I was actually going to cut this chapter off... and make day one be three separate parts, then add day two in the last one, but I decided against it. This chapter is pretty long since there techinically ARE two parts in one, but I'm sure it wont' take an hour to finish it.
Also... this is the chapter where it goes into (L) first person. I told you I'd warn you. I might edit it later where the whole story is in first person, but... not right now. I'm a bit under the weather (damn you, once-a-year sickness that only occurs in the summer) so now probably won't be a good time to do it.
Anyway, enjoy... and give me your input. Please. With a cherry on top? Or a strawberry. Whichever you prefer.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything but a cracked iPod and a piece of shit laptop. ._.
L had started running up the stairs when he heard someone behind him. That kiss had come out of nowhere. Who did Raito think he was? Sure, they'd been handcuffed together and certain things had happened, but then he became Kira again... He might not have minded it so much if it wasn't Kira that was trying to woo him.
He got to the last stair before Raito pulled on the back of his shirt, and L almost fell. He slapped his hand away, fixing himself up right so that he could balance and not fall all the way back down. He was panting lightly, not used to running or making any effort to move so fast. He looked to Raito, prepared to kick him back once more if he tried to kiss him again.
Raito started to speak, but not before he straightened out his clothes and hair. "Ryuuzaki... I'm sorry I... did that. I don't know what came over me..."
L gave him a flat look, shoving his hands into his pockets. He just wanted the day to be over with already. It was already after five in the afternoon, but Raito was making the day even longer. Normally, he would have started an argument to tease Raito and make him feel like he could rip the detective's head off, but he was too exhausted to waste that kind of time. "Of course. You are forgiven." He turned to walk away again, planning on going in the opposite direction of the work room, and up to his suite. He needed to rest before anyone on the team found out.
"Ryuuzaki-kun."
L sighed heavily and stopped, but didn't bother to turn around to face Raito again. For once in his short life, he wanted to rest. The thought of feeling the soft mattress underneath him made him tempted to ignore Raito and run the rest of the way to the suite. Just a few more moments and he'd be there... "What is it now, Raito-kun? We need to get back to work..."
"You haven't been acting yourself lately. If there's something wrong... you can tell me." Raito stared at his back, hoping to get something out of him. He doubted that he would discover any major secrets from the detective, but if they made any progress, he might be able to lull the man into a false sense of security once again. In reality, all he wanted to do was give the man one good punch then write his name in the Death Note, but he didn't know it. But it would end soon and Raito would have to put on the act of a sad and mourning friend. Even if he didn't try very hard, everyone would believe him anyway.
L smiled bitterly, looking down towards the floor. "That's funny. How would you know? We may be 'friends', but you don't know anything about me." He continued walking again, only for Raito to catch up with him after a moment, walking beside him.
"I know that the only reason you don't sleep like a normal person is because you're afraid you might have nightmares, and you only feel safe if someone else is in the bed with you."
L clenched his jaws together, starting to walk a little faster. He almost regretted forcing Raito to be handcuffed to him now. It was embarrassing to let him see that much... Now whatever he learned, he might be able to use it against him. He turned around to glare at him, tempted to just shove him in a closet somewhere until someone found him. "That doesn't count," he said lamely.
Raito's lips twitched up slightly and he took a step closer to him, and L took a step back, pressing himself back against the wall. "Then what does count?"
L knew what he was thinking about and couldn't stop a light blush from spreading over his face. Stupid teenagers and their hormones. He'd only wanted to allow it once, but of course Raito was a dirty cheat and in turn L couldn't help himself. He clenched his jaws again, pressing his lips together. He finally spoke again, turning his head away lightly. "Nothing. You don't know enough about me to tell me I've been acting strange." And this all started with a stupid question. He cleared his throat, still looking away. "We should get back. There's still work to do..."
Raito set his hands on the wall on either side of L's head, smiling like he was amused. He could tell that L wished it never happened, but he'd been the one to suggest they do something about it in the first place, so it wasn't entirely Raito's fault. "L."
The brunette leaned forward, but L was expecting it this time. He grabbed the front of Raito's shirt to pull him closer, turning his head towards him. He knew that it wouldn't be the same this time, but he hoped that there was still a little hint of Raito left. The kiss was convincing enough, but he knew not to fall for it.
His Raito-his Raito-was gone... There was only Kira left, and he would die for it. He pushed the brunette back after a moment, glaring. "Go back to the investigation room... I'll be there in a few moments," he said and turned, disappearing towards the elevator, pressing the buttons too quickly to allow Raito to get in with him.
