It was rainy and dreary that evening, the sky an ugly dark grey that poured fat droplets of rain. Not that it bothered Mello much at the moment despite the fact he was riding his motorcycle. He had been working not on the Kira case to his displeasure, instead he had been working on determining the movements of other mafia bosses and groups.
It was childishly easy in Mello's opinion and extremely boring, all of a sudden he had the urge to eat chocolate but when he went to get some he found his stock was empty. Someone was going to pay later for eating his chocolate but for now he was left alone on a quest to find a bar. He found the convenience store, finally it had taken forever. However, it was the only one close to his current apartment that sold his favourite chocolate the others had other popular brands but none were close to the one he was looking for.
He parked his bike and dashed into the store to escape the down pour. He bee-lined for the where the chocolate bars were arranged only to run into someone. Their shopping basket clattered from their hand and they stumbled forward falling to their knees.
"E-excuse me, I wasn't watching where I was going." The person apologised quietly and weakly although the accident was really entirely Mello's fault. He glanced down it was a girl his age, her long ebony hair made a curtain over her face hiding it.
He glanced her over, her body language suggested submissive and weak. She was one of those people who wanted to stay in the shadows and when brought into the light was easily pushed around, there was no fight in her, her shoulders slumped and she curled in on herself defensively. She was wearing a well-worn brown hoodie that was underneath a large bulkier grey hoodie that was faded from years of wear, a pair of black fingerless gloves were on her hands. A large hand knit white scarf was wrapped around her neck and she was wearing dark jeans frayed from wear and worn brown leather boots that were severally scuffed.
She got to her feet retrieving the shopping basket, Mello glanced it over curious. Groceries, milk, bread, eggs all of the staples someone would need for a house. As he glanced over the contents he glanced over to whatever items he could see and noted they were all the cheapest brands and most of them were on sale. He noted that some essentials were left out because he supposed they were too expensive. The most costly thing in her shopping basket was a TV dinner and as he looked at it, it was most likely for the plastic bowl that came with it not so much as the food.
She shifted to the side looking at the chocolate bar display, he couldn't see her eyes but from the way the girl shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot he could tell that she was locked in indecision about whether or not to get the bar. He shrugged it off and reached forwards for his bar for her hand to shoot in front of his and snatched one of his favourite bars. He glanced over at her and she flinched slinking away to the cash register. The way she moved reminded Mello of a scolded dog afraid of being struck.
He grabbed several bars and got into line behind her, the elderly lady before her was taking her bags and the young girl to Mello's surprise patiently waited before pulling items out of her plastic shopping basket. The cashier scanned the items, Mello watched the young girl pull out the chocolate bar last and look at it still undecided.
The cashier glanced at her, "Is that everything miss?" she asked the girl scrutinizing her for holding the chocolate bar. In a flash it was set down in front of the cashier who scanned it putting it in the bag, "That'll be thirty eighty five miss."
The girl's hand disappeared into her pocket digging deep to retrieve a wallet, she opened it Mello already imagined the contents messy probably with lots of gum or candy wrappers a complete disorganised disaster. But to his surprise it was clean and organised on the inside. He noted a family photo, a younger healthier and by far a more vibrant version of the girl in front of him with small children, one girl and one boy on either side.
She opened the cash pocket and fingered through the bills, Mello could count them as they went past and there weren't that many only seven dollars, however the pocket was filled with coupons. With great precision the girl retrieved the needed coupons having memorised where she had stored them. She pulled them out and handed them to the cashier.
Mello watched amazed as the girl tactfully brought her price down, "That'll be nine dollars and thirteen cents." The cashier said.
Mello knew immediately this would not end well, the girl pulled out the seven one dollar bills and with a shaky hand passed them over. Mello could see the girl's fear; she brushed her hair back from her face tucking it behind her ear. Her eyes looked terrified, he could see her thinking through her math and double checking the numbers to determine if she had been wrong but he could tell that she knew she had been right all along and had been over budget.
With trembling fingers she struggled to unzip the change pocket on her wallet. She rooted through it dropping the coins on the counter organising them, in the end she was still thirty cents short. Mello watched her shift uncomfortably she pointed to the chocolate bar.
"I'll just put-" she started but the cashier shook her head out.
"It's fine just take it, thirty cents doesn't make that much of a difference." She insisted.
"Thank you!" the young girl breathed a sigh in relief, she grabbed her bag and slunk out of the store, Mello paid for his chocolate relatively quickly. He opened the first bar and began to devour it greedily trying to savour the taste of the bar as it melted in his mouth. He glanced outside it was still pouring however a large familiar bundle of clothes made him slow his pace.
The girl was standing in front of the store both of her hoodies' hoods pulled up over her head, judging from her position she had been walking home before pausing in her step. She had stopped just past the overhang the rain pouring down on her. She had only been out for a few moments but was already soaked through her bangs dripping water into her face. Mello could see the chocolate bar in her hand, it hung limply by her side the wrapper pulled away and a large chunk bitten off.
