Adult-FanFiction.org : Anime

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
- 52
- 53
- 54
"You."   Deontic had wiped her eyes before she opened the door of her chalet.   She dared not light a candle for fear that her eyes were red-rimmed now.   "I didn't expect it to be you."   She bustled inside and picked up the first of her bags.   "Will you help me carry these to my car?   I'm assuming that Matt has it started by now."

Mello stepped inside and closed the door.   He had fetched his red coat and stood huddled in it. "Why are you running away, Pek Wan?"   He held the chocolate bar against his lips, but he hadn't taken a bite. He wasn't even licking it.   "I'm not saying that I blame you.   In fact, it might be a good strategy for us all."

Deontic stood very still, not trusting herself to relax a single muscle, lest she start shaking.   "Is Matt starting my car?"

"He will if I ask him to.   He's still up there with the others."   Mello seemed pensive about that.   "He upset you."

"You all upset me.   I upset me.    This place upsets me."   Deontic took a short, jagged breath and turned to face him. "There is no need for me to be here.   I'm not contributing.   I'm acting as a referee between four men, who should have grown up by now. There are a dozen cases that I could be applying myself to.   This is a waste of my skills.   Five of us, on a single, parochial case. It's just ridiculous."   She blinked owlishly at him.   "Will you ask Matt to start my car?"

Mello took the tiniest bite of his chocolate.   He collected mostly shards and let them melt on his tongue.   He took a candle out of his coat pocket and lit it.   He placed it down on the table and peered at her over it.   "I apologise if I upset you."

"Are you here because you think that it's better not to let another foster sister go storming out?"   Deontic shook her head. "Who knows? I might be the next Hollow.   Being with each other long enough is enough to make anyone contemplate murder. But you are quite safe.   If I had wanted to be petty, I would have done that on day one."

"Maybe I'm worried about you."

"You're not." Deontic replied, firmly.   "You're worried about me as a potential pawn to be placed wherever suits you best to win; or as a possible rival.   You're worried that me being out of sight could mean me making my own moves, independently, and perhaps obstructing your own moves.   I'm not a person to you, any more than Century, Fenian or Lauren are; and certainly no more than you are to them."

Mello took a bigger bite of his chocolate bar.   "I'm letting you get this out of your system."

"Don't be so bloody patronising."

"Ok."   Mello inclined his head. "For the record, I was the one who told Lamond that we hurt each other, because we've dehumanised each other.   She passed it on to you, like it was her own theory.   I didn't take the credit for it in Greece, because I wanted people to think well of Lamond.   We were at her funeral."

"Always so full of surprises, Mello."

Mello didn't smile.   "I didn't come down harder on Century, when I could have, even when he'd helped fuck me and Mail over, because he can't take it.    I've never seen Century like this.    He's worrying me.   Frankly the health of our generation as a whole rests on the well-being of Century.    He's the youngest.   As soon as it was obvious that he was no Near, we all enacted our lost childhoods through him.    He wasn't protected. None of us were protected, but he was the closest that we got to it.   It hurts me a little bit more to see him going down, than it would with anyone else.    I want Century to be out there, giving Roger the slip and generally not giving a shit.   It makes it feel less serious for me.    I almost saw my own innocence through his."

"Should I feel insulted?"   Deontic grit her teeth.   "It's alright for me to go under?   It's ok for you to forget my birthday. It's fine for...."

"Ah." Mello's eyes widened a little.   "When was your birthday?"

Deontic shook her head. "It doesn't matter. You bought Century a car and lots of pretty things from Wales.   The health of Wammy's House is intact."

"Seriously, Dee, when was your birthday?"   Mello urged.   "I've known Century's, because it's been such a big deal in the talks around the Constitution.   He's the last of us free of the house legislation.    We did get him something in the spirit of the last time we were here.   I would have got you something too, had I realised that your birthday was also close."

"It doesn't matter.   I've never got you anything."

Mello was watching her carefully.   "But it did matter.    On top of that, you've been attacked and you think that no-one has done anything about that.   You think that they got away scot-free."

Deontic turned away. There were tears prickling behind her eyes and she didn't want to cry in his company again.   She busied herself picking up her luggage.    She heard nothing else, but the chomping of chocolate behind her.   When she trusted herself to talk again, she said, "Keep with your romantic view of Century.   It might help him.   But can you leave Fenian alone as well? I don't think you ever got the tragedy of him.   Just as he never got the tragedy of you."   She realised that she was holding bags, but had nowhere to take them.   A glance out of the window told her that Matt wasn't even outside, let alone jump-starting her BMW.   "I wish that they would leave you alone."

