A/N: Okay after this chapter things will start to get particularly interesting. Well… I think so. But at the same time I'm still debating on how I'm going to set things up. Anyway… seeing as I don't have anything else to say let's get right to the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note. "I'll give you this strawberry if you" don't sue me. Haha wow I definitely need a life… Oh! I don't own that quote either!

Chapter 3: The Plan

It's been a week since the incident with the thunderstorm and just like before life continued as though that night had never happened. No… as though the events of that night had never happened.

Just like before I continued to wish that something would happen and that Mello would seek me out for any kind of reason, just so long as he would be close to me again.

But it never happened.

I tried to keep doing the same things I did before all of this happened. Needless to say academically things stayed the same: I had the top scores on the week's tests while Mello had the second top scores.

From across the room I watched him react in the same way he usually did: stare wide eyed at the board for what felt like forever, as though thinking the scores might somehow change, and then walk away fuming. I was half surprised he didn't hit me in the hall or the common room for getting better than him like he usually did.

Everything on the outside of me was fine as well; I was somehow able to hold my stoic expression throughout the day as I put my puzzles together in the common room or played with my robots.

But on the inside it was a different story completely. It was a story that I had never read before and one that I didn't understand.

The puzzles and my robots no longer held my interest enough to keep my mind busy and I had no other thoughts to rest on comfortably.

So instead, despite how wrong I knew it would be in the end, my thoughts rested on Mello.

It was interesting, whenever I thought about the blonde everything I normally kept hidden from myself seemed to explode all at once. At one moment my mind would be clear and everything would be numb; and then the next a great pain would fill me as I thought about how I would more than likely never be with him.

But that wasn't the worst.

The worst part was when I walked around the building, or sat in the common room and he would walk past me without even giving me a second glance; when our eyes did meet it was never for very long and there was nothing in his blue orbs.

There was no longer that searching look in his eyes that he had always seemed to hold when it was just us. Now when he looked at me he looked just as empty as I normally did.

Everything was going back to normal, it seemed, and that's what I found was hurting me. Even though I had known it wasn't going to last very long I had become attached and now I was being hurt when it was ripped away from me.

So I tried to pick up and move on without anyone noticing. If I allowed myself to dwell on these hopeless feelings they would no doubt somehow be the end of me.

It was mid-afternoon now and I'd finally decided to move from my room down to the common room. It's a sunny day out and that room always lets in the most light. And because of the good weather there's no doubt the others will be outside taking it all in while they can.

So if all went well, as I figured it would, I would get the room to myself for a while; that's what I wanted right now.

But suddenly the sound of a door opening somewhere behind me in the hall caught my ears and I tried not to pay any attention as I listened to the familiar voices fill the once silent hallway.

"Did you hear about those two girls who got in trouble the other day?" Matt's voice asked as he exited from the room. I silently exhaled my breath and tried to put up my barrier to the world again.

"What are you talking about?" My heart constricted in my chest as his voice took the place of Matt's. Why, oh why did he have to unearth any emotions in me? As if bringing out emotions that I didn't understand wasn't enough, it had to be THESE ones.

"You know, those two girls who left by themselves without anyone knowing then came back later that night? Apparently Roger was furious." Matt said as I heard them walking closer to me, it was only a matter of moments before they passed me.

"That's not even the slightest bit interesting, Matt. That's just stupid." Mello stated surely, but something was off about the way he sounded now. Matt sounded closer to me than Mello did, were they not walking side-by-side?

Matt moved past me like I wasn't even there and at that moment I knew the answer to my question was a 'no'.

But I never got the opportunity to even consider looking back to see why Mello had suddenly dropped his pace from Matt's.

The sudden feeling of lips at my neck greeted me and sent a wave of shivers down my spine. My hands clenched on the robots I had been carrying with me. Those damned soft, warm lips of his!

Then, just as quickly as it had come the feeling left me and instead I was shoved against the nearby wall, "you're in my way." He shot back to me as he moved on to catch up to Matt.

I looked up, ignoring the pain in my shoulder to see him give one glance back at me.

Surprisingly enough, instead of the blank look he normally had this time it was just soft enough for me to take notice of. He looked almost as if he was apologizing for the violent motion. That wasn't like Mello. But then again over the last nearly two weeks I've begun to wonder which side of Mello is the real him.

