Hey guys, off Hiatus for a bit to post this, and I'll have more out by next week. I just have school but my brain popped inspiration on New Year's so I think I'll be able to finish this as my resolution. Hope you guys enjoy. It's a short chapter, but reveals some hidden fights to come.
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Chapter 25: And Then There Were Three
Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note, and the idea came something out of Bio Shock.
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They had been going up the long line of stairs for what seemed to be hours but once again L had reminded Mello for maybe the tenth time that only a few minutes had passed. Luckily now there were three of them rather than just two. Yes, three.
Mello glanced back to see an exhausted cop following behind him slowly covered in scrapes and bruises but overall he seemed to be doing much better than expected.
"Matsuda are you sure you don't need any help?" L asked as he rounded another floor and continued up another flight of stairs while glancing down to check on the two stragglers behind. Matsuda whipped sweat off his head and nodded. There was merely the sound of L's humming in response but Mello on the other hand thought the man was being idiotic.
"Come on, you can't be serious." Mello hissed as he shot Matsuda a quick glare as he just rounded the 16th floor like L had done earlier. "I would already be ahead of L if it weren't for you." Mello snapped, he could hear L calling his name in a low warning but Mello ignored. "You should have just exited the building, your only dead weight to us now…" Mello had wanted to add, 'Just like Misa,' but knowing L's temper he pushed the comment aside.
"I can't leave now!" Matsuda yelled managing to slip on the stairs and once again be saved by Mello turning around to catch him from falling back yet again. Mello looked at Matsuda, and actually looked at him. He was injured sure, but he could be useful in the end. Something Matt would normally call a meat shield when he played video games. Yet Mello couldn't help but hate him after all, he was "close" to Sayu. Mello groaned at the memory of finding that out.
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At first L and Mello were making their way to the 13th floor on their long and tiring journey to get to what would be the 23rd floor. The very floor which BB awaited for them however as they got closer the faint sounds of music graced their ears and soon it was recognized to the sounds of someone playing a piano. Mello immediately continued up the stairs not bothering to stop as he was not in the mood for another sick joke BB had set up for them but of course L had other plans.
"I thought were here to stop BB and also possibly save your fiancé's behind?!" Mello yelled as he paused at the top of one of the many stairwell sections.
"I understand that." L replied, but then grasped the doors handle and opened it. Mello cursed not liking the idea of going inside the 13th room of all placed but L didn't give him a choice. There was no way he was going to try to do this alone especially of god knows what happened to Near.
"If you understand that why are you going inside?" Mello grumbled out loud but none the less followed after L quickly in fear of being left alone again.
The music lead them down many halls and different paths but finally there was an open door and in that room seemed like any other except for the small whimpering with every strum of each chord.
"Matsuda, is that you?" L called, and Mello raised a brow of uncertainty. He had heard that name somewhere before but couldn't place where. The whimpering however ceased.
"R-Ryuzaki, the real, real, R-Ryuzaki is that you?" Slowly as L and Mello turned corner they saw this man dressed in an officer's uniform sitting at a piano playing music with a stressful look on his face. He was hurt, but nothing serious so it was hard to understand why he looked so pale.
The man's eyes widened as he took a good look at L.
"Oh man, it really is you L, you're finally here!" He exclaimed loudly in refusal to stop playing his stupid piano for a few minutes. "Thank goodness."
"Matsuda why are you…?" L asked, giving Matsuda a funny look while Mello called him an idiot. Why would anyone in the world stop to play a musical piece on a piano in such a dire situation? It really aggravated him to know there were people like this in the world today.
"What did you say I can't really hear you? After all," Matsuda chucked,"I am playing a piano you know and it's really lovely music! You know I wonder if the Captain would like this maybe one day I'll get to play it for her!" L sighed; Mello slapped his forehead, and grabbed L pulling him aside.
"There are much more important things to be worrying about! We have no time for this!"
"Um guys!" Matsuda called, and Mello glanced back over to his direction glaring daggers while L just stared blankly at him.
"Well I don't think it's a good idea for you to be in here!" Matsuda chuckled a bit nervously this time. "My hands are starting to hurt because I've been at this for so long and I wouldn't want to be the cause of you two losing your lives or anything!"
L and Mello exchanged glances.
"Matsuda what in the world are you talking about?" L asked calmly and Matsuda blinked.
"Huh—?" Mello felt a throb in the back of his head.
"He asked what the hell is wrong with you!" Mello screamed, "Are you really some kind of idiot?"
"What's wrong with me? Oh nothing really, it's more of a situational thing!"
L turned to Mello annoyed.
"I didn't ask him that." Mello shook his head.
"You might as well, he's a complete idiot!" L then raised his right hand index finger at Mello and shook it.
"Hey I resent that!" Matsuda yelled, but the two completely ignored him.
"Now now Mello, you know you need to control your temper more. How am I supposed to entrust you with being the second L when I die if you act like this?" Mello gritted his teeth.
"Fine whatever, but you can eat tea and cupcakes all you want with this loser, I on the other hand will go save Near and the day without you!" L cupped his ear with his hand.
"I'm sorry what? I can't hear you over this lovely music." L replied with a smirk that would only make Mello want to pull his hair out.
"Stop with the music already!" Mello shouted, extremely irritated.
"I said I would but you got to leave, I mean with the bomb and all!"
"What the hell did you just say?" Matsuda felt a trail of sweat drip down his face.
"What I've been trying to tell you all along, BB told me if I stop playing the piano that this piano would blow up because there is a bomb in it!" Mello nodded.
