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7 minutes in heaven
Matt had never really been the type of person people noticed. He wasn’t unpopular in the dramatic way like some students were, but he also wasn’t someone others talked about much. Most people at school knew his name, maybe because of the red/brown hair, the constant goggles resting on his head, or the way he always seemed to have a cigarette tucked between his fingers outside the school gates. But knowing his name and actually paying attention to him were two very different things. Matt preferred it that way. Attention meant expectations, conversations, questions, and he wasn’t interested in any of that. Most days he just stayed in the background, sitting somewhere near the back of the classroom, leaning back in his chair while the noise of other students filled the room around him.
Meanwhile, someone like Mello existed on the complete opposite end of the school’s strange social hierarchy. Mello was the kind of person everyone knew whether they wanted to or not. Teachers knew him, students talked about him, and half the school seemed to orbit around him like he was some kind of sun. It wasn’t just because he was attractive or confident though he definitely was both. There was something intense about him, something sharp and magnetic that made people pay attention whenever he walked into a room. Some people admired him, some people were intimidated by him, but ignoring him was nearly impossible.
Matt, however, had never really cared much about people like that. His world was small and quiet on purpose. School, home, games, repeat. That was his routine.
It was a Friday afternoon when something slightly unusual happened. The final class of the day dragged on in the usual slow, dull way, the teacher’s voice blending into the background while students either whispered to each other or stared out the window waiting for the bell. Matt sat in his usual spot near the back, half-listening while lazily tapping something into his phone. At some point during the lesson, a folded piece of paper landed on his desk.
Matt glanced down at it for a moment. No one around him said anything, and when he looked up briefly, nobody seemed to be paying attention to him either. Whoever had dropped it there had done it quietly.
For a second he considered ignoring it. It was probably some stupid joke or a note meant for someone else. Still, after a moment of quiet hesitation, he picked it up and unfolded it.
It wasn’t a long message. In fact, it was barely anything at all. Just a location, a time, and a short line written in messy handwriting.
Friday night. Party. Don’t be boring.
Matt stared at the paper for a few seconds before letting out a small, quiet breath through his nose. A party invitation. Of course it was. The school had those constantly someone’s house while their parents were gone, loud music, corny, too many people, cheap drinks, and someone inevitably doing something stupid. The kind of place Matt usually avoided without a second thought.
He folded the paper again slowly, rolling it between his fingers for a moment. Normally he would’ve thrown something like that straight into the trash.
But he didn’t..
Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was boredom. Maybe it was just the strange feeling that someone had actually gone out of their way to invite him, which almost never happened.
Whatever the reason was, the paper ended up staying in the pocket of his jeans instead of the trash.
…
The final bell rang not long after, filling the hallway with noise as students rushed out of their classrooms, already talking about their plans for the weekend. Somewhere in the crowd, someone mentioned the party out loud and a group immediately started discussing who was going, who wasn’t, and whether it would be better than the last one.
Matt walked past them without saying anything.
Later that evening he sat in his room, the quiet hum of his computer filling the space while a game loaded on the screen in front of him. It should have been a normal night. A comfortable one. Exactly the kind he preferred.
But the folded piece of paper was still sitting on his desk. Every once in a while his eyes drifted toward it, he didn’t really understand why.
Matt didn’t like parties. He didn’t like crowds, or loud music, or being surrounded by people he barely knew. The logical choice would have been to ignore the invitation completely.
And yet something about it lingered in the back of his mind like an unfinished thought.
After a long moment, he leaned back in his chair and looked at the clock.
The party had probably already started by now.
Matt stared at the invitation again, tapping his fingers lightly against the desk.
Then he sighed turned his computer off and stood up.
Maybe he would only stay for a few minutes.
Just long enough to see what was going on.
After that, he could leave whenever he wanted.
At least, that was the plan..
…
The house was already loud before Matt even reached the front door. Music pulsed through the walls, the bass heavy enough that he could feel it slightly through the ground as he walked up the driveway. Cars were parked everywhere along the street, halfway onto the grass, some clearly left in a hurry. Voices spilled out from the open windows, mixed with laughter and the occasional shout from someone who had probably already had too much to drink.
Matt paused near the entrance for a moment, hands in the pockets of his jacket. This was exactly the kind of place he usually avoided. Too many people, too much noise, too many strangers pressed into one space. For a second he considered turning around and leaving. No one inside would even notice he had shown up.
But then he remembered the folded invitation sitting in his pocket and exhaled quietly through his nose.
He had already come this far why returning now?
