A/N: See, here's the thing. I've been reading a lot of badfic lately and I am under the impression that it has tainted me. I was afraid to write this chapter. DX Oh, whatever shall I do?

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Azure Paler than the Sky.

twelve.

A week later, two days before L's birthday, Matsuda was on his knees in Matt and Mello's apartment. With Matt's hands clasped firmly in his, Matsuda looked up into the teen's bright green eyes and cried, "Please, Matt, you just gotta do it!"

"Listen, Matsuda…" Matt sighed, glancing over Matsuda's head at Mello who sat over on the bed, arms folded and legs crossed. The blond looked away, shrugging, apparently not caring one way or the other. Matt looked back down. "I dunno, man, that's kinda a big favor and I don't want anything to happen."

"I'll be careful! I'll be careful as if I were holding a dandelion, okay?" Matsuda's eyes grew bigger.

There was a pause between the two where their eyes locked for close to three minutes. Finally, Matt leant back into the couch cushions and nodded as if he had been defeated. Matsuda stood up, releasing Matt's hands and danced around the room, annoying Mello as he continued to angst in the corner. Matt watched him out of the corner of his eye, a small smile tugging at his lips. Something that only a few people knew about Matt is that he cannot stand to disappoint the mentally retarded. In essence, Matsuda was like his kryptonite.

When Matt looked up again, he noticed that Matsuda had flipped and flopped over to the door, his hand on the knob. As he threw the door open, he turned around with a large smile to Matt and shouted, "I'll take good care of it, Matt, all right? You can count on me!"

Matt nodded. "Sure thing, buddy."

Matsuda paused and looked back at Matt, his expression blank. "M-Matt…?"

"Yeah?"

"Um… you just…" He looked down briefly and then back over towards the couch. "Did you… you really mean that we're buddies? I mean, like, you know… friends?"

Matt blinked at him, lifting his goggles. "Uh. Yeah, man. S'that cool?"

Matt shook his head and laughed. "It's wonderful! I'm so happy! I'll see you later, all right? Bye!"

With that, the door closed.

Matt tilted his head at the door and smirked a bit, tugging at his goggle strap. After a moment, he caught Mello's glance out of the corner of his eye and looked over where Mello was frowning at him.

"What's wrong, Mel?"

"You know you let a fool run off with your car, right?"

"…"

-

All week long, Matsuda had been recovering from his public-announcement embarrassment on Matt's noon-hour radio show. He hadn't come out of his room all Saturday and skipped every class, too horrified that he might see Raito and that the brunet might've been tuned in that day. And what were the odds that he hadn't heard? It was his ex - who was still his dear friend - doing a broadcast. And even on the off-chance he had been doing something else, the giant whirlpool that was student gossip would eventually suck him in.

But Matsuda couldn't stay in his room forever. He had to go to class sometime or else fail everything. And, still, he wanted to see Raito. He worried over just what kind of horrible things Mikami would try to pull in Matsuda's absence. Maybe Raito wasn't a virgin. It was a bit of a shock but that didn't lessen Raito's value in Matsuda's eyes at all. To Matsuda, Raito was still that perfect professor who was always so kind and understanding with him.

It's not like it was too surprising anyway. A beautiful man like that in his mid-twenties who had spent his college years at a place like Irai? He was bound to attract tons of attention and, naturally, he was bound to have a perfectly healthy sex drive…

But Matsuda couldn't think any further than that or he'd be a bit dysfunctional for a while; clamming up and turning red, perhaps giggling and staring off into space for a while as the world spun around him.

On Sunday when he was able to pry himself from the safety of his dorm room, he could already tell it was going to be a crappy week. As he walked down the halls in the sculpture building, people looked at him from over their shoulders and tee-heed at him, causing him to turn away in shame. But it was puzzling to some degree - usually no one paid him any mind whatsoever, but as soon as he's mentioned on Matt's radio show like that, everyone seems to know just who to jeer at.

It was around ten that morning when he was down the hall from Mikami's class. He was sure Raito was in there already and as he lingered a ways away, deciding if he should skip one more day or not, a couple walked past him and the young man's elbow knocked right into Matsuda's arm. His books went scattering to the floor and Matsuda dipped down after them.

"Hey, watch were you're going, idiot. Hey, you look familiar... do I know you?" the young man asked, looking down as Matsuda gathered his books.

Matsuda heard him but barely and glanced at him. "Oh, uh… no, I don't think so…" He straightened up once everything was collected and smiled at the man. "Sorry about all that. I'm so clumsy, plus, I think I have pretty big elbows-"

The blond girl looked over at him, frowning. "What's the holdup?"

