a tiny detective

Who let this child in here? When does Wammy take in babies?

Near shied away from it a bit, looking at the other as if he were suspicious. He didn’t seem to have any kind of bad intents towards the tiny boy, though, and realizing this, the child edged back into his personal space.

Shyly, the little pale child poked his finger into it and tasted it. It was good!

Near focused really hard, face turning a little pink. He knew this! It was on the sign and he heard it a lot.

“…Rodger…W….Wammy….? Or..um…L sort of.”

“Rodger Wammy?” He’s going to ignore the L part. Just ignore it. At least the first half seems to be somewhat useful even if the uncertainty with which the name is given is kind of disheartening.

Near stumbled over the words awkwardly, but predictably considering his age. Smiling victoriously, he started edging away from the man as slyly as possible. He was going to solve his first case when he was still shorter than Mello! He figured he’d get bigger later.

“What kind of criminal case would you need my ID for?”

Near plucked the ID out of his pocket and waved it around in front of his face.

Staring at the diminutive child, the man reached down to pluck him up from the back of his shirt. 

“The fuckin’ boogeyman, who the fuck are ya?” 

“…You aren’t made of boogers…?”

He only opened his eyes wide when he was snatched up and hoisted to the eye level of the large man. The tiny boy kicked his legs and waved his arms around, trying with no success to get down.

“Are ya fuckin’ kiddin’ me? Who the fuck are ya?” 

Was this a mafia whore’’s kid? Didn’t she know it wasn’t bring your kid to work day? Rod rolled his eyes as he kept the child dangling. 

Frustrated little arms flew around more frantically than before, legs a blur.

"I'm Near! Put me down! Down!"

Staring at the diminutive child, the man reached down to pluck him up from the back of his shirt. 

“The fuckin’ boogeyman, who the fuck are ya?” 

"...You aren't made of boogers...?"

He only opened his eyes wide when he was snatched up and hoisted to the eye level of the large man. The tiny boy kicked his legs and waved his arms around, trying with no success to get down.

“No, I got lost. But I’m being trained to do the detective stuff!”

He pulls out some printed out “junior FBI” badge he probably got off some kids site proudly.

Near focused really hard, face turning a little pink. He knew this! It was on the sign and he heard it a lot.

"...Rodger...W....Wammy....? Or..um...L sort of."

“I’m collecting evidence.” he said in a tone that seemed to be cheery, though it wasn’t particularly childlike either.

If he was completely honest, Shimura really just wanted his ID back, but at this point, it would probably be best to play along. Maybe once he humored the kid, he’d get it. If he didn’t, he’d have to find the parents. Speaking of which, where the hell were they? 

Who let this child in here? When does Wammy take in babies?

“It’s sweet and you can’t really have too much of it. But that’s all I have up here.” 

“It’s like bread?”

Near shied away from it a bit, looking at the other as if he were suspicious. He didn't seem to have any kind of bad intents towards the tiny boy, though, and realizing this, the child edged back into his personal space.

“I am Near! I am almost four years old! I live here and I am a successor!”

He said it somewhat louder this time, but still quietly, indicating his voice just wasn’t loud at all. His dark gray eyes were burning with determination, contrasting with his poker face (which did swimmingly at covering up that he was still terrified).

“I am pleased to make your acquaintance!”

Angry, was he? L could hear the bite of impatience in Near’s voice, covering up his naïveté and fear. Bravado was interesting, especially coming from someone so small. 

Then again, L knew all about that, didn’t he?

Fear and anger weren’t necessarily the very best emotions for a successor to possess, but if the child didn’t know that already, he would learn soon enough. Age and size were no barriers when it came to the mind - you could be four or eighty-four. Either way, it would make no difference to L. Near wasn’t a successor yet. None of them were, at least not until they learned the art of self-control. L didn’t appreciate such a blatant failure of his first test.

"......"

Staring deeply into the other man's eyes, Near started to realize what he was playing at. He figured at first he should be playing a role like Mello- after all, he was high on the list of successors. L didn't seem too impressed by his emotions, however...so the natural response would be to act as if he had none. Relaxing his brow, letting the muscles in his face fall slack, Near made himself appear emotionless with all the precision of a three year old. His efforts were visible.

“I’m not cute. I’m a detective.”

The pint sized advocate of justice pulled out a water gun and waved it around.

He tucked the water gun back into his shirt, peeking up occasionally to make sure the girl wouldn't figure out where he was hiding it. He eventually seemed to finish (badly) concealing it and looked up once more.

Who let this child in here? When does Wammy take in babies?

Beyond wasn’t really sure what was going on here, except that this kid somehow found his way to his room and now was asking for snacks. Also that he was apparently really smart too. 

“Some of the older kids…”

He looked a little ashamed, but with how tiny he was it’s not like he could do much about his situation anyways. He figured that everything would be fine.

“It’s sweet and you can’t really have too much of it. But that’s all I have up here.” 

"It's like bread?"

Who let this child in here? When does Wammy take in babies?

“I got a good grade so I’m hiding so they don’t push me.”

The tiny boy tugged out a crumpled paper and stared down at it. It was a perfect grade, and he was in a class two years ahead of his age group, but he hadn’t really tried because he was hungry.

Beyond wasn’t really sure what was going on here, except that this kid somehow found his way to his room and now was asking for snacks. Also that he was apparently really smart too. 

"Some of the older kids..."

He looked a little ashamed, but with how tiny he was it's not like he could do much about his situation anyways. He figured that everything would be fine.