Authors note: Christmas break! I hope everyone had a lovely holiday or whatever it is you do when you're not at work or school. Whatever, anyway here is a new story that in my boredom I came up with. Unfortunately boredom does not mean updates for other stories...maybe. I don't know yet but I need some form of inspiration. Anyho, read, review and enjoy.

Position Open

Mello had never been in this much pain in his life. Well sure, maybe if he had gotten shot like Johnny he would be in more pain but Johnny wasn't in pain, he was dead. He didn't take the bullets but he did take the explosion in the worse way possible. He thanked God that he wasn't dead but he was out of commission for six weeks. Nothing could be worse than that even being dead. Wait, no. He was wrong; there was something worse than being out of commission for six weeks. Showing Matt that he had broken his leg and relying on the red head to take care of the household and put food on the table. He winced at the thought.

"Mello?" The voice droned for the third time. This kid was always somewhere but it wasn't where he was supposed to be which was here. He leaned forward slightly waving his hand in front of the boy's face. Mello was an odd kid. He had taken him in off the streets and believed that he would be nothing more than a soldier. Within months Mello turned out to be the best investment that he had ever made. There had never been a day that he regretted bringing Mello aboard even if he was a raving puff and a bit campy. The best road was to never say things like that aloud. "Mello?"

To his credit Mello didn't jump. Instead his eyes shifted and focused on the looming man over him. The broken leg was already beginning to be an annoyance. He had completely forgotten that he was still here. "Yeah, sorry I was thinking."

The man nodded patting Mello lightly on the shoulder. "Yeah, you do a lot of that." He gave the blond a light smile but the other didn't return it. "What are we going to do without you for six weeks?" He questioned watching as Mello seemed to have drifted off into thinking again. "There were a lot of missions that you had already thought out and planned. You were supposed to lead them and I don't trust anyone to go in your place really. I mean, no one leads a mission like you Mello but with you out of commission for at least six weeks at I don't know what to do. Business can't be put on hold just because you got hurt."

The blond understood that enough. Even if Rod were to be taken out the family would grieve but someone would have to take over and soon. He was sure that if a coup ever came knocking at their door it was him that would be taking the position of power. Between the two of them Rod knew that also. He trusted Mello to a point. Mello may be loyal but he was also a vicious bastard like no other.

"I'll think something up." He replied lightly. He wasn't sure what that something was going to be but that was the best that he could do on short notice. Rod was right when he said that no one could be Mello but Mello but he needed to find someone who was good at taking orders and easy to coach. He glanced around; he was of course surrounded by idiots. He winced lightly at the idea of using one of these jackasses that barely understood what he had told them to do five minutes previously. If he were to even think about getting one of them to do his job. He shook his head at the idea.

Rod nodded, "I hope so Mello and soon. Business is already slowing down." He frowned at the idea but Mello had already moved off back into his own little world thinking. He wouldn't bother him because Mello thinking meant business and Rod wouldn't interrupt business. He was just about to walk off when the doors burst open and three soldiers came trampling in together looked heated and tired.

"Boss, someone's crossed into the perimeter and has managed to evade all of our attempts to stop him." One of the soldiers managed as Rod snatched the gun from out of his hands. "Boss, you can't go out there. This person is dangerous."

Rod glared, "Pull up the images on the screen Mello." He glanced down at the blond that was already working on it. Even at a time like this Mello remained level headed and stoic. The computer was at work and seconds later the still-life images of the intruder appeared on the screen and Mello sighed. "What?" Rod leaned over his shoulder.

Mello just shook his head shifting slightly to pull out his cellphone. "Hold on." He mumbled to Rod.

"Yo." An inhale of smoke before the sound of serious drifting and shouting at a distance. "Mell, where are you anyway?"

"Stop fucking with the security outside you geek. You've put the whole place on high alert. I told you to wait outside of the gate for me, outside."

There was a soft chuckle, "Yeah, I was going to do that and then I remember you said that you were hurt so I was kind enough to come pick you up personally. For the record these guys suck at shooting. I've been doing this for ten minutes and they only managed to shoot only my front headlight. I want that replaced by the way."