"Oh, hey, I know him," he exclaimed, ignoring his girlfriend. "Yeah, you're that guy from Matt's show. That queer that's crushing on Raito."

Matsuda gasped lightly and blushed. "I-I don't like him! I… we're friends!"

"Don't like him? Then why are you blushing?" He smirked a little and tore his arm away from his pouting girlfriend's grasp. He backed Matsuda into the wall and said, "I heard that you like him. That you want to screw him."

Matsuda turned his head away. "I… no, that's not true. I would never want to do that to-"

"Yeah, sure. I bet you're just saying that. I bet you only act like a clueless idiot, too. It really pisses me off!"

"Clueless idiot?" he muttered, eyes watering.

"Yeah, that's what I said. Clueless idiot. Unless you're mentally challenged or something."

"Randy, that's enough!" called the girl behind him, tugging on his shirt sleeve.

"Yes, that is enough."

Matsuda blinked when a deeper voice intervened and as he looked up, he recognized the long black hair and the glare of the glasses. Matsuda blushed when Mikami frowned at the young man and sent him on his way down the hall, admonishing him for harassing a weaker student, which Matsuda didn't take much note of. He blinked when Mikami turned around towards him and pointed down the hallway one eyebrow raised.

"Well? You're already late, Matsuda."

He blinked and nodded, hugging his books to his chest as he walked down the hallway. He avoided passing students' glances and kept his eyes on the ground thoughtfully. Professor Mikami… he saved me… And here I thought he would love to see me in that position… Maybe I was wrong about him. And if I was wrong about him, then… could Raito really be okay… with him?

When Matsuda looked up again, he was in the classroom and found Raito sitting in his normal seat. The brunet looked over lazily, his chin in the palm of his hand and when his gaze fell on Matsuda, he turned away quickly.

Matsuda sighed. He'd heard, of course.

Just as he started to walk over to his seat beside Raito, Mikami put his hand down on the younger man's shoulder. Matsuda looked back at him, surprised. "Y-Yes?"

"Matsuda, you skipped class yesterday and were loitering outside the classroom today."

"I-I wasn't loitering! You saw me, that guy-"

"What about yesterday?"

Matsuda blinked and then faked a cough into his hand. "I was sick…"

Mikami looked at him skeptically. "You will sit at the front of the class today." He walked around his desk much to Matsuda's confusion and emerged with a long white, ribbon with some red writing on it. Mikami walked over towards his student and, before Matsuda could scatter, he tied the ribbon tightly around his head. Written boldly on it was, "Dunce."

Everyone in the class laughed, save for Raito, who still refused to look at him and instead turned to face out of the window.

Matsuda was beet-red. He turned away from the class and sat on an old stool by the blackboard. It creaked under his weight and Matsuda looked down at it, tilting his head like a curious kitten. When he determined it wouldn't fall, he settled himself and then toppled into a heap, the stool collapsing beneath him.

Everyone roared with laughter once again, or so Matsuda heard, buried under the wood. He'd hit his head pretty badly on the floor and when he sat up, he felt someone grab his arm.

"Matsuda, are you all right?"

Matsuda blinked. Just who was it concerned about him? He lifted his head and opened his bleary eyes, a vision of Raito appearing before him. Raito knelt at his side and pulled him up, dusting off his sweater. Matsuda was pulled to his feet and smiled at Raito then, coughing from the dust floating about.

"I-I'm okay…" He looked a mess, hair wild and dirt all over his face and clothes, his sleeves ripped. Raito gave him a sort of lopsided smile, one eyebrow raised. Matsuda rubbed the sore part of his head. "Hey… um, Raito, I…"

"What?"

"… Would you-"

"Raito, please take a seat," Mikami said, coming up behind them. He placed a hand on Raito's shoulder, turning him away from Matsuda. "There's broken wood over here, I don't want you to get hurt."

"Oh… you're right."

Matsuda watched, heartbroken as Raito was shown back to his seat and he and Mikami held a quiet conversation there with Mikami leaning far into Raito's personal bubble. The rest of the class had gone back to their previous activities and Matsuda frowned, frustration building up inside of him. He finally cried out, "Hey! Where am I supposed to sit now, huh?"

Mikami whipped his head around at him, glasses glinting in the florescent light. "Sit somewhere in the corner."

"I can't sit there!"

He rolled his eyes. "Sit at my desk then. Just stop making a racket, students are trying to work."

