AN: Wow, it's been awhile since I've written FanFiction! :O I blame laziness... But anyway, I got the idea for this and decided I might as well write it :) So yeah... Hope you like it :D Rated for Yaoi, violence and language. It's also mpreg later on... I'm not a big fan of mpreg but I decided to add it anyway. :)

I stare down into the darkness that was my friend's eyes. My breaths were coming in short pants, as were those of the small snowy-haired boy beneath me. I roll off the naked body and close my eyes, drifting into thought as the smaller boy snuggles to me.

This had become a regular thing for us. It started with some harmless experimentation many years ago, when we were both young and curious, but we both had desires that we long ago realised we could fulfil for each other.

But it meant nothing.

Nate is my best friend and nothing more. We had been friends all our life; there were no secrets between us, nothing we hid from each other. We were inseparable. We had even named each other. Slaves were never given names, but when we were young we decided we wanted something to call ourselves. It wasn't much, but if anything it gave us a small sense of identity. Mihael, that was the name I had been given, it was a beautiful name, Nate's choice was much more creative than mine. I called my friend Nate, it wasn't so original, Nate was a common name, but he had just smiled and said it was perfect.

The corners of my lips turn up in a smile at the memory. I open my eyes again and glance to the warm figure curled up against me, asleep. He seemed so peaceful in his sleep, the weight of the world had been left behind and he could forget about his life. He could forget about the suffering and the pain, if only for a little while.

I sigh as I let my attention fall to the dark bruises that painted the skinny body. They were on every slave but on Nate it hurt me to see them, an awful reminder of the pain he's been put through. The pain he doesn't deserve.

I feel a sudden wave of determination hit me. Nate shouldn't be here. He shouldn't have been born into this life. He's so pure and good, what could he possibly have done to deserve this? Nothing, that's what. Nate has done nothing to deserve being treated like this. I had to put an end to this. I would get Nate out of this. I would get us both out of this. We would escape this horrible life, no matter what it took. I close my eyes, swearing to myself that I would save us from this.

We will get out... I promise to myself, whatever it takes...

...

"Mello...?" Near's voice calls to me and I glance up from inspecting the new bruises covering my body to meet the dark, worried eyes of Nate.

"Yeah, Nate? Is something wrong?" I ask him, knowing there was. I pat the ground next to me, gesturing for him to sit. Obliging, he sits next to me and leans on me, doe eyes fixed on the ground.

"There was another lynching..." The boy informs me.

Another? How could there be another fucking lynching? There had already been two just in this past week! My body tenses but I quickly let myself relax, not wanting to scare Nate with my reaction.

"It's alright, Nate. I doubt it was anyone we cared about," comes my pathetic attempt at being comforting. And of course it wasn't someone we cared about, because we're both right here, safe and sound.

"I know, but that's not the point... What is it's one of us next...?" Nate shifts a little, uncomfortably.

To be honest, it had already happened to me. I had barely escaped with my life. For anyone that doesn't know, a lynching is basically when one of us slaves is ganged up on and killed, hung. I had seen it before and had almost been the one hanging from the tree.

I remember the day clearly, the day my life had almost come to a close. I had been doing a simple task, getting the groceries. At the time that was one of the jobs I preferred, I liked to get away from this damn hellhole, but now I avoid it at all costs. It wasn't safe out there. I was walking back, for lack of a better word, home. I was taking my time, enjoying the feel of the breeze against my skin when without warning, I was swarmed. The grocery bags slipped from my hands as the decent-sized group of so-called people, or demons in human form, surrounded me and tried to grab me. There was a second of confusion and panic before I realized what was happening.

I was being lynched.

Nobody ever wants to think that, because usually that will be your final thought. You'll be killed right there. I remember the image the popped into my head at that moment, the image of a girl I had grown up with, blond hair still in those little pigtails she loved so much as she hung from the tree. Her limp body swayed in the gentle wind as her lifeless blue eyes stared right at me. I could remember the camera flashes and the booming laughter of the killers that had made me sick to my stomach.

That wouldn't be me.

Before they could lay a hand on me, my instinct kicked in and I spotted a small hole in the group of monsters. Without thinking, I ran for it, leaving the bags behind. I barely made it as hands had grabbed for me and yells followed me as I darted away. But they didn't chase, I wasn't worth it. They could always find some other slave to fulfil their sick need to kill.

I ran back here and received a heavy beating for leaving the groceries, but I took it with a smile, knowing it was a lot better than having my neck snapped while hanging from a tree.

"It's alright, Nate. That won't happen to us. We're careful," I smile at him, trying to say it with confidence. Sure, God had smiled at me once and let me get away, but what are the chances of it happening again? Generally, God frowns at us slaves. You'd think he'd have a bit more respect for the creatures he created, but obviously he stopped giving a shit about us awhile ago. But back on the subject; if I were to ever be in that situation again, my chances of survival would be, well... less than slim. And weak little Nate wouldn't stand a chance either...

"Mihael, sometimes careful isn't enough..."

"Don't say that. I won't let it happen. I got out of it once, I can do it again," I tell the boy who didn't believe my words any more than I did.

But, his only reply is a quiet, "alright..." as he rests his head on my shoulder. I let my head fall gently against his colourless head of hair and we stay like that in silence until it was time to get back to work.