A/N: Entirely Akane's fault. She's always making Near twirl his hair constantly, giving me odd fic thoughts...
If you read, please review at the end.
Near was at his desk writing when Mello came in.
Mello had tried to slip in the partially-opened door unnoticed, before quietly creeping across the floor, trying to quietly tiptoe to the other side of the room.
It was quite odd, really, Near thought quietly, watching Mello's reflection in a mirror on his desk as the other boy subtly tried to sneak past. After all, why would Mello come to see him?
Near blinked as Mello continued creeping silently. Surely Mello didn't think he hadn't noticed him?
Apparently, he did. It seemed that so long as Near's back remained facing Mello, he thought he remained undetected. Watching Mello passively in his mirror, Near decided to shatter that particular illusion, just to see what Mello would do.
"Hello, Mello."
Near watching in the mirror as Mello froze partially across the room, wincing, before scowling in defeat.
"Hi, Near."
No longer bothering to pretend he wasn't there, Mello padded across the floor, before sitting down on Near's bed. Near turned to look at him, one eyebrow slightly raised, as Mello stared back at him, not giving him a clue as to why he was there.
"How'd you know I was there?" he asked flatly. Near blinked, passive.
"You were hardly inconspicuous," he said tonelessly. Mello looked at him, his eyes slightly narrowed.
"You didn't even turn around," Mello informed him. "How could you see me? It's almost like you know when I'm there."
Near said nothing at this, meeting Mello's eyes passively, twirling his hair. After a moment, Mello looked away, unable to hold his gaze.
"What're you doing?" he asked. Near blinked.
"A puzzle..."
"Really? What kind?" Near watched as Mello's eyes lit with interest.
"A logic puzzle..."
Near saw Mello scowl at this, apparently displeased with his answer. Near turned back to fill in a another box on his sheet, one hand idly twirling his hair as he did. Mello seemed fine in just watching him, and though it was highly disconcerting to Near, he saw no harm in letting him do so as he went over the puzzle clues once more.
"Why do you twirl your hair?"
Mello's sudden voiced thought caused Near to pause, before turning to look at him, a slight speck of curiosity in his eye.
"Why do you? Is it just a habit? Or is it fun to do?"
Mello's voice was insistent, blatantly noisy, and Near found himself blinking, wondering at the other boy's intent.
"...I don't know."
Mello seemed dissatisfied with this answer, however, his eyes narrowing at Near's passive words.
"Come on," he insisted. "There must be some reason. Did someone twirl your hair when you were little? Does it comfort you? Is it something you do out of habit when you're thinking, or is it some sort of coping method for stress?"
Near blinked.
"I... don't know..."
Mello didn't seem to like this response either, Near observed dispassionately, watching as Mello's eyes lit with fire. He blinked, wondering just why Mello cared so much.
"You don't tell anyone anything, do you?" Mello said, his tone and eyes hard. "You never tell anyone anything about you. You're always too preoccupied with staying safe and secure in your little isolated shell."
Near looked up at Mello blankly. All this assuming and inferring Mello was doing... did it ever occur to him that maybe he just really didn't know?
"You don't!" Mello raged, now seeming truly irate, disgusted with Near's silent response. "You don't tell anyone anything! Never anything about you! Not ever about something as trivial as why you twirl you hair!"
Mello paused here, his eyes flashing, and Near swallowed hard as an odd glint came into Mello's eyes. He'd seen that look before...
"Well, too bad for you, Near," Mello said, his eyes dark, his voice decidedly odd. "I'm going to find out. I'm going to find out why you twirl your hair, just to spite you."
Near looked at Mello uneasily, rising from his chair. The look in Mello's eyes didn't seem to be one of spite...
His eyes burning, Mello took a step toward him, Near instinctively stepping back. A darkly satisfied look in his eyes at this, Mello moved closer again, and Near ran backwards into his desk, the wood pressing into his rear. Mello leered at him and stepped even closer, his thighs pressing into his own. Near closed his eyes tightly, bunching up his face, bracing himself against the desk, wondering what Mello would do next.
A soft hand came up to cup his face, lithe fingers gently tucking a curl behind his ear. Near's eyes fluttered open in confusion to look at Mello, not expecting this gentle touch, to see Mello looking at him with a sort of soft expression on his face.
"Your hair is soft..."
Mello's fingers began to play, swirling around in circles, lightly twirling his hair. Near looked back at Mello with wide eyes, uncertain, nervous as to just what Mello intended to do.
Mello's lips twitched upward, still twirling Near's hair, before brushing back the stray locks from his face once more, cupping his face lightly and tucking them behind his ear. Near's eyes closed halfway, Mello's hand a gentle caress across his face.
Mello laughed softly, repeating the gesture. Near shivered.
"I think I've figured out why you do this," Mello murmured, his amber eyes glowing, his fingers toying with the strands. "This is rather... fun."
Mello's fingers moved to run through his his hair, tousling the curled locks, and Near bit his lip, suppressing a verbal response, though he shivered involuntarily at the touch. Mello's eyes darkened at his shiver, and Near's breath caught in his throat.
His mind dazed as he leaned back against the desk, his hands bracing him on the top, Near looked dizzily up at Mello, shivering slightly as Mello's hand raked through his hair. Mello's eyes were darkened with some unknown emotion, Near managed to note, though for the life of him, he couldn't gather the necessary presence of mind to figure out as to what.
"I think I've figured out how to read you, Near..."
Near looked up at Mello dizzily, though Mello's expression couldn't be gaged. He ran his fingers through his hair again, a small noise escaping through Near's lips at his touch, making Mello's eyes darken even more.
"Your mind and mouth may not want to tell me anything about you, Near..."
His nails raked jaggedly across his scalp and Near cried out, some odd sound halfway between a whimper and a moan. Mello grabbed a fistful of hair, tugging his face up, his glowing eyes forcing Near's to meet his, his face scant inches from his own. Mello held it there for a long moment, his amber gaze piercing into Near's mind, his heart leaping into his throat.
Mello leaned closer, tilting Near's head to reach his side, his breath hot on Near's ear. He raked his fingers through his hair again, and Near shuddered slightly, unable to suppress a soft moan.
Mello's mouth opened again, his lips ghosting over him, his breath hot on his ear as Near shivered, before he spoke again.
"...but your body's speaking to me is all too clear."
He suddenly pulled away, moving back, and Near nearly stumbled, his knees weak without the support of Mello holding him there. He looked up at Mello dizzily, his mind dazed, unable to read Mello's heavy gaze.
Mello's expressionless face suddenly contorted, morphing up into a twisted smirk, his eyes gleaming with fire.
"This was fun, Near," he said, his voice low, his liquid eyes glowing, sending a slight thrill running through Near. "Let's do this again sometime. I rather liked twirling your hair."
Mello left abruptly, stalking out of the room quickly in a flash of black, leaving Near staring after him, his expression stunned.
"Anytime," he said hoarsely, staring at the now-closed door. "Anytime."