"I can't believe Near found the most eggs! He doesn't even seem to care and hardly bothered looking!" Mello bit the head off a chocolate rabbit viciously and glared at Near, who was now putting a puzzle together like always, not seeming to notice anyone else, his Easter basket lying forgotten beside him.
"It doesn't really matter, does it? Not like we get graded on it or anything." Matt was sprawled out next to Mello, eating the jelly beans he had traded him his chocolate for. It was the same complaint, every year, and he wished Mello would let it go. No one else thought anything of it.
"You don't really think that, do you? Everything here is a test, Matt." Mello gazed off at L, who was actually here this year, eating candy and wearing a ridiculous pair of bunny ears. But then he was L; he could get away with things like that and no one thought anything of it or respected him any less. One day, Mello vowed to himself, he would be respected enough that he could wear whatever he liked, too.
"At least they don't let L hide the eggs anymore," Matt said with a grin and was pleased when Mello laughed, although his expression became serious again nearly right away. The one year they had, some had gone unfound until they started to smell. Roger hid them after that and if his were too easy to find, well, they all remembered the horrendous reek and how long it had taken to figure out where it was coming from.
Matt watched Mello stare at L moodily and gave a mental sigh. His eyes wandered the room, searching for some way to divert his attention. A pouty Mello was no fun and he was bored.
It was because he was looking that he noticed and because he wasn't thinking that he said something about it. "I wonder why Near is looking over here," he mused. Almost immediately, he realized what he had said and wished he could take it back.
"What?" Mello looked, saw that it was true, and jumped to his feet, heading in Near's direction. Matt stayed where he was and just watched; no point in intervening. Sometimes he got the impression that Near was lonely and would have liked to be Mello's friend, but he knew better than to say it. Besides, he supposed he was the one who really benefited from Mello's resentment. Given how much he was already obsessed with Near, if he actually got over his anger and befriended him, he'd probably never notice Matt again. As he wasn't looking to lose his best friend, it was probably for the best that things stayed as they were, even if it meant he had to listen to an awful lot of anti-Near ranting.
"Why are you staring at me, freak?" Mello demanded, furious at the calm in Near's pale gray eyes. The other kids heard the anger, saw who it was, and kept their distance. None of them wanted to get between Mello and Near when they were arguing.
Near broke off the ears of the large hollow chocolate bunny he had gotten for finding the most eggs and held them out to Mello. "Would you like some?"
Mello reached for it instinctively, then snatched his hand back. "I don't need your charity!"
"It's not charity. I just thought you'd like it."
Mello opened his mouth to reply, then his eyes went to L, watching them with evident interest. He swallowed and looked back at Near; studied his expression in silence. He looked sincere, maybe even slightly hurt. Perhaps it really wasn't intended as an insult. He reached out again, taking the chocolate this time. "Thanks," he muttered awkwardly.
He stood there a moment in silence, looking down at Near. Mello could feel others watching and it made him nervous. He had no idea how he was supposed to respond and he hated feeling this self-conscious. His eyes drifted back to his own candy and he felt inspiration. He went back and scooped up a package, only to return and offer it to Near. "Here."
Near eyed the white rabbit-shaped Peeps curiously before looking up at Mello. "You don't need to give me anything in return."
"Take them." He grabbed Near's hand and shoved the candy into it quickly, before he could change his mind. "They... made me think of you, so I thought..." He shifted from foot to foot nervously before turning to flee back to Matt and the safety of someone he understood, who never made him feel threatened or resentful. But not before he heard Near's soft reply.
"I see. Thank you."
Mello dropped on the floor next to Matt, feeling oddly breathless. What had that been about anyway, he wondered, as he ate the chocolate Near had given him absently.
"What was that about?" Matt said, echoing his thoughts.
Mello shrugged and gave him a grin that he hoped appeared unconcerned. "I have no idea. But hey, extra chocolate."
Matt watched him for a moment and Mello suspected he saw right through his pretense of not caring. But he didn't say anything about it directly and finally just punched him lightly on the shoulder. "I can't believe you gave him your Peeps."