Disclaimer: Don't own Death Note or "Running Up That Hill" by Placebo. This isn't a songfic – I just see a certain scene developing in my mind's eye to the lyrics and music of a song and I write it down, hoping the reader will listen to the song as they read and grasp the magnitude of the scene. The Kate bush version (a.k.a The original) is awful, in my opinion. I hate it…I love the Placebo version. Listen to it and read!
Summary: Mello finds out Light has been lying to him in more ways than one. The volatile blonde has a murderous plan, but what will happen when darker forces at play act on their own agendas? MelloXNear, vague LXLight, implied MelloXLight. Character death and a bit of blasphemy.
Running Up That Hill
Chapter 1: It Doesn't Hurt Me
Mello hadn't believed what that twit Near had shown him and told him until he had seen it with his own eyes. Now, he had no other choice but to believe. He didn't want to believe though. Not that…and certainly not about him.
That bastard had lied to him.
That beautiful, elegant, self-righteous, murderous bastard had had the gall to make love to him while covering a slew of unforgivable lies. That perfect cretin had used him.
God damn Light Yagami for lying about not being Kira and loving someone else. Especially when that someone was none other than Mello's own Aniki, his nii-san…
L-nii-san. The man Mello had always looked up to, the man whom Mello had been raised to replace, the man who meant so much to him.
That despicable Light Yagami had charmed and brainwashed L-nii-san and taken him away from Mello, from a world that needed him, from the people that loved him.
God damn Light Yagami, that beautiful liar with the face of an angel and the heart of a devil, the murderous bastard who had never failed to steal Mello's breath with each of his kisses and caresses, the delusional son of a bitch who had made love to Mello for so many nights until he couldn't utter a single word. The drop-dead gorgeous jerk who had redefined life and pleasure for Mello had betrayed him.
Mello did not want to believe, but the evidence was there, clear and tangible as day. Inviolate, real.
On the screen before him, tangible and clear, was the damning evidence against Light Yagami. There on the screen, images of the lovely brunette pounding into L-nii-san with erotic abandon screamed of bold-faced betrayal and impending heartache.
From that screen, the sounds of L-nii-san's ecstasy as Light consumed him inch by inch emanated like tidal waves threatening to tear down the walls of the small surveillance room. Each screamed 'I love you' coming from L-nii-san or Light opened a fresh wound somewhere deep inside Mello – somewhere where Mello's fury could not reach and lick the wound so it didn't smart as badly. Watching the two most important people in his life fuck each other into an incoherent pile of shudders was both inconceivable and hurtful for Mello to process… it was simply intolerable.
It was something he wished wasn't true.
Something he wished wasn't true because it would spare him all the rage coursing through him like a vile poison intent on killing him slowly. Mello wished it wasn't true because then he wouldn't be hearing echoes in his head of all the loving lies he had been told, he wouldn't be shaking with hate, he wouldn't be tearing out his hair and clawing at his eyes in frustration and shock, his head wouldn't be full of murderous plots revolving around retribution if Light's betrayal wasn't true.
If Near had been lying to him, the decision to blast Light out of existence would have never been made in the blink of Mello's grey-blue eyes.
But Mello knew better than that. Near was not lying. And the decision had been made.
The betrayal was there and the damage was done. There was enough substantial evidence for Mello to prosecute Light. The where and how were just a matter of time.
Kira would have his judgment come to him soon enough – and he was going to pay dearly for every single one of his sins.
Lying.
Adultery.
Murder.
Manipulation.
Arrogance.
Breaking Mello's trust.
Inciting Mello's apocalyptic rage.
Loving L-nii-san.
But most importantly,
Not loving Mello as he had once said he did.
Oh, the bastard would pay – and a trial by fire was to be his sentence and bitter end.
L-nii-san's moans, groans, and declarations tore at Mello's ears with a strength that reached down to his very soul to hack up pieces of him slowly and effectively. The mercurial blonde couldn't help but admit that Aniki's screams sounded a lot like his own when he had been under Light and his sensuous spell. Jealousy thundered in his heart, rendering him unable to scream in agony. He didn't want to hear, he didn't want to see, he didn't want to feel, he didn't want to believe.
Mello had forgotten that Near was inside the surveillance room with him, sitting behind him on the couch with one of his legs propped up as was his usual fashion, fingers twirling his snowy locks anxiously. The person who had brought the truth to the light was in the same room with him, waiting for him to make sense of the whole thing and grasp the concept of treason. At the moment, Mello's old hatred of Near seemed to have died or gone somewhere to allow the grudge against Light Yagami fester inside Mello's tempestuous heart. Mello wanted to strangle someone and surprisingly, Near didn't even register in his radar. He wondered why.
