I do not own any of these characters nor do I own the lyrics of this song.

Death Note and its characters belong to Tsugumi Oba and Takeshi Obata.
The song : Dig belongs to the group Incubus.

Thanks for reading.

--

"We all have a sickness

that cleverly attaches and multiplies

No matter how we try.

We all have someone that digs at us,

at least we dig each other."

-Dig-Incubus.

This is what happens when you're sick, you hate drugs...And you're afraid of : PAIN.

The teacher gave the signal and the ten teenagers began the race. Matt's eyes were focused on Mello. He wasn't doing so badly or at least it didn't look so bad. After five long minutes, Mello tried not to get too separated from the others, but slowly his rhythm was decreasing, the redhead noticed he was sweating way too much for what he had been doing.

He couldn't do it, it was over, he was too tired. Mello couldn't keep up with the rest. *I have to…I have to…I still can…* He had been able to do the stretching and the warm-ups, only fifty more minute and it would be over; but he couldn't do it. He felt as if somebody was smashing his head with a hammer, he couldn't even breathe correctly. *Fuck! I can't do this…* His vision was getting blurry, he could barely see a thing. *What? What is wrong with me?* But still, he kept running, he wasn't going to back up yet. He heard the second signal, the other group was coming. Suddenly, his strength disappeared, he legs did not respond anymore, and his vision was getting worse and worse… *Shit, I'm passing out…* He was indeed falling…He closed his eyes and heard all the people shouting at him, but he couldn't understand what they were saying. Before he fainted, he tried one last time to keep standing. Mello pulled his right arm to cushion the fall, but his hand couldn't stand his whole weight; he heard a "crack", closed his eyes, and finally collapsed on the solid floor.

"Jeevas get Blondie out of the track!" shouted the teacher.

*I guess I knew this was going to happen…* Matt accelerated and reached the unconscious Mello, he took the inert body and lift it without making any effort; Mello was very thin and his body wasn't too heavy. The fever had made him sweat so much he was soaked.

"Take him to the infirmary and get your ass back here," said the teacher.

Matt nodded and head back to the mansion. Mello's body was burning, burning from the outside… He accelerated his steps.

Mello slowly began to regain consciousness. *What's happening?* He had collapsed; he knew that much but…what was going on? He opened his eyes; he was being held by Matt, they were back at the mansion.

"Where…where are you taking me?" he whispered realizing where they were heading to, Matt didn't answer, he looked straight in the hall "Matt?" No answer. "Matt please don't-"

But the redhead interrupted him abruptly "Shut up, you're in no condition to be complaining now!" he accelerated once more the rhythm of his steps.

"Please don't…Don't take me there…I'm begging you…" Matt stopped, he looked down at his friend. What was he supposed to do? Mello looked like a corpse and yet he didn't want to be taken to a doctor.

"Please…I can take care of myself…But please don't…I don't want any drug…" Matt closed his eyes, he hated what L had orders, but what could he do? Certainly, the only way to make Mihael behave was to put him under the effect of drugs. At the same time, it was cruel, but he couldn't leave Mello in this state. He took a deep breath and looked back at Mello.

"Please…I promise I'll behave…" insisted the blond.

He made up his mind and changed his direction, heading now to the dorms; he could take care of his friend for a while.

"Thank you…" whispered Mihael as he closed his eyes.

Once at the dorms, he kicked the door and opened it; it wasn't locked anyways. He placed Mello on his bed and took off the shirt he was wearing, it was soaking wet. Then, he opened the closet to get another one. When he turned himself, Mello had already left the bed, he heard him slam the bathroom door violently. He sat on the bed and waited, and after five minutes he came out.

Matt couldn't resist it "You sure you're a virgin? Want me to get you a pregnancy test?" and busted out laughing.

"Shut up,asshole. I'm not in the mood for your stupid jokes…" he took the shirt from Matt's hand.

