Why hello there! I've decided to do a crazy thing: updating TWO stories at the same time. Yes, I know I'm crazy.

Well, anyway, here's the update. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. I do own my OC, June.

Chapter 25

Mello was only asking because she would get pissed whenever he tried doing everything by himself and because of what Near said.

I wouldn't sell June short. I believe that she is more capable than she lets others believe. In fact, I don't even think that her current rank is where she really stands here. I have a feeling if she wanted to inherit L's title, she would have risen in rank by now.

Mello didn't understand why she would purposely score lower than them, but he was going to find out if Near was actually on the right path about her.

June stood there, shocked. Then she turned her head around to make sure he was talking to her and not someone behind her. Then she turned to face him again.

"I'm sorry. Could you repeat that for me? I'm not sure if I heard you right."

Mello frowned.

"I'm asking if you will help me."

She blinked. She was still in shock.

"Okay, just a few questions."

Mello almost groaned. This couldn't be good.

"One: who are you and what have you done with Mello?"

"I am Mello."

"Prove it."

"I eat chocolate all the time, you call me a dumbass, your birthday is October 16th, and I pulled you out of a frozen pond one winter."

That last one was an isolated incident, so this was, in fact, Mello.

"Okay. Next question: did you hit your head recently."

"No."

"Are you suffering from a chocolate withdrawal?"

He pulled out a chocolate bar.

"No."

"Are you sure that you have been eating chocolate and that there is nothing wrong with the chocolate you have been eating?"

He ripped the foil off the bar and took a bite.

"Yes."

She brought her hand to her chin as she thought about her next question.

"Okay. Last question: did hell just freeze over?"

Mello growled.

"I'm being serious here."

"Oh my God, then it's the beginning of the apocalypse! Quick Matt! Run for your life!"

Just as she was about to take of running, Mello grabbed her by her ponytail. That wasn't too hard to do, since she grew her hair out so that it went down to her waist. Her bangs still framed her face. However, it was apparent that the girl was not in the habit of using a hairbrush. Her hair was basically a mess pulled back into a messy ponytail.

When asked why she didn't brush her hair, she said it was a habit she picked up from her brother.

Her head snapped back as she felt someone grab her ponytail as she tried to run.

"Ow!"

She hated it when someone did that.

She turned around, slightly pissed about her hair being pulled on.

Matt, however, couldn't help but laugh at the last comment. Mello turned his glare to him and he'd shut up after a minute.

"I'm serious, June. I would like you to help me during my study sessions."

Studying? She hated studying and he knew it. Plus, he always preferred to study alone.

"Why are you asking me now? You had no problem with studying by yourself before."

She just never made things easy, did she?

"Well, I figured a second opinion on some questions and problems are needed. In case I'm not seeing something that I could see from a different perspective."

She was impressed. He actually got around to figuring that much out. L did the same thing. He would sometimes ask for someone's take on a case. Sometimes, he asked her when he would let her join in on a case. Mainly it was just to watch, but she liked being involved in a case with him.

She smirked.

"It took you this long to figure that much out, dumbass. I thought you would never get to that point."

Mello was about to scream at her again. But his words died in his throat as she spoke up again.

"But, I guess I'll help, since you asked."

Huh? Since when was she compliant? He expected her to be a smartass for the next few minutes.

He didn't move as she walked passed him in the direction of his room.

That was until she grabbed his wrist.

"Well, come on. You're the one who asked for my help, but don't expect me to drag you everywhere."

With that, he followed behind her, leaving a confused Matt to trail behind.

….

L stared at the screen on his computer. It was 1a.m. and no one from the Taskforce was there.

He watched on the monitor as June left Matt and Mello's room through the vent to get back to her own room without being caught out past curfew.

She seemed to be getting along with Mello better than when they first encountered each other. After the first time he went to check on her, he had Watari tell Roger to set up surveillance cameras throughout the orphanage. The cameras were small and couldn't be easily seen.

He was hoping that they would at least tolerate each other, but, very gradually, they seemed to start liking each other.

June was being nicer to Mello because L told her so, but she didn't seem to be doing it out of obligation anymore.

L also saw how Mello seemed to getting closer to her as well. He was also getting more protective and possessive of her.

He injured the kid that had been harassing her, but he was also starting to drag her away from Near whenever she went to hang out with him.

Despite the fact that L was socially inept himself, he was pretty sure that Mello was forming a crush on June.

In fact, he could definitely say that Mello was starting to develop a crush on June, especially with what he saw when he talked to the children back towards the beginning of the case.

L watched everyone through the webcam that was on the computer at Wammy's. Most of the children were gathered up front and asking him questions. However, there were three that stayed behind the group, silently taking in his answers. Near was working on a puzzle. Mello was leaning against the wall eating a chocolate bar. Those two, in his opinion, had a nasty look on their faces. They were definitely the top two.

Then there was June, who was sitting up against the wall, listening to her iPod. She was probably listening, but she would also know the answers to whatever questions the others had for him. She didn't need to ask anything.

At one point, she reached up and tugged on Mello's sleeve. He looked down at her, annoyed, but had crouched down anyway. It was a surprise he was being so compliant towards her, but it could be because he didn't want to raise a fuss during the conversation.