That was, until the white-haired boy cleared his throat and offered Mello a tissue to dry his demented, unfocused eyes. Mello snatched the flimsy paper tissue from Near rudely and crumpled it into a tight ball. Mello didn't want to dry his tears – he wanted to shed them all so he could make Light pay for every single one of them.
Tears were a small price to pay for sweet revenge.
The pain of betrayal had wakened in Mello a thirst for revenge; a thirst that was quickly reaching criminal heights.
Criminal enough to kill.
Criminal enough to make Mello's body go taut with paralyzing hate and his jaw quiver dangerously as he continued to watch L-nii-san and Light on the surveillance screen, unable to tear his eyes away from the horrendous spectacle. Bile threatened to burn a hole in his throat, but Mello fought back against the nauseating feeling of revulsion rising in him.
Mello growled at the screen until Near had the foresight to turn off the screen. Mello had had enough revelations for one day and Near had had enough of the sickly displays of human emotion for the rest of his life.
"You had better sit down, Mello." Near made his words sound as a request rather than an order, keeping in mind the state the blonde was in.
Mello threw a warning glare at the small white-haired boy sitting half-crouched on the wide black couch in front of him. The couch was the only black object inside the otherwise all white room. Mello was the only tainted person in the otherwise untainted room. Near did not speak, favoring to stare at Mello intensely instead of saying anything. Those inquisitive dark eyes of Near were unnerving Mello and making his skin sizzle with self-conscious discomfort.
Mello refused to let his teary eyes settle on the child-pest breathing his same air and tried to focus on his surroundings. Everything was white and painstakingly organized except for the scattered Legos on the tile floor and the lonely Transformers action figure resting dejectedly in a corner of the room by the door. The only sounds coming from inside the room were the soft timed beeps of the surveillance equipment, the hum of a small refrigerator tucked away under a shelf somewhere farther into the room, and the sound of Mello's rapid breathing. Near's even breaths didn't even register.
Mello tried to focus all his attention on the abandoned toys but Near was making it impossible because he kept patting an empty space on the couch, gesturing for Mello to sit down. The rustling sound of Near's palm slapping the couch fabric was grating irritably on Mello's frazzled nerves.
"Stop doing that!" Mello bellowed and Near froze in his tracks with his hand in the air, awaiting Mello's own to lash out and strike him.
But that did not happen.
Instead, Mello flung himself at the couch all of a sudden and Near barely had enough time to get his small hand out of the way. The blonde landed on the couch with a muffled thud and shielded his face with shaking hands as if they could hold his face together, as if they could keep him from falling apart. The rage and grief in the slender blonde was so tangible Near could taste it – bitter and acrid like unprocessed chocolate.
The younger boy could see Mello's face contorting and twisting into grimaces through his fingers. Awkwardly, but with good intent, Near inched closer to Mello and wrapped his arms around Mello's shoulders. The blonde gasped and tensed up in reaction to the unexpected intrusion, but his surprise quickly melted into anger and he hissed at Near
"Get your hands off me."
Near didn't move from where he was nor stopped what he was doing – his arms were still around Mello and the younger boy's chest was pressed against one of Mello's bare shoulders. Mello could have rammed his shoulder into Near's chest to push the pajama-clad boy off him, but he was far too petrified by rage and pain to do anything. The blonde let himself be engulfed by Near's out-of-character embrace, barely breathing, lost to the maelstrom of feelings and ever so confused by them.
In Near's arms, Mello reflected upon his history with Light and the events that had led to this letdown, and when he had finished taking that bittersweet trip down memory lane, his tears reached past the point of suffocation and the blonde broke down, sobbing messily into Near's soft arms, crying himself empty of sorrow, but not of resentment.
(0o0)
Mello had met Light by chance at a little Japanese candy store about a mile away from the heart of the metropolis. Light had been waiting for L to select a large assortment of sweets when he crossed paths with Mello, who was looking for a particular brand of chocolate he couldn't get anywhere else in the country but in that little shop; both had recognized each other as both were involved in the same case (L had decided for some strange reason to partially bow out of the investigation and brought in Near and Mello to work on the case while he and Light worked on it as well. Mello had obviously refused to work with Near and had gone solo, infiltrating Near's database and checking out any leads he was able to reason out on his own research with the mafia).
L had been angry at Mello for running out on him instead of working with Near and therefore Mello had left the shop just before L-nii-san could catch a glimpse of him. Mello still had some respect for his big brother and did not want to cause an ugly scene. Even though he had left abruptly, he had been able to get a good look at Light and eventually tracked him down to his family's house where he was spending a holiday weekend with them. He had had a hunch about Light back then, but he hadn't known what it was – he just knew he had to see the honey-eyed man again.
