Chapter 3

Matt groaned as he rubbed his throbbing eye and tried to stop his bleeding nose by pinching it, It's useless! He broke my f*****g nose. Matt thought, pressing his face in his hands as he sat up against the back of the couch. He uncovered his hands slightly, glancing at the gun still beside him, the one he had found sticking out from Mello's boot, the one that got knocked out of his hand. He gripped it, standing up and walking to the kitchen. He set the gun on the counter, grabbing the notepad beside where he put the gun. He pulled out a pen from his pocket, writing on the notepad: Mello, thanks for breaking my nose. I'm going to the hospital. Don't try calling me, I won't answer, though I doubt you'll try. So yea, you gave me a black eye and a bruised knee too. So thank you, I'm taking my car. So bye for a while.

Matt.

He dropped the pen, grabbing his keys from the protruding nails in the wall. He walked out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him, loud enough so he was positive Mello would hear. Being on top floor had it's ups and downs. Now Matt had to stand in an elevator with some nine year old and their mom who tightly gripped them at the sight of the mangled red-head. He watched as she gave him a small glare, rolling his good eye, "My friend, he has..anger issues.." he muttered, trying to explain himself. The mother raised a brow, pulling her child closer. As they descended downward, Matt waved bye to the nine year old who eagerly waved back, only to have his wrist tightly gripped by his mother, telling him to stop. Matt gave 454 a snort, poor kid. He walked out of the lobby, unlocking his modified, red 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS. He opened the door, jumping into the drivers seat and starting the car, "To the hospital," he muttered, driving out of the parking lot.

Mello wandered out of his room when the door slammed, expecting this to be some setup and the red-head would pounce on him or something. Realizing Matt was nowhere in sight, he stepped out. He blinked his blue eyes, walking over to the kitchen, "Matt?" he called, glancing at the note. He picked it up, silently reading it, "Oh f**k," he muttered, grabbing his keys off the counter. He turned around, grabbing the gun on the counter, flicking the safety on as he put it back in his boot. He grabbed his keys, now realizing the car ones were missing, so Matt wasn't joking at all. He needed to check on the red-head, apologize, something Mello did very rarely. He walked out of the apartment, slamming the door as he took the same path as Matt had, down to the first floor, people in the elevator staring at you, through the lobby, to the parking lot. Mello threw his left leg over his bike, positioning himself on the motorcycle. He put in the keys, speeding out of the parking lot.

Matt hated this, having to change into some nightgown as they tried to repair his nose. He lay on the bed, watching TV, missing his video games. He turned towards the nurse as she called over to him, "Mail, you have a visitor." Matt blinked, visitor? Who in god's name would visit the likes of him? It only entered his mind when he finalized who it was as they stepped into the room – Mello. He glared at the blonde, turning over so his back was facing him, "Get lost, Mello." he snapped, dismissing the nurse with the wave of a hand. Mello walked over, gripping the side of the bed, noticing Matt's goggles on the stand beside the bed, they were cracked, "I...sorry about your goggles," he stated. Matt rolled over slightly just enough to see the blonde as he gave him a hard glare, "That's all you have to say?" Mello blinked shaking his head, biting his lip, "Of course not!" "Well?" Matt pressed, raising a brow. Mello stiffened up slightly, gripping the side of the bed tighter, fighting the urge not to yell at him, "I-I'm sorry," it was nearly inaudible as he said it, making Matt smirk and press a hand to his ear. F**k you, Mello thought silently, "I'm sorry," he said louder than the first time. Matt turned over, sitting up the best he could. He smiled, wrapping his arms around Mello's neck and pulling him closer, "It's okay, I forgive you Mels," Mello froze, what the hell? "W-What are you doing Matt?" Mello stuttered, feeling himself turn red, "Something wrong with hugging my best friend?" Matt asked, slightly pulling himself away, noticing Mello's blush. He gave a cocky smile, completely pulling himself off of Mello, "Blushing are we?" he laughed, making Mello go red with embarrassment, "Sh-Shut up Matt," he frowned, backing away to the wall, in which he leaned against. Mello thought for a moment, a dumbfounded expression clear on his face, "That wasn't a f*****g 'best friend hug'!" he yelled loudly. Matt laughed softly, waving a hand for him to be quite, "You realized?" Mello was disgusted, completely, utterly disgusted, "Best friends pat each other on the back and don't hug around the neck." Mello explained, quieting down a little, "F**k you Matt, f**k you and your stupid smile," Matt rolled his eyes, still smiling, "Oh please, you know you were blushing, that just proves you didn't actually mind. Remember the day we met?" Ugh, Mello hated this when he changed the topic, but he let the guy go on with his story. 

<i>The 10 year old blinked innocently up at the manager of the Wammy House, Roger, his dark blue eyes tracing his face, memorizing it. Roger patted the boys back, giving a sigh. The brunette gave a glance around the building, where was he? He remembered he was taken from another orphanage to this one. He watched as Roger left him. Now he was alone, in a giant group of people, all seemingly more intelligent than he. He noticed a group of girls and boys younger and older than him surrounding a white-haired boy probably a year younger. He walked forward, past the group, his eyes still pasted on them. He bumped into another figure, giving a loud 'oof' as he fell back, "Watch it!" the figure growled, holding out a hand to help him, though he was clearly angry as when the brunette grabbed the blonde's hand he gripped it harshly, pulling him up, "Sorry," he apologized, looking at the boy who was taller than he, but a year younger. The blonde frowned, crossing his arms, "It's fine, but only because your new. My names Miheal, but call me Mello." Mello nodded at the brunette, raising a brow expectantly, "Oh! I'm Mail," he cringed as Mello laughed, shaking his head, "Your gonna need a nickname, aha! I got it, how about Matt?" he suggested, smiling at Mail. Mail grinned, nodding "I like it!"

