A/N; Well, frankly I had to admit I was worried (you really have no idea just how worried) that you would have all lynched me for introducing something as unusual as three people in a relationship. I had to though, I just couldn't bear to see one of them disappointed, it would have been terrible. Believe me of the several options I had available I picked the best. I also couldn't not have a relationship form; it was always charging in that direction from the get go and so couldn't be stopped.
So thank you, thank you, thank you for sticking with it. I assure you that I will do this as carefully as I can. I hope that everything I have done in this story has been tasteful in this regard up till now anyway, despite the unusual slant of the content. I don't set out to offend people, so I do worry how people will respond even now.
Well I have rambled for long enough about my intrinsic want to worry.
To all those reviewed last chapter; I will reply to your reviews, but it will be much later than usual as I need sleep. I thought you would prefer this over a reply.
I hope you enjoy this chapter and will review!
Chapter 55
"I don't want either of you to be involved in this," Mello whispered, as Matt picked the window lock in the small attic room he had hidden in months ago. He wasn't being listened to and kept trying in vain to make them stay, if they got hurt because of him he could never live with himself.
Matt said nothing just continued in his task his face grim. Near however surprised Mello by shifting closer and grabbing his arm, this was quite forward for Near; Mello looked down at him curiously.
"We don't like you being involved in it," Near whispered, "anyway without us you could get hurt. We don't want you going there alone, no matter how little criminal activity they're involved in nowadays."
Mello had to swallow hurriedly as Near suddenly hugged him; he was shocked at just how worried Near sounded. It wasn't often that Near displayed such feelings, Mello had always known they were there of course, but to see them so close to the surface when Near was this upset. Mello found he was becoming upset too. There was no choice but for a group hug then as Matt finished his task and Near looked at him with suddenly upset eyes.
"Out the window with you then," Mello ordered quietly, and Matt scrambled over the sill and onto the sloping roof below, flinching as his feet hit the slate roof with an all too loud a bang. He reached back up and couldn't help smiling at the scene of Mello gently lifting Near over the windowsill, it was still weird seeing Near in Jeans and wearing one of Mello's old jackets so adding to that Near scrambling round a building at night… it was all too funny in Matt's opinion. It didn't help that Near was in a black bobble hat that looked like it could be turned into a balaclava at any moment.
Near was wide-eyed as Matt helped him down onto the roof, his eyes glancing down the building to the ground below. It seemed he wasn't happy at all.
"It appears," Near whispered, "that I have a fear of heights."
"It will be alright Near," Matt said softly, pulling Near close and kissing him softly, "you know me and Mello won't let anything happen to you."
"Fact and feeling are two different things," Near replied holding onto Matt tightly.
"Since when have you ever let your feelings get in the way of your rationality?" Mello sighed, landing lightly on the roof next to them.
"You are a bad influence on me," Near said, finally smiling.
Mello smirked, and much to Near's obvious horror, leapt off the roof to the awning below where the cast iron drain pipe could easily be reached.
"Coming?" Mello laughed, hands reaching up to pull himself up enough to smirk at the other two.
Somehow Matt and Mello managed to coax Near down the outside of the building to the ground below. Neither of them thought they had ever seen someone that grateful to stand on the ground at last.
"Why couldn't we have just used the stairs?" Near asked; his voice shaking from the fear that had so recently flowed through him.
"Because L has guards at every exit," Mello sighed, "we don't want him finding out we are doing this do we. Light only told him about the cameras."
"Still don't see why we couldn't just have us-" Near began but was silenced as Mello clamped a hand over his mouth as a two black clad guards walked by the small alcove they had dropped into. This was the perfect example to Near as to why they couldn't have used the other exits.
Matt darted forward and took a small mirror out of his pocket and used it to peer round the corner. Near was also realising just how Mello had always obtained a steady stream of chocolate, Matt was all too adept at breaking out.
"It's clear," Matt hissed, "come on."
The trio darted through the gardens of the estate, skirting round the drive and preferring to shift through the undergrowth. It was difficult to sneak through the grounds, but wasn't impossible; after all the guards were looking for people sneaking in, not sneaking out. It was getting out through the perimeter wall that would be the biggest difficulty. The guards had been along the entire length and rebuilt and protected the structure, something which had annoyed Matt greatly as he couldn't sneak out as well anymore, but they had overlooked one possibility; the trees. Oh, they had made sure no-one could use them to get in, but getting out, that was easy.
They quickly found what they were looking for, a tree tall enough to reach the height of the outside wall, it must be noted that this was no small structure, a good 4 metres of wall. Matt immediately began to climb the tree and reached down for a shaking Near to be helped up. If they were learning the one thing that night it was that Near had great determination, perhaps it was all the years growing up with Mello since they were babies.
