A/N: So, this is Chapter 9, and I am so grateful to all of my reviewers thus far. So, I feel it only fair to actually thank them here: a big thanks goes out to (in no particular order)- CatatonicVanity, Anonymous Tokumei No, nessk(anonymous), brightnight003, Okirimono, somebodykillme, nuu1(anonymous), and SarahSyringe. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!

Chapter 9: Curiosity

The weeks crept by, slowly turning into months. The memory of that day was still fresh in
Mello's mind, at least once a week; he re-lived it in all its vividness in his dreams. Sure, he had girlfriends to occupy his time, but none of them made him feel the way he did during that kiss. No, those feelings weren't going away at all, instead they were growing stronger by every passing day.

But he didn't seem to mind, in fact, he and Matt were so close that they were accused of being lovers more than once. It would always make Mello blush for a moment before his temper flared, not for being accused of being gay, but for the accusers almost giving away his secrets, even if completely unintentional. Matt, on the other hand, always found it hilarious and would either begin laughing hysterically or making some snarky comment to insult whoever it was.

In fact, the feelings Mello had for Matt were not the matters that loomed in the back of his mind. Rather, it was the simple question that he could not answer that drove him insane, lying awake into the wee hours of the morning wondering: why Matt wore those goggles. Whenever he'd ask, Matt would only avoid the question, looking away or changing the subject if not completely drowning him out with his Play Station.

His curiosity grew so strong that he was determined, whether Matt wanted to cooperate or not, he would find out why the hell he wore those stupid orange-tinted goggles. He waited for the opportune moment, which happened to come by during lunch. Matt had become so immersed in playing whatever it was on his PSP that he'd stopped answering Mello. It wasn't a rare occurrence really, whenever he got a new game that was really good, nothing in the world could pry him out of his little gamer world.

Mello glanced around, inching closer to Matt before lightly tugging on the leather strap.
The redhead still did not notice. Before he had a chance to, the blonde yanked off the goggles. Immediately, Matt snapped out of his videogame induced trance and whirled around, his green eyes ablaze as Mello and all of the nearby bystanders gasped. Right around his eyes, there were several web-like scars where glass had obviously shattered and fell on him as well as some discoloration over his right eye where he had been burned in the fire.

"Mello…" he gasped in disbelief, snatching back his orange-tinted safe haven, strapping them to his face.

"Matt! I- I just—I didn't mean—." The blonde stammered, blushing.

"Aww Matt," Linda, like a hawk, came out of nowhere. "What happened? Was it from the accident? I didn't know…" she tried to comfort him.

"I'm fine Linda, I just…I have to go." He stormed out of the dining hall as if his heels were on fire. In his haste, he'd left his PSP sitting on the table.

"FUCK." Mello said under his breath. His chances with Matt had gone from slim to nonexistent.

"To think I liked you." Linda hiss at him, jutting out her bottom lip before turning her nose up and turning on her heel, her paint-covered smock swaying slightly as she walked away. The fact that Linda, irritating Linda whom he couldn't stand had a crush on him didn't even matter, she, as well as everything else, hell, even beating Near, was not important at the moment. The only important thing going through Mello's mind was the fact that Matt probably hated him now.

He buried his head in his hands, running his fingers through his long blonde hair.

How in hell was Matt ever going to forgive him?

A/N: Please review!

I'm reviving the chapter questions! This chapter's question: Why do you like the pairing Mello x Matt?