Title: Oddly Flawless

Pairing: Mello x Near

Rating: PG - Total WAFF

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Author's Note: I know I should be working on Passing Circumstance (which the third chapter is almost done...fwee!) but I love holiday fics, and so this little fic came easily and has nestled itself close to my heart. I hope you enjoy!

Oddly Flawless

Some things in life are like clockwork. The sun is going to rise and fall each day, regardless of what's going on in the world. The seasons are going to change, the ocean is going to ebb and flow, the moon is going to rise, the wind is going to whip around the sky…and children are going to love free candy. It's the natural way of things, the way life is supposed to move in it's never-ending spiral towards the end of time.

And on October 31st, in a sprawling house outside Winchester, life was not so far removed from normalcy that it could avoid the natural way of things.

It was the soft rays of the sun beginning its descent from the sky that began the commotion in the Wammy House. Every child, from the small to the tall, was busy scurrying around their rooms, clamoring for bathroom space and generally making a fuss as they worked out whatever last minute preparations needed to be made for their yearly costumes. Everyone in the Wammy House was responsible for their own disguise, though they were given plenty of materials to accomplish their goals. Cloth, glue, sewing machines, glitter, buttons, bells, paint…whatever they needed was provided to them. All they were required to furnish was their imaginations and their ingrained skills.

And every year, Roger and the rest of the staff of the Wammy House were surprised and delighted at the creativity and mastery their children brought to life.

Mello, in particular, had always enjoyed Halloween. Not only was it the perfect opportunity to collect chocolate and other random sweets, but it was a great excuse to bother people and make a nuisance of himself. Not that he didn't do that on a regular basis, but Mischief Night was one of the few times of the year when he wouldn't get reprimanded for his actions. Most of the time he had to take some kind of responsibility for his nonsense, but now he could play it off as part of the holiday.

Brilliant.

"Not to mention you're better at sewing than I am!" Matt said desperately, holding out the shirt to his costume. He'd decided to go as Ulysses from The Odyssey, and the only thing he had left to finish was his shirt, a loose fitting sailor's frock that was supposed to barely hang on his body and be messy. Mello had told him to finish it days ago, but Matt, being the lazy kid that he was, had neglected to complete the task. Now it was barely two hours before they were supposed to go out and he was begging Mello to finish it for him.

"I don't care if I sew like the royal tailor! I'm not doing it!" Mello called back over his shoulder, watching Matt's face fall in the mirror he was facing. Rolling his eyes with a frustrated sigh, he held his hand out, fighting back the grin that threatened to break his demeanor when Matt smiled gratefully and handed Mello his shirt. It didn't take long to finish it, a few stitches here, a finished hem there, and soon Matt was flying around the room putting on his armor and strange little roman skirt.

Personally, Mello thought it was the little lace up sandals that really made the outfit, trying his best not to make fun of his best friend as the redhead jumped on the bed and swung his sword at a metal mobile that was hanging from the ceiling. Matt was…special. That was all there was to it.

"It's not as good as my outfit, but you look decent," Mello quipped, glancing at himself in the full-length mirror with a smirk. True, it wasn't exactly a costume, but he was obviously going to be the best dressed person in a twenty kilometer radius. The coat that he'd made was long and black, white strips of fabric attached to the tops of the pockets and all the way down the front where it buttoned up with huge silver buttons. White fluffy fabric was around the collar and the bottom hem, while his gloves were made of a plain white cotton. The rest of the outfit was rather simple, a tight pair of black pants that billowed slightly out over his black leather boots and a white fishnet shirt which he'd modified with some black fabric strips that crisscrossed over his chest under the netting.

"Yours isn't even a costume! Unless you're a pimp…you could pass as a pimp," Matt replied, jumping down off the bed and tugging at Mello's coat experimentally.

"Fine," Mello said, glaring at the redhead a little in the mirror as he applied a liberal amount of black eyeliner to his eyes. "Then you're my ho…now come on."

"Why do I have to be the ho?!" the other boy ran behind Mello who was leaving the room with a huff.

"With sandals like that," the blonde grinned, "you can pass as a hooker. Don't worry."

The two boys made their way out into the common room of the orphanage, gathering around with the rest of the children who were taking their respective candy sacks one by one and happily bouncing out the doorway. The smaller children were being led by the house mothers, while the older children were going out on their own to do whatever they pleased until they were expected back.