"I'm a student too!"

"Do you want to stay after class?"

Matsuda frowned deeply and walked over to the large desk, plopping down in the leather swivel chair. He pouted, placing his chin in his palm and looked over at Mikami. Mikami seemed satisfied and turned back to Raito. Matsuda pursed his lips. Honestly, he thought, how is Raito supposed to get any work done with that guy breathing down his neck? I mean, not that Raito needs to prove himself to the likes of Mikami but… Everyone else gets to be undisturbed. He's… ah… what the?

Matsuda perked up and leaned over to try and catch a glimpse at what Mikami was doing. While everyone else was turned to their midterm projects, Raito was still sitting at his desk with his hand in Mikami's. The professor brought it up to his mouth and ran his lips over the smooth skin tenderly before firmly placing a kiss on each of his fingertips. Raito sighed, watching Mikami's movements like he was seeing fireworks at the end of a summer festival.

WHAT? But… but, Raito! Raito, I was… I was supposed to protect you…

When class was over and everyone including Raito had gathered their belongings, Mikami finally directed some attention towards Matsuda sitting at his desk. "You may go, Matsuda. I won't make you stay after because I have another class but do not be late again, understand?"

Matsuda stood up and faced forward, scowling and sticking out his tongue as Mikami bent over the desk. He walked out of the classroom, his books held loosely in his hands. How could he had even skipped one day of being with Raito just for the cause of embarrassment? It seemed unbelievably selfish. And now… now it was too late.

Mikami had won.

"Matsuda? Hey, Matsuda?"

He looked up, startled by the voice and noticed Raito walking beside him. "Oh, Raito… hello."

"Are you all right? Kind of a nasty fall in there, huh?" he asked, scanning Matsuda's body for any break of skin.

"Oh… no, I'm all right," Matsuda sighed and turned back to the floor where he felt his gaze belonged. Raito didn't say anything else but continued to walk beside him. Matsuda wondered just where they were going because, really, he hadn't noticed the turn they took out into the courtyard. When the brisk air hit them, Matsuda shivered a little and clutched his items to his chest.

Raito glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and then looked up ahead. "So, you weren't in class yesterday."

Matsuda coughed half-heartedly. "I was sick."

"Oh, please. You don't have to lie to me, Matsuda, and you don't have to be shy around me. I know how Matt is, I know he… embellishes things," Raito sighed and rolled his eyes.

Matsuda turned away, his cheeks pink from not just the cold.

Raito frowned. "Okay, all right. I won't talk about it."

"Is… is there something going on with you and Professor Mikami?" Matsuda asked suddenly, looking up at Raito. The two of them stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and Raito was startled to see that Matsuda was almost in tears, his lips placed firmly in a pout.

"Um… well, I mean, he's a nice person, Matsuda. I know you don't like him, but… here…" Raito leaned in and Matsuda's breath hitched when the brunet's hand cupped his cheek. His hand wandered into the younger man's hair and just as Matsuda decidedly closed his eyes and leant in as well, he heard something unwind and felt cold on his forehead. Raito backed up and held the ribbon that Matsuda had forgotten was tied to him.

Matsuda gaped.

"Now," Raito said, dropping the ribbon, "please don't be upset, Matsuda."

"… I-I'm not upset… I'm just worried about you, Raito!"

"Why?" he laughed. "I'm grown, I can take care of myself."

"He's too old," Matsuda stressed.

"He's a year older than me." Raito placed a hand on Matsuda's shoulder. "Really, you're still very young."

Matsuda sighed, glancing away. He was silent for a moment and Raito's hand was taken off of his shoulder. The brunet began to walk away but just as he took the fifth step, Matsuda called out, "Go out with me!"

Raito blinked and turned around.

"Please? Just once. I won't ask again."

"Mat-"

"I'll pay for everything! We'll go off campus! Okay? Please, just give me a chance?"

More silence. Raito's shoulders sagged and he placed one hand on his forehead. "I can't believe this…"

Matsuda squealed. "Does that mean yes?"

"Only if you never do that again."

"Rodger that! Okay, how about Wednesday?" That'll give me a chance to borrow a car from someone… oh, jeepers, I hope I remember how to drive…

Raito nodded. "All right, whatever you want." No one better accuse me of being uncharitable again…

"I'm so excited," Matsuda sang aloud, gaining the attention of just about everyone in the courtyard. Raito turned away in shame.

