Chapter ten:
Near's eyes slightly widen. "Mello. Do you realize what you said? It would mean you won't become the next L or-"
Mello puts a finger on Near's lips in a gentle be quiet action. "Near." He says as he gives Near a soft smile. "I care about you and I understand that it means I'll be giving up being the next L." He continues then gently slides his finger down until it falls off of Near's chin in which he pulls his hand back. "However I will let you know something." He explains leaning just a little closer. "You are far more important to me."
Near blushes at this making Mello smile more. "You are very important to me too." He admits.
Mello is almost grinning at this point. "Then you are in?"
Near stares determinedly at Mello. "I'm in."
Mello grins. "Good. Tonight." He continues. "Tonight we're going to leave together. We'll need to make sure to get our savings." He pulls away and removes the cloth to take a look at Near's bruise.
"Mello." Near speaks as his finger twirling his hair pauses in its movements.
"Hm?" Mello's eyes lift back to look to Near.
Near pauses then slightly glances away. "Never mind." He says.
Mello blinks. "Near?"
"It's ok." Near glances to Mello with a smile.
Mello hesitates but then turns his attention back to the bruise. "It looks better than before." He puts the coldest side to against the bruise. "But a little longer will help."
Near nods trusting Mello as he begins twirling his hair again. He decides on something after about three seconds of silence. "Mello. Can we…."
Mello looks back to Near's eyes instead of focusing on what he is doing.
"Talk….?" Near finishes almost hesitating.
Mello blinks then the words sink in making him realize what Near means. "Of course we can." He agrees.
Near nods and lowers his hand from his hair to on his side level with his chest as his arm as well as his hand just kind of chill there.
Mello listens and he keeps his eyes on Near as Near quickly sorts his thoughts.
"Well… It began after I got first place." Near begins. "I didn't notice a slight drop in my mark and I didn't bring it back up as fast as they would have liked. So then one day Rodger came into my room and started snapping at me about it as he ranted. He since then has been giving me extra work that we worked on that one day. He demands that they get done in time frames that make me not really get much sleep if at all any."
Mello almost winces just from imagining how horrible it must be. He suddenly feels a little glad that when he held first place he managed to bring his marks up in time if he dropped in marks at all because if he didn't bring his mark up in the time frame whatever amount it is Rodger gives this could be happening to him. He continues to listen as Near continues with the story.
"If I wasn't doing the work fast enough when he came to my room to check he would attack me like toss me to the floor…. Ripping me out of my chair to do so then would give me more work to do on top of the work I already have to do without giving me anymore time to do the new work." Near continues.
Mello can't help it and he drops the cloth that tumbles off of the edge of the bed to down onto the ground as Mello wraps his arms around Near pulling him close.
Near's eyes get a little teary as the memories come back as he explains what is going on to Mello. "The other adults even joined in. They react to me as if I am an idiot and if I ask for help with anything they react like I am some defective robot." He continues. "But soon it began spreading to everyone else. Linda, you and Matt were the only ones that didn't join in…..Until later… Eventually Linda also joined in as she would rant at me as her feelings for me slipped away in favor of Matt. Matt joined later but he hardly would ever really do anything. The worst from him was today. Then there is you. The only one that I have found that truly is right to allow inside. I didn't let others in because I feared that if they too joined in then anything I confided in them might make their way around to attack me in the bullying sessions." He lets a tear slide down his cheek. "I felt so alone. So much pain being inflicted upon me…. Yet no one there to help me…. No one there to care for me… Except you." He sniffles as he begins crying.
Mello pulls him as close as he can. "It's ok. I'm here." He says comfortingly. "I've got you. I promise. I've got you."
Near buries his face into Mello's shoulder well the front part so he is kind of also burring his face into the edge of Mello's chest as he cries to Mello. "It hurt." He whimpers between sobs and he raises the hand that had been chilling to grip a part of Mello's shirt a little tightly. "It hurt." He repeats this a few times as he continues to grip Mello's shirt.
Mello raises a hand and begins petting Near's hair. "Hush. It's ok. It'll be ok." He says wanting to assure Near. He mummers sweet nothings to Near as Near cries to him.
Eventually Near settles down as dry sobs are what is left.
"Feel better?" Mello asks.
Near nods then pulls back raising his hand that lets go of Mello's shirt to whip his eyes.
"Good." Mello says glad to see that it is indeed true that Near is feeling a little better.
Near really needed to get that out of his system but he just never knew it.
"Let me get you some water." Mello says then he gets up heading over to the bathroom picking up the face cloth from the floor throwing it into the hamper. He suddenly wonders how he'll do this as he doesn't use a cup to rinse out his mouth when brushing since he can just use the water coming from the tap to do so.
Suddenly there is something against Mello.