A.N./
Near sat in the common room playing with his favorite puzzle. It was suprisingly not a completely white one. It was a completely black one. He loved his black puzzle. His white ones were always mocking him. Telling him he was just as plain as them. Nothing difficult in the least. Just boring and pathetic. He was nothing intresting like a certain blonde that hated him. He was plain and boring. He never did anything that could get him into trouble. He never did anything to make him intresting. he could understand why everyone hated him. Especially Mello. Mello thought he never studied to keep his grades at the top. Mello thought that if he just studied harder then next time he would be number one. Near would never let this happen. Not that he wanted to be L. He could care less about being L. He just wanted the attention. No one paid him any attention except Mello. The only one who noticed him was Mello. Rodger never even came to Near's resque anymore when Mello was trying to kill him. The only person who came to his resque was Linda or Matt. Neither one cared about Near. They just wanted Mello to stop so he wasn't jailed. They each had their reasons. Linda because she liked Mello and Matt because he was his best friend. Not his only friend as you would expect from a fiery tempered blonde. In fact, everyone love Mello and those who didn't were beaten until they did. Even Near liked Mello. It was completely diffrent from everyone else liking Mello. He probably only liked the blonde because he paid him attention. Maybe it was because Mello was a puzzle he couldn't figure out. He didn't know. Mello was Mello. There was no other way to describe him. Even with Near's extensive vocabulary he lacked the words to addiquitly describe the blonde. He knew Mello strived so hard to be number one, to come out on top. He knew this. He would die before he let Mello become number one. Then, Mello would lose intrest. He couldn't have that. That's why he was always in his room except on rare occasions he was in the common room like today. He had to study to keep ahead of Mello. He couldn't let the blonde pull ahead. Even if just by a bit. Near knew the blonde was close. So close to beating him. He was just a point away. Always one point away. Even when Near studied his brains out. Mello was just one step behind. Near couldn't let Mello beat him. Mello was his only reason for still being in this god forsaken place. If Mello started ingnoring him, like Matt and Linda suggested, Near would apply to be put in a another foster home. He wasn't that attached to Wammy's anyway.
He was only twelve. He had spent the past four years in this hell hole. Hoping for Mello to notice he liked him. Wanted to befriend him. Mello never noticed. Mello was so focused on beating Near, that he forgot to take notice of all the little things. Near wished for Mello to keep noticing him. He knew it was impossible if L didn't die by the time Mello was sixteen and then choosing Near as his successor. Near was growing bored of the common room. He dicided he needed to start studying to keep that little point ahead of Mello.
"Near! YOU GOD DAMNED, MOTHER FUCKING BASTARD! ONE FUCKING POINT! I LOST TO YOU BY A SINGLE POINT! I swear to god, if I don't beat you on the next fucking test, I will slit that fragile little throat of your's and watch you bleed to death!" Mello kept shouting curse words at Near. This happened so often, that none of the Wammy's kids even noticed anymore. Spare thee, Matt and Linda. Near wondered where Mello got his extensive vocabulary of curse words. Near knew them all by heart now.
"Yes, Mello. I am aware that I beat you. I am very aware that you are losing distance between us. I am going now." Near turned towards the door to keep his face from being bashed in by a seething Mello.
"Near." Near stopped. Mello's voice was calm and collected. Near had never heard that voice directed at him. He immediatly stopped regretting the decision as the blonde grabbed his hair yanking him back.
"Ah!" Near gasped at the feel of his curls being tugged. He liked the feeling. Even though it was meant to bring him pain. Near liked tugging on his curls. It brought him a sense of safety. That was not what Mello meant to do. Mello was still pulling at the young boy's curls as he spoke.
"Near, I will beat you. I don't know when. I don't know where. I will beat you though." Mello spat the words out as he looked into Near's dull, gray eyes. Hoping to put some emotion into those never ending void. What he didn't expect was emotion. There was emotion in Near's eyes. It wasn't fear for his life. It was a sense of security. It was a sense of safety. Near leaned into the hold on his curls as if he was trying to nuzzle against Mello's hand. He liked this sensation. He liked his curls being tugged. He liked Mello. Near knew never voice this allowed. Or else.