-

For the past few days, Near had rarely gone out. He only attended classes, traveling to them with that damned blanket over his head so that Mello couldn't recognize him. However, in the back of his mind, he was quite sure that there weren't many five foot tall students who ran around with blankets on their heads.

He hadn't spoken to Mello in quite a while and ignored him when he would beat on Near's door in attempt to get him to open up. Near stayed holed up inside and usually put stuffed animals up to his ears in order to keep Mello's sounds out. He didn't think it was his obligation to tell the blond what was wrong - he knew. And Near knew he did. What was worse is that when Mello would demand entry and to be able to talk, he never once said sorry.

Matt tried the same approach, save shouting. One time when Near went out in his blanket to class, Matt was waiting outside behind his door. When Near was out in the hallway, Matt pounced from behind him and kidnapped the little bugger, ignoring his mewls and protests and walked with him back into Near's dorm room, closing the door behind them. When he set Near down, the boy looked as close to furious as a little sheep could get.

"Matt," he chided, holding his blanket close. "What in the world was that for?"

"Near, I thought you said you would talk to Mello!"

"That was before."

"Before what? What happened? Tell me so I can fix it, all right?" Matt pleaded.

Near turned away. "You can't fix everything… Mello's just being… He…"

Matt sighed and leaned back on the door, crossing his arms. "Hey, we can be here all day."

"Matt, I have to go to class," he huffed.

"I know Mel was drunk, okay, and he can… say things he doesn't mean when he gets like that," Matt explained, ignoring Near. "Now, come on, what'd he say? You can tell me, can't you?"

"…"

"We're friends, right?"

Near glanced up at him shrewdly. He was a little surprised to see that Matt had taken down his goggles and hung them around his neck. Near sighed, looking away - he hated looking into Matt's eyes. They always made him want to spill everything. He said, "Mello told Raito… he told him that I… I…"

"You, you?"

"That I… curl my toes when I…" Near swallowed and noticed Matt didn't understand. Near made hand motions.

Matt blinked. "Oh… oh! Aw, come on, Near, that's not a big deal! We all have our little quirks. That's fucking adorable though."

"Matt!"

Matt laughed and couldn't resist giving him a hug. Near let himself be held but was too upset at being kidnapped to do much hugging back. After that, Matt decided not to try and push Near and Mello anymore. Near was right, he guessed, he couldn't fix everything and when he tried, he seemed to only make everything ten times worse. He let Near toddle off to class and went back to his dorm only to give Mello disapproving looks. Since they'd had a fight, Mello had been skipping all of L's classes.

He didn't want to have a run in with Near if the boy was still sore at him. And for some reason, it was too much for Mello to apologize for something that wasn't even his fault. Okay, maybe the thing with Raito was his fault… but Near wouldn't listen to him anyway.

So Mello had a lot of time on his hands. But he didn't really like it. It was boring lounging around the dorm all day, just leaving for classes. Mello wasn't one for cold air so he avoided using the outside hallways as much as possible, subconsciously avoiding taking out his leather winter coat. Matt always said the fur on the hood made him look like an expensive hooker.

On Monday when Matt was coming back from his advanced photography class, he was holding his camera with pride. He'd just gotten high praise from his professor for a series of shots he had taken of the school's restrooms and their occupants. Matt had been trying to capture the 'real life' of a person lately - not just the pretty parts like them dancing out in whirling multi-colored leaves, but things that weren't so pretty.

He walked down the hallway, eager to show Mello his pictures, and threw open the door.

"Hey, Mel - Whoa!"

"Matt, what the fuck!"

Matt laughed and turned around as Mello fumbled his pants back up to his waist, flushing a bit and his hair damp with sweat. Matt shut the door and walked over to the couch, jumping down and placing his crossed arms behind his head. Mello glared daggers at him when his pants were successfully zipped up.

"You asshole, can't you knock?" Mello grumbled.

"Dude, you were jacking off in the front room, what in hell do you want me to do? Hey, come here, check out these pictures! I got chicks on the toilet!"

"…"

Ring ring ring.

Mello groaned and leaned over to the ringing telephone, taking the receiver off of the hook. "Hello? … L! What're you - Hey, how dare you! … WHAT? You can't say that to a student! … Fuck that, man, I - Aw, fuck you! … Fine. Fine. Love you too, bitch."

Mello slammed the phone down and jumped out of bed, heading for the door.

Matt blinked. "What's that about?"

"I have to go to fucking class," Mello moaned, opening the door and then slamming it behind him.

Matt frowned. "But what about the chicks on the toilet…?"

