Choices

AN: And here is part 2!
Oh..... and can anyone catch the song title reference in here? It’s within the first thousand words, and has to do with Mello. Though I really didn't mean to end up with a song title... and I doubt anyone will get it as I don't think it’s a well known song.

Lol I don’t' even like it, my dad does and I had to DL it for him since he's computer inept.

Suggested Listening: Apathetic Way To Be by Relient K (this song was so made for Matt...)

Chapter Seven part 2: One

When Matt did get to their room, nearly fifteen minutes later, he didn't bother trying to be quiet. He hoped that Mello would wake on his own... but that didn't seem to have happened.

Mello was still sprawled across his bed, with one arm and leg draped over the edge. Matt was amazed he hadn't fallen off the bed yet. “Mello.” he called softly. The blonde stirred but didn't wake.

Matt sighed. He didn't want to shake him or anything, as he didn't know if Mello was the type to lash out upon being woken up. He glanced around the room and spied one of Mello's large textbooks.

That could work.

He picked it up, slammed it on the desk and watched as Mello was startled awake and sat up; eyes searched the room until they rested on him. Matt held back his laughter at the highly un-amused expression Mello wore.

Matt had a feeling he would get retaliation for this, but couldn't find it in himself to care much as long as his cigarettes weren't bothered.

“You couldn’t wake me up like a normal person!?”

Matt shook his head. “I didn't want to take the chance of getting hit.” Mello gave him an odd look before he yawned softly and ran a hand across his face. “What time is it?” he finally asked.

“About an hour before dinner.” Matt replied. Mello rolled his eyes. “You couldn't just tell me the time, could you?”

Matt shrugged and seated himself on his bed, and made himself comfortable before he returned to his game.

“You're rather useless as far as entertainment value goes aren't you?” Matt shrugged a shoulder to Mello's accusation.

He wasn't there to keep Mello entertained. At least not as far as he knew...

After a few minutes more of silence Mello groaned and Matt heard as the blonde got off the bed and shuffled across the room and started to rifle around his dresser. Many crashes and curses later it seemed that Mello had finally found whatever he'd been looking for.

Mello then settled himself back onto the bed and was silent, which in turn made Matt rather curious as to what he was doing.

As he looked up it appeared that Mello was reading, though what it was Matt couldn't tell.

“It's a normal book, I’m not studying.” the sound of Mello's voice slightly started Matt. Mello hadn't once looked up so it was rather interesting that he'd known he was being watched. The fact that Mello could have been studying hadn't even crossed Matt's mind yet, though he doubted that Mello had lied to him.

“Never said that you were.”

Mello snorted at him in disbelief. The room fell silent once more, punctuated only by the turning of pages and the occasional too hard click of a button.

It wasn't until noise from the hallway reached their ears did they realize just how late it had gotten. Matt looked up from his game and turned to the clock on his side of the room. “Time to leave I guess.”

He heard Mello sigh from across the room, while he seemingly marked his page, and stood up. “You act like eating is a chore.” Matt commented dryly to the blonde.

“Don't you think it would be easier if we didn't have to get interrupted by things like sleep or eating?” Matt rolled his eyes behind the goggles.

“You mean so that there would be more time to study? Hm, perhaps. But then I guess you wouldn't need chocolate either.” Mello's face turned from thoughtful to horrified. Matt found it amusing. Very amusing.

“Let's go.” they were already a bit later than usual, not that it really mattered. Matt just liked to have time to eat rather than be rushed. He followed Mello from the room though his eyes were still glued to his PSP.

He was in the middle of a level and not really near a save point so it wasn’t a great place to have to pause. Especially during a mini-game which was followed by a boss battle.

Matt didn't really pay attention to what he put on his plate, mainly trying not to die in the game, and only noticed something was odd at the table when Mello commented on it being a peaceful dinner for once.

Matt finished the level, took a bite of his food and looked up. He blinked for a moment before he smirked. Mello was right, it was a good dinner. Near, for whatever reason, wasn't there.

It wasn't that Matt disliked him, at least not in the same way Mello did, but whenever the albino was around it felt as though he were trying to discover all of Matt's secrets. And considering the ones he had, Matt wasn't really comfortable with that.

“Do you think he's sick? Maybe he got food poisoning or something.” Mello commented happily while taking a forkful of mash potatoes and eating it. Matt blinked. “And if he does have food poisoning, why are you eating so calmly?”

Mello paused, mid bite, and glared at Matt. “Thanks, now I’m going to be paranoid of getting sick.” Mello pushed his food away while Matt laughed. Matt finished his own food, at a slower pace, while Mello frowned unhappily at him.

“Come on you bastard.” Mello growled as dinner ended, though there was no heat to his words so Matt knew he wasn't actually angry.

If Mello got pissed over things that small he would have been angry all the time, though Matt knew that if Near had done it Mello would have been furious. Maybe if he and Mello ever got closer he'd ask why he hated Near so much.

Until then he would just have to watch.

