~Getting Along~

The Silent Game

It was unusually quiet for Wammy's House. And that had to be what worried L the absolute most. 'Quiet', wasn't a word found in a Wammy kids' vocabulary. Most adults would be able to relax if there was a sudden subsidence in the volume, but it told the care-takers at Wammy's to keep all eyes open and watch were you step.

The silence was fortunately broken when two little boys came bursting through the front door, shouting and covered in what looked like algae from the property's lake. Near was almost completely encased by the stuff, while Mello looked like he had only been dragged in.

"L!" Near cried. L had been hoping he could sneak by before either of the boys had a chance to see him and use him as a shield.

"L!" Near squeaked again, "Help!" He ducked behind L.

"Ah, shut up, you!" Mello screamed. He chased Near to L, and soon, the two boys were circling around him, Near's indignant yelps barely audible over Mello's livid screams.

L looked mournfully down at his cake. It would just have to wait until he sorted this all out. He put out his hand that wasn't holding the cake, and caught Mello, who was practically flying after Near.

L felt his arm nearly rip out of its socket when Mello hit it. Mello made a muffled hrmph sound at the feeling of L's arm.

"Your petty argument..." L declared, still holding Mello back from possibly killing Near, "has caused my consumption of this cake to be put on hold. What is so important that you disrupt my four 'o' clock cake?"

Near was pointing a white finger accusingly at Mello, who by this time, had stopped fidgeting, and was enjoying L's arm much more than a six-year-old should.

"Mello did it!" Near said. "He pushed me into the lake and said 'that most sheep can swim.'" L shot Mello a disappointed look.

"Mello." L said. Near and Mello were both expecting something like 'you can't just call people sheep and push them into a lake', so they were both surprised when L said. "You know sheep can't swim. I thought I taught you better."

Just then, Watari came down the stairs, looking ready to break something up with the large fly-swatter in his hands.

"Has something happened?" he asked.

"No, Watari. Mello and Near were just having a small dispute, but no worries; it's been dealt with." L turned around to find Mello on top of Near, forcing a rather large piece of algae that had been on his foot down his throat.

Watari raised an eyebrow at L along with a disapproving look. L groaned and turned to the quarreling boys. He put his cake down on a small table placed nearby.

"Okay`. Break it up." L said, not moving from where he stood. "Now." Mello kept attempting to force-feed Near algae and Near was still trying to not digest it.

L looked at Watari who was still giving him a dissatisfied head shake. He stopped to make a hand motion that looked like lifting something up. L, in return, let out a reluctant groan and advanced to the scene. He pulled Near out from under Mello. The former gave a grateful noise and hugged L's neck, while the latter simply gave a frustrated snarl.

"Now, boys, your constant arguing has been quite a disturbance the rest of the house, so you're going to learn how to get along, even if it kills you." L said, setting Near down next to Mello. There was silence for a moment and then Mello spoke up.

"Can it be Near that dies?" he said, pointing at Near enthusiastically. L rolled his eyes.

"Mello, both you and I know that was a figure of speech. The only who could possibly die because of this is me." L said. Mello's shoulders drooped at the comment. "Okay, Mello, point out something you admire about Near."

"What?!" Mello screeched.

"This is proven to help two people get along better; now, what do you admire about Near, Mello?"

Mello looked down at the floor as if thinking. "Near, I like how you don't give a crap about what people say about you." L slapped his hand to his face.

"All right, despite your use of profanity, that was satisfactory." L said exasperatedly. He took his hand off his eyes to look at Near. "Near, what do you admire about Mello?"

Near began twirling his hair around his finger. "I admire Mello because he almost as smart as me, he is quite popular, he is strong physically and mentally, and he is rather pretty." Mello's mouth was gaping and L looked positively flabbergasted.

Near looked at both of them briefly before saying, "Was I only supposed to note one quality?"

L regained his composure and looked at Near. "N-no, that was, that good. Very good Near." Near gave a smug smile as L gave him a quick hug. This made Mello crawl out of his skin.

"Yeah, well, I could've named more things, but Near doesn't have a personality!" Mello shouted. L let out a sigh as he realized his efforts had done nothing.

"You know what," said L. "Let's just go in the garden to have tea now, and you two can play the silent game while Watari and I think of more tactics to help you get along."

"But that's not fair!" shouted Mello. "Near can't talk, anyway, so I'll lose!"

"Then, Mello, I suggest that you keep something your mouth at all times, because it's rude to talk with your mouth open."L said, as they walked to the garden door. "Okay, the game starts...NOW!"

"You got it!" Mello shouted. Near tapped Mello's arm with the hand that wasn't holding his robot.

"You lose."

Mello screamed, L sighed, and Near began to giggle as if he were being attacked by a large feather duster.

To be Continued......

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