Disclaimer: I do not own or make money from the anime/manga of Death Note

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Part 21

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"Mello will you just sit still you are driving me crazy."

Mello flicked his gaze to Matt who frowned at him from his seated position on the bed. It was nearing twelve midnight and about time for them to sleep. Wammy had not called him for the promised meeting and it grated on Mello's nerves.

The lights suddenly went off. "Matt!"

"If I turn them on you better get your ass in bed. This place is stressing me out and I just want to sleep." Matt snapped and the flicker of a lighter echoed in the room as the tiny flame burst forth. It was out again before Mello could even think of taking a step.

The light went back on and with a scowl directed at Matt, Mello stalked to his bed. He grabbed a pair of boxers from the unzipped duffel he had crammed underneath and violently stripped his clothing uncaring if he was being watched.

Swearing under his breath Mello slid under the sheets and yanked them overhead. A few moments later the lights clicked off and the room fell silent.

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Mello wasn't certain if he should apologize to Matt or not. The gamer had admitted to being bothered by the place and Mello hadn't even acknowledged it the night before. He had been too pissed off at Wammy.

Chewing his bottom lip Mello glanced across the room. Matt was in the wheelchair again and everything appeared normal except for the cloud of smoke slowly encasing the room, making it seem like a lounge. Matt hadn't even the foresight to open a window, or perhaps didn't care enough to do so.

"Mello will you stop looking at me like I'm going to suddenly snap?"

Mello winced at the tone. Matt sounded like he was going to snap.

"Let's just go Matt. If we keep waiting for Wammy to get his act together we will end up staying for another week."

Matt turned away, though Mello thought he might be hiding a smile. It had been the right call. The plan had been to leave sometime around noon and it was already almost two. Mello really wanted to speak with Wammy, to make sure the man understood just what he would be getting into if he tried to make him and Matt take part in the rankings, but Matt's well-being had to come first.

Mello had never seen him smoke so damn much and he had been around Matt for months now.

They had everything packed from the night before so Mello was hardly surprised by the impatient air Matt gave off in the time it took to gather their bags and drag them from the room.

Mello had hoped to at least get outside before someone noticed them though apparently their luck with such things wasn't there as Linda spotted them the second Mello stepped a foot from their room.

"Are you leaving already Mello?"

Mello thought she might have been making an attempt 'nice'. Her frown and tone of voice ruined it. She seemed to be waiting on the obvious answer, considering the baggage beside them. She brushed aside a strand of hair from her face, not having it in a pony tail for once.

Mello didn't even know why Linda was still there. The last he knew she wanted to do something with art, had said it was her calling. Mello shrugged it off as he had enough problems with figuring Matt out never mind someone he had not expected to ever see again.

"Yeah." Mello left it at that, biting back a sarcastic remark. He did however give her a smirk as he went back to wheeling Matt to the main entrance. He would only be happy once they were back in Matt's apartment and far away from this place.

The plan had been to wait outside after Mello called for a car to pick them up. That no longer seemed possible. Wammy and Roger were chatting by the doors and Mello doubted it was a coincidence.

"What, is everyone conspiring against us today?" Mello hissed under his breath and though he hadn't meant it to be funny, Matt laughed.

"Ah. There the two of you are. I was just on my way to speak with you," Wammy told them.

Mello snorted and highly doubted Wammy spoke the truth. He and Roger looked quite comfortable standing there.

"Shall we have that talk now?" Wammy motioned for him and Mello reluctantly nodded.

"Matt, if I'm gone for more than forty minutes come in with guns blazing," he said seriously. Matt rolled his eyes but nodded. Mello didn't expect Wammy to do something as drastic, or inherently stupid as that, but Mello couldn't rule it out.

He quietly followed the man into Roger's office, which was vacant except for them.

"Did you know that Matt's condition has been known to us since the day the accident happened?" Wammy smiled at him as though the news were something happy. "We were too late in getting to him and the damage had already been done by the doctors. Matt refused any help we could offer and disappeared off the grid for a while afterward. I wasn't even certain he was alive."

"What does this have to do with anything?" Mello asked cautiously. Wammy wanted them to stay there, to go for the rankings, so what did digging up Matt's injury have to do with it?

"The only time we managed to get a hold of Matt a few years ago I could tell he was heading down a bad path. He was wasting his potential being a recluse and being so angry. So in an effort to find him, as I did with the rest of the original ten, I had Roger mention him to you."

Mello grit his teeth. Wammy was blatantly flaunting that he had known Mello would search Matt out.

"I knew you would be the only one to find him and pull him from the direction he had been going in. That being said. I am confidant that if Matt would let our physicians look him over we would be able to lessen the damage done and perhaps even have him walking again in the future. The longer he waits the more his prognosis for healing will fall; he could be in the wheelchair for the rest of his life or even have his wounds worsen." Wammy's grin widened and Mello wondered if the last portion had been a thinly veiled threat.

"I am confident that both you and Matt will see the benefit of returning to Wammy House."

Clearly Wammy had planned on using Matt as leverage and had expected it to work. Mello let a slow grin form and stood up, startling Wammy if his expression was anything to go by.

"I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you. We are not scared, impressionable young children anymore." Mello stalked from the room. He had to wonder if his decision not to confront Wammy was the correct one.

Upon returning to Matt, who appeared more than a little alienated, and seeing the remaining Ten standing off to his side, he knew his decision had been sound.

"Your ride is here. All you need to do is place your things into the vehicle and the driver will take you wherever you desire." Roger mentioned in a calm tone, though his voice betrayed the fact that he hoped the car would not be necessary.

Mello had intended to waltz out the front door without saying a goddamn word to Wammy about anything after the bland discussion in Roger's office. However, his former peers made him think differently.

Mello locked eyes with Wammy and sneered. "I know what you are up to and I want no part of the evaluation." Mello was not certain if it was enough to spark the interest of the other genii, and truthfully he didn't care. He didn't owe them anything and if they weren't smart enough not to get the hell away from this place then they could end up like Geoffrey for all he cared.

It might be true that they were all a little unstable in some way shape or form but the deciding factor would probably be Wammy himself. There was a fine line between genius and madness; those in Wammys House just tended to tip over into the abyss.

Mello nodded to Matt and ignored the curious stares he received. He walked out the door and didn't look back.

-End 21-

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AN: :D back again. If you have noticed i've posted a lot lately. The Reluctant Heroes, Who the (bleep) did I Marry?, and V-Club. But I now have edits for the next few parts of this in my inbox, so I should be able to update again soon :)

Also, as some have noticed ALL of my mature scenes/fic are off of ffn. If you want smut go to my a03. Sorry but this site is getting too ridiculous lately with crackdowns, some rather unnecessary as i've heard.

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Special thanks (to those still reading? lol): Nazlyn101, Keono, Deadly Nightshade1395, LaceRaven

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