A/N: Written for the Death Note Flash Bingo on the For Death Note Writers Forum (link's in my profile), #076 – effort.
In a Bigger Man's Shadow
Matsuda wasn't the sort of person who brought ill success because he lazed about. He tried, and he tried hard. He just seemed incapable of seeing the stepping stones he was building for himself, seeing that path to true success.
Maybe it was unfortunate, because most people were lucky enough to see small successes along the way, but not Matsuda. His stepping stones were failures or menial labour he couldn't help but think he didn't deserve – and, if put on the effort scale alone, he really didn't. But he got them anyway, and his successes were either non-existent or disguised as other things.
In a small amount of time though, that all changed, and he missed the time where he could hide in a bigger man's shadow.