Title: Birthday Present for Ryuzaki
Fandom: Death Note
Pairing(s): None
Rating: G
Warning: Spoilers for volume 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note or any of its characters. Death Note belongs to Ohba Tsugumi-sensei and Obata Takeshi-sensei, the creator and artist behind Death Note whom we should thank for bringing us such a wonderful series. This is a non-profit fanfiction written by a fan, for the enjoyment of other fans.
Author's Note: This fic is meant to take place somewhere in the time period of Page. 38. Or in Death Note time - somewhere around August or September 2004.
"Here's for your birthday, Ryuzaki," Matsuda cheerfully said as he pushed a rather big box, wrapped in a white wrapping paper and tied up elaborately with a bright blue ribbon, to L.
"My birthday?" L looked up at Matsuda, his tone inquiring though the expression on his face deadpan.
"Yes!" Matsuda replied enthusiastically. "Please accept our present! This is from Chief, Aizawa and myself. I hope you'll like it!"
Standing slightly behind Matsuda, who had stepped forward to present the gift to L, Yagami-senior and Aizawa both gave a nod in agreement.
"...But it's not my birthday today," L said slowly. He placed the tip of his index finger on his bottom lip as he peered at the wrapped up box, leaning forward slightly.
Beside him, Light paused concentrating on the monitor before his eyes, turning his head to watch the conversation.
Matsuda immediately looked dejected. "Don't you remember what happened last week?"
One week ago...
"Here is Misa's present for you! Happy Birthday!"
Matsuda's eyes widened as he received the gift with both hands. "Wow! A present from Misa Misa! Thank you!"
"Happy Birthday." Aizawa's voice greeted Matsuda as he stepped into the main meeting room.
"Happy Birthday, Matsuda. Let's all continue to work hard this year."
"Don't dampen the spirits with talk about work, Yagami-san. Just for this hour."
Yagami-senior laughed softly. "Alright."
"Happy Birthday. Sorry that I didn't get you anything."
"It's alright, Light. I'm happy with your wishing."
"Happy Birthday. Watari will personally prepare a good dinner for you tonight."
"Yay!"
"Happy Birthday," Watari's voice sounded over the computer.
Matsuda hugged his presents, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. Despite the stress everyone faced with trying to find some new clue in the Killer case that had entered a seemingly bleak stage, they had remembered his birthday.
"Thank you, everyone! Even Ryuzaki remembers that it's my birthday today. I'm so touched!" Matsuda wailed, streams of tears finally rolling down his cheeks. "I'll remember all of your birthdays and celebrate them too!"
Matsuda looked around his teammates whom he had worked so closely with in the past months. He suddenly realised-
"But I know everyone's birth date except Ryuzaki's."
"I don't mind not celebrating my birthday." L responded. His eyes darted towards the birthday cake brought in by Aizawa.
"But..." Matsuda began to protest, then fell silent as it struck him - maybe Ryuzaki didn't want them to know his birth date. He pondered for a moment, and then looked up with renewed cheer on his face, "How about we hold a replacement celebration next week?"
L shrugged. "Anything."
Present
"Mm..." L mused as he recalled Matsuda's suggestion the week before. "I remember."
Matsuda's face lit up as he handed L the box, quickly adding "Wait! Don't shake it! It's fragile!" when L looked like he was about to shake the box to hazard a guess at its contents. "But go ahead and unwrap it."
L's bottom lip stuck out slightly, looking like - what one might call - a pout, as he clambered down from his seat. He shuffled to the coffee table (inevitably dragging Light along), set the box on the table, sat himself down on the sofa (Light plomping (gracefully) down in the seat beside him, looking slightly annoyed) and proceeded to unwrap the present.
The removal of the ribbon and wrapping paper revealed a plain white cardboard box. Lifting the lid, L's eyes visibly lit up.
A slender finger was poked cautiously into the object within the box; a blob of pink remained on its tip when it was pulled out. L lifted his finger to eye level, examining the blob for a few seconds before putting the top third of the finger, blob and all, into his mouth. A moment later, he pulled his finger out of his mouth and declared unblinkingly, "This cake is good!"
Matsuda's face broke into a wide smile. "Glad you like it! My friend recommended this confectionary - she says it's one of the best in Tokyo!"
"Where is it?" L questioned, already planning to let Watari buy cakes from there in future. Despite the phrase "icing on a cake", L felt that icing is a vital sign of the quality of a cake. If a cake's icing is good, its quality can't deviate by too huge an extent. And this cake's icing was very good.
"Here is the store owner's name card. It's at ------."
"Ah." Watari was probably listening to their conversation through the computer. Otherwise, there was still the name card.
"Ryuzaki, Misa has a present for you too! Here!"
For a moment, L merely stared at the very pinkly wrapped present that was pushed into his hands. Then, he began to unwrap it.
It was a well-known brand of chocolates. "A taste of heaven", the box proudly proclaimed. The corners of L's lips lifted slightly. Even if he couldn't be certain of the existence of 'heaven', he wouldn't disagree with the line if 'heaven' was as wonderful a place as people made it out to be. It was marvellous, rich milk chocolate.
"If Ryuzaki likes Misa's present, can Light and Misa go on a date tomorrow without Ryuzaki coming along?" Misa was fast to press on, her voice hopeful, when she saw the smile.
"No." L returned in a flat, that's-out-of-the-question tone.
