No, guys do not only go after blondes!
Chapter thirty-two- Near the marshMello.
The chaos was noticeable in the air. It hung in thick, heavy patches around the teachers, the students noticing the sudden change in their attitudes.
Normally calm teachers were acting anxious, and the mean, grumpy teachers were moving around frantically, some frozen completely.
Near deducted the disturbance first, far before Mello had ever thought something was wrong. He remained in his natural stoic nature as certain teachers bustled around like idiots.
L said to be wary of her, should we ever meet. The second Kira's not someone to be messed with, at the moment. I won't let my guard down, he droned to himself. I wonder where Mello is...
Matt was the next one to have it all figured out. He sat on Mello's bed and played his Gameboy as Mello typed away at his keyboard. It shocked and amazed him the amount of people following Mello's blog. Though, most of them, he swore, we're guys who thought Mello was a girl. The chocolate didn't help that case.
"Any new comments?" Matt asked as he leveled up with a slight smile. His natural game face.
Mello looked his friend's way with a frown on his face. "About thirty-three, including twelve proposals and fifteen pickup lines. All from dudes. One of them even dared to called me a girl."
Matt made a small sound of indignance. He felt no sympathy. "You know, this wouldn't keep happening if you cut your hair already. We, of all people, should understand that blondes are attractive to guys. And wearing a belly shirt really does not help your case."
Mello was less amused at the suggestion. "How is that fair? My hair is apart of me. I'm not cutting it off. And they should KNOW!"
The young gamer paused the motive for his life and turned to look his friend in the eye. Mello knew a lecture was in store about personal hygiene and appearance. He barely had time to roll his eyes before Matt opened his mouth to deliver it, but no sound came out. Mello got a weird feeling as Matt visibly perked up with his eyes going wide.
The blonde haired teen turned to check out what so got his friend's attention. A similar reaction ensued.
The young blonde woman was talking to Watari like she'd known him forever. The older dude seemed to be outwardly enjoying her company.
"Dang, she's so hot," Matt murmured. "Even hotter than on the cover of 18."
Mello shot him an amused look. So Matt was a normal guy, after all, not just a reclusive nerd (nothing against recluses or nerds; *vulcan greeting* live long and prosper) "I thought you hate reading? Why the sudden interest?"
Matt furrowed his eyebrows, but kept his gaze on Misa. "It's not reading. It's casually skimming pages, looking for hot girls to stare at."
Mello grinned his approval. He cheerfully patted the younger boy's shoulder. "I've taught you so well!" He praised himself as well as the gawking lover-boy.
"Uh huh," Matt agreed without even listening. "Whatever you say, Mello. So do you think she'd go out with me?"
The older boy shrugged simply. "Maybe. Not if I get to her first." Mello jokingly got to his feet and ran to the door.
Matt ran after him, as they darted through the courtyard. Near was sitting alone on the floor with Linda trying to get him to play with some of the other kids, to only failed attempts. Poor girl...
The duo slipped past Roger as the older man gasped. Were these two freight trains, or what?!
As predicted, Mello reached Misa first. He came to a stunningly fast halt and shot her the brightest, dazzling smile he could manage. Which, by anyone's standards, was pretty bright. "'Sup, babe. How you doin'?"
She understood the antic immediately and play on one of her own. She wrapped a finger around her hair and began twisting it sweetly. "I've been better," she teased, making sure to "subtly" show her wedding ring. "And better still."
Mello flushed bright red as Matt finally caught up. He noticed the shiny object and frowned inwardly to himself. Bummer...
Misa gestured the boys to follow after her as she began walking towards the house, talking diligently to Watari.
The poor boys could only tag along as the grownups enjoyed themselves.
Matt was the first one to break the awkward silence between the trudging boys. "You didn't know Misa-Misa was married, did you? Cause that sure as heck came as a surprise to me," he whispered to his companion-in-crime.
Mello's voice returned and it returned harshly. "No! Why would I know?!"
Matt shot him a look that said exactly, "Why not?!"
