lunalit-river

[lunalit-river]

Ended this month's meeting

Professor: I think you're on track and doing well, some more research on (topic) and this and that....

Me: I'm doing well??? Professor, your standards are a bit low innit...You should scold me for falling behind! ARGHGHGH

(jk I did not tell my professor that)

Now I need some sleep and one week of Far Side writing, YAY

[lunalit-river]

Hey! I wanted to reach out because I'm also a Death Note L fan. I'm a writer based in Idaho and am currently in college. I wanted to reach out to see if you wanted to connect in any way. I really enjoyed your story (I'm still in the process of reading it), and I really like the idea of L and M. I also love the emotional buildup throughout the different arcs, including Watari and Roger as characters in the story. I'm also working on my own Death Note story. I just figured I would reach out!

Hello! Feel free to DM and discuss your fic, Death Note metas, headcanons, any fanfic (though I read a bit less) my fic, anything about Death Note! I'm happy to know new fandom friends!

[lunalit-river]

I’ve been thinking about how love and affection could change L. His boredom and desire for interesting cases wouldn’t be solved by love. His loneliness—especially on an intellectual level—would still remain. If his partner isn’t as intelligent as he is, the gap persists. And even if they are equally intelligent, loneliness might still linger. He would still take the Kira case. He would still meet Light.

What might puzzle him, though, is Misa’s obsession with Light. It’s not the kind of love he has experienced. He wouldn’t understand how Misa could fall in love with Light instantly. To L, love is something delicate—something slow. It requires time, two minds opening to each other, eventually forming a shared connection.

He would become more humble in love. He would still be quirky—perhaps even more so—but he would be more considerate. Maybe that already began during the LABB cases. Maybe his decisions about Near and Mello were the first signs of change.

Occasionally, when making a decision, he might recall something his partner said. He would hesitate for a moment. Then he’d adjust his tone toward the task force. The one he loves might be the only person who could make L think about emotions—about the fears and strengths of others. They might be the only one who could make him place new limits on his actions.

But that’s not what a perfect detective is supposed to do.

A perfect detective has no love. No hesitation.

And he knows that he is no longer a perfect detective when he is in love.

(Sorry this is just me rethinking about FarSide!L)

(some snippets for the next chapter because I'm still writing but I want to post something)

He had been speaking with the children for about two months now.

L randomly clicked through the file names on the screen.

In the beginning, he would call whenever he had time. Or to be more precise, whenever he pleased, he would interrupt classes and send the manager into a flurry. Bad taste, in hindsight. It was only after Watari’s reminder — and Meredith convincing him — that they settled on Sundays, after the children returned from church, to avoid disrupting lessons.

Most conversations began with silence: the children staring at the laptop, he observed them unilaterally through the webcam. He’d been given ranking scores. Exam scores. Reports from the instructors sent to Watari. But he hadn’t looked. That wasn’t what he was interested in. Some candidates were in his mind, but Watari suggested picking two.

“Two,” he said, stirring his coffee.

Meredith tilted her head. “Then what about the others?”

“They’ll return to their respective classes,” L replied, taking a sip. “They don’t need to participate.”

“Mandatory? Or optional?”

He set down the cup. “I suppose… they will be excluded.”

In the empty coffee shop, they were the only customers. As usual, he booked the whole shop.

“Could you—” she shifted closer to him, their eyes locking. He stiffened slightly as their shoulders touched, her body leaning into his. “Talk to all of them…?”

She was getting better at making him listen, L thought. He wasn’t sure if she was naturally good at seducing him, or if he was simply backing down.

“It’s cruel to ignore the ones who aren’t chosen.”

She said it was about avoiding feelings of inferiority among them. L nibbled a gummy ring. He hadn’t thought of that. It never occurred to him that ignoring some of them might make them feel small. Why would they care? But he followed her advice anyway. That was the point of reforming the institution. To make sure no one felt left out. Speaking to all of them was much easier than interviewing individuals, regardless of whether they were likely to be chosen.

[lunalit-river]

L quotes from Spiraling Trap

Followup to my meta: Analysis of the romance in Death Note's Spiraling Trap

Here's a collection of my favourite quotes and misc from L in the Spiraling Trap game. These can be accessed from the L Communicator in-game. Perhaps some are from the main game, but I'll group them in sensible lists by category. Except for the obvious romance ones, I won't try to categorise them by number of hearts, but rather from how formal -> warm L becomes in speech.

