Near sat on the floor, surrounded by dominos, painstakingly placing another at the top of a tower, when the door opened and Rester poked his head in.
"Near."
"What is it, Rester?" Near asked softly, grabbing a few more dominos. Rester didn't even blink.
"We have a new group in here for you to see." Near placed two more dominos and stood up, carefully walking around the tower he had been working on.
"All right, I'm coming." He muttered.
"These people are weird." Gevanni frowned, watching the group from the other side of the glass. "I mean, they don't sound too bad, but still..."
"We're better off keeping a hold of these ones, though." Halle observed from her spot next to Gevanni. Gevanni stared at her.
"Why?" She smiled lightly and pointed.
"When was the last time you saw Near-san like that?" She asked. Gevanni looked, and noticed the soft smile on Near's face. He blinked.
"Right..."
Mello scowled at the sky. Of all days, it had to be today that it rained. Still scowling, he ignored the obvious squeals of fangirls (but he seemed to have this aura at the moment that more or less screamed 'piss off or I'll kill you' so nobody came close to him). A black car pulled up next to him and he frowned at it---he was waiting for the bus (because Takada swore that last time was the very last time she'd 'pick up Mello's sorry ass', as she put it), what the hell was this? Once Takada said something like that, that was usually the final word in the mat---
The window in the backseat rolled down and Mello scowled again. Near.
"Does Mello need a ride?" He asked quietly. Mello sighed deeply.
"No, dammit. I'm waiting for the bus." Near studied Mello.
"Mello doesn't want to take the bus." He pointed out. Mello bit his lip, then scowled deeper as he knew that the albino was right and stomped over to the car.
"Shove over then, bastard." He muttered. Smiling slightly, Near obediently moved over and Mello opened the car door, getting in and slamming it shut.
"You can drive, Rester." Near said. He turned to Mello. "Where to, Mello?"
"Just take me home." He gave Rester the address then looked around the car. "You have any music in here?" Near shrugged.
"A demo CD." He said softly. "One song on it."
"Play it." Near shook his head. Mello glared at him. "Why the hell not?" Near smirked slightly.
"I rather like this song, and Mellow would find it an odd... type of song, which means that Mello would add it to whatever reasons he has to make fun of me." He said. Mello rolled his eyes.
"Play the damn CD, Rester." He glanced at Near. "Maybe I could be of some help. Or something."
"I have Rester, Gevanni, and Halle if I wanted outside opinions, Mello." Mello shrugged.
"Now you have me. Play the damn CD." Near sighed.
"Go ahead, Rester." Rester complied, and these surprising upbeat lyrics started. It made Mello jump and stare at Near incredulously before actually listening to the song.
"Have you ever smoked a big, fat Cuban cigar?
Have you ever hitched a ride on a shooting star?
Have you ever seen red when it should've been yellow?
Whoa, have you ever been mellow?
(mellow... mellow... mellow...)" Mello almost choked at the sound of the lyrics, and the oddly positive beat of the song. What the hell?
"Come on!"
"Have you ever seen a day that don't turn to night?
Have you ever been wrong when you thought you were right?
Has it ever been said 'You're a jolly, good fellow'?
Whoa, have you ever been mellow?
(mellow... mellow... mellow...)"
"Yea!
On your marks, get set, ready, let's go!
Listen up, kids, I'm comin' with the flow.
Comin' with the flavor
Something you can savor
Now I wanna see you on your best behavior." Near noticed Mello's wide blue eyes and shocked expression and barely held back a laugh. Mello didn't notice, staring at the speakers in the backseat in shock.
"So throw your hands up,
Come on, follow me.
Jack's going out to the old bank,
Ricky, ritalized geezer, what can I say?
Walk with the ladies? No way!" Behind Mello's shock, the blonde chocoholic was trying so very hard not to laugh. It was waay to hard, he thought.
"Now 'bang, bang' goes the beat of the drum.
Shake your bum, 'cause we just begun.
Boom, boom, get jiggy with me
I'm the UK's number four MC.
Wham, bam, catch me if you can.
You want something to do with it?
I know a man.
He's called B. B., and he's up with some funk.
Better riot, your taxi will come!"
"Have you ever smoked a big, fat Cuban cigar?
(Yea!)
Have you ever hitched a ride on a shooting star?
Have you ever seen red when it should have been yellow?
Whoa!"
"Have you ever been mellow?"
"Have you ever seen a day that don't turn to night?
Have you ever been wrong when you thought you were right?
Has it ever been said 'You're a jolly, good fellow'?
Whoa, have you ever been mellow?
(mellow... mellow... mellow...)"
"Let's go crazy!"
"Mellow...." Mello bowed his head, his bangs covering his face, while the faint words were said behind the instrumental part of the song. Near noticed this and tilted his head to the side.
"Does it really matter if you've never been mellow?"
"Mellow..."
"Does it really matter if you've never been mellow?"
"Me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-mel-mellow..."
"Jamie, shine the magic torch!
(Here we go)"
"Have you ever smoked a big, fat Cuban cigar?
Have you ever hitched a ride on a shooting star?
Have you ever seen red when it should've been yellow?
Whoa, have you ever been mellow?" The song ended and Mello burst out laughing. Rester looked back and noticed that Near was smiling as well, watching Mello crack up. Mello was laughing so hard, he almost started crying.
"What the hell, Near?" He asked breathlessly, clutching his sides. Laughing, he faced Near. "What the hell are you listening to, man?"
"I said it was odd."
"That was worse than 'odd', Near!" Mello closed his eyes, panting lightly. "Oh, geez, Near, that's downright weird!" Near shrugged. Mello looked at Near, smiling. Near stared back. "Why do you listen to that?" Near looked out the window, turning a faint pink.
"... It reminds me of Mello and Matt." Mello blinked.
"Matt and... me?" He said slowly. Near nodded.
"Mello and Matt were probably the only people I ever really spoke to." Near said softly. Mello stared at him, eyes wide. "Even though Mello was more worried about beating me, he and Matt were the closest I ever had to friends."
"Really?" Near glanced back at Mello and was taken back (though it didn't show on his face) by the soft smile on Mello's face. He nodded slowly, staring at him. Mello blinked. "What?"
"I've never seen Mello smile." Near said softly. Mello turned red this time. "Mello has a pretty smile." Mello flushed darker and Near looked out the window. "We're at Mello's house." Mello leaned over Near and looked in the same direction as the albino.
"Huh, you're right." He said softly. Grabbing his stuff (which consisted of his leather jacket and keys), Mello opened the door. Before he shut it, he looked at Near. "Thanks, I guess." Near smiled.
"No problem." Mello smirked and whacked Near on the head gently. Near stared with wide eyes---Mello never hit him gently.
"See you around, asshole." And with Near staring after him, eyes widened only slightly, Mello walked into the building he lived in.