Chapter six:
Mello, Near and Matt are just starting to get up for the day when they hear footsteps in their camp. Making all of them freeze before glancing to each other.
Mello turns grabbing onto the knife that they keep for self-defence when at their home. He is ready to help defend the other two as well as their home from this intruder.
"Hello?" Roger's voice calls out actually sounding friendly. "Is anyone here right now? I don't mean you any harm. I just want to talk."
Mello hisses under his breath at hearing this. He is about to go out when Near grabs his shirt so he stops only to glance to him.
Near silently tells Mello through his gaze that maybe they shouldn't respond so the man will go away.
Mello quietly responds in his own gaze that if they leave it then the man might return with others. He thinks that maybe they should get him to leave right now while they have the chance.
Near hesitates before letting go of Mello nodding softly his agreement to this.
Mello turns hiding the knife by putting his hand on his hip. He comes out of their sleeping area causing Roger to turn to him looking surprised to see him. "What is it that you want?" He questions causing Roger recollects himself.
"I wanted to thank you boys for helping Linda when she needed some help. I know that she can be a bit persistent. Though now that she has explained things I understand why she thought she should try to help you."
"Look. That was a one time thing." Mello informs Roger cutting him off from saying anything more. "All we want is peace and to be left alone. We're not some heroes. We try to not put our noses into others fucking business. You've said your thanks so you can leave us alone."
"There has to be more that I can do. I can offer you a place to stay at the orphanage. You saved the life of one of our orphans." Roger begins only to be interrupted by Mello.
"I said that we just want to be left alone. So you should just leave and also make sure that she doesn't come around here also." Mello informs Roger giving him a cold glare to show that he doesn't really care.
Roger seems a little taken aback by how Mello has reacted to all of this. He is about to try to argue this when Mello flashes the knife.
"I don't want to have to do anything." Mello informs Roger. "You seem nice. But I have to defend our home. Leave now." He makes it really clear in his tone that he is giving Roger a chance to leave peacefully before he does anything.
Roger dips his head. "Alright. Though our orphanages doors will always be open to you." He hands Mello a small business card which Mello only takes to get him to leave. "Again thank you very much for helping Linda back there." He turns and leaves their home heading off.
Mello watches him go until he can no longer see the old man. He sighs softly then turns to where Matt and Near are. "You two can come out." He informs them so the two do indeed come out. He tosses the business card aside not caring for it. "We might have to think about moving." He admits to the two of them. "Now that the man has found our place we might just be better off moving so they don't know where we are for sure."
Near looks down which catches Mello and Matt's attention. "I'm sorry. It's my fault that all of this is happening." He looks up when someone wraps him into a hug. He sees Mello who offers him a smile.
"Hey. It's okay. We're not mad at you." Mello tells Near as the two of them gaze into each other's eyes. "Things happen and there was no way you could know that such a thing would happen." He tells the other who gives a smile of appreciation.
Matt makes a sound of agreement to what the blonde has just said.
The two pause when Near turns away letting out a small sneeze.
Near turns back to Mello offering a smile before doing the same to Matt. "I'm okay. It's just a sneeze." He sees that the two are worried.
"Near. Don't forget that out here we need to watch out for anything. Let's try to make sure that you aren't coming down with something before we brush it aside." Mello reminds the other who nods his head in understanding. He gets Near back into their sleeping area where he begins the examination.
Matt calls that he'll start some food for all of them which he can be heard doing so letting Mello take care of their other member.
Near notices Mello slightly frown with a hand on his forehead. He is smart enough to know what that looks mean when the blonde's hand is where it is. "I'm coming down with something." He sighs softly figuring of course he is.
"Well possibly. Your temperature is a little higher than it usually is." Mello informs him before gently encouraging him to lay down. "You should get as much rest as you can."
"But we have to move the camp so the man doesn't come back." Near points only for Mello to shush him.
"We can worry about that later when we are sure that you are doing better. Right now you need to focus on not getting super sick." Mello lays down with him letting the red head do all the work on getting some food ready. "We're going to be here with you through this." He makes sure that Near is tucked in nicely with one of the few blankets that they have.
"Okay." Near agrees which does seem to make Mello pleased to hear this. "Oh. And Mello?"
"Yeah Near?"
"You mean a lot to me." Near informs Mello. "Matt too, but you mean a lot to me."
Mello smiles and leans down to nuzzle Near getting a small giggle from him. "You mean a lot to me too Near."
"Finally!" Matt calls startling the two who turn to look to him. "Bout time you two admitted there was more feelings between the two of you than just what we all share as a unit." He grins at them to which Mello slightly rolls his eyes and Near chuckles.
The happy mood is interrupted as Near lets out another sneeze bringing attention back to him specifically.
"Get some rest." Mello adds his own blanket wanting to make sure that Near is extra warm. He sees Near nod softly then close his eyes to try to get some more rest. He shares a worried look with the red head of their group as both of them hope that this isn't anything serious.
