I'm so sorry guys! I haven't updated for awhile. I was so busy: school, exams,...

Anyway, here's chapter 6. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Both of them were in Nate's living room, facing their laptops: Nate crouching on the wooden floor and Mello sprawling comfortably on the white sofa. After that incident, they'd decided to minimise talking to each other unless it was something important. They had never tried to start a conversation if they didn't want to, anyway.

But back to the main topic.

"Mello." Nate began, monotonous like always.

"What?" The blonde grumbled, breaking a corner of the Meiji with his teeth.

"The scene of crime was a laboratory, owned by the nine victims. When they were students, they made a team, contributed money to that place along with their research. They became famous after graduation thanks to an environmental project." Nate read from the screen. "Tha lab was burned formidably five years ago because of gas-leaking. There's nothing left but ashes but those nine had managed to escape. The cops couldn't fine any corpse or body so they concluded that no one died. But the problem is..." He trailed off. Mello waited for him to finish while himself was searching in some deep websites.

"...that event happened before they became famous..."

"Hm..."

"Your opinion, Mello?"

"I don't know but I smell something fishy here." The blonde threw the silver wrapper, aimed at the rubbish bin in the corner, but he missed. He murmured a cuss under his breath.

"I agree."

Silence filled the room.

"Mello, have you found anything else so far?" Nate spoke softly.

"Uh, no. What do you think? I don't have a good-at-hacking-acquaintance to bring me the information like somebody!" Said the angry blonde, his voice full of sarcasm.

"Mello..." Nate wanted to say something, but then decided to keep silence and turn back to the laptop before him.

Your priority is the case...Your priority is the case... He reminded himself.

They kept working like that in the next two weeks. Sometime, Mello went out to gather more information from God-know-where. And Nate, being an antisocial albino he was, just stayed at home, eyes glued to the screen, reading anything that they currently had.

Anyway...

One Saturday night, Mello returned home (well, to be exact, Nate's apartment) after a long day of investigating. He had to tell Nate an important new. Hell, he still refused to refer to Nate as 'Near', despite Nate calling him 'Mello'. It was his rival's alias, not some kind of friendly nickname.

Mello turned the knob.

"Oi Nate, I-" He shut his mouth as soon as the sight before him came into view: a white figure sleeping soundly on the floor, curling up into a fetal-way. His laptop was still on, papers and Transformers surrounding his sleeping form like some kind of protection.

Of course. Mello should have known. He tried to remember whenever Nate did sleep properly since they worked together. Conclusion: nah, he recalled nothing. He was going to violently wake Nate up and make a sarcastic speech about how irresponsible the younger male was.

But no. Mello found himself silently closed the door, and as gentle as ever, picked the small albino up, carried him bridal-style. He then lied Nate on the white bed in his white bedroom, while taking in the surroundings. There was a white bookshelf with Psychology, Biology, Organic Chemistry and some thrillers on it. Bedside that, the only source of colour in here is Nate's toys: Lego cities, action figures, jigsaw puzzles, darts, crafting tools, Tarot cards, cars, robots,... Mello was impressed by the details in the unfinished city.

Childish. Too childish. Beyond childish for a 23 year old. And he was not just a regular 23 year old. A well-known detective.

But apparently, those toys had been, were and are Nate's only companions, maybe only friends. Mello hadn't seen a Nate without toys before. He almost always had something in his palm to play with. They didn't just help Nate to think and collect his thought. For an antisocial boy, they were something for Nate to hold on to.

Somehow, it's kinda lonely.

Does Nate feel lonely?

At the thought, Mello looked at the slumberous boy. He had big round black bags under his closed eyes, indicated that he hadn't rested for ages. A wave of nostalgia shot through the blonde. Nate looked so much like him.

Mello had always seen the albino put on the blank face. He was always so stoic, logical, emotionless,... Even when he didn't work, he's still rational, never let feelings get in his way. But now, Nate looked younger, peaceful, innocent and vulnerable. His chest slowly rise and fell, a sigh escaped his slightly parted lips now and then.

Mello reached out. He wanted to touch Nate's face, to trace his thumb on Nate's alabaster cheeks and soft-looking lips. But he stopped his hand in the mid-air. Hesitantly, Mello brushed a few white locks out of Nate's closed eyes and buried his hand in the snowy hair for a moment. A gentle smile crept on the chocoholic's face.

Mello stayed awake like that through the silent night, sitting beside Nate on the bed, watching him sleep, and every so often playing with Nate's hair to feel those silky locks in his tan hand.

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Nate groaned inaudibly. He could feel the comfortable mattress beneath him and-

Wait, what!?

How did he end up on his bed? How long had he slept?

He opened his eyes and was greeted with a pair of warm blue orbs.

"Hey Near..." Mello said softly, staring at Nate's deep grey (and still foggy from sleep) orbs.

"Mello?" Nate whispered. Did Mello just call him 'Near'? Beside that, the blonde's voice held no anger, no hatred, no malice. Instead, he looked calm, content and...somewhat happy. And why was Mello in here?

"Come on, it's 9a.m. Let's go to The Laura." With that, Mello left his room, Hershey in hand.

Nate still sitting on his bed, dazed and confused. But eventually...

"Okay." He smiled, ever so lightly.

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A/N: We're getting somewhere (hint hint)! Some reviews would be great. I'll try my best to improve the story and grammar :3 :3. Please wait for the next chapter XD