Author's Note: YAAAAAAAAAY! HAPPY (Beyond) BIRTHDAY, SWAMP EYES! ARE YOU GUYS ALL READY TO CELEBRATE? *Crickets*
(Please feel free to ignore this weird paragraph)...Oh, well. *Sighs* I know, I know, I shouldn't be so excited about my mediocre story reaching such a tiny, insignificant milestone, but I honestly didn't think I'd get this far when I first started developing my ideas for this story. I didn't want to make a One-Shot when I originally signed up for FanFiction, NO, because that would have been too normal and reasonable. I had to lumber myself with an entire story! Well, at least that's what I think I should be thinking. BECAUSE IN FACT I'VE NEVER ACTUALLY FELT BETTER. Seriously. Honestly, guys, this is great! Just one review makes me so happy, reviews make my day, and I don't really give a damn if people think that's kind of sad. So, this isn't a Magnum Opus. So what? I try my best, don't I? :D So thanks, you guys, for giving me the confidence to stick with this and keep on writing!
(I'm back on track over here, people!) Aaaanyway, enough of my long-winded, self-centred ramblings, and on with the story...
Mello's had a nasty shock along with a literally speechless Near. S is now the new Number One (dun dun DUUUN!) and so is ranked top of the prestigious (and not to mention infamous) Wammy's House peking order. How will the Wammy's boys cope? Can they pull it together? And how long before we discover the rest of the skeletons lying dormant in S's (metaphorical XD) closet? Let's see if we can unravell some truths... Once again, I do not own Death Note OR Kuroshitsuji. And sorry if you think S's fashion in this chapter is so not like her character. What can I say, I kind of like the style and I think it suits her. If you have an inkling of an outfit that would suit her better, or what her style could possibly be like, I'd be happy to take all of your ideas on board for the coming chapters. I don't want to follow the crowd in the things I do every day, but feedback is important to me, and I'd love your input. I respect all your ideas and decisions :D So, take it away, S! Oh, and sorry for the long Author's Note this time, by the way...
CHAPTER 10; DREAMS OF LEAD AND GOLD
S'S POV
There was no way of getting around it, not that she really wanted to...
She had hurt her friends. The ones she was meant to care for, to protect, to show true, heartfelt kindness to.
...And now she was going to have to take her first fricking class sitting next to Mail Jeevas himself.
Nurse Jones had discharged her from the medical wing of Wammy's whilst casting doubtful looks in her direction. S had merely stared back, her eyes growing as wide as a bush baby's, her hands shovelling her portable supply of chocolate into her mouth to keep herself up and about. The numbers were coming back... she couldn't take seeing those wretched numbers for much longer...
She now stood at the doorway of the classroom, her green eyes bright and her cheeks flaring. She'd accquired new clothing since the dye incident - Wammy's children could wear mostly what they wanted, and buy extras using their allowance (which was quite frankly a ridiculous amount). S was currently wearing a black skirt, a white button-down shirt, a black waistcoat with coat-tails, a black French beret and a pair of black military-style boots. She wouldn't have minded wearing something, well, a little more outlandish, but they were probably very close to throwing her out of Wammy's as it was so she'd decided to play it safe just for today.
And there he was. Matt. The boy who she had befriended and then inadvertently betrayed.
S summoned up her courage and reminded herself of who she was - who she wanted to leave behind, and who she wanted to be - before walking through to the classroom, shutting the door behind herself, pulling up a chair and sitting down next to the intelligent red-headed boy. She undid the clasp of her new Black Butler messenger bag (with Sebastian grinning wickedly at her from his place on the flap) with shaky fingers. She was steeling herself for the lengthy, awkward silence to come when suddenly -
"H-hey, S."
S's head snapped up in surprise. He was actually saying hi?
Matt appeared to grow bolder. "Nice outfit," he continued, his eyes calm but expectant behind the yellow goggles. "I take it they didn't approve of all the red from before?"
S's mouth dropped open in utter shock. She just couldn't believe it. Now he was paying her a casual compliment like it was as easy as breathing! Like they had known each other for years!
"I- I-" S didn't know how to respond. Did he really want to continue geting to know her? Was this just too good to be true? She was about to answer Matt, when suddenly -
There was a huge bang as the door swung open again, hitting the dull white wall in the process. A fierce Mello barged into the classroom, bangs angrily whipping around like blonde flames. He pulled up a chair next to his best friend Matt, still not appearing to notice S, sat down and slammed his history textbook down onto the desk as if the table was Near's bone-white face. Or quite possibly mine, S gulped as she tried to slow her heartbeat down.
