That night, Mello woke up to hear Near crying out again. He sighed. 'Tonight, I will do nothing.' he thought to himself. 'I won't!' He expected Near to stop crying but he didn't. Mello tried to tune him out, tried to go back to sleep but he couldn't put the thought of tiny little Near crying to himself with no one to be there for him.

Near cried out in a broken tone, "Mello...! NO!" Mello's eyes widened at his name. Why was Near dreaming about him? He peeked over at Nears bed and saw the tiny kid curled into a ball and shaking like the last leaf on a tree in the fall when a strong wind blew. But surprisingly, he was still asleep.

Mello silently tiptoed over to Near's bed and laid a tentive hand on Near's shoulder but Near flinched away from the touch. Mello closed his eyes and sighed. He climbed into Near's bed and wrapped him in his arms. Near whimpered and tried to pull away but Mello wouldn't let him. He kissed Near on his head and hugged him tighter to his chest.

"Shhh…. I'm here now, quiet down…." Mello whispered random things that he hoped would calm Near down. Within ten minutes, Near curled into Mello, no longer crying but still shaking and whimpering quietly.

"Shhh, Near, it's okay now. Wake up," Mello whispered encouragingly. He was once again mentally kicking himself. Why should he care about this unfeeling, perfect child? He hated Near! But he felt a strange pull towards Near, a protectiveness, a possessiveness.

He started when Near started to stir. He loosened his hold and started to draw away. It shocked him when Near hugged him tighter, not letting him go.

"Near…" Mello began, but was cut off when Near kissed him. Not something like a kiss on the cheek, though that would've been odd as well, but on the lips. What shocked Mello even more was his reaction.

Near's P.O.V

Near had woken from the horrible dream in the arms of the person he loved. He didn't know what force made him do what he did, but whatever it was, he was glad.

After the initial shock, Mello kissed back. He was a very good kisser as well. Mello brought his hand up and tangled it in Nears hair. Near wrapped his arms around Mello's neck and kept kissing. This was his first kiss ever, not with just a male but with anyone.

Mello pulled back and nuzzled Near's cheek. "Near…" he breathed in Near's ear. Near shivered with pleasure. Mello's voice was silky and warm, like chocolate. It melted him into a puddle, unable to do anything but feel….

A while later….

Mello flopped onto his back with his arm over his eyes. "Well, fuck," he muttered.

Near just laid there, eyes closed, lips parted slightly.

"Near?" Mello asked hesitantly, looking at the kid next to him.

Near opened his eyes and looked at him. "Yes, Mello?" he asked.

"I…ah…I didn't hurt you, did I?

"No, Mello, you didn't hurt me," Near sighed and closed his eyes again.

"Why'd you do it? Why'd you kiss me?" Mello demanded, angry now.

"Why? Because I wanted to. Because I love you." Near said quietly. His voice was so calm and devoid of emotion that Mello couldn't tell if he was lying or not.

"Love? You? Me? How can anyone love me? Especially you?"

"Very easily, if they figure out that the meanness is just a way to shield your heart. Matt loves you. Not the way I love you, but the way a friend loves a friend," Near replied. "No, the question is not if I love you, because we both know the answer to that, even if you deny it. The question is if you can accept my love and if you can love me in return." All of this was said in the same unemotional monotone.

Mello opened his mouth to say no, he could never accept, never love him. But he closed his mouth. Did he know for sure? He closed his eyes, emptied his mind and asked himself 'Do I truly hate Near? Can I?' He wracked his brain for the answer but it was withholding. He could feel the answer in some secret part of his brain but it refused to give up the vital information. Then he remembered what Near had said, that he had a shield around his heart.

Mello took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He slowly took down the walls, the ones he took years to perfect. Then he knew the answer.

"I believe that I can accept. But love? No, not yet. I think that I can learn to love you, in time but it's too soon for me to truly love you right now..."

Near sighed. "I know." He opened those dark eyes that Mello thought before to hold nothing behind and Mello saw the love in them. Near moved closer to him and curled once again into his chest. "I have waited his long. I can wait longer. I'm very patient."

Mello smiled and laid a hand on Nears head. 'I could defiantly learn to love him….'