Sleight of Ashes

At Wammy's House, brilliance is everything but Vex never cared for the crown. Observant, aloof, and always three moves ahead, she stayed out of the race to succeed L. Near called her a riddle. Mello called her infuriating. Neither of them could ignore her.

Then L falls, and the game fractures.

One storms out, chasing vengeance.
One follows uninvited, unexplained.
What begins as uneasy alliance becomes something more: sharp edges, shared silence, and a bond neither of them planned for.

As the shadows deepen and justice blurs, trust becomes rare and affection even rarer. But in a world that burns the bright ones fast, even a flicker of connection can leave behind smoke.

Some vanish in the dark.
Some burn with it.
And some are remembered by those they never meant to hold onto.

Disclaimer: This is a fan-made work based on the Death Note series. I do not own or claim any rights to the original Death Note characters, story, or universe those belong to their respective creators. The only character I claim ownership of is my OC (Vex). This fanfiction is created purely for entertainment.