8/19/10
...
There was simply too much tension in the air: Lawliet Ryuzaki had to step outside. He excused himself from the Task Force and took the hallway which lead him to the roof-top. When he closed the door behind himself, the cool wind blew through his coal, black hair. The air smelled like winter; tasted like a warm lemon bar: it was going to rain.
The detective walked slowly out onto the roof, passing the electric box, the satellites, and the small water-tower. He could just make out the faint, sad cries of the bells from a church- so far away, yet his ears were in-tune with even the smallest notes which made a lovely sound.
He stopped walking and stood near the water-tower and the railing. He looked up at the dark clouds as they churned slowly like a sea, suffocating every ray of sunlight in its unforgiving depths. It was while he stared up, that the first drop of rain fell from the sky.
The tear-drop stuck his nose, rolled down the left side of his smooth face, before slipping off of his skin. L looked down, watching the droplet.
The rain then began to fall- quick and cold against the man's body. His eyes softening, L noted that the first drop which fell, was not the first to hit the earth; it was almost as if the drop was attacked, shoved out of the way.
Saddened, the detective tried not to think about such a pointless thing- the death of water was not important. To ease the strain in his heart, Ryuzaki focused on the melody of the bells. It must be a wedding...
...
Light checked his watch; his eyebrows knit together impatiently. Where had L ran off to? With a polite smile, he turned from his position on the couch, and looked at Matsuda. "Hey, do you know where Ryuzaki went to?"
"Uhh," the young man looked around the room sheepishly, then back at Light. "Sorry Light, I dont." said Matsuda, shaking his head.
Light glanced over to the other two members, who only shook their heads.
Sighing, Light stood up. "He's been gone for nearly ten minutes..." he said, letting concern mockingly enter his voice. He said he'd be right back...I'm going to go find him."
Aizawa frowned slightly, but said nothing.
As Light left the room, Aizawa watched him as if he were an assassin about to murder a king. Or a god going to kill an angel.
It wasn't Light who closed the door behind himself; it was Kira. With a dark glint in his eye, he wondered what "the hell Ryuzaki was doing." He knew that he would never stop believing he was Kira; at some times, Light even wanted to tell L who he was, just to see his expression. Smiling inwardly, Light made his way down the halls in a slow, patient stride. Glancing at the windows to his right, he noticed it was raining.
Looks like a storm, Light mused. He put his hands into his pockets and kept his eyes ahead, not thinking much about the rain...
...
From his hiding place behind the satellites, the dark-haired boy crept forward. He had nothing in his hands, aside from the tiny dapples of cherry jam (of which had been thrown over the roof once it was empty). Regardless, the dark-haired boy approached the young man on the roof-top with dark intentions.
He had been searching for L ever since he broke out of prison. The dark-haired boy had once been a detective himself, raised in the well-known Wammy House until certain events caused him to leave. After that, he made up the name Beyond Birthday, and started his new life as a murderer. However, he was never caught, for the detectives who took the Beyond Birthday case(also known as BB case), was none other than the murderer himself; alongside a girl named Naomi- with the dark-haired boy calling himself Rue Ryuzaki- the murderer solved his own cases. But in each murder, there were clues: straw-dolls, the name of the next victim cut into the victim's body, and jars of cherry jam in the victim's fridge. The very last case Beyond had made, was an attempt of his own death, but Naomi managed to stop him in time. After which, he was put in prison on a life-sentence for all accounts of murder.
But now, he was free.
Why, he told himself, try to live up to L's standards, when I can simply replace him? After prior days of learning to be like L, the once-blonde-haired-boy dyed his hair black, and wore clothes which matched L's.
But most importantly, he wore gray contacts to hide his Shinigami eyes...
...
Lawliet Ryuzaki turned his head slowly behind him, expecting to see maybe a bird taking flight, or maybe even Light coming over to give him his long-over-due confession.
But to L's horror, he found himself gazing into a reflection.
That- that...cant be! He thought wildly. Beyond Birthday...?
The lighting stuck through the sky: the reflection's red eyes shone through the contacts.
That confirmed it. His eyes contracting, L backed away hastily, feet slipping on the wet ground, a scream escaping his lips.
But Beyond continued forward, a smile creeping on his face. "L!" he said in what L thought was cheerful. "So good to see you... for once..." B began to chuckle.
"No!" shouted L, his back hitting the railing of the roof. He pressed himself agaisnt the rail and grabbed onto it, his heart hammering into his chest. "No!" he cried.
The rain continued to fall, as if crying along with him...
...
