Thirty Seconds

That day was beautiful, truly amazing for England. Everybody felt so alive.
Everybody except two boys in a small room. In a room filled with sadness, with tears, with anger.
Mello was sitting on his bed, studying. No, not studying, just looking at some book. He was second again, so at that moment he wasn't able to do anything besides thinking about his own tragedy. About being second.
Mello was a sad kid, kid without toys or reckless dreams. He just wanted to beat Near, his rival, that damned sheep.
''You are so sad today''said Matt while looking out of the window, at children playing soccer together. He didn't like soccer, what was so cool about running after a ball? For him, nothing.
''I am not sad. Just thinking about the future''
Mello lied, of course. Of course, of course, of course. He was almost always lying, even to Matt, his best friend. In truth, he wanted to cry. At first, he was angry, so angry at Near, at this stupid house full of geniuses. Angry at almost everyone, including Matt, who was third in Wammy's. How did that happen? The redhead wasn't paying any attention to anything except his stupid video games and somehow he managed to be third.
After anger, the sadness came. Worries came and Mello got eaten up by them, piece by piece.
Matt turned away from the window and looked straight at his friend. He wanted to smoke so bad, but Roger had a nose like a hunting dog. Well, he basically was a hunting dog.
''So, what about the future? What do you see?''
''Me being number one, indubitably.'' Mello threw the book on the floor and came to the window. They were standing together, looking at the clear sky.
''Pretty nice future'' Matt smirked. ''But I can see that you are sad, Mello. You are almost always mad after Roger tells you that you are second, but not today. Today... It's different, I can see it''
''Maybe you are blind, because I am not sad. Put your goggles on." he sighed.
Butterfly flew right before their noses. Summer was close, so close.
Kids screamed in happiness. Goal.
''I am not blind'' Matt shook his head.''It's like, well, today we have a sunny day, but the rain? Today the rain is inside you, Mello.''
They looked at each other and started laughing.
''Woah, Matt. Very poetic!''
''I am serious, asshole. Why won't you tell me the truth?''
Mello sighed again, like an old tired man, and he sat down on Matt's bed. Redhead joined him after a few seconds. They were sitting in silence for a few minutes, still staring at the blue sky, such a rare view.
''Okay, I have an idea'' Matt opened a drawer in his nightstand and reached for his silver watch, a precious gift from L. ''Thirty Seconds Rule.''
Mello looked at him doubtfully ''Thirty seconds what?''
''I just made that up. If we want to say something that we normally wouldn't say, like our worries or something that is bothering us, then we have thirty seconds. After the time is up, we must act like that didn't happen. What do you think?''
''I don't know. It doesn't sounds so bad.'' To be honest, Mello was startled. He didn't like to share his feelings, but this idea was really good. Besides, he could trust Matt, right?
''We need something, a sign that we want to do the thirty seconds thing.''Matt bit his lip. ''I got this, maybe a ''confession'' word?''
Mello nod. Confession.
Matt smiled and looked at his watch. ''Okay, ready? You start''
''Why me?''
''Because I came up with this.And because you are the one with a problem. Ready?''
Mello took the watch, it felt cold in his hands. The time was passing.
''One...two... three... Confession.'' He took a deep breath. ''I am not angry today, I mean, I am, but I am more sad. I mean, I... Shit, sorry Matt, I just want to do it quick and it's hard to speak properly.''
''Calm down, think about chocolate. You still have twenty seconds.''
''I really thought about my future today. I am worried that I'm not gonna make it, that Near will be the next L, and I'll be some useless trash. Cases, criminals – this is my whole life, Matt. I can't live without that because that's the only life I know. I don't want to die as an ordinary man, knowing that I could do so much more with my time on Earth but I wasn't good enough because of my stupid feelings. Because I have a heart. Time is up.''
Matt smiled at him, but that wasn't his ''Hey, cheer up'' smile. That was ''I understand you'' smile.
''You are good enough'' he said. ''And having a heart is not something bad. Without it, you would be dead''
Mello shook his head and laughed ''Yeah, thanks, genius. Anyway, your turn.''
''Confession, I hope we will always befriends.''