"I want a new robot for this," Near said, his tone only half teasing, as he collapsed onto the ground outside.
"You didn't have to come," Mello replied, pulling Near roughly up to his feet and brushing the muddy leaves off his back, "What model would you like?"
Near blinked in shock and turned to look at Mello in question, a hand rising to pull the hat off his head.
"Seriously?" Near asked, this was not like Mello at all. When Mello gave him a 'well, duh' expression, he added, "Let me think on it."
Matt knew precisely what Mello was doing, sometimes it was so easy to distract Near. He didn't realise he was smiling fondly at the two of them until Mello jumped over and messed up his hair. He couldn't frown though as it made Near laugh, albeit quietly.
"It's this way to the road," Matt said as Mello released him, forcing him not to retaliate and instead marched off through the field alongside the wall. People knew that Wammy's House was in Winchester, where it was really was near Winchester. It showed L's influence that it was erased from Google Earth's pictures; as far as the rest of the world were concerned Wammy's house was a field; this year a field of Oil Seed Rape.
Ten minutes of fast marching later they emerged onto the road, the gates of Wammy's just visible in the dark to the left of them.
"Are they picking us up here?" Matt asked, glancing at Near. He knew that the usually reclusive Near would not be able to handle the two mile walk into the city.
"Of course," Mello replied smirking, "why should a mafia heir walk to a meeting? There is no way I am going to be lenient an inch tonight. Don't either of you dare argue with me in their presence."
"Why would we undermine your position in such a way?" Near said softly, as the headlights of a car became visible in the distance and moved towards them.
"We are your underlings after all," Matt laughed, making Near look shocked at the term before he too nodded his head in agreement as he smiled slightly. It was true, in the past few months since the rivalry aspect of Wammy's had finally been removed Mello and Near had spent less and less time arguing with each other.
Mello wasn't sure he liked these new 'obedient' underlings, somehow he felt more exposed now than when they argued with him. It was extremely disconcerting.
"Get in the car," Mello sighed as they continued to smile 'innocently' up at him. He followed them in a moment later, his face set and his hand craving to hold chocolate. He really hoped he could pull this off, because if he did he wouldn't just be the heir of the mafia any more, he would be controlling it.
…
Light emerged from the shadows behind the gate and gazed happily at the receding car. As it turned the corner his smile broadened and he turned back towards the house.
"They managed to get out," Light said into the night and another figure emerged from the darkness by the wall. There was the sudden sound of static.
"Normal patrols can resume," L said calmly into the radio.
"How did you know they would sneak out tonight?" Light asked L, the coordination to keep the patrols informed of just where the trio were in the grounds had been immense. It had also been rather annoying, they had expected them to sneak down one of the staircases, to see them scaling down the outside of Wammy's house had nearly made his and L's hearts stop in worry. They knew the trio were impetuous, but they had never imagined they would do something so dangerous.
"Yesterday they would have been too embarrassed from your punishment to want to do something so daring, whereas today they were much calmer," L replied, "plus since you told me what they were doing I have been monitoring all their communications. It seemed only fair."
Light laughed, it seemed L had taken the trio's activities much more to heart than he had thought. Once Light had regained his composure they continued on towards the house in silence, L eventually shifting closer to Light as the younger man managed to capture his free hand.
"I expect these gardens will look lovely in the summer," Light sighed, turning to look back over the moonlit grounds, deep shadows falling over most of the garden.
"They do," L commented, "the lake is the best place to go, at the far end where most people don't go is a series of small waterfalls. I used to play there as a child on the odd occasions when I actually moved away from my puzzles."
"You played outdoors?" Light said in wonder.
"Oh yes Light," L laughed, "despite all appearances I do like to go outside, I even played on a swing."
"Surely not," Light whispered as they made their way along the corridors, "you just manifested into existence as a teenager with extreme crime solving abilities to save the world from crime!"
"You make me sound like a second rate superhero," L replied, attempting to sound indignant but failing miserably.
"If I was describing you as a superhero," Light responded smirking, "it wouldn't be second rate, if that was the case I would have been a second rate villain!"
L rolled his eyes at Light's humour, it still surprised him that under that serious exterior this child had been waiting to emerge.
"What do you have planned for the trio tomorrow?" L asked as they arrived back at their apartment.
Rigel immediately ran over and asked for attention, something L was very willing to give; immediately picking up the now quite large kitten and holding him close as he stroked him. Soon the black bundle in his arms was purring loudly.
"Tomorrow?" Light said grinning, "Well I want to see how well E has realised that he shouldn't mess with Mello, so clingy red dresses with matching stiletto shoes and bags."
"If you come out of this week unscathed," L sighed, relaxing back on the sofa so his head ended up in Light's lap, "I will be extremely surprised."