Mello had snuck into Light's room through the window one night and Light pinned him to the bed as soon as he realized there was an intruder in his room. The brunette had demanded to know why Mello had come looking for him. Mello hadn't known what to say so he had kissed Light and the brunette had kissed him back ardently. For someone so brilliant and cunning, Mello had forgot his sense quite quickly and taken a turn for the strange.
Mello had been spellbound and his resolve to dominate the one he had come to dominate had vanished in a puff of smoke.
Light had pushed him out the window following the kiss and had told him to wait for him outside. He had heard Light tell his mother he was going for a walk and within minutes, Light had grabbed Mello by the neck and dragged him to a deserted alley where they had wrestled their names out of each other until, inevitably, their fighting had turned into kissing and groping at some point in time.
Neither Mello nor Light could deny that there was a very magnetic attraction between the both of them that surpassed the limits of reason, at least for Mello anyway. Yagami's beauty and brilliancy had sparked his interest in more than one way and Mello had made it his goal to have the Yagami boy at his feet. Little did Mello know that it would be him who would surrender to Light so easily. Little did he know that it would be who would wind up bent over a trash can screaming Light's name and begging for more.
The one he had come to dominate had overpowered him without even saying a word. All it had taken had been a kiss and a couple of twists, turns and thrusts. And it was done. Mello was his.
Light had walked away, leaving Mello gasping for breath and savoring a lingering kiss on his bruised lips. After that, Mello had been looking for more…he craved it now, he needed it, and he couldn't have a moment of peace without it.
His nights were dark, tormenting and endless when Light's body wasn't shaping his like willing putty before a roaring flame. His days were unbearable when he could not feel the bruising sting of Light's kiss and possession lingering from a previous night of debauchery. His mind was a maelstrom of madness when there were no fresh memories of the godly body stretched out beside his. Chocolate was sweeter when Light's presence permeated him and enveloped in his sensuous swansong; without him, the cocoa was ash on his tongue and the alcohol dry and bitter, tainted by the sting of loneliness.
Mello had begun frequenting the places Light went to and shadowed his every move, unable to get enough of the electric charm and radiance the Yagami youth emanated so effortlessly. Even if all he got from Light was one look or a minute peek, Mello would be appeased enough until nightfall, where he was free to seek out his Light and set himself afire with the infectious brunette under the comfortable cover of the night.
The stakes were considerably higher every time they met, but Mello outwitted people and defied fate by sneaking into the Japanese Task Force Headquarters after hours to steal a moment from time to have light with him and within him. It was dark and lonely without him.
Then Aniki had died and the only person who had been able to provide him with comfort and reassurance had been none other than Light Yagami. After L-nii-sans death he had come to need light more than ever – he was the only remaining link to his deceased brother and the cure for all the ailments of his impure soul. If there weren't other goals at hand, he would abandon it all just to be at Light's side.
He had thought about it many a lonely night and had wanted to throw it all away, but there was a tiny thread of reason that kept him grounded to the road before him. He had settled for the furtive midnight rendezvous.
Until now. The midnight rendezvous had come to an abrupt end the moment Mello had discovered the gruesome truth.
Everything had suddenly come undone, crashing down to a messy fall.
(0o0)
Mello couldn't help but wonder if he hadn't been good enough for Light, if he had done something wrong…but no matter what kind of question he asked himself, the answer did not add up – the answer was that Light Yagami was a murderer, a liar and a cheat. The answer fit none of the questions haunting Mello's mind. It just spawned more.
Mello was hurt because he had come to love Light with more devotion than it was healthy; his love bordered in the obsessive and he had taken the blow of his life when Light's true love had been revealed. The discovery was yet another low blow at his ego – once again, Mello had fallen short of victory, he was once again second best.
If Light was the only one for Mello, why couldn't Mello be the only one for Light?
In truth, Mello didn't give a damn if Light was Kira – Mello had wanted to take Kira's place and keep the notebook for himself in the first place and he had no qualms about killing people, innocent or guilty, if it got him closer to his goals. What had pushed him over the edge enough to make him want to kill Light was that Yagami had taken someone else to his bed that wasn't Mello – it hurt that the man to whom Light had given his heart to was none other than his big brother. Someone he couldn't just kill, someone whom he loved very much as well. He wanted to catch Kira because Kira had wronged him and because it would prove, once and for all, that he was not always second in line. He would be the victor. He would catch Kira and destroy him, even if it killed him inside. Or outside. He didn't give a damn which one.
