A/N: I have no one to blame but myself for this… okay; maybe I can also blame deviantart. In which case I totally do. Anyway, this is the first chapter of the first story in a series of DN fics I have suddenly been inspired to write. So far all of them feature MelloxNear slash. Yet I personally hate Near and adore Mello… go figure. Matt shows up in almost all of them because I love Matt as well despite his brief appearance in canon. But yeah… so if you enjoy MN stories then be sure to keep your eyes open because I'm going to be posting a veritable barrage over the next week or so.

Disclaimer: DeathNote belongs to Ohba and Obata. Not me. Which is obvious due to the distinct lack of graphic shonen-ai. Emphasis on graphic.

Title: The Best Friend Factor

Summary: MelloxNear! Set back in the Wammy-house days and featuring a nervous Near, a confused and stubborn Mello, and Matt being... Matt. Also present and accounted for is a whole lot of awkward, and some mild one-sided MattxMello if you squint.

Chapter 1: Lack of Cooperation

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes."

"NO!"

"...Yes."

"Dammit Matt! Stop contradicting me!" Mello stamped a foot in a way that would have been childish and immature were it anyone else. Actually, it was still childish and immature, but Matt was going to pretend it's not because Mello has violent tendencies.

"You're contradicting yourself. You asked for my personal opinion and advice as your official Best Friend For As Long As You're Smarter-"

"Forever." Mello corrected. Matt obligingly waved his hand.

"Same difference. But I've come to accept that, so don't change the subject." Matt adjusted his ever present goggles matter-of-factly. "Now, you asked what I thought, and I supplied an answer. It is not my fault if you didn't like aforementioned answer."

"I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH NEAR!" Mello shouted. He was being increasingly loud as the conversation continued, not that he wasn't loud normally, but it usually wasn't necessary to shout at Matt. Matt was a good little best friend/loyal henchman.

"Keep shouting and someone's going to hear that and misinterpret." Matt pointed out, and then considered a moment while Mello stared in horror. The blonde shot a glance around the room, scanning for eavesdroppers disguised as innocent bystanders. Fortunately Matt and Mello had actually managed to secure an empty room for their… uh… 'Philosophical discussion.' "Actually now that I think about it, it wouldn't really be misinterpreting since you do lo-"

"I DO NOT!" Mello yelled, figuring that was a safe enough sentence to broadcast. Matt smiled encouragingly.

"It's ok, really. I mean come on, you may be able to fool everyone else… probably because let's face it man, you can be downright scary… but I've known you for pretty much our whole lives and I can tell that the love/hate relationship has been missing the second word for quite some time now." The red-head explained.

"It was never a love/hate relationship! It's not even a relationship! I just hate him, that's all!" Mello insisted.

"Then why bother and ask my opinion?" Matt retorted. Mello was, for the first time in his memory, left speechless.

"God…damn you Matt." Mello took a large, comforting bite out of the chocolate bar that he'd almost forgotten was in his hand. Matt smiled, and if Mello hadn't been sulking he might have noticed it was a rather sad smile. "If you knew why the hell didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I… thought it was obvious." Matt rubbed at his nose. Mello looked at his friend exasperatedly, but decided there were more important matters at hand.

"Ok… so how do I fix it?" Mello asked, thoughtfully munching on his chocolate. Matt stared in disbelief.

"Uh… come again?" He choked out.

"You know… this uh… love thing. How do I make it go away? I mean, I'm not supposed to love Near. He's Near, for crissakes!" Mello said.

"Mello… you can't just get rid of love. It's kind of persistent." Matt tried to explain. Mello raised an eyebrow.

"But… Ack!" The last word was the involuntary result of Matt grabbing Mello by the wrist and dragging him towards the door with the strength of someone utterly sick of the situation he's found himself in. "What the hell are you doing!?" Mello attempted to squirm out of Matt's grasp, but years of clutching controllers and joysticks had given the gamer a vice-like grip that could probably even hold it's own against crowbars.

"The only way to really come to terms with your feelings is to confront them." Matt informed Mello briskly.

"WHAT!? What is that supposed to mean!?"

"It means we're going to find Near, and so help me but I will throw you at him if you don't fucking say something." Matt growled in a very un-Matt-like manner.

"The HELL you will! Let me go!" Mello struggled harder, but to no avail.

Locating Near was not a problem, since the albino rarely moved from his spot on the carpet of the first-floor playroom. Keeping hold of Mello on the way down was an entirely different level of difficulty. The blonde appeared to have entered a stage of panic, abandoning all friendship conduct and turning into a ball of kicking, clawing, biting, profanity-spewing rage.

It was actually quite lucky for Mello that it was a lovely day outside and just about all the other orphans were outdoors and therefore couldn't see him making a spectacle of himself. Matt on the other hand had already mentally signed his own death warrant, and was currently trying to decide what he'd have to shout at Near to put on his tombstone before Mello finished demolishing him. Then again Mello in this state was likely to finish off Near as well, recently realized feelings or no.

This had definitely not been Matt's best idea ever.

TBC...

A/N: Final note here, reviews would be greatly appreciated in any form. Even flames. No seriously, any thoughts at all on the story, please review with them.