Mihael and Mail were nervous and excited. They were being transferred to a new orphanage, one for extremely smart children. The two best friends had stayed up late the night before, when they had finished packing, and helped each other decide on a nickname. It seemed weird, but at Wammy house you weren't allowed to go by your real name. They had come up with Matt, for Mail, because his middle name is Matthew and he had always rather liked that name. Matt had suggested Mello for Mihael, because it had an M and an L in it, and he like caramel chocolate.
Mello and Matt shared a room with a boy named Near. Well he wasn't named Near, but that was his nickname. Near had white hair and wore white pyjamas, and he seemed much more than just a year and a half younger than Matt and Mello. The three boys got along pretty good, though Mello and Near had their arguments. Mostly it was Mello but still. Matt and Near got along rather good, Near was quiet and Matt was usually playing video games so they didn't get on each other's nerves too often. Near had been at Wammy`s house for almost 3 years- since we was 6. Until now he had been one of the few students to have no roommates.
About a week after Mello and Matt had moved in, they were told that they, and Near, were the three smartest students at Wammy house, with Matt as number three and Mello and Near practically tied for first.
Soon after that, Mello started to take note of who got the higher test scores- him or Near. They were still friends, but there was a bit of competition between them now.
Near`s 9th birthday came and Mello and Matt threw him a party. When they asked him what he wanted, told them puzzles, that didn't surprise them since that was what Near spent most of his time doing, but what did surprise them is when Near asked for a blank puzzle. There were some things about Near that just confused them.
A little more than a year later, Rodger, one of the two headmasters, called Mello and Near to his office. Matt trailed along behind them, playing his gameboy. Rodger sighed but he knew it would be no use to try to send him back. It didn't matter anyways. Mello and Near would just tell him when they left his office. He looked at the boys. "I have something very important to tell you two" he said. "It will probably put quite a bit of stress on you, I'm sorry to say, with you only being ten and eleven. You, of course have heard of the former Wammy student, and great detective known as L, have you not?" Near and Mello nodded. Mello's eyes widened. He wondered where Rodger was going with this... Surely L couldn't need help? Especially not help from children... and what about Matt? He was a genius when it came to computers and a year older than Near... why didn't this involve Matt?
Rodger cleared his throat. "Well L needs a heir, and since he was a Wammy boy, he wants somebody from Wammy. Mello, Near, you two are the smartest here, and your I Qs are within 2 points of each others, so-"
Mello cut him off. "So which one of us will it be?" Mello's head was spinning. It was going to be Near, he knew it was going to be Near.
Near looked up at Mello. "Mello, if you had let Rodger finish talking I'm sure he would have answered your question." He paused then continued. "I am about... 60 % sure that it will be me though, if you excuse my pride. My I Q is 2 points more than that of yours, and unlike you, I do not act on my emotions."
"W-What?" Mello said "What do you mean 'act on my emotions'?"
"You just did, when you interrupted Mr. Ruvie." Near said.
"Okay boys, that's enough, stop arguing.." Rodger said. This was one thing Rodger hated about his job. The children were definitely smarter than most adults- defiantly geniuses, but they were still kids and they defiantly still acted like children. "Now, what I was about to say was, L hasn't yet decided which one of you shall be his heir, He is unable to choose between you. But I assure you; we will let you know when he decides."
Ever since Rodger told them that, Mello had been working harder and harder to beat Near in everything. Every test. Every project. Every report card, everything. After a while, it didn't even matter if it was school related. Or even if it would make any difference whatsoever to who would be L's heir. He just HAD to beat the little white haired boy in everything they did.
Mello studied for hours, but it made little difference, he was always just a little bit behind Near. Near who spent more time playing with his toys then studying. How childish, there was no way he was meant to be heir to the great L.
After a while Mello began to dislike Near, and he started spending as little time in their shared room as possible, which, unfortunately, also meant less time with his best friend. Matt loved gaming, and their room had an X-box, a PS3 and a Nintendo, so Matt spent quite a bit of time there. It didn't matter anyway. Mello was studying so often now that he had barly any time anyways. It had been over a year since Rodger told them. Near was 11 and a half now, and Mello would be turning 13 soon.
"ERGGG! I FRIGGING GIVE UP!" Mello burst into his room. Matt was the only one there, Near was off, who knows were now. Mello had left him in the crowd of kids, admiring his test score. "Near barly even studies and he bet me! AGAIN!"
Matt paused his game and gave his friend a hug. "So, how much did he beat you by, Mel?"
Mello sighed. "Five percent. That's even more than last time."
"But don't forget, you beat him on our last History test."
Mello sighed. "That's only because he was out sick for a week. And even then, I only beat him by 2.5%..."
"Mello, you look tired, You've spent too many nights up late studying... you need to take a break... at least for a couple days." Matt said, worried about his friend. "Maybe for the next week you could spend just 3 hours a day studying."
