Okay, message for people that are wondering when the romance is going to start. It's going to start in about two to three chapters! So don't worry it will happen! I'm not promising any makeout scenes but some general feelings and blushes.
Also, a friend and I went back and edited the story because I know it needed a bit of work. I re typed any names that were missing cause I noticed the Math teacher was missing completely and I did my best to get everything fixed though it's likely there still are some mistakes. So that's why I didn't have this chapter out sooner. I actually wrote this whole chapter the day after the prank chapter. So much writing in two days! *-*
Enjoy!
"Candy candy candy!" Matt sang as he pranced around room thirteen "I love candy!"
"You like gummy worms right?" Mello asked, fluffing up his pillow before he fell against it. Matt grinned and skipped over to plopped down at the bottom of Mello's bed. Siting crosslegged, he bobbed his head up and down "I love gummy worms, bears, fish, anything that's a gummy!"
"The other kids had better watch out." Mello laughed as he unwrapped a bar of chocolate and took a chunk off with a loud snap. Matt smiled and leaned forward "You've been laughing a lot more lately!"
Mello used his chocolate as an excuse not to answer but Matt's grin widened "You should go with me! To get the treats! Does the orphanage dress up for the treat part?"
"Most do," Mello nodded "and no thanks."
"Why not?" Matt tilted his head to the side "I would have thought you would want to go. You know, to get chocolate."
Mello shrugged "I never really had much of a desire to go."
"Will you go this year?" Matt asked again, turning his bottom lip up in a pout "Please?"
"..." Mello gave a half nodding shrug motion that Matt took for a yes "Great! Time to make your costume!"
"Oh no." Mello stopped the gamer from rising "I'm making my own costume."
"Aww...fine." Matt sighed, pouting "the candy thing is at six tonight so have your costume done by then!"
Mello raised an eyebrow "I didn't expect you to give in so fast. That's unlike you."
"I just don't want you to change your mind," Matt bounced up and smiled down at the blonde "Clean up is in two hours so you better get some costume work in now."
"I suppose you right." Mello threw his wrapper away into the trash can, basketball style, before he pushed himself up and stretched. Matt ran in and gave the unprotected blonde a tight hug.
"What was that for?" The blonde asked sheepishly as he lowered his arms after Matt let go. The gamer smiled "For agreeing to come. It will be more fun if your there!"
Mello just stared at Matt for a moment till the gamer grew a bit uncomfortable.
"What?" He asked, shifting his weight to his left foot.
"Nothing." The blonde replied before he broke eye contact with Matt and walked past the ginger and out the door beyond him. Matt blinked then looked behind him as the door quietly closed. Not slammed.
Matt just stood there awkwardly for a moment before he slowly opened the door and slipped out. Slime and goo still covered the ground so Matt spread his arms out to keep his balance as he carefully shuffled along the hall. He had to hold back a laugh when someone ran out of their dorm and instantly hit the floor with a loud thud. He edged around the startled person and continued his careful walk till he reached the kitchen.
A deal was a deal.
One cake for Mello.
"Hmm... how many layers..." Matt tapped his chin thoughtfully. He had an apron on and permission from the cooks to go crazy. Flour, sugar, chocolate chips, eggs, oil, and various other ingredients littered the counter. Matt clicked the oven on and it began to heat up while Matt went on a search for a whisk, measuring cups, a scraper, and a large silver bowl.
"Aww what the heck! Three layer cake coming right up!" Matt grinned as he pushed up his sleeves. He began to crack eggs into a big bowl and poured sugar and flour into another. He kept the dry in one and the wet another.
He slowly poured them into a mixer and added the chocolate chips. He hummed as he did so, a soft smile on his face as he poured in cup after cup of chocolate.
He poured the slightly thickened yet still liquidity batter into a cake pan and opened the oven using his foot. He slid the cake into the oven and closed it before he dashed off to get fresh ingredients for his frosting. Chocolate of course.
A ding signaled the cake was done and Matt ran to the oven, sliding it open , he poked a toothpick into the cake. It was done. He pulled on oven mites and threw hot pads onto a counter as he passed. He picked up the cake and carefully placed it on the host pads before he ran to turn off the oven.
He put the cake on a cooling rack and cut it into three before he left it to cool.
He cleaned up all the dishes and left over ingredients. He washed and dried the dishes before he checked the clock ticking on the wall that said he had a half an hour left till cleaning time. He would have to frost the still hot cake later.
