The skies were black and blue, just the way Mello felt after his rotten day. He walked down the street as the rain pounded against his clothes soaking him, wet. He walked through the depressing, cold weather alone, frowning sadly as he recalled the recent events, which led to his current situation.

He knew things would get better but his tears still came camouflaged by the rain, which was soaking him and making him shiver, chilled. He stopped his walking as he bumped someone on their shoulder and sent them stumbling to the ground.

"Sorry," he said turning to help the person up "I didn't see you…walking…" He looked at the young girl who sat on the ground staring up at him with her cute, large eyes.

She was albino but had dark gray eyes, not the usual red. She wore baggy, white pants with a white shirt and matching white socks and shoes. Mello guessed she was at least six or seven years younger than him, but kept his mouth shut and helped her up without another word from his big, sixteen-year-old mouth.

"Thank you," she said politely "you appear sad, so what's the matter?"

"Oh, well, it's nothing to bother a little kid about." He said with a sigh.

The girl gave him an amused smirk. "I am fourteen, thank you very much, and I wouldn't mind being bothered by your problems, it'd distract me from my own problems to be honest, but before we start talking we should find someplace to sit, I'm getting tired and you, too, appear weary." Appreciating her suggestion and blushing Mello nodded as he led her to a nearby bench that was just around the corner at a bus stop. His hand rested atop of hers as they sat down, he blushed but felt relieved as she snuggled closer to him.

"You're so warm." She muttered.

"Um…uh…thanks…." He murmured.

Silence for several minutes clouded the air around them.

"You're cold."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I like cold…I mean…you just feel like you're a corpse…not that'd I know how cold a corpse feels I j-just hear things!"

"It's alright." She said leaning her head on his shoulder. "I understand."

Letting out a sigh of relief Mello smiled. "I like the rain, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"How come?"

"When it rains some people aren't too happy, so I fit in perfectly. The world seems to be in an awful pain when it rains this badly. It's a time I don't mind being alone or sad. The mood and appearance of the sky matches me perfectly in my opinion. Besides nobody can tell you're crying when it rains you can just claim that it's rain water staining your face instead of tears. It's so perfect for the lonely and depressed, I guess. Nobody really expects you to act happy or okay when it rains and you're feeling miserable."

Breif silence.

Mello looked to the soaked ground and let silent tears slip from his eyes, he understood what she was talking about and could easily sympathize with her. He was only cheerful on the outside when the sun shone and all was dry, but inside he was crumbling to dust. He didn't have to hide that fact when it was raining outside and he was glad about that. "What's your name?" he asked wrapping an arm around her small shoulders. She winced slightly, clearly uncomfortable, he quickly removed his arm and mentally face palmed.

"Nattily River, but I'm almost always called Near." She said quietly. "Yours?"

"Mihael Keel, but I'm almost always called Mello." He replied with a half smile. "Nattily is a pretty name, why are you called Near? It's not as pretty as Nattily."

"It started in kindergarten," Near, sighed. "I was smarter than everyone else so they ignored me and called me Near, because nobody actually wanted to be 'near' me. I did make one friend, though, but he moved away in the third grade. I never saw him again after that and even though I wrote like everyday of my life, no matter what, he never wrote back, and the only time he did write me back was to tell me how much he hated me and never wanted to see my repugnant face again. And to my great misfortune and growing sorrow I have moved to the same town and I am going to the same school, as he currently is, how is that for bad luck? I feel sick to my stomach just thinking about it all."

"Hey, hey, don't talk like that." Mello said sympathetically. "You're not ugly, you're really, very cute and if that jerk hates you then he wasn't a very good friend. Besides I bet he's a real douche. I mean he sounds like a dickless moron."

"I guess, but Mail never seemed so unpleasant or obtuse before."

"M-Mail?"

"Yeah, that was his first name." Near sighed sorrowfully. "Mail Jeevas. You know him?"

Mello felt his face go beet red. He'd insulted his best, nay, his only friend in the whole world and was silently begging that he wouldn't find out. Well, he didn't know so Matt a.k.a. Mail wouldn't be too mad even if he knew. He hardly ever got pissed at his blonde friend. Ever being the keyword.

"Yeah…he's my best friend, but I call him Matt."

"Hmm, that's nice," Near said looking to the ground. "I'm thankful he made a new friend. Now, will you tell me why you're so gloomy?"

"Because I had the worst day ever."

"No, I had the worst day ever."

"Bet I can top you."

"Bet I can top you." She said with a heavyhearted smirk. "Okay, we'll see who's had the most terrible day, you can speak first."

"Kay," Mello said, "it all started this morning…"

Mello's Flashback

"Mihael, hey lazy-ass get the hell up!" a familiar voice shouted.

"Oh, shut up, dad!" Mello snapped, "I'm up, I'm up!"

"You're gonna be late for school, and I know just how much you love getting outta the house!" his father bellowed as Mello dressed. "What am I not good enough company?"

"No, but Matt is." Mello muttered to himself.

As Mello left his room a heavy book collided with his skull knocking him to the floor and unconscious. When he woke up he was covered by beer and was late for school. He quickly got dressed again and ran all the way to school. He received a tardy slip and was also given detention. He also, automatically received a failing grade on his essay, which he spent half the school year working on, since it was turned in half an hour late.

