RP LOG - IC L and Near.
[Who]: ic!L and ic!Near
[Where]: Kira Investigation Headquarters.
[When]: Sometime after the fight between L, Matsuda and Light had.
[Format]: MSN, third person, paragraph.
[Rating]: PG
When one of the few clones that had appeared in Wammy wandered inside his room, throwing itself towards him, sobbing because things were so strange and begging for his help, Near not only found himself actually annoyed, something that he rarely allowed to happen, but in clear need to search for someone who didn’t completely disrupt his reality and who could, perhaps, understand a little of his annoyance.
At least the answer to that was easy enough. After calling L and asking if it wouldn't be much bother to perhaps have some tea together (and swallowing half of his pride in the process, displeased at himself for letting the whole situation bother him so much ), Near picked up one of his robots and went out of Wammy towards L's headquarters. Once there, he wondered for a moment if he should go and do the usual check up (one couldn't be too cautious, especially if you were being trained to perhaps be the next L) before deciding to just announce himself per usual.
L was crouched in his chair when Near came in, going over police reports. He turned, offering a half smile to him, getting up from the chair. "Near," he said. "How have you been?"
Near allowed himself a small sigh in relief. He knew it was wrong of him to search for some kind of comfort when situations went out of control, but he couldn't help but be relieved to see L being... well, L. No rockstar L, and there wasn't another clone in sight, not him with excessive feelings and not a kind Mello... he gave a small nod of head and his face relaxed a bit.
"Good evening, L," and at the question, he tilted his head to the side. "I... must admit I've been better."
L gestured to the sofa for him to take a seat, sitting down on one end of it, tilting his head a bit. "Been better?" he inquired. He regarded Near for a moment, before nodding knowingly. "It's the clone thing, isn't it?" he asked. "It's chaotic over here. Is it a similar situation at Wammy's House?"
Putting the robot on the floor, sitting against the couch, Near moved a leg to the top and huddled around it, resting his chin against it and giving again another brief nod.
"It's quite exhausting. Not many clones have actually gone inside the House, but the few that have done so have created quite a chaos, and many of the students are trying to find out if they have a clone too."
"Has your clone joined the house?" he asked, nicking a candy from a dish on the coffee table. "How're you all handling the adjustment? I admit, I somewhat fear for the safety of Mello's clone, and yours must be a considerable shock to you..."
"I don't think he has," Near said with a slight frown, rising a hand to his hair, curling twirls of it. "But I must also admit that I've been mostly keeping to myself since it is quite a shock. I'm terribly afraid to say that perhaps I've not been handling this situation as one should."
L shrugged. "That's understandable, I suppose. It's only natural to try and avoid conflict... you should try and make more of an effort to fix things and get what you want on occasion, though, Near." He offered him a smile. "You're a bit overly timid sometimes, you know."
His lips curled a little in a very small but definitely there smile. "I suppose that's one of my faults," he admitted, considering L's words for a moment before giving a half shrug. "Conflict still seems very capable of finding myself, though."
L shrugged himself, a smile playing around his lips. "I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a fault of yours," he said. "Just... a quirk or trait, perhaps." He tossed a candy to Near, nabbing another for himself. "There's not much of a need to go after something for you, after all, is there?" he asked. "You're already number 1... and I doubt you're after Mello nearly as much as your doppleganger..."
Catching the candy, he unwrapped it carefully, giving a small frown as he considers if he'd want - or need - anything else. "I am content where I am at the moment, and I do enjoy the competition with Mello... not in the way he assumes, but I'm certain that he wouldn't appreciate that knowledge."
"Nia... he and Mello are quite similar, don't you think? I mean, they're both rather effusive, even if they chose to show it in different ways."
L smiled a bit. "Very true," he remarked, "though, their manners are very different. Mello's angry at everything, while Nia... just feels raw things constantly." He tilted his head, considering. "I would liken you to Mero, Mello's double, but you're not like him at all," L commented, smiling a bit. "Who're you most like, do you think?"
"Me?" Near blinked, surprised by the question, even as he put the candy in his mouth. "I suppose I'm not like anyone, L. My ego would like to assume I take after your person the most, but I realize that's not true."
L smiled. "Who am I most like, do you think?" he asked, sucking on his own candy. "I daresay you've noticed I'm hardly like my own clone..."