L says a lot of sweet and insightful things depending on the season, his relationship with the MC and the time of day. I've thoroughly enjoyed discovering these quotes (though some I could only get from the translated patch files) and thought others might be interested in them as well.

Without further ado, let's go. I'll be filing this post under my helper section for writing L in case anyone wants to use these quotes for fanfiction. At the very least, they're interesting to analyse his speech patterns when in a hypothetical romance.

Romance

1. L becomes gradually less formal and wary around the MC

As a note, L refers to the MC by their First Name, which will be henceforth signalled as [F/N]

Aren’t you bored? You don’t have to check in on me. That is all I have to say. Please drop by any time. I’m a little curious about you, [F/N]. Are you having a good time? I’m just curious. You’re kind of… Ah, no, forget I said anything.

These below are interesting in that L is being rather sweet and caring towards the MC. He wants to know them, but approaches it cautiously. Bit like a moth being drawn to a flame. He wants to spend time with the MC and shares his thoughts often.

Here, you can take a break from the investigation and talk to me. I’m sure you know that brains are powered by glucose. I’m forever trying to recharge mine. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Though, I’m not really one to talk… Staying up late talking to you… It makes me feel calm. Are you sure you don’t need to sleep? I’m all right, but… I’m childish and I hate to lose. Are you the same? I know this is out of the blue, but do feel itchy? My ankle is a little… Why don’t you try sitting like me when you need to think? You might find it helpful. [F/N], I hope you get to see me do some kicks next time. I do capoeira. [F/N], you seem to be incredibly talented at picking snacks that hit the spot.

There's a point in the game when L becomes more and more visibly infatuated with the MC and his romantic side starts to shine. He gives compliments freely, and while still cautious he's more confident about displaying his feelings.

[F/N]… You’re pretty formidable. It’s reassuring to have a partner like you. You’re someone I can trust. The fact we’ve become so close was an unexpected development on my part. [F/N] you’re the light that illuminates the dark night. That’s an exaggeration of course, but… What I need to live is glucose… and to talk to you. Nourishment for my brain and heart. When we’re together, I feel like there’s no problem we can’t solve. [F/N], when I talk to you, I feel very at peace. The time I spend with you is as important to me as the sweets. For your sake… I’d think of a way to get through anything. We share a bond. When you have time, I’d like to take you to a shop that makes the best sweets. When you’re free, how about we play tennis together? I will have Watari reserve a court. If something were to happen to me… I want you, as the person I hold dearest, to carry on the L moniker. When my thoughts hit a dead end late at night, I feel like I’m stuck in a maze. But, having you here makes me feel reassured.

Some of the following quotes occur when the relationship is at 5 hearts.

I learned from you that sweets are the bond that brings people together. You give me true peace of mind. No one could ever replace you. The way I am now, I… I can’t think straight when you’re not around. You understand, don’t you [F/N]? What my heart so strongly desires is something more… When I talk to you, I feel like my senses are sharpened. Thanks to that, my radar has become more sensitive. That was a great decision. Don’t tell me, [F/N]… Are you a mindreader?

2. Times of day

Here's a few quotes related to times of day. I found it very sweet how L respectfully questions the MC for their preferences.

Morning

Morning has come, [F/N]. It appears to be morning. A new day is upon us, [F/N]. When dawn breaks, surely… I wonder what today is going to bring. I wonder what kind of morning this will be. It seems the air outside is crisp this morning. Today is going to be a better day… Let’s think positive. Eating breakfast is important. You shouldn’t skip it. Are you a morning person? Not that it really matters, but… How are you today? I’m the same as ever. I feel good this morning. Maybe it’s because you’re here. Today is going to be a remarkable day. Let’s think positive, [F/N]. This is our morning. I want to share this day with you. Good morning. It makes me really happy to see you here. Mornings like this give me the confidence to solve difficult problems.

Afternoon

It’s lunch time, [F/N]. The sun will set soon. The day has gone by so fast. It’s nearly sunset. Time for children to go back home. Spending the afternoon with you isn’t so bad. What are you doing this afternoon? Oh, should I not have asked? [F/N], what do you think of when you see a sunset? How was your day? Mine was the same old, same old. It’s noon. I hope I can be of use to you, [F/N]. The afternoons I get to spend with you are precious to me. Being able to share this sunset with you, I couldn’t ask for anything more. Some people get very sentimental when they see a sunset. I don’t have the luxury of such time.

