Ugh, sorry for the temporary halt in production. I learned not to fail english class if i wanted to keep any electronics. Regardless, it won't happen again. On the plus side, i have now had the time to plan this thing out to the end. Some other Death Note fanfictions should start appearing on my page soon if anyone is interested! Thank you for your time, enjoy!
Waking up was uncomfortable for Matt. The first thing he noticed was that he was lying on the floor. The second thing he noticed was the slow breathing that was coming from beside him. The third thing he noticed was that is was bright.
His eyes flickered as he opened them. The light from his paused video game lit up the room; he squinted, looking at the clock beneath the screen. It was almost three thirty am. The window above his desk was pitch black. He noticed the small figure next to him. Then, the fourth thing he noticed was that he was holding the sleeping girl's hand.
Linda was lying on his floor, her warm palm in his, next to him sleeping. He sighed, looking at her head.
Her hair, wasn't the normal cute pigtails, but was down, and draped over her face. He gently brushed away the brunette strands with his free hand, to reveal a pale expression. Her cheeks had dried tears on them, and she looked like an exhausted, overwhelmed, child.
Had she been crying because he had been crying? Matt cursed to himself. He couldn't let her see him like that again…not just because he had acted like an infant, but because he didn't want to see his friend this upset ever again.
Matt didn't know what to do with her. It was Saturday, so he didn't worry about them missing a class, but he didn't want to wake her up. Matt cursed again.
After a few minutes of watching her, he let go of her hand, and carefully picked her up off of the floor, carrying her over to his bed. He kicked a couple things off of it, and then laid her peaceful body on the bed. Matt watched as Linda curled up against his sheets. He pulled the thick, blue comforter over her, and stepped back.
Linda was rather pretty now that he thought about it. As long as her eyes were closed, he might be able to look at her forever. He noticed her head rested right next to the unopened candy bar that was left there. Matt picked it up, and took it over to the desk in the corner of the room.
He caught a glimpse of his face in a mirror as he crossed the room. His face had the same tear trails across it that Linda did.
Placing the candy on the desk, he grabbed at a sticky note and pen, scribbled something down, and walked over the door with it. As he opened it, he stuck the little paper on the back of the door, and walked out of the room, into the darkness, as the door closed behind him.
Linda woke up alone.
She was warm, snuggled deep inside the thick blankets and pillows that surrounded her. The sun was pouring in through the window, and yet she was miserable. She immediately knew that Matt had gone, but she had no idea where… or for how long. Groaning, she pushed off the covers and slipped out of the bed. She looked around again, just realized how messy Matt's room really was.
Matt…she hoped he was okay.
Linda was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, having never changed before she came to Matt's room in the hope of getting him to eat. She looked down at the tray she had brought in. Two of the three sandwiches were gone. She sighed; at least it was a start…
She decided to leave the tray there, so that she had and excuse coming to check on Matt some other time.
As she was walking out to leave, she noticed a little green paper that had her name on it at the foot of the door. She picked it up.
Linda, don't worry about me today, I'll see you tomorrow. Promise.
She stared at the note for a few moments, sighed, and left the room.
Linda didn't really know where she was going as the followed the corridors through Wammy. At some point, she felt a cool hand take hers, and guide her through the maze.
"How are you today, Linda?" Near asked as he led them to the eating hall.
Linda tried to smile at him, "Fine, thank you."
Near looked at her, Linda noticed the subtle worry in his face. "No, your not," he said quietly.
She sighed as they reached their table. "You're right," she admitted as she sat down, "…again."
Near sat down across from her. "It's a matter of simple observation." Near said, a grimace coming across his face. "And, regardless, I know you well enough to know when you're sad," he handed two hair ties to her, "and when you're happy."
Lind tried to smile again as she took the hair ties. "Thanks," she said as she started messing around, trying to get her hair to look normal, and not just sticking out in random directions.
"I'll be back," Near said as got up to go get them both breakfast. Linda turned around to watch the small boy as me made his way through the crowd of people. Everyone at Wammy would always move out of his way to let him though.
She turned back around and started at the table. Out of fear, or awe, or what, Linda had no idea why the other kids at Wammy would never talk to him, or make any effort at all to be his friend…
"It doesn't bother me." Linda jumped and turned around to see Near right behind her. He placed her plate in front of her.
"What?"
"The other kids. It doesn't bother me that they don't like me." Near took his seat across from Linda, and started pulling apart pieces of his butterless toast.
