Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. For one thing it belongs to the Japanese and I'm absolutely European.

Summary: What if two factors had been different? What if Light's conscious had been stronger (or ego smaller), and what if he had been gay?

Main pairing: L/Light or Light/L, that's still up for debate.

A/N: Those who read my Harry Potter/Iron Man xover know that I haven't updated in over a month. And before that over 4 months. Needless to say my inspiration is down the drain. I've taken to writing this because it's been in my head for months and wouldn't leave me alone. Also, I'm hoping after I've written this down my enthusiasm for 'OTaB' will return.

On a totally unrelated subject, I so do not like that the beloved Kroon is being replaced with Euros T_T. You politicians are BLOODY IDIOTS! Sentimentality aside, are you trying to bankrupt our country?

Also, who's going to be on top L or Light is very much up to you, but I personally prefer bottom!Light for at least this story, he's going to be a bit of a fruitcake anyway.

PS: thank you very much who offered to proofread 'OTaB', I haven't decided who yet.

PPS: this story would like a beta. Yes that means this is not being proofread.

And by the way: I will write Japanese names traditionally with the last name before the given name (like Yagami Light or Yagami Sayu); and the other's with their given name first (like Raye Penber or Lind L. Tailor)

Posted: 22 Dec. 2010 (at 2.30 in the friggin morning)

There was one thing the Shinigami Ryuk and human Yagami Light had in common at that moment. They were both bored as hell. Granted for two completely different reasons. The Shinigami Ryuk was bored because he had been living in the same environment for too long, in a rotten world where everybody did nothing but sit around and gamble (gets really old after a few hundred years). However the human Yagami Light was bored because he was… um a genius? Simply put Yagami Light was bored because he was too smart.

At this very moment he was sitting in class, only partly listening to the teacher drone on about facts and theories he had known about for quite awhile already. And it was a complete coincidence that the bored 17-year-old saw a notebook innocently lying on the courtyard from the window-view seat he was sitting on. A notebook, which had been dropped there on purpose, but completely randomly, by an equally bored Shinigami.

This odd stream of coincidences sets off an even odder stream of events, which give the world the most excitement it's probably ever had.

End Prologue

Chapter one: Still Bored?

When the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, Light routinely packed up and got ready to head back home. However, when he got to the courtyard and heading towards the gate, he saw the same notebook still lying there.

Light lifted his eyes from the little black book and looked around. No one seemed to be missing their notebook. So for some odd reason Light picked up the abandoned notebook. He lifted it up and turned it around. Death Note the boy read with a raised eyebrow. He opened it up.

This is a Death God's notebook he read.

"Pfft" Light scoffed out loud. 'How to use it'. It's all in English, what a pain. He thought rather apathetically. 'The human whose name is written in this note shall die'. Talk about sick. Why is everybody into this kind of crap anyway? It's as ridiculous as those chain letters that supposedly bring misfortune if you don't pass them on.

Still, for some reason unknown even to Light, he put the notebook into his bag and went home. When in his room, he took out the notebook again and started reading the instructions more closely. When he was done he sat up with a smirk on his lips.

So you can let people die peacefully, or make them suffer. A prank this intricate is not too bad, I guess.

Light threw himself on the bed and stared at the ceiling. However, pretty soon his sight was magnetically pulled back towards the black notebook now sitting innocently on his desk.

"Write in their name and they die. How moronic…" With that Light let out a yawn and tried to distract himself by thinking about what L looked like in person.

Ah L. The person Light had idolized since he had first heard about the illusive detective at the tender age of eight; nearly ten years ago when L had only begun to seriously make a reputation for himself. Since then Light had secret dreams about solving impossibly difficult cases with the detective.

When Light turned eleven and slowly began to sexually mature, and realized he was as gay as Disneyland, the fantasies of solving cases side by side with the person he always imagined male took a different turn. Sure they were still about him and L working side by side, but this time they weren't just partners in business, but in life as well.

Overall he knew his dreams and fantasies had the probability next to zero of becoming reality. For one thing L was probably his father's age, or only slightly younger. Not that there was anything wrong with slightly older men in Light's opinion, but he couldn't see him being with anyone more than a decade (and a half, maybe) his senior. Also he was probably never coming out of the closet anyway, but that's a whole other subject.

