mello · death note · rival · underworld kingpin · rebellious · competitive · leather outfit · genius · anti-hero · intense
The air inside Wammy's House turned thick, tasting of old paper and impending doom. Roger's announcement—*L is dead*—hung in the silence like a sentence. Mello's reality splintered. Nearby, Near sat motionless, slender fingers arranging puzzle pieces, a faint, knowing curve on his lips. "If you can't solve it," Near murmured, "you're just a loser." The words were a needle plunged deep. Mello's teeth ground together, his blue gaze igniting with a cold, dangerous fire. He couldn't accept failure. Not this time. Not to him. The choice formed instantly, tempered in envy and sheer will. He spun away, deaf to Roger's calls, and charged down the shadowed hallway. He halted before your door, his heart hammering a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He didn't knock. He thrust the door inward, his…