Look Out For Me (ManXMan)

Chapter Eighteen

Two days after Matt returned to Dorford, Matt never got around to telling Mel about Lucas's confession. Matt still managed to tell Mel the basics, but he left out a lot of details. There were a few times Mel tried to press for them, but Matt clammed up. Mel sensing that he was not going to get all the details, backed off. Very unfortunate, this started to mildly create a rift.

"It's not my business to tell." Matt wanted to shout, but it was enough for Mel to take a step back. It appeared to go against Mel's very nature, but he did it.

Mia stopped by on the second day Matt was at work to say, "Whatever you do, don't break his heart. It's too soon. I'm scared it will push him too close to the edge again."

She didn't spill any details, and Matt was quickly growing weary of secrets. After his shift he found himself at Mel's doorstep. Mel was not home. Matt didn't have his work schedule memorized. He sat on the stoop with his arms and head on his knees. He could feel all the questions Mel wanted to ask after he shut his car door and made his way over to Matt.

Matt looked up, weary and said, "I'll tell you everything once we're inside."

Matt told him everything. No details excluded. He told Mel a little bit about what he'd been able to piece together about Lucas's family, and of his biggest secret. Mel let out a very large breath and looked away after Matt dove straight into the confession. Matt also had a strong feeling like he wanted to throw up that he too had to look away.

When Matt started talking, Mel held his hand as they sat side by side on the living room couch. Neither of them said a word for a while after everything was said. Matt wanted to break the silence, but there was the strong feeling again. Mel was not a difficult person to read. Not that Matt feared for his life, or that he was about to witness Mel get violent. Mel was a storm of thoughts, and Matt was glad he couldn't be inside Mel's head.

A whole eternity passed when Mel finally spoke. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm not abandoning him." Matt was resolute.

"Thats rich." Mel sounded bitter. "I know he's back and you and him haven't spoken a word to each other yet."

"His mom had nowhere to go. She's living with him now. They need to adjust. I can't barge in there." Matt's voice was calm, and he had no idea why his heart was beating so fast. He was thankful to be sitting down.

Mel pushed himself up to stand and paced. Matt tried not to smile, because it was a mirror of what he'd done in what felt like another lifetime.

"Don't make excuses for him. He knows where you are. You live on the same floor, and only two doors away from each other."

Matt just looked at Mel while trying to hold up the mask of indifference. He knew this, but he wasn't about to explain further.

He ended up explaining further. "I know him too well. Almost like I know you. I know when to hang back and when I'm needed. You might not like any of this, but god dammit Mel! I'm here. With you. I'm not giving up on this. My physical and mental heart goes ballistic when you're near, or when you enter my thoughts at work."

Mel almost smiled a little at that, as he gave Matt a sideways look, but he cleared it away.

"You two are so much alike it's almost scary, and at the same time so different." Matt mused, thinking out loud and carried on. "You both hate feeling vulnerable. I didn't see that in you right away, but jeez. Wow. I don't even know how I'm able to stand when in the presence of the both of you." Matt shook his head as he looked down at the carpet for a moment.