Although Mello was a very physical being, comforting touches weren't something he appreciated. They were pitiful, and they embodied the fact that Mello needed them, something he'd never accept. Furthermore, they hadn't been trained to need comfort during difficult moments; if their roles had been reversed, Mello wouldn't had offered it to Near, either. It was unnecessary.

So he remained firm and quiet in his spot, refusing to lower his head even if the weight of his fate was too heavy on his shoulders. If Mello hadn't been strongly pondering the possibility of his own death back in the other world, he might have snapped. As things were, he just regarded Near with fierce eyes.

The last revelation had been surprising, making Mello's eye twitch for a second. All things considered, hearing that your own death hadn't been wasted was something similar to a relief. Even better if your own death had turned out to be the last piece to make the biggest bastard ever fall. If Mello was going to hell, he'd always hoped to take Kira down with him.

However, his death had also been the last piece in Near's puzzle. In the end, Mello had become everything he struggled not to be, a mere pawn for his rival.

For a moment, Mello was torn, conflicting emotions sweeping his mind like a confrontation between a hurricane and a tsunami. He tightened his fists, sneering, disgust all over his features... and then it hit him, and his expression turned into a dark, borderline psychotic smirk.

"So..." he finally started, his voice almost a hiss. "Your plan was bound to fail, your calculations went wrong. If it weren't for me, you and your agents would be dead now."

Even in the most bitter of situations, there was something sweet.

"You owe me everything."