Near opened his large gray eyes wearily.

Where am I? He wondered.

Wouldn't any small boy wonder that? Wouldn't they wonder about why they weren't with their clothes were blood spattered and covered by dirt. Why their friends weren't with them or why weren't they in their bedroom? Why their head hurt so badly and was bandaged? Why they were in a dark room that was dimly lit in the center where they stood? Why two crimson eyes stared out at them from the darkness?

Yes.

Yes, that may be what any child at the age of eight might wonder. That very well may be exactly what they'd wonder. And Near barely had time to wonder about much more when a familiar looking teen stepped into the dim light.

His hair was messy, raven black… and his skin was so pale that it appeared as though it'd never seen the sun. Not as pale as Near's skin, but close enough. His eyes were large and red and his figure was rather lean, but fairly muscular all the same. He wore dark jeans with a black long-sleeved shirt and beaten up, old tennis shoes, which appeared ready to fall apart before the day was out, but were holding together, surprisingly well.

"Don't move." He said with a sadistic smile on his face. "Are you realizing who I am, Nate? Hmm? Do you recall anything? Do you recall anything you done?"

Near looked at him with wide gray eyes that pleaded innocence.

No one had called him that name since his parents died. He'd been referred to as Near, not Nate. He knew this teen, yes, he realized who it was after a single moment of thought. His name was Beyond Birthday otherwise known as BB or B or Rue as some of the other teens had called him. Beyond Birthday had played with him on a few occasions when Near had nobody else to play with. Normally, B played with Near and his puzzles or with darts and a dart board. B always spoke softly to him and always asked about the games they played. He'd always smiled a friendly smile that was somehow unnerving to many people. Near scanned the room, but saw nothing around him was familiar other than B.

"Where am I?" He asked as he toyed with a lock of hair. "Where is Merro and Matty?" he asked remembering his redheaded and blonde friends.

"Don't trouble yourself over those two." B said softly. He moved slowly towards Near who stood frozen on the spot. "You'll never see Mihael or Mail ever again."

"W-why?"

"They didn't love you." B said watching as Near kept his large gray eyes pinned on him. "They hate you. They want you to die. They both abandoned you, bunny. Just like L."

"L? Bunny?"

Near didn't like being called a bunny. He wrinkled his nose in distaste. As far as the name L had gone… Near had never heard that name before, well, not from Beyond, but Merro had talked about some guy named L on a few occasions, but Matty had always changed the subject before Near could ask Merro who L was but once the conversation changed Near hadn't dared bring it back up. Oh, how he wished he knew more about L, now. He knew that B had once mentioned him, but the hate and malice in his eyes and tone had seemed so different from the adoration and love Merro had shown. Which was true? Which was lies? Who was L?

Why did Beyond speak about him so hatefully?

So many questions!

Near gave the elder a questioning look; Beyond seemed to soften some as he looked at the younger boy. "Yes, you haven't met him, yet. But he's a terrible, terrible person, Nate. Trust me. L is a monster."

Near looked at the floor feeling confused. "But Merro said that L was-"

"He lied!" Beyond snapped. "That blonde demon lied to you! And so did that redheaded heathen friend of his. They filled your head with lies. They were going to make you exactly like A! They were gonna make you kill yourself! You're nothing to them! They don't even notice your missing! I saved you, you should be grateful!"

Near looked up to B with tear filled eyes. "Re-really?"

B nodded solemnly.

"Remember what happened?" he asked softly. "Remember what they did?"

"N-no." Near sobbed. His head started to throb in pain. A pale hand rested on where the pain came from the most. "I-I don't remem-remember any-anything past th-is-this morning when I woke-woke up." The small boy sobbed fearfully.

"May I fill in your blank spaces?"

"Plea-please."

B stroked Near's white curls affectionately. "You were playing outside for once. Mello and Matt tricked you into playing outside with them. You went into the woods and I watched when they started to tease you. I watched as they shoved you to the ground. You hit your head into a rock and blood spattered the ground and your clothes. They both laughed, and then ran off. I helped you, Nate. They abandoned you. Do you believe that? They abandoned you to die, Nate. You'd be dead if not for me."

Near shook his head knowing that that story wasn't what happened, he knew it wasn't. Something didn't sound right and he had the feeling B was telling him a total lie. He gave B a look that pleaded to be told the truth. He knew Merro and Matty wouldn't hurt him like that.

