Chapter Three

What's Wrong?

As Matt's eyes fluttered open the next day he had awoken to find that Mello still held him. Despite being awake himself, Mello kept his arms locked around Matt's waist and rested his head on top of the soft red hair. So Matt had been content to fall asleep in his best friend's arms again, this time assured that Mello wouldn't leave him.

If either boy had been uncomfortable with the step up in their relationship they definitely didn't show it. Mello had taken to keeping Matt closer to him than he had before, finding his blue eyes always drifting to wherever the redhead was to make sure he was there still. Sometimes one would slip their hand into the other's, if only for comfort, and they knew the other would hold on. The other children at Wammy's noticed quite quickly that something had changed between them, simply seeing them walking down the hall with their fingers laced together between them.

Just by the way they looked at each other, spoke to each other, acted around each other; it didn't take any genius to pick up on their feelings for the other. Soon it was Mello's fourteenth birthday and the blonde had been in a better mood throughout the whole day. Matt didn't seem to play his games as intensely as he paid more attention to the blonde, talking a bit more and giving a few shy smiles. By lunch Mello had taken to slipping his arm around Matt's waist whenever they went somewhere, keeping the redhead close as they walked. Matt certainly didn't mind.

All the children at Wammy's end their day with usually going to the main room, if they didn't pack it in early or go to the library to study. This was also had Matt and Mello tended to end their day. Mello had sat in his usual window seat, looking out the window as the sun began to lower in the sky. Matt had dragged over a few pillows and cushions over the past couple years and sat below him usually, sometimes having the blonde join him in his little nest. But that day as they relaxed in their usual spot, Mello pulled Matt up into his window seat, wrapping his arms around his torso and keeping him in his lap. The redhead was mildly surprised but smiled and leaned back into Mello's chest, looking out the window with him.

He rested his head on Mello's shoulder, relaxing with the gentle way Mello ran his fingers through his hair. If he described Mello as gentle and kind to anyone else they would have laughed or sent him straight to the infirmary. But with him, Mello was. Mello then tipped Matt's chin up so the younger was looking up at him then pressed their lips together. Matt's eyes widened before they closed, his cheeks going a delicious shade of pink. Mello didn't mind that he could feel everyone's eyes on them, just continuing to sweetly kiss the younger in his lap.

When Mello finally pulled back Matt was panting softly, staring up at Matt with shocked bright green eyes. The fourteen year old boy looked down with a soft smirk and gently stood, carefully maneuvering Matt onto his feet from his lap. He pulled Matt from the room, leaving a lot of shocked kids behind, and down the halls to their room.

"Mello why-" Matt had been about to ask when Mello squeezed his hand and pulled him into the room.

Matt wasn't completely shocked when Mello pushed him onto the bed then shut the door and locked it. He watched the blonde walk over to him then pounce onto him, the both of them laughing. It was true that with each other their worries simply drifted off, feeling simply satisfied with life if the other was close. Mello straddled Matt and stared down at him for awhile. He then leaned down to capture Matt's lips with his own in a sweet kiss. Soon though their kiss became a little more heated.

Though they were young and smart; being teenage boys they did have hormones. So despite their young age they gave the other a different pleasure – one that only a lover could give. But they didn't step into the waters of actual sex, they were just too young to really push that. Mello taught Matt a few things about his body and Matt was amazed that he could feel that much from just simple touches from the blonde. By midnight both boys were exhausted and cuddled into the blankets together.

"I love you Mello." Matt whispered. Mello was silent for a few moments, only making Matt's anxiety grow, but soon he just chuckled and gave Matt an actual true smile.

"I love you too." He murmured.

It had been about eleven months later when Matt began to notice something was a little off with Mello. Nothing serious, just his mood began to change. He complained more and more about Near, got pissed off at even the smallest of things and honestly got scary sometimes. Even for the redhead who was used to the older male's moods. He could tell Mello tried at times to calm down around him, to be gentler and more loving. But it seemed it got harder for the male day after day.

Matt knew Mello was nearly fifteen now, as he was already fourteen himself, and tried to keep his patience with the blonde. He could tell Mello was stressed and he hated to see him this way. He had to beg Mello to come to bed half the time, he had to relax and calm him numerous times during the day and of course none of that was ever easy. Getting the blonde to eat anything other than chocolate was hard as well and he could see that Mello lost a couple pounds during the last few months. He was scared that Mello would snap sometime – and he was praying he could prevent that from happening.

He found Mello in their room one day after test results had been pinned up – Mello was still second, Near still first. He had had to beg and plead Mello to come sleep the previous night, he had been up studying till nearly four in the morning. He opened the door cautiously to see his best friend sitting on Matt's bed by the window. In his fingers he had one of Matt's cigarettes, smoke slowly curling towards the open window from the burning tip. Matt had picked up the unhealthy habit just before his own fourteenth birthday, now sneaking in the cigarettes to Wammy's. He had about ten extra packs in his bedside drawer along with two lighter and a spare pack of matches; he would say he had become quite the addict.

Mello never liked it – complained about it quite a bit to make it that obvious as well. He said it made Matt taste different but usually it ended with them making out like the teenagers they were on one of their bed's or the floor. They still hadn't taken that step into official sex, though they had found many other ways to please each other.

Matt stepped into the room more and closed the door with a soft click behind himself. Mello lazily turned his head to look at Matt. He then brought the cigarette to his lips and took a drag. He let out the smoke in a perfect swirl and tapped the ashes off the end out the window. Matt almost smirked- Mello as usual was perfect at anything he wanted to do, smoking included apparently.

"Mello…?" He said softly.

The blonde looked back to him and tossed the last bit of the cigarette out the window. He then sighed and slipped off Matt's bed, walking over to him. He wrapped his arms around Matt's slim torso and hugged him. Matt accepted the embrace easily but was still worried about his friend.

"I'm fine Matt. Don't worry." Mello murmured into his ear. Matt closed his eyes and nodded, though he didn't think he could ever not worry.

"Okay Mello." He whispered. "I love you." Mello was quiet but there was a soft chuckle.

"Yeah, I know." He murmured. "I love you too."