Thanks to Romi(my excellent friend, and proof reader) , 'Wraith', Clarissa and Jsnape for being so supportive and lovely to me. I wouldn't have the confidence to write at all without them. :3 Oh! And my friend Akumu. She's awesome. I had writer's block and she fixed it, so thanks Akumu3
Thanks for reviewing if you did too! The poll is still open and it'll be open till we have one clear winner, so if one person had more then 10 votes over another, he'd be the winner. (E.g, if Mello had 4, and BB had 14 or more, BB would win. But if L had 8, BB would need 18 or more to win). Happy voting!
Oh. And because I'm a more visual person, I drew up a quick sketch of the layout of how I see Wammy's. I've thrown the link down in my profile if you want to see it.
-Quick note, It's hard to make out what Matt exactly looks like from his moment in the anime, I searched him on Google and I'm going with the image that Matt's hair is red and his eyes are green. However, I checked DN wiki and it says he has brown hair and green eyes. Out of personal preference, He'll be a redhead. Because, Matt's feisty :3-
Chapter 7- Dinner and Distance
I stood still on the top of the stairs, trying to hear what was being argued about in the living room. I didn't want to put my ear to the door again in case I got caught, again. The pulsing of my back was starting to get worst while I was just stood there, leaning into the support of my cane. I couldn't hear what was being said anyways, I needed to get closer..
Walking down the stairs made my heart rumble. It was hard to describe. My heart was beating a little fast but it was beating so hard, and the bad feeling in my stomach got much worst. I didn't like the stairs. I didn't want to fall. I think that would hurt.
I held on tightly to the banister to ensure I'd be safe. I held my cane off the stair and walked down with the support of the banister instead. It was the only time I felt uncomfortable walking since I've been here. I stood on the last step and surveyed my surroundings.
It was a spacious hallway with nice wooden flooring. The front door directly opposite me, the living room door was to my left and the kitchen was to the right. I peered to the right side of the stair case, there was another door on the back wall that I hadn't noticed earlier. I remembered that BB went through a door that was the other side of the stair case. I pictured the room in my head. It was asymmetrical.
I allowed myself a smile for being able to remember. The brain doctor at the hospital said to try and remember three things each day and relay them the next day to help improve my short term memory.
More importantly, I couldn't see anyone else. The door was shut but there was a luscious smell of hot food coming from the kitchen. I couldn't pin point what kind of food it was, but it was still an amazing smell. The arguing was much louder now too and I could just make out three different voices. I carefully put my cane on the floor and made the last step before I released the banister. I was safely down the stairs and it only took about 10 minutes.
I couldn't hear anyone coming so I took my chances of being caught listening in. I limped over to the living room door and stood beside it, the same spot where BB pinned me to the wall. I leaned back onto the cold surface and listened. Mello was kicking off about something. Just wonderful. I wonder what set him off this time. I looked out the window to my left while still listening to all the arguing in the room to my right. It looked nice outside. I think it was about 6pm, maybe a little bit after.
The door to the living room opened and I turned my head to give attention to the one who exited the room. He'd taken two steps to go somewhere else and stopped. He turned to look at me and I didn't recognise him. He had red hair. Could he be L?
The redhead looked me up and down before offering out his hand with a serious face. He spoke with a slight suspicious tone, "Hello, I'm Matt.". I remembered seeing that name labelled in the cup cupboard. I took his hand and gave it a little shake. He was far to serious to seem friendly. I mouthed back a 'Hello' then felt a bit of panic fly threw me as I couldn't tell him my name. Would he react like BB had?
He took his hand back after I let go of it and opened his mouth to say something, just as Mello stormed out the living room and walked straight into Matt. They both went down on the floor with a bang and both of them yelled from the surprise. I sense a fight about to happen.
I got off the wall and walked over to the pair of them. It was kind of my fault they hit the floor, so I thought I'd be nice and help them up. "Hey! Watch where your going!" Mello barked at Matt, he was on top Matt and holding his side. Here we go. Matt was groaning on the floor while holding the back of his head. Mello looked like he wanted to punch him.
I gently tapped Mello's shoulder and offered my hand out to help him to his feet. Mello snapped his head around to look at me and snarled, "What do you want?". I flinched back slightly. I didn't mean to, but in that spilt second I feared Mello. Mello's look of rage melted away to one I didn't understand. He had his mouth open a little and he was looking at me still, but he didn't look angry anymore, he looked shocked maybe?
