I don't own Death Note or it's characters.

Mello was sitting with Matt on the leather couches in the base. The room was clouded with cigarette smoke, a few smoking genuine tar and soot, and whatever else could be found in one of those death-sticks Mello had no taste for, and a few were smoking pot, obviously stolen from a hit or two. A few men were straggling around the bar, the television, and the door, trying to decide whether or not to leave the base for a few shorts hours with a female companion – a well-paid female companion.

Mello looked to the bar of chocolate in his hand. He took a dramatic bite, sliding the thin piece over his tongue, his sensitive taste buds picking up on the bittersweet flavor. He chewed softly and quietly, his eyes glued to the front door. She was bound to walk in sometime, wasn't she?

He took another bite, filling his mouth with chocolate absent-mindedly.

"Mello," a rough voice asked.

It almost startled him out of his chocolate appreciation time / worrying his fucking mind out of orbit about her.

The blond male looked up at the tall, slender man, drunk as hell and ugly as fuck.

"Where's your friend?"

A disgusting smirk was smeared across the man's features, his obvious thoughts barely containing themselves in his mind, with no help from the alcohol.

"I don't know, and if I did, I would not tell you."

The man grimaced, and bent down.

"Now, then, Mello, you little bitch."

He smiled briefly, obviously pleased with his insult, and then returned to his serious grimace.

"Now it's my fucking mission to find her, and when I do, you're going to wish you had told me."

He stared into Mello's eyes expectantly.

Mello could smell the strong sting of whiskey on this guy's breath. He could see the red creeping into his beady eyes. And he could hear the pure lust in his voice when he asked about her. There was no fucking way this guy would ever touch her.

Mello took a bite of the chocolate, dramatically making a loud crack in the guy's face. The man looked pissed, but nonetheless, stood up, looked around the foggy room, and walked away.

Mello took another, smaller bite, without the drama, staring at the door, his mind pacing, his heart pounding in his stomach, throat and ears, his hands battling the urge to shake, and his eyes refusing to leave the door.

Finally, to Mello's relief, she walked in the door. She was drenched, as she opened the door. Mello only caught a brief glance at her long, dark brown hair as she stomped through the room, making her way quickly to her room.

Mello rose, and looked at Matt, who hadn't looked up from his game.

"Go on, then."

Mello smirked, and rustled Matt's hair as he walked quickly to her room.

The door was closed, music blasted.

Mello hesitated, his stomach rolling back, and then knocked.

There was no answer.

Mello sighed.

C'mon, she trusts you. She grew up with you, for fuck sakes! Just go in, Mello. Nice and easy.

Mello opened the door slowly, and forced himself inside despite his worried mind. He closed the door, and stared quietly at her.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, clad in a white tank top, sticking to her sides from the rain, her grey bra visible – courtesy of the rain – and grey skinny jeans, her boots thrown across the room, one on the desk, one on the ground by the bookshelf, a few discarded books from a hard hit lying beside it.

Her hands were gripping the edge of the bed, her head hung, her beautiful hair hiding her brilliant face.

Mello stepped over, and sat on the edge of the bed, a little ways away from her.

"Kenna."

She looked around quickly. Her aquamarine eyes were coated with tears, her face flushed. Her perfectly pouty lips were turned in a frown.

She didn't say anything. She just moved.

Her hands found his hair and her lips matched his. Mello was shocked, and a muffled complaint escaped his lips, but she just used the advantage to slip her tongue in his mouth. Mello was shocked.

This was the girl he grew up with; this was the girl who begged him to come sleep with her when there were monsters under her bed. This was the girl he had always wanted, and here she was, taking him unexpectedly. Mello had no idea how far she'd let herself go, but he was pretty sure she wasn't stopping any time soon.

Kenna pushed him back on the bed, her lips removed from his. She shoved her hand down his tight leather pants (to Mello's amazement) and undid his vest, attacking his collarbone greedily.

Mello threw back his head, moaning in sheer pleasure as her hand found the one thing he had tried to keep hidden.

He was losing himself. He couldn't do it. Not with her.

He balanced himself on his elbows, panting, and groaning every few seconds.

"K-Kenna… st-stop…"

Kenna smirked, and kissed down his chest, her lips teasing his abdominal muscles, her hand working teasingly and painfully slow on him.

"Kenna…"

Another smirk, and she licked up his abs, once again making his collarbone a target, earning a loud groan from Mello.

