[The last time Mello was here, it had become a desperate mission for L to pull himself down from the pedestal the younger man worshiped at. The effigy wasn't flesh, and couldn't be, and the finicky and flawed detective in particular is not up to the task of maintaining that backbreaking illusion, in person, with regular and scrutinizing interaction.
This time, a different tack is required. One that's even colder and more distant. Mello will not be L's friend or Bonded; Mello will also not question that this is L, and actually listen to what the man tells him to do even if he hates it. As dubious as the reasons are, that's an outcome he desires.]
What do you want, Malakai.
[L sounds irritated, tired.]
Is it that you want to leave things differently, or that you don't want to leave...?
no subject
This time, a different tack is required. One that's even colder and more distant. Mello will not be L's friend or Bonded; Mello will also not question that this is L, and actually listen to what the man tells him to do even if he hates it. As dubious as the reasons are, that's an outcome he desires.]
What do you want, Malakai.
[L sounds irritated, tired.]
Is it that you want to leave things differently, or that you don't want to leave...?