-The Little Things Give You Away-
By AishiExcel
Rich teen star Light Yagami has it all… fame, fortune, and a beautiful superstar girlfriend. But his fame and praise grows shallow and Light finds himself bored… Then one day he meets a mysterious stranger at a benefit ball and everything is turned upside down…(AU Light/L, eventual Mello/Matt)
DISCLAIMER TIME! 1.) I don't own Death note. L, Light… all their wonderfulness belongs to Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.
2.) I'd like to give a shout out to my sis Nikkiacat, author of the wonderful fics Body Swap and L's Day Out (plug plug). She helped me birth this plot-baby AND proofread the entire thing and as such earns half the credit for this fic. Go Nikkiacat!!
Okay, enough talking. On to the fic.
There are few who deny,
At what I do I am the best
For my talents are renowned far and wide…
Kira held his sword out with a few drops of blood still glistening on the blade. His black wings were already folded and hidden from mortal's eyes, but he looked as angelic without them as with.
His prey cowered in the shadows- where monsters like him belonged- and repeatedly whispered a prayer. As Kira advanced on him his voice grew frantic. "PLEASE GOD, PROTECT ME!" he screams.
Kira does not speak. God has abandoned this man already; he has been alone since he raped and killed two thirteen-year-old girls. Kira is simply sending him on to his Father for judgment.
Kira never wastes his words on the condemned. He simply passes judgment.
The man's prayers abruptly stop. His life is ended. Kira moves on into the silent night, ready to find the next sinner and send him on his way.
"CUT!" the director screamed. "That was perfect! Great shoot as always, Yagami!"
Light Yagami sat down the prop sword he was holding and helped his "victim" to his feet. "I guess so," he called out to the director, "but can we do something about this fake blood? It's everywhere."
The man Light had helped to his feet smiled. "Great take, Yagami! I was really feeling that one. For a minute there I was scared of you."
Light flashed his charming smile. "Thanks. I'm glad to know I'm good at my job."
There wasn't a teenage girl in the country that didn't know the name Light Yagami. The 18-year old celebrity had begun his career as a small-time theater actor, but a talent scout had discovered him and the rest of his story sounded like a Hollywood dream. Light had played a few minor parts in some major movies until he had been asked to star in the hit drama Heaven Sent. Light's starring role as Kira, the fallen angel who killed criminals, had sent him straight to the top. His name had been on many magazines' lists of Names to Look Out for and Rising Stars. Heaven Sent was one of the highest rate shows on television. And Light was every teen girl's dream guy.
It wasn't just his looks that distinguished him, though those definitely had a hand in it. He had perfectly straight dark auburn hair, mahogany eyes that were deep and soulful, and a slender yet toned body that had appeared in many a fantasy. And Light could AC T. It came almost effortlessly to him to slip into a second skin, an alternate personality, a new Self. The director had explained that Light had been chosen because nobody else had so easily BECOME Kira. All the others had ACTED like the part; Light WAS the part.
But what really set him above everybody else was the CONFIDENCE Light carried with him. Light truly did seem to be angelic; he floated above mere mortals on a cloud of confidence and grace. Yeah, he was that good.
And yet Light was… bored. There was no thrill for him in acting. It was too easy; too simple. Light spent most of his time pondering the hollowness inside of his chest where he imagined most people kept their troubles and pride. He had nothing but an empty cavity filled with spider webs and dust. He didn't know how to fill it; he just knew that he needed SOMETHING.
Oh somewhere deep, inside of these bones,
An emptiness began to grow
There's something out there, far from my home
A longing that I've never known
Light was lost in his usual train of thought when his manager Matsuda came running up, snapping him out of his reverie.
"Light! Brilliant as always!"
Something about Matsuda always reminded Light of a puppy. He would have looked right at home scampering around the park catching Frisbees in his mouth, or rolling at Light's feet wagging some invisible tail. His goofy smile was plastered all over his face.
"I swear, Light, you get better and better with each shoot!" the puppy-like man declared. "Now, you have a benefit ball tonight, don't forget! That hospital you made a donation to is opening a new wing and I hear a few photographers from People will be there!"
Light sighed. "Alright. It's black tie, right?"
Matsuda nodded far too enthusiastically. "Yeah! I'll be there too… I gotta get my tux dry-cleaned…"
Light rolled his eyes. Of course Matsuda would be the type who would only have one formal outfit that he'd gotten stained at his last event.
"Misa isn't coming, is she?"