"Thankfully," his answer was almost without a thought. Even if he had yet to meet the fake L in person, Near couldn't say it was something he was looking forward. Still, he should have better control of his reactions. "... I don't think you're quite like anyone, L. Through your reports I've been able to observe some similarities between you and Yagami Light-san, but I suppose you're mostly your own person."
L laughed at that, amused. "I suppose that's best then," he mused, smiling. "We're all individuals, after all, and it's best we stay that way, ne?" Taking another candy (unable to help himself), he looked back at Near, relaxed on the couch. "So, any particular reason you came over today?" he asked, mildly intrigued. "Or did you just need some sane company for once?"
The candy still slowly fading in his mouth, Near smiled a little, his expression as close as sheepish as he ever got.
"Sane company," he admitted, curling another strand of his hair. "But I'm terribly sorry if I'm disrupting your work, L. I'd be happy to help you, if you want."
L smiled. "I don't mind at all, Near," he said. "You're free to come over whenever you want. And it's not as if I'd be getting much work done anyway..." He rolled his eyes, recalling Matsuda's and Light's previous antics, and remembering just why it was he preferred to work alone once more.
Shaking that off, he looked back to Near, who was still twirling his hair. "You do that an awful lot, twirling your hair," he commented, smiling a bit. "Nervous habit? Or is it just fun?"
"Habit, I assume," Near said with a shrug, but he stopped doing so as he tried to consider that particular quirk of his a bit more. "It's not a nervous habit, I don't think; I tend to do it mostly when my hands are free. Then again, it's not particularly relaxing to me either."
L smiled. "Why do you do it, then?" he asked. "There must be some reason..." Mildly intrigued, L moved closer on the couch, winding a lock around his fingers, twirling Near's hair. "How'd a habit like this start?" he murmured, still toying with the lone curl, watching it twist in his hand.
Near stayed silent out of surprise too; since it was L the one that got close he didn't tense, but he was surprised at the proximity, and at L's fingers over his hair. It was... new, certainly. A bit awkward, since he rarely indulged into human contact like this, but it wasn't annoying nor disturbing, as he had thought it might be. Actually, like this it was... almost relaxing. And nice.
He blinked a bit to try and focus his attention over the questions, finally shrugging again.
"It might come from childhood, perhaps, before I came to Wammy House. I was too young to properly remember those few years."
L smiled. "I think that's where my preference for sweets came from," he commented, running his fingers through Near's hair a bit, playing with a new strand. "Though, I'm sure Roger would have preferred I picked up a habit like yours instead. My hair was never long enough, though, so the sugar-craving came instead." He let go of the curl, watching it spring back up, and smiled, before taking it again.
Near smiled too without noticing, slowly relaxing into the touch, wondering why he had assumed he would dislike other people touching his hair, and just how much it has to do with being L the one that was doing so.
"An increase on the hours one is awake requires an increase on the intake of calories," Near said, despite knowing that L was probably more than aware on that fact, "I believe that Roger might have resigned himself that 56% of genius end up developing some kind of sugar addiction."
L laughed. "I think Roger just gave up because after a while, it wasn't worth the fight," he said, amused, "but your reason could be right, too." He tousled Near's hair again, enjoying himself. "56%, though? I haven't heard that one." His lips quirked. "Do you have a sugar addiction, Near?"
"I'm afraid I seem to fall in the minority of this hypothesis," he smiled, shrugging again. "Though I am fond of chocolate, every now and then."
"Chocolate is good," L agreed, smiling, still toying with Near's hair, running his fingers through it now. He paused. "Does it bother you when I do this?" he asked, repeating the gesture, as if the thought he might be doing something slightly odd had just occurred.
"Not really," Near said, not moving his head away, a calm look upon his face. "I'm not used to it, but it's not bothering me. It feels nice."
L smiled. "Good," he murmured, stroking his hair still. "I like doing this..."
"Is that so?" Near tried to see the scene from an outsider's perspective and if it'd be weird before deciding that he didn't quite care. "I'm glad, then."
Hearing a loud crash from the next room, L glanced over at the closed doors and sighed. "That'll be Light and Matsuda fighting again," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose tightly. "I should go and stop them before they break anything else."
He stood, streching a bit, surreptitiously pocketing a few candies as he did. "...thanks for stopping by, Near," L said, smiling softly at him a bit. "I... enjoyed it. You're not the only one who lacks sane company."
Near didn't quite sigh nor frown once L moved, but he was quite sorry the peaceful evening had finished so soon, and quite annoyed that it had been interrupted like that. More than he would like to admit, actually, but he nodded, leaning to pick up his toy and standing up.
