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Annals of Fear II	By : DeathNoteFangirl Category: Death Note > Yaoi-Male/Male > Mello/Matt Views: 5803 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note and I do not make any money from these writings

Chapter List
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Mello and Matt entered the hall with all its warmth and the smell of cooked pizza.    Mello shivered, striding into the room, still gripping Matt's hand.   "God! It's fucking cold out there!   Whose bright idea was it to come to Wales in the middle of winter, Century?    On a sea-front!"

"It's still only autumn."   Century replied, eating his pizza from the box.    In fact, only Deontic had fetched herself a plate.   Mello glanced at it and let go of Matt in order to procure crockery for himself.   Century looked up.   "You don't look any different, Matt."

Matt didn't reply.   While the kitchen resounded with the bangs of Mello searching through cupboards, Matt glanced at his ideal seat. It was halfway down the table, right in front of the whiteboard now taking up half of the wall.   Unfortunately it also had Deontic sitting in it.    He took the one next to her, which caused her to look sharply at him in surprise.   He traditionally took any seat which had no-one anywhere near it.   Not that one more person watching him made any difference.   They'd all been doing that since he'd walked through the door, which made him wonder what Mello had told them.    That suspicion deepened, as Mello returned, victoriously brandishing two white plates, and Matt noticed Hal giving him a significant look.   It was the sort of look that asked, 'is everything alright now?' and Mello responded with a quick, almost imperceptible nod.

"Are these ours?"   Mello asked, descending upon the only two unopened boxes.

Deontic nodded, "Yes, and there is some garlic bread in that silver bag thingie."

"Thank you." Mello briskly emptied their food onto the plates.   "How much do we owe you?"

"Don't worry about it."   Deontic replied.   "You can get tomorrow's."

Mello chucked the bag with the garlic bread at Matt, who caught it easily, then carried their plates around the table.   He sat down next to his husband, with a quick look at the whiteboard.   "Where did we get to?"

Fenian gave him a sly smile.   "We'd just reached the speculation about whether or not you and Matt had finished arguing."   Across the table, Matt just impassively ate his pizza.   Mello's eyes narrowed, but he did nothing more than cast a quick warning glance at the Irishman.

Kiana turned an incredulous look upon her boyfriend. "Liam, why is it that you're being a combative toerag?"   At his smirking shrug, she frowned.   Her attention moved towards Century, then Deontic and back.   "Are you about telling me that it's started already?   All that you were saying about the fecking house? Causing tension."

"No."   Century smiled back.   "Welcome to Wammy's House."

"What?"

"This is us getting on with each other.   You don't want to be around when the shit really starts flying."   He closed his pizza box. "I'm full now.   Anyone for another cuppa?"   There were general murmurs of assent, so he collected the mugs and sloped off into the kitchen.

Kiana looked distinctly uneasy.   Mello smiled across at her.   "Must be a bit of a shock."   He waited until her frown deepened. "Discovering that you've obviously been in the honeymoon period.   The real Fenian is a combative toerag.   You've just had..."

"Stop right there."   Kiana's dark eyes flashed and she fixed her gaze straight onto Mello.    Beside her, Fenian shifted uncomfortably, but he didn't intervene.   "I've not said anything to you thus far, Mello, because I wanted to get the measure of you.   But let's establish the new way of things right now.   You do not speak to him nor about him like that."   Fenian bowed his head.   Deontic hunkered down into her seat.   Hal watched with rigid professionalism, though her eyes moved with fascination between Mello and Kiana.   Matt went on eating pizza, as if nothing had occurred, though no-one was fooled by his nonchalance.   Mello had sat back in his chair, his pizza slice returned to the plate.   He surveyed Kiana with amusement.   "And you have a lot of ground to make up.   Do we fucking understand each other?"

"Heh." Mello grinned.   "Fenian did go and get himself a new mummy."

