Also, here's chapter three of NS. Ungrateful whelps. Chapter three is where the plot opens, and remember, this story is Death Note, but still AU, so keep an open mind. Everything is explained in chapter four.

This was one of my favourite chapters because of that part Blackie-chan wrote about "unreachable shades of cerulean." Aiiiiie, she's so good. (x'A'x) And for the record, YES, NEAR IS ALBINO IN MY STORIES. I am so sick of flames from the idiots who haven't read that part of my profile. This story involves a mix of canon!Near and Kao!Near, but he's albino either way. Deal.

And the first shreds of MxN appear in this chapter, so ENJOY IT.

Chapter 3 - Trial

The events passed so slowly in the day, the never-ending storm raging on, even as the clock read 11 PM. Mello's mindset shifted to "night mode," and the determined expression on his face as he slunk into the hallways made it obvious. Footsteps echoed down the hallway and the boy pressed to the small inlet, slinking into Near's hallway without trouble. He had done this so many times, it was almost too easy, but Near...

Mello knew where Near's room was, as well as he knew his own. As he quietly opened the door, slipping in like a serpent, the lightning illuminated his form, as much a shadow of the night as the dark of the halls. He wasn't sure if Near was awake. Careful footsteps padded upon the wooden floor as he seemed to glide to Near's bedside.

"Near. Come on..."

Near hadn't been asleep, so much as in a sort of introspective trance...he opened his eyes, keeping them averted from Mello, aware of the small box in his pocket, prodding his thigh. When he sat up, he kept his back turned to the older boy, determined not to make eye contact.

"Yes, Mello. Go on, I'll be there shortly. Will we be bringing anything?"

He only needed ten seconds...surely that wouldn't be a problem...?

"No, just hurry."

Damn it.

"They've doubled the security. And we have to be extremely careful."

Mello watched the small boy carefully, scrutinizing his every movement. He shouldn't make much noise, but even so, Near was a bit of a klutz when it came to physical movement. He paused in silence, obviously listening. He heard footfalls and his eyes widened. Surely they wouldn't check the rooms...he felt his heart pound in his chest and his gaze moved to the door. The footsteps got closer, and then they faded. Mello sighed thankfully.

"Come on..."

Near got up and moved to the door, silent as a beam of moonlight; he opened it and peered out, his eyes keen.

"Coast's clear. Let's just go."

He checked the hallway again before slipping out. When they got to the tower, it'd likely be dark. He wouldn't need to keep his gaze averted unless the moon shone particularly bright. He'd have other opportunities...and he had plenty of experience avoiding unwanted eye contact. Especially with Mello.

Mello took the lead, slinking along the walls, almost invisible in the blackness, practically melting into the wall of shadows. His ears seemed to perk at the sound of footsteps and his eyes widened. Near... Near stuck out in the blackness. They'd be caught!

With lightning speed, Mello grabbed his rival, pinning him into an inlet in the wall, back facing the hallway, covering Near in the black shroud of his clothing. The inlet was ridiculously small, but it was all they had for cover.

He instantly realized how ridiculously close they were, but didn't move. His eyes widened and his breathing was quick as a shadow passed them, not noticing their presence, but stopping for a moment to look out the window. Mello swore in his mind, feeling extremely uncomfortable with the situation.

But Near...oh, Near...

It took every shred of experience with indifference to keep the small boy from at least whimpering at the sudden, unwanted contact. He pressed closer to the wall, away from Mello, closing his eyes tightly and trying to regulate his breathing.. His mind screamed for escape routes and mercy, and his heart throbbed solemnly, the prospect of death running through his veins. He waited, terror stripping his layers and barriers off until he was completely vulnerable, a naked shard of ice illuminated by moonlight...even though...the ice was melting...Mello was so warm...

Mello felt his counterpart's terror, for he was so close, how could he not? The damn chaperone had yet to leave, and Mello was now shaking with the adrenaline rush. For some reason, the fact that Near was actually afraid unnerved him. A sudden movement from the chaperone and he pressed tighter against Near, concealing every ounce of white in pitch black as the woman walked past them yet again, pausing at the corner. What the hell was she doing?!

