L stood with his hands buried deep into his jeans pockets.
He didn't generally come to crime scenes such as the one he was currently at, but the situation interested him and if he weren't there then the people standing around him would have made an idiotic mistake.
A juvenile boy who'd been walking through the woods came upon the old house and the first thing he saw was a man's rotting corpse in the front yard. He'd unmistakably shot himself in the head. It was clearly a suicide and the case was almost closed. But L noticed that his hands were covered by blood and dried semen. That was suspicious. And the brilliant detective also noticed a single white hair was on his shirt. Two of the CSI guys told L that it was probably his. The dead man had to be in his late thirties.
However, L knew and insisted that the hair was too long to be his. So several of the officers and two of the CSI members made their way into the house. The place was in a state of desolation. It was dusty and the air smelt awful. Vermin crept about, but kept well out of their way. L made his way up the stairs along with a couple others. The differance was that he was calm about it, whilst everyone else jostled about as though the situation was life or death. So far all L saw was death.
The first thing they saw upstairs was a woman's decayed corpse in a bedroom.
Everyone, but L was horrified and disgusted. L merely wrinkled his nose with revulsion. The woman appeared to have been stabbed several times in her stomach and chest and her head seemed to have been bashed in. She had white hair, proving the raven-haired detective was right and the man was a murderer who committed suicide to avoid prison time. L headed downstairs and into the kitchen once he heard Officer Wedy shout up to them. Upon entering the kitchen he immediately saw broken glass, partially eaten rats, dried blood and dried semen. The blood and semen went unnoticed by the woman. Officer Aizawa followed behind L and appeared not long after he did. The detective curiously interrupted Wedy and Aizawa's conversation.
He knew by their reactions that they were less than thrilled by his appearance.
Neither of them really cared much for the detective, since he was considered by most to be not only strange but also eccentric, which is just a courteous way to call someone an insane lunatic without upsetting them and besides that L had panda ears. It was abnormal and what people don't understand they: hate, fear or dislike. In this case the two officers disliked him. Mostly because they just didn't understand him at all and how he could be so calme when he was surrounded by so much death and signs of pain. Dark bags beneath his eyes and his pale skin added to his 'panda look' as most called it.
"Where is the third body?" he asked curiously.
"Third body?" Aizawa sounded confused. "What are you talking about, L?" he demanded.
"There is a third corpse?" Wedy asked sounding sickened.
"Yes, there is a third body, more like somebody, somewhere in this house." L said with a brief nod. It let the two know that he was certain about his decision.
"What would make you think that there would be a third body?" Aizawa demanded dubiously. L scanned his dark gray eyes over the kitchen. Evidence was everywhere. He felt both proud and glad that he was smart and patient enough to observe it.
"Well, there are signs of blood, dried semen and vomit here. Blood and vomit close to the staircase like it'd been there for only a few days, if not hours, now. And then there is that pan, which appears to have been used recently. Perhaps, whoever the third body is had a last meal before death. Then, there are other things that prove there is a third person involved in whatever occurred here."
"A dead body couldn't have killed and devoured those rats." Wedy said giving L a glare.
"Like Officer Wedy said it could have been a cat." Aizawa said in a firm tone.
"No, we'd have seen it by now." L said with a shake of his head. "Cats are social creatures, half the time, you know."
"Maybe its scared." Wedy suggested. "These people didn't seem to be mentally stable maybe they mistreated it and it's scared of humans."
"Hmm, well evidence over here says that someone was raped." L said emotionlessly feeling his ears go flat on his head, then perk up. He appeared uncaring as he pointed to the dried blood and semen.
"Huh?" Wedy gasped. "OMG! I didn't think of that!"
"W-what happened here?" Aizawa mumbled as sweat dripped down his forehead. He wasn't particularly comfortable being in a room where someone had been raped.
"Where would someone who's been…go?" he didn't want to fill in the blank as he gave L an expectant look. He wanted an answer. That much was obvious. "I'd think that they'd hide someplace," L paused putting a finger to his lips "until they were certain that they were safe."
