A/N: Okay, so here's chapter 9. I'm sorry it took so long. This chapter's a bit more...graphic. There's a slight lemon near the beginning (italicized) it kinda is important to the story, but not really. The other lemon is marked later on so if you want to skip it you can. Enjoy!

There was one thing he did deserve though. Matt deserved to be loved and cherished like the wonderful, caring person that he was, and always had been. But I'd hurt him; I don't know how he ever found it in his heart to forgive me, not after the promise I'd broken, the one I made to him that night.

"Mel…Mel…ngh," Matt panted.

"What?" I managed to gasp as I thrust in and out of him. "Are you…mfh…close?"

"Y-yeah…" he managed. "But…P-promise me something…"

"Any-ngh-thing."

"Don't leave."

I stopped mid-thrust and gazed down at him, his lust-filled sapphire eyes gazing up at me pleadingly.

"I promise," I murmured as I leaned down to kiss him before thrusting my hips forward and striking his sweet spot one last time, sending him over the edge as he groaned my name and pulled me over with him.

It was a simple promise, one I had made almost instinctually and broken almost as quickly. How could he forgive me? And yet, there he was, curled against me, clinging to me like a child clings to its mother. Maybe that's why I'd never told him about how I came to Wammy's. I don't think that I could add anymore stress to him. I was always the one who took care of him…

"Hey, Mello!" Linda called as she saw Matt and I walk into the common room. "Hey, Matt!"

"Hey," I answered.

Matt just stared at his feet and mumbled a greeting as he pushed a little closer to me. He didn't like going to the common room because there were more people than he enjoyed being around at one time. Classes were something he put up with because he had to; the common room was a different matter.

I pulled his hand into mine and squeezed it gently. "So, what did you want us for, Linda?" I asked. Better to get this over with as quickly as possible.

"Come over here," she said, turning around and walking over to a slightly secluded corner where Resa was sitting cross-legged on the floor. "This," she said, picking up an enormous bag of animal charms, like you'd make necklaces or bracelets with or something.

"What's that?" I asked, and Matt actually turned to look as well. Apparently, he was just as confused and curious as I was.

"Spirit animals," Linda said, as if she thought that would explain it all.

"Which are?" I said, starting to get slightly annoyed. She knew Matt didn't like to be around more than the three of us at a time, so I couldn't even fathom why on earth she thought it necessary to make this visit any longer than it absolutely had to be.

"Spirit animals are animal charms that have a certain quality about them that describe you." To my surprise, it was Resa that answered instead of Linda.

"Okay, so what does that have to do with Matt and me?"

"I want you to make some for each other. Resa and I already have one and we agreed that you two needed one." Linda shook the bag to add a slight bit of emphasis to her request (?).

"So what are yours?" Hey, we were there, I might as well find out.

Linda grinned, as if she thought I would never ask that question of her, and pulled a necklace that had a rabbit charm dangling from it from under her hoodie. "Rabbit: talkative and sometimes annoying, you know a lot about the people around you. Even though you might seem rude by knowing so much, you're actually very kind and caring." Wow, that fit her to a t.

Resa pulled a necklace with a dove charm on it out from under her sweater and said quietly, "Dove: quiet and not very social, you tend to keep to yourself but are truly caring, especially of your friends."

"Now, pick!" Linda urged, pushing the bag towards us. "You first, Matt."

Matt swallowed hard and reached into the bag with his right hand, since his left hand was currently clasped in my right, and dug around for a few seconds before pulling out a cat.

"Oh." Linda smiled knowingly, and shook the bag at me. "Your turn!"

"Wait, what's a cat mean?" I asked.

"I'll tell you after you pick," Linda chuckled.

I rolled my eyes and stuck my left hand in the bag. Fox? No, he didn't like pranks. Dove? Maybe. Definitely not a rabbit or a snake. I thought about one time when I let my mouth slip and said something that hurt Matt. His pouting might not work on me, but that wounded puppy look… My fingers wrapped around a dog charm. Puppy… I pulled it out, my hand wrapped tightly around it.

"So?" Linda asked.

I opened my hand and held it palm up, the charm nestled in the center.

Linda nodded. "Thought so."

"So, what do they mean?" I asked, annoyance beginning to creep into my voice again.

"I'll start with Matt's," Linda said. "Dog: quiet and introverted, you have your quirks that tend to keep people at a distance. Though you've been hurt in the past, you're loyal and trusting. You've put all of your trust in the one person that showed they cared, but if that trust is ever broken, it'll shatter what's left of your abused heart."

God, that was practically as dead on as Linda's and Resa's, but I had to make sure not to damage him any further.

Resa spoke next. "Cat: though brash and abrasive to most, you have the one you're gentle with, be it friend or lover, and they trust you completely. As close as you are, you still find it hard to completely bear your heart to them."

Linda smiled, almost sadly, before looking at Matt and I. "So, there you go. Here's the leather to make the necklace and if you ever need to replace it, come see me."

Puppy… He was my little puppy and I had to take care of him. Even if it meant keeping my own pain locked inside. I pulled his necklace from under his shirt and he looked up at me curiously before I pulled mine out as well and hugged him gently. "How do you feel, Mattie?" I asked.

