M&M Death Note One-Shot

Matt took a long drag from his cigarette. He'd been smoking since he was ten, but never this much. Why was he suddenly going through five packs a day? There were other questions, too. Like why did it suddenly take him so long to do his hair in the morning, and, most importantly, why could he no longer look directly at his best friend?

Matt missed the old days when they were younger. Back when they were normal kids who played catch after school and Matt could guiltlessly wrestle Mello to the ground over the T.V. remote. But now, Matt's friend was the Mafia boss, working long, hard hours on the Kira case. This is why Matt always buried himself in his DS, trying desperately to escape the outside world.

"Hey, why are you staring at me?"

Matt blinked back to reality. He didn't realize he'd been staring.

"I- I- sorry, Mello."

"I'm not mad, just curious. You've been ignoring me lately. "

"No! I mean- I just- "

"Why are you stuttering so much? You're my best friend, aren't you?"

Mello broke off a piece of chocolate and handed it to Matt. Matt swallowed the morsel before saying, "Thank you, Mello."

" That's the longest sentence you've spoken to me in months. I thought you were angry with me."

"No. I just thought you were too busy, as usual."

"Not at all. Actually, I'd been hoping you would help me with one thing for the case."

"Of course, Mello."

That night, Mail Jeevas died.

Epilogue

Mello sat in front of the television, watching the news with a stoic expression, but inside he was shaking like crazy. Matt… gone. He'd never stopped to consider the chance of that happening. Matt didn't kidnap Sayu Yagami or Kiomi Takada. Why did they have to shoot him? Mello blinked hard, fighting to hold back the tears that threatened that threatened to spill over.

My fault… all my fault.

He whispered the one last thing he needed to tell Matt.

"I never thought you would die, Matt. I'm sorry."

And then, the tears did come.

My fault… mine- all mine.