He drummed his fingers on the counter and looked around the kitchen as he waited for the half hour to pass. He munched on a couple of chocolate chips that he had left out to put on the cake later. Matt checked the clock again. Five minutes left. He sighed and got up from the stool he had been sitting on. He jogged out into the hall and had to grab the door frame as he slipped. His legs slipped against the floor as he struggled to regain his balance using the door.
"Crap." He grunted as his legs refused to comply with his wishes. He sank lower as he fought to go higher. He let out a sigh. He could always crawl...
"Having fun?"
"Mels!" Matt cried, his face breaking into a large smile "You've come to rescue me!"
The blonde smirked "Not quite. I was going to get my cleaning assignment."
"But your going to help me now right?" Matt grinned despite his slow decrease in height. The blonde shrugged and stepped toward Matt. He seized one of Matt's arm and the Matt gripped onto Mello's sleeve with his hand. Mello slowly pulled Matt up till he was almost off the ground.
"Hulk strength!" Matt boomed as he carefully twisted his feet around till he thought he had a firm footing. Mello rolled his eyes as he released the gamer.
"Whoo!" Matt's feet slid around and he clung to Mello for balance. The blonde chuckled and Matt shot him a small glare "It's not funny!"
"Your right. It's rather hilarious." Mello laughed as Matt's face turned bright red in embarrassment. The chocoholic wrapped an arm around Matt's shoulders and led him toward the dining hall where cleaning assignments were being given.
"I hope we don't get the dining hall." Matt made a face "I can't stand that smell."
Mello chuckled but didn't reply.
When they reached the dining hall doors Mello let go of Matt before he pushed through into the fish filled dining hall. Matt followed and had to dodge a fish thrown at him by Pavel who obviously had been given fish duty.
"Sorry Matt!" Pavel called "I was aiming at Mello!"
Matt laughed but stopped at once when the smell snuck up his nostrils. He clamped his mouth shut and ducked his nose under his shirt.
Roger was standing in the middle of the room with an unhappy expression and a clipboard. Mello approached him with Matt skipping along behind.
"Finally." Roger sighed "You two are the last ones. Let's see. You two are both working in... Mr. Alset's room. The desks and board need rebolting and there's some mixture that needs cleaning up. There should be cleaning supplies in there already."
"Yes sir!" Matt saluted and Mello gave a small nod of acknowledgment.
"That's the class you glued me to a chair in." Matt said thoughtfully as they passed a couple of kids working on the hall that Matt's, Linda's, and Pavel's butter prank had taken place. Matt got hit with a sponge when one of the workers recognized him as the conductor of the prank.
"I'm kinda surprised about what some people found around the orphanage." Matt muttered as he bent to pick up a bouncy ball that had rolled in to sight "I mean, where did people find stuff like bouncy balls?"
"Not sure, people might have got stuff like that for Christmas."
"I thought outside materials weren't aloud to be used." Matt frowned and Mello shrugged "If they kept it for a year then I think it would be fine."
"Hmm." Matt threw the ball at a wall and had to duck to avoid it as it snapped back at him. Mello's hand flicked up and the small ball flew into it. Matt straightened up and turned a corner into the hallway where the social studies class room was located. A mop and a bucket of water along with a set of tools waited for them in the classroom.
"So..." Matt picked up a hammer from the tool box "I guess we should get to work."
Mello pulled the hammer out of Matt's grip and took the tool box from the floor "I'll repair the desks and others and you start cleaning."
The blonde threw the mop to Matt before he disappeared behind Mr. Alset's desk. Matt dipped the mop into the soapy water and began to mop the floor in small, rhythmic, circles.
He began to sing and added a little hint of dance into his cleaning.
"BECAUSE THIS IS THILLER!" He sang at top volume "THILLER NIGHT!"
(Disclaimer: Micheal Jackson's music)
He did a spin that tangled his feet with the mop and caused him to jump around like a kangaroo before he finally crashed down onto the wet floor.
"Zombies aren't very stable." Mello called as he tighten the last bolt in Mr. Alset's chair. Matt laughed "Making puns Mello?"
"So it would seem." The blonde answered as he straightened up and gave the chair a small spin before he turned to the board. Matt tried to do a no hands flip up but he just ended up cracking his back and failing miserably.
"Don't break the floor." Mello muttered without turning.
"Are you calling me fat?" Matt asked as he used his hands to push himself up again.
Mello didn't reply but Matt could tell he was smirking. The gamer flicked a couple drops of water off of the mop at Mello who didn't react as they hit his back.
Matt rewet the mop before he continued cleaning, his back now aching.
Mello finished the board quickly and turned to the desks. Matt had cleaned up most of the disgusting goo he couldn't name and was now wiping the glue off his chair seat.
