After being named as Kira; Light Yagami dies on the fourth of November, 2004. For a reason he can't quite place, a young man with a letter for a name finds this twice as sweet then if he'd died on any other day. Two days later, on the sixth of November, 2004, young, beautiful, charming Misa Amane is arrested on suspicion of mass homicide. A trial is carried out as quickly and quietly as possible, and the girl is found guilty. She is kept under constant surveillance for the rest of her life.
Years later, Ryuuzaki, Ryuuga, L: they're all bored, and he catches wind that she still receives fan mail.
Life in darkness (L begs forgiveness from himself for the pun) is what it's like without Light Yagami. He was never in love, they were never friends. But things are so damn dull all the time, now. He recalls Misa Amane- who is alive and sound in body. Unhealthy, he recalls, in mind. A mind she gave to Kira; and L thinks to himself: Hell, he hasn't thoroughly fucked with someone's mind in a while. A mind so willing and broken, no less.
Watari- who, somewhere in the back of his mind, L is sad to see is getting quite frail- leaves him at the door with a soft "are you sure?". Watari knows best that L is simply being a childish sadist, but still, bless the old man's heart, he thought L had had more self-respect.
(L doesn't respond; though he does dimly remind himself that Watari will be dead one day; and then there will be no one to make the World's Greatest Detective's tea.).
He is able to see Misa alone, (he is L, after all); and, surprisingly, she is quiet when she sees him. She bares her teeth, however, and stands low, almost crouching in the corner.
He can't help the dully bubbling rage in the pit of his gut when her hideous eyes say 'at last'.
'Trapped animal', he thinks, but that's far too clichéd.
She's stupid.
Everything works better when she's stupid.
But she's certainly got Mr. Lawliet in some Hell of a trance, because the genius is completely floored for the first time in his life when she reaches out and touches him. As though she knew she'd have that effect.
As though she had the right to know.
"You probably should have visited his family."
"I'm not here for him."
And she's dazzling when she tilts her head to the side. He's expecting confusion. She doesn't disappoint. She terrifies.
"You were his friend."
"I lied"
"You loved him."
"I lied."
"You didn't say it."
She invites him to sit. Charming smile. She's getting older, but true beauty never fades; and she's so much lovelier with the scars and tired eyes and the anger that comes with living as long as she has.
And as dangerously.
Insults she won't understand burn on the tip of his tongue, he can feel them seeping into the cracks of his lips. She won't understand, but she'll know what they are.
"Social skills are a terrifying thing, Ryuuzaki"
She motions for him to sit, once more, and he kicks the offending chair into a wall, snarling. At once, her hands are at his throat and his at hers. He ceases moving, gives her an even look and she mutters "bipolar" under her breath, rolls her eyes. To kill her now would win the battle, but she's probably got dozens of Shinigami in waiting to wage the war.
He thinks it might be kind of racist, but he really, really hates Shinigami.
The way they want her alive.
The way the skin of her throat feels against his hands as she moves to kiss him and he clenches just tight enough to stop her trying- but they're closer. Touching her is like touching a part of Light, and as with the first Kira, he doesn't quite know what to do now that he's got it.
He'll probably let this one die on him, too.
Like an idiot.
If they kiss, she'll bite; even if she wants it. It's how thoroughly Kira has her by the throat, like he grips her pretty neck, now. She channels Him through dead, red eyes and says "L Lawliet"
But that's what he came for. And his smile is disgusting.
He grips her neck a little tighter. Won't let go for the life of him.
But he's fucked if he moves any closer.
He presses his forehead to hers. Lips that refuse to touch any part of her mumble inconsistent apologies and threats. Her hands move to rest on his shoulders and she doesn't quite know if she wants to push or pull. She hates him, but in the back of her childish mind, she reminds herself that he knew Light Yagami in a way that her lack of intelligence would never allow. Her intuition, however, screams at her that he knew everything she ever wanted to.
He'd tell her she couldn't take it; in a roundabout way that would take her a week to decipher.
The glorious part is: he thinks it will take her a month.
"Light" he says.
She slaps him, once, and he aims a hefty kick to her gut.
She grunts for a moment, and just like that, they're still again. His hands haven't left her throat. Outside, it's raining. The dirt will be thick on his feet when he leaves.
"Kira..." she hisses. "Kira."
"Dead"
"Right here."
And he slaps her, now. Her dead, red eyes don't move from his face. It's ugly, he thinks, stop looking at it. Stop it, stop it, stop it!
She doesn't. She says, instead, "You miss it."
Not Him. Not Her. The chase, the thrill, someone to compete with. A direction for his anger.
His throat clicks when he swallows and he nods. Presses her slowly against the wall.
They don't kiss, but by God, when his guard slips, she tries. And after L returns, Watari shakes his head at the bleeding nail marks on the sides of his face. Blood mixes with the taste of those forgotten, cruel words on his lips, and it's still raining.
As they drive away, he sees two young men standing atop the roof, ignoring the downpour. L Lawliet thinks of Light Yagami, and laughs until he vomits.