Mello glanced down at the smaller boy, taking in his terror. Near was afraid of touch, that he knew. He felt guilty, actually GUILTY, of the position they were in, not to mention very awkward...Near swallowed another whimper, though his heartbeat was surely echoing across the hallways...so loud, his ears were liable to BURST at any moment.

He hated himself for showing Mello this weakness, but then, he was a child, still a child, and couldn't he be scared?! Why not?! It was so unfair, and his swallowed silently to rid his throat of the lump that had built there, opening his eyes for only a moment to blink back tears, and then closing them...

But Mello...

Mello, his rival, and yet, the only person he'd ever had any sort of relationship with, any bond with, even a hateful one...Mello...was so warm.

Near raised a trembling hand and grabbed Mello's shirt weakly, balling it into a fist inside of his tiny, white hand, tugging the black fabric away from his shoulder because his hands NEEDED something to do, or he'll surely burst into tears of illogical panic.

Mello stiffened at Near's movements, but didn't fight them, instead biting his lip to hold back anything that threatened to come out. Near. Shoulder. BAD.

Mello couldn't do anything about it. The poor kid was absolutely petrified. This wasn't the indifferent Near Mello knew and absolutely hated. This was a frightened little child, and it was his fault.

Mello carefully leaned into Near, allowing him to cling to the fabric of his shirt but still keep it on his shoulder. He couldn't virtually pin Near down any longer, so his arms drooped slowly until they held his rival tightly against him, drowning white in darkness. It didn't feel weird...well, it did...but it felt right. Besides, it...was all to keep him silent. Him crying would surely alert the teacher. That was it. Mello felt Near's heartbeat through his very skin, and that alone just ignited the urge to protect the little one.

Slowly, so slowly, Near's breathing began to even out. His long sigh came out silent, and he was blind, but grateful, cold, but now so warm, and despite the anxiety of being in such a dangerous predicament, he felt comforted...he nestled closer to Mello, hating the touch and at the same time, hoping it wouldn't go away, and at that notion, his terror grew until silent tears spilled from his secret eyes, still clamped shut; his forehead rested against Mello warm body, his fingers gripping Mello's shirt tightly. He held his breath, because sobbing now would give them away, and oh, THIS was why he had all those barriers up...but they were down now, useless and weak...

His body continued to tremble against Mello's, and his fear would surely kill him...

Mello held Near, bowing his head into the pale victim as the footsteps faded away. Mello's mind processed the fact that the coast was clear, but Near, oh, Near was too shaken. So he stayed like that.

A small whisper choked itself out of Mello's throat and he shifted slightly.

"Near..."

He stared down at the younger boy in silent question. Near was crying. He was crying. Near...Near...crying...

Mello felt totally helpless in the situation, and he did nothing, his own stillness being the most logical option at the moment. Near's grip at Mello's shoulder tightened, and his struggled to get a hold of himself, opening his eyes blearily to stare at the ground. He stopped crying, blinking back the tears lingering in his eyes, and wiped away the streaks they'd left in their wake. His left cuff soaked up the liquid, brushing over the cut in his cheek and reminding him that they had something to do.

He wanted to shove Mello away from him, but at the same time, his right hand clenched ever-tighter around Mello's shirt, his knuckles whiter than white from the effort. Mello backed away slightly, letting Near breathe while allowing him to grip his shirt still. He couldn't deny what just happened, what emotions lurked in his skin just then. His heart still throbbed with the sudden encounter, but Near was obviously worse off.

"Are you alright?"

He didn't hide the tint of...what was it...concern? Nevertheless, it was there. He wondered if Near would meet his eyes, or if he was too ashamed to look.

Near removed his hand, allowing himself a few moments of silence, a few moments for his breathing to even out, his heartbeat to slow to a normal pace. He shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded, gaze lowered.

"Yes, Mello, fine. Thanks. Shall we go on? She...seemed to be wandering. She may come back this way."

He was grateful for Mello's presence just then, and a small smile touched his lips. His skin burned where Mello had pressed into him, but it wasn't a painful feeling...Mello's warmth was different. Mello nodded and motioned for him to follow, easily slinking around the corner and into the final hallway. At the end of it was a door to a seemingly empty room. Mello slipped to the end, carefully opening the door and slinking in.