Okay, S told herself, trying to calm down and keep in control, Just don't draw attention to yourself no matter what. He's bound to notice you sometime, but maybe if you keep quiet, he'll find the strength to ignore you - and that would definitely be for the best right now... She attempted to tune out the sound of Mello getting berated by the history teacher, Mr. Izzington, for being so shamelessly late. It was horrible to listen to, and even harder to watch. Mello's head was dipped submissively, his hair touching the table, his strong shoulders hunched and drooping in defeat. S sighed. There was yet more trouble in store for the unlucky Mello if he didn't keep his temper in order... but the latest news seemed to have taken all of the fight out of him, all of his aggression, all of his constant drive to succeed...
Mello's head snapped up as a pompous Mr. Izzington strode purposefully away - and his eyes met hers.
MELLO'S POV
And there she was. Sitting next to Mello's best - and only - friend, staring back at him like he was some creepy animal in a zoo.
Her name was S. Or, at least, she said that her name was S. He didn't know a single thing about her. All he knew was that she had taken away his pride, his hopes, his dreams, his whole damn future. He felt some his old temper and strength begin to sear through his veins once more. Right now, he felt like dragging her to the dojo and having a one-on-one showdown session. Mello was a born fighter - maybe a little rough when it came to skillfulness, but as far as his raw agression, power and determination was concerned, he was treated as a pro; a guy not to be messed with.
S quickly turned away from the vengeful new Number Three, avoiding his burning gaze. Matt smiled, and touched her arm with apparent tentativeness. She looked up, and grinned a little back at him.
Mello silently seethed with bubbling, white-hot rage as Mr. Izzington droned on and on. Was Matt just being polite like he was to Near and other people? Or did he really still like the girl? Are - are you on her side instead of mine, Matt? Mello thought. Because I don't think I could take that...
He quietly hissed in annoyance and shook his head, trying to clear his head and concentrate on the few dwindling remnants left of the history lesson.
Mello, sighed, rolling his eyes and tapping his fingers impatiently. The lesson seemed to last for hours on end. There was no point in even attending this stupid class, except maybe to keep Matt company. They were studying the Nazis, for god's sake! He'd already known most of this stuff when he was six and a half or something! He needed a good challenge to rise to, he needed true recognition of his extensive knowledge that appeared to rival few. Maybe I should just leave, now, he thought to himself angrily.
Until he noticed something.
Near.
He was absent.
As a rule, Near turned up to every single lesson possible, a creepy clockwork affair that always seemed to make him five minutes earlier than Mello for absolutely everything, including mealtimes. Near stole up like a ghost, sweeping in with simple yet ominous corrections to Mello's confident answers. And now he wasn't here - Mello was Second once more.
His eyes brightened as he brushed his curiosity regarding Near's whereabouts aside. A little competition with S couldn't hurt - it was what he had always done with Near...
Game on, S. Game on.
Mr. Izzington started to talk about an essay about Nazi propaganda - ridiculously easy. But now Mello finally had something to work towards, a goal to achieve. Maybe the odds would be in his favour if he put everything into this essay...
...but alas, his hopes of beating S in a battle of brains were interrupted by a flustered Roger bursting through the door.
"S! Mello! Matt!" he called out as the other students twisted around in their chairs to stare. "I have an urgent request! Pack away your things, you won't be back in time to continue with the lesson. Well, don't just stand there," he sighed exasperatedly as the three successors snapped out of their stupor, "get going! You'll see just how important this is when you get to my office!"
Mello's eye twitched in annoyance as he packed his black-and-white checkered pencil case away, shoving his stationery and textbooks into his black shoulder-bag. Roger had referred to them in their ranking order. S first, Mello second, Matt third... he was sure that if Near had been present in the classroom, Mello himself would have come third in that particular list...
"Come on, Mello, stop with your constant daydreaming!" Roger snapped. Mello blinked, and realised that Matt and S were already packed and ready to go. "We'll pick Near up on the way," Roger continued. "Let's get going."
NEAR'S POV
He just couldn't get out of bed.
Nate River, the former Number One, the bright boy who attended every single class available at the prestigious Wammy's House...
...couldn't care less anymore.
He didn't need an alarm - his body-clock was always on the dot when it came to waking up early in the morning. And today it had worked as accurately as always, but Near... well, Near didn't really feel like Near anymore. a great, tiring misery had encapsulated his entire being, engulfed him in its dark embrace. And no, he had not cried.
Near didn't cry. Ever. End of story.
But still, he felt depressed, weakened, defeated. The brilliance in his mind was still there, but the intelligent, dangerous and sometimes even malicious glint in his eyes was simply... lost. There was a chance it still existed... but whenever he tried to grab hold of a string of life, of reason, of sweet, sweet logic, it abruptly snapped and he was back to square one once more.
Number One...
That used to be him with that top spot.
Near was dull inside, dead inside. His heart was as heavy as lead, hopelessly weighed down by sorrowful, resigned feelings that blocked out the flowing spring of life.
His thoughts were interrupted by the creak of his door opening. He turned on his side to face the wall, still wrapped and lost in the sea of whiteness that was his duvet (and, much more importantly, his mind), trying to think of a lie, a reasonable explanation for his unexpected behaviour. His mouth opened to say something, but despite Near's best efforts, no sound came out.
