(Note - Yataa! I'm not hated for teh fluff! X3 Holy Shnitzel, (referring to Chowder, if anyone happens to watch actual cartoons anymore.) I'm so happy and giddy inside! But randomness tells me to be shnottish. Uh. . .I feel like being my old cussy self. Fck fck fck fck. Ugh. . .shiver. . .I'm done now. Really. Just a slight brainage overload with the happiness. I'll try harder now, since people think my fluff impressions are worth staring at with eyes of fan girls. XD

Be patient.)

A wave of boredom passed through Wammy's House. L was gone L was gone. L was fucking gone. L made things in the orphanage exciting. He brought life to the shadowed little home. He gave the children something to constantly admire, especially two young boys, who were to be his successors one day.

Flashback…

"I am not sure when I'll be back," L replied to someone's question. It was still very hallow talking to him like this, though. L was now a mere illusion. The illusion of an Old English letter L on a piercing white screen, propped up by Watari's own laptop. The children sat in a semi-circle around the laptop, just imagining L sitting upon that screen instead of the annoying letter that represented his alias. The only three people, besides Wammy, who were not crowded around the laptop screen were Matt, accompanied by Mello, and Near beside Mello, figuring a jigsaw puzzle, but still listening very attentively to what L had to say through the laptop.

"Well, if that is the last of the questions, then I believe my flight to Los Angeles will be landing shortly. I have someone I must see. Mello." His name being called made Mello's ears prick. He faced the laptop, knowing that L could probably see him through webcam.

"In my absense, Wammy will has the utmost permission of overseeing the rest of your punishment." At that, chuckles made their way around from the other children who knew little of what exactly Mello's punishment was, but found it satisfying to rub it in his face. Mello ignored their secret jests, and nodded.

"Near."

Everyone now froze in complete silence as Near raised his head hesitantly from his activity, following Mello's suit. Nobody would expect the great L to speak directly to Near. (Obviously they didn't spend enough time with L. XD)

"Keep a very close eye on him, Near. He has only one week left. Matt." Matt did the exact same. "I repeat what I say twice to you. Remember that it will be your loss otherwise." Matt gave the slightest of smirks, and nodded as well.

Now only five people in the room knew anything about what was going on between Matt, Near and Mello. The remaining clueless children stole glances at each other, almost desperate for a new gossip topic. Mello sighed. He knew that he was going to get prodded endlessly for this.

End FlashbacK.

Mello watched in awe, occasionally taking a small bit of chocolate from the bar in his hands, his free hand dangling over Near's shoulders, his right knee bent slightly, Near in his usual floor position, his tongue prodded from his lips, a 144-blok'd Rubik's Cube in motion between his deft fingers. Mello knew that the contact he was giving Near had to be distracting, but Near wasn't complaining one bit, and hey, why not steal the opportunity? Near paused, letting his mind spin for a moment, before letting his fingers spin in its place, until, after about three seconds, the puzzle was finished. Near now held a whole different Rubik's Cube. A Rubik's Cube that had a solid front on each of the six sides. Mello couldn't help but smile.

"I'll never understand how you're able to nick those things so fast." Near bit back a blush, and twisted a few of the rows of colored blocked back into a jumbled mess.

"I can teach you, if you want," Near offered. Mello merely shook his head, pressing Near's head closer to him with his arm in more of a friendly type of a head-hug.

"Nah. I'm not meant for those things. They're much better use for people like you." He brought the bar of chocolate in his hands back to his lips to chip another piece of its contents into his mouth, leaving Near with yet another blush. Then Mello felt something. Against his toe. He had been sitting cross-legged, next to Near, his feet tucked beneath him, perhaps to keep his feet warm? He himself wasn't sure, it had been done by pure instinct. Near had been sitting in his almost trademark position, a knee drawn to his chest, the other leg bent back. Whatever it was nudged his toe again. Then Mello realized. It was Near's own toe. He exhaled in almost a bit of a chuckle, and abruptly hooked his toe around Near's, locking them together, if not slightly oddly, but hidden. They heard footsteps, and both of them continued to mind their own business, Near calculating the Rubik's Cube, Mello still munching at his sweets, his arm dangled around the back of Near's neck.

"Mello, I have a request for you." Mello raised his head to see Wammy looking down at him. Lowered his sweets and stared at the man in acknowledgement. "Near takes a sponge bath nightly, since his injury. I have much work to do this afternoon, so may I ask that you assist Near in his bath?" Mello had the request already playing in his head after the mere mention of 'sponge bath', but still, he flinched. He didn't know whether to respond 'yes', or 'no'. He found the opportunity splendid for getting to know Near a bit more. . .intimately, perhaps. But what would everyone else think, if word got out that Mello had given his younger rival a sponge bath? What would happen to his reputation around the orphanage? Would it be for the better, or for the worse? But, almost on it's own accord, Mello's head tilted back and forth, giving Wammy an affirmative. Wammy gave a deep smile from beneath his kindly, elderly mustache, and walked away.

'Ooh boy,' Mello thought to himself. 'What have I gotten myself into?'

B-B-B-Breeak it!!

"Wammy starts off with my hair. . ."

Mello stared at the contents that Wammy had conveniently dropped off in the bathroom, before it was time for Near to 'bathe'. It was a small, maybe infant-sized tub of water, soap, shampoo, and, of course, a sponge floating around. He took the sponge and soap out, and then let the shampoo bottle linger in his fingers. He flipped the cap, squirted some of the contents into his hands, and lathered the shampoo, before letting excess shampoo drip into Near's hair. Near bent out of its reach.

"I haven't unclothed yet," he retorted. Mello's eyes widened. What!?

(Note - XD)