Mello, Matt

[matchstickrule.livejournal.com]

[Their time at the hotel is almost up. Meetings had been held, locations inspected, and everything was perched on the edge of being ready. But it wasn't quite, and Matt had, after all, insisted that Mello needed a break. A mental recovery period, as it were, to complement Matt's physical one. His back still hurts a bit, and there's a scar there, and when Mello's fingers brush over it his blood still runs cold. That should stop eventually, but it hasn't, yet.]

[That was the first problem with taking time off.]

[The second was, of course, the fact that Mello gets incredibly restless in a very short span of time, so any efforts in the name of relaxation are hopelessly wasted. And worse, it annoys him the way it always has, which leaves him feeling restless and irritable.]

[He takes a shower to calm his nerves but on the way out of the bathroom he pulls a towel over his head roughly, more to get the action over with than out of any real desire to get his hair dry. And he tries not to think about anything that might be happening outside of this room, with himself and Matt and the tv turned off so that he wouldn't end up compulsively watching the news again.]

[He leaves the towel draped around his neck as he heads straight to the nightstand and tugs the drawer open with a little grumble.]

Comments

[toxinaddiction.livejournal.com]

[Matt has learned a lot of things over the past bit of time - the weeks spent holed up with him in their hotel room, while Matt plays with his long-neglected DS and Mello tries not to climb the walls.]

[One of those things is that Mello is fucking allergic to vacations]

[Not that it's news, exactly. After all, they did grow up together and they did travel together for a while before all of this... craziness started. But it's still pretty remarkable (and kind of funny, but there's no way he's going to laugh) watching him try to calm down.]

[Doctor's orders, or should he say L's orders. Or, okay, to be more specific, the orders had been to do nothing until they heard from him - L that is. Matt's been happy to comply. Mello...]

[Well, Mello's been complying anyway.]

[And Matt's been burning through cigarettes and another game of GTA, which (come to think of it) is a pretty shitty excuse for a relaxation tool considering his profession (such as it is), but whatever, he's never been into stealing cars so it's all good.]

[In the back of his mind, he keeps track of the water in the bathroom, if only because Mello's probably going to interrupt the game as soon as he comes in, so Matt figures he ought to save when the water goes off. Which is exactly what he does. And when Mello comes out with his hair messy from towel drying, looking just as irritable as ever, it's more than a little distracting, but Matt still manages to bring his latest stolen vehicle to the curb before he lifts his head completely.]

Oi, hey, how was the shower?

[matchstickrule.livejournal.com]

[Mello ignores him for a moment until he finds what he's looking for - there are a few bars of chocolate on top of the regular junk one normally finds in hotel drawers. He takes one out and rips off part of the wrapper, taking a bite before even bothering to look over at Matt.]

[...who is, of course, playing some stupid game and being completely obnoxious with his natural talent to not give a fuck. Mello frowns at him.]

Wet. And hot. Remarkably similar to most showers I've had.

[toxinaddiction.livejournal.com]

[Matt frowns slightly and saves his game before pulling his pilfered car away from the curb.]

Does that mean you buy into the theory that water is wet?

[matchstickrule.livejournal.com]

[Halfway through pulling the towel from around his shoulders, Mello stops and glares in Matt's general direction.]

[Sometimes he could be completely incomprehensible, and Mello still isn't sure what to do when that happens.]

Not really a theory, is it? Anyway if water isn't actually wet then I don't want to know what I just washed my hair with.

[toxinaddiction.livejournal.com]

Well, there are two ways to look at it, right? Some people say water is wet, whereas some people say that water makes other things wet but does not, itself, qualify as wet.

[He reaches over to the ashtray and grabs his cigarette.]

It's controversial, see?

[matchstickrule.livejournal.com]

[Mello presses his palm against his face and peers at Matt through his fingers.]

No, it isn't. It isn't controversial. What the bloody hell have you been doing while I was in there?

[He pushes his hand back through his still damp hair, and with the other one snaps the drawer shut again. For the millionth time, he wonders how long L will make them wait like this.]

[Then again, maybe this is his punishment.]

[toxinaddiction.livejournal.com]

Right, okay it's not controversial, but it is a question. And it's a pretty good one, if you ask me. Which you didn't.

[Matt glances up from the DS just long enough to lose control of the vehicle. It spins into a crash, and the DS screams out its tinny objection.]

Fuck. Now I have to reload.

