Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note, Mello, or Matt.

Matt's POV

I couldn't say no to Mello. I had never been able to, and that hadn't changed. This time, I had to. Even though my curiousity would kill me if I didn't go to the meeting he had organised, I couldn't let him come back into my life. He had abandoned me at that horrible orphanage – had left with a sigh, a kiss on the cheek and no explanation. Now he wanted me again. The email he had sent me didn't give away much, but that was obvious.

Matty, it started,

Meet me at the Boar cafe, 3pm tomorrow. Be on time.

-M

He hadn't written his name, but I knew it was from him. Nobody else had ever called me Matty. I could imagine the smirk on his face as he typed up the email. Of course I wanted to see him again. It had been such a long time.

I wouldn't go, I decided. I was busy that day, and although I did want to go, I didn't want to bring back all the memories. If I went, Mello would think he was in control like he had been in our childhood. If he really wanted to meet me, he would contact me again.

The day passed, and guilt hung heavy in my heart, and I regretted not going as much as I had regretted not running after him when he had left me. At around 7pm, I heard the familiar alert of a new email. I wasn't sure how he'd gotten his hands on my personal email, but it was Mello, so it wasn't surprising.

Matt, I got the feeling he was disappointed in me for not arriving.

Please meet me at the Boar cafe tomorrow at 7pm. I need to see you.

-M

Please? Need? Mello had never used those words when he had been with me, so I supposed it must've been serious. I knew it would be emotionally dangerous. Mello knew how to manipulate people better then he knew how to care for them, but that wasn't the only thing that worried me. If I went, he would drag me into whatever problems he was having and I'd be the one who'd have to fix them. It had always been that way, even if I hadn't realised when it had started.

I went anyway. I showed up to the Boar cafe at 7, just like he had asked. It was shut, so I waited outside it, wondering when the blonde would show up. "Matt. You came." It was him. It was really Mello walking towards me with a familiar smirk on his lips. His voice sounded like honey, just like it had always sounded. "It's nice to see you." He spoke in such a pleasant tone that it made me wonder whether he meant it. The smirk on his face turned into a smile, and I found myself smiling back. I wanted to go over to him and just hug him, hold him close and breathe him in to see if he still smelt of chocolate and danger, of promises and adventure. It didn't take me long to notice the scar marring his usually flawless face, and I wondered how he had received it. Scar or not, it was amazing to see Mello again. He hadn't really changed – he still had the bowl haircut and his eyes still held that self satisfied glint that made you wonder what he knew about you that you didn't. We stood there in silence, each sizing the other up. I wasn't quite sure why he was silent – he had always been talkative – but I was too stunned to say anything.

"I'm in some serious trouble, and I need a place to stay." Mello finally said, and I couldn't help sighing. It had always been that way – he would ruin something and I would clean up after him. It seemed he hadn't changed all that much.

"For how long?" I asked, not sure whether to feel joyous or annoyed he was coming to stay with me.

"Just until I can sort myself out." When he spoke, I caught a bit of embarrassment in his tone, and wondered what was going on in that blonde head of his.

"Alright. You can stay with me." I answered after a moment of thought, hoping I wouldn't regret the decision. His face lit up, and I was sure I had made the right choice.

The car ride home was quieter then I had expected. Perhaps we were just adjusting to being in each other's company again.