Metamorphosis 7
"Another glorious day begins," Matt said sitting down at the table in the cafeteria with his tray of food, "And aren't you just a little ray of sunshine?" he added looking at Mello.
"Don't start shit, I haven't had my coffee yet," Mello nearly growled which only made Matt laugh.
"Who pissed on your cornflakes this morning?" BB asked and that made both A and Matt break into laughter.
"I was up late working on that fucking case Wammy gave me," Mello said stirring sugar into his coffee, "I can't seem to figure this crap out."
"Oh I know what you mean," A said looking a little nervous, "I'm having a hard time concentrating sometimes, but I think it's my meds."
"You'll be okay, don't blame the meds," BB said sternly and A shook his head.
"But they do make me kinda foggy, you know that," he said and looked down at his food, "I don't want to screw anything up, maybe I should…" BB turned on him so quickly he nearly dropped his fork.
"Don't you even THINK of stopping your meds!" he nearly shouted and A shook his head.
"I…I wasn't thinking of stopping BB, I was thinking of maybe taking a smaller dosage so I could concentrate better, that's all!"
"Not even that, just work around it. I don't want to hear any more about it," BB said and after a moment A nodded and went back to his breakfast. He was going to do it anyway; he just wouldn't mention it anymore. If he didn't, he ran the risk of being kicked off the team and he couldn't let that happen, he'd be separated from BB.
"Feeling better big boy?" Matt asked as Mello took another big sip of coffee.
"Beginning to feel human," Mello admitted and took another sip.
"Which case are you working on that's kicking your ass?" Matt asked.
"Assasinations in Paris. I know it's related to the drug cartel there, but I can't find one little goddamn clue to prove it and I keep going over and over it and I just can't see it!"
"Maybe that's the problem," BB said, "You're looking at it too hard. Let it sit for a while and then go back to it with fresh eyes." Matt looked up as he saw Near walk by with his tray of food and sit at a nearby table with only his robot as company. He turned back to Mello.
"Or you could ask Near, I think he's working on that one too," Matt ventured and nearly choked at the look he got.
"I'd rather walk these halls naked than ask him anything," Mello answered and Matt grinned.
"I can't say I don't enjoy the picture that's bringing to my mind, but you're going to have to work together eventually, this is a good way to start," he partner suggested.
"No, I won't give him the satisfaction of knowing I couldn't come up with something on my own. He's probably got it all figured out already anyway!" Mello said looking at the subject of our discussion with disgust.
"You don't know that," Matt said, "He might need your insight into something he hasn't figured out yet, but you'll never know unless you ask him, Mello." The blonde didn't answer, he merely went back to his breakfast. Matt turned to face BB.
"What do we do with these guys?" he asked and BB laughed.
"I'm still trying to figure it out," he said and then laughed again when he noticed Misa coming in, followed by a very uncomfortable looking Light who looked even worse when she reached back and took his arm.
"She might as well have a leash on him the way he follows her," he said and they all laughed.
"I feel sorry for him, you know he'd much rather be with Lawliet than her," Mello said.
"Then he should grow some balls and tell her to fuck off," BB said finishing his breakfast.
"It's not that simple, he's got to kiss her ass at least until he's 18 or his dad will pull him out of here, you know that," A answered.
"So I've heard," BB said and looked in their direction when he heard a characteristic shrilling of Light's name, "He should pay to have someone kill her, then all problems solved," he grinned, the red around his eyes seeming to glow, "Hell, I'd do it for free she's so fucking annoying!" His three companions stared at him in silence for a moment, until he broke into laughter.
"Damn BB you scared me for a minute," Mello said to his best friend, "I thought you were serious!"
"If she doesn't stop that noise, I just might be," BB answered as he stood up, "I gotta get out of here."
"Yea, it's time to get to class anyway," Mello agreed and they all stood up, bringing their trays with them.
"But Liiight, I've barely seen you all week!" the blonde across from him at the breakfast table complained.
"Yes, I know and I'm really sorry about that, but this is my senior year, I have a lot of work to do and I'm working on this special project, it takes up a lot of my free time too."
Light tried to explain in between bites of his breakfast.
"But it isn't fair! I only came all this way so we could spend more time together!" she continued and Light sighed.
"Look Misa, I told you from the beginning that this wouldn't work. You want something from me that I just can't give you and my final year here means a lot to me. It's going to shape the rest of my life, my future…"
"You mean "our" future don't you?" she said reaching for his hand across the table. For a moment Light thought he would scream; she just would not listen no matter what he said. Instead he took a deep breath, realizing that it was better to play along and make her as happy as possible, knowing full well she was reporting to both of their families. It seemed forever until his 18th birthday.
"Yes, of course, our future," he answered, sliding his hand from under hers, his meaning completely different from what she meant, and was rewarded with a wide smile from her before she went back to her breakfast. A few minutes later she looked up to see Lawliet walking into the cafeteria. She snorted her disdain as she watched him get food.
"There's that creepy Lawliet. I don't know why you're sharing a room with him," she said and was slightly alarmed at the warm smile she saw on Light's face as the dark haired young man turned in their direction and smiled just as warmly at him.
"He's not creepy, you just don't understand him," he defended reaching for his orange juice.