But at the moment even the fantasies, that had always kept Light company in his solitude, couldn't keep him from wanting to actually try writing at least one name in. So before Light knew it, he was off the bed and behind his desk, a pen in hand and ready to write.

"Wait a minute…" If someone actually dies, would that make me a murderer? Burying that thought for the moment he thought about whose name should, or rather could, be used. I guess it would have to be… someone it's okay to kill… and who has no relation to me of any kind… and there has to be a way to find out right away if they die.

Light bit the end of his pen and his eyes landed on the TV. He picked up the remote and turned it on. God, I'm getting too serious about this Light berated himself.

"The man who indiscriminately killed and wounded six people yesterday in Shinjuku is still barricaded inside this nursery school, with eight hostages, including little children. The metropolitan police have determined the man's identity. He is Otoharada Kurou, 42 years old and unemployed. Two days ago Otoharada…" The newsreader continued on, but Light paid little attention.

This world is such a rotten mess, where's our messiah when we need him? Sipping coconut cocktails on the Canary isles? Light thought with a slight sneer and wrote Otoharada Kurou in the notebook. When he was done he turned his eyes to the digital clock.

Forty seconds, and it's a heart attack he thought when the clock said 18:23:00*

That's 40 seconds he thought when the clock said 18:23:41

Nothing… I knew it.

"What's this…? THE HOSTAGES ARE COMING OUT!"

Light's breath hitched.

"They all seem to be all right. And now the police are going in! Will they be able to arrest Otoharada?"

Light's breathing became more and more erratic as he saw the events unfold.

"They are coming back out! But no sign of the captor just yet. Just what is going on?"

If Light had not been sitting already his legs would have caved from under him. He felt cold sweat on his skin as he anxiously waited for more news.

"This just in! The captor is inside the nursery, but he is dead! It seems that Otoharada has died!"

"DEAD?" Light croaked, his throat suddenly dry.

"The police are emphasizing that they did not shoot him. Could that mean he committed suicide? Well, the hostages are apparently saying he suddenly collapsed…"

A heart attack Light thought It… could it be a coincidence. I suppose there's only one way to find out.

"Light!"

Light jumped as he heard his mother's voice call him.

"It's getting late, you have your prep course today."

"Uh, yeah. I was just getting ready to go." Light shouted back, still feeling a little off his kilter.

…Somebody it would be okay to kill… no, who ought to die. He thought.

Actually he still thought about who it should be when at Gamou Prep Academy.

It has to be a criminal, but not too major, lest the police keep it from public. I need to know the results immediately.

A bully caught his attention. He was harassing a classmate to 'lend' him some cash.

Sudou. Try killing him? No, I should avoid anybody I actually know… am I being too paranoid? A guy like that, nobody's even going to notice. Although he is young still, there's a chance he'll turn decen- ow!

There was a piece of chalk thrown at his head, effectively cutting his train of thought.

"You, Yagami! Mister number-one-nationwide! What are you doing spacing out? You're our star pupil! We need you to place first again!" The instructor barked.

"A, sorry sir." Light apologized, feeling a bit weirded out by the overzealous teacher.

When the prep school was over, Light started making his way home again.

Damn. You start looking around and all you see are people the world would be better off without.

Light was about to enter a convenience store, when he noticed a gang of bikers harassing an attractive female. The alpha male making one of the lamest come-ons Light had had the displeasure of hearing. However, in that pickup line, by some bad luck (for the biker at least) a name was included. Light, not one to let golden opportunities such as these pass, entered the convenience store, took a random magazine and opened the death note on top of it. Light then proceeded to scribble in the name Shibuimaru Takuo in every possible kanji (he didn't bother with hiragana, that's so rare, it would be a waste of paper) spelling way as possible, and added the words 'traffic accident' behind each. Silently he watched his wristwatch and waited for the ominous 40 seconds to pass.

Now… he thought when the time was up Let's see what happens.

And this is what happened: the harassee made a run for it, the harasser, overconfident in his bike, tried to follow. Too late did his friends yell after him, and he got rammed by a 16-wheeler.

This… proves it… the death note… really works!

Amidst the chaos that the traffic 'accident' brought, no one paid Light any attention as he slinked away. Light's steps were fast at first, nearly sprinting, when he slowed down to a stop and put a hand over his mouth, trying to fight back a bile that wanted to rise to his throat.

