I stared at the gray-colored walls that were littered with posters of all sorts of different video game heroes, listening to the sounds coming from the TV. Matt was pressing buttons vigorously, his face only mere inches away from the screen. I wondered if it was healthy to be that close, and concluded that it most likely wasn't.
There was a timid knock at the door. After Matt gave her permission, a small girl entered. She had short brown hair and looked much younger than the two of us.
"There is going to be an announcement. Everyone is supposed to report to the dining hall to listen to it."
"We'll be there in a minute." Matt said distractedly, not taking his eyes off of his game. The girl quietly closed the door and probably went to tell the other students the same message.
"C'mon, Matt, you can play some more later." I said as I got off of his bed and headed towards the door.
"Hold on a sec, just let me finish this level."
"Yeah, yeah."
About ten minutes later Matt and I entered into the crowded dining hall. We took our seats, which we were lucky to find, and waited for Roger to speak up. He walked to the front of the room and cleared his throat.
"I've done some thinking and I realize you all may be more intelligent than most, but you're still just children and teenagers."
"Wow, he really has been thinking. He didn't call all of us children, like he usually does. I wonder why he is suddenly caring so much, he usually makes it obvious that he hates all of us." I whispered. Matt shrugged and listened as Roger continued to speak.
"I've been paying some attention to some of the more normal schools and I noticed that they all have some non-academic activities. I'm not sure what their purposes are, but I think that it may be a good idea to experiment with some of them here." The entire room erupted into happy chatter. Everyone was excited that we might get to do some fun things instead of always studying and worrying about our grades.
"I'll bet there's going to be a gaming tournament!" Matt said excitedly.
I only rolled my eyes.
"But Mello, maybe there will be a chocolate-eating contest, too!" He continued, trying to get me to be more hyped up.
"I doubt it. Besides, chocolate shouldn't be wasted like that. It should be enjoyed more slowly, not eaten up so fast that shortly after its puked out again!"
"I think you're scared you'll lose."
"No, I'd probably just steal all of the chocolate and hide it somewhere."
"But then Roger might not let us do anymore fun stuff!"
"I think we should focus more on our studies anyways, unlike normal people we had an important goal to achieve."
"You know that you and Near are the only people who care about that."
"Well then maybe we're the only sane ones at this institute."
"You? Sane? Don't kid yourself, Mello."
"Oh shut up, Matt! You can't be very sane with your over the top obsession with video games." I expected Matt to retort about my devotion for chocolate. I was wrong.
"Well at least I'm not turned on by a certain boy in a dress!" My jaw dropped.
"Matt! What if someone heard that? Besides, it was your idea, anyways!"
"Relax, everyone is too busy thinking about Roger's plans to listen to us. And I know it was my idea, I was just kidding. You take everything too seriously." I was going to argue but then I noticed that everyone was quieting down. I looked to see that Roger was about to speak.
"I have talked it over with L, and he approves. Next Friday, there will be a dance." Again, the room was filled with voices. This time they were louder and more energetic. Roger continued talking about the details of the dance, but I doubt many were listening.
"Wow! A dance! Aren't you excited?" I looked over at Matt to see him beaming.
"No, not really."
"But why not?"
"It will be over crowded with a bunch of people I don't like, plus the food will suck and most importantly, the music being played will likely be hip-hop."
"Whats wrong with hip-hop? I like it!"
"I don't. Its annoying and it gives me a headache." I complained. We continued to talk for awhile longer.
Roger apparently finished his speech that no one paid any attention to for he had stared to talk about things other than the dance. He then dismissed us and we filed out of the room. I saw that annoying girl Linda walk towards someone. My blood began to boil when I saw who it was.
"Hey, Near! I was wondering if maybe you might want to go to the dance with me." Near looked up at Linda with his emotionless eyes. I was about to storm over there and possibly kill Linda but Matt grabbed my arm. My hands fisted as both Linda and I waited for his answer.
"I apologize, Linda. But I will not be attending."
"Aww, why not? It will be a lot of fun!"
"I really don't think it will be and I just rather not go."
"Well okay, Near, but let me know if you change you're mind!"
"I can assure you, that won't happen." He muttered as she walked away.
"So I see you're not going to the dance, either, Near." I said casually as I walked over to him. Its been about five months since my birthday and the events that occurred on it. Both Near and I had agreed that we shouldn't make our relationship public, so we acted indifferent towards one another. I tried to act exactly like I used to, but I couldn't bring myself to treat him like I hated him. Not after the way we kissed on that day.
