Glacier Sheeta
Crime Lord Tomas Cortez held the screaming newborn in his arms and knew that he would never love anything as much as he loved his firstborn son. Unbeknownst to him, he wasn't the only one to feel that way.
The boy standing in the hospital room door was certainly not, as Mateo had briefly hoped, his father and brother arriving twenty-three hours and forty two minutes late. Dressed in an oversized doctor's coat and carrying what looked like a pink cake box, the blond smiled brightly at him, seemingly oblivious to the tears he was barely blinking back.
"You're Mateo, right?" The boy shut the door behind him, approaching the nightstand by the bed and setting the cake box down. Mateo's head was too low to see what was inside, but when the boy opened the lid he could detect a faint whiff of chocolate. His favorite.
"Yeah." The teen's voice was scratchy and weak, partly from disappointment and partly from a year of disuse, "who are you?"
"My name's Simon." The boy pressed a button on the side of Mateo's bed, waiting for it to raise him into a sitting position before turning back to the cake, "I heard today's your birthday."
"It is." Mateo croaked, watching Simon put a slice of cake on a plate that he set on the brunette's lap, "where's Dad and Rico?"
"Not even a thank you for the cake?" Simon sat down and sighed, "Mateo, I'm afraid I have some bad news."
The god Luck didn't meddle in human affairs nearly as often as people think, preferring to leave the world to it's own devices. But every so often a child would be born that would seem to call to Luck, enticing him away from his world of dreams and into the realm of mortals. He'd groom the child with gentle whispers of wisdom and encouragement, quietly guiding him to fame and glory until, when the child grew too old and lost Luck's interest, he would fall prey to some long-overdue misfortune or illness. Upon Mateo's birth, though, Luck knew he'd never love another as he loved the boy, and a dark planned formed in his heart. The others had been intended for the devotion of the world. Mateo was intended for his devotion alone.
"You're lying!" Mateo knocked the plate off the bed, "they're coming. They are."
"You're making such a mess." Simon murmured as he glanced at the frosting now smudged on the floor, "I'm sorry Mateo, I really am. They barely remembered to send me to tell you. They just... don't care anymore."
"Shut up!" Mateo glared at him through his tears, "just shut your stupid mouth. They're gonna be here."
"In the next eleven minutes?" Simon asked innocently.
"Something probably came up." Mateo hated the whine in his voice, "something important. They'll be here."
Tomas Cortez loved his eldest son more than his own life, but Mateo made it increasingly hard to remember that. Especially now, as he sat through the second conference with his son's principal in three weeks, waiting patiently as she listed off all the 'childish' offenses Mateo had committed this time. It was just too much.
Somewhere else, Luck watched Tomas' inner turmoil and smiled. It was finally time.
"Then why would they send a stranger to tell you?" Simon purred, "I'd think if they really cared they'd at least send someone you know."
"Why are you lying to me?"
"Poor boy, I'm not."
He had barely had time to hug his little brother goodbye before he was shoved onto the plane that would take him to the Wilderness Survival Camp. It was a place for troubled boys and girls to go and become fine, upstanding little citizens. And he really had been trying his best. But when the gentle nagging whispers told him to run that night, ten-year-old Mateo ran. Away from his cabin shared by six other boys, away from the screaming drill sergeant, away from the father who'd abandoned him and out into the woods towards something he wasn't quite sure of.
- - - - - -
The night was dark and cold, and Mateo knew he couldn't go much further. Only two days of running and wandering and he could feel himself weakening. He should have taken a jacket, he should have taken food, but it was too late for that now. He forced himself to keep moving forward, barely registering his surroundings when he tripped over a tree branch for what must have been the tenth time. This time, though, he stayed down.
"It's not fair." Mateo's face was buried in Simon's chest, the teen's weak arms wrapped around the blonde, "I'm a good boy."
"Good boys don't run away from their families."
"Good families don't send their boys away."
"Take my hand." The voice was playful and sweet, and Mateo was sure he had heard it before but he couldn't place it. Looking up, he saw a smiling man with perfectly black skin and perfectly white hair, holding out his hand. Mateo stared at it, seeing promises of warmth and food, of fun and joy and dreams and games and anything he desired if he just decided to grab it. But still he hesitated.