Children yelled again. Another goal.
''Wait, is that all?'' Mello frowned. ''You still have, like, twenty five seconds.''
''That's all. I don'thave many secrets, Mels.''
''Oh no, you... You redheaded bastard! I just told you everything and you-''
''Hey, you can't complain, that was my confession'' Matt put the watch down. ''And you can't talk about my confession.''
''But you just commented on mine! That's not fair.''
''Just a reminder, I came up with Thirty Seconds. My idea, my rules. Rule number one of Thirty Seconds – you don't talk about Thirty Seconds.''
A few seconds later, a pillow hit Matt in the face.
Goal.

They were sitting together on the old sofa. The day off, beautiful day, when they didn't have to do anything.
Matt was playing his video games, trying to beat the boss. He cursed and almost threw his pad. Mello took a bite of his chocolate and closed the laptop.
''I am going out. Don't wait for me.''
''What?'' Matt paused his game and gave Mello a disappointed look. ''Where?''
''To the pub with Lidner. I need to have some fun.''
Matt finally threw the pad. He took a cigarrete and put it in his mouth with shaky hands. Why were his hands shaking?
''With Lidner? And what else, maybe with Kira, too? It's a day off.''
''Whatever, Matt. Wanna come with us? Maybe you'll find a girlfriend.'' Mello hid a gun in his leather jacket.'' Or maybe your PS4 is your girlfriend?''
''Yeah, I kiss my pad quite frequently.'' He stood up and looked at Mello.
At his bestfriend.
Just his best friend.
''So, you're not coming, Matt?''
''Do you really want to go with her? She is working with Near. It is not safe.''
Mello snorted and grabbed a chocolate bar. Why the hell Matt cared about Lidner? Until now, he was just hacking or playing games. Nothing more.
Unfortunately, nothing more.
''What's up with you today? Usually you don't care.''
''It is not safe.''
''Safe? What the hell are you talking about?'' Mello sighed and looked him straight in the green eye. ''Our life is not safe. Never.''
He turned away and went to the door.
''Are you sure you don't want to stay with me?''
There was something in Matt's voice that made him stop. He withdrew to the living room.
Matt looked nervous, he didn't even light his cigarette.
''Hey, what's wrong with you? Whenever I'm going somewhere, you just sit there, with your PS4. Did something happen?''
Matt closed his eyes, murmured something under his breath and sat on the sofa again.
Now, Mello was angry. Matt played his stupid games all day, he wasn't paying any attention to Mello, and now what? First, he wasn't happy when Mello told him that he is going to the pub but now he is ignoring him again?
Oh hell no.
''Listen, you are pissing me off'.'' Mello hissed and walked over to Matt. He stood in front of him and bowed a little. ''Tell me what is wrong. Right now.''
''Fuck off, Mels. I want to spend some time with my girlfriend.'' He reached out for the pad but Mello took it first.
''I am not going to give you this until you tell me everything.''
Matt gritted his teeth. Mello was so close, he could feel his chocolate scent.
''I just don't want you to go.''
Not with Lidner.
''Why?''
''Jeez, Mello. Just because.'' he rolled his eyes. ''Give me my pad back.''
Mello didn't give him the pad. He just put it down on the table. Blonde sat beside his friend, he had an idea.
''Matt, remember when we were twelve? You came up with something called Thirty Seconds Rule.''
''We are not twelve anymore.''
''But you are hiding something from me today.'' Mello reached out and took the cigarette out of Matt's mouth, he put it alongside the pad. ''It's okay to have secrets, but I can see that you are not comfortable with this one. Let it go.''
He was right. Matt wasn't comfortable with this one, it was like a wild animal living inside of him for too long. But he was afraid...
Screw this.
Matt looked at Mello, at his best friend. He looked straight into his eyes.
''Confession.'' One, two, three... go. ''I don't want you to go out with Lidner. I don't want you to go out today with anybody, because I want you to stay with me. That's it, Mello. Maybe you are not going to like it, but that's the truth. I want you with me. Because I simply love you. Not only in a family way. Sorry. Time's up.''
Silence.
Matt was searching for something, for a sign in Mello's face, but he found nothing. His face was calm, without any visible expression on it. It looked like it was carved in stone.
Matt was afraid that it's over. Maybe his best friend won't tolerate this, maybe...
''My turn.'' Mello whispered. ''Confession''
Then, after a moment, he leaned and kissed Matt in the mouth. Lips on lips, bodies close, so close.
And they kissed and kissed and kissed.
''One of your rules concering confessions, that one about never speaking about them again, is really stupid'' said Mello when the kiss broke. '' Because I want to remember your words forever. And I won't act like this didn't happen.''
''Sometimes even geniuses have stupid ideas.''