The albino's card tower was built with hearts only. No spades nor diamonds were allowed to be a part of his tower; Even if it meant a smaller tower than usual.
As usual, inside the library, there was silence. It was convenient for Near when he's doing such a thing... Or at least as quiet as it could have been.
Planning to place his next heart-card on the very top, a loud moan was heard. It was not a pleasure moan- but a complain one.
Such so loud and disturbing that made Near's hand shake and make all his card tower collapse can belong to only one person- Mello.
With heavy steps going towards the center, he gazed at Near. The albino's face was blank of emotion, but he was sure he could hear a sigh. And even if there wasn't one, he was glad to make his little project be ruined. Such a pleasure it was to be able to destroy something of his.
Walking forward behind Mello without lifting his eyes from the gameboy screen was none other than his best friend Matt.
Usually he would stop right behind him, but this time he was too concetrated at killing that last beast in the whatever game it was this time he bumped into Mello. Frustration words came from the blonde's mouth, but as much attention as he gave to his surrounding at this exact moment, it was nothing but a blur of words that made no sense together nor alone.
From a pocket in his jacket, Matt handed Mello a chocolate bar to keep calm. It was needed so many times he already got used to playing with one hand for just a small while- and if that was not an option, he would just tell Mello to sneak a hand inside and take it by himself.
SMACK. The chocolate breakings' sound was nothing unusual to almost everyone at Wammy's, but to Mello it was better than any possible music or sound there is; Unless he is watching someone else snapping pieces of chocolate right infront of his face when he himself can't enjoy that heavenly treat. Then a better sound will be of that person's screams as he is being tortured.
OK, even here Mello agreed he exaggerated.
The melting chocolate in his mouth gave him a small shiver. This time Matt really did a good job- he sneaked in the kitchen and got him one of the best chocolate brands there were there. So good, infact, he forgot all he was just mad about, forgot about the pleasure of disturbing the albino, and the fact there is more stuff in this world besides chocolate. The smile in his face was really wide, and he held back another moan, only that this time it would have been a pleasure one, and simply shivered in happines.
"I see Mello enjoys cheap food," The voice from the corner, not far from the two boys, was heard. Looking at his direction, Mello was surprised he said the word "see'', since it didn't really seemed as if he lifted his gaze from the cards, Forming a new tower infront of his face. Looking closely, you could notice this time it was built of clubs.
"I see Near enjoys cheap games," He answered back. Nothing much, Just the same. One will send an offence to the other, and the other will return in most likely the same way.
Snarling to the no reaction he got, he walked passed the table, to the shelves, pulling a book out and then back again from the same way, making sure he hit the table in some way and make everything collapse again.
Still nothing.
"Let's go, Matt," He informed his friend.
"Uh-huh." Still not really paying any attention, he walked behind the blonde like an obedient dog.
Bored from the daily routine of Mello ruining every game of his, he collected the cards and went to his room. Inside the canvas white room, which the only colorful things inside it were his toys, he got a Mr. PotatoHead. Removing his mustache and putting it in the hole where the hat was supposed to be, the round brown thing wasn't bald anymore.
How will Mello look bald?
He shook his head. It could have been fun to see the silk-blonde hair disappear from the bitch's head, but it wasn't something he really cared about. Not that there was something he really cared about. Not even his parents. Well, how could he care for something he doesn't even remember he had? Not that he doubted he had any, of course. But at this point, he almost saw Roger, Watari or even L as his fathers. Not a biological father, but a father.
The toy became boring. Whenever Near got deep in those stupid thoughts he felt like throwing them away.
Along the way of his need to throw something away (even if he never did) he understood Mello's anger. Being so deep in emotions all the time. A relief of course was to destroy something, and since he wasn't a person to really touch anything but chocolates, he didn't have anything to put his anger at. Not until Near came, anyway. The little pale boy who succeded to avoid feelings so perfectly and always was around stuff who could be easily destroyed.
At least the anger wasn't put on Near himself. The way he was always first and this problem Mello had which Near didn't really know about pissed the blonde off a lot, which made his Near's-stuff-being-destroyed hobby be more of a job. A must-do daily routine.
Putting Mr. PotatoHead back to his place, he got out of the room completely bored. Wandering around the hallways he ended up in the games room. It was not any better than Near's own paradise, but it had some stuff there he himself didn't. And this place was necessary, because he swore that one day he'll be so bored he'll actually come down and play with one of Wammy's other kids.
In front of one of the television screens sat a redhead guy, orange googles resting around his neck. He laughed when made something explode and cursed to the mic when someone made him die. Shaking the controller with frustration, Matt didn't notice the white boy staring at him.
How did he find it so amusing after such a long time?
Sitting next to him was the chocoholic on a silver sofa, nimbling a chocolate bar and reading the book he took earlier from the library. Flipping pages slowly, it was hard to know whether Mello understood anything or not. The chocolate seemed more intresting to him.
The albino turned to his left and started walking to a train. Some kids were around it, arms crossed, looking at it mad. One of the kids saw Near coming, and as he was Wammy's genius, he called him.
"Can you fix this train?" The kid asked. Still young, and probably new here, he didn't know Near and his personal-space limits. He got up and went to Near, grabbing his pijama edge.
