Hello again everyone! Having fallen so deeply in love with Matt and Mello while writing Always There, I had to go back and revisit them and keep them alive. In this AU universe all is well, there has been nor will there be a Kira. There will be a Light, but this one never picked up that damned notebook. This first chapter is an introduction to where MxM are in this universe, not sure exactly what the plot shall be exactly, but it's growing in my fevered brain. Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I am enjoying writing them again.
And yes, they don't belong to me, they belong to that lovely duo of Ohba and Obata, without whom I'd be soo bored right now. No infringement meant, just lovingly borrowing.
The World Is OursChapter 1
"Jeezus Mello if you don't stop I'm never gonna get this done!" the red head complained as he leaned over the computer rewiring the modem. Behind him his blonde, leather clad lover was making circles on his ass with his finger tips.
"Sorry, you can't expect me to ignore an opportunity when it's staring me in the face!" he said laughing.
"Yea, well when I finish I'm going to PUNCH you in the face if you don't stop it right now!"
That made Mello laugh even harder but he did stop distracting Matt from his work. He went across the room and sat in one of the chairs in the room, draping one leg across the arm of the chair as he reached inside his vest for a candy bar.
"You're right, the view is much better from over here." He said chuckling. Matt finished and stood up, turning the power back on and waiting to see if it worked properly. When all the lights were flashing he booted up the computer and smiled happily as it sprang into life, internet lights flashing.
"Alright, back in business." He said and sat down at the computer. Mello looked at the clock.
"Not a moment too soon, it's almost time for Dad's call." Matt burst out laughing.
"Oh man don't ever let him hear you call him that." He said continuing to laugh. Mello shrugged and sat up straight in the chair.
"I think he'd appreciate it. Maybe we could send him a tie for father's day." They both laughed at that idea.
"Oh yea, it'll go so well with that white shirt," Matt added, "Crap, where's the file he's going to be calling about?" he began to frantically look around the desk just as the computer buzzed. He looked absolutely terror stricken when he saw the archaic L floating on the screen in front of him.
"Well, answer it you know he hates waiting." Mello said picking up a folder lying on the table in front of him and handing it to Matt, who nearly passed out from relief.
"This is Matt." He said connecting the call.
"It's about time, why were you so long in answering?" came the familiar monotone thru the speakers, a tone of aggravation making itself known.
"I'm sorry L, I had some difficulty with the modem." Mello laughed at Matt, covering the sound with his hand.
"So what have you found out for me, boys?" Matt opened the folder and pulled out several papers.
"It appears you were right with your idea that there was a failed ponzi scheme behind the murders of all those Wall Street executives. It appears they wanted out and it was far too late to escape. It's detailed on the report I'm sending you now." Matt said feeding the fax machine attached to the computer. There was silence from L as the information arrived and he perused it. They could hear paper rattling over the speakers and they looked at each other hoping it would be acceptable to their mentor/father figure.
"Excellent work, boys. Your deductions are well thought out and you have concrete proof of your theories. You came to exactly the same conclusion as I did, and you did one step better by having the proof readily available. Excellent."
Matt and Mello both exhaled the breath they'd been holding, Matt sagging against the chair, Mello sliding down to the floor, searching for another chocolate bar.
"Sooo we did good?" Matt giggled into the microphone and heard a slight chuckle in return.
"Yes, you did. But I expected no less from you. Will you be coming back for a visit now that you've solved this case?" Matt looked at Mello and he shrugged his shoulders.
"Probably. Depends on if something else comes up anytime soon."
"Why? Do you miss us?" Mello piped up from the floor and there was another chuckle from the computer.
"I can't imagine why you would even think that. I have quite enjoyed the quiet in the house since you two left. I believe Near misses you is why I ask." Mello snorted at the idea.
"Yea, sure he does. He's loving the fact he's got you all to himself right now I'm sure." Matt looked over at his partner and could see that he was only half joking. Apparently even now the rivalry was still strong.
"Mello, you know you are all equal to me." L stated and Mello sighed.
"Yes, I know. Forget I said anything, sorry." He answered.
"If nothing exciting comes up by the end of the week I'll make sure we get a flight back out there, L. We haven't been home in quite a while." Matt said to lighten the mood.
"That would be agreeable. I will pass it on to Watari and Near. I've got other pressing cases now that this one is solved. I need to contact the authorities in New York and let them know what you have discovered so they can take the next proper steps."
"Good, glad we could help, L. Good night." Matt said and the L disappeared. He looked down at Mello who was still hunched on the floor.
"Mello, you have to stop this bullshit with Near. There's no reason for it anymore."
"I know, it's an automatic reflex. It's not like I don't care for Near, I do." Matt got out of the chair and sat next to Mello on the floor. He put his fingers under Mello's chin and lifted it so he was staring into his green eyes.
