Stripes
Chapter 2
Ice-Puppet
Authors notes: There's a bit more MelloxNear in this story, but MelloxNear is not the main couple. It will be mostly MattxNear, with only a few hints of MelloxNear. However, later on in the story I AM planning more MelloxNear parts, including an actual relationship between the two. So don't give up hope!
--
Sundays were far worse then Saturdays. No matter how much fun you had, there was always the air of school the next day hanging over your head. Still, it was nice and sunny, which instantly made Matt happy. Not for the same reasons it made all the other orphans happy, however.
Thankfully, Mello was involved in a game of kick-ball, meaning he didn't need Matt's attention. Still, the redhead was careful as he walked inside – going inside could mean one of two things. He either had to piss, or he was going to the playroom. Most of the kids would think the first, however Mello was smart and Matt knew the blonde would assume the second.
He snuck into the playroom without being spotted by anyone, only to find the object of his adventure was nowhere to be found. Surprised, Matt caught the attention of a nearby worker and inquired as to Near's whereabouts.
"I believe he's in his room," she informed, smiling warmly.
"Thanks," Matt replied and headed off to the dorms.
Near's room was easy to find. Matt had been there countless times, yet never once to visit the boy in question.
The door was open, so he didn't bother to knock. It turned out to be a good thing, because he spotted Near fast asleep on the floor, a lego playland before him. Matt mused that he must have fallen asleep, exhausted from the sleepless night before. It was only for a split second, but the thought that Near looked adorable entered Matt's mind. It disappeared when he saw the lego scenario.
It was the same as before, except the Near lego was not dead. Instead, it sat off to the side, as if he wasn't sure what to do with it.
Careful not to wake the sleeping boy, Matt approached. He leaned over, grabbing hold of the Mello lego, protected by the toy Matt from the badguy. He placed it off to the side and grabbed hold of the Near, putting it where Mello had once stood.
"Sweet dreams," he whispered to the sleeping boy, before pausing a moment. Slowly, and carefully, he reached a single hand down. Holding his breath, Matt ran the very tips of his fingers across Near's cheek, letting his fingers brush through the soft curls there before he removed his hand and burst from the room.
Near slowly opened his eyes, his hand moving to his cheek. He could still feel the light touch there.
He always feigned sleep when he heard footsteps coming toward his room. Usually it was one of the workers there to tell him it was time to eat, or Linda there to confess her love once more.
Matt, usually, would have been the last person to come into the room unless he was looking for Mello. But for some reason, Near welcomed his presence… it left him feeling warm, and like his stomach was fluttering. The feeling was odd, and he wondered what it meant.
About to let the feeling pass, Near glanced toward his legos. He felt his face turn red.
Had Matt…? It had to have been him… What did that mean…?
Hearing footsteps once more, Near scooped up the legos quickly. If Mello saw them, he would throw a fit!
Just as he was turning to put them away, Near got a big surprise. In the doorway stood a tall, awkward man with messy black hair and almost deathly pale skin.
"Near," L greeted with a big smile.
"L!" Near almost cheered, standing up and rushing into the man's arms. He felt L chuckle lightly as he hugged the young boy closely. When they pulled away, Near glanced into those dark eyes excitedly. "Who was it?" He was referring to the case L had come from.
"The maid," L informed, grinning. "In the library, with a candle stick!"
"That's what you always say!" Near retorted, though he smiled.
"I'm serious this time!" L cried, shaking a single finger in the boy's face. "She was an evil woman, that maid! She couldn't be trusted!"
Near shook his head, smiling slightly. After a moment of silence, he questioned, "L, can I ask you something?"
"Anything," L responded. "Unless you want to know my real name."
Near shook his head. "What does it mean when your stomach gets all… fluttery, and your heart starts racing really fast?"
L paused, lifting his thumb to his lips as he looked away in thought. "Hmm… did you eat something bad?"
"No," Near giggled, shaking his head. "I mean, I get like that when… well, when I see this certain person."
"Ohh, you get like that around someone," L repeated. He grinned. "It sounds like you like that person. More then you like anyone else."
"More than I like someone else…" Near repeated in thought.
L grinned. "Well? Who is it?"
Blushing, Near bit his lip. "Well, it's kinda-"
"L!"
Mello's shout caught both of their attention. The blonde ran, nearly full-force, toward L. He jumped into the man's arms and was caught easily in a huge hug.
"No one said you were here!" Mello cried in surprise.
"I snuck in," L responded.
Mello grinned, before he caught sight of Near. "Oh? You're awake? Matt said he walked by and saw you fast asleep on the floor."
"Um, Yeah… I'm awake," Near mumbled as L's eyes danced mysteriously.
"How about we go out for cake?" L suggested, grinning as Mello jumped up in down. Near merely nodded, distracted. L, however, knew why.