[matchstickrule.livejournal.com]

Maybe you should consider the multitude of reasons why I didn't ask.

[Snapping off another bite of the chocolate bar with his teeth, Mello heads over to the bed where Matt is and takes a seat on the edge. For a second he's almost tempted to rip that damn DS out of his hands, but instead he leans over to glance at what's on the screen.]

[...not that he needs to, since by now he can identify nearly any sound effect coming from it. He resists the urge to roll his eyes until he decides it isn't worth the effort not to.]

It's a stupid question.

[toxinaddiction.livejournal.com]

I could consider them, but I don't think they really make an impact on my life.

[Matt glances at him.]

Anyway, I have to have something to think about aside from this... fucking game. Which, by the way, I've gotten piss-poor at during my moratorium on gaming.

[Another glance, this time longer (maybe long enough to count as an eying) instead, and he exhales smoke in Mello's general direction. A moment later, he's still trying to decide whether to reload or just snap the console closed.]

[matchstickrule.livejournal.com]

[Mello turns his head away slightly at the smoke being directed at him, and once it's cleared he turns back and snatches the cigarette away from Matt and takes a brief drag off of it.]

So your answer to gaming atrophy is to think about how wet water is?

[Finally Mello looks over at him, directly, watching his face for a few seconds before offering the cigarette back.]

Right. You're even more desperate than I am.

[toxinaddiction.livejournal.com]

[Well. It's just like Mello to snatch a bloke's cigarette. Matt accepts it back and sticks it in the corner of his mouth.]

Right. My answer to gaming atrophy would be to game more, but I'm pretty sure the atrophy will simply begin anew as soon as we're moving again.

[He sounds a little ridiculous, even to himself, talking out of the edge of his mouth that way. But whatever, he's already moving to reload, which means both hands are occupied, and it's better than magically sprouting a third hand. Or whatever. Some kind of physically feasible second option.]

[Still, he eyes Mello from the corner of his vision.]

[matchstickrule.livejournal.com]

[It's really very difficult to hold a conversation with Matt sometimes - if this could be called a conversation, which Mello is fairly sure it couldn't - without rolling his eyes every five seconds. To keep himself occupied he snaps off another piece of the chocolate bar, and even contemplates giving it to Matt.]

[He eats it instead.]

I'm sorry our erratic lifestyle is keeping you from your-- what the fuck are you even doing this time? Carjacking?

[The eyeroll comes before he can stop it. Tetris was one thing, but somehow the novelty of shooting tiny digital people doesn't seem as appealing once you've actually done it.]

[Mello pushes his hair out of his face, or attempts to, as it falls back again almost immediately. He sighs.]

Thrilling. Maybe you should take your complaints to the boss.

[toxinaddiction.livejournal.com]

[Matt pauses just before pulling his car off the side of the road again, and glances up at Mello]

Far as I'm concerned, you are the boss. Where you get your orders from has nothing to do with me.

[Not quite 100% true, but frankly, true enough.]

Anyway, I don't mind the erratic lifestyle, although it is in fact taking away from quality carjacking time.

[He waves the DS a little, and finally takes the cigarette out of his mouth with the other hand. It's hard to get a proper drag out of a fag what's hanging off your lips.]

[matchstickrule.livejournal.com]

[Mello lets out a short laugh, almost a snort, really, and glances over at Matt.]

First of all, there's no such thing as quality carjacking time. And second...

[He pauses, then shakes his head and snaps the rest of the chocolate bar in two.]

I don't even know what to say about that other bit. That's how ridiculous it is. They're your orders too.

[For a moment he stops and eyes the piece of chocolate in his hand, thinking back to said orders. Although they weren't orders, exactly. It was more like a suggestion, but as far as Mello's concerned, they may as well be the same thing.]

[Just sit tight. Wait for contact. And don't do anything stupid.]

[Mello exhales sharply and tosses the pieces of candy aside, then collapses back onto the bed, letting his legs dangle over the edge. He closes his eyes and ignores the fact that his hair is probably soaking the sheets under his head.]

[toxinaddiction.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but I only get them because of you, and I only care about them because of you. You know that. Otherwise I'd be, I don't know, off in LA seducing fit actresses.

[Matt takes a drag, still watching Mello... and largely ignoring his game. Almost instinctively, his fingers go to the rosary hanging from his wrist, Mello's protective gift, even as his gaze rests on Mello's bare, damp skin and his wet hair.]

