A/N: Sorry for the wait guys! But school comes first. Hope you're all happy with the chapter though, and thanks fr stickin' around!

Reviews appreciated!

(Mello P.O.V)

Another year gone by, and I was another year older. Granted, I'm only in my late teens-early twenties, but I couldn't help but dread my birthday. And there was still the threat of Kira to worry about, not to mention the immediate threat of his followers.

You know, it seems that not one of my birthdays was spent under normal circumstances.

Matt had offered to buy me a cake, but I declined. Although, the thought of a chocolate cake did pique my interest. Enough to almost consider it. However, I was too busy with the case to celebrate another year of torture. Another year of hating myself and everything that's happened in my past up to this point.

Well… that's not fair. Not everything in my past was terrible. Meeting L, Watari, and Matt was the best part. Having a place to call home, no beatings or drunk fathers. Having a family, and a friend like Matt. No… it wasn't all terrible. I think I'm just too negative sometimes to see the actual good within the bad. But, I can't say I didn't try.

My birthday, like usual, was a slow and uneventful one. Matt was out most of the day gathering Intel on the Amane chick, and I was left in the apartment to listen to her every, stupid, word. I swear, if she had said one more thing about makeup, I was going to scream. And I had some experience with screaming. I guess that only worsened the notion of me being a girl, but dammit if I wanted a bar of chocolate…

I seemed to have digressed. I apologize.

At any rate, Matt came back to the apartment in a matter of hours carrying a bag, no so secretively, into the kitchen. My curiosity got the better of me and I jumped from my seat to see what it was. Right as I turned the corner, low and behold, a chocolate cake, bigger than my head, was sitting on the counter just begging for me to dig in.

And this was a cake!

I suspect Matt had ordered it behind my back, because it was literally a show within itself. Being a two tier cake, everything was chocolate, from the icing to the cake itself. Not one piece of fruit, thank god, had touched this graceful heaven. There were tiny, chocolate, flowers on the base of the first tier, but waves of chocolate icing on the second. I swear by all that is holy, I had never seen a more tempting cake in my life. And lord knows I've had my share of cake.

I don't know if I'd been drooling or not, but Matt had to back me away from the piece of heaven just to stop my thoughts of viciously attacking it. It had been a long while since I'd had cake, and seeing this was making me shake with anticipation.

"Whoa there, Mels." He chuckled out. "I know it looks good, but can you wait until Near gets here?"

My thoughts of the cake stopped. "Near? What, is he in Japan already?"

"Yup, he called me a few minutes ago. He'll be coming around in an hour or so."

I think my eye twitched. "I can't wait that long."

The red-head crossed his arms. "Didn't you say that you didn't even want a birthday cake?"

My eye definitely twitched. "Matt. That is not a 'cake'. That is a piece of heaven that you ripped out of Zeus' mighty hand, and brought down to me for my own sinful pleasures."

He backed away from me then. "'Sinful pleasures'? How… what would you… never mind." He raised his hands in surrender. "I don't want to know. But you aren't eating that cake yet."

My mind went into 'want' mode again, so I hugged his waist and brought him closer. Nuzzling my head on his chest. "Please, Mattie? I'll let you join me."

"Not happening. I've become immune to your charms, now. And I know I'm strong enough to keep you away from it for as long as possible."

I mentally groaned at his stubbornness, but I kept trying. It was torturous having something with that much chocolate just sit there and not be eaten.

"But Mattie," I whined, nuzzling closer. "It's my birthday."

"Oh, don't pull that card!" He exclaimed, smile on his face.

I groaned. "Yeah, that was a long shot on my part." I let go of his waist. "Just a piece, then?"

"No."

"A slice?"

"No."

"A sliver?"

"No!" He chuckled, walking back into the kitchen.

"Icing! Can I have some of the icing!?" I begged.

I admit, my chocolate addiction had only gotten worse over the years. In fact, I think there was a time that I had ran out of chocolate bars at the Wammy house, and I raided L's fridge out of pure desperation. After that, I was well-stocked on chocolate bars for the remainder of my time there.

Matt scoffed. "Begging, Mello? For chocolate?"

I shrugged. "Could be worse." I made my point by hugging his back. "Much worse."

"Are you implying that you would whore yourself out for chocolate?" He asked incredulously.

I thought for a quick second. "Well… for Belgian, milk, chocolate, hand-made by Belgians themselves… it's quite a possibility."

Matt was silent for a whole minute before I realized…

"This cake is made with Belgian chocolate, isn't it?"

I could feel the hesitation in his voice. "No?"

I never realized how lightning fast Matt could be when it came to something he was trying to preserve.

Right before I got a chance to even make a grab for my birthday cake, he'd already wrestled me to the floor, then sat on me. I was just within eyesight of that beautiful work of art too. I struggled though, against all odds, I struggled just for a taste of my cake. It wasn't until after that day that I realized I had a major issue with chocolate.

As I continued to struggle, Matt brought out his gaming device and began one of his games. He chuckled every time I cursed at him or tried to kick him. In all truth, he was a lot heavier than me, but I was too determined to get me some cake! To hell if I broke a rib under his crushing weight! I couldn't turn down Belgian chocolate for the life of me. It stemmed from a past experience of L accidentally allowing me to try it out. This resulted in me being torn away from it a week later, ad with it being expensive and hard to find, I sadly bid farewell to my beloved chocolate.

'How dare Matt do this to me!?' I thought angrily, trying to kick him. This landed in a failure.

During my rage I heard a knock at the door. I hadn't cared, though. I just wanted my cake!

"It's open!" Matt called.