"I wouldn't treat lil' Matty so bad if I were you. I can still get you to the infirmary, sexy. And it wouldn't be so difficult in your current state," he smiled, "You're my slave now."

Mello gave him a glance and then threw himself in his bed. "Good boy! Now just wait here CALMLY. I'll get something from the pharmacy," he waved happily and left the room.

*DAMN THAT ASSHOLE!*

Mello took off his shorts and put on some pants, he was cold. Then, he made himself comfortable on his bed putting on his blanket. He closed his eyes and within minutes he was asleep.

He woke up with a little wet towel on his forehead. He didn't know how much time he slept but the room was cloaked in darkness. Mello sat on his bed and noticed Matt playing on his ps3 console.

"How you feeling?" he said looking straight at the T.V screen.

Mello took the towel away and shook his head. "I'm wondering if I didn't hit my head with a rock or something when I fainted, and I'm considering cutting off my right hand. Oh! And I'm starving."

Matt didn't answer, waited a few seconds and paused his game. He stood and sat next to his friend, putting a hand on Mello's forehead. "Fever's going down. Show me your hand." Mello obeyed without complaining.

Mail examined the hand and pressed it twice, Mello could feel a sharp pain stemming from his wrist, he automatically pulled his hand away from Matt. "I'm no freakin' doctor but it seems to me you got a fracture man."

*Shit…* was the only word in Mello's mind, he leaned his head on Matt's shoulder "Don't tell me that please…" Matt took carefully Mello's hand and slowly gave him a massage. After five minutes, he stood up and left the room without saying a word.

He came back a few minutes later with bandages and some ointment, he took Mello's hand again and adding the ointment, he gave him another massage. Then, he took the bandages and used them on the injured hand.

"There you go my little crybaby! Let's hope it's not actually broken."

Mello looked at his hand annoyed and whispered two words. "Thank you…"

Matt put a hand on Mello's shoulder "C'mon sexy, don't act so gloomy. It'll heal eventually and we're not even sure that it's broken!"

But Mello kept looking at his hand.

"I brought you some soup! You said you were hungry and I thought about it in advance! I'm such a good friend isn't it?" Mello laid back on his bed.

"I'm not hungry…And if I eat I'll probably end up barfing again."

Matt looked down at Mello sadly. He stood up and took a plastic bag on the desk. There was a thermometer inside.

"Okay, sexy turn around, I have to stuck this up your ass." Mello didn't answer, "Okay…This isn't normal. To this kind of provocation, I'd expect that you would at least throw me a shoe or something." The blonde took a pillow randomly and threw it at Matt softly, then, he turned his back at his friend.

What could Matt do? He felt really bad, he understood the reasons why Mello was depressing. He knew he hated it, but if his hand was really broken, the only option left was to go to a hospital. He took a last chance trying to get rid of this sad atmosphere and laid next to Mihael. Slowly his put his arms around Mello and hugged him tightly from behind. The blonde did not push him away as he would have done.

"Listen Mihael…Your hand will be perfectly fine, if it's broken it will eventually heal by itself anyways. I'm no specialist but I'll try my best to get it fixed somehow, even if I have to sell my balls to the devil. So please, calm down. I will not take you to a doctor, or the infirmary. Not until you ask me yourself. I will not allow anyone to touch you and I will not allow anybody to dope you with any kind of drug again. M-kay? Not only this time but any other time you're not feeling okay. Trust me…You're my best friend and the only thing worth in my life, I wouldn't lie to you," whispered Matt on the blond's ear.

There was an awkward silence, the redhead waited for an answer that did not come. To his big surprise, he heard his friend moaning silently; then, he turned around and hugged Mail back. The redhead understood he wanted them to stay like that.

"Wait," he murmured; he quickly stood up, turned off the video console and the lights, then regained his position and closed his eyes. The blonde held him tighter to make sure he wouldn't move again, he didn't want him to leave.

"You're such a kid," whispered Mail.

"So what? I'm your little kid..." he answered half asleep. He somehow felt protected next to Matt.