The red-eyed boy was inches away from L now, and he put a hand against the trembling, wide-eyed detective's chest. "Yes." Beyond corrected. Under his fingers, Beyond could feel L's heart thundering, his limbs shaking. He relished in the other man's fear, and said, "I'm taking my place as king, now, Lawliet Ryuzaki." he read the name smoothly from the red words glowing above L's head, his voice sweet, almost like a lullaby.
L had a death-like grip on the railing, but it only took a small shove for the other man to panic and let go. A split-second later, Beyond had his hands back on L's body- he felt something in the man's pocket, and took it out. (A phone! How useful! He pocketed the phone as if it were his own.)- and he shoved the man off the roof.
Watching him fall- the "great detective" flaing his arms and legs, his mouth open in a muted scream- Beyond smiled and waved, but at the speed the other man was falling at, he was sure he couldn't see him. Or anything, for that case...
...
L went down screaming- as if screaming would sprout wings from his shoulders and allow him to land safely below; as if screaming would rewind Time itself; as if screaming would make him wake up from his nightmare.
But Lawliet knew better than that; even as he fell to his doom, he was fully aware that he was alive. He could still hear the distant sound of the church bells. His thought were frantic: How could Beyond be out of prison? Would he target the Task Force next? Was Light really Kira after all, or was Light really his friend? L held on to that last thought; it brought him comfort.
Into his screaming mouth, the rain fell and made L choke.
Two seconds later, Lawliet's back was broken when it hit the dark road; his head impacted the ground so hard that it literally busted open- sections of bones, mixed with hearty sized brain was sent skidding around the pool of blood that now served as L's final resting place.
The last thought that went through his mind, was this: "For whom, exactly, does the bell toll...?"
...
When Light walked past the roof, he noticed L standing in the rain, staring up in the direction of the storm.
Why is he out there? thought Kira angrily.
Frowning, Light opened the door and walked as close to the rain but still under the awning so he wouldn't get wet.
It was clear to Light that L could sense his presence; L turned his head towards him slowly, his expression blank.
Eyes knitting together, Light put a hand to his mouth and shouted over the storm, "What are you doing out here, Ryuzaki?"
L responded by leaning closer in a "I can't here" position, putting one hand at his ear.
Kira found that irritating and childish. He put his hand to the side of his mouth and repeated the question...
...
"What are you doing out here, Ryuzaki?" demanded the brown-haired stranger. Demanded Kira. Demanded the Savior of the World.
Beyond had heard of this "legendary" Kira; the man or woman who could kill by simply knowing the person's name and face. But Beyond was resourceful; he could not see the name above the man's head, so that proved he wasn't normal; something was protecting him. The power of the Shinigami, perhaps..? Even though Beyond knew of Kira, he himself didn't know how he killed the criminals.
It would be extremely useful if he were to find out how.
L had been tracking down Kira; it was all over the news; top story: L Confronts Kira Through TV! That date had long expired from Beyond's memory; he only cared about here and now.
And here and now involved teasing the man who probably called himself a god.
Smiling this time, Beyond leaned more forward, his hand for sharply by his ear. "I can't hear you!" sang his position.
The annoyed glare Kira gave him was a welcoming sight for B. As Kira came forward, the red-eyed young man knew he had to play his cards right if he were to really prove himself as L. Odds are, since Kira was with L, L had brought him in on the Kira Investigation, and knew that in doing so would either confirm the brown-haired boy was really Kira, or they would simply gain a new, yet brilliant, Task Member. In other words, L probably looked towards the boy in a sort of friendship.
But there was no L anymore. Only B.
Beyond turned away slightly Kira neared him, shoving his hands in his pockets. The rain by now had drenched him completely, but he still felt almost high after killing L, so a little rain didn't bother him at all.
"What are you doing, Ryuzaki?" asked the brown-haired man, almost moodily.
Beyond refused to meet Kira's gaze, not wanting his Shinigami eyes to glow again from the lightning. "Nothing in particular..." B hesitated, and heard the soft sound of bells. "It's just the bells..." he said quietly, looking up at the sky as he had seen L do before.
From the corner of his eye, B could see Kira's dumb-struck face, one of his hand over his eyes like a mini-umbrella. Pathetic... But Beyond didn't look at the brown-haired man.
Beyond waited, mentally adjusting his voice to be exact with L's...
...
Light blinked, and tried to listen, but all he could hear was the steady pour of rain dying on the roof-top. "Bells?" he questioned L.
L looked at him, then back at the sky, saying, "Yes, the bells are really loud today." added L earnestly.
What is this, is he testing me based on my answer? Light thought.