Mello didn't know when that was because he never came back on time…

"Mello," he heard from behind him as he was slinging his sack (his was oddly bigger than some of the other children's) over his shoulder. "Mello could you come here for a moment?"

Sighing, Mello turned around, fully prepared to get the "please don't burn anyone's house down" speech from Roger, when he saw someone peeking around the corner of the room, Roger standing slightly in front of them. Silently the older man looked behind him, gently touching the white shoulder and pushing him forward, finally revealing to Mello who had been hiding back there.

No…way…

"Now Mello," Roger began, obviously noticing Mello's appalled expression. "I know that you and Near don't always get along, but there's no one I trust more than you to make sure nothing happens to him. So…I'm sending him along with you this year."

In all the time that Near had been at the Wammy House, Mello could never remember when he had once participated in any of the Halloween events. From the treat or treating to the parties they had afterwards, Near had always remained outside it all, choosing instead to merely watch everyone else. Never had he dressed up or come outside with them, never played, never enjoyed the holiday at all.

Needless to say it was surprising to see him dressed up now, the costume he'd made (obviously he'd made it with how perfectly it was put together), slightly out of place on him, yet oddly flawless. A jester. A black and white jester. The hat on his head was floppy and big on his head, silver bells at the end that jingled and made merry noises with each movement of Near's head. His billowed pants and shirt with its ruffled front and sleeves were made in blocks of white and black, making Near look like a study in contrasts, his skin practically glowing against what black the outfit contained . Even his shoes (good lord, Near was wearing shoes) were black and white, perfectly in proportion with little bells on the toes. The finishing touch? A big upside down triangle of black over his right eye and cheek, framing big, dark eyes that were lined with the same kind of eyeliner that Mello himself was wearing.

He looked…cute. Very cute. Too cute. Mello blanched at the thought, pushing it from his mind with a few choice cuss words to remind himself not to falter again.

"But Near probably doesn't even want to go Roger," Mello objected, not noticing the small change in Near's expression at his words. "He's never gone before. He's 12 years old…he can go by himself!"

Roger's face turned stern as he slowly pushed Near forward, his voice chastising. "He said he wanted to go this year. More specifically, he wanted to go with you . So why don't you three have fun together, hmm?"

Blue eyes met dark grey for a moment before Near looked away, his hand coming up to curl into his hair, only to meet with the floppy fabric of his jester's hat. Mello nearly laughed as Near's fingers instead pulled at the cloth, the bell tinkling in his grasp with each pull. Well…it probably wouldn't hurt anything to take Near with them, not to mention that they probably didn't have any choice in the matter. If they wanted to do anything nefarious, it might even be fun to get Near in trouble with them…

"All right," Mello said, nodding towards the door, Matt following behind. "But keep up, and don't get lost. I'm not looking for you if you get lost."

"Thank you Mello," Near said softly when they'd finally reached town, the small walk from the orphanage having been taken in silence. Even Matt was quiet, glancing warily at his friend who was alternating between looking at Near and nibbling on a candy bar that he'd stolen from the bowl of Halloween candy that was supposed to be for the neighborhood children. Mello rolled his eyes when Near thanked him, waving it off with an airy hand as the shadows began to gather in around them, the sun completely set in the west. Night had arrived, and with it the porch lights were coming on, the sounds of laughter and running all around them.

The first few houses weren't total losses, the candy wasn't bad, but it was the house on the end of St. Swithun street that Mello was really looking forward to. The family inside, besides being French, were incredibly rich and tended to give chocolates that were beyond good. They were fabulous. They were delicious. They were worth sucking up to the lady of the house, who actually wasn't that bad on the eyes either.

Chocolate was the only thing worth sucking up to anyone for…

The house in question was an old fashioned dwelling made of warm brick and had a beautiful greenish roof. Glittering stained glass windows glowed above the deep oak door that led to a front yard with ancient oak trees scattered around the grounds. The property itself was kind of creepy, a long walkway leading up to the door that was burning with soft light from the porch lights. Near, eyes blinking gently a few times, grabbed onto Mello's shirt as they walked along the sidewalk, prompting Mello to look down at him curiously. What was wrong?

"Near, don't cling to me," Mello said, but didn't move the other boy's hands. If Near was nervous, it wouldn't do any good to startle him further.

Matt waved at three girls who were giggling as they walked away from the house, all of them stopping to talk to him for a second as Mello and Near watched. Matt, though a bit anti-social, had always been popular with everyone. He was cute and unassuming, and had a nice way of making you feel like you were the center of his world when he spoke to you…even for a moment. Mello pouted in a playful way and turned around to go towards the house, crossing his arms over his chest and calling over his shoulder to the girls. "Hey! He's my ho! If you want him for the night you're going to have to pay me for him…so back off!"

