Sorry about the delay... A lot of drama is going on in my life, mainly thanks to my lunatic girlfriend. But it's settled. For now...
Chapter Eight
"That was an excellent presentation, Mihael." The Philosophy professor congratulated his best student.
"Thank you, Mr. Aizawa" Mello replied airily, while shutting down the laptop and regaining his seat.
He absently listened to his classmates presentations, hoping for time to pass faster. It did and he hurriedly grabbed his leather bag and headed for the door.
"I would like to talk to you privately, if you don't mind." The professor requested.
Privately ? Mello thought for a second. "Sure" He's married with kids, so I guess it's safe.
Mello pensively followed him to his office.
"You may sit down" Aizawa offered a chair.
He did, wondering what the bearded man wanted.
"Professor Mikami and myself are giving a common conference about the 'German Philosophers anagoge of Legislative Theories'."Aizawa explained as he handed Mello a collection of scripts.
"Since you are taking both our classes and have the necessary knowledge, Mr. Mikami requested you help with his side of the project."
Mello hated the idea. He had to refuse politely. "I appreciate your proposal, Mr Aizawa, but I don't think I have the due time to give your project the needed attention."
"I know you're a busy young man, Mihael. The conference will take place next Monday, all you have to do is help Mr. Mikami with the finishing touches. " Aizawa insisted "It won't take too long. Probably a few hours on the week-end"
Shit, they're out to get me ! "I'm already working hard on both your and Mr. Mikami projects for next week-"
"About that..." The professor interrupted "You'll be spared from both tasks, if you accept to co-operate."
You should have said that earlier. "It would be an honor to supply Mr. Mikami with the requested information." Mello accepted enthusiastically.
"I thought so."
"Don't scare me like that you crazy albino !" Matt yelled at his white-haired friend. "Don't do that again !"
Near took a seat next to the redhead "You're just too ticklish, Matt."
Matt rolled his eyes "What are you doing in the cafeteria anyway ?" he asked intrigued.
"Eating" Near replied pulling a lollipop from his large shirt's pocket.
Matt had know the freshman from the beginning of his second year. They both took the Mathematics Class of professor Yagami. Matt was surprised by the capacity of a boy, a year younger than himself, to easily surpass him in that advanced subject. He had also noticed that apart from his genius, Near was a socially and an emotionally retard. He would came to classes when he feels like it, escorted by Rester his loyal bodyguard and driver. Matt has never seen the younger boy engage in any social interaction with anyone other then him.
"I thought you hated to be in crowded places, Near" Matt remarked, munching on his tuna-sandwich.
"I do" Near replied putting one foot on the seat's edge. "I'm looking for someone"
Matt let go of his sandwich turned his whole body to the younger boy "You mean you finally found yourself a new friend ?" Matt laughed "What a relief !"
"I won't call him a friend, Matt" Near remarked his eyes wandering around the room.
Matt followed Near's eye-line "Who is he then ?"
"An enemy" Near stated with a blank face.
Matt was taken aback. "You just can't get along with people, can you ?"
"That is not correct, Matt" Near objected quietly "I do get along with you, for instance"
"For only instance" Matt replied going back to his sandwich.
Near licked his lollipop "As long as you're not with your girlfriend" he noted airily.
Matt swallowed "I don't know why you hate Misa so much"
Near pulled a robot from his large sleeve."I don't hate your girlfriend, Matt" He stated honestly.
"Right. You're not capable of such an intense emotion" Matt chuckled "You're just a bit jealous"
"Why would I be jealous ?" Near inquired uninterestedly.
"Because I've got somebody" Matt teased.
Near slithered the small figurine along the smooth surface of the table. "Who said I didn't" He stated cautiously.
"No way !" Matt swallowed the bite without munching it. "Who is she ? Someone I know ?"
"I doubt it." Near reflected "He is not from our science department." He mildly explained.
"Uh- He ?" Matt hollered bread flecks falling on his vest.
"Yes." Near stood up from his seat.
"You're going out with a man ?" Matt couldn't hide the disgust from his voice or expression.
"I didn't localize my target." Near stated abstractedly as he walked away. "I'm going back home."
Matt suddenly found himself stupid for yelling. He decided it would be better if he played cool with it. "Okay, then." He said following his friend out of the cafeteria "See you tomorrow."
Near silently bid him farewell and walked to the limousine, where Rester waited holding the door open.
Matt walked to his red Camero, still feeling embarrassed. He had always thought of himself as an open-minded person, but when faced with such situations he realized he was delusional.
He started his car deciding to skip the afternoon classes.
Mello and Near must be thinking I am a homophobic little twat.
Matt felt ashamed thinking that it was really the impression he gave. His cellphone rang. He seized it with his free hand and read the text message.
"Hi Matty. I have an audition tonight. I won't make it for our date :( I'll see you tomorrow at the Uni. Big kisses for ya ! Misa-Misa."
A date ? Matt had completely forgotten.
"Don't worry about me. Good luck with the audition. Kiss you too" Matt texted her back thinking it was rather odd he forgot his date with Misa, but not his appointment with Mello.
Matt was satisfied with his girlfriend. She was the one to come after him, and Matt had accepted because...
Well, because he didn't see why he would refuse and it was the norm to have a girlfriend at his age.
Being with Misa is really easy. She's a part-time girlfriend, actually.
