Death Note characters belong to Tsugumi Ohba, and Takeshi Obata. Guess what people? Nothing! Haha! This has some obscene language, and Near dies. Read at your own will. By the way, the current year is 2023, the year when Near dies. His age is 29 for the majority of the fanfiction, and he was almost thirty when he died, so he dies towards his upcoming birthday. The reason I know this is because my lovely sister (found on RachiruJakotsu.) did the math from Shinigami numbers to Earth numbers. c: So thank you. Also, there is a lot of time skip, so be warned…
I want ribs! Yeah.
Near was nervous. And when I say nervous, I mean really nervous. He was in L's spot today. He was doing what L used to do. It was exciting. L…he missed him so. He remembered when he was a ten year old, L's comings to the Wammy house were exciting. He came every Christmas, and one extra time.
L's coming to the Wammy house to meet his possible successors and decide the top three children he wants to be in the running of his successor. Near knew he had to be one of the kids. He was the smartest kid in the house. So was Mello. Who was the third one? Possibly one who goes by the name 'Matt'. Or maybe the smartest girl in the house, Melinda. He didn't know, or care. He wanted to look ok, and sound smart. Ever since he knew L was coming, he was speaking to himself in a mirror, reciting what he was going to say. At the moment, he was straightening his collar, and reciting again in the room he shared with himself.
"Welcome, L, it's nice to meet you…" he said softly, turning around and looking at his pants in the mirror to check for any dirt. Mello had pushed him in the dirt earlier when he went outside for one of the first times in his life. "No, no, I sound too old…Maybe, 'I am glad to see you L, welcome back to the Wammy house.'…No, not that either." He pouted , and sat on his bed. He looked at his pillow, and blushed. It has a transformer on it. His previous secret girlfriend had given it to him for Christmas as a joke, but he put it on his pillow just to make her happy. She broke up with him 4 days later because he was psycho-analyzing her homework. (Note, they go to school at the Wammy house, but get homework, etc.) He took it off of the pillow, and put a light0blue pillow case on it. Lying down, he sighed, and wondered when L would get there. Just then, he vaguely heard the doorbell ring (he lives two storied up in this fan fiction), and fled down the stairs, shoving past people. He forgot everything he was going to say, and nearly glomped L's leg. L didn't mind. He actually laughed at Near.
"Hello, Near." He purred, picking up the 10 year old. Near blushed, now gaping. He never thought that L would talk to him directly on choice. He thought L would only acknowledge him on his 1-on-1 interviews with him for all the kids. The order was by their last real names (spoiler). Nears real name starts with an R, so poor little Nate River was one of the last. He hugged L, and grinned. "Hi! Welcome back!" He nuzzled into L's chest, loving the attention.
"Well thank you." L said, with a tone of happiness in his voice. He put Near down, and walked along the path the kids left for him between the pile of them. He got up to Roger, and bowed. "Hello Roger-San, How are you?" He smiled at the senior, who bowed and responded with "I am a little overwhelmed, but besides that, fine." He said, smiling as well. L grinned.
"Are you kids trying to run Roger down?" He said, facing the kids and talking with a joking voice. The kids all stared blankly, but Roger and L were laughing. Near shivered. He didn't care that it was an adult joke, he was focused on L's laugh, which he loved so much. He looked at L, quivering in delight, and not knowing what else to do. Mello stalked over to him, and smashed his elbow on Near's head, who then screamed in return. L turned around and 'tsk'ed at Mello. He walked over to the blonde Wammy, and told him, "It is not nice to treat someone that way. You better straighten up or you won't get to be my successor. I want mine to be nice, okay?" He said, with a small frown. Everyone 'oo'ed and 'ow, burned!' at Mello. Mello fell to the floor and started crying that his idle just decided he hated him, in his eyes. Near hugged Mello, who pushed him off. L sighed, and hugged Mello, and picked him up. "I didn't mean to be rude." He said, smiling at Mello and wiping off his tears. "I just wanted to tell you to have sympathy on people. Except not people like Kira, okay?" Mello nodded, and felt the colours of embarrassment swipe across his face. Everyone was staring at L and Mello. L finally put Mello down after what seemed like 2 seconds, and walked up to Roger. "Why don't we start the interviews?" He asked. Roger shrugged, and nodded.
"Alright children…" Roger said faintly. "You know what to do." All of the kids but five left the room. Three lined up behind L, who then both walked in a spacey room with papers, a pen, a small desk, and two beds in it. L sat on one bed, and picked up the paper and pencil. The girl who was first walked in, and Near nor Mello saw the rest, for Roger closed the door. Near sighed, and left the room, as did Mello.
About 45 minutes later, Mello was called to be in L's questioning room.
"So, what is your real name, Mello?" He asked. Mello giggled.
"Mihael Keehl!" he said with a happy smile. L frowned, and wrote something down. He mumbled 'I see, oh well…' He pulled his hand up, and pretended to shoot Mello, saying 'bang'.
