Here and Now by blackdragonflower
Chapter Nine: Complications
Characters belong to Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
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Mello pulled his hood further over his head trying to hide his scar. He was a bit nervous to show his face back at Wammy's but he didn't want Sayu to worry about him. That morning he'd given her a nonchalant kiss on her lips telling her he wanted to go back to Wammy's himself and he'd meet up with her later.
As promised Matt was waiting outside the gates. His heart pounded underneath the layers of stripes, muscle, and flesh. He'd heard that while away Mello had gotten into some kind of an accident but he had no idea how bad it was or exactly how it all happened. As usual Wammy's left him clueless. So when he saw someone stalking towards the gate from down the country road he could only assume it was his dear best friend.
"Hey Mells!" He experimented calling out. He kind of laughed when he saw the figure cringe and look up from the road.
The blond trotted over, keeping his face downwards hoping to hide the scarred flesh that was his cheek. Matt pursed his lips together. He cooed like a mother comforting a lost child, but it was meant as a tease. "Aw… did Mewwo-kins miss Mattie?"
He laughed when he was hit upside the head violently, after his eyes stopped their dazed spinning. "Of course I missed you dope."
He was still staring at the ground hood concealing the face. Matt was curious. He grabbed the thing and yanked it down before Mello could fully protest. His mouth dropped and his voice came out a screech. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!"
"I… got into an accident."
"Well duh! I know you got into an accident! I wanna know how!" Matt sighed rolling his eyes thinking something along the lines of 'fucking idiot'.
"Can I tell you later? I really need some sleep. That plane ride killed me…"
"…And yet you walked a quarter of a mile with your luggage here?"
"…Your point?"
"I thought you said you were tired." The redhead rolled his eyes with a snort.
"I didn't want to cause a bunch of commotion. You know how the munchkins swarm the gates when there's a vehicle." Mello slipped onto Wammy's lawn.
"True true…"
"So anything happen while I was gone?"
"Um well kinda… L announces his successor today."
The blond halted dead in his tracks. "He what?"
"He announces his successor today. They were waiting for your return and now that you're back…"
"When?"
"As soon as you got here and were ready."
"I see… Go tell Roger that I'll be there in ten minutes at the most."
"Are you serious?"
"Perfectly."
"…Okay… Uh… Whatever you want man. Ten minutes got it."
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XxX
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Mello walked into Roger Ruvie's office seven point five minutes later. Two point five minutes to spare, nice. He bit back a snarl that threatened to escape from between his lips when his gaze met that of Near's.
The albino tilted his head, and actually smirked feral-like seeing Mello's new look. "You look terrible Mello."
"No one asked you worm."
"But nonetheless I know you value my opinion animal slaughterer." Near calmly responded, casting a disgusted glance at Mello's favorite outfit.
"Boys that's enough." Watari ordered from where he stood next to Roger's desk an open laptop with a floating black L on the screen.
A synthesized voice both boys knew well filtered into the room. "You both know why you are here?"
Near said nothing, only nodded.
"Yes."
"Good. Then I will make this brief as we are all busy. I have chosen my successor based on many facts. In reality it could have very easily been either of you. Near, you fail to act sometimes where action is due. Mello you often jump into situations brashly without much thought… but I have one question to ask."
"Yes?"
"Mello I know all about your relationship with the young woman Sayu Yagami."
"And?" Mello questioned, feeling a jagged little itch underneath his skin.
"You are aware that if you are chosen that you will have to leave her as my detective code could put both you and her being in extreme danger."
"Yes."
"So if you had to choose between Miss Yagami and my title, which would, you choose Mello-kun?"
The blond was silent. L was asking him to choose between his two greatest desires. His future dreams and plans. The room was quiet as he thought, no one saying a thing. Mello's cold sapphire eyes studied Near, the elder gentlemen, then glared impressively at the white screen. He couldn't choose between his two greatest loves.
Mello'd been lusting after L's title since he was just a boy of ten. It was his life's mission to succeed his mentor and idol. But now… was it worth loosing Sayu? He'd never felt so at ease around anyone like he did around her. He wanted her; he'd worked so hard to be with her.
Each of the choices he'd strived for, labored to make a success. Choosing was impossible. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it. L's fake voice finally broke the silence. "I see then. I've chosen my successor."
The room waited on baited breaths. This decision would make or break the young males gazing so intently at the monochromatic screen.
"My successor shall be Near."
The white haired boy smirked triumphantly in his victory. Mello's fists clenched and before he could stop himself he grabbed the new L's collar and delivered a punch right to the boy's face. Immediately he left the office, with nothing to say to any of them.