"Kenna, stop it."

Kenna looked up in shock, staring at Mello.

Her eyes were surprised and pleading, her face distressed.

Mello removed her hand (much to his demise) and fixed his pants. He sat up, staring into her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

The plea broke Mello's heart. Her eyes were watery again, her lips fighting the urge to release a childish pout. She sat back, crossing her legs, her hands gripping her ankles, the exposed flesh white, and her knuckles even whiter.

"Kenna, this isn't right. You can't use this as an outlet for when you're upset."

Mello stared into her eyes, trying to find a hint of understanding.

"Why not?"

Her eyes were frustrated, her face contorted slightly in pain.

Mello closed his eyes, preparing himself to see fear in those beautiful eyes.

He grabbed her, and pulled him underneath himself, forcing a hand down her pants, one holding a clothed breast.

"Do you like this, Kenna? Feeling helpless and afraid?"

His voice was strained, his eyes showing nothing but pain at hurting her like this.

Kenna was shocked, her eyes watering over. She shook her head, her hair rustling underneath her.

Mello carefully removed his hand, trying desperately not to feel her. His other hand moved to the bed. He was still above her, but now he was poised protectively over her.

"Kenna, I don't ever want you to feel helpless and afraid with me. I refuse to do that with you."

Kenna looked into his eyes, shocked by how sweet and gentle Mello was acting. Hell, Mello was even surprised at how much he cared about Kenna. But he had protected her, ever since Wammy's. When he left, she followed. She followed him everywhere, into anything. She was willing to put her life on the line for him. Now, if he could help it, he was going to save her from himself.

"I don't. I never have."

Kenna smiled, and she looked away.

"I met them today."

Mello's eyes widened.

"Your parents?"

Kenna nodded, forcing a smile.

"Wammy's kidnapped me from adoptive parents. You knew that," she closed her eyes, "I met them today. I tracked them down. I tried so fucking hard to be what they wanted. Turns out they never wanted me. They have another kid, older than me. Apparently, they only wanted one. After I showed up, she got her tubes tied and he got a little snip-job done."

Mello resisted his urge to get upset. He just tried desperately to listen.

"The kid's about your age, maybe a year or two older. His name is Kenton. He's beautiful, Mello. He's fucking perfect. He's everything I couldn't and can't be."

Mello pressed his hand to her cheek, making her look at him gently. She opened her eyes. Mello leaned down and kissed her lightly, removing himself from her quickly before he got lost again.

"Mello…" Kenna looked into his eyes.

He stared down at her. Nothing registered in the world but her.

"I… thank you."

Kenna wrapped her arms around his neck, and brought him close to her body. He tried to ignore the fact that she was still wet. It was easy; when he felt the small body beneath him, clinging to him, love just pouring out of themselves into the other. Mello buried his face in her hair, his breath tickling her ear.

"You're welcome."

Mello rolled onto his side, and hugged her waist, pulling her as close to him as possibly. He was a head taller than her, but he could still embrace her as easily he could a teddy bear.

Kenna cuddled into him quietly. Her lips touched his collarbone, lightly this time. Mello looked down. It was slightly bruised. He chuckled.

Kenna looked into his eyes and smiled, kissing him lightly.

"I like this."

Mello raised an eyebrow.

"What would "this" be, Kenna?"

Kenna looked steady into his eyes.

"I don't know."

She smiled.

"But I like it. A lot."

Mello laughed quietly, closing his eyes.

He could feel her lips on his again, and then a disturbance in her position as her lips touched his ear.

"Don't let us leave this, okay?"

Mello smiled.

"Okay."

Kenna kissed him again, longer this time, Mello's hands roaming to her waist. She managed her self-control and pulled herself away, snuggling under his chin, nestled into his warm body.

A smirk came to Mello's lips.

He had forgotten he wasn't wearing a shirt until Kenna's slow, steady breaths warmed the skin on the bruised skin around his collarbone. He was amazed at how much damage that little girl could do.

Mello opened his eyes and glanced out of the bottoms of his eyes. He saw her chocolate brown hair. He felt her inside of his embrace, felt her breath on his skin. He still felt her lips on his.

Closing his eyes, he smiled.

Love.

It was definitely love.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A. N. So, I don't know whether to continue. I mean, I definitely have a direction; I have it mapped out in my head where this is going. But if you don't want me to continue, I'll leave it as a simple one-shot. I might decide myself, but hey, I'm not 100% sure.