A/N: Sorry for the major delay in updating! I've been working a lot on another series that I may or may not be putting up, and because of that it's been taking up all my free time. Anyway, after this I'm hoping to be able to update more often. I'm still struggling with what's going to be in these chapters and what not… but I'm sure I'll be able to figure something out! Though, any requests would be helpful!

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note, or Mello, or anyone else that I use from the series.

Chapter 10: Certainly A Mystery…

I should've ran while I had the chance.

I should have ran up the stairs and locked myself in my room at that very moment. I should've done something to keep myself away from him.

Anything to break the bond that was unconsciously building between us.

Bt at the time I didn't do anything. I didn't run, or ignore them, or say any of the smart comments I'd worked up.

I was simply frozen in place with my eyes glued onto the younger, drenched, kid. I had never seen anyone as small, or as white as he was.

And the entire time the kid just starred right back at me… his dark grey, ominous, eyes starring from behind the wet locks of white hair that hung lethargically in his face into the depths of my very being.

His body looked young, child-like, but his eyes were centuries older.

"Ah, Mello," Wammy said, bringing me out of my thoughts, though not quite breaking the stare between us, "wonderful timing. This is our newest addition to the orphanage; his name is Near."

'Near…' I thought to myself.

"Why don't you show him to the empty bedroom upstairs so he can change? Then if you would be so kind as to show him to Roger's office." Wammy put his umbrella on the rack by the door before beginning off down the hall; this left Near and I in a tense silence.

I watched carefully from the bottom step as Near stepped closer to me; he held out one of his small hands while his eyes continued to watch me.

Hesitantly, I extended my own hand and shook his, "Uh…" His eyes intimidated me at first and left me at a loss for words. "My name's Mello." I forced out.

He didn't say anything in response, and his expression hardly showed any change.

"Alright," I took my hand back, "Come on." I turned, breaking our stare in order to begin up the stairs again.

Near followed, just like he was told, and surprisingly to me, despite how much I tried, I couldn't tear my eyes away from him for more than a couple moments.

I had never seen anything like Near before. He was so quiet and yet lacked so much emotion in his entire being. It felt as though he wasn't even alive… he was just a being living each moment like it was nothing.

He intrigued me even from that very moment. Before I spoke to him and I just observed what he wanted me to see… he was a mystery that I couldn't tear myself away from.

He interested me in the same way Matt interested me with the way he could play games for twelve hours straight and then go to class and never fall asleep once.

I had to get him to talk… I needed to figure something, anything, out about this kid.

"So… how old are you?" I asked, looking at him to observe any reaction he made.

He didn't say anything, or make any other movements to give me an answer.

"Are you mute?" I asked.

Finally, he shook his head.

'Well at least he understands me… that's a relief. It'd be kind of awkward if he didn't.' I thought to myself as we reached the second floor. There were a couple of other people walking around the hall, and each of them stopped and watched us in wonder of who the little albino boy was.

I didn't offer them any answers. I knew almost as much as they did.

But I was determined to know more. At first, Near never seemed like any competition to me. He was just a new kid here who would fall into some random slot like everyone else and never get to taste the victory I held dear.

When we finally reached the room that no one else used, I pushed the door open and instantly a cold wave washed out upon us. It was evident how much this room was used by the trapped air.

But it was also different now. The bed was made up in white sheets and there were a couple of boxes sitting on one of the corners.

I wondered, as I leaned against the doorframe, when exactly those had been brought up here. When had I missed that? … How had everyone missed that.

It was then that I noticed Near was just standing by the door; his grey eyes staring back at me. I was confused about why he was just staring at me; then suddenly, it hit me.

"Oh! Um… sorry." I stuttered out then stepped from the doorway and closed the door. Where had all my words gone?

It was those damn eyes… those damn eyes took all my words and left me nearly speechless.

I leaned against the parallel wall, watching the closed door and observing the way there was absolutely no sound coming from it. It didn't make sense how someone could just be that quiet… as if they didn't even exist.

I then began to wonder, was that what it was? Was it that he didn't want his own existence so much that he was trying to disappear into the world; to find someplace where no one would find him?

Yes… Near was certainly a mystery to me at first.

When Near opened the door again, I was surprised to find that he was once again dressed in, what looked like, the exact same clothes. I wondered for a moment if he didn't change, but just dried himself off really quickly.

I dismissed the thought and stood up with my eyes continuing to trail on him. I didn't even bother to try and distract my sights with something else. I was determined to figure out what lay underneath that stoic outside.

"Ready?" I asked.

He just barely nodded.

Yes… I would certainly figure it out… it was just a matter of how to do it.

A/N: Ugh… I struggled with this chapter and what to put into it. Again, I apologize that the updates have been so far between but I've been distracted. I don't know when the next one is going to come out, or what's going to be in it. I'll aim for it to be much longer than this though.

Let me know your thoughts!

Please review!
-Forbiddensoul562