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A/N: This fiction was originally written for a contest with the theme of superhero.
Please forgive my complete lack of knowledge towards Britain and Japanese culture.
The name order is written via Japanese, that is, Last name First name. And Raito Light.
I firmly believe Lawliet was only L's full nickname, but for lack of evidence, I am supposing in this story that was his real name.
Lastly, if you want to know what the last word is in Japanese (It really isn't important), then REVIEW AND ASK (flames get flamed back; critique accepted). Yes. This is my evil plot to drag in the curious to my scheme!! kukuku
Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note, Superman, America, Japan, or Great Britain. Pity. xD
Yoroshiku has multiple meanings in Japanese, but it is basically used to greet somebody who you've just met. I wanted to avoid using Japanese because some people aren't well-acquainted with it, but it was the only word I could think of to be properly used here.
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A little boy named Yagami Raito, no older than nine, approached the massive doors of Kantou Elementary. It was the first day of school since summer break and he was eager to greet his friends. However, when he walked into the classroom, he noticed a new student: a short boy (or so his hunch made him appear) with a wild jungle of coal-black hair.
Immediately, the other child's wide and curious eyes lifted to meet Raito. "Hello, I'm an exchange student from Britain. I'm here to study Japanese." An innocent grin sprawled against the cheeks of the eager boy. "My name is Lawliet."
However rude he didn't mean to be, Raito could only stare blankly at the boy who called himself, simply, Lawliet. Is that even his real name?
"What's your name?" Lawliet inquired, trying to 'wake' the unresponsive boy.
Raito blinked and shook away from the silence, answering, "Yagami Raito. Yoroshiku." Despite his usual apathy, he couldn't help but smile at him. He looked so ridiculous, but he seemed so kind and naive.
"Class, please take a seat now. My name is Izumi-sensei, and I'll be your fourth grade teacher this year…"
Raito was usually a good listener, but he was distracted after having met the strange Lawliet. Raito snuck a glance across the room and towards the back before he decided he'd want to talk to him more.
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At the end of the day, Raito immediately approached and joined him by his side. He smiled sincerely to him, though more for curiosity than politeness. "Hi."
"Hello again, Raito-kun." Eyes almost hidden behind that dusk hair of his, he continued looking straight ahead.
"How do you like Japan so far?" Raito asked. He knew it might be rude to ask him about England, so instead he used a more subtle approach to learn about him. Raito was fascinated by England.
"I'll let you know when I see the Sakura trees," he said, turning to Raito. He cast a curious glance at him for a moment, before looking back ahead.
"Then how do you like school?"
"It's kind of weird here. In art class, the teacher was showing examples of American comic strips with Superman. I thought she would show Japanese art.." he trailed off, habitually reaching a thumb and nudging it between his lips. How strange, Raito thought of his quirk, but he is a foreigner, after all.
"Does England believe in Superman?" Raito couldn't help but ask. He knew it was an American comic, but he wondered if it was popular in England.
"I don't believe in superheroes, but maybe other British people do."
"Why not?" Raito pouted. He wasn't much of a fan of the gaudy art, but he thought the stories seemed interesting.
"A superhero has superhuman powers and uses them to fight evil. There are at least two things wrong with that definition," Lawliet explained.
"And what is that?"
"Obviously, there is no such practical thing as a superhuman power. But even if there was, 'evil' is too specific of a term."
"Too specific?"
"Nobody is truly evil, no matter how you look at them." Raito mentally disagreed, but he continued listening anyway. "So if there's no such thing as evil, the superhero loses his purpose and ceases to exist." He smiled at this, almost cruelly.
"That's true, Lawliet-kun."
"Isn't it…"
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For some reason, whenever Raito talked to L, he was reminded of that fragile boy from so many years ago. He had left as quickly as he had come; after the next day, Raito had never seen him again. Some part of him might have missed Lawliet.
"Yagami-kun….I am sad," L said, a sad yet sentimental smile gracing his lips. Water drenched both of their bodies, but it seemed only Raito was uncomfortable. "You'll understand soon."
When L's eyes had closed, when Raito had thought he'd been victorious, when he saw the name Rem had written in her death note….that was when he understood.
He clenched the note close to his chest, that vicious smile vanishing from his face.
I don't believe in superheroes anymore, Lawliet-kun.
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潔白の終りだ。