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L vs Kira


-.-

Light paused dramatically after clearing the dinner table. Now that he'd finished classes, studying, work, and taking care of Sayu for the day, he was free to return to his room and continue judging criminals. His father was working, his mother was busy cleaning, and Sayu was watching one of her programs. "Sayu, I'm going to study ahead for my classes. So make sure-"

"Those two again?" Sayu whined from in front of the television. "I was hoping for Hideki Ryuga or Misa. Why is it always L and Kira?"

"L?" Light asked, darting into the living room. "What are you watching?" Not that he held much hope for a silly television program. But still, there was the chance that the program could give him some insight as to the public opinion of L and Kira. The adult magazine article he'd read had a few good insights on how people viewed him, but it was frustrating that so many people thought there was sexual tension between Kira and L. That was all they ever thought about, but maybe Sayu's program would take a better angle…

'It's the Teen's Choice Awards," Sayu explained through a mouth of popcorn. "This time on their 'who is sexier' contest, it's L and Kira. But how can anyone vote for someone they haven't seen?"

Light fell forward onto the couch in surprise. Eventually he recovered enough to pull himself up into a sitting position. "What?" he managed.

Ryuk howled with laughter. "Hey, are you going to make sure you win, Light?"

Light covertly glared up at the Shinigami. Kira did not concern himself with such frivolities as popularity contests. And even if he did, he would never stoop so low as to cheat.

Onscreen, the host was interviewing celebrities and onlookers as to who they thought was sexier and why.

"L, of course," Hideki Ryuga said, with an obnoxious smile. "He's always stood for justice, and we've even seen him in a trench coat a few times. International detectives are always sexy."

"Wow, Hideki Ryuga is so smart!" Sayu gushed. She turned to Light. "Hey, who do you think is sexier, we could text in the vote! I think Hideki's right, let's vote L!"

Light grit his teeth. "Sayu, I think it's a little early to decide. And besides, these contests are silly anyway."

Next, the host had turned to Misa Amane, who was tearfully explaining to the audience why she considered Kira to be sexier. "What has L ever done?" she asked. "Kira has always tried to help people, to punish murderers when the system lets them get away with it!"

"She does have a point," Light said, leaning back with a smug smirk on his face. If only the audience members could see the real Kira and L, Light was certain he'd win easily. Still, he was sure his winning personality would be enough in this contest. He imagined going to work after classes tomorrow, knowing that he'd defeated L in a small way. It was doubtful L would even acknowledge the contest, but still, it was gratifying to imagine the detective slouched slightly in defeat.

Onscreen, people continued to make their cases for either a dashing vigilante murderer or a reclusive international detective.

-.-

A few miles away in his hotel room, L watched the same program while he crouched in his chair and ate gummy worms.

"Ryuzaki." Chief Yagami cleared his throat and spoke. "Why are we watching this instead of working on the case?"

Matsuda looked up guiltily. "Haha, I was wondering the same thing too."

"It's important to keep up with current events," L explained. "And make note of any potential Kira supporters."

Onscreen a girl named Kyoko was answering the question with a blush on her face. "Both," she said.

"Both?" the host asked. "But if you could choose one-"

"No, I mean both together," she said dreamily. "Do you think maybe one day they can put aside their differences and realize what potential they could have? Together?"

"Well, that's definitely a unique answer," the host said. "But for now let's focus on who is sexier. Text the number below…"

"I don't think you understand," Kyoko said. "Think of all the sexual tension there is between them, in L's pledge to capture Kira, and in the way that Kira continues to coyly evade him."

L brought a finger to his mouth to hide his smile. He wondered if Light was also watching this program. It was a shame they'd had the cameras taken down.

-.-

Back at the Yagami house, Light and Sayu were sharing a bowl of popcorn and Ryuk was munching apples strategically placed in a corner of the kitchen.

Light scowled and watched the onscreen tally. L was currently ahead by five votes. But they were interviewing people in person, and that was skewing the results. Light grumbled and shoved some popcorn into his mouth. People were always more honest when they were alone. Unwatched. On a television program of course most people would say the socially acceptable thing – that L was more appealing. Even if they secretly longed for Kira to bring justice to the World. Once the texted votes came in, the story would change.

