A.

Arrival

Matt was new to Wammy's. He was quiet, a loner, a gamer, kinda cute, no... Very cute. Even with the goggles he was cute. The jeans, striped shirt and goggles; pretty simple casual fashion he always wore.

Mello had been a resident of Wammy's orphanage for "gifted" children for several years. He believed if he wasn't the best then he needed to try harder.

Near had arrived not long after Mello so he became the targeted rival. And got to know Mello quite well by studying how he acted.

The children at Wammy's were often called by a nickname or a code name, a name not of their birth name. Near was born Nate Rivers, Mello was Miheal Keehl, and Matt was Mail Jeevas. None the less they were addressed by the other name over their birth names for reasons ranging from not like them, not caring, or whatever other reason; however for their safety they were never known by birth name.

Everyone at Wammy's ranged from normal to very abnormal. On that scaled Matt seemed normal. Then Mello and Near were very abnormal so other kids weren't as weirded out by Matt as they were the blonde and albino. Some tried to make friends with Matt but there was always someone who wanted to pick on the new kid.

Mello was pissed that Near was called in to see Wammy while he had not. So he was sulking around inside while others were outside playing.

Matt sat under a tree playing his little handheld. The leader of some popular kid group noticed the red headed noob and decided a little initiation was in order.

Mello had moved to the library which had all of the good books and a large bay window to sit in. Lucky for him no one was in there so he had it all to himself. But if he wanted he could look outside and watch the others play.

The boy, Chet, walked over with his posse to where Matt was. "Hey, noobie. Whatcha playin?"

No answer, Matt ignored him.

"I said, whatcha playing?" He said grabbing the game. The red head's head phones coming out of his ears.

Matt looked up. "Can I have my game back?"

"Why not play with us for awhile?"

"Sure?" Matt said standing and grabbing at his game and failing to get it back. "What are we going to play?" He asked looking around at his surroundings. He saw a blonde in the big window and his jaw nearly came unhinged. "Hey, who's that?"

The other kids looked and saw Mello knowing who it was. An evil grin grew across Chet's face. Perfect. He thought. "She's a real shy one. Mello is her name. She likes red heads. Why don't you go talk to her? We'll wait." The kids snickered while some felt worried; Mello wasn't someone you messed with. And certainly didn't mistake for a girl.

Matt was all too happy to have such info. He rushed inside and walked into the library where Mello was. The other kids watched through the window at a safe distance from it, in case Matt was thrown through it.

Mello could hear footsteps that slowly grew louder as they approached his area.

"Hi, I'm Matt, well actually it's Mail but I'm called Matt." He stuttered.

Mello scuffed glancing slightly up over the edge of his book to eye the red head.

"Um," he rubbed the back of his neck. "So, what's your name?"

No answer. Mello kept looking over his book to judge the boy.

"They were right; you are a pretty shy girl." Matt thought aloud.

3… 2… 1… Mello jumped on Matt, pinning the red head to the floor. "It's Mello. And I'm not a girl!"

"Huh?" Matt looked up at the boy on top of him. "But they said you were a girl!" He said trying to cover his face with his arms in case the enraged blond tried to punch him.

"They?" Mello eased up.

"Yeah that Chet kid and his friends said you are a shy girl. I can clearly see you aren't that shy and defiantly not a girl." He said sitting up with the blonde still in his lap.

Mello smirked at the red head's commit. "I guess since you're new and didn't know any better I won't kill you."

"Thanks. So Mell, can you get off me now?" Matt asked.

"Don't call me Mell!" He growled. "And maybe I'm just a little too comfortable and don't want to get up?" Mello moved his hips a little out of curiosity.

"Don't… do… that…" Matt said feeling the friction. Even though they were young it doesn't change the fact they're boys, and we know boys will be boys.

Mello stopped; seeing the red heads face growing the same color as his hair. "Mistakes me for a girl and still has the arrogance to like this." The blonde smugly stated.

"What does you being or not being a girl have to do with the fact you're on top of me and rubbing my hips with yours?" He said while frantically blushing.

He smirked, standing up. "Oh, so Matt, why did you come in here? Trying to ask me to play with your little friends?"

"I don't think I want to be friends with them." Matt said sighing that he was messed with so easily.

"Good because I don't associate with anyone who's dumb enough to follow a moron."

"Are you saying you want to associate with me?"

Mello scuffed not answering the question. He turned and offered a hand.

Matt took it and was pulled up, getting a very close to the blonde, noting every detail of the flawless porcelain skin.

"Do they still have your toy?"

Matt looked with disbelief that Mello had watched him or looked at him enough to know that. Regardless of how long enough would be for the black clothed boy to notice. "Y-yeah." He stuttered still trying to figure out why he would pay attention to him and not say anything.

"Good." Mello said heading for the door. While the red head stood there dumbfounded. "Now I have more than one reason to kick their asses."

His thoughts stopped and he turned around. "Wait, what? Why do you want to kick their asses? They're just idiots."

"Because they took your game and took advantage of you. By doing so they send you in here and pissed me off. So I'm going to hurt them and maybe they'll learn." He answered the red head.

Matt blushed at the strange feeling in his gut. He of course wasn't used to anyone acting like that. After pushing aside the strange thoughts and feelings he went after the blonde. He watched from the doorway as Mello went to kick their asses, but once they saw a furious Mello they kind of ran away, leaving the game behind.

"That's interesting." Near said while sitting in the shade on the porch doing a puzzle surrounded by action figures.

Matt looked at the albino. "What is?"

"Mello's fighting for a reason other than just himself." He answered.