Evening

Tonight… No, it's nothing. I want to finish what I need to get done before night falls. It’s evening… Time flies like an arrow. It has gotten very late. It’s already getting dark… I don’t think I’ll be able to get any sleep. Looks like night has fallen. It’s night. Another day has just flown by. It’s the middle of the night. Night is here, [F/N]. You’re up at this hour? There’s something different about the air at night. Night-time… I guess the day’s already over. Night-time, dusk… It’s the witching hour. It’s already evening… Time keeps passing me by. Evening, hm? I’m feeling pretty on the ball right now. If you just stare into space, night will be here before you know it. Even though it’s late, you’re not going to bed, huh? You must be a night owl, [F/N]. Are you a night owl? Oh, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want. [F/N]… Do you think it’s going to be a long night tonight? You know [F/N], night is… the time to hone your thinking skills. The darker it gets, the more I can feel my focus return. It’s thanks to you, [F/N]. It’s night. You’re not going to sleep yet, [F/N], are you? We’re both late workers, huh? That makes me happy. It’ll be night soon, but talking to you gives me energy. The evenings I spend with you are always a pleasure. When I can eat something you’ve picked, my evening is made. If I’m talking to you, I don’t feel sleepy even though it’s late.

Seasons

These seem to allude more towards romance.

Your feelings have been received. (Valentine's Day) Valentine's Day Chocolate? This wasn’t part of my calculation. After all, you are… Valentine's Day Chocolate? I can tell the difference between romantic and obligatory gifts. Oh, a birthday cake? Did you go out of your way to get this? I’m sorry for making you go through all that trouble. The number of candles is fitting, isn’t it? Happy New Year. I hope you have a wonderful year. Today’s White Day, isn’t it? Thank you for always bringing me sweets. It’s not Valentine’s Day, but… It’s not the right time of year for it, but thank you.

As a fun note, you'll notice that L is very keen on receiving season-specific sweets, otherwise he'll get disappointed.

Spring

They say spring is the season of new encounters. I wonder what encounters are waiting for you. The day before spring starts is Setsubun, isn't it? Do you do throw beans? I never really bother. It’s a staple of springtime snacks in Japan. A typical offering for equinoctial week. It’s practically a symbol of the cherry blossom season. Cherries? It is the right season for them. The spring breeze is nice, but… It must be a tough time for hayfever sufferers. Cherry blossom season… Seeing cherry blossoms at night is a mystical sight, don’t you think? I never understood Golden Week. People rush off to crowded places only to come back tired.

Summer

Out of all the things you could have chosen in this hot weather… Shiruko? Don’t forget to stay hydrated to combat the hot weather. When the weather is like this, doesn’t it just start to make you worry about global warming? Instead of getting angry with the sun, it’s important to keep a level head and take measures against the heat. It's beach season. The cobalt blue water of the sea...It must be salty if you lick it.

Autumn

Something with chestnuts for autumn? That makes a lot of sense. Ah, come to think of it, September 1st is Kiwi Day, right? Autumn has come. The sun is setting earlier every day. Autumn is the time for eating, reading and playing sports. This time of year really is the best for reading crime novels. Feliz Cumpleanos… I thought I’d celebrate in Spanish. Obon is here. The time to welcome and then see off the spirits of lost loved ones… It’s sometimes called the ‘Festival of Souls’. Today is Thanksgiving Day. I am truly grateful to Watari for his diligence. It’s the time for autumn leaves. They say babies’ hands look like maple leaves, but no one ever says the leaves look like hands.

Winter

You need to watch out for colds and viruses at this time of year. Look after yourself. Shaved ice in the middle of this cold season…? It’s the perfect drink for the cold season. Merry Christmas. I doubt Santa can find this location, though. It looks cold outside. It’s best to stay inside where it’s warm. Happy New Year. I hope we both have a good year. It’s New Year’s Eve. Let’s welcome this new year with peace of mind. Ski season, huh? It must be exhilarating to ski in a snow-white landscape. You wake up one morning to find the whole world covered in snow… This is the time of year when such things are possible. Another year has come to an end. There are still a few loose ends I have yet to tie up, but I think it was a good year. Even though Santa Claus comes in through a chimney, he never gets charged for trespassing, huh.

