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Mello’s always been very careful when it came to Matt. It didn’t matter what it was, but if Matt was involved, he as cautious. Matt’s the only reason Mello hasn’t been careless with being in the mafia. Tonight was different, though. Tonight Matt had a stab wound ghosting through his left side. Not enough to die, Mello knew how to take care of wounds like this, but it was enough that as Mello gingerly clean Matt’s wounds, his hands shook.
The job had been a simple one. It was a hacking job for some company, and when Mello had come home and told Matt about it, Matt insisted he did it. This one was easy, and Matt loved to help his boyfriend. Mello did so much for Matt, Matt couldn’t help but love doing things in return.
At first, Mello said no. He wasn’t going to risk it. Matt was, quite literally, Mello’s world, and even though this was a simple job and the possibility of it going awry was little to nothing, Mello didn’t want to take that risk. An hour later, after Matt bugging the hell out of Mello, he had hesitantly agreed. Matt was done with the job in three hours, and Mello got the money.
Two days later and Matt was laid across the kitchen island, bleeding profusely. He was nude down to his boxers, and his skin was paler than usual. The freckles that decorated his body seemed to stick out more than usual. Mello usually loved Matt’s freckles, but right now he hated them. He couldn’t tell whether some were freckles or droplets of blood.
Matt was gazing at Mello through half-lidded eyes. It was a wonder he hadn’t passed out yet, as soon as they were home Mello had shoved a Norco down his throat. Mello was putting all his concentration onto stitching up Matt’s side. Mello’s hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and his blue eyes were glossy. Matt, even in his drugged state, knew Mello had never looked so worried before. Matt hissed at a particularly sharp tug of pain as Mello finished the stitching.
“Sorry baby boy,” Mello whispered, kissing Matt’s forehead. Matt tilts his head up, trying to catch Mello in a kiss, but Mello was back to focusing on Matt’s wounds within a second. Matt allows his head to lull to the side, focusing on how Mello’s hands shook fiercely while he taped gauze to his side.
“‘s okay.” Mello wanted to disagree. He wanted to say that no, it fucking wasn’t. It wasn’t okay that his boyfriend, his world, his lifeline, was passing out on a counter with a stab wound. He didn’t say it, though, fearing that he’d lose it and start crying if he did. Two minutes passed as Mello gently taped the gauze on Matt’s skin.
“Finished.” Matt looked at his boyfriend. He still shook, his eyes were still shiny with unshed tears, and his teeth were clenched. Mello would usually be angry right now. Matt, still dazed with drugs and blood loss, searched for something to say.
“At least I can cross being shish kabobbed off my bucket list,” he jokes. In that split second, he meets Mello’s eyes and watches as the first tear falls. Matt holds his breath as Mello clutches his hair, a strangled breath escaping him. “Mello?” Matt asks gently, trying to sit up. He hissed as pain sparked in the side of his wound. Mello scrubbed at his eyes before looping his hands underneath Matt’s armpits and pulling him into a sitting position.
Matt stared at Mello in a hazed worry. He was still to drugged to quite think at his full capacity, but he sure as hell was able to know that Mello barely ever cried, and when he did, it was something to worry about. He grabbed Mello’s hands, pulling him closer. Mello stared at Matt with watery, blue eyes.
“Mells.” Mello let out a heavy sigh and pressed his forehead to Matt’s. Tears streamed onto Matt’s face from Mello.
“I thought I lost you.” Mello’s voice cracked. “You were so pale and shaky. The knife was just . . .” Mello trailed off with a light sob. Matt managed to lay a messy kiss on Mello’s face.
“‘s okay. I’m right here.” Mello wanted more than anything to be assured by Matt’s words, but if anything, they made him worry more. The redhead was barely able to keep his head up. Vision still blurry with tears, Mello slid Matt off the counter into his arms.
“I know, baby. Let’s get you to the room, okay?” When they were in the bed, Matt wrapped in Mello’s arms and asleep, Mello squeezed his eyes shut, a single tear dripping from his eye. He kissed Matt’s temple.
“This’ll never happen again, freckles.”