Mello and Rose

[nevermoreraven]

...Yes, I'm leaving a bit of a cliffhanger for a bit.  Aren't I evil.  Bwahahahaha.
(Not that anyone's actually reading this at the moment, just in the future, so no one will actually notice.  Probably.  *sadface*)

Fandom: Doctor Who/Death Note Crossover
Rating: PG.  There's flirting, but what do you expect with Rose around?
DISCLAIMER: If I owned both of these, this would be canon because IT'S SO FUN.
I wrote a oneshot.  Exactly when did this happen again?   (There are...two other planned oneshots, but one of them's not finished, and one of them is.  But it's later than the middle one, so...I need to get working on it.  No, wait, three.  I forgot about the one with Martha.)
Anyway, an odd Doctor Who/Death Note futuristic AU.  That oddly enough works.  Really well.  Count that on my list of things I never expected from Death Note as a writer.  It just keeps surprising me.
(Note: Lyrics have been removed, since I know some sites are weird about that.)
Pretty much character study/fluff.  Oh, the fluff.

Rose was getting a bit bored.  She wasn’t sure why they had landed here (maybe the Doctor had told her, but she’d forgotten) but she was sure that he’d left her alone.  Again.  With very little to do.  She was boooorrrre….

And then she noticed the outer space dance floor.  This was more like it.  Hot outer space blokes cutting it up to weird outer space songs!  And Mickey tended to get jealous, so she didn’t get to go to clubs very much when she was at home.

Okay, so some of them were clearly alien, and not very cute.  Her eye, however, was caught by a redhead across the room.  He was dancing alone, mouthing along to the words, a half-smile on his face, eyes hidden behind orange goggles.  Nice body, and even better, nice moves.  The striped shirt and long black leather gloves were a little weird for dance clothes, but then, this was the far future.  So, who knew what was ‘the norm’ here?

She made her way over to him, and smiled hopefully up at him.  He even looked about her age.  Not that that mattered, really.

Smoothly, as if not noticing he was moving from quietly singing to himself to talking to a blonde, “I’m flattered, but you’re not here alone.”

“Uh…what?” she asked, not very eloquent.  What…how could he…?

“You’re with Leather Jacket,” he continued, one hand dramatically gesturing toward the area behind the stage.  “My guess is, he wanted a word with L.  Some advice, maybe.  Geniuses tend to…gravitate toward each other, I guess.”

“Elle?” she asked, not quite sure she liked the sound of that.

She finally saw eyes fix on her from behind the goggles, a bemused smile on his face.

“No, L as in the letter.  The greatest detective in the galaxy.  Where have you been?”  From his tone, it was as bad as not knowing the Prime Minister, President of the United States, or latest terrorist leader.

“Oh.  Um…yeah, we just got in.  We travel a lot.”  True, and hopefully enough of an explanation.

His eyes narrowed from behind his goggles, but he didn’t comment.  Instead, his gaze slid past her to the door.  “Here comes trouble…” he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear.  She started to turn, only to hear the newcomers before she saw them.

“AWWWWW!  But I don’t wanna babysit the albino runt!  I’d rather wait in the shuttle.  Could I please wait in the shuttle?”  The voice was loud enough and emotional enough to soar over the music, and she blinked.  That took some doing.  The both of them wandered over in the direction of the voice-the entrance, she remembered, only to see…even more weirdness.  Far future, she had to keep reminding herself.

One, most likely the yelling kid, was golden blonde and sheathed in leather.  Rose couldn’t tell whether it was a guy or girl.  Either way, nice a***.  At his feet, a younger pale boy with white hair in white pajamas was playing disinterestedly with two futuristic robots and mumbling to himself.  A middle aged, kindly fellow Englishman was explaining to the two, “The shuttle isn’t safe, and I don’t want any of us to be on our own for very long.  This spaceport is not one of the most civilized places you’ve been, young man.  This is only until L finishes his business.  Then we’re leaving for Jibalta.  All right?  If you do a good job, and don’t kill Near, you’ll get what chocolate we buy here.”