"Let's go."

He eyed the trapdoor and lock nervously, withdrawing the key from his pocket. Footsteps echoed down the hallway in the distance and Mello's eyes widened, ascending the stairs quickly and shoving the key in, clicking it open and frantically gesturing to Near to hurry as he pushed the door open, revealing a gaping abyss.

Near's eyes were keen, and he shadowed Mello effortlessly, keeping close enough to avoid a close encounter. He wished he had clothing slightly darker, but it was fine with him, sticking close to Mello, as long as they didn't touch again...or no, even if they did, that'd be alright too...

It amused him somewhat that security was so lax during the day, but so strong at night. Really said a lot about the place.

His eyes remained averted.

Mello slipped into the darkness, ears trained on the approaching footsteps, grabbing Near's small arms and pulling him in, replacing the door quietly and panting softly, noting that the space they had ascended to was extremely small. The footsteps faded and Mello was silent a moment, hand brushing a cold surface, a step.

"A staircase..."

Mello groped against the wall, standing with some difficulty, tapping his foot slightly on the step. It wasn't just dark, it was pitch black, like every light had been sucked into oblivion. And worst of all, it was silent. Dead silent.

"It never occured to you to bring a flashlight?" Near grumbled. Even this darkness was too much for him; he couldn't have fixed his eyes if he wanted to. It was cold; he stuck close enough to Mello to be able to feel the older boy's body heat, and smiled, satisfied.

Still, Mello was beginning to unnerve him a little, and his bare feet prodded the stairs cautiously as he ascended. There was no telling what was going on in his head. Near was grateful poor Matt was on a trip.

"Sorry if I was in a HURRY..."

"We had hours to kill before night, Mello, it's no excuse..."

Mello looked into the abyss, continuing to walk up the stairs, feet softly pattering against the stone. As they ascended, a small ball of nervousness began to tighten inside of Mello, squeezing with every step. Slowly, Mello reached towards his shoulder, as if the very action soothed him, which it did not. It was a habitual move every time he would think about. No, Mello. Stop.

"Light..."

It was a flicker of yellow that brought his eyes upon the surroundings. Stone steps and walls, ending in a door. A wooden door. Light flooded under wooden gateway, and Mello glanced at Near, finally able to see the pale flesh, white even in the thick shadow. The temperature changed abruptly from freezing to a comfortable warmth. He hadn't noticed the hand that securely gripped his shoulder, as if he would die without it.

Near turned away from Mello and the light alike, squinting, raising a pale hand to cast his eyes into shadow. He swore internally, words he'd never spoken aloud thundering through his mind. He should have fixed his eyes when he had the chance. There was no excuse. And there was nothing he could do about it now. He glanced at Mello's hand, squeezing his shoulder...what was with that?

"Mello, are you alright?"

Mello didn't reply, staring at the door in a sort of trance. What was behind it? Why was the symbol? And the...something...his eyes flickered and he lowered his hand from the shoulder.

"I'm fine..."

Mello inhaled softly and breathed out slowly, pressing a hand to the door and pushing it open. What met his eyes was a huge room, lit by what seemed like old torches.

"Near. Puzzle."

He walked in, beholding what seemed like the world's largest sliding puzzle. The tiles themselves were three feet by three feet, at the least. It was a white puzzle, an unidentifiable object painted in black upon the tile. Twenty by twenty tiles. Oh god.

And he looked around, no windows, just stone wall.

"It is a trial..."

Near glanced back, eyes unable to widen, and then looked around uneasily, raising a hand to his chest. Something was off about this place. It threw him off balance.

"I've played these kinds of puzzle games before. Most of the time, something happens if you complete it. We have to, then."

Just like a sickening video game...where was Matt when they really needed him?

"Mello...we shouldn't have come."

"NO! I-I mean...let's do it. We've come this far. Let's...try. Someone put these here for a reason. Someone wanted us to find it. Someone...someone...knew something..."

He trailed off, noting something immediately.

