Love Is Just Another Game

Mello -x- Near

Chapter One

Mello leaned against the pale wall of his room at Wammy's House and took a puff of his cigarette in utter annoyance. Through the open door, he caught a glimpse of Near walking down the hallway. Near. His rival. His enemy. His only competition.

Mello grunted with just the thought. He threw the burned butt in the ashtray that lay on his desk and collapsed on his bed, mentally exhausted from the day's studies. Crawling under the blanket, he began to relax himself into sleep. But he had to do one thing first. Mello reached deep into his pillowcase and pulled out a picture of the only thing he missed from his childhood. The old, torn photo was of a six year old Mello and his twin sister Kahiri sitting in a sandbox, the last time they would ever play together. He kissed the picture and pressed it tightly against his chest. Ten years since the accident where their parents lost custody. Ten years today since the car crash that took his Hiri away from him.

Once the single tear he shed hit the pillow without a violent swipe of his hand, it just paved the way for many more to come. Small, salty tears crashed against Mello's chest and pillow, soaking him. For once he didn't shun his overwhelming emotions. The blonde lied there and let the gentle sobs take over his body and carry him into the darkest part of the night.

Mello was so overcome with emotion, he didn't even notice Near kick open the door to his room. The white haired genius wore an annoyed scowl as Mello had woken him up with his cries. Near's annoyance faded, however, as he saw the blonde's body shaking and he heard the unmistakable sound of crying coming form under his pillow. Near swore he could feel his heart sink to his feet and he couldn't understand why. Mello was a self-centered, over completive, chocolate obsessed asshole. He hated him and wanted to beat him at all costs. So why did Near's heart break a little more with every tear that fell from Mello's deep amber eyes?

Unsure of himself, but driven completely by emotion Near took a tentative step toward Mello's bed. He was waiting for Mello to explode with anger any minute, to hurl insults at him by the second, how it always had been. But even as he continued in tiny steps, Mello did nothing but shake and sob. Near finally reached the bed and he carefully sat down next to Mello.

"M?" he asked quietly.

Mello said nothing.

"Mello?" Near placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Mello stirred a bit, but he was too distraught to shake Near's hand away. And to be honest, he didn't really want to at the moment. The contact he had never allowed before felt good to him, especially when he was in so much pain. "Go… away…." he said weakly.

Near didn't move. "What is it Mello?" Near's eyes rapidly searched the room for a trigger. The only thing he could find that was out of place was a small photograph on the wood floor before him. He picked it up. "Who's this?" he pointed to the little girl.

Mello took the picture in his hands and studied it, almost as if he did not know himself. Suddenly, he crumpled up the photo and threw it across the room as hard as he could. He collapsed in another heap of sorrow. "She was my twin sister, Kahiri. On this day, ten years ago, she died in a car crash when we were six. I…." he started to cry again. "I miss her so much Near…."

Near's eyes widened to Mello addressing him by his name and not "you twit" or "you big headed idiot" or "you ****". He must've really been messed up. Without thinking it through, he slid close to Mello and shyly wrapped his arms around him. "It's okay, don't cry. We don't have to talk about it now, but if you ever need someone to listen, I'm always here." he whispered into his ear. He buried his nose in Mello's soft hair and breathed in his unique scent, a mix of expensive cologne and chocolate. Near felt very at peace with Mello in his arms and it surprised the hell out of him. It soon became apparent that Mello was enjoying it too, as his sobs slowly subsided to cries, cries to quick breaths and quick breaths to a relaxed sniffle every now and again. His arms slowly tightened around the ivory haired boy.

It was hard to believe they hated each other's guts just a few hours before.

Mello nuzzled his head close into Near's chest and murmured. "Thank you Near. I needed to hear that. And to feel…this…" he sighed softly with pleasure. Mello could almost sense Near's nervousness and he ran his hand back and forth across his chest to emphasize his words. Damn!, Mello thought to himself as he felt the rock hard muscles of Near's chest and abs. He felt them again, this time more slowly, savoring the feel of them beneath his thin white pajama shirt. Mello was amazed. Near was so much shorter, younger and more childish than him, yet his muscles were so much more developed than Mello's thought his could ever be. Instead of feeling the pang of jealousy he should've, he felt….attraction?

WTF WAS GOING ON?

Near responded quietly. "Don't thank me. Any good person would've comforted a friend in pain." Near let the word "friend" roll of his tongue casually to see what Mello would make of it. Some part of him had decided that he didn't want to dislike, much less hate, Mello anymore. Near smiled, feeling Mello touch him so tenderly felt very nice and he found something in each of his touches…..pleasure? Near shook his head. I always knew this hatred would end with me falling for him…..he sighed softly and began to run his fingers through the blond silk before him.

"That feels good." Mello whispered, looking Near in the eye for the first time that evening. He had no idea what was going on but all a sudden he found Near slightly less annoying.

Near smiled wider. "Likewise." he placed his other hand on top of Mello's hesitantly. "So are you over your little emotional bit or are you going to start crying like a baby again?" he said jokingly

The smirk returned to Mello's lips and he chuckled. "You little-"

Near frowned slightly. "I know, I know. Twit, jerk, idiot, fool, L wannabe. How about something new Marsh-mello?"

Mello's smirk grew more pronounced. "Something new, he says. Well, how about no insults this time? Why don't I show you how I feel?"

Near's expression remained unchanged. "Sure, whatever. Just don't punch my face."

Mello tilted Near's chin up so that his onyx eyes were level with Mello's. His eyes were full of childlike curiosity at what Mello was up to. Mello caressed Near's cheek in his hand with a touch gentler than he thought he was capable. Especially towards another guy. Mello knew what he wanted but something stopped him cold, and he was then too nervous to go on.

Near knew what his friend wanted and he found that deep inside he wanted it too. He leaned in so close he could feel Mello's light bangs brushing against his cheek. "I want this too." he reassured him, before pressing his lips to the other boy's. Mello's warm breath tickled his neck and chest as they broke apart and locked lips over and over again. They became lost in each other and their newfound attraction.

"HEY MELLO, I JUST BEAT LEVEL 61 OF-" The brand new PSP plummeted to the wooden floor and crashed into a million tiny pieces.

Near and Mello pulled apart to see Matt standing in the doorway with a shocked expression and a destroyed PSP at his feet.

Boy, did they have some explaining to do.

Meanwhile, Matsuda flew through the sky with a superman outfit on, chanting "I WILL KILL KIRA!". And then, he flew into a tree.

TBC