There were many difficulties that came with living with Mello. Several of them were very obvious (and loud, and annoying even to the neighbors). But there were a few that weren't as obvious.

One such example appeared on laundry days.

Mello was lying on a black couch in the middle of the living room, eating a bar of chocolate and idly flipping through channels on the TV. Matt been smoking and sitting next to him when the redhead heard the dryer beeping – Mello had put the clothes in the wash for once and them moved them into the dryer. Now, however, he didn't look as though he was inclined to do any more household chores. Matt put out his cigarette and went to get the dry clothes.

A few minutes later, Mello was taken from his TV surfing when Matt appeared in the doorway of the living room. A green clothes basket was in his hands, and he was scowling at Mello.

"What?" the blond asked, not moving from his sprawled position on the couch.

"Mello, what did I teach you about washing clothes?" Matt questioned, his eyes narrowed behind his goggles.

"Hey, I only used one cup of detergent this time, I know that!" Mello protested. "I learned my lesson about that three months ago."

"What else?"

"I made sure none of your games were in a pocket somewhere, which took a long time to check because you have so many goddamned pockets."

"And?"

Mello searched through his mind. One cup of detergent, make sure no games are in pockets, close the washer lid, don't leave electrical appliances nearby (which would usually not be an issue…funny story about that, actually), if one takes a lighter out of one of Matt's pockets don't light it and then accidentally drop it in the detergent bucket (that's also a funny story), don't mess with the plumbing of either machine ever, remove the lint from the dryer (also, don't play with one of Matt's lighters if one hasn't removed said lint, the dryer door is open, and one has unusually clumsy fingers when it comes to holding onto lighters)…

"I did everything you told me," Mello said. "I even checked the List to make sure."

Matt didn't look convinced, and said, "Do you remember back when I first showed you how to wash clothes, and I told you what one of the most important things to do is?"

Mello thought back. "No," he said decisively.

"It was about whites and colours," Matt hinted, fingers drumming the edge of the green basket still in his hands. "What are you supposed to do with them?"

"Oh yeah!" Mello said. "I remember that now. You're always supposed to…separate…them…oh. Oops."

"Yes," Matt said. "Oops."

Mello tried for a grin, biting into his chocolate bar. "It can't be that bad, can it?" he muttered through his mouthful.

"Mello, my socks are pink!" Matt shouted.

Mello blinked. He blinked again. He took another bite of chocolate. Then he snickered.

"It's not funny," Matt said, annoyed. "I can't go around wearing pink socks, Mello; I have a reputation to uphold!"

"Oh, relax," Mello gasped through his laughter. "Your boots and jeans will hide them."

"Not if I have to take my boots off," Matt said, glowering at the blond.

Mello just kept laughing.

"I'm going to strangle you with your rosary," Matt threatened, placing the laundry basket on the floor and approaching the couch.

"Touch my rosary and your cigarettes will magically start disappearing for months on end," Mello retorted.

"So will your chocolate," Matt countered.

"You wouldn't dare," Mello snarled, his right hand protectively clutching the bar of chocolate he held at the moment.

The two held a glaring contest for a few minutes, Mello still languidly taking up most of the couch, and Matt standing in front of it with his arms crossed angrily.

"I'll add 'separate white and colours' to the List," Mello finally grunted.

Matt sighed, sitting down on top of Mello's leather clad legs. "I suppose that's all that can really be done," he said, propping his own legs up on a footrest. Then: "I need to go buy new socks."

Mello started flicking through the channels again. Matt pulled out a Game Boy and started playing some kind of shooting game.

"You know, for someone who's a genius, you really are a moron sometimes," Matt said.

"Shut up," Mello replied.

A/N: I read somewhere that Albert Einstein couldn't balance a checkbook. L is incapable of sleep and socially stunted. Near is even more socially stunted than L. I have decided that Mello is incapable of washing clothes. I have no idea when this takes place.