A/N: It's Natsuo! That's right! I'm alive! Anyways! I know that Rin's been writing most of the stories. My only contribution bein the little DN one-shot in "Please pick up your Prescription" xP Anyways...I was able to crank this out! Amazing, no? Anyways! I hope you enjoy it!
Summary: Since Matt was young, he was always able to conquer the hardest tasks that were presented to him. However, one thing never failed to stop him. Multiplication. (Implied MattxMello) (Wammy House)
Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do NOT own Death Note. If I did...Well... I think you'd be able to tell. :)
At the age of five, Mail Jeevas, "Matt", was able to gain access to any computer that was owned by a student at Wammy's House. At five and a half, he was working on gaining access to all the teacher's computers. He managed access to three of them just three months later.
At six years old he could speak Italian, Japanese, French and Portugese. Fluently. At six and a half, he spoke perfect German.
At the age of seven Matt could NOT solve simple multiplication. However, were you to give him an advanced algebra problem at this age, he would be able to solve it in a matter of moments. (Unless it had simple multiplication, that is.)
Such an odd thing stumped teachers and students alike. They couldn't figure it out. Matt could solve problems that teachers had trouble with. He could help you out with long division, algebra, geometry and any other math. Just not multiplication! Everyone at Wammy's was convinced if he knew his times tables (and didn't procrastinate) then he could be number one in the rankings. But since he didn't know three times three equaled nine, he wouldn't be able to make his way out of third place.
One day, when Roger was tired of trying to figure it out, he called Matt down to his office. As head of the institution it was his job to figure out what hadn't quite sunk in to the red-heads mind. It had taken him years to call him down (By that I mean Matt was already 13) but he finally did. Matt obliged and walked down to his office, game boy in hand.
"Matt. I would...No, we at Wammy's house, would like to know something." Was the simple way Roger decided to start the metting. "We would like to know what's so dificult about eight times four."
"Are you trying to ask me why I don't know my times tables?" Matt asked, his goggle'd eyes looking up at Roger, then back at Super Mario Bros.
"Yes. Is it too difficult for you to comprehend? Or is it that you don't want to be bothered with memorization?" Roger asked, the wrinkles on his forehead becoming even more prevalent than usual.
Matt looked up to the other before turning his gameboy off and deciding how to respond. "I know multiplication. I just choose not to let anyone know." His response came out with an "Uh-der" tone. "Multiplication is extremely easy, Roger."
The look Roger gave Matt must've been priceless, because next thing Roger knew, Matt was stifling a laugh. The grey-haired man regained his composure and began to talk again. "Matt, you do realize that if you were to show you could perform a multiplication equation, and stopped slacking, you could easily become number one!" Roger seemed really serious about this. Well, it was his job to find an appropriate successor to "L". But in the end, it was L's choice on who would succeed him.
"I don't want to be first, I don't even want second. I'll move up to second place when Mello beats Near. But I will not be better than him. Even if I am his best friend, I know he would be hurting if I were to take over his spot, and he were to drop to third. I couldn't do that to him. You see, being better than him is as good as deserting him."
"Matt...You're future depends on your rank. Most of the time, third place and under won't get a stable future."
"Pshh...I'll just be Mello's Watari. Watari is supposed to have connections and is supposed to be technilogically savvy, right? That's the perfect job for me," he pointed out. And it was true, though he was only 13, he had many connections. How? The internet, of course.
"I don't know if you understand this but, Watari is played by the wiser and older. The best choice for Watari is the one who raised L."
"So you're going to be Mello's Watari?" From his tone it was pretty easy to tell he was very doubtful of Roger. He had every reason to be. "Mello gets under your skin enough as it is."
"I don't believe that matters. I do believe that we've strayed from out original topic however," was his response. It was clear he was done speaking of Mello, Watari and L. They had nothing to do with Matt.
"I guess you're right." Was his response. "Would you like to test me? I know my times tables, but do you believe me?" He asked.
"A test would be good." Roger answered. "What is five times three?" "Fifteen." "Seven times seven?" "Fourty-nine" So far, all of the answers came instantaneously. No doubt, Matt knew his multiplication.
"Alright. What's one times two?" "Mello and I." Roger looked confused. It only made sense that he did. It was an odd way to answer.
Matt felt the need to explain. "Mello and I. We are the answer to one times two. The two of us. Why? Because just like how one times two will always equal two, I will never leave Mello to be a lonely number one. I will be his number two when he reaches the top."
To Roger, being confused was the worst thing that could happen to him. And right now, he was confused. He dismissed Matt quickly and went to thinking. 'This one is odd...' was the only thing that came to his head.
Matt got up from his seat and went to the door. Not to his surprise, Mello was right out the door. "What did he want?" Mello asked.
"He wanted to know what one times two was," Matt responded. He made it sound like Roger was off his rocker.
"What did you say?" Mello asked. (He, after all, still believed Matt did not know multiplication.)
"Me and you," Matt responded with a little blush.
"That's improper english, Matt."