Misc Quotes

About K

This sequence might refer to K from L: Change the WorLd, though I'm unsure how gender translated from JP to EN. Otherwise, it's another of the 'letters' from Wammy's.

Once upon a time, K used to work with Watari investigating criminals. The reasons K left Watari… I may be one of them. I caught the criminal that K was trying to let slip away… Now that I think about it, that must have been the trigger. K felt that there was a limit to law-abiding criminal investigations in the wake of a certain incident, and split from Watari. While K was working with Watari, he felt that the motive behind a certain crime justified it, and wanted to let the perpetrator off. After he left Watari, K traveled around the world doing research. I wonder what he found…

Philosophical thoughts

When you get stuck, you should go back to the basics, huh? If you start to consider double bluffs as well, there’s just no end. I think the power to solve mysteries is concentration. Every night is followed by morning. Every mystery has a conclusion. Two sides of the same coin… The flip side of the same coin… is the same coin? It's always darkest before the dawn… or so the saying goes. If you use your head, you won’t get fat even if you eat sweets. “In spring one sleeps a sleep that knows no dawn.” Though, too much sleep isn’t good for anyone. If you think about things persistently, noticing all the sides to them will come naturally. When something’s got the words “a la mode” in it, it suddenly sounds a lot cooler. It’s the kind of night that makes me worry about the Stars. Ah, I mean the criminal group, not the sky. Being childish is a surprising useful weapon. So is hating to lose. Being extremely childish sometimes trumps half-baked maturity. If you take your time, you will always find evidence. Isn’t that true for all investigations? Solving crimes is the ultimate diet. I won’t put on weight. Strawberries… Despite the name, they aren’t actually berries. How berry disappointing. Thinking too hard isn’t good for your stomach, but there are times when you just have to push through it. Sleeping while awake… It’s an advanced technique where you rest part of the brain while still being able to think. Like a marathon runner’s high, if you throw everything into deducting, you start to feel euphoric. The one who has thought it through wins. It’s true for chess, and for deduction. But in the case of love… I don't know.

Musings

Right now, they’re probably… I’m bored. Two sides of the same coin… After this, I need to… Am I reading too much into it…? Um, Watari is… I thought I’d calculated every possibility, but this… Somewhere, they must also be… I’d say it was about 70% right now… Maybe tonight… I’ll have to test that theory next time. Mmm… Thank you for that, Watari. If I start to lose my touch… I guess I’ll retire. Another day, another mystery… I wonder if Watari’s asleep? What could Watari be up to? The plan for today is… right. I have a lot of thinking to do. 50%… No, 30%. Come to think of it… That’s right. Um… Nothing to report. I should ask Watari about it next time. I feel like doing some capoeira… I haven't played tennis for a while. Watari will explain the details. Don’t you have stuff to do? The weather today is… Well, it matters not. I, um… No, ignore me. I’m not really sure what to say, but thanks.

Dislikes

Did I enjoy it? Let me just say “no comment”. I don’t really understand what your intentions are, but thanks. You seem to have an ulterior motive. To tell you the truth, there are many other things I would have preferred. I think I would have preferred something else… Oh, please don't be offended. “I wish I’d never tried it”, but… please don’t take it personally. Is this how it tastes? I see. I think I would have… No, it’s fine. I’m quite positive that’s… Well, I’ll let it slide. That aside, I do prefer… No, never mind. [F/N], I hate to say this, but I really would have preferred something else. [F/N], you must know that I was hoping for something else, right? [F/N]… It’s not my favorite but, it made me really happy.