They argued for a while until Mello finally gave in. When there was something Matt really wanted, he could be pretty stubborn and Mello could tell he wasn't planning on giving up. "Fine. I'll study for 3 and a half hours each day next week, and go to bed before 11:30..." He said annoyed. "But, will you cut down on video games a little for the week, so I have someone to hang out with?"
"Of course Mello! That's what I'm here for, and I've been spending less and less time together since we got here, we've got some catching up!"
It was true. At their old orphanage, they had spent virtually every second together. They had been friends since Mello was orphaned, at age 3. By the time they were 4, they were already practically glued together. Now that Mello thought about it... spending such little amount of time with Matt seemed weird and stupid. He made a mental note to try and change his schedule around to fix that.
So the next week Mello studied for only 3-4 hours each day. But after a while, Mello was having so much fun being with Matt again that his study time dropped more. That Thursday, He studied for only half an hour before grabbing Matt to go outside. On Friday they had a pop quiz, and Mello only got 97%. "Aw, common Mello," Matt said. "That's not too much less than your average in this subject, and Near only got 99 and a half."
"Shut up Matt! This is your fault!" Mello said, as he grabbed his text books and left the room. Matt sighed; sometimes his friend just didn't get it... He was worried about him.
Mello studied even more than before, he studied before and between classes, during lunch breakfast and dinner. He would study until past midnight, and wake up early to study more. Sometimes we would skip meals so he could study more easily. After about two weeks of this Mello looked terrible. His grades were beginning to fall too, by about 10% on average, but this only made Mello study longer and harder.
Sigh. I really wish Mello would see whats happening. He's barley slept lately and he's not getting enough to eat. How can he not see that that's why his grades are slipping... I wonder if I should tell someone, I mean they obviously must have noticed at least a little bit and it will be for his own good... Matt thought
Matt decided that he would have to do something, even if it was only talk to his friend. Mello was falling asleep in class and Matt had almost beat him on their last science test.
Later, Matt opened the door to his room. Near was sitting on the floor, putting together a puzzle (I swear he ate a few pieces...) and Mello was sitting on his bed, studying. He looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. "Uhm, hey, Mell?" Matt said looking over Mello's shoulder to see the complicated math equations, each answered 4 times.
Mello looked up and gave him a death glare. "I'm studying, Matty." He said.
Matt looked around, trying to think of a way to tell Mello to stop, without getting beat up. Not that it would upset Matt to much if that happened, as long as Mello started sleeping and eating again, but if Mello beat him up, he wouldn't bother to. "Mello, I'm really worried about you!" he said looking into Mello's dark blue eyes. He put his hand on his friend's shoulder.
Mello shrugged away. "Go away Matt, I don't care what you say. I'm not giving up on being the best and beating Near just to hang out with you. You, annoying red haired little-"
Matt cut him off. "Who says I want you to stop so I can hang out with you? If you start sleeping and taking care of yourself again, I don't care if I ever see you again! I'll switch beds with Near, so you wouldn't have to wake up to my ugly face! Just- just-..." Matt looked like he was going to cry. Mello was crazy if he thought that was what Matt cared about, Matt cared about Mello, not who he had around to hang out with. Mello ignored Matt.
"Mello. Matt is right. You're in terrible shape... if you so intent on 'beating me' you would do better to take care of yourself." Matt and Mello turned and looked at Near. They had both forgotten that he was in the room with them. "And please Mello, if you must be so emotional, at least see what your friend's intentions are, before assuming he's being selfish."
Mello looked at Matt. It was as though something had just clicked. He looked at himself. "I-I understand now... You were just worried about my health... that's so sweet of you Matty." He smiled. "But you don't have to, I'm-"
"No Mello, your not fine." Matt said firmly.
"Matt is correct." Near said looking at Mello. "You haven't been sleeping or eating nearly as much as you should lately. Please, in the future, take better care of yourself, it may not seem it, but I do care about you Mello."
Mello snorted. "I'm so sure." He said. He yawned, it seemed like that's when he relized how tired he really was.
"Go to sleep Mello, you've studied enough for today." Matt said smiling.
"I haven't spent any time with you Matty..." He said. He blushed and grapped Matt, pulling him onto the bed. "Sleep with me Matt!" he laughed.
Matt laughed. "My bed is right next to yours you know, and we can talk in the morning."
Mello shook his head. "I want to talk now Matty." He said "But I'm too tired... go get changed and sleep with me! So I wouldn't be lonely... Please?"
Matt laughed. "Hahahaha, whatever weirdo." He said as he got up to go put his pyjamas on. Mello's bed was rather large, so the two of them sleeping in it wasn't too weird. Matt didn't mind anyways, it reminded him of when they were younger, and whenever one had a night mare they'd curle up in the other's bed for comfort. Matt smiled. "Good night Mells, it's good to have you back."