Title: Forget-Me-Not
Author: Tian-san
Pairings: Maybe Matt/girl!Near
Genre: Friendship, slight Humor
Rating: K+
Summary: Matt never forgets that little white haired girl at the orphanage, and Near almost forgot the boy in stripes she knew so many years ago. Mello reunites them through text messages and email, and he's taken it to the next step.
Warning(s): Genderswitch fic. This time, it's girl!Near. And slight AU, in which Matt and Mello survived.
AN: It's an one-shot. But if you'd like I could write the second part to it.
Matt knows Near. He knows this is true. He knows the girl better than Mello, who strangely learned her quirks from years of observation.
He remembered how her wavy ivory hair fell gracefully on her shoulders. Sometimes, it fell down to her eyes, concealing her gray orbs. Her smile was rare, but he did see it once. It was beautiful. The long nightgown she wore was always white. And she hardly goes out, because she didn't want to stain it.
She barely looked at him when they're talking, but he never did either. His eyes are concealed behind the gold tinted goggles. It serves as his shield, his armor from any penetrating gaze. But when they locked eyes, he couldn't help but feel she could see him through.
On lonely days, he would come to the common room and sit down beside her. He let himself be busied by his games, and she would finish her puzzle. After the puzzle was completed, and he defeated the final boss, they put everything aside and talk. Just talk, about anything. From weathers, foods, to schoolwork and Mello. Of course the chocoholic knew about their meetings, but strangely, didn't say a word.
After L's death, everything changed.
Mello's departure had brought them closer and apart at the same time. The need to feel comfort, reassurance in the other was urging. To know they still had each other and one would never leave the other. It seems L's death had brought them back to earth, had made them remember they're mortals, and one day would die. Every single day was spent like it was their last day. It feels like time is running out, and they're far behind.
Mello had took a head start and left Wammy's. To complete his goal as the best, succeeding and perhaps surpassing L. And them? They just mourned for his sudden disappearance and didn't bother to continue to move on.
But then she did. And she left him just like Mello did. Even if only a note was left he was still hurt. But Mello came back to get him, and her? He didn't hear much about her anymore. Just recently since he was reunited with Mello did he hear the white haired girl's condition. But hearing it second handedly from Mello wasn't enough, he wants to hear her. Talk to her. But every time, his hands only managed to grip that phone shakily before slamming it back down.
Matt stared out to the scenery before him, sighing softly. Taking out a cigarette, he lit it up and held it to his lips.
I wonder where you are…
Near prefers complexion. Simplicity was just too, simple for her. Anything, hard, challenging. That's what she likes.
Mello was a puzzle. An intriguing one. If she and the blond had worked together to become L, perhaps the result would be, outstanding. She wouldn't dare to refer him as the half of the L puzzle she's currently facing, but it's the truth.
But she wouldn't dare get him in ten feet distance from her. No, she wouldn't. He's like a time bomb ready to explode, and the fuse just got shorter as he got older. Perhaps she would've tolerate his childish show of hatred towards her when they were young, but now it's simply ridiculous. Sometimes she swore he had grown up from their childish antiques and now simply using the rivalry as an excuse to meddle with her thoughts.
What with his current reminder of him moving to LA with his best friend Matt. And his daily text messages informing her of the brunet's activities were simply annoying. She didn't want a daily check up on the blond's mate, every picture of him sleeping, and sometimes a picture of him eating or smoking; that's just completely absurd. She didn't want to be reminded of the old Wammy days. She didn't want to be remembered of the time when L was still alive and their lives were normal (in a sense, normal to them). But most importantly, she didn't want to remember him.
Matt. Whose real name is Mail Jeevas as he once told her. The boy with messy brown hair who always wore striped shirts. Her – she daresay it – close friend in Wammy's House. Matt was a simple boy. One could say he was the least interesting of the three successors. But the fact that he was, gave a different vibe to her. Unlike Mello, who was interesting enough in his own way, Matt was very, very normal it's hard to believe that he is normal.
Now years after they both left the orphanage, she sometimes wondered how he's doing. Of course then she'd remember the emails Mello sent and the emptiness in her heart disappears, replaced by pure annoyance.
As a sixteen year old, Matt meant the world to her. But since she left Wammy's when she was fifteen, she had to forget her little world. It was hard, yes, but she did it. Every day began to pass and Matt didn't fill her thoughts like it used to.
Thanks to Mello – she's so going to kill him one day – she broke out of the trance and suddenly the past began to haunt her. Great.
Her phone rang and she muttered angrily before throwing the pillow back to her bed and reached for the damned thing on her bedside table. Not bothering to check the caller ID, knowing perfectly well who would call her around three AM.
"Mello." She said through gritted teeth.
Mello grinned, hearing the low growl from the white haired girl across the line. Throwing his chocolate wrapper to Matt, whose back was facing him, he yelled out.
"Near! I missed you. I really do."
Matt turned around, and lifts an eyebrow in response. Mello grinned wider and threw the phone at the brunet, who caught it just in time before it hit the floor.
"Near?" he said with a hint of surprise in his words.
Oh yes. This is so going to work, he thought while tearing off the chocolate wrapper and chunking a piece greedily. He stomped away, leaving Matt to have his tearful – he doesn't know for sure, but Matt would probably cry in happiness – reunion with the new L.