"Three of them have been dealt with.   One is still on my hit-list.   But we have his name and address."

Deontic felt a chill run down her spine, but she also had a guilty sense of triumph and relief.   It hardened, as she considered his words.   "What does 'dealt with' mean?"

"It means that two of your big brothers looked out for you; and one of them really wishes he'd made a note of your birthday too."   Mello gave her a wan smile.    "You are one of the few of them that I respect."

"Are they dead?"

"Do you want them to be?"   Mello's eyes darkened.    The veins seemed to buzz in Deontic's head.   It felt like her skull was pressed in a vice.     "Would the blood on my hands prove that I cared?"

Deontic stared at him.   "That house made monsters of us all."   They both knew that she didn't mean the manor house.   "Did you kill them, Mello?"    Their eyes locked for several intense seconds.   "I need to know."

Mello slowly shook his head.   "Satan was watching me, urging me on.   I chose the angels."

Deontic wasn't sure if she felt relieved.    She knew that she should be.   It was only now that she recognised the heat of the anger inside her, lurking beneath the shame.    She schooled her face to impassivity and nodded, "I'm glad that you didn't shoot them."   She caught herself.   "For your sake." She sat, perched on the edge of the bed.   "Is this one of those special moments? When we can say things to each other, without fear of sneering or backstabbing or...?"

"Yes."

"I'm scared for Fenian."   She peered up at him.   Mello didn't move.   He just sucked in a strip of chocolate.   "Every time you meet it's like the clash of the titans.   Guns out, shouting, doing each other's heads in."

Mello gave a half-smile, "Hardly titans, plural.   I'm not planning on killing him either, if that's what you're thinking."

"I wish you had seen him earlier.   He thought he'd lost Kiana.   He thought he'd damaged his back."   She blinked at him, but Mello seemed unmoved.   "He lives for his rock-climbing.   He needs his back x-rayed.   Kiana and I have both felt down his spine and we can't find any fracture.   It's probably muscular damage, or badly bruised.   There's certainly bruising.   But even if that is fine, then what about his mind?    I saw him when he came back.   He'd been to a very dark place.   When he told his story, his eyes were haunted.   His expression was..."   Deontic shook her head.   "I never want to see him looking like that again. What if he can't pot-hole again?   Not because of his back, but because of his mind and, maybe, Kiana."   She shrugged. "Or all three. It would break him."

"I don't get the Kiana reference."

Deontic straightened.   "Hal's told Kiana how much Fenian is worth as a detective.    You look back through the log and you'll see that Fenian does cases in short bursts, several months apart.   I deduce that he does it when he needs the money.   He's working a civilian job.   You can see precisely when his graduation money ran out.    He always does a job or two before Christmas.    He wants out of the system, but if that happens, then that lifeline will dry up.   I know he's a genius.   He'll get by, but I don't think he's going to have the chance to.    When Hal asked Kiana how much she thought the Watari detectives earned, Kiana replied, 'I shouldn't think it pays much'."   She bit her lip.    "I know how much I'm worth.   I shudder to think what you're on."

"What did Kiana say when Hal told her?"

"She was stunned." Deontic realised that the blurring of her vision was tears welling up again.   "I want Fenian to get out. I want him to be alright for pot-holing.   I want Luigi to stop shaking.   I want to stop being afraid, every time the 'phone rings, that it's Hal or Linda calling to tell me that Luigi has killed himself.    I want Linda's art to stop being so dark and upset.   I know it's cathartic for her, but it's not Linda.   Her work was always so full of colour."   She pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping that that would stop the sorrow over-whelming her.   "I want Century to stop being so morbid and shaken up.   Fenian sounded me out about Century having a breakdown. Apparently that's what Salvo thinks is happening too.   I've watched Luigi go through three of them.   I think I'm close.   I want us all to stop going over like pins in a bowling alley.   I want you to make up your mind whether you'd rather be loved or feared. Because it's had the potential to go both ways.   I'm not worried about Matt.   He has what he wants and needs.   He will be alright." She gestured hopelessly. "And as for Chrissie and Salvo, who knows? They never put their heads over the parapet anymore."

Mello put his hand into his other pocket and drew out a brand, new chocolate bar.   He held it out for her.   "Happy birthday."

Deontic stared at it.   "Should I be reading symbolism into this?"

