Chapter Text
I was 8 when that old man came to the orphanage I was in, still at Russia. He smiled and said that I didn’t belong there, that I was too smart and he had the right place for me.
I didn’t understand a thing.
But I went with him. Mostly with the clothes on my body and my gameboy. I didn’t have much stuff, anyways.
At that time I didn’t know where it was, I only knew that I went to England.
I’ve never been someone too social. And at Wammy’s it wasn’t different.
The first days were hell. A lot of the kids were curious about the boy with red hair that came in the middle of the semester and wouldn’t take his eyes away from his games…
Not even in classes.
But eventually I became old news apparently, and they left me alone.
Right in the first month I was taken to that old man’s office – Roger’s –, because I wouldn’t turn my gameboy off in the classes. But as I was doing great in all the tests, he just gave me a little scolding.
One day I was sitting in the library playing my video game at one of the tables when I heard someone screaming at a boy. I couldn’t understand what they said because of my headphones.
They looked really mad at a boy in full white. How did he get his hair so light? Was he an albino or something?
The other one looked like a girl.
Getting beaten by a girl is quite embarrassing, isn’t it?
I took my headphones off. Her voice didn’t sound like other girl’s voices…
A woman – maybe the person responsible for the library – ran to separate them. That’s when I saw their face…
Was he really a boy?
Mello: Ok, I got it! I’m going.
He turned to leave and for a second he looked at me.
My eyes opened widely and I turned them to my gameboy as fast as I could.
I hope my face isn’t red… Please, don’t…
When I looked up again, he had already left.
The boy in white lowered his body to get some books from the floor and went to the last table, really deep into the library.
—------------------------
Some other day I was in the computer room; a huge programing book by the keyboard’s side. My fingers beat the keys frantically and the sound echoed in the empty room.
I left the lights turned off because for some reason it was much more comfortable like that. I never liked bright lights that much. But it made my sight tired too quickly, yeah.
The door opened with a loud bang by my right side out of the blue. The outside light invaded my little world.
I looked at the sound’s direction.
It took some time for my sight to adjust. And when I could focus, I saw that blond boy from the library. That one with the girly hairstyle. He looked like he was…
… crying?
I was confused. Did he get into another fight? He looked like my age and there were a lot of older boys, so maybe he…
That’s when I realized he was looking back at me with eyes wide open. I stared for too long, didn’t I?
He rubbed his shirt’s sleeve on his face and looked to the other side.
Mello: I didn’t know there was somebody here…
Matt: That’s ok.
I saw that he was holding some papers.
And there I went, staring for too long again.
Matt: What’s that?
He looked at me again, but with not much of an expression on his face. He raised the papers and I nodded.
Mello: The last science paperwork…
Matt: Didn’t do good?
Mello: No!
He was angry…
Matt: Then why are you crying?
Mello: I’m not!
Yeah, he was mad.
Matt: Ok, then.
I turned my attention back to my computer. This conversation was useless.
Were I curious? Of course. But I didn’t want to be involved with him.
I heard steps coming close to me.
He pulled a chair from the computer by my side and sat there. He put his head on his hand and his arm on the table, and kept looking at my screen.
Mello: That’s your field, then?
Matt: Huh?
I looked at him, but he kept looking at the text on my screen.
Mello: Almost everyone here has an area of interest.
Matt: Ah…
Mello: That line is wrong.
He touched the screen around a part of the code. I looked fast to it and stared for a few seconds before finding the error and fixing it.
Matt: What’s yours?
Mello: All of them.
I laughed a little. And he looked serious at me.
Matt: How? Are you a genius or something?
Mello: Probably.
Matt: Impossible. You wouldn’t cry like that if you had done good in the paperwork.
Mello: …
I made him mad again, right?
Mello: Who are you, anyways? Everyone wants to know.
Matt: Mail Jee–
Mello: Roger didn’t teach you anything before you got in? Don’t say your real name.
He interrupted me. He was too serious for a kid. He intimidated me… I think I must’ve blushed a little, it was good that the room was dark.
Matt: Ah… Matt.
Mello: Mello.
I just nodded and looked back at my screen.
He got quiet, watching me write a few code lines. Why was he here? He didn’t have anything better to do? At this time, the other kids were, I don’t know, playing soccer outside.
Mello saw my gameboy at the table and took it. I just heard the sound of it turning on.