I heard the door open, but again I didn't care. It wasn't until I heard a familiar voice, that I stopped struggling.

"You two really do deserve each other."

I looked up to see a person I hadn't thought would show up by himself; Near.

"The hell? Matt said you wouldn't be by for around an hour or so."

He kneeled next to my torso. "I told him this an hour ago."

"You fucker!" I turned to Matt. "You've been sitting on me for an hour!?"

"I'm way more surprised that you've been kicking and screaming for an hour. But, yes, I have been."

I finally flopped down, my face hitting the floor. "I hate my life."

"You know, sitting on you is like sitting on a leather couch, almost. Aside from the squirming and screaming."

I rested my chin on the linoleum floor to look up at Near. "Close to his waist, under the rib."

Like he'd read my mind, Near grinned then crawled over to Matt's side. He then jabbed two fingers into the spot I specified and he immediately leapt off of me and into a chair. The moment he was off my back, literally, I felt a sudden rush of air enter my lungs. Breathing would be a bit difficult for a bit.

I hadn't even thought about the cake at that point. I was more thankful that Near got him off of me.

"Thanks." I wheezed out.

Near grinned in response.

Matt only rubbed his side in pain. "Fuck that hurt!"

"L taught me well." I chuckled. "I believe he called it a Taser."

"Sure felt like being Tasered from an actual stun gun." He replied.

I chuckled again and was about to say something else, when a sudden ball of white hugged my waist tightly. To be completely honest, it took me by surprise. It was the first real affection Near had ever shown… to anyone! I didn't know whether to be annoyed… or happy.

I felt him nuzzle closer and whisper. "I missed you two."

I mentally groaned at that. Little bastard always knew how to play the 'cute card'. More times than not when we were out and about in Winchester or London, many ladies stopped to admire his 'adorableness' or his ' pinch-able cheeks'. I can rest easy knowing that I was never a cute little boy. Though… I was mistook for a girl, as you all well know.

I think that was worse.

I looked over at Matt, whose eyes were melting into tears at the sight. Traitor.

I finally caved and hugged him back. "We missed you too, Near."

Being alone in the world, with no mothers or fathers, we were a family of sorts. So, it wasn't a complete lie when I said I'd missed him. Who wouldn't miss their little brother after a few years? The last time I saw him, we weren't even brothers at that moment. We were co-workers, of sorts, and I damn near put a bullet in his head then. However, at this moment, there was no Kira. No work, no investigation, no trailing Amane – thank fucking god – and no worries about dying. It was a family moment. A moment I'd missed from my childhood, no matter how much Near annoyed me.

Near hugged me tighter. "Happy birthday, by the way. I would've said so earlier…"

"But Matt was being a right asshole." I finished, glaring at the red-head.

"I'd rather be an ass than a chocolate whore."

"It was Belgian chocolate!" I exclaimed. "You knew full well what it was to me, and still you have the audacity to insult me for it!"

"I suppose you didn't tell him about the buttercream icing?" Near piped up, still nuzzled into my chest.

I literally could have hit the roof with how much joy was coursing through me. "You didn't!"

The coy smile on his face said it all, and once more I was reduced to being sat on to keep me from devouring the cake. Near seemed all too pleased with my sudden elation over a cake.

While I was being sat on, once again by Matt – with a twist! Near was there too! – The albino himself spoke up.

"Mello, would you like your gift now, or after cake?"

I hadn't struggled too much this time. I was merely waiting to be free from the floor, now. However, the thought of a present intrigued me.

"A gift? You got me a gift?"

Near nodded. "After cake?"

I blinked. "Actually, considering Matt has me pinned at the moment, now would probably be the best time."

The white ball sitting atop of me grinned happily before Tasering Matt off of me.

"Come on!" He exclaimed, running to the door. "It's downstairs!"

I'd never seen this side of Near before. He looked like a little kid again… well, a normal little kid. He seemed excited for the first time in his life. I had to admit, it was rather adorable to see him being human.

Before following him, I took a quick swipe of the icing before running out the door. It would satisfy me for the time being. And with Matt writhing in pain from Near giving him a Taser, it was the perfect moment for me.

He walked me down to the garage of the apartment, a small hop in his step, and when we came to a halt… I swore I almost fainted.

It was sleek, it was black, and it was ready to go. It was probably the best looking motorcycle I'd ever had the pleasure of seeing. And this wasn't a chopper, either. No way. This was a speed machine, and I mean speed. Zero to sixty in under three seconds, and it was just begging to go for a ride. This wasn't just an ordinary bike. I knew, I just knew, that people would die at the sight of this thing.

I hadn't said a word to Near since laying my eyes on it. I think it only made him happier.

Matt finally caught up to us, and was just as stunned as I was. "Holy fuck!"

I heard a chuckle come from Near. "Since I got Matt a car, I thought I'd get you something, Mello. Something more your style."

I was still speechless. I've ridden motorbikes before. Hell, I took out Ross' chopper a few times. But… this was my own ride! And it was gorgeous!

Matt nudged me. "Trade 'ya."

I smacked his arm away, still not taking my eyes off this thing. I then grabbed Near and side-hugged him in thanks.

"Near, if I ever call you a freak, or I say anything remotely hurtful, know that it is with love from now on."

The white ball of happiness now hugged me back. "Happy birthday, Mello."

Matt put a hand on my shoulder. "I'll give you my car, and the cake! I'll take over any shift on Misa Amane! Just please let me ride it at least once!"

I scoffed. "Good offer… but no fucking way! I'd like to see you even try to remove me from it."

Matt groaned, then looked at Near. "Great job. Now he's gonna leave me for the sexy motorbike."

"I just might."