"I'm sure they like you, Near…"
Near just looked at her and sighed. "Don't pity me, Linda."
She went silent and started poking at her eggs with her fork. She didn't know how to respond.
Mello used to laugh at her for babying him so much. She didn't mean to offend Near, she just, wanted him to have friends other than her and to be happy. She also felt it was her job to protect Near from Mello's plans for him…
Mello, damn it. How could you leave Matt like you did?
"What is wrong with you?"
"Huh?" Linda was shocked back into focus. She looked at the pale boy playing with his hair across from her.
"I asked what was wrong with you. Why are you so sad? Is it because Matt is sick?" Near gazed at her patiently as he waited for an answer.
"Um, yeah, I guess." She responded quietly, her sunny side up egg now looked like they had been scrambled.
"Where is Matt, anyway?" He asked, as he quickly looked around the room for black and white stripes.
Linda sat very still for a moment. She then silently slid the post it across the table. Near picked up the paper with care, and held it up to his eye line, before he passed it back over to her.
"I'm sorry, Linda," he said quietly, as he fidgeted in his seat. His eyes were wide as he looked at her. "I didn't mean to upset him, I promise."
She sighed, "I know you didn't, but it's not just what you said. Matt feels…worthless, now that Mello's gone." Linda stared down at her hands.
"Was this in your room when you woke up?" Near questioned her.
"Um, no." Linda was uncomfortable when it came to subjects like this.
"Then where did you find it?"
"Matt's door."
"Oh," Near said thoughtfully. "So that's why you weren't in your room this morning when I was looking for you. You had gotten up early to check on Matt, and that's why you look so tired."
"Uh, not really."
Near just stared at her, his head tilted to one side as he waited patiently for her explanation of what she was keeping from him.
"I sort of…stayed with him last night. You know, as a shoulder to cry on…" Shit. Ah, Linda you idiot. Her face flushed. She hadn't meant to tell anyone, not even Near, that Matty had been crying…
"Who am I going to tell?" Near muttered, Linda was unsure is she was supposed to hear that or not. She looked up at him.
"And then we just sort of fell asleep on his floor. I woke up, and he was gone." Linda finished her story quickly.
"The two of theirs room is mildly repulsive. It's a mess, to say the least."
"How do you know?" Linda asked him. Near shrugged.
"Last month, Mello taped me to his wall." Linda just stared at him.
"What?"
"Mello taped me to his wall."
"How?"
"Remember that cut I had on my shoulder a few weeks ago?"
"Yeah."
"That was from them ambushing me."
"Them?" Linda's voice got higher and higher as she became more stressed.
"Mello."
"You said them." Linda's face was as pale as Near's as she got up and leaned over the table towards him. People started looking at the two of them with curious expressions.
Near got up, and came around the table, taking Linda's arm, and pulling her out of the room. "You're overreacting, and making a fool of yourself," he whispered to his best friend as he pulled her through the hallways again.
Linda didn't fight him as he escorted her away. She knew she was making a fool of herself, and she knew that she was overreacting…Matt wouldn't have done that to Near, would he? Matt might watch, but he would never have active role in it. Matt was one of the nicest people she knew, other than Near. It just wasn't like him…how could Matt be as mean as Mello?
Near stopped outside of Linda's room as he opened the door, he let go of her arm. "I know what you are thinking, Linda. I assure you, Matt is fine. You are tired, and stressed, and its making you think irrationally." He walked into the room.
"You're right," Linda sighed as she pulled the door closed behind her as she headed over to sit on her purple comforter. "I know you're right."
Near was sitting over in the corner, adding to a card tower he had started prior to Mello's departure. "How about you get some sleep?" He suggested, already intrigued by his tower again.
"Are you just going to sit there while I sleep?" She asked, as she went over to her dark purple curtains to pull them shut, making the light from the outside weaken.
"Do you want me to leave?" He looked up at her, his face impassive.
She sighed, "No, stay. Just turn around." He quickly obeyed, closing his eyes, and turning around to face the graffiti covered wall.
Linda quickly changed into new clothes (another skirt and a flowery blouse) and she pulled the covers down on her bed. "If I sleep too long, promise to wake me up by dinner, okay?"
Near's attention was already back onto his cards. "Of course," he promised quickly.
Linda smiled to herself as her exhaustion turned into psychedelic dreams. The room went silent as she faded into sleep.