"Melllooooo," Matt complained, blushing brightly as the three girls started giggling even harder, one of them touching his arm in a flirty way. Mello grinned and continued walking, flashing a small wink to Near who's lips curled upwards, if only slightly. The small action surprised the blonde, who cocked an eyebrow at the younger boy before they ascended the stairs to the front door.

Knocking loudly on the door (was there any other way to knock?) Mello waited somewhat patiently for the lady to come to the door, smiling brightly when a younger woman, perhaps thirty-five at the oldest opened the door. She had a pleasing demeanor, someone who smiled easily and was quick with a warm word or action. You'd have never known she was so filthy rich…except when you looked into her house and saw how many expensive things were littered around her rooms.

"I remember you from last year! Mon petit fabricant de méfait," she purred, her voice a soft alto. Slowly her gaze wandered from Mello's face to Near's, where her eyes went wide, a hand going to her mouth as she gasped. "Ohhhh!" Her hand wandered out to touch Near's cheek, causing him to tense up before she moved it down to his chin, moving his face up so that his dark eyes met her smiling ones.

"Quelle belle angélique enfant," she cooed, Near looking down at the ground in a shy way, his hand once more moving up to play with the little bells hanging from his hat. At the Wammy House they were taught many languages, and so Near knew exactly what she was saying, but he kept his gaze pointedly downwards, making the young woman laugh softly. "Edwin!" she called over her shoulder. A man around the same age came from around the corner, looking at the two boys in the doorway

"N'est-il pas beau?" she asked the man, motioning to Near. The man smiled and nodded, walking away back into the house with a soft chuckle.

"I won't keep you any longer," she said laughingly, standing back up fully. "Happy Halloween messieurs!"

With that she used both her hands to scoop up a large pile of chocolate footballs, each one wrapped with shimmering foil in different colors, and poured them into both Near and Mello's bags. Once she'd done that she handed Mello three large chocolate lollies and pointed over to Matt who was still busy talking with the girls who had stopped him before. "For your friend…he seems busy tonight."

"Thank you!" Mello and Near said in unison, though Near's voice was softer, and moved off the porch, back towards the street. Of course, Mello had no intention of giving Matt the third lollie, unwrapping it quickly and shoving it into his mouth with a wicked grin over at Near. Near, for his part, simply smiled at Mello, once again making the blonde wonder what the snowy-haired boy was thinking. It was almost impossible to tell, but Mello was feeling curious, his mood good, his thoughts clear and unobstructed for once.

"Aw man!" Matt said, catching up with them on the street. "Did I miss her? Damn…I should go back…"

Mello smirked and pushed Matt's shoulder playfully. "If you weren't so busy playing loverboy you wouldn't have…go back dumbass, it's not like she'll mind."

"I'll catch up with you guys later, okay?" Matt called as he ran back towards the house, the strap of his sandal getting caught on a bush as he attempted to free himself.

That left Mello and Near…alone. Walking. Without anyone else around. Once more silence settled between them, until finally Mello pulled the chocolate lollipop from his mouth and turned to his companion.

"Why did you want to come with me tonight?" he said, finally coming to the point. Near obviously wasn't going to offer up any information on the subject, so it was probably for the best that the older boy be direct. "You've never wanted to go with us before…why now?"

Near seemed unaffected by the straightforward questioning, continuing his slow trek as they walked towards the stone walls of Winchester Cathedral which wasn't too far away. The only indication that he was affected was his hand which clutched just a little harder around the top of his sack, his eyes moving to Mello with a calm gaze. He wasn't fooling the older blonde…something was up.

"Come on Near," Mello said, stopping in front of the metal gates of the wall. "You may be able to fool Roger or Matt or anybody else…but you don't fool me. Now spill it."

Near took a step backwards, his breath coming out in a small rush that fogged the night air in front of him…it was getting cool. Mello cocked his head in a curious way, unaccustomed to Near showing him any kind of reaction. "You always seem happy on holidays…I…," Near looked up at him through the small amount of hair that was pushing out under the jester's hat. "I wanted to watch you enjoy yourself."