Misa pouted. "Ryuzaki's so mean!"
"Ryuzaki." A voice from L's other side stopped L from further responding, if he was intending to do so.
L turned to the voice beside him.
Light was holding out a small square box to him. "Here's my present."
"Thanks," L said as he took the present from Light, the chain linking their handcuffs clinking softly with the movement at both ends. Was he giving this present as Yagami Light? Or Killer?
Light watched closely as L slowly peeled off the wrappings, then removed the lid of the box made of stiff cardboard. In plain sight was an item wrapped in dark-coloured bubble-wrap.
L gazed at the object for a moment, his thumb instinctively raised to his lips as he pondered. Then his right hand left his lips. He gave the inner bottom of the box, which the object rested on, a few pokes with his index finger. Finally, he replaced the lid without opening the dark-coloured covering.
The other occupants of the room looked on with varying degrees of puzzlement and curiosity - with the exception of Light, who remained expressionless as he observed L's actions.
L held the box to eye level - the way it was held precariously by two corners between L's thumb and finger making Matsuda worry that it would drop right out of his hands - feeling around the box with his other hand.
Finally, he brought the bottom line of the box to eye level, apparently peering at the bottom edge. Picking up the confectionary's name card that had been left on the table, L slid it into the box through a minute slit above the bottom, then pushed the card towards the right.
The bottom side fell open and a silver object dropped onto the sofa between L's drawn up legs.
A gasp of astonishment escaped from Misa.
L held up the shiny object by one end, a triumphant sparkle in his eyes as he twisted his head around to look at Light.
"So this is your real present?"
The bottom of the box was at least three centimetres away from the bottom, arousing suspicion of the existence of a second compartment within the box. A quick, but thorough, examination had revealed a simple mechanism, which unlocked the hidden compartment when an attached protrusion was pushed to the right so that it goes through a small, fitting hole, thus allowing the side in question to be opened.
He figured out the trick, but he had yet to figure out - what was Yagami Light trying to do? Was he merely playing a joke on him? Such a meaningless aim isn't like him. Or was he trying to test his abilities?
"Eh? But--" Matsuda exclaimed.
"You don't like watches?" Light's interrupted Matsuda, the tone of his voice conversational.
L cast a glance at the watch. "I don't like wearing them."
"I see. It's not your real present."
L eyed Light's impassive face, his gaze penetrating. Then suddenly, his peripheral vision took in a piece of information about a part of Light's body that instantly sent an alert to his brain. L's gaze immediately returned to the silver object in his hand, scrutinising the surface of the object.
Looking up again, L spoke, "This is your watch." It was a conclusive statement. Though Light preferred to wear long sleeves, which usually covered up the watch on his right wrist, L had the impression of occasionally seeing him check it for the time. Besides, on closer examination, the watch had several small scratches that proclaimed that it was not brand new, as one would expect for a gift.
"Yes." Light made no attempt at denial, his voice clear as he spoke.
The watch was dropped, hitting L's leg before slumping down onto the sofa, as L turned his attention once again to the box, removing its lid as he had originally done and began unwrapping the dark-coloured plastic wrap that concealed the object within.
A few seconds effort was all it took to reveal a pewter-coloured pocket watch. L pinched the end of the chain between his fingers and held it up. The round face smiled at him as it swung peacefully from side to side. It had a simple yet exquisite charm, which actually suited his taste pretty well.
Matsuda heaved a loud sigh of relief when he caught sight of the pocket watch. He began to explain his surprise at seeing Light's watch in the box earlier being due to the fact that he was the one who had helped buy the pocket watch according to Light's instructions, since Light, in his present condition, was unable to buy a surprise gift without L's knowledge.
"I felt you might like a pocket watch better," Light spoke quietly to L as Matsuda elaborated on a thievery he stumbled upon during the trip.
"You really understand me," L replied as he looked up at Light - into Light's inconceivable brown eyes. The sentence was laced with a double meaning, but the tone was amiable nevertheless.
"Thank you." Light responded steadily. Not for a moment evading L's gaze, he added a statement seemingly out of nowhere, "One needn't be overly suspicious." Do you understand, Ryuzaki? Stop thinking that I am Killer!
L's finger and thumb pressed harder together, exerting greater pressure on the bit of chain between them. Light had anticipated all his actions. Without a doubt, given his hate-to-lose nature, L was immensely annoyed at this awareness.
"Hmm..." L mused. "Point taken." But you being able to carry this through only makes me more convinced of the similarities between your mind and Killer's...
Light nodded, satisfied. A slight soft smile graced his lips. He leant forward, reaching for his deserted watch that lay limply on the sofa beside L.
L quickly swooped the watch up with his free hand, slipping it into his pocket together with his new pocket watch.
"Since this came in the box that is my 'present', I'll keep this as well." L declared.
Was that a grousing glare from Light? Though not reflected on his features, L was grinning inside.
It was a childish way of "getting back" at Light, but before he could think of anything better, L thought that he was fine with being childish.
Date started: 29 May 2005, 1:05am
Date completed: 29 May 2005, 3:14am
Last edited: 10 June 2005, 12:27pm
Reviews are always much appreciated. I would be most happy to know whether you liked the fic or not. However, please note not to include any details beyond volume 6 of the manga in your reviews as this writer has only read up to volume 6 and does not wish to learn of spoilers. Thanks!