"Better I guess," he murmured, snuggling closer. "My head doesn't hurt anymore, but I feel a little sick to my stomach."

"Well, let's go grab something to eat, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed and we got up and went down to the cafeteria.

A few weeks later, Mello and I were curled up on his bed. I was laying on my back, between his legs, with my head resting on his stomach as he ran his fingers gently through my hair with one hand, his other hand running over the scars on my neck. Somehow, he wasn't getting mad; I guess he was just happy I was there. I rolled over onto my stomach.

"Hey, I've been thinking," Mello started. "How long's it been since we've made love?"

His question caught me off guard, and I knew he could see it in my eyes, but I did a mental count. Add the few weeks we'd been back together, the few weeks I'd been in the hospital, the few weeks after I'd fucked Near, and the few days before that… "About two months," I murmured quietly.

"Yeah…Mattie, do you…wanna make love?" he asked softly.

I crawled up and kissed him gently. "I've been dying to hear you say that…"

*Lemon warning!*

He cupped my face gently in his hands and kissed me, nipping lightly at my bottom lip.

I gasped at the initial shock and his tongue darted into my mouth, re-exploring, and re-claiming, every centimeter.

He pulled back and then flipped our positions so that I was beneath him, and pulled my shirt over my head, tossing it to the floor. Mello kissed me and then began trailing soft kisses down my jaw line and down my neck, where he nipped playfully.

I moaned and arched against him a little, feeling him smirk against my skin before pulling back. "Bastard."

I hadn't realized I'd spoken my thoughts until he paused, his shirt halfway up his chest, looking at me. "How am I a bastard? We can't make love with our clothes on, can we?"

I shook my head and sat up, starting to undo my belt when he flung his shirt to the floor and pushed me back onto the bed, undoing my belt and popping the button of my jeans open before snagging the pull of my zipper in his teeth and pulling it down.

"Mel…"

"What?" he asked as he looked up at me.

"Who's gonna top?" It wasn't that I cared really; it had simply been ages since either of us had bottomed; we'd have to go slowly and carefully.

"Whatever you want, Mail," he whispered softly.

"I… I want you to top," I answered. "I want you in me."

He crawled up over me and kissed me gently, lingering a bit so that his lips brushed as he spoke, "As you wish, my love…" He reached down with one hand and undid his belt and jeans, kicking them off.

I heard them hit the floor and I opened my mouth to say something, only to have him cut me off by kissing me again and fondling me through my boxers, the only thing between his hand and my skin. I whined softly.

He smirked into the kiss and hooked his thumbs in the waistband of my boxers, pulling them down.

I hissed softly as the air hit me, but it morphed into a quiet moan as Mello let the tips of his fingers ghost over my hip bones before he gripped my hips gently and, leaning down, licked the underside of my shaft lightly, before taking me in fully and deepthroating me.

"Oh, God," I groaned as I felt the tip of my cock rub against the back of his throat. My fingers flew to his hair, gripping tightly as he sucked me off. I bent over, my nose almost buried in his hair as his sinfully talented tongue had me panting and groaning with pleasure. "M-mel…" I panted weakly.

"Hmm?" He sat up, pre-cum dribbling from the corner of his mouth.

My cock twitched. God, that was such a turn-on.

"What is it?" he asked in a quiet, husky voice.

"I want you in me," I panted.

"Okay." He made to wipe the pre-cum away, but I dove forward and licked it away myself. He slipped his boxers off, before pushing me back onto the mattress and crawling between my legs.

I whimpered in anticipation.

His fingers wrapped gently around the underside of my thighs and he bent down, touching his tongue gently to the tight ring of muscle at my entrance.

His tongue slipped inside and I moaned, pushing closer to him. I let him continue for a few minutes, before I gasped, "Mel…"

He pulled back, sitting up and gazing down at me.

I grabbed his right wrist and pulled his fingers into my mouth sucking on them gently.

He let me suck on his fingers as he stroked my cheek tenderly. Finally, he pulled his fingers from my mouth and pressed his index finger to my entrance and slipped it inside. He thrust it in and out gently a few times before slipping his middle finger in as well. He continued until he managed to slip three fingers in, thrusting them in and out. Then, he caught me off-guard by pulling something only Mello Keehl could do. He rubbed the tip of his middle finger against my sweet spot and scissored his index and ring fingers out, stretching me as he stroked my prostate gently.

"Ah-ah, Mell-ngha-o," I moaned.

He continued, drawing more sensual moans from my lips.

"M-mel, p-please," I panted.

Thankfully, he pulled his fingers out gently, and lined himself up carefully at my entrance. He pushed gently inside.

I cried out in pain before I could stop myself.

He stopped. "Sorry," he mumbled against my neck. "I'll move slowly."

It was like our first time all over again. He was gentle as he stroked my hip softly and shifted in slowly. His control slipped just a bit, and he slammed into me quickly, his hips snapping against my own and sending a shooting pain up my spine.

"Shit!" I groaned.

