello looked over "If you fall I'm not going to catch or help you."
"I won't fall!" Matt snorted as he placed his other foot down.
Moments later Matt hit the floor. He cursed under his breath and used the bed post to stand, putting all his wight on his good leg. Mello looked smug as he threw the last book into his bag.
"Will you help me Mello?" Matt pleaded, trying to hop across the room on one foot but failed miserable. He fell again and had nothing to help him get up.
"I already told you I wouldn't help you up." Mello said, hoisting his backpack onto his back and looking down at Matt. Matt grumbled and began to pull himself toward the bathroom.
"I would help if you fall in. Oh and take the cast off if your going to leave." Mello called over his shoulder before he exited the room with a slamming of the door.
"Gee thanks." Matt muttered, kicking the door closed behind him. He used the sink to pull himself up and stared at his reflection His hair was a mess and so were his cloths. His shirt had blood stains on it and his pants had ripped. His hair was sticking up in ever direction and is face had a bit of blood on it still. He had been wearing the same set of clothes for about three days now.
"Wow Mello want's kidding." Matt said as he pulled the cast from his leg. He didn't fall in as he used the toilet, but he did almost fall over in the shower. He got dressed and rubbed his hair with a towel till it was almost dry. He put his goggles back on and headed into the hall. He tried not to put much weight on his leg and leaned against the wall if he could. He was still sporting a cut on his forehead and bruise on his cheek so he tried to look down as often as he could. No one was in the hall. They were already down at breakfast.
Matt half walked half limped there. It wall full of chattering kids and the sound of forks and spoons was loud. Matt tried to make his walking look nature as he sat next to Lily who verbally pounced on him at once.
"Where have you been?" She cried, turning to face him. Matt inwardly cringed as he looked up at her and she gasped "Matt! Your face..."
"It's nothing!" Matt protested as her face grew angry.
"Did Mello do this to you?" Lily demanded and several other children stopped talking to listen in.
"No!" Matt denied and in his head added "Not all of it"
"Then who did?" Lily asked, disbelievingly. Matt glanced down the table at Mich who's nose was swollen and blacken. Mich glared right back, dragging a hand across his neck in a tell and I kill you gesture.
"It's nothing Lily." Matt rolled his eyes "Stop worrying!"
"You weren't at lunch or dinner yesterday and today you were late for breakfast! You also have a gash on your forehead and your cheek is swallow!" Lily insisted, glaring at him "Don't tell me it's nothing!"
"Over-protective." Matt muttered. Lily scowled "Just tell me Matt! Why are you trying to hide it?
Matt got up, his lumpy oatmeal barely touched. Lily rose too, her eyes on Matt. He turned to leave and she followed him. They walked through the halls till they reached the dorms at which Lily spoke up again "Are you limping?"
Matt cursed and continued to walk, turning to hide the limp.
"What did Mello do to you?" Lily roared, grabbing his shoulder and turning him around. Matt wasn't really scared of Mich, after all the boy couldn't take a punch. Mello's punch had knocked him unconscious. But Matt felt like if he told her about Mich's attack he would have to tell her about Mello saving him. Matt really, for some reason didn't want to tell her about Mello. He bristled now as she once again accused Mello. The guy have saved him!
"Mello didn't do anything!" Matt bellowed back, opening the door to room thirteen. Lily followed him right into the dread room. She did it absentmindedly however so she didn't even look around before she continued "I know he did something Matt! Mello hates everyone!"
A sharp crack jarred Lily to her senses and she realized where she was. The crack had come from the piece of chocolate Mello had just bitten away from the whole. Lily slowly moved her eyes from Matt to Mello. She let out a small squeal when she saw that his icy eyes were on her. She opened her mouth but no sound came out, her brown eyes bugged out of their sockets.
"Lily, right?" Mello asked, setting down his pencil. Lily mutely nodded, taking a step back. Mello switched from his lounge to a siting position. Lily took a step back, her breathing was fast and uneven. Mello's eyes looked cat like as they looked Lily up and down.
"Scat."
Lily didn't need telling twice as she ran from the room, her blonde hair whipping out behind her. The door slammed behind her and Matt could hear her run down the hall away from the room.
"You scared her pretty bad." Matt glanced at Mello who had gone back to writing like Lily had never been there. Mello shrugged but didn't respond.
"Hey Mello."
He didn't respond but Matt decide to bet that he was listening.
"What are you doing the week before Christmas?"
"Nothing." Mello answered without looking up.
"Nothing?"
"Nothing." Mello repeated, turning a page in his math book. Matt looked at him, slowly gathering his courage. He took a deep breath.
"Will you go with me to town? I want to see the decorations."
Mello looked up. His eyes betraying his shock. Matt wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not, he pleaded it was.
"Why?" Mello asked.
"What?"
"Why do you want me to go with you?"
"I don't want to go alone!" Matt whined "I need someone to enjoy the air of Christmas with!"
"Why don't you go with Lily then?" Mello raised an eyebrow. Matt looked at the floor "I guess I could."