He heard a choked sob and watched the girl's shoulders rise and fall, he cautiously approached her quietly, she took another bite as she sobbed, "I can't taste it… I can't taste the sweetness. What does sweet taste like?" she cried to herself, "I've forgotten what sweet tastes like." She let the bar slip through her finger tips and splash into the puddle at her side.
Soaking wet she disappeared into the down pour leaving Mello staring after her, he was thinking back now to in the store when she brushed her hair back from her face. Her face was somehow familiar though he couldn't place where he'd seen it which was odd he always memorised faces.
He finished the bar in hand remaining under the store roof and dry before heading over to his bike and taking off. He returned to the apartment quickly and dumped his pocket loads of chocolate bars into the cabinet. He'd have to get more later in the day but for now it'll do since he had to get back to working on the cases presented to him.
He worked tirelessly frustrated that he couldn't be focusing on Kira and out witting Near. It rained constantly outside of his window pouring relentlessly, the streets soon flooded cars sending huge sprays of water up on unfortunate pedestrians. At nine Mello decided he'd done enough for the day he couldn't over work himself after all he needed sleep in the morning he was going to be back on the Kira case immediately.
He passed Matt's room his friend lost in the new game he'd gotten, he called out to him asking if he wanted anything but Matt was too busy defeating a boss in the game to respond besides gaming gibberish. Mello clambered onto his bike and sped off, instead of the convenience store he was going to head to a candy store across town they'd just gotten a shipment of chocolate in today.
He drove through the pouring rain and fortunately there was very little traffic making the ride a fast one. However, as he came across a large bridge he had to slow the bike down the surface more slick than usual because of the rain furthermore the lights were dim or burnt out. Cautiously he drove across the bridge not willing to collide with a truck or car while on his bike.
As he drove he noted something out of the corner of his eye, a figure clinging to the railing of the bridge and looking down into the water just under a flickering street light. He watched as their foot slid into the rail and they began to climb up. Interested Mello drove to the end of the bridge and turned around speeding up to come back, by that time they had climbed up their feet delicately balancing on the railing as they stared down to the water beneath the bridge.
Cautiously they took their hand off of the street light and pulled their hood down, Mello recognized the person immediately it was the girl from the convenience store that looked familiar. He stopped his bike pulling off his helmet, his blonde hair was soaked in seconds and clinging to his face.
"Hey what do you think you're doing?!" he yelled out to her, but she couldn't hear him over the rain.
She was crying, he couldn't see the tears exactly because of the rain but she was crying he could tell because she wiped at her eyes. She sneezed and then hiccupped and the face clicked he did know her he'd seen her cry before.
He ran forwards still unsure of why he wanted to stop her, he didn't know her but he wanted to stop her anyways. He watched as she put her foot forwards it hung in the air.
"I'm so sorry!" he heard her yell over the rain to herself as she prepared herself to step forward.
"Stop!" he yelled and in that second she heard him, as her foot stepped down she turned her head to look back at him. Her eyes widened in shock and surprise as her foot slipped through the air, she fell forwards and screamed.
Mello jumped forwards at the same instant, he snatched her arm by the sleeve, "What the hell are you thinking you idiot!" he yelled at her angrily as she hung below him her feet kicking out.
She looked up at him and swung her other arm up catching his arm to hold on, "I don't know! I don't want to die, I don't want to not anymore!" she yelled out, he began trying to pull her up by her arm but it was harder than he anticipated.
He began to slide forwards and she noticed, her hand released his arm and she swung herself forwards and backwards. At first he watched confused wondering if she was trying to wiggle free and get him to drop her. She swung forwards and latched onto the bridge, she pulled her foot up under her, with a grunt she pulled herself upwards. He noted that somewhere amidst all this chaos the rain had stopped, the only water pouring down was coming from his hair.
Mello watched it despite her weak appearance the girl was actually quite strong, he pulled and tugged as best as he could to help her up and after a moment's struggled she was pulled over the railing. Her foot caught on the railing and she toppled forwards into him catching him into an embrace, her arms locking tight around him. She buried her face into his chest and began to cry.
"I don't want to die, I didn't want to. I don't want to die!" she sobbed, Mello stood awkwardly unsure of how to deal with the sobbing girl, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." A car drove past illuminating the two in the bright headlights. She clutched onto him desperately, he could feel her trembling from fright as well as the relief in being alive.
"Hey do you want to get out of the rain?" Mello asked her. She stopped her crying and released him stepping away and wrapping her arms tightly around herself while looking at the ground, "Don't you have somewhere to go? I can take you there if you need it."
She looked up at him and in the weak flickering light he saw her face, her lip was split and bloody a trail of smeared blood coming out of her nose and a large bruise was spreading on her cheek. She looked down quickly at the ground with her dark black eyes and shook her head.
Mello rolled his eyes and sighed of course, of course it had to be like this. He was beginning to wonder why he'd even bothered to stop at all, she probably would've been better off without his help it was obvious her life was horrible. He thought of Matt and what Matt would've done.
"I'll loan you my couch for one night, but you're clearing out in the morning understood?" he barked at her, she looked up at him with those dark eyes again they looked startled, "I said understood."