"No, for I have no desire to. I assume that you feel the same."
"Yeah, that's true. I really don't want to suffer a headache from the horrible music that's bound to be played at it."
"You don't enjoy that type of music? Do you like classical, then?"
"Yeah, classical is okay. Why?" Near just smiled and walked off, leaving me standing there confused. I had never seen Near smile outside of the privacy of one of our bedrooms, so I knew he had something planned. Before I could dwell much on what it could possibly be, Matt decided that he didn't want to just stand around in the hallway. He then proceeded to drag me to his room, where I stayed until curfew.
The days to follow weren't of much interest to me. Most of the Wammy students seemed to disagree. They were all buzzing with excitement and there weren't many places I could go and not hear at least one person mention the upcoming dance. They seemed to care much more about this social event than they did about their studies. They would have been better off at a more normal school. That's probably the reason none of them were able to get anywhere close to ever becoming the successor to L. I may not have been winning, but at least I stood a chance.
Finally the day of the dance arrived. If I thought the excitement was high before, it became far stronger on that day. It annoyed me to no end seeing and hearing everyone become ecstatic over such a stupid event.
I spent the day in my room, only coming out for breakfast and lunch. Matt visited me a couple times, but was soon brought down by my mood and left, wanting to hold on to his energetic vibe. I sulked in my room as dinner approached, knowing that I would be unable to have any. The dance was going to take place at that time inside the dining hall, and the "meal" was just going to be whatever snacks were being served. I probably would have eaten a good portion of my chocolate stash, if it weren't for what I discovered when I left my room for the bathroom.
There was a note taped to the outside of my door. It simply said "At the time of the dance, please go to the common room as soon as you no longer can hear anyone left in the hall." There was no signature, but I still knew who it was from. Who else would be skipping the dance, and who else would choose the common room? Also, who else had alluded to the fact that he was plotting something? Near.
This must be what he was planning. I smiled, happy that I wouldn't have to wait boredly in my room for the entire duration of the dance. I was also happy that I'd be spending time with Near, with no one else around. Remembering the other times we were alone, I couldn't help but be excited.
Even though I wouldn't have to wait during the dance, I'd still have to wait for it to start. I was very impatient as I watched the clock slowly edge closer to the time when I could go and see Near. Tick, tick ,tick, tick... C'mon, can't you move faster than that?! The clock didn't acknowledge my silent plea and kept at its agonizingly slow pace. Dammit! Why do I have to be so anxious!
When at last the clock marked the beginning of the dance, I could hear voices and footsteps outside of my door. They chattered endlessly as they walked towards the cafeteria. I wished they'd all move faster.
A couple minutes after I could no longer hear any noise, I decided to head out. I made my way down the hall, going in the opposite direction than the rest of the Wammy population had went. I resisted the urge to run, despite how much I couldn't wait to reach my destination. I concluded that I didn't want to be sweaty or out of breath when I did.
I laid my hand on top of the door knob and slowly turned it. My eyes widened as I took in my surroundings.
Not much had been done to the common room but its aura had been transformed. Walking into it made me feel like I was entering an English ball from the 1800s. All of the furniture had been cleared away and the room was empty. Music could be heard playing from some unknown origin. The melody was that of a classic waltz. There were also two buffets. One was filled with the same kind of food that was likely served during a royal feast. The other was the dessert table and was filled with every kind of chocolate imaginable. But what really made me feel like I was at a ball was Near.
Just like on the day of my birthday, Near had adorned a dress. This one was not like the last he put on, however. It was a floor-length ball gown. Its hue was a light gray. There was a white rose pinned at the top of it, right below Near's shoulder. There was a slit in the top layer of the dress, revealing a pure white silk underneath. Another rose marked the start of the slit. The final rose rested in Near's hair. He looked amazingly beautiful.
"You did this for me?" I asked after I finished taking in my surroundings. Near timidly nodded, a light flush warming his cheeks. I smiled and walked over to him, whispering my thanks in his ear.
"Should we dance? This is a ball, after all." I held my hand out to Near. He took it and we began waltzing to the soft music. Neither of us ever had any lessons, so we probably weren't doing it right, but that didn't matter to us.
It was then that I realized how out of place I was among the scenery. I was dressed in the usual all black and didn't look like I belonged at a ball. Near didn't seem to care though as we continued dancing. The music flowed flawlessly from one song to the next.
