L stood out in the rain, on the roof of the headquarters. The bell's toll; it had been loudly pounding in his head all day. Why was it so loud? What did it mean? He had a feeling.
Light Yagami had to be Kira. There was nothing else; no one else. But, that one rule...13 days...was standing in the conviction's way. L wasn't sure how he knew; maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was the desperation that had been clawing at him since the beginning of this case. No other suspects, and his desperate need to label Light as Kira could be his only reason for this feeling. But, no matter what it was, L knew he was to die. Today would be his last.
"Ryuzaki-san!" A call came from the other side of the roof, quieted by the rain L had been blocking out so effectively.
Looking at his to-be killer's face, his heart skipped a beat. It was normal, he supposed, to be nervous when looking into the face of death. "Light-san, hello..." He trailed off, staring off into the distance again.
Light's footsteps seemed to echo slightly as he walked toward L; his touch seemed almost to burn as he touched L's shoulder lightly. "Ryuzaki-san, what are you doing out here? You're bound to catch a cold!" Light's voice had the same cheerful tone, though they both knew that behind that voice was a monster. A cold, heartless monster.
Ryuzaki did not look at him. He paused before speaking softly, "Light-kun...do you hear them?"
"Hear what, Ryuzaki-san?" A slight, fake panic rising in his voice.
"The bells..." Ryuzaki tilted his head slightly, eyes glued to the nothing that seemed to fascinate him so much. "They seem louder than usual today. They almost seem to be...calling..."
L saw a flicker in Light's eyes. Yes, this was it. Before death, L would toy with his executor. Letting his human emotions take over, he would make Light feel deeply the pain he deserved.
"When death calls, we can't ignore it. It's quite a sobering fact." L continued, keeping the flicker in Light's eyes alive. "We do not control death, it but controls us."
"Are you sure you don't want to come inside?" Light's innocent voice broke the heavy silence, but it was only replaced with another shorter one.
"I suppose we should." L began his slow, careful steps back into headquarters. "We wouldn't want to endanger our health."
Once in the building, a blanket of white fabric landed in L's path of sight. "Dry off, Ryuzaki! You don't want to get the office all wet!" Light's friendly laugh echoed in the large room.
Light sat down on a bench, drying himself. L looked at the towel that had been haphazardly thrown to him, that had hit the floor. He bent down, picked it up, and walked over to the heartless young man to help him dry off.
"Ah!" Light looked at him in surprise. "Ryuzaki? What are you doing, don't worry about me--"
"Can't a friend help another friend out?" L innocently looked up at him. Lights danced in the killer's eyes. L was getting to him, if only a little bit. Of course, his outcome would not be changed. He, Lawliet L, would not be saved; but maybe others would be. Maybe the guilt would be enough to stop a murderer in his tracks.
"S-sure..." Light said hesitantly. He smiled down at L and, to anyone else, it would have been a genuine smile. But L saw past the lies. L knew...
The young detective felt a tug at his hair. Instinctively looking up, he saw Light dabbing at his hair with a towel. "You're still soaked. Worry about yourself first, Ryuzaki-san." Light chuckled.
Maybe it wouldn't be enough.
As the two walked into the office, L could feel his time on this earth growing closer and closer to an end. He sat in his familiar way on his chair in front of a welcome sight; his computer screen. Ah, his last enjoyable moments before death.
"L-san," Watari's disguised voice echoed through the room. The other members came walking into the room, as if on cue. "Congratulations. You have been approved."
"What is he talking about, Ryuzaki?" Matsuda questioned. "Approved? For what?"
This was L's last stand. His last chance to bring justice. "I have arranged for a prisoner, one who was to be executed in a little over 13 days, to participate in a test."
"A...a test?" Another dective's voice rang out.
"Yes." L paused. "I want...to test the death note. For real, this time."
Disapproval and shock spread like wildfire across the room. "Why? We already know the death note's power is real, why test it?! What is the meaning of this?!"
"We are very close." L's voice was firm. "This will...determine the outcome of this case!"
Rapid beeping sounded from the array of computers. Red lights flashed. This was it. This was the end.
"What's going on?!" A panicked voice rose above the computers.
"A complete data deletion." L remained emotionless. "I told Watari if anything were to happen to him, all data was to be--"
Ba-bump. L's eyes widened as he felt his heart beat for the final time. Everything began to fade and he slipped from his chair, onto the floor, into the arms of the one who had done this to him.
His eyes still open as his last breath drew to a close, the last image L would have painted in his mind was that of a homicidal maniac. Eyes but red slits, his mouth curled into a satisfied but crazed smile. Victory, an utterly victorious look carefully molded onto this creature's face. As L slipped away, he could see Light masking his pride; masking it with faux sorrow. But this "god of the new world" had no sorrow. For anything.
We do not control death, it but controls us. L had fallen; yet another victim in Kira's path of destruction and attempt to control the uncontrollable.