Mello's first reaction was surprise, the second being confusion. Near wanted to…watch him? If it hadn't been so sugary sweet, it would have been weird. Then again, it wasn't that much weirder than the seemingly inbred obsession that Mello seemed to have with the younger boy. The obsession that fed his need for supremacy over Near, the obsession that kept him awake wondering at Near's motivations, at Near's behavior, wondering always what it would be like to be able to affect him. Though Mello didn't exactly know what kind of effect he'd like to have on the brilliant younger child.

Yeah…maybe Near's desire to watch him wasn't so strange really…

Nodding slowly, not sure of what to say, Mello turned away, focusing his gaze on something…anything…else. Eventually his eyes fell on the gate in front of them and the fact that the gate was slightly open…which was unusual considering that the church grounds should have been closed. Mello's face broke out into a wide smile, his feet carrying him forward as if they were possessed. He liked this church, had always wanted to see what it was like when no one else was around, when it was dark and quiet and peaceful. Not to mention he loved trouble, and this was obviously the perfect opportunity.

"Mello," Near called softly, following behind him with a vaguely worried expression. "Where are you going? It's closed. We're not supposed to go in there at night Mello…"

Looking back at Near, Mello made an annoyed face and turned away again. "Then don't come with me. No one is making you."

With that he slipped through the front gate and began to walk, past the buildings that surrounded the large church, through the parking lot, and up to the bright red doors that stood like sentinels before him. Softly a breeze blew by him, making him shiver slightly in the cold, his hair standing up on the back of his neck. His palms were a little sweaty now, clenched into fists at his sides as he stared up at the huge church, biting down on his bottom lip. He probably shouldn't have been doing this, but the temptation was simply too much.

He'd never been good at resisting temptation.

"Now or never," he said softly to himself, pushing at the front of the red door with his small hand, eyes lighting up when it slid open easily, allowing him entrance. This was a hundred times better than going out for candy; the rare opportunity to see something that he probably wouldn't see under other circumstances was like a rare jewel that he simply couldn't pass up.

Silence stretched around him instantly, though it wasn't uncomfortable. As he made his way through the old stone structure, the only sounds he could hear were the quiet clicks of his own boots, and the soft breaths that stained the air. Though it was mostly dark, there were windows all around, adding enough natural moonlight to allow him to see through the shadows until he found himself at the stairs that led to the nave. Briefly he paused, looking around as if expecting to see someone any second, and then quickly walked up the stairs. Candlelight shone softly at the front of the alter, though the walk towards it was long.

The first steps down the middle of the pews, his shadow stretching back behind him, were slow. Of course, living in Winchester, he'd often visited the large church in the day, but there was something about it now, with no one in it, only Mello. There was something slow and soft about it, a gentleness that seeped into the stones and the wooden pews that he ran his fingers along in an almost venerable way. Silently he reached into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out the one object that he never, ever went without. The only thing he had brought with him when he came to the orphanage, the only piece of property he truly could call his own.

A small red and black rosary…the beads worn smooth by his own fingers that silently prayed every night for the opportunity to simply be better.

He should have stopped at the foot of the alter, the stairs seemed to be tall now, likened unto a river that he knew he shouldn't have crossed. And yet he did, not stopping until he was at the alter, running his hands over the smoothness of the wood, reaching upwards towards the tall burning candles that sat upon it. He allowed his fingers to linger in the flame of the candle while his opposite hand fingered his rosary, his eyes all for the stained glass that sat high above him, above the wooden structure in front of him.

Finally he pulled his fingers from the flame, looking down at them in a curious, strange way. He had been about to bring them up to his mouth, let his tongue flick across the growing pain, when he heard something behind him. Not willing to turn around, he simply looked straight ahead, waiting for whomever it was to make themselves known.

But he already knew who it was…

"Mello…," the soft voice said, Near coming up behind him and taking his hand. The motion made Mello jump as his fingers were brought to that small, soft mouth, Near's gentle lips kissing across the burn before lowering his hand back down where it had started. The motion was simple, but it set off a series of complex reactions inside Mello's mind and body. He was shaking…shaking violently all of a sudden and wasn't sure why. A solid minute passed by as they stared at one another, Mello trying to discern the situation properly while Near seemed to simply be observing. What had made him do that?! Near, who allowed no one into his personal world. Near, who was above and beyond common human touch and emotion.

What was this new contest between them?

"Why did you…," Mello breathed out, shaking his head and stepping back. They were too close, the atmosphere was too close, and everything was shaky. He didn't like this out of control feeling…not at all…

"Weren't you in pain?"

