A/N: ….I don't know what to say here anymore.

Thanks for existing? Is that too broad?

Well, anyways, I finally managed to get this out. I severely want to thank my friend, Rapunzel, for reading and reviewing. I love that bitch so much, you guys. She seriously helped me get this going.

Of course, I didn't forget the rest of you with all your patience and love and reviews. I seriously want some constructive criticism for this chapter. It's been over a year, so it was kind of a struggle to figure out what the story needed and where it was and what I had already mentioned. If anything doesn't look right, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME.

Please.

Suggested Listening: Lover's Eyes by Mumford and Sons

.

.

A sigh resounded in the quiet room. Mello's eyes shot open and he quickly looked around.

All he saw was the decrepit ceiling of the bedroom in that awful cabin.

He sat up and took in the surroundings. Clothes were strewn about the room haphazardly, and the only thing covering his naked form was a thin blanket.

He finally noticed the slumbering redhead curled up next to him.

Mello sighed and briefly wondered how he let himself get into this situation. He remembered checking Matt for wounds after he had fallen and being relieved when there weren't any. After that, he decided he needed some chocolate. Matt was stressing him out.

He remembered everything he had considered whilst nibbling on the chocolate. He had glanced towards the redhead briefly and felt a surge of anger towards him. Matt said he wanted this vacation to take a break and relax for a bit, but all he was doing was stressing the blonde out worse. Mello had witnessed Matt torture himself and push himself into the deepest, darkest corners of his mind, away from Mello's reach. He hated how the redhead would do this to himself without a second thought, and he hated that he didn't understand what Matt was going through.

He hated it even more that he cared so much. Mello would openly admit that he let his emotions get the better of him on a regular basis, but no one could get him riled up like Matt could. It wasn't even like Matt was doing it on purpose: he was too lazy to put in the effort. Mello was actually pretty shocked that Matt took the effort to drag him up here. But here they were, and Matt was rubbing him the wrong way unintentionally again.

Though, Matt didn't always make him angry. Matt was the only one who could actually make him laugh. Mello had relaxed a bit after that thought.

In the next instant, Mello had looked back at Matt and felt something completely foreign come over him. He realized that he had been scared when Matt was sick. He had been scared that Matt would refuse to acknowledge the poisonous thoughts that had been torturing him and Mello would lose him forever.

The thought had scared him. Mello had never let anything get to him like this, but there it was. Matt had gotten under his skin again.

And in the same instant he realized this, he had begun making his way to the loveseat and placing himself in Matt's lap. He needed Matt right there.

He desperately needed to feel that pale skin under his fingertips without taking his temperature and wondering if he would make it out alive. He wanted to hold Matt so close that the redhead wouldn't be able to run away even if he wanted. He just fucking needed Matt.

.

Mello was no stranger to violence, even as a small child. His father always seemed to be away on Mafia business, and he didn't take his son with him unless there wasn't anything planned for the day, which was rare. His mother was constantly worried about her husband, and she spent most of her time huddled under the covers of their bed, trying to sleep away the worry.

So, growing up, young Mihael was left to his own devices. He desperately craved the attention of his parents, but wasn't sure how to get it.

When he started picking fights at school, his parents paid attention. They scolded him and, yes they even beat him a few times, but they paid attention to him.

So, Mihael started picking more fights and causing as much trouble for the servants as possible. It wasn't that he desired the attention of his parents exclusively, he just wanted attention. He loved the crowd that would gather whenever he threw the first punch. He loved the exacerbated looks on his teachers' faces after the third fight that day. He loved the feel of callused hands grabbing the back of his shirt and dragging him to his room after bugging the servants for hours on end. It didn't matter what kind of attention, he just wanted someone to pay constant mind to him.

Looking back, he knew he should have been happy that his parents were both present for dinner for the first time in months, but he was just a little kid and had decided to throw a fit for no substantial reason. Even when they were both sitting right in front of him, they weren't giving him the attention he craved.

Most kids would have been shocked into submission after witnessing such an event as young Mihael had, but he was not most kids.

He had no living relatives, not that anyone would want to take in such a troublemaker, and as soon as a social worker came to take the boy away, the servants were gone.

Despite causing trouble wherever he went, Mihael was a brilliant boy. None of the exhausted foster parents could deny this. A Wammy representative heard about him a few months after the death of Mihael's parents and contacted the foster home in which he lived.

The foster parents were glad to get him out as soon as they heard he was invited to stay at Wammy's. It wasn't that they didn't love the bright young lad, he just sent too many of their other kids to the hospital and they were facing bankruptcy.

Mihael didn't care where he stayed; as long as there stood a chance of him being the center of attention, he was as happy as he could be.