There was silence as Matt stood there, unsure of what to do. Mello slowly lowered his gaze to his book but didn't write anything. Matt slowly stepped out of the room.
"I guess I should go apologize to Lily." He mumbled to himself, starting to trudge along the hallway. He looked in her dorm, the library, and the dining room. He finally found her and a group of other children near the front doors. They were dressed in heavy jackets and mittens with hats.
"What's going on?" Matt asked. Lily smiled brightly at him which surprised him "Roger gave us permission to start going into town! The week has began!"
Lily was almost hyper with excitement as she pulled on her boots, she clearly had forgotten Mello in her joy "You should come with us!"
Matt didn't know what made him say it but what came tumbling out of his mouth was "No thanks."
Lily looked crushed, she frowned, her eyes grew big "Why not?"
"I don't have any money." That part was true "and I don't really want to." That was a lie.
"Awwwww." Lily hugged him "That's to bad! Well see you later Matt!"
She dashed after the other kids, waving to Matt as she did so. Matt waved back till she and the others were out of sight. He sighed and leaned against the door frame. The air was cold and he could see his breath. The cold metal was soothing against his swelling skin and he stood there till he was practically frozen to the bone.
….
Matt ate a quiet lunch. It was quiet because he was the only one in the dining hall. All the other children had gone to town, buying gifts for themselves and others. Visiting the Christmas sales and sharing ice cream even though it was so cold out.
Matt sighed and left half his lunch on his plate and walked through the empty halls alone.
"Hello Matt."
Matt jumped a mile and spun around, alarmed. He forced himself not to scowl when he saw it was the albino, Near. The boy was expressionless as he muttered "Why aren't you in town?"
"Why aren't you in town." Matt countered at once. Near twirled a piece of snow white hair around his finger and answered "I don't want to be. Why aren't you?"
"I'm going a different day." Matt lied, not sure if he would ever go. Near nodded "I need to barrow a book from Mello, can I walk with you? You were heading for your dorm right?"
"Um yeah." Matt reluctantly agreed.
That's how the red head ended up walking with Near through the halls and into room thirteen. Surprising Mello wasn't there. Near invited himself in much to Matt's annoyance
"I'm not sure how long he'll be gone." Matt hinted as Near perched himself on Mello's bed "You might have to wait a while."
"I don't mind." Near replied and Matt got the feeling Near knew he wanted him to leave. Matt scowled and sat on his own bed, staring at the pale boy across from him.
"Tomorrow's you birthday isn't it?" Near asked, catching Matt off guard. Matt stared at the albino who was clearly waiting for an answer "Um... yeah."
"You say um a lot." Near noted and Matt felt his eye twitch underneath his goggles. Before he could respond however a roar of rage split the air. Matt lept up and turned to see that Mello was standing in the doorway, staring at Near.
"Get out of here!" Mello hissed, pointing at the pale boy the stood.
"I need to barrow your book on llamas." Near said calmly while Mello trembled with anger. Mello strode across the room and seized a blue covered book and flung it at Near who caught it easily.
"Now leave!" Mello bellowed and Near shuffled out of the room. Mello slammed the door and rounded on Matt who instantly took a step back.
"Why did you let him in?" Mello yelled, his face red. Matt tried to look calm but some of his panic slipped into his face as Mello took a step toward him.
"H-he said he wanted the book so I brought him here! He let himself in!"
"Typical Near!" Mello hissed, throwing his bag onto the floor. Matt felt relived as Mello directed his anger into complains about what a little, annoying thing Near was. Finally after swearing violently, Mello fell backwards onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. Matt watch him quietly.
"Near is the reason I work so hard." Mello whispered and Matt blinked in surprised. Was Mello actually offering some information?
"We are all working to become the best detectives in the word! To success L! That's why I have to beat him!" Mello muttered, his voice barely loud enough for Matt to hear. Matt didn't even bother to ask who L was as Mello continued "I've always come in second to him. If I get a ninety-nine Near will get a one hundred. If I get an hundred he will get an hundred and one! But I will beat him this year!"
"Those sound like grades." Matt said, confused. Mello looked at him "Yes, we are on vacation right now but after Christmas classes will start again."
"No one said anything about school." Matt frowned. Mello snorted "This is a place for gifted children and you thought we didn't have school?
Matt sighed "Ugh, I hate school."
Mello did response. The two lay there in silence. After a while Matt took out his DS and thumbed away at the buttons, he first showed Yoshi who was boss and lost himself in a fencing battle with Mario. There was clatter out in the hall and Matt guessed that some people had returned from town.
Mello had gotten up to put his books away and now he just lay on his bed, staring out of the window. It was way pasted dinner so Matt was forced to go bed hungry. He changed into his pajamas and slipped under his covers. He wrapped himself into a blanket cocoon and flicked off the light. He was on the verge of sleep when Mello spoke.
"I guess I'll take you to town tomorrow."
Matt sat up, still wrapped up "Really?"
"I've got nothing better to do."
"Thanks Mello!"
"Hn."
"Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanks you so much!"
"Hn."
"I mean thank you so so so so so so-"
"Go to sleep your annoying me."
Matt grinned.
Please R&R!