[L had meant to come see his successors directly after hearing that they were injured, but it needed to be added to a list of unfulfilled intentions. Though he supported their partnership fully, his own was often neglected, and he had chosen to remain with Gamzee, recognizing that he owed his fraying troll Meister the comfort of Resonance in a dark hour. There are other advantages; the night before, the mirror had shown L a creature with wild hair and wild eyes, and every few minutes he'd needed to reach toward his own throat to make sure someone else's hand wasn't constricted around it. This morning, his bruises are brighter, but they are human-inflicted, and therefore more manageable than many of the injuries sustained by those who had battled the distorted nightmares on the floating island and in the city.
He and Light are virtually evenly matched foes, after all. He can't say the same for his unfortunate successors and a Witch. Even if it is unlikely that a Witch cared enough about them on an individual basis to attempt what Light had. With any luck, Mello and Near' scars would be wholly physical and any trauma would fade relatively swiftly as they recovered.
He arrives approximately a half hour before visiting hours have officially started, and that feeling of a hand around his throat is returning. To kill time and some of his own concerns, he discreetly makes his way to the walk-in wing of the hospital and requests a battery of tests to check for diseases that could be transmitted through blood, saliva, or... bodily fluids in general, really. He doesn't seriously believe that someone as meticulous as Light would test positive for HIV or anything similar... but indulging his own desire for thoroughness is comforting. Even if the nurse's raised eyebrows and comments about his bruises are highly unwelcome.
Results will be sent to him within a week, but at least he bothered to do something.
He takes a deep breath and composes himself before finally finding Mello and Near's room and, for once, he knocks prior to entering a room containing both of them. After that slight warning, he turns the knob and lets himself in, stomach turning when he sees Mello. Near had hinted that it was bad, but somehow, L had hoped that it wouldn't be this bad. That perhaps Near was exaggerating, even if the white-haired young man was known for his strict adherence to accuracy. Even though his lungs suddenly seem to require more air than breathing normally can provide them with, he fights it, making every effort to appear as normal as possible. Staying calm will benefit everyone, and a visible panic attack (is that the name for it?) would only shake their confidence in their predecessor.
It is so difficult to be confident and unflappable when his collective legacy is in shambles, though.
L leans against the wall, pressing his curved back against the cool plaster. He addresses Near, unsure if Mello is awake or alert enough to hear him.]
Since I heard... I've thought that perhaps this wouldn't have happened if I had been there. That maybe I could have done something to prevent it, or at least lessen its severity. Though it's impossible to know definitively... do you think it ultimately mattered, Near? Was it like the caves?
[A very significant part of the detective feels that it should have been him in that bed. That a grave injury, or even death at the hands of a witch, would have been better than what had actually happened with Light. It certainly would have been less complicated.]
April 6, Morning [Open to either and both!]
He and Light are virtually evenly matched foes, after all. He can't say the same for his unfortunate successors and a Witch. Even if it is unlikely that a Witch cared enough about them on an individual basis to attempt what Light had. With any luck, Mello and Near' scars would be wholly physical and any trauma would fade relatively swiftly as they recovered.
He arrives approximately a half hour before visiting hours have officially started, and that feeling of a hand around his throat is returning. To kill time and some of his own concerns, he discreetly makes his way to the walk-in wing of the hospital and requests a battery of tests to check for diseases that could be transmitted through blood, saliva, or... bodily fluids in general, really. He doesn't seriously believe that someone as meticulous as Light would test positive for HIV or anything similar... but indulging his own desire for thoroughness is comforting. Even if the nurse's raised eyebrows and comments about his bruises are highly unwelcome.
Results will be sent to him within a week, but at least he bothered to do something.
He takes a deep breath and composes himself before finally finding Mello and Near's room and, for once, he knocks prior to entering a room containing both of them. After that slight warning, he turns the knob and lets himself in, stomach turning when he sees Mello. Near had hinted that it was bad, but somehow, L had hoped that it wouldn't be this bad. That perhaps Near was exaggerating, even if the white-haired young man was known for his strict adherence to accuracy. Even though his lungs suddenly seem to require more air than breathing normally can provide them with, he fights it, making every effort to appear as normal as possible. Staying calm will benefit everyone, and a visible panic attack (is that the name for it?) would only shake their confidence in their predecessor.
It is so difficult to be confident and unflappable when his collective legacy is in shambles, though.
L leans against the wall, pressing his curved back against the cool plaster. He addresses Near, unsure if Mello is awake or alert enough to hear him.]
Since I heard... I've thought that perhaps this wouldn't have happened if I had been there. That maybe I could have done something to prevent it, or at least lessen its severity. Though it's impossible to know definitively... do you think it ultimately mattered, Near? Was it like the caves?
[A very significant part of the detective feels that it should have been him in that bed. That a grave injury, or even death at the hands of a witch, would have been better than what had actually happened with Light. It certainly would have been less complicated.]