Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note.
A/N: I just noticed that Misa was released from headquarters October 30th in the timeline. And that gave me an idea...
For the RLt challenge: Halloween
L cleared his throat and addressed the assembled task force members. "You've all worked hard these past months, and Kira's killings have stopped with Higuchi's death." For now, he seemed to silently add. "Therefore, tomorrow we will have a party and celebrate one of my favorite holidays."
"Oh, yay, party!" shouted Matsuda while fist-pumping. "Wait, what holiday is tomorrow?"
"Halloween," L said while signaling Watari to bring the dessert cart closer. "If you are not familiar with some of the customs of the holiday, you may take some time today to research them."
L wanted to have a party? Light didn't believe for one second that the detective considered the case solved. No, this was a distraction, a diversion …or maybe he just liked cake and candy.
Light was only vaguely familiar with Halloween, but he knew the holiday involved sweets, and ghost stories and playing pranks. If the detective's reaction to Shinigami was anything to go by, perhaps he could take advantage of an opportunity to scare the crap out of L.
Light surfed through a few web pages and took notes.
"Sweet! I want to go make a costume!" Matsuda yelled from the other side of the room. "Maybe I should be a pirate, or a ninja! What are you going to dress up as, Aizawa?"
"Myself."
"Okay. Hey what do you think I should dress up as? Pirates are fun, right? Or maybe I should be a ninja since I did such a good job of jumping off that ledge at Yotsuba!"
"Why don't you dress up as a mime?"
"Okay… wait a minute, that's not funny."
"Aizawa has a point. Matsuda," L said, turning to look at them. "I said you could research the holiday, not scream about it at the top of your lungs."
Matsuda looked dejected for a few moments until Soichiro offered to take him shopping to purchase party supplies.
L ate a donut, and stacked three-hundred candy corn in a neat little row on the edge of his desk. "What are you going to dress up as, Light-kun? Kira?"
"Very funny, Ryuuzaki. I'm not Kira."
"Hmm, well it should be interesting to bob for apples, don't you think? I wonder if the Shinigami will like that."
Light was very glad that Ryuk was not anywhere in the vicinity. At least he hoped he wasn't. Light went back to his research of figuring out a way to scare or gross out L.
He was reading about spiders and bugs and cupcakes, when he stumbled upon a brilliant idea almost by accident. Light was a city boy, but he at least had heard of Hachinoko. It didn't mean that he'd be willing to eat it of course, but he was at least familiar with the dish.
Halloween was a western holiday. L had let it slip that he had played tennis in the UK, and it was probably safe to assume that he had probably spent a lot of time in western countries. Perhaps he had picked up some of their fears as well. Most westerners had an unhealthy fear of bugs, and they hated the thought of eating them even more. Light smirked as he refined the plan in his mind. Best of all, it was a prank that could be written off as an innocent misunderstanding.
Unfortunately, he couldn't leave the building and risk having Rem follow him around. He called Misa up on her cell phone.
"Light, what is it? I miss you already even though I only left yesterday! Don't worry Misa Misa is going to the park like you said right after her photo shoot."
"I've had a change of plans, Misa. I need you to pick up a few things for me from the bakery and bring them to the task force headquarters."
"Yay! Are we going to have a date?"
"No, Misa, the task force is having a party."
"Well as long as Misa gets to see her Light, she'll be happy. What do you need?"
Light described the items.
"That's like, bugs? Gross."
"It's for a fun prank Misa."
"Oh yes, Misa Misa knows all about Halloween because she loves to dress up! Should I dress up? What do you want me to dress up as, Light?"
Light grit his teeth. "Anything you want is fine."
"Ok, bye, Light. I love ~you~."
Light hung up the phone. He wasn't sure if it was worth it to put off the Kira killings, but what was only one day if he had the chance to freak L out?
.
True to her word, Misa showed up a few hours later wearing a skimpy black lace vampire costume and carrying a stack of boxes. Light went out to the front of the building to help her carry them to the elevator. Most of the treats he had Misa buy were normal, but there was a box of wasp pupae just for L. Light selected the appropriate box and walked over to where L was finishing eating a pumpkin flavored ice cream cone.
