Author's Note: It's official! I have now risen from the dead! Unfortunately, I am now a zombie and require that you donate all your brainz to me. Yaaaay~! Anyway, here's a new story I've got up. It'll have more chapters, so expect more from me soon!


It just took another twirl of that snow-white hair to set the blonde off.

They had been sitting in an old pub on the south-eastern end of Hampshire, a tense silence resting heavily between them. He had been sitting there, a pale finger locked with a single tress of that curled, white hair, twisting it around and around his finger as his dark eyes were clouded in thought. His lips had been set, a stoic expression adorning his face and betraying him no detectable emotion. The blonde, however, was fidgeting, turning the glass – slick with perspiration – round and around within the clasp of his own long digits. His light eyes stared down at the ice, which shifted slightly with the movement, his mind swirling with things to say. His teeth ground together, making the muscle in his jaw tense up and relax, tense up, and relax once more. One leg bounced absentmindedly and an impatient sigh issued from his pale, cracked lips.

"Are you wanting to say something, Mello?" A low, monotone voice spoke. All means of civility seemed to shatter with the silence and the blonde looked up in sharp defiance to meet the dark-eyed gaze of his fellow orphaned counterpart. They sat there, an obligatory silence stretching between them, thinly veiling Mello's discomfort. A kind of hissing noise sounded between grit teeth and the blonde finally resolved to responding, despite how badly he wanted to snap back at the white-haired successor in front of him.

"Considering you invited me here to discuss matters, I only assumed you would be the one to speak."

A pause, the briefest ghost of a sigh escaping paper-white lips, and then; "You know what happens when one assumes, Mello."

"I'll let you by with that one but don't think I'm not afraid to come across this table to and punch that arrogance outta you."

Another obligatory hair twirl was the only response he received. Impatience worked its way from his body to his voice and he groaned softly.

"C'mon, Near, I haven't got all day! What the hell did you call me here for? Matt's probably getting worried by now.."

"I came here to discuss the succession of L and our potential companionship in the Kira Case."

This caused Mello to freeze, eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar in shock. He searched Near's face for some kind of humor, the tiniest hint that he might be joking, but alas, he found nothing more than that ever-present seriousness. His lips finally set into a hard line and he shook his head.

"There is absolutely no way I'm going to work with the likes of you! You heard me! You were there when I told Roger off!"

Near merely shook his head and sighed. For the first time, he actually looked tired and wary of the blonde that sat lividly in front of him. His lips parted, eyes fluttering closed like he was exhausted, before he spoke, drawing his gaze to look directly at Mello. He felt his heart thump uncomfortably within his chest and he shook his head.

"You know as well as I that working independent of one another will get us nowhere. You have connections that would assist me and I have plans that would benefit you."

Mello still shook his head, not wanting to listen to the ghost-white male in front of him. "No no no no! It won't work! I told you that I'm too headstrong for you; you have different methods and all we'll do is fight!" By this point, the blonde was on his feet, looking positively aggravated. People that sat nearby cast mildly worried glances at him before looking away. Near kept his hard gaze steady, a finger forever locked around a white curl of hair.

"Mello, the situation has only worsened and if you think that only Matt is going to help-"

"Don't insult Matt! He's not in this, you bastard!" Mello interrupted. His voice had grown in pitch and now people were really starting to stare. Near would have flushed a bright pink at the unwanted attention but he honestly could not care less if others stared. It was only Mello, being the outspoken prick that he was, who was making a fool of himself. "I'm just asking you to re-consider and work with me. It will prove most efficient."

But Mello would have none of it. Slamming down his hand onto the table, he glared at Near and spoke through grit teeth. "No. Get off my case and leave me the hell alone!"

With a dramatic turn, Mello left the pub in a flurry of muttered profanity, the scent of chocolate trailing after him as he was dispensed out onto the busy streets. Near felt lingering eyes fall on him and he sighed, twirling his hair and standing slowly. Two men dressed in black suits flanked his sides and escorted him out of the pub and into an awaiting limo just a few feet down the block.

"I am not surprised that he did not agree to it," Near said quietly, hand finally dropping from his hair. "It only means I must work harder to get his companionship."


"You're back earlier than I expected, and with no blood stains! I'm surprised,"

Mello slammed the door to the flat that he shared with his red-headed, smoking, video-game-obsessed partner-in-crime, Matt. His voice floated over from his spot on the couch followed by the sounds of video game. A small, cartooned explosion sounded before Matt swore and then turned to gaze over at Mellow. He gave the blonde a smile as he lifted his goggles and stared at him with imploring blue eyes.

"So, what happened? What'd Near want?"

Mello crossed the room, shrugging off his faux-feather coat as he went, letting it drop where it fell. His boots smacked loudly against the old hardwood floor and he ran a hand through his hair, the soft leather of his gloves gliding smoothly through his golden tresses. His hips swayed gently as he approached the couch and let himself collapse onto a spot beside the red-head. Matt let his blue eyes glance sidelong at the blonde who was glaring at the edge of the glass coffee table that sat in front of them. Matt was perfectly find sitting in silence when, suddenly, Mello exploded, his hand shooting up into air in a melodramatic display of exasperation.

"He wants me to work with him, dammit!" The blonde growled. Matt could only stare, taking Mello's angry exclamation with grace. After having grown up with the man and working under his wing for several years, he was used to his bouts of fury that often resulted in silence and an ever-growing pile of chocolate bar wrappers.