Inside, the house was even worse. Music blasted from speakers somewhere in the living room, shaking the floor while groups of students crowded together talking, laughing, shouting over the noise. Someone had already turned the kitchen into a chaotic mess of cups and bottles, and the smell of cheap alcohol mixed with sugary soda hung in the air.
Matt slipped inside quietly, closing the door behind him without drawing much attention. A few people glanced at him briefly, mostly out of curiosity, but none of them said anything. That was normal. He wasn’t exactly someone people rushed over to greet.
Which was fine with him.
He moved along the wall, weaving through the crowd with the kind of quiet awareness that came from years of avoiding attention. Eventually he found a spot near the hallway where things were slightly less crowded and leaned against the wall, observing the chaos like someone watching a strange documentary.
Across the room, however, someone noticed him immediately.
Mello was standing near the center of the living room, surrounded by a group of people who seemed to orbit him naturally. Someone was talking animatedly beside him, another person laughing too loudly at something he had said earlier. It was the usual scene whenever he was around „attention“ came to him without effort.
But at that moment, Mello wasn’t really listening to any of them.
His eyes had drifted toward the hallway.
Toward Matt.
He noticed him almost instantly, which wasn’t surprising. Matt stood out even when he tried not to. The messy red hair, the goggles resting on his head, the slightly bored expression. Mello stared at him for a second longer than necessary.
Interesting..
Matt didn’t look like someone who belonged at a party like this. He wasn’t talking to anyone, wasn’t trying to squeeze into conversations or impress anyone. He just leaned nonchalantly against the wall like he was observing everything from a safe distance.
For some reason, that caught Mello’s attention far more than the dozen people already trying to get it.
Before he could think too much about it, someone nearby shouted loudly from the kitchen.
“Alright, alright! Everyone shut up for a second!”
The music lowered slightly as people started turning their heads toward the noise. A small group had gathered around the kitchen table, one of them holding an empty bottle up like some kind of trophy.
“Party game!” someone announced. “Seven Minutes in Heaven!”
A mixture of cheers, groans, and laughter spread through the room immediately. The rules were simple and everyone knew them. Spin the bottle, whoever it landed on would have to spend seven minutes in the upstairs closet with whoever spun it.
Someone dragged a chair over and placed the bottle on the seat like it was part of a dramatic ceremony.
“Come on, this’ll be funny,” another student said, already pushing through the crowd.
Matt sighed quietly under his breath.
..Of course it would be something like this..
He shifted slightly, already considering the best moment to slip out of the house without anyone noticing. The last thing he wanted was to get dragged into some stupid party game with a bunch of strangers.
But before he could make that decision, someone suddenly grabbed his sleeve.
“Hey, you!”
Matt blinked, looking down slightly as one of the students from the kitchen grinned at him.
“You’ve been standing there doing nothing all night. Come spin.”
Matt stared at them for a moment, clearly unimpressed.
“No thanks.” he replied.
Too late…
The crowd was already pushing him forward.
Before he fully realized what was happening, he found himself standing in front of the chair with the bottle, surrounded by cheering classmates who clearly found this much more entertaining than he did.
Matt rubbed the back of his neck once, clearly annoyed, then glanced around briefly. That was when he noticed something, across the small circle of students, Mello was watching him.
Not casually.
Directly.
Matt lifted an eyebrow slightly behind his goggles.
Weird..
“Come on!” someone shouted. “Spin it already!”
Matt sighed again, leaning forward slightly as his fingers flicked the bottle.
It spun quickly across the chair seat, the glass reflecting the dim lights from the room as everyone leaned in closer.
Slower.
Slower.
The bottle finally stopped.
And pointed directly at someone standing across the circle. Someone with messy blond hair and a very familiar reputation. The room exploded into laughter and shouting almost immediately.
Because the bottle had landed on Mello.
For a second, the entire circle went quiet like everyone needed a moment to process what had just happened. Then the reaction hit all at once. Laughter burst out around the room, mixed with loud cheering and loud “no way!” shouts from people leaning over each other to see better. Someone slapped Matt on the shoulder like he had just pulled off some kind of incredible stunt.
“Well damn,” one of the guys near the chair laughed. “Didn’t expect that.”
Across the circle, Mello looked down at the bottle for a moment, the neck of the glass pointing very clearly in his direction. Slowly, the corner of his mouth lifted into a small, amused smirk, like the entire situation entertained him far more than it should have.
The crowd immediately noticed.
“OHHHH-“
“Mello!”
“Seven minutes!”
Matt, on the other hand, looked significantly less amused. He adjusted the goggles resting on his head and rubbed the back of his neck once again, already thinking about the fastest way to disappear from the room.