"If you don't, you'll die out here." The man never stopped smiling, "all cold and alone, they may never even find your body."
Mateo took his hand, and was swept away to a land of bliss. His body was found several hours later, barely breathing. The doctors told his father he had fallen into a coma, and Tomas wept.
"I was going to come home this time." Mateo whispered, "he promised I could. We were going to be a family again."
"Now why would they want that?"
Luck showered the boy with his every desire, bending his world to fit Mateo's whim. They rode on unicorns and fought pirates conjured from the air. They swam in lakes of chocolate and danced with faeries and flew into the sky on wings of gold. But still the god could sense a sorrow inside Mateo. An anchor to the world Luck wanted him to leave behind.
"Why are you so sad, my little one?" He 'd ask again and again, though each time Mateo would put on a bright smile and insist he was happy. Finally though, he gave in.
"I miss my family."
"I can fix that." "How old are you, Mateo?" Simon asked.
"I think I'm sixteen."
"No, not how old your body is. I want to know how old you are." The blond pressed, ignoring Mateo's uncomfortable squirming.
"Ten."
The doctors proclaimed it to be a miracle. After almost nine months of being comatose with no signs of recovery, on July 22nd at exactly midnight Mateo Cortez woke up.
"It's my birthday present." He explained to his father and brother when they arrived, "I'm only here until it's midnight again."
They denied it, telling him he had been dreaming, that now that he was back he'd stay. They marveled at his recovery and argued with him until he finally agreed with them. They only had so much time, after all, he didn't want to spend it fighting.
When visiting hours ended, he begged and pleaded for them to stay until Tomas acquiesced. The three of them stayed up, yawning and talking and playing whatever games Mateo could play in bed until the clock struck midnight and the boy fell back to the world of the gods.
"After all, think of what an embarrassment you'd be." Simon continued stroking Mateo's hair, "Rico would have an older brother who acted so much younger. Your father would have a teenager no smarter than a ten year old. Could he face his peers like that? Could he still command respect, with such a disappointing son?"
"I'll learn faster. I'll grow up." Mateo whispered, more to himself than to Simon.
Years went by, and Mateo saw the world aging without him. Every visit served to remind him how far away his little brother was growing. Every birthday making it clearer that he would never take his place by his father's side. Still he cherished each birthday as his happiest memories, holding tightly to the time he spent with them and ignoring the pain in favor of the joy. He never wished to speak of this to Luck, not wanting to seem ungrateful to the man who had saved him, but when the god questioned him Mateo felt himself unable to speak anything but the truth. The god was silent for a while, and Mateo feared he had hurt Luck's feelings, but the boy's fervent kisses and insistence that he was happy with Luck elicited no response. At long last, when Mateo had given up his efforts and was resting his head in Luck's lap, the god spoke.
"It's your birthday soon." He said, stroking the boy's hair.
"It is."
"If you so wish, you can return to the mortal world."
"You mean permanently?"
"As permanent as any mortal stay is."
"But what about you? I...I don't want to leave you alone. You've done so much for me." Mateo frowned, "how can I do that to you?"
"How can I keep you here, knowing you'd be happier somewhere else?" Luck smiled, "when you love someone, you only want what will make them happy."
Mateo tried to speak, but found himself choking on his tears, so he settled for wrapping his arms tightly around the god instead. He was going home.
"What do you need the phone for?" Simon was surprised at Mateo's request.
"I just...I just want to say goodbye." Mateo bit his lower lip, "I won't come to bother them again, so I just want to say goodbye and tell them that it's okay."
"Alright." Simon handed the teen his phone, "just...I don't mean to be harsh, but don't be surprised if he doesn't answer, okay?"
Mateo nodded, "If he doesn't I'll leave a message."
