Journey to the Rec Room

[cloisterblack12]

Who: Near and L
When: Wednesday
Where: The cafeteria to the rec room
Summary: Near is injured and L is looking after him, but the water is rising and they have to make it too the rec room...
Rating: PG
Warnings: Injuries, lots of splashing?

Comments

[1st_n_foremost]

Near could feel himself drift in and out of consciousness as he lay on one of the tables, his head still rather sore and tender from the impact. He hadn't really been paying much attention to his surroundings aside from the fact that when he'd become more aware, Mello's presence was no longer noticeable. Instead it had been replaced with L's...his mentor and idol. Which was surprising in itself, if not embarrassing. To be in such a sorry state...well, it was less than desirable at this point.

He was still feeling dizzy, and didn't dare to pull himself upright yet, but his eyes were now as wide as always, dark orbs staring up at L without a word, silently questioning his presence although he already knew the reason as to why he was here.

Mello had obviously told L to play babysitter. That was the only reason.

[cloisterblack12]

Near was awake. Not that he was disguising it at all. He was staring up at L without blinking. L stared back with his customary frog-like stare, silently processing.
It was a question which L refused to answer - Near could figure it out for himself. Unless of course he was concussed... The force at which the tiles had flown off of the walls had been pretty hard...
"Are you focusing?" He asked flatly, chewing his thumb. "Because the water is rising."

[1st_n_foremost]

Ah, the water was rising, was it? Well, no matter, he was damp and wet enough already. More water wasn't exactly that threatening, that was, if he removed the fact he'd eventually drown. He tried to focus, eyes still angled upward, wide eyes meeting wide eyes when he parted his lips, quietly.

"Partially."

[cloisterblack12]

It was odd to have another person meet his stare so easily...

L narrowed his eyes critically; the boy obviously wasn't functioning at 100% but at least he still had the capacity to answer coherantly, which was a good sign. But he seemed to have missed a valuable point.

"At the rate the water is rising," He assesed Near's height quickly. "It will be above both Near's depth and my own very soon. The others are gathering in the recreation area, and from what I understand have created a platform away from the water."

[1st_n_foremost]

"I can't swim..." Near found himself mumbling, looking off to the side as two hands rose up to meet his head where the dull pain still lingered. He knew he needed to get up and move but the effort didn't seem worth it.

"I can't get up."

[cloisterblack12]

Couldn't swim? For some reason L wasn't surprised, Near did not look very strong. But there was no time to dwell on the subject, and there was only one plausible solution.
L stood up and shuffled towards Near, reaching out to help him sit up.
"I, however, can. I will have to carry you." He replied with his usual cold ring of confidence.

[1st_n_foremost]

Carry him? Well the notion alone shouldn't have surprised him. After all, Mello had carried him around for a good duration of the incident thus far. Helped sit upright Near took a moment to catch his bearings before simply nodding, making sure not to do so drastically.

"Alright."

[cloisterblack12]

L nodded curtly dropping down a little until he was at the right height before turning.
"Climb on my back." He said through gritted teeth. At this height the water was past his knees and it was colder than cold!
He doubted that Near would weight very much, but if the water got any higher then swimming would be his only option, and unless Near could hold on for himself then it would be difficult to try and accommodate him whilst fighting the water currents.
He couldn't help the feeling that this was ever so slightly wrong. His heirs - his children as some would say - were supposed to be able to match up to him, in every aspect, so to have to effectively take care of one of them was a little strange. By all rights he should have left Near and Mello to cope by themselves, they shouldn't need his help.
But then, if not his help then it would only have been someone else from inside the facility who helped, and although he wasn't averse to the idea, for some reason it slightly irritated him to think of somebody else helped Near and Mello

[1st_n_foremost]

Nodding Near slowly pulled himself up until he was standing on wobbly legs upon the table. Leaning forward he wrapped his arms around L's neck before the taller man grabbed under his legs to support him as he piggybacked him off the table. It was certainly more than awkward to be so close to L, let alone be given a piggy back of all things by the man. Touching or being so close to a man Near'd idolized seemed wrong, very wrong. But through his hazy state of mind, it was necessary to his survival.

[cloisterblack12]

Near weighed very little, and despite his injury he was managing to hold on quite hard, although it was debatable that if L had to use his hands to swim that Near would be able to hold on by himself. However the boy should be more than comfortable because of L's slouch.
Without saying a word, L began to make his way out of the cafeteria - the water was nearly at his hips so it was slow going. Near was likely to get wet also, but it couldn't be helped.
"Is Near alright?" He muttered.

[1st_n_foremost]

Despite the slow, jerky movements Near managed to hold on as L waded through the now waist high water. He could feel his socks becoming wet, the toes damp and dripping as he clung to L's back. "I am, for the moment."

[cloisterblack12]

L was having some problems. Pieces of debris were floating around in the water and had littered the floor of the facility under the water-level, and quite a few of the were sharp. He hissed slightly as he trod on something with his bare foot.
"Good." He muttered, then continued: "Does Near know where Mello went?"