"But…what…how did you…?" Wedy stammered trying to ask a coherent sentence.
"His hands were bloody with dried semen and the body upstairs was also bloody."
"Yeah, so?" Wedy interrupted.
"He raped and slaughtered his wife then killed himself out of guilt." Aizawa said grimly. "Case closed."
"That would have closed this case, but there was no semen upstairs if you'll recall Aizawa. Seeing blood and semen down here I deduced that a third party was involved. They were most likely beaten and raped. Likely someone he despised with all his heart and soul. If that wasn't enough proof, then these eaten rats are enough proof. It is quite possible that the third party ate them out of hunger, but couldn't keep them down."
"Why didn't this 'third party' just run away and find help?" Wedy demanded. She was dubious as well and was ready to side with Aizawa, L knew.
"Yeah, if they could move around what was stopping them?" Aizawa questioned. "These two are dead so what could've stopped them from running to get help?"
"They were obviously afraid to step foot outside, why? I've no idea. Perhaps they feared getting harmed or killed by running away even though the woman and man were dead. Perhaps, the third party had no idea the man killed himself. And is afraid that the man will kill him. A-"
"That sounds ridiculous." Wedy said shaking her head. "How could they have no idea?"
"Yeah, that gunshot could've been heard a mile away." Aizawa agreed.
L was beginning to feel annoyed; making his black panda ears lay flat against his head but ignored his ears as he continued speaking. "All I am currently certain of is that the third party, whoever they are, is still here. They are most likely hiding and alive or else there would be evidence that they've ran away or died, which there is not, so I am more than certain that I am correct by saying that they are alive and hiding. Us being here is probably just frightening them and forcing them to hide."
"Why would they be afraid?" Wedy sighed.
"Miss. Wedy if you were wounded and already frightened wouldn't you be even more frightened if some people you don't know came barging into your home?"
Wedy nodded sourly.
"There is a room close to the stairs." Aizawa whispered to the detective. "Whoever is the third party could be hiding in there."
"Nobody," Wedy said rolling her eyes and mentally scoffing at Aizawa. "But you has taken notice of it, so maybe that's the purpose why they would hide there, because they know that people scarcely ever take notice of diminutive rooms."
"Wedy will get everyone out while we see if they're hiding there." Aizawa said in a hushed voice. "You might need some backup if the person hiding turns out to be hostile." He said turning his attention to L whose panda ears twitched slightly from annoyance.
"No, I can take care of myself." The detective deadpanned.
"I'm coming whether you like it or not." The officer whispered to the younger man in an unyielding voice that was clearly exasperated.
"Why are you whispering?" L whispered back to Aizawa with a grin.
The officer gave the detective a harsh, yet vacant expression.
"Get going." Wedy said as she headed for the stairs. "I'll get everyone out."
Hollow, almost quiet footsteps followed behind the first pair of footsteps, which were uneasy and thundered in the small boy's white cat-ears, which lay flat on his head as he tried to ignored those thunderous steps that were coming for him. Near held his breath as two pairs of feet appeared in his doorway. Near's small body tensed instantaneously.
The first pair of feet he saw wore expensive-looking black shoes that were oddly startling to the child. The second pair of feet that followed the first wore aged, battered tennis shoes, which frightened Near more than the thought of his father's boots stomping in to kick him did. He breathed as silently as humanly possible, hoping that the two people would leave. He closed his large eyes, the eyes he hated because they were abnormal. All that ran through Near's mind was the thought of the two people leaving.
No such luck.
"Where would you hide in a small room like this?" Aizawa asked L who hung back near the doorway. "There isn't much room to hide in here."
"Yes, it'd seem the occupant of this room is a child and was deemed unworthy to have a more spacious bedroom." The detective said putting a finger to his lips. "The only places to hide would be where said child would feel safe and at ease more than likely they're under the bed…but there is an eight percent chance that they would be in the closet."