After awhile we stopped and enjoyed some of the food from the buffets. Near had to stop me from going straight to the dessert bar. The food tasted even better than it looked. Everything was so rich in flavor and perfectly cooked.
"Near, where did you get all of this?"
"Because I am the top student and I also have a flawless record, it wasn't too hard to persuade Roger to hire me a gourmet chef for the night as a reward. The money was taken out of L's unlimited funds and he had no problem with it." I just nodded. I didn't want to respond because I feared that I might become angry at the fact that Near mentioned that he was number one. Ever since my birthday, I'd been careful not to let our rivalry get in the way of our relationship.
After I was finished with the five star meal, I happily made my way over to the dessert buffet. Everything looked amazing, but my favorite thing was the chocolate fountain. I was tempted to drink directly from it but I stopped myself. Instead I reached into the bowl filled with the only non-chocolate things on the table and pulled out a strawberry. It tasted great drenched in hot melted chocolate.
Near stood beside me watching as my expression portrayed bliss from enjoyment of the delicious flavors. I swallowed and then asked if he wanted one. He nodded and reached over for a strawberry. I batted his hand out of the way and took one out. After holding it under the fountain for a few seconds I brought it to Near's lips. Blushing, he bit into it.
"Good, huh?" I asked, watching him eat it. "Want another one?" Again he nodded.
This time, as I fed him another strawberry, I accidentally got some of the chocolate on his face. Before Near could wipe it off, I leaned over and licked it.
"Mmm. That tasted better than on the strawberry." I whispered seductively. I stuck my finger under the fountain and then smeared some chocolate onto Near's lips. I slowly licked it off, causing Near to shiver.
Near then stuck his tongue into the fountain. It was easy to figure out his intentions. I gladly slid my tongue into his mouth to rid it of the chocolate. Instead of pulling away and waiting for Near to put some more of it into his mouth, I began kissing him. He responded immediately, latching his arms around my neck. I pulled him closer, enjoying the warmth of his small body pressed against mine. We deepened the kiss, growing fervent.
Without any thought, I raised my hand to the to zipper in the back of his dress and began sliding it down. Near did not protest but he did pull away from the kiss, for he had run out of breath. I went to kiss him again but froze.
My eyes landed on the common room's clock. According to it, the dance would be over in five minutes. Near followed my gaze. I told him that we needed to get back to our rooms before anyone caught us. It was past curfew and only the dance attendees had permission to be out of their rooms. Also, it probably wouldn't be good if Near was to be seen in his current outfit. I may find him irresistible and cute, but that didn't mean everyone else would.
Near and I left the common room in a rush. We tore down the halls, Near becoming out of breath quickly, for he was not used to physical activity. I found Near's room and threw the door open. We stood inside silently for a few moments before the dance was officially over and a sea of voices flowed through the halls.
After they ceased, I left out a breath that I didn't notice I had been holding. I walked over to Near's bed and sat down next to him. I realized that I was probably going to be trapped in his room for awhile since there might be a few students still wandering the halls, going to the bathroom and such. I really didn't want to risk getting spotted sneaking out of Near's room.
I flopped down onto the bed, my back flat against it, while my feet were still touching the floor. A few minutes later Near broke the silence.
"We should probably get changed." He stated, getting up and heading for his closet. "You may borrow a pair of pajamas from me, if you'd like."
"Okay." Near then made a move to remove his dress, but I jumped up and stopped him. I kissed his neck and whispered, "Why don't you let me undress you?" I continued with the zipper that I had started with back in the common room. I kissed and licked at Near's shoulders as I lowered the dress' straps. The dress fell to the floor and Near was left standing in his underwear. I wondered if he planned for us to go this far, because the underwear he wore was a pair of sexy panties. They were white with black musical notes printed all over them, and black lace around the edges. Groaning at the sight, I rid myself of my black shirt.
I brought Near back to his bed and laid him down before crawling over him, loosing my pants in the process. Hungrily, I kissed him, devouring every inch of his mouth. I explored his body with my hands, caressing over his soft flesh. I came upon a nipple and pinched it. Near gasped, arching into to me. That movement caused our groins to meet, sending waves of pleasure through our bodies. Both of us moaned as we ground against each other, enjoying the contact. I wanted more so I slid down his panties, causing him to flush in embarrassment. He tried to cover himself, but I wouldn't let him. I kissed his neck and brought my fingers to his lips.
"Suck." I ordered. He complied, taking three of my fingers into his mouth. After he thoroughly coated them, I slid them out and brought them to his entrance.