Mello looked down at Matt before grabbing my hand and standing up. He didn't touch my hand for any longer then he needed too. It was awkwardly quiet for a moment. Matt was still groaning on the floor and Mello was taking some big breaths. "Sorry... I was angry.." Mello mumbled with his head down, almost like it pained him to apologise.
I leaned into the support of my cane. He didn't have to say sorry. I waved my free left hand at my side to get Mello to look up at me before I made an 'okay' signal with my hand. He slowly started grinning before looking back down at Matt to sigh at him, "Oi! Your not hurt Matt, Get up".
He looked hurt to me. Mello nudged his side with his foot and Matt wriggled around on the floor with more groans. "Melloooooo... My brainnnn... You've ruined my brainnnn..." Matt moaned out, still with his eyes closed. Mello held his forehead in his hand as if he had a headache himself. "What if I let you play my Super Zombie Killer X-3?" Mello asked curiously.
Suddenly, Matt sat up with a grin. He looked up at Mello with wide eyes, "Can I play it on Super difficultly?". Mello grumbled but nodded. Matt jumped to his feet with opened arms and burst out with, "I'm cured!". I couldn't stifle my laughter at the pair fast enough. I let out a giggle and got the attention of both boys.
"Wait? You can speak? What's your name? Are you shy? Or can you only make sounds.. Like a.. Uh... What makes sounds but can't talk?" Matt rambled to himself with his finger on his chin while looking at the ceiling. I swear if he called me a cat to, I'd meow at him. But, more importantly, he wasn't serious at all. He was like a big kid. Mello's eyebrow twitched with what I assume could be irritation. "This is Valerie. And No, Roger said she can't speak. She's the one I was telling you about earlier, remember?" Mello pointed to me as he spoke to Matt. Matt made an 'Oh' sound.
Mello sounded much more relaxed around Matt. Matt smiled at me, "Nice to meet you Valerie. You seem friendly enough. I like you. Are you having dinner with everyone today? Roger said they made special arrangements for dinner". I blinked to process what Matt had said before nodding. He was a happy kid. There's something new.
Roger stood in the living room doorway behind us. I jumped when he started to speak, "Yes we have made special arrangements. Matt, Can you go set up the name tags for each place please? Valerie, You can help Matt, you might pick up some of the names faster. Mello, you can either help them or you can wait with the others in the living room". Roger then turned on his heel, went back into the living room and left us alone.
Matt started walking across the hallway, towards the door that's to the right of the staircase just past the kitchen.(It's easier to see in the map). I looked at Mello to see if he was going to come with us or not. Mello scratched his head with a huff, "sorry, about Matt, you have to get used to him... well.. He's still a little..". I shook my head and gestured that Mello followed us to. Why get used to him? He's funny and happy.
Mello shrugged before walking quickly after Matt, who'd vanished from the main hallway. I followed at the same pace till my back started to ache and I had to slow down a bit. We went through the door to the side of the kitchen. I was a little hesitant to go into somewhere new so I stopped to look around.
There wasn't much in here. We were in a smaller hallway that had three more doors in, not including the one we just came through. There was one door directly to the left of us labelled "Playroom", one clear door at the end of the hallway that lead outside and the last door was to the right of the door that lead outside and it was labelled "Dining Room".
I must've zoned out because Mello was gone and Matt had come out the dining room to get me. "Valerie? Hello? Do I need to get the doctor? Wake up!" Matt wondered out loud while waving his hand in front of my face. I blinked a few times and smiled at him. "Oh good. You're alright, come and see!" Matt grinned before walking back to the dining room. I followed at my own pace.
I was amazed.
This was the room I was in the other night, however there was no longer loads of posh looking tables with two seats siting opposite each other. Some of the chairs were stacked up against the far wall and the tables were gone. There was a large table in the middle of the room, a neat white clothe over it, with many chairs around it. The table was set already. It was very neatly done. Each place had a set of the same things in the same position. A big plate for food, a smaller plate for.. Smaller food? Maybe some bread. A cup and a glass nearer the middle of the table. And then the cutlery was wrapped up in a napkin to the right of the big plate It looked like it could be something out of a designer poster.
"They only pull this table out for birthdays, new arrivals or if L comes down to eat with us." Mello explained as I gawked at the table. Matt then pushed a stack of card into my free hand as the other held my cane. I looked at the stack of white blank cards, then turned it over in my hand. 'Valerie', Was written beautifully in black ink on the card. The cards under were the same, but everyone had their own name card. I looked at both of them questioningly then I examined the table then I smiled.