Heartbreak had taken its toll and all Mello could do was dig his fingers into Near's arms and he held on to the smaller boy for dear life as his tired body sagged against both Near and the couch. His body could not longer cope with his choleric rage and had begun to shut down in the comforting embrace of Near. Mello felt most of his animosity dissipate and a strange feeling of connection settle in when the younger boy laid his head on top of Mello's head and he felt a slight of brush of lips against his golden scalp. Mello sighed and pressed himself closer to Near, wishing he could bottle up that moment and carry it with him forever to comfort him whenever he needed it. It no longer mattered that it was his life-long nemesis who was providing him with comfort; that the boy Mello refused to show weakness to was holding him the way a mother would soothe a scared child.
After a betrayal of that magnitude, not much mattered anymore; nothing was quite right after that.
Mello would have never thought Near capable of any emotion that wasn't apathy. He had never imagined Near could feel empathy, especially toward him after all Mello had put Near through in terms of emotional humiliation and harassment. Mello didn't know how to react to this, didn't know how to react without pushing the pajama-clad boy away. He wanted to say something nice to atone for all past mistreatment and to thank the boy for offering him a shoulder to cry on, but his brain was drawing a blank. Mello wasn't used to being nice, much less to his competition.
Mello was at an absolute loss for what to say.
Mello shifted his position on the couch to face Near, holding the boy's arms in place so he wasn't tempted to let go of Mello. It was strange to be in the arms of someone he hated, but given his situation with Light Yagami, being held by the enemy wasn't a foreign concept anymore. Near pressed himself even closer to Mello and the blonde adjusted his arms to encircle Near more snuggly against his leather-clad body. The feel of Near's pajamas against his shoulders brought back memories of those early days at Wammy's where he had felt safe from the world under the covers, wearing a set of pajamas he could call his own. Now that he was older and Wammy's was behind him, he missed the safety and the routine of the place. He missed home, but Near was there to remind him of it and to offer a small piece of that safety he craved.
If he had been himself then, Mello would have probably gagged at the sight of himself and his nemesis in such a sweet embrace, but he wasn't himself. How could he be after seeing what his eyes had seen?
Somewhere in the haze of memories, Mello felt one of Near's arms slip away from him and he felt the absence greatly. In the short time Near had been hugging him, Mello had gotten used to the weightless feel of the boy's arms – they were almost ghost-like. Mello wondered where Near's hand could have gone until it reappeared holding small square of chocolate in between two fingers. Mello's golden head perked up at the sight of his favorite food and Near looked back and forth between the piece of chocolate and the blonde.
"Open up, Mello."
"Huh?"
Mello opened his mouth just a crack and Near slipped the small bit of chocolate in, the boy's fingers brushing Mello's lips ever so softly. Coming from Near, the whole action was strange – however, Mello found it sensual and his unconscious started to wish for more of where that had come from. And he wasn't thinking so much about the chocolate.
Mello welcomed the heaviness of the cocoa confection on his tongue and he let it melt slowly. The soothing sugar was spreading through his mouth like a lovely venom that coated his tongue and the inside of his cheeks. It made him feel in control, safe, somewhat normal, less tainted.
Mello felt Near's fingers at his lips again, pressing against the pink flesh and delineating the contours of them. Mello put his hand over Near's, holding the boy's fingers over his lips and stared at Near, looking for answers, but as it was always the case with Near, he never offered any. Only more questions.
Always more questions.
Near leaned forward and pressed his lips against his own fingers and Mello's lips. Mello dropped his hand and pulled back, but Near repeated his action, this time the pressing of his lips was firmer and the brushing of their lips was slower. Mello's hormones were too quick to respond and he was already having lustful thoughts and pressing needs.
It was Near, for God's sake. Near. Not Light, not Matt, but Near.
Mello felt the need to protest and make his personal space respected, but it seemed Near wouldn't take no for an answer – in the second Mello had opened his mouth to object, Near had flicked his tongue over Mello's lips and tickled the blonde's tongue in a coy attempt to deepen the kiss. Mello shivered and reflexes acted before he had a chance to decide upon a course of action; his mouth opened more and he kissed Near back, making sure to explore the unchartered territory of the boy's mouth - It wasn't every day that anyone got to say they had been making out with Near.
Mello didn't fare too well when he was confused and kissing Near was a good example of that fact. His actions were irrational, illogical, and impulsive. Mello's first instinct upon kissing Near had been to want to erase every memory of Light Yagami from his skin, from his mouth, from inside him. He had wanted a distraction from his pain and a release to all his frustration and Near was heaven sent in providing it.
