[Near's explanation gives him momentary pause as Mello drops the outreached arm back to his side. Is that all it was? The absence of and need to have a true rival? While Mello is well aware of the story regarding Beyond, he was never truly what one would consider a rival, was he? He was beneath L, someone who had to go above the status quo in order to prove himself a worthy opponent, and even then — ]
[Well, he failed.]
[Still, the explanation is too simple. There had to be something more there: something that M had never quite been able to figure out. He'd always considered that their predecessor had been a bit too confident in that particular case, even if the idea is nothing short of absurd.]
[L was L. Mello likes to think he was well-aware of his own abilities, but. What if he was wrong? What if L was wrong?]
[Of course he was. He lost, in the end. And it wasn't a sacrifice, no. The blond knows that because if he'd expected it, he would have chosen. Another thing he'd always wondered about: perhaps it was always meant to be the final test between himself and Near regarding who would fill his shoes but that — ]
[Well. Mello's always been something of a pompous optimist, even at his worst.]
[The same thoughts that have gone 'round and 'round since he took off from The House in the pouring rain, and now the thought of Kira literally writhing around on the ground at Near's mercy evokes a wicked grin. Bastard got what he deserved, didn't he? Even if Mello had to go up in flames for it to happen.]
It's been a long time.
[Still, he argues, gesturing towards his rival's appearance. It isn't that Near is a monster, though that might always be a jarring sight. Mello doesn't ever think he'll get used to it. It's the age, the fact that N appears older now that he even remembers L that one time they met when the cornsilk-haired boy was too young to gauge age properly at all.]
You can't blame me for questioning whether you've changed.
[Though Near's tone and way of speaking suggests this isn't the case, at all.] I don't know how long you've been here, and I don't know if the Bond has affected you negatively.
[Even if he is inclined to take the other's word for it. For now. Because he seems to speak the truth with something almost resembling a passive bitterness — he's always looked down on their 'mentor,' ever since the man lost what would then become their game.]
You called him weak.
[A lifetime ago. In no uncertain terms.] It remains to be seen. [Because Mello outright refuses to believe it until he bears witness to it, himself.] You realize that by effect, you're suggesting we'd spent our entire lives aspiring to emulate a man we had the ability to defeat.
no subject
[Well, he failed.]
[Still, the explanation is too simple. There had to be something more there: something that M had never quite been able to figure out. He'd always considered that their predecessor had been a bit too confident in that particular case, even if the idea is nothing short of absurd.]
[L was L. Mello likes to think he was well-aware of his own abilities, but. What if he was wrong? What if L was wrong?]
[Of course he was. He lost, in the end. And it wasn't a sacrifice, no. The blond knows that because if he'd expected it, he would have chosen. Another thing he'd always wondered about: perhaps it was always meant to be the final test between himself and Near regarding who would fill his shoes but that — ]
[Well. Mello's always been something of a pompous optimist, even at his worst.]
[The same thoughts that have gone 'round and 'round since he took off from The House in the pouring rain, and now the thought of Kira literally writhing around on the ground at Near's mercy evokes a wicked grin. Bastard got what he deserved, didn't he? Even if Mello had to go up in flames for it to happen.]
It's been a long time.
[Still, he argues, gesturing towards his rival's appearance. It isn't that Near is a monster, though that might always be a jarring sight. Mello doesn't ever think he'll get used to it. It's the age, the fact that N appears older now that he even remembers L that one time they met when the cornsilk-haired boy was too young to gauge age properly at all.]
You can't blame me for questioning whether you've changed.
[Though Near's tone and way of speaking suggests this isn't the case, at all.] I don't know how long you've been here, and I don't know if the Bond has affected you negatively.
[Even if he is inclined to take the other's word for it. For now. Because he seems to speak the truth with something almost resembling a passive bitterness — he's always looked down on their 'mentor,' ever since the man lost what would then become their game.]
You called him weak.
[A lifetime ago. In no uncertain terms.] It remains to be seen. [Because Mello outright refuses to believe it until he bears witness to it, himself.] You realize that by effect, you're suggesting we'd spent our entire lives aspiring to emulate a man we had the ability to defeat.
[And Near sees no problem with this?]