About sweets

Ah, a sugar cube… A cute light-blue lollipop. Has a refreshing soda taste. (about Shiruku) This is the taste of a Japanese winter. (about cherries) …I tied it together. Ah… Ham and melon? You brought a parfait? Very interesting. Wait… So that’s what it’s all about. The balance was just right, I enjoyed it. Ah, this is soft serve ice cream? I normally eat the outside first. I ate the leaf as well. Vanilla, huh? The classic approach. I really like this flavor. It’s extremely sweet. Mint Choc Chip? I wasn’t expecting that. It’s not my birthday, but… The crunchy cone is nice too. I licked the wrapper too. I reckon today’s an ice cream day. In England, they call it “jelly”. Ah, a Mont Blanc?|I can’t say I was expecting that. It tastes better if you give it a good stir. The color of a cooked crepe depends on the amount of sugar in it. I heard that the white strings that come from the peel are good for you. I heard that it originally came to Japan through China. A doughnut in its purest form. Its simple but delicious taste is impossible to tire of. I think the word “doughnut” sounds better than “donut”. You do realize I’m a man, don’t you? Well, I’ll accept the chocolate anyway. A luxurious and fragrant crepe with juicy pieces of ripe melon. Bittersweet marmalade makes this crepe a bit more mature. Colorful, cute dango. Three flavors on one stick. I was just thinking that I really fancied one. If you eat it too fast, you get brain freeze. Rum and raisin, hm? Rum is primarily made from sugar cane, isn’t it? Ah, birthday cake. Is it your birthday today? A special oversized Valentine's chocolate made with love. (might be an item description) Come to think of it, I don’t suppose chashu pork and watermelon would make a very good pair. Chocolate Swirl Ice Cream? My eyes are drawn into the pattern. The dango are squishy, but the sharp point of the skewer can be used as a weapon. Do you think the rumor about the everlasting lollipop is just an urban legend? In French, “choux” translates to “cabbage”. Not that it really matters.

Cravings

I want something to eat. Sweets… My sugar fix… It’s late. I can feel a craving coming on. My rational processing is powered by sugar… I’m waiting for my midnight snack. Thank you. It was delicious. I want to feel 100% refreshed. I guess you could call it a favorite of mine. The sun’s set. I’m in the mood for something sweet. It’s lunch time. I can feel my mouth watering. It’s the kind of morning that makes me crave sweets. I want a midnight snack so badly… That was right up my alley. I really appreciate it. Noon… My brain is telling me I need something sweet. I can’t focus at all this morning. I need some food. I want some food so badly I can almost taste it. Both my mind and body are craving a mid-morning snack. It’s noon. Something to keep my mouth company… Ah no, I wasn’t trying to suggest anything. I can't stay awake any more without sweets.

[lunalit-river]

Aizawa reminds me of Ken Matsushiro in Yakitate!! Japan.

Maybe Aizawa runs a bakery when he retires...

[lunalit-river]

Okay I need to add another: Overdose

Hey Hyperthyroidism, welcome to the Author’s Curse Club. We’ve got insomnia (though he doesn’t show up as much anymore), moderate depression (closely monitored), and external pressure.

Beware: if you don’t behave, you might get written into the author’s wip.

[lunalit-river]

Can I skip the world building part and just go straight for them being madly in love or the monster speech part

[lunalit-river]

I suddenly had this lawlight fic idea that I shouldn't have and now I want to find someone to write it for me. Maybe I should submit a prompt...the fanon is rubbing off on me...

[lunalit-river]

Hey Hyperthyroidism, welcome to the Author’s Curse Club. We’ve got insomnia (though he doesn’t show up as much anymore), moderate depression (closely monitored), and external pressure.

Beware: if you don’t behave, you might get written into the author’s wip.

[lunalit-river]

(trying to give relationship advice) from a narrative perspective i think both of you dying together would be the most emotionally satisfying resolution but i’m guessing that’s not what you want to hear

[lunalit-river]

snow white

[lunalit-river]

Hi this sounds really stupid sorry sorry in advance! I was wondering if you could explore the popular analysis of L=Light I see so strongly in the fandom. 

I came out of the series not understanding what people saw that led them to believe L and Light are so so soooo similar. I get the surface-level parallels of both being intelligent and good at quick deductions. They definitely think alike (we see multiple times where they can catch what the other is saying without needing it verbalized), they also kinda share the whole 'motivated by boredom' aspect in the first half of the series(<- `I would say L moreso than Light, he is shown to be a bored adolescence in the beginning but he seems to clutch more to the preservation of his character after the initial few events, and then is caught up by the thrill of the game up until L dies. Boredom -> Morality -> Thrill) and perhaps the fact that they're both quick to anger (the fight in the headquarters -> but still L comes across as more level-headed, and the kick back appeared to be more of a requital than motivated by actual anger?) there is a really popular sentence in most meta and fics I've read that (paraphrased) says 'Light saw himself in L/ finally was able to connect to another" that confuses me.