"Yes, understood sir. But I'm fine really just leave me alone." She said suddenly looking frightened. Mello was confused, she was comfortable with him a moment ago but once she saw his face she got scared, maybe he did know her. She backed away from him and went to dash off but he grabbed her arm and squeezed tightly.
"Where are you going?" He demanded, "I can take you there."
"I'm fine let me go really I can find somewhere on my own." She insisted stubbornly trying to pull away.
He gave a violent tug getting angry with her, her strength was all used up from climbing up over the bridge and gave into the tug falling towards him, "You're coming with me whether you like it or not!" he barked at her.
"Fine then." She shot back at him angrily, she turned back around to face him giving him a venomous look. There was no doubt in his mind that she knew him, but the question remains does he know her and at this point Mello to his displeasure did not know.
"Take my helmet." He said and shoved it at her, she stared at it confused for a moment before pulling it on over her head, she pulled it on and tightened the straps. Mello clambered back onto his bike the seat was soaking wet from being left in the rain. It would unfortunately have to do until he got back, regretfully the girl climbed on behind him.
"You're going to want to hold on or you're going to fly off." He stated.
"Hold onto what, there's no strap or anything." She replied as if she had ridden a bike before, he knew what she was talking about typically on bikes that allow for a passenger there's a strap for them to hold onto. But as Mello never expected a passenger he never bothered to look for a bike suited for one.
He smirked, "There's only me to hold onto." He stated and reeved the bike he didn't hear it but he was certain that she snorted. He took off trying to get the bike to go as fast as he could get it to go, the girl yelped and grabbed his waist. She buried her face into his back screaming as her arms snaked around his waist. She held on tightly but not too tightly to be painful as Mello weaved in and around traffic he purposely took the long route to the apartment taking pleasure in her terror.
He slowed the bike down before going into the parking garage, "You did that on purpose." She remarked as they pulled over to his parking spot her voice echoing all around.
"So what if I did?" he challenged her and she remained silent after that, she climbed off of the bike before it came to a full stop removing the borrowed helmet. She threw it back at Mello who caught it and grinned as he did. She immediately pulled her two hoods back up over her head trying to hide her face.
"This way hurry up." Mello stated waving his hand. She trotted after him to the elevator he swiped his card and the doors opened a second afterward. She entered first and as she stepped in front of him he yanked her two hoods down off her head, "Leave them down." He ordered her, she sighed and inched away from him in the elevator. He watched her as she watched the numbers on the screen flip past, she wasn't from Whammy's so where had he seen her? She had to have been pretty insignificant if he couldn't remember. She swiped at her nose with her sleeve trying to remove the blood trail, she managed to but the sleeve now had a large blood stain on it.
They walked in silence to his apartment, she trotted after him hands buried in her hoodie she looked lost in thought and he didn't feel like talking to her. In fact he was wondering why he even talked to her in the first place, though he supposed he knew the answer. It was for what she said back at the store, she couldn't taste 'sweet' anymore she had forgotten the taste. She was a curious mystery, or maybe he was just associating her with chocolate, Mello wasn't quite sure at this point.
He opened the door tossing his leather jacket aside and gestured to the couch, "And that'll be your bed for tonight." She nodded and walked over to it, "You're not wearing that on my couch." She jumped and crossed her arms over herself defensively. Mello paused he probably could have chosen better words, "I meant your jackets, they're soaked through take them off." He clarified and she relaxed.
With shaking hands she pulled them up over her head, he reached out a hand sighing, "Here I'll put them through the dryer for you." She handed the jackets over regretfully; he registered what she was wearing underneath her hoodies, a white long sleeved shirt. She wrapped her arms around her glancing around the apartment nervously.
"Nothing is going to happen to you, stop being so jumpy." He growled at her causing her to jump. She sat on the couch in the corner she pulled her feet up under her chin and Mello noted that she was not wearing socks in her shoes.
"Parents?" he asked.
She looked over at him narrowing her eyes, "What are you talking about?" she asked him.
"I was wondering what it was that happened to you, so was it parents?" he asked her suddenly feeling the need to interrogate her.
"I don't have parents." She stated in a tone that suggested it was something that he should know and was blatantly obvious, "It's none of your business anyways." She added after a moment's pause.
"If you're going to stay on my couch it is my business." He replied.
"Somebody took my purse alright." She replied almost immediately, Mello narrowed his eyes at her this time suspicious but there was little he could do and he cared so little anyways. Without saying anything else to her he walked down the hall to his room, he could feel her eyes follow him but she didn't say anything to him. He got to his room and locked the door behind him as a precaution though he doubted that she'd do anything to him.
He went to sleep easily he was hoping he'd be the first to wake up to get rid of the girl before Matt would find her. Though he suspected it'd be easy since Matt just got a new game, Mello was surprised the game was a year old and he wondered why Matt had taken so long to get it. But he didn't feel like asking Matt since the conversation would contain mostly video gaming gibberish that Mello could not decipher.
Author's Rambling Space:
I started writing this a long time ago, but have been swinging back and forth between posting it. I really love the story and the mystery character whose identity will be revealed! But I wasn't quite sure how people would react, if you found this sad I swear it gets better!
Thank you for reading!
I Do Not Own Death Note
If I did Matt and Mello would have lived... just saying