Chapter Ten: Musing

When L slouched into the room, Near did not react. He simply continued stacking his dice as though the one person he admired most had not just strolled into the room to sit on the bed and eat cake. There were three beds in the large room, simply because he, Mello, and Matt had gotten so used to all sleeping in the same room, they didn't think they'd be able to sleep at all without each others' presence. As far as Near could recall, Matt and Mello were in one of the rooms down the hall. Mello was watching TV and Matt was playing Gameboy. L didn't say anything for a long while, analyzing the city of dice between bites of cake. Finally, he tilted his head.

"Parliament?" he asked, indicating the building Near was currently working on.

Near nodded. "The clock tower will be difficult, but I'll do my best."

L seemed to accept this answer without worrying about hidden meanings, taking another bite of cake. "Near, why did you come to Japan?"

"I didn't know we were coming. Mello and Matt planned it out while they were fixing up my leg." Near replied. "Apparently Mello demanded it of Roger, and Roger couldn't refuse." He set another few dice on top, finishing off Parliament's roof. Then he began on Big Ben. "None of us would pass up an opportunity to see you, though. We wanted to be where you were. Nowhere else really felt safe."

L frowned. Safe. Was that really the proper word to use? Kira lurked just downstairs, and was probably using his L-free time to plot against them all. He took another bite of cake, watching Near as the boy built Big Ben from the ground up. No. Light couldn't do anything, Kira or not.

Near glanced up at him, his onyx eyes concerned. "But we're never safe, are we, L?"

L dodged the question, god he's almost too smart, and asked instead, "What did you think of the task force?"

Near shrugged. "At least they did not question our presence. That younger one, Matsuda, seems in shock that you have family. Aizawa and Ide appear not to care. Detective Yagami seems happy that you're feeling better. And Light Yagami seems stunned that you care so much about us."

Dead-on, as usual, Near. Well done, from an analytical standpoint. But for this I really need to speak to Matt. He can read people like no one I have ever seen. L thought. He had always seen the three of them as having complementary abilities. Near possessed the ability to think things through, and analyze the information into a complete picture. Mello had the willingness to act, and the charisma and presence to be a good leader. And Matt had people skills. He was likable, and good at communicating with others on a more personal level than Mello's commanding air. He also seemed to be able to read the emotions that people masked. Together, L reasoned that they could easily be better than him. But they were not accepting enough of each other, yet, and certainly were not ready for the world he lived in. He smiled at Near, saying only, "Yes… None of them really seemed to realize that there were people in this world that I really and truly cared for besides Watari."

Near frowned, suddenly sad. "I miss Watari. I wish I had gotten to see him one more time." He set down the die he had been holding, adding, "He was like our father."

L nodded in agreement, standing. He ruffled Near's hair lightly, asking softly, "Will you show me where Mello and Matt are? I want to speak with them as well."

Near abandoned the construction of London to show L the last place he had seen Mello and Matt. But when they reached the other room, they were surprised to find it empty.

"They're not here…"

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Light Yagami was sprawled in his computer chair, debating between plotting and simply pondering the enigma that was L. This was them, wasn't it? The adopted brothers that L had mentioned on that night so long ago. He thought over what he had learned from Watari. The English orphanage had been a school for the gifted, but it was more than that. They trained children to be the successor to L there. Were these three, Near, Mello, and Matt, L's successors? It made sense. The youngest, Near, was so much like L himself that it was almost frightening. And the other two, from what Light had seen, were equally brilliant. Even if that Mello kid did look like a girl…

He was jolted from his thoughts as he realized that two sets of bright eyes were watching him from across the room. He looked, his own brown eyes meeting cerulean and emerald as he took in the sight of Mello and Matt perched on the sofa across the room. He frowned.

"It's impolite to stare." he said flatly. "I guess L never taught you manners."

"Why is that L's job?" Mello shot back, smirking. "He's not our parent."

"Let me guess. You don't have parents. Just like him."

"Did he tell you that?"

"Sure. Why not?" Light mentally rolled his eyes. God did this kid have an attitude. Only three years younger than Light, according to L, and so much more immature.

Mello's smirk widened. "Are you L's friend?"

Light blinked. What the hell? "Uh, yeah." He wondered what this kid's aim was. Was this yet another interrogation?

The other one, Matt, had gone back to playing his Gameboy when the argument started. But now he looked up, saying softly, "You don't sound particularly sure of that."

Light glared at the redhead. He picked up his laptop, turning away. "Leave me alone. I need to work."

Mello grinned triumphantly. "Come on, Matt. Let's leave him to work." They trooped back up the stairs, leaving Light to seethe at the sarcasm. They ran into L in the hallway, and the older male frowned.

"Have you been causing trouble?" L asked quietly, giving nothing away. Mello eagerly recounted his conversation with Light. L listened intently, head tilted in interest. When Mello finished, he asked, "And what did you think of this?"

Matt spoke up then. "He is a very insincere person. He lies a lot, sometimes better than others." L smiled at the redhead, proud. That was what he had been looking for. Matt's ability to interpret people would be invaluable here.

"Well…" L said calmly, smiling in a mischievous way. "He really dislikes being annoyed. I would say, if you can do it inconspicuously, continue to antagonize him and judge his reactions. It could be important."

"You believe he is Kira." Near said quietly, coming out of the bedroom. Matt nodded in agreement with the youngest's statement.

L couldn't have been more proud of them. Completely at ease with the idea that the world's most dangerous serial killer was downstairs typing away on his laptop. He smiled almost sadly, nodding. "Yes. Be very careful, and do not reveal your true names to anyone. Do you understand?"

All three nodded. The game was on, now. Light's chess match was in for a rude awakening. Light's knights may be well-concealed, but L's knights were prepared now. This was no longer check. This was war. Light had forced it to war when he attacked Wammy's, and now the teenager would deal with the consequences.

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Pity. Light didn't realize how much of a pain those kids would be. Wammy!fluff, I love it! Near is too adorable for his own good. (Although he can be quite the little bastard in the manga when he wants to be.) So L's back in the game. Don't worry, though. Light's still got a trick or two up his sleeve. Maybe next chapter. Maybe the chapter after. Who knows? It all depends.

I see Matt's ability as people skills. He's perceptive to how people are feeling. Mostly, this was inspired by the fact that everyone loves him when he is probably the least-mentioned main character ever. Yay for gamers!

Now, with this, I should be back on my normal updating schedule. Hurrah!

Li