"The middle piece is already placed correctly. I think it's stuck. Which means we have to work around it." Mello walked over the tiles, observing the crisp lines of black and white. They were very precise and sharp. "I think it's a saying. Are you going to stand there or help me?"

Near gazed down at the tiles, his eyes tracing the black lines carefully.

"Yes, I'll help...a saying...when we solve this, we might have to solve a riddle to continue. The middle being stuck is unusual."

He began to pace, trying to memorize the patterns and locations of the tiles, his index finger twisting a lock of hair so hard that it hurt him.

"This'd...be easier if we had a bird's-eye view." His gaze flicked to Mello. "And don't think I'm giving you permission to lift me."

"I don't have a way to overview it. The tiles are light and we can't pick them up...and..."

Mello walked over to the wall, pressing a hand against it and looking up at the ceiling, backing up and straining his eyes into the darkness. The ceiling...a four pointed star; a stone carving of the marking...

"Damn. Damn...DAMN! " Mello gripped his shoulder yet again and clenched his eyes shut. "Get a grip, get a grip, calm down..." He took a deep breath, letting his arm fall limp to the side and stared at Near, an expression of arrogant defiance written on his face. "Let's...start now."

A "don't ask" soft of tone edged its way into his voice. Near blinked, gazing down at the tiles. He nudged one with his big toe, and it moved slightly, shoving the rest of the row with it.

"I think this one goes in the corner to your left," Near murmured, his tone apathetic. "The design is sharp. I think it's a capital letter."

He removed the small box in his pocket and placed it on the tile to mark it, and continued moving around the puzzle, clearing a path to fit the proper block into its place. Mello's mental state no longer concerned him to the same extent as it did before; if he wanted to leave Near in the dark, fine, but Near had been humiliated and exposed over the past hour, and he was getting irritated with Mello's own secrecy.

"It's Latin, you can tell. I think this piece is the opposite corner piece."

Mello wasn't sure if he could help other than putting together the picture in his head...

"The first word I think is...nulli." Mello scrutinized the board carefully, determined to be as much a help to the puzzle master as he could be. "This is the piece of the 'u.'"

He placed a foot on the piece and looked to find another one.

"Latin, Latin...the one subject that never interested me in the slightest. Latin...the dead language." Near slid the tile from under Mello's foot, then retrieved his capsule box from the top of his corner tile and fixed it, as well. His keen eyes sought out the curve of the 'U' and he continued to piece it together.

"As such, my worst subject. I guess interest begets intelligence."

It didn't take long for Near to finish, but...the irony of the Latin phrase was sickening. It sparked a flicker of anger in Mello's very blood...

"Nulli Secundus...Second To None..."

As always, Near had completed the puzzle without much of an effort, although Mello was the one scattering around finding the letters. The last piece lay before him, begging to be pushed over, the last half of the 'S.' A sapphire gaze flickered to the albino boy and he pressed his foot against the last tile, slipping it into place. As he did, a loud click echoed through the room and what he once thought was a wall gave a mighty groan, sending tremors through the ground. The far side of the room gave a heaving screech and a tired moan, dust spewing everywhere as it moved aside to reveal a red-carpeted hallway, illuminated with more torches. The tremors sent Mello leaning against the wall for support, and wondering numbly if anyone down in Wammy's heard that. How the HELL could they not? Mello bit his lip, steadying himself and nodding to Near.

Near gazed down the hallway briefly, then down at the words on the ground. His Latin wasn't that bad. He mimicked Mello, biting his lower lip and then glancing up at the golden-haired teenager, concern flickering in his own icy eyes. It was no coincidence...and Near was no idiot...

"Mello, are you sure about this?" he asked again, quietly. He wasn't afraid anymore. If all the tower consisted of were puzzles, he'd be fine, but again, there was something wrong with the scrawled message, oh, yes, there was. He couldn't hold Mello's gaze. He turned away, an idle finger moving to his hair, and stared down the corridor.

"No, I am not. Someone specifically set this up to draw me in. Something just doesn't sit well about this place, but...I have to know what is at the end of this mess."

Mello took a few steps and crossed the threshold, stopping abruptly as something hit his ears. Was that the sound of a flute?

"Near. I hear music."