Misa Amane… Light's self-proclaimed girlfriend… was also a star of Heaven Sent. She had come in last season as Aya, the doomed mortal girl that Kira had fallen in love with. Their chemistry on-screen was fantastic. After a while, fans had begun to notice, and a rumor had started about an offstage relationship between the two. Light had sensed good publicity, and Misa was all for it, so the two had agreed to a semi-relationship. Light took her to events and out on dates sometimes. It benefited both of them, since Light liked being in one of Hollywood's most envied couples, and Misa liked Light. A lot.
Before Matsuda could answer, Misa came running as if on cue. She was short, five foot four at the tallest, and pretty. If every teenage girl knew Light's name, then every man with a Lolita complex knew Misa's. The actor and model was the combination of 'cute' and 'sexy' that drove men crazy. She had fine, straight blonde hair and large brown eyes with long lashes. Her pouty, red-lipsticked lips and voluptuous curves were womanly, but her pigtails and Goth-Lolita costumes were childish.
Not to mention the fact that she had the temperament of an eight-year old with separation anxiety.
"OHHHH LIGHT! MISA-MISA HAS MISSED YOU!! WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY SCENES TOGETHER LATELY AND MISA HAS BEEN SOOOO LOOOONELY!!"
Light tried to pry the hyper bundle of Goth-Lolita off of him. "I know, Misa… um, you're choking me. And I've got fake blood all over me."
Misa loosened her grip. "Oh! Sorry my Light!" She buried her face in his chest. "I just wish I could see you more."
Light rolled his eyes. "Yeah. So do I." He could have easily hidden the fact that he was lying. But he didn't. As a result, it ended up sounding like he read the lines off of a cue card. "I just want you around. All the time." NOT!
Misa hugged Light even tighter. If she hadn't had tiny frail arms, a few ribs probably would have splintered. "Don't worry my Light. Love conquers all!"
Light boredly sat a hand atop Misa's head. "Yeah. Hey, are you coming to that hospital ball tonight?"
Misa sniffled. "No. Misa has a photo shoot tonight. She's modeling for that lipstick line."
Light sighed. He actually was disappointed she wouldn't be there. When he went to events like this alone he usually picked up a tail of giggling girls, some his own age and some old enough to be his mother. Misa was like a force field o drive admirers away. He may not have liked her, but she had her uses.
Misa snuggled her face even more against his chest. She was getting fake blood all mixed in with her carefully applied makeup. "So how has my Lighty been?"
"Please don't call me Lighty. I've been fine."
Misa giggled. "Why not Lighty?"
"Please don't Misa."
Misa pouted. It made her look even MORE childish. "Okay. Well, Misa has been fine. I had a photo shoot for that perfume company the other day and tonight I have that lipstick… Oh! And I got a new dress!" She stepped back and twirled around to show it off."
"You'd better get it washed then… You just got fake blood all over it."
Misa gasped. "Oh, NO! You're RIGHT! " She quickly kissed him on the cheek and dashed off. "I'll see you later my Lighty!!" she called out over her shoulder.
Light rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."
When Light got home that evening he didn't change immediately into his tux and call his limo driver to pick him up. He sat on his bed for a moment and looked around.
He was better off than a lot of adults in the world, let alone others his age. He had his own condo in a prosperous part of town, two cars, a driver, a maid, and he could hire anybody else he wanted to take care of stuff for him. He wasn't a billionaire, but he was definitely better off than your average working class man. He had a beautiful girlfriend. He was just famous enough to warrant interviews with magazines and media, but not enough to be hounded every step. As far as celebrities went he had it great.
So why was he depressed?
Everyone told him it was unjustified. People with good lives had no right to bitch and moan. He should be thankful for what he had.
But there was… nothing. Long periods of nothing where he simply felt empty. All his success and fame… it didn't do a damn bit of good. Light was just…
Empty. He was hollow.
Sighing, Light flipped open his phone and called his driver. He had an event to attend.
Oh there's an empty place in these bones
That calls out for something unknown
The fame and praise come year after year
Does nothing for these empty tears…
So! There it was, the first chapter of Little Things! What does everyone think? I want to hear your thoughts! L will be showing up next chapter, so keep reading. I actually have quite a lot of Little Things already written and I'm just hoping this will be the story I actually finish. I'm depending on your reviews to keep it going!
There are a few things I forgot to mention at the beginning of the chapter. Firstly, the title comes from a Linkin Park song and does not belong to me. I apologize if anyone else has already used this title!! My humblest apologies!! Also, I'll give a special shout-out to anyone who can recognize the song lyrics I used this chapter. I'm going to be doing this every chap and making a kind of contest out of it… The one who gets the most right gets a special prize!! Review, review review! Love and kisses!
-AishiExcel