Sleight of Ashes
- Reads 760
- Votes 47
- Parts 31
MatureOngoing2h 1m
Last published Tue, Feb 3, 2026
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.
All Rights Reserved
Join the largest storytelling communityGet personalized story recommendations, save your favourites to your library, and comment and vote to grow your community.
You may also like
I Love You, But I'm No Angel
They say monsters hide in the shadows. But Reika Amane has always lived there quietly, patiently, just close enough to the light to see what she's missing. When she turns herself in to protect her younger sister, she doesn't expect mercy. She doesn't expect suspicion either - not the kind that watches her without blinking, analyzes her silences, and asks questions even in stillness. Under L's gaze, Reika becomes something more than a name on the suspect list. But this isn't a story of love. It's a story of sugar cubes and surveillance, of denial and quiet unraveling. It's a story of two minds reflecting each other too closely until one of them breaks. She is not Kira. But innocence has never been enough to survive a game like this. 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 (Reika). This fanfiction is created purely for entertainment.Complete
The Hardest Puzzle || Death Note
L is dead. Mello and Matt are dead. Kira is dead. So what does Near do now? Why, solve a murder case, of course! And that murder case brings along a little puzzle that will take Near ages to solve.... (This story is in second person point of view. You are the main character! You are referred to as ______, so whenever you see that, just insert your own name.) * Thanks for almost 200k reads, loves! I own nothing. I am not associated with Death Note or its creators. I merely wrote this story. Do not take or repost this story elsewhere.Complete
Being in the Wrong Reality
Kai Renner is a quiet, introspective 17-year-old living in modern-day Tokyo. He's always felt disconnected from the world around him-people are too loud, too distracted, too shallow. A brilliant mind hidden behind apathetic eyes, Kai spends most of his time alone, obsessed with puzzles, crime shows, and psychological thrillers. His favorite is Death Note, not just because of its story, but because of one character-L. To Kai, L isn't just a fictional detective-he's the only one who feels real. They share the same quirks: hunched posture, sweet tooth, insomnia, and a deep mistrust of others. Over time, Kai's admiration turns into something deeper, something strange. He begins seeing reflections of L everywhere-mirrors, puddles, even his dreams. One night, after watching Death Note for the hundredth time, Kai whispers, "I wish I was in your world." The screen flickers. A whisper echoes back. "Maybe you already are." From that night on, reality begins to bend. Time feels wrong. His reflection isn't quite his. People forget his name. The line between fiction and truth blurs. What if Kai isn't imagining things? What if the world he thought was real... never was? What if he was the one written into someone else's story?Complete
Burnout
You thought you could stay forgotten, that your past would let you go. But monsters recognize their own, you finally disappeared, but he found you anyway. now its war between each other with the world and maybe even yourself This is a super slow burn so if you're looking for something quick this may not be the story for you!
ɪɴꜱɪᴅᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ \\ ᴍᴇʟʟᴏ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ
(Y/N) is a cold-blooded assassin known only by the pseudonym 'Burgundy'. When the Japanese NPA offers her a deal - track down the elusive killer known as Kira in exchange for her freedom - she takes the job without hesitation. But her mission takes an unexpected turn when a brilliant, volatile mafia leader named Mello steps into her path. (Y/N) soon discovers that beneath his cocky, short-tempered facade lies a broken soul - a boy far more drawn to her than he dares to admit. Will she be able to save him from his demons before it's too late? Not your typical Mello fan fic so beware. TW: mention of depression, suicidal thoughts, swearing, abuse, sexual contentComplete
Happy Ending (MattxMello)
Matt x Mello in the original Death Note universe after the death of L. Warning: Contains some swearing and triggers, being depression and suicidal thoughts. Also, I do not (unfortunately) own Death Note or any of the characters. Enjoy! "When I got to the apartment I changed into some boxers and one of Matt's hideous striped shirts because it smells like him, it smells like cigarette smoke and body spray. I never thought that that awful smell would end up being one of my favorites but it is, if only because to me, it smells like home. I lay on the bed, sobbing until I passed out. This isn't home, it never was. My home is a beautiful freckled red head with a video game addiction and only now do I realize that nowhere will ever be home again. It's taken me a really long time to realize but, home isn't, never was and never will be a house or an apartment or any place for that matter. Home is a feeling and I'm afraid that I'll never have that feeling again."Complete
Chasing Broken Dreams ~A Death Note Fanfic~
She's wondered her whole life if she'll ever be loved or even cared for. When Aisuru Yume moves to Japan, she hears about the Kira case. Will she figure out who Kira is before something bad happens to her only friends? Or will she be too late? All rights reserved to Death Note.Complete
Riddles {a Death Note MelloXOC and NearXOC story}
