Ice-puppet
Stripes
Chapter 10 - Order and Chaos
"You…" Near swallowed the fear in his throat. "You saved my life."
"Mm, so I did," L grinned. "Would you mind helping this book case off of me? It's rather heavy."
"Y-Yeah." Near stood, helping L set the bookcase up right.
"Thanks," L replied, stretching his arms above his head for a moment before he slouched again.
"How did you…" Near stared at the bookshelf. There's no way L could have stopped it from falling. It should have crushed them both flat…
"I'll tell you later," L promised. He looked at the dice city. "Your city was destroyed."
Near glanced at the mess of dice. "Oh." Bending down, he picked up the Lego men that had fallen.
"What were you building?" L questioned.
"Its just a city I see in my dreams," Near explained.
"Your nightmares," L corrected.
Near glanced at him, unsurprised by the words. "I don't remember the nightmares themselves, but I remember the city."
"Think you could show me sometime?" L inquired.
"If you want," Near responded.
"Are you both alright?" They glanced as the librarian walked over. "I thought I heard a crash."
"Everything is fine," L assured.
"Alright," she replied, walking away.
Near wondered why she hadn't inquired as to the books on the floor. When he looked, he realized they were all back up on the shelf, in perfect order.
"Let's go see Mello and Matt," L chirped.
"Shouldn't I clean up the dice?" Near asked.
"What dice?" L played. When Near looked, the pile of fallen dice had disappeared.
"L…" Near whispered.
"I'm just playing with you," L laughed.
They began walking toward the exit of the library, Near holding on to the three Lego men. L watched him carefully.
"You're walking a bit off," L pointed out. "Are you hurt?" He couldn't help the ghost of a smile that appeared with Near's cheeks tinted red.
Near stepped outside, glancing around. He spotted Mello and Matt out in the field, playing a round of soccer.
Linda spotted him first and came over. "Near! Are you coming outside?"
"No," he replied. "Could you please get Mello's attention and tell him L is here?"
She frowned, but nodded. Stepping back into the shade, Near watched her approach the soccer game. She addressed Mello, and Near saw his eyes widen and glance toward the doorway.
L, standing beside Near, waved.
Mello called to Matt and the two headed over.
L caught Mello in a giant hug, stumbling back a few steps, trying not to fall. "You're getting to big for tackle-hugs," he pointed out.
"You're never to big for tackle-hugs!" Mello replied.
L smiled, releasing Mello. He turned to Matt, fixing the redhead with a deep stare. Matt stood up instantly, his hands at his sides, his eyes wide.
The two stared at each other for a long moment, before L finally reached out and pulled Matt into a huge hug.
"Thank you," L whispered. "For protecting him."
"Of course," Matt replied, awkwardly returning the hug. "I'd give anything to keep him safe, L."
He missed the sad smile that crossed L's lips, before the man released his hold on Matt.
"Now," L addressed. "I'd like to meet the Shinigami, as well as see your Death Note."
Near blinked. "How did you…?"
L smiled. "I know everything you do, Near."
As Near stared at L, his cheeks tinted red once more, Mello muttered, "Because that's not creepy."
They headed back to Watari's room, and Near opened up the bedroom door.
Reil looked up from his place on the bed, looking through a book. Upon seeing L, he laughed. "To what do I owe this honor?"
"It's a pleasure to meet you," L replied. "My name is-"
"I know your name." Reil laughed. "In fact, I don't know a Shinigami that doesn't."
L moved over to a chair, hoping into it. Mello sat in the other chair, while Near and Matt sat on the bed.
"Where is the Death Note?" L questioned. Near reached under one of the pillows and pulled the item out. "Have you used it?"
"No," Near replied.
"Good," L breathed.
"Why does that matter?" Mello questioned nervously.
"If a human uses a Death Note," L began. "They become a Shinigami when they die." Mello swallowed a lump in his throat. "When a god uses a Death Note, they are unaffected. However, Near is half of each. I'm not sure what would happen to him if he died. I'd rather not find out."