Near felt his tail twitch as he moved himself further under his bed until his small body touched the wall. He didn't know whom the man was that sounded so smart and he didn't know what the two men wanted from him and he honestly didn't want to find out. Images of his father thrusting into him made the boy tremble and brought tears to the corners of his eyes. He screamed as a hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him from his hiding place. He was forced to stand and had hardly any time to adjust his eyes to the light, which burnt his eyes. He was used to darkness not this bright light.
He felt his small body as it trembled. Near gasped before he faced the two men, well a man and a teenager, his eyes widened as he stared from one to the other in fear and confusion. He felt Aizawa use the same firm grip his father did, when he'd grabbed his white locks and when his father had beaten and raped him, that firm grip was always present. Fearful that he was going to be beaten or worse Near bit Aizawa's hand. The albino ran from the room as soon as he was released.
He ran up the stairs, passing the room that had contained his mother's corpse.
Near felt tears build up in his eyes as he ran into a random room, which was filled by boxes and old furniture which was covered by white tarps. The boy ducked into a corner concealed by several large cardboard boxes. He felt out of harm's way and protected. Yes, he liked feeling that way.
He liked feeling safe.
Near silently wondered if hiding was the best solution. Perhaps the people who found him were nice. Maybe they wanted to help him. The frightened boy brusquely remembered what happened when he let his father catch him. Near let a pale hand cover his mouth as he fought back betraying sobs. To calm and soothe his nerves, Near assured himself that he wasn't going to get hurt again in such a horrible way.
To be truthful though he wasn't sure, and he was beginning to care less and less if it happened again. He was a freakish, smutty creature after all, and deserved punishment for that. That was the way he started to look at what his father did.
Punishment for being abnormal, punishment for wanting to eat, punishment for actually liking what was done to him, punishment for living. And Near believed he deserved it.
Meanwhile, Aizawa rubbed his hand muttering obscenities under his breath. L's panda ears trembled slightly as the man said the foul words. "I think that you should let me speak with him." L said as Aizawa began to head for the stairs appearing more than just irritated. "He may listen to me."
"Why would he listen to you?" Aizawa demanded freezing where he stood.
His sentence was icy and bitter.
"Because he, like me, has animal-like ears and unlike me a tail." L said pointing to his black panda ears. "He will trust me more than he'll trust you." He paused. "Simply because you're apart of society's norms." He said shaking his head almost sadly.
Almost.
"Yeah, but that…I thought there were only…only six of you guys living."
"No, there was six of us, but he passed away. Old age. Leaving me in charge of the others. Anyway, I guess that there are six again. And I'm still in charge. I know it's not something to be happy about, but I am. I get to run things and tell the others what to do seeing as they are lower on the age level. Anyways, as I previously stated; that boy will trust me more than he will trust you, because I'm not apart of society's norms as you, sir, are. It is that simple."
"Fine, but what'll happen if he doesn't? He seemed like a really unpleasant child."
"If you were like us you'd understand." L said giving Aizawa a somber glance. "He's been through a lot as you've seen the evidence and is more than likely confused about it all. I'll straighten him out. And I'd like a medic standing by. He looked quite battered."
"I honestly don't trust you, but I'll do what you say since you have a higher intelligence."
"And why don't you trust me?" the detective asked giving Aizawa a childish smirk.
The officer eyed him suspiciously. "You remind me of pedophiles I once arrested if I should be quite frank, Mr. Panda."
L rolled his eyes as he headed for the stairs. "I can assure you have never had those kind of relations with children. I am fond of them, but would not hurt them in such a manner. If I were to hurt them it'd be with verbal abuse, which is not illegal, may I remind you. Children verbally abuse each other all the time, you know."
"Yeah and you're as immature as any kid." Aizawa muttered.
L gave him a smirk. "Thank you very much."
He stared ahead of him as he passed the first room. He paused in the middle of the hall studying each door ahead of him. He noticed one that was slightly ajar. Opening that door he studied all the boxes and furniture that was covered by tarps. L moved towards the corner that was a long way from the door. L sat in his unusual sitting position that seemed to be more of a crouch and he moved two boxes off to the side.
