In Hopes of a Miracle,

Dear Santa,

Hi! My name's Mattie(Mello says that's my new name now)! I wanted to say thank you for the wonderful presents that you gave me last year. I've never played on a DS before. It was so cool! L even sent me some games too. I beat them all in no time!

All I want for Christmas this year is a chimney in mine and Mello's room. That way, you can visit us anytime you want, right? Besides, the chimney that we have in the commons is probably too small.

I hope you visit soon! Me and Mello are making cookies for you!

Love,

Mattie

Dear Santa,

It's Mattie again! I didn't get a chimney last year, but that's okay. You gave me a little cute mailbox instead so after I finish writing this letter I can put it in there! And then you'll come by mine and Mel's room, right? Because you need to get my letter and Mello's!

I just wanna tell you that I'll be waiting. I really really wanna meet you and give you a hug and give you a glass of milk. So visit soon! That's my Christmas wish!

Love,

Mattie

Dear Santa,

Linda says you're not real. But I know you are. Don't worry. Mello thinks you're real, too. So it's okay. Linda's such a sourpuss so she'll just get coal this year instead of that art kit that she's always wanted.

I didn't get to meet you last year, but that's only because I fell asleep in the middle of the night sitting there in the hallway. When I woke up, Mello was yelling at me for acting stupidly and making me go back into our room. The plate full of cookies in my lap was gone, though! So you must have come by! I just slept right through it. Don't worry Santa, I'll stay up long enough tomorrow night to say hi to you.

This Christmas, I'd like another plate, please. Roger got mad at me because the plate I used to get you cookies disappeared. And he wouldn't believe me when you said that you took it, so I'll have to replace it.

See you soon Santa!

Love,

Mattie

Dear Santa,

L visited us today! He came in a fancy car with a sack full of presents and candies and when everyone was gathered in the dining hall, he gave them out. I asked Mello why L didn't just come tomorrow(which is Christmas). He said that that was because L was really busy.

I got a little chain necklace with a chocolate bar pendant on it. It was really weird though, because Mello got one with a goggles pendant. I think L accidentally gave us the wrong ones, but Mello said he didn't want to switch.

I don't really get it, but the chocolate bar is pretty, anyway...

This Christmas, I want another mailbox to put Mello and mine's letters in. Big bullies came last night and smashed the old one with a baseball bat.

Love,

Mattie

Dear Santa,

Sorry I didn't write to you last year, I was sick. Mello and I had stayed outside too long and I caught a cold and some frostbite in my fingers. I couldn't write and I couldn't open my presents, so Mello opened them for me.

Thanks for the new laptop! Now I don't have to use the library's computers. The bad side is that Mello might never give it back to me. Speaking of which, I have to go get it from him now. An hour ago, he said that he needed to look something up for a project, but I doubt that it'd take him this long!

This Christmas, I'd like some gloves. In case Mello decides to haul me outside again.

Love,

Mattie

Dear Santa,

A lot of the older kids don't believe in you anymore. They make fun of Mello and I when they see us getting cookies for you from the kitchen. Even some of the younger kids don't believe in you anymore. But that's okay. You still have Mello and I.

Thanks for the gloves. Really, I didn't think you'd actually get me them, but I guess I was wrong. Not that I'm complaining, haha.

This year, I'd like to have more time with Mello. He's been almost literally killing himself over rankings. You know, I think I'd let myself be dragged outside for the sake of spending more time with him.

Love,

Mattie

Dear Santa,

Um, hi. Sorry I haven't written to you in two years, but things have been hard. L died and Mello... Well, Mello left. I was moved to second place by default.

It's not the same here without him.

Thanks for the stuff you got me, I guess. Were the cookies I made good?

Love,

Matt

Dear Santa,

It's Matt again. I left Wammy's too, so that's why I didn't write to you last year. Juggling two jobs and trying not to be caught by the FBI really leaves no time to write to you.

Christmas Eve tonight. I feel lonely. My tree looks like crap, too. Mello was always the one who knew who to decorate them properly.

This year, I want Mello back. Please?

From,

Matt

Dear Santa,

Still no sign of Mello. And I noticed that since he first left me, you haven't been giving me presents. I'm not trying to berate you or anything, but why?

Maybe it's been Mello pretending to be you all along. After all, on every Christmas Eve, it's always me who falls asleep first... Hm.

I still believe in you, Santa. A little weird for a seventeen-year-old to be saying that, but it's true. I just wish Mello was here to believe with me.

-Matt

Dear Santa,

I think...I think that this will be my last letter to you, Santa. I still believe, don't get me wrong, but I get a little depressed every Christmas morning when I come into my crap-of-a-kitchen and see the milk and cookies untouched. Mysteriously, the letters outside my apartment door(where I always put them out) are always gone, but that's most likely from the janitor that cleans the place up.

Though hacking the government isn't really something a Good Samaritan might do, I've been a good boy.

Give me Mello back, please?

In hopes of a miracle,

Matt

Matt set down the pencil beside the paper, chuckling humorlessly to himself. Really, he must be a sight: a pale figure, sunken eyes hidden by goggles, auburn hair still as hectic as usual and wearing old worn jeans and a black-and-red shirt.

He folded the paper in half, walked to his door, and slid it underneath to the other side like he usually did.

And the hacker walked off to his bedroom to get some sleep, unaware of the blond just outside his apartment, one gloved hand on the doorknob(ready to twist it open), smiling softly, with a Christmas present in his arm.