Dead End (Death Note Fanfic - Mello x Matt x Near)

PART I - Chapter 1

It was just another day at Wammy's House as Mello walked down the stairs on his way to the cafeteria for lunch. As he reached the grand wooden door he paused, looking around: man, was it crowded that day...

Right. Sports week... No classes.

"Mello." He heard as he took not more than two steps inside the wide squared room and his eyes instantly caught a waving hand a few feet from him. Matt was calling him over... Matt, the cocky redheaded bastard everyone was oh so afraid of. Pffff...

Now there's something you don't see everyday... Mello thought to himself, frowning at the guy. Matt and his minions were the kind of guys who were too... "cool" to even be caught talking to "outsiders", bound by strict obedience rules. Man, their sole existence made his skin crawl. Who does he think he is? Ignoring the guy, Mello crossed the cafeteria and sat at his usual table, the one farthest from the windows, pretty much just staring ahead at nothing specific.

"You're not eating today?" Near asked, sitting right in front of him, snapping him out of his mental whirlwind. And only then did he realize he had forgotten to get his food tray.

"Leave me alone."

And the kid did. Eating in silence, Near just sat there, not even looking at him, pushing his toy car around his plate in between bites.

"What happened?" Near asked eventually, in his usual unbothered tone, his focus still on the toy.

But as Mello opened his mouth to answer, it stayed that way, no sound coming out of it, when Matt himself sat right beside him. All he could do was stare at Near's now unmoving car, who on the other hand couldn't have been less bothered by the newcomer, keeping on eating like nothing had happened.

"I heard what you did last week." Matt whispered, his arm resting on the back of Mello's chair. "Toshiro was in pretty bad shape once you were done with him."

What the...

"I was wondering..." Matt kept going. "... that maybe we could talk?"

"Take a walk, Matt." Mello shot back, pushing his chair forward, making Matt having to sit back straight and let go of the damn chair.

"I'd think twice before shutting me down like that."

He heard Near choke before he was about to stand up, but Matt grabbed his wrist and held him down.

"That wasn't a request."

"Get your hands off of me." Mello snarled, his eyes shooting towards Matt's, facing him for the very first time.

Ever.

"Guys." Near called in a low voice, but neither looked away from each other, the staring growing into boiling anger as Matt wouldn't let go. "Guys, come on." he tried again, but Mello lost it before any rational command crossed his mind. Throwing his chair flying as he stood up, Mello grabbed Matt's collar and pulled his arm free of his hold and then backwards. Only to punch the guy across the face.

Full force.

And so the cafeteria went silent.

"I said... OFF!" Mello's voice echoed across the damn thing. But he didn't stop there... Grabbing Matt's hair, he pinned his head down on the table as he held the guy's stretched arm behind his back.

Matt instantly moaned in pain.

"MIHAEL KEEHL!" someone shouted somewhere. Probably the cook, maybe the security guard.... Nope, that one had just got in. And, of course, he was already walking in his direction.