Should Kira respond when he won? Light knew it was a risk, but perhaps he should start planning his victory speech.

Light almost started choking on his popcorn as a girl named Kyoko began elaborating on her thoughts on the tension between L and Kira.

"…Maybe L will keep Kira in his or her personal prison…but just until they get to know each other better…"

"Isn't this supposed to be a show for kids?' he grumbled.

"Sure is!" Sayu exclaimed happily. "Hey, do you think they'll add another category for 'L and Kira dating'?"

Ryuk laughed and drifted back over to the television. "Hey, Light. This is a lot more entertaining than I thought it would be."

"Sayu…"

"It'd be good, wouldn't it? What if Kira saw this and turned himself in to L, and then you and dad won't have to work so late all the time."

Light shifted guiltily on the couch. He knew what he was doing was hard on Sayu. But he was making the world a safer place for her. She'd understand one day, eventually.

Onscreen, the results from the online poll were added to the results. As predicted, the numbers now had Kira leading by 15 votes. Light smirked, but frowned when he saw two additional categories were 'Kira and L dating' and 'Kira and L fucking'. He wondered if there really was much hope for his New World. At the end of the day, all people really wanted was to be entertained.

Light began composing his victory speech again. Should he hack the station and anonymously send it in a letter? Or should he have a criminal write it, proving that Kira really was responding? No, maybe that would be too disturbing for a teen show. Kira needed to provide a good example for them after all.

Perhaps he should even send in a tape like the Second Kira. Or, even better, he could hack L's system and send it from there. Light held back a smirk at the thought of the detective one day tracing a Kira video back and finding it came from one of his own computers.

Light rose from the couch. "I'm going to go study now."

"What? Don't you want to wait for the results?"

"No. Besides it looks like Kira is going to win."

"Yeah, I guess the bad guys are always sexier," Sayu complained through another handful of popcorn.

Light twitched. One day soon she'd understand.

-.-

It took a few crumpled ink stained papers in the waste bin before he was able to make the connection between Kira being sexier than L, and how his brand of justice was new and better and more effective and flashier than L's, but Light finally finished. Then he clicked on the television.

"Might as well see how many votes I ended up winning by," Light muttered. Then he paled. And shrieked.

Ryuk snickered. "Wow, L made a comeback. Did you think he'd beat you by 150 votes? Hey, if it makes you feel any better, more than 5,000 people voted for you and L together."

Light shrieked again and pounded his fists on his desk.

-.-

Light was grumpy and tired by the time he arrived at L's hotel room. He'd tried to convince himself that it was just a stupid silly contest, and that no one anywhere had probably seen it, but sadly, that hadn't been the case. Almost every one of his classmates had piped up in class about the popularity contest, and then there had been a class discussion of who really was likely to be sexier, and what the contest meant for Kira and L's respective ideologies. His idiotic professors had even facilitated the discussions.

Hopefully L was above such frivolous wastes of time, Light though as he grumpily entered the room and sat down at a computer.

L watched him carefully and smiled, a smile that was far too wide to be kind. "Yagami-kun seems…agitated today," he said.

Light forced a polite smile and ran a hand through his hair. "Just tired. I stayed up late studying, and then had classes all morning."

"Hmm." L looked so smug Light wanted to punch him. "So you didn't get a chance to watch one of the recent developments in the case?"

"You made progress?" Light looked up quickly. Had the second Kira made another move? Could Light have missed something even more important while watching a popularity contest with his sister?

"In a manner of speaking. Matsuda, will you play the tape so Light-kun can watch L's victory on the Teen's Choice Awards?"

Light grit his teeth but endured watching the entire charade over again. "I wasn't aware you watched this sort of thing, Ryuzaki," he grit out after listening to the host go on about how appealing and sexy true justice could be.

L just continued smiling. "I find it useful to stay up to date on current events." He paused to shovel cake into his mouth. "Oh, and Light-kun, would you write an acceptance speech for L?"

-.-

After two of the most humiliating hours of his life had passed, Light finished the speech and wordlessly handed the bundle of papers to L.

L scanned through the speech quickly. "Very good, Light, but what about this part that says 'Kira is actually sexier'. You do realize that implies that L knows who Kira is."

Light forced a polite laugh. "Come on, Ryuzaki, it's a joke. And you know they'll love it."