“Hey Matt, how old are you?” Mello asked suddenly as they entered their room.

“Is there a specific reason you want to know?” Matt questioned back, rather than giving an answer.

“I'm just curious. I don't think you're as young as Near, but you don't seem older than me.” Mello took a bite of chocolate, with a frown, and sat at his desk; absently he turned the computer on.

“Sixteen.” Matt finally said.

Mello looked contemplative for a moment before he seemingly decided something. “Your birthday?”

“February first.” There was no reason to lie to Mello about something so trivial, and yet it still felt odd to be telling the truth as Matt was used to building relationships, friendship or otherwise, upon lies. Especially during a job.

“I'm older than you.” Mello said and looked rather pleased. Matt shrugged as he didn't really care so much about that fact. The conversation fell flat as Mello's concentration went to his computer and Matt's to his games.

Matt suddenly wondered if it was possible to hack Rodger's computer to find out information. Not anything for Light, as he doubted that anything about L is kept on it no matter how good the security, but perhaps find things out about the other children.

Mainly Mello and Near.

Perhaps he could even hack into Whammys entire system instead of just Rodger's computer…

It would have to wait though, until Mello was more preoccupied, and Matt felt he could get away unnoticed at night. Well… it depended on the system he chose…

Matt vaguely remembered turning onto his stomach at some point during his game play, and closing his eyes for a moment. But nothing after that.

Not until he heard a crash somewhere in the room that left him instantly awake and tense. He saw Mello's head poke out from the bathroom, and the blonde looked rather sheepish, for a moment, as he noticed Matt awake before he actually stepped out.

“I dropped something...” he mumbled nonchalantly. Matt guessed it was his way of saying 'sorry I woke you' or something like that. Matt supposed it didn’t really matter, he was already awake. The only good part was he wasn't acting like a zombie; there was too much adrenaline coursing through him for that to have happened.

“What time is it?” Matt asked while he stumbled from the bed. He doubted that he would actually be able to focus on the digital clock numbers with his current blurred vision.

“Early but late enough where breakfast will be ready soon.” Matt rolled his eyes at Mello's answer before he shut the door to the bathroom. He needed a shower. A nice hot shower to wake him up.

His definition of soon and Mello's definition of soon were vastly different so he only took a quick shower, just enough to calm him down and clear the tiredness from his eyes. Maybe he was playing too many games?

He snorted.

Like that was the problem. The problem was being woken at ungodly hours before noon. Every single day. He stepped from the shower and dried himself; it was then that Matt noticed a small problem.

He hadn't brought any clothes with him.

Matt sighed and wrapped the towel around him and strode mostly naked from the bathroom. There was no sense in worrying about it, he needed clothes and standing in the bathroom yelling at himself wouldn't have solved the problem.

Mello's eyebrows shot up in surprise and Matt felt the continued stare as he gathered his things from the dresser. “If you want to see me naked feel free to keep staring.” he stated as bluntly as he could.

Mello's eyes lingered for a few seconds more before leaving him. Matt shivered, though it wasn’t from the cold.

Things were certainly interesting that morning. And hopefully would continue to stay interesting. Matt hadn't forgotten that the rankings were to be posted that day. In fact he knew that was probably the reason Mello was up so early.

He probably had woken himself a few hours ago simply from agonizing about it even in his sleep. Mello was a little 'off' like that. Or should Matt say obsessed....?

“I'm having a cigarette before I eat.” was all Matt stated as he picked up his discarded PSP and left the room. He thought Mello might have said something, but he hadn't really paid much attention.

It was warmer out that morning and Matt wasn't sure if this was some calm before the storm sort of thing or if they were having a warm front. It was still early enough for it to be warm....

Then again, Winchester had proven to be full of odd weather.

Matt had been just about to light up his second cigarette when someone, he assumed Mello, opened the door and stood beside him. “Hurry up Matt, I want to see the scores!” the blonde whined.

Matt sighed, because it was really all he could do. Well he could try sarcasm but he doubted it would even make a dent in Mello at that moment. Pity, since Matt knew he could probably start to act more like himself around the blonde.

“Yeah, yeah.” he left the unlit stick in his mouth and put the pack and lighter away. Mello mumbled something suspiciously akin to 'finally!' and practically dragged Matt back inside. Matt felt rather like a ragdoll by the end of it.

He was still slightly rubbing his arm, which Matt knew would be sporting a bruise, he followed Mello the last few steps until they were in front of the large sheet of paper tacked to the wall.

Matt looked on, in slight disappointment, at the scores. He was still third and Mello only got 1 point higher than the week before. Mello looked a little surprised and turned to Matt.

“Well, it wasn’t the multiple points I was hoping for. But your score did go up.” Matt said evenly. Mello looked thoughtful for a moment before he just nodded and a grin broke out.

“That means you get to buy me a case of chocolate.” Mello said while looking rather smug; it made Matt sigh.

“Yes that does.” Matt noticed a few of the children, that had only just started to show up, staring and he wondered why.

