L didn’t always go to wherever he was needed because of various cases, but he did like being back and traveling in Europe after the Kira case was over, and although Greece was hotter than what he usually preferred, he did quite like the architecture, and this small town, especially since his last visit, even if he spent most days huddled up in a room with his laptop. Regardless of that, he did allow some sunlight to shine through the blinds and curtains, bathing the room in a shimmering, dim light. It was not entirely a getaway, though, as he was working even now, albeit none of the newer cases seemed to be as interesting or challenging as the one in Japan was back then… but that was to be expected.
L was at the door by the time the first knock disrupted the tranquility of the room; he expected the visitor, although he couldn’t deny the sudden pressure that nearly overwhelmed him – the first time since he left the orphanage –, but it was mixed with something new this time.. excitement? Perhaps. He couldn’t deny that he was curious about his successor candidates, even if he thought of the system itself as faulty.
When he slowly opened the door, without hiding behind any sort of mask, he knew almost instantly that it was a good decision. Seeing them face to face, allowing them to see that he was more than just a title, too, – an actual human – would feel refreshing to anyone. He eyed the younger man with eyes that quickly scanned through everything, taking notice of how white he was; his clothes, his skin and hair - and standing in the door, encompassed by sunlight nearly made the newcomer shine.
He felt curious eyes on himself, too, quickly noting everything, and L smirked faintly. He was fast, he was definitely talented. He moved to the side to allow his guest to step inside, and still felt his eyes on him as he closed the door. L wondered just what he expected, what kind of image he had in his head about him… wondering if this felt like an important moment to him, because it felt that way to L, at least to some extent. When he turned back to look at him, seeing him more clearly now, he allowed himself to hold his hand out. “I’ve been expecting you.. Near.”
More than anything, when the heavy door swung open and Near was faced for the first time in his life with this man that, hell, he was supposed to be now, he was rattled by how small L looked. He may have had a good four inches of height on Near, and his hair was a goddamn sculpture, big and untamed, falling into his eyes in a way that was charming when it should have just looked messy. But he was also thin, the circumference of his arms not much more than Near’s; the circles under his eyes purple and raw; exhausted, rather than the black shadows Near had always pictured him as having. He looked so...human. Yet as Near took more of him in, he seemed to grow, and keep growing; his presence was huge, smothering, a cloud of smoke that filled the whole room and seeped outside to where Near stood on the doorstep.
He wasn’t sure what to feel, and he wasn’t sure what to do for the first 30 seconds or so either, just standing there, not moving, not saying a word. He’d never liked L, he reminded himself. He understood him well enough that he had little respect for him; this was no paragon of justice he was standing in front of, just another person much like himself who couldn’t stand to be bored. Nothing to be impressed by. And yet it was difficult to hold onto the quiet disdain he’d been carrying for so long -- standing in front of him here, he could feel how capable this person was; watching as his eyes scanned over Near as he stood there and understanding how much was going on behind them. It had been less than a minute and L had probably already figured out all there was to know about Near. It was a phenomenon Near was all too familiar with.
And so it was hard not to be impressed. But he was pleased to see a flicker of admiration cross over L’s face too. L’s approval wasn’t supposed to mean anything to him, and yet here he was, quietly proud of himself, confident enough again to step across the threshold of the door and into the house.
It was messy, but navigable; the light falling across the room in blotches from the few windows L didn’t have the curtains drawn over. Stepping over piles of books and crumpled up papers, Near made his way over to the couch, and perched on the edge of it, in front of a tray of loose gummy bears which Near looked at but didn’t touch. “Part of me is surprised you’re even real,” he remarked, voice quiet and with an undertone of awe he hadn’t intended. “Though I suppose it couldn’t have been the Japanese police who managed to solve the Kira case.” He paused, letting his eyes meet with L’s, on the off eye contact with him would have anything of the same effect it seemed to when Near did it with other people. “On the subject of cases, I’m here to ask for your help with one.”
He watched as L stepped towards him, one hand extended, and with caution he took it. He had a weak handshake, he knew that, but he wouldn’t be surprised if L did too. “The man, the myth, the mystery,” he murmured. “It’s good to finally meet you.”
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