They wouldn't abandon him to die as Beyond had said.

They were his friends.

Beyond knew that Near's 'Matty' as he called him liked the young boy. Not like Near's precious 'Merro' did, but he knew that Mello liked Near a lot and wouldn't let anything bad happen to him so he could only wish that Near had bought his lie, even though he seriously doubted it. Matt and Near had sort of a brotherly relationship, that much Beyond had observed for himself. And Mello loved him, whether Near was oblivious to the blonde's affections B didn't know. B had watched when Mello had kissed Near and mumbled something to him before embracing the pale boy in a hug.

The three of them were friends. But Beyond was intent on keeping his story the same, he wasn't going to let Near know the truth. "I want to see them!" Near finally shouted losing his cool. "I want to see them right now, B! If it's not true they'll say so and I'll trust them, but if they're as cruel as you say then they'll admit what they did! I want to see them!"

"No!" Beyond Birthday snapped. "You can't see them! You can never see them ever again. Never, ever, ever, never, ever again Nate."

"Why not?" Near demanded.

"Because I killed them." Beyond hissed.

The younger boy suddenly gave Beyond a look of horror. His eyes widened and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He had begun to tremble as he stared at B almost in disbelief. And then Near squeaked in shock, "Y-you what?"

"I murdered them, Near, I murdered them to save you." B said coldly.

Near looked at the teen in shock. "No…no…you…couldn't have…you wouldn't…how could you have…." He placed a hand to his mouth as a sob escaped his throat. "Merro…Matty…Merro…Matty…Merro…Matty…Merro…Matty…" he sobbed trembling even more violently from shock.

Beyond watched as the small boy burst into tears, which ran down his cheeks in thin streams and dripped onto the floor mutely. He felt no compassion nor did he feel guilt for whatever pain Near was feeling, he simply felt…empty….

"If you need proof, Near, I can show you their corpses." Beyond said coldly glaring at the small child. Near looked at him with teary eyes, sobs escaping him at a fast rate. "Why did you…they didn't deserve to…to…how could…WHY?"

"Because, I love you." B said softly with a smile.

Near gasped softly, eyes widening (if that was even possible!) he turned on his heel ready to run, but B leapt on top of him and pinned him to the ground. He screamed partially from fear and partially from surprise. He squirmed fruitlessly as Beyond held him down. Near let more tears run down his cheeks as B held him down firmly. After a short while he stopped squirming and the tears also stopped shortly after.

"Feel better?"

"N-no."

"Okay, that's okay, because I'm gonna break you anyways."

"Why?"

"Because I already told you, I love you, and if I break you, then nobody other than me will want you, so you'll be mine forevers and evers."

Near shivered as a tender kiss was placed on his forehead. Another kiss was placed on his neck where B began to nip and suck. Soon, love bites were showing all over Near's torso and neck. Near trembled, as his pajama shirt was unbuttoned, then tossed to the side. He was terrified. What is B doing to me? He wondered as B ran his tongue over one of Near's hardened nipples causing him to moan weakly. Why do I f-feel s-s-so strange? Near asked himself as he stared up at Beyond Birthday who was enjoying every second of what he was doing. He felt his heart racing, from both fear and pleasure.

He realized with disgust that he liked what B was doing to him. He liked the nips and kisses, but when the rest of his clothes were removed he became frightened. B's eyes were thickly clouded by lust, whilst Near's gray eyes simply pleaded for mercy. Beyond ran a hand down the boy's naked body, before pulling his own clothes off. Soon screams ripped through the room followed by moans and cries of ecstasy (To simplify things for you people who don't get: B raped Near). After being redressed a door slammed heavily, and Near was left in the dimly lit center of the room. Sobbing he curled up into a ball ashamed, in pain and most of all terrified.

He was left that way for at least a week.

Then B came in and talked with him saying stuff. Many different things like how much he loved Near and how he'd break him. How he'd torture him and rape him if it meant helping him. Beyond told Near about how evil L was and what he did to A, the former number one in Whammy's House and Beyond's former lover. Some of the things he told the smaller, younger boy frightened poor Near, because he didn't understand them. Like when B said that he'd squeeze Near's emotions so hard that they'd burst out of him.

