Here we go! This is my first DN fic ever...so wish me luck! I've wanted to do my own take on a Kira wins scenario, and I've had plenty of wonderful inspiration in the past six months! Yes, that's about how long I've been working on this idea...and what better way to celebrate a first fic in a genre than to publish on the birthday of your fav character? (Even if it is with a fic that he gets regularly tormented in) I will warn you that I tend to be a rather slow writer and I'm easily distracted by shiny objects. Especially if those objects are in Vegas along the strip, where I sat in the VIP section of Rain and wrote my first draft of the chapter Asphyxia. I then went back to the city of neon lights to work on a later chapter and I might go again in a month and see what happens then. Is it any wonder why they call it Sin City?
WARNING! This story is not only rated M, but more accurately qualifies as a dark-fic. In other words, it not only contains yaoi, but also torture, non-con and if you have problem with murder then maybe you're in the wrong place after all...I would advise anyone who has a problem with any of those things to turn the other way. There are also spoilers for L's real name...but let's face it. Wasn't that one of the first things you were dying to know? Didn't you go out of your way to find out what it was? Have you created a user name on here incorporating it as your very own? Or were you one of those people who didn't and decided to use one for another character? Believe me, I thought about doing it too, in the vein of Palahniuk's character Tyler Durden, spouting off such priceless gems as "I am L's complete lack of surprise", or "I am L's pancreas in diabetic shock". Catchy, but way too long to be taken seriously.
Disclaimer: I own a lot of things. However, the characters in this fic are not among them. All credit for their brilliant creation goes to Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.. Also, I make no profit from this...but wouldn't that be the best job in the world? To make a living writing about my fav characters and making them dance to all the yaoi inspired goodness in my head? Oh, what a wonderful thing it is, to dream!
Chapter One: Homo Homini Lupus
Odi et amo. Quare id faciam fortasse requiris. Nescio, sed fieri sentio, et excrucior ~Catullus 85
I hate and I love. Perhaps you may ask why I do this. I do not know. But I feel it happening and I am tortured.
L opens his eyes as if he has just awoken from a very bad dream. Pain slices through his usually keen perceptions and he immediately closes them again. He can't remember why he's in so much pain, and drifts in and out of states of confusion as if he's drugged, as the steady thrum of his pulse distinctly felt in his temple grows stronger. Gradually, he begins to gain consciousness as blurry forms begin to gain clarity from the darkness. Although he can barely think with the sharp ache in his head, L immediately knows he is in danger.
Cautious fingers work their way through ebony hair and gingerly encounter a thick stickiness, and he pulls his hand back down to confirm the coagulating blood coating his fingertips. He rests his forehead against what feels like a concrete wall, his vision beginning to clear from the hazy images around him. The lighting is unusually dim, even by his standards and he is alone. His head pounds heavily, merely adding to the distress that his injury is far more severe than he had originally determined. A noticeable chill rushes across his skin and he lazily tries to raise his other hand across his chest when a metallic clink chimes the air and stops him. His eyes glance down to see that he is restrained by a cuff which is chained to a metal ring attached to the floor. L pulls his knees up to his chest and hugs them tight with one arm as a wave of severe nausea washes over him, breathing deep to keep his panic under control. L's gaze quickly follows around the room, trying to take in every minute detail with his current situation in mind. There appears to be a door, light streaming in from the bottom and the top of it, but otherwise his surroundings are dark. He barely sees anything else in the room, and his intelligence tells him to stay calm even as his senses rush into a swivet.
L distinctly remembers falling from his chair, the monitors blank, confirming that all files had been deleted as he had witnessed Watari's collapse. His eyes had instantly found Raito staring back at him from across the room, unaffected by the events that had started to unfold.
He closes his aching eyes for a brief moment when a last memory blazes through his thoughts, a set of hellish red eyes staring straight through him.
L Lawliet.
His eyes hurriedly snap open as his heart begins to race frantically, his hand grips at his knees tightly with a brief gasp.
Misa has said his name. Amane Misa, the second Kira had known his name and said it aloud as he had tried to evade someone who was intent upon chasing him down. His first Kira suspect, Yagami Raito, who had merely smiled with an arrogant charm as his colleagues fell one after another, stepping casually over the body of his own father who foamed bloody at the mouth in his final death throes. L had sprung to his feet and backed away in horror as Raito had continued his approach towards him, his expression warm and deadly. The bells had rung loudly in his ears as he sought to put as much distance between them as possible, running on pure instinct to the exit towards the main control room. Even if he only had time to set the main control system to lock down, Kira would be unable to escape the building and would die isolated and alone without the security codes to get out.
"Congratulations, detective. It looks like you were right after everything that's happened. Turns out I was Kira all along. Aren't you pleased? You solved the biggest case of all time! I bet everyone would be proud of you ...if they were still alive. Come on L, don't run. You'll simply die tired..."