The statement was brief, and low; a warning tone. He wasn't going to turn back though. Not now. Mello strained his ears to find it was indeed a flute. Near's voice was soft, his tone low.

"I hear it too. Come on."

He sensed Mello's unease, and didn't like it. He didn't understand the logic of PREFERING the arrogant bastard side of him, but then...he shook his head. Near knew the feeling in his chest. He was afraid. He just didn't want to admit it.

He sighed and gently grabbed Mello's hand, squeezing lightly and leading him on.

Mello knew Near's eyes were far better in the dark, so he allowed him to grip his hand, leading him through the carpeted hallway. To be honest, he was afraid of what was at the end of this tower, but not too afraid. He still had his pride, so he let Near's hand drop after awhile, choosing instead to follow his footfalls. Thoughts drifted through his mind, but he paid no heed, peering through the darkness.

"Dead end with a puzzle..."

He was three feet away from a stone wall, on it written obsidian symbols that matched nothing ever recorded in history. They were not any popular language, any dead dialect...

"Hm..." Mello pressed his palm against a symbol, tracing it with his pointer finger. "It says, 'Look to the wall's eyes to find your way.'"

The eyes. The eyes...

"We have to look for the four-pointed stars. Two eyes, two stars. They should be somewhere along the wall. We need to find them, and I'm guessing they're buttons..."

He didn't elaborate how he knew what the foreign symbols meant, and from the way he spoke, he wasn't going to at the moment. Near caught this. He lowered his head and gazed back at the wall, brows furrowed, hair messily shrouding his vision. His fears were only growing worse, and Mello wasn't helping...no one else helped.

Near's eyes sought out the stars Mello spoke of, and he wished, with every aspect of his being, that he had something soft to hug. He felt empty, alone, and terrified, and he hated it.

Something glinted at him beneath a torch, and Near's gaze flicked toward it. Upon closer inspection, it was revealed to be one of the two stars.

"Here's one," Near said calmly. "Stand over here. I think we should probably press them at the same time."

It didn't take long to find the second star, and Near stood, gazing at it. There was something wrong. Something wrong. His heart burned in his chest. "Okay," he said, his voice quiet. "Got it...tell me when."

Mello approached the first mark and nodded in silent agreement. This thing...it wasn't made for just him. It was made for two people.

Someone...knew that Mello would come.

Someone knew he would bring Near.

Someone was fucking with them pretty damn well.

Mello sensed Near's unease, although the albino did one hell of a job hiding it. Still, it was something, and he placed the tip of his finger on the button.

"Hey, Near...?"

Near's finger had mirrored Mello's, and his gaze locked on his rival's face. Terror tore through him like a pair of scissors through a white sheet of tissue paper, but he shook it off. Fear was illogical. He needed his mind, not his emotions.

"Yes, Mello?"

He hoped to GOD this was nearing the end of the puzzles. He prayed that the eye was not an omen, but, as all things go, it most likely was something of the sort, forewarning of things to come.

Mello gazed back at Near, locking his blue eyes with Near's ghostly ones. The blonde had seen them before, but Near's true eyes were almost beyond blue. Lighter than the lightest shade, practically transparent, the albino's eyes were the color of the sky, icy and stormy at times...

It was as if Near's eyes were the most unreachable shade of cerulean...and there was fear in them. Fear, terror, if not for a split second, but it was there. Mello's own eyes glinted at Near's emotions, with a protectiveness muddled in with the fear.

"Absit omen," Mello whispered. "Count. I'm ready."

He wasn't.

Near shivered and broke the gaze, Mello's terror melting his own barriers. For only a moment, Near lowered his hand, his heart fluttering, his eyes wide, and every single thing he feared flashing in his mind.

The barriers went up again. If Mello was insecure, Near had to be the strong one. That...was fine.

"One," and his hand was ready.

"Two," and his fingers were pressed to the eye, lightly.

He glanced at Mello again, his head bowed, his silver bangs casting a shadow over his pale face. His fingers twitched.

"...three."

-

Yes, it's a cliffhanger. You'd think you guys'd know me that well by now. Review to get chapter four faster.

And yes, I am a very arrogant little child. That's why I RP Near. -lips twitch-