[L blinks, taken aback but not particularly surprised. Mello is drinking, and volatile even without alcohol. His mentor is challenging him in the way he least enjoys. This was coming.

He bites his tongue on the obvious solution. Breaking the Bond has never been an acceptable option to Mello, in spite of their strife. That's not going to change now; in fact, he'll take more strife on just to preserve what he covets even if it's in name only.]

It seems you're already swallowing it. If what you're feeling secondhand means nothing, why are you drinking at this hour?

[The liquor is almost as hard as L's eyes.]

There's only one state of true peace and neither of us want it. This hurts, but living is like that, and if it's too much for you, you'd better get me a glass as well.