L had fled the room only to realize with a remorseful glance that the building was running only on emergency power, not enough for the elevators to function, which meant that he would have to reach the stairwell before Raito caught up to him. He was able to descend the first flight when he stopped cold in his tracks the moment his bare feet touched the landing as he gasped in horror at the sight of Misa Amane who stared back at him with blood red eyes. The same shinigami eyes he had seen when Rem had become irritated with his questioning, answering his persistent inquisition with only clipped, vague responses. Misa smiled sweetly at him, her almost childlike innocent gaze instantly unnerving him as she pursed her lips into a disproving scold and seemed to glance over his head before that dreaded confirmation of her powers fell boldly from her poisonous lips,
"L Lawliet."
He barely had time to register that Raito had caught up to him in his hesitance and had only slightly turned to catch a glimpse of a dark object striking him harshly before pain overwhelmed his senses and his vision faded to black.
It is then that L breaks out in a sudden sweat in spite of the cold which pervades his limbs, exhaustion creeping into his mind although he knows he should remain alert. Where am I, and how do I escape? His mental train of thought struggles to focus through the painful haze of his concussion as his fingers once again touch his scalp to determine the extent of his wound. The bleeding has stopped for the most part, but the injury is swollen and sore and would leave a noticeable scar on the back of his head.
If you have the fortune to live that long... his brain tediously supplies to add to his rising paranoia, but the detective knows that this is not the time to waste on fear and miscalculation. Would it matter if he escaped or not? How far would he make it before Raito would notice his disappearance and simply write his name down? His keen mind takes off in a fit of deliberation, all the possibilities of what powers Kira had at his disposal coupled with the raw rationing intelligence of Yagami Raito.
A vague summary of the events that had lead up to his abduction rattles through his mind. In order to explain the situation as he can currently assess it, Kira would have had to control various members of the Task Force to defeat the security system within the building. However, Watari had been the only one outside of himself that possessed the pass codes for the main entries into the investigation headquarters. L closes his eyes at knowing that Watari had been controlled in the moments prior to his death, and had fought from sheer will to follow his instructions in the worst case scenario. What plans did Kira have for keeping him alive, and what would he force him to do before he either committed suicide in a horrible manner or met with a violent accident? Could Raito be merciful enough to let him simply die of a heart attack?
For some reason, L doubts that his adversary would let him get away easily with a quick death. No, not after being kept prisoner under surveillance in a cell for over fifty days, and then forced to endure being chained to his enemy for months afterward. L had tested the teenager with shrewd scrutiny every waking second of the day, and even observed the younger man as he had slept peacefully, often curled up and still as if he had not a care in the world. It had been such an act of perfection, so stunningly convincing that L had realized back then that Raito could only be the most dangerous of sociopaths. The rare breed of criminality aligned with intelligence and purpose, every move both physical and mental a well premeditated placement of intention like pawns on a chessboard.
He glances down at the chain binding his arm and then at the dim room around him, and the irony of his situation is not lost on him. Of course, a simple, clean cut death would not do, otherwise he would already be dead. Kira's imprisonment of him is purely personal, a well thought out decision given the preparations of the place he is currently incarcerated in. Such aforethought plans require sufficient intent to make them worthwhile, and the deduction causes a sudden anxiety to grasp his chest in a tightened crushing sensation.
L is instantly afraid, because he knows all too well that the odds are against him. Kira only needed a name and a face to kill him in anyway he could imagine, and Raito is now in possession of both. Even without that factor, L knows statistically after his initial assault that the very circumstances of being taken to a secondary crime scene severely decrease his chances for survival. He has been brought here for some purpose by his enemy and all possible scenarios as to why are grim. The prospect that his assailant plans to kill him are over 90 percent, and the probability that Raito would do so personally without using the Death Note were climbing steadily by the second. Nevertheless, L is certain that no one on the Task Force is alive, and that Watari was among the fallen victims as well. A redolent pang of regret shoots through his headache and he closes his eyes to hold back the surge of emotion that memory evokes. He feels the tang of bile threatening in the back of his throat and struggles to keep calm as lividity maneuvers in and overthrows the sensation of terror lurking in his gut.
Instantly, his eyes flash open as the metallic sound of a clicking lock meets his ears. L turns to face the direction of the noise as light floods the room with a blinding brightness that dims his vision in a wave of pain that only makes his nausea worse. He blinks rapidly until he can finally see the individual who has calmly entered, his gaze wide as he meets the lethal scrutiny of golden brown eyes that view him with slight amusement..Raito is immaculately dressed as usual, his perfect grace exuding more confidence than L feels up to dealing with. The detective's gaze narrows furiously, as the younger man pulls a chair from the corner and sits down in it nonchalantly, sparing his captive a spry smile before breaking the tense silence with an almost dulcet tone,
"How do you feel? You've managed to survive a serious blow to the head."
L yanks on the chain to show his annoyance and snaps back in reply, his tone a pretense of unaffected,
"Was it meant to kill me? Kira-kun sounds disappointed."
Raito shrugs noncommittally as his gaze wanders in a uninterested, almost complacent detour and he sighs,
"In due time, I suppose. I came here to make sure you were still alive. It wouldn't suit my purposes for you to die just yet." He looks slightly bored as he examines his fingernails with a slightly disgusted expression before glancing back at his captive and endowing him with another rare vicious smirk.. L did his best to perch in his customary sitting position, but the chain is much too short to comfortably maintain it for very long. He didn't bother to hide his aggravation as he states,
"Does Kira-kun plan to keep me here for very long? I'm tired and would like to lie down."