The blonde picked up the game and headed back for Matt noticing that Near was talking. He got to the door and with his free hand grabbed the startled red heads hand. As Mello pulled him down the hall he asked what the damn albino was saying to him.

"Nothing much. All he said was it was surprising to see you fight for any other reason but yourself." Matt said stopping as Mello stopped in front of a door.

The blonde scuffed. "Whatever." He said opening the door. Mello walked in letting go of Matt's hand and sitting on the edge of his bed.

Matt just watched, amused by how the blonde acted.

Mello leaned over to the nightstand drawer digging for some chocolate to eat. He stopped and turned looking at the red head still in his doorway. "Are you coming in or not?" He asked before going back to look for the right chocolate he was in the mood for.

"Oh, sure." He said closing the door behind him. "So where's your roommate?"

"He ran off or got adopted or changed rooms." Mello answered.

"That's quite a list of possibilities." Matt stated.

"That's because I've had several roommates and they're all too intimidated or weak to last in the same room as me." He stated grabbing a bar of dark chocolate. "Mmm, bitter with a small amount of sweet." He said opening the wrapper and biting off a chunk of the bar.

"Maybe I should ask to share a room with you…" Matt muttered.

Mello looked at him chewing the melted goodness.

"I wouldn't have to share with Chet's right hand man and you wouldn't have to deal with another roommate other than me for a while." Matt suggested, very light tint flushed his face in hopes Mello would agree. For some reason he makes me kinda nervous; maybe because he looks like a girl? Matt thought to himself.

Mello scuffed a smile growing on his face. "I'll, no we'll ask Whammy tomorrow until than go get your things ready."

Matt stopped thinking for a moment. He really agrees with my idea? He thought nodding his head. "Why do I need to go to?"

"Because they won't believe it, if I go alone." Mello asked.

"Oh, well, ok." He shrugged still admiring Mello's features. He stood about to leave.

"What are you doing?" Mello asked taking another bite out of the bar of chocolate.

Matt stopped and turned to look at the blonde, slightly confused. "You said, until then, to get my stuff ready."

"Not now you idiot, it's getting late. Besides it's not like I have a roommate right now anyways." He stated taking another bite.

"Oh? Do you often invite people to stay in here?" Matt asked joking but curious to how the blonde would react.

"No. So you should feel pretty damn special about now." Mello said scuffing with a bit of a grin on his face.

Matt just stared as his tinted cheeks grew a shade darker. He walked over to sit next to Mello again and begin playing his game. "So how long have you been here, Mello?" The red head asked peering to the side for a moment then putting his eyes back on the small screen.

"Since I can remember; parents didn't want me or something. Why are you here?" He asked biting his chocolate and leaning over to look at the game.

"I don't know. Grew up without parents, or at least not good ones, so I'm here because of that. I guess Whammy's had spare space. Guess it's just a place to be." Matt said thinking about the fact he was brought here from the streets.

"Oh, well that's just dandy. Shitty parents." Mello said, sympathizing.

"But you know this place doesn't seem so bad, just some of the people in it could use some adjustments." Matt said.

Mello chuckled at that. "Hmm, maybe this will be a good thing." He chuckled again. "Having a pet." An evil grin grew on his face.

A slightly pale one grew across Matt's. It seemed almost like fate but more like luck that Matt ended up here and was saved or spared or both even, by Mello. To add to his luck the blond was a gorgeous creature not to mention strange and very interesting.

Mello had finished his bar and moved on to the next. Matt moved onto the next several levels before it started to get late and time for lights to go out and everyone to go to bed.

Since Mello previously stated he was between roommates, Matt slept on the soon to be his bed.

The next morning they woke up not at all surprised to see each other; straightened up their appearance and headed for breakfast. For Mello breakfast was coco puffs and chocolate milk; and for Matt the same except with white milk. Matt believed some things were too chocolaty unless you're a chocoholic like Mello. Well after breakfast the two boys walked into Roger's office to request the room change for Matt. As the blonde had figured it came as a shock and the old man wouldn't have believed it if Matt hadn't been there to confirm.

"Are you sure you want to share a room with Mello here?" Roger asked still not quite believing his ears.

"Yes, sir." Matt answered politely.

"Mello, are you sure? I know you don't easily make friends and don't seem to care for your past roommates."

"Why do you think I'm asking to have him for a roommate? He doesn't annoy me so if I share my room with Matt that means I'm less likely to get stuck with a complete moron." Mello answered harshly; slightly annoyed.

"Then I guess it's settled. Matt you're free to move into Mello's room."

The two young boys nodded and headed for Matt's current room to get whatever things he had. They were in luck, Matt's roommate, and well, soon to be ex-roommate wasn't in sight so they could gather all of Matt's things without falter.

"Is this really all you have?" The blonde asked. "Because I don't want to have to come back in this pig sty again." He started looking at the mess that was Chet's friends stuff. Sure matt wasn't the most organized but he at least made sure his controller cords were wrapped up so they weren't all over the place and lasted longer. He had a pile of dirty clothes but never covered the whole floor like a carpet of dirty smelly, laundry.

"Yeah, I tried to keep as much of his stuff away from mine. Oh, Mell, I warn you…" He said as they walked down the hallways to Mello's and Matt's room with the red head's stuff in hand and boxes. "I'm kinda messy…" he said timidly. Mell keeps his room so clean; I really hope he doesn't mind that I don't. He thought wanting to be completely honest.

"I figured as much." Mello said in response. "But so long as it is a very, very small fraction of that dump, then it's fine."

Matt sighed in relief. Even with as disorganized as the gamer was he took care of his stuff; lasts longer if you put it away or care for it.