[matchstickrule.livejournal.com]

[Still keeping his eyes closed, Mello drops the back of his wrist onto his forehead, letting his arm rest there for just a few seconds before pushing his hair aside restlessly.]

[He can practically feel Matt's eyes on him, so it isn't an entirely fair move, but... just laying there, it wasn't doing him any good.]

The hell you would. If it weren't for that you'd be sitting stuck in some desolate town eating crisps and stealing digital cars. All day.

[For just a few seconds Mello opens one eye, enough to catch Matt looking at him, and half smirks before closing it again.]

Until someone like me came along to get your arse doing something useful.

[toxinaddiction.livejournal.com]

Hmmm.

[Well, that was probably true. Matt shrugs, even as he catches a glimpse of Mello catching a glimpse of him watching Mello. He catches that smirk, too - a little smug. Matt isn't sure whether he's gloating about his positive influence on Matt's productivity or his... well, profound impact on Matt's mental processes, lying around half-naked like that. Either way, it's absolutely justified.]

Right, well, at least I'd be having fun.

[Sort of, anyway.]

[Or not at all. Really, he'd probably be bored by now.]

[He grins and snaps his DS closed. The green light blinks, and he sets it down on the nightstand, then takes a drag before doing the same with his cigarette (plus the addition of an ashtray, of course.)]

[Well, it's impossible to pay attention anymore anyway.]

[matchstickrule.livejournal.com]

[Before Mello can reply he hears the snap of the DS being shut, and the quiet clattering of it being set down. The bed shifts with Matt's movement, and really, any response at this point is entirely unnecessary, and they both know it.]

[But still, Mello's lips twist into a smirk and he can't stop himself.]

Liar. You'd be bored out of your mind.

[toxinaddiction.livejournal.com]

[Matt grins, because of course Mello would call him on that bullshit. If he didn't, Matt would be a little worried about him. And also because that little smirk is sort of... he hesitates to associate the word cute with Mello under any circumstances, but. Well.]

[He slides down the bed a bit, lying on his back for a second before turning onto his side, facing Mello.]

Yeah. Probably right. But, I don't know. I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

[matchstickrule.livejournal.com]

[Every little jostle is familiar enough that Mello has no need to open his eyes. He can tell, without looking, where Matt is now and what he is doing, and can even guess the sort of face he might be making.]

[He's probably right about that too, but he doesn't confirm it.]

You wouldn't do anything with yourself. That's why you need someone like me to make sure you don't just sit and waste away.

[...like he was doing, right now. Waiting again. Somehow even his plan to get out of eternally waiting left him in the same position. Mello squeezes his eyes shut even tighter, and he imagined that this must be what purgatory is like. The fact that L's the one in charge of it makes a certain amount of sense, somehow.]

[toxinaddiction.livejournal.com]

[Clearly, Mello is about to fall into a spiral of frustration and unhappiness. Matt rolls his eyes and reaches over, fingers brushing against Mello's hair.]

Yeah, that's probably true, too.

[He doesn't mention that Mello probably needs someone like him to keep him calm, too. But some things can go unsaid, he figures.]

Speaking of bored, you look pretty bored yourself.

[matchstickrule.livejournal.com]

[At that, Mello finally opens his eyes and gives Matt a sidelong look, trying to fit in as much contempt for the obviousness of that statement as he can.]

I'm not bored. I'm atrophying.

[He glances downward, just a slight aversion of the eyes, and then turns his head away. Bored didn't begin to describe it. But.]

[Sit and wait.]

Maybe I should steal a car.

[toxinaddiction.livejournal.com]

[laughs quietly]

Right. Perfect plan. I'll lend you my DS.

[matchstickrule.livejournal.com]

I meant a real one.

[Looking away from Matt he can see the rest of the room, in all its nondescript coziness. Something about the bland walls and furniture made the waiting even more unbearable.]

[He shuts his eyes again and laughs softly.]

You're not supposed to encourage auto theft, you know. Someone could get arrested for that sort of thing.

[toxinaddiction.livejournal.com]

[Matt stares at Mello for a long moment, eyebrow raised.]

Ironic coming from you.

[He grins, then, and moves a little closer. Atrophying is a little dramatic, although in fairness it is Mello, so maybe that's appropriate. But really, as far as Matt's concerned, a little downtime could do them good. Or, well, him. Even now he's not at 100%.]

[Mello, on the other hand... well, some downtime is probably good for him, too, but on the other hand if he has much more he's probably going to explode.]