He left a concerned Quillish Wammy, a worried Roger, and Near whose bleeding nose dripped down and stained his white clothing in quite the haunting fashion. L was silent except for the, "Ruvie-san please take care of Mello-kun. Watari will see to Near."
The computer line went dead.
Mello growled as he stomped through the halls of Wammy's. He stayed far away from the areas he knew would be full of children. They would do him no good. And he didn't want to hurt one of the kids; it wasn't them he was infuriated with. Storming through the kitchen and past Rena he slammed the door to the outside shut behind him.
He had to cover his eyes from the bright sunshine blinding him. The blond slipped into the pigeon coop to be greeted by the coos of the birds. Squatting by one of the lower cages was a girl with dark brown skin, and braided black hair. In her hands was a dove with creamy white speckles on its grey plumage.
She looked up at Mello her chocolate brown eyes widened. "Oh… hey Mello…" She looked down then back up into his eyes. "I took care of the birds for you while you were gone…"
And despite his blistering anger Mello couldn't be mad at the eleven year old. She often had silently helped him take care of the pigeons in times passed. "Hey Jessie."
"You look upset… Did something bad happen?" She stood up, cuddling the pigeon close.
"Yeah…"
"Do you want me to get you Daybreak?"
"If you feel like it."
"Can you hold onto Smokescreen?"
"Sure." The leather-wearing blond took the bird from the tiny short girl and watched as she scampered over to a cage where a midnight black bird rested head under its wing. She opened the cage and gently placed a hold on the bird.
"Do you think Daybreak's mate will return?"
"Hm?"
Jessie traded Smokescreen out for Daybreak with a bit of a considerate smile that barely graced her lips. "I let Twilight out this morning and she still hasn't returned…"
"She'll come back."
"I hope so. Besides Smokescreen here Twilight and Snow are my favorites."
Mello patted the girl's head. "She'll come back." Jessie nodded and placed Smokescreen in his cage. "I have to go do my homework Mello… I hope whatever's bothering you solves itself soon."
"Yeah. Thanks." He watched the girl leave before his attention was brought to the bird sleeping in his hands. The claws were tightened around his fingertips, using them as the perch. Daybreak slept soundly, trusting Mello. The blond pet the bird with a finger his heart heavy, his mind drowning in the many thoughts.
What did he have now? What could he do with his life now that the only thing he'd been working for was gone?
His back against the wall Mello thought. It was a wild rollercoaster, never going straight in one direction. He was disturbed when there was a rustling. The bird Twilight fluttered down into the coop, its feathers ruffled a bit. She landed on Mello's knee staring at him before hopping onto his hands next to her mate. Daybreak lifted his head before tucking it back underneath his wing. Soon both birds were positioned on his left hand, and slightly on his wrist sleeping.
'She flew back here for him.'
Mello got up and returned the birds to their shared cage right as Roger entered the coop. The chocolate addict sighed in annoyance to see the old man.
"Mello I need to talk to you."
"If it's about punching Near I don't want to hear anything about it. He deserved it smug little brat."
"It's about you."
"What could you so possibly want with me Roger?" The frustrated blonde hissed.
"You've turned eighteen Mello."
"So?"
"You have to leave Wammy's."
The bright sapphire blues widened before narrowing to the scariest of glares.
"The only reason you were allowed to stay was because you were a prime candidate in the succession of L. Now that he's chosen you must follow the house rules and find a place of your own."
"I see. Now that I'm not useful get rid of me."
"I'm sorry Mello. That is how the house runs."
"So are you kicking me out now, tonight, or tomorrow?" Mello growled. He would restrain himself from taking the geezer down. That would do him no good.
"You have a week more to find yourself a place… We thought to remind you that you still have the house your parents left you. We've seen to it that it has remained untouched by the real estate companies. However we had no clue if you wanted to return to… well there."
In a way Mello found himself panicked. How was he supposed to survive? He didn't have a steady job for money, no money for food or necessities. And pride kept him from running to Sayu and asking her for money, especially because most of it wasn't really hers, but that her parents now sent her and a bit from her aunt.
What was he going to do with himself?
"If you need any assistance with anything you are free to ask Mello. Just because you have to leave the house does not mean that wish to forget you. We will help to an extent."
"Yeah… Sure whatever Roger. Leave me alone already. I've got too much to think about already."
Roger Ruvie said nothing else but a faint goodbye and returned to the house.
It just wasn't fair. Not at all.