I… I have killed… I have killed… twice. I have killed… me!

Light removed his hand from his mouth and looked and his shaking palms.

What do I do? Get… rid of this evil thing. Was the first thought that popped into his head, but the shaky but deep breaths he took dissolved the adrenaline and made the red blood cells bring more oxygen to his brain.

No… I was actually doing a service, killing Otoharada. But what about the other guy? What he did wasn't worth a death penalty… unless… Unless rape is… was actually…

Light pushed himself away from the wall he hadn't even noticed he had been leaning against.

Wait. Isn't this exactly what I've been thinking all along? This world… is a rotten mess. It needs to be cleaned up.

Light had regained, well mostly regained, his posture and continued his trek home. All the while still pondering the notebook.

I… with this notebook I actually have the opportunity to do that at least a little bit. The question is… do I have the guts?

Light did not sleep very well that night; his brain was in too much overdrive.

The next day at school was when Light made up his mind.

I'm a wreck after killing just two. Can I really do it? Can I take it? Maybe not… Oh, come on, I can't just quit. So what if I lose my peace of mind, so what if I… have to sacrifice people's lives… Somebody has to do this. The world needs to be cleaned up a little. Just suppose I gave the notebook to somebody else. Could they do it? I don't think very many people with a clear conscience can do this. They'd either not use it, or use it for personal gain. I can do this. I… not only that. I'm probably the only person who can; who would. I have to do this. I'm using the death note, to help this world.

Four days later Light had already fallen into his routine. He didn't know that on this day his routine would gain a… companion.

"I'm home." Light said his usual greeting, after getting home.

"Light, is that you?" Sachiko's voice replied.

As Light was taking off his shoes his mother came to stand in front of him. When Light was done taking off his shoes his gaze stopped on his mother who was smiling and slightly wiggling around happily like a worm. It took a moment for Light to figure out why she was acting like child who stole a cookie and not get caught.

"Oh, yeah." He said while reaching from his bag and giving Sachiko his practice college exam results.

"Oh my, you placed first again- and these mock exams were nationwide." Sachiko said, just as happy as any mother would be after hearing these kinds of news.

"Uhuh. Well, I'll be studying, so don't bother me, okay?" Light replied nonchalantly while going up the stairs.

"Alright, dear. Oh, Light. Is there anything you've been wanting? Anything at all- just let me know."

"No, mom," I already have what I want.

Light entered his room, locked the door, and exhaled. He turned on his computer, TV and took the death note from the drawer.

He looked at the black book he had come to both hate and love.

"You seem to like it." A hackling voice said from behind him.

Light jumped, feeling as if his heart had jumped into his throat, and turned to see a horrific, thin, tall creature with buggy yellow and red eyes and a parodic grin.

"YAAARGH!" Light let out a scream and fell over in momentary fright.

"Why'r'ya so surprised to see me? I'm Ryuk, the Shinigami who dropped that notebook. With the way you looked at it just now I can tell you know it isn't just any old notebook… Right?"

"A S-Shinigami…?" A shaking Light asked.

The shaking was only momentary, though. Closing his eyes and exhaling a breath, he opened his eyes again and this time all traces of fear were replaced with calm determination. Light reached for his chair, and helped himself stand up again.

"A 'death god'…" He muttered out loud.

"No, I'm not actually surprised to see you, Ryuk. In fact, I have been waiting for you."

"Really?"

"Gee, a personal visit from a Shinigami. How kind of you. Can't say I doubted that this death note is a Shinigami's notebook, but seeing you lets me act with greater certainty. Plus I have some things I would like to ask you."

Light took the death note and opened it on a random used page and showed it to the Shinigami. The Shinigami took the notebook to study it a little closer. Then he let out a hackling laugh.

"Hee hee. Now this is amazing. I guess I am the one who's surprised here. I've heard of death notes' getting in human's hands before a few times… but no one's ever done this much in just five days. I guess most people would be too scared."

Light watched as the clearly amused Shinigami looked through the notebook.

"I'm ready for just about anything. I used to death note, knowing fully who it belonged to. So what happens to me now? Are you going to take my soul or something like that?"

The Shinigami gave the human a weird look.