His friend's silent inquiry put Mello dangerously closer to the edge than he'd already been. "Well, it's not like you'd read the tabloids either!" The young blonde complained.
Unbeknownst to them, Misa and Watari could hear the entire conversation and were smiling amusedly at their childish quarrel.
Matt wasn't ready to put the fire out just yet, but instead stoked several of the flames. The hot ambers ignited. "No. I'm too busy increasing my hand-eye coordination while you've been writing on that dumb blog of yours."
"Matt, I've already told you; 'Marshin' My Mello' is not dumb! It's genius and people love the crap I post."
Matt was about to hit low and he knew it. "No, they're too busy fixating on your girly features to even realize you're a guy like them, dude!"
Misa broke in before the blows landed even lower (there's nothing wrong with androgynistic features, by the way). "Oh so you're Mello, then? I've been following your blog; Harshin' My Mello. I've been meaning to tell you that it's intellectual for a boy your age."
The last comment left the boy in question baffled. It was almost a head-scratching moment. "What do you mean 'for my age'? I'm fourteen, thank you!" He protested.
Matt decided it was best he chipped in now. "And apparently the next Einstein," he murmured, adding more wood to the fire pit.
Mello whipped around and turned on him. "You're no better, Matt," he growled. "Besides, at least I strive to be the next L. You're too busy with that dang handheld to even realize the world's round."
"The world's round?"
"Yes!"
"GUYS!" Misa cried, hurriedly getting between the two before a fistfight followed. She held her hands out to block them from each other. "Let's handle this peacefully."
Both brunette and blonde teen softened their expression. Something in Misa's way of doing things held an air of meaning and dignity. It was almost as if, even when she did things impulsively, she deeply thought them through.
"Only if he agrees," Mello consented finally, a begrudging tone obvious.
"Fine," Matt agreed.
A half smile rose to Misa's face. "Good. Watari, you don't mind if they show me around, do you?" She gave him her best puppy eyes.
Needless to say, the older man gave in. After all, L had asked him to listen to any request when he agreed to drive her. She'd been initially shocked at the offer.
She hugged him happily before running between the two boys and grabbing their hands. "Let's go then!"
Watari watched in amusement as the older girl tugged the two boys down the path as the struggled to follow. Misa sure could be a handful sometimes.
"See that white haired kid, sitting on the floor, playing with toys?" Mello asked Misa, pointing towards Near.
"Yeah?"
Mello fought his inferiority complex down his throat, deep into his chest. He continued, "That's Near. He's my archrival for the position of L."
Misa frowned at that. No, it was not news to her, but she still didn't completely get it. "What about Matt? You guys seem to fight a lot. Is he a rival too?"
Mello stared at her for a moment, as if she'd either grown a second head or was crazy. "No, believe it or not, Matt's like a brother to me, quarrels and all. But Near thinks he's so much better than me. He's always trying to prove to L that he's the best. And he's not even next in line for being L."
Misa frowned slightly at his words. "There's a line?"
Mello raised his eyebrow at her. "You're not too smart, are you? Yes, there's a line. Next, after L, is A. Then B. Then C. Then-"
"I think I get it," she cut in irritably, not yet over her ego being grazed.
Matt whacked his friend's arm notably hard. "Dude, I think you upset her with the stupid comment. You might want to apologize."
Mello shot the brunette a good glare. "Fine. I apologize profusely, Misa. It was a rude comment, one I shouldn't have made."
Misa cast the apology and the insult behind her back. "Don't worry about it." It was just that easy for her. "So who's A and who's B? Can you point them out to me?"
He nodded and pointed dutifully towards a tall, black haired boy. He wasn't facing them, instead, talking to another black haired boy.
That hair...
Misa's eye widened as realization dawned. "Good God... L?!" She hissed softly.
Prying eyes turned to face her, including the black haired boy pointed the opposite direction. Her heart calmed down a beat upon seeing his features. Similiar, but not the same.
"B," Mello corrected her. "Close, but not the same. He's my roommate, actually. He's the only other one, aside from myself of course, who's even seen L's true face. I even beat NEAR at that."
