Miko: Yay. Reviews make me happy. I really like this story now, and it's turning out to be a decent length so I'm happy. It's the first story I've ever written that's over three chapters. Go me!

So yeah, again this chapter was inspired by 'The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot' by Brand New.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

'Standing trials for your sins'

Mello didn't wake up for another week. Matt still kept up his silent vigil, but he no longer neglected himself in the process. Sometimes, when the red head was lighting another cigarette, he would find himself smiling – actually smiling – and would let out a small laugh, because the smile actually hurt. But the world was brighter for Matt because he knew that Mello was there, only a few feet away, at all times.

Though the blonde never regained consciousness, he had fits where he would scream and thrash so much that Matt had to lay on top of the unconscious boy to stop him from hurting himself. The first time it had happened, Matt had been sprawled out on the floor, PSP in one hand and a still-lit cigarette in the other.

"Nooooo…" The moan was faint, but it was enough to wake Matt up. He dipped a towel and water and put it on the burnt half of Mello's face, but the moaning didn't stop. "Ahhhh…." Then the tossing started. At first it was just a twitch of a limb, a readjustment of a hand, but then a massive tremor ripped through the blonde. Mello arched his back and screamed as though someone was beating him.

"Shhh, Mel." Matt said, trying to hold the bigger boy down. "You're safe here. You're safe." But even after a week lying in a bed, Mello was too strong for Matt. So Matt situated himself on top of the struggling blonde, trying not to put pressure on any of the still tender burns. Sometimes, Mello would get a hand or a leg free and lash out at Matt, ripping through his skin or throwing him against the wall like a rag doll. But Matt took it, whispering reassurances to his blonde angel and praying for the fit to pass.

After five days of that, Matt was covered in cuts and bruises, but he still couldn't think of a time he had ever been so happy. Of course, that happiness was still clouded by the fear that Mello wouldn't wake up. Whatever strange nightmare the Mafia member was stuck in, even Matt couldn't break through it. Sometimes, Matt would look at Mello sleeping on the bed and wonder if the blonde was suffering because of all the pain he had inflicted. If he was being judged for his sins, and only at the end would whatever god there was decide if he was fit to rejoin the world.

But Matt couldn't imagine Mello deserving such pain. Matt of all people knew how ruthless Mello would be in achieving his goals. Once, when they were only eight years old, Mello had pushed Matt down the stairs, breaking the red head's leg and causing him to miss a test. It had been their first week together and Mello still didn't believe Matt when he promised he had no interest in becoming the next L. Though Mello never apologized, Matt knew the blonde was sorry because he had actually sat with Matt for the night he was stuck in the nurse's office.

So Matt watched Mello, changing his bandages three times a day and accepting any pain the sleeping boy needed to inflict. Matt had even left to stock up on chocolate and cigarettes right after Mello woke up for the first time, but he hadn't left since then.

At the end of the second week, Matt was exhausted and there was no part of him left unscathed. Even his goggles were cracked, though he still wore them. Matt had just fallen asleep when Mello sat up. The movement was enough to get Matt's attention, but the gamer thought it was just another fit and was prepairing himself to be beaten and tossed for yet another night.

"God Matt, you look like shit." Mello's voice was still weak from the damage of the smoke, but there was a faint hint of humor in it. Matt looked up at his friend and smiled.

"Glad to see you're back." He said, carefully lifting himself to sit on the bed beside the blonde. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've been through hell and back." Mello said. The words were still slurred because the skin on his face was hard to move, and still painful if the grimaces were any clue. "So what's the damage?" Matt cringed then, afraid of how Mello would react. Even after the constant care, Mello's face would have permanent scarring.

"It's not too bad anymore." Matt said, walking gingerly to the bathroom to grab a mirror. Not knowing what else to say, he handed the shard of mirror to Mello. Matt couldn't look at Mello; couldn't bear to see the blonde's reaction. In truth, Matt thought the scar gave Mello character, but he knew Mello wouldn't see it that way. To his surprise, Mello didn't say anything as he set the mirror down on the bedside table. Several minutes of silence passed before the blonde spoke again.

"So why are you here, Matt?" He asked. "Why did you decide to show up after almost five years?" Matt just looked at his fingers, twisting them around each other. He couldn't tell Mello what he was thinking because he knew the blonde would laugh, but he didn't know of any lie that would be good enough.

"You didn't come for me." He said lamely. "It's just…I thought you would. I thought we were…I don't know…friends, I guess." He never took his eyes off his hands so he couldn't see Mello's face but from the silence, he guessed the blonde was angry. Then, out of no where, Mello's hands grabbed Matt's smaller ones, stopping the repetitive twisting.

"That's because I didn't want you to come." Mello said, tightening his grip on Matt's hands as the gamer tried to pull them away. "You were supposed to stay safe in England. This fight is between me and Near. You don't belong in the middle."

"Okay." Matt said. He knew that if Mello asked him to, he would be on the next flight out of the country. Matt tried to pull his hands away, but Mello still wouldn't release them.

"I tell you I want you gone and all you say is 'Okay?'" Mello asked, anger rising in his voice. "What would you do if I told you I wanted you to die, huh?"

"I'd ask you how." Matt said quietly, afraid of provoking Mello's anger more for fear that Mello would hurt himself. "If you really want me gone I'll leave. I have enough money to fly myself back to England."

"Fuck, Matt." Mello said. "That's not what I meant." The blonde shifted their hands to both of Matt's were in one of his. He used his free hand to turn Matt's head to face him. Before Matt could pull away, he felt rough lips press against his. He leaned in to the kiss, and let out a moan of disappointment when Mello pulled away.

"Go away, Matt." Mello had slid away from him and Matt didn't want to push his luck. "Go buy yourself a new outfit. Your clothes have holes in them." Matt smiled because it was true.

The red head didn't say anything as he left the room. He heard Mello lay back down and before he had made it to the kitchen he heard the annoying whining snore that meant the blonde had drifted into sleep already. "Sleep well, Mel." He said, picking up the keys to do as Mello had told him.