Folie à Deux
By Sychron
Rating: T
Pairings: Subtle, progressive L/Light/L.
Death Note:I used to have one…then forgot to water it, and it died….
Wall of Honor:
People who have reviewed Chapter 3, as of March 15, 2012: Zambino, Fluoxetine, lillemmi, xSynchronizationx, Ilandere, Okami, xThe Forgotten Uchihax, LightShadowsh, Shade O'Killer, .Lover, DeathNoteLOL, xinde, , CatsGurl98, Thank you for all the compliments and encouragement! I apologize; I am unable to personally respond to each and every one of you, but thank you so very much. The least I can do is update, and aim to improve my writing, ne?
"L," said Watari. "Have you decided on a case yet?"
The older man's voice brought L back from his reverie, but L didn't even remember what he was thinking about. It took him three seconds to remember that he was supposed to pick and work on a new case – Watari forbid if his mind ever rest.
Annoyed, he allowed the silence to linger for nearly a minute, before he answered.
"Yes. Watari, I would like to work on the 'Madhouse'," said L. "Please contact the hospital staff and inform them that L will send a proxy in two days."
L fully expected the silence that followed. L knew that Watari had already denied the request from the asylum without consulting him.
'Madhouse' was a case from CNL, an isolated mental asylum for criminals, 40 miles away from any civilization. No one knew what the letters stood for, but the location featured maximum security, high technology, and most violent psychopaths. Now, six of the psychopathic patients were brutally murdered, drained of blood, and left in a windowless, secure room triple-locked from the inside. Furthermore, the three large pieces of furniture were moved to block the door. As far as details went, this was a perfect crime.
"Madhouse?" It wasn't an attempt to feign ignorance; Watari was too wise.
"Yes." L didn't elaborate, and Watari didn't ask how L knew about the case.
"Does this have anything to do with Kira?"
L would claim that Watari had crossed the line, but he couldn't. L had broken the silent contract between them first; if Watari purposely did not show L a case, then L would not consider the case or question the decision. The day was full of lines crossed, L thought sardonically as his eyes strayed inevitably over to the three monitors depicting Light Yagami curled in his bed.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Watari," said L. "I caught Kira four years ago, the man died, and I do not think this has anything to do with Death Notes."
Another line; L really wasn't supposed play a fool in front of Watari.
But the darkest, thickest line remained uncrossed. Watari would not go against L.
"Very well, L," the older man conceded.
By conventional means, L would be a qualified sociopath, served with a double treat of psychopathic tendencies—but that didn't matter one bit. A lot of things didn't matter when the most prominent World Powers ate out of his palm. A hushed and delicate breath of air, a monosyllable jump, and the entire world would scramble to leap. Then, the world would pray they reached the desired height because no one dared to face him and ask 'how high'.
That was how everything worked. His position was as intricate as it was deadly; exhilarating, and thrilling. L knew of no other way to live, and it suited him perfectly.
Perfectly was how L liked everything that mattered.
"Please reserve five rooms in the three nearby hotels in the cities near the asylum. I will visit the place personally. I want any information CNL has, I want a blueprint of the entire hospital, and I want transportation arranged by tomorrow," said L as he stood to walk to the door.
His way was how L loved everything.
L did not like the fact that he had to leave Light behind. L was no longer sure of anything when it came to Light. The only thing he knew for sure was that Light was recovering. Light could hold conversations, and he seemed to be piecing information together.
Of course, Light Yagami was too intelligent, too alert, to ask 'where am I' again, and to L, that was a sign of recovery.
Five minutes later found L on the edge of Light's bed, shaking the teenager awake. When Light woke, a subtle shift, silk blanket spilling as he sat up, L smirked. In the close proximity, L could feel the warm air escape from Light's body under the blanket. Light seemed slightly surprised, but it was quickly masked into something polite and inquiring.
L suppressed another thrill – Light was becoming more and more like himself. Maybe, maybe, even more like Kira.
Of course, L wanted his friend very much, yes. But the greater truth was, Kira excited him like nothing else. Kira caused his stomach to flip and turn erratically, his heart to beat with twice the intensity. Their precarious tango with life and death on a pendulum was the high L craved his whole career.
"One has to know touch death to realize what life is, do you think so, Light-kun?" L suddenly said. Hopefully, Light Yagami would not insist on being a doctor this moment.
"L," the name sounded sleepy, personal and beautiful from Light's lips. "If I just woke up from an only God knows how long nap, philosophy is most definitely the last thing on my mind."
"Light-kun is being unreasonably mean," L pouted, simply because Light had that effect on him. "I think Light-kun should do something to make up for his lack of social etiquette, and I know for a fact that God is not the only one who knows how long Light-kun slept."
"That's wonderful. Now why don't you go take that 'how long Light-kun slept' and shove it somewhere?" Light rolled his eyes, a move that L admitted was quite endearing. Then he stretched, and groaned. "Maybe the same place you pulled it out from."
"I hear that there is a wonderful class nearby, something called 'Behavioral Discipline for Children'," said L. Mirth dripped playfully from L's charcoal eyes. "I fully believe Light-kun would benefit from a few sessions."