Angelic blue eyes lit up at those words.  The kindly man spared a smile for her, ruffled the kid’s hair, and made his way along the metal halls.

The blonde turned to look at them, and the eyes turned roguish upon seeing the two of them, a sly smile crossing the young, deceptively innocent face.  “Matty-boy…” a low voice greeted the redhead.  Soo…a guy then?  Good.  Rose wasn’t into girls…

“No.”  The voice was firm and about as final as when he’d greeted Rose.  “I’m going to get a smoke.”  The second cutest one smoked?  Huh.  He started walking off; where Rose wasn’t sure.

“But you don’t even know what I was going to ask,” the lad pursued the subject, eyes gleaming with some sort of mischievous light.

“You’re much more transparent than you think, Mello.  I know you well enough to know that.”  The words were thrown over the receding (Matt?)’s shoulder.

Mello stuck out his tongue at the striped shirt, leading Rose to giggle.

“He is right.  Your actions, as they are driven by emotion, are relatively easy to predict.”  That came from the still disinterested kid playing with games at their feet.  The lack of emotion was…creepy.  Kids were supposed to be all emotional and cute.  This one looked cute, but as soon as he opened his mouth he labeled himself in the ‘far too smart for a human being let alone a little kid’ range.  At least…that was the vibe he was sending out.  Was he an alien?  He looked more alien than the Doctor…

“Who asked you?  You’re probably emotionally as well as physically stunted.”  Those angelic, dangerous eyes turned questioningly to the fellow blonde.  From somewhere in his extremely tight pants, he managed to scrounge up a bar of chocolate.  He carefully peeled back the foil and bit into it, teeth flashing, seeming a bit pleased at the cracking sound the chocolate made.  “And who’s the hottie Matty boy managed to scrounge up from this dump?”

That was more the sort of reaction she’d been looking for.  “It’s Rose.”

He took the side of her hand, then licked one finger when he looked as if he was about to pull away.  She giggled.

“Making out with strangers makes little to no sense, Mello.  And it would probably consist of ‘trouble’ if you asked Mr. Wammy.”  As yet, the albino kid had yet to look up from his robots, who, as far as Rose could tell, were fighting.

“I said shut up, Near.  She’s with the guy in the leather jacket.  Who’s talking to L.  So she’s not a stranger.”  One of the leather boot toes dug into the side of the albino kid, who made a face, but still didn’t look up.  “You’re just jealous that you don’t get any action.  Ever.  Especially from women who are probably the most sexy thing until the Protectorate of Suns.”

‘Near’ rolled his eyes and muttered something like “jealousy is an emotion, and emotions make you weak” to his robots.  He didn’t bother replying to the blonde.

 She was flattered as the blonde’s eyes roamed over her.  Apparently he found something he liked.  His grin, infectious, spread.  “Do you dance?”

“Only with cute guys, Mr. Mello,” she answered, fluttering her eyelashes, delighted.  This was more of what she wanted!  She was bored; it was the Doctor’s fault.  The least she could do was entertain herself.  Right?  The grin covered his whole face now, and he posed for her.

“Do I meet your standards, Miss Rose?”

It was her turn for her eyes to roam.  He didn’t find anything embarrassing about her naughty gaze, and winked at her.

“I suppose,” she answered, teasing him, and in response a soft hand reached out and trailed down her neck and side.

A strangled sound of disgust came from Near, who was trying very hard to concentrate on his toys.

“It’d serve you right if Rose and me rubbed it in your face and made out.  Right. In. Front. Of. You.”  Mello turned to the kid with a look of absolute contempt.

For the first time, Near looked up, barely concealing a look of alarm.  “If you do not, I will not inform Mr. Wammy that you abandoned me to make advances on a blonde woman you have barely met.”

Mello laughed.  “Okay, fine, let’s leave him to the PG material and go where the people are adults and can handle it.  Dance floor time!  And be ready to rocked, ‘cause I’ve got the moves!”

Rose found she was rather looking forward to this.

