White Lies
Part 1
The room was filled with the obnoxious, grating voice of Lindsay Lohan.
Raito hated Lindsay Lohan.
It made no sense for him to be listening to her, but the fact was Sayu had been counting down the days for the DVD release since she had missed the flick in theatres, and Raito was a very good brother.
He squirmed around on the overstuffed couch as he attempted to suffer silently through the film. Every once in a while he would glance over to watch Sayu's expression. This captivated his interest much more than the movie - she was ridiculously animated.
It had become a science, watching Sayu. Whenever she squinted her eyes, her mouth would open slightly, and her nose would scrunch up. It would stay that way until something amusing happened, then she'd smile, and a snort would tighten her mouth closed and flop her nose back into place. She'd raise her eyebrows and unconsciously lean in the moment she saw a cute boy – it was obvious to Raito that Sayu was getting into that love-struck age.
A rough laugh exploded from Raito's throat. He couldn't take it anymore.
Sayu whipped around to glare at him, "What's your deal?"
"This is making me dumber by the second," Raito tried to say under his breath, stretching out and grabbing the blanket folded on the back of the couch.
"Shhh. I'm trying to watch this."
"Trying to watch what?" Raito threw his arms up, "This mess attempt to act?"
"I don't get why you're complaining," Sayu pointed her finger, "You don't have anything else to do on a Friday night."
Raito crossed his arms and had to admit, it was true. But that didn't stop him from commenting, "Yeah, it's pretty pathetic I have to hang out with my sister instead of doing something fun."
"I'm going to kill you. Let me watch my movie!"
Raito was obedient and silent as he watched the timer on the DVD creep from 0:49:30 to 0:53:19. By 0:53:21, he couldn't keep quiet anymore. He began repeating the lines of the movie under his breath just to entertain himself. At 0:54:02, Sayu's fist collided unceremoniously with Raito's thigh.
"That hurt!" Raito said, bending over to grab it, "That's going to leave a bruise."
Before Sayu could say anything in retort, her phone rang from the coffee table on which their feet were resting. She shot Raito a glare as she picked it up with a, "Hey Misa!"
Raito grabbed the remote and paused the movie, knowing Sayu wouldn't want to miss an instant of the action. Raito's thoughtfulness was really selfishness - he couldn't deal with the movie another second.
"Yeah, we're actually watching it right now," Another pause, "Sure, bye."
He raised an eyebrow, "What did she say?"
Sayu grinned, "Misa's coming over and wants to watch the movie with us. I'm sure she'll want to see it from the beginning."
"Are you kidding me? I can't watch this again!" Raito's raised voice wasn't even for dramatics, he was that upset.
"Get over it. She'll be here in two seconds," Sayu looked at the paused screen and jeered over to the TV, "Now that might be the hottest boy ever."
"I don't know if I can take this," the man admitted.
"Let's grab something to eat upstairs," Sayu pulled the blanket from Raito, who was glaring daggers at her, "I need food to go with this wonderful movie experience."
Raito growled, but stood up and followed her.
They walked up the creaking wood steps from the basement and into the kitchen. Raito couldn't help but notice his thigh throbbing from the last punch, but nothing was comparable to the boredom and annoyance he was experiencing watching the movie. He was thinking about leaving when Misa got there.
Sayu was right, though – he didn't have anything else to do on a Friday night.
It had become ritual since Raito broke up with his girlfriend of six months. Sibling nights were mending his "broken heart" and normally he had a blast hanging out with Sayu. Tonight was a rare exception.
"We should have rented Anchorman again," Raito groaned as he pulled open the refrigerator and grabbed a beer.
"We've seen Anchorman over fifty times. Live a little."
"I don't consider this cinematic masterpiece 'living.'" Raito jumped up to sit on the edge of the counter, "Misa won't want to watch this; we should just run out and get something different."
"Misa told me it came out today."
"Really?" Raito asked, opening his drink, "I don't think I can consider her my friend anymore."
"Want me to warm up this Chinese from the other day?" Sayu asked, opening the Styrofoam box and smelling it, "I think it's still good."
"Can't we just order pizza or something?"
"Eh, we'll see if Misa wants any when she gets here. I guess I could go for some, you sure you don't want this?"
"I don't want your tofu leftovers," Raito teased and noticed as headlight flashed from in the driveway, "Looks like she's here."
Sayu decided pizza sounded good regardless, and tossed the old food into the trash.
Misa never knocked, and today was no different. She walked in with a smile on her face, basically covered by an overdramatic 'look at me' hat, "How is the movie so far?"
"A piece of crap," Raito interrupted, "And you're the one making us watch it from the start."
Misa stepped away from the door, a man following close behind, "Hey, I hope you don't mind I asked L to hang out with us too."
Raito had only seen L one other time at a party, but had never talked to him. L was too busy lurking in the corner, which didn't make Raito want to go out of his way to introduce himself. He wasn't aware him and Misa were such good friends that she would bring him to hang out.
"That's cool, you guys wanna order a pizza?" Sayu asked, grabbing the phone.
Misa looked back at L, "I do! What sounds good?"
L didn't respond, but pulled his hood off.
"I want a pepperoni pizza," Raito announced, "You two vegetarians can get your own. Do you want to split one, L?"
"Possibly," he walked in towards the younger man, "I know I've met Sayu, but I haven't really met you. You're Raito, right?"
"Nice to officially meet you, are we supposed to shake or something?" Raito looked at the other men with a laugh, "Do you want a beer?"
