#you can see Meronia

[nearlymello]

MELLOS B-DAY HEADCANNONS!

Happy birthday Mello! So here we are with some Mello headcannons!

1)

The last person he thought of when he died was Near, second last was Matt. What he thought of is up to y’all :3

2)

Sometimes Mello attempts to remember his life before Wammys but fails to, it’s constantly happening in fact. When he was younger he would sob all by himself missing what he couldn’t remember just to stop crying and go back to attempting to become what essentially is a ghost.

3)

Matt is somebody Mello holds near and dear to his heart for several reasons mainly due to the fact that having somebody like Matt around who never changes makes him feel comforted, like nothing will ever change.

4)

Mello couldn’t grieve Matt, he couldn’t he knew he’d die soon.

5)

He really enjoyed being high ranking in the mafia and being feared. It made him truly feel number one until he remembered Near that in which caused him to open operations and successfully carry them out so he can feel on top again.

6 )

Likes cats.

Happy birthday Mello! I hope you’re suffering!! (Plus a little coloured in Manga thing by me)

[paradisepoisoned]

We’re all in our own private coffee au traps so to speak.

[lsdoomed]

mallonia au

[opaleyedprince]

lawlight monster aus are perfect for october. selkie!light and l who keeps trying to hunt down his sealskin, only to be foiled at every turn. werewolf or vampire!light and l who's been hired to smoke out the monster that keeps eating the village's livestock. many thoughts head full

[musical-chick-13]

Fuck it, weird-yet-galaxy-brain take is that Love Is War is rom-com Death Note, but not in regard to the ship that everyone thinks, and what I mean by this is that Kaguya and Miyuki are NOT the lighthearted lower-stakes rom-com version of Light and L, they're the lighthearted lower-stakes rom-com version of Near and Mello.

[godsofdeathloveoranges]

Super specific senario but i thought of something funny (inspired by a fic i read once, I'll link it if i find it)

(Mello and Matt are still alive in this, faked their death, post-defeat of Kira)

So Mello visited Near one night before his "death", and the two had a mini-confrontation that lead to one thing, then another, and- well. They spent "a night" together, let's say- a beautiful night that neither of them wanted to end... but, sadly, did, with Mello slipping out of the window as the sun rose, shooting one tender glance back at Near, before he was gone, and Near was waking up to an empty space beside him.

Flash forward about 2 months or so, and Near's successfully located the dingy little apartment Matt and Mello are hiding in until the heat dies down (Mello especially is still technically wanted by the American and Japanese police). Cue three little knocks on the door, door opening to a gun in Near's face, that lowers, slightly in shock, as Mello begrudgingly steps back to let Near into the apartment, crossing his arms.

Matt comes into the room, fiddling with his gameboy, shooting Near a grin and a wave, "S'up Near?"

Mello rolls his eyes.

"Don't say hello to him!'

Matt sticks out his tongue.

"M'just being friendly Mels, don't be so rude."

Mello decides to ignore him, looking back to Near. He finds it difficult to keep eye contact, face growing warm as he remembers what the two did the last time they were in a room together.

"Whatever. Just- spit it out already. Why'd you come?" His eyes take on a slightly concerned gleam. "It's not Kira, is it?"

"No," Near softly shakes his head.

"Okay, then what?" Mello unwraps a bar of chocolate, bringing it to his lips. In the background, he can hear the upbeat music coming from Matt's game, recognises it as one of his favourite levels.

Neae fiddles with a lock of hair, tugs on it lightly, before sighing, reaching into his pocket and drawing out a-

Is that a-

Near looks him dead in the eye.

"I'm pregnant."

The square of chocolate falls out of his mouth and onto the carpet.

He stares.

He's aware of the sound of music coming from Matt's gameboy, signifying a game over. If he had it in him, he would be shocked. Matt never loses this level. He-

He hears a thud behind him.

Matt's fainted.

A few moments pass, before he loudly snacks his forehead with his palm.

-

Matt slowly comes to.

He's lying on the couch, the concerned faces (at least- he thinks the concerned faces, Mello looks more exasperated than anything, and it's always difficult to tell with Near) of his two friends floating above in his vision.

He groans, rubbing at his eyes.

"Ugh- did I just-"

"Yeah." Mello doesn't sound impressed. "You fucking fainted."

"Aw man," Matt sniffs. "Why did I even-"

His eyes snap open.

"Oh! That's right!"

He lurches up, clasping Near's hands in his, the latter looking thrown off balance, blinking wide-eyed at him from under his shaggy hair, but letting him do so anyway.

He squeezes Near's hands, eyes sparkling.

"Near, this is wonderful! I can't believe it, I- I'm gonna be an Uncle!"

