Summary: What superpower would L choose if he had the opportunity to pick?
Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or its characters.
A/N: Thanks to my beta LadyDiablo for all your work! I hope you, dear readers, will enjoy this story!
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Superpowers
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L got up from his chair in the investigation room and went towards the TV-set. Light continued to type away at his computer. The famous detective reached down, gingerly lifting the remote from the table with two fingers, in process to of turning the chattering contraption off. The TV had been left on to its own devices by Matsuda when the policeman, half unconscious, stumbled to bed. It was quite understandable; it was late and everyone was tired at this point. Only L and Light was awake.
The genius shot a curious glance at the tv-screen. The current program was an interview with an actress who recently had been starring in some kind of super hero movie. The atmosphere in the show was calm, the interviewer wasn't digging for a scandal or anything juicy. He just fired away friendly questions like "What do you like most about acting? What is your favourite word?" and so on.
L tilted his head to the side, expressionless black eyes staring at the TV, remote awkwardly held in position to turn the thing off. Some of the questions were rather interesting.
"Light-kun, what do you like most about acting?" L turned to the brown haired boy sitting across the room, waiting for a reply. He didn't have to wait long.
"I don't like acting." Light's blatant lie didn't surprise L the least. The detective did think otherwise. Not many could begin to phantom what was going on behind those golden eyes of his. But L knew. The boy was an excellent actor and besides, fooling Misa always had an improving effect on his mood. Not that Light ever would admit that out loud. Instead of bickering over the boy's answer he pondered another question from the show and then decided to voice it.
"What is in your mind the world's greatest weapon?"
Light slowly faced L, locking gazes with the slouching detective. Inquiring eyes meet huge, black ones. "Why are you asking me this?"
L just gestured vaguely at the TV. He was sure the boy had overheard the interview. Light was definitely capable of doing two things at the same time and the boy had certainly proven that he didn't miss much. Light didn't break the silence, nor the eye contact. L could almost see the gears working in Light's head, trying to figure out if there was something hidden behind the question. The boy continued to scrutinise him. The narrowing of his eyes indicated the boy's frustration. He knew his blank features revealed nothing.
"Boredom." Light answered after a while, sounding exasperated. The boy was suddenly looking thoughtful and distant, staring into nothing. "Yes, I think that's it. Boredom."
The brown haired boy snapped his attention back to L when the still expressionless detective began gnawing on his thumb. "Anymore questions Ryuzaki?" Light sounded a bit irritated now. "You are obviously thinking about something."
"Yes. What superpower would you pick if you got to choose?"
Light blinked. And blinked again. And shrugged. It was an indifferent, elegant, small, nearly impossible to see-shrug. One that only Light could pull off. L just gnawed on his thumb and waited. He was known for his patience.
"Don't know." Uncommitted. Another shrug. Then the boy at the computer began to smile. "So, what would be your superpower of choice?"
The recognised genius stopped abusing his thumb. He lifted the remote in his characteristic pinching style, staring at it while contemplating the question for a couple of seconds. "The power to control electricity." L continued to stare at the remote.
"Why?"
The detective glanced at Light, then turned to face the boy fully. "First, it would be a good weapon, it functions at both long and short range, you can use it both outside and indoors. It would be a good way to deal with.. criminals." The last sentence was added like in afterthought.
Light stared incredulously at L. "Are you planning to kill off criminals?" The boy leaned forward, intently listening for the detective's answer. The disbelief clearly showing in his face.
And he didn't like acting?
Damn brat.
"No, that would be wrong, Light-kun." The flat tone would discourage most people. Sending them panicking out of the room or at least, stammering, haltingly trying to explain or apologise. Light wasn't most people. He just raised one of his eyebrows and continued to look at the slouching genius. "I was merely planning to stun them." L's blank face didn't change at the statement but his tone was still flat.
"Second." he proceeded, not waiting on the boy's reaction. "It could come in handy in many situations. I could control traffic, computers, I could control anything remotely connected to power. I could shut down power sources if I wanted." Good, his tone was back to its normal self.
"In what situation would it be handy to shut down power sources?" L heard how Light stressed the question. Disbelief still evident in his voice.
L just shrugged. He could think of several.
"Blackmail, Ryuzaki?" Light folded his arms over his chest and leaned back against the chair, looking content. "You know Ryuzaki, that would be wrong." If L was more of a violent disposition, a certain person would have a black eye and have a furious detective pressing him down on the floor in surrender. Luckily he wasn't. And it wasn't a creative way to win an argument. Mind you.
Light smirked.
The pretty boy was smart, L admitted that, he didn't have the tedious task to explain everything to him but Light had an extremely frustrating way of getting under his skin. He completely refused to let the other be on top at the end of the argument.
"That isn't a situation, Light." L kept his face as expressionless as before. It wouldn't do to show even the tiniest bit of how much Light affected him. "But it is interesting how you thought of that first." L let a flicker of curiosity bleed into his words.
Light sighed. He opened his mouth only to close it again. "Any more reasons for your superpower choice?" He sounded somewhat tired. The boy frowned when he gazed at the slouching figure across the room.
The detective's previous statement was definitely avoided. But L decided to let it slip this time. Because there was still a way to win this. Still a way to wipe that smug smirk off Light's face. "I could easily have power."
"Do you want to rule the world?" L pretended not to hear the annoying boy. He smothered the strong urge to reply 'wouldn't you' and took a deep breath instead. And continued.
"I could easily have heating." The detective turned around and switched off the TV, putting the remote down on the table before looking back at the boy, his eyes huge and dark under black bangs.
L let a ghost of a smile touch his lips.
"I could easily have light."
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A/N: Thank you for reading! Please review!