"This is my place, Raito!" Sayu opened the refrigerator, "Do you want a beer, L?"
'You mean mom and dad's' her brother wanted to add under his breath, even though the parents were out of town.
"I'll hold off. Thanks, though."
Raito raised an eyebrow at how direct and short the man was being. He wasn't sure if L was shy or arrogant. He was used to throwing friendly insults and teasing Sayu and his friend's, and all this 'please and thank you' talk was a strange happening inside the home.
With the phone in hand, Sayu looked at everyone and said, "You guys can go down stairs and start the movie. I'll call this in and grab some drinks."
"You mean destroy the movie," Raito grumbled.
"Not a fan?" L asked as Raito led the way down the stairs.
"How did you guess?" The man watched as Misa cut ahead of them and jumped onto the couch.
"Wanna know a secret?" L walked up closer and said in a hushed voice, "I saw it in theatres and I've never had something waste more of my time."
A smirk spread across Raito's face, "Now that's what I'm talking about. We can bash together."
"You bash the movie; I'll bash your heads in!" Sayu groaned, holding four drinks in her hands as she followed them down the stairs, "Are you two jerks going to give me trouble?"
"Of course not," L gave her an uncannily innocent (but almost creepy) look, "But I'll warn you that the ending is quite tragic."
"Don't say anything else!" Misa shouted dramatically from the couch, "I will disown you if you ruin it!"
Raito snickered and wrapped an arm around L's shoulders, "This guy's the only one who knows what he's talking about. This movie is appalling! Don't worry, if Misa disowns you, I'll take you in."
"I'm not listening!" Misa grabbed the remote control and pumped up the volume as loud as it would go as Sayu took a seat next to her.
L followed suit and took a seat at the chair alongside, and instantly brought his knees to his chest as he sat. Raito decided to be annoying and wedge himself between the two on the couch. He refused to sit on the floor.
As soon as the opening credits rolled, Raito threw his head back with a grunt and was reminded he much he hated the movie.
Luckily, fifteen minutes later, the pizza came.
Seven minutes later, the pizza was devoured, and Raito was up to three beers.
Two minutes after that, Raito was bored out of his mind again.
"I need a break," the restless man stood up and headed for the stairs, "I may never come back."
"I'll come with you." L stood before his self-invitation was accepted, earning a sigh from Misa.
"You're missing all the action."
"Even if Raito-kun runs away, I'll be back soon," he assured.
It was a little past midnight as the two men walked outside on the porch. Raito set his current beer on the railing and pulled out his phone to check his new texts. Raito offered L some of the practically new drink and as expected L immediately and cordially said no. Raito shrugged his shoulders.
"I think I ate too much," L took a deep breath. "I feel sick. Or perhaps it's because my diet usually doesn't include things such as pizza."
"I'm still hungry!" Raito leaned against the railing.
"I'm impressed. You ate more than half of it." L felt mildly disgusted at the thought, "Raito-kun must have a killer metabolism."
"Nah, it's just the drugs."
An awkward silence fell between the two of them.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding! It's a joke!" Raito cracked up, "I can always eat."
"You succeeded in making me slightly uncomfortable," L said and watched Raito put his phone away, "But it would make sense. Raito-kun's rather skinny."
"Skinny guys bother you? Because I hate to break it, but you're skinnier than I," He teased.
"Nope," L said in a completely monotone voice, "I don't have an affinity to people in general."
"I'm glad you're loosening up and playing along with me," Raito pushed his hand into his pocket, "You were so unreadable at the beginning of the night."
"Hm," L did recognize their bond over pepperoni and bad movies, "You're not as unreadable now as well."
After replying with a simple smile, Raito asked, "So if you already saw the movie and didn't like it, why come here to watch it?"
"I was hanging out with Misa and she wanted to come over. I couldn't say no."
"Well I'm glad."
L just stared, "Someone to share your pain?"
"Nah," Raito took a step in and smirked.
"Have something else in mind?" L backed up a little; unsure of what to expect.
Raito backed him into the porch railing and put his hands on both sides of L. L could smell the alcohol on the younger man's breath. But for some reason, when their lips met he didn't pull away. It wasn't a hesitant, sweet kiss, but it wasn't a dramatic sloppy kiss either. He was testing the water, which had to mean he wasn't entirely drunk.
L was interested in the situation and let his eyes flutter closed and Raito's tongue pushed into his mouth. Raito's arms looped around the other man's waist and pulled him closer. L still didn't make any advancement. He just let things happen; he didn't push further, but he certainly didn't pull away.
Both men weren't quite sure why it happened, but it felt organic – not right or wrong when it was happening, that was why L decided to then explore on his own. Tracing the arms around his waist, his hand trailed up Raito's forearms, grazed his shoulders and then brushed against his cheekbone near their kissing mouths.
They pulled away, pressing their own lips together and stopped.
"I just wanted to kiss you," Raito threw out. "I wasn't being a creep, it was just an urge."
L blinked, "It's fine."
What L didn't want to admit was that it was a little more than fine – he had actually enjoyed it a lot. He smiled back and plainly said, "I might want to kiss you again."
Raito raised an eyebrow, took the long, last chug of his drink and carelessly tossed it on the deck.
L stepped in and wrapped one arm around Raito's shoulder, another seized his face. Raito's arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him close. Their lips pressed together, and they were a couple of high-school kids, kissing for the sake of kissing, with no ulterior motives.
If only life was that easy.
End of part