"Mello, please let go. I want to go back to my room." Near's voice was monotone. It was like L's in a way. Mello had only heard the detective speak once. Near was there too, but he was to young to remember. Near... Mello unconciously ruffled the boys curls and gently pushed him away. He looked like a little kid. He was a little kid. Mello was a kid too but not the kind Near was. Mello was a teenager. He did teenager things. Near was just a child. He was small and played with his little puzzles and transformers. He was like a baby Mello had to protect even if he acted like he hated him. Truthfully, Mello didn't hate him. He didn't study so hard just for the sake of being number one like everyone thought. He studied so he could be on the same level as Near. He liked Near. He was like a cute stuffed animal you just wanted to squeeze until the stuffing came out. Near was just Near. Mello watched as the albino scampered off. Mello recalled an incedent not too long ago. He had beaten Near to a bloody pulp. He didn't mean to. He was off his chocolate. Chocolate calmed Mello down. Mello felt mello with chocolate. He loved it. Mello had seen a boy kiss Near before the beating. He just felt so betrayed. He knew Near didn't like him but he couldn't help but feel betrayed when he saw the one he liked with someone else. Mello decided he needed a nap and headed off to his room. Well, his and Near's room. Being roomates wasn't so bad. Mello spent most of his time in the library anyway. He never even saw the eskimo.
Near had scampered off down the hallway to his and Mello's room. Mello and ruffled his curls. He barely did it but Near noticed. He liked it. He liked the way Mello had tugged on his little curls. The way he gently pushed him off in the dirrection of their room. He was happy he didn't get another beating like that one time. He couldn't understand it. Mello had only been violent to him once. Everyone acted like it was all the time though. It was only once. It was a pretty bad beating though. Near didn't understand what set the blonde time bomb off. He had replayed the days incedents one step at a time and still couldn't come up with an answer. Near was already in the safety of his room so he decided to start studying. Mello rarely came back until after twenty-two on the dot. So Near figured he was safe from Mello findin out about his dirty, little secret. Like the song. No not like the song. This was about studying and the one you like not finding out about it. Near didn't let anyone know he studied. He couldn't trust anyone but Mello. He knew he shouldn't trust the chocolate addict but when emotions run high you can't help it. Not like his emotions played out on his face anyway. He was safe. Near decided to quit thinking about Mello. The topic only made him sad. He could never get Mello.
Suddenly the door swung open. Mello standing in the doorway with a shocked expression on his face. It was obvious he had seen Near studying. Near freaked. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung open, agape for all the world to see his pearly white teeth.
"N-near?" Near just sat there on his bed, book were pile and open everywhere. It was obvious even to a fool that Near was studying. Near couldn't even answer Mello's one worded question. If a question at that. It was hard to tell sometimes.
"Mello?!" Mello just stood in the doorway trying to process the thought of Near actually studying. He had always thought that the boy never needed to study. Mello stepped into their room shutting the door behind him. He silently strode over to Near's bed.
"Near..." Mello knocked all of Near's books on the ground. Not even caring where they fell. He sat down on his supposed rival's bed. It was soft. Softer than his own bed. Maybe it was because of the sheets. Mello had plain cotton white sheets while Near had silk black sheets. It made Mello wonder why the boy had black sheets. He always thought his favorite color was white. Near looked like an angel in white. A fallen angel who had so graciously landed on Earth.
"..." Near couldn't respond. He almost felt like crying. Mello discovered his secret. The one he kept hidden for so long. He only wanted Mello to go away. He just wasn't sure how to use his vocal cords right now.
"Near, you're studying." Thank you captain obvious. Near wanted to scream at him. Tell him to leave. He wanted to bury himself under his covers. He then had a briliant idea. Near turned around and dove under his covers. Hestarted squirming until he got comfortable and then just lay there.
"...Near. Near, don't try to hide. I won't tell anyone. I promise." Near just wiggled his little head from under the covers to stare at Mello.
"You pinky swear?" Near wiggled his little pinky out of his covers and held it out to Mello. He almost laughed. Near was such a little child. Mello took hold of Near's little pinky.
"I swear on my mama's grave." Mello gave Near a little smile befor Near decided to wiggle out from under the covers.