Surely he wasn't literal but that still made no sense to Near. But then things got bad and he did understand what B had meant, probably because it wasn't just his body breaking, nor was it just his heart, but it was also his sanity that was slowly snapping.

Beyond sometimes played with him.

But the games were always violent and ended with Near having a bruised arm or leg or his head having to be bandaged again because Beyond made it bleed again. Sometimes Beyond would laugh at him, tease him, and mock him for believing that his Merro and Matty hadn't abandoned him. Beyond always told Near about Merro and Matty's 'true nature' as B called it, and Near was forced to listen. He didn't want to believe what B told him…

…but what choice did he have…?

He was locked in the room twenty-four hours a day, barely ever fed and when he was allowed food it came in the form of sloppy, greasy scrapes that were probably dug out from a garbage can or dumpster. Normally, it was dry bread crusts, potato peels, rotten maybe moldy bits and pieces of fruit or vegetable peels and rarely he would receive a bone with some meat still clinging to it. At times his mind told him to simply starve, but his primitive survival instincts were much stronger than any willpower he could show.

So he ate.

He never complained to Beyond because he was too hungry, sometimes just frightened the red-eyed teen would get angry, and at other times he was just thankful he got fed at all, but then again even if he weren't hungry Near wouldn't have complained because it was just his nature to be quiet. When he'd eat whatever he was brought Beyond would laugh or maybe leave him alone or continue to watch him with a scowl.

Sometimes, when he got angry, Beyond would beat the boy mercilessly. Near always begged him to stop, but he never did. If anything Beyond beat him even worse when he was begged to stop. And in some sick way Near believed he deserved to get beaten. Some dark, lonely, crumbling, hopeless corner of his subconscious told him that he done something to displease the older male. Something had to be wrong with him, that was why Beyond got angry with him sometimes for no apparent reason.

Right?

It made sense didn't it?

Near had to have done something to anger him, but the child soon learned that Beyond Birthday needed no motivation to become furious. Sometimes he just became furious for no reason at all. While in his enraged state of mind he used the younger boy as his punching bag to let off steam and 'for Near's own good' as he would sometimes say. Near always doubted that it was good for a young adult to pound a kid like ten to eight years younger than them, but he never said that aloud, he was too smart to tell Beyond such a thing. B would, at times rape him, as he did to the boy his first day in the cell.

Whenever he grew bored and Near learned to not struggle after a few days of it he was raped over and over, but eventually grew used to it and learned a few basic rules when having sex with BB. If he struggled it was more painful, if he screamed it went unnoticed, if he were to ignore the pain he'd make Beyond furious and if he were to attempt redressing himself after the sex was over he was certain to get a beating.

In some way, that Near depicted as sick and abnormal, he enjoyed it. He liked the feeling of Beyond inside him and knew it wasn't rape if he enjoyed it…or was it…? Near grew disgusted with himself each time he moaned for B and each time he knew, deep down, that no matter how much he denied it he loved it. He loved B, he wasn't ashamed of that, but he was ashamed of how he'd disgrace himself for the teen or how he'd plead, beg, moan and call the teen's name.

On certain occasions the boy always hoped someone would burst in and save him like in one of the hero-type stories his friend, Matty had told him.

Matty….

"Oh, Matty, Matty…why did you have to die?" Near muttered to himself sadly.

Matty had been his friend…no… Beyond said differently, Beyond said that he was Near's enemy. But Matty had been so kind to Near after all, of course he was his friend, but he had been told that it was false kindness Matty had shown him. But deep within Near's heart and soul he felt that Matty was his friend, fake or not.

Matty had been older than Near by a year and he was great at playing video games, he didn't mind sharing them with Near, and had always beat Near at his games. The albino could remember the smile that would show up on his face when he beat Near. That was a great try Near! The redhead's cheerful voice said in the back of Near's mind one day.

It was like a knife stabbing into the boy's already wounded heart.

"Yeah, Matty, I know that was…good try…can we play again?" Near said to that voice, hoping to get a reply. "Please, Matty, can we…can we play again…?"

There was no reply and Near began to sob. Calling for Matty he didn't even notice the camera, which watched him from a corner of the room. Beyond watched from the surveillance room and smiled. He's finally starting to crack. B thought smirking with satisfaction. It'd been at least three weeks since he'd brought Near there and the boy had seemed resilient, but seeing him begin to crack made Beyond very pleased.