"Well, what did you tell him?" Matt asked then, setting his hand-held video game console down beside him on the couch. Mello glared at him with a look of angry disbelief.

"What do you think I said? NO!"

Matt held up his hands is surrender and could not help the understanding yet playful smile that slowly turned the corners of his lips. "All right, all right, don't get your thong in a bunch!"

Mello sighed as he rolled his eyes, clearly not amused. A moment of silence passed between them before the blonde let his eyes slide over to run down the red-head's body. In his fury, he had not noticed that Matt adorned but only a towel, which hung quite low on his hips, and his hair was damp and tousled.

"Did you..just get out of the shower?" Mello asked in a slightly wistful tone. Matt chuckled and put his arms on the back of the couch, nodding. Mello regarded him for a moment before he rose from the couch, rubbing the back of his head and musing up his blonde hair. Matt was quick, however, and stood as well, wrapping bare arms around the other and using one hand to smooth down the back of blonde's hair.

Mello grunted and struggled, if not a bit halfheartedly, against Matt's grip, "Get off! Can't you tell I'm mad! I'm not in the mood!"

Matt only smiled, pressing his lips against the edge of Mello's ear, "You know damn well that that is the best time to relieve your anger."

The sultry tone in the red-head's voice sent a pleasurable shiver down Mello's spine and he shut his eyes tightly, biting down on his bottom lip and trying not to let himself get lured into Matt's vice. But, before he could do anything else, he felt Matt pull him back onto the couch. He sat promptly on the gamer's lap, leather sliding against the thin towel that covered Matt's obvious erection. He let a hand run down the blonde's smooth front, unzipping the vest that he wore as he went. Once this was out of the way, Matt cast it aside. Mello stared down at the prying hand that danced across his leather-clad thighs, watching as those long, slim digits undid the large belt and brazenly accompanied the un-done belt with the unfastening of his pants. Mello could not help the soft whimper that escaped his lips and this only elicited a soft chuckle from his lover. The ginger stripped Mello of his clothing in a short matter of time while also casting aside his own towel.

Hot skin pressed together, limbs became entangled and labored breaths ghosted across skin that was shiny with a light sheen of perspiration. Matt sat behind Mello, who was leaning over the glass coffee table and panting, quietly begging Matt to 'hurry the hell up!' Matt took his time in being compliant with his lover and gently began by inserting one finger to the blonde's tight entrance. Mello gasped, tightening unwillingly as a shock of pain jolted through him. He murmured Matt's name, mewling as he forced his body to relax. Once Matt felt that Mello was ready, he pulled out his finger and pushed it in again slowly. He wriggled his digit around the ringed muscle before he sped up his tempo, letting Mello get progressively used to the feeling. After some time, Matt added a second digit, using a kind of scissoring motion to better stretch out the gasping blonde.

"Ah..Matt!" Mello groaned loudly, feeling the head of the ginger's member prodding his entrance. Matt raked his fingernails lightly against the blonde's back before pushing in all the way, burying himself to the hilt in that sweet, tight heat. He gasped quietly followed by a low moan that exhibited his incredible pleasure. Mello gripped the edge of the table and squeezed his eyes tightly shut, lips parted open as little shots of mild pain jolted through his anus and up his back and down his legs. Matt was a generous lover, however, and took is at a comfortably slow pace, giving Mello time adjust. Luckily, it did not take him very long and soon they were picking up tempo at a speed that had them both on the verge of screaming.

"Ah..faster, Near!"

Suddenly, Mello's eyes snapped open and stirred, looking over his shoulder to see Matt gripping Mello's hips and staring at him with incredulous blue eyes. In one swift movement, he pulled his girth out of Mello and angrily grabbed his towel. Mello scrambled to move but found that his legs were incredibly unstable and he had to grip the arm of the couch for support. Matt had moved quickly in that short amount of time and already had his boxers and a pair of jeans on, a shirt in his hand and his boots sloppily fastened onto his feet. Mello made a pathetic show of at least getting his own pants back on before he hurried after Matt, who was power-walking towards the door of their flat.

"Matt! Wait!" He gripped onto the ginger's arm, clinging in desperation for him to stop.

"Forget it! That anger that you have for Near was just a cover! You really do like that prick!" Matt snapped back, jerking his arm out of Mello's grip. Mello hesitated at those words, mildly concerned that they might be right, before he snapped out of it and made to grab Matt again and try to stop him from leaving.

"Matt, please! I'm sor-!"

Slap!

Matt whirled around, his palm flat as it smacked harshly across Mello's face. The blonde felt his face snap to the side, blonde hair mused from the abrupt action. He froze in place for a moment before slowly turning back to look at Matt; needless to say, he felt his heart break as he gazed upon his potentially-ex-lover.

Large tears were cascading down Matt's pale cheeks, his lips quivering and a broken sob threatening to shake him. He pressed his lips together tightly and closed his eyes, another tear running down and dropping from the edge of his angular jaw. In silence, he turned and left the flat, slamming the door after him. Mello pressed his forehead to the wood of the door, sucking in a frustrated, ragged breath. His fist pounded on the door, the force of the blow causing a small frame, already rickety, to fall from the wall nearby. Mello turned slowly and peered down at it, an angry tear rolling down his own cheek as he stared at the happy couple in the now shattered frame.