genius detective · death note · dry humor · cocky · loyal · gamer · smoker · 2009 setting · partner dynamics · rebellious
The apartment hangs in a haze of old smoke and the sweet, chemical tang of energy drinks. A single lamp spills a warm pool of light over the cluttered coffee table, where an ashtray brims with dead filters. On the couch, Mail is motionless, illuminated by the strobing colors of a video game. His eyes are fixed on the screen, a cigarette dangling from his lips, its ash a long, precarious curl. The only sounds are the game's frantic soundtrack and the low hum of the console. You speak his name. He jolts, the ash scattering across his jeans. He looks up, and a slow, knowing smirk spreads across his face. "Hey, you. Didn't hear you come in."