Eating Habits
-Toast-
"Is there a toaster in here?" Matsuda shouted, looking around the spotless, appliance-filled kitchen.
"Right there," Light replied, pointing to the black toaster oven that lying right in front of Matsuda.
"Oh… It doesn't look like a toaster." With a shrug, Matsuda popped in the piece of white bread and set the toaster on "4". Behind him, Light got out two slices of whole wheat while Ryuzaki waited quietly, having been forced into the kitchen because of the handcuffs still connecting him to Light.
Pop! The toast came out a golden brown color, just crisp. Exactly how Matsuda liked it. He placed it on his plate and got out the butter while Light moved in on the toaster oven.
Matsuda stared at his toast. "How should I butter it?" he said, thinking out loud.
"Why don't you just butter it?" Light had a problem keeping the sarcasm out of his voice. He needn't have bothered; Matsuda was deep in thought… over his toast.
"If I butter it now, the toast will become soggy, which is disgusting."
"Then wait until it cools down." Light silently cursed the slow toaster.
"But then it will be cold… How do you butter your toast, Light?"
"I don't."
"You eat it dry? Old grandpa." He fiddled with the knife, not seeing Light glaring daggers at him. Ryuzaki, who was watching the exchange carefully, would have been seriously concerned for Matsuda's life if he hadn't known that Kira didn't kill for minor annoyances
"Hey Ryuzaki….?"
"Yes, Matsuda-san?"
"How do you eat your toast?"
"I don't" Ryuzaki said offhandedly.
"You don't?" Matsuda uttered the phrase as if Ryuzaki had given insult to toast eaters everywhere. "How- why?"
"I find it unappetizing. Is your toast done, Light-kun?"
Light looked up from the toaster. "Soon, I thin-"
Pop! Thanking God, or whatever divine spirit was nearby, he quickly took the pieces of toast and set them down onto two separate plates. "Matsuda, can I borrow the butter?"
"But I thought you didn't-"
"Please?"
"Okay." Matsuda passed over the tray and knife with a confused look on his face. Light took the butter, decisively spreading some on one of the pieces of toast. The butter melted almost instantly, creating a small pool that slowly sunk into the bread. Pulling Ryuzaki slightly forward, Light moved over to a cupboard that contained all of the spices. Most were unopened as the task force usually ordered food, or made simple things like noodles. He pulled out the cinnamon and the almost empty sugar canister, ignoring the questioning looks both men were shooting at him.
With a crinkly noise, Light pulled the plastic wrap off of the spice and sprinkled it steadily on the buttered toast. He then scooped some sugar on and spread it evenly with a finger.
By now, Ryuzaki and Matsuda were both thoroughly confused- a first. For them to be confused about the same thing, that is, for Matsuda was confused a lot, and the Kira case often baffled L, even if it was for only short periods of time. Light didn't eat butter, and had admitted to eating his toast dry. Plus, the sugar. Light didn't even like it in his tea, let alone on toast.
"Here." Ryuzaki blinked.
"The toast is for me?"
"Yes. Please take it before my arm falls off."
"I don't think that holding a plate for approximately ten seconds would cause your arm to fall off." Ryuzaki replied dryly.
"Just take it."
Ryuzaki took it. With a slight frown, he picked up the toast with two fingers, a wave of sugar falling onto the plate. "How do I know that you haven't poisoned it?"
Light rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You were watching the whole time. Just eat the toast."
"You realize that your insistence increases the chances of it being poisoned."
"It would if I actually was Kira."
There was a pause as Ryuzaki stared at Light. In the silence, Matsuda started cheering, "Eat it!", his own toast forgotten.
Carefully, Ryuzaki bit into the toast, sugar coating his lips. Almost instantly his eyes lit up. "This is good." he remarked, his tone saying clearly that he had thought it impossible.
"Yes!" Matsuda yelled, happy that another person had been converted to toast love.
"How did you think of putting sugar and cinnamon on toast, Light-kun?" Ryuzaki asked between bites.
"I thought of it when Sayu was little so she would eat breakfast. She was a really picky eater then," Light said with a shrug. "I figured it had to be more nutritious than cake, though I'm not sure how much with all of the sugar…"
Ryuzaki finished up his toast. Not wanting to waste anymore time, Light grabbed his plate and followed Ryuzaki into the other room, leaving Matsuda in the kitchen.
With a happy smile, Matsuda grabbed his own plate and finally started eating his own toast.
"Hey- it's cold!" At least the butter wouldn't melt.