And then Matt turned his head to see Rodger, who had been watching them. So much for staying mute around the man. He wondered if he could get away with speaking to someone around Rodger and yet still ignoring the man himself.

It would probably piss him off. Matt almost thought it would be worth it. But he had chocolate to procure at the moment, so staying on Rodger's relatively good side was needed. “What's the brand name?” Mello follows his gaze.

“Green & Blacks, but you can’t just walk up to him and request it, he'll know it’s me that wants it- hey Matt are you listening?!” Matt couldn’t help but grin as he walked off towards Rodger and away from Mello, who was shouting at him now.

As far as Matt was concerned, Rodger could think whatever the hell he wanted. But he was still going to let Matt have the chocolate since he wouldn’t be able to prove anything.

“Matt, why don't you follow me to my office. There were a few things I wished to ask you, and it seems you have a few of your own.” Had Matt not walked up to Rodger of his own free will he might have wondered at how Rodger knew that. Mello had only shouted the last part, so it was doubtful the man had heard anything else.

“Take a seat.” Matt almost decided to stay standing but knew that he could antagonize the man in later days. Rodger stared almost disapprovingly at him for a moment and it wasn't until Matt moved the cigarette to the other side of his mouth did he realize why.

Whammy must have said something really good to let Matt keep his addiction if Rodger was practically having a fit at his unlit cigarette.

“First, how are you adjusting here?” Rodger was watching him intently and Matt had to force back a smirk. Did he honestly think he was having problems with Mello?

“I'm fine.” there was no use in staying 'mute' for this conversation. “No problems with your room at all?” Matt rolled his eyes, though Rodger couldn’t see it.

“Everything is fine. Kind of boring actually.” he shrugged a shoulder and was rather amused at Rodger's confused expression. Had Mello really been that bad? Well, Matt knew the boy packed a rather nasty punch when provoked. And he'd really been a dick the first few days...

Maybe the whole problem had stemmed from nobody retaliating. Matt might have to ask Mello one of those days.

With it painfully obvious that Rodger had no more to say, the silence all telling; Matt looked up at the man.

“Would it be possible to get a case of chocolate for myself?” Rodger looked rather skeptical.

“Chocolate helps me control my cravings, and since I can’t smoke as much, it's making me jittery....” Rodger clearly didn't believe him, but didn't seem to want to come out and say it.

Which Matt found hilarious.

“Do you have a preferred brand?” at this Matt grinned. He pretended to look thoughtful for a moment before he nodded.

“Green & Blacks. The sixty percent cocoa content and up will be fine, just make sure it isn’t filled with anything weird like nuts or fruit. It ruins the chocolate.” Matt has to wonder where exactly all of that came from, it was like he'd been channeling Mello; he had noticed that Mello didn't eat anything lower than fifty percent cocoa, and there never was any additives in it.

Though on the plus side, it appeared he had disturbed Rodger. One could never go wrong with that.

“Is there anything else?” Matt nodded.

“I need more cigarettes too. I can only use chocolate so much before I need an actual cigarette.” Rodger's nose wrinkled a little at the thought of actually feeding his addiction but nodded all the same.

“Is that all?” Rodger asked hesitantly. Matt wondered what the man would say if he said he wanted some nice leather pants. With that thought in his head Matt shook his head 'no' and stood. He didn’t wait for Rodger to tell him to go, he just left.

Knowing this place, everything would arrive within a few days. Perhaps even by tomorrow.

Mello was waiting for him outside of the dinning hall, to the left of the rankings, when he exited Rodger's office. His gaze was questioning but Matt merely shrugged.

“What the hell! Were you able to get it?” Matt let loose a small laugh at Mello's behavior. How good was this chocolate?

“Yeah. And more cigarettes.”

Mello frowned at the last part but didn't comment on it.

“Let's just go eat.” Matt nodded to Mello but stopped him just before they entered. Mello looked back at him irritably.

“You know Mello...” he trailed off, he wasn't exactly sure why he was doing this. “The deal still stands for the upcoming week.” Matt saw something flash across Mello's icy gaze for a moment before a feral grin stretched its way across his face.

“You're going to come to regret that. I wonder how you will explain eating that much chocolate in such a short time.”

Matt smirks. “I'll say the same thing I did today. It curbs my craving for cigarettes.” Mello blinked for a moment before laughing.

“He actually believed that?” Mello asked while they walked into the dining hall.

“Not at all. But he can't prove anything.” everyone was staring and Matt speculated it was because Mello wasn't growling and snarling at his loss to Near again. The fact that he was smiling, actually grinning from ear to ear, unsettled them.

Matt hoped that he could continue to make Mello this... well, mellow. Mello had his goal, and now Matt had his own.

Funny thing was, Matt hadn't even thought of how that might affect his mission.

-End One-

AN: Yay for part 2!

And Green & Blacks is a real brand of chocolate. And it is fucking expensive. Like $4 to $5 a BAR. One bar! I love it, but damn I can never get it. (I actually heard of this brand from another DN fic a long time ago, heh.)