Meanwhile, Near thought of the stories Matty had told him.

A helpless person in a precarious situation getting hurt or threatened and then somebody bursts in just when things are getting bad, but nobody ever did that for him. He knew that nobody would. But Near was a child who indulged himself in such fantasies, just to keep his sanity and hold onto some shred of hope that his Merro and Matty hadn't completely abandoned him. He knew how fragile life was and that without hope or any sanity there wasn't any rational life within a person at all, just animalistic instincts.

And Near could tell by looking at B when he was angry that he was a creature who had gave up all of his sanity long ago. Maybe B lost his sanity shortly after A died. Near thought one afternoon after a beating. After thinking that single thought he wondered that if it truly was L's fault for A's death. After some critical thinking Near decided without a shred of doubt that it was. If L was as powerful as B had told him then why didn't he try to help A? Why didn't he notice when A became depressed? Why didn't L stop him from slitting his wrists? Why didn't he do something, anything? Did he care about A at all or was A just a test subject to L? He could have at the very least gotten help for A when he was in his depressed state of mind; signs had to have shown.

This is your entire fault L. Near thought darkly. It's your fault that I bleed, and your fault that I hurt. When I am beaten it's your fault. It's your fault that Merro and Matty are dead probably buried in a shallow grave someplace in the woods. It's your fault that Beyond has been through so much pain and madness and your fault he's insane. It's your fault for every day I starve and thirst…your fault when I can't sleep…your fault when I get beaten awake late at night. It's your fault that my entire existence is a living hell now.

Disgust.

Contempt.

Antagonism.

Hatred.

Pure abhorrence.

It all flowed through Near's veins as he thought how much of L's fault everything was and the more he thought about it the more he desired to kill him. He just hated L so much for what was happening. And because of what? Because he let a little, depressed emo child slit his wrists in front of Beyond! Everything that was being done to him was an effect caused because L let A die!

Then one morning…or night… Near didn't know he'd lost track of the time, but one day he awoke and saw his cell door standing wide open. Light flooded into the cell's opening. He stood shakily. What now? He took a step back, then one tiny step forward. After a second's hesitation Near ran for the door, but was grabbed by Beyond once outside.

"Yay!" B cried out sounding ecstatic. He held the small boy close to his chest, smiling gleefully. "Near wants to come out and play with the big boys! Yay!"

"Wh-what?" Near squeaked quietly.

"Don't worry, love, you'll be safe with me won't you?"

"I don't trust Beyond to protect me." Near muttered.

"And you shouldn't." B said forebodingly. "You're very smart… like A was… yet you look so much like him…."

"I hate him." Near said wrapping his arms around B's neck. "I hate him more than anyone else in the entire world." He said with tears brimming his eyes.

"You do? Well, that's just great!" B asked sounding surprised, yet cheerful at the same time. "I really love you my little bunny."

"…."

Near let B cuddle him and call him his 'little bunny' and his 'snowflake' and 'his dove' and 'his love' and 'his perfect pearl' and 'darling' and 'sugar' etc. He didn't really mind letting B call him pet names. It was when B started to touch him that he tensed up and whimpered for him to stop. B didn't stop touching, and told him to relax that he wasn't gonna hurt him, but Near didn't believe it. Especially when B's hand kept wandering down to his crotch and thighs and hips. He mewled slightly and B cuddled him.

Why should he believe that B wouldn't attempt to hurt him?

Near knew he was cracked. He had to be cracked if he was letting B say those things to him. If he let Beyond touch him so affectionately he had to have been cracked. And soon… Near knew he would be… shattered. He'd probably be as crazy as B. That thought frightened him more than Beyond ever could've.

Because he didn't know who or what he'd become after he finally shattered.

Sorry if this wuzz like sad or brutal or whatever and just saying that I'll update as soon as possible. Promise. And I hope that nothing else like comes up, but I'm feeling a bit sick at the moment so that's why I've been slow on updating.

So sorry.

I know that you (the readers) don't deserve to have to wait, but I'm bedridden, ya know temporarily. So I'll be slow on updating. Sorry.

Pwease, R&R.