--
Monday evening, the rain hit like a Mac truck. The sudden downpour did nothing to help the moods of two orphans, who's roll model waved goodbye as he got into his black car and drove away.
Near, staring out the large window of the playroom, was surprised when Matt knelt down next to him to watch L go.
"Shouldn't you be with Mello?" he asked, careful to hide the tears that had threatened to fall from his lashes.
"Mello is sulking, and told me to leave him alone," Matt informed. "Besides, I wanted to be with you right now."
Near turned his face away, but Matt caught sight of the pink tinge on his cheeks. After clearing his throat, the albino sighed into the window. "I wish he wouldn't go. I know he has to, but I have a really bad feeling."
"Detective's intuition?" Matt joked lightly.
Near shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know. Just a feeling in my gut, or something."
Matt studied Near's face for a few moments before he dared to ask, "Why do you want to be L, Near?"
If Near was surprised by the question, he didn't show it. It could have been that he was used to Matt randomly asking things, or just that he was distracted. Either way, he was silent for a moment before he chose to answer. "I want to find my father."
Matt did a double take in surprise. "Your father?"
Near nodded. He paused once more. He wasn't sure he could reveal his life story to Matt… he had never told anyone. Then again, before Matt, no one had cared.
"My mother was raped," he informed. "They never found by who. She got pregnant, but she didn't believe in abortion, so she kept the baby. Her parents were angry at her for it, but she didn't care. When she gave birth, she was hit with a horrible bout of postpartum depression. I was only two months old when she tried to hang herself in the closet." He placed a hand against the glass, as if doing so would cause L to return. "They passed me around from home to home, but I guess no one wanted me. When I was five, I ended up here."
Matt was silent for a moment, before he placed his hand over Near's. "I want to find my brother," he finally said, feeling the other's light eyes on him. "I had a big family when I was little. A mom and a dad who loved me, an elder brother and a baby sister. One day, we were all making cookies together for a Christmas party, when the house caught on fire. I think someone started it. My parents and my sister were killed, but my brother and I managed to survive. We were sent all over, like you, but he was adopted and I wasn't. I've wanted to know what happened to him for the longest time…"
Near's hand curled beneath Matt's. Another moment of silence, this time comfortable, passed between them. Near then whispered, "When I become L, I'll find him for you, Matt."
A smile crossed Matt's face, mirror to the one on Near's. He went to remove his hand from on top of the other boy's, only to pause. Their eyes met, a silent conversation held, neither knowing what was said but hanging on every word. Matt couldn't help but watch as Near bit his bottom lip nervously, his free hand moving to curl the side of his hair out of habit. The movement was addicting… everything Near did was addicting.
Without thinking, Matt's fingers followed Near's and curled into the soft hair hanging above his ears.
His body reacted on it's own, moving closer to Near's at an almost killing slow pace. The hand in Near's hair removed itself and wrapped loosely around his thin waist, his other hand lacing fingers with Near's on the window. Closer and closer they moved, until their lips were nearly laying over each other's…
"Matt, where the hell are you!?"
Near and Matt jumped apart, both removing their hands from the window as Mello walked into the playroom doorway. His green eyes closed and opened slowly, staring at the two boys. They were sitting beside the rain-covered window, neither looking at each other and both appearing guilty.
"What are you doing?" Mello asked Matt, the silent 'With him?' obvious in his voice. When neither said anything, he added, "I've been looking all over for you."
"You told me to go away," Matt reminded. "I'm away, aren't I?"
"Yeah, but…" Mello looked at Near, holding his tongue.
"But?" Matt repeated, an eyebrow raising.
Their conversation was cut off when Near stood and walked across the room. He picked up the board containing a half-done puzzle, as well as the box with the pieces in it, and silently left the room.
Once he was sure Near was out of hearing range, Mello walked over to Matt, his hands on his hips. "What, is he your new best friend or something?"
Matt snorted, standing up. "No one could replace you, Mello dear."
Mello rolled his eyes as Matt grinned stupidly. "Cut the crap, Matt. Why are you suddenly all buddy-buddy with him?"
Matt crossed his arms and shrugged. "Why not?"
"Why not?" Mello stared at him, dumbfounded. "He's my rival, and you're my best friend?"
"Exactly," Matt nodded. "He's your rival. I don't understand why I can't be his friend."
"Because you're my best friend, Matt! Don't you get it!" Matt jumped slightly when Mello got into his face, screaming loudly. For a moment, he thought he saw tears in those green eyes, but he brushed it off as imagination. "It bothers me! So it should bother you too!"
Matt gaped as Mello shoved past him, storming with a purpose down the hallway. It took him a moment to clear his head, but he moved to rush after Mello, shouting his name.