 

“You don’t know how much I appreciate people with brains.  Saving stupid apes can get old after a while, especially when you’re surrounded by them for so long…”  The Doctor had nearly made it through the extremely rich chocolate cake he’d been offered by his host when he’d arrived.

L, black hair in its usual spiky position, looked up at his old friend smiling gently around the thumb in his mouth.  He was perched on the couch facing the Doctor, bare toes wriggling as they attempted to scratch an itch.  One hand reached out to pick up a fork between thumb and forefinger and cut himself another small slice of the cake.  He brought it to his lips and a blissful look came over him as he savored the flavor.  “I agree with you completely, Doctor.  Many minds are so…closed to the possibilities.  And utilized far too little.  It is always a pleasure to discuss matters with one of similar abilities.”

The Time Lord completely agreed, but he feared he needed to get moving on the advice he’d been given soon.  He finished the cake and stood up to stretch.  “I’m sorry, L, but…I think I should probably go check on Rose and make sure she hasn’t gotten into any trouble yet.  She has a habit of it.”

The wide, deep eyes dominated by their obsidian pupils filled with understanding sadness as he gently stood up into his usual slouch, hands jammed into his pockets.  “As do the Wammy’s kids.  I hope they are behaving themselves, but that may be too much to expect of Mello.”

The Doctor shot an astonished look at L.  “You let those hooligans loose in a spaceport?”

A quiet sigh met him.  “It is…far more acceptable than their behavior if they are consistently within the narrow confines of the Masayoshi.”

“Ah.”  That made sense.  Bothered even him sometimes, with all his nine hundred years of experience.  He had to think it would be ten thousand times worse for a young one.

The rest of the walk was passed in acceptable, comfortable silence.  Until they reached the dance floor, where one of the youngest of L’s current list of successors—the white one called Near, was it?—sat somewhat miserably playing with his robots on the threshold.

“I believe you may have to intervene between Mello and the one called Rose, L…” he stated quietly, appearing somewhat traumatized.

…Had Rose managed to say something to blow the blonde ticking bomb of insanity and rage up in her face?

He turned to his colleague, only to see L’s thumb slip from his mouth, his eyes wide open and unblinking in shock.  He followed the great detective’s gaze…

To where Rose and the successor he supposed was Mello were dancing.  Provocatively.  Intimately.  Unrepentantly.  To the entertainment or discomfiture of their fellow dancers.

L blinked several times.  His face begun to take on a disturbed look mirroring Near’s.

“I can handle this, if you…” The Doctor began.  L might be a great detective, but he wasn’t always the greatest with personal situations, he remembered.  And anyway, he didn’t want the detective’s mind forever scarred just because he wouldn’t step in and deal with…yet another…of Rose’s…flirtations.

One hand raised lazily…a wave-off by L.  “It is…all right.  I will bring an end to this.”  One hand popped a sugar cube in his mouth…possibly to gather strength for the task ahead before he waded into the fray.

Dancers parted for the man with the lazy eyes and the deep, dark circles suggesting that he hadn’t slept for a while shuffling through their midst.  Shuffling steps on bare feet brought him closer to his destination.  Rose and Mello both jumped guiltily as he reached them and voiced a few well-placed words.  The Doctor never knew what his friend told the two troublesome blondes, but eventually they did follow him, looking sulky and guilty.  Neither spoke to Near or the Doctor when they reached the exit of the room, just crossed their arms in a twin gesture of defiance.

Quietly, so that Rose couldn’t hear, The Doctor muttered, “Thanks, mate.”

One thumb drifted to L’s mouth, and he gently stroked his bottom lip, deep in thought.  “I do believe that if your Rose and Mello ‘got together’ as they say, the very universe may have been in peril.  Two arrogant, demanding, charismatic, and, in the end, I believe well-meaning personalities like theirs would only build in proximity until they brought about the end of the world.  I merely acted to ensure the continuing survival of us all.”

The alien startled them both by letting a chuckle escape his lips.  It had been altogether too long since he’d laughed at anything.  It was hard, still.  “There’s a 98 percent chance you’re right.”