"You can put them down in whatever order you want, whatever" Mello huffed, but watched intently. This was like a game. It was a puzzle. I didn't want anyone to fight, so I'd need to use what I knew about each person to sit them by people they liked. Challenge accepted.
I put my card down on the plate closest to me to start. I knew who I liked. So far Matt seemed the nicest. Matt's card got placed on the plate right of mine. Matt liked Mello as far as I could tell, so Mello went to Matt's right. Seem's good so far. I checked the other names, 'A', 'BB', 'Near', 'L' and 'Watari'. One for each place set at the table.
I wanted BB no where near me. And Mello didn't seem to like him either, So he could wait. After L's warning, I wanted A as far away as BB too. I wanted to be close to L, he felt safe. I put L's name to my left. Near seemed like a good kid, but I'd never seen him respond to L, So Near couldn't be next to L..
The first time I answered the phone to L, He thought he was talking to Watari. Maybe he felt safe around him? Watari's name went to the left of L's. That left Near, BB and A. If Watari made L feel safe, he might do the same for Near. Near went to Watari's left. That meant A and BB could sit together too. I put A's name to the right of Mello's and BB got placed between Near and A.
So around the table, going to the right, it went myself, Matt, Mello, A, BB, Near, Watari, L and then me again. I stepped away to let Mello and Matt check it over. Matt smiled more the more he went around the table till he was back where he started and stopped to give me a thumbs up. "Good job! I think everyone will be alright with this, What do you think Mello?" Matt beamed.
Mello didn't look happy. He was staring at the card next to his, A's. Crap. If Mello didn't like BB, He probably wouldn't like A either. I walked around the table and picked up A's card as well as Near's. I came back and held them both over the seat next to Mello's. Mello's lip curled.
Mello snatched both cards from my hand and put Near's besides his. He then put A's card the other side of BB's. "I'd rather be next to Near then that creep.." Mello spat out. Matt lost his happy look and scratched the back of his head while speaking quiet, "Mello.. Chill man, I don't think she knows..".
What did I not know? Everyone seems to shy away from BB and A. Staying away from BB, I completely understand. But what was wrong with A? I waved my hand to gain Matt's attention then tilted my head to show I was confused. Matt opened his mouth as if searching for the words but Mello spoke for him, "A's a complete and utter-"
The door to the dining room opened and Watari came in with a three story cart, full of food. I could've fainted at the sight. The second it was in the room, the smell of lush hot food flooded in with it. I lost interest in whatever Mello was about to say and focussed on the food. Watari wheeled the cart over and smiled warmly at all of us.
"Matt? Mello? I hope you were both being nice to Valerie" Watari said with a little teasingly accusing tone. I nodded with a smile of my own. Watari was nice, like a caring grandfather. Mello shrugged and Matt smiled politely. "Could you two help me put the food on the table? Valerie, L's on the phone in the main hallway for you. He wants to talk to you" Watari smiled out.
That got everyone's attention. All eyes were on me and I felt uncomfortable. I wonder what he wanted to say to me. Maybe he couldn't come to dinner? But he said he would.. I hung my head as the others started to load the food on to the plates. I could still feel Mello and Matt's eyes on me. Why did people react that was whenever L was mentioned? Why was L so special?
I walked out the dining room and the smell of the food dimmed quite a bit. It took about a minute or so to get from the dining room to the main hallway. The phone attached to the wall directly in front of me, just past the kitchen door, Was in use. A was talking to L, and he looked quite pleased with himself.
After what L had said earlier, I had planned to avoid both A and BB. It looks like I was failing at that already. A smiled at me while he spoke, "Well, that's good to hear. I won't keep you any longer, Valerie is here. See you at dinner, L". A put the phone down and walked over to me. I tensed up more the closer he got. I kept my eyes down, I didn't want to look at his angelic appearance.
"Hey..? Valerie? What's wrong? You look upset" A said softly while reaching out to touch my face. I remained stiff but I didn't move away. A tipped my head up to make me look at him, and I felt myself relax a little. He looked so safe and innocent. He looked concerned for me but he still continued to smile. Something about A made me shut down the voice in the back of my head that was telling me to panic.
He kept his light hold on my chin and leaned in slowly, so slowly... I felt my breathing stumble. He was getting so close.. So close, almost as if he was going to... A's eyes closed and I felt my eyes to the same. I could feel A's soft breath on my lips, He was so dangerously close... I felt like I should be screaming for help, but did I want to be saved?..