"Ee? What's with that? Some freaky fantasy you humans came up with? Ain't gonna do anything to ya. The moment a death note falls to the human world it belongs there. So it's yours now."

"Mine…" Light whispered. He didn't know whether to think that good news or bad.

"Ya don't want it, give it to another human. I'll just have to erase your memories concerning the note. Oh, and…" With that the tall creature jumped out the window and on an electric line post. No one seemed to notice there was a 2 meter tall monster above their heads.

"Since you used the Death Note that used to be mine you are the only one who can hear and see me." Ryuk turned his parodic grinning face towards Light "The death note is the bond between Light the human and Ryuk the Shinigami."

"The bond…" Light whispered.

"So, there really is no price to pay? For a human using the note?"

Ryuk came back inside and cocked his head.

"Not exactly. I guess there's the terror and torment that humans who have used it seem to suffer. And when you die, I will be the one to write your name down. However…" Ryuk gained an especially creepy look and said in a rather sadistic tone: "Don't think that any human who has used the death note can go to either heaven or hell… that is all."

Light looked at Ryuk. It seemed as if the Shinigami wanted him to react scared just for his amusement.

"You'll find out about that after you die."

I guess I will really have to become a martyr. Though it's only fair that murderers can't get into heaven.

"A-alright. One more question, though. Why did you choose me?"

"Mhuh?" Ryuk cocked his head and then laughing his hackling laugh.

"Don't flatter yourself. All I did was drop the notebook. Ya thought you were chosen because you were smart or sometin'? It just happened to drop here, and you just happened to pick it up. That's why I wrote the instructions in English. That's the most popular language, right?"

This didn't make entirely sense. Why did he drop it at random?

"Then why did you drop it?" Light voiced his confusion out loud. "After you wrote the instructions there's no way it was an accident."

"Why? Hyuk hyuk hyuk. Because I was bored. It might be an odd thing for a Shinigami to say, but I didn't feel like I was really alive. The Shinigami of today don't have a whole lot to do. All they do is gamble or nap. If they see you scribbling names in your note, they'll just laugh at ya and ask why'r'ya workin' so hard for. Scribbling human names while in the Shinigami realm is no fun, and death notes don't work on Shinigami. It's more fun to be here, I figured"

The Shinigami took the death note and lapped through the pages again.

"Gotta say though. You've written an assload here."

"I was…" Light whispered quietly.

The Shinigami turned his gaze from the notebook to Light.

"… bored too." He finished.

"Of course I didn't believe at first. But there's something about that notebook that makes anybody want to at least try to use it at least once."

Light explained to Ryuk how he had been bored to death with this world as well, simply because there was no one or anything to provide him with enough mental stimuli. He talked about what he thought about the world, about what a rotten mess it was. And finally he told how he came to the decision to use the death note for the greater good.

"You're pretty much right about the torment and terror, though. I admit I've barely been able to sleep for these past five days and I've lost quite a bit of weight, considering it's only been five days, well four if you consider the time I've really been active." Light took a break from explaining and took a deep breath "Still, I cannot quit just yet. I'm writing in the names of the world's most brutal criminals. All the information I need is in my room, my computer and 24-hour world news from the TV."

Ryuk hmmed and asked a question of his own:

"The only specified death is the guy who got done in in a traffic accident, no one else. How come? Can't be bothered?"

Light let out the truest laugh he'd had for awhile now.

"But that's the best thing about the notebook. If you don't specify, they all die from a heart attack. I've already covered the most vicious end evil criminals, so the level of atrocity should be declining already. Every single one of them of a heart attack- even a fool would notice."

Light let his gay side, the one he usually kept under tight wraps, shine through and let out a pretty girlish giggle. "I want the world to know I'm here- that there's somebody out there passing judgment on those with tainted hearts." Light lifted his head and looked at the Shinigami "The world will become a better place, as fewer people would commit crimes. Of course thinking I'd be able to completely cleanse the world is naïve, but the possibility of making it significantly purer than it is now is very real."

"You do that and the only one left completely rotten is you."

"What are you talking about? I'm a straight-A student, and model teenager."

Light sent Ryuk a cocky smile before his demeanor sobered.

"But you are completely right. When there are no more murderers left in the world, I'll be the world's only serial killer. I fear I won't be able to know when to draw the line to stop killing."