Mello's disjointed mind began to scream when Near pushed his weight forward and leaned all the way into Mello until the blonde was laying down on the couch with Near nearly sitting on him. Part of Mello was freaking out over having Near, of all people, on top of him kissing him with unexplained gusto; another part of Mello was surprised and elated at discovering the impossible happening; and another part of him was intent on milking the cow for all it was worth just so he could get rid of Light's spectral presence haunting the corners of his mind.
Near's mouth dislodged itself from Mello's and the older boy opened his eyes to find the reason why Near had stopped kissing him. Mello found Near running his fingers through his golden hair, twirling the locks this way and that as if scoping the texture and silkiness of the strands. In fact, that was what it seemed the white-haired boy was doing. The way the fingers scooped Mello's hair and felt every strand with care was elegant and skillful…it was something way too sensuous for near to grasp, but it was second nature to the boy.
A lot of things about Near were starting to seem like second nature even if Mello knew them to be out of character.
Mello untangled his hand from somewhere in the mélange of bodies and twisted his fingers into Near's snowy hair and pulled the boy's face toward him with brutal force, tearing a whimper from the boy's marble mouth. The blonde silenced him with a searing kiss that left no room for arguing, thinking or staying still. Near's movements were almost helpless and the vulnerability of the boy in such a position made Mello glow with lustful dominance. Light had been had, Near hadn't. His schoolmate was a far more thrilling challenge – less hurtful too. Near was just what he needed to cure his broken pride. Pride he could work right now, his heart would take more time.
Mello's heart could have stopped in its tracks when Near tore himself from his kiss and busied his tiny young hands with the clasps, zippers and buttons of his leather ensemble. Mello would have never imagined it would go this far, much less this way or this fast. This was insanity…but it felt good. Mello threw his head back and wordlessly relinquished control to Near who was working through Mello's clothes as if he was racing to solve a puzzle.
Who would have thought that Near's nerdy quirks would be so arousing and useful?
Mello opened his eyes and watched the spectacle unfold with awe and anticipation– Near's hands were almost blurry from the speed with which they raced through the buttons and the clasps, each movement was so precise and swift it was almost impossible to acknowledge each movement was planned on the spot. Mello's mouth let out an 'oh yeah' loud enough for Near to hear, but the boy didn't even look up as he was too busy with the last zipper – Mello's pants zipper. Saying that Mello was hot and bothered by the turn of events was an understatement: he was more than ready to jump out of his clothes and pounce on the smaller boy who still had his clothes on. But Mello still couldn't move. He was still confused not to mention that Near had, yet again, taken the upper hand and moved first.
He who moved first won.
"Do you want this, Mello?" Near put his face close to Mello's and asked him in an innocent whisper. It was another shock the boy had even bothered to ask Mello's permission.
"Near…" The blonde didn't know what to say; he felt powerless to do anything and even more powerless to feel angry at his helplessness. He just held on to Near by his pajama lapels and trembled with mixed emotions.
"I can help you, Mello…" Near kissed the blonde's nose tenderly and dragged his lips down to Mello's mouth. There, he whispered again, "I can make you forget for a while…" the younger boy lowered his lips to the center of Mello's chest and traced the shape of a heart with his small pink tongue and looked up at Mello when he was finished.
"I have always liked you, Mello. I would never betray you."
Mello could have cried…and he did. He threw his head back as he moaned painfully and let the tears flow free once again. No one had ever said anything of the sort to him…at least anything that sounded true or that was actually true. Maybe he was being too quick to judge Near's words, but his heart felt them to be devoid of ill intentions. Near didn't want to hurt, so his heart said.
Mello felt truly wanted and cared for in the way he had always strived to be loved. And he had found what he had been looking for in the arms of an angel – an enemy who had always been a friend in disguise.
"S-Show me, Near…p-please…" Mello pleaded with Near past his broken sobs. He needed the comfort that Near was offering; he needed to feel like there was some truth left for him to enjoy. Some truth left in the world for him alone.
Truth. Love. For him.
"Yes, Mello. I'll show you anything you want."
Near stepped down from Mello and the couch to remove his pajamas; he knew that if it were up to Mello, nothing of them would remain but the shreds. Near liked Mello, but he also liked his pajamas. He worked the buttons quickly and shed his garments in a hurry just so he could take off Mello's clothes as slowly and lovingly as he wanted to do so. Near didn't fold up his clothes before having sex like Light did and Mello was glad. He wasn't sure if he had been able to continue if Near had done that. He wasn't thinking, but he had definitely noticed the differences between Light and the boy before him.
Mello held on to his tears as he watched the tenderness evident in Near's face as he slid his fingers underneath Mello's leather vest and pulled the garment of the blonde's body gently as if Mello would break. The tender touch of Near was like tiny jolts of electricity dancing on Mello's skin. The quivering the snow-haired youth was causing Mello came in waves that slowly washed away his worries until the only thing left was Mello's desire and needs.
