Distance
It's always like this…this "distance" from him. The girl stared at the snowy-haired boy from across the common room. It wasn't very often that the area would be full of other children but it was one of those times where the weather got the best of them.
Distance didn't mind, it was better this way as she always dreaded the thought of the prodigy noticing the girl watching him from afar.
Tucking one of her ink-stained curly locks behind her ear and glanced at the drawing of her infatuation, pink crept upon her cheeks. This was the second time this week that she had drawn a portrait of the boy.
"Wow, you're really falling hard for him, aren't you?" The girl's blue eyes snapped from the picture and caught on to a familiar face. "L-Linda! Please be more aware of your surroundings before saying such things!" Distance whispered quickly as she scanned around the area, paranoid about nearby witnesses.
"Don't be so timid, nobody's listening!" The brunette chuckled and crouched beside her best friend. "May I draw with you?" Linda asked as she brought out her own sketchbook.
"Like you even have to ask." Distance grinned. She was her only friend and the only other person she looked up to besides L. They were famed as the best artists of the orphanage, but in Distance's personal opinion, Linda had more potential than she.
Intelligence wise, the girl was far superior to her friend, as she is known to be the fourth in line to be L's successor.
"So…when are you going to approach him? I always see you just staring at him, you're never going to get anywhere with that."
Pink flushed the girl's face again as her hair fell onto her eyes. Her fingers twitched while shading the prodigy's eyes.
Oh how she wished she could figure out what laid beneath those seemingly nonchalant irises of his.
"Never, I guess…" Distance mumbled.
"…You know you'll just suffer if you sit back and do nothing." Linda replied as she rested her hand on her friend's shoulder. Her other hand held a quick sketch of Distance and Near staring at each other, a genuine smile planted on both of their faces.
Ashamed, the girl shifted her eyes to the opposite sides of the room. "I'll be fine…really." She then said softly, knowing full well (and Linda) that it was a lie.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, alright DiDi?" The brunette rose from her spot, leaving her sketching on her friend's lap. Left to her thoughts, Distance stared at Linda's drawing and then her own.
A gloomy sigh and a soft smile, "Such a coward, I am…" she said to herself as she eyed her crush who was currently setting up a tarot card tower which of course was far beyond normal size. Most of the munchkins stared in awe.
It's funny. The boy seems completely into his own world, one untouched by any outside of his little bubble.
A world that Distance wanted to be in as well.
"Free time is over! Everyone back to their rooms after clean up!" One of the caretakers exclaimed. Distance was oblivious of what had just been said and soon, almost everyone evacuated the common room.
"…Are you not coming?" A quiet voice asked. "H-huh!" Looking up she sees the very one she was thinking about gazing down at her.
"Everyone else has already left." Near said bluntly, twirling a strand of his hair. Embarrassed by her foolishness, Distance immediately got up from the ground. "Y-yes, thank you for telling me." He only replied with a curt nod and headed out the door with the dumbstruck girl following close behind.
The next day carried on normally but there was a heads up from the previous group of students that in art class there'd be a project due next week. It was the only class that Distance shared with Near.
"To show the result of each of your unique abilities as well as to test your effectiveness while working with others, I have assigned you all in pairs. As for your project, it may be anything from a drawing to a sculpture to an object in motion. If you cannot manually bring your projects to me, you may record them or take a picture and present it to me. There will also be no new lessons from this class until the assignment is over. You all may use any room in Wammy's House to work on your projects as long as you consult to me first. You also must tell me what you and your partner are planning to do in case your ideas are deemed too dangerous or inappropriate. It will be due in a week starting tomorrow. As for the list of pairs…"
Distance huffed a breath at a strand of her bangs that poked her eye. The assignment seemed easy enough, what she was really troubled about was yesterday, It was so embarrassing to let herself daydream while the very one she was thinking about snapped her back to reality. But still…it was a start? At least he talked to her and acknowledged her presence…right?
"And the final pair will be Near and Distance…" The teacher announced.
"W-what!" Butterflies found a way into the girl's stomach, while her heart pounded to the speed of a marathon runner. An undoubtedly unexpected decision, is this what they call "fate?"