“Yeah, I’m gonna pass,” Matt said casually, already stepping back. “You guys have fun though.”
A few people immediately started booing.
“Not allowed!”
“Rules are rules!”
“Come on!”
Matt lifted a hand slightly in a lazy gesture. “Pretty sure it’s allowed.”
But before he could take another step away, Mello moved.
He stepped forward through the circle with that same confident energy he always carried, the small smirk still lingering on his face. The crowd parted easily to let him through, people whispering excitedly to each other as the most popular guy in school approached the one person who had clearly tried to escape.
Matt barely had time to react before Mello grabbed his wrist. It wasn’t rough but enough that Matt immediately stopped moving.
“Oh no,” Mello said smoothly, his voice carrying just enough amusement to make it obvious he was enjoying this. “You spun the bottle.”
Matt looked down at his wrist, then back up at him.
“…And?”
“And that means you don’t get to run away now.” the blonde teased.
Matt tried to pull his arm back, but Mello didn’t let go.
“I really don’t care about your party games,” Matt replied flatly. Mello tilted his head slightly, his smirk widening just a little.
“That’s fine,” he said. “I do.”
Before Matt could respond, Mello turned and started walking toward the staircase still holding onto his wrist.
For a second Matt didn’t move.
Then he was dragged forward along with him.
“Hey!“ Matt protested, stumbling half a step before catching up. “You’re kidding.”
The crowd behind them erupted into cheering and laughter as they were practically escorted toward the stairs.
“Oh my god this is amazing.”
“Someone start the timer!”
“I give them three minutes before someone starts yelling!”
Matt shot an unimpressed look at the group, clearly not entertained by any of this.
“You’re aware this is stupid, right?” he muttered toward Mello as they reached the stairs.
Mello didn’t even look back.
“Probably.”
“And you’re still doing it.”
“Definitely, i won’t miss my chance.” Mello teased with a stupid grin on his face.
They reached the top of the staircase quickly, the noise of the party fading slightly behind them. Someone from downstairs shouted something that sounded suspiciously like “Don’t have too much fun,” which earned another wave of laughter.
Matt tried one more time to stop walking.
“Mello!“
Mello finally glanced back at him.
“You can let go now.”
For a moment, Mello just looked at him. Then he grinned again.
“No.”
And before Matt could argue again, Mello pushed open the small storage closet at the end of the hallway and pulled him inside with him.
The space was barely big enough for two people to stand comfortably. A few stacked boxes sat against the wall, and the air smelled faintly like dust and old cardboard.
Behind them, someone slammed the door shut, darkness filled the small space immediately. “Seven minutes! Don’t be too freaky.” someone shouted from the hallway. Footsteps and laughter faded down the corridor as everyone returned to the party.
Inside the closet, it was suddenly quiet..
Matt leaned back against the wall, arms loosely crossed like none of this mattered to him. But his heart was beating way too fast for someone who was supposed to be completely unimpressed.
The darkness in the closet wasn’t completely black. A thin line of light slipped through the gap under the door, just enough to make out shapes. Matt could see Mello. The messy blond hair. The outline of his toned body. The way he didn’t step back even a little. He was too close.. WAY TOO CLOSE..
“You could’ve just left,” Matt muttered quietly, not looking directly at him.
“I didn’t want to.” he replied instantly.
Matt finally lifted his head slightly. “Why not?”
Silence.
For a moment the only thing they could hear was the dull bass of the music downstairs and someone laughing somewhere far down the hallway. Then Mello stepped closer. Not much. Just enough that Matt could feel the warmth of him now.
“Because you’re finally here,” Mello said.
Matt blinked. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Mello let out a quiet breath, almost like he was annoyed at himself for saying it out loud.
“You’re always there,” he said. “But at the same time you’re not. You sit in the back of class, you leave the second the bell rings, you don’t talk to anyone. And every time I want to say something, you’re already gone.”
Matt stared at him like he’d just said something completely insane.
“You… wanted to talk to me?” Matt asked obviously stunned.
“For weeks..“, The blonde confessed. The words landed heavy in the small space.
Matt felt his stomach tighten in a way he absolutely did not like. That made no sense. Mello could talk to literally anyone. People liked him. Wanted his attention. Followed him around like it was some kind of game.
So why him?
“Why me?” Matt asked quietly.
Mello stepped closer again.
Now they were standing so close Matt had to tilt his head slightly just to keep eye contact. He could feel the tension like static in the air, sharp and electric and impossible to ignore.