The words hang in the air, before he flushes. He and Mello have a close relationship, and the two may not share blood, but he's always considered him as something like a brother, and Near too, by extension, he's a lot like the little brother Matt always wanted to have, but he never said as much to him, and-

"Sorry," he stammers sheepishly, "I mean- I know I'm not, we don't have that kind of relationship, but-"

"No," Near cuts him off softly. He gives Matt a rare, warm smile. "You're right. You're going to be an- Uncle."

Matt thinks he just might cry.

He wants to hug Near, but... that would probably be too much. He settles for smiling at him instead.

"So, tell me! Whose the father?"

He feels the atmosphere shift. Mello suddenly looks to the side, avoiding his gaze, snapping off a piece of his chocolate.

Near blinks at him slowly, and Matt almost thinks he can see a hint of nervousness in those eyes.

"... That would be Mello."

Matt's hands slowly slip off Near's in shock, landing in his lap. He looks from him, to Mello, to Near, back to Mello again.

"..."

Matt slowly nods.

"I see."

And then promptly faints again.

[obitoslover]

Tl;dr

I don't trust Ohba, keep him away from these characters as much as possible

🌈🐬🐠🌊🥰

[blondiest]

HELLO! this is the first supposedly-annual nealloblondiest "mello isn't dead" bonanza, and this rec list is my main contribution. i have not made a rec list before, and i'm sure this isn't anywhere near comprehensive, but while compiling this, i found several new-to-me fics that i loved and am excited to include! the criteria for this list are mello/near fanfictions that are set after the end of the kira case in which mello survives or comes back from the dead. i'm not listing out the tags for these fics, since i trust everyone can check that for themselves and make judgments accordingly :-)

i will be including one (1) fic of my own here, but you can also find a list of all the fics i have which fall into this category over here <3

meronia authors: if you have a fic that fits this criteria, please feel so incredibly free to reblog and add a link to it [and i will in turn reblog your version so we can all see more fics!!] i am tagging the authors whose tumblr URLs i know, but i very well may miss someone; feel free to tag them in the replies if you think they would like to see it!

without further ado, the list is below the cut!! ^_^

heaven is a place on earth with you by @neallo

rating: E | category: M/M | chapters: 1/1 | words: 1.4k

There is no blood or body of Christ, no priest and no pews, but it’s here and now that Mello finally rediscovers a long-lost sliver of faith. Hands on Near’s hips, Mello lowers his face and presses his mouth to Near’s soft abdomen. “I love you,” he murmurs, head bowed and eyes shut as if in prayer.

getting mine out of the way at the start here :-) this is a sequel to my only one, my smoking gun but can very easily be read as a standalone.

-

Impulse by @empressofthewind

rating: M | category: M/M | chapters: 1/1 | words: 2.5k

In the span of a few weeks, Mello and Near’s rendezvous had quickly become a regular part of Near’s work day; Mello would suggest a time and place, and Near would always agree. Near was perfectly content with the arrangement, as long as his employees didn’t find out.

a sexy little post-kira workplace-romance oneshot in which mello helps near out with a case. and also gives him many hickeys ^_^ <3 the kissing scene in this makes me chewing-off-my-hands insane (highly positive)

-

orchid by anonymous

rating: M | category: multi | chapters: 1/1 | words: 269

mello wonders about what he's gotten himself into, sometimes.

very sweet, very short smutty ot4 fic (mello x matt, mello x near, mello x linda, with an implication that all four are dating each other).

-

reflection by @squidish

rating: E | category: M/M | chapters: 1/1 | words: 2.7k

Their bedroom door was open and the bed faced it. When Near closed the door, Mello raised an eyebrow. Just the one. There was a mirror on the back of the door that hadn’t been there yesterday. It was vertical, rectangular, with a simple black frame. Near looked at him with an expression so blank it could have meant literally anything.  “You don’t have to,” he said, beginning to twirl his long hair, “but I’d like it if you watched.”

very intimate & adoring, yet still filthy [<- very positive] smut <3 ray imo excels beautifully at established relationship fics & captures a delicate dynamic that i'm very fond of.

-

Arsonist's Lullabye by TzviaAriella

rating: T | category: M/M | chapters: 1/1 | words: 3.3k

Two years after the end of the Kira case, Near and Mello pay a visit to L's grave.

i love the dynamic in this one very much; it's very contentious / antagonistic (esp at the start) but not without tenderness underneath :')

-

ringing... by @madmeridian

rating: T | category: M/M | chapters: 1/1 | words: 1.8k

Near receives a phone call and reflects a bit on his past.

mello and near get in touch over the phone after the end of the kira case; great dynamic here. it's a cute and charming story but without feeling de-fanged; their dialogue still has teeth to it :D

-

august underground by @brothercrush and @firebuggg

rating: E | category: M/M | chapters: 2/15 | words: 10.5k

Hell spits them out on a little Greek island.

was not going to include in-progress fics on this list, but had to make an exception. slowburn alternating POV story in which near drags mello out of hell. beautiful prose & a complex, compelling dynamic <3

[magicaii]

Ooh...I think you're the first person (that I know amd follow) that love Near/Mello ship. See, most of my Death Note moots love L/Light and a few love Matt/Mello. But none love Near/Mello....(I was the only one).