"For the next fifteen minutes you and your partner are to discuss what will be done and where the project will be made. I will call each pair up randomly after the said time is over. You may sit by your partner now." Says the teacher,
Distance glared at her instructor, "It's impossible for me to decide whether to be overjoyed or enraged by this arrangement!" She thought as the veins in her face pulsed red.
"You are Distance, correct?"
The girl turned to her infatuation and simply nodded. Near settled himself on a chair next to hers, right leg up while the other dangled below.
"I was thinking of creating rows of dominoes shaped into L's general font with building-like structures surrounding it, would that have your approval?" The boy asked while twirling another one of his strands of hair.
"Y-yes. That's a good idea! We'll go with recording the ending result while tipping them over!" Distance said enthusiastically.
It certainly sounded amusing, and of course the idea was unique. Though honestly, would they be able to finish it on time? The girl mentally slapped herself on the face. Of course! She was paired with the number one genius of Wammy's House. Nothing seems impossible with him.
"Certainly. As for where this project will take place…?" Near says, leaving the answer to his partner.
"We can occupy the common room." The girl replies without second thought. Discussion revolving around the assignment drove Distance into feeling less intimidated while talking to the snowy-haired boy.
The prodigy nodded. "If it isn't too much of a problem, during free-time I would like for us to plan out who will be doing which tasks, what our domino structures will look like, and anything else related to the task at hand."
"I-I'm not busy at all." The girl stuttered. In her mind, this "planning during free-time" seemed similar to asking someone out on a study date.
"I see... Well then, I'll meet you in the common room later." Near said while rising from his chair. Ironically right before our instructor called out our names once more.
In the young girl's world, her other classes passed on quickly and like a blur. She sketched a couple possible structures for their domino project and soon enough, it was their free-time. Nervous and shy, Distance walked into the room where Near had said he'd be.
True to his word, the boy was on the ground solving another puzzle. He glanced at his partner then looked away, playing with his hair. "You're here…" He mumbles, as if expecting that the girl would blow him off to play with the rest outside, it was a fairly sunny day.
"O-of course. Um…I've been able to make a few sketches on how our project might look like. You can make changes as you see fit." Distance said as she brought her drawings out and handed them to them to her partner while settling herself close to him.
Near scanned each of the sketches quickly, which caused the girl to fidget her fingers and glance around the room. "These drawings are very detailed. These designs should work and I bet I can persuade Roger into giving us the supplies needed."
"That would be great, thank you for the compliment by the way." Distance replied with an angelic smile.
"So, would you like to spend the rest of the time to make some revisions or…" The prodigy's eyes glanced towards the window.
"N-no, I'm comfortable staying here."
For a brief moment, she could have sworn to have seen the boy's lips curve upward.
It was just her imagination, she concluded.
Each day the girl arrived at the common room at the same time, no more and no less. And every time her crush would already be there, waiting for that arrival.
The pair didn't speak very much except when asking for a spare domino or asking the other for their opinion on the structure they were currently working on.
Here and there Distance would find herself looking at her partner more than she should. And whether or not it she was hallucinating, she'd find grey set of eyes glancing her as well.
It may seem that they haven't bonded at all during this period of time, but the girl had a feeling that somehow that wasn't true.
For example, she'd know that whenever her infatuation would twirl his hair and stare into space, his was having deep thoughts (which would be a time that she wouldn't bother him). And she'd be aware of whenever Near had to switch what leg he'd hunch over with as well as his thinking process at certain subjects.
Whether or not the prodigy felt the same, the girl had never received a hint.
Five days later, Distance brought her sketchbook. Everything carried on as the other days had. Except…
"Near-kun, I have to leave earlier today. I'm heading to the library so I may study for one of my classes' test tomorrow. Will you be alright working alone?"
"Yes. I'll be fine. Good luck with your test tomorrow." The boy replied with a twirl of his hair.
It wasn't until she plopped herself on her bed from the exhaustion that Distance remembered that she had left her drawings behind.
Panic crept inside the girl's mind as she rushed towards the common room. "What if he sees those drawings I made of him! Oh, I must hurry!"
When she reached the door, the girl attempted to twist the knob. It wouldn't budge. Distance checked the clock behind her. 7:30 pm. Gah... to prevent any projects from being ruined by pranksters, they had to lock the doors to each of the rooms at around this time.
