Mello and I ignored each other after that. If I opened the door and saw that he was in the room, I would slam the door and storm down the hall to Near's room. In classes, we made sure we were never partnered together. I didn't have to do much work in that department, since everyone knew that Mello didn't get along well with others. Lunch was the only place I couldn't avoid him. Each day, he would pass by me and Near, and just glare, than walk out of the cafeteria to do whatever he does. Not that he interested me.

No. Not at all.

Near was a total different case. Different in a weird sense. He sorta became my companion once Mello was out of the picture. The only thing was, that he didn't feel like a companion, or a friend, or a crush for that matter. Everything that came out his mouth sounded completely apathetic. The fact that he talked in a strict monotone didn't help either. At least, with Mello, you knew what you were getting, even though you didn't like it. Near was a big surprise…

Near was mystery meat.

Putting my Game Boy on pause, I decided to ask him. I lifted myself up from the small corner I was in, and crawled on Near's bed. He was playing with some Transformer toy, making it make strange noises and fly in the air. I plopped my head on one of his pillows and looked at him through my goggles. I liked looking at Near through my goggles. It gave me reassurance that he was a real person and not some robot that everybody made him out to be.

" Near?" I said, still staring.

" Yes, Matt?"

" …Do you really…mean what you say?"

Now he put the Transformer down to the side of the bed and looked at me with those wide, dark blue eyes.

" What do you mean?"

I sighed.

" When you speak you sound so apathetic. Like there's no feeling in you at all. Like you're a robot, just like everyone else says."

"So is that how you perceive me? Just like everyone else?"

" No. Well,… I don't want to. But, I have found myself thinking that lately. Like when you said you "found me attractive". You have never really showed-"

My sentence was interrupted by Near straddling me. A let out a small gasp, surprised that he could move so quickly, and even more surprised that he was actually doing something spontaneous for once.

His small, pale, hands grazed the side of my face. One hand slipped under the strap of my goggles, and slid them off with one small movement. My eyes adjusted to him. I noticed that his eyes showed a small hint of gleam in them.

Near was enjoying this.

He kissed me softly on my lips, than began to make a little trail that ended up leading to my neck. Suddenly, he starting sucking, licking, biting, and kissing the crane of my neck. I let a small smile dance on my lips when I figured out what he was trying to do.

Near wanted to mark me.

The question was: Was I going to let him? To be honest, I probably was. I've never seen Near let out as much emotion as I did now. Stopping him from doing this would have been a crime in many ways. Plus, I was in way to deep to make him stop now.

I started kissing him back, but being way more gentle about it. Near was a fragile creature. One wrong move and he could break. He didn't care much about that though.

Near (who's lips were still pressed against mine) starting playing with the hem of my shirt. I pulled away quickly, leaving Near with a shocked expression on his face.

Near. Shocked. Huh.

" I…I got to go." I lied, getting up from the bed. Near quickly regained his composure and formed the regular, dead panned, face I was used to. It was scary how he could do that so quickly.

I left his room and went to my room. Shutting the door behind me. Mello was sitting at the desk, looking through some thick book. Studying. What else is new?

I climbed the ladder to the top bunk, and plopped my head down, causing my red hair to scatter all over the pillow. I really did need a hair cut.

" What the Hell happened to you?" Mello asked. I looked over at him, and noticed that he has been staring at me ever since I've entered the room.

" What do you mean?"

" You have a big ass bruise on your neck."

He got up slowly and walked over toward the bed, examining my hickey thoroughly.

" Is this… from Near?" He looked up at me in disgust.

"…No." I said meekly. For some reason, I had become very scared. Maybe it was the way Mello was looking at me. Disgusted, but not because of me….

Because of Near.

" Don't lie to me Matt." He said roughly. " He…He did that?"

"…Yes, but-"

I didn't have a chance to say anything else, because Mello dashed out the door, leaving me no choice, but to follow him….

AN- Yay! New Chapter. Sorry it was a little over due. I busted my big toe, so, yeah. But I think this chapter sorta makes up for that. And does anybody else think that Matt's hair would look so sexy sprawled out over a pillow? -Kikyo1027