"Thank you for allowing me to come, L," Near said, before finding himself doubting his next words. How had L phrased it? That he should try to get what made him happy? So he finally said it. "Perhaps I could come back another time? Since the rest of your team seems... distracted, I wouldn't mind helping you. I'd like that, actually, if you think it's alright."
L blinked, before looking down at Near, slightly surprised. A slow smile spread across his lips, and a slight sparkle shone in his eye. "That'd be more than alright, Near," he said, smiling. "I'd like that a lot." Another loud crash from the next room interrupted them, and L winced. "Another time, perhaps, though," he said, sighing. "I wouldn't want you to get hit by flying lamps."
And there's that annoyance again. Near keeps that deep inside and nods, standing up from the couch and giving a nod towards L.
"Of course, understandable. I shall go, then." Near gave a smile and another small nod before walking towards the door.
L hesitated. "....." Impulsive, before he could think things further through, L took three quick steps before Near could leave, tugging him to him and enveloping him in a soft hug, holding him close in his arms. "Take care, okay?" he said quietly, stroking his head a bit. "Don't let things get to you too much with the clones..."
Near's eyes opened wide at the hug, but he found himself leaning against L, surprised at the way his pulse seemed to increase.
Finally he gave another nod, voice also quiet. "I'll take care," he promised, at least satisfied that his voice wasn't doing something foolish like quivering; he suffered enough with what puberty did without having to add emotions to that. "And I'll do my best to stop them from bothering me too much. "
L smiled. "Good." Pulling away, he looked down at Near again, a soft smile on his lips. He opened his mouth to say something, only to be rudely interrupted by another loud crash and a shout of "WHORE!" Rolling his eyes, L went to the door. He glanced back at Near one last time. "See you soon, then," he said, offering a smile. "Give the others my hellos."
Near gave another nod, "I will," and a smile before also going out the door, but walking the other way towards the exit.
While he got inside the cab that would take him to Wammy House, Near couldn't help but to analyze the events of the afternoon, something that after so many years in Wammy had become more than a second nature, and when he put unto perspective his behavior, he couldn't but to notice that he could, perhaps, be harboring a slight infatuation on L.
Now, how to handle it… that’d be the question.
[Where]: Kira Investigation Headquarters.
[When]: Sometime after the fight between L, Matsuda and Light had.
[Format]: MSN, third person, paragraph.
[Rating]: PG
When one of the few clones that had appeared in Wammy wandered inside his room, throwing itself towards him, sobbing because things were so strange and begging for his help, Near not only found himself actually annoyed, something that he rarely allowed to happen, but in clear need to search for someone who didn’t completely disrupt his reality and who could, perhaps, understand a little of his annoyance.
At least the answer to that was easy enough. After calling L and asking if it wouldn't be much bother to perhaps have some tea together (and swallowing half of his pride in the process, displeased at himself for letting the whole situation bother him so much ), Near picked up one of his robots and went out of Wammy towards L's headquarters. Once there, he wondered for a moment if he should go and do the usual check up (one couldn't be too cautious, especially if you were being trained to perhaps be the next L) before deciding to just announce himself per usual.
L was crouched in his chair when Near came in, going over police reports. He turned, offering a half smile to him, getting up from the chair. "Near," he said. "How have you been?"
Near allowed himself a small sigh in relief. He knew it was wrong of him to search for some kind of comfort when situations went out of control, but he couldn't help but be relieved to see L being... well, L. No rockstar L, and there wasn't another clone in sight, not him with excessive feelings and not a kind Mello... he gave a small nod of head and his face relaxed a bit.
"Good evening, L," and at the question, he tilted his head to the side. "I... must admit I've been better."
L gestured to the sofa for him to take a seat, sitting down on one end of it, tilting his head a bit. "Been better?" he inquired. He regarded Near for a moment, before nodding knowingly. "It's the clone thing, isn't it?" he asked. "It's chaotic over here. Is it a similar situation at Wammy's House?"
Putting the robot on the floor, sitting against the couch, Near moved a leg to the top and huddled around it, resting his chin against it and giving again another brief nod.
"It's quite exhausting. Not many clones have actually gone inside the House, but the few that have done so have created quite a chaos, and many of the students are trying to find out if they have a clone too."
"Has your clone joined the house?" he asked, nicking a candy from a dish on the coffee table. "How're you all handling the adjustment? I admit, I somewhat fear for the safety of Mello's clone, and yours must be a considerable shock to you..."
