[It's unwritten that the subject of L puts a bad taste in Mello's mouth, and it shows. No, it's not an insult, and no, Mello doesn't fully agree with the assessment he suspects was made to assuage him (a strange gesture for Near, definitely, but if it's true that the rivals were bonded before — well. Does that change anything?]
[Because Mello died by choice, and Near survived the whole fucking ordeal. He won, which is the ultimate victory when it comes to their particular situation. L lost. Mello lost because he was at a loss. It lends to the blonde's opinion that Near doesn't deserve the form he's been given, jab about him having been a snake or no. There are very few people Mello has any connection with, and hate (that had likely been ingrained in him from The House to ensure competition) or no: it's a sad sight.]
[While death might change people, Mello refuses to be softened by it. Quite the opposite. It's taught him a lesson he'd never fathomed he would learn.]
I don't want to talk about L any more.
[A blatant lie.]
You and I — [He runs a gloved hand over his chin.] — how did the Bond benefit us?
[Because he knows it had to have been something based on logic. Something that had the potential to make them stronger.]
no subject
[Because Mello died by choice, and Near survived the whole fucking ordeal. He won, which is the ultimate victory when it comes to their particular situation. L lost. Mello lost because he was at a loss. It lends to the blonde's opinion that Near doesn't deserve the form he's been given, jab about him having been a snake or no. There are very few people Mello has any connection with, and hate (that had likely been ingrained in him from The House to ensure competition) or no: it's a sad sight.]
[While death might change people, Mello refuses to be softened by it. Quite the opposite. It's taught him a lesson he'd never fathomed he would learn.]
I don't want to talk about L any more.
[A blatant lie.]
You and I — [He runs a gloved hand over his chin.] — how did the Bond benefit us?
[Because he knows it had to have been something based on logic. Something that had the potential to make them stronger.]