Supernatural Death Note

Chapter Ten: Dean and Watari Discuss the Boys

Summary:  Watari and Dean have a talk.

They came around the corner from the back of the house.

Watari had been setting up what looked like a small satellite dish. "Ah, Dean, would you mind giving an old man a hand here please?"

Dean raised an eyebrow in surprise, for Watari was the least likely to need help. He walked over and knelt down to see what was needed, figuring a third degree was coming. He thought it would be L but should have realized it would come from Watari. Near was the most likely to be the next L. Watari would guard him like precious jewels.

"I need to attach this to the roof with these special clamps. I'm not as spry as I used to be," he answered while Near went into the house to see what he could do inside.

Dean found a stool on the porch of the cabin and set it on the rocky ground and climbed up on it. "Okay, hand me the sucker, and a clamp and let's see what we can do here."

A relieved expression crossed his face. "Thank you." He handed the equipment up. "I would've asked L but he was too busy breaking up a shouting match."

"Really? What happened between Matt and Mello?" Dean attached the first clamp while balancing the satellite dish. "Okay, we need to make sure we have the best direction before I tighten this and do the other clamp."

"I'm not sure." He popped his head into the cabin and spoke to Matt before looking back at Dean. "More northwards please."

The hunter's eyes squinted as he looked up at the sun and gauged north. He moved the satellite in a northerly direction. "See if he needs more or less."

A few moments later, the answer came. "A bit more."

The satellite was moved a little more. "Now?"

"Perfect." The old man pinned the wiring so it wouldn't snag.

Dean tightened a little on the one clamp. "Hand me the other clamp, Watari, if you would." The younger man reached down and took the clamp from the other man. He attached it and clamped a little. He took turns clamping, making sure nothing pulled the satellite off direction. When it was finally tight, he asked for one more test.

It came back as perfect again. Watari smiled at him. "Thank you very much."

He looked down from the stool and knew the only way off was really a leap. He jumped and landed on feet and hands in a crouch, and slowly stood up, dusting himself off. "Well, what happened with the boys?"

"Matt made a comment Mello didn't like when L asked him a question." The old man sighed. "I wish Mello would back off of Near. If he ever does, it will be a long time in coming."

Dean's lips pressed together and his jaw clenched. He stiffened, and his hands made tight fists. He was tense.

"Walk with me, Dean."

Dean's eyes closed and then opened slowly. He followed Watari towards the same trail he'd taken with Near. "You're not gonna tell me I can't be around Near, are you?" he whispered softly as they reached the trail.

"I would never. Both L and I have seen that he has relaxed a bit around you. To date, that makes you the third person Near can let loose, even a little bit, around. No, I'm going to tell you something you must never share with another person..even your brother."

"My family is a family with secrets, Watari. I don't have a problem keeping them."

He leaned against a tree, staring up at the sky for a moment. "I run an orphanage slash school for those who are gifted. Every child that enters the home is trained to be of use for the betterment of mankind. Each child has their own history, some of it good, some of it bad. I make no excuse for behaviors currently but have endeavored to help them work beyond their pasts." His eyes moved from the sky to Dean. "Mello is such a one. I found him in Russia, starving and on the run. The little one had tried to pick my pocket. His parents had been former Mafia members and his history was full of violence. He doesn't remember it, but it's left a mark on him. We've been trying to teach him patience and to balance his emotions. It works most of the time, except when he's around Near."

"Why? His lack of emotion? Near is actually very sensitive. He may not understand emotions and hides them, but somewhere in there is a little lost boy trying to understand what he can't express or find a way to open up and experience. He told me he was autistic and talked about the emotions problem. We had a good talk. Mello, needs to find a way to deal with this. They could be good friends and be of great help to each other. Near needs people with emotions around him as friends to guide him there, so he will be a better L."

"I know and we've tried to break through. It's just that something about Near triggers his temper something horrible. It's one reason L has them with him instead of at the orphanage. We're hoping this time with him will help balance what's going on between them. It doesn't help that they're separated in grades by less than a tenth of a point."

"L is running a competition to be the next L?" Disbelief was in Dean's voice.

He shook his head. "No. The ultimate decision will occur if and when L wishes to retire. The grades..Mello has always been highly competitive."

"There's nothing wrong with honest competition, and these boys are smart...very smart, but Near is a genius. Mello is close but he's not going to be able to ever outdo Near. People have to learn what their limitations are and find themselves within those limitations. Me, I found out I wasn't a damn thing like my Dad. I tried to be him all my life. Sam's like him a lot more than me. It shocked me to find out. So, after all these years, I can be who I am, whoever the hell that is. It's made a difference in some ways on how I look at things. I can do whatever it is I'm supposed to do because I'm not Dad...I'm Dean. Mello has got to reach that place inside of him."

The older male looked at Dean. "I am hoping he will learn that. Dean, I know it's a lot to ask given the reaction you had to him but there are some similarities. Do you think you could try? L and I have done what we can but admittedly, he is better with cases than people most of the time."

"You ought to know before I say yes or no, that Near and I have become friends. I have promised to be there for him, help when I can, and protect where I can. We have each other's contact information, and God help me, I'm going to learn how to do an email account. I won't do anything to hurt that. If we can work within those parameters, I'll try to see what I can do, but the boy may end up getting an ass whupping before he gets much older. I don't want to but he's almost to the point where I was when my Dad beat the tar out of me. I am not him, thank God, but Mello doesn't respect me because I haven't called him to task for his actions towards me. I don't like to get into fights normally. I don't mind them when I'm drunk. That's another story. I'll see what I can figure out."

"I'll send L out to talk to you about this. It's my hope that when he sees you in action along with L, that it'll help. As far as Near is concerned, I'm grateful for that. You would be his first real friend."

"I'll talk to L but I will also talk to Near. I want to be his friend. I've been where he is as far as having no one. I won't jeopardize it in any way. I can't do that to him. So I tell him what I'm gonna do and I believe he'll respect that and not say anything. I trust Near more than I do Matt and Mello. Near thinks before he acts, and that's something I don't see often."

Watari nodded. "I appreciate that, Dean. Near is lonely though, I know he doesn't recognize the emotion. He and L are too isolated at times for my peace of mind."

"My concern is that geniuses do not usually have common sense and they need normalcy in their lives and to be around those who do have common sense. I'm gonna be there for Near, who, by the way, believes he's the next L. I think he may be right."

"I think so as well..though not quite in the image he imagined. If Mello could calm down, they'd make an incredible team."

"I would agree, Sir. Near knows that Mello hates him, but I don't think the boy realizes that it bothers him that much. I'd like to help some way to bring them together. Not sure yet, but maybe if Mello does realize that I'm not a 'wuss', he'll watch my friendship with Near in a different way and begin to see the other side to Near that I have seen."

"That, Dean, is our hope as well. Matt has no issues with Near but isn't aggressive enough to prove that point to Mello."