Near glanced at Matt, who returned the look. They both returned to L.
"L," Mello whispered, a frown on his face. "I… I used Yagami's Death Note. Does that mean when I die… I will become a shinigami?"
L looked toward Mello, watching him for a long moment. He finally, after a moment, simply said, "No."
Mello stared. "You said-"
"I said," L cut him off. "That a human who uses the Death Note will turn into a Shinigami. However-"
"A god will not," Near breathed, the puzzle pieces fitting together. "Reil said that Fuujin remember existence… Raijin do not…"
Mello's eyes widened and flew to L, as if begging him to say it wasn't so. L looked away, saying nothing.
"Mello?" Matt breathed in question.
"You won't remember your Raijin form until the day your human body dies," L explained in a soft voice.
"But that doesn't change the fact that I'm against you!" Mello cried.
"You're only against us if you choose to be," L replied.
Mello shook his head. "But…"
L reached out, ruffling his hair. "Don't let it worry you too much. You still have a whole life to live before your memories return."
He removed his hand from Mello's hair and turned toward the room. "If you don't mind, I'd like to talk to Near alone."
Matt looked at Mello before the two stood up and left the room. After a small glare, Reil rolled his eyes and floated out.
"Near," L addressed after the door had closed. "I haven't been honest with you, and I apologize for that. From now on, any question you have I will answer honestly."
Near watched him for a moment. He thought to himself, trying to figure out which puzzle piece was still missing.
Finally he asked, "What is that city?"
L was silent for a moment before he answered. "Home."
--
"What exactly is this war between good and evil?" Mello questioned Reil as they sat in the hallway.
"Order and Chaos," Reil corrected. "They have nothing to do with good and evil. They are simply two sides of what is. Order, like its name, prefers watching over everything carefully, while Chaos, like its name, wants things to run at their own course. The one thing they can agree on is the existence of half-gods. Both see it as a danger to both humans and gods."
"So Near's existence is a threat to both sides," Matt mused.
"I'm surprised they haven't sent assassins after him yet," Reil commented.
"Assassins?" Mello breathed. Reil nodded. "Can't we hide him somewhere, or something?"
"They aren't like humans," Reil informed. "They can sense his existence like a child can smell cookies."
"He'll never be safe, will he?" Matt whispered.
"I doubt it," Reil mused. "Even if L manages to stop the pointless war between the sides, neither of them will agree to Near's existence."
"It's not fair!" Matt cried, clenching his fists. "To bring him into the world, knowing he'll be hunted…"
"That's the way Order works." Mello and Matt both looked to the shinigami in surprise. "They don't care who they sacrifice, as long as their end goal is met."
"L isn't like that," Mello hissed.
"L used to be the leader of Order," Reil informed. "But he renounced the title when the rest of them refused to co-operate in stopping the war. But he is still Order."
--
"Home?" Near questioned, confused.
"Home is in an alternative plain," L explained. "It is the one city in the entire area where Order and Chaos do not matter. It is the one place where neither could touch you. You would be safe there."
Near listened intensely, remembering the place he had seen in his dreams.
"However," L continued. "Humans are not allowed… you would-"
"Have to leave without Matt," Near finished. L nodded. "Then I refuse," he said simply.
"Near…" L's voice took a slightly warning tone. Like a father, scolding a child…
"I refuse," Near repeated.
"Near, they will hunt you. They will never stop," L warned.
"I'll deal with them as they come." Those toneless eyes held a spark of something new. Determination. "I won't give up Matt, even if it means I have to live in fear. I love him. You can tell me as many times as you want that I am being childish, and that is merely a thing I will get over with. I'm not leaving him."
L sighed. "So be it," he replied.
--
Mello, Matt, and Reil all glanced up when the bedroom door opened.
L greeted them with a smile.
"I'm going to return to Raito," he informed.
Mello stared. "Why?"
L bit his thumb tip lightly. "I wish to convince him to renounce his ownership of the Death Note, least something terrible happen to him." His eyes filled with an emotion they had trouble placing. "Until I see to it that he forgets everything he ever did, I will not remove myself from his side."