"Eek!" He gasped as I pushed two of my fingers inside, scissoring them apart to widen him. I licked one of his nipples to try and distract him from the discomfort. I added a third finger, continuing to attack his chest. He whimpered in both pain and pleasure. One of my fingers brushed his prostate and he screamed.
"Ahh!" He tried to buck against my fingers in an attempt to hit his sweet spot again. I removed my fingers and tore of my boxers, unable to contain myself any longer. I coated myself with the left over saliva on my fingers. I then lined myself up with Near's entrance. Slowly I pushed in, trying to cause as little pain as I could. Despite my attempts, Near clearly displayed a lot of discomfort. I soothingly stroked his snow white hair, trying to calm him. I eased in further until I was fully sheathed.
Several minutes later, Near nodded, signaling that it was okay to move. I began at a slow pace, aiming for his prostate. I found it after only a few thrusts. He gasped and clenched his legs tighter around me, encouraging me to speed up. It wasn't long before I began pounding into him. I could feel Near's nails digging into my back, but I didn't mind. The ecstasy I was experiencing was worth that infinitesimal amount of pain.
I felt myself grow closer to the edge. I grabbed Near's erection and roughly pumped him in time with my thrusts, causing him to mewl and wriggle even more than he already was. Suddenly I felt his muscles clench around me as he cried out, sending me into a world of bliss. I empty into him and slid out a few seconds later, landing next to Near on his bed. We caught our breathes and sunk into that wonderful feeling that comes after having sex with someone you truly care about. I wrapped my arm around Near as he leaned into me. We stayed like that as we fell into a calm slumber.
The next morning the sunlight spread out into Near's bedroom, awaking us both from a peaceful sleep. I untangled myself from Near and rose from the bed. I assembled my clothing from the day before and began to redress. Near stayed in bed, silently watching me. We both knew that I had to leave as quickly as possible, so the chance of someone seeing me exit Near's room would be less likely. Thankfully we had both awoken earlier than the time most of Wammy's residents did.
Before leaving I gave Near a chaste kiss. Then I quickly hurried out the door. The halls were free of anyone but myself and I made it to my room without being spotted. I sighed as I closed my door. My eyes opened wide when my gaze landed on my bed.
Matt was sitting on it, absorbed in his DS. Faint beeping sounds could be heard from where I stood. I cautiously walked over to him, hoping that he hadn't been in there long, so I could lie and say I was at the bathroom.
"Where were you? After the dance I came to talk and hang out with you, but you never showed up. I wound up falling asleep here waiting for you." Matt didn't take his attention away from his game as he spoke to me. Shit! I thought. There isn't anything I can think of to tell him. Maybe I could just be honest, he already does know about Near and I's relationship anyways.
"I was-"
"In Near's room, right?" Matt cut me off. I sighed.
"Yeah." Again Matt didn't seem like he was really listening, but I knew him better than that.
"I'm sorry if I kept you waiting for me, I didn't know-" Matt paused his game and looked up at me.
"Its okay, don't worry. I managed to get ten levels farther while I was waiting for you anyways." He smiled. I rolled my eyes, all Matt ever thought about were video games.
"I still feel really bad, though."
"Like I said, I didn't mind. Now for something more important, was it good?" Matt smirked.
"Was what good?" I had a good idea about what he was talking about, but I hoped that I was wrong.
"You know what I'm talking about." I took a few moments to answer.
"Yeah." I scratched the bad of my head, trying to distract myself from becoming embarrassed.
"Then should I not come to visit you at night?" Matt asked nonchalantly.
"I think that would be a good if you avoided my room when it gets late." Matt smirked again.
"Thought so." A minute went by before Matt spoke again.
"I guess Mello became a man before I did, truthfully I'm surprised I always thought that I'd be the first one to- Ow!" Matt was silenced by me smacking him in the back on the head.
"What made you so sure that you'd be first?"
"I don't know, I just figured I'd be more likely to."
"Are you implying that you think your more attractive than me?"
"What! No, I- Ow! Stop that!" I whacked Matt's head again.
"Then stop making me want to." Matt rolled his eyes.
"Its not my fault that everything I say seems to be a problem to you."
"Well I-!" We continued our argument for a little while longer. Both of us knew we weren't really fighting, but just messing with each other. How could I ever be mad at my annoying but lovable best friend? Especially because he was the one who had brought Near and I together. I would never stop being grateful towards him for that. Not in a million years.