After a few weeks of staying at Wammy's, (the newly renamed) Mello realized that he received twice as much attention if he made the top of the ranking list that was posted at the end of every week than if he just beat up on kids. He didn't just get noticed by the teachers and staff if he just caused trouble- every kid in the orphanage turned to look at him the instant he joined the top 3. Teachers praised him and patted him on the back. The cooks even gave him an extra chocolate bar for working so hard. Mello found a new resolve.

He still started fights, just less often. He didn't fight for the sake of fighting anymore; if he started a fight it was out of frustration. No matter how hard he studied, his scores were just a hair below that of Near's. Nothing he did seemed to touch the boy, either. He bullied and tried to start fights with the albino, but all he would get in response was a blank stare. Mello wanted to scream every time he saw those cool eyes staring at him. They didn't challenge or fear him, they just observed.

Once Matt rolled around, though… well, to be honest, not much changed. But enough changed to make a difference for Mello.

The mere thought of the little albino boy still made Mello want to rip out his hair, but a small hand placed on his shoulder was enough to pull him away from the infuriating thoughts, even for a moment.

Mello didn't know how, but Matt always seemed to know what mood the blonde was in. Mello's moods could change at the drop of a hat, but Matt always kept up and responded in kind. He wasn't like the other kids, though. Anyone could see when Mello was looking for a fight and everyone would take cover. Matt never did, though. He wouldn't do anything.

He would sit and stare at Mello, waiting for him to do something.

Mello never considered beating up on the scrawny redhead, though. Not even when the boy climbed ranks faster than even he had and ended up right behind him. He waited for Matt to surpass him, but it never happened. He was always relieved when it was proven that Matt would maintain the third rank. He was relieved that he wouldn't have to put Matt in his place and he was relieved that he wouldn't lose his ranking to a lazy gamer.

Mello figured that he never even thought about harming Matt because it looked as if he even laid a hand on the boy, Matt would break beyond repair and Mello didn't want the responsibility he knew he would place upon himself to put Matt back together. No one else seemed to notice, though, and Matt ended up facing endless bullies during his stay. They became less frequent once the kids realized that Mello would not tolerate anyone laying a hand on the boy.

As soon as Matt had walked into their room, Mello knew that he belonged to him. Matt seemed to understand it too. He never questioned Mello or his methods. He never tried to escape the blonde or gain some private time. He just followed the blonde and did as he was told. "Matt" and "puppy" became synonymous after just a few weeks. It was meant as an insult, but Mello believed that Matt would have gladly worn any collar Mello would have given him.

Matt belonged to Mello and that was that. Mello was free to do whatever he wished to the boy and no one would question it.

And after a couple of years of Matt being in his possession, Mello found that he didn't need to start as many fights or work as hard to get the attention he craved.

The redhead's attention was always focused on Mello, even when it didn't look like it.

.

Mello sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Matt shifted next to him and Mello watched as the gamer lazily turned over and threw his arms over his head, stretching. His eyes blinked open and caught the blonde watching him.

It was a rare sight to see Matt without his goggles. Mello was glad he had torn them off of the redhead last night and discarded them. Matt had lovely moss green eyes that Mello would never admit to loving… at least not out loud.

Matt sat up after a bit and let his lips hover in front of Mello's, just out of reach. He rubbed Mello's back lazily.

Mello felt the heat rush to his face at the touch and quickly closed the distance between them. He just let his lips sit on Matt's, not moving.

Matt smiled and laughed once. Mello could feel the hot air brush past his lips and relished it.

"I was wondering if you would do that," Matt droned.

Mello scoffed and stood up, taking the covers with him. He made to stalk out of the room, but something pulled back on the covers. He turned to see Matt leaning forward, grabbing the covers.

"Aw, don't be like that. I was only kidding." Matt looked up at Mello, pouting.

"No you weren't," Mello sneered, tearing the covers from Matt's fist.

"Yeah, I know, but I didn't say it to chase you away." Matt started to look around for his goggles. His head turned this way and that, hair swishing along with him, and he started groping around and under the bed.

Mello sighed. He turned and noticed the goggles had ended up behind him, barely concealed by the blanket he was dragging. He briefly considered tossing the blanket over them and leaving, but he knew Matt wouldn't find them until he was completely worked up, and that was happening rapidly.

So, the blonde picked them off the floor and moved towards the distracted boy. He snatched Matt's chin and forced him to stop flailing around and look him in the face. He held Matt's gaze for a few moments before bringing the goggles into view.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch." Mello placed the goggles in Matt's hand and smacked his cheek playfully before walking away.

Matt watched Mello's back disappear behind the corner before he snapped the goggles into place and stumbled after him.

.

A/N: How was it? Review? Please? I didn't have time to re-read and make sure everything made sense. Anything and everything helps, guys. I cannot stress that enough. D:

I love you all.