-

"All right, you, I'm here! Are you gonna stop-"

Mello stopped short when he entered the classroom, expecting to see all his fellow students being ignored by their professor. When he saw that the class was empty save for L and Near, he glared at the teacher's back.

"L, you ass! You tricked me!"

"I sent the rest of the class away, Mello," L droned, turning around with a lollypop hanging from his lips. "There is a more important problem that needs to be taken care of and I am here to resolve it. I cannot have you two at war because my art is going to suffer from it."

"What the fuck do you care about our problems?" Mello asked, frowning. "You've got your model."

"Really, L," said Near, "sending the class away like that… they do pay to take your class."

"I receive money whether they're sent away or not."

Near sighed.

L directed his attention towards the boys. "Now, Mello, please apologize to Near. Near, please apologize to Mello."

"…"

"…"

L shook his head. "This is ridiculous."

"It is ridiculous," Mello stressed. "Even if I apologize to him, he won't listen. He's been avoiding me like the plague!"

Near snorted delicately. "Who is the one who doesn't go to class or night sessions?"

"What's the point in going if you're just going to ignore me? You may be seventeen, Near, but you get upset over the stupidest things. Who the fuck cares if I kissed Matt four years ago, we don't do shit now!"

"I suppose it's childish to also be upset when you say awful things behind my back."

"What awful things?"

L raised an eyebrow. "Yes, what awful things?"

"Stay out of this, L!" Mello shouted.

L shrugged. "Inquiring minds want to know."

"Well, first of all, you called me a bitch. Second… what you told Raito," Near mumbled, avoiding L's piercing gaze. "What you said about me… my, um…"

"Oh. Fucking hell, Near, what's that to be ashamed of?"

"What are we talking about?" L asked.

"Near's toes curl when he comes."

Near went completely pink and turned his eyes rigidly to L who was choking on his lollypop, trying to hide a snort of laughter. He quickly composed himself and ignored the glares he received from Mello. Near turned away from him and was promptly turned back around by L's hand on his shoulder.

"For once, Near, Mello is right. That's nothing to be ashamed of."

"You say that because it's not you we're talking about. I wish to go back to my room now."

"No one is going anywhere," L announced. "We have the rest of the day to make up on lost work. Mello, you're behind in your assignments as well and will be making them up lest you want to get an F for the semester."

"You're fucking kidding."

"I assure you that I'm not."

Near sighed, averting his eyes.

-

"It's Matt with the Irai noon-hour radio show! This is the first time I'm fully dressed in broadcast because today we have a respectable guest! Everyone welcome Dean Wammy for his first time on the show!"

"Ahem. Yes, hello, everyone. Matt, happy to see you dressed."

"Thanks! Dean Wammy has been in charge of Irai for the past thirty years and is one of the founding fathers of the school. He's also graduated here at the top of his class and is very rich with three summer homes spread out all over the tropic regions. He's also single so if anyone out there is interested, drop him a line!"

"…"

"Let's get right into it. Wammy, want to read the first postcard?"

"Oh, of course. Thank you. Let's see, the first one reads: Dear Matt, what would be the easiest way to kidnap someone? Signed, Curious Creeper. … Is this the normal type of questions you get?"

"Mostly. Okay! Take some rope and lime-"

"Eh, best not answer that one, Matt."

"Huh? Really?"

"Yes. Next one reads: Dear Matt, is Mello a good kisser? And just how loud can Near get? Signed, Pervy Inquirer. … Well… I suppose that one's safe."

"Hmm. I'd say at the time, Mel was very good. He was a bit shy but he had some great tongue action going on. As for Near, it's not so much the volume as it is the never-ending stream of cries and moans. Heh. Actually… s'kinda a turn on-"

"Matt."

"Uh, yes, sir. Next?"

"Right. Is it okay for a teacher to ignore his class for a already proficient sculptor so he can get into his pants? How do we break them up? Also, can someone ask Wammy how he got L and Raito to come teach at Irai? Signed, Stuck without Sensei."

"… Uh, maybe Wammy should take this one. Seems to be geared toward you."

"Oh dear. All right. Well, I would advise letting someone know if you're being ignored by your teacher. Students shouldn't have to put up with that sort of thing, they're here to learn. As for L and Raito, Raito came to teach of his own free will. I am under the impression that L followed Raito due to bribery."

"What kind of bribery?"

"I'm sorry, Matt, that's not suitable for broadcast."

"… Juicy."

-

to be continued.

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A/N: A big thanks to Andy for being "Randy." XD Questions, comments? Hit me.