"Mfh! S-sorry" he said, his voice wavering just a little.

"S'okay," I mumbled, in between pants. "It's just been too long."

"Yeah," he panted. "God, you're too tight, Mattie…"

I was already struggling to loosen up and he nuzzled against my neck lovingly. After a few minutes, I mumbled, "Move."

He began thrusting in and out slowly and I grunted in annoyance.

"Faster," I hissed.

He obliged instantly, and I had to wrap my arms tightly around his neck as he found my sweet spot and began abusing it roughly.

It was all over far too fast, but our foreplay had lasted longer than usual so I dealt with it. "Mello-o!" I groaned as he bit down on my neck causing my orgasm to rip through me.

He grunted against my neck and thrust forward again as he followed me through. He pulled back a little and licked the bite on my neck gently. That would definitely leave a mark, but I didn't care. Mello pulled out and collapsed beside me.

*End Lemon (damn that was long.)*

We lay there, the moonlight shining on us through the open curtains in his window.

Mello sighed and ran his fingers down my side gently. "I love you, Mail," he whispered softly.

"Mm, love you too, Mihael," I murmured.

He took my wrist in his hands and pressed his lips to the scars gently. "I'm sorry you've been hurt, and I'm so sorry that I was one of the ones that hurt you," he said sadly.

"It's okay," I murmured. "Being with you, that makes my life worth living…"

#####################################################################################

We stayed in his room the next few weeks. Every morning, he woke me with a gentle kiss, and every night, he led me to sleep with another gentle kiss. He was always by my side, except in class. He walked me to the classes I had by myself and he was always there, waiting by the door, when the class ended. Near, truthfully, flew from my worries. It was just Mello and I, and I felt safe.

And, feeling safe, I thought nothing of leaving class one day in history.

Linda glanced up at me worriedly as I stood up.

"It's okay," I whispered. "I'm just going to the restroom."

"Okay," she said, though she still sounded worried.

I walked out the door and down the hall, shoving my hands in my pockets. I was thinking of nothing much in particular until I felt a body slam into me from behind, shoving me down and pinning me to the floor. I tried to breathe, to say something, but the air was being forced out of me by a hand pressed painfully between my shoulder blades. I blacked out mentally and started screaming and sobbing uncontrollably. I was only barely aware of the warmth of my own blood dripping to the floor.

When the first scream echoed through the halls, I fell out of my desk in shock and hit the floor.

Mrs. Roland stopped teaching and turned around to face the class.

The screams continued and it hit me why they sounded familiar. That was Matt.

"Fuck!" I cursed, getting to my feet and bolting from the room.

I found Linda kneeling by Matt's side. He looked unconscious, but when I dropped down beside him he stirred slightly.

"Mel…?" he whispered weakly.

"Shh. I'm here. It's okay," I murmured softly, stroking his cheek gently with my fingertips. "Linda, what happened?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted quietly. "All I knew was that he was going to the restroom. But when I heard him screaming…"

As she trailed off, I did a quick glance over of Matt's injuries. There was a lot of blood around the seat of his jeans. Dammit, I knew exactly what had happened. "Come on," I murmured, putting my hands under his arms and pulling him gently to his feet. I lifted him up bridal style and he buried his face against my chest. When I found who did this, they were dead.

I carried him to our rooms where I grabbed a change of clothes for both of us, which Linda awkwardly agreed to carry, and took him to the bathroom. Easing him down to the floor and leaning him back against the wall, I began running the water. As I started to ease his shirt up, I said, "Linda, please go get Nurse Jade."

"Okay," she said, before turning and leaving the room and shutting the door behind herself.

I stripped him of the rest of his clothes before lowering him down into the water carefully. I shed my own blood-soiled clothes and climbed in with him. I washed his face and hair gently. After rinsing his hair, I let him lay against my chest as I scrubbed his back gently. The water, which had been pinkish before, was slowly darkening and it made me sick.

A knock on the door got my attention and Matt even jumped a little. "It's okay," I murmured softly, kissing his forehead gently. "Who is it?" I called towards the door.

"Nurse Jade."

I sighed and began rinsing his back gently. "Come in."

I heard her open the door and gasp. "My God," she breathed. "What happened?"

"This is why I haven't left him alone," I said. "Because I knew this would happen."

"Mello, what-"

"I'll fucking murder Near!" I snarled, causing Matt to whimper softly.

"Mello," Nurse Jade said sadly. "Calm down."

I glared at her angrily. "Why the fuck should I calm down?"

"Because Matt is stressed enough as it is."

Her words struck me hard and I glanced down at Matt, who was shaking slightly.

Matt had always fed off of my emotions and feelings in a way; he hated to see me mad, because it affected him the worst.

I took a shaky breath and forced myself to relax. "I'm still going to murder Near," I said.

"I don't doubt you will," she agreed. "There's really not much you can do about his injuries, though, except to keep him comfortable until they heal. This, of course, means that you two will be excused from class until then." With that, she turned around and left, leaving me and my abused little puppy alone.

Okay, I'm almost done with chapter 10, I just have to finish typing it. It'll be up soon, I promise.