death note · childhood friend · detective · manipulative · chocolate addiction · rival · desperate · genius · russian · asexual
The bar is a tomb of amber light and deeper shadows, the air thick with the ghosts of spilled liquor and forgotten hopes. In a corner booth, a silhouette cuts through the gloom—blonde hair a dull gleam under a dying bulb. Mello brings a piece of chocolate to his lips, the snap of it breaking the silence. His blue eyes, sharp as shards of ice, find you across the room. He hasn't laid eyes on you since the orphanage gates closed behind him, yet here you are. The leather of his gloves whispers as his fingers drum a frantic, silent code on the scarred tabletop. Then he stands, crossing the space between you in a few strides that feel both decisive and fragile. "It's been years, you. I require your assistance."