"God, what kinda of glue did you use?" Matt grumbled as he scrubbed at the dried substance. Mello shrugged "Just regular. But I used a lot."
"I can see that." Matt scrubbed harder as he got a chip of glue off.
Mello had finished three desks by the time Matt got all the glue off the chair seat.
"I think after those two are done," Matt yawned "I'll just splash the rest of the water on the floor and let it dry."
Mello nodded, brushing his hair behind his ear "Fine. What time is it?"
"Almost noon."
Mello moved to the last desk while Matt played with a purple tinted bendy ruler that when shaken made a cool thundering sound. He bent it into a circle and then moved it like a wave.
"Whoops." He said as it flicked out of his hands and missed Mello's ear by a centimeter. The blonde just shook his head and quickly finished up the last desk. He rose and put all the tools back in the box and put it near the door while Matt sloshed the left over water all over the floor.
"Well done, Mr. bob da builder. Lunch time!" Matt sang.
Mello wordlessly followed the gamer down the halls where people, like them, had just finished cleaning. The dining hall still had a hint of fish to it's smell but Pavel's eyes were burning with victory so Matt didn't comment.
"Are you eating with us today Mello?" The Russian asked, looking stunned.
Mello blinked and looked around him "Um... I guess so?"
"Yay!" Matt squealed and pulled Mello down into the chair next to him "You can sit next to me!"
Mello sat there awkwardly as several students glanced his way before taking their seats. Matt watched Mello as the blonde picked up his fork. The gamer had never seen the chocoholic eat anything other than ice cream and chocolate. He watched intensely as Mello stabbed the fork into a piece of chicken. Mello was about to eat it when Linda poked his shoulder and the blonde turned to face her. The artist looked out of breath but happy "There you are Mello! I dropped all the stuff off at your dorm!"
"Thank you Linda." The blonde rose and Matt gapped at him "You leaving?"
"Yes." Mello replied, offering his seat to Linda who took it. The blonde turned without another word and left the dining hall with Matt mouthing wordlessly after him.
"You look like a fish." Linda commented as she ate the chicken. Matt sighed and slumped down in his seat "I was hoping to see him eat. I've never seen him eat anything but chocolate and ice cream."
"That's kinda creepy." Linda laughed as she downed the chicken with some water. Matt shrugged and munched on his own piece of poultry "What did you drop off for Mello?"
"He needed stuff for his Halloween costume." Linda replied and Matt's ears pricked up "Do you know what he's going to be?"
"Yes, but," Linda continued seeing the question in Matt's eyes "I've been told not to tell. Sorry Matt."
Matt huffed out a breath "So-k. Well, what are you going to be Linda?"
"A dragon trainer." Linda grinned "It's going to be awesome. What are you going to be?"
"A ghost!"
"Wow, I expected you to be something insane. But a ghost? That's so classic." Linda frowned but Matt shrugged "I've got to start out simple."
"What do you mean?"
Matt grinned "This is my first real Halloween!"
"Really?"
"Really."
"You didn't celebrate it when you were younger?" Linda asked, looking confused. Matt shrugged but didn't answer as he popped more chicken into his mouth.
After lunch he went back into the kitchen to finish up his cooled cake. He put frosting in between each layer along with some chocolate chips before he iced the outside. Nothing fancy, just a solid frost of chocolatey goodness. He then proceeded to cover the cake with white chocolate chips.
"Marvelous." Matt sang when the cake was completed "Mello will love it!"
The clock read two-o-clock when the gamer checked it. Still four hours left. Matt put the cake on a plate on a counter well out of the way of the cooks. He washed away any frosting he had dripped on the wooden surfaces before he put the chocolate chips away. He grabbed two spoons and the left over frosting before he left the kitchen.
Matt knocked on his dorm room door before he entered. As much as he wanted to see what Mello's costume was his urge to be surprised won over the temptation. So he waited outside the door for a couple moments as he heard Mello shuffling around. No doubt putting whatever he was using away before he called for Matt to enter.
"I'm surprised you didn't just burst in." The blonde commented when Matt had closed the door behind him and had dropped onto his bed. Matt grinned " I have more restraint then you give me credit for."
"I'm almost done," Mello rolled over on his bed to face Matt "what about you? Is your costume done?"
"Yeah you've seen it."
"The sheet ghost?"
"Yep."
"I thought that was a joke." Mello snickered but Matt waved him off "Yeah yeah, laugh it up. I just wanted to start out with something classic."
"Is this your first Halloween?" The blonde asked without changing the one of his voice. Matt smiled and threw a spoon full of chocolate frosting to the chocoholic "Yeah."