Light stared.
"You're the blackest pot I've ever laid eyes on," he finally said, watching as L brushed a piece of ebony hair back.
L seemed to ponder it for a moment, before he pointed to Light.
"Pot," said L, his index finger aimed at Light. Then he pointed to himself. "Kettle."
"My career choice always fell short of being a cookware," said Light, a small smile playing on his lips. "You can be both the pot and kettle for all I care."
"Light-kun is most generous," replied L. "But what does that make Light-kun?"
"I think I'm fine with being human, thank you for your concern."
"I think, therefore I am," quoted L as he lifted his foot from the ground to crouched on the bed. A sense of déjà vu ran through L as he placed his hands on his knees, and observed Light's honey eyes. Light's expression was unreadable.
"Enough of this—"
"Humor me. Please," L's voice was soft, and Light gave in with subtle acquiesce, like he always did.
"Cogito ergo sum implies the tangibility of 'I', 'think' and 'am'. It implies the correlation, and it implies that 'I' know what thinking is, it implies knowledge of 'am' when it doubts existence itself," said Light, his voice equally soft.
"What is existence, Light-kun?" The detective muttered darkly.
"I don't know. I hate Philosophy. For all the possibilities," said Light, as he reached out suddenly to grab L's arms, and pulled him forward. The solid skin and muscle he wrapped his fingers around seemed to reassure him as he made his next statement. "You don't exist."
The verdict was incredibly cruel, thought L. The feeling started with a chilled clench in his stomach, and spread rapidly. Icy water directly from the most frozen realm of hell overtook his common sense and rationality. Quite suddenly, the room was freezing, and Light, those hands on him, were the only source of warmth. L moved closer.
You don't exist.
"If you touch me, I'll feel it. If you cut me, I'll bleed," L insisted quietly. He firmly believed that the room was far too cold as he leaned into Light, and crawled under the blanket to straddle a thigh. It was far too intimate, far too unprofessional; something barbarically risqué. L didn't care. He reached up, his hands clasping around Light's neck, elbows pressed against Light's chest –flesh against flesh. "If you kill me, I'll die."
Light's hands tightened considerably as he nodded tersely, and L could feel warmth seeping from everything that was Light into himself. It was very similar to Kira. Both Kira and Light Yagami could make him feel alive; the hot, fiery trepidation that Kira seduced with, or the simple, flushed understanding that came with Light.
Right now, L wanted to feel alive.
The silence was torturous, and threatened to suffocate him. Reality furled and unfurled around him as Light released one hand from L's arm and used it to drag the blanket up. Soft, luscious silk covered them both, and Light didn't seem to mind when L pressed closer.
L didn't want to think about how many lines were crossed by now.
It was beyond humanly cold in that particular room, and he was damn sure someone should do something about it.
The world shattered around L.
Two days later, Watari drove L to CNL, a quiet journey after a three hour long plane ride.
The 'Madhouse' case just might prove to be the most interesting case since the Kira case, thought L. Then again, he knew Kira was a once in a life time, once in a century case. L knew perfectly well that he only cracked the Kira case by pure luck – Had Kira's vessel not went mad, Kira may or may not have already planned L's million dollar funeral.
But the Kira case was resolved with the heavy loss of L's only friend, and L wasn't too sure if it wasn't simply a Pyrrhic victory.
L decided to stop wondering and focus on the newest, interesting case. Schematics showed that CNL was walled in from all sides, with a wall 40 feet in height, and two feet in width. There was one, and only one entrance, with 24/7 surveillance, eight security cameras, and six guards on duty.
To L, that meant a 60% chance that the murderer was from within the walls of CNL, perhaps one of the doctors, nurse, security, janitors, or professionals. The other 40% came from the fact that Wedy and Aiber had successful infiltrated the place the previous night to install safety precautions.
When Watari's vehicle pulled up in front of the iron gates of CNL, the Director of CNL and two doctors were there to greet him. Two nurses and four security guards stood behind the three men.
Watari opened his door, and L stepped out, hands in his jeans pocket. He could see the question in the others' eyes.
"I am Ryuga. L sent me," said L. "And L will expect me back in three hours –exactly the same way."
Or else.
The wrath of a man who controlled the world's law was not something CNL would want to face and the arrogance of the disheveled man standing without body guards or formal attire was proof enough.
"Thank you, Ryuga," said the man in the middle; Director Eindesen. They did not bother with any other formalities as they walked toward the white-washed Hospital; L was professional, and Eindensen was not one to waste time repeating names that Ryuga already knew. "Let us speak inside."
As they walked down the cobblestone path, they passed a handcuffed woman escorted by two guards. Disheveled, white hair clung to her bony shoulders, and a few strands blew across her waxen skin when the breeze picked up. She grinned at L, cracked lips pulled back to reveal broken, yellowed teeth. A grin that was the essence of insanity; the core of everything delirious.
"Welcome to the Madhouse, stranger."
Detective L's entering an asylum...Doctor Light's playing Lawliet's little game of detective fiction...
O, the burning questions of 'reality, thou art?' ….
Until next time; probably next Friday. (: