Impress Me Not: Neon Underground

Chapter 10

"He's backpedaling and denying himself," Velvet said, starting at the screen. "I don't think he's going to try and see Melvin again."

"How do you know?" Will asked.

"Wait!" Benny looked at her with wide eyes. "Can you guys read their inner monologs? Because that would be so cool if you could!"

"While that would help a lot," Cameron answered. "It would be an invasion of privacy. More so than all of the other stuff we do. I'm not even sure if the gods have the ability to do that."

"I would hope not," Obasi rubbed his head. "Imagine the headache of hearing someone else's thoughts in your head?"

"Well, why did you say he was denying himself then?" Benny asked Velvet. "All we've really seen is him stare up at the ceiling and then pull out his laptop."

They had decided to cut out the more personal part of that morning from the footage. As much as it was Velvet and Cameron's job to look into that area of love, it wasn't necessary to watch it all the time. Instead, they used that time to explain in more detail about different kinks and sexualities. It was a lot to have to learn sometimes.

"I can see it in his eyes," Velvet said. "I had plenty experience with denial when I was first realizing that I felt more like a girl. For Mateo, it's a little different, but kind of the same too."

"Why were you in denial?" Will asked. They were still in the II Department, enjoying the comfortable couch cushions and watching what they could. Since this was a case that involved a lot of interesting scenes, they might not be able to see everything they needed to on the screens in their breakroom.

"Because I felt like a freak," Velvet shrugged. "And I didn't want people calling me it. That's what a lot of people in our community have an issue with. Whether it be not wishing their families to know, for fear of their thoughts on it, or not wanting anyone in the world to know. There are many different reasons and ways that one could try and deny themselves."

"I have a feeling that Mateo is good at that," Cameron said. They looked over to Will. "Did you find out anything different with him when you were trying to pin him with Anton?"

"He liked books," Will answered, smiling sadly. "But he never read any because they didn't teach you anything." That was what he had told Lucas one time. It was something to do with his parents and what they said, but they didn't know too much. His file only had information that pertained to love. The rest of his life were in a completely different building entirely.

"I bet you his parents jaded his views on life a lot," Velvet told them. "They probably told him that everything had to have a purpose, or be able to make money. That could be why he's so focused on money rather than anything else."

"He wanted to be able to retire early," Will told them. "And have a place all to himself to relax and enjoy the rest of his life. That was what he had told Lucas too." It was sad to see the two of them going separate ways. Lucas and Mateo might have been a bad combo for working together, but they were good friends for each other. Mateo even tried to stand up for him, and Lucas had tried to reason with Mateo about his decision with Anton.

Now they didn't have much of a chance to bring that friendship back.

"In this economy," Cameron nodded. "I can see why. It's not good to bring other's down just to bring yourself up, though. And focusing on just money is just going to lead to perpetual work, too. He could never wind up thinking that he's saved up enough."

"That's why Anton's break up with him is a good thing," Will said. "It actually got him to realize that he wasn't always going to be able to have both. I think not working for that company now is good for him. Now we just have to get him to realize a few other things."

"Like that he's being an ass?" Sarah asked. She was pretty sure that Melvin already tried to teach that to him, but it was hard getting it through a skull as thick as Mateo's sometimes. He really struck a nerve when he called him a cheater.

"Of course," Will assured her. "But if what Velvet is saying is true, then he's going to have to accept himself before he starts to heal. And that might be the difficult part."

"I don't think Melvin is going to let him in his club after what he said," Cameron frowned. He pressed a button to change perspectives. Melvin hadn't slept yet either. Knowing him, he was going to stay up for the rest of the day. That's what he always did when he was angry. He just overworked himself at his business.

"I don't think he's going to be alive if he so much as steps foot inside that club," Sarah laughed. "Once Mateo told him that he was a cheater Melvin looked like he was going to kill him and feed his soul to a hell hound."

"Melvin's usually not one to be too aggressive," Cameron said. "But Mateo seems to be an exception. I don't doubt him going all out the next time he sees him."

"I think it'll all work out," Will said.

"How the hell do you think that?!" Sarah asked, holding back a shocked laugh. "We just said that Melvin was going to rip Mateo's throat out the next time he saw him, and you still think it's all going to work out?"

"Yes," he answered confidently. "Mateo still liked it, for one. Which means that even if he denies himself, he'll still come back to that club. As far as getting Melvin to forgive him for his words, I'm sure they'll find some way to get there. They still have a connection with each other."

"Anger makes people blind, sweetie," Velvet said. "There's a good chance that the next time they meet up, it won't be pretty."

"It doesn't need to be pretty," Will shrugged. "They just have to meet up again."

"What makes you think that they will?" Cameron asked. Then he flipped over to Mateo's perspective on the television screen. He was looking adamantly at the computer in front of him. "He's already thinking about buying a place and moving out of here."

"Thinking and doing are two different things," The brunette said, a twinkle of hope in his eyes. "And he didn't give up the first month since he's been away from Anton. If he was going to leave, he would have already done it after Melvin dragged him to that room the first time."

"Melvin didn't punch Mateo in the gut back then, though," Cameron said, wincing at the bruise that was already forming on the man's stomach. He had taken his shirt off when he got home, and was just now checking for wounds. "I don't know about this one. Right now it doesn't even seem like they'll see each other again."

"Oh, they will," Will smirked.

"How do you know?"

"Because there's one thing that you should know about a cupid's arrow," he answered. "No matter what happens, as long as the arrow is still in effect, it will always bring the two together."

The one Benny had used was a long lasting one, since these two liked taking their sweet time. Will remembered plenty of times when he would think that his match was going to part ways for good and they somehow managed to see each other again. It wasn't in the definition of their arrows, but from his experience, it happened more often than not.

"Let's hope you're right," Cameron sighed. He really didn't want this to end up badly. Neither people were handling the night before right. There was always a level of uncertainty when it came to their job. They weren't the type to put people with each other. The II Department didn't make matches. They just helped people fully understand themselves.

"Of course, I'm going to be right," Will smiled, looking at the screen. It had closed in on the laptop showing one small house that Mateo had been looking at the most. It was a small space by the beach. And Will already recognized the name of the owner.

"Wait," Benny squinted at the screen. "We've met him, haven't we?"

"More or less," Will said. "This is going to be an interesting turn of events."

He was already looking forward to it.