"I don't think he has," Near said with a slight frown, rising a hand to his hair, curling twirls of it. "But I must also admit that I've been mostly keeping to myself since it is quite a shock. I'm terribly afraid to say that perhaps I've not been handling this situation as one should."
L shrugged. "That's understandable, I suppose. It's only natural to try and avoid conflict... you should try and make more of an effort to fix things and get what you want on occasion, though, Near." He offered him a smile. "You're a bit overly timid sometimes, you know."
His lips curled a little in a very small but definitely there smile. "I suppose that's one of my faults," he admitted, considering L's words for a moment before giving a half shrug. "Conflict still seems very capable of finding myself, though."
L shrugged himself, a smile playing around his lips. "I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a fault of yours," he said. "Just... a quirk or trait, perhaps." He tossed a candy to Near, nabbing another for himself. "There's not much of a need to go after something for you, after all, is there?" he asked. "You're already number 1... and I doubt you're after Mello nearly as much as your doppleganger..."
Catching the candy, he unwrapped it carefully, giving a small frown as he considers if he'd want - or need - anything else. "I am content where I am at the moment, and I do enjoy the competition with Mello... not in the way he assumes, but I'm certain that he wouldn't appreciate that knowledge."
"Nia... he and Mello are quite similar, don't you think? I mean, they're both rather effusive, even if they chose to show it in different ways."
L smiled a bit. "Very true," he remarked, "though, their manners are very different. Mello's angry at everything, while Nia... just feels raw things constantly." He tilted his head, considering. "I would liken you to Mero, Mello's double, but you're not like him at all," L commented, smiling a bit. "Who're you most like, do you think?"
"Me?" Near blinked, surprised by the question, even as he put the candy in his mouth. "I suppose I'm not like anyone, L. My ego would like to assume I take after your person the most, but I realize that's not true."
L smiled. "Who am I most like, do you think?" he asked, sucking on his own candy. "I daresay you've noticed I'm hardly like my own clone..."
"Thankfully," his answer was almost without a thought. Even if he had yet to meet the fake L in person, Near couldn't say it was something he was looking forward. Still, he should have better control of his reactions. "... I don't think you're quite like anyone, L. Through your reports I've been able to observe some similarities between you and Yagami Light-san, but I suppose you're mostly your own person."
L laughed at that, amused. "I suppose that's best then," he mused, smiling. "We're all individuals, after all, and it's best we stay that way, ne?" Taking another candy (unable to help himself), he looked back at Near, relaxed on the couch. "So, any particular reason you came over today?" he asked, mildly intrigued. "Or did you just need some sane company for once?"
The candy still slowly fading in his mouth, Near smiled a little, his expression as close as sheepish as he ever got.
"Sane company," he admitted, curling another strand of his hair. "But I'm terribly sorry if I'm disrupting your work, L. I'd be happy to help you, if you want."
L smiled. "I don't mind at all, Near," he said. "You're free to come over whenever you want. And it's not as if I'd be getting much work done anyway..." He rolled his eyes, recalling Matsuda's and Light's previous antics, and remembering just why it was he preferred to work alone once more.
Shaking that off, he looked back to Near, who was still twirling his hair. "You do that an awful lot, twirling your hair," he commented, smiling a bit. "Nervous habit? Or is it just fun?"
"Habit, I assume," Near said with a shrug, but he stopped doing so as he tried to consider that particular quirk of his a bit more. "It's not a nervous habit, I don't think; I tend to do it mostly when my hands are free. Then again, it's not particularly relaxing to me either."
L smiled. "Why do you do it, then?" he asked. "There must be some reason..." Mildly intrigued, L moved closer on the couch, winding a lock around his fingers, twirling Near's hair. "How'd a habit like this start?" he murmured, still toying with the lone curl, watching it twist in his hand.
Near stayed silent out of surprise too; since it was L the one that got close he didn't tense, but he was surprised at the proximity, and at L's fingers over his hair. It was... new, certainly. A bit awkward, since he rarely indulged into human contact like this, but it wasn't annoying nor disturbing, as he had thought it might be. Actually, like this it was... almost relaxing. And nice.
He blinked a bit to try and focus his attention over the questions, finally shrugging again.
"It might come from childhood, perhaps, before I came to Wammy House. I was too young to properly remember those few years."