The phone rang. I snapped my eyes open and jerked away from A. A didn't open his eyes till I had already started moving for the phone. My cheeks were burning and the bruises on my face were pulsing intensely from the extra blood flow. My hand was a little shaky as I picked up the phone and put it to my ear.
L's voice seemed almost urgent, "Look at the camera above the living room door so you can answer me". I gulped as I turned. I couldn't help but glance at A, Who was stood there wearing a grin watching me. "Do you need someone's assistance to remove A?" L asked calmly. It took a while for me to process everything. The voice in the back of my head was screaming now. Yes. I wanted A gone, Now. I nodded gently and glanced at A when L wasn't talking.
"Alright. Someone will be there shortly. I asked to speak with you to inform you that I'm running a little late. I'll be at dinner, just not straight away. Don't worry, Watari will take care of you." L's electronic voice spoke blankly. I couldn't hear a question but I nodded for the camera anyway.
Watari came out the same door I had, not looking so smiley. "A, go get the other children for me? Dinner's ready.". A wasn't smiling as he walked into the living room and it looked strange not to see him happy. Watari came over and held out his hand for the phone. I looked at the camera before handing it over to him. "Mello and Matt are waiting for you in the dining room, I need to discuss something with L.. I'll be right there" Watari smiled wryly.
I nodded slightly. Watari had basically just sent me away. I turned and started walking quickly, my cane clicking as I went. I didn't want A to catch up with me. I must remember to thank L for getting A to leave at dinner. When I got to the dining room, Mello and Matt were laughing about something while sat in their seats. I went to sit in my seat and they toned it down to a giggle. My note pad and pen were on my seat.
I sat down and flipped the book open. There were two things already written, "Hi" written in block letters and a more quirky, written in a scribble, "Hey there". "Guess who wrote which one Valerie?" Matt suggested when I looked at them. I smiled and wrote a little arrow next to each hello then wrote 'Mello?' next to the block letters and 'Matt?' next to the scribbley writing. I turned the book and showed them.
"Told you she could tell! Ha!" Matt boasted just as the doors behind us opened and the others came in. Mello grumbled. The other kids looked around the table before finding their names and taking their seat. Everyone was here, everyone but L. I looked around, taking a mental picture of them with their name in front of them so I could recognise them later. I put my notepad on my lap after flicking to a new page in case someone wanted to talk with me.
I caught almost everyone looking at me and dropped my eyes to my food. It was a roast dinner with a generous proportion of everything. Did that mean today was a Sunday? I had a look at everyone else's food too, they had the same but the meat was different for different people. Some had white meet, others had red. I had red, a relatively huge piece of what could be gammon.
It hit me rather hard when I realised how staving I was. Other then the toast and fruit A had brought me, I hadn't eaten since I'd been here. Watari was talking and it pained me too, but I looked up from my plate to politely pay attention to Watari.
"...to be nice to her, and make her feel at home. Thank you, Valerie, do you want to say anything?" Watari turned to me, as did everyone else. I shook my head a little, terrified of the attention I was getting and hung my head again. For how much I bitched and complained and acted tough, I was actually a shy person. I felt silly I couldn't speak to anyone but I wasn't going to break my rule anymore.
Everyone ate and chatted with the people next to them. Matt chatted with Mello and me but Matt started arguing with Mello over which character of some video game was better. I was more then happy to my food quietly. I was weird when I ate. I had to cut up all my food into squares and arrange them into little groups. It was an odd habit I developed and it pleased me to carry out.
I listened to everyone speak, they were all so different. I was almost full and I hadn't eaten half of what was on my plate. I continued to eat, I felt rude not to. And everything was fine, Everyone was happily chatting and eating.
Then the door opened behind us and everyone fell silent. Me, Matt and Mello were facing the windows so I couldn't see who it was. I couldn't turn without my back stinging but by the look on everyone's face, the grim reaper was stood in the doorway. I felt anxiety twist through my stomach from not being able to see. I looked over each face, Even A's happy look had gone.
Who the hell was it?
*end of chapter* I don't have much to ramble about today. Sorry~ I'll have the next chapter up, hopefully in a week. Well, we can hope at least . Thank you for reading! Sorry for any mistakes I missed.
Enter your vote in the poll for who should get to be with Val,
Current person/persons with the most votes: L, Mello and the Multiple-person/Complicated option.
No clear winner yet, your vote makes all the difference :)
Surprise new story: Kingdom heart fanfic, I'm writing it for a friend of mine to cheer her up. Not relevant to this story, I know, but hey~ Maybe you like KH as well as death note. It'll be up in a short while.