Light followed L's gaze, looking across the dark town. He still could hear nothing. "I don't hear anything." he told L slowly, looking at him with a suspicious expression.
"Really?" asked L. His tone was conversational. "The conditions are favorable today," he explained, "so you can't help but here them."
Light sighed inwardly, confused, as L just looked up into one of the satellite disks. "It's a church." he said at last. "Maybe a wedding...?" he thought out-loud. "Or..."
Enought already! "What are you talking about, Ryuzaki?" Light demanded, lowering his hand from his face...
...
So I finally made Kira tick... Beyond looked at the brown-haired boy, offering a mocking look of a startled deer of which he belived L would have showed if he were in this situation. With a sudden jolt, B realized that what was happening now probably was what would have happened to L- the same conversation... Feeling more pressure than ever, Beyond truely was taken aback for words.
"Don't be saying such useless things." said Kira suddenly, as if asking him not to bring up the embarresing subject of bed-wetting. "Let's go back."
Apologize. Beyond looked down, and said, "I'm sorry." He turned from the brown-haired boy fully, and let the whatever words that came to mind, out into the rainy air; "I'm distant in my relationships with everyone." saying this, B felt like he was mocking Lawliet. This brought Beyond pleasure. "I don't trust anyone either." he added.
He kept his face down, eyes his vacant. The cold wind blew over his body: It was all he could do not to shiver. Keeping his body ridged, yet remaining to hold the appearance of one who is loose, Beyond stood still in his endurance...
...
The nerve of that guy! Light thought loudly. He barred his teeth in frustration, trying to figure out what L was planning. Was there a hidden meaning in L's words?
But L gave no hint; he stood still as a statue, not even blinking.
But why...?
Then it clicked.
Smoothing out his face, Light managed to sound friendly. "That's true, Ryuzaki." he said lightly. "You try not to get involved with any relationships." But Light wasn't finished; he had conquered up the perfect playing card, and he was laying it down; "If it's something that shouldn't be, you shouldn't get involved in the first place." he added. By now, L was giving him his direct attention. Kira added; "I know that the best."
Looking away from him, L just said, "Yes, that's how it is..." There was a brief pause. "But, you're the same as me."
The same? Naomi mentioned I reminded her of L, but for L to say it himself... It's just offensive. Light looked at the detective and said, "What do you mean?" You better give me a straight answer, Kira thought at L...
...
The Shinigami-eyes-man turned his head at the brown-haired boy. Show him the way the world works- let him glimpse at your secret life.
"Since you were born, have you ever told the truth even once?" Beyond asked simply.
B chuckled inwardly as he saw anger and confusion flicker in Kira's eyes. He met the killer's gaze coldly, keeping his face expressionless.
"What are you saying, Ryuzaki?" was all Kira had to say.
Still more questions, never a direct answer... But then he continued.
"It's true I tell lies occasionally," the brown-haired boy said, "However, there arent any humans-"
Humans? Beyond thought.
"-who have never told a lie."
He wouldn't categorize humans unless he had met something else- some other being who has the power to lie... Otherwise, he would have just said "isn't anyone," wouldn't he...?
The murderers stared at each other, seemingly oblivious to the rain.
"People cant be perfect," continued Kira. "everyone lies."
Beyond was silent, listening to the other man speak. He sure can talk when he has a subject he's familiar with, mused B...
...
"Even so, I won't tell lies that will hurt the ones I love." Light finished.
At least that part is true, thought Light dryly.
"That's my answer." he added.
L stared at him a moment longer, the darkness under his eyes vivid on his pale skin. He looked away with almost a grudging expression. "I guess that's why you're popular," he said.
What does that have to do with anything? wondered Light. Is he saying that he's willing to tell a lie, even if it means causing his friends harm?
"Let's head back." Light suggested. "We're soaking wet." he stated, as if L hadn't realized it himself.
"Yeah.." agreed L.
So they went inside, and Light got some towels from one of the bathrooms. He gave one to L, who wandered off, as if exploring.
Sighing, Light sat down on some stairs and took off his shoes. He set them a few steps down while he dried his hair. Damn that Ryuzaki... he thought darkly. Why does he have to be so...unpredictable?
The sound of wet feet slapping gently across tile made Light aware of L's pressence. But L was the one who started talking first.
"What a terrible rain storm." he said.
"It's your fault," retorted Kira. "You were the one standing outside in the rain."
Light continued to dry himself, wiping his face...
...
"That's true," Beyond said, amused. "I'm sorry." He stood behind Kira, watching him for a while. His towel was slung neatly over his dark hair to protect the black-dye from leaking out- though the box, when he used it, claimed it was permanent.
