DISCLAIMER: I do not own or make money from the anime or manga Death Note.
Part 18
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"Honestly, I can't see a reason for either of us to stay, any of us actually. If Near is L, then what the hell are we doing here?"
Mello hummed in agreement. What was going on in Wammy's twisted brain? There had to be something more going on than a simple announcement. Mello doubted he would like it either. Matt probably even less. There was no way to tell until the morning.
Mello paused in his pacing with a knock at the door. He opened it to reveal a cart of food and a harassed staff member.
"When you are finished, just leave it outside and someone will take care of it."
Mello nodded to the man, someone he didn't recognize, and wheeled the cart inside. They were to have all of their meals in their rooms or before the usual times the current children of Wammy's ate. It suited Mello just fine, as the alternative was being surrounded by questioning and curious children while he was trying to eat.
"Should we assume it's not poisoned?" Matt grinned as he picked up a chip and popped it into his mouth.
"Well if it is, you will find out soon. Be my guinea pig." Mello sat on the edge of the bed designated as 'his' and crossed his arms as he waited. After the five minute mark with Matt still alive and breathing both of them shrugged and dug in. Mello didn't want to think about what would have happened had it been poisoned.
Their fingers brushed as they grabbed their silverware, and Matt's hand flew back as though burned. Everything had been going so well, despite being at Wammy's, that Mello had forgotten things were still a tad odd between them. Mello withheld a bitter smile and commenced eating.
Matt would forget eventually and then something as simple as the brushing of fingers wouldn't faze him. Eventually.
The food wasn't bad but nothing like he remembered. He couldn't eat more than half of it before feeling the grease swimming in his stomach. They had at least been given a small dish of chocolate pudding to cleanse the palate. It was needed.
As Mello shoved the cart outside their door, Matt lit up a cigarette. Matt didn't smoke unless he was stressed, and with the house already wearing on their emotions, Mello didn't say a word and, instead, flopped onto his bed.
Mello watched lazily as Matt pulled out a game, and the small beeps filled the silence. Mello couldn't help but want for the comfort of the loveseat and Matt's apartment. There hadn't really been much time for peace since the trip had started, and though there were beds to sleep in and a room away from everyone for the night, Mello couldn't relax.
"Want to play?" Matt held out another hand-held, one he kept stashed in the chair by his leg. Mello shook his head.
"Games are more your thing; you know that. It won't relax me. I will probably only get more frustrated."
Matt grinned. "Like the time you threw the controller across my apartment?"
Mello flushed and turned his head. The buttons had stuck on the controller, and he had lost; he could hardly be blamed for what had happened afterward.
Mello was startled as something dropped onto his stomach. He grinned in thanks as he picked up the chocolate and snapped off a piece. Mello suddenly knew that neither of them would be getting much sleep that night.
None of the ten would.
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"As I began yesterday, Near is L. However that is not where things end." Near looked up as though this was news to him, and if Mello hadn't been so caught up in it as well, he might have snickered.
"The children we currently have at Wammy's House are too young to take over for Near should he die untimely, the oldest barely being nine. That is why, with deep regret, I am reactivating the ranking system between the remainder of you."
There was a sort of stunned silence that prevailed among the top ten for more than a few moments after Wammy had finished speaking. Mello ran his tongue across his lips and glanced almost nervously at Matt. One or the other but not both; if he chose wrong this time, there would be no fixing it.
"Take me out of the running. I don't want it," Mello said finally, being the first to speak. Seven sets of eyes bore into him, but he stood firm.
"You do not have a choice. None of you do," Wammy stated calmly.
"The hell I don't!" Matt grabbed his wrist before Mello could move more than an inch in Wammy's direction. Glancing down, Matt was tense in the chair. Mello grit his teeth and flicked his eyes to Wammy.
"You know who I work for, and you have the audacity to tell me I have no choice in the matter? If you think for a second that I will participate in this, you are sorely mistaken, and I can assure you that if you choose me, you will live to regret it," Mello snarled the last portion and wrenched his arm from Matt's grip. He didn't give anyone in the room a second glance as he left, slamming the door behind him.
Reinstate the rankings?
What the hell was Wammy thinking!?
It was some sort of cosmic joke. The one thing Mello might have hoped for years ago was happening now and he had thrown it away. He didn't even feel slightly bitter about it! Snapping off a bite chocolate, Mello continued his frenzied pace through the hallways.
Who else in that room would decline? It didn't affect Near unless he was being forced back into the rankings as well, though that would mean his position as L was threatened. Mello supposed he should be thankful Wammy hadn't immediately chosen him as Near's backup. And Matt, Mello knew for certain that the redhead did not want to be L or even his pawn.
Wammy must have lost his mind.
A hand shot out of the open room as Mello passed by, and it yanked him inside. Startled, Mello reached for a gun he didn't have on him.
"Calm down, and seat yourself, if you will." Roger closed the door behind him, and Mello stood stock still.
"I am well aware that you would have wounded me had your weapon been on you. Now please?" Roger motioned to the chair before his desk, Mello having recognized the room as Roger's office.
Still too pissed off at Wammy and a little surprised at Roger's daring, Mello did as asked and sat down, though he glared when Roger offered tea.
"Quillish has informed you of his decision to reinstate the rankings?" Mello nodded, and Roger steepled his hands.
"I assume that you are eager to get started. But if I may have a moment of your time-"
"You assume too much. I turned it down, yet Wammy was under the impression that I-that we had no choice in it. Any idea why?" Mello snapped off chocolate and narrowed his eyes at the caretaker. Roger's eyes widened a little, and he readjusted himself in his chair.
"Then I apologize for my assumption. I am not privy to the inner workings of Quillish's mind."
Mello didn't believe him. Roger knew. Yet Mello expected he had thrown them for a loop with not wanting to be dearest Near's backup. Because if he refused, what was to say the others wouldn't as well?
"Anyway, I pulled you aside as I did not want Matt in here with you."
Mello conceded that, had Roger asked for him alone whilst he had been in the company of Matt, he would have told him to either fuck off or speak to the both of them. Mello folded his arms and leaned back.
"How much has Matt told you of the reason he left the institution?"
"Just that he'd had enough of the place." Mello felt uneasy suddenly. The way Roger stated that made it seem like there was more to the story.
"I see. I felt it best for you to know that Matt had become unpleasant to be around after you left. He became rather...violent towards the authority figures, especially Quillish. I believe he was under the impression it was the system's fault you had left. He was particularly unpleasant the week of his departure."
"Why are you telling me this?" Matt had acted like that, even as far back as then? Mello had never felt all that particularly guilty. Matt, however, would be the one to change that, wouldn't he?
"I would like you to make certain Matt does not do anything unsavory while staying here."
"He's not a pet I can put a leash on. He's a grown man and can do what he wants. Don't forget you wanted us here. We never wanted to come back, not ever. Don't open Pandora's box if you can't handle what's inside." Mello stood and let his feet sweep him from the room.
He and Matt were going to have a little chat once he found him.
-End Part 18-
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AN: Whats this? An update? Don't die of a heart attack now... XD
I wont bore you with reasons. Just know that I edited this all for you guys the second I woke up :D
Also, fans of Must Love Sharks be on the lookout for an unplanned, FINAL chapter that is set in our favorite boys futures. It might be up tonight or tomorrow morning.
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Review?