It was his third day straight playing his new video game. He'd barely stopped, except for when he fell asleep between raids. Matt glanced at the Leaning Tower of Pizza on the ground beside his couch, and scattered sodas and juice boxes—which he'd broken out once the soda ran out. Maybe Linda was right. Maybe he did need to sit back and take a look at the shithole his life—not to mention his apartment—had become over the last year. Since he left Wammy's House, he survived off of ramen and delivery food like the average college student. His life had been sustained by his video games, cigarettes, and his hack jobs. Linda dropped in on his New York City apartment every now and then to check on him and make sure he hasn't passed out, puked up his myriad of junk food and died from pulmonary aspiration.

Today was one of those days. Linda kicked aside a two-liter bottle of Dr. Pepper as she entered the rather dark living room. Matt's feet were up on the back of the couch, head thrown back as he stared at the ceiling. His pupils rolled to the side and saw what he knew to be Linda's high-heeled boots standing before him. "What?"

She dropped two packs of cigarettes on his stomach. "Here's your cancer sticks."

"Thanks." He grabbed one, tapped the bottom, and reached forward to grab his lighter from the wrapper-strewn coffee table. Linda slipped behind him, taking a seat where his head was. Matt just lit a cigarette and dropped back onto her lap. He looked up at her, blue eyes exposed.

Linda sighed, tilting her head at him. She pulled the cigarette from his mouth and replaced it momentarily with her lips. "I love you."She tapped her forehead against his. Her brown eyes returned to his, acknowledging his blue eyes. "Want to go out for lunch?"

Matt sighed, smoke billowing from between his lips. "What time is it?" He stretched his arms upward, groaning.

"Almost one."

He debated in his mind for a moment. He could go out into the world and actually be social for the afternoon, or videogames. It was a tough choice. Food, videogames… food, videogames…

"Sure."

Linda smiled and followed him as he rolled off the couch to his feet. "Go shower. You've been wearing the same thing going on two days now. I'll wait down here." She pointed to the short spiral staircase leading to the second floor—two bedrooms and a master bathroom.

Matt whined, but nonetheless dropped his cigarette in the ash tray and dragged himself up the stairs. "I'll be back."

Upstairs, the redhead stripped and stood beneath the steaming hot water. He leaned against the wall of the shower and lost himself in the pounding stream for a moment before setting to washing himself.

His eyes jerked open at the click of the door. "Matt," He relaxed when Linda's voice called out. She sounded confused.

"Hm?"

"Phone."

He threw his head back. Why the hell did someone have to call right when he got in the shower? He stepped back under the water, rinsing the suds from his hair. "Gimme a minute."

Linda hesitated. "It's Mello."

"Fuck!"

His girlfriend recoiled, jumping back slightly from the threshold of the door just by the sudden volume of Matt's voice. "I didn't think you guys had that bad of a falling out," She raised her eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe. She heard a snort on the other line of the cordless phone she held away from her head.

"It's not that—fuck—I got damned soap in my eye!" Linda laughed and Matt cursed at her under his breath as the water was turned off and he stepped out of the shower. He wrapped a towel around his damp waist and Linda held the phone to his ear as he dried his hands off with a smaller towel. "Mello?" He blinked.

On the other line, a voice deeper than Matt remembered chuckled. "No, it's the fucking muffin man. Of course it's Mello."

"Oh," He rubbed his dark blue towel across his face one more time before taking the phone. Linda smacked his backside before slipping out of the bathroom with a smirk. "Long time, no see."

"Nah, it's only been five years," Mello mumbled sarcastically. "Let's just skip this whole 'How've you been' thing. I need your help."

The burning sensation in his eye finally began to subside. Matt crossed the bathroom again and leaned against the sink. "What with?"

"Surveillance for the Kira case. Just stalk a couple people for me, let me know where they go and if they do anything suspicious," He paused. When Matt didn't immediately answer, he added on, "Like old times?"

He inhaled. "Why the fuck not? You're not going to give me a choice anyway. May as well add some purpose into my life rather than being a lazy ass with no future ahead of him," He mused aloud. "Sure, I'll help you out."

"Well you're right about one thing—you're going to help me regardless of what you say." There was another pause as Matt put the phone on speaker and began to get dressed. "You know, if you applied yourself a little, you could be one of the most influential people in the world," the husky voice over the phone observed.

Matt fiddled with the button on his jeans. "Nah. I haven't grown out of the social anxiety thing. Linda's my only real connection to the world anymore. I have no life. I won't have one either."

"Oh, c'mon, what happened to my partner in crime?"

"He died."

"Don't be so melodramatic," He grumbled, and Matt could see his face wrinkling up on the other end of the phone call.

Matt shrugged, though he knew Mello couldn't see him. "I dunno man. I don't do anything but play videogames, hack, eat and sleep these days."

"Matt. That's all you've ever done. It was just more fun when we were little, because you were with me," He paused once more. Matt only growled and dropped a T-shirt over his head. Mello took a deep breath. "Hey. Don't sound so depressed. If you help me with this, I will forever be in your debt. You've always been the most trustworthy person I've ever known. You're a genius, Matt. You were my best friend. I couldn't compare to you even if you never actually tried for anything."

"But I don't try, so therefore my life is worth nothing."

"But it is." The redhead once again groaned. He shook his wet hair out and scooped up the phone. Mello continued, "When you and I track down Kira and take him out, we'll be the heroes. We'll be the one taking revenge for all of those innocent lives that were ended too soon by that idiotic murderer. Trust me, Matt, if anyone's life is important at this stage of the game, it's yours. I'm disposable. You're not. No one else could fill your position right now."

Matt hovered on the landing of the stairs. Linda dropped the curtain of the window she was gazing out at and looked up at him.

"I need you, Matt."

He turned, blocking his expression from his girlfriend's view. He nodded, slowly at first, then increasingly quickly. "Alright. Alright," He opened his mouth to say more, but stopped short.

"Thank you. You don't know how much we need you. You. Not just your skills."

"You're welcome, I guess…" Matt took a deep breath and let it go with a sigh. "So who exactly am I tracking, now?"

"Misa Amane and Kanzo Mogi. I'll brief you about it more later. Go enjoy lunch with your girl; I've got to run anyway," Mello said rapidly, stretching.

"Okay. Hey, Mello?"

"Hm?"

He hesitated. "Thanks."

"No problem."

The line went dead. Matt held the phone a moment more to ensure he had actually hung up before bringing it down to his vision. His thumb stretched upward to end his side of the call. He could see the digit trembling. He pressed the button, turned, and jogged down the stairs. He dropped the phone on the couch and grabbed his vest. Pausing at the door, he turned to Linda, still standing in his apartment. He extended a hand and smiled. "Shall we?"

Linda tilted her head suspiciously. The suspicion was gone in a flash, and instead replaced with a pleasant surprise and a warm smile. She slipped her hand into his and passed through the door. "We shall."

A/N:

And there's Mattie. ^_^ Yes, I am a shipper of Matt and Linda, whenever he's not with Mello. C: Yay for minor character love! :D

L should be up next, followed by Light, followed by Misa. Stay tuned~!

~Rachel