Author's Note: Just realized that the symbols I've been using to indicate scene breaks haven't been showing up on FF, whoops :) If you've noticed any choppy scene changes, that would explain it.
Frankly, Mello was out of breath, and he had been for the last hour. Sure, he was skinny, but that was just luck – he wasn't used to this much exercise at all. It was astounding to him that Near had been rushing all over town that day and hadn't broken the slightest sweat. They were on the move even when they were trying to figure out a plan of action, and only stopped when somebody bumped into Mello's shoulder roughly. When he looked up, it was another Communication and Code team consisting mostly of Matt's old friends. "Hey, watch it," Mello snapped, too busy concentrating on his own panting to deal with a group of people at least twice as obnoxious as his previous friend.
"Watch it yourself, princess," one of them called back over her shoulder.
Mello sped up somewhat to catch up to her. "Don't call me that. I've been saying that all summer. Now that your role model is moving away you can try to come up with your own sad jokes."
"You know," the girl said with a conversational tone, "I notice you never got mad at Matt for calling you that."
"Shut up and just stop it."
"I wonder why that is? You know, he had the biggest crush on you, it was so cute… he talked about you all the time."
"Shut up."
"He was worried about how you'd react when he told you, actually. He would go on and on about making sure it was the right time… so precious."
"SHUT UP!" Mello surprised himself by lashing out at the girl. She laughed when she sidestepped his slap, but when she spoke her voice was icy.
"The funny thing is, I bet he would have stayed had you at least been a little nicer to him about it. You're not the only person in the world who cared about him." She sped up to a pace Mello couldn't keep up with and rejoined her team.
Near was oblivious and not at all tired when he caught up to Mello again. "We're having a problem here… I looked through some of the notes we took from the crime scene and we have some conflicting information."
"Obviously, because someone who steals laptops and purses out of old women's houses has to be a master of chaos as well. What's the problem?"
"The problem is that the woman claimed her housekeeper was out getting lunch when the laptop went missing, but fingerprints match the given name of the housekeeper. Well… they match the housekeeper's original name before he changed it because of something to do with inheritance issues, but that's a story for another time. I looked it up," he said defensively when Mello gave him a quizzical glance.
"Except Near, this isn't a problem. You solved the case neatly in about five minutes. All we have to do is find the guy's address and pay him a visit."
"I know. I was just being modest."
"Asshole," Mello said, momentarily forgetting to be annoyed and ruffling Near's hair with some degree of affection. "Let's go."
In the end, the case hadn't been much. As it turned out, the lady's housekeeper was around 25 years old, and rich. He became a housekeeper in order to steal because he had nothing better to do than resort to a life of crime (his own words). Near had to drag Mello away from the house after they recovered the computer and purse and called the police because he was still listing off other things the housekeeper could do with his time. "So, problem solved, right Mello? Let's get back to class. I bet we'll be the first ones back."
After stopping in a few shops to pick up 'emergency supplies' like chocolate-covered almonds and comics, they headed back to Watari's classroom. "I'm not surprised to see you two back early," he said with a hint of pride, and held out his hands. "May I see your field reports?"
The papers Mello and Near retrieved from their bags were grubby and folded, but every inch was covered in Near's meticulously neat cursive or Mello's massive scrawl. Writing the reports appeared to have been more exciting for Near than the case itself. I guess everybody needs a hobby, Mello had thought with a smirk at the time. Watari collected their reports and sat at his desk with a nasty-looking red pen. "The two of you may talk or do whatever you please until the rest of the class returns. Once I have your reports marked you may leave. You've been excused from classes so you may do whatever you wish." He then fell silent and scribbled away at their reports.
"I'm nervous, Mello."
By now Mello remembered how annoyed he was at Near for always doing better than him and openly rolled his eyes. "The only thing you have to be nervous about is how disappointed you're going to be when I've done a better job than you." He'd worked really hard on his report, describing everything to the last detail and highlighting what an excellent job he'd done interviewing witnesses despite never taking the relevant classes, and how it was his idea to call the police to apprehend the suspect instead of intervening as children. He could only hope this was enough to get his reputation back on track with Watari.
Eventually the class filled up with students eager to had in their reports. Watari told them the same thing he told Mello and Near, except added that they were likely to get their reports back the next day in class because he didn't have enough time to mark them all by the end of the day. He still managed, however, to return five reports by the end of class including Near and Mello's.
The two reports were stapled together and the pair eagerly leafed through them. Bold red marks indicated errors in grammar or style and pointed out things they did wrong, though the two were only eager to read the page of comments at the back.
