Chapter twenty three:
Mello weakly struggles as he continues to be dragged away. "No!" His hoarse voice from screaming so much. "No! We have to go back for him!" His tears are still heavily flowing and finally he slumps now exhausted from his struggles but his crying is still heavy. "We can't leave him..." He sobs.
They make it to a very small cave that is more like just a space that seems like a cave but leads nowhere.
Matt and Allen let go of Mello who falls to his hands and knees sobbing.
Though Mello seems to be the most affected the others are still having their own feelings of loss.
Allen ushers Igneous and Kaori towards the back of the cave like place as Mello and Matt sit closer to the entrance. "Let's them be at the moment." He tells the two he ushered back. "Give them a little space for right now."
"Wha-What will happen to him?" Igneous asks.
Allen hesitates. He doesn't want tell them since they are so young so it could scar them probably worse than already since the beasts are like monsters from a horror movie. He turns away remaining silent.
Kaori moves over and hugs Igneous.
Mello is sitting by a wall with his knees up as he sobs crying into his arms places over his knees.
Matt is sitting a little ways apart from the blonde as tears also stream down his face. His eye are cast downward to the ground.
"It's all my fault." Mellos hoarse voice suddenly speaks as he slightly raises his head but his face is still cast downwards. "If I hadn't gotten caught on the gate then... Then..." He shuts his eyes tightly. "The Near would still be here!" His face falls back into his arms sobbing again. His tears are not heavy as before and he'll probably be dehydrated soon.
"Mello." Matt begins and looks to the blonde. He sniffles but before he can speak Mellos head whips up to look to him with a glare... A glare that seems to have lost its real life it used to hold... Now it seems like it's empty with sadness and a little anger but it just seems so lifeless especially if you've been glared at by Mello before.
"It's my fault!" Mello slightly snaps at Matt. "It's my fault and you know it!"
"Mello. Please. I'm sure-" Matt tries again as his tears eyes watch Mello. He is interrupted though.
"No!" Mello suddenly gets up and heads towards outside.
Matt scrambles to his feet. "Mello! Wait! Stop!" He rushes over around Mello to face him putting his hands on the blondes shoulders causing the blonde to stop. He stares at Mello as best he can through his tears eyes. "Mello." He says sadly and sympathetically as he lowers one hand to his side.
Mello suddenly uses one of his arms to knock Matts other hand off of his shoulder. His eyes cast downward covered by shadows cast from his bangs. "Leave me alone." He says and slightly pushes past Matt heading outside.
Matt turns and tearfully watches his friend go outside. He wants to follow but he knows better than to just follow Mello all the time. He knows Mello needs a moment. He turns away and sits on the ground again.
A little later Allen is trying to keep the younger two busy since there is little doubt that they all won't be getting a good amount of sleep tonight when it rolls around.
Matt gets up and heads over to the way outside. His eyes bone dry of tears because he cried so much. He peers out glancing to look for Mello. He sees the blonde sitting just a little off to the side on a rock.
Mello has his elbows on the upper part of his knees, hands linked in a position almost as if he just pretty much let them flop down. His head is down and all Matt can see of the blondes face is that of Mellos frown well the half he can see from looking on the side; especially since Mello has shadows from his bangs covering his eyes.
"Mello?" Matt speaks and steps outside putting a hand on the wall on the area that is the turn between the cave like place and the outside wall.
Mello doesn't answer but slightly turns his head away from Matt.
Matt is about to take another step closer.
"Go away Matt." Mellos lifeless and quite defeated voice says.
"Mello. Look." Matt says but Mello slightly turns away again to show he isn't interested. The red head sighs and looks down. "You think you're the only one that's suffering because of this?" He spares a final glance to the blonde then turns away looking down as he goes back into the cave.
Mello turns his head to watch Matt leave. He waits a few moments after Matt leaves his sights then he gets to his feet walking over to the entrance. He peers inside and sees Matt finding a spot to sit with his head down as well as that Allen is trying to get the younger twos minds off the situation.
But everyone can feel it... This heavy weight of sadness hanging over them like a storm waiting to pounce to play with it's new toys.
Mello watches them for a few moments then as thunder rumbles he turns away turning to the approaching storm. He stares at them for a bit then he goes back to sitting on the rock like he was doing before.
The storm quickly approaches and soon the rain begins following the thunder and lightning.
Mello doesn't move as he is rained on but before he gets too wet he gets up moving to into the cave like place to stay dry. He sits down as close as he can to the entrance without getting more wet.
The thunder and lightning may still be there but to Mello it all has disappeared as far as he is concerned.
Allen managed to get the two younger ones to sleep at least go into a light kind of sleep.
Matt gets up and goes over to Mello. He sits next to the blonde. "How are you doing?" He asks.