Between her photo-shootings, her auditions, her advertisements and her business related meetings, they don't get to see each other a lot.
The few times they do, it's when she comes to university for a few classes. But she doesn't really care about her studies, since she had started her career as aspiring singer.
Matt sighed as he realized that as Mello had said, they really didn't have anything in common.
"Mello-kun, I don't think it's wise for you to get into Ryuzaki's room without permission" Watari warned the blond.
"Why not ?" Mello asked as he continued his way to the detective room. He stopped in front of the shut door and smirked "Is Light here, too ?"
"Yes, Light-kun is in the company of Ryuzaki." Watari replied calmly "You should not disturb them."
Mello put his ear on the door "Looks like they're done copulating" He reached for the door's knob. "Too bad, I would have loved to see them in action."
Before the Old man could object, Mello opened the door and stepped in.
On the bed laid the two men naked. Light was sleeping, his head resting on L's shoulder and one arm around his chest. L was awake one hand playing with the brunet's hair and the other on his waist.
"You always come in the nick of time, Mello-kun" L noted airily, gently pushing Light's head off and resting it on a pillow.
Then noticing Mello's hungry eyes on the professor, L pulled the blanket to cover Light's body.
"Congratulations, L" Mello grinned leaning against the wall.
"Don't call me that, Mello-kun !" L reprimanded putting his jeans on.
"He's sleeping." Mello pointed out. "So... you fuck his brains out, but you can't tell him who you are." He smirked "It's so like you"
L seized his wrist and dragged him out and into his office before forcedly shoving him into the couch.
"Don't go so rough on me !" Mello teased swerving his arms around the detective's topless body.
L pulled away "Enough playing around, Mello-kun" He warned softly.
Mello sat down properly "I came to return your laptop."
"You can keep it" L said accepting the shirt Watari brought him.
"Is there anything else you need, Ryuzaki ?" Watari asked his protégé.
"No, thank-"
"Hot chocolate for me" Mello commended. "Please" He added when he noticed L's glare.
"Alright, gentlemen" The old man said, calmly exiting the office and shutting the door.
"It's a good thing you came, Mello-kun" L said sitting down in front of the Blond "There is something of first importance I wanted to tell you"
"I'm all ears, L" Mello concentrated as his mentor's face turned grave.
"Takada had confessed that Kira is a professor at your university. She claims that although he used her as public mediator, he did not reveal his name or his face to her.
I've been collecting all the necessary data about each professor and singled out ten main suspects."
L pushed a file to Mello across the table "I would like you to take a look at the list and tell me if you recognize the face of the driver of that SUV" He requested.
Mello seized the file and started to go through the photos "You know I didn't see his face, L" Mello said scratching his head
"And with the approximative description we got from the witnesses we couldn't go far."
"He was a young Asian man with brown hair and wearing black glasses" L re-read the report.
"The most fitting person is the one on your bed" Mello said tossing the file back on the table.
"I don't think it was Light-kun." L dismissed the idea.
"I see" Mello leaned over. "The probability of him being Kira decreased with every time you did him ?" He asked accusingly.
"That's not it, Mello-kun" L waved him off.
Mello tilted his head. "With every time he did you ?"
"I said that's not it." L fixed him with his deadpan stare "He had an alibi for the time of the accident." He explained.
Mello sighed "I guess, we have to check the alibis of the remaining suspects."
"We can't let Kira know we're investigating him." L stated "He had tried to kill you, once. If he really is in your University he'd definitely try to approach you again"
Mello reached for the file and extracted a photo.
L moved to sit next to Mello and read the Professor's name "Teru Mikami. What about him ?" He asked as Mello continued to think.
"He's my Law Professor. He is Japanese, wears glasses..." Mello spoke thoughtfully.
L opened the information file related to the suspect. "He drives a Mercedes. He doesn't own an SUV"
Mello seemed to realize something "Teru Mikami has strong believes about justice and carry the same ideals as Kira. Plus he asked my literature professor to let me help him with a conference."
"This is not good." L raised a thumb to his mouth "Why would he expose himself to you so clearly now, when he proceeded discretely the first time ?"
"I don't know, L" Mello admitted "I'm supposed to meet with him this week-end."
"Isn't the university closed ?" L remarked "Where are you going to meet ?"
"The literature library will be open exceptionally" Mello reported.
L bit hard on his nail. "What are you thinking, L ?" Mello inquired.
"I didn't consider the possibility of multiple accomplices." L started "I had falsely assumed that the person riding that SUV was Kira.
The truth is he can be acting under Kira's commend and the real Kira might actually be the person on my bed."
"Shit !" Mello cursed rising up from the couch "I'll go coax the truth from him."
L pulled him back "I will deal with Light-kun." He stated impassively.
Mello raised an eyebrow pointedly "Aren't you the one always telling me not to let my emotions get in the way ?"
"It's not about emotions, Mello-kun" L disagreed "As far as my investigation went, Light-kun has alibis for fifteen out of the twenty-two murders. Kira shoots his victims execution style, while Light doesn't own a gun nor a license. I know that the probability is still high so I'm keeping an eye on him."
Mello knew it was futile to contravene with the detective. "I hope you realize you're putting your life on the line for this case." He remarked bitterly.
"I do, Mello-kun"
A/N: Thanks for reading. We'll get to see some MxM smex in the next chapter :)
Next update on Saturday.