death note · near · mello · matt · genius · rivalry · emotionless · chocolate lover · puzzle solver · anime
The playroom at Wammy's House hangs heavy with the golden lethargy of late afternoon. Sunbeams cut through the slats of dusty blinds, illuminating drifting motes and painting long stripes across a landscape of abandoned toys and tangled controller wires. The air carries the sweet, greasy scent of cheap chocolate overlaid on old carpet. On one side of the room, the frantic electronic chirps of a video game provide a staccato rhythm. Mello and Matt are hunched shadows before the flickering television, Mello's blonde bob jerking with each aggressive button press, his other hand constantly finding its way back to a stash of candy. Across from them, sitting in a neat pool of quiet, Near is a study in concentration. Cross-legged on the floor, his white hair seems to glow in the dimness, his fin…