A/N: I just had to write a story with Soichiro in it, 'cuz I love him so much. The horizontal line represents point of view change. Rated K+ for implied violence.
Disclaimer: The only way for me to own Death Note would be for Kira to grant me the rights to it. Death Note belongs to the genius duo of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. And since I can't hire out my services like L, this story isn't making me any richer.
Protect You
Soichiro jammed his key into the lock and turned until the bolt clicked. He pushed the door open and tugged off his shoes. The glowing numbers on his wristwatch read 3:07. He groaned as he removed his overcoat and tossed it over the back of a chair. L had managed to keep him and the others very late. His feet dragged as he headed to his and Sachiko's bedroom. But he was distracted by light from the top of the stairs. Why had Light stayed up so late?
He knocked on his son's bedroom door.
"Light?" he whispered. The bolt slid back as Light unlocked the door. Soichiro was troubled that his son shut himself behind a locked door, but with Kira around, he understood why Light wanted his bedroom locked.
"Yeah, Dad?" Light replied from a small crack between door and wall.
"You should be in bed," he said. Even though Light was old enough to make his own decision about bedtime, Soichiro still felt the need to repeat the fatherly advice.
Light laughed. "What about you?"
Soichiro didn't answer. His work had kept him out late before. Light didn't have a good reason to stay up so late.
"You okay, Light?"
Light opened the door wider as though to put him at ease. Soichiro saw a textbook lying open on his desk and three more piled next to the open one.
"Were you having trouble sleeping because of Kira?" Although Soichiro didn't want to bring Kira up, he thought Kira must be the real reason that his son was still awake. Light looked away.
"Kira's always on my mind, Dad," Light replied quietly.
"I know what you mean. You can't get away from news about Kira no matter where you go. But I'll stop him."
"There's no stopping Kira."
Soichiro sighed. "I know. But I want to protect you and Sayu. I don't want you two to take your first steps into the world in fear." He massaged his chest absent-mindedly, and Light was quick to notice.
"What's wrong?" he asked anxiously.
"It's nothing," Soichiro answered, taking his hand away from his chest. But he knew he had not convinced Light, because Light's keen eyes continued to stare at him.
"Just be careful. We don't want to lose you to Kira."
Soichiro smiled and put a hand on Light's head.
"Don't worry."
He left Light's bedroom and strode down the hallway toward his own. All of L's theories were meaningless. Light was as far from being Kira as he was.
Light waited until he could no longer hear his father's footsteps before locking his door again.
"I'm the one who's going to protect you, Dad, not the other way around. I'll create a perfect world free from evil. You won't have to worry anymore." His eyes drifted to his desk drawer where the Death Note waited. He grinned.
"Just don't get in my way."
x x The End x x
A/N: The four x's surrounding The End are meant to be two pairs of eyes on two dead people. Now that you've read that pointless info, read and review!
