A/N: So, it's been a while, and I've been sitting on this chapter for a bit, but what finally motivated me to type it up was because I have a message: There is a lovely article about fanfiction in the July 18, 2011 issue of Time magazine. It was very well-researched and encouraging of its literary value. I recommend you find a copy- it's the issue with a fish on the cover XD, or I suppose everything's online now, right? Oh well. Just check it out.
I was in pain before I even opened my eyes.
Pain? I was either alive or in Hell, and the latter seemed frighteningly more likely.
But no, no I was alive. I didn't know how, but I was alive. In a hospital, but alive.
I barely twitched my eyelids at first, but that was enough for Mello to understand. "Matt? Matt? Are you awake?"
"Mmn... yes."
I wasn't ready for it when he hugged me, so I made I totally nerdy "meep" noise, but he didn't seem to mind.
"Oh God! Mail Jeevas if you ever scare me like that again..."
"Mello... How am I... not dead?"
"A gloriously close hospital and some really great doctors. But it was close, Mattie. We almost lost you- I almost lost you." He brushed a little hair out of my eyes. "Are you alright? Does it hurt?"
I moved my hand slowly across my general tummy area. It was bandaged, but it seemed like I could still feel each individual wound. They stung, they ached, and they seared, all at the same time. "I didn't think they'd really shoot me."
"I know, love, that was my fault. I thought you'd be safe but I never should have taken the risk to begin with. I don't know what I was thinking- how could I ever live without you, Matt?"
"Don't talk about that now. The important thing is we're both still alive and we're together." It was all that mattered. I was so sure that we had seen our end. But then another thought struck me. "Speaking of which, how did you survive? You said you thought Takada had the eyes and that she'd, well, you know..."
"Oh, it was all good. I was wearing my anti-Kira underwear."
A/N: If they have notebooks that can kill people, they can have underwear that protects you. It's not even that crazy.
Though even I have to admit- Mello? Wear underwear? The notion is laughable. But he made an exception and that's how they survived (because we all know they did).