He moved two other large boxes and wasn't very surprised when he saw a huge box was behind those two boxes. He shoved that box aside like he did the others. The small, frightened shaking ball of fluff was revealed to him snuggled up in the corner hoping he was indistinguishable against the icy, covered in dust, colorless plastered wall. L knew better than to try and touch him and he wasn't much of a socialist so he simply stared at the boy in silence studying him with great interest and anxiety.
Near chanced to look up at the man who was crouched a half foot away from him and was surprised to see that the man not only had black bear ears, but he was also studying Near. Nobody had paid so much attention to him that it made Near nervous. He started to twirl some of his white hair and continued to stare blankly at the man before he attempted to study L. He was a hard book to read, but that was okay because Near was a hard book to read for the detective. L finally spoke when it became clear that what little information he gathered on Near was going to be all he knew as long as they were silent.
"Are you afraid of me?" L asked smiling warmly.
"No." Near replied emotionlessly. "You're not scary, you're a panda bear."
"And you're a cat."
"Yes."
"That wasn't an inquiry." L said changing his smile to a frown. "So, that means you didn't have to answer."
"Oh." Near said quietly. "I am sorry."
"What happened?" the detective asked.
Near shook his head.
"Alright, well, can you tell me about the two bodies we found here?" L asked voice monotone. "Were they your parents?"
Near gave a small smile. "Yes."
"That isn't something to be cheerful about."
"I ostracized them."
"Why?"
"My mother resented the day she gave birth to me and ignored me. My father wanted me to be aborted before I had a chance to live and always hurt my mother for being the one to bring me into this world. She always let bad things happen to me. He always has done bad things to me. He almost killed me once. And all she did was watch. Parents…aren't they supposed to love their offspring…why didn't my parents love me? Is it because I'm a freak of nature that doesn't deserve to live or is it just because they were wicked devils? I-I am c-confused, mis-mister." Near admitted the last part with a quivering voice.
"I understand." L said looking to the floor. "Trust me they probably weren't wicked devils to start with, but pain and shame and humiliation can warp and twist people into ugly beings." He paused to meet Near's eyes but the younger male wouldn't meet his. "They probably weren't prepared to care for an infant and when you were born they couldn't handle the fact that you were unique. You deserve the right to live like everyone else, despite what you've been told. And believe me, you're not a freak of nature you're a human being and deserve to be treated as such. Don't you agree with that bit of logic?"
"…."
"Tell me, what happened here." L said as gently as he could.
There was a thick silence between them for a handful of spare heartbeats.
"They were fighting." Near said in a monotone voice. "They were fighting like they always did, but when her scream was silenced he came stomping down the stairs. I was curious as to why mother wasn't with him. So I…I…went upstairs to check and see if she were okay. But…she was…dead. H-he grabbed me from behind by my hair and shoved me down the stairs. I thought I'd be safe if I could make him believe I was dead, too, but he tested me…and I failed the final test. So-"
"May I inquire what the 'tests' were?"
"He nudged me, then kicked me and finally tossed my body on the broken glass in the kitchen. I screamed from the pain and he started to beat me. I didn't think there were worse things than a beating, but he proved me wrong. H-he pulled my pants down and…and…h-he…"
Near couldn't finish as sobs started to rip from his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut incapable of looking at the elder feeling his humiliation become more intense than it ever had been. L sat silent and he risked the trust he had built up with the boy to reach over and rest a hand on his dirty mop of white hair. Near tensed afraid he was about to get hurt. L gently stroked Near's soft white curls making the boy relax and softly gasp. Near was quick to pull away from the raven that didn't react with surprise but with frustration.
Near wasn't used to being handled in such a compassionate way. Near wiped his eyes and tried to appear like he was feeling okay when he wasn't. L wasn't deceived and moved closer despite Near's understandable discomfort. He wanted to make the boy who reminded him so much of himself when he was a child feel safe and sound and in high spirits, but he knew that he shouldn't get too fond of the small albino. Mostly because he'd just be handed over to his next guardians and L would never get to see him again.
