Mihael was nineteen when Naomi came in one night, Raye behind her, beaming happily.
"Маленький брат, вы никогда не будете угадывать его. Raye и я ухаживать один другого!(1)" Mihael gave his sister and Raye a tired smile.
"Congratulations." He said softly, leaning down slightly and kissing Naomi on her cheek. "Я желаю вас и его самое лучшее везения, большой сестры.(2)" He whispered in her ear before he went up the stairs to his room. He paused at the stairs. "Don't try anything, got it, Raye?" He cracked a forced smile at the elder man. "I may like you, buddy, but don't try anything, understand?" Raye smiled back.
"I understand, Mel---Mihael." Mihael glanced back at the slip and nodded once before continuing up the stairs.
"Raye!" Naomi hissed once Mihael was out of earshot.
"What's wrong with him?" Raye asked softly. "He seems more down than usual."
"It's Nate." She said, turning around and burying her face in his shoulder. "He misses him more than he should. Do you think that maybe they were---?"
"No." Raye said firmly. Then he sighed. "But, at the very least, Mello---ah, Mihael" He grinned sheepishly at Naomi's playful glare. "Mihael had some feelings for him." Naomi sighed and, kissing Raye's cheek lovingly, closed the door. She glanced at her younger brother's room (which he insisted on keeping all white---that was it. A white bed sheet, a white desk, white walls...) and sighed. "Я огорченн, Mihael. Не потревожьтесь---все разработает под конец.(3)"
Seven-year-old Misa beamed up at Mihael the next day.
"Didja hear, didja hear?" She asked excitedly. "About Mama Naomi and Papa Raye?" Mihael forced a laugh out, just for her.
"I heard." He said, picking her up and twirling her around. "Aren't you happy for them, Misa-Misa?"
"Yes!" She giggled as he stopped twirling her around and placed her on his shoulders. Leaning down, grabbing handfuls of Mihael's hair, Misa locked her blue eyes on his. "Are Mama Naomi and Papa Raye gonna be happy, Mello-nii-chan?"
"Of course!" He exclaimed, frowning playfully at her. "Don't you want them to be happy?"
"Of course Misa-Misa wants Mama Naomi and Papa Raye happy!" Misa said indignantly. She paused for a few seconds. "Is Mello-nii-chan happy?" Mihael tensed lightly and looked up at her. He picked her up and locked his eyes on hers again.
"I..." Misa looked up at him expectantly, her head tilting to the side, her blonde pigtails falling to the side as well. "I am." She frowned, but it vanished quickly as she silently let it go.
"If Mello-nii-chan says so." She said cheerfully. Mihael smiled for her and sighed.
"How come you still call me 'Mello-nii-chan', Misa-Misa?" He asked her softly.
"It's because I can't say your real name yet, and Mello-nii-chan is my big brother." Misa said happily. Mihael rolled his eyes and laughed, watching her run into the store.
"Misa-Misa, wait up!" He called out softly.
"Misa-Misa can't wait!" She shrieked back. "Misa-Misa needs to buy a gift for Mama Naomi and Papa Raye's wedding!" Mihael laughed, shaking his head.
"Misa-Misa, come out here." He said, grabbing the blonde girl's arm. She looked up at him, pouting. "Now, Misa-Misa, Naomi and Raye don't want a toy for their wedding." She crossed her arms and Mihael forced back an urge to laugh. "That's if they're even going to get married to begin with, silly Misa-Misa."
"Well, they are going to get married." Misa insisted stubbornly. Mihael sighed and ran his hand through his hair as he thought.
"Well, how about this." Mihael squatted down so that the nineteen-year-old could face his self-proclaimed younger sister properly. "If Naomi and Raye end up getting married, I'll talk to Naomi about you being the девушка цветка(4). How about that?"
"Well, what is that?" Misa asked suspiciously, eyeing her 'big brother'. Mihael rolled his eyes.
"It's important for the wedding." He told her seriously. "You get to have a basket full of pretty, colorful flowers---"
"All right, I'll do it!" Misa declared. Mihael rolled his eyes and stood up.
"Ok, good. I'll remember to tell Naomi if she and Raye end up married."
"They are going to get married, just you watch." Misa said stubbornly, crossing her arms. Mihael smiled and reached out, tugging one of her blonde pigtails.
"Все, что угодно вы говорите, вы ухищренная маленькая девочка.(5)" He said fondly. She pulled her hair out and looked at him with a raised eyebrow (which made Mihael hide a snicker because she looked so cute). "Do you want anything, Misa-Misa?" He asked her. Misa smiled sweetly.
"I want a candy, Mello-nii-chan." She said. Mihael laughed again.
"All right, go pick out what you want, Misa-Misa." She laughed and ran around the store. Mihael stood up and watched her. "Она напоминает меня вас в настолько много путей, Near-sama.(6)" He said softly before following her to the counter.
"Nate-sama." Nate tilted his white head to the side.
"Raito does not need to address me so formally." He said blankly as Raito came in and sat down next to him.
"It's habit, Nate-sama." Raito said softly. "I apologize if it bothers you."
"Raito has no need to apologize." Nate said absently, his finger entwining in his hair by his right eye. "I suppose that old habits die hard."
"Yes, and new ones are easy to start." Raito said, glancing pointedly at the chocolate bar in Nate's hand. Nate shrugged and took another bite of the bar that Mihael ate constantly.
"Does Raito need something?" He asked calmly, glancing at the amber-eyed boy---man---who was seated next to him.
"I want to make sure you're all right, Nate-sama." He said. "Lawliet and the rest of us are worried about you."
"I apologize." Nate said, returning his gaze to the outside window. "I had not meant to worry anyone. But I am fine. Raito can tell the others that."
"It's not just that, Nate-sama." Raito said. Nate glanced at him out of the corner of his eye again. Raito took it as an invitation to continue. "Raye has began courting Naomi Misora."
"Give them my congratulations." Nate said simply. Raito blinked.
"You do not wish to do it yourself?" Raito asked in slight shock.
"No, it's quite fine." Nate said softly. "I prefer to stay in my room."
"If you say so, Nate-sama." Raito stood and, bowing at the door, slid it shut behind him as he walked down stairs.
"Did it work?" Lawliet asked softly as Raito entered the room. Raito leaned over and pressed a chaste kiss to Lawliet's lips before sitting back in a chair and sighing.
"No, it didn't." Raito said. Lawliet sighed.
"This is a troubling predicament for the both of them." Lawliet observed. Raito snorted.
"That's an understatement, koi." He said softly. "They're past the age where locking them in a closet for three days would work and settle things." Lawliet smiled at Raito.
"How true." He said softly before glancing up the stairs at his brother's closed door. "How troubling. Things would be infinitely easier if we could do that again."
1---Little brother, you'll never guess it. Raye and I are to be courting each other!
2---I wish you and your fiancee the best of luck, big sister.
3---I'm sorry, Mihael. Don't worry---everything will work out in end.
4---flower girl
5---Whatever you say, you clever little girl.
6---She reminds me of you in so many ways, Near-sama.
I know it usually takes forever for me to update, but i figured since this time it took me so long, i should post it so that nobody thinks Mihael abandoned Nate. By the way, i dunno if anyone cares, but i finally got the poll thing on my profile page working. check it out and gimme a hint---i got too many stories running through my head and need help to focus on one of them. thanks guys.
Thanks to methegirl, MyColdHeart, Backyard Bottomslash (who asked if Mello was going to become poor and homeless at 18 XD), hinata070 and Inuyasha4eva for encouraging reviews.