As Compatible As Cats & Dogs

Chapter One: The Roommate

A/N: Well, here goes; my first attempted story on here that is actually supposed to be serious! So anyway, this is written from a third person Mello POV (point of view). It takes place at Wammy's, and Mello and Matt are around... let's say about 12-13. So yeah; please judge nicely, but I don't mind constuctive criticism (no outright flaming please, it hurts my feelings. ^_^). Happy reading, and I hope you enjoy!

"Hey Mello, want to play with us?"

"Piss off."

"Hi Mello, what's up?!"

"The sky. Maybe if you weren't such an idiot you'd already know that."

"Hello Mello! Teehee, that rhymes!"

"I'll give you a rhyme; kiss my ass."

Mello felt like he would snap at the next person who talked to him. Seriously, how hard was it to study peacefully in the sunny weather? Obviously it was impossible, and Mello was starting to regret coming out in the first place. He should've just stayed in his room.

No matter how hard he tried to be mean and grouchy to everyone, they just wouldn't leave him alone. And it wasn't because they genuinely liked Mello either. Sometimes being second in the rankings had its disadvantages. Maybe when he reached the top he could bend people more easily to his will. An image of him laying back on a chair and being given chocolate offerings entered his head. Mello couldn't help but grin a little at that; and take a bite of the chocolate he was already holding in his right hand.

Munch. Crunch. Munch.

"Still studying Mello?" Mello's neck stiffened as he slowly turned to look in the direction from which that soft, emotionless voice came from.

"What do you want Near," he hissed at the white haired pyjama clad boy. Near was twirling a strand of his hair in almost a nervous way. No wonder; he barely ventured outside.

"Well actually, Roger asked me to tell you that he requests your presence in his office," he answered.

"Well then Near, you can tell Roger that if he wants my presence so badly he can come and get me himself, instead of sending his pet."

Near cleared his throat. "He also said that if you do not come right away he will ban you from eating chocolate for a week."

Damn, Roger knew Mello too well.

Mello stretched out his arms and yawned. "Well, I suppose I should see what the old man wants," he said.

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So, after making a quick detour to his room to put away all his text books, he made his way over to Roger's office. He wouldn't admit it, but he was curious as to why he wanted to see him. As far as Mello could remember he hadn't pulled any pranks or bullied anyone recently, but then again Mello's memory could be sketchy at times. Well… not really, but that wasn't the point.

When he knocked upon the door and heard a 'come in' from Roger, he didn't know what to expect as he entered the room.

Well, for one thing, he definitely didn't expect there to be somebody in the office already. He was in a chair next to Roger, no older than Mello himself. Mello wracked his brain to try to remember ever seeing this kid before. Nothing came to mind, and Mello was sure that if he had seen the kid he would've remembered his dark red hair and completely retarded looking goggles. Therefore, this boy had to be new.

"Mello, this is Matt," Roger introduced, while trying to wave Mello over to sit down. He ignored the gesture and instead looked at Matt suspiciously. He wasn't even paying attention; he was too busy playing some sort of video game. A DS or a Gameboy or something, some shit like that.

Great, this had better not be one of those 'Mello, help the new "special" kid fit in' sorts of things. That didn't end up so well last time.

"Anyway Mello; Matt is new here and needs a room to sleep in. Since you are the only person with no roommate, I'm sure you can understand why he will share a room with you."

It took Mello a few seconds to comprehend these two sentences, and in those few seconds Matt finally looked up. He frowned slightly, looking confused, and looked at Roger. "Boys are allowed to room with girls," he asked.

Mello didn't need any time at all to comprehend that comment, and he felt himself fill up with anger. "Are you fucking blind or something, or are you just a stupid dipshit!? I should go over there and knock your fucking block off," he screamed.

