X-ray had seen her cousin Pink when she was scared. The way her sightless, milky white right eye kept twitching was all too familiar.
"What is it, Pink?" X-ray asked, jumping up from her place at the table. It had been a month since Mello had moved the four of them to a new hideout. He hadn't specified why. He rarely explained anything he did anymore. And to see Pink so upset wasn't helping X-ray settle in to the new surroundings.
"It's Mello." The other girl squeaked. X-ray froze, waiting for her cousin to continue. When she didn't, X-ray touched Pink's shoulder lightly.
"He's been hurt, badly." Pink stammered, running her fingers through her long, flipped out bob.
"What happened?" X-ray demanded, taking Pink by the shoulders and giving her a slight shake. The un-characteristic hysterics were making X-ray very nervous.
"He blew it up. The old hideout. He just blew it all sky-high." Pink explained. "He keeps telling everyone not to look at him, even Matt and me.
The door was kicked open then, to reveal Matt supporting Mello. Matt had wrapped a towel around the left side of Mello's body. But the towel wasn't really wrapped around Mello, it looked as if the blood-splotched material was sticking to Mello's skin. The young man's breath was coming in short, pained gasps. Mello's head was hanging so low that his chin almost touched his chest through what remained of his tattered, scorched clothing. His long blond hair hung in front of his eyes, so he didn't see the shock on the girl's faces. Matt supported his friend as he stumbled over to the couch. X-ray and Pink nearly tripped over each-others feet in their haste to see Mello. X-ray couldn't believe her eyes as she watched the bruised and battered Mello on the couch in front of her. Mello was moaning audibly, the half of his face that they could see was full of pain. With a hand that shook, X-ray reached out to take one corner of the towel between her fingers. The next minute, Mello's hand was wrapped around her wrist in a hold as strong as iron.
"Leave it." His voice was strained. "Don't look." His eye remained scrunched shut as he said it, and he didn't release his hold on X-ray's wrist until Matt pried his fingers off of her arm.
"Why don't you girls go to bed." Matt suggested. "I called the doctor that looks after Mello's men and he's on his way. One of the men is bringing him. It's going to be a long night." He pointed to the left side of his face to indicate Mello's injury. Pink nodded and looped her arm through X-'s, tugging her toward their shared bedroom.
The next few hours were some of the worst of X-ray's life. The first thing the mafia doctor did when he arrived was to peel off the towel that had been sticking to Mello. That in itself sounded like torture. No matter what she did, X-ray couldn't' block out Mello's screams of pain. Finally, the mafia man who had brought the doctor, one of the friendlier ones who had introduced himself as Joe when X-ray had first met him, decided that the girls didn't need to hear anymore and took them out. Pink bought ice cream, including one for Joe, which was nice of her. Just as they had finished, Matt called Joe to inform him that the worst was over, and that it was 'safe' for the girls to come back. Once they were back in the apartment, X-ray questioned Matt about what had happened. According to Matt, Mello had been so delirious from pain that he actually wanted to die. He said that Mello had kept telling God to 'let him die already', and 'to let him see Mama and Papa'. But that was all that he would tell her. He wouldn't provide any details about Mello's injuries.
"You'll find out soon enough. No matter how much he says not to let you see, you'll find out." He had told her on his way to the bathroom. X-ray walked over to the couch, peering down at Mello. The entire left side of his face and chest had been bandaged, but if he had sustained any injuries below that X-ray couldn't see due to the blanket. X-ray had to close her eyes at the pain and anguish on Mello's face. She brushed the blonde's bangs out of his un-bandaged eye with a gentle hand, noting that his expression softened considerably at her touch. When X-ray entered her room, Pink was already asleep on the top bunk, so X-ray crawled into the bottom bunk. It had been a long night.
As Mello recovered, he was incredibly moody, sometimes even grouch. Matt changed their leader's bandages twice a day, but he was the only one permitted in the room. One night, Pink hid in the closet, only to burst into her and X-ray's room, insisting that it was the worst injury she had ever laid her single good eye on. Whenever he and X-ray were together, Mello made sure to keep her on the un-bandaged side of his body. Mello grew more and more irritable though, probably because Matt kept happily reminding him that he wouldn't be required to wear the bandages in a few days. A prospect Mello clearly wasn't excited about.
The next day X-ray and Mello sat on the couch watching TV. X-ray felt a piece of paper being deposited into her ear and she grasped the small piece of paper. Unfolding it silently she read the message that Matt had scrawled on it.
Bandage off day
X-ray shot Matt a look of pure misery as he gave her a fingers-crossed for luck gesture, ducking out into the hallway. Then, without a second's warning, the little slip of paper was yanked out of her grasp. Mello stared at it for a moment before scowling and crumpling the paper in his strong fist. His right eye narrowed into a slit as he stared at X-ray through the corner.
"Matt gave you that." It wasn't a question, it was a statement, but X-ray nodded anyway. Mello snorted.
"Like I'd ever let you touch 'em." He muttered. X-ray stood up, stepping over Mello's long, outstretched legs to plop down on his other side,
"Yes. You will." She informed him. "Now hold still." Mello recoiled as X-ray reached for the bandages.
"You wouldn't dare." He growled, his voice low and threatening. X-ray stared him down.
"Watch me." She challenged. Mello hissed, flopping back against the back of the couch.
"Fine then." He muttered, holding out his arm. "Take the damn bandages off."
X-ray began unwrapping at Mello's bicep, discovering that his skin had been badly burned. X-ray also couldn't help but notice Mello tremble whenever her fingers accidentally brushed his damaged skin.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. Out of X-ray's peripheral vision she saw Mello's head snap up to look at her.
"You're fine." He murmured gently. Five minutes later X-ray had uncovered most of Mello's healing skin, all that was left was his face. X-ray took note of how Mello closed his un-bandaged eye, almost in relief, as she held the right side of his face to unwrap the bandage. With a trembling hand, X-ray removed the last layer of bandage from Mello's face and sat back. Mello opened his eyes. They were full of shame as X-ray stared wide-eyed at Mello's face and the scar that covered half of it.
"Don't look at me." He muttered harshly, turning away. X-ray placed a gentle hand on Mello's undamaged forearm.
"Mello." She said gently, grabbing his chin and turning his face toward her when he wouldn't look at her. "Mello. You're still the same." X-ray told him gently. "Do you honestly think any of us care that you look like this? The answer is no. We're all just happy that you're safe. Understood?"
Mello's eyes searched X-ray's for a while before he dropped his gaze to the necklace he had given her when they were children.
"Understood."