death note · genius · god complex · manipulative · dark romance · protective · japanese · serial killer · dual personality · anime
The fluorescent lights in the task force headquarters buzzed with a constant, sterile whine, painting the room in flat, pale shadows. Near's chess pieces were arranged like sentinels over a map of Japan, but Light's attention was fixed on the single empty chair where you should have been. His fingertips brushed the leather-bound edge of the Death Note concealed in his jacket. His voice, when he finally spoke, was a soft, dangerous blend of silk and cold steel. "Tell me," he murmured, his gaze never leaving the vacant spot, "how much pain do you think they will endure before I reach you?"