It was bittersweet, knowing what's going to happen when you died. Watari knew he didn't have much longer left way before the confirmation from Thanatos. He was old, his joints weren't as strong as they once were, he was tired, he wasn't able to do all the things he once could. But he didn't mind, he knew that death is unavoidable unless you got amazingly lucky like L did. And knowing that he was bound for Asphodel gave him a sense of peace, knowing that he'd lived many, many lives and in all of them he'd done well enough to warrant an afterlife in Asphodel.

"L, you won't loose me forever. You can always come to visit in Asphodel. You're a god, you have the access to it" Watari assured, L sitting next to him the same way he did as a kid.

Leaning on his shoulder, curled up like a tired child napping on their father.

"I know... but it still hurts knowing your life is so close to ending" L replied.

"I have no regrets. I invented many things, I founded many orphanages, I raised you..." Watari replied.

"Thank you for that, I'd be stuck in the worst conditions of it weren't for you..."

"Your birth parents are probably going to end up in Tartarus for what they did to you, but look at you now. World's greatest detective, married, raised your own children, ascended to godhood"

"I'd never have made it there without you though. I know I was a difficult child, taking care of me is rotten work"

Watari sighed, giving L the dad side hug squeeze you got when you were sad after a bad day at school.

"Not for me, not if it's you" he assured.

L smiled solemnly, at least in the absolute mess that was his life before godhood, he had someone to call dad.

"Even though I know where you'll be, and that I'll always be able to come see you in the underworld... it still hurts. I mean you raised me, you're my dad. You've done so much for me, you let me drag you around the world on wildly dangerous cases... death always hurts, even when you know the outcome will be fine. I guess it's just the pain of watching someone you love slowly wither away..." L sighed.

"The fact it's Thanatos coming to collect me means it'll be painless. He's the incarnation of peaceful death, it'll be like falling asleep and waking up before Hades. I'll give puppy Cerberus a head pat on your behalf when I get there" Watari replied.

It must look a strange sight if anyone were to walk by right now. An old man sitting on a bench on the patio of the orphanage, the kids playing in the front field... and a winged man dressed in robes leaning in his shoulder teary eyed and melancholic. Some may thing he was an Angel coming to collect a lost soul, but in reality it was just the now grown up child of that man sad to say goodbye to the mortal body of his dad.

"And hey, if there's one thing in this life I can die happy about, it's the fact you care for me enough to come visit me regularly even though you've got the whole highlands at your disposal" Watari added.

"Of course I'll come see you, I'd be lost without you. If I didn't have my duties as a god to attend to, I'd take over the orphanage for you too" L replied.

"The orphanage is in good hands, I know the younger staff will make things work. They have more energy than I do, they're more hip and down with the young kids than I am too"

L snickered, he'd admit even he was a little out of touch with some of the cool trends and jokes of the younger generations. If he were still mortal he'd be in his 40s by now. But eternally the body of a 25 year old is what he'd be stuck with for the rest of his life. Not so bad, good age to be physically stuck at. You're young, relatively fit and healthy, your skin is still smooth and your bones still strong.

"And don't worry about the boys... and Near. They'll be ok, I know they will. I've talked to them, they'll be with you and me when I'm collected, they'll cope. You guys just focus on catching this Kira copycat, give him one good smack on the head for me when you find him" Watari said.

"Oh I'll definitely do that, I want to smack him for everything he's done" L replied.

"And L, make sure you treasure (y/n) for the rest of eternity. You know how precious love is, you're half love god after all. A connection like that only comes once a lifetime... maybe twice if you're lucky enough to be a poly soul. Point is, keep them close forever"

"I'm never letting them go, that's for sure..."

When L first met the man he now called his dad, the thought of having a mum never even crossed his mind. He was just happy to be out of an abusive household. But as he grew closer to Watari, his child mind wondered about having a mum. And when he eventually asked, he found that the was once a girl in his dads life, but fate had other plans and the two had to part ways. He never found anyone else, his heart belonged to that girl. He was as peace with it, even if they couldn't be together anymore, just the time they did have together was enough.

Watari would admit he was a bit worried for L before you came into the picture. While never finding a lover is completely fine, in fact some people preferred it that way. But he knew L wanted love, he craved it. And being an anonymous detective made finding people to even call friends was hard. You were truly a blessing, coming along as just the right time.

"Dad... tell me truthfully. Was I a good dad? I wasn't always there for the boys- and Near, when they were younger because of all the cases. I know I should have been..." L asked.

"L, you did the best you could with the circumstances given. And you made it work, they love you. You're an amazing dad, you did well. And that makes you a great babysitter as well, how's the godling?" Watari assured.

"Morpheus? He's just like his dad. Always asleep or cuddly and drowsy. I wish I could sleep that deeply. He's getting better as his powers too, Hypnos is keeping a close eye on his dreams, he had one about the death note a while back"

"Hmm, definitely keep an eye on that one. And you know what, L? If the boys... and Near, ever have kids themselves, you'll be the cool grandpa. Just like me"

L chuckled, he was right he was a cool grandpa. Mello, Matt and Near always loved staying with Watari when L had things to do.

Even though he was days away from the underworld, and the loss of his existence on the mortal world and his mortal body would be saddening and hard on those who loved him, Quillish Wammy was ready. All the lives he'd lived lead him to an afterlife in the peaceful fields of asphodel, and he was extremely lucky to have his son be a god able to come visit at any time.

He was proud of this life, of L and everyone he'd helped raise in the orphanage. It was an honour to call this life his last one.

"Listen, Lawliet..." the dying man began.

L looked at him, a bittersweet sweet peace about the situation in him.

"No matter flesh and blood or a spirit in the underworld, I'll always love you. And I'll always be proud of you. You're the best son anyone could ask for" he assured.

L smiled, simply pulling his dad into a warm hug and resting his head against his chest. Hearing the now slowed but steady heartbeat of the man that raised him. Only a few more days... and that heartbeat would stop. But if there's one upside, they could be glad it wasn't from Kira as intended all those years ago back when Light had the death note. And not now, whoever had the death note couldn't take his dad away from L.

He trusted his fellow god Thanatos with the soul of his father.