Fenian rose to his feet, with the chair clattering back behind him.   His fists balled and his breath strained through rigidly bared teeth. Hal had stood too, one hand outstretched just a few feet short of Fenian, though it was Mello that she was watching.   He sat still, a dark, Mafioso glamour rising about him like a shroud.   His eyes had hardened, but his smile remained.   Hal and Kiana spoke at once.   Hal saying, "Let's calm this down", while Kiana clutched a handful of Fenian's baggy, blue jumper, yanking him downwards, while saying, "Liam! Níl sé fiú é!"    The challenge hung heavily around them for a moment more, before Fenian angrily shoved down on Kiana's hand, then turned to retrieve his chair.   He sat back down and, after a few seconds, so did Hal.   Kiana said softly, "Go raibh maith agat."   But Fenian did not look pacified nor much calmer.

Deontic peeped up, her eyes at the level of her shoulders.   "This is never going to work."

"My thoughts exactly."   Mello replied, his voice low and growling.   "I said it from the moment I knew he was here and, if I'd known in advance, I would have vetoed his presence."

Fenian scowled, his fist on the table.   "You have no fucking say over where I go or what I do."

Deontic looked pleadingly at Kiana, then Matt, before disdaining the last for Hal.   Deontic shook her head, "The house is going to have them kill each other. We'd started peace negotiations."   She rubbed her mouth.   "Mello instigated a whole amendment to the constitution to help Fenian out.   I thought they were settling their differences."    She glanced in agitation towards the kitchen, then back in alarm.   "Hal, are either of them armed?"

"I don't know," said Hal, in placid, measured tones.   "Fenian, Mello, are either of you armed?"

"No." Mello smiled back at her and resumed picking up his pizza.   "Because I respect Century and I'd never do anything to frighten him."    No-one was entirely convinced; apart from Matt, who'd watched Mello dress to come out and knew that the weapons were in a locked case under their bed.   "Mmm, this is lovely pizza.   A bit cold."

"Fenian?" Hal turned to look at him.

Still visibly seething, Fenian shook his head.   "I do not have a firearm on my person."

"Then it appears that there will be no crossfire in this hall tonight." Hal concluded.   "Nor ever, hopefully.   Or I'll take you both out myself."

"Not that I need a weapon to rip the fucking head off that cunt."   Fenian barked, eliciting a snort of laughter from Mello.

Deontic coughed to gain their attention, but it was like whispering into a maelstrom. "Do you not realise how dangerous this is to take into that house?    It's like a gift handed on a plate to the entities there.    Please be reasonable and approach this like intelligent men. This is very unseemly of you both."   Her words made no dent in the atmosphere.   "If this is the way that you wish to proceed, then, Hal, I would like to raise a motion that we close down this case right now.   Either burn the manor to the ground..."

A call arose from the kitchen. "No."

"... or install electric fencing and get the whole area proclaimed a high security, no access zone."   She watched Hal nod, though the American's attention was still largely on the two men.   "And please add a note to both Mello and Fenian's files to state that they were mentally unfit and intellectually inadequate to pursue the completion of...."

"I don't think so."   Mello's mouth smiled, as he turned, leaning past Matt to stare wide-eyed at her.   Fenian was just glaring at her now, from across the table.

Deontic was twisting a paper napkin into shapes on her lap.   "And I do, Mello.   Sorry."

"Disagreed."

Hal's voice cut through, "Motion heard and will be actioned, Deontic.   Though naturally both men could clear their names and be reinstated on the case, if they undergo a psychiatric evaluation with Valerie."

Mello laughed loudly, "And now Hal is following her own agenda!"   He sat back.   "No and no."   He took a chocolate bar from his pocket, despite having a full pizza on the plate in front of him.   "Fuck no."

Fenian also sat back, his fingers tapping incessantly on his thigh.   Kiana placed a hand onto his arm, though whether that was in comfort or to stop the tapping wasn't clear to the rest of them.    He, at least, sounded less bitter, as he quietly commented, "You can put what you fucking like on my file.   I'm not now or ever taking a Watari case, so it doesn't really matter what my fucking file says."

There was the rattle of crockery from the kitchen, as Century judged it safe to emerge and did so carrying a tray laden with hot drinks.   "It should be noted that Fenian isn't here representing Watari.   He's here as my guest."

Hal looked wryly at Fenian.   "Using Watari resources, staying in premises paid for by Watari...."

"Send me the fucking bill then." Fenian hissed, as Century placed a mug of coffee down in front of him, then continued around delivering the rest.