Four years passed and the boys had become best friends. Mello never really changed, his mood swings were all the same, Matt had changed drastically. He had been influenced by Mello to have a low tolerance for Near along with a bit of a bitchy attitude, and of course, his cockiness. Mello had not taken an easy liking to Matt having his hair dyed permanently to a bright red, but he dealt with it. The  two boys were the trouble-makers, they spend hours on end studying to be L's successor, but when it came down to fun, they were the kings. 

It came the day where Matt watched Mello and Near be called into Roger's office. Figures he didn't call him in. About thirty minutes passed and Matt had heard the yelling that was clearly owned by Mello but he could not tell what he was saying. He watched as Mello walked out, slamming the door. Matt stood up, a smile on his face, the expression soon fading as Mello stormed past him, "Mels...Mels what happened in there, is everything okay?" he asked, following him into his room. He watched silently as Mello grabbed a suitcase, packing up everything he owned, "Mello! What's going on?" Matt snapped, wanting to know what was wrong with his friend. Mello stopped, as if he had been frozen. He slowly turned tears streaming down his face, "Matt, L's dead," he cried. Matt blinked twice, his body sinking to the end of Mello's bed, his face hidden in his hands, "L's dead.." he echoed, his goggles sliding off his face to his neck  as he dragged his hands over his eyes, "Oh f**k, how?" Matt asked, looking up at Mello. Mello shrugged, giving a sigh, "Roger isn't sure..it's Kira, I know it," Matt frowned, "So, you L's successor now?" he flinched as Mello gave a sharp laugh, "L's successor? Oh no, no, no, that job was gladly handed over to Near, thank you very much. Which is why I'm leaving, and your not coming with me, you little hitchhike." Mello grunted, zipping up the suitcase. Matt stood up, putting his hands on his hips, "Excuse me, but who's your best-friend?" "My shadow now," Mello said boldly, walking out of the room and slamming the door behind him. Matt blinked, his arms falling to his sides. He took a step, instantly bursting into a sprint, opening the door and running out.

He ran down the stairs of the Wammy's House, opening the door just as the car to bring Mello away from him pulled out, "Mello!" he cried, running forward. He saw Mello say something to the driver and the car excelled. Matt coughed as the dust flew into his mouth, nose, and eyes. He watched as the car sped away. "Mello..." he fell to his knees, gripping the soil below him, "Mello! F**k you, f**k you Mello!" he cursed, slamming his fists into the ground, tears rolling down his face. He blinked as he heard the humming of the little twit that made Mello do this. He whipped around, standing up, his hand in a tight fist racing towards the white-haired boy, "Near!" he grabbed the front of the boy's shirt, ready to punch him, "Violence brings no gain, Mail, it won't bring Mello back," he replied calmly, his eyes tracing the figure holding him up. Matt brought his fist to the boy's face, surprised as he didn't fight back, he just took the pain, "What the hell is wrong with you? Not even L would put up to this," Matt growled, pulling his fist back. Near calmly looked back at Matt, his right eye black and his nose bloody, along with throbbing lips, "Your just like Miheal....letting emotions get the best of you, that is your flaw," Near droned, only making Matt even more angry, "Listen Nate, you and your little mindfuck ways have pissed me off long enough," he dropped the boy, letting him fall into the dirt, "I don't care if your L's successor what you did to Mello was wrong!" Near blinked as if he was confused, "Did he really say I did this to him? Roger suggested we work together, I would have included you in it also, then Mello didn't like that idea because we can't get along, which is partly true...he can't get along with me, I don't mind him. He told Roger I should take the job..then left claiming he was old enough to go off on his own.."Matt was still enraged, he ignored his statement, storming back into Wammy's House. He was leaving. For good.</i>

Mello blinked, he never heard that part, "You confronted Near?" Matt nodded, blinking as the nurse came in, "Sir, it's ten minutes passed visiting hours, you have to leave," Mello casually bent down, grabbing the gun from his boot and pointing it at the woman, "Don't scream, I'm not afraid to shoot, I just want to talk to him," he said calmly, light blue eyes glaring at her. The woman held up her hands, backing against the wall, "Matt we're leaving, if I leave now we're both dead, nurse, bathroom now, give me the keys." the woman nodded, gulping harshly as she tossed the keys to him and walked over to the bathroom, closing the door. Mello walked over to the bathroom, trying each key till it clicked; locked. He looked at Matt, nodding as he sat up and clambered out of bed, "Can I change into my clothes?" Mello nodded, drawing the drape to block his view from Matt as he changed into his regular clothes which sat on his bedside. He surveyed for anyone as he waited for the red-head.

Matt walked out, smiling, "It's okay, I'm not naked," he had his goggles in his hands, nodding at Mello that he was ready. Mello nodded back, darting down the hall, followed by Matt, "Hey!" a man shouted. Mello swerved, clicking his gun. The bullet seared through the man's neck, blood splattering the walls and floor, "Don't stop Matt," Mello ordered, turning as he saw more men coming, firing his gun. Matt swerved around, unaware the Mello, somehow the red-head had sneaked in his gun. He pulled the trigger, the ball of smoke that fired from the weapon exploded in front of the men, "Good job Matt," Mello complimented. 

The two skidded to a stop, they're eyes widening as they entered the outside of the hospital, "Don't move!" the police shouted, they're guns extended out, ready to fire, "We are in some deep s**t.." Matt muttered.