“Because you’re the only one who doesn’t look at me the way everyone else does,” Mello said, his voice lower now. “You don’t want anything from me. You don’t try to impress me. You barely even react to me.”
Matt swallowed.
“That’s not true,” he said before he could stop himself.
Mello’s eyes narrowed just a little. “No?” Matt hesitated for half a second too long, of course Mello noticed it immediately. A small, dangerous smile appeared on his face. Not the confident one he used at school. This one felt different. More focused. Like he had just figured something out.
“You do react,” Mello said softly, taking another step forward until Matt’s back was completely pressed against the wall. “You just hide it better than everyone else.”
Matt’s fingers tightened slightly against his sleeves. “You’re imagining things.”
“Am I?” he teased.
Mello tilted his head a little, studying him like he was trying to memorize every reaction Matt had.
“You came tonight,” he said quietly. “Even though you hate parties. Everyone knows that. So why are you here?”
Matt didn’t answer.
Because the truth was stupid. Because the truth didn’t make sense. Because the truth was that the second he saw Mello looking at him across the room, leaving suddenly felt impossible.
“I just felt like it,” Matt said finally.
Mello laughed under his breath. “Liar.”
The word wasn’t mean. It sounded almost… pleased. The music downstairs got louder for a moment, the bass shaking the door slightly, but inside the closet everything felt strangely quiet. Like the entire world had shrunk down to this one moment. Matt could feel his heartbeat in his throat now. It was ridiculous. It was just Mello. Just some guy from school who thought he was way more interesting than he actually was.
So why couldn’t he move??
“Say it,” Mello murmured.
“Say what?”
“That you didn’t come here because of the party.”
Matt stared at him, Mello didn’t look away. Not even for a second. The silence stretched until it almost hurt. And then Matt let out a quiet breath, barely louder than a whisper.
“…Maybe I didn’t.”
Something in Mello’s expression changed instantly. Not dramatic. Not obvious. Just softer. Like the answer mattered more than he wanted to admit. For a second neither of them moved..
Then Mello’s hand lifted slowly, hesitating just before touching Matt’s wrist, like he was giving him time to pull away if he wanted to, but he didn’t. His fingers curled slightly instead, like his body had already decided something his brain hadn’t caught up to yet.
“You’re really annoying, you know that?” Matt muttered quietly.
Mello smiled.
“Yeah,” he said. “But you still had the chance to leave..“
Another second passed.
The air between them felt almost too warm now, the tension sharp enough to make Matt’s thoughts blur. He could feel Mello’s breath, close enough that it made his heart skip in a way that was honestly embarrassing.
“Why are you staring,” Matt said annoyed.
“Because you look nervous.”
“I’m not nervous.”
“You are.”
“I’m not.”
Mello leaned just a little closer again. “Then stop looking at me like that.”
Matt frowned slightly. “Like what?”
“Like you’re thinking about something you shouldn’t be thinking about.”
The words hit harder than they should have.
Matt rolled his eyes, clearly fed up. “You’re seriously annoying,” he muttered, fingers already curling into fists as the tight space and Mello’s presence got on his nerves in the worst way. “Move.”
Mello didn’t, of course he didn’t. He obviously had no clue about person space..
Matt’s patience snapped, his fist shooting up fast, sharp, aimed straight at the blonde but it never landed. Mello caught his wrist instantly, firm and effortless, like he’d been expecting it. Matt’s expression darkened as he tried to pull back, but the grip didn’t budge.
“Let go,” he snapped, voice low and tense.
“You’re bad at this,” he said quietly, and that faint hint of amusement in his voice made it worse.
“At what?” Matt shot back, jaw tight.
Mello tilted his head slightly, eyes locked onto him. “Pretending you don’t feel anything.”
And before Matt could react, Mello pulled him forward and kissed him. It wasn’t soft or careful.. it was immediate, heated, like something that had been building for way too long to stay controlled. Matt froze for a split second, tension still in him, anger still there but it cracked fast. His free hand grabbed onto Mello’s leather instead of pushing him away, pulling him closer without even realizing it.
Mello didn’t let go of his wrist, keeping him exactly where he was, controlled but not rough, like he knew Matt might bolt otherwise. The kiss deepened, messy and intense, all that frustration twisting into something heavier, something impossible to ignore.
Matt exhaled sharply against him, grip tightening, his thoughts completely gone now.
Their breathing was uneven now. The space between them felt suffocating in the best and worst way, heat trapped between their bodies, nowhere to escape. Mello still had his wrist, not tight enough to hurt, but enough that Matt couldn’t ignore it, couldn’t forget it.
