Graffiti Chapter One: Caught by blackdragonflower

Summary: Matt is busy spray-painting the sub system's wall when he hears a sound. It can't be good, especially if he gets caught. Matt hides himself, as he awaits the footsteps that could send his life into an entirely new direction.

Characters from Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

This entire story is rated M for mature due to: violence, rape, swearing, attempts at suicide, and character death

Matt smiled as he looked at his creation on the subway wall. All the citizens were long gone, the subway was abandoned. In the dim lighting, spraypaint fumes mixed with the air. Matt's tag was painted on the cement wall, reds, blacks, and whites, the picture was mesmerizing, creating like, a trance to the eye, an optical illusion. Matt heard footsteps and began to freak out. He'd have to ditch his spraycans. The footsteps grew louder, and closer. There was nowhere Matt could run. He pressed himself tight against a pillar opposite from where the noise came from, his heart beating loudly in his throat. He'd never been caught before, and he wasn't going to get caught now.

The footsteps stopped, a beam from a flashlight swept across the floor. Matt pressed himself against cold, unfeeling cement. A spraypaint can started to roll towards him, a scared mouse that had scampered by had hit it. Matt's breath caught in his throat. 'Oh no...' The footsteps started up again to follow the spray can. Matt needed to move, needed to move now. He peeked around the corner, his eyes narrowing as he saw the cop walking unknowingly towards him. The police officer spotted his graffiti on the wall and examined it. Matt took the chance. He darted from his hiding place for the exit. Right as he was about to make it he felt a tug on his wrist. "Caught ya... so you're the one dirtyn up the walls..." Matt struggled trying to free himself from the officer's hold.

"I don't know what you're talking about! Let go of me!"

"What do you mean you don't know? You have paint on your hand and you're wearing a mask to protect yourself from the fumes." The officer reasoned trying to remain calm. "You're coming with me."

"HELL NO! LET ME GO!" Matt started to kick violently and soon found himself pressed roughly against the stairs his arms behind his back and handcuffs being slapped on his wrists. The metal was freezing and nipped at his skin.

"Look. I don't need you to get violent with me. It's just a quick trip to the station. We'll read your rights, and get everything cleared up." Matt was lifted onto his feet. He tried to spit at the officer but it missed. He was dragged up the stairs and to the cop car. The door was shut behind him and Matt knew he was trapped, locked inside, and finally, caught.

'Great. Now what? The gang'll never let me back once they find out I've been caught. Shit. What am I going to do?' Matt was beginning to freak out inside his head. He had no family, only the gang that he was with. Once they found out he'd been busted, they'd drop him, or maybe worse. Matt blinked behind the orange lenses of his goggles. The surgeon mask that had covered his nose was now hanging around his neck. The police car soon came to a stop and Matt cringed. The door opened and Matt scooted as far away as possible from the officer. This time there was another one though, and Matt played right into their trap. The door behind him was opened and he came spilling out into the other cop's arms.

"Easy now. Don't make any more trouble." Matt cocked his head, fear was beginning to grip him tightly. Maybe if he played the innocent?

"I still don't know what you're talking about... I just happened to be there."

"After hours?"

"I like to walk..." Matt reasoned as he was being led inside.

"Yeah kid. We weren't born yesterday." He was led into a small room where they interrogated him, to get his side of the story.

"I was walking."

"Kid, you got any parents?"

"No." He answered, he was breaking down.

"None."

"That's what I said." The officers sighed.

"Have them call Wammy..."

"Alright..." The second officer left and Matt watched. He had studied the way they had come in very carefully, he was sure he could get out, if only he could make it past this cop.

"Kid... you may just get lucky."

"...?" Matt's brows furrowed. He didn't trust this cop, this could all just be a plot. He sat in silence staring at whatever could interest him. The handcuffs still bit at his wrists and he shrugged his arms trying to get them to be more comfortable. He felt like he was in prison with the striped shirt he was wearing now. The other cop poked his head back in,

"They're coming to get him."

"Alright Joe."

"Who's they?' Matt asked biting his lip.

"Wammy's House Orphanage? I'm sure you've heard of them. They're going to come bail you and take you there." Matt's eyes narrowed, this didn't sound all too good.