The angry look on Raito's face as the steel door shut was enough for L. He leaned against the wall as the elevator went down only a few floors.
Once he entered his room, he looked to the bed. It was calling him, and he wanted to lie down so badly, but he knew better. If he went to sleep like this... then he would just get a cold, and he didn't need that at the moment. He had to stay strong until the case was over.
He sighed softly, going into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He turned on the warm water, deciding it might be better if he took a bath. He hardly ever got to relax, and knowing what lie ahead for him in the future, he think he deserved it.
He stripped slowly and stepped into the tub, letting out another breath as his body sunk in. If only for a moment, he felt peaceful... It felt like he was going in and out of sleep, but his eyes were open. He felt oddly content like that, his eyes not as wide as usual, some color coming to his face from the warmth of the water. He grabbed a wash cloth and lathered it up with soap, cleaning his skin of the rain, and of Raito's touch.
After he was done, he let the cloth hang on the faucet, and he leaned his head back, closing his eyes. He still had almost a month before he died, but he wasn't thinking about that at the moment. He was away from the bright light of a computer screen, no stupid comments from Matsuda, no tired and frustrated looks from Soichiro, and lastly... No predatory looks from Raito. It was like he thought he could get away with it, that he thought the detective didn't notice.
If only for a few moments, everything was right.
If only he knew what was going on in the investigation room down below. The screens were flashing red, all the data was deleted. The men were frightened and panicking. Raito pretended to be afraid, but he knew what this meant. He knew that his enemy was dead. Only... He didn't get to see him die. What a shame.
- - - -
The door opened slowly, and auburn eyes peered into the dark room. He saw a lump in the covers and a pale face, tired eyes closed. He looked like he was sleeping, but he knew... He knew he was dead. He knew that he had finally won, and he could start creating his world.
And now, with Watari dead, no one watching the cameras... He was filled with joy. He chuckled, sick happiness bubbling up so much in his stomach that he couldn't contain it. He started to laugh maniacally, his head tilting back.
He had waited for this moment for so long! He had WON! He was justice. He was GOD. This moment couldn't get any better. He would remember it all his life.
The day he defeated L.
However, later he would find that the moment that he defeated L...
It was only a but a dream.
"What's so funny?" The "dead man" asked, slowly sitting up, eyes on Raito's face.
The brunette nearly had a heart attack.
Raito couldn't believe it. How was L alive and breathing? Rem should have written down his name in the Notebook, and he should be dead. "Y-you..." He couldn't say anymore words. He was too shocked to show how angry and shocked he was that he still had to wait to have power over the world.
L blinked and sat up slowly, stretching his arms over his head. "What's the matter, Raito-kun? Are you surprised?" He smiled bitterly. The cameras were still running, even though all the date was already deleted. If he showed this to his father, and even if he still didn't believe that Raito was Kira, he'd think he was insane, at least... That would be good enough for him to have the brunette locked up. "You were thinking I died, weren't you? I'm sorry to disappoint you... but I still have..." He grabbed his cell phone and looked at the time. "Almost twenty-two more days to live."
He took in the teen's appearance. He was still shocked, there was no surprised about that. However, he could tell that there was some anger starting to bubble to the surface. So, he was starting to show his real emotions? "So, what are you going to do now, Kira-kun?"
He already predicted what Raito-Kira-was going to do next. He could see it, and he didn't care that he swooped down on the bed, leaning over him, and he didn't care that there were fingers wrapping around his throat. He was going to die soon anyway, and he wasn't going to try to do anything in his last (nearly twenty-two) days that was too exciting. He would take down Kira... and he would die with a peaceful smile on his face.
"You bastard!" Kira said, his eyes flashing back to that reddish-brown. He didn't say anything else, only squeezed harder and harder, imagining the cracking of his vocal chords, the pained look on his face... But he only saw L's head fall back onto the pillows, staring blankly up at him... a small smile gracing his lips. "STOP SMILING!"
L felt the pain, felt himself reddening from the loss of air going through his windpipe. He wanted Raito to stop, he wanted to be able to breathe in that stale air of the room again. Most of all, he wanted to tell Kira that he would never prevail, and that he would rot in a jail cell-or better yet, an insane asylum, where they would have even less mercy on him. He would want death to come. He might even go as far to attempt suicide.