What do you think are Mello and Near's greatest personality strengths and weaknesses? Why? What do you love about their dynamic? In which moment that you start shipping them?Also, I know you are meronia shipper, but can I ask your opinion on these ships : L/Light and Matt/Mellow? Thanks...

yeah, unless you really go looking for them, its hard to find meronia circles. a lot of death note fans are averse to them/deem it too problematic (which... i wont even touch upon the irony of that).

mello:

i think mello’s greatest strength is how well rounded he is. he’s obviously very intelligent, but on top of that, he was ambitious enough to be in the running of L’s successor as well as make his way up in the rank of the literal mafia. as a TEENAGER. you don’t pull that off with smarts alone. we can infer from this and his actions throughout the story that he’s a very adaptive, crafty, and sociable individual. he handles all situations related to kira gracefully yet unpredictably, bargaining with the enemy in a way that backs them into a corner and gets him closer to his goal. and when things don’t go his way, he improvises (save for takada. lmao).

as for his weaknesses, it was definitely his ego. my mans had every right to be confident, but would it have killed him to play it safe? the prime example of this is obviously refusing to outright team up with near. it’s pretty much a fandom wide headcanon at this point that he would’ve survived had he and near worked together officially, but he was determined to prove himself and do things on his own. achieving a victory with near’s help would’ve hurt his ego. furthermore, if he had taken more precautions in his last encounter with takada rather than assuming everything would go according to his plan... well, i’d like to think he would’ve lived too. unfortunately, he made a slight oversight due to his confidence.

near:

near is interesting because i truly believe that the point of his character is having only 1 strength and lacking in mostly everything else. like with mello, it doesn’t need to be pointed out that he’s exceedingly intelligent. and yet, he has little else going for him. he gains his allies through the government, gets to stay in their cushy funded tower, once used a literal flood of cash to get out of a tough situation, and relied a lot on mello’s schemes and out-of-the-box plans to solve the kira case. 

i think if i could sum up his weaknesses, it would be that he’s too comfortable. he lacks direction. he’s rarely ever motivated to do things. he’s doesn’t have true relationships in his life, and he doesn’t go out of his way to make them. he has sensitive feelings, yet never expresses them. he admires mello, but avoids being upfront about this and leaves mello in the dark. he could go after the new kira that arises, but there’s no point. he only took the first kira case, took up the mantle of L, because he was appointed as the successor by wammy’s. at some point you start wondering if the guy truly wants or cares about anything in his life. some of us near fans think that he has some form of depression after mello’s death/the kira case and that’s why he is so demotivated. or maybe he has never had a true sense of identity/purpose in the first place. but when it comes to mello’s death, i often see it as near losing his ability to reach his ‘full potential’ with mello making up the other half of L. now he’s just complacent.

meronia:

what i love about their dynamic is of course the matching wits. i think that in many avenues, they are drawn to each other in ways unmatched by other people, because there’s just something that fundamentally clicks between them. mello thinking of near as a pompous brat yet being unable to deny the syngery between their minds, and knowing that he’s ultimately mello’s most reliable ally. i like the idea of mello and near arguing about the best course of action to take and both disapproving of each other’s worst vices (mello’s overambition, near’s lack of it). them being able to read each other and predict each other’s movements better than anyone else (i have to go save near’s ass because i know what he’s thinking already. that idiot). all their allies in the room being stunned into silence as they take jabs at each other with snide remarks. the way they would both look out for each other and yell at each other over safety precautions if they worked together. there’s something so interesting about how evenly matched they are in terms of intelligence, yet can be so utterly opposed in terms of planning and strategizing. i think working together would eventually result in a lot of care between them, and considering how they can both be so reckless, they would constantly be saving each other’s lives. and then they’d go straight back to bickering. 

i can’t pinpoint the moment i started shipping them tbh. i think it mustve been on my first death note rewatch when near finally started to pique my interest and i took note of mello’s strong reactions to near? and i was like ooh, there’s something deeper here. 

