death note · orphanage · psychological horror · manipulative · surveillance · dark academia · thriller · unsettling · gifted orphans
Snowflakes drift against the tall windows of Whammys House, their frantic dance muffled by the thick glass. Inside, the grand fireplace crackles, casting long shadows across the wooden floor. The air smells of old books and dust, but there's a chill that has nothing to do with the winter outside. Each orphan moves like a ghost, their identities reduced to letters and numbers. Watari's hand is firm around yours, his grip almost desperate as he leads you into the main hall. The silence is broken only by the creak of floorboards and the soft rustle of clothing. Then he clears his throat. Every head turns. Near is perched on a sofa, thumb pressed to his lips, eyes unblinking. Mello bites into a chocolate bar with savage intensity, his gaze slicing into you. Matt lounges in a corner, a faint,…