Twitching, Near fell to the ground and crawled backwards a bit. The kid looked at him strangely.
"Little Near doesn't like to be touched," Mello explained, not lifting his head from the book. It was enough to hear Near's name and a sound of an object falling to the floor to understand what happened.
Near didn't know whether he tried helping or offending him, but Mello helping plus Near did not fit, so he chose the other option.
"At least people aren't afraid of touching me," Said the albino.
"WHATCHA JUST SAY YOU LITTLE-" Instead of insulting the boy infront of youngers, he threw the book at him. Lifting one arm to protect his face, the book hit the pale arm, hurting him. But he didn't say a word, or any sign it hurted.
"I can shoot you and you won't even yell, can't I?" The blonde got up, walking out of the room to who knows where.
"Can Nii-chan help us with the train?" The little boy asked Near again.
Near, who was a bit surprised of Mello's reaction, got up and nodded.
Crouching infront of the train, bringing one knee to his chest, he started looking and examining the train and it's devices.
After finishing, the kids thanked him. he got up and started walking away when his leg stepped on a hard surface. Lifting his foot, under it was the book Mello threw before. He picked it up and read the title: 'A great way down the Red Sea.'
"Should return it, probably," He muttered to himself.
The hallway didn't seem any different. A bit more full since people were getting ready for dinner, but it's not like anything particular had changed.
He stopped walking suddenly, looking around. He soon realized one problem- He had no idea where was Mello's room.
The thing with the rooms in Wammy's is that they had numbers, not names. He couldn't look for a door with the name "Mello" on it, he had to know the number of his room, something which was known only for the staff.
"Aff..." Near went back to his room. He doesn't eat with the rest of the kids, usually later when everything is empty, so it didn't matter whether he'll eat now or not.
Closing the door behind, he left the red-yellow book on the night stand besides his bed. I'll eat in fifteen minutes, he decided with himself.
Fifteen minutes passed. Getting up from bed and opening the door, most of the students were already heading their way back to their rooms; He tried avoiding being touched as much as possible.
Finally, he arrived to the big dining room. How many kids were left there anyway. 10? Enough for Near. So he simply took his plate and sat down on a far, isolated table.
After dinner he left the dining room. No, there was no secret where he was going. He was going to his bedroom. But since it's almost bed-time, it meant many students were out on the hallways exchanging "last words", or in Near's way of putting it, a playground where they yelled, ran and pushed each other. Luckily his room was on the very edge, right around the corner of a hallway that was a bit forbidden; But well, Near is Near, and the staff knew it as well. He was the only one allowed to walk there, especially at night.
Dark hallway with a few lights here and there. He was never scared of the dark before, and the flickering lights didn't give him the horror-movies sensation, since by the way he looked- all pale and shaggy- he was more likely the crazy murderer walking in those type of hallways.
Maybe one day I'll get to kill someone...
He was almost on the spot where he'll have to turn right to the main hallway, where just another small right-turn will make him be face-to-face with his bedroom door, when a crack sound was heard and he was pulled backwards. With one hand on his mouth and the other shutting the door closed, he opened his eyes widely. A 'click' sound came from the darkness and the room lit up in a yellow-orange light.
Finally the grip on him was lost, and he staggered forward a step. Turning his head backwards fast, he saw the black-yellow figure stand with a mad-devil expression on his face.
"Where is it, bitch?" He barked the words.
"Where is what?" The poker face asked. His heart was racing a tiny bit, but he would never show it. Especially not to Mello.
"The book. The book I threw at you earlier! Where is it? I need it!"
"I don't know what is Mello talking about," He tested him.
"Damn it, Near, Matt saw you take it! I need it for the test! If I won't have it until then I'll fail for sure!" He was trying to not yell too loud.
"Test? That book is marely a fic-" The albino paused. Mind working, he suddenly realized. "Mello is planning to cheat."
"Wha- Am not!" The blonde defended himself.
"Then why will Mello need a fiction book for a test?" He asked.
"For... Damn it Near, just hand the fucking book over!" The blonde reached his hand out with an open palm.
"Unfortunately, I do not have it with me now. Either way, Mello will not get the book until the test has passed- Unless I decide to report." He turned around, heading for the door. But the reached hand of the blonde grabbed the canvas-white pijama-covered arm and turned him back around, closer.
"If Near reports, I swear his neck will be broken," He hissed aggressively.
The albino tried to pull himself away, not feeling quite comfortable with the closeness that was suddenly formed between the two.
With Mello trying as best as he can to not let Near escape, and Near trying to do the best he can to get away, they both reached the point of no balance and fell to the cold wooden floor.
Near ignored the slight pain on the back of his head and opened his eyes, just to find himself lying on his back, under Mello, who was supporting himself from falling on the little boy with his two arms reached forward next to the white head, looking down surprised, with a slight tone of pink across his nose 'till both his ears.
The blonde opened his mouth to try and form a reasonable sentence for this awkward situtation the same time the door of the room was opened; At the door stood the gamer, googles resting around his neck and an unlit cigarette between two fingers in his right hand. A mouth formed to a kinky smile. He couldn't hold himself anymore to not tease his best-friend and laugh at this awkward situation of his.
"Dont start the party without me, Mel!"