Chapter eight:

Near keeps going so Mello continues to follow trying to not show his nervousness.

The doctor glances up for a moment giving Near a nod before looking back to his phone. "Have a good day Near."

"You too Doctor Ralph." Near responds casually with Mello continuing to follow the platinum haired boy out of the asylum. He doesn't even look back to ensure that BB is still following them.

Mello pretends to fix his hair giving him a chance to glance behind himself where he spots BB managing to slip out and continue to follow. He silently breathes a sigh of relief and keeps walking with Near.

The two stop once a safe distance away where BB soon joins them as well.

"We did it." Mello breathes out partially not able to believe that they actually had done it. He slumps his shoulders feeling like a heavy weight has just lifted off of himself.

"We did." BB hums clearly glad that this had indeed worked. "But now what? Do we head straight for Whammys from here?"

"Yes. It'd be safer to do so." Near confirms and Mello slightly tenses again now realizing that they need to get BB into the orphanage without being spotted. He looks to the blonde allowing their gazes to meet with one another. "Mello. You will be going on ahead as the look out. Me and BB will follow behind you. You can raise your hand to tuck your hair behind your ear if you need us to stop. Then when you believe it is clear for us to move again then you can wave your hand for us to do so."

Mello nods his head understanding the idea behind this. "Where exactly are we going to keep him until the time comes for… You know…" Mello isn't really sure that he wants to say what will end up happening.

"The old storage room not far from Rogers office. Hardly anyone uses it." Near points out. "Plus it will be quick to be able to bring BB into Rogers office when the time comes."

Mello nods and they head out together to get to the orphanage.

Luckily they got back at a time when the orphans were either in the library studying, in their rooms, or in the common room which left the path to the dusty storage room wide open with no one finding any of the three.

Mello and Near meet with Matt in the red heads room now that BB has been acquired.

"So. I managed to make the time L comes to the orphanage seem to be in two days." Matt explains to the two. "We have tomorrow to really prepare then at ten am the day after that things must be set into motion."

"That's more than enough time." Near assures Matt in a thankful tone. "I can take care of the final details. You two can try to seem like your usual selves in the meantime."

Mello really hopes that this plan does work and for now the three head their separate ways.

The next day…

Roger has all the orphans gathered in the common room along with the teachers, including the orphanages nurse, to give an announcement. "I have gotten word that I must share with you as much I wish I didn't have to." He announces getting whispers about what this could be before they are shushed so he can continue. "The asylum has reported that BB has escaped. They are trying to find out how he has escaped, and the police are trying to track his potential whereabouts. In the meantime all of you must be careful especially when going past the orphanages walls." He clears his throat to try to get rid of somber seeping into his voice before he continues. "If you may have forgotten BB was once an orphan here who sadly went insane after the suicide of another orphan. Causing him to commit murders before trying to take his own life." His words get shocked whispers at the reminder of BB and what had happened; Now that Mello thinks on it he did see some burn scars on BB making him wonder how Near plans to cover that up before dismissing it. He calls for quiet which does manage to work. "While we doubt that any of you will actually be in danger as the orphanage was never his target, we still urge you all to use caution. That will be all." He allows them to go though while some quickly retreat elsewhere looking fearful others stay to gossip and theorize.

Mello turns catching Matt's eye just in time to see the red head nod to outside which Mello nods his head. He gets up from sitting to go and he spots Near slipping out of the room to go elsewhere in the orphanage.

The two friends head outside where they go past the treeline so they won't be seen.

Matt pulls out a cigarette making Mello sigh.

"That stuff is gonna kill you early." Mello mentions as Matt lights up the cigarette in his mouth.

"I know." Matt mentions after exhale his first puff. "But that is up to me to decide if I want to keep using it."

Mello shrugs it off as Matt is right that it is truly up to him if he wants to do this or not. "Anyways. Why are we meeting here?" He waits a moment as Matt takes another puff and exhales the smoke before he can answer.

"Well. I wanted to get your ideas about Nears plan. Do you really think it'll work?" Matt inquires before taking another inhale from the cigarette.

"If I know Near then he'll find a way to make it work." Mello admits glancing up to the direction of the leaves above seeing parts of the sky peeking through some spots. He finds himself smiling warmly as he thinks of the boy he continuously called his rival. "He's pretty crafty when it comes down to it. Plus BB always was ranked above even Near back in his time at the orphanage. So if I had to guess then I would say that if anyone is going to be able to make this work and happen it'll be those two."

"You speak pretty fondly of him now." Matt mentions as they both turn to each other though he got distracted and accidentally blew smoke in Mellos face. He turns away a little embarrassed as Mello waves his hand to wave away the smoke blown his way. "Sorry."

Mello lowers his hand once the smoke is gone. "Yeah. I don't really know if I wanna call him my rival anymore." He admits with a slight sigh. "There's something about him that gets to me in a different way than before. Yet I don't fully understand it just yet."

"Maybe you like him and want him to be yours." Matt suggests taking another inhale barely managing to exhale the smoke before he is punched in the arm. "Ow! Okay! Sorry!"

Mello rolls his eyes and the two remain silent until Matt finishes the cigarette putting the brown butt into a container with other butts. He knows that it is so the red head doesn't get caught and that the other can dispose of the butts elsewhere. "Did you actually want to discuss things or did you drag me out here so you wouldn't be alone for a smoke break?" He lightly teases with a serious tone making Matt chuckle.

"Little of both." Matt admits and Mello sighs shaking his head before the two head back to the orphanage.

The air of the orphanage feels different to the two of them knowing what tomorrow is going to bring.

….

BB sits there behind some boxes not long after Near left promising him some food a little later. He glances to a dusty window which can no longer be looked out of or into as it is too dusty to really see anything. He can recall that moment so long ago. He can see A dying in his arms as the two finally confess their feelings for one another despite having thought that the other didn't return those feelings. He closes his eyes smiling to himself knowing that tomorrow he will be reunited with A once more, while also being able to help his and A's only other friend Near with the whole situation Near is having. "I will see you again soon my beloved." He promises in a whisper with no one around to hear it.