"Trick or treat, Ryuuzaki." Light handed the box over to L.
"Thank you, Light. But actually, saying "trick or treat" is traditionally a way of soliciting a gift, with the implication being that a prank will be played if no "treat" is given."
Trust L to take all the fun out of holidays.
L took one of the honey-glazed wasp pupae out of the box, blinked at it for a moment, then popped it into his mouth.
Light tried to keep his jaw from dropping. L, the sugar-addict, who ate mountains of donuts, cake, and ice cream on a daily basis, was willingly eating a wasp pupa? And he wasn't freaking out screaming, or falling on the floor at the idea of eating a bug?
L chewed and swallowed, then reached for another pupa. "It's been a while since I've had hachinoko. Thank you, Light."
Light tried to recover from his shock. "You've eaten bugs before?" he asked hesitantly.
"Of course. I've worked cases in numerous countries, and insects are a cheap source of protein."
Misa chose that inopportune moment to attach herself to Light's arm. "Light~ didn't you say there was something special you wanted me to do?"
Light's eye twitched. "Yes, I asked you to pick up food from the bakery. Thank you, Misa."
"Oh, but I was sure you meant something else~" she ran a hand up his arm suggestively.
Light tried prying her off, but she was stuck as tightly as a piece of gum on the sidewalk.
L was watching their exchange intently.
"No, that was all I was talking about. I just wanted it to be a surprise, that's all."
Misa hugged his arm tighter. "Misa is glad to make you happy, Light!"
"It's interesting that you didn't leave the building to buy the sweets yourself," L mumbled under his breath.
Light felt his blood run cold. Would L try running tests to see who the Shinigami followed. Crap. Foiled by a prank. One that didn't even work.
L stared at Light for a few moments. Then he broke into a huge fake grin. "Everyone, I have an announcement to make!"
"To celebrate, I have decided to fly everyone here on my private jet to New York for some authentic trick or treating."
Everyone gasped.
"Ryuuzaki," Soichiro said. "That's…a very generous gift. I'm not certain it would be appropriate to accept."
"Nonsense," L said. "You are all my friends, and we've just finished a difficult case. Besides, today is my birthday. I insist on taking you all trick or treating in New York."
"Yay, let's go to New York!" Matsuda shouted.
"Wow, that sounds like lots of fun!" Misa squealed.
"…" Light said.
"If anyone would rather not go, they can stay here of course," L said with a grin.
Light felt trapped. If they were traveling around, L might be able to figure out that Rem was following Light. Could he risk giving up the notebook at this time? Maybe he would be able to stay in a group, but at the very least, traveling around the world with L would set back his plans to have Misa start up the Kira killings again.
There was no way he could let L know he'd won a small victory though.
Light smiled. "That sounds wonderful, Ryuuzaki, let's go trick or treating."
Everyone cheered.
Epilogue:
"Ryuuzaki, shouldn't we stay in a group so no-one gets lost?"
"Nonsense, Light. I've given everyone tracking devices in their glow in the dark bracelets, so we'll all be safe. Besides, we can cover more ground separately. Covering more ground means more candy, and if you don't want yours you can give it to me. People are more inclined to give larger handfuls of candy when you are in smaller groups anyway."
Light thought furiously, then came up with a plan so brilliant he was surprised he hadn't thought of it before. When the others were out of earshot Light turned to Rem. "If I give up this notebook now, Rem, will you drop it in front of me a few weeks later?"
"Yes, I will give it back-"
"Good, I give it up."
"On one condition. You have to treat Misa like a princess for five years. Then, if she is completely happy, I will give the notebook to you and return your memories."
Light panicked. "How am I going to remember to do that?"
"I'm sure if you really love Misa, it will be easy. And if you don't, well then you shouldn't get the notebook back anyway." Then Rem flew away and took the notebook with her.
Light turned around and wondered why he felt so anxious about trick or treating. Maybe he had been planning to break up with Misa now that the case was over?
And that was the end of Kira.