"Yep, but not at anything else," Matt cut in, setting Mello into inwardly seething fits and irritated twitches.
"Shut up, Matt!" He growled out.
The boy in question rolled his eyes before pulling out his Gameboy and turning it on. Soon the courtyard was filled with tiny beeps and clicks. "Yeah, whatever..." The in-game-zone boy trailed off.
The black haired boy- B- stalked over to them. "You know our teacher's name," he spoke smoothly. "And it sounds as though you've seen his face, too. Am I right in this assumption?"
Misa found his voice pleasant. Pleasant for a smooth-talking jerk, but pleasant nonetheless. "Yes, you are correct."
Those four words stopped every single conversation in the courtyard. This strange girl was claiming to know their teacher- to see his face. Recognition gained in some eyes.
"That's Misa-Misa," one of the boys murmured to a girl.
The girl had blonde pigtails and was frowning deeply. "I know that. But why's she here?"
"Interest. L asked me to check it out," Misa lied.
The little girl narrowed her eyes carefully. "What's your relationship with L?" She inquired carefully.
Misa thought it over before answering. "Friends. Possible lovers. Oh, and I'm carrying his child."
"That is not true at all," spoke a familiar voice behind her.
She turned around slowly with a knowing smirk on her face. L frowned towards her direction in his normal position, slumped over. Misa decided to play a little.
"And how would you know, sir? Are you making a claim to L's heart?"
She could've winked his way. He narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "No, I'm not in love with L. I'm a dear friend, however. But that aside, why would L fall for an average girl like you? A being of intelligence would more likely be better suited to be the mother of his children."
Misa pouted a the insult. "You're denying a proud soon-to-be mother of her unborn child's father based on that? I could easily get a DNA sample to prove it, as soon as the baby's born, if it so calms your hormones."
L scowled at her cooly. "You're lying," he decided. "You're not even pregnant, let alone L's lover. You, miss, are not the mother of L's unborn child."
She nodded affirmatively. "A proper deduction, sir. No, I'm not in any way intimate with L. I am a good friend, as you are, sir. By the way, I'm afraid you've not mentioned your name, nor have you met MY acquaintance. I am Misa Amane."
"Coil. Eraldo Coil," L murmured back. "Watari, Ryuuzaki, and L's go-between. And I've heard of you from L."
She grinned impishly. He knew at that moment heck was breaching. "So am I. Ironic we've never met, isn't it? It's like L loves playing with me."
A strange feeling stirred around his abdomin. The last sentence was a special innuendo. One she'd play on with Ryuuzaki. "Have my child," he muttered out loud unconsciously.
Misa planted a kiss on his cheeks. "We'll see," she promised. "At the moment, however, I'm for L and L alone."
L expression changed into that of a devilish thief. He stared her straight in the eyes. "I'll be sure to tell him you said so. I'm sure he'll be pleased with the knowledge. It seems he has a very acute crush on you."
"I'm sure. We've been close for years. I reciprocate his affections, though our jobs often leave us apart. We haven't met face-to-face for the longest time."
Less than a day, to be exact, she thought to herself.
L must've been thinking the same thing, as Misa noted, with a touch of amusement, that his eyebrows had been momentarily raised. His expression remained stoic. "Yes, so I've heard. He gets grouchy when you leave, I've observed."
She covered her mouth as she began laughing. It left him in a state of perplexity. "Does this interest you?" He asked obliviously.
She nodded and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "Yes, actually, it does. It's nice to know you're loved by the one you love. It's that simple."
Ryuuzaki shrugged in L's body. "I suppose it would. To the average person, anyway."
Near slowly got to his feet. He slumped over to L with an apathic expression spread across his face. "You look like B," he murmured. "And B looks like L."
L stared Near straight in the face, daring him silently to say it aloud. "Yes, Near? If you have something to say, please do. The current L believes in freedom if speech. And if you are to start saying something, finish please. If you speak, don't mince words. Mean. Every. Single. One. Of. Them."
With advice like that, there were only three words Near could say that would expose him as L. And they were spoken.
"You are L."