Mello and Matt meet L in the afterlife.
"I don't want to see his face."
The young man barely more than a boy stood with his arms at his sides and his head hung, his yellow hair falling over his slender green eyes. His voice echoed in the strange and empty space, windowless and white with no walls or ceiling. With his fingers curling into his fists, he spoke again through gritted teeth.
"...I can't do it, Mattie. Not after we've failed him like this."
A black-gloved hand clamped down upon Mello's shoulder as a pair of boots stepped up beside him. The freckled redhead looked at his friend, his stance casual with his other hand loosely pocketed. He said nothing, for there was nothing to say.
They'd failed him.
And now they had to face him.
A door with no outline opened and shut again in a creaking echo as a tall figure began to approach them with lightly tapping barefooted steps.
The pair stood still and silent, green eyes beneath yellow hair downcast, while the teal pair under the shaggy red mop and goggles watched as he got closer and closer until he stood there right before them.
He stood a little straighter than he had in life, though his shoulders still slumped a bit with his pocketed hands. His black hair was as wild as it ever was, though now it fell into eyes that weren't quite as tired as the ones that had spent many sleepless nights serving justice to a world he had left all too soon.
"L, I..." Mello's voice caught as he shook his head and lifted his angry and tearful gaze. "...I'm so sorry."
"We did our best." Matt said softly, looking down and scuffing at the plain, stark white ground with the toe of his boot.
The wide, grey eyes looked at them both, the pale and plain expression beneath ebony locks unchanging.
Mello's fists clenched as hot tears stung his eyes, his heart beating like a drum inside his chest.
Matt couldn't bring himself to look up, the knot in his stomach and the lump in his throat causing his own tears to spill over as he swallowed hard and sniffed with a cherry red nose.
And then, slowly, L nodded, and a smile began to form on his face. He stepped forward, and his long arms wrapped around his boys.
"You did your best," he agreed quietly. "And you did me proud."