When he was sitting next to her, waiting for her to say what she wanted, she snapped off a piece of his chocolate and started eating it. That made him mad, but he didn't yell.

He probably didn't want to interrupt L, who was answering questions as this was happening.

Mello's pissed off expression faded a bit when she smiled towards him, which to her was a silent thank you. She wasn't going to say it out loud.

Mello looked away from her and directed his attention back to L.

After a few minutes, June got tired. Probably without thinking, she rested her head against Mello's shoulder and started dozing.

Mello was about to shove her off when he saw the peaceful expression on her face. He blushed and looked away.

After a while, Mello unconsciously laid his head against June's as he listened. That lasted for about two minutes when Mello looked over and saw Near watching him.

He blushed again and shoved June off, which resulted in her giving him an annoyed look.

They sat in silence from then on and listened to L until the conversation was over.

He was a bit surprised about that. With how much those two used to fight, he didn't think that that would happen.

L started to think about what would happen if Kira killed him. What would happen to June? He knew that she said she would work with his successor, but to be honest, he didn't think that the possibility of his death had ever gotten through to her.

She always thought that he could never lose. It was possible that she had never allowed the thought of his death to cross her mind.

Which meant that, if he did die, his death would actually destroy her emotionally, despite what she said. She might seek solitude, even though she hated to be alone. She never wanted anyone to see her cry, even when she was a little girl. She always left the room when she was upset.

How should he prevent that?

Maybe he should let Mello be in charge? Even if he didn't get his title, he wouldn't really protest to looking out for June. After all, he already did that by taking care of the bully.

It was true that he would let his emotions get in the way of his thinking, but, with June as his sister, he couldn't deny that he had an emotional attachment to her as well that could get in the way of his thinking.

Mello's just might be a bit worse.

But, he needed someone who he knew wouldn't want her to go out and get into trouble or do something to get her killed. With how impulsive she was, that was a good possibility.

Even if he was to die in the next few days, Mello would be 15 this year. That should be old enough for him to be able to look after himself and June knew how to take care of herself. She had proven that ability during the attempted kidnapping. They should be able to look after each other.

June would definitely need someone to look after her because he was 95% sure she would go into a kind of depression if he died.

That was settled. Mello would be in charge of June's well-being.

….

It was late July now and June was watching Near over her book as he stacked a bunch of tarot cards into a tower.

Near looked over to her, as if knowing what she was thinking.

"I would appreciate it if you don't knock this over."

"Why?"

"Because if you knock this over, I will be pissed."

"…That only makes me want to knock it over even more."

"Why?"

"Just to see you pissed off for once."

Near kept his eyes on her until she huffed.

"Fine."

Near continued stacking his cards.

"…Why do you wear so much white?"

"Because I want to. Why do you ask?"

"You look like an oversized cotton swap."

"….."

A few minutes later, Mello walked into the room, saw June with Near, and dragged her out with him.

This was becoming more and more frequent. Whenever Mello saw June with him, he would drag her away.

Actually, Mello was acting a bit differently towards her. He was acting a bit nicer towards her. He actually asked for her help once in a while. And not to mention the few times she had caught him blushing. She was starting to develop a theory in her mind about why Mello was acting like this, but she couldn't confirm it and she didn't know how she felt about it.

Mello led her back into his room. Surprisingly, Matt wasn't there. She briefly wondered where he went. Then she shrugged and sat on Mello's bed.

She was also surprised when Mello went and sat down next to her instead of going straight to his desk.

This was strange. Just what was up with him lately?

"Why do you hang out with Near so much?"

He sounded annoyed.

She frowned.

"I don't hang out with him that much. I mostly hang out with you and Matt, remember?"

Mello didn't meet her gaze after that.

Then he tried again.

"Why do you even hang out with that sheep at all? Don't you find him boring?"

"Eh, he's not too boring. And you and Matt are sometimes busy with your own thing. I just hang out with him when I feel like either doing a puzzle or reading a book. I don't mind the sheep at all."

That wasn't helping with his annoyance.

"If you don't mind him at all, then why did you call him a sheep?"

"Well, 1) you sometimes refer to him as that, 2) he wears all that white, and 3) he actually is a sheep."

Mello blinked.

"What?"

She gave him a flat look.

"Yeah, he was born in 1991. Have you never heard of the Chinese Zodiac before? I actually thought it was funny when I realized that, especially since you're always calling him that."

He should have known that she would have acted like a smartass for a moment there.

"Well, don't hang out with him anymore."

Now it was her turn to be annoyed.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because I said so, that's why."

As you could imagine, this only pissed her off. She glared at Mello.

"Where do you go off in telling me what to do?"

"I just don't want you to hang out with him."

"And why's that?"

"Because…..because he's such a big-headed twit and…"

She waited for an answer. She wasn't going to let this drop. He looked down into his lap.

Then he mumbled something.

"Because you're my friend…"

He wasn't sure if she heard that, but he was kind of hoping she didn't.

She wasn't sure if he heard him correctly, but as soon as she thought she did, she came to a realization.

And she wasn't sure if she liked it or not.

When he looked back up at her, she thought that she saw what remained of a blush on his face.

Did….did Mello…..have a crush on her?