Then and There by blackdragonflower

Chapter Seven: Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

Disclaimers: Characters belong to Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata

--

Crash! Boom!Flash.

Sayu and Mello watched the thunderstorm rage outside sharing a blanket for warmth. It had been two weeks since the devious text message and Sayu was finally beginning to pull from her depression. She had actually smiled when Mello pulled her aside to tell her the pigeons had returned safe and sound. The two didn't notice how exactly close they were to one another as they sat. "Hey... Mello?"

The blonde turned his head and it hit him how small the distance between them was. He paled a little and scooted carefully over so she wouldn't notice. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for helping cheer me up... I haven't said thank you properly."

"Eh... no problem." Mello watched a flash of lightning streak across the stormy purple and black sky. Sayu surprised the blonde by squeezing his hand gently.

"Ya know... despite the fact we're talking I don't know that much about you Mello."

"..."

"So... why don't we share... what we like, dislike, and what we want to do with our lives?"

"..." Mello sighed then took a deep breath. "Well you know my name... this December I'll turn eighteen... and will have to find a new home..."

Sayu squeezed Mello's hand again and he faintly smiled. "Alright... so what's your favorite things?"

"Chocolate, my buddy Matt, motorcycles, yo-" The chocolate addict hushed up embarrassed he'd almost let his feelings slip.

"What classes are you going to university for? I believe you mentioned something about that."

"I know for sure I'll be taking more of the basics, reading, science, math... stuff like that... Now what about you?"

"I haven't thought too much about it. As a little girl I always wanted to go places like Italy or Paris, France to be taught cooking... to be a chef."

"What kind of chef?" Mello politely questioned.

Sayu grinned clutching to the edge of her half of the blanket they shared for warmth. "A pastry chef... or a baker."

Mello laughed lightly. "L would love you. He adores sweets."

"...L?"

"They haven't told you who he is? ...You mean you don't know?"

"...No... I don't." With that Mello burst out laughing. "What? What's so funny?!"

Mello covered his mouth with a leather-covered hand shaking his head. His body shook with his fit of giggles. He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "L is the greatest detective in the world. He can solve any case. He's a genius."

"You look up to him?"

His blue eyes met chocolate ones then flickered onto her lips and away. "You could say he's my idol. Everyone here wants to be him, his successor. The two at the top struggling for the title is Near and I."

"Yeah?" Sayu nudged him trying to get him to continue.

"I'm accursed number two... No matter how hard I try I'm always in that same place... It's been that way since I was thirteen." Sayu cringed hearing the leather stretch across his knuckles as his fists clenched. "I'm always second and I hate it." Mello seemed to study his hand as he clenched and unclenched it. Sayu hesitated a moment then placed her hand in his.

"Mello..." Thunder crashed and the lights went out. Down the hall some of the small children could be heard shrieking in fear. Mello chuckled and decided to take a giant leap of faith. Sayu's vision was trying to adjust to the darkness of the parlor. The fire had been put out ages ago so there was no light to be found from its depths. Sayu could sense Mello getting closer and could just faintly see his silhouette. White lightning lit up the room illuminating Mello's face and the small smile on it. "Mello?"

"I love you... so damn much." His lips met hers softly and Sayu's heart jumped in excitement. When was the last time her heart had jumped like this after being kissed? Her stomach went topsy-turvy like a roller coaster gone mad and loose off its track. Thunder crashed like fireworks and Sayu decided this was one of the best kisses she'd ever received. She leaned in closer to Mello the cotton blanket falling from their shoulders and quietly onto the floor. She had to admit this was kind of romantic kissing during a thunderstorm in pitch-blackness. Their lips gently caressed moving against the others. Mello's arms slid around her waist pulling her closer to him. Sayu's hands smoothed up his chest, her fingers softly clenching at his black vest. Since she wasn't pushing him away the blonde pried her mouth open and slid his tongue inside. There was another crack of thunder and bright flash of lightning. Mello's mouth tasted faintly of chocolate; sweet, intoxicating.

When their mouths finally detached they remained close foreheads touching and their breaths settling on the swelling tissue of the other's lips. Before Mello could say anything Sayu grabbed his hand. "Come on..."

She dragged the blonde through pitch black Wammy House, bumping into quite a few things, the only illumination was from random flashes of lightning. "Sayu... where are we-?"

"You'll see... Trust me." The chocolate addict remained silent as they stumbled through blackness. Sayu took a violent spill to the floor. She held her foot then laughed.

"Are you okay?" Mello blindly fumbled for her hand till he found it then pulled her back up onto her feet.

"Yeah... I just tripped... I think someone left their toys on the floor."

"Be more careful. I don't need you getting a concussion." With a sputter and flickering the lights came back on, the backup generator having finally kicked in. The two looked at each other then Sayu grinned dragging the blonde off through the halls again. When they stopped in front of the main door Sayu dropped Mello's hand and snuck outside. "What the hell?" Mello followed after her a few moments later.

A smile stretched across his lips when he saw Sayu twirling in the rain. She was laughing and waved when she spotted him. Mello looked up at the stormy clouds then took a step into the pouring rain. It was freezing cold and bit at his skin. He ignored it as he walked further into the waterfall of droplets. Sayu ran over and tackled him into a hug around his neck. He managed to remain upright. She hugged him and he slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and returned it. "Sayu... will you consider again... about going out with me?"

"..." Sayu looked up at Mello and smiled shyly, but cutely. She nodded. Her arms slid from around his neck to around his middle and she rested her cheek on his shoulder. Mello buried his face into her brown hair, which looked black from being soaking wet. Thunder cracked and lightning lit up their world. "I'd love to." After a few silent moments Mello pulled away with a grin on his face. He lifted Sayu's chin with the side of his index finger and gave her one of the most romantic kisses any woman could ever want. It was storming, the rain falling and blurring the world and despite the fact the water was shivering cold they were together and warm.