A/N: Angsty one-shot explaining Near's likeness to L. I'm actually really proud of this, and it would warm my heart to have reviews '.
Please excuse me if it seems to have anhy plaguerizing things in it, I got struck with inspiration and acted on a spur of the moment kind of thing. I'll shut up now '.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the idea for this story, based off a wonderful anime called Death Note.
It had always been a little cold, there at the Whammy House. He'd always feel a little chilly, and would hug his knees to his chest, even if he was sitting. It made him wonder, made him wonder about L. He wondered if L had once resided in the cold room, and done this himself. It would explain his life-long sitting habit, but it would contradict the fact that L never wore socks or shoes if he could help it.
He didn't have much to do sometimes, in that room. There were a few puzzles in the closet, with a few figures made out of wood, fashioned in the likeness of people. He wondered who the people were, too. He would play around with the people, and solve the puzzles. Sometimes, on the days where it seemed the icy breath of winter blew into his room, he'd stack the puzzle pieces. He'd solve the puzzle vertically, rather than horizontally. He wondered if L had done that too, it would explain why the man always stacked his sweets.
He thought a lot about the sweets, too. How had L found sweets? Perhaps there wasn't anything sweet in his life, so he went out looking for it. That thought would turn to another one- if L had gone looking for something sweet… what else did he find? L made him wonder, all the time. He'd stare out the single window, and twirl a few strands of hair around his finger, thinking.
And he'd always think about how much he missed L.
"L is dead."
It had almost made him cry, when he heard it. But L would be watching, and L would want him to be strong. So he turned to his puzzle, solved it again, and then took it apart. Just thinking, thinking about L. And then the other boy and become upset, and stormed off, saying that he wasn't good enough to succeed L, and that the boy in the cold room could do it.
He pondered it, for a long time. Would L approve? And he'd sit with one hand on his knee, facing the window, the other hand fiddling with a lock of hair.
And he decided, at long last, that L needed him to carry on his legacy, and went about his life, strengthened by his decision. When he had decided, he realized, the room had become a bit warmer, and he could have sworn he'd seen that slight smile hovering on the lips of a raven-haired angel.
He just knew L approved, and he knew L would make sure his decision turned out well.
Because L would always be there. Near just had to keep him close.