"I know you do, you don't have to explain it to me. " he leaned forward and captured the blonde's mouth with his, kissing him softly. When he pulled back Mello smiled at him.
"I don't know how much more fucked up I'd be if I didn't have you." He said and Matt laughed.
"I don't even want to think about it. Come on, let's go get something to eat, I'm starving." He started to stand and Mello stopped him grabbing his hand.
"I'm serious, Matt. I love you." Matt smiled back at him.
"I love you too, and I knew you were serious, so am I. " he ran his hand through the blond hair, smiling.
"I'm also serious when I say I'm starving, let's go eat." He reiterated and this time Mello let him get up and he got up right behind him.
"So what'll it be tonight?" he asked brushing himself off.
"Chinese, I could kill for some Tao's Chicken." Mello nodded in agreement.
"Alright, sounds good." He said and headed for the door, Matt in hot pursuit.
After dinner they walked from China Town to their apartment on the upper East Side. It was a long walk, but it was a beautiful warm evening in the city and there were many bars to stop in along the way in between for a drink and more conversation.
They had first moved here not too long after graduation to see if they could work on their own and be more of a help to L being outside of Whammy's. L at first had not been too keen on their leaving the safety of Whammy's but understood they felt they had to prove themselves not only to themselves but to him so he allowed them to go. In all honesty they were of age to make their own decisions now, it was only out of respect and love for him that they had asked his permission and he acknowledged it. That was something it took him a while to get used to; the fact they were no longer the three little boys that would surround him for a show of affection after working hard on cases, but young men.
Now they were extensions of L when necessary, and when he didn't have anything for them they would check the radar and see what kinds of situations could use their expertise. Like L, it had to be something above and beyond the normal police work, and they would work the case on their own, and submit information to the proper authorities, saying they were working with L, which he allowed. They had discussed going completely on their own, but they didn't want to be competition for L, that he wouldn't stand for, but perhaps they could start their own type of investigational services. Taking cases that had gone cold for the police, missing persons, old murders, things of that nature. They had discussed that over dinner and decided they would go over it with L and see what he thought when they went back home.
They had also discussed the third member of L's heirs who had elected to stay with L and worked with him there. Unlike them he had no wild side or mad desire to be out and about. Near was much more like L than they were personality wise, he preferred to be sequestered away as he worked, his contact with the outside world limited to computer lines and the occasional television show.
They were now in Times Square, sitting in the bar of the Marriot Hotel, watching the sitting go by as the restaurant itself rotated.
"So what are we going to do about your problem with Near? When are you gonna outgrow this rivalry crap?" Matt asked Mello, then regretted how he worded the question when he saw the flash of anger cross his partner's eyes.
"It never mattered to you because you never really cared one way or another, so you don't understand." Mello answered and took another sip of his drink.
"Okay, maybe I worded it wrong, I'm sorry. But this has gone on since we were little kids, Mello. We're adults now, there are no more challenges, no more test scores, no more report cards, there is NOTHING left for you to compete against him for. Certainly not L's affections, you know better than that. How many times has he told you that?"
"I know that Matt, I can't help these feelings I've always had. No matter how hard I tried, I could never do anything as well as Near. He's always managed to best me at everything. I couldn't even rattle him like I did the other kids, he could totally ignore me. Then to have him be better at everything we did in school..it just always pissed me off."
"Why's it so important to be better than him, Mello? What does it prove? It doesn't change anything."
"When we were kids it mattered just because I had to be better than everyone at everything, it was just me. I think it gave me something that made me different from all of the other kids there, I wasn't just another orphan. I was bigger than most of the kids, I could overpower all of them.."
"Yea you were a real terror at Whammy's, everyone was afraid of you." Matt said laughing.
"Yea, except you. That's what attracted me to you, you had the balls to tell me to shut the fuck up." They both laughed at that, remembering when a very loud and boisterous young Mello invaded Matt's game playing space and he turned and very loudly told him exactly that, and shocking the young Mello into stunned silence, and making him want to know just exactly who this guy was who so very easily shut him up.
"Okay, I get it. You were alone and all you had was your pride to make you feel special. Mello, guess what? We were all alone there, until we became heirs to L, then we at least had L. You love Near as a brother, you know that. Stop marring it with these old feelings. Because if you don't I'm just gonna have to kick your ass until you grow the hell up and stop it. Now you owe me at least fifty bucks for the psycho session."
Mello stared at him wide eyed and open mouthed before he realized Matt had done it to him again. On top of that, he was absolutely right. He started laughing and finished his drink.
"You need a better bedside manner, Doc. Let's go." He said climbing off the stool.
"Thank God, I need a cigarette like crazy now." Matt said laughing and Mello pushed him towards the door.