He grabbed those tan wrists, easily pushing them away. Was Kira so weak now with despair that he didn't even have the willpower to kill L with his own hands?
L stared up at him, a deep frown on his face. "You will suffer," he said, taking in deep gulps of air. "In the end... your guilt will... be the death of you."
The only response he got to that was a pillow to his face, and then, he felt like he was alone on the bed again. The weight was shift off of him. A door slammed, and he could only assume that Kira had left him.
For now.
L removed the pillow from his face and looked around, seeing that he really was alone.
He lay back down on the bed on his side, closing his eyes again. He got the best sleep of his life since... Ever. He couldn't ever remember having a full night's sleep. When he opened his eyes again, the sun was trying to get through the curtains.
Day 2
- - -
"... Watari died?"
"Yes... When we went to see the other Shinigami... she had turned to dust, and her book had disappeared."
L looked down, sighing softly. It really was a shame that he had to pass away. He would mourn his death in time, but for now, he had to work on catching Kira... And that was the boy that sat beside him, patting his shoulder.
"It'll be all right, Ryuuzaki. At least he didn't die for nothing..."
Raito had seemed to get over his anger quickly. On the outside, he acted just as normally as he always did, but there was an angry glint in his eye that apparently only L could see. "Thank you, Raito-kun. You are a true friend." He almost laughed. The only thing he was good at was killing people off. That seemed to include his former caretaker. "Kira will suffer for what he's done," he said, noticing the way that Raito's eyes widened for only a fraction of a second. He was beginning to feel fear. Good, he deserved it.
"I know, Ryuuzaki," he said, a smile on his face.
~~~
Was that code for surrender, or did he doubt me? He killed the person that was the closest to me. He can't just think that he's going to get away with it.
He looked away from me, continuing to stare at the screen, typing away. He's planning something now... I just know it. I almost wish that there was some way to knock some sense into him. Even though me saying that he was my first friend was a half-lie, I used to enjoy his company. Rem told me that he'd lost his memories back then. That's why he was so patient with me all the time. Once, I even believed that he felt strongly for me. Now, the only strong feelings he has for me is hate. When I think about it... It makes me sad.
- - -
2:33 PM
"Out here again, L?"
I turned to look at Raito, not even surprised that he followed me up to the roof again. I sighed, turning to look back out at the city. The sky was clear this time with only a few fluffy white clouds amongst the light blue. "Yes... It's peaceful for me. To be honest... I can't stand being in that room anymore." It's suffocating to the point that I feel like I might just die in there from lack of oxygen. "I think I can see why you want to protect Japan so much from criminals... It's nice here." It wasn't as cloudy and wet as it was in England. It was nearly down right depressing, but I'm sure that I was much happier there than I am here. "You can tell me anything now. I can't tell them without real proof, and I have nothing." I turned to look at him, my face not betraying how I actually feel.
Raito was quiet for a long time, staring at me blankly. I felt like he was going to deny being Kira again. His blank expression melted into one of hate. This shouldn't hurt me like it does. I shouldn't want him to pretend to care, or to pretend that he isn't Kira. Again. "Rem told me what you did," he said coolly. "Did you write your name down in it just to spite me? Or..." He stepped closer to me, a smirk on his lips. "Do you finally realize that you're going to lose? At least you can die in peace, right?" He laughed coldly, putting a hand on my shoulder, squeezing, like he was trying to comfort me. "You're doing the right thing, Lawliet. You should have done this in the beginning."
This feels so wrong. I shouldn't be giving up this easily, but I still have twenty-one more days. Three more weeks to fight, but... how can I win, this late? I looked up at him, that gaze of fiery hatred making me want to do something-something to wipe it off. "I'll never be in peace, knowing what you're doing. It's a sacrifice I have to make, in order to make sure you suffer. I'm not going to die just to please you or admit defeat. Whatever happens, I'm going to haunt you until you break."
That smirk disappeared from his face. He started to push me back to the edge of the roof, but I didn't try to fight back. Why should I? I know he wouldn't do it. There are cameras here, and if he was caught trying to kill me this way, he'd need to start running away from the others before I even hit the ground. At nearly the very edge, he stopped pushing me. "You'll never be able to do that. The day you die..." He gave me a fake friendly smile. "I'll be able to do whatever I please."
I only smiled bitterly up at him. We'll see about that... I don't know how I'm going to do it... but I will make him regret ever picking up that damned notebook.