Mello: That’s what you do all day?
Matt: Basically.
Mello: Poke… What’s that?
Matt: Pokemón.
Mello: I know how to read.
I stayed quiet. Definitely I don’t want anything to do with him.
But, for some reason, he wouldn’t go away. He kept sitting by my side, playing for a long while, until he appeared to get tired, turned the gameboy off and put it on the table.
Mello: Want to take a break?
Matt: What for?
Mello: I want to steal some chocolates from the kitchen.
Matt: You can go.
Mello: …
He didn’t move. He kept sitting and I could feel his glare on me. The same intimidating glare.
I think it may be impossible to say no to Mello, huh?
Matt: Ok… Let me save this.
I looked at him from the corners of my eyes and could see him with a victorious smile.
I put my gameboy deep in my pocket and we got out of the room. I was taking my thick book under my arm and Mello, his science paper between his fingers.
Mello: Let’s go to my room so I can put this away.
I just nodded. We went to the dorm’s floor. He guided me through the long corridor to his room. When he opened the door, the difference between the two sides of the room was huge.
One side was completely tidy, perfect. Even the duvet was all smooth on the bed. The other was pure chaos – a room that you expect from a child.
And Mello went to the perfect side.
The only minimally “messy” thing was his desk with tall piles of books. How did he find space to study there?
Mello: Are you staying at the door?
Matt: We’ll be leaving now, right?
Mello: …
Mello: Leave your book here. You can pick it up later.
I hesitated but obeyed. I didn’t want to have problems with him.
I put my book close to one of his book piles and burrowed my hands in my pockets, waiting for the next order.
Mello: Where do you sleep?
Matt: To the other side.
Mello: With whom?
Matt: I don’t know.
Mello smiled.
Mello: C’mon.
Obeying him, I left the room.
We went down to the cafeteria. Completely empty; there was still some time until dinner.
Mello: Don’t make too much noise.
Matt: Why?
Mello: I told you I want to steal, didn’t you hear me?
Matt: Ah.
He went ahead. We got into the kitchen. It wasn’t as big as I imagined, it looked like a normal big house kitchen, besides the home appliances being multiplied a little.
Mello went to the pantry. I followed him. It was like a side room in the kitchen. It looked like he was used to it; he went straight to the area where there were boxes full of chocolate bars.
He took more than he needed, for sure. But to be honest, I didn’t pay too much attention, I just saw him filling his hands.
Mello offered one to me. I took it, a little confused.
And we got out.
We had just got into the corridor that brought us to the cafeteria and he already was with his mouth full of chocolate.
Mello: Wanna go outside?
Matt: I don’t like to go out.
Mello: You’re really antisocial, aren’t you?
Matt: What about you? I've been here for a couple of months already and I’ve never seen you with anyone.
Mello: …
His face became serious. But it didn’t stop him from snapping another big chomp of his candy.
Mello: Let’s go outside.
Matt: Ok.
I think I’m starting to understand how to behave around him.
I believe in those months I’ve been here, I’ve never gone to the yards. At the library I’d always hear the noises of a lot of kids playing outside. For a house full of geniuses, they had a lot of free time.
Mello guided me to a shadowed area, under a huge tree that seemed to be very old. He sat on the grass, his back on the trunk.
I stared at him for a few seconds, but when he stared back at me I sat on his side.
From here we could see the sports court where the boys would play soccer. Some groups were around it, watching. But it was still far enough for me to be comfortable.
Mello: Did Roger explain to you why we’re here?
Matt: Must have done, but I didn’t pay attention.
Mello: …
Mello: What are you doing here?
Again that look. I decided to open my chocolate because I didn’t want to deal with that. I bit it and instantly grimaced.
Matt: Too sweet.
Mello: Do you prefer dark?
Matt: I guess…
Mello: The next time we get that one for you, then.
Matt: Next…?
He looked at me with a half smile. I don’t get this boy. Why…
Matt: … why are you talking to me?
Mello: Do you know that I'm the second best?
Matt: I heard something like that.
Mello: And you didn’t come after me. You’re interesting.
Matt: Because I didn’t kiss your ass?
Mello: Something like that.
Matt: You have quite an ego.
And Mello laughed. I looked at him, confused.
Mello: I feel that we’ll get along well, Matt.
I could only low my sight and chomp on the piece of sugar in my hand.