When he finally caught up, Mello had reached his bedroom door and thrown it open. Matt rushed into the doorway in time to see Mello raise a fist and punched Near across the face.
Without thinking, the redhead shot forward and caught Near before he fell over, caught completely off-guard.
"What the hell was that!?" He snapped as Near placed a shaking hand against his cheek, staring at Mello in complete shock. "Damnit, Mello! You expect me to bend to your every will and feeling, but what about mine!? Did you ever once stop to think maybe I'd like to have more friends than just you!? And yeah, Near is someone you don't like, but if you wanna be my best friend you'd better fucking deal!"
Matt turned away from Mello's dumbstruck face and turned to Near, catching his eyes. He took the shaking hand and removed it from Near's face, hissing slightly as if in pain. "We need to get some ice for that. Come on, Roger could help."
Near shook his head slowly. "We can't go to Roger," he breathed, glancing to Mello out of the corner of his eye. "He asks to many questions."
Matt snorted in irony, but said nothing more. He took Near's other hand and led him from the room, stopping himself from glancing back at Mello.
As they walked down the hallway toward the kitchen, Matt squeezed Near's hand lightly. "Why don't you want to go to Roger?"
"Mello will get in trouble," Near responded, wincing lightly as he touched his cheek.
"And?" Matt frowned back at him. "He hit you, he should get in trouble."
"You say that now," Near mumbled. "But you don't have to room with him when he's angry."
Matt snorted. He had automatically thought Near was trying to protect Mello, it didn't register in his mind that he was protecting himself from Mello going crazy.
Reaching the kitchen back door, Matt raised a hand and knocked lightly. One of the workers opened the door and gave them a questioning look. However, when she saw Near holding a hand over his cheek she instantly shooed them in and rushed over to one of the freezers, pulling out a sponge in a plastic bag.
"What happened?" She asked, placing the ice pack against his cheek. He hissed slightly in pain and took it from her hands.
"I'd rather not say," Near informed, blushing slightly as Matt's hand fell over his, holding the icy sponge for him.
"Near…" The woman frowned. "Why are you protecting whoever did this?"
Near shook his head, before looking to Matt. She did the same, only to have Matt shake his head as well.
With a sigh, the worker gave up and went back to what she had been doing. When she was out of sight, Matt turned to Near, about to say something only to be cut off when the other boy pressed their lips together suddenly.
Matt gaped quietly as Near pulled away, the other boy's face slightly pink.
"Sorry," Near offered. "I've just been wanting to do that since Mello interrupted…"
"Why are you apologizing?" Matt asked, still a bit dumbstruck.
"I caught you off-guard," Near pointed out, smiling slightly at the other's face. "And I didn't exactly ask… I guess I just figured you wanted it as much as I did…"
"You, my friend, are a genius," the redhead replied with a smug grin.
"I know," Near laughed. "But thank you."
--
The next morning, classrooms were filled with whispers and giggles of wonder. Near, the center of attention, ignored it the best he could. It was hard to do with the purple bruise on his usually pale skin, but he managed.
Lunch came much to early for three of the orphans. Matt, especially, who was forced to choose where to sit. With a single glance at Mello, he knew his choice would affect the rest of his day, and perhaps the rest of his week.
With a glance at Near (who gave him a 'go ahead' look), Matt approached Mello and sat beside him without a word.
Mello glanced at him, a glare in his green eyes. Despite this, Matt knew he was thankful. They sat in silence for a few moments, before Mello lifted a chocolate bar to his lips and took a bite.
After a moment, Matt finally worked up enough nerve and asked the question hanging in the air. "Still mad?"
"Yep," Mello replied.
"Okay," Matt answered, before taking a sip of his glass of milk.
Mello turned to him, a sigh on his lips. "Why him, Matt?"
Matt returned his questioning glance with a strong one. "Do you want me to fabricate an answer to that rhetorical question, or can I just let it hang there?"
Green eyes narrowed at his sarcasm. "I thought you hated him."
"No, Mello," Matt closed his eyes, turning away. "You hate him."
Mello sighed, leaning against the table and plopping his head into his hands. He looked across the room to where Near was seated, working on homework, his food barely touched. What was it about the white-haired boy that always seemed to ruin his life…? It was like Near had some sort of strange pull that only Mello was immune to.
He turned his vision back to Matt, and stared. Matt's eyes were locked on Near, watching his every movement like examining an amazing painting. Jesus Christ himself could walk by picking his nose and Matt wouldn't even notice.
And then it made sense.
Matt was crushing on Near. Hard.
Mello felt the urge to throw up.
This was not possible. No way in hell.
Matt could not be crushing on the same person he had been crushing on for the last three years.
Near glanced up from his book and looked back to Matt. A soft smile crossed his face, a smile that Mello had never had the privilege of seeing.
And oh dear god, Near was crushing back.
To be continued