"I don't know how much Near's told you if anything about what's happening." The man said. Mello was careful to avoid eye contact.
"We talked about it, "Mello replied.
"I know this isn't easy for you to hear," Watari continued. "I was hoping that you and I wouldn't have to have this conversation for quite some time. Near-"
"It's not right," Mello growled. "He's just a kid. Why does it have to be Near? There are a lot of people who do terrible things. Why is it that they get to live, and Near's sick?" Watari sighed softly.
"Sometimes, Mello, things happen, and we don't get an explanation. Illness knows no age. It doesn't care if you're good or bad. It takes hold of the young and old alike. " Watari said. "Life isn't always fair, my boy. I'm sorry that Near is going through this. He's going to need you through this process. He'll need your strength. The two of you have a difficult road ahead of you. You can't change what's waiting for you at the end of that road, but you can choose how you take that journey."
"What do you mean?" Mello asked.
"You can choose to go down that road with him, giving him your love and being there for him, which means you can't dwell on what lies ahead, only what's going on in the moment and getting him through. Or you can focus on the negative side of this, and the more you worry about the things you can't change, the less time you'll be able to spend with Near. If you worry about losing him, you can't be there for him the way you'll want to be."
"I'm trying." Mello replied.
"Will you be all right, Mello?" He asked gently. He received a nod, briefly placing a comforting hand on the teen's shoulder before exiting the room. Mello drew in a breath, leaning forward in his chair. He rested a hand on Near's, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"I don't care how you do it, Near, but you better outlive me. I don't want to know what it feels like to figure out this life without you. Don't be the one to show me what it feels like to lose someone I love. You're stronger than me, you can handle something like this, but I can't." He stood, kissing the white-haired boy's head softly.
"Mello?" Near called weakly, his eyes opening slowly.
"Yeah, Near?"
"You stayed?"
"I told you I was going to. I can't just leave you like this. You get weird when they give you pain meds. How are you feeling?"
"Fuzzy, "Near replied.
"I know, your thoughts get a little funny. That's just one more reason for me to stay. I've got you, Near."
"Hardly seems fair to you," the ill teen said. "You should be with someone that you-"
"I picked you, and I'll do it every time. You're right, this isn't fair for either of us. But I'm not walking away. Just do me a favor, Near. Let me keep you for a while longer. Promise me?" Near took Mello's hand, meeting his gaze.
"Will you promise me something in return?" He asked.
"Like what?"
"When the time comes, will you love me enough to let me go?"
"I love you, but-"
"There's going to be a day when I'll need that from you. I'll give you the rest of my life, but I need to know that you can do that for me. That's something you'll need to think about."
"I promise to try," the older boy vowed. He knew that he might not be able to keep it.
"You can still walk away from this. I won't-"
"I could, but I won't. I've been here since we were little, and I always will be. No matter how many times you try to get me to leave. I'll keep telling you the same thing as many times as you need to hear it." Mello spent the remaining hours of the evening holding Near close as the boy drifted in and out of sleep. Watari's words still played in his mind. He knew that there would be more difficult conversations with Near and that the day would come when he would have to let go, no matter how much he wanted the teen to stay. There was no way around it.
Mello tightened his grip on the ill boy, resting his head on top of Near's. A tear slid down Mello's cheek, but he fought to keep his composure. He would have to learn to push his sadness aside and do what was best for his love. Something that was easier said than done.