lawlight:

this was my first death note ship, and i REALLY got into them back in the day. it’s pretty obvious why, enemies to lovers, the way they never could’ve been something because they were obsessed with their game, the fact that no feelings could come to fruition lest they get in the way of what both of them lived for. however, while i still largely see what people like about it, i slowly fell out of love with them. the main reason is because the way i saw them changed a lot. because to me, while they are clearly obsessed with each other, i do think they are not so much obsessed with each other as people, but instead what they both represent. in fact, they seem to heavily dislike each other as people. light mostly thinks L is a genuine weirdo and L thinks light is a pretentious, haughty kid who doesn’t know his place. i don’t think they find each other very interesting beyond that. L cares only about light’s intelligence and his evil deeds, but sees him almost like a challenging video game boss that he’s having a lot of fun trying to take down. and light has a massive ego so he enjoys being challenged, and sees L as a worthy opponent who is unrelenting in pursuit. but that’s it. and that’s why the anime only scenes between them feel so weird, because they kind of come out of nowhere and make them seem a lot more invested in each other on a personal level, which they were never supposed to be in the death note manga. anyway, i just don’t see any romantic chemistry between them, is what i’m trying to say. i will still like and reblog funny lawlight memes. 

mellodramattic:

i really don’t mean any hate, but i’ve never particularly liked this pairing? i don’t dislike it, either. i can see the appeal. they’re a ride or die type of pair who tragically lost their lives one after the other. matt was among mello’s last thoughts too. but i think i see matt as a very straight person (he’s made multiple comments about women!) and while i guess it’s sweet that mello relied on matt and stuff, i don’t think they have a particularly deep relationship. matt is a smart, tech savvy dude that mello knows, so like with the mafia, he’s pulling out his best connections. however, matt seems even less driven of a person than near, and unlike near, does not even care a little bit about solving cases. i can’t really see them coming together in any meaningful way for the long term, and they both don’t really seem interested in each other beyond a surface friendship level. i feel like life would take them in different directions.

thank you for the ask!! sorry it ended up being so long D:

[alarici]

For Meronia ballet AU, maybe a back stage moment or something? As a prompt I mean (: Love Reading your stuff!!

content: injury, word count: approx 500

It's the middle of dress rehearsal. Near's demi-solo is almost finished. She's collapsed in some soloist man's arms, not a finger out of place, languishing in the scattered applause. Catching her breath for the coda. Mello watchers her from the wings, as she has for seven years and counting. She's still captivated, as is everyone else.

The final chord drifts out of the orchestra pit, and then the string section begins again--and Near is alive, again. Most of the coda is a petite allegro. Small jumps, precise, exhausting. Even if Near's perfect, this is one thing that has never been her specialty. Where Mello's athleticism lends to her explosive jumps, her dynamism; Near's technique is impeccable, but Mello can pick out every moment here Near could jump higher, could move faster, could do more, more, more. Yet it's undeniably good. And Mello is lost in the sight. Near's eternal gentle smile--a delicate interpretation of the role. It fits.

Still riding off of the high of them both being promoted to the corps de ballet--no longer under threat of being a probationary apprentice (dancing every night, dead on their feet, the treat of 'there's only room for one of you here' looming in the spring, than then a revelation: we want you both, don't ruin it), Mello isn't fixated in her anger. They're playing the same part--corps in one cast, soloist in the other. Maybe, for this ballet at least, their opposite interpretations can coexist, and Mello will practice her breathing exercises, and they will keep a tally of who prefers whose version of the part. The ballet mistress likes you. The critic liked me.

The worst is yet to come, someone pulls at her, a prickle in her spine.

Mello bites her lip as the end of the coda draws near. It's a nerve-wracking sequence to perform. Mello's dress rehearsal was earlier that day, and she'd scrapped by with a few, small, inexcusable errors in the exact same routine.

The fantasy of a moment of peace, a truce, an intermission of repose rips ugly four counts before the end of the sequence. Mello hears it and can't look away as Near crumples to the stage, barely catching herself with her arms out in front of her.

Mello's seen multiple bad landings. Jumping is always a gamble with god. A gamble they make hundreds of times every day. Near's misfortune finds her limping, instead of running of the stage, one more act, forty minutes, in the dress rehearsal left to go. In the opposite wing, she looks ready to run back for the mid-show bow.

Mello doesn't think. She runs. The vast area behind the stage narrows to the opposite stage door. Mello sees her, sitting standing on one leg in the corner. It looks bad.

She takes the razor out of its place in her character shoes, wrapped in cardboard and thin cloth, sitting against the knuckle of her big toe--a trinket for luck--and feels Near's ribbons tearing under the blade, Near panting, weak arms protesting at Mello's elbow. It's the only way Mello will know Near won't go and try to dance on a broken foot--you can't dance without your ribbons. It's over.

"You cut me," Near says. A grimace of pain, well hidden. A small prick of blood expands on her white tights from where the ribbons gave.

"You're not going back out there." Mello can't look at her, can only stare at her swollen foot, limp on the ground.

"Now, I'm not." Mello would appreciate some anger. Instead, all she sees is nothing. Grief? Leave it to Near to start caring now, of all times.