Matt looked genuinely surprised as he appeared to realise that Mello was in fact a guy. Roger rubbed his forehead in exasperation, but was otherwise unfazed by Mello's outburst. "So then-"

"Why do I have to be the one to be the one to give up my freedom," interrupted Mello. "You said I'm the only one without a roommate, but that's not true! Near is all by his fucking self too, but I don't see you picking on HIM! No, because Near is your precious little number one, and I'm just some second rate failure. Well fuck you Roger, fuck Near, and fuck me having a roommate!"

Roger waited silently as Mello fumed for a minute. As usual after he chucked a fit or let out a huge outburst he tended to simmer down a little. He made himself content with scowling at Matt and Roger and crossing his arms.

Roger sighed. "I didn't think that rooming Matt with Near would be a good idea."

"……"

"I believe that it will be good for you to have a roommate Mello."

"…………"

"Mello, are you even listening?" Mello narrowed his eyes at Roger in response, silently mulling over the situation. It seemed like there was no way of getting out of it.

"Mello, you have to promise me that you'll help Matt adjust to living here. Try to act… kinder than you usually do. Make him feel welcome."

"I'll welcome him to the infirmary," he muttered. Roger sighed, knowing that he wouldn't get anymore out of Mello. By now Matt had returned to playing his game, seeming unaffected in any way by the conversation. His sense of just plain apathy was starting to unnerve Mello. In a way it reminded him of Near, and he nearly cringed at the thought.

"Is that all you wanted Roger, or did you also bring me here to reveal that you are in fact the Devil and want to damn me to hell for eternity," Mello asked bitterly.

"No Mello, I think that's your role to play," replied Roger sadly. "Go on; take Matt back to the room."

Still unfazed, Matt closed the screen of his video game and slipped it into his pocket. He stood without a word. Mello felt another spout of irritation just looking at the boy, so he turned and walked right back out the door.

The walk back to Mello's room, well, Matt and Mello's room now, started in silence. Mello was trying to keep his temper under control by thinking up different ways to release his wrath on Roger. He was having an inner debate on whether to tie him up and stuff him into the closet or set fire to his desk when Matt spoke to him.

"Look, umm, I'm sorry about before, you know, me mistaking you for a girl," he said remorsefully. "You don't really look like one… it's just that your hair's a little long. And I'm wearing goggles, so it kinda clouds my vision sometimes."

"Do you honestly think that you're the first one to insult me like that," Mello responded dryly. "I honestly don't give a shit what you think of me. You're nothing special kid; believe me."

The redhead looked a little taken aback by the comment, but persisted in trying to make conversation. "I just thought that since we're rooming together now that we should be able to just start over," he said.

Mello wondered about the suddenly changed attitude of Matt. In Roger's office he almost seemed like an entirely different person. Was that quiet, withdrawn, almost Near-like person the same as this seemingly talkative, chipper and approval seeking kid? Mello was usually quite a good judge of character, but now he was a bit puzzled.

Wait, why was he even bothering to think about this? Sure, Matt was his roommate now, but he shouldn't be starting to psychologically analyse his personality. He was Mello's enemy, a burden, only trouble.

"Umm, hello? You in another world or something?" Mello glanced back at Matt with shifty eyes, and ignored the question. "Why do you treat me like I'm below you or something?" Mello couldn't help but snort at this. "Because you are," he answered. He thought that that would be enough to shut Matt's big mouth, but he was sorely mistaken.

"I'm only trying to be polite you know…" Mello really was starting to get pissed off now. It was like this kid was a dog or something, and that he had automatically latched onto him. Well, it wasn't Mello's fault he was more of a cat person.

Mello was extremely relieved when they finally reached his room. People had started to follow him, obviously interested in Matt. Every new kid was snapped up like a slab of meat in this place. He opened the door and automatically collapsed on his bed, just wanting to relax for a minute. His day so far had been stressful; he needed that minute.

"Hmm, this place is cosy," commented Matt, who had gone straight to the second bed and sat down. Mello saw him reach back into his pocket and retrieve his video game. He turned it on without another word.