Mello and Matt shared a silent look.
L turned back into the room, addressing Near. "I will not be here to protect you."
"I know," Near replied coldly.
L turned back to the group in the hallway. "Bye-Bye," he stated, before taking off down the hallway.
"How odd," Reil mused. Matt stood and went into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. "Ouch, shut out." The shinigami looked toward Mello to find the boy with his head hung low. "You okay, kid?"
"I'm fine," Mello replied instantly, standing up and walking into his own room. The door closed behind him.
Reil hummed, wondering what to do. Well, in a situation like this the only safe thing to do was ease-drop. He snuck up to Near and Matt's bedroom door, sticking his head part of the way through it so he could see, but not be seen.
He held back a laugh upon spotting Near and Matt on their bed, kissing heavily.
This would be amusing!
--
Near sat on one of the benches in the Chapel, thinking quietly to himself.
Jay was dead, and it was his fault. Sure, the boy had attempted to kill him… in fact, according to Reil he was supposed to kill him. But here he was, alive, and Jay was dead.
He sighed, standing up. Quietly he approached the statue of Jesus, staring up at the nailed god before him.
Jesus had died for the sins of man. Was that his future, as well?
A sound from behind him caught his attention and Near spun around quickly. He spotted nothing. Brushing it off as his imagination, Near moved to leave the chapel when a flash of black before him caught his eye. Seconds later he was pinned up against the statue, face to face with a hideous creature.
"Hello half-breed," it hissed. Near didn't get a chance to respond as long black fingers wrapped around his throat, claws digging into his skin.
His hands automatically reached up to grip the creature's arm, trying to pry its grip from his throat. But Near was cursed with a weak body, not to mention the fact that the demon was most likely ten times stronger then the average human.
He heard a gunshot and was dropped to the ground when the demon disappeared in a cloud of smoke. A bullet, just missing his head, went straight through the forehead of the statue of Christ.
"Near!"
Near lifted his eyes in time to see Matt rush over and pull him into his arms. The red-head dropped his weapon (where had he gotten a gun?!) and dragged the albino into a hug.
"I couldn't find you," Matt explained. "I was worried, so I looked all over. I'm glad I found you in time!"
Near frowned. Something was off… he looked behind Matt and his eyes widened. He didn't have enough time to warn the redhead or even move before he felt his love jerk in his arms.
The demon grinned, pulling its claws from Matt's back. It lifted its fingers to its lips and licked the blood from them.
Near awoke with a silent scream.
He turned, breathing a sigh only when he spotted Matt fast asleep next to him.
Getting out of bed (and grabbing his pants on the way), Near walked out of the bedroom and down the hallway. He stepped into a bathroom (their room had one joined to it, but he didn't want to wake Matt) and splashed his face with water from the sink.
"Why did you show me that?" He questioned.
L moved from where he was standing in the shadows. "That's what is going to happen if you don't return with me."
Near turned to face him. "Matt will die?" He questioned, voice emotionless.
"They won't chase after you alone," L explained. "But everything you love, as well. Matt, Mello… this whole orphanage will be in danger."
"And what will happen to them if I leave?" Near questioned.
"They will forget you ever existed," L replied.
Near took a sharp intake of breath. If he left… everything he and Matt had would be forgotten.
"Don't throw him in the middle of all this," L nearly begged. "It's not fair to him."
Near's eyes locked with L's. Those dark eyes held sympathy, pain, and understanding. L had someone he didn't want involved as well. L had someone he loved, and had to let go…
"Let me say goodbye," Near whispered, removing his eyes from L as he left the room.
He approached their shared bed, sitting beside Matt and watching the redhead sleep. Could he really do this? Leave Matt, knowing he wouldn't remember him?
Near stood, approaching the desk on the other end of the room. He lifted up a single Lego man, dressed in white, white hair painted on. Slowly he returned to the bed and leaned down, giving Matt one last kiss and placing the Lego into his hand, closing his fingers around it.
"I love you," he whispered, before leaving the room.
--