Hal made a conciliatory gesture, "No need. And thank you for the tea, Century."   Her gaze swept around the table and landed back onto Mello.   "Mello, eat some proper food before it goes cold."     He frowned and opened his mouth to make his retort, but she quickly added, "Because I'm not going to listen to you whining that you're hungry later, that's why."    She reached for her tea, but saw him open his mouth again.   "And no, I'm not the boss of you.   Just a good friend, who cares about your daily nutritional intake and who has already noticed how pale and tired you look."

Mello sighed, slammed down his chocolate and picked up a slice of pizza.    He ripped off a section and ate it, open mouthed, so that Hal could see him chewing.   She winced her disgust and looked away, whereupon Mello ate the rest of the slice with more regard to his manners.   Beside him, Matt had already finished. He dumped the remaining half of the garlic bread onto Mello's plate, then lit a cigarette.    Hal glanced towards the nearest of the no smoking signs, but Fenian took that as his cue to light up too.

Before any further comment could be made, Deontic took up her pen and sat poised over her notepad.   "What are we going to do?"   There was no answer from anyone.   "Century, you've dragged us all back into this.   What were you planning that we do?"

"Resolve the case, is it?"   Century was back in his seat next to Fenian.   "We just contained it before."

"But we can't do that in these circumstances.   Mello and Fenian..."    She stopped, staring at what was happening beside her.

Matt lifted his goggles and positioned them on the top of his head.   His long fringe had been scraped back in the process and was now trapped under them.    Mello casually took his 'phone out of his pocket and noted the time.    Matt slid his plate away from himself, then unpacked his laptop.    He fed out the lead and wandered across to plug it into the multi-socket, on the floor in front of the whiteboard.   Matt glanced up at that, then sat back down, logging on.    All around him, people were silenced and staring.   Only Kiana looked puzzled, not really understanding the significance.    She frowned the unspoken query at her boyfriend, but he was just sneering at Matt. She transferred the look to Century instead, who did notice her.

"So that's what he looks like."   Century commented and saw that Kiana had worked it out.    Then he clocked Fenian's face and added, "A pixie."   Which caused a sharp look from Mello, so Century shut up.

Hal smiled, "Haven't you got lovely eyes?"    Matt looked sideways at Mello, who smirked.    Hal went on, "You remind me of him." She tutted.    "What's his name?   The actor.   He was in that film."    Matt glanced at her, then stared fixedly at his laptop screen.    She had Mello's attention though. He waited with interest.   "Oh! This is going to really bug me."

"What film was it?"   Mello prompted.

"'Lord of the Rings'."

Century and Fenian both burst out laughing.   Mello narrowed his eyes at them, but replied, with pointed politeness, "There were a lot of good looking men in that film.    Which one in particular?"   His own mind raced through all that he'd picked up by osmosis about the film.    It had been huge once, but he had never seen it.   He did not recall a redhead.

"The hobbit?"   Fenian supplied, nastily.

To his surprise, Hal nodded, "Yes."   Which caused Century to have to look away, while Fenian just openly chuckled.   Mello was frozen in his chair, icily staring at Hal, while Matt just seemed absorbed in cyberspace.   Hal rolled her eyes. "Will you stop it, please?   It's the actor who played the hobbit.   I'm not saying that Matt looks like a hobbit himself.    The actor has these amazingly big, blue eyes. They are very striking.   Matt's are similar," she caught Mello's eye and sighed, finishing lamely with, "but green."   She mouthed 'sorry' at Mello, who shrugged and slipped his hand onto Matt's thigh.   Hal rallied, "But anyway, you should show your face more often. Very handsome."

Mello smiled, thawing out again, "I obviously agree.   But then I've fancied the arse off him for years and it's a constant source of delight to me that I managed to pull him."

Deontic stood up.   "I want this issue settled now, because if I'm going back to Winchester, I don't want to leave it too late."

Century looked startled, "Why are you going to Winchester?"