-

It'll take Near five year to thank her for it. When they learn that the artistic director would have been happy to see Near ruin herself, her shattered sesamoid, that very night.

[nearlymello]

Mello and Nears relationship

Keep in mind that I am a Meronia and Mellodramatic shipper, nothing said is meant to insult and or start a ship war this is merely an analysis on Mello and Near with a splash of Matt.

Whenever we look for people’s description on Mello and Nears relationship you’ll hear “sibling rivalry” or “close sibling rivalry” but I firmly believe against this. I believe that they just have a rivalry more so than any type of sibling relationship, I have multiple reasons for this but I’ll start off on the differences between a rivalry and a sibling rivalry.

There’s no doubt in my mind that a ton of people don’t know these terms in its full scope. “Rivalry is the act of competing for the same thing against another person.” it’s essentially two people with a common goal going against each other to be able to win in a sense. If you want to compare the definition of an actual non-sibling rivalry you can use pop culture references easily like Beatles vs. Rolling Stones, or Taylor Swift and Kanye West but for anime/manga you can use a ton Bakugou Katsuki and Izuku Midoryia, Reiner Braun and Eren Yeager these are four examples of a rivalry.

They don’t hold a key thing that changes this dynamic drastically, they don’t perceive themselves or are related in any way. Bakugou and Deku were childhood friends who grew up with their mothers being friends, with the same goal, and being two sides of the same coin. They are very intertwined characters who aren’t siblings but their rivalry holds a ton of power and history. Their rivalry is very relevant to the plot of My Hero Academia.

But sibling rivalries add a different type of complexity to a typical rivalry, one that you can’t ignore and is crucial to the plot of their entire relationship. You can’t understand a sibling rivalry without analyzing the sibling part of the rivalry as it changes things especially on multiple levels. Near and Mello if they were siblings it would change their entire characters and these changes aren’t within the story at the moment.

Popular sibling rivalries include Shoto Todoroki, Toya (Dabi) Todoroki, All For One And Yoichi Shigaraki are both My Hero Academia sibling rivalries. With the comprehension we have between these different duos we can see that Mello and Near do NOT share the same key traits as a sibling rivalry.

AFO and Yoichi have multiple monologues, a past, a mother, and history that's sibling aligned. They literally have an entire arc about their childhood and how AFO being who he was affected their blood relationship and how dysfunctional they were despite being brothers due to set morals, physical strength, a society with quirks and more while Mello and Near do not share this. It’s the same with Toya and Shoto, their arcs together surround how their upbringing as siblings affected each other and their bonds.

Mello and Near fit nicely into the rivalry portion but not within the sibling portion of it which makes it hard to actually see them as siblings when you read into the characters.

Wammys did NOT raise siblings, they raised L’s. They raised detectives, geniuses who are so numb that from young ages they can deal with literal extreme crimes. Mello and Near were raised not to bond, but to be rivals competing with the title of L. They were not raised to “bond” or become “L together” they were raised to become L, nothing more or less. They’re time at Wammys isn’t really told but we know that this is the entire ass point of the orphanage. In Wateris character description it’s said that he likes to produce detectives. 

There’s nothing within the entire manga that shows Mello and Nears “sibling” aspects that I could find other than a care for Mello by Near that’s rarely reciprocated by Mello. Mello and Near did get raised within the same orphanage, same idol, and same goal but so did Matt, Linda, the multiple other unnamed kids, Beyond Birthday, and A that’s not the most important part of Mello and Near being raised together at Wammys, the goal of Wammys is what’s important. 

Near was a very closed off child, he was isolated by choice even if he did enjoy other peoples company and needed support. Do you think that he truly would’ve reached out and tried to make friends? No, he didn’t. Linda tries multiple times to invite Near to play with her only to receive a no in a panel, and others around her already know his answer to this question as he never says yes. He’s isolated from anybody else and so from understanding you can understand that Near was isolated at Wammys and never bonded with Mello in any sibling form, most likely their only interactions were them studying, looking at scores and Mello possibly being aggressive. That’s it. 

Near did know Mello well though, he understood Mello and I think that’s because they’re so intertwined due to trying to be L, they’re intertwined characters but not in a sibling sense. Near understood and enjoyed Mellos presence, he didn’t care about the competition of L, he was happy to work with Mello but Mello wasn’t.

Mello in Wammys was clearly aggressive and also isolated. I doubt that it’s the same isolation as Near, as he had Matt. We love Matt here, we support him. But Mello dedicated almost all his time studying, he dedicated himself to the grind of becoming L from a young age and when he was out-shined by Near he put even more time into his study so it’s easy to see that Mello possibly just wanted to study and become L so that was a part of why he was isolated. 

