Priorities

A/N: Another comment fic challenge for the He Moves Me Differently forum (linked on my profile). This idea was born when Defeat Cigarettes made me listen to the song One Time by Marian Hill. I initially wrote it in a text message.

It was Thursday and Matt hadn't checked in with the SPK headquarters in two days. Near was getting worried. The redhead had only been on the team for two months, and he had already deviated from Near's plans. One week prior, without even a word of warning, the smoker had boarded a plane to Los Angeles and had cut all communication. Near knew Matt had seen the messages and emails he'd sent to him on their private server, demanding that the gamer at least tell him what his game plan was. All correspondence had been ignored. It irritated Near that Matt wouldn't follow directions, despite them working together towards the same goal.

Matt had certainly been different from what Near had expected; he seemed lazy and utterly unfocused, yet with a startling intelligence that seemed only to show whenever the older teen was actually interested in his work. Near wondered if he was more of an idiot savant than a genius. He'd requested that Roger send him the next successor in line to help monitor possible locations for mafia hideouts. Near was almost certain that Mello was in the same country, moving separately from him, but he had no time to split himself between the Kira case and finding Mello. That's where Matt was supposed to come in.

He really didn't have time to play baby-sitter. And yet that was exactly what he found himself doing, sending one of his agents out after Matt.

"What's your status, Lidner?"

"We followed a lead on someone who we thought was Matt. Surveillance footage indicates that it is him, sir. We've sent in one agent to bug the place. We've surrounded the location. Awaiting further instructions."

"What is the location, Lidner?"

There was pause before the blonde woman answered, "A gay bar in West Hollywood."

Near dropped the domino that he'd been about to place down. It tumbled with a clack and knocked his careful structure down before he'd even remotely finished building his pattern.

He balled his fist in irritation and made a quick prediction, "Lidner. Whatever happens, do not approach him. But get an audio feed."

Near grit his teeth. He had once chance at this, but if his prediction was correct, which it almost certainly was, he'd have to give Matt a raise afterwards.

Inside the bar, said redhead had turned his attention towards a slender blond who'd moved away from the dance floor to rest his leather-clad self against a stool.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Matt winked at his target, peering at the other through orange-tinted goggles. He dropped a black credit card in the hand of their server and ordered bottle service for the night.

"Which tier would you like sir, the lowest shelf starts at $3,000."

"All of them," Matt smiled at the barista. It wasn't the girl's first time seeing a limit-less credit card, but she certainly hadn't expected it from the teen in the cyber punk get up.

The significance of the exchange hadn't been lost on Mello, however. In his mind, the redheaded stranger had proven that he was worthy to be seated there at the same table. The blond smirked, his every movement radiating pheromones so intoxicating that Matt had to concentrate all his focus to not jump him right then and there.

When he spoke, the words went straight to Matt's cock, "You," Mello purred, running a black fingernail across the Matt's striped shirt, "can take me home tonight."

And roughly $20,000 worth of shots later, that's exactly what he did.

~~~~~~~some time later~~~~~~~~

"We're picking up a signal from Matt's bugs, sir."

"And what do you hear, Lidner?"

"Well, sir," The blonde coughed, "moaning."

To Halle Lidner's credit, she maintained a disconnected and professional air with her response, "It would appear that Matt has located Mello. And Mello's prostate, by the sound of it."

Near let out a string of expletives that shocked his subordinate.

"Sir?"

"It would appear that Matt has defected."

Lidner paused when she received no further orders, "How shall I proceed, Near?"

"Leave," The white-haired teen answered finally, "It appears, there is a second game at play. To act now, would be cheating."

And for the first time in days, Near smiled.

Mello was alive. For now, that was enough.

A/N: Ahahaha. Poor Near. XD