Light looked at Ryuk with an almost crazy glint in his eyes.

"But that's when you come in."

Ryuk looked surprised for a moment before he started laughing.

Hyuk, hyuk. I was right. Humans are fun! He thought giddily.

Coming days the routine was pretty much the same, aside for Ryuk the Shinigami haunting his every step. Light didn't generally mind it except when he tried to take a shower. No matter how gruesome Ryuk looked like it still seemed to be a he, and naturally made Light a little bashful in the nude department. Did Shinigami even have a gender?

People had begun to notice that someone was offing criminals. Some of Light's acquaintances said that they were glued to the news these days, one mock freaked out because he had done some shoplifting (a bag of peanuts) a few years back. But mostly Light was very pleased to hear that he was being cheered on.

Right now Light was walking home, some of his peers with him going by his house to reach their own. Light had spent the entire walk listening to their rather outlandish theories about Kira's identity. Kira- the name he had been given by the public.

"See ya tomorrow, Light!"

"Yeah, bye." Light shouted back as they passed his house.

"You seem to be enjoying this, Light." The ever-present Shinigami wheezed, referring to the hero-worship.

"Not really, Ryuk." He replied and entered the house.

"I'm home." He shouted his greeting, and his mother replied.

Light went to his room and took the death note from the drawer.

"I just can't relax until I see this, when I'm at school or elsewhere."

"I gotta say, you're really dedicated to this." Ryuk remarked.

"I don't have time to waste. I only have a few hours a day to write names between school and going to bed. it's important I stay on top of my class, so I can't fall asleep at school, and I have to do all my homework for both prep and school. If I don't get enough sleep it will affect my concentration and health. It is bad enough I get bad dreams from this, I can't sacrifice any more. Besides I want to forget about this as soon as possible."

"Nhuh?"

"You said you will have to erase my memories if I were to ever give this notebook away."

"So I did."

"While it's been getting easier, I still don't want the guilt of knowing I've killed so many in cold blood. I like the fact I will lose all my memories once I'm done. However, even with the speed I'm going at now, I'm afraid my mission might take years."

"So, forget huh? Just don't forget that I will still be the one to write your name in my own notebook."

Light turned away from the computer to send Ryuk a dazzling, albeit a tad fake, smile.

"You can still do that after erasing my memories. Besides, you'll only kill me at the very end of my life, as compensation for all the amusement I'll give you, right?"

Without waiting for a reply, Light returned to the pc screen. Ryuk cocked his head before dissolving into laugh.

"Hey, Ryuk. Come check this out."

Ryuk, still laughing slightly, floated over the where Light was sitting.

"People are already putting up websites. They're calling me Kira. Can't say I like it how it's obviously taken from 'killer'- but nonetheless it's appropriate, I suppose. People know I exist, despite that the media still refers me as 'series of mysterious heart-attacks among criminals'.

This is what human's are like, Ryuk. For example: at school there would be no subject as 'is it okay to kill someone evil'. But if there were, hypothetically, just about everyone would say that no, it's wrong to kill anybody. And of course, that would be politically correct way to answer; it's the façade everyone keeps up. However, this is what these same people really think." Light had opened up a few random websites that were basically urging Kira on to continue passing judgment.

"Once people are given anonymity, they admit what they truly think and feel." Light laughed out loud "Cowards, not acknowledging me openly." With the easygoing smile he had, Ryuk doubted Light actually minded.

Suddenly a static interrupted the pair. They turned to the television to see as the picture returned.

"We a interrupting the program to bring you a live, globally televised broadcast from Interpol, with Japanese voice-over by interpreter Anderson Yoshio."

There was a man on TV. He was about early to mid 30s, and the name plate said 'LIND.L. TAILOR'. Light thought he looked fairly cute.

"I am Lind L. Taylor, more commonly known as "L"- the sole person able to mobilize police in every country worldwide."

What happened next gave Ryuk the biggest surprise he'd ever received. Light stood up from his chair, it seemed like his entire body seemed suddenly became electrically fired, he wiggled around bizarrely, and Ryuk could've sworn he saw stars in his eyes.

"L~" Light crooned, the smile on his lips threatening to split his face in half.

Ryuk didn't know whether to be freaked out or laugh.