Raito stares at him and lets out a soft laugh that shows in his eyes as he retorts,
"You can sleep on the floor. Besides, it's not as if you sleep long enough to require a bed. Stop with the references to me in third person. You can address me directly, I will grant you that privilege if you behave yourself properly."
L grumbles, his voice low and sardonic, but the bare concrete walls and floor do nothing to disguise it,
"I suppose that's as good of a confession as any..."
Raito lets out a genuine laugh at that and leans back as he reaches into the pocket of his jacket, gracefully retrieving a hypodermic needle, holding it up to glint in the light for his captive to see,
'I did consider keeping you hostage in the same cell that you had imprisoned me in, but then the moment I considered it I realized it was too good for you. Since I will be the only one to make sure you atone for your sins, I must make sure the punishment fits the crime. Although your remaining time is limited, I've gone through great lengths to insure your captivity. Try to behave yourself as much as possible and I will allow you small privileges. Let's start with this."
Raito rises from his chair and takes a step towards his cautious adversary, who immediately uncurls his legs from their usual position and braces his back to the wall, posing in the best stance he can manage to kick with the most potential to inflict injury.
"I may be Kira's prisoner, but I refuse to be his bitch. Yagami-kun will have to fight me tooth and nail to get anything he wants from me."
Raito takes another step forward, shaking his head slightly in disapproval as he sighs and grins,
his voice saturating with faux sincerity and barely hidden malice,
"Don't make this difficult on yourself, I really don't want to have to hurt you."
He bravely steps forward, mentally preparing for the attack that would knowingly follow. L immediately thrusts his leg out towards him, barely missing, as the chain on his wrist becomes taut. He mentally curses himself for being so off balance as he tries to correct his balance. The drug still within his system makes him inaccurate and he focuses on strategy rather than force. If he allows Raito to come in closer range, the potential for serious injury to his captor increases. However, it also means that he must subject himself to greater risk, but Raito is faster and currently the stronger of the two. L quickly discovers he had very little range for movement and finds it difficult to propel a decent kick without momentum. The younger man's arm roughly grasps his limb before pinning his other leg against the wall, rendering the detective immobile from the waist down. L's begins to fight his captor in earnest when Raito grabs him by the hair and slams his head back against the concrete.
L cries out and stops struggling immediately and instinctively brings his arms up to cradle his head as he recognizes a sharp pinch in his thigh. Within seconds, he begins to feel very sedate in spite of the excruciating throb of his concussion as Raito slowly releases him, guiding his body to the floor before reaching into his back pocket to retrieve a handful of black zip ties. He takes hold of both of L's wrists and wraps one of the ties around them before securing it snugly in place. L wills himself to respond but finds that he feels unusually disconnected and too light headed to struggle. What manner of drug has Raito injected him with? L barely rationalizes trying to move, much less fight back against this new development, his eyes travail to remain focused. Nothing makes any sense, and he feels a distinct lack of concern, although his mind reminds him to remain alert. L intensely labors to remember exactly what had been so important mere moments before, and his eyes grow lax and dazed and he stares complacently at Raito's hands, entranced by their lithe grace in holding him upright.
Raito pulls him up into a sitting position, taking his head and pulling it closer to inspect the freshly bleeding wound before snorting in disgust. He steadies L against the wall and rises to his feet to leave, and L waits until he hears the distant sound of a door closing to collapse back onto the cold floor, heaving sickly as the nausea gets the best of him. It appears as though only a few minutes pass as Raito reenters the cold room, a small plastic box of medical supplies in hand. He kneels down and shakes L awake, forcing his eyes open before resting the older man's head in his lap while rummaging through the box. L drowsily opens his eyes when the acute sting of antiseptic burns his damaged scalp as Raito cleanses his wound. After several torturous moments where L is certain that the pain can get no worse, Raito pulls out a threaded suture needle from a small packet and sets to work. As the agony begins to overcome him, he drifts back and forth in a dissociated haze before succumbing to unconsciousness. Raito finishes the final stitch and upon seeing L completely incognizant, gently rests the detective's body back to the dismal gray concrete floor.
Although L will be completely unaware of it, Raito returns to his chair and watches over him that first night. After checking L's steady pulse every few hours, Raito finally leaves the room and secures it as day began to break. L is now his to control and punish, and the detective would pay dearly for his insolent attempt to destroy Kira. Raito will make sure that L had the chance to witness what kind of world he would create, and suffer humiliation at the hands of his new god. Once L came to realize the full extent of his failure, Raito would painfully end his life as an example to all, as to the heavy price of interference with Kira's plans. Raito would become the god of a new world, and L would be the first prized sacrifice on his private altar, for their embittered battle had become altogether personal.
A/N: The Latin phrase "homo homini lupus" means "man is a wolf to man" or "man is man's wolf". It's usually used to describe the capacity for humans to commit violence against mankind, and I felt it was a perfect choice to describe the events of this chapter, as well as a description of Kira's indifference to kill those he considers unworthy.