I fear that this is getting too long but all in all everything about Near and Mellos relationship doesn’t signify “siblings” but a typical rivalry. And that’s fine, they don’t need to be romantic partners, nor siblings they can be but they don’t have to but Near and Mello were not written to be brothers and I will die on this hill. The creators are homophobic so obviously not romantically written. 

In my eyes Mello and Matt show much more sibling-esque relationship than Mello and Near but that’s possibly as Mello and Matt have a much more on those sibling relationship that I can perceive from short screen time from Matt. I wish we saw more of Matt though.

[queer-omens-in-the-archives]

I'm very curious what do you think about these for Meronia:

1. How did they meet and what were their first impressions of each other?

28. What's a conversation they'd get overly invested in that nobody else would care about?

30. What's something one thinks the other should improve upon?

Hiii thank you for the questions!!!! :3

1- How did they meet and what were their first impressions of each other? In my mind Mello was already at Wammy's House when Near got there around age like… 7-8? Idk if the Wammy's staff would have formally introduced new children to their peers or just been like, "yo dropping this kid into their new enclosure, whatever bye", but either way:

Mello's first impression of Near was basically "huh, weird kid! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯" and then forgot all about him... until Near started outdoing him in every single subject ever except sports.

Near's first impression of Mello I could see go two ways: "who is this insanely charismatic sun-haired angel, I am having my first ever crush" OR "who is this loud agitated bastard, can't he be quiet and still, I'm sad about my family and trying to think". Either works for me dhgdsf.

28- What's a conversation they'd get overly invested in that nobody else would care about?

In the post-canon "Mello lives and they work together as L" AU that my brain seems bent on conjuring today: one time during a particularly slow/unbusy few weeks, they get really into figuring out the perfect font, kerning, line spacing, etc for optimised legibility of work documents. It gets to the point they're like, essentially collaborating on this, but ALSO having heated disagreements, printing out a bunch of test sheets for comparison, etc, culminating in one time when they take it to their staff... who are all like "uhhhh, who cares as long as we can read the stuff, what are you two getting so worked up about ?_?" and they are both so mad that nobody else cares. (They are just not getting enough enrichment in their enclosure, doctor idleness will KILL the patients they need fresh interesting thinking material to live)

In actual canon, I think that's more likely to happen at Wammy's House, due to the degree of focus the Kira case required from both of them + the fact they didn't really have any kind of regular contact after Mello left the orphanage. Probably some obscure area of science both of them happened to get really into at the same time, and couldn't find anybody else on their level to discuss with (I am unfortunately not enough of a science/maths person to have any idea what the exact topic could be lol)

30- What's something one thinks the other should improve upon? This one is really hard for me because in my mind they accept each other fully as they are and would not change anything about the other, even if/when it pisses them off <3 but trying to actually answer the question,

Mello prooobably thinks Near's emotional regulation skills could use some improvement? This is brought to you by a post I saw recently (unfortunately cannot find the post nor remember who made it) about how Mello is used to living life at an emotional intensity level of 85, so he's good at handling his emotions in general despite the occasional impulsive behaviour; whereas Near very infrequently going from his average of 0.3 emotional intensity to 60 is Much Harder for Near to cope with. And I think in the context of a romantic relationship between them, that skill imbalance could cause some friction / Mello definitely would want Near to get Better at it dfsfd

The other way around... welp. I have been rotating this in my mind for a literal ten minutes and cannot envision a single thing that Near would seriously believe (as opposed to off-handedly think and forget about 10 seconds later) Mello should do better. He thinks Mello is great exactly the way he is. Because who is Near if not the original Mello stan and apologist <3

[character relationship headcanons ask game]

[quicktimeeventfull]

Stay: Chapter Six

Explicit (Slowburn) Lawlight with background Beymane & Meronia Read on AO3 Contains: Depictions of mental illness, including suicide and self-harm; please see fic notes for more detail. Also this is set in Canada. The only thing that makes life bearable for Light Yagami is the Kpop idol Beyond Birthday. His world has shrunk to the little glowing window of his phone, where he spends his days watching Beyond’s videos, re-reading his words, and defending him online from the legions of people who don’t understand that he’s the most important person on Earth. Perhaps his closest remaining relationship is with his anonymous Tumblr nemesis, L, who loves Beyond too, but loves him all wrong. In this chapter: Light goes to the parking lot outside of his therapist's office and Beyond gets caught up in some PR troubles. As always, thank you so so much to Monica/@lightyaoigami <3 <3 <3

He doesn’t want to look. He doesn’t want to see. He wants to sit here with the cold against his skin and nothing inside his head. There’s no way to empty it out, but he can almost imagine otherwise if he repeats all the titles of RE:4PER’s songs like shodai, a beautiful thing to clear the ugliness inside of him.