"Because as things stand, this case isn't tenable.   If we are going to retain this set up, then constantly go off track when we try to address it, then we are all going to get killed."   She balled, then flexed her fingers a few times.   But hurried to continue as a couple of voices rose in protest.    Hal murmured, 'Let her have her say.' "We need to ascertain right here and now, who is more valuable during the process towards eventual closure. I would identify key attributes here.   If we believe that the entity is Pagan in origin, then Century's invitation to Kiana should stand, as she is a member of that religion.   Fenian's knowledge of Celtic history is surpassed by Century's knowledge, but there's additional folkloric input, of which Century appeared to be ignorant before, particularly in the arena of the fairy faith."   There was a laughing snort across the table, but Deontic didn't look up. Her head was bowed over her notes. "There may also be a geological angle missed before and, if the past is anything to go by, then Fenian's expertise in search and rescue will be useful.   On the other hand, Mello," she indicated him with her hand, though they all knew him, "is the closest thing to having L himself in the room.   In fact, if he hadn't left the premises, he could well have been L today.   Last time, it was Mello's brainpower which kept us alive..."

"It was teamwork!" Century gasped.

Deontic grit her teeth, "In my opinion, it was Mello's brainpower, over a consistently variable environment and increasingly unknown territory, that kept us all alive.   We also have to take into consideration that we are not going to find a better technician than Matt.   Who, incidentally, is surprisingly personable in his appearance, but is nothing like Elijah Wood.   Thank you."   She bobbed a bow and sat down.   Then tutted and stood up again.   "We need to decide whether Fenian and Kiana or Mello and Matt are more useful to the case in hand, because the other couple has to go home."   She shrugged. "Sorry."   She considered her notes again.   "And if that doesn't happen, then I'm going home, via Winchester, because I'm not prepared to risk my life on a no win case."   She glanced up for their reactions, but they were all waiting for her to finish talking.   "Naturally I will call Chrissie as I leave, because I have no hope of talking Century out of staying too.   Whereas Chrissie has her ways."   She sat back down.   There was still silence.   "Ok, you may talk."

Mello rose immediately, snatching up a marker pen from the tiny shelf and homing in on a clear space on the whiteboard.   Fenian spoke softly to Century and Kiana, "I'll stay whatever, fuck 'em."

"Tenable,"   Mello spoke as he wrote it on the board,   "isn't a word in the English language.   It used to be, but fell out of common usage a long time ago. It did, however, leave behind its negative form of," he added the letters, "untenable.   Therefore it is quite proper to say that the situation is untenable, but you may not state that it is tenable."   He grinned at them.   "Any questions?"

Deontic had blushed. "I'm sure that tenable is a word."   But uncertainty dogged her features.   "Matt, look it up on the internet."

Mello replied airily, "So my suggestion is this. You don't want to be forced to choose between close friends and family," he sniggered, "and, of course, special talents which are all invaluable.   That's foolishness.   So let's leave it in the hands of God.   If I am right and 'tenable' isn't a word in the English language, then Fenian goes home.   But if it is..."

"Yes!"   Deontic shrieked, one hand punching the air.   "Oh gosh! Oh gosh!"   She looked utterly stunned.   She could also see Matt's laptop screen.   "It's a word! It's a real word! I beat Mello!"    She had tears in her eyes, while Mello had stopped dead mid-stride. "Tenable is a real word. It really is."

"Congrats, Dee."   Fenian smiled.   While Century echoed him.

"Thank you."   Deontic beamed.

Mello bit his lip and paced forward to peer over Matt's shoulder.   "Is that an urban dictionary or an American-English dictionary?   I'm referring to British-English."

Matt looked nervous. "Oxford English Dictionary."

Hal shrugged, "If it's any consolation, I've never heard of the word."

"Ha!" Fenian crowed, "It no longer exists in American-English.   Mello fucked up!"

Mello sat down without another word.   Matt turned to look at him, but Mello just picked up his chocolate and sucked on an exposed edge of it.   He looked so subdued that even Hal reached across to gain his attention, intending to ask if he was alright.   But Mello didn't shift his gaze from the ridge of the table in front of him.    Matt placed his hand beside Mello's and it was taken and held, but that was all.

Deontic kept stifling ecstatic giggles, her hands clenched over her mouth.   Her eyes shone.   Century watched her, with a smile on his face, and repeated his, "Bloody well done, Dee", as she giggled again.    Fenian rose from his seat and walked around to her.   He patted her on the back, then bent to eye level to say, "Congratulations."

"I never thought I would do that." Deontic gushed out. "It's the first time ever!"