Mello ever since he went back to sitting on the rock again hasn't let his eyes come out of the darkness cast by his bangs, not even now. "How do you think?" He asks with a depressed sigh following how words.
"I know it's hard." Matt says. "But Near wouldn't have wanted-"
Mello clenches his teeth. "Forget it Matt. It's all my fault this happened." He almost snaps at the red head while still keeping his eyes under the shadows cast from his bangs.
"Please just listen to me." Matt says as the blonde goes silent. "It wasn't your fault. You did all you could. It was just bad luck. Near knows that and he would want you to continue fighting."
Mellos head slightly lowers a little more.
"Mello." Matt reaches over to grip the blondes chin but said blonde slaps his hand away. He gives a determined look and grabs Mellos one hand then uses his own other hand to grip Mellos chin enough to allow him to get the blonde to look at him. His heart sinks, even further than it is already from what happened to Near, when he looks into Mellos eyes.
Mello's eyes are dull, lifeless looking and depressed... It's like he lost all of his fight. He blames himself for it all and it'll be difficult to talk him out of it.
Allen comes over as Mello rips himself out of Matts grip turning away again like before. "Matt." He says the others name a little quietly.
Matt turns to Allen who gestures for the red head to come with him.
"We should make sure we have water." Allen says.
Matt can tell that there is more than what Allen is saying. "Yes." He agrees getting up. He glances to Mello worriedly then he goes with Allen.
The two take all the water containers that need more water and head to go put them out to collect rain water.
As they are putting the containers out Allen speaks only loud enough for Matt to hear.
"You know I've been thinking." Allen says. "I wanted to talk to you before I said anything but I think it's possible Near is still alive."
Matt pauses and turns to Allen. "No. The beasts would have killed or turned him the first chance the got. It's who they are." He says as he turns away to continue what he was doing.
"And what about darker Near?" Allen questions pausing in His work turning to the red head. "Don't you think it's possible that he needs Near for something?" He asks.
Matt pauses just as he let go of the final container he needs to put out. He turns to Allen looking right at the other who is staring back.
The silence looms heavily over them until Matt speaks.
"It's possible." He agrees.
They finish what they were doing then head back into the cave.
Mello doesn't seem to have noticed that they did anything at all.
Matt glances to Allen who nods in Mellos direction.
Allen moves over closer to Kaori and Igneous trusting Matt to be able to do it.
Matt turns to Mello and goes over to the blonde. "Mello."
Mello doesn't even look to Matt like he hasn't noticed the others presence.
Matt sighs softly. "You know what. You should get some rest." He gently guides Mello to his feet.
The blonde follows like a puppet would to its master as Matt gets him to a more comfortable spot in which he gets the blonde to lay down in.
"I'll tell you in the morning." Matt says mostly to himself as Mello still doesn't respond. The red head shares a worried look with Allen.
Mello ends up passing out rather than falling asleep.
Matt is sitting by the wall with his knees up that have his arms around his knees as he watches the blonde for a few minutes only to sigh closing his eyes and tilting his head downwards.
Allen is laying down on his side between Mello and the younger two watching Matt as he uses one of his own arms as a pillow. "I'm sure by morning it'll be alright." He says to the red head.
"Maybe." Matt sighs then opens his eyes half way. "I really hope that we are right and that Near really is alive." He adds.
Allen sits up slightly. "Well darker Near most likely has a plan to use him. If we can find out where the beasts and darker Near is holding Near as quick as possible we have a better chance of finding him alive."
Matts eyes flicker to Allen as he speaks then he glances away again to a spot between Mello and the entrance to the outside. "Yeah." He says then his eyes lift to the entrance. "The containers should be filled. I'll got get them." He gets up and heads over to where they have the containers. "It's ok. I'll watch tonight." He adds.
"Are you sure?" Allen asks. "I mean. I could stay up if you just wanted some time."
Matt glances back to Allen. "I won't be able to sleep, Mellos lucky he passed out, and besides I'll keep my eyes open as well as that it'll give me some time."
Allen is about to speak again in protest but Matt gives a slightly small assuring smile and tells him to not worry about it. "Ok. But if you feel like you can't do then wake me." He says as he settles down as Matt puts the containers away.
"Will do." Matt nods then finds a place to sit to be on watch.
Mellos P.O.V.
Near fills all of my senses as, when and how I managed to pass out I have no idea, I find myself in the world of unconsciousness.
Then I smell something... Food?
It's a little different than when Near cooks but... Could it be?
I begin to awaken and as my eyes scrunch up then blink open to half way I see the cooking stand cooking something. I push myself up so fast I almost faint.
Near!? Was it all a dream? Where is he? Is he the one cooking?
I look around trying to locate him.
AN:
Once again a chapter written on my phone.
Mistakes I tried to catch and I think I caught at least the majority.
Hope you enjoyed anyways.
Reviews are awesome and flamers will be used to make cake.
Mello.