Ever since birth, Matt had never been someone's number one. Nobody had ever cared for the way he had always wanted.

Matt discovered reality when he was five.

Always locked away in his room, trying to ignore the empty feeling inside that pained him. He knew this feeling shouldn't exist at such a young age, but he also knew he was not same as everyone else.

Differences mean discovery.

Escaping the pain made everything easier with tales of magic, romance, guns, and faraway lands. A character that everyone wanted to be and no one could have.

Matt discovered video games when he was six.

Matt immersed himself in them since the day he discovered they existed. It was a reality away from his own reality. No parents that neglected him existed in the flashing games nor was there a pain that couldn't be fixed. Matt stopped caring about what existed in reality-

Until he heard a gunshot down stairs.

And for once, Matt understood this was not a video game; Matt had only one life.

And with that, Matt had jumped out the window of his home and ran. Ran to save his own life, rather those of his parents he knew were already dead.

The police found him two days later, alone in the woods.

They said he should have been traumatized when he found his parents dead.

But, Matt didn't care. He saved his only life.

Watari found him a month later, alone, as Matt had always lived his life, in an orphanage. Matt had followed the strange old man with kind eyes to Wammys. The day he first laid eyes on the establishment, Matt knew it was different.

Differences make discoveries.

The day he first laid eyes on the boy with blonde hair and mischievous blue eyes, he knew the boy was different.

Matt discovered Mello when he was seven.

And when Matt was seven, he knew he wanted to be Mello's number one. The only person Mello wanted to think about or be with.

And for a short time, that was a reality.

And then Near came to Wammys. Near knocked Mello off as number one of L's successor and then Matt was no longer the only person in Mello's heart. Near also held a place there, albeit, hated, but ranked higher then Matt. Mello wanted to spend more time abusing and attempting to beat Near, that Matt became a shadow once again.

Matt discovered heartbreak when he was nine.

Mello never understood Matt's pain. Near was Mello's only focus of attention and Matt was item to be used.

But, then again, Matt never minded that much. At least, he got to spend time with Mello, and was sure that was enough. But as time dragged on and Mello began to spend less and less time with Matt, Matt began to immerse himself in another reality once again. Matt, once again, felt the need to escape the pain that was true life.

And then L died.

And with it, so did Matt; because the day L died was the day Mello truly left his life.

Matt discovered true loneliness when he was fifteen.

And that day, Matt knew video games would longer be his only outlet to his pain. He was truly alone and no amount of video games and different realities could change that, anymore.

Matt discovered drugs when he was sixteen.

Matt had not intended to get addicted, but only to see if they provided a different outlet. And they did. And Matt became addicted, not to the drug itself, but the reality it provided.

And for a time, they filled that hole in his heart that Matt just couldn't get over. But more and more, drugs lost their tantalizing reality.

Matt didn't know whether or not if he wanted to stop. His own life lost its interest and purpose- so what was the point?

Matt's life began to plunge into a chaotic hell. He couldn't stop. Matt began to stay overnight in places he didn't know, do things he couldn't remember, and meet people he would regret.

And regret he did, for one night, in a drunken, high haze, Matt met someone he wished he had never known.

Matt discovered the Mafia when he was seventeen.

And for a year, his life was a worse hell his could have been with any amount of drugs combined. Matt was forced to use the talents he discovered at Wammys for a purpose he didn't approve of. Matt was forced to go against Mello.

The day Matt found Mello, was the day Matt found hope since he became the Mafia's dog.

And, yet, Matt knew he could no leave the Mafia. And, by staying with the Mafia, Matt went against Mello.

There wasn't only one mafia in Japan.

And with that, Matt became Mello's enemy.

Months passed and Matt's life just seemed to pass. Days were monotonous and, with the knowledge he could never face Mello with his 'current line of work', heartbreaking.

And then one day, Matt thought Mello was gone. Matt saw Mello blow himself up, through the eyes of a computer. Matt ran. This time, he was running to save the life of someone precious.

He didn't care if Mello remembered him- Matt only needed to know that Mello was alive. When Matt arrived, and found Mello amongst the rubble, breathing, Matt cried for the first time in his whole life.

Matt discovered Miheal when he was eighteen.

But, Mello had changed since Wammys. He wasn't the Mello Matt remembered him as.

This wasn't Mello. This was Miheal.

Deadly, cruel, and uncaring.

Matt was alone once again, amongst Mello's companionship.

Matt was a dog once again.

Miheal was alive, and that was enough for Matt.

But, the day three years later, when Miheal left Matt on his motorcycle, Matt discovered something. He was not coming back.

When Matt lifted his arms and stepped out his car, only hours later, Matt knew he was the one that was not coming back.

Matt had never become Mello's number one.

Matt was alone, since birth to death.

Differences make discoveries.

On January 26th, 2010, Matt discovered death when he twenty-one.

I have to say, this is not my best. I think I should have changed the perspective around a little, or, at least, not made the sentence structure so simple :/

Matt's one of my favorite characters, so I thought I should give him a oneshot that gave his life, from beginning to end.

I hope you enjoyed the story, though ^.^

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note, or L would walk around without pants.