Hola.

Installment numero dos.

Thank you so much to those three who reviewed! :) You make me happy.

Replies to reviews: (And sorry if I already PM replied you... I can't remember who I did and didn't reply back to. So you can just have it again.)

Katyuana: Haha don't we all? I wish I had the power to do so.

StripedStrawberry: Thank you! :) Well here's more. I love Matt and Near together a lot.

VampireDoll666: I already messaged you. Here's the next installment because I definitely agree with you.

I don't own anything.

The sun came up the next day and woke up two boys in Near's bedroom. Near, squished underneath Matt's bigger arms had an instant moment of panic and pushed the redhead off of him.

"You should go back to your room before Mello wakes up," Near whispered, looking almost afraid.

Matt rubbed his groggy eyes, slightly irritated. "Uh... I mean, yeah, I suppose." The little albino kid woke him up at six in the morning just to tell him to get out? Matt picked up his goggles, sliding them on and turned for the door. He made it into his own room and enjoyed a second of silence before Mello started screaming.

"What the hell, Matt?! You literally sleep with the enemy?"

Matt's eyes widened. "Don't say it like that. You make it sound like we... no, Mello."

"Oh, don't be immature," Mello scoffed. "You know damn well what I meant."

"Who said Near was an enemy?" Matt ventured.

Mello's eyes flashed with fury and he made a face like he was suddenly disappointed in Matt. "You're kidding, right?"

Matt shrugged nervously. "Well... I mean, let's be serious; what has he ever really done other than score perfectly on tests? He's never been offensive to you, Mello."

Mello's face scrunched into a hard glare. "Are you kidding me?!" he roared. "What the hell is wrong with you? You're defending the little freak? What's gotten into you all of a sudden?!"

A little bit of humanity, maybe, Matt thought. He stared back at his best friend, who was obviously waiting for some kind of apology or regret. Mello's eyes had grown sharp and angry. Matt was wary of crossing him. There had been times in the past when arguing with Mello ended badly.

"Nothing," Matt finally murmured. "It was one night. But..." He swallowed and mustered the courage to put in his two cents. "I... I think it's only fair I start trying to be cordial with Near."

"WHAT?!" Mello exclaimed. "Again, the enemy!"

"I'm hungry," Matt changed the subject, turning away from Mello, defying him for the first time. "I'm going to get breakfast."

Mello started to yell again, but Matt left the room, shutting the door behind him. And some strange feeling close to relief flowed through him.

Near didn't get any breakfast. No lunch either. And for the first time since arriving at Wammy's, Matt realized Near didn't attend class. He didn't know why he noticed. In fact, Matt realized that in the past he had always subconsciously noticed whether or not Near was in the room. And it wasn't because he was concerned with getting prepared for Mello's hate rants.

Matt knew better than to ask someone where Near was; they would think it very strange that Mello's best friend was inquiring about "the enemy." Besides, Matt doubted anyone knew. Near was such an enigma.

Matt didn't sit with Mello in class. He didn't know what kind of mood his act of defiance left the blonde in. He avoided his friend at lunch as well and then went off into a spare room to play on his DS instead of studying with Mello like he usually did during free times on weekdays. He didn't really know why exactly he was avoiding his hotheaded best friend, but Matt told himself it wasn't about Near.

Dinnertime rolled around and Matt brought his Gameboy with him because he anticipated sitting alone. He sat down with a plate of food, intent on not eating it when a small voice piped up from beside him, making him jump.

"Matt." Standing beside Matt with his own tray of food, looking disheveled and lost was Near, his hands trembling around the edges of his tray.

"Hey, Near," Matt started, unsure of where to go. He wanted to ask the small boy where he'd been all day but thought better than to pry.

"May I sit here?" Near asked.

"Sure," Matt nodded. Near pulled out the chair and fell into it, silently pushing his tray far away. He looked tired. He looked more than tired. Near was the kind of person who always looked clean and calm, but today he looked... he looked plain messed up. His usually crisp white pajamas were rumpled, his soft hair was a wreck, and his face was paler, if that was even possible.

A tense moment of silence passed, and Matt debated between taking a bite of food and resuming his game. Neither seemed appropriate. It was the kind of awkward, stressful moment of quiet that hung heavy in the air, rendering you speechless and paralyzed. Something was wrong, but Matt didn't even have any idea what it was, which seemed to make it ten times worse.

"I shouldn't have come," Near said then.

Matt looked over, conjuring something to say. He blanked out and then the pale boy was standing up.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have... I'm sorry," Near murmured, looking so far to the floor that Matt couldn't see his face. A tiny, broken noise escaped his throat and then Near turned on his heels and walked out of the room, leaving Matt confused and alone.

Matt wandered down the hallway later and Near's bedroom door was shut and locked. He didn't come out for the rest of the night. Or the entire next day. Or the day after that.

And Matt felt overwhelmingly alone.

And there will be a part three. And four. And then I don't know after that.

Like? Hate? Sorry if it's complete crap and that it is rather short. I'm struggling with everything I write right now. Sorry there's not much action as well... it's coming. This one was a little dry :P Sorry.

Review? :D This time you'll get Matt and a pair of handcuffs ;)