“You’re-“ Matt started, but the words died the second Mello leaned in again shutting him up.
The second their lips met again it hit harder than before, like whatever hesitation had been there was completely gone now. It didn’t last long until Mellos tongue lowered to the redheads neck and sucking on the sensitive skin. Matt’s grip on Mello’s shirt tightened instantly, pulling him closer like he was done pretending this wasn’t happening. Mellos leg caught somewhere between Matts thighs where it clearly didn’t belong to. The frustration, the anger, all of it twisted into something hotter, something reckless.
Mello shifted just slightly, pressing him back fully against the wall again, closing every bit of space left, like he wasn’t planning on letting him go anywhere. His hold on Matt’s wrist loosened just enough to slide down, fingers brushing against his hand before catching it again, grounding him there.
Matt let out a quiet moan against him when Mello bit down on his neck, his head tipping back for half a second before he pulled him right back in, like stopping wasn’t even an option anymore.
“Still think this is stupid?” Mello murmured, barely pulling away.
Matt let out a short, breathless laugh, shaking his head slightly. “Shut up.”
But there was no real resistance left, just tension. Heat. Way too much of both..
For a moment the loud noises blurred out.
Until-
A loud knock hit the door.
“Time’s up!”
Voices and laughter spilled in from the hallway, breaking everything all at once. The reality of it crashed back in, sharp and sudden. Matt froze for a second, then he pulled back. Not gently, not dramatically either just enough to put space between them again, his hand dropping from Mello’s shirt like it suddenly mattered. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply, trying to get his head straight again.
“…Right,” he muttered, more to himself than anything.
Mello didn’t move much, just watched him, that same look in his eyes, but softer now. Like he wasn’t surprised. Like he’d expected exactly this.
Matt didn’t look at him again. He just turned, pushed the door open, and stepped out into the hallway before anyone could say anything.
…
The second the door cracked open, he slipped out quickly, barely giving anyone in the hallway a chance to notice him. Head slightly down, trying to hide his bulge, one hand pushed back his goggles as he moved past a few laughing students, who were too distracted to care. He didn’t stop or look back, just kept walking until the party noise started fading behind him.
Down the stairs. Past the crowded living room. Out the back.
Fresh air hit him. Colder. Quieter. Better than the chaos inside.
Matt leaned against the wall near the back of the house, a cigarette already between his fingers. He flicked the flame, took a slow drag, and let the smoke curl out. The noise from the party was distant now, muffled enough to ignore. Finally he calmed down.
He exhaled, staring at nothing. His mind, however, wasn’t quiet. The feeling was still there..too close, too warm.. the way Mello had looked at him, the way he hadn’t let go.
“…What the hell was that,” he muttered.
“Game is game,” a voice said from behind, amused.
Matt didn’t need to turn. “Go away.”
Mello didn’t. He stepped up beside him, close, but not pressing. Just there.
For a moment, silence. Matt took another drag, trying to act normal. Except it wasn’t.
“You hit pretty fast,” Mello said casually.
Matt scoffed. “You talk too much.”
A pause. Matt glanced at him. “…You planned that?”
Mello smirked. “The punch or the kiss?”
Matt rolled his eyes, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “…Idiot.”
Silence again, but it wasn’t awkward this time. Mello reached into his pocket and pressed something into Matt’s free hand without a word.
Matt looked down. “…What’s this?”
He unfolded it slowly. A number.
He exhaled through his nose, shaking his head, but he didn’t throw it away. “Wow,” he muttered. “You’re really confident.”
Mello leaned in slightly, close enough that Matt could feel that energy again.
“I don’t give my number to people who run away,” he said quietly.
Matt glanced up, unreadable. “…I didn’t run.”
Mello smirked. “Exactly.” He stepped back just slightly, giving Matt space on purpose. “Text me,” he added, starting to turn away.
Matt watched him for a moment, cigarette still between his fingers, the paper folded in his hand. “…Maybe,” he called after him.
Mello paused, turning back just enough to catch Matt’s eyes. Then, almost imperceptibly, he winked. Quick. Teasing. Perfect.
Matt blinked, caught off guard. Heat crept up his neck. He laughed quietly, a mix of disbelief and something else, before shoving the paper into his pocket, not meeting Mello’s eyes. The cigarette felt heavier now, the night air suddenly electric.
For a moment, he just stood there, trying to act cool but failing completely. Mello watched him go, smirking knowingly. Matt couldn’t stop the small smile that tugged at his lips he’d just been caught, and somehow, he didn’t even mind.