A/N: Hola. This is going to be a collection of one-shots to help me get back into fanfiction, since right now I'm failing miserably at picking up where I left off. That's it I think.
Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note.
"Matt?"
Mello's voice was little more than a whisper as his trembling fingers ghosted over Matt's cheek. The redhead gave a soft sound to let the blonde know he was awake, but that was all.
"What are we?"
This time Matt turned over to face the older boy. He was greeted with an odd sight. The blonde lay propped up on one arm, the sheet falling so that it just barely covered him. He was naked and Matt could see the marks he had left on the boy's neck and chest. That in itself wasn't so unusual. What made it odd was that the boy was trembling and looked slightly pale, though that could have been a trick of the light. But Mello never looked vulnerable. Not even when he was pinned, writhing, beneath Matt. Even then he was still completely in control. But not now. Now he seemed vulnerable and, dare Matt even think it, weak.
"What do you mean?" the redhead asked.
Mello watched him for a moment, blue eyes studying Matt's expression, before he spoke. "Us. What are we?"
"Friends," Matt said, reaching out to brush a strand of blonde hair away from the other boy's face. "Lovers. Partners. Brothers. Mostly friends, though, I think."
Mello smiled a little at this and some of the hopelessness seemed to leave him. Green eyes took in the sight before him, but one thing really caught his attention. The scar over the left side of Mello's face, still raw in places. Still healing. Still waiting to see if his vision would return, doubting it ever would.
Mello had seemed unsure of himself since the explosion. Matt had noticed a marked change in his behavior, even if no one else had. Sure he was still an extremely dominant person in most aspects of his life, but there had been little changes. Not the words he said, but the way he said them. Not the things he did, but the way he did them. Little things that Matt noticed because they were closer than the redhead had ever thought two people could be.
"What do you think will happen to us?" Mello said, moving closer to Matt. "After all of this?"
Matt shrugged. "I'm sure I don't know. Why?"
Mello frowned. "This sounds stupid, but after death. I don't know. I hadn't really thought about it much before the accident. But now…"
"So that's what you've been preoccupied with," Matt said, running a gentle hand down Mello's scarring cheek.
He felt the blonde's face grow warm. "You noticed?"
Matt nodded. "Mhm. I do live with you, after all. And I would say we're closer than most people. So yeah, I noticed."
Mello turned over onto his back and stared at the ceiling. Matt knew he was still watching him because he lay with his right side to him.
"Matt?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you…" Mello started, but his voice trailed off into nothing. Quietly he turned his head to look at the young man beside him. "Do you still…?"
Matt knew what he was being asked. He moved swiftly, not giving the blonde time to protest before he was pinned beneath his red haired friend. There was a look of something akin to fear in Mello's eyes and Matt frowned. Mello still hadn't healed completely and his weakness made him jumpy. He pressed his forehead to Mello's as he spoke.
"Yes, I still love you. Yes, I still want you here. No, I don't mind. No, you aren't a burden to me and you never have been. No, I don't regret pulling you out of that building, so don't even suggest it. And yes, I still need you."
At this Mello grinned weakly. "Well I guess that answers that."
"And no, you're still not funny," Matt added, earning himself a friendly punch to the shoulder. He fell back over onto his side, releasing the blonde. "Now go to sleep."