Mello cocked his head at that, looking down at his hand, the pain forgotten in the flurry of emotions and confusion. "Yeah…I guess I was…why?"

"I wanted to fix it…so you would be happy," Near answered, his voice barely a whisper, so quiet that Mello had to strain to hear it.

Taking a step forward, Mello found that the shortened distance between him and his rival wasn't so stifling now, in actuality it was comforting. However the realization that the closeness was comforting was rather distressing, but there was nothing to be done for it now. "Did it ever occur to you that my pain might make me happy?"

"No," Near answered truthfully, his finger once again trying to find his hair only to be met with cloth. Mello watched the display with an amused eye before reaching forward and pulling the hat from Near's head, letting it fall to the floor, the sounds of the bells jingling catastrophically loud in the quiet hush of the empty church. Near's hand fell to his side in surprise before Mello picked it up again, putting it into Near's hair and watching with interest as the small fingers instantly began twirling his hair.

"Are you happy right now?" Near questioned, his eyes slightly wide. "Does being here like this…make you happy?"

"I have no idea," Mello answered back, not realizing until it was too late that he had moved himself closer to the other boy, putting them inches away almost by accident. Almost. He could feel his own breath bouncing back at him, smelling of chocolate and the toothpaste he'd used earlier in the evening. From here he could see Near's eyes, the flicker of emotion in them as Mello cocked his head to the side, pondering what to say, wondering what he should do. But through it all, Near never moved away, accepted the invasion of his personal space in a way that Mello hadn't though was possible.

"I like you watching me like that," Mello breathed out, his hands coming out, one reaching into snowy hair to join Near's own fingers. The other brushed his rosary beads over Near's cheek, Mello's blue eyes focused on the other boy's, mouth going slightly dry as he realized what he was thinking about doing. It made no sense, and yet the situation demanded that specific response. And more than all of that theoretical nonsense? He wanted it. Badly. "I like that you see me…"

"I see you all the time Mello-" was Near's breathless response, cut short by Mello's lips pressing softly against his own, leaving no more room for words, warping the world around him.

Mello's mind was spinning, thoughts rising up like bubbles in the sea of his mind only to burst and be replaced a moment later by another one. Near tasted of mint and smelled like laundry detergent…a soft, sleepy scent…soothing. He pressed his lips harder to the smaller boy's, running his tongue along his rivals bottom lip, determined to get more of a response, wanting more to taste. Near's lips were soft and absolutely delicious, but Mello wanted an invasion, to taste Near from the inside. He got what he wanted a few moments later, dipping in, not quite knowing what he was doing, relishing Near shivering against him.

Finally they pulled apart, Near's eyes staying mostly closed except for a small crack that he gazed at Mello through. Mello's breaths were coming quickly, his hands not moving from where they'd eventually moved to cradle Near's head against his own. Instead he pushed their foreheads together, his expression soft and unintentionally pleased.

"I believe," Near said suddenly, his hands coming up slowly to cup both of Mello's cheeks, opening his dark eyes with a amused expression. "that you have confused the holidays. This sort of behavior is supposed to be for Valentine's Day…no?"

Mello, surprised, laughed softly, shaking his head and closing his eyes. Still chuckling, he rubbed their foreheads together, opening his eyes again to find Near's eyes smiling back at him. Who knew that Near's eyes could even smile? Who knew Near was capable of it? Mello's arms moved down, fingers grabbing the hem of Near's jester shirt, rolling his eyes with another laugh.

"And she called me a fabricant de méfait," Mello whispered, bringing their lips together again, Near offering up no resistance, actually helping by drawing Mello's face closer as the blonde drew in.

More minutes passed by until finally they broke apart, Near finally convincing Mello that it might be a good idea for them to leave and took the blonde's hand as they walked back towards the street. Matt was there at the gate, peering in with a wary expression as though trying to decide whether or not he wanted to risk going in. He must have thought the two of them were inside, because he didn't seem all that surprised to see them walking back out.

"I thought that's where you two might be," he said cheerily, following behind them and pointedly not saying anything about their joined hands. "Those three girls gave me their phone numbers! I lost my sword though…"

Mello smiled over at Matt, shaking his head before leaning into Near's ear and whispering softly.

"You're giving me all your chocolate when we get back to the house…right?"

And the snowy-haired boy smiled, his expression enough for Mello to know that he was going to have to convince Near in interesting ways to make the trade.

--Fin--

Happy Halloweeeeeen 2007!!

Cherry