Near read his quietly. "Near, you demonstrate excellent intuition on the case for someone attending for as short a period as you have. I hope you continue to take more of my advanced courses as they are introduced and will be pleased to report your findings to L. Though some minor clue-hunting issues were noted, I am pleased to award you a 95 on your final field test."
Mello grabbed the paper away to read his own comment. His decision not to read it aloud turned out to be a good one, because he wouldn't have been able to control his voice. Mello, I am glad to see you are working hard and do an excellent job following procedure and assisting your teammate. However, I believe you still have plenty to work on as you missed obvious details in the case. A good effort. I am pleased to award you a 79 on your final field test.
"I've never gotten less than an 80," he said plainly before he could think about it. The paper swam before his eyes, and before he could cry and demonstrate to the entire class how upset he was, he ran from the room. At first he headed to the pond, but remembered he had review in German class and turned back. He ended up arriving ten minutes late and so every seat was full except one: the seat next to Near, who was watching him and looking concerned.
"Don't you dare patronize me. If you say one thing about how I'm sooooo smart no matter what Watari says and there's plenty of time to improve, I am going to shove you out of that chair without a second thought."
"Okay." Near said.
Mello glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "Really? You're not going to say anything? That's unlike you."
Near sighed and stared at his desk. "I would, normally, but… don't get mad, okay?"
"That is not a very good way to start telling me something."
"Sorry, it's… I talked to Watari after you left. Asked if he would raise your grade at all since you were such a help in the mission. I told him I couldn't have done it without you, and I don't think I could have wandered into Winchester on my own, but he said he didn't believe me. He told me I should have done the work independently because I would be more effective that way. I'm sorry."
In a rather impressively short reaction time, Mello slammed Near to the ground and stood over him. "Why would you tell me that?"
Near tried to move away but desks surrounded him on all sides. "I only wanted to help…"
Mello laid a hard slap across the side of Near's head where he knew it was still sore. "So you not only want to prove how incompetent I am, but you wanted to make it look like I have to send my friends to solve all my problems? That I can't even face an old man to discuss my mark? Do you understand how bad you made me seem?"
The next few moments were a blur. All Mello knew was he was on top of Near and hitting him, exhilarated about getting out all his pent-up frustration. Half the class was cheering and the other half was screaming. Before Mello knew it, someone pulled him forcibly off of Near and punched him square in the face.
Ms. T.
"How dare you," she hissed, holding him up by the back of his neck, which he wouldn't have thought possible for someone her size. "How dare you hurt that poor defenseless boy. I have never hit a student here before and I never want to again, but how dare you touch him. Don't you ever lay a hand on him again. Look at his size! Do you think he could defend himself?" A sudden change swept over her face, and Mello noticed her lips were trembling. "What happened to you, Mello?" And then she dropped him and then she was gone from the room.
Ms. T. never much liked the staff room. Sure, the couches were comfy, there were snacks in the fridge, and some of her favourite flowers were growing in pots on the windowsills, but it was almost always empty. The one person she could count on being there was her husband – he taught forensics but had nothing third period. He claimed to love the staff room so she could usually find him there in his free time during the day.
As soon as she walked in the room he appeared at her side, sensing something was off. "Tia, what's wrong? Why aren't you in your class?"
She melted into his arms. "Mello."
He rubbed her back and she could feel him nodding. "I know. He's been moody lately."
"I… I hit him today."
Her husband only froze for a moment before continuing to comfort her. "Are you going to be okay? I didn't think he was doing anything that bad."
"You haven't seen him with Near. I'm worried about the two of them together. And I'm worried about him. What's happening?"
"Word around the staff room is he's worried about losing the title of L. He was practically guaranteed it before Near showed up and now he's got some serious competition. I've got the impression, at least from the way he acts and what he says in my class, that he thinks he has no other options. He's been depending on this for so long. What's he going to do if it all goes wrong?"
"You know, Tia, his life isn't your responsibility. I know you're worried about him and I understand why, but I need you to understand your happiness comes first. Can you promise me that? If he goes off the edge… it wasn't your fault and you don't need to do anything about it."
Though the tears in her eyes threatened to fall, Ms. T. silently nodded up at her husband.
Mello returned to his room at the end of the day to find it empty of both Near and his belongings. He supposed it was only a matter of time before the two were separated. Right now he had to make plans. This would have been easier if he were able to contact Matt, or at least find information about exactly where he was living now, but that was nothing to worry about right now. With a map of the United States in hand, he spent the evening hours plotting out the next part of his life.