"N-Near?" an obviously-astounded Roger murmured. "Why are you still in bed?"
Near coughed a little, and muttered: "I appear to be a little ill. That is all. I will of course get up now, since you obviously have something important to tell me." It was mostly true. Near was becoming a little ill - the teacher had sat him next to Pixel in the last science test. Pixel was a shy young girl who didn't particularly live up to her codename - she was pretty much useless when it came to anything techincal, was extremely dreamy and kept doodling scenes from her favourite romance novels into the back of her notebook instead of listening to what the teachers had got to say. She had been suffering from a nasty cold on the day of the science test. Well, she shouldn't have been dancing about in the rain all on her own like some idiot, Near thought calmly and emotionessly.
His mind snapped back to the present, and he shot out from under the covers, scampering away like a shy forest animal. He was glad for his white pyjamas - he never slept topless like Matt and Mello because he was very self-conscious of other people seeing his body.
After he had changed into his usual unispiring attire, Near shuffled outside the quiet sanctuary of his bedroom to find Roger, who was tutting impatiently and checking his tarnished silver watch, Mello and Matt, who were playing a rather agressive (well, certainly on Mello's part) game of Rock Paper Scissors, and seemingly-unsettled S, who was simply standing still and looking - well, incidentally, quite nice. Her latest outfit suited her - wait a minute, what was he saying? That piece of information had nothing to do with the current situation...
"Ah, Near, at last," Roger sighed. "Come along, now, we've got to hurry to my office. I can't say anything in the open - there's a slight chance that people might be listening to us." He shoved the four of them along the narrow corridors, muttering darkly about "kids messing up his busy schedule". Near surpressed an exasperated sigh - and looked over at the newest successor to L, the peculiar girl named S. Her eyes were wide and bambi-big, her mouth slightly open, giving off the impression that she was hurtling through a dark tunnel. There was a look of enlightenment gracing her features, which puzzled Near.
What was she suddenly so worked up about now?
S'S POV
It couldn't be...
...could it?
No no no no no, she didn't dare to dream that...
But - was he here? Was he really here?
The five of them arrived outside of the office. One of them, Roger, opened the old, scratched wooden door, which creaked in protest. S closed her sparkling green eyes, trying to slow her heartbeat for the second time that day.
Mello, Matt and even the shyly shuffling Near had already entered the office. She heard a muffled gasp from Mello as she opened her eyes once more. The flickering ghost of a smile played on her lips. It was a long-shot - but for now, she wanted to entertain herself with daydreams of getting to meet... getting to meet him again...
S stepped into the doorway of the office -
- and the shocking flashbacks took hold of her mind, she couldn't think, she couldn't make sense of anything anymore...
...all she could see were her golden childhood dreams, precious memories drenched in a dizzying sepia haze. Breezy fields of corn; a calm, crystal-clear river where she laughed and played; pink tartan dresses and dungarees with a sunflower symbol printed on the back; and... him. Him and him alone. The closeness she felt next to him, the strong love flowing through her young yet burdened heart no matter what. In that single enlightening moment, she realised that no matter how many times she tried to leave the past behind...
...S would always be that little girl.
Her eyes closed, savouring the warmth and joy of his embrace, his shining eyes, his carefree smile. It was sheer effort and strength of will that deterred herself from crying outright. Her heart singing with the feeling of homecoming, the realistation of this bittersweet reunion, she stared right into those intriguing, anomalous dark eyes, searching for answers, looking for love.
One word crossed her mind. The doubt already blooming in her heart turned that simple word into a tentative question.
Nii-chan?
Author's Note: Well, I'm going to leave it there! Hmm, so, the meaning behind the Chapter name. Well, Near's in a state of complete and utter recluse, his sometimes fragile heart heavy with leaden feelings, dreaming of nothing yet wishing to stay in bed all day. S, on the other hand, is revisiting vivid and colourful childhood memories, filled with the golden emotion that is occasionally associated with nostaliga. Oh yeah, and I've been studying the Merchant Of Venice by the brilliant Wiliam Shakespeare. The Casket Scene must have got to me...
Sorry if the Chapter ending was really corny and long-winded! The drama will ensue next Chapter (omg I'm getting excited about writing all that)! How can S keep the secret safe? And maybe having him around (still not saying his name aloud - I know you probably all know who he is, but I still want to save it for next Chapter XD Yes, I'm annoying with my attention to completely useless detail) will unlock yet more secrets about Miss S... and note how she calls him "Nii-chan" even though she isn't Japanese... Thank-you so much for reading, and see you next Chapter! Oh, and please review, I'd like to hear all your thoughts! I'm still not a very good writer and I've got a lot to learn, as you can probably tell, so reviews would be great... (Aaargh, another long Author's Note! So sorry...)