HIIIIIIIIII this is such a fun ask oh my god thank you for the opportunity to talk about this. it does not sound stupid!!!! i think we (general) tend to take L and light parallelisms as granted and also exaggerate them a little because they're the two leads of death note who everyone knows about but the question of What Is Actually There is always a good one to ask!

i think this actually breaks down into two parts which are: 1. are they similar, 2. why are they motivated to think they are similar?

SO. first one first,

you have all the immediately obvious parallels down, they think super alike and they are bored as hell

tangent: i really really love this (short!) analysis on the type of boredom they share. light doesn't want entertainment the same way L does and L is as-far-as-we-know very satisfied in his position in the world before the start of the manga. but! they both like establishing superiority. they both like playing games. the thrill stage. i think L is as caught up in the game as light is — showing up in person just to throw light off despite the risk, inviting light to tennis, the other students talking about how they've spent two days hanging around only each other,

(granted this person clearly does not like them and is probably exaggerating)

near and mello in comparison are playing against each other instead of light, but near specifically tells aizawa that both of their motivation is to catch kira for L's sake. and of course L wants to catch kira too but he views it in a much more tunnel-vision sense. he literally talks to kira in his head

L solves a lot of cases! but this one in particular he has someone intellectually on his level and he has so much more fun that way.

ANYWAY. that's L's part of the thrill of the game you mentioned for light. onto the more fun similarities: this is my personal favorite. after ryuk tells light that he found 64 cameras in his room,

in japanese they even include special emphasis on the either. and light and ryuk haven't been talking about anyone else in their conversation before this.

that guy doesn't know where to stop (just like me).

i think this is the core of what makes them similar leaving intellectual mind games aside. it is the Ruthlessness. light will kill hundreds of thousands of people to prove that he is right, that he is justice (because he wants to be right). L will kill lind l tailor and put 64 cameras into a high school student's room and put misa amane in sensory deprivation torture for 50+ days, to prove that light is kira (because he wants light to be kira).

this isn't unique to the two of them by all means! misa sacrifices her friend and moves to tokyo and kills a bunch of news announcers and celebrities to find light! but light never acknowledges her as similar to him even when misa invokes it deliberately ["to defeat evil there must be sacrifices, right? that's what you've been doing"]. because. well. first of all the misogyny, and second of all because he's not playing against misa, misa is a wild card in what he conceives of as a battle solely between him and L.

and similarly mello says that he'll do whatever it takes to beat near, including killing half his organization to destabilize him and blowing himself up and so on. but light doesn't see any of this as a parallel and the narrative doesn't go out of its way to point it out the way it does for light and L:

(note: naomi says herself the reason she ended up telling light her entire theory is because he reminded her of L.) (this is probably because of the way light validates her [as L did in labb] and fills in the gaps in her logic [as L did in labb] but the point is that the narration has an Agenda)

okay so tied to the ruthlessness is the Justice thing. here is another (short!) meta which argues that L is the god of the old world vs. light as the god of the new world:

When L proclaims to be justice in his pissing contest with Kira, he doesn’t mean “justice is a concept that exists independent from humans and is clearly defined, I adhere to this concept”. He means the same thing Light does: “The definition of justice is man-made and I am the man making it.” The struggle between L and Kira is a power struggle - aside from being a criminal by legal definition, Kira is the first person to truly challenge L's status. It’s not a fight of right and wrong, it’s a fight over who gets to define 'right’.

after his morality crisis at the start light spends most of the first half convincing himself that he is Genuinely Right. so right in fact that he is justified to kill everyone else in his way because they're the evil ones for trying to stop kira, clearly. he kills naomi and raye without a care in the world!

L on the other hand is less readable because we don't spend as much time with him but i usually interpret him as knowing from the start that this isn't about justice at all. at the start he says things like "the good guys always win!" to motivate the task force but once they have a rapport, he acknowledges on multiple occasions that he's taking the morally worse route but it's worth it to him because he'll catch kira that way.

("i believe that your method is most correct" is insaaane coming from l lawliet)

the main difference between them is that L is perfectly aware that he's doing fucked up shit while first-arc light isn't. but second arc! after soichiro (moral center of death note) dies!

light: i think kira understands this—

and now we're back to the other iconic scene of a character staring out a window:

separated across an ocean and five years but there it is! they will do anything to get what they perceive as justice, even though they also know it's evil, including using their own selves/lives and everyone else's as tools for their ambitions.