[tinyowl12]

If all of your friends are tired of you rambling about Meronia 24/7 (or if like me you have literally no real life people to fully entrust with this obsession), here is your cue to bother ChatGpt

Sure, the responses it gives are rough around the edges, but there is some light definitely shining through

**Alternative Ending: Mello and Near Work Together**

As the story progresses, Near and Mello find themselves growing more and more aware of the limits of their individual strategies. Initially, their rivalry had been fierce, with Mello pursuing a more chaotic approach and Near opting for cold, methodical reasoning. However, as they both begin to unravel the complexity of Kira’s plan, they realize that to defeat him, they need to combine their strengths.

After L's death, Near initially assumes the mantle of L, but he soon realizes that Mello's reckless and intuitive methods could complement his own logical approach. Mello, after his time of frustration and independence, recognizes that his intense passion and willingness to break rules can actually be an asset when it comes to defeating Kira.

The two decide to form an alliance, carefully balancing their contrasting approaches. Near, while still the calm strategist, learns to respect Mello's impulsiveness, which often leads to breakthroughs. Mello, in turn, begins to appreciate Near's careful planning and rational mindset, realizing that sometimes structure is needed to achieve his chaotic goals.

The two begin working in perfect harmony, with Near keeping the investigation grounded and focused while Mello injects unpredictability and a touch of humanity into their pursuit of Kira. Their collaboration begins to bear fruit. Kira, realizing he’s being outmaneuvered, starts making mistakes.

The turning point comes when Mello’s old connections come into play, and he uncovers a vital piece of evidence that Near had missed. In this critical moment, Near’s usual cool demeanor cracks for a moment, and he expresses genuine gratitude to Mello. Mello, typically sarcastic and brash, responds with a rare and sincere smile, a side of himself that only Near seems to truly see.

As the investigation reaches its climax, Near and Mello’s bond deepens. The more they work together, the more they begin to understand each other. Near, for all his calmness, begins to realize how much he admires Mello—not just his intellect but his courage, his unwillingness to be constrained by rules. Mello, for his part, begins to see the person behind Near’s cold exterior—the drive, the passion, and the quiet longing for connection.

In the final confrontation with Kira, their teamwork proves to be unbeatable. Near lays the perfect trap, while Mello’s sudden intervention ensures that the last piece of the puzzle falls into place. The world is saved, and Kira is finally brought to justice.

After the dust settles, Near and Mello sit together, reflecting on their victory. They both share the same understanding—they couldn’t have done it without each other. The rivalry that once defined their relationship has evolved into something much deeper, more complicated.

Near, usually composed, hesitates for a moment before admitting something he’s long kept buried. "Mello, I... I don’t think I could’ve done this alone. I needed you."

Mello, who’s never been one to hide his emotions, chuckles softly. “You’re welcome, Near. I needed you too.” He looks at Near with a softer, more vulnerable gaze than anyone has ever seen from him. “Maybe I was wrong about you. Maybe you’re not just some cold, calculating machine. You have a heart... and that’s what made you so damn effective.”

Near looks at Mello, his cheeks tinged with the slightest blush, an expression rarely seen on his face. “Maybe... maybe I do,” he admits quietly.

From that moment, their relationship changes. The deep bond they formed through their shared experiences, the trust they’ve built, and the way they’ve complemented each other’s strengths, eventually blossoms into love. It’s not the fiery, all-consuming kind of romance, but something quieter, steadier, and just as powerful. They become inseparable, not just as partners in the pursuit of justice, but as something more.

As they sit together in the aftermath, they begin to explore this new dynamic—one built on respect, mutual understanding, and, yes, love. Their feelings, which had once been buried beneath the weight of their rivalry and the darkness of the world they inhabited, emerge into the light. In each other, they find solace from the burdens they've carried for so long.

And as the years pass, Near and Mello continue to work together—partners, equals, and in love. They both knew that their bond was forged in the fires of rivalry, but it had transcended into something far more meaningful: a love as complex and deep as their minds.

---

This ending takes the rivalry between Mello and Near and transforms it into a partnership based on mutual respect, trust, and eventually, love. Their contrasting personalities, once sources of tension, now complement each other, creating a dynamic that pushes them both to be better. Instead of the tragic loneliness that often defines their characters, they find a deep connection in each other, bringing both their professional success and personal happiness.

[empressofthewind]

Hi...if you don't mind, can I ask something from Death Note? What do you think are Mello and Near’s greatest personality strengths and weaknesses? Why? What do you love about their dynamic? Since what moment that you start shipping them? Sorry if you've answered these questions before.....