There was no way to know what had happened to the sketchbook now. Frustrated, she gloomily made it back into her room thinking it would be hard to fall asleep tonight.
On the 6th day, Mello left the orphanage. It wasn't very clear on why. The situation was certainly strange. Distance knew that he was almost 15, but it was obvious of his desire to surpass L despite being second to Near. What had happened?
When the girl arrived at the common room, she got her answer.
"L is dead." The snowy-haired boy said bluntly. "W-what? He's dead? H-how can this be!"
A twirl of his hair, "It was probably Kira." His voice had a slightly saddened tone to it, one that only Distance would have detected.
She knew that L took on the case, but she was so confident that he would capture him. If that's really true that means the reason why Mello had left the institution…
"Near…will you have to take on the case in his place?" The girl asked warily.
A short pause, "That doesn't matter now, what we should be focused on right now is finishing this project. I don't have to remind you that we have one day left." The prodigy said, placing another domino on the ground.
It was useless to continue the conversation any further. She could tell he was having another one of his deep thoughts.
When the time was over for the day they were almost done, just about fifty pieces left of dominoes.
Distance had already risen up from her spot when the boy spoke again, "Distance…I believe this is yours?"
Turning back, Near was holding the very sketchbook she had left behind yesterday. She had almost completely forgotten about it.
Blushing again, she took it off the prodigy's hand. "Y-yes, that is mine."
Looking straight into his eyes, Distance was almost completely sure she saw a certain "twinkle" as well as tiny grin he may or may not be trying to hide.
"T-that means he may have…"
Bowing her head, she rushed a "thank you" and scurried out of the room with the boy once again playing with his hair.
The last day was awkward, at least for Distance. She reluctantly brought her digital camera and entered the common room.
The two didn't speak as they set the last couple pieces. Near showed no difference from his previous actions and if he really did see her drawings, his poker face was perfect. Whether or not Distance felt upset about this, she really didn't know.
Finally, it was completed.
Near sat by the beginning of the rows of dominoes, "Are you ready, Distance…?"
"Y-yes." The girl said as a red light appeared on the front of her camera.
With a flick of his finger, the dominoes fell one after another. What a phenomenal sight it was. Could it even be described by words?
Awestruck, the girl watched the last structure collapse and after a few seconds, so did the last domino.
Distance looked into the eyes of the prodigy in the middle of it all, "the last one standing."
A grin was visible on both of their faces. "Perfect", was the only word shared between the pair.
They both turned in their project and expectantly received an A. Distance was still nostalgic about the finished product, and for a second time the boy she was thinking about snapped her back into reality.
"It was a wonderful experience working with you..." Near said.
Blushing at this statement, she replied, "Yes…same here."
He grinned for the second time that was only meant for her and her alone. "Well, I certainly hope that we may be paired together again someday."
"Me too." The girl gave a genuine smile and the two parted their ways.
The day after the project, Near was no where to be seen. Distance had received word that he had left the institution to pursue the Kira case. It was to be expected. But it was difficult to keep the tears from pouring down her face. It's only natural for a girl in love to feel this way, right?
It was only when she reached her bed that her emotions took over. She thought about every moment during their time together and what she could've (or should've) done.
Those thoughts vanished as a fluff of white caught her eye. A handmade white bear, wearing white pajamas while holding a puzzle piece was sitting on her desk.
There was a tag attached to its side saying only two words, "Dear Distance".
However, the puzzle piece itself only had one letter and one letter only,
N.
A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed the story.
It was hard for me to keep Near in character as he's difficult to write about, so perhaps a little ooc-ness showed.
The story mainly revolves around Distance's thoughts and actions. But since I'm planning a two shot the next story will revolve around Near more.
I came up with Distance's alias because of the start of the story, and because it contrasts with "Near." Her real name will play a part (perhaps minor, lol) during the next story and I will explain things there, haha.
I hope this story wasn't too fast paced. I wanted to keep it one story as I procrastinate on stories.
The ending was stuck very hard on my mind as well as the domino project, which was inspired by the Wammy House scene from the Rewrite 2 Movie of Death Note, check it out if you haven't already.
Reviews are appreciated but not required, lol. :)
Next story will (hopefully) be posted soon.