Title: Puzzle River Part 5 of 5: Final Farewell
Fandom: Death Note
Characters: Near, Matt
Rating: G
Word Count: 1,150
Disclaimer: Not mine, no money, characters belong to Ohba and Obata.
Summary: Matt appears to want to settle scores with Near over Mello, but reveals his final farewell gift to Near.
Near faced the pond in the woods outside Wammy's House. It was frozen over and glowed faintly, illuminated by the innocently white crescent moon. He suddenly felt very small, floating high above the lake ringed by black pines and seeing him and Matt like two tiny black figures walking side by side casting bleached shadows approaching the scene of their final confrontation. Then he was on land again, with dried blood was on his fingers, dried tears on his face and his only friend left at Wammy's House pushing him to walk on the ice.
"Untie me, or I'm going to drown." It had only started snowing after January, so Near glumly figured that the ice was probably too thin to hold the both of them.
"Take a risk"
Suddenly, Near didn't feel like arguing anymore. He had enough of Matt's mental attacks and none of them brave enough to mention Mello. He walked directly to the shore and stepped onto the ice. It felt very flat beneath his feet, and it amazed him that this was probably the first time he had walked on ice. He scuffed his foot at how stable it was. I'm not going to die, L, he thought with relief, This might even be fun. Matt's not the only one crazy tonight.
Near walked with a very straight back towards the center of the lake, and he never slipped once nor looked behind. Matt better know what he was doing, but to Near it was a distant concern. He blinked at the iridescent particles that hung in the moonlit landscape. Was the air swarming with frost, or just how life looks on the liminal edge? Anything can happen, and it was suddenly ok. What was this delicious fire ignited in his heart?
A sound like a sagging crunch emitted from beneath his feet, and the ice swayed like a rocking table. He had reached the danger zone. But something perverse kept him pushing on, until the scene from his nightmare appeared. Plates of ice cracked around him like a shattering spider web, so that it looks like a giant white puzzle. But where were the missing pieces? Everything still locked perfectly.
Breath knocked out of him as the missing piece yawned directly beneath him.
Near crashed into the dark river.
Freezing pain shot through his body, Near's mind panicked. His eyes burned, but he could see nothing but darkness. He kicked desperately but a heavy weight kept pulling him down. Silent streams were bearing him forcefully away from the bright spot in the darkness.
Adrenaline must have strengthened him, for he succeed in retarding his fall and started floating upwards instead.
Near's mind rejoiced. I did it! I did it, L! Why was he so happy to see the faint greenish light filtering from the broken tabletops of ice down into unknown sea cathedral that pulled him with swaying fingers? Near grinned devilishly into the unknown and his feet pumped the water vigorously until he felt himself floating up towards the brightest column of light.
There was a splash and he saw Matt diving towards him. After a few shearing movements, Near felt his hands free and he swam towards the surface. He thankfully grabbed hold of the rim of the ice then flung his arms out to climb out. He couldn't move. His arms were not strong enough!
Near gasped again when he got a hard shove on his buttocks from beneath the water. He blushed enormously. He tried hooking his leg over the ice as Matt persistently buoyed him up, and managed to flop belly first onto the ice. As he lay panting, Matt's pale face appeared over the rim of the ice and he looked sheepish. Behind him tiny white fragments of ice tinkled with each movement of the lapping dark water. This is exactly like my dream, with the ice like pieces of puzzle floating up. The way the positive and the negative pieces of ice and water locked together it suddenly formed a comprehensive whole. The puzzle is complete! Even though he was out of breath, Near started laughing hysterically. He hadn't been so amused in such a long time.
Now it's a real mess, and its perfect!
Mello's sunny face beams down in front Near What're you gonna do when your world is falling apart and the sky is raining puzzles? Mello laughs and suddenly Near's laughing too.
"No, why do I care, I'm not afraid anymore. Let it rain as it will."
! Near was so delighted he reached out and gripped Matts shoulder. But Matt seemed transfixed by the dark water lapping. Oblivious to touch. What's bothering him? Is he looking for something in the water?
"You trusted me," Matt finally spoke. "Thank you."
"Just so you know, I didn't mean that rivalry thing. But its not the same. I still miss Mello. But I can't live like that. What am I going to do?"
"Mello can go anywhere he wants. It's not my business to interfere. The problem is me. I miss him so much, maybe I can't even be friends with anyone else?"
//...Missing part here, WIP, but Near shows a new side that reminds Matt of Mello...//
At first eyes flashed in anger, but widened immediately sudden shock, fear and awe. "You! - " He immediately lowered his gun and grabbed hold of Nears small body as if afraid Near would disappear. His grip was possessive, urgent, then he raised his eyes again, broken with tears.
"Will I never be free, Near?"
Then he quickly turned and flung himself to the ground, grabbing his head in his hands. He was trembling like a wind blown skeleton.
Nears goes over to Matt. He's opened the door for me, what can I do for him? If I've learnt anything, its to trust these unknown emotions. Near knelt next to him and put an arm around his shoulder. Matt looked up with a subdued look, recovering already. Matt's eyes, dark, admiring, cold, frowning, lips turned down. Beautiful...! He needed...What was it?
Matt needs...the same thing?
I hate this, but Matt's too beautiful right now...I have to... he said he wanted to break bonds... let's go for it.
The look they shared...
// ... incomplete scene//
Did that help you to say goodbye?
Matt wept as if his heart would break.
"Now you know why it can't be explained, N."
"This all this that we don't know coming from the future and from the past...these are the missing pieces that are there so that life can evolve."
---
"Come with me to Mexico." Matt offered.
"No, I still have my duty"but I'll go down to Brighton, and share a little of what you've taught me."
"Matt, you've helped me find my missing pieces. I hope you will find yours too...whatever form it takes."
"I don't think it'll be easy to find a piano where you are going, so here's my farewell present: PSP portable!
-Fin-