Mello shook his head, "Of course you do. Let them take you down and hopefully they won't shoot your ass." He leaned slightly to get to his crutches noticing the annoyed look on Rods face. "You have people to apologize to now." He hung the phone up. Today was just getting worse and worse. The whole point of him living away from the hide out was that they couldn't find out about Matt. He clearly wasn't thinking right when he decided to call the red head and tell him to come pick him up. But how else would he be able to get home if he couldn't ride his bike? Unfortunately, Matt lacked the thought process to listen to normal and easy directions figuring that his way would be better than Mello's way. He put the phone back down shaking his head again.

Rod looked at the end of his rope, "You know this manic?" He hissed glaring the blond down if that was possible.

Mello didn't flinch he just shrugged, "It's my…" He paused. Matt was his what? Roommate? Best friend? Lover? He winced at the possibilities. "He's my roommate." He offered finally as Rod raised an eyebrow. "He's a bit unconventional as you can already see."

Rod smirked but barely, "So he's like you?"

Mello frowned, "No. He's the most unlike me person on the planet." He thought about that for a second. That was wrong. Matt was the second most unlike person, Near would be the first.

Rod nodded as the door came bursting open a second time. There stood Matt smoking as blankly as possible just his red hair hiding his face. It looked like the soldiers had done a number on him. His lip was slightly bleeding and it looked like he had been on the ground recently but other than that he held the same cocky air and smirk.

He glanced at Mello, "Damn, what happened to you?" He said aloud allowing a grin to split his features.

Mello frowned, "What did I tell you to do?" He questioned shifting his crutches in front of him. The faster he got Matt away from these people the better. His blood was running cold by the very idea that they were all seeing his greatest secret. His best friend. His life was standing right there at gun point held by soldiers that wouldn't hurt a hair on his head.

Matt shrugged, "Sorry that your security is shit." He replied as the guns cocked. Mello just sighed. "Well it is. I literally drove right in after they told me I couldn't go in."

Rod moved between Mello and Matt and the blond paused momentarily. Everyone in the room paused. Everyone except Matt that didn't understand that at a word Matt wouldn't be anything anymore. He would be dead. Mello couldn't even find words to stop it from happening. He was just as speechless as everyone else in the room.

Rod stood face to chest with Matt who continued to smoke his cigarette as if he didn't have a care in the world. Mello was beginning to break a sweat positive that his best friend in the world was about to die in front of his face and there wasn't a damn thing he could do with his broken leg. "That's all you have to say to me?" Rod questioned.

Matt shook his head pulling the cigarette out of his mouth, "No. You owe me for my headlight." He stared at the looming man before barely affording Mello a glance. Rod probably couldn't tell but years of living with Matt you had to figure out if he was looking at you or not. Mello's face showed him that he should be scared and he almost winced when the hand came over his shoulder and Rod let out a barking laugh. Mello's jaw dropped along with a cascade of gaps across the room.

"You are just like Mello." Rod said aloud chuckling still. "Balls of steel running into my place and then telling me what I'm going to do." He shook his head. "I'm surprised that Mello hadn't brought you to me before. What's your name, kid?"

"Matt." The red head gave another glance and this time Mello was staring at his hands. Nothing good came from when Mello was at a loss for words.

Rod nodded, "Well Matt I'm sure Mello talks to you about what we do here." His voice held a darker twinge.

Matt shook his head, "No, Mello doesn't say anything about his job. He just told me to pick him up down the street and I got bored." His eyes moved back up to Rod who nodded curtly.

The large man smirked, "Well Matt you gave my boys quite a scare running into this place." Matt didn't respond feeling Mello's gaze back on him again. "Mello, I just found the person that going to replace you while you're down."

Mello gasped, "Matt isn't cut out for this kind of life."

Rod waved him off. "Of course he is. How is someone that willingly runs a suicide mission into a mafia bosses headquarter not someone that should be working for me?" He questioned. "He's perfect. You two are roommate so I'd imagine that he's used to taking orders from you. Right?"

Mello looked defeated and pained. His normally olive colored skin had turned slightly green. "Yes, but Rod…"

Rod ignored him. "Welcome Matt." He extended a hand that Matt took after a bit of hesitation. "You'll be serving as the proxy for Mello here."

Matt frowned, "And if I say no?"

Rod laughed again, "There was no offer. I told you what you're going to be doing. It pays well if you come back alive. Besides, if you turn me down I'll take you and Mello both out back and shoot you. Then you won't have to worry about who you work for ever again."

Matt swallowed, "Oh." He sparked another cigarette. "I see."

Rod smiled, "Now sit while Mello and I go through your new position."