"He was inside of you wasn't he?"
Near gave a mortified nod.
"You liked it to some extent?"
Near nodded for a second time, he felt even more ashamed.
"You made noises for him didn't you? And you didn't want to, therefore you're bewildered and wish to know why you did what you did, because it makes you feel corrupted and disgusted with yourself? Am I correct?"
Near nodded trembling. "D-do you hate me?" he asked burying his face in his tiny hands. He was very upset. L understood why he would be but he pretended like he was thinking deeply on the matter, even though he didn't have to think for an answer.
"No. I do not hate you."
"W-why? I-I'm so disgusting!"
"No, you're not disgusting." L said giving the boy a serious gaze. "You reacted as any person would during sex. Do you know what that is?"
"When a male and female's sex organs come in contact to fertilize an egg with the male's sperm and make a baby. Re-reproduction."
"Yes, that is a rough definition of it, but some people do it for pleasure as well."
"It hurts."
"A male penetrating another male, I wouldn't doubt that it hurts, but that's probably, more than likely, because you weren't prepared for it. And then there is the issue about how your body hasn't developed enough. Without doubt it must've hurt worse than anything you've anticipated. Correct?"
Near gave him a faint nod. His large blank gray eyes met L's large curious dark eyes and there was another deep silence between them where they tried to study each other.
"Why did he do it to me?" Near asked barely audible. "It wasn't for pleasure…he made me feel…like it was…more of a punishment."
"Yes, there have been some cases where people are raped because the rapist wishes to show and display their dominance. Did he make you feel pathetic and insignificant, mortified even? Did he purposely do that? If so then he was being pompous and waving his power over you in your face. That was wrong and I'm sure we both know that."
"I just want to leave." Near said meeting L's gaze again. "But…I'm afraid…."
"Afraid of what?"
"The pain. Getting hurt. I'm mad…but fearful that I'll get hurt worse...or the same way…as last time when he…he…you know raped me…I-I don't want it…again…."
"I won't let that happen to you." The detective promised. "I wouldn't let anyone do that to you. No matter what the circumstances were I'd never let them harm you like that. Not ever."
"R-really?" Near sputtered. "W-why?"
"You are a very intelligent boy maybe as smart as I was at your age. I am not certain but do know that you have much unlocked potential. You, yourself must know, that your intelligence is not normal for a boy your age. You have used words that many small children wouldn't understand. You are mentally mature even though your body isn't, which is most likely why you haven't taken being raped as badly as other small children would. Other children may have killed themselves, by now, but you have not."
"I thought about it." Near confessed. "But I was awfully scared and told myself that it was too irrational. I told myself I wasn't thinking clearly…because…because…because, well, you know."
"See?" L said with a very small smile. "You are more intelligent than other children, maybe even adults and knowledge is power. You have a lot of power. I know it, I can feel it just by staring at you, just as you can sense it staring at me."
Near thought about what the detective was saying and he found comfort in those words.
"My name is L," the elder said as he stood up and buried his hands in his jeans pockets. "What would your name happen to be?"
"My name is Near." He replied quietly.
"Well, Near, how about we get out of here and let some medics check you out?"
Near shook his head stubbornly. L slightly flinched. He remembered how stubborn children could be and sighed scratching the back of his head. "Why not?" the young man asked the small boy who hadn't budged from his spot in the corner.
"I don't like talking to people very much." Near said quietly. "Besides, they'll hate me and hurt me. I don't want to feel the pain. I can't bear it."
L sighed biting on his index finger gently. "I understand. I, too, hate feeling pain. I'm not used to it. It makes me feel and think irrationally. It annoys me when I cannot think straight."
"I agree." Near said twirling his hair.
"How about I make a deal?" L offered.
"A deal?" Near muttered tilting his head to the side.
"Yes." L nodded seeing he caught the boy's interest. "If you come with me and let a medic look you over to make sure your okay and bandage up your wounds, then I'll make sure that you are placed in a better place than this. Y-"
"No thank you." Near interjected suddenly uninterested. "I am not concerned about my wounds and am not concerned about where I end up after this. I will always be unloved."