"Bang! If I was Kira, I'd shoot you. Also, never give out your name. Someone could use it for no good." He'd said that too anyone, but only the name part to anyone who happily yapped out there name...everyone so far. "So…" the question went from normal small talk, to geometry, to science, to history, and so on, until every basic school subject was questioned about. He also questioned them with logical problems, and 'what if's. Mello sighed, and walked out of the room. L didn't seem happy with the results he got from Mello, regardless, he picked Mello up, and said, "you are quite smart, I had fun talking to you. But I must ask you to leave. Thank you, bye-bye!" He said, putting Mello down by the door. Mello left the room.
2 people later, Matt was in the room.
"So, what's your real name, Matt?" he asked the boy across the room, playing video games. Matt opened his mouth, and said.
"Mail Jeevas, why?" he didn't even look up. He just played his video games…L questioned him as he did Mello. He finally said "Thank you, Matt, it was nice meeting you!" and escorted him from the room. Matt went off on the swings with Mello, who was pouting.
3 ½ hours later, Near was called in for questioning.
"So, what is your real name, Near?" He started off with again. Near sighed, and shook his head.
"Sorry, L, as much as I adore you, I cannot tell you my name. People will improperly use it, and I don't know who you'll tell, and what they might use it for. Besides, someone could be hearing us, and put my name on the internet. What if the time comes where having your name known in public would be death-defying? Hm?" Near smiled, feeling Oh so smart. L smiled, and Near gasped, not expecting that.
"Bang! If I was Kira, I'd shoot you. Also, I'm impressed, Near, I excepted you to say your name. I will not ask for it. I already know it." He smiled, and questioned Near the same way he did everyone else. Near stared at L's face the entire time. He loved his looks. He was messy, but cute. Near copied him, obviously. When L got up, and kissed Near on the cheek, saying "It was nice meeting you, but I must talk to other kids now. Bye-bye, Near!" Near nearly fainted, but left the room, saying, "Bye L…" he said in a drained voice. He walked out, and giggled.
4 hours later, the interviews were over. L called all the children to the diner table, to announce the three people who he thought should succeed him .L stood up. He told them this,
"You are all quite intelligent kids. All of you. But I needed to choose the best three of all of you. I am sorry to those who did not get chosen, but know that I still appreciate you trying so hard." He said this when they were all about to eat, so no one would hwarf or something gross. "The three in line to be my successor are…" Near crossed his fingers. Mello fell out of his chair. Matt turned his video game volume off, but didn't look up.
"One, Near." He said. Near passed out. Someone sitting by him screamed, and poured cold water on his head. He woke up, and Mello cackled evilly to himself. L stood in shock, now frozen. "Is he okay?!" He asked with a seriously concerned tone in his voice. The girl said 'Yeah' as Near lifted his head. L sat down, and sighed. He walked over to Near, and picked him up. Near look up pathetically at L. L sighed again. "I'm sorry kids, I'll be right back." L brought Near to his room. "Are you going to be alright, Near?" He asked. Near nodded. L set Near down in his bed. "Okay, you get some sleep then. My other successors were going to be Matt and Mello, just so you don't miss out." L grinned. Near was so flushed, his skin was pure white looking. L chuckled. "Alright, I will see you another time, please take care. Bye-bye!" He hugged Near tightly, who cried and hugged L back. L looked at Near in alarm. "Why are you crying?" he said, with a sympathetic tone.
"I-I wanted to see you as much as-as I can, be-because you don't have time to se-see us unless it's Christma-mas, and that's not enough t-time…" He was sniffling, and kept choking on his words. L felt a twinge of pain.
"How about I bring you to a cheesecake store with Matt and Mello on Tuesday?" he said happily. Near nodded tiredly. "Sounds good?"
"Y-yeah…" he let go of L, who also let go of him.
"I will try not to let anything get in the way, ok?" L smiled. Near nodded, and turned around, falling asleep. L went back downstairs. He sighed, and stood at his chair again. "Near is fine, but resting, so please leave him be. As I was saying, he will be first in line to be my successor. If anything dramatic should happen, Mello, will be my successor." Mello jumped and screamed "HA! YES!" He sat down a few moments later.
"Continue, please." He said, feeling embarrassed. L nodded.
"And third in line to be my successor…" L cringed, then realized this man wouldn't care probably. "Will be Matthew, or Matt." Some people giggled. Matt just stuck his right index finger in the air, twirled it around, and said "Woo hoo, what joy." And continued on with his video games. L sighed.
"I thank you all, and hope to come in contact with you soon. Also, I will be taking Near, Mello, and Matt to a cheese-cake store on Tuesday. The rest of you will be going to an aquarium with me when I get back from the cheese-cake store." L smiled. Mello smirked.
"Oh well." He said, feeling high and mighty. "I don't like smelly fish anyways."
And now it was his turn. His turn to be the person everyone adored. Gevanni's car stopped in front of the old building. Near could see all the eyes staring at the car. He opened the door, and slowly got out, twirling his hair and feeling like he was ready to puke.