A smile that would have been missed by anyone else appeared for a few seconds, as the detective, still slouching, stared fondly at his ship and the motley Wammy’s kids milling around it like hounds who have not been given a scent and who are sniffing around, confused as to what they are supposed to do. 

One in particular caught their attention—a red-headed kid engrossed in his slab gaming system, a cigarette dangling from his lips.  “I will have to speak to him on the subject,” L frowned, presumably talking about the outdated cancer stick.

The Doctor nodded in the child’s direction.  “Is that Matt?  I wanted to meet him.  Apart from Near, of course.  Mello I could’ve done without being acquainted.”

A small white head tilted skywards to meet the Doctor’s eyes.  “It is a pleasure to meet someone as intelligent as you, Doctor.”  A small, childlike smile made a short appearance before Near went back to his toys, absently twisting a strand of hair around one finger.

“Yes, that is Matt,” L acknowledged, a hint of pride creeping into his tone.  Most would be unable to distinguish that from his usual monotone, but the Doctor had years of experience with the man.

As if sensing the gazes on him, the geek reluctantly glanced up from his gaming system.  What he saw made his cigarette drop out of his lips as his jaw dropped.  In a few seconds, he had paused his game and practically run over to the three of them.  “Doctor, sir, it’s an honor!”

The Doctor laughed at the excitement brimming in the boy’s eyes.  “Same to you, Matt.  Oh, I guess since the two of you here, you can get the presents early.  Since I almost never visit…”
Matt threw back his head and guffawed.  “Between you and L ‘not visiting much', we’re spoiled!  Not that I’m complaining!”

A new game and another robot made an appearance, and the look of absolute childlike joy on the faces of the genius children reminded the Doctor why he’d agreed to take over Claus’s job for just one year, no matter how dangerous.  To bring such delight to others was a blessing, no doubt about that.  And L’s reverent acceptance of a bag of the rarest candies he could find almost made him laugh again.  No matter how old, they were all children.  Especially the smarter they were.  He stood, enjoying the happiness he had given them, in the silence as the three brilliant orphans found themselves silenced by the utter magic of the moment.

Finally L drew a deep breath, coming back to the real world and the realities of an immanent spaceship launch.  “Until the next time we meet, Doctor, farewell.”  He thought for a moment, then fished around the pockets of his jeans to find a slightly sticky packet, which he offered to his short-haired colleague.

The Ninth Doctor laughed mutely and pocketed the jelly babies.  “You’ve got a pretty good memory there.  Ta.”

This time it was his turn to step in to prevent catastrophe.  Neither of the blondes had closed the distance to begin making out again, but time would eventually bring them into physical contact again.  Unless he did something to stop it.

He took Rose’s arm, planning on (sort of) dragging her away physically.  “Rose, the Masayoshi has to leave soon.  They have to help prevent a war between the Aishrion and the Kireod`.  You shouldn’t stand in the way of intergalactic peace.”

Mello, as he knew he would, smirked knowingly at him.  “Nah, you’d just stand in the way of the pretty girl you’re traveling with making out with guys who pull off leather better than you do.”

He rolled his eyes.  Rose giggled.

“I’m pretty sure L wanted to ask what you think about the whole situation…” he stated quietly.  That got the attention of the blonde firecracker, who wanted to prove himself better than his small white rival.

“Yeah, well, I guess I also have to get that chocolate outta the old man.  See ya, Doctor.  Oh, and Rose…” he winked.  “Stay hot, okay?   We’ll pick up where we left off sometime.”  With that, he sauntered off, obviously feeling like he’d won…something.

“Nice a**,” Rose commented, still staring after him.

Not willing to stay and listen to this any more than he had to, the Doctor hurried into the TARDIS.  L had a point…both of them tended to be outrageous flirts.  He cleared his mind of all the different ways the universe could end if they became…partners in crime…and resolved that the next time he had to visit an old friend like L, he’d make sure Rose was on one of Powell Estate visits home…