Tomas Cortez hadn't realized Maria Lang had his cell phone in her pocket until he heard the familiar sounds of Mozart alerting him he had a call. He struggled uselessly against the rope binding him to the metal chair, hoping that maybe this time, this time, his restraints would let him loose so he could rip apart the woman keeping him and Rico from Mateo. The Cortez and Lang crime families had been warring for territory for almost a year now, and Tomas knew well it was dangerous to step foot unprepared into disputed territory. But Mateo's hospital was well within the Cortez land, there should have been no question of his safety from this woman and her brood there. He still wasn't sure how she even knew where he was going; as far as the outside world was concerned Mateo Cortez has died when he was ten years old. He even had a headstone in the Cortez family plot. Several times throughout the year he would be moved to different hospitals to make sure he was safe even if it was discovered he still lived, Tomas had thought they had taken every precaution. But somehow the Langs had managed to intercept Tomas and his youngest son on their way to see Mateo, dragging the two of them to a building not even five minutes away from where Mateo must be waiting, heart-broken, or perhaps his son had given up and already returned to that damned deity. Rico had been taken into a separate room from Tomas, guarded by Maria's oldest son. Tomas, meanwhile, had the pleasure of being trapped with the donna herself, who would explain nothing more than that she was only keeping Tomas and his son alive because it was 'good business' to fulfill her client's wishes.
"It's my youngest." Maria glanced at the number on Tomas' phone carelessly before turning back to the book in her hand.
"How the hell does he have my private line?" It was hard to keep anger burning constantly for so long when he was so helpless, but Tomas had managed it just fine.
"Oh I'm sure he doesn't." She met his eyes and smiled, "but your son does. I wonder what Mateo wants?"
"Why is he with Mateo?" Tomas demanded, eyes widening.
"Do you want me to answer you, or answer the phone?" She waved the ringing device a bit.
"Answer the phone. Let me answer it." Tomas pleaded, "please...my boy..."
"Oh, sorry, but I can't have you ruining all the hard work we've put into orchestrating this, now can I?" The smile soured into a smirk, â"but if he leaves a message I'll let you listen to it, okay?"
"...and that I love you. I hope someday you can forgive me for having been such a burden." Mateo took a breath, "bye Dad. Bye Rico." He hung up the phone.
"I'm sure they will, someday." Simon ruffled Mateo's hair, "what will you do now?"
"I'm going home." Mateo whispered.
"Home?"
"Yeah...I have someone waiting for me there."
"He's done well, Maria." The god of Luck materialized in the room, giving a brief nod to Tomas before turning back to his partner, "beautifully, even, he's certainly a work of art."
"Now, now, don't be getting any designs on Simon." She scolded lightly.
"Of course not." Luck sneered, looking again at Tomas, "you know Mateo is my one and only."
"What the hell have you done with my son?" Tomas shouted, struggling more, surprised when Luck came over and released him from his bindings. He turned and struck the god in the jaw, "he's not yours!"
"Oh, but he is." Luck remained calm, "now will you stay here getting wrapped up in petty squabbling, or will you go see if you can still say goodbye to your son? A car is waiting out front to take you to the hospital, Rico's already inside."
Tomas hesitated for a moment, then stumbled out of the room on legs that had become accustomed to stagnation.
"That's my cue." Luck said to no one in particular, and disappeared.
"Goodnight Simon...and thanks." Mateo yawned, settling back into his pillows as Simon lowered the bed into a proper laying down position. After a day of tension and worry, suddenly everything felt so soft and comfortable.
"What are you thanking me for?" Simon looked slightly surprised as Mateo's hand covered his.
"Because I wasn't alone on my birthday." Mateo smiled sleepily.
"Oh." Simon's smile faltered for a moment as he ran his fingers through Mateo's hair. "No problem."
"Will you stay until I fall asleep?" The teen asked hopefully.
Simon hesitated, then nodded, "of course." It wouldn't be that long, anyways.
Mateo squeezed the boy's hand gently and closed his eyes. Moments later his soft and even breathing let Simon know that he was gone.
"Goodnight Mateo." Simon slid his hand out from the teen's, leaning down to kiss him softly on the forehead, "happy birthday."
"Do you love me, Mateo?"
"I love you."
"Will you ever leave me again?"
"Never again."
"Alright." The god smiled easily and brushed away the tears on Mateo's cheek, "Let's go home."
Somewhere far away a father's cries joined the mourning wail of the heart monitor as the clock struck midnight.
Quote from: The Clod and the Pebble; Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake
profile by User not found (1): Zwitter
Overlay and minion by 
Kailynn
Anthro Mateo by 
Boofrickityhoo
human Luck and Mateo by User not found (1): xxsisieraxx
