Matt let Kate wash his face, then stepping out of the bathroom he said, "It's okay, Melvin. You can come out." He wrapped his face before Melvin came out.
Melvin paused, then he came out. He was eating a microwaved burrito and had his phone playing cartoons in the other hand. He studied Matt wearing his clothing. "You got skinnier."
"It's the clothes," Matt assured him. "They're nice, though. Thank you. I'll make sure you get them back." He leaned against the wall, putting on his boots.
"Saw you got a new suit." Melvin didn't keep the hurt out of his voice.
Matt paused then asked gently, "I wasn't sure you wanted to see me again. Did you?" A shrug. "Would you have wanted me to visit you in prison?"
"Yes. No. I don't know." Melvin was getting agitated having to deal with these complicated emotions. He shifted a little. "I might have ratted you out if I saw you. But I missed you. You were my only friend. I didn't want to sell you out. But I wanted you to save me."
The way he put it all out there, the contradictions, the honesty. It took more bravery than Matt had. He shuffled forward and reached out to touch Melvin's arm. Melvin guided his hand to it.
"Sometimes we have to save ourselves, Melvin," Matt said quietly. Sadly. "And sometimes we aren't saved, but those we care about are instead." A beat. "I'm sorry I wasn't a better friend to you."
"I'm sorry I tried to get you killed."
A snort. "Even, then?"
"Your new suit is shit. It's all flash."
"Well. Sounds like we need another meeting. I'll bring the gelato." A sound if displeasure. "Fine. I'll bring the microwaved burritos." That earned approval. Even if it hurt Matt's soul, he'd bring microwaved burritos as they were Melvin's favorite.
Melvin then turned to Kate. "Arrow Lady." He handed her back her bow and arrows. "I'm sorry you met us when we were mad. You shouldn't be mad in front of strangers." Betsy told him that. There were private talks and public talks. "But maybe you're not a stranger now, so it's okay. D's my friend, so if you're his friend, we can be friends. You were nice last night. You gave me your stuff and most people won't trust me.
I'm gonna make an arrow for you." He nodded as though it was decided. "I made D's batons, and his suits, so I can make arrows. Maybe something warm so you won't be cold after you use it." He had ideas.
no subject
Melvin paused, then he came out. He was eating a microwaved burrito and had his phone playing cartoons in the other hand. He studied Matt wearing his clothing. "You got skinnier."
"It's the clothes," Matt assured him. "They're nice, though. Thank you. I'll make sure you get them back." He leaned against the wall, putting on his boots.
"Saw you got a new suit." Melvin didn't keep the hurt out of his voice.
Matt paused then asked gently, "I wasn't sure you wanted to see me again. Did you?" A shrug. "Would you have wanted me to visit you in prison?"
"Yes. No. I don't know." Melvin was getting agitated having to deal with these complicated emotions. He shifted a little. "I might have ratted you out if I saw you. But I missed you. You were my only friend. I didn't want to sell you out. But I wanted you to save me."
The way he put it all out there, the contradictions, the honesty. It took more bravery than Matt had. He shuffled forward and reached out to touch Melvin's arm. Melvin guided his hand to it.
"Sometimes we have to save ourselves, Melvin," Matt said quietly. Sadly. "And sometimes we aren't saved, but those we care about are instead." A beat. "I'm sorry I wasn't a better friend to you."
"I'm sorry I tried to get you killed."
A snort. "Even, then?"
"Your new suit is shit. It's all flash."
"Well. Sounds like we need another meeting. I'll bring the gelato." A sound if displeasure. "Fine. I'll bring the microwaved burritos." That earned approval. Even if it hurt Matt's soul, he'd bring microwaved burritos as they were Melvin's favorite.
Melvin then turned to Kate. "Arrow Lady." He handed her back her bow and arrows. "I'm sorry you met us when we were mad. You shouldn't be mad in front of strangers." Betsy told him that. There were private talks and public talks. "But maybe you're not a stranger now, so it's okay. D's my friend, so if you're his friend, we can be friends. You were nice last night. You gave me your stuff and most people won't trust me.
I'm gonna make an arrow for you." He nodded as though it was decided. "I made D's batons, and his suits, so I can make arrows. Maybe something warm so you won't be cold after you use it." He had ideas.