A/N: The long awaited chapter! (Just pretend you were waiting so I feel better, 'kay?) So… my excuses are; homework, projects, personal problems, etc. I know, I know, I have no excuse! I'm lazy, I know. Sorry! Here it is; hopefully it makes up for the wait. :]

Matt woke slowly, cracking open a tear-crusted eye, but shutting it against the harsh lights that had been left on. He could feel the pressure of his goggles, which had shifted up during his sleep that now pressed against his forehead; he was almost positive it had left an unsightly red blotch.

Sliding his arm out from underneath the heavy warmth pressed to his front, the redhead propped himself up with an elbow and rubbed wearily at his eyes.

He pushed his goggles back into place and made to leave, but stopped when he realized a certain leather-clad blond stubbornly clinging to his torso.

Smiling lightly, the gamer slid back down onto his side, careful not to wake the blond with his movement. Mello's face was calm, content, and his lips weren't pressed in a frown or scowling; a rare sight.

Matt watched his friend's chest rise and fall slowly with fondness, not being able to stop his lips curl up at the corners. Mello gripped tighter onto the gamer in his arms as the latter started to squirm. Matt paused, his heart pumping blood fast enough for two.

Afraid the other would notice; the redhead jumped out of Mello's grasp and onto his feet. The blond groaned and rolled over, but didn't wake up- much to Matt's relief.

I'm such a weird… ass. Matt chided himself, chuckling half-heartedly. He wasn't sure if he was upset with himself over almost waking Mello up, or sleeping so close to the other.

Would Mello regret talking with him the night before? If he did, Matt was only hurting himself by getting his hopes up that they really might have had something…personal.

Matt shuffled groggily over to the kitchen door, kicking himself when he let it slam shut by accident.

If he wasn't awake before, he is now. Matt thought, stepping over to a small drawer by the refrigerator. He pulled it open and searched through it quickly, looking for his "hidden" stash - that apparently hadn't been hidden well enough.

Mello had found it, most likely, for he found that all his cigarettes were gone. Of course…

Figuring the blond had already woken up; Matt strode out into the main room only to find Mello still lost in his slumber. There went his plan to guilt trip the blond.

Sighing, Matt figured he could just wait it out; so he could tell Mello where he was going so the blond wouldn't yell at him later.

Then again, Matt argued with himself, it's just a convenience store; it won't take long.

The urge for nicotine tugging at his senses was enough to make up his mind, and the redhead swiped the car keys from the coffee table in front of the couch. He headed out the door, groaning in defeat, and shut the door as quietly as possible.

In the dim, musty hallway; Matt couldn't help but shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong.

Mello woke with a start due to an uncustomary clattering in the room.

"Matt? That you? What the hell are you doing…?" The blond grumbled, still groggy from slumber.

Mello stood dizzily and looked around the room for his red-haired friend; the only light aiding him in his search was the sunlight filtering through the slotted blinds through dingy windows.

"Matt!" The blond called, stumbling into said redhead's room. His brow furrowed in confusion when he found it empty.

Mello suddenly became aware of his surroundings; something was off. He listened closely as he backed out of the room; was that just his breathing, or…

The blond made to turn around, but froze in his tracks when the barrel of a gun came into view. The assailant cocked his gun and pressed the end to Mello's temple.

The blond swallowed hard, raising his hands in surrender. He was disgusted with himself; how had he not noticed someone else was there? He should have known it wasn't Matt.

Mello's stomach lurched: Matt. Where was he? Had Matt been found first? If so, then…? The blond could feel his breathing pick up as his eyes flitted about the room, looking desperately for his partner.

The attacker laughed, a cold and humorless sound, and pressed the gun a little harder against Mello's head. "Yes, yes, where is he? Hm?"

The blonde's eyes widened and he ground his teeth. "What the fuck did you do with Matt?!" Mello demanded, his whole body trembling in a mix or fear and anger he'd only felt once before for the redhead; the one instance he'd feared the redhead would leave him forever. The instance he'd forever blame himself for.

"I wouldn't be making accusations like that in your position." The other said in a tone that implied this was all very amusing. The stench of stale alcohol was evident on the man's breath.

"What did you do to him?!" Mello demanded again, attempting to get free of the man. The attacker grabbed a fistful of the blonde's hair in response and pushed his face against the wall.

"I didn't do anything. I'm wondering the same thing you are - where is he?"

Mello grit his teeth and struggled against the wall and the man's grip, but was only gripped tighter. "So, Mello, let's both wait for little Mail together, shall we?"

The blonde's eyebrows shot up, but he quickly masked his surprise and rising panic. "I don't know what you're talking about." Mello insisted, feigning calm.

The attacker laughed icily. "Don't you, Mello? I know you live with Mail, or what did you say his fake name was… Matt? Don't act stupid; I saw you both."

Mello mentally kicked himself – how could he have been so stupid?!

"You met him four years ago, didn't you?"

The blond tensed; how did this man know so much?

"The supposed little orphan, Mail Jeevas," the attacker continued while grinding the gun against Mello's temple, "All bruised, dirty, quiet, a little shy and introverted when he showed up… yet somehow a genius, right?"

The blond took a sharp breath and squeezed his eyes shut. Matt, wherever you are, get away from here, far away. Don't come back, please… hear me.

"What did they tell you happened to his parents? Car accident, maybe? No. Your little Mail is a fake, a liar as always. His parents are still alive."

Mello's eyes snapped open at this; Matt had been lying to him…? No, he couldn't trust this bastard. Or could he…? Everything else; he had been accurate. "The little brat ran away because he couldn't take it." The assailant finished bitterly.

The blond was confused, and he figured it showed when the man laughed and nudged his head with the gun; an action he was getting far too familiar with. "Go ahead, ask me why."

It made Mello sick to take the man's bait as he gnashed his teeth painfully, but he had to know, "What did he run from?"

Mello could practically feel the attacker smirk. "Me."

Mello stifled a shiver, and the man continued. "His parents are helpless crack addicts… and I fuel that addiction. Of course, after an extended period of time, they ran out of money. The only thing they had left was their one and only son, Mail."

Mello screwed his eyes shut, "No, no, no, no…" The blond mumbled, suddenly realizing where this was going.

"Every time I supplied them, I got to do whatever I pleased to Mail as payment. He didn't like it, but he learned to be… obedient." The man's voice was mocking, almost taking on an eerily sing-song tone.

Mello shook his head the best he could to try to rid himself of the images coming to his head and the hot tears that threatened to spill down his face. He'd always thought Matt was obedient; now he knew why. Why hadn't Matt ever said anything…?

The blond barely stifled a sob at his friend's expense, and he felt the familiar burning rage rise up in him instead.

"Who am I, you wonder? Kevin, do you remember me Mello? I guess we were looking for the same person then, too. What a coincidence."

Mello did remember meeting the older blond. If I hadn't been so stupid, so reckless, maybe this wouldn't be happening…

Mello's thoughts were cut short when he heard fumbling at the door and it clicking open.

"No, Matt, get out of here!" Mello screamed, but Kevin was quicker and dropped Mello, running to the door.

Mello got to his feet and ran after him, watching in horror as Kevin pulled Matt into the room and slammed the door.

The redhead had already drawn his gun and had it pointed at Kevin, confusion written on his face.

"It's good to see you again, little Mail." Kevin said in a sickly sweet voice.

Matt's eyes widened as recognition crossed his features, his gun feel to the floor with a clatter. He backed away from his childhood menace, his hands visibly shaking.

"K-Kevin…!"

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