"You're lying, you do care and you know it as well as you know that someone will love you someday. Nobody is unloved their whole life unless they want to be or make it so."
"It takes a liar to see through the lie or another liar."
"That's right and I am an exceptional liar. Now, let me finish what I was saying. Your knowledge is malnourished and if it so happens you have no other relatives or guardians ready to care for you then I'll be more than glad to let you stay with me and some other people who, like us, have animal-like ears and, like you, tails. They'll be somewhat pleasant and I'm sure would like to help you learn and show you around. How does that sound?"
Near didn't know how to respond. He loved learning and he wanted to learn so much, but he didn't want to risk raising his hopes so that they would be crushed. He knew that he had an aunt because his father had mentioned having an older sister. And Near knew that his mother had a cousin, but neither of them knew he existed. Nobody up until he met L had known he was alive and breathing. He licked his lips which felt suddenly dry as he looked up to L and studied the young man who was at least eight or nine years older than himself. He had admitted to lying, but would he tell a lie, so cruel as what he'd offered?
Near decided he'd risk it and nodded. "Okay, it's a deal...but…."
"But?"
"My parents never put me in either of their wills. And I have never been to the doctor or school. I've always been in this house. As far as anyone knows…the baby boy…John and Martha River had…that baby boy died after three months it left from the hospital. I don't exist in any records you may be able to access on a computer. None of my relatives know I exist nor does anyone who may know either my mother or father."
"Then I guess you're coming with me." L said grinning triumphantly.
Near stood up but fell back down L gave him a blank look. "Something wrong?"
"My legs are shaky." He said feeling uncoordinated. L nodded and lifted the boy off the floor. Uncomfortable with being lifted Near's tail instinctively tucked itself between his legs and his ears lay flat on his head. L felt the boy's body tense and he became a bit nervous, thinking that he had hurt him. "I apologize if I've hurt you, Near." He said as he headed for the door. Near wrapped his arms around the young man's neck. "It's okay, I know you didn't mean to." He whispered closing his gray eyes halfway.
Aizawa was downstairs with Wedy. Wedy appeared rather shocked as L carried Near down the stairs with no difficulty. The boy whimpered when he was sat on the ground, but made no other noise. A small hand held onto L's jeans. The detective gave a crooked smile to Aizawa, whilst the officer glared at the detective with extreme dislike.
"He has decided to receive help and do as we say under certain conditions."
"What?" Aizawa hissed looking from L to Near then back to L. "Who is he to make demands? He's just a kid."
"No. He is a child who doesn't exist but is willing to let you help him out." The detective said speaking to Aizawa directly. "He has made only one request that isn't very unreasonable. In fact it isn't irrational at all it's very rational and well thought out."
"What is it?" Aizawa sighed.
"You let him come with me and don't mention him to any of his family."
"Why?" the officer demanded.
"Because they do not know he exists and he doesn't want them to learn he does." L said casually as if it wasn't an important issue.
"We can't do that it's against the law." Wedy said. L felt Near's grip tighten on his jeans. He sighed and gave the two officers an indifferent gaze.
"Think this over carefully." L said, his gaze unwavering. "If you hand him over to another family member there is no guarantee they will let him live. His parents are dead and they will blame him and perhaps try to kill him. If not that, then they will certainly abuse him, maybe worse than what he's already been. It'd be hard if he were just a normal albino, but having cat-like features will make things intolerable for him."
"Look," Wedy said mildly "we don't have anything against this kid because of his…features…or whatever…but we can't let him go with you. How'll we explain it to anyone who may just happen to find out? We let him go with a detective who doesn't exist in any file and has panda ears? Yeah, who'll go for that?"
"She's got a point and you know that she does." Aizawa said sighing.
Near saw that it was a losing battle L was fighting for. And he couldn't help but to wonder: Am I worth this arguing? Do I deserve to go with a nice person like L? And if I am worth something, then what am I worth?
He let his ears and tail droop as these depressing thoughts slowly tore him down.
