Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note, it owns me.

AN: Eh. New story. This time, from Matt's POV.

Suggested Listening: Forever by As I Lay Dying

FOREVER

Chapter 1: Tears

Late December, 2001. Mello-12. Matt-11.

I am the master at crying without anyone noticing. This skill comes from years of not wanting to alert anyone when I cried myself to sleep.

My new roommate, however, isn't so good at hiding his tears.

His name is Mello. He got here about a year before I did. His current "rank" is number 2 and it's a well-known fact that he absolutely despises the current number 1, Near.

And he is currently sobbing in the bed across the room from me.

Against my better judgment, I got up and tiptoed across the room.

"Mello?" I whispered.

"What?!" he snapped.

"Are you okay," I asked possibly he dumbest question on the face of the planet.

"Yes," he lied.

"Tell me the truth."

If he wasn't completely sobbing before, he was now.

"What's wrong?" I persisted.

He sat up to glare at me, "You wouldn't fucking understand."

"Mello. I cried myself to sleep 5 years. I think I can understand."

"I hate it," he said between sobs, "Being an orphan, being number 2, being a tool. It fucking sucks!"

I sighed and climbed onto his bed.

"My dad killed my mom, shot me, then blew his brains out," I found myself telling him, "It was a while before I could close my eyes without seeing the rage on his face and the fear on Mom's."

Oh, God. Those memories…

"My parents whored my sister and me out for drug money," Mello's voice brought me back from reminiscing, "Ma died of an overdose and Pop kept her body in his closet. He eventually snapped. He beat my sister to death, raped me, and left. I called the police and was brought here after 3 months in an orphanage."

He shuddered.

"I was brought to my Aunt's house, where my uncle sexually abused me," I continued my story, "Their house caught on fire. The police say it was an accident, but…"

I can still feel the matched burning in my hand. I can still smell the propane tank I dragged into the living room from the porch.

"There was a boy here, his name was Kourt," Mello said, He would beat me up and tease me. One day, he…touched me…inappropriately. I snapped and pounded his face in before…strangling him," he finished in a whisper, "I can still feel his breath slip away. I can still see the terror in his eyes."

"He deserved it," I blurted out, " I was taking care of this cat with Linda. He stoned I in front of us. He was on his way to being another B."

"Your aunt and uncle deserved it," Mello said.

I shook my head, "Not my aunt. She didn't do anything."

"She let him do that to you. She could have stood up for you or told someone. But she didn't do anything."

"I guess you're right," I smiled at him a bit. I never thought of it like that. But, still…

Mello yawned.

"Go to sleep," I practically demanded and started climbing off his bed. He grabbed my arm and without verbal communication, I knew I wasn't going back to my own bed.

I lied down next to Mello.

"Tell anyone about this, you die," he threatened.

I chuckled, "Who do I have to tell? I don't have any friends."

"I'll be your friend," Mello whispered after a few seconds of silence.

"Really?!" I looked up at him. I have never had a friend before.

"Really."

"Forever?"

"Forever."