ALL YOU HAVE

Chapter Five:

Criticize

A.N. I'M SORRY! I REALLY AM! This summer (or at least, the first 3-4 days of it) have been really busy for me, so I haven't been able to update as often... not to mention not having any ideas on what to write, makes this difficult. I've ended up decided that, for the time being anyway, the plot will be moving fairly quickly. Although, I will try to slow it down by adding lots and lots of character development wherever I can.

"So, why are you here?" Rod asked as I walked back into the main room and sat down across from him.

"Refuge," I replied simply. "The main base in Moscow has been destroyed."

"What happened?" Mello asked.

"Kira," I said. "He had caused most of the members to commit suicide, and then had one of them -I'm not sure who- burn the building down. Dimitri and I were the only ones to get out."

"So what you're saying is the two of you need a place to hide?" Rod mocked.

"You fucking wish," I retorted. "We simply need a new place to work from. If I am to stay here, I'll stay out of the way and let you run things the way you always have been."

Rod seemed to consider it for a moment before saying, "If I let you stay here-"

"What do you mean "If I let you stay"?" I growled, "I'm the one who will decide if I stay here, not you. I can just as easily take refuge somewhere else if I want to, so I suggest you stop being a bastard and trying to say you're the one in charge between the two of us."

"Whatever," Rod replied, earning a growl from me. "If you're staying here, you better be one we can count on to defend the base if we get attacked."

"Sure," I replied. Although, if you didn't make it so painfully obvious that this is a mafia hideout, maybe you wouldn't be getting attacked in the first place, I added mentally. I've learned from experience that it's normally better to keep rude and/or sarcastic remarks to yourself unless you're on good personal terms with the person. Those people, for me, are my brother, my right-hand man, or dead.

From across the room, I could hear Mello curse at something. Standing up, I went to look over his shoulder at the black laptop he was hunched over.

"Here, lemme take a look," I said, sitting down beside him. I tried to get the screen to UN-freeze, only for the screen to go black... followed by the blue screen that everyone hates.

"What the fuck did you do to this thing?" I asked, restarting the laptop. "How the hell should I know what's wrong with it?" Mello snapped. "Calm down, miss bitchy-pants," I joked. Growling, Mello grabbed a gun off the couch beside him and held it to my head. Without blinking, I grabbed mine out of my jeans and aimed it at him. Until I was sure that he put his back, I didn't move mine. That took about 10 seconds.

"Shit!" I exclaimed. "Mello, your laptop's fucking done for," I added, slamming the thing shut and setting it down roughly on the table in front of us.

"Why?"

"I'm not completely sure, but it's probably a virus. Either way, the thing isn't turning back on."

Mello sighed, rubbing his temples. "Well, we may as well go out and buy a few when the stores will be open," I said after a moment. "Dimitri and I each need one anyway, so it won't be that difficult to get a third for you while we're at it."

"You do realize how expensive they can be, right?" Mello questioned.

"I saw some while Dimitri and I went out to get some stuff after getting here," I replied. "The funds we have will get three cheap ones no problem. Fuck, it's not like I'm getting gaming laptops or something... although three of those would probably be affordable too."

"How much fucking money do you have!?"

"Not completely sure," I replied, laughing slightly. "Dimitri was the one who kept an eye on that, not me."

"So what the hell did you actually even do?"

"Make sure the others did their jobs," I joked. "What did you think I did?"

"I dunno, kill people, sell drugs," Mello replied. "Y'know, normal mafia stuff?"

"The other guys did that," I told him. "All I did was make sure Kira wouldn't find us. And then, after Matt called, I handed that task to Dimitri and put my time into trying to find you."

"So, basically, he slipped up?"

"It could have been me," I replied, "and Kira was just waiting for the perfect time to strike."

"Look, you're being too hard on yourself," Mello said. "Kira could have figured it out in any way. There's no proof that you had anything to do with it."

I took a quick breath to calm myself before speaking. "You're right. I am too hard on myself," I replied. "But, if I don't criticize myself, who will?"

"Someone always will," Mello replied. "They might not always show it, but they will."

I sniffed slightly, wiping away the tears that threatened to spill.

"A-Are you... crying?" Mello asked, laughing slightly.

"Fuck off," I replied, punching his arm lightly. He retaliated by shoving me gently. I shoved him back, a bit harder.

I guess he doesn't know his own strength, because when Mello shoved me again, I ended up falling onto the floor. Laying on my back, I stared up at the ceiling as I started laughing.

"A-Are you o-okay?" Mello asked between laughs. I nodded, closing my eyes and laughing even more.

Opening my eyes after a while, I saw Mello's hand sticking into my field of vision. Despite my sense of pride and dignity protesting, I grabbed his hand and let him pull me up.

I really missed the days where we could joke around like this. For some reason, I thought I had lost them forever; that they were gone forever.

A.N. Well, how was it? Funny? Shitty? Don't hesitate to tell me. As always, Read, Review, Favourite, and Follow! I'll see you next chapter!