He turned back to Matt, "so, where did they go anyway that pissed Roger off so much?"

Matt shrugged, "not sure, I think they went down into the city though."

"That's it?"

"Yeah."

Mello scoffed as they began down the stairs, "like I said, that's just stupid."

When the hallway was left in silence again I collected myself together again and continued on my way in the same direction they had been going.

Yes, all pain aside, this certainly was interesting.

It seems luck was not with me today. When I reached my destination of the common room I found there to be three slightly younger orphans already there.

But of course I didn't say anything about it, I just went to an empty spot on the floor and commenced in playing with my robots, nearly desperate now to keep my mind off of a certain chocolate-addicted blonde.

-

It was late in the afternoon when the rest of the orphans were beginning to come in for the day and little by little the area was beginning to grow even more crowded.

I considered moving back upstairs each time another kid came into the room, but every time I ultimately decided that as long as I got my selected space then it didn't matter how many people were in here.

Just then a single voice quieted everything in the room. "Near."

I silently sighed, for what had to be the fifty-seventh time that day, and continued to look down at what I was doing. I was positioned away from him so I wouldn't have to look at him; as long as I was like that it'd be easier to resist the temptation.

"Near!" Mello's voice was quickened, almost rushed. This intrigued me, but I still didn't look back.

"Mello." I said simply, to let him know I acknowledged that I had heard him.

"Come with me." He said in his normal demanding tone that left no room for argument. Too bad I already knew I had to be stubborn about this.

I turned slightly to look back at him, seeing him standing in the doorway in a nearly forced casual stance. I could see his fist clenching and unclenching in his impatience.

The people around us looked from him back to me, probably wondering what I would say in return. And more than likely wondering how it would end at the same time. As far as they knew when he and I spoke it always resulted in me getting hit.

"Where to?" I asked in my familiar tone that lacked all emotion.

"That doesn't matter, just come with me, damn it!"

I turned back to what I was doing, showing him with my actions that I had no intention of going anywhere else.

I felt quite contradictive. This whole week all I've wanted is at least two minutes alone with him. Any time at all would be enough. But right now, even though I was interested in seeing what the meaning behind this was, I knew I had to stand my ground and resist.

If I gave in to him and it ended up in anything even close to what's been happening before then I'd no doubt be left picking myself back up again for another week after it ends. Honestly, I wasn't sure if it was worth it.

"This is important, Near." His steady tone almost sounded forced. Was he now growing desperate for some reason?

"What is it about?" I turned to him again, my eyes hardened on his. But as I stared into his blue eyes I could feel myself giving in. I needed more will power, but I knew I didn't have it. So what was the purpose of this useless fighting?

To save myself from the pain later, of course.

But that couldn't be the only thing, I've already given in to it and sought him out once before knowing full and well the pain that would result from it.

"You know what it's about! Now come with me; I will drag you if I have to!" I knew he'd hold true to that too if it came down to it.

Well, Mello definitely is a lethal drug. I've never been a masochist, but I suppose there really is a first time for everything. If I was going to fully destroy the hard barrier that locked all my emotions away the least I could do was try and enjoy some of it.

Needless to say I finally stood up, for once leaving all of my belongings where I had placed them, seeing as I didn't think his patience would hold long enough for me to clean it up, and followed him silently from the common room and into the first floor hall.

His expression was blank again as we ascended the stairs both silently and casually. He looked down the hall before allowing me to step into it; I wondered why.

Just then he took my hand and suddenly began running down the hall, pulling me behind with him; my growing confusion and all. It was only then that I noticed it was empty, I assumed that had been what he was checking for in order to see if he could do this.

He pulled me into my room and instantly closed and locked the door once I was in. My eyes went from the doorknob up to him, "Me-."

His lips cut me off by suddenly pressing against mine; his hand that had been dragging me let go and found its way to my face while his other arm wrapped around my waist to secure me to him.

For a brief moment I was too dazed to even realize that he was pushing me backwards one step at a time till we reached my bed and I was pushed down against the mattress.

He crawled over top of me; his tongue moved past my compliant lips and touched my own. A wave of heat shot through my entire body as I once again tasted the sweet chocolate on him.

