Mello was seventeen, he met Raye Penbar for the first time. Raye had escaped from his master (which, Takada noted with a dark scowl, happened to be one Teru Mikami) and Mello managed to convince fifteen-year-old Near to pay for him. Near gave Mikami a good amount, and, ignoring Mikami's protests of how Raye wasn't a good worker, shut the door in his face. Mello, though he could barely remember that particular year because he was inside with Near and Raye the entire time, remembered clearly the deluded look of relief on Raye's face when he told him he wouldn't have to go back, a certain look that clearly spelled out 'thank god', just before he passed out.

When Raye woke up, the first thing he saw was Mello and Wedy talking quietly. He coughed, half to get their attention and half because he needed to.

"Oh, hello." Wedy came over and sat by him. "My name's Wedy, and this is Mello. Who are you?"

"I'm Raye." He rasped out. With Wedy's help, he managed to get up. "Where are we?"

"In slave's quarters." Mello said softly. Raye sighed and stared down at his hands.

"When will you be taking me back?" Wedy frowned and glanced at Mello.

"We won't be." Raye looked up at Mello.

"Mello, stay here." Wedy said, standing up. "I'm going to be right back."

"Yes, ma'am." Mello took Wedy's spot as she left.

"You aren't taking me back." Raye stated softly. Mello looked at him. "But I'm not going to be free, am I?"

"I don't think so." Mello said. Raye took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "But, it's good here." Raye looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Near-sama's family works us well, and they don't treat us as badly as everyone else seems to." Mello said.

"They don't?" Mello shook his head and Raye stared at him in disbelief.

"Don't look like that. They don't. In fact, they treat us really well, considering." Mello smiled. "Look, this is the slave's quarters. And you're on a bed. With blankets. This place doesn't leak. Least, I think it doesn't." Mello's attempt at humor made the elder male smile at him.

"Man, you're up!" Came a cheerful voice from behind them. Mello rolled his eyes as he turned around to face Wedy, Matt, and Near.

"Don't shout at him, dummy." He said, standing up and bowing. "Near-sama."

"Mello." Near shuffled slowly forward and took Mello's spot. "Hello. You are Raye Penbar, correct?" Raye nodded. "Mikami said that you were a good worker." Raye raised an eye brow at Near's obvious lie.

"He did?" He said blankly.

"With a few behavioral problems, of course." Near amended. Raye's eyebrow went higher, and Near rolled his eyes. "All right, fine. He said you were a horrible worker with an attitude problem, but Mikami's views are unimportant now." Raye heaved a sigh and Near continued. "At any rate, I would like Raye to work---" Raye shut his eyes, bracing himself, and began to move out of the bed. Near blinked. "What is Raye doing?"

"Getting up." Raye grunted, taking deep breaths as he slowly moved up.

"Why?" Near asked. Raye opened his eyes and stared at Near incredulously. Behind Near, Mello 'tsk'ed and crossed his arms.

"To work." Near tilted his head and stared, wide-eyed, at Raye.

"Mello, он желает работать с болью в его спине?(1)" Near said, twirling his hair in his fingers. Mello snorted.

"Dunno i. Why're вы спрашивая мне?(2)" Raye blinked at the tone Mello used towards Near. Near didn't seem to notice, however, and instantly switched back to English.

"Does Raye wish to work with pain in his back?" He asked softly.

"No, but if you want me to---"

"Perhaps if Raye would allow me to finish." Near spoke firmly. Raye quieted and looked at Near. "I would like for Raye to work when his back is healed." He motioned to the gauze around Raye's chest. "It seems Mikami has a fondness for whips and such. Исправьтесь, Mello?(3)" Mello nodded darkly. Raye blinked, staring at Near. Near stared back, his head still tilted. "Well? Lay down." Slowly, still staring wide-eyed at Near, Raye obeyed. "Wedy," The blonde woman jumped at being called and looked at the smaller boy. "You and Aiber take shifts to make sure Raye is healing all right."

"Yes, Nate-sama." Wedy bowed. Near stood up.

"Mello, come with me. Matt, too."

A few days later, Near and Mello were by Raye's bed, Mello hovering over him as he pressed a wet cloth to his head and Near standing by the doorway.

"Как это случилось?(4)" Near asked softly.

"Wedy говорит что его заднее сусло получало зараженным как-то." Mello muttered at Near. "Raye, can you hear me? Raye?" Raye moaned lightly and Mello shook his head. "Нам будем нужна вода и микстура.(5)" He muttered again, this time more to himself than to Near.

"Here." Matt came in, holding out a bottle. "Takada-sama gave it to me. She said it's to help with Raye's fever."

"Thanks." Mello muttered, taking the bottle. "How do we do this?"

"You pour it in his mouth." Matt said.

"Here, open his mouth." Mello instructed, opening the bottle easily. Matt tipped Raye's head back, opening the older man's mouth as Mello poured the contents of the bottle down Raye's throat.

"That's enough, Mels." Matt said. Mello pulled the bottle back up and Matt lay Raye down on the bed again. Matt sighed.

A week later, Mello watched Raye as he worked, talking with a slave standing next to him.

"Is Mello all right?" Near asked softly, coming behind the taller male and placing a hand gently on the middle of his back. Mello turned slightly and faced Near.

"I'm fine, Near-sama." He replied. Near tilted his head to the side and Mello smiled at him lightly.

"I have a question to ask of Mello." Mello blinked.

"Shoot, Near-sama."

"When Mello said that he liked me, that one night..." Mello's eyes widened slightly. "Did Mello mean that way or not?"

"What do you mean, 'that way', Near-sama?" Mello asked carefully. Near brought a hand to his head and began to twirl his hair.

"What I meant was, did Mello mean that he liked me or that he loved me?" Pink began to dust Mello's cheeks lightly and he looked away.

"Near-sama, I---"

"I want Mello to answer, and answer honestly." Near interrupted. Mello sighed.

"I meant that I liked you, Near-sama, and that is all." Near nodded.

"Thank you, Mello." He said before shuffling away slowly. Mello sighed and, running a hand through his hair, glared at the window, wondering why the hell he felt so bad.

1---Mello, he wishes to work with pain in his back?
2---I dunno. Why're you asking me?
3---Correct, Mello?
4---How did this happen?
5---Wedy says that his back must have gotten infected somehow. We'll need water and medicine.

Thanks to Josephine Falnor, MyColdHeart, methegirl, and hinata0710 (i didn't mean to make you feel bad---im sorry!!! XD) for encouraging reviews.

Special thanks to Josephine Falnor for the story alert and methegirl for the favorite story alert