Ways To Make His Mask Crumble - RosexNear (Death Note fanfic OLD)

"Who hurt you?" She asked, walking up to the boy and hugging him from behind. Her touch was warm and pleasent, gentle and kind.

He bit his lip and replied in a monotone, "No one Rose... please let me go." He didn't want to deal with this right now... he just wanted to put up his mask and keep pretending, to just let things go and move on... because nothing good happened when he didn't.

She held onto him tighter and buried her face into his neck. "No... never... I won't let go no matter what... now tell me... tell me who hurt you." She whispered softly.

She always knew the right things to say. The right ways to break him and the right words to make his mask crumble to dust.

Crack.

It wasn't evident right away that he'd been crying, but it was still happening.

Snap.

Those tears fell before he could control them, splattering onto the arms that held him so tightly. Then his chest started to shake, along with his shoulders, and quiet sobs and whimpers escaped from his soft lips.

Slowly pieces started to break off...

The girl smiled sadly and turned him so they were face-to-face. She could see the tears slipping down his porcelain cheeks and his somber eyes, the pain he'd been hiding and building up in silence for way too long.

Falling.... falling...

Her heart wrenched and she was overcome with compassion and protective motherly instincts for him as she suddenly pulled him to her chest and held him tight, feeling tears gather in her vision. "Shh.... it's okay Near... let it all out... all the pain... all the sorrow... everything... I'm here... I love you... it's okay..." She cooed softly, stroking his back soothingly, even though she was crying too. Near finally let the last piece of his mask drop and grabbed onto her, hugging her back just as tight as he cried and cried his heart out.

The last of his robotic mask had clattered to the floor and shattered into pieces, and then turned into dust before perishing.

They cried their hearts out and spent the rest of the night just holding each other in a peaceful happy silence.

He never told her who had hurt him, who had made him cry, and who had made him upset or made him put up these barriers, because he was not one to dwell much on these things. Rose understood silently, and decided it didn't matter.

"I love you too..." He whispered after a while. "You're always there for me.... you always try to help me and pick me up... you're amazing... like an angel..." He whispered softly as he stared into her eyes with a look of wonder. She couldn't help but blush and smile timidly. "I just love you so much... so I hope you don't mind... I think you're an angel too..." She mumbled. He couldn't help but smile back and leaned up to kiss her forehead.

"My strong Rose... let's get some rest, classes will start soon." He told her softly as he slowly pulled away and walked across the room before turning out the lights. She couldn't help but grin as she hopped into her bed and got under the blankets. "You know I don't go to class." She told the albino from across the room. He couldn't help but chuckle softly as he crawled into his own bed and got comfortable. "I know... thank you Rose." He murmured softly before falling asleep shortly after.

She waited until she was certain he was asleep before sneaking up out of her bed and creeping quietly over to the side of his mattress, smiling softly at his peaceful sleeping form. "Baka.... it's me who should say thank you..." She murmured as she leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. She giggled cutely and ran back to her bed, getting cuddly and warm before dozing off.

Near smiled.