"Wammy's House?"

"It's for orphans, like you. You did tell us you were an orphan. Or was that a lie? It's not good to lie to the police kid."

"I was telling the truth." Matt smiled within himself. He had managed to pull the pin that was hidden up his sleeve and preceded to slowly pick the handcuff lock. He just had to keep the cop busy so he wouldn't notice.

"Hmm? And why would you do that? I mean, what do you gain from it?" The police officer was interested in this child, this preteen. He seemed very intelligent.

"At least, a lesser sentence for cooperation." Matt reasoned, "And... people generally know when you're lying. Whether they want to believe it or not."

"Interesting." Matt cussed as he heard the pin snap. It seemed louder then, the noise that snapped pin made as it dropped to the tile flooring. The officer never noticed, he didn't expect something like escape from a child, oh no. The door opened and in walked an older gentleman and a young boy, a blonde.

"So where's the idiot?" The blonde snapped, frustrated with the gentleman.

"Who you calling an idiot?" Matt's eyebrow rose. The kid's eyes snapped to him. The boy stalked over.

"So you're the kid... the new kid... that's going to be my roommate at Wammy's? Great. You'll just get in the way." Matt blinked, this kid was... Matt couldn't think of the proper word. Tenacious, furious, feisty, none of these words seemed proper enough for the blonde.

"Who are you?" Matt questioned as the officer and the gentleman talked.

"Mello. You, idiot?"

"Matt." Matt knew his real name, he just always went by Matt, he liked it better and aliases were just better suited to where he'd been hanging out.

"Matt huh? I hope you're tough, cuz you're going to be doing a lot of things for me..." Matt found himself nodding, giving in to the other's order. "So, what'd you do to get in trouble dumbass, I mean Matt." Mello corrected himself as Watari looked over.

"Graffiti..."

"Vandalism?"

"Yeah."

"You any good? Or did they arrest you because you suck?" Mello asked, a smirk flipping up the edge of his lips.

"I'm good!" Matt protested, his eyes narrowing. "I never got caught...till now..." his voice ended in a whisper.

"You tried picking the lock to your handcuffs?" Mello noticed with a smirk. "Heh, Matt I think me and you will get along just fine. Hang with me and no one will dare mess with you." Matt smiled, it was rather innocent, and cute. "You just have to help me take care of a kid, named Near."

"Fine." Matt nodded.

"Oh. And, you owe me chocolate." Matt's mouth dropped slightly open.

"What?! Why?"

"Hey, I like chocolate, and if you're going to be my friend you're just going to have to deal with it." Mello made a gun with his finger and pressed it to Matt's temple. "That's how things are at Wammy's House. I may be second smartest there, but when it comes to who rules, I'm number one."

Matt gulped, this kid was, amazing, yet crazy. "Mello, it's time to go..." Mello looked back at Watari, his eyes narrowed and he stepped away from Matt his hand lowering back to his side.

The police officer's face turned a little red when he found a broken pin sticking out from the handcuffs. He quickly took it out and shoved it in his pocket embarrassed. He put the key in the hole and unlocked the handcuffs and took them away from the preteen's wrists. "Alrighty then... this man's name is Wammy, he'll take care of you and show you where you'll be staying. You're lucky you got this break. Stay out of trouble." The cop warned as he nudged Matt's shoulder pushing him towards Mello and Watari. Matt grumbled underneath his breath and walked beside Mello out the door. He could make a run for it...

"Don't you dare run Matt." Mello hissed, "get in the car." Even though Matt couldn't see Mello's face he knew the blonde must have his eyes narrowed, his lips twisted into an angry frown. Any thoughts of running for it disappeared. Matt crawled into the black car nervous. Mello smirked, amused again. The car started up and drove away from the police station.

"Graffiti huh... you'll have to show me how sometime, but till then..."

"Yes?" Matt asked awaiting the next words.

"I have a feeling me and you will become good friends." Those were the last words spoken, but Matt had the feeling, deep down, this was just the beginning of something he could have never fathomed. This was the beginning of a story that had still yet to be written, and he would be small, yet a large player in, and it all started with, a little spraypaint, and graffiti.