"You were educated by Watari.   How could you not?"

She took it.   "I'm really quite hungry, so thank you."    She held it, then placed it on her lap.   She surveyed it. "And what symbolism should I be reading into it?"

"By you, Dr Lim, I would rather be loved."   He said it lightly, rearranging the hood on his coat, as it fell over his shoulders. "Take what comfort I can give, in this fucked up world.   It might not look like much, but I've gone a long way with just a bar of chocolate to shield me."   He smiled, then winked at her, once she glanced up at him.   "Also note that I left my husband with the jackals to check on you.   Plus, when you berated my performance as only being worthy of second place..."

"I'm sorry about that, it was uncalled for."

"... I didn't retort, 'says the fourth'."

Deontic shifted uncomfortably.   "Are you here to persuade me not to go?"

"I think leaving is a very sensible solution.   Albeit futile.    It was subtle, but it followed us all home last time.   It certainly followed two of the band members home.   It's partially psychological, which I'd like to get your take on before you leave."   Mello watched her.   "Or a supernatural force to be truly reckoned with.   That's the portion that I'm turning over, in my head, at the moment." He flashed her a weak smile. "You will be careful on the road?   I want you to take Valerie with you. I'm debating telling Mail to get out of here, taking Lauren with him.   Only I'm not sure it's any safer away from the scene.   I think I'd rather he was here; where I could throw myself bodily between him and danger, than out there, where I'm not guaranteed communication with him."

"You're arguing that there's little point leaving this time."   Deontic looked pensive. "I do agree that no-one is giving the psychology of the situation its due consideration.    You are all making it worse for each other, thus exacerbating the situation. You and Matt know far more than you're letting on."

"Yes.   Plus I'm infected by the music, so I'm not watching the psychology as closely as you are.   This moment is really important to me. It's the first time in quite a few really intense hours that I've had time to step back and think."

Deontic rolled her eyes, "Like you ever needed peace and quiet to think, Mello.   Your mind always works nineteen to the dozen."   She contemplated her options.   She hated not knowing precisely what was the best move for her to make.   It should be obvious whether she should stay or leave.   It wasn't. "I have had plenty of time to think."

Mello's attention was caught by movement out on the green.   "Daf and Valerie are back."   His gaze flickered towards Deontic.   "Do you want me to run over there and find out about the hospital?"

Deontic sighed, "Like Matt's ever wrong about anything that he deigns to pronounce upon."

Mello laughed. "Yeah."   He didn't await a directive, but slipped outside and darted across the green.   Deontic watched him leap up the stairs, beside his chalet, and disappear from view.    Daf and Valerie had already gone upstairs.   Deontic took the chocolate and slowly unwrapped the top of it.   She inspected the bar beneath, sniffing it for traces of tampering.   She doubted that there was anything there to concern her.   Then she placed a square of chocolate between her teeth and pulled the bar down, snapping off a ragged strip, as she had seen Mello do a thousand times.   It did feel a little empowering and she had no idea why.

Matt sauntered across the green.   She saw him coming and was mildly surprised to find him alone.   But it wasn't long before Mello emerged; rushing across the sodden turf and nearly slipping, turning around to inspect the skid mark in the mud.    He did a little dance to keep his footing, while Matt watched, laughing.   Mello grinned and caught him up, linking his arm beneath Matt's.    They knocked on Deontic's door.    She opened it.   Mello beamed, a little breathlessly, "The hospital is back on-line.   Power is on."

Deontic stared blankly.   She looked exhausted and almost vulnerable. "I'll help you prepare for the final push, if you just tell me how you did it."

"Did what?"

"Got the power back into the hospital."

Mello nodded.   "Tell her, Mail."

His husband looked dubious, but he sniffed and explained, "The hospital's own back-up generators were finally able to create enough power to get the place up and running again." Matt shrugged. "Every hospital has them.   They stand alone from the National Grid and won't stop generating energy, until the Grid comes back on-line."

Deontic frowned, "But they should have kicked in immediately.   The hospital had no power earlier."

Mello leaned in and whispered, conspiratorially, "A generator, Dee, not a battery. Think giant wind up torch, constantly trying to generate..."

"Ok!" She raised her hands, flustered by her own slowness. "Well that's a good thing. Now let's go and talk with the others."    She closed her chalet door and followed them back across the turf.

Author's Note: This story is being discussed here: http://mrsjeevas.joharrington.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=11
- 52
- 53
- 54
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Annals of Fear II