At lunch he sat next to Matt who was more than happy to listen to Mello's story of why he was late. A bully/jerk shoved Matt's face into mashed potatoes, though and the blonde got into a fight with the punk and won, but was given three weeks worth of detentions. And he was given a scrapped knee, while he was defending Matt, and it hurt like a bitch.

Matt never thanked him as they were forbidden from being around each other during school hours. And getting home was nearly worse than his day at school.

"Jackass!" his father yelled. "You weren't supposed to leave!"

"Yeah, well, you weren't supposed to hit me in the head in the first place, and you weren't even supposed to be drinking, and you weren't supposed to act like a crotchety old cook! Stupid idiot."

" You damn bastard!"

"No, that's somebody whose born out of wedlock…is there something you and Martha never told me or was it just coincidence Martha dumped you after I was born?"

"Shut up!" his father snapped throwing a heavy book. "She'd have never left if it weren't for you! You're the reason she left, you abomination!"

"If that's how you feel then I'll take whatever I own and find an apartment!"

"Good, then I can live the way I wanna live without a stupid kid weighing me down!"

Mello growled a curse as he stomped to his room and slammed the door shut. He packed up his stuff and left to the nearest, and the fourth cheapest hotel he could find.

Present

"Was that really bad or what?" Mello chuckled without humor.

"That sounds really bad," Near said. "But I'd have to say that I can top that."

"Go for it. Tell me how dreadful your day was."

She gave him a sad smile, which Mello thought was absolutely, adorable.

"Very well, it all started this morning, just as your horrid day did…"

Near's Flashback

Near awoke to see that she was late for school. She frantically packed all of her books and assignments, but was stopped as an angry voice made her freeze. "What do you think you're doing?" he growled. She turned and saw her father standing in the doorway. He appeared tired, stressed and overworked.

His dark, weary eyes scanned her as he stood in the doorway, and his copper colored hair was greasy and terribly messy. Near held her breath, not even blinking, because that was all it took to set him off, one blink. Unfortunately another voice spoke up.

"Dear, I believe Nattily is getting ready for school." Near's mother chirped. "You should go lie down. You look tired."

"Course I do I've been up all damn night, bitch." He grumbled clenching his fists.

"Well, of course I know you were up all night, but you don't have to get ill-tempered with people just because you made a mistake in choosing a line of business."

"Mom please don't-" Near started.

"Shut the hell up!" her father shouted slamming his fist into his wife's stomach. "Neither of you appreciate me! You're both in need of a good beating!"

Near's eyes became wide and fearful as he moved quickly into her room and shoved her to the floor. She was rolled onto her stomach and a foot was placed firmly on the center of her back. Near screamed loudly as her father slammed one of her heavy, schoolbooks on her back with incredible force. He repeated the action for several minutes, which dragged on endlessly for the albino.

Finally he tossed the book down and crossed the room back to his wife who was still on the ground holding her stomach. He forced her to her feet as he pulled on her long, white hair. Leaving the room, the door was slammed shut behind them. Moans and screams echoed in the silence. Near curled up in a ball, weeping not bothering to go to school.

She wasn't afraid much after that.

He never gave beatings twice in one day he was terribly slothful.

Huge bruises sprouted on her back, later that day, and her mother was unable to move without shaking or nearly falling, but she didn't call anyone for help when she finally left her room for something to eat, under the threat that her daughter's throat would be slit.

Near was unable to speak with her mother and was locked up in her room for the rest of the day, only let out when her father thrown her out of the house and into the rain saying that she was an error that had to be gotten rid of, a worthless piece of white trash.

From there she just wandered around until she met Mello.

Present

"Okay, Near, you've topped me." Mello said unenthusiastically. "Um, it might sound strange, but can I, you know, can I see your bruises?"

"Yes." Near said turning her back to Mello and letting him lift her shirt up enough so he could see half her back, which was splotched with dark purple. What pale flesh wasn't bruised so badly was a pale color of green and purple, lightly bruised. Mello ran a finger around the bruises but withdrew his hand when Near flinched and whined in pain. Mello let out a deep breath as Near edged her way away from him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to harm you."

"It's okay, I mean, I'll be alright."

"So, you have anyplace to go while you're banned from your house, or whatever?"

"No."

"Any friends?"

"No."

"Relatives?"

"No."

"Clowns?"

"Uh, no."

"Friendly clown relatives?"

"What?" Near snorted incredulously "No."

"Then, why don't you…you know…stay with me at my place while you're banned from your house…or you can stay at Matt's house I'm sure he'd like to have you."

"Maybe, I could stay with you. Maybe…"

"I'm not a freaky, psycho or perverted, child molester or anything, so you'd be safe."

"O-okay." She said looking up at the crying sky. "Thank you…Mello."

"You're welcome." Mello said feeling rather cheery. "Guess we're roommates now."

"Yes." Near said feeling cheery herself. "So, are we…you know…going to be roommates forever?"

"Only if you want to be." Mello said with a smirk.

They both blushed and held hands the whole way back to the apartment. Turned out that…they were going to be roommates…forever. Few years later…they got married. Both of them found it funny of how they could start out feeling depressed and insignificant and end up finding the most pleasant surprise in the entire world….

Each Other.

The End

Hope you liked the story! XD

Pwease, R&R!