BB's Hideout

Tuesday, 11:23 am

Near whimpered quietly as Beyond whipped him again.

"Damn, Near! Show some more emotion!" Beyond complained, rotating the worn leather belt for an extra burst of pain. Though it hurt the small albino's petite frame like a thousand volts of electricity, he only winced. He could not give Beyond the satisfaction of breaking him, breaking the emotionless mask that he wore constantly. He leaned against the cold walls, having already been beaten to the ground. The floor and walls, although grimy, offered his battered body relief from the pain inflicted upon him.

"Look, I know it hurts like hell, so why would you try so hard to hide it?" Beyond asked vindictively, pacing across the dungeon-like room, all the while twirling the belt threateningly at his side. Near only looked up, forcing as much coldness as he could muster out of his large, dark eyes. Beyond paused for a moment, waiting for the answer that would never come. He glanced at the child before him, then shrugged.

"Have it your way, then." Beyond muttered passively as he wound up the belt for another brutal blow.

Tuesday, 3:00 pm

Wammy's House

Mello leaned with his back against a flagpole in the Wammy's extensive playground, watching the other children spill out of the school as the bell rang. He saw Matt among the crowd, walking in the herd with the rest of them, his bright crimson head all but lost in the sea of hyperactive students shuffling down the concrete steps of the school. Matt spotted him quickly, Mello being the only one on the playground, and started making his way towards him.

"Too cool for school, eh?" Matt said with a smile as he approached his blonde buddy.

"Yeah, whatever." Mello smirked. He kicked backwards onto the pole, causing him to swing forward in the 'coolest' way possible. He stepped towards Matt, who was taking his Nintendo DS Lite out of his schoolbag.

"How did classes go?" Mello asked nonchalantly, as a breeze rippled past. He could hear other kids hollering on the other side of the playground, the swings creaking, and the Tetris theme emitting from the tiny speakers on the DS.

"Great. Fantastic." Matt said quickly, too focused on the game to really answer Mello's question. Mello's solution to this problem was to smack the DS to the ground.

"What the hell man? I was just about to beat my high score! I was this close! The infuriated red head held his fingers less than an inch apart to show exactly 'how close' he was.

'Like I give a damn about your stupid game! I want to know how classes were!" Mello half-shouted as Matt retrieved his DS.

"Maybe if you showed up once in a while, you'd know!" Matt said defensively, already switching from angry to slightly accusing. He was about to continue until he caught the look on Mello's face. "...classe were the same as usual. Nothing special. Why do you care so much?" Matt asked as he brushed the dirt off the DS.

"What amazing thing did Near do this time? How has he dazzled us all today?" Mello spat out bitterly, his voice laden with sarcasm.

"Come to think of it, Near wasn't here today..." Matt thought for a moment. " If he was sick or something, wouldn't you and your skipping self had already seen him?"

"Matt...If I had known he he wasn't there, then why the HELL would I ask what he did in school?" Mello growled, exasperation heavy in his voice.

"I don't know! All I know is that we haven't seen Near today, which is unusual. He never skips school." Matt pondered the facts aloud.

"Then let's go check it out!" Said Mello, excited for something to do.

"Ok..." Matt sighed defeatedly. He knew he wouldn't get to play his DS as long as they were on this 'adventure.' He sighed again longingly one last time, then allowed himself to be pulled away by the determined blonde.