¶ Piper Riddle is sent to The Wammy's House after her adoptive mother dies. When she gets to Wammy's, Piper takes on a new name: Patience. She'll live a new life where she will eventually make lifelong friends. ¶ She soon decides to search for her birth mother, hoping to learn about her past. After getting a lead in Japan, Patience heads off with Near to help him with the Kira case so that she might find her supposed mother. In addition to finding her birth mother, Patience has a promise to keep; a promise she made to herself and her friend Allison: find Mello. One thing is still quite unclear. What is she supposed to do when she finds him? She now finds herself with three mysteries to solve, the third being Near. ¶ Meanwhile, Allison has separated herself from all of this, wanting nothing more to do with Mello. However, there are things left unsaid between the two, and whether Allison wants to or not, she will have to confront Mello eventually. Unfortunately, Allison is just as prideful and stubborn as he is, so whatever it is she feels, she won't admit to anyone. Not even herself. ¶ Though the Kira case is the main objective, Allison and Patience have their own mysteries to solve, and they will help each other along the way. * The views of the characters in this story do not necessarily represent the views of the author * 24 chapters long, not including bonus chapters and additional content. Second place in the Near category in the 2016 Death Note Watty Awards (only year it was entered & only category it was entered in). (Content warning: violence, suicide, sexual harassment, and possibly dubcon [no one is doing anything they don't want to, but it could still potentially be triggering for some]; references to self-harm, child abuse, alcoholism, and homophobia) R17+ [violence, profanity, dark themes and subject matter]Complete
In the Meantime. (MattXOC Death Note Fanfic)
This is the story of what happened in the meantime of the history that shaped all whose lives were in it. I've known this story for a long time now and so before my passing, I want to make to so it won't be so easily forgotten. There is only one place to start; the beginning. 3rd January 2004. For all of you who enjoyed my other book The Gamers, this is the re-write. Removing any plot holes, timeline difficulties and unnecessary content. I hope you like it because I feel like it's an upgrade of the last book, I'm happy with it, and I hope you will be too! :3 Oh mah gerd! This book was chosen for Second Place in the 2016 Death Note Awards for Matt category. A huge thank you to the judges of the competition for choosing my book over the amazing others that I was up against. <3 *DISCLAIMERS* I DO NOT OWN THE DEATH NOTE STORY LINE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS IN IT; ONLY MY OCs. This will have some mature content, hence the rating. If adult material offends you, skip the chapter that contains it (which I have kindly labelled with LEMON beside the title).Complete
The Fawn | Death Note
L's top four picks for his successor have been split into pairs dubbed the Wammy Teams. They take on investigative assignments from the esteemed detective and work to prove who deserves to inherit his title, but not all of them have this goal in mind. After all, L has a pretty nasty habit of reforming criminals if they can be useful to him. The Wammy Teams have been active for a few years now, each of them having developed their own specialties in their detective works. When one team hits a snag in their case on Beyond Birthday's most recent murders, the newcomer, Bambi, is sent to aid them. Conflict arises when teams collide, ultimately throwing them into the fray of L's biggest case yet. Even in Japan, Bambi is haunted by the man who once shared her letter as "B". Her trauma leads her contemplate her already-gray perspective on morality and justice. Was Kira actually the heartless murderer that L portrays him as? Were her own crimes as justified as she once thought? She tries to distract herself by focusing on the case, but her slowly-growing attraction to her coworker just adds another issue she tries to avoid. Still, she can't hide from her problems forever. Bambi will have to look into herself and find her true answers to the questions she fears most. -Winner of the 2016 Death Note Watty's Matt Category- @DeathNoteAwards [Alternate Universe:] Near, Matt, and Mello are three years older than canon. [Warnings:] Off-screen extreme violence | Some descriptions of death | Instances of blood | Recurring focus on psychological traumaComplete
Perfect Witness
┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓ 𝕻𝖊𝖗𝖋𝖊𝖈𝖙 𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖓𝖊𝖘𝖘 𝐋 𝐱 𝐎𝐂 ┗━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┛ --- ☆ • ♧ • ♠ • ♧ • ☆ --- THIS IS NOT AN X READER FANFIC. THIS IS AN OC STORY. A new thread, a new path to follow. That's all Kyaroru Naiki was to superdetective L at first. Connections to a suspicious killing of "Kira's," all L wanted to do was figure out whether or not she knew something. Unfortunately, things turned out a bit more complicated than intended. --- ☆ • ♧ • ♠ • ♧ • ☆ --- #5 IN CONSTELLATIONS AWARDS #8 IN AURORA AWARDS Started: September 1, 2019 STATUS: currently being rewritten. I may separate the OG fanfic and the rewrite in the future. OG fic has 67 chapters. Formerly titled "My Little Fox." ❝ ℌ𝔢 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔨𝔢𝔰 𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔰𝔱 𝔴𝔦𝔫𝔰. ❞ ✧ ೃ༄ NOTE: Includes mature themes. ❧ 𝖂𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖇𝖞 @G0THSL0TH ❧ 𝕭𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝖇𝖞 @YungNightAce/@SOLIVARIISM !! ❧ 𝕮𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝖇𝖞 @YungNightAce !! © Death Note
...
