Mello’s Ocean
MxNFanfic by Debbie Williams

“So Mello is moving…?”
“Yeah… moving… leaving, whatever you wanna call it.” The young blonde replied, having found no other option but to sit on his suitcase to keep the overstuffed compartment shut long enough to fasten closed.
Mello sighed softly, having packed his last piece of luggage. His belongings were few, but essential. He had little to no idea where he was going to be sleeping that night, and what kind of a closet would be waiting for him, so Mello had to make sure he had everything he’d need.
Near hung there in the doorway for a few long seconds, feeling more invisible than he could remember ever having felt before. When he’d heard that Mello was leaving, not from the boy himself, of course, but having overheard the gossip the other kids at the orphanage were spreading, it was almost as if his entire world has just snapped. I mean, Mello gone? Does not compute. Ever since he could remember, the exciting blonde had always been a part of his scenery and his life. He could tell by what he heard from the other Whammýs children that many of them were not nearly as disturbed by this news, in fact, some of the children even seemed happy to be rid of the troublemaker.
Near, though, Near was miserable.
“Why is Mello leaving?” The younger boy asked cautiously, his wide dark eyes following the blonde as he hurried about his bedroom, collecting the last of his things.
Mello paused for a moment in his search and scratched the side of his head. Most likely because he was trying to remember where he’d last laid something he needed, and not because he needed to think very hard about the albino’s question.
“Well, geez, Near. It’s an orphanage, the whole point of being here is that we are kids with no parents, who want to have parents.” Mello explained boredly, as he got on his knees, bending down to look under his bed. “I mean, yeah, we’re super-smart orphans, but Whammy never adopted us. That’s why we’re here.”
And there was little Near could think of to say to that. He’d been trying futilely for hours previously that day, before he’d begun this conversation with Mello, to explain to himself how Mello leaving could ever make sense. And even with his ridiculously high intellect, it was simply an impossible concept.
But here he was, watching the blonde boy pack, and possibly never return.
“Well,” Mello spoke up, at last, after what was the longest time Near could recall the blonde had gone e without ordering the smaller boy out of his sight. “It’s about time for me to get going.”
And time was slowing down. Near watched in a silent horror as the boy he’d always been so captivated by took up his last suitcase, heaving it over his shoulder, and began to gravitate, step after painful step, his golden head rising and falling as he moved closer and closer to the door to his room, where Near stood. It was an incredible moment, something a limitless vocabulary would be unable to describe, as Near watched his rival come up, over the center of his bedroom, past his dusty lamp, his empty desk, and approach the door. A pale hand, partially hidden by the black cuff of his uniformly loose shirt, reached for the doorknob of the slightly ajar door, and with a creak, the large wooden slab swung slowly open the rest of the way and Mello looked down, his eyes locking with the wide, frightened eyes of the boy he was ready to, at last, say goodbye to.
Time froze.
And Mello smiled a little.
Near could’ve sworn…
“Happy early birthday.” The taller boy spoke first, one boy’s oceans of blue connecting with the other’s empty pits of nothing.
Near was mesmerized by those cerulean oceans Mello controlled.
“It’s tomorrow right?”
He was sinking in them.
“I didn’t really get you anything… but… hey, I’m leaving right?”
The waves were choking him. He couldn’t breathe.
“It’ll probably be the best birthday you ever have, without me around to ruin it for you…” Mello almost sounded sad behind that smile.
That fake smile.
And now Mello was walking away.
‘Don’t go…’
Near could barely see the shore anymore, so lost in Mello’s ocean.
‘What will I do without you?’
~~~
“S-sir, I don’t believe I understand-”
“I trust you have received all of the money.” the detective interrupted the woman.
“Yes, but-”
He nodded and turned away, retreating once again into his dark vehicle. “Consider it an apology for troubling you, ma’am. I’m afraid Mello will not be leaving with you today.”
And without another word, the limo begun to drive away.
~~~
Candies, cakes, presents and countless children rejoicing his very date of birth wasn’t nearly enough to brighten the miserable young albino poking silently as his slim slice of birthday cake with his fork. He just didn’t feel like eating, not without Mello there, and of course, as soon as the other orphans had realised we wasn’t going to enjoy his cake first, they’d needed no greater an excuse to begin eating and kick off the party of their own accord. Now all the children were doing a fabulous job of ignoring him. Making Near seem just as invisible as he felt at that dreadful moment.
“It figures L wouldn’t let me leave after all-”
Dark eyes shot open in surprise.
‘Mello’s voice… it’s almost like… I must be going crazy, I’m hearing his voice inside my head now,’ Near told himself, frowning down upon his slice of birthday cake.
And then a head of hair like the sun, frayed and round like a haystack, became visible just a moment before the boy rounded the corner, entering the room of the festivities, and frowning slightly at the sight of the crazed celebrating children.
“Heh, Near!”
‘…Am I… imagining things?’
“Looks like you don’t get your birthday wish after-all. Turns out kids in the immediate running for L’s title can’t be adopted, and that means you’re stuck with me.” Mello bragged, grinning slightly as he flung his small bottom down unto the chair beside the awestruck albino, not hesitating to slide the untouched piece of cake, meant for the birthday boy, towards himself and grinning smugly Near as he took a large bite.
Near took a deep breath. Lost in the ocean.
Mello’s ocean.

END.