I sighed into him, my hands came up and grasped onto his tight black shirt to pull him closer to me.

As I've said, Mello definitely is a lethal drug, there's no doubt about that anymore.

It gives me excruciating pain to be away from him, and at the same time it becomes easier for me to say 'no' to him for a while. But with enough effort on his part I would always give in to the temptation knowing there would be significant consequences for these types of actions later on.

But at moments such as these, when he's pressed against me and I can taste the chocolate on him, feel his hands exploring over me, and my hands instinctively clutch onto any part of him I can for fear of drowning in the bliss, I know I'm addicted.

Though the more sensible side of me knew in order to save myself from those painful consequences I only had one more chance. I would have to push him away from me. I knew I had the words to make him stop. And I had the ability to make him stop.

But when my body didn't react to the half-hearted commands I made, I knew… I had the ability to stop him, but I didn't want to.

And he claims I'm the addicting one.

His lips moved to my neck, "you addictive bastard," he said with his lips against my heated flesh and his tongue licking over my skin after he spoke drawing out a small moan from my lips. "I should stay away from you but I can't!"

Ah, so it seems both of us are suffering from the same thing. Very interesting.

"Mello, what's this- ah!" he bit down on the skin at my neck, "what's this… about?" My head was so fogged over I could barely make the words come out.

He didn't answer me.

"Mello."

"Hm?" He said against me. I used my hands that were still firmly gripping onto him to push him back away from me, much to his disliking, "what the hell?" He asked.

"Answer my question."

He gave a wicked grin and leaned down again, resisting my still pushing hands to claim my lips again. He then pulled back far enough to meet my eyes, "I have a plan." He said.

I barely had time to register his words before he kissed me again; I could feel his hands moving to the edges of my shirt and beginning to move under the material. My body wanted me to move more into his touch, but I had to get him to answer my questions now! Before I was drowned in this pleasure!

"I'm not following."

"That's not like you, you're horribly oblivious today."

'I wonder why.' I thought to myself.

He kissed me once more then pulled back, "a plan for something to work between us, of course." I had figured that's what he had meant. "In order for us to be closer, we have to separate."

"That contradictory."

"No it isn't," he said, "didn't you hear what Matt said earlier about those two girls that got in trouble?"

I stayed silent, still not following completely and not wanting to admit it.

"The only way for this to work is for me to leave Wammy's and go into the city."

My grip on him instantly tightened till my knuckles turned white, afraid that if I let my grip over him loosen he'd slip away from me. I had no intention of letting that happen.

When I didn't say anything he continued, though it could have also been because of my intensified grip on him. "Look, we both know that as long as we're here then the fight to become the next L is always going to be hanging over us. And because of this, it's the reason we can't be together."

He sighed and looked away, "and as much as I loathe saying it, we also know that you're the best fit to take L's title. It doesn't matter what the hell I do, you always somehow beat me! So I figure if I leave Wammy's then that competition won't be there. At least… not as much, I guess."

I've never seen Mello admit that he's second best and even remotely sound okay about it. Beating me means everything to him; becoming the next L meant everything to him too. Was he really thinking of throwing all of that away?

"I want to go." I said before I could even think about the words

His blue eyes moved down to me again, "no, you'll stay here."

I knew there were reasons for why I'd have to stay here, he'd pretty much worded his explanation in a way that explained why HE could go but I couldn't. The thought that he was freely willing to leave me made my heart clench in my chest.

When I didn't say anything he leaned down, planting a single soft kiss on my lips that I, in no way, intended to respond to at this moment. He pulled back when he noticed this; his eyes holding mine, "I'll come and see you every night."

I looked away, one of my hands letting go of him in order to begin twirling a lock of my white hair. The sad part was that his plan actually did make sense.

A/N: Okay so the ending was totally not what I wanted it to be. I had wanted the explanation of the plan to be a bit more in-depth. But it was getting kind of long so I decided to hold off until the next chapter. Let me say before hand, yeah, Near may seem a LITTLE bit OOC at the last part of this when he doesn't follow Mello's plan but, I mean, honestly, who COULD think clearly when you have a sexy Mello straddling you?! I know IIII wouldn't be able to! Anyway, let me know whatcha think! Constructive criticism welcome but no flames!

Please Review!
-Forbiddensoul562