Complete
HeartBreak (Mello x Fem!Reader Fanfic) Revised Ver.
(Y/n) was raised inside Wammy's Orphanage in Winchester along with Mello, Matt and Near. Years had passed and one day when L's two successors learn of their predecessor's death, they go their separate ways to solve his final case and uncover his killer, Kira. Matt and (Y/n) drifted apart over the years, they were surprised when they received a message from their old friend to help him in his investigation on Kira, to reunite after 5 long years. Now the three childhood friends are back together, how will things play out for them? And will (Y/n)'s old feelings for Mello resurface to interfering with their investigation? [THIS IS A REWRITTEN VERSION OF HEARTBEAT] [DISCLAIMER FOR THE ORIGINAL ANIME/MANGA. NOTHING IS OWNED BY ME EXCEPT THIS STORY]Complete
Fractured Ties (A Death Note Matt x Reader)
Panic, pain, anxiety. Panic attacks plagued you for your entire life, holding back your potential and strength to be L's successor back at Wammy's house. Only L's great stories soothed your anxiety for a prolonged period of time. Now that L has died, your attacks have been getting worse. The recently-solved Kira case has left you all traumatized after seeing your close friend (Mello) and your boyfriend (Matt) nearly die. You have to thank Near (and his quick thinking) for saving their lives. Now, you three are a bunch of stupid kids working for the FBI, the CIA and as a video game beta tester, with nothing better to do. Matt has tried his best to help you cope with your anxiety, but he really doesn't know what to do. He has his own problems with ADHD and gaming. (You can't really blame him.) Mello has also changed after the Kira case. He has been moody an irritable lately. You've been desperately searching for a cure, for all of your mental states. What is the one thing now, that can fix all the problems?Complete
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐰 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 - 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳
'𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶' 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘦. - We know, we who observe from beyond the veil, that man was not forged to contain the infinite. Yet, within every heart beats a hunger, the feverish desire to tear a fragment of divinity for oneself. This is not a sudden shattering, but a slow, patient distillation of the night. It is the chronicle of how frail the mortal vessel truly is; how the unquenchable thirst for dominion corrodes the very foundations, day after meticulous day, transforming the hero that was into the spectral shadow of what they yearned to become. - Death Note x reader
Play With Fire \\Matt x F!Reader
Y/n narrowed her eyes at the male, "You." "Yes, it's me," the brown haired male smirked, "I know it's been about 10 minutes since we last saw each other but I missed you, sweetheart. " Parker furrowed her eyebrows at Y/n and the man on the seat, "You know him?" She asked. Y/n crossed her arms over her stomach, "Don't insult me." "Playing hard get?" Matt bit his lower lip whilst nodding his head slowly, "I like that." The h/c haired girl scoffed, "I'm not playing, sweetheart." ============================ Y/n L/n meets Mail Jeevas who seems to take quite the liking to her but will him being in the mafia come in between that? After all, if anyone wants to hurt Mail; all they have to do is hurt her.Complete
Lying Bastard | Mello x Reader
"I promise, you're the only one I truly love. All the other girls mean nothing to me," Light said as he held you by your waist, his voice dripping with fake affection. "You really mean it?" you ask. "Of course I do," he responds and he presses a kiss against your forehead. Ayumi (real name: Y/N) was in a relationship with Light Yagami, infamously known as Kira. When he's being suspected, Ayumi defends him because of her great love for him. After L's death (pour out your tears, L simps) , Near and Mello are left to catch Kira themselves. But when Mello kidnaps Ayumi, his mission shifts from catching Kira to getting his girlfriend.Complete
{Youre My Addiction} Mello x Matt
Disclaimer: I don't own Mello or Matt OR Death Note! And also the characters might be OOC as this is based off of a roleplay I had with my sister. Also, this is an AU where Matt DIDN'T go to Wammy's. Just because I have a good idea for this, sorry if that's not to your liking! Mello and Matt had met in the park and hit it off straight away. Mello was the unusual type that loved chocolate and was part of the Mafia. Whilst Matt was a cigarette addict that was very fun to be around. Mello sat on the bench; feeling quite alone, but when Matt came over to him, he fell in love immediately. Love will take a while to sink in, a lot of people say. But love for Matt and Mello, takes its toll straight away. Let's see what these to love-birds will get up to! Enjoy the story...Complete
They say monsters hide in the shadows. But Reika Amane has always lived there quietly, patiently, just close enough to the light to see what she's missing. When she turns herself in to protect her younger sister, she doesn't expect mercy. She doesn't expect suspicion either - not the kind that watches her without blinking, analyzes her silences, and asks questions even in stillness. Under L's gaze, Reika becomes something more than a name on the suspect list. But this isn't a story of love. It's a story of sugar cubes and surveillance, of denial and quiet unraveling. It's a story of two minds reflecting each other too closely until one of them breaks. She is not Kira. But innocence has never been enough to survive a game like this. 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 (Reika). This fanfiction is created purely for entertainment.
More detailsContent Guidelines