L was probably more friendly then I'm allowing myself to me, figured B. I'll give him a foot-massage.
So he slipped the towel from his hair and walked down towards Kira. Glancing at him, he noticed that Kira didn't see him bend down by his feet. All the better, he thought. A friendly little surprise.
Beyond took hold of one of Kira's barefeet. He heard the other man's startled in-take of breath.
"What are you doing, Ryuzaki!" Kira said, alarmed.
Beyond froze. Was he doing the wrong thing...? B met the brown-haired man's eyes and said meakly, "I thought I'd give you a hand." Adding more nicely, he said, "I'll help you wipe dry."
"No thanks, you don't need to do that." Kira said instantly, uncomfortable.
Clearly this boy isnt gay, thought Beyond. What a relief.. I'll have to say something that will ensure I am only being nice.
"I'm going to give you a massage, too." he said, like a warning.
The other man leaned away, giving in.
"It's the least I can do," Beyond said eagerly. "And I'm also pretty good at it." He waited, with one hand holding the heel of a wet foot, and the other a wet towel which smelled faintly of hair-chemicals...
...
Light couldn't keep his gaze on L's any longer; he looked away, saying, "Do what you want."
"Alright," came L's happy reply.
Light stared off at the windows, where the rain still fell outside. He felt the warm, slightly damp towel brush across his foot, but refused to look- Light flinched and glared down at L as he began giving him a rough foot massage. "Hey-" he started to complain.
"I'm almost done," assured the detective.
Sitting still, Light looked down at L as he worked out the tense muscles in his foot. Water dripped in diamond-like crystals from his coal-black hair, shattered in wet prints across his exposed foot.
Is he too focused on me to worry about himself? wondered Light in his thoughts. He didn't even finish drying off! He picked up his own towel from beside him and touched it to the other man's hair.
"Here," he said, moving the towel across the hair which cover his face. "You're still wet." The annoying droplets gone, Light withdrew...
...
For a horrible moment, Beyond thought that the towel would be left with sooty smudges of dye. But when he looked up, he saw none. Beyond looked back down and noticed the wetness on Kira's foot. Wetness which came from Beyond's hair.
"I'm sorry." B apologized. He picked the foot back up and continued to rub it.
In all his life, Beyond couldn't remember being this close to another person. Not close in a relationship, but close as in physical. Beyond wasn't aroused by Kira's nature or anything- he simply realized how lonely he really was.
After the half-a-year in prison, and the weeks of hunting for L, he never even considered the ache in his heart being more than just a sudden craving for cherry jam.
This Kira person seemed to have a lot to say about love, pondered Beyond. So he is probably in a relationship. I wonder if I could get in on that...
Wait, what was he thinking? Relationships were too complicated, remember? It was better to be distant. It was better to be loved than be in love- or, in this case, it was better to be L.
But how could be maintain his disguise as L without the comforts of a jar of jelly? A beautiful, blood-red jar of jelly...
His obession with all-things-red started when he first looked into a mirror and saw his own red eyes; since then, he became attracted to it, and craved it as one would crave drugs; if there were no mirrors, he'd open a jar of jam; no jam? He'd cut into himself with his fingernails to see the miracle of life bleed out all over himself...
But now..?
He'd just have to stop by the store one of these days. But when would he get a chance like that? Would L really show himself in public after all these years to buy a gallon of fruit preserves? It was completely out of L's character!
Beyond stopped massaging Kira's foot, and said, almost to himself, "I'm sad." He felt Kira's body turn, and could feel his eyes on him. B looked up and said, "You'll understand soon enough."
But Beyond highly doubted his own words...
...
Light stared at L, not knowing his mouth hung open. Ryuzaki was expressing so many emotions today... Was L depressed, or was he just trying to test him again?
Light heard an odd vibration, and watched as L dug his phone from his pocket and stood up. He flipped it open and put it to his ear. "Hello." said L.
Light glared at the detective, who turned away while he listened to the voice on the other line.
So that's how it's going to be, is it? thought Light. You must think you have me eating out of your hands- like a little bird. But you're wrong, L. Your petty little remarks aren't fooling me one bit.
"I understand." L said into the phone. "I'll be there soon."
Light watched L flip his phone closed and put in away.
"Why dont we go, Light?" Ryuzaki said suddenly. He refused to look at Light as he continued. "Things might turn out well after all." And with that, L started to leave.
Light stood up and followed, thinking the same thing, but for an entirely different reason...
...
(I do plan on making more. Unitl then, please tell me your favorite part of the story, and your least. To make things more interesting, I'll work on my story based on your answers.)