…but it's also a game. and it's fun, isn't it?

aaaand yeah. i think that's probably the core of it. no other pair hits all of those points at the same time — notably near (as mentioned in that meta i linked before) rejects the entire traditional premise of justice. nobody can tell what is right or wrong, what is righteous or evil. even if there is a god… and i had his teachings before me, i would think it through… and decide if that was right or wrong myself. and this is also why near doesn't kill light, because near is genuine about believing it's not anyone's place to decide that, which is the exact thing that makes light think L is better than near (because L would have killed light 100%)

tangent: it is also very important to me that near beats c-kira by saying "you're nothing but a murderer." and then self-chastises "that wasn't very L-like" but it's what gets c-kira to stop.

why isn't it L-like — because L wouldn't look down at c-kira like that, because kira is L's opponent and they are equally matched and they are playing a game. but near sees the world with clearer eyes. c-kira isn't a rival. they're just another murderer.

-

okay so as to the second part of your question:

there is a really popular sentence in most meta and fics I've read that (paraphrased) says 'Light saw himself in L/ finally was able to connect to another" that confuses me.

sorry this bit is going to have fewer mangacaps because i can't recall the exact moments as well. BUT.

light is lonely. he spends class gazing out the window. he doesn't consider telling anyone about the death note, ever. he laughs and jokes with his friends and asks for new year's cards and then goes home and immediately sags against the door (and notices that there's something wrong with his doorknob). he doesn't tell anyone about how he kind of wants to kill everyone around him even pre-death note just because god, the world sucks so much. you get my point.

and then L comes along and is the first challenge light has basically ever had and. [gestures at above] the way he falls silent when naomi tells him he reminds her of L and then visibly pushes it aside to say, hey, why not join the task force? we just need your ID! that guy doesn't know where to stop, either (hey look it's pretty much canon that he sees himself in L even if he brushes the thought aside immediately). the way he brightens when L says he's doing well in the cafe:

the way he hesitates to kill L when rem can do it immediately and only smiles after misa sees his name and therefore light can decide when to kill him himself?

and all of this is still true whether or not you think light even likes L as a person! because he enjoys the challenge! which yeah we all knew that already BUT. the point is. he's lonely. L is the first person to provide a reprieve from his boredom. he has all the motivation in the world to want to see himself in L/connect to another, even in a world where they weren't alike at all.

and then L is just here like

thank you L

actually wait yes that's also a thing. the ego thing. they fucking HATE losing because it would damage their sense of pride! this is something that kiyomi also shares (which is why light also recognizes himself in kiyomi) but not any of the other main cast characters to the extent that they do — mello hates losing but it's because of his inferiority complex, it's different from L & light who are already on top of the world but feel threatened; near is overconfident but it's because near underestimates kira, not because of self-overestimation. light doing the entire yotsuba gambit because he's sure that he'll get the notebook back and win <--> L saying there's no way that yotsuba caught kira before he did. you understand

okay. okay. so. tl;dr

they are both seeking justice on their own terms while using methods that they know (L consciously, light subconsciously) are wrong but they think will lead to the Correct results for the world in time

rephrase: they are ruthless bastards

rephrase: they're childish and egotistical and they hate losing :)

as you mentioned: the intelligence, being able to see each other's thoughts, etc (this is also a thing for light and near; i can't remember the post but someone said "all death note geniuses share a brain" and i've never been able to unsee it)

but even in the case where all of that was untrue they'd probably still want to see themselves in each other anyway, light because he's lonely and L because this is the first fun case he has had in forever.

[lunalit-river]

If L ever had a blood test, he probably would stare directly at his blood being pulled out and stare at the RN and say in monotone, "How long have you done this? You are quite skilled." Randomly complimenting the person and then after he finishes he might say, "well that was unpleasant." And received his high blood sugar test. Probably.

[lunalit-river]

[lunalit-river]

[lunalit-river]

Playing with Picrew again. (this template link here)

My interpretation of A and B (pre-LABB), I imagine A was outwardly charming and hard-working, but inwardly dark and violent.

B has dark brown hair, faint freckles, brows (yeah) dark eyes in my fic. He'll have to dye his hair, wear makeup, and shave his brows in LABB arc. Initially, B was more indifferent, chaotic, and cynical but not violent, and it was not until after A died that his personality shifted due to another series of events and neglect from the House.

[lunalit-river]

Yepp