"Okay, that's what I thought you said…" Mello grabbed L's right arm and began talking in a hush-hush tone. "You heard what he said, let's get out of here and evacuate the building before this idiot kills us all!" Mello even tried his best to drag L away but L just wouldn't budge.
"Matsuda, release the keys." L instructed and both Mello and Matsuda had exclamation marks over there head.
"Are you sure? I mean, the bomb—"
"Of course he's not sure, L's gone—"
"Enough, Matsuda, release the keys! That is an order!" L said stunning both males. Mello made a break to run to the piano but L quickly put his foot out making Mello trip on his face. "I assure you no harm will come to you! I doubt BB would blow up a building that he would be inside of!"
Matsuda licked his lips.
"But L— BB has once tried to commit suicide before, how do you know he's not planning to just down us all at once!" L lifted his right hand and began nibbling on his thumb whilst he pinned Mello's back down with his left leg.
"Well, if I were BB I would say that would be rather dull to just exterminate my enemies so quickly. I would rather them to experience a slow and painful death, if you know what I mean?" Matsuda thought about it for a moment, blinked, and then clapped his hands together.
"I suppose your right, but I don't think I can honestly stop playing!" L simply just stared at Matsuda blankly.
"Matsuda you don't have to yell anymore…After all you've stopped playing and now you can see I was correct after all." L glanced down at Mello removing his leg off Mello and Mello in turn exchanged the glance properly with a threatening glare.
"I don't want to hear, "I told you so!" L's mouth parted with an agape surprised expression but quickly softened.
"Why Mello why would I ever do something like that?" Mello almost threw out an insult at L but bit his tongue considering it wasn't his place for it was foolish to comment when he was suffering from a bruised ego.
"Just help me up." Mello grumbled as L let out his hand and helped the boy back on his feet.
"Matsuda, I have a question? How exactly did you end up here?" L wondered. He knew BB didn't just kidnap people for the hell of it. There was always a sneaky hidden agenda, and while Matsuda was a part of L's taskforce that still wasn't a qualified reason to kidnap him.
"Oh, I came in on my own free will." Matsuda replied as he moved away from the piano toward the door. "I wanted to be able to show the other officers my worth so I decided to sneak in and capture BB off on my own so I can impress my captain!" Matsuda laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Because I really do love her…" He added with a faint blush. "You'd do the same wouldn't you L?"
L shook his head in disagreement.
"Matsuda you really are an idiot." L commented. Matsuda blinked in surprise.
"But why I thought I was doing a good thing by helping!"
"Maybe you should stop helping." Mello snickered glad that L felt the same way about this guy as he did.
"I don't understand…" Matsuda said, "I can't see why it was a bad thing."
"Do you realize that your captain has heard of your capture?" L asked, thinking back to the talk he had with Sayu outside. Matsuda's face paled and Mello wondered what the big deal was. Just who was this captain? "Knowing how troublesome Misa can be there is no doubt she has dragged Sayu inside of the building with her." Mello's eyes widened as he unknowingly touched his cheek where the bullet from Sayu's gun grazed him.
"She's inside?!" Both eyes darted to Mello, and L nodded. "Because of this guy Sayu's here?" Mello asked hotly, just when he thought he couldn't hate this cop anymore… "And you love her?" Mello said with a twitch of the lip and eyes full of malice. "How close are you two exactly?"
Matsuda tilted his head unsure why the sudden assault from the blonde haired kid.
"Close, we are close." Mello felt his heart twinge in jealousy.
"Close huh?" Mello replied with gritting teeth and a closing fist ready to strike.
"It's one sided." L quickly commented knowing this situation could turn bad fast if he had not intervened. Mello blinked away in surprise. Matsuda however stiffened feeling sorrow.
"Did Sayu tell you that?" Matsuda wondered with a frown and L had no choice but to nod and confirm it or Mello would never be satisfied to move on until he beat Matsuda to a pulp. Matsuda dropped his shoulders with a sigh.
"I should have known the age different would have some effect on her but not this much…" L patted his shoulder to console him.
"There is always other fish in the sea." Matsuda shook his head, and rose back up feeling renewed.
"No, she is my fish L. I won't give her up so easily." L glanced to Mello who looked positively pissed off at that comment.
"Well that's good to hear. Never give up hope." L cringed slightly when Mello shot him that furious look. "But, don't put too much hope into it. Sayu might find someone else?" Mello nodded, and for once L felt extremely uncomfortable. "Let's move on shall we."
"Sure, I can't wait to see Sayu's face again!" Matsuda cheered. "I'll tell her how I truly feel."
"Hoorah…" Mello finished still biting his tongue as L grabbed him by the shoulder and led him up while whispering.
"Try to be the better man Mello."
A lone smirk appeared on Mello's face as he let L pass him with a nod. He'd try his best alright.
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T-O-B-E-C-O-N-T-I-N-U-E-D
Mello's got the green eyed monster bad.
Who do you think would make a better couple Mello x Sayu or Matsuda x Sayu?
I only feel bad for L, I hate being stuck in the middle of fighting relationships, and it is way too awkward.
Thanks for the adds, I'm surprised people still like this story after so long! Hope to see you again.
--Takiasmuse.
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P. S. On a side note (not relating to the story): I might be posting short chapters I'm sorry, I'm not necessarily in the bests of mood since I got dumped on Christmas and I'm really bummed still. Writing romantic stuff kind of bothers me a bit now but I will do my best to push it aside and just write. My story shouldn't suffer because of what happened to me, right?
Gah – so frustrating.