Christmas 2002

Mello tried on the jacket. It fitted well across his shoulders, which was unusual. Generally clothes were baggy there because he had a swanlike neck. He knew that after puberty that would fill out with muscle and his upper body wouldn't look so dainty. Until puberty though, he would have to continue to struggle to find adequate jackets. It didn't matter about the rest of his clothes. He habitually wore oversized, black trousers and jumpers. They were his genius quirk. He had settled on his genius quirk two years ago and considered it to be a good one. L only ever wore blue jeans and a white, long-sleeved shirt. Mello knew that because all the staff had mentioned it. Mello had contemplated copying him, but it was good to demonstrate individuality of mind. Besides black was as far away from Near's constant white as it was possible to get.



"That really suits you!" Ann declared, arriving around a carousel of dresses. "It makes a change from black as well. White makes you look deceptively angelic."



Mello frowned at the reminder that his prospective jacket was white. The cut was lovely though. When it was zipped up, it emphasised the slenderness of his waist, before fanning out slightly over his hips. He liked the pockets too. One over each breast and another two near the bottom. "Do you think it looks good?"



"Let me check the sleeves." Ann straightened his arm and pulled them down to their full length. "Mmm, there's a lot of growth in them, which is good considering that every time I blink, you've grown another inch." She stepped back and looked at it appraisingly. Then she paused and surveyed the other clothes in this section of the store. "Erm, Mello, I think you'll find that's a girls' jacket."



"No. It's unisex." Mello responded breezily. "I'll have it." He shrugged it off and counted out his money. This was his Christmas present to himself. He waited until it was paid for and handed back to him in a carrier bag, then called across to the two women. "I need to go into Games World to get Matt a present. It's only over the road, so I'll go now while you're in here with the other children."



Ann shook her head. "Please stay with the group, Mello."



"Oh Ann, look! It's only fifteen yards away. You can see the door from here. I know what I'm getting, so I'll be very quick." He dashed away before Ann could protest any further and ran straight into the store opposite. Mello didn't immediately see Matt. In truth, he wasn't sure that Matt would be there, because the redhead had deviated off plan and so had probably failed to leave Wammy's House at all. However, Mello had only ventured a short way inside before there was a flash of stripes beside him.



"Mello! They've got the new Mario skins! And 'Lord of the Rings' stuff! And really cool carry-cases! Well sick! And you..."



"Ann's going to be here any second."




"Ok." Matt pulled him along an aisle. "Look! A Mushroom 1Up lamp! And Mario running curtains!"



"No." Mello stepped in front of the curtains. "I already have to look at your bedspread. The curtains in our room are fine. Do you want the lamp or the game?"



"Digimon Battle Spirit 2." Matt handed it over. He had found it on the rack in readiness. Then he bolted to the Kingdom Hearts display, more animated than Mello had seen him all year. "Oh wow! Cool!" He was already clutching a bag with this store's logo on it. He began collecting up more items with which to treat himself. He picked up a book entitled 'Lara Croft: The Art of Virtual Seduction' and was flicking through it when Patricia loomed up beside him. Matt froze and squeaked out. "Mello didn't know I was here!"



Patricia gripped his shoulder and turned him towards the door. "You pair really must think that we were born yesterday. Where is he?"



Mello quickly paid for the game and ran behind an aisle. He ducked down and kept low, before darting behind Matt. He prised the merchandise from the redhead's hand, then raced out of reach again. Matt grinned. Patricia turned this way and that, knowing that she had seen Mello, but unable to locate him now. It was very comical to watch and Mello nearly laughed aloud as he totted up the money that all of this would cost. He didn't quite have enough and sighed. Patricia was holding Matt in the doorway, signalling across the road, presumably to Ann. Mello didn't have much time. He put the book back and bought the rest of the things. If Matt could get his money to Mello in time, then he could have the book as well, if not, then he would have to order it on-line.



Ann appeared outside, trailing Hollow, Mairoo, Salvo and Deontic with her. She didn't look pleased. Matt was holding his carrier bag behind his back, but the rest of him was solidly aloof. He didn't appear affected at all by the telling off that Ann was delivering outside the shop door. Mello took a deep breath and joined them. "I'm sorry, Ann."



Matt spoke up. "He didn't know I was here. I sneaked out."



Mello flashed an apologetic smile and took Matt's bag off him, just in case Ann confiscated it. "We can still go to Mass, can't we? Please Ann." He widened his eyes as much as he could and bit his lip. He looked a little bit scared and a little bit sorry. Ann appeared unmoved, so Mello upped the scared a touch. "He's so impetuous that a bit of church might help him calm down."



Ann sighed. "If I go to take him back, then everyone else has to come too." There was a chorus of protests from the other teenagers. "Matt, you will stand by me and you will not leave my side for one second, is that understood?"



Matt nodded, emphatically, then pointed back into the shop. "There's a Mushroom 1-Up lamp! It's absolute pwnage!" He began to bounce over-excitedly on the spot. "And trading cards!"



"Matt!" Mello hurriedly intervened. "You owe me £19.97." He slapped his arm around his friend's shoulder and smiled serenely at Ann. "I'll keep him in line. Don't worry." He turned Matt around and hissed in his ear. "Do not go hyper! She'll take this lot off you!"



"But it's only £14.99, if I..."



"Matt, shut up about the lamp." Mello flashed another smile over his shoulder. "How much money have you got left? Have you got my present yet?"



Matt froze. "I've still got enough." He watched Ann starting to lead everyone away from the store and his eyes widened in alarm. "She has to stop, we..."



"Even with the £19.97 that you owe me?"



Matt began to twist in his hold. "She can't leave. If we leave here, we'll never come back. I need to get..."



"Matt!" Ann scowled at him. "Don't make me hold your hand like a small child."



Matt had nearly made it back into the shop, but Mello grabbed the scruff of his jacket and pushed him against the glass frontage. He glared into Matt's face, but didn't manage to get any words out before Ann was between them. She clutched Matt's arm in an iron grip and propelled him along with her. Mello sighed and slung the bags over his shoulder, hanging onto them with two fingers, as he hurried in their wake.