"I'm sure you'll like it."
"Pfft, who doesn't like free candy?"
"Good point."
"I made your cake."
"My what?"
"Your cake," Matt repeated "for winning the bet. I also have your ten dollars. Your in luck; the cakes three layered!"
Mello blinked "Wow."
…
Six-o-clock arrived and with it: a buzz of excitement.
Matt wore all white under his sheet but Linda claimed she could see his hair. She liked the effect the goggles made however so Matt got spared the eye lecture.
Linda's costume comprised of long black pants, her usual sneakers and a odd jacket that Matt forgot the name off. On her face were fake scars she had made with face make up and she had a stuffed dragon on her shoulder and a stuffed snake around her neck. Her ginger hair was braided and pulled away from her face.
"Wow Pavel." Matt laughed when the Russian joined them.
"I know, I know."
"I mean, mine might be classic but your's is just..."
"Shut up Matt."
The Russian was in a large orange suit. It was clearly suppose to be a pumpkin. On his head was a orange hat with a green stem that stuck up like a feather.
"Does this suit make me look fat?" He asked as he turned from side to side.
"Yes." Both Linda and Matt answered in union followed by amused laughter.
"I thought you hated pumpkins." Matt continued.
"I do, but it's the only thing I had."
All the students were out in the hallways. Showing off their costumes and admiring others. Everyone had a plastic jack-o-lantern bowl in which to put their candy.
Only Near and Mello were still in their rooms.
"What's taking him so long?" Matt sighed "It's going to start soon!"
"Matt, not everyone's outfit is as simple as yours."
"I know but still." Matt pouted and Linda rolled her eyes.
"Does Near dress up?" Matt asked, looking at Near's room door which was closed and probably locked. Linda shook her head "He never takes part in any of the holiday activities."
"Shame," Matt sighed "I'd like to see that pink hair of his- Mello finally!"
The door to room thirteen creaked opened and Matt spun around with eager eyes.
To put it plainly, Mello looked awesome.
He was dressed all in black, he wore black gloves and the tips of his hair had been dyed black. He had a single black wing strapped to his back that looked so realistic you would think he had taken it from a real bird and enlarged it. Plastic vampire fangs stuck out from between his lips and his eyes were a strange red color.
Matt let out a low whistle "Sweet! You look awesome and scary at the same time!"
Mello smiled and look scarier with the full blast of the vampire teeth. Linda grinned and touched the wing "You did much better then I thought you would! It really does look amazing!"
"I'm soooooooo jealous," Matt sighed "I need a cool costume like that next year!"
Mello brushed his blackened tipped hair back behind his shoulders and accepted the skeleton candy bowl Linda offered him. Matt grinned and raised his own to point down the hall "Let's go!"
Their group led the way down the hall and toward the first room marked on their map (Which had been delivered to their room) that indicated that candy was being given there.
Matt knocked on the door and Mr. Alset answered at once with a bowl of bagged skittles. He dropped one into everyone's basket and paused briefly when he saw Mello.
"Is that you Mello?"
"...Yes."
"Matt talk you into it?"
"..." Matt looked away.
Mr. Alset chuckled and dropped the bag of skittles into the chocoholic's basket "Have fun."
Mello received smiler reactions from everyone as he collected candy. Many of them asked if Matt was the cause or if Mello had come without a word from the gamer. The blonde never answered but all the teachers/staff smiled knowingly before they gave him candy and sent him on his way.
"I feel kinda ridiculous." Mello muttered and Matt laughed "Come on Mello. I'm under a sheet! How do you think I feel?"
The blonde sighed but didn't reply as they continued on to the kitchens where Matt had a spazz attack over the large bag of gummy worms given to him.
"Well this is the last place." Matt muttered as he checked his map. It was the computer room. Matt squealed when he saw the gummy bears waiting in a basket, ripe for the picking. He took a bag and kissed it about twenty times before he dropped it into his basket. Mello followed suit, minus the kissing.
"Excellent." Matt sang as they walked back to room thirteen. Linda and Pavel followed behind the gamer and Mello, checking their loot and talking about trading.
Matt dropped his candy off at room thirteen and ran to get the cake from the kitchen. He got his ten dollars and presented it to Mello with a small bow "Your cake. Lord of Pranks."
Mello smirked and took the cake from Matt and set it on his bed. Linda and Pavel were sitting next to the large TV, going threw a stack of black tapes. They seemed to be arguing over what to watch.
"What are these?" Matt asked curiously.
Linda held up one tape for him to see "Halloween movies, we should watch a couple while we trade candy. It's your room so I guess it would be fair if you and Mello choose the first one."