L smiled. "I think that's where my preference for sweets came from," he commented, running his fingers through Near's hair a bit, playing with a new strand. "Though, I'm sure Roger would have preferred I picked up a habit like yours instead. My hair was never long enough, though, so the sugar-craving came instead." He let go of the curl, watching it spring back up, and smiled, before taking it again.
Near smiled too without noticing, slowly relaxing into the touch, wondering why he had assumed he would dislike other people touching his hair, and just how much it has to do with being L the one that was doing so.
"An increase on the hours one is awake requires an increase on the intake of calories," Near said, despite knowing that L was probably more than aware on that fact, "I believe that Roger might have resigned himself that 56% of genius end up developing some kind of sugar addiction."
L laughed. "I think Roger just gave up because after a while, it wasn't worth the fight," he said, amused, "but your reason could be right, too." He tousled Near's hair again, enjoying himself. "56%, though? I haven't heard that one." His lips quirked. "Do you have a sugar addiction, Near?"
"I'm afraid I seem to fall in the minority of this hypothesis," he smiled, shrugging again. "Though I am fond of chocolate, every now and then."
"Chocolate is good," L agreed, smiling, still toying with Near's hair, running his fingers through it now. He paused. "Does it bother you when I do this?" he asked, repeating the gesture, as if the thought he might be doing something slightly odd had just occurred.
"Not really," Near said, not moving his head away, a calm look upon his face. "I'm not used to it, but it's not bothering me. It feels nice."
L smiled. "Good," he murmured, stroking his hair still. "I like doing this..."
"Is that so?" Near tried to see the scene from an outsider's perspective and if it'd be weird before deciding that he didn't quite care. "I'm glad, then."
Hearing a loud crash from the next room, L glanced over at the closed doors and sighed. "That'll be Light and Matsuda fighting again," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose tightly. "I should go and stop them before they break anything else."
He stood, streching a bit, surreptitiously pocketing a few candies as he did. "...thanks for stopping by, Near," L said, smiling softly at him a bit. "I... enjoyed it. You're not the only one who lacks sane company."
Near didn't quite sigh nor frown once L moved, but he was quite sorry the peaceful evening had finished so soon, and quite annoyed that it had been interrupted like that. More than he would like to admit, actually, but he nodded, leaning to pick up his toy and standing up.
"Thank you for allowing me to come, L," Near said, before finding himself doubting his next words. How had L phrased it? That he should try to get what made him happy? So he finally said it. "Perhaps I could come back another time? Since the rest of your team seems... distracted, I wouldn't mind helping you. I'd like that, actually, if you think it's alright."
L blinked, before looking down at Near, slightly surprised. A slow smile spread across his lips, and a slight sparkle shone in his eye. "That'd be more than alright, Near," he said, smiling. "I'd like that a lot." Another loud crash from the next room interrupted them, and L winced. "Another time, perhaps, though," he said, sighing. "I wouldn't want you to get hit by flying lamps."
And there's that annoyance again. Near keeps that deep inside and nods, standing up from the couch and giving a nod towards L.
"Of course, understandable. I shall go, then." Near gave a smile and another small nod before walking towards the door.
L hesitated. "....." Impulsive, before he could think things further through, L took three quick steps before Near could leave, tugging him to him and enveloping him in a soft hug, holding him close in his arms. "Take care, okay?" he said quietly, stroking his head a bit. "Don't let things get to you too much with the clones..."
Near's eyes opened wide at the hug, but he found himself leaning against L, surprised at the way his pulse seemed to increase.
Finally he gave another nod, voice also quiet. "I'll take care," he promised, at least satisfied that his voice wasn't doing something foolish like quivering; he suffered enough with what puberty did without having to add emotions to that. "And I'll do my best to stop them from bothering me too much. "
L smiled. "Good." Pulling away, he looked down at Near again, a soft smile on his lips. He opened his mouth to say something, only to be rudely interrupted by another loud crash and a shout of "WHORE!" Rolling his eyes, L went to the door. He glanced back at Near one last time. "See you soon, then," he said, offering a smile. "Give the others my hellos."
Near gave another nod, "I will," and a smile before also going out the door, but walking the other way towards the exit.
While he got inside the cab that would take him to Wammy House, Near couldn't help but to analyze the events of the afternoon, something that after so many years in Wammy had become more than a second nature, and when he put unto perspective his behavior, he couldn't but to notice that he could, perhaps, be harboring a slight infatuation on L.
Now, how to handle it… that’d be the question.