Then, Near slid his hands down to Mello's hips where he stopped and squeezed the flesh appreciatively. It was soft and unblemished, ready to be claimed. Mello, knowing what was about to happen, kicked off his boots clumsily and straightened up his legs as soon as the shoes were off so Near could continue his unraveling. The younger boy curled his fingers around the hem of the blonde's pants and began to pull them down ever so slightly, each millimeter of flesh set afire by friction caused Mello's golden head to thrash and twist with yearning, waiting for the sweet moment in which his pants would be off him. The wait continued and kept building up. Near's face was no longer an empty canvas, but it was a masterpiece of emotion and human compassion. It was beautiful.
Near left a trail of close-mouthed kisses down each of Mello's legs, avoiding the blonde's erection. Near had plans for it later on. As soon as the pants slid past the knees, Mello bent his legs and lifted them toward him, causing the rest of his legs to slip out of their leather prison and spoil Near's fun. Mello hadn't been able to be patient – what a surprise. The blonde swiftly clamped his legs around Near's waist and brought the boy closer to his aching body. Near had promised him love and relief; he needed them now.
Right there, right then.
Mello felt some relief when Near's lips settled on his once again; they hadn't been gone for long and he was already missing them. There was a clash with both of their tempos – Mello's kisses being frantic and needy, whereas Near's were slow and deliberate. Although Mello wished Near would tear into him even harder than Light had ever done, he felt comfortable and wanted by Near who seemed determined to drag the pleasure out for as long as he could. Near wanted to enjoy him and heal him slowly, thoroughly. Near truly wanted him.
Had this been too much to ask for with Light?
The only indication that Near had entered Mello had been the blonde's expression. The grey-blue orbs were wide open and shining brightly; and his reddened lips were pursed as if they could keep his breath from fleeing.
Near's claiming was a pleasant, unhurried affair. Each movement waxed and waned calmly like an ebbing midnight tide lapping sweetly at the shore of the sea. Mello's face had softened and his body was responding in time with Mello's leisurely thrusts. His movements weren't meant to hurt…Near meant to cure Mello's sickness of the soul, one kiss and move at a time. The younger boy meant to repair the shattered blonde and show him that there was someone out there who cared for him. Each one of Near's intimate caresses were meant to inspire trust and bring about release; Mello felt that Near meant well for him and welcomed him into eager arms.
Eager to start again, eager to finish unfinished business, eager to let go of things holding him back, eager for his past foe.
When orgasm finally found them rocking away on the couch, it snuck up on them slowly. The growing ball of sensation uncoiling at the very pit of Mello's belly began to flow and disperse itself all through his body, eliciting a smile and a sexy sigh from him. Near was not exempt from release either and it caught him with his eyes shut and his lower lip caught between his pearlescent teeth. There were no screams or violent actions to mark their release – just silence and a fulfilling lull of their blood racing through their bodies; their hearts keeping beat with the rushing red. Both boys made good use of the aftermath to tighten their embrace and rest in each other's arms to drain out the rest of the lingering tension.
Having Mello look so peaceful and untroubled below him brought a smile to Near's face. It had been a long while since he had seen that expression – it almost made him yearn for their years at Wammy's where they had had no life-threatening worries or disappointments that could kill. The golden locks of Mello's head were fanned out gorgeously like some sort of halo sharply contrasting with the pitch darkness of the couch cushions. Near gave in to temptation once more and gave Mello's forehead a loving peck.
"We will make Light Yagami pay, Mello. And we will get Aniki back. I promise."
Mello's face blackened at the mention of Light Yagami and he hissed dangerously an inch away from Near's face.
"I'm going to kill that son of a bitch, Near. And no one can stop me."
Murder had crept back into Mello's voice and demeanor, but Near remain unmoving and unfazed by his new lover's sudden change. The younger boy opened his mouth and quietly answered
"If you want to, go ahead, Mello."
The murder in Mello's eyes vanished and shock came to replace the sentiment. He had been expecting Near to throw a fit and forbid him from compromising the investigation with drastic measures, but he had been wrong. He would have never expected Near to agree with him, but then again, this was Near and the boy didn't abide by anyone's expectations. Certainly not Mello's.
"You're not going to try to stop me, Near?"
Mello tried again, wondering if he had heard wrong the first time.
"No."
Damn, Near had indeed said what Mello had thought he had heard the boy say. Astonishment compelled the blonde to question Near's decision. It had to be a mistake…or a trap. Could it be both?
"Why?"