"He IS creepy! He's always barefoot, he's almost always by himself, he never combs his hair and he wears the same thing every day. You don't think that's creepy?" she demanded.
"Like I said, you don't understand him. He's got really sensitive skin, a lot of fabrics really irritate him. He discovered that those items are the most comfortable he could wear and so he that's all he wears," he grinned, "Sure saves a lot of time getting dressed in the morning!"
"I still think it's creepy," she said watching as Lawliet walked back out of the room with orange juice and Danish, "There are probably animals nesting in his hair!" Light slammed down his glass and leaned across the table, his eyes narrowed to slits in anger.
"Stop it Misa, stop it right now or I'm going to stop eating with you! Lawliet is my best friend and I'm not going to listen to you talk about him like that!" Misa pulled back in surprise at his sudden flare of anger.
"I'm sorry Light but he just makes me nervous, and I think he has a crush on you and I'm afraid of what he might try when he's alone with you!" she said trying to defend herself, "And you know you've been confused with all the pressure of school and everything, I don't want him to take advantage of you." Light leaned back and smiled at her, wondering what she'd do if he told her HE was the one who was planning on trying something the next time the two were alone.
"Don't worry that's not a problem. As far as being confused is concerned, for the first time in my life I know exactly what I'm doing" he said and looked at his watch, "I've got to get to my class. I'll see you at lunch." He said and got up from the table.
"No kiss goodbye?" she asked and Light inwardly cringed.
"Not in front of all these people," he said and continued to walk away, thinking there was someone else he'd much rather kiss.
Misa sat at the table for a few more minutes, fuming at the lack of affection she was getting from Light. As she fumed, she saw Lawliet's brother and his friends get up from their table and begin to head out. This was her chance to get a message to that creepy Lawliet. As she got up and made her way to BB, Mello saw her coming and nudged his friend.
"Don't look now but Light's little lady seems to want a word with you," he said and laughed at the look of disgust that crossed his friend's face.
"I have nothing to say to that ridiculous bitch," he said moving away from her direction. Misa marched right over to him, grabbing his arm as he walked by her. BB turned his head slowly, looking down at the hand on his arm and back at her. The glare from his red-rimmed dark eyes frightened her and she immediately moved her hand.
"What do you want?" he nearly growled at her and she cleared her throat nervously.
"I just wanted you to deliver a message to your brother for me," she said in the quietest voice they'd ever heard from her.
"Really? What makes you think I'd deliver a message for you?" he asked, a small sneer finding it's way on his face.
"Because it's really important," she said finally finding her voice, "I think he wants to do something perverted to my Light and I want you to tell him that he'd better not try anything …" BB broke out into laughter, along with the other three standing with him.
"Oh, I can guarantee that he wants to do something perverted to YOUR Light," he answered, "The question is, what if YOUR Light wants him to?" he leaned closer to her, making her back up a step, "Deliver your own messages," he told her then turned from her and walked out of the room, A at his heels.
"Light's a big boy," Mello told her as he walked by, "If anything perverted happens it will be because he asked for it."
"And he'll probably love it!" Matt added laughing and followed Mello out of the room.
"My Light is NOT a pervert!" she called after them, making them laugh even harder. She stormed back to the table and picked up her books, planning to follow BB's advice and deliver her own message.
"Oh man can you believe her?" Matt laughed as he and Mello made their way to class.
"She didn't know what she was doing if she thought she could get BB to do anything for her,"
"This is going to get really ugly for Lawliet and Light isn't it?" he asked and Mello sighed.
"Yea, it just might. It all depends on how they handle it." Matt nodded then flashed a smile at Mello.
"I'm so glad we're so uncomplicated," he said and Mello laughed.
"Uncomplicated? Us?" he asked and Matt nodded again.
"I love you, you love me and there's no bullshit in between to deal with, nobody to get in the way," he explained and for a moment Mello looked away and then shook his head.
"Not anymore anyway," he said almost to himself. Matt realized almost immediately after he spoke exactly what he meant. He reached over and grabbed Mello's arm, making him stop and look at him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think about what that could mean to you," he said and Mello smiled sadly at him.
"It's okay, I've almost stopped thinking about them anymore. I do wonder about my niece every now and then but that's a waste of time, I'll never see her again."
"Mello, I'm so sorry. But…what's to keep you from giving them a call every now and then. Your brother hasn't turned against you, he could tell you how she's doing and maybe even send you a picture…" Mello shook his head violently.
"No, they don't want me in her life; at least his wife doesn't anyway and he always does what she wants. I've made a clean break and I have to keep it that way, it's easier if I don't…if I stay…" he stopped, tears trying to break their way through as he fought it. Matt grabbed his arm and pulled the blonde against him, not caring who saw.
"It's okay Mello, it's okay," he whispered into his lover's ear, "I love you and it's gonna be okay." He felt Mello nod and take a deep breath.
"I'm okay, I'm okay," Mello said and pulled away, wiping the few tears that had fallen from his face.
"Of course you are," Matt said smiling and ran a hand through the blonde hair, "Come on, let's get to class before we get into trouble for being late." Mello pulled back from Matt's hand in his hair.
"Stop that, somebody'll think we're gay or something," he said and they both broke into laughter as they continued down the hall.