"Well congratulations." Fenian beamed and made his way to his seat.

Kiana caught Hal's eye and the American woman shrugged.   Kiana mouthed, "You or me?"   But Hal looked slightly blank, so Kiana said under her breath, "Me then."    She waited until her boyfriend was installed back in the seat beside her, then spoke up. "There is an alternative take on this."

"Oh?" asked Fenian, smirking.

"Yes and this goes for you too.   What the fuck does it matter whether 'tenable' or 'untenable' or fucking 'distenable' or whatever else is in the English language?   What the Hell has that got to do with the haunting up at that manor house?   We're not at school. This isn't an exam!"    She stared around the table at each of them in turn.   She paused at Deontic.   "Congratulations on your fluency in what I believe is a second language for you.   Great!   But it's hardly winning a fucking Nobel Peace Prize."   She switched to surveying Mello.   "And you.   You might be a pedantic tosser, but give the girl a chance in a foreign language.   You might have been speaking it since you were born, but she's had to learn it.   And there's really no need to look like the fucking world is ending, because you didn't know about a single word. I'd have to look it up and I've spoken English as long as Gaeilge."

Mello's gaze flickered upwards.   He said, softly, "Engleski mi je drugi jezik previše."

Kiana frowned. "What?"

Fenian leaned towards her. "Mello's from Yugoslavia.   Just because he's a cunt, it doesn't mean he's English."

Mello blinked.   He sounded quite meek, "I said, 'English is my second language too.'"

"Fine."   Fenian shot a look around at the rest of them.   "So is that it now?   We won. Mello goes home?"    He heard Kiana tut.   "Kiana, mo ghrá, forget the methodology for a moment.   It's a Wammy's House thing. Just bask in the result." She opened her mouth, as if to speak, but her gaze moved from Deontic to Mello, then took in Matt and Century too, before lingering upon Fenian. He winked at her, "You're my good luck charm."

Deontic swallowed nervously, "So what happens now? We cannot take this into the manor house.   Mello, Century, Matt, you know.   Please..."

"We'll go." Kiana said quietly.

"We fucking won't." Fenian retorted.   "Just hush woman."

"Don't you fucking hush me!   Who do you think you fucking are?"   Kiana hissed.   "What the fuck is it?   You are not like this and I will not be hushed by you, Uilleam Ó Taidhg."   She watched him flush deeply.   "Am I embarrassing you?   Good, because you're embarrassing me and if you're anything to go by, then all of these are probably putting on an act too.   Even that arrogant fuck, Mello.    He probably only puts on the front here, but back home he's into gardening, poetry recitals and raising kittens."   Across the table, Matt bowed his head and bit his lip over a smile, but they could all see it because his face was uncovered.   "Oh my God! I'm right!" She dismissed that as irrevelant, but focused upon her boyfriend once more. "I'm going back to the chalet and I'll be after ferry times.   Will you be coming with me?"

Fenian just seemed rooted to his chair.   His whole demeanour was sagged with bewilderment and betrayal. Century called out, "Way to take Mello's side, Kiana."

Kiana gritted her teeth, then stood, encircling the table to stand beside Mello.   He had to twist his head to look up at her.   Her hand reached out and was placed on Mello's shoulder-blade.   He looked surprised by that, twisting at the touch.   Fenian reeled back in his seat as if punched, but what Kiana said stunned him.   "I'm not on Mello's side. I'm on Liam Tighe's side, but unfortunately he's losing; and not to Mello.   Not ever to Mello again." She withdrew her hand from Mello's back and shoved both hands into the pockets of her long skirt.   "As long as we're here, I've lost Liam Tighe to Fenian and I'm sorry, I can't watch that happen. I'm not on Fenian's side and from what I've seen of Fenian, he can fuck off in the hope that I ever will be."   Mello's hand rose and caught her by the wrist.   She recoiled and pulled at her wrist, but it was held in an iron grip. "You can fucking get your hand off me right now."

Fenian was immediately galvanised into action, launching himself off his seat and dodging past Century.   Hal rose too, both hands out to stop him.   Mello still held fast, his eyes not breaking gaze with Kiana's. His emotions were flooding into her through the touch. It hit Kiana as a pang of hurt and guilt that was quickly subdued. "Listen to me. I've known Fenian half my life. Both of us have been bastards to each other over the years."