"Because even if we catch him with all sorts of compromising evidence, it will take a while before he can be rightfully prosecuted and put to death. Besides, justice would be impartial in its ruling and has no personal reason to convict him. Since he will die eventually when we catch him, it wouldn't make a difference if you kill him before justice does. You do have a personal reason to kill him and you would be putting a stop to his madness, which is justice's sole goal in catching him anyway. It's a win-win situation and no one has to know you did it."
It was no mistake and it was no trap. It was just Near's unscrupulous nature coming to light. His lack of scruples would have unnerved Mello at some point in the past, but it didn't unnerve him now. Perhaps it was because he liked the idea of having Near on his side against Light. Maybe it was the possibility that his new lover may become his new ally. Or it could be because he had lost his mind somewhere in the explosion of his emotions. All choices sounded plausible.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, Mello. I am serious about this. If you want, I'll even help you."
Maybe Mello had hit the jackpot when he wasn't looking. Just as suddenly as things had taken a turn for the worse, they had taken a counterturn and couldn't be going any better.
He now had a reliable, caring lover and a partner in his revenge. The prospect of having L-nii-san back with them was just an added bonus. Life was good…and Mello was happy.
Happiness: another virtue of that counterturn.
Mello's face broke out in a blinding grin and kissed Near contently on the lips. He murmured a thank you as he pulled away from the boy's swollen mouth. Near grinned back and brushed aside some stray hairs from Mello's face.
On that couch, Mello and Near engaged in a conversation about a plan to destroy Light Yagami. Near informed Mello that he had bugged the whole building where L and Light were staying and that he had live video and audio feed from the building 24/7. He also told Mello that he had stolen the architectural blueprints of the building from L's own database, at which Mello began to laugh heartily and announced to Near he now knew what he would do to kill Light. The blonde seemed to like the idea of the blueprints.
They discussed the basics of their plan for about half an hour until Mello interrupted Near and asked him shyly
"Umm…Near, do you have any more chocolate here? I'm really hungry." The white-haired boy chuckled and assured the blonde he did indeed have some chocolate for him. Even though Near knew what kind of chocolate Mello favored, he still asked the older boy what type of chocolate he would prefer.
"I don't care. Any will do." Near got up from his comfortable place on the couch and crawled away searching for the fridge where he had a small stack of chocolate.
Mello was spellbound as he watched Near's naked bum sway from side to side as he crawled across the shiny white tile. The blonde's mind started to deviate and concocted naughty thoughts of smearing chocolate on that swinging bum and licking it off. Possibly biting it too. Mello also noticed Near seemed to have gone back to his normal state of weirdosity, yet he was being strangely amicable and…normal.
"Hey, Near?"
"Yes, Mello?" Near called in response from the fridge as he retrieved two chocolate bars and secured him into the grip of his mouth to carry them back to the couch where Mello awaited him.
"Did you, by any chance, get whacked in the head with a Transformer?"
Near stopped mid-crawl to stare at Mello. The oddity of the question almost made him laugh, but the chocolate bars barring his mouth from movement prevented him from doing so. He took the chocolate from his mouth and asked Mello in return
"No, Mello, why would you ask such a thing?"
Mello didn't quite know how to voice his sentiments to Near nicely. For once, he didn't want to offend the boy.
"…because you're acting so…nice…and normal…I dunno, Near…"
Instead of being put off by what Mello had said, Near laughed, got up and walked the rest of the way toward the couch.
The youth handed Mello a chocolate bar and kept one for himself. He sat down next to Mello and smiled pensively.
"Ah, Mello, let us just say I have decided to stand on my own two feet this time."
The blonde gave Near a quick incredulous look before darting his eyes back to the chocolate and unwrapping it eagerly.
"That's good…" Mello paused to bite off a piece of the sweet and finished his sentence between mouthfuls, "…and about time too."
Mello continued to munch happily on his chocolate perfectly unaware of Near's expression when he responded to Mello's comment.
"It is, isn't it?"
Near was suppressing a triumphant smirk shrouded in malice as he peeled the wrapper of his candy bar and took a dainty bite.
(0o0)
When Near had had surveillance equipment installed all throughout the Japanese task Force building, he had expected to catch Light Yagami doing some compromising things behind closed doors, but Near had never guessed the extent to which this would be true.
For one, L-nii-san was still alive and living with Light Yagami in their old bedroom unbeknownst to the other members of the task force (and everyone else for that matter).
Two, L-nii-san and Light Yagami were engaging in sexual intercourse and they seemed to be romantically involved (the extent to which they were would be revealed to Near through their exchanges in front of Near's cameras later on).
Three, Light Yagami was indeed acting suspicious, but Near couldn't gather enough solid evidence to implicate the Yagami youth as Kira.
Now as it stood, Light Yagami was acting as the second L.