"Mello?" Matt glanced at the blonde.
"You pick." Mello replied as he cut the cake.
"How about this one?" Matt asked, showing Linda a tape labeled: "The Nightmare before Christmas."
(Disclaimer: Don't own.)
"Sure!" Linda beamed "I love that movie!"
While Pavel and Linda popped the tape in Matt looked back as Mello put a piece of cake on three different plates.
"What are you doing?" The gamer asked.
"I'm not going to eat it all myself."
Matt grinned as he was passed a slice which he passed to Linda who passed to Pavel. Another slice went from Matt to Linda then Matt keep the third with a "Yum!"
Mello's piece was the biggest but everyone had a considerably large slice. Matt shut off the lights as the movie started and sat on his bed with his cake. Music began to play. Matt watched as a circle of trees came into view.
"Is this a Christmas or Halloween movie?" Matt asked as a narrator began to talk.
"A bit of both I guess." Linda shrugged.
Matt leaned back onto his pillow and took a large bite of cake. It was delicious.
They started trading candy half way through the movie and Matt ended up with most of the gummy worms and bears while Mello got most of the chocolate. Pavel and Linda got a variety of stuff which they ate as the movie approached it's end.
They went from kid movies to scarier movies that weren't quite age appropriate.
"NO WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Matt screamed at the screen "RUN! HE'S CLEARLY TRYING TO KILL YOU! RUN! NO DON'T RUN TOWARD HIM YOU IDIOT! HE'S GOT A KNIFE FOR GOD'S SAKE!"
Matt fell silent for a moment as the dramatic music in the movie slowed.
"Or start making out with him..." Matt blinked "That's good too..."
Mello rolled his eyes "Matt, you know they can't hear you right?"
"I know."
"Then calm down."
…
Linda and Pavel left around two-o-clock in the morning, still hyper on cake and candy.
Matt crawled under his blankets while Mello went to re-turn off the light off seeing as Matt had turned it on halfway through a movie.
"Um Mello..."
"What?"
"Before you turn that off... will you check the closet...?"
"...You've got to be kidding me Matt."
"..."
Mello sighed and walked over to the closet and peeked in.
Okay, here's what some of you might be thinking Mello will do:
"AHH!" Mello shouted "AGH SOMETHING'S GOT MY LEG!"
"MELLO!" Matt screamed, cowering below his sheet which had suddenly become wet in Matt's sudden burst of fear.
"MATT HELP!" Mello yelled as he slowly hobbled into the closet.
"MELLO!" The younger boy cried, shaking with fear.
"Only joking." Mello said cooly as he straightened up.
Sadly that is NOT what Mello did. Here's what he really did:
"There's nothing there Matt," Mello opened the door wider "See? Nothing to be afraid of."
Matt tried to relax as Mello shut the door again and went back to the light switch "Can I turn the lights off now?"
"I-i guess." Matt felt his stomach do a funny flip as the room went dark.
He strained his ears so he could hear Mello slide into his bed across the room. He tried to focus solely on the sound of Mello's breathing as the room grew silent. His heartbeat quickened in his chest till it felt like it wanted to jump up his throat. He lay there for a while, trying to control the fear that was building in his stomach.
He finally forced himself up and walked across the room toward Mello's bed.
"M-mello," Matt whispered as he reached the side of the blonde's bed, his voice shaking "A-are you still awake?"
"Yes." The smooth voice answer and Matt let out a small sigh of relief at the familiar sound.
"Are you having trouble sleeping?" The voice continued, soothing Matt's nervous further. He nodded then remembering Mello couldn't see him he muttered "Yes."
"Are you scared?"
"Y-yes."
There was silence for a moment before Matt saw the outline of Mello's head rise to his level as the blonde sat up. The gamer looked around nervously as he thought he saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eyes.
He felt something warm on his wrist and he flinched away till he realized it was Mello's hand.
The blonde tugged on Matt's sleeve "Lie down."
"W-what? In your bed?"
"It's that or returned to your own."
The latter of the two didn't particularly appeal to Matt so he carefully climbed into the blonde's bed. Mello scooted back to give Matt room but when the blonde's fingers began to slip away from Matt's skin he twisted his hand around to grab Mello's. The fingers didn't resist as Matt slowly lay down with his body curled into a ball and Mello's hand near his face. The smell of chocolate filled his nostrils and he felt his stress drain away. Matt felt the mattress move under him as Mello eased himself back down beside the gamer.
"Thanks Mels." Matt breathed as the blonde threw the blankets over both of them.
"Sleep Matt."
Please R&R!