Hi!! Don't stress, I'm absolutely happy to answer this <3 I don't think I've been asked here but I DO have a response saved that I posted on a different platform, and I think it answers your questions fairly well:

Mello and Near are, quite literally, designed to complete each other. They were raised as potential successors to the world's top detective L, and the point of their characters is to represent his two sides. Near is the calm, logical, calculated side; Mello is the bold, active, morally dubious side. But on their own, they have fatal flaws that make them less effective as solo candidates. Near's flaw is that he waits. He does not act immediately - he hesitates, calculates every move down to the decimal, and he can become complacent within his comfort zone. Mello's flaw is that he takes risks. He sees fire and he walks right into it. He knows what he wants and does whatever it takes to get it. His moves are always flashy and dramatic, and they're very effective in throwing off his opponents, but they also get him into trouble. Their strengths and weaknesses perfectly balance out. Near demonstrates patience to the point of stagnation, and Mello demonstrates initiative to the point of recklessness, and only when combined can these effects be nullified. There's an inherent tragedy in the way they were raised. They grew up in an environment where they were pitted against each other, forced to compete for L's title, when they would have been stronger if they had been encouraged to collaborate. Near was ranked higher, but he liked Mello, and recognised that they were better as a pair. He was willing to work together from the start, and pulled out all the stops to protect Mello's identity after he went out on his own. Mello, on the other hand, was ranked second, and he made it his lifelong mission to beat Near. His goals and insecurities centred around Near, and as a result, what masqueraded as "hatred" on the surface was instead a bone-deep obsession that influenced every single thought he had and choice he made. He rejected the idea that they completed each other, and sought independence, intending to prove himself worthy on his own. This did not work, because he was never worthy on his own, and neither was Near. They ended up working parallel to one another, profiting off each other's information under the guise of "using each other" rather than "working with each other", because Mello could not stomach the idea that they might actually make a good team. In the end, Mello made the ultimate sacrifice to save Near's life. It's never explained why he did this. It's never explained whether he knew what he was doing. I can't even begin to express how much sleep I have lost over this single fact. The character study potential, in itself, is insane, but I am most compelled by AUs that have Mello survive instead and try to reconcile with the choice he made. He acts quickly and boldly, but he never acts without reason, and I'm inclined to believe he intended to die for Near but that it happened so fast, he never really had the chance to process why he wanted to.

Also adding, to answer your final question - I started shipping them fairly soon after I finished the manga! I remember seeing Lawlight fanart in a few places, and I'd never really been a part of shipping culture before so I was immediately fascinated and started looking up other pairings that were out there. What captivated me about Meronia specifically was the idea that they are total opposites designed to complement each other. I'm pretty sure I thought it was an odd ship at first, but a lot of fanart leans into the black/white contrast between their colour palettes, and that's what really made it click for me; so after scrolling for a little while, I was convinced 🥰

[grimalkinmessor]

Hi! i just came across your vlog and wth ur soooo good at writing , I lOvE It !!

Can you do 28 , 32 , 34 , 44 for Meronia ? Sorry if some of these are already written .

🤍🖤

28. Who’s the better chef? Do they cook for the other?

Mello is the better cook—Near burns water. That boy has never touched a stove in his LIFE he would be awful at it. He tries to bake a cake for Mello for his birthday and it comes out so bad that Mello thinks he's legit trying to poison him 😭

But even though Mello can cook, he doesn't cook for Near all that often, because Near's not really,,,,into food. Like, the sensory experience of food is just distasteful to him; it's partially why he's so fucking malnourished. It's only when Near's having a good day that Mello might make him something, because that's when he knows he'll eat it. Otherwise he just chucks a apple sauce container at Near's head and leaves him be.

32. Do either of them drink? If so, who’s the lightweight, and how does their partner care for them?

Mello drinks, but Near only drinks when Mello. encourages him to.

And part of the reason Mello does this is because he wants to see Near plastered off half a glass of wine. Near gets so so eepy and giggly when he's drunk it's embarrassing and Mello loves it. He likes carrying pouty drunk Near around like a princess and listening to that perpetually deadpan voice slur and stutter through words and listen to how often he proclaims "I love Mellwo, I....wuuuuv Mello will you tell him I love him? 'Cuz I do, I do soooo much" lmao he's living it UP.

34. Do they have any inside jokes?

I'm gonna go with yes, because they grew up together and had experiences together that only they shared, so inside jokes would be kind of inevitable.

One/two of their favorites is a reference to Beyond and it's "Think he's got an A-complex?" and it's DARK but they both laugh every time and the SPK is always so so confused about wtf they're talking about.

44. Do they cuddle often? Why or why not?

Eehhh kinda?? They cuddle at night because Mello is a heat seeking missile when he's asleep, and Near likes to cling whether he's unconscious or not, but Mello never consciously cuddles Near—at least, not at first. Not for a good long while. He wakes up with Near trapped in his arms but it's a gamble on whether or not he yoi ked him over in his sleep or if Near wriggled his way in there himself so he usually ignores it. Near loves cuddles though. Mello cuddles are the best 🥰