Light Yagami, bastard supreme, had usurped the position the he, Near, had been specifically raised to occupy. The power of L's title lay with an impostor and Near couldn't have that.
Near was meant to be L's chosen heir and sole holder of the title…not a megalomaniac murderer like Light Yagami.
Near was angry at L-nii-san for leaving them behind and faking his death just so he could join Light in the dark side. Perhaps L-nii-san wasn't directly aiding Light in his genocidal rampage, but the fact that he had dropped out of the investigation to move in with the prime suspect was enough to make him a criminal, and accessory.
Near was 100 certain that Light Yagami was Kira – just as L-nii-san had suspected – and just like his superior, Near only needed the right evidence.
However, the problem with exposing Kira was too delicate a matter and had to be approached in a way that left absolutely no room for mistakes. Even if Near got a hold of evidence and could expose Light Yagami as Kira, there was no telling if L had planned his death and his involvement with Light to bring Kira down. If Near exposed Light now, the subject of L's existence would inevitably to come to the light and Near's title would be in jeopardy (and if things suddenly took a turn for the worse, Near might end up back at Wammy's, to where he had no intention of returning even if the place had good memories).
Even if L-nii-san's death had not been a ruse to capture Light and had joined the Japanese man simply out of emotional attachment, the man could reason his way out of prison and come back to his post by claiming it had all been part of a plan to catch Kira. L-nii-san could just say he had done what he did in the name of justice and apprehending the suspect who had avoided him for so long and no one would be the wiser – who could argue with L? After all, the detective seemed to be barely a notch from infallible in the world's eyes.
There was no way for Near to succeed while the true L was still alive. The only way to have the title was to dispose of the one who held it – L had got to go. If Near was able to do away with L, then Light Yagami would be a lot easier to catch, and when that impostor was out of the picture, Near would be L. If Near took down the World's top detective, taking down the world's top megalomaniac murderer would be easier than solving a Rubik's cube. A piece of cake.
Near would kill two birds with one perfect stone.
The bird count escalated and the stakes were higher when a new element in the plot came into play: Mello.
Thanks to the heavy surveillance in the building, Near had also found out that Mello was having some sort of affair with light Yagami behind L-nii-san's back. Near had a feeling that light was just sleeping with Mello to get information out of him, but what Near had seen of Mello had left him wondering just how much the blonde had invested himself emotionally into that relationship – obviously Mello was oblivious to the one-sided romance. The blonde's attachment to Light Yagami appeared to increase exponentially and had only intensified after Aniki's alleged death – something else that Mello was also unaware of.
After that discovery, Near had begun to wonder what Mello would do when he found out that L-nii-san was alive and that Light was cheating on the blonde with their big brother. No doubt that Mello would go out of his mind.
Knowing Mello like Near did, the blonde would most likely have murder on his mind after forming all sorts of whacked out theories in his convoluted head. Mello was one of those people who believed L-nii-san beyond reproach and completely blameless – in short, the man could do no wrong in Mello's eyes. It was only natural that Mello would focus all of his cataclysmic rage and energy on blaming Light for everything and taking action against him. Mello would want to get L-nii-san back and away from the man who had done them wrong.
That particular train of thought had led Near to formulate a plan that certain to put him at the very top and set things the way they should have been in the first place. His plan would put all the pieces of the puzzle in their place, right where they belonged.
Mello was to be the means to his end – L-nii-san and Light's end.
Seducing the luscious blonde after showing him a shocking development had only been the beginning, and when it was all over, he would be king of the hill.
Some people said it was lonely at the top – Near didn't personally believe in such an ignorant statement…but in case it was true, he would have Mello beside him. Maybe that was the reason why L-nii-san had thrown everything away and gone with Light. In any case, acquiring Mello was one of his goals. It was a win-win situation for Near.
Acquiring Mello was just another piece of the puzzle; something that would happen the way it was supposed to happen.
After all, they were both two sides of the same coin. They were meant to be together and more valuable than the whole.
Author's Note: So, kiddies and kitties, this is my first attempt at a multi-chapter fic. It might be from four to six chapters long depending on what crackpot ideas I come up with as the story goes on. It'll probably be four. It's pretty much planned out, but you never know. The story will relate the happenings from Mello's point of view as well as Near's, Light's and a bit of L. each character contributes bits and pieces of information to build up the story. Just keep in mind this little memo when you read, lovelies.
Mello might seem a bit more unstable than he actually is, but I wouldn't put it past him to start acting that way. And Near is just a little jerk. And Light isn't such a bad guy. You might even feel sorry for him at the end. L...well, I might cry if I talk about it.
See you at two, lovelies. Read, reflect, and review.
-Dale.