"..." Mello smiled and put his arm around Near. He was glad that he was such a little kid. I he didn't act like such a kid, Mello wouldn't have fallen for him in the first place. He liked Near to be human. He liked him a little too much for what soceity dictates. Mello didn't care though. He was never one for social norms. Why do you think he had chocolate on him every where he went?
"Near, I like you." Near froze. Did Mello say what he thought he did? He thought he said that he liked Near. Plain Near. Boring Near. Stupid, albino Near. The same Near who always pulled out ahead of Mello in grades. The same Near who was just some kid. Near who Mello always called names. Most of which were unpleasent. Except when he called him a bunny. Near didn't mind being a bunny. Bunnies were cute. Near wished he could have a bunny.
"I like Mello. I don't mean as a friend. Is that what Mello means?" Near looked up at Mello. Hope shined in his littel eyes. They were cute. Mello liked Near more than a friend. He liked Near more than he should. Mello had taken to calling Near a bunny when he was alone with Matt. Once he had let it slip. Once.
"I like you Near. Not as a friend. Not as a brother. I like you. Hell, I might even go so far as to say I'm in love with you." Mello didn't mean to spit that last part out. He didn't mean to. He never needed Near to know he loved him. It might scare the little bunny off. Mello didn't want that. So he took his hand and started lightly tugging at Near's curls.
Near smiled. Mello loved him. Mello LOVED him. Mello loved HIM. MELLO loved him. MELLO LOVED HIM. Near didn't mean to start screaming in his head. It just happened. Mello just told him he loved him. The same Mello who always said he hated him. Mello said he loved Near. To say the least Near was exstatic. He almost started hyperventolating. His heart was fluttering at dangerous speeds. Near didn't even understand why he liked Mello saying that. That wasn't normal was it? No, but Near was never normal.
"Mello," Near smiled as he said the blonde's name," I love you!" Near was still smiling as Mello got closer to him. He was coming closer and closer by the second. Near was getting tired by Mello's slow pace so decided to just plant one on him. Not the right words. Near was slower than Mello. It was his first kiss. All that mattered to him, though, was that he got enough courage to move closer to Mello. The two's lips connected barely. Mello pushed on Near a little more. Barely deepening the kiss. It was short and sweet. When thay broke apert Mello still tasted Near's lips. They tasted of chocolate, oddly enough. Mello furrowed his brow.
"Near..." Near kept his eyes closed as he answered.
"Yes, Mello."
"Your lips taste like chocolate." Near opened his eyes enough to peek and see if Mello was angry. He wasn't, he just looked confused. Perplexed.
"Yes."
"Why?" Mello couldn't help but ask. It wasn't as though he could be mad at Near for raiding his chocolate stash. He loved him for god's sake. Heh. Homosexuality is stated as wrong in the bible. Mello was catholic.
"I..."
"Come one. I don't bite. Hard. You'll find that out later though." Near was a little confused. Find what out later? He didn't want to question Mello so he decided to spit it out.
"I ate some of Mello's chocolate." Near looked like a scared little kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar. Mello just smiled. He knew somone had tooken a small bite out of his chocolate. At first he was furious. Now that he knew it was Near he wasn't. He knew this was out of his character but he had always liked Near. He hid from everyone with a cloud of hate.
"It's alright. I don't mind." Near looked relaxed. Like he did right after he took the ranking test.
"Mmm..." Near snuggled up to Mello. He was beginning to fall asleep. Mello just held him closer.
"Night, sleepy head." Near didn't respond as he drifted off into his own dream land. He didn't care what was happening anymore. He wasn't sure if he wanted to go to sleep. The best day of his life was happening and he wasn't sure he wanted it to end but he was tired. He couldn't help but fall asleep in Mello's arms. The way he held him so protectively made Near fall right asleep. He didn't even wait for Mello's good night.
Mello smiled to himself as he watched Near sleep. He would have to thank Matt for leaving his chocolate out. Near's lips tasted better with it. Mello placed a chaste kiss on Near's sleeping head and walked out the door as to not disturb the other with what he said next.
"I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!! I CONFESSED!!!!!!!!" Mello was busy yelling up and down the halls while his new boyfriend slept peacefully inside of their room. This had been their best day yet and there was still more to come.