Hal was in Fenian's way. He grappled with her grasp, but bellowed out, "You don't fucking touch her!"

Mello's gaze was steely.   "If Fenian is such a different man than Liam Tighe, than maybe the mistake was that I never got to know Liam Tighe. You have the opposite problem. Don't give him up because he's being an ass. Know we're all fucked up from our childhoods. Get to know Fenian, because I've never seen Fenian so damned obsessed with someone in my life." Only then did Mello let Kiana go.

Kiana hesitated for just a moment, then rushed back to where Fenian stood.   He had stopped struggling with Hal, though his temper was up.   He surveyed Mello, with hot cheeks, and blue eyes burning.   "... the fuck are you....?"

Deontic banged the table with her fist. "Stop it! Please!   He spoke up for you, Fenian!   Can we just all...?"

"Zlata Janakovac wishes that you would behave, Miho."   Kiana spoke it shakingly, her back to Mello and her arms already around Fenian. Mello stiffened.   It took him several seconds to even check if anyone else had heard.   They had.   They were all watching, analysing and trying to work out what was happening.    She held onto Fenian, sneaking a glance behind her.   "Because Zlata Janakovac is always with you, watching you.   She sees what you do."

Century frowned, "Who the fuck is Zlata Janakovac?"

Mello's hand found Matt's beneath the table and held it.   Deontic noticed the movement and asked, "Something to do with you, Mello?"

He coughed, but kept his tone steady.   "I have no idea what you're talking about."   His gaze bore into her. "Where have you got that name from?"

Fenian's hand tapped against his own thigh, "Was it from the touch of him, Ki?"   She didn't respond.   Fenian nodded.   "She's an Aisling.   A psychic.   She touched him.    That name certainly sounds fucking Slavonic.   Strike one to the Irish."   He cupped Kiana's face and said softly, "Ki, is tú mo ghrá, ach cuir in iúl dom é seo."

She blinked at him.   "If you can guarantee that every time I look at you, or anyone else looks at you, in this place, they will see the sweet, sensitive man I love, then I'll stay and you'll come home with me afterwards.   No more stupid fights."

No-one was paying them much mind anymore.    Mello was staring into space, his eyes defocused.   Horror played upon his features, quickly suppressed.    He wasn't eating his chocolate and that, more than any Slavonic sounding names, had tipped off his peers.   Matt was watching him carefully, his hand tight around Mello's own.     Deontic's attention flickered between Mello and Matt, but she dismissed the latter, once she'd concluded that he was no wiser than anyone else.   Century had out his BlackBerry.   "How are we spelling that name?"

Mello blinked. "We're not."   He glared up at Fenian and Kiana, then seemed to reach a conclusion. "We're all staying."

Deontic replied, "So those names do mean something to you, Mello?"   She grimaced. "You look really spooked."

"They are common enough names."   He bristled, then noticed Matt's questioning look.   Mello sighed.    He reached up to pull the goggles back over Matt's eyes.   "You won. It's ok."   Mello's gaze was skittish now. He looked lost.    "Kiana, we need to talk later."

Fenian snorted, "You'll talk to her with witnesses or not at all."

"Matt and I are going nowhere.   We're here to solve the case."   Mello put down his chocolate.   One hand held Matt's, while the other touched his rosary.    "So let's get on with solving it."

Kiana turned to face him. "I would like you and Liam to have a conversation though, with me there.   Because I want you to know what you did to him.   I want you face to face with that.   And I want you reduced, in his mind, to the size and shape of the man you actually are."

"Ki." Fenian warned.

Mello shook his head. "I don't fucking believe this."

Hal coughed, "For what it's worth, I think that would be a very good idea."   She flashed a smile of reassurance at Mello. "Especially if you're going to be working together."

Mello glared, "Where did you get those names from, Kiana?"

"Promise me that you'll leave Fenian alone, while we're here and, as we're leaving, I'll clarify the matter." Kiana watched as Mello yanked his hand from Matt's and snatched up his chocolate. Her eyebrows rose, but then she caught Matt's stare and she stepped back behind Fenian.

Mello sank back in his chair and, after a moment, they heard his chocolate snap.
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Annals of Fear II