[Authors note: I'm going to keep updating until it's over with and done. So here is the most recent installment. I hope you do enjoy.

Breaking free

Mello propped his legs up on the table in front of him watching the heavies play cards in the corner. Today happened to be a slow day, it happened sometimes when things took a while to come together like they were supposed to. It wasn't that today was a particularly boring day but it gave him a lot of time to think to himself. He had actually been attempting to keep himself away from thinking because everything led back to Matt. What he had said to Matt. Why he had said it to Matt. Why he had decided to hurt Matt yesterday. He couldn't stand the thought of it but he wouldn't apologize for it. He couldn't apologize for it because it would mean that he would be showing weakness. Matt could never see him weak. It just couldn't happen.

He sighed closing his eyes before nearly jumping out of his skin when Alphonse took a seat across from him. Apparently he had gotten tired of cheating soldiers out of their expensive watches and money because here he was. "What's up with you Mello? I've heard you sighing the whole time we were playing. If you wanted to join in I'm sure we would have let you." He smirked slightly, "Or are you too scared that we'd clean you out."

Mello scoffed, "As if you could. I learned poker from the best of them. I learned from the King of bluffing." He opened an eye attempting to keep his heart from bursting out of his chest. He hadn't even heard the other walk up on him. That wasn't good; it was time for him to get away because his defenses were crashing from stress. Damn Matt.

Alphonse, better known as Phonse tilted his head slightly to get his dark hair out of his eyes. "Oh really, who is that?" He questioned knowing that several of the soldiers that were playing the game were listening in. When Mello actually wasn't giving orders or yelling at someone he didn't speak. If he ever spoke to say anything otherwise it made everyone stopped and listened. No one dared have a conversation with him except apparently Phonse.

Mello shifted slightly, "My girlfriend." He replied without missing a beat. He watched the surprise register on the others face and a couple of intakes of breath. "Problem?" He questioned almost looking like he was reaching for something. Phonse instantly started sweating before shaking his head quickly to calm the blond down in front of him.

He attempted and failed at a cool smile, "I just didn't peg you as the type to have a girlfriend." He watched a blond eyebrow rise and quickly back peddled, "I mean that you seem really solitary. You spend a lot of time here and the only person that you text or call is the Don or that Matt guy. We assumed that he was your roommate."

"Mattie." Mello corrected watching the other flinch. "What made you think that Mattie was a male?" He watched the other shrug uselessly. "Right, you shouldn't assume things about people. They might get you killed. Don't forget that soldiers are useless." The sound of a gun cocking could be heard from somewhere but Mello didn't look like he moved. His hands weren't visible.

Phonse laughed awkwardly, "Right sorry Mello. You got a picture of your lady?" He questioned instantly regretting it when the blond shifted pulling the automatic above the table. He almost looked like he was going to point it at the other but instead placed it on top of the table.

"And why would I show you a picture of her?" He questioned leaning forward. "A weakness is a weakness. Don't be confused, she could be offed and I wouldn't think twice about it." He stood reaching for his jacket and strolling out of the silent room. He gently closed the door behind himself and instantly knew that he lied. Matt was his best friend. He had never really thought of him as being anything else but why did he bother using his name for his girlfriend? He didn't look at Matty in that kind of light. Maybe if he had been a girl he would but that's not the case. He lifted his hand and found himself crossing his body as if he had just sinned. He needed to get home.

~*xXx*~

"I didn't know room and board were included." Matt mumbled as he rolled his suitcases into the large living area. It had already been set up with several computers and were ready to be plugged in a used. He couldn't help but feel at home anywhere that had this kind of resources. He faintly felt bad for moving out without telling Mello that he was but what better way to show the blond than to not be there when he came home? There wasn't one. If Mello believed that he needed him then he'd be damned if he allowed it to continue. He had to move his way from the blond just as he did years about before Mello walked back into his life.

He checked him phone only to find that there wasn't any calls or messages. The blond hadn't been home yet which he guessed was good. He had managed to trade his car in for a different model so the blond couldn't trace him. He glanced up to notice that Raito was watching him with confused eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked as the red head nodded slowly attempting to listen as the other explained the lay out of his new apartment. He also went into detail that his room was right across the hallway and Misa was on a different floor. He hadn't met Misa but he was grateful that she had managed to meet him whenever it was.

Matt nodded with a smile towards the other, "Yeah just thinking. I was going to get everything put away here before getting the computers up and running." He felt a bit awkward under the hazel gaze of the man much like he did under Mello's. There was so much intelligence in those eyes and he could never truthfully figure out at the right time what they were thinking about. Right now was no different.

Raito nodded slowly giving the other a bit of a space. "Of course. I'll be right across the hallway so if you need anything you know what to do. Remember Matt, no one can know that you're here. This is a secret special task force designed to catch Kira." He ran his eyes over Matt a few times. He didn't think that it would be too much danger for Matt. He lived his whole life in secret. He smirked, "When you're done come see me Matt." He closed the door behind himself leaving the red head alone for the first time in years.

~*xXx*~

The minute Mello walked in through the front door he knew something was wrong. There was something that was instantly off. He took a step pulling out his gun before checking his own room and the remainder of the house finding no one in sight. A few steps into the living area he paused. Matt's games and systems were gone but the television was still sitting on its stand. He frowned heading back down the hallway towards Matt's bedroom door before knocking on it lightly. It would be strange for the red head to lock himself up in his room from what he had said to him yesterday. Maybe he had moved his games so that he didn't have to sit in the living room and play. He sighed when there wasn't an answer.

He knocked again before turning the knob and pushing it open. "Matty, I'm sorry alright. You win I…" He paused speechless. The room had more or less been cleaned out. Matt's computers had been disassembled but they remained in the corner. The bed had been made with good sheets. The closet was empty and the bathroom no longer had anything from the red head. There were no games and no Matt.

"He fucking didn't." Was the only thing that managed to slip from Mello's lips as he moved forward further into the room. "Matt?" There was no response. He turned to look at the bed where there was a letter. He picked it up and read:

You said that I'm faithful and that I'll never leave you. We'll see Mell, we'll see.