"Yet we know how good I am at surprising you," Light replied quickly, it was always fun to have a verbal match with L. He ran a hand through L's hair and, as usual, was stunned by the lack of any knots in the unruly hair; it always looked as though L never cared for it, but he did!
"Then I hope you surprise me again," L murmured, eyes closing at the touch even as he spoke.
A comfortable silence descended, both just happy to have a moment to themselves for once. It seemed like they had been on the move always doing something since the revelation about Beyond. Despite their worry somehow they couldn't shake off their inability to truly see outside just the two of them. L demonstrated this perfectly in what he said next.
"It is not long until Light's birthday. Is there anything you would want?"
Light ignored the flippant reply of 'L', and the more morbid response of a photograph of B; this left him with silence. There was nothing he felt he wanted that L hadn't already given him; just what did he want?
"I didn't realise this would be such a difficult question for you," L murmured, smiling even while his eyes remained closed, hand still stroking Rigel.
"It's just I can't think of anything," Light replied, "perhaps this is where you should surprise me."
"Oh, it's my turn is it?" L laughed, then his face became suddenly serious once more, "I hope they are alright."
"Of course they are," Light responded, his hand shifting to caress L's cheek for a moment, "this is Mello after all, he might put himself in danger, but he won't do it to others."
"It all depends on whether he stays in control of the situation," L sighed, shifting closer to Light.
…
Mello strode confidently along the private corridor of the nightclub, this wasn't where he had expected to meet the current leader, but it made sense. Why pick a desolate place to meet, you would be noticed then. Pick somewhere much more public and in heavy use and you don't stand out.
He didn't bother to knock on the door he came to, they knew he was coming and in no way was he going to show them any submissiveness. It attained him the reaction he wanted, the occupants in the room beyond jumped and hastened to find their places, all except the guy behind the desk. Mello frowned as he saw there was only one empty chair, Matt and Near would be forced to stand.
"Hello Nicholas. Why is there only one chair?" Mello said softly, his cold stare travelling along the seated goons.
Almost immediately two seats were vacated and brought closer to the other empty chair before the desk behind which Nicholas sat. In Mello's opinion things only went better from there.
Mello received everything he wanted. It seemed the Mafia were becoming annoyed by Beyond's activities anyway, and were extremely pleased to have a name to go with the annoyance. They didn't like how the crime level in a mostly sedate country as the UK was being shifted. They had spent too long stabilising the structure here, to see it shifted because of one insane man; it had taken too long to earn both the police, and L's respect enough to have a blind eye turned to, what was really very low level, crime.
When they learnt that L needed help to capture Beyond they weren't surprised, or lost the smallest amount of respect for the detective. It seemed the mafia already understood the strange methods Beyond was using, it stood to reason L would need strange methods to capture him.
Mello's composure slipped only once, but thankfully no-one else was around to see it. The old mafia boss had waved everyone else out of the room; Matt and Near had been very good then and shifted only when Mello agreed that they should shift.
"This is for you," Nicholas said, taking an ornate wooden box out of the desk and handing it to Mello, "I know they would have wanted you to have it. There never seemed to be a good time until now. Personally I think you'll need it."
Mello opened the box curiously and thumbed through the photographs ontop.
"They are all pictures of your parents," Nicholas murmured, "I have been asking around to find them for you. I thought it was unfair that you didn't have any."
"Thank you," Mello replied, his eyes gazing at the first pictures of his parents he had ever seen, his ever present rosary visible around his mother's neck. He felt his heart clench as he saw this connection. This was a lovely gift he decided. He shifted the photos carefully to one side and the main content of the box was finally revealed to him.
It was a gun.
"You can't be serious," Mello said slowly, "you do know where I live."
"It was your father's," Nicholas replied hastily, "he wanted you to have it when you were old enough. I've talked to some of the contacts I have in the police, it's perfectly legal. Think of yourself as a Private Eye."
"There is no clause like that in British law," Mello commented, picking up the gun and inspecting it.
"They do teach you well at that school don't they," Nicholas said, attempting joviality, he stopped when Mello gave him a cold stare.
In truth Mello loved the gun instantly, he had always had an interest in such things and to hear his father had wanted to have it. It was very difficult for him to say no. It was a Baretta M92F, and seemed in peak condition. Despite the legality he wanted to keep it, he was delighted to see it came with several ammo rounds as well.
Mello started as he saw his father's name inscribed on the handle, this really had been his father's gun. He placed the gun almost reverentially back in the polished wooden box and shoved the photos on top before closing it quickly.
"Thank you," Mello said finally, standing and holding the box close.
"It is an honour, you are so like your father," Nicholas said softly, "there was no way I would not help you. Whatever you need, whatever you want doing, consider it done."
Mello smiled a genuine smile at Nicholas then, he couldn't help it he felt so touched by the gift. Then, at last, he slipped from the room.