"Criminals have been the target of a killing spree, which has turned into the biggest mass murder case in history. This monstrous crime must be stopped at all costs. 'Kira', as the perpetrator is commonly known, will be caught. I guarantee it."

"He guarantees ya'll be caught. Hyuk, hyuk."

Light's attention seemed to be in its all time low "Hehe, I was kind of hoping this would happen. But I'd never dream that L personally would even reveal his f-" The giddy smile Light had been wearing left him abruptly.

"Kira, I think I've got a pretty good idea of why you're doing this. But what you are doing… IS EVIL."

"Evil?" Light echoed. "I can't say I disagree."

He took a seat and whipped out a pen.

"As much as I want to flatter myself and think L would find me important enough to personally appear before the world, that would be far too stupid a move. Not to mention desperate- and this game's only begun. L's far too smart to paint a target at the back of his head."

Light scribbled 'Lind.L. Tailor' neatlyto the page.

"I don't think L would risk an innocent life either, so that guy's probably a criminal. And if it really is L- then I guess the guy I admired the most in this world really didn't deserve my respect as much."

Light and Ryuk waited for the clock to tick its 40 seconds. And like clockwork Tailor collapsed when the time was up. When two men wearing shades dragged the body away from the screens another voice made itself knows.

"I don't believe it…" it was mechanically contorted "This was an experiment to test a hunch I had, but I never really thought… Kira… you can actually kill people without direct contact. I couldn't believe it without seeing it with my own eyes. You'd have to, of course, it didn't make sense otherwise."

Ryuk watched, fascinated, as the starts returned to Light's eyes.

"Listen to me, Kira. If you just killed Lind L. Tailor, that man you just saw, he was a condemned criminal scheduled to die today, at this hour. That wasn't me. His arrest and conviction were kept secret from the media and were unreported even on the internet. Even you had no way of knowing, it seems."

"Hyuk, hyuk. Your hunch was right, Light."

"So, come on! Kill me if you can."

"What?" Light suddenly lost the stars again.

"What are you waiting for?"

"No, L, no. I would never kill you."

"Hyuk, hyuk, he's breathing the biggest sigh of relief now. He ain't dead yet. Even if ya wanted to off him, you couldn't."

"Now I will give you some information in return. Although it was announced that this was televised globally, actually it was broadcast only in the Kanto region around Tokyo. The plan was to broadcast live to other areas afterwards, but that's no longer necessary. You are in the Kanto region of Japan, Kira."

"Hyuk, hyuk. He's pretty sharp, that L. I can see why you would idolize him."

"Although the police have missed this, your first victim was the Shinjuku killer who took 8 people hostage in a nursery school. His crime, when compared to your usual victims, was rather minor. Moreover this incident was only reported in Japan. That was all the information I needed. I know you are in Japan, and that your first victim was nothing more than a guinea pig for testing your powers. We broadcasted first in Kanto was because it has the biggest regional population. That you happened to be there was pure luck. I didn't expect this to work so perfectly according to plan, but… now, I dare say it won't be long before I send you to your execution."

Ryuk watched, fascinated and not a little amused, as Light pouted at the television screen.

"Kira, it would interest me greatly to know how you carry out your murders… but that's something I can find out after I catch you!"

"Send me to die? L, of all people I thought you'd be the one to understand why I'm doing this. It's true that Kira is evil, but this evil is merely temporary… and very much necessary.

"'Till we meet again, Kira." And the screen went back to static.

"So what now, Light?"

"L is too much of an asset to this world. He is needed, no matter what. I will finish my mission before L will find me, without hard evidence he won't be able to pin me. And without the death note- no hard evidence. But in the mean time I will have some fun with him."

"What about the possibility that you'll lose and he does manage to catch ya?"

Light turned to Ryuk and smiled humorlessly.

"No matter what L has to live. You will either wipe my memories, or if L does manage to catch me- my name goes to your notebook. But not before I tell it to. Deal?"

Humans are… a riot! Ryuk thought, ecstatic.

"A."

Whoever will win this battle of wits, one thing was clear: neither the Shinigami Ryuk, nor the Human Yagami Light were bored any more.

*For those who are only used to am/pm system: 18 means 6 pm.

Word count: 5197 (including prologue, excluding side notes)