The Races by blackdragonflower

Summary: It's a beautiful day for the races! Matt and Mello find themselves at the sport to try and relax. Mello runs to the snack bar and leaves Matt wondering where exactly the blonde really went. And then there's this new opprotunity of a lifetime...

Characters belong to Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

"Save my seat Matt..." Mello lightly punched his friend in the shoulder. They were at the races. Fans awaiting the speed, the excitement.

"Where are you going?" Matt questioned sipping on a soda.

"I decided that maybe I do want to get something to snack on geesh..." The blonde rolled his eyes and wandered off. Matt sighed and slumped into the chair. He was sitting in a rather deserted series of stands. The cars filed onto the track and began to circle around getting warmed up. Matt glanced around. Where could Mello be, the races were about to start! "Ditched me again?"

The cars rounded the final turn, once they passed the finish line the race would officially begin. Engines roared their power, getting up to top speed. Around the first bend they darted. Matt grinned. These races to him were a lot more fun then watching NASCAR because these were amateur drivers. The only thing really that any of them had in common was their passion for the sport, for speed. Matt watched the cars, but his excitement soon faded since, Mello still hadn't returned. He drummed his fingertips on the arms of the plastic chair. "Getting snacks my ass..." He mumbled annoyed. "Maybe he went to the bathroom... and fell in." He was about to go searching for his buddy when the announcer came on the air.

"Today one lucky participant will be selected by our top racer for a one on one duel! Do you have what it takes? You may be the lucky winner!" The announcer had an awfully cheerful voice. The winner, dressed in an all black outfit, black jacket, black jeans, stood on the field and glanced around the stadium. Matt couldn't see his face because it was covered by a helmet but he could've swore he was getting stared at. The racer wrote down something on the clipboard he was handed and the announcer looked at it. Matt felt his stomach clench in anxious excitement. He forgot Mello for the moment, he just wanted to race.

'Please let it be me... Please let it be me...'

"Section F, row seven, seat seventeen." Matt's mouth dropped. That was his chair, the one he was sitting in right now! "Seems like we have a winner!"

"Hello. If you could please follow me." A young woman smiled down at Matt. The redhead grinned cheerfully and got up. The young lady escorted him down to the track besides the announcer and the number one racer in the all black getup.

"Congratulations! What's your name?"

"Matt."

"Hello Matt." The driver nodded. "Good luck." With that the mysterious driver walked away. Matt's eyebrows furrowed, something struck him as familiar, but he pushed the thought aside.

"If you come this way... we'll get you ready to go." Matt obediantly followed. Mello would probably kill him when he found out about this whole incident, in fact, the blonde was probably fuming, wherever he was right now. Matt was given a helmet and told to crawl into the car. Once he was situated and had strapped himself in they quickly went over the basic of rules. It was a quick race, five laps. The rules, there were no rules. It was him against the number one driver. It was Matt against the track. He took a deep breath. His blood hummed like the engine, burning for speed.

Matt and the driver drove one lap around, then once past the finish line they gunned it. The cars sped up fast, gaining speed with every added second on the track. Matt turned the wheel and drifted into the turn behind the shiny black car. He was almost on top of car in front of him. He gave the black machine a love tap. Lap one ended within a blink, lap two following quickly after. Three and four zoomed past even faster. The checkered flag was waved frantically. This was it. This was the last lap. He had to make his move this lap or he'd lose. Matt was neck in neck with the other car. All he could think about was winning the race. Both cars swept into the first turn rubbing sides in a frisky manner, teasing the other driver. A trickle of sweat dripped down Matt's neck and his grip was tight around the wheel. Turn three was gone. One last turn, and it would be over. If he was going to get ahead, he'd have to do it now.

His foot pressed harder against the gas pedal but alas, it would go no further. The car was giving everything it had. Matt's eyes slid carefully over to the other car. His gaze quickly returned to the finish line ahead of him. He tilted the wheel and bumped the side of the car against the other. This was it. Both cars zoomed across the finish line. The race was over. Both cars took an extra lap to slow down before they pulled into the pits. Meanwhile, the judges were going to the photo finish, it had been too close to declare an official winner just on sight alone.

Matt climbed out of the car and yanked off the helmet. His heart raced as he awaited the results anxiously excited.

"And the winner is... Mike!"

Matt's heart sank in dissapointment. He'd hoped he'd won, but it was a good race, and he had a lot of fun. That's what was important right? Matt sighed, but smiled and shook Mike's hand. "Thanks for the race. It was fun."

"No prob. See you around Matt." Matt grinned, white teeth flashing in the sun.

"Yeah. Later Mike."

"And what a brilliant effort by the competitor Matt! He gave the champ and good run for his money down there! We'll see you next week!" Matt hurried back to his seat in the stands. Mello should be waiting there by now for him. He mentally cringed thinking about how mad Mello would be. When he got there however there was no Mello in sight. Matt plopped down and sighed.

Ten minutes of waiting later Mello walked up. "Hey... ready to go?"

"Yeah. Where'd you dissapear to?" Matt hissed at the blonde.

"It's none of your buisness." Mello growled back.

"Yeah. It is." Matt argued.

"Ah, shut up." Mello smirked. "I saw your race."

"...Yeah?" Here it came... Mello's furious temper...

"It was pretty good. Except you got your ass handed to you."

Matt groaned, becoming a bit moody. "He was a good driver..." The hacker muttered.

"So you admit I'm a good driver?" Mello laughed.

The gamer blinked stunned then glared at Mello. "You... That's where you were this whole time?!"

"Yup." Mello grinned nonchalantly. Matt punched his friend in the arm.

"You jerk."

"God Matt what the hell?"

"You're a jerk Mells. A jerk."

"Why?"

"I was wondering where the hell you were this whole time?! Then you're down there racing?!"

"Goodness gracious Matt! I thought it was obvious... I mean no one stays at a snack bar that long... Geesh." It was Matt's moment to feel stupid. Why hadn't he followed his instinct. "Then by pure luck you happened to get picked to race? You're lucky, but not that lucky Matt." Mello was enjoying his teasing off poor Matt.

"Ah, shut up Mello. I notice... you changed your name..."

"Of course. You get why I picked Mike right?"

"Oh come on... you're smarter than that. Mike is short for Michael... Michael sounds like?"

Matt grinned, then laughed. "I get it."

"Good. C'mon let's go... We have to be getting home. Kira case won't wait forever."

"So... we're coming again soon... right?"

"If you want." Mello replied.

"Good. Cuz I want a rematch."

"Good luck buddy. Good luck."