Good, maybe the kid would leave Mello alone now. He reached over to his bedside table and picked up his math textbook. He had a test on Monday and needed to be prepared. There was no way he'd just let Near win without a fight.

For a couple of hours all was just fine in silence. Mello studied for his test, and Matt continued playing his game, as impossible as it seemed. Finally though, Mello's stomach got into the equation, growling for some food. Well, maybe just some chocolate.

Mello placed the book back on the table and moved himself off the bed. He crossed the room without even looking at Matt, but his plan of silently slipping away was thwarted when the redhead also jumped off his bed. "Hey, don't leave me," he protested, and Mello impatiently turned around. "C'mon, I don't even know my way around here yet. Could you, like, give me a tour or something?"

Mello's stomach was starting to tie itself in knots as he craved more chocolate, but he figured that it would be quicker and easier to just listen to Matt instead of starting an argument. Well, unless he beat him up or something, but it was the kid's first day. Roger would have his head for that.

"Fine," he sighed. "Move it." Matt happily shot right through the door, and waited for Mello to lead the way.

"Amazing, can you sit and roll over too," he muttered as he moved on ahead. Time seemed to skip by quickly as Mello gave Matt a tour of the orphanage.

"There's the place everyone eats."

"Go down that corridor and you'll get into the classes block."

"That's the infirmary. Let me tell you something, I'm psychic and I foresee that you'll be spending a lot of time there."

"In there's the library."

"Through that door's the recreation room."

Finally when it felt like Mello had shown Matt around enough he practically bolted back to the eating area. Nothing could ever be compared to the moments when Mello received his chocolate. If chocolate was a person then Mello would be head over heels in love with it.

He hummed in contentment as he stood crunching his chocolate, which he could vaguely see Matt looking upon with a frown. "Is that chocolate drugged or something," he asked. Mello ignored him. Nothing could spoil his mood when it came to chocolate.

"Well look at that. There's little girly mellow Mello." Almost nothing. He turned and shot daggers at the tall black haired boy who was behind him. Steve was one of the only people that Mello despised more than Near.

Steve turned his attention away from Mello, looking at Matt, who was standing a few feet away. "Oh yes, I heard about a new kid," said Steve thoughtfully. "Well, it seems Mello finally has found a friend, hmm?"

"Get lost and go jack off to yourself Steve," growled Mello. Even though Steve was bigger (and had a bigger mouth), in a fight between the two Mello could overpower him. Steve was just too stupid to get the lesson.

Steve gave a cocky shrug and smirked at Matt. The redhead had suddenly seemed to quieten back down, looking down at his feet as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. He looked like… a kicked puppy.

"Hey, new kid! Look at me when I'm talking 'bout you!" Mello watched as Steve moved right up to Matt, practically trapping him into a corner. Matt's eyes looked up at Steve slowly and nervously. Mello almost pitied the kid, but merely looked on the scene.

"Huh, what's wrong? Do I scare you," mocked Steve, shoving Matt. The redhead didn't reply, just stood still. Pathetically, cowardly, not daring to speak. This seemed to irritate Steve.

"What the hell?! Why are you just standing there!? Grow some damn balls; can't you see your girlfriend isn't going to help you!?" This was when Mello, who had moved forward, punched Steve full in the mouth. The older boy hadn't been prepared for that, and therefore fell onto the ground from the impact. Mello snarled. "I warned you Steve," he said, and kicked him in the gut once. As Steve started cursing and attempted to get back up, Mello turned back to Matt. "Come on chicken shit; we're leaving."

And so Mello walked back out of the eating area, ignoring the points and whispers that were starting to take place.

A/N: Well, there's the first chapter out of the way. *wipes sweat from forehead* It's weird, this story is already starting to turn out completely different from what I first thought. It's almost like there's an actual Mello and Matt influencing the story. *shiver* Creepy. So, I'll try to write the next chapter as soon as possible. Until then though I suppose it's goodbye.